Please Sign

This is a petition on Lifetime's website. It's to give woman who have had a mastectomy the chance to have two days to recover in the hospital. Insurance companies are trying to make this an out patient procedure. Anyone who has had even a minor surgery knows how hard it is to take care of yourself afterward. Please think of these woman.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php

GREAT New Friends

Jeremy's uncle Charlie and his wife Babel are visiting from Germany. Last week they all went out to dinner. I was still sick from having my wisdom teeth pulled and suffering from allergies so I stayed home to rest. From what I understand Lucas just warmed right up to Charlie as if they had been best friends for life. After dinner they went to Opryland Hotel and Lucas wanted to hold his hand the whole night. How sweet! Last night I had to opportunity to meet them, finally. We went up to my mother-in-law's house in Clarksville and had dinner with them. Lucas again warmed right up, it was so adorable. Here are a few pictures we were able to manage. We'll be going out to dinner again this week, so maybe I'll get some better shots then.


We left at bedtime, knowing Lucas would be asleep before we made it to the end of the street. Sure enough he was. He looks so adorable sleeping in his car seat.

Splash

Later Thursday I picked the girls I watch up from school and we headed to the library to get some homework done. We usually sit outside by the fountain first and have a snack. Lucas LOVES to play in the fountain and this day was no acception. This is just about the cheesiest smile I've ever seen. And here he is showing off his 'skills'. He likes to climb up on the edge and dance around. (Yes it makes me a wee bit nervous, but there is only one way to get a picture.)

Round and Round

On Thursday Amy and Ethan came down to run some errands. We went to Opry Mills and had lunch and did some shopping. Lucas has been wanting to ride the Carousel for a long time and what better time then with a friend. Two dollars later we were on the ride. About thirty seconds later I was dizzy feeling like I would puke all over the horses and Lucas was wanting off. I guess at least I know for next time.

Lunch Date

On Wednesday Lucas and I went out for a lunch date at Zaxby's. He had a coupon for a free kids meal that was expiring. As I figured he would, he ate nothing. Well maybe a few fries, but he wouldn't touch his sandwich. Normally when I take him out to eat he's trying to run around all over the place, but this day he just sat nicely and enjoyed his time with his mom. It was so refreshing to just be able to sit and actually enjoy what I was eating instead of shoveling my food in my mouth as quickly as possible. Afterwards we were even able to run a few errands in peace and quiet. Thanks Lucas for a wonderful afternoon!

100 Things

The idea is to write 100 things about yourself. Here goes nothing....

1. I'm the third of six kids
2. I adore ALL of my siblings, I've learned valuable life lessons from each
3. I'm named after my Nana (my mom's mom is also Alexandra)
4. My middle name is after my grandma (my dad's mom is Frances)
5. Growing up I was teased about my middle name being Frances, and so I was embarrassed and never told anyone
6. I know LOVE that I was named after her and try to honor it. She was a wonderful woman
7. When I bought my Jeep at 19 it was my dream car and I thought I'd drive it for the rest of my life
8. I'm glad Jeremy convinced me to get a Honda
9. I love wearing black
10. I knew I would have a little boy months before I found out I was pregnant
11. No one believed me (well, very few people believed me)
12. Every time I threw up while pregnant I'd say a prayer thanking my Father in Heaven that my baby was safe. Someone once told me that the sicker you are, the healthier the baby is
13. I prefer pearls to diamonds
14. My wedding band is a family heirloom
15. No one knows who it belonged to
16. I was born in Newport Beach, California
17. Before I moved from California I didn't know that life existed outside of it
18. I'll never go back, I love my calm life free of trying to impress others
19. I miss my family, I think about each of them every day
20. I want to live in Colorado
21. I love running, but a knee injury a few years ago prevents me from doing it anymore
22. I love to read a good book
23. I can never find time for reading
24. Gerber Daisies are my favorite flower
25. That's what I had in my wedding bouquet
26. I suck at balancing the checkbook
27. I adore anything miniature
28. I LOVE fall, it's my favorite season
29. Coupons are my friend
30. I almost ran out of gas waiting to get gas during the gas shortage here
31. I'm easily frustrated and stressed out
32. This is a recent burden
33. I call my dad almost every day
34. My cat is really fat and I wouldn't have it any other way
35. I think that vintage is amazing
36. If Jeremy would let me, I would vacuum every day
37. I clean the kitchen floor on my hands and knees every day, it's such a waste of time
38. I have naturally curly hair, but I don't like it so I straighten it
39. There's nothing better than a good hair product
40. I will only eat scrambled eggs if my mom or Jeremy cooked them
41. My dad makes the best over-medium eggs
42. While in high school my dad made hot breakfast and fresh squeezed orange juice every morning before seminary
43. I crave my mom's quesadilla's
44. And brownies
45. One of my favorite things to do is read with my son
46. I don't remember what life was like before I became a mother
47. I have at least a few dozen bottles of perfume
48. I used to stay up till 2 or 3 in the morning every night with my mom watching Serendipity and eating chocolate Hagan daz and Hershey kisses
49. Chocolate makes me happy and so I eat it every day
50. I once had whip-lash and didn't know it for over a year
51. I worked in a bakery for two years, and it showed :(
52. After I quit I took care of my newborn nephew. That was the best job I ever had until I had my own baby
53. I miss lunch breaks with my sister eating potato chips with sour cream dip
54. I miss watching my brothers play on the beach
55. I grew up on the beach and after about 12 I stopped going, except the occasional times I took my brothers to play
56. In high school I was never asked out, it affected my self esteem
57. After graduation my brother confused to threatening a few boys that liked me, it made me love and respect him for protecting me
58. I used to go to Starbucks every day, if I could have all that money back I'd be rich
59. I will only drink apple cider from Starbucks, it's delicious
60. Jeremy thinks that spending $3.55 for a cup of hot apple juice is a waste of money
61. I would love to be pregnant again, if I didn't have to give birth
62. I hate my cell phone, it's a piece of junk and drops calls
63. I'm addicted to the sound of Lucas' laughter
64. My husband can make me laugh no matter how mad I am. It's one of the things that made me fall in love with him
65. I married my best friend
66. I currently have about 15 magazine subscriptions
67. I give them all away
68. I have OCD
69. Some times for fun I will completely rearrange the closet
70. I like to hang every thing my type and by color
71. I once left a candle burning all day while I was gone. It scared me so bad I didn't light a candle for almost four years
72. I hold all my tension in my shoulders
73. I rule at Sudoku
74. I believe that crossword puzzles makes me smarter
75. I still don't have a Tennessee driver's licence and I've been back for almost two years
76. I've only had one flu shot, coincidentally that is the one time I can ever remember having the flu
77. I once sold my plasma and when I got home I blacked out, then threw up. I had only been married for a week and Jeremy had to clean up after me. I remember thinking "that's true love"
78. I used to donate blood to Red Cross frequently. I always got sick from it. Then became anemic
79. I'm looking forward to cooler weather so I can sit on my patio in the hammock and drink hot chocolate
80. Lucas and I eat the whipped cream right out of the can
81. I'm grateful every day for the young woman's leaders I had growing up, I wouldn't be who I am today without their wonderful examples
82. I think that I have the best bishop ever
83. I miss living in Utah
84. I think Utah has the worst drivers
85. I never had allergies before moving to Tennessee
86. I don't have a favorite color
87. My lucky number is eight
88. I used to take road trips with my best friend at least once a month
89. She knew that Jeremy and I would get married about two years before we did
90. Jeremy didn't believe me that I tanned until this year, I used to avoid the sun at all costs
91. After trying kettle corn, I can only eat buttered popcorn if it's the movie theater kind
92. I think super Walmart was the best invention ever
93. Target is my friend
94. I have a difficult time forgiving myself
95. I didn't get along with my step dad growing up, but made peace with him the day before I moved to Utah. A year later, almost to the day, he was killed in a car accident. I have never in my life been more grateful for the power of forgiveness.
96. My husband did his temple work a year after his death, and my dad was there with us. It one of the more precious memories I have
97. I believe that my grandpa (who died a few years before I was born) is my guardian angle. In my teenage years I would often to to his grave when I needed a quiet place to think and pray
98. After my grandma's death it took me almost four months before I was able to cry because I was so happy for her. When I finally did cry it was because I missed her so much
99. I love knowing that my family is eternal. I strive to keep that a reality
100. I have a new found confidence in myself for completing this task

I tag: Bishop Bell, Meredith Bell, Laura, Amy, Natalie, and Carin, Megan, Suzanne

Cuteness

I love that Lucas can just get out of bed when he's done napping. Lately since he hasn't been sleeping well, he hasn't been napping well either and thus wakes up a grump. But just now as I sat here reading emails, I heard the pitter patter of little feet. I turned around and there he was...blanket in tow. I told him good-morning and he ran over to the TV. He turned it on knowing that he'd left his Thomas DVD running earlier. The excitement was almost too much to handle. Today is going to be a good day!

TMJ

Or in other words the most annoying thing ever. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint, and it's a condition that causes a misalignment in your jaw which makes life miserable. I was first diagnosed with TMJ back in the beginning of 2004 and was given the advice to wear a night retainer to help prevent me from grinding my teeth. At that time I was told that my TMJ was caused from grinding my teeth. I would grind so hard on that retainer at night that I literally wouldn't be able to chew the next day because my mouth would be so swollen. And after about six months of wearing it, I bit down on it so hard that a piece broke off, at that point I stopped wearing it. I had decided it was doing more damage than good. Even if it did cost me $600 after insurance.

About a week and a half ago I had my wisdom teeth pulled and for whatever reason it started problems with my jaw again. When I went back for my follow up appointment a week later the oral surgeon said that it was imperative that I wear the retainer. I started thinking about it and started researching it a little online. Come to find out it's way worse that just teeth grinding. It's more than likely also the source of my massive migraine headaches. My dad asked my why I was so uptight, and why I couldn't just relax and stop grinding which made me question. But apparently the grinding is your body's way of trying to realign the jaw.

I started wearing that dumb retainer again and spent the first five or six nights not being able to sleep because I was in so much pain. I lost about five pounds from not being able to eat because my jaw hurt to bad to chew. But finally the pain is over with. And already I can tell a huge difference in the positioning of my jaw. As it turns out the retainer isn't to stop you from grinding your teeth, it's to push your jaw back into the proper position. Go figure. I'm just glad the pain is over with.

Politics

Hopefully my political views don't upset too many reading this blog. I'm sure most are fellow Republicans, for the rest I'm sure you'll agree with this article. A friend posted this on her blog and the article is too wonderful not to repost. It's a little lengthy, but well worth the read.

Triage

September 2008

Few full-length movies translate well into successful television series, but the ’70s produced a noticeable exception. M*A*S*H recounted the antics of Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John McIntyre, Radar O’Reilly, Hot-Lips Houlihan, Needle-Nose Frank Burns, Max Klinger (complete with wardrobe!) and other military misfits. Though production of M*A*S*H stopped years ago, we’re still watching.

M*A*S*H did more than make us laugh. It introduced us to the dedicated men and women who battled hostile conditions to save badly wounded soldiers. Often besieged by waves of soldiers airlifted to their doorstep, the medics fought a relentless enemy: time. They needed to make quick but tough choices about whom to treat first. Lives depended on their decisions.
How did they make the right ones? They triaged the wounded. To triage means to sort, sift, or select. Medics prioritized the wounded according to the nature and severity of their wounds. Although everyone needed treatment, some could wait until the more seriously wounded received care. The triage system worked then, and it is standard medical procedure today. If a victim breaks a wrist, cracks a rib, and severs an artery, doctors know what to treat first—and fast.

The need to triage is not limited to physical injuries, for humans suffer in other ways. Triage also applies to the issues of life. By the mid-1800s our expanding country was feeling the growing pains. There were issues about foreign policy and a war with Mexico, the economy, public education, and transportation. But one issue towered over all others—slavery. It so badly infected our culture that when slave Dred Scott escaped to freedom, our own Supreme Court held that he was not a person and must be return to his master. Because we failed to close the gaping wound of slavery, we fought a civil war that killed and injured millions and brought us thisclose to destroying our country.

Our problems today differ from those of past years, but the need to prioritize remains. All issues are important, but we cannot effectively treat them at the same time. So we must dispassionately triage. What wound is causing us to bleed from our arteries? Left untreated, what wound will continue to infect our entire culture? Our triage must guide us as voters in choosing the candidates who will tend to our worst problems first.

What is our greatest and gravest wound? It is legal abortion. It violates our most fundamental and cherished right as humans and Americans—the right to life. In many ways, it is worse than the horror of legal slavery. In 1860, there were about five millions slaves in this country. So far, abortion has killed about 49 million pre-born babies. Unlike slaves, they could not escape the destruction awaiting them. Dred Scott was returned to slavery, but at least he was able to run. To where can the unborn flee?

As an unchecked hemorrhage weakens our bodies, so the gush of blood from abortion has weakened our national conscience. Hundreds, maybe thousands of women have died from legal abortion. Where is the outcry? So far, thirteen women have died from RU-486, the “safe” abortion drug. It is still sold. School personnel unwilling to give aspirin to kids without parental consent give them contraceptives and even help them obtain abortions, all without any parental input. It continues. As for the unborn, they struggled to find protection outside the womb. Barack Obama opposed legislation requiring medical care for babies surviving abortion. We show more compassion to injured animals. His votes are frightfully reminiscent of Dred Scott, and even more so of infanticide. But Obama remains a candidate for president. From all appearances, abortion has bled our desire to care for the most defenseless of all humans.

And abortion has caused massive secondary infections within our culture. Human cloning, embryonic stem cell research, sex-selection abortions, the abortion of the disabled, the marketing of fetal body parts are but a few. Medical personnel are now threatened with the loss of licenses for not being accomplices to abortions. Our culture condones assisted suicide and even the forced starvation of the infirm. It all stems from the loss of respect for life. And that stems from abortion.

No problem has caused the damage done by abortion. No issue requires more immediate care. For like slavery, legal abortion is legalized evil. Whatever our problems may be in the areas of health care, immigration, unemployment, welfare, education, housing, public transportation, even war, we do not allow the intentional killing to innocent human life to solve them. We may disagree about the solutions, but we still seek the good of all. But nothing good comes from abortion. Nothing.

Our most serious wound is abortion, and left untreated it is deadly for the unborn and for us. It must be fixed, and soon, for time is running short. Certainly we should not throw in the towel on solving our other problems. But we must realize that as committed Christian voters, we can put an end to a deadly evil. And we must.

Countless soldiers were given new leases on life because men and women dispassionately made the right calls. By doing the same in November we can close a gaping cultural wound, and save the lives of millions in the process.

Paul V. Esposito is a Catholic lawyer who writes on a variety of pro-life topics. He and his wife Kathy live in Elmhurst, Illinois, where they raise their six kids.
© Paul V. Esposito 2008. Culture of Life. Permission to copy and distribute for pro-life purposes is granted. Visit us on the web at http://www.the-culture-of-life.com/

The Living Room

We repainted. The color we had before was a can of oops paint, and it came out a LOT darker than we had originally thought it would. At first we really liked it, then it got old. It was just too dark. Even with all the lamps on (we have one in every corner...no overhead lights) it was still too dark to sit and read a book comfortably. So we lightened it up a bit. We left the wall behind the armoir dark though, just for some visual interest, and because the armoir is like 600 lbs. So here it is. A view from the front doorish area, a view from the hall and a picture of the corner so that you can see the difference in the before and after. We'll rehang our curtains just as soon as we can save up for a new curtain rod. We need one that spans like 100 inches or something. Those things aren't cheap.

Ode to my Husband

Sometimes we just need little reminders in life. Today I watched a movie called Made of Honor with a friend, it's about about two best friends who fall in love. As I watched I was reminded of how it was for me when I first realized that I was in love with my best friend. Just like in the movie, I was in complete denial, all my closest friends and even my mom all knew how I felt before I did. Then came the day that I realized I couldn't live without him. Waiting for him to realize that he couldn't live without me was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

I'll never forget that night. It started out like any other, Jeremy and I went for a walk around my neighborhood on a cold Utah night. At this point we were dating, but just barely. I was always really careful to tell him just how much I cared about him, because I didn't want to scare him off. (I lived in Orem/Provo.... I'd heard LOTS of stories of guys being scared off). As we walked holding hands, Jeremy told me that the company he worked for offered him a management position back in Tennessee, it meant more money. It also meant being closer to his parents, who are older. He was always worried about being so far from them in case something ever happened. It also meant he wouldn't have to pay out of state tuition any more, and cheaper living. All the pros just kept rolling off his tongue, and as he spoke I began to slowing feel my heart break. Then the tears began welling up in my eyes. I didn't want him to know that I was crying, because I wanted him to make a logical decision about whether or not moving home was the right choice. I didn't want him to do it for 'me'. I didn't say much, if anything at all. As we walked I realized that I may lose the person who meant the most to me. A few minutes later we walked under a street lamp, and he could see the tears rolling down my cheeks. I tried to pretend I wasn't crying, but that didn't work.

By then it was getting really cold, so we went and sat in his car with the heater on. He asked me what my thoughts were and I told him that I thought that if he felt it was the right thing to do then he should do it. He told me that he couldn't think of any reason to stay.... except that he felt like he couldn't walk away from what we had just started. It wouldn't be right to not give us a chance. I some how dug deep within myself and found the courage to tell him that I would go with him. The answer I got was silence. Ouch!

Later I went in and he went home. I was so broken hearted and miserable and I didn't sleep at all that night. I had a million questions running through my mind. I had prayed about whether or not he was the right one for me, and even to this day I've never had an answer to a pray that rocked me to my core as much as that answer did. With the exception of maybe when we started our family, but that was in a completely different way. With this is one of those experiences that I just knew that my Father in Heaven was excited for me and that I had his support. So I was confused about how I could know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was with the person I was supposed to marry, and now here we were in a situation where he was possibly going to move 2,000 miles away. Oh the agony.

The next night we were driving around. (We spent a lot of time in the car site seeing...yes in Provo) and we drove by some beautiful new apartments. Jeremy made a comment about how he wondered how much they were. I asked him why he cared, I guess still a little bitter about him ignoring me the night before when I put my heart on my sleeve, and he said that he thought they'd be a nice place if we got married. I think at that point I was speechless, because it was the first time the M-word had even been mentioned. Let me also point out that he hadn't told me he loved me yet. The previous nights conversation came up again and once again I made my offer to move across the country to be with him...to a place I'd NEVER been before. This time, he sounded like he was shocked and excited all rolled into one. I think his exact words were, "You'd really do that for me?" I asked him if he heard me the night before and he told me that he had. When I asked why he didn't respond the first time, he said that it was because no one had ever made a sacrifice for him before. In relationships he was always the giver and no one was ever willing to do something like that for him. He decided that if I was serious, I'd offer it again.

A month later we flew out to Tennessee to find a place to live and I met his parents. He didn't tell me he loved me until the night after we got home. He drove me up the Provo canyon and carved it in the snow. I can still remember how different it was for me to tell him that I loved him, because he was the first person that I had ever said it too. My first love!

Two weeks later we were engaged.

I remember when we were first married and in that 'honeymoon' phase. I thought it would last forever. And slowly over the last three and a half years life has crept up and the honeymoon phase has slowly crept out of our lives. We've become routine. It's a sad thought. We still have a wonderful marriage. We don't ever yell and very seldom ever even disagree on anything. He's still my best friend and I still can't imagine my life without him. But tonight as I was watching that movie, I realized that when we first started dating I was so wrapped up in new love that I couldn't even manage to work a full day without seeing him. I would frequently leave work early and find an excuse to visit him at work. I'd call him a hundred times a day. ...Well I still do that, but usually now it's to complain about something or tell him about something the baby did, but back then I'd call just to hear the sound of his voice. I think that I need to focus on not having such a routine marriage, but a honeymoon phase one instead. It doesn't matter if you've been married for a day or a decade, marriage should always be full of sparks.

This is the picture of our first I love you. Let me just explain... I didn't want to be corny the night it happened, so we left without taking a picture. I immediately regretted that. So the next night Jeremy drove me back up to take a picture. Someone recycled our note and added 'Craig' to it. Oh well! It gives us a funny story to tell now. Also, much of the snow melted in that 24 hour period.

Bragging Rights

I was on the phone with my dad earlier today and the topic of my blog came up. He mentioned how much he enjoys reading it (albeit only every 6 weeks or so). I was talking about how much I enjoy writing/ bragging about my little guy. He started laughing and let me know that I do it a lot. Ha. That's okay, it's my website and I'm entitled to write anything I want...right!? So here goes. My bragging post about how much I absolutely adore my son.

Today we were driving to Lowe's to look at paint. Jeremy missed our turn and made that "Ahhh" sound you make when you make a mistake. Suddenly we hear from the back seat, "ahhh. Good one." Jeremy and I looked at each other and the conversation went a little like this.
J- Did he just say what I think he just said?
A- I don't know, that depends. What do you think he just said?
J- I think he said 'good one'
A- (laughing hysterically) That's what I heard too. What do you think he'll be when he grows up? Maybe a comedian.
L- (starts cracking up from the back seat...I turn around and he's got his hands over his mouth indicating that it was really funny.)

Ahh...I LOVE that little boy.

So I've always thought that Lucas was a genius. Ever since I was like a day pregnant. No really, I did. Today we re-painted our living room, and I had the daunting task of keeping Lucas entertained while Jeremy did the painting. At one point we sat down with some puzzles. The first one we pulled out was shapes. I'm telling him the shape, color and where to put it. After the first one he starts picking up shapes and putting them in the correct spots.... one after another after another. I'm not talking just circles and squares, but he was also deciphering the difference between pentagons and octagons. I was squealing with delight. After-all, this is the first time we'd ever done this particular puzzle.

He now gives kisses on demand.

Tonight I was making White chocolate macadamia nut w/ chocolate chip brownies. Mmmm (if they turn out I'll post the recipe.) Lucas realized that I was baking right about the time I was finished and wanted to help. Before I could even turn around to pick him up and plop him on the counter, he disappeared to the bathroom to get his stool. I turned around and there he was standing on it, still not tall enough to reach the counter. It melted my heart that he wanted to help so bad he found a solution to his problem. So I put him on the counter to help me (which I would have done anyway) and he stuck his hand in the batter. He's lucky I rinsed him off in the sink instead of sticking him the bath. I just didn't want to ruin his happy streak before bed.

He's recently taken notice of the sky. Last week he learned what the moon was, and now every night he likes to go out to see the moon. Today while at Lowe's, an airplane flew by. Normally he'll say plane when he sees one, but for some reason today he said moon. We quickly corrected him, telling him it was a plane and that the moon is out at night and doesn't fly. He looks at us and says "airplane". We had another look at each other in shock moment. It was so adorable that he made the association that plane and airplane where the same thing.

This morning after breakfast he got thirsty. To tell me he wanted a drink he grabbed me by the hand and lead me to the refrigerator. Once it was open he picked up the sippy cup that was in there and handed it to me, then proceeded to grab a bottle of juice and say "juice?" The way his mind works never fails to amaze me. Every day I'm in awe at the creative ways he goes about life.

He's been meowing for some time now when he wants the cats attention. It's really cute! But recently for whatever reason he started to combine meow and mommy and it comes out MEOWME it's seriously hilarious. I'm trying to catch that on video because I just want to squeeze him to pieces when he does cute things like that.

I think I'll end with how friendly he's become lately. He's really drawn to certain people, and when we're out in public he will have this urge to shake peoples hands. Usually it's older people. Today was no exception, shaking hands in Lowe's. But yesterday's hand shake was the experience of the month for me. I'll write about that in another post though because it's a long story. I hope that I never discourage him from being who he is and that he will always have the confidence to follow his heart and use his mind and creativity in ways that will help him to succeed in life. No matter what he ends up being, he'll be amazing at it and I'll stand back in awe wondering how I was so lucky to have been chosen to be his mother.

Nephews

Here is the most recent picture I have of my nephews. Ashton is 6 and Julian is 2. Sadly I've never met Julian, the last time I saw my sister she was just a few months pregnant with him.

So Proud

Last month I posted a link to my youngest brothers website. He was getting ready to attend UCLA's summer program for the gifted. He recently completed his program and this is so cute... my mom got a short video of the kids as they called their names off to receive their certificates. Sam is the last to go. All the while each child is being applauded for, but when they called of Sam's name the crowd went wild! I guess he made lots of friends there. You can see the clip here. It will load automatically.

http://www.bedouincouture.com/sammysuclafund/

Tag...Three Things

Once again I'm a loser stealing tags. I don't know why I love these things so much!?

List: 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions/Collections, 3 Facts About Yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names.

3 Joys
1. Jeremy
2. Lucas
3. My home

3 Fears
1. Losing a loved one
2. Never being able to have another child
3. Kidnappers

3 Goals
1. Saving money
2. Going to the temple more
3. Going back to school

3 Current Obsessions
1. Blogging
2. Saving money
3. Cleaning/ Organizing

3 Facts About Yourself
1. I don't like to be alone
2. I can walk with my toes curled under...gross but true
3. I love to pop my back and neck...another gross but true

I tag.. Laura, Amy, Bishop Bell, Megan, and Nick

Lucas' Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Pictures of our Place

My sister in law, Cori, has been wanting to see what the inside of our apartment looks like since we moved in. I've always had a great excuse, like "it's not clean enough to take pictures" or something equally as lame. Today as I was cleaning, I decided to take a few pictures. I only did our bedroom and Lucas' bedroom though. So the next few posts will be boring house pictures. I promise another day I'll do the rest of the place. As for our bedroom, we were going to paint but decided that even though it wasn't cheaper, it was easier just to get new bedding. Enjoy!

Finally a Table

Our dining room table didn't fit into our little apartment. It was a pub top, and so it was just too overwhelming in here sharing the space with the computer desk. We sold it about a month ago to Jeremy's old boss, and have been in search of a new smaller one ever since. We finally found the perfect one, a small drop leaf at Target. It just happened to be on sale this past week, and conveniently I had two prescriptions filled (I guess that's one good thing about having teeth pulled). This past week there was a coupon in the flier for a free $10 gift card with a new prescription. With the money we made off selling the old table, the money from the gift cards, Jeremy's employee discount and another 10% off discount for spending a lot of money on our credit card, we were able to get the table for under $100. Not bad considering it was normally $230.

Lucas very much enjoyed helping his daddy build it. He's become an excellent little handyman, I'm sure his grandpa (my dad) would be so proud of him. He help to screw in all the screws and even helped to keep us entertained.
We've got a bit of rearranging to do now, because we feel like there is a bit too much furniture in this little corner of the house, but we'll get there. We like rearranging things anyway, so this will be a fun project, once we're all feeling up to par again.

Bribbery... Hey Whatever Works!

Lunch

Occassionally on Wednesday's I commute to Clarksville to babysit these two adorable little boys. They have an older brother in the first grade and a baby sister who will be arriving in December. Their dad is serving in Afganastan. I absolutly adore this family, they've done so much to help my own and I love that Lucas gets the chance to play with these boys. I never think to take pictures of them, I guess watching three little ones can be pretty occupying, but this past week, Carsten (the youngest) was down for a nap, which just left Lucas and Bergen (3). As a special treat, they were eating lunch in the play room instead of at the dining room table. It was soooo cute to watch them enjoy each others company. With the baby down for a nap, who mind you is only six weeks younger than Lucas, Lucas was free to show off what a big boy he was! He was mimicking everything Bergen did. Every movement, every noise, and then he'd look up at me as if to say "hey mom, did ya see that? I'm just as cool as him!"

Nice

That would Lucas' knife (the one he won't eat without) in the fish tank. I was tired, he was fighting eating dinner and after getting himself a big helping of mashed potatoes, he decided to share with the fish. Nice.

Purity

Last Tuesday our play group and Amy went on the Purity tour. I had all these grand idea's in my mind about what the tour would be like...walking around looking all the different things, lots and lots of walking...etc. I guess in my disillusioned state of mind I figured it would start out in the cow meadows where they'd show us how the get the milk, then we'd go inside and watch the milk being churned to cream. Later we'd see it being turned into ice cream. Wrong wrong wrong... I was all wrong. We get there, 20 minutes early mind you because map quest sucks. Lucas is more entertained by the big milk trucks than he is the idea of going inside. The buzz us in and we wait in this tiny room with a tiny window where you can look into a tiny factor. This day they were making the tiny ice cream cups that go to the tiny kids and the tiny schools. Okay many the kids and schools aren't tiny, but you get the idea.

They had a big fake cow that they use a prop for pictures, Amy and I were putting Lucas and Ethan on top of it and making them pose for pictures, we later found out that's a big no no. Oh well. We got plenty before we were caught and then got a great group photo sans Jenna because she refused to be in it. The woman gave us a brief introduction than started a movie for us. It was pretty entertaining to the adults...the little ones could careless. I decided that Levi (Jenna's little guy) should be a Purity milk cartoon for Halloween...she agreed as long as I'd make the costume. Ya, like I have nothing else to do this month. When the film was over, we headed over to the ice cream shop where we were able to indulge in eating as much ice cream as we wanted. They had about 20 flavors, nutty buddies, and ice cream sandwiches too! The kids all loved this part. When we were all sick to our stomachs, we left.

Lucas was once again enthralled with the big trucks. Leaving the parking lot one of the arm things at the gate came down on top of my car...that was freaky!

Enough Already

Okay, it's time to do some updating or catching up I guess I should say. I'm sick of that embarrassing picture being the first thing people see when they look at my blog. I'm way behind because I've been feeling VERY under the weather. But every day I only become more behind so I've decided to just get it over with. I'll start with LAST TUESDAY's trip to Purity....

Ahhh...It's OVER

Let's just go through a list of pros and cons again shall we?
Pros: I'm alive! I didn't have any excessive bleeding, which is a blessing for me and I will now feel more comfortable at the doctors in the future. I have WONDERFUL friends who have all gone above and beyond to be there for me, ready to help if I need it. I wasn't truly put to sleep, just drugged up with Valium and darvoset, and since I don't ever take pain medication, I only needed a little to knock me out, which also meant that it would wear off faster too. IT"S OVER with and that's the biggest pro of all. Oh and the pain isn't too bad, I've been managing it with Ibuprofen. So that's great because there is nothing I hate more than taking strong pain meds and feeling all dopey.

Cons: I'm extremely drowsy still, can't eat much and I'm starving. And because in my anxious state of mind before hand I promised to post a picture and it's quite embarrassing. But here goes. Don't laugh though, okay. Well not to my face anyway. And for the best news of all..... I DON'T EVER HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN!!!!! I don't have bottom wisdom teeth. That's almost exciting enough to make we want to do the happy dance, but since I'm still feeling a little tipsy turvy, I think I'll save an radical moves for later!

Thanks again for all the prayers and support. I know how silly it probably sounded to most that I was so upset over something so small.

Feet Don't Taste Good

I've been caught with my foot in my mouth once again. I try not to make a habit of judging people, because I've been the subject of some harsh judgements myself and so I know how it feels.

One thing I've never understood, nor ever will understand is why people choose to have the biggest SUV or Trucks available. I mean, if you have tons of kids that's one thing, or if you live on a farm or own a moving business that's another. But just for day to day things...I just don't get it.

Today has been an exceptionally annoying day. It started off with lack of good rest. Lucas woke up about 1:30am with a bark like cough. I figured he probably had croup. Because he was wheezing so bad, I got scared and brought him to bed with me. About 5am Jeremy finally got fed up with being kicked in the nose, so Lucas and I went and slept in Lucas' bed. The rest wasn't any better there. Jeremy figured allergies and gave him a dose of Zyrtec which help for a while. Then at the grocery store I was waiting with my blinker on for a front spot (I was going to have to make a bit of a wide turn...but no one else was around) After about two minutes the lady finally baked out, right as a car in front of me backed out too, so I wasn't able to move without rear-ended them. All of a sudden out of no where someone comes and whips into my spot. I noticed she had her windows down and so I rolled my window down and (very nicely) let her know that I had been waiting for that spot for TWO MINUTES...and I have a sick BABY in the car. She said she was sorry, but didn't offer to move. I was so annoyed I just parked at the end of the row. She apologized again as I walked by. I told her not to worry about it. Then the store didn't have what I was looking for. Great.

I decided I needed to take Lucas to the doctors today, because I won't be up to it the next few days, and I was afraid he'd get worse. Turns out he doesn't have croup but whooping cough instead. Equally as pleasant. And from the sounds of it, he might be in the beginning stages of pneumonia too. Nice! I won't be able to have my friend watch Lucas because I don't want her little boy getting sick. This whole teeth thing is getting worse by the hour.

So finally I drop the girls off at home and Lucas and I head to Walmart in Hendersonville, I know they'll have what I need. I do my shopping and as I'm loading my groceries into the car this guy in a HUGE truck comes down my aisle. I rolled my eyes. He pulls in between two cars and I think to myself what in the world is that guy doing, the other side is completely empty, he could have had four spots...he's surely going to need them. Just then, he backs out and parks on the other side. Good, that's where he belongs in that big ol' tank he's driving. Just as he's getting out, I'm putting my last bag in the car. Lucas was in the sling and I was getting ready to push my buggy all the way to the cart corral. Just then, this guy walks up to me and says "Looks like your hands are full, do you want me to take that cart for you?" I looked at him, tears already forming in my eyes and just said, "You know, it's just been one of those days, and I would love if you'd do that for me, you really don't know how much it means." He just let me know that it was no trouble and walked off.

I felt about as big as an ant just then. There I was, judging him in my mind and he ended up doing something nice for me, completely unaware of my unkind thoughts.

I'm going to try to do better about keeping my thoughts in check, because it seems like when I let them slip is always when I get a slap in the face reminder like this one.

Where Were You?

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day? Out in the yard with your wife and children or on some stage in LA. Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke raising against the blue sky. Did you shout out in anger in fear for your neighbor or did you just sit down and cry? Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones and pray for the ones who don't know. Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble and sob for the ones left below? Did you burst out in pride for the red white and blue The heros who died just doing what they do. Did you look up to Heaven for some kind of answer and look at yourself to what really matters?

I'm just a singer of simple songs, I'm not a real political man. I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran. But I know Jesus and I talk to God and I remember this from when I was young, Hope Faith and Love are some good things he gave us and the greatest is LOVE.

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day? Teaching a class for of innocent children or driving down a cold interstate. Did you feel guilty cause your a survivor, in a crowded room did you feel alone? Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her, did you dust off that bible at home. Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened, close your eyes and not go to sleep? Did you notice the sunset for the first time in ages, speak with some stranger on the street. Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow, go out and buy you a gun. Did you turn off that violet old movie you're watching and turn on I Love Lucy reruns. Did you go to church and hold hands with some strangers, stand in line to give your own blood. Did you just stay at home and cling tight to your family...Thank God you had somebody to love?

I had just walked into the attendance office at Newport Harbor High. I was a little early because I used to go to school straight from early morning seminary across the street. I walked in and said hi to the attendance lady and she yelled at me to be quiet. She was in obvious distress. It only took me about .5 seconds to figure out that something awful had happened, and I later found out that her daughter was in Boston and was schedule to be on a flight that morning about that time and that she wasn't able to get a hold of her (she was fine). My first period class was American History. We didn't do anything that day but watch the news. Every one sat in silence, no one could even find words to speak. Parents were picking up kids early that day too. After school I went to work at the bakery I worked at all through high school. My managers had been out of town for some meeting and they called to let us know that we were to accept any requests for bread for shelters or anything of that nature and that we also should try to donate blood if we were able. We called the red cross and already the wait time was over eight hours long to donate, so unfortunately I never made it during that crucial time to give my blood. That night when I got home, I sat in my room watching the news reels. I sat there and sobbed and found that I wasn't able to sleep that night. My heart was aching for the little children who would never see there mom or dad again.

The clip that I remember the most was of a little girl. She was at the airport with her mom waiting for her dad, not knowing if he would be getting off the plane or not (remember cell phones weren't working). After searching and searching she began to feel discouraged and turned around with her little head hanging. Then she heard her name and she looked up to see her daddy standing there. She ran into his arms, both of them bursting into tears. The tears of joy that I watched that night was the first glimpse of hope that I had seen all day. I still carry that image with me.

Isn't it interesting that for the rest of our lives every year when the 11th of September rolls around we relive that day? On a side note, two years ago I was sitting on my couch writing in my journal about this day and debating whether or not to take a pregnancy test. I felt so sick. The next day my wishes and dreams were confirmed. If I have time in the morning I'll write about that.

God Bless.

Because I'm Sure You're Wondering

I'm sure you're all wondering how my dentist appointment whet getting my wisdom teeth pulled...right? Sorry that I didn't take the time to write sooner. I've been busy with life. The good news is I'm fine.... because I didn't have it done....yet.

I called first thing Monday morning to make an appointment (my mouth only started hurting on Sunday during church) and everything was good to go. Until Jeremy made me mention the whole bleeding thing. That was a mistake. My dentist said that he would not do it and referred me to an oral surgeon here in Nashville. I didn't have a good feeling about doing it Tuesday, so I'll be going in at 10:30 Friday morning. I've decided to compile a list of pros and cons.

Pros: It's closer to home, only about 20 minutes instead of 90.

Cons: It's going to cost a minimum of $600 instead of $50 at the dentist. (That's AFTER insurance folks.) I have to be put to sleep. It's someone I've never met. Jeremy wasn't able to get off work...I'm still annoyed about this (luckily I have a great visiting teacher to take me). I'm going to have two holes in my mouth..ohhh can't wait for that. Did I mention I have to be put to sleep... WHY!!!

I'm feeling quite a bit of anxiety over this. It's going to be difficult for me to leave Lucas behind, even though a very good friend will be here with him. I've only left him once before and that was back in November when I had surgery, which coincidental is the one that caused all the alarm about my blood not clotting properly. (For those of you who don't know about this...nothing was ever found... makes it all the more interesting to know that it's still a mystery...and no...I'm not a hemophiliac) That 45 minute out patient surgery almost turned into an overnight stay at the hospital. Did I mention I had a new baby at home? It's really hard for me to think positively about his experience going into it, because the last one was such a negative experience.

Oh and also, a few weeks back I was talking to Michael (Karren) about it, I was telling him about my experience and what the nurses had said. He informed me that I had a student...yes a STUDENT putting me to sleep. UMMM HELLO...that's freaky! At least I know for this time that only one nurse is allowed, not two.

Anyway, I'm rambling now. Everyone wish me luck. I promise to post pictures of my puffy face because I know ya'll want me too. Can't say I blame you, I'd want you to do it too. Maybe just to be fair everyone should post an embarrassing picture of themselves on Friday :)

Play Group's Galore

What a busy morning. We started our day off atMyGym, a tumble class for little ones. That lasted an hour. Most of my time was battle with Lucas to keep him out of the ball pit and off the trampoline.

Afterwards we headed to Barnes & Noble for story time. We met up with some of my friends from church, Tricia and Chantelle and their little girls. Lucas is in love with Chantelle's oldest, Maya. She's three.

Lucas really enjoyed the Thomas train table. His new favorite thing is trains. His grandma gave him his first train set for Christmas last year and within the past few weeks he's really become fond of it. We can hear the trains going by our house and whenever he hears it he's quick to tell us "Choo Choo!" We also have rented some Thomas sing-a-longs from the library. He watches them over and over and over. I will sometimes even get a whole five minutes to myself...I LOVE Thomas!


Lucas actually sat through story time. He loved all the animal noises that they were making. Afterwards Amy got a cute picture of our boys together, I was busy talking and didn't even notice. We were both pretty hungry by then, the MyGym class started at 9:15, so we headed over to McDonalds for their $1 deal. (Thanks Jenna, I go to McDonalds waaay too much now!) Lucas, turn to himself, ate NOTHING. Well, maybe one or two bites of a french fry and a few licks of ketchup. On our way home we stopped at Target to swap out car keys with Jeremy so he'd have a house key. His were locked in my car so he had to take a spare. Then headed home for a quick nap.

More from the Salon

Laura, my friend that cut my hair, wanted me to post a side view so that you could see how short it really is in the back. So here we go.

Tagged...a new one!

I'll start this one off my thanking my bishop for this one. He wrote it himself!! He's so talented. Also, I think he did it because he knew that I've been feeling grumpy the last few days and needed to be forced into some more positive thinking. He's so in tune. It's like today in Relief Society when he came in to make an announcement about a fireside in a few weeks. When he was finished I raised my hand. To this he quickly says, "Yes, there will be babysitting...oh...was that your question?" I couldn't help by giggle to myself because actually that WAS my question. So here we go... my positive out look on a few things.

1. If every job paid $50,000 a year, and you had no physical or mental limitations, what would you do? I'd do what I do now, I'd stay home with Lucas. $50,000 a year is a LOT more than Jeremy makes now, so we'd probably feel super rich. There is nothing in life more rewarding or more challenging that choosing the career of motherhood.
What is your current church calling and what do you like about it? I'm the Ward Activities Director/Coordinator whatever it's called. So far all I've had to do is nothing. What I like most about it is that the more I pray for inspiration for fun things to do to get the ward together, the more creative I become. Most of you probably now that creativity is not my strong suit, so this has been really fun for me. I dream up cool ideas. Usually only to forget them by the time I wake up, but occasionally I day dream really cool ideas and jot them down. I also love that I get to do that funny line from Singles Ward. If you've seen it you know what I'm talking about. I decided that I would go into this calling with the attitude that it didn't matter how many people attended the activity, it matter how many lives were affected by it.
Name a person you regularly encounter (outside your family) who brightens your day. I can't name just one. All my friends brighten my day when I see them or talk to them. It wouldn't be fair to pick just one.
In twenty years, what do you think you will miss most about your life now? In all honestly I think I'll miss the fact that were poor. It forces us to be creative with what we have. We live in a small dwelling which means we can never really be far from each other. We don't have to yell across a large house to get one an others attention, and simple things like playing games is so much fun. Also, I can clean the whole house in a few hours. I know I'll miss that!!! I'll miss being the mother of a toddler. I miss watching my first born son learn about life and learn how to talk and be independent. He'll be on a mission then and I'll think back on nights like tonight when he discovered the moon and I'll look up remembering (hopefully) exactly how his adorable squeaky voice sounded as he tried so hard to say the word moon. I know it will be at times like those that I will really miss twenty years ago.
What’s something you appreciate about your spouse? I think a better question would be what don't I appreciate about him. I appreciate how patient he is with me. He never yells and he's not quick to anger. I love that he loves me unconditionally. I appreciate the friendship that we spent several years building before he ever asked me on a first date. Being married to your best friend is the best thing. I also appreciate how thoughtful he is. He will often bring home small little surprises for me, and he's so good at paying attention that he can even clothes and shoe shop for me.
What is your favorite routine, household chore? None? Vacuuming. I hated it growing up, but now I love it. My close friends can testify of this...I've been known to vacuum their houses too! It's not anything rude, it's just that I know how much everyone else hates it, and I love it so I figure I'll spare them the agony.
What’s a book you return to occasionally (besides the scriptures)? I don't read anything twice. I just can't find myself enjoying something that I know the ending too. Isn't that sad. I love a good Nicholas Sparks book though. And when I find time to read, it's usually something of his.
Favorite small pleasure? Chocolate. Hands down. My momma taught me well, chocolate can heal the soul. That lesson was confirmed to me this morning when Lucas slipped in the bathroom and hit his eyebrow on the side of the tub. OUCH. I gave him a few mini chocolate chips and all was well again.
Favorite time of the day? This varies from day to day. If I don't have anywhere to go than morning is my favorite time of day. Lucas is such a snuggle bug that he will come climb in bed with me and cuddle more for what seems like hours. If I do have places to be, then I most enjoy the evening when Lucas has gone to bed and I can relax on the couch with Jeremy.
Name a person who performed what they thought was a small act of service, but ended up being a big deal to you: My dad. I can't think of any one specific time though, because he's always doing little things for me. I don't think he'll ever fully understand how much he means to me or how much I appreciate all that he's done for me and my family. Just a small example, when my older brother and I were in high school and attended early morning seminary, my dad would cook us hot breakfast every day with fresh squeezed orange juice. He'd wait until the eggs were almost done and then come wake us up. To him it was a simple thing, but to me all these years later I still remember it and appreciate it. I want to live up to him, but I'm just not a morning person.
Name someone who somehow changed your life. Lucas. He has taught me the real meaning of living. Giving birth to him almost took my own life, and so now I try to remember that life is short. I'm still learning this. Before he was born I had it all figured out. I was going to be the worlds first perfect mother. Seriously, I was. Then that beautiful little boy came along and turned my world completely upside down. I learned that you can't judge people. You don't know what they're going through unless you've walked a mile in their shoes. I learned that parenting is more about feeling and intuition than it is about what you read in books. But most importantly I learned that it is possible to love someone so much that your heart literally feels like it's breaking. And Love will conquer all.
Consider what you do each day. Think of one attribute or trait that you bring to your daily work that is a strength—what is something you do really well? My work is babysitting two little girls. So it's hard to define an attribute that I take with me. I'll say patience. I think I have more than most. Only because I once prayed for it (which I don't recommend doing..I was called to be a primary teacher and I had TEN four year olds.)

I tag: Laura, Amy, Jenna, Jessica, Jocelyn, Sarah K.

Here it is

Well, here ya go. My new do. It was so nice this morning when it only took me five minutes to do my hair. I can still pull it half back to keep it out of my face if I'm doing something...you know, like cleaning... or cooking or any of those other things that consume so much time.

Okay I've had a few requests, and Laura thinks I need a side view...the best I can do is a back view though. Maybe tomorrow I can have someone get a better picture for me. I can't promise I'll look as good though..haha...just kidding. (I'm really not that vain). Let's put it this way, it's short enough in the back that Laura had so shave part of my neck. Yep...that short!

Passing Time, Monkey Style

I watch two little girls in the afternoon every day. I pick them up from school. The first lets out at 3:00 and the second at 3:45. Usually by the time we get there we have about thirty minutes to waste. If it's nice weather we play at the playground. If it's not, well then we get in line (we're usually first) and wait. I put the car in park, roll down the windows for some fresh air and then unbuckle Lucas. This past week he definitely found some creative ways to keep himself entertained. First, he tried to climb out the passenger window. So I rolled it up about 3/4 of the way. That's when he resorted to trying to hang from it. I let him just long enough to snap a quick picture for proof then pulled him off. I'm pretty sure my warranty or my insurance won't pay to fix that! I can just hear them now "Mrs. Traylor, we're not responsible for damages that could have been prevented simply by watching your child more closely"

I learned from that and began just cracking the window. On Friday I have given Lucas some Ritz crackers for a snack. He started off eating them nicely. He learned how to say cracker the night before and so he was keeping himself occupied repeating it over and over ... and over and over. That's when his little mind kicked into gear. When I heard him squealing with delight, I looked up from the book I was reading to find that he had dropped his cracker out the window. It landed on the sill. I began laughing out loud. I rolled down the window for him to fetch his food, then rolled it back up. Only for him to do it again. It reminded me of watching Plinko on The Price is Right. It was so cute to watch him ever so carefully place the cracker flat along the outside of the window, slide it back and forth to find just the right place to let go and then once again squeal with delight as his attempt to catch it on the outside of the car was once again a success.I just absolutely love to watch him accomplish his goals. Sounds silly I know, but it's really adorable to see him set out to do something and then do it!

Lastly, he discovered the back window. Because I drive a sedan I have that nice little shelf back there. You know the one that people will pile high with stuff animals, or leave a box of Kleenex in. Ya, like that, only I don't keep anything up there. For several minutes Lucas was trying to use his car seat as a stepping stool to get up in there. But he kept hitting his head on the glass, since it's angled. At one point he began to get frustrated but I just kept telling him to try again, that he could do it on his own. A few more tries and he did it. And oh boy oh boy was that funny. He was really proud of himself for that one. He stayed up there until it was time to leave about five minutes later. I had to pull him out kicking and screaming. I'm sure one of these days we'll be sitting in the car again and he'll see his little loft and remember how much fun it was up there and he'll try it once more. Until then, I'll just enjoy these pictures.

Nashville Library

The downtown library here in Nashville is AMAZING! We went last Tuesday for story time. I'm used to the Clarksville story time, it's not bad but just very loud and active and crowded. And it's just in a regular room. This story time is in a Children's Theater. We got there pretty late, but Lucas was instantly entertained by the puppets and the story, this week was Green Eggs and Ham. I can't wait till we can go again.
Because we went with our playgroup, we ran into a few friends. One little boy, Aiden had been promised by his mom that they could go outside to see the fountain afterward. We all followed behind. The courtyard is so beautiful. It's so green and cozy even furnished with tables to enjoy a lunch if you wish. Lucas loves throwing money, so I reached in a grabbed a few pennies. I really hope I didn't break any wishes for the little ones that those pennies belonged to. Aiden, Maya and Desiree loved throwing the coins too. We spent a good while reaching in and retrieving coins for our children before we finally left and headed off to the Dragon Park. I didn't think to get any good pictures there, so we'll have to try again next time.

Sleeping Handsome

I say handsome because beauty sounds to girly for such a boys boy.

He loves dressing up in his costume, and when he got tired I didn't even both to pull it off of him. Instead I just let him sleep in his wild animal bed dressed like the wild animal that he is.

You're Invited

You are cordially invited to a pity party thrown in honor of Alexandra on Tuesday the ninth day of September 2008. She will be having both of her upper wisdom teeth pulled. And you know what they say, misery loves company :)

But seriously...OUCH right. Today at church Tricia was telling me all the reason NOT to worry about it. She started with the whole rinsing the HOLES in my gums out with a syringe. Then moved on to the PAIN and then said it's not so bad, they numb you with a 10 inch long needle. Um HELLO..... All things I could have done without. But thanks for your honesty Tricia. HaHa.

I'm actually feeling quite a bit of anxiety over this. Jeremy reminded me to tell the dentist that I have a mystery blood disorder before I go. Yikes, I always forgot about that minor detail.

Well, wish me luck. And friends, think of me when you're enjoying ice cream samples at Purity.

Editors Note: I've heard lots and lots about how I'll need to just rest and take it easy. I wish I could. I will still be working. I wanted to have it done on a Friday so I'd have the weekend to recover but lucky me, Jeremy has Tuesday off. He'll drive me to pick up the girls at school, but Wednesday I'll be on my own again. I think I'll be taking Tylenol by the gallon. I'm banking on the idea that I recovered from childbirth with only one vicodin...how much worse can this be?

..I'll keep you posted.

Short...Very Short

I finally did it. I finally cut my hair all off. I've been wanting to for, oh I dunno...about 3 years, and I finally got up the courage to do it.

Funny story, we were watching the TV Guide channel and this show was on, 10 Sexiest Soap Stars, out of the corner of my eye I saw this adorable cut. Twenty minutes later I found the picture online, emailed it to Laura to see if it would work and here I am two days later with a new do.

I'm sure you're all just dying to see what it looks like aren't you!? I think I'll keep you in suspense a little longer. I just washed my face and don't feel like plastering a sleep-deprived non make-up picture of myself on the internet right now. But I do promise I'll get around to it soon.