I wrote my way out ...

So, I've not written in a while and I'm not even going to try to catch up.

I had to take Michael in to the ER on Tuesday night. We got home at 4 in the morning.
He has gallstones and is in pain. Loads of pain, to be honest.

Wednesday, I ran about on three hours of sleep. Got his prescriptions from the ER doctor. Got him to his primary doctor. Got an appointment with the surgeon for a consult ... got Bruise to soccer (socially-distanced) practice... got Mom to her first physical therapy appointment (since her hip surgery went great).

Thursday had my eye appointment (still no prescription), the big kids' dental cleaning, I ran into the next town (our clinic) for a urine lab (I STILL have a UTI. Joy. At least it's MOSTLY asymptomatic. I mean I have to pee a lot. And there's some blood in there, but it's not that painful or anything ...). Got Michael to his surgeon's consult. We're looking at laparoscopic gallbladder removal in the near future. But not near enough. I hate seeing him in pain.

Yesterday, he ran out of the ER painkillers, so I made sure that his doctor had sent in a new prescription. Ran some errands with various kids ... Got Mom to her other PT appointment (she's made great progress in just two days!!).

Today, I'm washing sheets and Michael's pillows, since he's been sweating so much. 

Bubbles isn't feeling great (sore throat) and started a fever. Bucket is peeved that we cut computer time (since the kids weren't responding to our needings of help (headphones, man ... I don't know that I love them).

Mostly, I just want to sit in the shower and cry. Or nap all day. And I haven't found a way to do either.

I need to finish making the bed, get Bubbles into a bath, ... and about a million other things. But I know that they won't get done.

I hate feeling helpless. I hate feeling useless. I hate feeling powerless. 
I hate feeling like no matter what I'm doing, I'm letting my kids down. I hate that they are worried about their dad. I hate that I can't fix this. 

I'm grateful for the amounts of prayers and help that people have extended. 
One of Bruise and Bucket's elementary teachers facebooked that she's moved back into town and would be happy to help ferry the kids about for soccer and dance. Hopefully, at Mom's next appointment on Thursday, she'll be given permission to drive again ... then we're back up to having two drivers in the home again.
A friend is bringing over dinner tonight. (And, even if she weren't, we have lots of leftovers ... which is great, too.)

Okay. Time to get moving again. Let's get my littlest baby to feel better.

Ocean of Emotion

What have you missed since I last blogged?

Not a whole bunch. Me being lazy and reading a lot.
My mom getting the munchkin brigade to CLEAN THEIR ROOM.
Michael and I applied for our passports ... not that we have a trip planned yet or anything.
I cut my hair (it needed it. Now, instead of being between my shoulderblades, it's jaw-length. And, overall, it feels healthier).

Michael and I went to Chef's Night Out in Eugene.
I, of course, FREAKED OUT before heading down ...

• What do I wear?
• It's a stinking CHARITY EVENT (Don't get me wrong, I love philanthropy)!
  There will be men with their TROPHY WIVES there!
  I will bring shame upon Michael!Shame on his company! Shame on his cow!
  (He doesn't have a cow, you say? WELL, THERE'S THE ONE THAT I'M HAVING NOW!!)
• What if I'm overdressed? What if I'm underdressed?
• What if I have to TALK to people and I say something declasse? 
• What if I spill my drink or food?!?
• Do I look like I'm trying to hard?
• ... Oh, hell. Fix the undereye makeup. Add some damn green liquid liner. It'll distract from the waves of fear and desperation you're giving off.

You think I'm kidding ... the plethora of rabidly-begging-for-input texts that I sent Michael and the tear-stains on our coverlet prove otherwise.

By the time I got down there (after wonderful C [who I Visit Teach] came to watch the kidlets came over, Bruise and Bucket arrived home from school, and I kissed everyone good-bye), after some en-route car karaoke, I was better-prepared mentally to deal with ... people.

I should say that I DO like people. Dealt with in small groups, I'm FIIIIINE.
But, well, when I don't know them and I'm not performing as someone else and when I feel fat and I'm on my period and there are angry bees that hate me in my head ... I'm ... vulnerable and more than a little sick-in-the-head.

Just keeping it real for you all.

I mean, usually, I can accept that, yes, there's more of me to love than average. I've got curves that won't quit. I love food ... and don't love to exercise. Or sweat, actually. Give me a book, a BLT, a rainy day, and a cuppa rooibos chai ... I'm a happy camper.

Put me into a social situation that involves dressing up more than in a jersey knit ... with strangers ... who have money (our tickets were given to Michael's company since they worked on an awesome project to combat hunger) ... and, well, I go into crisis-social-mode, obvs.

Good times, good times.
Once we GOT there ... and the pre-event schmoozing was over (so I didn't have to pretend like I knew what I was doing there), I could be proactive and go on the hunt for sampling bazillions of yummy things (I'm not that into chicken livers or pork pate. Good to know. But, DANG SON, I found some Ginger Lemonade that I can buy over at Market of Choice ... now I have TWO go-to drinks there [The other is the Rose Lemonade that you can pry from my COLD. DEAD. HANDS. ... though I also like the Dry Sodas -- esp. Lavender, Rhubarb, and Blood Orange.]).

Michael and I practically ate ourselves sick ... but there were SO many things to try ... and we hadn't even tried them all. And we didn't have seconds of anything!
(The Wild Duck cafe's Beer-Cheese soup? Yum. And there was a cantaloupe salsa with avocado. And a roasted-carrot chicken curry. And a rosewater panna cotta. And a sweet potato cobbler with lavender-caramel sauce ... and more ... and it was all really good).

See ... social events = STRESSFUL.
Food events = GOOD.
So, once it changed to a FOOD EVENT, I was good. No more stressful than getting lunch at the county fair, right?
(OH gosh, I sound like some antisocial bumpkin ... probably because I am rather a somewhat-antisocial bumpkin.)


Also, my Nana has been moved into an assisted-care home. With her dementia, it had to happen.
But, still ... I ...

I'm supposed to write her a letter every couple of weeks ... because I know that I want to keep in touch with her. And she can't hear well enough over the phone. And she doesn't have a computer, let alone know how to email or anything.  ... But ... it's tough. I don't always say how I feel. Because I don't want to be all "Hey, Nana. Your dementia makes me mad. I love you. But dementia sucks. And I know that it has to be worse for you. But it's sad. And it makes me feel like I've lost you and am mourning you before you have died. Because it's like part of your IS dying NOW. And I hate that. And it makes me feel selfish that I'm griping about the fact that I still HAVE you and I CAN visit you ... and it's not the same. ... Even if I could visit, which I try to when we can ... there's a part of me that wants to break down and cry about your state of being you-but-not and I just want to go back about 18 years to when I could walk with my dad down to your house and you'd feed Sarah, David, and me strawberries-fresh-from-the-garden with a splash of cream and a heaping spoonful of sugar. And Sarah and I would dress up in your costume jewelry and nightgowns and feel so grown up and we'd go and "help" Pop-pop mow Mrs. Weatherbee's field and tramp about in the garden and everything. I miss the smell of the attic at your old house back home. I miss riding in the backseat of your peach-colored Chrysler. I buy Freedent gum to keep in my purse because that's what you always had. And coffee candy. Even though it makes me feel like the most rebellious Mormon girl. Because these things remind me of being a little girl at your house during summer afternoons. And I was so very content then, without grown-up responsibilities ... and I really miss that. I really miss you. And I HATE that dementia has taken you away from us ... from me ... before death has. Because it makes me mad. And it makes me sad. And it makes me feel powerless and vulnerable and ineffective. Because I have NO IDEA how to fix this or what to do... I mean, I GET that I need to rely on the Lord and all. But it's not the easiest thing to do all the time. And I'll be walking in a store or in the library and I'll be hit by this WAVE of GRIEF, hard enough that I find myself breathless, reeling in its wake ... and I ... I ... I just don't know what to do.  And I don't like that. And I don't know if it will be any easier when you're fully gone or if I'll just feel more guilty for not knowing how to appreciate you more while you are here. I love our visits, even if you are more and more childlike each time I see you ... I'll admit, though, that after I get into the car to go, I mostly just want to curl up into a ball in a corner somewhere or lose myself in a story ... because I don't know how to handle losing you more and more. And that makes me feel selfish. And guilty. ... But I'm glad that you ARE around. That Bruise, Bucket, and Bubbles get this chance to know you here, as their great-grandmother. That they are able to witness your love for and fondness of them. That they're able to catch some time with you. I barely knew any of my great-grandparents ... so I know how lucky they are. I think I'm mostly just mad that, even though I've got my heels dug and and am shrieking for you not to go, that the dementia keeps dragging you away, piece by piece, until I'm grasping at the grains of sand running through my fingers as those grief-waves wash over me, leaving me soaked and chilled and frustrated-to-tears by my ineffectiveness. But I love you. And I want you to know that one fact. If you know nothing else, I just want you to remember, to KNOW, that we love you."

...

I mean, I could write that to her. It'd be honest. And one reason I don't like the letters/cards that I send to her is because they seem disingenuous ... all prattling on about how we love her (true) and what the kids are doing (true) and that we're fine (true) and we miss her (all too true) ... but that elephant is in the room and I am averting my eyes from its presence. And that feels dishonest. But it doesn't feel proper/kind/whatever to bring it up -- "I hate dementia. Dementia sucks. Dementia is ... I don't know what it is, but I don't like it." ... even if I did say those (true) things ... it might upset Nana more than it'd change anything else. So ... well, I don't see the point of doing it. 

I don't really know of anything else I ... strike that. I can report that Michael and I have now been married 15 years and ... some-odd days. I'm refusing to math right now.
And we went to the coast and ate good food and bought clothes.
I now have a rainjacket that fits me. And has a hood.
Michael got some new slacks, shirts, and ties.
We ate Monte Cristos at Gracie's Sea Hag ... and they were worth the wait and the effort!
We also went to Ripley's Believe it or Not ... just like on our honeymoon (but it was MUCH better weather this time).

And, I had signed up to sub for a Relief Society Lesson.
I figured that, hey, I'm teaching Sunday School ... why not just add on another lesson, right?
Originally, it was for March 6 - Joseph Smith.
Then it was bumped to March 13 - The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Okay.
THEN it was rescheduled to be the Teaching for Our Times Lesson - "Strengthened Through His Atonement" by Dallin H. Oaks.
And, did I mention that it was Easter Sunday? The Sunday that our Ward choir was performing in Sacrament meeting?
Yeah, no biggie, right?

Well, I crammed. A LOT. I'd been studying multiple talks by apostles and people (all the ones that Elder Oaks referred to in his talk. And a few more. Because WHY NOT?) ... including an excerpt from Lighten Up by Chieko Okazaki.

Well, I referred to the outline I wrote. The classroom clock wasn't working. My phone (with its clock) was in my purse. Along with the tissues that I really needed.
But the sisters all participated in the discussion.
People said that it was good.
I survived.
And I'm glad that it's over.
But it felt like it went well.

And I was VERY tired that evening.

And THAT's really, as far as I can tell, all I really have to report. 

Now, I should write that letter to my Nana.

If I had a clever title, it'd go here

I woke up a little earlier than usual. So I'm actually showered already.

But I put on pajamas, so don't be THAT impressed.

Today, during morning devotional with the kids, we got to talking about the whole "don't just love those who love you." (paraphrased from Matthew 5:46-47) ... and I told Bruise and Bucket (and Bubbles, if she was listening) that you can't just be cliquish. And that sometimes, yes, people will act like jerks ... but we have to remember some things:

• S/he is still a child of God.
• Maybe there's something going on in his/her life that we don't know about.
• We can always pray for guidance in helping us understand why [whoever is acting like a poophead] is doing what s/he is doing, so that we can use that inspiration/knowledge to speak to his/her heart ... so that they'll know that we care and are trying/wanting to help.

And Bucket's eyes went wide as she told me, "Mom. That is what I needed to know how to solve a problem with someone at school."

Okay. Phew.

My main goal in doing morning devotional with the kids is that (1) they'll get some scripture-time/pondering-time (nearly) first thing in the morning, (2) they'll have some spiritual armor on to help them through the day, since I can't be there to help guide them constantly (it'd be exhausting and overbearing. I'd rather be reading, truly. :P), and (3) we'll have some time together so that I can have some idea of what's going on in their lives.
There are some other goals, too, of course, but those are the biggies.

And, well, learning that this IS helpful ... it's very validating.

I also had Bruise and Bucket do their Spanish reading in the morning today ... and I had them read scriptures, since we have those in Spanish. And, since today is NOT early release, so they have an hour less to work on homework-stuff and housework after school. (It's only going to get HARDER once Strings lessons and LEGO Robotics start ... *sigh*)

Other things in my life --

I FINALLY got the correct email address for one of the students in my Sunday School class. I misread two letters as numbers ... and his mom was having a devil of a time with it. But she and I persevered ... and I've FINALLY succeeded in emailing him. Phew!

Last night, Michael and I started a bath for Bubbles (Bucket wanted a bath by herself) ... and we both got distracted. When Michael checked on Bubbles, the tub was about an inch from overflowing. Bubbles was happy as a pig in the mud, with the water up to her neck.
(She had been asking to go swimming, so this was pretty much her own private pool. Ha.)

Of course, this was something that needed to be made into a Facebook post, so I grabbed my phone and ordered her to "Cover your parts!" And, well, my Facebook friends seemed to enjoy what we shared of our crazy life

I'm still TRYING to feel prepared for Sunday's lesson.
Right now I'm printing out talks, lessons (for October), and ... well, anything that I think might help me to be more prepared.

We'll see how it goes. I still need to make a questions box, though ... just in case.
Or, until then, my students can just slip me a piece of paper or stick it in my bag or something. I'll find it ... eventually. :P

Michael and I made it to Curriculum Night at the kids' school the other night ... and I left with more questions than answers.
Don't get me wrong. I REALLY like their teachers. But when I asked about what Bruise and Bucket are going to be learning in Social Studies and Science, I was only told that it's integrated into the Math and Language Arts, due to how little instructional time is available vs what all needs to be taught.
Yes, it's an answer, but not exactly what I asked.
(I was looking for something more like, "Well, we're not teaching Social Studies and Science on their own, due to time constraints, but we have integrated units on [countries, cultures, animals, earth science concepts, etc] within the Language Arts and Mathematics that we're teaching." Or something like that.

We also learned, just before we left, that Bruise HAD been falling asleep in class. ... Which was due to his and Bucket's sneaking the tablets into their room. Which lets us know that it was going on for a little while. And that they REALLY can't be trusted with their tablets (which is ANOTHER reason why their tablets have taken a vacation to stay [indefinitely] at my mom's house). *sigh*

So, yeah, I was THAT PARENT and sent a LONG email with the other questions that we didn't have time to address (or fully address) ... along with offers that Michael and I are more than willing to help out in whatever ways we can. If the teachers don't have time to grade homework, it's not like I'm incapable of that (well, maybe slightly incapable in Spanish, since I'm only 46% fluent, according to Duolingo ... and I think they might be giving me too much credit) ...

I just want to know what's going ON.

But we're glad that the kids DID bring home homework packets Tuesday. Math, cursive (since it's not required for Common Core, it's not taught in the classroom), and a Spanish reading assignment with a multiple-choice assessment for comprehension. This is along with a reading log with student-set reading goals for reading in English AND Spanish.

Bruise and Bucket ALSO brought home a sheet about Typing.com with their log-in information so they can practice at home (optional) ... Bruise's didn't work, so I had to make an educated guess at the Technology teacher's school email (I got it right) and she let me know that Bruce's username was already taken -- and gave me the new username, so we were able to log him in. Phew!

I also read over the sheets that the P.E. and Music teachers had prepared.
The one surprising thing was that the P.E. teacher stated that if students come to P.E. without appropriate footwear (athletic shoes), they wouldn't be able to participate AND receive a failing grade for that day. ... I ran that by my mom, a retired teacher, and she said that it didn't sound legal. So, in my email to their kids' teachers, I mentioned that I was concerned about the kids receiving failing grades since my daugher OFTEN wears sandals/boots/non-athletic shoes to school and I hadn't been made aware of which days she has P.E., so I can't help her with that.
(And the P.E. teacher is a first-year teacher, so I don't want to lambast him with anything ... but, instead of stating that parents could just ask their children's teachers about which days they have P.E., it'd be cool if he'd put a small schedule on there with which animal groups have P.E. on which days. ... Yes, kids are sorted by groups with animal names. It makes it easier to keep track of which class they're in, since around 2/3 of the students are in TWO classrooms with the Bilingual program.)

Yes, I know, I know. I'm a hard woman to please.
I'm aware.

I'm also a woman with a headache, so I should go pop some acetaminophen and rub some essential oils on my temples ... and get dressed so that I can take Bubbles to storytime. And clean the house. And fold and put away more laundry. And wash more laundry. And prepare my lesson(s). And read books. And feed my family healthy things. And ...

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).

Creative Titles are Not My Priority Today

So, where did we last leave off?

Oh! With how I had no sleep, right?

So, Friday, after the text-to-phone-calls at midnight and the PMS-induced insomnia, I was ... tired.

BUT I got to get together with my bestie, Bri, and another bridesmaid and drive to a bigger mall (in another town) and look at shoes.
It was between silver, sparkly Vans and nude pumps ... the pumps won.
(Though I might have to go back and buy the Vans anyways. Or just invest in the silver Toms, since I love my multi-sparkle Toms so much. ... Then I'll need the blue ones, too. OF COURSE.)
So, even though the bridesmaids all have totally different dresses, we'll have matching shoes to unify us.
And, since they're a neutral, we can always wear them again with other things.
Just like I'll totally rewear my dress after the wedding.

Friday night was Bri's bridal shower. I won a prize by beating everyone else at British slang.
Not bad for a shut-in who's only traveled as far as Mississippi (to the south and east) and Victoria, British Columbia (to the north and west).
Upon accepting my prize, I wanted to thank the BBC, myriad Romance novelists, and various vloggers (Charlieissocoollike and Alex Day) ... and, especially Louise Rennison with her book series (starting with Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging). I could not have done this without you.
And THE GOOGLE. Thank you, THE GOOGLE. Thank you for all the webpages full of Across-the-Pond terminology that I've perused in the past to make sense of what I've read elsewhere. And to find really good not-naughty-word-(well, at least not naughty HERE. Since it's REALLY fulfilling to refer to someone who DESERVES IT as a wanker)-swears.

Hey, gratitude is IMPORTANT.

Saturday, we took the kids to their Primary Program rehearsal.
I sat in, for a bit, as one of the Primary teachers ... until he showed up.
They moved the kiddos from one bench up front to the OTHER SIDE ... so I couldn't see them at ALL from our normal seat. So I took Bubbles to change her diaper and so I could get my crying done with in private.
(Sunday, we SHOCKED THE WHOLE WARD by sitting on the OTHER SIDE of the chapel, so we could see our dang kids. Got quite a few remarks about that. ... No, I'm NOT LYING. Seriously, we're like CLOCKWORK. We get to church early and sit in the SAME SEAT every week ... except for, well, TWO times now. Yeah. I know.)

Then we went shopping and back home where Michael got a nap. Then I went to the church again for the General Relief Society Broadcast. We had some classes before the broadcast (I know now how to make corn tortillas ... Now, I should take that knowledge and DO it, huh? Especially since I have the ingredients! That corn flour I bought at least a year ago isn't going to use itself up, now is it??) and a dinner afterwards.

Then I went home and SLEPT.

Sunday, like I mentioned, was the kids' Primary Program. Bruise and Bucket did EXCELLENTLY.
My mom had called then up before and after school for the last couple weeks so they could recite their parts to her. And we worked on diction and volume and NOT SPEAKING TOO QUICKLY.
So they had their parts DOWN. And they were well-behaved up front. And they looked very nice, too.

Mom, Mom and Dad C, and T2 and her husband, W, and their baby daughter, S, all came. It was nice.
(Except that Mom and Dad C's car broke down on their way home! Eek!)

After church, we went home where we visited with Mom before she drove back home to take care of my stepdad. Then we changed and loaded up to go to Mom and Dad C's to visit with T2, W, and S while they were in town.
We visited, had fun, and watched The Avengers ... good times.
Then we headed back home to get the kids in bed in preparation for school Monday.

Monday ... what did we do Monday? The kids went to school ... Oh!! That's right!!
Monday was SUPPOSED to be payday ... but Michael came home and told me that their new office manager was still learning ... so no one got paid at all (No, we don't get direct deposit. That'd be a nice thing, though!) ... and he was amazed at how well I took it.
I was all, "Well, we still are in the black (not by MUCH). So ... we'll get paid tomorrow? I mean, we have enough milk to last us, right?"

(Yeah ... NOT in my character. Usually I FREAK THE CHICKEN OUT about money issues. But, for some reason ... I was ... okay.)

So, we ate biscuits and gravy. With maple-flavored sausage .... Yum .... maple .... Mmmmm.

Bubbles slept EIGHT WHOLE HOURS.
Too bad, though, that the eight hours started at 7 PM. Still! It was very nice!

Tuesday, yes, he got paid. I skipped Zumba so that I could go help out at Bruise and Bucket's school (which allows me to visit with the wonderful mom of one of their sweetest friends -- so, well, it's not totally altruistic. ^_^).
So, Robyn's son told HER that Bucket was his girlfriend. That Bucket and he sat by each other at P.E. and at lunch ... and she said he was cute.
Robyn had messaged me about it, so I could get Bucket's side of the story.

• Yes, Robyn's son is cute. EVERYONE thinks so.
  (And she's going to tell his mom that I said that this boy is downright ADORABLE.
  Seriously, he is. He is so darling. And his personality matches, too. Which is even more important.)
• Yes, they sit together at P.E. and Lunch. 
• Yes, they sometimes hug.
• EW!!! NO, they don't hold hands or kiss. That's GROSS.
• No, he's not her boyfriend. He's a friend-that-just-HAPPENS-to-be-a-boy. He is not a ooh-la-la-boyfriend (my term, not hers. But she liked it a lot).

The kiddos got home from school and, after reading for a little, went out to play with a friend.
And got to ride on a little electric bicycle/scooter with her uncle. (They wore their helmets.)
Michael got home and after eating dinner (Not as exciting. Chicken marinated in Italian dressing, rice, and green beans), we went grocery shopping. And bought a lamp to replace the one in the living room ... where the middle of three lights is nigh impossible to turn back off.
I put it together while he folded laundry as we watched a couple more episodes of The Walking Dead. (Almost done with season two! ... Too bad we don't have AMC so we could keep current. Oh well.)

Yes, we're THAT couple. The couple that cozies up or folds laundry while watching and chatting about the Zombie Apocalypse. We're so special.
(Seriously, he's the best thing to happen to me. I don't know of anyone else who'd willingly put up with me. Or give me such dang cute kids.)

Today ... I answered the door in my robe (after the kids had headed off to school) to a couple of gentlemen asking if there were any Spanish-speaking people in our home. Or in the neighborhood ... Which, um, no, none in our house (well, the kids are learning Spanish, but that's not what they were asking), and I don't know our neighbors well enough to really say. We always speak English to the ones that I know ...

I also ... well ... I got to discuss birth control with my uncle who's in his sixties.
He's met someone. And, well, they're looking into taking their relationship to the next level.
... And ... well ...

WELL, it's VERY flattering that he trusts me enough to ask my opinion. And, seeing as how Michael and I have been married for almost twelve years and we've only had three kids, it's true. I do know about birth control.
(I asked Michael afterwards, when I called to chat with him during his lunch break, if it was wrong to give my uncle advice and not be all, "Um, you SHOULD be married before doing all of that ..." BUT, at the same time, his last marriage was ... not great. I mean, when your spouse tries to kill you and, failing that, tries to get you put away in prison ... well, I figure that he might be a little gun-shy about marriage. And, since he was baptized into the church as an adult, he'd have sat through all the missionary discussions ... and he'd know the Church's stance on pre-/extra-marital sex.  So... yeah.
But, yeah, I just wanted to make sure that I didn't need to go talk to the bishop about leading someone astray.
Michael assured me that I was okay. And that HE was very glad that I was the one to have this conversation. ... It's cute how Michael isn't very comfortable having THE TALK with, well, ANYONE ELSE but me. This is why I CANNOT DIE ... at least not until our girls are married, right? [It helps that my mom is AMAZING and made sure that I knew that I could ask her anything and she'd give me an honest answer. Since she'd much rather that I be confident enough in her to ask her, as opposed to learning about sex from kids at school. So, yes, I've asked my mom LOTS of questions growing up. ... Also, I was confident enough to read about sciencey stuff {e.g., genetics, development, and reproduction} so that I know about my body... and my kids' bodies, in case THEY have questions.])

Besides it being a little ... strange ... to discuss prophylactics, et al, with a family member twice my age, I felt so sad for his lady-friend. She's gone into menopause ... but didn't ever realize that when you stop having any cycles, due to menopause, you stop ovulating. She hasn't had a cycle for ... five years or so ... and thought that because she still had eggs in her ovaries, she could still get pregnant.
Poor girl ... I mean ... I just feel bad that she's been worried about something that she (99% shouldn't) doesn't need to fret about.

So ... I guess if your kids ever need to talk about reproductive stuff and you don't feel comfortable doing it, hit me up. I will tell young'uns DEFINITELY that they should get married before exercising their powers of procreation ... but, if they need some info, I can talk about what I know ... or help them research it, too.

In other news, one of my friends had reserved a table at a restaurant a few states away (since we live in different states). The reservation was created over a month ago. A few days ago, the restaurant cancelled the reservation due to a private party happening. This is the reservation for celebrating a milestone birthday for her dad.
So, I offered, if she gave me the name of the place, to try and help out.

She supplied the name and town of the restaurant. I looked them up, found an email address, and wrote a complaint letter about the situation.

Within the HOUR, the manager emailed me back to apologize. He was headed off to a meeting and would respond as soon as he got out. He was glad that I had emailed him, since he was unaware of the situation.

A few hours later, he emailed back and offered a free dinner for my friend's group. I supplied her contact info (which I had asked her if I could in advance) and there you go!

My friend was rather pleasantly shocked that I'd do that. She hadn't even considered contacting the restaurant ... I mean, most people don't need to.

But, well, this is where I come in.
I strongly believe that if there is a problem ... maybe it's a problem because someone didn't know about it to prevent it.
So, like I did here, I brought it to the attention of someone who CAN do something about it.
I assume that it's not on purpose.
I ask for something to rectify the situation.
(Hey, I've read more than my share of posts on The Consumerist. I KNOW about complaint letters.)

So ... well, if you need a complaint letter written ... or help writing one ... hit me up.

I guess I've discovered my talents ... giving THE TALK and complaining. :P
(Well, crafting letters of complaint. ... I also try to craft "Thank You" letters, too. Those are nicer to write. ^_^)

Well, I should start housework or something, shouldn't I?
I mean, I already made it to the bread store (DUDE, I got THREE LOAVES of whole wheat bread for 99 CENTS. YES.) and got a great resolution for my friend via email ... That should get me a by, right?
If only. 

Insert witty zombie-based joke here

It's true. I'm NOT dead.
Though, if you were basing my status off of when I last blogged, I don't blame you for thinking that I might be.

No. I've just been busy. And meaning-to-but-not-blogging.

Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.
(Which is about the extent of the Latin I know. ... If there an online course to study Latin? I'd try to learn in in my spare time ... if I could find any. :P)

Okay, what have I been up to? Let's see ...

• We visited family (Nana, Mom and Cecil) and the kids stayed down with my mom and Cecil for a few days.
• I donated blood ... I didn't pass out. But this was the first time that I've never filled a bag.
  Usually I fill a bag really quickly.
  My iron level, by the by, is excellent for a nursing mom.
  Vesper, however, wasn't going to take a nap ... and she was NOT thrilled to be laying on my chest (in the Moby) as I lay on my back in the Bloodmobile.
  But once the realtor in charge of the Blood Drive held her, she was happy as a lark.
  (I was asked if he and I are friends. We have chatted, but I barely know his name. :P But he's good folks. This is the first time he's held Vesper. And she's very amiable.)
• The kids had a playdate with a friend (visiting from Pennsylvania). It was nice for them ... and for me! I got to chat with their friend's parents. THAT was long overdue. :P
• We went to the Eric Herman concert (part of a Summer Reading Program).
  JUST FOR YOUR INFO, ERIC HERMAN remarked on what a pretty baby Bubbles is.
  Yes, I am bragging. ... But only because everyone, even FAMOUS MUSICIANS (what? He's doing a concert in New York later this month!) says so. ;D
• Michael and I took the kids camping.
  Bubbles did remarkably well. Bruise and Bucket got lost once (but we camp at campgrounds. WITH HOT SHOWERS. Because I'm a pansy.), but were quickly reunited with us. AND LEARNED A VERY VALUABLE LESSON ABOUT NOT RUNNING OFF. So it all ended well.
• Bubbles got to go to the Coast for the first time. She approved. ^_^
• She also got to try bacon for the first time.
  Yup, that made her happy, too.
• We celebrated Michael's sister (T1)'s birthday. It was good to see family again.
• Bubbles is sitting up very well. And loves to eat ... in fact, if you don't offer her food (even if she's JUST finished nursing), she will get upset. And she likes most things that we've given her to try.
  But not fresh raspberries. Could be the texture of the berry ...
• I sang in the Stake Choir ... the Presiding Bishop of the Church spoke at it. It was a nice experience.
• I also sang in our (really SMALL) Ward Choir. Again, another good experience.
  It's nice to have a creative outlet ... and one where I get to be a little social, too.
  Helps prevent me from being such a shut-in.
• Michael had a business trip in Puyallup last month. Just a short one.
  The meeting was on a Thursday. So he got the following Friday off ... and we took the kiddos up to Washington. This is the furthest north they've gone (Furthest south? Bruise and Bucket have been down to San Francisco for my Grampy's wedding reception a couple years ago. Bubbles ... has been to Canyonville, my hometown. Still in Oregon.).
  We (the kiddos and me) played at a park while Michael was in his meeting. And looked around the Puyallup Public Library. (Yes, I saw a library. It was open. I gave us a self-guided tour. I'm secure in my geekdom/nerdery.)
  Then we drove up to Seattle and took the kids to the Seattle Center. They got to look at the Space Needle and go to the Pacific Science Center. Then, after that, we drove to our hotel and unpacked and went swimming. Then out to dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory (which we loved!).
  Friday morning, we packed up and went to Pike Place Market. The kids got to see the flying fish and pet the giant piggy bank. We walked down the waterfront and took them to Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe (which was one of my favorite places when I lived in Seattle). They got to see the mummies and the two-headed calf ...
  Then we drove over to the Seattle Temple (my first temple ... I was sealed to my parents there back in '86) and headed home.
  Bubbles was in AWFUL form the way home. She had gas from gnawing on a broccoli floret the previous day and SCREAMEDSCREAMEDSCREAMED until she fell asleep ... for MAYBE a half-hour. Then she's wake up and start all over again. *sigh*
  Bruise had to pee ... CONSTANTLY (he wasn't emptying his bladder at the toilet), so I grabbed a Powerade bottle (20oz, I think) and had him pee in that. TWICE.
  He filled that thing about half way!! ... AND, he was wedged against the mouth of the bottle at one point, so I ended up getting sprayed/splattered with my son's urine.
  Yup. Not even phased. Not one bit.
  Especially because (healthy) urine is sterile.
  Needless to say, even though it was a fun trip, I was GLAD to be home after that hectic drive home (No, I didn't drive. At ALL. I much prefer to be a passenger. And read ... I'm a MUCH better/less-stressed passenger when I'm reading.)
• We helped clean the ward building (it's done by members of the wards ... it was our turn).
  Then we had an EQ (Elders Quorum) dinner ... which only two other families attended.
  Apparently, there were lots of conflicts. Oh well. We had fun with the other two families there.
• Bruise, Bucket, and I get to be in the wedding party of one of my absolute besties. Bruise gets to carry a banner. Bucket's the flower girl. I am a bridesmaid.
  (I do find it humorous that I've ONLY been a bridesmaid [and a Matron of Honor] AFTER I've been married. Obviously, marrying Michael increased my cool factor. ;D ... I was a flower girl once when I was little. And I've sang at a wedding when I was in high school. So ... yeah.)
• The last week before school started ... I don't know where the time really went. Mostly recuperating and trying to catch up on housework (which I promptly fell behind on. AGAIN). That and meeting their teachers at the school Open House.
• Michael and I took Bruise and Bucket to Enchanted Forest (Bubbles, who's too little, stayed with Grandpa and Grandma). They had a great time. They didn't like the Haunted House (Bucket cried. And we carried both of them through most of it). They loved the rides. Michael even rode on the roller coasters (once each) with us. The kiddos and I went on one of them twice more. It was a fun time.
• The kids started First Grade on Tuesday. They're enjoying it.
  They have different teachers, so they only really see each other at recess. But they each have their own best friend in their class ... And they're enjoying school.
  And I MADE SURE that we were there ON TIME to actually CATCH the BUS the first day of school. PHEW.
  Wasn't going to repeat THAT.
  Still, it's really odd to have Bruise and Bucket GONE for nearly a full third of the day.
• Bubbles had her sixth-month appointment this morning. Her doctor remarked on what a happy, personable baby she is.
  And she took her immunizations (three shots, since I opted to have her get a flu shot) very well. Once I picked her up, she stopped crying and started snuggling.
  (Also, the kids pediatrician was VERY IMPRESSED that I pronounce "Puyallup" correctly.
  And he complimented Michael and my production of such beautiful children.
  Yeah, I'm going to be coasting on THAT compliment for a while. ^_^ It's nice to have a talent.)

Besides that ... I'm working at cleaning the house while the kids are at school. I'm terribly behind on sleep.
Bruise and Bucket (ESPECIALLY BUCKET) were tired after school (and then playing outside with their neighbor-friend) on Tuesday. Bucket was so cranky and emotional ... and I was, too. I ended up crying in the car on the way home from our grocery-shopping trip ... The last straw was when I opened the bag of meat-sticks for Michael ... and they all fell down on the floor of the van. Oy.

Bubbles is to the point where I need to entertain her when she's awake ... and that makes cleaning the house a bit harder. Especially since Bruise and Bucket (my pinch sitters, when I need to -- oh -- make dinner, take a shower, take a nap, clean the house ... all those kinds of things) are in school.

I also want to get the house better organized and clean. Wish me luck, since it's taking all my motivation just to do BITS of cleaning. Still fighting off the ants. And flies. And fruit flies.
I have a few spiders living in the corners above the shower ... but they're earning their keep. So we have a mutual agreement of non-aggression.
(Unlike the spider that was skittering about in the bathtub last night. Michael killed it and then wanted to flush the arachnid corpse ... while I was on the toilet. ... Then he didn't see WHY I WOULDN'T POSSIBLY ENJOY emptying my bowels WHILE having my dainty bits HOVERING over a spider-filled clump of tissue. ... And, well, if you're not WILD about spiders, I'm sure you understand.)

Bruise has been allowing me to do his hair. He'll ask for Draco Malfoy hair (gel-slicked back with a part on the right), Captain America hair (same, but the part's on the left), or Hawkeye hair (gelled back with NO part). He tells me that I will be giving him Doctor Who hair (Tennant, not Smith) tomorrow.

Bucket's bangs kept falling into her eyes, instead of staying back by her ears, so I've taken to using the flat iron to set her hair all to the back and sides. After a few days of that, all I have to do is gel or spray it into place. Phew! ... I didn't realize how much I WASN'T seeing her eyes! And she does have very pretty eyes.

Michael and I finished watching Season Two of the BBC Sherlock. I think I NEED to buy both seasons.
And The Avengers and Brave and The Hunger Games.
(Also, Benedict Cumbersnatch has very striking looks ... but ... I don't find him very attractive. He's a terrific actor, though.)

Okay ... I THINK that should have you all caught up on my life.
I hope.
Especially because I can't think of anything else to add.
And I'm really tired. 

Here's a blog. Hope you're happy.

Yeah, it's not my best moment at present.

I woke up about six to Bubbles spitting up ALL OVER MY CHEST. Yum! (Not. Not at all "yum.") So I jumped in the shower and Michael put her in the swing.

Since then, she's spit up all over a CUTE outfit ... and had her first blow-out in another cute outfit.
So, now that I have her in a NOT CUTE outfit, I'm sure that she'll be as clean and fresh as an ocean breeze.

However, she was very sweet and happy when she woke up and during her bath this morning ... so there's that.

Dad and L came and visited yesterday. That was nice. I managed to get things cleaned up (with LOTS of Michael's help the day prior).
Our house was smelling weird. I assumed that it was dishes or under-the-stovetop or the sink in the laundry room.
Nope. It was that Freyja-cat peed on the unfolded, clean laundry that was taking over the old couch.
UGH.

So THAT'S been re-washed. And ... yeah.

Last week was our first week with me running solo during the day.
Monday was Bubble's two-week appointment.
She's gained over a pound since we went home. That was nice. And she's healthy. Always a plus.
Bruise and Bucket were very well-behaved.
We also found out what's causing Bruise's skin issues ...
He's got this condition ... wait for it ... DRY SKIN.

Yes, that's the official diagnoses. His skin just doesn't produce enough oil to keep it moisturized. So, hey! My rubbing almond oil into it? Perfect! Yay for trusting my instincts!

The kids brought home their report cards. Everything's looking good. They do need to put more effort into PE ... but, besides that, things are looking good.

Michael and I celebrated our anniversary (can you believe it? 11 years!) this weekend. Mom C watched the kids ... well, Bruise and Bucket. She would have watched Bubbles as well ... except that I wasn't aware that was the plan that she and Michael had made. So I didn't have anything to feed her while we were out (that would have been about 7 hours. Yeah ...), so we didn't go see The Hunger Games.
Instead, we went to Target. And Red Robin. And Safeway. And Baby Depot.
Yup, we just go CRAZY WILD.
Also, we had stopped at home ... and while Bubbles slept, I pumped some more milk. Now I have, like FIVE ounces saved up. Yeah. That's not much at all, really. Because I usually am just too dang tired to sit for 20 minutes and hand pump with the Medela attachment that I got last pregnancy. Yeah.
(Also ... WHY THE CHICKEN are electric pumps so crazy expensive? Just wondering.)

I know that we did stuff on Saturday ... but I really don't remember WHAT. No idea. Oh well.
Sunday was the usual ... get up, get dressed, church, come home, chillax ... and a frenzy of cleaning there while I had ANY amount of motivation.

I finished my library book yesterday night. Since I thought it was due yesterday. It's due today. YES! I finished it (BARELY!) before its due date. Go me!

Then, like I said, Dad and L came to visit yesterday.
Then I jetted the kids over to the pediatrician to check out Bucket's eye.
(She had a BIG, spontaneous nosebleed at school Friday. And again (but not as bad) late at night. AND one eye was all RED. Looked like pink eye, which I treated on Saturday. Just to be sure she wouldn't be contagious to the kids in Sunday School.)
Dr. R pronounced that her eye looked good ... and we could stop the eye drops. AND I got a prescription for another bottle ... so that, if we EVER get it again, we have medicine on hand. (Last year? Bruise caught it from the cousins at Grandpa C's funeral. And then Bucket came down with it the next day ... as did I. Then I caught it AGAIN the next month from one of Michael's brothers at another family function. *sigh* No, I'm not bitter ... I just really, really, REALLY hate pink-eye.)

By the by, I DID treat Bucket's eye with a squirt of breastmilk. And I got Bubble's eyes, JUST IN CASE.
Bubbles didn't get it at all ... and, really? Bucket's eye did drastically improve within 24 hours. Yay for lactation!

We're two days into Spring Break ... and Bucket was eating (dry cereal) on the couch. When she could totally see and hear the TV from the table. So I blew up and told her to finish eating and go take a nap for time-out. And that I REALLY didn't feel like making her any more food today, since I couldn't trust her to eat it where she was supposed to.

... AAAAAAAAAAND, apparently, I'm a liar.
Bubbles JUST spit up all over herself. In the not-cute outfit.
I look at her, in the swing, and she's got spit-up all over one shoulder and down her arm.

Oh, by the by? I don't know if this child will take a bottle ... which makes it just as well that we didn't leave her with her Grandma. Michael tried to give her a bottle (with water) to tide her over while I was out visiting a friend ... She (Bubbles, not my friend. My friend doesn't need a bottle. Nor would Michael feel impressed to try to administer one to her) was NOT impressed. So, yes, they were both glad to see me when I got back home.

But, yeah. We need to go to the library. There are books that I want there. And I have holds. And I need to turn in my book. And the kids want to check out DVDs ... But, goodness ... I'm so tired. Even though Bubbles did sleep for nearly five hours last night. I still am exhausted.

And the kids REALLY want to go to play at the park. ... So, of course, the weather report says that it's going to be rainy ALL WEEK LONG. Joy.

But, something I get to look forward to ... I ordered nursing bras. I hope they arrive soon. And that they fit well. So I'll have a couple cute and completely functional bras. That'll be nice. And I got them on sale, even. Yay for coupon codes!! ^_^

But, yeah, if you need me, I'll be changing my youngest's clothes. AGAIN.
And doing laundry.
And wanting a nap. Oh, so badly.
And trying not to yell. Ugh.
Sometimes, it'd be really, really nice to have a pinch hitter during the day.
(When Michael's home, it's so much easier. I DO have the opportunity to take a nap or go soak in the tub or something. Oh well. Not so much tonight, since he has a meeting. But it shouldn't be terribly long. Thank goodness!)

I just don't make sense, do I?

So, I'm reading (and drooling) over recipies over at HowSweetEats.com ... and I get a craving.

For Popsicles.

The brand name ones. That are in the yellow box.
The box that has lime, banana, and root beer-flavored Popsicles.

We do not have any.
It's Sunday, so we're not going out to buy them.
Boo.

Curse you, delicious Popsicles!
Popsicles that taunt me with childhood memories of your delecability!


ALLANNA'S MOST WANTED:

Curse you. Curse you and your delicious nature.
Cure the fact that you are in my grocer's freezer section and NOT in MY freezer. RUDE!

(Seriously, I was always THRILLED to get this one. Because there weren't any orange Popsicles to eat my way through first ... to get to the Holy Cherry Grails in the box.)
(This box was excellent ... since NO MATTER WHAT YOU GOT, IT WAS AWESOME. ... I want a million boxes. And a huge freezer to store them in. Thank you.)

Crazy Dream Chronicles - Victorian Crime

Yeah, I have NO idea what was up with my head last night ... but my dream was VAIR, VAIR entertaining.

Somehow, I ended up time-travelling (or being in a movie? Where I had time-traveled?) to Victorian England.

There had been a murder.
The Bobbies had enlisted me to help investigate.

(I wish I remember all the details of the case ... it'd make a LOT more sense.)

And, thankfully, I had modern sensibilities on interrogation on my side.

There were two male suspects. One was the only friend-type of the murdered man. Tall, slim, mustachioed man. No motive, really.
The other was a boxer (played by Matthew Broderick) ... again no motive.
AND, when I was questioning him about how the murder occurred (involving a steam locomotive), and I had him point WHERE on the train all the children were berthed ... HE POINTED TO THE FRONT OF THE LOCOMOTIVE.
ANYONE who's been on a train before would KNOW that the front of the locomotive doesn't contain rooms. It's where the steam is made. There's no physical ROOM for ANYONE to have a berth in there.

So, therefore, the culprit could NOT have been HIM.

It wasn't the bastard son (chirpy little orphan, raised on the London streets) of the murdered man. Who helped me to package up his father's belongings. He could write ... a little. But the handwriting was all wrong.

So, that left only one person left. The woman (played by Billie Piper. I know!) ... I sent the Bobby after her. she ran around the back of a warehouse at the trainyard. I darted into the front, to make sure she wouldn't get away.
She had eluded the Bobby ... and I ran toward her to apprehend her (Dude, though I was in a corset and skirts, I was HARDCORE.), but she pulled out ... either a short rapier or a long dagger. And she had a whole shelf of split wood (for burning in fires) behind her.
I grabbed for a small piece of wood on the dirt floor to toss at her ... try and brain her, y'know ... But I missed. And she started throwing some split logs at me. One pegged me right in the chest. Ow.
But I was able to grab one and lob THAT one back at her ... which disarmed her enough that I was able to wrestle her to the ground.

And, since she was resisting arrest AND her head was next to one of the supports of the shelves, I did jam her head into that support pole.

"Sorry," I panted. "Actually, no, I'm not. You killed that man. I hope I broke your jaw."

And ... since I was a time traveler, I TRIED to fit in ... but hee.
I kept making reference to Cyrus Barker ... a Victorian-era Private Inquiry agent.
Who wasn't written about until this century.

(The hardcover introducing him and Thomas Llewelyn came out in 2004.)
So, I'd make a remark about how Cyrus Barker would be pleased with my progress ... and the Bobbies or the suspects would furrow their brows and nod. They probably figured that this was some person that I knew personally. Ha.

But, yeah ... I time-traveled, I interrogated, I tackled ... A good dream, overall.

Now I kinda want to get myself some Vicotrian-era get-up. I could always dress up as an anachronistic time traveler.
Not that anyone would really get it.
Not like most people get my costumes.
(Really, I worked HARD on my Jem! or my Jayne cross-play costumes. And no one outside my immediate circle of bests got them. ... Really, I don't think ANYONE that I hadn't told got either of them. ... *sigh* I just guess that I choose the hipster-type costumes -- Obscure, you wouldn't have heard of them. :P)

Seriously, I think of GREAT costume ideas ... but no one would really get them. At least, not at our church Halloween parties. Michael says that I should be She-Ra. I lean towards Daria. Michael also suggests that we go as Green Arrow and Black Canary (though, really, HOW would I get that one walk-in-front-of-the-Bishop-appropriate??????????? Hmmmmm???????????)
And, truly, I'd LOVE to dress up as ballroom Sarah from Labyrinth. (I've LOVED that dress since I was ... five?)
I'd almost think of dressing as Molly McGrue ... or even the Lady Amalthea... but no one would get it.
Unless they're obsessed with The Last Unicorn (like I am).

But ... sadly, anything I can think of to dress as that people MIGHT get ... seems too mainstream.
(And, really. Once Michael and I dressed as the Mad Hatter and Alice. Unless he was RIGHT NEXT TO ME, people had NO IDEA who I was. So ... obviously I was too obscure. Or just CRAP at designing a costume. BLEH.)

Really, it's ALMOST JUNE ... and I have no ideas.
It was really crappy and disheartening that my brilliant cross-play idea ... fell so flat.
I can't help it that so many people are unfamiliar with one of the BEST. SHOWS. EVER.
I mean ... I had the HAT! I had a Blue Sun shirt! I had BOOTS! *sigh*

Bleh.

So, yeah, give me some costume ideas.
If nothing else, I'll buy me a striped shirt and some chunky frames and go as a hipster.
Which seems like a sell-out.

And NO, being a Cereal Killer is not an option. Too mainstream. And the ones that I've seen lately appear to be a last-second throw-together costume. Tres tragique.

Well ....

Remember how I mentioned SOBBING through the last bit of Annie?

Then Michael and I watched last week's episode of Glee last night (since the season finale is tonight ... then SYTYCD is on THURSDAY!!!!) ...

I was a hot mess. (Not too surprising with an episode titled "Funeral," you know.)

Then I shared a couple articles with Michael:

How Slavery Really Ended in America (via New York Times)
(About Major General Benjamin Franklin Butler, Fort Monroe, "contrabands," and the Emancipation Proclamation. ... It's six pages long. And TOTALLY WORTH IT.)

Shocking Photo Created a Hero, But Not to His Family (via CNN)
(About James Zwerg, Freedom Riders, Civil Rights ... this is the one that gets me bawling.)

As wonderful as out nation can be ... we have some horrible things that happen.
At the same time, as horrible as things are ... there are some AMAZING people who do AMAZING things.
I don't have words to encompass how awed I am by Zwerg's humility ... or how heart-wrenching it is to read about the guilt he carried around for decades. Poor man. Poor, wonderful man.

I need to step it up.
Seriously.

It's Oh-So Quiet (Shhh. Shhh.)

The kids are down for a nap.
We watched the last third of Annie (FINALLY) together.
They enjoyed it.

I sobbed. Which I usually don't do.
(Stupid period.)
But, but, but .... Daddy Warbucks! He's so ... SAD!!!

Then we watched CATS.
While Bruise whined about "Is it over yet?" because he was "firsty" for chokwat miik.
Yeah, that's how we say chocolate milk, if we're imitating him.
Sweet little boy with a lazy tongue.

I did NOT cry during CATS.

The kids opted to make their own sandwiches as I made them chocolate milk.
Then they were SUPPOSED to lay down QUIETLY ... and I talked to Bri.
Then Bucket came out with a bloody nose. And I Kleenexed her up and sent her back to bed.
Then she comes back out, having bled through that Kleenex.
... So I get her nose wiped (the bleeding HAD stopped. But she had this (TMI ALERT!) huuuuuuuuuuuuuge clot in her nose. Seriously, it's like two inches long. WORD. Got that cleaned up.
Then I stuck some Vaseline in her nose -- keeps things moist and helps prevent more nosebleeds.
Yes, I KNOW this.
Sent the kids back to bed. Until I came in to tell them naptime was over.
And I STILL had to go in and tell them that talking, NOT being in their own bunk, dinking around ... THOSE THINGS ARE ALL "NOT NAPPING" ... And I made sure that they KNEW what I was saying.
(You know how in "Rush Hour," Chris Tucker's all "Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?" to Jackie Chan? ... I use that. A lot.)

SO, I was talking to Bri...
We both know that we're in Savior of the World ... but we don't know yet what our roles are.
We do know that they need LOTS more guys. And that Joseph's role hasn't been finalized.
So, if you're in the area, and you are a guy (or KNOW a guy) who has stage talent and is interested, send him on over. I'll let you know the audition date and place. Just comment your email. I won't post that comment. Because I treasure your privacy. ... So, unless you explicitly TELL ME to publish your addy, I won't.

I've blown my nose about a bazillion times.
And coughed a ton.
I think I've lost my sense of smell again. Boo. Sucks.

In OTHER news, here's where I've spent FAR TOO MUCH TIME amusing myself:

A Bad Case of the Dates: Makes me SO, SO, SO GLAD that I'm not dating.
Eff Yeah Nerdfighters: Because I <3 the Vlogbrothers. Even back when they were Brotherhood 2.0
(I also have gone through the archives at Too Sexy for my Wand ... with a NSFW address ... but it's full of Harry Potter, Glee, Dr Who, etc geek-fun. And the Since I've Found Serenity tumblr is great Firefly fun. Bri and I send each other a lot of links. ^_^)

Bri had me read Mormon in Manhattan, which made me miss being in theater (back in high school). And, at the same time, be VERY grateful that I don't have to date weirdos. :P Natalie's got some STORIES.

I've also been going through some cooking blogs and crafty blogs.
(ADDICTED to YoungHouseLove. ADDICTED, I SAY!)

I should cook dinner. And I need to watch last week's episode of Glee ... since the season finale is tomorrow! EEP!! (Why do I think that today is Thursday?)

(Could it have, say, something to do with the fact that I've been SICK? And SLEEPING? And not seeing Michael a lot? ... Sure, we had a date-ish on Saturday. But, but, but ... I was SICK!)

I keep checking my eyes ... making SURE that I'm not getting the pink eye back. I don't want it. EVER.
Never wanted it in the first place.
Had it thrice.
First time was ... around sixth grade.
Had it TWICE this year. Oy.

I'm wondering it _I_ caught it, out of my immediate family since I had such a compromised immune system ... having the PLAGUE already, you see.
Yeah ... maybe I'll just get me one of those bubbles. For those immune-compromised folks.
Except that it'd be impossible to get shelving done. Those doorways are a little narrow.

Ha ... I went to let the kids out (Bucket cried out in her sleep) ... They're both ZONKED. Not getting up at all.
Obvs, they DID need that nap.
Not going to say that I KNEW IT ... Okay, I KNEW IT.
Totally did.

Now to fix something for dinner. But what???
Hmmmm.
I'll make something.

In other, OTHER news, Michael's teeth are healing up great. Yay! ... Still needs two more wisdom teeth out. And that one implant done. And a bunch of cavities (from his old bridge) filled. Poor guy.

But Mom's coming up again. Yay! It's been almost THREE WEEKS since I've seen my momma!! That's way too long. And we have to get our B&BW freebie this month. It'll be the last Thursday that we can do it for May.
We like our freebies. Word.

Okay. Now to make dinner. ... Once I figure out what to make. Hmmmmmmmm .....

Sunday, Sweet Sunday ...

I skipped church today.

There was only going to be one hour. AND we'd be meeting with the other family ward. AND I am still sick.
Michael went. Since he had to do PPIs (Personal Priesthood Interviews) with some of the guys from EQ (Elders' Quorum) after church.

The kids stayed with me. Since it'd have been bad to have them running amok during the PPIs.

My children are LOUD.
At least, they seem TOTALLY LOUD when one is sporting a throbbing sinus headache.

Michael and I were up around 7. He gave me a back and neck rub. Sweet man.
We took a shower and I used my neti pot. I put on my nightshirt.
Michael left around 8:45. He'd fed the children, too.
After a while, I headed back to bed with that sinus headache.
I TRIED to sleep. I even used the "Relax and Sleep" app on my phone to give me something to listen to that was NOT my children lumbering about like stampeding elephants ... or shrieking at each other. Or shouting.
Freyja-cat snuggled with me, under the covers. Until Bucket came in (again) and stole her away. (Freyja escaped at her earliest opportunity and came to snuggle with me again. During my two-hour nap. Good kitty.)

I finally got up, added yoga pants and my ubiquitous Old Navy clearance sweater (the greige-colored, thick knit one), since I was cold.
Had some soup (it was 2. About time I ate something, right?) ... and some Kool-Aid.
Took some Dayquil, Cold and Cough DM, and used the neti pot again.

Noticed that my pink eye is gone. PHEW! Thank goodness.

I'm still tired. Even though I've spent more time sleeping than usual.

I think my body FINALLY is trying to kick this bug. Finally.
I'm ready. I'd like to be healthy and have energy to clean my house and read and take my kids to the park and such again.

It's almost six now. I'm ready for bed.
You?

Bring out'cher dead!!

So, when I last left off, we were prepping for my SIL T2's birthday party.
We brought a salad. Caesar. From a bag. (Two bags, actually.) That's how I roll. :P
(No, really, Mom C asked me to bring a salad to go with lasagna. I didn't just wake up and say, "Hey! Let's be CLASSY and bring bagged salads to celebrate Michael's baby sister's birthday!!" ... No, really. :P)

(Methinks that I protest too much.)

BUT, I tried to stay away from most people ... since I was losing my voice and had to blow my nose about a bazillion times and was coughing into my elbow (I'm an EXPERT at the Dracula Cough ... you see, it's call that, since you look like you're trying to imitate Count D, with the cloak ... you do see, don't you?).
And I used a TON of hand sanitizer.

Because, not only was I sick ... but one of Michael's siblings' families had/was getting over/was JUST getting .... PINK EYE.

So, I give my kids THE TALK.
No, not that one.
The one about, "Do NOT let your cousins touch your face. Wash your hands. And then wash them again. And use my hand sanitizer. And use it some more. You only need a drop. Rub it into your hands. Make sure you get your fingernails. Get the webbing between your fingers. Make sure not to miss your cuticles! Do not get pink eye!"
THAT talk.

I really did ask Michael if we should leave early (like before dinner. [Sorry, Mom. You know how I hate pink eye. But it's true, I really did talk it over with you son. As a possibility]), since (1) I was sick, (2) I didn't want the kids to get pink eye again (since they JUST had it at the beginning of February ... from the same set of cousins), and (3) Michael JUST had three teeth pulled. And we were waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in.

But he opted to stay. And, overall, I'm glad that we did.
I got to hold my sweet, little niece (different set, so NO pink eye), and got her calmed down.
Yup, I think I've got me a favorite niece.
(Not that I don't like my others. ... But ... well, truth be told, I've never been one of those baby-hungry women. I liked MY kids when they were infants ... but I'm not a huge "I NEED/MISS having a BABY!!"
However, I do like to snorgle my sweet little niece. Maybe because she does remind me a lot of my Princess Bucket.

So that was a huge, good thing.
And I got to snuggle with Baby C even though I'm sick ... because I got sick from her.
And I still love her. :)

However, when we got home, I gave the kids the eye drops for pink eye. Just in case.
They don't have it.
...
...
But guess who does.

It's not the kids. (Duh, I just TOLD you that.)
It's not Michael.
It's not Freyja.

Or the hedgehogs.


Yeah. Me.
Who used TONS of hand sanitizer. And tried to not be around my other nieces and nephew. Or their dad (who JUST got it today).

At least, we already had the eye drops. Which is good.
And, unlike my poor SIL-squared, I don't have an allergic reaction to them.
(Poor girl.)

So, I've been trying to get better from pink eye (and not pass it to the kids, Michael, or the cat (because you can pass it back and forth. Yup. D*** bacteria.) and from my sinitus.

I'm TIRED of being sick. Since I got it just after Mother's Day. (Lucky!) And then I got pink eye on top of it.

Good thing I don't have cattle or camels or sheep. Since those'd be going next.
(Yes, Job reference. Because I can. Not because I'm really all that righteous.)

But, yeah.
My sinuses HURT. Which makes me TEETH sore.
I keep coughing because of the post nasal drip. So my throat hurts, my voice is going, and I puke up small gobs of mucus that I've swallowed. (TMI. Sorry.)
I'm TIRED ... Like, Michael had me lay down. And I finally did. And I woke up, like FOUR HOURS LATER. And still managed to fall asleep at night (well, I did have some Nyquil).

Good things:
(Since I've got to balance it all out, right?)

• Got to snorgle my newest niece.
• Since I caught it early, this is a really mild case of pink eye.
  I still look like hell. But there's less goop. Just lots of RED.
• I got a nap. And Michael got the kids all put to bed for me.
• Having sunshine-colored nails (China Glaze Lemon Fizz, if you NEED to know) is a nice touch.
• My dishwashing-inflicted wound is healing. It'll leave a scar, but it's healing.
• My rolled ankle is just about all better. Thank goodness. That took a few weeks. And I still don't know how I did it.

Seriously, I'm about ready to take a plumber's snake to my sinuses.
IF I didn't worry that I'd accidentally pull out my brains in the process.
... WHAT? You mean YOU didn't harbor aspirations in the fifth grade to become an Egyptologist?
(No, really. I read ALL the books I could in the school library about Ancient Egypt and mummies. I'd have to turn them over, so I wouldn't see the covers at night, though. Yeah, I have issues.)

But, yeah, I've used a neti pot TWICE today. Took my inhalers. Still tossed up phlegm in the sink. Took some "Cough and Cold DM" ... Last night, I used my neti pot, took the DM medicine, an allergy pill, AND some Nyquil. And a zinc lozenge (so they make YOUR tongue numb, too? That's the only reason I really don't care for them. Because my tongue feels all fuzzy for about an hour afterwards.) AND a cough drop.

I was actually able to breathe through my nose last night. And I slept.
I am now developing a sinus headache, though. Drat it.

But Michael made me tea (Raspberry Zinger) with honey.
And I drank some tea with honey (Herbal Sweet 'n' Spicy with a bag of Sandman P.M.) while we watched a movie last night.

I woke up whispering. And wasn't coughing until I was fully awake.

Now, if only this dumb thing would FINALLY run its course. And take the dratted pink eye with it.

Thankfully, though, my little niece isn't showing signs of pink eye. PHEW.

Time to go take some more drugs ... We have some Dayquil tablets. Yay.
I'm going to be a FUN DATE (since the healthy children have a birthday party to attend) for my husband.

Catching up

Okay ... so when I last did a real blog ... it was just after Mother's Day ... What have I done since?

... Um ... what HAVE I done?

Let's see. Mom and I have been sick. So I haven't volunteered (last week and today. Boo.)
Today, I'm losing my voice.

Last Thursday, Michael needed to use the van, since his tires were shredding. We needed to replace then. And we wouldn't have money to do that until payday (Monday). So, we were a one-car family for a few days.
I was kinda pissy about it.
So I took a shower where I berated myself for being all pissy, since it was illogical.
Then I declared, "FINE! I'll never plan to GO ANYWHERE EVER AGAIN!!"
Which then led to another self-beratement for being illogical.

Stupid PMS.

So, Mom C called Wednesday night, right after my shower ... and asked if there was anything I needed. (YAY for unsaid prayers being answered!!)
So, she came with us to storytime Thursday and took us out to McDonald's. And it was fun to get to hang with her.
Went Visiting Teaching Thursday evening, then over to the EMCOM (Emergency Communications) meeting at church (for the HAM radio people).

Friday ... I don't recall a lot ... lemme check Facebook ...
Oh! I found that Netflix finally has made some apps for various Droid phones.
Luckily, mine's one that they did. Phew!! So I donwloaded that.
There was a momentary flicker of power. Turned off the computer and the VCR. No biggie.

Saturday was the Stake Relief Society Activity -- "Education Week in a Day."
They offered a bunch of classes ... I went to four of them (And Bri will hook me up with recipes from the class she co-taught about cooking and food storage with allergies [including gluten-free cooking]):
"Getting More Out of Your Scripture Study" (based on Elder Bednar's "A Resevior of Living Water."),
"Spiritual Growth Through Music", "Music in the Home", and "Finding Joy Within."

I didn't go to the new FamilySeach lab, since Michael and I already know how to use the new FamilySearch Website. I also missed "Strengthening Relationships", "Successful FHE Ideas for All Ages", and "Modern-Day Women of God" ... since you only had so much time. And they were offered at the same time as other classes (e.g., Bri's class was during the classes on music. Her mom's class on Finding Joy was during the first and last class periods).

All the classes were good. It was fun. And I got to see some friends.

Then I went home. Michael and the kids had gone to the park and then baked cookies (for Home Teaching.... And for us) while I was gone. ... I had offered to take the kids to the kids' class at the RS activity, if he wanted a relaxing day. He opted to spend time with the Bedlamites. He's a good daddy.

Then, in the evening, he and I started working on the dishwasher ... which we'll finish tonight (Need a new hose). We scrubbed out the filter parts that we could get to. YUCK! SO NASTY!
And we got sprayed with some Drano-water.  Crazy times. :P

Sunday ... Michael walked to church for his early-morning meetings. He got a blister.
I gave a friend a ride in. Church went well.
Bruise asked me, "Where's P?"
"She's sitting over there," I pointed.
"Why doesn't she sit with us??"
Doesn't he realize that a lot of us like our own spots?
(Though, really, she was more than welcome to share our pew.)

After church, we drove P home, drove back to church to get Michael after HE got done, drove home ... made some lunch, got Home Taught, and then Michael headed out to do some home teaching. He ended up skipping the Stake Priesthood meeting (too much for one Sunday)  .... and , if he hadn't needed the car for Home Teaching, I'd have tried to go to choir at church. Oh well.
Then we got the kids in bed and he headed out to give a ride to a stranded friend.
So I took the trash out.

Monday, Michael went to work, in the van. Came home, took the truck over to get new tires ... we met him at K-mart to kill time while the tires were replaced.
Earlier, while I had worked on doing dishes (all by hand ... since we need to replace that one hose), I cut my hand. I accidentally clinked two glasses together. The Corel one was the one that broke. And I didn't notice it, until I had my hand in it, with a sponge, to clean the inside.
I used one band-aid ... had to replace it with another. And I taped it on there tightly, so the blood'd stop flowing. It did.
I cut a bit of a chunk out right on the knuckle below my pinky finger. At the right angle, my wound almost looks like Mickey Mouse.
I felt completely stupid.
And I was PMSing.
And I knew it wasn't any use getting stitches, so I sucked it up. And then typed out a terribly-typed email to Michael letting him know what went down.
Yeah. Winner.
So, with all of that happening, and being all PMS-y ... I ended up crying in K-mart with Michael.
Then I bought two pairs of rubber gloves and a one-hole punch ... since I had cash to cover those and I NEEDED to have rubber gloves to do the dang dishes.

And Michael made dinner. Well, he cooked it. I had the meat marinating ... but I couldn't wash and prepare potatoes with one hand. GIMP. I'm glad he puts up with me.

Yesterday, I got all the dishes done. I made the kids food. I made dinner. We went grocery shopping (since the paycheck cleared. Phew!) and put gas in the vehicles.

During the day, though ..... Oy. Not my best day ever.
Bucket sprayed orange kid-shampoo on the wall that Michael and I JUST REPLACED two weeks ago.
I made her clean it up and sit in the naughty chair (i.e., time out) while I called Michael. Who backed me up if I needed to make her sit in time out all day. Which is pretty close what came to happening.
Except that ... when I got out of the bedroom, after talking to Michael for about four minutes, she was over at the couch, watching Bruise play on the Wii ... and then she tried to make a mad dash back to the naughty chair.
So she got another punishment. Oy.

Later, Bruise came to me to report that Freyja-cat pooped on the daybed in their room. So I got to clean that up, strip the bedding off, and put it in the washer.

THEN, Bruise was playing on the DS so intently that he ignored his body's cues and peed his pants.

So, since Monday, I've dealt with just about every bodily fluid ... and then some.

• Blood - My hand
• Shampoo - Bucket ... doing .... whatever. She STILL doesn't have a good reason for it.
• Poop - Freyja
• Pee - Bruise's pants and the carpet
• Vomit - I threw up in the sink. Stupid body, swallowing mucus while I sleep. Gross.
• Mucus - Since I have sinitus ... and the kids caught my cold. It's the Mucus chronicles around here

And did I mention that I'm losing my voice? Winner. /sarcasm

AAAAAAND my phone was all, "You're running out of application space on your phone" ... which is what led to my having to reset my phone on my birthday.
I did a fast reboot. It came back. Then I deleted programs that I don't use.
That worked.
PHEW.

But, hey, there have been good things, too:

• Netflix! On my phone!!
• Bri introduced me to Grooveshark
• Don't have to factory reset my phone.
• Got Swype to work on my phone again (LOVE that keyboard. It's spoiled me.)
• Got to visit with Dawn and Bri and Rebecca and Tia and Jadie on Saturday.
• Our dishwasher smells much better!
• My Bath and Body Works order came in! ... And I got compliments on the bag I got from it on Saturday. ^_^
• I read an ebook on my Droid.
• Our edited DVD order (thanks, Mom!) came in! Now I can watch Black Swan and Billy Elliot! And Die Hard (with Alan Rickman. ^_______^) ... and a few others.

And I mentioned that Michael heard me talk in my sleep. That makes me laugh. The past few weeks ... we both ended up talking in our sleep. And being able to be understood. That's funny to me.
At least, in my dreams, I'm accomplished!

In other news, I love my neti pot. And Afrin. And NyQuil.
And my skinny jeans. (If only I matched in being skinny! Oh well!)

And Michael's noticed that, IRL, my most common phrase (my catch phrase?) is "It is what it is what it is." ... I'm just trying to accept that things are ... the way that they are. And that, sometimes, you can't change it. You just deal with it.

Like, say, sitting here hacking  and blowing my nose. ... And taking Garlic tablets (nature's antibiotic!) and drinking liquids ... because, one way or another, I'll get over this. Either I'll get all better ... or else I'll die. Either way, this cold-thing won't last forever.
Thank goodness.
And I'm hoping that my immune system kicks its butt. STAT.

Okay. I think that I've covered most of the last week and a day. Phew!

#800

Wow ... 800 posts. Really?
Really.
No one ever accused me of being concise. :P

So, let's do some factoids about me:

1. I'll admit that I'm rather addicted to the internet. I love being able to check my email, look up words or Wikipedia entries, read blogs ... It makes me happy.
2. When I do remember my dreams, they -- more often than not -- are really strange. I suppose that "normal" dreams are too boring for me to remember.
3. I don't remember dreaming that night, but last week, Michael had to wake up in the middle of the night. As he got back into bed, I murmered, "Well, that's done, then." "What?" he asked. "I've learned that whole language." And then I was blissed out into full unconscious mode again.
4. I am a bit of a grammar/word geek ... And, therefore, I don't think that I'll ever know a whole language. Language is constantly evolving. 
5. I still am sad that, like ten years ago or so, Crayola discontinued some of their crayons. The ones I miss most of all: cadet blue, Indian red, and Red-Orange (how will I color Ariel's hair now?????? It was PERFECT!)
6. Only now am I starting to realize that I don't have to be slim, button-nosed, or classically elegant to be beautiful. I am a mess of imperfections ... but I am pretty, regardless. (I know, Michael. It's only taken me over a decade of you telling me, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I'm starting to come around. I never said that I was quick on the uptake.)
7. I am a bit of a font whore. I love fonts. I don't know that I have a favorite ... but I do obsess a bit when I'm asked to make calendars, newsletters, or handouts. 
8. People started telling me that I was weird and that I had a big nose back in second grade. I did TRY to not be weird ... but it's really who I am. So ... I've accepted that I'm weird. And I try to let my kids know that being weird isn't a bad thing. .... It just makes you different. And that makes you special.
9. I still don't know what color to paint the bathroom. Or the hallway. Or the kids' room. Or the kitchen. Or the laundry room. Or the kids' bathroom. 
10. I still am a little sick. Stupid sinitus. Making me cough up mucus until I throw up. Ugh. And the mucus keeps coming. So gross.
11. My house is never really and truly clean. Maybe once the kids are in school, I'll achieve it. For at least 15 minutes.
12. My left ring finger? Someone put my fingernail on crooked. ... It's only noticeable when my fingers are close together. ... I like to think that it makes it look like my ring finger is trying to snuggle up to my middle finger. Ah, L'amour.
13. I actually got caught up on dishes yesterday. I plan on repeating this. And then Michael will fix the dishwasher. And it'll be easier to stay caught up.
14. Now that I'm 30, turning 40 or even 50 doesn't seem like such a big deal. ... Why 30 was so scary ... I just don't know.
15. Although, now that I'm no longer in my 20s, I question doing certain things. ... But I wear my skinny-cut jeans anyways.

Regrets:

• I wish that I had been more confident in school growing up. Like Stargirl.
  This way I wouldn't have cared that I had a big nose, big boobs, and didn't date much (besides that first boyfriend). I wouldn't have thought that maybe that first boyfriend would be the only guy to love me (which I did fear at the time) ... and THAT'S why none of the guys at school asked me out.
  I wouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that since I wasn't ever at the top of my fields (singing, acting, academics) that I wasn't really talented at any of those things. Or that, since I only got a female lead part once, it was because I wasn't pretty or talented enough to play a romantic part. (I did get a lead once. Because I could act and sing. But I didn't think of it like, "Wow! I'm good enough for this!" ... I was mostly like, "I'm glad that I got this. Good thing I can sing a little. Phew.")
• As much as I LOVED summer for its freedom, I wish that I had put myself out there and gotten summer jobs. I think it would have eased a lot of things later on.
• I wish that I didn't always compare myself to others ... because, usually, when I do that, I find myself wanting.
• I wish that I hadn't thought that my first boyfriend might possibly be the only guy to ever love me. Just because guys at school weren't falling over themselves to ask me out, I was still really worthwhile (and I still am!) and ... I am kinda a big deal. Most people like me. Or at least put up with me (sometimes, perhaps, out of morbid curiosity to hear what crazy thing comes out of my mouth next. ... Hey, I suck at guile.)
• I wish that I wasn't so hard on my mom when I was growing up.
  I am getting it back in spades. :P And it'll only get worse before it get better, judging by my growing process.
• I wish that I hadn't taken it to heart when people said that I "run funny." I should have tried Cross Country or something. Maybe I'd have learned to enjoy running. Who knows??
• I wish I hadn't (repeatedly) quit piano lessons. Or ballet class.

Things I want to do:

• Swim with dolphins.
• Learn to scuba dive ... or, at least, go snorkling along a coral reef.
• Take the kids to Disneyland. And, if possible, Disneyworld.
• Give our house some curb appeal.
• Paint the rooms (like I talked about above).
• Have a house with a backyard for playing and BBQs.
• Get a full two years' food storage.
• Watch a sunrise on the beach as a family.
• Watch the aurora borealis. And maybe the aurora austrailus, too.
• Make a habit of reading my scriptures. ... and learn how to STUDY them.
• Make time in my life and form an appetite for exercise.
• Take dancing classes with Michael. Especially tango. 

Confessions:

• I confess that I have a more-than-slight interest in Burlesque. However, I won't be performing it.
• I also find tattoos fascinating. But I won't get one. I'm too indecisive. And I don't like pain. 
• If I ever got another piercing (I have a hole in each earlobe. And a second hole that I don't use in each), it'd be a couple small hoops at the top of my left ear. But I probably won't. Unless the prophet tells us that the limit on earrings has been lifted. No biggie. I could always get some fake ones, if needed.
• It wasn't until I had children that I understood why people drink.
  If it weren't for my religious beliefs, there have been days that I'd be knocking down shots.
  (Of course, since my uncle was an alcoholic ... and addictions do run in the family, it's good that I never start. Thank goodness for the Word of Wisdom!)
• If it weren't so expensive, I think I'd go under the knife. Get a breast reduction/lift and a tummy tuck.
  But, it's EXPENSIVE. And it'd also be like saying that I can't handle what I've done (and what the kids have done) to my body. ... I've earned my sagging stomach. Even as much as I don't always love it. At all.
• I'm so used to living in my brain (Hello, academic bookworm!), that I'm not all that in touch with my body. Or so it feels. Which makes me even more neurotic. Oy.
• If I had a superpower, I'd probably opt for healing powers. Because I'd be able to actually DO SOMETHING to make things better. ... If I couldn't have that, teleportation would be pretty awesome.  ... If I was able to KNOW when/where empty spaces were. This way, if I was touching a car while teleporting, I wouldn't squish anyone or something. Because that'd suck.

So ... yeah ... there are some factoids about lil' ol' me for you to have. Who knows ... maybe they'll be helpful for Jeopardy! or something.

Now to write a catch-up post ... and a crazy dreams chronicle.