christmas card

My Christmas cards went out a little late this year, mostly because I had decided to skip it altogether, then changed my mind at the last minute. So, if you usually get a Christmas card from me I hope you have seen it by now. If you haven't, then I probably have your address incorrect and I apologize. I still need to blog about our Christmas happenings, but I'm waiting to get a good picture before I can do that and my subject is being a bit difficult! Confused? Keep tuning in, I promise to get to it soon!

piano recital

So after some procrastination and postponement, I finally held another piano recital for my students. My last recital was in June 2007, so it was definitely time again. The six little students that I had perform did a good job, and I'm sure we're all happy to have it over and done with. The best part is, I don't have to worry about doing another one for at least a year! Maybe next time I'll be on the ball enough to have my kids participate. I started teaching Derrick and Abbie a while ago, but it is so easy to put lessons off when things get in the way. I guess that is one more thing to put on a New Years Resolution list. Maybe the first resolution should be to actually start writing the list down!

As a side note, I just taught myself how to use the smudge tool in Photoshop Elements! The mother in me decided I had better not post the names of all my students lest some crazy person stumble upon this blog and track any of them down!

loving these

I discovered these cute paper dolls on etsy a while back and decided to get some for Abbie this year for Christmas. Such an easy gift for not much money. I just got them printed at a local copy store and they are so cute. The great thing about them is that you get to pick the hair style, hair color, eye color, and skin color to match your child. Plus, once you buy them the files are yours to print as many times as you need to. Go get them here. I might even order one that looks like me!

quirky

My cousin Kayla tagged me several weeks ago and I'm just now getting around to it. At least I am getting around to it, I know there are several tags that I've just plain forgotten about! For your reading pleasure, here are six quirky things about me.

1. I don't like abbreviations. Never have. I prefer to write things out. This is why I don't text. It takes me more time to text than to just call a person and tell them what I have to say. I also prefer to write my numbers out when used in sentences (see above "six" versus "6"). Of course, sometimes I do use abbreviations, so if you look back through this blog and find somewhere that I have contradicted this quirk, just know that I didn't like doing it.

2. When I shut my blinds, I always turn the slats facing down. If I pass by a set that is turned up, I fix it. I do this because I believe that if a person were standing on the other side of the window trying to see in to my house, it would be harder to do with the blinds facing down. I haven't actually tested this theory, though.

3. I only eat eggs when the yolk and the white are combined, and cooked until dry. This means scrambled or omlette, and if they seem "wet" it's a no go. Any other type just grosses me out. Although I will eat the white from a hard-boiled egg when I come across it in, say, a salad. So maybe it is just the yolk by itself that I dislike. What I do know is that raw, runny egg yolks make me shudder, but my husband loves eggs over easy (otherwise known as dunky eggs in our house), so I will fix them for him when asked. And of course none of this applies to eggs used as ingredients in other dishes, those can be done however so long as the finished product is not just eggs.

4. I hate to swallow pills. I have a very sensitive gag reflex, and I have to be pretty desperate to work myself up for swallowing anything bigger than the smallest ibuprofen. I used to suffer through migraines as a teenager rather than swallow a pill. I also got strep once and was prescribed penicillin pills, which were small (as in birth control pill small), but I couldn't do it. So I ended up crushing them up and mixing them with orange juice. Three times a day for ten days, it was awful. I still remember the smell. Needless to say, the next time I got strep my mom made me get the shot, penicillin in the patooty, which was so thick I could feel it going in. I'm much better now, I've even swallowed a 600 mg ibuprofen! Of course, I had just given birth and was more interested in sleep than after pains, so maybe that doesn't count.

5. I don't really like poetry, at least the kind I had to read while going to school. Song lyrics are exempted from this. I had typed an explanation here trying to explain why I don't like it, but then I decided that I don't have to like it if I don't want to. So there.

6. I would much rather be too cold than too hot. Summer is my least favorite season.

And in case you missed it the last time I did a list like this, go here to read more of my weirdness.

sleepy

I've been a little sleepy lately when it comes to blogging. I guess 4 kids will do that to a person, at least until I get into a groove. Yes, I groove, but usually when no one is watching. But I digress. Today a good blogging picture presented itself, which gave me the motivation to actually blog! You see, Jon is of the opinion that we need to move Grace out of the crib, so that we can move Reid in to the crib and out of our bedroom. However, he also believes that this task will be more easily accomplished if she is no longer napping in the afternoon. I'm reluctant to give up the naps, because Grace is my only child so far that has consistently taken a 2-3 hour daily nap. I love it, and will miss it, and she can get really cranky. Apparently Grace is not yet ready to give up the naps either, because she keeps taking matters in to her own hands. I turned around a few minutes ago to find her like this.



And those little specks around her? Saltine crackers. I won't tell you how long they've been there. Cleaning them up would require waking her up, but then again, I guess that would be the new plan, right?

halloween

Derrick the vampire, or as he likes to call himself, Count Derrickula.



Abbie the witch.



Gracie is Little Red Riding Hood. She wonders why her parents bought a costume that seems too small. I promise it is the right size, she is just really tall.



Reid the skeleton.

reid charles

As I have done with Derrick, Abigail, and Grace, here is the detailed story of my labor and delivery with Reid, for posterity and all.



On Thursday we went to a regularly scheduled check-up at noon. The week before, my doctor had gone ahead and checked me for dilation at the time he tested me for GBS. At the time, I was not really doing much, although I had been feeling that things were starting to pick up, and I was dilated a fingertip, maybe. During the week that followed, I continued to have the normal Braxton-Hicks contractions, although the cramping was not as much as it had been. So, when I went in for my appointment on Thursday, I really wasn’t expecting much. At best, we were hoping to convince our doctor to make plans for an induction the following week. Throughout this pregnancy, there was always a discrepancy between the due date we were using and the one that my doctor was going by. After having yet another discussion with the doctor about why their due date was off, and considering that I tested positive for GBS, we reviewed my history again and he decided that we could go ahead and plan an induction for October 8th. To make it more “politically correct,” he finally changed my due date from the 21st to the 17th. Then he went ahead and checked me. Imagine our surprise to find out that I was a 3, almost 4. He of course informed me that I could walk around that way for a while, but that the now scheduled induction was definitely doable since I was clearly on my way. We left the office, and ran a couple of errands before going home. From the moment I left the appointment, I began having an increase in the intensity of contractions that I was feeling. I started to have flashbacks to Abbie’s delivery, but was not yet ready to go in to the hospital to be checked only to be sent home. After all, we had only been gone from the doctor’s office for a few hours. Fortunately it was Jon’s day off, so I sent him to pick up the kids from school because Grace was down for a nap. Within about 10 minutes of sending him out the door, I decided that we needed to head to the hospital, just to be safe. I called and told him to hurry so that we could run the children back to my mother’s house and then head to the hospital. He decided that it was probably a better idea if we just left them with our friends across the street and had my mom come and get them. But we couldn’t get ahold of our friends, so fortunately my mother just got in the car and was only a few minutes behind Jon in getting to our house. It was about 3:30 pm when we left our house for the hospital, and I was still only about 90% sure that we needed to be going. As we arrived at the hospital, Jon grabbed a wheelchair for me as I attempted to walk across the parking lot. Of course, we took the wrong elevator and needed a receptionist to walk us through the maze to get to the Family Center. If someone could explain the logic of placing Labor and Delivery as far away from the main entrance as possible, I would appreciate it. In any case, we made it there and they had me change while Jon went back to Admissions to let them know I was there. I always feel like the nurses think I’m just full of it when I walk in fairly calm and collected, but this time when I said “I know I don’t act like I’m in labor, but…” the nurse said “It’s your fourth baby, we believe you.” Good thing, because I was 8 centimeters with a bulging bag of water. The thing was that I needed antibiotics for the GBS, and there was clearly little time to do more than one dose, if that. They had me just lay on my side and try not to let my water break while they administered the penicillin. Fortunately it didn’t take too long to get one dose in to my system, but once again it killed my arm. Such a weird stinging, cold sensation. Anyways, they got my doctor over to the hospital, he broke my water, I continued to work through the contractions until I felt like pushing, I pushed no more than 10 times before he was out, and it was all over about an hour after I got to the hospital. Reid Charles was born on October 2, 2008 at 4:55 pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 6.6 oz. and was 19 inches long. He has a full head of copper colored hair (the first comment the nurse had was about the full head of reddish hair) and is perfect in every way. Reid was the smallest of my babies, but was also 4 days earlier than any of the others. We spent two nights in the hospital and came home on Saturday, even though I was ready to leave Friday night, because they wanted to watch him for longer since I didn’t have time to get the full course of antibiotics before delivery. I was really worried prior to going in to labor that I was going to break my streak and end up asking for pain medication on my last baby, not that I fault anyone who does it but I know that I can do it without, but am proud to say that I was able to do it again completely natural. I feel such accomplishment at having birthed all four of my children without any pain meds. Now it’s time to get my pre-kid body back!

at the hospital

early arrival

this was fun!

I saw this on cjane and thought it looked like fun. Click to enlarge. I tried to make it bigger, but just can't seem to do it!



Wanna try? Go to http://wordle.net/

things that make you go grrr...

So, I just chipped a tooth. Not just any tooth, but the backside of one of my very back molars. How? Eating M&Ms. Is that even possible? Fortunately, I'm not feeling any pain, but when I feel it with my tongue it is definitely rough and jagged and I can tell there is a hole. This is just what I need at 34 weeks pregnant! My dentist is going to love me. Hopefully they can get me in quickly, because it will drive me crazy until I get it fixed.

About a month ago, we got a fish tank as a pet compromise for the children. A couple of days ago, Jon decided to clean the tank because it was looking pretty murky. We are certainly not fish experts, but have managed to keep 6 different fish alive now for several weeks. Unfortunately that number dwindled to 2 in a matter of hours. One fish was found dead right at the beginning of the cleaning process, another one jumped out of the bowl and onto the floor to be found by Derrick, and our 2 larger goldfish died together at the bottom of the tank within minutes of being returned to their new clean water. The survivors seem to be fine, for now. We'll have to see how long it lasts, but we had better get it figured out because I'm not yet willing to work "fish replacement" in to our monthly budget.

Over the last week, I have been increasingly irritated while waiting to pick up my children after school. I have watched multiple drivers commit the same traffic violation which I was ticketed for earlier this year, but apparently if five cars in a row do the same thing, that makes it acceptable. I have watched people do this in front of the police car sitting guard at the school entrance. Perhaps with the new parking lot design this year, they also decided that the officer keeping watch didn't actually have to pay attention. I guess I wouldn't care as much if I hadn't been reprimanded for it myself. I know they can't ticket everybody, but at least make an effort to pull someone over!

And a final grr...I need to use the bathroom, AGAIN. And nothing will come of it, AGAIN. Except the end of this post.

nie nie

While blog surfing I came across the following post which I think is hillarious.

Secret Crush

On a not so hillarious note, I discovered this post after I learned about the plane crash involving his younger sister and her husband, Stephanie and Christian Nielson, know to many via the Nie Nie Dialogues. You can find updates on their recovery here. I do not know them or their family, but have been touched by their story of recovery and the efforts of so many family, friends and strangers in the blogging community who have come out to support them. I wish them well and pray for their 4 small children and those caring for them at this time.

a-ok

We heard from our doctor this morning regarding the blood test and all is as it should be. It doesn't necessarily mean that we are completely out of the woods, but it is a good start. So from here we will finish off the antibiotics and hope that in another 8 days there will be no trace of swelling left.

On to a more pleasant subject, I spent this afternoon working up an invitation for Abbie's birthday party coming up next Saturday. She has been planning her birthday for the last 9 months, no kidding. I can't even count the number of times she has created invitations to give to her friends. I had to keep reminding her that you can't give out invites until you have a time and date for the party, not to mention finding a theme that she could stick with. She has been dead set on having a Littlest Pet Shop party now for some time, in part because she thinks that whatever she decides on for her theme must translate to the gifts she receives. After explaining that her friends should not feel obligated to bring a gift, and if they do that their gift is not required to be Littlest Pet Shop related, I've been able to come up with a way to redirect her party in a different direction. So, next Saturday afternoon I will be taking 6 little girls down to get their nails painted at a local nail salon, followed by cake and ice cream at our house. Here is the invite, the design of which I totally lifted from Becky Higgins.



Tomorrow morning is looming large and I am in need of some sleep, which has been on the decline the closer I get to my due date. I guess obnoxious Braxton-Hicks contractions and a decreased bladder capacity will do that to you. It's hard to believe that in no more than 7 weeks (because you know I don't intend to go past my due date no matter what!) I will have been pregnant for the last time, delivered my last baby. At least according to our plans, I guess I had better put that disclaimer out there, since we all know that sometimes the best laid plans aren't exactly His plans. But as far as we know our family will be complete. Now the only thing left to do is figure out the name...but wait, you say, I thought it was going to be Aiden Gray. Um, yeah. I thought so, too. But I wouldn't count on it now. We're having some differences of opinion, Jon and I. I guess this one will be like the last two, we won't make a final decision until we are at the hospital. And now, tiny body parts are pushing on my bladder and I must take my leave, although I can assure you I will be disappointed in the 3 seconds it takes to empty my bladder. Such is pregnant life.

the curse of motherhood

I love being a mom. I love my three beautiful children and look forward to getting to know another one soon. Motherhood brings with it some of the best feelings this life has to offer. But it also comes with a curse. A curse which every mother is doomed to endure at some point or another. A curse which leaves you feeling helpless, and wishing for nothing more than the ability to help. With Derrick it first reared it's ugly head when his circumcision didn't heal properly and we had to take him to a urologist to have it fixed. He didn't seem to notice much, but I did, and I wished it was me instead. Some time later he needed x-rays to examine if there were problems with his stomach valves due to a major throwing up problem (a 9 month story for another time). I was pregnant with Abbie at the time, so I was forced to sit outside and listen to my baby scream while Jon tried to comfort him. Of course, it didn't hurt him, but it was his fear that hurt me. So far Abbie has been mostly spared from the drama of out of the norm medical procedures, and for that I am grateful. Today, however, was Grace's turn. About two weeks ago during a routine checkup, our doctor noticed that she had some swollen lymph nodes in her groin area. This, of course, could be due to a number of things but we were instructed to watch them and if they didn't disappear to bring her back in. The nodes are still swollen, and so today we paid our doctor another visit. Upon confirmation of their presence, we are now trying a 10 day course of antibiotics to see if that helps clear up any underlying infection that does not currently show any symptoms. And, to start the ball rolling just in case that doesn't work, she ordered a CBC, which meant Grace needed to have her blood drawn. I was expecting it and actually hoping that we would take that step today, because the last thing I want to do is play "wait and see" if there is actually something more serious going on, but I knew how much she would hate having the procedure done and it broke my heart. As most mothers would, I wanted to trade places with her, which for me is saying a lot because needles and I don't get along so well. Really. If you asked me what the worst part about childbirth is I will say getting my IV put in. It is a major reason why I've had all three babies without epidurals or pain meds of any type. Nobody is sticking a giant needle in my spine! But I digress. The point is that I hate to get my blood drawn, too, although I have gotten better at it over the course of 4 pregnancies. I would have gladly done it again today, if I could have. I almost think the worst part is the look of fear that she has on her face when she realizes what is about to happen. Jon held her body still while two nurses focused on her arm, and I proceeded to try and distract her by wiping away her tears. Oh my heart. But it was over soon enough and she did beautifully when all was said and done. And now we wait for results which will hopefully show all levels where they should be. Here's to hoping for a good ol' run of the mill infection!

under construction

I'm in a mood to tinker with the look of my blog in hopes that I will be inspired to post more often again. So, ignore the scrap of unembelished "paper" up top as I fumble around with different pixel widths to determine the right size for my banner. All will be looking good soon!

30

Yesterday I turned 30. And my Gracie turned 18 months. To celebrate, she washed her hair in the toilet. As for the rest of the celebration, nothing too exciting. We ate out with both sets of parents on Saturday night, Jon took care of running the show for me most of yesterday, and I opened a couple presents. I also marked my 30th week of pregnancy on my 30th birthday. Hopefully that means I only have about 8 more weeks left. Two of my three have been born two weeks early, and been decent sized babies to boot. I know I should not get my hopes up, but I'm ready to feel normal again.

Next Wednesday marks the beginning of school for us, and I'll admit that I'm ready for my kids to head back to school. Mostly because they need the structure, and a little bit because they are driving me crazy! Yes, I said it. I keep reading all these other blogs where the moms are so sad for the end of summer to come because they love having their children at home. Don't get me wrong, I love my children and want them to be with me. It's just that this summer has been hard, with being pregnant and tired and lazy feeling most of the time. I haven't been very good at keeping them entertained, and as a result they get very restless, hence a little obnoxious. We're all ready for a jump-start to our schedule, and I promise to be better next year. I've spent the last eight years pregnant or having little babies, and now that we are done (fingers crossed) I plan to spend the next 20 years being the kind of mom that I want to be. I feel a change coming on! A new decade is a good place to start.

welcome

Two in one day...I know! I just discovered, however, that one of my aunts and her two daughters have started blogs. Who knows how long I have gone without realizing this. So welcome to my Aunt Laurie, Cousin Kayla and Cousin Camille. I'm all linked up and ready to keep tabs on you now! May you be more committed than I have lately.

good reads

Not so long ago I was introduced to www.goodreads.com by my sister, and it seems that as a result my blogging has suffered even more so than before. I guess I shouldn't complain, because reading is perhaps a better use of my time anyways. In any case, I found myself consumed in keeping track of books that I want to read while trying to rack my brain to remember all of the books that I have read in the past, for my own sake. I even let Derrick and Abbie each create a bookshelf on my blog in order to help them stay motivated to read this summer. Derrick has finished a number of books and always looks forward to adding another one to the shelf. I've been trying to challenge him with his reading material, which is difficult. He will be entering the 2nd grade in a few weeks but is reading more at a 5th or 6th grade level. How do I find books that challenge him without being too old in terms of subject matter?

While I'm on the topic, some have expressed their wonder that my current and future reading material exposes a liberal political leaning that they were unaware of. Rest assured, I'm still a conservative. However, in the interest of wanting to make sure that my opinions of our future presidential choices are not entirely based on what I see on television, I decided to take them to task, in their own words. Therefore, I will be reading both Obama's and McCain's bios in the coming months. I won't be one who didn't put in the effort to see what each stands for, regardless of my pre-established beliefs.

And finally, I finished Breaking Dawn yesterday. My book has already been passed on to another friend who borrowed my copies of New Moon and Eclipse over the last month. I must say that I never really thought she would go in the direction that she did. In the end, though, I must say that I was left satisfied. I know there are those out there who would wish for everything not to have been tied up as neatly as it was, but truthfully I'm not one of them. I enjoy a happy ending, so to speak. And as far as the complaints that the ending was not believable in that it worked out so well for all concerned, let's be honest, we're talking about a teenage vampire romance. Who's really concerned about believability?

Wow, I think that is the longest post I've written in months! I guess I'll be back again in a couple more! Just kidding...at least I hope to be.

black toast intolerant

It's been a while, and unfortunately this post will be short, but if I don't make of note of the moment, I'm sure I will forget it. Earlier this afternoon we were driving in the car, when out of nowhere Derrick, who was doing crossword puzzles in the back seat, asked what it meant to be black toast intolerant. We asked him to repeat the question a couple of times, and only when he clarified by saying "when your doctor tells you that you are black toast intolerant" did we finally figure out what he was getting at. Yes, lactose intolerant. Too funny. I explained what it meant and Jon and I had a good laugh. Kids are the best.

aversions

Lately I have discovered that I seem to be having a number of aversions. I'm blaming them on pregnancy.

Aversion #1: I seem to be having a blogging aversion lately. It's not that I don't want to blog. I just can't seem to make myself do it. Even when I have something exciting to blog about...like, say, our ultrasound. That's right, we had our ultrasound...over a week ago. Have I blogged? No. Jon thinks that I must not be excited to find out what we are having. I am. So here I am announcing it to the world, and I must say, I do enjoy being right!

IT'S A BOY!

Now we are trying to settle on a name. Our boys have proved much easier than the girls. The only problem we are having right now is the actual spelling of the name in question. Which is better? Aidan or Aaden? We each have our favorite, but we need to decide soon because I'm planning on ordering some vinyl lettering for each of the kid's to put in their rooms.

Aversion #2: My stomach seems to be averse to feeling better. So far the yuckies have lasted 4 weeks longer than they did with Grace. I've reached the point where I'm sure that this is just going to last forever, so I might as well get used to it. I never throw up, although sometimes that might be a nice change from just feeling "blah" all the time. "Blah" is my word. Jon is getting tired of hearing it. I wish I didn't have to say it.

Aversion #3: Folding laundry. I really don't want to do it right now. I can manage to put loads in, change them over, and remove them to my bed for folding, but this last step is where I drop the ball. So the pile grows. Fortunately Jon comes along to take care of it most of the time. Last night I actually folded several loads and put things away! It's been a while.

My aversions aren't limited to these alone, but right now I have an aversion to sharing the others.

summer has officially begun!

Our school year came to an end yesterday. I can't believe that I will soon have one child in 2nd grade who will be getting baptized in 9 months, another child in 1st grade, and a toddler and new baby at home! Crazy!

Abbie at Kindergarten Graduation

In any case, I'm excited for this summer. We have already left town for some much need family time. I picked the kids up from school yesterday and drove straight to Grand Junction where Jon was working. We met up and headed out for Richfield, Utah. I'll admit it's not the most exciting travel desination, but for us it is a meaningful one. Both of Jon's parents grew up here and they still have a lot of family in the area. Every Memorial Day the family converges on the area to spend time together and visit the various cemeteries where ancestors are buried. We decorate gravesites and hear stories about loved ones gone before. And we do a lot of eating, usually following a specific pattern of restaurants on specific days! For my husband, Memorial Day weekend in Richfield is like a second Christmas every year. He LOVES it. And, we have spent at least a portion of this weekend here every year since we got married, except for one. If I'm counting correctly, that would be 8 times for us, not including all his years here before we got married. What I love most is seeing my kids participating in a tradition that helps strengthen their ties to family. Here are some pictures from 2004. In looking back over the last couple years, I seem to have forgotten to take cemetary pictures in favor of carnival and swimming pool shots. I don't know what I was thinking! Not this year. My new camera will be in hand all day Saturday and Sunday to capture every bit of this tradition.

excuses, excuses

We're having a hard time with going to bed these days. Perhaps it is the promise of summer and an extension of the bedtime. In any case, I've heard the full range of excuses. I'm too hot. It's too cold. My bed is lumpy. I need a drink. My pillow is itchy. There aren't enough stuffed animals in my bed.

Yes, we've heard it all, or so I thought. Derrick, who has taken to sleeping in his underwear lately, came up with a new one tonight. "My eyes are too hot." So I pose the question, can eyeballs really get hot? I wonder.

by the numbers

I really enjoy when April does her "by the numbers" posts, so I thought I'd give one of my own a try. Sometimes it is easier to document the goings-on when I can quantify them.

2 days left of school, after today. I'm very anxious for this year to be over. Having one kid going full day and one kid going half day is rough. Next year will be wonderful.

46 invitations that I mailed yesterday for a Scentsy party that I'm throwing for a friend next week. I've managed to go my entire married life without having to throw a Pampered Chef or Stampin' Up party, although I have attended my fair share! I guess you could say that I'm due. In any case, all you sisters and sisters-in-law will be getting your catalog shortly. Of course I don't expect you to come, but if you'd like to order anything let me know and I'll tell you how.

60 bags of bark that Jon finished putting down around the border of our backyard over the weekend. It feels so much better out there now! We still have a strong dislike for the front yard, but that will have to wait.

18 weeks pregnant, plus two days. Still waiting for the yuck to completely disappear.

1 week until we have our ultrasound, and hopefully find out if we've evened out our numbers or not.

random

After some gentle prodding from Emily and a remark from Jon that he was "sick and tired" of reading about me being sick and tired, I realize that I must post. Somehow the end of the school year just seems to be busier than usual. Unfortunately, I cannot say that I feel better yet. I reached 17 weeks yesterday, and despite my hope that my nausea would disappear, it hasn't yet. I can't be too surprised, though, because it has gone on longer with each pregnancy, so if the pattern holds it will likely linger a bit longer. We have our ultrasound scheduled for May 27th, the day after we get back from our Memorial Day excursion to Richfield. We're hoping for a boy to even out our numbers, but of course we'll be happy with whatever it is!

On the church front, I survived my organ debut a couple weeks ago at Stake Conference. It actually went really well. A couple days before we actually got a brand new organ and sound system in the stake center. Not that I have much to go by, but I really like it. Of course there has to be someone to spoil all the excitement, though. A couple days ago I learned that someone stole a $1700 sub-woofer from the chapel. It really makes me sick, because it had to have been someone who had access to the chapel and knew that the equipment was brand new. I really can't see how it wasn't a member. And that makes me sad, and angry. Anyways. Jon got a new calling at Stake Conference. He is the new Stake Executive Secretary. I guess that goes to show that you can run, but you can't hide! Anyways, he now has meetings every Thursday night from about 5:30 pm until 9:00 pm. He seems to be enjoying it so far.

About a week ago we heard what I think is kind of sad news. The guy that Jon used to work with that passed away about a month ago...apparently his wife is pregnant. From what we understand, Shane died before she found out. Under normal circumstances, a new baby would be so exciting, but in this case I just can't help but be sad for her. Sad that he died without knowing, although I'm sure he knows now. Sad that this baby will never know their father in this life. And sad for his wife, to have to add this to what she is already dealing with.

Back to happier topics, on Saturday I went and signed the kids up for their summer activities. Both Derrick and Abbie will be doing swimming lessons again, although I learned my lesson about getting them signed up early, because all that I could get in to was the very last session in August. Oh well. Abbie decided to give girls T-ball a try this year. Derrick opted for tennis, which makes dad very happy. I think they will both have a great time. I especially hope Derrick will like tennis. He has had a hard time in the past when his team doesn't "win". He is still interested in team sports, but I think an individual sport may just be right up his alley. That way he is in control of how well he does.

I must go attend to my house now. I took yesterday off, and Jon had gone in to work at 4:00 am, so he was really tired all day. That means my house got severely neglected and needs some TLC. More timely updates soon.

sick and tired of being sick and tired

I'm really hoping to gain back some motivation and energy soon. I just passed my 13th week of pregnancy and I'm just one big blob of laziness! Let me ellaborate.

My house is a disaster. Granted, we just moved a few weeks ago, but to be honest it looks pretty much as it did about a week ago. However, my laundry piles are behaving like bunnies. It's not just dirty laundry, though. Yes, I have clean piles and just not enough energy to actually fold them. The trick is remembering which ones are which.

I have also cancelled piano lessons now for three weeks in a row. My students and their parents are going to wash their hands of me before too much longer! Although at this moment I've dropped down to 6 students and can honestly say that as of right now I don't plan to pursue any more. I'm just going to let them drop off or take off the summer and then evaluate come fall. It's just getting too hard with my kids, and will only get harder in October.

I have procrastinated a very important task due to my laziness. In some ways I was hoping it wasn't actually happening. Remember last year when I was dreading having to learn the organ, then I moved out of the ward and thought I was off the hook? Well, back in February I was talking with our Stake Music Chairman, I am a Stake Music Specialist, when she informed me that she was planning on me being the organist for the adult session of stake conference in April. I didn't really respond at the time, I think I was too surprised. I turned right around and called my mother in a bit of a panic and said, "She does know that I don't know how to play the organ yet, right?" Yeah, she knew, but it was time that I learned. So, I make my organ debut at stake conference. Anyone want to trade? I'm actually feeling pretty good about the two songs that I have to play, given that I still have another week and a half to practice. But our life has been so crazy the last little while, this whole organ thing was just one more thing I didn't have the energy to deal with until about now. Wish me luck.

Jon has been working overnight this whole week, which just really throws a kink in the flow of our days. He's tired, and I'm even more tired, although I can't explain why. It will be over tomorrow night, then he gets Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. Maybe we'll get pulled together this weekend.

These last two thoughts are necessarily laziness related, but I wanted to note them.

Welcome back to homeownership! I have a guy coming tomorrow to fix all the missing shingles on our roof. Why, because yesterday we had crazy wind gusts of 50 mph that blew them off in various sections. It was fun to listen to them flapping around up there on the rooftop, trying to guess when they would finally give up the fight and just come off already. The best part? We got it the worst out of all the houses in our area.

Finally, we got some crazy news this morning. Jon was trying to sleep when he got a phone call and then a text message from one of the girls he used to work with over at Walgreens. When he checked them he came out and told me that Shane had died in his sleep overnight. Shane was the head pharmacist that Jon worked with for about a year and half over there. He still talked to him quite a bit when his family would come in to Target. This morning his wife woke up and he wasn't breathing. They tried to ressucitate him but couldn't. We don't know what happened, but it is likely just one of those crazy things. The part that is so hard for us is that he has two little girls, 5 and 3. Shane turned 31 just three days ago. Needless to say, Jon couldn't go back to sleep. I just can't even imagine what his wife is going through. How do you process something like this? One minute you're going along, things are normal, life has a plan. The next, your life is changed in a way you never imagined. It just helps remind me how much we don't control. I need to be better at living in a way that I would be proud of, should the unthinkable happen. Don't my earlier complaints just seems a bit trivial now?

ever felt this way?

I just received the following in an email from a friend. Sooo funny because it is true!

Mormon Women:

If you, or someone you know has ever felt overwhelmed by all they feel they need to do, Vickie Gunther of Redlands , California , wrote a hilarious poem, Dr. Seuss style, about how much LDS women try to take on. David B. Marsh used it at Women's Conference, and Vickie has given permission to share it.

The Girl in a Whirl by 'Dr. Sue' (a.k. A.. Vickie Gunther)
Look at me, look at me, look at me now!
You could do what I do if you only knew how.
I study the scriptures one hour each day;
I bake, I upholster, I scrub, and I pray.
I always keep all the commandments completely;
I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.
I help in their classrooms! I sew all they wear!
I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair!
I memorize names of the General Authorities;
I focus on things to be done by priorities.
I play the piano! I bless with my talents!
My toilets all sparkle! My checkbooks all balance!
Each week every child gets a one-on-one date;
I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!)
I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,
I track my bad habits 'til each is abolished;
Our t-shirts are ironed! My toenails are polished!
Our family home evenings are always delightful;
The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.
I do genealogy faithfully, too.
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;
I know all the names of each youth in my stake!
I read to my children! I help all my neighbors!
I bless the community, too, with my labors.
I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;
My visiting teaching is done the first day!
(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.
It's the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.)
I chart resolutions and check off each goal;
I seek each "lost lamb" on my Primary roll.
I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.
But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,
I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!
Each day, I write "thank you's" to those I admire.
My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!
My kids get straight A's! And their bedrooms are clean!
I have a home business to help make some money;
I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.
I go to the temple at least once a week;
I change the car's tires! I fix the sink's leak!
I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread;
I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.
I make sure I rotate our two-years' supply;
My shopping for Christmas is done by July!
These things are not hard; 'tis good if you do them;
You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!
It's easy to do all the things that I do!
If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!

It's easy!" she said and then she dropped dead.

beans

You may have been wondering...where have I been lately? I have not given up blogging, despite how it may seem. To put it simply, I've been a little busy since the last post. But before I recap, there are more beans to be spilled. I've been harboring a little secret, a secret which has placed me on my husband's "list" for the last 8 weeks. You see, Jon has a hard time keeping secrets, especially ones he is excited about. I, on the other hand, don't mind waiting a while to share some things. The first three times we had this secret, it was only a matter of days before the news had been spread to anyone who wanted to listen. This time, I thought it a bit more prudent to wait until, oh say, the end of the first trimester. After all, I am getting older and it's not like it's the first time around for us. That's right, baby number 4 is on the way! We finally told our parents this last weekend. I'm only 12 weeks along, but I think Jon honestly feels like I've been torturing him by making him wait to tell. To be fair, some of our siblings and close friends knew a little while ago. I had to give a little bit to keep Jon from going crazy. For some reason, it seemed like we still had a secret when we told people who lived far away. He doesn't understand why I wanted to wait, and I can't necessarily explain it myself, but it doesn't really matter anymore now.

While I love my kids, I am currently in the stage of pregnancy which makes it easy for me to say that number 4 is likely to be the last addition to our family. I have been driving my husband crazy since week 6, when the all-day-long-yuck kicked in. One thing I've learned doing this 4 times now is that the pregnancy books are liars when they say that it gets better with each pregnancy. HAH! Mine has definitely gotten worse each time around. I'm like a useless blob, which is no good when you have to pack and move in three weeks (more about that to come). Anyways, my exhaustion has definitely increased as well. I'm sure that has nothing to do with my other three kids, though! The other thing the books lie about is the 12 week mark as the "magical" point when all of these unpleasant early symptoms disappear in favor of more energy and the hey-my-nausea-is-gone-it's-a-miracle feeling. Last time around, I kept looking toward that 12 week mark, telling myself "just two more weeks and I'll feel better." But, it came and went, and I still felt awful. I actually reached the point where I talked to my doctor about taking Unisom to help with the nausea. I never actually did take it, but came really close. You hit the point where you decide that you're just never going to feel good again and you try to block it out. And then, one day, you notice for the first time in a long time that you feel normal. For me, that point came between 16 and 17 weeks with Grace, so I'm resigned to at least another month before it gets much better. In any case, despite my complaining here, we are very excited about this new addition. My due date is October 19th, but given that I've delivered 2 of my 3 kids about two weeks early, I fully expect to have this baby closer to the beginning of October. Now, on to other news.

As I alluded to earlier, we have moved, AGAIN. But, this move will be a more permanent move than most of our other 16. At least I think it is 16, you kind of stop counting after a certain point. Anyways, the day after we took back our offer on the first house, we made on offer on another house. It was accepted without any problems, and we closed about 3 weeks later, on March 27th. We have spent the last month or so wrapped up in all that goes along with buying a house and moving. We are still settling in, but I hope to to be completed with that soon. As soon as I find my camera, I also promise to post pictures of the house. I would use the ones that were on the internet from the listing, but I'm sure it has been taken down by now. We are very excited to be in this new house, and to be homeowners again. While it is not our dream house, it will suit our needs for the next 3-5 years and hopefully propel us towards the type of house we really want down the road.

While I have so many other things I should post and catch up on from the last couple months, it is currently past my 8:30 pm bedtime (I wasn't kidding about being exhausted right now!) and I really must turn in. I hope to have more energy soon, because Jon is tired of trying to talk to me when he comes to bed and having me get upset that he is trying to keep me from sleeping. I hope to be normal again soon.

indian givers

This morning we took our fate back in to our own hands, and rescinded our offer on the house. Why? Because we both had an uneasy feeling about it. Because our agent warned us that she was seeing too many red flags with the seller and his need to be in control. But mostly, because despite our like for the house, it wasn't a love worth going through you know what for, and we are fairly confident that our next three weeks would be a nightmare if we allowed it to move forward with this guy. Basically the seller indicated that he was going to come in and sign our offer, even though he was worried about it appraising for the amount we were offering. But, he also said that even if it didn't appraise for that amount, he wasn't going to accept less for it. The funny thing is that our agent seems to think he has this house paid off, plus he built it 5 years ago for about $65,000 less than his current asking price, so it's not like he has to be difficult for financial reasons. I don't really know what he is smoking, but I just wasn't willing to give him the opportunity to lock us in to anything, so our agent scrambled to get our signatures before he could sign the offer back to us. Square one is not my favorite place to be, but I guess it beats buying a house from someone who seems to think that markets, lenders, and appraisers are nuisances that must only be paid attention if he likes what they are telling him.

fabulous!

OK, I've freed myself of the secret and now all of these posts that I've been stewing over for the last month are going to come pouring out, I'm afraid. Starting with an Abbie funny, which actually happens to be house-hunting related.

So a few days ago we were driving around just to see what a certain part of town was like. The following conversation occurred.

Abbie: "Can we just turn around and go home?"

Me: "Not yet."

Abbie: "But none of these houses are our style."

Me: "And what is our style?"

(picture Sharpay from HSM2, with proper inflection)

Abbie: "Fabulous!"

I'm afraid that Abbie is in for a big disappointment, we will not be buying a pink house!

delinquent

I haven't truly posted since my return from Hawaii...eek! A while back I read this post from Kelly and she said the following which sums up my excuse for being delinquent.

"Sometimes there are things that you can't quite blog about yet, for whatever reason. Yet, it's an all consuming thing in your life, and you can't really think of anything else to blog about. And it just sort of becomes a vicious cycle."

So this has been me for the last month or so. And now, the cat is out of the bag, so to speak. You see, we are house-hunting. Not necessarily a problem, unless your good friend and landlord also happens to be your bishop's wife and they care whether or not you stay in the ward. When we moved in here, it was with no contract and was wide open as far as how long we stay, provided we give them a little notice when we leave. So, I wasn't worried that they would care about us moving out of their house. No. The problem is that there are not a lot of houses for us to buy in this ward. Jon has only been EQ President since November, so we feel a little guilty if we happen to buy in a different ward. But we don't feel like we should buy our real estate based on ward boundaries, either. And, we have looked at houses in every ward here. I haven't wanted to say anything until we actually had a contract in place, but yesterday at church I was talking with my friend and she brought the whole topic up out of the blue. She said she had just figured out that we were looking, although enough people around town knew about it (our mortgage office is full of people in the other wards) that the beans could have easily been spilled by someone else. In any case, they know, and now I can blog freely.

We have looked at a minimum of 30 houses, I kind of stopped counting. It's a challenge to balance Jon's must haves with mine, and find something that works for both of us. At first this whole process was fun, but it quickly became stressful. After seeing pretty much everything on the market that meets our criteria, with only a select few even making the "maybe" list, you get kind of discouraged. I guess that is one of the burdens of living in a small town, there are only so many neighborhoods out there that we are comfortable living in. It's not like we can go 10 miles north and just have a longer commute. That puts us in Olathe, and I think not. I honestly want to fast forward a few months and just have all the decisions made for me. Can anyone make that happen?

We actually have an offer in on this house. It is For Sale By Owner, although he is willing to allow a buyer's agent. The seller is a bit of a control freak, though. He wants to get full appraised value without having to make any concessions, which I think is totally unreasonable in this market, especially considering that the house has been on the market for about 10 months. While we have made a reasonable offer, and we like the house, we feel like we are the only ones willing to negotiate in this deal and a part of each of us is actually hoping that it doesn't work out.

We should know our fate by tomorrow afternoon.

another day perhaps

Life has been lived, but not recorded. Making a list. Will catch up soon!

it's the most wonderful time of the year

That's right, I just e-filed my 2007 tax return! I am a get it done in February kind of gal. Not that we're getting much money back. We've become pretty good at breaking even, at the Federal level at least. Who wants to make an interest free loan to the government...not me! As for our state taxes, that is another story. We usually end up paying, which I definitely save until April 15th. If I'm getting money back, the sooner the better, but if you are taking it from me, I will wait until the last possible moment, without risking being late, just out of spite. Yes, it is childish, but somehow it makes me feel better.

grace turns 1

Today is my Gracie's birthday. It is hard to believe a year has passed. She has truly been a wonderful baby. Her brother and sister adore her, as do we. Happy Birthday Grace!

maloha!

OK, so that is not really a Hawaiian word, but for the first day that we were there, Jon kept combining mahalo with aloha and it was rather amusing. We got back late on Sunday night and I have spent the last two days getting caught up with laundry and other neccessities. We had a really good time but were glad to come home and see our kids. As I feared, Gracie began to walk well while I was gone, and despite my request my mother refused to push her down until I got back! I can't believe that she will be turning 1 in a week and a half. And Derrick turns 7 just 5 days after that. But before I get to planning those parties, I need to document our trip. The resort was beautiful and we spent a lot of down time hanging out at their beach, Jon and I even snorkeled a couple of times. I actually came home with a tan, which for me is still white, but not blinding white. We spent our entire week on the island of Kauai, which is said like Hawaii but with a K. We visited the Spouting Horn, Wailua Falls, Kilauea Light House, Old Koloa Town, Fern Grotto, and Poipu Beach. We also got to attend a luau and cultural show. But, my favorite activitiy was definitely our sunset sail and whale watch. It is right in the middle of whale season and there wasn't a day where we didn't see a humpback whale from the shore, so it was exciting to go out and see them a little closer. We also saw a couple giant turtles swimming around while we were sailing. Another exciting thing we got to see was the Hawaiian Monk Seal. They are endangered, but come up on the beach in Poipu right by our hotel. They have volunteers who rope off the area around them, but you can go right up to look at them and take pictures. We saw the seals on our beach several days while we were there. And of course, we did a lot of shopping and eating! I probably ate enough pineapple and macadamia nuts to last all year. While we were there, we ate at some really fancy restaurants. I'm not a huge seafood person, but I'm also not averse to the idea of fish. I figured that I wasn't likely to get better fish than in Hawaii, so I was brave. One night I had Macadamia Nut Crusted Shutome (swordfish) and it was excellent, and another night I tried Orange-Ginger Mahi Mahi. It was good, but not as good as the Shutome. Here are some pictures of the trip.

Spouting Horn

View from Spouting Horn

One of Kauai's famous roosters

Hawaiian Monk Seal

Hawaiian Monk Seal

Sunset Sail

At the beach

Our hotel

Our hotel

At Spouting Horn

Lindsey and I have the same idea!

Sailing

Queen Emma's Retreat

Our hotel from the catamaran

Whale splash!

At Kilauea Wildlife Preserve

Wailua Falls

At Wailua Falls

View from Kilauea Lighthouse

Kilauea Lighthouse

blogiversary

Today is my 1 year blogiversary! How I wish I was more prepared with some insightful thoughts to share. Instead I'm stressing over the fact that we leave on Friday morning for our Hawaiian vacation and I'm still trying to pin down arrangements for my children that evening until my parents get back in to town to take them for the week. Tomorrow looms full of things to be done before I go. I need a list, but the thought of making one right now makes me tired, so to bed instead, I said!

lots of random...in random order

I really seem to be in a funk with blogging right now. It's not that I don't want to blog, or that I don't have anything to blog about. I just seem to be having a hard time sitting down and doing it right now. But, I'm determined to get a few things in writing before I forget. Hence, lots of random in random order.

1. January 3rd, 2008 was a Thursday. We will now remember it as the day that we became the "proud" owners of what I'm sure will prove to be a very expensive penny. We were in the process of getting ready for a ward activity when my little sister found Gracie in the office with a panicked look on her face. It seemed that she was choking on something, so Katie picked her up and called for help. Jon was there quickly and they tried to fish out whatever it was that Grace had eaten. This is no surprise for us. Grace puts things in her mouth more than either of my first two did. I am constantly fishing out her latest taste test. In any case, whatever it was seemed to have been pushed down or spit out. When Jon brought her to me, she was acting and breathing fine, just a little mad from several fingers shoved in her mouth. We decided to keep our eye on her for the night, just to be safe. We continued to get ready for the activity and headed to the church. About the time that the opening prayer was offered, Grace threw up all over Jon and the gym floor. We hoped that whatever is was had been expelled in the process. But, every now and then she would gag like she was trying to throw something up. At one point she took a nap while I held her, but when she woke up she acted like she was in pain. But, then she was fine again. I took my sister home afterwards while Jon was in a meeting, and within minutes of leaving my parents house my mother called to let me know that they all thought I should take her in for x-rays, just to be safe. When we found her there were a couple of paper clips in the area, so we thought that one of them might have been swallowed. Jon came home and we decided to take her to the ER, because I knew I wasn't going to sleep anyways without knowing for sure. I fully expected them to send us home, because of course Grace was smiling and laughing, with only the occasional attempt at throwing up, which produced nothing. They performed an x-ray and then we waited. But not for long. The doctor returned to let us know that she was moving ahead of about 4 people, which is great in most cases, but not in the ER because it means that things are more serious that you want them to be. It turned out that she had what they thought was a quarter lodged in her throat, by the aortic arch, wherever that is. Removal itself was a simple process. Done by a surgeon, they would put her under general anesthesia and go in and pull it out. The whole thing should take no more that ten minutes, they said. There was just one problem. Our hospital couldn't do it because she was too small for the equipment that they had, according to the ER doc, but he called the surgeon just to make sure. Instead we would need to go to a larger hospital about an hour away. This in itself was frustrating because we may be a small town, but our hospital serves a fairly large number of people, so you would think they could handle something like this. Not only did we need to go to Grand Junction, but he wanted to send us up by ambulance. Eeek. I understood the logic, though. If by chance the "quarter" moved during the drive and Grace was unable to breath, the last thing anyone wanted was for us to be by ourselves on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with no help around. So, they hooked up an IV, Jon and his father gave Grace a blessing, I was strapped to a gurney with Grace asleep on my chest, and off we went. Jon was supposed to follow with his dad, unfortunately I had the car keys in my pocket, in the ambulance, and my cell phone was off. They followed in Herb's truck, knowing that we would have to buy another car seat up there in order to bring her home. The ambulance ride was uneventful, thank goodness. I did learn, however, that you should ALWAYS go to the bathroom before taking a ride in one if you can help it. They are certainly not a smooth ride, and I was dying by the time we got there. They were expecting us, and we soon met with the surgeon, followed by the anesthesiologist. They took my baby to the OR, and came back with a penny instead of a quarter. All was well. We left Grand Junction about 6 hours after first going to the ER, which I have to admit was pretty good as far as timing was concerned. If only we didn't have a lingering suspicion that we were sent to Junction because the surgeon here just didn't want to be bothered with coming in that late. Mostly this suspicion was fueled by the anesthesiologist in Grand Junction, and his questions "out of curiosity" about the reason we were given for needing to go up there. Plus his remark about them being everyone's "dumping ground." That's great. He wasn't upset with us, obviously, but if that was the case, then I'm going to be furious because it will end up costing us more money than it should have.

2. While I maintained my composure throughout the whole penny incident, which surprised even me, it didn't last. Of course Fast Sunday was just a couple days afterward, and I knew I would be up there. How could I not when we had been spared from something that could have turned out far worse? I was great until I hit the stand, and was crying before I even started speaking. Jon was in the hall with Gracie, and couldn't even tell it was me through all the blubbering until he made out the word "penny." I kept it short. I made several people cry, too. Then I sat down next to Derrick and he looked at me and said, "Mom, were you just acting that?" I had to laugh.

3. On Monday we left the kids with Jon's parents in order to go to Utah and attend my little sister's sealing. Since we were flying solo, we got to enjoy some time with my brother and his new wife. The sealer did a nice job, despite the circumstances. I know, those "circumstances" remain a mystery to many. A mystery which I'm not allowed to elaborate on without creating problems, so I won't. What I will say is that I'm glad it's over. I'm glad the reception back here is finished, too. Now we can all move forward and hope for the best. Enough said.

4. I have three days left before our Hawaiian vacation begins. Jon's parents purchased a timeshare here in 2006, and last year they "banked" their week so they could get two suites this year and take all the adults. I can hardly believe it. We've been building up to this for over a year. I'm excited and anxious. Excited to be going, anxious to leave my children for 10 days. Looking forward to adult time and activities, but worried about the flight. If you can believe it, Jon and I have never flown anywhere together, EVER. We're drivers, for the most part. It's not that I'm afraid of flying, I somewhat enjoy it. But I've never been on a flight that lasted more than a couple hours, or one that crossed an ocean, hence my trepidation. I know my children will be fine, and we intend to enjoy ourselves. I already have a digital kit ready to document the event. So, today begins the packing, anxious not to forget anything. Of course, I still need to work out arrangements for my children during the day on Friday. Those pesky details.

5. For Christmas Jon's mother gave me the Twilight trilogy. I've been hearing all about these books for some time now, but didn't have a burning desire to ready them. I even had one friend who was in the middle of reading them when the final Harry Potter came out this summer, and she postponed reading Harry Potter until she was done with the Twilight series. This I could not understand. But, I'm about halfway through the second book and I will confess that I'm enjoying them. I won't yet concede that the saga of Bella and Edward is worthy of trumping good old Harry. That remains to be seen. No doubt I'll have completed them all by the time I return from Hawaii. I'll try to remember to give my review.

6. I've been driving now for almost 14 years, pretty successfully I might add. I've only been pulled over once, for a headlight being out, and I was just given a warning. That all changed on Friday. I wasn't speeding. I was impatient and stupid. I blame my children's principal. Why? Because he has designed the worst possible drop-off/pick-up scenario known to mankind. He ignored logic and opted for stupidity. That is why I pick my children up at the mailboxes in my mother's neighborhood, which backs up to our school. Anyways, at 3:05 traffic is backed up for great distances in both directions waiting to get in to the school parking lot. It's a mess. Unfortunately, I arrived two cars too late on Friday to easily turn in to my mother's subdivision. But, the entrance was right there. I knew the traffic in the opposite lane wouldn't be a problem because they were all stuck, too. So I did it. I swung in to the opposite lane so I could drive past two cars and turn in to my mother's neighborhood, thus avoiding the nervous breakdown of my children when they didn't seen my car and thought I had forgotten them. What I didn't see was the police car in the line ahead of me, three cars ahead. And...he followed me in. Of course I hadn't replace my insurance card yet either. So, I was cited for illegal use of the left-hand lane and failure to provide proof of insurance. I have a summons for Valentine's Day. I'm sure I'll just go in and pay the fine, though. I can't pretend that I didn't deserve the ticket. I did. But I'm still blaming Dr. Tomlin (and yes, he makes you call him Dr. Tomlin, which makes me like him even less.)

7. My husband bought a toy Slurpee machine...for himself. Have you seen these? They actually make a pretty darn realistic Slurpee, if you have about 10 minutes to wait for one. But, since we don't have any access to the real thing, this will have to do.

Perhaps now I can get back on the blogwagon. Even if I'm leaving town in a few days.