JB is out of town for several days and while last time I cut him some slack because he was on a business trip that included the once-in-a-lifetime experience of hiking the Great Wall of China, this time he’s . . . well, he’s in Wyoming. Hunting antelope.

Can you even EAT antelope? I don’t think so. I don’t want to try, anyway, unless there’s such a thing as an antelope tiramisu.

Anyway, I’ve been dreading this little testosterone-fest because holy crap, a whole week on my own with the children. I love my boys but uhhhhh, parenting solo with a baby and toddler pretty much shits the bed. And not like a dry, easily-rolled-off-the-sheets turd, either, more like a horrific splattermess a la Trainspotting.

Well, we are making the best of it, as evidenced by recent camera contents:

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Heh. I was trying to take a mirrored photo of the two of us, but Grabby McLungerton was all about that camera strap. How apropos that I was wearing my SOMETIMES I WORRY ABOUT ZOMBIES t-shirt.

Boing.
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Boinga.
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BOINGA.
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Riley’s room is messy. I KNOW.

My god, when did he get so big?
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(Tonight he told me, “I help you make cookies. That make you happy, Mommy? I like to make you happy.”)

Tell me, what have you been up to lately? Really, I want to know. I’M LONELY OVER HERE.

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Becky
Becky
15 years ago

Well since you asked…I am dealing with a 10 month old with a double ear infection…he isn’t crabby or cranky…just very clingy…..once I do get him to bed I spend the rest of my night praying for Edward Cullen to make me a vampire…TWILIGHT…OMG I totally got sucked in…..I tried to avoid it…but I am weak!!!!!

Cameron
15 years ago

I’m in the opposite boat as you. I’m in Baltimore on business while my wife is back home in Illinois taking care of our 3 year old daughter who knows it all and our 1 year old son who doesn’t get along with sissy much at all. Can’t blame him, I wouldn’t want to get pushed around and knocked to the ground all the time either.

The part about helping you, that’s funny. My daughter always wants to help me cook dinner, she tries to help out although it just pisses my son off more that he can’t help.

SART
SART
15 years ago

Wow – kudos to you for doing the single mom thing again. Methinks I’d be kicking hubby’s ass if he left me to go hunting right after getting back from China…

I’m at work prepping for a trial in Memphis in 3 weeks. Looking forward to ribs and music – notsomuch to being away from Nugget and Hubby. On the personal front I’m trying to figure out if I’m cut out for this blogging thing.

Pickles & Dimes
15 years ago

That first photo is simply awesome. Hee!

I’ve been painting, and painting, and PAINTING our damn weight room downstairs (on my week off, because I am insane), where apparently, tinted primer and multiple coats of paint are not ADEQUATE. Also, the cat got paint on her back paw and I only noticed eight paintprints later. GRAH.

Maria
15 years ago

OK, if that room is messy, I be livin’ in the slums.

Trainspotting…all I took away from that movie was FREAKY ASS BABY ON THE CEILING!!! FREAKY ASS BABY ON THE CEILING!!!

I’ve been seemingly going through the motions. Sunday foot ball, work, work, Tuesday Weight Watchers, work, work, Thursday Zumba, work work, Saturday soccer practice. Immersed in the middle of all that is playing with a baby and a toddler, the continual washing of clothes and bottles, the packing of daily lunches and what the heck am I going to throw together for dinner. And ewe, can’t remember the last time I washed the toilet so yeah, better get on that.

The leaves are peaking and in the blink of an eye Fall will be over. I think I missed it!

misguided mommy
15 years ago

The other day I called my son a shoefly. He looked at me, smiled and said, well mom your a fucking fly. Then proudly walked off to tell daddy.

Rachelle
15 years ago

Great pictures! I’m with everyone else – your perfect hair makes me want to have angry words with my lank ponytail!

Antelope’s tasty. Not as good as caribou or elk, but better than some deer. And, um, I’m not sure it would make a good tiramisu, ’cause, you know, it’s meat and all… But it DOES make a kick-ass stew, honest to goodness – just use the same recipe as whatever kind of beef stew you like.

samantha jo campen
15 years ago

Those pictures are fabulous. And what Riley told you about the cookies? Made me melt!

I’ve been trying to avoid having a panic attack every day because of our finances, the economey, and the election. Really, that has consumed most of my time. Oh! And fighting with our insurance comapny about how much we own out-of-pocket for Theo’s birth/NICU stay. It’s a party over here!

Heather
Heather
15 years ago

Well, I am scared now. I have a 16 month old and am pregnant with another. Yikes. I am tryng very hard to find a nice cookie monster or bamm bamm costume. Looks like we will be heading out to the fabic store to see what my non-sewing self can throw together.

pam
pam
15 years ago

those boys! dylan kills me. i love the bouncy pics!

let’s see…i’m trying to figure out how to dress my boys for their 10 month pictures on saturday. hmmm.

anna
15 years ago

Grabby McLungerton–why am I giggling so much at this?

Oh, and cuuuuuuute pictures!

Her Ladyship
15 years ago

Good luck with the solo parenting. As for JB, Wyoming is just lousy with antelope so he should have a good time (we drove through there last summer and several times came thisclose to hitting one with the car).

As for what I’ve been up to, very sloooowly preparing for a half-marathon (I may have to just walk 5K and call it a day) and trying to figure out exactly how much money I should stuff under our mattress.

Katie
Katie
15 years ago

Lucky JB! A fact – there are more antelope in Wyoming than people! I love antelope meat, really good stuff, but then I’m a hunter myself and love cooking with any wild game! My hubby, father in law, and bro in law all got buck Mule Deer this past weekend so we have tons of venison to use this winter!

Love the boing pics! He’s such a cutie. Nom nom!!!!

And if Riley’s room is messy, you should come over to our house where a 3 year old and almost 2 year old share a 10×10 bedroom! Not much room and tons of books and toys! Can’t wait until they’re older and can move to the big basement bedroom and spread out more!

I feel your pain on single parenting though. I will be doing that next month when the hubby and brother in law head to Salmon Idaho to go steelehead fishing for 3-4 days. If I survive with my sanity, I might not kill him! But I will require many many bottles of good wine and Captain Morgan Reserve to tide me over!

Brooke
15 years ago

I have been swearing at the Red Sox and trying to figure out how much to feed my 6 month old, who is now not sleeping all night. But we have made progress in the last couple days. I am working my waste-of-time job, and the only reason it’s not a total waste of life is because it pays well, has great benefits, and will put my kids though college if I can stay here for 13 more years.

monkey
15 years ago

I’m taking up muay thai! It’s Thai Kickboxing. Also am signed up for their one month boot camp, am eating healthy and otherwise gearing up for my trip to Belize.

Christina
15 years ago

taking care of the newborn & toddler, breaking in the nanny, thinking about going back to work in a couple of weeks, contemplating what the hell I am going to wear to work w/ my post baby bod – oh the fun I am having ;)

Lisa B
Lisa B
15 years ago

Job hunting (don’t tell, but maybe I have something?!), started 30-Day Shred and after two days in a row at level one I can no longer sit down, walk without shuffling, or roll over in bed. Can I PLEASE take a day off? I feel Jillian will know and hurt me if I do … Otherwise, figuring out COBRA payments (oh god, MS, please take me back!), severence packages, and how soon we can afford a housecleaner again. Oh, and listening to the dog snore.

Amy
Amy
15 years ago

I love reading your adventures in parenting- it makes ME not feel so lonely and isolated too, mommying a 10 month old and working at home-try to manage THAT mess, along with a FT student husband!

Jenn Perryman
15 years ago

I am starting a fire in the woodstove, trying to get motivated to sew more infant & toddler pumpkin hats, thinking about making tomato soup for lunch… going into work this afternoon. I feel guilty because I had my husband drop my toddler off at daycare this morning and haven’t managed to actually DO anything except for stuff my face with candy corn so far.

Quiana
15 years ago

Kids look adorable as usual.

What I am I doing? Well tonight I will be coaching the local Junior High Robotics Team, thus passing off my nerd legacy to 20 unsuspecting children. (Bwahahaha)

It is fun to teach the kids about science and encourage their natural curiosity. Unfortunately educating a new generation in robotics is just moving us one step closer to the robot apocalypse.

Though I hear that the RA includes Christian Bale, so that should work out nicely (for those of us with vision). (RAWR)

Hugs from the future servant to the Robot Overlords,
q.

cindy
cindy
15 years ago

What I’ve been up to is wondering when JB is going to stay home with the kids for a week while you go some place fabulous.

Jenny
15 years ago

Well, let’s see…I’m praying that the hard drive in my Mac hasn’t just bitten the big one. Also trying not to worry about money. And wondering why the ass pockets of my jeans are hovering somewhere around mid-thigh.

Love your blog! Thanks for making me laugh every day.

Artemisia
15 years ago

Ah! OMG! I live in Wyoming and my partner is going antelope hunting this weekend!

This is not a topic I expected to find posted on your site. I am thrilled, in a weird, weird way.

Yes, you can eat antelope, though it is my very least favorite of game meat. (If you talk to your hubby, a good tip for antelope hunting is not to shoot an animal that is on the run. The meat will be tough and taste like sagebrush. No, really. Ew.)

We are such a small state it is always exciting to:

– See the name Wyoming in print, anywhere
– Here it mentioned on the radio or TV; and
– see familiar landscapes in movies, on TV, etc.

E-mail me with where he is hunting – how funny (if you feel like it). I did not expect to read this topic here AT ALL.

Good luck with the kiddos. I love the photos!

Jinx
Jinx
15 years ago

Flying solo will probably suck a LOT, but you’ll rock it for sure.

My best friend is leaving for the Air Force in a few weeks, for several years, and I am entering long-term inpatient treatment for my eating disorder in two days. As a last hurrah, yesterday we spent the day together.. We took hallucinogenic mushrooms (my first time with that, and most likely my last) and went around town (with a sober friend driving of course), visiting a pet store, a toy store, a stable, a Halloween store (this last may gave been the strangest experience of my life to date). Afterward we went to the grocery store, bought blocks of ice, found a steep hill, and spent the wee hours sliding down under the full moon. It was mind-blowing.. We are both turning 21 next month, and it feels like our last chance to just be stupid kids having fun together.

Jennifer
15 years ago

I’ll say it again, that picture of you & D in the mirror is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen simply for the look of shear terror on his face juxtaposed with your pretty smile and the frantic mammary grabbing.

Jolie
15 years ago

Dylan reminds me of Riley in those bouncy pictures! it’s the first time.

I just got my placement for student teaching and met the teacher I will be working with for my last semester of college. She is AWESOME and I am EXCITED. I also just ordered my [potential] wedding dress and am awaiting it anxiously. That’s what I’m up to!

victoria
victoria
15 years ago

Here is what I have been up to: Wondering when JB takes the kids and looks after them all by his lonesome for a week here or there so that you can take off and have a fun trip by yourself.

Crystal
Crystal
15 years ago

Doing my best to totally poop out the kids, put them to bed EARLY, have my best girlfriends over, eat yummy-sushi, drink WAY too much wine, and talk about anything that isnt baby-related.
Wanna join us? :)

Renee
Renee
15 years ago

well I just told my boss that I’m pregnant. He was surprisingly cool with it! Other than that, just trying to figure out how we’ll get the bills paid when I need to go on maternity leave.

Liz
Liz
15 years ago

Riley’s room is not messy.

After these two trips, I assume that JB is going to hold down the fort for a couple of days while you have a spa weekend or something? Going to BlogHer doesn’t count–that’s a work trip.

Sarah
15 years ago

I’m back a work after a week-long trip to Fiji (currently being written up on my blog if you’ve got copious amounts of free time) and trying to remember what normal life is like. Wish I could go back to the beaches instead!

Good luck with the boys–I’m sure you’ll survive, even if you have to wash the sheets a couple times!

Lori
15 years ago

First, a couple of observations…
1) It is unfair that you look so good (hair perfection) while parenting solo. UNFAIR.
2) Riley is wearing a lot o stripes in that last pic.
3) Holy moly, Grabby McLungerton is catching some serious air in his Johnny Jumper.

Second, the answer to your question…
I am finding excuses not to work out (cramps), avoiding work (yeah google reader) and preparing to launch a new review blog (shining the spotlight on shtuff made in the Pacific NW).

mixette
mixette
15 years ago

It sure looks like you guys are having a *good* time. Love how tinyD is lunging for your boob – he is a total frat rat in training!

It is raining here for the first time in over a year so I’m curled up inside. It is still over 80 degrees, though, and I am totally ready for fall. Thus like your first commenter, I’m working on some Christmas gifts since they are all going to pretty much be home made / baked / thrifted / books-bought-used this year. It actually has me kind of fired up.

Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake
15 years ago

Been busy being a moody mess. That about sums it up.

Jennie C.
15 years ago

Yes, you can eat Antelope – I’m thinking a curry might be nice. Um, that is SO not a messy room.

Lisa
Lisa
15 years ago

Yesterday was my first day on my own with a newborn and 3 yr old, so…..I TOTALLY feel your pain.

Danell
15 years ago

Antelope Tiramisu! Hee hee hee, haw haw haw!

I’ve been working…grumbling about how big my ASS seems to be getting INSTEAD OF my belly so far this pregnancy…and currently refreshing the hell out of Amalah’s page: where’sthebabywhere’sthebabywhere’sthebaby??

Bumbling
15 years ago

Dude, you call that a messy room? Hold on while I bang my head against the wall….okay. Um, lets see what have I been up to? Well as I write this my youngest is upstairs screaming “MAMIIII. MAMIIIIII” instead of snoring blissfully away. I have sent his father to deal with him. Something to do with bendaryl…..
Other than that I seemed to have contracted some sort of zobie-like virus that has made me practically into one of the walking dead. I am SICK, and am feeling more and more like a walking, talking (well GRUNTING) corpse that happens to do the laundry and wash all the dishes in the sink in between bouts of sleep and too much daytime tv. Halloween is coming and the costume place I ordered from sent the wrong costume for one of my toddlers. Still waiting for the cuddly lion costume to make an apperance. Trying to figure out what do do with the TEENAGED sized demonic clown costume they mistkenly sent. It’s giving me nightmares. O.K. are you more bored now then when you started reading this? Dude, my life is boooring. Sorry to unload on you and possible make your day even worse. :-P
Love,
Bumbling

Lesley
Lesley
15 years ago

Just a quick comment cuz I’m rushing but hmmm I think JB OWES YOU a week at a spa or maybe a yoga retreat or whatever you like.

Kelsey
15 years ago

I’m stewing and fretting over my daughter’s peanut allergy and how it seems that nothing is truly safe to eat and no place is truly safe to go. I’m practicing my deep breathing to ward of a full-fledged panic attack. The only thing scarier to me right now would be zombies wielding peanuts!

Arg.

I love the photos but it is really sad how long I had to look at the one of you and Dylan in the mirror to figure out what was going on!

Good luck flying solo – I hate it when my husband is gone. This summer he was gone for a week because he was in Orlando coaching a basketball team at U-11 Nationals. We even had reinforcements part of the week and I still really hated it that he was gone. I hope the time goes quickly for you!

Josh
15 years ago

Dude, I’ve been watching ridiculous amounts of Weeds, possibly one of the best shows ever made evah. Let me list the reasons that I love it. One: it is normally only on expensive ass cable channels which I don’t get cause I’m broke, but now is free thanks to the internet and it’s ethically dubious file sharing free for all. Two: it’s about weed and the cultivation and distribution thereof. Three: Nancy, the lead role, is really really hot. Like crazy hot. No kidding, best milf ever. Four: it has Kevin Nealon. Five: It’s about weed and Nancy is really hot and it’s free and has Kevin Nealon.

The bitchy, uptight, cancer lady next door who had her tits chopped off is pretty hot too. She’d be terrible to live with, but the hate sex would be incredible.

Lori O
15 years ago

I don’t know how you do it? Though my hubby works till 8:30 every night, so I guess that’s almost the same, since my daughter’s bedtime is 8…so never mind. I get it. But I only have one girl, who is pretty easy, not two boys. I think that’s the kicker! She just went to bed and I should be working out. But I’m on here. TELL ME TO GO WORKOUT!

Jacquelyn
15 years ago

Holy shit, dude, nice legs. Wtf are you doing? Rubbing them down with baby oil?

tracy
15 years ago

OMG! that first picture made me LAUGH! LOVE IT!

wordygirl
15 years ago

Let’s see. Not sleeping much, as Gwen suddenly hates every single soothing measure we’ve been successfully employing for the past 5.5 months. Not having any sex, and really enjoying your post on same. Praying for my cousin’s one-week-old baby girl who just had surgery and has now contracted an infection (life is SO not fair sometimes). Completing a half-marathon. (Proud!) Binge eating. (Not Proud!) The usual.

Victoria
15 years ago

Too much work too much work! Thanksgiving. Still single. Um…. trying to cut back on calories. Addicted to surfthechannel.com. :)

Samantha
15 years ago

What is it with our children wanting us to be happy. Whenever I get mad at Jordan, he pouts and states, “but I want you to be happy mommy.” Holy talk about melting my heart.

Shutter Bitch
15 years ago

I’ve been trying to avoid The Plague. My husband came down with some stomach thing that my son then got. My baby girl has Pink Eye and some kind of cold/snotfest/teething/boogery eye thing going on and I just want to make it to the weekend before being felled by it all.

Other than that, just hanging out.

lisa-marie
15 years ago

I’m just working at my super fun job at the courthouse and suddenly feeling all the sore muscles from last night’s work out. Ow ow ow. And yet? Yay!

Dawn
15 years ago

I’m going back to school! Which means I’m taking a chem class with a bunch of college freshman this quarter. When did they get so YOUNG? I’m sort of all, “The first time I took this class, you didn’t even know what chemistry WAS!” I feel very “Get off my lawn, you young whippersnappers” about it. When did college freshman get so YOUNG?