Towels, Towels, Towels

My son has a funny habit of taking towels, socks, or anything small clothlike and rubbing it on his head or chewing on them. While making dinner tonight he had a hay day with my dishtowel drawer. His sister decided to join in the fun.

New Furniture

Here is our new furniture. The cocktail table lifts up. we have two of the endtables and the lamps.

A Mom's Scariest Moment

My son pulled down the bowlful of goldfish crackers that his sister had left off. I swooped in and hurriedly picked them up and put the bowl away. I left the room for a moment and when I came back in he is standing by the couch gagging. He has a horrible gag reflux and gags on everything. I ran over to him and he looks at me, still gagging, and just starts crying, his "I'm scared" cry. I pick him up and start slapping him on the back. He is gagging and screaming. I frantically search for my husband. I can smell the goldfish cracker as my son gags in my face. My husband is nowhere to be found. I thought he was changing our daughter in the back bedrooms. I couldn't even find my daughter. I felt like I was in the twilight zone. At this point my son starts throwing up all over me. My husband finally hearing my shouting comes running in and I said, "He just threw up on me." My husband points to my shoulder where the offending goldfish is now lying and states, "That's why." My poor son is still shrieking from the ordeal. I knew he could breath because he was crying the whole time but it still freaked me out that he couldn't gag it up on his own. My husband took him so I could change my shirt and he got our son calmed down. I never want to go through that again.

Farewell to a Great Man, President Gordon B. Hinckley

Last night I received a message on my answer machine. It was my brother telling me that the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley had passed away. I ran to my husband to tell him and then I tried to find it on the news. Perhaps it was still too soon because nothing on the web and nothing on the TV. This morning I did so again and all I have found was one article on the web and one small blurb on the news. Because I don't live in Utah/Idaho or the West for even that matter I doubt I will hear much about the passing of the greatest man to live in my generation so far. The news is full of news about the passing of a young actor, the presidential race, and the crowning of Miss America; yet, the most important person dies and the news barely blinks its eyes. I mourn. I mourn for what the world will miss in the passing of this man and not even realize.

President Gordon B. Hinckley had the Spirit with him. I never met him personally but I was in the room with him a few times and whenever he entered the room a feeling of reverence and peace would blanket all those within his presence. His mission is complete now and he has returned home to his beloved wife and Our Heavenly Father. Another, Thomas S. Monson, will take up the reigns and be the next great leader of our faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Ready for a bath?

I could tell my kids were up to something when I kept hearing doors opening and closing and giggling. I was busy folding clothes and assumed they were playing in their bedrooms. My daughter loves to open doors and so I know she put her brother up to this because he can't open the doors. I went to investigate and this is what I found. I am still unsure whether he climbed in himself or had help. They were having a blast.

Worst High School Memory

I just joined a new High School website and even though it has been fun catching up with some of the people, most of the people on that site I only have positive memories of, it has been bringing up a lot of memories and a lot of them are not happy. I had a bad senior year and I think that is why I have so many negative memories of high school.

Anyway, I was thinking of this and thought about posting it there but don't feel like I can share that info with some of the people involved so decided to post it here.

My Senior year for a church activity we learned to swing dance. Because our ward didn't have enough boys the girls were encouraged to find guys to come to make sure everyone had a partner. I invited two guy friends and they both came. I ended up doing the dance lessons with the one. I think we had 3-4 weeks of them. A month or so later a girl choice dance came up at school . I hadn't been to a dance that year and so decided to ask one of the two that learned the dances with me because I thought it would be fun to show off what we could do. I also figured that one of those guys would go since we were friends and there was no hidden agenda. I decided to ask the guy that I had learned with since I knew he and I could dance well together.

After asking him he told me he had a track meet that day but that he would find out if he would be back in time for it. Then he slowly stopped talking to me. I saw him talking to a girl that didn't like me one day and they were looking at me so I am sure him going to the dance with me was being discussed. I found out from someone else in track that the meet was cancelled. Still no answer. The day of the dance came and went and I did not go. That next Monday a friend came up to me and said, "Guess who was at the dance?" She then told me that he was at the dance with another girl. Another friend later told me she helped this other girl ask him and had no idea I had already asked him. I wrote him a nasty note that another friend delivered and he called me some choice words.

He and I had English class together and one of my friends that was irate about the whole thing was in there too. Another guy friend got up and did a presentation on dating. Afterwards he asked if there was any questions. My friend , staring holes into the guy who stood me up in a way, raised her hand and asked, "So what if a girl ask a guy to a dance and he never answers her but gets asked by another girl and goes with that girl?" The room exploded in outrage and I just sat there and smiled smugly. I didn't dare turn around since he sat behind me and over one chair. My friend who sat behind me continued to stare at him and she said he went bright red.

At the end of the year he started talking to me again. I don't think he ever really apologized but just acted like it never happened. I didn't realize I was so scarred from that until I started thinking about high school. I would like to have more positive memories of high school.

Twilight Zone at the Dentist

It seems like whenever I go to the dentist I enter the twilight zone and I can remember every time I have been there like it was yesterday. I stare up at the ceiling and the lights as they work on my teeth and I remember doing the same thing a year ago, 10 years ago, as far back as the first time I visited the dentist. Okay, I really don't remember the first time I went to the dentist but I remember enough to feel like I have been there more frequently than I have. I have only had two dentists in my life so that could be part of it. But I remember the ladies that use to work in my dentist office when I was a kid. They were always the same faces and they would talk to each other as they would work on one of my siblings and my teeth. My mom would always take us all together. The dentist only had two rooms, that I can remember, and had an open window between the two rooms.

Today I went to the dentist for my biannual check up and cleaning and all those memories came flooding back to me, as if I had never ever left the dentist office. The rest of my life is but a dream and when I wake I sit in a chair with someone hoovering over my mouth, poking and prodding away.

Worst Movie I Have Ever Seen in a Theatre: Cloverfield

I just saw the worst movie ever made. Unless you like the videotography in the "Blair Witch Project" do no see this movie. It was like watching a very amateur home video. I understand that is the affect that they were going for but it was worst than normal home movies. The first 20 minutes were about a boring party and then the rest was very headache oriented. It wasn't even scary like it should have been because the recording was so horrible. The bad thing is I didn't even want to see that movie.

We had gone to see 27 dresses and we arrived to the theatre 5 minutes early for that showing. The line was down the sidewalk and out to the street. When we got closer we saw that only one girl was working the window. By the time we got up there 27 Dresses had been already showing for 20 minutes so we decided to see Cloverfield because that is the one my husband wanted to see. I was already irritated that I wasn't going to be able to see the one I wanted and so having the movie be so horrible just put me in a fowl mood. Ray has promised to take me to 27 dresses on Wednesday.

When the movie ended every one in the theatre was like, huh? How the heck did this movie make 41 million? Maybe there are people out there that don't get sick or headaches for watching that type of videotography and enjoy watching that kind of crap. The movie plot was actually a good one and would have been a better movie if it had been filmed in a documentary or news style film if that is what they were going for instead of a fictional type.

Anyway, I feel it was a waste of my money and time. So like I said unless you like that kind of style I DO NOT recommend it. And for the record I never seen the Blair Witch project but my husband did and said the recording was worse than that.

The Destroyer

Does this look like the face of a destroyer? Well, it is. Ever since he can now cruise around furniture he destroys everything in his path. Shelves stand empty in his quake. The books and other items scattered, stepped on, and left abandoned in his wake. Papers pulled off the desk and torn or wrinkled. Newly washed and folded clothes thrown on the floor for mommy to refold. Drawers emptied as far as he can reach. All of this at a 2 foot level. What will happen when he can climb?!?

My Birthday Wishes

1. No crying/screaming/pouting children. Just "Yes, ma'am" "No Ma'am" and "Thank You."

2. A relaxing bubble bath with a good book until I look like a prune.

3. A nice long nap with absolute quiet.

Since it doesn't seem like I will get any of them I will take the screaming child who will give me a hug. A bath with multiple interruptions. And finally a nap with ear plugs.

Take your fabric protection plan and...!

Some people do not take no for an answer. My husband and I went out shopping for some furniture. We have over the years have gotten things as we can afford them. Since we live on a budget we only can spend so much on certain things. We were shopping specifically for end tables and lamps. We got the lamps on clearance, yay!! But we found end table we like and it had a cocktail table to match that my husband loves so we decided to get that too. I also found a recliner that I loved and was within our budget. However, the store we found these at does not have a warehouse close by so we automatically have to pay for the delivery, which ate up any extra in the budget. We had been to a few stores and knew exactly what we wanted. We walked in the store and met an older sales woman. We told her we knew what we wanted and took her to each piece. She then led us over to the computer to put in our order and she said, "Now you will be getting the fabric protection plan with small children." Didn't even ask us. We told her no. Maybe you will think we were crazy for not getting it but our couch set doesn't have it and I have never had problem getting stains out and we have gotten blood on the couch. Also the fabric plan was as much as the delivery fee. She then launched into a ten minute desciption of the chili cheese dog she dropped on her couch and it came right out with this protection stuff. My husband told her no a dozen times. I was trying to watch the kids who had grown impatient (it took her 20 minutes to check us out because she kept trying to sale us this plan) and I was about to say, "Well, forget the chair. We'll go buy it at the other place." The other place had a recliner I liked better but we wanted to get them all at the same place. I even started to say that to my husband. The idiotic woman turned to my husband and said, "I think you're a fool for not getting it." Then added, "I'm just kidding." Who does she think she is? It is our choice whether we want that stupid plan. If we were getting something really expensive than maybe but it was a fourth of the price of the chair. Besides I did get it on my mattress set when I was single and when I moved to Florida with my husband it got wet and the water spot did not come out so I am not sold on that plan. If it was really that important than they should just add it to the furniture up front and not try to nickle and dime you to death at the time of purchase. Once we got out to the car and Ray told me that she called him a fool I ripped up her business card. If we ever get furniture again we will not do business with her.

The Diaper Hunt

I get to participate in a diaper hunt almost daily. What is a diaper hunt you ask? Every year kids swarm to city parks, churches, and other such places for the annual Easter egg hunts. They search high and low for Easter eggs. They may be in plain sight and they may be hidden. I get to do that almost every day with dirty diapers. The Easter Bunny in this case is my sweet husband. Hey, at least he changes them. But they don't always make it to the garbage. I will be changing my son in the nursery and will discover already soiled diapers neatly wrapped up waiting for me to find them in the crib, on the wipe container, and in the rocking chair. They will be on the couch or up on a bookshelf in the living room. Today I haven't found any but that could be because I just recently teased him about it. I fear that as long as my children are in diapers I will have the continual diaper hunt.

The Hugger

For the longest time my daughter would not hug us or anyone. You know those fishy handshakes? Well, she had a fishy hug. But lately she has taken to hugging everyone all the time and it is cute. But one person who is the recipient of most of those hugs is her little brother and he is not always fond of them. The first two or three in a row he loves but then after that he just wants to get away. He looks at us like, "Help, Mom! Dad!"

It almost looks like she is choking him but he is just trying to escape the hugging monster.

"Yoohoo, Timmy"

Sheila doesn't say much yet but sometimes she comes up with the cutest things. While I was making dinner Timmy crawled into my bedroom where I could see him from the kitchen. Sheila, being in the living rooom, noticed he was gone and began searching for him. She went room to room calling, "Yoohoo, Timmy." At first I didn't recognize what she was saying until she came in the dining room. Once she spotted her brother, her face brightened up and she then exclaimed, "Play!"

The Meatball Fight

"Sheila, you cannot have any candy until you eat your meatballs," I told my daughter when she spotted some of her mini m&ms sitting on the bookshelf.

"NEES!!" She cried stretching as far as she can trying to get to them as if she is about to grow 4 feet in just a few seconds.

"You must eat your meatballs first," I tell her again. "You need to eat more than junk."

"I don't want meatballs, I want nees." (Nees is her word for both m&ms and nerds.)

I tell her no once again and then watch as she runs off in her usual fit. Rolling my eyes, I turn back to Dr. Phil.

Out of the corner of my eye I spot my daughter clambering on the dining room table and shoving her bowl of meatballs clear across the table. "Sheila, if you don't want them just leave them where they are at but you don't get any candy until you eat them," I explained as I set them back on her spot at the table.

She immediately shoves them away again. Picking her up I set her in the time out chair in the corner. I explain to her why she is in time out. A few minutes later time out is up. Surprisingly, I find her sitting in the time out chair eating a meatball. I peer into her bowl and discover it empty. Realizing she is about to get out of time out she shoves the last one in her mouth and says "'orree." (Sorry with her mouth full.) I couldn't help smiling.

Dishes, Dishes, Dishes

Have you ever noticed when the mother becomes sick it seems like things just pile up? My children and I became sick with a cold/flu for the last week so my husband has been either cooking or bringing food home most of the week. Even though he did the dishes once and we haven't used that many, I could hardly get to the sink today to make dinner. I fully loaded the dishwasher and have almost enough for another load. It seems like once I get behind on them it takes several days to get caught up again. But the dishes is not the only thing that suffered from me being down. We won't even talk about the rest of the house.

My 2, almost 3, year old daughter has been up to dumping things out, scattering stuff, and coloring on things again. She found a crayon that escaped my throwing them out rampage when she scribbled all over her brother's new toy. This time my laundry basket was the victim of her grafitti art.

My year old son has become very mobile and leaves a path of destruction everywhere he goes. While I was fixing dinner tonight he pulled out several bottles of juice and got out the stash of plastic store bags we use for the little garbage cans. I came in the living room to discover that he had also dumped out all his sister's barrettes and elastics on the floor. He also loves to get in my Cricut cartridges while I am scrapbooking and cutting dies and pushes them all over the floor.

Today I attacked the dishes, hopefully tomorrow I can attack the rest of the house or at least begin on it.

Surviving the terrible twos

My daughter is almost three but I don't think the terrible twos will ever end. She got a cold over the holidays and then gave it to me. The day I felt the worse was the day she was feeling better and she had so much energy I couldn't stop her from destroying the house. She ripped up a paperback book, ripped up a good portion of box of tissues, smashed crackers in the carpet with her toy rake, dumped out her bowl of cheerios, and who knows what I missed. I was absolutely livid when she got in my scrapbooking supplies (a big no-no) and used up three sheets of my stickers that I use for scrapbooking and those whom scrapbook know those aren't cheap. I always wanted a large family but I am starting to change my mind. If my son is anything like her at two we will probably be done. She was such a sweet baby, too.