Random things around the house

1. I just mopped last week. When I walk around my kitchen floor, things stick to the bottom of my feet. Can it really be time to mop again?
2. Paige (in the van): Mommy, is this a sad song? Is it a happy song? How can you tell? Is it a sad song? I think its a sad song.
3. Me: Paige, you can't take the lid off your sippy cup of water and pour it on your sister's head. Its not nice.
4. Me to myself: I am so glad I don't have to to a tablescape for REST this week. ring, ring, ring "Hi Amy, we need one more person to do a tablescape fore REST this week"
5. To Rene' "no, no" "no, no" "no, no" "no, no"
6. ring ring, "Just a friendly reminder you are supposed to bring snacks to T-ball practice tonight" Me: "thank you" hang up. to myself "crap"
7. Zak: Mom, I don't like those snacks. I don't want to take them to practice. Me: everyone likes trail mix, and it healthy for you. Just eat the m&ms if you want
8. Note to self: don't put the library books in the baby's crib, thinking it will buy you 15 more minutes, because all you'll be buying is the book from the library...that the baby ate.

Its here!

My very first recipe blog post. Check it out here

God bless the single parents

Because I was one for the last 3 days. Andy had training in Dallas and left Wed and got home late Friday. I won't lie. I was dreading it. Then my mind went to my sister whose husband was deployed to Iraq for a whole lot longer than 3 days and I told myself, "Suck it up, Amy. You don't want to be a Wuss." So I began planning lots of activities we could do. Both at home and elsewhere. And really, it wasn't so bad once I geared up for it. The worst part was after the Arts Festival downtown. Giving 3 baths to tired, cranky, sugarcrashing kids isn't my idea of fun. My meals turned to kid friendly favorites and I had 3 hours to myself in the evening. But don't think I wasn't overjoyed when my husband came through the door. And now I appreciate him more.

Coming soon

my recipe blog

Design on a Dime

Its pretty pitiful that I am just now defining my decorating style at the age of 32. The truth is, I haven't really been at a place long enough to figure that out. And now that I'm actually in a home that I know I'll be in awhile and that belongs to me, I'm getting it all figured out. I have been here 2 years and haven't had drapes in my living room. Its embarassing, yes, but I just hadn't figured out what I wanted yet. Or had the extra cash to invest. I was too busy having babies. So now, I am finally there. I made the big drapery purchase a couple of weeks ago. I went with some trendy colors. I realize they will be out of style in a couple of years. But that didn't change my mind. I'm in love with the light blue/brown color scheme. My living room is now a place I love to be. I just sit and look at it. The new will wear off and then I'll probably wish I didn't go so trendy, but for now, I'm going to enjoy it. So here is a picure of the newly decorated living room. Now on to my bedroom - disaster. I don't even know where to begin.

Drop in Company

On Friday of last week I got a phone call in the afternoon that a friend we hadn't seen in over 2 years was in town and had a couple of hours before his flight left and wanted to drop by. After glancing around my house in horror, I told him I couldn't promise him a clean house. And he said "Now Diane would be worrying about that too, but lets just get past it right now, and enjoy visiting.". I thought that was rather profound. So I did get over it and we had the best visit with him. We didn't tell Andy he was here so Andy just walked in the door and saw him. It was a great surprise. And I can't tell you how great of a visit it was. So my new resolution is to get past the fact that my house will rarely look perfect, and start having people over!

Sunday fun at the professional photographer

I just have to say, once again. I love going to church on Saturday night. That freed us to have a nice early appointment. We haven't had professional family portraits since Zak was one so it was time. I just want to throw this one out there. Do the people taking the pictures not understand that if I make an appointment for 9:30 its because the baby's nap is around 10 and there is a little window we need to catch? Therefore, we need to not wait 30 minutes. And one note about this place. There are couches just in front of the room so the people who are next, are sitting there staring at you while you take your pictures. Now, Andy has never been to a photo session with the children. I should have briefed him. For those who don't know Andy personally, he doesn't do well in high stress situations. And taking pictures of 3 children 5 and under can be a high stress situation. And once again, I'm not going to give you the play by play, but the highlights. Zak continually kissing Rene', which is sweet, but we weren't looking for action shots. Paige, running over to Rene' when it was her individual shot and giving her a nice slap on the face. Rene' running all over the place, all the time. And when she did sit, it was to suck her thumb. And the grand finale was trying to get that last family picture and the photographer trying to get Paige to laugh, instead she fell off the block she was standing on which produced loud wailing. (don't forget there are couches of people sitting and watching us.) With that Andy proclaimed "We are done. That's it. I can't take anymore." And that was our hour and a half at the professional photographers. I tried to add a few samples, but I can't get the images to rotate correctly so you'll just have to envision it all in your mind until I can get it it scanned in.

Want some cheese?

I feel it necessary to get cheesy. We just want to thank everyone who was so worried about Rene' while she was in the hospital. It was a brief but trying time and all I had to do was call Bethany and she spread the word for me for prayer. THANKS BETHANY!!! Grandpa Don came over, after I woke him up at 1:30 in the morning, to stay with the kids, then Grandma Paula stayed with them the next day. We had calls from our pastor, out of town family, and friends. When we came home from the hospital we had dinner at our doorstep. Friendship is an amazing thing. We are so thankful for our friends and family and can't wait to return the favor!

We needed something else to worry about

*Update: click here to see the update

There are wildfires going on within feet of the 300 acre ranch of Andy's family. You can see from the picture the fence line.

Pray the winds don't shift and bring it on their land!

The pic is of Andy's cousin, brother, dad, and cousin's girlfriend (right to left).

My very first Ambulance ride

Today we are recovering from a 24 hour stint in the hospital with Rene'. It began with some labored breathing before bed and escalated into a transfer from the local hospital to the Children's Hospital at 2:30 in the morning. It turned out to be a nasty upper respiratory infection but they initially thought it was pneumonia. Somehow I made it on 3 hours of sleep in 24 hours. Although I don't ever want to go through that again. I won't relay the whole story because frankly just thinking about it wears me out. A few of the highlights were the insertion of an IV, then it being in the arm that she sucked her thumb with, and then moving it to the other one. Lots of medical residents giving contradictory information, and thanking God that I didn't have a terminally ill or very sick child. I went to bed at 8 last night, an hour after we got home. Today is a new day, thank goodness.

The Kite

This story is told, not from firsthand experience, but from hearsay. My sister called me while I was at home with my sick baby during her visit and told me I would surely be laughing if I was there. Nothing like your sister calling you and rubbing it in that they were all having a good time without me. Anyway, a little background. My nephew, Alton, has some great 9 year old talent. He can turn a piece of paper into anything. We were playing Blokus and it was raining outside. In the middle of the game, he looks out and sees a puddle, then he sprints off (just before his turn) and grabs some paper and while playing the game, is fashioning a boat out of paper and tape. And it wasn't just your everyday folded paper boat. It was a cruise ship. His mind was completely off the game of Blokus I had roped him into playing. So when my sister called, she told me he began making a paper kite. My son, Zak, came running over and said, "What are you making Alton, are you making a kite? Oh wow, a kite. This will be my first kite. Oh wow!" Now Alton's kite was a piece of paper with a great picture on it of some animals of some sort with some ribbon taped to it in 2 places. They ran outside with the kite and the fun began. The running along the back fence with the kite trailing a good foot off the ground produced hours of fun. I actually got to see the kite, because it lasted the whole visit. And its a proud moment when your kids aren't inside watching TV but running around in the backyard, taking turns mind you, with the paper kite. Alton then made a "catagon". That was what looked to me like a cat's head made out of paper. He told me it was a combination between a cat and a dragon. So Zak and Alton took turns throwing the catagon head up in the air and watching it blow. They even went and knocked on neighbors doors to get it out of their backyard when it flew over the fence. And that, my friends, is what being a kid is all about.

Whew!

My sister isn't even staying at my house and I am completely pooped. The past few days have been full of lots of playing, grandma's retirement party, grandma's retirement dinner, some work, and lots of playing. Rene' finally kicked the stomach virus and so we joined in all the fun. Now my poor sister was supposed to move on to Texas today, but their van broke down. Good thing their brother-in-law is an auto technician and figured out the problem. (That's my very talented husband). But the bad news is their part won't be in until the morning, so we got a bonus night with them. Although I had a couple of meetings and didn't get to spend the bonus night with them, but the kids played until they fought....time to go to bed kids! They brought a new game called "Blokus" and I am slightly addicted. There are only a select few in my family who love to play games like I do, so today I was even roping in my nephew and niece to play with me because none of the adults would. That's on the "I've got to buy" list. Tomorrow I'll have to deprogram my kids for constant stimulation. That's always a ball. But it is worth it. I've been up since 5:30 since today was my walmart morning so I'm turning in.

How is your comany?

You might be asking, how is your company? And I would say to you "I don't know. I haven't been able to see them because I have been banished to my house with my sick baby." Rene' has this mysterious throwing up thing. She'll be fine all day or all night and then throw in a random stomach upset. Its most annoying. So its just me, Rene', and my sister's dog here today, hanging out. Lizzie's good company, though. Glad I can catch up with her.

Bring it on weekend

Now that I have sufficiently recouped from the dentist visit, all I had to contend with today was a baby throwing up. I'm guessing it came from then nursery visit yesterday at my moms group. I've always been a believer that you can't keep your kids out of the nursery just because they get sick. Until I had Rene' who gets sick about every other nursery visit. I'll still be taking her to the nursery, though. I need it and she needs to build up those immunities. And Andy will be home this weekend so that means he'll be doing his fair share of the clean up.

When it rains it pours. I have always had a job in some shape or fashion, be it a 3 hour a week job or a 50 hour a week job. I'm very happy with my current state of employment, working for my brother. Its been fun to learn some new stuff. And since I have started working for him, in the last 3 weeks, I've had 4 job offers, all part time bookkeeping. And a couple are from very random people. So now I'm torn. Do I take on more work, that thank the Lord can all be done from home? Or do I just enjoy my nice little part time job? Why is it so hard to pass up money?

I'm cooking out of Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious tonight. I'm anxious to see if its a hit with the kids. And coloring my hair is on the list of "to do's" as well. And then the sister is coming in for a few days with her family that should produce lots of cousin fun. And now you are caught up.

Can I get in the chair and have some laughing gas?

Today was the first time I have ever taken my kids to the dentist. Minus the time we were out of town and Zak chipped his tooth and had to have it capped. We were long overdue. Now really, why I would say "yes" to the 8:00 appointment is beyond me. I have high expectations. I didn't really think about the fact that I would need to feed all 3 kids and get them dressed and at the dentist at 7:45 to fill out paperwork. It nearly killed me. So I'm there on a stomach void of food but with a few sips of coffee. Yeah, not a great start either. I had to fill out 8 pieces of paper - 8 people - do we really need to fill out 8???????????? Granted it was 4 per child, but still. I had to take one to the bathroom during that process. No wonder they told me to get there at 7:45 to "fill out paperwork". As I'm filling out the paperwork, I notice a stinky smell and pray someone just has gas. As it lingers, I know I'm not that lucky. But it's a good thing I had Andy run the diaper bag out to me just as I was pulling out of the driveway, or that would have been a disaster. Only a bigger disaster was that I didn't have a diaper in the diaper bag. So now, my stinky kid and 2 other terrified kids are all back in the exam room. All the sudden, Zak notices that the rash that was on his cheeks yesterday has now spread to his arms and says in his loudest voice "Mom, now my rash is on my arms, oooooohhhhh nnnnnoooooooooo". I know that hygienist who just walked in and got a whiff of stink and a look at Zak's rash was wishing she had come to work late. I'm just going to skip the whole X-ray, gagging part and move on. To the fact that Zak has 5 cavities. For someone who brushes his teeth twice a day religiously, I can't believe he has 5 cavities. Worse yet, that means fillings. I'm basically nauseous now. I don't know if its because I don't want to bring him back for the fillings, because I haven't had a thing to eat, or because I've been smelling poop for the last 45 minutes. We finally leave an hour after we darkened their door and I am ready to call it a day and go back to bed. But I can't, because its only 9:00 in the morning. And I have an entire day ahead of me.