Remember Me?

Remember when I used to write lots of funny things and include lots of great pictures. Well, I have camera issues and computer issues and not much free time so, well, there you go. The other night my husband said, "You haven't blogged lately. I've been checking just to see if anything is going on with my family that I should know about." Well, Mr. Overworked Underpaid Husband, this one's for you:

Conversation with Emma as we were driving past a bridal store:

E: Mom, when I get married, can I wear one of those dresses?

Me: Yes you can!

E: Well, actually, can I just wear your dress from your wedding so that you don't have to spend any money on me because you never like to spend money on me?

Me: Well, your wedding is the most special day in your life and I will definitely buy you a new dress if you want one.

E: Nooooooo Mom, I won't make you do that. That is too much money. I never want you to spend too much money.


This conversation is just weeks after she informed everyone at camp that her mom makes her wear ugly boy rainboots and won't EVER buy her girl ones because she NEVER wants to spend money on buying girl things.

Oh my dear almost 6-year-old going on 45-year-old, don't be so practical and worried about everything. Just try to enjoy your childhood a little longer, okay?

Monday Musings

Today my newest nephew will be born. My sister-in-law has been in labor for approximately forever and any minute now Baby Eklund will be making his debut into the world.

Today our dog officially moved out. Rhonda, our bookkeeper, came to pick her up and whisked her away to happiness. And psychological training (see previous post).

Today I have poison oak all over my face and it is slowly swelling my left eye shut. Incidentally, the oil on mango skin (which I am allergic to) is the same kind of oil on poison oak. Unfortunately my husband didn't know this before he came home covered in poison oak oil and contaminated our house.

Today I have treated myself to an afternoon latte with Trader Joe's Salted Caramel Sauce mixed in. Y.U.M.

Today it is January 24th and it is approximately 66 degrees and all of my windows are open, letting in fresh air. Aaaahhhhmazing.

Happy Monday!

On her way out....

Get this: a dog psychologist has offered to take Lucy on as a personal project, fix her, and then give her back or re-home her. Ummm, did I just say dog psychologist? Do you have to go to school for that or is it just a title you can give yourself if you feel like it? Anyway, needless to say, I have absolutely no faith that our dog can be fixed so, this "psychologist" can go ahead and do what she's gonna do and then re-home Lucy.

Emma is a bit upset about all of this. Afterall, she is the kid who once upon a time insisted that Lucy was her best friend. But we've been explaining that Lucy will be happier with a family that actually plays with her, and doesn't mind having her at their heels all. the. time., and doesn't have to tie her up when they leave for the day because she can't handle being alone.

And as much as I hate disappointing my kids, I'm pretty certain they'll get over it really quickly. I mean, since we've announced that Lucy will be leaving soon, they have made no effort to give her special attention or volunteered to feed her or spent any extra time with her. Nope, they've gone on as usual; locking her inside when they're out playing because she always ruins their games and knocks them over.

As for me, I'm gonna get over it quickly too. Yep, no more hair everywhere, and having to wash cat poop out of her fur, and having to restrain her from jumping excitedly on every single person who walks through our doors, and cleaning poop out of our carpet because there was a thunderstorm and she panicked, and trying to get her to stop whining and freaking out whenever anyone is elevated above the ground (ie, on a chair, on a ladder, on a slide). Nope, there are only are a few things I will definitely miss about her: she keeps cats out of the yard, and she mops the floor (and highchair) clean after every meal. I guess I'll have to learn how to use a pellet gun and teach the kids how to sweep ;)

Where have we been?

The hard drive on my laptop is full so I can't upload any photos until I go through the last 3 years worth of pics and cull the ones that we don't need. This process is tedious and depressing because when I'm forcing myself to go through the albums, there's no denying that my kids are growing up. Fast. And even though I may not actually print each picture, there are memories attached to them that I don't really want to delete. Sniff, sniff.

I hear that if my husband would only set up a network, I could store the photos on his hard drive and then share them on my computer. But alas, until then I'll have to post without pics. And who wants to just read a post with no pics? Boooooring.

But, just to make sure you'll come back again when I actually get around to posting, here's some glimpses into what we've been doing around here. Photos and stories coming soon. I hope.:

1. My husband won the dessert portion of my family's Christmas Eve cooking and baking competition.

2. Landon started walking. What is it about watching babies take their first steps that reminds me of MJ's "Thriller" video?!

3. Lucy (our dog) spent the week between Christmas and New Year with Dylan's employee Grant. The kids didn't miss her one bit. It took several days before they even asked where she was. Dylan and I saw this as confirmation that we can indeed get rid of her without scarring our children for life. Anyone want her?

Wecome to the next few years...

Landon got ear tubes put in last week. They'll be in for the next few years, until his ears grow bigger and they fall out (or something like that). He can bathe by himself in treated water and go in swimming pools without wearing ear plugs but if he bathes with his siblings or goes in the hot tub or swimming in a lake, he has to wear ear plugs to keep bacteria out of his tubes.

How do you keep ear plugs in a one-year-old's ears?

You use an Ear Band-It, of course...Are you disturbed by this picture, too? The thing makes him look cross-eyed and smoosh-faced.

Oh well. Hopefully it works.

8th Annual Christmas-Costume Party

This is NOT another "tacky sweater" party. Oh no. A lot of the people who come wear sweaters that they would actually wear out in public and I certainly don't want to offend anyone by calling their clothes tacky.

Instead it's a party where you can wear your beautiful festive sweaters or think outside the box and come up with a Christmas-themed costume. And eat from a chocolate fountain.


Here are some of this year's best:

Mr. Peppermint:

A gift to God:

Christmas Sweater Gigi & Sugar Plum Princess Emma


A gift to Lee (and Lee):(this was great because Billie couldn't move her arms in the box so she had to drink from a straw and have her husband hand feed her the whole night!)
The winners: Reindeer Family
Rudolph, Dancer, Vixen & Prancer

aaand, of course, Grandpa Vern dressed as Santa:


George & Father John
Christmas Tree & her boy!

If you didn't make it this year, you should next year. For realz.

Empathy

My kids have had a whole slew of health issues this year.

I'm not really sure why but between the three of them, there has been multiple cases of pink eye, lots of double ear infections, some random rashes, a broken foot, a stitched up chin, and ear surgery.

Unfortunately for my kids, I have never personally experienced any of these issues so I can have sympathy for them, just not empathy.

I could tell Grady that I felt bad that he had to wear a cast, but I couldn't speak from experience and explain to him that it wouldn't hurt when they sawed it off his leg. And I can assure Emma that she'll still be beautiful with a little scar on her chin, but I couldn't really understand why the stitches itched so bad. And poor little Landon- I have no idea what ear infections feel like and why they kept him up at night so I could only give him some Motrin and pray that he could go back to sleep.

Since I'm a mom, you'd better believe that I'd willingly take on any of these ailments just so my kids wouldn't have to go through them, but for whatever reason, that's not the way things work, and my heart gets broken for them each time.

Well, folks, FINALLY this week, I was able to have some empathy for one of my kids:

I don't know what it feels like to have your ear drums cut open and to have tubes inserted. And I don't know what it feels like to wake up from general anesthesia in the arms of a strange lady. Heck, I don' t even know what Tylenol with Codine makes your head feel like.But I DO know why Landon was crying when I took this picture. I know how he felt when we put this little hospital gown on him. I understand what it felt like to have his diaper hanging out the back of his gown for all the world to see. (At least he got to wear cute little diapers with his gown and not stuffed mesh underwear- right ladies?!). I know how drafty and stiff and uncomfortable those gowns can be. And to Landon I can honestly, empathetically say that I hope he never has to go through that again!