In Not Of

Hope Now - Addison Road

2009-06-28T00:03:00.001-04:00

Eric Carle

2009-06-25T08:52:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, we headed north. In my blog surfing I had come across one of the coolest things ever... The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. Can I just express my joy a little? Woohoo! Pictures! I love picture books. My favorite section at any bookstore is still the children's section. I have such great memories of books from growing up and I love to be reminded of them and to think about which might be good memories for my babies. Needless to say, the museum went on the "must-visit-before-leaving-New-England" list. When I saw that they had both The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the work of Virginia Lee Burton on display, a more prompt visit became necessary. :-)

So, Saturday we loaded the kids up and headed to Massachusetts. I was impressed as soon as we got there - the building is beautiful! It's modern and very white, but there was a lot of light in the main hall which made it very inviting. Also in the main hall are 4 very large color pattern paintings by Eric Carle. This is where we first got to reinforce the "Look with your eyes" rule (we had gone over the 2 rules in the car - "look with your eyes" and "stay safe"). I can't say I blame them for wanting to touch... the texture was soooo rich! Clara went up to the blue one and said "Look mama! Fish!" Then we entered the galleries... that was a little rough. The kids weren't really interested in what was on the walls, but fortunately there were some small activities and books by the artists in the area. I made Connor pick his favorites... something he's beginning to roll his eyes at, but at least it gets him to stop "going" for a moment and look around. We passed through the galleries fairly quickly with the kiddos, but Michael and I each went back through so we could really look.

Next we headed out into the orchard. Thank goodness the woman at the front desk suggested a run through the trees... it was just what Connor and Clara needed!

After the fresh air, we headed in to the art studio. Kids (and mommies) get to make art like the art they just saw on the walls. How cool is that?! The day we visited we got to make a tissue paper collage. It was very cool. We were given watercolor paper and the rest of the supplies were on the table. You begin by painting liquid starch onto your paper. Then you lay down a piece of tissue paper and paint over it with the starch. Clara loved using the paintbrush to lay on the starch. Connor was *gasp* a little distracted, so he threw down a few pieces of tissue and then went to play with the toys (and other kids) in the corner.

I did a run through of the shop... I told myself before going in that I would only buy something if it was very special. Well, there was so much special I didn't buy anything anyway! :-)

After that we headed home... well, after a trip to Arby's!

For your viewing pleasure, here is Eric Carle talking about The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

You Hold Me Now - Hillsong United

2009-06-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

VERSE 1:
On that day when I see
All that You have for me
When I see You face to face
There surrounded by Your grace
All my fears swept away
In the light of Your embrace
Where Your love is all I need
And forever I am free

PRE CHORUS 1:
Where the streets are made of gold
In Your presence healed and whole
Let the songs of heaven
Rise to You alone

CHORUS:
No weeping no hurt or pain
No suffering You hold me now
You hold me now
No darkness no sick or lame
No hiding You hold me now
You hold me now

VERSE 2:
In this life I will stand
Through my joy and my pain
Knowing theres a greater day
Theres a hope that never fails
Where Your Name is lifted high
And forever praises rise
For the glory of Your Name
Im believing for the day

PRE CHORUS 2:
Where the wars and violence cease
All creation lives in peace
Let the songs of heaven
Rise to You alone

BRIDGE:
For eternity
All my heart will give
All the glory to Your Name

Clara at 3

2009-06-13T15:35:00.004-04:00

Holy Cow! My baby is 3!

I still remember her as a tiny little thing. In this picture she is about 2 weeks old. She was a very awake and aware baby. And very easy...

At three, Clara is a very bright little girl. Her teachers at school love her and comment on how "sharp" she is. Her favorite thing is playing outside, followed closely by dressing up in her princess dress and taking care of her babies.

She's not much of an eater... a little more picky than her brother, but she LOVES vegetables. I know! Strange child! She frequently requests that I make broccoli. She also likes "macky-oni and cheese" and "dog corns". :-D

Clara has a bit of a stubborn streak. She's still surprised by not getting her way and can throw a good tantrum. We're still figuring out what works as far as discipline for her. When she's really mad, you can just see her brain clicking away...

She sings continuously, often making up her own songs. She stomps any bug she sees. Sometimes I jokingly tell Connor to get his sister to "take care" of that spider for him, and he does! And she will!

I love my little Bean!

My Current Favorite Song

2009-04-22T22:05:00.001-04:00

I'm so, so sorry....

All the Outdoors

2009-04-16T20:14:00.003-04:00

Holy cow it was glorious here today. Bee-U-Tee-Full! And "warm". You know, I think we reached 60 today. Actually, that was perfect.

As it was forecast to be so lovely, I made plans to hit up the local nature center with the chill'uns. Best decisions I have ever made! We had such a wonderful day. And after the last two weeks, Connor needed even an ok day, so a good day was fabulous!

The last time we went to the nature center was a year ago. Boy does a year make a difference. There was no whining. I didn't carry Clara at all. There was no running around crazy without listening to mom. Yay!

I showed Connor how the trails were marked and then he led the way (with just a little guidance and a few reminders to look ahead for the next blaze). He enjoyed climbing the rocks. When I asked him what his favorite part of the trip was he said "I just like walking." Clara happily hung out in the middle. She's a little collector... she found all kinds of cool little pine cones and nuts. She even stuck a little moss in her pocket. Near the end of our trek, I kept waiting for her to be tired of walking, but she just walked along singing little songs to herself. Did I mention that it was a great day?

I'm Being Social

2009-03-12T14:20:00.002-04:00

Aren't you proud of me? My bestist friend just moved and left me all alone (hehehe) so I've been a little loney. After about a week of just me time, I realized I need to meet some more people. So my social-phobic little self got out of the house and went to a few things. It was good. I just really need to get over my stupid anxiety. And I need to not be afraid to jump into a conversation. And ask questions. And just talk in general.

I'm still confussed over how I'm so totally cool to be in front of a large group, but a small group just petrifies me. One day maybe I'll figure it out. :-)

In Need of the Nanny

2009-03-09T21:44:00.002-04:00

Wow. It's been a rough week around here. Clara is... rather high maintenance... and she can scream. We've known that for a while, but she has seriously kicked it into high gear. Connor is... well... throwing crazy fits himself and whining continuously all while being sneaky and lying. I'm still working it all out in my head. Blah.

Meanwhile, Michael and I are weight watching. It's going well. It's much easier (for me) now that we're both doing this together. :-) Today is the first day I've really been hungry... and it's because I started working out. Yay!

Rumble

2009-03-01T22:51:00.001-05:00

Perhaps, judging by the amount of yelling happening in my house, the adults should have staggered the start of their diets...

The Girly Girl

2009-02-25T13:17:00.000-05:00

Clara is a girly girl. She wants to wear a "pretty dress" everyday. I can only get her in pants if I explain why they are needed and point out that they "match". She always wants "clippies" and "hair ties" for her hair. She loves shoes. She likes jewelry.

I don't know where it came from. I don't mind accommodating it, but *woah* is it weird to me.

The Birthday Party

2009-02-24T12:42:00.005-05:00

Let me preface this by saying, my forte is not planning. I operate best and most creatively under pressure and that pressure is normally time. This is all just another way of saying that I am a total flop at planning birthday parties. If you want people to be able to come, you have to let them know more than a few days in advance. Fortunately, my kids don't know any better yet. Next year, however, there may be trouble if I don't mend my ways...

All that said, Connor had a super fun party! I decided in November that a science party was the way to go. I'm not really big on character themes (when boys are concerned it almost always ends in mock fighting, which is ok in small groups...) and some of the other more generic fun themes had already been done by friends. So science it was. I used my lovely friend the internet and found www.SteveSpangler.com. This site can make anyone look like a magical science guru. Lots of fun experiments with instructions and links to a fabulous online store. Connor and I love to watch the videos. I could do this! I could throw a great party... but after finding the link to Mad Science, I came to the conclusion, why should I? They have all the supplies and already have a program... I decided to let them do it. That's when my flawed nature came into play. You kind of need to call and schedule those things in order to continue to make your plans. In the end, we had 2 friends come and had a blast! Lots of dry ice fun. I would recommend Mad Science to anyone. :-)

They began with a simple water trick. The kids had to follow which cup had the water in it. In the end the water got dumped on the birthday kid, except there was no water!

Then came the dry ice. Mmm...

I love their expressions in this one!

In the end, I can't believe my baby has turned 5! He's such a helper. I love you soooo much Connor!

Hehehe...

2009-02-24T00:01:00.003-05:00

Just dropping by with a little hi!

I feel the need to tell stories about our life again... it's a good thing. I've missed the writing part that you don't get while doing other things... er... facebook... twitter... ~:-) So here I am!

I'm going to go about this in the low commitment way. I'll write when I want to. If you want more, email me! :-)

Check you on the flip side...

Military Wife

2008-09-28T21:41:00.003-04:00

This is one of the best of these I've seen. It was sent to me by a friend... another military wife.

What is a MILITARY Wife?

They may look different and each is wonderfully unique.

But what do they have in common?

They have THIS IN COMMON!

Lots of moving---
Moving.
Moving far from home.
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog----all riding with HER of Course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house.
Moving curtains that won't fit.
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends, moving toward new friends.
Moving her most important luggage; her trunkful of memories.

Often waiting-
Waiting, waiting;
waiting for housing;
waiting for orders;
waiting for deployment;
waiting for reunion;
waiting for phones calls;
waiting for the new curtains to arrive;
waiting for him to come home
For dinner----AGAIN!

They call her 'military dependant', but she knows better.
She can balance a checkbook,
Handle the yard work,
Fix a noisy toilet,
Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall, anchors, and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes, sell a house, buy a car, or set up a move ---- all with ONE Power of Attorney.

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
Reinvents her career with every PCS; locates a house in the desert, the arctic, or the deep south and learns to call them all 'home.'
She MAKES them all home.

She is fiercely IN-dependent and somewhat hasty;
Leaps into decorating, leadership, volunteering, career alternatives, churches and friendships.
She doesn't have 15 years to get to know people.
Her roots are short but flexible.
She plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other.
They connect over coffee, rely on the spouse-network and accept offers of friendship and favors and record addresses in pencil.

Military Wives have a common bond.
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands, his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a job, he has a 'mission' -- he can't decide to quit -- he's on-call for his country 24/7, but for the military wife, he's the most unreliable guy in town!

His language is foreign:
TDY
PCS
TRE
OPR
ACC
DCA
BDU

And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long-distance link to keep them informed the glue that holds them together.

Military Wife has her moments----
She wants to wring his neck, dye his uniform pink, and refuse to move to Siberia.
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days, a travel brochure, a long hot bath, a pledge to the flag, and a wedding picture.
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.

But actually it is be cause she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by an amazing man
Who must put duty first
Who salutes the flag
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military husband,
She will remain his Military wife. And proud of it.

Moving...

2008-09-09T15:39:00.001-04:00

my stamping blog. You can now check it at http://traceystamps.typepad.com. ~:-D

Summer Fun!

2008-08-26T16:10:00.003-04:00

The weather has been beautiful lately - perfect for outdoor fun! This morning we headed out to our local brand spanking new park. It's great. They made it to be accessible for all ages and abilities, so Clara can play and have fun and I don't have to worry as much about following right behind her. She always finds something fun (and safe) to do. So here are the highlights of our morning. ~:-)

All buckled up and ready to go. Jackets on for the chilly morning air.

Clara doing what Clara does. She would be happy swinging the whole time if I didn't make her get down and go play.

Clara was glad she left the swing when she found the roller slide. She did a continuous loop of the steps and slide for about 10 minutes.

Spiderman, Spiderman. Does whatever a Spiderman does. Connor is getting very good at climbing the different ropes and rock walls and such. Once he actually tries it, he loves it!

The Tale of the Vaseline

2008-08-18T22:04:00.002-04:00

So I'm retitling this one "It Could Be Worse" because yes friends, it could be and I'll share at the end of my tale. The following is a true story.

There was a day, not long ago, when a little boy was having more than a little trouble listening. So he was sent to his room by his father. His father went to check on him about 10 minutes later... perhaps the boy had fallen asleep? It was so very quiet up there.

The father opened the bedroom door and found the boy, with and entire jar of Vaseline smeared all over his body. Stifling his laughter, the father removed the Vaseline jar, backed from the room and went back downstairs, waiting for the mother's return (she had escaped the madhouse for but a few minutes).

On her return, the father greeted the mother. "You have got to see this" he said, explaining the situation. The mother went upstairs prepared for the worse, but found that the boy had removed most of the Vaseline by wiping himself off on an old towel. "Schwoo," she thought, "crisis averted."

The mother was about to start on the coming safety lecture when she detected a familiar scent. A very strong, familiar scent. Her inner alarm went off. "What is that smell?" she asked the boy. "I don't know," came the expected reply. The mother turned back down the hallway and immediately saw the problem. The Febreeze bottle, once full, was now empty.

The mother, blood pressure rising, turned back into the boy's room. "Did you spray Febreeze in this room?" she asked, her voice doing a poor job of hiding her anger. "Yes," came the reply.

The mother stepped into the room and her feet immediately felt the damp stickiness on her feet. The smell grew stronger.

She fled the scene, yelling behind her as she went. Something about "stay in your room" and "you know better" and "what were you thinking". The boy (of course) burst into tears. After 15 or so minutes to calm down and form a plan, the mother and father went up the stairs to clean the boy and the room.

Yes, Connor had a rough day that day. Actually, it's been a bit of a rough few weeks... Anyway, we stuck him in the shower and Michael scrubbed him to try to get the Vaseline off. I set to work on his room. His floor, walls, bed, toys, etc. were covered in a sticky gooey film of Vaseline and Febreeze. His toys got sorted and many were thrown away. I opened the window and vacuumed the mess out of that room, just running it over the damp spots to dry it out (nearly a week later and I can still smell his room from down the hall). He got clean sheets. He also got to stay in his room for the rest of the evening, coming downstairs to eat and then heading back to his room. All to soon he was actually put into bed... he had gone into the bathroom to "help" me clean up and squirted out about 2 cups of dish detergent into the tub, onto his soaking toys. Poor boy just didn't get the point. But he did get a good nights rest and the next day was much better.

So... are you wondering how it could be worse. Just check where Google brought me. Wow. It could be way worse.

Here you go Dad...

2008-08-17T20:21:00.004-04:00

So Dad wants to know what's going on. I *suppose* I can update this. But it's sooo much work... I don't know if I can make it. ~:-P

Hehe. I could find some more pictures of Christian Bale...

Or...

There is this other cute person...

Clara stole her daddy's hat! And then she decided to join a race herself. Round and round the kitchen/living/dining room she went. Giggling the whole time.

These days she's lucky she's cute. I now realize the truth behind the terrible twos. Wow. It's amazing how much attitude can come out of such a little body. It's funny how she wants to cling to me and run from me at the same time. She wants to be so independent. At the same time she is timid and frustrated. Maybe if I keep thinking of it that way I can keep from wanting to lock her in the closet for the next year.

Up next... The Tale of the Vaseline. (just wait until you hear this one)

Shh... woman at work.

2008-08-11T23:08:00.002-04:00

Sorry so quiet. I am alive, just really trying to get my business going. It is taking every spare minute. On that note, if anyone is interesting in hosting a catalog party...

Convention 2008

2008-08-06T10:01:00.004-04:00

Hi there! It's been a little while, but I've been crazy busy and then out of town. I went to Stampin' Up!s Convention in Salt Lake City. Woohoo! It was sooooo fun! Just imagine 6000 women, all excited about stamping, all swapping card fronts like crazy, all in the same convention center. It was fabulously crazy. Here is the line headed for lunch after general session one day.

I guess line isn't really the right word. The first day we waited in line for 2.5 hours to shop in Momento Mall, the place to get logo wear and other SU! items you can't usually order. It was worth the wait. We just stood there chatting with each other and meeting everyone standing around us in line. It was fabulous! I'll be posting more over on my stamping blog, so check it out! Have a great day!

Funniest Sign in SLC

2008-07-31T21:21:00.002-04:00

These flags make you visible as you cross the not so busy street... and evidently it's an offense to take one. I giggled everytime I passed these.

Talk me down

2008-07-24T16:08:00.000-04:00

I feel like eating a whole cake. I just want something super-duper filling to eat. The Lean Cuisines for lunch just aren't cutting it.

Confession

2008-07-23T22:20:00.003-04:00

So I have to admit...

I've had a crush on this guy

since he was in Newsies when I was 12.

After sitting through 2.5 hours of The Dark Night...

some things definitely get better with age.

Mmm...

Better

2008-07-22T23:28:00.001-04:00

Just so no one worries too much, I am much better today. :-)

Thoughts

2008-07-22T00:17:00.003-04:00

A bit sad right now.

I'm not 18 weeks pregnant. I'm not beginning to feel a baby.

I thought I felt better, but right now it's all new again. I stumbled across another woman's blog... she had a miscarriage recently as well. She wrote what she was feeling. How one minute she was pregnant and then she wasn't. How she dreads her period and what it means. How the thought of a positive pregnancy test is so scary... what if it happens again? Yup... I'm right there.

I've been thinking all these things and then just stuffing them deep into my mind. Can't deal with that now. Push it down. It will go away. But it doesn't. I'm angry and hurt. Right now I feel alone... like I'm the only one who knew the baby. Like to others it wasn't even there.

Sorry I'm so raw tonight. This too will pass, but I think I just had to write this.

RMT 4... a small gain

2008-07-20T22:27:00.002-04:00

Well, here we have it. The gain week. I see an old pattern becoming new again. Last year when I was losing weight I had this lovely little habit... lose, lose, gain. Lose, lose, gain. Every third week like clock work, I gained. And here it is again. I gained 0.8. I'm not too concerned. This is a direct result of me not tracking my food all week. Shame on me. I also did not run. So there it is.

Today is already much better... I've followed the mantra "Write before you bite." I will begin running again tomorrow as well. So that's it for now. Check in on the other participants here. And be sure to congratulate Carlos. He and Heather ran a half marathon yesterday!

Clara does Play-Doh

2008-07-17T22:54:00.005-04:00

Lately, Clara has been enjoying some time as the only child while Connor is at preschool. In fact, it's probably better than being an only or the first child... she has all of Connor's cool toys to play with while he's not here to fight he for them. Score!

Clara's most recent find is Connor's Play-Doh tub. Santa brought this to enable Connor to use Play-Doh without mommy losing her mind. So far it is really working (well... I'm not losing my mind over Play-Doh anyway). Connor will set the tray top on the floor and keep the container next to him. (One must have access to every Play-Doh toy at all times!) Anyway, Clara "found" the tub a few days ago and after much whining I gave in.

She was very funny about it... she didn't like to touch it. At first she would hold it down, just barely touching it with one finger, and poke at it with whatever tool she had. Finally she advanced to picking it up, but she never did work up the courage to squish it. In the end, only the google eyes in the tub held her attention.

This makes me...

2008-07-17T11:16:00.002-04:00

GLAD!

~:-D

Working hard

2008-07-15T21:14:00.003-04:00

I have been working a lot the last few days and I am pretty darn proud of myself. On my list (#42) is earning the Stampin' Up! incentive trip. I really really want to earn that trip! It's normally a cruise and all expenses are paid, including airfare. You can bring one person and you can buy space for your immediate family (read "the kids"). You can earn this trip a number of ways. The most difficult is selling your little hiney off... my upline has done that. The easier way is selling (a good amount) and promoting (determined by sales and recruiting). So, I'm getting started.

I began by reading all the tips of those before me... the one that hit me the most is "Get your spouse on board." So I asked dear hubby for his support that evening. He asked a bunch of questions about how it is earned and then he asked the most important question of the evening.

"What is your plan?"

"I had a feeling you would say that." I said. Then I asked what info he wanted. He had no clue... just what was my plan. I said, "Uhmmm..."

So there I was, wondering how the heck I was going to do this. I remembered a coach guy I had seen on some stamping blogs that I like. Hmm... I checked it out and bought his book. Wow. I am now working on a plan for more than just earning the cruise... it's for paying for my family's nice vacation every year.

I'm so excited. When I finish, I will be scheduling my "Opening Day". If you know me personally you may get a call between now and then asking about joining (or staying on) my mailing list. If you're interested in what I do or want to be proactive about the mailing list, head on over to http://traceygriffith.stampinup.net and click on "Request My Newsletter" in the top right corner.

I'm so excited. Those 101 little goals have started something amazing!

RMT 3

2008-07-13T10:09:00.002-04:00

Hello out there! I'm posting this the quick and simple way... sorry no picture or video. I just wanted to get it finished! I'm planning for a video next week... maybe.... :-)

The great news is.... 3.6 lbs down this week! Woohoo!

C25K is going well. The first run of the week was great but the other 2 were challenging. The 2nd run was just hard all around... I went out on a full stomach. Blah... not again. The third started out rough, but by the end I felt great. I think I'm ready for next week. I'll be advancing to 3 whole minutes of running (jogging). I do think I need new shoes, but I need to convince Michael of that...

So far (and it's been so long, hehe) the biggest challenge is becoming dressing myself. Last summer I was 2 sizes smaller than I am now. The summer before I had just had a baby. I had been wearing my slightly large shorts and jeans. Well, now they're more than slightly large (let's just say that Clara has pulled my shorts down at least twice while we were out in the yard). I really don't want to buy any "in between" clothes. I was thinking of hitting up Goodwill or getting my huge clothes tailored. But I haven't decided yet.

I guess that's all for now. There will be evidence next week... hopefully you will see the change! ~:-)

You can join in the fun. Check it.

Can you hear the music?

2008-07-10T09:40:00.002-04:00

RMT Week 2 (for me)

2008-07-06T09:42:00.005-04:00

Let me just say WOOHOO! I had a fab week. What made it fab? I ran! And I ate really well. So well in fact that I lost 6 lbs! Let me reiterate... WOOHOO!

"Running" went very well. I was pleased that I had absolutely no problem with the cardio part of it. My heart is pretty fit and I'm good at controlling my breathing. The part that needs working on is my legs. After that first run I was a little sore... not bad, but I could feel the bones in my lower legs. The next run, my calves hurt (near my ankles). I used the lovely internet and discovered that I was making a common new runner mistake. I was pushing off of the ground with my feet instead of lifting my legs from the hip. During my third run I worked on running correctly. It fixed the calf problem. Yay! I am so ready for week 2!

The food thing is good. I'm doing Weight Watchers on my own (read no meetings, no online). It's so much easier this time, mostly because Michael is doing it as well. I also already know the program from last time, so I'm not having to obsess about what I'm going to eat when and how much and if I should and does this count as a veg and... you get the point.

My goals for next week are the about the same as this past week. I want to stay on plan each day with Weight Watchers. I want to finish Week 2 of C25K.

So yeah... I guess I should also say that I cheated a little. My weight loss probably isn't exact... because I cut off about 10 lbs of hair...

and it looks SASSY! ~:-D

It's not too late to participate. Join in at Carlos' blog. Look for the Ragamuffin Top Challenge.

SRC

2008-07-04T14:37:00.000-04:00

Happy Independence Day!

What better day to have a book review? We are free to read anything we want in the good ol' USA! Isn't that awesome?

Slow Fat Triathlete by Jayne Williams

First off, what a great title! You get a taste of what to expect from this book right from the start. I giggled at least every other page.

Jayne starts the book by sharing her triathlete story - how she went from being morbidly obese to a triathlete junkie. Outside of the inspiration of Jayne's story, this book is a great "basics of triathlons" book. She writes about the essential and "fun stuff" equipment, how to train (not a training schedule... just where to find the resources), and even walks you through race day. There are also chapters about types of races to injuries.

I really enjoyed this book (being both slow and fat at the moment). It was a good example of how you can be athletic even if you aren't lithe and muscular. It is a good quick read and was a boost to get my slow fat butt out there working toward being athletic. One of my favorite things about Slow Fat Triathlete is that it removed a little of the mystery around races. Now that I have some clue of what goes on there (besides running and finishing), I can picture myself doing one. This book is a nice one for a total beginner.

I'm afraid that's all for today... potty training and reading don't really mix all that well! I plan to finish Mere Christianity this week and begin some good fiction also. Enjoy your holiday!

I ran!

2008-07-01T09:17:00.002-04:00

I ran! I ran!

I kinda can't believe it. As I started with my warm up walk yesterday, my head was a mess. There were various thoughts of being too fat, it being too hot, and such. In the end, the main theme was, "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!" It was amazing the amount of negativity that went through my head in 5 minutes time. Finally the time to run came. I told my brain to shut up. I focused on moving my feet and breathing... and I kept glancing at my watch. The minute went by much faster than I thought it would. Then I walked again. I tried to keep out the bad stuff like how much I was probably jiggling and how the people in that car that passed must thing I'm some deluded fat girl. Then it was time to run again. This patterned continued. In the end, my head was nearly clear of those dirty thoughts.

As I stretched I was amazed that I did it. I did it! I ran! I ran!

Wow...

2008-06-30T12:18:00.002-04:00

this is so what I feel right now. Check out this post and this post from Veronica at Toddled Dredge. I just love the thoughts that Veronica shared. I love the thought of dignity instead of modesty.

I've been struggling with defining modesty "guidelines" that we will have in our family. Clara is a beautiful little girl and I'm sure she will be a beautiful young woman. I think if we make a big deal about being modest as she grows she will be hypersensitive and self conscious. I figured we'd just emphasize that our bodies are special and that in our family we don't wear bikinis or show our crack when we bend over and such. But it's still a daunting task! Dignity is so much easier! :-)

Potty training...

2008-06-30T08:58:00.003-04:00

sucks.

Clara is refusing to put on underwear. And I am refusing to put a diaper on her. It'll be ok until she has to poop.

Have I mentioned that potty training sucks?

*Update* She pooped on Michael's watch... HAHAHAHAHAHA! Is that mean?

Ragamuffin Top Challenge

2008-06-28T14:33:00.000-04:00

So. I need to lose weight. All that I had lost with Weight Watchers has slowly crept back on my bottom. And then I gained 10 lbs the during the last 4 months while I was pregnant. Now I want my body from last summer back. Thankfully, I think I've found some inspiration! So here we go...

To provide some accountability (outside of Michael's nagging) I'm trying out a little online linky thing. (If you haven't noticed, I have started doing that a lot... it's fun!) This one is being led by Carlos at Ragamuffin Soul. Check it out!

Well, I have to state some goals... hehe... so here goes. I'm hoping that by the time our vacation rolls around at the end of the summer I will be able to fit my summer clothes. So... my 1st goal is to fit my "skinny" jean shorts by the end of August. My second goal is to start the Couch to 5k program (#4). If I start this week and am able to go without repeating weeks, I will be running 3 miles by the time my birthday arrives. That is not my hard and fast deadline, because I know I have never been athletic or in shape (well since childhood anyway) and I may need to repeat a week or three so I don't injure myself. So there it is!

Carlos wanted some pictures or a video, so here begins the scary part. ;-) (of course, I dressed up all pretty for you... hehe)

The FrontOk... so I'm used to this. I see it in the mirror everyday. Not great, but not horrible either.

The BackYeah, so this is scary to me. I don't see this all the time... I can just hear the song "baby got back"

This is me with the shorts. I held them to the side seam of my pants... yup... there's a long way to go for them to reach the other seam. I'm not freaked out at all. I can do it. Positive self talk works, right?

So there you have it. If you have any fitness or weight goal, join in! It's gonna be fun! ~:-D

Summer Reading Club

2008-06-27T10:26:00.007-04:00

Mark Lee over at This Guy Falls Down has been hosting a Summer Reading Club every Friday for the last few weeks. I think I've gotten myself together enough to post about what I've been reading. :-) I have several books going at once... that way I can read whatever I feel in the mood for!

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I grabbed this book a while back without knowing anything about it. It's a classic and I like to feel smart by reading as many of those as I can (or I'm just trying to make up for not reading anything in high school). After reading the description, I was a bit hesitant... it follows the main character's psychological breakdown. Hmm... sounds thrilling. Surprisingly, I really loved this book.

Esther Greenwood is a very successful college student/writer taking her first steps into the world. Something happens to her and she cracks. It's hard to put your finger on just what happened. She was plunged into fabulous NYC life after winning a contest to act as a guest editor of a magazine. On returning to the Massachusetts country life, she receives the disappointing news that she was not accepted for a summer class at her college. Throughout all of this she feels increasingly trapped. Maybe it was the total of all the changes and pressure. She ends up trying suicide. Her mother has her committed and she slowly returns to herself. The book follows her breakdown and recovery.

This book was powerful to me... I could see little pieces of myself in Esther. Right now I'm pretty far away from a nervous breakdown, but this book shows how it can happen in an instant to the most talented of people. This book also points out some of the specific pressures a young women feels. Career or family? Virginity? Children? Can you do it all? Do you want to? These thoughts aren't new or particularly inflammatory now, but in it's time I'm sure this was a rather radical book.

I wish Sylvia Plath had survived her own bell jar. I would have loved to read more from her, especially the proposed part 2 to this book which would have shown Esther's breakdown from the outside. I do suggest you read this book. Try to find a version with notes... I read the edition from Harper Perennial Modern Classics. It had a "P.S." with in depth info on the book and Sylvia Plath. I hope you enjoy it!

Stay tuned for these coming attractions!

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Slow Fat Triathlete by Jayne Williams

ABCs

2008-06-26T10:47:00.005-04:00

Just a little cuteness for the day. ~:-)

My baby sister...

2008-06-25T07:41:00.002-04:00

got married!

This is Sarah and her Joe. Congratulations and I love you guys! ~:-D

Bay Bridge

2008-06-19T22:37:00.000-04:00

What a beautiful way to end a long drive.

The best way to shop...

2008-06-18T14:05:00.000-04:00

Before and After

2008-06-17T12:55:00.006-04:00

BooMama is having a "a Before and After bloggy extravaganza" (see button on the side). Basically, the point is to list a few goals to be completed by July 25th. When you join the group, you have a touch of accountability... in an internet kind of way. :-) Since I am all about goals right now, I figured I would join in! I can't really paint or remodel since housing frowns on that, but I can still makeover my space by cleaning and organizing.

My goals by July 25th:
1. Have back room clean and ready to function as a classroom.
2. Weed out CDs.
3. Straighten out the linen closet.

So you can see the state of things, I offer this before evidence...

It's not too bad... but I certainly don't need all those baby blankets and it would be nice not to have to dig for clean sheets.

Can I scream "AAAHHHH!" loud enough? As I've been cleaning the rest of this house, this space has obviously become the dumping room. Simply breaking down those boxes will make a huge difference, but I want to really use the space (and complete #46 on my list).

Please excuse the mulch... because these are in the garage. I clearly need to get rid of most of them and load the ones I love onto iTunes.

Well, there are my before and after goals! If you want to join in, just go here!

Dreams

2008-06-17T09:02:00.002-04:00

I dreamed I kissed George Clooney last night. hehe. It's my first scandalous dream. I know... I live on the fringe.

Apple juice?

2008-06-14T17:24:00.001-04:00

A little (sad) news

2008-06-14T13:55:00.005-04:00

This is a little personal, so if you want you can just skip on to another webpage...

This is hard to say without sounding all dramatic and shocking, so I'll just out with it. I had a miscarriage about 2 weeks ago.

If you know me really well and don't want to be too sad you might just want to skip the rest of this. I want to be able to write freely on this blog and I just need to share. It feels weird to "hold back" when I write about what's going on here. As you can guess, this has affected everything lately and it will continue to in the future. I also know someone else who needs it might just come across this.

About 2 months ago I found out I was pregnant again. Michael and I were both very happy. It was not a total surprise, but not something we were totally planing on (I had an IUD placed that went missing). Nevertheless, we were excited. Following my blood test at the clinic, they determined I needed an ultrasound to make sure the IUD really was gone. No big deal. The ultrasound was negative for the IUD, but the corpsman couldn't see a baby either. There was a fetal sac. Not a totally big deal... it was still early and may not have been visible yet. They said to continue as usual. I googled to my hearts content and made my OB appointment. Two days before my appointment (a week and a half later) I started spotting, so I headed to the ER. They saw the same as the first ultrasound (or did not see, as the case may be). They told me to follow up with my OB and I was discharged with a threatened miscarriage.

The next day I went to the OB. He did another quick ultrasound and told me I likely had what is know as a blighted ovum. Basically the baby stopped developing very early on, but the sac continued. That's why I was still having pregnancy symptoms (bad morning sickness and fatigue as well as the positive tests). He sent me to have some specific labs drawn the next day. Then I had the long wait over the weekend... it was rough. I would flip from sadness to hopefulness minute to minute. Finally on Monday a got a call back from the nurse... she just made another appointment for me the next day.

This time they ultrasound tech did my scan. She took her time and looked at everything, but still saw no baby. I was sent out to wait. Then I met with the OB and got the official bad word. She told me my choices. I could wait for things to happen naturally or have a D&C. I chose to wait and got an appointment for the following week.

It was a long week, just waiting for things to happen, but nothing ever did. Finally my appointment came. I set up my appointment to go in to have the D&C. After "knowing" for about a month, I was relieved not to have to wait anymore, but I still feel like I gave up... I think I'll alway feel that way, even though I know better in my head.

So on a Tuesday I had the D&C. If you follow my blog you saw my post on Monday about how I was a wreck and was actually cleaning. It was fine... no reason to worry. I have recovered physically very quickly. I was amazed at how sick I actually had been. By that following Friday, I felt better than I've felt in several months.

Emotionally I'm okay. I'm sad sometimes... especially when I take time to think about it. I have a strange aversion to ultrasound machines and driving to the OB's office. My house has stayed very clean (for me). It's something to do and it makes me feel good to have a clean shiny kitchen and clear floors. Overall, I am happy and pretty peaceful... I understand how and why this happened, although I don't know why. Yes I just contradicted myself. This experience has clearly shown me that our heads and hearts are two totally different things.

So that's what happened in slightly more than 20 words. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. I'll probably answer... ;-)

On a happier note, we have decided we do want another biological baby (for sure), so stay tuned and in a while we might have a happy announcement. And if you can, on Dec 19th please say a special prayer for me. It will be a hard day.

Gasp!

2008-06-14T12:42:00.002-04:00

This was on Tuesday. It stopped me at $75. Good thing the tank was full... I don't think I could put my card back in the machine! I love Connecticut.

My baby

2008-06-12T13:58:00.000-04:00

Okay... I have to finally admit it's true. My baby is 2 today. *sob*

It's so funny, how things are with second children. When Connor was a baby, I sort of shruged off everyone's advice to "cherish each moment" and the words "they grow up so fast". I knew I was doing just that. Looking back, I realize that I was (am) always just waiting for the next milestone. Everything is a new adventure with him. It's uncharted territory. I want to see what's next all the time, without fully appreciating what is happening now.

Now with Clara, I've seen the territory before. I've seen what's coming (for the most part - Lord help me) so I can sort of lean back and enjoy the view. When she sings the ABC song, I'm not anxious for her to know every letter. I enjoy the parts she makes up. I'm sad that she doesn't want to hold my hand when we walk. I secretly wish she was more timid and didn't just want mom to let her go.

We've had some big milestones this week alone. There were the stitches. Just the day before that she learned to climb out of her crib. On Sunday, we turned that crib into a big girl bed. *sob* Sunday she also perfected opening doors, so I've been scrambling to round up the doorknob covers.

Clara is very strong willed. She knows exactly what she wants. She's hard (sometimes impossible) to distract. Maybe I should just call her passionate. ;-)

Clara is also very sweet. When in the mood, all she wants to do is cuddle. She loves to take care of her babies. Her favorite thing in the world is the part of "sparkly shoes" that Nana and PopPop got her for Christmas. She wears them all the time. She sings and dances a lot. She's good at helping to clean up. When she sees that Connor is sad or upset, she runs over to give him a hug (unless, of course, some sibling rivalry was the cause).

She will never be contained by it, but that's my Clara in a nutshell. Happy birthday baby. I love you!

Link Love

2008-06-12T12:17:00.000-04:00

I added a few links of blogs I frequent. I use Google Reader, so I have a ton of blogs listed and I read what interests me. So... browse and enjoy!

#84

2008-06-10T12:25:00.002-04:00

84) Have my song reviewed by people who know about music.

Might be a good idea... that way it might not suck as badly. This is of course as soon as I write it. Hehe... ~:-)

All the Redness

2008-06-09T10:24:00.003-04:00

So... antibiotics and the sun don't really mix. I didn't realize how true the warning on the side of the bottle was. I was outside for 2 hours on Saturday doing my really lame yard sale. (It was lame because I only had a ton of DVDs and retired stamp sets.) The first 20 mins it was cloudy/foggy and 40 mins in I set up an umbrella that I stayed under. I was burnt, excuse me, am burnt like I was out for 3+ hours. I didn't even start out white... I had a tan (for me) from all of our outside time recently. All I can say is... OooouuuCH!

So glad...

2008-06-07T16:01:00.004-04:00

we have good insurance. While there is a lot to complain about with military health care, if we need to go to the emergency room we never have to worry about how we'll pay for it. That is a good thing because we've had 3 separate visits since January... once while in Minnesota. Our latest occurred last night. Clara is the first in our family to have stitches.

Aren't they beautiful? Two little stitches. They match her eyes. Of course today is the first ever she didn't want her picture taken. It's funny how they know when you really want to document something... I tried several times to take her picture. This is the first in focus with a view of the little cut.

I have to brag about how good she was. She stayed very still while being repaired. She didn't even flinch. Of course she was all wrapped up like a mummy to keep her from fighting. We should have put the wraps on her while I held the anesthetic on her lip instead. That was the real fight... but of course mommy prevailed in the end. Today she has been walking around telling everyone about the "boo-boo on wip". Very cute. Now I just need to train her to say "I'm two" by Thursday. ~:-)

Blog (blah-g)

2008-06-05T14:32:00.002-04:00

I'm a little less than perfectly happy with my blog. I noticed this morning that for some reason I had two title bar thingies (technical term). When I went in to fix it, there was nothing I could do. *sigh* They had changed the template I was using and it just didn't look right to me. So, I have now settled for this new layout. It will do until I have the time and want to research other free templates or learn to make my own (HA!). In the meantime, I will accept any donations toward buying a custom template. *wink* ~:-)

It's all good

2008-06-03T13:52:00.001-04:00

All is well. I'm a bit drowsy and enjoying some lovely pain medicine. And I have to pee... but that was probably an overshare. Thanks for praying. ~:-)

Freaking out... totally.

2008-06-02T13:39:00.005-04:00

My calm from yesterday is gone. I am a ball of nerves. I am more than slightly paranoid. I need something to destroy. Too bad I need my plates...

I'm going in tomorrow to have a relatively minor surgical procedure... but it's my first ever. I'm not relishing the thought of losing an hour of my life. There's also a bunch of other emotional baggage to tag onto this. So... yeah...

I find myself cleaning. Anyone who knows me understands that means I am totally freaking out. Yup... this is me... totally freaking out. So anyway, if you think of me tomorrow between 9 and 1, please lift up a prayer... because I am totally freaking out. ~:-0

Green Room Fun

2008-06-01T12:12:00.002-04:00

I love being in the green room during the service. It's tucked away under the sanctuary next to the kids sunday school classes. We have a little TV so we can watch the service or (more frequently) we have fun conversations about growing up in church and people we know. It's a good time of getting to know the people I play with. It's good clean green room fun.

#82... an addition

2008-05-30T10:59:00.002-04:00

I'm adding #82 to my list... and #83.

82) Join the Company Girls at Home Sanctuary.
83) Complete 90 days of Small Things challenges at Home Sanctuary.

~:-)

Spring "Cleaning"

2008-05-27T21:24:00.002-04:00

This is all of our winter coats and snow pants. The inventory - 4
pairs of adult snow pants, 2 pairs of child snow pants, 4 regular cold
weather adult coats, 1 adult low temp down coat, 2 child coats. Space bags
so rock!

Let it rain!

2008-05-26T01:09:00.001-04:00

A "New" Favorite

2008-05-20T12:41:00.003-04:00

Connor and Clara are in love with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I got it for Christmas in a big ol' box of musicals (woohoo!). One rainy afternoon I stuck it in the DVD player as a pure act of desperation. To say the least Connor was totally into the movie. He sat on the sofa and watched the whole thing without getting up. That's intense for a 4 year old. It is now a frequent request.

I must say I really like this movie too. I just love how the father really loves his kids... they aren't just a distraction or obstacle to him finding a new wife. Just listen to this song.

Of course, I don't mind that Clara runs around going "Toot sweets! Toot sweets!" It's just so cute! ~:-)

The baby

2008-05-17T15:05:00.001-04:00

We have a baby in the house...

and his name is Connor! Clara has been playing with her babies a lot lately, so I am the official baby wrapper. Connor made a comment about how good I was at it and I told him about how I got my practice... wrapping him up! Connor loved being swaddled when he was a newborn. Clara hated it. Well, he immediately asked to be wrapped up. What a cute "little" baby!

Clara just sat watching Connor and I giggle like idiots. She was too busy playing mommy to play around with us.

Tagged

2008-05-16T13:11:00.000-04:00

Way back, long ago in a month called March (otherwise know as the time Tracey had dropped off the face of the planet) I was tagged by my friend Catherine to share 7 random facts about myself. Being that I'm into lists right now, I thought I would finally share my 7 facts. ~:-)

1. I am an extraordinarily good whistler. I have even considered looking into the requirements for those whistling competitions (I remember seeing a champion on some morning show when I was little), but then I feel totally silly for even thinking about it. Just think about being introduced as the Whistling National Champion...

2. I don't like food that has been on other people's plates (with few exceptions) or been bitten by another person. This may not seem so strange except that it extends to my children. The though of touching or (God-forbid) eating a already started chicken nugget just makes me gag. I would wear gloves while feeding them if I could. And don't even get me started on gooey, food coated cups and glasses.

3. I'm really bad at talking on the phone. I have enough problems with normal face to face interaction that talking on the phone just totally does me in.

4. When I was a kid, I would spend hours in my room listening to tapes and records. I would memorize the words and pretend I was the artist giving a concert. Sometimes I would just dance around. I remember doing this with the Footloose soundtrack, West Side Story, anything Amy Grant, and Whitney Houston.

5. I am the slowest ironer ever. I don't dislike ironing, it just takes me so long it's a major inconvenience. And, I'm not very good at it, so everything looks like I never ironed it to begin with.

6. I never graduated from college. I marched and then received my "so sorry" letter the next day. I never bothered to fight the decision, which I mildly regret now. It's not a big deal though. I'm still able to work and such, and to me, that's what really matters.

7. I'm not good with kids. This is funny, being that I have them and worked in pediatrics and such, but I really don't have patience for them (and of course they sense it). I love them and wish that I had that "special magic" but I've got to be honest... I way don't.

I guess that's it. I'm going to cop out and say if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged! Ta for now!

101 things in 1001 days... a mission

2008-05-13T08:01:00.005-04:00

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities. (from Day Zero)

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? I've known I've needed to set some goals for a while, but haven't been too excited about it. The timeline has always gotten in the way! A year was too short. Five years was too long. Something would come up that would make a task impossible in the given time. 1001 days was just perfect. So after much thought (and reading of others' lists), my list is below. I will strike through completed items and put a date on them. I did leave several blank. I figure in 2.75ish years time I might come up with a few goals I would want to meet. I will do a blog post about completed items. Please, if you feel you can help with anything on my list, let me know. Some of these things I've put on here with little idea how I will get them done. :-) That's the fun of it!

Begin May 15, 2008
End February 10, 2011

Completed tasks

Personal
1) Reach size 12 and maintain it.
2) Go off line while at home for a week.
3) Complete 1 week at home with no TV.
4) Complete the Couch to 5K program at coolrunning.com.
5) Run a half marathon.
6) Throw a 30th birthday party for myself and HAVE FUN!
7) Wear makeup everyday for a week. (0/7)
8) Read the Bible.
9) Complete a Bible study/devotion book.
10) Splurge on a fabulous pair of shoes.
11) Register to vote.
12) Make a will.
13) Learn 3 yoga vinyasa (Sun Salutation, Triangle/Warrior II, Great Salutation).
14) Make 5 new friends. (0/5)
15) Be physical/workout twice a week. (0/286)

Family
16) Throw the kids totally cool birthday parties.
17) Get passports for the kids.
18) Have a date night every month. (0/31)
19) Go to a theme park with Michael.
20) Take each kid out alone for a "date" every 6 months.
21) Start holding "Family Night" themed dinners twice a month. (0/64)
22) Establish a daily homework time for Connor.
23) Sponsor a child through Compassion.
24) Make Gavin a gift.
25) Make decisions about adoption.

Household
26) Keep a shiny sink for 31 days. (2/31)
27) Plant a container garden (tomatoes!).
28) Eat at home for 2 weeks straight. (0/14)
29) Dispose of the old computer properly.
30) Make recipe cards for easy menu construction.
31) Clear off desk (meaning everything filed, shredded, and put away).
32) Get Clara's portrait framed and hung.
33) In the spring, put down broad leaf weed killer and fertilize the lawn.
34) Pack away extra linens in space bags.
35) Clean off the top of the fridge.
36) Weed out DVDs.
37) Weed out CDs.
38) Weed out the kids toys.
39) Add 10 recipes/meals to my cooking. (0/10)
40) Send out Christmas cards in time each year. (0/3)
41) Pair all of the socks and throw away the spares.

Professional
42) Earn the SU! incentive trip.
43) Get my artwork published in a book or magazine.
44) Retake my registry exam.
45) Run a successful fundraiser for charity.
46) Make back room able to function as a classroom.
47) Research teaching classes at the senior center.
48) Complete a Rosetta Stone language course.
49) Send 101 cards. (0/101)
50) Go 3 months without purchasing any SU! product except for items for specific classes twice.
51) Get started with Getting Things Done.
52) Enter for the SU! Artisan Award.

Adventures
53) Find 5 Geo caches. (0/5)
54) Visit Acadia National Park in Maine.
55) Watch the sunrise at Acadia National Park.
56) Touch the Pacific Ocean.
57) Go sailing/learn to sail.
58) Learn to rock climb.
59) Take the kids to visit natural caverns.
60) See the Grand Canyon.
61) Go to a NASCAR race with Michael.
62) Visit Disney again.
63) Go to a wine tasting.
64) Visit NYC with the kids.
65) Go to the opera.

Creativity/Art
66) Audition for a musical.
67) Take a dance class.
68) Outline a novel.
69) Write a song (don't be afraid to let it suck!).
70) Make an album of my important people.
71) Make a scrapbook of this process.
72) Take a picture for each goal.
73) Learn 5 songs on the piano.
74) Save for and purchase Vocal Coach Singer.

For Fun
75) Read 20 of Madeline L'Engle's books. (0/20)
76) Read The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.
77) Read Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis.
78) Reread the Mark of the Lion trilogy. (3/3)
79) Register at bookcrossing.com and release at least 10 books. (0/10)
80) Make mix CD of "adult" praise and worship music that is good for the kids.
81) Make non-annoying playlist of children's songs.

82) Join the Company Girls at Home Sanctuary.
83) Complete 90 days of Small Things challenges at Home Sanctuary.
84) Have my song reviewed by people who know about music.

85) To be determined
86) To be determined
87) To be determined
88) To be determined
89) To be determined
90) To be determined
91) To be determined
92) To be determined
93) To be determined
94) To be determined
95) To be determined
96) To be determined
97) To be determined
98) To be determined

99) Create list for next 1001 days.
100) Save $10 for every item completed on this list.
101) Donate $10 for every item not completed on this list.

HI!

2008-05-12T10:42:00.001-04:00

I'm working on something big and hope to have it up very soon. Until then... ~:-)

Sneaky little monkey...

2008-05-03T13:24:00.004-04:00

Clara is turning into a sneaky little monkey. She loves my crafting table and anything sitting on it. For about a week she was strangely driven directly to my Staz-On pad... think super-permanent Sharpie in ink pad form. AAHHHH! This is her first work of art.

Yup, that's a sample I was preparing for an upcoming class. She also wiped the pad across her face and down her sleeve. Fortunately her face washed clean. She also got a smear on my desk. I'm really lucky though... she didn't throw it on the ground or try to paint the walls or anything. The next day she did it again. That's what I get for using the bathroom. She's very persistent... both times the pad was on the backside of my desk, near the wall. It was an incredible reach for a little girl. She knows what she wants, I guess.

Oh, and of course she feels so very guilty about the whole thing.

ECHO... Echo... echo...

2008-05-02T11:03:00.003-04:00

Hello there! As was recently so lovingly pointed out by my mother, I have been a touch neglectful of this blog. Evidently the Pooh joke has gotten old. ;-) Of course, if you want to check that I'm still alive, check traceystamps.blogspot.com... I'm a touch more consistent with that one.

So... what's been happening here? Well, this week Clara got Roseola. Sunday, Monday and a good part of Tuesday she had a fever topping off over 104. It was fun. It was all good though. Wednesday evening she started to get a little splotchy, but I figured it was from her major wipe-out at the park earlier in the day. Thursday it was all over her body. An hour and a half at the clinic later we have the verdict of Roseola. Woo hoo. One more common childhood virus I can check off the "my-kid's-had-it" list. Of course there's nothing to do about it but wait for it to fade, which it has already.

Well, there's a little start for you. I will post more (with pictures) later today or tomorrow. There's all kinds of nature involved... sounds super exciting, huh? It was!

Ha!

2008-03-11T14:15:00.001-04:00

Watching House of Mouse...

Eeyore's doing stand-up and said, "Don't worry. I'm not going to tell any Pooh jokes."

HA!

See...

2008-03-05T13:16:00.004-05:00

it is possible to like the President while not liking what's gone down in Iraq (in other words - he isn't the devil). See a glimpse of what Bush has done to help in Africa here. Thanks to Mark Lee for the link.

Lala-lala. Lala-lala. Elmo's World.

2008-03-05T01:10:00.004-05:00

Yes, this song plays continuously in my head. We don't even watch Sesame Street that much, due to extreme whining on the part of Connor. He's never really liked it. I know. It's blasphemy. Anyway, I just figured I should post something here. :-)

Speaking of extreme whining...

Connor has been working overtime on his pity cry. It comes if we look at him funny or even laugh at his joke the wrong way. He said the other day, "Momma, I'm a good actor." When I asked who told him that, he wouldn't answer until I guessed his teacher. Then he gave his silly sheepish grin and said "Yeah." I guess he's been turning it on at school too.

Clara has been a barrel of personality. Just look!

She's been teething (I think based on all the random screaming fits - or she's just a high strung 1 yo). We are still waiting on some teeth that should have showed a year ago. I'm not too worried...

:-(

2008-02-28T15:32:00.000-05:00

Can I just say how sad I am. Brad Avery is leaving Third Day. Boo. :-(

Check it out.

2008-02-26T00:01:00.005-05:00

I added a link over on the side. One Thing. I just stumbled across Jenni's site a few days ago, but already I've really been encouraged by it. Her post today, Multiplication, was powerful for me. Check her out. ~:-)

Hehe...

2008-02-12T15:50:00.000-05:00

Tim Kaine just called. He wants me to vote for Obama at the primary today. Uhm... yup... did ya notice the area code you dialed? Hehe... That computer needs a better phone number filter.

*For those who are confused - I'm a former VA resident who hasn't bothered to register in CT yet. I KNOW... bad American! This makes for the second Tuesday I've felt kinda stupid.*

A Belated Birthday

2008-02-11T13:22:00.000-05:00

*Just in case you were wondering, I've been a slacker blogger. I will slowly update about January as we go along, but I figured it was best to blog anything rather than continue to be overwhelmed by the past. ~:-D*

Connor's birthday came and went while we were in Minnesota, but he just had to have his special day at preschool. Each child acts as the special helper at least once a month. They are responsible for snack and can bring in something for show and tell. There are various other perks, but I'm a little hazy on those, since Connor doesn't want to tell me what they are. Anyway, a birthday is automatically a special helper day. I arranged for Connor to be special helper when we returned. He was very excited. When I asked if he wanted me to make cupcakes (egg and dairy free, of course), he said no very quickly. Evidently he doesn't like cupcakes anymore. I must say, I was a little at a loss. He can't have cookies or ice cream and our standard crackers or popcorn aren't "special" enough. Then I had a flash a brilliance.

I told you I was brilliant! The boy was thrilled with the idea. So, I made jigglers (well it wasn't as easy as that... there was of course an 11pm trip to Walmart involved... but that's another story). They came out beautifully and were a hit according to Connor. He came home very happy and wearing his special birthday ribbon.

Brr...

2008-01-04T22:44:00.000-05:00

I woke up to this yesterday...Enough said.

Pee-U!

2007-12-31T22:09:00.001-05:00

I think someone may have disturbed a hibernating skunk very close to my house... boy does it smell in here. Does that even happen? Anyway, the smell is very distinct.

Oh.. Michael just came in and said it was definitely a skunk outside... blah! ~:-)

Christmas at Our Place

2007-12-28T09:26:00.001-05:00

This year we had Christmas at our place. It's been a lot of fun! Nana, PopPop, and Mo (aka Neil) came up from VA to visit us. I love my family (but I seriously miss my sister)! I thought I'd continue my recent blogging style and offer you a holiday in review.

Connor, Nana, and I made a gingerbread house together. It was from a kit, but I bought some extra candy to use. This was so much fun. Of course, nearly the entire thing had Connor's licked fingers stuck on it. And yes, by the end he was as hopped up on sugar as he looks.

I... ehr... Santa brought Michael a huge Toblerone. This is a source of contention in our home. Let me ask you. Exactly how long can a Toblerone sit on your counter before you have to start eating it?

Clara got all of her favorite things for Christmas. Nana and PopPop brought her pretty shoes and a purse and Santa brought a doll baby, stroller, and Elmo. She spent Christmas day literally doing laps around our house pushing the stroller. She immediately started growing a circular bruise on her forehead, the result of falling over into the stroller as she tried to load her baby into it.

My sister made these awesome dolls for Connor and Clara. I'm so glad I finally got that sewing machine to her!

Connor got lots of good inside play toys. Here he is with the dominoes Nana and PopPop brought. He can't quite do them himself (no patience), but Nana would set them up while he played and then call him over when the time came to knock them over. His eyes would just light up and of course he would immediately say "Let's set them up again!"

We've had a great Christmas! I hope you've enjoyed yours. Have a happy new year! ~:-D

Merry Christmas to My Family!

2007-12-22T11:38:00.001-05:00

My extended family Christmas gathering is today. I'm sad to miss it, as it's been soooo long since we've seen everyone (most of them haven't even met Clara). So, if anyone is watching...

MERRY CHRISTMAS you guys!

A little life at our house

2007-12-17T22:28:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd give you a glimpse of life at our house right now. :-)

Clara continues to like "dressing up"... even if it means wearing Connor's undies on her head.

I've fallen in love with Scrabble. This was Michael's first game. He did quite well.

Clara started eating with a spoon. Good news is that she's growing... bad news is she's messy. :-)

Meet Connor, birthday party attender extraordinaire. He particularly loved his best friend T's party. He could eat the cupcakes!

Did you ever...

2007-12-17T21:59:00.000-05:00

have an intense longing? A feeling you may have missed something? The idea that you should have worked harder at something? I'm feeling a lot of that right at this minute. Hmm... what to do about it?

Babies in the Snow

2007-12-13T19:29:00.001-05:00

So we've had a nice little day at home today. As I said, practically the whole state shut down. Significantly for us, that meant Connor's flu shot appointment was canceled again. Let me tell you how heartbroken I was. Can you see my tears? I think I am going to take this as a sign that he doesn't really need the flu shot that badly. Boo hoo.

We headed out right after lunch for a little snow time. The kiddos got to try out their fancy new duds - boots and snowsuits. Both handled them well, although Clara couldn't get up if she fell over. It was very funny. I started out carrying her across the street to be social and she began her all to familiar cry of "WA! WA!" (meaning, of course, walk!) I would set her down, look for Connor (off playing), and turn back to her on her hands and knees. I gave her time to figure it out, but soon the cries for "Hep!" would begin. Eventually she just gave up and started crying "Hep!" as soon as she bit the dust. All in all, they both enjoyed it. Hopefully, it's not too icy in the morning to get some fun snow time in!

Snow day

2007-12-13T07:48:00.000-05:00

So the entire state is shut down... we're expecting 3-6" of mix here. Sounds like fun!

What to do?

2007-12-05T14:26:00.000-05:00

On a cold winter's day (well... nearly winter's day), there isn't much to do except head for the local children's museum. It's a cute little place with lots of things to entertain your typical rambunctious preschooler.

This is the clearest picture I got of Connor. It wasn't just the phone camera to blame for this, it was also the fact that he will not stop moving while we're there. There's always something different to do and pretend and try-out...

Clara slowed down for me a little, although she was really active herself. She really liked the fishing boat (which is where she's sitting) and had a lot of fun in the Mexican restaurant.

So far it's been a great day!

Our little tradition

2007-12-03T23:47:00.001-05:00

Clara and I have started a little tradition. It's called Dunkin Donuts. Hehe. While Connor slaves away at school, I enjoy coffee and Clara enjoys half of a bagel. We pick it up on the way home from dropping Connor off and then sit and watch a little Regis and Kelly. That's the easy life for you. ~:-)

A little freaked out

2007-12-03T15:07:00.000-05:00

All the sudden all my bookmarks have disappeared. I am a little freaked about this. Yes, I'm running all the various scans and such, but nothing so far. We'll see what comes of this... and how long it takes to rebuild my favorites. AAAHHHH!!!!

UPDATE: All is well again! I went to the Firefox site and got directions to find them again (since they weren't anywhere obvious to me). Life is back in order again!

On a controversy

2007-12-01T21:37:00.000-05:00

So... yet another movie is coming out based on yet another book. Hmm... I must admit that I am a little concerned about the whole killing God thing and the interviews the author has given, but I can't say that leads me to a boycott. I haven't even read the book. Anyhow, someone already wrote a brilliant summary of my feelings on this subject...

Mark Lee on The Golden Compass

Yup... that about states it for me. Personally, I won't see it until it hits video... but that's because I'm lame and can't find a babysitter. ~;-)

Dec 1st

2007-12-01T14:41:00.000-05:00

Brought our first snow of the season! As I was nagging Connor to put his socks and shoes on and as he was dancing around and generally ignoring me as usual, he looked out the window. What is it doing except pouring down snow! I mean pouring, which was really odd because the sun was shining. We literally had a snow shower. In two minutes it was finished. Connor was sad (he had immediately run to put on his snow pants), but I was not. We really needed to get to Target!

It should snow more tomorrow and Monday... we'll see if anything other than slush comes of it. Gotta love those forecasts that are rain turning to snow turning to rain turning to snow....

More bad news on the allergy front

2007-11-20T13:55:00.000-05:00

Poor Connor. We had his allergy appointment at the end of last month. This is when they look him over in general to see how he's doing. They also run blood tests to check reaction levels to various allergens. Poor kid. His reaction to egg and milk are staying the same. Boo. I really don't like having to worry about the Epipen and would really like him to "grow out" of these... but it seems that won't be happening, because he's also highly allergic to shrimp and lobster. What a bummer. At this point I am sooooo thankful that the little voice in my head told me not to let him try the grilled shrimp over the summer. We would've ended up in the ER.

It's funny how just when I think I'm handling his allergies okay another little wrench gets thrown in the works. Bah!

Musicals

2007-11-18T09:24:00.000-05:00

Does anyone else have serious trouble passing up an old musical when it's on TV? No matter how corny they may be at times, I just love musicals. This morning, The King and I is on. As I was straightening the living room, I found myself frozen watching Anna and the King dance around the ballroom. Even my non-romantic self has imagined myself as Anna in that famous scene. Oh... how I love a musical!

My boy...

2007-11-14T09:16:00.000-05:00

Cute, ain't he?

I told you...

2007-11-11T21:41:00.000-05:00

I'd show you the view!

Gotta love it! We've been past peak for about a week... the wacky weather (strangely warm) kind of weirded out the trees. But the weather is getting in gear now! We've officially pulled out the coats and gloves (Connor thinks gloves are soooo cool). During the day it's been in the upper 40s, but as soon as the sun goes down the temperature plummets. My handy dandy thermometer said it was a low of 29 last night. Brr. Good thing I love cold weather!

Ha!

2007-11-09T09:23:00.000-05:00

Even if you're not fluent in ASL (which I'm not), this is soooo funny!

OMG!

2007-11-07T12:23:00.000-05:00

Yes, you are reading that right. It surprised me so much I turned
around to take this picture. Thank goodness I don't get gas as
frequently here as in Virginia... we would be broke!

Shoes

2007-11-04T18:38:00.001-05:00

Clara's shoe fetish continues. Anytime she sees an abandoned shoe she
just has to put it on. Right now Connor's shoes are her favorites.
She's so cute!

Halloween Rocks!

2007-11-02T08:25:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I have told you this, but I've always felt a little stunted when it comes to Halloween. I'm not very creative when it comes to costumes, I always forget to make time for pumpkin carving, I don't really understand begging for candy door to door... but this year I understand. It was so much fun watching Connor. I get it now.

Anyway, we had Buzz Lightyear and Tinkerbell come visit us last night. Connor LOVED being dressed up. Clara didn't mind either. I expected her to pull at and fiddle wih her costume all night, but she didn't mind it at all.

Clara decided to "taste" the pumpkin. Looks like it was really yummy.

To Infinity and BEYOND!

Our pumpkin. Connor wouldn't stick his hand inside. In fact he looked at me like I was crazy when I told him he needed to take the guts out. "I'm not," he said and then he went and played a computer game.

Hope you had a good holiday. I'm looking forward to November. It's one of my favorite months!

Testing

2007-11-01T13:38:00.001-04:00

I'm testing out posting by email... we'll see how this turns out!

Much better

2007-10-29T19:58:00.000-04:00

I had a great day today. The weather was brisk. The sun was shining. The kids were in a good mood. It was a good day. ~:-)

Some photos

2007-10-26T22:32:00.001-04:00

So... I'm pretty sure you've been missing seeing photos here. I sure miss seeing them! So here are a few.

Connor has been a real goofball lately. He's so funny! He also wants to do everything Clara does... whether it's being flipped by Daddy, riding Clara's school bus... or wearing her headband!

A few days ago Clara was upset she couldn't get her kitty to ride the motorcycle. I helped put kitty on and was a little surprised when Clara rushed to climb on behind her. She played this way for about 10 minutes... an eternity for a baby.

This picture reminds me that I totally believe in the differences between boys and girls. Clara loves anything you can hug. Give Clara a baby and she will give it kisses and try to feed it. Connor didn't even notice babies... unless he needed something to throw. Now he does love to take care of them. They have a doll center at PREschool. His teacher said if he can't do a building center he heads straight for the dolls.

I had noticed that Connor was wanting to play with his blocks a lot. Each morning when I get him from his room he has usually built something. Today I built with him for a little while. I'm amazed at how much he's growing. We built a house for the little people doggy. It had to have a door and we had to figure out a way to cover the windows while doggy took a nap. I grabbed the opportunity this afternoon to take a few pictures of him creating. It was fun watching him deliberately pick out colors and shapes of blocks. My baby's growing!

The seasonal blues strike.

2007-10-26T00:55:00.000-04:00

I think that's the issue anyway. I've been super distracted, anxious and a bit blue lately. I think its the season change (damn sunlight!), but it might be delayed reaction from the upheaval at the beginning of the month. Anyway, I'm trying to crawl out of my hole. I had a good day yesterday and today was fairly good too (even with the rain) so hopefully I'm nearly finished for now. So anyway... just thought I'd let you know...

Fall?

2007-10-20T21:59:00.000-04:00

Yeah... so it's supposed to be 72 here tomorrow and near 80 on Monday. Fall? What's that? My favorite time of year is disappearing. I'm sure it will snow in November. BAH!

Upon Viewing Reunion Pics

2007-10-19T23:44:00.000-04:00

Ok... so my 10 year high school reunion was this last weekend. I wasn't there. Boo. I really did want to go... but it wasn't really worth the 12 hour drive by myself with 2 kids. That and several of the people I really care to see weren't going either. It would be no fun alone without Michael anyway... who am I kidding? I didn't want all that high school drama reappearing in my life. There is a reason we grow up and move away from that stuff... I don't want to worry about if I look fat or how far I've gone since then or if my kids are superstars or not. *sigh* Maybe next time, although I don't really ever see myself enjoying that experience.

Now don't go taking me as the recluse who hated life then or anything. I can't say as I was always the happiest thing (hey... I was a teenager!) but there are things I have missed from high school. I was a kid... no worrying about feeding my own kids or making sure the house is sold. That is a wonderful freedom. I miss living for drama and chorus. Seriously, is there anything more important in life? I miss my friends. It's funny how you can look back and know exactly who your friends were... even if you weren't so sure back then.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to tell your then self to relax?

The downfall...

2007-10-11T14:41:00.000-04:00

of not having your own house is you get little notes stuck in your door telling you to clean your back porch. I must say this has me a little grumpy. After cleaning the garage on Monday we had A box left that wouldn't fit in the trash can, so we set it on the porch near the cans. I also set a car seat we're trying to get rid of in there. Our grill lives on the porch as well as the stroller (and they have all summer). That's it. What's more, I spent quality nap time outside on Tuesday sweeping the porches... the walls, ceilings and floors... and have put out new pretty mats and there's a wreath on my door now. Yes... I'm frustrated. Now if they had left me a note to clean my kitchen...