When the child becomes the teacher

The naughty elf brought my parents a vibrating cock ring for Christmas. (Yes my family has an odd sense of humor.) Today I had to explain to my mom how it works. When on earth did I grow up enough to teach my parents about sex toys? It seems like just yesterday that I lived in the land of denial where my parents had a strictly platonic relationship. That was such a nice place to live.

Christmas Fun

Welcome to the 2006 Holiday Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends!
You know the drill. Don't be a scrooge!!!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White on the house and colored on the tree

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope

5. When do you put your decorations up? Assuming I was staying at my own house for the holidays, I would decorate right after Thanksgiving (no mixing of the holidays at our house). Since I go to my parent's house for Christmas, I decorate when I get there.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Crab

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Seeing the Christmas tree first thing on Christmas morning with presents stacked all around it.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? You mean Santa's not real?!?!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Only one.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I put on the lights and then the garland. Then I let the little kids put on all the ornaments. They can only reach about 3 feet high so I move some of the ornaments to the top of the tree when they are finished.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love the first snowfall. Dread the rest.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I have a very sore bum afterwards.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Chris-Mutt. I carried that dog with me for years.

14. What's your favorite thing about the Holidays for you? The feeling that is in the air and all our family traditions. I guess I should change the question to what are your favorite things about the Holidays.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie with Cool Whip on top. It HAS to have Cool Whip on top. Lots of it.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? It would have to be the crab dinner. It just wouldn't be Christmas without it.

17. What tops your tree? Nothing right now. I guess we should do something about that.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? It's all fun!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night

20. Candy Canes? Yum.

Country living has its perks

Last night as I was getting ready for bed when I noticed the strangest noise coming from the kitchen. It was coming from the corner above the kitchen cabinets. I ran and got Jody so he could hear it. Of course by the time he got there, the noise had stopped. This morning Jody told me he discovered the source of the noise. When he walked into the kitchen, he saw a mouse run across the back of the sink. Ugh. It's bad enough that I have share my house with squirpions, tyrantulas, moths and spiders. Now there are mice. Bring on the sticky traps.

Tis the Season

Today a man from church invited us over for supper and to watch the Christmas Devotional on satellite. He has three kids so I figured the kids would have a good time. The food was yummy. We had chicken and rice with green beans. He made yeast wheat rolls that were delicious. I was sure to get the recipe before I left. I may have a new favorite yeast bread recipe. For dessert I made pumpkin bread and he provided pumpkin pie ice cream. I ate too much and have the heart burn to prove it.

The devotional was good. The Tabernacle Choir is amazing. I get goose bumps when I listen to them sing. I love the stories the speakers told. It really brings out the Christmas Spirit. I have always enjoyed listening to President Monson speak. He has a way of story telling that draws me in.

And now we are home in our nice warm house. Paxton is asleep on our floor because that is where he insisted on going to sleep. Olivia and Jody are asleep on the couch. I'm seriously questioning the reason we have beds right now. Have a good night.

A friend revisited

I talked to the friend who talks too much today. I didn't have the guts to confront her. I wish I was a stronger, more assertive person. I'm just going to censor what I tell her from now on. And I'll pretend like that makes me feel better.

Olivia-isms

In reference to a foggy morning - "Look mommy, it's fuzzy outside."

I told Olivia daddy would be home in the afternoon - "I know when it's the afternoon Mommy. It's when the sun starts to melt."


How could I not love this little girl!

A friend

I have a friend. We consider ourselves sisters because both of our sisters live far away. We talk about many things that most sisters would. On more than one occasion we talked about things that I thought would stay between us only to find out that she told someone else. It got to the point that I started limiting what I told her because I couldn't trust that it wonldn't be repeated. I found out this evening that it happened again. I told her something that I didn't even think about being repeated. And she talked. It really upsets me. Honestly, it makes me angry. Not only because it makes me look like a gossip but it effected someone else. If I wasn't so nonconfrontational I would say something. What's the worst really...she'd repeat it?!

Kisses

Paxton had a break-through today. He learned how to give a kiss on the mouth. If you asked him for a kiss before today, he would slam his forehead into your lips. I don't know why he did this, but it left me with a sore lip on more than one occasion. It was so cute when he figured out how to give a proper kiss today. He gave a little giggle and said "mou", his word for mouth. I guess this is a sign that my baby boy is growing up. Nothing says impending manhood like a good ole smack on the lips.

I should start by saying I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. After preparing a feast for 25+ people, I must say I have a new respect for restaurant cooks. I absolutely loved having my family here. They live too far away. The house has been too quiet since they left. I wish they would move here already.
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I went Christmas shopping today and came home with two measly presents. I stink at shopping. I have to admit it would be a lot more fun if I had money, but such is my life. One thing I am certain is that I need to buy Paxton a pack of the Bob the Builder Tummy Ticklers. The boy actually screamed at the top of his lungs in excitement when we passed them on the drink aisle. $6 for a 3 pack of juice drinks is steep for my blood but what the heck: it’s Christmas.
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The missionaries called tonight and wanted me to go with them to teach a family that is interested in learning more about our church. Apparently they are a young family with two small children. I had to decline since Olivia has a cold. It would have been a neat opportunity. They said they will call and let me know how it goes. Hopefully I can be of more assistance next time.
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I need to decide when we are going to Nebraska for Christmas. Jody was acting like he wouldn’t come so I was hesitant but he now assures me he will be there for Christmas. I’m thinking next Thursday but I want to clean it with Olivia’s teacher first. Hopefully the sickies will be gone by then too.

It's been too long since I last blogged. I have lots of excuses: I've been busy, my internet drives me crazy, I have nothing to contribute. Rubish. Time to get these fingers typing.

My Civic Duty

I voted! I now have the right to complain when things don't go the way I think they should. My day started out with the drama of not knowing where to go vote. The County Clerk sent me a postcard in March saying they had changed my voting location, and I had no idea where it was. First General Baptist Church is kind of general since I live in the Bible Belt. They could have included an address. Thanks to my mother's expert use of the internet (you know I love you ma) she found what we believed to be the location. So I loaded up the kids and headed to vote. So how do you explain voting to a four year old? I tried for the 15 minutes it took to get to the voting location and I didn't get anywhere. Turns out we found the right place. Once I got inside I headed for the line for people with last name K-Z. I guess I was going by my maiden name. I don't know why since I've been married for 6+ years. The old ladies had a good laugh over that one. Once I got registered and in line to wait for a voting machine, Paxton decided to act like a heathen. When it was my turn to vote, Paxton became fascinated with the electronic voting machine. He was ready to start pushing buttons. I picked him up, and he started kicking and wiggling. I let him down, and he headed back to the machine. So I picked him up again, and he started kicking and squirming again. This happened several times. Then I put him down and he ran around the machine and was going to come out the other side. The only thing is the machines are electronic so they have a cord where they are plugged in. All at once I hear about 5 old ladies yell "NO!" so I hurried and snatched Paxton up before he could do any damage. He squirmed some more and I put him down, and he went running across the voting center. I ran and caught him and tried to hurry and vote while wrangling him. Finally a nice election worker lady came and took him and held him while I finished voting. By the time I finished I was tired. I need a nap.

Thanks for this one Sandy.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 168 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

A Dog Gone Sad Story

I went to Hell-Mart today to get some groceries. On the way home I decided to stop at Dollar General to look for something for my Halloween costume. As I was driving down one of the main busy streets in town going about 50 mph, two dogs that looked to be bulldogs started across the street. They hesitated at first but before I had time to stop, one of them walked out in front of me. When I was learning to drive my dad told me over and over don’t slam on your brakes and don’t swerve if an animal walks out in front of you. We lived on a rock road and slamming on your brakes or swerving would most likely cause an even bigger accident. In the split second I had to decide, I tapped my brakes and firmly grabbed the wheel. I hit the poor dog and killed it. I pulled over into the bike lane to calm my nerves, check the car and call Jody to let him know what happened. I watched in my rearview mirror and saw a man stop traffic and get the other dog. He left the other one in the road. When traffic cleared out some, I got out and checked my van. One of my fog lights is gone and the bottom of the bumper is crunched. I’m just so thankful that my dad’s directions have become instinct. I was in heavy traffic when the dog ran out. Had I swerved or slammed on the brakes, I could have caused a more serious accident. I hate knowing that I was responsible for the dog’s death, but I’m grateful that I was watched over.

A Pig Story

Yesterday I was taking care of the kids when Randy and his brother showed up at our door. We don’t usually get many visitors so I was surprised to see them. They said they had been on our land looking for deer tracks and decided to stop by and see our pigs (We raise pigs that we sale and butcher). When they got to the pigpen, the pigs started going crazy and two of them broke out of the pen and escaped. He and his brother hurried and blocked the other two pigs in the pen and proceeded to spend the next 45 minutes chasing down the other two pigs. They finally caught them and put them in the goat pen by the barn. The IL’s dog Boss proved to be quite helpful. He’s a blue heeler and loves to help with the animals. Their other dog KC wasn’t as helpful and ended up pinning the biggest hog down by the neck at one point, biting hard enough to draw blood. She’s a crazy mutt that gets a little too excited. When Randy told me the story, I didn’t believe him. You would think that if two grown men were chasing pigs all over your property you would hear them, but I didn’t. I went up to the goat pen and sure enough there were two pigs in it. One had a scratched up face from running through briars and the other had a bloody neck from where KC went after it. The whole thing is kind of ironic since FIL was thinking about moving the pigs up the pen by the barn anyway. Randy and his brother sure went about moving them the hard way. I would have paid good money to watch them running all over the place trying to catch those pigs.

Serger celebration

I bought a serger a while back and I have to admit I don't exactly know how to use it. My experience using a serger is very limited. I used a serger once in college in my clothing construction course, and I used one again while doing a service project when I worked in the Young Women's organization at church. The manual that came with the machine might as well have been in a foreign language. Actually it's in English and two other languages and none of them make much sense to me. All I know to do is stick the fabric on the plate and push the pedal. The fabric runs through the machine and out comes a serged edge. I've played around with the tension a bit but can't say that I've noticed any differences. I was having trouble with my stitches over hanging. It's done it since I bought the machine, but I didn't know what was causing it to happen. That's where the part about me playing with the tension came in. It didn't help. Last night I sat down with the manual while watching The Nine (good show, by the way) and was bound and determined to figure out how to fix the stitches. Well, I figured it out. And I didn't even have to get out the foreign language dictionary or make any phone calls. Probably a lame thing to be proud of, but it feels good to have the stitching look right. And as a manner of celebration I finished sewing my cloth wipes and prefolds this morning. Woohoo! Now onto my next project...

Shout Out

I have to give a shout out for MagLite flashlights. I have a mini MagLite that I keep in my diaper bag. It takes one AA battery and isn't much larger then one. I used the flashlight while we were in VA and forgot to take it out of my jacket pocket before I washed it. Wouldn't you know, those little buggers are waterproof. I accidentally ran it through the wash and it still worked! The wash didn't affect the flashlight at all. It's back in my diaper bag for safe keeping and any potential emergency. Hooray for a well made product!

Virginia

Everyone keeps asking me when I am going to blog about Virginia. I haven't for various reasons. I was tired and worn out when I got home. Paxton got sick on the way home so he's been a whiney, sick mess. My internet works at a snail's pace which means it will take forever to upload any of the awesome pictures I got while we were there. Excuses, excuses.

The road trip to TN and then VA can only be described as long. 5 kids and 2 adults and all their weeks worth of luggage shoved into a Chrysler Town and Country minivan makes for a tight fit. The kids were very well behaved. Thank heaven for portable DVD players. Whoever invented them should be given the Nobel Peace Prize. The one thing we didn't take into account while planning our trip was the traffic. What we thought would be an 18 hour trip turned into a 28 hour trip. We managed to hit every big city along our route during a traffic jam.

The highlight of the trip had to be when, upon arrival to Virginia Beach, we realized the only way to actually get to the beach was to take a tunnel that went under the ocean. Eek! To the average joe this wouldn't be a big deal but both Misty and I and out anxiety induced selves were not to keen on the idea. Add to that a 10-15 minute delay due to traffic and we were a hysterical mess! After a couple cigarettes (on Misty's part) and a few prayers (on my part) we made it safely through the tunnel without any incident. It is an experience I do not wish to repeat and let's just say we found an alternate route home that only involved bridges.

The ocean was incredible. The massiveness of it was almost scary. But it was so beautiful and hypnotic. The kids loved playing on the beach. And I have to admit I loved playing just as much as they did. We played in the waves despite the frigid temperatures. The kids played in the sand and collected sea shells for Jody. It was wonderful.

The greatest part of the trip was meeting mommies from all over the US whom I have gotten to know since joining a message board when I found out I was pregnant with Olivia. We have been chatting since June 2002 and I honestly would be different person if I had never met them. They are such a wealth of knowledge, love and support, and I have learned so much from them. And I am a better person because of them. I can't describe what it meant to meet so many of them in person. We had a blast! I had wondered if it would be akward or weird meeting everyone IRL but it wasn't. We "knew" each other instantly and had a great time hanging out together.

So yes, I had a great vacation. The kids had a great vacation. It was so great Olivia didn't even want to come home. I told Jody we have to go the beach next summer. I...I mean the kids...can't wait to play in the ocean again. Until then, I just might catch you in the Juniverse. ;)

Thirteen Things You Don't Want to Hear Your Doctor Say 1. Oops. 2. This will only hurt for a second. 3. I've never seen that before. 4. Don't worry, I've watched this procedure a hundred times. 5. When was the last time you had a pelvic exam. 6. I'm sorry. 7. Let's talk about your weight. 8. You'll now feel some pressure in your anus. 9. Congratulations, it's triplets! 10. I just need to run a few more tests. 11. There's been a little mix-up. 12. That left arm isn't good for much anyway. 13. Do you ever wake up in the morning and think everything is going to be okay? Today isn't that day.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the game is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Higher education

Olivia's HIPPY teacher came today today. Her teacher is taking a college algebra course this semester and before she left she mentioned that she had a test next week and that she's been struggling. I told her if she needs any help to let me know. I may need to study the book a little bit, but I've always been pretty good at math.

This got me thinking: maybe I should go back to school. I had planned on working on my Masters when Olivia was 6 months old. "You need to get to work on your Masters, " my dad said right after I earned my Bachelors Degree "Or you'll never get it done." Olivia turned out to be a very difficult baby so going back to school wasn't an option at the time. Here it is 4+ years later and it still hasn't happened.

The thought of going back to school frightens me. Something about having children made my brain turn to mush and where in the world would I find the time and the energy to study? I know why my dad warned me not to stop. All that great education I am still paying for is slowly slipping away and after all that hard work!

So I thought about taking a college class. I don't know what class I would want to take. Maybe one of those adult education classes like quilting or oil painting. Is it sad that it makes me sad that I now fit in that category? Maybe a science course like Basic Anatomy, one step closer to becoming a nurse if I could just get over my fear of dead people. Any class would do. Anything that would require me to use my brain for something other than remembering where Paxton took off his shoes or figuring out how long the half gallon of milk will last before I need to go to the grocery store. And what's that say knowledge is power? or is it money is power? Anyway, you get my point.

The pictures as promised

Paxton's favorite new toys

Paxton blowing out the candles on his birthday cake

Paxton's 2nd Birthday

Paxton turned 2 years old today. I can’t believe my little boy is 2 years old! Has is really been two years since we headed to the hospital full of fear and excitement, half believing I would be sent home in false labor? Two years since our world was forever brightened? Where has the last two years gone? First rolling, then crawling and walking, and now talking, my little boy is growing up so fast.

Paxton’s not big on crowds so we decided just to have family over to celebrate his birthday. My sister and her son are here from Nebraska. It’s great since she was here right after Paxton was born (contrary to the plans we had made for her to actually be here for the birth as my birth coach, but that’s me and planning!) MIL, FIL and BIL all came too. Paxton wasn’t too keen on opening presents. As soon as he opened Anna’s gift of a John Deere tractor train, he was done. If it had been up to me I would have let him play with it and open the rest later, but MIL and FIL had their own agenda.

The cake, well, what can I say about the cake. It was supposed to be a tractor, but by the time I got done with it, it looked more like Super Nanny’s car. Perhaps a little toast to the terrible two’s that are just around the corner. Paxton doesn’t understand blowing yet so Olivia was delighted to blow out the candles. The cake was yummy and the leftovers will make a great breakfast tomorrow. (pictures will follow. blogger isn't letting me load them.)

Here’s to another healthy and happy year, my sweet little baby boy. I treasure every moment I have with you and can’t wait to watch you learn and grow. Love-Mommy

Thirteen Ramblings 1. Jody started his new job at the Cabinet Shop this week, and he loves it. He has better hours now so we actually see him during the week. And best of all, he is happy with where he is working. 2. In my quest to try cloth diapering, I made Paxton a pocket diaper. The diaper turned out really good for being my first attempt at sewing one. Paxton likes it because it has tractors on it. He usually insists on putting a cloth diaper on after his nap. The rest of the day he could care less. I have another pattern to try out but haven’t found the motivation yet. 3. Paxton has a huge scab under his nose where he nose-dived in to the pavement the other day. Thank goodness kids heal quickly. It looks gross. 4. Olivia has suddenly become afraid of thunderstorms. When we had some strong storms the other day, she insisted that we light a candle in case the power went out. It started raining yesterday while she was at the IL’s house yesterday and she had them promptly bring her home. She so reminds me of me as a child. 5. We mopped the floor last night for the first time since I don’t know when. How embarrassing is that! But when your house is one big open space, it’s hard to find the time when the kids aren’t here to get it done. 6. Last night we had Pack Meeting. I arranged for FIL to come teach the boys how to rope a steer. We had to do it in the gym since it was raining. We had a plastic steer head stuck in to a stack of chairs leaned on their side. The boys had a blast. At the end we did a competition between the parents and the boys to see who could get the most points roping a steer head. It ended in a tie. But everyone had a great time trying. 7. Olivia had her WIC appointment today. She weighs 36 pounds and is 42 inches tall. She’s a beanpole! 8. We need to get a new freezer. The one we have is not sealing properly. Ice keeps building up around the edges and aggravating the situation. I have requested that we get an upright freezer this time. That way food doesn’t get lost in the bottom of it. 9. We are going to make the kids a sandbox. We intended on getting Olivia one for her birthday, but it never happened. Now that the weather has cooled off and the ticks aren’t as bad, it seems as good a time as ever to get one. I priced the materials and it looks like the project is a go. This will be my first wood working project so we will see how it turns out. 10. My sister and her son Charlie are coming to visit!! I can’t wait. I miss having my family here sooooo badly. We are going to have so much fun. We’ll probably end up just sitting around watching the kids terrorize each other, but at least we’ll be together. 11. Two weeks until the big Junatic Get Together in Virginia. I’ve never been to the East coast or to the ocean so this is going to be so much fun. And I can’t wait to meet all the women that I have been chatting with for the last 5 years too. 12. My mom is applying for a job down here. Sometimes I think it is totally selfish of me to want her to get it since all my brothers and sisters live in Nebraska, but I could sure use some family around here. 13. Olivia has become obsessed with learning to write her ABC’s and 123’s. She is currently crying because I told her she was writing the 3 backwards. Maybe she won’t be so sad if I tell her that she really made a capital E in cursive.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the game is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

A conversation

We were driving home from town the other day, when I asked Olivia what she wanted to eat for supper. I usually give her choices so I told her pizza or chicken nuggets. "Can you give me some more choices," Olivia said. I told her mommy was really tired and didn't feel like cooking. "Well," Olivia said. "You could go to McDonald's and cook." Where does she come up with this stuff?!

Thirteen Ramblings 1. Tuesday I turned two pictures and three dresses into the County Fair. I went and checked them yesterday and I got four blue ribbons and one red ribbon. 2. The kids got to ride on rides at the Fair for the first time yesterday. I only bought ten tickets thinking it would be enough for 5 rides for Olivia. Paxton decided he wanted to ride too so he went on two rides and Olivia went on three. 3. I like to walk around and watch all the crazy people riding the rides. Olivia begged to ride some of the scariest rides. I told her mommy's heart couldn't take it. I swear I won't be able to be there the day she gets on one. 4. Olivia had her first day of gymnastics yesterday. I really like the facility and her teacher was great. There are only four children in the class. Olivia's favorite part of class: doing the push-ups. 5. My brother and SIL came for supper Tuesday. I didn't know they were coming over to eat so I had to throw a meal together spur of the moment. It actually turned out pretty good. The conversation wasn't bad either. 6. I tried cloth diapers on Paxton for the first time this week. I think I need a bigger size wrap. I'm thinking I would like pocket diapers even better. I need to decide if I want to invest the money in them though. 7. I got my Creative Memories order in today. I got a lot of new products. I can't wait to get started on my Summer Vacation 2006 album. First, I need to get a ton of pictures printed. 8. I love getting packages in the mail. Letters too. It may be juvenile but it makes me smile. 9. Jody comes home tomorrow - hooray!! 10. I love the cooler weather we've been having. It's been getting in the low 80's during the day and high 50's at night. This weather is almost perfect, just needs to be just a little cooler. 11. I've been sleeping with my window open. This morning I awoke to the sound of cows mooing on the ranch. They must be weaning them again. 12. My sister and I are having a contest to see who can work out more. So far she is winning. I haven't worked out once since we started our challenge. 13. I took a two hour nap today trying to get rid of my headache. It worked. It also explains why I'm up at 11:30 finishing my TT.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the game is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Free time

While walking through the craft department at Wal-Mart yesterday, I spotted a pink fabric with ballet shoes and music notes on sale for $3.00 a yard. I thought it would be perfect for a bag for Olivia's dance shoes. Last night I decided to start my project and ended up staying up until 11:30 getting it finished. I still may add a piece of Velcro to the top to keep it closed. Other than that, I think it turned out ok.

On the list

Olivia is now enrolled in gymnastics on Wednesdays from 10-11am. I hope she loves it. I spent much of the afternoon looking for the leotard that a friend from church who is a gymnast bought Olivia. I know I put it in the top of her closet so we didn't lose it. But it isn't there or anywhere near there when I went to get it out. I have a day and a half to find it. Suddenly this little house feels a whole lot bigger.

Remembering 9/11

It's been 5 years since the attacks on our country. I haven't watched the documentaries and news stories about remembering 9/11. I feel too emotionally raw right now, and I do not need to see the footage and hear the stories to remember. It is still too fresh in my mind. I'm sad for the people who lost their lives and for the people left behind. I am sad that our country will never feel as safe as we once thought it was. I now know that you should take nothing for granted and that you should treasure each day because you never know what tomorrow may bring.

Lessons

I'm considering enrolling Olivia in gymnastics along with dance. Her once a week dance classes can't come fast enough, and I know she would love doing gymnastics too. I figure that since we aren't paying for preschool, we might as well put her in some other activities. I asked Jody if he thought we could budget it, and he said he doesn't want to let money get in the way of his kids getting to do activities like this. He can sale enough junk to make the $40 for the classes if need be. So tomorrow I'll have to make some calls about classes and schedules.

Gone Again

Jody left for Memphis yet again. He said if they want him to go again next week he is going to decline. This last week was hard on the kids (and I'll admit a little hard on us). Jody is tired of being gone. I'm tired of being a single parent. I've been good and haven't complained. You do what you gotta do to pay the bills, but I miss having my husband home. I am not someone who does well on their own. Don't get me wrong, I'm very independent, but I don't like "being" alone. I want someone to share my day with and someone lying in bed next to me at night. When Jody is away I feel disconnected and alone. I miss my husband. Five more days and he'll be home.

Happy 4th Birthday, Soraya!

Thirteen things I like to do in my spare time (when I have it) 1. Scrapbook 2. Visit the Juniverse 3. Read a good book 4. Take a nap 5. Stamp cards 6. Bake bread 7. Listen to music 8. Call a friend, or better yet a sister 9. Watch a movie 10. Go fishing 11. Do a puzzle 12. sew 13. Blog (of course)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the game is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday

Jody's shed

Dancing with the Stars

Anyone who knows Olivia knows how much she loves to dance. We finally got her enrolled in dance classes, and this evening was her first lesson. She got herself dressed and ready to go. It is a requirement for the class that the girls wear their hair in a ponytail. Today was the first time she has ever wore her hair pulled all the way up. She looked to cute!



Olivia is a very serious student. She made sure to mimic the teacher as much as possible. She loved doing first and second position, tapping, tumbling... heck she enjoyed it all!



She already can't wait until her class next week. And she has requested that tomorrow we play dance class. I get to be the teacher and she'll be the student. I should have taken notes in class.

I hate bugs!

I was sitting on the floor in Paxton's room reading the kids their scriptures before bed. I looked up and saw a scorpion on Paxton's wall. It's too late to call FIL to kill it and Jody is of no help all the way in Memphis. THIS IS WHY I DON'T LIKE BEING ALONE!!! So I screamed, a lot, and I got the vacuum. And I screamed some more while I sucked it off the wall with the vacuum. And then I screamed some more while I let the vacuum run a little longer hoping to kill the little sucker. The kids found the whole thing rather amusing. They have a sick sense of humor. If I wasn't such a nice person, I would call Jody and wake him up to let him know how much fun I'm having while he's gone.

Chocolate Milk

On the way home from church I asked Olivia what she learned in her Sunday School class. She said she learned about being grateful. She learned that meat came from pigs and milk came from cows. Then she looked at me with a serious expression and asked, "Do brown cows make chocolate milk?" I couldn't help but laugh. Ah, the innocence of childhood.

Child-proof

I find it fascinating that my four year old has mastered the technique for opening her child-proof bottle of Flintstone vitamins- a task that some adults struggle with. It makes me wonder, are the bottles more child-proof or adult-proof?

Blog Etiquette ?

If you read a blog everyday are you expected to comment everyday? I have several blogs that I like to read regularly. I feel like I should be inclined to comment, but sometimes I don't have anything to say or know the right words to say. The blogging world is fairly new to me. Is there some kind of unspoken rule about these things?

Thirteen Games I Like to Play 1. Rummikub 2. 10,000 3. Catch Phrase 4. Spider 5. Scattegories 6. Othello 7. BeJeweled 8. Clue 9. Skip-bo 10. Boggle 11. Cranium 12. Word Racer 13. Triominoes

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Absence of Fear

Jewel is probably my all time favorite artist. Her poetry is amazing and her songs bring her words to life. Here are the words to one of my favorite songs. The words with the music are sensual and beautiful.

Absence Of Fear
Inside my skin there is this space
It twists and turns
It bleeds and aches
Inside my heart there's an empty room
It's waiting for lightning
It's waiting for you
And I am wanting
And I am needing you here
Inside the absence of fear

Muscle and sinew
Velvet and stone
This vessel is haunted
It creaks and moans
My bones call to you
In their separate skin
I make myself translucent
To let you in, for
I am wanting
And I am needing you here
Inside the absence of fear

There is this hunger
This restlessness inside of me
And it knows that you're no stranger
You're my gravity

My hands will adore you through all darknesss aim
They will lay you out in moonlight
And reinvent your name
For I am wanting you
And I am needing you here
I need you near
Inside the absence of fear

Fear

So much that happens in this life seems to be random. How do you not let the fear of the unknown consume you? Every one has a fun vs. too much risk ratio. I tend to lean towards the too much risk side. I am not a risk taker. I wear my seat belt. I lock my doors when I'm at home alone. I don't like amusement park rides or elevators or flying. And so often my mind gets caught up in the what ifs? What if that car crosses the center line? What if someone tried to attack me? What if I get pregnant and something goes wrong? What if something happens to the kids? Is it normal to think about these things and worry about the unknown? How do you find the balance between living life to the fullest and living a life full of fear? How do you deal with that powerless feeling? Am I the only one that feels this way?

The Return

I was sitting here thinking to myself that I should upload a picture for Wordless Wednesday. I went to a friend's blog where I realized it is in fact Thursday. I'm a day late and a dollar short.

I went to JCPenneys today to return three shirts. The were layering tees and looked oh so comfy, but when I tried them on the neckline went all the way down below my boobs. Not a good thing if you are at all modest. I washed them hoping they would shrink a little, but no such luck. I saved the tags just incase. So I went to return them today. The cashier chick gets ready to scan them, hesitates, and asks if I washed them. Yes, I say. Well we don't normally take items that have been washed so I need to call a manager. Ok, I didn't wash them. Does that help? So she calls the manager and loudly explains the situation to the manager well within earshot of me. The manager comes over looking all confused like no one has ever returned clothes before and, she has no idea what to do. She asks what's going on and looks all tore up about the whole situation. Normally people know the clothes don't fit before they wash them she says. Well dumb me! I'm just a simple stay at home mom that doesn't know the correct process for returning unwanted, misshapen clothes. She sighs and crumbles and finally tells cashier chick to go ahead and take the clothes back and under the reason for return put "washed". And you had to hear the way she said washed. So cashier girl takes them back and runs the return and gives me my money back in a not so friendly way. And I wonder why I don't enjoy shopping.

Kid convos

I overheard the following conversation between Olivia and Jody after we struggled for over an hour to get Olivia to GO TO SLEEP!

Olivia: When you close your eyes it feels like you're going on a train.

Jody: Then close your eyes and go on a train ride.

LOL Seriously folks, I can't make this stuff up.

Thirteen Random Things About My Week 1. I have survived another week of being a work widow. I have confirmed a few things about myself. I am still afraid of the dark, and I do not enjoy being a single parent. 2. Olivia and I make a great pair. She has enjoyed Jody being gone because that means she gets to sleep in bed with me. I don't know who needs the other worse, me or her. 3. I bought The Davinci Code at a yardsale for .25 and had it read in three days. It was a very interesting book. I found it hard to put it down once I started reading. 4. I am buying some new used furniture this weekend. I am getting a round crib and two dressers. I can't wait to get them in Paxton's room and start organizing. 5. I haven't cooked much of anything since Jody's been gone. I am so tired of eating "kid food" but it's so hard to cook a big meal just for me to eat and the kids to pick at. 6. I found out a sweet deal on satellite internet for cheap in this area. Now I am working on convincing cheap Jody that we should get it. 7. I want to create a blog that better fits my personality, but it isn't going to happen with this internet connection. So I am waiting... 8. I went shopping at JCPenneys and bought 5 new shirts, a tank top and 2 packs of panties for Olivia for a total of $40. Not bad! 9. We had a horrible experience at A&W last night. I need to write the company about it. I was seriously worried if we consumed the food we would get food poisoning. Last time I checked hot dogs were supposed to be hot after you cook them. 10. I took the kids to the lake today. Paxton has never been and it's been a long time since we took Oliva. Everyone asked who we went with. Um, just us. And we had a great time dang it! 11. It cost $6 to go swimming at the lake. When we drove up we were the only ones there. I got out of the van and found a $10 lying on the ground. Woohoo! 12. After we went swimming, we stopped and got pizza which cost $5.33. We ended up having a day of fun for $1.33. 13. I'm going to my friend's house to scrapbook tomorrow. I'm planning on finishing an album for my grandma. I just hope the kids cooperate.

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Super Mom

Today we went to Taco Bell where apparently a prerequisit for employment is that you must be missing one or more of your teeth. Not the point of my story though. We were waiting for our order when Olivia cries out that her flip flop has broken. She's like, "Mommy what can I do? It's BROKEN!" I look at her. I look at the flip flop. I look at her. I have no answer. I don't know what to do. It's broken. There aren't very many options when your flip flop falls apart. But if I don't have an answer then I might just be human. And mommies aren't human- they're, well, mommies. So I stare at her and try to quickly come up with a brilliant plan that will save the day. And I did. I figured out a way to temporarily fix the flip flop so that Olivia could at least make it to the van without breaking health codes or catching some kind of foot fungus. Mommy saves the day once again. I need a cape.

Earrings

I did something today I haven't done in over six years. I wore earrings!

In my late teens, I realized that I was allergic to my earrings. My ears stayed sore when I wore them, and they always itched. The last couple years I tried different metals: stainless steel, hypoallergenic, gold, but with no luck. I had several people suggest that I try gold, and I was very disappointed when I immediately had an itchy reaction.

I talked to my mom about it and realized an important fact. My mom's allergic to gold and bad enough that she can't even wear her wedding ring. She suggested I try silver.

While I was in Salt Lake I bought a simple pair of sterling silver studs. I decided today would be a good day to try them. And they worked great! The only soreness I experienced was from poking the earrings through holes that hadn't been used in a long time.

Olivia was fascinated by the earrings. She stared at them for a while, and then proceeded to ask me all kinds of questions. Do those hurt? Do they tickle? Can you feel them? Did it hurt when you put them in? I thought it was cute. And funny that we had never had this conversation before.

Thirteen movie quotes that are repeated frequently in my family. 1. That's gonna leave a mark. -Tommy Boy 2. They're ginormous. -Elf 3. Ghost Writer the pattern is full. -Top Gun 4. Game on! -Wayne's World 5. I can't do it captain. I don't...have...the POWER! -Ace Ventura 6. Everyone, back on the boat. -Down Periscope 7. Makes me feel kind of funny, like when I climbed the rope in gym class. -Wayne's World 8. Julie do this. Julie do that. I'm a good looking spider, eh. -Fivel Goes West 9. Be gone long one. -Robin Hood 10. And you can quote him! -Ace Ventura 11. Can you bring me my chapstick? My lips hurt real bad. -Napoleon Dynamite 12. Look at the noggin on that boy. It's like an orange on a toothpick. -So I Married An Axe Murderer 13. I have nipples. Can you milk me, Focker? -Meet the Parents

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The purpose of the game is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Ramblings

I sit in front of this blank screen and I get blogger's block. So tonight it is ramblings.

I had a list of errands to run today. I try to make sure I have a list of things to do when I run to town so it isn't a waste of gas. I totally spaced going to the pharmacy and picking up Paxton and my medicine. This is why I should write things down!
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Jody is in Memphis for a few days. For some reason the house is easier to keep clean while he's away, but it feels so empty. Olivia is excited that she gets to sleep with me for the next two nights. I'm happy that I don't have to listen to her cry because she doesn't want to sleep alone.
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I went through my file box this evening and purged the old records. All I have left is the insurance forms and doctor's bills. I got bored with the sorting so they can wait until tomorrow.
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I did some research on blepharospasm. Why can't I be normal?! And I think the consensus for treatment is Botox. Great! The one plastic surgery option I had to go on a rant about not too long ago. The idea of shooting my face up with a deadly bacteria just doesn't seem wise. But if it really works...
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I've decided I should no longer watch the nightly network news. The last time I watched the intro I almost ended up in a panic attack. It took me the rest of the evening to convince myself that I didn't need to immediately go out and purchase a year's supply of food. So for my sanity I choose to live in a state of denial.
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I got the last picture developed that I need for my grandma's scrapbook. Now I need to get the book finished and in the mail. It's not as creative as I would like, but I think she will like it anyway.
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Speaking of food storage: I found two bags of rice today that had weevils in them. Darn bugs! How am I supposed to work on a year's supply of food if bugs keep hatching in it?! I bought some bay leaves because I read that they are a deterant or something. Now I have to figure out what to do with them.
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I wish it would rain. And cool down. The heat makes me feel panic attacky. I feel like I can't breathe in it. I'm counting down the days until Fall gets here. I can't wait for cool nights, less bugs, layered outfits and being able to bake without making the house feel miserable.
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I brought a box full of books home from Salt Lake and Nebraska. There are so many good reads to choose from that I don't know where to start. Am I the only one that has this problem? It's sad when I find a big selection of good books to be disturbing.

Wordless Wednesday

What's for supper?

Yesterday I went grocery shopping and bought over a hundred dollars worth of groceries, but tonight I don't feel like cooking supper. I'm baking chocolate cookies right now. Maybe Jody would like chocolate chip cookies for supper.

We were sitting around the table eating a delicious lunch of chicken nuggets, cheese and grapes when Olivia and I had the following converstation:

Olivia: Does syrup have sugar in it?
Me: Yes
Olivia: Then yes.

Suddenly it occured to me she was quoting from the movie Elf- the part where Elf is talking about the 4 food groups in the North Pole: candy, candy corn, candy canes and syrup. Could this kid be any more funny?! I had to laugh for two reasons: 1. My child has obviously seen Elf way too many times and 2. She has picked up my family's unique ability to memorizing movie quotes. I'm assuming that's a good thing. Kids!

Another Jody-ism

I'm as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a house full of rocking chairs.

Back on the farm again

Since I last wrote, I have driven over 2400 miles. Utah was wonderful. The mountains were beautiful. I could spend days just staring at their magnificent beauty. I haven't been so busy and so tired since my college days. We had activity packed days that turned into late night chats. It was great to get back in touch with friends and family that live too far away.

I made a friend along the way. We offered a ride to members of my parent's ward since we had plenty of room. Belva Wood jumped at the opportunity since she had business to take care of in Provo and had been searching for a way to get there. We talked for hours on end about everything under the sun. There are so many little things that you would never know about people unless you spent way too much time cooped up in a car together. I found so much strength in her story and I will always treasure the time we spent together.

Likewise, on the way home I picked up another passenger Katie. Now that I think about it, I never learned her last name. She is the best friend of my BIL's mother. She sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a sort of rock star by my LDS standards. She didn't seem to mind my endless questions about how the choir worked and even provided us with a little in drive amusement when we would hear her snores from the back seat.

Yesterday, the kids and I made our way back to Arkansas. It is so good to be home. The quiet can be deafening at times. There just aren't enough kids running around and fighting here. I imagine in a day or two Olivia and Paxton will be bored out of their minds. Right now Mamaw and Papaw are good sources of amusement.

Today I had to run to the store and get some groceries. The fridge was bare when we got home. And then there was the mountain of unpacking to do. Jody lovingly warned me about the pile of laundry he had waiting for me. It's washed and dried, just not folded. Doesn't he know how much I dislike folding clothes? Or cleaning the bathroom for that matter? At least the livingroom and kitchen were emaculate. Maybe some of that training is sinking in...

On the road again

We are getting ready to go to Salt Lake City tomorrow. I haven't been back since October of 2000. I am so excited to see the mountains, to see my family, to see my friends.

I can't help but think back to nine years ago when I found out I had been accepted to BYU. I hadn't been to Utah since I was 10 years old but the idea of BYU felt safe to me. I knew it was time to leave home and spread my wings. I spent the summer working to save money for my freshman year of college.

I can still remember the way I felt when we drove over the Rocky Mountains, and I caught my first glimps of the valley. I remember how big it looked and how I suddenly felt scared. What had I gotten myself into? I didn't even know my family that lived there. I didn't know anything about BYU. I didn't know where I was.

My parents raised us to be independent. If it wasn't for that, I don't know if I could would have made it. I remember standing outside my grandma's house and telling my mom goodbye. She gave me $20 for food and said we'd be in touch. Man that feels so long ago.

Going to BYU was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. When I think back to my time there I feel a kind of homesickness. I miss my friends, the atmosphere and the carefree years I spent there. Now I am so grown up with bills that need to paid and kids that need my constant attention. When did I grow up? Was it really so long ago...

Why I don't make plans...

I went to a CM meeting last night. While I was there a woman said the quote "If you want to hear God laugh, make plans". This could be the moto of my life. Take today for instance:

My sister Anna called to see if I wanted to take the kids to the zoo (we had planned on going on Monday but the weather was bad). Anna has a zoo pass so she can get us in for free. She had a dentist appointment, and then she was going to get us into the zoo and then go home. While she was on the way, my other sister Sendai called to see what we were doing today. I told her we were going to the zoo, and she decided to take her kids too. She also has a zoo pass so we figured between both passes we could get everyone in for free.

Anna called after her appointment to see if I just wanted to meet at the zoo. I told her Sendai was coming but wasn't here yet so she should meet me at the house. Then Sendai called and asked what I was doing. I told her I was waiting for Anna to get here. She said they were headed out the door when she discovered that her daughter Soraya had stuck a rock up her nose and she couldn't get it out. She wanted me to watch the kids while she ran Soraya to the medical clinic.

So she brought the kids over. Anna hung around for a while until it was obvious that we weren't going to be able to make it to the zoo. About five minutes after Anna left, Sendai called and said that on her last attempt before medical intervention, Soraya was able to dislodge the rock by blowing it out. They had to stop at Target to get a toy for Soraya being well behaved a tthe clinic, and then they would be back back.

So you see, this is why I don't make plans. I make generalizations about what I would like to accomplish or do in the near future. It's safer that way. And there is less disappointment. A sense of humor helps too. After all, who wouldn't laugh about a kid with a rock stuck up her nose.

A Poem

Maya Angelou is one of my favorite poets. When I read her poems I can hear her saying the words. I first read the poem Phenomenal Woman when I was a senior in highschool. I love the words and I love the rhythym of the poem.

Phenomenal Woman


Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Maya Angelou

Wordless Wednesday

Omaha Children's Museum

My mom and I took the kids to the Omaha Children's Museum. I don't know who had more fun, me or the kids.










Paxton loved the John Deere tractor. That boy is country!











Olivia and my little sisters loved the Baker's grocery store. They had a blast shopping and checking out. Hopefully they have that kind of enthusiasm when they are 16 and looking for a summer job. The museum has a special dinosaur exhibit right now that has life size moving dinosaurs. I personally thought they were a little scary. Olivia was fascinated with the nest full of recently hatched dinosaur babies.
I had to get a picture of her standing there staring at them.










You can see my mom holding Paxton and my two little sisters by Olivia. I think we all had a great time. I wonder who is more excited to go back again?

That's my girl

Olivia at the parade in Logan, Iowa on the 4th of July. Tell me she's not stylin'!

Thirteen Things About My Week 1. I had a great 4th of July. We had some of Pa's famous bbq spare ribs and shot off about 3 hours worth of fireworks. No one was injured and everyone had a great time. It made for a great holiday in my book. 2. Paxton gobbled up a ton of Arkansas' famous Cave City watermelon last night and even signed for more. I've been signing for the boy since he was 4 months old so it's nice to see the work finally pay off. 3. Today I took the kids to a waterpark and the Omaha Children's Museum. I was impressed with both. 4. I need a new swimsuit. I thought the one I had was okay until I saw a picture of myself in it. Let's just say it wasn't as flattering as I had hoped. My older sister is assisting me in my quest. So far it has involved purchasing 5 swimsuits from local thrift stores. Sadly, only one actually fit. 5. You would think that if you wore the kids out by keeping them busy all day, they would go to sleep easily. This was not the case tonight. 6. My mom is hosting a Get Together tomorrow night. I'm hoping to make at least $50 in sales which would double the amount I made at the last two Get Togethers I held combined. Sad, I know. 7. Yes Pa, we know tomorrow is trash day. 8. I went to three yardsales today. I found some baby girl clothes to resale and a John Deere keychain for Jody. The girls tried to talk me into buying some worthless junk. I was not easily persuaded. I told them to find something worth paying for and I'd be happy to buy it for them. They weren't too happy about it. 9. Pa brought me home a jr. banana split with chocolate and caramel from Sonic. It was delish! I hope he gets me one again sometime soon (hint, hint). 10. Pa and the missionaries went to Home Teach a man from church. Apparently he has a big hairy dog because they had to come by the house and vacuum their clothes before going to their next appointment. It was an amusing sight to see. 11. I grew up to believe that taking out trash was a man chore. My dad doesn't remember teaching us that childhood lesson. 12. I helped my older sister move some furniture today. We managed to do it without getting injured. If you knew me or my sister, you would know that that is a big accomplishment. 13. When Olivia talks to Jody on the phone, she has a tendency to have a fatigue-induced breakdown. It breaks the poor man's heart. Honest, Jody, she really is having fun here.

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Wordless Wednesday

Thirteen Reasons I Go to Nebraska for the 4th of July 1. I grew up on an Air Force base where we weren't allowed to do fireworks. The military put on a pretty good show every year and that was it. 2. When we moved to the farm we got to experiment with shooting off our own fireworks. We spent about $20 and had a good time putting on our own little show. 3. The first 4th of July after we moved to Nebraska, we were ready to party with our $20 sack of fireworks. 4. Little did we know that the city would turn into a virtual war zone at dusk with fireworks going off everywhere. 5. And I'm not talking the cheap little fireworks. I'm talking fireworks that are a hundred dollars a pop. 6. I can still remember the shock and amazement I felt watching the fireworks from the top of a hill near my parent's home. 7. A haze actually hung over the city by the end of the night from all the smoke. 8. The next year we were much better prepared. 9. I think my brother is on a first name basis with the owners of a fireworks outlet store in Missouri. Yes, he's a pyro and has bought that many fireworks. 10. The only 4th of July I've missed since my family moved to Nebraska is when Olivia was born. Celebrating the 4th of July in Arkansas will never be the same. 11. The 4th is a day long event at my parent's house. The guys blow up lady fingers and such until night fall and then the real fun begins. 12. Let's just say we spend a little more then $20 on fireworks these days. 13. I can't wait until the 4th of July is here!!!

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No voice

I no longer have a voice and I don't mean in the political sense. It started to go on Monday after I talked to my friend on the phone for almost an hour. I had a little bit of one yesterday- enough to get the kid's attention if I needed to. Today I have nothing. All that comes out is a high-pitched squeaky sound. I feel like I'm trapped in my own body. Yesterday Paxton had gunk in his eye. Now it's in both eyes. I have no idea how I'm going to call the doctor. What do you do when you can't speak? Yesterday Olivia served as my interpretor on several occasions. I don't think it will work for this though. I'm supposed to leave for my parent's tomorrow. I was supposed to leave yesterday. Things are not going in my favor at all.

Plans

I cannot plan anything, A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G. It's an inherited family trait. It's actually a family joke. We know not to make plans or things will happen. They always do.

I am (was) planning on leaving on Tuesday for our biannual journey to Nebraska. The kids and I will be gone for about a month and a half so I have a ton of things to get done before we leave. Thursday Olivia came home from MIL's house with a hoarse voice. Friday she laid around quite a bit. Friday afternoon I started not feeling so hot. Friday night and this morning I felt down right awful and spent a good chunk of the day in bed. Apparently we caught the nasty cold or flu that Jody had.

I do not need this right now. I have too much to do to be laying around all day. It looks like our trip may be postponed a few days. We don't need to share our germs with family up north. Hopefully this is a quick bug and we get on the mend quickly. Hopefully. But I'm not making plans.

Happy Birthday Olivia

Happy 4th Birthday my sweet little Olivia!

To my baby girl,
I can't believe you are 4 years old today. Where has the time gone?! I can't believe how much you have grown and changed over these 4 years. I treasure the day you came into our lives. I am a better person because of you. You've taught me things about strength and honesty and love that I have never known before. I love to look into your big green eyes and give you cuddles. I love to watch you run, jump and play. I love to watch you learn new things. I have so many dreams for your future. I hope you are strong and happy and independent and loved. And I hope you have a wonderful 4th birthday.

Love,
Mommy

Thirteen Things I Need to do Before I leave for Nebraska 1. Get Olivia's hair cut. 2. Pay bills. 3. Put in my CM order. 4. Laundry, laundry and more laundry. 5. Pack bags. 6. Vacuum and wash the van. 7. Pick up check from consignment store. 8. Go grocery shopping for snacks. 9. Mail packages. 10. Fill out family group sheet for mom. 11. Preen the garden. 12. Gather and pack scrapbooking stuff. 13. Load van.

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Wordless Wednesday

Happy Father's Day

First of all: Happy Father's Day, Pa! I wish I could be there to celebrate but a lousy blog entry will have to do.

Second of all: I basically had two options today. Ignore Father's Day like my husband did for Mother's Day or buy him gifts and go the guilt trip route. I chose option 2. Jody's been needing some new clothes that are church worthy and a new pair of shoes. This seemed like a good opportunity to buy them and use it to my advantage. We planned on having steaks for dinner and inviting the ILs. I bought a french silk pie for dessert because I know Jody's been wanting one. The first thing Jody asked is why I got him stuff for FD when he didn't get me anythingfor MD. I told him it wasn't from me, it was from the kids, and that I wanted to teach him how to celebrate a sentimental holiday correctly. Maybe it sunk in a little bit. I guess I'll find out in a little less then a year.

Olivia's Birthday Party

Olivia the Princess




















The cake

















Paxton playing on the Slip n' Slide

















Olivia's birthday party turned out to be a huge success. It rained Saturday morning but eased up just in time for the party. The kids got to play in the rain for a little while, but they didn't seem to mind. The Slip n' Slide was a blast and made for great pictures. Olivia's friend James provided great entertainment when he whipped out his boyhood in the middle of the yard and proceeded to pee. Later on he had a few streaking incidents too. It was hilarious (although his mom was a tad embarassed). Olivia couldn't wait to eat her birthday cake. She blew her candles out so quickly I didn't even get a picture. She got lots of great presents. She got 4 new dresses and lots of craft supplies. Overall, I think Olivia had a great party. She's already talking about her Dora party next year.

Let the countdown begin...

There are two days left until Olivia's birthday party and it's crunch time. I was planning a small, easy affair with Olivia's friends but it's grown a little larger then that. MIL is turning it into a family reunion.
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Yesterday I got the girl's skirts finished. Thanks Ma for helping me figure out how to sew them. I hope the girls like them.
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Today I went grocery shopping for the food. As I was standing in the checkout line with half of my items on the conveyor belt I realized I forgot napkins and silverware. Hopefully we can scrounge enough forks up around here or people will just have to eat the baked beans with their fingers.
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Tomorrow we are making the cake. My friend and I are attempting to make a Barbie birthday cake which involves baking a cake in a bowl for the skirt. I have to make another 8 in. cake to put under that cake for height. I just hope we can make this work. I want to make the cake tomorrow just incase we royally screw it up we can run to town and get something else.
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I need to wrap presents. There were a few other things I wanted to get Olivia but I don't know it I'll have time. I was hoping Jody and I could go shopping together but seeing how he isn't talking to me right now, I don't see that happening.
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The weatherman is now calling for a 40% chance of rain on Saturday too. Two days ago the forecast was saying it was going to be clear. I'm praying it doesn't rain because we are all not going to fit into my IL's house.
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I ordered party favors from Oriental Trading Company. When I ordered the supplies the invoice said they should be here on the 16th. When I track the order it says they should be here on the 17th. Here's hoping the package gets here tomorrow or before 10 on Saturday.

Thirteen Ramblings of a Pissed-off Housewife 1. Why am I the only one that sees dishes need to be done. 2. Why am I the only one that knows Paxton needs to take his medicine before bed. 3. Why am I the only one that knows we need to go grocery shopping. 4. Why am I the only one that knows the trash is full. 5. Why am I the only one that there is food smashed all over the carpet and it needs to be vacuumed. 6. Why am I the only one that knows the bills need to be paid. 7. Why am I the only one that knows when the kids need a bath. 8. Why am I the only one that knows the garden needs to be watered. 9. Why am I the only one that knows the laundry needs to be washed... 10. ...and folded 11. ...and put away. 12. Why am I the only one that knows when Paxton needs a diaper change. 13. Why am I the only one that knows WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS HOUSE!!!

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Wordless Wednesday

Happy Anniversary

Happy 6th Anniversary Jody!!

Can you believe it's been six years already? Where does the time go? Yet it seems like we've been together forever. This is just where we hoped we would be someday. You, me, a couple of kids in our little love shack. I love you more everyday. I wouldn't trade my life with you for the world. Here's to a million more happy memories!

The eagle has landed

I now have 5 pounds of snow crab in my possession. Good job me!

Enough to Gag a Magot

MIL brought Olivia home because she wanted to play outside in the sprinkler. We went outside to set up the sprinkler when I notice a big hairy tyrantula in the yard. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! What does MIL do but go over and step on it. WTH is she thinking?! Doesn't she know there is some kind of rule that you can't step on tyrantulas. They're too big and too hairy. Gross! So now there is a giant tyrantula corpse laying in my yard. It's enough to gag a magot.

Crab Hunting

Tomorrow is our 6 year anniversary. We used to go on our annual trip to Red Lobster to celebrate until I found out that something in their food gives me headaches. My sister said it could be a metaphor for marriage. It starts out really great and all you end up with is a big ole headache.

So now we've started buying snow crab legs and cooking up our own little feast. There are only two places I know of around here that you can get crab legs- Floyd's Meat Market and Big Bayou Smokehouse. I tried to call Big Bayou first since it is the closest to us. Unfortunately the call was met with an 'I'm sorry that number is no longer in service' message. No such luck there.

Floyd's Meat Market has been around for quite some time. It's where my parents would buy the snow crab and shrimp for our traditional Christmas supper every year while we stationed at LRAFB. They've moved shop a couple of times but it was no problem finding their phone number on the internet. Thank you Yahoo! Yellow Pages.

I called Floyd's and they confirmed that they had crab legs and that they looked good. Ok, great, I'll see you in a little while. Unfortunately Floyd's is in Sherwood which means a 45 minute drive on a good traffic day.

While we were down that way, I decided to make a stop at the mall and exchange a pair of underwear at VS that were the wrong size (too small, not that you needed to know). Olivia was so excited to go to the mall because she loves the escalators so I promised her we could go up and down them a few times. We also stopped at Gymboree since they were having a buy two get one free sale- you know me and free stuff- and we ended up getting Olivia two dresses and a skirt for a total of $20.69.

So I make my way over to Floyd's Meat Market. I go in and ask for 4 pounds of snow crab legs. The guy looks at me funny and goes to get some out of the case. When he comes back he tells me they only have a pound left. But I called this morning and you had some. Well a man came in about 5 minutes ago and bought the last 15 pounds we had. Damn escalator rides. If only I had been a little earlier. Apparently there's been some kind of run on snow crab today. They've gotten three calls this morning for that specific product. Great! And just in time for our anniversary. They say they are supposed to get more crab in the morning. They want me to call and let them know if I want some. Because calling has been so effective thus far. *sigh*

I stopped at Kroger on the way home hoping they might have an unknown seafood selection that I didn't know about. All they had was the boxed stuff that is overpriced and not too tasty. So I came home and made the call to Floyd's to let them know I'm coming for crab legs tomorrow and I want 5 pounds. Do you want my name? No, we should have plenty. Yeah, that's what I thought before. Crab hunting is hard work.

I put a call into my eye doctor's office because I've been having nothing but problems with the new contacts he prescribed to me back in December. My eyes hurt whenever I wear them and I want to switch back to my old brand. I talked to the receptionist lady and told her my concerns. She said she needed to talk to the doctor and he or she would call me back. It would be a few minutes though because he was in with a patient. Well it's been over two hours and still no call back. Is it unreasonable to ask that they be prompt? Do I have nothing better to do then sit by the phone all day waiting for a call? I just find it frustrating. It's the same thing when you call the doctor's office. I call because I have a real, legitimate concern and sometimes it takes hours to hear back. Nothing like waiting 4 hours for a call, they call 30 minutes before the office closes and say, your child should really be seen today. You should take him to the ER. Uh, that's what I was trying to avoid by calling you 4 hours ago!!! Take a deep breath.

Wanna go shopping?

I went shopping with a friend of mine this evening. Our husbands both had plans, and we didn't feel like sitting at home by ourselves, so we decided to get together and have a little fun. We went to two stores and took the kids to Sonic for supper. I ended up buying 2 shirts, a skirt, a cami and a sweater. I've been needing some new outfits for church and just happened to find some cute, good deals on the sales racks. I also got Jody a new dress shirt for church. I hope he likes the colors. For not caring much for clothing, the man can sure be picky. I'm so proud of myself for getting some new clothes. Between the guilt I get for spending money and being cheap, I usually don't buy anything for myself. And the best part is - I'm going to look so cute tomorrow!

A Good Read

I finished a great novel by Richard Paul Evans called The Locket (thanks Ma!). I've read a couple other books that he has written and they are good, quick reads. This book was no different. It involves two really sweet love stories and second chances. I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

I have this problem. When I get a good book to read I can't put it down. I don't want to sleep. I don't want to eat. And I don't want to clean house. So I try to limit the number of good books I have lying around the house. Isn't that sad?! Luckily I read quickly and can finish a book in a day or two. You should see the house when a new Harry Potter book comes out. Those take a little longer to finish. By the time I get to the end of the book, my house looks like a bomb went off. It's worth it though. So, anyone have any recommendations on good books?

Thirteen Reasons I'm Scared to Have Another Baby 1. My sister calls it Third Baby Syndrome. You have two healthy kids and you don't want to tempt fate by having another baby because you've been so lucky. I have Third Baby Syndrome. 2. I've never worried about money until this past year. Do we really have enough income to provide for a bigger family? Will we be able to give the kids everything they need and mayby a little more? 3. Our house is little. And another kid would fit where? (Although I was very reassured a few weeks ago while watching Buster on PBS when there were 5 kids sharing one room in a little trailer. Suddenly my house didn't seem so small.) 4. If we have another baby we will be outnumbered 3:2. The odds won't be in our favor, and that in itself is scary. 5. Do I have enough energy to have another baby? The two I have wear me out. What will adding another one to the mix do? 6. Do I have enough patience for another baby? Starting over is so scary. I get in my groove, and I don't take change well. 7. In the last year I've known of one baby being born with severe birth defects and dying, 2 stillbirths, countless miscarriages, a tubal pregnancy, one SIDS death, a mother dying from hemmorage and a pregnant mom being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. If that doesn't give you a reality check, I don't know what will. 8. How will the kids handle another baby? Will they love it and play with it and be happy with an addition to the family? Will I be able to give each of the kids the attention they need and deserve? 9. What will happen to my body this time? Between saggy boobs, hemmrhoids and stretch marks, how much more damage will be done? 10. Poor Jody. All I have to do is mention another baby and his face turns a pastey white. 11. I do a lot of traveling. Traveling with three will be a lot more challenging physically and mentally. 12. Suddenly the physical risks of having a baby are so much higher. If something should happen to me, the stakes are higher. I have a husband and two children who depend on me. 13. Three kids may be all we have. I don't know if I'm ready to be done yet. My entire life, all I've wanted to be is a mother and have babies. I'm just not ready for that phase of my life to be over.

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Wordless Wednesday

The Ozark Folk Center

Lately Jody has acquired a great deal of interest in blacksmithing. He mentioned that he would like to go to the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View because they have a working blacksmith shop that you can visit. We did a little internet research on the Ozark Folk Center last night and found out they were going to be open on Memorial day so we decided to take the kids and go on a mini-vacation.

The drive was only about an hour and a half one way. Thanks to the portable DVD player and some yummy snacks, the kids were in good spirits for the ride. We arrived at the OFC just in time for village to open.

The village consists of little shops spread over the beautiful backdrop of the Ozark Mountains. Each shop contains a craftsman of a particular trade. They had lye soap making, candle making, musical instruments, country kitchen cooking, quilting, a cooper, pottery, a knife maker, blacksmithing and many more. You can go into each shop (that is air-conditioned I might add) and watch the craftsman work. They tell you about their trade and answer questions.

I sent Jody to the blacksmith shop first thing. I know that's why he wanted to go, and I wanted him to get his fill before the kids got restless. Luckily, the kids love being outdoors so we wandered around the grounds while Jody talked to the blacksmith. We went to the swimgs where a sweet man named Bill and his mule Rosie took the kids and I for a ride around the carousel. By the time we finished with that and wandered around a little more, Jody was finished.

We went around to various other shops until the kids were too tired and grumpy to continue. We headed back to the van and stopped by Subway for a bite to eat before the long ride home. I have to admit, I was a little worn out too. I was glad Jody was driving and snuck in a little catnap for myself.

The Ozark Folk Center turned out to be a great mini-vacation. Jody and I would like to go back again, preferably without kids, and spend a day wandering around and taking in all there is to learn. It is fascinating seeing how things were done in the not-so-distant past, and it is a fascination that Jody and I both share.

Perfect

I think we all have one of those friends. She seems like the perfect wife and mother. She sews. She's crafty. She makes furniture with power tools. Her house is beautifully decorated and always tidy. She has a big family and her kids are happy and beautiful and well-mannered. She's the mom we all secretly want to be. We idolize her and think if only I could be as great a woman as she is.

I have a friend like that. She has six of the cutest kids. She has a great relationship with her husband and her extended family. She has beautiful, creative scrapbooks. She even made and stained a headboard for her bedroom. She's the kind of mom I want to be. She is the perfect homemaker.

One day I had to go to her house unexpectedly to pick something up. I had to laugh when I got there. On her loveseat in the livingroom was about six loads of laundry that needed to be folded. Maybe we weren't so different. I had a similar pile of laundry to be folded at my house too.

One day at church a group of us women were talking about cooking. My friend confessed that she didn't bake. She made everything if the microwave. I was shocked. She didn't bake. But she was the perfect homemaker!

It's funny how as woman we compare ourselves to each other. There is always someone who seems to be more pretty, more creative, more together. But we are more alike then we give ourselves credit for. We have the same struggles, the same hopes, the same desires. We need to change our image of perfection for it may be looking at us in the mirror.