Here I am, at work on a Saturday morning. This is not a usual occurence for me; our office hosts Saturday morning campus tours during several months of the year, and we as employees of the office are required to sign up for at least one Saturday per semester. So, here I am, on my required Saturday.
Life is about to change pretty quickly and pretty dramatically for me here pretty soon. While I am not going to go into any details about those changes right now, I would appreciate the prayers and thoughts of those people who read my blog who are prayin' people. I need the Lord's direction in this situation I am faced with right now; direction in what is best for me and for my famiy. I can use all the prayers I can get.
I would just like to say that in my short time as a blogger thus far, I have met some really wonderful people, and re-kindled relationships with people very important to me and I appreciate all of you very much.
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend, all you folks out there in blog-land. I'll catch up with you soon.
Apr 29, 2006
Apr 28, 2006
The "I HELPED KRISTEN COOK" Award
Oh, yes. The moment you have all been waiting for. The unveiling of the largest blog award in the history of blog awards. The "I HELPED KRISTEN COOK" award.
To your left, on my sidebar, you will see I have a very color-less, flashless, and rather boring heading set up to recognize those who win this prestigious award.
Last week I mentioned my displeasure of cooking, or rather never having anything interesting to cook. I was very pleased to have so many people respond and try to help me in my quest to be a better, more exciting cook! Soo..I have decided to make this a weekly (if there's interest in it) installment.
I have added a link under my profile where you can write to me. Any time you feel inspired, or have found a recipe that you think I just can't live without, please email it to me and I will add it to my stack. On Tuesdays, I will make a special call out for recipes, and you can either email them to me, or put them in my comment. If you email it to me, add a comment letting me know there's one in my email box waiting for me. But don't feel like you have to wait for the special call out to send a recipe my way. Send 'em anytime you please!
On Fridays, I will award someone whose recipe I used that week and their link will be put in my sidebar under that flashless heading. :-)
And I already have a winner for this week. And it is: (DRUMROLL PLEASE.....)
Kathryn emailed me tons 'o tons 'o recipes and I tried one of them this week, with great success. It was easy, it was way cheap, and the kids loved it. (And so did the hubby, which is amazing in itself...he's pickier than the kids!) And here it is, copied and posted with permission from Kathryn. Thanks, Daring One!
I doubled the recipe simply because my family eats a lllottt of food. But it was great! So, thanks again.
I'll be back on Tuesday to request recipes again, but if you feel like sending one in the meantime, I'm not telling you that you cant! :-)
HAPPY WEEKEND MY FRIENDS!
To your left, on my sidebar, you will see I have a very color-less, flashless, and rather boring heading set up to recognize those who win this prestigious award.
Last week I mentioned my displeasure of cooking, or rather never having anything interesting to cook. I was very pleased to have so many people respond and try to help me in my quest to be a better, more exciting cook! Soo..I have decided to make this a weekly (if there's interest in it) installment.
I have added a link under my profile where you can write to me. Any time you feel inspired, or have found a recipe that you think I just can't live without, please email it to me and I will add it to my stack. On Tuesdays, I will make a special call out for recipes, and you can either email them to me, or put them in my comment. If you email it to me, add a comment letting me know there's one in my email box waiting for me. But don't feel like you have to wait for the special call out to send a recipe my way. Send 'em anytime you please!
On Fridays, I will award someone whose recipe I used that week and their link will be put in my sidebar under that flashless heading. :-)
And I already have a winner for this week. And it is: (DRUMROLL PLEASE.....)
KATHRYN from:
Kathryn emailed me tons 'o tons 'o recipes and I tried one of them this week, with great success. It was easy, it was way cheap, and the kids loved it. (And so did the hubby, which is amazing in itself...he's pickier than the kids!) And here it is, copied and posted with permission from Kathryn. Thanks, Daring One!
HAMBURGER VOLCANOS!!
1/2 lb hamburger
2 pkgs brown gravy mix
Mashed potatoes (real or fake, depending on your mood)
Brown and drain the hamburger.
Make the Brown gravy according to pkg directions.Pour over mashed potatoes in the shape of a volcano. The gravy and meat are the lava.
2 pkgs brown gravy mix
Mashed potatoes (real or fake, depending on your mood)
Brown and drain the hamburger.
Make the Brown gravy according to pkg directions.Pour over mashed potatoes in the shape of a volcano. The gravy and meat are the lava.
I doubled the recipe simply because my family eats a lllottt of food. But it was great! So, thanks again.
I'll be back on Tuesday to request recipes again, but if you feel like sending one in the meantime, I'm not telling you that you cant! :-)
HAPPY WEEKEND MY FRIENDS!
Apr 27, 2006
I Am From
Here is my "I Am From" poem that Mary challenged everyone to do.
I AM FROM
I am from clean, crisp sweet smelling sheets fresh out of the laundry, from just cleaned Pine-Sol floors and from chirping trees outside my bedroom window.
I am from the yellow house with white trim at the end of the cul-de-sac, the trim of hedges around the lawn and the freshly mowed grass.
I am from family game night, opinionated people who are always right and two sets of grandparents who are still around.
I am from forgetfulness and godliness.
From don’t sit too close to the TV or your eyes will cross and no playing outside until homework is done.
I am from a long line of Nazarenes and from the same church I grew up in. My children now go to the same church and play in the same nursery I did as a child.
I’m from Colorado and Sweden, spaghetti and homemade chocolate chip cookies.
From the mom and dad who were both pastors’ kids and moved around every two years with their family, the mom and dad who grew up in two different religions but joined together once married and the stubborn brow line on my mom’s side of the family.
I am from hundreds of thick photo albums, and boxes full of crafts, school papers, journals and other mementos that reflect years of love, fun, thoughts and family.
I am from a family of laughs and love.
I AM FROM
I am from clean, crisp sweet smelling sheets fresh out of the laundry, from just cleaned Pine-Sol floors and from chirping trees outside my bedroom window.
I am from the yellow house with white trim at the end of the cul-de-sac, the trim of hedges around the lawn and the freshly mowed grass.
I am from family game night, opinionated people who are always right and two sets of grandparents who are still around.
I am from forgetfulness and godliness.
From don’t sit too close to the TV or your eyes will cross and no playing outside until homework is done.
I am from a long line of Nazarenes and from the same church I grew up in. My children now go to the same church and play in the same nursery I did as a child.
I’m from Colorado and Sweden, spaghetti and homemade chocolate chip cookies.
From the mom and dad who were both pastors’ kids and moved around every two years with their family, the mom and dad who grew up in two different religions but joined together once married and the stubborn brow line on my mom’s side of the family.
I am from hundreds of thick photo albums, and boxes full of crafts, school papers, journals and other mementos that reflect years of love, fun, thoughts and family.
I am from a family of laughs and love.
Apr 26, 2006
I'm Famous!
So, I work at a large State University that employs approximately 7,500 people. That's a lot of people. And I am famous here, now. And not in a good way either. In a rather humiliating way.
Several years ago, about 7 years ago to be exact, I had a boyfriend. Not the man I ended up marrying. Anyway, one day he decided to be nice and brought me a large hot chocolate from Starbucks. Yes, very sweet (one of the few sweet things he ever did for me). I drank some of the hot chocolate; not all of it, it was very large, and put the rest on the shelf above my desk. I forgot about it. The weekend came. Then Monday came. Upon entering my office on Monday morning (I share an office with two other people), a most unpleasant odor wafted out of the room and made its way through the entire office. Unpleasant is putting it mildly. It more smelled like someone had yakked somewhere in a corner and had not bothered to tell anyone or clean it up. So, there we all were, first thing Monday morning, holding our noses and wishing we had gas masks, desperately trying to find the offending odor. It was not to be found. We ended up calling Facilities to bring in their equipment to try to locate what was causing the odor and "fix" the situation. We were starting to think that some animal had managed to make its way into the building and had died and was already starting to erode.
After about a half an hour of several employees of the Facilities office turning over every paper, every book and searching every corner, the offending odor was located: MY HOT CHOCOLATE!! Imagine my humiliation. In my defense, I had no idea that the hot chocolate was made with real milk! Come on! Who would've known! Of course, this has been a great story for my co-workers to share with new employees to the office.
But, here is where the famous part of the story comes in. My mom emails me yesterday and tells me she heard this story about a hot chocolate incident in which the Facilities office was required to come search the building. She says this story rings a bell: "Was that you"? She asks. I confirm that it was me. Turns out, a new employee in their office had just come back from a meeting for building proctors (of which there is one or two in every single building on campus), and relayed this story back to my mom. Apparently, the Facilities office is using this story in their training of building proctors to not be afraid to call them about anything because "we've had wierder calls...listen to this story" (and that's where my hot chocolate story comes in!)
Sooo...yeah. The entire campus knows my story. I'm infamous. And highly humiliated. Seven years and the story is still making the rounds. I feel like going into witness protection.
I now have an actual story to tell when someone asks the question, "Whats your most embarassing moment?" Yee-haw!
Several years ago, about 7 years ago to be exact, I had a boyfriend. Not the man I ended up marrying. Anyway, one day he decided to be nice and brought me a large hot chocolate from Starbucks. Yes, very sweet (one of the few sweet things he ever did for me). I drank some of the hot chocolate; not all of it, it was very large, and put the rest on the shelf above my desk. I forgot about it. The weekend came. Then Monday came. Upon entering my office on Monday morning (I share an office with two other people), a most unpleasant odor wafted out of the room and made its way through the entire office. Unpleasant is putting it mildly. It more smelled like someone had yakked somewhere in a corner and had not bothered to tell anyone or clean it up. So, there we all were, first thing Monday morning, holding our noses and wishing we had gas masks, desperately trying to find the offending odor. It was not to be found. We ended up calling Facilities to bring in their equipment to try to locate what was causing the odor and "fix" the situation. We were starting to think that some animal had managed to make its way into the building and had died and was already starting to erode.
After about a half an hour of several employees of the Facilities office turning over every paper, every book and searching every corner, the offending odor was located: MY HOT CHOCOLATE!! Imagine my humiliation. In my defense, I had no idea that the hot chocolate was made with real milk! Come on! Who would've known! Of course, this has been a great story for my co-workers to share with new employees to the office.
But, here is where the famous part of the story comes in. My mom emails me yesterday and tells me she heard this story about a hot chocolate incident in which the Facilities office was required to come search the building. She says this story rings a bell: "Was that you"? She asks. I confirm that it was me. Turns out, a new employee in their office had just come back from a meeting for building proctors (of which there is one or two in every single building on campus), and relayed this story back to my mom. Apparently, the Facilities office is using this story in their training of building proctors to not be afraid to call them about anything because "we've had wierder calls...listen to this story" (and that's where my hot chocolate story comes in!)
Sooo...yeah. The entire campus knows my story. I'm infamous. And highly humiliated. Seven years and the story is still making the rounds. I feel like going into witness protection.
I now have an actual story to tell when someone asks the question, "Whats your most embarassing moment?" Yee-haw!
Apr 24, 2006
HALLELUJAH!!!
Picture it. Me. In a field full of dancing flowers. Fireworks blasting in the sky. Doing pirouettes and all kinds of other frou-frou ballet moves. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is playing the Hallelujah Chorus behind me at full blast. In my best operatic vibrato, I am singing, "HALLELUJAH...HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, HALLAY--LOO--YAHHH!!" My child, the one of the Fiesty variety, has slept through the night the past 4 nights in a row. You may be saying to yourself, "So, what's the big deal? My kid has done this since week eight!" Yeah. I don't wanna hear about it. Cuz my kid hasn't. She's almost two, and has just figured out how to do this. I'm not asking why, and I'm not asking why she took so long to decide to do this. I'm just thankful. That's it. Just happy to get more than two hours of sleep at a time with this child. So, thank you Fiesty, and PLEASE, keep it up!! (I've probably jinxed myself by the simple act of putting this in writing). Now, if I could just figure out how to get her to quit pooping in the tub, I'll be set!
SIDE NOTE ONE: Saturday, my kids were in their swimming suits playing in their little wading pool for two hours. Today it's snowing. My state is so bi-polar.
SIDE NOTE TWO: Thanks so much for all the great responses on the request for recipes! I plan to try at least one new recipe a week from this, and when I use a recipe that you gave me, I will put your name on my side bar under the heading: I HELPED KRISTEN COOK!! Yeah, not the most exciting award in the world, but you are assisting me in giving my kids better food to eat, therefore you deserve recognition!
So now, I must bundle my kids up and get them ready to go out and run some errands. I guess it's a good thing I didn't pack up their winter clothes this weekend when I did my eight hour obsessive cleaning of the house.
SIDE NOTE ONE: Saturday, my kids were in their swimming suits playing in their little wading pool for two hours. Today it's snowing. My state is so bi-polar.
SIDE NOTE TWO: Thanks so much for all the great responses on the request for recipes! I plan to try at least one new recipe a week from this, and when I use a recipe that you gave me, I will put your name on my side bar under the heading: I HELPED KRISTEN COOK!! Yeah, not the most exciting award in the world, but you are assisting me in giving my kids better food to eat, therefore you deserve recognition!
So now, I must bundle my kids up and get them ready to go out and run some errands. I guess it's a good thing I didn't pack up their winter clothes this weekend when I did my eight hour obsessive cleaning of the house.
Apr 21, 2006
Friday Randomness
I really have nothing of importance to say today. No particular topic in mind. By Friday, my brain is fried. Give me a break people. So, whatever thoughts randomly come into my head today, is what I will say. :-) (That really could be scary).
First thing, I was on my way to work this morning, blaring my radio with the windows open, hair flying all over the place, listening to a song that I hear all the time but have never really listened to the words. I do that all the time. When I like a song, it's typically more because of the rhythm, the beat, the music, etc...I don't often listen to the lyrics because half the time I can't understand them anyway. But today, for some reason, I listened to the lyrics of this song, and they really stood out to me. It's a great song, so I am going to treat you to the lyrics of it, courtesy http://www.wowlyrics.com.
The song is, Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield .
UNWRITTEN
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh
I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, yeah, yeah
Isn't that a great song?! I love it!
Next, I must discuss the demise of Ace on American Idol. Could I be more sad? I knew that he wasn't the best, or the most talented, and I didn't truly think he'd win, but I was hoping he'd get a little bit further. He's just so dang cute, and so sweet, and he's from where I am from!! Oh, well....as long as Chris sticks around, I'll be alright. I about had a heart attack when they were in the bottom two together this week. I had that sinking realization that one of my two favorites was gone and that others, who in my opinion, were less deserving, would still be around. SIMON even complimented Ace this week. America did him wrong. That's all I have to say. Your fans will miss you Ace!
My husband started a new job this week working for DirectTV. His training is supposed to be all this week, then he hits the ground running next week. Wednesday morning, they sent him home because someone heard him, um, yakking in the bathroom. Yeah. So they told him to come home. Later that day, they called him and told him that since he missed a day of training, that he should wait to come back until Monday to start training over. Hello?! That doesn't work for me. I am sorry. I think they should pay him regardless because they sent him home. They told him to wait until next week to start over. Grr. Anyone agree, or am I alone in this??
As I mentioned before, I hate cooking. More than hating to cook, I just hate trying to figure out things to make that my family will like and will actually eat. I can not tell you how sick I am of mac n cheese, hot dogs, grilled cheese, pizza, peanut butter sandwiches, ramen noodles and the like. I am in desperate need of some ideas for quick, easy, and inexpensive ideas for what to cook my family. I am issuing a challenge. Post some recipes here for me, or email them to me and post that you sent me one. If I pick your recipe, I will acknowledge you on my blog...maybe I'll even create some sort of banner to put on your website. Who knows. I just need some help!! PLEASE. All you good cooks out there, show yourselves!!
And last but not least, some Easter pictures. I can't believe we didn't get any of the actual hunt; we just got video of that, but here are some pre-Easter dinner pics before we changed the girls out of their clothes. Yoda, as usual, was absent due to the fact that his mother had him and refuses to change the schedule to allow him to attend church with us. Anyway, here they are:
With Mommy.
With Grandma & Grandpa
With Grandma being silly!
Ready for a ride on Grandpa's Motorcycle!!
Care Bear was pretty grumpy while we were trying to take pictures. It took quite a bit to make her smile. When she put the bear on her head, it made her smile, so I went with it! The little bruise under Fiesty's eye? An injury compliments of her big sister. A little souvenir from a time she dare try to take a toy from Care Bear. My poor little baby. She's a tough girl!!
I think that may be all that is running through my head at this point in time. Now I must get back to work. I had my evaluation on Wednesday and it went well. I don't want to give my supervisor a reason to want to change her mind. Enjoy your weekend all! I'm looking forward to 77 degree weather. Gonna break out the shorts and the sunscreen. :-)
Oh, wait. P.S. I just thought of one more thing! How is it that I received a scammer comment when you have to put in that pass-word thingy to comment on my blog? I deleted it, but I had a nice comment in Wednesdays post on how to receive some great Playboy stuff! Just what I wanted to see!
First thing, I was on my way to work this morning, blaring my radio with the windows open, hair flying all over the place, listening to a song that I hear all the time but have never really listened to the words. I do that all the time. When I like a song, it's typically more because of the rhythm, the beat, the music, etc...I don't often listen to the lyrics because half the time I can't understand them anyway. But today, for some reason, I listened to the lyrics of this song, and they really stood out to me. It's a great song, so I am going to treat you to the lyrics of it, courtesy http://www.wowlyrics.com.
The song is, Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield .
UNWRITTEN
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh
I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, yeah, yeah
Isn't that a great song?! I love it!
Next, I must discuss the demise of Ace on American Idol. Could I be more sad? I knew that he wasn't the best, or the most talented, and I didn't truly think he'd win, but I was hoping he'd get a little bit further. He's just so dang cute, and so sweet, and he's from where I am from!! Oh, well....as long as Chris sticks around, I'll be alright. I about had a heart attack when they were in the bottom two together this week. I had that sinking realization that one of my two favorites was gone and that others, who in my opinion, were less deserving, would still be around. SIMON even complimented Ace this week. America did him wrong. That's all I have to say. Your fans will miss you Ace!
My husband started a new job this week working for DirectTV. His training is supposed to be all this week, then he hits the ground running next week. Wednesday morning, they sent him home because someone heard him, um, yakking in the bathroom. Yeah. So they told him to come home. Later that day, they called him and told him that since he missed a day of training, that he should wait to come back until Monday to start training over. Hello?! That doesn't work for me. I am sorry. I think they should pay him regardless because they sent him home. They told him to wait until next week to start over. Grr. Anyone agree, or am I alone in this??
As I mentioned before, I hate cooking. More than hating to cook, I just hate trying to figure out things to make that my family will like and will actually eat. I can not tell you how sick I am of mac n cheese, hot dogs, grilled cheese, pizza, peanut butter sandwiches, ramen noodles and the like. I am in desperate need of some ideas for quick, easy, and inexpensive ideas for what to cook my family. I am issuing a challenge. Post some recipes here for me, or email them to me and post that you sent me one. If I pick your recipe, I will acknowledge you on my blog...maybe I'll even create some sort of banner to put on your website. Who knows. I just need some help!! PLEASE. All you good cooks out there, show yourselves!!
And last but not least, some Easter pictures. I can't believe we didn't get any of the actual hunt; we just got video of that, but here are some pre-Easter dinner pics before we changed the girls out of their clothes. Yoda, as usual, was absent due to the fact that his mother had him and refuses to change the schedule to allow him to attend church with us. Anyway, here they are:
With Mommy.With Grandma & GrandpaWith Grandma being silly!Ready for a ride on Grandpa's Motorcycle!!Care Bear was pretty grumpy while we were trying to take pictures. It took quite a bit to make her smile. When she put the bear on her head, it made her smile, so I went with it! The little bruise under Fiesty's eye? An injury compliments of her big sister. A little souvenir from a time she dare try to take a toy from Care Bear. My poor little baby. She's a tough girl!!
I think that may be all that is running through my head at this point in time. Now I must get back to work. I had my evaluation on Wednesday and it went well. I don't want to give my supervisor a reason to want to change her mind. Enjoy your weekend all! I'm looking forward to 77 degree weather. Gonna break out the shorts and the sunscreen. :-)
Oh, wait. P.S. I just thought of one more thing! How is it that I received a scammer comment when you have to put in that pass-word thingy to comment on my blog? I deleted it, but I had a nice comment in Wednesdays post on how to receive some great Playboy stuff! Just what I wanted to see!
Apr 19, 2006
An Angel in Disguise...and another meme!
I have been tagged for the "6 wierd things about me" meme by Maine Mom. So that will be coming at the end (to give me time to think about some wierd stuff). But first, I must discuss the angel that I have living in my house that is disguised as a "Fiesty" almost two year old. I truly do not believe I have ever met a more sensitive, un-selfish, caring and loving two year old than my little Fiesty. Sometimes I look at her and I think to myself, "God has truly given me an angel. I can almost see the halo above her head." This is a child who would rather help mommy clean, do dishes, vacuum, and help with laundry rather than play. This is a child who consistently gets her own toys taken away from her by her sometimes bullyish older sister, and hands them away to her to simply keep the peace. This is a child, who when requesting a snack, a juice, or something at the store for herself then insists on getting her sister one as well. It isn't even in her thought process to keep the treat all to herself. She wants to share the joy of her treat. This is a child who when she wakes up in the morning immediately starts asking for her sister before she does anything else. This is a child who, when I pummeled my head on the corner of the kitchen table the other night, heard me yelp, came up to me with a concerned look on her face, rubbed my head and asked me, "OK? Ahhh...Mommy", then kissed my head. This is a child, who while laying in bed with me one night had a blanket covering herself, looked over at me, covered up my legs and said, "Have some?"
I could go on and on and on bragging about my sweet little Fiesty, but I won't make you all puke in your trash cans. I was just thinking about her last night and all of the things I see her do in one day, and all the ways she amazes me at her capacity for love, empathy and sharing at such a young age and I had to share. My other two are amazing in their own ways as well. But this is how my Fiesty is special. She has a heart as big as all of Texas and as pure as gold. I just hope she stays this way; my little angel (but then again....I doubt angels bite....)
And now the six wierd things meme:
1. Some people may not find this wierd, but my husband does. I hate fish and any type of food that comes from the sea or any other body of water. Keep.It.Away.
2. I wear mismatched socks often because I am constantly losing socks. As long as they are similar in color and style, I'll wear 'em. (But usually cover them with shoes that don't make the unmatching socks visible).
3. I don't enjoy cooking. I'm no good at it (except for the things I cook all the time), I can never come up with new and exciting things for my family, and it's just too time consuming. If I had the luxury of having a full time cook, I'd hire one in a heart beat.
4. I get nervous talking on the phone to people; except when it's job related. I can talk to people I don't know with no problem; put me on the phone with someone I've known forever, and I get uncomfortable. I'd rather communicate via e-mail or writing any day.
5. I want to be an Interior Designer, but have never once watched any of those design shows on TV (i.e. Trading Spaces, Extreme Home Makeover, etc.)
6. I turn my space heater on in my office under my desk in the middle of the summer. Maybe if facilities wouldn't blast the air conditioner so high in my office, I wouldn't have to do this. But I do, therefore am considered "wierd" by several co-workers who aren't as cold-blooded as me.
That's my wierdness. I'm sure there are many more, but in a time crunch here, so that's what I came up with. :-)
Who should I tag?? Hmmm....
How about: J.D., Sherry, Amanda, and Diane.
I could go on and on and on bragging about my sweet little Fiesty, but I won't make you all puke in your trash cans. I was just thinking about her last night and all of the things I see her do in one day, and all the ways she amazes me at her capacity for love, empathy and sharing at such a young age and I had to share. My other two are amazing in their own ways as well. But this is how my Fiesty is special. She has a heart as big as all of Texas and as pure as gold. I just hope she stays this way; my little angel (but then again....I doubt angels bite....)
And now the six wierd things meme:
1. Some people may not find this wierd, but my husband does. I hate fish and any type of food that comes from the sea or any other body of water. Keep.It.Away.
2. I wear mismatched socks often because I am constantly losing socks. As long as they are similar in color and style, I'll wear 'em. (But usually cover them with shoes that don't make the unmatching socks visible).
3. I don't enjoy cooking. I'm no good at it (except for the things I cook all the time), I can never come up with new and exciting things for my family, and it's just too time consuming. If I had the luxury of having a full time cook, I'd hire one in a heart beat.
4. I get nervous talking on the phone to people; except when it's job related. I can talk to people I don't know with no problem; put me on the phone with someone I've known forever, and I get uncomfortable. I'd rather communicate via e-mail or writing any day.
5. I want to be an Interior Designer, but have never once watched any of those design shows on TV (i.e. Trading Spaces, Extreme Home Makeover, etc.)
6. I turn my space heater on in my office under my desk in the middle of the summer. Maybe if facilities wouldn't blast the air conditioner so high in my office, I wouldn't have to do this. But I do, therefore am considered "wierd" by several co-workers who aren't as cold-blooded as me.
That's my wierdness. I'm sure there are many more, but in a time crunch here, so that's what I came up with. :-)
Who should I tag?? Hmmm....
How about: J.D., Sherry, Amanda, and Diane.
Apr 18, 2006
I've Been Tagged
Several days ago, as a matter of fact. But since I am only a "part time" blogger, this is the first opportunity I've had to do it. I could have walked the 100 feet to my parents house this weekend to use their computer, but it was Easter weekend. Who had the time?! Anyway, I got tagged by my wonderful aunt, Morning Glory, so here it is:
4 Jobs I've had in My Life
1. Little Caesar's Pizza (first ever job)
2. KFC (second job that lasted off and on through high school and college)
3. Chemical Engineering Department (my first job on this campus)
4. Admissions (my current job on campus, and longest job I've held).
4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over
1. Erin Brockovich
2. Legally Blonde
3. Can't Buy Me Love
4. Never Been Kissed
4 Websites I Visit Regularly
1. Family website
2. About a million blogs
3. TV Guide Online
4. Dustin's Days Page (summaries of Days of Our Lives)
4 Favorite Foods
1. My mom's spaghetti
2. Pizza
3. Peanut butter sandwiches
4. My mom's lasagna
4 Places I Would Rather Be Right Now
1. On a tropical beach
2. Bed
3. On a boat
4. At home with my kids
4 Books I Could Read Over and Over
1. Betsy/Tacy books
2. Anne of Green Gables books
3. Sweet Valley High Series(back in H.S. I read them over and over...not so much now.)
4. Beverly Cleary books....can't wait to read these to my girls!!
4 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over
1. Anything by Lifehouse
2. Anything by Vertical Horizon
3. The songs on the tape my husband made me.
4. Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson
4 Reasons Why I Blog
1. It's fun
2. Everyone I knew was doing it...I couldn't be left out.
3. Every experience I have seems to become a "bloggable" topic.
4. It's a great way to meet other people like me. :-)
So, there you have it! I guess I'll tag Rachelle, Snickers, and Maine Mom.
4 Jobs I've had in My Life
1. Little Caesar's Pizza (first ever job)
2. KFC (second job that lasted off and on through high school and college)
3. Chemical Engineering Department (my first job on this campus)
4. Admissions (my current job on campus, and longest job I've held).
4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over
1. Erin Brockovich
2. Legally Blonde
3. Can't Buy Me Love
4. Never Been Kissed
4 Websites I Visit Regularly
1. Family website
2. About a million blogs
3. TV Guide Online
4. Dustin's Days Page (summaries of Days of Our Lives)
4 Favorite Foods
1. My mom's spaghetti
2. Pizza
3. Peanut butter sandwiches
4. My mom's lasagna
4 Places I Would Rather Be Right Now
1. On a tropical beach
2. Bed
3. On a boat
4. At home with my kids
4 Books I Could Read Over and Over
1. Betsy/Tacy books
2. Anne of Green Gables books
3. Sweet Valley High Series(back in H.S. I read them over and over...not so much now.)
4. Beverly Cleary books....can't wait to read these to my girls!!
4 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over
1. Anything by Lifehouse
2. Anything by Vertical Horizon
3. The songs on the tape my husband made me.
4. Behind These Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson
4 Reasons Why I Blog
1. It's fun
2. Everyone I knew was doing it...I couldn't be left out.
3. Every experience I have seems to become a "bloggable" topic.
4. It's a great way to meet other people like me. :-)
So, there you have it! I guess I'll tag Rachelle, Snickers, and Maine Mom.
Apr 14, 2006
I.Am.Bored
And that never happens to me! I mean, never. Everything is boring to me today. My job, my desk, my car, even my blog. I'm bored. And I don't know why. I had my advising appointment today. I am ready to go, and will actually be starting in summer with an on-line course instead of waiting until fall. YIKES. I now only have a month to prepare myself to become a student again instead of 4 months. Maybe that's why I feel bored today. I have the excitement of going to back to school in my blood and I just want to start right away. I'm nervous, but at the same time, I want to get going right away. Enough waiting already. Let's get it started! (OK, now I have that Black Eyed Peas song running through my head and probably will all day...)
So, anyway, in honor of my boredom, I think I'm going to copy Morning Glory and do a "50 things about me" list today. That will definitely help my boredom to try and come up with fifty things about myself. I'm not sure I even know fifty things about myself. Sooo, here we go.
50 Things About Kristen You've Always Wanted to Know (you know you have!)
P.S. I just realized I was tagged for a meme by Morning Glory. I will do her meme next time I post! Thanks, auntie! :-)
So, anyway, in honor of my boredom, I think I'm going to copy Morning Glory and do a "50 things about me" list today. That will definitely help my boredom to try and come up with fifty things about myself. I'm not sure I even know fifty things about myself. Sooo, here we go.
50 Things About Kristen You've Always Wanted to Know (you know you have!)
- I still live where I was born and raised (city and state).
- I currently live three houses down from the house I grew up in.
- Yoda is my step-son.
- Fiesty was born on her due date!
- My husband was the best friend of my high school sweetheart.
- My high school sweetheart was killed in a car accident 4 years ago.
- My hair is naturally blonde (but is getting darker as the years go by).
- My mom takes care of my kids when I have to work.
- My favorite foods include peanut butter and cheese.
- My favorite snack/junk food is Hostess Cupcakes (chocolate!)
- I haven't kept in touch with any of my high school friends!
- I didn't go to my ten year reunion. (The agenda was mostly revolved around alcohol....)
- I love to ski (water and snow).
- I love to read anything by Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and Tami Hoag....I throw a little Danielle Steel in there every once in awhile, too.
- My favorite movie is Erin Brockovich.--she kicks butt!!
- My favorite actress is Reese Witherspoon.
- I wear size 7 shoe.
- I have 20/20 vision.
- I only labored for 6 hours for each of my girls.
- My current favorite color is blue.
- I love to read People magazine.
- I enjoy keeping up on celebrity gossip....I don't know why.
- I've been a Days of Our Lives fan since 8th grade. I was home sick for about a week in 8th grade; I was tired of game shows...I turned to soaps. Awful, I know!
- One of my best friends is my 52 year old co-worker. I now know what I will be like when I am 52...we are a lot alike!
- I was in two musicals in high school: "Oklahoma" and "The Music Man."
- I was a cheerleader in 9th grade; didn't like it so much, so switched my efforts to being in the music program. I enjoyed it much more!
- I have majored in Business and Psychology and college and have now switched gears completely to Interior Design.
- I am 10 months older than my husband (a fact he loves to continually remind me of!)
- I live 1/2 hour away from the Rocky Mountains.
- I have worked at my current job for 9 years now!
- I am allergic to grass, weeds, mold, dust, dogs, cats, tree pollen and just about anything that floats in the air this time of year. Let's just say that I'm constantly sneezing right about now.
- I was diagnosed with my allergies when I was 5 years old and got a shot in each arm every week until I went to college. Now I just suffer.
- I used to be on my swim team in junior high and high school.
- I play piano and flute.
- I'm deathly afraid of spiders.
- I'm deathly afraid of tornados.
- Despite my allergy of cats, I have had two in the past. My allergy has gotten worse since they have been gone.
- My birthday is in December.
- My favorite holiday is Christmas.
- I haven't cut my hair in 7 months! (not even a trim.....bad, I know).
- My eyes are blue.
- I rarely polish my fingernails.
- I rarely wear jewelry (I'm very low maintenance)!
- I love to write.
- I am not a very creative cook....I cook the same things all the time.
- These people are all members of my family: Karen, Queen Beth, Amanda, Morning Glory, Sherry, and Brooke. (Oh, man I hope I didn't forget anyone!!)
- I'm typing this on my lunch hour!
- I'm wearing new sandles today.
- I got a sunburn yesterday being outside with my kids.
- I'm running out of things to think about!
I think that is about it!! Now, back to the boredom! :-) Have a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend. Go to church. Remember what the holiday is about!!
P.S. I just realized I was tagged for a meme by Morning Glory. I will do her meme next time I post! Thanks, auntie! :-)
Apr 12, 2006
He's Still My Hero
One of the things that made me fall in love with my husband was (is) his love for music and his ability to express himself with it. About a month after I met him and started to date him, he presented me with a "mixed tape". I had never received a mixed tape from anyone I had ever dated before. This was a new experience for me.
The next evening, I took the tape, hopped in my car and drove around the mountains close to where I live and listened to the whole thing. Like I said, I had never received a tape from anyone I had dated before, and I wasn't sure how to take the tape. Was this a tape of songs that he simply liked? Or did the have a special meaning to him with regards to me? The songs were all very sweet, and romantic (in an alternative music kinda way) and I just wasn't sure what to think after having only known him a month. And I wasn't sure how to bring up the question to him. If it was just a tape of songs he liked, I would feel stupid for reading more into it. If it was intended for a deeper meaning, I would feel bad not having realized that. I did end up asking and he did confirm that they were songs reflecting his feelings towards me. I was very flattered and instantly smitten thinking that some guy that I was going with actually took time out of his life to make me a tape. It had to have taken him at least a couple of hours. The guys I had dated in the past were all very much more self absorbed and their idea of romance was teaching me the latest health food craze, trying to get me into Amway, or cheating on me with an internet girlfriend and pathologically lying to me. So, it's an understatement to say that this was a refreshing change.
That tape was the first of many that he made me over the course of our "courtship". Whether it was another random tape of lovey dovey type songs, or if we had gotten in a fight and it was his way of saying he was sorry, I always knew that when I was presented with a tape that he was thinking about me and telling me in his own way that he loved me.
We spent a lot of time while we were dating driving around the mountains that I mentioned earlier. It became one of our favorite past times and we wasted a lot of gas doing it, but we loved to do it. We became very familiar with the back roads of those mountains and found favorite stops to hang out, picnic, hike around, or just sit in the car and listen to music together.
As the years have gone by, the tapes became less frequent. Our lives became busier, we became more comfortable with eachother, we had kids and had less time to spend doing those things that we used to love to do when we had more "freedom". I miss those times, now and then. And I miss the tapes, because I always know when I get those that the love is still there.
We have had a difficult time lately for many reasons. It's been a tough few months. It's been concerning to me. Yesterday, I woke up and there was a tape sitting on the counter with a note that said, "K--listen to some of this if you can find the time." Of course, I did. After dropping the girls off at my mom's yesterday before work, I had a half hour to kill. I drove around town in my car and popped in the tape. If I'd had more time, I would have headed up to those mountains. As I listened to the tape, my emotions got the best of me. I was thrilled that he had made the time and taken the effort to make me a tape after all this time. I was heartbroken at the message I was getting from the songs on the tape that portrayed how he has been feeling lately. And his love for me was re-affirmed in those songs that expressed that.
I fell in love with him all over again. And I realized after listening to it that we simply have to find more time for eachother and figure out who we as a couple are again. Not as Yoda, Fiesty and Care Bear's parents (which we of course are thrilled to be), but who we are as Hubby and Kristen.
I have missed my husband and I know for sure that he still loves me. The making of the tape is a sure sign.
He is most definitely, still my hero!
The next evening, I took the tape, hopped in my car and drove around the mountains close to where I live and listened to the whole thing. Like I said, I had never received a tape from anyone I had dated before, and I wasn't sure how to take the tape. Was this a tape of songs that he simply liked? Or did the have a special meaning to him with regards to me? The songs were all very sweet, and romantic (in an alternative music kinda way) and I just wasn't sure what to think after having only known him a month. And I wasn't sure how to bring up the question to him. If it was just a tape of songs he liked, I would feel stupid for reading more into it. If it was intended for a deeper meaning, I would feel bad not having realized that. I did end up asking and he did confirm that they were songs reflecting his feelings towards me. I was very flattered and instantly smitten thinking that some guy that I was going with actually took time out of his life to make me a tape. It had to have taken him at least a couple of hours. The guys I had dated in the past were all very much more self absorbed and their idea of romance was teaching me the latest health food craze, trying to get me into Amway, or cheating on me with an internet girlfriend and pathologically lying to me. So, it's an understatement to say that this was a refreshing change.
That tape was the first of many that he made me over the course of our "courtship". Whether it was another random tape of lovey dovey type songs, or if we had gotten in a fight and it was his way of saying he was sorry, I always knew that when I was presented with a tape that he was thinking about me and telling me in his own way that he loved me.
We spent a lot of time while we were dating driving around the mountains that I mentioned earlier. It became one of our favorite past times and we wasted a lot of gas doing it, but we loved to do it. We became very familiar with the back roads of those mountains and found favorite stops to hang out, picnic, hike around, or just sit in the car and listen to music together.
As the years have gone by, the tapes became less frequent. Our lives became busier, we became more comfortable with eachother, we had kids and had less time to spend doing those things that we used to love to do when we had more "freedom". I miss those times, now and then. And I miss the tapes, because I always know when I get those that the love is still there.
We have had a difficult time lately for many reasons. It's been a tough few months. It's been concerning to me. Yesterday, I woke up and there was a tape sitting on the counter with a note that said, "K--listen to some of this if you can find the time." Of course, I did. After dropping the girls off at my mom's yesterday before work, I had a half hour to kill. I drove around town in my car and popped in the tape. If I'd had more time, I would have headed up to those mountains. As I listened to the tape, my emotions got the best of me. I was thrilled that he had made the time and taken the effort to make me a tape after all this time. I was heartbroken at the message I was getting from the songs on the tape that portrayed how he has been feeling lately. And his love for me was re-affirmed in those songs that expressed that.
I fell in love with him all over again. And I realized after listening to it that we simply have to find more time for eachother and figure out who we as a couple are again. Not as Yoda, Fiesty and Care Bear's parents (which we of course are thrilled to be), but who we are as Hubby and Kristen.
I have missed my husband and I know for sure that he still loves me. The making of the tape is a sure sign.
He is most definitely, still my hero!
The Strait Jacket is Ordered
And it's on it's way--FED-EX. Because I am certifiably crazy.
Why would I, someone with three kids, and a part time job, do something as insane as deciding to add school to my already unmanageable life? For many reasons I suppose.
Why would I, someone with three kids, and a part time job, do something as insane as deciding to add school to my already unmanageable life? For many reasons I suppose.
- It's always been a goal of mine to finish my degree before I'm too old to do anything with it.
- I've finally decided what I want to do after changing my mind at least 40 times, so now it's worth it.
- I need something meaningful to do with my life that doesn't include the phrase, "a means to an end" after my kids are in school and don't need me so much anymore.
- As an employee at the school, I get a certain amount of free credits, so WHY NOT?
- My chosen major is Interior Design, so I will get to learn how to make my house beautiful, and make other houses beautiful....for money.
- I need to feel like I'm working for something; not always somebody.
- I don't want to spend the rest of my life answering the phone, "Admissions, this is Kristen." (This really confuses people when they are calling me at home and I answer the phone this way!)
I had actually originally planned on going this spring, but there was a hold on my registration because the health center said I didn't have my immunization records on file there. Whatever. I did. But by the time they cleared the hold, the two classes I needed were filled up. I was a little, um, angry. Yeah.
I have my advising appointment scheduled for Friday. I don't have any holds on my account, and I can register on May 1.
Suffice it to say, I'm a little nervous. Not just because it's been 10 years since I've gone to school or studied; I don't even know if I remember how to study. But I'm a little intimidated at the thought of sitting in a classroom with a bunch of 18 year olds. That thought really makes me feel my age. I'm thinking I might wear my "Harvard" sweatshirt, then maybe they will think I'm some brainiac that transferred from Harvard and won't look at me so weird. You think?
In addition, I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into. The class I will take in spring is a sketching class. I am in no way an artist, so I'm not sure this was the smartest decision on my part; but maybe they'll teach me how to draw.
At any rate, wish me luck. I've still got a few months to get the jitters out of my tummy, but the fact that I'll be registering very soon makes it all too real.
Me. A student again. Who'd a thunk? (Better quit talking like that, huh?)
Apr 11, 2006
My kid is an honor student at
blah bede blah blah school. I used to get so annoyed when I saw those stickers on people's cars. How obnoxious can you be bragging about your kid on the back of your vehicle?? I mean really.
I fear I may become one of those parents I used to find obnoxious. I had Care Bear's first parent/teacher conference at her pre-school last Friday. "Conferences for pre-school?!", I thought at first. What are you going to tell me? That my kid colors in the lines well? That she can say her ABCs? Maybe she misses the J,K,L sequence. Does that mean she gets held back in pre-school and doesn't graduate onto kindergarten?
Well, as it turns out, Care Bear does color in the lines fairly well. She knows her ABCs (including the JKL sequence) she can spell and write her name, and she gets along well with the other kids. WHEW! Now I can relax. My child will successfully graduate onto her "pre-kindergarten" class next year, and if all goes well, will graduate on to the kindergarten class the following year. And I was worried. (Not really, though).
I think I'll go over to the school now and purchase my "My child is an honor student at Trinity Lutheran Preschool" bumper sticker now. Forgive me.
I fear I may become one of those parents I used to find obnoxious. I had Care Bear's first parent/teacher conference at her pre-school last Friday. "Conferences for pre-school?!", I thought at first. What are you going to tell me? That my kid colors in the lines well? That she can say her ABCs? Maybe she misses the J,K,L sequence. Does that mean she gets held back in pre-school and doesn't graduate onto kindergarten?
Well, as it turns out, Care Bear does color in the lines fairly well. She knows her ABCs (including the JKL sequence) she can spell and write her name, and she gets along well with the other kids. WHEW! Now I can relax. My child will successfully graduate onto her "pre-kindergarten" class next year, and if all goes well, will graduate on to the kindergarten class the following year. And I was worried. (Not really, though).
I think I'll go over to the school now and purchase my "My child is an honor student at Trinity Lutheran Preschool" bumper sticker now. Forgive me.
Care Bear's first day of school (sorry it's kind of dark).
Apr 7, 2006
Toddler Tumbles=Mama Cuddles
My poor, poor little Fiesty. She's got road rash, raspberries, whatever you wanna call 'em on her knees. Both knees. And she's not happy about it.
Fiesty is a tough girl. She has endured countless injuries to her head, had several black eyes, and many other injuries, mainly courtesy of her loving, but rough older siblings, in her thus far short life. She has survived them all with the braveness and toughness of a WWF champ. But she doesn't like road rash. Not.At.All. She's never had knee injuries before. And Wednesday night, she got FOUR. That's right. Four. Maybe it's because she was wearing shoes a size too small because Daddy was in charge of dressing her that day. Maybe it's because she was wearing a SKIRT instead of pants because..that's right, you guessed it...Daddy was in charge of dressing her that day. Or maybe it's just because she's a toddler and that particular day was extra clumsy. We'll give Daddy the benefit of the doubt...this once.
At any rate, she was a hurtin' unit that night. Large, red, and very painful looking sores encompassed the circumference of her little knees. She tried to be tough. She still wanted to be outside. But once the sores re-opened after her fourth fall in to the evil lava rocks outside our house, it was over. Her huge tears made me want to cry, but obviously I couldn't do that. I needed to be tough for my little girl. Cries of, "hole me" interchanged with "Jesus tape" (her video tape of choice right now which has 17 good old fashioned Sunday School songs sung by young children and very cheap videography but nonetheless very attractive to her) were her theme for the next half hour. I gathered her up in my arms, put on her Jesus tape, and cuddled her for the length of the video. I didn't even mind that I had to sit there and watch the video for the gazillionth time. I got to cuddle with her, which is a rarity these days. While we sat together, her tears began to subside, and her eyes began to get heavy. Every once in awhile, she looked up at me, said, "Hi mommy", put her hand on my face and said,"Friend". I held her til she fell asleep.
I hate that my little girl was in pain, but the cuddles I got as a result were my favorite mommy moment this week. I miss the cuddle time that is so rare these days, so I'll take it when I get it!
Fiesty is a tough girl. She has endured countless injuries to her head, had several black eyes, and many other injuries, mainly courtesy of her loving, but rough older siblings, in her thus far short life. She has survived them all with the braveness and toughness of a WWF champ. But she doesn't like road rash. Not.At.All. She's never had knee injuries before. And Wednesday night, she got FOUR. That's right. Four. Maybe it's because she was wearing shoes a size too small because Daddy was in charge of dressing her that day. Maybe it's because she was wearing a SKIRT instead of pants because..that's right, you guessed it...Daddy was in charge of dressing her that day. Or maybe it's just because she's a toddler and that particular day was extra clumsy. We'll give Daddy the benefit of the doubt...this once.
At any rate, she was a hurtin' unit that night. Large, red, and very painful looking sores encompassed the circumference of her little knees. She tried to be tough. She still wanted to be outside. But once the sores re-opened after her fourth fall in to the evil lava rocks outside our house, it was over. Her huge tears made me want to cry, but obviously I couldn't do that. I needed to be tough for my little girl. Cries of, "hole me" interchanged with "Jesus tape" (her video tape of choice right now which has 17 good old fashioned Sunday School songs sung by young children and very cheap videography but nonetheless very attractive to her) were her theme for the next half hour. I gathered her up in my arms, put on her Jesus tape, and cuddled her for the length of the video. I didn't even mind that I had to sit there and watch the video for the gazillionth time. I got to cuddle with her, which is a rarity these days. While we sat together, her tears began to subside, and her eyes began to get heavy. Every once in awhile, she looked up at me, said, "Hi mommy", put her hand on my face and said,"Friend". I held her til she fell asleep.
I hate that my little girl was in pain, but the cuddles I got as a result were my favorite mommy moment this week. I miss the cuddle time that is so rare these days, so I'll take it when I get it!
Apr 5, 2006
So my kid is little! What of it?!
Not all babies come out of the womb with Pillsbury dough boy rolls and Gerber Baby cheeks. My girls are among the group that do NOT come out that way. They were both tiny when they were born (5.5 and 6.6 lbs respectively) and remain little. Particularly Fiesty. She is a little mite. And I know it. What bugs me to no end is when the entire free world feels the need to remind me of it as well.
I am not ashamed that my child is little, nor am I worried about it. Her doctor says she is fine, the fact that she has hit all of her major milestones and then some indicate that she is fine. She is just little people. LITTLE.
Why am I on this tangent today, you may ask? Well, because at least twice in this week alone, people have decided to remind me once again how "tiny" she is. One is someone I know well who has to announce this fact to me at least once a month, and one was a complete stranger. This person I know is a dear friend. I have known her all my life. Literally. She has a son who is about 5 weeks older than Fiesty. He's a brute. A brute I tell you! So just because her son is about twice the size as Fiesty at the same age, does not make her any more unusual than her son. He's just huge. Not to mention the fact that she also has a daughter who is pretty tiny herself. Fiesty is petite. She is small boned. But she is MIGHTY. Don't tell Fiesty that she can't do something because she will prove you wrong. She eats like a horse. At least twice the amount that Care Bear eats. I don't know. She must have a very high metabolism.
The stranger the other day saw Fiesty pitter pattering along side of me after we dropped Care Bear off at Pre-School. In her baby talk voice she said to Fiesty, (but of course was really saying to me), "Ooohhh...your so tiny! You're too tiiinny to be walking! How can you be walking?!?!" Ok, lady. I get the point. I respond, "She's almost two." She says, "Oh, my! She's as big as my kids when they were born!" I say, "Wow. How unfortunate that you gave birth to a 22 lb child! Please tell me what page you are on in the Guiness Book of World Records and I'll look you up when I get home!" ....Alright, I didn't really say that. But I wanted to. I did the obligitory and polite, "hahaha, that is so funny" laugh and grabbed Fiesty to put her into her "big girl" carseat.
I may seem bitter about this whole thing. Really I am not. I know my little girl is just that...little. And I truly am not worried about her in the least. It just annoys me to no end when either the same people have to keep telling me over and over again, or complete strangers who know nothing about my children have to comment on it. I feel like in their minds they are saying to themselves, "You must not feed your child!" It's like when complete strangers come up to you when you are pregnant and start rubbing your belly. "Umm...excuse me? Personal space, please."
My baby is little, but she is bee-you-tee-ful and I wouldn't want her any other way!!
4 Months 
1 year 
18 months
I am not ashamed that my child is little, nor am I worried about it. Her doctor says she is fine, the fact that she has hit all of her major milestones and then some indicate that she is fine. She is just little people. LITTLE.
Why am I on this tangent today, you may ask? Well, because at least twice in this week alone, people have decided to remind me once again how "tiny" she is. One is someone I know well who has to announce this fact to me at least once a month, and one was a complete stranger. This person I know is a dear friend. I have known her all my life. Literally. She has a son who is about 5 weeks older than Fiesty. He's a brute. A brute I tell you! So just because her son is about twice the size as Fiesty at the same age, does not make her any more unusual than her son. He's just huge. Not to mention the fact that she also has a daughter who is pretty tiny herself. Fiesty is petite. She is small boned. But she is MIGHTY. Don't tell Fiesty that she can't do something because she will prove you wrong. She eats like a horse. At least twice the amount that Care Bear eats. I don't know. She must have a very high metabolism.
The stranger the other day saw Fiesty pitter pattering along side of me after we dropped Care Bear off at Pre-School. In her baby talk voice she said to Fiesty, (but of course was really saying to me), "Ooohhh...your so tiny! You're too tiiinny to be walking! How can you be walking?!?!" Ok, lady. I get the point. I respond, "She's almost two." She says, "Oh, my! She's as big as my kids when they were born!" I say, "Wow. How unfortunate that you gave birth to a 22 lb child! Please tell me what page you are on in the Guiness Book of World Records and I'll look you up when I get home!" ....Alright, I didn't really say that. But I wanted to. I did the obligitory and polite, "hahaha, that is so funny" laugh and grabbed Fiesty to put her into her "big girl" carseat.
I may seem bitter about this whole thing. Really I am not. I know my little girl is just that...little. And I truly am not worried about her in the least. It just annoys me to no end when either the same people have to keep telling me over and over again, or complete strangers who know nothing about my children have to comment on it. I feel like in their minds they are saying to themselves, "You must not feed your child!" It's like when complete strangers come up to you when you are pregnant and start rubbing your belly. "Umm...excuse me? Personal space, please."
My baby is little, but she is bee-you-tee-ful and I wouldn't want her any other way!!
4 Months 1 year 18 months 
Almost 2Apr 4, 2006
Labels, Schmabels
So last week I was looking through my closet for some jeans to put on after work. It's always important to me that the first thing I do when I get home is put on some comfy clothes. My ultimate clothing of choice is sweats and sweatshirt in the winter, boxers and tank tops in the summer (when I'm loafing around the house that is). But I don't like to change into those until I'm ready to go to bed and not planning on venturing outside the house anymore. Anyway, I realized when looking in my closet that I had no.jeans to put on that evening. I had recently purchased three new pairs of jeans from a gift card that I got for Christmas, but they were in the wash. They're always in the wash because they're the only decent pairs I have right now. So I dug into the closet trenches. There I found several pairs of jeans, all with holes either in the butt or in the knees. Then I found another pair of jeans with no holes in either area. Better than that, they weren't faded or frayed around the edges. This is where I got a great idea for a blog entry. I pulled down all the pairs of jeans and decided to take pics of them to post on here. Unfortunately, the battery on the camera was near dead, and they didn't turn out. Grrr.
I wanted to post the pictures to make a point about labels on jeans, but I'll just have to paint a picture with my words instead. The four pairs of jeans that I pulled down that had holes in every area were high end label jeans like Tommy Hilfiger, Silvers and Levis. I have had these jeans for less than two years. Yes, I've worn them a lot, but I would think that at $60 a pop, they would last longer than that. The pair I ended up wearing that had no holes, no fading and no fraying? GAP jeans that I purchased as a JUNIOR in high school. FOURTEEN years ago. Granted, they are no longer at the height of fashion; they are high waisted (Karen would definitely make me toss these)but for that particular moment and purpose, they worked. So, what does this say about labels and the decreasing quality of jeans?!
I guess I can just push the jeans down to be at my hips instead of my waist...they are a little big. :-) Will that make them stylish enough? :-)
On a side note, when I was taking pictures of my jeans, I noticed the socks I was wearing so took a pic of them, too. Hubby got these for me when I was in the hospital giving birth to Fiesty. I love them. :-)
I wanted to post the pictures to make a point about labels on jeans, but I'll just have to paint a picture with my words instead. The four pairs of jeans that I pulled down that had holes in every area were high end label jeans like Tommy Hilfiger, Silvers and Levis. I have had these jeans for less than two years. Yes, I've worn them a lot, but I would think that at $60 a pop, they would last longer than that. The pair I ended up wearing that had no holes, no fading and no fraying? GAP jeans that I purchased as a JUNIOR in high school. FOURTEEN years ago. Granted, they are no longer at the height of fashion; they are high waisted (Karen would definitely make me toss these)but for that particular moment and purpose, they worked. So, what does this say about labels and the decreasing quality of jeans?!
I guess I can just push the jeans down to be at my hips instead of my waist...they are a little big. :-) Will that make them stylish enough? :-)
On a side note, when I was taking pictures of my jeans, I noticed the socks I was wearing so took a pic of them, too. Hubby got these for me when I was in the hospital giving birth to Fiesty. I love them. :-)
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