More Busy Than God Meant Me To Be ...

... which is a way of saying that I've been slacking (still) on praying and reading/pondering my Scriptures. Among other things.

Where did I last leave off ... my mom's birthday, that's right.

Okay, quick rundown:

• Went to the last Summer Reading Program Activity for our library. A man ("Mr. Lizard") brought a lot of reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids for the kids to learn about (and everyone who wanted to touch them could ... well, most of them). He was pretty funny.
  Bubbles sat with me (sometimes more patiently than other moments). 
• I went to the first PTC (Parent-Teacher Committee?Council?) meeting. I'm now committed to being the secretary. I get to take notes, compile them, and email them to the school to be on the school's website.
  This means that I won't be able to make it to RS Meetings (what used to be called Enrichment/Homemaking), since those are at the same time. *sigh*
  But I'll be able to be involved in the school and be useful that way, right?
• Michael and I finally got our date night ... we saw Guardians of the Galaxy. It was really fun.
• We went to the Art and Air Festival.
  Bucket REALLY wanted her face painted, but it was getting so close to bedtime (where she'd just have to wash it off), that I wasn't looking forward to spending $10+ on that.
  I talked her into getting a glitter tattoo (She opted for a dolphin leaping over a wave in blue and green) while I caved (finally) and (finally) got a henna tattoo. It's almost all faded now, except for a little on my knuckles. It was really pretty, though. Worth wanting one for, oh, TWENTY YEARS. (Geez, I'm getting OLD, y'all.)
• I accepted the call (and have been officially called/sustained/set apart) as one of the Ward Nursery Leaders. So, instead of going to Sunday School and Relief Society on Sundays, I'm helping to attempt to keep order and teach lessons to a group of 18-months-to-3-year-olds.
  There's a reason Sister Palmer, while raising her hand to sustain me in my calling, gave the Mockingjay salute and whistled Prim's theme.
  Let's face it, I NEED the odds to be "ever in my favor."
  I taught my first lesson a couple days ago.
  After church was done, I went to bed, ate some Pringles and drank a Cherry Fanta and NAPPED FOR TWO HOURS ... and didn't feel at all rested.
  I was told, when I was extended the call, that the goal is to have Nursery leaders in there for a year. ... I have a feeling it'll be a long year.
  Don't get me wrong, I like the kids fine (Though, there's usually at least 13 in there. That's a lot of little bodies and energy in a small space). And I really like the gals that I'm working with.
  But, oh, I've never wanted to be in Nursery. Partly because I suck at reading my scriptures and all on my own, so I NEED Sunday School and RS. And I am around a two-year-old on the daily ... so it's nice to have a two-hour break where I get adult interaction ... And, well, By the time Bubbles is four, I should have that again. I hope.
  Three more lessons this month. Then I'll get a break on that.
  If y'all don't mind saying some prayers, I'd appreciate it.
  Because, well, I could REALLY use the help.
  (As Michael says, I enjoy teaching older kids a bit more. Or even RS! ... Oh well. This will help me grow, right? ... Yeah.)
• I had the opportunity to volunteer at the kids' school (stuffing folders) before school started. It was good to be useful. And then we went to the playdate ... we were late since I drove to the wrong park first. And, still, when we made it, no one was at the RIGHT park. We played anyways ... and another mom (from church) and her kids came. So it was just right. Since her oldest is in Sunday School with Bruise and Bucket.
• We went to the kids' school's open house and met their teachers. I like them both very much.
  It really eased Bucket's nerves to know her teachers.
• We took the kids to the zoo and OMSI for an end-of-the-summer blowout. We got to see the dinosaur exhibit before that ended. And, wow, there's been a LOT of new information about dinosaurs since I was in school. So it was a really good exhibit with LOTS of new info.
• I spent a night at Roxy's, since we were having a sleepover. Mer was in the state for a visit and REALLY wanted a sleepover. So we stayed up WAY late, chatting with D on Skype, and crashed for the night. I drank a bottle of Martinelli's (sparkling apple-grape juice) while Mer and Rox had some wine (And, as D could tell you, I was just as loopy as the other girls. ... That's proof right there that I don't need alcohol/drugs to have a good time. Besides, I think that most liquor smells ... weird). Good times.
  Then, in the morning, Michael and the kids drove up. We -- Roxy, her girls, and Mer, along with our family -- went to the Japanese Gardens. Neither Roxy nor Mer had been before (nor had Bubbles). It was crowded, being Labor Day, but it was a nice trip. Then we went to a mall (also crowded) ... then, after lunch, and a little shopping, our family needed to head home since school started the next morning.
• The kids had a good first day (and all subsequent days thus far) of Third Grade. One half of the day is done TOTALLY in Spanish. Their teacher (for Spanish) will talk slowly and with lots of repetition for now. She'll get them used to listening. By the end of the year, they'll be used to hearing regular-speed Spanish ... as well as replying to it, too.
• I was cleaning the kitchen ... realized that the oven's heating element wasn't doing well. ... In fact, it broke. Had to order another one. Michael replaced it Saturday night, after we got home from visiting family.
• Like I just mentioned, we went down to visit family. Saw my Nana (and Aunt I and Uncle M). Stayed the night with Dad and L. Gave Dad his birthday present. Also celebrated my stepdad's birthday with most of his kids and some friends and family. 
• Which got us ready for church. I had my lesson to teach in Nursery. Michael had meetings before church ... and he was subbing for the Sunday School (Gospel Doctrine) teacher AND teaching a lesson in Elder's Quorum. Yeah, Sunday isn't really a day of rest all the time.
• One of my friends (her son is in Bruise and Bucket's class ... and those three are all friends) needed someone to watch her kids for a bit a few days. Sometimes work schedules and school schedules are not getting along. So, maybe a couple days a week, her kids will come home with mine and play/hang out until she's off work.
  They came over yesterday and it all went quite well. I do, however, need to plan a snack after school. ^_^ It should be fun.

Tomorrow, Bruise and Bucket have a bicycle rodeo (Cub Scouts and Activity Day girls are teaming up for it) in  the evening.
I also have a WIC appointment in the morning.
My mom's coming for a visit (the house is MOSTLY clean, so that's good).
The kids get out an hour earlier (it's a district thing).

One of my friends is sick.
(And when I say "sick," I mean REALLY sick.)
I took over a dinner on Friday, before we headed out of town.
I hadn't seen her over the summer (She was away. Partly in a hospital).
When I saw her ... I almost didn't recognize her at all.
She'll be going to stay with family.
And I'm just really worried.
So, if you want to say some prayers for her (Heavenly Father knows who she is and what she'll need), I'd appreciate it. She needs to get better.

I'm starting to get back into doing my Rosetta Stone and Duolingo (added Irish to the Duolingo. Not that I can say much in it. However, the spelling is easier for that than for French).

I should close this up. I can't think of much more to write. And I need to do some housework. And study the scriptures (since that's all on me for the next year or so). And try not to worry too much about my friend. I need to have faith that things will work out ...

... And Bubbles just peed on the couch (Potty-training is so fun!! And training pants only hold so much.)

Jibbitz ... sounds like a new epithet for cursing ... JIBBITZ!!!

Mom and I touched up the pink in our hair. Hers took better than mine this time. It's cool.

We ate Chinese food last night. It made Mom sick. She's really, REALLY sensitive to MSG. Poor girl.

Just waiting for the results for SYTYCD ... then the grand finale will be next week. I really don't care who wins. They're all good. I think that Adecheke is going home. But it could be Robert. I highly doubt that Kent's going home. And everyone loves Lauren, too. (Kent'd probably be crushed if she got sent home.)

Michael got the sink fixed. The kitchen sink (both sides) and the laundry room sink were all plugged up with grossness ... that'd EVENTUALLY let the water drain out. Slowly. I asked him if he might come home early (yesterday), which he did after stopping by Home Depot for a thinner plumbing snake and Drano.

It took him OVER TWO HOURS ... but the sinks are fixed. Good man.

This morning, we said good-bye to Mom (who went to get a haircut and pick up hair supplies for a friend so she can get pink streaks, too -- I gave Mom the keyfob version of my Sally Beauty Club Card. Hey, $5 a year to get discounts. Might as well use it, right? I mean, Mom takes me to Costco so I can get bargains ...) and went to the library.

Our librarian ladies save things from the lost and found ... especially things that scream [my daughter's name]. Today it was a glittery sun visor and a cute reversible jacket (Her brother actually has a boy's version of it. Which is cool and much appreciated -- reversible and has a hood. PERFECT for the Coast and trips to the zoo and aquarium). We are SO spoiled.

Then, as we were making our way to the car, I found myself in a conversation with a man outside of the library. He asked me if my kids belonged to me, if there were just the two (And this was all very benign. He was sitting about ten feet or so away), and if I had a husband that helped care for them.
He then went on to explain that, as he's lived in 48 of the states, single motherhood is running rampant. And that he's NOT in favor of men who shun the responsibility of fatherhood. He was very nice and pleasant.
... And it was quite flattering that he called me a "gorgeous woman." (Especially with how I've felt about my body the past few days. ... And since I didn't have on a lick of make-up. I was just in a [nice] tee and jeans. ... It's nice to be complimented by a complete stranger. They have no obligation to be nice to you, really. ^_^)

(And when I posted about that compliment on Facebook, one of my dear friends told me that I was a "hott mama" ... and another tried to best her by telling me that she was sure I was the "hott babysitter" [since I, of course, couldn't POSSIBLY be old enough to be my children's mother. Ha ha!)

(Have I mentioned that I have EXCELLENT friends? Because I totally do.)

Then we went to the "fountain park" downtown where the kids played. And that was fun. I actually took my good camera and got some fun pictures.

On the way home, Bucket discovered that she had lost "PRINCESS TIANA!!! MY FROG! ON MY SHOE!! It's GONE!!!!!!!"
Yes, the Jibbitz of the Princess Tiana Frog had somehow come out of her Crocs (but not any of the butterfly Jibbitz) between the fountains (because she HAD it in her shoe when we sat down at the park) and the car.

I emptied the car, I searched through all our bags.

It's gone.

So I went to Crocs.com and RetailMeNot.com and managed to get another one ordered with free shipping ("secondchance" and 15% off -- but that code expires in a couple days. Just keep an eye out for new codes. Or, if you haven't already, go sign up for the newsletter at Crocs.com and they'll send an email for 20% off your first purchase. ---- And, truly, my kids LIVE in their Crocs. They wear them to play, to church, for walks ... Just about everywhere. Unless we demand that they wear a different pair of shoes [in Bruise's case. ... that boy LOVES his Crocs.)
(No, I didn't get any compensation for saying that. However, if they want to offer me some discounts or swag, I'd jump on that! ^_^ Since I wear my Crocs pretty much all the time and to just about everywhere. ... I have the flats, not the clogs ... and they go with just about anything I own. ^_^ )

But, yeah ... so, that was that.
And I found ants crawling on the counter and IN THE SILVERWARE DRAWER. EWWWWW!!!
So I cleaned and sprayed all of that.
And that's the MAIN reason why dinner was late.
That and, of course, I lost track of time while on Facebook. Oops.

I'm tired. And I hate ants. And I can't figure out how Bucket could have lost that Jibbitz. They're tough enough to get in the holes ... oh well. Some lucky kid now has it, I'm sure.

I think I'm ready for the weekend after the sink fiasco and the ants ... Still, overall, life is good.

Best Laid Plans and other random bits

Okay, so I last wrote on Thursday ... what's happened since then?

Friday -- We cleaned the house and fed the missionaries. We had nachos. If I do that again, I want a fondue pot or something that can handle a can of Sterno underneath it. The cheese sauce (melted Velveeta with some salsa tossed in) kept cooling and congealing. Not so fun. But it was tasty. It was a meal that Bruise actually ATE, so that was a huge success, no?

Saturday -- Cleaned the church building. One gal had come and cleaned the night before (since she had to work that morning), so Michael and I emptied the garbages in the classrooms, vacuumed the classrooms, and cleaned the four bathrooms that hadn't been cleaned. Oh, and I wiped out the drinking faucets. (For those of you not in the know, ward members are assigned to clean the ward buildings. And there are lists of what duties you need to do. In our building, we have three wards. Each is assigned one sheet of duties. One will have to wash windows, pick up any garbage outside, and vacuum and sweep the chapel and hallways and cultural hall and stage. Another ward will be assigned to clean the bathrooms, serving area (like a kitchen -- except we're not supposed to do meal prep in there. Legal reasons, you know? Crazy litigious society that we live in!), and vacuum the classrooms and empty the garbages there. ... I don't really know what all the other ward is assigned. We've only ever been cleaning the building when we've had either of those two sheets of responsibilities. ... And, after you (and whatever other people in your ward) are done with your sheet ... and you've signed off on all the duties, you call the person assigned over it and report to him. And you're done!

After that, we took the kids home for a nap. Which they didn't take. :(
Then, in the afternoon, there was a free nutrition workshop at the local library. With FREE CHILDCARE. Bruise happily played at the library's train table for about an hour and a half. Happy as a pig in the mud. Bucket would go back and forth between playing in the children's section of the library and then coming to sit with us in the presentation room/storytime room.

And, since she was with us when the food was served (our presenter, from OSU Extension Services made a healthy chili and pear quesadillas. Yum!) and was happily chowing down, we had our picture taken and put in the paper.

There we are. You can JUST see Michael's sleeve next to Bucket. Luckily, our names aren't attached to the image (they were in the paper, so I'm not giving you the link for that. Sorry! Just trying to protect my sweet babies from potential Weirdos (of the nasty-nasty sort)), so I can share the picture with you.

Truly, I think I look horrible. I'm not wearing a lick of make-up and the bold red of my jacket's totally reflecting off my pale-pale-glow-in-the-dark skin. And, heavens above, but could I smile? If I smiled and lifted my chin, I'd avoid looking so fat-in-the-face. *sigh* I know. I'm my worst and cattiest critic. Oh well. (I just REALLY need to work out. *sigh*)

Sunday wasn't all that eventful ... still enjoying the Family History course that we're in. I still have my work cut out for me. But, hey! It looks like there's been some work done on my mom's side. Work that she and I haven't done ... cool, huh?

Now, to yesterday. I had great plans for yesterday. I was going to get up, clean the house -- finish up the dishes, fold some laundry, vacuum, dust the living room, sweep/dust mop ...

Well, I did dust the living room. And I did a load of dishes. Everything else? Fell by the wayside.
I read with the kids. A chapter of The Book of Mormon (hey, we have to start somewhere, right?) and some Mo Willems books. We love us some pigeon books ... and anything else he writes, really. ^_^ I think we're going to have to buy his whole oeuvre of kids' books.

Bruise did take a nap when I asked. But Bucket? WAS. NOT. GONNA. HAPPEN.

Eventually, I really just lost it. She was in her room most of the day, SCREAMING and throwing tantrums ... even after Michael got home and took her for a drive. During which they discussed "Princess Behavior."

I did have dinner made. And, per Michael's suggestions before he was able to come home, she spent a while in the naughty chair in my bathtub so that I could keep an eye on her while I showered (there's a separate shower stall in the master bath).

It was NOT a very good day. At all.

But Michael, bless his heart, brought home ice cream for me (and him). He totally deserved it, too, with how much she screamed and fussed. We didn't read story-story (A chapter of "The Last Battle"). She, due to her attitude, also didn't get to listen to the scripture story. Bruise and I cuddled, him on my lap, and read about Christ and the ten lepers together.

I had remarked to Michael that, after a day like today ... Well, I almost wished that Bruise was an only child. He was SO good. At one point, I was in their room, sitting next to Bucket, in the hopes that she'd settle down and FALL FRICKIN' ASLEEP (which, you can surmise, she DIDN'T). Bruise stirred from his nap, turned over, saw me, grinned and waved at me, then rolled back over and went right back to sleep.

When he woke up, yes, I let him out of their room to play. He deserved it. And, gosh, he handled it well that the DVD player isn't working, so he couldn't watch the show that he wanted (usually the kids FUSS like nobody's business when something like this occurs -- usually a DVD from the libraries won't play. And I have to withstand the WHINE of DEATH). Bruise, though? He took it in stride (what a GOOD nap can do!!) ... and, instead, he played without a show. And was very happy to watch the kids' programming on OPB.

When I had told Michael how GOOD Bruise had been, Michael -- ever the optimist -- told Bruise, "You've been a very sweet boy. Don't let it go to your head."
(Yes, I LOVE my husband.)

Bucket, however ... well, I think that she ended up getting tired out enough by all the fussing and whining and SCREAMING that she finally went to bed around 8:30. When, usually she's nodding off in bed around 8PM. *sigh*

And then she threw up this morning. Into the toilet. I'm SURE it was due to the stress that was yesterday. She had a few cold showers and a few spankings and a few timeouts. Okay, a HELL OF A LOT of timeouts.

Yeah. I'm still ready for a nap. And a working perfectly DVD player. I mean, really, it's just over a year old. What's the deal with technology HATING me so much this year? Especially when I love my technology so????? *sigh*

So, yeah. If you can just pray that Bucket will return to the sweet princess that she usually is ... and that technology stops hating me. And, hey, if you can give me tips to motivate myself to exercise. And get off my duff and get the laundry folded. And how to stay sane ... well, sane-ish, anyways, I'd REALLY, REALLY appreciate it.

Just about as much as I appreciated Michael's bringing me a pint of "Americone Dream" (since, dude, it's got a picture of STEPHEN COLBERT on it!! :D Yup, I got myself a keeper. ^_^)

Nothing huge to report...

No real progress made in my goals. Meh.

Did a load of dishes. Need to fold laundry. Managed to refrain from going ABSOLUTELY FRAKKING POSTAL on my children.

(Note: Why are our children LYING to us? WHY???)

Getting further in my book-review book. Might have it up and posted by this weekend. Maybe.

Got caught up on the mental_floss blogs. Finally. Still kinda sad that I lost all the fifteen bazillion bookmarks that I had on my old hard drive. But, hey, that's life.

Besides, how many of those bookmarks was I really using? (Now, if I had about 2-3x our current income, I would be much more miffed at losing all the wildly fantastic bookmarks I had accumulated. Right now, I'm just sad for not having the cool website where you could read children's books -- like Lemony Snickett's "The Latke Who Wouldn't Stop Screaming," which is my absolutely favorite Hanukkah story of all time. OF ALL TIME!! ... Or a few games and videos ... *sigh*)

I think that I'm just going to have to give up on Bruise and Bucket taking naps. Which sucks for me. Especially since they ARE grumpy little snots at times. But I mostly love them. :P

One last chapter in "The Silver Chair." Then it'll be "The Last Battle." When Bucket asked what we'd read after that, Michael and I said that we'd discuss it. I offered Harry Potter as an option. Both kids opted for that. (After that, I might pull for Edward Eager's "Half Magic" and the accompanying books. Since I have all of those.
But, who knows? Maybe we should do Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain ... though that would mean that I'd really HAVE to learn to pronounce all of those Welsh names. And I'm really crap about Welsh pronunciation. It'd be nice to improve, though. Really nice.

Wow ... I'm really boring today. Like INSANELY boring. Ugh.

Complete and total non-sequitur: I really love Mo Willems' books. Especially the Pigeon series. And Piggy and Elephant. They just totally rock.

Michael's cold (which caused him to stay home from work on Wednesday) totally came back with a vengeance today. So it's been a mostly quiet day. He let me sleep in (which was really nice), then I let him get a nap. Quiet day.

Even though twice this week, I've had people accidentally call (in once case) and text me (in the second. And this was on purpose) early in the morning. Crazy, huh?

No wonder I slept in until, like, nine-ish. So nice.

... Ugh, If I hear much more whining, I think I will witness my head spontaneously explode. I just can't handle it so much right now. Especially after the lying and refusal to take a nap. And the tantrums.

If only straight jackets and duct tape were acceptable forms of discipline. If only ...

I sound like a Marsh-Wiggle. Full of cheer and cock-eyed optimism, that's me. /sarcasm.

Okay ... time to scrounge together some dinner. Ciao, my dears.

Sometimes my life is ... insane.

SOOOOOOO ... My mom-in-law's friend was going to drop a package by our house for us to take down to Michael's folks.

I FINALLY get around to getting a shower. The kids are not quite napping, so I am singing and not listening for the door.

Next thing I know, as I'm putting a robe on over my bathtowel is that someone's in the hall.

Turns out that MIL's friend is worried since my daughter (who doesn't want to take a nap) is crying in the window (next to her bubbly and happy brother) and calls my MIL, who lets her know how to get into the house since I'm not answering the door (being in the shower and all, of course).

Michael calls and is like "FINALLY, you've answered the phone. Mom's worried! Grandpa and Grandma are going to check on you."

So, I respond full of maturosity and poise (read: with cursings and threats to our strong-willed daughter) and assure him that I'm okay as I throw on any quick clothes that I can, since I've finished entertaining my mom-in-law's friend in two towels and a robe.

I call my MIL, to assure her that I'm okay and to give her the backstory. Then I proceed to give my girl-spawn a FIRM talking to, involving raised voices and ending in the too-calm, icy, hiss that you dread ever hearing from a parent.

My children are hunkered in their beds waiting for the other show to drop.

My tears of anger have not spilled over.

I'm wearing sweats and haven't combed my hair.

I may never take a shower again.

I may invest in an extra-large pet carrier for my children. And keep it in a deep dark basement.
(note to self: buy a basement. Preferably one that is deep and dark. And somewhat soundproof. ... Those baby monitor that we got when the kids were born will come in handy.)

As I told my MIL, "There go my chances for getting karaoke installed in the bathroom."

The kids, after my copious amounts of yelling/talking/hissing, are pretty quiet.

Yes, my life is awesome.

And if this scenario appears in any movies, I'm totally suing for that. This is MY life. If I'm dealing with this amount of crazy, I'd better be compensated for it. I'm just sayin'. It's not like I'm going to say, "No, you can't use it." But if you do, I'm not going to say no to receiving tens of thousands of dollars when you sell your manuscript. ... And that fee is per instance of my life. Just so you know.
(Swiper, no swiping!!)

Now, I would stick my head in the oven. But we have electric, so it'd just ruin my hair.
I think I'm going to take some drugs (read: a couple of Tylenol) ... since I have a wild headache.

(Seriously, people without children, kids are the BEST birth control. ... I do mostly love my hellacious devil-spawn *gritted teeth* little angels ... but sometimes I could envision myself gleefully dancing over their prone forms. A sailor's hornpipe, per se.)

(This is why the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, made kids so funny and cute and sweet. So that, on the occasions when they fail to be ANY of the above, we don't kill them. Like hamsters do.)

(This is also why God created the intertubes. And Tylenol. And chocolate. And books. ... As rewards for not killing our children. :P ... I really do love them. I just wish that I could have children AND what small semblances I had left of my sanity. At the same time. ... but you can't have everything. Where would you PUT it?)

*headdesk*
*headdesk*

*headdesk*

Ten days later ...

I'm doing better on being in the holiday spirit. I read The Little Book of Christmas Spirit by John Hilton III (it was a free download over at DeseretBook.com). Today, I read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever to the kiddos.

The blue truck (the work truck) was running oddly on Wednesday, so Michael took the van. Mom and I went into town with the kids, ate at McDonalds (with the INDOOR PlayPlace), and while I did my volunteer stint, shelving holds, Mom took the kids to ANOTHER indoor play area (and the kids had a BLAST - Even though a CERTAIN CHILD had a poo incident. ... NOT the same child that had a pee incident after the Christmas parade. They take turns, so it seems).

What else have we done? We went to Storybook Land (lots of little displays of Christmas scenes and vignettes from stories and nursery rhymes ... and SANTA!). Mom and I renewed her Costco membership (and bought lots and lots of good food!) ...

Mom and I wrote replies to the kiddos' letters to Santa. Bruise and Bucket liked that Santa wrote them back. ^_^

I colored my hair today. It was getting ... weird-looking. To me, anyways. So, instead of being the light marmalade shade that it was getting to be, I colored it to a chestnut hue. And I like it better. I do keep thinking of trying to get it a real medium-type brown. I've never really been a brunette ... We'll see.

Read some books. I just finished Souless (Gail Carriger). THAT was a fun little read. Supernatural/Regency era/steampunk/romance/mystery. (Jenny and Cynthia, I think you'll both really like it. Aubri, if you have time, you'd probably enjoy it, too. ^_^) ... There are a few steamy scenes. I wouldn't be letting my almost-four-year-olds read it. But I really enjoyed it. There are some laugh-out-loud bits in there, too.

I've been wasting spending a lot of time on Facebook. Dang addictive games. I think I'm going to have to quit some. Even though I really like them.

Haven't gotten an OS loaded onto my computer yet. If I can't get it done this weekend, I'm not going to get to it until after Christmas. And then I might borrow Jenny's husband. Since Jenny DID offer the use of Joseph's mad skillz. ^_^

My mom bought me new jeans last week. I am still TOTALLY STOKED. My old jeans ... well, half of them have HUGE, GAPING HOLES in the right knee. And I felt kinda shlubby wearing them. My new jeans look so nice. And I don't have that nasty ... issue ... where the zipper and seam ... are really tight ... and it looks tacky... and it's embarrassing and kinda gross. (camel toe. ew.)

So, yeah, that's most of what all is going on here. Reading and facebooking and wearing new jeans and sporting a new hair color.

I should paint my toes. Like, RIGHT NOW.

Oh ... most of my nails have broken. Occupational hazard when shelving carts of books. Oh well.

Also, we're almost through The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We should be starting The Silver Chair on Sunday night.

Oh ... in other news, this week, Bucket got through all the word cards in her "Magic Word Box." I was impressed. She'll be reading this time next year. Crazy, huh?

Sinks are fixed!! Michael bought a plumber's snake/auger/thing and it did the trick. Phew!!
Having a handy husband is, like, the BEST THING EVER.

I realize that I forgot to talk about Bruise and Bucket's last dance class. She wore her Snow White ballerina outfit (from an eBay shipment my mom got ^_^) and had a BLAST learning the arm positions of ballet. She and Bruise wouldn't let me take lots of pictures.

Me: (stands maybe two feet away to get a full-body length shot of my daughter)

Bucket: No, Mom!! I need you here WITH ME!!
Me: WHAT? I'm a FOOT away from you! Where do you think I AM?? TIMBUKTU????

Bruise, for the second week in a row, named the teddy bear (each of the children gets to hold a teddy bear to help them do stretches) "Poopybuns."
Yup, that's my boy.

Bucket, on the other hand, has gone through Disney Princesses names -- Ariel, Belle, Snow White ...

At the end of class, Bucket wanted to help Bruise put on his shoe. And he didn't want HER help. So I had a wonderful tantrum from the BOTH of them. *sigh* And, of course, they wouldn't take a nap. FUN!!

But then my mom came up the next day and it was good. And we bought books and I got signed up to volunteer and Michael fixed the sink.

Thursday, we had a slumber party with the kids. We ate dinner, had a Scripture story, and settled on the couch with some popcorn (and some summer sausage and cheese) to watch The Princess Bride (since they asked to watch a Mommy and Daddy show). They really enjoyed it (this time. We tried sharing it with them a few months ago, but they couldn't sit still through much of it) -- the fact that there's a PIRATE and SWORDS and a PRINCESS were highly appreciated.

Then we made up the big beds (my old daybed which is in their room has a trundle. Michael took the daybed and I took the trundle, which I covered with piles of blankets) and bedded down for the night. And the kids actually let us sleep for most of the night!

Yesterday, we went into town to take the kids to a free trial for soccer lessons. We can't afford lessons just yet (unless there's a SIGNIFICANT twins discount), but Bruise and Bucket did really well and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. (Makes me REALLY long for when I have the money to let them be involved in myriad activities. *wry smile*)

Then we returned some library books (and I turned in my volunteer application) and went grocery shopping. We were going to take the kids to the pumpkin patch, but we were HOURS early and it was POURING, so we had to take our (now grouchy kids) (and their grouchy, hormonal mommy) home.
Not so much fun then. But Michael and I got to watch episodes of Chuck, so it wasn't a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day overall.

I got to do some dishes. And laundry! So that was good, since I didn't really get to do those much at all the other day.

Today, Michael sacrificed being able to go out on a boat to go crabbing with the EQ (Elders Quorum -- i.e, men 18+ at church) in order to hang with us and take the kids to the pumpkin patch. Bruise didn't get to "help" drive the tractor on the hay ride this year, since it was REALLY busy. The past couple years, when we've gone, we've gone earlier in the month. And, when it's less busy, usually the drivers make sure that every child on the ride who would like to drive the tractor gets a chance. When it's this busy, though, they can't make so many stops to switch the drivers. :( Oh well. Bruise took it REALLY well (which rather makes up for the fit he's currently throwing because he does NOT want to take a nap at all). He was all smiles and picked out a 9 lb pumpkin. Bucket chose one that was 7 lbs. The one I chose was 11 ... and they're all very pretty and golden orange.
(One man that we saw got a 53-lb pumpkin. FIFTY-THREE POUNDS!!)

Then we bought fresh sugar-cinnamon coated doughnuts and a gallon of apple cider. YUM!

Now, the kids are in bed to nap, I've changed out of my mud-smeared jeans and soaked shoes, my belly is full of lovely doughnuts and fresh apple cider ... my husband is here ... it's nice.

Oh, yeah, and I've been summoned for jury duty. I've never been called for jury duty before. All I really know about jury duty is that it's my civic duty ... and bits from Hollywood (Runaway Jury and Pauly Shore's Jury Duty are the first movies that come to mind) ... well, I remember learning a little about jury duty from my high school government class a DECADE AGO.

So, yeah ... I'll have something to blog about in a couple months. Yay?

That's really about it ... I think.

"You don't have to blog about EVERYTHING."

That title is courtesty of my youngest cousin ... who just started sixth grade, oh. em. GOSH.
(If you saw me right this instant, you'd see me feeling very OLD.)

That quote was brought about when I asked him if I could share our new inside joke. Which I'm going to share ANYWAYS, now.

He had turned his head away as he said, "No offense." ... And, since life with me is like living a game of Mad Gab, I had to ask him, "Did you just say WALNUTS??"
(And so, for the rest of the weekend, he'd walk past me and stage whisper "WALNUTS," that silly boy.)

Of course, when he was playing Hide-and-Seek with the munchkins (which they've gotten MUCH better at!), he'd ask them, "Where's [his name]?" ... and they'd run off shrieking for "That little boy." (Yes, my three-year-olds call their twelve-year-old cousin a little boy. I don't quite get it. But I appreciate that they refer to 70-year-old women as "girls.") ... They did this because my cousin told them that he was Mark, his own (non-existent) twin brother.

*shifty eyes* I have no idea where they inhereited this gullibility .... So says the girl who believed her dad when he told her that if she went near a beaver, it'd bite her leg off. Or her Jr. High Science teacher who told her that her thumbs' shape was due to "Stubby Thumb Syndrome." ... Yeah ... nooooooo clue. *shifty eyes*

But, yeah. We had a very nice weekend. Friday, as you know, we drove down to Bandon. We stopped and toook the kids to the Newport Aquarium. Got to see the Octopus there ... Shelia ... and her brood of eggs. Poor gal probably won't be there for long (Female octopuses/octopi die after all the care they give their eggs).

Then we drove down to Bandon and got to the beach house. Just a short little walk (maybe two blocks?) to the jetty with a little bit of beach (Seriously, if you are looking for a beach house reantal, this was a REALLY nice place). Bucket and Bruise were so sad that Mutti didn't go to the beach with them on Friday. Also, Bruise appears to be REALLY scared of the waves ... whereas Bucket would have leaped headlong into them if I hadn't held her hand.

(Saturday: Mom/Mutti, Cousin Ashley, Michael, the kidlets and I went to the beach. Bucket, Ashley and I played in the waves. Ashley lost one of her flip-flops when we were chasing waves. "I only brought one pair of shoes!" she cried. ... I couldn't go after it, since we had Bucket with us and I couldn't see where in the waves it had even gone. Luckily (blessedly), her shoe washed up not ten feet from us within five seconds. We had made jokes about an octopus wearing Ashley's shoe. And, really, if her shoe HAD been lost, I was more than willing to give up my pair of flip-flops until she could get a new pair (since I knew she wouldn't want to rely on my dollar pair ... which like to come apart a lot.))

Saturday, we took Mom and my Stepdad with us and went down to the Prehistoric Gardens, south of Port Orford. We stopped and toured the Cape Blanco Lighthouse (which was a little nerve-wracking with two three-year-olds climbing 63 stairs and a ladder up to the top of the tower ... especially with 50 mph winds blowing. We were on the last tour, since they had to shut down due to the winds. ^_^), and then we stopped by a little lavender garden (I now have a jar of Lavender jelly and a bottle of essential oil. Yum!) and a candy shop (if you go, they have free samples. I especially like the honey bites and the pie candies. My Stepdad adores the Cranberries in Ivory -white chocolate-) where Mom and I picked up some treats. ^_^

Sunday morning we went to the Bandon LDS Branch for Sacrament Meeting. It was the smallest church building I've ever been to. Pretty little building (I know I'm shallow. But I liked that the chapel was white and sea green. It was kind of funny that my jacket and undershirt were coordinated with the room ^_^). Then we went back to the beach house, made sure we were mostly packed up (I did one last load of our laundry) and Mom went with us to walk on the beach and to walk around the marina (a special treat for Bruise).

Oh ... did I mention that my mom's GREAT at eBay? She had two GINORMOUS boxes of stuff for Bruise and Bucket. Bucket especially loves her Snow White ballerina outfit (appears to be a homemade costume and is very pretty). Bruise adores his Transformers Underoos (he used them and his Spiderman Underoos as pajamas while we were with my family).

We had quite a bit of family there: Mom and my Stepdad, Aunt Julie with her dog, Sonny Boy;

Uncle K and his wife, C, along with my cousin's baby girl, Haven; Uncle B and Aunt T and their kids: Tiff, Ashley, and AJ (aka, Mark's twin) (and you know that Mark doesn't exist).

It'd been a while since I'd seen everyone. (Except for my folks and Jule, I hadn't seen everyone else since Thanksgiving.)

Oh, while we were at Cranberry Sweets, Bucket ran into the corner of a glass shelf. She burst into tears and, as Michael picked her up to assess the damage, she peed all over his fleece vest (which repels water well) and the floor. *sigh* (Yes, my daughter is part camel and loves to drink when she's in the car. ... And when she gets mad [Like, say, when I send her for a time-out], she often loses bladder control. I'm working on that.)

But the gals working there were VERY nice about it. (They told me, "Oh, these things happen. It's fine."Even though my mom and I were quite embarassed.)

But it was a really nice trip. Like I said, the beach house was VERY nice. We slept upstairs (if you click on the link when I first mention the beach house and scroll through the pictures, you can see a little picture of our bedroom -- the one with the view of the beach and Table Rock). Since it's so close to the jetty, you hear the foghorn as it sounds ... about every twenty-thirty seconds. (I slept with earplugs in Friday night, but not Saturday.)

The kids all slept downstairs, which was nice. Except that my munchkins wanted to get dressed in our room ... next time we'll just keep their luggage in our room. ^_^

We didn't go to West Coast Game Park this time (I had forgotten to bring the charger for our GOOD camera. Oops! ... and it is rather spendy: $15/adult (13+) and, for us, $11 for Bruise and Bucket together ... that's approacing $50 for about 1-2.5 hours of walking, not including the money for cones of feed for the goats and donkeys walking around.

However, if we'd had the camera all charged up, we'd have gone. But it was good to take the kids to see the dinosaurs this time (which, for the SIX of us -- Mom, Cecil, Michael, the kidlets, and me was almost exactly the same price), since none of us had ever been to that before (and we've all been to the game park). Really, it's a cool place ... and we will go again sometime soon. But it is rather spendy, in my opinion. I'm probably spoiled, since we go to the Zoo about every month (but for being so much larger, the zoo is cheaper. Even more so with our membership. Just sayin'). However, I can understand that West Coast has less people coming as often and does have to pay (somehow) for all those animals and the cost of their care.

I can't believe that it's already about to be September. That's crazy!

Well, I need to close this up and finish a couple books during the kids' nap today. Then do the dishes and clean up the house a bit (although, thankfully, most of it is pretty clean due to all my hard work last week. Yay!!).

(It's been a month, today, that Gingi-cat died. I still miss her.)

Hello, My name is HOLY FREAKING-OUT PILE OF INSANITY!!!!! ONOZ!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!! ZOMGosh!!!!!

*dryly* As you can probably infer from the title of this post, my calm facade is starting to crack.

If by "starting to crack," you mean to say that OMGosh! I have coming up in a matter of DAYS about the most STRESSFUL TIME OF MY EXISTENCE (with, perhaps, the exception of my sole-responisbility when I was student teaching ... you know, that period that I threw up every morning due to stress, nibbled lunch, and ate a sensible dinner ... and dropped a good five pounds ... probably all in tooth enamel).

Here's my itenerary (unless you're a stalker or a thief. If you are, I'm lying. This whole time, I'm going to be bunkered at home, cleaning my arsenal and polishing my VAST knife collection. They're already all sharpened. I just like that glossy sheen to them.):

• This weekend, we're throwing the bridal shower. And visiting family, family, family, and more family. Then ditching the kids with grandparents for the next week ...
• Since on MONDAY, I'll be deserting Michael to go to Young Women's Camp. Unless I'm running a fever, then they'll send me home so that I don't spread the bird flu the swine flu (What's next? Cerval Cat flu? Platypus flu? I can never keep the old ones straight, anyways. Just be glad that I didn't refer to it as the Spanish flu. Since, you know, I wasn't actually ALIVE to live through that one.)
• Then I'll be ditching camp to run back home and make sure that I have EVERYTHING ready (including myself!!!!) for Mer's rehersal dinner (and getting reunited with the kids) and the wedding.

Yes, I've been in denial for a few weeks. I DON'T want to deal with all of this. No flippin' way. Especially since I'm STILL mucus-laden and hoarse. This is crazy. And I'm nearly hyperventilating about it all.

I'm SO, SO, SO glad that I have Roxy as one of the other bridesmaids. She's keeping me sane. She and I went in together on the present for Mer. (CUTE!! ... I'll tell you after the wedding, probably, since I don't know when I'll next have TIME or the PRESENCE OF MIND(!!!) to blog next) And she's taking on the veggie tray for the shower. Phew!!

So, I'm just working at getting the rest of the food-stuff and games-stuff together ... And then I have to pack, pack, pack, PACK, PACK!!!!!!1!!!1one!!!!1!

Pack the kids' things, pack for our stuff, pack for camp, pack for the wedding ... Pack the stuff to do Bucket's and my hair ... *sigh*

And I folded most of the kids' laundry in our room. I think I should get a National Medal of Honor for that. Only, what, about seven more loads to finish folding ... since Ginger-cat decided to PEE in our bathroom (well, those clothes were already dirty, but still!!!) and on a pile of blankets (yes, those DID need washing, BUT they were on CARPET! EWWwwww!!!!). It's amazing that she's still alive.

Oh, and probably TMI or something -- but the toilet seat in our bathroom (not the hall bathroom) has a crack in it. And it keeps pinching my butt/thigh (my buthigh??). So we're going to replace that.

AAAAAAND, I need to cut Bruise's and Michael's hair!!! And I should try to give myself a facial before camp ... and upon arriving home from camp .... and remember to use MONDO amounts of sunscreen .... and, and, and ...

Oh, and do the dishes.

And restart the computer so that my stupid printer will spit out all the things that I need printed. Ugh!!!!!!!!!

And I need to finish "Tea Time for the Traditionally Built" before it's due (in two days!!!!!! Ack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

*sigh*

SO ... who wants to pet my hair and tell me that I'm pretty and NOT-at-all fat, regardless of how my bridesmaid dress makes me feel (well, okay, I just look like mah BOOBAGE is nearly twice the amount as is usual ... which is, I must say, quite the feat!)

(On overhearing myself: At Jo-Ann's fabric yesterday, as Roxy was buying some fabric. We were talking about how the bodices of our "dresses" -- they're seperates -- showcase our ... endowments, per se. I told her, "Hey, I'll do your hair if you pin my boobs! ... Just not literally pinning my boobs, because that would HURT." And the gal measuring fabric was all snickering into her shoulder. Poor girl.)

(Also, Rox and I were at B&N, picking out little booklets for Mer's gift ... with three three-year-olds. As we're perusing a certain ... area ... of the self-help section ... I guess it does count as relationships ... we have various passers-by giving us some glances. Rox mutters, in sotto voice, "Yes, we're looking at sex books. We just don't have ENOUGH kids, can'cha tell??" ... Oh, how I cackled. It only got better when Bruise observantly exclaims, "Wook!! Dere's a wowwipop on dat book!!" ["Look! There's a lolipop on that book!"] ... No, I didn't allow him to glance at the innerds of ANY of those books. Not a glimpse!)

Ah, yes ... the remarkable life and times.

Now, really ... I just HAVE to get through the next, what, 12 days?? Once July 12th is here ... I'm going to be SO DAMN HAPPY.

(Sorry for swearing. But it NEEDED an explitive. It's for descriptive value. Pinkie swears!)

What is UP with me?

It's not like I'm TRYING to ignore my blog. I just happen to do so really easily right now.

Okay, first thing to share:

A couple days ago, Bruise made Bucket mad by not doing something ... I think she was demanding asking him to play with her, and he wouldn't.

So, as I'm typing at the computer or just playing Facebook games, I hear her tearfully proclaim, "FINE! Be that way!!" ... Hmmmm. I wouldn't know where she'd learn that from.  *shifty eyes*

Yup, yet another example of EXCELLENT parenting at work.

... So, what else have we been up to? I've been doing better at reading to the kids.  Trying that 20 minutes a day thing. And it's going well enough. Phew!

I put suncreen on the kids (and HATS!) when we were working in the yard (well, Michael and I were really working. The kids mostly just followed us and whined. Or tried to play in traffic. ... Okay, not so much. But Bruise was trying to play in the street. Pushing his limits and all).

We actually have a yard under all those weeds. And I did some major cutting back of a few trees and rosebushes (and have the scratches to prove that last one). 

I also got a killer deal over at Waldenbooks. $52 = an excercise ball with resistance band that fits on it with accompanying DVD and book, Pilates workout circle with book and DVD, and the Miracle Ball Method book with 2 miracle balls. I know that I didn't NEED another exercise ball ... but the one that I had is SMALL (like, if I've draped the middle of my back on it, it's almost rolling over my head if I'm trying to stretch my back. That isn't right) and it's this weird opaque reddish-orange-salmon. Kinda ugly, in my opinion.
THIS new ball is HUGE in comparison and it's a gorgeous translucent teal. 

Hey, I don't know about you ... but having cute workout gear helps me. I know, I'm terribly vain and shallow. But, you know what? I can deal with that. And, you know, if I have cute stuff, I'm more liable to USE it. So this was a total bargain. Since usually a new workout ball and the pilates circle would be 40 bucks each ... or more.

Okay, I know that I haven't written much ... or anything important ... but I really should try to vacuum and get the dishes and laundry done. Especially since we have to leave for storytime in a couple hours ... and I haven't worked out or taken a shower.

Or a million other little things.

BUT!! I took the kiddos swimming yesterday. They LOVED their water wings (Courtesy of a great going-out-of-business sale over at Joe's). Bruise enjoyed paddling in the deep end. Bucket went down the water slide by herself. It's CRAZY how independent and brave my kids can be.
Now we just have to work on the rules of water safety.

And Bucket keeps telling me that I have a baby in my belly. I don't. It's just fat (sadly. I'd rather be this shape due to a baby being in there ... instead of stretched out and out of shape from having had TWO babies in there ... and being incredibly lazy). Really. Don't get your hopes up.

OKAY, NOW I have to get the place clean. I'm shutting up now. REALLY!!

I'm not dead! Really! Pinkie-swears!

Yes, I know. I've been a total and complete punk. I'm aware.

However, I'm here now. And I have been a little busy ... See??

Since I last blogged:

• My mom came up to visit.
• Bucket got her ears pierced (More on that below)
• Michael and Bruise deserted us (not really) for the Father/Son Campout (Which Bucket was very saddened that she did not get to attend. She REALLY wanted to sleep in the back of the truck with her brother and Daddy.)
• I had a Stake YW Camp meeting.
• We washed the cars. I barely recognize them now.
• Mother's Day ... with the calls to grandmas and great-grandmas (Well, we did miss one. Darn time-zones!)
• I've been working out just about every day. Fear me.
• I totally pigged out Saturday on jerky, Oreos, and Doritios. So it's good that I'll be working out today. And that I still have a couple months to fit in that matron-of-honor dress.
•  ... I DID get caught up on the dishes ... and am behind again.

That's most of what all happened in the last six days.

OKAY, I promised to tell about Bucket's earrings.

Michael has always told me that *I* would be the one to take her in to have her ears pierced. He has NO desire to see her cry. BUT he was fine with doing it whenever.
(Truly, if she and Bruise had looked more alike, I'd have had it done when she was just a iddy-biddy. BUT she and her brother aren't at all identical-looking ... so I figured that I'd wait until Bucket wanted to have them done. And that happened in the last few weeks.)

The day before we went, I made sure to prepare my girl for the experience. We watched videos on YouTube of little girls getting their ears pierced. We talked about how it would feel ... and do we scream? (No.) Is it okay to cry a little? (Yes.)  Will it hurt? (It will pinch. And you have to have BOTH ears done. Not just one.) 

My mom and I took the kids over. Bruise and Mutti (my mom's nickname) played with cars out in the food court while I took Bucket in, signed all the paperwork, withstood my camera's batteries giving up the ghost before the actual piercing took place, and getting some pretty holes in my daughter's head.

Bucket chose the "purple" (fake Alexandrite/June birthstone) earrings.
She was pretty calm, holding Carl (her toy hippo) while the gal marked where the holes would be. Carl, however, was pretty nervous. So Bucket and I had to hold his hands/paws/whatever.

The first earring went in. Bucket stared for a second ... then her eyes filled with tears and she let out a little whimper. So I held her for a minute so she could find her composure ... and in went the second earring. 

If you ask her, "Were you brave?", she'll answer (and rightly so), "Yes."
"Did you cry?" "A liddle." (She was MUCH braver than I was when I had my ears pierced that first time. I bawled and hollered a bit. However, my little Bug was pretty amazing. Just tears and a whimper ... and then she was done.

It's crazy how much OLDER she looks with her ears pierced. I'd never have thought that she'd look like such a little lady due to such a small change!

But she's being really good about them. She knows that I have to clean them 3x/day (Used to be twice back in the day when *I* had mine done) ... and she won't fight too much. Unless she's tired. Then she'll whine a little. ... Until I ask her if she'd like me to take them out and let them heal up. Then she'll let me work in peace.

Mother's Day was good. The kids did wake me up around 6 AM to give me my card and a box of chocolate turtles.  (Which, when I had gotten home from my meeting the day before, Bucket was SO EXCITED about that she almost spilled the beans about! SO my daughter.)

Then Michael took them to help make breakfast and watch a video and get ready for church.
When I finally got up and was showered, I found that Michael had gotten me (and had set up) a wireless keyboard and mouse! (My old mouse gave up its click-wheel/center button ghost a couple weeks ago ... and I was using his old laser-tracker mouse, with its cord all across my desk.)

And, after he had gotten the kids ready, he did say to me, "I don't appreciate or accommodate you enough, so I buy you presents."  And I was all, "What? What are you talking about? You do tons around here!" And he told me that he doesn't know HOW I get the kids dressed and ready for church every Sunday. (I don't really know, either. It's just some miraculous habit, I guess.)
But I do like my presents.

I've been playing way too many Facebook games. (But, hey ... if you're playing Bloodlines or Castle Age or a few others ... well, you could totally add me on there. ^_^)

What else is going on? ... Um ... I vacuumed. Go me. And I did my workout today. I plan on getting more laundry washed ... and it'll get folded. Eventually. Sometime.

And I have GOT to do those danged dishes! (Again)

But for now, I'm eating leftover Spanish rice. Yay. (No, really. I like me some Spanish rice. Carbs and I are supergoodfriends. So good, that it HAS to be alloneword.)

At least my nails look nice ...

I get to deal with LYING today.

And when I say I dealt with it, what I REALLY mean to say is that I sent my children to time out while I got a shower and worked at seeing if I've gotten any closer to fitting into the dress I'll be wearing at my friend's wedding this July (Answer: Yeeeees ... I'm still not totally and completely fitting in it perfectly. BUT with the right bra ... and someone else to help me zip up the bedratted thing, I'm very close. Close enough that with the jacket on -- since the top's sleeveless and I don't do sleeveless -- it will do. Phew!!) after my mad exercising for the last couple of weeks.

AND with how much better it is starting to fit, that lets me know that if I keep up with this whole "working out" thing, I am going to make my goal. And good thing, since the alterations people over at "Expensive Dresses R Us" are too booked. Not that they really could let it out at all. So I'd better keep up at least (AT LEAST!) two more weeks of exercising 6 days a week. Which isn't bad. Since I have like, what, another two months before the wedding. And, hey, if the dress is a little loose? Not a bad thing.

However, I will let you know that trying to zip up that little bodice-thing that calls itself a top? Dude, that gave me more of an upper-body workout than the belly-dancing video I worked out to this morning (Though it was CLOSE to the workout I got from the Dancing with the Stars workout DVD that I did yesterday).

But, yeah, I've been working out rather a lot. For me, anyways. I still find it hard to walk/jog on the treadmill for longer than 20 minutes. Mostly because (1) I'm sweaty and  gross, (2) I have little children who don't help me be totally productive all the time, and (3) I'm terribly out of shape, really. But I'm getting better at it. Bit by (small) bit.

Okay, my kids are making it worthwhile to be a mom: They're running around the house wapping each other with "swords" (wrapping paper tubes -- well, one tube, cut in half, since they were fighting over it so, so, SO much a few months ago). Excellent.

Okay, excellent until, instead of beating each other about the head and shoulders, Bruise smacked me in my arm fat with a tube. Owwwww. I'll be okay.

Yesterday, Michael made good on his bargain -- If I got the kitchen cleaned enough so that he HAD a space to do so, he'd make cookies. 
Dude, I was awesome. I cleaned out the pantry, the fridge, AND did a few loads of dishes.
(Now I have a couple loads to do -- the dishes from the food I had to throw out and the dishes we used to make dinner and the cookies. And one load that's soaking and ready for the dishwasher.)

Hey, random question -- any of you ever have this happen to you? You're eating something and then your mouth starts itching and your tongue feels all wonky? Dude! It turns out that since it happens to me when I eat raw apples and almonds (and something in my salad yesterday -- maybe the raw snow peas?) that I was able to figure out that my hay fever is to tree pollen. Crazy cross-reactions.

Well, my mom's due to arrive anytime. So I'm going to close this puppy up.

My Children ...

I'm going to be totally honest -- Going into this whole motherhood-gig, I totally knew that (with me as a mother), they'd definitely need some therapy.

Exhibit 1 - At the aquarium yesterday, Bucket is happily going through the gift shop. She has a killer whale toy in one hand and a wind-up diver in the other. She happily turns to me as she plays and chirps, "Look! It eatin' him!" 

Um ... yes, obviously my children are aware of the circle of life. And, obviously-er, they've inherited my sense of humor ... since I really, really wanted to laugh until I needed a clean set of underdrawers.

OR

Exhibit 2 - As Bruise comes out of the bathroom from taking a bath, he's crouched over and shuffling, hands over his crotch.
"Wook, Mom! Mah pen!s is gone!"

I really have no comment on that one, though it does remind me of a conversation with Bucket from the other day:

I was warning her of what would happen if she got gum in her hair (namely, that we'd have to get it out)
ME: And then we'd have to cut your hair short ...
Bucket: And I'd be a BOY!
Michael and I exchange a look
Michael: Bucket, you would still be a girl.
Me: Your hair length has little to do with your gender, baby. You'd still be a girl. You're never going to be a boy, okay?

I mean, really ... from how much my kids tell me that they're male/female based on the fact that they have an anatomically-correctly-named parts, you'd think that they'd GET things like that. Silly children.

At the Strengthening the Family seminar (about effective communication with your teen/pre-teen), Bucket didn't want to play with the other kids ... so, as Bruise happily interacted socially, Bucket sat with Michael and me for a lecture. Overall, she was okay. Michael did have to take her out to talk to her about the importance of being quiet so everyone else can listen ... and the fact that if Mommy can't listen to a lecture and take notes, she starts to go completely apoplectic. 
(Well, I wasn't privy to the whole conversations ... so I can only guess at how he put it.)

(And that part about me? Totally true. It stresses me out. I WANT to be able to listen. I don't think I've been able to focus on a talk in Sacrament meeting since the kids were born. And now I'm TERRIBLY out of practice of being able to pay any attention at all to a talk/lecture. It's like child-induced ADD. *sigh*)

By the by, Bucket is BEYOND excited to go to school. Poor girl.  She's going to be nearly six before she gets to attend, since she's got a winter birthday. I think she'll be beyond thrilled when T and her son and Bruise, Bucket and I do the little preschool-y thing that T proposed doing.

Today, we cleaned the ward building (well, we did our part) then hurried home to listen to General Conference. We set up the kids with a show in the living room and took Michael's laptop to the bedroom  (thanks be for wireless internet! I pink, puffy heart DSL!) and listened to conference while we worked at cleaning our bedroom ... and sneezed about a bazillion times. 
We dusted and put up the curtains that Dianne so nicely passed onto me ... they look so pretty! ... and I went through at least 40 lbs. of magazines. We hung upt clothes, sorted through things, and I rearranged the piles of books on my shelves. It's nice to be able to walk in there now. I have a sinking feeling that we'll be tackling the bathroom (with even MORE piles of magazines that I really WANT to read through ... but never seem to have the time to do!) tomorrow.

But, I'll have to say, it was really nice having the kids occupied in another room. I actually had the chance to try and LISTEN to talks. Sweet!

Also, I got a pair of pants for Michael -- slacks, brand new, flat-front -- $10 on clearance. Go me. So he had pants to wear to priesthood session, since I had thrown his other slacks (two pairs) into the washer. Oops.

My children need a nap. Thank goodness that it's nearly badtime. I think that after we tuck the kids in, we'll watch a couple episodes of Pushing Daisies. (I checked out Season One from the library) So far, the pilot was really cute. It's funny to recognize some characters from other shows. The male lead was Michael in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (which, if you haven't seen it, is quickly becoming a new favorite movie of mine). And one of the aunts ... I KNEW that I recognized her ... and that she had different colored hair in whatever I knew her from ... It's AUDREY from Little Shop of Horrors! So funny! It's good to see that she's still doing things. ^_^

So, yeah ... that's most of what's going on. That and I am AMAZING. I have my friend's bridal shower invites printed off and folded ... Just need to address the envelopes, seal, stamp and send them off. Woot!!

Okay, to start ... FIRST, I'm so sorry for not blogging for a while.

Second, I HATE hay fever. I feel like a drippy faucet and the back of my throat is all gnarly and irritated from my stupid post-nasal drip.

And I'm snarly due to wonderful Aunt Flo dropping by. Probably TMI, but you love me anyways, right?

BUT we got our new fridge. And it is BEAUTIFUL. I can barely bring myself to put FOOD in it, it's so pretty. (But I am going to buy ice cream! YES!!)

Pardon me, I had to go fumigate the kidlets' bathroom ... They're doing a really, really great job using the toilet -- I'm not complaining -- but OY! did it stink!!

What do I need to write about ...?

Let's see ...

- Michael and I celebrated our eigth anniversary. We went up to OMSI and went to the da Vinci exhibit up there (SO nice, since we could actually take our time. When we have the kidlets with us, Bruise just runs through EVERYTHING ... and we have to speed through all the exhibits to catch up with him.) and to IKEA while my mom watched the munchkin brigade. We spent way too much money at IKEA. But I got so much awesome stuff -- a new computer chair (only $40!!), a silicon-coated whisk (so I can use it with my beautiful pans), an apple corer (SO handy!), a set of storage containers from the "As-Is" bin (so I don't have all the lids ... but still! For just $1, I'm not going to complain!), a shower gift for one of my friends (Sheri, I hope that you and Amelia will like it!), Easter presents for the kiddos, a can-opener for our 72-hour kit in the car ... and, oh, the food!!

Michael got the pasta and meatballs. I got the Swedish meatballs with cream sauce, potatoes, and lingon berries. He got a soda. I had an Elderflower drink (kinda like lemonade ... but mostly not). We also had a slice of the apple cake with vanilla sauce. Oh, it was good. And QUITE affordable. Sure, cafeteria eating isn't the most romantic ... but, the FOOD! Delicious.

We were too tired to go see a movie, so after we drove back to town, we went to dinner (using a gift card from Christmas -- Thanks, T2!!) and headed home where Bruise, Bucket and Mutti had made us cards and cookies.

Mom also helped me clean out the old fridge and save any foods that we could while she was up.

Last weekend, we took the kiddos to A.C. Gilbert House and played. Bucket got a little lost getting up to the HUGE slide ... and I had to wade through the Spring Break crowds of kids to get to her ... and then we went down the slide together. 
Bruise LOVED the big slide (I'd like it more if I didn't bang up my knees.) as he went down it with some random kid. ^_^ If it were up to him, I think he'd play in the play area ALL DAY LONG.

I have been neglecting blogging and reading for computer games. I'm so bad. BUT I have unlocked all the extra characters (just not bought all of them yet) in LEGO: Star Wars (the complete saga) on my DS. (Hey, it was on sale! -- And Michael should be beyond thrilled that I'm getting into Star Wars now. :P) ... Oh well.

I've been so tired, so I'm going to close up. 

"Peace. But not literally." -- Dr. Horible.

Randomness

Conversation that just took place -- Bruise and Bucket are running around chasing each other. Bruise is apparantly a ghost. Bruise falls to the floor (on purpose).
Bucket: He died.
Bruise, on floor: I dead.

This morning, Bruise was in the windowsill in the dining area ... and somehow turned on the treadmill (I was alerted to this by the hum of the treadmill on low). And he starts SCREAMING, since he can't get out of the window with the treadmill on.
I go to rescue him. He is half-sobbing and CLINGING to my neck. I'm TRYING not to totally crack up at this ... and then he says, shakily, "It a TWAP!"
Then I nearly totally lost my crap, giggling over how the treadmill is a trap.

Also this morning, Bruise wakes up at an ungodly hour (it's still ungodly early when Michael leaves for work) crying that he's peed his bed. Remarkably, it was JUST the sheet. So I strip the bed and the boy, get him a clean pull-up, put a blanket on his matress, and tuck him in until it get lighter.

YESTERDAY, as we are coming up the sidewalk to walk into the church building, Bruise trips and EATS IT on the sidewalk. He's got himself a scrape on his forehead ... and miniscule little scrapes on the palms of his hands. Thank heavens for Dianne, who (1) opened the door for us, (2) enlisted Bucket to get supplies with her while I changed Bruise's dirty diaper (hey, we're in the midst of potty-training. We still have some off-days), and (3) brought me band-aids and an ice pack. I rocked the boy and sang to him in the mother's lounge ... and he's doing fine. He's actually REALLY verbal about it. Sis. P, one of the Nursery class leaders, asked me about his bandage ... asking if it were from at church. ... Because Bruise was telling her about it. 
(YES! My son is finally getting some words in edgewise around his extremely verbal sister.)

The house is cleaner. And I need to read one book (well, really, more like seven ... but I'm just gonna cut my losses and turn in books and check them out later ... when I have more time [Ha!].) today ... and two more before Thursday. 
One of the fridges isn't being cold. Good thing we don't have a lot of food in that one. I'm going to try and pull it out and run a hairdryer in the back ... and dust it and whatnot. At least the freezer portion is working. Or I'd be SO torqued off.

I also need to do about two loads of dishes. Then I'll be CAUGHT. UP.  ... for, like five minutes.

And I have a veritably MOUNTAIN of clean laundry to fold. At least it's CLEAN, right?
But I'm going to concentrate on dishes and reading. And making the munchkin brigade clean up after themselves.

Perhaps that was a little premature ...

Okay, so naptime hasn't been any easier since that ONE TIME. *sigh*

Oh well.

We went to the zoo yesterday. We asked Bucket, on the way home, what part of the zoo was her favorite. "The animals."

She was able to narrow it down to the hippos (since she sleeps with her stuffed hippo, Carl. And we have NO idea why his name is Carl. No idea. I asked her once what her hippo's name was ... and it is Carl.) and the Zebras ... mostly due to the Z in "zebra." Those of you who know Bucket will know WHY it's so special.

Bruise liked the birds. We actually forked over some cash to buy the little juice/sugar water/whatever cups to feed the Lorikeets. Bucket FREAKED THE CHICKEN OUT when one of the birds shook some of the juice (for lack of a more specific term. Since I didn't drink any of it, I really don't know what it is) over her head.

I did get nipped by one Lorikeet. Not a big deal. Bucket kissed it better for me.
I did get some nice pictures of the birds. That made me happy. Bruise thought it was HILARIOUS to be surrounded by screaming birds.

And, dude, lorikeets have such a WEIRD tongue(via WikiBooks). It looks like a little BRUSH on the end. I mean, I understand that it'd help them eat the juice ... and whatever they eat in the wild. Nectar, I guess. But, land sakes y'all, it looks a bit strange.

I think that Bruise likes the birds since he's started to let me do his hair in a faux-mohawk. He calls it "up hair" or, as Bucket calls it, "birdie hair" since it makes him look like a little boy crossed with a Cockatoo. It's even funnier (at least to me) when he's sporting his "birdie hair" and Bucket is all glammed out with a conservatice, little-girl updo and a dress ... and he's looking like he belongs to a whole 'nother household.

I need a good, strong gel so that it'd last all day. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong: I wet his hair, apply gel, and comb the center into the middle for the wanna-be mohawk. 
Yes, I really let him go out in public with his hair like this. It makes up for all the whining I put up with. And he looks SOOOOO CUUUUUUTE!!

My mom's always after me to spike his hair. If I find a good gel, I think I will. He's getting to where he's letting me DO stuff to his hair, instead of always having it combed into the default Young Republican (not anything wrong with that, since I am a R, myself :P) ... It's nice to switch it up.

I'm almost caught up with the dishes. Maybe one BIG handwash load and I'll be DONE!!
And then I'll rope Michael into helping me fold Mt. Laundry on our bed.

After a couple more loads go through the washer and dryer.

I meant to finish raking the front yard today ... not gonna happen, with how dang COLD and wet it is outside. Although I MAY go out and give the Japanese Maple a bit of a trim.

And then I should read at least two books. We'll see how that goes. But, hey! At least the house is LOTS cleaner (thanks to the awesome motivation of my husband.) ... I mean, I did manage to clean up the junk counter and my desk ... But, oh, there's always SO much more to be done. And I never want to do it.

Holy duke ... I think that the kids might just be asleep. Which is much better than it was about twenty minutes or so ago ... when I was all pissy about maybe losing an earring (of one of my FAVORITE pairs of earrings ... but I found it a minute later) and, as I walked by their bedroom where they STILL hadn't fallen asleep, but were up talking and PLAYING, I just screeched, "JUST GET IN YOUR DAMN BEDS!!!" at their door. Then Michael talked to them ... and they CRIED because they "not WANT to go to bed" (But they're sure cranky enough to NEED to, iykwim, aityd). Then, later, as they played again, I just opened the door, stood there and said in my dangerous-low-slow-don't-mess-with-me voice, "This is your last warning. Do you want me to come in here again? NOW, get in your bed. Pull up your covers. Close your eyes and shut your mouth. Go. To. Sleep." ... And, since I don't hear them right now .... I think they might have actually followed my instructions. WOW.

But, yeah. I looked up a series of church books for the kids. I like the three that we have so far. There's another three that I want to get (out of five available). Me? Want to buy more books? Pshaw! 
Yes, I know that I have a problem. But I can't help that I love books so much. They make me happy!! And they don't make me as fat as my love for food ... of course, it'd be really nice if I had a little shelf for books or magazines on my treadmill. If I did, I might be about twenty pounds lighter ... and that'd be very good for my mental health number. ^_^

Okay, to read!! I hear the siren call of written language.

Oh. Em. GOSH.

It's taken three years, one month, and thirty-two days ... but I might have just figured out the secret to nap time.

Leave the damn door open.

My house is really rather in shambles. The new library is open, I'm trying to finish reading books helter-skelter, and I'm semi-addicted to Vampire Wars on Facebook (my clan is nine mebers big [read: kinda small] but I'm up to level 23. I tried Fashion Wars, but it was kinda dumb. And I didn't care for Dragon Wars much. But Vampires?? I like it.

Still ...  So, I'm getting the kids ready for storytime this morning. Rox calls. Yes, we'll get together while we're up north to go to the zoo. We get it so that I have directions. I have maps (so there will not be a repeat of LAST Friday where Michael and I were driving around Salem ... me driving, him navigating, me FREAKING THE CHICKEN OUT BECAUSE I DRIVE CRAP IN BIG CITIES). ... and I notice that it's just about time for storytime to start ... and we're still in the house.

So I hustle the munchkin brigade out the door, in the van, drive down the street (well, practically) to the NEW! AMAZING! LIBRARY! and we have fun at storytime ... except for the part where Bucket trips coming in and scrapes her knee.

Bruise gets to play with the train table (which was remarkably NOT crowded today. Crazy.) while Bucket and I sit and read Chickerella about three times. (Obviously, I know how to pick a book.) Then I load everybody back into the van (After we ride the elevator over and over again. And Bruise about pokes some poor old man in the testes as he [Bruise] isn't looking where he's going [the poor elderly chap was ENTIRELY TOO AWARE of this happenstance. Oh, but I couldn't help but laugh. Can you really blame me??] as he's trying to run up the stairs.

(Note to self: Next house = Must have stairs and elevator. Or at least a dumbwaiter. Keep dreaming.)) and we go to Costco and get gas. And bananas, potatoes, tangerines/mandarins/whatever-the-H-you-want-to-call-them, gravy mix, and a package of those chocolate muffins that are about half the size of your head.

Then, as we've gotten home and are heading to the street to check the mail (or, as we call it, "checka mail" -- Oh, how my Toddler-ese vocabulary has GROWN!!), Bucket runs down the driveway and scrapes her OTHER knee! 

And oh!! The screaming!! The agony!! The minute possibility of blood!! (Okay, so there was some visible blood ... but it's not like it even shows up on a napkin or anything.) So we grab the mail, I carry in the food while Bucket screams and shrieks, and I patch up her knee.

Talk to Mom on the phone. Talk to Dad on the phone. (For two people who haven't been together in YEARS, they sure called in sequence. Why is that?) Bucket's band-aid came off while I was chatting with my dad ... SCREAMING. (Whereas, before that, the children were quite peacefully communing with the siren vocal stylings of Disney's Snow White. And had each worked on eating a muffin as large as their HEADS.) So I took care of that. This is why I really SHOULD remember to pick up a ginormous package of Band-Aids at Costco next time.

But the kids wanted a bath. So a bath they got. And then I instituted reading time ... and I read them two books (I know, how awesome am I? I actually LEFT THE COMPUTER and SPENT TIME WITH MY OFFSPRING. I should get, like, a friggin' Nobel Prize or something. *rolls eyes*). And I told them that it was nap time. And Bucket asked me to leave the door open ... and I said, "Okay, as long as you stay in bed. If you get out of bed, I have to close the door, since I need to work at cleaning up the house." And they agreed. So, the door is open. I ran a load of laundry, cleaned off my crap from the small counter (it still needs work, but it's WAY better) ... and am taking a break before I think about cleaning off my disaster area of a desk and doing another load of dishes and folding some laundry and reading another book (or two, since I have a metric crapload of literature due back at the library in the next week. *sigh*).
Bruise did play in his bed for a while ... but last I looked, he got bored and, since he was (noticeably) tired, he's asleep.

In other news, we've gotten ourselves a membership (which explains the trip to Salem) at the A.C. Gilbert House (and, via that, OMSI and a few other Science Museums. Hey, with a membership at these places, it came with a coupon sheet for a few other museums -- There's a two-for-one coupon for the Portland Children's Museum. Cool, cool. I think the kidlets would like to go there sometime.) So, Saturday, we went to OMSI with bil (brother-in-law) J and Mom and Dad C. The kids had a great time ... Bucket even conked out in the car on the way home.

Sometime, Michael and I will ditch the kids and go up ourselves to check out the DaVinci exhibit. (And, crappit, I totally forgot my camera this time!! Grr. Oh well. I still had a great time.)

Bucket looked at the fetal development exhibit with me. She's rather amazed that she was ever so small. Come to think of it, so am I.

Okay, I've got to close this up. My house isn't going to clean itself. Even though I really, really, really, RILLY wish it would. (Oh, my dears, I DO so wish it would. But it never does. And I don't think it ever will.)

So ... yeah.

And, hey, if you want me to make you something crafty-crafty ... or maybe just half-crafty, since I'm not all that crafty (Hey, just keeping it real.), you should sign up on the previous post. There are three spaces left! You know that you want to make me wrack my brain to figure out something that I feel talented enough at to DO for someone else! Or, hey, you could just NOT ... and let me be all lazy. I'm pretty easily pleased.

Bruise took a nap.

Sacked out on the floor while watching a movie this afternoon. I had to ask Bucket if he was asleep.
She leaned over her and affirmed, "[Bruise]-y asleep."

Bucket, however, has NOT had a nap. And is heading toward being hyper.

And since I've been up since 5 this morning (Just couldn't sleep any longer. Oh well.), it's a miracle that I haven't yelled more.

We made it to storytime. That was nice. I found a book that I've been meaning to read for a while. And an armful of manga sequals in series that I wanted to continue. So, a GOOD book day.

I also have been terribly sucked into some Facebook games. And I've found some more people I know on Facebook. Strangely enough, ANOTHER of my friends from theater in high school (graduated before I did) is living in my town. How funny is that!

Dinner is on the stove ... It would be done already if I hadn't spaced putting the lid on the rice cooker. (Oops.)

Picked up the living room and the kids' room. Still need to vacuum and take out garbage and such before Mom and Dad C get into town tomorrow.

No Bones on tonight, so Michael informs me. Darn that American Idol. Too bad it's AI instead of QI ("Quite Interesting" ... on the BBC. Stephen Fry is so smart and droll and I heart him.)

I'm tired. And I've been tired for a few days. 

At least today I didn't nearly give myself a coronary yelling at my little children ... like after Bruise peed in the hallway.
(And Bucket peed next to the couch today. She didn't want to miss any of "The Little Mermaid." *rolls eyes* )

The kids were excited to see the dusting of snow this morning. And Bucket is REALLY excited that "Grandma and Grandpa" are coming into town.

I am tired of being tired. 
I should go see if the rice is (finally) done.

And, after the kids go to bed, I should read copious volumes of manga. Because it makes me happy.

Oy. Vey.

There I was, my dears, sitting at the computer ... the kidlets are watching their morning shows ... and suddenly there's SCREAMING and WAILING and BLOOD!!

From what I can piece together, Bucket was sitting on the arm of the couch and fell/slipped/laid down onto Bruise's FACE.

All I know is that I run over to the boy and he's sporting a double nosebleed (you know, bleeding from BOTH nostrils) and his mouth is full of blood and he's CRYING and so I take him to the bathroom and dig out the DARK PINK washcloth (since it doesn't show blood. See? I have a system here.) and clean him up.

All that blood was just from his nose. Nothing was cut or split in his mouth. I'm trying to to gag thinking about blood. from his NOSE. in his MOUTH. *Ughhh*

And the nosebleed stopped pretty quickly once he stopped screaming and let me get him cleaned up. There was barely more than a drop on the couch. Only a few drops on his jammies. Some smeared on my robe.

Once he was cleaned up, he wanted me to hold him. And, of course, I did. Then he didn't want to open his eyes. Which freaked me out. So I called the clinic ... just for confirmation on what to do.

He didn't show any signs of a concussion ... and after giving him a dose of children's ibuprofen, he seemed fine. The nurse verified that it sounded like I did everything right (Yay for those umpteen first aid classes that I took with Mom!) and to call back if anything changed. She agreed that, yeah, the adreniline rush probably ran its course and that, yes, the endorphins had probably kicked into his system. (Go me, being able to recall Biology lectures from YEARS ago. Yup, I'm that geeked out to ask if it could be endorphins.)

She even called back later to just check in. I love our clinic.

Besides that, I'm feeling lots better. Napped and read a lot yesterday. Had VERY strange Ny-quil-induced dreams. Now I'm trying to get motivated to do a load of dishes and get the garbage cans from the driveway and fold and wash some laundry.

But I DID make my kids French Toast for lunch. I know, I know. Hold your applause. No, really. You're just trying to flatter me.

But, really, I NEEEEEEED a shower. And I'm going to read at least two books. At least.
And maybe take a nap.

Dishes be dashed. I'm going to be all pampering today. Well, kinda. I think it's called LAZY, which should make it no different than, say, EVERY OTHER DAY. *rolls eyes*

*sniffles*

My little drug-cocktail from last night has worn off.

And I'm taking the day off from church. I'll still be at my meeting tonight (Yeah, I know! I had a meeting yesterday for my OTHER calling. But, hey, at least I will have a nap before this meeting).

But right now, I'm watching the kids while Michael's in his Sunday morning meetings ... and, after Sacrament meeting, he'll come home and pick up the kids (who are dressed and ready) and take them to Nursery. And I'm going to try and sleep off my cold.

I've been sicker ... but I'm just TIRED of being sick this time. I'm never going to be known for my patience and long-suffering. So I'm just going to whine right now and, hopefully, get it over with: My nose is alternatingly stuffy or runny. Sometimes both. My voice ... doesn't sound great. If I HAD decided to go to church, I wouldn't be making Bucket cover hear ears (which she does do to volume, not to my singing abilities, I'll have you know), because I wouldn't be singing today. I'm just tired.

----

My kids are funny. 

This morning, as I did Bucket's hair, she was telling me about being baby-sat last night:
"And the girl said that we had to go to bed after the show. And then she left at night."
Sister D has a daughter in high school ... and I think it's sweet that Bucket seems to be like me in referring to any lady as a "girl" ... Well, I do call my group from my home ward "my Relief Society Ladies" since they are all old enough to be my moms or grandmothers ... Oh, I miss my RS ladies. I really do.

Also this morning:
I had given the kids some fruit snacks (Hey, they've already eaten breakfast and are dressed in church clothes.) ... they finished them and asked for "some more food"... so I gave them more snacks, telling them "Well, here are more fruit snacks. They've got Vitamin C, which is very important right now." 

And Bruise squints up at me, as he's taken the little bag of snacks and chirps, "AGAIN?"
And Bucket, echoes him emphatically, "AGAIN?!?!?"
I affirm, "Yes. Again."
And they both trot off to the couch to watch Anastacia and eat their snacks.

Last night:

Bruise, as I had mentioned, wasn't sleeping well. I finally just picked him up, changed his diaper (which woke him a little, so he was crying a little more), and was just walking the bedroom with him.
He whimpered, "It bedtime."
"Yes, " I soothed. "It is bedtime."
"It dark outside," he murmered. "It time to be in bed."
So I just laid him back down, pulled up his blanket, and he was fine.

It made me roll my eyes a little that after he and his sister tried to be awake at 6 that morning, that he was telling me he needed to be in bed. 

At least I think he's gotten the point that when it's dark outside, it's time to be in bed and asleep.

Heaven help me once Daylight Savings comes around.

----

Also, Bruise has a big scratch on the bottom of his foot from stepping on one of his toys. So he's got a band-aid on it. Bucket cut her wrist on the tub-stopper in the bath this morning. So she's got a band-aid on that. I have finally taken off my band-aid that was covering my blister (on my foot, of all places) where I got burned from the manicotti boiling on the stove (No, seriously. It sounds like science fiction -- the water teleporting itself -- But, really. It's insane.) ... Yeah, we're a little accident-prone right now. Crazy, huh?

Okay, I'm about ready to take my coughing, sneezing, stuffy, sniffling self back to bed. 
You think the kids will be fine if I just let them watch videos until Michael gets back?