Quick Thought

Last night as my lil family sat in the living room I found myself just watching Ayden. I am sure I have done this before but this time it was indescribable. I watched him with his bum leg scoot around playing with more heart then every thought possible. As my child reenacted the entire movie of Cars I laughed as my heart filled with complete joy. We forget to easily to stop and just watch one of the precious gifts God has given us. As he continued to race and race and race I was amazed by how much he has grown and how smart he is. The time has really flown by. As I went to bed I looked at my husband and son and thought........

I AM BLESSED! Thank you God for my blessings.

NO CUSS WORDS AT THE DINNER TABLE PLEASE...

We typically try and sit down at the dinner table as a family most nights together. We say our blessing and then eat and chat about the events of the day. However, last night while at the table all of the sudden Ayden said is shut up a bad word? Our response was yes it is it is very hurtful to say that to people. Then he asked is shucks a bad word? No shucks isn't a bad word. Next I about spit my food out when he asked if damn it was a bad word? Kyle and I both said YES that is very very ugly and it hurts God's heart when you say that. I had to get up and walk away from the table. Then it gets better (sorry Jill I am sure this is much more to this story) when I asked Ayden who said those ugly words. His response: Dannah and Jameson. I said well it doesn't matter who says them they are ugly and if you hear anyone say those you tell them I don't think we should say those words. Ayden continues to ask well is stupid a bad word? Yes stupid is a bad word too. So we continued to go through the list of all the bad words he knew and who says them. The list of bad people who say bad words according to Ayden: Dannah, Jameson, Mommy Daddy Carson and Cooper. Ha Cooper definately can't talk so I am sure much of this is made up. The list of good people who don't say bad words: DeDe KeKe Robby Kate Aunt Jill Jojo and Ohio~. Ha while we love Ohio we have often had to remind him of the presense of children and to watch his mouth so the fact that he makes Aydens good list and Mommy and Daddy are on the bad list (for shut up but yes it is an ugly word that I have had a ugly habit of using as "Oh my goodness SHUT UP you aren't serious" Hence I'm on the notty list.) is very disstressing.
So the conversation ended with me telling Ayden now that you know what all those bad words are and that it's very ugly for anyone to say them what do you say when you hear someone. SO he asked his Daddy to say one so he could say it. Well Kyle wouldn't play along so I said ok pretend Mommy just told Daddy to shut up , which is very very ugly and Mommy wouldn't say that, what would you say. He said We aren't suppose to say those words so I don't think you should say that either.
So hopefully that will put an end to the ugly words...well til he runs across more!

OPERATION: LOCATE MOM AND AYDEN

Hello all! Long time no type. I should have known better than to say I'd post every week. Sorry about that. No excuses to give just a story to share........

Today my beautiful dear heart Mother made arrangements to pick up Ayden from the sitter. The plans were for the two of them to go play at McDonalds for a little while. Well a little before 5:30 I spoke with my Mother who was just arriving to get Ayden. All was well she arrived safely plans were made everything was great. Shortly AFTER 5:30 my dear heart husband decided to alter the plans and asked me to let my Mom know that he was working late. So the first time I called it went straight to voicemail. I figured she was talking to one of my sisters. After waiting a little while I attempted to reach her again. Again, straight to voicemail, this time I assumed she was talking to my grandmother or my aunt (they tend to talk a little longer than my sisters). After waiting a good bit longer I tried again! Still it went straight to voicemail. As I continued to try to reach her, a few times it would ring before it would go to voicemail. This pattern continued for TWO HOURS. By now I am getting off of work. I have organized a full blown military operation in my head. I had assigned Special Agent Kyle to check our home, McDonalds, and Burger King. I just knew something was wrong, so before I called the police and believe me that was high up on the operations list running through my head, I was checking the most likely locations of where the two lost might be. I was headed to check and see if they were at Chucky Cheese or in Deb dialect Chunky Cheese (LOVE YOU MOMMA). I guess I should back up and explain the rule: If you have my child or you are my mother you MUST answer or call back quickly if you are out and about. I am a worrier and I have to check and make sure you are okay. If you do not answer especially for two hours I pancic. Case in point this story! Before I could get to Chucky Cheese Kyle had reported to the crazy mom headquarters that they weren't seen at McDonalds, Burger King or home! The hysterical radar was going crazy at this point. So the next action on my list of OPERATION LOCATE MOM AND AYDEN, was to call 1-Kristi however, this isn't the best order b/c it's Thursday during softball season and she won't answer. But who can reason with a hysterical mother especially when it's myself. I was trying to will someone to answer there phone at this point. And needless to say that is not one of my gifts from God. 2-Call sisters. Joy is an hour ahead so I opted for Jill. Ha again no answer. Instead I get a text: JILL: Getting boy's hair cut. I am thinking: so what answer your phone there is an emergency occurring. Instead I just responded: Have you talked to mom? Her response: NO quickly followed by a why. (that's how we always respond b/c it usually mean something is up) With no time to add in new recruits I had to just leave her behind which meant no response back and didn't have time to really talk when she called. I believe the conversation went something like this:
Me: Hello?!
Jill: (In her sweet teacher voice) Why did you ask if I have talked to Mom?
Me: (In my frustrated on a mission voice which is very rushed) B/c she picked up Ayden and I have been trying to reach her for two hours.
Jill: Oh
Me: Ok bye
And just as I am getting ready to dial 911 and tell them that I can't find my mother or my son just because I haven't talked to them in two hours......a text message pops up on my phone, which I have almost pounded to death, that reads: MOMMA: Join us at McDonalds?
WHAT?!! Special Agent Kyle (believe me he had no idea I had deemed him a Special Agent or that I was on a mission!) reported that check point chicky was clear with no sign of either of the lost! So I dialed his number and as soon as he picked up I said are you sure they weren't at McDonalds! His response: yes Jess I am positive. Why?....... I was thinking what do you mean WHY?! They are missing and someone has just texted me from my mothers phone!!! I just knew it was a plot. I was going in with guns drawn and blazing (I don't really have guns and even i I did they wouldn't do me any good b/c I don't really know how to shoot.) prepared to take out who ever had messed with my baby and my mother! Unable to keep my voice normal for long I got off the phone with special agent Kyle...you can never let your soldiers know that your upset. Ha fortunately for me mine already know I am crazy so I get less questions that way.............. usually.
By now I have whipped my little camry HUM V around and headed back towards the place in question. It seemed like forever before my phone rang but it had only been a few minutes if that. When I heard Jill's voice on the other side: Jess, Mom and Ayden are at McDonalds. She said her phone won't call out. All I could say was ok. Love you. I hung up the phone and started boo whooing! Relieved they were okay and my insane mission was over. The next call came within seconds. My telephone screen read MOMMA. I answer with: I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF YOU FOR TWO HOURS! Of course it was through sobs and she didn't understand a word I said. All she said was calm down I can't understand you. Do you want to come eat with us at McDonalds???
OH lordy. I wasn't hungry and with a red puffy face definitely didn't want to go to McDonalds.
I believe my mom thought I was mad at her but I wasn't. I was obvious delirious with worry. When her and Ayden got to our home, Ayden said "Momma are you mad with my Dede? Are you upset?"

Ha if he only knew. If any of the people I love only knew to what measures I would go to protect them. Even when they are fine!

THE CREEPY, THE CRAWLY AND THE DREADED

Let me start by apologizing for just getting to post a blog over the past two weeks. This week I am going to try my hardest to post two. Life has been a whirl wind of crazy around my house lately....well around me. It's like I have my own personal little tornado following me around....no it's name surprisingly isn't Zeus, Ayden and or even Kyle. Work has been quite hectic but things are finally starting to get back down into the category many would classify as mildly crazy. It's not so much that my job is difficult as it is time consuming and odd hours which change day to day. I enjoy my job but unfortunately it is just that, a job. I have always wanted something more and one day I will find it. I want to be that person that is wildly passionate about what they do. I know that God has a plan and a purpose for me and Lord give me the strength and patience to find it.

Okay now that we are up to speed on my excuses of why I haven't found a few minutes to post a blog........

My dear sweet child that he so often is, loves to stop at any of the "eat houses" (which the clever devils who build those evil fast food eat houses conveniently put at the very front of our neighborhood.) One morning in a hurry to get Ayden to the sitter and myself to work he starts asking if we can please stop at the "Sontkic", for those of you who don't speak 3 year old the Ayden dialect that's of course Sonic. Not having time to stop or wanting to be tempted myself, I tried to explain to him we just can't stop that morning. Well that's not a good enough answer for Ayden. So he starts in with the inevitable...."BUT WHY?" The best response I uncleverly came up with...."Momma doesn't have any money this morning." Being that 3 year olds do not understand the whole concept of money his response was priceless...."But why don't you have any monies???? Did the bill bugs get in your wallet and eat all your monies Momma?!!" All I could do was laugh because I was certain he had recently her me fussing about bills and my creative child came up with the dreaded "BILL BUGS!"

The birth of the bill bugs was a few months back. Needless to say they haven't left our house. It's a weekly discussion about what the bill bugs are eating away at now. There are a few other kinds of yuckie bugs lurking around our yard as well (the real kind) and it's quite common for Ayden and Zeus to chase and kill them. It sounds a lot like this....."MOMMA THERE'S A BUG!!!! GET IT ZEUSY GET IT!! (CHOMP CHOMP) OH I WILL GET IT ZEUSY!!! (STOMP STOMP SMACK SPLAT) If you would have seen this you would now know that the bug has been dead for few minutes but the two of them are always thorough in there extermination of the creepy crawly. It seems as though Ayden is tired of the bill bugs messing up his trips to the eat houses (I have been trying to feed my family a little healthier than the evil fast food eat houses) because the latest in the Ayden stories occurred on the way home from the ball field. Of course he was asking if he could please have "McyDonalds" ad when I told him no he responded with the usual....the bill bugs ate all your monies again. I said yes they sure did. This time his response was "It's okay Momma. You can get more monies." I told him thank you and thought how sweet children can be. Then the next comment amazed me even more. "Momma!!! I have monies. We can go home and get some monies from my piggy and go the McyDonalds." I just laughed and replied with "that's okay baby we can go another time." The next morning Kyle was getting ready to take Ayden to the sitter. I heard him laughing and calling for me. As I approached Ayden's bathroom I find Ayden holding a small fish net that we had from our previous pet (RIP Nemo fishy). Only instead of using it as a fish net he was using it as a bug net. Yes, a bug net to catch and exterminate bugs. The kicker.....he was trying to catch and kill the ole DREADED BILL BUGS! Ohhh if it were only that easy. We would definitely be killing the charter cable bug and the cleco bug for sure!!!!!!!

That's all for today. Keep an eye on your wallet because the bill bugs are like cotton weebles and can devastate an entire pay check in a matter of minutes.

JP STRECKER

Food for thought: It's amazing how much children pick up on and repeat. What is scary is what do they hear that we are unaware of and then repeat when we aren't around????

A Boy and His Dog...or a Dog and His Boy

We are the proud owners of a beautiful blue pit bull terrier. Who after lots of research and thought, we named Zeus. Zeus has been a member of our family since some time in January. There have been times were I am sure my husband wanted to kill me for adding him to our house hold but for the most part he is, in every since of the phrase a family member.

Ayden, our three year old son loves his Zeusy! It also helps that he can so cleverly use him as a scape goat for some of his mischieves plans. Case in point....when asking Ayden why all the towels were pulled out of the bathroom cabinet he so cleverly replies "I didn't do it Momma. Zeusy wanted to pretend like he was a bull ." As so many of you know I am sure, it's hard to keep a straight face and scold a child when they come up with such quick witted responses. Of course he was talking about how the two of them get in the cabinet together and pretend all sorts of different things one of which is where Zeus is the bucking bull and Ayden is the cowboy riding the bucking bull. (We went to a PBR event and ever since this a frequent game at our house.) We often get many laughs out of our cowboy and his horse/bull/dog.

I am never really sure if Zeus belongs to us or if we belong to him. He is a large dog who isn't aware of his size. He thinks he is a lap dog and is never afraid to try to squeeze into a place on the couch where the smallest of dogs wouldn't dare attempt. One of my favorite moments to see is when I go in Ayden's room to find him and Zeus is his toddler fire truck bed watching a movie. It is absolutely priceless. However, surely soon to follow is a moment where one, if not all of us, are yelling at Zeus about what new item he has managed to sneak away with to chew to absolute oblivion. (victims of his serial chewings have been: several pairs of shoes Aydens, Kyles and mine from tennis shoes to flip flops, Q-tips, socks, hats, phone charger, pull-ups) What can I say other than with the good comes the bad.

In addition to the bad comes the ughhhhh yuck. On pretty days (before it got this hot) I would leave the back door open for Ayden and Zeus to run in out of the back yard. Zeus apparently brought one of his latest victims inside. When I heard his paws tick tick tick up to the front I knew he was up to something. Shortly after he came running back with something in his mouth. I reached down so sure I was going to find a sock and instead found a dead bird. Instantly I began screaming, scaring Ayden into tears. As I yelled at Zeus to take it outside! take it outside! He looked me with the most confused look ever. After minutes of yelling he took it and sat in his kennel. When he realized I was still yelling he finally took it outside. Ayden crying because he saw his mommy freak out, waited for the explanation of what had happened. Eventually I was able to laugh because my four legged baby was sooo proud of what he had done.

Ayden is a very inquisitive child. He constantly asks questions which I often struggle to find a true creative answer for. For example....what do you tell a three year old when he says "OHH NOO MOMMA! Zeusy's wee wee is hurt and bleeding. It's got a pink thing hanging out of it." My response....ummm well Ayden....it just popped out of its pocket. He's not hurt. All I can add to that is puberty please come as late as possible for my child!

Well sure I have rambled enough for the week. I hope you all have a wonderful night.

JPStrecker

A little insite before it all begins

I believe before you really get started with any thing you should have some kind of background information. And in case someone I don't know stumbles across this and decides to read it they will also hopefully have a little better incite. If you are one of the few who decide to stick with this and read occassionally or regularly I do believe that at one point or another you will be entertained (hold my breath, cross my fingers and pray!)
My name is Jessica Wren Porter Strecker. I am the youngest of three girls (that will explain alot later I'm sure of it). My sisters and myself are all very close with each other and our mother.( They better be the first to subscribe to this blog). I am a newly wed, will make a year in August. I also have a 3 year old son (who you are bound to hear about).
I am infamously known for my lack of patiences. In fact if asked 9 out of 10 people would describe me in one word as impatient. Along with that I am silly, fun and often confused. I try to keep the confusion bottled up in my head but as I am sure you will see more times then I would like to admit it seems to seep out. I have moments of pure creativity genius (ha may be a bit of an overstatement but we will go with that) which is more commonly overshadowed by as oh so many would refer to as blond moments. Rest assure you will see for yourself. My creative moments always seem to come at the most inopportune time, for example I am up creating a blog at 1:00 am mid work week.
Another vital fact to know about me is that I am dyslexic. Being that this is a blog and a blog is full of written words it's important for you to know this because there will be numerous accounts where I misspell and misuse words. If you do not know much about dyslexia tune in at a later date and I will fill you in. It's actually quite interesting. If you haven't already figured out I am also TERRIBLE with grammar. I never really know when to use commas so I live by the phrase I learned in high school....when in doubt leave it out. I am sure that the English teacher who taught that and then got to grade my papers deeply regretted it along with many teachers I had after that point.
I truly believe that my creativity is a side effect shall we say of my dyslexia. Or as I have always really thought of it as a blessing to cushion the blow. I will discuss this all again at a later time like I have mentioned before.
In short, or depending on how long exactly this is, in depth, I started this blog to share thoughts, feelings and events with people. I am by no means superbly knowledgeable on any subject even though at times I'd hate to admit that I'm not. (I am also stubborn, hard headed and hate to admit when I am wrong.) I hope that if nothing else you (whoever may read) will comment enjoy and share thoughts feelings and opinions.
I am hoping now that I have gotten this out I will be able to go back to my bed and fall back to sleep.
Good Night To All
JPStrecker

P.S. I hate proof reading and I know that is a dangerous combination with dyslexia but oh well.

Random Food For Thought: Have you ever laid in bed and the voice in your head (of course I mean your thoughts I'm not schizophrenic) been going 90 to nothing and all the sudden you can't tell if it's whispering to you or yelling at you????