Window Shopping

How cute is this bedding?! I want it.This is the FIRST boy bedding I have seen so far that I like at all. Boy stuff always has big cheesy sports appliques all over it, or zoo animals, or airplanes and cars. OR, it's pastel. I'm running into the same problem with clothes. I still haven't bought anything for the baby. Aaron is proud of my restraint, since he was sure I'd go out and drop a ton of cheddar on baby layette as soon as I knew the gender. I do love gymboree newborn sleepers, and will pick one up soon...I just haven't been in there recently. I think deep down I am afraid that once I start buying baby clothes, I won't be able to stop. That, and I'm just not LOVING any thing I see enough to spend $20 on one item. I know...I am so cheap. I need to hit some outlets soon!

I do think this bedding is totally cute (aside from the ugly teddy bear mobile). I really need to just go fabric shopping and make something I like. My current nursery bedding (that I made when I was pregnant with Reese) has gender neutral colors (red, avocado green, harvest gold)...but the prints are fairly girly...like the yellow fabric has cute little cherries on it. Ummm...not so much for a boy. I don't usually like modern prints, but have been leaning toward them for the baby's room. I should probably get going on it if I'm going to make it...which I probably will, since I am SO not about to drop $200 on bedding, unless it is going on MY bed (also in desperate need of a makeover).

I Made It

On Sunday, I was so inspired by Hay's yummy Crepes recipe (meaning I couldn't sleep until I'd made some and eaten them myself) and even yummier photos (of her chocolate-faced daughters that are so cute I could just eat them, too) ...that I got up early(er) and made US a big, yummy breakfast: (sorry, H...my pics are not nearly as appetizing as the ones YOU posted!)

Crepes
Powdered Sugar
Sweetened Strawberries
Bananas
Nutella (aka chocolaty-hazelnutty heaven in a jar)
Peanut Butter
Syrup
Fluffy Whip from da can
and a BIG FAT glass of OJ.
A perfect way to forget about the fact that A would be staying home and catching up on sleep (lost from DST) with Sicky Q, while I took Pieces to church and taught a lesson on Finding Joy.
The lesson went really well. I gave each of the girls a little mirror that I added some Bling to just for fun. Several of them turned out different (the photo does not do it justice how super cute they turned out) and I think the 12-13 year old girls I taught enjoyed the simple lesson on Finding Happiness in every situation, liking ourselves for who we are, and living up to the person we we have the potential to be. I glued a little qoute on the back of each mirror to remind the girls that happiness is not determined by what happens outside, but the changes we make on our inside.
When we left Green Bay, my friend, Tammy, threw us a goodbye party/open house at a local restaurant. It was REALLY fun, and we were surprised at how many people came in spite of a blizzard outside. We were even more surprised to find that many of them brought gifts! I was shocked! Who brings gifts to a farewell? A card, maybe...we seriously felt like we were at a wedding reception. There was even a cake:
I know, right? We only lived there a year, so this was a very memorable evening. Out of all the super generous gifts that we received, I was particularly touched by a little handmade card that had a refrigerator magnet tucked inside. I hardly knew the woman who gave it to me. She was actually more a friend of Tammy's than a friend of mine, so it must have been inspiration for her to drop by the party. The magnet simply says,

"Very little is required to live a happy life."

I know, I know....there are like 100 other catchy little phrases out there that mean the same thing, "bloom where you are planted" "home is where your heart is" blah blah blah...but THIS particular phrase was just what I needed to hear to remind me that I really could be happy anywhere I needed to live...and off we headed to Arkansas. The magnet sits on my frig, and reminds me that I DO have everything I require to have Joy in my life. Lucky Me! It was a treasure to pass on this little charm of wisdom to my Beehive class. I hope they were listening and took something from the lesson home with them-other than a just a mirror to check their eyeliner in.

I have everything I need...
Why NOT celebrate with a smorgasbord of buttery, chocolaty, fruity, sugary crepes?

"Why Can't I Be YOU?"

Edward Edward, blah blah blah...(to quote Sheena). I read the books. I really enjoyed them, too. Actually...I enjoyed the first book, the second half of the second book, and the third book. In my opinion, the fourth could have gone unwritten. Maybe it was the hype that spoiled it for me. I was totally disappointed. I read The Host a few months ago, and really enjoyed it....which was surprising since I don't usually enjoy anything that comes close to being categorized as science fiction. I thought Stephanie Meyer's writing was better than what I saw in the Twilight series, and I found that the book made me think a little more. I just couldn't relate to Bella in Twilight in any way. All the answers to her difficult situations that she struggled over and whined about for chapters on end seemed to have simple solutions in my head. I just don't "get" her character I guess. The Host actually made me think a little about what I might do if placed in the same situations as the main character. It was still nice, light, leisurely reading that could be enjoyed with kids running around the room, but the plot still brought on a good ethics battle of right vs. wrong in my thoughts as I read. Thumbs up for The Host.

Ok...back to the reason for the post. Walmart has a Saturday Morning Meeting once a month and a majority of the home office employees (aside from those lucky ducks in the ISD bldg) are required to attend. This month's special guest?

Robert Patton aka Edward from the Twilight Movie.

What's that? You don't recognize him? Oh wait...it may be because that's

Robert Smith from The Cure.

As my cousin, Becky has already pointed out...they might as well be the same thing. Let's compare, shall we?

Robert vs. Robert

Ok, so far we have big, stringy over-moussed-just-been-electrocuted hairstyles.
Post-Missile-Pop red lips.
Powder white skin.
Professionally "Man-Scaped" furrowed eyebrows.
British Accents.
Plays musical instrument beneath foggy fluorescent "mood lighting".

Honestly, wouldn't you be frightened if EITHER of these guys was sneaking through the bedroom window of your 17 yr old daughter in the middle of the night just to "watch her sleep"?
So now it's confession time.
HOW MUCH LETTUCE has the Twilight movie grossed so far? I know that most people enjoyed it more than I did...meaning they enjoyed it. But how many of you out there have gone to this movie MORE THAN ONCE? I've heard from several reliable sources that it really IS better the second time, without the audience of crying teenagers and menopausal woman wearing "Marry Me Edward" or "Team Jacob" shirts...but I just can't do it. I can't go see it a second time. I feel like Malco theatre still owes me 9 bucks from the first time I saw it.
I really just want to know how such a low budget film became a blockbuster. When it JUST didn't seem all that great if you ask me. It's ok if you liked it.
No need to explain your reasons for going... I ain't judging...

BWAAAA HaAAA-HAAA!...I'm sorry, is this your first visit to my blog?

OF COURSE I AM JUDGING...

But I still wanna know.
I'll post a bloggy-prize for the person who went most.
You know who you are.
Gimme a number.
How many times?

Fess up, y'alls.

It The Cure ever shows up to perform at a WalMart Saturday Morning Meeting. I will get a sitter, brave the crowds, wear my 10 year old ratty, silk-screened t-shirt, and scream like a star-crazed 15 year old girl.

Until then... the comparisons will continue:

Edward vs Edward.

Today at Walmart

Park next to large, stinky pickup truck (complete with tacky bumper stickers).

Take one look at truck and judgmentally think, "I'll bet there's a whole family of rednecks inside this Walmart that poured outta that truck like clowns from a circus car."

Feel guilty for passing judgment and try to think of something else.

Drop off Q's prescription to be "ready in 20 minutes".

Browse garden aisle.

Make decision to start the garden from seeds this year, just to see if anything will live.

Hit the 5pm "traffic"...meaning Walmart becomes CRAZYtown and full of crabby people who just got off work and the last place they want to be is inside walmart.

Pick up prescription 1 and 1/2 hours later, and wish that "20 minutes" actually meant 20 minutes when spoken by someone in a blue vest.

Try to checkout in garden dept. to avoid crazy long 5pm WM lines, but end up being told the life story by middle aged cashier named Kandy (yes, with a K, because "that makes it a unique name") who tells me all about her bloated bowels and the problems she's been having with her intestines. I try to escape, but she is holding my receipt and debit card HOSTAGE.

The children are screaming.

Kandy asks if I'm hoping for a boy this time so I can "be done having children".

Think, "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

Decide there is no good way to take that and say, "yes, we're having a boy, and we're not sure when we'll be done having children. We take them one at a time."

Listen to announcement Kandy makes over LOUDSPEAKER requesting for an associate to come load the 2 bags of manure and topsoil I purchased into the car for "a poor pregnant woman that really has her hands full" followed by a "take care sweetie, and be glad you have a better excuse than mine for that big belly"

Silently vow to never name my child Kandy.

Return to van to find a HUGE family of rednecks crowded around their pickup (that I'm parked next to) smoking.

Notice teenage boy that looks WAY too young to be smoking legally.

Watch teenage boy PICK HIS NOSE (I'm talking DIG DEEP, twist the finger to get the job done right) EXAMINE THE retrieval (that takes both a finger AND thumb to pull from nostril) BITE the BOOGER off his fingertips with his front teeth. SUCK the booger/air from his front teeth with his tongue to clear up any residue, and then LICK his fingers clean.

Say out loud (because I have no self control, and am are in total shock of what I am witnessing, and even MORE shocked that the whole family is watching him and NO one is saying anything, vomiting, or shuddering with disgust to show that they might be reacting the way I am) "Oh NO. No. YOU DID NOT just do that, uh. UH! Are you KIDDING ME?"

Get strange looks from truck family.

Realize you were TOTALLY just speaking out loud and NOT just thinking judgmental thoughts in your head.

Wish you had not parked in the space RIGHT next to them....and wish even more that you had not already OPENED the car door with your keys, so you would walk on by and pretend it isn't your car, and come back after they're gone and the (angry) smoke has lifted.

Feel holes burn into your clothing from glare of silent redneck truck family as you swallow your fate, open the trunk, and load up your groceries.

Cover Reese's mouth when she says, "Mommy, those people with the hats are so so stinky I'm going to throw..." and shove her in the van, closing the door as quickly as possible.

Buckle Quincy (mimicking Reese with "that's yucky. that's stinky..." and drive away, still gagging over the smoke that is now IN MY CAR and the visual image burned into my brain of Teenage Booger Eater and his defensive family who watches him eat with satisfaction.

Forget to go pick up manure and topsoil and turn around on the highway to go back, all the while thinking I should have just taken a picture with my phone so you could have the same image I did. I mean...my shocked, verbal outburst kind of already threw tact right out the window anyway, right?

This Is Getting Ridiculous.

Seriously. Again.

Quincy prefers to snuggle with Auntie "Say-sey" during her breathing treatments. Usually we have to put in a movie to get her to hold still, but she was so lethargic last night that the combination of the steroid gas, her fever, and Kasey's cozy lap just lulled her right to sleep. I kept her home from church yesterday because she was coughing so much, and now I'm really glad I didn't take her, because I've since heard that Chicken Pox and RSV are going around...which certainly would not add to her congested fun.

We have an appointment with the pediatrician this afternoon.

If either of her ears are infected we are going to consult an ENT for tubes.
At lunch today, Reese blessed the food and asked that "Quincy will get much better because she's my sister and I love her, and thanks for Mommy not to throw up today"
At least we're being well cared for!
I am REALLY wishing we didn't have a $1000 deductible on our medical insurance right about now.

"I Can Do Anything! Take a Look, It's in a Book, A Reading Rainbow..."

You know you miss that show. Not as much at 3-2-1 Contact or Voyage of the Mimi...But Reading Rainbow was still some pretty good stuff. Especially when Lavar would bust out the roller skates.

The theme for Reese's little preschool group last week was "R for Rainbow". She came home with a darling little kite with rainbow streamers, and rainbow jell-o. She really loved the theme and was even more excited than usual....probably because she's a narcissist and "R" is also for Reese. Either way, she loved the rainbow theme, so we've continued it around here all week.

We have some form of breakfast for dinner once a week. Usually on Wednesdays, since it is easy to fix and I am usually in a hurry to get to the church to help with the Young Women activity on wednesday nights.
I mix it up and cook a variety of things, so we won't get sick of it. It's been about a year of this and we still enjoy it. It has been months since we've had pancakes, so this week, we had eggs, juice, and Rainbow Pancakes!
I've never put food coloring in our pancake/waffle mix before, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out. The girls LOVED it....even though some of them overcooked and our "rainbow" looked a little muddy. Quincy would only eat the PINK pancakes. Her nursery teacher told me on Friday that she also refuses to color during the activity part of the lesson unless she has at least one PINK crayon in her hand. They said she knows all her colors, and is very particular about which color paper she gets when they are doing a craft! News to me! It must be that her BIG SISTER always gets her way at home, and the pink crayons are rarely available to her...maybe she feels the need to be the boss somewhere else. Oh well, at least she gets her way somewhere. Hopefully she isn't a bully about it.

More posts about the colorful fun we've had to come!

"I Think I'll Go For a Walk Outside, Yeah The Summer Sun's Calling My Name"

SPriNg iS hErE! Finally!

We've spent as much time as possible outside the last few days. Poor Quincy's allergies are killing her. I won't be surprised if she develops an ear infection from all the sinus congestion within a week. We spent 3 1/2 hours at the park on Friday, playing, eating a picnic lunch, and visiting with friends. It was a great day. I am excited that my kids are finally to the age where they can play fairly independently at the park and I can sit in the shade and chat with the other moms. Occasionally, one will come running, crying over a shared toy, or sand in the eyes, or "so and so" is hitting...but yesterday went so smoothly, we will definitely spend more time at the park this Spring than we did last year (when Q refused to walk in the sand).

Speaking of Quincy, she woke up with a nice black eye this morning. I'm guessing it happened during one of those times that she came running, crying about something or other. Her little cheeks are all rosy from the wind burn, too. When you add in her watery red allergy eyes and bed head, she looks like she's been in a sweet fight. Hopefully, her shiner won't hang around too long. She looks pretty pathetic.
The kids were having so much fun outside the other day while I was watching my friend's little girl. I took a little video. It's pretty cute to see them so happy to just be outside enjoying the sunshine. I love the giggly girls and Q saying "HEY! Help me up, Help me up!"