A to Z

I'm finally getting around to doing this all-about-me meme. Because I know you're just dying to get to know more about me, me, me! Blogs are so selfish, but oh well, here goes!

* ACCENT: I guess deep down I talk like I'm from Southern California, and after having moved from there, I realized there's totally an accent. But 7 years in Texas has taken its toll. I even say "wreck" instead of "car accident." Neal thinks it's funny how I say "Augist" and "laigs" instead of "legs."

* BEST FRIEND: My boy, Neal. My girl, Natalie. My sis, Steph.

* CHORE I DON'T CARE FOR: All of them. I think that's why they're called chores.

* DOG OR CAT: Neither. I have 3 kids. Two of whom really want a doggie. Maybe one day we'll get a really small one that doesn't shed. Or bark. Or chew. Or maybe not.

* ESSENTIAL ELECTRONICS: DVR, the compeetah

* FAVORITE SALAD DRESSING: Brianna's Blush Wine vinaigrette

* GOLD OR SILVER: I don't think either flatter my skin all that much, but I wear more silver-colored metals.

* HANDBAG OF CHOICE: a really little one.

* INDULGENCE: real orange juice, the kind that's 3.50 for a half-gallon carton.

* JOB TITLE: mama

* KIDS: Audrey, 6 in 2 days; Parker, 4 next month; Miles, 7 months (!)

* LATEST PERSONAL PURCHASE: Cute new shoes at DSW. I had a coupon and a bad day. That helped tremendously.

* MOST FREQUENTLY CRAVED SNACK: Cereal or chocolate, or chocolate cereal!

* NAIL POLISH OF CHOICE: None. My fingers are chew toys of late, and I don't think Miles would like the taste. I'm kind of natural when it comes to nails. If I get a pedicure, I usually choose a nude color. I'm always inspired by all the naked toenails in the J. Crew catalog. I know, that's kind of sad.

* OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAYS: 3 c-sections. 3 nights each time.

* PHOBIAS: None. I'm brave.

* QUOTE: I stink at remembering quotes! But there is one from Shakespeare's Henry VIII, I really like which, although it's not referring to children or even about physical size, talks about "the blessedness of being little."

* REASON TO SMILE: my sweet baby and the sunshine outside

* SIBLINGS: Elliott, Matt, Stephanie, Lincoln, and Julianne, who, sadly, has deleted her blog. I know, an abomination!

* TIME I RISE IN THE MORNING: usually between 630-7, and a couple of times before that, too.

* UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME: I really can't think of anything interesting that's not embarrassing, but I have flown a small airplane. Even if it was for just a few minutes.

* VEGETABLE I REFUSE TO EAT: Cauliflower. It's a white vegetable, for crying out loud! Eew!

* WORST HABIT: combing my hair with my fingers, and pulling out the excess. I know, it's really annoying.

* X-RAYS: just the dental kind.

* YUMMY FOOD I MAKE: everything posted by moi over on this blog.

* ZOO ANIMAL I MOST LIKE: monkeys and their mamas.

My Little Alarm Clock

Miles is ultra-happy in the morning. He's pretty smiley all of the time, but when he first wakes up, the joy is just oozing out of him, and you can't help but be glad that it's morning again. Even if it's 5:45. I snapped some pictures of him this morning, and here are a few. He's seven months old now, sitting up and playing with toys all day, eating lots of baby food, kind of figuring out how to drink out of a sippy cup (bottles are out, he says), talking a lot, and still crazy about Audrey.

I love this baby's back. The back of his neck, the back of his arms, the back of his head . . .

Audrey had just walked into the room. Can't you just feel the love?

Cute lips. This baby is Neal made over, seriously.

The red hair is really, really trying.

Yum.

This new cereal is delicious. I was skeptical, I was hesitant to give up my other favorite nighttime snack, but this Special K chocolatey delight has now found its way into my nighttime routine.

You need to try it.

Just so you know.

This is important stuff.

Children's Book of the Week: 4

Okay, I've calmed down a bit after our miserable day yesterday, and have found a reason to blog. It's another Children's Book of the Week! This is one of Audrey's favorites:

You're Different and That's Super
by Carson Kressley

This book may look kind of silly. Well, it is kind of silly, and it's written by Carson Kressley, the tan, blonde man of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" fame. Yep, he wrote a children's book. The book is a little bit humorous, I don't love the illustrations, but the message is a good one, and it's a funny idea. This is the story of Trumpet, who lived among horses, and was ostracized and teased for being a little different. When he turns one year old, he starts growing a horn, and even though he's really a unicorn, his friends tease him even more. One fateful day, the barn catches fire and the horses inside are doomed until Trumpet arrives, unlocks the door with his horn, and instantly becomes a hero. He's finally accepted because of his difference, and that, I believe, is a good lesson for my little ones to learn.

Find this book here!

Thank You and Drama Postponed

Thank you all so much for all your kind words, prayers, and thoughts sent our way. It makes me feel so wonderful to know that other people care so much. This is why blogs are wonderful. :)

Luckily for Miles, and due to unforeseen imcompetency on the part of our majorly idiotic and impossible insurance company, we had to postpone the echocardiogram until next Tuesday. Of course, in true fashion, we were not made aware of this until we were already at the hospital, Miles had his little bracelet on, and was already getting hungry. I am not a cursing woman, but I was very, very close to lashing out at somebody today. Words came into my mind that I have never uttered aloud. So after some phone-yelling, mad elevator button-pushing, and a few (a lot of) tears, we're home, un-echoed, and a little worse for the wear. And now I have nothing to do with all this pent up emotion and anticipation, except go on with the day like nothing ever happened, so here we go.

I need to make some more hateful phone calls to the rejects at the insurance company. I hope your day was better than mine was today. Maybe tomorrow will be great for all of us, but then tomorrow might just be the day for my nervous breakdown. The "supervisor" of the person I spoke to on the phone is calling me in the morning.

Grateful Sunday

This Sunday, I'm grateful for:

• Sunday. It's so nice to know that one day a week, I can actually sort of slow down, and take a proverbial deep breath before jumping back into the craziness of life again.
• Neal's safe trip home last night.
• doctors and hospitals. Even though I really don't want to take Miles to the hospital tomorrow to have his heart checked, I'm just really glad to know that there are people who can help us, if we need them to. Even if they do charge us an arm and a leg.
• a whole week (spring break) of not forcing Audrey out of bed for school. We're all excited about that one. She has horse camp every day, but it doesn't start until 10. Hallelujah.

Goals for the week:

1. Get through tomorrow. After that, maybe I can think about other things.

Pros & Cons

Neal is out of town for an Endodontist meeting dealie in the Big D. Sounds fun, doesn't it? He hardly ever goes out of town, and I really hate it when he does. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I really admire all you wives who have to do this on a regular basis and for several days at a time! It's not fun to have no hubby here. I tried to cheer myself up last night, and composed a list of the pros and cons of having a husband away. Feel free to add to my list, since you probably have more experience this way than I do.

Pros:
1. I get to sleep with all four pillows.
2. We can have cereal and spaghettios for dinner, and I don't feel guilty.
3. Less laundry to do.
4. I get to bed at least an hour earlier.
5. That's all I can think of.

Cons:
1. I have to sleep alone.
2. I get nervous and set the security alarm when I go to bed, and will inevitably set it off in the morning.
3. I have to put all three kids to bed. At the same time.
4. My car has to be all alone in the garage. No little black Batmobile car ('96 Civic) to keep it company.
5. I have to take out the trash.
6. I have to take Audrey to school (usually accomplished by my darling Neal on his way to work).
7. I worry incessantly about him and his safety.
8. I'm the only parent, hence I am outnumbered by little people.
9. No hi-honey-I'm-home-kiss around dinnertime.
10. We only have one charger for both of our cell phones, so someone's battery will die.
11. I have to field all the EQ calls. And emails.
12. I can't vaccuum. I can only do that when Neal is here to hold Miles. He's afraid of it.
13. No one is here to feel sorry for me when I have to get up three times a night to feed the baby. Oh wait, Neal doesn't do that either.
14. The kids really miss him.
15. I have to kill all the bugs.

Come home, baby!

Party, anyone?

Quotes of the Day X

Ah yes, another installment of my favorite blog feature here at flowerchain, Quotes of the Day. This one even includes a quote by my dear husband.

Out on the trampoline, watching Neal light the charcoal grill:

Parker, to Audrey: How bad would it hurt if you got burned by that fire?
Audrey, because she knows everything: A lot. But not as bad as dying.
Parker, after a moment: I wonder how bad it would hurt to swim in hot lava.

ouch.
Parker, after discussing how we signed him up for gymnastics: Mommy, I wish daddy didn't sign up to go to work.

Me, too, Parker, me too.

Me, to Neal one evening: Did you hear that Britney Spears shaved her head? What a psycho.
Neal: Ya, I think she's gonna turn up dead soon.

You heard it here first!

*images courtesy of miss natalie and my backyard fence.

Fun with the Candidates

Just wanted to share a few fun goings-on in the 08 Presidential race. You may have seen some of these things, but, then again, maybe you haven't, and I just need to make sure that everyone has a chance to see this and this:

Who knew that Southerners talked like that, with a little Chicaaaahgo accent thrown in to words like "faaaahr?" Also loving this, on Mindy's blog, and this, on Audra's.
Oh, so fun. And last, but not least:

This is a picture of our favorite presidential candidate Mitt Romney with my parents and my brother in Boston a few weeks ago. Just had to brag a bit: my dad has been asked to organize, set up, and chair the National Outreach/Grass Roots campaign effort for the entire US!
Go Dad! Go Mitt!

Rodeo Day: The Rest of It

The rest of our time at the rodeo was spent doing a little lasso-making, riding carnival rides, eating cotton candy, and enjoying the atmosphere.

The kids were able to pick out their own colors and make their own ropes, for lassoing purposes, of course. They were really excited about having their very own personal lassoes. (these are my kids, right?) Luckily, since their grandpa's not close-by, their daddy knows how to "rope stuff." You can see a video of them making their ropes here.

Miles and I couldn't ride the carnival rides. But that's okay. We got to hug in the sunshine, and later, Miles had his very first bite of funnel cake.
(btw, some brilliant person at The Children's Place finally figured out how to put a strap on a baby baseball cap. Yay!)

We walked out of the rodeo with the two big kids piled on top of each other in the stroller hugging their lassos, me carrying the sleeping baby, and big-time "rodeo legs" (the Texas version of "Disneyland legs"), but we had so much fun.

Until next year, yee-haw!

Rodeo Day: With the Animals

On Saturday, we packed up and headed to the Rodeo, a major event held here every year. This was Parker and Miles' first time, and we had so much fun. The weather was gorgeous, and we even had a ride right to the entrance, thanks to a certain friend of mine. The first thing we did upon arriving was to check out the livestock show. We petted at the zoo, rode the ponies, saw the baby chicks poking out of their eggs, saw some bees in their little honeycomb, and the highlight of it all (at least for me), was that we actually saw a calf being born, right in front of our eyes! It was amazing to see that little (big) baby slither out of his mama into the warm hay.

Here are some highlights.

Cowpoke #1. You would think that after horseriding lessons on a real, very large horse, Audrey would think pony rides were kind of silly. But she doesn't.

Cowpoke #2

Cowpoke #3. He was more into his banana/mixed berries second breakfast.
(and we know he looks cross-eyed in this picture. he's not.)

Luckily, Miles was a good excuse for me NOT to enter the petting zoo. Daddy's job.

Parker with the big fat piggie, whose belly scraped against the ground.

This was the baby we watched being born, about 20 minutes later, getting all clean from mama cow. (Rodeo factoid: Did you know that a female cow is only called a cow once she has given birth? Before that, she's called a heifer. I learned that at the Texas beef council booth. We also got beef pencils. Daddy Jeff would be so proud.)

More rodeo pics to come! I know, you can't wait.

Children's Book of the Week: 3

We're in cowboy mode around here. After a weekend at the rodeo, Audrey's week of learning about Texas history at school, and our planning for her impending birthday at the ranch, we're almost all tuckered out. But not yet. This week's book is one of my favorites in our collection. It's a compilation of stories about

The Brave Cowboy
by Joan Walsh Anglund.


"Once there was a cowboy. He was strong and brave. He was not afraid of coyotes. He was not afraid of mountain lions. He was not afraid of ornery rustlers."

This charming little book was originally published in 1959. The author based the little boy on the adventures her own 3-year-old would imagine. The stories follow the brave cowboy through his day as he has imaginary adventures with Indians, wild animals, and outlaws. He is drawn in a simple black line-drawing style, and the red illustrations represent the brave cowboy's imaginary world. He must bravely defend himself against bandits, wrestle rattlesnakes, and rescue stagecoaches and fair maidens.

You may remember this book from when you were little. I'm pretty sure I do, or maybe it's just the style of Anglund's drawings that take me back. Either way, this book is one we treasure. It's a perfect little glimpse into the mind of an independent little boy and the way he imagines himself to be. Check it out here!

Anglund also wrote Cowboy's Secret Life, Cowboy and his Friend, and The Cowboy's Christmas. They're kind of hard to find, but if you hunt a little, you'll come across one for your family!

Grateful Sunday

This week, I'm grateful for:

• CPAs.
• digital cameras, because I never waste film anymore, and I can crop out weird people from my rodeo pictures.
  
• my bed. I think to myself how much I love that thing every night when I tuck myself in. I love sleep . . .
• Julianne, for letting me ramble during our IM sessions and Stephanie, for letting me ramble on the phone. My sisters are both such good listeners.
• all the women at my church who will volunteer to bring dinner to complete strangers, just because they're asked to.
  
• my husband and kids. When we're all together, hugging and laughing, I don't think life gets any better than that.

Some goals for the week:

1. Go visiting teaching.
2. Clean out & organize the linen closet.
3. Do just a little better at everything. You know, why not?
   

*image courtesy of natalie and her new pal sabrina. they took some beautiful pictures of my family this past week (i'll post them sometime soon.)

Real Simple, but not really

This month's questions, again stolen from La Vie en Rose, were not so simple . . .

* What's the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to you?
I really can't think of anything specific, except I love it when I overhear my kids say nice things about me to their friends. Like when they tell their friends about some of the fun things we do here at home.

* What was your most embarrassing moment?
The first one that comes to mind is when I was living the single life in Provo, Utah, and I went dancing at The Edge (which became Club Omni, which became a scary hangout for Provo's houligans and was subsequently closed down), but at the time, it was a cool place. Anyway, I went without my roommates one night, to meet a friend (crush) there, and I fell down the stairs.

* What's your favorite place in the world?
The beach on Maui. Oh how convenient, we're going in June! Life is never so good as when you're napping in the shade in Hawaii.

* Biggest waste of time?
This is a hard one, since I don't ever have any time to waste, even if I wanted to. My life is all about multi-tasking. But the morning shower/hair blow-dry in the summertime is pretty pointless. I only do my hair on Sundays in the summer, since I happen to live in a tropical (intensely humid) climate, and we go swimming almost every evening. When you get out of the shower here, you're already sweaty, your towel is still wet from your shower yesterday, and your hair is immediately frizzy upon leaving your front door. It's really annoying. Either that or watching TV.

* One or two piece swimsuit?
One, unless I'm on a romantic getaway, then a tasteful two-piece. :)

* If I knew then what I know now...
I would have made exercise a habit a long time ago, so it wouldn't be such a chore for me now.

* The "big" decision I'm currently wrestling with is...
How to narrow down Audrey's party invite list to 8 kids!

How about you?