Like a Good Neighbor...

I feel like much of my life is a lesson in humility. And it's not like I engage in overtly proud or even irresponsible behavior to bring it upon myself. For the most part, I keep to myself and speak when spoken to. I'm beginning to think this is the problem. It's no secret that Greg and I have never been the most neighborly individuals. I'd like to say the reason is because we've never lived anywhere for very long and therefore, to prevent ourselves from feeling the emotional pain of leaving our dear neighbors when the inevitable next moves takes place, we've inadvertently withdrawn ourselves from the social interactions that the "neighborly" engage in. But we all know this isn't the case. Basically, we're just lazy. I know that sounds awful, but it's the sad truth.

Now, don't get me wrong, we do have friends here (from church and Greg's work and my MOPS group) they just aren't our neighbors. A recent interaction with our "closest" neighbors (relationship-wise) made me realize that maybe it's time to "get out there" a little more.

We decided to order out for pizza one night (I know, shocking). Just as Greg drove away, the doorbell rang. It was one of our neighbors and her daughter selling girl scout cookies. I was a little flustered because I had taken a nap when Ben was napping and had woken up not too long ago...and I looked like it. Anyway, here is how the conversation went:

Me (opening the door): Hi! How are you guys?

Neighbor's Daughter: Would you like to buy some girl scout cookies?

Me: Sure! What do I need to do? Do I need to fill something out?

Neighbor (her name is Tara): Nope, we actually have the cookies right out here in the car so you can get them right now. Which kind would you like?

Me: I'll take the Thin Mints. Can I write a check? (Greg is the only one who ever has cash)

Tara: Sure, it's $3.50. I'll go get them and be right back. (If you think writing a check for $3.50 is embarrassing, just you wait....)

Me to Neighbor's Daughter: Who do I make the check out too?

Neighbor's Daughter: You can just make it out to my mom.

Me (thinking to myself): Oh crap. What is her last name? What is her last name? WHAT IS HER LAST NAME?????

Me (trying be very sly) to Tara: Hey Tara, how do you spell your last name? (Thinking to myself...please don't let it be Smith or Jones or White....)

Tara: W-E-S-T

Me (thinking to myself): Backfire.

Yes, it was very embarrassing. I mean, we've lived here for almost 5 years for crying out loud!!!! This ranks right up there with the time we first moved in and one of the neighbors on our cul-de-sac came over to introduce themselves and bring us some cookies. I was here by myself and we still had Jackson at the time who went ape every time the door bell would ring (among many, many other things). Anyway, when I answered the door, I had to hold Jackson back so he wouldn't dart out the front door. The neighbor looked a little startled and I said "Oh, don't worry, he won't bite" at which point, Jackson turned on me and literally started mauling my arm. I wish you could have seen the neighbor's face. His eyes were bugging out of his head and he practically threw the basket of cookies at me and made a beeline back to his house. They haven't spoken to us since. I'm not kidding.

Or, there was the time when we lived in Florida and Jackson escaped from our backyard and ran like the wind through various neighbors' backyards. Greg was gone, so I went running after him while carrying a bag of treats and screaming "SIT! SIT!". Did I mention I was still wearing my pajamas?!? And crying? I finally ended up in a backyard where a high school-aged boy was trying to relax on his family's lanai. When I saw him, I started pleading with him to help me catch my dog. He just sat there, frozen and visibly afraid of me. I looked crazy......no, no, I WAS crazy!! And then, Jackson stopped running and relieved himself in the boy's yard. At which point, I gathered my emotions and my dog and called it a day.

Clearly, I should never be left alone. I'm not even sure how I get around in the world.

Anyway, I think the time has come for us to be more neighborly. Or more normal. One of the two.

Brooke

List It...

Hey all! Just thought I'd throw up a post for the heck of it. This will in no way be organized. Actually, I think I'll just do a list for the sake of some organization. Here goes...

1) Ben loves to play with my iPhone. Most of the apps I now have are for him. I'm glad he enjoys it, but I'm thinking he might be a little too smart for his own good. I was looking at my texts the other day and noticed he had sent one to poison control that went something like this: Pdicccroy. And then I saw another one to CSS (not sure who that is....they are not in my contact list) that included an attachment of an audio recording of me and Ben reciting the alphabet together. Somewhere there are some very confused text recipients :-) Let's just hope 911 isn't next.

2) I was grocery shopping at Super Target the other day and I knew it was going to be a big trip money-wise because I hadn't been in so long. My goal was to keep it under $200. The bill ended up being $260. I was surprised because I had really tried to pay close attention to price, but not that surprised because, well, it's me and it's TARGET. Anyway, I was half-way home and decided that the bill just couldn't be right so I did a once over of the receipt at a stop light and noticed they charged me $81.37 for asparagus. So, I went back to Target to the customer service counter....with my asparagus. Yes, I looked ridiculous and yes, this was the first time the customer service clerk had someone come up to the desk with asparagus. I feel like some sort of pioneer. Lesson: Always check your receipt.

3) Ben likes to watch T.V. like this:

I feel like I should be feeding him grapes or something. Earlier today he was laying like this watching T.V. only he was naked and wearing a pair of Greg's wingtips. Apparently he had stripped down when we weren't looking. What can I say, the child likes to be naked. I hope this stops before pre-school or I can expect a lot of parent-teacher conferences in my future.

4) This is the funniest blog I have ever read in my life (for those of you who are technology-impaired (I'm looking at you, Mom), I'm not talking about my own blog....click on the highlighted word This and it will take you to the blog I'm referring to). It is the most wonderfully weird blog I have come across and I seriously can't believe I'm just finding out about it.

5) We watched "Breaking Dawn: Part 1" last weekend. I was all excited because it's "Twilight" and all so it HAD to be good. Oh my it was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Ever. I mean there is only so much vampire baby-making, talking wolves, imprinting (I'm not exactly sure what that entails by the way, but it doesn't bring anything pleasant to mind) and emaciated blood-drinking one can endure in one two hour period. That said....I can't wait for the next one.

6) We are getting a dog. At the end of March. A goldendoodle. We are naming him Lamar. And I expect him to live up to that name.

7) A couple of nights ago, Greg and I were reading Ben his bed-time stories and after we were finished he pointed to a picture that is hanging above his bed and said "Mommy, Daddy and Ben" (it's a picture if the 3 of us taken on the day we met Ben for the first time). I then said "Yeah, that's a picture of the day we became a family". He then looked at me with the biggest smile on his face, grabbed me around the neck and pulled me into him and gave me the biggest hug he has ever given me. Talk about trying to hold back the happy tears!! That one was a moment for the books. My goodness we are blessed. Thank you, Jesus :-)

Love,

Brooke

Phil was Right.....

Six more weeks of winter indeed....

Yes, you're looking at over a foot of snow there, folks. After months of what I had anointed as "The Best Winter EVER", the time to pay the piper finally arrived and mother nature dumped all the snow she had been saving up all these months in one 24 hour period. Below is a picture of poor Greg trying to muscle through the mess. I think this storm may have changed his feelings about buying a snow-blower. Oh, who am I kidding. We'll be shoveling for the rest of our lives.

Ben and I decided to make the most of all this white stuff, but it was kind of difficult for the little guy to get around...

Yes, there was a lot of falling down going on. But what do you expect when you're wading around in snow that covers a third of your body?!? He also would stop and yell "Help....stuck!" Poor kid. He seemed to have fun regardless. I think he may have eaten his weight in snow.

See what I mean? I have approximately 12 more pictures just like this, but I think you get the idea. The kid loves to eat snow. But how can you argue with a smile like this....

Then we came inside for some hot cocoa with marshmallows. This was Ben's first experience with hot cocoa and he was VERY excited. Here he is patiently waiting for it to be ready....

I guess snow isn't that bad after all :-)

Brooke