Overheard...

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........

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 ???

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....

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....

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...

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

Was there a mistake?

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....

"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...

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...

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.....

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....

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

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...

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...

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....

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...

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


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

Overheard...

"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)

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.....

...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...

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.....

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....

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

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...

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.....

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....

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...

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....

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?

"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

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....

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.....