I did something stupid.

After Little Man's doctor appointment today, I made my way to the mall. I rarely go to the mall unless I have a reason. Today, I was going to Motherhood Maternity to buy some super comfy nursing bras for my niece who lives an hour from the nearest location of this store. Anyway, while checking out, the cashier asked if I'd like to donate a dollar to the March of Dimes and receive a little ring on a bracelet that said "Be Healthy, Be Happy". So, I said, "Sure, why not?"

I was not fond of the string bracelet that was holding the ring and removed it. Since the ring looked a bit small, I first placed it on my pinky. Too big. Then I put it on my ring finger. It only went to my knuckle. After a few tries on other fingers, I decided to try the ring finger again and I was able to work it over my knuckle. I realized immediately that that was a mistake. A stupid, stupid mistake. In case you don't know, I have huge knuckles. Not elephant man huge, but huge. Every minute that the ring was on my finger, it seemed to get tighter and tighter. I tried to lick my finger and slide it off. Nope. I tried to coat it in soap and water. Uh-uh. H tried to help by pouring oil on it and pulling and twisting. No and OWWW.

After trying this a few times and winding up with a lot of pain, a purple finger and an indention, I knew it was time to find a professional. I called a nearby jeweler and explained my situation. He told me to come on over and he could try to cut it off. After a short drive with an aching, red finger, the jeweler snapped the ring in two with some cutters and I came out pretty unscathed, except a nick from the ring breaking. I thanked him profusely and he smiled that smile that you only get when you've just been freed from the consequences of doing something STUPID. I promised him I would never work a ring over my knuckle again. Not unless I want it there for eternity, and a purple finger.

In other news...
Little Man had his 2 month appointment today. He now weighs 12 lbs. 1 oz. and is 21 inches long. It's no wonder he no longer fits in his small outfits and is outgrowing his size 2 diapers. This kid is packing it on. Everything looks healthy and great. He even did a great job being calm and patient while we waited for the doctor. And all that was only rewarded with a bunch of vaccinations; one oral and three injections. I hate it when they have to do stuff like shots, PKUs, and his circumcision...oy vey, don't get me started on that. I will not be disappointed if I never see another one of those in my life. He let out some heartbreaking sobs and, later, was sore and screaming. After some tylenol and a nap, he was much better. I hate that we have to do it again in two months.

My aunt is getting married tomorrow. She has been a widow for almost 12 years. Her husband, my uncle, was a great man. So, it probably is expected that it would take that long to find someone else that would make her happy again. I hear he's a great guy and I hope they are very happy. I'm terribly sad that we can't be there for her special day. That's one of the bummers of living so far away. Her sons will be there and I haven't seen them in years. I would love to sit and chat with everyone and be there with my family.

Tomorrow is a busy day. I will be attending a baby shower for my sis-in-law's sister, H and the kids are going on a hike with his brother, and I am meeting the LonDolls for dinner. A few wonderful hours to catch up with my girls and take a little break from mommyhood. Don't get me wrong, I love it. But it's nice to have a little time to relax with friends without getting spit up on, changing diapers, or walking around in a bouncy way to soothe a fussy baby. Unfortunately, I don't think Whit will make it. But I'm still hoping for a great dinner.

Well, that's all for now. Please send good thoughts and prayers this way. Times are tough for most, and we're hanging in there too. Love ya.

Good Genes, I Guess.

Nothing new or terribly witty to post. Just the usual. I'm getting decent sleep. Little Man wakes up every 3-4 hours, gets changed, eats, and passes back out. He is becoming more intentionally responsive. So, when he smiles, he's actually smiling at me and not just because he probably passed gas or something. He is also seeing things that are farther away and his movements of his arms and legs are more controlled. During the day, he'll stay awake and alert for an hour or more and then he'll eat and pass out for naps. Pretty manageable. *crosses fingers* He is also growing very fast.I actually got quite a bit more done today than most days. I cleaned the living room, did some laundry, sorted some clothes, and paid some bills. I still need to do the program flier for church tomorrow, get the kids in the bath, and make something for dinner. *sigh*

Bree was finally able to come over and meet Little Man. She squeezed him and hugged him and snuggled him and, basically, loved all over him. It's hard not to. He's so squishy and soft. I can't wait to do the same to her kiddos when she has babies. They'll be gorgeous. I mean, look at them. It would be impossible for these two to make a baby that is not darling.

Tee hee.

9 Years and Counting

Today was our 9th wedding anniversary. 9 years ago, H and I said "I do" after only knowing each other for four months. He jumped into an instant family when he married me and took on the role of Mister's father. And I have to say, he's done wonderfully. He is a great father and a caring husband.

We knew that we weren't going to do anything big for this anniversary since we just had Little Man. So, after my doctor appointment this morning, we headed up the mountain and ate lunch at a restaurant at a ski resort. Of course LM was with us, but he did well. H and I ate pizza and drank Dr. Pepper until we couldn't possibly have anymore. It was nice to eat and talk and enjoy the mountain air and scenery. I love when we get the opportunities to just sit and talk. Connecting, even for just a bit, feels great.

After that, it was back to life. I picked up the kids from school and then we headed back to their school later for the open house. And then a quick trip to the grocery store, home, dinner and off to bed for the kids. A simple day, but a nice one.

Funny, I don't remember all this from the last time I had a baby.....8 years ago.

Some "new" mom insights (the "" marks are only there because I have a new baby...not because I am new at being a mom):

Babies have a sixth sense. When you have successfully gotten them to sleep, they can sense when you are thinking of laying them down. They choose that moment to stir awake and you have to start over again. When they are napping, they can also tell when you are trying to do something productive or entertaining, such as the dishes or trying to update your blog. They choose that moment to wake up early from their nap and immediately expect food.

New moms no longer see the appeal of long hair. Sure, it looks great, especially from all those vitamins you've been taking for 9+ months. However, you regularly find yourself wondering just how much time you could save styling it at a shorter length. Shorter length = shorter styling time = more baby naptime to do other things. You are also not feeling very attractive at this time in your life anyway (ponytails, spit up on clothes, no shower for 3 days), so why not just cut off a large portion of that hair that is not getting styled anyway? Believe me, I'm seriously fighting the urge.

Clothing choices are no longer ruled by fashion. It doesn't even really matter if you match anymore. The only definite requirements are that there is no visible spit up spots and your top can easily be lifted up to the height of your chin in order to pull out a boob and provide nourishment...which then shortly ends up spit back on your clothes. Seriously, I asked H the other day, with multiple wet spots on my shirt, why I bother to get dressed at all.

Nursing does not require that you are awake. You can lie on your side, pop the boob in his mouth and lapse into a coma without him missing an ounce of food.

And Finally...

They are worth it. No matter how tiring the day can become and how little sleep you manage during the night, you wake up each morning, gaze at that chubby-cheeked face and smile...because he's yours.

Finally...a moment.

I can't begin to convey just how busy it's been. And that's just taking care of the baby, the kids and the house. Little Man is doing well, growing round and eating and eating. I remember that things were really busy after having Tiny. Mister was only 3 years old and quite a handful at the time. It felt like I had three kids instead of two. And, well, now that I have three, I have to say that it does seem easier this time around. Sure, I'm not getting much done around the house and I'm ready for a nap every afternoon. But, the kids are older and a big help. And having H work from home helps too. Before, he was still in the military and working all day, sometimes 12-hour shifts. And his schedule kept changing too. It's nice to hand off Little Man for a few minutes so that I can have a break or do the dishes or make something to eat.

Another thing that I have been noticing is my post-baby body. I have, with both deliveries, regained my pre-baby body within reasonable amounts of time. And it seems that I am being blessed in that way again. I have lost about 80% of the saggy, squishy belly that is usually left behind after it's held a tiny human for 9 months. It's taken a month to lose that, so I'm hoping that I'll be even more slim in another 4 weeks. Who knows? Maybe I'll even fit in some of my jeans, instead of my maternity pants.

Fun news: My Bree is finally back from Florida and I'm really looking forward to see her soon. Melissa has a bday coming soon. The bad news is that she will be moving on that day. The good news is that she's moving in with Liz. Couldn't think of a better roommate to have. But Bree and I are hoping that we can all get together soon and celebrate anyway.

Well, Little Man is waking up from another very short nap. Later.

Breaking Dawn

I just finished reading this greatly anticipated conclusion to the impressive series. I liked it. Sure, there were some parts that were a bit anticlimactic. But I think it was pretty well done. Though many readers may not like this, I like it when the author leaves just a few strings untidy, loose ends. It lets the reader use their imagination and continue the story in their own minds. All in all, I will continue to recommend this series to everyone.

Family is a blessing.

I haven't been blogging because I had family in town. It's been really great. My parents stayed with us for a week and helped us out sooo much around the house and with the baby. I love it when they visit because my mom always helps me whip the house into shape and my dad fixes anything that needs it. And they loved spending time with their new grandson. They love their grandbabies. It makes me sad that we don't live nearer to them so that they can enjoy the kids more often, and the kids can enjoy them too. And it made me really sad when they had to leave early this morning.

I would love to live nearer to my family, but there are things that hold me back from moving there. Having gone through the school system there, I was not very impressed with it. I would probably decide to homeschool the kids if we ever lived there. Also, the nearest university is an hour away and I plan to be back in school in the next year and a half. Another reason, and I am hesitant to state it, is that I don't think the peer groups that the kids would be around if we lived there would be a very good influence for them. I know, I know...you can have those anywhere you live. But, like I said before, I've lived there and experienced it. The kids in that town are always grouping together. You have the hispanics, the preppy whites, the blacks, etc. In school, we felt like we HAD to belong to one of these groups...not an easy task when you're a mixture of more than one. And once you were accepted, it was hard to resist peer pressure from the group. It was like that high school was the embodiment of an after-school tv special. It sucked. While I liked being near my extended family, school sucked. And because of it, I got into a lot of trouble there. I saw family members, friends, and church members alike making poor decisions...mainly influenced by their surroundings and people around them. Am I eager to uproot my kids and put them in these situations? Heck no.

So, that is why, thus far, we have not moved back.

My brother and his family also stayed with us for a couple days on their way back to Alaska. My brother is in the Air Force and is being stationed there for the second time. They loved it the first time they were there and are glad to be going back. The distance from family is a negative, and the price of living. But it was the best of the choices given them. I hope we will get to travel up and visit them while they are there this time. H is definitely in favor of that, and going fishing up there. Their kids are split on the move. Their daughter is happy to go back, but their son is not. He made a lot of friends at their last location. I hope they will do okay with the move and make the best of it.

Well, I was starting to get used to having a lot of help, and now they've all gone home. Maybe we can try to make enough income to fly family out whenever we like. I wish. Well, this post is starting to sound like a pity party, and I try to never throw those. So, just know that we're all healthy, happy and doing well. Little Man is a good sleeper and is growing fast. (But not too fast, Bree.) The kids are ready for school to start in a few weeks and H is keeping busy with his work. I hope you're all doing well too. Love you.

Oh Yeah!

Because you should never underestimate a guy that can make you laugh...and make you hot on a cold night.

A Head's Up

Just a warning...my posts may become fewer and far between. My days have been filled with breastfeeding, naps, diaper changes, and staring at my new little man. That is also what I will be referring to him as in my posts...Little Man. He is filling out from all that good eating and his jaundice also seems to be getting better. He will see the doctor again next Friday.


He sleeps pretty well at night, in three hour stretches. We also seem to be working out the kinks and hiccups of breastfeeding. I'm hoping that that will get much better soon. This is, by far, the hardest part of adapting to a new little one. So, in the meantime, I may post some new pictures intermittently, but will probably ease up on postings for a while. Hope you will all keep checking back though.

HE'S HERE!!!

Matthew Caleb was born on Friday, July 18, 2008 at 11:16 a.m. He was 7 lb. 11 1/2 oz. and 19 in. long. He was also two weeks early, and I have no complaints about that. My water broke at 1:45 a.m. and he arrived after 11 a.m. Not bad. The labor went well, especially with the epidural. We are both doing well and are now home resting. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to our new little man.

How skinny is too skinny?

I read this article today about the actress Megan Fox. You might know her as Mikaela in "Transformers". The director, Michael Bay, of both "Transformers" and the sequel in pre-production right now has asked the actress to gain 10 lbs. before beginning filming the new movie. Apparently, she had lost some weight for a recent film and was asked to regain it because Bay "doesn't like skinny girls". Now, upon first reading this, I had no objections. I applaud the use of "healthy" actresses. However, I was a little confused when observing some pics of the actress. Let me show you...

The first pic is from the first "Transformers".

The next one was posted by TMZ.com just yesterday.

Can someone point out the difference? Because I'm having trouble seeing it.

By the way, I know that the movie is in pre-production because they are filming it near my hometown, the same place they filmed the first film's opening scene in the "middle east". Yeah, that was filmed in NM, not Qatar. I loved seeing those familiar dunes and mountains when I was in the packed theater at the premiere. It made me a little homesick...and proud.

He's Awaiting the Final Curtain

I am so tired. This kiddo is sitting as low as he can get without starting to come out. Even the midwife was surprised by how low he was today. But, alas, no further progress. I am still dilated to a 2 and am 60% effaced, same as three weeks ago. You would think that with all my cramping, contractions, and uncomfortableness, that something would be happening. Nope, looks like this kiddo has decided to stick around to the very end. I have about 15 days left until my due date.

But I'm not just sitting around counting the days. I am still working on the house. Currently, I am doing Mister's room, aka the black hole. That kid has waaaay too many toys. So, we are drastically downsizing the loot and organizing the rest in bins. I bought three bins; one for stuffed animals, one for legos, and once for the rest of the toys. The catch is that he has to choose among his belongings wisely because if they don't fit in the bins, he can't keep them. I will be doing the same with Tiny's room. I'm also hoping to downsize mine and H's clothes and belongings. Less stuff, less mess, more time.

I am also becoming acutely aware of just how bare my walls look. I may need to start planning some future painting projects...you know, post-baby arrival.

And now for some pics from the camping trip. Enjoy.

I may post more pics later. The internet is dreadfully slow today.

A 4-Man Tent Does Not Always Mean Just That

We went camping this last weekend, just for one night. Some of H's business associates were doing a family hike and overnight campout in one of the canyons last Friday night. I told H that I was willing to go on 2 conditions: 1) I didn't have to go on the hike. It was 3 miles long and I get tired going up the stairs at home. 2) We brought smores. So, he agreed to my very reasonable conditions and we packed up and headed to the mountains.

Liz was gracious enough to offer us her 4-man tent to use and we purchased an air mattress and some new sleeping bags. Everyone met up at one of the ski resorts and headed out for the hike. Me? I stayed at the resort and hung out in the truck, watching "Stranger Than Fiction" on my laptop and eating snacks. The mountain air was a pleasant 50+ degrees and I surrounded myself with pillows in the back seat. I had my own private drive-in theater. After about 2 1/2 hours, H and the kids returned from the hike and we headed down to the campsite that the group reserved. Less than half of the hiking group met up at the campsite and less than half of that number stayed for the night.

I found a nice, flat spot for us to pitch the tent, then H blew up the air mattress, and set up the blankets and pillows. The tent went up really easy and we set the mattress in before pumping it. It is a queen mattress and H bought a manual pump. Just imagine trying to blow up a really thick queen mattress with a bicycle pump. H was huffing and puffing while airing it up. I asked him how much the electric pump was at the store and he replied, with a bit of forlorn in his voice, "$12." Needless to say, we'll be returning the hand pump and getting the electric. After finally getting it set up, Mister found a leak in the mattress, which H had to patch.

After all that work, we then started some dinner. We barbecued some kabobs with beef rib meat on the grill. Others had brought foods wrapped in foil and threw them in the fire pit to cook. Since the ribs would take a little while, the kids and I happily moved on to the smores. There is nothing like a gooey, messy, warm smore over the campfire. It was heaven. The meat also turned out just right. We all sat around the fire, eating and chatting. I had not met any of the people there before and we had a pretty good time.

When it was late and time for bed, I left H chatting by the fire and headed for the tent. Once inside and comfortable, I realized that just because a tent is referred to as a 4-man tent doesn't necessarily guarantee that 4 people will fit in it. This is especially true when 2 of the 4 are a pregnant woman and the large man that is H. With me and the kids situated, I knew there was no way that H would be able to fit in with us comfortably. He ended up at the bottom of the mattress, under our feet. He and I didn't get a lot of sleep that night. This was compounded by the fact that I remembered right before heading to bed that I require at least 2-3 trips to the bathroom at night. Thankfully, there was a restroom just one campsite over. But, I have to say, growing up on horror movies, particularly "Friday the 13th" did not make the trips to the bathroom very comfortable...not to mention all the animals that I knew were staring out of the bushes at me. As long as they weren't wearing masks and carrying machetes, they didn't bother me much.

In the morning, H informed me that our camp had had some visitors early that morning. He had gotten up and opened the tent door to find two moose in the camp. They were just passing through, sniffing the tents and checking out the three guys that chose to camp out in the open. H woke them up and warned them of the moose nearby, but he was really in awe of them. Unfortunately, the moose had headed out before we could get up to see them. We did see a doe, though, and a lot of chipmunks. We made a breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs. Bacon over a campfire cannot be beat. Yum! After breakfast and some more chatting, we packed up, cleaned up and headed home...where we quickly laid down and passed out for a while. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad we went.

The Newest Member of our Church

We had a very full weekend. Thursday, we watched fireworks in our area and they were some of the best the city has ever put on. Friday, I cleaned house and we attended a bbq at my sis-in-law's sister's house. After dinner and some birthday cake for her husband, the kids lit fireworks and we enjoyed the cool breeze of the evening. We headed home late and passed out easily.
Saturday was the best day of all. Tiny was baptized at our church. She has been really excited about it and was all smiles and anticipation. After cleaning up the house more and preparing some food, we headed to the church. I helped her dress in her white baptism jumpsuit and led her back out into the room. We sang the opening hymn "I am a Child of God", had an opening prayer, and I gave a talk on baptism. I told Tiny that getting baptized was the best decision I ever made and that my life has been greatly blessed for choosing to follow the Lord, she being one of those blessings. It was a short talk, but the smile she gave me said that it was important to her.Her daddy then took her into the baptismal font and performed the sacred ordinance. She came up to me, wet and smiling from ear to ear. I helped her change into dry clothes and brushed her hair. All the while, I was talking to her about how proud I was of her and explained what I meant when I said that she was one of my blessing of baptism. Had I not joined the church, I wouldn't have met her father, and then been blessed with the wonderful family that I have. It was such a special moment that I was able to share with her. After we returned to the room, we heard a talk on the Holy Ghost, after which she received that blessing. We followed with another hymn, "I Love to See the Temple" and had a closing prayer.
Afterward, everyone, family and friends, came up to congratulate Tiny. At one point, she whispered to me, "I can't stop smiling." She had a large grin on her face. Her face and her eyes were bright with the Spirit of God. She had that smile for the rest of the day. We had a little get together at the house afterward. Many of our family and friends came to eat lunch and a cake that my sis-in-law made that looks like a set of scriptures with a verse that Tiny picked out. My sis-in-law is really gifted when it comes to making cakes.

All in all, Tiny had a great day and that makes me happy.


And the day didn't end there. Some folks from H's graduating class were having a picnic since many of them would be in town for the 4th. So, after about an hour of recuperation, I was ready to go again and we headed down to it. H got to visit with a lot of old friends and I made a few new ones. The kids ran wild by the creek and had a blast. We finally made it home late and crashed for the night. It was a long, good day.


Today, we just had church. I'm thankful for that because I don't know how much more excitement I can take in one weekend. Now, we're going to relax a bit. I see the doc again on Thursday and am hoping that some progress has been made. This much discomfort and fatigue is more worth it if I know it's doing something. I hope you all had a good holiday weekend and are doing well.


By the way, here's the latest belly pic. Looking low?

Just an update

We returned home yesterday from a trip to Boise. H's grandfather passed away last week at the age of 95 and after a really good life. So, we attended the funeral and viewing on Monday. He was a good man that had a good wife and kids. He was always very positive and loved to eat. He worked hard, loved his family, and helped everyone he could along the way. I see a lot of him in H. It was a nice service, full of kind words and a few tears.

Afterward, we attended a reception at H's aunt and uncle's house. H is the youngest of 10 kids and it was the first time in four years that all of them were together. We also got to visit with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was really nice to visit and catch up with everyone.

It was a little up in the air if we would go, since I am so far along in the pregnancy. But I visited the doctor on Friday and he was fine with me traveling. My appointment went well. I am already dilated to 2 cm and am 60% effaced. Those of you who have kids know what all that means, those that don't might be a bit put off if I explained. Overall, I feel good for being so far along, but I am having spurts of discomfort. I'm really tired and my feet tend to swell up enough to swallow my ankles. Not very attractive. It helps though when H randomly compliments me and tells me that he thinks I'm very sexy.

I honestly don't know if I'll make it to my due date. But I will keep a close eye on things and keep you updated. I will also try to post pictures soon of the belly, our late Grandpa, and of the trip. Hope you're all doing well.

A Pretty Nice Weekend

Nothing much new here. I had the privilege of having tea with the LonDolls on Saturday. Unfortunately, Bree is not here this summer...but it was still lovely. I decided to take Tiny with us since she is an honorary LonDoll. She was also looking a little bored, lying in front of the tv on a hot summer day. She really perked up when I invited her. When we got to the bakery, she just lit up, looking around the room at all the teapots and decorations. I loved her reaction. While the tea was great and the company was, of course, excellent, it became very warm in the bakery and pretty uncomfortable. It is proving to be a sweltering summer, not improved by being pregnant.

Saturday night, our church ward had a potluck. I am now in charge of arranging such activities and had a lot of help from others setting up. It turned out pretty well, and the food was great. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed by all my church callings. But, of course, it always works out.

Sunday, we visited my brother-in-law's family because my nephew was ordained a deacon at church. Afterward, we had a great dinner and cake and then hung out, napped, and played around. It was a pretty pleasant day, except for my not feeling very good.

I always wondered how women were confused about whether or not they were in labor. Both of my labors were pretty clear cut and unmistakeable. But yesterday, I woke up feeling odd. I had a dull ache in my back and across my stomach, like when I have PMS. This lasted through the day, only slightly increasing. I was having fake contractions, nothing new. It was a bit frustrating because I was pretty uncomfortable at times and thought that if I was going to be that uncomfortable, that it should at least progress, or diminish. Anyway, I didn't feel better until really late last night. So, now I can understand a little better why some women get confused.

The house is coming along slowly. I started working on Mister's room today and only got about halfway done. He still has a lot of stuff under his bed and in his closet to sort through. That kid has a large garbage collection littering his floor. Tiny's room will be next, followed by my own, then I will work a bit more on the rest of the house. I'm not going for a spotless house, just more organized and easier to maintain, with less stuff cluttering it up. I'm hoping this isn't a neverending battle.

Nusery Before and After

Before:

After:

Words

"See that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually" (Alma 41:14)

It's been a while since a scripture has deeply impacted me. I found this while reading the June issue of the Ensign magazine yesterday and I loved it. It was in an article titled "Cultivating Sensitivity to Others". It really stood out to me because this is something that I have strived to do since I was young, before learning the Gospel and joining any church. Whenever I would hear someone constantly speak ill of another person, it would give me great discomfort. I thought that surely this person couldn't be that bad to warrant being put down repeatedly. Being young, I, of course, did not always abstain from gossip or ill-speak. But I never felt right about it.

As I grew older, my empathy only grew and I tried to be careful about understanding a person's situation or point-of-view before I spoke of them. I think some of this may have come about from being the one of whom others would sometimes quickly and thoughtlessly speak ill. I was a child that would sometimes make poor decisions, and because of those, many of my friends' parents would speak ill of me, judging me without trying to know me. It hurt. Sometimes people think that kids have so much attitude that they're bulletproof. They're not. And some of those harsh words and feelings from years ago are still felt.

But, there were also some excellent examples of how we should behave towards others, especially the wayward. I had a few best friends whose parents showed me nothing but love and acceptance, despite my continuing to make some bad choices. They would show that they were opposed to the action, but continued to show love to me. What an example.

It is because of those people, and the guidance of God that I believe I now possess the blessing of being discerning when it comes to what is said about others. I even have a wonderful husband that has told me time and again that what he loves most about me is that I do not speak ill of others. It is such a wonderful feeling to hear that from the man I love, someone who I respect greatly.

So, I am hoping that you will read the scripture above and remember it the next time you come across a wave of gossip or someone who has nothing but bad things to relate about another. Words can hurt or they can uplift...either way, they are permanent. Choose them carefully.

A Tiny Morsel to Tide You Over

My posts may be sparse for the rest of the week because H is in Arizona until Saturday night and he took my laptop with him. It's not as comfy to sit in front of his office computer and type out the happenings of life. We are also keeping pretty busy. This summer is already proving to be an active one. In the last two weeks, we've been to 2 bday parties (one of them Tiny's), a baby blessing, a playdate, the library twice, and I finished the baby's room.

The "before" pics of the nursery are, of course, in my laptop. But I will not deprive you of the final result until I get it back. So, here you go...I hope that will appease you for updates for now. We'll be having Tiny's BFF over for a sleep over tomorrow night for her real bday. We will also be visiting the library again, Tiny has a dentist appt. on Thursday, attending another bday party on Saturday, picking up H from the airport, and then I am teaching at church on Sunday. Keeping busy and counting the days until I won't have the time or energy to do anything at all.

Just because my kids are getting older doesn't mean I have to.

I am (im)patiently waiting for Tiny and Mister to fall asleep so that I can bring in her bday presents to wrap them. Her bday isn't until the 11th, but H will be out of town then and we wanted to celebrate while he is here. My Tiny is going to be 8! It's so hard to believe sometimes. With my pregnancy, I am thinking more and more about when the kids were little. Mister is going to be 12 at the end of the year. Now that's crazy.

For her birthday, Tiny chose to have a couple of friends come with her and Mister to a family fun center and then come back to the house for gifts, lunch and cake. So, that will take place tomorrow. Kind of last minute, but I think she will have fun. So, while I am about to bake the cake and wrap the gifts, guess where H is? That's right. The same place he is when I'm wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve at midnight...asleep on the couch. It's becoming a tradition, I think. I hope I don't pay for this late night too much tomorrow.

So, besides getting the house in order, I'm doing Tiny's bday and preparing for H to be away for a week. He asked if I'd be okay for a week on our own. I reminded him that I've done it before. I usually just indulge myself and the kids a little more to make up for missing him so much. We watch movies, eat out a bit and keep busy. But it still passes pretty slowly.

I am missing my LonDolls. Whit is newly married and busy with that and school and work. Liz is working two jobs and is dating someone steadily. Melissa is working...and, I think, going to school. And Bree is in Florida, soaking up the sun and her husband. Liz, Melissa and I are hoping to visit Whit soon. It may be tricky since we're all pretty busy and I'm getting more preggo every day.

I can't complain. Life is good, everyone is healthy, and we are pretty blessed. Hope it's the same for all of you.

Awesome

Check out this news story, "Pilots Run Out of Fuel, Pray, Land Near Jesus Sign". Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?!

A Pain in the Pump

While picking up some dinner, my van let me know that it was on Empty and likely running on fumes. So, I filled up at the Chevron. Guess how much it cost?! $69!!!!!! It would have easily been more than $70 if I had consumed a few more fumes on the way. I couldn't believe it. It sucks. Not the van, the prices. I remember when I had my first car, a Ford Taurus. It cost $22 to fill it up and I could make it last 2 weeks. Sure, I was a teenager and didn't do as much running around as I do now. But this is ridiculous.

And the saddest part is that the solution to the high gas prices is actually pretty simple. All we would have to do to prompt an immediate decrease in fuel costs is if the majority of Americans just DIDN'T BUY GAS FOR ONE DAY! I know this isn't a new idea. There is a specific day designated each year for the boycott. However, just like anything else in life, it won't work if people don't participate. We have become so gas-greedy as a nation that we can't even give up the purchase for one day. Sure, people have jobs to commute to, kids to chauffeur, and lives to lead. But we're talking about one day here, people. One day is all it would take to rattle the wallets of the oil companies and encourage the government to lower prices. Unfortunately, the only thing that would make us all do this is if we had no choice, such as a natural disaster occurring and impeding our purchase and consumption.

Maybe, someday soon, we will realize that we, the people, hold all the power when it comes to the supply and demand of oil. I hope we realize it before it's $5 a gallon and it will cost $100 to fill up, each time.

Things that never fail to confound me

How orange construction cones can render any driver, and pedestrian for that matter, a complete idiot.

How anyone on that Bachelor/Bachelorette reality show can actually believe that they will find their one true love.

How a Wal-mart will have 22 checkout registers, and there are always no more than 7 open, even on the busiest day.

The uneven hotdog to bun ratio.

Why health insurance will help cover costs if you get sick, but car insurance won't help with maintenance or replacement part costs, unless you nearly total it.

Why, when illegal immigrants can't pay their medical costs, the hospitals don't bill their country of origin, instead of billing our own government.

And you know what would be helpful??? If restaurants would put the minimum suggested gratuity amount on your bill, so you don't have to try to figure it out yourself.

Thank you.

*Steps down from the soapbox*

Just checking in

I have been busy and, also, not so busy lately. The work on the nursery came to a standstill for a couple of days. I had painted all the walls except for the upper portion and the ceiling. I was going to have H do these since I would need to climb a ladder to do it, and I wasn't keen on that idea. So, after waiting for H to not be too busy to get around to it for two days, I was getting frustrated. If the painting wasn't finished, I couldn't move in the baby stuff. If I couldn't do that, I couldn't move on to working on the kids' rooms. So, it was like I was project-constipated. Thankfully, I found the extender rod for the paint roller and did the rest myself, with H filling in the joints. It felt so good to be working on it again. After I reattach the repainted outlet covers, I will be ready to move stuff in. And, of course, I will take pictures and post them of the nursery's progress.

I was a bit overwhelmed yesterday when I realized how much I want to get done before the baby comes and how little time I have left. And this is compounded by the fact that I have a nagging feeling that I won't make it all the way to my due date. I don't have any reason for this feeling, but it's still there. On top of the time constraints, H wants us to accompany him down to AZ for a week while he attends a real estate course. I'm a little on the fence about this. It's a whole week, in Arizona heat, with a needy dog, one vehicle, and not much to do. Not to mention that I'm getting more preggo each day. The solace would be if we could spend our time visiting with Bree and Ryan. However, they are not sure if they will still be there or will already be relocating to another state for his summer work. I also wanted to visit Boise before my due date, to visit H's family, eat some Flying Pie pizza, and float the river. Oh, floating the cold river on a hot summer day...heaven.

The kids had their first performance on Wednesday and they did great. Tiny remembered her lines and Mister really got into character. It was a lot longer than I expected, and we were sitting on gym bleachers that were not that great on the back, but the performance was very enjoyable. They will be doing it again on Saturday, and in a cushion-seated auditorium. A woman will be filming the performance and will be taking orders for the dvd. We will definitely be ordering it and sharing it over and over with family.

Family updates: My uncle is still not eating, but is doing well. He will have his MRI sometime next week. My niece is having a...GIRL! No huge surprise there. My family has a lot of girls, and most of them were first-borns. But they are healthy and doing well. Also, my sister hasn't smoked in about a week. She is attending a community class to help her quit. I'm really proud of her.

Well, that's all for now. I've got laundry piled up, dishes piled up, and a room to finish. Have a great weekend.

Long Update

I haven't posted in a bit because I have been otherwise engaged and busy with life. Which is a good thing. Mother's Day was very simple and relaxing. I received homemade cards from the kids (my fav kind) and a card from H. I also got to enjoy a lazy Sunday, complete with an afternoon nap.

The kids will have their theater performances this week and I'm really looking forward to that. They will perform Wednesday morning for a community group, and Saturday for family and friends.

I also received a new church assignment. I already teach the women's class one Sunday a month and I also put together the flyers that are handed out during the main meeting. So, now I will also be coordinating the activities for the ward. For example, we have a monthly potluck and I will be the one making sure there will be plenty of people bringing food, assigning tasks to members for setting up and clean up and such, and also booking the building and making sure there are enough supplies. I worry that it may be too much to take care of, especially when the baby comes. But, I guess the goal is to have it setup enough that I won't need to do much of the "doing", but more of the "assigning" and "delegating".

The Lord sure provides some interesting tasks to build up our talents and skills. This may be a testing ground to see how much I can handle planning and organizing since I have recently considered opening up my own party planning business.

In other news, my uncle finished his last chemo and radiation treatments this last week. In two weeks, he will go for a full-body MRI to check on his cancer. But, according to his blood tests, he is showing signs of being in remission. So, continued prayers would be appreciated. He is a strong man that has beaten death once or twice already. I'm hoping that he will feel up to eating again soon and won't need the feeding tube anymore. Although, it is what has kept his weight steady the last few weeks.

Also, my brother and his family have finally received their orders back to Alaska. He is in the AF and moved back to the lower states only a couple years ago after being in Alaska for 3 years. The job field he is in though is becoming obsolete at his current base and they were allowed to have some say in where they went next. Having loved AK, they requested to return and it was granted. Unfortunately, they only have about 3 1/2 months before they will need to report there. So, that makes for quick packing and goodbyes once again. But they are a strong family that always does things well when they're together and apart. They have also let us know that it's a possibility that they may visit us when the baby is born. He has leave (vacation) time that he needs to use up. They would be here when my parents are, and I say the more the merrier. I did warn my sis-in-law, however, that I was going to be pretty tired and might not be all that hospitable when they visit. I'm sure they're okay with that.

The nursery is coming along slowly. I just need to apply the paint on the trim and H will need to paint the upper walls and the ceiling. I would do it, but that would require me standing on an elevated surface. Something that is not wise nor desireable in my state. I'm hoping to get the painting finished in the next couple days and start setting up the furniture. That will free up the halls and some of the bedrooms from all the baby stuff. I can't wait to get it all organized and ready. Can't beat that nesting instinct.

Not much else going on, as if all that weren't enough. My first planned potluck is Saturday, so wish me luck.

Finally, an intermission.

Another busy weekend has passed. This weekend saw Liz graduated with a double major and a minor...GO LIZ!!! It also sent off our buddy, Whit, a married woman. She and her new hubby are now likely basking in the Mexican sun. Though it is probably through their hotel window and nowhere outdoors. We know what honeymoons are really for, and it ain't sight-seeing. Good luck, Whit. A friend of Tiny's was also baptized this weekend. The kids were able to attend, but it was at the same time that H and I were at the wedding. We also had a bbq with H's brother and his family after their two boys spent the night with us. So many happy things going on. And now I can finally take a breath.

I plan to relax more this week. I am going to straighten up the house from the two weekends of shenanigans and to finish painting the nursery. I received even more gifts during the week from some of those that couldn't make it to my shower. I got another gift card, a baby bath, window visor, and a few other things on my registry. I am so excited to get the room all set up and looking cute. I have most of the layout all planned, just need to acquire a few more items.

The kids have been in a theater class for about 6 months now and their first performance is coming up in a couple weeks. They've been working hard and having a lot of fun. I hope it all goes well, especially with how much the director has put of herself into it. She's pretty amazing. I'm thinking that we'll be bringing her some flowers after the performance. I think Mister will be sticking with the class after this. He's a natural performer and seems to really enjoy it. Tiny, however, seems to be tiring of it. She sticks with it still because of Mister. He's sort of her security blanket, as the theater teacher put it. I think we may put her into some art classes instead. She really enjoys that.

Well, the kids only have about 4 weeks of school left. They are doing testing right now and I have only one more volunteer lesson this week. We're hoping they will be taking some lessons this summer to keep them involved and active. Mister has been playing cello this year and has decided to switch to the bass next year. I found this really amusing since the cello he has is 3/4 size and it's as tall as him. A bass will just engulf him. I told him we'll need to bulk him up this summer to be able to carry it, or even wheel it around. But I'm really glad that he is still willing to stick with an instrument. More than a few months with an instrument will usually drive most kids away. But I think he has a talent. I heard him playing on the keyboard the other day, and he was actually picking out the notes to "Amazing Grace", a song they've been learning on the cello. I was really impressed.

So, Whit's married, Liz is graduated and busy with work and her boy, E, Melissa is in Germany, and Bree will be heading to AZ in a few days to stay for three months. I don't know what I'll do with myself now that everyone will be even more busy or far away over the summer. I'm sure I'll figure out something, like reorganizing the whole house before the baby comes along. Gotta take advantage of that nesting instinct.

Happier thoughts

I started painting the nursery yesterday, with the help of Tiny. I will, of course post before and after pics. I'm thinking that the painting will be done by this time next week. I know, it's a small room, but I have to pace myself lately and I want to do a really good job on it. Tiny is really excited about getting the nursery set up. If you go to the Home Depot website for their Fresh Aire paint, you will be able to see the colors I picked for the nursery. I chose Nightfall blue (Earth section) for the walls and Beach Pearl (Waterscape section) for the trim. They look really good together. The paint is also a new product that contains no VOCs. So, it's even safe to paint in an unventilated room.

I also have a full weekend coming up again and it starts today. I am doing a Jr. Achievement lesson in Mister's class today, Liz is graduating tomorrow and we are attending her bbq which should be awesome, and Saturday is Whit's wedding. Such a full and exciting weekend ahead.

Baby update: I had a glucose test done on Monday and they called yesterday to let me know that all was well with my glucose levels but that I have low iron levels and am slightly anemic. No surprise there. My mom is anemic and I also had to take iron when I was pregnant with Mister. So, I picked up some iron pills at the store today. I'm hoping it will help with my energy levels too.

The only reason that state functions is because of people like Stevie

I had the most frustrating morning. Backstory: Last week, I got a notice in the mail that my driving privileges had been suspended in the state of NM. I was thinking that this had to do with a speeding ticket I got a few years ago, but was never able to pay because the court couldn't find it in their system. Anyway, I called yesterday about it and all I was told was that it was for a failure to appear in court. Ok. So, I wrote down the citation number and called the magistrate office that issued the citation. They couldn't find me in their system, anywhere, not using my name, birthdate, or SS#. So, this began a long series of calls between the NM DMV and this magistrate court to finally get the right citation #, but still find out that that citation is under the name of a whole different person.

So, today, I called again, over and over, to both agencies. And I spoke to a woman at the DMV that was easily the rudest woman I have ever had the displeasure of encountering. She was cutting me off, raising her voice, and talking to me like a child. So, I did the same thing after a while. It wasn't the best feeling for me, but I wasn't about to let her treat me like that. Thankfully, I never had to talk with her again after that. After starting to realize that the error was on their end, I informed the magistrate that they would need to fax a letter to the DMV informing them that I am not in their system and that they have the wrong person on file for that citation. They would need to fax this in order to clear it from my record. Whoever I spoke to told me that they can't do that and that the DMV would have to call them. So, I'm getting pretty frustrated by then. I call the DMV, only to be told that they cannot make that call and that if the magistrate will not fax anything to them, I would need to talk to one of the magistrate judges. By this time, I have had to repeat this whole scenario, my info, and the situation about 15 times and I was in tears.

So, before I called the magistrate office again, I had to calm down and pull myself together. I got ahold of a woman that I had spoken to at least once before and after calmly retelling her everything, she promised me that she could and would send that fax to the DMV and mail me a copy and that the DMV should remove it from my record after they receive the fax. I was sooooo thankful for her and said that a few times. So, Stevie (as in Stevie Nicks) at the magistrate court, you have my unending gratitude. You really made my whole day.

A Plethora of Pictures

So, I neglected to post pics on that last entry of our parties. All of the pics are ones that Nobby took and so I will just be using those. They're good pics. So, enjoy.

Baby shower first: I got a lot of cute clothes, some toys, diapers, blankets, and gift cards.

This was a cute basket put together by my sister-in-law. It was full of goodies.

The LonDolls, and our honorary LonDoll, Tiny, giving the belly some love.

Off to the bachelorette party for Hobby:

We dressed Hobby up as Hugh Hefner and we were her Playboy Bunnies.

Katie, Whit (Hobby), Me (Birdy)

Liz (Mody), Bree (Nobby), Melissa (Trippy)

A flaming onion and a talented chef

Whit finally caught this one after three tries.

A little surprise for the bride. "Marriage is the gift that keeps on giving."

Whit turned pretty red, just the reaction we hoped for.

LonDolls back at Nobby's for fondue, games and gifts.

She got some naughty things; books, underwear, funpack condoms, lubricants, and...

of course, edible undies.

We had a blast the rest of the night playing games and catching up on life. Nobby's wedding is on Saturday and we are really looking forward to seeing her joined with Bry. She will make a beautiful bride. Love you, Whit.

LonDoll parties are the best.

Yesterday was one long day of fun. First, the LonDolls threw me a baby shower at my house. About 20 people came and it was a lot of fun. We played two games. The first, everyone passed around 8 diapers with melted chocolate candy bars in them and they had to guess what kind of candy bar it was. Some of them looked too real, and one pregnant guest had to opt out because she is still in the nauseous stage. One person actually got 7 of the 8 right. Then, everyone cut off a string of yarn that they guessed would fit around my belly. Tiny was actually the closest for a long time, but was eventually beat out by someone else.

We ate chicken salad sandwiches and fruit salad with blue Hawaiian Punch. And I got quite a few gifts. I received clothes, bath supplies, blankets and gift cards. The LonDolls also pooled their money for me to buy a glider rocker, the number one thing I wanted. I was so happy. It was a great shower and it was nice to sit and chat with so many friends.

After cleaning up the party, we left to take Hobby to her bachelorette party. We dressed her up as Hugh Hefner and we were her "bunnies". We wore ears and tails and ate at Tepanyaki. It is a Japanese restaurant where they cook up and serve the food right in front of you. It was really delicious and we just had fun chatting and laughing. Before we left, we surprised Hobby with her bachelorette cake. It said, "Marriage, the gift that keeps on giving". She turned a nice shade of red and loved it.

From there, we all drove to Nobby's house and pigged out on fondue, caught up on each other's lives, and played a dirty version of Pictionary. We also each gave her some naughty gifts, which included underwear, edible underwear, a fun pack of condoms, KY, sex books, and a few other items. I would definitely say that she is all set. It was so good to see all the girls and just visit and relax. It's been so long since we've all been together. Thankfully, they're all doing well, keeping busy. We finally headed home about 12:30 a.m. and I was pretty tired this morning when we had to get up for church. But I had a wonderful day.

The fun doesn't stop there either. Next weekend is another full one. Friday, Mody is graduating from the university and her parents are throwing her a bbq. Saturday is Hobby's wedding. So, we have so much more to look forward to.

In other update news, H bought a yellow monster. At least, that's what I call it. He bought a 2004 Ford F-150, 4-door truck. Oh, and it's really yellow...and big. He's been wanting a big, yellow truck for sometime. I find it humorous. It reminds me of the story "A Rose for Emily". The woman's suitor drove around ostentatiously all over town in a bright yellow buggy. Don't know why it reminds me of that, but it's funny to me. At least we don't have to worry about losing it in a parking lot.

Party, Party, Party

Baby shower today. I'm so excited. I will post pics soon and let you know what goodies the baby receives.

Also, Hobby's bachelorette party tonight. Will definitely post pics of that!

I mean, I'm already pregnant. What other kind of shenanigans could I get into?

I had a mini-preggo meltdown today. I was running around a lot today, taking care of errands, making purchases, and volunteering at Mister's class. I accomplished a lot today, but was exhausted by the end and a bit frustrated by some mishaps. After dropping off the kids at school, I went to Wally-World to buy a new curtain set and rods that I forgot to get yesterday. I got them, but forgot that I was also going to grab a frame for my completed cross-stitch. This resulted in yet another trip to W-M later. I'm sure you know that one trip to this store is enough, but four in three days is just crazy.

So, later, I'm putting up the curtains, and one is too long and will need to be hemmed. The other curtains look odd without blinds under them, like the other windows are set up. Anyway, I also went to another store to buy a gift for a friend. The store offered to gift wrap it for free, which I gladly accepted. However, when the guy brought it back out, the gift bag had one handle and the gifts were not wrapped, but rather draped over and then stuffed full of paper, some of which was ripped. I didn't complain since it was free and I can easily re-wrap it on my own.

On the way home, I stopped at a lingerie store to pick up a few things for a friend's upcoming wedding. However, they had nada and I will have to check out someplace else to get what I want.

Later, I decided to frame my cross-stitch. However, I hadn't been able to find a frame with matting that was the exact measurement I needed. So, I bought one as close as I could and tried to trim the matting myself. The matting not only didn't come out that great, but I also managed to break the glass in the process. I think that was the tipping point. I was just so tired from running around and doing so much. So many things felt like they were not going right and, on top of that, my house looks like I did nothing all day. I was tired and frustrated and I may have vented a little overdramatically to H. But, it was over soon after I made myself sit down, breathe, relax, and eat a little dinner. I'm feeling better now.

The one thing that went really well today was my volunteer lesson. I talked to the kids today about the different forms of product production; mass, unit, and batch. I had them watch a video and then do an activity where they learned the difference between mass production and unit production by assembling ink pens. It held their attention and they seemed to really absorb it. Having cookies and free pens at the end didn't hurt either.

The baby seems to be growing exponentially. The pregnancy book said that he will almost double his weight this month. It seems that I might also be doubling mine. I see the doc on Monday and will get the definite lbs. But, my stomach just seems so big in profile that it's hard to believe that I still have a few months left.

Other than getting tired and sore, the occasional leg cramps, and waddling, I'm feeling really good. No complaints. He's also kicking a lot more and seems to respond to my voice and noises. He likes music. He moves around a lot when I play country. The other morning, I awoke and said something to H and as soon as I spoke, the baby started moving all over. I told H that it was like he had been waiting for me to wake up and had been bored until he heard me speak. It was awesome. Needless to say, I'm really enjoying this pregnancy while it lasts.

Well, I better go. I have a lot to do in the next couple days, and then I'll be having a lot of fun for the couple days after that. I will post pics of the cross stitch soon. I will also have pics of my shower.

Scrub a Dub Sub

I am tired. Whenever I start out a post with that sentence, you should already know that means I subbed today. I subbed for Tiny's class, 2nd grade. I have come to fully understand the argument for smaller class sizes. These teachers have their work cut out for them. And those people out there that think teachers already make enough money, benefits, etc...I suggest sticking them in a classroom with 28 7-year-olds for 7 hours and see if they still feel the same at the end of the day.

When I talk about my sub experience, I have to remind myself to use the word "substituting" instead of "babysitting". Because, honestly, that what it often feels like I am there for. I'm supposed to keep them on task, keep them in line, and entertain them occasionally. And then I report back to the teacher. The main difference would be that I got paid a whole lot more as a teenager when I babysat than I do now.

But, that is the only job I plan to take this week. I mainly did it because Tiny has wanted me to sub her class for a long time and I never had the opportunity until now. For the rest of the week, I plan to work around the house. I am going to do a volunteer lesson for an hour on Wednesday in Mister's class, but that doesn't bother me cause the teacher stays in the class and helps keep them in line. I am going to focus on the house because one of my bestest friends, Nobby, is throwing me a baby shower this Saturday at my home. I am so excited. I invited all the Londolls, my sisters-in-law, and a bunch of ladies from church. Nobby sent out the cutest invites with little blue footprints and glitter. It's been so long since I had a party thrown for me, at least, not one that I didn't plan the majority of it myself. And she's such a sweetie to put it all together.

I registered at Wal-Mart for all the things I still need and some of what I want. Considering that my last baby is about to turn 8, I am definitely lacking a lot of baby supplies. But I know that whatever I'm not "gifted" with at the shower, and I don't acquire on my own, my mommy will take care of when they visit. You can always count on my mom and dad to spoil their grandbabies...and their babies in the process.

I have the nursery planned out. It will be simple since the room is small. But it will consist of light blue walls, blue curtains, white blinds, white trim, puppy dog bedding, a white crib, a glider rocker, some wall shelves and some storage bins. Very simple, calming and boyish. I'm so excited to get it all done.

After the shower on Saturday afternoon, we are also throwing Hobby a bachelorette party that night. The theme will definitely be naughty, and a lot of fun.

So, if I don't post again soon, it will be because I was lost in the abyss that is Mister's room in the attempt to clean it up. Either that or the soap scum in my shower will be holding me hostage. Toodles.

Birthday Update

As far as birthdays go, I had a pretty good one. I took it easy in the morning and then was taken out to lunch by Mody. She took me to my fav place, Lofte's. We split an Italiano pizza, also my fav. And I wanted her to try that amazing pudding I had last week. Unfortunately, our head chef friend wasn't working yesterday. The waitress let me know that they had some pudding that he pre-made. But when we tried it, although it was good, it was nothing like I had had before. It was thin, not very rich, and had a new flavor in it than last time. Unfortunately, we didn't find out until we were done that the flavor was coffee. Not a really bad thing for most people. However, being pregnant and Mormon, it's kind of an unwelcome surprise. The waitresses apologized, but I wasn't terribly worried about it. I just now know that I shouldn't visit there unless my friend is working, cause he knows how to make the best versions of everything.

The lunch was thoroughly enjoyed and Liz even got me gifts. She gave me the always-loved HobNobs, some new herbal/fruit teas and even a little teapot. I've been wanting a teapot for quite a while. She got me a little antique one. I loved it. I think I may need to start a teapot collection, like at the London Bakery. I would build shelves around the top of my kitchen walls and line up each unique pot.

After lunch, I continued to take it easy and did some cross-stitching. I have been working on the same pattern on and off for a few years and I finally finished the body of it and started the outlining yesterday. I will post pics of it when I finish it. I had planned to keep it for myself and frame it, because I have not kept any of my finished works. I'm just not sure about where I would put it yet. Maybe I will put it in my planned office nook in our room. Between our bedroom door and our closet, there is a niche that would be perfect for shelves and a desk. So, I'm planning to make that my own little office area. Below is a doodle I did of it.

In the afternoon, I finally watched "Juno" (I love NetFlix) and really enjoyed it. Some parts made me laugh out loud and others made me cry. I helped Mister with his homework, worked on my cross stitch some more, and was pretty lazy. Last night, H and Tiny nondiscreetly slipped out the door for a while and came back about an hour later with a huge gift bag and pizza and breadsticks. In the bag, I received a plush robe that feels like those super soft baby blankets, the new George Strait CD "Troubador", and a ton of assorted candy. I was so excited because I had been hoping to get a robe like that before Matthew came along and I wouldn't forced to wander the hospital halls with my bum airing out from the back of my ill-fitting gown. I had also just found out about that CD and was wanting to get it. I will always love George. And candy, well you just can't go wrong with candy.

So, I hugged and kissed everyone, put on my comfy robe, opened my CD, and ate way too many chocolate-covered raisins while I stayed up until the wee hours cross-stitching. Yep, that was my idea of a birthday well-spent.