The Zoo -- Are you ready?

As I lay there in bed, peacefully snuggled under my warm covers and smiling due to some lovely dream, I am abruptly awakened by a....tap-tap-tap upon my back.  Who else could it be but my adorable son, Owen, with the biggest and most innocent grin on his face.

"Mommy!  Mommy!  Is it time to go to the zoo?  I'm sooooo excited for the zoo, mommy!!"
I groan, rub my eyes and glance at the clock....6:27 am.
"Owen, honey, it's only 6:30 in the morning.  You are awake way too early.  Go back to bed and we'll go to the zoo a little later."
"Awww-oooohhhh-kkkaaaaaaayyyy," he says.  But by that time I was already turned back over and drifting back to sleep to catch the tail end of my dream.  Little footsteps and a few mumbles were all I heard after that .

I finally made myself drag out of bed around 7:15.  After all, the husband needs to leave for work, the 11 year old needs to get himself ready to catch a bus and the 3 1/2 year old simply can't contain his excitement any longer because he's back at my bedside......staring.....just staring at me.  Thankfully, the baby was still sleeping so I had a few moments to gather myself for the day.

What's the first thing I do?  Look outside, panic is brushing over me because all I see are clouds and wet sidewalks.  I ran downstairs and checked the weather radar.  Much to my relief, the skies were clear - no little green blips hanging over my zip code!  Whew!  I'm not sure how to put into words exactly what kind of melt-down would occur if our lovely zoo trip would have been rained out!

Somehow I convinced him to eat some breakfast and put clothes on...."Mommy, can I just wear my pajamas to the zoo?  I like my pajamas."  "Mommy, when are we leaving?"  "Mommy, are you going to put on clothes?"  "Baby is ready, mommy, shouldn't you get the diaper bag ready to go?"  I groaned because it was only 8:30 and we weren't meeting our friends until 10:00.

I decided it would be best to leave at 9:30.  No, I wasn't being anal about being "on time" to our meeting place.  No, I wasn't concerned about the traffic no the drive.  Nope, I didn't have to stop at the ATM or gas station.  It was time because the excitement was killing him.  He just couldn't take one more minute of waiting!!!

I looked around and went over my mental check-list to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything.  I checked the radar again because I just didn't like what I saw and even made time for a last minute FB post about the ominous appearance of the sky.  As we all loaded into the van, I felt a light drip-drop-drip on my arm.  More panic filled me as I looked up and saw the face of a little boy who had not stopped talking about the zoo for the 24 hours prior to this very moment.

"Owen, wanna sing a song with me?"
"Sure, mommy.  What are we singing?  Jesus Loves Me?"
"No...I think we should sing....Rain, rain, go away....come again another day."  I added a verse about wanting to feed the giraffes, which earned me a giggle from him and a few soft claps from Claire.
"How about this mommy...Rain, rain, go away, we would like to (say this really fast so you finish on beat - Owen insisted I get it right when I repeated him) feed the ducks and take a train ride and not ride on the pooooonnnnyyyyy!"
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Owen"
"How many blocks is it until I see the Lion on the picture?" (It's the sign at the entrance of the zoo)
"I'm not sure, probably a lot."
"What is 'a lot', Mommy?  Is it 5 or 3 or 50?"
"It's more than 5, but I'm not sure it's 50."
"Oh, well, I don't see the Lion on the picture, Mommy.  I think you are not driving fast enough to see it."  At this point, he's lurching forward in his booster seat and craning his head in all directions.  I'm quite sure it was to make sure I was driving in the right direction.

As we approach the entrance to the zoo, I couldn't help but latch onto his excitement and began to smile, myself.  About a block away, I hear this super high-pitched squeal from the back of the van....
"MOMMY! MOMMY! IT'S THE PICTURE! I SEE THE PICTURE OF THE LION! WE'RE HERE, MOMMY! WE'RE HERE!!!!!"
"Yes, dear, we are here.  It is so exciting, isn't it!!  Are you excited for our trip to the zoo?"
"Yep!  Wait, why are there, like, 3 or 10 buses here?  Is Theo coming?"
"No, it's just other kids from other schools on a trip to the zoo.  I bet they are as excited as you are for the zoo."  I look over my shoulder as I am stopped at the driveway to the zoo.
"Uhm, no, mommy.  I'm the MOST excited of everyone.  Can I take of my seat belt now, mommy?"
"Owen, you know you have to wait until I'm parked.  It's not safe to take it off right now."
"Well, hurry mommy!  I'm ready to go to the zoo!!"

The whole trip around the zoo was a frenzy.  It was our first trip to the zoo this season, after all!  Where we would normally stop at every exhibit and talk to the animals, here was how it went at most every exhibit,
"Hi Mr. ______ (insert name of animal)!  (pause for a moment)  Ok, mommy, let's get this thing rolling!"
I think we were only allowed 2 minutes at each stop, per the order of Mr. Owen, who had his own agenda.  Thankfully, we were able to spend 2 1/2 fun-filled hours at the zoo with only a couple minutes of rain sprinkles - not nearly enough to ruin our 1st trip to the zoo this year!

Sometimes, I just wish we (as adults) would allow ourselves to get so excited over a trip to the zoo....or a day in the park, or any kind of event or moment.  I know that personally, I often am too wrapped up in the worry and stress of planning the event, getting there, bathroom locations while there, and the trip home to really get excited!  I think we could all stand to take a few lessons from the 3 and 4 year olds in our lives and really learn to enjoy a piece of every day we are granted on this earth!

....As we were headed back out the the van, I heard Owen talking to his sister (I was working really hard to remember where we parked)....
"Did you love it, baby?  I sure LOVED it!  Mommy is gonna bring us back, baby, you'll see!  Next time we'll bring daddy and Theo and we can alllll take a ride on the train!  I sure love the zoo, baby, and I know you will too!!"

How can you not return with that kind of endorsement?!?!!

Take a moment and get excited about something, something you maybe wouldn't have thought to get so excited about.  Live like a 3 or 4 year old for just a minute and you may find it's hard to wipe that big, innocent grin off your face, too!!!

Gifting Underwear

When you were growing up, did your mom and/or dad -- or perhaps Santa, himself -- give you socks and underwear for Christmas?  Maybe you were blessed with this amazingly simple and practical gift twice a year, on both Christmas and your birthday.  All I can tell you is that as a woman approaching her 35th birthday, I'm really wishing I were 10 again and knowing I'd be getting some really great socks and underwear.  


There's nothing worse than holes in your underwear.  Why?  It's simple really...as a mother of 3 (11, 3, and just turning 1) and having been a loving wife for the past 5 years who used to pride herself on a clean and organized home, I've been consumed with other daily worries:

• Getting the kids up, dressed, fed, and off to their designated destinations for the day...each day.  And, remembering where they are so that they can be picked up at the appropriate time at the end of the day.
• Figuring out who needs laundry done first and getting it done quickly and efficiently, avoiding the "creative clothing" process of an 11 year old with no clean pants or socks when he's already 5 minutes late leaving for school.
• Crap! Can't forget that the kids need to eat...over and over and over and over.  Does anyone else find themselves groaning a mealtime?  Maybe it's just me that finds the daily task exhausting?  I swear my generation just didn't get the meal prep ability of the generation before mine!  My mom and dad always seemed to have it pulled together at meal time.  
• Let's not forget that we must make sure there is adequate food in the house to meet the daily meal needs of 3 kids - all at different stages of meal consumption options.  This makes both grocery shopping and meal prep even more stressful...yikes, the pressure!!!
• Remembering to feed myself or pack a suitable meal for my 12 hour work day...usually means I walk out without fulfilling either task.  This, then, leads to too many trips to the vending machine or money spent in the cafe that could have been saved...for...I don't know, UNDERWEAR PURCHASES!!!  
• Can't forget the house cleaning, dish washing, bottle sanitizing, or bill paying!  Oye!!!  I'm ashamed to admit how lazy I am at the end of the day...the bathroom needs cleaning, the floors need swept and/or mopped, and don't even get me started on the need for dusting!!!!  

It's no wonder that as I folded socks and underwear last night, I was overwhelmed with shock and emotion as I found I had to throw away somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 pairs of my own underwear due to unraveling seams, holes, or unsightly stains from recent visits by Monthly Martha.  Really?  6 pairs at once?!?!!  How did so much time pass that I wore thru 6 more pairs of Jockey Underwear?!?!!  Not to mention, the very thought of having to go to the store and stand within the vastness that is the lingerie department in order to locate, appropriately size, and choose favorable colors of my tried and true Jockey Underwear is exhausting.....inducing panic when considering the shear cost of this major purchase.  

Where's the dang sock and underwear fairy when I need her?  Is it wrong to ask my mother to make a special birthday purchase for her grown daughter, about to turn 35?  Or, is it even more wrong that I'm most excited to get my tax refund so that I can go to the store to stock up on my favorite brand of underwear?  

So, I say.....gift underwear!  When we're 10, we don't see the value of such a gift....but at nearly 35, I'm wishing I were 10 again!!!  

I love Jesus....(but I drink a little)...

Ok, loads of people have been waiting patiently for this...so I hope it lives up to your expectations!

Have you met a Feltes?  I mean, really, do you know a Feltes?  Well, allow me to introduce myself to you.  My mother, Clare, was the eldest daughter and 2nd born in a family of 7 kids.  From all accounts, growing up as a Feltes child was nothing short of interesting.  From those 7 kids, came a gaggle of their own kids (I'm really bad with numbers, so I'm gonna guess there are 13 of us - not including Lauren's kids).  From those roughly 13, came a whole other bushel of children.

There are 5 things we, as direct Feltes blood-lined individuals, do VERY WELL:
1.  We laugh...loudly, distinctly, and unforgetably.  I can't tell you how many people told me when I was growing up that they could tell when my mom was anywhere near because of her distinct laugh -- and how often people say the same thing of me now.  Sitting around Hotel Simon, I realized that we all have a distinct laugh and I could probably identify most of you by your laughs.
2.  We are ALL "strong-minded".  Bull-headed; stubborn; strong-willed -- however you choose to say it, it's the truth.  You can't deny it...case in point: How many Feltes women (including Feltes spouse women) does it take to hook up a DVD player so we can watch a frickin' movie?  10 WOMEN (oh and Tim swooping in at the last minute to make sure all is well)!!!  Trying to explain to Judy that the movie will simply not play without having the TV connected to the DVD player took more than 5 minutes and me shaking cords in her face to make my point.  Can I get a "amen"!
3.  We drink....and we love our drink.  One must never doubt that when the Feltes family members are gathered, there will be alcohol.  Beer, wine, whiskey, vodka, tequila....you name it, we're drinking it.  And when I say "gathered", it can mean 3 of us travelling on vacation or 50 of us at a reunion.
4.  If we aren't drinking, we are cleaning....EVERYTHING.  I mean, honestly, the Feltes women (1st generation mentioned) are forever cleaning something...the kitchen, the picnic table, the yard, the pool, the living room floor, the dining room table, etc etc etc.  Sheila: "I'm not a drinker, I'm a cleaner"  Oh yeah, that's going on your t-shirt for the next reunion!  Sadly, I think that gene and inherent need to constantly be cleaning up, in most cases, did not get passed along to the 2nd generation Feltes women mentioned.  See, I'd rather have a drink than clean -- but that's just me.
5.  We cry, together - alone - silently - with anguish - and to comfort.  Tears heal, it's been a proven fact. Crying helps to cleanse our souls.  It brings us together and reminds us of all that we've been thru and all of those awesome Feltes family members (including the out-laws) who are standing right there beside us, even in the most difficult of times.

But, perhaps, the most identifying characteristic of our family is, by far, within the things we say, when we say them, and how we deliver the lines!

• Family dinner...salads delivered and mostly eaten, Judy: (throws her fork down on the table) "Oh my God, I think I just ate Spinich!"  
• Same family dinner...fascinating musical entertainment loudly blaring in our ears, Steven: "I wonder if they know 'Gettin Jiggy With It'?  Lisa: "That's my favorite song! I know every word!" Much to Steven's surprise, not only did she really love that song, but she had it at the ready for the drive home, AND she, Claire, and honorary family for the night, Holli, ALL knew the words and rocked it out for him!
• Again with the same family dinner...food just delivered - a bottle of A-1 Sauce arrives in front of Sheila, Tony: "Don't be ruining that good steak with steak sauce!" Waiter, in a whisper: "It's already ruined, she ordered it well-done." He fit right in with us...
• Final family dinner moment...several bantering texts between Tony and Steven have been passed, Steven, after receiving the check for the group: "You Bastards!" Tony: "That's Uncle Bastard to you!"
• And who can ever mistake a Judy-ism....not to be confused with Judaism...
• "You haven't done the potty dance til you've had 4 beers."
• "They left me the cigarettes but didn't leave me a f#$%^& lighter!!

This is but a snippit of the awesomeness that is the Feltes family....don't ya wish you had more of it a little more often?!

Tootles, and for the love of all that is Holy in this world...DON'T EAT THE DAMN SPINACH!!!