Category Archives: Super Dad

I wouldn’t say I’m ANTI Valentine’s Day…

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But I really just don’t care about it.

Don’t get me wrong, growing up it was awesome. I have great memories of carefully writing out my classmates’ names on cards, making a Valentine’s mailbox or pouch for my desk and then the super awesome Valentine’s party my class would have. My mom would make dinner and set the table and the lights in the dining room would be off and there’d be a special little treat in our seat. However, I do remember the year I had a boyfriend break up with me the day before Valentine’s day…and the day before the dance. That was less than awesome, but whatevs, I got over it. Overall, like I said, Valentine’s Day was always pretty awesome.

But really, anymore? Eh…not that big of a deal to me.

In honor of Valentine’s Day I’ve noticed a lot of other bloggers writing all these mushy posts about how much them love their spouse/significant other, blah, blah, blah. Not gonna lie…I kind of threw up a little bit in my mouth.

I figured I’d write my own kind of post…but not how much I love Andy, or how great he is, or how I fall in love with him all over again…blech…how about the opposite. How about a post about all the things we “LOVE” about each other.

  • I LOVE that he puts more ranch dressing and cheese on your salad that there is lettuce.
  • I LOVE that he almost always forgets to flush the toilet after you get out of the shower then when I get home from work 10 hours later there’s still pee in the toilet.
  • I LOVE  the weird throat-clearing-thingy he does when he’s trying to make a point.
  • I LOVE that he’s always hot and feels the need to have a fan blasting on us every night for bed.
  • I LOVE when he trims his beard/shave his face a bunch of the trimmed hair is left in the sink.
  • I LOVE that he still think it’s hilarious when I unknowingly walk into a room after he’s let out a stinky fart.
  • Speaking of farts…I LOVE that he taught our daughter “pull my finger”.

Oh, and don’t worry, I know this LOVE is a two way street…here’s a list of things I know Andy LOVES about me!

  • I know Andy LOVES how I have the knack for leaving random strands of hair all over the house.
  • He LOVES that after I spend all day at work sitting with my face staring at a computer I can do the same thing after Ry goes to bed until I go to bed.
  • He LOVES that I sleep with with a sheet, wool blanket, quilt and another blanket on top because I’m always cold.
  • He LOVES that I can’t remember simple things like calling to make a vet appointment for the dog but I can remember what I was wearing the day of our first kiss.
  • He LOVES that every single time he comes inside after I have been playing outside with Rylee I say “Sorry I didn’t pick up the toys out of the yard, it was time for Ry to get in the house and she was not having it.”
  • And I know he LOVES that I taught Rylee how to pick her nose.

Keep in mind this is all in fun. I really do love my husband. But really…every spouse does things that drives the other crazy.

Let’s Go on a Safari

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Alternate title: My child has possibly watched the one Dora video we have too many times because when I said to her we were going to see animals, she instantly said we were going to Diego’s Animal Center.

But, really, that title is a bid too long.

Saturday we made the 100+ mile trek South to visit Wildlife Safari. The last time I was at Wildlife Safari I was probably 8 or 9 years old, so it’s been a while. But we had free passes, so we figured, why not. The weather was fantastic and we had a great day. {until she decided she was D.O.N.E. but I’ve decided we’ll focus on the positive here, people.}

Ready to get started!
There were even 2 baby zebras. Ry said her favorite was the cheetah though.

“Hey Look Mommy!”
“See!?”

Like I said…it was a gorgeous day. However, at about this point, Ry was done with the driving through the safari and requested that we go home and watch Dora. {FAIL!}

She quickly forgot about Dora when we said it was time for a picnic in the back of the Jeep!

After lunch we headed into “Safari Village” to see the smaller animal displays and run around a bit.
Because Andy and I are both 12 year old boys at heart and I have an uncle named Kirk.

There was a little petting zoo too. Ry wasn’t so much into touching the animals though.
Such a sweet face that one.
A seriously creepy encounter with a Burmese Python.

I do believe that giant snake would have eaten my child had it not been for the protective barrier. Also? Don’t let it’s small head fool you, this thing was at least 12 feet long and as big around as my thigh!

On the bridge over the pond. {FYI: Grammy’s Koi would kick these Koi butts}

And, of course…it wouldn’t be right if Andy had the camera and didn’t take his “signature” shot.

On Being Stabby

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Yesterday? Yesterday was a frustrating day. It was the culmination of: Christmas decorations are half down/kitchen is half clean/I leave for a major tradeshow in 2 days/product launch/website launch. Stress-ful.

And all the stress got to me. Bad.

I started writing a blog post in my head and it was going to be a list of all the things that make me stabby. Like…

WalMart.
WalMart during the first weekend of the month.
Multiple days of 20 degree weather.
A dirty kitchen.
Cold coffee.
Slow Internet connections.
The inability for people to focus when shit needs to get done.
People who don’t use their blinkers.
People who don’t turn of their brights when they are coming straight toward you.
Late dinners.
Overflowing trash.
Little microscopic holes in your trash bags (aka plastic grocery bags) that make a huge, sloppy coffee ground mess in the bottom of your trash can.

You get the idea…random, trivial crap.

After the fire was roaring and dinner was done, we settled into our typical evening routine and all of the stress of the day just seemed to melt away. Then, instead of the “stabby” list I was writing on my way home, I started thinking of a different list. Things that make me not stabby. Like…

A warm fire in our wood stove.
Toddler hugs.
Taking out the trash, looking up and seeing billions of beautiful stars in the sky.
Walking back into a nice, warm house.
Hearing all sorts of giggles and laughter coming from the bathroom during bathtime.
Big, toothy two-year old grins.

Also? Monster Beards and Daddy Beards.

I mean really…how could I be grumpy after this?

It’s imposible.

2010: Year of the…Tiger?

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According to China, it’s the year of the tiger. For us, it’s more like “2010: Year of the Rice Family Roller Coaster”.

Happy New Year’s Eve ya’all. It’s 10:00 PM Pacific time and I’m ringing in the new year sitting on my couch, with my teeth brushed, face washed, sporting my flannel pj pants and oversized sweatshirt next to the warm, crackling fire, typing this by the twinkling lights of my Christmas tree.

And I couldn’t be happier.

This year was a crazy one filled with challenges and sadness. But also one filled with love and an abundance of blessings. And so, I give you our 2010, a year in review.

January: Rang in the new year with money troubles, the worry of losing our home, a puking kid, followed by a puking husband, followed by a business trip to Columbus, OH. Mid-to-late January was spent in and out of the pediatrician’s office with Rylee battling bronchiolitis. We celebrated Grandma Rice’s 88th birthday!

February: Spent the better part of February in and out of the pediatrician’s office, again, while Rylee battled RSV and croup. At the same time. I did manage to work in a quick, weekend trip with Kristen to fly out to Chicago to help Kelli celebrate her 30th birthday.

March: More time spent in the pediatrician’s office {the receptionists knew Rylee all too well}. This time with another bout of pneumonia, followed by the flu. We took Ry on her first trip to the zoo and transitioned her from her crib to a “big-girl” bed.

April: Ry got the flu…again. I went to my first Cirque De Sole show with Julia and Kristen. April is when the floodgates called Rylee’s Vocabulary opened up.

May:  We celebrated Rylee’s 2nd birthday. Unfortunately, we ended the month on a low with the loss of Andy’s Grandma Rice.

June: Started off June with Julia’s bridal shower. Andy wrapped up another school year. Rylee repeated her first bad word {that I said!}.We took Rylee to the Oregon Coast Aquarium and her first real trip to the beach. Julia and Spencer said “I do”. Best. Wedding. Ever.

July: 4th of July. Always amazing. We took Rylee on her first camping trip. I headed to Minnesota for a work trip, visited family I hadn’t seen for nearly 20 years and received a phone call that would leave me with major decisions to make…

August: Andy and I celebrated 5 wonderful years of marriage. I stepped way out of my comfort zone and left my very comfortable, very familiar job to work for a company that was less than 1 year old and in a new, unfamiliar industry. Andy started another school year.

September: Canned dozens of jars of fruit and potty trained Rylee in a weekend…all while Andy was gone {thanks Auntie Kristen!}. Andy spent that weekend with a much needed/deserved visit with his best friend. Ry started back up in daycare. We got to help celebrate our “nephew’s” first birthday.

October: We started out October with the phone call that Andy’s grandfather (his mom’s dad) passed away. I harvested a forked horn blacktail. We booked plane tickets for Andy and his dad to visit his best friend in Alaska this coming Summer for 12 days! {I am accepting wine donations starting now.}

November: Andy received a much deserved promotion at work to Head Teacher. Celebrated Thanksgiving with family.

December: Spent the first half of December waiting for Andy to get home from work and eating dinner at 8:00 at night…some promotion {I have been assured that it will not continue this way}. Spent the second half of December celebrating the birth of Jesus, and the rest of Christmas break, with some much needed family time.

That about wraps it up. It’s been a wild year and it flew by.

I am looking forward to all 2011 has in store for our little family.

The ups and the downs.

Also? This happens to mark my 200th post. So, in honor of my 200th post, picture me throwing confetti in the air, raising the roof and even busting out the head-down-knee-popped-fist-clenched-elbow-back-DJ Tanner-style “YESSSsss”.

Or not. Your choice.

Let’s Talk About That Magical Switch

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True Story: When I met Rylee and Andy at the mall on Monday for her first-ever Santa meeting, she had the charm turned on. She was a perfect angel. After the Santa meet-up, we wanted to grab some lunch. As we headed to the mall food court, Ry politely asked for a grilled cheese sandwich: “Rylee want a grilled cheese sanich…heeese?”. Well, in our mall food court, there are seriously NO kid-friendly eateries. So we decided we’d spend the extra time an the extra money and go to the Chili’s in the mall…you know, so Ry could have her grilled cheese.

Chili’s was busy. Really busy.

My child? Was a perfect angel.

I’m not even kidding. She ordered her own lunch. Opting for the “tay-sa-dee-a” instead of the grilled cheese. She ordered her own beverage “Rylee need milk, heeese?”Upon arrival of both the milk and quesadilla she loudly proclaimed “Hank You”.

While we waited, we colored her menu, we wrote names of our family and spelled them out, we quietly sang the ABC’s, we played I Spy.

I heard our waiter, on more than one occasion, say things under his breath like “That’s so cute”. He even commented to another waiter how awesome Rylee was. As we were leaving? He made a point to stop Andy and tell him how adorable Rylee was.

You guys? I’m not going to lie to you…I was completely shocked. Now, before you try to tell me that of course Rylee was great, she’s a great little kid, she’s an angel, blah, blah, blah…let me paint a picture of the night before…

My child was a monster. Not the cute little monster for which she got her nickname. There was nothing cute about Sunday night. She all out grew horns and was letting Andy and me know it. She wouldn’t listen. She was throwing fits. She was kicking. She was screaming. She was throwing things. It was ugly.

It got so bad at one point, that Andy could clearly see the frustration and outright anger in my face and decided it was time to step in. I seriously, seriously contemplated whether or not my child was “ready” to be spanked. And not because I thought it would be the right way to discipline her, but because I was angry. When Andy stepped in, I gladly walked away. I walked into my dark, quiet bedroom and sat down on the end of my bed. And just sat there.

The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. Andy helped Ry get her jammies on and she came out of her bedroom looking for me. She snuggled up to me and we read books. I took her to bed. And that was that.

Now, I ask you…where is that magical switch? It’s gotta be somewhere…Rylee clearly knows where it is on her and me.