Our Five Ring Circus: March 2009

Monday, March 30, 2009

I Heart Faces...Pouting and Pets!




I decided to enter the I Heart Faces theme this week, mainly because Lexie is the QUEEN of pouting. I sifted through at least a hundred pouting pictures. And then I came across this one as I uploaded my pictures to my computer tonight. Lexie and Dylan were playing together, and Dylan was trying to "fix" Lexie. I guess "fixing" meant cutting her ponytail off with fake pliers. It took two long years for my baby girl to grow some hair. She's probably thinking, "Dude, don't cut it off. It took forever to grow this much!"

Is it wrong to admit that I laugh every time I look at the picture?

Here is my entry for the kids category:



And, yes, I've hidden the REAL scissors!!!

I decided to give the Pet's category a shot as well. This is my 4 year old Great Dane, Bailey. She's definitely a gentle giant.



Head on over to I Heart Faces to check out the other entries this week!

Not Me, Not Today

I usually look forward to writing my Not Me Monday post, but today, my heart is just not into it.

My best friend's mom passed away this morning. She was the sweetest person and a wonderful mom to her four kids. She will be greatly missed. Jocie and her family are in my thoughts and prayers today. I can't even imagine what they are going through.

Love you, Jocie. I'm here for you anytime you need me.

MckMama's baby, Stellan, is still sick and in the hospital. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Prayers for Stellan


For now, these two keep me going. They keep me strong. They keep me busy. They keep my mind off of everything that's going on. They make me smile. They fill my heart with so much love, that it feels like it's going to burst. They make everything in my life seem okay.




Saturday, March 28, 2009

Someday the bad luck streak will end. Someday.

Hopefully my bad luck streak ended with a bang yesterday. Literally, a bang.

I had to drive my dad to his doctor's appointment to get the catheter removed. It was such a surreal morning. I was up much earlier than usual, and it was so foggy out. The kind of fog that makes you think that you're dreaming. My dad was having a rough morning, and I came to terms with the fact that I'm going to be the one responsible for taking him to his appointments and treatments.

To be honest, it wasn't all that bad. The kids stayed home with my mom, so I got some quiet reading time in the waiting room. Considering the fact that Lexie talks nonstop from the moment she wakes up until the moment she falls asleep, it was a welcome silence.

I finally got Lexie's final sample to the lab. I'm hoping that this is the last stool test that she has to have done. It's not much fun sitting in a waiting room with a poopsicle in your purse. Even worse digging in a nasty, smelly diaper. It's a relief that this test is over!

So, after a brief stop at the store and the bank for my dad, we headed back to his house.

I was at a stop sign, and had just turned onto a road and started heading up a steep hill. All of the sudden, a little sports car came flying over the top of the hill, obviously speeding, and lost control. It began zigzagging and spinning all over the road. I immediately pulled off the road as far as possible, but there was nowhere for me to go. I don't know how I did it, but a wave of calmness washed over me, and I waited for the perfect moment to act. The car came near, and at the precise moment that it veered back into it's own lane, I floored it. I almost made it, but they veered back towards us slid along the drivers side of our car.

It could have been worse. It could have been much, much worse. Had we been a few seconds earlier, we would have been further up the hill and slammed head on. Had I not reacted, and just stayed at the bottom of the hill, the car would have also slammed into us.

After the initial shock wore off, and I realized that my dad was fine, I got really pissed off! I jumped out of the car and just lost it. I let out a string of profanities, and then regained control.

The damage to my dad's minivan was not that bad. It was just badly scraped, the bumper was messed up, and the cover for the taillight had fallen off. It has already been looked at, and the damage was estimated to be about $1500.

There were 2 witnesses to the accident, and both gave statements to the police officers on the scene. The 16 year old kid admitted that he had been going about 50-60 mph on a dangerous road with a 35 mph speed limit. He was cited for speeding and reckless driving, and got a talking to by my dad, the witness, and then the cops.

Luckily the accident occurred just 2 houses down from where my dad's insurance agent lives, so he came down and finished up with the insurance stuff so I could get my dad home. The accident has been settled. The kid admitted that he was completely at fault, and since there were 2 witnesses who stated that fact, the settlement is moving quickly.

And there are good parents out there. The mother of the boy called both my dad and I to apologize for what happened.

I am so relieved that we are okay. I honestly spent the rest of the day laughing about it. It just seemed so funny that this happened after all the bad luck we've been having. I am so grateful that we are okay. One of the witnesses actually came up to me and told me that my driving got us out of a much worse accident. I thank God that the kids were not in the car. The first point of impact was right where Lexie would have been sitting.

We are okay, and that's all that matters.

Hopefully this is the last bit of bad luck that we have this year!

I am confident that I will have a good news post soon. There has to be something good coming soon, and hopefully in the very near future!!!!

Friday, March 27, 2009

You gotta roll with the punches

The "C" word. And I don't mean that four letter word that I'd scream at my kids for saying. I mean the "C" word that you never want to hear. Cancer.

Cancer.

Today I got word that my dad's tumor was indeed cancerous and he will need further treatment. Everything that I hoped wouldn't happen.

I was fine up until this point. 2009 has been a rough year. My mom lost her job of 25 years. Fine. She'll deal with it. My sister's biological father died. Fine. We made it through that. Lexie had diarrhea for 1 month. 2 months. 3 months. Everyday. Fine. She's happy and we'll get it figured out. My father in law has Parkinson's Disease. Fine. It's in the beginning stages. My sister's husband lost his job. Fine. He's educated and will find something else. My horse isn't doing well. Fine. Well, not really fine, but I'll get through it.

I was FINE. I'm always optimistic and strong. I go with the flow. I keep my cool. I roll with the punches.

I'm not rolling with the punches anymore. Those damn punches are knocking me down.

My best friend's mom is dying and probably only has days to live. That is NOT fine. My dad's tumor removal was successful and that was supposed to be it. Chemo or radiation were not in the picture!

Those last two punches were the final straw today. I was rapidly losing my patience with my kids this evening. They were just being kids. But I had the weight of the world on my shoulders and it was crushing me to the ground. After I finally got them to bed, I had a melt down. I cried. And cried. And cried some more. I'm still crying.

But I have to be strong. I have to be there for my best friend when her worst dream comes true. I am the one who will be taking my dad to his treatments, since my mom doesn't drive and I'm the child that doesn't work. I have to be strong for my parents. I have to find a way to tell my son, who loves his papa so much, that his Papa is indeed sick and will not be the same for a while. I have to be strong for my kids. I have to help get Lexie through this bout of diarrhea so she can lead a normal, healthy life. I have to be strong.

The next few months are going to be rough. I'm going to be the one taking care of a sick parent, in between Pre-K drop offs and pick ups, and most likely, puking spells from the horrible morning sickness that likes to accompany my pregnancies. Are we going to put our plans to try to conceive on hold? Probably not. Will it happen quickly? Probably so. But I have to take each day in stride.

Today I did not roll with the punches. I allowed them to defeat me, but I think it needed to happen. I needed to cry. I needed to let out all this pent up emotion that I carry inside of me. A person can only take so much and I've taken more than my fair share these past 3 months.

I will be praying. I will be hoping for some bit of good news in the near future. This family needs some good news for a change.

Tomorrow is a new day. I will roll with the punches.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Upgrade much?

Prior to Saturday, this is what the kids had to work with:


In all honesty, it wasn't really working for them anymore. Poor Dylan outgrew it by the time he was 2. We just left it up for Lexie to use. When I realized that she could sit at the top of the slide with her feet almost touching the ground, I knew it was time to upgrade.

So we invested in one of these:


The kids are absolutely thrilled with their new swingset! Lexie loves the glider, playhouse and chalkboard. Dylan loves the swings, playhouse and slide. Instead of filling the bottom with sand, as recommended, we decided to move the sandbox they already had into that spot. That way we don't have to worry about wild creatures and stray cats using it as their own personal litter box. For now, everybody is happy!

It took 8 men (and my fabulous organization skills) 7 hours to build it on Saturday. The kids played outside all day, just waiting for it to be finished. They finally got to try it out. It was nearly dark and getting cold out, but we couldn't get them off of that thing!


We spent all day outside on Sunday and Monday. Unfortunately, we've had rainy weather the past two days and haven't been able to go outside. They've been standing on Dylan's bed, longingly staring out the window at their beloved play gym. I know it was a great investment and that it's going to get a ton of use.

That other set? Still sitting outside, just waiting for someday baby # 3 to play on it.

For now, the kids are going to log in a lot of hours playing on their new toy!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Surgery today

My dad had his surgery to remove the tumor in his bladder today. It went well, and he was home by 1:30 this afternoon. He has a catheter until Friday, but he's doing great. He never acts his age, so I often forget that he's going to be 70 next year. He was walking around the entire time I visited (mainly because he said it was uncomfortable to sit) and acting like his typical self. The tumor removal went well, and hopefully he won't need any further treatment.

Since my mom doesn't drive, I am their personal assistant, shopper, and chauffer until my dad is back on his feet. Anything for him, though!

I am so relieved now that this surgery is over. Our family has been under a lot of stress since January. We have dealt with several losses, illnesses, and major life changes. Today marks 3 months since Lexie's diarrhea began, and we still have no answers. Lately, I've been feeling like the stress of everything combined is just crushing me, but a bit of that weight was lifted after this successful surgery.

I pray that my dad continues to recover well and that this tumor business is over!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Not Me Monday!



You know the drill! It's Not Me! Monday, which is a blog carnival created by MckMama. If you haven't done so yet, you should really check her blog out!
Please keep MckMama's baby Stellan in your thoughts and prayers today. He is in the hospital right now, in the PICU.

It wasn't DH or I who stimulated the economy by purchasing a wooden play gym for the kids.

My over-organization skills did not come in handy during the building of said play gym. I did not
have every piece of wood labeled and every screw, nut, washer and bolt separated.

I did not start making shamrock sugar cookies, only to realize after the dough was ready, that we did not have a shamrock cookie cutter. Or a rolling pin.

I am not furious that Lexie ruined a brand new pair of pants, that she only wore once, simply because they are part of a really cute outfit!

I did not dig in Lexie's poop to get a stool sample, take it to the lab and find out that the nurse had given me the wrong container! I was not livid...I do not have to wait for the next perfect sample and repeat the process.

Dylan did not go down the slide today and land in a pile of Great Dane poop. Nope, I had already removed that pile!

I did not spend $4 on a ridiculous piece of squishy cheese with two squishy mice in it, because my daughter loved it. Why did I buy it? Because I love my daughter so very much and if sticking squishy mice in holey cheese all day long entertains her, it's worth it!

I did not make my hubby watch Twilight last night. We are not somehow getting free Pay-per-view and channels that we don't pay for on our TV. We are not taking advantage of it.

While at Toys R Us, my hubby did not buy a toy for himself.

I am not refusing to buy the probiotics for Lexie that will cost $60 a month, because she won't even take them.

I did not buy Lexie another pretty dress! That was not me, if anyone asks!

I did not take nearly 1000 pictures this week with my new lens. NOT me!

As of the 21st, Grant and I have not been a couple for a DECADE!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

One Decade Down!


Grant and I have officially been a couple for a decade! We started dating ten years ago, today!

There have been a lot of ups and downs. Luckily more ups than downs, but we've had our share of rough patches. When we got engaged, nobody expected us to last long, because we were so young, but here we are, still going strong!

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Also, 7 years ago today, my nephew had a terrible car accident. He was literally dead-no pulse or heartbeat. Amazingly, he landed in the yard of a life flight EMT, who was able to revive him. That day, and the days following, were the hardest of my life. He did not have a good chance of living, and our entire family was devastated. He fought for his life, and is still with us.

Every year, on this date, I find myself thinking about that horrible day. As the events of that day come rushing back, I end up in tears. It is a miracle that he is still here today. I thank God every single day for giving him back to us.

I will happily take the constant teasing and abuse from him, because it means he is still here. He will always be bigger and stronger, but I will always be older and wiser! ;) Love you, Kel!

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Back to ten years as couple! Ten years is L O N G time, so I thought it would be fun to reflect on the highlights of the past decade.

Grant and I met in the Garden of Eden. We were cast as Adam and Eve, in the musical, "The Apple Tree." We ended up engaged less than 2 months after we started dating. We married a year and a half later. Our wedding was a huge, beautiful, musical extravaganza, complete with a bagpiper and multiple soloists.

We honeymooned in Mexico. We have also taken a trip to Canada, and driven across the country to Texas. Many trips to Virginia, Michigan and several other states have been taken as well.

We watched my nephew fight for his life. We lost several important people in our lives. We lost pets.

During our relationship, we acquired four stray cats, 2 Great Danes, 2 ferrets, a rabbit, a guinea pig, a rat and some fish, in addition to the Chihuahua, horse and bird that I already had. Today, we just have the Chihuahua, 1 great Dane, 3 cats, and the horse. And Dylan's fish. I always forget about that fish.

Our first house was a cottage in the woods. Very interesting place, very strange neighbors. I have stories about that house, but we have some great memories of living there!

We found out our first (canine) baby was sick, and watched her die within a week. The night she died, we clung to each other, and cried. It was a very emotional time, considering we were in the process of buying our house, and trying to keep in a baby who wanted to come out way too early.

We have been in 10+ musicals and plays together. We were also in a horror film together.

We bought our current house when I was pregnant with Dylan. It happens to be the house that his grandparents built. Dylan's room is the room that Grant's dad and uncle shared.

We had two beautiful kids, and will most likely be welcoming another in a little over a year.

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Looking back, I feel very blessed. Yes, we've had rough patches, but we made it through, even when it would have been easier to just give up. I have been with Grant for basically all of my adult life, and I wouldn't change anything.

One decade down, many more to go!

Friday, March 20, 2009

My old man


Over the past few months, I've been noticing a change in my horse. He is old now, and his age is really starting to show. It hurts to watch him get old, because he grew up with me. We are just a few short years apart in age, and when I got him, he was young and wild, and now, while I'm still young, he's elderly.

We went to visit him today, after not seeing him for 2 weeks. The kids love going to the stable, and they ran ahead of me through the pasture, calling his name. I spotted him at the hay bale, where he always stands, eating. Or so I thought. As I got closer, I realized it was Cherokee's twin, and my Cherokee was laying on the ground. I have never, in 17 years, seen him on the ground. My heart plummeted, but as we came near, he stood up, and walked over.

Instead of my vibrant, mischievous, spirited horse, I saw a shell of what he once was. He was even skinnier that the last time I saw him, and as I wrapped my arms around him, I felt every bone in his body. He doesn't have the energy that he had months ago. He was very lethargic, and content to just lean into me.

The kids were oblivious. They called out his name, pet him, talked to him and fed him some treats. I just stood there, arms around him, hiding my tears against his neck.

All I could think about were the past 5 years. I haven't spent much time with him at all. I barely rode. Over those years, I was sick during my pregnancy, on bed rest, and then I had a new baby. And when things got back to normal, I did it all over again. When Lexie got a bit older, we started spending a lot more time at the stable. But it wasn't enough. That thought just kept running through my head, and I whispered into his ear how sorry I was, and told him how much I loved him.

When we left today, I watched him walk very slowly back to the hay bale, and start eating. He used to stand at the gate and watch me go, almost angry that I was leaving without him. He would stand there until I was out of sight. I would glance back, and he would take off full speed, back to the hay or grass. Today, he walked away before we could even get out the gate. It's almost as if he knows I'm not going to come everyday to see him...as if he lost all hope. The personality that once stood out, is now gone.

I feel so guilty right now. I can't take back the past five years, nor would I want to change anything, but I do regret not spending more time with him. Now that I'm ready to, he's starting to fade. I was looking forward to riding again this spring, and I'm not sure that I will ever get to ride him again. Even if I do, it's not going to be the same as the last time I rode, when we galloped through a field.

I grew up with him in my life, and I am a better person because of it. I always dreamed my kids would get to spend years with him. They are getting to experience life with him, but there's not nearly enough years left, and that thought makes me sad. I want him to light up their lives, just as he did mine.

When I was younger, I used to think that it would be ages before the time came for him to go. Now, I realize that time truly does fly, and I'm not ready to say goodbye. I feel like a child...like I need to dig in my heels, kicking and screaming, and tell him that it's not time to go just yet. Not. Just. Yet.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I had a great St. Patrick's Day with my two little leprechauns!

We kicked off the celebration by making some sugar cookies. That has become our tradition for every holiday. Unfortunately, our project was off to a rough start. I got a different brand of sugar cookie mix, and it didn't work as well as our regular kind. Yes, I said mix. I am not Betty Crocker, that's for sure! Not only could we not find a shamrock cookie cutter in our 100-count cookie cutter kit, but the cookies would not cut out! So...I just dropped the dough onto the cookie sheet, and we got creative with green frosting and sprinkles!

A certain someone was a little too eager to taste a cookie. She waited very impatiently until they were done. She may not like to eat much, but she loves frosted sugar cookies!

We had a beautiful, end of winter day in Pennsylvania, so we headed outside to soak up the sun.
We played some golf...

Got sand in our pants...

...and in our hair.


Then we headed inside for some contemplating
and some fun.

After such a busy day, we were getting tired. We are Irish (well my kids and hubby are), after all, and we party hard!



We got a great St. Patrick's Day gift for our family today!

We can't wait to see the finished product in our backyard!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Not Me Monday

Welcome to another week of Not Me Monday! As always, check out MckMama's great blog for more Not Me Monday fun.

And now, for my weekly therapy session. It feels good to let it all out. Then again, I'm not talking about me in this post at all!

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I did not stop writing this post so I could grab a 12:30 AM snack of Peanut butter toast. I am not still hungry, and thinking I need some cereal too. Or mandarin oranges.

I did not walk into my bedroom to find my 2 year old daughter wearing my bra. She did not shake her chest and say, "Look at Meeeee!" Nor did she hand her brand new Dora underwear to her beloved friend, Jason. Already wearing a bra and handing out her panties to much older men? I'm doomed!

I did not put off learning how to use my DSLR in manual mode for almost a year. Or buying my new lens. I am not kicking myself now, because my pictures are SO much better because of it. ....Now onto that Photoshop program that has been sitting around for 6 months, unused!

It's not me who has been second guessing our decision to add a third child to our family, especially after a frustrating doctor's visit on Tuesday, where I struggled to keep my children busy and well behaved for over 2 hours. It's not me who now has baby fever.

I did not spend over an hour in Target, just because I was so thrilled to get out of the house.

I did not put Dylan into time out and then forget about him for ten minutes. My sister was not witness to this fact. Nor did I put Lexie into time out, only to have her not want to leave time out. Ineffective much?

We are not depriving our kids of eating out. Dylan was not so excited to go out to eat, that he couldn't stop talking about what he was going to order all day.

Lexie did not clear the room, at two different houses, within mere hours of each other. My beautiful daughter does not smell like a leaking septic tank. Its a medical condition, peeps! We just don't know what it is yet!

Oh yeah, I did NOT have that cereal. Even if I did, it wouldn't have been Marshmallow Fruit Loops.

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So now that you know what I didn't do this week, what haven't YOU done?

Sunday, March 15, 2009

It's time for Not Me Monday, and I'm drawing a complete blank!

100

I've been blogging for almost 7 months, and have finally reached the 100th post. I don't have anything special planned for this milestone post-just a few random tidbits!

We've been really busy over the past couple of days. After watching Lexie and Dylan wrestle over Dylan's beloved lights and sounds trike, we decided to spend her birthday money on her very own tricycle. We bought the same style that he has, but in the Dora version. She loves that thing. She zooms all over the house on it (perhaps that's why our hardwood floors are all scratched up?), and likes to sit on it while eating her bread. Yes, bread. It's the only thing she eats. At least she will eat the expensive, calcium-enriched, bagged white bread made with whole grains.

Here is Dylan, at the exact same age, with his new trike.

And now they have a matching set. Hopefully the tricycle wrestling matches are over for good.


I bought her 4 spring/summer outfits with her remaining birthday money, then felt guilty that she didn't get a toy. Not that she needs one! But I let her pick something out. What does she pick? A 3 pack of bath squirting toys from the dollar section. I love that girl!

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We spent Friday night with my parents. After an oh-so-yummy meal that my mom made, we took the kids to a lakefront playground at a nearby state park. The lake looked gorgeous in the sunset, and I wish I had my camera with me. The kids had a blast playing!

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Dylan's bedroom redecorating is underway. It's going to be a while before it's completely finished. He wants us to paint his walls dark blue, but we have to finish the living room and bathroom...and playset construction...before we even begin to attempt painting his room. For now, he is thrilled with his new sports-themed bedding. I will post some pictures after I get the new curtains hung.

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We had a really busy weekend, and have another busy week ahead of us, as usual. It was a great weekend though. The type of weekend where you don't mind that it's ending, because it was so much fun. Lots of shopping, eating out, visiting friends and family, and getting stuff done around the house.

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I finally bought a new lens this weekend! After getting many recommendations, I went out and purchased the Nikon 50 mm 1.8 D. It was inexpensive, but is such a great lens! I'm kicking myself for not getting it sooner. It is my first time working with a prime lens, rather than a zoom, so I had to get used to the fact that I had to move myself around to take the pictures, but I am really impressed so far.

I only began to really use my camera in the manual mode at the beginning of this month. It's taken a lot of practice, and I have more to learn, but my pictures are already turning out much crisper, and the lighting is much better. I've only taken about 50 pictures with my new lens, and I can't wait to work more with it. Here are a few from today:

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On that note, 100 down, many more to come!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Mini D

I never thought my kids looked much alike. In some pictures (like my blog header), yes, but most of the time, no. But it seems that the older Lexie gets, the more she resembles her big brother. Their only big difference is that Dylan has striking baby blues, and Lexie has big, dark brown eyes.

I have this picture, taken just last week, set as the background on my laptop.


I was staring at the screen today, and realized that Lexie looked just like a Mini-Dylan in this picture. I know it's hard to see in this size, but if you click on the picture, it will enlarge. They just look so similar-the same shade of blond hair, the same skin tone, the same facial features!

I mentioned it to Grant, and he said he had just noticed the same thing. Of course, he had to add in the comment that they were so pale that they looked like they were glowing. You know, like I locked them in a windowless basement all winter. Nice. Thanks, buddy. I can't help it that they inherited their mom's fair skin!

Okay, so back to the picture. I guess I shouldn't be so shocked. They are, after all, brother and sister. I just never noticed just how much they resembled each other!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

An update on Lexie Bean

Does this look like the face of a little girl who has had diarrhea every single day for 3 months?




She has really been a trooper through this entire process!

Lexie finally had her consultation with the Pediatric GI doctor yesterday. We don't have any concrete answers yet, but we are finally on our way to getting some!

The Celiac blood screening panel ruled out Celiac Disease, which is wonderful. I was so worried about that. The doctor thinks we are on the clear for that, because only 3% of the people tested get false negatives.

We have to get another stool sample, so they can test for malabsorption. Basically, they will test to see if her body is processing fats, carbohydrates, and simple sugars.

While we wait the 2-3 weeks for that test result (well...after acquiring the perfect sample, which will be difficult!), Lexie will be on a prescription probiotic, which will introduce "good bacteria" into her system.

If nothing comes from the malabsorption test, they will start focusing on food allergies. The doctor wants to start with the least invasive test possible, and then move on from there.

Lexie will end up getting help for her picky eating as well. The doctor was very shocked when she read her food journal. She is basically existing on bread/grain products and water. She is already anemic, and most likely has other nutritional deficiencies.

So for now we wait. Again! It seems like we do a lot of waiting for test results. But the more we are able to rule out, the closer we get to an answer.

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For now, I'd like to thank Pampers for their great diapers (or maybe they should thank me for having to buy so many!) and Glade, Oust, and Febreeze, for covering up the awful stench in my house.

For someone so cute, she sure is stinky!

Bzzzzz....

I have been with BzzAgent for about a year now. Check out their site for more information, if you are interested. Basically, you get a campaign, in which you receive a product, and what you are supposed to do is tell everybody you know all about the product. It is a lot of fun! I love products, and I love to talk, so it's perfect for me!

I'm a huge fan of Glade, so I was thrilled when I got The Fragrance Collection by Glade campaign. I had high expectations, and was super excited to receive my Bzz kit in the mail the other day. I received a Multi-Wick Soy Based Candle in the Currants & Acai scent. Grant was even eager for me to light it. I lit that baby, and my house smelled heavenly! It is literally just as good as all the expensive candles I own. I really like the fact that I can buy it right in my grocery store, and for a lot less money! The products are in the $5.99 to $8.99 price range. That's completely doable for me. I really like the scent that I received, and I'm interested in trying out the others.

Here is a bit of info about the products in The Fragrance Collection by Glade, if you are interested.

Multi-Wick Soy Based Candles-they are in a stylish glass jar and burn up to 35 hours-available in Currnats & Acai, Sheer White Cotton, and Lotus Bamboo

Reed Diffusers-available in the same fragrances as the Multi-Wick candle-comes with 12 reeds, the glass holder, and the fragrant oil

Soy Candles-available in McIntosh Apple, Earthly Awakening, and Orange Vanilla-burns up to 26 hours

I really want to try the Sheer White Cotton, McIntosh Apple, and Orange Vanilla scents. I love candles!


If you would like more information on The Fragrance Collection by Glade, click here.


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I have two coupons up for grabs, if anyone is interested in trying one of the products. Each coupon is good for $3.00 off of any product from The Fragrance Collection by Glade. To make it fair, the first 2 readers that comment that they would like one, will receive a coupon.

If you try one of the products, let me know what you think!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Oh, the things kids say

Apparently, our garbage can just told Dylan, in a growling, monster voice, "Hey Dylan, I am so full! Can you please have your mommy empty me?"


Guess what, garbage can? If you can talk, you can definitely empty yourself.

Not Me Monday



Another Monday has rolled around, and I really need a therapy session this week! Head on over to MckMama's blog to join in on this blog carnival. I know I haven't done a lot of things this week. What haven't YOU done?

I have not been completely stressed out all week, after receiving bad news on Monday morning. I am not feeling horribly guilty about releasing my stress in the form of yelling. I am not constantly wondering what I can do to release this stress, so I can get back to normal.

I am not trying to figure out how people with 3 young kids are able to fit them in a car, rather than an SUV or minivan. We had a rental car this week, and nobody could even fit in the backseat, because the TWO car seats took up the entire seat.

My husband did not run out of deodorant, use mine, and then admit to me that my deodorant works better than his!

I did not get completely sucked into a book this week, and stayed up really late several nights this past week to read it.

I did not make my kids go outside in 20 degree weather, because I couldn't stand being cooped up inside anymore. The following day was not almost 70 degrees and beautiful. I am not overwhelmingly thrilled that the weather is finally nice, and we haven't taken full advantage of it, by spending every day outside.

When Lexie says her name, it does not sound like Sexy. Nor does she ask, "Where Dyl doh?" (Doh is for go.) Hmmm...use your imagination on that one.

My car did not cost almost $600 to be inspected. I was not furious about that! It did not cost an additional $2000 to be repaired after being hit. Thank heavens that it is being paid by the other insurance company!

When Dylan and Grant were gone on Saturday, and Lexie was sleeping, I most definitely did something for me, like nap or read. I did not alphabetize CD's.

Dylan did not try to keep 2 caterpillars as pets this weekend. I was not completely grossed out, just thinking about them living in my house.

We did not go to bed at 5 AM Sunday morning, after game night with my family, and some friends. We did not leave my sister's house at 3:45, then realize it was really 4:45 because of the time change. The kids were not so tuckered out from playing with their cousins and staying up late, that they slept in until 12:15 and 1:30. I was not COMPLETELY thrilled to be able to sleep.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Keep your eye on the ball


Dylan's first choice profession is to be a doctor.

But he would also like to play baseball. He is crazy good for such a young kid!

At a year old, the sports obsession began, mainly with football, baseball, and golf. He would walk around with a football helmet on his head and a football tucked under his arm. He was always playing a sport. At the age of 2, we began noticing that he had great aim when throwing the ball, and he's only gotten better over the past 2 years.

Now that the weather is nice again, it's time to play. That's all he wants to do when we go outside. I pitch to him for hours on end. He truly enjoys playing, and he is really good. He has an amazing arm on him, a near perfect aim, and such a strong swing. He rarely misses the ball, and hits it so hard that I find myself ducking out of the way. I've gotten many bruises from being hit!


I can't wait to watch my little man play baseball on a team. In the not too distant future, he will prefer to play baseball with his buddies, instead of his mom. So for now, I happily pitch to him, ball after ball after ball after ball after ball.

And perhaps, someday he will be able to say that his mom helped him become such a great baseball player.

Keep your eye on the ball, buddy!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

We've got the fever

UGH! Cabin fever. We couldn't take another day of being cooped up indoors.

The natives were restless. And stir crazy. The type of crazy that makes them climb on furniture and eat fake fruit.



So I bundled them up, and we headed outdoors.




Appearances can be deceiving. The fabulous high in that brilliant sunlight was 20 degrees. I can't stand the cold, but the sun made it a bit more bearable. My kids obviously can't stand the cold either, and were begging to come in after about 25 minutes.

At least we got out of the house. And spring is in sight!

Numb

I have been blessed with amazing parents. They mean the world to me, and are incredible grandparents to Dylan and Lexie.

One of my worst nightmares is losing them.

Today, my dad called and very nonchalantly told me that he had a tumor on his bladder and that his doctor said that these type of tumors are almost always cancerous.

I honestly didn't know what to say. Shock set in.

My dad has a positive outlook on everything, and is acting like this is no big deal. He was very matter of fact and explained that he is having surgery on the 24th to remove it, and that his doctor thinks he can remove it all. He won't know anything else until after the surgery.

I was strong all day. I tried not to dwell on the news, and I'm trying to think positively about it.

In all honesty, my heart hurts right now.

I don't want to see my dad go through this and don't want to think about the possibility of losing him.

What's happening hasn't really set in yet. I was in tears a few times today, but the reality hasn't hit me. I'm sure it will hit soon.

All I can do now is be strong, and pray hard.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Not Me Monday!



Welcome to another edition of Not Me Monday. It's time for my weekly therapy session. It's hard to believe that it's already March! Visit MckMama's blog for more Not Me Monday fun!

I did not skip the last Not Me Monday because I had such a bad cold that I couldn't think clearly.

It wasn't me who almost fainted when I saw a bead of Lexie's blood when the lab tech took the needle out of her arm. That would make me a bigger baby than my 2 year old.

Oy. My 2 year old. I do not have a 2 year old. She did not turn 2 this week. She is most definitely still a baby!

Speaking of the blood work, Lexie did not get chased around the office by her brother, and then vomit all over the floor, after a coughing fit. I did not try to catch said vomit in my hands. Ewww.

Grant and I did not get to go out on a kid-free dinner date on Saturday. I did not put my husband to shame by eating way more than he did.

I have not skipped my workout on the treadmill for the past 2 weeks. I am not convincing myself that the vomiting from my stomach virus, and then the constant coughing from my cold, were a better workout than the treadmill would have been. My pants are not way looser than they have been in a while!

My parked car, that has been in perfect condition for FOUR years, did not get hit this week. I am not still angry over that.

We did not spend a ridiculous amount of money on a fully furnished dollhouse for Lexie's birthday. It was not one of the best toys we've ever bought for her!

Last, but not least...this is NOT a 2 year old girl.
It can't be, because just yesterday, she looked like this.


I am not madly, head over heels, crazy in love with my little princess and beyond blessed to have her in my life.
Oh, wait, that part is most definitely true!

But the other stuff? Didn't happen!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Why on earth do they do this?

I have been pondering this question since Dylan's birthday party, in November, and I have yet to come up with a good answer.

I love my nephews so much, but every time they come over, they dump toys out in Dylan's room. In all fairness (in case my sisters are reading), Dylan joins in on the fun. He only does this with his cousins, though. This doesn't happen when other kids come over, and Dylan never does it on his own. Perhaps it is the fact that a 5 year old, 4 year old, almost 4 year old, and 3 1/2 year old are all involved...and that they are all boys?

When I say dump out toys, what I mean is TRASH THE ROOM. I always think I should take a picture, because I don't think people believe me when I say how bad it is. But when I see the mess, I try to walk away as fast as I possibly can, and I don't think a picture could even do the mass destruction justice.

The first incident occurred at Dylan's birthday party. I spent 2 days cleaning up the mess in his room after that one. The worst incident was just a few weeks ago, during family game night. Dylan's room was so trashed, that I had to kick toys into his room, that were spilling out into the hallway, and shut the door before heading to bed. Dylan slept in our bed, because I couldn't even walk to his bed. I should have put police tape over the door, with an "Enter at your own risk" sign.

The next morning, I started to go through the mess. The boys had even dumped out dresser drawers, ripped the bedding off the bed, took the shoe organizer off the closet door, and dumped those contents into the mess on the floor. It took me 5 hours to clean Dylan's room, and I ended up throwing out several broken toys.

So...I learned from that. Or so I thought. For Lexie's birthday party last week, I moved about half of Dylan's toys into my bedroom. I figured that would minimize the mess. Everything with little pieces or lots of pieces got put away. After the party, my two brother in laws and I attacked the mess in the room, and it took the 3 of us over an hour to get it cleaned up. It took me an additional 2 hours the next day to clean, and once again, I ended up pitching broken toys.

This weekend, they came over again. I took out 80% of Dylan's toys and put them in our room. His room was so empty that when you were in it, your voice echoed. I thought that would do the trick. Nope, it took 3 hours of cleaning, and I threw away more broken toys. Somehow the toys made their way into every room of our house, as well.

I'm at a loss of what to do.

I'm thinking I need to empty Dylan's room completely, and just replace everything with an inflatable bounce house. I doubt that would even do the trick.