Five Bucks

Sharing

2010-03-13T10:23:00.000-08:00

The relationship between Tara and Coryn is amazing. They have a really special bond. And while sometimes there is screaming, hitting and probably a bit of hatred, the flip side is something beautiful. It is best seen at night when the two of them sit together reading books. They will gather a stack of 20 picture books and read until they are both exhausted. It is sweet to hear Tara ask Coryn questions about the pictures, text and read with such expression. It is just as sweet to hear Coryn ask questions and constantly say "read this one next".

We have four bedrooms in our house which seems perfect for our family of five. But over the last year this has been less than perfect, because of these two little people who love each other so much. We can put them to bed at night and after a few minutes hear them finding their way together to sleep. Usually this is Coryn moving from her bed into Tara's. OR they both decide to take all of their bedding and sleep on the floor in the loft area. A lot of times Coryn ends up in our bed. This morning I woke up in a panic realizing that her head was down by my feet under the covers. Luckily she was still breathing! But surely one of the scariest things for a mother. We have known for awhile that this set-up is not ideal, but what do we do?

Today we solved our problem. Just because we HAVE four bedrooms does not mean that we HAVE to use them all for sleeping. The girls have loft beds, but Coryn wasn't keen on being up hight SO we lowered both of the beds and put them in one room together; head to head. They are completely excited about sharing a room. As a child I always wanted to share a room with my big sister. She would never hear of it, so I guess I can live vicariously through these two sisters.

Connection

2010-03-11T18:43:00.001-08:00

The girls and I went to Potter's Haven today to paint. I love painting pottery. It's such a nice way to relax and also connect with my kids. Ella painted a vase and a letter "E". Tara painted an icecream cone. I painted a deviled egg tray. We chatted and had a nice morning without sibling squabbles and cries of "I'm bored".

Temptation

2010-03-10T19:09:00.001-08:00

As a kid, my mom would make a pot of tapioca pudding a few times a month. It was considered a treat. She always divided it up between the four of us with my dad getting a man size serving. We would pick numbers to see who got to lick the bowl or spoon. The bowl was the better option. Today, warm tapioca pudding is the ultimate representative of comfort food for me. I rarely make it because my family all compare it to snot. And I really don't want to consume an entire pot all by myself(ok that's a total lie) but I shouldn't. Tonight was a thundery rainy night and I decided to treat myself. So good and warm. Just like my mom used to make.

Breakfast

2010-03-09T18:33:00.001-08:00

Breakfast for dinner. One of our favorite meals. Tonight it was French toast made with Sara Lee cinnamon and brown sugar bread. It was so good. Smiles all around.

Boredom

2010-03-08T15:59:00.001-08:00

It is day one of Spring Break and the "I'm bored" comments have commenced. Which really is funny to me since the last three days have been jam packed with playdates, basketball, the rodeo, church, a family dinner at the inlaws and a swimming party last night. You'd think they could use a day "off". We didn't go anywhere until late this afternoon when I loaded everyone up to go to my parents house to look for wood for our firepit. Who could have ever known that would be the highlight of today. Now we just need some chocolate, Graham crackers and marshmallows and we are good to go.

Ten

2010-03-07T19:32:00.001-08:00

GeoTagged, [N39.01396, E94.34935]

GeoTagged, [N39.01396, E94.34935]

Ella and Lauren became friends ten years ago when the Balls and Buckners were neighbors. We have all moved a few times since then but have continued to hold on to this friendship.

There have been times where we have gone a year or more without seeing them, but these two pick up like they have never been apart.

I remember their first meeting well. Lauren was just home from the hospital and Ella was six months old. Ella rolled all over the Ball living room while I held a precious brand new Lauren.

Success

2010-03-06T12:41:00.001-08:00

They didn't win their final game but Tara finally got the hang of basketball. She was on fire. Her coach asked her what she had for breakfast. Good season Goodyear Eagles!!

Cougar

2010-03-05T13:06:00.001-08:00

Coryn had a lunch date with Cooper today. I tagged along and chatted with his mom, Kristi and another friend, Heather. Cooper was quite smitten with Miss Coryn.

Effort

2010-03-05T06:55:00.000-08:00

So I have spent the last week trying to figure out my phone blogging. In an effort to get back into the swing of blogging, I started small with a word and photo of the day.

Day one was a picture of an empty laundry basket with the word being accomplished! Rarely are all of my baskets empty and I can't explain why, but I feel awesome when it happens and will walk by my laundry room and just gaze at the empty baskets. I'd take another picture, but it would be a lie as two have clothes in them again.

Day two(yesterday) was a picture of my friend and partner in crime, Teresa. We went on a hike yesterday while all 6 kids were at school. We hiked, slid and climbed our way through mud and deer crap! We joked about it being just as good as a high priced spa treatment. We found an old tree house and I had an awesome picture of her all muddy. I felt like a kid again when I would get lost in the woods for hours.

So I tell you this because I realized yesterday that the pictures weren't posting here. So I have spent yesterday and this morning trying to figure out why and in my effort I deleted the pictures. I think I have finally figured it out though...SO without further ado I will start on Day three today. You will just have to imagine the pictures from the first two days. I am going to try to do this through the entire month of March. Stop laughing at me, because I really am going to do it!

IPhone I love

2010-02-24T11:20:00.001-08:00

So to make my blogging easier and also more accessible, I now have a blog app on my phone. I fall more and more in love with this little gem of technology each day. Oh I hope you get sick of me!

The ups and downs of a hiatus

2010-02-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

My blogging ebbs and flows with my moods. I kept trying to come back to it, but I just wasn't feeling it. And like anything in my life, if I'm not feeling it, it gets pushed to the backburner..i.e. laundry, dinner, activities...you get the idea. I've been in a slump. Not really sure what got me here, but I presume it has something to do with this:

It looks pretty, which is why I took a picture of it. This was before Christmas, but this same weather has continued repeatedly. We've been spoiled the last few winters with mild weather and so I think this one has caught me off guard. I have stopped taking pictures, because white isn't pretty anymore. I want to see the sun, see the little green buds on the trees AND see my kids outside!

The other thing that got me down was a health concern that I had. I had an ovarian cyst rupture recently. It's nothing new for me, it happens. My doctor sent me for a sono where they found a mass! I spent the next week freaked out, because, hello??? MASS! They had a sono from two years prior that showed the same mass, but it had grown. So I imagined my daughters growing up without me there or with me there in a diminished state. UGH! Not a healthy place to be. I finally saw my gyno last week and she put my mind at ease for the time being. I am taking hormones to hopefully shrink it. I will go back April 20 for a follow up sonogram. But I am feeling good about it at this point. I have to, because I couldn't keep living in fear of it until there is truly something to fear.

Along the bad news line, our house in Pleasant Hill is still ours. I feel like this house is our own personal plague. It makes no sense because it is a beautiful house on a beautiful lot. I hope it sells here soon. If you know anyone interested in a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, home in PHill, We can hook them up ;)

OK now for the good news, my kids are healthy and relatively happy. We have an awesomely wonderful group of friends and of course our families, J.R. has a job and a good one for that matter, We are able to house,feed and clothe our family and still participate in things that interest us. We are blessed! I know this deep down, so I need to spend more time looking at these blessings and thanking God for them and not let the weather, health, or a second mortgage get me down.

Allergy testing

2009-11-20T06:52:00.000-08:00

When I became pregnant with Coryn, I also became extremely congested. I had to take Benadryl and Sudafed through my pregnancy with her just to make it day to day. I assumed that it was a new pregnancy side effect that I had not had with my first two pregnancies and counted down to September 2006 excited to meet my baby, but also to see that side effect disappear. Imagine my horror when I realized that particular symptom would not be leaving and would in fact become worse. When she was a few months old, I sought out an allergist who performed an allergy scratch test using a tray that was pushed on my back. I was a little depressed to learn that I had no allergies. I did however have a sinus infection and also found out I had hypothyroid. Maybe these two things would explain my constant nasal suffering? So we treated those and went on with life and the symptoms continued and also with each season continued to get worse. And yet in the back of my mind I thought that the test had somehow been performed wrong. There was no way to explain my discomfort, but to describe it as severe allergies. And so just recently I decided to go for testing again. I talked to my friend/doctor and she suggested that I try Kansas City Allergy and Asthma clinic. I finally made the call.

A week before the testing I had to go off all my antihistamines. That was a tough week. Mid-week I had a conversation with another woman who had also gone to that first doctor and been told she had no allergies also and yet she was still suffering. This just strengthened my resolve to get the testing knowing that the outcome would be different this time and I might finally get some answers.

On Tuesday afternoon I went into the office, talked to the Doctor and then had the first part of the test performed. This time the tech did each scratch individually. It was more uncomfortable than the first time, but it also really "scratched" me so I knew it had gotten into my skin. I reacted to several things with that so we moved on to injections in my arm which caused even more reactions. I found out I was allergic to molds, dustmites, grass, trees, ragweed etc etc. Thankyou God!! The doctor spent a considerable amount of time discussing my options and changing my meds. He also feels that I have chronic Sinusitis. So we are treating that also. I felt so relieved. I honestly felt this huge depressing cloud lift from me. We can treat this. I can feel better.

I am still a little annoyed that the first doctor missed this and never really tried to help me. Not only did it cost us a good deal of money, but it cost me three more years where I could have been feeling better.

But I won't spend too much time dwelling on that. I will look towards the future and know that I am finally getting my answers and that I WILL feel better.

On the wagon yet again

2009-10-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

So we returned from Florida a few weeks ago. We had a blast but one thing that was not so great were the pictures of me. I hate seeing myself in pictures. I hate being in pictures. I feel like a toad! Well maybe not a toad, but I definitely don't have any narcissistic tendencies going on when I look at a picture of myself. And instead of pausing over a picture of myself and thinking that it looks nice, I pause and obsess about everything that is wrong with it. So I am back on the wagon as of yesterday. I no longer own a scale thanks to Coryn using it as a trampoline, but that is ok, because it isn't so much about the number as it is about how I feel and how my clothes fit. I am using all the awesome information that I learned at Weight Watchers and am also going to be using the Sparkpeople app on my phone to help me get there.

One of the best ways to stay motivated is to know that other people know that I am working on it. Because the little motivations that come from conversations and questions from my friends and the fact that when I am out socially with one of you, you "know" what I am trying to do and support me, really makes a huge difference. I am putting it out there for the world. I am giving myself 7 months to make a difference. We go on a cruise then, and I would really LOVE to wear a bathing suit and feel good about how I look. So there you have it!

Song Lyrics

2009-10-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's funny how you hear a song a thousand times and never really listen to it. This morning I really LISTENED to a song and guess what? A song that never really meant that much to me, all of a sudden became genius to me. Here are the lyrics:
Drops of Jupiter by Seatrain
Now that she's back in the atmosphere
With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there's time to change, hey, hey
Since the return from her stay on the moon
She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey

Tell me did you sail across the sun
Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star
One without a permanent scar
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Now that she's back from that soul vacation
Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo
Reminds me that there's room to grow, hey, hey

Now that she's back in the atmosphere
I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol Jane
Told a story about a man who is too afraid to fly so he never did land

Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the milky way
And tell me, did venus blow your mind
Was it everything you wanted to find
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance five-hour phone
Conversation
The best soy latte that you ever had... And me

Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back toward the milky way

I think I want to paint the chorus somewhere in one of my girls rooms!

When you are number three, there aren't many "firsts" left to accomplish

2009-10-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Accomplish is probably the wrong word here. I am not really sure what the right word is, but I digress. Today, my sweet little Coryn had a first that her sisters have never experienced. I walked into her class at the end of the day to a little sleepy eyed girl who came to me a little slower than normal. She seemed hesitant. It was then that her teacher came over to us, sat down in one of the small chairs near us and said, "Coryn has had a sort of rough day"! I immediately imagine that she was missing me, or she got hurt, or she had some other offense commited against her. She is my sweet sweet baby(detect the sarcasm in that?). As Miss Karen went on to explain, my girl bit a fellow classmate today! Yes you read that right, she bit someone else. And to drive the point home that we don't bite, she had to go to the director's office. Director is synonomous with Principal. My three year old went THERE! UGH! And not only that, did I mention she freaking bit someone????? Double Ugh! And they can't even tell me who, so I am just feeling awful for this child who I am imagining with a chunk of flesh missing from their arm, head, leg wherever. Although they assured me she didn't acutally break skin, but whatever. I know I would be upset if my child got bit. I never knew what it felt like to be on this end of the discipline spectrum. It sucks. Really Really SUCKS! Oh this child...she is going to make me old. Really really old.

Daughters

2009-10-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

I have three daughters as you are probably well aware of if you visit my blog ever. This past week I have been stunned by a couple of news reports that I have seen. The first is the arrest of Polanski on charges of the statutory rape of a 13 year old. The second just caught my attention moments ago. It is that the Tate has shut down an exhibit that features a nude photograph of a 10 year old Brooke Shields. WOW! I have a ten year old. That is my first thought, my second is WHO let her pose for a nude photo at 10? Where were her parents? Who was looking out for her best interest?

My 10 year old is growing into a young woman, she is beautiful and flashes between little girl and young woman from moment to moment. You never know what you are going to get. But there is still innocence in her. A lot of it. And there is modesty. It would be horribly invasive to her psyche to photograph her now in any form of nudity, even innocent such as the baby bath pictures which most mothers cannot resist. I have not seen the picture of Ms. Shields so I do not know what it is a photo of, but like I said, even an "innocent" photo is not OK at the age of 10. I go back to wondering who was there for her? It makes me sick to think that a museum would even consider this to be art. I am glad that the police have intervened. It isn't right which brings me to the next media blitz that is Roman Polanski.

The first time I ever heard of R.P. was when I read Helter Skelter at the age of 20. I learned of his fleeing from this case at that time also as I had done some research about the book and people in it. The entire thing makes me sick. Like I mentioned, I have three daughters and it sickens me that this man has been free for 30 years after raping a 13 year old girl. I have read that she wanted the case dropped. She is in mid-life now, but how much of that night has defined her life? How did her life change because this man took liberties with her that are just downright sick? And as is the case most often, how many other girls have there been that he has also taken advantage of that we will never know about. I am so happy that he has been arrested. He should not be celebrated for his work as an "artist". He is a sick person who needs to be punished for a crime that he committed, 30 years or not!

As a mom I refuse to support or condone any kind of behaviour that robs little girls of their innocence, even in the name of ART(and SHAME on the celebrities who support R.P). We have a responsibility to these kids to let them be children and to discover life at their own pace in healthy relationships. We are their advocates and their protectors.

And in case you have been living in a cave or a bubble somewhere, it is also your responsibility to check the sex offender website and often, because people move. Keep your children safe.
http://www.familywatchdog.us/

Stepping off my soap box.

Weekend Update

2009-09-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

We had such a great weekend. Beautiful weather, family, friends, Oktoberfest. What more could a family ask for?

Friday night J.R. and I volunteered at the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce beer and brat tent. This is the second year we have done this and we couldn't have picked a better night. We all had a great time making nachos, pretzels, drinks and of course the brats. Although after working the stand, none of that appealed to me at all.

Saturday we started the day with errands. Ella got a new bike, I almost talked J.R. into adopting a rescue dog because we don't have enough of a zoo going on around here these days and well our fish died this week so naturally a dog would be a great replacement. After many tears, because I was sure J.R. was going to give in and so the girls got excited(the tears were not mine however), we left beautiful Redman at Petco. I hope he found a good home with kids because he was just like the most awesome dog EVER! BTW he was an Australian Cattle dog who looked part Huskie but with this beautiful red hair. LOVED HIM!

All melancholy we headed over to the Kansas side to visit our cousin's new business, Franchise Mart. What a neat idea for a business. I am very excited for him. If you are in the market for a franchise business(and let me tell you he has everything you could ever imagine and more), call him. His name is Brad Johnson and here is a link to his new business:
http://www.franchisemart-overlandpark.com/our_staff.htm
I even got excited about some of the possibilities and may be contacting him soon.

The afternoon was spent preparing for our friend, Mollie's wedding. Mollie worked with J.R. for awhile and then gave Ella and even me some horseback riding lessons. They had a stunning wedding in a wonderful country, outdoor setting. It was probably one of the funnest ceremonies ever, as they laughed and really enjoyed themselves throughout the service. After they were pronounced hubby and wife they walked down the aisle with their dog. So sweet!

J.R. has a golf tournament today and I am going to take the girls to a walking trail that I just discovered by a lake while he is gone. The perfect ending to a perfect weekend.

My Epiphany

2009-09-25T07:01:00.001-07:00

I am reading an amazing, life changing book. I am sharing this book with some pretty spectacular ladies who have life views that I love hearing. I feel like my cup is filled everytime we meet. It is almost like a drug for me. I can't wait to be filled again with their presence and with our discussions.

The book we are reading is Shame off You by Alan D Wright. Our discussion this week was on the chapter The Agony of Victory. What? I saw that title and it immediately intrigued me. The Agony of Victory? I don't get it. But as I read on I found myself marking up my book and making HUGE revelations about my own life.

I can't tell you how many times in my life I have had a major accomplishment, and the only thing I have felt is "So,What's next?" or "Why me?" or "I don't deserve this". This is a pattern in my life. I was unaware of it until Wednesday.

A discussion that has been present in my marriage since I started staying home 11 years ago has been my feelings of inadequacy. I mean somebody in the great beyond(Thank you God and I mean GOD!) chose me to parent these three amazing children. And instead of reveling in that fact and savoring the moments, I complained. I never saw accomplishments anymore in my life. I did laundry, I cleaned, I organized only to have it all thrown away 10 minutes later. WHY? When I worked, I set out to do a project only to see it completed and neatly filed away or graded since my job was teacher. On Wednesday I FINALLY(did I mention 11 YEARS????)figured it out. Life IS a journey. It is not about the destination so I have to live this life and by LIVING this life I mean being present in each and every moment. Showing my children how to live lives based on Christ like principles. I need to fill their cups and mine. Yes there will still be laundry and schedules and activities and outside demands but all of those become less important when looking at the big picture. The ACCOMPLISHMENT is in the day to day. How I live my life is a reflection into my children's lives and ultimately THEIR journey.

I know I have mentioned this book to several of you and I am serious when I say that EVERYONE that I know and love should read it. It has been life changing and wonderful. I wish I could personally thank Alan Wright for this gift to me.

Yoga 101

2009-09-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

I started taking a yoga class awhile back. It is my escape three times a week. The very first time I did it, I walked away feeling as if I had just had an hour massage. I cannot praise my yoga instructor enough. She was born to do this. She is a soft spoken, calming, and compassionate person, who after just a few visits, knew my name. I don't know why that was important to me, but it was.

As I said it is my escape. I am pretty much unaware of anyone else in that class and assume that most people are unaware of me.

Today I walked into yoga and there in my spot is a man talking on his cell phone. First rule of yoga 1. Leave the outside world outside the door. So get off your cell phone. He talked up until it was time to start while others around him are obviously starting to unwind in the quiet bird chirping environment. Did I mention he was in my spot? Not that he knew this, but the creature of habit that I am REALLY had struggles with this.

Rule #2 The breathing is through the nose!!! I could not be more serious about this one. We are not lifting weights dude. If you really are having that much trouble doing the poses, perhaps yoga is not your thing. Your breathing like you were birthing a hippo was DISTRACTING.

Rule #3 Personal Space- and this applies in all areas of life. Please do not park your mat right up my ass. I really don't appreciate it. I also don't appreciate you moving it closer EVERY SINGLE TIME we change poses. If you get kicked in the head, it is not my fault. Or maybe it is since you were so annoying.

Rule #4 What's with the straps? OK so I realize that this is a question, but still it was distracting. You brought what looked like luggage straps and then proceeded to tie them to your ankles or wrap them or something. Not quite sure, but then they kept slipping off and you would fall creating quite the scene. There was a point when I wished I had my video camera with me because I thought a video might just be more proof of your idiocy.

The only thing I can humbly thank you for was that you did not ruin my meditation time. Actually I believe you must have started breathing through your nose because I didn't hear you at all. So maybe you are figuring the breathing out after all.

The lesson I have learned from this all is that maybe it is time for me to move up from the back row. Or at least avoid "John" next time.

Ring Ring Ring, We are home!

2009-09-21T11:06:00.001-07:00

Our home phone has rung many times today and I am sure that it has something to do with the fact that it is J.R.'s birthday. Small problem though, I can't find a phone. We have three of them, and they are all missing. None of them are ringing either, which means the ringers are turned off OR they are dead! So paging them is going to be ineffective.

I am however able to hear the answering machine go off when someone starts to leave a message, so if you need to call us, call my cell phone or leave a message.

I might not answer though because I am going on a big scavenger hunt, apparently, today.

Or I might be at Wal-Mart looking for a wall phone. Do they even still make those

*BTW The base in the kitchen still rings, hence how I know the phone keeps ringing.

Help!

2009-09-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

I need parenting advice in a really bad way.

Ella would have been the perfect only child. She thrives on having us all to herself. The problem is she isn't an only child and it is draining trying to fulfill her only child needs constantly. In comes Tara. Ella has had a hard time accepting her little sister since she first came on the scene. It has always been manageable until now. NOW they both are bigger, more vocal, one of them is a bit hormonal, and the other is, without hormones raging, a perfect drama queen.

The fighting is ridiculous-
*she wears my clothes all the time
*she sat in the middle last time
*she always has a friend over
*she never cleans up
*she kicked, hit, tripped me
*she looked at me
*you like her more
*MOM!!!!!!!

And the problem is when they are getting along, they are usually doing something that will get someone hurt, like wrestling, jumping off our brick wall, playing crash course derby with their bikes, which then ends up with one of the aforementioned statements being shouted at me.

I am not the calm peaceful "yes dear" type. In fact when they come at me with one of the LINES, I immediately put my guard up. They know this, but continue in vain anyway and then we all end up on the losing end. So I need help.

How do I get them to love each other? Respect each other? Stick up for each other? I understand that sisters will be sisters but sometimes I think they seriously hate each other. And it makes me sad. What have I done wrong? HELP!

Happy Birthday Pokie

2009-09-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

Guess who is THREE today? Our little Pokie! We have had a fabulous birthday day so far complete with a screening by Miss Kristi from Parents as Teachers, a trip to childcare at the gym where she got to pick out of the birthday box, a gift opening with her friend Gabby in the lobby of the gym(she got paints and a fabulous book on colors), a big nap with mom and the making of a pink cake of which she really wants to share with her daddy. Bummer, I guess we have to wait for him to get home. Tonight our plans are a trip to McDonalds(her choice not mine) cake and icecream and the opening of a few gifts.

Yesterday she got to be the birthday girl at school. She is my first kid to get to celebrate during the school year, so it was actually fun for me. She got a nice book from her teachers also that we read last night together.

I love the simplicity of a third birthday. There are no expectations just joy for every moment. I have actually caught her a couple of different times singing the birthday song to herself. There is just something about this age, the awareness of the birthday by the three year old, but not being corrupted yet by what a birthday might be or what anyone else thinks it should be, it all makes for perfection. She is just so precious. Happy Birthday little one! You are and will always be my baby.

Alanis eat your heart out!

2009-08-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

I have been noticing for months, the changes that are occurring in my daughter. So the following pictures should come as no shock to me. I am just not sure that I am completely ready to be the parent of a brooding pre-teen.

ETA: I should also probably note that she has taken my favorite plastic cup(I am so classy) and used it for her savings. She is going to be so much more mad when I make her give it back.

Happy 15 Years

2009-08-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

15 Years ago, today, I married my high school sweetheart. In some ways that seems like an absolutely unbelievable amount of time and in other ways it feels like it has been a fleeting moment.

I sat drinking my coffee this morning and eating my panera pecan sticky bun(thanks J.R.) and watched my family. The family that was created on that day 15 years ago. How much different my life would be if I had not sort of accidentally gone on that date with that handsome boy 19 years ago. Where would I be? And then I started remembering this same morning 15 years ago. I woke up at the crack of dawn, excited to face my wedding day. I was greeted to family that had driven over 24 hours to be there for my big day from Canada and a big sloppy kiss from the best golden retriever ever. This was a time before texting and cell phones, so J.R. and I didn't see each other or talk until right before the wedding for pictures(we aren't superstitious and never were). I remember looking at him and just being taken away by the emotions of the entire day. I also remember walking down the aisle and only wanting to look at him. Nobody else in that entire room mattered to me. It was just the two of us there. Everything was sort of a blur, the ceremony, candles, friends, family, cake, pictures. What mattered is I married the man I loved and will spend the rest of my life with.

Our marriage is not perfect. I won't lie about that. We struggle at times. We get annoyed and angry. I don't think any two humans could possibly live together this long and not have some angst at times, but it is these anniversaries that are there to remind us of that promise that we made before our friends and family and most especially our God.

J.R. thanks for putting up with me and my quirks for so long. I love you and look forward to what the next 15+ years hold for us. Whatever it is, we can face it together.

8 Big Years!

2009-08-10T06:14:00.000-07:00

Let's pretend for the sake of my favorite middle child that I got this post up yesterday. And not that I got so busy fixing a dinner for my favorite aunt from Tennessee (hi Aunt Mary) that I just never got around to it. And even though there was guilt while I collapsed in bed last night, sleep overcame all of it....SO.....

8 Years ago little Tara Elizabeth came into our lives. I have heard before that a child's birth experience tells you a lot about their personality. Of course I have tested this theory three times and guess what?!? For my kids it ABSOLUTELY does!

Ella- Easy Peesy! No pain and I exclaimed to my nurse "What's the big deal?"
Tara- Came fast and broke my tailbone in the process!
Coryn- No epidural and LONGEST labor!

You can make your own guesses as to what this says about their individual personalities ;)

In the meantime let me share a little about that day 8 years ago.
(This is me crying right before we left for the hospital...WHOA I look HUGE!)

My mom is pretty awesome. In fact 8 years ago I called her crying. I had been in so much pain and just couldn't handle Ella anymore. I had spent part of the day laying on my sister's couch in early labor, but when I got back home it was slowly getting stronger. To make matters worse, J.R. had a HUGE meeting a work. He was in That meeting when I finally decided to go to the hospital. I called the girls at work to tell them that as soon as he was out, he was to go to the hospital. My mom and I arrived at the hospital a little after 5 PM. J.R. arrived around 6. In just 5 hours I went from begging my OB to break my water to holding my newest beautiful girl.

(J.R. and I meeting our 7lb 4oz, 19 inch long girl)
(Our girl right before we took her home)

Tara is 8! I can't believe it. I remember my 8th birthday party. I remember the guests, the gifts, the cake, the games and now she too is 8. This year will be full of big things for her. She will start 2nd grade in a week and probably the biggest thing that will happen to her...She will be baptized and confirmed. She has been preparing for this with pre-baptismal classes and lots of questions. She want's to be baptized at camp like Ella did, so she will have to wait until next June, but I have no doubt that she will wait patiently just like her big sister.

Tara is an amazing kid. She has a zest for life that is completely envy making. She has an imagination like nobody I have ever met. And she befriends everybody. She doesn't have a best friend, because she is everybody's friend. I am excited to watch her grow into a woman and see what she becomes because I have no doubt that whatever she does, it will be exciting and worth listening to the story. Happy Birthday Bobby Sue!

Smooth as Butta!

2009-07-31T09:05:00.001-07:00

I hope that you can read this label, if not here is what it says:

When we say our new butter is delish, we mean it's knee-buckling, freaky good. And that's no joke. Heck, after the very first taste, a lot of times we just have to sit down and rest. So be forewarned. You're about to enjoy some pretty darn special butter.

I have been a fan of Shatto milk for awhile. There is a difference in their milk products. And how can you beat their flavored milks? You can't! So when I saw that Shatto had butter AND it included this label???? How could I resist!

Let me tell you, while my knees did not buckle...this butter is the best I have EVER tasted. And it better be at over $3.00 a block! I seriously could sit down and take a bite out of it. It's THAT good. It puts my other butter, which will remain nameless, to shame! Weight Watchers would be disgusted with me right now.

Fortune Cookies

2009-07-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

Coryn had her first fortune cookie last weekend. While I generally do not take stock in what they say, I did this time because it was so accurate for a two-almost three year old.

"Emotion hinders your true self."

Yeah that pretty much describes her to a T!

The ankle update

2009-07-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

So this is what the ankle looked like last night after he got home from work:

I am still thinking a doctor wouldn't be a bad idea!!

Sandbankers

2009-07-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Wednesday nights mean an hour free from kids, watching sand volleyball at Centerline in Blue Springs for me. If I had a choice of what to do with an hour of free time, this would probably NOT be in my top ten, but it means a lot to J.R. so I go. I think someone last night suggested me getting a set of pom poms. I told them that I have never been a cheerleader or never intend on being one...no offense to cheerleaders as I married one ;) I am not the person to ask the score or who will know whether or not the Sandbankers are winning or losing. I have no idea if they are even playing well, however I do sometimes laugh at errors and then try to blame my laughing on random things. I am sure everyone appreciates me so much there or maybe tolerates is a better word.

Last night was no different. I set up camp in a spot behind the court. After watching a couple of near misses I thought to myself that where I was sitting, might not be the best spot. Did I move, no! We played a team that I am quite sure could tell you everything about the latest Comic-con convention. They had one player going for them and he was a Travis Barker look alike. Not your typical volleyball player, but he was pretty darn good. At one point he serves the ball and in typical Heather sports viewing fashion, I wasn't watching. And let me tell you how glad I was that my D-cup girls were there to catch that bad boy launched right at my chest. Ye-OUCH!!!!!!! I think my right side is a bit deflated from it. But that isn't even the highlight of the evening.

All evening there was a photographer there taking pictures of all the action. Why he decided we were good material, I will never know, but he set up camp by us. He was from the Examiner. This morning this article ran:
http://www.examiner.net/sports/x695084998/Bump-set-spike
And he caught my hubby in action and he also caught a shot of what I look like each and every week in case you were wondering.

Speaking of hubby, he sprained his ankle. It looks absolutely disgusting. I think he needs to see the doctor, in typical man fashion, he refuses. Feel free to let him know what you think :)

Colorado 2009

2009-07-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

We were gone last week on the most amazing Colorado trip. We had such a great time relaxing, feeding the chipmunks, boating, hiking, riding up the gondola in Keystone...only to do it again and again. We made it to Boulder where we watched a colorful street show and attended the Graduate school graduation. We caught up with friends! We ate A LOT! And if you were following my updates on Facebook, we FINALLY made it to the creperie! YUMMY! And never before have I wanted to pack up my family SO BAD and move there. I hope that at some point in our future it finally happens, but until then, we'll just keep vacationing in the best state ever!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

10 Years Old

2009-07-15T06:49:00.001-07:00

Can I really be the mom of a ten year old girl? Like it or not, today that is what I become. July 15, 1999 I met the most awesome little person. She came into this world with her little blonde cone head, weighing 7 lb 3 oz and 19 inches long. She arrived at 6:50 PM and totally changed my world. For the better! I love you Elevator!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Dunkin Donuts has me ALL fired up

2009-07-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

Something has been bugging me lately.

I don't watch a lot of t.v. but when I do, there is bound to be a commercial for a Dunkin Donuts! They always show the coffee and perhaps pan over some piping fresh donuts. Sometimes there is some deal they mention that seems too hard to pass up. It makes me want to run to my car and drive to Dunkin Donuts and partake in the yumminess that seeps from my screen. And then I realize that I can't. We don't have Dunkin Donuts. So why do we have to watch the commercials? It seems unfair. Make that cruel. Especially the one where they do the coffee survey and everyone and their brother apparently drinks their coffee and it is the best coffee to ever grace our planet, but I wouldn't know because I have never had it. And then I am mad that I have never had their coffee and my own Maxwell House just seems insufficient. It kind of sucks.

I am not the only one who has these problems. There are people living in this world who don't have (you might want to sit down for this) Sonic!! And see I hate Sonic(we have one on every corner) but people who don't have it think it must be grand. Maybe they have had it on vacation at some point or whatever, but then I'll hear them talk about the ice at Sonic and then I am all Yeah their ice is pretty kick-arse.

So why is it that we are punished with these ads for things that we can't even purchase? It seems like a waste of t.v. ad space to play them to us.

I feel better already having written this. Maybe someone will send me some coffee or some piping fresh Donuts. That would be awesome.

Surely there are others out there in a similar quandry as me. What do you get ads for that you don't have?

Camp

2009-07-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I dropped my baby girl off at camp. I wasn't prepared for the flood of emotions that I would feel doing this. Ella was very hesitant about going. She is my kid who likes to stay at home. She likes to be around me and her dad. She misses us when she is gone for more than say a school day. J.R. tells me that this is how he was as a child and quite honestly, he is still that way. He'd rather be at home than traveling the world. I refer to Ella as my extra appendage. I am not used to being at our house without her here. It is a bit unsettling.

I was encouraging her to branch out and attend camp. Some of my best memories are from camp. I made lifelong friends and felt so at home with my church family. I want my kids to have that same experience. My final summer of camps, I was gone for at least 5 weeks as a camper and also a counselor. I couldn't get enough of it. I also credit camp with having prepared me for leaving home. I know that it is my responsibility to prepare my kids to someday leave the nest. I also know that as much as I love them, that I want them TO someday leave the nest.

We had a lot of talks about being homesick and how it is normal. We also talked about how much we love her and that even though we aren't with her, we are always "with" her in her heart. As much as she is thinking about us, we too are thinking about her. She is lucky that her counselor is my good friend, Kathleen, who will be there to hug her and love her and tell her that it is OK. So I feel like I prepared her fully for this new adventure. What I didn't take into account was how horrible I would sleep, how every minute I would be wondering what she is doing, if she is eating, did she make some new friends, if everyone is being nice to her, what if she runs out of socks???? I am a raving lunatic thinking about all of this. I never am the mom who gets weepy when her child sings at church or does something cute. But yesterday I was. I fled from her cabin with tears stinging my eyes, so that she wouldn't see me falling apart. I sat in my car for a moment and wanted to run back and gather her things and take her home with me. I didn't though. I called my friend and cried to her and drove the distance home.

I am proud of her for going and hope that on Friday when I go to pick her up, that she is sad to leave her new friends and that the entire trip home, she tells me all the stories about her camp adventure and mostly I hope that she says "I can't wait for camp next year". Because that is the goal! It's not really about me.

Ella's 10th Friend Birthday

2009-07-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Ella's birthday a little bit early. She had a few of her close friends out for an evening of pottery painting at Potter's Haven in downtown Lee's Summit. We had such a great time. We will be going back, Soon!

After the pottery we came home for pizza and cupcakes and then an overnight. The whole thing went off without a hitch. Now on to planning our big family birthday party.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Check out my girl!

2009-07-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

In case you can't figure it out, that's her in the front putting on the interpretive dance moves.

Hospital Hill Half Marathon

2009-07-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

J.R. ran in the Hospital Hill Marathon. I was able to go down and cheer their team on. It was a gorgeous, slightly overcast, cool day in K.C. so it was perfect for their run. I was so proud of him.

Day at the "K"

2009-07-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Stepford with Friends

2009-07-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Catch Up Friday

2009-07-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hold on to your chairs because there are lots of posts coming your way. We will start with the results of our cupcakes. We had a lot of fun making these and the girls are the perfect ages to sit for the long periods of time it took to "build" each of them. I was proud of how their cupcakes turned out.
Here we are making the cupcakes:

And decorating:

And the final product!

Cupcakes here we come

2009-07-02T08:04:00.001-07:00

We are attempting to make cute little cupcakes from the book Hello, Cupcake, today for Ella's little birthday get together with a few of her closest friends tomorrow. We are trying to simplify the craziness of the girls all having their birthdays in less than 8 weeks.

We will do one big family birthday with grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, and then they can have a simpler, smaller celebration with just a few of their friends.

She has chosen to go paint pottery at Potter's Haven. I am excited about this, as I myself have been itching to go there. In fact I am planning our next girls night out there(if you are interested).

I posted the above picture which is a professional photo, straight from the cupcake book to show you what said cupcakes are intended to look like. Ours, I am quite sure, will be different!

Anger Management

2009-06-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Dear pregnant lady at Wal-Mart with your belly hanging out of your wife beater- Please stop smoking! Nothing makes me angrier than seeing a pregnant woman smoking AND then knowing what it does to that poor little baby that you have been blessed with!

Dear Costco- I hate your milk jugs! They suck. I spill more than I actually get into my bowl or cup. Who came up with that design? Did they even test it out to see if it worked? I understand that it makes them easier to stack, but it kind of defeats the purpose if people won't buy your milk because it sucks! And apparently I am not the only one who hates it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/30/costco-sams-clubs-new-mil_n_109902.html

Dear Parents in the pick-up line- Stop cutting, follow the maps that have been sent out to pick up your kid! Or if you can't read them, go back to summer school so you can. I am about to get all up in your bidness if you pass the long freaking line of cars again so you can be first to pick your kid up. Seriously do you have any sense of right and wrong or are you just one of the entitled people who doesn't give a crappity dippity. You may now pick your kid up at the principal's office, because that is probably where they are, given YOUR propensity to follow rules. There is no hope for them!

Dear family- I am not the only one who can walk the five feet out into the garage to put the recycling away! I also would love it, if when you empty a box, can, jar etc of something, you would then take care of it, and not place it back for me to find later.

Thanks!

Honduras

2009-06-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

In 1994 I had the priviledge of traveling with my father to La Buena Fe Honduras. I was months away from getting married and was so focused on that aspect of my life that I wasn't really aware that a life changing event was about to happen to me and it didn't involve my wedding. We traveled with a team of wonderful medical staff to a clinic that had its own inspiring story, having been started by the Blumenschein family in the late 50's. John Blumenschein was a popular obstetrician from our area and he and his wife and five children gave up their home here and set out for Honduras to create the clinic. Their mission was to "aid people without hope and resources". There is a wonderful book called Home in Honduras, written by Dr. Blumenschein himself.

The point of this post is that this has been a special place for our family for as long as I can remember. I have connected with some of the most unlikely people because of this oasis in the middle of the Central American jungle. It is a simple place with simple people, who appreciate the help and say thankyou with big smiles. My entire family has traveled there at one time or another. I can't wait to take my children there someday. This past weekend, my father traveled there to help with another clinic in the city of San Pedro Sula. UMKC dental students were traveling there to provide care. My father was going to be helping out in the surgery department. He had looked forward to this trip for some time. We received an email on Saturday from him about the military coup that took place over the weekend. The president, Manuel Zelaya, was forcefully removed from power after trying to unlawfully change the constitution. My dad told my mom that they were told to stay at the hotel as the Nicaraguan army was waiting at the border to come in to fight. Migs were flying over the city on patrol. So their mission to do good had to be cut short. They are all coming home today. Maybe they could have finished their time there safely, but it isn't worth finding out. I am sad for my dad as I know he was really looking forward to his time there. I am also sad for the dental students as they didn't get to connect with the Honduran people like I did. I hope they get to go back someday and discover the Honduras that I came to know.

I ask that you keep the team in your prayers today as they travel home. That they have a safe and uneventful trip. Here are a few pictures from my time there in 1994.

In Memory Of Melody

2009-06-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is Melody(in the middle) with her father, Aaron, and her little sister, Melissa. I have never met Melody, but I feel as if I know this girl. You see, I have been a part of an online Mommy community for ten years now. We all met because we had July 1999 babies. And although life has gotten busy, as life will do, we have all remained connected. A week ago, today, Melody and her father were hit by a drunk driver on a motorcycle as they were out for an evening walk. They were in a crosswalk at a four way stop. Melody died from her injuries. Her father suffered terrible injuries that cost him one of his legs and they are having to reconstruct his other one. He has been so heavily sedated that he has not even been told of his daughter's death. This could have been anybody. How many times do we take walks with our families in the evening?

The worst part about all of this was that this man had SIX prior DUI convictions! He was a walking timebomb. How many more people have to die like this? It seems insane to me that this man still had a license at all. I think that Melody's death was a travesty that could have been prevented, but why wasn't it?

I can't stop thinking about her and her family. As one of our mommy friends wrote so eloquently on her Facebook, "I have read about almost every milestone this young girl made prior to last Thursday because her mom and several of my mommy friends found each other on a place much like Facebook 10 years ago. Melody will not go on a first date like Emma. She will not graduate from any school. She will not travel. She will not have a first true love. She will no longer fight and make up with her best friends. She will not fight with her parents and learn a life lesson or two from them. She will never play the violin again for her grandparents. She won't meet Emma or the other kids from the Bulletin Board. She will not excitedly hug her little sister on Christmas morning after they run downstairs and see the pile of presents under the tree. She is now a memory; an untouchable presence in her family's life that will forever be missed....I am MADD."

I hope and pray that we can prevent other families from having to endure the loss of their loved ones. I encourage you to join MADD. And also to be vocal about drinking and driving. Please do not allow it to happen. EVER!
http://www.madd.org/

Picnic in the park

2009-05-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

I went to Tara's picnic in the park with her fellow first graders yesterday. I still don't know a lot of people and Tara was pretty busy. Being a social queen requires work and dedication and she really could have cared less if I were there. So I stuck around for a good 20 minutes or so. In that short period of time I had two ego-stroking interactions. The first happened with one of Tara's class mates and went something like this:

Girl- How come you don't have a job?
Me- I do. I work at my house.
Girl- You have a job at your house?
Me- I take care of Tara and her sisters.
Girl- OHHHHHHH! (with a total- you are such a loser tone to her 7year old voice)

Moving on from the little girl, I took Coryn to play on some swings. There were two ladies standing near me in the shade. They kept looking at me and smiling. I finally said hello to them. The following interaction took place with them:

Ladies- Kristen, Is that you?
Me- Um no I am not Kristen.
Ladies to each other- I have been looking at her the whole time she has been here thinking she was Kristen. You look just like her.
Me- I don't know Kristen.
Ladies- Well we were surprised to see you here....SINCE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING A C-SECTION this morning!!!!!
Me- ?!?!?!?!

On that note, I left the picnic in the park.

The day I have been waiting for

2009-05-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

I have a funny friend! Well I have quite a few funny friends, but I have this ONE friend who is particularly funny and I (and many others) have told her she needed to blog. Well I couldn't be more excited to introduce you to Rachel and her new blog, Turds and Whey.

http://web.me.com/rluft/Turds_and_Whey/Blog/Blog.html

hummingbird fascination

2009-05-19T19:21:00.001-07:00

I am completely and totally fascinated by these extraordinary little creatures. We are the lucky ones who get them as they are only found in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in North America although they do winter in Central America.

I have a feeder on my deck and on any given day can look out to find a hummingbird about half of the time. I think it helps that I am not alone in the love of the little birds in my neighborhood. Which brings me to my story.

My neighbor, hi Teresa, found a hummingbird on her screened in porch the other day. It apparently had gotten trapped in there and couldn't find its way out. She was sad about the little bird who had lost its life, but planned on burying it. She gently laid the little bird in a planter on her porch where she saw it all day long. She said it was so beautiful as it looked like it was sleeping. As her son carried it in a towel to the little hole they had dug, he stumbled and the little bird fell. When they bent to pick it up, it was just gone. Vanished! They looked for an hour and still never found the little hummingbird. Interesting. Where did it go? Had it really not died? She then told me how some people feel that the hummingbird is the eternal bird. So it got me thinking about hummingbirds and I started reading up on them. I have learned some interesting things. The greatest of these is the following Public Service Announcement:

NO RED DYE- Most modern feeders have brightly colored bases and therefore do NOT need food with dye in it. Years ago when feeders were made out of jars and tubing people added the dye to attract the birds attention. It worked, but it is just an additive and we are not really sure what it does to the little birds so let's just leave it out. K? I am guilty of buying pre-made hummingbird food, but feel foolish that I have been doing so, because it is a simple recipe...4 parts water to 1 part sugar. NO DYE!

I hope that I haven't bored you with my fascination, but really if you don't have a feeder, you should try it. They are such cool little birds. You should also read about them. I wish I would have sooner.

It's my Birthday!

2009-05-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

I love my birthday. I always have. It doesn't matter how much older I get, I enjoy celebrating it. I have had some great birthday celebrations with friends and family over the years. I had intended on picking through pictures from birthdays past at my mom's but alas I am lazy so it didn't happen.

In 1973 I was born in Hampton Virginia at Langley AFB. I love this little fact. The AFB often appears in movies as it is also the CIA headquarters.

I celebrated my 1st birthday in Abilene Texas. My mom made me a ladybug cake. I repeated this same theme for Ella's first birthday.

I celebrated my 13th birthday by wearing an odd get up that I picked out for my birthday(this is when pictures would be handy), and in art class having an entire bottle of indigo ink splatter all over me. Have you ever gotten indigo ink on you? It doesn't wash off for a LONG time. I then got in trouble in the same class for talking...SHOCKER...and was given a detention by Mrs. Chester. Ahhhh Mrs. Chester who had gone to high school with my dad and who I swore had had a crush on him then because she constantly asked me about my dad. Gross! Thanks Mrs. Chester for the AWESOME 13th birthday memory!

I don't remember many more of my birthdays. They all kind of blend in together.

But I know that I love them and even though J.R. is out of town for this one, I intend on having a really happy day, talking to my phone well-wishers and also reading my cards and facebook messages. I am SUCH a geek.

Day at the Zoo with the Nigros

2009-05-12T09:29:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Coryn and I went to the Kansas City Zoo with Felicia and Gabriella. It was a gorgeous day out and the girls had a lot of fun together.

My yard projects

2009-05-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

I have been busy in my yard and with all of my pots and plantings the past few weeks. I love nothing more than being in my yard, tending my little plants. Here are a few pictures of what I have been up to.

Funny story about the pepperocinis. Several months ago, my friend Kelly mentioned these. I had no idea what she was talking about. You see we don't call them pepperocinis here. I had never heard that term used. Most often you see them listed as banana peppers or yellow peppers. Just yesterday I was talking to my friend Heather and she mentioned them. Weird coincidence. So when I was planting my garden guess what I found? Pepperocinis!!! Woohoo. Now I have them growing in my backyard with no idea of whether I like them or not.

I hauled 10- 40lb bags of pea gravel to the back for under the playset. I hate sand but wanted Coryn to have something to play in, so this is as good as it gets here at the Bucky household.

Gerberas are my absolute favorite flower EVER!

And all of my herbs in pots on my deck!

These are the planters on my front porch with Asiatic lilies!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

My mother's day gifts from my girls

Yeah yeah yeah, I know I am two days late. Our Mother's Day was anything but relaxing. Why is it that Mother's Day is rush rush rush, go here, go there, cook this, mediate that, finally collapsing in a chair of exhaustion. How is that different than any other day? Let's compare it to Father's Day....hmmmm wake up smile at your family, open cards and a gift, smile at them again as you walk out the door to the golf course where you will spend your day doing what you love. Yeah I am totally going to be a dad next year. Where is the sign up for that one?

OK That said, as I woke up on Sunday to Tara and Coryn in my bed with me sleeping peacefully, I looked over at them and truly felt the blessing that it is to be a mom. I have been blessed three times over and maybe Mother's Day should be more about me stopping and thanking God for the chance to be a mother and experience the love that only a mom can understand. So maybe while I am a little jealous of the freedom of a dad, I am really glad that I am the mom, because there is just nothing like it.

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly

2009-05-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

I am late on this, but just HAD to post about this movie. I watched it yesterday on Netflix View it now and am SOOOO glad that I did. What an amazing movie. If you haven't seen it, you really need to. It is the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, the editor of Elle magazine, and how he suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed with the exception of his eyes, his mind fully intact. He wrote a book, by blinking his eye, about being trapped inside his body, which is what the movie is based on. AMAZING! And the music is just as amazing.

Vegas 09

2009-05-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

You know it's been a good vacation when it takes you a week to recover from it. And that is just about how long it has taken me to get back into my real life. That and my need for underwear, as I let the laundry go for long enough that I ran out. We had such a great time in Vegas. J.R. had an IT conference there and I got to tag along. The weather was perfect, the company superb, and the food.....ah the food was exceptional. I can attest to this since I gained over 3 pounds while there. It was worth every last bite.

We flew in Friday evening. I had developed an awful sore throat which I was pretty sure was strep. I had some left over amoxicillin so I self-medicated. I wasn't going to miss this trip for anything. We got to our hotel and got settled and then met at California Pizza Kitchen for our dinner. I didn't feel much like pizza, I was wanting a club sandwich. So being the gentleman that he always is, J.R. hoofed it over to Carnegie deli where he bought me the BIGGEST club sandwich I have ever seen.

We were tired so we turned in early, plus with the illness I needed some rest.

The next morning we went out for an early stroll where I bought this: It will be delivered in the next few weeks and I can hardly wait. I LOVE Olbinski!

We wasted... I mean paid for tickets to The Secret Garden where we saw these:

The Secret Garden sucks, don't waste your money on this little field trip because it literally is the size of a backyard and $15 a person. Total ripoff. I should have totally dropped that money in a slot machine. After the SG adventure one of my best friends showed up. Kelly drove up from San Diego and I am SOOOO SOOOO glad that she did. She is awesome and we had so much fun together.

We immediately went to eat lunch and had some interesting pickles:

We then headed over to the Bellagio where we went to the Andy Warhol and friends exhibit which was no where near as cool as the Ansel Adams exhibit we had seen two years prior. We didn't leave the Bellagio before we spent some time in the Botannical Garden though:

Kelly was ready to do some damage at the casino, so she and J.R. went and did that, while I rested...still weary with my throat. I think Kelly won and I know J.R. didn't.

That night we drove to Red Rocks casino and ate at the Mexican Restaurant there. Very cool ambiance if you sit at the back of the restaurant with a view of the fire pits.

The next morning, J.R. was off to play golf at TPC Canyons. It was the perfect day for golf AND also for the pool. Kelly and I had way too much fun at the pool LOL!

You will have to turn your head sideways to watch our waitress act out a chicken wrap sandwich for us. She was awesome.

That night was the reception. J.R. was the man, showing up with two women:

We then headed back to Bellagio where the guys surprised us with a dinner at Prime which holds the record for the world's most expensive appetizer. $350!!!! and so not worth it:

We also had the spitting waiter. I think at least 4 of the 7 of us, got spit on at some point by him. But we had fun and laughed a ton.

Kelly and I finished the night off at the Rhumbar.

Monday morning Kelly was going to have to leave, but not before we went and enjoyed some crepes at the Creperie at Paris. YOU HAVE TO TRY THESE! I had the Napoleon which was lemon custard with all sorts of fresh berries and whipped creme. It was to die for which might explain why I went back the next day. You might be seeing where the 3+ pounds is coming in to play at this point ;)

We had some fun at the Venetian before Kelly had to leave:

I was sad to see her go. Really sad. I can't wait to see you again, Kelly.

That night we had the banquet. Jay Leno was our performer. He had just gotten out of the hospital and you could tell he wasn't 100%, but I still love Jay and he was funny.

We went to Carnegie for dessert. You can't stay at the Mirage without having dessert at the Carnegie. Blueberry Cheesecake with whole milk. J.R. had the carrot cake.

Tuesday was back to the Creperie and shopping. Our Anne Taylor Loft closed here so I had some fun shopping there and getting the girls some gifts. We spent some more time at the pool and that evening Pete took us to Stack. YUMMY! This was by far our best meal. We had this awesome appetizer of premium beef, that we cooked ourselves on a lava rock in the middle of our table. PHENOMENAL!!!!!!! And before we retired to our rooms, one last trip to Carnegie deli for dessert:

Fabulous trip.

I love her

2009-05-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

Tara never ceases to make me smile. Today as we were driving she told me this:

"Mom, I don't really like it when people ask me if I want to be their friend, because you kind of HAVE to say yes."

She also found some ladybugs who have been giving A LOT of piggy back rides to each other and then amazingly laying eggs. I don't think she needs to know that the ladybugs aren't piggybacking just yet.

Warning Complaining coming your way

2009-05-02T12:50:00.001-07:00

So if you don't want to hear it, close me out, ignore me, or tell me off. Whatever, but I need to get it out.

Hey lady at the grocery store who GRUDGINGLY lent me your shopper saver card and acted like I asked you for a kidney donation, while I was also asking for you to BUY my groceries(which I didn't), could you smile EVER? I noticed your bling and also all your namebrand...well everything. Your life can't be that bad. The fact that you are standing in a grocery store, buying food that you didn't have to grow outside your third world country shack is something, isn't it? So smile, you never know how your downer presence affects those around you. I don't think you noticed your checkout person apologetically smiling at me, because you are too consumed in what you perceive to be your awful life.

To the rest of you, it's the little acts of kindness and graciousness that make a person's day, such as smiling, holding a door, buying doughnuts for your neighbors on the weekend, checking their mail while they are away, noticing those around you and making an effort to not be a jack-ass. People notice things and carry them with them for the rest of the day, so Please don't be the lady at the grocery store. Smile. Enjoy life. There is enough heartache out there already. No need to work on spreading it.

Life Is Good

2009-04-24T04:55:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it takes something big in someone else's life for me to stop, look at my life and say Thank you God for the blessings that surround me. I just need to realize it more often than I do.

On an off note, J.R. and I are going kidless to Vegas for 5 days starting today. We need this time together desperately. I am really looking forward to it.

OUCH!

2009-04-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

Ella had her first real sports injury. There is a reason why they require shin guards. I would have hated to see what it would have looked like without a shin guard. Poor girl.

Speaking of sports, the team they played were something else. The kids were cussing like sailors, and also the parents and coaches. It was really sad to hear them. They were up 5-3 at one point and a mom from our team could hear two of their players saying something about kicking our asses. We ended up tieing them 6-6. Our kids played a great game, were good sports and showed that team how to be dignified. I was very proud of not only our kids, but the parents. Go TIGERS!

Easter with the fam!

2009-04-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

The Buckners

The Smith cousins

My pretty girls

The Buckner cousins

Passion = Lemons

2009-04-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Awww such simple beauty

Nellie and Joe's My FAVORITE lemon juice if not from the real thing

And the favorite lemon bar itself...

I love lemons. It is probably no wonder that my favorite color is yellow. A few years ago, while pregnant with Coryn, I found heaven. We were at a family church retreat and I had just gotten through the worst of my morning sickness. For the first three months I could not eat anything sweet. The thought made me nauseous. We were asked, at this retreat, to bring a snack to share with everyone. I have no clue what I brought, but I can easily tell you what Mary Ann Adkins brought. She brought lemon bars. Not just any lemon bars, but the most heavenly lemon bars to ever grace my taste buds. It was the very first thing that I could eat that contained sugar while pregnant with Miss C. So I visited the snack table a few times that first night. I noticed others were doing the same thing and that the lemon bars were disappearing quickly. SOOOO I did what any self respecting, lemon loving woman would do....I stole the entire pan of them back to my room where I gorged myself on them. Share them, no way. I also asked for the recipe. I am no dummy. I have never made them for anyone who hasn't asked for the recipe. In fact I had someone tell me once that the Betty Crocker Lemon bars were awesome and I had to laugh, because they obviously haven't had a REAL lemon bar. I am going to share with you that recipe. Mind you, this is NO Weight Watcher Recipe. I am sure one bar is like 15 points or something.

Lemon Bars
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 C flour
2 Sticks of butter
4 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
1/3 Cup lemon juice (Nellie and Joes)
1/4 Cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
and some more powdered sugar for the topping.

Sift powdered sugar and flour together. Cut in 2 sticks of butter. Press into lightly greased pan(9x13). Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Beat eggs, sugar and lemon juice together very well. Stir in flour and baking powder. Pour over baked crust and bake another 25 minutes.

Sift powdered sugar over it and cut into tiny bars.

Enjoy and if you make them, please tell me how you like them :)

What?

2009-04-10T13:36:00.001-07:00

My email was misspelled at the top....how embarassing. The English teacher in me is cringing.

Fantastic!

2009-04-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

Parenting is essential to keep your head deflated.

I am thinking I might need a new bra after the interaction I had with Coryn today...

As I was walking her to her bed for naptime she cupped my boob (which lately she is completely fascinated by) and said "Mommy, I hold your boobie up". She kept her hand there the entire time we walked upstairs to her bed.

Yeah good for the spirit, she is.

Matt Logelin

2009-04-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

If you have never read Matt's blog before, he is amazing. His story is amazing and so very sad. He is in my blogroll over to the right. Read him. Also I want to plug that he will be on Oprah this Monday. Watch!

Have you thanked a teacher lately

2009-04-09T08:52:00.001-07:00

I used to teach. That was my career. I have a great appreciation for teachers and especially teachers I know that go that extra step above and beyond what they are expected to do and also paid so handsomely for. Sorry I couldn't resist the last part as we all know teachers don't make near enough.

We moved into the district we are currently enrolled in last spring. We were all a little anxious about the girls starting a new school. I figured Ella would have a difficult time as she is slower to warm up to new things. I couldn't have been more wrong. She has shone this year. She has just blossomed. We couldn't be happier about it. Tara had a rougher go, which quite frankly was a little bit surprising to us, as she is our social bug. Luckily she was blessed with an amazing, inspiring, loving, compassionate, awesome, intelligent...I could go on...teacher. We could not have asked for someone as great as Miss Parker. Everything she does is awesome. So it was no surprise when I got this email from her this week about Take your Child to Work Day:

Dear Parents,

Thursday April 23rd is take your child to work day. A note is going home about this today. I wanted to let you know my background on this day. I think it is a wonderful chance for kids to learn about careers and see what their parents do. That being said I wanted to let you know that if you child does not have a place to go please send them to work with ME. As a child of two teachers I was never allowed to go with my parents (although the older I got I tried to go with my dad since he was a boys pe teacher J) So I try to make this a super special day for the kids that come to school. I bring donuts and juice and we have a faculty meeting in the morning, then we make teacher name badges just like mine. The whole day is full of science experiments, math games, and other fun.

So every kid that day should have a wonderful career experience. I hope that your child is able to go with you, but if not please know it will be a day they remember!!

Thanks Julie Parker

Really! That is awesome. She is awesome. We are SO lucky to have her and I am sad that the year is almost over.

I responded to her email with a quick thank you. Please do the same to a teacher you love. It really does mean the world to us.

Terrariums

2009-04-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Morning Show on CBS this morning and caught a segment on Terrariums. I think I am going to give one a shot. I love the look of the miniature greenhouse looking one. I think it was the third picture in the series. My kids would love to help put something like this together.

Here is the link to the author, Tovah Martin, of the Terrarium book who appeared on the show:

http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2009/04/06/earlyshow/leisure/books/photoessay4922807.shtml?source=search_photo

Athleta

2009-04-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite company. Sometimes amongst all the many catalogs I receive, one just pops out at me and I fall in love. Which is exactly what happened when I opened up the Athleta catalog. Swimsuits that are actually stylish but can fit the D-cup girl that I am! Woohoo. They had me at hello. They actually have a lot of really great stuff other than swimsuits. Check them out.

www.athleta.com

Just a sidenote, in a search for an Athleta image I found TONS of other blogs, blogging about them. I must get out from my rock a little more often.

Sleeping Angels

2009-04-04T09:03:00.001-07:00

So precious...now get out of my bed!

Good Friends

2009-04-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

I love a chance to catch up with good friends. J.R. and I had the opportunity to catch up with several of these friends last night at Jill Mabie's surprise birthday party.

Jill is a longtime friend of both J.R. and I. She and Chuck went on a cruise with us back in 2003 that was "memorable" in many ways, probably the most exciting part was the fact that the ship exploded. That is a whole other story though.

We have raised our children together, with playgroups and parties, Jill and J.R. were boyfriend/girlfriend years ago in playground days. She broke up with him because he tried to hold her hand. She got over her boy aversion finally though ;) I always love seeing them and last night was no different. I wish our lives weren't so crazy and we could spend more time together. I love you two!

Take Deux

2009-03-25T13:12:00.001-07:00

My model was being very uncooperative for trying on the successful attempt at knitting a hat. So I had to resort to using a stuffed bear. I think it turned out really cute though.

P.S. Model was not harmed during this shoot. She is happily eating chocolate at this very moment.

Your real boss is the one who walks around under your hat

2009-03-24T13:20:00.000-07:00

Crafty I am not. That doesn't stop me from trying though.

Need proof?

Now I am starting again using this fabulous yarn, smaller needles and half the stitches cast on.

Anyone need a toilet cozy?

Training Complete

2009-03-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

It's about time someone took the reigns around here!

I woke up yesterday morning in my allergy medicated fog to this blessed note from my favorite first-born.

Isn't she just the most spectacular kid ever?

Mommy needs her coffee!

And when do we stop putting cute little pics by our signatures? I think the world would be a happier place if we all signed our names like that.

Madoff Madness

2009-03-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

When something is so pathetically sad and wrong sometimes humor is the only way to relate. I love David Letterman!

Letterman - At Home with the Madoffs

AND The top 10:

Letterman - Top Ten Messages Left On Bernie Madoff's Answering Machine

She's Two and a Half TODAY!

2009-03-16T17:46:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go?

Happy St. Patrick's Day (a little early)

2009-03-16T15:28:00.001-07:00

We had so much fun on Saturday with the Lee's Summit Parade. The girls look forward to it so much each year. J.R. and his co-workers worked really hard on the float. They teamed up with Shamrock Golf Club and Eric Reisner on a float this year. The theme of it was "putt your money to work". On the float we had our leprechaun who was putting on an actual green. When he made the shot, confetti and stuff would shoot out of the hole. Next to the hole was a dancing groundhog/mole ala Caddyshack. We handed out golf balls and candy. Surprisingly the golf balls were the biggest hit. Although I think after this year there will be some sort of rule about tossing golf balls into the crowd LOL!

Today while I was talking to J.R. we learned that they got 1st place for it. That is very exciting. We have tried to win for 3 years now. It might have helped that they had awesome gift cooler bags for the judges. Bribing the judges IS allowed.

Here are a few pictures from the day. Enjoy.

Denise

2009-03-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

One hour until the big date! Denise, over at There's Always Room For One More is going on her eharmony date this afternoon. I am excited for her and can't wait to hear how it went. I know where they will be and at what time. A sick part of me would love to go spy on them. Don't worry though, Denise, I am stuck at home with a sleeping Coryn. I hope Bachelor #1 is awesome.

10 Pound bag of apples

2009-03-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to my WW meeting. I lost a whole .2 pound! Woo-bleepity-hoo! I was feeling kind of down about it. I kept telling myself, well it's better than gaining that weight. After the meeting I ran by Costco where I loaded my cart up. Two of the things in my cart caught my attention once they were in my home. The first was a 10 pound bag of apples. The other was a 2+ pound canister of oatmeal. I started thinking about those two things. Yes the thought of apple cobbler crossed my mind, believe me, but what I was actually thinking about was the weights of those things. I have lost 11.8 pounds since January. That is almost 12 pounds. That is almost a 10 pound bag of apples and a 2+ pound canister of oatmeal. So you know what I did? I picked those suckers up and proceeded to carry them around the house with me, up the stairs to the laundry room, back downstairs, to the basement. It sucked! I have almost lost THAT weight. THAT weight used to be on my body! What do I have to be depressed about? I should be so glad that I am not carrying that weight around anymore. I should do everything in my power to NEVER carry that weight around again. Guess what? I feel better.

Facebook "friend suggestions"

2009-03-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

So sometimes it is just so hard to ignore the names of people that it suggests for you on the right. One name keeps popping up there. It is a girl that I could go without ever seeing again in my entire life and yet my curiosity is piqued to the point that I may just ask her to be my friend. Is that wrong? Of course it is, but still there she sits everytime I go to Facebook. AND then I wonder if my name is also staring her down. I kind of hope it is.

It's Spring Break!

2009-03-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Oh how that used to mean something entirely different to me. Now it means, get ready for a week with the kiddos. This is a preview of the summer. NO! I love my kids, sadly my kids don't love each other the way I wish they would. So in anticipation of boredom and fighting I took the family(yeah even J.R.) to Joann's yesterday and we picked out latch hooks for the girls to work on. And amazingly it is working. They are both in their rooms as I type this quietly latching away. Notice I didn't say hooking ;)

So if you are looking for a project to keep the kiddos busy and from fighting, I would strongly recommend a latch hook.

Pancakes with Fresh Raspberry and Lemon Sauce

2009-03-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

You HAVE to make these. They were so filling and tasty. They had a crepe taste to them although they are not thin like crepes. I have changed the recipe a bit by adding more milk because the batter was so incredibly thick. I am not sure how that changes the points, but I still counted them as 6 points because I didn't figure it could add that much to them.

Pancakes with Fresh Raspberry and Lemon Sauce

Serves 4
1 Cup Fresh Raspberries
1/4 Cup Sugar for sauce + 2 T for the batter
1 T lemon juice
1 1/3 Cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 8 ounce container plain fat-free yogurt
3/4 to 1 cup fat free milk
1 large egg
1 T canola oil

1. To make the raspberry sauce, combine the raspberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and the lemon juice in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionaly , until a chunky sauce forms(about 6 minutes). I broke the raspberries up with a fork. Set aside.

2. To make the pancakes, combine the flour, 2 T sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the yogurt, milk, egg and oil in a small bowl. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

3. Spray a nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Pour scant 1/4 cupfuls of the batter onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles appear and the edges of the pancakes look dry, 2-3 minutes longer. Transfer the pancakes to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining bater to make a total of 12 pancakes. Serve with the sauce.

A serving is three pancakes and about 3 Tablespoons of sauce. 6 points!

Let me know if you make them and like them :)

Heather and Christy

2009-03-04T12:43:00.001-08:00

This is me and my sister circa 1974. Aren't we adorable?

Weight Watchers Update

2009-03-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

I weighed in this morning and was down .6 pounds for a total of 11.4 pounds in 8 weeks. It's going slow, but it's GOING! Amazingly I baked this week. I made the most awesome lemon bars and I ate pizza and I made these. AF was here to boot. So my consensus is that I must have been eating WAY too much food before this whole WW thing. Now that I am eating in moderation, I am losing and I am doing it in a way that I can live with. Cause this girl loves her food!

My sister lost 3 pounds. Go Christy! I don't want to use her method though as she had the flu.

Yumminess!

2009-03-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

I promised I would share some of my successful recipes that I have been making to keep us on our weight loss track. The first recipe was a huge hit. I made it for guests who were impressed that it was a low-cal version of a fatty favorite. So without further ado.....
Spinach Manicotti

Ingredients

8 item(s) dry manicotti shells
1 1/2 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (4 ounces)
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning, dried
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 large egg(s), lightly beaten
1 large egg white(s)
1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cup(s) bottled reduced-fat pasta sauce, roasted garlic flavor

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse.

Combine ricotta cheese and next eight ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spoon mixture evenly into pasta shells. Place shells in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon pasta sauce evenly over shells. Cover and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 shell and about 1⁄2 cup sauce).

The second recipe is a lower fat version of a bran muffin. My mom makes the most awesome bran muffins. I can honestly say that these don't touch hers, but they will do for a 2 point snack.

Bran Muffins

1 Cup flour (I used wheat)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Cups Post 100% Bran Cereal
1 1/4 Cups non-fat milk
1/3 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 Cup Natural applesauce

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix cereal, milk and sugar in another bowl, let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in egg and applesauce. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) Spoon batter into muffin pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12. Each muffin is 2 points.

Now if you don't care about fat and want the Mom recipe, (Kristi I think this is the one you wanted) here it is!
6 week Bran Muffins

3 C all bran cereal
1 C boiling water
1/2 C melted shortening(use applesauce to cut out the fat- I don't ever do this)
1 1/3 C sugar(or less)
2 1/2 C sifted flour(you can use the whole grain kind too to make it healthier)
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
1 pt buttermilk

Put 1 C of bran in a bowl. Pour boiling water over and let stand. Mix in melted shortening. Mix in remaining bran with sugar. Add beaten eggs and buttermilk. Sift in flour, soda and salt. Mix all well. Store in fridge overnight before using(I have skipped this before and they turned out fine ) Mix will keep 6 weeks in fridge. That is nice so you can just make a few up fresh as you need them.

Bake 20 minutes at 410degrees.

Have a wonderful Tuesday. Tomorrow is my weigh in. Wish me luck.

One Proud Mom

2009-03-02T08:54:00.001-08:00

Ella was asked several months ago to "shadow" our pastor for a day. I wasn't really sure what this meant or if it would really even happen, but a few weeks ago our pastor set up a time for her to do this. Yesterday she spent the morning with him doing pastorly things. She was so very excited about it. She even sat with him during the service.

I woke up this morning to this wonderful email which I will be making a copy of for her and keeping.

JR and Heather....with due sincerity I want to state that I think that Ella is a beautiful child. She interacted with me and others with such grace and kindness. You should know that folks were impressed with her poise and character.

During worship, she participated in singing and followed our worship with unique interest. I was moved by her interest and her innocent desire to be invested in what we did. I learned something today. I was blessed.

Just a reminder....yes, I am talking about the same Ella that you have to deal with and raise within different circumstances other than 2 hours at church. But she is what I said she is....also. I knew her mother back when!!

I truly feel that it is people taking the time to invest in our kids, like our pastor did, that helps them succeed in life. I had several people growing up that took an interest in me and helped shape me into who I am today.

I know that when you have people with high morals and good hearts watching and observing you, it makes you think twice before you make bad decisions in your life. I think parents are the first ones to leave this legacy to their kids, but then it is vital that other adults also take on this task.

I am one proud mom at the moment. Ella truly is an awesome kid and it is because of all the love and support she and we as a family have received from our friends and of course our families.

Potty Training 101

2009-02-26T14:58:00.000-08:00

We took the plunge two and a half weeks ago into pantydom with Coryn. Amazingly the first day she "got" it. She was excited about her sticker charts and the praise and the chocolate. I thought "Wow, why didn't I try this sooner". I should know better than to gloat about the sheer genius of my children because that is always when it comes back to bite me in the butt. So about the 4th day, Little Miss Independence finally realizes that it takes time and is work to potty in the potty. It is SOOOO much easier to just pee wherever she may be. So about half the time she was going on the potty, the other half was me on my hands and knees scrubbing up the mess she left behind, and doing the mammoth amounts of laundry that this produced.

So the last week I have been contemplating diapers again because I have been so frustrated with all the "accidents" which I don't really think are truly accidents. I have been counseled by the wise sages of potty training, better known as my two friends Heather and Felicia who both have used the same potty training method recently. Yesterday in a conversation with Heather, I decided that it was time to change up the game plan, so after 15,000 accidents yesterday and a desperate refusal to potty before bedtime, I told her quite sternly that she must still be a baby, because babies potty in their pants and that they have to wear diapers. I put a diaper on her. She hated it, but still refused the potty. So she kept the diaper on all night, woke up dry, asked for panties this morning and has not had ONE accident all day. I knew she was stubborn, but I called her bluff and won. Will she need therapy over being called a baby someday? We'll see, but I know she won't be wearing a diaper when she goes.

My Weight Watcher Success

2009-02-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned 2 posts ago,in 1999 I became a mother. I also became fat. Not grotesquely fat or anything, but more like a pleasingly plump. At the time that I became a mother I quit my job and I also quit going to the gym. Like many people, I lost any focus on myself and completely transferred any and all of my energy on my sweet little Ella(which is why she still can't entertain herself). After I had Coryn 2 1/2 years ago, I kept meaning to start Weight Watchers. I kept telling people I was going to do it, but just never had the time or once again the energy. I tried other methods of losing weight, but they weren't working. Honestly I wasn't working. I never got to that point where I was so completely disgusted with myself that I jumped in. That is until this Christmas. I gorged myself completely. Looking back, it was so gross and foul how I ate. Butter tarts, sugar cookies, candy, cheesecakes, ham, turkey, ribs, bread with butter, all assortments of rich and fatty foods and no exercise. Was I trying to kill myself? And then I started looking at the pictures of myself...really looking. What happened to me? So after the new year I finally took the plunge and joined Weight Watchers. It has made a huge difference in how I feel and while I am still no super model,I AM seeing the difference. I have lost 10.8 pounds as of this morning! I see it in my clothes which are falling off my butt and my chins are disappearing. YAY! I am so pleased that I have finally decided to lose this weight. I would like to start sharing a recipe here and there that are hits with our family and also would like to suggest the above cookbook which has QUICK,being key, and yummy recipes. The recipe that I am sharing here is the spice rub that set off the smoke alarms in the previous post.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops
POINTS: 5
INSTRUCTIONS

1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp unpacked brown sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
20 oz lean boneless pork chop, four 1/2-inch thick chops
1 pound(s) green snap beans, steamed
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat broiler and coat broiler pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, sugar, cumin and garlic powder. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir until paste forms.

Rub paste onto both sides of each pork chop, place on prepared pan and broil 4 minutes on each side until inside is no longer pink.

Serve with string beans drizzled with fresh lemon juice.

Enjoy, and if you make them let me know how your family likes them. You can also use this on steaks and chicken.

I'm no Rachael Ray

2009-02-23T18:38:00.000-08:00

Fire Drill at our house!

Yeah that is a picture of a smoke detector. And I got to experience firsthand how obnoxious our house sounds when they go off. The good thing is, there is NO way we'll be sleeping through that ever, and it was a nice reminder that we need to have an escape plan, but after those thoughts wore off I just had to laugh a little, because I was getting a bit cocky in my kitchen tonight and broiling pork chops with a spice rub that I had made. It smelled delish until it started burning. Luckily they were still edible.

Lucky Girl

2009-02-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

Ella and Baby Shaye

Almost ten years ago, my life took a big turn. I became a mother. When I became a mother, I decided to be the best mother I could possibly be and the nerd that I am read everything and anything about how to raise the perfect child. In my pursuit of perfection I came across a website that is well known in the internet mommy world. BabyCenter. If I had a question about poop, food, diapers, sleeping or if I just needed an ear, the women there responded. As women in groups usually do, several of us migrated together and found that we had a lot in common. TONS! To this day I am lucky to say that some of those original women are some of my best friends in the world. I consider them family. I still go to them for support and also to share my life moments with.

It isn't often that we get to see each other, but when we do, it is wonderful. This weekend three of us had an occasion to come together and celebrate. Our good friend Kristi is expecting a baby boy in April. I am so excited about this little guy and wanted to throw a shower for Kristi. Our friend Heather from South Carolina decided that she was going to surprise Kristi and fly out for the shower. It was so awesome to see Kristi's reaction and how happy she was to have Heather there. The shower just wouldn't have been the same without Heather and her girls(Brinn and Shaye) as our guests(and bigtime helpers!!)

Yesterday I took Heather and her girls to the airport. It seems silly, but I really didn't want for her to leave. I know I am lucky that I get to see these friends every so often, but it is never long enough. And most often I don't know when I'll see them again, 6 months, a year? I never know. As Ella and I pulled away from the airport, she began crying, actually bawling. She said through her tears, "Mom I really like Heather and her family. They are probably the nicest people we have ever met". I told her that had it not been for her, I would never have become friends with all of these wonderful women. And so it goes, my children have also fallen in love with my most awesome friends. I truly am a lucky girl.

Why do I keep blogging

2009-01-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

I can't keep up with it. I am not very good at it. I pity the few people who actually come here, because I am so freaking boring. Really that pretty much narrows it down. But I keep coming back. So for my 2 readers out there, I'll keep it going. Whatever.

So today I am going to ramble. I am going to write like I think. I think like an 85year old woman who might have ADD. If you have ever had a conversation with me you might note that I pack a lot into a conversation. Partly because if I don't say every thought as it comes into my brain, it will be forever lost. I may come across as rude because of this, but I genuinely apologize for it. I know I do it. I can't help it. So I am very sorry. Feel free to tell me to shut up if you so desire.

OK First thought. I was watching the news this morning and there was a snippet of news about a man seeking restitution for the kidney he donated to his philandering wife. Hmmmmm...Interesting. If she doesn't pay does she have to give it back? Seems like there would be a no return policy on an organ. The story gets weirder when it said he had become suspicious of his wife and her fidelity, so he started sniffing her panties. WHAT? Really? I then turned to my loving hubby and asked for him to please not sniff my panties, because really that is just gross. Can you actually smell fidelity on someone's panties? Does sperm have a unique scent? OK moving on.

Have you seen this:
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/app#foo
Oh My! I better not spend too much time here or I could be in big trouble. It's like grown up Fashion Plates. Do you remember Fashion Plates? Ahh the fun my sister and I had with our set.

Once again I have to get it all out while it is sitting there festering in my brain.

I started Weight Watchers. How do you know when you spend too much time at your grocery store? When the sacker(yes Kelly that is what I call him) says "see you tomorrow" as you are leaving with a gleam in his eye and a wink. I would really like to go today to pick up some baked tostitos, but there is no way I can go back today. So it's on my list for tomorrow. Mind wandered so... Back to Weight Watchers. I just started week 2 today. I have lost 4.2 pounds in one week. YAY for me! I have never done a real diet and so far I feel like this one is completely and totally manageable. I mean I had an I Like It size of Coldstone's Cheesecake Icecream on Saturday and I STILL lost that weight.

Well the man just called and is on his way home from work for some lunch. I told him I'd kick my boyfriend out of the house before he got here so he didn't need to do any panty sniffing ;) See ya all later!

More Colorado shots! Still missing the big sledding trip!

2009-01-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Colorado

2008-12-30T14:56:00.000-08:00

We had a fabulous time on our trip to Colorado for Christmas. Although the quarters were a bit tight, we all got along with relatively few kid battles and tattles. Although my camera bit the dust when Coryn threw it on the tile. That was about the only negative thing. We played games, went sledding, went to the movies, went to the Dillon Rec center to swim, shopped at the outlets and ate WAY too much food. It was perfect and Santa was even able to find us there to bring the kids their gifts. Here are three reasons why the new condo beats out the old one:

The view is just AMAZING. I mean it literally takes my breath away, well that and the cold.

And here is the silly picture of the fam:

I have some sledding pictures I'll share later after I steal them off my sisters camera. I am in the market for a new camera so if you have any suggestions feel free to let me in on the things you love and hate about yours. I am not sure how much I am willing to spend just yet. The broken camera was a Sony Cyber-Shot 8.1mp point and click. I am open to new things though.

Christmas Hits in our House

2008-12-30T09:07:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about all of the things that my kids got this year(way too much once again) and decided that it might be nice to share what the big hits were for Christmas 2008. So without further ado:

The Melissa and Doug Pizza Party. Coryn LOVES this toy. She loves sorting the mushrooms, peppers and pepperonis and making us each our own special piece. She especially loves cutting the pizza.

Parents Pet Vet from Target. Another Coryn favorite. She loves opening and closing the little doors and putting the animals in their little compartments. I love that all of the pieces can be stored inside it.

The Whoonu game by Cranium. Big hit with the bigger girls. We have had a lot of fun playing this easy to learn game.

Much to my dismay this movie is hanging over my head even longer than it ever should have. It seems like Troy and Gabriella have been a part of our lives FOREVER! But alas the soundtrack to HSM3 is yet another hit.

Mario Party DS! Really any of the Marios have been a hit. This just happens to be our latest.

So what were the hits at your house?

End of 2008

2008-12-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

The end of this year actually seems fairly anti-climatic. I am not complaining, because I know this year has been anything but anti-climatic for several people I know and not necessarily in good ways. So I'll take my boring old 2008 and my wonderful life and just savor it all. All&Sundry a blog that I was turned on to by my friend Kelly, has challenged us to answer the end of the year questionnaire as she has been doing for several years herself. So here goes. I challenge you to do the same :)

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Paint an entire interior of a house
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't make resolutions
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Kelly and Heather
4. Did anyone close to you die? Uncle Ken on Valentines Day
5. What countries did you visit? Just stayed in the US
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? One house payment
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Valentine's Day because we lost a great great man
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting this house in shape to move in
9. What was your biggest failure? Wow that's a tough one, probably just not being as patient with my kids as I needed to be
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I hurt my ankle painting the bath. Don't stand on a bathtub to reach higher.
11. What was the best thing you bought? My new washer and dryer oh yeah and the house.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Stephanie Vest
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I can't say there is anyone that appalled me or depressed me, I had my shake my head moments, but really I won't let someone get to me that much.
14. Where did most of your money go? The house
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Moving here
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? American Boy
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter- do you think those two are related?
c) richer or poorer? Poorer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercise
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Eating
20. How did you spend Christmas? In Colorado with the Smith clan
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? Just stayed in love
22. What was your favorite TV program? Top Chef
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Don't be a hater.
24. What was the best book you read? Twilight series
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? I fell in love with Kid Rock after seeing an interview with him and realizing how intelligent he actually is. It still has me puzzled so don't ask.
26. What did you want and get? A new washer and dryer
27. What did you want and not get? A boob job
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Twilight
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 35. We had just moved in here so we didn't really do anything special.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having J.R. around a little more
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Comfy
32. What kept you sane? Zoloft
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Sarah Palin
34. What political issue stirred you the most? The presidential election
35. Who did you miss? Nicole
36. Who was the best new person you met? Felicia Nigro
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Talk Less
38. Quote a song lyric or something from a book that sums up your year. I am going to quote something from the book, The Shack that was very powerful for me "paradigms power perception and perceptions power emotions. Most emotions are responses to perception- What you think is true about a given situation. If your perception is false, then your emotional response to it will be false too. So check your perceptions, and beyond that check the truthfulness of your paradigms-what you believe. Just because you believe something firmly doesn't make it true. Be willing to reexamine what you believe. The more you live in the truth, the more your emotions will help you see clearly. But even then, you don't want to trust them more than me(God)."

Here is to another uneventful 2009 of happiness and truly living life and looking for ways to improve myself. And you?

That's just gross

2008-12-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

Appetite for seduction: BK’s new fragrance - Fashion & Beauty - TODAYshow.com

I am hoping that this is meant as a joke gift. I have never walked into a BK and thought, I wish I could have that smell to take home with me. I think I would puke if I had to be around someone with that "cologne" on. Now I can see the gem in the product if it is placed in the same category as ugly fake teeth, fake poop, and other novelty type items. But Really?!?!

Lots more to share

2008-12-16T07:21:00.001-08:00

I have a lot of pics that I just need to share.

Coryn and her friend Gabby

2008-12-16T07:16:00.003-08:00

Coryn has a bff! She is adorable and they love each other so much.

My sweet little hookers

2008-12-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

That's what J.R. said when he saw Ella and Tara's costumes. He can always find just the right words. He really should have been a writer instead of a banker. And yeah I know it's almost Christmas but the pictures just got uploaded.

We should all enjoy pudding so much!

2008-12-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

If you don't have it all over your face, you aren't truly enjoying it.

Hands Free

2008-11-27T09:00:00.001-08:00

In honor of my favorite Californian and also for her 1st hands free ticket, this video is dedicated to Kelly:

Of course you have probably already watched it on Dooce, but why not share it with everyone else, because it is hilarious.

Happy Turkey Day to all my friends :)

An Award? For what?

2008-11-26T05:03:00.000-08:00

Heather must really love me, because I can't imagine why she would actually give me a blogging award. I mean don't you have to blog in order to receive an award? Anyhow, I am pleased to accept. And it is spurring me into action to actually get my lazy self on here writing. So without any further ado:

So part of the award is listing six things that make me happy and then passing the award on to six of my other favorite bloggers. That part is easy.

1. Sheridan's Vanilla Milkshakes. We might go in debt over this one. They are heaven! I will be more worried when the workers start asking me if I want my usual.

2. Clean Sheets. I love clean sheets. I sleep so much better the night that the sheets are changed. Pre-kids I would change them 2-3 times a week. Now we are at once a week. But oh how I love clean sheet night.

3. Reading. I love to read and will read anything I can get my hands on. Right now I am reading The Shack.

4. Vacations. I could sell everything we own and just be on a perpetual vacation. Yes, I love traveling that much.

5. Music. I get a lot out of a well written song or instrumental piece.

6. Family. Of course it is only when the planets and moon align correctly and everyone is getting along.

Now to share and pass along a few of my favorite blogs:

http://notquitewhatihadplanned.blogspot.com/
http://nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/
http://faithfulfroggers.blogspot.com/
http://uwearitwell.blogspot.com/
http://www.jenx67.com/
http://bknrfamily.blogspot.com/

Of course I need to mention that this award is from one of the best blogs out there:
http://www.stepfordlife.com/

Dealing with a sick two year old

2008-11-06T13:46:00.001-08:00

The story of my last four days:

Tantrum - Spin Doctors

There have been requests

2008-11-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

For me to update since a few of you are sick of seeing that icky comb sitting at the top of the page. Since I love you (Sharri) I will oblige. But there are reasons why there have been no updates. The first being that the lice thing had me beyond freaked out. I turned into a mad, nit-picking, cleaning, spraying, laundering, vacuuming fool. I even went so far to become "THAT" mom and went up to the school to have a chat with the nurse and also Tara's teacher. Thank God for Tara's teacher. I think she was more freaked out than I was. I could tell as she immediately began scratching her head as I talked to her about our little problem.

So in the midst of my insaneness, I noticed that our 5+year old computer was running a tad bit slow. I am not great at backing things up. I hadn't backed my pics up since we moved in May. I requested a few days before the lice outbreak that J.R. pick me up a flash drive to save them to. So that Friday I was sad as I realized that our computer died and there sitting next to the computer all neatly in its package sat our new UNUSED flash drive. OOPS! I can't really blame that on anyone but myself. So we went out and got a new computer on Saturday. I am not even quite sure how the other computer worked it was so archaic compared to the newness of the one I now have. I have yet to get used to the 2000 inch screen. Well actually it's 24 inches but WHOA! And talk about picture distortion. I am glad it makes everyone look fat. Makes me feel better about myself.

So I have been lax about writing here. I have some great pictures to upload and hope to get them up in the next day or so.

Gag Me with a comb!

2008-10-22T08:05:00.000-07:00

Not really although I was haunted by this comb this morning:

Not this exact one, but a very similar one. And trust me I don't want the thing anywhere near my mouth. Know what it is? Sorry there are no prizes for the correct answer besides self satisfaction and perhaps some sympathy for me, because I THINK the only way you'd know is if you too had also been blessed with lice in your home. I can't believe I just typed that...LICE IN MY HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Overuse of the exclamation mark is warranted. I consider myself a complete and total neat freak, cleanliness is next to Godliness kind of chick. How did this happen to *gasp* one of MY children? So although I washed all of our bedding yesterday, it is being done again this morning as the offensive little creatures were not discovered until this morning. I hope that this is the last you hear of this.

Five Bucks

Sharing

Connection

Temptation

Breakfast

Boredom

Ten

Success

Cougar

Effort

IPhone I love

The ups and downs of a hiatus

Allergy testing

On the wagon yet again

Song Lyrics

When you are number three, there aren't many "firsts" left to accomplish

Daughters

Weekend Update

My Epiphany

Yoga 101

Ring Ring Ring, We are home!

Help!

Happy Birthday Pokie

Alanis eat your heart out!

Happy 15 Years

8 Big Years!

Smooth as Butta!

Fortune Cookies

The ankle update

Sandbankers

Colorado 2009

10 Years Old

Dunkin Donuts has me ALL fired up

Camp

Ella's 10th Friend Birthday

Check out my girl!

Hospital Hill Half Marathon

Day at the "K"

Stepford with Friends

Catch Up Friday

Cupcakes here we come

Anger Management

Honduras

In Memory Of Melody

Picnic in the park

The day I have been waiting for

hummingbird fascination

It's my Birthday!

Day at the Zoo with the Nigros

My yard projects

Happy Mother's Day

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly

Vegas 09

I love her

***Warning*** Complaining coming your way

Life Is Good

OUCH!

Easter with the fam!

Passion = Lemons

What?

Fantastic!

Matt Logelin

Have you thanked a teacher lately

Terrariums

Athleta

Sleeping Angels

Good Friends

Take Deux

Your real boss is the one who walks around under your hat

Training Complete

Madoff Madness

She's Two and a Half TODAY!

Happy St. Patrick's Day (a little early)

Denise

10 Pound bag of apples

Facebook "friend suggestions"

It's Spring Break!

Pancakes with Fresh Raspberry and Lemon Sauce

Heather and Christy

Weight Watchers Update

Warning Complaining coming your way