What is UP with me?

It's not like I'm TRYING to ignore my blog. I just happen to do so really easily right now.

Okay, first thing to share:

A couple days ago, Bruise made Bucket mad by not doing something ... I think she was demanding asking him to play with her, and he wouldn't.

So, as I'm typing at the computer or just playing Facebook games, I hear her tearfully proclaim, "FINE! Be that way!!" ... Hmmmm. I wouldn't know where she'd learn that from.  *shifty eyes*

Yup, yet another example of EXCELLENT parenting at work.

... So, what else have we been up to? I've been doing better at reading to the kids.  Trying that 20 minutes a day thing. And it's going well enough. Phew!

I put suncreen on the kids (and HATS!) when we were working in the yard (well, Michael and I were really working. The kids mostly just followed us and whined. Or tried to play in traffic. ... Okay, not so much. But Bruise was trying to play in the street. Pushing his limits and all).

We actually have a yard under all those weeds. And I did some major cutting back of a few trees and rosebushes (and have the scratches to prove that last one). 

I also got a killer deal over at Waldenbooks. $52 = an excercise ball with resistance band that fits on it with accompanying DVD and book, Pilates workout circle with book and DVD, and the Miracle Ball Method book with 2 miracle balls. I know that I didn't NEED another exercise ball ... but the one that I had is SMALL (like, if I've draped the middle of my back on it, it's almost rolling over my head if I'm trying to stretch my back. That isn't right) and it's this weird opaque reddish-orange-salmon. Kinda ugly, in my opinion.
THIS new ball is HUGE in comparison and it's a gorgeous translucent teal. 

Hey, I don't know about you ... but having cute workout gear helps me. I know, I'm terribly vain and shallow. But, you know what? I can deal with that. And, you know, if I have cute stuff, I'm more liable to USE it. So this was a total bargain. Since usually a new workout ball and the pilates circle would be 40 bucks each ... or more.

Okay, I know that I haven't written much ... or anything important ... but I really should try to vacuum and get the dishes and laundry done. Especially since we have to leave for storytime in a couple hours ... and I haven't worked out or taken a shower.

Or a million other little things.

BUT!! I took the kiddos swimming yesterday. They LOVED their water wings (Courtesy of a great going-out-of-business sale over at Joe's). Bruise enjoyed paddling in the deep end. Bucket went down the water slide by herself. It's CRAZY how independent and brave my kids can be.
Now we just have to work on the rules of water safety.

And Bucket keeps telling me that I have a baby in my belly. I don't. It's just fat (sadly. I'd rather be this shape due to a baby being in there ... instead of stretched out and out of shape from having had TWO babies in there ... and being incredibly lazy). Really. Don't get your hopes up.

OKAY, NOW I have to get the place clean. I'm shutting up now. REALLY!!

Just thinking: Motherhood ... and not being Martha Stewart (or a whole lot of other people)

I know that women can be competitive ... even mean sometimes.

And I love it when other women take a stand (Seriously, I love how Chris is always such a straight-shooter and speaks her mind) against the group that can be all back-biting and whatever.

Also, at the same time, I do wonder if I'm doing enough for my kids. Would Bruise and Bucket be happier/better off/more self-suficient if I did things differently?

I'll confess, I'm not a GREAT mom. I'm passable. 
I love my kids, don't get me wrong. I do what I can to keep them safe. I want them to know FIRST AND FOREMOST that they are loved. That they can trust Mommy and Daddy to keep them safe, to listen to them, to love them.

Everything else? That's frosting on the cake ... And frosting is good.

My children are three.

They are ALL TOO FAMILIAR with the PBS line-up.
They recognize McDonald's as we drive past.

They have never eaten organic food on a regular basis. (Well, not on purpose, really. That stuff's SPENDY!!)
(If Costco happens to have something organic that they'd eat, sure, I'll get it. But I'm not going out of my way [and budget] to buy stuff that's going to end up either in the toilet or in the garbage. I'm just keeping it real.)

They don't get to play outside a lot.
(This will change. When they learn to listen well enough and play nicely enough that I can READ A BOOK while they play at the park ... without having to wait until Michael's home to help watch TWO LITTLE BODIES THAT ALWAYS RUN IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, that's when I'll be happy to take them to the park every frakkin' day.)

(Yes, I AM that lazy and selfish. I can admit it.)

They are not reading yet.
They have not cured cancer.

I don't let them ride their tricycles outside, since I haven't bought them helmets.
(We have no real yard. They'd be in the driveway or on the sidewalk. And I think there's a law.)

I'd prefer for them to run on grass and not on the sidewalk (They SCREAM when they fall. I don't like them to scream. It makes me sad.)

Sometimes I forget to put sunscreen on my kids. I try to tell myself that at least they're getting some Vitamin D.

I mean, look at all that room for improvement.

When they break a toy, I try to fix it. Sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes, if a toy isn't fixable, it get thrown out. I've vacuumed up some things that didn't get picked up.
(I was tired of yelling at the kids to pick up their damn DRATTED messes.

My son's stool (TMI, I KNOW) has not been ... regular. He's in the midst of little-boy diarrhea (Go me! I spelled that correctly! Woo hoo! <-- Must find joy in the stupid small things.)

I am not a Martha Stewart. I'm not a SuperMom. I'm not June Cleaver. I'm not even Claire Huxtable (though, GOSH, I wish I were! She was one cool monkey-fighter. :P) I'm not Maria Montessori, either.

I'm making an effort to read to my kids daily. Sometimes I make my goal.

I would love to have a clean house and children who help, unbidden.

I would be thrilled if I suddenly were the type of gal who knew what to make for dinner every night. And had it made, piping hot on a table SET FOR DINNER, the minute my big, strong man came home from his bread-winning duties.

I'd like to be stylish and cool. (If you are about to tell me that I am, you're so sweet to lie to me. Flattery will get you everywhere. ... And if you're protesting that last statement, then  my evil plan is working and I've fooled you all!)

I'd like to have fun and educational plans for everyday ... Kinda like Teacher Suzie on Sid the Science Kid. 

I am not going to judge another mom for her parenting choices. I think it's sometimes silly to be outspoken on some issues. It's not my business whether or not you decided to circumcize. It's not my business if you chose to breastfeed or bottlefeed. If you went with cloth diapers, good for you! If you didn't, good for you!

I'll confess that I moved my munchkins from their first carseat into their facing-forward a little early (well, for Bucket. She's always been about a pound or two lighter than Bruise. And about 1/2 - 1 ince shorter). I made the choice to do this because if HE got to be facing forward, I'd never have heard the end of it. (Until you've had twins, I really don't know if you understand the whole "Anything YOU can do *I* can do better! ... or at least JUST as WELL!!" ... because, heck, I sure didn't!)

I could have gotten some serious flack about it (and, technically, I did ... but I wasn't aware of it because I don't always re-read comments after I've posted on a blog. This was not one of the times I re-visited. But one of my dear friends was kind enough to erase it before I had the chance to see it and possibly be hurt). But ... I had asked my doctor. And he told me that it was really my call. And so I made my call. And I've never regretted it.

I've been called out (online) for choosing circumcision. And, you know, I'm okay that not everyone thinks I made the right decision. I almost didn't choose to snip. I've accepted that there is someone somehwere out in the blogosphere who thinks that I'm messed up in the head for an aesthetic reason. I did fret about it for a minute (or maybe a day), but, hey, by then it was months too late. :P
Also, I had one family member who told me that she was really glad that it was being done. A past relationship of hers wasn't snipped. And wasn't all that into hygiene. Iykwim. Aityd.
I also know of someone who had a DIY circ. (YES. For realz. I know this person, not just of him.)

And, on the way into the doctor's office, from the waiting room, one of the nurses told me how glad she was that I was doing it -- since she's seen one little boy come back repeatedly for Urinary tract infections (and since I had some of those as a little girl, I was not about to have my little preshus baybee boy at risk for those. I was pretty miserable when they'd occur.)

There are a few things that are important to me, for my children, my family. Maybe they're not the same as yours. And that's okay. It's great, even!

I feel strongly in favor:

• Breastfeeding - I LOVED nursing my kids. I know that it's not for everyone.
• Helmets while on bicycles - I know a gal who, when she was a teenager, had a bad bicycle accident and is brain damaged. So I grew up in a home where you MUST wear your helmet.

I think these things are a little silly -- and that's just me:

• Requiring car seats/booster seats until a child is 4'11" -- (1) where are the studies proving that CAR SEATS (and not just seatbelts) make accidents so much safer? (2) If these are SO required, why do they cast SO much? It's not like you don't have to buy at least one for each of your kids! and (3) Why aren't they being built in to automobiles? C'mON people!
• Potty-training before a child can talk/crawl -- I have twins. It seems like a wildly WONDERFUL idea ... but I know that I couldn't possibly handle doing it. I might have saved a fortune on diapers, but I'd be a total basketcase.
• Kids getting sued for kissing another kid on the playground. (Dude, if the kid's in Elementary school, s/he does NOT deserve a sexual harassment suit. That's just crazy.)

Things I wouldn't mind trying:

• Slings/Baby-wearing - It would free up a hand/arm. That'd be AWESOME.
• Cloth diapers - Truly, it appears that they aren't any better for the environment, since you're using water and bleach to clean them. But garbage day would be a bit nicer. ... However, when you kiddo has nasty-pants, you can't just chuck them out. Hm.

The only things that I feel are wrong, wrong, wrong are abuse and neglect. (I'm not against a little swat every so often. Sometimes it can be justified. I came from a family where spanking was the norm. Also a little shouting. I don't think that I'm a murderous, sociopathic abuser. Neither do my kids.) If those are happening, then something really should be done to change the situation. NOBODY, child or adult, deserves to be treated without respect.

I'm all for not judging each other's parenting skills/techniques. What works for one family doesn't always work for another.  Heck, what works for ONE child doesn't always work for another. (And that's why there are SO DANG MANY books/shows about childrearing. :P)

So .. now that that's out there, I'd like to hear some feedback.

What are some things that you'd like to be better at (doesn't just have to be in regards to childrearing, since not all of you, my dear readers, have children)?
Want to confess anything? I'm all about listening and commiserating with you.

And, hey, if you have any great advice, tips, or magic tricks ... let me know!

And maybe then I'll be a better (more-awesome) wife and mom. Because it's nice to be good at something, right? ^_^

Paging Noah ...

So, you always HEAR about kids overflowing the tub, right?

Well ... you know how we never quite do things according to regular stereotype ...

I think that Bucket's adequately summed it up: "Mommy, it all YOUR fault."

She's right.

------

Okay, okay, I'm not going to leave it just like that. 

SO, yesterday, the kids are in the bath. I've left the water running and am talking to Michael. He goes to turn off the water ... and it's over the tub and just starting to gently lap at the carpet's edge in the hallway. 

Oops.

So we drain over half the water in the tub to a NORMAL amount, I'm put on mop-up-this-unholy-mess detail (and am getting FAR too intimate with the state of cleanliness [or COMPLETE LACK THEREOF] of the children's toilet) and using the hairdryer to dry out the spaces where the walls and floor meet. And swab out all the water that's dripped down the heat vent. And Michael's on take-all-the-sopping-towels-out-of-carpeted-areas duty.

YES, only in MY house am I the one to flood the bathroom.

At first, when Michael and I FREAKED THE CHICKEN OUT at the water level in the tub, Bucket started to apologize. We stopped her. "No, it's not your fault," Michael told her. 
"It's my fault, [Bucket]. It's Mommy's fault. I should have been paying better attention," I assured her.

So, during our prayers last night, Bucket had me helping her. 
"Thank You for not letting the house be too flooded during bathtime," I prodded Bucket.

"Mommy, that all YOUR fault," she whispered back. "It YOUR fault, Mommy."

... And it's all I can do NOT to snicker. 
Because she's right.
And it's perversely funny that she's rubbing my nose in it.

(That'll wear off fast.)

------------------------

In other news, after Michael left for work, the internet stopped working.
(It's back on. Don't get your knickers in a twist or anything.)

So, I turned off the modem, restarted the computer. Waited a few minutes. Tried it all again.

Nothing.

So I called Qwest. 
In the past, we've not always had the best relationship with our phone company.

(They once turned off our phone for no apparent reason. Never refunded us any money for that. We pretty much hated them.)
However, the phone tree-recording guy did some magic. I went through the menu ... and when I got to saying "Internet service," he oh-so-apologetically said that there is an internet outage. And they're working on it ... but there's no time estimate for when it'd be fixed ... would you like us to give you a call when this is resolved? "Yes!"

And, at 9:02 AM ... about an hour after I had called to ask the phone company what the frig was up, I got the nice recorded-man call. And he was right!

Now, this isn't the first time that Qwest has made me happy (getting a nice price locked-in "for life" for our DSL was nice. Getting a new phone wire to help the DSL work well -- very nice. ... I'm starting to really like Qwest.) ... And I thought I'd NEVER say that. At least never with a straight face.

It just goes to show you that having good customer service can really go a long way.

(For the record, I've had good customer service from Verizon ... not that I usually ever have to give them a call. But I did give them a call about a charge on our bill. And the guy I talked to? He was great. And since, as he told me, their calls are ALWAYS recorded, I made sure to tell him that he should get a raise.)

(For the record, if you're customer service ... and I tell you that you should get a raise, feel really complimented. And I hope you get that raise!)

(Also for the record, if I sound all icy and, upon hanging up, say a VERY. BAD. WORD. .. Well, I am nothing saying it because I want you to get that raise.)

BUT, I will make mention that the toilet in the kids'/hall bathroom is SO MUCH CLEANER. I love what bleach can do for a bathroom. (Not so much what it does for my dark shirts. I now have some spots on one of my nicer brown shirts. *sigh*)

I would very much like a nap now. Thank you.

Also, if you haven't wished my sister-in-law, T2, a happy birthday ... go get on it! ^_^

No clever title.

Yes, yes. It's been about a week since my last confession post.

Sorry. I've been busy (playing far too many Facebook games) ... doing stuff. 

Michael and I tackled the ginormous pile of laundry. Half of it is folded. We've watched a few DVDs (Disc 1 of xxxHolic -- anime, pretty good; The Man with One Red Shoe, Saved! <-- No, really. There's an exclamation point in the title.).  We took the kids to the zoo Friday ... when, like, at least FIFTEEN schools had field trips that morning. Oy. Used to be that 9 AM at the zoo was pretty quiet. Not so much this time.  It was crowded. And I ran over more than one errant school-child's foot. Some were not on purpose so much. (Seriously kids -- get OUT of the way of a stroller. YOU have much better control. AND if you think that STANDING in MY way is getting you any sympathy, darlin', you're so wrong.) (Also, it didn't help that I'm in the throes of hormonal-caused madness and near homocidal-ness-essence.)

Michael did remark some funny things:

• "Maybe we shoudn't go anywhere the weekend that you're on your period."
  (No, really. He's allowed to say these things. And he's right. Unless I get a good dose of Valarian in my system, I'm rather ... bwitchy. I can be honest about it. ... And I'm not a huge fan of crowds.)
• "I never used like hippos much. But since Carl (Bucket's stuffed hippopotamus), I'm really offended at how people talk about hippos."
  -- As we ate out lunch, watching the hippos, EVERYBODY who came to see the hippos were all, "WOW, Those hippos are FAT!" "Look at how FAT those things ARE!"
  ... Since, as I've mentioned, I'm not at my most Christ-like and philanthropric point of my personality, I ALMOST said to one of the boys who was talking about the rotundity of said mammals, "Wow, genius. YOU'RE one to talk." ... But you should be SO proud of my restraint. I try not to make Jesus cry.

But, yes ... having children can change a person.

Also -- completely random -- I think it's HILARIOUS when Michael says "Damn." ... He wasn't even cussing the last time he said it. (He barely EVER says it. Which is why I find it so funny when he does.) ... He and I were reading a webpage and someone had misspelled it "dam."

But his inflection!! It was so great.  ... And so I sniggered and giggled, "You said, 'Damn!'"

(Because, yes, I am JUST that mature.)

Yesterday, my Ginger-cat ... my seventeen-year-old, geriatric baby-cat smacked me.
Okay, maybe it was just a love tap. But it was because I wasn't holding her.
It made me laugh. It's like she's all, "ExCUSE me? I want to be held. In your lap. NOW. Thank yeeeeeew."

Also, the kiddos really love the cats. They like to carry Ginger. And it's so funny, since they know to hold her bottom so that it's supported ... and, like, half of her is hanging over Bruise's or Bucket's shoulder as they (kid and carried cat) walk away. And Ginger is just looking like, "What? I didn't ask for this .... Oh well."

So, yeah, even though I'm all pissy, I still find a lot of humor in things. 

Like how, ... Okay, first, let's get this straight. When this happened, it was late. And we were tired.

BUT, as I was saying, we had gone to bed after a longday of cooking dinner and things. Michael made carne asada burritos for dinner. I made monkey bread/sticky buns.

As we lay down in bed, Michael started to say something, caught himself, and was laughing. 
So, OF COURSE, I HAD to know what it was.

He snickered that he had almost called the dessert 'monkey balls.'
Hee!!!

So now I'm SO tempted to text him (and he's probably in a meeting now) "Sweet monkey balls!"
(It's almost up there with the TV edit of the famous line from Snakes in a Plane ... I haven't seen the movie. But I have just that clip here for your viewing. And it's totally SFW [safe for work].)

Seriously, that makes me SO bust up. Don't know WHY totally. It just does.

Here are some more links that I've wanted to share with you.

Cute stop action movie ... music video, really:

SFW  (and hella cute!!) - How babies are made:

Silly - Pregnant women are smug:

(I thought it was funny. And for my pregnant friends/recently pregnant friends, I'm not 
saying/thinking that it applies to you. I just think it's funny.)

Not-so-safe for work - Kindra Sutra (What kids think about sex ... or what adults thought
when they were kids.)

I was not one of these. I was precoscious. I read the encyclopedia entry about sexxoring when I was in first grade. I was shocked that they, the Encyclopedia people, would use such language
as "v@gin@" or "pen!s." ... Yeah. My mom was SO thrilled. (Not.)

Also less-safe for work: "I Remember Andrea BETTER"
(Andrea hated her high school experience. So she sent a stripper to her reunion, pretending to be her. I thought it was funny. There's no nudity ... there is a bit of a striptease, down to undies.)

It really made me snicker. And briefly consider doing the same thing.
Except that I don't know any strippers. And I don't have a film crew. Or, to be honest, the moxie to actually DO it.)

And, to close up, ADORABLE piano duet.

I'm not dead! Really! Pinkie-swears!

Yes, I know. I've been a total and complete punk. I'm aware.

However, I'm here now. And I have been a little busy ... See??

Since I last blogged:

• My mom came up to visit.
• Bucket got her ears pierced (More on that below)
• Michael and Bruise deserted us (not really) for the Father/Son Campout (Which Bucket was very saddened that she did not get to attend. She REALLY wanted to sleep in the back of the truck with her brother and Daddy.)
• I had a Stake YW Camp meeting.
• We washed the cars. I barely recognize them now.
• Mother's Day ... with the calls to grandmas and great-grandmas (Well, we did miss one. Darn time-zones!)
• I've been working out just about every day. Fear me.
• I totally pigged out Saturday on jerky, Oreos, and Doritios. So it's good that I'll be working out today. And that I still have a couple months to fit in that matron-of-honor dress.
•  ... I DID get caught up on the dishes ... and am behind again.

That's most of what all happened in the last six days.

OKAY, I promised to tell about Bucket's earrings.

Michael has always told me that *I* would be the one to take her in to have her ears pierced. He has NO desire to see her cry. BUT he was fine with doing it whenever.
(Truly, if she and Bruise had looked more alike, I'd have had it done when she was just a iddy-biddy. BUT she and her brother aren't at all identical-looking ... so I figured that I'd wait until Bucket wanted to have them done. And that happened in the last few weeks.)

The day before we went, I made sure to prepare my girl for the experience. We watched videos on YouTube of little girls getting their ears pierced. We talked about how it would feel ... and do we scream? (No.) Is it okay to cry a little? (Yes.)  Will it hurt? (It will pinch. And you have to have BOTH ears done. Not just one.) 

My mom and I took the kids over. Bruise and Mutti (my mom's nickname) played with cars out in the food court while I took Bucket in, signed all the paperwork, withstood my camera's batteries giving up the ghost before the actual piercing took place, and getting some pretty holes in my daughter's head.

Bucket chose the "purple" (fake Alexandrite/June birthstone) earrings.
She was pretty calm, holding Carl (her toy hippo) while the gal marked where the holes would be. Carl, however, was pretty nervous. So Bucket and I had to hold his hands/paws/whatever.

The first earring went in. Bucket stared for a second ... then her eyes filled with tears and she let out a little whimper. So I held her for a minute so she could find her composure ... and in went the second earring. 

If you ask her, "Were you brave?", she'll answer (and rightly so), "Yes."
"Did you cry?" "A liddle." (She was MUCH braver than I was when I had my ears pierced that first time. I bawled and hollered a bit. However, my little Bug was pretty amazing. Just tears and a whimper ... and then she was done.

It's crazy how much OLDER she looks with her ears pierced. I'd never have thought that she'd look like such a little lady due to such a small change!

But she's being really good about them. She knows that I have to clean them 3x/day (Used to be twice back in the day when *I* had mine done) ... and she won't fight too much. Unless she's tired. Then she'll whine a little. ... Until I ask her if she'd like me to take them out and let them heal up. Then she'll let me work in peace.

Mother's Day was good. The kids did wake me up around 6 AM to give me my card and a box of chocolate turtles.  (Which, when I had gotten home from my meeting the day before, Bucket was SO EXCITED about that she almost spilled the beans about! SO my daughter.)

Then Michael took them to help make breakfast and watch a video and get ready for church.
When I finally got up and was showered, I found that Michael had gotten me (and had set up) a wireless keyboard and mouse! (My old mouse gave up its click-wheel/center button ghost a couple weeks ago ... and I was using his old laser-tracker mouse, with its cord all across my desk.)

And, after he had gotten the kids ready, he did say to me, "I don't appreciate or accommodate you enough, so I buy you presents."  And I was all, "What? What are you talking about? You do tons around here!" And he told me that he doesn't know HOW I get the kids dressed and ready for church every Sunday. (I don't really know, either. It's just some miraculous habit, I guess.)
But I do like my presents.

I've been playing way too many Facebook games. (But, hey ... if you're playing Bloodlines or Castle Age or a few others ... well, you could totally add me on there. ^_^)

What else is going on? ... Um ... I vacuumed. Go me. And I did my workout today. I plan on getting more laundry washed ... and it'll get folded. Eventually. Sometime.

And I have GOT to do those danged dishes! (Again)

But for now, I'm eating leftover Spanish rice. Yay. (No, really. I like me some Spanish rice. Carbs and I are supergoodfriends. So good, that it HAS to be alloneword.)

At least my nails look nice ...

I get to deal with LYING today.

And when I say I dealt with it, what I REALLY mean to say is that I sent my children to time out while I got a shower and worked at seeing if I've gotten any closer to fitting into the dress I'll be wearing at my friend's wedding this July (Answer: Yeeeees ... I'm still not totally and completely fitting in it perfectly. BUT with the right bra ... and someone else to help me zip up the bedratted thing, I'm very close. Close enough that with the jacket on -- since the top's sleeveless and I don't do sleeveless -- it will do. Phew!!) after my mad exercising for the last couple of weeks.

AND with how much better it is starting to fit, that lets me know that if I keep up with this whole "working out" thing, I am going to make my goal. And good thing, since the alterations people over at "Expensive Dresses R Us" are too booked. Not that they really could let it out at all. So I'd better keep up at least (AT LEAST!) two more weeks of exercising 6 days a week. Which isn't bad. Since I have like, what, another two months before the wedding. And, hey, if the dress is a little loose? Not a bad thing.

However, I will let you know that trying to zip up that little bodice-thing that calls itself a top? Dude, that gave me more of an upper-body workout than the belly-dancing video I worked out to this morning (Though it was CLOSE to the workout I got from the Dancing with the Stars workout DVD that I did yesterday).

But, yeah, I've been working out rather a lot. For me, anyways. I still find it hard to walk/jog on the treadmill for longer than 20 minutes. Mostly because (1) I'm sweaty and  gross, (2) I have little children who don't help me be totally productive all the time, and (3) I'm terribly out of shape, really. But I'm getting better at it. Bit by (small) bit.

Okay, my kids are making it worthwhile to be a mom: They're running around the house wapping each other with "swords" (wrapping paper tubes -- well, one tube, cut in half, since they were fighting over it so, so, SO much a few months ago). Excellent.

Okay, excellent until, instead of beating each other about the head and shoulders, Bruise smacked me in my arm fat with a tube. Owwwww. I'll be okay.

Yesterday, Michael made good on his bargain -- If I got the kitchen cleaned enough so that he HAD a space to do so, he'd make cookies. 
Dude, I was awesome. I cleaned out the pantry, the fridge, AND did a few loads of dishes.
(Now I have a couple loads to do -- the dishes from the food I had to throw out and the dishes we used to make dinner and the cookies. And one load that's soaking and ready for the dishwasher.)

Hey, random question -- any of you ever have this happen to you? You're eating something and then your mouth starts itching and your tongue feels all wonky? Dude! It turns out that since it happens to me when I eat raw apples and almonds (and something in my salad yesterday -- maybe the raw snow peas?) that I was able to figure out that my hay fever is to tree pollen. Crazy cross-reactions.

Well, my mom's due to arrive anytime. So I'm going to close this puppy up.