Who Needs a Sled

We had a great time visiting with family. The girls loved every minute of it and hated to leave. I took tons of pictures and will be uploading them very soon. Happy New Year!

Better Late than Never

Well all that snow I was wishing for is here. 4 short days after Christmas. Seems to be how it always works though. A day late and a dollar short. We are busy getting ready to wrap up the season and ring in the New Year. Tomorrow we will be travelling to my sister in law's house to visit with some of the King's side of the family. We will exchange gifts and have a sort of post holiday celebration. Then we will be coming back to ring in the New Year right here at home. I plan to take tons of pictures of the girls over the next several days and I promise to share!

Famous Last Words

Not feeling well today and laughter really is the best medicine so I will leave you all with a little bit of humor from our house to yours. Here are some famous last words that the King or I have spoken in the last week or so.


" I see the lid, but where's the marker?"

"Who got chocolate on the floor?" After further investigation, "Everybody move and somebody get me a rag, it's not chocolate."

Said in a high pitched squeaky voice, "open up that cute little mouth and let me feel your new tooth!" Yeah, ouch.

On a bit of another note, when I was a dispatcher I had to take a class on negotiations. We learned several tactics and techniques for talking someone "down" in all kinds of circumstances. I must say though none of these techniques worked on my two year old perpetrator.

Me: Very Sweetly "Tea put down the cordless phone. Put it on the floor very softly. I have candy"

Tea: Grinning dangling the phone over an open toilet. "NO!"

Me: Panicking. "Please, don't you want some gum?"

Tea: Thinking it over. PLOP!

Yeah, just like we learned you can't reach 'em all.

Back to Normal

Ahhhh! It feels so good to have things somewhat back to normal. Yes I know it's only the day after Christmas but we move fast over here. If you know me then you are already aware of the fact that I have some quirky ways about me. I can' t help it there are just some things that I just cannot do. One of them, strange as it may sound, is rearranging the furniture. I don't do it. Ever. I have no problem with rearranged furniture in my family and friends houses, just not my own. The King learned this early on in our marriage when I came home to our apartment from school one day to find......oh the horror.......the furniture moved!

Him: What do you think? It makes the room feel so much bigger right?

Me: Ummm yeah I guess. (really forced fake smile)

Him: What's wrong why is your neck twitching like that?

Dead silence.

Him: Are you crying?

We moved it back the way it was and all was well. Luckily he understood that it had nothing to do with him just the fact that I cannot tolerate change and seem to have some minor issues with control. Anyhow this story is relevant to the present. We had to , brace yourself, move the furniture to put up our Christmas tree this year. Although there were several times I envisioned myself throwing it out on the back deck I restrained myself. Until today. Out the door that baby went and the couch was moved comfortably back into place. Weird, I know, but I am so happy!

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone else has a wonderful day as well!

1 More Sleep

We were up really late last night setting up the King's Christmas present. It's a combination air hockey/pool table and it was too big to wrap so he got lucky. Plus I didn't want to be too busy setting up things for the kids tonight and tomorrow and end up not getting around to it. We finally bedded down around 1 am alarm set for 7 am. I can only speculate as to what exactly happened but long story short I now have 20 minutes to get five people ready for church. Yeah, I think we'll be going to the evening candlelight service. We had planned on going to both but I guess one will have to suffice.

Everything is ready around here. We will open presents tonight and then Santa will come by tomorrow morning. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Boy oh Boy

I saw a show today where they were testing old wives tales on fetal gender. They would do the little "tests" and then immediately following give the woman a sonogram to compare the results. Turns out, according to their results, one of the most accurate ways to tell (excluding sonogram) is the ring over the belly test. As soon as the King got home from work we gave it a try.

I pulled out a strand of hair and looped my wedding ring through. I held the ring over the King's palm. It went back and forth. Male energy. I held it over my own palm. It went in a circle. Female energy. I held it over each of the girls. In a circle. Lastly I held it over my lower belly and it went back and forth. Male energy. Hmmmmm.

Me: Well that settles it, I guess we're having a boy.

Chiggie: I think it's a girl trickin on you.

Me: Well it might be a boy ya know.

Chiggie: I really don't think so though.

Me: You really think it's a girl?

Chiggie: Yeah, cause I made a wish for 3 sisters and I only have two.

Me: It'd be okay if it's a boy though right?

Chiggie: Do you wish it was a boy?

Me: I think that would be neat, we don't have a boy yet.

Chiggie: Yeah it would be neat, but you know what would be even neater?

Me: What?

Chiggie: Another girl.

Holiday Whoobie Whatie?

Yeah yeah, I stole my title from The Grinch, I am only so creative you know. It seems like this year has been crazy busy. Not normal Christmas crazy busy but above and beyond crazy busy. I love the season and all that goes with it but I have found myself becoming more and more reclusive. It seems the most memorable Holiday events are the ones we spent right here at home with family and not really at all the parties and big events.

We opted not to go to the King's Company party this year. Partly because I was so sick and partly because it was at a fancy restaurant where we would have had to both pay for our own meal and provide two gifts for a gift exchange. I didn't really know how people would react when we pulled our sack lunches from a cooler and dined on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and potato chips. We've just never really been the corporate type.

Chiggie's preschool ended up scheduling two parties. One for today and one for tomorrow. That means two days in a row of getting up early, dressing up, and taking the babies early to participate in the party activities. Why they did this I am not entirely sure. I am so excited for this weekend. Not for all the awesome plans we have but for all the free time we will have. We plan to just veg out as a family, listen to Christmas music, watch movies, and go to church. A little break from it all........

Seasonal Rambling

I planned on posting another picture tonight but my camera is acting a little weird and I don't want to risk anything this soon after the computers little bug. I think I might need to reinstall the hardware device needed but I want to make sure I know what I am doing when I do it.

Today was another rather busy day. Chiggie picked out a few gifts for her teachers and is ready for her school party on Friday. Tomorrow we have to make the chocolate chip cookies that we signed up to bring. I am so ready for her to be on vacation. I cannot believe they made the break so close to Christmas. Because of this the girls have been extra tired this week. We have been so busy getting everything ready that bedtime has been a little later everyday this week.

I am beginning to doubt that we will have a white Christmas this year. We have been on blizzard watch for almost 3 days now and I have yet to see a flake. It's ironic because I saw on the weather channel that Albuquerque NM got 10" of snow and that several places in AZ were also on blizzard watch. Here we sit in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and we may as well be in the desert. No, it'll wait until March and then we'll get hit hard, just when everybody is ready for spring.

5 more days. I can't wait! In 5 more days we will celebrate Christmas and then after all the festivities are complete I plan to go into hibernation.

Looking Up

Let me tell you, it feels good to be back. In a way the computer crashing and all worked out because it gave me a reason to take a break from my obsessive blogging during a really tough time. So much happened in such a short amount of time. Allow me to recap:

• I was diagnosed in the ER on Sunday night with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Trust me it is as nasty as it sounds. Basically my head and our toilet bowl have become very intimate in the past week or so. So much so that I had no choice but to be put on IV Phenergan and fluids just to get it under control. I am now taking the Phernergan in tablet form and for the moment things are under control.
• All of our shopping is complete. I was surprised that we were able to get everything we had planned on and I am sure that we will have three very happy princesses on Christmas.
• We sold the gas stove. To a real person. Who paid us in cash. It was a little awkward when the King embraced the old man in a big bear hug while choked up with tears but hey we all have our moments.
• Midge is standing all by herself. She can now easily maneuver from a squat to a stand and back to a squat again.
• Chiggie and Tea are ready for Christmas. Each night they eat their advent calendar candy then join hands and do a little happy dance throughout the family room. They are counting down the days and have tried to persuade us in every way to have Christmas "early" this year.

I am sure there are a million things that I am either forgetting or intentionally leaving out as not to agitate my post traumatic stress syndrome. I will post more Christmas pictures starting tomorrow but for today I'd like to ease the computer back in slowly.

I'm Back

What a crazy hiatus. I have no idea what was wrong with the computer. A lot of technical mumbo jumbo. Oh well, a techie came by and we're all good now. I have a ton to update and will be back to daily posting. No time now but I'll be back tonight.

Out sick

There is so much sickness in our house even the computer caught a virus. The doctor is coming on Monday hope to see you then.

Anticipation

This is last year on Christmas Eve. The girls were getting ready to open up their gifts under the tree and they were so excited. It is tradition for us to open gifts on Christmas Eve night. It makes Christmas Day a little less overwhelming and they really get time to play with all of their new things.

When I see pictures like this it makes me so happy that the girls will always have each other. I love to watch them play together and help each other out. Even though they have their fare shair of arguments I know they love and appreciate each other.

Farewell Good Friend

Our t.v. finally let go sometime in the night last night. The King is taking it the hardest. Keeps asking why and how. They had an incredible bond. I am pretty sure he is still in the denial phase. I am looking at this as an opportunity to take a new direction in life. At least until we can afford another one. Who knows I might actually get something productive done.

North Pole

Last year we went to the North Pole and loved it. The rides are great and can be enjoyed by all ages. There is festive entertainment throughout the park and the kids got to stop in and see Santa. Here is my sisters' family taking a break for a quick pose.

Sweets & Treats

Nothing says Christmas like frosted sugar cookies.

Baby's 1st Christmas

There is something particularly magical about a baby's first Christmas. Midge is the first baby that I have had that is really old enough her first year to show excitement in the festivities. She is in absolute awe over our trees, loves the lights outside, and really digs eating a piece of advent calendar candy everyday. And of course you can't forget the cute little pajamas she gets to wear. Sweet dreams baby girl.

Wanted: A Little R & R

Sorry this picture is a little fuzzy but I think everyone will still get the idea. This gingerbread bed and breakfast is part of our own little village collection. I wish I was there right now. Things have been crazy and they just keep getting crazier. Unfortunately I have been sick all day and I don't know if I caught a bug or if this is the beginning of a long 9 months. I am praying it is something I caught and will be over in a day or so.

One thing that is definitely new for me this pregnancy is my forgetfullness. I am usually not this way at all, but lately I have really lost my mind. Just to give you an example:

• On Friday I took Chiggie to preschool. Just like every other day since the school year began I signed her in on the sign in sheet and off we went. When I came back to pick her up there was a note next to where I signed her in saying ' are you sure?' I had signed Tea in not Chiggie.
• Today we had to go grocery shopping and I could not find where I put the check book. I always put it in the same place and it wasn't there. After turning the house upside down I found it in Chiggies' back pack where I had put it when getting out of the car yesterday. Why, I don't know.
• We got to the grocery store and I had to use the restroom. I didn't want to leave the check book with the cart so I took it in with me. I'm sure you're probably catching on at this point. It didn't come out with me. We had to wait forever for someone to turn it in to the service desk. Luckily someone did we paid for our groceries and left the store.
• Once we got to the car I started frantically searching for.......you guessed it the check book. Thankfully the King had it and still does.

We made it through the day no worse for the wear. Now I am just trying to relax a little. All 3 kids are in bed sleeping peacefully......I have 3 right?

In the Beginning

This was taken the Christmas before the King and I got married. By next year our family will have tripled in size. What can I say we work fast.

The Check Isn't In the Mail

Last night we finally sold our gas stove. We have been advertising it for over a month and waiting patiently for a buyer. We probably should've waited to buy the wood burning stove until after we had already sold the one we had but we got over anxious and did things a little backwards. Today the King revealed what a blessing it was that we sold it before Christmas. He hadn't wanted to worry me or say anything before, but things were a little tight and he was getting a bit nervous. We did a happy dance, had takeout for dinner, and revelled in our new found security.

Not 15 minutes later we were brutally slapped back into reality when we received an e-mail from the "buyer." The original details were worked out over the phone and we had decided to correspond through e-mail. It was obvious after reading it that something was up. I called our local police department and they agreed and gave me some information on Internet sales scams http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Nigerian/nigerian_auction_scams.htm After looking into some of these we were certain. Uggghhhh!

It was so funny though. Instantly we were reminded of the scene from 'Christmas Vacation' when Chevy Chase gathers his family, after receiving his bonus , and announces to them that he was really starting to sweat it. He didn't know if it was going to come and he had already spent the money. Everyone embraces and claps as he opens the bonus just to find out that it is a membership to the Jelly of the Month Club. Yeah that's us, only we didn't get a membership to any jelly club. Don't worry though, we didn't freak out. We can't afford to go to Nigeria anyway.

Christmas Village

When I was a child we occasionally spent Christmas out of state with my paternal grandparents. Some of the fondest memories I have are from these visits. This Christmas village is one of my favorite decorations they had on display. It is incredibly realistic and I love the cliff dwellings. Just looking at this picture puts me in the Christmas spirit!

Vote for Tea

I love this picture because it really sums up Tea's personality. She has never met a stranger. This scares me about her but it is so true. She loves people and social situations which makes her the complete opposite of the other two who are very particular. When we are shopping or out in a restaurant she spends most of her time waving and blowing kisses. Who knows maybe we have a future politian in our hands?

In Need of Motivation

I'm a little melancholy today. I have a laundry list of things to do and no energy to get them done. I need to break up the monotony around here cause we're kind of in a rut. Things have gotten a little disorganized being we have been so busy. I don't know if I am tired due to early pregnancy or just plain laziness. The days seem to go by so fast and before I know it I have run out of daylight and I'm putting things off until "tomorrow." I promise I am going to take a nap this afternoon when the girls do and then I am going to get busy.........or not.

Bikes and Shots

This was Chiggie's 1st bike. It has since been passed down to Tea and will soon belong to Midge. Chiggie was so excited to see that Santa brought it for her. This was our first Christmas in Florida and it felt so weird because it was so warm. I still dressed her in flannel Christmas pajamas because it just felt wrong not to.

Today was Midge's 9 month well baby check. She weighs 17lbs 12ozs and is in the 25% all around. While we were there her and Tea got their flu shots. We had to go back this afternoon for Chiggie to get hers. It ended up taking me and two nurses to restrain her and it was a terrible experience. Afterwards I took them to the gas station to get a treat. On the way home she said that she had just been joking and really she wasn't afraid to get the shot and it didn't hurt at all. Could've fooled me!

2006 Christmas Pic's

Week of Mishaps

Last week seemed to be littered with mishaps. I learned a lot of lessons though and they say that if you write things down you are less likely to forget and repeat your mistake. Well then, here goes:

• One piece of gum at a time is almost always sufficient. Don't give in to the pleading or participate in the effort to create the biggest gum ball ever. It will end up in her hair!
• Do not give your toddler a mild laxative and then put her in underwear.
• Do not tell you're 9 month old, fresh out of the bath tub, to wait right here while you run grab a clean diaper. She will wait for you but not the diaper.
• If you hear the toilet flush for the 10th time in a 30 second period GO CHECK! Do not wait until you hear rushing water.
• Do not teach your 2 year old to lick her finger and then touch her hip making a sizzling sound. She will wait until you are in public, finding the grouchiest looking couple and then perform.
• If you are stoking your fire and you know you saw a large spark fly out FIND IT. Do not wait until you see smoke coming from your coffee table.
• Flip flops are never okay when you have a foot of snow on the ground.
• If you try to wash a load of laundry and take a hot shower at the same time, you will get burned.
• Never set a full can of soda on the table next to a load of freshly folded laundry. You will have to wash that load again, after you shower.
• Do not let your toddler ride in the back of a grocery cart when you are shopping like a mad woman. Something to do with gravity and equilibrium, they can be randomly ejected from the cart.

Just to name a few! Also a quick update on the health of our t.v. I don't think it will be with us much longer. It has to be left on 24/7. If turned off the resuscitation process is time consuming and anxiety inducing. Tea has figured this out and often motions toward the off button as if she is going to push it just to watch everyone freak out.

Turning Point

Here is a pic from Tea's first Christmas. She looks so much like Midge it is unreal. This picture is so bittersweet. Too much to go into all the way, but this was definitely a turning point in my life. This was one of the hardest years I have ever had. Luckily I have a wonderful family that helped me get through it all and make some decisions that would change our lives.

It was at this time that I decided that I could no longer work outside of the home. I missed my kids so much it was breaking my heart. Coupled with the fact that I had a job that was not family friendly at all, it was just more than I could bear. We spent the next 6 months getting our finances in the best order possible and soon I gave my notice. It was by far the best decision of my life. I know it's not for everyone, but I have never been happier. I think the girls would say the same.

Christmas Parade

If I were speaking to you now, you wouldn't understand a word I was saying. My lips and face are frozen. I can barely type my hands are so rigid. It snowed all day and the high was in the 20's. I finished my baking but thought for sure there would be no parade. I mean the roads were like an ice rink, the temperatures were predicted to drop into the teens, and the snow would just not quit. Who would go anyway right? Wrong. The parade was not cancelled so neither was the bake sale. Now, the parade was not cancelled but more than 75% of the participants dropped out due to the weather conditions. We couldn't get a refund because there was no official cancellation so we stood out in the blustery cold to make $5 on a few chocolate chip cookies. We had technical difficulties with our hot chocolate and cider, basically they never got hot. In total I think there were 7 floats. The whole parade lasted about 15 minutes. We were there though for 3 hours what with set up and take down.

The King kept Tea and Midge home as it was just way too cold to have them out. Chiggie did very well under the circumstances and was none the wiser that the whole thing pretty much stunk. To end on a good note, here Chiggie is her first Christmas sitting on the big guy himselfs' lap. She was so tiny. Anyway I am off to unthaw by the fire!

25 Days of Christmas

Throughout the month of December leading up to Christmas I will be posting a picture a day from Christmas past or present. I thought this would be a way to both reminisce and celebrate. This is me at my 3rd grade Christmas party. I was so excited because it was the last day of school before Christmas vacation. I was lucky and I had a wonderful childhood. My parents worked very hard to make sure that my siblings and I had Holidays full of happiness and tradition. We work hard to do the same for our girls. I just want them to have memories that they can treasure forever. I know that I do.

Playing Hookie

As it turns out they made an error on the radio yesterday morning and instead of a snow day Chiggie was playing hookie. At first I was a little irritated but then I just laughed it off. She didn't care that they had school and she missed it and I guess only 5 kids out of 15 even showed up. I guess her preschool is like the mail and come snow, sleet, hail, ice, hurricane.......

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Tonight we are getting and decorating our tree for the family room. Tomorrow is the Christmas Parade and bake sale and then Sunday we are going to do some shopping. Such a busy time of year, but a happy and exciting one as well. I feel a little crazy trying to get everything done and keep up with committments that I have made. It seems like there is something to do or somewhere to be everyday. I hope everyone is having an enjoyable season!

Perfect Little Snow Angels

We got our wish and today was an official snow day. No school! Chiggie was elated. She slept until 9, ate pancakes for breakfast and basically took it easy all morning. We played in the snow briefly. It is freezing cold outside and the babies just can't handle it. The forecast shows snow Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. My mom and I are running a bake sale booth at this weekends' Christmas parade so I hope it isn't too wet and miserable.

In other news, I had an appointment with the Nurse today and my pregnancy was confirmed. I was given a due date of 7-26-07 which also happens to be Tea's birthday. We'll see what happens though. I have an appointment with the Doc on January 8th and at that time I should get an ultrasound and have a real date. Still very surreal!

Snow Day

This is what we woke up to this morning. We have about 6" and it's still going strong. It is only 19 degrees outside and the roads are slick. At 7 am Chiggie and I sat listening by the radio chanting, "no school, no school." The announcer didn't agree though, and stated that schools would be in session and on time. Bummer. She was at least excited to get to wear her new snow boots. We got there, unfortunately not on time. We could only go about 10 mph and there were several fender benders along the way.

This afternoon I hope to take the older girls out to play in the snow and maybe build a fort. It's supposed to snow until midnight. Who knows maybe tomorrow we will get our snow day.

Way Back When

Pictures like this reaffirm that things cannot make you happy. This is a picture of Chiggie's first Christmas. It is amazing because I felt absolutely on top of the world. After what seemed like the longest wait of my life I finally had a little baby to share the Holidays with. We have a lot more stuff now. There will be more presents under our tree, our stockings won't be pinned to the wall with tacks, but the only thing that really matters is that we have a lot more love.

Thief in the Night

Tonight when the King got home from work, he turned on all of the lights and inflated the snow globe. He had brought home a seven foot pre-lit artificial tree as a surprise for the parlor and we set it up, which took about 15 minutes. Then we got ready to take the princesses outside to admire the outdoor decorations again. The King went out first and he came storming back in. All I heard him say was that someone had stolen the snow globe and unplugged our lights! I rushed outside and sure enough the globe was gone and the lights were out. It was pitch black and hard to see anything. I ran over to the neighbors house and asked if they had seen anything and they hadn't. The King took off to find the culprits.

As he was pulling out the light shining from the headlights illuminated the side yard and there she lay, the snowglobe. The wind had unplugged the lights and blown the globe towards the back of our yard. I tried to flag him down but he was gone. With all the raucous the neighbors had come out onto their porch they were shaking their heads in disbelief. I mean who would steal a snow globe out of someones yard? I was too embarrassed to tell them no one and it was all just a big mistake. Plus I was a little worried that the King might possibly get arrested for assaulting an innocent teenager he suspected may have been involved.

He returned shortly and he too was humiliated when he realized it had never been gone at all. We waited until everyone had gone inside and then drug it around back. Tomorrow we will set it back up. If anyone has any ideas as to what we can tell the neighbors to save face I would love to hear em'.

29 Days and Counting

Well the stockings are now hung by the chimney with care. I just have to find one for Midge. I looked for one that said 'baby's first Christmas', but I couldn't find one that I really liked. I think I am just going to look for one that matches the rest. I guess I should just pick up two! Next weekend we will be getting our tree. We have to wait because we always get a live one and we don't want it to be dead the week before Christmas. It's tradition for us to buy and decorate our tree on the first Saturday in December and then spend that evening at the Christmas parade. Now if we could just get some snow........

OOOHHHHH......AAAHHHHH!

This is our this years pride and joy. It was a beautiful day to be outside hanging lights and our outdoor decorations are complete. We are in the process of finishing the inside so I must be going. I will be back tonight, with some indoor pics!

The Tell Tale T.V.

About 3 years ago we bought a new flat screen t.v. We spent some time thinking about what we wanted, measured our entertainment center and headed out to make a purchase. After showing the sales associate which one we wanted, we paid in the electronics department and were told to wait out front and the t.v. would be brought out to our car. We waited and waited and finally out it came. They loaded it up and off we went. It wasn't until we got home that we realized it was the wrong t.v.! A better, more expensive t.v. A bigger screen, higher quality t.v.! We cackled greedily at our good fortune. We made some adjustments to the entertainment center and hooked that baby up.

Fast forward 3 years. The t.v. is acting bizarre. The screen is fine, the picture is fabulous. But sometimes it just won't turn on. Other times it turns on all on its own. And sometimes it even turns off all on its own. It's eerie to say the least. Maybe we should've taken it back. It's that sound, click click, click click, click click. Its like it knows. Creepy.

The Sport of Shopping

People train for this day all year long. I mean there's the mad dash, the cart derby, the slide and grab......I could go on and on. There's a part of me that wants to be there. In on the action. I'm quick. I'm agile. But on the other hand I used to work in retail as a teenager and I know that I just don't have what it takes. The professionals are brutal and will stop at nothing. I love the sales and there are several of them that are hard to resist but I am just not willing to "fight" for them. We spent the day at home in hiding. But when things die down, we're gonna shop.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Growing Pains

Tonight the girls had a little campout while they watched a movie and it brought back old memories.

Me: "Remember when we used to sleep on the floor in front of the t.v. every year on the night before Thanksgiving? We would leave the t.v. on all night and then wake up to the parade."

King: "Oh yeah, I remember that, that was fun."

Me: "I wonder why we quit doing that?"

King: "Because Chiropractors don't work on Thanksgiving."

Evening Out

Chiggie is officially on Thanksgiving break. Tonight her and I went to see The Santa Clause III: The Escape Clause. It was cute and she loved it. It will be so nice having her home all day for the next six days. The next few days we'll be busy getting ready for the Holidays. Tomorrow I am going to spend the day cleaning the house and organizing Christmas decorations. I am also going to make some white chocolate fudge for the next days' dinner. Thursday we will be going to my Mom's house for a traditional feast of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, and of course pumpkin pie. Friday we will set out all of the indoor decorations and then Saturday all the outdoor stuff will go out. I will try and post some before and after pictures so you all can see just how festive we are!

Burnin Up

It is definitely the season for sneezin'. Everybody around here is stuffed up. Midge has definitely taken the brunt of it but being this is day number 5 I am hoping the worst is behind us. Today I was rummaging through the bathroom drawer looking for the thermometer when I came across our old one that should have been thrown away. It did give me a good laugh though.

You see one day the King came home from work feeling a little more tired than usual. He said he was feeling achy, and very low on energy. I suggested he take his temperature as at the time there were several really nasty viruses going around. I sat by him on the couch while he used the thermometer. To my shock his temperature was 103.5. I immediately got him a pillow, blanket, cold rag for his head, Tylenol, and the t.v. remote. He nodded gravely at my gesture. I cooked dinner and brought his plate to the couch. He was able to eat, I was relieved.

As I was doing the dishes I really began to worry. I mean that is a really high temperature for an adult. I went back into the family room and suggested we call the doctor. The King, droopy eyed, declined, and in a raspy weak voice suggested he just rest. On a whim I decided to take my temperature just to see. Wow 104.9. I felt perfectly fine, but either we were both dying or something was up. I got another thermometer from the upstairs bathroom and checked the King again. A balmy 98.6! Turns out the thermometer was faulty and the King was fine. He finished the dishes.

Giving Thanks a Little Early

Tonight we went to the Thanksgiving dinner at our church and really I am thankful to just be home. I had pink lemonade spilled in my lap on four different occasions, Midge is still stuffed up and miserable, and I am pretty sure that a few young couples we managed to touch may never have children. If they weren't so cute I don't know what I would do. I am thankful for them every day!

Jolly Ol' St Nick

Well we made it through yet another year of Christmas pictures. Usually we make an appointment for the first weekend in December, but this year we decided to beat the crowd and get in before Thanksgiving. Apparently everyone else had the same idea because we got in well over an hour after our scheduled appointment time. Thankfully everyone was on their best behavior and we kept our sanity. While we waited to preview the pictures we took the princesses to visit Santa. This is the first year, aside from 6 months old, that Chiggie would even go near him. As you can see from the picture she didn't get too cozy but at least she went up there. Tea thought it was the greatest thing ever and I think Midge was just really confused at that point.



Waiting in line for Santa was ridiculous. We were the 2nd ones in line but the lady ahead of us would settle for nothing short of absolute perfection. Her son, we'll call him "Mikey", was on Santa's lap giving that deer in the headlights look most 3 year olds give and she was barking "smile Mikey, smile." We waited for "Mikey" to smile for like 20 minutes when finally the lady jerked him off Santa's lap and advised the staff that they would be back tomorrow after her and "Mikey" had a little talk. Sucks to be "Mikey".



Anyway, I had planned to buy a disc of the portraits we bought but the studio is on to me and they don't do that anymore. You can have the album e-mailed to you as soon as your package is ready so I signed up for that. That way I can e-mail the entire album to anyone who is interested in seeing some of the shots we didn't order. Trust me the wait will be worth it!

It's Not Delivery

I can't think of anywhere that I would rather be on a Friday night than right here in my house with my family. The King makes the best pizza I've ever had and it makes for a great kick-off to the weekend. We will all spend the rest of the evening cuddled on the couch, fire in the stove, watching Disney Channel. Perfection!

Don't go hatin', I also fell down a flight of stairs today, and Midge has a cold that has brought the dreaded bulb syringe out of hiding. But hey that's life.

Snow Family

I found this while going through my photo archives and for more reasons than one it really made me smile. This picture was taken the winter before we moved to Florida. I made the snow people myself, and they were only about a foot tall. It's strange how much can change in four years. We have since added two more snow people to our family. I haven't really built a snowman since then. The next two winters we spent in Florida and last year, at 7 months pregnant, I didn't really feel like romping in the snow. This year if we can get enough snow for two snow parents and 3 snow kids, then build I will.

Extreme Makeover Baby Edition

Now who doesn't look better with blue eyeshadow?

Candy Turkey

Chiggie made one of these today at preschool and I thought it was too cute! Fun to make and even more fun to eat!

What you need: 1 chocolate covered cherry

1 cookie

Indian Candy Corn

2 miniature m&m's

1 hot tamale

chocolate frosting

Directions: Frost the cookie liberally with chocolate frosting.

Using the frosting as glue, paste the chocolate covered

cherry on top. Press the candy corns along the back to

make the feathers. Then use the m&m's as eyes, and

the hot tamale as the neck. Voila, you now have your

own sweet turkey.

Now go make one, you know you want to!

Early Education

I have never really been the type to push my children academically at such young ages. I do however work with them through play to help them attain the skills I know that they will need once they begin school. With that said, here are a few funny Chiggie stories from the past week.

Me: "okay Chiggie, what letter is this" holding up a flashcard with an 's' on it.
Chiggie: "That's an s."
Me: "what sound does the letter 's' make?'
Chiggie: "sssssss, like cinnamon, right mom, sssss like cinnamon or like circle."

Me: pointing to a picture of a clock, "okay Chiggie, see the big hand is on the twelve and the little hand is on the six, what time is it?"
Chiggie: smiling and nodding like she is understanding the concept for the first time, " time for dinner."

Me: "Chiggie if you want to be big and strong you are going to have to eat at least some of your dinner."
Chiggie: " I am not hungry right now and I am already getting big and strong from all of the Halloween candy I ate."

What a character!

Eviction Notice

I haven't been sleeping well at all lately. Waking up several times a night with a foot, or back side right in my face has been driving me nuts. I woke up twice last week with no feeling in my shoulder, and that beat the pain that came once the numbness wore off. The pain and lack of sleep lead me to the decision to evict Midge. She will be getting the standard 30 days notice to allow her to get her things moved upstairs. When her time is up she will be 10 months old and I think she will be fully capable of making it on her own. I have been taking her upstairs often lately to try and acclimate her to her new "crib." She likes to sit in there and play with toys but I don't know if her sentiments will change once she is solo. So far she has been the most easy going baby we have had and I think she will make the transition smoothly. And who knows if all goes well, then in 2007 I may even be able to roll over in my own bed.

Gettin' Busy

We had an enormous to do list this weekend. It consisted of a soccer banquet, two birthday parties, having the SUV detailed, and several other must dos. Unfortunately the housework took backseat to the fun and now tomorrow will be all work and no play for this girl. This week shows the potential to be insanely busy. The princesses have an appointment for Christmas pictures, Chiggie has school pictures, we have a concert to go to, and Tea has a doctors appointment. Those are just the few things that stand out in my frazzled mind.

This time of year is so busy. I really need to start doing some more Holiday planning. I have made some gift lists and I have a pretty good idea what will be under our tree this year, I just need to do some shopping. I have never been one of those people that has all of their shopping done by the end of September, but I also don't want to be shopping at the last minute. Baking is another thing I want to do a lot of this Holiday season. It's so fun for the kids and I love to eat the goodies so we all win there.

On an end note I must say the princesses have been on their best behaviour while grocery shopping lately. This may or may not have to do with the fact that Chiggie spotted Santa Clause their two weeks ago. He wasn't in his traditional Christmas Suit, in fact he was wearing civilian clothes (overalls and a flannel shirt) It was obviously him though, I mean he had the white hair, long white beard, reading glasses, a cart full of chips and root beer.... Ever since we haven't had one tiny problem. I guess I should've pointed him out sooner.

Behind Bars

Bad girls, bad girls, watcha gonna do when they come for you? Well last night they almost "came" for Tea. As we were trying to get everybody into their pajamas and ready for bed last night Tea snuck the phone into the other room to make a quick call. She came walking into the family room carrying the phone and handed it to me. I took it, saw that it was on, and heard a voice coming from the receiver.

Me: "Hello?"
Lady: "Excuse me ma'am is there an emergency there?"
Me: "Ummm not that I am aware of" I mean I just used my last diaper on the baby, but does that really constitute an emergency?
Lady: "This is 911, and I have an officer on the way to check on you"
Me: " I am so sorry, my two year old got a hold of the phone. We'll take care of it I am sorry for the inconvenience."

Thankfully the operator verified our information and cancelled the officer. I hung up the phone and turned around to see Tea grinning from ear to ear. She spent the rest of the night behind bars. That'll learn her.

Super Star

Tonight was Chiggie's soccer banquet and the kids had a blast. It was held at a local pizza parlor and every kid from the team was there. After everyone had eaten and the kids had drained their parents of quarters playing video games, the coach gathered all the kids around and handed out trophies. The kids were so surprised. We had kept it a secret since the end of the season two weeks ago. This is the first trophy Chiggie has gotten and she is so proud. The trophy actually looks just like her and she keeps saying over and over "I knew I was a super star." Yes Chiggie you are our Super Star!

If you give a puppy a french fry

If you are eating the most delectable french fries that you have ever had and your new puppy is looking at you longingly, begging to try just one. Don't give in. If you give the puppy a french fry then you might wake up in the middle of the night to the sounds of her tummy rumbling. You might be so tired that you don't get up in time and she doesn't make it to the "potty" on her own. You might have to get out all of your accident supplies and spend the next 30 minutes cleaning the area. By the time you do that you won't be tired anymore so you will take the puppy out to the couch where the two of you will play and watch t.v. After a while of being up you might get hungry. You could look in the freezer where you may or may not see frozen french fries. You might heat some up and have yourself a snack. The puppy will give you that longing look and you will toss her a fry briefly forgetting why you are up. You will remember quickly and the puppy will spend the rest of her night in the back yard!

Heat Wave

Last week the temperatures were below freezing on several different occasions. We lay huddled under blankets, shivering, too scared to chance raising the thermostat and our utility bill. Then we got the wood burning stove, ordered wood, and waited. We dared the temperature to drop back down. Eagerly we watched the weather channel expecting to see cool days and chilly nights. Nope didn't happen. We have experienced a heat wave. Today it was in the 80's. I was half tempted to go outside myself, rip the cover off the air-conditioning unit, and fire that baby up! It's supposed to be this way for the remainder of the week believe it or not. Ironic, yes I really do think.

Do I have something in my teeth?

After almost 9 months without, Midge has finally decided that solid food is not so bad. At first she would eat a few small bites and lose interest. Now, until that jar is gone, you better stay right in her line of sight and not make any sudden movements. During her entire meal she makes smacking noises and squeals with delight. She makes several attempts to grab the spoon mid-air and shove it in her mouth herself. Needless to say a bath usually follows dinner.

Snoozin

You know how sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night, glance anxiously at the alarm clock, and then snuggle back in when you realize you have only been in bed an hour and you still have 6 more glorious hours to go? Well the other night or morning I should say the King and I both awoke at the same time. Our eyes raced to the clock and we both let out a sigh of relief when we saw that it was midnight. My mouth was dry so I got up to grab a quick drink. Funny, the clock in the kitchen said that it was 5am. Hmmm the clock in the family room said the same. Turns out neither of us remembered pushing snooze but somehow the time on the clock was changed. Now its funny, but at that very moment neither of us laughed.

A girl and her Dress

I was cleaning out my hope chest this morning and there it was. Chiggie's Mickey dress! It has been a long time since I have seen the dress but I haven't forgotten its significance. The dress was a gift from a trip to Walt Disney World when she was almost two years old. It was love at first sight. She wore the dress everyday for an entire year. When we would go somewhere that she had to wear something different she would immediately put the dress back on as soon as we got home. This dress has been worn with a turtleneck, snow boots, sandals, etc. It no longer has a seam on the bottom and the side is torn and tattered. This never bothered her. She fondly named the dress "My Mickey Dress" even though the emblem is Minnie Mouse. We finally retired the dress at age three when it began to look more like a tank top. It was a sad day, she helped me fold it and watched as I closed the chest. I guess you really can't come between a girl and her dress.

Simply Wonderful

The weather today is absolutely gorgeous and we could not get out of the house fast enough. We took the puppy for a walk with a layover at the park where the girls ran around and soaked up the Autumn sun. Midge enjoyed being pushed in the swing and Tea enjoyed the pushing. It is amazing for me to watch Chiggie swing all by herself. She swings as high as she can reaching towards the clouds claiming to eat their fluff. According to her, cloud fluff tastes very similar to cotton candy but is not sticky at all. I would love to try some but my teeth are so sensitive lately and swinging makes me air sick, so I have to live vicariously through her on this one. I wish everyday could be so simple.

Fire in the Hole

Here she is, our new pride and joy. Here's to a nice and toasty winter!

Goodbye Gas

Today we will bid our elegant gas fireplace ado. While we have enjoyed the thing immensely we just can't handle the cost of operating it anymore. Before summer even ended we made the decision to install a wood burning stove in the fall. Well the time has come. We advertised the gas in the paper and have a looker coming this afternoon. We bought the wood burning stove yesterday and by tomorrow we should be roasting marshmallows. I am a little concerned about being in charge of the fire when the King isn't here. Usually I am the one up camping who throws a log on the fire followed by high pitched screaming, stamping, and concluding with "I am okay, just a little burned nothing some sylvadine can't fix." So, we shall see. As soon as she is up and running I will post a picture for all to see.

I Had A Dream

It all started with a dream, or a wish if you will. I can't really say that we needed a new vehicle, we all fit in the one that we had. I can on the other hand say that we desperately wanted a new one. The princesses could barely move in the backseat of our previous ride and when we opened up the door to let them out it was like snakes coming out of a can, they just popped right out. Soooo, we searched high and low, did some research, and finally made a purchase. We made the right choice. The King is absolutely in love, and as for the rest of us, we feel like Royalty riding in this rig!

Sweet Summer

By the end of this past summer I was fairly certain that I was ready for it to be over. We enjoyed yummy food cooked on the grill, late nights outside with the girls, watching Popstar play T-ball for the first time, and visiting our absolute favorite camping spot. Now that it is November and the weather is inevitably changing, I find myself remembering what was such a short time ago very fondly. My hands are already chapped from the cold, my roses have wilted, the grass we worked so hard to grow from seed is now dormant, and at 3:30 in the afternoon I am walking through the house flipping on lights because it is getting dark outside. I love the fall I really do, and I am looking forward to the Holidays and all the traditions of the season, but the love I feel in the summer is even warmer than the sun!

Bank Bones

I had to go to the bank this afternoon to make a quick deposit and it turned out to be a real treat for all involved. We all loaded up into the new Chariot...finally enough space for everyone. I had Popstar and Skunk with me so it was much needed. At the last minute I decided to bring Beasley as she was tangled up in the back yard howling like the hound she is. We got to the bank and I really put on a show for the teller as I tried to pull into a space that my new Chariot was way too big for. I had to open the door to get the tube to put my deposit in because I was too far up from the console to reach. The teller and I then had this conversation:

Teller: : With a smirk "How's the weather up there?"
Me: Blushing, " just adjusting to driving such a big vehicle"
Teller: "How many kids you got in there?"
Me: "Ummmm 5, yeah 5"
Teller: "Wow, they all yours?"
Me: "No, 3 are"
Teller: "Wow 3 kids"
Me: Nothing, but thinking, has this lady looked into my finances and is now wondering how we support them?
Awkward silence ensued.

Finally the tube came back through the shoot, I again got out and retrieved it. Much to my delight there were five suckers.......and three dog bones. No kidding dog biscuits at the bank. I didn't realize there would be such a need. I guess you really do learn something new everyday.

Is This Thing On??

Mike check...check...check...one two three..... Okay I think this thing is on. Where to begin. Okay I know I would like to thank my family for giving me this idea. Okay for all the family that is out there reading thinking, "I never told her to get on the internet and do this!" You didn't really give me the idea but you inspired me to start this whole thing up. I figured this would be an easy way to somewhat communicate with you all on a regular basis and keep you updated on the Princess Trio, the King, and my self the Queen B. As soon as I get this whole thing figured out I will be putting up some pictures and personalizing my pad so to speak, so be patient. I love you all and stand by for more!