All the crazy dreams!!

So, last night, I had a plethora of crazy dreams ... which flowed and ebbed into each other.

It started with visiting a gal I know from church. Her marriage isn't the best right now. Her husband has some pretty serious (and getting serious-er) mental health problems.

At one point in the dream, he asks for some help. (IRL, I'm not completely comfortable with him.) Since Michael's also there, in the dream, visiting these folks, I hesitatingly agree to assist him.

He asks me to come stand near the bathroom door. He proclaims that he's got a terrible fear of water, can't even step in the tub. He starts to fill the bathtub with not even an inch of water. I turn, not knowing what to tell him. He and his wife's son (but wrong age) have stripped or are in the process of taking off their clothes. ... I back out, scrabble for Michael's hand and announce, trying not to sound as panicked and disturbed as I feel, "Thank you SO MUCH for your hospitality, but we really must be going. I have a terrible headache and must leave. RIGHT NOW."

Later, in my dream, we're home ... but it's not like any house I've lived in. There are some similarities to my childhood home ... but it's not. The gal from the previous dream called, asking for help for her husband. And I am trying to be SO NICE since I'm genuinely feeling bad for her. But I am also FREAKED OUT by the situation. And I tell her that, no, I'm very sorry, but I am not the person to assist in this situation. AT ALL.

And I am so tired. And Michael and I are in our room (which, in this dream, is right by my mom's room). And I start to get undressed. And we start to ... well ... get a little frisky. Mostly clothed. But we haven't totally closed our door. And my mom walks by as she heads down the hall. And we have a rather awkward, but short conversation. Whoops.

So, in the next section of dream, our house (which is not our irl house) ... well, the door was left open. And I'm telling off the kids because they KNOW that we can't leave the doors open. BECAUSE THE CATS WILL GET OUTSIDE. And it's dark and I'm trying to count our cats, to make sure that everyone's in the house and safe. And Celeste-cat slinks into the light from the porch, carrying something in her mouth.
At first, I think it's a wet rat, something that she's hunted and brought back ... but it's actually a wet kitten. I would think it was just born. Except that it's about twice the size of a newborn kitten. It's got a collar that says something to the effect of "If you find this kitten, it's yours. We are done keeping track of it."

Harsh.

"Hon," I call. I think we just got ourselves a fourth cat. Sorry?"

Then, in my dream, Michael and I (and maybe Mom and the kids are with us?) are shopping at a little store. It's a lot like the shops downtown and a little like the ones that I shopped at over 20 years ago in Victoria, B.C.

We're browsing through things. At one point, I'm looking through some sale items in a cart outside a shop. They're marked down a LOT. One thing is even free, since someone told the shopowners that it was an empty box, but it wasn't. Things were so on sale that it all came down to around ten dollars.
Even though, with the item marked down to three, it's over $20 of stuff.

There are two shopkeepers. One is a blonde, younger woman. She's sweet and is just trying to keep her shop afloat with all the crazy. The other (her dad?) is an older, bald man. He's grousing about how much things are marked down, muttering, worried.

I dig through the cash in my purse. I give him a ten and two fives, telling him to keep the change. As he looks through the money in his hand, his whole demeanor changes. He's awed and humble and so very sweet. And it didn't cost me much ... just giving a fairer price for all that I was buying.

So, we leave the shop, everyone happy. Celeste-cat is walking along, in front of us, having followed us, like a dog. I think she still has the new, inexplicably still-wet kitten.

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

I really have no idea what a lot of this is all about.

The phone call from the wife ... I'm pretty sure that's related to a guy who was trying to buy my mom's property. He was ... a knucklehead. He was demanding and really rude to Mom's realtor (and good friend). For someone buying a house on contract (therefore, needed to be in long-term business/contact with the other party), he was quite a piece of work.

Needless to say, we shined up our steel spines and gave the "we cannot accommodate that/those request/s. Good day." ... And, once he realized that he had REALLY messed up and that we were aware that he wasn't our only option, he turned face and had his (sweet) wife call the realtor and ask if we would reconsider.

No. We really wouldn't (and are glad of it). He would have been a very trying neighbor for the folks on either side of the property. And we (and the existing neighbors) are SO VERY GLAD that we put our foot down. ... Really, if you're going to completely try and lowball on a property sold "as is" and THEN make multiple demands (reroof, cleared out, yardwork, etc ... when the seller kindly offered to pay for the property to be mowed AND offered to pay for a dumpster for clearing out the shop)?? Yeah, that was irritating and not happy-making.

But, there's a new buyer. And his family is SO excited for the property. And he's already helped DO stuff. So that is a huge blessing.

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

But, yeah. That's most of what's going on in my subconscious.

... I agree. I totally wouldn't want to visit either. But I don't get a choice. Ha ha haaaa.

Layers upon Layers of TEH CRAZEE in today's serving of Crazy Dream Chronicles™

So, since my dream was SO full of the craziness, Imma just going to do bullet points.
(It's not like anything is going to make much sense, anyways. Let's just look at the facets on this brilliant cut jewel of CRAZY.)

• Michael bought a camper trailer. It was ... in serious need of repairs.
  (Though, irl, his dad often will buy things to fix up. Or he'll "redesign" a plan ... hence the toolhouse he built before he and Mom C moved away. We called it "the birdhouse," since that's what it looked like. ... Michael usually doesn't do this. He's very aware of how much time he has to put into a project AND about how much time to budget to really fix a project.)
• I took a nap in said dream-trailer as we drove somewhere. Then I woke up and played a computer game. For a small fee of in-game coins (that you could earn, since I'm cheap like that), you could have the in-game band perform a special song.
  Which, as it turns out, they did as a CGI-version of the cast of Daria. Dressed in medieval garb. It was glorious. I wondered if I had enough coins to afford to do it again so that Michael could see the glory of it.
• When we stopped, I worked to fix up the kitchen counter in there. Then I realized that I need to take inventory and plan for all the pantry supplies (salt, pepper, dry goods, etc) so that we could use the camper at a moment's notice. 
• In the camper, there was also a rusty, claw-foot bathtub with part of a shower curtain around it. The shower curtain needed to be washed, so I took it down and it was COATED with this weird, viscous, clear gelatin. GROSS. And then the tub was one-third full of this yucky, milky, thick liquid. I considered myself lucky that I had a pair of those yellow kitchen gloves, so I pulled the plug to drain it. And filled it with some clear water for rinsing it out.
  BUT!! The water didn't go down the drain correctly, and you could feel the water sloshing around under the metal-plated floor.
  AND!!!!! In the clear water, there was this black, smoke-like liquid undulating up from the drain. Out of the tub/drain (though I don't know HOW) springs a full-grown chimpanzee with a dead baby chimp dangling by its heel from her hand. She races out the door and drops the stillborn chimp on the junk pile we're parked on.
  Then another chimpanzee ... or maybe the first one came back and traded a dead human baby for the now-living (and remarkably eloquent ... like talking better than most 4-year-old humans) baby chimpanzee.
• Then Michael and I were moving into a house with his old roommate, B, and his wife, P (I have no idea where ANY of our kids are). We were living in a house together and decided to trade which floors we lived on. They used to have the ground floor. There had been a tiny jacuzzi in the living room, but they ripped it out. So there was this green-tiled area with one of those metal dishes you screw into a wall (but this was in the floor) to hide/stop the pipes.
  And there was a BIG bathtub in the corner near it. That was cool, sure, but, like, what if someone wanted to watch TV while Michael and I used the bath? That'd be really awkward. Even with a shower curtain. It's just a bad interior design.

Then I woke up, since Michael's alarm went off and he wasn't in the room. So I got up, since I needed to ... powder my nose. And I told him about the crazy of the dreams.

And, stepping into the bathroom, I stepped on an article of clothing that the kids left out ... which, combined with the fact that I use body oil spray when I get out of the shower AND we have those peel-and-stick tiles on the bathroom floor ... I slipped in slow motion. I landed (softly, expecially considering my body-type) with my left leg bent under me (like half-lotus or cross-cross-applesauce) and my right leg pointed straight out in front of me.

And, since I am behind on the laundry, my fall was cushioned by the pile of dirty clothes ... so ... tender mercies of the Lord?

Then I went back to bed.

And NEXT DREAM! STILL CRAZY!!

• Michael and I were going through a drive-thru restaurant, but something was going wrong...
• MOM and I were going through the drive-thru and we thought we'd get slushies.
  They had three flavors: Orange, Green, and Red ... and those each had a description (but after picking up the house, loading the dishwasher, rushing a kid to school for Musical Theater, and dealing with a Miss Little Chatterbox, I'm forgetting most of the flavors.
  BUT! The mean thing was that the red one was Ginger Dragonfruit, which sounded really intriguing.
  BUT! They only were serving certain flavors on certain days ... or something. And one of the slushie machines was out of order. And I didn't really care for the other flavors as much. And, since they didn't have signs on the drive-thru menu about the limitations on flavors, I was a little miffed. 
• We got our dang drinks anyways and brought them to Michael's truck.

Yeah ... I don't really know what's up with my subconscious. No clue.

But I need to get myself showered and dressed, since I have a cousin-friend (srsly, we're like 10th cousins, 7 times removed) and maybe her grown-up daughters coming over to watch a movie together. I'll put Bubbles to play on the blue tablet ... it'll be good.

Yeah, I really have NO CLUE what my subconscious is up to. No idea at all.

Wow, I suck at keeping this updated ...

Good thing you still love me, right?

I couldn't sleep last night.
I'm sure it had NOTHING AT ALL to do with the fact that I had two HUGE cups of Dr. Pepper when we went to McDonald's yesterday. (My mom came up, since it was a no-school day.)
Of course, after I finished the ebook I'd checked out on my library app, I checked our bank balance.
And FINALLY Michael's paycheck came through before any overdrafts (way to cut it close, right?) ...

Still, it was pretty frustrating, since he is supposed to get paid on the1st and the 16th ... and this is the NINETEENTH DAY of the month. I thought that direct deposits were, you know, scheduled in advance and all that  ... but, yeah, whatever.

I hate adulting sometimes.
Especially when you don't have tons of liquid assets (that you THOUGHT you'd have) the morning of your twins' birthday party.
(Good thing it was a small, family party ... They'll get together with friends ... sometime. Especially since one of their friends doesn't celebrate birthdays, so she couldn't come to a BIRTHDAY-thing ... but she COULD come to a playdate-thing, I'd hope.)

But, yes, tender mercies of the Lord: =No overdrafts. (phew.) We had cash that covered (and had some leftover) lunch for us, cake and ice cream and drinks (and plates, napkins, and cups). We had enough food in the house to cover meals without scrimping. Our bread wasn't moldy. The milk hadn't gone sour. (And, even if it HAD, Bubbles is still receiving WIC, so that's nice).

I came to a conclusion, which I wasn't thrilled about ...
Michael and I keep thinking about (someday) building our "dream home" and what we want in it.
We go about this VERY DIFFERENT WAYS.
His way = design a floorplan. Ask me if I like it and what I'd prefer to see. I waffle on the whole thing.
My way = Create a Pinterest board. On it exist NO floorplans. Rather, it's filled with ideas for decorating and organizing. Or cool ideas to integrate INTO rooms. Again, not what Michael had in mind when I told him about that board.

SO, as I was thinking (in the shower, since that's where I do my best thinking for the most part nowadays), I realized that a big reason that I haven't planned on designing actual SPACES (besides my crack spatial skillz /sarcasm) is because deep down, I'm scared that we'll never have the money to actually DO it. And that realization ticks me off, since it feels like, in a way, I'm doubting my husband and his ability to provide for us ... which is stupid. And I DON'T LIKE doing stupid things.

Last week, I was crap at studying (let alone READING) my scriptures. I need to do it. I KNOW I need it. I have a class to prepare for, let alone that it's a GOOD thing that we've been COMMANDED to do.
This week has been better so far.
After church, I holed up in our room for a couple hours -- changed the sheets, looked at the lessons to be covered, read through next week's Relief Society lesson, caught up in the BoM365 (read the Book of Mormon in a year) schedule ... It was nice. I felt productive.
Yesterday morning, since I wasn't in any rush to get dressed or whatever, I started looking through the lesson I'll be teaching in RS in a couple months (Originally, it was going to be lesson 5, about Joseph Smith. BUT, due to needing to reschedule things due to a Stake Broadcast added into the calendar, I'm now teaching the lesson about the Atonement and Resurrection. It's a great lesson (not that the JS one wasn't ... but I like this one a lot and am not at all upset that I get to teach it)) and I read a conference talk, since I do need to go through those a few times (I didn't highlight in my November Ensign yet. Later).

I do need to work on saying sincere prayers ... and having formal, little prayers ... as opposed to just little statements of gratitude or what I need. Prayer is more of a conversation with our Heavenly Father, so said our High Council speaker on Sunday. It's not like text messaging (that's what I'm telling myself).

I'm still having dreams, every so often, about that bestie who's dropped out of my life.
I mean, yeah, I still miss her. But ... well, in my dreams, she's always ignoring my presence or trying to actively avoid me. And, usually, I find her and tell her point blank that I still love her, that I miss her, that I hope for the best for her.

They're not the most happy-making of dreams. But, at the same time, I'm not sobbing or irate or whatever else when I wake up. So ... yeah.

I'm enjoying my new class of students (in church, you usually change classes based on your birth year. So, I have all the students who are starting 2016 as 12- or 13-year-olds. I had a lot of students (all but one, actually) during that last quarter of 2015 who had or would turn 14 before January 1st.
I miss my old class, yes ... but I'm having fun getting to know a new bunch (and making sure that I get everyone's names right).
The Sunday before (being the 10th), tradition continued ... in that I had another adult join my class (usually for observation. It's enough to make a girl nervous!). So far, I've had our Ward Sunday School President (who's a friend, so that's not so nerve-wracking), the STAKE PRESIDENT (a little more nerve-wracking, though I know him and I know that he's not scary ... You make a joke about going onstage in your nudie-pants, and realize that the Stake Prez is in the room and HAD to have heard you ... and you apologize ... and he tells you that it's okay ... Yeah, one has to admit to oneself that he's not going to be shocked by anything else you do. So that's out of the way. Yay?), a friend who was visiting your ward for the day (I practically dragged her to class, so I happily brought that upon myself), the bishop, one of the members of the bishopric, ... and now the STAKE SUNAY SCHOOL PRESIDENT (who I didn't know at all).
So that was kind of ... nerve-wracking.
But he said that I did fine.
In fact, my Ward Sunday School Prez reported to me on Sunday that (1) he didn't have anyone lined up to observe my class (That's fine. I told him. Next week. It's tradition!) and (2) that Brother ___ was impressed with my teaching.

So, that's nice. Because Brother ____ sure didn't have to say that. ^_^
I guess it's a good thing that I brought a handout for the class. And that I printed up strips with the scriptures to read on them. And that I tell my students about great resources to help their scripture study. Because if there's one thing I love (besides the gospel, since I do love it bunches. And my family, ditto), it's books. Or knowledge available on the interwebz.

I know there's more to report about. but my hands are tired of typing. I'll do more later.
But sooner than a month from now.

That's wack. And not wiggety-wack, just the regular kind.

Today started out fine ...

Got up, showered, dressed.
Had devotional with the kids, dropped Bruise off to track club.
Bucket got on the bus. I finished getting ready ...

Then, when Bubbles and I got into the car to go into town/shopping ... I go to plug in my iPod ... and then the car won't start. When I press on the brake, the dashboard clock fades away to nothing.

I don't know my neighbors well enough to feel like I can just go ask them for a jump.
mi...
Okay, I was going to say that Michael isn't picking up his phone (so I also emailed AND shot him a text), but he just called back.
And he'll come home at his lunch break, figure out stuff and we'll figure out what all needs to be done.
If nothing else, he'll stay home long enough to pick up the kids from strings (which means he'll just be staying home for the rest of the day) ... and we can either walk to pick Bucket up from her after-school running tomorrow. We'll see.

I'm hoping it's just that either I shorted out something that's easily fixable OR that Bucket just didn't close the stupid door quite well enough (it has a crappy sensor anyways) and the battery was just run down a bit.

Okay. I'm going to figure out dinner and read a book and go soak my head or something.

EDIT: And watch a bazillion episodes of Teen Girl Squad. And read my scriptures for the day. And probably do my Duolingo. Distractions galore!

Let me explain ... no, there's too much, let me sum up ...

Okay, where to start?

Forget that, I'll catch up later. But right now, I'm just going to restate some of my thoughts that I've put on Facebook.

I first linked to April McMurtrey's blog post, "President Monson, I Sustain You" because, while I was stewing a bit about how irritated I was about a certain-group-who-won't-be-named-here-to-avoid-giving-them-more-attention's choice to go to Conference solely to oppose the sustaining of President Monson, his counselors, and the twelve apostles.

If you're not familiar with this at all, here's what I'm talking about in a nutshell:
We have the opportunity during the Saturday Afternoon session of General Conference to, no matter where you are (listening in person at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah; at home in your pajamas [that's me ... unless I've gotten showered and dressed by then], listening to it in your car, etc.), have the opportunity to show by raising your right arm to the square/raising your right hand that you covenant to help and support [whoever the is being sustained] to do the work of God/fulfill his/her calling.

Now, if you're opposed (because you have knowledge that an individual is unworthy due to sin/s or some other legitimate reason that needs to be brought to the attention of those calling him/her), you have an opportunity to show that. Whoever is conducting that bit of ward/stake/general business will ask, "All in favor, show by the raise of the right hand/usual sign. ... Any opposed, show by the same sign."

(I'll admit that, when I was little, I wondered why it was the same sign. I figured that maybe people should raise their LEFT hand ... but now that I'm aware that it's a COVENANT, using the right hand makes a LOT more sense. ... Yeah, I was a weird child. ... That hasn't really changed.)

SO ... back to General Conference, when President Uchtdorf (second counselor in the First Presidency), asked for "any opposed?"

A small number in the Conference yelled, "OPPOSED!" (apparently, they also raised their hands AND stood). And they did that for the sustaining of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

President Uchtdorf kept his poise. "Your vote is noted." and "Please meet with your Stake President after the meeting is over." And he made sure to emphasize by the same sign, since that group apparently wasn't listening.

Now, I don't know what these individuals have gone through. I don't know their stories. I don't know if they've chosen to discuss whatever is troubling them with their bishops/branch presidents or stake presidents. I have no knowledge of any of this.

But, what I do know is that they chose, planning in advance, to be disruptive in a solemn gathering. And I'm trying not to be offended that they were rude to those in the meeting and (some of) MY leaders.

I was very glad to read Sister April McMurtrey's Christlike response and her personal plan of action.
As I posted on Facebook:

I'll admit that I'm a bit irked at what I really hoped was some drunk frat-boy prank at Saturday Afternoon's session at LDS General Conference ... though it wasn't. It was, unfortunately, real.
However, this gal's blog post is just about the perfect response to the situation. I should try and follow her example. (Though, I did tell my kids if they EVER chose to act in a manner as disruptive, rude, and selfish [Zoë's addition, actually. My kids are awesome], that'd I'd be SORELY disappointed in them. Because there are proper ways of giving a dissenting vote. Yelling at a religious event is NOT one of them.

Well, there were quite a few comments on that. Most were in agreeance that these individuals ACTED in an inappropriate manner, that regardless of whether or not they felt that they were being heard or not, there are other, more mature ways to show their disapproval of how the church is being run.

Then it started to veer off-course. I have one friend who seems to feel that it's her duty to fight everyone's battles. She (rightly) stated that we should love these individuals, that all they need is love and support.
I see that's the main point of her statements and she's right that we NEED to love them. But regardless of how they feel unheard at present, there's always a choice in what actions we take. And, since they decided to take THIS action, I feel that they're shooting themselves in the foot with that.

As I told another friend who underwent a horrible attack (as in, she was left for dead afterwards, but she lived through it), and was judged harshly and has since left the church due, a lot, to the treatment a lot of people gave her. That, and since she's a rather outspoken individual (which I love about her), she often felt that she didn't have a place in the church. (I'll be writing something about that in another post ... but, really, EVERYONE should feel welcome here. Jesus didn't sent folks away. Neither should we.) ... BUT, as I told her:
And, I have to say, our church is a sadder place for not having awesome people like you in it.

"But that's our loss. Because we, as a people, have not done our duty in successfully making our wards places where you and many others feel nurtured, protected, appreciated, and loved.
"We need to be better. It's a hard truth ... but that doesn't mean that it's not true."

And I'll stand by that. The gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect. Its followers, even including its leaders (as they'll readily tell you themselves!) are not. Nelson Mandela said, "I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying." ... and THAT is what we are. We are trying. And, as we were told in this General Conference, we need to give others credit as they try. If we don't, we're a church of latter-day hypocrites.

Eventually, thanks to Michael's stepping in with this lovely comment below, things settled down a bit.

I feel this post as veered past the original intent which was to respond in a more Christlike way. To forgive and to show mercy even we disagree or are hurt. The post was not meant to attack others or for others take offense. I hope we can forgive all those have wronged us and be forgiven for the offenses we have caused. I hope all those who continue to respond to this post will remember those principles.

And I did my best to soothe any still-ruffled feathers with this:

I very well understand that many people have issues with the church and its leaders and all ... but I firmly believe that civil discourse is the best way to handle this. Taking actions that are rather rude and disruptive can be alienating, which definitely does not help one's cause, no matter how much in the right one might be.

Maybe that's why I respect Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. and, heck, Martin Luther ... (Luther himself was quite a rabble-rouser, if you think about it. But he did his best not to disrupt the meetings that occurred inside the church building.)

But, like I told my friend, Brooke, a lot of what I think really needs to be written in a post ... so I know what one of my week's projects is going to be.

And thanks, everyone, for your input. I love you all ... and I want you to love each other, too. Part of the wonder of this world is that we DON'T all feel/think exactly the same. Learning to love each other and learn from each other (even if it might JUST be learning patience with them) is really, truly vital.

And I understand that dealing with a text-only based platform, like comment-sections, can be really limiting without the inflections and other non-verbal cues that are present in face-to-face communication and vlogging. So, I just ask -- for the future -- please try to read each comment (especially those that you might feel are wrong or accusatory) in the kindest tones of the sweetest child that you know. Because I know all of you ... and you are all very wonderful (and NOT just because you flatter me ... as much as I do eat up that praise. :P).

I just want you all to leave this comment threat without any bad feelings towards each other. We often don't completely understand each other ... at least not at first.
(Have I told y'all the story of Michael's and my first argument? We still reference it, since it was quite hilarious. We were both correct, just about different aspects. Which, really, is quite applicable to life, when you think about it. :P)

So ... yeah.

I don't know what to do ... and I could just apologize for everything. Ever.

But, thanks to Sunday Morning's session of Conference, I'm feeling a lot better towards my fellow men and women.

Especially since I bit the bullet and went full-on "here's how I feel. Amen." as you'll read in the next post.

I'd make up some clever title ...

Okay, so it's been over a month (JUST!) since I last blogged. Whoops!

Since then, what's gone on?

A lot of puking ... Bubbles and I were sick a couple weeks ago. Bad enough that Michael came home early on Wednesday (the day of the vomit) and my mom came up and stayed the night Thursday, to ensure that I wasn't going to over-do things (which I almost did, since I WAS going to go take notes at PTC - Parent-Teacher Club - that day ... but, well, when you get winded and sweaty JUST folding socks, it's probably a little bit over much to do).

Bubbles birthday is coming up (TOMORROW!) ... the party isn't until Saturday. It'll be just after the Elders Quorum (men's group) shooting activity ... which Michael is taking Bruise and Bucket to. They'll learn to shoot the rifle, which will be very good.

I got a Fitbit ... which lets me know HOW LAZY I am and how much I really overeat. (But, but, I just get SO FREAKING HUNGRY!) ... but, we'll see if it helps me get into better shape.

Today, I should be cleaning up the house. (Goals: Clean the kitchen. Vacuum the carpets. Clean up the kids' bathroom. Then make sure to take a meal to a family in the ward [congretation].) And I SHOULD also break out a Richard Simmons DVD to get some cardio going. Since, when Michael and I went to donate blood last week, he wasn't able due to a high pulse. Mine was also elevated, but not enough to disqualify. ... However, I did almost pass out this time. Fun, fun, right? Stupid low blood pressure. *rolls eyes*

What else has gone on in my life worth reporting?
Still haven't gotten the rest of the bathroom cabinet doors painted. Whoops. But I have ONE coat of primer on TWO of the four doors ... and a whole little cabinet to prime and paint. *sigh*

I made it to a Relief Society activity last week ... it was combined with the other ward that shares our church building. One sister gave a presentation on the power of positive thinking and positive affirmations. It was interesting. I had fun and got to visit with other grownups, which was LOVELY.

Bruise and Michael finished Bruise's Pinewood Derby car ... and Bruise even placed third in this Pinewood Derby, which would allow him to participate in Districts ... except for the fact that it's at the same time as Bubbles' birthday party. He's cool with it, though.

I got to volunteer at the kids' school (the day before I was tied to the toilet). Just escorting kids back and forth to/from dental screenings and their classes. We even finished before noon, so I was able to go out to lunch with Mom C (who was watching Bubbles for me).

Okay, now how's about I actually attempt to go in slightly chronological order and get caught up ...

End of January - last week:

• Prepared for and attended Bruise's Blue and Gold (Cub Scout) Banquet.
  We bought his cake ... so, in other words, we paid a large donation to Cub Scouts and got a cake as a freebie. We were just glad it sold for more than last year's cake. ... Even though we didn't put as much effort into it (like baking cake from scratch and creating shapes out of melting chocolate and marzipan ... last year's cake was EXHAUSTING).
• Bucket played violin (as part as an ensemble) for the local library's gala fundraiser ... This is pretty huge, since normally, she's a bit shy/psyches herself out about being in front of other people ... and she was EXCITED to do this from the start.
• Michael and I got new phones.
• We started using some InTune (Focus Blend) DoTERRA oil on Bruise. His teachers have noticed a difference! Not that he was horrible or anything, but he's better able to focus and pay attention. He likes it ... even though, at first, the bus driver and some teachers asked who was wearing cologne ... and I joke that (since it contains patchouli) he smells like "a clean hippie." (Which made his English-language teacher burst out laughing.)
• I tried going from having medium-brown hair to platinum. ... Yeah, bad idea to do at home. So I spent a crapload of money to fix my orange-hair-with-white-roots. Just FYI: If you're thinking of making a HUGE change, do it at a salon. Color correction costs about TWICE as much as just going to the salon and NOT wrecking your hair color. (Seriously. TWICE AS MUCH, y'all. Thank goodness for a tax return!)
• The kids' school had International Night. Their classes have been studying Brazil. We brought a Brazilian sweet cornbread cake (thanks, Google!). We also got to watch them do some Brazilian songs and dances. Then we RAN them over to what was left of their Cub Scouts/Activity Days activities.
• For Valentine's Day, we went to an animal show at the local community college. Now, 3/5 of us want a pet chinchilla. 1/5 of us isn't wild about the idea. The other 1/5 is distracted by Daniel Tiger and Frozen, so hasn't weighed in with an opinion.
• Then, we went down to the next big town south and went to an Asian Culture Festival and a Heritage Fair. It was CROWDED. So we came back to our town to eat lunch and watched videos at home.
• My Nana had her 83rd birthday. We called and sang to her. Then she talked to me. I really don't think she could hear me at all for the most part. But, at least, she knows that we care enough to call, right?
• After the vomit-and-poo situation of 2015 (alluded to earlier) ... TMI ALERT - It's really SAD when you're sitting on the toilet and CAN NOT get up for reasons best NOT baldly stated and you realize that you've left the bowl on the bed (that you then climb into after emptying your body's contents and shiver yourself to sleep ... AFTER you've shambled down the hall to help your youngest who is glazed out, watching Disney movies on repeat [Thank you, FastPlay. Best thing ever!] and will nearly-unfailingly puke about five minutes after you do) and you cannot, as I mentioned earlier, get up to grab said bowl OR move from the toilet ... so you end up grabbing a hand towel, folding it as fast as you can into fourths, throwing it to the ground, and vomiting the last swallows of water  you imbibed onto THAT, then throwing it into the shower stall until you have the strength and motivation to deal with it ... then you manage to get off the toilet (for another 30 minutes maybe?), rinse out your mouth, check on the child, take care of her while she vomits, get her settled back onto the couch with a few sips of water, and shumble back to bed to shiver until you fall asleep. GOOD TIMES, Y'ALL! GOOD TIMES! #SarcasmToTheNthDegree
• So then, after sleeping nearly all day, I was feeling better ... just not well enough to, well, DO much without sweating and feeling woozy.
• We've taken it pretty easy (which shows in the shoddy housework done) since then. We had a Game night for the EQ and their families. We had four families show up (one had to leave early).
  During the Game night, we played two games ... I changed Bubbles' diaper once. And then had to clean up after my OTHER daughter peed her pants (and on the carpet) ... I was NOT thrilled. (Neither was she ... but, dude, at 9 years old, even if your little sister is playing with the light switch and it gets dark, I fully expect that you can either hold it OR be aware of your body and go to the freaking bathroom just down the FULLY-LIT hallway. Just sayin', Lord love you, child.)

Today, the missionaries (sisters) are coming over to do laundry. Then I'm cleaning house and fixing up a meal for a family in the ward. At some point the big kids will either come home on the bus OR I'll go pick up Bucket from Girls On The Run practice, which either starts this week or next week.

Mom and C and Aunt J will come up tomorrow for Bubbles' birthday, so it'd be GOOD to have the house ALL cleaned.

So I should get a quick shower and get on all that, right? Or, at least, throw on a bra and get started. *sigh* Motivation, where are you?

In which I kvetch ...

First off, I'll admit that I'm in the middle of a certain lunar-monthly event, so you can take that with the grain of salt you should.

But, yesterday, Michael and I had a date-afternoon activity set up. We were going to a mutual friend's place so she could analyze our eyeballs (take a REALLYUPCLOSE picture, then look at variances in different areas of the iris and the white part [whatever it's called. I'm too lazy/irritated to look it up] and tell us what parts of our bodies are showing signs of issues) ... pretty cool, right?
And, since we signed up for it at a health expo a few months back at a good deal.

So, yeah, I was looking forward to it for the last couple months.

She emailed me paperwork to fill out (Michael and me seperately). Nearly ten pages of questions.
Which we did.

Here's the text of the email that she sent:

HI Allanna and Mike
I am reminding you of your Iris Analysis appointment for Jan 16 at 2pm.
I have attached the intake form for you to fill out prior to your appointment.  Please print one out for each of you.   It is important for you to fill it out as completely as possible to better help you gain control over your health.
If you have questions, please let me know. 

I'll admit that I had a bit of a busy time the last few weeks. Between recuperating from the plague, trying to get caught up on housework, Bruise and Bucket's concert rehearsal, reading books, painting in the bathroom, and all the other minutiae of my life, I did not send a reply ... mostly because I didn't have any questions to contact her with.

So... Friday comes, we've finished answering a bunch of questions and printed out all the paperwork to do so. We go over to the address listed on the email (even showing up five minutes early) ... we knock on the door ... we ring the doorbell ... we repeat. We call her cell (no answer) and I leave a message ... we wait until about a quarter after two.

At this point, I'm more than a little disappointed. I'd been looking forward to this appointment for a while. And ... we got stood up.

I emailed her after we got home (and Bubbles went down for a nap and Michael left to go shooting with Dad C and C, his brother).

I wrote:

[Name],
We went to your place, but nobody was there. I also tried calling.
Sorry that we missed you. Hope that everything is okay. We were looking forward to seeing you.

And, a bit later, I got this reply:

Hi Allanna
I apologize for not being there. I never heard back from you so I didnt know you could make it.
When would you like to reschedule?
I am doing well.  Had a rough week though, so my husband and I went to the coast for the weekend.

Well, nowhere in the email that I originally received did it say that I needed to confirm. Or else I WOULD have sent confirmation. She never called either Michael or my phone (or the home phone) ... CallerID would have shown us that we missed a call from her. And we'd have called back (or answered the phone in the first place).

When I make an appointment with any other professional (or even just for Visiting Teaching or something social), I might send a reminder email or text or call ... and, unless I/they hear anything to the contrary, you are there for that appointment.

Michael's taking this a lot more easily than I am. "It's not professional behavior."
Whereas ... I'm blogging about this so that I can finally process it through my head so that I can let it freaking GO and figure out how to be happy and crap.

I mean, when my kids' dentist's office has an appointment scheduled, they'll leave a message on my answering machine if I'm not here to confirm in person. Then they are THERE at their office, even if they haven't heard back. (Now, I know that if they can't reach the person, they can and do schedule emergency appointments over that time. When we had to take Bucket in to repair her tooth, that's what happened. Turns out the non-confirming family DID show up ... so we waited around a little more, sure. But, still, EVERYONE was served.)

If you don't confirm with your Visiting Teacher, more often than not, she'll still come by. If the sister that YOU visit teach doesn't respond after you set up an appointment in person (to an email that doesn't say, "Hey, just checking ... we're still on for this appointment, right?"), you don't just blow it off.

I was thinking that, with [Name] not being there and not answering her phone, perhaps there was some serious family emergency. And that is understandable. It'd have been better if she shot off a text or something ... "Sorry I won't be there! Family emergency. Can we reschedule soon?" or the like.

Maybe I'm just so irritated because I know that she's running her own business. And I know that if stuff like this is happening with other customers (ones that might not love her so much), that she's really shooting herself in the foot.

And I really dislike her pushing the blame solely onto me about this. Yes, I could have responded. And I probably should have ... but sometimes I get a little literal. She did not request a confirmation. If she had, I most definitely would have sent her one. She just said to contact her with any questions. And I didn't have any ... because one usually doesn't think to ask "Will you even BE there when we show up?"

If she was in doubt about it, as a businessperson, she could have easily emailed again ("Just checking in since I haven't heard back from you. Are we still on?") or called Michael or me. Or sent either of us a message on Facebook, even. Instead, she made the decision to completely blow us off without any warning. (Even an email of, "Hey there. Since I haven't heard back from you and I've been having a crazy week, I've got another commitment [regardless of the fact that we planned this months ago ... and this makes me seem really flighty and undependable]" OR "I haven't heard back from you, so maybe I don't have the correct email. Let me know if you get this. If I don't hear back from you by tonight, I'll give a call to confirm plans" OR even "I've had a really awful week. Can we reschedule?" ... ANY of those would be okay. ... Note that I do not say that it's FINE. But, it'd be a darn sight better than waiting around, trying to keep our toddler from constantly banging on their door or ringing their doorbell).

If we knew that this wasn't happening, we would have cut our losses (menstrual-related-hormonal-craziness or not) and come up with something that we could have enjoyed just as much. I could have put Bubbles down for an earlier nap, let Michael head out earlier, and curled up with a new library book and Netflix. Or worked to finish painting another cabinet door. Or had Michael take Bubbles up to Mom and Dad's (to hang with Mom and Grandma) and I could run over and get my hair done ... we had tons of options. ... that couldn't happen, since we were honoring OUR commitment to this appointment.

And it just feels like it wasn't nearly as important to our friend to do the same.
And, well, it feels rather like a slap in the face that your business/money/presence/society is not worth even taking a chance that your customers are honoring their appointment.

Yes, I could have replied. But she didn't ASK for one in the first place. I figured that if she was in need of a confirmation, she'd have ASKED. Or called.

... And, though I was really looking forward to this and for so long, I really am torn. Because after receiving treatment like this from anyone, I don't really want to do business with that person. And it makes it a bit harder because we do know her and have that relationship.

But the hard fact is that I wouldn't choose to do business with a stranger/less-close friend who treated me/us with such disrespect. Why should I submit myself to this with someone who I thought was more professional/a friend?

I need to forgive her, YES. And I will.
But I'm rather SAD. And MAD. SMAD about the situation.

I'm mad at myself for not having the foresight to put myself into a situation where I could end up so disappointed/disillusioned. (And, golly, does anyone wonder why I've tended to go antisocial? Because, apparently, I can't handle relationships or living or anything ... It's reasons like this why restaurant menus can fill me with a mixture of joy and dread. "What do I order? Do I go with my usual? Do I try something new? But, if I try something new, what if I don't like it? What if I hate it? What if they stop carrying my favorite things???" ... And there's the fact that I had PLANNED on this. I am not great with change all the time. I TRY to roll with the punches, but I'm not always thrilled [at ALL] about it ...)

So, yeah. I'm smad that I tried something new. And that I was counting on it to happen. And it fell through. I'm smad that I feel that our friend shifted all responsibility onto us, when she shares in it ... and that it seems that she's got a bit of a flippant attitude about it. I'm smad that I'd consider putting myself through this a second time ... especially since I have no idea if we'd get the special price that we were going to get by signing up so fat in advance before. And I'm smad that I let this get to me. It shouldn't matter. It was just a maybe-scientific thing that could have been cool. ... It could have been a waste of money.

But, well, at least I've got this (hopefully all of it) out of my system. And I'm sure that, reflecting on this, there's some great lesson to learn (hopefully not "don't do business with friends" since I have some friends with great businesses/skills) ... and, since I've poured all this out, maybe I'll have gained the distance to look at this situation and learn from it.

I mean, if we choose to try this again, I think that I might find myself being a bit passive-aggressive about it. (After rescheduling, email: "Okay, just checking that you'll even be in town when our appointment is?" A couple days later: "Hey, just wanted to touch bases. We're still on for that eyeball-thing, right? You'll be there?" Repeat every few days. Ten minutes prior: "Oh, hey, something's come up. Gotta bail. Catch you some other time?" Five minutes later: "Crisis averted. On our way!" ... you know, something like that. ... But that'd be REALLY mean and unprofessional and, on the whole, a total jerk move. So I wouldn't do it. ... I might be quite tempted ... but I know better than to treat people like that.)

... Why is it that coming up with impossible scenarios makes me feel a little better?
Maybe it's because I'd really LIKE to be a criminal mastermind, but I can't due to my moral code? ... but that it's good to know that I have the capacity to do it, but that I can remind myself that I CHOOSE not to do it? (I do promise that if I ever DO decide to achieve that destiny, I will do my best to be a benevolent dictator. Pinkie-swears!)

Yeah, I do feel a bit better (in full disclosure, I originally mistyped that as "I feel a but better." Which would be a misspelling ... But admitting that I feel a "butt" better, knowing my current physique, would be saying that I feel LOTS better. And, since it involves the word "butt," my inner-ten-year-old is cracking up about that. Butts.

Yup, I'm Allanna. And I still appreciate potty-humor.
Some things never change.

However, I do feel like I can dissect this situation and analyze it ... and get over this stupid thing so that I don't walk about being all pissy about everything.

If our friend had said something more like, "Oh my gosh! I thought that since I didn't hear from you at all that this wasn't happening. I thought that I asked for you to confirm in the email I sent a week ago? Didn't I? I should have called, though, to get a definite answer. I'm so sorry! Can we reschedule? And I'll make sure to be more professional in the future!"
You know, something that made it sound like she cared a bit.

I'm sure that she does care. And not just about what we'd pay her for the analysis. Maybe it just didn't come through on that last email that she did send. Don't know.

But I think that I'll have Michael respond to her. He knows how to write professionally. And he can state that I'm rather disappointed about the whole situation. He might even affirm that he had expected her to act in a more professional manner ... he might not. Up to him.

Well, I'm not dead ... Just busy and lazy ...

Wowzers ... it's been a while. Like a WHOLE MONTH (and some extra days).

Whoops.

Now to TRY and get caught up on what all has gone on around here ...

Let's see ...
We'll start with Halloween ...

Bruise was the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith). Bucket was her own version of Madeline/Maddie Hatter (from Ever After High). Bubbles opted to go as Princess Sofia the First (it was either that or Princess Anna from Frozen). We went to the mall for their trick-or-treating, then stopped by a neighbor's house, then went to a local Halloween party for all the kids. Bruise and Bucket ran into their friends (that sometimes come over after school so I can keep an eye on them since their folks are both working for a while).

We helped my dad and L move some of their big things (like my dad's shop contents) to their new house. It was a (busy) day trip. They had ME order the pizza for dinner ... and I got two of their addresses mixed up, so pizza took just a little longer to arrive. Whoops!
(That'll teach them, right?) ... But, on the bright side, Michael and I got the wifi password for their new place. So we're ready for spending the night in the future. (And Bruise and Bucket LOVE the cupboard under the [garage] stairs. They feel JUST like proper Muggles, I tell you!)

Freyja-cat got her shots. And Bubbles got to pet the office cat at the vet's.
Bruise, Bucket, and I have all joined Bubbles in getting OUR flu shots (Michael never gets one).

We had a gamut of disease going on in our house: Bruise came down with a case of pink-eye. He shared it with Bubbles (giving eye drops to a toddler? AWFUL). Bubbles got a double ear infection ... right as she was done battling a case of impetigo (on her leg and back). Bucket also came down with an ear infection (just the one, though).
And I STARTED to come down with a cold. But, thanks to my array of DoTERRA samples, I kept that puppy at bay. Phew. Since I didn't have time to be sick anyways.

Bruise got to be in his first Veterans Day parade ... in related news, I got my first traffic ticket for making a right turn without coming to a complete stop as I RUSHED to drop him off (and, of course, I shouldn't have stressed/rushed, since NO ONE WAS THERE FOR ME TO DROP HIM OFF WITH so that the girls and I could go downtown and get a spot for the parade. *SIGH*).
This is my life.

It appears that Freyja-cat has more special needs ... in this case, besides her standing prescription for "kitty-Prozac," she also is showing signs of a food allergy ... so the fact that she'd licked off most of the fur on her hindquarters was related to the fact that she's my SPESHUL BAYBEE and I need to get her some non-poultry/non-corn based food at the local feed store.

The kids have had a lot of time off school ... two days for Veterans Day ... and a whole week for Thanksgiving. It's been nice, getting to sleep in and all that. But they were missing school ... what will they do later this month when they have TWO WEEKS away from class?
(Answer: They'll finish their second-grade workbooks, drink lots of hot cocoa, clean their room, and visit family! That's what!)

Bruise's picture retakes came back. They're ... better.
But this is why I don't pay full price for them (online coupons!!) and why we get FAMILY portraits done ... so that I can MAKE SURE he looks decent and actually SMILES with his eyes and all.
(I love my son. But if he brings back home ONE more picture where he looks like a stoned juvenile, OY TO THE VEY, Y'ALL.)

We had parent-teacher conferences before Thanksgiving week.
The kids are doing well in everything ... they are being progress monitored for Spanish. But their teachers are sure that they'll reach the standards goal by the end of the year.
Also, Bruise has been falling asleep in class.
I think that for the next session of Strings lessons, we'll be moving to the afternoon class.

We got our house decorated for Christmas. The kids helped decorate the tree for FHE (Family Home Evening) last night. I got my nativities set up ... and my Charlie Brown Christmas tree. And my Linus-as-a-shepherd figurine. Michael got lights up on the house.
We have a star on our tree this year ... it's time to try something new, right?

The other thing to write about is that Michael and I have been working on our bathroom. Two weekends ago, we textured the walls (finally) and I started painting. I put white primer on the ceiling (it was NEEDED) and spray painted the fan cover with white spray paint (it looks TONS better). Then Michael and I painted the walls. They're now the slightest whisper of blue.

Today, I put primer on one side of our (huge) cupboard in there and primed the window sill and frame. In a bit, if it's dry, I'll start to paint that the other color we picked out -- the cabinets and cupboard and trim around the mirrors will be a dove grey. And I'll need to spray paint the trim around the shower and tub white ... and OF COURSE it's started freezing, so I'll need to figure out how/where to do that.

Michael also put up some shelves for me. Now I can get all my stuff off the counters, right?
He's also putting up some shelves above the toilet. And he got me a shelf-thing for the bathtub, which is awesome. Once I get that window painted and the trim back around the tub, I can load that up and the bathtub will look tons better.

We really didn't do much Black Friday shopping this year. Just went out in the afternoon to pick up some stuff for the bathroom ... and we hit Target for the DVDs. (Great Gatsby, the Baz Luhrman version, for $4? Don't mind if I do!)

I also need to take the hardware off the cupboard doors so that I can spray paint it ... it'll either be white (to pop against the grey cabinets), brushed nickel (to coordinate with the tub shelving, our new toilet paper holder, and the towel rack we're going to buy ... and the new faucets we haven't bought yet), or oil-rubbed bronze (for added contrast). We'll see.
But, again, since the weather's turned, it's going to be a challenge to figure out how/where to spray them all.

Michael also put in a dimmer switch for the bathroom lights. And we'll be replacing the light fixtures (and the old fan) sometime.

It's really coming along, though. We've been in here for about seven years now. You'd hardly recognize the bathroom. And it's just getting better and better. (and it'll be amazing once I get stuff organized/get rid of a lot of junk ... HOARDER!!)

And I've been reading some library books lately.

One of our Christmas traditions is reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."
We finished it last night.
I cried. Like I ALWAYS do.
Every year, I think, "MAYBE I can get through it THIS year without crying."
Nope.
And Michael says that he's glad for that. Apparently, my crying at the end of it is another of our Christmas traditions.
I'm also going to read the kids (again) "A Christmas Carol." ... And, if we can make it, "The Forgotten Carols," since I LOVE that story.

Since it'd been AGES since I last watched "While You Were Sleeping," (and technically, it's a holiday movie!) we watched it (again) last night. ... I'm still so very impressed with how awesome the writing is and how VERY well the casting is. Everyone plays their parts so darn well! And it's wonderfully quotable. Yeah, I adore it something fierce.

My Christmas present from my mom arrived -- She got me a DoTERRA kit. And I'm enjoying it quite a bit. Thanksgiving night, Bubbles was starting to HACK-cough. I got her home, slathered a few drops of Breathe and OnGuard on her ... she slept through the night without coughing at all. Pretty awesome. And I'm enjoying my diffuser. My DoTERRA gal came over to teach me about how to use my stuff and using the LRP (loyalty rewards points) for ordering and all that. AND to bring me some freebies and my bottle of Holiday Joy (Bucket's favorite. Bruise really likes Wild Orange. And Lemongrass).

I've only had them for about a week now, and they've come in VERY handy. So that's nice. And I'm saving a lot of the stuff for Christmas. Unless Michael needs me to get out the Deep Blue (muscle) Rub. But I'm looking forward to trying the OnGuard toothpaste and all.

Okay. Time to paint some more.

And then I disappear for a month ...

I do have some excuses ... sinus infection ... then an ear infection bad enough to send me to the doctor's (twice!) ... but I keep meaning to post something ... and then I don't.

So, what's happened for the past month (and a half)?

Well, forefront on my mind is the fact that Robin Williams has passed ... it seems that he committed suicide.
And ... it makes me so morose.
Michael stated, "It makes no logical sense for him to be depressed." (Since he was a comedian and such a wonderful person, working to help others to smile, you see.)

Whereas, I differ in opinion ... I think that only someone well-versed in sorrow would appreciate laughter as much as Robin Williams did. And part of me wonders, "If only ..."
If only he had Home Teachers or just a friend who saw/sensed past his cheerful facade ...
If only we didn't make mental health such a forbidden/"shameful" topic ...
If only ...

But, as sad as this is, I do know that we have a loving and merciful Heavenly Father.
He knows all ... and will take this knowledge and understanding into account.

And the Church Handbook of Instructions (vol 2) says this:
"It is wrong to take a life, including one’s own. However, a person who commits suicide may not be responsible for his or her acts. Only God can judge such a matter." (21.4.14)

Which, in comparison to some religious tenets (e.g., all suicides are damned), gives me hope. A lot of hope for this poor man who lost his joy.

My heart hurts for how sad he must have been, how alone he felt, to decide that not living was his best possible choice.
And my heart hurts for his family and friends ... and all of us who love and respect him.
(Yes, even myself.)

Things like this make me wonder what else I could/should be doing to help people around me ... people that I might actually have contact with ... to be aware that someone cares, that they matter, that there is help, that they are loved and valued and that things (no matter how dark it seems presently) WILL get better ... and that people WANT to help.

I'm powerless in some situations (like never having even MET Mr. Williams, so it's not like I could just call him up and invite him over for cheesecake or something) ... but there has to be something that I'm not aware of that I CAN do.

Even if it's just to hug my kids a little bit longer/tighter.
Or to smile at a stranger.

There has to be something.

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

Okay, that's probably enough introspection. If I continue on like that, you'll start to wonder who that is and what they've done with the regular shallow-ish, often sarcastic, weirdo that you've come to know and (I can hope) love.

So, what all have we done since I last posted? 
(A lot)
(Too much. I'll sum up.)

• The kids had fun with their soccer academy ... late evenings for us all. But they learned a lot and developed some good skills.
  Their head coach had an accent. Maybe Scottish? And he'd call them "cheeky monkeys."
  Bucket was (80% of the time) the only girl. Usually there were maybe four kids, so they all got a lot of one-on-one coaching.
  Bucket has a good instinct for strategy. Bruise is fearless and doesn't hesitate in going after the ball.
  Bubbles really likes vending machines.
• Whereas most Cub Scouts activities have been put on hiatus for the summer, Bucket still has Activity Days (which she loves). 
• Bruise had Day Camp (Cub Scouts) ... during the week where I had my ear infection. So, I didn't help carpool or anything. In fact, a couple days, people came to our place to pick him up and drop him off. I felt like a goober, being so helpless ... but I really do appreciate the service that people were eager to extend. (I love my ward family. They're awesome.)
  He had a great time. I'm glad that he was able to go.
• We've been feeding our missionaries more often. (Doesn't hurt that they come over on P-day to do laundry.) It's nice to know them so well. We chat a lot and make jokes and have fun. And I'm getting better and better at making vegetarian dishes (One of the sisters here can't digest meat. The sister she "replaced" couldn't eat meat or gluten. The one before her with food restrictions was gluten-intolerant ... It's been interesting, but has helped me learn some fun dishes ... or helped me realize some dishes that I make on a semi-regular basis that work for all these things.)
  It's nice that I have a standing future-plans date for AT LEAST one of these sisters to come back and visit ... and we'll have a movie night. I like things to look forward to.
• The kids had their dental work done. Bucket's front tooth has a filling to replace the part that chipped. (We had tried gluing it. By "we," I mean the dentist. It lasted maybe four hours. ... This should last around a decade or more, if she takes care of it.) Bruise had a filling.
• The kids have had private swimming lessons with Bob. He's our favorite swim coach. The kids have made progress. I don't know if they're ready yet to swim in the deep end, but they're doing so much better than at the start of the summer. And, since we have punch cards now, we have an excuse to go to the pool every so often, right?
• My Roxy-sis came down to spend the day a few weeks ago.
  (The day after Bucket sprained her toe ... Well, it's what you get if you run in the house and smash it against the couch AFTER your mom and dad BOTH tell you to STOP RUNNING IN THE HOUSE.) After taping up Bucket's toe, we took Auntie Roxy to lunch (Thai food, yum) and then downtown to look around. We went to the tea shop and then to the carousel museum. Then we went back to the house to cool down (it was crazy-hot).
• We've done some fun things with the town's summer passport kids' program. We tie-dyed (Bruise did a big scarf/cape. Bucket did an infinity scarf. I did a bag for Bubbles ... and "fixed" a pair of her leggings that had gotten stained.) We also went to a pizza dinner.
• I got Freyja-cat some medicine (kitty Prozac and flea treatment). Good stuff.
• We went to a movie at the park ... It was fun to see The LEGO Movie again on a big screen. We also liked watching so many bats flittering and soaring above us.
• We cleaned the church one weekend.
• I shared some Shanna Swendson books with a friend.
• We saw a local production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."
• The kids got to go to a friend's baptism.
• Michael and Bruise went camping with Uncle C (Michael's brother), Cousin C, and Dad C ... they had lots of fun at a lakeside campground. C (Uncle) was the only one to catch a fish ... and that one was maybe four inches long.
  The big excitement was when Bruise reached out too far while Dad C was appreciating nature (and wasn't paying attention to Bruise for that ONE second), and their canoe went over in the middle of the lake.
  Everyone was fine. (Uncle) C found it hilarious. Dad and Bruise were wet, but safe. Dad swam the canoe to shore. Bruise got a ride back with C and C in the other canoe. Michael was there at the shore for them (He had been at the campsite, but felt that something was wrong and raced back to the lake just in time to watch the canoe tip over.)
• While all that was going on, Bucket, Bubbles, and I spent the night at Grandma (Mom C)'s for a girls-night-in. Aunt A (my sister-in-law-in-law, since we married brothers, you see) and her girls B and I and H all came, too. (A had to leave early since she had to work, though).
  My girls and I helped Mom C bake cookies. After the other girls came, they all colored plates for a Pinterest project (Spoiler: It didn't quite work). We ate dinner, painted our nails, watched Penelope (Which Bucket impressed me ... she described it about five minutes in as "It's like Beauty and the Beast, but the girl's the beast." ... And she's really right.)
  Bubbles fell asleep, so I took her to bed (where she kicked me about once an hour and rolled off the bed once) while the other girls watched The Neverending Story.
  I also flooded Grandma's (Great-grandma's) bathroom. I flushed the toilet and water just KEPT COMING. And I couldn't find the spigot to turn it off. So I lean out the bathroom door and call out, "MOM?? I need HELP."  ... She thought that I had somehow managed to hurt myself. No, not this time. But she turned off the water, I got a plunger from another bathroom, and we got things mopped up and taken care of. (NO, GUYS. It was JUST PEE.) She assured me that that toilet randomly does that.
  We baked a tie-dye cake in the morning. Turned out pretty well.
• By the time we all got home, Michael and I were pretty bushed. We got the kids showered/bathed and fed. We got ourselves showered (and Michael got a haircut). We ate dinner, got the kids into bed, and went to bed early.
• Bruise and Bucket have both given talks in Primary at church.
• We went to the bank today to put the contents of the kids' piggy banks into their accounts.
• I've done some Visiting Teaching ... in fact, I've done my August VT already (the formal visits/contacts) ... so I just need to keep in touch so that I can be aware of any needs. Phew.

And that really brings us up to today.

I could tell you all about my ear infection. I can mostly hear out of my left ear. It's just muffled/clogged-feeling. But I ended up on Vicodin, ear drops, and oral antibiotics. When I do something, I don't do it halfway, do I?

The kids and I are reading through the "About Animals" volume of Childcraft. (We've done The Plant Kingdom earlier this summer, then Princess Academy.)

I had a couple weeks where I read books ... it was really nice. I should start that back up.

I finally got my accounts (through FamilySearch) to MyHeritage, FindMyPast, and Ancestry.com.
Kind of obsess with Ancestry.com. Loving my membership with it.

Bubbles is talking lots more. "Amma's ouse"/("Grandma's House") is a new one. As well as "Iggy Ank"/("Piggy bank"). It's pretty cute.
She also has been sucking her thumb WAY too much ... the skin was starting to slough off ... so we've been putting some ointment on it. It's looking much better.

And I think that's most things. Hopefully.

If I've forgotten something, maybe someone will remind me. 

The oy and the vey

I know, I know ... it's been a week and a day.

You'll get over it.

I'm taking advantage of the fact that Bubbles is napping (and I'm pointedly ignoring the laundry in the dryer at the moment).

Let's see, what all has happened for me to tell you about??

• Bucket had her first "Activity Days" activity (church group of 8-11 year-old girls). She had a BLAST.
  Luckily for her, she has it TWICE a month.
  She has also chosen NOT to join Girl Scouts ... so, well. That's that.
• Bruise had his first Den Meeting in Cub Scouts. He likes his den leaders. Had a good time.
  (Needs to get his manual signed off by the den leaders. Michael will take care of that tomorrow)
  The girls and I went to the church, got Bruise settled with his den, and headed to the Nursery to play for the hour that he's at Scouts (since Michael had meetings). Michael got done WAY early and he came and relieved us ... so I took the girls home, got Bubbles into bed, and Bucket and I chillaxed until our boys got home.
• Thursday was a blood drive. I was a little sad that the gal who checked my vitals was kind of brusque ... but it was totally worth it, since my favorite phlebotomist/whatever took my blood.
  As soon as I heard someone singing along to the radio, I was sure it was him.
  And I was right.
  Greg and I talked books and movies (and we talk about food. I HAVE to get out to The Sea Hag and try their Monte Cristo. He swears that it's LIFE-CHANGING). Good times, indeed.
  Bruise and Bucket were entertaining Bubbles in the Nursery ... so that all went quite well.
  And we headed home (Michael forgot that he was scheduled to donate ... so he didn't get there in time. *sigh*) before heading over to the kids' school for PTC ... Michael met us there and took the kids home ... and picked up Del Taco goodies for dinner. Good man.
• Friday, I was starting to feel bad/crazy/hormonal/exhausted ... but we got stuff for dinner for a family in the ward and stuff to fix dinner for the missionaries assigned to our ward. It was good to get to know them ... even though, by the time Michael brought them over, the house was full of bacon-grease-smoke. Good times.
  But the butternut squash soup (that was the request. And I cater to requests!) and cornbread (which I ALMOST forgot to make) and bacon bits and salad all turned out fine.
  And we bought a cake for dessert, so nobody was left hungry.
• Saturday, Michael had an EQ (Elders' Quorum) shooting activity. Scheduled 10-Noon. And I took the kids to the mall for the kids' club (and to get freebies at Bath and Body Works).
  Bucket cried because they ran out of crafts before she got one ... but Bruise got one and didn't want it, so he gave his to her. And got a back-up craft. they got snacks, so that was good. And I got to chat with a friend from church. Then we headed back home to wait for Michael to get home.
  And, per his suggestion, to run to the closest BSA store to get Bruise's Cub Scout shirt.
  Well, I figured that with an activity scheduled to end at noon, he'd get home by ... 1:30. That'd give plenty of time to clean up, finish chatting, and come home.
  Michael gave a call, saying that they were wrapping things up just before that. So, I figured that he'd get home in 20-30 minutes.
  ...
  ...
  He got in at three. And his phone's battery was dying, so he couldn't really call to update me.
  But, as he was about to leave, he realized that the teenager he was giving a ride home had GONE OFF with another group to a different part of the property they were at ... so Michael had to wait for him for about FORTY FIVE MINUTES. Then, it's a twenty minute drive back to town and he had to drop off the teenager across town and drive back home ...
  
  So, yeah, and by the time he got home, I checked the BSA store hours ... and they weren't even OPEN on weekends. There's a store in Portland, but they CLOSE at 4:30 on Saturdays ... so we'd get there AFTER it's closed. Michael suggested the one in another (different council) city ... they close at 1:30 on Saturdays. (And they might not even have the right REQUIRED council patch).
  
  So, I ended up going and crying in the shower and hiding out in the bedroom for a few hours. Until I could get my shiz together. Yeah, when I'm hormonal, even I don't want to be around me.
• Sunday, Michael had meetings in the morning, so we took different cars. I got the kids all ready. Bubbles was NOT going to sit still and quietly during Sacrament meeting, so Michael had her. I was exhausted (still) and not feeling well, so I went home after Sacrament. Bruise gave a scripture in Primary ... which neither Michael and I were there to hear/give moral support. He handled it okay, so he tells me.
  I took a nap at home ... well, I rested, anyways. And the kids and I read through our story-story a bit more (four chapters left!) ... and then we got ready for their "It's Great to Be Eight!" meeting (about being baptized) ... pretty much, we're all ready ... just show up early, get pictures. And make sure that we bring a towel and dry underwear for Bruise and Bucket ... and the camera. And they need to wear white underwear ... which is ONLY what I've been telling them for the last couple years.
  (When I was getting dressed to go to my baptism, I had to change my underwear. I was TICKED OFF that I couldn't wear my Lady LovelyLocks underwear. But I got to wear it when I was changing into dry clothes. SO THERE.)
• Yesterday, the kids didn't have school. I had them clean their room (when they actually WORKED on it, it only [ONLY] took them just over an hour. But, when they "started" at 7 and didn't finish until about 10:30, you KNOW there was some yelling happening. (Good thing my lungs can support that.)
  We picked up the front rooms, worked on dishes, put Bubbles down for a nap, and cleaned out the van (Yeah, THAT took a while. But it looks GREAT now. If only I could get it to STAY that way, right?). Then we went and got kitty litter and stuff for dinner (fish sticks and tater tots. Whoooo.) after Bubbles woke up.
  After that, I left Bruise and Bucket in charge and went and took a nap/rest. I don't know if I SLEPT, but I DID have my eyes closed for around 40 minutes. And I didn't really feel any more rested.
  I got dinner put together and we ate, put the kids to bed, and Michael and I got through some sites that I had bookmarked to share with him.
  And I whinged in prayer to Heavenly Father that I stop being crazy/stupid and can't my dang period JUST FREAKING START so that the crazy can end?
  (In other news, it's nice when prayers are answered. It's good to feel rested and not crazy.)

Michael says that I ought to share with you some of the things that I say.

You know how, when you're feeling poorly, you can have someone feel your forehead and tell you if you're running a temperature?

Well, I don't often run a temperature (Mom and I usually end up running subnormal fevers. We're special like that.) ... but I've asked Michael to feel my forehead ...

"Can you feel my forehead? Do I feel clammy?"  ... And the answer is often "yes."

But, apparently, I'm not quite right in the head. Here are other things I've asked Michael to ascertain:

"Can you feel my forehead. Do I feel tired?" ... Yeah. Because if you can feel if someone's ill, wouldn't it stand to reason that you'd be able to feel if they were tired? ... Only in my brain does this logic seem to work.

But! There's more!

A couple weeks ago, I asked Michael, proffering my forehead, "Do I feel melancholy to you?"
And he finds this quite amusing, though I was being quite serious.
But, sadly, people cannot determine your MOODS though your forehead.

It's times like these that I realize a few things:

1. Modern medical science is obviously not my forte.
2. I have very high expectations for the feel-the-forehead test.
3. I very well might just be an alien.

But, yeah, this is what he has to put up with.
I mean, I can laugh about it. Sure.
But, that doesn't change the fact that I'm quite in earnest when I'm asking it.

(Also: Wouldn't it be AWESOME if people COULD tell all that from feeling your forehead?
"Ah, yes. Go have a lie down after a cuppa Rooibos with honey and cream. Give yourself a new pedi. Read [insert author here] while it dries. Slip on some aromatherapy body butter on your hands and top with a pair of cotton gloves while watching [insert proper show or movie title]. You'll feel right as rain in approx. two hours. Ta!"
... Apparently I'm VERY British today. I'd apologize except that I'm not sorry for that.)

Well, I think I've got you all caught up for the meantime. And my mom's about to show up any minute. And I should grab a sweater before she comes (so I can help her schlep in her bags).

In which I admit that I should pick out those window treatments for my duplex in Hell.

So, in the spirit of full-disclosure, here are some funny things from my life.

Vignettes, if you will.

About a month ago, I had ASKED Bucket, politely but firmly to move a cup from her little sister's reach.
When she neglected to follow directions, I was upset.
Upset enough to use the WHOLE treatment and THEN SOME.

I bellowed "[First name] [Middle name] DAMMIT [Last name]!!!!!"
Michael had me take a time-out.

(I almost mistyped that as a time-pout ... which isn't that far from the truth. Except, when I'm in time out, I usually end up reading or playing games on my phone or taking a bath.)

The other day, when my mom came to visit, we all went out to lunch. Then I took her to the local Blockbuster (which is closing next week) to score some good deals (I ended up buying six DVDs and a WiiU game for about $25).

The same cashier rung up my order as when Michael and I had been there on Wednesday evening.

When he came in, I pointed him as he entered the store for work to my mom.

Me: Mom, that guy there? He works here. He might be a manager.
Mom: Oh. I thought maybe he was one of Santa's little helpers.
Me: *seriously* Don't tell him that.

He rung up my order. And I joked that I really SHOULD pay attention to the directions on the keypad (for running my debit card) so I didn't waste his time. And he replied that the more time I took, the less he had to do. And I said that I'd the the best I could.

(So, yeah, I treated him like any other cashier.)

He handed me my bag of loot purchases. "Here you go, pretty lady."

And, well, I'll admit, I blushed.

When Mom was done being rung up and caught up to me, I told her, "Hey, my cashier called me 'pretty lady.' Yup, I've still got it."

Michael and the kids had been waiting for us in the car. As I climbed in, I told him, "Hey, you remember our cashier from the other day?"

"The dwarf?"

"That's the one. He called me 'pretty lady!'"

After Mom's visit, as we were getting ready for bed, I confessed that I felt like Snow White.
But with a much messier house.

So, yes, a dwarf called me "pretty lady."
You can send my admission papers for princessing school here.
I'll practice my warblings and princess-s hand movements.
I'm sure they'll put me on a princess diet to fit into more princess-y dresses ... unless I'm to be like Jacquline from "Ever After." You know "I'm only here for the food."

Because, unlike a lot of princess-y princesses, I really LIKE food.

But, still, I'm really tickled ... I mean, I wasn't even wearing any makeup.
So, it does help prove that beauty is more personality than skin-deep.

Which should be somewhat redeeming, right?

Happy 2014!

I'm blogging ... and it's not even been a whole WEEK between blogs.

Shocker, right?

Well, hey, at least I'm getting a good start to the new year, right?

So, let's get all caught up.

Sunday was church. We brought snack for the Nursery class (Fig Newtons and string cheese. Snack of CHAMPIONS. Or, at least, it's something that the kids will eat). Then we just had a kinda lazy day at home ... to recuperate from BOTH Michael and me having to speak in the fifth Sunday lesson (where, usually, all the folks NOT teaching in Primary [childrens' classes] meet together.)

Monday, we cleaned up the house. Michael took Bruise and Bucket's baptism invitations to be printed. We went grocery shopping and delivered a meal to a family in the ward. I addressed envelopes and got the kids' baptism invites into the mail. I made sure that the kids' birthday invites were emailed out (and their teacher will help in inviting some of their school friends that I DON'T have contact information for).

Tuesday, we went to Costco after taking down the Christmas decorations. The kids played outside with a neighbor (except for Bubbles who took a nap. FINALLY) until we took them to Mom and Dad C's for a sleepover with some cousins ... which freed up OUR New Year's Eve.

So, we had an evening without kids ... what should we do?

GO WILD AND CRAZY!!
We bought dinner at Safeway (Chinese food wraps ... and I had my Cherry Coke to help me stay awake during out late night out) and hit the local, closing Blockbuster ... bought a few movies.
Then we got our tickets ... we watched The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug first.
I have to say that the fight choreographer has QUITE the sense of humor.
Very good. We liked it.
Then we went to Fred Meyer to kill some time ... and I found a copy of mental_floss to buy. (Yay!!)
And back to the theater to watch The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. We got discount popcorn and a free soda (And they had Cherry Coke! Yay! No ice, because I want Cherry Coke, not gross watered-down soda) ... which, since I'm not so used to THAT much caffeine (yes, two cokes for me = more than I'm used to. What? I'm a lightweight in that way.), I noticed that my heart was racing a bit after the Quarter Quell began.
We enjoyed both movies a lot.

Then we went to bed ...

And I was dead to the world until almost 8:30 this morning.
After we got up, we watched our Netflix DVD (The Wolverine) ... then we got ready for Mom and Dad C to bring the kids back.

And, since we were hungry, we went out for lunch.
And then went back home and played SongParty on the WiiU.

And I'm exhausted.

The other day, I had my legs across Bucket's lap.
She let me do that, sweet girl. ... Then ...

Bucket: Oh, look. Here's the line from where you wore your socks too long. Aww.
And it feels like you have a rash. ... Oh, wait. That's just that you haven't shaved your legs.

Yup, that's my girl.

I don't know where she'd learn anything like that ...

Like how, as I was exhausted, Michael challenged me to describe string theory.

My answer?

Well, you take a bunch of yarn. Or threads. And you make hypotheses and test them. And it involves Physics. ... But you can't KNOW. Because it's STRING THEORY. If you KNEW, then it'd be STRING LAW.

Yup, he's so lucky to have me.

I still need to figure a time to use the elliptical on a regular basis. And when to read scriptures and such.
And I want to get caught up (again) on laundry and dishes. And plan meals.

But, hey, at least we're pretty prepared for the kids' baptism and birthday.
Now to plan Bubbles' birthday.

And Mom C is talking of convincing everyone to come home a day early from their vacation to make the kids' baptism ... It'd be nice.

Also, yesterday, I received news that one of our past bishops and neighbors passed away.
Nelson lived down the road from my folks' house. He was also one of our Home Teachers.
He was always very kind and helpful.
He and Betty, his wife, were at my mom and stepdad's wedding.
Before that, when the wiring at our house was wonky, he came and helped work on it ... and, mistaking the sound of his footsteps, I called him "Mom."
He leaves behind a wonderful, large family with many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And many friends.
But I know that we'll get to see him again. Not immediately ... but sooner than later.

And he'll have all his fingers. And his body will be strong and healthy again.
And that'll be nice.

End the Cricket Chorus!

Wow ... it's been a month and THREE DAYS since I last posted.

I promise that I haven't died ... This isn't my zombified, undead corpse posting.
(But how would you REALLY know? ... Well, I did shower, so I don't smell like rotting corpse-flesh, so that's in my favor, right?)

Um, let's see ... what all have I failed to tell you all since I last posted?
(A lot. I know.)

Freyja-cat got her shots all caught up. And I got a nifty little spray bottle of topical steroid, since my cat has issues and had over-groomed to the point that she's missing a LOT of fur around the base of her tail.
Good times.
Besides that, the vet and assistant remarked on her overall good health and good behavior.
Bucket was thrilled that we all got to go (Well, besides Michael), so that she, Bruise, and Bubbles could all pet the Sphynx cat at the vet's office. (Yes, my proclivity of adoring that breed is, apparently, hereditary. I don't see us owning one, since our heating bills would be WAY higher. But I do like them a lot.)

But I'm getting all out of order here ...

Let me sum up. There is too much. And it probably won't really be in order anyways.
I'd say sorry ... but we all know that I'm just too lazy to actually REMEMBER all the crap I've been up to.

But you know what? I'm gonna TRY. I have my calendar open. I'll check on Facebook to help fill in the blanks ... we'll see how it goes.

• So, have I mentioned previously that I was able to get together with my friend, T, and her son (and my brood) to watch the local Veterans' Day Parade? Well, we did! And it was fun. And I got a decent parking spot and a decent sitting spot and we made it through the after-parade traffic easily enough. (PHEW!)
• Our Stake (geographical group of wards/local congregations) had its "Super Saturday" ... I was pretty busy, so I only went to the candymaking demonstration. And it was very fun to get to chat with friends there. And I got to take candies home. And they were DELICIOUS.
  It was worth having to have Michael jump the van (a light had been left on in the van. D'oh!)
• There was a Kids' Club activity last month at the mall where the kids got to make a little photo frame and placemats for Thanksgiving. Michael took Vesper to play in the mall's new play area. She approves. ^_^ (I since have also taken her to play there for a little. She loves it.)
• We also picked up the kids (Bruise and Bucket's) ceramic stuff over at the local pottery-painting place. They turned out very well. Bucket painted an owl (and Bubbles will point to it and go "Whoo! Whoo!") and Bruise painted/drew (with a little help) a barn on a tile.
  I had the forethought to put their names and the year in puffy paint on them. It helped the owner to find them (and it'll help us to remember when they made them).
• Bruise lost his front teeth. However, he refuses to sing about all he wants for Christmas is those teeth.
  But he looks ADORABLE. Especially with his new haircut.
• Mom and I sent off a book order ... which arrived on Friday. I should wrap up those, huh?
• Michael and I went and watched the new Thor movie. Very good.
  Now, we need to see "Catching Fire" and take the kids to "Frozen."
• The weekend before Thanksgiving, Michael got a little ill. Then, when he was at home (from work, since he wasn't feeling well), he put out his back. Just turned the wrong way. Missed a week of work, really. (I took him to the office after a doctor's appointment on Thursday. That was after going to Urgent Care on Tuesday. Modern medicine is very nice.)
• Bubbles and I went to a Duplo Party at Jenny's ... had a great time. It's nice to be social (even when I forget how. Ha ha ...). We even ran into Bri and her childREN (her son was only two weeks old).
  Bubbles said her first REAL sentence: "Iza BABY!"/It's a baby! ... I was impressed (BEHOLD THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP, amirite?). Good times. I've missed my ladies.
• I got my flu shot ... made Bruise and Bucket watch me. AGAIN.
  They got theirs a few days later ... and it went SO MUCH BETTER.
  Michael's the only holdout now ... but he got his dTap, so I'll count that as success, right?
• I made it to November's PTC (Parent-Teacher Committee) meeting.
  And Michael and I went to the arena-style Parent-Teacher conferences.
  (Summary: Bruise and Bucket are good students. They're both reading well. Bruise's Spanish skills are not as strong as his other skills. Also, he totally aced [100%] the math assessment. Bucket's scores are good, too. She's a bit stronger in reading [100% accuracy on a section in DIBELS] ... So, yeah, I guess I don't NEED to worry about that ... for now. We'll see how middle school goes, right?)
• I went to Dawn's doTERRA party. And, well, I need to order myself some oils (After the last couple weeks, I wonder why I didn't do that right away. Oy.)
  Also, in related news, if you need a pumpkin roll or the most amazing apple dip ever? Go to Dawn.
  Just trust me on this, okay?
• The kids were off for the week of Thanksgiving. We didn't do a whole lot, really. Mom came up Monday after the kids and I Visit Taught some friends. (And talked a LOT about Once Upon a Time (I'm still in early Season One. I know, my bad.) and books and things.)
• Thanksgiving was at Mom and Dad C's house.
  After dinner, we worked on crafts (making ornaments and decorations for Christmas).
  It was really fun. Too bad that T2's family couldn't make it this year.
• We braved a little of Black Friday ... and found that he had a flat (got it filled to see if it needed to be fixed or just due to the weather). I got my dang socks at Fred Meyer (it's TRADITION, okay??) and checked out a couple other stores ... but, goodness, it was crazy. I got my free cookbook at Costco and we headed home and put in a Kohl's order online (Michael needed a new suit. It arrived last week. It's REALLY NICE. The Anglophile in me wants to believe it's that nice JUST because those Brits know how to make and wear a suit. *nods*). ...With the Kohl's bucks that I earned, I got myself an enameled cast iron oven for just $5 out of pocket. *preens* It's GORGEOUS.
• We took the kids to Home Depot the next day to one of the Kids' Workshops they have. They ended up making more than one type of kit ... so we have some boats and a picture frame and a pencil box and these lawn-mower-shaped pencil holders.
  Michael and I picked up a set of shelves (and then another set) so we have a matching-kind of entertainment center thing (Three sets of shelves ... the one in the middle is shorter, but they're all the same color and it looks SO much sharper. ... And I took the other shelf that didn't match (from my Nana) and put it in our bedroom ... more room for books! SCORE!
  But, yeah, with those new shelves and the newer bookshelves that we picked up in, um, maybe September? ... Our house is starting to look like a HOUSE, not just someplace designed with wedding gifts and Salvation Army in mind. :P

That brings us to December!
(No wonder I feel like we've been busy!)

Okay, so here's the rundown for December:

• Bruise was assigned the Primary talk for December 1st. Of COURSE, the December issues of The Friend (the Church's children's magazine) wasn't delivered by then.
  So, we looked up the theme for the month and wrote a talk based on that. I made him tell me what he wanted in it and all.
  He got quite a few compliments (as did I) on how well he did. 
• I put in my order for my friend, T's, Scentsy party (It's already arrived). My house smells so much better for that. ^_^
• Bubbles and I headed up and visited my friend Roxy for her birthday (and also because she's not been in perfect health). We had a good time. Roxy and I rocked out, playing SongStar, to Queen (and some other songs ... but mostly Queen). And we ate DELICIOUS Thai food (She was impressed at Bubbles' advanced palate. ;P). Good times ... and I JUST made it back home before the kids got home from school. PHEW!!!!
• Then the snow started ... and Friday, we were pretty much stuck at home. The roads and traffic were bad enough that Bruise and Bucket missed their friend's birthday party.
  To help alleviate the tears, Michael and Bruise walked to the store and picked up dinner (frozen Taquitos, soda, and ice cream) ... And we watched shows and read stories and played in the snow a little.
• Those taquitos, though ... Oy. Friday night was the start of what I have taken to calling The Vomit Chronicles (or, in my lighter moments, "The Chronic-WHAT-cles of Nausea" ... yes, that's an SNL reference. You're welcome.)
  It started with Bucket throwing up ... lots. She ended up in bed with us ... and threw up on the floor in our room on her way to the bathroom. AFTER she threw up on the bath mats in THEIR bathroom.
  Between her ... and then Bubbles, throwing up in HER bed twice, we called it a night ... and we stopped trying to sleep in our bedrooms at 4:30 AM.
  It was a Saturday, we had a Netflix DVD that we'd like to get in the mail before 9 AM ... So, we woke Bruise up and we all huddled under blankets on the couch (kids and me) or the recliner (Michael and Bubbles) and watched Mortal Instruments:City of Bones (or, as Bruise and Bucket describe it "That movie with all the demons that we watched when [Bucket] puked seven times and it was REALLY EARLY in the morning? That movie.")
  Michael was nauseated. I threw up (foam. You're welcome. Yeah, you REALLY wanted to know that) ... partly from sympathy. Bruise was the only one untouched.
• We were all feeling better and made it to the Ward (Congregation) Christmas party ... Michael was in charge of food ... so we didn't get to be together as a family for much of the evening. And, at the end, I was trying to help out in the kitchen and get things DONE so that we could go HOME (tired kids. Tired parents) and Bucket, running around after Bubbles, threw up in the hallways AND a classroom. (I kept hearing people for the next week, extending sympathy for Bubbles throwing up in the church. Nope. Wrong daughter. It was my older one.)
  SO, I got THAT cleaned up (apparently not well enough, since people could still smell it. JOY) and we were able to get back home to sleep.
• We've had church choir RIGHT after church the last couple weeks. It's been a good thing, though. Even though Bubbles SORELY NEEDS a nap, we were able to more than DOUBLE the amount of people in ward choir. Phew! Because I was getting a little nervous about being the ONLY soprano (besides Dianne, our choir leader).
• Monday, Michael took the last of the taquitos to work.
  Partly to TEST and see if that really WAS what caused The Vomit Chronicles.
  And partly because he just REALLY WANTED taquitos.
  The answer to the first sentence was YES. OH MY YES.
  He came home halfway through the day. It was NOT GOOD.
  In the morning, the kids and I went to a local used bookstore and got a present for their cousin's birthday. We were back by the time Michael came home.
  And, yes, I probably bought too much ... if such a thing is possible.
  I ditched the kids (still off from school) while Bubbles took a nap and drove around one of my Visiting Teaching sisters, since she doesn't have a car and it was SO cold and snowy outside.
  After I got back, we loaded up to go see the Nativity Festival ... but, it wasn't nearly as good of an experience as we had hoped.
  Gastronomical distress necessitated my running into a store and getting some MUCH needed supplies.
  We were going to go out for burgers afterwards ... the kids settled for grilled cheese at home (and a promise that we'd go out the NEXT evening).
  By the end of the night, I was about ready to cry.
• Bubbles had been throwing up about every night/every other night in her bed. In other words, I got caught up on laundry.
• Tuesday, we went to Storytime with Santa at the mall ... all the kids, since they were still off from school.
  In the evening, after Michael got back, we went to Red Robin for dinner.
  A MUCH BETTER evening than the one before (even though it was SO NICE to meet up with friends from past wards at the Nativity Festival).
• Wednesday, my mom wasn't able to come up ... between being sick AND the roads being awful, it wasn't going to happen. We went to Storytime at the library instead. We got Bruce's hair cut. We let a friend take a shower at our place. And we cleaned the house a LITTLE (they cleaned their room!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!! AFTER MUCH THREATENING AND NAGGING!!!!!!!!) and read some books.
• Thursday, we CLEANED THE HOUSE and I finished making dinner for the missionaries (they came over for dinner): Turkey enchiladas (gluten-free), spanish rice, salad, and apple-cherry juice.
  I took the kids out in the afternoon, though, for the promised doughnuts, if we had a snow day AND we got the house clean. They were delicious.
• Starting Friday, there's been an end to The Vomit Chronicles (don't let me have jinxed that).
  The kids actually had school. Michael and I got some shopping done when he came home from work. Picked up the kids' book order (PRESENTS!!) ... Then we got them ready for a sleepover that evening, after Michael helped set up for a wedding at the church.
  And I borrowed my SIL(A)'s DVDs of Doctor Who.
  Michael, Bubbles, and I finished watching Series/Season 5 ... Now, to watch Season 6  (on Netflix), then to watch A's DVDs. And I'll be caught up ... for a little bit.
• Saturday, we took Bubbles to Breakfast with Santa at the mall (She may have been the youngest one there!) ... It went well. We went home and relaxed, then headed up to the family party for our niece. Then we headed back for that wedding that Michael had started setting up for. (The food there was AMAZING.)
• Sunday was busy. Michael had meetings in the morning.The kids and I took the van to church. We had choir right after church. Then we had Tithing Settlement ... Michael took the kids home after that and I gave a ride home to a friend. Of course, our Bishop had things come up, so there was some rearranging of appointments ... I called a friend to let her know she could get to her appointment early. Yeah, between the financial clerk and me, we got things taken care of. Yeah, I'm totally an unofficial secretary. *rolls eyes*
  We then delivered stuff for our day of the 12 Days of Christmas that our ward is doing.
  Went home and watched a Netflix DVD ... and headed back to the church for the Stake Fireside.
  Bubbles had to be held by Michael the whole time (no nap) ... so it wasn't as fun for him.
  

Aaaaaaaand that brings us to today ... where I am suffering some of the effects of less-than-optimal amounts of sleep. Apparently, my body decided that having the appropriate amounts of flora in my lady bits was SO last week. (Thrush! NOT YAY!) ... But since I caught it early, it's not as hideous and horrendous as it could be. Still, I hate it. So, yeah.

I should be cleaning up the kitchen and finishing up laundry. Instead, I got a shower, read "Gotham by Gaslight," got Bubbles down from being stuck in Bucket's bunk, and wrote this!
I should also go out and get some Christmas shopping done. And wrap presents! But I am feeling NOT AT ALL motivated.
(Maybe I'll run those errands AFTER the kids get home from school. They won't take long.
Then I can wrap presents NOW and do the dishes. Laundry is always ongoing, so that's okay. And I can make Bucket's bed AFTER Bubbles is done with her nap. That could work. We'll see.)

Okay. I think that's really everything that I NEED to share. And plenty that didn't need to be shared, just for good measure.

I can haz naptimez plz?