Catching up ... again ....

Okay, goodness, I suck at blogging rather regularly.

Partly because I've been reading more. Nothing wildly exciting ... but it is enjoyable. Especially when one has insomnia. ;P

Okay, so what's gone on since I last updated y'all on my exciting, exciting (/sarcasm) life?

Watched some more Doctor Who (the kids and I watched "Blink" together yesterday morning. My little Whovians). And another ep of Once Upon a Time.
Along with SYTYCD. And a few DVDs. (Finally watched "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" and "Lincoln.")

We celebrated Dad C's 60th birthday. And I finally went to Jason-head (my brother-in-law)'s house for the first time since he moved. (Usually, while I'm in town there, he's at work. Or we see each other at Mom and Dad C's house.)
I impressed him by not only KNOWING what a toy piano is (he has one) but also correctly identifying her concertina (it's like an accordion, but without piano-type keys). BOO and YEAH. Point to me.
Apparently, my music appreciation class in college and general geekery has paid off.

We visited my Dad and L, my Nana, my Uncle M and Aunt I, and Mom and my stepdad.
The kids had fun swimming in Dad and L's pool (aboveground pool).

The missionaries (we have sister missionaries in our ward) came by and chatted. It was nice to get to know them.

Mom and Dad C had their anniversary. So did Mom and my stepdad ... just over a week apart. Isn't that cute? And coincidental?

My Aunt J came up and we went, the next day, to a cousin's baby shower (she's my first-cousin-once-removed ... her dad's my mom's uncle, you see. But we just call each other cousins to keep things simple. Especially since she and her siblings and I are close in age. Her dad and my mom are about the same age, too. So he can brag about how well his niece/my mom would read stories to him when they were five).

It was really nice to see most everyone. My mom wasn't able to make it (she had my stepdad's family reunion). But I hadn't seen Uncle B and Aunt M since before the kids were born. And I hadn't seen any of my cousins for longer than that. Cousin T was with her folks at my reception. And that was quite a while ago.

After the shower, Michael, the kids and I went to IKEA. Bruise and Bucket got to play in Smaaland (or whatever it's called) ... Michael and I picked up a few things ... like new lights for the bedrooms. WOW. We were able to move where our lights hung (since they were originally fixtures that hung on hooks anyways) and have a large, round Chinese-style lantern in each bedroom. ... Both rooms seem SO much brighter and more open. And it wasn't that much work or money. Phew!

We had church and choir ... there were, what, FIVE of us that showed up. And we'll be performing on the 25th, so that's ... terrifying.

Monday, Michael wasn't feeling well, so he came home early. Really early. He got home RIGHT before I was taking the kids to swim lessons (with BOB, only their FAVORITE of ALL TIME instructor. Who remembered them from swim lessons a couple summers ago). So, he stayed home with Bubbles. Which let me pay TOTAL ATTENTION to Bruise and Bucket's lessons.

And, I can be honest ... they showed REMARKABLE improvement by the end of that lesson.
Since, at the beginning, their swimming strokes put on in the mind of JAWS. But without the blood.
(I mean, really, there were legs and arms flailing around and splashing galore! It was ... interesting.
But they're getting better each class. Phew!!)

After swim lessons on Monday, we went home and the kids showered. They also changed Bruise's sheets. And, during that, Bubbles was traipsing over his mattress and fell JUST SO ... resulting in us taking her to the doctor's office ... where she received two stitches in her forehead, over her eyebrow.
Except for having to be held down/still for getting anesthetic and the stitches, she was pretty dang chipper through the whole thing.
And now we've met ALL the doctors (and the LNP) at the practice. And I can truly vouch that they're all very wonderful.

And, honestly, I don't LIKE that I broke my record of not having to have my kids get stitches ... but I do feel vindicated that I made the right call in taking her in.
And I'm SO GLAD that Michael was there to help hold her still. I held her body and arms (and, therefore, could get at her hands to give her kisses and try to soothe her as best I could) while Michael held her head still.

I didn't cry ... but I was VERY AWARE of when my adrenaline rush ended.
Mostly because I felt like melting into a puddle on the floor after being wound so tight and keeping it together.

By the by, Bubbles has been pretty awesome about not picking/pulling at her stitches (unless she's REALLY tired). And she gets to have a bath today. So that'll make her happy. ... The stitches get taken out Monday. So, yeah. That should go quickly. And her regular pediatrician is doing that, so he'll get to give her a lookover.

Michael and I also got to help prepare for the funeral/memorial service of a man in our ward. So it was nice that he was home --- we jetted over to the church so he could unlock the building and help set up tables and chairs. I swung by a couple hours later to help decorate and drop off a dish. Bucket accompanied me and helped out while Michael watched Bruise and Bubbles. It was nice to get some one-on-one time with Bucket, since we were early getting there.

Okay, I should go do another load of dishes, clean the counters, and try and finish laundry. And make something for dinner.

But, yeah ... stitches and all. And we'll be helping to clean out bits of my Nana's house (due to health and other reasons, she's not going to be living alone anymore. So she needs to sell her house. And we need to help clean it out.) ... But yeah. We're keeping busy. Busy enough.