Moms

FiSH in my braces!  Oh golly, I've started eating "better", but now I can see problems forecast ahead...I am really having to use that little purse toothbrush to keep my teeth clean.  Anything bread- or potato-related really gets lodged.  Then there are the cucumbers (ack-with peels!) that feel like they are going to break a wire!  I can feel the pressure.  I'm easing back into breads, but still having oatmeal for breakfast and yogurts or soup for lunch.  (and yes, I've lost 4 pounds!)  Not bad for a three weeks with braces (ya'll just wait, it'll catch up with me!)

I had a wonderful lunch today with one of my old students and her (*gasp!*) husband and son!  Am I old enough to have a second grade student married and with child??  Yes, apparently I really am.  She is beautiful-and I mean on the outside and inside.  She has a precious spirit which doesn't give up easily, and she is an awesome mom doing her very best.  I'm so proud of her!  (I have to tell you, this is why Mary Claire's middle name is Elizabeth-that girl would make you want to name your child Elizabeth too!)  I was so thankful to get to see her (and her family!), share a meal, and catch up!  Ethan was a little crazy, but it'd already been a long morning, and he'd been so good.  He was wearing thin!

Next we went by Mom's for a visit (an hour to kill-woohoo!), we played dominoes till Ethan got bored, then he played outside and visited my dad in his shop-and got to have a snack down there.  Dad has a refrigerator stocked with drinks (for his friends), and snacks to keep his blood sugar up.  The kids all love stopping in and having a "break" with Papa!  They feel so sneaky having soda (usually with sugar, but not today-but Ethan didn't know!).  It's a "secret"!

Then we came home to recharge, and after Ches got home, we all went to a matinee: Mars Needs Moms!  It was a sweet movie, and I was getting really stressed for the mom at one point!!  I thought it'd be all about moms, but it wasn't!  It was more or less about the son that hitched a ride on the spaceship back to Mars, and him rescuing his mom, who was "asleep" in a seat-belted pod-thing (totally unaware!).  It was still good--the son, Milo, met one other human who'd followed his mom there in the 1980's, was now an adult, and they became friends on the rescue mission.  It was good, and the boy really was touched and loved his mom.  Good movie.

We had dinner (late!) at Red Lobster in honor of Spring Break (that almost started today) (and a Lenten Friday!)!  By this point, Ethan was plum silly and goofy.  He was getting argumentative, he was hungry and sleepy, and almost without reason...But.  I had Play-Doh!  It always pulls him back from orbit.  He was starving (I had five coconut M&M's left that I gave him, and a piece of Extra's new mint chocolate ice cream gum-yum, by the way!), and we made orange play-doh cars and colored (I always buy about 20 packs of Crayola crayons at back-to-school time when they are 19 cents! and then dish them out s-l-o-w-l-y! I love new crayons!).  Totally did the trick!  We made it through a long dinner-from lobster dip (gag!) to salad to crab legs..Can you tell seafood is not my thing?  It's always a long Lent...

Anyway, when we got home (because I was in the mood!), we all got out our beautiful rosaries (Mary Claire's is delicate pink Swarovski crystals) (well..Ethan's is chunky wood beads!), and started a rosary (we got through the second decade).  I was super-impressed that Ethan kept his little fingers on the right beads the entire time, prayed the prayer he knew (the Our Father), and didn't fall asleep or go nuts!  The Holy Spirit was definitely with us!

I'm praying that you decided on something to give up (or something good to add?), and that you are successful, with God's help!  Only five weeks and two days...can't wait for Easter!

I might be a Reject...but I have great friends!

Remember the crazy blinged-up sling we did for Mary Claire with a monkey and imperfectly-spaced rhinestones?  Well..my friend Jenifer had rotator cuff surgery a week ago, and we had to Bling her Sling! : )

For the first one, I just monogrammed it-very preppy with navy and hot pink-too sweet!

And then.  Before Bunco tonight, I loaded up a (really glitzy, sequined-appropriate for the occasion, don'tcha think?) bag with my iron, and blingy iron-ons and rhinestones! : )  I got to Candace's house (our lovely host), and heated up the iron.  (She can't really be without a sling, so we have to keep them close to her-she wore the monogrammed one while I blinged the rockstar one:

This is the only pix I got!  We were just enjoying the moment, and I never took my own picture!  Can you see the sequined guitar, the glittery Rock Star words and star, and wild rhinestones?  Perfect for a night out with the girls!

We had so much fun today, shopping at Hobby Lobby, lunch with little Ethan at Jose's (we were so hoping for Doug to notice we were there-Jen even "checked us in" there for a free dessert!  but he didn't notice till this evening.), and blinging, and Bunco.  Precious moments with friends are SO worth the time (and the hair washing, at least ten clothing changes, getting out of slippers, forgetting the chocolate cake calories, and braving the chilly cold!).  Thank you, God, for friends and honesty...

I emailed my "paragraph" that I intended to send into Bethany Christian Services to my friend (yeah, that preliminary application I sent in last night?), and I asked for her honest opinion.  I won't quote her, but I laughed!  She said she was glad I loved kids, but I might be moved really low on the list! : )  She said, "they don't make loving, peaceful, caring kids!"  "Don't you remember Mary Claire's colic??" (ha-yes!  I also remember ALL of my kids having at least a month-long bout with that crazy "illness" that drives you over the edge with panic, worry, and hair loss.  It is NOT fun.  But we made it through!  I think I meant to convey we couldn't handle drug-withdrawal babies.  I did complement it with my desire for any race (biracial included), and my insurance company's acceptance of all pre-existing conditions.  But, that wasn't enough-we'll be last on the list (if we get any further!  Ha!).  I LOVE a friend who can give me what I need-honesty included!  I love that we know each other well enough to ask, and to give those hard words.  Even if I don't get a baby due to my stupidity, at least I can be thankful for knowing why! : )

I gotta get you a picture of this game my friend Susan got for Ethan-we've been playing it most days.  It is murderous and hilarious all at once.  It's called Smashed Potatoes (by Play-doh):

You make these little potato people in these forms, then you start on the bag of potatoes.  Spin the spinner, and move along little dinner plates.  If you land on the Mash spots, and your playmates land on the green squish spinner spot, they get to mash everyone (on Mash spots) into french fries, waffle fries, scissor them up, or chop them with a green knife!  (you can also choose not to butcher your playmates, sweet afterthought).  If you die, you go back and get molded into a new potato.  So, you are back to square one plate one.

Ethan laughs hilariously when he gets to chop them up, but they have faces, and he just cuts them in two!  My job is the potato-maker.  He likes to have a small army of at least three of each color, at the ready.  I really love the game, but can you imagine being the inventor-lets cut up the little kids' potatoes!  (bahahahaha..Evil Laugh)

I love the game, would totally play it a million more times, and might even get if for another little boy, but girl..probably not!  She might cry when her sweet little purple potato gets the ax.  (and mine wears a bow)  Sadness.

Can I add that we just checked Mary Claire's blood for her midnight check (I know it's only 11:30, but we are tired, People!), and get this: she was 100!  First.  Time.  Ever.  We are real Rock Stars!!! : )  Sometimes the stars line up!  About every 6.6 years?

Picture Perfect

The big news isn't decorating or Bible study, or even the Hoedown...the biggest news is that I got my bottom taken care of (kinda!).  It was driving me bananas to go tinkle!  I was itching, hurting, etc!  I went in to my regular doctor's office, and they did a urinalysis.  BUT-there were no white blood cells in my urine, so No.  Then they gave me some dye for my urine (seriously-it's dark Kool-Aid orange! and they told me my sweat would be that color too! Eww..!)  So, then they gave me some steroid cream.

So..hours later, still bugging me! What the heck is it??  My specialist in Little Rock was also recruited. : ) It may be the progesterone tablets (Prometrium) they are giving me.  Hmm..they are switching me to oral progesterone, but I have to take twice as much-400mg a night.  Apparently not as effective this way?  She also said that it'd make me feel sleepy and drunkish-so I am supposed to take them right before bed.  Can you imagine?

So..Play-Doh makes me happier! (love/hate relationship over??) I had an idea..Outside Play-Doh!  And it soo worked.

I think he even enjoys it, what do you think? : ) (he loves the "factory" and the horse-he makes her grow green hair and a green mane, cuts it off and does it again!)
(I'll let you know what happens when you don't clean it up...)


I did a tiny bit more decorating-a mantle, my mirror, cleaned up some tubs, spread leaves around-still not done.  I need more summer tubs! : )

Try this at home:

Easiest decorating ever: Dry Erase Marker on Mirror. : )  I had to turn on the dining room lights to light it up a little, otherwise you see right through it.  Fun! I did another mirror, the front door-total overkill!


I'm thankful for friends, for perseverance, fun work (counting tickets with Danielle and letting the boys play-totally fun!), for great schools for the kids, dry-erase markers, music, and sweet kids (even though they had picture day today, and I totally forgot-and they were not so cute today-they have all these new clothes, and looked so . . what's the word? . .not dressed up!).  Still thankful for the clothes they have to wear! : )

Post Season (Fall!) is Here!

I have a love/hate relationship with Play-doh.  It can make me really happy when my kids find the new play-doh I bought them in the basket, and they *play* all morning (and I get to sleep in!)...yet, the mess is undeniably the most horrible ever.  I'd almost rather clean splashed oatmeal up.  It's just moist enough that I can't sweep it-it rolls, then it's dry in spots, and it won't come off the floor-especially after it's walked on!  And the tabletop?  It's a sea of crumbly bits.  I don't even care that they mix colors-that's no big deal compared to the mess.  I have learned a couple things:  1-If you wait a bit to clean the floor, the rolly bits dry enough to sweep or vacuum, and 2-use a dry paper towel to wipe the crumbs from the table, and 3-wait till the squished-into-the-fabric bits dry, then scratch them off.  Yes, all this for some sleep-in time.  But, yes, it was worth it!  (And when you come over, please don't mention the bits dried in the grout-I haven't figured that one out yet.)
We've had a ball the last few days!  I had a friend who shared her friends-n-family discount for Gymboree-50% off full-price stuff! (Woo-Hoo!), so I've been there twice, and called in an order to the outlet!  I was SO excited.  I now have ALL the gray/pink/leopard line-seriously!  I'd just gotten some with my gymbucks, so I really needed nothing.  I also got more of the Holiday Panda from the outlet, and the red poppy and Dance Rocks lines from the regular stores.  Whew-I'm done for the winter!  I even got the kids' Christmas outfits: the red plaid dress and shirts!
So, yes, there is life outside Gymboree..we had two baseball games on Saturday, swam every day, had *fun* at a World Card Making Event Saturday night, and here are a few cards I made:

A cute one with glittery candies

A birthday card with sparkly cupcake!

So glad I learned to "mask" and use the aqua painter to color these!

Today, we finally got down all our fall decorating tubs!  We had to go back up and look all over-I'd lost a couple pillows, but all's well now.  I found my pillow covers and fillers:

Then, it was getting close to the kids' bedtime, so I only did one more area-the entry:

Here's a closeup of one of my favorite pictures of Mary Claire when she was little-it's a picture of a picture, but the original is on Ches' computer.  She was always so adorable in pigtails!  I think this was the first year we were in this house:

I found this big sign-hanging thing I made last year, but it was all wrinkly from being in the attic.  I sprayed it down with water-I hope it'll lay flat again!  I don't know if I can iron paint...

And here we go into the week.  It's the first week of ticket sales for the Husky Hoedown-so I don't know how busy it'll be-I'll go in Tuesday to trade money for tickets.  Ethan will be with me, but he can play with Trevor! : )

Ok, the Phillies game is so loud, I can't think anymore.  They are doing so well, and Ches is pumped.  They are his team, and holy cow-they might go aallll the way!  They have finally beat the Reds for the third time-(including a no-hitter game at the first game!)!  He's so excited.  I'm really glad we went to watch them at spring training.  It's hard to get tickets in season, but spring was easy-and they've gotten even better!  I hope they win the world series!  It won't be that much longer. . . (and we had Philly cheese steaks yesterday just for them!)