It's A Girl!

Husband's BFF & Wife (remember the Wedding of the Century?! click here to be reminded of that FANTABULOUS party!) found out a few months ago that they are preggers!!!  Well, obviously only Wife is preggers, but you know what I mean. Since I absolutely love babies and love BFF & Wife -- I was completely ecstatic by their baby news.  And it just keeps getting better!

Nope, not twins! Although that would be completely phenomenal news (to me...)

Because BFF & Wife are totally awesome, they decided to share their special moment of revealing the gender of their precious little babe with friends and family by throwing a "Gender Reveal Party". After Wife's ultrasound on Friday morning, the gender results were whisked away to a baker who made a cake that was either going to be pink for a girl or blue for a boy on the inside. No one but the baker (and the doctor) knew the wee one's gender until the cake was cut on Friday evening at the party.

Husband and I were honored to be at the party and learn that they are having a ..... GIRL! It was so unbelievably sweet! A total tear jerker moment.

Too Sick

Apparently, while I have been sicker than a dog for the last SIX WEEKS...

Yes, you heard me correctly.

SIX WEEKS!!!

The doctors have been wrong.  I had strep throat, but not bronchitis or pneumonia. I did have laryngitis and a sinus infection, but still not bronchitis or pneumonia -- which was treated with THREE different antibiotics and TWO series of steroids (to no avail or relief of symptoms.)

So, I have been blessed to have WHOOPING COUGH!

Seriously?!?!?!?!!?


Who gets Whooping Cough now days? As an adult?!

SIGH.

The really great news is that it can take up to 3 months to clear up and with all of the coughing, I have managed to pull several rib muscles and even crack a rib!  Go me!  I love being an over-achiever!

As I recover, I will be taking a minor break from blogging as I attempt to heal.  Any prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Photo Friday: Week 29 - Summer

PHOTO FRIDAY PROJECT! Week 29's theme is "Summer", which is another fabulous, broad topic and as usual, I have a horrible time narrowing down my choices to only one or two photos.

Please hop on over to Trina's blog (click her button below) to see the other Photo Friday submissions.  It's so fun to see everyone's ideas of each weeks theme.

4 Things About Me

Jobs (Paying) I’ve Had:

1. Nanny

2. Pharmacy Sales Associate

3. Conference Center Scheduler

4. Executive Assistant

Places I Have Lived:

1. Minneapolis, MN

2. Saint Paul, MN 

3. There is no more...

4. Ditto to 3

Food I Love:

1. Spaghetti with meat sauce

2. Chicken Fajitas with lots of red & green peppers (no onions)

3. Anything with Peanut Butter! (I make a MEAN PB cake with PB frosting)

4. Potato Chips!

Websites I Visit Daily:

1. Minnesota Public Radio

2. Banking (blech!)

3. Blogfrog

4. Facebook

Places I’d Rather Be:

1. Laying under a comfy blanket in bed with a better book and the AC blasting!

2. Traveling around aimlessly until I found where I wanted to go

3. Half Price Books

4. Chowing down at Benihana's

Movies I Love:

1. Wedding Crashers

2. Dirty Dancing

3. Any Twilight Movie

4. Bowling for Columbine

TV Shows I Watch:

1. Glee (!)

2. Criminal Minds

3. Anything on the Food Network

4. Anything on HGTv

4 People I Tag:

Ummm….How do you tag people via the blog? 

Photography - Wordless(ful) Wednesday

 

 

Time Travel Tuesdays - A Day By The Numbers

Nicole at By Word of Mouth Musings has created a great link-up/blog hop called Time Travel Tuesdays. Each week she asks you to pull out an old post and link up. It's so much fun to read recycled posts of fellow bloggers.

Monday, July 5, 2010

A Day By The Numbers

10: Number of dollars spent to gain entrance at the "cheap" movie theater for a family of five to watch "How To Train Your Dragon".

25: Number of minutes it takes to drive through town to get to the cheap theater.

4 million: Number of hours the same 25-minute drive FELT like while listening to three kids argue about who's turn it was to lead a rousing game of "I Spy With My Little Eye."

13: Number of toys that fell into a gigantic mud puddle when I opened my car door in the theater parking lot.

15: Number of people who were excited to learn that my family was sitting in their row at the theater.

3,491,876: Number of calories consumed within a two-hour period by my three children in the form of salt-soaked popcorn, Junior Mints, M&Ms, Twizzlers, nachos and soda.

4: Number of times Little Man went to the bathroom during the first half of the movie.

187: Number of people seated around us who think we handle the children well during a supposedly amusing, quiet, family-friendly movie.

523: Number of times Little Man "accidentally" kicked the back of the man's chair in front of us.

523: Number of times I apologized to the man in front of Little Man.

527: Number of times I asked the man in front of Little Man if I could buy him a soda, soft pretzel, nachos, or illegal narcotic.

3: Number of children who asked me, with a straight face, if they could have ice cream when we got home.

Infinite (PRICELESS): Number of times we'll do this again when we get the chance. It was worth every penny, tear, apology, and minute of temporary insanity.

Living in a Furnance

Wee ones had an awesome time playing with their new water hopscotch thingy.  Good times with weather that includes temps in the 90s and heat indexes into between105-110...   Just so you know that means our dew points and therefore, humidity levels that are comparable to what you feel in RAINFORESTS!

 

But I distinctly remember living in Minnesota and would prefer to see this right now...

Photo Friday: Week 28 - Family

PHOTO FRIDAY PROJECT! Week 28's theme is "Family".  With this week's theme being so very broad, it was excessively challenging for me to find only a couple of pictures. I mean, I want to share the connection between my wee ones, and my connection to my sisters and mom who are my cornerstones and that doesn't even touch on my best friends and neighbors who I also view as family!  I am so very beyond blessed to be surrounded by so many loving, kind, supportive people!

Please hop on over to Trina's blog (click her button below) to see the other Photo Friday submissions.  It's so fun to see everyone's ideas of each weeks theme.

Photography - Wordless(ful) Wednesday

  

Have I ever mentioned that I wish I could be a professional photographer?  I've never taken so much as a community education program. Nor have I taken a course in HS or college or ... any type of formal teaching process. As a matter of a fact, I haven't even loaned books through the library to try to teach myself different photography techniques. It all seems so daunting and overwhelming! Way TOO MUCH to learn.  Yet, once in a while, I amaze myself with a decent shot. Below are a few pictures I've taken recently that I really ended up liking, without any type of photo editing software -- not to toot my own horn...

Time Travel Tuesdays

Nicole at By Word of Mouth Musings has created a great link-up/blog hop called Time Travel Tuesdays. Each week she asks you to pull out an old post and link up. It's so much fun to read recycled posts of fellow bloggers.

One of my not-so-proud parenting moments is remembered today...

Friday, March 18, 2011

One of Those Days

You know how sometimes you just have one of THOSE parenting days.  One of those days when you just aren’t proud of your reactions to the wee ones shenanigans or the stunts they pull, because after all, as their primary care giver, you know dang well you taught them so much better than that!!!

So, it was one of THOSE days.  I am unable to share the gory details but I will share the two humorous highlights of the day.

My minivan was totaled a few weeks ago.  A family friend graciously offered to borrow me their tiny, two door sedan while we were waiting to purchase a newer vehicle, which leaves Big E, Little Princess and Little Man all squashed together, shoulder to shoulder, in the back seat.  The wailing and shrieks from the backseat that ensue every time we go anywhere is grating on my ever over-wrought nerves.

Fast forward to THAT day. All the children have just got off the bus after school. I immediately pile them into the sardine can (that we are very grateful to be borrowing!).  We are trying to get to my mom’s apartment so I can help her after her open heart surgery. Children are starving. I swing through Mickey D’s drive-thru for ice cream cones.  All I hear are happy, slurping noises for approximately 4.79 seconds, then more shrieking.

Stop touching me!

You’re dripping ice cream on me!

Wipe your face!

Ewww!

You got ice cream on me again!

Stop it! Stop it!

AHHHHHHH!!!

I look up in the rear view mirror just in time to see Little Man slap his ice cream cone onto Little Princess’ forehead and shout, “There! Now you have my ice cream on you!”

SIGH!

Later that evening, I send Princess and Little Man upstairs to brush their teeth. Although I realize it’s not intelligent to send a four and five year old upstairs without parental supervision, I figured they could briefly contain themselves for a few minutes while I finished in the kitchen.

Suddenly I heard an odd, kind of hissy sound and a chemically smell burned the inside of my nostrils.  Princess started yelling at that moment as I ran for the stairs.

“What is going on up here? What is that smell?!?!”

“AHHHH!  Little Man! Stop spraying that! Stop! Right now! THIS INSTANT!!!” Little Princess launches herself into my arms as I reach the top of the stairs.

“But I pooped and it’s stinky.”

“Hello?! That’s not air freshener! It’s Lysol cleansing foam. Wait! Why’s Princess’ hair all wet?”

“I was helping her get clean,” Little Man announces proudly.

“Oh crap! All those chemicals on her skin and why is the floor wet too? The. Floor. Is. Soaking.  Did you spray this every where?!?!?”

“Yep!” Little Man is sporting a massive smile…

WTH

Double sigh.

Just one of THOSE kinds of parenting days.

The Scoop on Poop Continues -- Red

Yahoo!  I couldn't be more excited!  I am jumping up and down as I clap my hands and squeal with delight.  I am so very honored to be featured as this week's guest blogger on The Scoop on Poop.  Go me!  Go us -- The Drama Mama at The Scoop on Poop!  Check it out!

~*~*~*~*~*~

When you think of the word "red", what comes to mind?  I think most folks immediately think of the color red and their thoughts flow from there.  Depending on what you do for a living, perhaps you relate "red" with blood, a shiny apple, a perfect tulip, or perhaps Clifford the Big Red Dog.  Red is thought to provoke bold or aggressive emotions. It's a color that can cause a faster heartbeat and breathing. It's supposed to be the most popular restaurant design colors since it's an appetite stimulant.  And of course, red is said to be the color of love and passion.

For me, as a RED HEAD, I've always associated the word/color "red" with my hair.  Approximately only 1-2% of the world population has red hair.  There are also common urban myths about red heads becoming "extinct", which is ridiculous if you think about how genetics word, AND I swear, MN has a really big population of red heads. They are everywhere!!!

I am unable to think of red without connecting the thoughts to my wee ones and my own childhood.

It was apparent from an early age that I was frequently noticed and singled out due to my very red -- almost garishly florescent orange -- hair.

Insert Family Folklore: As newborn babe in the hospital nursery, a daddy escorted his little boy to pick up their newborn.  The daddy asked, "Which one do you think is ours?"  My dad was watching from the wings.  The little boy promptly pointed to me and my glowing hair, which stood out noticeably bright against the blondes, brunettes, and bald little cone heads.  When the daddy gently ushered the little boy to his actual sibling (completely bald, I'm told), the little boy threw such a stinking fit that the dad had to carry the flailing boy from the nursery.  Growing up hearing that story, I was proud of my red hair color.

Fast forward to elementary school. All of the boys teased me about the flamboyant color. It was the bane of my existence. I was shy when I was younger and didn't like the extra attention my bright, flaming hair brought on.

Fast forward to junior high school and high school.  I began to LOVE my red hair.  It was now an asset that set me apart from all of the other girls. I remember being so surprised to find that there are actually some guys who really like (and dare I say, prefer) red heads.  It was a totally different story to be "the red head" the guy across the room was eyeing!  What an advantage -- or at least that is what my 16 year old mind thought.

Fast forward one last time.  I'm in my 30's, married, graying quickly (UGH!!!), and three of our four children are red heads.

What does red mean to me now?

Well, truth be told, I think the first thing that comes to mind now days are those famed RED HEADED TEMPERS and their stubbornness!  Now, I know that's a stereotype and usually I don't like to blather on about stereotypes... However, after being a red head and now having 3 of them, it's easy to wonder if there is something to be said for their hair color affecting their feisty attitudes and unrelenting pig-headedness.

From my experience as a redhead, I think redheads are noticed more, teased more, singled out, and perhaps even labeled.  If that is true, maybe they learn to act differently because of that attention (positive and negative). Do we, as redheads, tend to accept the redhead label as an excuse to act a certain way? Good question.  What do you think?

Are redheads unique, passionate, smart and creative? You bet!!!

"Out of the ash I rise

with my red hair.

And eat men like air."

~ Sylvia Plath

P.S. No photo editing on these pictures. My wee ones hair really is this bright!!!

Photo Friday: Week 27 - Red, White & Blue

It's Photo Friday -- a few days late (as usual!) But this time I have great excuses! Over the past month I have been to the doctor no less than 3 times. First it was strep throat, then it was viral bronchitis (nothing they could do), then it was bacterial bronchitis, quickly followed by "Whoops, perhaps it's been pneumonia the whole time" and on Friday I was finally diagnosed with laryngitis. Seriously, people?!?!? I feel like the walking dead. SIGH! However, life is going to be better. I am looking on the positive side of things... No more excuses or sniveling. 

PHOTO FRIDAY PROJECT! Week 27's theme is "Red, White and Blue" for the 4th of July. This was a fun week and there were several fun photos to choose from. Since I am unable to ever narrow it down to only one or two photos, I managed to limit myself to three shots. 

Please hop on over to Trina's blog (click her button below) to see the other Photo Friday submissions.  It's so fun to see everyone's ideas of each weeks theme.