Gallini Tales

I'm Back....With a Little Poetry

2011-11-15T20:17:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't blogged forever. I have excuses. We moved to a new house that was a very blank slate and has consumed much (all) of our time with renovations and decorating. Add to that childbirth (c-section -- UG!!), unexpected stays in the NICU (for Greyson) and ER for(for me), starting school, going back to work, teaching seminary, laundry, meals, etc, etc, etc.......you get the idea. Blogging took a backseat. But I vow to be back and to keep up with everything going on and, at the least, record the birth of Greyson aka Doodle. (Not a manly nickname, I know...I'll come up with something else before he gets too big.)

Until my full return, however, I leave you with a poem by Carsten. Ahem....

rn! rn! rn! goes the Alarm.
vroom! vroom! vroom! goes the Vehicles.
Boom! goes a Building.
BOOSH! goes a gun.
"Roger that" goes a spy

And that is the CIA.

The Difference Between Boys and Girls -- School Edition

2011-01-12T06:20:00.000-08:00

Mom: "What did you do at school today?"
Son: "Stuff--I can't remember."
Mom: "Really? Can you tell me just one thing you did?"
Son: "Ummmmm Nope."
Mom: "I'd really like to hear about something you did today."
Son: "Sure...the same stuff we do everything. Think about something else I told you before."

Mom: "What did you do at school today?"
Daughter: "I hung my backpack on a hook by Morgan 'cuz she was wearing a pink shirt today, too. Then we got to play for a little, then had circle time where T.I. got to be the window looker and tell us about the weather, but I don't think he should have got picked 'cuz he wasn't nice to me last Tuesday. Then we had a story and it was about a boy that lived where there was lots of snow and he used trees to make snow shoes so he could see his animals and his Grandma so next time we see Grandma and want to cut down her trees to make shoes. Then we got to have art and painted with our fingers. I used these two fingers because Miss Michelle said to not use our thumbs or pinkies but Jackson used these two fingers then Gwen said that wasn't nice fingers to use but I don't know why. They're just fingers. Then we had number time and we counted all the way to 50 but I can go more. Then at stations I did blocks and bears and did my whole sheet all by myself 'cuz I can do it. But it was too cold and muddy outside so we played inside and learned how to golf and I told them that my daddy had been before and they said their daddy had too, but I don't think that's right. Then Miss Michelle showed me how to told my hands and I hit the ball and got it in the hole and all of us cheered. Then it was lunch and Miss Michelle sprayed the tables and we had Macaroni and Cheese and milk and no one knew what the brown stuff was but Jackson said it was poo and other people said it was poo too so we all tried it and the boys still said it was poo but I said it wasn't 'cuz it didn't cuz it didn't taste anything like poo. Then it was nap time and I didn't go to sleep because I wasn't that tired because Monday had went to sleep and then I slept good last night because I was in my warm fuzzy jammies so I didn't take a nap today. But Morgan did because I think she doesn't have warm fuzzy jammies but I do. Then when we woke up and put our napping stuff away we had another story and talked about letters and then .......

You get the picture....

Overheard...

2010-11-22T19:09:00.001-08:00

Abrielle edition:

"Mom, why does Carsten have to taken medicine everyday?
"Because he has allergies and if he doesn't he gets a runny nose and itches all over."

Long pause.....

"Mom, I have allergies, too."
"Really? What are you allergic to?
"Roofs. But not the inside where you sit, just the outside that's black and dirty. They make me sneeze and be grumpy. I think we need to get away from them."

And then there was light........

2010-10-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

Dr. Evil did not show. In fact, it was Dr. Mann...the younger. Full head of hair and no air quotes. Definitely not Dr. Evil. Which is good, 'cuz really I probably would have chickened out if any of Mike Myers personas would have walked into my surgical suite.

Funny, that you can go for 25 years seeing one way, then 10 minutes, 2 lasers and an obscene amount of pressure in a left eye that didn't want to numb, and voila....20/40 immediately after surgery.

Keep in mind, before surgery, I was worse than 20/400. What's that like, you lucky, perfect-eyed, non-myopic friends ask? Check out this link for a descent simulation.

http://www.syracuse.com/graphics/index.ssf/2008/03/interactive_simulation_of_gov.html

Honestly, I was a little worse than this simulation. The outlines of the people are way too defined.

By 2 days post-op, I was 20/20. 20/20!!!!

A few weeks out now, and I'm realizing that there is a good and a bad to this high-priced miracle.

First, the good.

1. When thumb-sucking toddlers who physically place all germs directly into their oral cavity for ingestion wander into my room at 2 am coughing and mucousing (Real word, in Shelly-land), I don't have to put my glasses on to determine the color of the mucous or redness of their febrile skin.

2. When I am awakened by loud, suspicious, frightening sounds at 5am on Saturday morning, the kind that result in springing from the bed in fear, I don't have to squint or flail my arms about to find the culprit (Why, oh, why are you awake?)

3. Jason can no longer amuse himself by moving my glasses 12 inches from their designated spot. Pathetic, I know, but for 13 years he has found this activity unbelievably humorous.

And the bad....

1. When I'm really tired at night, I can't buy myself another hour by taking my contacts out.

2. When I'm really tired at night, I go back and forth to the bathroom 10 + times habitually attempting to take my contacts out.

3. I live in fear that one night, then I'm really tired, I'll forget that I don't wear contacts anymore and pull my corneas from my eyes.

I am improving as I have only found myself in the bathroom, staring at the mirror, wondering why I'm here 3 times tonight, so far, and my corneas are still firmly in place.

I think I'll go to bed now, just to avoid any mishaps....

Doctor ???

2010-09-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

I am having a little elective procedure done tomorrow and can't seem to get THIS image out of my head....

I have been assured by the consultant, assistant, and optometrist that this is NOT who I will be seeing in the morning.

When Mom-Gut and Medical-Brain Collide....

2010-09-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

It started almost 3 weeks ago. The kids started passing around a cold virus. Snot, Hack, Crank...you know the drill. Kid 1 and Kid 2 kicked it, no problem. Go immune system. Kid 3---she flailed about in our bed every night hacking, flopping, snotting, head-butting, whining, wailing, hacking, flopping, hacking.... She could not kick it. Booooo immune system.

Saturday, she gets the ultimatum. "You have until Monday to be better, or you're going to the pediatrician." She coughed at my threat.

Sunday, worse. Much worse. Couldn't stop coughing. Wouldn't eat. Only sipped juice. Flopped on daddy. Learned new word "Ucky!"

Now, I work in medicine. I like to think that I know a good deal about medicine. (I'm sure my patients like to think that, too.) One thing I know I know and know well is this---viral colds do not last more the 14 days. If it's over 14 days---get checked out. There is a secondary infection there somewhere.

So when Jason takes little Lyssi to the clinic, getting worse, after almost 3 weeks of this, I expected a diagnosis indicating location of said infection and antibiotics. What I got was, "Backup doctor said it's just a virus. She'll get over it."

Virus? Did you tell her how long it's lasted? How she has gotten much worse with new symptoms in the last 36 hours? How bad the cough has been the last 36 hours. How much water we used creating our own personal steam room last night? How I haven't slept well in 3 weeks? How much snot is on my pajamas? and Pillow?

Then I got the mini-lecture. "Honey, you're not the practitioner here. You're the mom. You told me to take her in" Yeah, but my mom-gut is talking to my medical-brain and they both know this is not right.

So, medical-brain resumes work. Then received call from Dad. "She's napped for hours." More work. More calls. "She feels warm but her temp is normal." More work. More calls. "Her temp just spiked to 102.7 under her arm, what do you think?"

Bam! Ka-pow!!!!! Mom-gut and Medical-Brain just got together and they both want an appointment at after hours. TONIGHT!

Nice Doctor listens to Mom-Gut's concerns and then to Medical-Brain saying, "Really, I'm not demanding an antibiotics. Just a second opinion."

Nice Doctor agrees with Mom-Gut and tells Medical-Brain he would have done the same thing with his kids. (He's possibly my new backup doctor. The charmer.)

He probes. He prods. He peeks. He peruses. He says everything looks and sounds pretty ok (Boooooo!), but let's start with a chest xray just to be sure, then maybe some lab work.

Droopy toddler didn't care what the big scary looking machines were doing. She stood, she breathed, she layed, and we got to "see her stuff," per Carsten.

The doctor's official read of said xray: Schmutzy Lung
Medical-Brain agreed: Left lower Schmutz

No blatant anything. Just Schmutz....on the left.

Official Diagnosis: Rapidly developing pneumonia with probable sinusitis.

2 doses of Miraculous High Dose Pink stuff later -- no fever and playing for the first time in weeks. (Let's all now shout PRAISE for the pink stuff!)

Moral of story: Occasionally Mom and Practitioner must meet. Or collide. Whatever. Just as long as the prescription written.

Should have been an optician....

2010-09-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you take 1 boy, 2 pair of glasses, and 2 weeks of school?

A hunt for someone with a sautering iron and weekly visits to the opticians for adjustments. ("So how's was you son's first game, Bob?")

What is that kid doing with his face? He goes out the door straight and returns looking like the latest attraction in Piza. I never knew glasses could bend that direction.

Only 5 more years until contacts.......

Overheard...

2010-09-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

"I didn't lie...I just told you what I thought you were thinking in your head."

Was there a mistake?

2010-09-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, the amazing mother of two little girls, recently blogged her fears about finding out the gender of her yet-to-be-born #3. She grew up with all sisters, now has two girls, and was quite nervous about the possibility of testosterone streaming in her womb. (Results are in --- Testosterone it is!)

I laughed. Why? Because that's almost exactly what happened to me 7 1/2 years ago. I was so sure I was having a girl. There was no way God would send me a boy because I wouldn't know what to do with it and openly admitted that I just didn't understand little boys. (Not any better with "big boys...") I walked into the ultrasound suite confident in finding the "hamburger sign." You know...Hamburger sign for girls and Turtle sign for boys.

Yet, turtle it was.

I asked the sonographer a million time if she was sure. She was. My measurements were small, so the radiologist was brought in, whom I also drilled. Turtle? You sure? Really?

What was God thinking?

I didn't know what to do with a boy. I had no experience. I didn't get them. I only had 1 brother amid us 4 girls. He was 5 years older than me; that's like 130 years in kid-years. We didn't do anything together. Our daily interaction consisted of my rolling up the sleeves of his Vuarnet T-Shirts every morning (perfectionist little sisters are awesome at this.)

All I had observed I didn't understand. Mayhem and destruction? War? Beating a stick on the ground to find out how long before it disintegrates? Paying someone $0.50 to urinate on the side of their house? (Though it did provide for a lucrative business..) Huh?

But there he was, and still is. Boy, oh, boy. Mayhem and destruction? Check. War? Check. Beating a stick on the ground to find out how long before it disintegrates? Check. Check that one twice, actually. Paying someone $0.50 to ... well, I don't think that one's checked, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Seven years later, and I still don't know what to do with him. I frequently have to glance at his Dad and get the reassurance of "He's not a sociopath, that's just what boys do." For his sake, I've learned to speak GI Joe, Lego, and Avatar like a master. I've learned that the lack of aim is not on purpose - usually - and Clorox Wipes do wonders. I've learned that the amount of dirt and smell on a boy at bedtime is directly correlated to the fun of the day and happiness of the boy. I've learned to not ask "what were you thinking" unless I'm willing to accept the rationale. I've learned to "hear" love told in different ways.

So, friend, you are in for a ride. Brush up on your GI Joe, pull out a sword - or a stick - and hang on. Boys just come different, right out of the box, and I don't just mean in the diaper.

I'll never understand what God was thinking when he gave me this kid, but I'll always be glad he thought of me.

Overheard....

2010-08-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

"Mommy---go to work. The only thing that makes me happy is being with daddy all day."

(Yeah, mommy felt a little stab wound, but I had to document it for future guilt giving, right?)

Overheard...

2010-08-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

Road Trip Edition.....

Dad: "This area is called the Permian Basin because most of the dinosaurs bones they found here were from the Permian Era of time."

Abrielle (with a sign and the usual stars in her eyes): "Yeah, I remember that like it was yesterday...."

Overheard...

2010-07-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Big C to random kids at the pool.....

"Don't worry; that's my sister. She's kinda sassy. You'll have to get used to it."

Reasons Why "Pretty Princess" Rocks.....

2010-07-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

1. She carries entertainment with her at all times....The Finger People! Think finger puppets but without the puppets. They carry on elaborate conversations and tonight were at "Six Flags" while I dried her hair.

2. 1 Part High Fructose Corn Syrup Sweet + 1 Part Habanero Pepper Spice ... Nothing subtle about her

3. That hair! Those cheeks! That smile! What a mix of genetics...Don't quite know how that result was produced, but, man is she gorgeous!

4. She has never passed a flower that she didn't pick ... and give to her mom! (Sorry, neighbors...)

5. The mind doesn't stop. She wants to learn and know everything. Especially if it has to do with reading or music/dance.

6. Everything is pretty in her world. I swear she doesn't even see the trash, just the beautiful sparkly reflection off of the can.

I'm lucky...

...and I love my Pretty Princess

Reasons Why "The Big C" Rocks....

2010-07-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

1. He's a rock star....Seriously, Bon Jovi, that mop headed Bieber kid.....That's nothing compared to the response Big C gets from taking the trash outside, putting it into the compactor, and returning to the apartment. Screaming female fans await him at the door.

2. He (almost) never has to put his own shoes away...Because for some reason he has convinced his baby sister it's awesome to put brother's shoes in the closet.

3. He can entertain himself for days with a piece of cardboard, a used straw, tape, and a crayon (now know as GI Joe's rescue boat)

4. He tries anything...Take him to the grocery store and he'll find something new he wants to try...Rabe, Bok Choy, Brussel Sprouts, some sort of cactus....He wants it in our cart.

5. He can do the robot like he's screwed together and battery operated (Duracell of course...) Seriously, it's awesome.

6. He has the biggest heart...ever.....Huge!!!! You can't see it all the time. It's sort of a blur due to the rapid body movement. But the kid has a huge heart and loves....he just LOVES....If you are loved by The Big C, your are lucky, because he can really, really LOVE.

I'm lucky....

...and I love MY Big C!

The Difference Between Boys and Girls -- GI Joe Edition

2010-06-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

C: "Ready to deploy...We're going to have the bomb everything. All the bad people gotta go!"

A: "Yeah...Can we go to a party after? I like your helmet."

C: "3 - 2 - 1....blast off. Paratroopers moving in. Remember guys you have 24 hours to accomplish the mission. Soldier! Don't forget your gun!"

A: "Mommy, can you make my soldier a purple parachute? I think it would look pretty with his green uniform.?

C: "Soldiers can't have pink parachutes. That would show up too much. They have to have camouflage. Some of you will have to walk. There's not enough room in the plane. Zoooooommmmmmmmm!"

A: "They can ride on my pony. (i.e. My Little Ponies)

C: "Soldiers don't ride of purple ponies. Attention troops move out. Stick to the plan and don't leave a man behind.

A: "I like army men. They're strong. Come on ponies let's go to the war. Wait for us. My ponies need to comb their hair first."

C: (Eyes rolling) "You don't do your hair before battle!"

A: "We could make pretty blue parachutes to match the sky. Or black with sparkles for night!" (Said while twirling...)

C: (Eyes rolling) The soldiers under my command will never have pink or blue parachutes or anything with sparkles. Come on men. It's time to move out---Quick--We gotta get you away from here. Before she turns you into a bunch of princesses!"

A: "Mommy!!!! Carsten won't let me come to his war!!!"

Conceptional Boredom -- I Think Not...

2010-06-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

There is a particular parent at Carsten's school who is quite outspoken, involved, and vocal about....well anything really. Volunteers at the school hours a day, tells you all about her one and only child and why they wanted it that why followed by comments about how difficult it is with one and only child and how she just can't wait for said child to grow up, have a clue, and appreciate all that is done for her and how wrong it is to have more than one because the only way to raise a child is to give all your time and energy to said child.

She is a very nice person, just shares a bit much.

Less is more.

Enter Last-Day-of-School Festivities. Someone comments on how their current pregnancy was a "boredom conception" -- she was bored one evening and ended up with baby#2. Parent-of-One (PoO) comments that "Shelly must get bored an awful lot. Maybe we should find her something to do before she gets bored again. She'll just keep having more and more and more! "

(Kudos for tongue control, Shelly, kudos.)

For the record, PoO, I was not bored before, during or after any of my conceptions.

I have 3 kids because, darn it, I wanted them. And I'm good at it. Have you seen them? Seriously, I (and God) are really, really, good at this. (Ok, so I obviously have to given some credit to Jason's genetic material, particularly for Abrielle). My kids are gorgeous, smart, hysterical, random, creative beings, and I got to be involved in creating them. You should do what you're good at, and obviously, I'm good at this.

Now, I'm not commenting on my ongoing parenting skills (which revolve too much around threats and cold cereal), but my initial work in creation -- perfection!!!

So, PoO, and all others out there who feel the need to comment on my "large" family....keep it to yourself. My 3 doth not a Fertile Myrtle make....3 is not a big number. Check your math skills. 12, 451 .... That's a big number. 3 is not.

And if I decide to have 1, 2, or 6 more....I will.....

No boredom involved.

Blah, Blah, Blah...

2010-06-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

I fell blah. Not sad, not happy, in the middle.

It's really bugging me. I'm not a middle-ground kind of girl.

If I'm going to be sad, bring on the tears. If I'm going to be happy, hand me the chapstick. But, blah....just not my thing.

So tonight, in the middle of paying bills, balancing checkbooks and listening to this cathartic song, I wrote down 5 things that made me smile today. Quickly. As in, I didn't really think about it, I just wrote them down....in the margins of the cell phone bill.

Here we go.... (with a little explanation)

1. Frustrated Alyssa -- She sucks her thumb and has started wanting to sleep on top of stuffed animals. Yes, on top of them. She currently had 3 favorites that she must figure out how to shove under her body prior to inserting thumb, accepting blankie placement and settling down to sleep. 2 of the favorites are about as big as she is. It's hysterical watching her figure it out.

2. Sneaking nephew -- Like something off of Looney Toons. Arms in short-arm T-Rex pose, knees bent, hunchback up, on tip-toes.

3. Out of breath guy -- He was on a bike pulling a bike trailer. He'd probably been far and worked hard but I giggled. Very wrong of me. Bad Shelly.

4. Sleeping kids -- I took Alyssa and my 2 nephews to the splash park today for play group (Thanks Christa!) On the way to the car, they kept protesting the mere suggestion of a nap. They were all asleep before I pulled out of the parking lot.

5. Pancakes -- I love breakfast food. I love eating breakfast food for dinner. I love making my family breakfast food for dinner. I love that my kids love eating breakfast food for dinner and that Jason tolerates it.

So now I feel less blah, but still blah, but it's less, so that's better.

In the end....

2010-05-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

Ah, the last day of school. I remember how exciting it was. We spent the morning cleaning out our desks and packing up our artwork that had been on displayed around the class like a Renoir. We had a nice relaxed school day, ate lunch in the cafeteria for the last time, and had a little bit longer recess. After that, came the goodies---cookies, drinks and treats brought by the parents, maybe a couple of simply in class games (Head up 7Up rocked) then hugs and heading home. Simple, Blissful...

Not now....Now the artwork and tools are packed up and brought home a week before school's out. The last day is an all-out BASH complete with rented waterslides, pizza, cookies, popcicles, and a mini-carnival. Seriously? Fields day was just last week and was complete with waterslides and games. It's not high school. It's first grade.

If we set this as the standard in first grade, what will be do for graduation? Space trip?

Overheard...

2010-05-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

"Shoot Me! Hit Me! Sword Me! Fight Me!"

**Again, Abrielle. She really gets into her Lego Star Wars.

Overheard...

2010-05-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

"I want to beat you up! Hold still so I don't have to work so hard!"

***Stop, don't call CPS. This was out of the mouth of Abrielle while playing Lego Star Wars on the Wii with Carsten

Insomnia (Only Partially Voluntary)

2010-05-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

I'm tired. Very tired. I am by the end of most days, but yet I still stay up late.

"Why don't I just go to bed?"

Here is why:
1. I can do whatever I want to.....read, plan, waste time on the computer, stare at
the ceiling....and no one is going to interrupt.
2. Because sometimes tomorrow is so busy, I don't want it to come and going to sleep
seems to be giving in, declaring that today is over, bringing tomorrow that much faster.
3. My brain has not stopped yet, therefore lying in bed would be pointless.
4. In our apartment, if you leave the door open to the kids room, you can usually see all
three kids, peacefully asleep from the couch. So beautiful. It makes my heart feel like
it's going to explode and melt at the same time. It's the only time of day they all hold
still long enough for me to just gaze at them.
4. Sshhhh....hear that? Yeah, I don't hear anything either.......Peace.......Aahhhhhhh.......

I know that in the morning I'll regret it. I know that the dark circles are becoming permanent and the concealer is not working as well anymore. I know it will take twice as long to drag myself out of bed to the gym (if I make it to the gym in the morning at all....)

But for right now....

What I wanted to say.....

2010-05-14T10:42:00.001-07:00

...why yes, dear Substitute School Nurse, I do understand what you are saying.

But you see, Carsten was diagnosed with Strep throat on Tuesday and started on antibiotics. Naturally, I kept him home Wednesday and checked him for fever throughout the day, a day that was 97 degrees outside and in out apartment where the A/C runs for hours without making the temperature drop more than a degree. Until it's fixed, I am not paying for it to run and I turn on the ceiling fans. "Sick" boys who are running tireless around the playing hide and go seek and giving his equally "sick" sisters piggy back rides will naturally feel hot. So yes, he was really, really hot at home yesterday, as he reports, but it was not a fever. And no, I am did not mask the fever by giving him Advil before sending him to school today. (Seriously.....)

And of course his throat hurts. He had strep. It looked painful. Antibiotics do no magically take away the pain, particularly when it's further irritated by vomit. And of course he couldn't eat his lunch today. Did you ask him what he ordered. It was Nacho day and he can't resist a Nacho, so I am betting that instead of ordering the soft Pasta as we discussed this morning, he ordered nachos. Hard, Crunchy, sharp pointed, Nachos. (Seriously...) What's that Carsten? You did order the nachos?

So yes, Dear Substitute School Nurse, I would like Carsten do be given a salt water gargle, some reassurance and sent back to class for the last 90 minutes of school. Tell him I'll see him this afternoon.

Afraid to answer the phone at work today...

2010-05-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

11:00 am -- "Mrs. Gallini, we're calling to tell you Abrielle just isn't quite herself at preschool today. You don't need to pick her up, but we wanted to let you know."

12:00pm -- "Mrs. Gallini, Abrielle has spiked a temperature of 102.6F, has crawled under the teachers table and refuses to come out. Can you come pick her up?"

12:30 pm -- "Honey, the school said they couldn't get a hold of you so they called Papa. Carsten has a fever of 103.6F and they wanted permission to give him Motrin. We need to pick him up."

3:00pm -- "The kids are all asleep, but other than the fever, no complaints."

7:00pm -- "Honey, the kids are now both complaining of sore throats and have spots and gunk in their throats. What do you want me to do?"

7:30pm -- "Honey, I made it to MinuteClinic in Round Rock. They're running the strep tests, but Carsten threw up all over the clinic and Abrielle almost did. I'll let you know what the test show."

Drama always happens when Mommy has to work. My poor kiddos are so sick.

Today, I am so thankful for Daddy's who had the afternoon off, awesome colleagues who stayed late and didn't even flinch when my son vomited all over the clinic and everyone in it (Bless you, Lance!!!!), Motrin, Amoxicillin, soft waffles, hand sanitizer, apple juice and the RedBox.

Things that aren't funny.....

2010-05-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

1. Boys who break one bone per year of school
2. Dogs who push boys off of the 2nd floor of the play scape. (OK, so that's a little funny...)
3. Boys who have a goal to break more bones than his dad (I believe that count is at 4 or 5)
4. Toddlers who face plant into asphalt the week they're scheduled for pictures
5. Little girls with BIG estrogen.
6. Apartment kitchens with no pantry.
7. Patients who get all of their medical advice from Dr. Oz...and apparently only watch the previews (Note to readers: occasional gas after eating at Chuy's is not diagnostic of colon cancer)
8. Letters that come 3 days after the deadline of being out of your rental house saying they've decided to extend your deadline until October.
9. Lawyer husbands who think # 8 is funny.

Toddler Tantrums....

2010-04-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

It's official. We have a toddler. If there was any doubt, it was removed this week. Evidence?

1. The constant squeal of "No!!!" More like "NNNNNo!"
2. I never have to wonder who owns something. Why? Because according to Lissi, it's "Mine!"
3. There is nothing that can't be climbed or opened. Nothing.
4. My assistance with anything is no longer needed. She can do it herself.

However, there is the comic relief. Last night she wanted more soymilk, I said no. (Just no, not "NNNNNNo!") She threw her cup on the floor. I ignored it (I don't do tantrums.) She took 2 steps closer and threw it on the floor again. I ignored it. She picked it up and took 3 steps closer, pursed her little lips and threw it on the floor again really hard --- It bounced up and hit her head. She was so shocked and I could not stop laughing. (No injury and hugs given, but I couldn't stop laughing.)

Really, we're OK.... Part 1

2010-04-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

I find myself saying this a lot lately. Usually to faces oozing with disbelief, pity, confusion.....

Why you ask?

A few weeks ago, I went for my weekly run to that mailbox (I see no point in going more frequently), and found an odd looking letter addressed to "occupant." Now, usually this would go directly to the shred and recycle pile with the other junk mail, but this one just looked different. Plus, the day before, I had an attempted delivery notification on my door for a certified letter also addressed to "occupant." Being the "occupant" I was curious. So I opened it.

It was a lovely letter notifying us that we were to move in 2 weeks.

You see, we have been leasing a house since moving to Round Rock. We still own our home in Houston (and are leasing it out) and we've been waiting to figure out exactly where we wanted to buy or build. The plan was to buy/build this summer.

But, apparently, the owner of the house we have been leasing has not been using our rent money to pay his mortgage. Or any other money to pay his mortgage. In fact, he apparently has not paid his mortgage for a long time. So he was foreclosed on, and the bank now owns his house...our house. And they don't want to lease it and wanted us gone, like, yesterday.

(Insert tender mercy here------neighbor came by just after I opened the letter. Poor thing was greeted at the door by a slightly shaken Shelly saying, "I just really need a hug right now...." Hug given, and I pulled myself together. )

After much negotiation, we were able to stretch things out a bit more and are moving this Friday. Where, you ask?

To a 2 bedroom, 1129 square foot apartment. Current house.... 4 bedroom, 3000 square feet.

No, really. I'm serious. Really, I'm serious.

Why would we do such a thing, you ask?
#1 It's only temporary--6 months max
#2 No one around here would lease a house with less than a 12-15 month lease
#3 It's close....same ward, same school boundaries, same friends, same babysitters
#4 If you're going to uproot your kids unexpectedly, you might as well make it fun. We're basically moving to a hotel...2 pools, 2 spas, mini-theatre, 2 lounges (one with a wall of 3 TV's --- don't even get Carsten started on the possibilities there), park on site, billiards, shuffle board (new fave of the kiddos) They are wondering why we ever lived in a house when THIS kind of place was available.
#5 Because I don't like 3000 square feet. Really, I don't. I don't like cleaning it. I don't like having my family so spread out all the time. I don't like the stuff that spreads out to fill it. I don't like having to yell just to talk to someone in the next room. (I do love my kitchen...I will miss my big kitchen).
#6 Because since the beginning of the year, I have felt an overwhelming need and desire to simplify...and what could be simpler than getting rid of 2/3 of your stuff and moving to a smaller, easier to maintain space.

So, really, it all sounds rather traumatic, but we're OK....Really....

Overheard...

2010-04-15T19:28:00.001-07:00

Abrielle: "Mom, when it stops raining, that means Jesus doesn't have to pee anymore."

Mom: Speechless....didn't quite know what to do with that one at the time.......I was too occupied picturing all the times she has spent hours dancing in the rain in her bathing suit, wondering what she was thinking at the time......

In the works.....

2010-03-31T20:45:00.000-07:00

No, my dear Blog....I have not forgotten you. You see, I've been occupied. Physically and Mentally (we won't mention Emotionally) occupied. Soon (I hope), you shall have momentous things placed upon your Bytes....Big things are happening, hopefully fast, but probably drawn out over several months, but Big, nonetheless. Hold tight, little Blog......Patience....

P.S. And no, I'm not pregnant.......

Good...Better...Best....

2010-02-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Good husbands take the kids outside to play in the rare snow while mom's at work....

Better husbands call mom and tell her all the details....and take pictures and video.....

Best husbands find out that mom has been really busy so is taking a super later lunch break, then pack up all the kids and move the snow party to his parents house which is 5 minutes from where mom works so mom can come and play with the kids during her lunch break.......

I have the Best!!!!!

P.S. Thanks Nana and Papa for letting us invade your house, for letting us have snowball fights, build a snowman, sled down your hill, and for making us snow ice cream!!! Yum!

Overheard...

2010-02-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

In the car on the way to the museum.....

Carsten (from the 3rd rowof the noisy car): "Do you know what I'm going to name my son when I'm older? I'm going to call him Jason"

Abrielle (from the 2nd row): "What?!?! Satan?!?!"

Carsten: "No!!!! Not Satan! That would be asking for trouble."

Talented Friends....

2010-02-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

I have really cool friends. Really, I do. Even the one who think I should feel guilty about eating my kids candy...she's still cool. I think in Heaven, the assembling line conversation went something like this....

"Here's Shelly....What do we have for her?"

"Well, we're all out of 'Artistic.' Running low on 'Musical.' We just gave out our last 'Athletic' for the day.'"

"Hmmm...what should we do then?"

"Just give her cool friends....make sure she hangs out with all the people we gave everything to...."

So, that's what has happened. I hang out with amazing photographers, sewers, crafters, hair artists, make-up artists, published and unpublished writers, musicians, teachers, cooks, businesswomen and businessmen, runners, doctors, chiropractors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, friends, compassion givers, selfless servers.......

You name it.....I have one of those......

Evidence?

The CUTEST diaper changing kits ever.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/nb692451

Awesome photography.
www.kamlingphotography.com

Great book.
www.fearlessdatingbook.com

Wanna feel pretty? She can do it!
melissamillermakeup.blogspot.com
www.melissamillermakeup.com

Yummy! That's all I need to say.....Yummy !
www.christascandyapples.com/

And those are just the ones with websites.......Yeah, I'm cool.....

Is it too much to ask?

2010-02-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

"What are you up to?" she asked.

"Eating a piece of my kids Valentine's Day candy," I honestly replied.

"What?!? That's so wrong...I would never do that. Don't you feel guilty for eating their candy?"

You've never done that? Guilty? What?

I always snitch in my kids candy. Valentine's, Easter, Halloween, Christmas. You name it, I've snitched in it. Do I feel guilty at all about this? Not a bit.

I gave birth to them. Feed them. Clean up all manners of bodily function from assorted body parts and locations. I provide a house over your head. Teach and enforce manners, rules, job lists, the Ten Commandments, and basic human decency. I help with homework every night...including Wednesdays. I wash, scrub, transport, enroll, cheer, and love. I make them eat their veggies, brush and floss, and hold them vaccinations and tests. I cry with them, for them, and because of them. I smile with them, for them, and because of them.

And for all this, I ask only for all of your 3-Musketeers and M & M's.......

Nope, friend....no guilt at all....

Crazy Lady...The Summary

2010-02-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

That's what I feel like lately. Do those you have been asking...No, we have not dropped off the planet (though that sounds like a nice vacation...), we have been incredibly busy. But, hey....is there any other kind of busy? Here's the run down....

--Christmas. School. Church. Big Families. 3 kids....'nuf said.

--Holy Homework, Batman. I think a "special project" has come home every week.
If a "special project" exists that frequently, is it really "special" anymore?

--Preschool -- Abrielle started a new preschool in January and it's awesome. It fits her personality and needs (and ours) much better than the home co-op we were doing. It's at the YMCA and we have evidence that she is getting a good, solid, Christian education. What evidence, you ask? Exhibit A: "A B C D E F G...Thank you God for feeding me. Amen"

--Alyssa is a toddler. Actually, that is a misnomer. She does not toddle...she runs....constantly.

--Bishopric -- Jason is still in the bishopric which means Sundays are no "day of rest." For him it's a day of meetings. For me, it's the UFC championships. Did I mention the magical opening hymns at our church? No matter what the selection, it has the power to make all children's previously empty bladders suddenly fill (at alternating rates, of course), make Ms. Regular, who always poops before 10, let loose again, and make it absolutely necessary to communicate with all of our friends no matter how many pews away they happen to be. Once Jason asked me how he did on his talk --- I didn't realize he had spoken......

--Office---Jason's firm is getting busier every day. Which is good. Unless you just want a day off with your husband and the darn "Crackberry" won't shut up. That's bad.

--Work -- Yes, I am working full time again. To preemptively answer all questions:
Yes, I did enjoy being a full time- stay-at-home mom.
Yes, I do love my kids.
Yes, Jason's business is doing well (see above).
No, I am not inactive in my church.
Yes, I do realize the logistical mayhem of
1 self-employed husband + 3 kids, + 2 church callings + full time job.
No, I have not lost my mind, yet.
Yes, I am tired of watching the student loan payments I send
not make a dent in the student loans.
No, I do not look forward to the making those payments for the next 25 years.
No, self-employed people do no get benefits, unless they pay for them in full themselves.
Yes, we havebeen praying about all of this.
Therefore--
Yes, when I was offered a job in which full-time is 30 hours/3 days a week
with full benefits and quite a bit of flexibility, I accepted.

and, yes, your prayers will be appreciated. Because I do realize that either I have,
or soon will, lose my mind.

Overheard....

2010-01-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

Scene....in the car on the way home from swimming at the YMCA, Abrielle suddenly breaks down in tears...

Mental Status...Everyone a little too tired

Me: "Abrielle, What's the matter?"

Abrielle (Wailing): "Someday there's going to be two mommies."

Me" "What?!?!"

A: "Someday there's going to be two mommies. You and me..."

Me: "But why are you crying? Don't you want to be a mommy?"

A: (Wailing louder) "Noooooo!!! I don't like to drive around and serve dinner!!!!"

There you have it. The sum of my existence according to my about-to-be-4 year old.....

Overheard...

2009-12-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

"Abrielle, today is the last day you have to be really, really good; then you can just be normal..."

Dear Elves...

2009-12-23T21:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Elves,

I wont to be a elv just like you. Cus my mom sed that Santa Clos coud do majik and trn peopl in to elvs. I wunt you to reit a lettr to send me infrmashin.

Your Frend
Carsten

Not Feelin' It....

2009-12-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

I'm one step away from being Scroogy this year. I honestly don't know what my problem is. I am usually FANATIC about Christmastime. Tree up day after Thanksgiving, Decorations up the next day. Shopping done, wrapped, and mailed. Batch one of Cinnamon Bread made and eaten before December 5th. Batch 2 by December 10th. Batch three by December 15th.....etc, etc....

That's considered "Normal-Shelly...."

This year....I just realized that Christmas is 10 days away. Seriously. I looked at the calendar yesterday and said, "Whoa! Christmas is next week!!"

The tree went up about a week ago and I just finished the last bit 2 days ago. The Christmas decoration were unpacked (thanks to Elf #1), but were not placed anywhere in particular until the threat of the entire church youth group coming to my house last Sunday whipped me into action (I have some pride still...) 1st batch of bread made yesterday. Christmas shopping....well....let's not go there.....Remember the Friends episode where Chandler and Joey bought everyone presents at the last minute from the local gas station? Maybe my kids would appreciate a nice air freshener......

I cannot find the antidote. Christmas Story (bible version)? A Christmas Story (Movie)? Christmas Candy? Caroling? Lights? Decor? Gifts? Wrapping? Nothing has worked.....

I think this year I'll just smile and nod and wait for New Years.....

An Open Letter...

2009-12-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Stuff....

We have had a long, glorious relationship. Perhaps that is why I feel I can speak freely now. You are driving me crazy. Really, certifiably crazy. My family can vouch for this.

You are everywhere I turn. The desk, the counter, the couch. This afternoon I sought respite in the one place I thought would be free of your persistent presence, but alas, there you were on the toilet seat.

I admit, it has not always been this way. There was a time when I looked upon you with desire. We were inseparable. Five moves, 3 states. It was you and me. Together. You were worth the extra long moving truck. the additional rent for an extra bedroom, the extra boxes and wrapping---just for you.

It was not in the forecast for us to remain that way. Really, the forecast is at fault Hurricane Rita changed us. I left you behind during our flight (or crawl, as the case may be) and upon my return, things were ... different. You looked different. Felt different. You hadn't made the cut. You were not in the trunk. You weren't "needed," "necessary," or "important." You were left behind. Had the winds not shifted, that could have been the end of you then.

Have you felt my gaze? I often look at you and wonder why we have been together all these years. Upbringing? Yes, I admit, I was reared with stuff. Lots of it. Trinkets galore. A Pledge-dusters dream. But I swore you off. I declared myself liberated, yet there (and there, and there, and there...) you are. I wondered if you were fulfilling some deeply repressed need in me. Did your presence make me feel loved? Secure? Safe? No, just irritated and annoyed.

I thought I had conquered you. I declared myself victorious. Trash! Goodwill! Salvation Army! There! Proper homes for you. Retrospectively, I see that my declaration was premature and I let down my guard. Did you creep back in? No. You are too vain for that. You hauled yourself in a UHaul. I felt your draining presence from the front seat of the SUV. You fed off of my energy across three states and two time zones, leaving me empty, decrepit, languid....

You are my thief. You steal my time, my energy, my patience, my garage. I want them all back. Yes, including the garage. Both sides!

Yes, my stuff. We must part. It's for the best. You deserve a proper resting place, someone who truly loves you; or at least doesn't view you as a plague. I bid you adieu, auf wiedersehen, sayonara, buh-bye. There is no sentimentality left that can save our relationship. Please accept your fate and move on...and out....forever....

Freely....Shelly

Road Trippin' -- Wheeler Farm

2009-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

Day Four -- I had planned buffer days in between the planned events so we could all rest. However, our next day of rest was interrupted by a (long!) trip to urgent care. Alyssa had a terrible ear infection. Drat.....her ears are so cute and tiny, but they have no defense system. Gladly she perked up quickly (Thank you Amoxicillin) and was good to go. Oddly enough, the urgent care was staffed that day by Dr. Wood, who was my PCP from infancy until I married and moved, and Mr. Russell, the physician assistant I would see when Dr. Wood wasn't available. What are the chances of that? Neither of them are usually there.....

Day Five -- Alyssa was perky so we headed to Wheeler Farm. Popular for field trips and such, I had always heard about this place as a kid, but never went. So we drug Grandma to the farm. We sang Old McDonald on the way which the kids quickly changed to "Uncle Donald." They laughed hysterically at this and had to call Uncle Don and tell him about it. On his farm he had a Kodi, Kelsee, Jed, Jacie, and Aunt Jan. They kids made up some very interesting sound they each made....Very interesting.....

Treehouse
(Abrielle, Carsten, and strange kid who wouldn't get out of the picture)

Carsten's highlight of the day? Seeing the animals? No....Feeding the ducks? Nope.....Spending time with the family? Nope (well maybe a little)
There were a dozen or so old rusty tractors sitting around all over the farm....and you could climb on them and move levers and touch the steering wheel and stay there as long as your mom would let you.....AWESOME!!!

Abrielle puttering along....enjoyable, but not her highlight....

The Puttering Princess

Where is Alyssa? No we didn't forget about her. Remember, this is antibiotic day 2. She wasn't at her perkiest and mom wouldn't let her pick up the dirt/manure and eat it (mean mom), so she hunkered down and found her thumb. She was happy.....

Feeding the ducks/geese/swans....What a deal. For around $1 you get a huge bag of feed filled 3/4 of the way. They kids loved it.

Even Alyssa, who woke up just in time....She laughed so hard when the ducks would duck underwater for the food......

The sign of a good day of Road Trippin'? At the end of the day, this happens.....

Ahhh Success.........

Road Trippin' -- Johns Reunion and Natural History Museum

2009-11-10T19:41:00.000-08:00

So, now we're at Grandma's!!! Day one....The Johns Family Reunion. I don't know why I don't have pictures of this. I distinctly remember taking some. When I'm more awake, I'll hunt more (in the video camera perhaps???) They have to be somewhere....Anyway, we had a great reunion with my mom's side of the family. Sadly, not nearly as many people came as I would have hoped, but it was great nonetheless to see cousins I hadn't for years. Afterward, we drove up Brigham City to Peach City Diner for fabulous ice cream. Yummy.....

Day two was Sunday....Church, family visiting, Sunday dinner (yum!).....

Day three...acting like a tourist begins. I spent a few weeks before the trip searching for free/cheap stuff to do in Utah that I had never done. You know, the stuff tourist do, but locals often don't. My family, being locals, had not done most of it, so we got to drag them along.....

1st stop--Utah Museum of Natural History---Mondays are free during the summer. My Mom, niece, Kodi, and sister, Ranel, and her family came and it was great. 70% of the exhibits are hands on! My kids love putting their hands on stuff!!

Hmmm....I wonder if my Princess kissed this frog, what would happen???

Mom and Kodi going Native...I could NOT get mom IN the teepee. I'm not sure why she is anti-teepee, but she refused. Kodi, on the other hand, folded her 5'9'' self into this studio-teepee space. What a sport.

Kaylee, Abrielle, Carsten, and Korbin's legs

Making a Cox/Gallini Witches brew....Yummy!

(Carsten, Korbin, Abrielle)

Carsten in a dino-footprint...

Abrielle checking out the fossils. They had a working paleontology lab
onsite with various fossils at different stages of preservation and casting,
plus a lot of small castings you could touch and hold.

I have no idea what they were watching, but I'm not sure Carsten is enjoying it
and Abrielle is apparently a little nearsighted....

Dino-Dig Pit

Delicate work....

They had a large basin filled with little multi-colored plastic beads
and water entering at different points. By watching the effect the water had
on the different "landscapes" who made with the beads,
you learned how
"water can break stuff up and make a mess of things you build"
according to Carsten.

Watch out for the Raptors!!!!
(Carsten, Korbin, Kaylee)

Seriously, Watch out!!!
(Abrielle, Korbin, Kaylee)

After the museum, we went to a little park nearby and had a great picnic. Thanks Grandma, Kodi, Ranel and family for coming with us!!!

Overheard...

2009-11-07T19:33:00.001-08:00

Ok. so this didn't come from my child, but it made me laugh so hard I had to post it....

All of the kids in our congregation are doing a musical program tomorrow. They have worked hard all year learning songs (I get the fun job of teaching them music) and now they get to show off a bit for their families and sing and give little talks about what they have learned. As a reward, tomorrow after the program they were told their would be a surprise.

So...before we start practice today, a little boy is invited to come up and give an opening prayer....

"...and please bless us that we'll all figure out what the surprise is..."

One of the counselors in the primary presidency and I were sitting right by him and were trying so hard to contain our laughs. It was so cute!!! He was so serious!!!

I love kids!!!

Road Trippin.....

2009-11-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

So, here I am again. No we didn't disappear--that would be nice for a while, though...somewhere in the mountains with a fire and lots of hot chocolate, and beautiful, peaceful meandering trails, and a guy name Sven who never talks and cooks gourmet meals and cleans them up followed by a fabulous mug of hot chocolate and......oops....I digress

So, here I am again, again...The past few months have been nuts so the blog has been neglected, but I shall try to catch up a bit....Stay tuned.....

First blog-of-business----Road Trip!!! Before school started I loaded up the kid and drove (without Jason) to Utah to see my family. We took about 3 days meandering up and had a great visit. Jason was able to fly in and spend some time, as well as drive home with us. No, I don't think it crazy to have driven by myself and no, they didn't watch movies the whole way. In fact, there was a one movie a day policy, usually just after dinner when they were tired and I was making the push to the hotel. The only really rough patch was day 3 when poor Abrielle came down with a GI virus and vomited across three states. The first time, all over herself, the car seat and the car, but luckily right in front of a self-serve car wash. The high pressure hose was very handy in getting the millions of nooks and crannies of the car seat vomit-free (not an easy task) and hosing down her clothes, (not on here body at the time) and allowing us a relatively smell free ride. However, Mr. Sensitive-Nose in the back seat suffered exceedingly from the remnant odor, therefore, we stopped in Middle-of-NoWhere Colorado, found a tiny grocery store and purchase Febreeze, Island Bliss palm-tree-shaped car fresheners, a pack of towels to line the now fairly dry car seat (easier to remove a towel, just in case), some large paper cups (handy emesis basins) and ginger-ale. I became thankful for my daughters great aim as she, at random intervals, made good use of those paper cups - one in each hand.....I was never so happy to have a kid fall asleep and take a good long nap!!!

Anyway, now we've gotten through the obligatory kids bodily function story, we'll move on to the fun......

DAY 1 --- Round Rock to Lubbock

We left 2 hours later than planned and didn't get to Lubbock until almost 10:30pm. Not what was planned but the kids were troopers. We stopped once for dinner in a dinky towns whose only playscape/park was the McDonalds. It was outdoors and closed due to light rain earlier that morning. The manager gave me directions to the closest "park," a term I use loosely. There was a bit of metal useful for climbing, if it hadn't had been 100+ degrees, and a couple of swings perched over a mix of dirt, rock, and used asphalt.....We ran a few laps, ate some treats and moved on.......

DAY 2 -- Lubbock to Farmington, NM
We spent a couple of hours driving around Lubbock. The kids thought it was cool to see Dad's school (go Raiders) and the duplex where mom and dad lived...

Kids outside our old duplex....As Carsten said,
"It's the beginning and middle of our family...."

We then drove on through West Texas.......Who named those towns? People who wanted to provide humor for traveling children......Overheard in the car......

Mom: Look guys, we're in Muleshoe now
Abrielle: I don't want to where mule shoes, I just want to where my own...
Carsten: Hmmmm....I wonder if that's what all their shoes are made of ......

A fascinating, scar-your-children-for-like-with-the-truth conversation regarding leather and its origins followed....

Mom: Look...that sign says Earth is that way.... (meaning Earth, Texas)
Carsten: You mean we're passing Earth?
Mom: Yes...
Carsten: WHAT!?!?!? Exactly how far away does Grandma live?

So then we hit the border.....

...and take the obligatory border picture to prove it.....

Time for stop. Where do you stop in New Mexico? The Billy the Kid Museum, of course. (Only thing around.....)

The term Museum us used very loosely here. Basically, some enterprising resident took his wife's collection of late 1800's junk...er...I mean antiques, put them in a meandering, random arrangement in his double wide, added a shed to make a nice little "gift" shop and started charging people to walk through....Oh, and at the end he added his collection of cars..Model T's to 1970's Dodges, un-restored. But, it was only $4 for us all to go in, so we went. Carsten LOVED it...No kidding, LOVED IT....

Abrielle---At least Abrielle's nose and sunglasses.....

Alyssa, aka The World's BEST Traveler....not a cry, not a peep...just utter contentment at whatever is going on around her....
As long as you throw her an occasional Mango-Peach Puff...gotta have the Puffs...

He liked it so much I even succumbed to the tourist trap "gift shop" and bought him a sheriff hat....so he could protect the Stagecoach....

...and the damsel.....

Hmmm ... or maybe it was just a disguise and they were more the Bonnie and Clyde type....

The "museum" did it's job.....

(Warning...driving and taking pictures of baby in rear-facing seat is not easy---there will be more like this....)

And when they awoke...they were happy!!!

...No, Princess....that's a LAP desk....

DAY 3
After spending the night in Farmington, NM, we again hit the open road. The kids were WAY excited to get to Grandma's that night. Everyone ate breakfast really fast (lots and lots of Fruit Loops--stuff they never get at home---this is significant later on....) and helped load the car. We waved to the large Prairie Dog colony in front of the hotel and were off....First stop, the obligatory border sign......

Alyssa wasn't thrilled about getting back into the carseat the morning of Day 3, so when she was happy, we just left her there. Trust me, she crossed the border, too.

Ahhh....Happy Children....(minus one)
Everyone is looking good.....

....or are they?

In retrospect, I perhaps should have been suspicious of the early morning whining. Abrielle is usually insanely happy and pleasant in the morning. After all, she was on the way to grandma's, was promised some good hiking at Arches National Park in the pink dirt (and anything pink is good) and mom had just let her have 4 bowls of fruit loops, because, after all, it's vacation. Go ahead, eat the fruit loops....

In retrospect, I should have been suspicious, but I was not. I was blissfully unaware at the inner gastric turmoil brewing right behind me. Blissfully unaware until it flew right past my right ear and landed on my arm, not to mention my hair, the seat, the floor, the carseat, the scared child, the favorite Leappad game, and the Leappad (which will never been the same), To make things even better, it happened right in the middle of two=lane construction, no shoulder, no place to stop. I can honestly say, I have never been grateful for old-fashioned self-serve stall car washes until that moment. It was the first place I saw where I could stop and help her. Not to mention clean things up a bit. (and no, I did not use the high=pressure wash on the child---you will not find me on You-Tube). 35 minutes of changing, cleaning, washing, and air drying (Yeah for hot Colorado desert sun) I had the partially assembled carseat in the trunk, hoping the sun through the back window would help it finish drying, had Abrielle in Carsten's booster seat, and prayed there was a lenient car seat law in Colorado. I gave Abrielle an empty sippy cup with strict instructions on aim and proceeded on, hoping it was just the Fruit Loops.

I NEVER buy Fruit Loops...okay, so maybe not never...perhaps twice a year when on sale AND I have a coupon. My kids just don't eat sugary cereal. On the rare (twice a year with a coupon) occasion that they do, I always use it as a topping on top of their Oatmeal Squares, or Mini-Wheats, or Cheerios. NEVER would I let them have 4 bowls or strait, unadulterated Fruit Loops. And never again will I. Nothing smells worse than regurgitated Fruit Loops.... Nothing..... the acrid emesis smell mixed with a pervasive sickenly sweetness....It was BAD!!! I stopped 2 more times to continue the clean up until I thought the smell was pretty much contained. That is, until Carsten informed me that the still drying car seat sitting inches from his nose was not smelling like a rose. For the rest of the trip to mom's, the car smelled strongly (STRONGLY!!) of the aforementioned ISLAND BREEZE....

Next stop, the border.....

Abrielle was NOT happy about getting out of the car, but I needed to get her in a pull-up. I was hoping for a super long nap and didn't want to risk the carseat.

So 3 stops, 5 large paper cups (Great Aim, Princess!!), various failed attempts in small towns at anti-nausea treatment and 1 long nap later, we reached Arches National Park. I was just going to drive through until Abrielle awoke and reminded me of the promise of hiking and pink dirt. Sooooo....we attempted the hike to Delicate Arch. I showed her the map with the options. Option 1, a mile or so right up to the arch, Option 2, shorter with stairs to a great vantage point. She looked and considered and chose option 2.....She trucked through the first half great, then the physical stress of the day hit and I carried Abrielle, Alyssa, and the stroller (the 1st half was pretty stroller friendly) the rest of the way while trying to verbally contain Carsten's "I've-been-in-a-car-way-too-long" energy and keep him from falling over a cliff. Not to mention Abrielle deciding halfway up that she wants to go swimming and wants to go find a pool, NOW. She must swim NOW!! (I personally think the filth of the day combined with the dirty trail--pink dirt is still dirt--resulted in her desperate need for water...) The result?

Yep, there we are. And that little tiny thing Carsten is pointing to is the infamous Delicate Arch. This was the "great vantage point" offered by the map. The kids were pretty upset when they saw people actually walking under the arch who went on the longer trail, but there's always next year. I am not sure I could have carried both girls up the long trail. Or down it, for that matter.

Later that night, after the longest trip through Price Canyon EVER (3 1/2 hours worth of construction), a few interesting conversations about why people put letters on mountains (to practice their alphabet, to keep track of the mountains? to make it easy to following the maps? --"go past mountain Y to mountain S then turn right at Mountain V ) and a much needed milk-shake run, we made it!! The holy grail...the land of bacon and eggs, candy and no bedtime.......

GRANDMA'S !!!

....to be continued...

Summer in a Blog-Shell....

2009-07-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

So now that Mono-Man (the husband, not the contagious not-so-super-hero) is back in action, I am playing lots of catchup. So hold on and warm up your scroll finger.....

Cute. The only reason I included this picture. It's just cute. She has the best eyes!!

My little fish. She is soooo happy in the water. I have to keep the bathroom doors closed or else she will climb in the bathtum and yell at me to turn it on. This is her private jacuzzi (formerly know as sandbox). No one over the age of 10 months is allowed inside, much to their complaint (not like there's room). It is really best for everyones safety, not to mention mom's sanity.

Brushy Creek Splash park -- did I mention she is a fish (amphibian at least). This was her first time at the splash park. The other babies, even those quite a bit older, were clinging and crying "oh, don't let the water get me!" My little Lissie? She pretty much jumped out of my arms and crawled around on the warm rough cement(!!!) laughing at all the water.

She especially thought it was funny that she could put her leg on the water spout and make it stop....

......then move it and get splashed in the face.

Awww....the last day of school. Ok, so this is reaching waaaay back. Probably doesn't even count as summer catch up, but, hey, it was already hot and school getting out is the semi-official start of summer, right??

Saying goodbye to his classroom....

Mrs. Schmitt....I LOVED his kindergarten teacher. She is so talented, especially at really recognizing he kids strengths and weaknesses and finding out why the weakness are weaknesses. She them puts tons of effort into strengthening them. All this and fun and patient, too. We will miss you Mrs. Schmitt. Poor 1st grade teacher has some high expectations...

The official last report card with the "OK" for 1st grade. Yeah Carsten!!!

Victoria. CARSTEN'S Victoria.....I heard the full report of her every action every day. Victoria's mom heard the full report of Carsten's every move and word every day. They had to be kept on completely opposite sides of the classroom to be productive. The teacher had to remind them that we keep our hands to ourselves and don't need to hold our neighbors hand during story time and stations.

Not bad, Carsten...She is cute and sweet and smart and polite and has great parents. I approve....but couldn't we wait another decade or so???

It is very important for big brother's to teach their baby sisters important skills. Like sword fighting with a wooden spoon. Very important stuff!!!
"En Guard!!!"

Did I mention the fish? (Or amphibians given their dual activity in pools and spray parks.) Cute, Cute, Cute!!

Sunday walk in the park. I believe it was mono-man's first real adventure outside (except for his every other day runs to the RedBox...mono-man caught up on his movies). Lissie LOVES stroller rides!

Yes, you can ride a motorcycle in a dress. You can do anything in a dress, and it's a good thing, because that is ALL she will wear...dresses or skirts. And usually pink, although we have branched out into purple now (see the purple stripe? That made this acceptable attire.)

The closest pic I could get of Mr. Speed demon. It's amazing you can actually see him given all the dust in his wake.....

My Baby Girl. Ok, so I realize she is not a "baby-baby" anymore, as Abrielle puts it, but she is still my baby. She is so sweet and loving and has the best nature. She is very easy-going and curious and does not want to stop. She loves to crawl around the house discovering new things, until nap time, then she will crawl to me and lay her head down on my feet or knees. Talk about easy-going...give them girl "Lila" her purple singing baby and her silky blanket (Thanks Aunt Heidi and Fam) and, of course, her thumb and she is down and happy. I love you Lissi....

At last but not least......

The Fam!!! You have no idea how long it took to get this picture. I think this was the 50th take. Amazingly, everyone is looking in the same direction and no one is trying to crawl away. Given that Carsten and Abrielle look scared and stiff, I must have threatened something pretty big. And yes, Mono-man IS glowing. This was the first Sunday he ventured back to church and he was still grossly anemic. He's pinked up a bit now.....

So there you have it....Our summer in a nutshell (or blogshell, as the case may be.....) Next adventure!!! ROAD TRIP (Enter Tom Cochran music here......)

Random Thoughts that Muddle the Mind....

2009-07-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

-Is there some sort of classification in between SAHM and working outside of home mom? I feel a little lost in Nowhere Land.

-Why doesn't anyone ever abbreviate it WOHM? Working moms are busy and need abbreviations, too.

-When feces was found on the floor, why were my kids totally serious when they asked me if it was mine? (For the record, it was not...It was Alyssa's.)

-Why do some let their kids watch Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Power Rangers, Transformers, and all the Disney movies full of violence, magic, spells, and evil witches, yet are shocked and indignant when finding out my son has watched the 1st three Harry Potters?

-Why can't the same people believe that Sponge Bob is banned at our house?

-Why are my kids not into "Matilda?" I love that book and they just aren't feeling it.

-Why can't drug companies, insurances, and politicians become truly altruistic?

-For that matter, why can't my kids do the same on house cleaning day?

-Why does my husband think a clean floor equals a clean house? All items off the floor (relocated to the counters, couches, tables) and some vacuum marks and voila!! (He totally gets points for his efforts.)

-Why can't people be more vocal in their love and praise? Wouldn't we all feel better? I have a brother-in-law who is constantly tellling/facebooking/emailing/communicating how awesome he thinks his wife is (she is!) and how much he loves her and his kids. What a lucky wife and kids. You rock, James! I really admire that about you.

-Why doesn't MaltOMeal have more fiber?

-How did the Summer go by so fast? And why does it feel like there hasn't been a summer? (OK, I know the answer that that last one. Between Mono-Man and the record setting heat wave which has kept us indoors lest we spontaneously combust, this summer has been a bit of a drag. Here's to Autumn!)

Overheard...

2009-07-08T22:28:00.000-07:00

(Carsten yelling from the backseat)

"Mom!!!! Abrielle is mixing my brain up with her brain and I just don't like it at all!!!"

Abrielle's response? "Mwoh, ha, ha....." (Evil laugh)

My Macho, Mono Man...

2009-06-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

In answer to all the emails, no, we haven't disappeared, nor are we on vacation (I wish!!!). We are sidelined. My Macho Man, has become my Mono Man......Jason has been completely flattened by the dreaded Epstein-Barr Virus. Sadly, he spent 2-3 weeks thinking it was "just a cold" and pushing through, therefore, by the time he was diagnosed he had, according to the doctor, "the worst case of Mono since my (the doctor's) mission trip to Nepal." Way to go, Honey!!! If you're going to do something...be the best....or the worst, as the case may be. Two weeks of numerous naps and steroids later we believe his liver has returned to normal size, his spleen is behaving much better, and his body has stopped destroying his red blood cells. He has even gone to the office for a few hours this morning, although he just called a declared the rest of the afternoon naptime.

When Mono Man resumes being Macho Man, and life gets a little more "normal" I will be back to blogging....until then...

Overheard...

2009-05-31T19:21:00.000-07:00

Carsten, while pretending we were flying an airplane to church...

"I've got good news and bad news...The good news is we are finally landing. The bad news is it's a crash landing. Good Luck!"

(For the record, my driving did not inspire the quote....)

Overheard...

2009-05-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

Abrielle, saying the prayer at dinner, after yet another heated sibling argument ...

"...and Heavenly Father, please bless Carsten to stop saying it's his turn to say the prayer, because it's not, it's always my turn...Amen"

Lissie Lou....

2009-04-25T19:48:00.000-07:00

My precious angel is 7 months old yesterday....These are from a couple of weeks ago. In the pictures, she was still trying to be really stable sitting up by herself. Now, she sits, crawls (belly off the floor), pulls up to standing by anything, and today started scooting around the couch. So exciting, but it's so sad to see how fast she grows and changes.

Perfection!!!

Declaring War....

2009-04-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

My anxiety level is at an all time high...The number and severity of the uncontrollable swirling around my hyperventilating little self is at an all time high. I can't take it any more. Really, no more...
Therefore, as of today, dear blog I am declaring war. I shall conquer and vanquish all the "stuff" that is causing me grief and is within my control. I shall win...If not, well....let's not go there.

Think positively.

My first victim...Enemy of the State of Calm #1.....STUFF. Yes, stuff. In the next two weeks I will systematically go from room to room and seriously fight the stuff. This will not be as easy as it sounds. I was raised a clutter bug (though my mom will disagree). Chotsky's, doo-dads, memorabilia....plethora of items that HAD to be saved because they meant something however didn't really and if they did ceased to do so due to the volume. Papers, cords, screws, thingy's and what'nots that "may come in handy one day". All of it will be gone. The stuff around me is causing me severe anxiety and taking too much time to control. (Probably because I am the only one trying to control it....the loved ones don't seem to mind....)

Todays mission...The office......If you don't hear from me by tonight, please come dig me out.....

Gloriously Random, Verse 2...

2009-04-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

I am a terrible blogger, I know. Life has just been way, way too crazy lately.....Sorry Blogosphere! Until I gather my thoughts and organize my pics into cohesive topics, here for your viewing pleasure is another edition of Gloriously Random....Enjoy!!!

My girls on Valentine's Day...And yes, on laundry day I actually have a pink load!!!

My hot date to the elementary school Valentine's Day Dance!!!

Did I mention I dated the Hamburglar???

One day, we were discussing how kids look kind of like their parents. I mentioned that my mom often says that Carsten looks so much like me that she wants to put a dress on him...Then next thing you know, THIS comes around the corner.....Sorry mom....it's a little freaky...I think I'll keep him in pants....although I will save this for future blackmail use.....

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!! We celebrated with Cat in the Hat Hats and green eggs and ham for dinner!!!

"Here's your sign!" It's official...Jason has hung out his shingle, or his 6 x 3 aluminum as the case may be. However, since the Crew involved is no more, a new shingle (or aluminum) will soon be on order....more to come!!!!

Day at UT!!! We spent an entire Saturday exploring activities at UT. They had it divided into an Arts track, Cultural track, Longhorn track, Science track, or Engineering track. Of course, we spent the whole day on the Science and Engineering track--my little engineer would have it no other way. This is Carsten and Jason building a structure from marshmallows and toothpicks. Notice their trusty assistant sampling the building material for quality (Yum!)

Then they tested their structures on an earthquake table...Carsten's only lost one toothpick!!! (And yes, the design was his--Jason just helped with the ultra sticky marshmallows)

Abrielle even built one---Hers lost a few more toothpicks and 'mallows.

Sea World!!! I'll post more later....

The PJ Trio outside the San Antonio Temple....No, I don't make it a habit of taking my kids to the Temple in their pajamas...It was late and we were heading home...Night, Night time in the car!!!

Just because I love this picture!!! (By the way, she dressed herself..)

Alyssa and her friend Maj-Lis (pronounced My-Lees....isn't that a pretty name?) Alyssa LOVES Maj-Lis. They talk and play and pass toys back and forth. Too cute!!!

Cute!!!

Way Cute!!!

Seriously Cute!!!

And Goodnight!!!

Tagged....

2009-04-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

Rules are: Anything you have done has to be in bold.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy

Hmmmm...38 to go.....not too bad...

I tag.....everyone who reads this...... : )

Dear Mr. PrezidEnt...

2009-03-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

Carsten was just not grasping the concept of why he didn't have to go to school on President's Day. We discussed Washington, Lincoln, national holidays, birthdays, recent presidents, etc, etc. He then decided to draw this cute pic of President Obama giving a speech...

...and wanted to mail it to President Obama. I suggested he add a letter. (I can't get the letter to scan well, so I'll transcribe.)

Dear PrezidEnt OBama

I am so exciTEd. I just Love PreziDent Day. Don't skroo up.

Love CArstEn GalliNi

Ahhh.... The sentiment of a nation, as stated by a 5 year old......

Brotherly Love...

2009-03-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a bad kid day. I don't just mean bad, I mean BAAAADDD. One of those days when you are just waiting for CPS to come pick up your sociopathic kids because you're obviously a huge failure as a parent. There was kicking, biting, willful disobedience, flagrant violations of every rule in existence, , blah, blah, blah....you get the picture.

Having reached my end point I first declared that only children who picked up would be served dinner. The result?? Jason and I had a lovely dinner alone. The kids hid behind the couch, watching to see if I was serious--I was. For good measure, I served Jason and I decadent sundaes.

When this failed to effect obedience, I then calmly and silently took a trash bag from room to room and gathered all kid belongings that had not been put away. One large trash bag later, Jason saved me some effort by putting a child lock on the toy room door. Finally, the kids cracked. Much crying, wailing, and gnashing of teeth later, including my first ever "you're the meanest mom ever!!" I fed them (I didn't want them in my room hungry at 2 am) and set the rules. They would have to earn back the toys--one at a time. The lock would come off the toy room door when all the toys in the bags had been earned.

Monday -- a banner day. Carsten was all smiles. Chores were done, kind words used, happy reports received from school...He earned the right to "rescue" a toy. (Abrielle---close but not quite---she gets the concept now and we'll try tomorrow.)

The rescue took longer than a government project. Oh, the options. Nerf guns, puzzles, fireman costumes. helicopters, tool sets, building sets, favorite books, ...tons of Carsten's toys were thoughtfully considered for rescue operation #1. Ten minutes later, he smiles and carefully pulls this out of the bag.....

...and hands it to his sister.

It's Abrielle's Tinkerbell Birthday cake topper. Her prized possession. It has gone everywhere with her for weeks.

Perhaps I'm not raising sociopaths after all..........

Dilemma

2009-02-16T19:28:00.001-08:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about my kids education. I am reasoning myself out of my mind. I have never wanted my kids in public school, not that I think the education is bad, it's the "extra" stuff I don't like. There is way too much social indoctrination in public schools now and more and more they are having to cater to the least common denominator in the class. I am aiming to private school some day, but financially we're not there.

Here is what I know. I am a fan of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. I have thought long and hard about homeschooling, but it wouldn't work. I don't have that kind of patience, my son doesn't have the personality, and we are a bit too much alike. It would be nothing but unproductive head-butting. I want him to have really intensive science and math courses, because he is really interested in the subjects, but I don't want to lose the arts and other topics. I (and Jason will be happy I wrote this) also want the standard stuff like sports.

Options for next year???
1. Stay in the public school --
Pros -- close with easy carpooling, he's used to it, I'm used to it
Cons -- the above pros feel like a big cop-out, Due to the boundaries included in
the school there seem to be quite a few "least common denominators" in
each class, mostly due to the parent/family/social situations, the
science/math programs so far have not seemed particularly strong

2. Magnet School -- There are a couple around. I have particularly looked at a science/math magnet school that wouldn't be that bad of a commute.
Pros -- strong science and math, really good school...their stats are awesome and
they get the kids involved in a lot
Cons -- Do I really want his education that focused? What if he's also awesome at
music, history, or something else? Sure this place teaches those subjects,
too, but likely not as much or as encouraging. No real sports/PE programs,
Also - and this is shallow, I know - looking at the brochure, the kids look
like geeks. He makes me hesitant. I want my kids to be well-rounded and
socially adept.

3. Charter school -- There is a new charter school opening nearby. It is an IB program.
Pros -- I like the IB, it is not too far, a lot of the LDS parents around here are
applying, more rounded education without focus in any particular area
Cons -- Unsure if the education is as intensive, Right now, Only goes up to 5th
grade (not that I even know where we'll be 5 years from now), It's new, so I
don't have stats or other parents to talk to,

Like I said, I'm stuck. What do you think? What are your education plans for your kids? Am I being way to Type A/obsessive stressing this much about it in Kindergarten? I don't know. It seems better that thinking about it later on and missing some opportunities or having him not as far along as he could be. Dilemma...

Determined Mommy....

2009-02-09T18:55:00.000-08:00

Don't resist....I'm going to catch you this time....

You're trying to stop me, but learn now....Mommy will win....

Hmmm....Closer, Closer......

Almost there.....

Gotcha!!! Finally, I caught a big huge Alyssa smile on camera!!!!

Thank you for your cooperation.

Feeling Teary-Eyed.....

2009-02-02T19:34:00.000-08:00

The following took place while cuddled together in Abrielle's bed tonight....

Me: So what was your favorite part of your birthday today?
Abrielle: Guess....
Me: Mommy painting your fingers and toes pink?
Abrielle: Nope.
Me: Your pink cupcakes?
Abrielle: Nope.
Me: Chick-fil-a?
Abrielle: Nope.
Me: Your present?
Abrielle: Nope.
Me: All of your phone calls?
Abrielle: Nope.
Me: Birthday candles in your macaroni and cheese?
Abrielle: Nope.
Me: Ok...I give up. What was your favorite part of your birthday today?
Abrielle: (With that "duh" look...) Just having my family with me!

Facing Facebook....

2009-01-28T18:39:00.000-08:00

I am uncool. I have maintained a pronounced and emphatic aversion and avoidance of social networking sites like Tagged, MySpace, Facebook, etc. Why, you ask? Ghosts. Those people who I knew once but don't now...for a reason. Random people who suddenly want to be my "friend" in cyberspace, people I barely know, people I barely knew, people I don't care to connect with again. I am really selective of my friends. I'm picky about who I associate with on a regular basis, I am even pickier about who I make lasting associations with. You know, the people who move and for whom you way "aloha" instead of "goodbye." I like that control over who's in and who's out. Those random past ghosts----I want them out. I have not need or desire to suddenly reconnect. But...could I reject those ghosts? Would I? Would I accept their cyberfriendship just to be nice?

But, alas, I am at times am not diligent at keeping the contacts I want desperately to keep. Distance takes it's effect, and before you know it emails and phone numbers change and people are lost.

So......A good friend I from work was recently deployed to Iraq. It was quite sudden - about 4 weeks notice. He told us all that Facebook was the easiest way to stay connected to him. Facebook.....I shuddered. Not email? Blogging? No, Facebook. ... Shudder.......So, I give in. I sign up for Facebook.

Days later, "So and So Wants to be your friend." Hm....I want to be theirs, too. One long evening with a fussy baby and some one handed typing and I start to search for some of those possible "aloha" friends. Curious really. I found a few. At first, I didn't ask to be their friend. Was I one of their ghosts? What I their "goodbye" or their "aloha?" Would they ignore me, reject me for having lost contact? Would they accept my "cyberfriendship" but only to not "cyber-reject" me?

Then, I found her. ALOOOOOOHA!!!! I cried when she moved. I still secretly make plans for our children to marry. Why did I lose touch? A little while after she moved life took a flurried tailspin. I barely coped. I introverted. But there she was. Aloha!

I waited waited 24 hours then decided I had to do it. I asked to be her "Cyber-friend." She accepted....then she said aloha......

I am now starting to hear from those ghosts. The ones that I have to ask Jason who they are; the ones that I pretend I didn't hear from; the ones who were by goodbyes. But I can joyfully face Facebook now, because I found my aloha.

Family Planning

2009-01-26T18:20:00.000-08:00

A little family planning advice, courtesy of Abrielle.....

"Mom, the next time there is a baby in your belly you should make sure it's a black one. You already have three white ones. You should try something different."

Hhhmmmmm......Not sure how Jason will feel about that....

Ahhhh Bliss....

2008-12-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

Right now my two older kids are upstairs sleeping, my baby is draped across my lap drowsily waiting for me to carry her to her cradle, by husband is doing the dishes and Swiffering the kitchen floor, and I am happily blogging by the light of a Christmas tree lovingly decorated by my family. Bliss......

Gloriously Random....

2008-12-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

Do you remember that commercial a couple of years ago with the little boy stuck in mid-cannonball above the swimming pool begging his mom to let him out of the digital camera? That's me. The whole downloading process has occasionally been a big pain in my derriere in the past, therefore I avoid it now and only seem to download when there is just no more room in my camera. (I usually discover this at very inopportune moments---like when I'm finally going to capture a picture of Alyssa smiling---didn't happen--"Memory Stick Full")

For this reason I present a delightful array of random pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Awww.....Look at my gorgeous family. No really, look at them. I am the luckiest, most blessed human being ever. Yes, ever!!!

Carsten's favorite way to watch the Science Channel. Seriously, the kid would rather watch the Science Channel than cartoons (unless we're talking Phineus and Ferb.) He is the sweetest big brother. His little sisters are so blessed.

Overheard just prior to taking this picture -- "When you're bigger, maybe you can have the purple cup, but the pink stuff is always mine." That's it Abrielle, tell her the rules while she's too young to argue.

Halloween 2008. Carsten wanted to be a fire-truck. Not a fireman. He was very clear on that. He wanted to be a fire truck. The lights of his fire truck actually work and flash red and blue. (I'm so cool!!) Abrielle wanted to be the "biggest prettiest pink flower." Alyssa has a matching costume, but it made her very, very angry. I guess she agrees with her dad and thinks you should be scary on Halloween, not cute --therefore she was a ghost, thanks to Aunt Marne'.

Sunday afternoon. Similar scenes play out upstairs. I love Sunday afternoon.

Thank you Melanie!!!! I love holiday stuff (I have socks for almost every holiday) and due to Jason's nagging I had resisted buying her anything for Thanksgiving. I was so excited when you sent this. (Jason just rolled his eyes.)

When in Rome......Texan Santa wears a ten-gallon. Where is Abrielle you ask? Running as far away from this dude as possible. Carsten asked Santa if that put her on the naughty list.

Blessing Day!!! Or as Carsten put it "Official Alyssa Day" Yes, I know the bonnet is a bit old-fashioned, but it came with the dress was had this really intricate ruffling and beading and was so cute. The place Grandma bought the dress from threw in matching fancy, lacy, beaded socks. Hand-Wash only socks. Seriously, the tag said "Hand-Wash Only" is large bold letters. Have you ever seen hand wash only socks before?

The Fam......I am so blessed!!!!

Did I mentioned blessed? (Blessed that occasionally they all look in roughly the same direction for a picture.)

Jason's birthday cake. Eight Layer Chocolate Mousse Cake with 4 layers of milk chocolate cake brushed with chocolate laced simple syrup, 2 layers of bittersweet chocolate mousse, 1 layer of white chocolate mousse, topped with dark chocolate ganache and garnished with white chocolate shavings. I love my husband!!!

He was very, very happy with the cake!!!!! I love you handsome!!!!!

There you have it, folks, a conglomeration of random pictures now allowed to escape from the confines of my camera and float out into the great web abyss. Enjoy!!!

'Ere you leave your bed.....

2008-11-24T19:28:00.001-08:00

Special request to all my blog readers....Please pray hard for me Tuesday!!! I am taking my board recertification exam. It is a nasty little thing that I have to do every 6 years...this is my first recert. I am praying for a baby that sleeps well tonight, doesn't mind the bottle tomorrow, and enough pumped milk to meet her needs. (Bad mommy didn't start pumping until last week. After all the pumping I did while working with the first two, I just couldn't bring myself to pump sooner that I had to....One week of strep throat later and the freezer isn't exactly full...)

At this point I just want to take the test and call it done. I don't even care if I pass, I just want to be done. OK, so that's a lie, but something about saying it makes me feel more in control.

Here's to multiple choice!!!

Fluorescent Musings.....

2008-11-24T11:06:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how somethings that go in one end of a tube a beautiful, pure, soft white, can come out the other end fluorescent yellow? I mean really, imagine the physical and biochemical principles that must be taking place here. I'm not talking about some hideous huge machine either. I'm talking about my sweet, tiny, little daughter who is right now sleeping oh so sweetly on my lap, smiling those sleeping little dopey smiles. However, an hour ago, she was a demonstration of magical biochemical phenomenon as she took 3-4 ounces of white, pure breast milk and turned them in to glow-in-the-dark fluorescent poop. I won't even get into the physic of the explosive emptying of her colon (in the diaper, up the back, down the leg, ... in her hair!?!?) NASA should study how infants accomplish this transformation of matter....we could probably use the same principle in reverse and turn nuclear waste into gasoline....

Time keeps on tickin'...

2008-11-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

So I have blown my goal of blogging at least twice a week. Perhaps I will make that one of those on-going goals.....

We took some pro-pics of Alyssa a couple of weeks ago and they are gorgeous (of course!!!) Our package luckily came with a disk with ALL the pics they took. And I do mean ALL.

First, some out-takes.....Goofy...

Goofy ... (and yes, I am too lazy tonight to go back and rotate the image)

Goofy, yet teetering on the edge of cute (yet again, too lazy to rotate)

Just cute...I love pics like this.

And now, the gorgeous.....

This is just her personality...Just hanging out in whatever location or position she finds herself in with an attitude of "I'll just make the best of it." She is the most easy-going, contented baby ever.

Jason's personal favorite. He loves how sweet and peaceful she looks. He had it made into a black and white for his office. (Yea, she already has her dad wrapped around her finger..)

First pic of the shoot. She's here, she's warmed up, she's reading for her close-up...

The close up!!! This was the day after she started giving some real smiles...I so glad we caught a little one.

That's that.....More later......

Now with pictures!!!!

2008-11-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

Ta-Da.....We have released the many pictures from the rouge camera and are now able to post them for your viewing pleasure. So without further adieu.......

Alyssa's Birthday Photo....She looks very intent.

I love this picture!!! She just looks so peaceful.

The Tremendous Trios first meeting!

My girls. Aren't they gorgeous?

Alyssa's coming home outfit. We took the kids to pick it out and there was a heated debate. Abrielle wanted pink, purple, and frilly, Carsten wanted brown. It's his favorite color--brown like the chocolate in harlie and the Chocolate Factory. This was the diplomatically chosen happy medium. Too cute!!

Aaahhhh Sunday morning. Aren't they clean? Aren't they pressed? Don't they look like little angels? (Doesn't Alyssa look a bit squished?)

Happy Halloween!!! As Carsten put it "My pumpkin is the scary one, Abrielle's is the happy one, and Alyssa's is asleep."

At the pumpkin patch. I have no idea what is in Abrielle's hand...maybe it's a ghost!!!

I had to throw this one in. Able to reach fruit snacks three shelves up, drink chocolate milk in a single gulp, and carry 7 stuffed animals friends all at once....This is "Super Princess!" She can be spotted at various locations around Round Rock including the grocery store and Target as she insists on always wearing her uniform as to fully protect her secret identity.

More pics to come......

The Young and Jaded....

2008-10-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm still having technical difficulties, so no pics, but I had to get this off my chest. Carsten lost his first tooth yesterday. He has been complaining of it hurting all week and yesterday it was so loose I told him I could probably just pop it out of there. (I was half joking.) He, however, was intrigued and told me to "go for it." Yes, that's a quote---"Go for it." So I reached in with a paper towel (because that's what my dad did), gave it a little wiggle and twist, and out it came. We then held pressure on the hole for minutes (man did that little thing bleed) and called the grandparents and dad. I then proceeded to remind him to put it under his pillow tonight for the tooth fairy.

"Mom, the tooth fairy's not real." Gasp, skipped heartbeat, halting of the universe.
"Of course the tooth fairy is real."
"No it's not mom."
"Why do you think the tooth fairy isn't real. Did someone tell you that?" ('cuz if they did, boy am I going to let them have it....)
"No, I just know it in my head. The tooth fairy isn't real."

Long pause......

"Carsten, the tooth fairy is just as real as Santa Claus." (This was said in the my most firm and resolute voice.)

His response...pause, smirk, walk away.....

What would you have said? This is my first child and his first tooth. What about the far reaching implications this could have---the Easter Bunny? Santa's Elves? the Great Pumpkin? the Monster that takes toys that aren't put away at night?

What the Tech????

2008-10-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

So....I know you are all anxiously awaiting for photos of my sweet little Alyssa, however......I am currently encountering technical difficulties. My sis-in-law Deana was kind enough to let us borrow her super nice digital video/still camera to record every moment of Alyssa's first month, but I don't have the books on how to download everything onto my computer. I keep trying to schedule my personal tech assistant (Jason) for the job, but it just hasn't happened yet. So...until then I will tell you what I love about my Alyssa!!!

1- She has the brightest, most alert eyes EVER!!! Even when she was first born, her eyes have been bright!!!

2- When she is in the state between sleep and awake, she makes the sweetest and silliest facial expressions--usually including a big huge grin which seems like a preview of grins to come and gets me excited.

3- She loves to be held. Ok, so this one also frustrates me sometimes, because I really do mean it. She LOVES to be held---as in she frequently HATES to be put down. But when I hear about friends who swear their babies weren't cuddlers and didn't really like to be held and snuggled, I am really grateful for all the snuggling I get to have, everyday, at all hours of the day and night, while trying to multitask and make dinner/dress toddlers/pack lunches/brush my teeth/apply deodorant.........

4- Her spit-up doesn't stink. If you have ever had a baby with reflux you will also appreciate this. Carsten and Abrielle both had reflux as infants and the smell can be pervasive. Rotten curdled breast milk smells roughly like rotten eggs. However, my sweet Alyssa's spit-up does not seem to stink if less that 24 hours old (don't take a whiff of the laundry hamper) and I really appreciate that given #3 above. She spends a lot of time near my nose and all I get is sweet baby scent.

5- She makes me a quieter person. I can't yell at my other kids when she's in my arms and does not like the loud noise. I have found myself yelling a lot less, especially during the dreaded bedtime rituals.

6- She makes me remember where we came from. Just a few weeks ago her spirit was in the pre-existence. I think she was excited to come to our family; that she was anxious to have a body, that she was nervous to leave the beauty and peace of heaven. I also think about how much she was relying on us to teach her and help her return.

7- She has long curly eyelashes. They really frame her bright eyes and...Gorgeous!!!

8- She brings out the soft and calm side of Carsten. Yes, said calm. He'll sit and hold her hand for hours. He naturally lowers his voice when he's close to her. He's the best big brother ever!!!

I will have to post more later---Alyssa must have sensed I was blogging about her and is demanding my attention. I had the nerve to put her down so I could type with two hands.

Forever and Ever and Ever and Ever and Ever......

2008-09-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

There is a very bad thing about having your children early. Ok, so medically speaking there are a few very bad things. But psychologically speaking for subsequent pregnancies there is one very, very bad thing........if that one goes to full term you are pregnancy forever!!! Carsten came at 35 weeks, Abrielle was 36 weeks. I am now at 38 weeks and counting. My feet are having a competition with my belly to see who can get the biggest (score 1 for the feet today) and I'm getting a little irritable. Ok, a lot irritable, but only after 5:30 pm. It's my witching hour. Watch out. I will post comparative pics soon so we all can have fun.

On the good side, the kids are getting sooooooo excited for the baby. When the doctor walked into the exam room today, Abrielle looked him right in the eye and said in her stern little estrogen laced voice "Are you gonna get that baby out today?"

I Don't Like Ike!!!

2008-09-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

My husband has accused me of praying for hurricanes to hit Houston this year so some of my friends would come visit. I would just like to say this is not true. I am in no way responsible for the 200 mile wide swath of fun heading your way. If I was, I would never have named it Ike. It would be something far more creative and harder to make a rhyme out of ... like Ichabod or Ignatius.

To further my defense, it would also be rather silly of me to pray for hurricanes in Houston, since we still own a house there. A beautiful 2 story on a corner lot at the entrance to the subdivision with nothing by fields and rural what-nots behind it. Also known as a "storm-shield" for the rest of the neighborhood, or so my neighbor said during Hurricane Rita. Figured his one story across the street (towards the inland side) was quite safe as our house would block anything blowing his direction. I didn't not think he was funny, but then perhaps he wasn't trying to be. For now, good luck to everyone hunkering down for their own private hurricane parties. (Enjoy your "Emergency Food" Emily!!!) We are praying for you!!!

Where'd we go......

2008-09-05T14:40:00.001-07:00

So, I'm not the best, most consistent blogger around. No one should be surprised considering it took me about 1 year of "I should do that today" plus many friends prodding to even get this far. Not to mention a pregnancy in need of creative announcing.

Just so you know, we have not dropped off the proverbial edge of the earth. We are still in Round Rock, far from the edge, though on some days I feel a little closer than other.

So to update you all, here is a quick summary of the last few months.

My original OB/GYN was, shall we say, less than stellar and really let my Thyroid get screwed up, which landed me on the couch for the 1st 3 months of this pregnancy due to exhaustion. Fired her. New OB/GYN is awesome. I've referred 6 people to him. BIG FAN!!! Now off the couch I have been enrichment committee chair and planned 4 activities this year. Carsten was in a home based preschool which I taught about 2 days a month. Abrielle is dancing and singing through it all. Summer time was spent trying to keep cool (Record temps!!!) and doing a few fun things around Austin. Carsten has now started Kindergarten. Abrielle is lonely without him and told mommy she wants the baby to come now to play. Jason has been working....and working... and working, pausing only for meetings as 2 weeks ago he was called as the 1st counselor in the Bishopric of our newly formed ward. We say hi to him as he exits every morning, except when he leaves too early, then he claims to give me a kiss, but I'm unconscious still, so I can't confirm that. The lease is up on the house we initially moved to, but with everything going on, we just don't have the time or energy to put into buying a house, plus the cities we were planning on moving to around here are now off the menu since the Stake Presidency "strongly counseled" us to stay within the new ward boundaries (see the bishopric thing above). There aren't a lot of places in the new ward I know enough about to want to move to, so we are renting a different house and will be moving 10 houses down the street at the end of the month. (Before baby, after baby, during baby, who knows.) Tuesday I spend 4 hours in the hospital with everyone thinking labor was starting, but then it stopped. Now I'm home again timing contractions. Carsten LOVES Kindergarten. He loves running around at recess with his new friends...except for today when two of them collided and Carsten fractured his clavicle. He is now in a sling, which Abrielle is obsessed with and keeps patting. Patting the sling of a fractured clavicle does not feel very good for the fracture-ee. Mommy has declared it a movie night. It's possible that we're having cold cereal for dinner. That about sums it up for now. I will really try to be better about the blogging, but......... : )

INTRODUCING.....

2008-03-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

Carsten

aka "Karate Man"

(yes, that is a 2nd place medal he is wearing)

Abrielle

aka "Pretty Princess"

Sweet, Sassy, likes chocolate milk and bananas

?????

aka The New Kid

apparently likes bland food, cold cereal, and long naps

Welcome to Gallini Tales !!!

2008-03-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

Due to the prodding of several friends (yes Melanie, I am talking to you) I have finally gotten around to starting our family blog. Therefore, here's the family!!!