A little strange ...

So, the kids have been spending a few days with my mom and stepdad ... which is VERY different. I mean ... they're not here. It's almost like having a family of three.

Which we've NEVER been (unless you count the cats, which I actually don't. You don't change your whole life for a cat. You don't dress it and breastfeed it and push it around in a stroller or schlep it around in a carrier on your body ... and you don't get a tax deduction for it, either).

So it's rather strange.

So, what do I need to fill y'all in on?
Let's see ...

Friday, we loaded up the car and drove down to Michael's work in the morning, all together.
The kids and I went to one mall (which was still closed for another HOUR) and walked around. Then we drove to the OTHER mall and went to Target to get a few things we had forgotten or needed (like an umbrella stroller for Miss Bubbles). Then we went BACK to the FIRST mall and went to See's Candy (sample du jour: Blueberry Truffle. YUM!!). THEN we drove to a children's museum and played.
Bubbles had a BLAST when I took her out of the Moby and set her in the children's ball pit.

I think that she sucked on/licked EVERY BALL she could grab.

As we left, I told her (all sing-songy), "You probably have the plague!"

Still, she doesn't seem at all sick ... so maybe she got an immune system like Bruise's.
We joke that he has the titanium immune system, since he NEVER gets sick-sick (The Molluscum warts ... that was STRANGE. But he doesn't catch colds or the flu for longer than a day. Whereas, Miss Bucket? She will cough and cough and puke and puke. Poor angel).

Then we picked up Michael from work, got a light lunch, and drove down to visit Nana. It was a good visit.
Nana has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia ... and she's 81 now (though, I always think she's 57. Since she was 57 for a LONG TIME. ^_^). But she's doing well. And it was good to see her.

She told us her favorite story about when I was little. I was probably around three or four, I suppose in this story:

One of Nana and Pop-pop's (outdoor) cats came into the laundry room and laid down on a shelf to die.

I come walking in, see the cat laying there and pet it.

"Good kitty. *pet pet* Good kitty."

Then the cat rolls over and falls on the floor. THUD!

Non-plussed, I look at it for a second and pronounce: "BAD CAT." And I flounce off into the house.

Yeah ... I'm a special person. Very, very special.

So, after visiting Nana, we WERE going to head down to Dad and L's ... but they had already left town (in the morning), because one of L's sons had been struck in a hit-and-run a couple years ago ... He's had trouble with his leg since. It's been infected off and on ... and it was amputated on Thursday morning.

So, we didn't get to visit with them this time. And it's good that L is there for her son. And she'll get to see family (like her grandkids) while they're down there.

Then we headed to Mom's and C's place ... had dinner, got the kids to bed ...

And my phone ... remember how I mentioned that it was acting all weird?
IT GOT WORSE.
And I was FREAKING OUT.

AND, since I had set the two-step authentication for my Google account (and for Facebook), I couldn't check my email on any other computer UNLESS I could get a text on my phone ... which had STOPPED even being able to send/receive CALLS or TEXTS!!!!

So, I looked up the number on my mom's computer and called Verizon's tech support.

Say what you will about Verizon and their pricing and all ... but, I have to say that their customer support and tech support are REALLY GREAT.
The gal who answered and the guy she transferred me to? AWESOME.

I did have to do a factory reset ... but, since my photos save to the SD card and my contacts are backed up, I really didn't lose much of anything (Fruit Ninja achievements, really ... since my DrawSomething and SongPop are both logged into Facebook. PHEW!!) ... Yes, I lost about 24 hours of Bubbles' feedings, sleep, and diapering schedule ... but that's okay.

AAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDD!!!!!
I don't know if you remember how I kvetched about how my clock widget that would tell me the weather, the one that came with my phone ... how it wouldn't FIND my location ... so it STOPPED telling me the weather?

IT WORKS NOW.

SO ... it appears that what happened was that, with an update, there was some bad software. THAT'S why (1) the weather/clock app stopped working, (2) almost ALL my other apps started acting up, and (3) it would keep rebooting in the middle of the night.

This factory reset WORKED. Phew!!

But, then, the LDS Tools (ward/stake directory and calendar) wasn't working. It would crash on starting up. So I emailed a crash report Sunday morning. In a couple hours, I got a reply to try the new version they'd worked on. SUCCESS!!

So, I am a HAPPY Llanna!! My phone is WORKING!!
There are AWESOME people doing tech support!! Phew!!

Which brings us to Saturday (when we backtrack from the LDS Tools bit).

We woke up and let Michael sleep in. Bucket watched 101 Dalmations (the animated one) ... and, well, when the puppies returned? ... I ... well, I went all misty-eyed and ... I'm NOT THAT BAD, usually!! It's pretty ridiculous.

But, we all got ready and took the kids to the county fair. There were some differences (a lot of things moved ... like the FOOD COURT! The flower exhibits were much smaller and not nearly as well-represented as the last time I'd been. The convention hall was redone ... very swanky for Douglas County.), but the kiddos seemed to have fun. They went on a lot of rides.

Bucket REALLY wanted to go on the Ferris wheel ... Bruise really wanted to go on a roller coaster.
So, here's how it went down, since we had Bubbles in her stroller with us (so either Michael or I had to stay out with her).

• Bruise and Michael went in the "haunted house" ride (Seriously, for 9 tickets each [$4.50. But they only were charged 9 tickets, not 18, since the card wouldn't scan the second time], it was about a one minute ride. And some of the skeletons had the wires [animatronic wires] totally showing. Michael was NOT impressed. At all.)
• Bruise, Bucket and I went on the Ferris wheel, since Michael doesn't care at all for most rides. Heights and taking-your-life-in-your-hands and trusting that things built by the lowest bidder will keep you safe? He's not a fan of that.
  They loved it.
• Then it was time for the kids' rides ... There was a rocket ship that you could raise and lower [Bucket's seat] and there were fake guns that you could pretend to shoot [Bruise's job].
  Then the DRAGON COASTER!
  And the HUGE slide!!
  The kids were going to go through a fun house, but Bucket was wearing open-toed shoes.
  So, there was a little meltdown.
  Instead, they went on a firetruck which ... do you remember the Sinbad Boat-type rides? They rock and then end up doing a full circle? Well, this was like that, but you didn't go upside down. The fire truck pivots along with you, keeping you right-way-up the whole time.
  And then a little ride with fake-hot-air-balloons.
• Michael had me get another two tickets and go on a ride by myself.
  And here, I was going to pass ... not because I don't like the rides (I DO. I think the momentum and the velocity? Those are awesome ... But I was thinking that I was too old to do things like this. Obviously not.)
  I chose one that spun, then raised up on its side (so you are spinning on a vertical axis, not the usual horizontal axis), then turned upside down.
  Yup, good times.
  Even though, while I was up there, spinning upside down, feeling my weight pressing against the (locked into place) safety restraint, I looked up/down to the ground, and had a full realization that, if ANYTHING went wrong, I'd die. Or be broken beyond repair.
  But I trusted (and said a little prayer), and returned back to Michael and the kids all in one piece, no worse the wear (except for my VERY wind-blown hair).

Also, while we were at the fair, we got to pet a Silkie chicken ... She was SO SOFT!!

Then we headed back to my mom's and the kids (even Bubbles) got in the wading pool (Bubbles LOVED when Bruise and Bucket were splashing. She even joined in a little, too). Then we ate dinner, loaded up our stuff, and took off for home ... leaving Bruise and Bucket behind.

Sunday (yesterday) was busy ... I forgot the bag of school supplies to donate. Ugh!
And I had Stake Choir rehersal (not double choir, thank goodness! That would have been quite a lot to do!) ... where I got to see my Bri and her brother!
Once Bri gets married, we'll actually be (distantly, but STILL!) related!! Her fiance is the cousin to Michael's cousin's wife ... so, yeah, distant relation ... but YAY!!!

Got home late and had an evening alone with Michael (Bubbles had fallen asleep ... she woke up when we came into the bedroom, so I got her fed and alseep again after that). She didn't sleep as well as she could have ... but, she did sleep most of the night.

This morning, I worked at cleaning our room ... it's not perfect by ANY means. I need to pick up some storage containers for the kids' outgrown clothes (which I need to sort through) ... THEN, it should be a LOT better. I moved the trunk that Michael keeps walking into (and I do, too).
I've done some laundry and loaded the dishwasher. I cleaned the hall bathroom.
I still need to clean the catbox and empty out the Diaper Genie. (Okay, I just impressed myself by spelling "genie" correctly on the first try. Yay!!)

Besides Bubbles' need for naps (and getting HELLA CRANKY before she falls asleep), it's been pretty quiet. ... Besides the said fielding of phone calls.

The kiddos and my mom are coming up tomorrow, so it'd be nice if I could clean off my desk before they get here. And figure out a few dinners. And paint my toenails. And read a book ... But I don't know if I'll get to any of that. Especially since I am Bubbles' main entertainment today. My pinch sitters are gone! But they'll all be back tomorrow. Phew! ^_^

Also, in silly news ... That elder daughter of mine ... She's a hoot.
As she made me walk her to the ladies' bathroom in Michael's office (She KNOWS where it is. The office is SMALL. In fact, only Michael and one other employee were there at this point).

Bucket goes into it, turns to close the door (after I told her that I'd wait outside of the bathroom for her), and states, in a rush, EMPHATICALLY, "I'm locking the door! I know how to do it! I won't twist it! THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!!!!"

I had to lean against the counter in that hall to compose myself.
Sure enough, there ARE instructions above the inside handle, telling you to just push in the button to lock the door; to NOT twist/turn the button.

But, OH, it was HOW she said it ... cracked me up something fierce.

I mean, really, what am I going to do to amuse myself half as much with these kiddos in school for hours and hours and hours almost every day?? (Seriously, they'll be in school for just about SEVEN HOURS ... except for early release days ... and, well, I don't even know when they get out THEN. Just that it's EARLIER. I should figure that out, right?)

So, I should ALSO take advantage of the "free time" and figure out what we're going to do on Michael's business trip ... looks like we're going camping! And to a new place! (Well, to the kids. It's a place that Michael and I have been to before. In my case, MANY times. Because I started getting my geek on quite early in life. At least out here in the Pacific Northwest. ^_^)

Pants on Fire

So, that posting-on-a-weekly-basis?

Obvs NOT.

Since, if I WERE, I'd have posted YESTERDAY.

So ... there you go.

Now, to rack my brain about what all's been going on.

Since there have been some things that happened and I was all, "Oh, I should TOTALLY blog that!" ... and, well, I am wracking my brain to recall what they were. Oops!

My mom came up ... we got caught up on Titli's Busy Garden (LOVE me some Titli!).
I got caught up on dishes ... then terribly behind. Almost caught up again.

Been battling the ants that wouldn't give up.
I hate it when I see them CRAWLING ON THE CONTAINER OF ANT KILLER.
Cheeky buggers.

The kitchen is a lot cleaner, though.

And, unrelated, I've gone through the kids' drawers and mine ... got rid of clothes that don't fit and all.

On my lady cycle, so I had the moments of I-feel-like-crying-for-no-reason and the I-hate-how-busy-things-are-and-I-hate-everything-else-too ... YEAH, that's FUN. And I'm sure that it's SUPERFUN to be around.

My Bubbles-stuff tracker app on my phone is NOT WORKING.
So ... while I'm waiting for the company to get back to me, I've downloaded two other apps ... Yeah, I'm not used to them. But they were free. So ... yeah. Still not thrilled.

I have a new niece. And I'll be getting a new nephew next year. So, that's exciting.

Been doing laundry. Lots of laundry.

The kids got some Summer Reading Program swag ... That's always a fun thing.

I am so tired. Like, constantly. I should make sure that I'm getting my vitamins.

And I had DREAMS before Bubbles woke up, needing to be fed.

Mom, Bruise, Bucket, and I drove up to the next big town. There was a huge carousel and a permanent Ferris Wheel ... and, in this swanky store was a room where you could sample some foods.

Bucket tried this chicken broth-based soup (FILLED with rice and large red beans. Looked tasty!) ... Bruise and I opted to try the "Chocolate Soup" (think THICK hot chocolate. Like warmed heavy cream combined with melted chocolate) ... which ended up ALL OVER his face.
I was JUST about to try a piece of this Chocolate Yogurt Cake ... looked like a cheesecake ... so decadent!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand then Bubbles woke up. *sigh*

Oh well.

We're one chapter away from finishing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ... and starting Harry Potter is EMO Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
. (I'll try not to SOB through the last chapters like LAST time.
So ... the kiddos (Bruise and Bucket. Not Bubbles) are going to visit the grandfolks for a few days.
It'll be strange not to have them around for a few days.

Of course, since I'm in the Stake Choir, it's not like I have a ton of free time on Sunday to relax.
Seriously, Michael, Bubbles, and I will go to church. Then we'll come home. I'll be nursing her and trying to pump (if she'll take milk in a sippy cup, we're good to go. Here's hoping!) and heading back to church for Double Potions Choir. (Yup, that's WARD Choir and then STAKE Choir.) Yup, 5:30 - 8:15, I'll be at church. I should take a snack, so I don't get all crankypants.

Monday is empty. Maybe I'll clean Michael's and my room ... We'll see if Miss Bubbles is on board with that.

Tuesday morning, I'll be donating blood. Then, in the afternoon or evening, the kids (and my Mom) are coming back ... We have some plans for Wednesday and Thursday ... It'll be good.
We might have plans for Saturday ... not sure (if not, maybe we can go to a concert??) ... and Sunday will be singing in the Stake Choir for Stake Conference, going home for a bit, and Ward Choir ... And MAKING SURE TO WISH MY MOM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
(She's turning 29, of course. Yes, I'm older than my mom. *nods*)

I should also clean my desk. Again.
And take a nap.
And take my vitamins.
And exercise (yeah, RIGHT).
And make something for lunch ... and dinner.

Since last week ...

So, it appears that I'm to a once a week schedule.

I should change that.

BUT, until then, here's what you've missed since the LAST episode of Llanna's Life of Leisure and Labor!
(Cheesy. WAY cheesy. But I do kinda dig the alliteration ... but not enough to actually CHANGE my blog's NAME. That just wouldn't fly.)

So ... what HAVE I been doing? ... Um ... let's see.

Missing the summer reading program things.
... AAAAAAAs I look at the clock and notice that we've just missed ANOTHER.
Winner!
NOT.
*headdesk*
Oh well.

Um ... let's see. I don't remember at all what Wednesday day held. But Michael and I WERE going to watch SYTYCD ... but the stupid channel wouldn't come in (Again, I hate the switch to digital signals. We USED to totally get FOX, the CW, and OPB. NO PROBLEM AT ALL ... Now? We DO get OPB, FOX is iffy, and NO CW. Gah.)
So we watched LAST WEEK'S episode online. And read the spoilers from the east coast people for tonight's show's results.

Mom came up on Thursday. We had Taco Bell for dinner before the missionaries came over.
Bubbles is sleeping in her crib now. And sleeping through the night, more often than not.

The weekend was rather fast. I got Visiting Teaching done. And we got some more stamps for the kids' scavenger hunt-thing. We got groceries. Got their room a little more organized. Went to church, went to choir ... That sort of thing.

I've signed up to be in the Stake Choir for our conference coming up. A general authority will be there.
This will be the third one that I've sang in front of ... to my knowledge. My home stake sang at a regional conference for President Hinckley. The University Wards choir sang for President Eyring.  ... I don't know who's coming for this conference ... But, yeah ... for the next couple of Sundays, I will be busy.
I also am going to need to pump some milk for Bubbles ... since I'll barely be home from 5-8:30ish in the evening. (That's for BOTH choir rehearsals ... not just the Stake choir. We're not THAT hardcore. :P)

But, yeah ... it feels kinda busy.

But the house isn't HORRIBLY messy.
We went to a baseball game. Stayed all the way through. It was fun. Our team (the home team) won.
We're ALMOST done with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
I'm ALMOST caught up on dishes.
I fixed a pair of legwarmers that I made for Bubbles. And made her a couple toys (like these. But with a crinkle sheet inside them). She seems to like them.

Besides that, there's not a lot that I can think of to report.

I mostly just want a nap. But I'm not going to get one. I let Bubbles sleep (well, I got her to sleep ... and back to sleep) while I washed dishes and did some laundry.

I also want a shower. I had got the kids ready for an impromptu playdate at the park ... but I didn't see the host, who was the only gal of the bunch that I knew ... so we went home.
But, I scurried us out the door. I haven't showered or anything. (Hey, I put on deodorant, brushed my teeth, and used some dry shampoo on my hair. And I slapped on some moisturizer ... But, yeah. Oh well.)

Aaaaaaaand, Bubbles is awake again. Time to get a bathroom break and get back to being a mom.

Yup, that's everything that I can think of.
If there's anything that I've really left out, maybe Michael will remind me.
Or not.
I mean, really, it's a total 50/50 chance.

Unless, say, I forgot nothing. THEN it's a 100% chance that he WON'T remind me of anything that I should have added.

Not dead ... but dreaming...

I know that it's been a while since I've sat down and blogged. Mostly just been reading OTHER people's blogs ... and dinking around on Facebook. And *GASP!* actually reading out of a book! (And some graphic novels, too.)

But lately, I've been having strange dreams. One was genuinely frightening. Two were not so much.

• Dream one: I'm at my mom's house with Bucket and Bubbles. Bucket is watching Bubbles in the living room. I notice that it's getting late, and figure that I should cook my mom dinner for when she gets home from work (She's retired now. And I have NO CLUE where Bruise, Michael, or my stepdad are in this dream.)
  
  Suddenly, there's this crazy-strong windstorm. I can see the trees outside (IRL, mostly tall firs and pines) WHIPPING around in the wind. And there's a crack of lightning. I catch a bit of light/color while I look through the sliding glass door. There's a huge BALL of orange fire in the big shop. And a truck (must be mine, but it's not any vehicle that I've driven IRL), well, there's a bit of fire on the roof of the cab.
  
  I tell Bucket to stay in the house and watch Bubbles. And to call 911. I grab a HUGE fire extinguisher, which just happens to be standing on the kitchen counter and race outside.
  
  And then I wake up. And I get up, panting. I go to the bathroom and I drink about a half-liter of water. And I go back to sleep. Where I have ...
• Dream two: This one, I'm SURE is inspired by the episode of TNG that Michael was watching (in it, kids were vectors for some strange disease. I'm not thinking that I'm spoiling anything, since this episode is over a decade old.)
  
  But, for some reason, the Weasley family (yes, from Harry Potter) need blood transfusions. LOTS of them. They have some kind of blood-borne disease where they HAVE to get certain types of blood. And they're kidnapping people.
  
  And, well, of course, I get kidnapped. But I'm a much younger, unmarried version of myself.
  
  Well, I don't recall EXACTLY what went on (but, be assured it was only PG-rated. There was NO nudity or disturbing images or anything).
  BUT!! I have it on good dram-authority that GEORGE is a better kisser than Fred.
  
  (Seriously, my subconscious is OBSESSED with Gred and Forge. What is UP with that?!???)
• Dream three: This one happened during the NEXT night. And it followed another dream that I can't really recall ... besides that it had some elements of suspense in it.
  
  In this dream, I was with Michael. But it wasn't quite Michael. It was like Michael mixed with Thor (the Chris Hemsworth version). Very protective. Very gentlemanly ... You get the gist.
  I was me-but-not-as-I-currently-am ... You know, ... about a decade younger and about 70 pounds lighter.
  
  There was this REALLY ANNOYING guy (Not Loki. I'd have remembered that) who had to be with us as we were shut up in a house(? shelter?) where we had to stay to be safe. ... It was a nice house-y place. Lots of natural light. Kinda airy.
  
  I had to change my jeans ... and the annoying guy kept trying to watch. But Michael-but-not wouldn't let him. Took his guardian-type role very seriously. And he held up some material (not a blanket, but something) so that the annoying guy couldn't watch.
  
  Later, in the dream, after the guy left, Michael-but-not asked if there was anything else I needed. And I said that there was. And I lifted my lips to his ... and, yeah ... making out seems to be quite a theme in this last weekend's dream fare.

Michael was a little disappointed that he didn't get the godlike, long hair in the dream. Poor guy.

I don't recall dreaming much the last few nights. Probably because I have been taking a Unisom so I don't wake up a ton.

Since Bubbles has started sleeping through the night, I should take advantage of that fact and follow suit, no?

But, yeah, if anyone wondered, out of the Weasley twins, George appears to be the choice my subconscious favors.
Not that my waking self would've ever have really THOUGHT that I'd need to know that.

And, yeah, I do have a bit of a soft spot for Thor.
And Cap(tain America).

I'll admit, shallowly, that they are quite easy on the eyes ... but, really?
They are SUCH gentlemen.
I adore a guy who knows how to treat a lady.
Because ladies need respect ... and to feel special.

Tony Stark? He just doesn't quite do that. Poor tortured soul.