Some Silly Happenings

The last couple weeks have been full of priceless little moments that I haven't had a chance to share...for instance, Grandpa setting his juice down on the dinner table last night and Aiden methodically waiting til his back was turned to take off with it.

Or his insistence on going to the park even at 9:00 at night, and my giving in so that he might sleep a little longer in the morning.

And finally watching all of "Monster House" - even though some of us did it mostly from the kitchen...

And dancing around in Mommy's slippers...

And Mommy has been wrangled in some major afternoon construction projects:

Most importantly, we have been doing all-out-evening dance sessions together every evening.

Aiden's moves are pretty sweet.

Aiden's Golf Cart

A couple weeks ago, because of his Grandma's insistence, we decorated for the golf-car parade at Jackson Lake so that Aiden could ride in the parade and win a prize. Everyone in the world and in Colorado has been busy and distracted - myself included, which has kept me from doing much blogging (including a really fun post about Run For Your Lives).

But the pictures are starting to pile up and I want to share them while they are still relevant/less than a month old!

Without further adieu....Aiden's Dino Cart:

Aiden being a Dino near his Dino Cart

The other Aiden wondering what my Aiden is doing....

The boys had so much fun, my Aiden won a new fishing pole, ate a ton of candy from South Shore, have 2 ice cream cones and fell asleep face first in my lap before the parade was over.

When A Tragedy Happens

I've been working really hard on my "Run for Your Lives" post but like the rest of the state today, I seem to find myself standing still - physically and emotionally.

There are so many "whys?" and possible answers flying around, the noise of this tragedy is literally deafening. It's inescapable. I couldn't go back to sleep once I saw the preliminary reports in the middle of the night. I couldn't sit still watching the news this morning. I couldn't keep from crying on the way to work. I can't stop trying to find answers.

Sitting here, scanning CNN and Yahoo and streaming 9News, I suddenly became extremely overwhelmed.

As I lay in bed unable to sleep this morning, I held Aiden as close to me as I could. He had a nightmare in the middle of the night and crawled into my bed. This had prompted me to read the news at the early, odd hour I did. How strange that I God would give me the gift of comfort and of my son, safe, healthy and cozy next to me at exactly that moment.

The overwhelming feeling I know write to you with, resonates deep in my chest, telling me how lucky I am. Whole heartedly, I am overcome with the need to make Aiden's life so wonderful and joyful. To give him everything I possibly can.

Things have been really hard recently. It's stressful - always playing catch up, always hoping that I will make my deadlines and keep us in the black. But it's worth it. But with renewed strength and faith in the midst of an awful nightmare - the bottom line is, I have the most valuable thing in the world. Aiden's trust, Aiden's love, Aiden's understanding. Aiden.

Be weary, but be thankful. Be saddened, but have faith.

I remember this from when I was young: faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us - and the greatest is love.

90s Wisdom and Summer Shots

Listen as your day unfolds, challenge what the future holds

Try and keep your head up to the sky

Lovers, they may cause you tears, go ahead release your fears

Stan up and be counted don't be ashamed to cry

Hearald what your mother said

Read the books your father read

Try and solve the puzzles in your own sweet time

Some may have more cash than you

Others take a different view

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold

You gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough

You gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool

You gotta be calm

You gotta stay together

Time asks no questions

It goes on without you

Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace

The world keeps on spinning

You can't stop it, if you try to

All I know, all I know

Love will save the day

In Early July

Is anyone else totally astounded that yesterday was the 4th of July?? Where the heck is time going??

The 4th of July is a big deal for the Cormack-Clan, it's the birthday of our patriarch, Aiden's great-grandpa and the best pal I ever had.

Being in the middle of the week, I only got the one day off work but it was still really nice to relax with the family on the evening of the 3rd.

Aiden wore himself out playing with Bentley.

And then we went home and splashed in the pool awhile, Aiden makes new friends every time we go :)

After he crashed hard I spent my evening working on Grandpa's birthday card

Then in the morning we went to pay him a visit.

Our wonderful timing put us there they same time as my aunt and cousin from Boulder.

We all had flowers and couldn't fit them all, so I gave the left overs to my OTHER grandpa's pal Johnny Schuck who is conveniently a couple spots over from Grandma and Grandpa.

While we are all hanging around catching up, Randalicious employed a long stick to try and untangle some wind chimes we have hanging above Grandma and Grandpa - didn't work. But guess what did?

Me - climbing on Randalicious' back, nearly breaking it, and scrambling up in the branches to untangle the chimes -- oh the things you do for the ones you love -- especially when spiders are involved!!

That was about the extent of excitement for us -- the 4th just isn't as big of a deal as it used to be.

To Spank Or Not To Spank - Tough Question

I was perusing the internet this morning, reading about Andy Griffith and all (sad day) and just checking up on the news - when I came across and article about spanking

Mental Effects of Spanking

While I am very grateful that more and more information about this surfaces, it's also tough for me to contemplate. On the one hand, you always hear that you should parent in a way that you are comfortable with. Especially with spanking - it is a personal family decision that everyone must agree on and stick with.

On the other hand you have extreme opinions going both ways - spanking is necessary and commands respect vs. never EVER, EVER hit your kid, no matter what.

Well, according to the article, it leads to instances of mental illness, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, etc. Granted there are more than likely a number of life choices that accompany individuals who NEED excessive spankings along the way which contribute to these "downward spirals." But I have to wonder - if you could give your kid a leg up in a world possessed with Prozac, wouldn't you?

In our house - we spank for safety and in severe cases, respect.

We spank when Aiden runs into the street, gets into something that could potentially harm him, etc. It's swift, it builds a negative reinforcement and it promptly ends a potentially harmful behavior from happening.

It gets tricky when we talk about respect spanking though. When Aiden was really struggling with speech - he and I had some major breakdowns in communication which on occasion, led to hitting. While I recognize that he was often frustrated and had no other way to express himself, that behavior in a toddler can't be allowed. They are manipulative little guys - the wheels are ALWAYS turning, if he gets away with it once, you're done.

So he gets a spanking for respect. However, this spanking doesn't come immediately. The rules: 1. Never spank when you are angry. 2. Don't punish a behavior with the same behavior.

Instead, he has to think about it, this part is much worse than the actual spanking. The waiting for Mommy to settle down before I get my spanking is the worst kind of time-out. But the good side is, he is well on his way to apologizing before it's time to get his punishment, and by the time I feel in control enough, I am already over it and he really gets a minor swat. Like I said, the waiting is the worst part.

For what it's worth, parenting is a bunch of personal decisions - but it's important to make those decisions with a lot of thought before hand. (Get it? Before hand...)

Magic at Midnight

I usually hold my tongue tightly after seeing a Woody Allen movie, as I am part of a small percentage of people who enjoy them immensely. I think this is due in a large part to having the ability to succumb to suspension of disbelief rather easily. If you just stop asking why and go with it, Woody Allen is kinda freakin awesome!

So Midnight In Paris is about a couple, Gil and Inez, who are just kind of traipsing around Paris on the heels of Inez's father. The couple is engaged to be married and clearly don't belong together from the start - except that they are both absolutely beautiful. This is sort of why you forgive Rachel McAdams for being such a bitch - because she is over the top hot.

Anyway, Gil is of course a lost and philandering writer who wants to make a piece that is meaningful. He is very much so focused on the past and what he believes were "The Golden Years" or the roaring 20's if you prefer. While hitting tourist hot-spots around the city, they run into Inez's old flame, Paul.

Paul is a genius as luck would have it, he knows everything about everything. His wife follows him around like a puppy dog drooling over every word, and Inez does her one better by telling Gil to shut up so she can better listen to Paul at every turn.

Of course, Gil, makes a run for it when invited out dancing with Paul and his wife. As he gets himself lost in the city, wandering alone at midnight - magical things begin to happen...

Gil is transported to the 20s where he meets the Fitzgerald's, Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Picasso, and his lover Adriana. He has the time of his life, he puts his own writing in perspective, he suggests ideas to the great thinkers, and he falls in love.

Of course, the point is that we all have a golden era we wish to bask in, to help us forget our economy, our politics, etc. So nothing is ever eternally blissful enough. However, this movie is just great enough for a literary nerd to forget all that crap for a minute or two anyway.

Gil hears a translation (in the present) of a work written in French by a woman from the 20's about himself and the events of their meeting the night before.