People I'm rooting for to be back on top...

Britney




I love her. I do. Always have.

Bless her heart. Where were her parents when things went so awry? I'm glad her Dad has stepped up. I'm glad she appears to be getting it together. I think she's just a cute girl who can dance and made it big. But she probably should've stayed a sweet girl from a small Louisiana town and been the dance teacher there. Ya know? I think it could've saved her a lot of grief and aggravation.

But she's famous. She's an awesome performer. She's making good choices now.... it seems. And I'll always root for her.

Mel Gibson



I feel for this guy. I read somewhere that he's bipolar and his now ex-wife used to keep him on his meds. And when she filed for divorce, he spiraled out of control. I don't know his whole story or what demons he battles. But I think he's a good person. And I think he has some knowledge of Christ. And while I don't think he'll ever be a superstar again, I want him to keep it together and earn back some respect.

Bob Saget :)



Ok, so Bob Saget was never really on top of the charts, and he was incredibly goofy on "Full House" but I liked him as the host of "1 vs 100" (and he played a really good dad on FH). And I guess what I really miss are the shows like "Full House", "Growing Pains", "The Cosby Show", and "Family Ties". I love the comedies I watch now. I love reality TV. But nothing compares, in my mind, to funny wholesome prime time viewing.


Matthew Perry



If he's on a show and I don't know about it, please tell me. He's so cute and funny. He deserves a career beyond "Friends". Although I'm so accustomed to the way he delivers lines as Chandler Bing, I may never be able to appreciate him as anyone else.


And in other news, People who are currently on top but I can't wait til they're not....

Oprah



See ya! You have a few fun shows every now and then, but your thoughts and opinions don't have to be mine just because you're rich.

Jay Leno



What you did to Conan O'Brien... shameful. I dislike you greatly. (But I like you more than David Letterman.)

and the list goes on and on...

Really I'm not super thrilled about most famous people right now. Which is kinda strange because I was that kid that got a People magazine subscription in 7th grade. I would beg to stay up late to watch Tom Cruise on "Entertainment Tonight". And so on.

Then I realized they're all morons. They think they're political advocates and environmental experts. Make your movies. Earn Get your bazillions of dollars, be pretty, and make the rest of us feel like crap because we have neither stylists nor the benefits of air-brushing. That's really all you're good for.

But c'mon Britney, Mel, Bob, and Matthew. I'm rootin' for ya!!!!!

This makes me smile

A History of Rap... (in case you missed it)

I LOVE THIS!!! Why?

Because I love hip hop. (if you didn't know this about me, you should.... and you do now.)

Because Jimmy Fallon is hilarious!!!!!

And because I've had the biggest crush on Justin Timberlake since he was on the Mickey Mouse Club.

BOOOOOO!!!! From what I can tell, NBC has taken down all of the videos of Justin and Jimmy due to copyright issues. Sorry. Ignore this post, I guess.

But on the bright side, you may (or may not) have learned that I like hip hop, Jimmy Fallon, and REALLY like Justin Timberlake. :) And that also makes me smile.

Thursday Thoughts

Let's have some random thoughts on this here Thursday...





1. I figured out what was up with my blogger. Did you remember when I asked fellow bloggers what their toolbars looked like because when I blog, it's hard to do anything? It turns out I've been blogging under the "Edit HTML" tab, not the "Compose" tab.


Oops.

This makes a HUGE difference. I've been blogging blindly. (Wow, say that 3 times fast.) When I added pictures, I could never tell what order the pictures were being uploaded in without hitting "preview". The font was all screwed up. All because I've been blogging under "Edit HTML".

Duh. So stupid sometimes.

2. I've seen God at work a lot this week. I guess my eyes have been opened more. Our Monday study of Revelation has been so cool, and I really walked away Monday feeling like a player in the game of life. Like what I do matters in eternity. Like God really does have a plan for me... right now... today. And I've just noticed Him so much more this week.

Things that were bugging me... I can now see how they have a purpose. It's pretty exciting.

3. Caroline knocked over a lamp yesterday and then played with the broken light bulb. Dang.. and I was so close to winning "Mother of the Year". Oh wait... ;)

Thankfully, God was looking out for her... and so was Jack... and I was alerted to the situation and was able to take the potentially deadly--or at the very least, disfiguring--object out of Caroline's hand. Not a scratch on her.

4. I got some ankle high cowboy boots and I'm excited about them. I'm not a country girl, but I think cowboy boots are cute.

5. And I got some knee high black boots that HUG MY CALF. FINALLY!!!!! A boot made for stick-legged girls. Can't wait to put on a skirt and those boots.

6. I also got some flats at Kohl's. Simply Vera by Vera Wang. And Mom bought me some skinny jeans for my birthday (as well as the above mentioned calf-high boots). So now all I have left to get is a blazer/boyfriend jacket of some kind and I'll be set with my Fall line up.

7. Fun weekend ahead... Friday night is Amy's episode of "Four Weddings". Tune in. If you go to PHBC, you'll for sure at least see Pastor Sam... and maybe some other people you know... (like me) Ha. I know I won't be on there. And if I am, guarantee you I'm doing something embarrassing. :)

And Saturday--dinner with the Longs!! Can't wait!!!

Enjoy this wonderful weather!

That's all for now......

Because losing stuff is what we do best...

I lost Jason's set of keys to my car.

I gave them to Caroline to play with to shut her up make her happy on a long car ride months and months ago. I don't know what she did with them. I've searched the car. Who knows where it is. It's like socks in a dryer. It's just gone.

Sunday, we went to Arbor Hills for a Sunday School party. And Jason lost MY key to my car. He was fumbling around with them and didn't realize the ignition key fell into the tall grass until we got to our car to leave. Yay! We're 2 for 2.

So now I'm driving around with the valet key. If we lose that, we are screwed with a capital "S".

Jason's going to get us more keys for the van, but here's the deal...

Keys are microchipped to your car for some who-knows-why reason. So it's like $100 per key. $20ish to get a new key and $80ish to have them reprogram it to the car. Highway robbery!!!

When I lost Jason's key... (well, technically Caroline lost them. not that it's cool to blame a baby, but I'm just sayin') the clicker was also lost. What's that technically called? The keyless entry thing? And that's another $100 to replace. Don't think we'll be replacing that anytime soon.

So anyway... if you value anything... possessions, kids, pets, whatever... you don't want us to borrow it or babysit it... because it is HIGHLY likely we will lose it.

DWTS

A little commentary on "Dancing with the Stars"...

Michael Bolton is really bad, but I feel bad for him because he's trying.

Brandy is trying and she thinks she's good, but I think she's awkward. Pretty. But awkward.

Audrina is gorgeous. She looks great. Spray tan and fake boobs and all. I enjoy watching her.

Margaret Cho REALLY stepped it up this week. She wants to do well. And she's not as bad as I would've thought.

Florence Henderson can move for a woman in her 70s. God bless her. I just get nervous that she's going to break a hip.

Bristol Palin has got some promise which is fun to see. However you feel about her mom, I want her to do well and have fun. Maybe she can shed the rest of that baby weight out there on the floor.

Jennifer Grey is fun to watch. She's doing well, but I almost think that's an unfair advantage. She's a dancer who acts. It would be like if John Travolta never made it big after "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease", and then ended up on DWTS. In that hypothetical situation, he wouldn't be a huge star (which qualifies him for the competition) but he danced in the movies he was in... which makes him a dancer. Not totally fair. Anyway, she'll make it all the way to the end, but I don't know if I want her to win. She'll end up crying over Patrick Swayze again... which bugs me because I saw the "E! True Hollywood Story" about "Dirty Dancing". They hated each other. (Maybe they made amends and the waterworks are real. IDK.)

But the real surprise for me is The Situation. He's not good, but I'm rooting for him. He's not being cocky. And he's not being a jerk. He's been humbled and he's working hard. He almost seems, dare I say, sweet. I like him on this show.

Of course there are other contestants I left out because I don't know them and therefore don't care about them.

Is anyone else watching this season??? If not, sorry to bore you. :) haha

Tonight is Glee... Britney tribute. DVR is set!!!!!

Oh--and did anyone else see that Brad is coming back to the Bachelor?????? I love him!!

Ridin' the rail

Who knew public transportation could be so fun???!!

Dad took Jack on the Dart Rail on Friday. They got on in Plano and rode it to Mockingbird, ate at Burger King, and rode back. Jack had a blast!!

There are millions of funny stories but the kind of stories that you have to tell... It would get lost in translation if I wrote about them.

He learned about riding the blue line vs the red line. He learned about stations and listening for your stop. He got to see firsthand fellow Dart Rail travelers. ;) He got to ride some escalators and elevators at one stop.

It was quite the adventure.

Thanks, Dad, for taking him!





When we got in the car to head to church yesterday, he buckled up and said in true train-riding fashion, "Next stop, Church." :)

It's not over til it's over...

My PawPaw is a great man. He went to be with Jesus a few years ago, after several near-death experiences. But just before he died... I don't really remember how long.. maybe it was 6 months before he died, he asked Jesus to come into his heart and save him from his sins. We had no idea that he wasn't a Christian. He had grown up in church. He had taken my mom and her brothers to church. His wife taught Sunday School for years and years. But he had never made that decision until he was in his 80s, and it became very clear at that moment how gracious God had been to spare his life so many times. We are so thankful that PawPaw's in Heaven right now.

..........................................................

My cousins' grandmother is 81 years old. Several years ago she was in horrible health, on her death bed. Someone prayed over her and said that her last days would be her BEST days. (Which, at the time, made no sense to anyone because she was miserable and clearly dying.)

Clair had a hard marriage that ended in divorce 40-something years ago. He was a jerk. Didn't treat her well. Left her and the kids. And it just kinda seemed like life had dealt some tough cards along the way.

Well, God healed her when it seemed as though she was on death's door and extended her life, though she still got around with a wheelchair or a walker. She was able to move into an assisted living nursing home and has been content and at peace.

Then it happened.

Not long ago--a couple of months at the most--she met a 92 year old man whose wife had died several months earlier. They hit it off and it has done WONDERS for her health. No wheelchair necessary anymore. No walker required. She's in love and she's happy and it's AMAZING what that can do for a person. :)

My parents met Brad (that's his name. "Brad". Sounds younger than a man who's 92, huh?) and they said he's spry. You'd guess he was in his 60s by looking at him. Active and charming.

Clair and Brad are getting married tomorrow. :)

Isn't that the sweetest thing? Brad's kids (and grandkids and great-grandkids)couldn't be happier for him. Clair's kids (and grandkids and great-grandkids) feel the same way. They're in love. They're happy. She's moving in with him at his "active seniors" apartment. No more nursing home for her.

As family has put it... It's like Brad was God's way of giving Clair what she had deserved all along from a man. A kind man who makes her happy.

And maybe--just maybe--that prayer that was prayed over her when she was sick... "That her last days would be her best days" was prophetic.

I'll tell you one thing I've learned from these 2 stories... It's not over 'til it's over. And there's not one reason why God can't continue to work in your life until the day you draw your last breath.

He doesn't just care about the young and the able. He cares about all of us. We won't get to a certain age and no longer be important to Him. He's always writing our story and adding to it. That's exciting to me. :)

And, on a less spiritual note, age is a state of mind. Get happy. Get out of bed. Get dressed. And that just might do more for you than any pill could. ;)

Friday Favorites

I can't think of anything to write about, so I'm stealing posts now. Sorry.

Here are my Top 5 Friday Favorites:

1. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir songs that I just downloaded and put on my iPod. I can hardly wait to run on Sunday.

BTW, I've noticed that when I run to Christian music, I feel much more grounded and centered (for lack of a better word) for the rest of the day. When I run to Britney, Beyonce, etc., I feel like I'm preoccupied with the way I look and my body and whether or not I'm getting toned.

It's weird. Same workout but I'll have a different focus depending on my music.

2. Jack and Caroline's budding relationship.

She LOVES him. She seeks him out. She will walk over to him while he's laying down and tickle him and laugh. Then she'll run away so that he'll chase her. And he always does. But in a very careful "I don't want to scare you or hurt you" way. It's precious and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

3. The school-wide picnic we attended last night.

Sarah's school had a back to school picnic, complete with bounce houses, carnival games, rock climbing walls, raffles, and a DJ. It was incredible. The kids had a blast. I wish I had remembered my camera. It would have been cute to have pics of Caroline at 14 months on a playground where she'll spend K - 5th grades.

4. The hopes and promise of cooler weather.

I know it's offically Fall already, but I'm optimistic that consistent Fall-like weather is on its way.

5. The bus stop in my front yard.

Sarah riding the bus makes my life so much simpler. And the fact that she gets off the bus in my front yard is EVEN better. It's wonderful!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!! It's FRIDAY!!!!!!! Yippee!!!

New "American Idol" Judges

Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as judges on "American Idol"????

I don't know how I feel about that.

I haven't watched religiously since the first season. (But back then I was REALLY into it. I even voted for Kelly Clarkson all the time--I'll admit it.)

And I vaguely remember being interested and watching the year that Carrie Underwood won.

So I'm not coming at this from a die-hard AI fan. Just scratching my head over J- Lo's choice to join the cast (Maybe she wants something predictable and steady since she has twins.???) And I guess Steven Tyler has nothing else going on. ??

It just makes them seem like such "has beens" to me. And maybe they are.

But Steven Tyler. C'mon. Aerosmith is great!! He should feel too cool to be a judge on a stupid reality show. He's standing next to Ryan Seacrest in this picture, for crying out loud. (And even though I know Ryan is super rich and successful, he's a cheeseball.)

Someone who replaces Paula Abdul (after Ellen gave it a shot) should be someone on Paula's fame level. Like Tiffany. Or a former member of Boys to Men or New Kids on the Block. What are Salt n Pepa doing? There's a long list of people past their prime. It seems like such a step backwards for these two.

Even though I know Steven's brain is fried from drugs and he's arguably past his prime too. Still. He's borderline iconic/legendary to me.

[sigh]
Wow. I'm sure Fox is excited. (I wonder how much they're having to pay them...) But I feel like these new judges should be kinda embarrassed.

Eat at Joe's

Have I ever told you about the last (and only) time Jason and I ate at Joe's Crab Shack?

I'm not sure what made me think of this story, but it's an on-going joke between the two of us.

This story is not for the faint of heart.

I was about 8 months pregnant with Jack. Sarah was about a year old. And Jason and I decided to go out one last time as a family of 3, while it was still simple to go out. It was our last hurrah.

Who picked Joe's? I couldn't tell you. But either we had a coupon or it was Jason because super pregnant with a 12 month old in the heat... seafood is not really what I wanted.

We sat. We ordered. We were feeding Sarah something... little pieces of bread or cracker or something. Then it happened.

The most explosive dirty diaper she has ever had. And let me tell ya--she's had some explosive ones. Wow....

But this one beat all of those. For a couple of reasons. But the main reason is-- we weren't at home. We were in a restaurant. Where other people were trying to have a decent meal.

To give you an idea of how bad it was... we noticed she had a dirty diaper because we saw it running down the leg of the high chair. Yeah. Not good. When Jason went to pick her up, he couldn't hold her normally. He held her FAR FAR away from him, arms fully extended, surveying the damage to the high chair.

He then handed her to me and told me he'd get the high chair cleaned up while I changed her.

While I change her? Why me? I don't even want to be here. I have to walk through the restaurant with everyone staring at my poopy baby and my huge belly (and everyone always stared at Sarah and my belly -- as if they were trying to do the math, I guess, to figure out how far apart my babies were going to be) and change her. Me???

I asked him to do it and he swore that they didn't have a Koala Kare station in the men's restroom. Ladies, if that's true, we need to write letters. Men need to have an equal opportunity to change diapers in ALL public restrooms across this great nation of ours. ;)

So I grabbed her and ran with her diaper bag bouncing on my arm. And, as always, there was a line a MILE long in the ladies' room. They all let me go to the front of the line and head into the handicap stall where the changing station was.

I laid her down, grabbed a diaper, and my pack of wipes, and realized I had like 3 wipes left. I mean, this was a crisis. Like the loaves and the fishes. I needed for these 3 wipes to SOMEHOW clean up a d-i-r-t-y baby from the waist down.

That's when I started to undress her and realize that she wasn't dirty from the WAIST down. Oh no. Poop was up to her nipples. Her nipples! And we weren't at home. I was in a handicap stall at Joe's Crab Shack with 3 wipes and a prayer.

It's never good when the diarrhea is so bad it's up the front... but up to the nipples??

So of course she was wearing a onesie. A onesie where the only option was to take it off over her head. Which means crap (no pun intended) would get in her hair and on her face.

But somehow-- seriously had to have been divine intervention--nothing got on her head. And somehow, the wipes I had were enough. And for some reason, we actually had another outfit in that diaper bag, and I was able--after about 15 minutes of panic-- to get her cleaned up and dressed.

Then I took her ruined onesie and stuck her disgusting diaper in it and looked for the trash can. There wasn't one--except for the one by the sinks, where you're supposed to throw away paper towels.

Sooooo I walked back by everyone in line and they watched me throw that stinky nasty thing away right there in front of them and wash my hands and leave. I got a few mean looks. But what was I supposed to do?

By the time I got back to the table, the food had come. The high chair was cleaned off, and Jason was eating.

Eating? Really? I'm glad he still had a stomach for the seafood. Hmmm... he must have been hungry because HE WASN'T THE ONE THAT JUST LIVED THROUGH THAT DISGUSTING NIGHTMARE. Is this the way it's gonna be when we have 2 kids? I do all the work while he's eating??? (All those crazy hormonal thoughts were rushing through my brain.)

I sat down and pushed my food away. Not being dramatic. But I really had lost my appetite. And I was a little bit ticked at the whole situation and feeling like Jason had gotten off easy.

Just then I looked at him and noticed something brown on his face. Above his upper lip but below his nose. And I thought, "Is that poo??? Does he have poo on his face?" That made me laugh... laugh HARD... but on the inside. I didn't dare crack a smile on the outside. I didn't want to tip him off.

I let him eat with poop on his face. And that--for some sick reason--cheered me up so much that all of a sudden I was hungry again. And had a pretty darn good meal.:) Sarah was, of course, in a great mood because she had just unloaded enough to make a 250 lb man feel better.

We walked to the car, got settled in our seats, and I said, "Hey, baby, is that dipping sauce from your fish, or what is that right there on your face?"

He pulled down the mirror on the driver's side visor and said, disgusted, "Ew...I think it's poop. I was wondering what smelled all through dinner. I kept thinking 'Something's off. Is it my breath? What's so funky?'"

And then (to add insult to injury) I totally lied to him and said, "Wow, babe, I had no idea. I'm sorry. If I had seen it I'd have said something."

I forget how much time passed before I told him the truth and that I knew the whole time and I was just being really mean. But he knows now. And I was sooooo apologetic when I told him, I started to cry from the guilt of it all. And he laughed.

He is so good-natured. One of his best qualities is how well he handles me. :) He can dish it out too, but I don't take it nearly as well as he does. I should work on that.

And now it's our joke. Anytime I ever say, "I'll tell you if [it looks bad] or [if you sound dumb] or [fill in the blank]," he'll always say, "Oh, you'll tell me? Like you did when I had poop on my face and you let me keep eating?"

And ANYTIME we pass a Joe's Crab Shack, both of us get a little nautious.

Smart Cars

Jason compared smart cars to bicycles.... and I have to agree.

(And I mean no offense to cyclists... or smart car owners.)

I understand that we have to share the road with people on bicycles. And ever since Lance Armstrong won so many consecutive Tour de Frances (can you make that plural??) everyone seemed to pick up this sport as a hobby.

I don't mind people on bicycles, trying to get exercise or seriously training for an event. But they start to bug me when they choose really inopportune times to train (like busy times of the day on major streets). And I prefer for them to cycle in groups because it's easy to come up fast on one guy on a bike... without even meaning to.

I also think there are a few people who picked up the sport and don't understand that bicycles have to follow the same basic traffic rules as cars. (I think there are a few bendable rules, but, for the most part, they're the same.)

My big beef... and here's where the correlation between bicycles and smart cars comes in... is when a lone cyclist feels like he owns the road and can weave in an out of small spaces because he knows he's small and you'll stop because you don't want to hit him and kill him. (Motorcycles are bad about this as well.)

Smart cars do the same dadgum thing. They will change lanes at the very last minute to get into a left turn only lane because they know they can squeeze into teeny tiny spaces, and we'll stop for them because if we hit them, we'll kill them. And we don't want to do that.

It's like the short, skinny person who cuts in line with a look like, "I'm just gonna squeeze right on in here, if you don't mind." No. I DO mind. You may be small but you just cut in line and you're crowding me now.

I don't know. There's a pushiness about them. "I'm small. I'm better for the environment than you are. So move. (And you better be watching out for me because I'm not watching out for you.)"

Just like the cyclist.

A loose relationship between the two? Yeah, maybe. But I know what I'm trying to say, and it makes sense to me. :)

Date night

Jason and I went to Chuy's for dinner last night. We headed out around 5:30 (we like eating early), and so we were able to get a table after only a 15 minute wait. (Which I hear is virtually impossible there.)

But the wait could have been much longer, and it wouldn't have bothered me because we didn't have kids with us.

Everything is such a much bigger ordeal/longer process when you throw kids into the mix. Waits for tables can become excruciating torture. I think all parents have an internal countdown clock where you know about how much time you have left before a meltdown occurs. And when some of your baby's "happy time" has been sucked up by a wait for a table, it throws off the whole night.

Last night we didn't have that problem.

I had a Texas Martini and some Baja tacos. Jason had some type of enchilada combo plate and iced tea. (I will always be the one to order a drink. He never does. This used to bother me, but now I own the fact that I like to have a little something to drink almost every night. It's my unwinding tool.)

Our server was very nice. I mentioned that I was asked to show ID when I ordered my drink. Again, I realize that was a waiter trying to kiss up. (That and he probably thinks acne = teenager) But there was a slight problem with Jason's order. There was no sauce on his enchiladas. ?? I don't really understand what happened, but the waiter was very apologetic. And when he brought us our bill, he gave each of us a Blue Bell Push Pop (his treat---wow, big spender. haha) as an apology for screwing up Jason's dinner.

We both agreed the Push Pop was a nice way to end dinner. And neither of us had eaten one since we were kids. Kinda fun.

Then we headed over to Mom and Dad's really fast to pick up my bike!!! (I'll post pics later.) And Dad had gotten me a little trailer thing to attach to it so that I can pull Caroline. CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT OUT!!!

Came home around 7:30. Got the kids in bed. And enjoyed the rest of our evening. Jason put my bike together, while I watched "The Three Amigos". :)

And the best part is... We have something fun to look forward to for the next 4 or 5 weekends. (Including a birthday dinner, a college football outing, Lifegroup social, Parents' Night Out, etc) Yippee!! :) I'm super excited. We're getting out more and having some fun.

Happy Saturday

I really don't have much to write about, but I want to blog because I know, at some point, y'all will read. And you're my friends, and I'm just in the mood to talk to some friends.

We had a snake in the house this morning. I was back in my bathroom, and Jason was outside. But Sarah very nonchalantly told us she saw a snake in the house like the one that was on our patio. That sucker was HUGE!!! So I was flipping out.

She has a wonderful imagination. So I found myself questioning her like, "Are you freakin' serious?"

FYI: I know "freakin'" is probably not a great word to use around my 5 yr old. But snakes freak me the "freak" out... If you get what I'm sayin'. ;)

She wasn't kidding. We asked where it was and she said, "It wiggled away." To which I said, "Crap, Sarah. Where? Where is it? Under the couch? In another room? WHERE IS IT?" (Again, "crap" is not a word I would advise using with your children. Just being honest. I said it. I'm sorry. But in my defense, I hate snakes!!)

There was, in fact, a snake in our house. It was much bigger than a worm but much smaller than the beast that was sunning itself on my patio earlier this summer.

Jason picked it up and pitched it over the fence of our alley neighbor. (Hi, neighbor!! Sorry! You don't have kids! We do. Thanks for understanding! :) )

I also ran this morning. Ho hum! It was a disaster and extremely disappointing. I waited til mid-morning, which meant it was h-o-t!! And people were out with their dogs, hogging the sidewalk. ;) And lots of cars were out and about, turning this way and that. It really breaks your zoned out pace when you have to be mentally engaged enough to consider traffic and whether or not you can cross the street.

Tomorrow morning I have a 6 mile run. I have eaten some pasta and lean protein to prepare myself. (BUT I have also had 2 very strong drinks with very yummy vodka, SO I'm thinking the pasta and lean protein are pretty much null and void.) Oh well. It was worth it. :)

Tomorrow night I arranged for a sitter to come over so that Jason and I could have a Tex-Mex date night. See? I'm trying. Making an effort. Remembering that he needs to be higher than the kids on my list.

Looking forward to that. (assuming I survive the run)

Happy Saturday!! Have a great weekend!

Have to see it in print

Thought of more examples of things that I never knew until I saw them in print...

(Refer to this post if you have no idea what I'm talking about.)

It's fool proof not full proof.

I thought you chunked something in the trash. I had no idea you chucked it.

And it's Daylight Saving Time, NOT Daylight Savings (with an "s") Time.

I'm telling you... I butchered a ton of stuff. I wonder how many things I'm still saying wrong?

Benadryl?

I saw my OBGYN today. The dreaded annual visit. (But is it weird that I was kinda sad that I wasn't seeing him for something baby related?) I like my doctor. I've been to him for 13 years. And I guess I'm just so used to seeing him all the time for baby updates, that it was sad to think I won't see him again for another year.

Anyway...

I was saying that I wanted to get on Ortho TriCyclin for my complexion. And he gave me months of samples, which I soooo appreciate. Saves me money.

But then he said that Benadryl would dry up the 4 or 5 boil-like zits I have on my chin and jawline right now. ("Boil-like zits" is my own terminology. He didn't say that to me. But I bet he was thinking it.)

Benadryl? Really?

Hmmm. I'm not entirely sure that's sound medical advice or that he even should be telling me that. (I will not disclose his identity just in case he could get in trouble for suggesting the use of Benadryl for anything other than its intended use. haha)

But I'm thinking that I'm gonna try it. Crazy as it may be.

If it works I'll let you know. If I end up allergy free but still broken out, I'll let you know that too.

He didn't say how often to do it or how long I should have to wait to see results.

But I'm sure there's nothing wrong with experimenting with over-the-counter drugs. So I think I'll wing it. The FDA would most definitely approve. ;)

Sites on Nate's show

I had a doctor's appointment today and was watching TV in the waiting room. Nate Berkus has a show now. Who knew? Should've known. If Oprah likes you, you can do anything you want.

I got to see a segment on finding cash in your home. I'm always looking for extra cash, and I'm currently trying to save up some spending money for a girls' trip to NYC in the spring. So my ears perked up.

It's all done online, so I wanted to share the info.

Cardpool
www.cardpool.com

This site allows you trade in gift cards that you receive as gifts that you know you'll never use. You can either trade them in for a gift card from another store that you actually WOULD use, or you can get cash for your card.

The example they had was of a woman who had a $25 gift card to Bath and Body Works. The site would give her $17 cash for that card. So she's not getting $25 back BUT she didn't pay for the card anyway. And it's better to get $17 cash than $25 in lotion she won't use.

Rentalic
www.rentalic.com

This is a site where you can rent things that you don't necessarily want to buy. Maybe it's a power tool for a weekend. Maybe it's a sewing machine for one little project.

But it also allows you to rent out your stuff. If you have a sewing machine that you never really got the hang of, rent it out. If you have a bike that you're not riding, rent it out.

I guess you'd have to do the cost/benefit analysis of potentially renting it out multiple times VS selling it on eBay or craigslist. But still I thought it was an interesting idea.

Gazelle
www.gazelle.com

This is a site that will pay you to dispose of your outdated gadgets and electronics properly. They will send you a box to ship them your old video camera, let's say, and then pay you for it.

My old camcorder would get me $34. Not a ton of money. But it's outdated technology and that's probably more than I could get on craigslist. And I feel like I'm doing something good for the environment.

If you just upgraded to an iPhone and are looking to get rid of the Blackberry you had, I think you could get as much as $80 for it.

Old laptops. Things like that.


This is the info they had on the show today. I haven't tried or used any of these sites. So I'm not recommending them or telling you that it's a great deal. I don't know.

I only wanted to pass on the info, in case you wanted to check them out yourself. :)

Oh joy

Sarah came home with a Marathon Log sheet. She has 6 months to run, jog, or walk 26.2 miles. We are to log each mile she walks. Every 5 miles she's supposed to take her log sheet in to get some type of incentive. If she completes the marathon, then she gets a Tshirt and some sort of medal I think.

All I heard when I read that was... "Here's a sheet you have to keep up with for the next 6 months, Mom."

Certain areas of my house are like black holes. I hope that flimsy little 8 1/2 x 11" sheet of paper doesn't make it's way into one of those black holes, or it's a goner.

Running in the dark

I have to run first thing in the morning, while everyone is sleeping. It's really the only time that works with the daily schedule. So I roll out of bed and hit the pavement while it's still really dark outside.

I usually feel pretty safe. There's only been a couple of times where I got an eerie feeling and started praying. :)

To make Jason (and my parents) feel better about my running solo in the dark, swerving off and on semi-busy streets, there are several things I do in the mornings.

First (and this has nothing to do with running in the dark) I eat a couple of Shot Bloks.



I really like them. They're giant gummy snacks. I'm not a huge Gu fan. I'll take Gu packets with me on longer runs of 8 miles or more. But if I'm doing a short run, I stick with Shot Bloks. Just had to stick them in here because they're good. :)

Then I wear reflective gear and a Road ID wrist band.



It has my first and last name. The word "Husband" and his cell phone number. "Parents" and their home number. And "sister" and her home number. Obviously I don't run with a driver's license. So if I were to be hit by a car or injured or anything else, this ID would help other people identify me and be able to contact my family.

Then, by request of my mother I think, I run with pepper spray. For people or dogs or whatever I might need to spray.



Mine is on a little key chain like this and super light and doesn't get in the way when I run. (Truth be told, though, if I had to use it, I'm not sure I would know how. I should probably practice.)


When my runs get longer, I copy maps of our neighborhood or neighborhoods where I run and highlight different routes in different colors.



I leave a copy of the route that I'm on, along with a Post It note for Jason with the time I left the house on it.

I try to change up my route every so often. I don't like to have a routine or a pattern. The psychology of changing it up makes running more fun. And in case anyone creepy is around, I don't want to be predictable.

It would probably be way more fun with a running buddy. But I like the solitude. I like listening to my music and escaping.

I just don't want to be soooo zoned out with my headphones on that I'm not aware of my surroundings.

So these are all the things I do every morning to make my family... and me... feel better about running in the dark.
Maybe it'll get better when we have the time change in November? Or will it be even darker in the mornings then? I can't remember. All I know is we "fall back".

Yes, I need you

I'm working on being needier.

Is that weird?

It bugs me when women can't handle things on their own. And I wouldn't consider myself a feminist. I just think we can be strong. We are smart. We are capable. We don't need men to do every thing for us or with us.

Yesterday I had to take all the kids to the doctor for Sarah's checkup. The wait was over an hour. Sarah had to have blood drawn and they each had a flu shot. Lots of tears. Lots of drama. I was exhausted. But I did it alone. I don't need Jason for that. I can do it. I WANT to do it.

I've always said he doesn't call me to help him with a presentation at work. I don't want to call him and ask him to help me at the pediatrician's office.

We're partners. He handles the work stuff. I handle the home stuff. I'm quite capable of that. I don't want to be weak and need him too often.

But sometimes my independence takes an unhealthy turn. I start to think too highly of myself and too lowly of him. Does that make sense? I start to believe to a certain extent that, in some situations, he's unnecessary. What an awful thing to think. I'm sure that makes him feel horrible.

I know he wants to take care of me. Other than simply financially. And I'm working on letting him. I'm working on--not just delegating tasks--but speaking up and telling him how he can support me in other ways.

For example, my race is December 5th. The plan was that I was going to ride the Dart Rail to downtown Dallas and run. I'd get my finisher's medal, take my picture, hop the train back to the station where my car is parked, and meet Jason and the kids for brunch.

I didn't ask Jason to go with me. I figured he wouldn't want to. What would he do with the kids? Bringing them would be a hassle.

But the reality is that there are ways to have someone else watch the kids. And it would mean a lot to me to have him at the finish line, proud of me. And instead of being independent and allowing this to be one other thing that I do on my own--separate from Jason-- I'm going to ask him to go with me. I'm going to not worry about inconveniencing him. I think he'll want to go. Because he loves me.

I'm pretty sure that I make him feel like he's in the way. And I don't want him to feel like that.

I can't whine like Scarlett did in "Gone with the Wind" and plead for Jason's help as though I can't do things without him. (I was that way after Sarah was born, and I didn't like myself then.) That's not me anymore. And to me, that's not attractive.

But becoming so fiercely independent that I've lost some of my femininity and part of what endeared me to him is not what I want either.

So I'm going to try to be a little needier. But not in a task master, delegating, ordering him around like he's a child kind of way. Just in a "I'm gonna let you take care of me more often" way.

Birthday Party Talk... (not mine)

Forgive me if any of this is a repeat of info. I can't remember what I actually blog about and what I think about blogging about but never do... I could go back through my old stuff and read, but no thanks. :)

Jack will be 4 on October 13. Fourth birthdays in the McGlamery house is the first big birthday party where lots of friends are invited, and it's a destination party--meaning: It ain't happenin' here. (And then 5th birthdays are scaled back to just a few friends at the house.)

This wasn't really a rule we came up with from the start. It's just the way we've been with Sarah, and we're trying to keep it consistent.

Jack wants to have his party at The Little Gym. So I reserved the time yesterday.

But in true Jack fashion, after putting down the non-refundable deposit, he decided that he didn't want to have a gymnastics party. He'd rather have a Pump It Up Party.

Nope. We're having a gymnastics party (that we're having to find a way to work in the budget) and you're going to love it.... or else. :)

So there can be 12 kids at the party. I laugh at the idea that Jack even has 12 friends (even though I know he does). That seems like a lot though. But now I have to think about who those 12 are.

7 of them are going to have to be kids in his preschool class. Right? That's the deal with having a child who has a birthday during the school year. When there are only seven other kids in your class, you have to invite all seven. ??? (I'm secretly hoping one of you is going to leave a comment and say, "No. It's totally fine if you pick and choose." haha)

The thing with inviting all of them is that there are a couple of boys I don't know. Jack has come home everyday telling me that one boy in particular either hit him or didn't obey or ended up in time out for some reason. That sounds like someone who has little self control. Which sounds like a behavior problem at the party. Yuck. I don't want that.

But...

I can't hurt feelings and Jack is definitely not discreet enough to understand who he can talk about his party to and who he shouldn't. He's 3.

So I'll invite all of them and hope there are no major issues. Then he has a couple of girl friends from his Sunday School class who he wants to invite. So that'll be the guest list.

Here's the other small problemo...

The only time slot they had available was on a Saturday at 5:30.

I need to call them today and figure out how much time they allow for cupcakes and stuff because I'm wondering if I need to bring pizza too.

5:30 is an awful time for a party if you don't serve dinner. I know. And I'm afraid that's what every mom is going to think too.

Plus that's awfully late to have a sugary cupcake.

And... the fact that it's a Saturday night is rough because Saturday nights are hectic if you go to church the next day. All the kids have to be bathed and hair washed. And if you have more than one kid, that's an ordeal. And if one of them is on a sugar high, that makes it even more challenging.

But that's when the party is. As I said, non-refundable deposit--paid. So I'll just apologize to the moms for the late start as they walk in. :)

When all is said and done, I think it's gonna be really fun. Jack's been to a couple of parties there, and they were always a great time! So, even though now he says he wants a Pump It Up party :\, this should be a good one.

(The money we're paying pretty much guarantees that it better be a good one.) ;)

Brain Dump

Wow! I took some Sudafed to clear my head, and it worked!!! (Why do I always wait to medicate? I know it'll make me feel better.) But it also gave me the jitters. I'm shaking like a leaf over here. What's in that stuff?? I don't know, but I am hyped up... I guarantee you, you will be able to tell by reading this post. :) Lots of thoughts. None of them focused.

So let's get started...

Caroline is super coordinated considering she's one of mine. Let me back up and say, that that opinion is based solely on comparing her to Sarah at this age. (I know, I know. Never compare your children. Thanks for the reminder.) Sarah didn't get it together and walk until 16 mos. Caroline walked right at 12 mos. I know that there are some babies that walk at 6 mos. So I'm not saying she's a superstar.

And she can feed herself with a spoon. And she can draw circles. (Not that she knows what a circle is, but she knows to put the tip of the crayon on the paper... when she's not chewing on it.) And she was dribbling a ball around our kitchen. (Soccer dribbling, not basketball dribbling.) But she was intentional and directing the ball where to go.

Now, perhaps this is "normal" and my other kids were just bumps on logs. Or maybe this agility comes from trying to keep up with 2 older siblings, but what if--WHAT IF-- I spawned an athlete. Do you have any idea how crazy that would be? Me? The girl who can't catch a frisbee or play volleyball because the ball might hit me in the face or dive or ski... If I bore a coordinated athletic child, WOW!! Those are Jason's genes coming through...

Speaking of not being athletic, my dad is buying me a bike for my birthday. :) Such a fun gift to get from a parent because it's like being a kid again. It's right up there with getting an Easy Bake oven at 31. I'm getting a beach cruiser, coaster brakes, all that's missing is a banana seat bike. (I might even get myself a basket for it. Just sayin') I can't wait!! I test drove one around the store. And (this is where I'm tying back in to not being athletic), it took me a sec to get my balance and ride that bike. Um, embarrassing!! I'm sure it will all come back to me though. I mean, that's why there's that expression: It's like riding a bike. Right?

Not kidding, you guys... still shaking from the Sudafed. At least I think it's from the Sudafed. What else could it be? The Mucinex? Which by the way, how gross is the name "Mucinex"... Way too close to mucus, which I'm sure is the point but it is one of the most disgusting sounding words ever. It sounds just like it is. Plus the commercials about make me want to vomit--Mucinex in, Mucus out. And the little green guys are running around. Sick.

I haven't been to a Rangers game in years... I think it's been about 8 years. Seriously. And Jason and I have the chance to go on the 28th at 7:00, but Jack's Open House is that night from 7:00 - 8:00. And I can't tell you how tempted I am to skip it. It's come and go. There's not much to see. I know most of the friends in his room. Do I really have to go to an Open House? And, of course, I know the answer is "yes". And we will. He'll never remember that we did it, but he might remember if we don't.

Hey... I was going to start blogging about some things I'm learning in Bible study and on my own personal spiritual walk in a new blog. Not a blog I would ever make public. But as I started to set up my new blog, I realized that this blog right here SUCKS. With a capital S-U-C-K-S. The new blogger posts have toolbars where you can click on stuff to cross out text, click on stuff to add links.... As I sit here typing this post, I have a toolbar with an option for "bold, italics, link, quotes (whatever that is) spellcheck, upload pictures, upload videos". That's it. This other toolbar was way more elaborate.

Fellow, blogger users... what does your toolbar look like when you're drafting a post? How do I upgrade? This format hasn't changed in 2 years and I want the latest format that blogger has to offer.

Ok, I'm going to take this crazy nervous energy and go clean something. I think I could clean the whole house in half the time. Like the Tazmanian devil.

See ya!!

Feeling Sick

I'm not feeling so well lately. So the blog posts aren't coming to me right now...

I'm taking a break for a little bit, and as soon as I feel better, I'll be back.

(Felt the need to explain since I sometimes update my blog 3 times a day. haha)




I'll leave you with a few of my regrets for today...

1. Not securing the lid on my "to go" coffee cup this morning.

2. Signing up for the "Intermediate" half marathon training schedule. (Beginner may have been wiser.)

3. Starting my latest crossword puzzle in ink.

4. Not getting Caroline down for her nap earlier.



Grrr... If only I had a few do-overs.

Have a great week! Talk to you soon.

Just thought of a couple more...

To go along with this post, when you need to see something in print to know how the saying goes...

For all intents and purposes. I used to think it was "intensive purposes".

And lip sync. I thought it was "lip sing" when I was younger.

Ok, random I know... but I told you I'd think of more examples... :)

Looks for Fall

I'm finally going to participate in some trends this Fall. I've wanted to be cute for quite some time, but I can't justify spending money on trends when we need to buy diapers.

But there really are ways to add one trendy piece to a classic outfit and--voila!-- an updated outfit.

Here's what I'm gonna do... Mark my words.

1. A skinny jean



These things don't appear to be going away any time soon, and I, for one, couldn't be happier about that. FINALLY it's en vogue to have no butt. Thank you!!! These are perfect for the bird-leg having, flat-butt girls of the world. And I'm buying a few pair. I'm tired of having sad saggy jeans.


2. An ankle boot



Love boots. I can't do the ones that go up the calf because my calves are too stick-like and they look dumb. But I could work some ankle boots. ;) (Maybe not with a heel this high though.)

The ones I currently own are about 10 years old... square-toed, chunky heel. How long has that style been out? Yeah.. time to update.

3. Ballet flats



No need to say anything really. Ballet flats are cute, comfy, and great for moms.

4. Blazer



Because it doesn't get super cold here (and when it does, it doesn't stay super cold for long) I love the idea of a tailored blazer. I like the look. If it fits well, you look put together. And it keeps you away from being bulky and layered and poofy looking during the winter months.

So those are the pieces I'm hunting for. And with my BIRTHDAY coming up (Have I mentioned I have a birthday coming up?) I think I'm going to ask for some clothes money from Mom and Dad. And I bet TJ MAXX or Kohl's or some other places will have some things at reasonable prices that I can add into my wardrobe without feeling guilty for breaking the bank.

Hooray for Fall!

Photos are all from Piperlime

Carpool line

Okay, this is not going to pertain to hardly any of you, so sorry in advance.

The preschool has a mandatory carpool line for drop off and pick up.

Well, I say "mandatory" but if it's raining, there's no carpool. And if you have a child in Mom's Day Out you don't have to use carpool when you're picking up. It's a little confusing.

As carpool lines go, it's pretty darn fast.

I only have 2 small complaints.

1. You drop off and pick up on the driver's side of the car. This is so backwards to me for a couple of reasons.

A) When do you ever pull over on the left hand side of a road (or parking lot) to let someone out? If you do, you're breaking the law. Here in America, we drive on the right side of the road. If a cop wanted to be a jerk, he could ticket you for parking in front of someone's house facing the wrong direction. So it goes against everything I'm accustomed to, to let Jack out on the driver's side.

and

B) My baby was on the driver's side and then she had to be moved to the passenger side to make the path clear for Jack to get out. Oh, but wait. Sarah needs to get in and out on the passenger side in Kindergarten carpool line (although this hasn't been an issue yet since she rides the bus). So Caroline can't be on the passenger side either. So I've moved Caroline to the middle and Sarah and Jack have been moved to the 3rd row. It's crazy. I'll take a pic and show you sometime.


2. When in a line, ANY line, move forward when you get the chance. You don't have to be right on the person's bumper (or heels, as the case may be), but don't leave such a huge gap that another car could fit in between you and the one in front of you. That drives me bananas!!

The carpool line is long. And with big gaps in the line, someone in the line is getting screwed. Either they're unable to turn from Parkwood onto Chapel Hill, or they're accidentally blocking traffic in some other way because they can't move forward because you decided to leave a gap the size of Texas between you and the car in front of you.

Just move forward.

............................................................

But to clarify just a little... in the grocery store lines.. the ones where you have to unload your cart yourself, be patient. I can't help how fast the sackers are sacking my groceries. I can't help how long it takes the machine to process the card I just swiped. I'm sorry that the cashier wants to take 5 seconds and point out how much money I saved by using my rewards card.

I understand that you're next in line. No need to push your cart all the way up to where I'm standing in anticipation of my leaving. No one's gonna cut in front of you. You're next in line. Your cart has been emptied, and its contents are now sitting on the conveyor belt. Running over my heels isn't going to make your checkout experience any faster. If I promise not to dawdle, you need to promise to back off.

Moving forward and being a bully with your cart are 2 different things. ;)

A little lesson in confidence...

Sometimes I think I must be one of the most ridiculously insecure people on the planet.

I'm very aware of myself, and the times that I'm the most "me" is when I let that go. When I'm on my blog, for example, I feel free to be who I am and voice what I think. I can ramble and then re-read and omit a sentence or shorten a paragraph when I realize I'm getting too chatty. I gain confidence behind a keyboard.

In person, I can't edit like that. So I'll be comfortable in a situation, talk a lot, and then go home and "re-read" (so to speak) the conversation in my head and wish I could go back and edit.

My thoughts will be things like: "I talked too much." "I talked too fast." "I'm too animated when I talk." "I made no sense." "I wonder if I offended [fill in the blank] or if [fill in the blank] knew I was joking." Sometimes my sarcasm in print, which by the way I always intend as humor, translates as rude face-to-face. Or, at least, I fear that it does.

So I'll think and rethink a situation until I've driven myself nuts over it. I'll decide that I probably annoy people so I should probably keep my mouth shut. I'll blog later, and people can read if they choose to.

That's one thing I love about the blog. You can choose to read this... or not. If I were with you in person, I'd probably be wondering, "Does she wish that I would shut up?" But I figure if you get annoyed with a post, you'll just quit reading. ;)

Have any of you quit reading this one yet? :)

And one of the strangest things that has come out of my blogging is when someone tells me that they enjoy reading it. I can't tell you how that baffles me. Honestly. Because this is so authentically me. And if somebody found something I said entertaining, then does that mean that I can be entertaining?

I'm the girl who's terrified to speak in public. I'm nervous to speak in a crowd, in general. I very rarely look people in the eye. If I feel like someone's looking at me, rather than look at them and smile, my first instinct is to look down and look away.

The other day I was watching TV and noticing the commercials. Commercials are not for the prettiest of people. Have you noticed that? There are just regular looking folks doing some nationally syndicated ads. And I was thinking to myself, "What gave him the confidence to get an agent and audition for a commercial? Doesn't he realize he's bald and middle aged? Why would he think he had a chance to get on TV?"

And I think part of the answer lies in being willing to put himself out there. I ask myself why someone who's average (or less than average) looking would try to get on TV, and he might ask himself, Why not. Maybe he says to himself, "I'll just audition. If I'm what they're looking for, great. If not, no big deal."

I need that kind of confidence. The kind that doesn't worry so much. To think of myself highly enough to be able to truly think... This is me. If people like it, great. If not, no big deal.

Signs Caroline is growing up...

Oh and I've found her STANDING on the window sill, back against the window. Just balanced there. Scared me to death.

I was vacuuming today and turned around to move some things out of the way. I turned back around, and she was sitting on the ottoman. Had NO idea she could find a way up there.

Man, she's gonna be trouble. And part of it too is that I have my guard down a little bit because I'm distracted by the busy-ness of Sarah and Jack and I still think of her as a baby. Almost like I don't think she's big enough to cause any real damage. Wrong.

Sarah and Jack slept in their cribs til they were 3. It was easiest, and they never tried to climb out. I bet Caroline will be climbing out of her crib before she's 18 mos old.

I'm sure that's more "normal", but wow-- she's a handful.

Signs Caroline is growing up...

1. She only needs to cut two more teeth and she'll have a mouthful. Her smile looks less and less babyish.

2. When we go out, we're trying to remember to put on shoes now. (because her feet are nasty when I forget them). She'll play everywhere and anywhere. She likes to walk on the sidewalk. (She does NOT like to hold my hand.) She likes to climb on slides and stairs at the park.

3. Speaking of stairs, she can climb all the way to the top of ours. And then she stands up and walks to her room at night. (I stand behind her the whole way up and we've not attempted going down them on her belly or bottom yet.)

4. She is weaned. Completely.

5. She can run. She went from walking to running so fast.

6. And because of all this exercise, her thighs are starting to get a little smaller, I do believe.

7. She's "talking" a lot and she understands even more. She understands "no" really well and doesn't like it at all. (Too bad. Get used to it, kid.)

There are a million little things she'll do every week that make her seem more grown up than the week before. She's hitting all of these milestones WAY faster than the other 2 did. I guess she's just trying to keep up around here.

Mmmm..

I'm addicted!! And the little small cups come with their own little spoons attached to the lid.

And because it's fat free and made with fruit, I tell myself it's good for me. :)

Fire Safety

Sarah came home and told me that her Fitness teacher (is that what they're calling PE these days?) said that we needed to talk about a plan to get out of the house if there was ever a fire.

Jason and I had talked about this very thing a month or so ago. We need to get new smoke detectors that also detect carbon monoxide, and we need to connect them to each other. As it is now, a smoke alarm could be going off upstairs but it would not set off any of the ones downstairs. If there's a smoke detector going off anywhere in the house, we need to know.

Thinking about fire safety and evacuation plans, I've once again been made painfully aware that our room is far away from the kids. In just about every other circumstance, that is a great thing. But in the case of a fire, especially one that starts in the attic, that terrifies me. Jack and Caroline both have walk-in attic access in their closets and room. The attic is not above them; it surrounds them.

I told Sarah that Daddy and I would make a plan, and we would practice. Her teacher had already taught her the concepts of staying low in a smoke filled room, feeling to see if a door is too hot to open, climbing out a window if you can't open a door, going to a neighbor's house to call 911, etc.

Climbing out a window. This is the millionth reason why a one story house is better than a 2 story house. Of all the kids, Sarah has the straightest shot to the ground. Caroline and Jack's windows lead to the roof over the patio. So we told Sarah that we would get a fire escape ladder for her room.

We practiced opening her window, which I was relieved to discover she can open unassisted. And we went over her plan. The plan SHE would use to get out of the house. We told her, if she could open her door and run down the stairs and out the front door, then do it. Don't waste any time. Don't run into Jack's room to try to wake him up. Don't look for Mommy and Daddy. Just yell "FIRE" as loud as you can and run as fast as you can and we'll meet you at the mailbox.

We told her that, once we buy a ladder, we'll practice using it. And in case she can't open her door, she should use the ladder and get out. Again, don't worry about anyone else. Mommy and Daddy will get Jack and Caroline. Just get out and we'll meet you at the mailbox.

Unlike the previous post, where we said too much and possibly scared her, this conversation was very productive. She liked having a plan. She likes talking about things like this.

I remember when she turned 4, and the pediatrician told us it was time to start talking about what to do if anyone tries to touch her inappropriately or take her or if she gets lost in a store, she loved to show me that she knew what to do and who to tell. Maybe she feels stronger and more empowered the more we talk about "what if" scenarios. (Although, again, I don't give her detailed examples. We just cover the basics. It's pretty sad that we live in a world where we have to talk about these things with such young kids. But my pediatrician insists that talking about it in a way where I'm not freaked out about it will teach her that she can and should talk to me about anything.)

I don't like this kind of stuff, but it reminds me again how God protects us from things all the time. Things we're unaware of. Thank you, Lord, that we've never had a fire, and please continue to protect us.

Along with finding the idea that all of my babies are upstairs upsetting in a fire situation, the fact that there's 3 of them and 2 of us becomes tough too. I know in an emergency I would have super human speed and strength, and I could grab all 3 of them in one arm and run out of the house in 2 seconds. But just knowing that Jason and I couldn't be like, "Ok you grab her. I'll grab him. Let's get outta here." There's 3 of them. Two people can't get 3 kids in 3 separate rooms simultaneously. So it's this idea of making a choice. Not a conscious one. A reactive one. But still a choice of which room you go in first. Oh, Lord, I never want to be in that situation.

Anyway... It's good to talk about these things. It lights a fire (no pun intended) under Jason and me to get an escape ladder and up-to-date smoke detectors. We need to get our acts together along these lines.

I'm just going to continue to thank God for His protection and pray that He keeps us protected. And every year that the kids get older, the easier it will be for each of them to get out of the house on their own, which is a huge relief.

Must. Stop. Talking.

Have you ever had a conversation with a child and you knew you were saying the wrong thing as the wrong thing was coming out of your mouth? But you can't stop yourself? And before you know it, you've traumatized her.

No?

Oh. Well I have. More than once.

The first time I can remember scarring a child with my poor choice of words was when I was teaching 2nd grade in Frisco about 7 years ago. The class was discussing America and our freedom and how great it is living in the good ol' U.S. of A.

A heartwarming and patriotic discussion.

Until I decided to share that other countries don't have our same freedom. Countries like China. Where they kill babies if they're girls and they cut off your toes to make your feet small. That's why Chinese people shuffle around.

Those words came out of my mouth to a room full of 7 year olds. Baby girls being killed. Toes being cut off. Chinese people shuffling around. All of it spewed out of my mouth before I could shut it fast enough to stop it.

The looks on those kids' faces. Y'all. I don't have the words.

Yep. I got a few phone calls from parents the next day about the nightmares their kids had.

How could a discussion that started with American freedom end with Chinese infanticide? I don't know. But it did.

Similarly... though not as bad because it happened with my kids.. (I think it's always better to screw up your own children than someone else's)... Sarah asked about death tonight. And Jason and I had some less than stellar parenting moments in the process.

It started with Sarah asking, "Why did Jesus have to die on the cross for our sins?"

(And I can't tell you how exciting and terrifying those kinds of questions are. The adrenaline gets pumping and you want to have a perfect, life-changing answer.)

I went into some long answer about how the Bible says that the wages of sin is death... blah blah blah.. animal sacrifice in the Old Testament.. blah blah blah.. perfect sacrificie bridging the gap between us and God...

I don't know what was going on. Finally I was able to stop myself and just say, "So we can go to Heaven."

Then Sarah asked, "What makes you die?"

I knew at this point to just keep it simple. "Your heart stops beating."

Then Jason chimed in, "Lots of things can make you die. Stepping into traffic. Car accidents. Running in the house and falling head first on to the brick fireplace. That's why it's important that you listen to Mommy and Daddy when we make rules and that you stay safe."

Trying to recover from the bang up job Jason just did, I said, "But you won't die for a long time. No one's dying. Nothing bad's gonna happen. We're fine."

Not catching my hint, Jason went on, "You know sometimes you can get sick and die."

Forgetting subtlety at this point, I looked at Jason and said, "Jason, stop." Then looking at Sarah, "You're not gonna get sick and die. It's not like you catch a cold and die."

Then Jason, trying to rebound, "Oh yeah, honey. It's not like you sneeze and die. It's like disease..."

I cut him off. "No one's dying. Don't worry."

She asked, "Will it hurt when I die?"

Before Jason could answer, I just said, "Nope."

"Who will I see in Heaven?"

I told her that all the people she hears about in church will be there. Adam and Eve. Abraham and Sarah. I told her that Sarah and she can sit around and talk about how great it is to be named "Sarah". She started laughing.

Whew. Good this conversation has turned around. It's fun and happy.

Then Jack said, "KK's daddy is in Heaven."

And I said, "That's right. PawPaw is in Heaven. And he's waiting for us."

And, always eager to add to a discussion, Jason said, "That's right, buddy. We all die at different times. Sometimes Mommies and Daddies die..."

Me: "When they're old. Really really old. But no Mommies and Daddies are dying. No one's dying. We're all fine."

I couldn't tell if she was confused. Or scared. Or just over the whole thing. But thankfully she dropped the discussion.

Wow.
Our poor kids.
Sometimes I think they would be so much better off if Jason and I would just stop talking.

This blog layout

Ok, let's talk... I feel like it's the elephant in the room and we just need to put it out there on the table and discuss it.

I changed my layout. Obviously.

I was trying to do a customized header but it's so off-centered from my new background. So I'm pretending that the header is supposed to be like that because I have no idea how to fix it.

And the background. It's busy. Is it too busy? Is it distracting? Do y'all hate it?

I went with it because I wanted a lot of white. I felt like my old background made the text hard to read because it had that little splotchy design happening. And I wanted something cleaner looking. Except the margins are so crazy, that it defeats the purpose of the white backdrop for the text.



Alright. I feel better. I've told you my concerns and issues with this new layout. So now you don't have to think to yourself, "Does she not know her header is off center?" and "Puke, these margins are so busy I think I'm gonna be sick."

I know. I'm well aware. But I don't have the patience or knowledge to fix it. So for now, please look past it... (and I will try to look past it as well)....

UPDATE--

Jason helped me center the header. Thanks, babe! I've been toying with this dang thing off and on for hours. He walked in and fixed it in 2 seconds. 99% of me appreciates his help. And the other 1% of me is ticked that this kind of stuff is so easy for him. :)

Things Jason has taught me to appreciate...

1. Whiskey and coke




Specifically Weller

This is Jason's whiskey of choice. To the point that he has been known to take a flask of it to a party where he was pretty sure the host wouldn't have Weller.

It's not my drink of choice. But Jason introduced me to it, and I can appreciate it. (And tell the difference between Weller and, let's say, Jack Daniels.)


2. The garage
This was always just a place to house cars until I met Jason. For him, the garage is his sanctuary. He loves to get out there and just do stuff. What exactly? I don't know. He's great at building stuff and woodworking... You just have to let him know what you need a year or so in advance because it takes a while.

He's incredibly handy. A Mr. Fix It in a world of people who call repairmen.

He loves to get out there and get away from it all... including me.

I learned this the hard way when we were dating and I followed him out to the garage to continue a heated discussion we were having. He looked at me like, "Woman, what are you doing in my garage?" :)

Now I know I can go out there to say quick things like, "Dinner's almost ready." Or I can go out there to marvel at whatever his latest project is. As long as I'm ooo-ing and ahhh-ing, I can stay as long as I want.


3. Jeeps



The man is into Jeeps. When we were first dating, like third date-ish, I was at his apartment and he was showing me pictures in this album of his family, friends, etc. And in the album... in the ALBUM... was a picture of a Scrambler that he drove in high school and college.

He sold it.

For him, that was like the day the music died. If you ask him to make a list of his regrets, selling the Scrambler would be at the top.

He used to look at them on craigslist all the time. He wants one again so badly.

Anyway, I laughed at him when I saw a picture of his Jeep in a photo album, next to friends and family. I think my exact words were, "It's a car." I still haven't lived that down. (First of all, it's not a car. It's a Jeep.) He was so mad that I laughed. He said that I lost a lot of points with him that night. Apparently, according to him, I don't get it because I never had a Jeep.

Ok.

So to make up for it, I've listened to the ramblings of the differences between CJ-5's and CJ-7's and CJ-8's. (Am I even saying that right?) I'm not sure what he was talking about, but he says Jeeps are cool... so even though I don't understand the infatuation, I can appreciate them.


4. Science Fiction

He likes SciFi. He's a huge SciFi dork.

And I actually haven't learned to appreciate that. I just wanted to throw that in there so you all knew that he was into things like "Battlestar Galactica".


5. Excel

Everything really is easier to understand when organized in a spreadsheet, Jason. Thank you for enlightening me.

Labor Day Mom Confession

Days like today are the super longest days ever!!!!!!!!!!

Having everyone home is cramping my style. :) I love them. I just love them more when they're gone for several hours and then come home. You must leave so I can miss you. How can I miss you when you're ALWAYS there?... everytime I turn around... there you are... needing me.

I think part of it is this idea that it's a holiday so I'm supposed to be fun. We went out to breakfast. We went for a walk. We had a tea party. We're grilling out. We played in the water outside. And on. And on. And on. I'm exhasuted.

On a regular Monday, I would only have 2 kids and no husband. And if the 2 I had were bored, tough. Sorry. You have lots of toys and each other. Find something to do. :) j/k

I've worked hard the last 3 days, especially when Jason was out of town. I'm ready for it to be over now.

I love weekends... just not this really long one...

What if...

Jason and I have talked about what we would do if anything ever happened to the other one.

We had a "what if" plan when Sarah was a baby, made a will, named guardians, the whole nine yards.

But I'm not talking about the legal ins and outs of what would happen if BOTH of us were gone. I mean, what would each of us do without the other.

Jason's plan is a multi-step one. It involves recruiting help from family, reorganizing work schedules, researching day care options for Caroline, hiring a maid, etc.

My "what if" plan is only two steps:

1. Cash in his life insurance and pay off the house.

2. Go back to teaching. And possibly take the kids with me to the school where I work.

Other than that, for the most part, life would go on as usual.

I say that tongue in cheek, but it honestly is far more complicated if something were to happen to me.

And Jason knows it. He's not offended that it would be relatively easy for me to pick up the pieces (schedule-wise. I would still grieve and be an emotional wreck. I'm not completely cold hearted.)

Almost every day, I feed the kids breakfast, lunch, and dinner by myself. I shop with them. Run errands with them. Clean in my spare time. Do laundry (Although Jason is good about helping with that.) More than once, I've been known to bathe and wash hair for all 3 kids single handedly, which is quite a process.

I'm in charge of all schedules, including special events at school and doctor's appointments. It's my job to remember every family member's birthday and other holidays, like Mother's Day and Father's Day. I plan all activities surrounding those days and buy 99% of the presents. Etc, etc.

Jason's the Chief Executive Officer and, at times, the Chief Financial Officer. But I'm the Chief Operating Officer and, with 3 young kids, my position holds some weight.

I'm not patting myself on the back. Believe me I survive, not thrive. Most of the tasks above, I do not do well. But I get them done.

And Jason is completely capable of doing them too. But he doesn't have to. Because he's got me.

(And I'm completely capable of working, but I don't have to because I have him.)

I like the way things are. Don't misunderstand me.

And, for the record, I'm not plotting his demise or anything. ;) These are just some thoughts I had as I was the only parent this weekend.

Maybe it's because of the careers that each of us has chosen... Maybe it's because of our personalities... Maybe it's because I have work experience and know what that's all about and he doesn't have a lot of "stay home" experience to know what it's all about...

For whatever reason-- All I'm saying is that it would be easier for me to enter the workforce and be a single working mom than for him to tackle the homefront and be a single working dad.

I just pray that nothing happens to either of us. Then we don't have to worry about it. And I'd like to reiterate that I'm not cooking up any sinister plans. I promise.

Pictures from yesterday

Yesterday I took the kids to Frisco Commons to play. Then we ran some errands, and Caroline had a nap. After naptime, I bathed and washed the kids' hair for church. And we headed over to Mom and Dad's for dinner.

Here are the pics...

**Disclaimer: These pictures are blurry because of any or all of the following reasons: (a) I was holding Caroline and she kept hitting my arm, (b) I was using the Sony Cybershot that has been dropped a million times, (c) someone was moving when the camera FINALLY decided to flash, and (d)I was in a hurry.

So sorry for the quality, but you get the idea.

This is Frisco Commons... The greatest park, in my opinion. Although I realize it looks as though I'm taking a picture of the parking lot and handicapped parking signs. Note to self: ZOOM IN.



Caroline chillin' like a villain in the swing...





There was a kid screaming in the swing next to her...



"Hey, kid, I'm not sure what your problem is, but this is a park and we're supposed to be having fun. I'm trying to chill. So relax."

Just playing and having a good time. (Please note the smile. My serious little girl is smiling more and more all the time.)





Those little dots that you see standing in the fort-like area of the playground are Sarah's and Jack's heads. I was obviously keeping a close eye on them. ;)




Sarah and Jack...





Dinner at Mom and Dad's... Or really dessert...




Caroline fed herself. She sat in a kid chair at the kid table picked up a spoon and ate a bowl of banana pudding.
She was better with the spoon than Jack is. ;)





Dad was sweet to play with Sarah. They used the Bananagrams tiles, and I think they spelled everyone's name in our family. First and Last. Exhausting.




It was a great day, and we got up and made it to church this morning... not just on time but early. :) Jason is home now and I'm glad to have him back.

I learned a few things this weekend that I'll share in a later post.

Until then... Happy Labor Day (a day early)...