white knuckle grip

My Engizer Bunny

2010-07-31T15:54:00.002-07:00

This is just one of the assignments I turned in last semester for my writing assignment. I may have edited slightly even more. :)

Let me first describe the car I have been driving for the last 9 and half years of my marriage. When I got married on the first of July in 2000, I inherited this 1991 Ford Escort hatchback. It was in fair condition then, the stereo worked great, the heat and a/c were alright, and it got great gas mileage, 30 miles to the gallon to be exact. Since that time, the car we have come to call the energizer bunny has detiorated. The new free enhanced features include the cracked bumper from 2 different car accidents my husband was apart of. The odometer has been turned over twice from mileage on it. The heat just got worse, to the point that I have been wearing gloves and full snow gear to and from work this past Christmas. During the summer I felt like I needed a shower after each car ride because the lack of air conditioning. The black color of the car didn’t help the heat either, just kicked up the temperature a few degrees as it sat sun bathing while I was taking a respite away from it. I don’t really want to mention the sweat beads from the summer prior. The door handle on the drivers side broke off entirely, and my husband being the ingenious man that he is got a good old sturdy belt and bolted it to the door, so that we had a handle. The ceiling fabric decided it needed a semi-separation from the rest of the car, to the point that it decided to tear off and hang down in my face every time I drove to let me know that it was dissatisfied. The automatic shoulder belt that it came with also decided to start being stubborn and decided that it wasn’t moving for anyone. So manually I have been buckling my self in, to this supposed automatic contraption. A large crack that was originally quite small, has now covered the width of the dashboard, and serenades me by rattling at stop lights. This car has kept going despite so many things wrong with it I can’t help but have some affection for its fortitude.
This car has brought home 2 out of my 3 children from the hospital. She has taken me to work at all hours of the day, with little complaint as long as she was allowed her time to wake up if it was cold outside. She has survived at least 4 flat tires, all at separate times and convinced my husband that I know how to find every nail, pot hole, surprise curb any where inside the Salt Lake Valley.
When the stereo started to go out, it started out slowly. If you gave it a good hard hit to the side of the upgraded stereo system it would usually turn back on at first. It became more fical and decided that it was too good or too new for the rest of the car after a while and just decided that it wasn’t going to work for any one or anything despite the abuse it would receive to get it to work. It would surprise us every now and then and sporadically turn on for a few minutes to let us know that it deserved better, and then quickly turned back off again. This has lead to many conversations between my husband and I, as well as many home sung kids songs to keep the kids entertained. Conversations about life and what my kids saw on the way too and from stores, politics, what made things work, and/or hopes and dreams.
The heat combined with the rolled down windows made my oldest child accustomed to having wind in her face from a very young age. My son has made jokes that he felt more alive when the wind was in his face because of the rolled down windows.
The windshield had traveled behind many a semi truck on rocky roads. At dusk and dawn the windshield had tiny little sparkles of light hit it just right and you thought you were seeing a work of art from how many little tiny dizzy stars reflected light across the whole of the window. It blinded you with its beauty, and you would have to concentrate hard to see that you weren’t going to run into the car in front of you through its dusk and dawn artwork.
It has outlived 1997 minivan that we had for a time. While the ’97 minivan only lasted us the 3 years it took us to pay for it, this energizer bunny that was paid for the day it was purchased lived a longer less luxurious life.
This car has also hit a dog. It was a very sad day, and we thought for sure that it was seriously hurt. Until we see the dog sprint back up and run to its owner across the street. We felt very sorry for it, and started to apologize profusely for my husband’s brick foot. The owner simply stated that the dog couldn’t die. This particular dog had been purposely poisoned by ill intentioned neighbors a few times and she simply refused to die, also that this was her 3rd time getting hit by a car. I think that my car saw a kindred spirit and had to say hello. I think it had to take part of the dog with it. We had noticed that part of the dogs ear was gone and wasn’t sure to be concerned. The teenage owner wasn’t overly concerned so we let it go. Until about a month later the brakes were making a screeching noise. So my husband and father in law took what would be a reoccurring theme of looking at the noisy brakes. My father in law was laughing with my husband when I came down to ask how they were doing and if they had found the problem. My father in laws sun weathered face hid a slight snicker, and then he put on a straight face as possible and said that something had gotten caught in the brakes. “What was it?” I asked. My husband pulled me into the crook of his shoulder, and said “You remember that dog we hit? We think it’s a part of his ear.” My cars memento had to be taken away. I don’t think it was entirely okay with that.
This last year as I would travel the I-15 for a half hour, the car started to politely let me know that it wasn’t feeling well. It started out with a slight rattle, that turned into an extreme shake as the speedometer approached anything close to 60 mph. After a few weeks of this it decided to say that it was going delirious and the speedometer would fly all over the place if you went any speed above 30 mph. After informing my husband he took it to the doctor, and paid more to the mechanic than what the car was worth to fix it to working order.
A month later I felt my nerves begin to fray when I had to apply the brakes on my energizer bunny. It made a horrible screeching noise and felt my foot skip a little with the depressed brake peddle. It again needed to have something checked. After my husband and father replaced both the brakes and the calipers on the car, my husband told me that we had to get a new car. He was done working on this car. He was afraid that it would need more constant repairs and that we couldn’t keep fixing it. Also that he was fearful of me driving it to and from work and that he lost sleep whenever I had to drive the car home from work late at night. I married my husband not his car, and as much as I was fond of the Energize Bunny I was going to have to buy a new car.
As I vacuumed, washed, dusted my old friend to sell her to the highest bidder, I found my 4 year olds binky from when she was a baby. I found wood chips in the crevices from when they “decorated” our car on our wedding day. I got the pennies that were stuck to the cup holders from leaked soda pop. One penny was stubborn and I couldn’t get it out and figured that is was my cars memento of us. I had to say good bye to this friend who had served its purpose well.
I feel kind of like I’m abandoning an old friend in my energizer bunny, but I like the new friend I’m making in my 2007 used Galant with only 48,000 miles on it. She keeps me warmer, and defrosts the back window for me, so I don’t have to get out and scrape it. The air conditioning freezes me out if I don’t pay attention to the setting. The radio with CD player works great, along with an MP3 connection port. She smells nice and non musty. I just hope the Galant serves me as well and as long as my Energizer Bunny did.

Summer is over way to fast

2010-07-25T18:35:00.003-07:00

As I get ready to do everything I need to head back into school. I look over the past 2 months of summer and wonder where the time has gone. I am still as tired when I was in school, maybe not as entirely as stressed. So what have I done with my time?
Well, I've gotten my gallbladder removed. Gone on Vacation for my 10th wedding anniversary down to Cedar City. I've played with my kids a bit.
I was going to go through another de-junking session this summer. My husband was thrilled at the idea. I did get rid of 2 boxes worth, but still far from where I want to be. There were things I wanted to post through out the summer and never did. A few of my writing assignments I wanted to post as a blog, because I didn't think they were half bad. So over the next few days you know what you will most likely find on this blog. One will be an ode to an old reliable car. The others is about my father in-laws study, pre-make over.
So the real point of this blog, is like many others, a quick update.
Oh, and thats right I celebrated Pioneer day last night in the ER with Trev because he ran into a small rose bush. After we had tried to pull out all the thorns and branches in his one leg, there was one spot we could not pull anything more out of tweezers, pocket knifes, and pinching his poor leg. There was something still in his leg that we could just not get out. So we tried the Instacare at the new Riverton Hospital out here. It was closed at 5pm because of the holiday and we got there shortly before 9pm. So we ended up in the ER before the mad rush of idiot laden firework stupidity rained into the emergency rooms doors. The were able to get it out after numbing his leg and digging around in the wound a bit to get the tiny piece of wood out of his shin. The took x-rays to make sure that they got it all out. Learned also that if it was from gravel, or rock, or metal they would be less worried about taking it out. They said that plant life will run a higher risk of becoming infected in a wound. Also they would have stitched it back up, but because of the risk of infection they won't. So we set off fire works in the front yard tonight at 7pm, with it still very light out for my sons benefit because he missed the nights before. I can't help but wonder how crazy the neighbors think we are right now. :) We did them early because Ali and Trev both go back to school tomorrow. So such ends there 3 weeks off for the summer.
Mad dash for school again in the morning.
So here is back to school for all involved. May it be as fun as it always has been, or perhaps a little more fun. :)

Summer here yet?

2010-03-29T21:32:00.002-07:00

Just a quick update. I'm still in school. OY! So tired, can't wait for summer. The kids are doing well right now. Trev is reading on a sixth grade level in 1st grade. Ali also reads at at least that level, other than her comprehension isn't very great when she reads that high, so she is having to build her comprehension skills. Brie still loves Miss Sandy. She gets upset when she finds out that she doesn't have school in the morning. That and she gets upset when she finds out that I do have school or work that day. Matt is now the reading parent in Ali's class, and is volunteering more at the school, he continues to cook, do laundry, and supports me in going back to school. I think he misses me kinda though. I miss seeing him more. Mostly the time we just get to be in the same room together instead of seperate ones while I do homework, and he falls asleep waiting for me to finish my homework. Speaking of sleeping and homework, I should be doing one of those 2 things right now. I have a Math midterm on Wednesday, and a major paper due on Buffy the Vampire slayer season 2 episode 6 for my writing class. I had other options, but proving a paper on Buffy was a lot more fun. So good night to all, or good homework with the way my brain is fried. :)

homework help?

2010-02-14T23:47:00.002-07:00

Yeah, I know I'm slacking. I just have to choose carefully what I slack at right now. School, work, kids and sleep. All of those need to take precedence in my life right now, so why am I up typing on my neglected blog? Quite frankly I'm hoping for some inspiration. I have a short writing assignment due on Wednesday, and lacking inspiration. Both girls are sick, Trev's fine, I'm a little sleep deprived, because Brie was keeping me awake most of the night. We have come to the conclusion once again, that having one of our kids sleep in our bed makes us all cranky the next day. My first 2 papers I could find inspiration, from a little guidance the professor gave. Well, since class was canceled last week, last minute, I'm a little unclear on what he wants me to write about. So I was hoping some one had something that they would like to hear about that I could talk about for about 500 words. I'll take any suggestion.

Can you spell.....

2010-01-04T21:58:00.004-07:00

Too much going on. Not that, that in and of its self anything new. Getting ready to start school again next week. Nervous as cat getting a bath. Not ticked as said cat though. Matt's Great Grandma Thacker is back in the hospital, they found blood clots in her lungs. She is a wonderfully stubborn woman, and I'm quite sure this will not stop her. Just another bump along the way. (this is the same woman who had a stroke a year ago, and still managed to make her homemade chocolates for her kids and grand kids for Christmas. She is not going to stop fighting, and I'm proud of her for it!) Kids are back in school. THANK HEAVENS!!! I know... I know... I sound like every other parent out there right now. Just wait till you have to send your kids to bed just on the basis that you are so tired of hearing them fight over who got to say the prayer on the food last, or who pushed who over the cliff on Mario Brothers. I wouldn't trade them for the world.
So the funny blurb-or inappropriate blurb for the day. Trev came home and asked Matt "Dad spell I cup for me please." Matt of course saw right through it and told him it was inappropriate. However, it did not stop him from asking his grandma Thacker, who fell hook line and sinker into it, and she laughed. So of course we had to have the lecture again on how it would not be appropriate for that to really happen.

Emotional Gush.

2009-12-23T00:22:00.003-07:00

So here I am blogging under my influence of sleepiness. LOL! I think it is the only time I blog. I have to say that there is so much to be grateful for in my life. I have three little sleep kids that are currently all healthy. (meaning they are all off antibiotics finally. We have had strep go through our family twice...) A husband who is softly snoring next to me, who worried about me the whole drive home from work on slippery roads. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, people who love me and care for me. I have employment. I have a relationship/talking with all of my siblings. I still love each one of them despite all of their faults and their trials, and I would not trade a single one of them. I know that my Mom and Dad love me and support me through a lot, and never reserve the love they have for me. That is a huge blessing that I don't think I could put a price too. I am grateful to have good in laws that have brought more family to spend time with that help my husband, my kids and myself in other aspects of our life. I have a good mother in law who has a heart of gold and tries to do everything she can, to the point where she stays up later than she usually does. (Reminds me of my mom) I have a good Father in law who has helped fix many car/house hold repairs, (much like my own father). I have great family. We haven't always been this way, and I know that it won't always be perfectly peaceful among all of them. I do know that I will always love them, and that because we are family we love each other unconditionally, and try to work past our differences of opinion, and love each other. We all have financial struggles, illnesses, trials, hurt feelings, frustrations. But I know that when I need to call one of them that I can, and that they love me even if they can't help me right at that moment. WOW! I'm gushy mess!
Something also occurred to me today. While I was at work I was talking to one of my sisters on the phone and before I hung up, I told her I loved her. A coworker of mine found it odd that I would say it so freely. I simply stated that I love my sister and had no problem saying it. It's nice to feel loved, and hearing it can never happen enough. I'm glad I was raised that way. :)

Can't sleep

2009-12-02T00:45:00.002-07:00

I'm looking for a cure. Not a huge cure, just something that will work. You see it is now 45 minutes past midnight and I am still wired awake. Why you ask? Simple, I worked a 13 hour shift today and I can't wind my brain down. You would think I would be exhausted. I am that, my feet are killing me, my back says lay down, relax, but my brain is going on full bore. So does any one have any cures that will be able to help me fall asleep sooner.... I know there are sleep aids, but I can barely handle NyQuil....so I'm more than apprehensive about that.... So any normal methods of winding down that might help me?

my blogging under the influence is blogging while tired. Ignore this post and wait for the next one.

2009-11-24T00:04:00.004-07:00

I hate being tired. My husband is frustrating me by telling me things that he knows will upset me, but feels that I need to be aware of a situation. I was having a good freaking day! Honestly. I was. I'm thoroughly annoyed, upset and furious, when I was having a serene day. How did I let this serenity pass from me? When these emotions interact with my being sleepy, makes it so much harder to fall asleep. I have to calm myself back down, which could take quite a while. I want to cry, but at the same time I don't which ends up giving me a severe headache that just makes me want to cry more. I have already lived through my personal hell!!! I don't need to see some one else live through their's. It hurts too much to bring all those feeling that I've settled back up again. I want to move forward. I don't want to dwell on those past emotions that bound me like a constricting cord.
I want my positivity back. Its what is keeping me sane. I like my sanity. Even if it is only my version of sanity, it and I get along quite nicely. I guess I will be working out in the morning along with the baking, church shoe shopping for Trev, taking Brie to school, cleaning, decluttering and rearranging of stuff tomorrow. I think I will be in a better mood again tomorrow and better able to deal with these emotions then. I just have to focus on "settle". Ignore or redirect the "pissed off". To make things clear, it is not my husband that has pissed me off, it is the situation that was brought to my attention. I had no idea to what extent it was. I'm just going to have to work harder at being positive in that aspect. I haven't seen negativity really help any one....EVER! So.....Time to take a bunch of deep cleansing breaths! Play some tetris, and hopefully become overly tired so that I can fall asleep.

Shopping with Trev, and TMI for a dinner conversation

2009-11-04T19:03:00.003-07:00

There are two things I want to share. Both are funny, the second may not be appreciated by all crowds of readers (basically non family). So if you fall into the TMI category don't read the last paragraph.
So Trev has grown! To add to that he also has holes/rips/tears in all but one pair of his pants. All the holes have been quickly sewn up, in makeshift manner until I could take him shopping, because lets just say I'm not the best seamstress, and he was ripping through what I needled and threaded back together. So I go to Kohl's hoping to find good deals. Clearance racks here I come!!! I am an excellent clearance shopper! So we go with the express purpose of buying at least 4 pairs of pants. Easy enough right? Who knew that a pair of jeans, with out being marked down is at least 20$ for a 6 year old?!?!?!? Needless to say we found a lot of clearance pair of pants, that were non jeans, and one pair that he probably won't fit into for another 2 years, but they were lee jeans and only 5$. So as I took him into the changing room, (mind you he wanted to go into the men's, but explained to him that he could get away with coming into the women's changing room, but I couldn't get away with going into the men's....) He started posing and dancing as he tried on each new pair of pants. He cracked me up. So we pass by the girls clearance section on the way out and lightening strikes, and I tell Trev that he could pick out something for his sisters for Christmas-NOW- for him to get them. So helped me pick out a cute brown/pink dress for Brie, and about a dozen pairs of socks for Ali, totaling to a accumulative 11$. Then as I was perusing a little more closely, the whine came out and he instantly was hungry when he wasn't at all 2 minutes before that.
So the second for the non-faint of heart section of the blog tonight.
This is kind of how the dinner conversation went tonight:
"So what did you get shopping Trev?"-Matt
*Brie toots*
"I got some pants and Lego Star Wars outfit! Its so cool!"-Trev
*Brie fluffs*
"Brie stop farting at the dinner table!"-Matt
"So what else was there at the store?"-Ali
*Brie gases*
"Brie! Stop!"-Me
"This really cool Nike (but he pronounced it more like Nicky) sweat shirt but mom said I couldn't get it because it cost more than everything else."
*Brie fluffs*
"Brie, stop farting at the table or I'm going to put a cork in your butt!"-Matt
"NO! I don't want a cork in my bum! *Whiny cry* Whats a cork?"-Brie
*Brie toots and giggles*
Oh and by the way, yes, she continued to toot, fluff, and gas the rest of the meal, but giggled afterward.
I think we are going to have to go over dinner etiquette 101 quite a few times with that child!

Sick and SEP's

2009-10-25T20:20:00.002-07:00

So here is the short update for our lives. Ali had type A influenza (which the swine flu falls under) and she recovered and did not spread it to the rest of us! YEAH! Matt went to parent teacher conference for Trev and Ali. Ali is doing well, finishes her work and then helps others with their homework. She is also above level on reading...which we already knew since she is reading the the 5th Harry Potter book and loving and giggling and gasping while reading. Trev is also doing very well and above grade level on his reading. His teacher said he is doing really well and said she had no major complaints. She did say that she has moved him seats twice already this year because he keeps talking to his neighbors. So after this last time she moved him, his teacher asked if he was going to talk to his neighbors, his response was "Yeah, probably!" (OH DEAR!!!) His teacher then tells him that he needs to exert self control and not talk so much/loudly to his neighbors. I love that little monkey!
Oh and I talked to Bries teacher, and she said she is doing quite well as well. She is already patterning and sorting in her preschool. She already writes her name, enough for you to be able to tell what it is, but not that great of hand writing. :) Unfortunately that is a problem for all 3 of the kids. They need to write more often with their dad, not their mom. I get the most questions on what I write when others have to read it...
So that is the little blurb for the update in this Thacker house.

So I said I would post pictures...oops.

2009-10-14T08:06:00.002-07:00

So sorry that I did not post the pictures on here. Fire me if you will. :) I once asked that at work on an extremely busy day with a minor screw up, and was told I could not be so lucky!
So not much going on in my life. Work, kids going to school, sleep, repeat. Trev has recently been tested by his teacher for his reading capabilities, and he is reading at a 5th grade reading level in 1st grade. She is extremely worried that he is going to become bored. And again strongly recommended we get him tested for ALPS (accelerated learning of some sort.) So that is what part of my day off will concisest of, that, making empanadas, jello cookies, helping with homework and laundry. FUN! :) I actually don't mind days off like this!

Nausea, Bambi, and The Upside Down show

2009-09-20T19:47:00.003-07:00

Nausea! Ok. So I guess for me it is a little psychosomatic. I'm really not that nauseated. I'm not ready to give up eating all together. Food does sound good, with the usual exceptions, like sauerkraut and hot dogs. So why the nausea? I think I have been living with vomit for about a week now. A week ago last Saturday (early morning)Matt and I woke up to my son saying that he didn't feel good and that he had thrown up. From that moment on for the next 12 hours every 20 minutes Trev was vomiting, in bowl, toilet, toy bucket, you name it. Anything that would contain to something we could wash later, or flush. This is par for him. He will vomit till every possible contaminant that afflicts his body has no possible trace left in his little body. Then right when Trev is not vomiting, but extremely fatigued and completely uninterested in food, only water, Ali Starts. She's a one or two episode kid and shes done, just doesn't feel good. We thought for sure they had food poisoning because Trev and Ali were the only ones to have pepperoni pizza the night before. So they started feeling a lot better by Sunday night, sent them to school the next day and thought nothing more of it. Then Monday night comes and Matt starts. He is out of commission for a full 24 hours then feels better. Ok so at least its a 24 hour bug. I thought we were done. Hope at least. Then this Friday night as I get home from work at 10:30 at night to find out Brie has started. Brie follows more suit to more like Trev when she is sick. What makes it worse is that we were supposed to have Anderson Family pictures done Saturday morning. So Matt having already suffered through the illness says he will stay home and I get to take the other two kids and call it good for our family and they get to splice in the missing members later. (Did I mention he's going off to hunt Bambi on Tuesday?) Unfortunately Brie is still vomiting. Not a lot, not too often, but all the same. She has actually listened to Matt and won't let me take care of the designated bowl after the occurrences. Apparently she doesn't want me sick either. So at 9pm at night I am watching The Upside Down Show with Brie while she laughs as she "presses the buttons on the remote" that the actors respond to. If you haven't watched it before I would suggest it on the more than enjoyable to watch kids shows with your preschooler.
So as far as the rest of my life goes, it is blissfully boring! :) With Matt and Trev off hunting for Bambi's dad next week I get to take a little more time off work and have fun with my girls. Have complete control over the the "royal orb" (the remote), and what movies I would like to watch, and finish them instead of having him too tired to finish it. Don't get me wrong I will miss them both terribly!!! I'm just going to enjoy them being gone! :) I don't even have to spend mass amounts of money while there gone and knowing me, that wouldn't even happen if I spontaneously came into massively large amounts of money any way. I must not be "female" enough in that aspect.
Ok, I really need to stop watching Shane and David crack up Brietta! She's calling them crazy and giggling. I love that noise. So good night, and I will quickly replace this disgusting blog with the Thacker Family photos soon.

Allergic reactions

2009-08-26T18:52:00.002-07:00

I am awake, had a nap and am still feeling sleep deprived and sick to my stomach. I always thought that if we were careful that just maybe Trev would only have a reaction every 5 years or more, not every 2 years. For those of you who are not aware Trev is deathly allergic to peanuts. We don't let him consume anything that may even contain trace amounts of any nuts in it. For that matter no one in our immediate family has had any peanuts in about 2 years now. We have epipens with who ever is with him where ever he goes, we have 3 at his school right now in different locations at the school. Both set of grandparents have their own set of epi-pens. So with all the precautions in the world you would think my theory of every 5 years would be probable. Apparently not.
Tuesday morning I woke groggy as usual (I'm not a morning person!) let Trev and Brie watch cartoons, got in the shower to get ready for work. While I was getting breakfast ready, I heard Trev sneeze, so I got him a zyrtec, and went about finishing getting things together for the morning. So like I always I go back to check with him to make sure that he took his Zytrec, and I finally look at him and noticed that his eyes were swollen, and he had hives on his arms, lifted up his shirt and his stomach and back were just large red welts from neck to waste. Then came the next stage, he said he didn't feel good and that he felt like he was going to throw up. So, because this is par for him leading to him having an anaphalitic response to peanuts we call 911. They check him out and tell us that he should be ok to make it into the pediatrician this morning(this is about 7:45 am) So of course I call until their line is open and some one is there to make an appointment, and we get the first one of the day at 9am. So on the drive there he says he doesn't feel good at all and ends up throwing up everything that is in his stomach, which is nothing but bile because he hadn't even had breakfast yet. Trev was excited because we got to see the Dr Renee, shes young and blond, and from the description he remembers her as the "hot Doctor". She gives us a prescription for steroids, gives him another dose of benadryl, and tells us to call back if he throws up again at all, and told us to watch him carefully, because this could still be a reaction to peanuts, from possible trace from Arby's dinner the night before. So I head off to work after getting the prescription and him settled with Matt to watch him. I call home at lunch to ask how he was doing, and Matt said he looked so much better, that the welts and hives were all but gone, and not to worry. I get home, and yes he is all but hive free and is tired and goes to bed really well. We had instructions to keep benadryl in him routinely, so we went in at 10:30 to give him his dose and he is completely swollen up as a welt again and itching like there is no tomorrow. Matt gave him (from Dr's suggestions) a mildly cold bath to help reduce the itching, and he still is just a huge welt. We decided to let him sleep in our room because we are just not sure with how he is going to do the rest of the night. Not much after, he starts vomiting again, and is still itching an hour later. I tried to call the on call doctor for the pediatrics in the area, and no one called back after the page. From the phone call I'm wondering if the system was broke, it didn't sound right. So I then called my insurance companies nurse line because my stomach won't settle down that something just isn't right. After I talk with the nurse, she makes the comment "your intuition" is saying that this needs to be taken care of right away, I would suggest you follow it, especially because his face is swollen.
So 12:30 at night we head off the ER. (I'm starting to wonder if they might consider naming a future wing after him for his asthmatic/allergic reaction trips there!) So they are in the process of doing the triage with the nurse, and next thing we know he is projectile vomiting in her direction. This must not have been her first situation with this because she completely dodged it! She skips the rest, calls housekeeping, gets him a blanket and takes him back to a room. The doctor shows up in his room pretty darn quick! He looks at him given the situation starts saying to his nurse to get "epi", IV benadryl, a steroid, and pepcid. He talks with us and makes sure that we are ok with that, and basically told him yes, please! This is not Trev's first IV, but the last time he had to have an IV was with his first reaction he was about 18 months. He is scared to death of the thing. The nurse said that could do it, and that he was "neato bandito". Trev said it wasn't that bad after and that it didn't hurt as much as his immunizations shots. He had a running thing to give the nurse a high five every time they had to do something new. The nurse even joked with him about the IV "water" going into him, saying this wasn't the normal way we took water. By 4:30am his swelling is down immensely, not gone by any measure, but at least he wasn't slurring his words any more because his tongue was too swollen. So he is still on steroids till tomorrow and now on a higher dose of benadryl round the clock. In fact he is laying on the couch right now not to far away from me because right now he doesn't want to sleep in his own bed. I think he's still kind of nervous. He looks a lot better! So hopefully tonight goes more smoothly, because I have to work again tomorrow and won't have the option to switch sleeping shifts with my husband tomorrow during the day. Coming down to it we are really feeling that there was some trace amount in his food from Arbys, and because he is so sensitive to react, that this is what it was yet again. I hate seeing him so miserable and wish that he didn't have to deal with this. He is such a sweet endearing little boy! So I count my blessings for modern medicines, good family, and having him still in our lives. Even in his prayers tonight he said he was grateful!
So I'm sorry if this is nothing but a huge long ramble. I am still quite sleepy, and hoping tonight goes better!

Baptism

2009-08-01T20:03:00.002-07:00

As a current events updates, I now have an 8 year old daughter, and a 6 year old son, and still a 3 year old daughter for another 2 months. :) For other big news, Ali was baptized today. It was a great day! I got to see family and enjoy their company, feed them lots of food, and watch them interact. It was sad in that my sister Karen and her family were not able to come because of sick kids, and my sister Kaylene and her family because quite frankly if they could keep flying every where every 2 months for one family occasion or another I would be worried for them. We were fortunate enough to have my Grandma Carma here. It was very nice to see her, and I think she brought some one with her, that still loves her very much.

On that note, let me side track back to my memories of my baptism. You see I have dimples. They are very prominent when I smile or even slightly smile. I hated my dimples growing up. They brought attention to me when I didn't want be noticed. Around that same time frame I remember watching a movie done by Disney, with a title with something to do with "The girl who spelled Freedom" I could be wrong on the title, not entirely important to the story any way. I remembered when I watched that movie that the mom who had dimples when she smiled with her lips curled in, her dimples didn't show (of course in the movie she was choking back tears of pride at the time....) so in my youth, I decided I didn't want my dimples to show for my baptism pictures. *eye roll* ( I wish I had a scanner to show you how the pictures ended up turning out.) So as my sister Karen tries to coax a real smile out of me unsuccessfully, I kept telling her that I was smiling. Well the pictures ended up looking like I was frowning...and low and behold, BOTH dimples were showing anyways!!!
Then on the road trip back home I ended up doing or saying something mean to my sister Kaylene in the car, and she piped in right away to me "Oh! You already have something to repent for!" Oh dear! If you knew me as a child, you could imagine how quiet and upset I was for the next few hours after that. My poor family!!!

The Laser Tagging story

2009-07-22T21:17:00.003-07:00

I am really starting to think that is becoming a vacant blog. Not by me alone, but by all other followers as well. Not that it matters too much, I more or less mean it as a way of documenting my life and thoughts any ways. So as I glanced over an old blog, I noticed that I made the comment that there was a story for another blog. So here goes.
Lets just say that I had a crush on a guy for a long time through out my school years. I'm not sure if he was ever aware of how many girls had crushes on him, but I could name at least a few if not all of my friends growing up at one point. So I had finally gotten the courage to ask said guy out. I had a good set up, you see I worked for a Doctor and every year before Christmas he would take us out to dinner and give us our Christmas bonuses. (I still like that Doctor as a side note) So I called him up (not unusual considering it was not the first time I had called him, although I'm sure that he got hung up before any one ever answered quite a few times by me personally, before I ever got the real nerve to actually talk to him, boy am I glad caller ID wasn't as popular till I got older.) So anyways. I digress way to easily.
So I called him up and he agreed, and I even overheard him ask one of his friends that was a girl, what he should wear. So I was pretty stoked! He is looking forward to this right? OY! Did I mention that my older sister also worked for the same Doctor, and was going to be doubling with us for the rest of the night? Probably not. My sister and her husband were quite nice about the whole thing and went on many a double date with me and other guys as well. So we pick him up and head out to dinner which was rather awkward. How awkward you ask. You know when some one hardly touches their food or tries to be ultra etiquette in a tough situation? Well, apparently this was both of us if my memory serves me right. I felt over conscientious, because I didn't want to eat more than he did. I kept fidgeting with my clothes to make sure I still looked ok. The conversation you ask? Um... lacking. Making the fidgeting coming up to a deafening roar. But I really really liked this guy, he had a fun personality and was way cute! I had caught him checking me out in the hall once, so I know I wasn't completely hideous to him, so why the awkwardness? I'm still not sure. So the date moves on and we decided to try and go bowling which didn't end up working out so we then drove to the Galleria (that is no longer in existence) and decided to go laser tagging. I felt more nervous about this because I had heard (said guy)him with a few of his friends saying that the galleria was a crappy place to go laser tagging. He never once said anything to the contrary, so at least I knew he wasn't going to be a jerk! So we go laser tagging, and we get everything set up, and go in, and if you don't know me personally, let me say that I'm fairly short. For example I have to get a stool to get to the top shelf any where, if not a step stool. So I was running around trying to shoot him, like he was trying to shoot me. When I turned around to run away, about the same time he had turned the opposite way, I run face first into a MUCH taller guys laser pack! Blood starts immediately pouring out of my nose, like the hose you turn on when you want to rinse something off, but leave it on because you may still need it but don't want to waste too much water. So thank goodness my sister found me soon after and got a worker there to escort me out, and to the ladies room. I ended up in the bath room for the remaining 20 minutes of laser tag trying to get my nose to stop bleeding. I'm not really sure how long it was, I just know that I was really light headed, and felt really stupid! So he comes out to find no one waiting for him except my brother in law, who doesn't really have a whole lot in common with him, to let him know what happened. So we end deciding to end the date there, and take us home. So because of lack of mental status, couldn't carry on a conversation the whole way home and rested my head against the car window, hoping that this was not listed on his worst date list. He said good night, left the car and to be honest I'm not really sure if he ever said much to me again after that date. I don't remember. Did I mention that this was my first time I had been laser tagging? Well, up till my husbands birthday last month, it had been my only time laser tagging. So I went with my husband, and guess what, no bloody nose!!!

Lost in Thought

2009-07-21T22:43:00.003-07:00

I am a little lost in thought right now. Not anything too major stuck on my mind. The main thing is that I love my family. I love the little boy sleeping on the bedroom floor of the girls room, because he didn't want to sleep in his own room. So much so that when he gave so many problems going to sleep tonight, that made me want to pull out a few hairs in the process. I love my space cadet oldest, who gets so lost in her books like I do that she forgets to listen to the other things that are happening in the real world around her. I love my screaming monkey! The child that screams when she doesn't get her way, and is SLOWLY learning that I'm not playing that game any more. I love my husband who just wanted to watch TV with me tonight but realizing how much lost in thought that I am right now was nice enough not to point it out, and just smiled and nodded when I asked him if I was a prickly pear tonight. I love all of my family and am so very grateful for them. I'm realizing how changing life is, and when things you don't expect come up around the corner. You would think I would truly get that by now with how many shifts I have made as a part of living in my short adult life. I watch as people I associate with, care for, and wish the best for start going through difficult times in their lives. I know the pain of uncertainty in ones life quite personally and don't wish it on any one. Sometimes things are affected by other actions or decisions, or just plain and simply just happen, and could not be prevented, but just dealt with. So I feel this pit in my stomach fall deeper as I simply taste the trial they are going through in their lives. To be honest, I wouldn't want what they go through, and I'm not sure that I would want to take it away from them either. I know that they will become stronger some how despite of it. I still simply taste their pain on their countenance's. I know the actions, of repetition and pushing through when all you want to do is simply break down and be done with everything. So, because I know, I push on and pray for them, as so many did for me. Its hard to think that sometimes things in this short existence are simply there, and to be pushed through, not to break us, but to make us be able to weather and understand so much more. I truly hope that I do understand more than I did before all the frustrations in my own life. I will definitely count my empathy so much higher. I will count that as something learned! So here is to my tired ramblings coming to an end for the night. Slightly thinking that perhaps like blogging under the influence, I shouldn't blog when tired. :)

I'M TOO TIRED!!!

2009-07-20T09:38:00.002-07:00

Ok, not really! I've actually been doing ok. Just really busy. For example starting on July 4th, we went to a cousins baptism, , had Ali's 8th birthday party (OY!), and gone camping. Came home got kids clean and starting a whole new work week with lots more fun. :S
So no, I'm not giving up, I'm just really busy and preoccupied with life's events, and family and friends events. Dealing with emotions that come with all of the above! :) I've come to appreciate that I am truly blessed with a lot. Life wasn't meant to be easy, and there is a lot to learn along the way! I've realized that all the tough stuff was for a reason, just not sure what the reason is exactly yet. I'm not sure I'll know exactly more than to know that I can make it through with out going completely insane. (at least not yet)

Mr Mom

2009-06-21T18:10:00.002-07:00

I have a great dad who helped me a lot over the years, as well as a great father in law who has followed suit. I could dedicate a whole post to each of them alone, but right now I think I need to do this one to my husband. You see my husband is currently Mr Mom. He has been cooking dinner, doing laundry, cleaning, bathing kids, helping with home work, and the many transportation needs for our 3 children, while I work, and of course I still help out when I can. This past week with Trev being sick, Brie had a birthday party to go to, as well as Ali had 2 to go to in one day and my husband because the earlier part of the week he was home with Trev didn't get to go out and get new pants for the temple (apparently he's gained weight since marrying me....) He had been running around getting things to go to the temple on Friday with his brother. He never once complained, simply apologized one night for being too tired to stay up much later after I got off of work. To top off this incredible week, I have not been feeling well, and I could simply not keep my eyes open this morning- Fathers day of all days. He helped arrange to get our oldest to church, and let me sleep until noon, and then told me we were going to take me to the doctor. All on Fathers day. So I have a sinus infection, and have a hard time staying awake, and he hasn't complained once. He even offered to help cook dinner at his family get together today. So here is the biggest thank you and "You are awesome Babe!" to my husband today, Love you lots!

What it takes to potty train and other updates

2009-06-17T11:41:00.004-07:00

What it takes to potty train? Quite frankly I don't have the slightest clue. My oldest I worked with for a few months before she turned 3 and she was potty trained, not much of any accidents after. My son potty trained himself before the age of 2 because he just decided one day he didn't want to be in diapers any more. He has had a few accidents along the way, but I kid you not his bladder must be the size of a pea. When we went 4 wheeling with my father in law, we were gone for about 4 hours at most, and low and behold he watered the bushes at least 6 times while we were there. My youngest will be turning 4 in late September and have tried to see if she was ready to potty train since shortly before she turned 3. She is a fun child don't get me wrong, she just has her own time schedule and no one is going to mess it up. What finally got her to use the potty? The image on the right. This specific one to be exact. It had to be Dora Mermaid Princess that has the little electric spinning head tooth brush. They have regular ones, non electronic, Dora snow princess, and many many more. So yes we own this tooth brush now. Along with a Barbie and Pirates electronic spinning head tooth brushes for the other two kids.

And just for the record, we had Trev into the ER on Sunday night. (I seriously wonder if they are going to start remembering his name if he continues to have problems...) He had been having a hard time breathing all day, and have been giving him his breathing treatments (the extra ones) in hopes that it would help and he could feel good again. So at about 9pm Sunday night I checked on him again, and he was running a fever and was still a bit wheezy and he couldn't have another treatment for another 2 hours... So I called our nurse line with the insurance. Given the situation that I could describe best, and my son telling me that his chest hurt, she advised us that we had to call 911, simply for the fact that he could be getting a lot worse really quick and he had to be checked out. We didn't have a peak flow meter, or an oximeter. (for those of you non asthma aware people the peak flow meter helps tell how much air they are getting in and out, the oximeter tells how oxygenated there blood is) With out knowing those details she said he would probably have to be transported. So the EMT's came and checked him out, he was doing well enough for us to transport him, but said that he definitely did need to be seen tonight! So we head to the ER, and despite the 4 other people in the waiting room when we got there, I filled out the form and almost as soon as they read it they had us back in a room. Oh great! My first thought is that he some how has gotten the swine flu. Or H1n1 to be PC. (no he doesn't have it!) I have to give them credit for being so good with him. Despite having to swab his throat and sticking another swab up his nose to test for the flu, they did all they could to make him comfortable. The ended up doing a chest X-Ray and then did a treatment and he was feeling better by midnight and let us take him home and gave us a prescription for steroids to help with the asthma issues. So I wake up the next morning to him throwing up. Which to be honest does not surprise me. When he has had a hard time breathing he vomits to the point of retching his poor little body. This continued for the morning and then subsided. Then my husband calls me at work to let me know that the ER called us and said to have him come back in. Oh GREAT!!! They took a second look at the X-rays and they couldn't see a definite line around his heart, because it was blurry, which for those of you in the medical field probably know by now, my son has pneumonia. So my husband was sent home with an anti-nausea medication and antibiotic. This morning my son woke up and actually ate a piece of toast, with no vomiting, and has been slightly bouncing off the walls, and then rests for a long period of time. He is so going to school tomorrow! So we are on the mend. We celebrated Matt's birthday last night, we went laser tagging and to my delight for my only 2nd time playing I did not come out of it with a bloody nose! But that's another story for another day.

Rainy day with out power

2009-06-13T23:13:00.003-07:00

We had the fun opportunity to have the power go out this afternoon. Meaning we couldn't watch movies, play electronic games of any sort, and because it was pouring rain outside that left us inside without power. My kids kept asking what we were going to do with out power. My kids found that they could make shadow puppets with a flash light in the dark. They were having so much fun they even started to dance (yes with out music) using the "spot light". I'm not quite sure where they got the idea but the dancing proceeded with every one and the flash light became a strobe light. Then they got a little too wound up and heads were bumped together.
So then my husband decided to teach our oldest two how to play chess. Matt and I are big game players and have quite an assortment of games. When we were first married we played a lot of Othello when it was just us. We finally decided we needed more than just one game we could play by our selves, so here comes the chess story. The first and only time we have ever played chess, in the middle of the game something he did completely pissed me off. Come to think of it I may have been a little on the bad end of the month at the time, and we had one of our biggest arguments in the beginning of our marriage. My husband when he tells people about us playing chess he says "there were lawyers on the phone". So when he suggested teaching Ali and Trev how to play chess, I was kind of surprised. My sons strategy was what pieces can I take off the board of my sisters. My daughters was simply to learn what each piece did and the goal of the game. Maybe that is reminiscent of how we played.... I don't know. My daughter won. No lawyers were called, but my husband and I did not play chess!

"You are so funny!"

2009-06-02T19:41:00.002-07:00

Have I ever mentioned the Cheesy Child I have. Meaning the wild Monkey, the the youngest and best birth control I've ever had? My youngest in other words. This is how my day usually starts. 6:00 am or 6:15 am "MOM! MOM!!! I want to get up!!!" my Brie starts screaming to wake me up to come and get her from her bed. Mind you her bedroom is right next to ours and she is fully capable to get herself up and walk into my room to wake me up. This morning was a little different. 6:30 "...mom...can I get up?"- my son whispering to me!!!! So I get up and move myself to the living room turn on cartoons and start to fall asleep thinking any minute Brie is going to be screaming for me to come get her out of her bed. 7:39!!! It is almost a world record for her! The only exclusion is the one night she was sick and woke up very sick the next morning at about 8:30. But that is not really the funny thing she did today. She has been a little more on the temperamental side lately...or always not sure which yet. Anyways she has been kind of mean to Ali lately and took Alis hat tonight and threw it away from her and walked off. So my husband and I let her know that she needed to shape up and apologize. She did. She has this tendency to say "DON'T look at me!" after she is put back in line. I simply told her that I was her mother and I have every right to look at her when I needed to tonight and she just looked the other way and pouted. So my husband was sitting next to her and was looking at her shoes and just checked to see how much room she had left to grow in them. "Dad, I'm just wiggling my toes! See I'm not wiggling anything else!" she says. Matt tells her that he is just checking to see how her shoes are fitting and then she responds "Oh, you are funny Dad!" I think she got it wrong...she is the funny one!

My sweet Parramore

2009-05-17T21:08:00.004-07:00

I am starting to realize that this whole thing is becoming more and more like a journal that is visible to anyone and is some what censored. I'll take that for what it is, and at least be able to say that I am trying. If it means that I feel better about keeping some sort of personal history, it is better than nothing. Having said that I'll continue with the complete randomness that is this blog.
So....what my dear sweet husband got me for mothers day. First of all, knowing that we were going out of town, and realizing that I hadn't been wearing my wedding ring for fear of loosing any other diamond on it (see previous blog for details), had bought me reasonably priced dainty attractive ring before we left. He said he had another gift for me. My husband is horrible at keeping gifts a secret. From day one... Let me start by saying that after we went out to look at rings when we were dating, he dropped me off after me telling him which ones I would really like. He came back and said that he couldn't afford one, and then right there in my living room, after my mother had left the room, got down on one knee and proposed to me. Christmas are similar stories. He asks me every year if I want to know what he's getting me, and my answer always is, "I will wait!". So through out the whole trip in Nevada, he would randomly ask me if I wanted to know what my mothers day gift was. I kept telling him on threats of kicking out of said car, room, locations not to tell me till mothers day. He would laugh and bring it up again later. Apparently he is far more attentive than I give him credit for. I had noticed about a month ago that Paramore was coming to concert with No Doubt in May. Seeing the date I thought it was the day his sister was going to be induced for her 3rd baby. So I joked with him, that is was too bad, or I might try to win tickets to the concert off the radio station. Okay, so if you can't tell, I like Paramore, in fact he tried to find any of their CDs for me for Christmas, but every place he went was sold out. I have been living on my Twilight soundtrack he could find instead. So like a good husband he told me on Mothers day that he had gotten us tickets to their concert.
So now the panic sets in. I wonder how to go to a concert like this?!? I'm not that young and hip, I just like the music and think it would be cool to see them. In situations like these the shyness returns to the surface and I want to go into shut down. Given how sweet my husband has been, I don't think I can do that. So I will keep pushing off the thought and keep pushing through all the way till the day after the concert. I love my Paramour(meaning my husband not the band), and the thoughtfulness can't be passed up.

Missing my kids

2009-05-10T22:22:00.002-07:00

It will be a short post tonight. Seeing that I flew in, white knuckle gripped to the arm rests of the plane early this evening, and work starts at nine, but my day starts at 6am and won't end till way after 9pm tomorrow.
I went to my Grandpas funeral this weekend and it was fun in good way. I miss my Grandpa terribly, but as I saw my many cousins that I have not seen in over a decade, I could see things he left in each and every one of us, whether its my bald cousins head or an expression on one of their faces or a kind word that one said to another. I had fun playing, "What's my name" with many of my cousins. They could all identify me as the youngest girl of my family, and my name started with a K. (which really wouldn't be that hard!) Only a few got it right, and most of those were around my age not older. Given I am the second youngest out of the Norma Grand kids. (My Grandma Carma has 3 kids, who have 6 kids now...) And to my fault, I did confuse my cousin Tom with my cousin Sam. I'm sorry but when they both smile really wide the smile looks the same, and I know their personalities are completely opposite, but both still very good men! After all this I did find out which one of them had been changing the radio station at our house when they came to visit while growing up. (Tom FYI) I saw so many kids from 1 to 16 that I had never seen that are indeed some how related. As I watched all the kids running around and playing, I missed my 3 little kids at home with the other set of grandparents. I even accidentally had something with nuts in it and even though it was one of the few times I can, when I'm not around my son, I could have it. I honestly would have rather given up the delicacy of a nut for having my son with me. So because of work I had to fly home today to work tomorrow, and I'm not an especially good flyer. The last time prior to flying to this I was flying home because I was in a car accident in California, and was still quite dizzy (had about the equilibrium of a drunk with out the fuzzy vision or lack or reality) from the accident when I did fly. So, not because of work, but because I wanted so badly to see my sweet 3 little faces, I held on for the hour flight to see them all sooner. Although I got some killer mother day gifts (post coming..) the best Mothers day gift I got was the 3 little sleeping angels in the other rooms.

Ed Carlson

2009-05-06T18:16:00.003-07:00

I have finally had some sleep and have undevoted time (meaning kids are in bed, husbands getting a hair cut and its not completely dark outside yet.).
So to put it simply I will always love all of my grandparents. My Grandpa Carlson that just passed away is my last biological grandparent that was living. (I have to note here that his 1st wife, my biological grandmother passed away before I was born, and he remarried Carma, who will always be my Grandma Carma.) He was in his 90's you might want to check one of my sisters blogs for his exact age. He left so many fun memories. When I was really little, I didn't like his hugs, I felt like he hugged so tight I was going to crumble like a piece of paper your wadding up to throw in a trash can. As I got older his hug didn't lessen, but I understood that he wanted to make sure that we knew he loved us, even if it still did feel like my insides were gushing to my top or bottom from the hug.
The every day memories I have of him are of him reading the newspaper, sneaking me cookies from the cookie jar at his house, him wearing a beigish brown sweater and starting to fall asleep sitting in a recliner, and him eating corn nuts randomly out of his shirt pocket.
My sister Kim complained once that she was so short, and my Grandfather at 6 feet plus letting her know that our grandmother was that tall. I am the same height as Kim, and knowing that, its harder to complain about being short.
I remember him killing the fake spider on the wall at my house growing up that my siblings thought would be a funny joke.
So many good memories to remember him by that although he is gone I know he has left me with a lot. I know he has left all of his family with a lot of good memories to hold on too.
There is so many more stories to tell, but the only people they would mean alot to would be family, and I get to see them this weekend for his funeral.

No Stinkin' Thinkin'

2009-05-03T22:05:00.003-07:00

Ok, so nothing really particular to blog about. No real point tonight. I haven't blogged in a while. Not that there hasn't been things I've wanted to post. There have been a lot of things I wanted to post. Funny or cute things about my kids (like my 3 year old after being sick giving me a hug and telling me she loves me then going to her dad, giving him a hug and then says "I love Mom!"), comment about society in general (like the mad dash of people running for face masks and hand sanitizer- there is a thing called soap...), major life events. So many things going through my mind that I would like to post but some how am not able to retain focus long enough to type it out. I have done a lot of crying in the past couple of months. I've done a lot of laughing. I've just plain been doing a lot the last couple of months. (as a side note I hate the saying "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" not that I don't believe it, I just think there is a better way to say it and to be encouraging.) So the main thing that I really want to take the time to blog about I can't really do right now. I want to blog about all my memories of my Grandfather that passed away this last Tuesday. I feel like I am in such a state of exhaustion from life in general I won't be able to justice to all I want to say. I want to be able to tell it with the care that it needs. So that blog will come another day. Probably after his funeral this coming weekend.
So not a real update on my life right now. Just a quick little blurb to say that I still plan on working on this blog. Just trying to get things done. I'm hanging in there ever so tiredly. I am being of as good of cheer and looking at life optimistically, taking things one day at a time. No "stinkin' thinkin' " happening, just exhaustion. :) FYI, thank you Krista for that saying! :)

Mother of rockstars.

2009-04-16T20:30:00.004-07:00

I had to work long days on both Monday and Tuesday, and hence did not get to see my children after school. I forgot how much I missed seeing them every moment they are awake, and this situation is a prime example of it. As I was driving them home from school on Wednesday I kept hearing the phrase Cheetah something band. I'll have to ask what the exact name was and edit this later. So come to find out they have been having practise in the girls room every day after school in preparation for a concert to be held in their room Wednesday night so I could be there. So before dinner they had to get their outfits ready so they looked like a real band and then they went back in the bedroom and rehearsed it over and over again. Ali asked me if she looked like Hannah Montana, because she layered her skirt with pants. Trev said he had to have a jacket, and Brie just tried to copy Ali. If you can't tell by the picture, the popcorn vacuum is supposed to be a guitar. The duct taped sword is also supposed to be a guitar. Brie was being back up vocals. I can't obviously reduplicate the tune, but I know it started out with Ali singing "Digging in the dirt", then Brie chiming in "all day long", then repeat itself multiple times while Trev added in a few words here and there. They said they were working on another song where Ali was "Riding on a bus", with Brie singing "all day long" after her.
I think I miss my kids "all day long" with moments like these!

No love, and plenty of Sass

2009-04-11T21:08:00.004-07:00

When my oldest child was a baby, no more than a solid year old, would scream at my husband and I while riding in the car. No she wasn't car sick. No, she decided that every time I put my hand any where near my husbands hand or head she would scream piercing both of our ears. It was a pretty quick way for us to tell if she fell asleep in the car. As she began to talk, she would say "No, my Mom!" or "NO! My Grandma!" She has pretty much out grown the screaming thing when she sees something she doesn't like, the most we get is a random pout, and understand the importance of sharing the people you love. I don't remember my son doing anything of the sort at any age other than push the other parent away when he was cuddling with one or the other. So my youngest child at the age of 3 and a half has now started her screaming fest in a different way. When ever she sees my husband and I hug, or even give each other a peck she screams "NO LOVEY!" and will physically put herself in between my husband and I and grab and drag me away. She always wants me to tuck her in, get her dressed, do her hair, get her food, anything it has to be mom if she has an option. I'm not sure if this is sad or not, with her being my baby, I kind of like that she is so attached to me.
Off the subject, but not entirely, my youngest was trying to sass my mother in law in the car one day. My MIL told her "You don't talk to Grandma that way, it makes her sad" and proceeded to put on a fake sad face to emphasize the reason to not sass her elders. Brie the cheese that she is, says to her "Grandma, Don't be sad! Ooooh! Aaaah! Oooh! Aaaaah!" While doing that she is putting her hand up and down in front of her face like Alex the lion does in Madagascar 2. It's hard to teach children that have a knack for humor!

Jury duty?

2009-04-02T20:19:00.002-07:00

So I got the nice official form letter from the third district court telling me I need to fill out a jury questionnaire, and that I would have to apply for an exemption if needed. Seeing that I can't really see any problems for the month of May, I don't have any qualifying exemptions. I suppose that serving my civic duty would be a good thing, I got online and filled out the form, sent it off last night. Now this part is not a joke. I go to get the mail today and here is the kicker. I get another jury duty notification for the month of June. So whats the deal?!?! Is this normal or do I call and ask them if this super gold star civic duty?

5 questions

2009-03-25T18:19:00.004-07:00

I was optionally tagged because it's easier than some of the stuff or lack of stuff going on in life. :) Anyways, let me refer you back to my sisters tag.

So my first question is:

1. If you could live anywhere in the world other than the US, where would you live? I don't think I could pick just one. I kind of like the idea of "bloom where you're planted". So Australia, France, Sweden, Canada, Great Britain, Japan... pretty much any where given the amount of prep work that may be involved. ie learning another language. My Spanish is pretty crappy and limited... Just ask a few of my coworkers.

2. If you could relive, but not change any one moment in your life, which one would it be? Hmm... The only thing that comes to mind as odd as it is, is any Late, late / middle of the night with any one of my kids as a newborns, when I relished that alone time with them, and just them. Being able to hold and cuddle them and know and feel their sweetness and innocence and potential that was ahead of them. Given there were only a few with each child given the consistent lack of sleep and routine of just getting up in the middle of the night. I wouldn't trade that for anything.

3. Describe your perfect date.
First thing, would be that I have to do none of the planning. I hate making decisions, whether they are large or small, unless I have a STRONG desire one way or another, I don't want to decide anything! I would want to go a late movie, and eat popcorn. I would want some sort of flower, given roses die (My husband was great while we were dating, and the first couple of years of marriage and bought me lots of flowers. My favorite are Zebra Roses.), so even a small live flowering plant would be nice. The movie has to be a movie that I really want to see, and if the date really didn't care for the movie, (ie my husband) he would keep his snide remarks to himself during the movie. Then go out for ice cream after where we could talk about inconsequential things, because heaven knows the rest of my life is not so. The movie could also be watched at home. I like simple things and preferably no shopping involved, or anything over the top. Just small simple sweet things. Sometimes all it takes for me to be in a good mood is to not have to cook, clean, wash, etc.

4. What is your dream vacation? Any where outside the US. I would love to go see Europe, and see the museums, the cathedrals, the architecture, the culture. There is so much I have read about and studied over the years, that it would be nice to see it some day. To be honest though I would easily settle for another week down watching plays at the Shakespearean festival in Cedar City in a heart beat, or taking the family to either coast and take them to a beach.

5. Tell us what your favorite dessert is. Do you have the recipe to share? Ok, like most things I can't really pick just one. I like my homemade chocolate cake with store bought chocolate frosting(unfortunately I haven't found one Trev safe yet). I love mini Oreo cheese cupcakes, low fat, because you can't really taste the difference. I like good old chocolate shakes, brownies, milk chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies with the right amount of frosting. Any of those could be listed as a favorite, but to be honest I like most deserts. I just don't always believe in mixing fruit with desserts. I have recipes for the first two to share, but like most of the stuff I have right now it is in a box somewhere, and I'm not sure where to start to find it let alone what to do with the boxes I have already gone through.

So as an end to this, I can tag you to do the same thing, but I choose the questions for those willing to, you just have to post a comment on my blog and I will send you 5 questions with the rules, like I got mine.

Growing children, and lack of black mail photos

2009-03-22T13:43:00.003-07:00

I need to blog. It's been 3 weeks since I've last blogged. My life is chaotic, but some normalcy would be nice. Not that blogging is "normal" per say. Any ways! I realized today while sitting with my family in Sacrament meeting that my kids were growing up. I noticed that my older two sat forward, weren't playing with anything and were actually listening to the speaker, and the musical number following, and stayed that way till a more dry council type speaker started. :) Trev even made comments about his talk and asked questions through out it despite trying not to giggle with Ali. Brie on the other hand giggled or snuggled most of the time. Until Matt decided to take her for a walk after a long bout of loud giggling.
So the blackmail photos. Through out the rearrangement of my life recently I found all of my old barbie stuff, which includes SeaMonkeys, and Dink or not to Dinks barbies as well, along with the assorted barbie paraphernalia. So I went to take pictures of my son playing barbies with his sisters and low and behold, my batteries in my camera are dead. I was going to take pictures of him asking me if the barbies clothes were modest enough or not, and him helping Bries doll do something. Ali's barbie was pregnant with triplets. Then they started talking about having the dolls go to prom. They would have been great black mail photos on my son later on. It amuses me to think that we have no such black mail photos on my brother, because I remember him randomly playing barbies with me. So Nicole, if you find any, you're going to have to let me know!!! So life passes and time goes between blogs, and here is another random thought of my sanity trying to stay present. :)

Sentimentality

2009-02-28T23:24:00.004-07:00

In an effort to condense the amount of junk we have I have been going through boxes after boxes of papers. To give you an idea, I had about 5 good sized boxes of stuff with just papers in it. I have shrunk it down to one....and my filing cabinet. What I found in these boxes are slightly disturbing and baffles my mind in what the heck I was thinking. For example. I found my Spanish language notes from 6th grade, all of which I already know those words, so why am I even considering hanging on to it?!? Notes from Junior High and High school classes. In my defense I do remember Ms. Smith once saying to hang on to your notes in case of a catastrophe and your notes might be the only thing to teach your children from, and she was a history teacher. Looking back on it now, I think she was kinda joking. At least I hope, because the notes are now in the recycling bin. My calculus assignments, my art history flash cards, my chicken scratch chemistry notes, my gender roles in America college course guide, along with many many others.

What I came across with that I just couldn't seem to part with. That is the picture you see in the top corner. In it contains any scrap of paper that meant anything to me that was given to me by another person. In it contains birthday cards, thank you notes, notes from my friends. As I got older it started to include missionary farewells, wedding announcements. Among some of the people who might read this blog, I guarantee to you that your name is somewhere signed in among this stack of papers and cards. Try me and I can tell you what it is that your wrote and around what age we were when you wrote it. It further went on to include my children's cards, important events that happened that had a piece of paper attached to it like zoo trips, first movie trips, etc. The thing that I found that cracked me up the most, but I am still hanging on to it, is the top of a to go box that my husband and I drew on top of together while we were dating. Given I have all of the other endearing and loving cards and hand written notes he has ever given to me, along with every petal from every time he ever bought me flowers. I may have to become practical and give up the petals. The bag is quite large, and he has upgraded to live plants that I have to keep alive. The current one is an orchid sitting on my kitchen table. The other is the mum planted in the planter box in our front yard from the year we moved in. It has since gone wild, and most of the other plants have died....like the hydrangea. So I am a sentimental fool. Also to note that by the time I was done compiling everything I had another box just as big as these two filled with sentimental papers as well.

The one last thing I found was a paper full of quotes that I used to stick up in my friend Allene's lock every day (or at least I tried) through at least one year of high school. I will end my blog with the quotes that were left.

"All you need is love"- John Lennon

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love"-Lao-tzu

"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it"-Mark Twain

"Peace like charity, begins at home"

"If you would be loved, love and be lovable"-Benjamin Franklin

"You never know what happiness a simple act of kindness will bring about"-Bree Abel

"If God can work through me, he can work through anyone."-St Francis of Assisi

"Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my goodness you learn"-C.S. Lewis

"The more we know the better we forgive. Whoever feels deeply, feels for all who live"-Madame de Stael.

The rest of the quotes I didn't have credit for, as is due to the original authors.

*Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but how we react to what happens; not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, event and outcomes. It is a catalyst....a spark that creates extraordinary results.

*A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles....the do not flock, you find them one at a time.

*What we can easily see is only a small percentage of what is possible. Imagination is having the vision to see what is just below the surface; to picture that which is essential, but invisible to the eye.

*Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion, or it will be killed...every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter weather you are a lion or a gazelle...when the sun comes up, you better be running.

*I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good I can do, or any kindness that I can show, let me do now for I shall not pass this way again.

*Believe in yourself. You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face...You must do that which you think you can not do-Elenor Roosevelt.

*Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

*The race goes not always to the swift...but to those who keep on running

*Every job is self portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence

*Greatness is not where we start, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it-but sail we must, and not drift-Nordic Afancher

*Wisdom is knowing what path to take next. Integrity is taking it

*A ship in the harbor is safe...But that's not what ships were made for.

Ring

2009-02-18T22:23:00.003-07:00

I think I've learned my lesson to not tempt the fates. After being at work for about 10 minutes yesterday, with knocking things over and spilling things multiple times I joked with the pharmacist that she would have wished I would have just stayed in bed that day. Now more than her, I am almost wishing that myself. For those of you that don't already know, I have lost the big diamond off my wedding ring. I have a nagging feeling that it made its way into somebodies prescription bag that I was helping. FYI if they tell you when they sell you the ring to be weary of the diamond falling out, also make note that the prongs that attach the diamond to the rest of the ring need to be checked too. The most ironic thing about it is, that when we bought the ring the jeweler said that sleeping with the ring on it would wear it down and we would likely loose one of the diamonds. I was a good wife and never slept with it on, for crying out loud I wouldn't use the restroom and keep it on my finger for fear it would fall off in the flushing basin by some odd twist of fate. I only wore it when I went outside the house, because it kind of felt like leaving the house with out pants on if I did. Stewing about it won't bring it back. My husband still loves me, and that's more important than the ring itself.
The other interesting fact is that one of the girls I work with got a call earlier that day from her husband to call him right away. Come to find out he got his hand smashed under a forklift, and when they pulled it back off his hand was obviously bruised, but his wedding ring that was supposed to be indestructible was in 3 pieces. Last I heard his hand was alright, just sad about the ring.
The one good piece of news is that Ali now has her 6th permanent tooth coming in after literally pushing out the baby tooth today. Started to dejunk around my house and realized that I was indeed starting to become a pack rat. I will stop that dead in its tracks!!! So my project for the next little while is discovering hidden treasures and junk to throw out.

Lemons and Lemonade

2009-02-16T22:35:00.002-07:00

The short story. Ok....no the short story is even too long.
Recent events: We paid off our 2nd vehicle on the 6th in the morning. That afternoon while my husband went to pick up our kids from school the "Transmission" light went on. Ok, given we knew that it was going south, but we were hoping that it would last a little longer. So we are once again a one car family. Mind you we drive an OLD 2 door escort with 3 kids. Surprisingly the fights in the back seat have not gotten worse, only stayed about the same. The lack of radio has inspired more talking amongst the family. The lack of a good working heater has helped convince my kids in the morning that they HAVE to wear a coat, because it is obviously cold. So on the bright side...we still have one vehicle. :) So if something else gets added to this pile of things that aren't great in my life, go ahead. I don't know what could be thrown at me that I couldn't get past...with enough time. I think I eat stress for a regular meal, and my body has become dependent on it like smokers to nicotine. Ok, I really hope not, but it does seem a little plausible. Any of you out there have a regular dose of stress for daily consumption?

I was tagged....Honest Scrap

2009-02-07T22:44:00.005-07:00

Ok, so apart of this tag I am supposed to give 10 "juicy" things about myself. "Juicy" and me have never really coincided or really ever been in the same room for that fact. So I guess I will give 10 things about myself that most people won't know, or those who do will remember vaguely. That and considering my sister tagged me almost a week ago, I need to stop slacking and figure it out. :P

1. I enjoyed the wrong part of highschool. To put it simply I didn't really break out of my shell till about a year after I was married. I liked going to classes and learning, looking back on it, but the social aspect just reminds me of anxiety. If I had relaxed a little bit maybe I would of had more fun.

2. My sister who "To dink or not to Dink" once told me when I was little that I was so uptight that she could put a piece of coal between my butt cheeks, that she would find a diamond there by the end of the day. I was a pretty uptight child.

3. I LOVE stale popcorn! It started when "Sea Monkeys" would have movie nights at our house growing up with friends or boyfriends. I had to go to bed early and couldn't have the treats that they had, and it utterly annoyed me. So I would wake up early the next Saturday morning to watch cartoons and eat their stale left over popcorn and treats that they left out.

4. I hated my dimples growing up. I would hide my face if I were smiling so that people wouldn't see them, even tried a modified smile that didn't really look like a smile, but it all still showed my dimples despite my efforts to conceal them.

5. I had a mild crush on the same boy growing up for most of my childhood. Thought he was cute at a young age, and never really changed that opinion. I even asked him out once but completely blew the date.

6. I once warned my son who had hit his sister that if he I saw him ever hit her again that I would tape his hands together. So he did about 5 minutes later, and I taped his hands toghether and he couldn't stop laughing. After a half an hour I took the tape off (because he was in time out in his room still laughing) when he promised he wouldn't do it again. He then proceeded to tell every one we ran into for the next week, store clerks, family, neighbors, strangers, the whole time laughing about it. I learned that he does better with time outs and privilidges taken away.

7. Let me preface that I am the youngest of 5 kids, which means I have 3 older sisters and one older brother. When I was little and didn't know about the facts of life I kept thinking that my sisters were unwrapping chocolate and eating it in the bathroom, around the same time every month.

8. I've seen at least 3 Planet of the Ape movies, and have to say that it took a great deal of stamina to stay awake to watch the whole thing... I may have to change that number to 2 and a half.

9. My poor cousin Jodi! To add to my list of uptight children aspects. She was making me a peanut butter and jam sandwich at their house that was directly behind mine growing up. She didn't make the sandwhich the same way that my Mom made them. She put the Jam on one side of the bread and the peanut butter on the other side and then put the two pieces together. My mom would put the peanut butter on and then spread the jam over the top of the peanut butter, then put the other slice of bread on. Apparently this upset me greatly, because I remember running out of their kitchen and all the way home crying.

10. We lived close to a shopping complex that was a walk away from our appartment when we were first married. About a month into the marriage we were walking with friends to go to dinner at Wingers that was just a walk away. While we were walking two teenage girls started eyeing my husband and his friend and said "hi" rather enticingly. My reaction is not what I would have expected. I put my hand in her face showing my wedding ring and said "Excuse ME!" Not my finest moment. My husband still laughs about it though. He thought he was going to have to stop me from fighting her. (I'm rolling my eyes at the thought)

So now I am supposed to tag people. To be honest there are very few followers of my blog. That would leave the person who tagged me, which now is inellidgible, and then there is the people that she already tagged... So I guess who ends up getting tagged are the people who come upon my blog that know me. The only people I can think of that might pop in every once in a while is Anita, Wendy, Heather, and Susan. So tag if you are "fortunate" enough to pop in and read my blog. :)

Mermaid Hair

2009-02-01T20:20:00.002-07:00

There is a tradition that was started by my Aunt Robin. It all started with me as a little girl, not wanting to take a bath. We were visiting in Nevada my mom's relatives, and she was given the job of watching me while I bathed. (I must have been too young to be by myself). After saying I didn't want to put my hair in the water, she asked me if I wanted to find out if I had mermaid hair or not. Ok, what little girl could resist that? My hair was long, so I thought I was a shoe in, but I had to know for sure. Sure enough, my aunt Robin confirmed that I had mermaid hair as I let my hair float around in the water. The trick to getting me help wash my hair as a little girl.
So as I fought with my three year old to get her hair wet in the bath tub this morning, when it dawned on me this morning. Can we find out if the cheesy child has mermaid hair?! The answer is yes, and it is so much easier than hearing her scream when I pour water over her head. The trick to getting her out of the tub, is ask her to look at her fingers and tell her that her fingers are going to turn in to prunes, and when she sees that her fingers are that way, she is ready to get out. Oh the tricks we play to get our kids to willingly comply with what we need to have done.

6 inches gone! (if only it were weight!)

2009-01-21T19:46:00.002-07:00

I have pondered of all the things I should blog about, seeing as it has been quite a while. My life is currently boring. :) Really not a big complaint. I would take boring to roller coaster any day and not have a blog at all, except for the few recipes I decide to share. So the one exciting thing that happened today is that I got my hair chopped off. When I say chopped I am referring to some one cutting 6 inches at least off of my head. I need to be more specific! Let me explain. The last time I got my hair cut it was about 1 and a half years ago and I donated about 8 inches to locks of love. (couldn't do that this time, I have wash out dye that didn't wash out!) I got a really cute cut that was shorter, just below my shoulders and learned how to style it so that it had body and looked really really cute. So I tried describing to the stylist how I wanted it cut. I said I wanted layers, cut a lot shorter, but still be able to pull it back in pony tail. So I got what I described. Just a little bit shorter than what I had originally intended. So when I pull my hair back there is a very tiny little pony tail. It is cute, but I have to curl my hair now. My kind husband in the middle of getting it cut sent our three year old over to tell me "That's too short Mommy!" Owell, hair grows and it's not an awful cut, just something to get used to.

p.s. One little brag moment, my oldest child got her testing back from school and she is the highest in her class, and she is actually 2 sections ahead of the rest of her class in reading. Oh crap, just dawned on me that someday my kids may actually be smarter than me... I guess I have at least 20 years right?!? That I will always have the line "because I'm the Mom and I know better."

"Its poisonous to me!"

2009-01-14T21:11:00.003-07:00

Ok, so from my last post you know that my youngest has an ear infection. When I took her into the doctor, I was instructed to give her mucinex (guaifenesin is the generic name and cheaper....) for a couple of days. The antibiotic she loves that taste of, pink bubblegum you can't seem to go wrong! She has actually asked for it during the middle of the day when she doesn't need to take it. The guaifenesin on the other hand...well, we have a drink of water ready on hand after. If I had been smart I would have gotten the little melt away packets, instead of the generic awful tasting liquid. But no....I'm a little cheap and figured that the taste couldn't be that different. The other night as I told her shouldn't couldn't have the bubble gum flavored stuff until she took the "other" one. She tried negotiating, with no avail. I firmly let her know I was standing my ground when I told her I would get her Dad to hold her down while I put the medicine down her throat if I had to. So after much talking, threatening and advancing she took it all by herself, with a quick glass of water after. She then told me "Mom I think that medicine is poisonous to me!"
That alone would be funny in and of it by itself. Well tonight as her Dad got her medicine together before she went for bed, she told him "No poison tonight!" So because she is doing better, and it's not the antibiotic, she did not have "poison" tonight. Tomorrow morning on the other hand will be a different battle depending on tonight. :)

I'm out of style!

2009-01-11T21:06:00.002-07:00

I am not the typical female. I HATE shopping. Well....maybe not hate exactly, I just don't like doing it because I am once again reminded that clothes on my body do not look good on me like it does on the mannequin or even the hanger for that fact. I've had 3 kids! I have major stress! I have limited time and what time I do have I have a hard time giving up to managing what I eat and exercising like I should. The error alone remains with me. It is my lone responsibility for what I look like is left up to me, and no one else. Having said that... I still remain out of style. :) My friend Stephanie took me out shopping, and she is an absolute sweet heart to deal with a difficult non shopper! She really didn't get anything for herself, but gave me feed back. She is pregnant so I don't blame her for not wanting to shop for clothes. As we were looking at shoes I mentioned that I thought that some of the shoes looked more like an art project than something I would wear. Not that they weren't cute shoes....just not me. She had to drag me to two shoe stores before I agreed on a pair. (This is the reason why I think guys don't like shopping with women.) I also have an argument with style makers who think that just because I'm short that everything else on me is small too. The pants don't fit in one way or another or just don't look right. The shirts may fit but there is one section that is a little over stretched and doesn't look right either. So I happily remain out of style because I hate trying on clothes and realizing that once again that cute shirt looks hideous on me. I will wear my out of date clothes and shoes, and be happy because they fit me. So as much as I like watching fashion and seeing it, it is not for me. I am not fashionable, but I appreciate those that are, and give kudos to them! They look great, and that is wonderful!

Ok...now back to my real life. I didn't sleep a whole lot last night. Brie kept waking up screaming, crying, or just plain shouting "MOM!" most of the night. Yes, she has an ear infection. I took this moment to reflect back on the fact that last night was reminiscent of having a newborn in my house. I instantly became grateful that I have a 3 year old with an ear infection and not a newborn. Also I got to take a nap this morning and switched shifts with my husband so we could recuperate on loss of sleep. So I am so grateful that I have 3 kids, the youngest being 3, who is Poop Trained...just not potty trained! the oldest who is a good reader and has better fashion sense than her mom! The middle child who cracks me up daily, and is perfecting the art of smooth talking early on! So here are my thanks sent out to the world for my life as it is. Some things may suck in my life, but overall there are things I just wouldn't give up or change.

B's recipes

2009-01-03T22:13:00.002-07:00

So my youngest child thinks she is going to be a gourmet chef. Three times now I walk into the kitchen after running down to do wash, going to bathroom, or anything and come back to find her making her own recipe. Given her age these concoctions she has come up with are less than appetizing. She has mixed things from cold cereal, water, jello, crackers, cookie dough from the fridge, popcorn kernels, muffin mix and milk. Not in any particular combination. Maybe I shouldn't let her mix cookie dough with me anymore. Do any of you have suggestions on how to guide my budding personal chef?

I think I created a monster

2009-01-01T20:25:00.003-07:00

Obviously my blog is public. So the few people who know about my blog can read and respond. This is a good thing don't get me wrong. I'm glad. I sometimes need to be put in my place in one form or another. What I really shouldn't have done was show other peoples blogs to my husband... So be aware there will be another blogger starting in the family. After I sign off in a few minutes I'll relinquish the computer for who knows how long for the comradery to begin. The peanut gallery in the back saying I'm adding fuel to the fire by that comment. To be honest it would nice to see. I want to encourage this because maybe I'll understand more of what he's been trying to tell me for the last 8 and a half years, because to be truthful I am stubborn and hard headed at times. Not to mention oblivious to efforts he does take at times. (I do look back and see some of the things he tried to do to make me happy that I went on unaware to.) So I hope you are all having a good new year with good intentions for it. :)

Breakfast in bed

2008-12-27T19:25:00.002-07:00

My husband has been telling me that I let our youngest get away with too much. I have passed it off as that he doesn't understand girls. Which to some extent is true, but unfortunately for me on the last battle he may have won. All of our kids get a drink before bed and then get sent to bed. All of them try to push it each night. I got the job of tucking kids in to bed tonight. So when Brie said she wanted a drink in bed, but said that she would get to her bed sooner, I conceded and thought nothing of it. So she gets a drink in bed, and I absentmindedly put the cup on her dresser so I can kiss and tuck her and Ali into bed. I wish them sweet dreams and turn out the light and leave the room. I'm off to tuck Trev in, that goes smoothly until I go to start turning out extra lights in the house. I hear Brie shouting something at the top of her lungs. Crap! She obviously wants something. Probably forgot one of her stuffed animals she wanted out in the living room. So I go back in, and ask her what she wants me to get her to get her to go to sleep. She says very perfunctorily "I want breakfast in bed!" hmm....so many reasons why this is not possible. I thought I would divert the question, give her stuffed snake and tell her it's name is "Breakfast in bed". She looked at me smiled and then laughed. "No mom, I want breakfast in bed". "Brie, you can't have breakfast in bed, because first of all we don't eat food in our beds."-me "Then I want soup like Trevy in bed"- Brie. "No! Sweety like I said before we don't eat food in our beds, we eat food at the table and you already had dinner. What other stuffed animal would like to sleep with?"-me "I want doll food in bed!"-Brie. Fine! So maybe I do give in too much because her doll food she got for Christmas is sitting at the very end of her bed and told her should could play with it in the morning.
PS my husband says he's thinking about a blog titled "in defense of the accusations my wife lays against me"

Counting blessings instead of sheep

2008-12-20T22:26:00.003-07:00

I guess I just want vent. I'm not sure vent is the right word. Maybe share the some of the situations going on in my life right now. There is a lot going on in my life right now. I won't say everything that is going on, but some of the ones that I need to let out for me to deal with the ones that I won't. On Monday I get a call at work and find out Great Grandma Thacker has had a stroke. GG Thacker is in he early 70's if I remember right. Her personality is one of constantly moving nature. She is very stubborn. She is a very talented and caring woman who I care for dearly. Because of weather issues, and watching kids, and maybe a little fear of what I will fully come to realize when I do, I haven't been able to go see her yet. My husband and my kids have seen her, and she is doing better, but I hear that she is getting frustrated that she can't go home yet. At this moment I think of my own Grandma Miller and realize that the situation is similar on why she can't go to her home. These are two women that I know are very stubborn and strong willed and independent. I can only imagine the their feelings, because I know I am very much the same way. My heart breaks for them.
Last night my mom called to let me know that my Uncle Jerry passed away from a heart attack. Given I wasn't really close to him and I don't know as much as I should about him. The few memories I have of him were from the two times they came to Utah to visit, and the one time we went there for a missionary farewell for one his sons. I remember him driving me with Amanda to the distrubution center and explaining that it was hard to get lost in Salt Lake City because our roads were designed in a grid system, and them him turning down a road that didn't follow the system and getting a little lost, and him quietly saying that this was not the way the roads were originally designed. (I'm laughing right now looking back on this) I remember that he is how I first heard about Dune (for those of you who don't know what that is, it is a sci-fi book series and movie, which I have read and seen as an adult) I know he worked at a jail for a large part of his life. I also know that he at one point was trying to help take care of his mother for one reason or another. I know he had brown hair and glasses. I know that he will be missed a lot by his family.
Despite, or because of all of this I know that my life is extremely blessed. We've had secret helpers and some not so secret helpers with Christmas this year, which is comforting because I want my kids to have happy Christmas. My sons asthma has been in good control this last month, which is hard this time of year. I've pretty much eliminated the sippy cup in our house, which in turn has increased Brie's food consumption of healthier foods. Ali lost her front tooth on Tuesday or Wednesday after wiggling it for at least a half hour straight. She has been working on the other front tooth that is almost loose so that she can sing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth". I have gotten more snuggle time with every one of my kids this week than I have in a long time and I've relished it. If you ask what my favorite Christmas movie of all time it would be White Christmas. It's not just because its a fun movie to watch, but the basics behind it. I can't help but think of the song about counting blessings instead of sheep when you can't sleep. So today I have counted my blessings. I know there are so many more that I haven't counted or haven't even realized right now, regardless I am grateful.
For the few people who read my blog (mostly family) I wish you a Happy Christmas, one filled with the true meaning of Christmas.

Rudolph

2008-12-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

Apparently there is a reindeer in my house. It's now faded to a light pink, but all the same she was having fun. Also as a side note, on top of the mark you also see on her hand, there is also a blue one her leg. I'm just glad I got her to the kitchen table, so the marks were contained to her and the old calendar.

Reflections & Lemon juice

2008-12-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

So my huge thing to blog about right now is that Ali won an honorable mention on her reflections poem today!!! There were over 150 entries from her school alone this year, so I take honorable mention very seriously! :) Not to mention the fact that a kid who made a model out of paper and sticks of a space shuttle about 4 feet long, also only got an honorable mention.... Any ways.

Now for the lemon juice. As those of you who know me well, and know my kids pretty well, know that the younger two have a tendency to have weak stomachs, which will cause them to vomit repeatedly till the offender is completely out of their system. (I wonder....there also the two with food allergies.....association maybe?) For that reason of spontaneous vomiting that will occasionally occur in my home I try to keep things like Poweraid (sorry not a Gatorade fan) in my home. I happened to have one left in the fridge, that a child here has some how opened and started drinking with out me being aware. So noticing today that it was opened, figured I might as well let them all have whats left. I split it up in a few glasses for each of the three to have some. There wasn't much left, so Brie after having finished hers found a large bottle of lemon juice in my fridge and insisted that she wanted some. Trev soon decided that he wanted to try some too. So each of them got about 1/2 teaspoonful of lemon juice. Both of them insisted that they liked and wanted it more, despite the extreme puckers on both of their faces that made them contort their bodies. Now I'm going to have to watch the level of the lemon juice apparently in the fridge too.

Muddy kids in November!!!

2008-11-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

To be completely honest it is my own fault. I was the one who didn't turn the wheel barrow upside down back when I knew it would be raining. My kids wanted to go outside, so I let them, and went out back with them. I thought they were just going to play on the swing set while I pulled a few new emerged weeds.(Yes I did find new weeds in November.) My youngest discovered the wheel barrow with all of the rain water in it and showed my son, who said "Oh, look a pond." Pond..... I guess since they first added dirt from underneath the deck and rocks into it first, that could be a semi-accurate description. I didn't worry thinking there hands might get a little cold and I would pull the plug on it shortly anyways, why not let them have some fun. Ali, being a true girl, and a truly good kid, warned me what they were doing, and when I said not to worry about it, left it at that but refused to get herself dirty like her younger siblings. Ali even started helping me pull weeds until she said it was hurting her hands. Next thing I know I hear water flowing, and Brie giggling and Trev belly laughing. Apparently Trev and Brie decided that it was time to expand the size of the pond by pouring the water out on to the dry dirt around it. Brie was in direct path of the water, but she only backed up long enough for the whole contents to make a huge muddy pond which she and Trev decided to jump in. And Jump in. And JUMP in. I'm not sure where the shoes start and the mud ends that are the 4 lumps sitting on the deck right now. (I put their clothes, jackets, some of my clothes, in the wash first to get the mud off) I'm still trying to figure out how Brie got sooo much mud in her hair. And I had to run the bath water twice to get the mud off of both of them. To be honest, I don't regret letting them do it. I can't believe how much fun they had! With as much as they were both at each others throats today it was the one time they had fun in common and got along, even in the tub. So beware if you are ever around my kids and mud.... :)

2008-11-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

What are you doing right now? Watching Fringe, and updating my blog...

Are you named after anyone? Yes and no....My grandma kind of named, but Carolyn was my moms best friend for most of her life.

Whats your living arrangements? I live with my husband & 3 kids

What is the compliment you get from most people? Mostly hair....10 years ago I got butt too.

Are you a daredevil? Can't say that I ever have been or will be

Number of sweat pants you own? Um...2 but I haven't worn since my youngest was 1.

Can you sing? Yeah, but any one can

Do you sleep with stuffed animals? If you call the snoring thing thats laying in bed right now a stuffed animal, then the answer is yes.

Do you like to play with fire? Play no...but I do like watching a controlled fire....like when camping or a fireplace.

Do you consider marijuana a drug? Yes...for many reasons.

What does your dresser look like? Um....old

What color is the carpet in the room your in right now? beige

Whats the biggest thing you want? A colledge degree, that would get me a better paying job!

What all did you eat today? Bowl of cereal, salad, hamburger, onion rings..oh and one sugar cookie at work.

What age do you want to get married at? I got married a month away from turning 19...I wouldn't suggest it! :)

Whats your screen saver? it just blinks off....

Do you like to do puzzles? Yes and so do my kids

Do you think someone is talking smack about you behind your back? Probably...but owell lifes too short

How long have you lived in the house you live in now? 6 years

First movie you ever saw at the theatre?Um I don't know...

What's your normal bedtime? Any where from 10 to midnight.

Do your pets sleep with you?I don't sleep with fish!

Name an annoying actor or actress? Um...most of the stuck up ones?!

Who was your best friend in the 5th grade? hmmm....Heather, Heather, Krissy, and Meghan, oh and Elisa too...

Are you superstitious? I don't know.

What is your favorite day of the week? Used to be Friday...now its Sunday!

Are you into politics? Not particullary...some issues I'll definitely take a stand on, but most I don't know enough about.

Do you enjoy thunderstorms?YES!!!

Do you consider yourself a leader or a follower? Little bit of both...

What is your position at your job? I'm 3rd from the last hired....so kind of still proving stage

Do you have any famous ancestors that you are aware of? I'd have to ask my Uncle Arnold! Or my Grandpa (other side of the family)

Do you believe that the Confederate Flag is racist? I think the thought behind it of inequality yes, is racist. An object only holds what people assign to it.

What astrological sign are you? Leo

What genre of music do you prefer to listen to? Depends on my mood...Things like Parramore when I'm a little pissed.... Mostly mellow stuff though.

What’s your favorite college basketball team? Um...on grounds of incrimanation and the fact that I don't have one....I'll say none of the above?

Do you like family get-togethers? Most of the time....sometimes I need a break...too many or seeing the same people too often can cause for nerves being gotten on. :)

Have you ever dated your best friend’s sibling? No

Do you have a mean grandma? I wouldn't say mean...I would say demanding. She is still rather sweet when she wants to be though.

What brand of shampoo and conditioner do you use? Suave....I can't justify more expensive

Which Gatorade is your favorite? Nope...Poweraid caloree free Strawberry!

Have you ever eaten dog food? NO!

Tag to those who have nothing better to say....like I didn't tonight! Thanks Heather!!!

Is there something in the air?

2008-11-23T23:40:00.000-07:00

Why is it that kids typically gang up and act out at the same time? I literally think I looked like I was juggling Brie today during sacrament meeting. We sat on the very back row, by where the partition opens....bad choice!!!!!!! She decided to see what would happen if she moved the handle.... After removing her from the situation, I counted backwards and forwards from 1 to 10, 10 to 1 and proceeded to try and keep her from distracting any one else after that. Not a successful week for us. She decided to pat the guys hand in the bench 2 feet in front of us to say "hi", she kept insisting on trying to lay down and pushing her feet into the little boy in another family sitting next to us. Tried crawling on the floor, and because it was a walk way right in front of us she also thought she could spread out like a baby and take the coloring book with her and block the walk way. After removing her from this small hindrances to those around us, she makes herself go limp, and curls her legs from underneath her, so every time I go to pull her up on my lap she will bring my skirt up with her. *I'm putting my head down and shaking it* I don't think any one caught sight of anything above my knee...at least I'm praying no one did, for every ones sake. She can be soo cute, and yet so entirely obnoxious! So some how I make it through sacrament meeting with out pulling all of my hair out or hers for that matter. So since were "potty training" *eye roll* I take her down to the bathroom to try and then she decides she's going to run all the way back to nursery, which mind you is on the opposite end of the building...both times I take her to try...which was fruitless. At least the ladies in the library got a kick out of me trying to catch her both times, whispering the whole way, "Brie! Brie! We don't run in the church!"
On a lighter note, she kept saying she was going to play ball underneath the kitchen table during dinner. Imagination is not in short supply in our house!!! If you need some we have some to spare!

I'm waiting for some place warm to freeze over.

2008-11-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, to put it bluntly, I'm taken back by what help I've been getting lately. I have a bad head cold that wakes me up at night, blow my nose or wipe it depending on what stage of night I'm at, scare the kids silly every time I blow, can't hear me because my voice is gone most of the time head cold. I would not wish any one a bad head cold. You'd really really have to piss me off for me even to consider it, and considering I didn't really understand what pissed off really was till I got married that says a lot! (even my husband agrees to that statement:) So my husband has cooked the last two dinners...stir fry the first night, and homemade hamburgers and french fry's tonight. He's offered to let me sleep in the past two mornings that I've been off work. This is not saying that I didn't know it was in him...I did, I'm just appreciating it more right now. So I'm waiting for some place warm to start getting really cold or I'm going to wake up, because it's been a while. If it's a dream, I think I'll sleep longer. :)

An update on the potty training. We decided to try bribery with Brie. Every time she uses the potty for the true purpose, we'll give her a treat. So this works for part of the day. One problem. I've tucked her in bed, and I hear her say after she's been quiet for a good 5 minutes. "Mom! I want a treat!" *argh* So now she thinks things that she has to do, because she has to, she gets a treat for. (No I didn't give her a treat! It was slightly tempting for a minute...)

Streaker

2008-11-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

I have been attempting to potty train my 3 year old. *sigh* So you think most of the time I'm glad when she tells me she needs to go "potty". Truth be said, I am most of the time. We made it once at church today, and she did number 2 in the toilet twice today, so I have to say she is making progress! So tonight we had dinner at my in laws, and she tells me that she needs to go "potty", I rush her in, she does her business great, and we wash up and go back out. So right before we leave to go home we get all three kids in P.J.'s and while I get her undressed, she immediately books it away from me once she is stark naked. I tackled her down and she immediately starts to giggle then starts saying frantically "I need to go potty", so I let her go and she runs to the bathroom. Little did I know that she would lock the door behind her with me on the outside while she went "potty". So I finally convince her to turn the handle and let me in to help her wash her hands (I had already heard her flush the toilet). After were done washing hands, she runs out of the bathroom giggling while I try and chase after her telling her she needs to get a pull-up on, when my father in law notices that she has toilet paper stuck in her cheeks. *sigh* So I chase after her again, and take care of that situation back in the bathroom, and then it took 4 of us after that to be able to keep her tackled long enough to get pull-up and P.J.'s on. She protested right before we zipped up her sleeper that she didn't get to put them on by herself. *pause* Life with her is going to always be interesting!

Directions

2008-11-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

So my sister in law got married yesterday. She is a sweet heart and I wish her the best. I realized after all is said and done it is in their hands. Just like I'm sure many people said when I got married.
The reason for the title is...well quite simply why is it so hard to find the Timpanogos temple!!! We called on the way down there to Vegetarian Vampire, who got married there to ask for directions, who informed me even they got lost going there. So here I am kind of hopless, despite the fact that VV has access to a computer and was the biggest sweet heart and gave us turn by turn directions on how to get there. So, here is a public thank you to her and her sweetness!

Also, as a side note, I would not suggest getting light colored dresses for your flower girls, to any one that is getting married soon or later. Ali's dress already has a spot on it I'm worried about. She looked beautiful, but that was a night to try and keep her from getting anything on it!

white knuckle grip

2008-11-14T09:42:00.001-07:00

Tagged!?!

2008-11-13T23:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks Surrounded by seamonkeys... :)
A) Four places I go over and over:
1. Work, either location
2. Kids school, thank goodness for all day kindergarten or it would be a whole lot more often. 3. Church, at least on sundays
4. The cleaning supplys under my sink, for cleaning.:)
(B) Four people who e-mail me regularly:
1. Spammers
2.My dad, if you include forwards. (I still like them, because their from my dad.)
3. Fast web...its a scholarship search engine.
4. My sisters when they can't get a hold of me any other way...can't imagine why they couldn't get a hold of me.....:P
(C) Four of my favourite places to eat:
1. Rumbi
2. Olive Garden...it's where my husband and I had our first date, so more than anything it's sentimental.
3. Family's when I don't have to cook. :)
4. Sam Pan
(D) Four places you'd rather be:
1. A nice beach in California
2. A movie theater watching a good movie
3. In a really good book, where I can shut out everything else with a few sentences of reading.
4. A good tourist vacation any where.
(E) Four TV shows I could watch over and over:
1.Big Bang Theory
2. Scrubs
3. Heros
4. Star Trek...reminds me of staying up way to late watching them with my brother.
(F) Four people I think will respond:
1. Um...Surrounded by Sea Monkeys, but she tagged me.
2. Wendy?
3. Heather?.
4. Leslie?
I obviously don't have much of a following....owell. It doesn't bother me. I consider this an emotional out let anyways. :)

Strawberry sugar cookies

2008-11-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

I decided that I would post recipes when I have nothing better to say. So here is my recipe for Strawberry sugar cookies (my husband says that they are strawberry jello cookies and won't stop saying so till I note it.), or any other desired flavor of sugar cookies you might thing you want to try.

Ingredients
1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup butter 3 eggs 1 cup sugar
1(3oz) package of gelatin(Desired flavor for cookies)
3 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt

Cream margarine, butter, sugar and gelatin until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beat thoroughly. Add Dry ingredients and mix. Chill several hours in fridge. Roll 1/2 dough at a time, into 1/4 inch thick, and cut into desired cookie cutter shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for about 8 minutes, cool and then decorate or eat plain.

Note, I have used other combinations for butter/margarine/shortening. Any combination seems to have worked so far. Raspberry is a good strong flavor, as well as orange as well. I've done Lime flavored, and I liked it, but the rest of my family didn't care as much for it.
So enjoy the recipe, and take it or leave it. Recipes to look forward too, when I have nothing better to say....Banana bread, Bread maker rolls, Homemade chocolate cake. Mostly the stuff people will actually request me to make. :)

My husband says that I also need to mention I orginally got this one from his mother. So thanks to her as well if you like it. (I've made small modifications)

OCD

2008-11-07T23:01:00.000-07:00

OCD....Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. How sad is it that I have to not have that last blog up for that long. It just bothers me. If it were something extremely cheerful or funny, I would be OK leaving it for a very long time. Any way... This is my OCD moment.
I'll take a tag from surrounded by seamonkeys.
What is your husbands name? Matt
How long have you guys been married? 8
How long did you date? Lets see...we started dating...oh lets just say little under a year.
How old is he? 29 Who is taller? Him Who can sing best? Toss up
Who is smarter? Not sure that is the right question, more like who is more stubborn, and that would be me, half the time.
Who does laundry? Me when I remember, him when I forget
Who pays the bills ? me Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Umm, laying down on my back, I would be on the right side.
Who mows the lawn? mostly him before we had a cousin start mowing it. Who cooks dinner? Mostly me, but he cooks better in general when he does cook.Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Um...not sure. But I would venture me and he would probably say him. Who kissed who first? He kissed me first, if you call it a Kiss, because I couldn't stop laughing and all he got was teeth.
Who wears the pants? We both wear pants.....

Tag to whoever reads this that it's applicable to. :)

Sleep does wonders

2008-11-04T22:45:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all of those who noticed my last blog. Despite being OK, I appreciate it. I've learned in life, what little I've learned, is that life isn't going to stop because it's not going the way you want. I don't know that there has been a whole lot of my life that has gone the way I've planned. I'm slowly, and I mean slowly because I started coming to this realization before Trev was born, and he's five now. Sometimes just moving and keep pushing through is part of what life is about. I'm getting to be an expert at that. Doesn't mean that it's not rough some days, just that it's getting easier.
Also a big note to mark is that sleep is a big factor on function ability. I finally got some sleep. In fact I got to sleep in this morning while Matt got the kids ready for school, and made their lunches and was even going to take them to school, but I woke up. No wonder my three year old alarm clock always gets up at the same time. She can't sleep in any longer, because her body tells her she should be awake, just like mine does.
Speaking of sleep....I think I'll get some! :) Good night to all of you other night owls, but this one's bowing out.

Also as a side note, I heard Beastie Boys for the first time on Monday. The two guys I was working with really like it. I still don't get it. I guess it's just not my type, I like more mellow stuff.

2008-11-04T00:26:00.000-07:00

I feel that I am at a bit of a cross roads. I know some of what I have to do in my life, and like in all change, I'm scared. I know that I've got to go back to school. I know that I still have to work. I know that I love my kids and I don't want to loose any more time with them than what I have already. I'm trying to figure out how to make this work, and I'm at a loss. For most people the suggestions and the answers would be simple, but for me, in my situation they aren't. I guess my sparkle is a down a long road that's ahead of me.(thanks Nicole) So I guess you get to a point, when nothing becomes impossible to overcome.
I was sitting in church on Sunday when I wrote this down. I feel less confident than I did then, but I guess like I have in the past I need to keep pushing forward, and remembering that feeling I had and have faith.

I can see the light breaking, -wanting to break through the clouds, rimming on the edge of a cloud. The storm has left much to clean up. I've weathered the storm with help from earth and heaven. I can tend the battled garden and make it beautiful again.

good intentions...

2008-11-01T23:38:00.000-07:00

Here I am, awake at the late hour, when I should be asleep. I even told myself I would go to bed at a descent time tonight, when I woke up this morning. So here I am still awake, and why? I'm not really sure. I'm kind of tired, but my mind is still going. Brie just woke up and thought it was time to get up for the morning... I can see this may be a long night.

Need feedback

2008-10-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know this is a strange request given that I already have so little amount of time in my day, but here it is. I had this very vivid dream the last week that I can still give you every little detail about, and it had some raw potential of being a great story. I've already written down notes about it, and questions about where I want to take the story, but not sure if it's a feesible project. It would probably be sort of a fantasy almost fairy tell like quality, but more for adults. I don't know, its hard to explain. I've already written 3 pages, and I'm not sure if I could/should continue. I need some sort of feedback, good, bad, fix this, or this may not be the best idea, or this isn't the type of book I would read. So if you want to read part of what I've got, or maybe the raw idea, message me somehow and I will send you some of it.
FYI, if you haven't figured out by now, I miss spell check when I blog!

NUTS!!!

2008-10-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

OK, as aforementioned on my intro blog, that my son is allergic to peanuts. And I when I mean allergic, I mean he very well could stop breathing almost instantaneously if he ever ingested one. The last time he had a reaction that ended us up in the ER was because I had something with peanuts in it the night before, brushed my teeth, went to bed kissed him the next morning and he still had a reaction. So the point I'm making with this, I'm not sure. I just know that I miss peanuts, and all nuts in general.
We had trunk or treating tonight at our ward, and the kids had a blast. There was painting oranges, pumpkin tossing, all around fun. Always a worry when the candy is involved. What I'm getting to is that holidays can really stink as far as his allergy goes. What do you think of automatically when you or your kid gets a treat that you really, and I mean really really want. Nine times out of Ten I would almost gurantee that it would have some kind of nut in it, or that it has been manufactured in plant proccessed with peanuts or a nut of somekind, or my favorite one yet that I have to check for is "cocoa processed with Alkali". All of these things listed on the back of a wrapper means that my son either definitely will have a reaction or play russian roullette if he did eat it. I love the little guy, and I'm not willing to risk it, even if it did take over an hour to convince him to stay in his bed tonight, after bedtime. Surprisingly enough though, I don't know if I've taught him or helped educate him well enough for him to be able to pick out what he can and can't have. Going through his trick or treat basket, I only found the one treat that I knew he couldn't have, and knew it from the moment I saw it before the kind unknowing lady put it there. The peanut butter taffy. (even that sounds good now...) He knew when people offered for him to let him pick his treats he got the ones he knew he could eat. Even my girls baskets weren't that bad to have to pick out the candy to give to people that probably won't run into my son. (So yes, you could say we are a nut free family in the literal sense...maybe not in any other, but that a whole other blog...) Also knowing that after talking with his primary teacher and the primary president that a large majority of people are some what aware of his allergy and are concerned is overwhelmingly encouraging. When they were passing out fathers day stuff on church list last year the the YW president put together stuff with out the chocolate nut stuff, told specifically one girl to give it to our family specifically. I'm not asking other people to give up their own treat, I'm just glad to know that they also care enough to have my son around. So a thanks out to those who care enough to ask, or to find something that works!

How common phrases baffle children

2008-10-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

I went to my sister in-laws bridal shower last night. I took my girls with me, happily. They love their aunt to death, and I can't blame them! She is a sweet heart to the core, and can always make me smile. Any way the reason for the title. I was explaining to my 3 year old, Brie, that we were going to Aunt Nicoles Bridal shower, explained where we were going and what time. After quite some time and her thinking about it, asked me how we were all going to fit. It took me a second to realize that she meant we were all going to jump into her physical shower.

amazing how mcuh value people have in your life.

2008-10-21T21:16:00.001-07:00

I recently ran into a friend from my childhood online. I 'd have to say it was nice. Unlike most normal people, I like to try and avoid people from my past, with a few rare exceptions. It's not out of having done something awful, I guess its just when I run into people I go back to that akward place in my teenage years when I was trying to define myself. Running into her was very nice, and I realized that I've missed out on a lot because I have avoided those things. To be honest, she hasn't changed so much from the person that I liked being around back in highschool. She is still sweet, good hearted, and uplifting. To be honest, a lot of days you need friends like that. I found out that I have friends that have kids now, that I didn't know did...people that have gotten married I didn't know about. So here is a small tribute to all the friends from highschool that were good friends to me. The ones that were there to listen, to hang around with, the ones that still were nice to me even when I distanced myself from them. The friends that were just good examples of how we should treat each other. So thank you! Even if I know only the one I talked to tonight will probably read this. At least she will know that she is appreciated.

Why I love being a Mom

2008-10-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

How lame is the title. Pretty lame! But to put it simple at the end of the day being a mom is something that I'm pretty lucky and proud to be. After I have had to fight to put kids to bed after a long day, trying to clean up a house, make meals, lunches, get kids dressed in clothes/pjs each for over a half hour because they have one more thing that they want to talk to me about. The three little sleeping bugs in the other room look entirely sweet and have so much potential that I was blessed to observe and try and guide.

I've made a small ritual between my son and I. He is not a morning person. Just like his parents! :) School starts before he would like to be awake some days, and he will ask me why he has to get up, and tells me that he is still soo soo sooooo tired. So now when I go to wake him up in the morning, I climb in the bed beside him, grab half of his covers, and tell him that him and I are going to stay there and sleep all day long. I thought this reverse pschology would work on him. I should know better! He just snuggles in closer and says "Okay Mom!" and then laughs and closes his eyes. So we stay there for a few minutes and then Brie will come bounding in and want to join in, despite the fact she's been up for at least an hour by this point, and tries to snuggle in right between us, and Trev will usually get up... or possible say "Brie(note there would be a hint of whine to this) this is my bed." He just ends up in a better mood if I wake him up this way. I can only imagine 10 years from now and having to climb in to bed and steal his covers to get him up then, and I'm sure it won't always be so warmly recieved, but for now I'll take it and run with it.

Community sleeping

2008-10-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

I would like to know what happens some days that makes your kids think they have to sleep in the same room that you do. I have had my youngest waking up every 2 hours at night until she comes in and sleeps on our floor, for about 4 days straight now. Also with waking up around 6:30 am. I'm still bleery eyed at that hour in the morning. I noticed this morning as I moved Brie to the floor by our bed, that I almost stepped on our son, who decided to take his sisters cue, and join the floor as well. Not a problem, I just hope that I didn't kick him too hard in my half asleep state. I'm expecting Ali in the next couple of nights....

Intro

2008-10-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

I was given the suggestion to blog by my husband. Not much too it right?!? We shall see with my first attempt here. So bare with me. This could be scary....
So about me...I'm a working mom of 3 wonderful little kids. Age 7 Ali, age 5 Trev, and age 3 Brie. I work as a pharmacy tech 3 days of every week. I work as a mom 24 hours a day 7 days a week. My oldest is in 2nd grade. My son is in all day kindergarten, and he has asthma and a very severe peanut allergy. My youngest has a cinnamon allergy that makes her blow up like a bright red blow fish. She is also my first child to get stitches, and hopefully my last.
The reason for the title, is that I always feel like I'm trying to keep a white knuckle grip on reality, my children, my sanity, pretty much anything I have a fear of losing. :)

My first real blog spot will be this short little story from my mom regarding a question he asked her. My mom often watches my kids when I work. Also another precurser is that I had all 3 of my kids by c-section. My son asked my mother if I came out of her tummy or her bum hole. My mothers response was neither. My sisters response to hearing this was, no wonder he's a little %$#@ head. To bear all amends to my son, he is actually quite a good kid, but already with quite a smart alec trait, he's learned from an older sibling.