Backyard Oasis

Spring Fever is my primary excuse for neglecting the blog. I came down with a pretty bad case of it which resulted in a bit of patio redecoration. Once the new furniture arrived, I was unable to resist heating the pool and declared it open for the 2011 season. We've been living out there ever since!My favorite spot has to be the new chaise lounges. They are perfection and lead to hours of pure shameful laziness.Now that we have a true outdoor dining set, we enjoy al fresco dinners almost every evening, and Anh is on his way to earning the title Grill Master Extraordinaire.The boys and I even made a second attempt at purchasing flowers, and this time, the trip was drama-free. Whew! Now, we just have to keep the plants alive. I'm always up for a challenge.
So, you see, I have been keeping busy. Lounging poolside is far from hard work, but it does tend to zap you of all motivation. I'll try to work on that!

War

I'm ticked off! I realize I've got a lot of catching up to do on the blog & I promise that is going to happen this week, but my blood is boiling at the moment and that has motivated me to blog on a random topic. I'm declaring WAR on the raccoon that has been raiding our trash cans for the last few months. He's in BIG trouble now! We tried to handle things in a nice civilized manner by using bungee cords to tightly fasten the lids closed. Our old raccoon got the hint and moved on when we implemented this tactic. However, this jerk is more determined to make our lives difficult. I suspect he's hiding in the bushes somewhere laughing every morning as we gather the trash and food particles that he's scattered from one end of the driveway to the other!

The bungee cords weren't much of a deterent. Within a matter of a week, the raccoon had learned how to unfasten them. So, we drilled holes into the trash can and started fastening the lids closed with plastic ties. We thought, "There's no way he's going to get the lids open now!" WRONG!!! The raccoon was frustrated for a couple weeks, but eventually figured out he could simply gnaw through the thick plastic ties. Geez Louise! So, I decided it was time to play hardball and called Grandfather to see whether he or Uncle Travis owns a "quiet" gun. I just want to end my raccoon problem, after all, not wake up the entire neighborhood and end up with the police at my door. Sadly, they don't own a weapon appropriate for this job.

This morning, I called Animal Control. Well, evidently, they don't deal with raccoons unless they're already dead. Shouldn't be long before I'm calling them back! Animal Control referred me to Animal Wildlife, and they stated it would be completely legal for me to "take care of the problem on my own" since the raccoon is on private property, but also provided me with the contact information for several trappers in my area. Their services would be at my expense. So...I'm soliciting advice on how to proceed from the 1 or 2 loyal readers that might have stuck around despite my absence. Should we:

(1) Buy a trap for approximately $25 and take the humane route of relocating the raccoon. I'm not thrilled with the idea of loading a pissed off wild animal into any of our vehicles. I doubt he's going to be very cooperative during the relocation and release process!

(2) Buy a BB gun for approximately $50-75 and "take of the problem on my own."

(3) Hire the trapper.

or

(4) Put red pepper flakes all over the trash can. (Grandma's idea. Had to throw that one in!)

I'm leaning towards the BB gun because that's certainly going to result in a blog-worthy story. I just hope it's not that somebody's going to "shoot their eye out!" (Had to throw in a reference to Grandma's favorite Christmas movie.) Seriously though, I doubt this will be our last raccoon, and the BB gun seems like the better investment. What to do? Advice please!

Bedtime Confessions

Jaxon: "Daddy, when I grow up I want a cool car."

Anh smiles & nods.

Baylor: "Daddy, when I grow up I want to be Darth Vader!"

OMG! Watch out, World! One is gonna be a terror on the road, and the other is just gonna be a terror!

Big Boys (Real Big Boys)

Saturday night, we went to a dinner party at our neighbors' house, Dr. & Mrs M. They're a nice older couple with three sons. Anh regularly crosses paths with Dr. M at the hospital, and both Dr. & Mrs. M came to our holiday party last year. However, that's pretty much where our interaction ends because they're exactly like us. They value a friendly relationship with their neighbors, but don't want to be BFFs. Waving when we cross paths outside is more than enough, no need to actually speak. You see, even though Anh & I are often labeled as "social butterflies," we are different at home. Our house is where we decompress. Home equals "Me Time."

As a result, we weren't sure what to expect at the party. Right away, we felt at home though. While their house is large and grand, both Dr. & Mrs. M are humble and welcoming. I read both Jaxon & Baylor the riot act about being on their best behavior prior to our arrival, and of course, I immediately scanned all of the tabletops and bookshelves for breakable objects upon entering the house. Mrs. M just smiled and invited our boys to join her "big boys" upstairs where they were playing video games. All Jaxon needed to hear was "video games," and he was ready to dart up to the second level heaven. Baylor, well, he's Jaxon's shadow. He just follows big brother's lead. Almost as fast as the boys flew up the stairs, they immediately dashed back down. Jax whispered, "I'm scared of those big boys upstairs." To a 6-year old, the term "big boys" usually means a 10-14 year old. The M's boys are 22, 20, & 18. Jaxon wasn't expecting grown MEN in the playroom upstairs and was obviously intimidated even if they were playing video games! Like their parents, those "boys" were very welcoming, and Jaxon immediately settled into the group once he was escorted back upstairs.

The vibe was much the same downstairs at the party. We already knew a few the other couples, but enjoyed meeting and chatting with all the new faces as well. It was a relaxed evening with an eclectic group who were all there to enjoy good food and even better company. We even shared a touching moment with Mrs. M who confessed that she enjoys watching our boys play in the yard because it reminds her of when her three were young. We confessed the opposite and stated that meeting her three grown boys provided us with a glimpse of the future and provided some hope that our wild & crazy boys would one day grow into mature men with bright futures ahead of them. I guess we have a lot more in common than we ever realized.

While I doubt the routine will change when we cross paths while out in the yard, at least we all know that whenever either house is in "Party Mode" there's a standing invitation to join in the fun. A good neighbor is priceless. I'm glad we hit the jackpot!

Down South

Speaking of South Beach...We loved it! Nguyen and I decided to designate the second weekend of Spring Break 2011 as a "Girls Weekend" and made plans to visit our friends Sean and Corey down in Miami. As you can see from the pictures, Sean and Corey aren't exactly girls, but I'm sure you can imagine why they loosely fit the definition. Well, at least Corey does!

We made the most of our 3-day weekend together, hitting up some of the city's hottest bars and nightclubs in addition to exploring on the city's many ethnic dining opportunities. We pretty much covered the entire spectrum: a classic Jewish deli/diner, Thai, Mexican/Cuban, and a Vegan-friendly bar and grill. The options were seriously endless!As spectacular as it was to explore the nightlife, my favorite activity was Saturday's air boat tour of the Everglades. It was nothing like what I expected. Growing up, we made plenty of trips with my dad (aka Grandfather) to the Okefenokee Swamp in Southeastern Georgia. It's an amazing habit made up of various dark reflective-surface waterways lined with Spanish moss-draped Cypress trees. That's was what I expected the Everglades to resemble. Wrong!

The Everglades isn't swampland at all. It's a drastically different landscape, but still home to countless ALLIGATORS which is what we all wanted to see. Also on the must-see list...a python. Living in Florida, you read article after article about pythons destroying the natural balance of the state's eco-system because they aren't native to the region. They've been released by irresponsible owners who can't properly care for them when they reach their massive size at maturity.Unfortunately, we failed to spot a single snake. Well, honestly, I wasn't entirely disappointed because I was seated on the outside of the boat, and I think we've established how I feel about the legless specimens. Not a fan! Our guide treated us to an hour-long tour of the area and during that time we spotted upwards of 20 different bird species. My favorite was the "swamp chicken." Obviously, I don't remember it's scientific name. I missed that fact because I was laughing so hard after hearing our guide with his thick Southern drawl label it a "swamp chicken." In that moment, I felt like I was living an episode of Swamp People on The History Channel!The Everglades landscape is pretty, but I definitely prefer the beauty of a swamp. I guess that's my Cajun roots shining through! All I could think about as we meandered through the various waterways was, "I wonder how many people dump bodies out here?" Nice, right? I don't have a warped view of Miami at all!I mean, these guys would certainly make quick work of anything dumped. Hopefully, I've just seen way too many violent movies and allowed my imagination to get the best of me. Yikes!To a degree, it was eery to see these alligators. One might stare you down with unsettling intensity while others would casually swim along side the boat. Again, I questioned my decision to claim an end seat.We were even lucky enough to see a nest of baby gators. Sadly, I couldn't get a decent picture because the babies were shielded by the water foliage. I was afraid to lean in for a better angle because we were unsure of the mother's location, and I've heard "momma" will fiercely defend her nest. I wasn't taking any chances. I like all my appendages!This guy, evidently, isn't as fond of his! He's an alligator trapper that has developed his own sideshow to raise money to save more gators. He claims to be the only non-kill trapper in Southern Florida. Most trappers sell the gator meat and hides for profit. This guy prefers to force them into showbiz!The gator selected for our demonstration didn't seem too thrilled about his new lifestyle. I can't imagine why?!

All in all, it was a great weekend filled with a variety of adventures, new friends, and lots & lots of laughs. However, by the time Sunday rolled around, I was ready to head back to my sleepy little beach town and my 3 boys. Girl time is nice, but truth be told, I'm completely happy to just be one of the guys.

And Then What...

Anh is currently out of town attending a conference. As a result, I'm a single parent for 48 hours. Fun! Not really. God bless the people that have to do play this role 24/7. It ain't easy! Truth be told, Anh just endured the same challenging role when I was enjoying a girls' trip to South Beach, and he somehow survived unscathed. Now, it's my turn to prove I'm SuperParent. So far so good! The boys haven't even asked about Anh yet. Ha! Maybe I am the favorite parent afterall! Not that it's a competition or anything (wink wink).

In fact, the boys and I have enjoyed some rather mature conversations for their age. Tonight at the dinner table, Jaxon told me that his school has preschool, Kindergarten, and first through fifth grade. Then, he told me he would move on to middle school followed by high school. A good sign, right?! Clearly, he's a motivated student. Jaxon then asked, "Mommy, what's next?" I answered, "College." He nodded and muttered, "Oh right." and then immediately asked, "And, then what?" As a "single parent" I have to play both roles. So, I channeled Anh with my response, "Well, if you want to be a doctor like Daddy, then you would go to medical school after college." Jax sat quietly for a moment and then said, "Okay, I'll be a doctor, but I want to play on the computer all day." Again, I channeled Anh and jokingly said, "Well, sounds like you want to be a radiologist then, buddy!"

Fast forward to bedtime, and it really shouldn't come as a surprise that Jaxon's last words to me tonight were, "Mommy, I want a real computer...and a Jayhawk cover for my iPhone." Before everyone gets all up-in-arms thinking, "That boy has an iPhone!" No, well....okay he kinda has an iPhone. It's my old iPhone and it doesn't have cell service. It's only for music and games. I know! I know! He better be a doctor or something that earns a heck of a lot of money because he's definitely become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Luckily, he's still sweet and innocent and rarely shows signs of being spoiled even though he is. Let's hope he stays that way. On that note, it looks like we'll be computer shopping sooner than we expected. Hey, it's an investment in Jaxon's future, right? You've got to be computer savvy nowadays to succeed!

Breaking Point

Well, folks, I think we've had a potty-training breakthrough at our house! I didn't want to say anything and run the risk of jinxing Baylor's success, but today marks 2 full weeks in big boy underwear! Can you believe that Star Wars underwear (specifically Darth Vader underwear) was the key to success? Yes, $5 movie themed underwear was the ultimate incentive, not the electric car worth a LOT more! Actually, it might have been Baylor's jealousy over his big brother receiving Star Wars underwear that convinced Baylor to turn the corner, but whatever way you want to look at it, the boy has used the potty ever since "The Force" came in contact with his behind!

HOWEVER, you might have noticed that I said, "we've had a potty-training breakthrough at our house!" Apparently, the skill hasn't transferred to public spaces quite yet. I got a bit overconfident in Baylor's abilities today and ventured out to run errands without the training pants safety net. Big mistake! The afternoon started out innocently. I had the grand idea to let both of the boys plant a container with flowers for the patio. So, after Baylor and I picked Jaxon up from school, we set out for Home Depot. Fully aware that we were living dangerously, we headed directly for the store's restroom. I knew we would then be able to shop with relative confidence. After some pleading, Baylor agreed to "try" even though he was adamant about not needing to go. Sure enough...nothing. Off we went to pick some flowers!

Well, after wandering the aisles of the garden shop and viewing the available options, the boys made their selections. As soon as I had the cart loaded and ready to head to the checkout, Baylor announced, "I have to go potty!" Of course! Although, I was thrilled that he at least told me, my joy quickly faded when I glanced down and realized that Baylor had informed me of his urge after the fact. I cringed in horror as I saw the pile of...ummmmm..."fertilizer" at Baylor's feet. And that, folks, is why I will now be shopping at Lowe's! The end.