Happy birthday to ... me!

Yes, yes ... today is my birthday. I'm officially 32 (even though I have until this evening to have been out of the womb a full 32 years.

People ask me if I have any big plans ... and, no, not really.

The kids did tell me "happy birthday" today ... but only barely before they left for school.
(What can I say? My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic IS a bit more exciting!)

But I did get some presents --

• My Grampy sent me a card (and a check). I made sure to get a thank-you note for him into the mail so he won't worry.
• Mom got me some nail polish (that I picked out) and some monetary help towards our upcoming family vacation (Shh!! The kids don't know!)
• Dad gave me some money when we were down visiting last. And he and L sent up a card with a little more money. Made me smile.
• Mom and Dad C gave me a little gift bag (that I opened this morning) containing three nail polishes, some nail stickers, and a gift card to a local beauty supply shop. How sweet!
• And, not to be outdone ... this is what Michael gave me:

If you can't tell what it is, it's a pair of tickets to attend a lecture by NEIL "SCARY PANTS" GAIMAN.
Included in the ticket price is a copy of his new book, which he will be discussing.

YEAH. I will be IN THE SAME ROOM as NEIL GAIMAN.

I can only hope that, if I have a chance to have my book signed, that I don't act like a total lackwit.
At least Michael will be there, too, to stop me from doing anything too dumb, right?

Bucket, at first didn't get why these tickets were cool.
But I explained it in terms she understood --

Me: He's an author. You remember The Graveyard Book? With Bod?
Bucket: Yeah ... a bit.
Me: And Coraline?
                    She and Bruise LOVE the movie. We need to buy the book.  Bucket: OH!!! YES!!!!
Me: So he's the one who wrote those. And other books. And these tickets are to go hear him talk. AND they come with his new book, too! We'll get his new book.
Bucket: Will that be our new story-story (our term for bedtime story)?
Me: ... Um ... I think that this is a grown-up book. Not all his books are for kids.
Bucket: Oh. Okay.

But, yeah ...

It WAS a surprise. Michael was looking on his phone just the other day ... and remarked that it was all sold out. (Due to our upcoming vacation, I knew that tickets would probably sell out before we would get a chance to buy them.)
And I was resigned to the fact that we wouldn't make it. (We've missed other things, too. And We've survived. Somehow.)

So, this morning, Michael texts me from work --

Michael: Did you open your gift?
Me: The one from your mom? No, not yet. I need to open the card from Grampy ... and mail him and [J - his wife] a thank-you.
Michael: The one at your computer!
(I look around ... and notice something taped to the top of my monitor, dangling behind it.)
Me: Oh! It was mostly behind my monitor, so I hadn't noticed it!
...
Squeeeeeeee!!! Oh my gosh! I thought they were sold out?
(I was very surprised. And, until I started tearing up, I didn't realize how much I really DID want to go!)
Michael: [Bucket] must have moved it back. It was behind your monitor last night. ... They were [sold out]. But not on the 3rd.

And he had already arranged babysitting ... so we'll go up and play the whole day in Portland. Yay!

(Also - It's at the Crystal Ballroom! I've only wanted to go there for, what, the last sixteen or so years! Ever since my Drama teacher told us about it, I thought it'd be cool to go there ... and NOW I WILL!)

I made sure to thank him for spoiling me (and not JUST with authors and books).
Seriously, I wish that every girl had a spouse as thoughtful and awesome as I have!
(Wouldn't the world be a much better place?? And the boys all need awesome spouses, too. But I think they'd need to be better spouses than I am. I leave a lot of room for improvement.)

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

Today's Book of Mormon reading was Mosiah 4:4-15.

The last three verses stuck out to me most ... about how to treat others and raise our children.
The most important things in raising children (in these verses) are:

But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. (Mosiah 4:15)

And I see how that would really help ... It goes along the lines of love God, love everyone, and show your love through your actions.
If we're teaching our children (and loving them, too, through our actions), we will take care of them and provide for them as Heavenly Father provides for us. They will learn to recognize His love ... and will be able to pass that love to everyone around them.

And, well, wouldn't that make the world a MUCH better place?

I try to teach Bruise and Bucket (and, to a lesser extent, for now at least, Bubbles) to love everyone.
You don't have to LIKE what they're doing.
But you DO need to love and respect them as children of God.
People can be mean. They can say and do awful things ... BUT ... more often than not, when people aren't nice, it's because they are hurting inside.

And when people lash out at you, with harsh words or unkindness, you have two choices.

1. You can be mean right back
   OR
2. You can kill them.
   WITH KINDNESS!!!
   (Not like with manslaughter. That's illegal and mean and a sin. Don't do that.)

Yes, I did give my kids, as we drove around yesterday, those two options as what to do when people are being mean to you.

"KILL THEM??"
"Yes. WITH KINDNESS. You just be kind to them and be nice to them WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT."

Yup, that's top parenting right there.

It did make me sad that we had to have this particular conversation ... Bucket's been having to deal with girl-drama at school and at the bus stop.

A girl in the neighborhood called Bucket a liar (Bucket said she knew one person in the neighborhood, but didn't know his name to prove it ... and the other girl was like, "You can't know him! He's OUR next-door neighbor!" .... Whereas, in our household, we use the term a little more loosely ... anyone on our (short) road is, to us, a neighbor. Not that we know all of them ... which we should work on, yes?) ... And another neighbor girl told the younger girls that they were annoying.
(I had to tell Bucket that So-and-so wasn't "a brat" ... She was ACTING like a brat. ... Because, well, I don't always like labels. It's too easy to internalize bad labels. But I'm TOTES DOWN with labelling actions.)

Then, at school, two girls told Bucket that she's ugly and her clothes are ugly.
I just have to roll my eyes at this one ... but, yeah. Sometimes girls are just weird. And not in the cute, kooky, Zooey Deschanel-type way ... but in the "THE HELL are you THINKING?!?"-type way.

And, seriously, these are First Graders ... can't we still be nice and share our graham crackers at this age?

... But ... yeah. So, like I told her, either you can NOT be their friend and avoid them, you can be mean and snotty back, or you kill them with kindness by treating them how Jesus wants us to treat each other. He was kind to people, even when they weren't kind to Him. There are choices. And, if you want to be His disciple, it helps to narrow down your choices.

Still, it makes me SAD that these girls (and other people) seem to figure that the only way to make themselves feel better is to hurt/degrade other people.
So, I made sure to tell Bruise and Bucket that, when I'm having an off day and I have to be around people, one of my tricks to feeling better is to smile at a stranger.
And here's my secrets behind that:

1. Smiling, just the ACT of smiling, releases endorphins. Just like Elle Woods says.
   
2. Almost all people, when smiled at, will return that smile. And when you see that smile, you know that they are happy.
3. So you feel even happier because you've made someone else happy!

(I also will give an honest compliment. Sometimes, the surliest/saddest-looking individual will be completely chuffed when you compliment her awesome haircolor. ... And, face it, doesn't it feel GOOD when someone tells you that your new haircut looks amazing? Or that you look great in a certain color? ... Why not BE the stranger (or friend) that GIVES those compliments? ... I figure that if I can make ONE person feel better about him/herself, that's one less person being sad. And there is MORE THAN ENOUGH pain, suffering, and sadness in this world. Let's get happy. ... Because, face it: happy, appreciated people who feel noticed, valued, and cared about don't do things to tear down other people (or commit crimes, I'd bet).
Caring isn't a bad thing. So, why don't we care a little more?)

But, yeah ... that's most of what I have to say.
I've done a load of dishes, refreshed the laundry, ... I should practice my German and Spanish (Yay, Duolingo!) ... and be ready for the kids to come home in a couple hours.

And be so proud of me because I am dressed. I know. Sometimes I amaze myself. >.<

Braindump and Catching up

So, since I last blogged, we had General Conference.
I'm not going to blog all of my notes yet ... but, if you're really wanting to know bits that stood out to me, you can browse my Twitter feed  (@llannalee).

My dad's girlfriend had a birthday. Apparently, I was the good (step)daughter and remembered to call on her birthday (Cozi.com calendar FTW -- again!). Bruise, Bucket, and I serenaded the answering machine.
Her other kids and mom called the next day, and the day after. But they all DID call. Phew!

Bruise was selected to be one of the students of the month at their school -- for displaying honesty. The boy is ALL about being fair. And, USUALLY, he's quite truthful. Unless he and Bucket team up and steal food they shouldn't be getting into.

Bucket was rather a punk about it, "Why is HE student of the month and I'm NOT?!?? It's not FAIR that HE'S been it TWICE now and I've only been it ONCE!!"

(Well, I've been alerted that a certain whiny girl has been selected for displaying Self-Reliance ... but don't tell her!)

We went up to OMSI on Friday and got to go to the Mythbusters exhibit. Bruise sat on a chair that Adam Savage designed to capture farts for an episode. There were some fun experiments to do (I can ALMOST pull a tablecloth off without disturbing the plates) and lots of memorabilia from the show to see.

Michael did see about getting tickets for when Neil Gaiman comes to Portland to speak this summer ... sold out. Oh well ... The tickets WERE a little pricey, BUT they covered the book that he'd be speaking about, too.

Besides Conference, we didn't do a whole ton of stuff.
I baked cinnamon rolls ... took some to some neighbors.
We had biscuits and gravy for breakfast on Saturday.
I made Chicken Tikka and a Turmeric-Coconut rice for dinner ... which Bruise and Bucket didn't care for, but Bubbles ate with gusto!
(Bucket thought she'd be clever and put her chicken in the garbage and then claim she was done eating. TROUBLE. She had to eat MORE chicken AND some of the rice. Which she cried through, because --obviously -- I am a mean, mean mother, making my child eat and punishing her for lying.)

By that point, I was just really, really DONE being a parent. I just wanted to go somewhere quiet and cry. Which was even more sad, since I had finally started feeling better, spiritually, due to Conference. And then I felt like a jerk, being tired of my kids.

Oh well.
Doesn't help that I have the angry bees of  PMS buzzing in my brain.

Today, I went to an appointment for Bubbles -- she's healthy and has a healthy iron level. She's just tiny.
Then we went home ... and she ate and took a nap.
Talked to Dad on the phone.
One of my friends from high school (that I hadn't talked to in a long while) called up to wish me a happy (early) birthday. It was a good chat.

Some sad news is that my brother-in-law and his wife's cat (who they got shortly after they got married ... so  M-cat is around 12 or so) has cancer. The vet has given her a week, since there's fluid around her lungs, which makes breathing difficult.
I'm going to take the kids up to give her some loves and to say goodbye.

About this time last year (tomorrow, actually), we had to take Sari-Jasmine, the hedgehog, to be put to sleep. Self-mutilating ... and a huge tumor in her mouth.

After that ... and how Bubbles-fish died on Valentine's Day (and Iris II not long after), I'm starting to think that I'm cursed when it comes to animals and holidays/birthdays (Gingi-cat went on Mom and my stepdad's anniversary. Diana-cat right before Christmas Eve ... but those were a few years ago).

I've started using the Duolingo website/app/program/whatever. Some of my friends are using it ... so, who am I to avoid an educational bandwagon?
I'm refreshing my German (and Bruise and Bucket like to watch ... they're picking up bits of it, too!) and learning Spanish.
I can't have the kids around when I do the Spanish. Bucket, ever helpful, GIVES me the answers ... whether I want her to or not (I don't. Because I need to learn this for myself).

But I'm starting to learn Spanish a bit. I REALLY need to learn/memorize the rules of Spanish conjugation. (German, I've got that. But I don't really know the pronouns and verb forms at all in Spanish.)

This site does a different approach to teaching a foreign language than my German classes did. In class, we'd go through the alphabet, numbers, some vocabulary, the rules of grammar ... some common phrases ... then we started really getting into it.

With this program, I feel more like I've been tossed into a pool and I only know how to doggy paddle. It's a challenge. But I'm going to do it. Because I should know Spanish. There are enough Spanish-speakers around that I need to learn it. And, well, it'd be nice to learn it well enough to volunteer in BOTH kids' classes (instead of just the English-speaking class ... since it's a dual-immersion program at school).

So ... yeah.

Also, how did I never know about this before!?!? There's a page on Facebook that gives you a Book of Mormon reading assignment (all typed out, even) every day (Book of Mormon Daily). They even have it divided up so that, if you read every day, you'll get through the entire book in a year.

Today's reading was Mosiah 3:19 -4:3 ... and, as I read it, some things occured to me (and since I don't have a scripture journal, nor have I yet started a blog to do that, I'm putting it here):

• Mosiah 3:19-20 ... These concepts were covered quite a bit in General Conference.
  The natural man is an enemy to God ... We need to be like a child (meek, submissive, teachable, willing to let the will of our Heavenly Father guide us, instead of trying to be in charge.)
  The gospel will be available to all nations, all people.
• Mosiah 3:24-27 ... I think that it's in C.S. Lewis's "Great Divorce" where it's discussed that if we make a habit of sinning instead of being saints, that we won't feel comfortable/right/happy to be in God's presence.
  This goes even further -- if we sin and choose not to repent, we disregard the Atonement of Christ. And, therefore, without His mercy to fulfill the demands of justice, we will suffer the effects and consequences of all our sins. Hell isn't a place someone sends us ... it is a place of our own making. If we are humble, we will repent ... we will forsake pride and accept the gift that Christ has offered us. Then we will be able to be cleansed from our sins and joyfully enter the presence of our loving Heavenly Father.
• Mosiah 4:1-3 ... Well, it's fitting to be in these verses, since King Benjamin's sermon to his people is very much like our modern-day General Conference. And his people, at first, felt terrible, due to the recollections they had of their sins ... but, then, they were able to repent and feel joy.
  In fact, having "peace of conscience" was mentioned in one of the Conference talks.

So, yeah, there's my insights.
Now it's time to get back to being a mom again.

Actually, I DON'T have any Crazy Dream Chronicles to share ... yeah, I know!

Since I last posted, ... well, what HAS happened?

We had Easter ... We visited some family ...

• Friday - We went to Michael's work in the morning, on our way down to visit family.
  I took the kids to a fast food place for breakfast. Bucket devoured her biscuits and gravy; Bruise heartily enjoyed his French Toast sticks with syrup; I chowed down on a breakfast burrito ... and Bubbles ate our little fried hashbrowns and anything else we shared with her.
  
  The kids and I shopped around, ending with trips over to Trader Joe's and Target. Of course.
  Then we swung back around and picked up Michael so that we could head down to visit Nana and Dad and L ... I also got to see my uncle, M, and Aunt I. It was a really nice visit.
  It's not easy to communicate with M anymore, since his stroke about four years back. It was pretty bad. Nana had a stroke when I was around Jr. High ... and she bounced back really well. M's was a lot more severe. And it's not fun for anyone, since he was the sole brother who didn't have Usher's Syndrome -- He was the most independent and capable. And, now, it's much harder for him to be that way. He still can see well ... and hear well. But walking unaided and speaking ... those are harder.
  
  We got to look at the new house that Dad and L built. It's way cute. L has a great eye for color and a good sense of design and set-up. Not that anyone should be surprised, since this is the third house she's worked on. (They live in house #2, after selling house #1. The first house Dad had started ... and L worked to make it a lot better. Originally, the kitchen was really small ... by the time they put it up for sale, the kitchen had been remodeled, they built on a beautiful porch, ... It's a gorgeous place.
  
• Saturday morning, the kids colored eggs with L and had a little egg hunt of their own.
  After breakfast, lunch, and touring the new house, we were packed up and ready to take off.
  We were going to take the kids to a community egg hunt in my hometown, but Bubbles was JUST about asleep (after barely any naps the previous day ... and skipped the morning nap today, too) ... and there wasn't anywhere to park (small town, what can you say?). So we headed back home to get unpacked and run a few errands.
  
  Michael had to do some things, so I had the kids and we got settled in at home. Bubbles got a REAL nap. I did some laundry.
  Then he came home and I went out to help the Easter Bunny. I decided that, since the kids would get a ton of sugar on Sunday at Grandma's (Mom and Dad C's, that is), we'd try for something a little healthier that I could be fine with them digging into before church. So, amid a couple little toys, there were small bags of jelly beans, (bunny-shaped) fruit snacks, pretzel/cracker mix (shaped like bunnies), fruit leather, granola bars, coloring books (or, in Bubbles' case, a board book), and water bottles. And they each got some DVDs to share (Darkwing Duck, vol 2, DuckTales, vol 2, and Princess Sofia the First ... which Michael picked up at Costco).
  
  They were HUGE hits ... I think I know what to do about treat baskets from now on!
  
• Sunday, the kids TORE into their baskets. And I patted myself on the back.
  
  We went to church ... since it was a fifth Sunday, we had a combined Elders (mens) and Relief Society (womens) class. Which meant that, for the first time in WEEKS, I was able to stay in class the whole time (I usually have Bubbles, since I don't have a Sunday-type calling. Michael, though, DOES. So she usually sticks with me. And she's not into napping during class anymore. But, if I need to substitute in Primary, Michael willingly takes her with him. And Bubbles gets passed around the Elders' Quorum. Good thing that (1) she's personable and (2) we have GREAT men in our ward who like to hold babies.)
  
  At church, I was so happy to see that the husband of one of my friends was there! He hasn't been active for a while. In fact, it took me a second to recognize him, since I haven't seen him often. But I was SO GLAD for her. I was sorry that I didn't have a chance to go tell him "hi" and how nice it was to see him ... well, not without sounding a little like a stalker. I don't think he knows who I am.
  His wife and I worked in Young Women's together ... so that wouldn't help him to know who I am.
  
  After church, I tossed (figuratively) the kids into the shower in some kind of assemblycleaning line (My pet peeve, apparently, is when my kids have dirty nails/toenails). Michael and the kids got the garbage out. And then we loaded up and drove to his folks' house.
  
  We got caught in some horrible traffic ... which made us appreciate our smart phones. According to TripCheck, there was an accident. And it told us where on the highway it was. So we got off at the next exit and were able to make it to the grandparents' house without TOO much of a delay (If we'd stayed on the highway, we'd have been there for at least an hour. Traffic was STOPPED for a few miles).
  
  The kids got to play with their cousins. I got to talk to my brother-in-law, Jason-head. I also got to visit some more with C, Michael's other brother, and A (his wife. Meaning C's wife. Michael only has one wife. And I'm that one).
  
  The kids had an egg treasure hunt (Dad C and Uncle D wrote out clues for the kids to follow) ... and a sugar rush followed.
  
  Then we got the kids home and ready for bed ... since Spring Break is now over.
  
• Monday - I mostly took it easy. I got caught up with laundry (YAY!).
  Mom and C (my stepdad) were able to get the pump fixed ... so after two weeks, they have running water again. My mom is THRILLED.
  
  I colored my hair ... It's red. Like a bright auburn type of red. I think I like it.
  I did miss a couple spots along the hairline, so I think I need to redo it. However, I'm happy with how my hair feels. (I had gotten used to buying the ColorSilk, which is CRAZY cheap. And it'd make my hair feel like straw. I "splurged" on a box of Feria ... and WOW. Even right after drying my hair, I could feel a huge difference. My hair is soft and feels like HAIR.)
  
  I'm about caught up on dishes, too. Which might make the shambles that my kitchen is in just a titsch less heinous. I hope.
  
• Tuesday - Bubbles is pretty awesome. Not only does she run to help me put the wet clothes from the washer into the dryer, BUT yesterday, when I was loading the washer after she helped me transfer clothes, she waddled off ... and came back with dirty clothes to put into the washer!
  Dude, y'all ... she's just 13 months and has an awesome work ethic when it comes to laundry.
  I was/still AM totes impressed.
  
  And, NO, she did not get it from me.
  I do need to step up the housework a notch. And finish a library book.

Our kids school does Fall AND Spring pictures. I talked the kids (per Michael's request) into NOT getting individual pictures done this spring. We'll still order the CLASS picture ... but, when presented with the choice of getting a Spring picture OR going to the book fair?
Yes, they proved that they are my children. Book Fair it is!

Oh ... the kids were funny on April Fool's Day.
After they HAD TO CHECK to see it April Fool's was on the first or the third (I was honest ... I also didn't pull any pranks), they proceeded to tell me that they put snakes and scorpions into my bed.

Yup.

I tried to convince Bucket to get her friends to help her look for hens' teeth ... and had to then explain to her that no, hens don't have teeth. That's why THAT's a joke.

But, yeah ... that's most of what is standing out.

That and the fact that I don't have to keep a friend's pregnancy a secret anymore!
I'm excited for her and her husband ... and a little worried, since she's suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum this time. So she's in the hospital about once a week, so that she stays hydrated.
But hey, a baby!! And I don't have to keep it a secret anymore!!

Well, I should go get a shower and clean up the kitchen or something.

Wrapped up

Well, I've made it through all the performances of Savior of the World (Act 2). I've also made it through most of the kids' Spring Break. I'm tired. And we're about to go visit family soon. So I should finish doing all the laundry.

Also, one of the local librarians is retiring. Today is his last day.
And I'm so very, totally bummed.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that he's able to retire ... but we are going to miss him.
He's such a great person -- so fun and funny and able to make everyone feel welcome ... and I don't know that the libraries will be the same place without him.
Yeah, I don't take change all that well. I'm aware of that fact.

So ... let's get all caught up ...

Lots of people asked how Michael and I made it through our performances and who took care of the kids.
It was a community effort, really ...
Tues: Mom and Dad C (They got to come see the performance)
Wed: My mom
Thurs: Nichole (a wonderful babysitter we know from church choir)
Fri: Joy (another wonderful babysitter from church. I've known her for a few years, since I was the ward YW Camp Director)
Saturday: The kids went up to spend the evening with Mom and Dad C (and cousins)

How did Michael and I get through it? Well, Michael'd leave work a half-hour early and drive straight to the church to get in makeup and costume. He didn't really get to see the kids much at all, until Friday, since he gets home early that day.
I would work to get dinner done and the house clean, then race over to the church around 5 to get makeup done and into my costume ... USUALLY before we had a prayer, devotional, and warm-ups.
(Yeah, what with character makeup -- Michael needed his beard a little darker and more eyebrows; I needed to have aging makeup done -- I was not always successful in getting into my costume before 6:30. There were a LOT of people who needed makeup. Last time [Act 1] was easier, since we usually did everything ourselves -- except for blush. We had someone to do our blush. ... The only thing I did myself this time was mascara. And ONLY on the top lashes, which is different for me.)

I did have a MEDICINAL Cherry Coke Saturday. And it was SO GOOD.

Besides that, we were just really tired.

And, after everything was over, we jetted home and gave Michael a haircut and shaved off EPICBEARD and the Mustache of DOOM.
It's so nice to have the man I married back again. So very nice.

Monday, I had high aspirations to get some spring cleaning done.
Which were dashed because the kids didn't want to listen to a dratted word that I said.
So I was irritated and ready to go on strike.

Tuesday morning, I lumbered out of bed to find that Michael left me a cinnamon roll (Awww).
And that the kids ate the top two-thirds (Booo).
So I ended up bursting into tears and pretty much going on strike.
The kids had to endure swishing some soap in their mouths for lying about it ("I don't know [what happened]." "I didn't do it!" followed by "Bruise did it first!!" ... Yeah. *sigh*)

Mom came up Tuesday night (their water pump is out on the well, so they're ROUGHING it). Michael got me ice cream and a Cherry Coke. (Good man. I wish everyone could have such a good spouse. He's thoughtful and funny ... I'll stop before I disgust you all.)

Yesterday, I donated blood. For the first time in how many years of doing this, my vein didn't want to stop. So the nurse/phlebotomist/whatever and I had to spend a few minutes applying pressure, then checking, then HURRIEDLY applying pressure again, repeating all that a few times. We were cracking jokes about it ... it was a lot more comfortable than the time that I had to KEEP lying down so I didn't pass out back in, what, 2003 or so.

After I stopped bleeding, I was fine. My elbow pit was pretty sore from having bandages on it for so long ... but overall, it was pretty great.

Mom and I took the kids to McDonald's and then to pick up stuff for dinner ... and I wrapped up my Visiting Teaching (before the last day of the month, what?!?).

Mom headed back home this morning. I took the kids to help me use up some coupons (Got an Essie nail polish for $2.29, since I had a 15% off coupon AND a $5 rewards coupon. ... This is right up there with how Bruise, Bubbles, and I scored me a $10 pair of pants Saturday) ... and a Plesco (algae-eater) for Bucket's fish tank.
(Cue: Fish Watch 2013 ... Let's hope that this one, Jasmine, breaks our bad luck. Emmy, the catfish, is having a ball darting around like a ferret on a Pixie-stick bender.)

And we've just gotten back from the open house for the librarian I mentioned above.
We had some cake and said hello/goodbye and dropped off some cards that we made for him.

I should close this up and finish laundry/make dinner/snuggle with Bubbles .... Yeah.

Weighing in ... but not in physical-type weight...

So ... I went on a bit of a limb, Facebook-wise ...

And I had the indigestion to prove it.
(Go fig, I can sing on a stage in front of hundreds of people without much issue. But state my opinion/beliefs? Yeah ... Not the most effective missionary, huh?)

So, I posted this --

http://middle-agedmormonman.blogspot.com/2013/03/simplify-my-thoughts-on-marriage.html

I think this sums up most of how I feel on this issue. I love my brothers and sisters, regardless of lifestyle ... or any other form of difference. 
I may not be at my most eloquent right yet ... so bear with me, please.
I could talk about how allowing the courts to decide who is or is not allowed to marry is NOT something that I could support (Seriously, do we really trust our courts that much? When people get awarded millions for spilling coffee on themselves or having to eat dog food when they get stuck in a house they BROKE INTO?). (See also: http://www.christianpost.com/news/gay-marriage-social-experimentation-and-legal-precedent-92041/)

I do believe that our homosexual brothers and sisters should have all the rights that a married heterosexual couple have, under a civil union. I believe that they shouldn't be bullied for having same-sex attraction.

I also believe, as this blog states, that God still loves us all and, ergo, speaks to all His children today.
That He knows best.
That He's expressed an opinion.

I support the leaders of the church (who've also said that we need to show so, so much love to ALL children of our Heavenly Father. And that, just because someone might do something or act in a way contrary to the commandments, it is NO EXCUSE to treat them with anything other than the love that Jesus Christ has for all of us).

I wish I knew of some easy and fast fix that would result in everyone being happy. I was hoping that recognized civil unions might be it ... Apparently it's all or nothing. Which tears at my heart, to be honest.

I understand that not all of us see eye-to-eye on this. And that's one of the great things about having agency and the ability to choose for ourselves. I respect your opinion on this whole issue. Like I've said, I feel torn about it. Part of me sees it like Queen Victoria's quote (about not scaring the horses). But, there's also the fact that I can't go against what I know is true. It wouldn't be honest to myself or God.

And don't be speaking about how "my God" is a god of hate. He's not. If you want to know what has been said lately, go here (instead of taking other people's words for it. Would you take a cat person's opinion about dogs at total and complete fact? Really?): http://www.mormonsandgays.org/
(Spoiler: The main message is "Love One Another." Not "we hate everyone who is different.")

 And, even though a good deal of my friends are LDS, I know that I have a lot who aren't.
And, even among the LDS friends I have, there are some that don't share my exact opinion on things.
And I can handle that ... Life would be BORING if everyone was exactly the same.

Most of the comments that I got were decent and sharing an opinion that differed in some bit.
(One idea that I am totally in favor of -- Let EVERYONE get civil unions that offer all the protections of a currently-defined marriage. THEN, those who want a church-ordained marriage can have one in addition. Like how England demands that EVERYONE get married in the Church of England. Then, for LDS couples, they go to the temple to be sealed. I think this would be suitable and satisfy the majority.)

However, one of my friends (I like him. He's smart and he's funny. I respect his opinion ... though, as you'll see, we don't see eye-to-eye on everything. Also, I like him even though he doesn't care at all for C.S. Lewis. But, well, it takes all kinds.) lambasted my post. He said that since The Church was at all involved with Prop 8, that it should have its tax-exempt status revoked. He was ... harsher than I would have anticipated.

I don't LIKE to upset my friends.
It sucks to have an opinion that others (in general) mock.
I'm NOT a homophobe ... I like PEOPLE. And I don't think that people should be classified solely by what they choose to do with their sexual organs. Heck, I don't really CARE what one chooses to do with one's equipment. As long as you are relatively kind and have some semblance of a sense of humor, I'm totally on your team!

A FOAF (friend of a friend) put it really well on Facebook:

Here are my thoughts on gay marriage. Please try not to get offended and try to see where I am coming from. 
I think this argument started a long long time ago when marriage became more political and about property than it is about what God set it up to be. According to the Bible, God set up marriage as a three way covenant between man, woman and God. I don't think this definition of marriage would interest many gay couples. But when marriage became political it became about rights, and the three way covenant was pushed aside. I, and I am pretty sure a huge majority of LDS members, agree that all people should have equal rights regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender. We have said many times that we have no problem giving them those rights in a civil union. But marriage, which used to be Gods, has already been taken and belongs to government. So of course religious people are getting upset when you take a core belief of theirs and change and reinterpret it as something it was never meant to be. A lot of this mess is our fault (traditional religionists) because we let the covenant of marriage leave the faith world and enter the political and now we are trying to get it back too late.

Now I have been too long winded to express how much I love and admire many of my gay and lesbian friends. I do not think I am above them or better than them in any way. I do want them to have all the rights I do. But it is difficult for me to understand how a person can think a gay lifestyle is okay and still believe in the Bible. And then, it is difficult for me to understand how one can believe in the Bible and still feel it is okay to make a covenant with God in a way that He has clearly stated is wrong and not have it feel like mockery. Let me be clear that I know that no one, especially me, is perfect and follows Christ perfectly. But doing something wrong and calling it wrong is different that calling it right.

The bottom line is, I don't think government has a right to have ANY say in marriage at all but we have already let it get its sticky fingers on it. I hope we can find a solution that works for everyone.
Now I have been too long winded to express how much I love and admire many of my gay and lesbian friends. I do not think I am above them or better than them in any way. I do want them to have all the rights I do. But it is difficult for me to understand how a person can think a gay lifestyle is okay and still believe in the Bible. And then, it is difficult for me to understand how one can believe in the Bible and still feel it is okay to make a covenant with God in a way that He has clearly stated is wrong and not have it feel like mockery. Let me be clear that I know that no one, especially me, is perfect and follows Christ perfectly. But doing something wrong and calling it wrong is different that calling it right. 
The bottom line is, I don't think government has a right to have ANY say in marriage at all but we have already let it get its sticky fingers on it. I hope we can find a solution that works for everyone.

I think that she's put it beautifully ... and yes, marriage has now been (for far too long) bastardized into some political/property thing.
But ... at its heart and creation, it's a covenant between a man, a woman, and God.

I have no problem, myself, with homosexual couples.
It's not like they're schtupping in front of me ... Therefore, it's none of my business.

(I have the same opinion in regards to people who have premarital sex. It's not what we've been commanded to do. BUT, they're still children of God. Most all of them are wonderful people. As long as they're not schtupping in front of me or my kids? It's not an issue that I'm going to focus on. I have enough sins of my own ... I'll work on those first.)

I also like how Eli over at It Gets Stranger covered his take on the issue: http://www.itjustgetsstranger.com/2013/03/about-that.html

I have friends who identify as homosexual or even bisexual. It doesn't bother me.
I have no issues with homosexual couples ... I think that Neil Patrick Harris and his partner or George Takei and his partner or Ellen DeGeneris and her partner (the girl from Arrested Development) are all adorable and wonderful people. I would love to have any of them as neighbors and/or personal friends.

I think, though, that this marriage discussion is broken.
I do want a solution that can make most everyone happy.
I just don't know how that's going to happen ... and maybe it won't happen until Christ comes again.

Oh ... and when people go and quote random laws from Leviticus and Deuteronomy as proof of how dumb those laws are and why aren't folks up in arms about THOSE laws instead of just being upset about same sex marriage?
Well, IF one reads the New Testament, the reason we don't follow those laws is the same as why we, as Christians, eat pork and shellfish.
The Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ fulfilled the law of Moses.
Christ gave us a higher law to follow ... Those that followed Moses were incapable of following these laws at the time (That's why Moses had to go get the ten commandments ... and why they had to wander in the desert for SO. DANG. LONG).
So ... yeah.

We do still follow the ten commandments ... but first, we love God and love our neighbors (i.e., EVERYONE. Even if they do stuff that we don't agree with 24/7... Heck, I sometimes do stuff that makes me regret knowing myself. Still have to love myself, though. I am a daughter of God ... and He thinks that I'm lovable.)

Yeah, I just want everything fixed.

Yet ... what am I doing about it?
Besides kvetching on my blog?

Yeah, I just don't know.

I just know that, whoever you are, you deserve to be loved.
And that I do love you ... might not always like what you choose to do ... but you are loved.
Heavenly Father loves you ... and if you choose not to believe in Him, I still love you. So you still are loved.

Opening night ...

Well, the house is MOSTLY clean-ish ... It could be a lot worse.

Mom C will watch the kids tonight (and bring them to the performance). My mom will watch them (and the performance) tomorrow night. Then a couple of gals in the ward will be taking on babysitting duties. Closing night, the kids will be up at Mom C's with some cousins ... then Michael and I will swing on up, nab them, bring them home, put them to bed ... and clean Michael up.

A client (older man) referred to Michael's facial hair as "cute."
Yeah ... he got some flack from everyone about that.
Just the word choice cracks me up.

I got some more sleep yesterday ... woke up before my alarm and couldn't fall back asleep. Oh well.
Going to make at least one dinner ... maybe prep some more. We'll see how awesome/motivated I get.

I really almost wish that it were already around 5 PM so that I could just get this performance STARTED.
That's the fun of opening night ... and, well, the fun of EVERY performance. Opening night, though ... that's when we have the biggest jitters.

Bubbles' doctor visit went fine. She's been declared "perfect." Her skull is almost totally fused closed, the big kid. She got three immunizations ... she took them well enough. A little crying, but once I held her she calmed down. She's got a large head circumference. Nothing freakish. Her doctor proclaimed that it's just "full of brains" ... along with being a beautiful child.

She did flirt with the few people in the waiting room. She had the play table all to herself ... and enjoyed crawling under the chairs.

Every so often she (along with Bruise and Bucket) will do something and I'll see, just for an instant, a glimpse of the adult she's growing into. And ... it strikes me.
At the same time, I'm glad that they're going to be such good-looking adults.

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

I'm still stuck on thinking about the whole situation at Steubenville ... It's just so wrong.
These kids there need adults to be leaders and teachers -- to teach what is and is not proper behavior, how to follow laws, how to treat each other -- regardless of one's sport status or gender or whatever.

I've started, from a young age, teaching my brood about their bodies. We've always used the terms "penis" and "vagina," partly because that's what they ARE ... and partly because children who can use the proper terms are less likely to be victimized.

I've also worked to teach them about treating others well. And that you don't touch other people's private parts or let others touch yours (with a few exceptions -- your spouse, your doctor as needed, things like that).

I also have felt the need to impress upon them that if they (or someone they know) is acted upon by another person who does something to them without permission, it is NOT their fault. The person acting upon them made a decision that impacted them. THAT person, not the victim/survivor is to blame.

I'm just getting REALLY FED UP with things that need to change. Like a person who says that we need to teach people not to rape deserves to have horrible things happen to her for saying such a crazy, outlandish idea.

I am more offended that these nay-sayers seem to feel that it's the default of men TO rape.
I am surrounded by wonderful men who would be aghast at the idea that all women, everywhere, should live in constant fear of all men turning into base creatures that have no choice but to force themselves upon others.

I'm just going to come out and say it: THIS IS STUPID. IT'S RUBBISH. IT'S BULL.

And I'm going to take a deep breath, flex my hands out of fists, and just hope and pray that things will get better.

And, until it does, I'm teaching my children to deal with what might happen ... though I really wish I never felt a need to. I'd love for them to be able to go out into the world without worrying about what someone might do. I wish I didn't have to instill a core of steel into their sweet, innocent hearts.

But I do.
Because some parents and leaders aren't doing their jobs.
Because some people are not in control of themselves.
Because some people don't care.
And that sucks. A lot.

So I will teach my kids to respect themselves. To respect others. To be brave and take a stand if they see anyone needing help. To know how to call 911. To know that they can tell Michael and me anything and that we will still love them. To stand up to "friends" ... and even their true friends, if need be. To protect themselves. To protect others. To stand up and give a voice to those who can't or don't know how to protect themselves. To know they can always turn to others for help, especially their Heavenly Father who is always with them ... because Michael and I can't always be there ourselves. To respect the privacy and needs of other people. To serve others.

And other things ... like what "consent" really is (if someone cannot say "no," then assume that it IS "no." You have to ensure they ARE saying ... and continuing to say "yes."). What masculinity really is and is not. That femininity is not purely submissive. The purpose of our bodies (i.e., the sacred power of procreation ... which, understanding that, helps to respect our bodies and others' bodies).

There are times when I can tell that I'm getting through ... like how Bruise knows that women have breasts (and men have nipples too) because we're mammals ... and their primary purpose is to feed babies. The kids know that they'll someday make babies with their future spouses ... and that they shouldn't do that before they're legally and lawfully married. As a sign of respect for both their spouse and themselves. They know that "penis," "vagina," and even "testicles" are real words ... not jokes or something to giggle at whenever they hear the words.

I have a lot of work ahead of me ... and I'm so scared sometimes at what might happen to them. Some news stories out there are so, so awful ... things happening to little babies and young children, people who can't even defend themselves against the strength and cunning of some wicked, depraved adults out there.

What can you really do?
Teach them as best as you can.
Make sure they know that they can always come to you, that they can ask you anything.
Pray for them, even fasting for them.
Love them as best as you can.
Letting them know, through word and deed, that you have their back, you WILL protect them.

If there's anything else ... well, I'll try to learn it so that I can do it.

Because, well, if I screw this up ... would I ever really forgive myself?

Truly, if my kids EVER took part in something like what happened in Stuebenville ... or stood by while something like that happened ... I would, honestly, believe that I had FAILED my children and my community as a parent.

And, if they were at such a party and stood up against the tide of peer pressure, protecting another person? Even if they were arrested for being there, I'd throw them a freaking PARTY ... and I'd invite the arresting officers (since they were doing their job. And I support that). Cake and sparkling cider for everyone, because my child(ren) did what was right. And I want the world to know that I am celebrating that fact!

There's enough glorifying the crimes and their perpetrators.
I say that we start celebrating the heroes in the world ...  Let's start showing appreciation and honor for people who are working to change the bad.

Let's bring it.

It'd be nice to have a clever title ... But, well, yeah ...

This is going to be a kind of random-type post.
Since I haven't blogged for a week, and I keep meaning to blog, I feel obligated to do it.
BUT, what with Bubbles being a PUNKBUTT last night, I don't have a lot of sleep (She went to sleep BEAUTIFULLY around 8. Then woke up SCREAMING about midnight. And whenever we'd put her back down -- after a diaper change and feedings, cuddles, more feedings -- she'd scream again. So, she spent the rest of the night in our bed, where she FINALLY conked out after a HALF-HOUR nursing session).

So, I'm sure that Michael is dead tired. I'm not feeling much better (even though I get, like, a couple hours more sleep). Bubbles has a well-baby check-up this afternoon ... let's just hope that I'm coherent enough to drive safely and conscientiously.

This weekend, as we were at Mom and Dad C's (the kids stayed overnight, so that we didn't have to scramble so much in the morning before Saturday's dress rehearsal ... more on that later), Bruise said to Michael (in reference to these little, bitsy mugs that Mom C has on display. Each of them has the name of one of her children) ...

Bruise: Dad, when you die, can I have your cup? So I can remember you. Because you're not around much. But Mom is.

Yeah ... Michael works hard (and long hours) for the money. And there's always a sacrifice to be made.
At least, with both of us in Savior of the World, I get to see him. But, yeah, the kids have been getting a glimpse before we leave ... and they're often asleep when we get back home.
This coming week is going to be worse ... since Michael'll be headed directly to church (where we perform) after work. But it's the last week ... and it'll be better after that.
And, in about five weeks, we'll have a family vacation ... and we'll get TONS of time together. Which will be REALLY nice. No stage make-up involved!

Let's see ... what else is going on?
In rehearsals, unless we're saying an aside to another character, we HAVE to FACE THE AUDIENCE. I'm remembering more and more to do it. I did flub up once onstage during rehearsal on Saturday ... however, I was also called out for doing it right (and being one of the people that the sound guy LOVES for doing it right), "One gal is picking fruit ... AND SHE TURNS and delivers her lines."
I'll try not to let it go to my head. ^_^

My costume kept changing, too. At first, I had my dress and two headwraps. Then there was a belt and an outer robe added. Then a scarf added. Then they changed the robe and outer headwrap. And then they changed headwraps on me ... And the belt isn't the same as I started with. But I think we've got it now. I have the original (jade-colored) dress with a striped robe and matching sash. There's a peach headwrap and a grey wrap that I mostly wear as a cowl-type collar. And I keep my original head covering (which, due to it's softness and texture, I refer to as "my dishrag") as a "pocket," hanging off my sash.

I do have to laugh, though. The grey cowl was part of Trish's costume in Act One (which we performed together in back in December 2011). And SHE is wearing my overskirt from that act. We snicker about that when we're not referring to each other with our Ancient Israelite gangster names (ModgePodge, since I'm MOJ [Mary, Mother of James] in the script, and MagDog [for Mary Magdalene]). Good times.

Also, I tripped going up the stage steps before rehearsal started on Saturday morning. I almost didn't catch myself, so I was THISCLOSE to falling backwards down the stage, which would have hurt a megaton.

SO, getting back to talking about dress rehearsal, Michael and I were there at 8, to get our makeup started (and completed) with time to spare, since we both have character makeup -- He ends up looking like a mountain man, what with his beard and mustache and the CRAZY DARK eyebrows they draw on him.
I am aged to look at least ten years older ... Our makeup takes time to get done. And we're not the only ones getting this treatment.
Oh, and I'm in the first scene, so I HAVE to have mine done and get dressed in time ...

We had two makeup gals who didn't come -- well, one did, to tell the others that she won't be able to do it. She needs to take it easy on her knee ... and it wasn't working. The other couldn't get childcare ... So, we were down two makeup gals who help get everyone through the line. And we only had one gal (the main one) who is practiced at character makeup. So she's totally swamped ... and stressing about getting everyone else through and done.

She did confide in me later that she really would have been glad if the other two gals had called earlier so that she'd have a chance to find replacements ... And, I can't blame her. It would have been more responsible. I also know how it feels to be on the end of scrambling to get childcare at the last moment. It wasn't a good situation from any angle.

BUT! We were dressed and made up and ready for our cues. And, really, I think that it went pretty well.

In other happenings that went on last week, the kids (Bruise and Bucket) had their school music program. I went to the rehearsal for it and recorded it. Bruise was doing okay. Bucket, though, was hiding behind the girl next to her and not singing and ... well, she, my mom, and I had a talk about it. My mom (who, yes, spoils her grandkids a bit), promised them that if they did good things at the concert (e.g., sing well, do the hand motions, DON'T HIDE, etc.), she'd give them a nickel each time she caught them being good. BUT, if they were not doing what's right, they'd have to pay HER a penny for each time.

In short, they both got $5. So did Bubbles. AND, to top it off, they both were remarking on how it was really fun and NOT AT ALL SCARY.
SHOCKER!

I mean, it's not like I told them EXACTLY THAT OR ANYTHING.
(That sound you just heard? That was my eyes rolling so much that they FELL. OUT. OF. MY. HEAD. I think they're in the kitchen now. Hard to tell.)

But, thankfully, a family friend recorded that performance for us. And, Michael and I made it to rehearsal ... and Bruise and bucket had a lot of family show up to watch them -- Mutti, Bubbles, Mom and Dad C, Grandma C, and (Great-)Uncle D. So, it went really well. ... And, by that point, I was a bit less crazy-with-hormones-and-angry-bees-in-my-head. So between having the performance recorded, having a lot of family there to support them, and having gone to the rehearsal, I was feeling MUCH better. Phew!

Backstage, on the first dress rehearsal night (Tuesday), I became QUITE popular.
I'd like to say it's all due to my quick wit and myriad charms ... but that'd be a lie.
It's really due to the fact that I had make-up wipes and fashion tape (strong double-sided tape).
Yes, I do come prepared! And I am willing to share ... since that's part of being a theater-type person. Your costars are family. (I mean, heck, in high school, most of us were used to getting dressed all together in the costume room ... You saw EVERYONE in their skivvies. And it wasn't any kind of a big deal. ... Though, if you wore a thong, you'd get dressed with your back to a wall. Or, in my case, you'd wear boxers over.)

But the nice thing about this performance, since I now have a turban-type headwrap?
I don't really have to do my hair at all. WINNER!
(Though, I do pull it back into a low-key updo, so it's out of the way when someone helps to do my wrap.)

.....

I can't believe that March is already more than half-way over! With how busy we've been, the days are flying by.

There's a musical production that'll be done in July to celebrate 50 years of the Church in the Willamette Valley. Yeah ... no. We're not going to audition. We'll go see it, of course. But we NEED some time to decompress.

Five more days and I can make out with Michael again. And I can paint my fingernails and toenails any way I want. I can color my hair however I want.

I will say that, from watching so many make-up videos and reading so much online, I am pretty awesome at helping the guys to know how to take care of their skin. Most guys never think to moisturize. (Now I can only think "Moisturize me! Moisturize me!" 50 gold stars if you get the reference.) I've shared moisturizer and I do tell them that olive oil is thebombdotcom in a pinch.
Before Michael and I went to this last dress rehearsal, I had us both slap on some coconut oil before jumping into the shower ... and rubbing in some jojoba oil on top of that. With tea tree oil on any trouble spots. And that's when I'm not making us do an oil cleanse for the face (currently, I have grapeseed oil mixed with castor oil. Rub it in, steam your face [I use a hot, damp washcloth] and then scrub it off with the washcloth). Good times.
He's lucky I don't break out the mud masks ... which I might after all the performances are over. Theater makeup is THICK and rough on your complexion.

Oh, so last night, we were making some geeky jokes. It culminated with me coming into the bathroom and announcing that I was turning on the light in there (since it's dark, I give a warning ... and no, it was NOT "Brace yourself, the light switch is coming." ... Though I'll have to remember that one....)

Me: Okay ... LUMOS!!
Michael: You know that the mark of a great wizard is being able to do spells without speaking.
Me: Jealous, Muggle?
Michael: You are such a nerd.
Me: *laughs* Yes. You know it. ... We are so, so special. It's at times like this that I wish they did a show about us. ... Though I'd have to put on clothes more often. I couldn't just hang out in my underoos all the time.
Michael: I don't mind.

Like I said, we are special, special people.
Especially when we use geeky references with each other (Even though I haven't seen all that much Doctor Who, I can make a lot of references and recognize a lot of references. Same with Game of Thrones [Still need to read the books]. And a lot of movies that I haven't watched, but are referenced often in memes). Or when we give each other the Shawn/Gus fist-bump ... which is pretty dang often.

Yeah ... we're special people. Who just seem to be rather perfectly-matched.

(The other night, Michael came home ... after I was being all cranky and b-word-y ... and thanked me for being a good wife. And I was all, "Um, thanks ... I've been kind of a  jerk today. But I'm glad that you're happy." Yeah, our goal is to always be friends. And I think that we do a good job on that.  Even though, as I told him, I am not all that romantical or horny-as-crap ... but I'm glad that he puts up with me regardless. ^_^)

Oh ... I tried going shopping for jeans, since two of my favorite pairs ended up with holes in the inner thigh section. Ugh. ... Apparently a lot of stores don't cater to my size ... and, even when they do? Well, my shape is all wrong (thanks Bruise and Bucket! You stretched out my stomach enough that it's WEIRD!. Good thing I still love you!).

I tried on a pair of pants that promised "slimming and shaping."
Yeah, if the shape you're going for is camel toe.
Niiiiice.
NOT.

But, yeah. After three attempts where I ended up crying each time (I'm NOT going to cry right now. it's just that the inside of my nose went all prickly. Not going to cry), I ended up buying three t-shirts. At least they fit and look nice and are soft.

Ugh. Stupid body and stupid designers and stupid culture where it makes me feel like a giant land whale because I'm not a size 2 or 0 ... Ugh. Stupidstupidstupid.
And stupid hormones that make it HAAAAAARD for me to deal with the fact that maybe I should just go get a tummy tuck and lipo and staple my stomach closed since I like food a HELL of a lot more than I like exercise.

Oh!! Speaking of food!!!
(Yeah, nice segue there, right?)
BUT!!!! At Denny's they are having Baconalia ... Michael and I totally went.
He had the burger with bacon and pepperjack cheese and jalepenos. I had the caramel French Toast stuffed with white chocolate and bacon spread. I wasn't wild about the white chocolate. It was a little more like shortening than chocolate-y. But the bacon was EXCELLENT in cutting how DANG SWEET the French Toast was. It was really tasty.
AND!!
I also had the Maple Bacon Milkshake ... that was really, really good.
The first taste is all sweet, creamy maple ... then  you have the smoky, savory bacon taste.
And there are bits of bacon in there!
The bits are usually too big to pass through the straw, so at the end, I was spooning the remains of the shake into my mouth.

Michael: Is it good?
Me" *giddily* Ah haa a maafuu uh BAACAAA! ("I have a mouthful of BACON!")

And THIS is another reason why I'll never be a size 0 (or 2 or 4 or 6 ...)
Because how can I manage THAT when there is BACON in the world?

And cheesecake. Gotta remember cheesecake. And Cherry Coke. And Doritos. And pizza with spinach and mushrooms ... Oh, wondrous mushrooms!

I mean, look at Paula Deen ... She's not a stick figure. And she's HAPPY.
I'll just keep my blood sugar up. It's all good.
And I'll wear sweatpants or something, instead.
Yeah.
Maybe yoga pants ... if they have a pocket for my phone.
Yoga pants are a little classier, right? >.<

Insomnia

So, between Daylight Savings and a certain regular-type lady-occurrence, I can't sleep. Joy.

I've had some strange dreams, too ... in one, I was hanging out with John and Sherry Petersik (of YoungHouseLove). We were buying me a desk at a thrift store. John and I were cracking jokes involving 80s song lyrics. Yeah.

It could be hormones, but ... I'm feeling ... meh. It's a struggle to keep the house clean. Rehearsals are all crazy-making. I'm ready to feel accomplished and spiritual and contented ... and, at this moment, well ... I don't.

It's probably the PMS-angry-bees that buzz in my head.
Still ... I hate it.

I'm crap at reading my scriptures.
I'm crap at praying.
My blog is my journal ... and it's regular for me to go DAYS AND DAYS between postings.
My house is messier than it should be.
I've only NOW started chore charts with Bruise and Bucket.
We're down to one fish and the tank should be way cleaner.
I need to buy pants.
We can't have cell phones or anything like that backstage anymore. Grr.
(Yes, I admit I have a problem. I COULD quit anytime ... but I don't WANT to, you see.)
There are still ants scurrying around inside my HOUSE. (I had to spray the kitchen CEILING. What's up with that?!?!?)

So ... yeah. I don't feel RIGHT.

But enough about that ... what else have I been up to?

• Renewed my driver's license. Even with the marriage license where the public servant MISSPELLED MY NAME. ... But we had NO problems at all. Phew!
  But ... my face looks all fat in my picture. Next time, help me remember -- PULL MY HAIR BACK, so it shows off my bone structure.
• Had to pay owed postage on a letter that came in the mail ... Turns out it was a chain letter for a pyramid scheme. Took that sucker into the Post Office. Because that IS ILLEGAL.
  And hella annoying.
• Bruise and Bucket stole my M&Ms ... and lied about it. Which rather ruined the rest of our Friday.
  They were in TROUBLE. For stealing and LYING about it. ... They're earning back our trust. But they've lost some privileges. 
• Today was Stake Conference. I spent the second hour trying to keep Bubbles quiet. Almost got her to nap by hanging out in the (dark) supply closet and singing to her until she fell asleep. But another dad and his (SCREAMING) daughter were RIGHT OUTSIDE, so Bubbles did NOT nap.
  But I did run into one of my old neighbors from back home. He and his family live in the next town over. His mom was my piano teacher and is one of my mom's best friends.
• Our sitter had to cancel on us Tuesday ... so, thankfully, Bri and her husband and daughter were able to come watch our minions. And we got to visit with them afterwards.
• My stepdad got into a bit of a fender bender ... long story ... but we'll see what all happens.
  The only reason my mom knew about it was that his insurance agent called. Yup.
• I had cleaned the front rooms ... but they're mostly dirty again.
  But, since the kids have chore charts now, I forsee it being easier to keep the house in better order. Phew!

Yeah ... not the most exciting week. There were some good parts. And some crap bits, too.

I was asked, at rehearsal, if I was a dancer.
I replied that, no, I wasn't really one. I took dance from 2nd-5th grade. (I also did some swing in high school. Good times).
Apparently, I have "the look."
Which I can't totally figure it out. Was my makeup on a little heavy? Do I sport a certain carriage?
Who knows? Since I don't!

I can't think of anything else to add in this braindump of a post.

Yet MOAR cdc

So, I don't remember much ... but I do know that I've been having totally whack dreams.

Not wiggety-whack ... just the regular kind.
(Bonus points for YOU if you got the reference!)

But, yeah ... in one dream, Bubbles was sick. Like really sick. Wasting away-type-sick.
She might have actually died in the dream.
But, really, she's fine and healthy irl.

In another one, part of my dream featured a bummed-out Taylor Swift.
(I don't have much to day about Ms. Swift either way. She's okay. I'm not wild about her. But I don't dislike her either. ... However, I'm SO GLAD that she wasn't cast as Eponine in Les Miserables. Just sayin'.)
I can't remember why she was SO bummed. But I was going to try and help her be happy again.

Yeah ... just lots of weird little things. Nothing that makes sense. Oh well.

But I think I'm starting to sleep a bit better now. I don't feel completely exhausted when I wake up.
That's a BIG benefit.

Bubbles' Birthday Bash! And other things. Mostly the other things.

Yesterday was Bubbles' birthday ... and we had her party on Saturday so people could come (and most of the people who said they'd come did! When people RSVP, it makes it SO FREAKING MUCH EASIER. Just saying!).

I had the house clean enough (not like I'd ever get it perfect ... and, even if I DID, having three kids in the house would assure that it would NOT stay perfect after a few minutes) ... and we got pizzas, soda, cake, ice cream, a veggie tray, apple slices (and a cream-cheese-based dip that I had wanted to try) ... everything was store-bought, which makes it WAY easier.

Since we couldn't find balls to make a ball-pit for Miss Bubbles, we blew up a shload of balloons ... which worked out being excellent. And a LOT cheaper.

I also found cute little pseudo-luminaries with fake votive candles, which we used on the table. And we hung up a little banner. And had plates and napkins with dots on them.

Bubbles is such an easy-going little miss that it's easy AND hard to get stuff for her. She likes everything ... but it's not like there's anything that she goes completely ape-crap crazy for ... So, yeah.

She got books and clothes and a doll and some toys and a pair of boots ... and she likes it all.
She also got to have a little layer cake all to herself ... and she ate SO much frosting.
Bubbles also got her first set of (Duplo) Legos ... which, of course, she likes.

The cousins that came all seemed to have a good time.

At the end of everything, we were tired ... but it was good. Nothing too crazy.

Now that her party is over, I'm starting to wonder what else to stress about do. We have SOTW (Savior of the World) coming up in a couple weeks. I'm still volunteering once a week at the school. There's an upcoming family vacation. And Spring Break.

I'm thinking of starting to work on the house. We've been here for over five years ... and ... well, I'd like it to start FEELING like a place that I LOVE. Don't get me wrong. I like our place. I spend a ton of time here ... but there are things that I could do.

We need different curtains. I want to have a proper backsplash. Our bedroom is not the most restful place, with all the clutter ... And I'm the guilty one. I'm a terrible packrat. I know. BUT ... I just am to the point where I really am ready to start deciding on colors (and stop being a coward ... it's only paint. If I hate it, it's not going to cost thousands of dollars to redo.) and start making this house a place that I can really handle having people over.

I'm still sitting at the computer desk that my folks bought at Wal-Mart for me to take to college when I was moving into an apartment with friends. It has seen WAAAAAAAY better days.
... I'm thinking ... what if I find a cute used desk, repaint it, find a way to store the filing cabinet under it, have Michael put some shelves -- maybe even a cabinet-- on the wall above ... and have a much more interesting and lovely desk area?

Another thought, I have clothes that haven't fit me for, well, around a decade. I need to go through them  and save only the coolest things (as opposed to the t-shirts that shrunk lengthwise and are baggy/shapeless everywhere else) ... I can put those things away for when Bucket and Bubbles get to be teenagers (RETRO!! Hey, I was SO SAD that I only got a vest from my mom's collection and NOTHING from my grandmothers' closets -- they never kept much. If they'd had ANY idea that their granddaughter was going to be CRAZY INTO vintage, I know they'd have set some stuff aside for me). But, for the rest of it, I can clean out the closet and actually start filling it (not FULL-full, mind you!) with things that work for me NOW. Which would save a ton of room ... and make getting dressed a LOT easier.

I mean, I'm actually thinking of getting rid of some BOOKS ... YES, I  KNOW!!! But, well, this house is getting stuffed with things that I just am not using. And ... I look at the decorating-pr0n that is YoungHouseLove ... And, well, it'd just be REALLY NICE to get a house that I love every inch and it easier to clean and makes me happy to look at what I've done. ... And, well, I know that we're not going to be in this house FOREVER. Either we'll sell it to my mom or we'll find something else (we do talk of -- SOMEDAY -- buying the adjoining lots and putting something bigger on here ... AND having a good-sized yard).

Regardless, I'd like to make this place a good house with restful colors and everything.

And, I need to find a way to consolidate the kids' clothes enough (and the set-up in there) so that we can move Bubbles' clothes (and makeshift dressers) out of our room.

And, really ... I've gotten so used to being rather lazy ... But doing things where I can SEE results QUICKLY ... that's rather tempting. (As opposed to exercising ... where I feel AWFUL and sweaty and everything ... and, somehow, after exercise, I look down and where are those washboard abs? So depressing!)

But, yeah ... it's really nice to have the birthday parties over. And to have a LITTLE breathing room.
Most of the breathing room will be back by March 24th. Our evenings will be ours again ... and Michael won't be sporting EPIC BEARD and the MUSTACHE OF DOOM ... or the white boy 'fro.
He bought a hat for our family vacation ... while I was checking out at Jo-Ann Fabric, he took the kids out to the car ... and put on his hat.
When I came out, I got really confused. ... That LOOKED like our car. But who was in the front seat? There's some grizzly-looking gunslinger ... Oh! Never mind, that's my husband. The man I've slept next to nearly every night for the last 4, 364 days.

Yeah ... I saw him at church (we took different cars/arrived at different times due to his meetings before and after church this week) ... totally didn't recognize MY OWN HUSBAND. *rolls eyes*

Well, I'm trying to get Bubbles to take a nap ... which she is NOT. AT. ALL. amenable to ... and I should do the dishes and the laundry and a million other things ... and plan dinners, since there are THREE rehearsals this week (and FOUR next week ... then FIVE performances ... I do enjoy doing theatre ... and I really like the opportunity to get to know other people in the Stake/other wards ... but, goodness, I am ready to have time with my family all together, to not have to find sitters, to not take the chance of having to MISS my kids' music presentation ... *sigh* I can do this. I can get through this. And I will. It'll all be FINE. Soon. ^_^).

But, yeah ... Hey, I'm trying to blog more often. That should mean something, right?

No, not dead. Just alternately busy, crazy-stressed, or lazy

So, let's see ... what all's happened since I blogged?

• Bubbles-fish passed (on Valentine's Day) ... which  had us cleaning the fish tank like CRAZY.
  We have just two fish now - Iris (Black Moor goldfish) and Emmy (emerald Cory catfish). ... And Iris is sitting at the bottom of the tank a lot. I hope it's just constipation ... since she is swimming around a little. Just not as much as usual.
  (By the by, water levels are looking GOOD. So it shouldn't be the water. Since we just cleaned the tank, too. BEFORE she started acting tired.)
• But, going with that last bullet-point, the only Bubbles I'll be writing about is our youngest daughter.
• Bucket had a dentist appointment. One cavity (VERY SMALL) filled ... and sealant to coat her six-year molars. Bubbles and I played in the waiting room while it was all done.
• We went bowling with one of the kids' friends from school (and his mom and little sister) on President's Day ... which is fitting, since there's a bowling alley in the White House. We didn't go to that one ... but we figured that we were channeling our inner Nixon by bowling. It was fun. 
• We called my Nana for her 82nd birthday. She's learned that she can hear a lot better on the other phone ... so it was a much better conversation than usual. I should call her more. A lot more.
• I made it to the VERY END of the Relief Society meeting (that was going on at the same time as SOTW rehearsal). But they DEMANDED that I take some of the chocolate goodies home with me. And ... well, I live to obey! (I shared with Michael, too. So, OBVS, I'm a very good wife.) Yummmm.
• I learned on Tuesday that the kids are having their once-a-year school musical program.
  AND it's on the night of a dress rehearsal.
  I asked our director if Michael and I could attend THAT ... but, since the newspaper is coming that week, she was leaning towards "no." ... And, well, you probably have picked up how NOT GOOD I am with disappointment (and there's the fact that I have the sinus-thing again AND I've not been sleeping well ... and I feel like a failure for missing the kids' events -- like when, last year, I was in the hospital on their birthday with a stupid kidney stone), so I TRIED to compose myself ... and utterly failed.
  BUT, thanks to awesome people and modern technology, we have a plan.
  IF the newspaper covers the play the night before the concert, I will go to the concert.
  If not, I won't ... but REGARDLESS, my mom and Michael's folks will take the kids and hold Vesper. Mom will use our video camera (SEE? Michael's brilliant for getting that for me!) to record the concert for us (since Michael probably won't be able to make it). AND one of Bruce and Zoë's nursery leaders has offered to tape it, too. As backup ... and she'd love to see them perform, too. (YES, awesome people).
  Also, a lot of the gals gave me hugs ... which was really sweet of them. One of the younger girls gave me a hug and asked me, "Did you pray about it?" Which was VERY impressive. We have amazing people in this production.
  The director did email me and apologize for upsetting me and told me that she wouldn't judge me for whichever decision I made (to attend the kids' production or the dress rehearsal). I apologized back for my behavior, which was not as professional as it should have been, and let her know that if they need me there, for the newspaper's story, I can be there ... otherwise, I'll probably go see the kids' concert ... since, well, it is the only one that year.
• I did learn, though, from their teacher yesterday, that I could attend the dress rehearsal. Which is a great thing, too. 

I've been having really weird dreams ... and I keep waking up feeling exhausted.
Then I ask Michael if he thinks that I have sleep apnea ... HAVE I BEEN SNORING?!?!?
And he tells me, "No, you haven't been snoring. You're just stressed out."

And why am I stressed?

• Well, we're planning a family vacation ... but I'm reaching the stage of "Okay. We're going. It's going to be awesome. And we have lodgings for EVERY NIGHT. Okay, come what may!"
  (As opposed to a family vacation where the person who booked lodgings didn't book the last night's stay. That lead to QUITE a bit of excitement. And I'm still bitter that I lost my shampoo, conditioner, and (MOST IMPORTANTLY) my Dirty Girl body wash. I loved that stuff!*sigh*)
• Bubbles' birthday party is TOMORROW. The house is now MOSTLY clean ... but there was the fact that I had to CLEAN the house.
  For the rest of it ... well, I'll make a smash cake for her tonight. And we'll buy a cake and ice cream and stuff for lunch tomorrow. I've refinished the dining room chairs ... the old covers that L and I did about two years ago were ripping. Now, instead of plain brown covers, the chairs have cute brown and owl vinyl on the seats. Very cute ... but I'm still getting used to them. ^_^
• I know that we're going to have to replace the kitchen fridge. And it's a very specific size. Which means that it's hard to find a fridge that will fit ... in face, we'll have to downsize by a couple cubic feet. Which is hella frustrating.
• Still fighting off the ants. But, thankfully, all the bug spray (some of it's organic and safe enough to eat!) seems to be working. ... Well, judging by the number of ant corpses that I keep finding. *ugh*
• I still suck at reading my scripture and praying. And exercising. 

But, in good news, we've preordered some awesome movies!

• I'll be getting season/series three of Downton Abbey ... so I can be all caught up (well, I have to watch my DVD of Season Two. ... Shut up. I'm getting to it!) this coming week.
• Amazingly, The Hobbit is already going to be on DVD. We should get it by our anniversary ... so, once the play is over, the whole family can snuggle up as we watch a bunny sleigh the start of an epic quest and listen to Benedict Cumberbatch growl ... Seriously, I'm tickled that Freeman and Cumberbatch are in another series together. 
• And, a few days/a week after that comes in, we should receive Les Miserables. So good. I've only been listening to it for the last twenty years ... only seen it performed live twice ... only going to watch this DVD until it gets a hole burned into it from the laser ... what?

And, not too terribly long after that, we have a vacation! And the kids are going to be so excited! (And I'll go on a lot of rides with them, since they are tall enough for almost all the rides! (Six inches too short for the big roller coaster at one place ... but that's it!)

My kids also say cute things ... Well, Bubbles isn't QUITE talking yet. She's vocalizing ... but not to the point where I can brag about her wit or sense of humor. ;P

We were reading Lloyd Alexander's The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man. At one point, Bucket turns to me and says, "A woman wants to marry a cat?!? *singsongs* AWKWARD!!"
I burst out laughing ... which meant that for the next three minutes, Bruise AND Bucket tried to get the same reaction out of me.

Bubbles really likes peek-a-boo ... however she can get it. Sometimes, she'll just do the motions of pulling something (say a blanket) over her head ... when she's not holding a blanket. :P
But, for the most part, she'll wave and give kisses (wide, open-mouthed ones ... but, well, you can wipe that off!). She loves to give people "high five" ... and we're trying to teach her to pound it (you know, where to people put their fists together? I've also heard it called "knuckles").
She's walking all over.
Yesterday, she was walking through the kitchen, "reading" a board book (she was looking at it, anyways. At least she was holding it right-side-up!) ... then she got into the cupboard of pots and pans.
When I went to get a pan out for dinner, I discovered that she'd squirreled away some books in there!
(I can just tell myself that she's TRYING to put things away, right??)

Bruise's bottom teeth are coming in. No more new loose ones (that we know of ... yet).
Bucket is convinced that the teeth next to her front teeth will NEVER come in.
Bubbles has gotten in four teeth on the top and her two bottom teeth.
Those front teeth of hers have a crazy gap, though ... like Madonna. I'm hoping that they'll scoot a little closer together soon.

!!!!GIRLY TMI STUFF ALERT!!!!
So, last week ... dang, I was not feeling great. I was really itching ... It wasn't until I noticed that some, ahem, delicate skin tore that I figured out that I had a case of thrush. GREAT.
So, I got some medicine.
I have to say that the 1-dose stuff is AMAZING. I woke up the next morning and was all, "Oh. Something's different! What's different?"
And then I was able to figure out that I wasn't burning and itching in my ladybits.
Yes ... I'm out of touch with my body ... You'd think that after having a yeast infection for around a MONTH while pregnant with Bubbles, that'd I'd recognize the signs of it more readily!
Obviously not. Whoops!
----END OF GIRLY/TMI STUFF----

Besides that, I found a great pair of sandals for SOTW (since my pair from Part 1 ... well, they weren't too tight just because I was pregnant.) and I got a good deal on them. Michael's able to use his Birkenstocks (a present from my mom a few years back) ... so we're goo there. We just need to buy eyeliner (for both of us) and mascara (just for me) ... Twenty-two more days ... and then we have our evenings free again. And Michael will be clean-shaven ... and we can cut his hair ... and I can paint my toenails again.

Until then, well, we'll get through this ... just in time for Spring Break. Phew!

Let's just hope that my sinuses will get their figurative buns in gear and stop being all congested and gross. Because I'm ready to be done with that.

Good times, good times.

1,001 Posts

... and not an Pulitzer Prize for any one of them.

But, really, according to my lists of posts, I've written a thousand posts already. (Only took me, what, a decade. Imagine if I actually wrote a post every day!)

So, let's catch up ... What have we been up to? Um ...

• We go to church ...
• Michael's had rehearsal every Tuesday and Thursday (but he won't on Valentine's Day!)
  He was described, due to costuming and EPIC BEARD and the Mustache of DOOM, as either a "Norwegian Hunter" or William Wallace.
  I TRIED to talk him into painting his face blue and delivering the speech from "Braveheart" ... No dice. Oh well. It's not like I didn't try.
• Michael and I ran some errands on Friday, after he got home.
  I'm not all that impressed with Arby's Molten Lava Cake ... it's rather dry. Oh well.
• Saturday was more errands ... get ant spray and a new switch (one light switch, when turned on, was making this evil popping sound. Michael fixed it Sunday. Phew!), get Valentines for the kids' classes, get Bucket a new fish since Iris I died (So far, Iris II has been doing fine. Even when Bubbles-fish, who we NOW know is a boy, decided to chase her all around the tank.)
  
  Me: This isn't good behavior. ... It doesn't look like Bubbles is nipping her fins. *adds some food to try to distract Bubbles-fish. No go.* Why is Bubbles doing that?
  Bruise: *playing with LEGOS, matter-of-factly* Maybe Bubbles wants to make babies.
  Me: Huh. *looks it up on the Google. Yup. That's mating behavior, right there* Good call, buddy.
  
  So, yeah, apparently my kids are well-adjusted enough to handle animal husbandry. Okay. I must be doing something right. Right?
  
  We also visited with Michael's folks and headed back home to get ready (and attend) the kids' school's Family Valentine's Dance. There was a DJ and an crafts table, lots of cookies and sparkling cider (which is important in a minute). They put forth good effort into decorating the gym. They even had a couple gals from a local business come to teach some dancing. (Merengue ... I still really have NO IDEA what I'm doing. But I KNOW it involves fast marching.)
  
  Bruise danced Gangnam Style with me ... until I, like a beached whale, was out of breath and needed to sit down (Well, maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was wearing Bubbles in the Moby wrap. That does make dancing a bit more strenuous, wouldn't you think?) ... and I got Bucket out onto the dance floor for a little ... until all the aforementioned cookies and cider, combined with the jumping/bouncing around, made it necessary for us to make a hasty exit. Whoops! ... But she did learn a lesson (better NOW than when she's a teenager and trying to impress boys, right?) about not stuffing one's gob before dancing.
• Yesterday was mostly quiet ... I FINALLY watched Lifeboat (Alfred Hitchcock) while attempting to make some progress at the dratted puzzle that we bought for Christmas (SPOILER: Between Michael and me, we finished it last night. Now to fix that sucker so we never have to put it together again. ... In other, related news, I'm headed out to buy Heat-n-Bond today.
  Besides that, I've been working at getting through the laundry and dishes. They never end. And my mom and aunt are headed up this week ... so I'd LIKE to get things a little cleaner. We'll see how it goes.
  But I did vacuum the dining room yesterday ... so that's a start.

Well, I think that's MOST things that're standing out in my mind ... besides that fact that Miss Bubbles is taking steps now. She's babbling a little more, which is much preferable to her nasal whinings. :P

Okay, housework/duty calls. I'd better get stuff done. Then I can go out and grab some supplies

Wow ... that's just sad ...

So, as I was getting that last (dream) post typed up and labelled, I realized something ...

WHAT THE AITCH IS A "CHONICLE?"

Yes, one of the labels that I've had for this blog has been misspelled.
FOR YEARS.

Well, it's changed now. You're welcome.
(How come nobody ever told me??? I feel like a complete idjit.)

... While I was changing that label (which takes a little longer than a simple "change all"), I noticed something else....

I obvs cannot spell the word "embarrassing."

Yup, ANOTHER misspelled label. FOR YEARS.

So, I've changed that, too.

Maybe you guys just love me too much to bring those to my attention? Maybe you were SO ENTRANCED and AMUSED by my blog content that you didn't notice my glaring errors at all?

Just tell me that you weren't totally snickering at my crap spelling and noticing-things skills.

But, well, I think now that I'll remember how to ALWAYS spell "embarrassing" (it's that second 'r' ... *sigh*) and I did learn how to change labels in Blogger ... so that's a good thing, right?

Oh ... it appears that you can use a different method to correct a LOT of labels at once.
(Since I kept getting a "You cannot change more than 50 posts at one time." ... Even when I only had, say, EIGHT posts selected. Which is quite a sight fewer than 50. Just sayin'.)

O! How the mighty have fallen!! /melodrama

Well, yeah. That's the big news of the morning. Besides Bucket being unable to find her lunchpail. FUN!!

So, I should go and do some dishes and laundry and be productive. I'll try to blog again later ... get you caught up on all the EXCITING things we did this weekend (SPOILER: Michael changed a light switch. Please try to contain your excitement).

They're coming ...*

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you're just glad that you woke up from it?

And not because it was a really, really "this-could-totally-happen"-type dream?

Yeah. I dreamt of zombies.

Part of my dream featured the fact (in my dream) that I was going to get together with Mer ... So I had more than one reason to leave the house as my childhood home was overtaken by zombies (I think I was the only person there ... so it wasn't horrible-horrible). However, I wasn't totally prepared. I had left my wallet there.
And I was trying to walk down the (deserted) street without attracting any attention. To walk the mile to get to either Mer's folk's or my Nana's old place.

Another part of my dream featured a married couple in an RV. At a gas station, they were beset by zombies. The husband got bitten. The wife made an executive decision that if SHE had to drive, forget wherever they were headed, she was going to Alaska. She merged onto the freeway and traffic was atrocious. As she was driving, she heard a voice in her head, "Look out. You want to slow down." She did so, right as something slammed from the overpass into a car ahead of her. She slammed on her brakes, panting. Then looked at the next car over, where a little girl nodded knowingly at her.

They all were at the hospital ... apparently the girl's family were getting treatment for their young son (maybe eight?). And they decided to travel together. Why not, right?

They stopped at a house to recuperate. The son was starting to change ... but they had halted the change. His head was starting to look like a skull ... and was discoloring. But he could control his appetite.
Someone (me? But I don't know how I got there) went to check on the husband.

Upon inspection, his face's appearance was completely skull like ... like a white skull imposed over his dark skin. And then he started to try to bite. It was as if his mouth were connected to a motor ... like a wind-up motor. It'd champ at things frentically, then slow ... then start up again. He grabbed my wrists ... and I squirmed enough so that instead of my hand, he chewed -- inquiringly -- at his thumb, like ascertaining the flavor of a wine.
Of course, he wasn't fooled for more than a few seconds ... but it was enough time for other people to extract me from his grip.

Then I was with several people, strangers, here in my house. There was a little girl along with some other women in the living room, gathering up things, last minute, as we prepared to flee. As they were finishing packing foodstuffs and blankets and the like, I walked to the bedroom to grab a pair of sneakers to wear on our flight away from the zombies.

I stepped into the room and saw a shadow coming in one of the windows ... on the side of the closet, where my shoes are, OF COURSE.

The zombie hefted itself in, throwing its intestines in, like some gory grappling hook. Thankfully, there weren't legs attached to it. I screamed, even though that meant alerting it to my presence ... and any other zombies in the area would hear, too. And I raced back down the hall, screeching a warning that we needed to GET. OUT. NOW.

And then I woke up.

No, I haven't been watching The Walking Dead. Not for months. Nor have I been reading zombie books. (Actually, it's been a string of romance novels ... not a zombie to be found!)

So ... yeah. Obviously my subconscious is toying with me. Great.

----------------------------------------------
* If you didn't get the reference, that's okay.
But a whispered "They're coming," is how zombies entering the screen are announced in the game Plants vs Zombies.
... And those are much cuter zombies, too.

Wow ... I apparently suck at blogging now ...

So, when I LAST blogged, what, seventeen or so days ago ... it was catching up from Bruise and Bucket's birthday ... What all has happened since then?

We've been sick ... I was hit hardest, I think. Bruise and Bucket both missed a day or school (thank goodness for so many days off from school in January, or else they'd have missed more). Bruise lost his voice and had a cough. Bucket still coughs a little ... but nothing terrible.

Bubbles had a nasty runny nose ... but, since she's gotten so many teeth in, it's cleared up a bit.
She's now sporting her bottom two front teeth, her top two front teeth, and one to the side on the top.
She's also able to wave "bye-bye," give kisses and high-fives, clap her hands, and stand unassisted. She refuses to walk more than one step unassisted ... what can I say? She likes crawling! She also will dance/bob to music. If Michael's watching Star Trek on Netflix, she is ENTRANCED during the theme song.
She's talking a little more ... no real words, really. Not yet. But she'll say "Mamamamamama" or "Dadadadada" and "Nananananana" ... and "Kaah. And "Bahh." She's still really smiley and even-tempered for the most part. She takes at least one good (1+hour) nap, usually two, per day. And she's sleeping well during the night (well, when she's not fighting a cold or whatever).

Bucket lost two of her fish -- Fishy (a fantail) and Iggy (the plesco). I took it harder than she did. We're working at getting the tank in order so that Bubbles (yes, she has a fish who's name is the same as her baby sister's online persona) will have another aquatic friend. Right now, we're dealing with nitrate levels. Fun! (Not.)
Both Fishy and Iggy received "burials at sea" in the pre-dawn hours of the morning. But I hate for things to die.
(But I'm 99% sure that Fishy had a swim bladder disease, so it was just a matter of time. Poor bloated fish. ... Iggy, well, that could be due to nitrates or to not enough [correct] food. Poor Iggs.)

There's been quite a few rehearsals for SOTW ... My costume keeps getting revamped. I started with just a dress/sheath, belt, and headwrap. Now I have a kerchief under the wrap, a piece of cloth that (with my belt) forms a pocket), and -- as of last week -- a drape over one shoulder of the robe that's been added. I joked with Michael that if this keeps up, I'll be the Abominable-Layered Israelite on stage.

I totally nailed the line (vocalwise, but not lyric-wise) that I've been stressing about. But I did it. And it was nice and loud and on-key. So ... I have proved that I (even with sinus issues) can do it, to myself, at least. That's a relief.

We had arranged to take the older kiddos and a couple friends bowling ... but one of the friends who REALLY wanted to come got sick the night before. So we arranged to meet the other friend (and his mom -- truly, we adore their whole family) for frozen yogurt. We also took a get-well gift to their other friend.

Yesterday, I dropped off Bubbles (not Bubbles-fish) with Mom and Dad C and headed off to P-town to play with my Roxy. Depressingly, I'd realized that we hadn't seen each other in person since last APRIL. That is SAD. But we went to Uwijamaya (I'd never been before) and then to a little Korean shop, out to lunch at a Korean BBQ (I tried a bit of Roxy's spicy squid ... but I was happier with my Spicy Chicken Korean Bento, even when I dropped some on my lap. *rolls eyes* But I think I should get credit for eating a SALAD with chopsticks.). After that, we went to a little Thai market (so I could get Yellow Curry Paste) and a comics/games shop ... before I had to head off and pick up Miss Bubbles and head back home.

Michael was amazing -- took the kids out to Target (and bought me both seasons of the BBC's Sherlock) and got the fish tank's water tested. Then they swung back and picked up Bubbles and me (since we'd gotten home by then) and we went out to dinner. I got my Yellow Chicken Curry fix, the kids tried Chicken Satay and Pad Thai, Michael (of course) got his Drunken Noodles (as spicy as they make it!) ... and we splurged on dessert -- The kids shared fried bananas and ice cream. Michael and I split Coconut ice cream and coconut sticky rice. SO GOOD.

Michael just got back from helping two people/families move this morning.
As he and I were discussing our calendar (mostly our upcoming rehearsal schedule), I started to get all teary-eyed ... not because it's coming to an end, but, honestly, because I'm going to be so very tired.
I don't know how I'm going to manage getting the kids' lunches set up, taking care of Bubbles all day, volunteering at the school (one day that week), ... and the last performance is on our anniversary. I know that we aren't going to be doing anything special ... especially since our performance ends around 8:30, so we wouldn't get home until around 9 ... just in time for Michael to have me cut his hair and help his shave off the beard and mustache. (I'm really not into facial hair. My dad won a beard-growing contest when I was little. I'm used to it on other people ... but it's not something that I like on MY man. When asked about it, Michael proclaims, "She [me] HATES it!" ...And it's true that I don't care for it. It's not that it looks bad ... it's just that I don't like kissing him through it. If I wanted to have something springy against my face as I kissed someone, I'd have them hold up a Slinky.)

Bruise and Bucket are playing the Wii ... a Disney Princess game that Bucket got for Christmas. Bruise is such a good brother. At one point, HE was dancing along to a game ... because Bucket had asked him to play, too. (She's a good sister, too, even though she teases him a lot.)

I just had Bruise promise me that, when he's older (14 and up), if he goes to a dance and he sees a girl that's not dancing, that he'll ask her to dance. ... And then, I told him why:
When I was 17, I was alone on Valentine's Day. And I hadn't gone to the Stake (regional church) dance. BUT, two of my friends (a dating couple) called me and told me to come ... Aww! They missed me!

I went. And it was good to be there ... but, during the last dance, EVERYONE was on the dance floor for that last slow dance. Except for me. And, like, two boys.

Yeah. Nothing really makes you feel like something MUST be wrong with you than when you are obviously not as cool/pretty/whatever as any other girl there.
(I'm TOTALLY getting what Elizabeth Bennet was feeling when she berated chided Mr. Darcy for not dancing when so many girls were sitting out because they didn't have a partner for the dance.)
(But, really, this goes further ... since neither boy was wearing a cast or anything. So, it felt QUITE CLEAR that asking me to dance was beyond a service project. It would be JUST TOO MUCH to ask ... Yeah.
Obviously I still have issues with this, since I started to cry writing about it. Yes, I do have some serious issues with self-worth and ideas of my own level of attractiveness. I have good days and bad days ... and apparently, I've had better days than today.)

(An example of a better day? When my mom was driving me to a DIFFERENT church  dance. We were stopped at an intersection. A car with two guys my age were driving by the other way, through the intersection. I got a double-take. Oh, yeah. Sixteen-year-old me was quite a dish, apparently.)

I did also give Bucket the talk that if a boy asks her to dance at a church dance, she should accept. Or decline only with a real reason. And that there's nothing preventing HER from asking boys to dance. (And Bruise, if asked to dance, will accept. We're an equal-opportunity household here. Yeah. That's how we do feminism.)

So, yeah. There you go. Catching up and a bonus story of my myriad issues.