Monday, January 28, 2008

Study Break

So school's back in session and I haven't got the time I was enjoying to devote to things like - surfing the net, playing video games with the kids, blogging. So now we're back to scraps and snippets. Sadly, the pictures I'm posting aren't even good - they're the only ones I took over the weekend.

We are all well for the most part. River has shared a daycare cold with all of us. Good times.

I really should get back to studying or I will fail out of school and it will be all your fault, dear Internet, because I don't think I can get diagnosed with anything like an addiction to blogs. Or at least if I could, I don't think school would care. Or my husband. Or the kids college funds.

I will try to take better pictures during the next week to post on Friday night.



Fizzix yogurt they finally guilted me into. Fizzy yogurt, in a tube. Gross.

See ya later!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Championship Weekend

She really wants to get rid of that front tooth. Here she is tying floss to her tooth. The other half is tied to a door. This is what the Meadow does when she becomes a "football orphan". She's pulling while watching cartoons. Priorities man.
She could be lighting the basement on fire and he wouldn't notice until the t.v. feed was affected.
Contemplating what to beg for after summoning Mom to the kitchen with insistent "uhh, uhh!"
Trying to teach the little one ring around the roses...
Must get back to football now. Enjoy!

Oh my dosh again!

I have about 10 minutes of this, but can only upload small snippets. Hilarious.

Oh my dosh!

In the basement, Friday night.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Blogger games

Okay, so I've been tagged by my lovely southern sister-in-law Kelly. You should check her blog and see my beautiful nieces. Oh wow, I figured out how to make pretty links! Now you can just click the name instead of the unsightly url.

Anyway, I'm posting the rules as required here below:

The Rules: Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.

Share 5 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.

or Share the 5 top places on your “want to see or want to see again” list.

or Share 5 things you never pictured being in your future when your were 25 years old.

Tag a minimum of 5, maximum of 10 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. The tagees have a choice of which they want to do. This rule I will blatantly be breaking because I don't actually KNOW 5 people (face to face know) to tag and I just can't do it to random people. I am a chicken and I am cool with that. For those of you who I do know, who don't blog - get on it. If I can do it, so can you.

So, I'm going with 5 random and/or weird facts about yourself:

1. I share Kelly's disdain for odd numbers when choosing volume levels on the t.v. or in the car. I, however, have an exception to the rule and can allow odd numbers that are divisible by five. That's crazy, right?

2. I always park in the same area when I go places so I never lose my car. I do this so I never have to devote brain power to remembering where my car is. And because wandering around a parking garage trying to hear your car beep is time-consuming and more than a little humiliating.

3. I hate green peppers. This is absolute. No wiggle room.

4. When we have Wii tournaments with the kids I totally wake up with a sore shoulder. Before you mock, think about how often you use your pitching muscles.

5. I have to go back to school on Tuesday and I won't be able to blog as much - and I'm a little sad about it. I'll still post on the weekends!

I'll take pictures of the kids and post them soon.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

A little bit later

Meadow: "I CAN HELP! I CAN HELP!"

Me: "With what?"

Meadow: "Here!" (Hands me a dime, 2 nickles and 2 pennies)

Me: "Oh, thank you jelly bean."

Mike: "What's that?"

Me: "Twenty-two cents."

Hunter: "I've got seventy-one cents..."

Mike: "Good, now you guys just do that about 700 more times and we'll be getting somewhere."

Me (aka Buzzkill): "Thanks guys, how about you just do your best to take care of your teeth like we talked about."

Money pits

$736.80

That's what we paid today for teeth. Teeth, that with a few exceptions are going to fall out. Only to be replaced be larger teeth that will, no doubt, be new little money pits. More fun to come in two weeks when we go in for more work on one of the kids.

I don't know if it was a good move or not, but at dinner I explained to the kids how much money we spent on their teeth today. It went sort of like this:

Me: "So, I know you guys have kind of a bum deal because you have crummy teeth. But here's the deal - remember when a couple months ago when you guys admitted when I tell you to brush your teeth you don't always do it. And that we instituted the 'You owe me a dollar every time that happens' rule?"

Them: silence

Me: "Well we just paid $736.80 for your teeth today."

Hunter: jaw drops

Meadow: head tilts curiously

Me: "That's like 3 new Wiis."

Hunter: eyes huuuuge

Me: "So I need you guys to do your best to brush and floss every morning and every night, the absolute best you can. Because that's a LOT of money."

Hunter: stunned nod of head

Meadow: "Does that mean I'm not going to get allowance?"

Oh. My. God.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Why toddlers are cute

Because when this smacks you in the head while you're just trying to close your eyes for five more minutes while the espresso machine warms up - and after you've changed a diaper, gotten fresh milk and fishies for the perpetrator... that's when you know it's evolution protecting the young.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

While flipping between election coverage and Biggest Loser...

I've got a new addiction and it's name is Blogosphere. Holy cats!!! There's this whole world out there that I was completely unaware of and it's.... delicious! Seriously, check it out sometime.

Just a couple of pictures tonight.

Proof Lola is a saint.

Serious conversation. He's eating my chin!
Dinner/Play time
Take one of me too!
Fudge makes everything better.
The ritual emptying of the childproof (HA!) cabinet.
The corner of toys that isn't nearly as interesting as the kitchen cabinets.

Later!

Monday, January 7, 2008

On life:

First: pictures. Later: lots of babbling. Read at your own risk.

River in his favorite playroom.
Just chillin'.
My mess is so cool... look at me dance.
See, I'm cute.
Really cute.


On dental issues:

You have to understand, I come at this from the perspective of a person who has never had a cavity. Ever. Really. So having children who have cavities that seem to multiply at will is somewhat distressing, not to mention costly. Cavities that have eaten through sealant, popped up at the edge of the sealant, blah, blah, blah. It's gross. They brush. They even floss (at least occasionally) - something I SO didn't do when I was a kid. So what gives??? I'm currently considering sealing River's teeth even though insurance won't cover it because it's bound to be cheaper and less traumatic in the end.

On recovering from surgery:

This has been more difficult and annoying than recovering from childbirth. I'm fine unless I bend or crunch my abs in any fashion. Try bathing a kid, folding laundry or picking up things that have fallen on the floor without using those muscles. It's NOT possible. I've used my toes to pick up more things than I imagined I could... Poor Mike has been so great about the whole thing. He's been picking up the slack and not complaining, not even a little bit. He's seriously like a saint in these situations. Also on the up side - Mike has been home for two weekends in a row. It's been like heaven.

On the dog and sweeping:

Lola is a special dog. She doesn't shed. She doesn't snap at the baby, even when he has bitten her. She also allows him to repeatedly use her as a stepping stool without complaining. I'm just saying, if I was her, I would have bitten him by now. HARD. Another useful trick: she eats many of the things that River hucks from the table, cutting down on the amount of sweeping that would be necessary. This shouldn't lead you to believe that sweeping is something I do as often as is desirable with a toddler (3-5 times daily). In fact, I've taken up wearing socks so the amount of crumbs on the floor doesn't bother me as often as it would when barefooted. I just don't have it in me to be a fantastic housekeeper. Whenever I spend tons of time making the house super-clean I find I get far too cranky when people mess it up. Seeing as the kids are small and prone to being little wrecks on a daily basis, I'm just not willing to be that busy or cranky all the time.

On the end of Christmas:

I hate putting away the Christmas decorations every year. They make the house so full and cheerful. It always feels so empty when they're put away. Putting them away also signals the absolute end of letting the kids have their new toys all over the main floor. Which means I have to figure out where to put River's stuff. Which I don't want to do. Not even a little bit. I'm going to finish this week, but I hate it.

On New Year's Resolutions and Christmas cards:

I don't make them. I subscribe to the school of if you're going to make a change, change. It annoys me that there's an expectation to come up with all these things you SHOULD DO. I've never been a big fan of being told what to do. Isn't it enough that upon motherhood I started being a "rule follower"?! So I simply refuse to participate. This is most likely why I stopped sending Christmas cards a few years ago. One of these days I may start again, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

On happiness:

It's a choice. I choose to be happy and grateful. I love my life. I'm happy with my kids and my husband. I really feel lucky that this crazy thing turned out so well. I mean, when you say your vows, you really have no idea what it actually means. At least, I didn't. I love school and the program I've chosen. I love the little town we live in. I love that we've got family near and that the kids adore their cousins. On a day to day basis I am excited about life. On other days I am at least content, if not enthused. There are, of course, minor irritations that get blown up in the retelling because it's funnier that way. But don't take the sarcasm the wrong way - that's my sense of humor. I mean, you either think Bad Santa is one of the funniest movies you've ever seen or you are shocked and appalled by it. I belong to the first group.

On being old/young:

In the last month I have been called sweetie, ma'am and been carded for alcohol. I went to Starbucks and a girl who was clearly younger than me asked, "What can I get started for you, sweetie?". After I looked behind me to make sure she was talking to me, I ordered my Americano and moved on. Later in the week I dropped off the dog at the groomer's with bed head and wearing p.j.'s. When I picked her up, a woman who was clearly older than me asked if "her ears were the way you wanted them ma'am". Clearly the p.j.'s and hair would lead one to believe that formal speech is unnecessary. Do I really look old enough to be a ma'am? Note to self: remember to routinely wear mascara, at the very least. Finally, I was thrilled to be asked for ID at Mike's Christmas party. Until, of course, someone let me know that she asked everyone at the table for ID. Bummer.

On blogging:

I find other people's blogs so entertaining! The funny that people find in the day-to-day is interesting. Seeing my nieces and nephew grow up when I can't see them regularly in person is fantastic. I hope anyone who reads mine gets even a sliver of the joy that I get from peeking in on other people's lives...

Other people's funny

I'm short on time this morning, but I wanted to post a couple of links for you to enjoy... My sister-in-law introduced me to one (thanks Katy!), which led me to find the other. I have to admit that I spent at least an hour this weekend reading backposts of Dooce.

At any rate, here they are: http://www.dooce.com/
http://www.dadgonemad.com/
http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/babycenter-parenting-federation

I don't know how to make the links cute and I don't have the time to investigate right now. Anyway, the first two are blogs that are fantastic and the last is a resource to find more if you're so inclined.

Hope you enjoy - I'll post later this week about the kids...

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Warning: Make-overs can be hazardous to your health

So here's a funny little something I've recently learned... DON'T allow your 6 year old daughter to give you a make-over without some sort of supervision when you are under the influence of pain killers. Background: had surgery on Friday - no big deal - I'm fine. As a result, I'm on some decent pain killers for a little while here. So when Meadow asks to give me a make-over I have no problem being her guinea pig. The make-over also included a foot massage! (Seriously, who could resist?) It was almost like a spa (okay, I may be stretching a bit here - the drugs aren't THAT good). Anyway, when she wants to cut my toe-nails I say, "Sure! Just be careful not to cut Mom's skin." At this point, Mike raises his eyebrows at me as if to say - are you insane? What I should have done at that point was politely and cheerfully declare the make-over complete. Instead, I smiled dreamily at my much wiser husband and shrugged my shoulders - as if to suggest that nothing bad could happen. Moments later, I had only half of my pinky toe-nail left. There was a lot of blood. Meadow was in tears because I scared her half to death when I jumped and yelled. In my defense, she removed the half of my pinky toe-nail that, in hindsight, I probably wanted to keep on the toe.

In case you're ever in a similar situation...