i love...

Tonight we were all laying on the floor in the living room watching the OU women play basketball. Totally out of the blue, John Mark sat up and said:

"I love my daddy."
"I love my mommy."
"I love my playroom."
"I love robot John Mark."

And laid back down to snuggle.

I love that kid.

a day in my life

Since I am always sharing funny stories about John Mark, I decided to share my own embarassing story that happened yesterday.

I guess I should start with the background. A couple of Saturdays ago, I was looking around on ebay, you know- just for fun. This is when I always get myself in trouble... I found a place selling brand new Toms, and the starting bid was $15. Always one for a good bargain, I put a bid in. I set my "high" bid at $20, thinking there was no way on earth I would win. Then last Thursday, Micah informed me that I had won!! Sweet- $25 Toms are quite the deal! So my new shoes got here Monday and I was super pumped to wear them yesterday.

Now... on to what happened yesterday. If you have Toms, then you probably know this already. If you don't- consider this your warning. The bottoms of those puppies are SLICK! I'm not talking "heels you haven't scuffed yet"... I'm talking "falling on the ice" kind of slick!

Yeah, you know where this is going.

So yesterday, I ran to target after work to pick up some frozen waffles for John Mark (that's all he wants for breakfast these days. well, that and sausage, but that's a different story for a different day) because we were out. Having almost fallen several times in the office, I was being quite careful as I walked through the tile floors of target. I was fairly proud of myself for not sleeping.

But you know what they say... Pride goes before the fall.
In my case- literally.

I was standing in line. STANDING IN LINE. Not even walking down an aisle... standing there, when Leanne Rimes on the cover of US Weekly caught me eye. I always knew gossip magazines were trouble... anyway, I stepped over to grab the magazine and read while I was waiting when it happened.

My right foot didn't have traction and I felt myself falling, so I tried to catch myself with my left foot. Unfortunately, I had Toms on both feet and that shoe was no better equipped for catching a falling girl than the other. So I crashed into the checkout counter and landed flat on my bottom- right in the middle of the checkout line at Target.

And that my friends, is the story of my life- right there.

for such a time as this

A lot has been going on lately-
not only in my busy, busy life,
but in my mind and in my heart.

Two weeks ago while I was out for my run,
I had a little talk with Jesus.
I realized that I just couldn't go to TN for my race.
I probably looked like a crazy-
running, crying, singing...
but I didn't care.
The greatest peace washed over me.

Little did I know, life was going to get hectic.
I need to be here...
I need to be focused...
and my focus can't be running.

But you know what?
It's good.
I'm right where God wants me.
I've been put in this position-
"for such a time as this."

"It's all about you, Jesus
and all this is for you..."

please pray!

A dear, dear friend of mine is in a horrible place right now.
Her son and his wife were in a terrible car accident yesterday on their way to California.
She and her husband flew to arizona yesterday to be with them.
Her son has multiple, very serious injuries.
Please pray for this precious family.

a laugh a day

Seriously- I think I could post a funny story about John Mark every single day. We live in our very own comedy show!

Here are the stories from the weekend.

Penguin Shoes

Friday evening we were getting ready to head to our usual Friday afternoon spot- Cuppies & Joe. I told JM to get his shoes from his bedroom and he said "new shoes?" I replied yes and walked into the kitchen. I heard something about "penguin shoes" and then nothing for about 10 minutes. I called to the back of the house where he was and he said "just a second... i puttin' on my penguin shoes." Having no clue what he was talking about, I got the camera because I knew the was going to be good. This is what I saw when he came into the kitchen. Don't worry- the cup of pens, that's his cup of "coffee."

Robot John Mark

A sweet friend of ours was cleaning out her toy room and gave us a little tikes police car. John Mark has spent everyday for the past two weeks playing in that car. This past Wednesday Kristen brought the matching gas pump to the office. You would have thought the thing gave out candy or something as excited as John Mark was about it.

But that's not the best part of the story. Thursday evening he carried the gas pump into the living room from his playroom and sat it down on the couch. This was our conversation:

JM: "My friend John Mark wants to snuggle you just a little bit, my mom."

(he refers to Micah and I as "my mom" and "my dad"... who knows why!)

Me: "Oh.. okay... so now the gas pump is your friend?"

JM: "yeah, my mom- he's robot John Mark."

(said like it was the most OBVIOUS thing in the world)

So for the rest of the weekend, when we would eat, "Robot John Mark" would sit at JM's little table with fake food from his kitchen. He would get "milk" at night and JM puts him to bed each evening in the playroom before he goes to bed.

What a beautiful friendship. :o)

"the apple of His pie"

A sweet friend of mine gave me a set of bible verse cards for kids who can't read when I was pregnant with John Mark. We've been learning a verse every couple of weeks for the past several months. I finally got video of John Mark saying his verses to us. Enjoy!


PS- friends with babies/or babies on the way, let me know if you'd like a set!! i would LOVE to make you a set!

a john mark story & video

Last night we were reading about how God made the world. Before I got to the part where he made Adam & Eve, I asked John Mark if he remembered who the first people God created were.
He looked at me and said: "uh... Jesus and.... Sissy Bird. yep!"

(sissy bird is my friend lesley...
don't ask why she is sissy bird...)

And here is another funny video of John Mark showing off his "slam dunk" dance to mom & dad.

first date

John Mark and Caroline had their first Cuppies & Joe date a couple of weeks ago. Here are their pictures.

sitting at their "little table"

this is my girl!

so studious


a glimpse into their future, perhaps?

seriously- how cute are they?

preschool... really?

Can I just tell you how big my baby is getting? Too big... that's for sure! I enrolled him in preschool today... PRESCHOOL. Now granted, this is pending him ever cooperating and ACTUALLY being potty trained... Otherwise he'll end up in the big kids class wearing pull-ups. And that my friends will be a sad day.

busy little bees

Oh my word- where did February go?

And March is flying by just as quickly...

I can't even believe it!

I apologize for my lack of updates-

we have been so busy I've barely had time to think!

Let's see... 2 weekends ago was Big Weekend.

This is our annual event with over 600 students from all across Edmond.

It's so much fun, but man does it wipe me out!

Last weekend we had the Ladies Retreat at church.

Nat was in town from Houston,

and we had a fabulous weekend.

I learned a ton and had a great time.

Micah has been busy gearing up for summer.

MS Camp... 8th Grade Trip... VBS...

I can't believe all of this is coming so soon!

He is also busy planning his annual guys only camping trip.

John Mark is busy just being silly.

I'm posting a video of him at the end of this.

He is spinning and singing "How Great Is Our God."

At the end of the video he tells us to "clap guys"...

Enjoy!

things i'm lovin' right now...

I eat these everyday for lunch with laughing cow swiss cheese and an apple.

I eat this yummy combo for breakfast each morning.

This is hands down the best chapstick I have EVER used!

(Nivea A kiss of Moisture)

When I'm not eating crackers and cheese for lunch, I'm probably having a yard bird from this yummy restaurant!

And I for sure can't get enough of this CD...

What are your favorite things?

vote for kyle!

My sister's husband has applied for the opportunity to live in Australia for 6 months and work on the Great Barrier Reef. He is one of 34,000 applicants and they are chosen according to votes each participant receives. Would you please go to HERE and give him a quick vote? All you have to do is watch the video and then rate it with the stars on the sides! Thanks!

running

"One thing that I desire
This will I seek after
To dwell in Your house forevermore
Now I'm running after
The thing that really matters
You've become my joy & song...

I am running, running after You
You've become my soul's delight
I am running, running after You
Here with You I find my life..."
--kari jobe

+

=

heaven

a poop story

John Mark has a newfound love of potty candy, so with the typical "be right back, mommy" John Mark made a trip to the potty. After lots of running water, splashing and a flush he walked out. Everything appeared normal, so I didn't pay much attention to the potty situation...

A little later, I glanced over to see John Mark standing suspiciously still in the corner of the room. There was a definite poop-face there, but I figured he would do his business, then ask me to change him. This was the conversation that followed:

Lesley- "um, Steph- I think John Mark just pooped on the floor."
Me- "don't be gross, Bird"
Lesley- "no, seriously... he just shook his leg and something fell out"
John Mark- "mommy, I don't have a pull-up... it was wet."
Me- "WHAT?!?!!!"
John Mark- "my pull-up, it was wet so leave it off..."

And there you have it- a typical night in the Rigdon household. Cleaning poop off the living room floor because John Mark failed to mention that he was going command-o.

happy valentine's day!

a haircut adventure

Yesterday I was home with John Mark and since he has had some crazy hair going on, I decided that I would take him to get his hair cut. This wasn't the first time and he had done great the other times we had taken him. This time... not so much. Here is our story:

My friend Lesley told me that if you go to the hair school you get a cheaper, but still great haircut. I called to find out if they cut kids hair and they said yes, so I figured that there wasn't really any way they could mess up John Mark's hair and since it would save a few bucks, it was worth a shot. Those poor girls never saw us coming...

We get there and suddenly the idea of a haircut isn’t quite so exciting. He decides he doesn’t want to sit on the booster seat, just my lap. So they put capes on us both and we’re doing good... While he's still not thrilled, they gave him a cookie so at least he is occupied. And then, well, disaster struck. The lady nicks his neck.

He FREAKS out (understandably so) and is screaming- climbing up me, rubbing snot all over me and the cape, drooling cookie and really letting them know what he thinks about this whole experience. At this point he is so past DONE, it's not even funny. We have also entered the realm of no longer upset about getting hurt to just plain throwing a fit.

We go outside and have a nice, friendly chat about how we act in public and call Micah to see if maybe that will calm the poor kid down enough to at least get rid of the funky, lopsided bowl cut we have going on. Micah tells him that if he will go inside and finish the haircut we can come to the office and go get ice cream. This seems to do the trick and we enter the salon for take two.

This might be a good time to point out we’ve been there for an HOUR.

We walk back in, sit down in the chair and he seems to be okay. Then lady #3 (we've scared the first 2 off by this point) touches his hair. And the downward spiral begins yet again. Snot and tears are flying, my arms are basically numb from holding him down and we STILL have a bowl cut.

By now, I've moved past feeling sorry for him, past being annoyed and embarrassed... ladies and gents, we're entering Red Stephanie (just keepin' it real). So we go outside one more time and I tell him- this is the deal: you either go back inside, sit still, finish your haircut and go get ice cream with mommy and daddy, or we’ll go home and you will go straight to bed and take a night night.

He whimpers a little says he wants the haircut... no, the night-night... no, haircut... we finally settle on going home and walk back in the pay. Then he changes his mind and freaks out (this is meltdown #4) that he WANTS a haircut. I tell him (I know this goes against all parenting principles, by the way, but the boy looked CRAZY and I really wanted to get his hair finished) that I will NOT carry him back in there. If he wants his haircut he has to walk in there himself and sit down in the chair.

For some reason, this works. He marches back into the room, picks the chair he wants to sit in and then asks nicely to sit in my lap. We're covered in hair already, so we completely forgo the capes and I tell the poor girl (#4) to just get it done. She thinks quick and hands him her spray bottle to "squirt mommy". This is entertaining and he thinks it's funny and I give her the look that screams "do it now!"

So finally, two hours later, we limp out of the salon. Those girls certainly got their lesson for the day. They also got a tip big enough to make my total what it would have been if I had just gone to the original salon to begin with.

wordle

I found this super cool website that takes the words on your blog and creates a picture from some of them. Here is my creation!

so smart

This was the conversation we had last night after seeing someone on TV named Stephanie...

JM: "She's not snephanie... mommy, you're snephanie..."

Me: "That's right John Mark. Do you know who daddy is?"

JM: "um... Micah."

See... genius.

if i talked to you today...

I might tell you that I am in love with cracked pepper triscuits...

I might tell you that both of my boys are home sick with a stomach bug...

I might tell you that I wish my sister didn't live halfway around the world...

I might tell you that Brittany Lusey is my mini-me...

I might tell you that I consider my boss a hero and dear friend...

I might tell you that I can't get enough of The Biggest Loser...

I might tell you that I totally stole this post idea from a blog I stalk...

I might tell you that I am praying to cultivate a quiet, gentle spirit...

I might tell you that I have a slight blog-stalking problem...

I might tell you that my hands are freezing right now...

I might tell you that John Mark was mad we couldn't find horton tonight...

I might tell you that Micah is as obsessed with Lost as I am with reality TV...

I might tell you that everyday I become more like my mom- and I love it...

I might tell you that Kelly challenges me in every walk of my life...

I might tell you that texting is a serious addiction of mine...

I might tell you that I love Target a little too much...

I might tell you that Jamie & Natalie are my kindred spirits...

I might tell you that some of my sweetest friends are students...

I might tell you that I wish I could wear sweatpants everywhere I go...

I might tell you that meeting Lesley Clark has changed my life...

I might tell you that I cried in Marley & Me- even though I hate dogs...

I might tell you that I'm now going to bed... good night!