I Should Have Bred Iguanas...

Sometimes, bad things happen.

2009-07-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

They say you can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle a crisis. Well, I’ve heard it before, but I’m not sure who said it. I can tell you this: I SUCK IN A CRISIS. I’m that bumbling idiot who really shouldn’t have been the one to place the 911 call. The one who talks so fast but says nothing. And can’t follow a simple instruction to save her own life, much less anyone else’s.

I also heard someone say once that, if God only gives you what you can handle, He must think I’m a total pussy. He really must. I guess we just get so comfortable floating through life and confident that nothing will really happen to us. After all, we don’t do anything too risky, break any laws, we wear our seatbelts. What could happen to us right?

Anything can happen. Nobody is immune. Life happens and it’s real. And we can eat well and take our multivitamins and wear our seatbelts and get hit by a car jogging. When your number is up, it’s up. I’m not sure if that’s really true, but it certainly makes the uncertainty of life easier to swallow.

A couple of things I’ve learned this year are: Just because a toilet seat only costs ten dollars, that doesn’t mean you should actually buy one. (A toilet seat that doesn’t’ handle moisture well is never good. Actually, it’s just plain gross.) Another thing I’ve learned is that I really need to learn CPR. I have three kids, for crying out loud. I have no reason not to absorb every single bit of information that I can that could take care of my kids in a crisis, or anyone else for that matter. I am useless in a crisis. My brain seems to shut down completely. Actually, my emotions shut down and my brain just turns to goo. Useless, stupid goo. I’m not a basket case by any means. In fact, I don’t make it a habit of crying. Ever. I’ll get a little weepy during a movie or reading something powerful or seeing something that just really touches me. In fact, I can honestly say that the birth of a baby (no matter how cheesy and sitcom-like) can bring a few tears every single time. 13YO has been hooked on that show ‘The Nanny’ on Nick at Nite. In the last episode, where she has the babies…even that puts tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat.

We had something happen around here. Something really real. My family is okay and everything, so don’t worry. But I’m having trouble processing it all. Things are normal one minute, then there’s panic, frantic phone calls to 911, waving down paramedics and pacing. I want to feel like there’s something I can do. But why? To make me feel better? This isn’t even about me. But I was there. And I cannot imagine being without the pins and needles I sit on now.

I’m sorry to be so vague, but there is still so much to process. The full story will probably come out….eventually.

WE HAVE A KNITTER!!!

2009-06-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

13YO has a few goals this summer.

1. Learn Spanish.

2. Read two more of the Twilight books.

3. Memorize the Preamble of the Constitution.

4. Learn to knit.

She has checked out a few books on learning Spanish from our library. She's taken notes and practiced pronouncing things. She likes to try to 'shush' everyone around her when she's 'studying.' We sort of laugh her off and tell her to go to her room if she needs silence. There are, afterall, four other people in this house! And it's SUMMER VACATION for crying out loud!

She's almost done with New Moon, then she'll be ready to take on the next one. Between school and softball, she had little to no time for reading for pleasure. She loves to read.

The Preamble thing is coming along pretty well, too. She gets a little hung up on one part, but the rest of it is pretty easy for her. It also helps that I still know it all by heart from when I had to memorize it in the 8th grade myself. I think that I didn't really learn all that much when I was in junior high and the few things I did learn really stuck or something. There's no other way to explain why I still know some Dr. Demento thing, the McDonald's Menu Song, and both my locker numbers and combinations for my gym locker and my outside locker from the 7th grade.

Just don't ask me where I parked my car when I'm walking out of Target...and, if you find me wandering aimlessly in the parking lot don't worry: I always find my car eventually!

The last thing on her list is also in the works. She's plugging right along on the knitting thing. She knitted a couple of little practice swatches and now she's attempting a scarf. Her knitting really doesn't look any different than when I started knitting myself. Toward the end of the scarf, I'm sure her knitting will have already improved in leaps and bounds.

All she can really do is the actual knit stitch, but we'll soon be working on how she holds the yarn, purling, and reading patterns. It will be nice having another knitter in the house. Once school starts again, I'm sure she'll have to put the needles away for awhile. They say 8th grade is pretty tough and school always comes first.

I'm very proud. It's odd getting to a place where one of my children and I are more on the same level. Don't get me wrong...I am still and will always be her MOTHER first and foremost, but it's nice to have more in common with her now. She's 13. I'm going to blink and she'll be starting high school, dating, going off to college, etc.

Can we let her learn to knit and then stop any further growth? I'm just getting used to this.

Deflated Dogs, Crookneck Squash, and Allergy Meds

2009-06-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Aly is growing...STILL! It's going to get old saying that, but I'm still in constant amazement as to how big she'll get. I mean, I KNOW how big she could get, but seeing it happen before my eyes is still kind of cool. She's longer and lankier than ever. When she lies on the couch, she almost looks deflated!

OH....and there's a crookneck squash from the garden! When she's asleep, you can put almost everything on her. She sleeps like a ROCK! And when she plays, nothing gets in her way.

I get to take her tomorrow for her final shot and her rabies vaccination as well. Now that she's four months old, I also need to think about getting her fixed. It doesn't seem like she's old enough, but that's around the next corner. Pretty soon, we'll have a full-grown boxer that still thinks she's a puppy. She's already tall enough to snatch things off the kitchen table, yet she's not old enough (or smart enough) to understand how angry that makes us. We now have a 'NO FOOD AT THE TABLE IF YOU'RE NOT SITTING IN FRONT OF IT' rule.

I bought a 'clicker trainer' at the store yesterday. Here's hoping it works before she gets tall enough to reach things on the kitchen counter. It has to...we're running out of surfaces!

I have to run to whatever radiology place that's close...and that takes my insurance...to get the sinus x-ray I forgot to get yesterday when I was actually there. DOH! There's an infection, but it's the second one in a little more than a month (or the very same one!) and they want to get a better look at it. THAT is what is aggravating my stupid asthma! That is what makes me wake up with a headache when I HAVEN'T been to a bangin' party. (Yes. I said 'BANGIN.' I don't know what got into me. I'll try not to let it happen again.) These new allergy meds are making me a little odd-feeling. FOSHIZZLE!!!

Oh yeah...it's definitely the new meds!

This place has gone to the dogs!

2009-06-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

Aly is growing like a weed. Well, like an awkward, skinny weed that's all legs!

We had company this morning.

Well, not really COMPANY company...David was diagnosed with sleep apnea and the guy from the medical supply place delivered his CPAP machine. We had to learn how to turn it on and off, how to take it apart, how to clean it, etc. This one even has a little computer in it that contains an SD card. When he goes to the doctor, he'll take the card out and bring it to the doctor with him. The doctor will be able to track his breathing patterns and how long he wore the mask and for how often. Surprisingly, the machine is really quiet. I know some of the older ones are loud and take up a bunch of space. This thing is tiny, comes with its own carrying case, and you barely hear anything when it's on his face.

Then again, if his snoring didn't keep me awake, I wasn't really all that concerned about how loud the machine was!

So, he's getting setup for a CPAP machine and I couldn't wait for the guy to leave so I could grab a bowl of my high fiber cereal.

DUDE...WE'RE OLD!!!

Meanwhile, my asthma is still what they would consider to be 'out of control.' I have to use my inhaler several times a day and I don't get much relief. I've recently discovered that my allergy to sulfur might make my inhaler not work so well. I know I can't eat dried fruit that's been treated with sulfur, it triggers an almost instant asthma attack. I was just told that there might be a connection between that reaction and why my inhaler doesn't seem to be working very well. I have an appointment tomorrow with scary little P.A. and I'll find out more about this. I just seem to be using my inhaler more and more and feeling worse and worse. Unless I'm doing something else that's aggravating the asthma, it's gotta be the inhaler right?

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Okay, so I must conclude this 'whinefest' of mine. Look for me on a commercial for something high in fiber (and not the fun kind you make yarn out of, either!) or some sort of pain reliever. It seems those kinds of things are almost all I've talked about recently!

Have a great day!

Insert crude joke here...hehehehe!

2009-06-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

HAHAHA! Guess what David pulled from our garden this morning? That's right...these GINORMOUS ZUCCHINIS! AACK!

Yes, that's a full-sized Capri Sun box...and a zucchini that's just a weee bit TALLER! WOW.

I guess I should be checking on the garden more often, huh? At least this proves that I've been watering it!

A Plug, Some Shortcuts, and Adequate Fiber Intake

2009-06-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

I am eagerly awaiting the UPS man. Why? Because I just started selling Creative Memories and my kit is on its way! I'm so excited! First of all, who doesn't love to get a package delivered?

I decided to start selling Creative Memories because I love their products. I've never really wanted to get into traditional scrapbooking because of all the 'stuff' that it takes to do it. I know myself, so I know that I would feel compelled to own every color of paper and every cutter they make. Plus, I don't really have a 'space' that I could designate as a scrapbooking area in my house. The kids would be messing with all my stuff and I don't see myself having the time to get it all done in one sitting.

Then, I discovered the new digital scrapbooking program, Storybook Creator Plus.

Seriously. This is the answer to all of my scrapbooking problems. The price of the program is actually reasonable when you factor in all the supplies it would take to make a traditional scrapbook. Then, you can download different page designs, papers, and embellishments to make an unlimited assortment of things. I am hooked. Many of the downloads are free, or you can pay anywhere from $3.95 and up for them. Either way, you can use them over and over, as many times as you want. No more having to worry about running out of paper or adhesives or your cutters getting dull. Plus, you can sit down at your computer and work on a page for whatever time you have, without having to set up a bunch of things, clear off a table, or have anything to put away when you're done. Creative Memories found a way of taking all of the things that kept me from scrapbooking out of the equation.

And I'm just getting started...

The above picture I made from the program. Once it was finished, I discovered some ways to make the next one even better. This was my mom's present for Mother's Day, in a 12x12 frame.

So, anyone interested in any Creative Memories products or even just to ask questions, go ahead and email me at ruralsuburbanhousewife (AT) gmail (DOT) com. Okay, I'm done with the plugs.

So, about a few other things I've been up to....

Now, we're all about saving money these days, are we not? I think I've shared this before, but I have to tell you that I just made my SECOND batch of homemade laundry detergent and I'm tickled pink! I follow the recipe as directed, only I immediately use a funnel and pour mine into three old Tide bottles that I kept. I still let it sit for 24 hours, and I just give the bottle a good shake before I use it. That takes care of most of the clumps or separation that can occur when the consistency changes. It seems to work really well for my clothes and I've had no complaints. I used a really yummy smelling soap, but the smell all but goes away completely in the detergent. That's fine. I've also learned how to make my own fabric softener and I can still make my clothes smell any way that I want.

I estimate that I am saving around 20-30 dollars a month with just these two things. And my laundry seems to be just as clean. It's actually really easy to do and so worth it! That's one money-saving shortcut that I just had to share again!

Something else that has been on my mind lately is fiber intake. (DUDE...I'M OLD NOW!!!) Not really, but I have recently realized the importance of getting enough fiber in your diet. I didn't really understand how LITTLE fiber I was getting until I started keeping track of it. My goal is 25-30 grams of fiber a day and I can proudly say that I actually do eat that much. I just had to start paying attention to how much fiber is in the things I buy. My snacks all have fiber in them. I found a line of bread that has a ton of fiber in it without being 'grainy.' My whole family is eating a lot more fiber now.

Granted, there are some...*clearing throat* SIDE EFFECTS from increasing your fiber intake that cannot be ignored. Let's just say that the first couple of weeks you'll want to always be in a well-ventilated area when you're around other people. And, don't get too far from a restroom! Now, they say that you shouldn't just jump up to the amount of fiber you should be getting right away. They say to do it gradually. But, I just didn't think I had the brainpower to remember to add five more grams to my diet every few days. I'm sort of an 'all or nothing' type of gal and I just decided to GO FOR IT. The first few days, the gas pains were so bad that I was sure I HAD BEEN STABBED. I've had three kids, so abdominal pain isn't something that really bothers me...so long as I know the cause!

I also discovered that things that CLAIM to be high in fiber often are NOT. You really have to read labels. People are taking fiber supplements like crazy but could usually get more fiber from a bowl of All-Bran or an apple! Seriously! I am LOVING my All-Bran these days! I have stocked my pantry with snacks that are chock-full of fiber and I just sort of do the math as I eat each meal. I even have my kids hooked on Fiber One bars! (But I only allow them each one per day, if that, for obvious reasons....)

Anyhow, those are the happenings around these parts! Have a wonderful day!

Listening to the Signs the World is Giving Me

2009-06-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

I did something crazy today. Well, crazy for ME anyway...I went running.

I didn't exactly run the whole time. Actually, I was following the prompts given by the guy who came up with this 'Couch to 5k' thing. Right now, I'm sort of cursing his name under my breath. But, I'll get over that. That is, once my face returns to it's normal shade of pale. It's been three hours since I finished and my face is still red. I think my body is just in shock. I can't blame it a bit.

My awesome friend Wildtomato got me going on this thing. Another awesome friend and I were out with her on Saturday night and noticed that her face and neck looked thinner. She's always been active and in good shape, but she looks even leaner and more in shape than ever before. The only thing she does differently now is running. She started the 'Couch to 5K' thing back in October of last year. She runs a couple of times a week and that's pretty much the only thing she does differently.

That was sign #1.

Another good friend of mine is currently training for a marathon. (Yes, I belive that is a form of insanity in itself, but I am also envious of that kind of determination. A marathon is TWENTY-SIX MILES, in case you live under a rock! I don't even like to drive that far sometimes!) She has started a blog to track her progress and such and you can read that HERE. While I don't exactly plan on doing anything THAT INSANE, it sort of confirms the fact that I can certainly get my ass off the couch and do SOMETHING. I had a little chat with her yesterday and we got to talking about her training and running and...

That was sign #2.

Okay, so you'll have to forgive the fact that this third one should actually be in between #1 and #2...but I was watching a movie this weekend with 13YO that also put running in my head. We were actually watching 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' if you can believe it. We had never actually sat down and watched the whole thing before. We have both 1 and 2 on DVD, but have never thought to pop them in and actually watch them. 13YO wanted to watch a movie and those two DVDs were just sitting on my desk, for some reason or another. If you've never seen it, the 'oldest' girl in the group is a soccer star who also likes to run. Granted, I've always just assumed that you sort of have to at least tolerate running in order to play soccer, but this girl loved the way running made her feel. I used to enjoy the way running made me feel. Now, it makes my chest tighten up and my calf muscles ache. And my face turns really red. Like, really red.

And I'm not even being chased by a bear!

I liken running without being chased by a bear to how natural it feels to try to put contact lenses in for the first time. It feels so unnatural to put contacts in when, your whole life, your body has been taught to blink and reject anything coming toward your eye...even if it is your own finger! It's the most awkward feeling in the world, much like the clomping of my heavy feet on the pavement and gasping for air while attempting to resemble actual running. I only have a hard time calling it 'running' when I used to be able to run a mile in about six minutes. Yes, that was in high school, around fifteen to twenty years and three kids ago.

The fact of the matter is that I don't enjoy the way running made me feel today. But, that only reaffirms the fact that I need to do it again. The day after tomorrow. My face is still red, more than three hours after I'm done. I need to keep moving, so sitting here and writing this is probably one of the worst things I could do. Standing up will present its own challenges, but I have laundry to put away and book cases to move. I will get through it. I also have a bit of carpet to repair...gotta love that loooped berber! If I don't fix the snag now, either the puppy will notice is and try to play tug-of-war with it or 13YO will vacuum over it and half the carpet will be gone in no time, much like the dog sweater in one of my favorite children's stories 'No Roses for Harry.' It's one of the classics, right up there with Stone Soup and TikkiTikkiTemboNoSaRemboChariBariRuchiPipPeriPembo. (They call it 'Tiki Tiki Tembo' for short!)

And I was talking about children's books WHY???

I'm afraid, once again, that my train of thought has completely derailed. That's okay, I need to get moving anyhow. Literally!

Have a wonderful day, and do one thing to make yourself proud. Just one thing isn't too much, right?

Fundraising, Melissa Joan Hart and Fiber

2009-05-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

We're gearing up for the final week of school around here. Amusingly enough, the grading period actually ends today, yet they have one more week of school.

How does this make sense? If they can't grade them on anything else, why should they have school?

The answer: Field trips to waterparks and pizza places, class parties, awards ceremonies, kindergarten graduations, and days to just play in the sprinklers.

SERIOUSLY? This was sooooo not the case when I was in school! IF I were lucky, my mom would take us for a scoop of ice cream on the last day of school! Things have really changed! We have less money, yet we have more things to spend it on.

Speaking of that, I can remember the way my elementary school operated when I was a kid. When the PTA decided that the school should be able to have one of those newfangled Xerox machines, they organized a fundraiser. We sold candy bars to earn the money for the first copy machine. That's just how it was. You want something, you find a way to earn money for it. If someone asks my kids what they are having fundraisers for, their answer is usually, "Money for the school." They have no clue what the school wants or needs to do with the money.

Granted, they need the money, I know! But things were so much simpler when we just earned one thing at a time, you know? When I started elementary school, we didn't have air conditioning in the classrooms. That was a luxury. While I was there, they did install a/c.

Hehe...between the a/c and the Xerox machine, we were SO ahead of our time! HAHAHAHA!

Okay...how did I get here?

Ooooohh...that's right. I remember now: Melissa Joan Hart.

You see, Melissa Joan Hart is just a year younger than I am. I see her as an 'age equal' of sorts. So, when she was on GMA this morning talking about her weight loss after her second baby, I paid attention. I have three kids and I could definitely stand to lose some poundage myself. She talked about how she did it and how she got ready for her COVER OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE PHOTO SHOOT IN A BIKINI.

She also talked about how she saw so many pictures of herself with all the baby weight on and how she realized that she now had to compete with the young women on the scene. Then, she named off Vanessa Hudgens and Miley Cyrus.

OMG....I'M NOT YOUNG ANYMORE, AM I?

That put a little knot in my stomach. The new 'young women' are Miley Cyrus and Vanessa Hudgens? Miley is three years older than my oldest daughter.

If Sabrina the Teenaged Witch is no longer young, then neither am I!

So, here I sit. I just finished my bowl of All Bran. (No, I'm not joking. Fiber is crucial to proper digestive health, you know!) I'm also glad that I washed my compression stockings last night and hung them to dry...I'll need them today.

Hmmm....maybe the Metamucil crowd will have me. I'm sure I'd still be young on that scene...

Black Eyes and Incredible Growing Puppies

2009-05-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get her to say, "You should see the other guy!"

I often make jokes about beating my children or selling them on Craigslist. Right now, I try not to joke like that with people who don't know me because my THREE-YEAR-OLD HAS A BLACK EYE. Sunday was a rather low-key day around our house. David did some yard work (or whatever he does when he goes outside) and I was trying to recover from the day before. (Which was awesome, but tiring as well!) 3YO had been a bit on the moody side. We had just gotten back from swimming with the neighbors. 3YO goes to the freezer and attempts to help herself to a corn dog. Combine the amount of food she had already wasted that day with the fact that I was starting dinner and she gets a firm 'NO CORNDOG' in response from me.

Well, that response triggered a Class 1 meltdown from said 3YO. My only choice was to tell her that she needed to finish that tantrum in her room, should she choose to continue. She puts the corn dogs back and heads to her room, her head spinning and everything. Since I could very well hear the screaming, I knew she was heading toward her room. I did not need to watch her, anyone could tell where she was from the horrible noise she was making! The funny thing is, the crying didn't change. She hadn't gotten to her room yet. I ask her why she's not in her room and she just keeps on crying.

Just then, David walks by. He asks why she's crying and I tell him. He sort of nodded in understanding and then followed that up with, "But, what happened to her eye?"

That got my attention.

Apparently, she rounded the corner in her fit of rage and didn't pay attention to the large hutch that has always been there. She has a purple bump come up immediately under the outside corner of her eye. Once she realizes she's justified in crying, she stops. She no longer complains about her eye. We try to ice it, but she won't have it.

The next morning, she wakes up with a full-on shiner. I like to call her my little 'prize fighter.' But the jokes about beating my children and such...they pretty much have to be put on hold until my child no longer looks like I actually beat her. Then, I'm sure the tasteless jokes will continue.

In other news, LOOK HOW BIG MY PUPPY IS GETTING!

"HUH?"

I love the boxer head-tilt thing. It sums up the breed perfectly.

Here is Aly in comparison to Lily. They are just about the same height now, though Lily still has a few pounds on her! Every week, like clockwork, I have to loosen Aly's collar another notch. Is this really the puppy I was worried about? Hardly. The giant paws and lean muscle are making her look so strong and powerful. She's still all legs, but her body doesn't look so skinny now!

Lastly, Lily is still such the lady, isn't she? She always crosses her front paws when she lays down.

Such a lady.

Idle Hands, Compression Stockings, and Snuggies

2009-05-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Isn't there an old saying about idle hands being the devil's workshop?

Last week was very busy. So busy, in fact, that I was pretty worn out toward the end of it. Earlier in the week, 6YO had her Open House at school. Both 6YO and 3YO had gotten new sandals and I had the brilliant idea to paint their toenails for the occasion. They were as cute as can be wearing their new sandals and freshly painted toenails! Since I was a total zombie by Friday afternoon, the kids had a little more 'free time' than usual. I do remember 3YO coming to me and asking me to paint her nails red. (Hers were pink to begin with.) I remember telling her I would help her with that later. And, somehow, I remember assuming that she'd listened to me! I'm not sure why. It's not as if I'm 'NEW HERE.' I know this child has a mind of her own like no other. But, I was tired and preoccupied with either making my menu plan for the week or staring at the wall or something. And it was only a few minutes before we left to pick 13YO up from school.

I get 3YO and 6YO in the car and we drive to go pick up 13YO. A few minutes after 13YO is in the car, she says, "Mom. What did [3YO] do to her fingers?" I'm still sort of a zombie, using every bit of effort to get us all home in one piece and not paying much attention to the chatter going on amongst the girls. At some point, within a few minutes of being home, 13YO goes into the front bathroom and alerts me that I've "got to see this."

From what I gather, 3YO took it upon herself to paint her nails. She must have decided that the best place to paint them would be the bathroom (SCORE-1 for her!) so no carpet was affected. However, she must have also decided that the CLEAN, WHITE TILE on the counter could use a little color as well. Her fingers, upon closer inspection, were painted red from the knuckle to the tip of the nail. There was red nail polish all over the counter, even some in the grout. Once this was discovered, she and I had a little 'chat' and she spent the time it took for me to clean it all up in her room. Between the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and a cotton ball with a bit of nail polish remover on it, I think I got it all off.

Now, I know I have independent children. They can pour their own milk and open their own string cheese from a very young age. I often joke that I should write a book about how to be a lazy mom! But, the independence thing also proves to be a bad thing at times. Sometimes, they think they should be able to do more, which can result in self-haircuts and spilled milk, which I try very hard not to cry about. The haircuts do hurt a little more than the milk, though.

In other news, I've ridden my bike for a few miles at a time twice this week. I plan to do it more, especially since the mornings are still rather cool here. I'm trying very hard to watch what I eat, but it's a matter of taking baby steps if I want these new habits to stick. I'm watching my carbs (somedays, just as they enter my pie hole!) and I'm making sure I get enough fiber and drinking plenty of water. Tweaking those few things and getting a bit of exercise under my belt is bound to make a slight difference, right? I hope so. As it is, I'm stuck in jeans all summer since I have to wear my 'old lady stockings.' I wish I could pull off the long dress thing without getting out of my comfort zone. I am in serious need of a makeover. It's just so hard to feel good in clothes in hot weather when the thing you care most about covering is your ANKLES. (Okay, so the rest of my legs aren't so hot either, but the ankles are the toughest to cover...especially when you have a closet-full of capri pants.) And no one really wants to see my compression stockings, do they?

Where are those people from the Style Network when you need them?

I'm finding that, the older I get, the more of myself I want to cover. At this rate, it will only be a matter of time before I won't leave the house without wearing a Snuggy.

Seriously...Style Network people? ANYONE???

Only A Woman!

2009-05-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I stumbled across this through a series of clicks.

Now, as for what I found....WOW. There is a photographer based in Lake Tahoe who is very dedicated to her work. SERIOUSLY. This woman actually photographed the birth of her OWN CHILD. (This is also a great case in favor of the epidural!) As if that wasn't keeping it in the family enough, her own husband actually delivered the baby! Can you imagine???

What an awesome thing to treasure forever!

In other news, I don't know what's wrong with me. Now, before you go into the huge list that just popped into your head, (whether you'll by listing them all alphabetically or by order of importance!) let me get a little more specific: I woke up at 5:30 this morning so I could take a FIVE-MILE BIKE RIDE at 6:00. Like I said, I think there's something wrong with me! (Alright..just stop with the comments now! I get it! I get it!)

It's very awkward for me to type right now. I have a sleeping Aly on my lap. She doesn't fit quite the same as she did just a few weeks ago. Aly is growing in leaps and bounds. I need to get her back into the vet in the next week to get her third set of shots, time just passes so quickly! She is filling out quite well, too. While she used to worry me with her frail appearance, she is now building this lean muscle that makes her look even more like a miniature adult boxer than before. She's proportioned almost just like an adult dog...only smaller! Her rate of growth has been so crazy that I'm actually already starting to feel bad for her. You see, Aly loooooooves to be held and cuddled and carried around. But, the day will come (and sooner than we originally thought, too!) that she will just be too big to pick up and carry around. How will she understand? Are we going to have a sixty-pound lap dog? 3YO just carried her to me. She was huffing and puffing the whole way, while Aly just hung there patiently in her arms. I give it another week before 3YO can't pick her up at all!

Not only did I get actual physical exercise this morning (and even without being chased by a bear, no less!) but I busted out the Wii Fit yesterday. I need to get into better habits. I'm still sort of controlling my carbs, but I'm not paying as much attention to them as I am to my fiber intake. I'm also feeling the repurcussions of the sudden increase in fiber in my diet. (So is my family, actually!) I'm hoping to just keep us this pace and power through all this discomfort. It's already become a lot more tolerable, so that's a start!

Well, I need to get the Wii Fit out and start moving again, before I lose my motivation!

Have a great day!

Inside the Mind of a Hopeless Scatterbrain

2009-05-13T14:30:00.001-07:00

Is it just me, or is this time of the year INSANE?

Somehow, the last month of school seems like shortest, as well as the longest!

Now, how does that make any sense?

If you have or had kids in school, then you know just what I'm talking about. So much gets crammed into that last month of school. I get so tired of running (usually in circles) that I long for school to end and it seems soooooooo far away. On that same note, there is so much to do during the last month of school that there is not nearly enough time to get it all done. Field trips, class parties, teachers' gifts, awards ceremonies, Open House, kindergarten graduation.....

CALGON! TAKE ME AWAY!!!

And, because we're sort of gluttons for punishment, we have two girls in softball. This is the last week of the season, so that means we also have games we cannot miss, end-of-the-season parties, coaches' gifts, trophies...AACK!

As if that's not enough, I'm trying to pull out summer clothes for myself and the girls. I am in currently in a larger state of girth than I was last summer so very little of what I wore last summer will work this year. It doesn't make a HUGE difference, since my P.A. scared me into wearing my compression stockings and tennis shoes every single day I can still wear the jeans I've been wearing. My legs really do feel better, but we'll see if I still feel that way when the temps reach 113! Yes, I'm 33 years old and I wear compression stockings. WHATOFIT??? Actually, you can talk to my parents about this one. They should have compared notes...then they might have decided to NOT BREED. From my dad's side, we get the spider veins and the swelling. (Not to mention the big thighs and the wide, flat bottoms!) From my mom's side, we get the varicose veins. (Not to mention the diabetes and the high blood pressure and all the lovely things that come along with them!) Seriously, what were they thinking?

Sometimes love just isn't enough, people!

Okay, so I'm kidding there. I HAVE to appreciate their marriage (and even their 'breeding') in the fact that I am here. I exist. Thanks to them, there is one more overwhelmed and mentally understimulated mommy spewing on pages all over the net with her sarcasm and whining. YAY ME!

Okay....where was I going with this again?

Oh. That's right. I was going to give you insight in what it's like to be a hopeless scatterbrain. And yet, you got to experience it firsthand as my train of thought derailed yet again!

13YO has a softball game tonight. Since I'm a little more on my game than usual, dinner will be ready on time. THANKS, CROCKPOT LADY! We're having THIS...and is smells divine! I will drop her off early and go home to brown some fideo on the stove and toss that and some other things into my rice cooker to make rice pilaf. My rice cooker and slow cooker both turn off automatically when done. They will be done and staying warm until we can get home and eat. So, at least that's done.

Tomorrow, I work in 6YO's class in the morning. 13YO might have another softball game tomorrow, but we won't know until after tonight's game. (STUPID PLAYOFFS! I still don't completely understand how they work!) Friday will be spent at the ZOO with 6YO and her class. Friday night is 6YO's last softball game. Her team is also having their end-of-the-year party immediately after at a local pizza joint.

Basically, we're pretty busy. Since this has been my year of gradual self-improvement, my list of things to get done is pretty long. I understand that not all of these things will be done. But still, I will breathe easier with every little accomplishment.

This morning started out okay enough. I got the kids off to school and the husband off to work, as usual. I then was able to eat my own breakfast and make something for 3YO, who just woke up after they left. I logged my breakfast on my new little 'food log' that I made up on Word. I am trying to get the correct amount of fiber, protein, and carbs. I'm not counting fat or calories, since things that are high in fiber and low in carbs aren't usually that bad for you in general. Plus, drinking almost a hundred ounces of water a day can't hurt! I needed to get some laundry put away and dinner started first things. OH! And my made my own fabric softener! It smells heavenly and it seems to work just as well as the Downy always has. Somehow, I managed to get dinner going during this time, but I can't exactly tell you when that was. It's all sort of a blur...

Well, I went back to put the laundry away and realized that I had not made my bed yet. I made my bed and started putting my clothes away. When I got to the stuff that needed to be hung, I realized that we were getting shorter and shorter on hangers. It then occured to me that so many of the things hanging in my closet are either ugly or too small. Or both. I started at one end of my side and started pulling things out. Before I knew it, quite a bit of time had passed and I had enough clothes piled up to fit into a large trash bag!

It was then that I realized that I still hadn't moved the clothes from the washer to the dryer!

3YO got into her own cleaning mood and grabbed a washcloth. She was wiping down everything she could reach. She loves to dust, so I spray a little Pledge on a piece of furniture and she wipes it down with a rag. Before I knew it, she was wiping the bathroom counters down with Pledge. WHATEVER! I have to make a mental note to wipe off those counters...AGAIN!

I quickly finished up my closet and dressers. I can now actually get clothes in and out of them without using a the jaws of life! I took all the jeans I've 'outgrown' and neatly folded them and stacked them on the top shelf of my closet. For now, I'll refer to it as my 'Pile of Despair.' Once I actually got into my cleaning mode, 3YO got out of hers. As I walked back down the hall to get a new bag to fill with all the discarded stuff, I heard 3YO playing in her room. With the door closed. (That can't be good!) She sounded like she was having a really good time in there. (Which is also a very bad sign when the door is closed...no matter what age they are, I'm afraid!) I open the door to find 3YO, a couple of plastic 'tools,' and a tub of green Play-doh cut into a billion little pieces all over the carpet. BOO! I am then reminded that I still need to put the girls' clothes away.

As I'm threatening her life, I run down the hall to get the rest of their clean clothes. I put all of their clothes away and decide to let the Play-doh dry before I try to sweep it up. (If you have a better way, please feel free to share! I'm always on the lookout for more tricks for cleaning things...or devious ways to punish the offenders!) I made her stay in her room (now that there wasn't any Play-doh in there anymore!) while I took a quick shower. We only had a few minutes to get to the school to pick up 6YO.

I've also taken a few things out to the 'Man Shed,' as we call it. (Remind me to tell the story of the man shed another day!) David finally handed the mad shed over to me...so I can fill it up with MY JUNK. Actually, it's nothing really fun...it's mostly kitchen appliances that I don't use every single day or have space for in my actual kitchen. I also have my large plastic bowls and things that take up too much cabinet space out there. I use it all, so I shouldn't get rid of it. Now I have a place to put it. HOORAY!

Anyhow, I still have so many things on my list that have not been done, yet I've been busy all day! What's even more daunting is that my new P.A. wants me to eat EVERY TWO OR THREE HOURS. All day long. Now, she may be small, but she's SCARY! I think I will listen to her, for now. If I don't, when I see her in a month she'll know I didn't listen. Even if I tried to lie, I'm not very good at it.

Well, I need to get to 13YO's game. And the clothes in dryer are needing my attention. And who knows what little Tweedledee and Tweedledum are doing while I sit here. They are a little too quiet, if you ask me!

And we all know how dangerous a quiet kid can be!

Poor Baby

2009-05-07T17:45:00.001-07:00

Whatever I have (or had) that had no real symptoms, 3YO has it and she has ALL the symptoms. The runny nose has actually gotten a lot better since yesterday, but it's still there. There is no fever today whatsoever, but the cough is tighter. We've broken out HER albuterol inhaler and she's quite the pro at taking it now. We're quite a pair...making sure we both have our inhalers before we can leave the house.

A great trick (for my kids, anyway!) when I want them out of my hair for a few minutes is to tell them to CLEAN SOMETHING. Whatever I ask them to pick up becomes their new favorite toy and THEY MUST PLAY WITH IT NOW. RIGHT NOW. It's a good way to distract them when I'm trying to do something. Nothing ever really gets cleaned, but this works in a different way. Granted, to actually get them to clean requires me to show them the flames in my eyes....but that's a small price to pay for some peace and quiet every now and again.

So, I told the girls to clean up the backyard. They had toys all over the yard and it makes it hard for David to mow it and all that jazz. It's nice and sunny outside and this would be a perfect day for them to pick up after themselves. It would also be a great opportunity for me to get the rest of the laundry done and put away without having to trip over them every couple of minutes! I told them to pick the toys up and they disappeared. The first thing they picked up instantly became their favorite toy and they were occupied for at least 30 minutes. That is, until I looked over and saw 3YO napping in the floor.

6YO was still outside playing, but 3YO could stay awake no longer. She's still pretty worn out from this cold. It doesn't help that I scooped her up from her nap earlier to pick 6YO up from school, only to have to go and pick 13YO up from her school and drag all three of them to the eye doctor. 13YO got new glasses. We had to wait for out turn to get the glasses, wait to have them bent to fit better, and then she had to see the eye doctor to have him check them over. He just wanted to make sure the prescription was right. Then, we had to hurry back and take 13YO back to her school for the dance. She's in leadership and has to work a shift at the snack bar at the dance.

Basically, I think she's just trying to pick up where she left off with that earlier nap!

UGH! She had the worst coughing fit WHILE we were in the eye doctor's office! Those poor people just stopped wearing their MASKS to keep the Swine Flu away! Just last week, everyone working there was in masks and gloves...even the ones who just answer the phone! I guess I'm just a risk-taker or something...and I hate wearing those masks!

Anyhow, the dryer is calling. And, if I don't answer it, the mornings are way more chaotic than they need to be.

But tomorrow's Friday...YAY!!!

(BTW, I took a break toward the end of this and clipped Aly's nails. MAN SHE'S GROWING....as well as her talons! And 3YO...she still passed out in the floor!)

Poor baby.

This Message Brought to You by the Makers of Albuterol and Sleep Loss

2009-05-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Exactly where should I begin with all this?

*snooze*

*snore*

*gasp*

Okay...I think I'm awake now. For now.

I had a regular checkup with my doctor yesterday. Actually, I saw the P.A. I hadn't seen my doctor for a regular physical in a couple of years, I guess. Since my cholesterol tends to be on the high side and my feet swell and diabetes runs so thick in my family, I thought it best to get checked out. When I made the appointment, my feet were swelling like crazy. Of course, they couldn't get me in right away. Actually, I have this strange anxiety thing when it comes to going to the doctor. I can think of a thousand things that are probably wrong with me. I call my doctor to make an appointment, but panic at the last minute and just tell them I want a checkup. So, they got me in within a few weeks.

Since then, my ankles have returned to their normal swelling routine and I've felt fine. At least, I thought I was feeling fine!

I almost cancelled yesterday's appointment. The doctor is 35-40 minutes away from home. It just seemed like such a hassle, you know? A friend of mine offered to watch 3YO while I went. I still felt silly driving all the way out there just for them to tell me that I'm fine.

Anyhow, I went. I hadn't seen the P.A. before. I don't have a problem seeing the P.A. instead of the doctor. In my experience, the P.A. or nurse practicioner or whoever is right below the doctor is more thorough anyhow. So, I walk in and she introduces herself. She sees that I brought a list. (I had finally decided to write everything down so I wouldn't blank out and forget something that really does bother me in everyday life!) We went over general stuff and she typed most of my questions into her little laptop and made notes of things she'd order tests for. Most of my list was taken care of by routine bloodwork. I had already been fasting since I didn't want to make the trip TWICE when I could get it all done with in one shot.

As she started examining me, she did the usual eyes, ears and nose thing.

"Do you have allergies?"

"Yes. They're bad this time of year."

"Oh. Because your ears are red and so is your throat. And your eyes. You can definitely see it in your eyes. And-"

She looks up my nose then and says, "you have a sinus infection! Did you know that?"

"Nooooooo...my sinuses were bothering me a few weeks ago, but they feel fine now."

She does that little thing where she taps on different areas of my face to see if I feel any pain. No pain.

"Hmmm...well you still definitely have a sinus infection. And your lymph nodes are swollen."

She prods and poke around a little bit and listens to my lungs.

As I am inhaling and exhaling on command, she says, "Have you ever had asthma?"

"Yes. I do have mild asthma, but I haven't needed my inhaler in like forEVER."

"Well, your asthma is out of control right now. I'm only supposed to hear like 25% of your exhale. I hear 100%. Are you tired?

"Ummm...YEAH! I have three kids. Aren't I supposed to be tired?"

"Not this tired. You aren't getting enough oxygen! I'll bet you're anemic too, so we'll check for that in your bloodwork."

And I thought I was just lazy!

Well, I probably am still lazy. But, for now I have an actual reason. WOW. That P.A. found more wrong with me in five minutes than any doctor ever has. Maybe I'm just getting older or something. Most of the time, the doctors and nurses make me feel like a whiner or a hypochondriac!

This woman was thorough! She checked my legs and commented on the varicose and spider veins that covered them. She told me that was probably the reason for my swollen ankles, but she was checking for liver and kidney function anyhow. She then scolded me for my constantly being barefoot or wearing flip flops. She told me I should be wearing tennis shoes--ALWAYS. All day long, whether I'm home or not! She also wants me to wear COMPRESSION STOCKINGS!

UGH! Summer's coming, and I know have one more reason to NOT feel young and attractive!

Anyhow, since diabetes runs so heavily in my mom's side of the family, the P.A. wants me to start eating a 'diabetic-style' diet now. It's actually really reasonable. It's the same diet she followed when she was pregnant and had gestational diabetes. It's really just counting carbs, but not really a 'low carb' diet. It's more of a 'controlled carb' diet, instead. She warned me of the dangers to my liver when I follow a diet that is low in carbs. I can have 30 grams of carbs for breakfast and 30-45 grams of carbs for lunch and dinner. I also get two snacks in between that are 15 grams of carbs each. She wants me eating every 2-3 hours.

My breakfast this morning wasn't actually much different than usual. Add a piece of whole wheat toast to the two eggs I usually eat and I'm there. The rest of the 30 carbs I get comes from the half and half I put in my coffee. And I can eat again anytime within the next hour. I've finished my coffee for the day, which I never put sugar in anyway. She's thinking that eating this way now could prevent diabetes from ever coming. And once diabetes has been diagnosed, she says that the damage to the liver and kidneys is already done.

I'd actually been looking for a better way to eat, anyhow. It's totally worth a shot...and I might even lose a few pounds in the process!

*knocking on wood*

Mostly, I'll just be happy to keep so many of the headaches away.

I am not looking forward to all the albuterol I'm supposed to be inhaling in the next day or so. That stuff makes me feel like I want to crawl out of my own skin and she wants me to use it...A LOT...in the next couple of days. I'm also on Advair, which I've taken before. My asthma gets crazy when I'm pregnant, so I've needed both albuterol and Advair for the first trimester of my last two pregnancies.

It really all hit me how tired I was when I was getting ready for bed last night. Both David and I were in bed by 10:30. No television, no computer...just straight to bed. 10:30 is early for me, but I knew I needed it. I was really looking forward to getting an hour or two more of sleep than I usually get!

At 10:31, 3YO started screaming from her bed.

Fan-freakin-tastic, right?

I took her to the bathroom, which is part of my nighttime routine with her. She usually wakes up dry if put on the toilet anytime after 11:00. 10:30 was close enough. I then brought her to bed with us. She writhed and screamed like an infant that couldn't talk. She was completely inconsolable. After about 5 or 10 minutes of screaming, I was able to get that her tummy hurt. Well, that and her nose was a bit stuffy, making it harder to breathe and pissing her off even more.

I watched her like I was watching a scary movie. A little voice inside (the paranoid MOMMY voice!) was telling me to scoop her up and rush her to the E.R. Her appendix was probably rupturing at that very moment and time was crucial. Luckily, I also had the logical side of me pointing out that she had no fever and was not vomiting. Also, she calmed down when we rubbed or patted her tummy. The pain came and went every few minutes. ALL. NIGHT. LONG. She finally settled down by about 4:30 or so. I was able to get her to drink some water and blow her nose then. Neither David or myself were able to get a single bit of quality R.E.M. sleep in that first six hours. We were both in and out of sleep every few minutes. After 4:30, she calmed down and we were all able to sleep like rocks until 7:00 this morning. (Which came WAY TOO SOON, in my opinion!)

She popped up this morning like everything was fine. She might feel a tad warm this and she is definitely coming down with a cold now. Last night, I can only assume that she was suffering from a killer case of GAS paired with a slightly stuffy nose. I'm glad I was able to listen to the logical part of my brain. If I hadn't, we might have run to the E.R. in the middle of the night and caught SWINE FLU or something from the waiting room! (I know the pork industry would prefer we call it 'H1N1' but 'Swine Flu' still sounds so much cooler and bacon is STILL just as large a part of my life as it was before!)

3YO has spent the day so far alternating between playing on the swingset out back and "nuggling" with me. I finally peeled her off me and she is happily watching a Dora DVD from the recliner. I'm supposed to eat again, but I'm not sure what to eat.

I guess my goal for today is to try to stick to the meal plans and try NOT to let myself lie down and go to sleep. I get the feeling that taking a nap today will only make me feel worse. I'll just be sure to to bed early (or try anyway!) and get more rest tonight. I'm not sure what else I'll get done today besides the bare minimum. While it wasn't runny yesterday, 3YO has had a couple of good sneezes today where she has those snot rockets that look like walrus tusks fly out of her nose.

In a perfect world, this would be a good day to stay home all day. In the real world, we have to pick 6YO up from school, take her to church tonight, and find a way to squeeze in a few errands while we're at it. Of course this would be the day where I discover that we're down to our last roll of toilet paper and 13YO will DIE without a tie dye shirt to wear to school tomorrow.

Of course it would!

"It's not gonna happen to me!"

2009-05-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

...that's what I used to say when people would mention Twitter.

Well, inner nets...I'm TWITTERPATED!!!

Somehow, I know broadcasting my random thoughts regularly is going to make ME feel better. But, I'm not so sure how the rest of you would hold up to having to read all that crap! So, you could follow me on Twitter, or perhaps get a good root canal instead. Or you might prefer to repeatedly bang you head against a wall.

It's entirely up to you!

At least I know that BAMBI understands now...

Don't catch H1N1...stay home and TWITTER SOMETHING!!!

Or...leave the house! As a matter of fact, go ahead and lick a bunch of shopping cart handles or something!

Once again, it's entirely up to you...

Homemade Laundry Detergent, Allergy Meds, and Being in Control of Something....Anything!

2009-05-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

I'm on a quest. Now, a few days ago my so-called quest would have been to find a box of flippin' washing soda within a hundred miles of here.

I found it. So now, I'm moving onto a new quest: Making my own laundry detergent.

Go ahead and laugh. I know I did...at first. But, a family of five goes through an awful lot of laundry soap, if you must know! I do at least one to two loads a day. I finally found the silly washing soda. Thankyouverymuch, Winco! I am putting off going outside and finding one of the bazillions of 5-gallon buckets that we have on the property. (David is a collector, of sorts!)

I just stepped out the back door and asked 13YO to rustle one up for me. I've always been better at delegating than actually doing things. I would share with you my theory of how I was actually meant to never walk, but instead be carried around on a velvet pillow while being fanned with palm leaves and fed grapes by several well-oiled men in loin cloths and....

OOPS! That's a blog for another day!

So, I'm about to attempt to make my own homemade laundry detergent. It only makes sense that I would try this. After all, I do make my own homemade chicken broth. I've even made my own yogurt! I've done that a couple of times, but it's not well-received by my rather skeptical family and I cannot eat two quarts of yogurt on my own, so it doesn't actually save MY FAMILY any money. It's cool to be able to do, though!

The bucket is in and washed. I just need to get my bottom up and off this chair and do it. I think I just need to think on it a little more...

I blame the Zyrtec. I took one last night before I went to bed. It leaves me in a fog, but without the itchy throat and eyes. So, I guess it's worth it? Only time will tell...

Why do so many people like spring so much?

I've always been a cheap date when it comes to medication, and allergy meds are no exception. They either make me feel all buzzy, like I want to crawl out of my own skin, or they knock me out.

Why recreational drugs are so popular is beyond me!

I've come to learn that I need to feel more powerful in my own life. I know, running a house and raising three kids should make me feel powerful enough, right? But nothing could really be further from the truth. Instead, I feel like I am mostly ignored and the chaos just swirls around me like a vortex with bad hearing. Do you know what opened my eyes to this need to be in control? Working the cake walk at my daughter's school carnival.

I got to be the one to push the button that starts and stops the music. I realized that I controlled a huge group of people. They walked when I decided it was time to walk. They stopped when I decided it was time for the to stop.

Hmmmmm....if only my children listened so well....

I guess that's why I never really liked walking in cake walks myself! I don't like being told what to do. HECK! I don't like to follow my own to-do lists!!!

Want proof? Blogging is NOT on my list of things to do today!

Yet, here I am.

Does anyone else watch Private Practice? The season finale was Thursday night. It will be a long time before I can get that awful image of the final scenes out of my head. And I don't get to see what happens until next fall. I watched an hour of sitcom reruns to try to get the images out of my head. Yet, I still awoke in cold sweats with a knot in my stomach and a pounding head at 5:30. It was those images...they were racing through my head. They woke me up. I don't know why it's getting to me so much. Because I'm a woman and I've been pregnant?

I feel sick right now just thinking about it.

On that note, I hope the rest of your weekend goes well. Oh, and...

BITE ME, ABC!!!

I will blame you for my sleep loss until another thing stresses my out and takes the place of that knot in my stomach!

You have a good day, now.

Dog Fights, Family Friends that Won't Leave and Weight Issues

2009-04-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

As I type this, I am listening to the angry sounds of two dogs playing.

Aly waits patiently to pounce on Lily when she least expects it...though she usually can't wait that long!

See her ribs? Apparently, she is NORMAL AND FINE. I mean, she could be a little bulkier, but the vet said she's the picture of health and to keep doing exactly what I'm doing. Boxers are, evidently, very different dogs in that they are much leaner than other breeds and you are SUPPOSED to see the ribs on most of the healthy ones! It's just so odd to me that she is already proportioned so much like a full-grown boxer, only much smaller!

No baby fat here!

Live action shot. Just like watching The Discovery Channel, isn't it?
*giggle*

Eventually, they both get tired and the playing tends to be much lazier. The noises simmer down a bit and turn into more low grumbles, but they still keep their angry, evil-looking faces! In fact, they just lie there next to one another kicking, slapping, and chewing on each other's faces, for the most part!

What's most amusing to me is that, if anyone is sitting in the floor, the instantly become 'home base' and much of the scuffle takes place on the lap of the person dumb enough to sit in the floor. (Okay, it's usually me!) At any given time, I can put my hand into the angry jaws of either animal and not even get a scratch. They are really just playing, though it sounds like they are ready to kill one another! The only thing that really sucks is if you sit in the floor wearing shorts your legs WILL get scratched by their nails as they run over the top of you. And they WILL run over the top of you.

We took Aly to see her new vet yesterday. She got her second shot, one last dose of worming medication (for now) and an exam. She already weighs ten pounds, but I am convinced that she is 75% legs and paws. Like I said, she is not too thin. At least, not in their eyes! They advised me to keep her off the ground in public until she's four months old, basically another five weeks. We can take her places, we just can't put her down on the ground. A part of me really wants to get the old pack-n-play out put her in when we go to softball games. But, I probably won't since David would tease me to no end! I guess I can hold out another five weeks. I do need to start putting her on a leash and walking her around the yard. She doesn't quite understand the leash and resists quite a bit. She's only going to get BIGGER and the sooner we master the leash the better.

She actually did fine in the car, though. She hadn't been in the car since the night we brought her home. She wandered around the back seat for a little while, fell into the floorboard once when I had to hit the brakes, and decided to curl up in the back seat and doze the rest of the way. 3YO was with us and gave me CONSTANT UPDATES on the situation. But, she didn't notice when the dog THREW UP IN MY BACK SEAT. We were ALMOST THERE, too! With all the curvy roads and turns we had to make, she throws up AROUND THE CORNER from the vet. Of course! That's the first time she ever threw up for us. I took a different route home (with less turns and curves) and she was fine for the rest of the day.

On another note, we have a houseguest. Though, I'm not really sure I can call him a guest. He's pretty much always lived her in some room or another and he seems to live in a lot of other people's houses as well.

Have you met 'Chuck?'

I've known 'Chuck' practically all my life, though I did not know his name. I was formally introduced to Chuck by my next door neighbor. She has a spare room in her house that turned into the place that they 'chuck' things when they wanted to tidy up the house in a pinch. They now just call it 'Chuck's Room.' I then realized that Chuck lives here, too. He lives in my closet amongst the clothes that I want to donate and could so quickly bag up...but haven't. He lives in my file cabinets next to my computer desk. Do they contain actual files? Heavens no!!! They are where I 'chuck' the stuff that ends up on my desk for various reasons. What should contain files and folders actually holds a variety of junk that was usually deposited on my desk by myself and the rest of the family. Chuck looooooves my computer desk! He has so many nooks and crannies to reside in.

Frankly, I'm not sure Chuck will ever really leave. Does Chuck live at your house, too? Even if you just have a junk drawer or a closet that you need to clean out, then Chuck lives with your family as well.

Chuck has a lot of places to stay in our house!

Where does he live in yours?

I almost forgot to mention something that really got under my skin the other day. Did anyone else hear THIS STORY? Now, I'm all for positive role models for girls and everthing. I have three daughters myself and would hate to think that any of them would develop an eating disorder based on someone else's expectations. That being said, I have a thirteen-year-old daughter who is five feet tall and weighs 75 pounds, soaking wet. I can assure you that there is no secret purging or anything like that. In fact, 13YO has a very normal, varied diet. Her growth rate has been steady. She is just petite. Nevertheless, you can see her ribs and her shoulder blades stick out in a crazy way when she moves her arm just so.

I would really hate to think that someone might judge my daughter for being so thin when it's just the way she's supposed to be. Now, it may very well be that this woman from Australia has an eating disorder. It's not like it's out of the realm of possibilites or anything. Even so, who are we to judge her? Is criticizing someone for being 'too thin' really any better than criticizing someone for being 'too heavy?'

I must admit that I am guilty of both myself. Who hasn't been? First impressions are everything and we can't help but question the mom at the school who is just TOO THIN to be normal. Or the friend who complains about her weight but can put away ice cream sundaes like it's nobody's business. (Okay, so sometimes they could be talking about ME there.)

Even still, it's a real eye-opener when you look at it from the perspective of your own child. I don't want my girls to grow up in a world where they are forced to try to fit into someone else's idea of 'good enough.' I hope they always know that they will be good enough no matter how much (or little) they weigh. I've even started noticing some of my daughter's friends comparing themselves to her, pointing out how THIN she is only to turn it around and point out how FAT they are. (The ones who have done it aren't even fat, nowhere close!)

I wish I could sit down with all the teenage girls in the world and help them find SOMETHING that is good about them. The grass will ALWAYS be greener on the other side of the fence. But we might have prettier flowers in our own gardens that we are completely overlooking. The girls who are envious of my daughter's thin build need to keep in mind that they are almost GUARANTEED to have boobs WAY SOONER than she will. It's just a fact. I could spend hours upon hours typing out all the 'flat chest' jokes I heard during my own adolescence. I was teased for being too short and too thin. I guess everyone gets teased about something, even though most of us don't realize that at the time.

I guess I should get off my soap box now and straighten up this house. It's going to be another crazy night where I'm supposed to be two places at once. Dinner is in the crock pot. We're having Cream Cheese Chicken. Again. It's one of my absolute favorites! I actually just toss the frozen chicken breasts into the crock and set it on 'low'...then I use the Homemade Chicken Broth and make up my own 'cream-of-something soup base' that I snagged from THIS RECIPE....then I add all the spices as called for in the recipe to the soupy stuff and pour the whole mix over my chicken. AND IT'S DONE! I still have to add the cream cheese later, but that's no big deal. It already smells AMAZING in here! I'm starting to think that the Crock Pot Lady could have her own line of candles based on her recipes! Mmmm....cream cheese chicken candles. Okay, maybe not.

Have a great night!

Pre Algebra, Skinny Puppies and Cheap Toilet Paper

2009-04-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

13YO is in the 7th grade, which means the math she's learning is Pre Algebra...if you can call that math! I guess it's more mathmatical than, say GEOMETRY...but it seems to be more based on logic and formulas than actual math. Algebra was easier for me to figure out than most of my classes...but that was, like TWENTY YEARS AGO. 13YO was having trouble with her homework, and I took a look at it. Typically, it only takes a minute or two for me to glance over her book, throw my hands up in the air and blurt "Ask your teacher" or "Don't you have a friend you can call and ask?" I usually remind her that it's been about 20 years since I've had to do this stuff and that nothing rings a bell.

But, for some reason, the book made sense this time. I grabbed a pencil and a piece of scrap paper and scribbled the problem down. I followed the example in the book and HOLY CRAP I STILL KNOW PRE ALGEBRA!!! From then on, I justified doing my daughter's homework with the fact that I couldn't explain it to her if I couldn't actually figure it out myself! I didn't actually do HER homework. In fact, on my own paper, I raced through the assignment and mocked my 13YO for it every step of the way for not keeping up with me! I warned her, "Wait untill you get to number 11...it's AWFUL!" while I giggled with glee. I was actually ENJOYING THIS! (Sad, I know.)

It then occured to me that, were I to do the 7th grade again now, I would be SO MUCH BETTER AT IT. I would now know that the popular kids have the same insecurites and problems and that we were all pretty much on the same playing field. I think they were just dressed better or slept around, is all. No big secrets there.

On the puppy front, Aly is growing in like a weed! She still hasn't thickened up like I'd like, but she has almost doubled in size since we brought her home three weeks ago. She is up to wanting to eat TWICE A DAY, instead of the one time a day that she wanted to eat a week or so ago. She has an appointment with the vet on Tuesday to get her second set of shots and a checkup. On the phone, they assured me that she was probably fine and boxers are just "on the lean side." I didn't think she'd be going through her 'awkward teenage phase' so young, but it looks like that might be where we are.

First of all, take a look at Aly's back paw in comparison to her head. I guess, when I look at it that way it's easy to understand why she cannot eat enough food to fatten up!

And look at that face! After pulling this picture up on my computer, I realize that she may have gotten dog food in her nose. EEWW!

And she sleeps just fine with her head resting in my hand!

And her body takes up twice the space on my lap than it did just a couple of weeks ago!

Lastly, the vet said that she would be done growing when her conehead goes away. Check out the bump on that nugget!

I want to conclude this session of rambling by talking about something that I hold near and dear to my heart: Toilet paper. I mean really...did you know that good toilet paper can make or break your day? Now, I usually do buy the cheap stuff...so long as it's two-ply. But I must say that I've been pretty lucky with my store-brands of choice. I was at a supermarket that I don't usually shop at and I picked up THEIR store brand of TP. Soooo not a good idea! It's thick enough alright. It's not all thin like public restroom toilet paper or anything like that. Instead, the problem lies with with the texture of said TP. When you bend this stuff, it practically breaks. Seriously, I have found this toilet paper to be part of a really bad way to start the day! No amount of good coffee can make up for the fact that it feels like I just ripped off the side of a shoebox and used it as toilet paper.

At least it says it's 'Safe for Septic Tanks' right?

You can lead a dog to her food dish...

2009-04-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

....but you can't make her eat!

Aly totally has my number. This dog will soon be running the entire house. Some might say that she already does. First of all, let me tell you that David has always been against having dogs (or cats or anything furry and four-legged) in the house, much less on the furniture.

"Animals do not belong in the house!"

FAMOUS. LAST. WORDS.

Shortly after we were married, David agreed to let me have a couple of cats. They were to be outdoors, but started out having to be indoors after they were fixed. Since he was outnumbered, the cats ended up being indoor/outdoor. We even went out and bought a cat door so they could come and go as they pleased. The day we bought the door, one of the cats came up missing. She never came back. The other cat, Shadow, stayed around for nearly six years. Last spring, David found him dead on the back of the property. It could have been anything that killed him. Living out in the 'sticks' affords us the luxury of seeing opossums, skunks, coyotes, many different kind of snakes, etc. He could have eaten a rat that our neighbor had poisoned with D-Con.

While we still had Shadow, David made that deal with 6YO (then 4YO) about getting her a cat if she finished out her soccer season. Totally his idea, too...that's one fight I wouldn't dare have started! She ended up loving soccer, stayed on the field and followed her coach's orders for every game and everything. That's how we got 'Soccer the Wonder Cat.' He was such a great cat. I say 'was' since he ended up missing at the beginning of this year. Given his easy-going nature and, therefore, lack of survival skills, we can only assume he turned into coyote food. I still ache if I really let myself think about it. We had just promised to get 13YO a cat around her birthday, bringing us back up to being a two-cat family.

Since cats don't seem to do well out here for long and we have NO IDEA how we'd keep one in the house full-time, David thought it best that we give up the idea of having a pet cat for awhile.

We got Lily last summer. Against David's better judgement, she was also allowed to be an inside dog. She fits herself through the cat door and everything! After Soccer came up missing, Lily started acting strange. I think she really did need something else to play with besides her human family.

That's when David got the 'Boxer Ache.' He missed Hogan. So did I. While there will never be another Hogan, he actually possessed a lot of qualities that Boxers are known for. Another Boxer was just the ticket for our family. It was already decided that the new dog would live in the house, something that was important to me. You see, we never really knew how great of a dog Hogan was until we let him in the house his last couple of years of life.

Enter Aly.

Aly is so cute it hurts. She is smart, already sitting on command. (But only for me, which totally frustrates David! HAHAHAHAHA!!!) Even more, Aly has David completely wrapped around her paw, along with the rest of us! She can walk over to the recliner, motion toward it with one paw, either let out a whimper or a sigh, and one of us will immediately lift her up into the chair.

Her highness wants to nap her her chair now...

What cracks me up is that she even does that in our bed. And David grants her every wish. Mister 'kids and dogs don't belong in our bed' now wishes they made a bigger bed than our California King sized bed so that we will all fit more comfortably on Sunday mornings when the kids and dog get bigger. Granted, Aly still sleeps in her crate during the night. She will continue to spend her nights there until she is completely housebroken and past any destructive, rebellious teenage behavior phases we are bound to go through. She doesn't even usually cry when we put her to bed for the night or anything. Around 6:00 am, she starts to stir and bark. She is ready to be out. One of us takes her outside to relieve herself, then we bring her into our bed. And she curls up with us until it is time for us to get up.

So, we pretty much have the nighttime routine down. We all seem happy, for the most part, with our sleeping arrangements. Which brings me to her eating habits: I don't think she eats enough! I offer her softened dry food three to four times a day. I even started mixing like a tablespoon or so of canned food into it, to make it more appealing. She has fresh water and dry food available all the time. I even watch her to make sure she is eating and that Lily isn't moving in on her meal. Once or twice out of the three or four times I offer her food, she is interested. The rest of the time, she sniffs it and walks away. She will eat treats most of the time, but I cannot fill her up on treats alone!

Her energy levels are amazing. She's still young and still naps quite frequently, but the time she is awake is more and more everyday. When she plays, she plays hard. When she sleeps, she sleeps hard. I just wish she tried a little harder at eating. I don't like seeing my puppy's ribs, even though Boxers are known for being lean.

I feel like I have a newborn baby all over again. When she's awake, I'm always watching her, making sure she's okay. When she's asleep, I worry.

Does this never end?

Surprise Haircuts and Brutal Honesty

2009-04-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

6YO had the top of her hair all gathered in a small rubber band. Being the independent soul that she is, she decided to do her own hair. The rubber band had to come out. Since she hates the tugging often required to get the hair band out of her hair, she decided to just use scissors to cut it out herself.

Yeah, she cut it out alright!

(Don't you just love how she's SMILING while posing for the picture that still creates a KNOT IN MY STOMACH?)

Hair today, gone tomorrow!!!

Would someone PLEASE wipe the grin off this kid's face???

I picked up my phone to call David at work and let him know what was going on, and it started to ring. He was calling me. Creepy.

As I told him the story, he started laughing. I guess he's immune to this sort of upset. This is actually 6YO's THIRD OFFENSE. She has cut her own hair three times! When she was three years old, she cut her own hair twice in six months. Since I took her to the same woman to fix it both times, I was sure she would contact Child Protective Services for letting my child play with scissors! I do not LET my child just play with scissors, but the kids seem to be better at finding the darn things than anyone. Many of you (I hope) understand how it is to have an extrememly independent child. Don't get me wrong....having an independent child has its perks. She's been pouring her own milk since she was two! She has also been using the microwave to make her own oatmeal for almost as long. (Yes, I was there to supervise her and she's ALL ABOUT following the rules, with the exception of the whole 'hair cutting thing' that is!)

And 13YO, being all about dramatic openings, told me about her mishap in her own way.

"Moooooooom. Ummm....you're not going to want to see this. Let me just tell you that [6YO] MISSED."

"And what exactly did she miss???"

"Weeeeeeelll....she was trying to cut the rubber band out of her own hair. And she missed."

This is where she pulls the large chunk of hair (still in the rubber band, mind you) from behind her back. I was talking to a friend on the phone at the time and I had to interrupt her a bit and tell her that I felt a little sick suddenly. Then I explained why.

I got off the phone with her to call David. As I'm pushing the first button, my phone rings. It's David. Spooky, I know!

"David? That's weird...I was just about to call you. Umm....[6YO] sort of cut her own hair. Again."

"WHA???"

"Yeah. Well, apparently she wasn't actually TRYING to cut her hair but the rubber band that was in her hair instead. She missed."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

"Why are you laughing? The rubber band was on the TOP of her head! OUR SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAS A MULLET!!!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA"

"I'm really glad you think this is so funny! Our kindergartener looks like she just came from a KD LANG CONCERT and you can't stop laughing!

"HAHAHAHAHA!

She's just making memories, Sweetie!"

I'm glad he sees it that way. I had to haul booty into town to find a place that was open after 6:00. A lot of those places like to be going home about then, and I had a bad experience at Supercuts once myself and knew I wouldn't be taking her there. I found a place where some young guy in skinny jeans and his own mop of hair all leaning in the same sideways direction, defying gravity, was able to fix it the best he could. He really was a nice guy. When we discussed what he'd do, I told him I knew it would need layers to blend it all in. He agreed and we decided to take off quite a bit of the length so the short sections on top wouldn't be so obvious.

My six-year-old now has a more modern cut than I do! I played with the hot air brush this morning and was able to come up with something that (hopefully) will work at school.

Where did that smile go???

She still has a little section on top that is no more than an inch and a half to two inches long. That cannot be fixed and it was decided that we wouldn't try to make any more hair that short to try to even it out. For the time being, we will be using lots of clips and hairspray. It actually looks like it will grow into a really cute layered cut. Luckily, her hair tends to grow pretty quickly.

Right after she realized she cut her own hair, she decided to try to smooth it all back with hairspray to cover up her mistake. I couldn't take her in with hair like that and I needed a shower myself, so I hopped into the shower and had her join me to get her hair washed really quickly.

That was the last time that child will ever take a shower with me. Now, she's old enough to judge me.

"Eeewww...Mom...that's really gross. You should shave that. Oh...those are gross, too. There are two things that are gross about you. No wait...there are three things that are gross about you. Nooooo...okay, so there are FOUR things that are gross about you...."

"I'm going to stop you RIGHT THERE before you NEVER GET ANOTHER ALLOWANCE EVER AGAIN."

Somehow, my temper was a bit shorter yesterday than usual.

I CANNOT IMAGINE WHY....

Acceptance, Overindulgence, and Lycra

2009-04-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

I call this picture 'Acceptance.' This is the first day that both Lily and Aly have napped together in the recliner. They both love it and it has sort of turned into a competition of sorts as to which one gets to nap there. Aly can't get up there by herself yet, but she is able to make it very clear when she feels like being in 'her chair.' Until today, Lily's presence in said chair would cause an uproar from Aly, who would be on the ground at the time. If Aly were in the chair, Lily would just pace back and forth around the chair until it was vacant once again. But today, Lily finally decided that she wanted to lie in the chair badly enough that she was willing to share it with THAT PUPPY. Aly is just happy to have another warm body to snuggle with.

We had a terrific Easter! How about you?

It's the last day of Easter break here, and the kids are starting to go a little stir-crazy, I think! We didn't go to the library today. We really should have, but we have so much to do and school starts back up tomorrow. And once again, I can't see the floor in the girls' room!

I put the movie 'Flipper' on for the girls. It's just ending now, but it's nice to introduce them to things older than Hannah Montana! They seemed to enjoy it and even cheered for Flipper.

Now that the television is off, we will check the status of the girls' room. 13YO helped them clear the floor a bit. I can't expect perfection, but I do expect to be able to walk across the floor without having to step over things or walk right over them. If things are better, we might go for a walk. The girls are itching to go somewhere and I'm itching to not be annoyed on my last full day with them!

Plus, my thighs can't rely on lycra forever. I might have to actually get myself moving to get where I want to be. Easter candy, cookies, and Red Vines left over from the slumber party are not helping the situation either!

Now, just when did I last wear my tennis shoes?

Slumber Parties and Portion Control

2009-04-10T22:36:00.000-07:00

Good golly I love food!

I used to be a really picky eater, once upon a time. Now, though I really have a hard time dealing with picky eaters, I sort of envy them in a way. I was SO MUCH THINNER when I was picky! Even as an adult, when I expanded my palate by leaps and bounds but could not cook, I was so much thinner than I am now. (Okay, so the whole 'three pregnancies thing' could also have some bearing on this but it's just more fun to blame my kids for the shoes in the floor or the mysterious melted chocolate that was found inside the door handle of the Saturn!) I would sometimes eat McDonalds for two of my three meals a day and I was way thinner than I am right now.

Sad, I know.

Now that I can cook, I have found ways to make foods I never cared for taste good to me. And, of all the things in my life that I feel like I'm never going to finish (laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc.) I can, without a doubt, finish a meal. The one thing that will always be cleaned is MY PLATE. And you can take that to the bank!

We went shopping for Easter dresses today. (Not for me, but for the girls) Every time I passed a mirror (and I always seem to notice so many more of them when I'm unhappy with my appearance!) I would cringe. My tight pants are no longer a fashion statement. They are tight-fitting partly out of necessity, party due to my stubbornness. I flat refuse to buy a pair of jeans in a larger size! It might be tough to breathe sometimes....and the world gets to see more of my 'muffin top' than I ever thought I'd share, but it is what it is.

13YO had a slumber party last night. We survived. David maybe spent 5 minutes in the living room from the time he got home to the time he threw a couple of pizza slices on a plate and ran back to the bedroom to hide from all the estrogen. Five giggly 12 and 13-year-olds all playing with each other's cell phones and playing Mario Kart on the Wii. I actually had a really good time, believe it or not! It was really very cool to watch these girls sit around and talk. I found myself wanting to just sit near them and absorb some of that innocence and those carefree outlooks they all seem to have. It also helps that THEY. ARE. FUNNY. Seriously, the things they think about and say are just hysterical.

Though you couldn't pay me enough to go back to my middle school years, they don't seem as miserable as I remember being. They seem to be doing it better, if that makes any sense. Perhaps they are better at being a 'tweenager' than I ever was. And all we can hope is for our daughters to be more successful in whatever they do than we were.

Well, staying up late and our shopping trip today have worn me out. It's time for me to get to bed. It's not like I can do anything else anyway...since I'm NEVER EATING AGAIN and all! I did break down and buy myself a new pair of pants for Easter. After all, I'm bringing COOKIES to the dinner, NOT MUFFINS!!!

Aaahhh...the Night Life

2009-04-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

Like most newborns, Aly seems to have her days and nights confused. From what her original family told me, the puppies slept great at night, all curled up in a crate in a big pile-o-love. Since she now has to get used to having her 'own room' without any warm bodies to cuddle with at night, things just aren't as easy around here.

Every evening, Aly is called by her name. Well, we call her 'Aly' or 'Puppy' or even 'Baby Cakes.' Whatever endearing thing that comes to mind seems to fit her perfectly. I've been known more than a few times to call her 'Princess Alykins.' She is so cute that it hurts and it's amazing to hear all the mushy things that come to mind when I see her. Toward the end of the day, that is!

When morning finally arrives, we are pushed to calling her slightly less endearing things. 'Madame Yelps-a-lot' is one of them. She now spends all night making a fuss and very little time sleeping. Instead, she plays for about a half an hour during the day and then passes out for a good two or three to recuperate. She sleeps most of the day...so she can rest up and howl and yelp and bark and whine all night!

David was the first one up this morning and took her outside before he was able to jump in the shower to get ready for work. Since everyone else was still asleep and he didn't want to put her back into her crate, he locked her in the bathroom with him while he showered. I was just barely conscious enough to remember hearing the shower running, the dog carrying on as if her life was about to end, and him half-begging and half-scolding her to stop making so much noise. Personally, I don't bother saying things to creatures that won't listen. But, it was pretty entertaining to be able to hear him trying to bargain with a screaming 8-week-old puppy!

Eventually, she will get used to being alone in the crate. She will even find it her 'safe place.' We just have to keep doing what we're doing and stay strong. Had I not raised three human babies, I might find this a lot more difficult than it really is. The yelping doesn't bother me....not too much, anyway! Luckily, our family consists of pretty good sleepers and no one has actually lost any sleep over it. She does have a bad habit of napping right before we are going to bed. Then, she is waking up and ready to play when we are going to bed. I guess that there a few things we could be doing differently...and it does feel sort of like having a baby again.

And I'm happy to report that this is as close as I'm ever gonna get!

Anniversaries and Cute Things

2009-04-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

As of today, David and I have been married for seven years. We are just considering this puppy our anniversary gift to each other. Incidently, today is also the day that Aly turns 8 weeks old.

Yesterday was the first day that Aly really got to perk up and play. She was so tired when we brought her home on Saturday night that she didn't want to play much. She barely even whined during the night from her crate. We are crate training her and she will spend all nights and the days where we are not able to watch her in her crate, just as Lily did. As you can see from the video, Lily is warming up to her. Slowly, but surely. Lily enjoys other dogs much more when they play 'chase' with her but don't actually try to touch her. This puppy is in her face and all up in her business all the time! Lily really acts as if she's going to kill Aly, but hasn't actually caused any harm to her yet. Plus, I think it helps that Aly came from a home where her father played really rough with her. She takes a tumble and never misses a beat!

After yesterday, I think she was feeling much closer to us and threw a FIT when we put her in her crate for the night. She got over it...eventually. I think this whole process is going to be tougher on David than it is her! He caved, at one point, and took her out of her crate. I teased him that he probably just bought us another half an hour of yelping. (Which he DID...)

She plays so hard...and then it seems like she's practically in a coma for a few hours afterward! After this clip was filmed, she was worn out for the next couple of hours. I'd forgotten how much a puppy was actually like an human baby! They rest about as much as they're awake...maybe more!

Well, we are getting ready for our weekly library trip and still have quite a bit to do.

Enjoy your Monday!

What have we gotten ourselves into???

2009-04-05T09:25:00.001-07:00

Spring is in the air.

Seriously, do you feel it?

It seems that everywhere we look, new life is around us.

So many people are pregnant or just had a baby. The trees all around me are budding with new growth. The children in 6YO's kindergarten class are bouncing off the walls with 'Spring Fever.' Suddenly, all of the girls' pants seem to look too short or starting to get holes in the knees. Luckily, the warmer temps have given us the added benefit of being able to pull out the skirts and things that were put away last fall. The girls are very happy to get to wear the things they'd rather wear all year anyway.

This all seemed to happen overnight, too.

I guess it's no wonder that David and I would be bitten by the 'baby bug' about now. As most of you know, David visited 'Dr. Snips' last summer. Believe it or not, we don't have a single regret about that. That still doesn't keep us from wanting a baby, though.

So, we just had to do it. We couldn't fight the urge any longer. We had to have another baby of our own.

So, on that note, I present to you our new baby:

She's a purebred Boxer and she will be 8 weeks old tomorrow. We are over the moon with excitement about our new addition. She was the most alert of the female puppies in her litter. Her parents were both on site and gorgeous. We just love the breed itself and she already seems so smart.

Lily, on the other hand, is less than thrilled about the new puppy. Once she sniffed her, she jumped back (practically out of her skin) and barked once, as if to say,"I AM NOT RAISING THAT THING!" She growls whenever the puppy comes close to her. And the puppy does that a lot! She is used to other dogs and of course she wants to be near the only other four-legged creature in the house. Lily has kept her game face, however, and really wants this puppy to know just who the boss is around here.

Hmmm....I wonder if Lily is aware that this puppy will, one day, be three times her size....

So, that's the news from around these parts. Believe it or not, this entire deal was David's idea! I am not one that prefers puppies to adult dogs. Not normally, anyhow! But, this puppy just gets to me. We love Boxers. You might remember Hogan.

*sniff*

There will NEVER be another Hogan. However, all the things I read about Boxers tended to list all of Hogan's good points as typical Boxer traits. And those are traits that fit well into our family. Lily will enjoy having another four-legged friend around. Eventually. And I don't think she'd actually hurt the puppy. It will just take some time for her to warm up to the whole idea!

OH! And the puppy's name is 'Aly.' Well, that's the name her family gave her so they could have a way to tell them apart. We can totally change it...but I'm not sure if we will. While I can't wrap my head around the cruel tongue-twister that would come about when trying to call both dogs' names, the name is sort of growing on me. The girls all like it, as does David. It is a little odd that we know people in real life that are actually called 'Aly'...but what can you do about that? We kept Lily's name that the pound had given her. Besides, I usually end up calling Lily my 'Lilykins' and will probably be calling the puppy 'Alykins' anyhow.

We'll just have to see what happens. In the meantime, we have a birthday party to get ready for. We haven't put Lily in her crate in a few months, so the puppy will be using that crate until she outgrows it.

It seems easier to me to potty train a child than to properly housebreak a puppy. But, David is so 'on board' with this that I heard him cooing and babbling to the puppy in a way he NEVER spoke to our children when they were babies.

Yeah, he's smitten. I guess you could say we all are.