Surprise!
December 19, 2008
I thought Wednesday night would never get here!
My in-laws have been bummed. Matt’s brother, David, and his lovely wife, Steffi, live in London and so we just don’t get to see them nearly as often as we’d like. Usually, they are able to visit at Christmastime, but a couple months ago, David broke the news to his mother that they just weren’t going to be able to make it. They were only going to be able to go to Germany to visit Steffi’s family, and a US trip just wasn’t going to happen. Needless to say, we were all disappointed.
Matt and I’s disappointment did not last long, however, because David let us in on his little plan…he and Steffi were planning to come after all, but it was going to be a surprise for John and Nancy. Fantastically sneaky. Just how I like it.
So for weeks, Matt and I have been scheming and plotting, trying to arrange details to ensure that John and Nancy would be as free as possible while David and Steffi were in town. Matt was going to pick David and Steffi up at the airport Wednesday afternoon and bring them to our house, and we wanted John and Nancy to come over that evening for the big surprise. It was no small feat. But, I took my task to heart and spun a delightful web of lies…and it worked beautifully!
In case you don’t know, my in-laws are incredibly kind and self-less folks who are always eager to come up and watch the kids for us. However, this is one of the busiest times of the year for John, a professor at Rice, as he has dozens of lengthy papers to read and grade on a very strict schedule. Nancy has also been furiously working to get things ready for Christmas. They are both so busy, busy, busy. It literally pained me to ask them if they could set aside all of their own important activities and make the 35 mile drive through Houston rush-hour traffic up to our house on Wednesday night so that they could watch the kids while Matt and I went out for a nice dinner. Sheesh. Talk about obnoxious! But, of course, they said they would be happy to. Bless them.
As soon as they pulled up, we shoo-ed David and Steffi into our bedroom to hide. Following my cleverly crafted plan, (hear my own horn toot-tooting?) I casually greeted John and Nancy at the door and ushered them inside. I suggested that, since I had my camera handy, we take a quick picture of them with the grandkids. I strategically posed them with their backs to the bedroom door, slyly switched my camera to video mode, and, while trying to contain my incredibly giddiness, began the “say cheese” countdown.
Shocked is not the appropriate word. I’ll go with dumbfounded. :) My favorite is John’s “What? Hee. What? Heehee…what?” (and confused Parker is asking “What? No seriously, what??”) And Nancy’s complete slack-jaw…classic. Fantastic execution, Team Surprise! I am SO enjoying our visit together. There really is nothing like family being together for Christmas.
On a Cold Winter Afternoon…
December 15, 2008
This is how we entertain ourselves. Thank goodness Parker amuses so easily.
I am Funnier in my Sleep
December 10, 2008
The other night, I had a dream that I was in some sort of huge, open, really crowded office building. Suddenly, this masked man on the second floor pulled out a gun and yelled, “Everybody get down on the ground and FREEZE!”. I felt that horrible pure-terror chill run over my whole body. I got ready to drop to the ground when I realized, “Oh shit! I’m on an escalator!” (mind you, it was more like one of those flat, moving sidewalk kind of things…but it was a ramp and was going up. Work with me here.)
So there I was, attempting to flatten myself to this conveyor-type device and remain motionless so that this monster robber man would not shoot me dead. The resulting motion was a sort of full body shimmy-squirm, as I desperately tried to stay in the same place so as not to draw attention to myself.
Didn’t work.
Got shot.
Truly frightening, but I woke up chuckling, all the same. Because seriously, can’t you just picture that escalator wiggle move? How does sleeping me come up with this stuff??
Peace, Love…
December 6, 2008
Yesterday afternoon, Matt, Parker, and I were headed to lunch. As we turned onto the feeder road, the car that had been behind us suddenly sped up and veered around my car on the left side (where there was NOT another lane) and started swerving threateningly, and quite intentionally, toward us. It went on for several hundred yards. I slowed down, he slowed down. I sped up, he was right on me. The whole time, literally inches from us, jerking his car so close to mine that I was bracing for an impact. I was completely flustered and scared and couldn’t imagine what this guy was thinking…but then I saw his bumper sticker. And then I saw him high-five the two children that were in the car with him. And I just knew.
As we reached the intersection to u-turn, the man rolled down his window and sneered at us.
“Communists! I hate freaking COMMUNISTS! You are a communist and you make me SICK!”
It was because of my Obama sticker. The small adhesive piece of plastic slapped to my back window that simply states, “Peace, Love, Obama”.
Thankfully, we were able to get away from his nastiness when we turned. I was shocked. Appalled. Hurt. And OH so ANGRY. We had been violently threatened…and of course poor Parker immediately started asking questions.
“Mommy, why was that man driving so fast by us? Why was he talking so mad? Why was he yelling at you? What did you do, Mommy? Is he going to come back?”
How do you explain that knd of asshole behavior to a 4-year-old?? He was scared and worried and wanted answers and I just didn’t have the words…
I still don’t. 
Smiles
November 25, 2008
I had to scan some things tonight and just stumbled across this picture. I’m guessing it is from summer of 2003 or so, right before we got married.
Happy. :)
Neglect
November 12, 2008
My poor little family blog.
Neglected like the pitiful and slimy beta fish in my living room that half-heartedly waves a defeated flipper at me ever so often with the wistful hope that I will take pity and clean out his cloudy home-sweet-home. Oh, his time as “treasured and beloved pet” was short, indeed. But truly, not much in this world grosses me out more than fish water. Ugh. Makes me gag just thinking about it.
But I digress.
Dude, I really digress-ed. What the heck was I talking about?? Oh, right.
Ahem.
Fear not, loyal readers of All Things Boles (Hi Mom! Hi Nancy!), I do have stories to tell and pictures to share…but this silly little photography business of mine has just been sucking the life out of me! In a most delightful way, of course. 
So, as you wait in eager anticipation for the next juicy slice of Boles goodness, please feel free to cruise on over to my new photo blog. Hey, while you’re there, leave me a comment to affirm that all of the life sucking-out has been worth it.
Just the Girls
November 8, 2008
P-Bo is spending the night with Nana and Icky, so it’s just me and the babe today. Can I just say that I have forgotten how to entertain a child all by myself? Parker, my boy, I need you! I’m afraid Bailey is bored to tears.
She is praying for her big brother to come home soon.
Honestly, Bailey and I have had a lovely afternoon full of grins, scrunched up faces, and lots of baby wrestling. Couldn’t ask for much more.
Unexpected Victory!
November 5, 2008
So yes, my man, Barack Obama, will in fact be the next President of the United States…but I knew he had that one in the bag.
What actually surprised me this evening was the unexpected return of the PONYTAIL!! My hair has been too short for months and months now but it has finally reached that beautiful turning point. You are welcome to celebrate right along with me.
Happy (apathetic) Halloween!
November 4, 2008
I really try to not be so bah-humbug (boo-humbug?) about Halloween. Sure, I appreciate the cute happy-times of it all…but this year makes 4 years in a row that Matt has been out of town for this day ‘o candy and fun. Ah well…maybe next year.
Parker’s poor Batman costume had been through the ringer long before Halloween night finally arrived. School and family Halloween parties and countless afternoons of Parker-romping later, Batman’s bulging pecs were boasting some serious creases and stains of questionable origin. But did this stop our favorite superhero? Heck no!! Parker was all kinds of ready to slide into that magnificent polyester one last time for a triumphant trick-or-treating lap around the cul-de-sac. Bailey happily rocked the “mom-was-too-lazy/cheap/unenthusiastic-to-buy-me-a-real-costume-so-I-had-to-wear-these-dumb-skeleton-leggings” look. My costume was a thick layer of bug spray. Yum.
Parker liked trick-or-treating, but he LOVED answering the door and passing out candy. If a particular costume caught his fancy, he wasted no time in inviting the child inside to play with him. (He was hell-bent on getting Darth Vader to spend the night). Parker has now planned out his costumes for the next eleven years or so. It never hurts to plan ahead.
Without further adieu, I would like to present the REAL Batman (and his cute sister in an orange diaper)
Now, this kid wasn’t foolin’ around.
Bailey, for the most part, seemed to share my enthusiasm.
Janica + Jason =
October 27, 2008
Dear Matthew, I adore you and think you are the most amazing man in the universe and I am thankful each and every day that you are my husband.
That said…
I have SUCH a crush on Jason Mraz. 
He is absurdly talented and delightfully nerd-ish. I am thoroughly charmed.
Alicia, Chrystal and I went to see his concert on Saturday night and it was a GOOD time. It was one of my very first nights out since Bailey was born and I quickly realized it was long overdue.
Always love an opportunity to “sorority squat”. Alicia is a pro. I was taking note.
And a peek at the goodness: (um, is it legal for me to take video a concert?)
