New Look for the New Year

I realize it isn't quite the new year, but since Christmas has passed, I decided my blog needed a new look for the new year. Isn't it pretty? I've been really liking pink & brown combinations lately, so this background appealed to me. I could put up the "school" pictures of the kids again, but I am hoping to get new ones taken eventually. They were awfully cute in the Santa hat, but it's a new year! I need a fresh start.

So, in Relief Society the teacher asked if everyone had thought about their New Year's resolutions. I have to confess, I'm sort of anti-resolutions. I'm a firm believer that if you want to set a goal, you should do it TODAY and not wait for the new year or the new week or a new day. On that note, I have only one goal for the new year-- this year I want to get published. (I said that in 2007 & 2008, but I'm setting that goal again, and I will continue to set that goal until I have a book on the shelf.) I supposed at some point I ought to give up on the idea, but that is the problem. I can't. I've been trying, but it won't go away. So, I'm starting a major revision of the novel, and hoping that it will be a better book when I'm finished. I'll re-submit it and wait for yet another rejection. And one of these years, maybe-- just maybe, it won't get rejected.

Twofer

It's Christmas eve.

Santa's coming tonight.

So, what did my kids do?They decided they needed a visit from the tooth fairy, too. Dylan was the official tooth-puller. Ethan and Mazie each had one loose, and both came out. Here they are pointing to the holes left by the teeth.

I also wanted to show you all the wonderful gift my sister sent me for Christmas. When I saw the box, I knew what it was because I told her I wanted it. She made me this sign for our stockings since we don't have a mantle. The kids wanted a picture with it, too.

Frosted Gingerbread House

I need giant candy canes and peppermint stepping stones. Don't you think this would make the perfect Gingerbread house for Christmas? I realized this last year when my kids were making a gingerbread house with my mom. They placed the windows and doors. It looked just like our house, except back then our house was green. Now it's a nice golden brown.
Also, our little town has some fun (admittedly quirky) traditions. One is that the banks have open houses during the last week of school before Christmas. They serve cookies and punch and invite the high school choirs and the preschools to come caroling. Here is Mazie's preschool class singing at the bank. Notice that they even have a piano. I love this town. I was sitting behind her for most of the caroling, so I had to steal a snapshot when she turned around to smile at me. Such cute little reindeer!

Coming out of Hiding

There is something to be said about keeping family trials private. My husband is particularly sensitive to this-- whether it's me or the kids or whatever, we generally choose to face our trials quietly. Still, it seems that EVERYONE in the world already knows, so what difference does it make if I comment about our current predicament on my blog? We went to church and the ENTIRE branch knew. At school, all the other parents know. I've gottenfacebook messages from Nathan's cousins in other states who have already heard the news. Our days of hiding were few. So, here goes.... Nathan lost his job.

He showed up at work last Friday, and they said he was laid off-- no severance, no notice, just "thanks for wasting two years of your life with us, and see you later." This is part of the reason why our house has been on the market for nearly a year. We were trying to prepare for a day like this, so if he lost his job, we could go wherever he found another one. Well, to date, we still have no offers on the house. Every job he's applied for is far away. His old employer (which was our fall back plan) is struggling and also laying people off, so there's no chance of getting back on with them. All of this happened on the twelfth. Thirteen days before Christmas.

Two weeks ago I had a dream. I woke in the middle of the night and Nathan was home. Josie was crying, and he went in to see her. I said, "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at work." He replied, "I got laid off." In my dream I feel back to sleep and woke again. He was still there beside me, so I knew it wasn't a dream. The next morning before opening my eyes, I felt Nathan's side of the bed to make sure it was empty, and it was. My relief wasindescribable.

We'd heard through the grape vine that the company was planning more lay-offs. For about a week we worried ourselves sick. The day before Nathan got his notice, we were both nearly ill with the stress of it. On Friday when he found out, I cried all morning. I'd been fasting that he would be able to keep his job and if he didn't that we'd get enough severance to get by until he found another one. We received neither of those things. What I received was peace. I got on my knees and told my Heavenly Father how afraid I was, and asked Him to help me face this trial with grace.

By the time Nathan got home from the job site, my tears were dry, and I knew we would be okay. Financially, who knows? We may lose everything, but there are somethings we cannot lose. No one can take away the covenants we've made to each other and our Heavenly Father. No one can take away our education. I'm still a teacher and he's still an electrician, and even if we had to start over with nothing, we'd be better off than where we were when we first got married, because now we have employable skills. While Montana and Washington would not issue me a certificate without additional training, the state of Wyoming would, and I'd make nearly double there anyway. So, I told Nathan that if he has to take a lower-paying job, he should do it in Wyoming. (His sister has already enthusiastically volunteered to have Josie if I need to get a job. Can you tell her youngest is growing up too fast?)

Overall we've been pleased with the job postings we've seen. Nathan has applied for some great jobs, but the waiting is killing us. Especially at this time of year, employers are slow to close postings and slow to move on the interview process. One job he applied for closes today. It's the first. Some others don't even close until the end of the year.

On Sunday, I was teary all through Sacrament meeting. I wonder if the branch presidency was inspired to choose the speakers and topics for us. Traci spoke on adversity. I remember one part of her talk very clearly. The gist of it was this: if we are really in tune with the Lord and trust him completely, we would be grateful for our trials because it is an opportunity for the Lord to bless us.

The first day that Nathan was home, our phone rang off the hook, mostly calls from guys he worked with who were sorry to see him go and eager to help him find another job. People have been very kind. Of course, no one can fix this for us, but we have been supported by our friends and family. For that I'm very grateful. I think trials give people a chance to love you and to show it as they normally would not.

We debated whether or not we should still travel home to Washington for Christmas. However, I don't think we could stand to stay cooped up in the house for the entire winter break-- and I do mean cooped up. Forget playing outside in the snow, because it's been below zero nearly everyday for a week. If there is one blessing in this, it's that we can come home sooner. Here is another blessing: Nathan will be here for Christmas. He was scheduled to work Christmas day.

And, I have to throw this in just because you'll all laugh. I've had a sinus infection for weeks, and it's finally healing. Add to that stress, fasting and more stress. I've lost eight pounds. I told my sister, and she replied, "I want a sinus infection!" She's never had one, and I assured her that, no she doesn't. Still, it's one less thing bringing me down. I may be broke, but I look better in my jeans than I did two weeks ago!

Maybe Later

Sorry, I'm too distressed to blog now. Give me a week or so, and maybe I'll climb back onto the blogging wagon. I'll start blogging when I have something positive to say. Please let that be soon.

What a Relief

I spent the day taking inventory of all the neglect I've done to my house in the consuming stress of the branch Christmas dinner. Thankfully, it is now over. It was very well attended, and we welcomed several less active families and visitors into our building. I'm very pleased with the turn-out. We had way too much food. I guess now we'll know better what to buy a lot of and what to buy less of. I was happy that we had plenty, and everyone could have seconds if they wanted and they could all leave full.

And, the left-overs will not be wasted because there is a funeral scheduled for Saturday, and the Relief Society was going to have to provide the meal. I was happy to help them out with everything that we bought that we couldn't use.

Now I can turn my focus back to my family and putting my house back together. Yikes. It's amazing what two days of neglect can do.

A Minor Irritation

Can you believe our Costco did not have bagged salad today? I think I've bought bagged salad there more than a dozen times, but the day that I need salad for a hundred people, they are suddenly OUT? Arrrrgh! I'm so glad I wasn't shopping alone. I stood there in awe, then looked at Michelle (the other Michelle) and said, "What do we do?"

I love that Michelle is always so level-headed. She doesn't panic like me. We just bought a lot of Romain and we're going to shred carrots into it for a very simple salad.

STILL. No bagged salad-- at Costco! I couldn't believe it. I should have gone to the other town, because I was just there last week, and they had bagged salad.

Today, I've been a little restless because it's too early to start cooking, but I'm worried that I won't get everything done tomorrow. I may have trouble sleeping tonight. I actually called my mom so I could lay out the time schedule for when everything had to be in the ovens. (My mom is an expert at large-function meals. She learned the art from the pro of all pros-- Phyllis Mason. I love Phyllis and her cooking.)

So, the potatoes are washed and ready to be baked. The salad fixings are at the church in the fridge, ready to be chopped, and Michelle has the roasters to do the meat. We have this all under control. The only thing not under control is my worry. Nathan thinks I'm a little crazy right now--"It's only food," he said. "You just have to cook it." He's such a man. That's why he's so good for me. He puts things into perspective.

Quick Update

It's late, and I should be going to bed. Tomorrow I have to go to town and buy the food for our Branch Christmas dinner. Last year they had about 40 people attend. Tonight I called around and got RSVPs from seventy-five with another twenty in the "maybe" category. I should also note that our branch has shrunk in size lately, so this is very good news. However, I'm stressed since I've never cooked for a hundred people before, but interestingly enough, I've always had it in my head that we should plan for a hundred.

So, I will blog on Thursday to let you know how the dinner goes, but I wanted to tell you all that the rash is fading. I'm looking less like a red and white Dalmatian. It is gone from my neck and face. I think I was blessed for going to church and bearing my testimony, because I left wearing a turtleneck with the rash all the way up my cheeks, and when I got home, it had faded down to my chest. My torso is considerably better. It was the most inflamed. My legs still have the rash pretty badly, but it's snowing, so no one is seeing my legs anyway. Last night I was able to fall asleep without scratching. The night before I was up until one simply because every time I laid down, I started itching so badly that I couldn't stand it. I have one more day on the medication. If the rash isn't gone, I'll have to call the doctor for a refill, so I'm really hoping that it will all clear up by tomorrow night.

Valine, about the "Spencer remedies"-- I had strep throat last year three times, and one nurse who saw me told me that one of the best natural remedies for strep was "mother" vinegar. I drank nearly an entire bottle over the course of the week, and still nothing cleared it. Nathan has had a chest cough for weeks, and he's started the vinegar method. It's working for him. I think homeopathic remedies work for some people and not for others. I'm one that they never seem to work on. This is the first antibiotic that I've ever had a reaction to, and when I lived in Mattawa I had a sinus infection that had to be treated with two consecutive courses of antibiotics because it was so bad that the normal stuff wouldn't work, so they had to break out the really powerful prescription. Mostly I think the doctor who gave me this was a moron, because the second doctor I saw said this reaction is common to that particular drug. Now I'll know to tell them I'm not taking that kind of drug EVER again.

Amy C- If you're reading, here's your answer about us living "out" of town. Actually, we don't live out of town. I live on one of the busiest streets in my little town. (About fifty cars pass my house everyday-- all going to the high school.) :) But our town is about 1100 strong, with one grocery store and one very small drug store. You can go to the doctor, fill a prescription and buy milk around here, but if I want to go to Costco and Target (my two essential stores) I have to drive either 50 miles over the mountains in one direction or 80 miles in the other direction. We shop both places depending on the weather, etc. We go to the dentist, the plastic surgeon, my OB, and any other specialist in the 80-mile town. Josie was born there, and there's a temple there, too. Generally speaking, I drive to the 50 mile town because Costco and Target are on the same exit right next to the highway. And, that's where I'm going tomorrow, even though it snowed today. (The freeway should be clear by morning.)

Miserable Me

This weekend I've been miserable. I went to the doctor last Saturday because my cold had morphed into a sinus infection. Yesterday, day seven of the antibiotics, I started breaking out in a rash. I wondered if it was something I ate. Did my body suddenly decide it was allergic to nuts or something? This rash thing has never happened to me before. I took two Benadryl and went to bed, expecting to wake in the morning completely fine.

I woke this morning to find that the rash had spread over my entire body, down to my toes, my fingers, all over my torso, and all the way up to my hair. Even my ears itched. I went to the clinic as soon as they opened. I didn't even call and tell them I was coming. Nine o'clock rolled around and I was in the door. I saw a different doctor this time. This one is the one who stitched Ethan in the ER, and I really like him. He took one look at me and said it was the antibiotic. While he wrote out a prescription for me he asked how Ethan's lip looks. I was so happy to tell him that it looks great and thank him for how he helped us in the ER. I think he was concerned that we might be sorry we didn't take Ethan to a surgeon the first night, but I told him I thought what we did was for the best. The surgeon preferred seeing Ethan two days later when a lot of the swelling had gone down.

Anyway, after chatting with the doctor, I went straight to the drug store and filled the prescription. In my mind, I'm thinking it's going to start working right away. I'm going to go home, take the pills and the rash with start to fade. I looked at Calamine lotion, but decided not to spend the extra six bucks. I was going to be healed.

Well, I'm not healed and three hours later, I was so miserable and itchy that Nathan went to the store and came back with Calamine lotion, which helps only moderately. I'm embarrassed to go to church tomorrow, but I didn't go last week because I was so sick. I think I'm going to have to break out a turtleneck. It won't hide the rash on my face-- oh yes, it's there too-- but at least people won't be grossed out looking at my arms and splotchy red neck. I hope I can find a pair of black tights, too, because NO WAY am I wearing nylons. And, don't even think I'm going to post pictures. Just take a photo of me, print it out and cover it with dots from a red marker. That's how I look.

Snowy, Snowy Night

Today I had a marathon day in town. Up at 6:00 A.M., out the door by seven to get two kids to the dentist by 8:30. Afterward, I bought them shakes then headed to Toys R' Us, where I met up with Nathan's sister. We shopped with a total of seven kids in tow (although I don't think her two oldest count as kids anymore-- they're teenagers and great babysitters.) Ethan insisted on riding in her car everywhere we went. Her two-year-old wanted to go to Hobby Lobby, so we went and hit a great 50% off sale.

While we were there I got at text from my husband saying, "How's the trip going? Are you crazy yet?" I wrote back that I was in Hobby Lobby with his sister, to which he promptly replied, "Don't spend all my money!" She and I both got a good laugh out of that.

In the afternoon I took Ethan to his follow-up appointment with the surgeon. The scar looks great, and he's pleased with how it's healing.

All the while, it was snowing in town, but not sticking. It snowed all day and turned to slush on the streets. Finally about three-thirty I headed for home with three tired kids and a very cranky toddler. Halfway home it turned colder, the snow began sticking on the road, and I thought of a joke I'd heard a few years ago. "If you can drive 70 miles an hour through a blizzard, you might be from Wyoming." Ditto for all the mountain states, I think. The roads were good as far as roads go around here in the winter.

We came home to four or five inches of snow on our yard, and it's still snowing. It's beautiful, powdery snow that all the skiers will love. No chance of building a snowman, though. Before bed, I caught Josie standing at the window looking out at the white yard. I thought of what a wonder it must be for her to see the snow. She wouldn't remember last year-- it's all new again.

So, if Thanksgiving and shopping didn't put me in the holiday mood. It's now officially Christmastime. We have the greeting-card snow on our roofs to prove it!

Let the Countdown Begin

Tomorrow is December. I'm ready to buy a tree and break out the decorations. I've been debating whether I should wait for Nathan to come home for this grand event, or just take care of it myself. The truth is, while he enjoys the decorations once they're up, he doesn't like the process-- the hauling out boxes and moving stuff around. However, I don't think I want to have to shop for, haul, saw and put up the tree alone. Wednesday isn't that far away. Maybe I'll look for our advent calendars and leave the rest until he gets here.



Today I'm grateful to be feeling a little better. My cold turned into a sinus infection, and I haven't felt like doing much all weekend. Yesterday I went to the clinic and got a prescription. We stayed home from church because I'm sick, Josie's sick, and now Ethan is coughing. I figured the branch didn't want to catch our colds.



I rented a pile of movies for my kids this weekend, so they would feel like it was a holiday instead of just a really long weekend. They are watching a Christmas movie right now. I just want to be well, so I can enjoy all the preparations for Christmas-- making candy, wrapping gifts, planning my branch Christmas party (in a week and a half), finishing up our shopping. This year, I'm ready for the holiday cheer. I need it.

Family Thanksgiving

I guess you could say our Thanksgiving was kind of a bummer this year. Nathan's shift started on Thanksgiving day, so we couldn't travel to see our families. We went last weekend, but we didn't do a Thanksgiving feast. We just visited. Still, I wanted it to feel like Thanksgiving, so I bought a small turkey breast and baked it Wednesday while the kids were in school. We had Thanksgiving dinner on a much smaller scale, but I was so grateful to sit around the table with my family and talk about all the blessings we are thankful for. I took one snapshot of the small event. The kids insisted on lit candles, and Josie was trying to blow them from her seat. You'll notice the folding chairs. When I bought my table the store didn't have the chairs that I wanted, and I've never gotten back to buy my chairs. We actually borrowed the folding chairs. If nothing else, this little meal made me determined to buy my chairs. I want us to sit like this every night, instead of having the kids at the bar and Nathan and I at the table with Josie.

Stop Ignoring Me!

Blog: You've been ignoring me.

Michelle: I've been busy, you know.

Blog: Not too busy to check your email and your facebook wall.

Michelle: I'm not ignoring you. I just need time to take care of you properly. Besides, I lost the cord that connects the camera to the laptop.

Blog: (sniff) But you found it, and you're still ignoring me.

Michelle: It's not you I'm mad at. It's the laptop. It's not charging the battery properly.

Blog: You said you'd take care of me!!

Michelle: All right, all right. I'll catch up. Read on..............................

Blog: What about Thanksgiving?
Michelle: I'll post about that tomorrow!

"My" Christmas Present

This past weekend, we went to Washington to pick up "my" Christmas present. Nathan's been saying for more than a year that he was going to buy me one. Well, this year he actally did it. (For the record, I asked for a wheat grinder.) Here he is with Ethan the morning were going to take it out for a spin.

That's Nate's four-wheeler that Ethan is sitting on. The funniest thing is that Nathan's is a 700, so what did he buy me? An 800. I was having flashbacks of my parents setting me loose on a green-broke mustang when I was twelve-- way more power than I could handle. Here I am, all bundled up before our ride. Brrrr. It was cold. I thought four-wheeling was a summer sport. Nathan disagrees. Let's head for Moab, baby!

Here Comes Trouble

Josie has been such a sweet baby. I called my husband all teary last week because I can't stand the thought of my sweet little girl turning into a terrible toddler. She's walking now and up to lots of mischief. It's not the mischief that I dread so much as the tantrums, the beginning of disobedience, the pulling away when I want to cuddle her. It makes me sad, but you have to laugh at the stuff they do, or it will very likely drive you insane. So, I thought I'd share some of Josie's antics the past week.

I went to get her up from her nap, and she had this in her hand. See her "smile" for the camera. Oh, yeah. She knows when she's naughty.She'd pulled off her sweatpants and diaper. Here is a better view.
Good thing she wasn't poopie. Then, we went to visit Grandma. I woke up the next morning to find that Dad had gotten Josie up, then he went outside to unload his four-wheeler. Josie got this bag of chips out of the trash and had a very nutritious breakfast.
Grandma's house is loads of fun! Josie loved playing the piano.
Even when we covered the keys, she enjoyed it.
Poor Grandma. All her books and pictures were rearranged before we caught the little monster in the act.
Then JoJo found this beautiful wig to wear....

And got laughs from everyone, herself included.She found a sparkly pair of heals that she just HAD to try. She walked amazingly well in them. Grandma made play-dough, hoping to keep the kids entertained. Josie climbed on the table and wanted ALL the play-dough.
Back home again, I heard splashing. Does anyone else's bathroom look like this?
What you can't see is the bottle of lotion in the toilet. Who do you think did that?That's right, our little angel. Look at that grin. Don't tell me-- it's just the beginning. Here comes trouble!

Looking Good!

I'm very grateful for all of you that expressed your well wishes for Ethan. I just had to show you the new photos. Remember this is what he looked like the day after he was bitten by the dog.

The last of the stitches and the scab from plastic surgery fell off this past weekend. Here is how his lip looks now.

It is SO much better! It's not perfect, but it's only been two weeks since the attack. I'm sure the scar will continue to fade. Best of all....

...he can finally smile again. Oh, how we missed that smile.

More Good News

The last of the scab & stitches fell off Ethan's lip today. It looks so good! I can't wait to post a photo. I'd take one with my camera phone and email it to myself, but it doesn't zoom very well, so you'll have to wait a day or so until I get home and find my cord.



In other news, my sister-in-law enrolled me in a Facebook account. She said I really needed to be on Facebook. As I was going through the photos on my computer, I realized there aren't any good ones of me that I want to post for people I haven't seen in fifteen years to look at. Yikes! I'm so worried everyone will look at me and say, "Wow, she's really gone downhill since high school." So, at the moment, my Facebook profile picture is the absent shadow. Just call me Michelle the Mystery. No one can see me until I find a decent picture. :)

Happiness is...

...being with those you love.

We are in Washington visiting family. My step-father is in the hospital again, and I'm sad that he isn't making a miraculous recovery. I am very grateful for an understanding husband and mother-in-law who took care of my four kids so I could drive down and spend an entire day with my mom. While my mom would have loved to see the kids, it would have been stressful to have them at the hospital. We spent a few hours just waiting and visiting while the hospital got my step-dad's room ready. Then they decided they needed to clear him of a certain contagious infection, and before the tests came back, everyone who entered the room had to robe and glove up. I couldn't imagine trying to do that with kids.

I got my mom out of the hospital for while. We went to lunch and shopped for fabric at Joann's. I was disappointed to find a fabric that I paid full price for at home on the clearance rack here. Bummer. But, hey, tharker, if you want that quilt-looking print, it's on clearance in the back of the Joann's in Richland.

I've missed my mom so much this fall. It was nice just to spend the afternoon together, to talk over fabric and tacos and drop by her house for a moment to put the horses in and feed the dog. I really needed that one-on-one time with my mom. I guess kids grow up, but we change very little.

Today, Nathan and I went out and rode "my" Christmas present-- more about that later when I have the cord to connect my camera to the computer. (I left it at home.) It was fun, but cold, so when the guys said they wanted to go up the mountain, I handed the key over to my brother-in-law and stayed back with the kids. Just like I needed my time with my mom, I think my husband needs his time with his dad and brothers.

I'm grateful that the three passes that I had to drive over to get here were all dry and clear. Our nine-hour drive was uneventful. Yesterday, we went to our old ward and saw many of our old friends. Tomorrow we will head home. We'll hope for another uneventful trip--that the kids will sleep and that the weather will be good. This trip home has only wet our appetite, though. Now we'll be counting the days until we come back in December!

Have You Seen This?

Have you seen this page?

http://jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod/eng/

I was clicking through the main LDS.org page, and saw the link. It is wonderful! If you haven't had a chance yet, check it out.

Making Progress

I wanted to post after-surgery pictures of Ethan, but lately I've been under the weather and didn't get around to loading them. When I was trying to take his picture, Dylan wanted in on the fun.
There are still stitches, but these are several small dissolvable stitches instead of six big ones. We're hoping the scaring will be minimal. Still, it's SO much better than he looked when we took him to the ER.And, he pulled the seri-strips off his temple. All that is left there is a scratch. So, my boy is on the mend, thank goodness. Now if I can get over the stomach flu, we'll all be dandy.

The Best 20 Bucks I've Spent

I read an article about these jeans. They are the Signature line by Levi-Strauss, available at Walmart. The totally-slimming line was extensively tested by women, who gave it rave reviews for making them look and feel thinner. I made a special trip to Walmart (because I hate Walmart and rarely shop there) just to buy these jeans. I tried on two pairs. The Totally-Slimming in an 8 fit, but they were super stretchy, and made me feel a bit like I was painted into them. The jeans right next to them were non-stretchy boot-cut, but the same Signature line. On an impulse, I grabbed the 6. Amazingly, it fit and felt wonderful. I've been wearing these jeans almost everyday since I bought them. It's so nice to have a pair of jeans that I feel actually look good on me. And cheap, too! $19.68. That is the best 20 bucks I've spent in a a long time.

And the winner is...

For the hostess apron give-away, the winner is Earlgirl! Yeah!

Email me at poopiebrowneyes@yahoo.com with your address and I'll send it off. (And Kelly's snowflakes, too.)

A Moment of Peace

This is just a quick post to document a rare occurrence in my household. Quiet.

Near absolute quiet.

Mazie had a typical Mazie morning. She cried and wailed and threw a fit because I wouldn't let her take a shower. (She had one last night.) Then she wailed over breakfast. Then she and Ethan were screaming at each other.

I was so hysterical by the time we should leave for church that I seriously wondered what I was doing taking them at all. How hypocritical of me to show up at church with four neatly dressed kids, looking like we're all put together, when I just had a screaming fit to beat all. Well, I took them anyway.

We made it through church, and I was able to attend Relief Society for the first time in years. It was great. I actually left church feeling like I'd been renewed, but wouldn't you know it, the moment we got to the car, Mazie threw a fit because I wouldn't give her a second piece of gum. And I wouldn't let her sit in the front seat because of the air bag. I am a terrible mother. Just ask her. She'll tell you how every one's mom is so much nicer.

I told her as of today I was reinstituting naps! She was going to nap everyday until kindergarten or until she stopped screaming at me over every little thing. She wailed, of course, and begged not to nap. I told her that as soon as she screamed and cried she was going to bed, and there would be no discussion.

She and Ethan made it a whole two hours without a major fight, and then came the wail. I was upstairs, where Josie was sleeping. I came down, shut off the game (which was the cause of the fight), sent Ethan up to his room and marched Mazie off to the spare bedroom where I laid with her until she was asleep. I came out and went to find Ethan. He was already asleep upstairs.

At the moment there are three children asleep in the house. Dylan, my angel child, is quietly playing a game. For once, there is peace, which I desperately need!

Self Portraits

Mazie recently develped a love for taking pictures. Today I showed her how to use the self-timer on the camera. I thought I'd share her cute pictures.

You'll notice the chair on the table. I wasn't sweeping. That's how we keep Josie from climbing. She was sleeping when these pictures were taken, and I forgot to take the chair down.

Shhh! It's a Secret.

If my sister ever decides to boot up her computer and look at my blog, this will totally ruin her Christmas surprise, but the chances of that happening are slim, so I'm posting this anyway. I finally finished the two Emmeline Aprons that I wanted to sew. They are identical. One is for me and the other is Janae's Christmas gift. The Emmeline pattern is reversible, so I basically made this apron four times. This is my favorite side.

Nathan took the picture, so it's farther away than I would have liked, but beggars can't be choosers. The ties are actually brown with white polka dots. The other side is this fabric.I feel inclined to review this pattern since I made it twice. It was a little frustrating the first time through because I somehow missed a cutting step and then was missing a piece when I started sewing. The apron is adorable, but it's heavy. To make a single reversible apron requires 3 3/4 yards of fabric!!! That is enough to make an entire outfit. I really wish it had a single-side option, and maybe if I were more of a seamstress, I would have figured out a way to just make one side and have it be finished-looking in the back. As it was, I just followed the instructions, but I'll probably never wear it with the quilted print side out. I really loved the brown floral and debated whether to make both sides the same. I picked this second print because I thought Janae might like it better, and I did want both of our aprons to be alike.

As a side note, I used an entire spool of thread making two aprons, then I had to buy another one and I've use about a 1/4 of it, too. That seemed excessive. This pattern was way more labor intensive than the Home Ec. one I used years ago. However, I have been really watching apron patterns lately, and this one is one of the cutest I've seen. The high waistband takes some getting used to, though. I have to say it's fun to have an apron that is prettier than half the clothes I wear. I even bought it a special hook at... (where else?) Hobby Lobby. (By the way, all you Washingtonians are out of luck. Hobby Lobby is Mountain states and eastward. No stores on the west coast at all.)

So, when I bought eight yards of fabric for these aprons, I hit the end of the bolt on the quilted pattern, and they offered me the extra 3/4 of a yard at 50% off. Of course I bought it. It was a bargain. With the left over fabric, I made this hostess apron. Mostly, I was just trying out the pattern, which is to say that I didn't use a pattern. I made it up as I went along. It turned out cute, but I already have an apron from this fabric. So, I was wondering... Does anyone want this one? I'd be happy to give it away. I very seldom wear half aprons, because I always seem to spatter my shirt with grease when I'm cooking. I need full aprons. I used several pieces from the Emmeline pattern to make it. The ruffle is two straps sewn together, and the waistband is the bodice of the Emmeline pattern. I used the same wide straps, so they are long enough to bring around and tie in front.

If you would like to own this hostess apron, just leave me a comment. And, you have to promise not to be critical of my limited sewing skills.

Enough Already!

This week keeps getting worse. As if the ER, two doctor visits, surgery and a sprained wrist wasn't enough, last night I decided I needed to wash the overflowing pile of dishes in my sink and on my kitchen counters. I loaded the dishwasher, washed the pans and then carefully hand washed the blender, but it slipped and the blade went under the nail on my ring finger (of my left hand) and made this huge cut under the nail. Ouch! So, now I'm gimpy on both hands. Will someone wake me up when this week is OVER!

Have you heard of Hobby Lobby?

At my sister-in-law's urging, I made my first trip to Hobby Lobby. OH, MY GOSH!!! I think I have found my Mecca. I could have spent thousands of dollars in there-- the furniture, the baskets, fabric, BEADS, wood crafts, paint, awesome decor. Wow. I mean, WOW.

I managed to escape having spent only $36 on two boxes that look like over sized books (I'm planning to use them as my new jewelry box, since mine was commandeered by a four-year-old), a pretty hook that is going to display my new aprons (which I had planned to post about before all h@!! broke loose around here) and a model car that Ethan picked out. It's his "I'm going to be good for surgery" prize a day early. I found a beautiful $60 platter that I wished I could have bought for my mom. I found a trunk with fake belt straps that I want to use as a coffee table (I mean Pepsi table, since I don't drink coffee). I found a whole bunch of baskets that I liked. I've also been looking for cute banks for my kids to put change in (the Mason jars are getting old), and yes, they have those, too. They were so cute-- basketballs, footballs, pigs in tutus. I'm serious, I could have spent hundreds of dollars in five minutes flat.

I may never go to Michael's again! So, if I suddenly go missing in town, look for me at Hobby Lobby.

Off to Surgery

We saw the plastic surgeon today, and I felt very good about the visit. He opened a spot for Ethan at the outpatient surgical facility, and we are scheduled to be there tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. It should take a few hours, but we'll be home tomorrow evening, and I'm grateful that Ethan doesn't have to stay overnight. My friend Michelle is keeping the girls, and I'm having Dylan ride the bus home with a friend after school, so I think I now have all my bases covered. Nathan will be able to come up to the hospital, and I'm very grateful for that, even though he'll have to head back to work after Ethan's out of surgery.

Thank you all for your words of love and kindness. I really appreciate it. Ethan was a little worried about the surgery. Mostly he didn't want them to put another needle in his lip. Now that he knows he gets to sleep through the whole thing, he's fine.

On top of everything else, I think I sprained my wrist. SO stupid! I was moving a box of Boy Scout popcorn and twisted it funny. I iced it yesterday, but typing is making it hurt, so I'm going to sign off. Luckily, it's my right hand, so I can still write the old fashioned way.

Update on Ethan

Today I took Ethan back to the doctor. The stitches are healing fine and the swelling is going down, but as the doctor looked at the lines, he said he wasn't convinced that he had gotten the lip lined up right when he stitched it. He said he could numb it and try to fix it, or I could consult a plastic surgeon. I said I'd rather consult with a plastic surgeon-- for two reasons. First, I want it done right, and second, I want it done under general anesthesia, so Ethan doesn't have to go through the pain of more Novocain shots. Dr. Walker totally agreed and called to consult with a plastic surgeon. I have to take Ethan in tomorrow at nine for a quick consultation appointment, and he will probably schedule him for surgery on Thursday. The surgeon said with a kid this young, you might as well get it all fixed right before it's done healing.

As far as I'm concerned, I just want it done right. I want him to look as normal as possible. His smile may never be exactly like it was, but then again, it might, so I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

Another blessing of having the surgery this Thursday is that Nathan will probably be able to get someone to cover for him at work, so he can come to the hospital. The hospital is halfway in between us-- an hour from me, and an hour and a half from where Nathan works.

I went into the school today and let them know that Ethan won't be in the rest of the week. I really love our school. All of the staff have been so loving and supportive of Ethan, even teachers he's never had. I feel privileged to live in a town where people really care about each other.

ER Visit **Warning: Graphic Photos**

I've been thinking a lot lately about how our lives can turn on a dime. You can be floating smoothly, and then in a moment, everything changes. We had a moment like that yesterday.

Ethan's friend is moving-- to Washington, actually. I had a few boxes that I wanted to drop by their house to help them out. It was just a small act of kindness for a family that is leaving. As I pulled into the driveway, they were leaving somewhere. I told the dad that I had a few boxes for them. As I went around to the trunk, Ethan got out of the car. He wanted to say hi to his friend. He was standing there petting the dog and all of the sudden the dog growled. Ethan screamed and was on the ground. When I got to him, he was holding his mouth. When we pulled his hand away, my heart just dropped. It looked like the dog had bit off half Ethan's lip. I was sure we'd have to take him to the next town to see a plastic surgeon, but when the doctor got there, he said that the tissue was all still there, it had just broken open. He said he could stitch it back up. If the scar is too big later, we can see a plastic surgeon. So, Nathan stayed with him while he got stitches. It still looks pretty gory, but this is how it looks today. The stitches are black, so the lines are dark and that looks bad. Our biggest concern is that the pink part of his lip may not line up after it heals. The doctor didn't do stitches on the lip itself because he said that tissue heals so well, he thought it best to let it heal on its own.

This was such a terrifying experience. I've been counting my blessings because I know that it could have been so much worse. Ethan has been a trooper about the whole thing. My main concern was that he would look disfigured, but even if it scars, he should look normal. Right now he can't smile, so we're not sure what his smile will look like after the stitches come out. One thing is sure, he's got a heck of a story to tell.

And I wanted to mention one thing about the pictures. When Earlgirl's boy split his head open to the skull, I showed Nathan the post. He said, "If our kid is in the ER and you stand there taking pictures to post on your blog, I'm going to smack you." (He always talks tough.) So, we're in the ER and I asked Ethan if he wanted to see how bad it looked, and he said no. I told him I'd take a picture on my phone so that after he was all fixed up, he could see what it looked like before. That's what I did. One picture. So, I get home and Nathan is talking to his dad on the phone and sends him the picture HE took with his phone-- there are like five of them.

I was too shaken up to tease him about it. I could have cried all night, but when Ethan fell asleep I finally started to wind down. I've been carrying a knot in my chest all day. It isn't sorrow; it's an overwhelming love I have for my kids, and even a small tragedy like this makes you realize how much you love them-- how hard it is to see them suffer.

Ethan said, "It's too bad this didn't happen before Halloween. I could have been a pirate and said I'd had my lip eaten off by a shark!" The nurse couldn't believe what a stoic he was in the ER. After the initial scream, he didn't cry at all on the way to the hospital or during the stitches. Even the sheriff deputy (yes, they had to call the sheriff) said how tough he was about the whole thing.

As far as the dog is concerned, I'm not concerned. The family was so upset about it, they were ready to put him down last night, but the sheriff recommended they wait until after the 10-day quarantine period. This family has four little kids, and they are moving out of state. The dad asked me if I wanted them to kill the dog. I said it was totally his call because he's the one whose kids are going to be around the dog, not mine. I really don't blame them at all. It was such the freak thing. The dog is a lab, and totally gentle. Sometimes there just is no reason why.

Applause, please!

I'm posting to announce that Kelly won the 100th post snowflake ornaments. I just got off the phone with my sister, who gave me your address, Kelly, so you don't have to send it to me. (Kind of handy that I'm related to your best friend.) Anyway, Nathan is home, no one is napping, and I don't have time to write more. Until later......

One of the Loves of my Life

Megan left a comment about my car. Yes, it seems she and I drive twin cars. I love mine, but you really need to know the story behind it.

We used to have a crew cab pick-up. Nathan bought it when we first started remodelling the house. He was careful to buy one with a bench seat, so that if we had a fourth child, we would have room. It was back when all the dealers were doing employee pricing, so we bought a new one because we got a great deal on it. We drove it off the lot with eight miles on the odometer back in 2005.

We really needed the truck back then. We were remodeling the house and put a LOT of miles on it running to town to pick up forgotten parts and such. Plus, we used to drive to Washington about four times a year, so it worked out well for that, too.

In 2007, we had Josie and suddenly we were very crowded in that pick-up. Still, Nathan wanted another truck. He had his eye on a Ford F350 here in town, but I kept trying to talk him out of it. We already had a truck. It wasn't his favorite, but it was fine. We didn't need a new one. He resisted.

Then in April of this year our niece was getting baptized, and we went down to the baptism. Nathan made one huge mistake right off the bat-- he didn't strategically place the kids in the truck. They fought the whole way to his sister's house. It was only two and a half hours, but when we got there, Nathan looked at me and said, "We are NEVER travelling in this truck again." I just nodded and hopped out, but inside I was smiling. It was his truck. Try getting a farm boy to give up his pick up. Well, that did it.

The following Monday, he went to town alone and called me about three hours later to give me the options. A maroon Expedition with leather seats for X amount of money or an all black one for Y. I said X sounded like a better deal, but I didn't really care. (Since Nathan has the job I didn't cosign on any of the papers. He picks out the car, and I drive it. I hate shopping for cars.) A few hours later he came home with this:

It's the Eddie Bauer edition, and has more options than I know how to use. Once were were on our way somewhere and Nathan said, "My seat is hot. Does this have heated seats?" Who knows? Not us. We turned down the heater to see if that helped. Our car does have a story. The dealer we bought it from gave it to his university alma mater as their recruiting vehicle, so the miles on it are from their recruiting trips. I had to tell my mom that because her boss has the same alma mater. And, no, it's not WAZZU, even thought it's cougar maroon.

At first I wasn't sure if I liked the two-tone leather on the seats. (It's light and dark.) But, it's grown on me, so now I like that, too. This summer when we went on our very long trip to Utah, I loved being able to separate the kids and have moments of silence on the trip. The best bonus is that my luggage doesn't get wet in the back!

Today is your last chance to leave a comment on the 100th post. I'm going to draw the winner for the give away tomorrow.

100th Post!!!

Though I'm fairly new to this blogging thing, I've racked up 100 posts in no time, and I understand that it's tradition to share 100 things about yourself on your hundredth post.

100 Things About Me

1. I am happily married, which I think is the biggest blessing in my life.
2. I love summer more than any other time of year.

3. I grew up in Eastern Washington. (Yes, Eastern with a capital E-- so very different from Seattle.)

4. My favorite month is May. It’s such a cheerful month, and it’s when I was born. Besides, how can you not love May if you’ve seen the musical version of Camelot? (It’s May; it’s May, the lusty month of May…)
5. My shoe size is now a full size larger than before I had children.
6. My favorite movies are romances—Sabrina (the Julia Ormond-Harrison Ford version) and Pride & Prejudice. Gweneth Paltrow’s Emma is right up there because I love Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightly.
7. I don’t like many old movies, and there are several that I still haven’t seen. Dare I admit that I’ve never seen all of Mary Poppins? It’s true. Ditto for the Sound of Music.
8. I used to have most of Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet memorized, because I taught each of them five times a day. When you hear the text a lot, it just sticks.
9. I love all crafts.
10. I like beading.
11. I like toll painting.
12. I like quilting.
13. And embroidery.
14. Scrapbooking
15. Card Making
16. Stamping, too
17. I have written over 1500 pages of unpublished fiction.
18. I’m still writing.
19. When I started writing, my biggest fear was that I would finish the first novel and never have another idea. The opposite has happened. I have too many stories in my head and no time to write them.
20. My favorite shirt is orange.
21. I have honestly never seen a man that I thought was better looking than my husband (movie stars included). Actually, I think most of my sister-in-laws feel this way. We married into a family of gorgeous brothers (and sisters).
22. I love to eat cinnamon rolls, but only if I bake them myself.
23. I cannot trust myself with cinnamon rolls, so I don’t bake them very often.
24. I love cheesecake.
25. I like Pepsi more than chocolate.
26. I like Doritos more than chocolate, too.
27. Gingersnaps are my favorite cookies, with chocolate chip running second.
28. I like chocolate chip cookie dough much more than the baked cookies.
29. I let my kids eat raw cookie dough.
30. I tend not to reread books unless I’m teaching them. I think this is because there are so many books out there that I feel like I should keep plowing through them.
31. No matter how many books I’ve read, I feel like I’ve never read enough to be “well-read.”
32. I still love horses.
33. I prefer cats to dogs, although cats make me sneeze.
34. We don’t have a pet because I don’t want one in my house.
35. I hate all floral scented products. Anything I buy that is scented has to be citrus or spice fragranced.
36. I will only wear one perfume—Christian Dior’s Poison.
37. My first bottle of the aforementioned perfume was given to me by my high school boyfriend. I have been wearing it ever since. (What can I say? The guy had good taste, as I’m sure this girl will agree.)
38. Roses and carnations are my favorite flowers.
39. I love driving an SUV, and I won’t give it up for a minivan.
40. My favorite shoes are leather Mary Janes.
41. I’m not choosy about music and basically listen to whatever Nathan has a whim to buy.
42. I loved cheerleading more than any other sport or activity I’ve encountered since.
43. I coached cheerleaders for three years and loved that, too.
44. I still love Pasco purple.
45. I wear mostly earth tones. One of my friends who sells make-up says I’m her only client who wears the “warm” line.
46. If I could live anywhere, I’d live on 1000 acres somewhere with a long growing season. Nathan would be happy as long as I bought him a big tractor. And, Ethan would be happy as long as he got his own four-wheeler.
47. I believed I would be the mother of all boys.
48. I moped for a week when I found out Mazie was a girl. After she was born, I didn’t know how I had survived without a daughter.
49. I wished and prayed that our fourth would be a girl, and she was.
50. I have lived in four different states during my married life.
51. I have never traveled east of Montana and Wyoming.
52. Canada is the only “foreign” country I’ve ever visited.
53. I’ve never had a passport.
54. I love office supplies, and I have an irrationally large stash of pens, tablets and journals.
55. I cannot live without a planner.
56. I am much less contentious now than I was as a young adult. I’ve learned to be a peacemaker from my husband.
57. I still talk too much.
58. I get depressed easily, especially when Nathan isn’t around.
59. If I didn’t have to take my kids to school, I could easily become a hermit. I would do crafts all day long and never get bored.
60. Nearly all of my clothes are from Eddie Bauer and Old Navy. (Eddie Bauer because they are always true-to-size, and Old Navy because they’re cheap.)
61. I’m embarrassed to go to my high school reunions because I was voted most likely to succeed. I feel privileged to stay at home with my kids, but I know people expected me to do other things.
62. I’ve never regretted getting married young—not one single day.
63. I have only one blood sibling—my sister, and we’re married to brothers. It is SO wonderful because our husbands get along perfectly and like spending time with each other. (If we were closer, we’d spend a lot more time together.)
64. I wish I was fluent in another language.
65. I would love to be a college professor.
66. I’ve been to Disneyland twice.
67. I’ve had three near-death experiences.
68. I was held hostage in my classroom by a teen gunman, so I’ve been officially “kidnapped.”
69. I’m very calm and level-headed in crisis situations.
70. I’m prone to headaches and keep a stock of Excedrin in my house.
71. I hate going barefoot.
72. I don’t like flip flops. (I only wear them to the pool.)
73. I hardly ever wear nylons and heels anymore (due to my eternal Primary calling).
74. My best friend is my sister.
75. I have sister-in-laws that I relate to so well, I consider them my own sisters.
76. My closest “local” friend is also named Michelle. People call us “the Michelles”.
77. I’m allergic to red food coloring. It won’t kill me; it just gives me one mother of a headache.
78. Before I had kids I was a morning person, but now I stay up late just so I can enjoy the quiet.
79. I talk to myself. A lot. I always have.
80. I’m an audio learner, which means if I hear the lecture I can remember the content better than if I read the textbook. (That’s why I always messed up the grading curve for everyone else.)
81. I hate, hate, hate being pregnant. I would have more kids, but I don’t think I can handle being pregnant again.
82. I tend to get along better with men than with women. This was true in my single years and in my career. Most of my close friends in high school were guys—tharker’s married to one of them, Amy to another, and I so, so wish Rob would start a blog.
83. One of my high school flings is now a bishop.
84. When the weather gets cold, it makes me feel like baking. I bake more in the fall than any other time of year.
85. I’m annoyed that all holidays have turned into candy holidays. Does this bother anyone else? Now there’s Halloween candy, then Christmas candy, then Valentine’s candy, then Easter, parade candy from summer and Homecomeing…. I hate playing candy police. One year we got so much candy from Halloween, that I put it into a flat rate box and sent it to soldiers in Iraq. (They give it to kids on the streets.)
86. I am a volunteer for Books for Soldiers, and I think they are a wonderful organization. I haven’t sent much this past year, but my goal is to send some packages next month for the holiday season. (You can find them at http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/)
87. Before I moved to my current branch, I had never served in Primary. Now I’m afraid they’ll never let me out!
88. I don’t like to exercise.
89. Thanks to Josie, I now weigh fifteen pounds more than I did in high school. This bugs me more than you can imagine.
90. I’m not good at dieting, so it’s been hard to take off.
91. This weight fluctuation is one reason I hate pregnancy so much. It’s murder on my self esteem.
92. My birthstone is emerald.
93. Emerald green is also my favorite color.
94. My mom and I sound almost exactly alike on the phone.
95. Only one of my kids has my brown eyes.
96. I talk to my sister and my mom on the phone almost everyday.
97. My sister and I have never lived in the same town since I got married.
98. I used to live right next door to my in-laws. When we left Washington, I missed my mother-in-law as much as my own mom and sister.
99. I’ve lost track of my college roommate from Washington State University, and I’d really like to find her.
100. If I could vacation anywhere, I would go to Venice, Italy. I have always wanted to see Venice.

Whew!!! I did it! I wasn’t sure I could. Feel free to ask questions in the comment form, and I’ll address them in a future post.

Happy 100th, dear blog. You’ve been a great outlet for me.

Of course, no celebration would be complete without a give-away. Up for grabs this time is a pair of beaded snowflake ornaments for your Christmas tree. Sorry, but they don't have hooks because those are still packed with my decorations. Just leave a comment to be entered in the give-away. Friends, relatives and lurkers welcome!

Halloween Fare

Recently this site has been running traditional Halloween menus from her family, her husband's family, and then a tie-breaker to see which menu people liked best. I have to say, I was a little disappointed. They all seemed like everyday meals to me. So, I'm posting how Janae & I do Halloween. She's better at being consistent, and every year she serves mummies, ghosts and goop. My kids won't eat the goop (tomato soup topped with cheese), so I just make the ghosts and mummies. The mummies' eyes gave me trouble because I have the humongous mustard from Costco.


Personally, I like the ghosts best, but that's probably because I grew up on a potato farm. They are just twice-baked potatoes with the bottoms cut off, then frosted with sour cream. We usually use green onions for the eyes and mouths, but I had an open can of olives in the fridge, so I used them.That's as festive as I get for Halloween. Since my kids went trick-or-treating this afternoon, they are watching a movie and waiting anxiously to answer the door and give out candy. I think they love answering the door more than the actual trick-or-treating.