I Did It!

It's the last day of November!

I can't believe I posted every. single. day.

It was fun, but I'll be glad to go back to my regular programming. I actually feel like I'm missing everyone because with the every day post takes up a bit of my blog-reading time and I know I haven't been commenting as much as I should be. Things will be different in December, I promise.

Of course, December brings Christmas which I am so not ready for. I usually have all of my shopping done by this point and I'm not even half way done this year. Gift cards are looking better and better to me. Can we just skip it this year? I'm just not in the jolly yule mood. Maybe it's the eighty degree weather down here or the three kids running me ragged, but I'm just not looking forward to it. Sad, huh?

Anyway, can you remember when Elizabeth was a mushy, pink lump?



What happened to my floppy-headed doll?

She was replaced by this pretty girl, that's what!



In just a week's time she's grown a tooth, learned to sit, learned to pull herself up to sit, and is attempting to trade scooting for crawling. I can't imagine what she'll attempt next week.

All I Want For Christmas Are Some Sugar Bowl Tickets

I have always been an Arkansas fan, but I have never loved the Razorbacks more than I did last Friday. In case you were stuck in a hole, or don't follow the BCS as closely as I do, unranked Arkansas beat number 1 LSU thereby ending all championship hopes for the Tigers. I am always a sucker for the underdog, but that loss, along with the Kansas loss, shot West Virginia right on up to number two in the rankings. If the Mountaineers don't shoot themselves in the ass with penalties and turnovers on Saturday against our archrival Pitt, then they're heading to New Orleans for the National Championship game.



I have been online for two days trying to secure some tickets and can you believe they're already sold out? A bowl bid hasn't even been extended and the tickets are already gone. Sucks. I'm sure hoping Santa has a few tricks up his sleeve because it would sure be a shame to have to sit out in the parking lot in the cold in January with three little children.

Tapped Out Today

I don't feel much like writing today so to keep up with NaBloPoMo, a picture post.



Thanksgiving wasn't all bad I guess.

I Need A Drink After This One

Well, I had an interesting afternoon.

This morning at the donut shop, I happened to look at Elizabeth and notice a strange rash on her forehead. It wasn't really red, it wasn't raised, it was just a bunch of little purpley pinhead dots that went down her neck and onto her shoulders. My donut dudes suspected dermatitis and I figured, well, she did sleep on clean sheets last night, maybe I accidentally washed them in the fragranced detergent and went on to Little Gym as usual. After loads of fun at the LG, the kids and I took a stroll through the mall and while waiting on Santa again (I couldn't deny my middle child another crack at Ho Ho), I noticed the rash again. It seemed a little more purpley and there seemed to be more behind her ears. Hmmm, time to head home to Dr. Google. Dr. Google's diagnosis: It is urgent that your child be seen by a doctor since the purpley rash didn't blanch white when pressed so your child most certainly has meningitis and likely infected everyone she came in contact with, even poor, poor Santa. I almost passed out then and there.

So, I try to remain calm and dial the pediatrician's office and let them know I have just a teeny concern and they were all like, come in right now, can you be here in ten minutes? That made me vomit in my mouth just a little. I honestly do not remember driving to that office. I couldn't tell you which road I choose to get there. I just remember getting there and seeing our pediatrician, not a nurse, waiting for us outside the door. Surely she was just being friendly I kept telling myself. New policy or something. She didn't seem concerned or anything. I think she was smiling. Yeah, she's just happy to see us. Yeah, that's it. So she takes us to a room, takes Elizabeth and looks her over, pokes at her, asks a bunch of questions and tells me, yep, those are petechiae and she'll be drawing blood to check her platelet count and can two med students come look at her because we don't see those very often.

Damn, that can't be good.

It took all of seven minutes for her to prick my baby's finger and come back with the results and temporary diagnosis. Her platelet count is fine, good in fact, and she guesses the petechiae are from an extended crying fit she had as a result of having to spend one hour with my husband. In those seven minutes I imagined my baby being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and all that might come with that. Those seven minutes almost killed me. I couldn't even imagine what happens all the time to "somebody else". I thought of my sister and I probably felt only a fraction in seven minutes of what she felt for nine years, probably still feels. I cried with relief when that good doctor told me she thought my baby was fine. I cried in the car on the way home. I cried when I picked up my son. I cried when I looked in the rearview mirror at my three healthy children because I am so, so grateful that they are healthy and ornery and full of life and that, for now, I don't have to live those seven minutes, that I am not "somebody else" today.

If you happen to be "somebody else", just now that you are being prayed for today.

Scenes From Our Thanksgiving Day

The most wonderful time of the year.....




I think not.

NaBloPoMo Meme Number Three

SILLY MEME

1.When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? Can I drive Jacob to school without brushing my hair?

2.How much cash do you have on you? none

.3.What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR? floor

4.Do you label yourself? no

5.Bright or Dark Room? Depends, I like sunlight and refuse to turn the lights on during the day unless it is storming. My husband keeps all the rooms like airport runways after dark and I absolutely hate it, I prefer it at least a little less bright.

6.Why is there always a missing question?I don't get that....should I?

7.What does your watch look like? I have tons of watches. My favorite is a Mary Poppins watch I bought with my first real pay check, but it hasn't worked in some time, but my husband bought me a nice silver armitron watch at Kohls. It's nice, but I wear gold.

8.What were you doing at midnight last night? Nursing a baby, I'm sure.

9.Where is your nearest 7-11? We don't have 7 - 11 here.

10.What’s a word that you say a lot? shit

11.Who told you he/she loved you last? Jacob

12.Last furry thing you touched? Phoebe as she was curled up in bed with me

13.How many rolls of film do you need developed?I haven't used a film camera since I got the nice digital last year, but I did find an old disposable camera of Lauras when we were at the lake that I finished off and I need to have it developed, when I will ever get around to that is beyond me.

14.Favorite age you have been so far? 7

15.Your worst enemy? My neighbors. Horrible, horrible people

16.What is your current desktop picture? The boys in the bluebonnets last year.

17.What was the last thing you said to someone? Take your dirty clothes to the laundry room.

18.The last song you listened to? Just Like Heaven by The Cure

19.What time of day were you born? 12:36 pm

20.What do you do when vending machines steal your money? If I am at a place where someone is working I complain to them and get my money back.

21.Do you consider yourself kind?Yes, most of the time.

22.What’s your life motto? Leave my Elevator Alone.

23.Name three things you have on you at all times. Three pairs of diamond earrings.

24.Can you change the oil on a car? nope

25.When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it? My college roommate died in 1999. Her mother and I have written letters back and forth about once a month since she wrote to tell me of her death back then.

NaBloPoMo Meme Number Two

More meme thievery....

5 Things found in my room

three baby books

a sewing machine

lots and lots of Legos

5 things I’ve always wanted to do:

Parasail

Be on Oprah's Favorite Things Show (not greedy much)

Build a new home

Go to culinary school

Travel in an RV to Yellowstone


5 things found in my bag

my mini camera/video recorder

a bottle of bubbles

two diapers

two pacifiers

four tubes of lipstick

5 things in my wallet

Driver’s license

a gift card to Origins

a raincheck for a three pound bag of lemons

a charge card

a spare car key


5 things I’m currently “in to”

WebKinz

Homemade Gourmet

Hiding veggies in my kids food

Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, and Chuck

Lemon Zinger tea

NaBloPoMo Meme Number One

I think I stole this one from OneHung forever ago.

1. Do you still have tonsils? – yes
2. Would you bungee jump? – no way
3. If You Could Do Anything In The World For A Living What Would It Be? – I would sit back and earn money doing absolutely nothing.
4. How many tattoos do you have? – None, but I do intend to get one some day.
5. Your favorite fictional animal? – Snuffleupagus
6. One person that never fails to make you laugh? – Will Farrell
7. Do you consider yourself well organized? – I used to be extremely organized, but that's one trait I lost upon having the second child.
8. Any Addictions? – Soda
9. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? - Headline News
10. Would you rather go to a carnival or circus? – Carnival
11. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? – a teacher
12. Best Movie You've Seen This Year? – I don't think I've seen any movies this year.
13. Favorite alcoholic drink – Blue Moon beer
14. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? – Put my glasses on.
15. Siblings? – I have one sister. The last time I spoke to her was in July. Not because of a riff, just because she never answers the phone.
17. Have you ever gone to therapy? – Yes. We've been to marriage counseling and it was extrememly helpful. If it weren't for the therapy lady I would be a single mother with only one child.
18. If you could have one super power what would it be? – The ability to make money hand over fist without lifting a finger.
19. Do you own any furniture from Ikea? – Not anymore.
20. Have you ever gone camping? – Yes. Didn't care for it much.
21. Gas prices! First thought? – Stay home.
22. Your favorite cartoon character? – The Jetsons
23. What was your first car? – 1986 Toyota Corolla. Slammed it into a hill, I did.
24. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? – no, but I do think it isn't for everyone.
25. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? – The Simpsons
26. Do you go to church? – I should.
27. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? – Paula Deen
28. What errand/chore do you despise? – Cleaning the bathrooms
29. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? – When will I ever sleep again?
30. Last time you puked from drinking? – My birthday
31. What is your heritage? – Hell if I know.
32. Favorite flower? – crocuses
33. Disney or Warner Bros? – Disney
34. What is your best childhood memory? – Going to the candy store, aka the gas station, with my dad every Sunday afternoon
35. Your favorite potato chip? – Cheetos. Do they count?
36. What is your favorite candy? – Lemonheads
37. Do you burn or tan? – I have red hair and freckles. Do the math.
38. Astrological sign? – Virgo
39. Do you own a gun? – Well, my dad bought one for me when I lived alone, but I have no idea what became of it. That's probably not good huh?
40. What do you think of hot dogs? – Hebrew National are the only ones worth eating.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Through the Woods We Go

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday I think.

I love Christmas, but there's so much work involved. The shopping, the decorating, the wrapping and unwrapping. Thanksgiving is great because there is nothing more than eating, being grateful, and parades. What's better than that?

We'll be leaving tonight to spend Thanksgiving at the lake with my parents. My mom has all the groceries ready for me to cook the meal early tomorrow. I love to cook, so I am looking forward to it. The weatherman says a cold front is coming so we might even be able to trade our shorts and tees for sweaters and jeans and I am looking forward to that also.

There's no such thing as high speed internet up that way, so I'll be leaving you with a variety of stolen, prewritten memes to get me through the holiday NaBloPoMo. I apologize in advance.





And for them, I am grateful.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

We saw Santa yesterday!

Yes, I realize it isn't even Thanksgiving, but have you seen the lines for Santa at our mall in December? Seeing Santa before we put up the tree is now our new tradition and apparently it's becoming everyone else's tradition as well because we still waited in line. On a Monday afternoon. I shudder to even think how busy old Santa will be this weekend.

Poor old Santa had his lap full this year. Adam was able to ask for his own toys this time (a truck in case you were wondering), Jacob taught Santa all about WebKinz and didn't ask for anything Thomas for the first time ever and I think I heard Elizabeth ask for a pair of shoes.

So now that Santa knows what everyone wants, he needs to get off his ass and start shopping.

Seven Months

Elizabeth is seven months old today.

She apparently didn't want to miss a minute of her big day because she woke up at five a.m. ready to celebrate.

She also sprouted a brand new, very first tooth for the occasion.




Seven months old!

Shouldn't she be sleeping through the night by now?

Six Things About Me

Mommy Daisy tagged me for a Six Things About Me Meme. I know you are dying to know six more things about me so here goes:

1. I get along better with men than women. When I was in college I lived in a coed dorm for three years on the same floor with most of the same people. Most of those people were guys. They were easy to get along with, they watched out for me like a sister, and the lack of catty games was heavenly. I lived in an all girl dorm my first year and it was like night and day. I'd have disagreements with the guys and we'd argue tooth and nail, but we'd still be friends the next day. That never happened at the girl dorm.

2. I am a Pi Beta Phi (secret handshake to anyone else out there). I was, and still am, definitely not the sorority type, but I was a bit of a follower freshman year and my dad thought a sorority might help me get adjusted to school and look good to interviewers so I stuck with it. I pretty much went to the mixers and hung with the frat guys, but not in the same way the other girls did, I was always the little sister, drinking buddy, does-she-like-me go between and that was a-ok with me.

3. I love Alton Brown. You know, the dude on Food Network from Good Eats and Iron Chef and Feasting on Asphalt. He got me through many a colicky night. I secretly hope I run into him at restaurants around town and we can sit down and have some drinks and shoot the shit. The fact that we have both eaten at Mulates in New Orleans is some sort of degree of separation and we're practically friends now, right?

4. I have a serious addiction to WebKinz. Yeah, I like to think I'm doing it for my kid, but the games at the arcade call me like whiskey to an alcoholic. The good news is that my kid has tons of kinzcash all the time.

5. I have really, really bad eyesight. Even the Lasik doctor was impressed with my level of near-sightedness and since he's been performing that surgery for many years now, it must be pretty bad. Without my glasses, I can only see colors in front of me. I cannot wait for the Lasik.

6. I love cheesy movies. If it's up for an Academy Award, I probably won't like it. I can usually find all my faves in the five dollar bin at Wal-mart. If it has Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler in it, I own it. And FYI: I got the name Jacob from the movie Richer or Poorer and Adam from Blast From the Past. Virtual kudos to anyone who even knows who was in the movie Richer or Poorer.

More Milk Please Mommy

Adam said a sentence yesterday.

Well, more like a phrase, but still, four words strung together to ask for something.

Hallelujah!

He's been receiving an hour of speech therapy once a week since July. In July he could say only five words: mama, dada, sister, cat, and choo-choo. Now, he's saying so many new words each day I can't even keep up. I've even had to tone down my traffic rants after he started calling all the trucks asses.

But at almost three years old he should be speaking in sentences.

I'm going to count that as a sentence.

My baby is finally talking. He was just waiting for something useful to say.

What Could've Been.....

Lynsey requested the Brad Paisley story......

I moved back to West Virginia in 1998. The husband, although he wasn't the husband at the time, lived in the town twenty miles north of my old hometown and I decided to live in sin with him because my parents hotfooted it south three months earlier. I liked it there because I didn't know everyone like the hometown and, likewise, they didn't know me.

I took a job teaching gifted kids at an elementary school in town and got to know the teachers. I loved the teachers there and looked forward to lunch everyday to get the good gossip and learn more about my new hometown. I started getting bits and pieces about the fourth grade teacher's son being away at a college in Nashville and trying to make it as a singer. I wondered why she didn't put her foot down and make her kid major in something "real" and, honestly, imagined a long-haired, tattooed, honky-tonk singer making his way from bar to bar every weekend trying to make ends meet. Now, none of these teachers knew that I was living with a guy. I didn't think it would look good for the teacher to be shacking up, so I just omitted Derick from all conversation alltogether because I am not a very good liar. So when the fourth grade teacher came in one lunch to tell everyone her son would be home for a couple of weeks another of the teachers suggested she bring him in and introduce him to me because he was soooo cute and I was soooo single and oh, my golly, wouldn't we have a great time together! I had no idea how to get out of that one without giving myself away, so I finally just told them all that I had recently met someone and was not available for blind dates and that was that.

A couple of months later the whole town was all giddy crazy because the hometown boy had released his new CD and it was selling like hotcakes. I assumed it was just a little local CD until I was flipping through and caught the end of the "Who Needs Pictures" video on CMT and the name Brad Paisley flashed up and I eventually put two and two together and realized, duh, Mrs. Paisley's son! He wasn't hairy. He didn't look like a drunk barfly. He was cute. And selling CDs. All over the country. For lots of money. DOH!

So that's how I came thatclose to Brad Paisley and didn't even know it at the time.

I Quit

To the Male Members of Our Family (You know who you are),

The white, round, porcelein thing in each of the bathrooms is a toilet. That hole in the middle is where you aim. That is where the pee goes. The pee does not go on the floor, in the tub, or on the walls. Aim for the hole.

That silver handle at the top of that toilet is very cool. If you press it, it makes a cool noise and you won't believe what happens to the water! You should try it sometime. Believe me, you won't be disappointed.

This letter is to officially inform you that, as of this moment, cleaning pee and flushing toilets is no longer a part of my job description. Please become familiar with the toilet technology as soon as possible so that you may take over these tasks. Thank you.

I Blame NaBloPoMo

Apparently Diego wasn't too interesting today......


This is what happens when I try to post every day.

I Miss You Eighth Street

This morning I watched the new Brad Paisley video that was taped in my old hometown a couple of months ago.

It was good. I enjoyed it. It showed the Eighth Street sign. I used to live on Eighth Street. I thought that was exciting so I ran and got Jacob and showed it to him and then I got all teary sad remembering Eighth Street.

Eighth Street was fun. I didn't realize it at the time, but it really was. My best friend was across the street. I could walk to work. There was nothing better than watching my friend's kids love on our doofus dog or wave at me from their front steps. I miss the mailman actually dropping the mail on our porch and snow days and the fricking Big Lots. I miss my friends and my family and my old white house. I could barely see to drive my kid to school for the tears.

But then it dawned on me.

Did they just show the corner of Eighth Street on that video?

I lived near the corner of Eighth Street.

DAMMIT! Could my dream of Brad Paisley knocking on my front door have come true and I wasn't in my house to live it?

Oh, now I'm just pissed.

One more reason I hate Texas.

Obligatory NaBloPoMo Post

So far so good, but I'm starting to feel like those girls on that air freshener commercial who agreed to write a song for the thirty days the thing kept working. Hmmm.....what can I write about next?

I got all three kids dressed and ready before the 7:45 deadline this morning, loaded them all into the car, turned the key and got nothing. That car was dead, man. There I was, dressed and hair combed, all wasted because I unloaded my mini-crew and scrapped school today. We've actually had a pretty good day. Jacob helped me clean the toy room without one complaint. He also dusted and swept the floors and folded towels. I was all patting myself on the back at how well I have taught him to help out around the house when he mentioned his real motive: Santa. Hey, if the bearded one keeps my house picked up for the next month, I'm all for it. I really have enjoyed his company today, so much so that I was imagining what it would be like if I scrapped school for the rest of the year and homeschooled him. Then Adam and Elizabeth both pooped all over everything at the exact same time and I came back to reality and realized no way, not now.

For the sake of NaBloPoMo, I am taking requests.

Anything you want to know about me, just ask. I have 18 more days to write this month and there's just so much mother-in-law bitching a person can do.

Why We Don't Let Daddy Use the Camera

It was baby dedication day at the church this morning.

All I wanted was a picture to remember it by and this is what my husband took.

"This isn't a photo shoot!" was his reply when I asked for one stinking picture of me with my kids.

He wasn't kidding.

So here is the baby dedication picture.

Grand ain't it?