And ...

I also got to clean out our food storage cupboard, since there were weevils.

I hate weevils.

Miraculously, we didn't lose a whole lot of food. Mostly just containers of quick-oats and white flour. It could have been much worse.

The cupboard has now been scrubbed out with hot soapy water, rubbed down with eucalyptus oil, and is scattered with bay leaves.

And the kids need to learn to tie their shoes. And to do it themselves. That's what else.

I still can't remember that second dream ... Something about a ... !!!! Oh! That's what it was!!

I was going to volunteer at an old folk's home. And it was in a building INCREDIBLY LIKE the old Methodist church in my hometown. And I was dragging the kids along.
And it was haunted.

There's this guy, a doctor?? And a nurse had a crush on him ... but he ended up calming down this malevolent spirit and marrying her.

Parts of it were kinda intense ... But, yeah. That was it, in a nutshell.

It's been one week ... and a day ...

.... Since I last posted ANYTHING.

Yeah, life's keeping me a little busy.

That and lately (last few days), I haven't been sleeping well. And things are going on. It's stupid. I should blog anyways.

But, hey, at least I read some scriptures and things on my phone. So I've made THAT effort to improve my life.
Since, let's face it, right now? I don't feel very spiritual at all. And it's my own fault. I haven't made it my highest priority, which it should be.

So ... what else has happened?

• The kids have about 1/3 of their city scavenger hunt done. Maybe after Michael gets home today, we'll try to get some more done.
• We've gone grocery shopping (and I cleaned out the kitchen fridge. Wow, there was a TON of food that ended being thrown out. So depressing).
• I went to a Relief Society activity. I now have some idea of how to make myself a fleece shawl. And i learned about quilting (I had missed the first quilting class ... but people were impressed with my mad pressing skillz. Yowzah, y'all).
• We went to T's son's birthday party. Got to go swimming. Bruise and Bucket NEED to get back into swim lessons again. They've forgotten most of what they learned last year. *sigh* Bubbles was in the pool most of the time. Michael or I (or T) held her ... when I wasn't nursing her.
• We got a new singer in the church choir. So, we're up to, what ... *counts* nine. Not counting Dianne (the ward choir director) and the pianist. ... But that's only if everyone shows up. *sigh*
• The kids had "Biddy Ball" (i.e., basketball for littles) in their Summer Sports Academy this week. After Michael worked with them a little after the first day, they started to really show improvement.
  No matter what, they still are better than I am. ... Well, except for dribbling.
  And Bubbles beats us all that THAT. Har har har.
• Mom came up and we bought some supplies at Staples. I'm having the kids work on telling time and doing flashcards for Addition and Subtraction. (Once they master THAT, I'll start with multiplication ... have them memorize those times tables.) We also need to work on writing ... Mostly Bruise, but Bucket won't suffer for practicing. We also are doing Summer Reading Programs.
• We've used the grill a couple times this week. Yesterday (Thursday), we had burgers and sausages. Monday, we had sausages and steak. As Michael pointed out, we've yet to use the grill on a NICE-WEATHERED day. Good thing it's on the porch and not in a yard or something. :P
• Yesterday, as Michael was driving to a site inspection, this happened:

  

  No, that wheel SHOULDN'T be sticking out like that. EVER.

  Yeah ... So, apparently there's a pin that holds the axle together? It's totally sheared.
  Our insurance covered the tow ... but Michael's using the van until it's fixed.
  Should be fixed in a couple days ... just going to be expensive. Oh well. 
• On Tuesday, I was rushing about and, like an IDIOT, I smacked my foot into a (convex) corner of the wall in our room. Jammed my toe something fierce. Hurt like a son-of-a-beesting, but I'm sure it's not broken. I finally got it to pop (a LITTLE) the other day. It's still a bit swollen, but no bruising or anything. Just (still) sore.

I've been having problems sleeping, like I mentioned.
One was Tuesday night. I'd wake up and then couldn't fall asleep. I kept smelling pee. Not cat pee, necessarily, just PEE. And I couldn't fall back asleep. Not for a while. And it kept happening.
In the morning? The room smelled NORMAL. WITHER THE FRIES?!?

Last night? I had strange dreams. And I'd wake up.
First, (in my dream), there was this antebellum-type graveyard. And in this tomb, were TWO skeletons, when there should only have been one. They suspected mob ties. VOODOO MOB ties. ... Yeah.
(I'm chalking up this one to a strange, subconscious mixing of some YA novel I read pre-Bubbles (involving a voodoo curse, can't recall the name!!) and the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
AND, when I got up to go to the bathroom (well, what ELSE do you do when you can't sleep??), I kept getting close to freaking myself out ... we have a baby monitor (speaker) in there, for when Bubbles is sleeping in the swing. I kept getting flashes of "What would happen IF I suddenly HEARD A VOICE through this? Michael's asleep. The kids are asleep. Freyja-cat's in here ... WHAT IF a DARK MAN-SHAPED SHADOW passed over the lights on it??!???"
Yes. I have issues. I've OBVIOUSLY watched Signs and White Noise too many times.

Second dream? ... I've now forgotten. Maybe it'll come back to me. But it was unsettling.
Third dream? Was a CRAP musical. I mean, it was terrible!

Of course, I also was stressing a bit because I had a software reset on my cellphone. And THEN my phone kept rebooting randomly. And it'd restart and be all BRIGHT and it'd VIBRATE! (I have it on the bed next to me so that (1) it can charge during the night and (2) I can still track if Bubbles wakes up to nurse during the night. ... And I track how much [or not] I sleep.) ... So THAT was distracting.
Finally, around 5:30, I opened it up AGAIN and took out the battery AGAIN (I did it earlier, like around 9:30 yesterday night). It seems to be working fine now. Phew.)
But, since I was up so much and couldn't sleep, I read through Elder Uchtdorf's talk/book about the Forget-Me-Not. And I read the last chapter in the RS book "Daughters in My Kingdom." (It was during that chapter that I had to do the battery-removal magic ... My phone's clock/weather widget still isn't getting the weather info. Ugh.)

Michael's cell phone is acting wonky, too. So, he's going to try and use my old phone and see if he can get some more use out of it. ... So, I was a good wife now. I just got up, found it, and am charging it. All he'll have to do is put his SD card in it ... and have it transferred to his number. ... It SHOULD keep all his numbers, then. Just in case, though, I'll have him print out his saved numbers. (Mine? I have my numbers linked to my Google account, since mine's a smartphone. Keeps it easier.)

Besides all that, I need to get caught up with laundry... and the dishes ... and clean off my desk AGAIN.
I need to get the kids to write and read and do some flashcards. We should do some science.
I'm determined that they'll have their phone number and address memorized. They'll know how to use the dictionary and look up a number in the phone book (even though THAT'S going to be an outdated skill soon). I also want them to be able to answer the phone and dial a phone number.
Once BUCKET'S Molluscum (Bruise's is GONE!!) is healed up, we can get them into swim lessons ... and I think that, during the school year, we'll try and have them take lessons at least once ... just to keep it current.

Oh, I ordered (and it already arrived) a mesh wrap to wear Bubbles in.
It's not as stretchy as the Moby, but it's LIGHTER and it'll dry very quickly. Now, I will have my HANDS free when we're in a pool together. Phew!
(Now, I'm starting to look into a woven wrap, so I can learn to wear her on my back ... and it'll let me wear her for longer. I might try to make one, since woven wraps are EXPENSIVE.)

In other news, Bubbles is "talking" more and more. She's found her feet and loves grabbing onto them. She likes to roll onto her side, especially to sleep. She's a thumbsucker (or a HAND/FIST sucker). She did roll from her stomach to her back ... to the right and to the left.
She did best, having tummy time, when I put her on a Boppy pillow during the kids' bedtime story last night.
She also LOVES to stand. She WANTS to walk. And she's not quite four months old. But she WANTS to walk.
She also loves to pay peek-a-boo. It's the best way to get her to smile.

Freyja's done well on her kitty-Prozac. It's almost time to get a new bottle ... OR, since there's been NO incidents of peeing where she shouldn't, maybe it's time to go off of it. We'll see. She's back to sleeping with me. She is even letting the kids pet her (ON OCCASION, which is still RARE, but more than she had before).

Wednesday night, I put the kids to bed (Bubbles had screamed all through bedtime story, so I had put her in the swing ... then she was INCONSOLABLE!!) and gave Bubbles a bath (which calmed her down). I got her all dried off, rubbed some oil into her skin, got a diaper and a sleeper on her (a NEW one! I think it's adorable!) ... and, as I finished nursing her, while watching SYTYCD, she peed. And ... somehow ... all the pee went out the TOP SIDE of her diaper. So, I had to change, SHE had to change, had to wash THAT Boppy ... but her diaper was pretty dry.
THIS is yet another reason why I prefer Pampers (that and they have this mesh liner-thing ... it lets the poop go into the diaper, instead of keeping it all RIGHT AGAINST the poor kiddo's skin. ... No, I didn't get paid or any benefit for saying this. .... I sure WISH I did. Diapers are expensive. Not gonna lie).

So ... Michael has the van this morning. And probably Monday, too. Then Bruise has a dental appointment on Tuesday. And we're feeding the missionaries. Then it's a holiday. Then Bubbles has her check-up. And we have one family reunion that weekend. ... Mom won't be up, since it's a busy week.

We need to find a time to take the older kiddos to see Brave, since they've been wanting to see it since the teaser trailers came out MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO. ... Which means that (1) I should pump some more milk, just in case, and (2) I should try and make sure that Bubbles will take expressed milk in a bottle ... or maybe a cup would be better? I might try that. (Or, really, have Michael try it.) We'll see.

Well, I think you should be all caught up NOW. And it's time to feed Bubbles.

Okay, when I left off, it was, what? Crazy hair day?

So, since then, the kids had their last day of Kindergarten.
Honestly? They're bummed about it. I mean, sure, they're looking forward to first grade ... but they really loved Kindergarten: their teachers, seeing their friends every day ... all that stuff.

I am just trying not to be sad that spending all day with ME isn't as COOL as being at school ... Joking!
I'm glad that they enjoy school ... and, really, I've been wracking my brain to keep them entertained as much as I hope they'll be.

Last week, Mom came up the day after school got out. We went to McDonald's and the kids got to play there. We also went to Michael's (craft store). The kids now are doing those fusible bead-things. You know, you have a little pattern that you put the beads on and you iron them and -- VOILA!-- you have a coaster or something. (Apparently, they're called "perler beads." You can go ahead and google them.
Or, well, here: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=perler+beads# )

Friday, after we went to the mall, we headed over to the local Hungarian restaurant. Yum.
Then Mom had to head back home.

Saturday ... well, I was feeling really overwhelmed. So I ended up missing a baby shower that I was going to attend. And we skipped a wedding reception, too. But, within 24 hours, Michael assisted with three different moves (two individuals and one family) ... the life of an Elders' Quorum president!
(Seriously, on Mondays, his boss at work will ask, "So, Michael, how many people did you move THIS weekend?" ... And, well, often there's an answer! Crazy!!)

Sunday was Father's Day.
Michael had early morning meetings (due to being EQ President).
(My response to that? Verbatim: "What the HELL?!?" ... No, really, Church Choir was cancelled ... but not early morning meetings. *sigh* Yes, I know. I agreed to sustain my husband in his calling. And, really, I try. I am okay with being his secondary secretary -- he has an EQ Secretary ... but often folks will call here. Or he'll need me to shoot out an email for him. And I am DOWN with that. I just ... I rather hate meetings. Especially when I'm striving to get out of bed, dressed, and get three kiddos to church on time. ... I do have it a LOT easier, having ONLY three. And having TWO of them able to dress themselves for the most part. ... But, yeah. I LIKE to go to church as a FAMILY. Which we only get to do half of the time. I'll get over it.)
But, before he headed off to work church, I gave him his present -- a card signed by all of us ... and Season One of The Greatest American Hero (which just HAPPENS to be one of his favorite shows from when he was a kid. And that he hasn't seen in forever). Yup.
(Months ago, Mom and I were at Bed Bath and Beyond. And I SAW IT. So I snatched that puppy up STAT. I'm such an awesome wife. ... Well, in some regards. :P)

That evening, we went to Mom and Dad C's for a barbeque.
What sticks out in my mind most about the evening was when Mom C put on the classic "The Shaggy Dog" for the grandkids ... and none of the grandkids stayed in the room to watch it. Oops. It made J and me laugh.
(Oh, I need to remember to get a picture of Bubbles in the bath and of her feet to Mom C. Need to get on that.)

Monday, I had the kids START cleaning their room around, what ... 9 AM or so.
They FINISHED around 3:30 ... since they kept stopping to play.
Yeah, I'm hardcore like that. BUT, the fact remains, that MOST of their room is CLEAN.
They have a FLOOR in there! It's AMAZING.
(The rest of the house ... well ... yeah. Having to keep tending to an adorable, but DEMANDING, 15-week-old? Not so conducive to achieving or maintaining a clean house.)

Tuesday, the kiddos started their Summer Sports Academy. Three days of T-ball this week (just one hour). "Biddy-ball" (aka, basketball) next week. We skip the week of Independence Day. Then is soccer.

The kiddos are enjoying getting to learn about T-ball. Bruise loves to run the bases. Bucket is showing us that she has a decent arm at throwing (They did not get ANY of that from me).
Today (Thursday) is the last day of T-ball. They get to play a mini-game today.

Bruise is looking forward to basketball. Bucket was VERY nervous about T-ball (not that she needed to be at all), and has been looking forward to soccer.

Besides that, our town's visitor association has a little summertime activity for kids. You go to the locations on a map and perform a task at each one. Doing so gets you a stamp. Each stamp will count as an entry into a drawing for prizes.
Tuesday, we went downtown and got some stamps -- a toy store, a paint-your-own pottery shop, a pizzeria, a little museum (where we waited out a summer downpour). We tried dropping by a fire station, but ... well, I obviously don't know what I'm doing.  ... Especially since I'm in a larger town than the one I grew up in.
(In my hometown, we STILL don't have a stoplight in the whole town. Growing up, the fire station, City Hall, AND the branch library were all in the same building. Yeah. Kinda dinky. I mean, we have, like, SEVEN antique shops. And there WERE two bars (now there's a casino in town, so there's a couple more in there). ... We had our own grocery store. And FOUR gas stations, since it's right off the highway.)
But Bruise was VERY let down NOT to get to the fire station that day. :(

We did go by a bread outlet, though, on the way home to pick up doughnuts.

Tuesday AND yesterday, I spaced out going to the Summer Reading Program activity. It's a juggler/magician/comedian that we've seen before a couple times. And I really enjoy his routine. Oh well. Next time.

With how much the kids have been arguing, we're going to have naptime today.

And we did our "summer homework" for the week. Bucket read independently. Bruise read to me. Bubbles took a nap.

Michael got a call last night to help a family move into the ward ... but, then they called again to report that they did have enough people, after all ... so we got to have an evening together. And Michael and I watched SYTYCD.

I got a sunburn yesterday from being at the park (on a SUNNY day), watching Bruise and Bucket practice.
I did wear sunscreen ... but I obviously didn't put it on the back of my neck.
I did today. And I'm wearing a light cardigan that covers the back of my neck. Phew.

... Is it bad to confess that I'm about ready for the kids to go back to school?
Sometimes, I really am.
Other times, I'm able to just enjoy the moment and the fact that I GET to spend this time with my kids ... when they're not bickering or begging or getting on my last existing nerve.

But I should make sure that I have everything for their "game" today.

Oh, also, during their practice (sports camp) yesterday, my phone STOPPED taking pictures or video.
I was NOT looking forward to dragging my brood to the Verizon store ... but, thankfully, after prayer and rebooting/restarting my phone THREE TIMES, it's working again. PHEW.

Now, I have to get to work. Bubbles needs (another) diaper change.

Last Day of Kindergarten

I don't have Kindergartners anymore.

I now have two FIRST-GRADERS (and an itsy-bitsy).

And I'm going to have them ALL DAY LONG again.

I mean, we do have lots of plans of things to do this summer ... but, gosh.
I'm a little scared. It's been, what, NINE months of having them gone for four hours every weekday ...

I mean, if Michael were home early everyday (like he is on Fridays), this would be a piece of CAKE.

But, hey, we'll manage.
We can do Science experiments, practice reading and maths, learn some Social Studies and Geography.
We totally need to work on money skills.
Bruise needs to work on drawing and handwriting ... Bucket will enjoy practicing those, too.

We can get in the habit of cleaning up the house. EVERY DAY.
(Since they've been home from school, we've cleaned up the living room. The dining room is a little cleaner.
I still need to clean off the table, unload/reload the dishwasher, clean off my desk and the counters ... *sigh*)
And I'll be able to make them healthier foods ... and make sure that they EAT these healthier foods.

(By the by, Bruise's Molluscum is looking WAAAAY better. Mostly just scabs now. ... So, once those are healed up, we can get them signed up for swimming lessons. Phew!!)

Yesterday was Crazy Hair Day at school ... I think we did well:


Bruise asked for red hair ... and allowed me to do spikes with it.
Bucket wanted rainbow hair ... but she had to settle for THREE colors.
She has blue, green, and (it's hard to tell, but that's really) pink.

It took three washes for Bruise's hair to come (almost) completely clean. (His poor, dry, dry scalp is still pink-tinged around the edges of those dry flakes). That's because the red hairspray was ALL OVER (to hold the spikes.
If I were a wiser person who thought about things, I'd have spiked FIRST with regular hairspray, THEN sprayed the colored stuff on it.
But, well, I'm not.
Lesson learned. :P

Bucket only took two washes, since I styled first, THEN sprayed the color on.

And I made sure to put lots of conditioner in their hair afterwards.

Of course, with all that fun in the morning, I ended up coloring my hair. It's now this dark cherry red. Like, it looks almost brown ... but it's RED in the light. (Of course, since I live in a cave -- darkness-wise --, I think it looks mostly brown. But, well, I can't see my hair very well until I look in a mirror ... well, I can see some of the strands that frame my face ... but that's not the same thing. ... and when I see THOSE, with the light shining through them, they look almost maroon.)
Now, this is one of the colors that I hadn't tried before ... I was a little nervous. But I think that I like it.
I've seen a couple friends in person ... and they said it looks cute. So, ... well, I hope they're not lying to save my feelings. Ha ha ha.

Now, let's see ... what else has been going on?

• Got together with Bri to take family pictures. Here's the gem of the trip when Bri was trying to get some pictures of Bubbles and me ... and Bubbles started fussing.
  I TRIED to calm her down ... you know, cooing at her and all.
  Finally, I resorted to mimicry/mockery.
  
  
  
  Because I am full of poise and maturosity. Yes. Yes indeed.
• We went to a local historical house/museum for a Living History.
  Bruise and Bucket enjoyed eating molasses cookies and seeing what games kids would play during 1849 (or so).
• We went to the birthday party for a niece and nephew (not twins. But their birthdays are close. Just different years).
• We got milkshakes at a local place. Yum.
  Bruise and Bucket opted for Root Beer flavored shakes.
  Michael got banana and marshmallow. I chose raspberry and marshmallow. Yummmm.
• I made REALLY good stuff (which Michael grilled) for dinner on Monday.
  I got a chicken marinade recipe off the internet ... and a recipe for grilled Sweet Potato fries.
  (Olive oil and lime juice were big players). SO GOOD.

Besides that, there are strange dreams that I keep having ... They're all different. They don't make such sense. And they're weird.

And my kids say funny things:

Bruise: (as he's taking Bubbles to watch him play his Lego Wii videogames)
Come on, [Bubbles]. Don't worry about the fighting. It's just a game!

Bucket: (as they are making sandwiches) [BRUUUUUUUISE!!!!] You SPREAD Nutella. You don't lick it off the knife!!

And, yesterday, Michael and I were making fun of the fact that he was tired and said that he couldn't find his legs (bottoms/underpants).
And so we started joking and making satirical statements about putting our legs somewhere and not being able to find them and having multiple pairs of legs ... You know, typing it out, it's nowhere near as funny.
Probably because we were very tired.

Also, I got new nail polish last week. Two magnetic ones (one silver, one dark pink) and just about the perfect neutral ... well, if I apply it well. I think it needs three coats, not two, for even coverage. We'll see.

I think that's about all that I can really think to write.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand now I realize how boring I really am. Oy.
Oh well.

List for for today

• Bruise's arms and chest look amazingly better. Yay for prayer, vitamins, and vegetables/juices!
  Now ... just to get his THIGHS to be all better. They have tons of those darn warts on them.
• Bucket only have the, what, five warts still. No real change. But they're easily covered by clothes or band-aids.
• I went to a Zumba class last night (a friend invited me). I wasn't able to do the hand weights for the second toning song. But I pushed through and didn't sit any out.
  I channeled my inner SYTYCD. I had to make Nigel and sweet Adam Shankman proud of me.
  So, I was sweaty and my face was SO bright red by the end. And I downed my liter of water.
  My feet and neck were SO SORE (Not my thighs or abs, surprisingly).
  I did take some Ibruprofen ... so I'm feeling pretty good this morning. My feet are a little sore. (I usually don't BOUNCE so much.)
  After class, she and I chatted for a while. Like almost two hours. About church, college experiences, and The Hunger Games. Good times. It's nice to have chats. In person. With another adult. ^_^
• I now have more of a collection of minifigs (Legos). A couple weeks back, Michael got me the bagpiper (which I have a soft spot for. What?? One of my ancestors was born near Loch Lomond!). Last night, while out with the kids (even Vesper ... since I couldn't wear her and do Zumba.), he got the Viking girl/opera singer and the rock star.
  Bruise got my other favorite of this collection: The computer nerd (complete with bow tie, book, and mug.)
  I call the Viking "Brunhilda." ... I haven't named the others.
• I need to run back to Target and then Bath and Body Works for completing teacher gifts (for the two teachers of Kindergarten and the student teacher). I know what we're doing this weekend.
  Well, along with about a BAZILLION OTHER THINGS.
• I bought some magnetic nail polish while I was at Claire's yesterday. I got pink and silver. And the lids each have a different pattern on them. Pretty fun.
• I need to cut Bruise's and Michael's hair today. And redo Bucket's and Bubbles' nail polish.
  Good thing I'm running over to Target, since I need to get some new nail polish remover.
  (I'm almost out of the acetone remover. I have about 1/3 of a bottle of non-acetone ... but I kind of hate it. You have to take FOREVER. ... And for Bubbles, it's not worthwhile. I just use acetone remover while she's taking a bath and immediately wash her hands and feet off once the polish is gone. ... See? I have a SYSTEM.)
• I keep having really weird dreams. Last night featured Mom and I making dinner ... but then Bri came and I was scrambling to make something gluten-free, since I don't want her to be sick.
  I was also going to pop popcorn on the stove. I don't know why.
  Probably because I watched a video on how best to do it, yesterday, on the YouTube channel for America's Test Kitchen.
  The night before, I dreamt that I had a TINY hedgehog in a plastic-type shoebox. And I kept it in the bathroom. And it had a baby. ... Also, somehow, there was this small African wild cat that was it's natural predator in the box, too. ... Yeah. I don't know what to make of it.
• I need to cook up our vegetables and get those into the kids' gullets. I have broccoli, cauliflower (which I can steam and mash with garlic), and sweet potatoes. Those should help the kiddos' immune systems. If not, I'll head to the natural foods section at Fred Meyer. I'm sure that I can find something there. If not, I'll head to the vitamin/homeopathic store in the next town.
  Still, I'm really amazed at HOW much better Bruise is looking. (Except for his poor thighs. ... Really, where COULD he have caught this virus?? It's insane.)
• I still need to work at cleaning up the house some more. It never ends. :P

And, really, I think those are all the important bullet points of the day.
So far.
Phew!

A small whirlwind of my life

So, I got all the dishes done ... and dirtied up some more.

Mom came up.
I made ice cream (Root beer flavored).
Michael's birthday was yesterday.
And I had a child sent home from school.

Where to start?
So, Mom came up and we were going to have a little Mary Kay party.
But Bri's BabyBug wasn't feeling good. So it's postponed.
(And Bri? You're NOT a bad friend. You're a good friend and a wonderful mom. It's all cool. ^_^)

Mom and I (and Michael, who was home by this time from his EQ meeting) watched Thor.
(Mom hadn't seen it before.)

Oh ... I should mention that I took Bruise to the doctor's on Monday. His Molluscum went CRAZY. So he has all these little bumps (and scabs from the ones that we popped) all over his arms, chest, back, and thighs. Poor boy.
We saw another doctor in the practice, since their pediatrician was busy ... but he ended up coming for a look.
Bruise's case is the worst that he's ever seen in his 20+ years of medicine. But, as he reminded us, Molluscum ALWAYS goes away.
We were told to

• Leave it alone (No scratching or popping any more bumps)
• Keep it covered
• Review the CDC handout

We were also told to have him eat healthier, since his immune system SHOULD have kicked in by now.
So he's drinking some fruits and vegetables ... and THIS SUMMER is the summer of getting him to enjoy vegetables. And SOUPS. Since it's EASY to get one's veggies by eating soups.

Bucket has a few (like 5-7 TOTAL) Molluscum warts on her. But they're not in spots that she can itch. And they will stay covered.

BUT, while Bruise was at school yesterday, he was scratching at a scab. And it started to bleed. And, with all the scabs from some, I'm pretty sure that the school thought that he had Chicken Pox (He was immunized, so that chance is slim) ... and their teacher is pregnant ... so I got a call.
But since he was scratching and had an open wound, they had me pick him up.
(I really kinda wanted to say, "What? Does the school not have ANY Band-Aids? I can swing by Costco. Get y'all a big box." ... But I didn't.)
Yes, Molluscum is contagious. IF YOU TOUCH IT. And if you don't wash your hands. But, really ... I don't wash my hands as well as I probably should. I wash, but not always for a full one-two minutes. STILL, I haven't gotten ANY. And I'm in contact with Bruise a LOT.

The reason why Bucket's gotten them, I'm pretty sure, is because they've taken baths together. And, despite my requests, they end up wrestling around and goofing off in the tub. (Now? It's TIME for them to have separate baths. I get it. My babies are growing up. *sigh*) That's the only way she could get them on her back.
Bruise is always kissing on and trying to hold Bubbles. She doesn't have ANY.

And, according to the CDC, there's no reason to keep a child out of school or daycare due to Molluscum.

The school did seem to feel a little better when they knew that he'd been to the doctor, so they knew it was NOT Chicken Pox. But it was the whole open sore issue ... *sigh* I just don't know.

I did ask Mom, since she's a retired teacher, if I had been in any way irresponsible by not telling the school/their teacher about Bruise's Molluscum. And she assured me that, no, it wasn't an issue ... until he was rolling up his sleeves and scratching. Which he wasn't supposed to do.
If their doctor had even mentioned letting their teacher/school be aware of it, I'd have definitely let them know. But ... it never even crossed my mind.

So, I picked him up and we went to Target and got some Ace bandages to wrap his arms in while he's at school so he can't scratch. Good thing school's getting out next week.
The whole thing exhausts me.

Of course, what's even funnier, is that as Michael and I looked at his arms ... it already looks WAAAAAAY better than it had even last week. So it's really a huge mountain out of a molehill, for the most part.

Michael's pretty sure that they called me without asking Bruise about what's on his arms.
If they'd asked, he'd have told them that it's warts. Which is what it is. He knows. Bucket knows.

Mom is pretty sure that they're just being a little paranoid. What with Chicken Pox and then the huge fears of blood-borne pathogens.

But we're working REALLY, REALLY HARD to get his immune system kicked up a notch with healthier eating and LOADS of prayer.

Especially since I'm not getting the kids into swim lessons until they're Molluscum free. (Or there are only the healing ones. No new ones.)

I really wish that I knew where he caught it. Just like I really wish that I knew how Bucket got head lice.

Oh well.

So, besides that, Mom and I went to Farmers' Market yesterday. We got goat cheese (feta AND chevre), fresh basil (which makes me house smell AMAZING), apple sauce and apple butter, fresh cherries, some beef (Michael had a delicious birthday steak for dinner. And I got to feel rather virtuous for having locally-grown/raised beef in the house for once. ^_^), sugar snap peas, and a cucumber. I think that's it. ... Yes. That was my haul.
Mom got two cucumbers ... and no steak.
But that's because the steak was Michael's present. Well, one of them. ^_^

Mom and Dad C (and Grandma C) came by as we were grilling up the steak and some burgers for the kiddos.

(Did I mention that we FINALLY got the grill?? We did! It came in on Sunday. Michael picked it up and put it together Monday night. It took TWO HOURS for him to put it together ... so that tells you how NOT-CLEARLY the instructions were written. But it's a good grill ... and it's ours.
Also, with the gift card that it came with, he bought himself some LEGOs. ^_^
He put his Tie-Fighter together while Mom and I were watching Thor.
Bruise is rather jealous. :P)

What was really cute was that they kept saying that Michael got the grill for his birthday.
No, we bought that for Memorial Day (not that it arrived in time. *sigh*) ...
We got him a DRILL for his birthday.
They got him some very nice shirts and a gift card for the movie theater. Always a great present. ^_^

And Michael was cute as he was almost as excited as I've ever seen him about something.
The drill and driver (came as a set) will be put to good use.

(FYI: The most excited that I've EVER seen him was when he learned that he passed his test to be a real engineer -- as opposed to an EIT.
Srsly, he swung me around. And that takes something. I'm nowhere near being one of those sweet, little things that weigh 90 lbs, soaking wet. ... And, really, with my bone structure, I'd look skeletal if I were that small. But I'm not happy about my BMI. Ugh. Let's not go there. Let's concentrate on how adorable it is when Michael's excited. Because it's ADORABLE.)

In other news, Jem! is on Netflix streaming.
I've watched about three episodes ... and, since I'm hormonal (nursing AND having the painters in) I almost started sobbing at one part.
One of the foster girls runs back into Starlight House to rescue the jar of money the girls are saving (which she had attempted  to steal from earlier). When she comes out, Jerrica tells her that it was a crazy thing to do and that ... *sniff, sniff* ... no amount of money could ever replace you.
And, oh gosh, I'm misting up ... This is so stupid.
These are CARTOON CHARACTERS ...

Yeah ... this is what Michael gets to put up with (and, strangely enough, he seems HAPPY about it. Probably because insane people are pretty entertaining. That must be it).
Lucky boy.

Oh, and ... well, this is the year that I start messing up Michael's age. I KNOW, really, how old he is.
But then I say, "Well, you're only 34."
No. No, he's not. I'm off.
By more than one year.

He just looks younger. That's it. It must be.
Or else I'm in denial that I'm as old as I am.

No ... because I'm starting to think of myself as older.
Even though, mentally, I still FEEL as clueless as I was at 16.
But, since I've passed 30, I just assume that I'm automatically 35. Not 31.

I'll chalk that up to having found my first grey hair.
In my EYEBROW.
A few months ago.

Yes. That's so, so special.

Also special?
While Michael and I were talking in bed last night, we were talking about NOT refusing to use big words.
Call Mathematics by their real names: ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, etc.
Michael's main beef is that when people refuse to use the big words, it makes awesome classes like Chemistry SCARY for a lot of people.
Whereas, if we're all used to using big words ... it's not such a big deal to lean about hydroxides and other things that use big words.
I have taught our kids that they have penises and vaginas (and I'm working on the term vulva, since that's the actual correct term for the part that you see ... and it'd be good to use the CORRECT-CORRECT term).
As I said that "they have penises and vaginas," last night, Michael was tired.
"No, they shouldn't. At least not both at once."
"Yes, honey," I sardonically drawled. "Because we only give birth to hermaphrodites in this family."

Yeah. We're special.

But, besides it being a matter of importance to use the correct terms for things, I also read that, according to some research (citation needed, I'm sure, since it was a while ago that I read it), children who use the correct technical terms for their private parts are less likely to be sexually abused. ... Something about the (potential-)abuser realizing that they'd give stronger testimony and are more aware of what is and isn't appropriate.

And, well, in a case like this, I'd rather be overly safe than sorry.

I do try not to be a helicopter-mom. I do try to foster independence in my children.
I want them to feel loved and secure ... but I also want them to KNOW that they have the ability to protect themselves. To be capable of making their own (hopefully GOOD) choices.
I want them to know that I respect their decisions ... I might not always agree with them ... but that they have the right and the ability to make their own choices.
I want them to know what they NEED to do ... and that, after that, they have freedom to choose and prioritize their wants.
I want them to be responsible citizens who help others around them to feel valued and appreciated. I want for my children to be strong. I want them to be healthy. I want them to be content in their place in life, to not regret many things. I want them to be educated, to have a love of learning. I want them to never stagnate in life. I want them to develop a good work ethic, to be able to support their families -- to have marketable skills (since life WILL throw challenges in one's way. It's not an IF. It's a WHEN) that they can take confidence and security in possessing. I want them to love the Lord, to have a love for the scriptures, prayer, and following the commandments because they WANT to (not just because it's something they are supposed to do) entrenched in their character. I want them to aim for Celestial marriage ... and, regardless, to live life in preparation of those covenants that they'll make in the temple. And, after their wedding, to show love and respect for their spouse. I also hope they'll marry people that we'll get along with, too. ^_^
I want them to be aware that they can ALWAYS come to Michael and me for love, support, advice, a listening ear/sounding board. I want them to never fear that we won't love them or that we'd shun or shame them. (I will admit that I am, at times, disappointed in my kiddos' choices. Sometimes I may not love them as fully as they deserve ... but I will always love them. It's my JOB. And I gladly accept that responsibility.)

I also want them to eat their friggin' vegetables. And pick up their crap. And not give me any sass. And not to psyche themselves out of things they need to do -- I want them to be able to acknowledge that they are afraid ... AND DO IT ANYWAYS. To PROVE to THEMSELVES that they CAN do it. Even if it's scary.

And ... well ... I, as a mother ... as THEIR mother, need to learn how to best model this for them. How to best support and encourage them. To give them a safe haven from anything else out there. To foster a love of learning and of loving those around them. To show them that, even if you don't LOVE it, eating healthily and exercising will not KILL you. ... Things like that.
I need to be better at it.

That's my girl ...

Bucket, this morning:

"Sorry! I'm farting ALL OVER!"

Yup. That's my girl.

Avenger-theme meme

So ... as I'm wasting too much time spending some time over at this new tumblr site my Roxy got me addicted to, I come across this meme:

Tony Stark: Something I'm vain about

Steve Rogers: A cause I would fight for

Bruce Banner: Something that makes me really angry

Thor: A time I felt strong

Natasha Romanoff: Something I wish I could change about my past

Clint Barton: A time I felt used

Loki: Something I thought was true, that actually wasn't true / A time someone lied to me

Phil Coulson: Someone I secretly "fangirl" over

Nick Fury: My last physical injury

And I was tempted.
So you're now subjected to my doing it. Mwha ha ha.

Okay ... here we go:

1. Tony Stark: Something I'm vain about
   What am I most cocky about? ... It's probably a toss up between my internet-connectedness-essense
   (I like knowing things and posting things) or the fact that my kids are freaking adorable and entertaining/intelligent. (When other people talk about how they have the cutest kids? I secretly am rather all, "Meh. Mine are better." ... of course, there are some REALLY cute kids out there. I'm not saying that they're cuter than MY kids, necessarily ... but that they do give my kiddos some competition. And that's a good thing. ^_^)
   But, yeah. I'm cocky about having cute kids and being on the interweb ... And I like to be thought of as "entertaining." ... I have issues. Mondo, mondo issues. *hangs head*
2. Steve Rogers: A cause that I would fight for
   Well, I really think that being all "-ist" (e.g., racist, sexist, whatever-ist) isn't cool.
   I think that we should just learn to love everybody and get over it.
   People make mistakes. And, you know, what, EVERYBODY makes mistakes. So just DEAL with the fact that your idea of perfection isn't always the same as everyone else's. LOVE THEM ANYWAY.
   My other pet cause? I'm a lactivist. I support babies being nursed. I do believe that breastmilk is the best food for our young. I believe that boobs are made for feeding babies, not for selling cars.
   However, I also know that not everyone CAN feed babies breastmilk. Situations occur that prevent that. Or that make it impossible.
   And that's when I revert to my rule above: LOVE EVERYONE ANYWAY.
   If there's a bottle, do I glare? No. A baby is being fed. THAT'S the important thing.
   As long as the baby is happy, healthy, and loved? I am satisfied.
   Still, I think it's ridiculous to the extreme when people liken NIP (nursing in public) to stripping or peeing/pooping/sex in public. If that's the case, then bottlefeeding in public is like using a vibrator in public or throwing adult diapers on the floor in public.
   Because feeding is feeding is feeding.
   If you don't want to take your lunch and eat it in a public bathroom, don't be sending a BABY with a still-forming immune system to be eating in other people's-poop-particulate-filled air, capisce??
   *curt nod* *steps off soapbox*
3. Bruce Banner: Something that makes me really angry
   Well ... from my tirade about people not loving each other (NOTICE that I don't say that you have to love what they choose to DO ... That's a whole 'NOTHER kettle of fish.) and about my strong stance of feeding babies (Seriously, if it'd be fine for a bottle, it's fine for a nurseling.), I think THOSE are my top ones.
   Things that also make me angry ... I get FRUSTRATED when my kids leave messes or are wasteful because they're not thinking.
   I just want people to think. DON'T BE THOUGHTLESS, okay??
   (And I'm just as guilty of it, too ... I get frustrated with myself.)
   But, really, if you love people?? You'll listen and make conscious decisions ... sooooo, just FREAKING love people, okay??
   Thanks.
4. Thor: A time I felt strong
   Um ... I guess after having my kids. I mean, my body goes through the wringer and I end up with an excellent souvenir!
   I also feel strong when I see my happy kiddos ... and I know that I did that. I incubated them, donated some DNA, and gave them all their food for months (inside the womb and out).
   This time around, I keep being boggled that all of Bubble's food has been from me (Besides a few sips of water). That's CRAZY. My body can DO that! WHAT??
   
   I also feel like a complete rock star on the RARE OCCASIONS when I make an awesome, HEALTHY meal that everyone eats. Not totally strong ... but, nevertheless, awesome.
5. Natasha Romanoff: Something I wish I could change about my past
   I've made bad decisions. I've said hurtful things. I would change those.
   I would be aware that JUST because a guy says he loves you? You don't have to date him.
   He is NOT the only guy who will ever like you.
   And, sometimes, there will be guys that you PINE FOR. And they're NEVER going to be into you.
   That is THEIR fault. There's nothing wrong with YOU.
   I'd also make better habits. I'd have established daily personal prayer and scripture study. I'd learn to enjoy exercising ... or at least have it be part of my daily routine. I'd snack less, but enjoy my food more.
   I'd be more thoughtful. I'd pick a major that I enjoyed more, not just one that I knew I could do.
   I'd use better stain-treater. I would not have been in any car accidents.
   I would NOT have opted for the extended-car warranty that put us into debt because it was an ULTI-MARE (because a car warranty company that's going under due to careless stupidity? DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOU).
   I'd also be aware that just because a guy's a good kisser and shows some interest in you? Doesn't mean that you should be a doormat and go running off for NCMOs. Show a little self-respect. Yup.
6. Clint Barton: A time I felt used
   Well, going about the NCMO-story? That was rather a bit of a time.
   When you tell a guy once that you're not driving to give him a back-rub and make out ... because you need to clean your room ... and he never calls back? Ever?
   Yeah. That was ... special.
   Especially when, on the occasions that you ran into his friends, he'd never introduce you to any of them. Awkward. And VERY humbling.
   ... but it made the next guy SO much more amazing (and he's still a great guy and a great friend), when HE did introduce you to his pals. Yeah. MAJOR comparison.
7. Loki: Something that I thought was true that wasn't actually true/A time someone lied to me
   When I was a little girl, my dad told me that if I ever saw a beaver, it'd bite my leg off.
   Now, you must understand that I was one of those kids that always went up to animals. I love animals (some more than others. Possums? NO. They are evil. And, really, I love the IDEA of dogs more than I love actual dogs. I love cats because they're independent and clean. They don't slobber all over me. Nor do they eat their own vomit).
   So, really, my dad was joking and trying to protect me (since he couldn't see very well).
   STILL, the first time that I saw a beaver in the wild, I screamed and ran back in the house.
   And, at that time, I was .... um ... TWELVE.
   It doesn't help that I live in the Beaver State. Where the mascot for Oregon State is a BEAVER.
   So ... yeah. Yet another reason I have issues ... because, deep down, I just can't trust beavers.
   Thanks, Dad.
8. Phil Coulson: Something I secretly "fangirl" over
   Um ... I don't know that I'm all that quiet in fandom.
   I am confident enough to let my geek-flag fly. Even though, in comparison to my friends, I'm not always as fangirl as others.
   But I'm in love with Firefly. I am comfortable in liking superheroes. I adore certain actors (Stanley Tucci is a current favorite. Along with Nathan Fillon, NPH, Alan Cumming, Stephen Fry ...). I adore Joss Whedon (even though he sometimes makes movies that are rated-R, so I can't see those. ugh).
   I LOVE mental_floss magazine. I adore reading. I'm a fangirl for Shanna Swendson's Enchanted, Inc series (volume 5 will be the first e-book I purchase!!). Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond) is another author I adore. I work my way through authors' entire lists of works: Garth Nix, Shannon Hale, Tamora Pierce, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs ... some I'm more caught up on than others. Alexander McCall-Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series is another that I love. ...
   So, yeah. Books. I geek out on books. Totally. 
9. Nick Fury: My last physical injury
   Besides some stitches from Bubble's birth and a few scratches, cuts, or bruises ... the last injury that really counts is from July 4th (Independence Day) last year ... which, incidentally, is the day I learned that I was with child (and partly to blame, really). I wanted to help Mom C in preparing food for the family gathering; so I started cutting up a bell pepper. And, well, between my excitement and Mom C actually having awesomely sharp knives, I sliced off a bit of the tip of my left index finger.
   OH MY, did it bleed. And, of course, I didn't go to the ER ... since I didn't have any medical insurance at the time. We just bandaged it and got the bleeding under control. I ended up taking an Aleeve for the pain, since no one had any Tylenol ... and I couldn't make a fuss, since we weren't telling anyone that I was pregnant until I got it confirmed at the clinic.
   Probably the worst part was how badly it hurt to change dressings on the wound ... since we didn't have any non-stick bandages at Mom and Dad's. I am told that I have a rather high tolerance to pain ... and, well, I almost passed out. As in, I got very light-headed, clammy, and had to sit down. Not very fun.
   I still have a scar ... and it's a little more sensitive to pressure than the rest of that fingertip. Odd ... I mean, wouldn't you think that scar tissue would have LESS nerves?
   But, yeah. I seem to get one accident that leaves a scar each pregnancy (I wouldn't know about where my stitches are. I can't see down there. Nor do I really care.:P).

And that, my dears, is that! It took a whole lot longer than I thought it would!

okay, I'm going to write this ... today .... eventually ....

Seriously, EVERY time I start to get ready to blog today ...

nevermind. Bubbles needs me again. *sigh* Let me get her settled. Again.

So, Thursday, Bruise forgot his lunch. Left it sitting right on the counter. So I send him to school Friday with an envelope of money to pay for his lunch.
This morning? I find it, as I'm stepping out to walk them to the bus, on the front porch.
WEIRD.
But he BETTER take it to the office today. That's it!

The kids had a dental appointment Friday afternoon. Bucket has no cavities. Yay!
Bruise will go in to have the cavities on the backs of his front teeth treated ... so, in effect, he has no NEW cavities. Yay!

Now, here's the beef from this weekend (last couple weeks).
SO, May 19, we get a raincheck for a grill at Fred Meyer. They were supposed to give us a call when the grill came in by the 26th (as soon as they got a new shipment. Within the week, really).
They did NOT call.
The rain check had a wrong number written on it when I tried to call (on the 27th).
The WEBSITE had a (different) wrong number listed. Seriously??
I eventually found the RIGHT number (the rain check had the wrong prefix written. Understandable ... but, really?)

I talked to a great employee ... was promised that we'd be called. And told that the seasonal manager (since APPARENTLY our rain check wasn't in the home/garden section, but in the seasonal section. Which is locked. And the manager only works until 4 ... *sigh*) wasn't there.

We went back Friday (TWO WHOLE WEEKS. When we were told one week later ... There went our plans for BBQ during the holiday weekend. *sigh*) ... Nothing.
Sunday?

They FINALLY called. FINALLY.
Michael's going to pick it up today. Phew.
Because I was getting REALLY TIRED of being blown off by a store that can't even list its correct PHONE NUMBER on the COMPANY WEBSITE.

(What's REALLY sad? For me ... Christmas doesn't feel the same without shopping at Fred Meyer. Probably because Mom and I always seem to hit Freddy's for the sock sale on Black Friday. Well, whenever we have Thanksgiving together. So, like, every other year, now. ... So, WHY, Freddy's? WHY ARE YOU BETRAYING ME? WHY ARE YOU BLOWING ME OFF?? I LOVE YOU!! TAKE ME BACK! LOVE ME AGAIN!!)

(Now that THAT'S out of my system ... Phew.)

And Bubble is crying again. JUST as Freyja-cat has jumped, purring, on my lap.
Oh ... conundrum!!!!

Okay ... changed a diaper ... and she's screaming in her swing. *sigh* Just let me write!!!

Got the kiddos all signed up for the Summer Reading Program. We're currently reading HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban for story-story (bedtime story).

I got a new external HD ... Now I don't have to freak out about my full one. Phew!

(Bubbles stopped crying. She's still awake ... but not crying. PHEW!!)

I need to watch movies again. As soon as Avengers is on DVD (well, knowing Michael, THAT'S a Blu-Ray purchase), I'm ready to watch it again. (I'm actually ready NOW ... but it's expensive going to the movies).
I keep meaning to rewatch some that we already have. Hitch, Cinderella, Downton Abbey (season one. I'll buy season two in a couple weeks. ^__________^) ... AAAAAAAND I have a ton of things on the netflix Instant Queue. *sigh*

I'm really not all that exciting right now ... I need to do housework. And I need to figure out what to cook. I need a shower.
Yup. I'm a wild and crazy creature.

So ... yeah.
And I NEED to clean off my desk. And the counters.
I did paint my toes this weekend. And, while I was doing THAT, I was listening to Pandora radio on my phone while cleaning up the bathroom counters. They look better. It's CRAZY how much brighter the bathroom looks when the counters aren't covered in (figurative) crap! CRAZY!!

The kids only have this week and next week (well, Wednesday of next week) of school.
Then there are TONS of stuff to do (or that we CAN do) for summer.
They have a little "Multi-Sport Academy" which will let them try T-Ball, Biddy Ball (basketball), and soccer.
They want swim lessons ... so I should get them signed up for THAT.
There are also playdates to schedule and activities for Summer Reading Program and those offered by the Visitor's Association ...
There are places to visit ... and places to GO (The Zoo, OMSI, the Aquarium ... maybe drive up to Astoria/Tillamook/Seaside) ....
After we buy a tent soon, we'll go camping ...
There are TWO family reunions in July ... thankfully, both are local. One (mine) is just a couple miles away from our house. Phew!! ... That beats last year's, when we went camping (and I puked in the bushes at our campsite. Thanks, morning sickness, you witch.) and then we COULDN'T FIND THE PARK where the reunion was. And it's not like I had a number to call. (Unlike when it's been at a distant family member's HOUSE.) Grrrrr. Yeah. AND it was on a Sunday and, driving around to find it, I had to HUGEST CRAVING for Taco Bell ... we ended up picking some up on the way back home. And then I threw THAT all up. *Sigh* Very frustrating. ... But that won't be the case this time. Thank goodness.
(Instead, we'll just run over after church. Much better. ^_^)

And I'm taking Bruise to the doctor's. Those warts/Molluscum? They're not going away.
I'm tired of treating them. And Bruise is EVEN MORE TIRED of my treating them.
If it were possible, I'd be up for a chemical peel that'd allow us to start with new skin for him.
Stupid viruses.

Freyja-cat is still doing really well on her kitty-Prozac. Phew.

And Bucket's fish are all doing well. With the algae-eater, we haven't had to clean the tank at all. Iggy does a fine job at keeping it crystal clear and clean. And the kiddos LOVE when he is "in China." (Hanging out in the little decoration/house in the tank.)

So ... yeah. I should shut up and vacuum. And do the dishes. And clean the stove (AGAIN. It stinks. SO NASTY).