Christmas 2006

We officially began Christmas in November with the hanging of the decorations and our first party on the 28th.

Remember how much fun she had last year opening presents? I need to get busy wrapping some
little things for her... I really have nothing right now. We have one big expensive surprise for her on Christmas Day.

She loves to ride this reindeer. She grabs his horns (as she calls them) and tells him "yeehaw!" and I just stand there and laugh. I need to get it on video.

See how curly her hair gets? The temperature determines if it will be curly or straight as a board. She is gonna hate it when she gets older.

missing myself

I had a few moments tonight to go and look back on my blog one year ago.

I miss myself.

I miss the pictures that I was taking.

I need to get a camera and get back on track.

I sent my 35mm camera to B&H Photo in New York for them to look it over and make me an offer. Instead, they took it and sold it. So they sent me a check and all of my accesssories. Hopefully I will get that package soon. It has been over a week.

I really need to get back into the swing on things.

Bella getting ready to dig in.
GBK learning to share. Or maybe she is learning to say NO! I was here first!

Digging in her cake. YUM!
And she read each and every card.

these will be a little out of order, but you get the idea
Bella got a car for her birthday. She loved to drive in reverse. I think Sam taught her how to drive. haha GBK wore fairy wings and a fairy skirt at the party- she picked lellow (not yellow). We will let the auntie give the details of the party on her blog.

time

Where has the time gone?

It seems I have no time to read, journal, take photos, clean the house. People ask me when they haven't seen them in a while "What have you been doing? Haven't seen you in a while."

I am just not sure what to answer.

sinus... enough said

I am at home feeling icky- sinus crud has me down.

Vick's VapoRub is about the only thing that is helping at this point. So don't come over unless you want to leave smelling like Vick's because I am sure that the whole smells smells of it.

I have done something really crazy this week though. I did it later in the year this year than I did last year...

Wanna know what it is?
I hung my Christmas decorations.

I have counted 15 trees this year versus the 30 or so from last year. So I didn't get too too crazy.
(Some of them are very very small, mind you!)

This is the third year that I put up a little something with tiny frame ornaments with Christmas pictures of years past. It is so fun to see how GBK grows from year to year. This will be her 3rd Christmas but I will never forget last year when she would open each present with such enthusiasm and gratefulness. It was like giving fresh water to the man deserted on the island for 20 years. I have never seen anything like it. Thank you! WOW! Yeah! she would shout at the top of her lungs.

I can not wait until this Christmas... It is only 48 days away...

Happy Halloween

She had the best time trick-or-treating. I wish you could hear her say Happy Halloween. Clear as a bell.

She got lots and lots of candy- just in time too. I am using it as bribes for her to use the big girl potty.

Can you believe that she has never ever had a haircut? She has natural bangs.

More to come. Just not sure when.

25 things

Sunday school rebel's challenge:
"leave me a list of twenty five things that make you happy/joyous"

here we go

1. GBK- she is my heart, my life, my everything. She keeps me going. Details to follow.
2. Her Eskimo kisses
3. When she squawks like a parrot when Diego tells her to (Go Diego Go)
4. When she jazz steps
5. Parties at my house
6. Bonfire or any other type of fire (except the kind that destroys your house and belongings
7. Coincidences
8. Miracle stories
9. Movies based on a true story
10. A great book that you can not put down until you are done- even if it is 3am
11. The Office
12. Project Runway (although the ending of this season did not make me joyous... but I will stay on topic)
13. Photography
14. Chocolate cream pie shake at Sonic
15. Hiking in the woods
16. Camping
17. Roller coasters
18. Hearing GBK count to ten in Spanish for the first time (about 6 seconds ago)... How on earth did she know that!?
19. Drives in the country and trying to get lost
20. Listening to a really good live band
21. Creamy Chicken Ramen noodles
22. Selling something on eBay for a lot more $$ than I thought it would sell
23. Scrapbooking
24. Having a full tank of gas in the van
25. Holidays- Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Flag Day, etc

jealous?

My dear friend asked me the other day if it is hard for me to hear that someone is pregnant when she hadn't been trying.

I immediately answered no. And that is the truth.

I thought about it some more today because I do remember having those jealousy aches and painsin the past. But I couldn't put my finger on it- when do I get jealous? Because I am really really happy to hear when friends are pregnant or just had a child. My first response is one of most happiness and can't wait until I can hold that sweet little baby in my arms.

But it occurred to me just now- when I hear that someone is pregnant with her 10th child but is on welfare and abuses her other 9 children, yes, I get jealous. How is it that such an unfit mother can get pregnant so easily? It seems like she can look at a member of the opposite sex and instantly be impregnated with triplets. How is that?

So if you find out you are pregnant, do not keep it a secret from me. Let me be the first to hear! Just don't let me find out down the road that you are not taking care of her. If you are not willing/able/ready to be a good mother, use birth control!

I also have the opinion that if you are on welfare and mooching off of the government and want a vasectomy/hysterectomy the govt should pay for it. In fact, even if you don't want it and have a litter of children and have been mooching off the govt your entire life, maybe you should have surgery whether you like it or not.

addiction

*I dedicate this post to Paige. And I guess Keith too.*


I am addicted to many things.

My child

Barq's Root Beer

Traveling

My friends

church

Christmas

Project Runway

Halloween

not neccessarily in that order.

GBK has had 2 Halloween costumes both years and I am not one to break tradition...
Her first costume I found is a ladybug ballerina- tutu and all. Precious.

I struggled with the second one... since I could not find a green bean costume. If you find one, let me know, I may use it next year.


But yesterday I found two USM cheerleader outfits. And I thought- hmmm. this could be her second costume! Now I have to decide... which one? black? or gold? I am telling you- addiction. I can't help it.

I will try to post a photo soon. I am late to work.

101 birthday!

There is a lady down the road from me- turned 101. There is a big sign in her yard.

I am thinking about going down and taking her picture. If they are public enough to put a sign out I figure I can have the courage to ask her permission to take a picture.

But do I take her a birthday present? What do you get a 101 yr old?

Something that will live forever? Or something that she can enjoy today? Like an ice cream cone.
Or do I just forget about the present since I don't know her?

I got the wild hair yesterday and painted GBK's room. No more pink walls. The carpet is still pink but I am working on finding a cute rug. So I am off to do the second and final coat. I will try to post pictures when it is put back together.

talking to God

I close my eyes.

I talk to God.

Thank you God.

Jesus loves me.

Jesus loves me.
Amen.

EAT FOOD!


-a prayer by GBK


*****
This was a random prayer initiated and told completely by GBK yesterday on a country drive. RD and I busted out laughing and I started repeating it so that I would memorize it.

first day of Sunday school

First day of Sunday school. I think the first milestone that I have sort of missed. I mean, I dropped her off. But I had to go to my own class. The wonderful thing about it is that her godmother is her teacher!

She had her lesson and got to take a sheet home with her with a story, verse, etc for us to discuss during the week. She goes and finds it several times a day to show me and we talk about it and look at the picture. And then she puts it back on the refrigerator, or the coffee table, or the floor.

She really thinks about it. I hope she stays interested and continues to pay attention.

The weirdest part of the day was that she woke up with a pink mark on her face and it didn't go away until the next day. It faded out. Maybe something bit her.

lipstick

Taken moments before I was to leave for the private tour of the White House, she found my lipstick and put it on perfectly! One of her uncles walked in on her in the bathroom and caught her in the act. It scared her and made her cry. I couldn't resist grabbing the camera and capturing this hilarious moment.

little booger

-GBK, Stop! That is my drink... don't drink my drink.You little booger.

-No Mama, not little booger. Big booger. Big booger. Me big booger. Not little booger. BIG BOOGER!

I couldn't agree more.

has anyone seen my horse?

Super Stumper #2

This week's question:
Which will freeze faster in your freezer: hot water or cold water?


Last week's question:
The 22nd and 24th President of the United States had the same parents but wasn't the brother of a President. How could this be?

Answer: It was the same person, Grover Cleveland.


I had two responses to that question and they were both correct! Good job. Let's see how many correct answers we will have this week. How many smart friends do I have?

Water, water everywhere

Our frig has a water/ice dispenser on the front. Thankfully it also came with a lock feature. Little Hands discovered the dispenser this week. She has two play kitchens and has the best time whipping things together for us to 'eat'.

A couple of days ago, she helped herself to a quart or so of water. Unfortunately she took it in the living room over the carpet to do her cooking.

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.

I wish that the lock feature was a little fancier. One that could prevent RD from getting in and eating all of the fudge brownie ice cream before I even got one little taste- yes, that would be nice.

tech queen

I have been busy this morning trying to clean up some of the filth accumulating in this house!

I decided that GBK's Indian name would be "Little hands" .

"Little hands" goes right behind me making a bigger mess than the mess I had just cleaned so the process is very very slow.

While I was cleaning, "Little hands" decided she wanted to watch a movie. So she put in her Curious George DVD. When it was over, she came and told me that she wanted to watch her kitty cats. So I took that to mean she wanted to go outside and find her kitties. I sort of ignored her because it is hot as blazes outside and I would faint on the porch on the way out.

I stopped to take a breath, turned around and watched her take the DVD out of the machine. She set it down oh-so-carefully. And then she put in her kitty cat movie (Aristocats) into the VCR and sat down on the couch and proceeded with her viewing.

wild horses

GBK and I were riding with RD in the car yesterday. Out of the clear blue GBK started a conversation.

GBK: Mama, where's my horse?

Me: What horse baby? Who gave you a horse?

GBK: Uhmmm, Auntie Sam did.

Me: Oh? I didn't know that.

GBK: It's black and I ride him! (Shouted gleefully)

Me: Really. We will have to talk to Auntie Sam about that.

***
Where does she come up with this stuff?!

Also, when did she start speaking in complete sentences that made sense with the previous complete sentences that she spoke!?

And what the heck is RD gonna tell her when she starts asking for a pony?

This is way too much fun.

super stumper

The 22nd and 24th President of the United States had the same parents but wasn't the brother of a President.

How could this be?

one reason that I don't blog often

One reason that I do not blog often is because I can't upload pictures 90% of the time!

It makes me say dirty words and I have to move on with the rest of my day. I don't have time to sit and try 100 times to get it to work.

Maybe I am not holding my tongue right.

fried legs, back and shoulders

GBK and I went with a group to a water park yesterday. We had so much fun. It was the best time we have had in a long long time. Just a lazy day filled with water fun, no duties other than the routine stuff like eating and potty breaks.

The only bad thing that happened was I got sunburned. I told my friend- now, you are gonna have to tell me when I start turning the slightest shade of pink, that means that I am sunburned and have to go in! Because it sneaks up on me and once I am pink, it is too late.

Hours later, she said, yep you are sunburned.

Yikes.

And I wasn't even in the water the whole time!

GBK fell asleep in my lap on the Lazy River. So I tucked her in my towel and walked her across the park to a lazy chair, carrying her like a little dead body over my shoulder, with just her water shoes poking out of the bottom. I am sure people were staring. Maybe they were staring at my pink shoulders. Or at my fat thighs rubbing together as I walked. No telling. But I put her on her chair and tried to read my book (Jewel).

It was really hard to read because as I was getting settled a girl from another group came over and started going through my bag! I said- honey, that is mine. She apologized. I watched her. She starts going through my other bag! I said That is mine too! She apologized. She moved on to the next table. Started going through my friend's bag! I scolded her again. She tried to go through at least 6 bags before she finally found her bag and what she was needing. Her excuse? They had their stuff scattered all over our tables. Our reserved tables! Then the rest of her group showed up and started sitting on our tables and lounging on my drying shorts! I am thinking, what is wrong with these people?! And they kept knocking into GBK's chair nearly waking her. I was on pins and needles the whole time they were there. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as they left, secretly wishing for a cold adult beverage.

Anyways, the point of the story is- we had a blast.
She had the best time on the slides and threw her arms up in the air and yelled WHEEEE!!!

I am in so much trouble. When she is 12 she will think roller coasters and water parks are boring. Ready to move on to something more adventurous. Bungee jumping. Parachuting. Drugs. God help us all. I hope not.

home sweet home

I feel like I have been gone 2 months.

I am finally home. I have 100 things to do and my schedule is crazy.

I really need to schedule my time better.

I have so many projects and things to get worked out... I feel that I am running in circles.

At least I came home and the old freezers were off the porch and disposed of properly. I hope. They are out of sight anyway.

looking back...

This is random...

I was chatting via email the other day with a friend of mine... we had not visited in close to 12 years. It was good to touch base and get caught up. That gives me a feeling of accomplishment. Because I sit and think on all of the things that I have done in the past X number of years. It reminds me that I am healthy, wealthy and happy. It reminds me of all of the small miracles that had to happen to get me to this point in life. There were a lot of small miracles, folks.

I counted:

I have moved 15 times since I last spoke with this particular friend.
I have had at least 7 different jobs.
I am 50 lbs heavier.
And lost 50 lbs, only not at one time. You know- you lose 5, gain 5, lose 10, gain 20.
I have been married twice. Didn't know that? There is not much to discuss here re:#1. Just know that it was ugly.
I have been told that I could not get pregnant due to a medical condition.
I have been told that if by some miracle I got pregnant, I would not be able to carry full term.
I got married.
I have purchased a home.
I moved 2 states away purely on faith.
I have been pregnant.
I carried her full term and had no complications.
I have traveled all over the country including 3 foreign countries.
I have had at least 10 pet dogs and 6 pet cats. 3 dogs and 3 cats are still with us.
I have posted on this blog 62 times.

These may all seem like normal every-day occurrences to you. But to me, they are small miracles. Each item has a story behind it. Have you encountered any miracles this week?

Look around. Take notice. Have a miracle that you want to share?

Question #1

Q:
Is the press room bigger or smaller than you thought it would be? I always imagine things grand and then am shocked at how "real" and small they are. Well not all things, but you know.

A:
It is so much smaller than I imagined it would be! It is a tight fit. Maybe 15 x 30 feet? Hard to say. Hard to imagine all of those people squeezing in there to do a live report.

One cool thing that I learned... Franklin Roosevelt expanded the West Wing and relocated the Oval Office to the southeast corner in 1934. He also built a swimming pool, which was converted into this Press Briefing Room during the Nixon Administration.

So we were standing above the old swimming pool!


Your comment reminded me of when I was in 1st/2nd grade. I thought that my school was huge! The hallways were massive. And then a few years later, I went to visit and was confused- when had they remodeled the school? Why were the hallways so skinny? How did two people walk past each other without touching? And the classrooms were tiny- how did they fit 30 kids in that one room? I will never forget that weird feeling- like I was a giant in a midget's world.

Can I take any questions?

Yes, I had the opportunity to go to DC this summer and visit the Oval Office, Rose Garden and Press Room.

President Bush was out of town that day so we were able to walk through on a private tour and see some things that most people don't get the chance to do. So exciting!

I thought that I would take this time to allow questions. I will give you 7 days to ask anything that you want. I promise to try to answer but reserve the right to tell you to go to hell if I don't like the questions.

OK. Fire away.

I am gonna tell a really funny but embarrassing story on myself.

Last week, the Schwan's man came to our house to take our food order. It had been a month or so since I had seen him due to vacation time. So we were getting caught up, he was showing me a new catalog and I was giving him my order when I realized GBK was in the other room playing quietly. That should have been my first clue.

A few minutes later she came in with a handful of clean clothes that she had pulled off of the sofa in the den. She threw her clean clothes on the floor leaving her with only one single pair of panties. They did not belong to her.

She held them up for the Schwan's man and scolded him. As she peered at him like a schoolteacher looking down her rimmed glasses, chin nearly touching her chest, saying, "These are Mama's right? No touch. Mama's. OK? No touch. OK?"

It was at that point that I looked up and felt the heat and redness in my cheeks. I said- no GBK, those *aren't* Mama's but we don't show off other people's things, OK? now go put those back.

She didn't know what to do. She just stood there. Holding those Granny panties as stretched out as she could, using both hands, exaggerating the largeness of it all. I was mortified. Humiliated. So embarrassed.

To make matters worse, not only was the Schwan's man there that day, but he also brought along another worker. Another rep or his manager or someone... I never understood who he was really. So I was doubly mortified.

The other guy said- Kids sure can embarrass us huh?

I thought- man, that is an understatement.

I am sure that they laughed about that and told that story a hundred times to friends, family and neighbors.

Natchez Nachos

I had so much fun with GBK and her godmother this week in Natchez! I ate great nachos and boudin at Fat Mama's Tamales. And some incredible BBQ at Pig Out Inn. ALl of the people wer nice and the food was awesome. I am ready to go back with RD for a visit.

We did too many fun things to list here. It was the best short vacation ever.

I visited with BellaBelly while there and we visited a cute little children's store... with things too expensive to purchase. I wouldn't have felt right about it.

While in there, I blurted out an admission of a fear that I haven't really talked about much. And a huge wave of heat swept over me. Y'all, I started sweating and a minor panic attack came over me.

What is the phobia you ask? Monograms. I just can not bring myself to monogram anything for GBK. What if I want to use the item again for child number 2? Or 3? Or 4? Or 5? I am not remonogramming it 4 times. And why waste the money to only get to use that super cute, expensive thing for only one child? I can't bring myself to do it.

Also, what if I have it monogrammed and then something *happens* to her? I would fall to pieces. I would never ever be able to get rid of it.

My emotions as I write this are keeping me from even being able to explain myself. I am blubbering these words out.

But seriously, what do you do with an article of clothing once it is monogrammed? You can't give it away, you can't sell it, what do you do? Keep it? Throw it away?

This is really puzzling me.
GBK does have one little diaper bag that I use a lot that has her name on it. Yep, it says Green Bean Kid. No, kidding. It has her name. It is the only thing (that I know of) that has her name on it. I love it. But I will keep it forever, not knowing how to let it pass away. And it is from a good friend that I think of everyone time I see it/use it.

Baby Boom

Seems like all of my friends have had babies this past year. Or they are pregnant now.

Somedays I am jealous- wishing I had a second.

Other days I am thankful that I get to spend so much time with GBK. And not be distracted by a second. She is still doing so many new things and keeps me laughing- and yelling at times- and I am afraid I would miss something- either with the new one or with GBK.

I finally understand what parents mean when they say- I just don't know if I have enough love for another one.

It is because we are so devoted and absorbed with number one that we are afraid that we would not spend enough time with the second.

Somedays I think that I don't want a second until GBk is at least 18. Haha I know that is irrational.
Other days I wish that I had 10- to feel the energy and excitement of a big family.

But never do I wish that I had none- even on her bad days I love her.

who let the cat out of the bag?

OK- so I don't keep my surprises/secrets very well.

I mean, if it is something serious, I can keep a secret.

But not a secret on myself.

I told RD about the gifts.

And we "talked" it over for a few minutes. He was annoyed... but would you believe? Still no present.

He filled my car up with gas Sat. He tells me that is his gift. With the cost of gas, I know that I should be excited and happy.

But no- I want something that he and GBK picked out together, wrapped and delivered with a flurry of surprise.


I guess I am a romantic and just want to be swept off of my feet with charm.

*sigh*

At least I didn't get a bug zapper like one friend.

Today's gift? Curtains for my front windows to keep the sun out and the house cool. That is a good gift to myself because it will help lower the electric bill- so really, I am saving money by spending money.

I may have to get more curtains tomorrow.

At this rate, my fixer-upper house will be all fixed up by Christmas!

What can I get today?

Today I bought myself a jogging stroller.

I have been trying to walk with my friends...and is needed for rough terrain areas.
And this will come in so handy for the D.C. TRIP!

I also got a few pair of pants just for fun.

I just gotta do it myself

Since I am not gonna get a MD gift, I reckon' I will spoil myself and buy my own present.

Make that PRESENTS. I may as well get a present for each day that he is late.

So tonight I bought myself a new pair of tennis shoes and 3 new pair of pants. That covers Sun, Mon, Tues and Wed.

So then I went over to Bed Bath and Beyond and got one of those things for the bath tub that you can put your book on, and a wine glass and a candle... and anything else you may need. That covers today. I wonder what I will get myself tomorrow?!

I love this game.

Shhhhhh. don't tell. Let's see how long it takes him to notice all of the new stuff in the house.

Day Three

Still nothing.

riding a butterfly

This was her second ride- the big butterfly that will fly up if you pull the lever. Round and round, up and down.

Weed

How is it that the weeds in my flower bed grow faster, bigger, better than the actual flowers in the bed!?

I pulled weeds yesterday while GBK played in the yard. Last month I paid my friends to help me weed. For every plastic bag they filled with weeds, I paid them a quarter. I think I paid out close to $10. If I had done that yesterday, I would have been out closer to $100. Those weeds were crazy big!

Last night I borrowed a movie- thinking it was a kid's movie. Have you see Bee Season with Richard Gere?
First off, it is not a kid's movie and it has little to do with the actual Spelling Bee like you would think. It is more of a psychological drama. There were some strong 4-letter words that shouldn't be in a kid's movie. So that is my 'heads-up' for the day. Don't pop it in for your kids and walk away. It really reminded me that I should preview any movie that a child watches- even if it is animated or considered PG.

Day 2- still no MD gift.

GBK's first ride- the frogs went round and round and at a certain point in the ride, would bounce up like it was jumping. Oh how she loved it.

Where oh where has the year gone?

Is it just me or is this year going by really really fast? It is almost June! Seems like we are just recovering from Christmas holidays!

So, I have been busy. And out of town. Came home to no Internet. Arghhh. No- it was worse than that. ARGGGHHHHHH!

Nothing is really new- I am just really busy.

We didn't do much for Mother's Day- it was basically like the rest of the year.
But we did go see RV (The Robin Williams flick) at the theater and it was really funny! My only negative comment would be that I don't like bathroom/potty humor. It is not funny to me. And there was quite a bit of that in the movie. But even I laughed at a few of the jokes.

I haven't gotten my MD gift yet... let the count begin.

It is now 1 day after MD. Any guesses as to how long it will take RD to get it together? I gave him two options, so it isn't like he is trying to figure out what to get.

He is not too good on the gift-giving thing.

snot

I hate it when I get so much snot stuffed up into my head that I actually consider getting the vacuum out to suck it out.

And then, I have that one good blow into the puffs tissue and so much comes out that it feels like my head has opened up, exposing the sinus cavity to pure acid... in other words, it burns, but in a satisfying way.

Barq's Has Bite

I am not a big soda drinker... there are really only a few that I like.

But two days ago I had 4 Barq's Root Beers... and I am still feeling the effects!

what I have learned about myself

This week I learned that no matter how much I have to do- no matter how stressed, how busy, overwhelmed or overbooked I am... I tend to create more chaos for myself.

I have a pretty full week. I am overwhelmed with house work.

So what do I start doing this afternoon?

I started rearranging furniture. Which of course, I try to prove that I can do all by myself. I mostly can. 95% of it anyways.

Until something breaks or I have gotten myself in over my head. Then I have to call RD and beg him to help. ANd then I hear the same old thing- I thought that we agreed not to move the furniture.

Yes, he is of the mindset that all furniture should become one with the house. In order for the furniture to meld with the house, the furniture must never ever move. Ever. Not even to sweep or vacuum.

And I am of the mindset that a little change is good. It brings the creativity out in you. Gives you something to talk about. Makes nightime walks through the house very interesting... especially when it is dark, the lights are out and you forget to flip the switch on. Ouch.
Anyway, I usually find something interesting that I forgot that I had or find something that has been missing for a few months... so I like to move the furniture around.


I am also an efficiency freak. Not to say that I am greatly efficient. I am only saying that I am always looking for ways to make it better, smaller, bigger, quicker, whatever with the smallest amount of effort. That doesn't make me lazy- because I actually do not know how to sit still... I am just constantly thinking of ways to make something better. And sometimes I come up with ideas in my dreams. I have no example to back up that last sentence, of course... but next time it happens I will let you know.

But back to my day- I started moving furniture around. Of course I picked the heaviest piece and didn't move the TV, VCR, DVD, 1000 movies, etc out of it first.... I just started pushing and pulling and 'walking' the furniture. I pushe a little too hard one time and the weight of the contents broke one of the claw feet on the armoire. ARGH. It started wobbling. I grabbed it, steadied it and caught my breath. Two seconds later RD came in and I had to beg for help.

"I thought that we agreed not to move the furniture." says RD.

"I never agreed to that." I responded.

"Why can't you just leave the furniture where it is!" he says- quite irritated.

Because it has a broken leg! I wanted to scream. Then I realized he meant why did I have to start moving furniture in the first place.

Well, it is mainly because I am overwhelmed and don't know where to start. What better way to start than to do something different!

So what are you? Is your house more like a museum where nothing moves and nothing is touched or more like the local grocery store shelves... you restock and rearrange constantly?

dang it

Why haven't I posted?

Well, other than the obvious ( I am incredibly busy) I keep getting pissed off at this thing- it won't let me post photos! dang it.



So it is Easter. And GBK loves Easter egg hunts. We have one every day around here it seems- with her little eggs and basket and goodies.
But it seems like every day is an Easter egg hunt for me- why can I not find anything? ever?
Certain pants, a certain pair of shoes, socks (where *have* they gone?)... but not just clothes... I have been missing a book, a set of photos, and the TV remote. Somedays I think that I am losing my mind.

I am gonna try to post a photo soon. I am really trying. It just doesn't seem to want to work and I don't have much time or patience to work with it!

jogging in place...

I feel like I am jogging in place. I am working really hard, putting forth a great effort... but not getting very far.

Our kitties still have no names... why can't you people come through for me and help me name my cats!!??
They are still labeled "friendly one" and "shy one". Ok. So maybe we will name them Friendly and Bashful. Creative, I know.

I will say that our mouse problem has improved immensley since adopting the cats. They are on the prowl 24/7. Every time that we see them they are crouched down ready to attack.

Friendly is so sweet to GBK. GBK lugs her all around the yard, pulls her tail and hugs her too tight. I keep warning her that Friendly isn't gonna like it and will scratch her one day but GBK just laughs at me like I am crazy. Friendly is really sweet to her though. Coolest cat I know.

The pups are the same way GBK's pup, Aggie, is so sweet and lets her lug her around the yard. Diezel is shy and timid. RD needs to work with him some.

My cousin tells me that his dog died of poisoning too. Seems that someone fed them poison- perhaps in a weinie dog or something. Perhaps they intended for a coyote to find it or perhaps they malicisously poisoned our dogs. Our dog never rambled the neighborhood or anything so I am not sure how he found it.

We rented Walk the Line and plan to watch it this weekend. I heard it was excellent. We also watched the Grizzly Man movie this week. Have you seen it? It was great. Weird, but good. I think I asked RD about 82 times- is this for real? Is he an actor or is that actual footage? I researched it online just to make sure that he was telling me the truth. The guy was a freak. But it was great to watch the bear footage... reminded me of our trip to Alaska 3 yrs ago. I think that if I had seen the movie before our trip I wouldn't have been so willing to get so close to those bears! And I don't think that I would have hiked into the mountain with the other girls to use the bathroom! You should have seen us carrying on... singing, clapping, making noise. What a sight. OK. Have a good weekend.

catching up...

How have I managed to go this long without posting?

I will tell you. GBK's Birthday. GBK's Birthday Party. My folks were in town for a week. I had a birthday. My birthday always lasts at least 2 weeks. And then we went camping. GBK got sick. I am full of excuses.

So this week I have been trying to simplify my life. It is harder than it sounds. I have so many little piles of stuff everywhere. Toys, books, papers, pictures, clothes, you name it, it has a pile.

The biggest pile of all is the scrapbook table that has taken over GBK's new bedroom. Yes, we moved her stuff into another bedroom. Mostly because she inherited some new furniture and that was the only way that I could get 'her' things to fit.

How is it that we manage to accumulate so much stuff? I swear that we have at least 2 trashbags of trash per day- so how it is that we are bringing that much more in the house? (RD would swear that it is more like 5 bags/day as much as I am asking him to take it out of the house already!!!)


Let me tell you what else I have been doing. Fighting mice. What is it about my house that is so much better than that big field next door to romp around in? I mean, it has a pond for water, food in the field, and plenty of space. Why do they have to come into my house and eat everything in site including the weather stripping around the door?

Finally, last week GBK and some of our neighbor friends went on a mission- to find some kitties. We found two and we hope that they will start finding and eating these mice.

How can you help you ask?

Well, we have these two kitties (girls, we think) with no names...
so I will have a name the kitties contest. What is the prize you ask? Good question. What do you want the prize to be if you win? Let me know.

I will tell you one more thing before I go.

RD's dog G DAWG died last Saturday. Actually 2 Saturdays ago. So we went that night and found 2 puppies that needed a good home. RD got a bigger puppy and named him Diezel- he is hoping that he will be a good guard dog for the shop. GBK got a cute tan puppy and named her Maggie. I shortened it to Aggie. She chases her and hugs her and loves her and calls her to "come 'ere Aggie". I hope that Aggie grows to be a good dog for GBK and sticks around for a while. I will never forget getting my Sophie dog 10 years ago and how much I loved her and how excited I would get to see her. I hope Aggie does the same for GBK.

You would think...

You would think that my house would be more clean than it is.

GBK is a little OCD at times.

I caught her yesterday cleaning the clean toilet. With the toilet brush. With water flying everywhere.

An hour later I sat down on the toilet only to have a huge wet ring on my butt from where she failed to complete the job.

G R O S S

HARey

GBK got a fish for her birthday. It is a male beta. He has a beautiful fish tank. I hope it isn't too girly for him.
We were supposed to get her a dog for her birthday but she ended up with this fish. We named him Harey. I named him after the Curious George author- H.A. Rey

She loves to watch him swim. I just hope that she doesn't tip his bowl over or try to scoop him out.

She was very confused this other day when I cooked salmon. I told her it was fish. She screwed her face up and looked at me like I was crazy.

Happy Birthday!

GBK turned two yesterday.

We had a crazy day filled with activity.

She had her photo session and then RD and I took her to the Curious George movie. She loved every minute of it!

Photos to come.

Last Year/This Year III- Valentine's Day

This was last year just before our Mommy n Me Valentine Party. She had a little bit of hair... starting to walk better... babbling and saying a few words. We also had a little birthday celebration for her at the same time.

Yes, she has no socks. She pulls them off as quick as she can. She did this yesterday and it was 30 degrees outside. She is a little country gal like her mama.

photography

I am in a photography class under the direction of a retired professor/photojournalist.

I have been interested in photography for a long, long time. I was a photographer in high school for yearbook and loved hauling my big camera bag around with me, waiting for any possible shot. Sometimes I would take up to 4 rolls of film a day!

Over Christmas break, while out of town, our vehicle was burgularized. A lot of things were taken but my beloved 35mm camera with complete lens set was taken. So once I got my insurance reimbursement money, I ordered a new camera.

I got a Nikon N80 and love it. I have only taken about 4 rolls so far so I am still really trying to figure it out. Last night my mentor gave my photos a critique and showed me what was good, what was bad and what was horrible. HAHA

I have to make sure not to take it all personally. He encourages me so I am ready to get out and take some more photos!

self portrait

I don't get my picture taken often. Mostly because I am usually the one with the camera.

When I was a little bitty thing, about knee-high to a duck, I decided that I hated to have my picture taken. I really really hated it. I would run when I saw a camera. There are many-a-picture that was supposed to be a family photo and I have my head buried in my Dad's shoulder or behind my Mom's leg. I was just so embarrassed.

I will tell you what made me change my mind.

The Texas Dept. of Transportation.

I went in when I was about 18 or so to get my license and they took my picture. It turned out better than any picture of me I had ever seen. I am not kidding you. I wish I still had it. After that I had no problem with it.

Now that we have a child, I feel like the camera is a part of me- not even glued or stitched to my hand- it is really just a part of me. A growth or disease that I contracted somewhere. Hopefully the only growth or disease that I will contract in this lifetime.

RD asked me today- how many pictures do you think that you have taken of Madison? I thought about it. Possibly thousands? I dunno. Six Thousand? If I have only taken 10 pictures of her a day since birth that would be roughly 7300. I bet I have taken more.

But back to the story- he asked me this question as if it was a bad thing... like I was an addict. Like it was worse than smoking or drinking.

So I asked him- how many times do you think you have farted since she was born?
he said- A BUNCH!
I said- more times than I have taken pictures of her?
he said- Oh YEAH!

I said- how may times do you fart a day?
He said- Probably five.

I laughed out loud.

Then I asked- why in the world do you save all of those farts for me then? I mean, you can spread em around and fart when I am not around! Don't feel like you have to save them for me! My picture takin' problem is no worse than your fartin' problem and it doesn't stink near as bad.

I hate fart stories and can't believe I just wrote about one.

******
So the picture I posted was taken by me- it is my reflection in the car window. The growth on my head is GBK hanging on tight as she can. It was taken with my new Nikon N80 that I am in love with. It is my replacement camera for the Canon that was stolen out of our car over Christmas. This picture was on my first roll of film with this camera.

little hands

We rode the train yesterday at the zoo. I just realized that in 2 weeks she will be two years old. Where did the time go? She is no longer a baby. Doesn't she have the sweetest little hand?

This is the same hand that grabs my lips to give me kisses...

grabs her marker to color on the stairs...

finds a barrette to put in her pretty hair, only to pull it right back out...

likes to bang on my keyboard, disrupting my 'work'...

knows how to turn the TV off and on...

tells her baby shhhh-shhhhh...

pets my hair when I am feeling blue...

cooks up a yummy dish in her 'kitchen'...

writes "o" and "m" all over her Valentine Cards...

tries to tickle me all over, making me laugh and scream and jump around.

Gosh I am in love with her.

This was New Year's Eve. She is the cutest little redneck ever. She has 3 pair of bubba teeth and she loves to wear them.

One of them has a huge diamond in the front tooth. What's really funny is when I have her show it off to someone and they don't see the humor.

Happy New Year! We stayed up well past midnight with a few friends. We ate lots of good food, enjoyed the bonfire and sparklers and laughed a lot. Especially at Carson Daly who didn't know how to properly countdown as the ball was dropping. What an idiot.

gimme a hug

I am a part-time sub at a pre-school in town. They called me last night to go in this morning. I had a new group of kids today and they were so sweet and cute.

At one point, one of the little girls was squeezing herself and her face was turning bright shades of red. I said, what are you doing to yourself!? Giving yourself a hug?

And she said! mmm-hmmm... yes! I was giving myself a big ole hug.
She had the bigest grin on her face.

How innocent and sweet. Made me want to hug everyone in the room, including myself.

Sometimes you just have to hug yourself if no one else will.

I hate it when I ask GBK for a kiss and she turns her back on me. I think I will try to hug myself next time she does that.

Last year she had a t-shirt that said "Gimme a Hug". She hated wearing that shirt, I think because she did get a lot of hugs. Mostly from scary people that she didn't like. haha

Happy weekend to each and every one of you.

This Year II

It did get better.

Here she is- after opening most of her gifts.
She screamed Hooray! Wow! YEAH! each time she opened a gift. And then she had to run over and show each item off to Uncle Beaux.

We ate french toast for breakfast and drank mimosas while we watched her. Again, I don't think that it could get any better.

My little compass

I think GBK is a compass.

She has been sleeping with me since the mice moved in. I can't stand the thought of them crawling on her in her bed without me there to defend her. RD is worried that they will eat her fingers off in the middle of the night.

So we are now roomies in the guest room. It is fun. We stay up late and read or watch Jay Leno. Which is funny because she walks around... where's Jay? Mama, Where's Jay? When he finally comes on, she gives him her undivided attention. Anytime the camera pans to the left or right taking Jay out of the picture for more than 2 seconds, GBK bolts upright- Where's Jay? Mama, where's Jay? And I have to convince her that he is there and she settles back down to watch.

The real fun starts when we turn off the tube and settle in for sleep. Most of the time she gets comfy and goes to sleep right away. Other nights she takes a while. Tossing this way and that. Pulls the cover on, pushes the cover off. Head on the pillow, head off. Throws the pillow on the floor. UH-OH! Gotta get down and pick it up. Shouts of "bottle! water! cup! Please! PLEASE! Mama!" I tell her to get still and go to sleep! Good grief who gave her the Moutain Dew or coffee or energy drink or whatever it is giving her all of this energy!?

She finally settles in and drifts off. I love her. I snuggle with her. This lasts 2 minutes. Then the toe twitch starts. She pushes me off, rotates around until she is able to dig her feet into my back and then settles down again. Anytime I try to move, she moves with me, feet in the back.

Several nights I have turned in the bed diagonally. She moves too- feet in the back. One night I slept on the other side of the bed. Feet in the back. No matter where I go- her tiny little toes are stabbing my back. It doesn't really hurt... unless she kicks. Sometimes when I roll on my other side, I get her feet in my belly so I roll back over or lie on my back. Still- feet in the back.

She is my little compass- always pointing her toes in my back no matter which way I turn. She is upstairs now fast asleep. He toes are pointing to the head board and her hed is by the foot board. I believe she thinks that she is on the North pole and just totally confused about which direction to point.

Last Year/This Year II

Here she is- after opening all of her gifts. Wow what a great first Christmas. I didn't think it could get better than that.

OCD tendencies.

Something is wrong with me. Yes, some of you already know this.

But there are certain things that I have to do a certain way or I get really frustrated and out of sorts.

And there are certain things that I do not like... if I see them or hear them I get really frustrated...sometimes to the point that I get physically ill... maybe a headache, a cough, etc.

Example- I do not like prime numbers. I don't like Madison being 23 months old. I really can't stand it. I will not tell people that she is 23 months old. I have to say- she will be 2 next month. Or she is almost 24 months. Something along those lines.

I am 30 this year. I like it. I will not like being 31. Luckily for me there aren't many prime numbers left in my life. I will just have to muddle through them. That or lie about my age. The weirdest thing about it is I didn't discover this until last fall. Madison was maybe 17 months old or something like that and I was just having the hardest time saying it. And then late one night it hit me- I just do not like prime numbers.


When I was in high school, my Dad or someone said a word like abbreviate or some other innocent word that means nothing positive or negative and I said OOOO! I do not like words that end in 'ate'. So then my family proceeded to come up with a list of about 500 words that ended in 'ate'. I will not list those words here- not even a few of them. Because they make me cringe. But they sat around the kitchen table while we were eating shouting out new 'ate' words with glee. So innappropriate. (see, that word ends in 'ate' but is not pronounced with the long a sound, it is more like 'uht')

I am not sure why my brain works that way... but it does.

I was visiting with a friend yesterday about her OCD tendencies. And we talked about how just because we are OCD doesn't mean we are clean freaks... in fact, sometimes my house is messy because I feel like I can't clean it perfectly so I can't even get started.

Today I was thinking about the perfectionist part of my brain... perhaps that is why I didn't like school- because I could never do it perfectly- Since I couldn't make straight 100s on every single test, homework, paper, project, etc. I was frustrated to the point that I couldn't even get started.

I always had high expectations of staying organized and having a neat orderly notebook or folder... with sharp new pencils all of the time. And when any one of these things was not how I envisioned it, the rest of the day or week went downhill.

Today I am cleaning house- purging all of that stuff that you should have thrown away a long time ago and thought- I will save it, I may need it one day. Well, that day has not come so in the trash it goes.

What better way to spend a rainy day?!
What do you do on a rainy day?