THE ADVENTURES OF THE JAC ATTACK!

A Blog about a clever boy and a mom determined to out-smart him.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Run Dad Run!!!!

This year Jesse is representing our family in the Marine Corps Marathon and we are so excited!  Sunday is race day.  JAC and I will be cheering him on.  Jess has diligently trained for six months and in four different countries.  We are so proud of him and can't wait for race day.


Friday, October 29, 2010

Friday Adventure!






Today JAC and I were up early and ready to go on an adventure.  We had an early date to pick up Becca (our fellow adventurer) and head to the pumpkin patch.  Yesterday the weather was a balmy 75 degrees but a wild wind blew all night and brought with it chilly weather.  We started the day with Starbucks to warm us up and made the drive to Cox Farm.

Cox Farm hosts the most impressive pumpkin patch I've ever encountered. They had slides, animals, mazes and much more. JAC was ready to go and the moment we arrived he took off running. He climbed up a huge hay bail pyramid and through some hay bail tunnels. Next, we checked out the kids play area but JAC was quickly ready to move on to bigger things. After stopping to pet every animal in sight we headed for the big slides.

JAC and I marched up the hill and I gave him a gentle nudge down the slide. I didn't realize it was such a fast slide! JAC seemed momentarily shocked but our daredevil embraced the speed and begged to go down the slide again and again.

We finished the day by visiting the goat village which was a strange mix of caged goats and caged hyper children trying to feed them. It was both hilarious and mildly unnerving.

We had a blast at the pumpkin patch. I think it might become a yearly tradition and it was nice to have Becca along again too.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Wild Thing

A few minutes ago I was sitting in my basement, wondering what to write on our blog and listening to my husband read a rowdy rendition of "Where the Wild Things Are. JAC loved it but I still had no blog material.  I try to write every day but in the mundane monotony of motherhood finding interesting material is akin to removing gum from your dog's fur.

Jess turned out the light and told JAC "goodnight." A few minutes later I heard JAC click on his light. Annoyed, I yelled for him to "turn it off." A few minutes later when he didn't comply I came stomping in his room ready to delve out some punishment.

I walked in and found him happily surrounded by his books and reading "Where the Wild Things Are." It seemed perfect because he is the wildest thing I've ever met. It was also so darn cute that I couldn't be mad. Instead I wanted to take a picture but my camera battery is dead - darn.

On other notes, Jess is running the Marine Corps Marathon in just a mere three days. I can't wait to cheer him on. Do you think it would be appropriate to wear my bikini and paint my stomach with the words, "Go Dad?"

Also, JAC took a nap today. This is becoming a rare occasion much to my chagrin. While he napped I sewed an awesome lion costume. I knew he would love it. JAC loves to growl and chase me around the house on all fours. He hated his costume. When I tried to convince him to wear it he cried and begged, "no, no!" I still have three days to help him condor up his inner lion.Wish my luck.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Perks

We are house training JAC.  I am hoping and praying he is a faster learner than my dog.  It took almost a year to train her.  We are spending hours reading the "Once Upon a Potty" book and waiting.  To help the process I purchased a 41 ounce bag of Skittles.  That is over two pounds of Skittles.  I give JAC once Skittle at a time but as the supervising parent I've decided I get first dibs on all red or purple Skittles.  I'm counting it as a parenthood perk.

Speaking of perks - This goofy video of my guys playing together will perk you right up.  You can hear JAC laughing and laughing.  Please just ignore my voice.  Happy Tuesday.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Reconnoiter





Every time I hear the word "reconnoiter" I immediately think of the word "recollect." This instantly causes me to recall the following stupid story.

Once I got pulled over for drunk driving and I hadn't been drinking at all. My first car was a 1970 VW Bug.  It was a patchy tomato red color and to this day I am sorry I sold it.  It had lots of character and funny quirks.  For instance, if you drove it over 20 miles you had to jump start the battery to get it to start again.  I can credit this car with my ability to drive stick and my ability to jump start a vehicle with my eyes closed.

The bug was trusty but also difficult to control on the highway. Sometimes late at night on the open road I would let her bounce and jolt all over the road. On one such occasion I was driving from Oklahoma City to west Texas when I noticed I was being closely tailed by a cop. Of course, I modified my driving but the state trooper flashed his lights and pulled me over. When he reached my window he started quizzing me. "Where was I going?" "Where had I been?" "What was I doing on the road so late?"

Finally he looked at me quizzically and said, "You're not drunk but three people called and reported you as drunk driver. Do you have any idea why?" I played dumb and he said with a deep south drawl, "Ma'am I want you to Rec-OL-lect what you did wrong and don't do it again." With this he sent me on my way.

I'm not sure why I think this story is so funny but hopefully my driving has improved a bit. Here's a random fact about the word reconnoiter. The British use the term "dicking" instead of reconnoiter and of course every American falls over laughing when they hear it.

This weekend Jess, JAC and I went out to recon a possible new kayak launch sight at Algonkian Regional Park. It turned out to be absolutely lovely. I can't wait to kayak at this location in the near future. In the meantime here are just a few pictures from our river recon trip.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Flowers

This weekend JAC brought me this perfect quarter-sized pink rose.  He seemed so proud when he presented it to me.  Jess and JAC had been trimming bushes and doing other yard work.  Jess gave JAC the rose and instructed him to deliver it to me.  Jess is an excellent dad and a wonderful husband.  He is deeply conscientious about teaching JAC to do nice things to me and I appreciate it so much. 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Balloon Fiesta without Balloons


All year I planned to take JAC and Jesse to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta but circumstances intervened and we couldn't make the trip.  I was deeply disappointed but I've already started planning our trip to the 2011 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.

In lieu of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, we decided to attend the Shenandoah Valley Balloon Fiesta. Jesse knew how excited I was and agreed to take the long drive after church on Sunday.

The Shenandoah Festival featured monster truck rides, live entertainment, wine tasting and a petting zoo. It did not feature any hot air balloons. The wind was unusually gusting and thus unsafe for hot air balloons. I wished for hot air balloons but JAC's enthusiasm for petting animals relieved my disappointment. I think JAC nearly pet the bunny to death. We had to pull him off moments before he embraced the bunny in a bear hug.

It was fun family outing. We ate bratwursts cooked on the world's largest grill, danced to some live music and of course pet every animal in the petting zoo. This was not my year for hot air balloons but there is always next year.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Saturday with the Connelly's

We're all taking a minute to rest after a fun Saturday.  One of my favorite things about Jess is that he is up for anything.  There is rarely a Saturday when we sit at home and today was no different.

We drank our coffee and ate Fruit Loops - energy food for a good adventure. We took our morning walk and then Jess proposed we go kayaking. I loved the idea and packed us a picnic lunch while Jess loaded the kayaks.

We tried out a new location and put in the kayaks at Mason Neck State Park. Fellow kayakers had tipped us off to the location and promised we would see Bald Eagles. Mason Neck was a great place to kayak because the water is too shallow for motorized watercraft and I hate dodging boaters. The tide was out and Jess had to trudge through angle deep silt to launch the kayaks. Once launched we did some of the hardest paddling I have ever attempted. The wind was blowing at gale force and every forward inch of progress was a hard fought battle. After a thirty minute paddle navigating through wind, sea moss and the unpredictable movements of a restless toddler, I was exhausted. We headed back to shore.

All of the effort was worth it because we saw two Bald Eagles in flight. They are so majestic that it chokes me up a bit to watch them. After kayaking we took JAC to the playground. After playing for an hour we decided to take a family hike. The state park has a beautiful network of trails and they didn't disappoint.

After hiking I was sure it was time to go home but JAC begged to return to the playground and Jess relented. I was glad he did because a few other young families showed up. We brought out our football and the adults passed it around while the kids took turns running, rushing and passing too. It was a blast to watch a herd of small kids playing football together.

Mason Neck State Park offered a beautiful fun-filled Saturday. This might be our last kayaking trip of the season. The weather is getting colder quickly. This adventure was the perfect ending to a great kayaking season.





Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Friday Adventure!

JAC and I returned home on Thursday and on Friday we were ready for an adventure!  Luckily Jess finished work a few hours early and was able to tag along.  We decided to pay a visit to our favorite presidential memorial - Theodore Roosevelt Island.  This monument is off the beaten path because it is nestled on an island in the middle of the Potomac River.  It perfectly epitomizes a man who was dedicated to preserving some of the most beautiful natural landscapes on earth.  





While we were in Texas it felt like late summer but as soon as landed at Reagan International it was apparent that autumn has arrived. The air is crisp and the leaves are changing. We bundled up in jackets and enjoyed the perfect autumn evening.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Dog, Cat and The Head


My parents have started to collect animals.  I don't think they have done it intentionally but they now own two cats, two dogs and one fluffy kitten.  While I was in Texas I was thankful for every furry creature because JAC found them endlessly entertaining.  He would beg to go out first thing in the morning and spend hours outside following the cat around holding its tail.

My mom has a new white puppy named Queenie. She loves Queenie.  Queenie is a typical puppy and wild. She spends most of her time tackling the cat or harassing the kitten. One day we looked outside and she was obviously eating something dead. Instantly my heart sank. She had been playing too roughly with the kitten and I was sure she might have killed Fluffy.

I ran out to check and assumed the worse. It was a small dead furry creature. I ordered JAC inside because he loved the kitten. When I caught my breath I gave the dead creature another look and was relieved to see it was squirrel. The cat must have killed it and severed its head. Now Queenie was devouring it with glee. My mom was shocked and ordered us to get rid of it.

As my dad collected the carcass Queenie refused to let go. She grabbed the head and took off! Mom kept shouting, "The head, the head, get the head!" The little white dog was racing around the yard masticating the head into mush. We couldn't catch her and mom was horrified. Her beloved puppy was chewing on a head.

By the time Queenie was caught the head was finished. There was nothing left and we couldn't look a the little dog in the same way again. The playful little puppy just looked like a "head-eater to us." Mom even begged me to buy Queenie a tooth brush so she wouldn't have "head-breath," but I refused. I wasn't getting near that little dog for a long while.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Nani and the Cookies





It took my mom almost nine months to decide on her "grandma name."  In her defense she hasn't turned 50 yet and is thus way too young to be called "grandma."  My mom finally decided to be called "Nani," and she is an excellent Nani.  She loves to read books with JAC, play games and cuddle.  Unfortunately, JAC had a difficult time understanding that Nani was too sick to play.

JAC quickly recovered from his disappointment because Nani had a new toy - A Walker! While Nani was embarrassed to use a walker, JAC embraced the idea and raced around the house pushing the walker and bumping into things. I had to be careful or the walker would not be available when needed. My mom has now graduated to a cane but who would have guessed that a walker would actually make you a more awesome Nani?

To help Nani feel better we made her favorite fall cookies. We call them whole wheat critters and they are so delicious it is hard not to eat a whole batch in one sitting. Nani had a small child sized rolling pin and JAC helped roll out dough. He cut star shaped cookies and ate a good bit of dough. I'm pretty sure I've posted the recipe before but I'll post it again. Here is the recipe for Whole Wheat Critters:

2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine flours and baking powder. Beat butter 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, honey, and vanilla, beat until fluffy. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating after each addition. Divide in half. Cover; chill several hours or overnight.

On floured surface roll half the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Using large cutters, cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Using fork, prick sparingly. Combine sugar and nutmeg, and sprinkle over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes, cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 36 crackers-cookies.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

History

While my mom rested, JAC and I would head to the park.  We would go for an hour long run and finish off the outing by playing on the playground.  The playground is impressively big and adjacent to the playground is the largest walled in prairie dog farm that I have ever seen.  JAC could stand on the wall of the prairie dog farm for hours watching the rodents burrow and call to each other.  He was furious that I would not let him climb inside, chase a prairie dog down and pet it.  As a consolation prize I bought him a picture book featuring prairie dogs.


West Texas is flat which means the running trail circling the park is flat. It was a nice break to our hilly Virginia trails. Unhindered by steep inclines JAC and I could run both faster and farther.  I felt like a running superstar.

I posted pictures from our park outings on Facebook and my older brother immediately recognized the park.  It is the same park where we used to play while my mom went running.  Running is a ribbon that connects our family history.  Apparently running parks have a place in that history too.













Friday, October 15, 2010

Incredibly Happy!

Today I am incredibly happy.  I am home in my own little house.  I woke up to freshly brewed coffee.  My handsome husband kissed me goodbye on his way out the door to work and my world is perfect.

Yesterday JAC and I spent the entire day stuffed into a tin can with a hundred other people. As JAC jumped up and down in the seat next to me I thought of those Mexican jumping beans trapped in their container. To add to the excitement we go to spent an extra hour imprisoned on the tarmac in DFW because our plane got in an accident. As we were backing up the tow cart slammed on its breaks abruptly and collided with the plane. The resulting jolt tossed our flight attendant to the floor and she could not perform her duties. She sat icing her injuries and we waited for an hour for a replacement flight attendant and clearance from the ground mechanics.

When we finally landed at Regan International I was so thankful see Jess waiting for us in the terminal. He usually waits for us in the Cell Phone Waiting Area but when he saw our flight was significantly delayed he knew I would be tired and came to the rescue.



When we got home the house was perfectly clean and dinner was in the crock-pot. We went outside and threw the football. I loved seeing my guys together again. They are two of a kind and meant to be together. It is so nice to be home.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Tired in Texas

JAC and I just returned from the drive-in movie. JAC kept me tied up in a never-ending wrestling match but it was fun to get out of the house. We watched the Legend of Seeker and while the movie was good it was bittersweet to be at the drive-in without Jess. Jess and I have been going to the drive-in together since we were dating.

This morning my brother and sister accompanied us to the ACU Homecoming Parade. The parade was the quality free entertainment. The fraternities and sororities created floats and dance routines. The sororities and tried too hard and the fraternities didn't try at all. Athletes trudged along the parade route pretending to be too cool for the event and the band led marched out front. JAC loved the fire truck but my favorite part was the goat. There was a painted goat being pushed along the parade route in a shopping cart.

JAC has mostly kept busy playing in my parents' back yard with their various animals. My parents have dogs, cats and kittens. JAC spends hours chasing them. I am so thankful that he enjoys being outside because containing JAC inside my mom's house is akin harnessing a bucking bull. My mom has decorated with many bird and ball shaped objects. In the eyes of a child they are all intended to be toys.

Mom is slowly recovering. It is remarkable that your entire hip joint can be replaced and only a few weeks later you can walk around the house a bit. The physical therapist even helped mom get outside to enjoy the fresh air. While mom is on the mend her recovery is not fast enough for her. She balks at our efforts to be of assistance. She has always been fiercely independent and new hip hasn't changed that.  The surgeon promised that she would be as good as new in a few months.  I expect her to be out running again by Christmas.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Weird

This has been a weird week on the blog.  I'm in a strange mood and everything I write seems over-complicated.  I promise next week I'll be back to writing my usual fluff.

I haven't read a good novel in years. Part of me is beginning to believe I have read every good novel. A huge part of me believes all novels written in recent years suck. As a stay at home mom I have lots of free time but its not novel-reading free time. I can't lie on the couch for hours gulping down great literature. Instead I have tiny chunks of time often interrupted by major or minor mishaps.



Instead of reading novels I primarily read periodicals and the nicest thing happened. My neighbor bought me a subscription to the Economist. Awesome. I walked her dog all summer and she surprised me with the subscription. To me the best gifts are useful things that you want but can't get. A gift is even better if someone remembers you saying you wish you could have such and such but... That is exactly what happened. She is such a good neighbor.

I also bought myself a subscription to Backpacker Magazine. I don't anticipate backpacking this year but I like to think of myself as the backpacking type. Plus, I love the trail reviews and the scenic pictures.

 

Finally, I want a new car. I've been thinking this over a lot and I know exactly what I want. I want a vanagon! I just love the idea that one day I could be driving on the beltway and decide I wanted to go camping. I could give Roxy and JAC a wink and we could take the first exit to the mountains.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Melodramatic

Of course my last post was a bit melodramatic.  My mom made it through her surgery and all went as planned.  She is now resting and will start rehabilitation tomorrow.  I guess I was more worried about mom than I was willing to admit and as I waited for news this morning my worry manifested itself in a peculiar way.  I just started cleaning.  This wasn't normal cleaning.  This was insane cleaning.  I moved furniture to reach dirt long deposited there.  I scrubbed my bathroom and then re-scrubbed it with bleach because it didn't seem quite white enough.  I folded and put away 5 loads of laundry.  I cleaned the carpets.

My whole house smells of bleach and Pinesol.  I think that is suiting since my mom has always been a very fastidious housekeeper. Meanwhile, as I scrubbed JAC ran around like a wild hooligan. He got a bloody nose after taking and acrobatic tumble off the arm of my couch. This only delayed him minutes and then he moved on to leap off another piece of furniture. He even managed to escape his highchair and jump onto the kitchen table. I am beginning to believe the makers of baby products should employ my son as a safety tester because he has never met a safety harness he couldn't outsmart.

There is a line in one of my favorite movies, Legends of the Fall. The narrator is telling about the wild youngest son named Tristan. He says, "We never thought Tristan would live to be an old man but we were wrong. He did. It was the people who loved him most who died young."

I think JAC's wild antics will drive me to an early grave.

Jess is flying home today. I can't wait to hug his neck. He managed to reach me on skype early this morning. He knew I would be worrying about mom and wanted to check in on me. Instantly started crying. It was just so nice to see the one person on earth I love being vulnerable with.