Decisions, decisions

If there's one thing Kate can't do well, it's making decisions. I think she mulls over every option there could possibly be, and it drives her nuts (and me). Her birthday is fast approaching in April, and she's still undecided on a theme. I'm used to her having one picked in January, so I can start buying and planning. Now it will be March tomorrow, and still, nothing.

She has two options: kitties or Beatles. So hard, I know. She really wants to have a themed party because she thinks that next year she might not want a theme. She really wants a kitty party because next year she might be too old for a kitty party. But if she has a kitty party, then she can't have a Beatles party this year, and she can't stand the thought of not having a Beatles party if she decides not to have a theme next year. What is a girl to do?

I'm leaning toward a Beatles party (what? surprised?). We have enough Beatles stuff that we won't need any decorating. We have the music. We already have cake and goodie bag ideas. Preston already knows that he's having a Beatles party come September- he's already dead set on that one. He's having a yellow submarine cake, and one decorated just like Ringo's bass drum. Yeah, we're already set for his party and it's still six months away!

I"m setting a deadline for the end of the week. She's been mulling for over a month now. I need to plan a party!

Weekend Roundup

Another weekend bites the dust. Technically, that is, but the kids are off of school tomorrow because of Pulaski Day, which I think is only an Illinois holiday due to the large amounts of Polish in Chicago. At least I think that's why we still get out of school. Personally, I'd rather them go to school and get out for summer break a day early, but I have no say in that one.

Saturday morning we awoke to the news of the major earthquake in Chile, and tsunami warnings. With Keith and Dee in Mexico, we were afraid for their safety. We know how they are with natural disasters based on our experience with Hurricane Charley on our Florida vacation in 2004, so figured they'd just be lounging on the beach without a care in the world. Luckily, there was no tsunami, and they were safe.

So what do we do when they leave town? We hang out at their house! I don't know why, but it's something we've always done, and they don't care. The last time they went to FL, we even spent the night there! So we spent Saturday afternoon there watching tv, playing downstairs and in the playroom, and just hanging out. I nearly caught the house on fire (whistling), but caught it just in time. Phew! I did burn their Jenn-Air grill cover, but we replaced it with ours, which is identical. Leave it to me! Note to self... next time, don't try to use their stove.

Today was a really nice day again. It only got up to 48, but it was still nice and sunny, and a day that just couldn't be spent indoors. We went up to Granny's early and we all went for a walk. Yeah, we wore winter coats, but we weren't even chilly. The kids really needed the exercise! They had a great time collecting pine cones and large branches, and they looked crazy walking up the hill with pockets bulging from pine cones and dragging 5-foot branches behind them. They played outside some more when we got back. It's amazing what a little fresh air and sunshine will do for kids! They were so much calmer and minded their manners so much better tonight! We might have to take another walk tomorrow if it's nice!

Nonni's back

I went and picked Nonni up this morning, and man, was he glad to be home! He wouldn't leave my side and kept dancing around. He was happy! I'd be happy too if I'd been in a cage all night and was finally free! We still need to keep a close eye on his cyst as they can be serious in cats, but overall, he's doing well! Did I mention that he topped the scales at 16 pounds, 3/4 ounces! Now that's a BIG cat!

The vet called back this afternoon with some more information on his cyst. She had some free time and was able to do some research. Apparently, epidermal inclusion cysts (not epithelial), particularly in cats, can often be associated with squamous cell carcinoma. While this is not metastatic, it can be locally invasive. From what she saw yesterday from the cytology, it does not appear to be cancer. But is was not biopsied, so it is not definitive. She also said that it could be a simple papiloma, which is benign, or it could just be a plain old cyst that will cause no trouble and will go away on its own. She had been worried and wanted to have all of the information so that we could make a more informed decision on how aggressive we want to be in treating this. As of right now, we feel that we should just watch it. If in any way it gets bigger, we'll have it removed immediately. If it is cancerous, we know that it is not metastatic, so it won't be spreading, simply growing larger, so it's something we will be able to see.

I will tell you this, we have a WONDERFUL veterinarian! We've seen 3 at the practice and have been overly pleased with every one of them, particularly this latest one. I find it very touching that she cared enough about Nonni to really go into his diagnosis and find as much information on it as possible! I asked Christopher which girl it was that Nonni scratched, and it was indeed the same one that Zipper scratched. How embarrassing! Alas, we are all happy to have Nonni back home. He's been a little calmer than usual, but overall, he's been a pretty happy cat- and even took a nap with me on the couch this afternoon! Love that cat!

Happy Birthday, George

Today we're celebrating the life of George Harrison on what would have been his 67th birthday. Thank you, George, for all you've done musically and for humanity. You are still very much alive in our hearts and minds.

Nonni

Tonight, our sweet Nonni is sleeping over at the vet. Poor little guy! Christopher took him in this afternoon and he was not a happy kitty. In fact, he was a naughty kitty and scratched one of the girls that works there (I hope it's not the same one that Zipper attacked. Oh...) He would not let them look at his ear and they had to keep him in order to sedate him so that they could aspirate the cyst and see what it was. They called earlier and said that it looks like an epithelial cyst, and it's not uncommon in cats. It did not appear to be cancerous! She said that we just need to keep an eye on it, and if it gets bigger, or starts to fester, then he'll need to have it removed. She also said that it could go away on its own, too. I'll be going first thing in the morning to pick him up, and I can imagine that he won't be very happy with me. Poor guy!

And see how he's lying in that chair? It's very characteristic of a Ragdoll. He lies on his back with his legs all sprawled, and apparently, is very comfortable. We have no idea what breed he is, other than his mother is an American Shorthair. We've seen his father around and he appears more like a Berman, but we're not certain. What's funny, is that of all the kittens Midnight had- and she probably had 20+- Nonni is the only one that has ever had long hair. All the rest have all been black and white shorthairs. Try keeping all of those cats straight!

What a day...

If you haven't heard about the massive fire downtown last night, then I don't know where you've been because the story made it all the way to St. Louis. I didn't even know about the fire until I went downtown to mail a package and was just sickened. With all the work and money spent to spiff up downtown with the intentions of bringing businesses and revenue downtown, now we've completely lost 4 businesses. I can't imagine what they're going to do with those historic buildings gone. You can't just erect modern buildings amidst 100+ year old buildings, especially across from the state house, and have them fit in. It makes it even worse being a small town and knowing everyone who owned those businesses. I was thinking earlier about when Donaldson's Carpet was Sears. We'd go in with Ma-maw when she went to pay on her credit account- this was way back when they kept credit accounts in-store, not on credit cards. We loved going with her, looking in all of the ovens, refrigerators, and deep freezers. Best of all was the penny gumball machine by the front door (man, does that date me). She always gave us a penny to get a piece. You dropped in the penny, slid the handle across, and the square piece came sliding out of the slide. I still remember how that store smelled, and I always loved that too.

Today was Kate's band field trip to Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis. She had a really good time and enjoyed the concert more than she thought she would. The highlight, though, was watching a car being stolen! She said they were on the bus and waiting, and horsing around with a girl's camera, trying to get it to video mode. They were bored, so they were videoing a girl standing outside by a car. All of a sudden, she broke out the driver's side window, reached in, unlocked, it, and took off. Everything was caught on camera! I told her that they need to tell Mrs. Berg tomorrow because they have a nice little piece of evidence. Holy cow.

Preston had a dentist appointment this afternoon. It went better than last time and he let them clean his teeth. Phew! Bad news, he has two cavities. Darn! That really stinks! She said they'd go right to nitrous, though, so it won't be as stressful to him. Thank Heaven! He's worried, though, which is understandable. I tried to explain to him that it will be like when he had his surgeries, except that it wouldn't put him to sleep, but he wouldn't know what was going on or feel any pain. I still feel really bad for him though. Tooth brushing is something I'm really big on, so it's disappointing that he doesn't have "perfect" teeth anymore. I guess since I've never had a cavity, that I have pretty high standards for tooth health.

Nonnie will be visiting the vet tomorrow. He has a small BB sized cyst on his ear that has been draining. I called them today to see if it was something to worry about, and they wanted to see him. We're hoping it's nothing major and that he won't need surgery. I think it's possible that it's an ingrown hair that's infected, and hopefully they can just lance it and put some antibiotic cream on it. That would be too simple, right? Christopher thinks they'll have to put a cone around his neck if we have to keep cream on it. That would be a sight! I'll be sure to get pics of that if he needs one!

Busy day

I love the days I spend alone when the kids are at school. Don't get me wrong, I love it when they're here, too, but when it's quiet, and I get a chance to do what I want (and need), it's really nice. I can go to the store by myself, quickly and without spending unnecessary money on junk. I can clean the house and not feel guilty because they're downstairs and I'm not playing with them. I can prep dinner so that I don't spend every minute once they're home in the kitchen. It's nice.

Today, I set to making the bibs. I have four cut out and pinned together, ready to be sewn. I need to run out and buy some snaps, first, so that the sewing can be hidden inside before I finish them. Man, I really need a sewing machine so that I don't have to go out and use mom's- or wait until Thursday before I get a chance to get there... I got some hair clips made, but forgot to buy ribbon, so right now I"m limited to flower clips- but they turned out cute! I also made three loaves of bread, and it was good! I am so loving making yeast bread!

Other than that, it wasn't too exciting. Dad got his staples out today and his head is healing nicely. I still can't fathom how lucky he was. It's mind boggling. Now, as I sit here, I realize that Kate's birthday is coming up quickly, and I haven't started any planning/buying. I'm behind! Yeah, I realize it's not until the middle of April, but still, I'm behind!

Being creative

Those who know me well, know that I'm always working on some project. I have to keep busy, and creating things is very enjoyable to me. It comes naturally, I guess, as my mom is the same way. Kate's following suit, but her talent really seems to lie in art. Me and art, well, that's not such a good mix! Since I finished my afghans that I crocheted, I'm needing a new project(s), and I've found them.

Jess was needing some bows for the girls the other day, and I'd found some sites earlier that had bow-making instructions. I emailed her, and now I have a new fun thing to try! I"m going to try making flower clips tonight, and when I get a chance to get some ribbon, I'll try my hand at making bows. According to the directions, it shouldn't be too hard!

I've always loved sewing as well. I've made the kids' halloween costumes many times, and it's just something I enjoy doing. I've got a ton of cute fabric that needed attention, so I'm going to try sewing bibs. If they don't work out to sell on etsy, then I have 2 nieces and a nephew set to come any day now, so I can always give them to them! Of course, they'll get some anyway! I also want to sew Kate some dresses. I've seen some really cute ones in catalogs, but they are quite expensive, and I can try to make them myself using similar fabrics and patterns. I"m really excited about it! Not to mention that I've finally found the fabric I'll be using to make the sunroom curtains as soon as it warms up enough to go out there and measure for them. I also found fabric to re-upholster the cushions on the furniture out there, so that will be another project. Curtains first, though!

Fabulous!

I hate January with every bit of animosity that one could muster. I just HATE it! But February is always on the upswing. After an extremely cold winter, we finally had a nice day today! The thermometer hit 52 and we had to go outside on such a nice, warm day! Kate was at a Girl Scouts event, so Preston and I went out and rode bikes on the driveway. Man, it seems like forever since we've done that! It was definitely nice to get outside and get some fresh air and just run- and not be cold!

Once Kate was back, we all relaxed and watched "Help." A good Beatles movie is the perfect ending to the day! Since we're discussing the Beatles, I'll share a little snippet from the other day. We'd been listening to the Blue Album and Preston's favorite song on it is Here Comes the Sun. I asked him if he knew where George had gotten the inspiration for the song. His reply, "He watched A Bee Movie?" I had to chuckle! No, babe, A Bee Movie came after he passed! But it was that movie that got you guys hooked on the Beatles! I swear that my children are going to know more Beatles trivia than they'll ever need, thanks to me! Preston was enlightened tonight on how Ringo got his stage name!

Spring favorites

It's safe to say that everyone in our house has spring fever. We're all itching to just get outside in the sunshine and go. It's suck a sunny, warm day today that I just can't help being in a great mood, even though snow is expected Sunday. Why didn't this all come in December? Anyway, I have to list my favorite things about spring!

* Sunshine!
* Warm weather
* Flowers
* Birds returning
* Buds on trees
* Working in the yard
* Playing outside
* Going for walks
* New, spring clothes
* Bright, vibrant spring colors
* Christopher wearing polos to work = no more ironing!!!!!!!
* Easter
* Outdoor photo shoots

Just four more weeks!

Shopping day

I made a trip down to Fairview this morning for a little shopping. It had been a while since I'd went and my recycling was overflowing, so I just had to go. I was really hoping I'd get a call that Diana had had Cooper while I was down there, but no such luck. I guess that means I'll just have to go back! Anyway, I got some pretty sweet deals, and it was a pretty good day!

Gymboree is having their baby/kid sale. It's always my favorite! This sale has always just been "baby," and I was disappointed because Preston no longer fits into their toddler sizes, but right at the perfect time, they added kids in, too! Their new line didn't really excite me, but I did pick him up a dog tee and lots of new underwear- it was on sale 5 for $15! Their undies are the BEST! I also had a 20% off coupon that I used. I have another and need to order him some jammies for summer while they're just $10. The store only had long jammies.

Old Navy had some pretty good deals as well since their kid sale was still going on. I also had my 15% off Old Navy Weekly coupon, so that sweetened the deal. ON has the cutest headbands for women now! Seriously, they are divine! I can't wait to wear mine! And their new jewelry line is divine as well- I could have bought everything! I love a cute, bold necklace!

I made a few other stops, but didn't have time to get to everywhere I needed to go. Thank goodness Diana is about to pop! That gives me another excuse to go back. Really, what kind of aunt doesn't go and meet her new nephew, anyway? Not this aunt!

Now, that's more like it!

After several measly 2 inch snowfalls, last night we got a nice one! Four to five inches! The kids were so excited when they woke up this morning! I heard them looking out the blinds, "Look at all the snow!" Of course, then they ran into my room, jumped into bed and tried to coax me into looking out the window. I told Preston I'd already been up and seen the snow (I looked before I went to bed... shhh), so he left me alone. We went outside before lunch for a while and they ran around marveling at how deep it was. Granted, last year we got 2 big 8+ inch snows, but this is as deep as it's gotten this year. After lunch, we went up to Granny and Pa's and he took us sledding behind the mule. This time the kids talked me into going since Granny didn't want to get cold. Luckily, it was about 10 degrees warmer than it was last Tuesday when we went, so it really wasn't bad at all!

On our second round, Pa wasn't feeling up to going out again, so I drove the mule and they rode behind. As we were driving through mom's back yard (they live next door), she waved and the kids had to run up and say hi. They conned her out of a fruit roll-up while they were talking and she wadded them up and stuck them in their mouths since they had their snowy gloves on. A few minutes later, Kate yells, "My tooth! It fell out!" Sure enough, there it was! She'd only found out it was loose this morning, and it was out by 3:30!

Granny told Kate that she needed to write a book about all of her crazy tooth-losing stories. Her first one came out on vacation in Florida. Keith pulled one and it immediately fell through their deck and into the rocks. Kate made him crawl under and look for it, and amazingly, he found it! I knocked one out with my elbow when I didn't know she was behind me (don't worry, it was ready to come out anyway). And then there's today! Nothing's ever dull around here!

Not your average weekend

It's safe to say that this weekend wasn't average by any means. Kate had been asking to have her bedroom rearranged for weeks, and Christopher told her Friday night that we'd do her room on Saturday. She was excited! Around 9:00, Keith calls to say that they're bringing in our piano at 1:00. Okay... So we quickly had to figure out where we were going to put the piano that we have known for weeks would be coming. Yeah, we like to plan ahead... Christopher figured that if we were making room for the piano, that we might as well tackle the built-ins that I've been bugging him about for weeks.

This is the horrible wall in our office area before. Those cheap, particle board bookshelves have been around for years. One was even with us back when we were in Bloomington 11 years ago. I'd been suggesting that we take all of the antiques off the built-ins, put the books up there, and get rid of the shelves. That's exactly what we did!
This is the now, not-so-horrible wall! It makes the whole room seem bigger! I was even able to get christopher to part with some of his books- part as in put them in the attic. He wanted to display them all, but I refused, so he chose his favorites. And you know, every house just has to have Atlas of Cancer Mortality in United States, Clinical Practice of Blood Transfusions and it's partner, Safety in Transfusion Practices. That's a conversation starter, let me tell you! I digress. I got my wall taken care of, so that's all I care about!


At 11:30, the phone rings. It's Annette, in tears. She had my dad in the E.R. He'd been cutting wood and a dead branch fell from the tree, shearing a 4x8 cm patch of skin off the top of his head. They were doing a CAT scan to check for brain damage. I rushed over, scared to death of losing my father. I can't tell you how frightened I was. It was all I could to to tell Christopher without losing it in front of the kids. On the way to Greenville, I prayed for him, for the doctors, for peace in the situation. When I got there, I found him his usual self. He was being strong, and I had to be strong for him. I was very surprised to see him in good spirits. I had pictured much worse. I was there when they stapled his skin back together (20 staples), and we tried to keep the atmosphere light as we waited for the CAT scan results. Thankfully they were absolutely normal. No concussion, nothing. What a miracle! He was discharged a few minutes later and I was so thankful! I had to spend a few minutes in the car thanking God for making what could have been a very dangerous situation, something to be thankful for. I called him this morning and undestandably, he did not sleep well last night. The bandages around his entire head/chin were pretty uncomfortable, and he said he feels like someone hit him over the head with a bat. I'm surprised they didn't give him any Vicodin or something more than Tylenol, too! Again, I'm thankful he's going to be fine!
Minutes after I got back home, Christopher, Keith, Kent and Reid show up with the piano. Trying to get it in and down the steep basement stairs was fun, but they got it in without anyone getting injured. We certainly didn't need another trip to the E.R.! We've been having fun playing on it, and I can't wait to spruce of my skills!

Today we had valentines lunch at Kendra's, and then to Granny and Pa's for dinner. It started snowing pretty hard around 6:00, and by 7:00, we had an inch. It's still snowing really hard and Christopher should have a fun trip to work tomorrow, if he can even make it! They're predicting 4+ inches, so the kids are exciting! Tomorrow's President's day, so there's no school, so we'll be outside for sure!

Remember that ringing ear? Yeah, it's still ringing. That's 4 days of ringing ears. It's starting to wear on me, as it's pretty loud. I tried my Floxin drops, and that didn't help. Really, there's nothing to do. I'm sure my tube is making it's way out, or is out. The last time it ruptured, it rang for an entire month until the eardrum healed. This stinks!

I can ramble some more

Sitting here enjoying some quiet time while Gracie naps. It's been a fun morning together. I put up the kids' Blues Clues tent and she was beyond ecstatic about it! That was fun! I wondered all morning why she didn't need to go pee despite asking her to go about every half hour. Kendra had put a pull-up on her. When she finally did need to go, she went, and came to me with a wet pull-up. Hmmm.

My ear is still ringing. It's not as loud as yesterday, but it's still ringing. There's some pressure in it today, too, and some off and on pain, so I don't know what to think. It's one of those times where I wish I could just look inside and see what was going on. Kind of like when my kids were babies and they'd just cry, and I knew something was wrong, but had no idea what. I did call and make an appointment for my follow-up, but I have to wait until April.

Preston is in the midst of his Valentines day party at school. I asked him if he had a special valentine this year, and he said he didn't know. Last year it was Maddi Grace. He had to give her a special valentine. How sweet! He was armed with a piece of chocolate cake and a tub of sprinkles, and I know he'll come home with a slew of candy. Hopefully some Reese's peanut butter hearts. Not that I need them, or should even eat peanut products in this house, but man, they sound really good.

Have I ever shared my weakness for Reese's peanut butter eggs? When I was pregnant with Kate, I craved them like never before. Luckily for me, it was near Easter, so there were an abundance of eggs. Easter day came, and I prayed that she'd arrive then. How special to be born on Easter Sunday! Alas, she wasn't ready to show. That afternoon, Christopher and I, alone in Bloomington, away from our family, went to Wal-Mart. Knowing the eggs would soon be gone, we looked. No eggs. NONE. This did not make this very large preggo very happy. We looked everywhere, we asked. They were gone. Peanut butter cups wouldn't do. They had to be the eggs. As I sat there that evening, upset at the fact that there were no eggs, I told Christopher that they needed to make Reese's peanut butter ______ for every holiday (at that point they didn't). Flash forward a few years, and now they do make an _____ for every holiday! Surely some pregnant mother suffering egg withdrawls gave them a piece of her mind. No, it wasn't me.

Ramblings

I"m sitting here with the kids at school and passing time until I feel like getting up and vacuuming the Cocoa Pebbles from the dining room floor. Sitting here wondering why on Earth my bad ear is ringing like crazy and won't stop. Tube out? Don't know, but I do know that I need to call and schedule my 6 mo follow-up. I hope it's still in there! Need to go back to Wal-Mart because I forgot to pick Preston's Ciprodex refill while I was there. Not having his ear drops in the house is not a good thing.

My Couponizer came yesterday and today was my first shopping trip with it. It is SO much easier to use than the pouch. I can just flip it open to the page and grab what I need. It has more sections than my old pouch, so it threw me for a loop when I was transferring everything. Instead of one section for all cleaning/laundry supplies, this one has one for each. Overall, I really like it! I look like a crazy coupon lady in the store because it is a lot bigger than what I'm used to, but I'm also the lady who walked around Wal-Mart wearing my baby in a sling until he was 2 years old, so really, I could care less what they think of me. Four years later, checkers will ask me, "Weren't you the one who wore your little boy in that thing?" Yep, that's me! The Couponizer does come with a vinyl zippered bag to carry it in, but I could hardly shove mine inside, so that part is less than helpful, but really, it's not necessary.

You may have noticed that I've changed my header. The lean green momma just didn't fit me. I'm just not that green. Yeah, we recycle, we reuse, and we use natural products. But I also drive a gas-guzzler and as conservative as I am, I"m all for drilling and using the natural power sources that are readily available in our own country. It's time to kick those Arabs and their crude oil price gouging/terrorism to the curb (don't ask me about my frightening trip to Wal-Mart today).

But we are a group of Beatles fans here. My children won't listen to anything else. Preston sings Beatles songs in school and wants to wear his Beatles shirt all the time. Might I mention that both children are insisting on Beatles-themed birthday parties- Kate's is coming up in April, but Preston's already planning ahead to September! I had the song, In My Life in my head the other day and it just stuck. It's one of my favorites and it's all about the memories we make and keep throughout life, both present and past. It's very moving. Click the link and you can listen to it.

I think I'm finished rambling. Still wondering why my ear is still ringing.

Our snow day

We did manage to get a little snow Monday night, and I guessed correctly that we'd only get 2 inches out of the 6 the predicted. Sigh... But it was enough to cancel school and get the kids all excited. I'm just thankful they weren't up at 6:00 a.m. like they were last time!
We went out mid-morning and the kids decided to play in the big pine tree out front. They sometimes play there in the summer, so they had to go into their "club." Of course, this meant that many little pine needles and branches were tracked in the house via Kate's hood.

They made snow angels as well in the drifts out front. After lunch, we ventured up the hill to Granny and Pa's to do a little sledding. This type of sledding involves being pulled (very carefully) around their 5 acres behind the Mule.

This time, Pa hooked up 2 sleds and Granny decided to go with them. Pa forgot to hook up her sled, though, and he took off leaving Granny in the dust.

But he got off and went back to get her. He pulled her to the mule, hooked her up, and they were off.

Here they are sledding. You might have to click the picture to be able to see them. I know it's a little small! I was sure they'd have another snow day today as their road was snow-packed and the highway was pretty patchy, but they had school. The roads were a mess this morning and I did my fair share of sliding around. Thankfully, I didn't go in the ditch like Granny did yesterday when she went to pick up her friends for coffee. They were all fine- she just couldn't see the driveway while backing up and went in the ditch instead.

On a side note, if you've been wondering why my allergy-free blog has been neglected, worry no more! I have my recipe file beside me, ready to update! We've had some awesome meals this week! Sorry, no pictures, though. By the time dinner is ready, I've got two children swarming the kitchen like wolverines, so the camera take the back seat!

Growing up is hard to do

The teenage years are not even among us yet, and thankfully we still have 2 more years, but man, I can already tell that the next few years are going to be challenging ones.

As I sat with a tearful Kate tonight, I remembered back to when I was that age, going through similar issues. Girl drama is NO fun! Poor Kate has always been a pleaser. She only wants to be the peace maker (except when it concerns her brother...). She's had this friend, J, since they were 3 years old and in preschool together. J is an only child and has always gotten everything she wanted, and always gets her way. Sadly, though, she's the ringleader in their group of friends and is quite bossy. She calls the shots on what they do at recess, where they sit at lunch, and who can be in their group. This upsets Kate because she has another friend that J does not like, and won't include her. So there's tension, and lots of it. We had a very long discussion on what to do. Later, after I got Preston to bed, I went into her room and she'd made a list of all of her friends and was trying to decide who her true friends were- those who respect her, listen to her, and genuinely care about her. So far, there were only 2 girls on the not true friends list, and a whole slew on the other. She's a good kid!

I feel so bad for her in this situation. I know it's something that's not going to disappear, either. Why do girls have to be so catty? Grown women are no different, and I find it hard to deal with as an adult, and I've had years of experience. There's no amount of money that could make me want to go through those awkward years again. I feel for these girls and all they have yet to deal with.

Where's the snow?

So far, this winter has been pretty skimpy with the snow. The past 2 years that we've been here, we've had quite a bit (8+ inches each time)- even so much that the kids refused to go out and play in it. This year, not so much. Back in January we were supposed to get 8 inches- we got two. Last Friday we were supposed to get 3-5 - we got one. So tonight, we're supposed to get up to 6 inches- I predicts two at the most. Seriously, can't we just get one good snow? The kids haven't even gotten to go sledding yet, much less make our annual moster snowman!

Christopher called on his way to work this morning and said that he'd just passed Collinsville and had just run into heavy snow. Cars were flipped over along the interstate already. He wanted to know if it was supposed to keep snowing like that in order to know if he should turn around and come home. Being stranded in St. Louis didn't sound like a good idea. He decided to go on, which was a good idea since the snow has stopped. I worry about him on inclimate days since he had the wreck.

So the snow is supposed to start falling around evening, hopefully after Christopher has made it home. If it falls all night like they predict, we may have a nice snow by morning. I'd even be pleased with a snow day. I'll get to sleep in, we'll play outside, and I won't have to babysit!

TheCouponizer

Those of you who know me well, know exactly how big I am into coupons. Granny even calls me the coupon queen! I love a good deal, and coupons really help me to save money. The year before last, I kept a spreadsheet of all of the coupons I used. I saved $997! Without coupons, that $997 would have been completely wasted! In my opinion, that's just dumb!

Anyway, my beloved coupon organizer that I'd been using for almost 10 years finally bit the dust and fell apart. I was so upset. I ordered another similar to it and I instantly knew it would not work. It just wasn't big enough. I searched and searched stores and could not find anything suitable. Christopher talked me in to using the one I'd ordered, and it was an instant mistake. The dividers were flimsy paper and it wasn't big enough, so I had to fold coupons in half. I tried to use it, and it only made me mad. I couldn't get coupons in or out, and searching through them was horrible.

I just ordered the Couponizer and hope that it is all that they claim it is. It seems like a good system and will allow me to keep my CVS Extra Care Bucks in with my coupons instead of in an envelope shoved in the front of my organizer. Maybe I'll be able to keep my Gymbucks in there as well since I always seem to misplace them and miss the redemption date- NOT good! We'll see when it comes just how much I like it. I'm not keen on change, so this may take some time. Surely it can't be any worse than what I'm using now!

A day at Grandma and Grandpa's

The kids and I went down to dad's this afternoon and had one of the best afternoons we've had in a while! As soon as I told the kids we were going, Kate screams, "Beatles Rockband!" So yes, we had to play that! It was our first time playing, but we caught on quickly and had a blast! Preston is an amazing singer and scored 82%! Not bad for a 6 year old that knows all the Beatles lyrics! We had a great time just visiting, laughing and reminiscing. Dad and I had some really good political discussions. There is no one better to discuss politics with than my dad! They invited us to stay for dinner, so of course, we couldn't pass up Annette's cooking! Kate even asked on the way home if we could hire grandma to come cook for us! I guess that doesn't say much for my cooking, though.

As we were leaving, Annette said that we should make this an every Saturday event, and I would definitely go for that! We all had a great afternoon!

Men are babies

Let's face it. Men are nothing but big babies. They may act all tough and strong, but inside, they are weak.

Case in point... Christopher is sick with this weird, looks like strep but it's not bug that's been circulating. First it was Preston, then both in-laws, and now Christopher. Might I mention that my husband is the most anal, Lysol freak there ever was, so that he doesn't get sick. Funny that he's been sick several times this winter, while I, the one who stays at home with the kids and has went through them having miscellaneous viruses and stomach bugs, has only managed to come down with laryngitis.

Anyway, he's been put on an antibiotic like everyone else that has caught this strange mystery bug. So far this afternoon, he's referenced his meds mulitple times. Telling me that he thinks he's been put on the highest dose of whatever drug he's on, then looking online to see for sure. "Yeah, it is the strongest dose they have." Now, if it were me, and for some reason I felt the need to reitterate the fact that yes, I am sick, and yes, I am on medication, he would be all over me to stop.

Then there's the "I'm sick, so I shouldn't have to do anything" load of bull that drives me nuts. Yeah, you're sick, but you're not dead. Last year when I came down with the flu, and spent a week running a high temp and feeling like I'd been run over by a train every half hour, did I get to sit and do nothing? NO! I was up every morning making breakfast and sending kids off to school. I was making lunch for Preston and entertaining him the entire day. Plus I had to do stuff around the house and everything else that needs done. No, I don't get to sit and do nothing.

You know, buck up and take it like it is, men! Seriously! If I can birth a 7 pound child without the slightest hint of pain medication, get up an hour later and walk to my post-partum room, and then 24 hours later, leave the hospital and resume all normal daily household/family needs, then you can surely take a little cold like a woman and not act like you're on your death bed. I have no sympathy.

Beauty tips

Kelly is featuring beauty tips today so I thought I'd share my favs.


My favorite skin care product is St. Ives Medicated Apricot Scrub (actually, I buy the generic). I have such oily, acne prone skin that this is a life saver! I use it every night and love how my skin feels afterward. I need to start an anti-aging regimin because these 30's are really catching up with me!

I'm not a big makeup girl. My mother-in-law got me a Bare Minerals starter kit for Christmas 2 years ago and I'm a faithful follower. It's really helped with breakouts! * I've been reading a few other blogs linked to Kelly's and people have commented on the price of BM. Check out Ebay! You have to make sure that it is authentic and not a knock off, but I can usually get it bought and shipped for less than $10.

Those who know me well know how bad my hair is. My curls aren't pretty- they're kinky and unruly. After years of expensive salon products and nearly frying my hair to nothing with blow dryers and flat irons, Keritold me that the Chi she was using on my hair was what was making it so smooth. I went home and immediately ordered one. It's been 4 years and my hair is now sleek, smooth and shiny! No more traingle head!

One thing I started doing was washing my hair less. Instead of shampooing every day, I wash my hair every other day (unless it's needed, of course). When I wash, I deep condition and put nothing else on my hair. I let it air dry overnight and just use my Chi the next morning. My Annie-esque hair is straight as a pin within 10 minutes! The next day, I just comb through my hair and re-straighten it if needed. My hair is SO much healthier now and I'm not wasting money buying useless products. Even having my hair colored (again, those 30's are rough) has no ill effect on my hair. The Chi is worth every single penny. I dread the day it dies!

Now, she can see!

Kate's glasses came in today! They said it would be a week to 10 days, but it was only 3! Yeah! This photo really doesn't do the frames justice. They are so much cuter in person... when she's upright... and when her hair in framing her face. But you get the drift! She's glad to be able to see and says there's a big difference when she takes them off. She's taken them off probably 50 times since we got them this afternoon, so I've been constantly reminding her to put them on.

We're supposed to be getting more snow tonight. Let's see if it actually happens! Last time they forecasted 8-10 inches and we got 2. We're supposed to get 3-5 this time, which means that we most likely won't get much. The kids don't have school tomorrow, so either way, we won't have to get out (other than to buy groceries). Why no school? It's optional parent/teacher conferences. I don't have any concerns about either one, so I won't be going. Kate is still making good grades and enjoying school- except the homework. Preston was moved up to a higher level reading group and he's doing really well! He caught on to reading like a fish to swimming and it's really amazed me! I figured being a boy, that it might be a little difficult, but he's proved me wrong! Yeah, I realize that's stereotypical...

In a baking mood

Lately I've really gotten into baking yeast breads. Yeast used to intimidate me. Everytime I tried it, it didn't work. Christopher brought home a recipe for Macaroni Grill's rosemarty bread a few months ago and I tried it. It worked! I've made it 3 times now and it just keeps improving each time. I made light bread for Pa when he got back from Florida and he loved it! He told me that I was welcome to make him bread anytime I wanted! Today I tried my hand at cinnamon rolls again. I tried a few weeks ago and it was a total bust. Today, though, I got 3 pans of delicious rolls that Preston LOVED! Yes, we devoured an entire pan this afternoon with the help of Christopher! The other 2 went into the freezer.

Now I'm making a list of all the new things I want to try! Tomorrow I'm going to make soft pretzels since we go through them like crazy. Friday after I make it to the store, I'm going to make chocolate chip English muffins. I've always wanted to try the ones from Wolfermans but don't want to pay $5 for a bag plus shipping. Who knows what I'll think of next! I just love the smell of yeast bread rising and baking. It makes the house smell so yummy!

To do- Part 2

Back in August I made a to-do list of severely neglected things to tackle once school started. Shall we see how much has been accomplished?

1. Paint front fence- I gave up on this one. Being that it hadn't been painted in over a year, what had been painted was now dirty and in order for it to all match, I'd have to paint the whole fence. Hell will freeze over before I ever paint that whole fence again. I'll call the painters.

2. Organize and declutter house- This one is an ongoing process and I've made exceptional progress! I still find small areas to do, but overall, this one's been easy!

3. Have another garage sale- Check! I'm already planning another for May. Yesterday, Kate asked, "Why are you talking about a garage sale already? It's not even spring!" She obviously doesn't know me and her grandma very well!

4. Update scrapbooks- Not only have I not accomplished this, but now I'm even more behind! I'm a year behind on Kate's with probably 300+ photos of her alone that need scrapped. Preston's is caught up through July. The others... haven't even been started.

5. Organize unscrapped photos- Check!

6. Replace framed photos- Check! I still have a few more that I need to accomplish. My Abbey Road photos need custom framing, so that will have to wait until I go to Fairview.

7. Finish afghan- Check! Check! I made another since I finished the first.

8. Paint laundry room/ laundry room makeover- I'm still undecided on a color scheme for that room. That, and we really need to replace the floor down there.

9. Make curtains for sunroom- That will be my big spring project. Right now, it's 20-some degrees out there so I refuse to step foot through the door.

It's February!

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to finally have January behind us. It is by far my least favorite month of the year. It's cold and it goes by extremely slowly. Now it is officially Febraury and I can now say that spring will be here next month! Awesome! Just six more weeks! The sun is shining brightly today and it just makes everything feel better! I can't wait to see my flowers coming up, bud on trees, bees, birds singing, you name it! Spring just can't get here fast enough!