It's all about me, me, me!!

Since I think we can all agree that Randy is finished blogging, I decided to write a blog all about me! Honestly, I'm also using a new blog app (since I didn't like blogging on blogger) and using my new wireless keyboard with my iPad. So, this is really a test blog for these two things. I saw this kind of post on another person's blog, and thought it would be fun.

I'll reward you with a cute picture of the little boy at the end. :0)

Some of you know me well, and some of you may not. Did you know these things about me???

-I absolutely cannot eat yogurt with a metal spoon. I eat it, almost every day, with a plastic spoon. This started in college, thanks to one of my roommates, who convinced me that eating yogurt with a metal spoon changed it's flavor. I have since converted other people. Try it...you'll see.

-I love iced tea, but I'm extremely picky about it. I cannot stand tea that tastes instant or tastes like someone needs to clean their tea maker. I blame my mom for this one. I remember, many times, being at a restaurant and her sending her tea back and telling the waiter to have the tea pot cleaned. Randy swears he can't really tell a difference when I taste a bad one, but it's for real. And on that note, I never thought I would meet anyone that can drink as much ice tea as me at a restaurant, but I've met my match with Randy. Our waiters don't really like us...

-Before Jacob was born, I would NEVER use a shopping cart that was left in the parking lot. In my mind, the stacked ones near the door were "clean" and the ones in the parking lot were "dirty". I don't have anyone to blame for this one, just something in my head. Now that I have a toddler, I'll park next to a cart just to immediately put him in it. So, I guess I'm over this one.

-I HATE beans. Most of you know this...just wanted to remind you.

-My all-time favorite TV show is Golden Girls. I've seen every single episode, but will still watch it any and every time I find it on TV. If it comes on during Yo Gabba Gabba, sorry Jacob. :o)

-My all-time favorite movie is The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I saw this at a very young age (don't know why) and have always loved it. I can quote most of the movie and sing all of the songs.

-I LOVE doing laundry. It's the one chore that I would never give up and would probably do for other people too. It's one of the first things I do every single morning. Usually, my laundry is washed, dried, folded and put away before Jacob's morning nap. I'm not sure why, but it feels great. I have to be careful not to wear the same outfit everyday, because I could.

-If I had it my way, my bedtime would be about 8pm. I know that is unreasonable, so I shoot for 10pm each night. Randy would tell you 9pm, but I'm not usually asleep until a little after 10. Also, I would wake up most mornings between 6 and 7am. I think I get this from my Dad as my mom is a night owl.

-Baby poop does not freak me out. I tried explaining this to my parents, and didn't do a good job, so I hope I can do better here. I never thought about it much before having Jacob. However, when you are in the hospital with your first born child, it seems that is all the nurses care about. I mean, they are great nurses, but I felt like I could tell them anything about Jacob, or ask any question, and their response was always "Did he poop?". They even made us keep a little chart with his poops and pees. So, I think that trained my mind that a pooping baby = everything is working on the inside. So, for at least his first year, I felt that way. I'm a little over that now, but still don't get grossed out by it.

That's my list. Did you know all of that about me?

And as promised, here is a cute picture of the little boy. He loves when I turn the camera around on my iPhone so he can see himself as I'm taking a picture. (Also why this picture is low quality)








That's all about me, me, me! So, leave me a comment, and tell me one quirky thing about you.

~Nancy

Las Vegas - December 2011

Back in December, Randy and I took our 3rd trip (together) to Las Vegas. It was supposed to be 3 couples going, but one couple backed out, so there were just 4 of us there. We had a great time, although, like everyone else, we didn’t win money! I can’t figure it out…we’ve never won money in Las Vegas, yet we keep going back. We have won in Lake Charles, and we haven’t been back since. Hmmm…

Mommagroom (Grandma) came to our house to stay with Jacob. It’s much easier to watch him in an already child proofed home, than to watch him and constantly wonder what he’ll get into next. This was our first time to be away from him for 3 nights, but he was in good hands.

We left on a Thursday morning, on a random weekend that we booked for no specific purpose. We did NOT realize that it was National Final Rodeo weekend in Vegas…until we boarded our plane. Basically, Randy and I were the only ones not in cowboy boots and a big hat. Plus, it was about 8am so we were pretty calm (and sober). These rodeo folks were not calm(or sober)! They were loud and drinking the whole way there. It was actually pretty funny. At one point, I went to the bathroom on the plane and the flight attendant said they were about to run out of liquor and that they never run out of liquor on this early morning flight!

We made it fine, although we could barely hear the movie we watched on our iPad. Scott met us in Vegas (Kyndra had to come a day late due to work) and the fun began. We stayed at the Luxor this time and really liked it. I liked that it is connected to 2 other hotel/casinos, because the day we got there it was snowing in the mountains and very cold! Randy and Scott were both wearing shorts, so people really wondered where they had come from!

The day we left, Jacob and Grandma had lunch together at James Coney Island. This is pretty much my mom’s favorite place to eat, and nobody will eat there with her. So, why not take the little one who can’t protest? He doesn't look too thrilled to be eating there in the first picture, but Grandma made up for it by getting him some ice cream.This is his Mama-always-takes-me-to-Chick-fil-A-face.

Hmmm...maybe this place isn't so bad after all!

While waiting for Scott, the Luxor had a machine where you push a button, wait 5 seconds, and it takes your picture and emails it to you. I was pretty impressed. I guess I don’t get out much because I had never seen one of these before! As you can tell from the picture, we had been traveling most of the morning and were pretty tired.

This is a view from our room. This was when it was snowing and some of the white on the buildings you see is snow. I still get very excited to see snow, although I would never want to live where it snows. Randy and Scott missed all of this because they were at the casino. So, I had to take a picture for them.

The next day, Jacob and Grandma attempted to go to the mall play area. Katy Mills Mall has a great indoor play area that is not too crowded during the week. Jacob and I go often. However, there was a bully that pushed Jacob down and made him cry. So, Grandma scooped him up and headed to McDonalds. I’m not sure what dance/song combo she had to do to get him to take the 2nd picture here, but it is my all-time favorite. It was a great feeling to be in Vegas and get this picture to know he is having fun!

All dressed up and ready to go. Hopefully, Grandma didn't let him take his bath toy with him.

LOVE this picture! It's currently the wallpaper on my phone.

This is where Grandma scores points with him to let him have some of her Diet Soda. Thanks to Randy, Jacob LOVES him some diet soda.

That same day, in Vegas, we headed over to the Venetian just to look around. It’s so pretty and they were just decorating for Christmas.

Lunch was a buffet at Treasure Island. I wasn’t very excited about the food, but the dessert buffet made up for it. I love me some desserts…especially cotton candy. So, I had to take a picture to send mom of my great dessert plate. I didn’t eat it all (except the cotton candy) so quit judging me. :o) Scott and Randy, while waiting for the buffet.
Don't judge...there's fruit in there!!

While in Vegas, I did talk Randy into doing an oxygen bar with me. I have done them before and love it. This was a first for Randy and he wasn’t crazy about it. But doesn’t he look cute (and super thrilled to be paying $1/minute for this)??

Saturday, Jacob and Grandma had some visitors at the house. My cousin, Debra, and her husband, Craig, were in Katy to visit some other friends and stopped by. Jacob loved that the weather was warm and someone could push him in his swing (or he loved playing with the strap, either way...).

Corn dogs for dinner…he’s loving this treatment from Grandma!

That night, Grandma and Jacob snuggled and watched some Yo Gabba Gabba (this is the only way to get him to sit still on your lap).

Well, that was our trip. It was really more of what Jacob did while we were gone, but isn’t that the reason you visit this blog? Oh yeah, and the highlight of my trip was watching a guy bet $1400 on one blackjack hand (at the $10 per hand table, mind you) and win. He was really trying to be $700, his last bet at our table, but ended up with a hand that he really needed to double down. So, he did and won. It really made the fact that I doubled down, $20 total bet and was sweating it, and WON seem insignificant. :o)

By the way, I have learned that blogger and I don't get along too well. You would not believe how long it took me to do this one post! So, in the future, I do plan to blog more often than Randy (easy task) but they will need to be shorter and have less pictures!!

~Nancy

Christmas Part 2

Since my lovely wife did such an outstanding job on her contribution to this blog, she will now be considered an official contributor (unpaid, of course).  And by contributor, I mean she will probably do most of the writing, while I continue to procrastinate.

Before I get on with the details of our Christmas festivities, a little public service announcement:  To those of you with dogs and/or cats, please watch what you leave laying around and watch what they put in their mouths.  In the past 6 months, I have seen an absurd number of cases of dogs and cats eating weird objects.  Maybe it is something Al Qaida is putting in the water, or solar flares, or Obama, but these pets have been eating the strangest crap.  A cat that comes in about once a month for me to endoscopically remove the ponytail holders it is addicted to swallowing.  Sometimes 10 or more at a time.  A dog that swallowed a used tampon whole (one of Nancy's friend's even).  An 8 pound dog that swallowed an entire, intact cloth sleep mask.  A lab that ate 4 golf ball-sized rocks.  A Yorkie that swallowed a Victoria's Secret thong whole.  A cat that swallowed an entire ball of yarn by unraveling it, inch by inch.  And probably a few more I am forgetting.  All in the past 6 months.  Craziness.  On a positive note, my surgery income has recently grown substantially.  Can you say Maui?

Nancy, Jacob, and I, along with Nancy's parents celebrated Christmas Eve at Brandl, Danielle, Brooke, and Tyler's house.  We watched some football, ate some great food, drank some beer, opened some presents (a few for us, a LOT for the kiddos), and just hung out for a few hours.  Incidentally, opening presents with Nancy's family is much more organized than at my parents' house.  A few less kids definitely helps.  I kinda like having both extremes...keeps things interesting.

After all the fun, we all went to church for the Candlelight Service.  Jacob was even reasonably well-behaved, even if it did take some "creative distraction". (Is it against the rules for Yo Gabba Gabba to be playing on your iPhone while you are in church??)

Nancy's parents came back to Katy with us on Christmas Eve, and stayed Sunday too so that Nancy and I could go on a movie date.

For New Years Eve, Nancy and I went to the Aggie bowl game at Reliant Stadium, and witnessed a victory for the Ags, which we didn't get to see a lot of this Fall.  Nancy's parents came down and watched Jacob for us, since he gets fidgity by the end of his favorite bedtime book, Pajama Time, meaning he certainly doesn't have the attention span for a football game.  On the way back from the game, Nancy and I stopped and got some fireworks.  It was a wild and crazy NYE.  By 9 pm, all the fireworks were gone and everyone was in bed by ten.  No one even sniffed midnight.

I think that about recaps the crazy holiday season.  Never a dull moment in the Wiltshire and Groom families.

Some pictures:

trying on his lifejacket for riding on Grandma and Grandpa's boat

The Kiddos

Family picture

Paul and Doris with their favorite child

The whole clan

Something is seriously wrong with these people

Brookie

Santa does indeed rock

Showing off his belly

Brandl high-fiving Jacob after he finally pulled within 100 points of his opponent in his fantasy football championship

Tyler looks like he is up to something

The paper is much cooler than the gift

He loves his new chair

Told you

Seriously.  Loves. It.

Did NOT love the Santa hat.  This is not as much a loving embrace as it is restraint

Hanging out with Dad

Bye Bye

Howdy...from his better half!

As you've all probably noticed, Randy doesn't seem to blog enough. So, I'm going to be helping him out some. I'll still wait to let him blog about Christmas, Part 2 with the Groom side of the family. That blog, fingers crossed, will be posted BEFORE Christmas 2012. (In his defense, he is very busy at work.)

Let me warn you all ahead of time, I'm not nearly as funny as Randy. However, I also don't exaggerate to make my spouse look silly like he may or may not do. But, I do come with pictures of an extremely cute little boy, so I'm hoping that makes up for it. (That's assuming I can figure out how to put pictures on this thing!!).

So, for my first blog, I thought I would share our rocking past Saturday night with you all. As you know, pre-Jacob, we would have probably been out at a bar watching the first ever Texans playoff game. However, that occurred during nap time, so we were at home for the game. But then they won (YEA!) so we felt the need to celebrate. Therefore, we went to Chuck E Cheese for our celebration. Both Randy and I think we have each been to Chuck E Cheese only once in our lifetimes, so we didn't really know what to expect and didn't know how much Jacob would like it. It was a lot of fun, even for a 17 month old, but the crowd was, ummmm, interesting to say the least. Randy loaded up with twice as many tokens as we needed, and off we went.

First is Jacob on the Teletubbies ride. As we expected, he was just as interested in the seat belt (his favorite part of any high chair) as the ride itself. He did pause for a moment to look up, but had no time to smile.

Then it was time to ride the baby swing. He actually held on and went sorta high, and he loved it! The "ride" didn't go all of the way around, just up to the left, then down and up to the right. As you can see from the smile, he enjoyed going high. I think I may be in trouble for the future with a kid AND a husband that likes roller coasters!!

Then was the car ride with the famous mouse himself. The ride was supposed to take their picture, but was broken so I took a pretty cute one. This is where the interesting crowd came in. When we got to this "ride", there was a little boy on it. He hadn't put a token in and was just sitting there...unattended. Keep in mind, he was most likely younger than Jacob. So, we waited. Nothing. So, we started asking if he was all done. He just stared at us. So, we waited. Then we asked if Jacob could have a turn. He just stared at us. So, we waited. Then we asked where his Mommy was. He just stared at us. So, we waited. Finally, his mom (I guess) came and rescued her child. She had been a little too busy eating pizza to worry about her child. Anyway, Jacob got to ride with Mr. Cheese himself.

Next was the horse. I was afraid it would be too rough for him. But it was broken. Never fear, Randy can shake the horse enough for Jacob to enjoy it and it didn't cost us a token! (On second thought, maybe this was why the ride was broken???) Then we moved on to the bike. It had a steering wheel, which he loved but he couldn't reach the pedals. But we could! When you pedaled, it moved the bike up into the air. If you pedaled fast, he would go above my head. He loved that part!
Almost done here...still with me? Next was the little carousel. It was great when he noticed the panel next to him was a mirror and there was a super cute baby he could see. He got so excited that he clapped (always!) and almost fell off his horse. So, Randy had to walk around the carousel with him the whole time!

Last, we tried a sit in the chair, watch a roller coaster and the seat moves with the coaster. Although he seems to be doing well in this picture, he wasn't digging it and just wanted to get up.
And, of course, we had to do a family picture in the photo booth where it then "sketches" your picture and prints it out. It came out pretty cute. This is a picture I took of it with my phone, so it's not great. Well, that was our rocking Saturday night at the Wiltshire house. Hope you enjoyed it!!

P.S. - Please don't make fun of Jacob's high water pants. I noticed, at Chuck E Cheese, of course, that he was sportin' man-pris. This boy grows so fast that I can't keep up. He does have pants that fit him, I promise.

P.P.S. - I like comments! I know Randy has said this a few times (that he would blog more if people commented more) but I mean it!! And don't judge my spelling or grammar...I was a math teacher and now fry my brain daily with Yo Gabba Gabba.

~Nancy