So I’ve decided to attempt the merge.  As much as I love having this cozy little nook of cyber-space carved out especially for All Things Boles, I feel like I am spread a bit thin trying to update two blogs with any sort of regularity.  And so, for now, I’m going to move all of personal musings over to my jbo photo blog.  I do hope you both (OK, maybe there are 3 or 4 or you…) follow me there and can feel right at home.  

CLICK HERE to take the leap…!

HAHA!  (and poor, old Paula)

I love where I live.  My neighbors are beyond rad, and cul-de-sac living is just about as good as it gets.  That said, I can’t help but wistfully imagine what it would be like to have my best friend live right next door .  We would have an “open door” policy between our two homes…kids would play together every day, we would have picnic lunches together in the backyard,  spending time together when there is NO schedule.  Just  leisurely hanging out, chatting, watching the kids be kids, cooking meals together, waiting for the husbands to get home, and handing over kid-duty the millisecond they do…  Wistfully, wistfully.  

I’ll tell you, the excitement is infectious!  Seems we even have ourselves an Obaby…

We are just getting started. 

If you know the lad, you know he’s a talker.  And an asker.  We have the same roundabout conversations over and over, day after day.  Once he gets going, bless his heart, he just can’t seem to shut down his sweet, stuttering stammer.  Now, I am delighted that he has taken such a precocious interest in football.  He can dazzle strangers with his talk of teams, players, positions, and uniforms.  It is admittedly adorable that he begs to wear his Texans jerseys every stinking day.  I am amazed at his understanding of downs, interceptions, and fumbles.  But at times, a mama can only take so much.  

In the car yesterday, I had just about reached my limit.  I had been repeatedly scolded for (truthfully) answering “I don’t know” to too many of his inane and obscure football questions, and I wasn’t sure if I could take another moment of pig skin musings.  

“Mom, I fink the Cinciati (sic) Bengals are going to play the Timba Bay Bucaneers on Monday Night Football tonight?”

“Today is Wednesday, Parker.”

“No, I fink it’s Monday Night Football.”

“OK, whatever, baby.”

“Is the Cardinals a football team?”

“No, Parker,  they are a baseball team.”

“No Mom, they are a college football team.”

“Oh.  OK Parker, you’re right.”   (I mean, seriously?!? How does he know these things??) 

“Mom, I fink the Cardinals are from the Louisville college.”

“OK, Parker.”

“No, Mom, the Cardinals are a football team.  For college.  Not professional.  They play defense and Rutgers plays offense.”

“OK, Parker.” (blood pressure elevating slightly)

“Does the Cardinals play defense?”

“They play both, Parker.”

“No, Mom, I fink they play just the defense.”

“OK, Parker.”  (breathe Janica breathe Janica breathe…)

“No, Mom -”

“Parker!” (deep breath) “Parker, my ears need a little break for a minute, OK?”

“OK, Mom.”  

-a moment’s pause-

“Mom?”

“Yes?” (through clenched teeth)

“Is heaven a city?”

Oh, to be four years old.  It is a big, confusing world out there.   I suppose I should be thankful that football is relatively straightforward by comparison…

I’ll be darned if that girl didn’t tinkle.  Immediately.

Now sure, I am 99% sure that it was a total fluke, but it made for an exquisite moment of Mom-pride, nonetheless.  

My sweet little sprinkler.

Apparently, Team Boles is quite literal with the ideas of a fresh start for the new year.  All four of us have spent the past couple days huddled around various toilets, ensuring that our bodies carried nothing over from 2008 into 2009.  And I mean NOTHING.  Really, folks, nothing brings a family together quite like an intestinal bug.  Those who puke together, stay together.  

We have slowly emerged from the den of sickness, however,  and are not that much more worse for wear.  Virtually every bed linen in the house has been freshly laundered (at least twice), Parker has almost figured out that it really is preferable to vomit in the toilet, and this morning, the Wii Fit accused me of using “unhealthy methods” of dropping 6.4 pounds in 2 days.  Thanks for your insight, stupid plastic balance board.

There is so much that I want to add to bring my blog-life up to speed.  I am so anxious to get  back into a routine and really use my time more effectively.  I want to schedule, plan, prioritize and organize.  Hmmm…if only there was a time of the year where one could, I don’t know, resolve to make those kinds of changes.  That would be neat.