All Fixed Up

Hey there!  Took a ride on the Reading, and took the kids to Sam's this morning...did I mention the right rear tire that kept running low on air?  Mmmm...yep, I had to get it fixed, before it fixed me (in one spot)!  I gotta have my wheels (and clean too!).  We were there almost two hours, and I couldn't even tell Ches (later) where the time disappeared to.  We looked at tons of books, made a bathroom run, ate lunch (pizza), and shopped a tiny bit.  I mean, I think Sam's time runs on a different clock than the rest of the world!  Time just evaporated-and I don't know how.  Hmm.
We came home, and I sat out while the kids played-it was a strange day of decent weather...sunny, hot, but breezy, and the clouds kept coming and going.  I was keeping the kids out of the pool (I thought they'd get cold with the wind) since it was threatening to rain (but didn't till after 5).  Anyway, I read a new Country French (or something like that) magazine (from Sam's!), and positioned my chair right by Ethan's swing, so I could push him, feel the breeze, and read-Perfect.  We stayed out for a couple hours, until Ethan went inside and left us.
So we went in to goof off.  Here's a closer pic of my sweet girl and her braces.  I still don't have a great one, but there's plenty of time for that!

I am in this cooking (baking!) mood lately..yes, I'm gaining weight, and know it, but I'm powerless.  Plus, it's good to occupy my time (while I shove my mouth, too).  Today I found a recipe for Lemon Bars, but my oven had baking potatoes already in at 400, and I didn't want to drop it to 375 for the bars (and I'm not skilled in mediating between temps).  So..since I bought lots of blueberries (and had some frozen ones too), I made Blueberry Crisp!  I put it in the oven as our potatoes came out, so it'd be ready after dinner.
If you've ever been here late (or listened to me rant), Ches gets to eat all he wants at night, and that includes ice cream with chocolate syrup EvErY night!  Anyway, he'd eaten all the ice cream, and I only had frozen Cool Whip (so not the same). So, he said he'd take the kids out to buy more ice cream, and I got all excited.  I know it doesn't sound good, but I really needed a break.  I went to the chapel for an hour last night (still fighting off the Lexapro withdrawal), and it helped.  But! Leave me alone in my house for an hour, and I'm positively giddy!  I had all that stuff from Pottery Barn that I still hadn't put out yet!  I just can't create with an audience I think.
So.  I changed my mantle in the hearth room from this:

to this!

More summery.  I know, not that much different, but I finally put up the chalkboard that I made, and I made a cool wreath (that I told you I'd work on!) with a burlap-y type bow, a starfish, and some jute string.  Fun.  Just lots of fun for me.  So, I got all brave, and put new holes in my wall!  I finally opened up all those picture frames I got, and hung them.  My plan was to put three on each side of the tv, but they were smaller than I planned.  So..I hung two and thought about it for two days..and tonight, I hung all six together.  Much better.  Makes the left side look a little light, but I'll work on that tomorrow.  So here are the six:

So then, I got to vacuum the kitchen/hearth room (which I secretly love to do!) (weird, I know), and it made everything better.  I also picked up a race track, some cars, took pictures down, packed a box of red stuff that I won't use till at least Christmas.

So, here's the now pix of the hearth room.  I have been trying to change it up, and I'm still just dying to get new white slipcovers, but for now-I shall be happy.

 

And then..they came home!  They came bearing not one box of ice cream, but four!  (they were on sale, so I'd have done the same thing!)

So, we had our yummy blueberry crisp, but with mint chocolate chip and cookies-with-cream ice cream!  We had vanilla, but when you have something else, why have plain vanilla?  Don't make fun of my camera-I tried to get a close-up picture:

Here's the professional picture:

Better, huh?

Yeah, mine doesn't look so amazing, but it was scrumptious!  It had oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter-all the good stuff.  I will definitely be making this one again.  I'd have to double it for company though-we ate 2/3's of the recipe!  I didn't use as many blueberries as it said, since I like lots of the crisp, heehee.

Maybe tomorrow I'll actually make the Lemon Bars. and stay home to clean the kids' rooms.  A girl's gotta have goals!

FYI- Blueberry Crisp:

 Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 6  cups  blueberries
• 2  tablespoons  brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 2/3  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup  regular oats
• 3/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 4 1/2  tablespoons  chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces
• 2  cups  vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; spoon into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon, and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over the blueberry mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Top each serving with 1/4 cup frozen yogurt.

Note: Topping may also be made in the food processor. Place 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon in a food processor, and pulse 2 times or until combined. Add butter; pulse 4 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.

There's always a first.

About my dad's friend that's been helping, my dad says, "Of course he'll be back tomorrow, who wouldn't for 50 bucks an hour?!" to the sweet lady we're all helping for FrEe. She either didn't hear him, or chose to ignore his humor. I did think it was funny, but I know him. : ) heehee

What a fantastic day! : ) I got up early, and set right to work. I just love those feel-productive days! I really swear (not that I should) that I love to do stuff. If I got to choose, I would absolutely never lay around the house. Even if no one was home. I'd get the chance to MoP or clean windows, clean off the deck, water my flowers without some little person escaping out the door in his underwear! Geez, clean my van, vacuum, dust those icky spots, organize my desk, etc. I could literally go on for two days (well, if I had two days).

Anyway, I had the kids go outside (and watch Ethan), and they played sidewalk chalk, had snacks, drinks, I set them up a table, they drew on it, then they progressed to painting with water on the driveway (because I'm a neat freak. It involves a small cup of water and a paintbrush. They "paint" on the driveway, then it dries! Genius, if I do say so myself!), then the Biggie. They all got on swimsuits, and played with buckets of water, measuring cups, and even put on masks, and dunked their faces in the buckets! When they were good and soaked, I took them their lunch, and they ate outside. The entire time I was running back and forth (and obviously hyped up on tea), monitoring them and making dinner for the family with the precious new baby girl! I chopped veggies, cooked and diced chicken, made absolutely yummy brownies! and then cleaned up the kitchen and the hearth room which was destroyed again (takes only an estimate of 4 minutes with 3 children). Then by the time they had lunch, my dishwasher was busy, and I washed their dishes, and I was done! WooHoo! Ches put Ethan down (oh, are you wondering where Ches was all morning? Bed.), and then I got the kids washed and put together, and we headed out!

We delivered the dinner (ok, so it was early), and I got to see the absolutely adorable baby Veronica. She's still New Baby tiny-which only lasts a week or two (the time it seems to take their heads to grow). Ahhhh...just precious. Babies are just miracles. No more can be said.

Then we traveled not far down the road to Mom's friend's house. We stayed there till almost 5, not being very nice. Mom's friend is soooo very nice, sweet, best person she can be. And we had to tell her all the things we'd change/improve about her house to help it sell. How sucky a day could it have been for her? She was so gracious, even with all the honesty flying around. I told the truth, only because I really care about her and her house selling! One of my friends on Facebook posted yesterday that "Lies are ripples". It is so true. I don't want to make ripples. If I can't say it to her, I can't say it. So, I told her.

Then we ran to Target to let the kids spend their money (Tooth Fairy money included), and we were there for an HoUr! We'd forgotten Mary Claire's meter at the friend's house, so we did a little shopping for her! We found the most beautiful ripple-y turquoise-y shower curtain-just amazing. Enough so, that I wish I had a shower to hang one on! Then we added a shower curtain rod, some rings (cute ones!), a bamboo roman shade (for the bathroom too)...and then we ran all over the store looking for light switches, wire ties, etc. Fun!

The most amazing thing I can say about that trip (minus the AmAzInG shower curtain) was that my baby, my big boy, elected to not get anything at Target. He decided to save his money. For the First Time Ever. I kinda did use language like, "maybe you'll find something at the Museum of Natural History", "maybe you'll buy something down by the beach", "there will be lots of stores on vacation!" etc. But still! He actually went with it for the first time. Of course, Mary Claire loaded up on junk at the One Spot: stapler, desk set with protractor (well, it was red), and a little flower-shaped case with push pins, paper clips, etc.

Then we backtracked back to the 'house, and got MC's meter, went by our house, picked up Ethan, and headed to Kendra's to let out her baby to peepee. And she was so good! She ran right out and peed! We kinda cheered for her, and then she quit. Hopefully we didn't scare her! She walked around and peed some more. We took her in since she didn't really want to play, but Zoe wanted to play with her too! So, we all went out back, and the kids jumped on the trampoline (since we don't have one..) and they had fun! Zoe ate all her food, so I bugged Kendra to see if she should have more!

Back home, and busy continued..kids snacks, jammies, brushed teeth, stories (more Pooh and the Princesses Are People Too), then put the kiddos to bed, late. I'm investing in the fact that maybe they'll sleep in? But then. There was the yelling that came from Ethan's room. He had made a train track all along (the inside of ) his bed! He was frustrated that he couldn't round the corner! I had to set him straight. We cleaned up, and I told him to go to sleep!

What a great day! I feel like I got a lot done, and it was all fun. I learned a lot (whole other story), and I felt blessed to be able to help others. What blessings we receive when we allow our spiritual gifts to function. It runs so smoothly. I'm still learning, and I'm having an amazing time in the process! Woo Hoo! : ) Bring it on!

Look Mom-No Cavities! : )

Today was my dental cleaning-not exciting. Don't think you remember the filling I had last winter to refill a tooth that'd been filled in..like 10th grade? It'd finally worn away. I had a horrible experience and the dentist was NoT nice. Well, I went back because my dental hygienist (who vaporized for two years-but is back!) was there and I just love her. She didn't know about the trauma (since she WaSn'T THeRe!) so I had to tell her (And boohoo the entire time). Anyway, it was yuck and brought up gross memories again. So, emotional, I went to Target and shopped. It was slightly therapeutic. : ) I have been needing to get Ethan some summer shoes-especially for our trip-it'll just be too hot to wear socks and shoes down there! And I want him to be able to play in the little water fountains, and socks and shoes just slow you down! : ) Anyway, I got three pairs, hoping one would fit (just one did). I also got all the things I needed from WM (at Target), but I was just too lazy to walk around that big store today! As it turns out, I had to run in there (WM) anyway to get this green stretchy tape stuff to tie our wisteria onto the pergola! It's growing so fast, I can't contain all the vine-y things!
: O
I brought home all the plants I got, and Mary Claire and I planted after school. Ches and Clay went to the movies (Battle for Terra), so they were gone all afternoon. We've had a late dinner, and played outside. I love it when we get to summer! It's all outside, lazy, and super-casual. My favorite is laying by the pool in the evening (then I want to fall asleep), but with Ethan, it's not quite that easy! We'll settle for dinner on the deck and some great playing on the Park! : )
I finished my Jen Lancaster book today-very good! She's just hilarious. I can see why she's made it this far. You go, girl!

We are getting ever closer to our trip, and we are just about ready. The kids are wishing it was Tuesday night, but by Sunday, they'll be wishing it was Saturday! Hard to explain to them. So, I tell them to take it one day at a time-be patient. Mary Claire has already packed a bag for Bella (you know, the unicorn who wears clothes and a diaper?), and wants to carry it on in case she needs it (should I ask if my 6-year-old has flown too much? I didn't fly till I was 19!). And she is checking her suitcase with Thumbelina in it, although she'd like to carry it on too. There is just an issue with a little girl who lives in a big flower, all the glitter, and security! She hardly plays with the things she takes, but somehow it's like home when she's there, which is what she needs.

I'm getting ready to mail her slumber party invitations! She's so excited, and am I delaying? It makes me tired to think about it! I know I can do it. We'll have so many things planned (well, really MC has done the planning!), that I think it'll fly by! She also wanted to swim, but I don't know how we'll have time-unless we truly don't sleep that night! I've made her narrow her invitation list, since I don't know how it'll go-I mean won't more girls just give the party more energy? Ahhh!! If you have a strong personality, and don't need much sleep, feel free to stop by and HeLP on the 22nd! : ) And maybe bring a pillow?

God's not ready to call me home just yet.

Hmm..Today my tiny son brought me a caulking gun. Tells of what's going on at our house! The painters are still in knee deep (and 22 ft. shoulder deep too) and are getting it done. They did the foyer yesterday and I was so unhappy and got all worked up about it, but it's working out. They put Kilz over the water stain and then painted it, and it has a different sheen than the rest of the ceiling-so obvious! I wanted no Kilz on it, but either he didn't understand, or I don't know-a misunderstanding? He's doing the whole celing in Kilz then repainting. The color formula was changed in Nov of 2008, so it wasn't even the same exact color-the ceiling looked darker than the walls (further throwing me into hissy-fit mode). Again, it's going to be okay, but I wouldn't let him proceed with the kitchen/living room/stairs/walls until he got the color matched okay and promised no more Kilz. He did, so procedure tomorrow....
So today was Mary Claire's room and ceiling. Ugh. I asked them not to put anything back up on the walls or ceililng (yesterday they took down those stupid stars/planet things ticky-tacked to Clay's ceiling *Insert Expletive Here for The First Time they got put up* and then PUT THEM BACK UP! after they painted OVER the ticky-tack!). Again, today I said not to put the junk (stars! stickers! etc.) back up on Mary Claire's walls or ceiling when they were done. Can you guess? They did, of course, put it all back, and not quite in the right places. I could've SCREAMED when I walked in there and found her paper chain (scrapbook paper in pink toile, solid light and dark pink cardstock, and pale lime scrapbook polka dot and cardstock-not hideous, very PB!) poked back into the ceiling and not in the measured spots where it's lived for three years! They apparently pulled out the tacks, laid them somewhere (painting over the reminder holes, I guess?) and then attempted to "redecorate" with them. It looked like Mexican Fiesta. Crazy. Some were hanging low, some poked way higher (on a sloping wall). It was awful. So now we have NeW, CRooKeD holes! ahhhh!! I don't do well with change, maybe? Or gross mess up changes? Now the chains look uncool.

I will live through this $4500 change (don't freak out, of course it's insurance money), I will live, I willl live. There are more important things in the world. Remind me if you see me of all the other problems in your world. Mine won't look so awful.

Okay, so Ethan. STiLL sick! BAck to the dr. after two long nights up with him with fever. We have started ear drops (Ciprodex for his tubes), and yesterday morning he woke up with dried yellow drainage all over (good news, meaning his tube unclogged and let all the fluid out). Well, not good enough news. He had a double ear infection, and both ear drums were bulging. Even WITH the tubes for drainage (or not.). So now he's on Omnicef for 10 days (we'll be in Disney in 7...), has to use his Ciprodex for 7 days, and use his inhaler four times a day for 7 days. Ahh, good times.

My very good news: I got to play outside, clean the pool deck-sweep and hose down all the nasty oak pollen stringy things, and rearrange furniture-it was so cleansing! And I even let the kids put on their swimsuits for the first official time this season and swim (yes, granted, in the polar water), but they were entertained (well, along with the creepy poop and toot jokes that Clay currently thinks are all the rage), and I got lots done! THen, even better, I laid out, and fell asleep! It was so relaxing! Then ...
My SCARE! I woke to Ethan standing next to me with his hand on mine. I woke with a start, started mumbling (in an attempt to think out loud how he was OUTside!), remembered that we turned the beepy thing off the alarm since the kids were opening/closing the door so much and were going to wake him up, wondered where on Earth Ches was! not watching our baby, tried to figure out how he got out of his bed, then felt his diaper to see if it was changed (did Ches get him out?), then was freaking out over the possibility that he'd walked out on his own, and how did God protect him and keep him from deciding to go for a swim (I mean, Ethan and water? like pb and j!) and then I looked around to see Ches on the other side of the pool snickering. Yes, giggling as he could see I was clearly about to have a heart attack in the 10 seconds all this was going through my head! He'd brought Ethan out and stood him by me (knowing I was out cold), then when I didn't wake up for FiVe minutes, he put Ethan's hand on mine, then walked off. Enter me-crazed and panicked. Ethan just sat calmly in my lap for a good 15 minutes as he woke up too. For that, Ches had to make dinner. I was clearly not in a Happy Place. I still feel all freaked out.
I let Ethan put on his swimsuit and put his feet in (he, being smarter than the other two, knew that if the feet are freezing, you should not put more of your body in!), while Ches grilled.

So...I must not have high blood pressure or tons of cholesterol, or God's not ready to see me up close yet, because I didn't have a heart attack and die today!! I'm alive to live another day. I hope I live an amazing day tomorrow, cause I consider it a gift! A Bonus in the cereal box of life!

Ok, so baths, stories, and I'm more tired than the kids! I read to them for over an hour (it just flew by!) and I'm headed to bed early. I've decided I need it once a week to catch up after all my midnight nights. They are SO productive, but then I get worn down. (I made a wreath last night, vacummed, dusted, did three loads of laundry, mopped the kitchen, cleaned my desk, cleaned my bathroom, cleaned up the wreath mess, rearranged the hearth room and rehung pictures all after the kids went to bed last night-and I had a coffee, heehe). That shall NOT happen tonight! : ) G'night!

Sigh of Relief

What I CAN say is that I am breathing a sigh of relief. Whewwwww..

We are one first communion down, two more to go. It was great-and my little man actually cheered at the end, and pumped his fist (at the end of Mass) at finally having received Communion (but did bless himself afterward). : ) I am proud of him. It just seems like so much work to get here. His third sacrament (after baptism and reconciliation), it's eight years in the making, and four years of pre moving him toward this point. Just amazing. Hope he can recall all he's learned! : )

I took Clay (and Mary Claire) to the church for Clay's individual pictures at four, and I realized his pants were too long. Ick. Like 3 inches or so. I called home and had Ches lay out another pair. It was not good, so I had the photographer (the same one that did our last family photos!) take his shots from the waist up. I didn't want those too-long pants in the memory photo-especially if they'd be exchanged in the next 30 minutes! We made it back home, changed him, and Ches took him back for the group picture. I can't wait to see that one! I hope he smiled. When we were taking our outside pix of just Clay and Mary Claire, he kept showing teeth (think growling), and pulling on his eyes making funny faces. He's just so excited, he can't hardly control himself!

I spent the day doing the usual: playing outside (in the amazing 65 degree weather!), cleaning up, cutting up fruit and veggies, making dip, making the bbq sauce and roasting the pork, pulling it, getting me and the kids ready, taking pictures, controlling my desire to take down all the Easter stuff and redecorate for late spring/summer, bathing the kids, ironing, wishing the three stacked tubs in the kitchen would disappear for so long that they finally did (when I carried them to the top of the stairs), changing Mary Claire's pump site, ahhh.. and cleaning up our fun afterparty. We had fun-and the kids were nice and wound up after our awesome cake. It was super-sugary like I'd requested (no wimpy whipped frosting for my precious boy!), but I was disappointed in the decorating. I think they let a junior decorator try their hand at a cake. Normally, I have very high expectations of Rick's. They always impress me. However. Tonight, not so much. It was white and ivory like requested, but very little swoopy frosting bits around the edges making it look very rectangular/box-like, and very PlAiN. I told them I TruStED them. Ha. I won't do that again. If I pay twice as much, I expect to be wow-ed. I was not. It was nice and sugary (with the chocolate mousse filling I'd requested), so I didn't call to complain. Happens again, and I'll call.

My baby is asleep in bed after a long day, and my big kiddies are spending the night at Mom's after talking about it just a little too much in front of their other gma. They just don't get it. It's just rude. Anyway, they are gone for the night, and I'm kinda missing them. I changed Mary Claire's pump site right before she left, because with all that food (and the aforementioned Sugary Cake), I can see her going sky-high tonight. At least with a new site and new insulin, she'll be controllable. Well, her blood sugar will be controllable. : )

I can't believe they are so big. It seems like yesterday I was rocking them, and they were wearing footed pajamas and learning new words. Well, that was kinda like yesterday: at least the footed pajamas and new words. We just talked about a new word in Junie B's Boo and I Mean It book, but now I forgot what it was. I just fell asleep, which means I must stop writing and go to bed! I'll try to think of the word later... and post some cutie pie pictures!

Rent-a-Friend's Popularity!

My mom sent this article from the BBC that is all about Rent-a-Pet and Rent-a-Friend in China, so I did a little research. Come to find out, it's very popular and has even started in the US. There are rent-a-friend and rent-a-pal websites, and there are many people who've started comment services (my words). At Rent-a-pal, you can rent him for yourself for the evening, or one girl rented him to take her elderly uncle to the movies (he tells all about his adventures on the site!). For the comment services (kinda like anonymous therapy!) you tell them your problems, and they respond based on the price you pay ($25 for short responses, $50 for longer, and $75 for lengthy, detailed responses). I told Mom she should so that! She has lots to tell people, and always has advice! She said if I'd set it up, she'd do it. I'll have to see about that...
One of the articles I read said that it began because people have less time to make friends, and they pay until they become friends, then it's free. It is a way (for the rent-a-friend) to announce they want more friends, then when the "customer" is not your type, you just don't go again. Easy. If you like them, you keep going out with them. I guess it's easier than saying you don't like someone and don't want to spend time with them! Anyway, I'm always surprised by what's in the news. Especially non-US news. : )

This morning I had to wrestle into his clothes. When I say wrestle, I don't mean like he's wiggly, I mean we were full-on fighting. I don't know why I made him wear clothes. I guess if I let him have his way too many times, he'll be spoiled, and won't do the important things I tell him. Somehow, I feel it's important for him to know I'm in charge. I hate being run over by a child. : ( I think he's against clothes for a couple reasons: he's been home for over a month, mostly sick (he has a cold again right now), and wearing mostly jammies since he doesn't go out and then there's the potty-training he's pursuing. He likes to be naked (well, except for his shirt) and take baths a couple times a day (or more)...
Anyway, I forced him into clothes, and we headed to Collier's (our pharmacy). I had to get Mary Claire's refill of her meter strips and lancets. We were on the last vial, and it was morning, or nothing (well, except bust into naptime-Absolutely Not). So, I got him a snack, juice, and took Lexi. On the way home, he spilled his juice down his clothes and kept telling me, "Wet". At home, I took his clothes off (he turned into Happy Child), and he ran for the tub. He took a long bath upstairs, then I just put him back into jammies. Sometimes I wonder what Ches thinks when he comes back home to a still-jammied child. I'm sure he doesn't care, I just feel unproductive when it seems like he hasn't made it out of his jammies all day! It's me.

Then, I had to choose between two children this afternoon. Yuck. Mary Claire had asked me to pick her up at school, and I told her if Ches could come home to watch Ethan while I got her or if he got an early nap and was up by the time she got out, I would get her. Well, Ethan didn't go to sleep until after one o'clock. At 2:30, I raised the garage door (under his room-usually wakes him up), and nothing. I called the school at 2:50 and asked if they could tell Mary Claire to be a car rider. I went into his room and stood by the bed. Nothing. I rubbed his back. Nothing. I felt sick-I just wanted to let him sleep, and I wished I hadn't called the school (Note to self: don't call the school unless he is Really Awake!). I patted him, and eventually I woke him since I had to get Mary Claire and it was almost 3. We drove to the school, waited in the Very Long Car Rider Line, claimed my sweet child (Clay will only ride the bus-picky children-see why I make Ethan wear clothes?). She doesn't realize what I deal with (maybe if only in my heart) to get her.

We played outside all afternoon. It was 63 degrees here today with no wind-just perfect. And I learned more good news! Can you guess? My little pup really does like Outside! She ran around and really enjoyed it! She ate cat poop twice, ate a dried up worm skin, hopped around the grass, chased leaves, smelled all sorts of new smells, and trotted down the driveway and back. I think she was really happy! This is GREAT news for me! It gives me Hope that one day she may actually bathroom OUTSIDE!! No windex required! : )
Clay rode his bike to a friend's house for a while to sit with them till their mom came home, Mary Claire played on her swing, snacked, worked on the monkey bars, and played in the sandbox with Ethan for the longest time! I ran to get my camera, as it felt like a Moment to capture. (See below!) In the pictures, Ethan is in his second pair of jammies, will need another bath, and has one pant leg pulled up due to a driveway boo-boo. It's our life. : ) When Ches rode in, I went in to start dinner (Southwestern Soup-yum!-from Southern Living Nov. issue maybe?).

We got Mary Claire changed into her leotard for gymnastics, ate, and we all went together-leaving the kitchen and table in mess. It felt like another Opportunity. We dropped Mary Claire (she's newly independent and wants to come out on her own-scary, but she's gotta learn somehow!) and headed to Fayetteville to pick up her GS cookie form from Ches' office. On the way back, we got ice cream (Ethan dropped his down the door/seat, and we had to pull over to clean...), then waited patiently for her to come out. It's a madhouse there with TONS of people, so it is actually nice that she wants to come out alone.

We came home, bathed the kids, watched a tiny bit of Peter Pan during snack (yogurt, banana), brushed teeth, little bit of the current Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle book, prayers, and off to bed. I am tired today after a late night with a friend last night, so I washed up early. I had to be ready for Grey's Anatomy!

I'm blogging in the commercials, and I'll say it's hard. It's a tough show to watch tonight. And you'll be glad to know that Christina and Meredith are friends again. I just cried-it was a very emotional show. So, I'm less focused-sorry.

Ches is power-bowling, and just getting warmed up for the evening! He gets going at night and eats, works, watches tv, more eating, plays, more eating. Lots of eating. He's brought me a quesadilla roll-up thing (so sweet. He doesn't know we had them for lunch.) and I don't think I can eat it after my single scoop of cappuccino chunky chocolate in a waffle cone at Braum's. (footnote: they have jr. cones now! I'll have to get the smaller size next time.) It's hard not to eat when he does: ice cream, cottage cheese with salsa, pb/jelly sandwiches, butter sandwich, chips and salsa, pretzels, popcorn... This is every night. Yep, when you ride your bicycle to work (avg 2 hrs a day!), it seems you get to eat whatever you like and keep your perfect figure! *ok, had a bite of quesadilla-it was saying my name..* (So that's what I'm doing wrong!) *have now had 3 bites-I have no willpower* but, on the upside, once it's gone it can't talk to me anymore! *Gone!*