Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Repierced

I had my ears pierced when I was 13.  I sat at the kitchen table with ice on my ear and my mother stabbed my ear with a needle.

When I was 18 I added a 2nd, 3rd and 4th (cartilage) hole to my right ear and a 2nd on my left.  Those were done with a piercing gun and against my mothers wishes.  I paid for it with my own money and I managed to keep my ears covered for 2 months.

I let the 2nd and 3rd holes close.  The 4th never did.  

Over the years I've stopped wearing earring, except on Sundays or on the rare occasion that I get really "ready".  Then my 1st holes closed.  Yesterday I repierced them at home.  

V doesn't have her ears pierced and I told her that when she was ready to take care of them she could, but that she had to take responsibility for cleaning and care.

She found it a little freaky that I just stabbed myself.

I'm debating taking her to get them done or going the kitchen chair route when she's ready.  They both hurt equally (not that bad).  Do you have an opinion?

Have I mentioned...

...I like coffee.

Yep, sure do.

More info on baby wearing

As I stated in the Baby Bluetooth post, Jennifer made me a wonderful wrap sling.  She attended a class on baby wearing and passed great information on, gave me a sling as a gift and taught me how to wear it.  Having someone to show you really helps.

She attended her class in the OKC area and classes can be found at http://babywearingdoula.com/.

I did find a location in Tulsa that taught classes, but they have discontinued them.

These links were given to me by Jennifer in an e-mail on wrapping methods and making your own wraps.





I am in agreement with her that the basic is the best for small babies who need more support.  

I do promise pictures are to come.

*I guess I should add this.  You need to be aware of you child when placing them in a wrap or sling.  Their breathing should not be obstructed and you should be paying attention to them.  This seems like a duh, but I've had a lot of people tell me that ALL slings have been recalled.  This is totally inaccurate, not all slings have and greater care should be taken with children under 4 weeks of age.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

I'm not the most thrifty...

...in the visiting thrift store sense.

First I dislike shopping with every fiber of my being.  I don't like hunting and not finding what I want in a department store, let alone a thrift store.  I'm also a cheapskate.  I'm okay with that too.

By chance we ended up at a Goodwill with JR's sis and mom, earlier this month.  I still have 16 lbs to lose and my kids have plenty of clothes, so I started looking for clothes for Jonathan.  I've been wanting to buy him a sport coat (with elbow patches), but they are ridiculous expensive.  By chance I found 2 his size (without elbow patches).  We bought both, one for $13 and one for $6.50.  One was from Bachrach.  Both were wool and silk.

JR really needed a new pair of chocolate colored slacks and I knew they would look good with one coat.  I picked up a pair on sale at JCPenney online and while I was at it I bought him a total impulse purchase.  A fedora that was also on sale.

I'm such a geek.  I was totally born at the wrong time.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Of course...

...it might rain...I've taken a shower and am in my pj's (thankfully yoga pants and a tank top)...and I forgot to have the kids get their clothes and shoes out of the backyard...and it's pitch black with no light in our backyard...I'm off to find shoes and a flashlight.

Muffin

When you hear someone use profanity, insert the word "muffin" or some such silly word in it's place and it will make you giggle.  I do so enjoy laughing at other people.  This just makes it easier.

My 6th child

No, I'm not pregnant, nor am I speaking of my husband (I find that mean).

I'm speaking of my neighbors son.  Matt is 14 and loves to come play with my kids.  He's a good one who would have done well with siblings, but his mother went through in vitro twice to get him.

We met Matt and 2 of his friends the day we moved in.  They were 9 and bored.  They offered to help us unload our truck.  They were fast.  We couldn't keep up.  We gave them $30 to split ( they had plans to go to a water park that afternoon).  After the truck was unloaded they went out front with a "boom box" (that word dates me) and started playing music.  My initial thought was not good about boys playing loud music.  Then we realized it was DC Talk's Jesus Freak.  Not my favorite song, but definitely acceptable.  For all I knew we were about to get Tupac.

Over the past (almost) 5 years, Matt has come over a lot.  He plays with the kids (and sometimes brings friends), camps out with our kids or his friends on our trampoline, plays flashlight tag in our back yard with his cousins, hangs out if he forgets his key on rainy days and so on.  He's a welcome friend and fun sudo addition to our family.

He's had one recent very funny affect on my boys that I must share.  Matt is still a skinny 14 year old, but he likes to rough house on the trampoline with his shirt off.  Now all of my boys think that if they are in the back yard they should be shirtless.

JR took V and Jack to the farm today, so it is just CAR and the twins and I.  I opened the back door to let the boys run in and out and even though it is a little cloudy and windy, making it chilly Owen and Xander took off their shirts an played in the back yard.  You can tell they look up to Matt.

Tagging

I'm beginning tagging my posts.  This may take a while.

The Baby Bluetooth

I'm not a total tech geek.  I would like to be but milk, eggs, electricity and shoes are more important for a family of 7.  ;D

I own no cell phone headset, but I do have the equivalent of a Bluetooth for Caroline (seriously it's hands free).  How I lived without my baby Bluetooth with my other kids I have no idea.  If it weren't for my baby Bluetooth the twins would have run out in traffic and died many months ago.  Dinner would have been much later if not for my baby Bluetooth many times over.

Some may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about...it's called baby wearing.  I couldn't go to Wal-Mart without a sling.  She sleeps until we get to the check out.  I never use a car seat carrier and I've even put the old carrier car seat in the attic and pulled the better, bigger, more stable car seat down.

I have 3 slings, 2 wraps and 1 shoulder pouch.

First I want to talk about the wraps.  You can spend too much and buy a Moby or you can make your own (15 feet long and 20 inches wide).  My first was made by Jennifer.  Her husband graduated with JR and they gave me one that she made and she taught me how to wear it.  Oh, my, it's wonderful!  When I'm cooking it is a life saver.  When I'm cold it's a generator.  I love it!  I've made another in black for a formal occasion (I wore CAR to my cousins wedding).  In the next week I'll post the site for making and wearing a baby and pictures of CAR in hers.

My other sling I like when I'm in a hurry and I just need to sit her on my hip for a little while or I'm too hot to be wrapped (that is one sweaty baby).  I ordered it from this site.  Needless to say I am going to use it as a pattern and make another.  I can even carry the twins in this one.  I carried Owen when we made an impromptu Zoo trip with no stroller.  After 4 hours he was wiped out.

I like having at least 2.  If one is dirty I always have a back up.

Call it what you want...baby wearing...baby Bluetooth...it doesn't matter I highly recommend it.

Funny things and random thoughts.

"I want to drink your blu."  -Xander
Think blood without the d.  That's his attempt at a Transylvanian accent.

"Backblerry."  -Xander
This is his attempt at saying blackberry.

I really like the word Gnarly.  I should have been a surfer so I could use it more often.  It's a little hard to surf in Oklahoma though.

I bought the cutest tennis shoes ever.

Okay, maybe the second cutest.  I didn't think the white would survive.





My Expedition will be paid off Monday.  1 year early.

"Say Vegemite!"  -Owen
Instead of telling people to say cheese when taking a picture.

"Fart!"  -Me
If you want to send my oldest (V) into a fit of giggle you just look at her and say that.  Jonathan prefers that the kids say, "Pass Gas", so it is incredibly funny to her.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

We tried.

JR called at about 7:45 and said the shuttle would be passing over in about 5 minutes.  I dove out of bed (I was cuddling CAR) and got the kids semi dressed (half PJ's, half normal clothes).

We ran outside to the empty lot across the street and stood there.  Owen crying.  The kids talking over the car radio (announcing it's location).  Staring at the sky.

...and...

We didn't see it.  We heard it, but never saw it.  I'm glad we tried.

JR pulled off of the highway to look and he didn't see it either.

Our neighbor came across the street to make sure nothing had happened to the house, b/c we were standing there staring to the NW toward our house.

We did hear it, so I guess it was worth it to say we did.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Where were you?

Do you remember?

It's been 15 years and I remember most of the details of where I was during the OKC bombing and when and how I found out.

I was less about 203-30 minutes away, doing a Biology lesson outside.  I found out during the next hour of school.  I still tear up much like 9/11.

Friday, April 16, 2010

I learned a very expensive lesson yesterday.

If it feels like appendicitis, the doctor thinks it sound like "textbook" appendicitis, and you go have expensive tests run.  It may not be appendicitis.

It may be much more simple, embarrassing and stupid.  Thankfully it's easer and much cheaper to treat.

I had a CT scan for nothing.  Okay, not having surgery is something, but they didn't draw blood and check my white cell counts which is a huge indicator and much cheaper (I learned this after the scan).

I'm still not sure how this stomach issue occurred, but you live and learn (and you feel stupid).

Did I mention that I feel stupid?  Just checking.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

MISSING

2 permanent lateral incisors.  If found please call.  V would like them back.

Okay, so apparently she never had them to begin with.

We went to the orthodontist this afternoon and V is missing both lateral incisors.  She comes by it naturally.  I'm missing the one on the right and one of mom's cousins and one of her aunt's were also missing one.

I have a bridge after 2 1/2 years in braces as an adult.  JR looked like a pedophile when we got married and had V.  I looked 12 even though I was 20 and older.

We go back to the orthodontist in 6 months for another check.

yippee...yes the lower case is indicative of my excitement.

The Ultimate Fighting Champion...

...or not.

Owen got into a fight with the sidewalk.
I think the sidewalk won.

We can at least tell the twins apart immediately.

He's trooper.

He is taking everyone to the bloody spot on the sidewalk and telling them, "That's my blood."

DAY 1
This all occurred Sunday after church.  He was in a white long sleeved dress shirt, navy blue plaid shorts and...his cowboy boots.  Only a 3 year old can truly rock that outfit.  He had escaped the back yard and was walking on a sand stone edged, raised flowerbed.  He slipped and his face hit concrete.  I happened to be sitting in the living room looking out of the window and I saw him from behind and ran outside.  He was supposed to be in the back yard (we had left the back door open and they were coming and going as they pleased).  He turned around and it looked like his face had exploded.  There was blood on his face, in his mouth, on his white shirt (of course), on his shorts, on his legs.  You name it, it was bled on.  He was freaked, I was freaked, JR was freaked.

We did a 5 minute, "clean up some blood, change your shirt and get everyone in the car" and ran to the after hours clinic.  The didn't think it was broken, but couldn't tell because of the swelling.   They said it was straight.  JR was getting worried in the waiting room and took him away for a bit, because he thought he might go into shock.  I'm usually the calm one, but I was upset.  Nothing major, just a few stray tears.  I was doing my best.  He fell asleep on JR waiting for the doctor.

DAY 2
He sounded like a whistling teapot while he slept.  V came in and asked where the Kleenex's were, and told me she knew why he was whistling (translation HUGE, bloody booger).  She wiped his nose.  Yes that's gross, but she deserved it for what she did later.  I bought him a bouncy ball at WM and she tossed it to him. Remember he's 3 and doesn't catch very well.  He caught it with his face.  Lots of screaming and crying followed.  Yes, by Owen.  No, I didn't beat her, but I wanted to.

DAY 3
He sounded better sleeping.  The bruise is getting bigger and blacker.  He's still swollen.  He's starting to pick the scab.  If you ask him how he feels he'll say he's broken.  I finally got him to say he was bruised instead.

Now I'm off to go play catch with him with a baseball.

I'm totally kidding.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

5...4...3...2...1...

BACON!

This was heard in my kitchen this morning as my carnivores were waiting for the microwave to finish.  They can hardly be classified as omnivores.

Monday, April 05, 2010

8

I guess I'm making up for lost time with 8 blog posts tonight.  You may hate me soon.

Passover series

On a more serious note, we've been studying the Jewish feast and festivals in our Sunday school class.  We are studying them as they come up in the year.

We did Purim and the book of Esther in February.  Passover and First Fruits in March/April and we will drop them in accordingly through the rest of the year.  JR is teaching the class and when discussing parts of Judaism we just don't know enough, so we turn to Zola Levitt.

I highly recommend that you watch part 1 and 2 of Passover.  God's planning is amazing and communion takes on a whole new perspective with these videos.

Cheesecake

I made this for JR's 33rd birthday.

I made this with a chocolate Teddy Graham crust instead of Oreos.

I used coffee liqueur instead of hazelnut.

I made it in a 9x13 foil lined Pyrex.  I think I'm going to buy a 9x13 springform for times that I don't want to use a round springform.

I covered the cheesecake with a ganache made with Dove dark chocolate and sprinkled with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.

I took it to his office so only a few pieces were left in my house.  That's wise when you are trying to lose the last 17lbs of the *cough* 48lbs *cough* that you gained with the last bundle of cuteness.

March Madness?

Isn't it April?

I'm blogging and watching Duke vs. Butler.

A few thoughts.

I don't have a horse in this race, but I love an underdog.  Go Bulldogs!

Coach K has been around FOREVER!

The Butler coach is one cool cucumber.

This game is really close.

Have all of the games been low scoring?  I miss fast run and gun basketball.  I like more offense then defense.

I love watching basketball on the 14' diagonal projector screen.

The UPS commercials make me glad I was a mechanical engineering major instead of an industrial.  Seriously optimizing routes for right turns?

I will go see Iron Man 2 in the theater and I never go to the theater for movies.  I think Robert Downey Jr. is so funny (and cool, and manly, and good looking).  No, I don't day dream about him and JR thinks he's cool too and even patterns his goatee after the Tony Stark character (by his own derision)

The Duke offense works in circles and they are interesting when they are moving.

As usual the reffing seems kind of bad.

I'm not a big baseball fan, so I will be looking forward to college football season and it seems a long way off.

The Butler coach looks like a real life Ron Stoppable with brown hair.

Well crap they lost.  Oh,well.

Tour

We toured the elementary school Friday.  This is such a hard decision.  I'm feeling more okay with it.  I just am keeping in the back of my mind that if this doesn't work I can bring them back home (which is my plan in no more than 1-2 years).

Things to come

We had real pictures taken of the kids yesterday (Resurrection Sunday) and CAR is having pics taken Wednesday.  I'm going to buy the CD of pictures so they will be here soon.

Carina,

I'm glad you weren't asking for pictures of my feet.  You would never get those.  I don't like feet and I have ugly ones even before having a bruised and broken toe.

Hahahaha!

Black and Blue

Jackson might be this color if he does one more thing.

Periodically we experience some type of demon possession with Jackson.

Once he drank Benedryl, and cut through a power supply that was plugged in ("It made a great spark and a boom mom."), among other things one week.

That was about a year to a year and a half ago.

Last week he sprayed flea and tick spray all over the garage including on JR's 1979 Triumph Spitfire.  He took the yard spreader full of Scott's and parked it int he drive, where Owen proceeded to dump turfbuilder on JR's tuck (and eat some for good measure).  After we freaked out and put the spreader in the garage we found that Jackson had dumped a bottle of break fluid on the garage floor.

His reasoning?  He wants to be a bad kid so we won't get onto V.  What?

My children are freaks and may be the death of me.

If they weren't so cute...

Put your money where your mouth is (or not).

Xander gagged himself and puked up a nickel in the living room this afternoon.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Call me Grace!

Okay, so part of the trouble with facebook was that I would post status updates and would leave the details of life to a 1-4 line blurb.  I'll blurb them back where they belong, right here.

March 9th I broke my little toe. Ironically I was running to get my shoes.

On March 25th I broke the healing that had occurred walking to my car to surprise JR with a cheesecake at his office the day before his birthday.

I've never broken a bone and I'd rather not do it again.

OH NO!

Where introducing the kids to 007 tonight and watching Dr. No.