Tonight was Grace's class unit's Ice Cream Social. I had been asked/offered to coordinate. It really was a lot of fun. The best part of all was that my involvement wasn't too difficult. Seriously. As coordinator, my 'job' was to go to the stores and buy all the fixin's. I brought it all in tonight and was promptly reimbursed after everyone paid their way in. That's IT. The teachers and one of the moms had already had just about everything set up by the time I got there tonight. Every time I offered to help serve up ice cream, I was told by the persons doing it that they were 'good'. So, I sat myself down at the table with the girls and some of their friends and played a game of Yahtzee with Grace, Nathalie, Abby, & Hannah (three of Grace's friend's sisters).
Poor Gordon didn't get to attend tonight, even though he wanted to. He's been sick these last few days. He actually has stayed home from work for the last two days running because he's felt so yucky. Hoping Gordon would feel well enough to go if he got extra rest in this morning, I took Will with me for some errand-running this morning. By the time dinner rolled around, however, Gordon told me that he didn't think it'd be a good idea. Lucky me, he offered to watch Will while the girls and I went out.
*******************************************************
I got the e-mail from Amy that our replacement chick has been ordered. It is due to arrive on or around 3/31/08. Thinking ahead, Amy pointed out that the chick probably won't do well in a brooder box all by its lonesome, yet will be WAY too small to mix in with our current batch right away. Amy has graciously offered to just keep the chick with their brood until it is big enough to introduce to the ones we've already got. Thanks, Amy!!
*******************************************************
I had my latest and greatest OB appointment yesterday morning. Everything looks great. My blood pressure is perfect. My OB's scale is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay kinder than my own, so we'll be going by their figure for my weight! ;) I asked about going in for my glucose tolerance test early, based on my previous history with Gestational Diabetes. The OB said that's a good idea and handed me a lab slip to go get pricked after drinking the glucose solution that tastes like super sugary orange soda. My BIG ultrasound is scheduled for Thursday, March 6th.
**DISCLAIMER** Just so everyone knows, Gordon and I have decided to NOT find out what the baby's sex is. I repeat -- WE ARE WAITING until the delivery to find out if we'll have more testosterone or estrogen flowing through the house!!
We're both very excited about waiting for the big reveal at delivery and have even decided to keep our name selections a secret too. I think it'll be such a great way to announce whether we've had a boy or girl by saying, 'It's a BOY/GIRL!! So-and-so made his/her arrival at such-and-such time and weighed in at blahblahblah.' You've been warned!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Updated belly shot -- 18w6d
Yep, that's my belly as of this afternoon. I am 18weeks and 6days along. I guess my body really knows what it's doing -- I swear I've never been this big this early!Our Chicks
As promised, here are some pictures I've taken since we got the chicks on Monday...
This one is Gordon working on building our brooder box. You can see Grace in the background keeping an eye on her new babies.
She's a proud Momma for sure!.JPG)
The light from the heatlamp obscures the coloring a bit, but here you can see all of our chicks. We normally keep the bantams (the black ones) separate from the RI Reds because the Reds are a standard sized bird and the bantams are about 2/3 the size of a standard..JPG)
Grace would hold her chicks all day long if I allowed it, but I'm afraid of them getting too stressed from too much contact..JPG)
.JPG)
This one is Gordon working on building our brooder box. You can see Grace in the background keeping an eye on her new babies.
She's a proud Momma for sure!
.JPG)
The light from the heatlamp obscures the coloring a bit, but here you can see all of our chicks. We normally keep the bantams (the black ones) separate from the RI Reds because the Reds are a standard sized bird and the bantams are about 2/3 the size of a standard.
.JPG)
Grace would hold her chicks all day long if I allowed it, but I'm afraid of them getting too stressed from too much contact.
.JPG)
.JPG)
Chaos reigns supreme
At least in this house, Chaos tends to reign supreme. Gordon likes to alleviate my concerns by assuring me that we're a very happy family who happens to live in a well-lived-in house. I tend to get worked down by the fact that I have (clean) laundry piled up in baskets, a kitchen floor that *needs* to be swept, overflowing garbage cans, a not-so-empty kitchen sink or countertop (which translates to dirty dishes), and toys in just about every nook and cranny imagineable. Even some nooks and crannies that I wouldn't have imagined just a few years ago.
Yesterday was a rough day for me. Will is definitely a toddler who is ALL BOY. He's pushing his limits to see how far I'll let him get. He sits in timeout pretty well, in my opinion. At least pretty well for a two year old. The problem is that I'm not entirely sure he doesn't like to sit in timeout! Either he enjoys his timeouts too much or the thrill of climbing on the back of my livingroom furniture is just too good to pass up. Whichever the reason, I was constantly pulling him down off the back of the chairs and couch.
The girls, well, they technically weren't a 'problem'. They simply were acting like two girls who have been home all day for a couple days in a row, with not a lot to do. I'm sure they're on the verge of boredom. While Will napped, they got out one of their craft activities and entertained themselves perfectly. It was just that by the time evening rolled around, Will was in his usual overdrive, Gordon was working late on a couple of side jobs, and the girls were restless themselves. All of this when Momma needed a break the most. Poor Gordon, I was close to tears when he called to tell me he was on his way home. He couldn't make that 45 minute drive quick enough!
The chicks had what's called pasting. This is where they have chicken poop stuck to their back ends. Even though I've not had chickens long, I know this could be a bad thing. (If the vent gets covered and the chicks are not able to defecate, they'll die.) It pays to be a well-researched Momma! The only problem was that I had no idea how to rectify this issue. My trusty chicken book said to 'gently pick off' the crust, being careful not to harm their tender skin. Yeah, that wasn't working too well -- I was terrified of ripping their soft down right off their backends. I called my sister, who happens to have a lot of chickens. No answer. I was frantic -- WHAT do I do?!?!?! After trying a couple of ideas that didn't work as well in practice as they did in theory, I ended up grabbing a small container of warm water and two soft washcloths. I literally dunked the chicks' back ends into the warm water to get the poop to soften enough that I could gently massage it off using the washcloths. Crisis averted!
Today *will* be a better day. Because I say so, that's why! No, seriously, the kids and I will be heading out to a friend's house for a couple of hours. Then, this afternoon, I plan on taking them all to the library for a bit. I'm sure it'll do us all quite a bit of good to get out of the house and just DO stuff. I know it'll help me from going stir crazy!
Yesterday was a rough day for me. Will is definitely a toddler who is ALL BOY. He's pushing his limits to see how far I'll let him get. He sits in timeout pretty well, in my opinion. At least pretty well for a two year old. The problem is that I'm not entirely sure he doesn't like to sit in timeout! Either he enjoys his timeouts too much or the thrill of climbing on the back of my livingroom furniture is just too good to pass up. Whichever the reason, I was constantly pulling him down off the back of the chairs and couch.
The girls, well, they technically weren't a 'problem'. They simply were acting like two girls who have been home all day for a couple days in a row, with not a lot to do. I'm sure they're on the verge of boredom. While Will napped, they got out one of their craft activities and entertained themselves perfectly. It was just that by the time evening rolled around, Will was in his usual overdrive, Gordon was working late on a couple of side jobs, and the girls were restless themselves. All of this when Momma needed a break the most. Poor Gordon, I was close to tears when he called to tell me he was on his way home. He couldn't make that 45 minute drive quick enough!
The chicks had what's called pasting. This is where they have chicken poop stuck to their back ends. Even though I've not had chickens long, I know this could be a bad thing. (If the vent gets covered and the chicks are not able to defecate, they'll die.) It pays to be a well-researched Momma! The only problem was that I had no idea how to rectify this issue. My trusty chicken book said to 'gently pick off' the crust, being careful not to harm their tender skin. Yeah, that wasn't working too well -- I was terrified of ripping their soft down right off their backends. I called my sister, who happens to have a lot of chickens. No answer. I was frantic -- WHAT do I do?!?!?! After trying a couple of ideas that didn't work as well in practice as they did in theory, I ended up grabbing a small container of warm water and two soft washcloths. I literally dunked the chicks' back ends into the warm water to get the poop to soften enough that I could gently massage it off using the washcloths. Crisis averted!
Today *will* be a better day. Because I say so, that's why! No, seriously, the kids and I will be heading out to a friend's house for a couple of hours. Then, this afternoon, I plan on taking them all to the library for a bit. I'm sure it'll do us all quite a bit of good to get out of the house and just DO stuff. I know it'll help me from going stir crazy!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
A Mother Hen is in our midst
Grace has taken on the responsibility of her hen project with much gusto. Yesterday (and so far today) she has been going out to the garage every half hour, like clockwork, to check on her chicks. She then comes back inside to report to me the current temp of the brooder box and any recent goings on (like, 'Hoppy was eating some feed and one of the RI Reds stepped into the water like she was going to take a bath!').
We lost one of our bantam chicks first thing yesterday morning. When we picked them up Monday afternoon, this one chick had been not doing well, so I was waiting for this moment to occur. I prayed it would make it, but wasn't too surprised when Grace reported to me that the chick was just laying in the bottom of the brooder and didn't look like it was breathing. Luckily Grace took this news MUCH better than I'd feared. I was afraid she would get teary and ask why this happened. Then I'd have to go on about how this is just one of those things that happens when one raises animals. INSTEAD, Grace asked if we should 'give' the dead chick to Clover (our cat) to play with!
I have taken a few pictures in the last day and a half. Of course I still need to upload them off from my camera, but promise to try to get to that later today! Be sure to check back soon to see pictures of our Mother Hen and all her chicks.
We lost one of our bantam chicks first thing yesterday morning. When we picked them up Monday afternoon, this one chick had been not doing well, so I was waiting for this moment to occur. I prayed it would make it, but wasn't too surprised when Grace reported to me that the chick was just laying in the bottom of the brooder and didn't look like it was breathing. Luckily Grace took this news MUCH better than I'd feared. I was afraid she would get teary and ask why this happened. Then I'd have to go on about how this is just one of those things that happens when one raises animals. INSTEAD, Grace asked if we should 'give' the dead chick to Clover (our cat) to play with!
I have taken a few pictures in the last day and a half. Of course I still need to upload them off from my camera, but promise to try to get to that later today! Be sure to check back soon to see pictures of our Mother Hen and all her chicks.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Chicks are in!
I got the phone call this morning from our friend Amy that our chicks have been delivered. We weren't expecting them for at least another day or two, so this was a very pleasant surprise! What a great way to start the Monday.
Of course, because I'm a procrastinator that only my Dad could be proud of, we're not ready for the chicks to be here today! We have no medicated feed. We have no waterer or feeder. We have no litter to put in the bottom of the brooder box. We haven't even built the brooder box! (About the only thing we've had in advance is a heatlamp....thanks to the gentleman we purchased our house from -- it was left here)
Necessity being the mother of invention, Gordon had the great idea that we can convert one of the wooden wine boxes I'd acquired over six months ago into a brooder box. It'll work perfectly. We just need to afix some wire mesh to the top and call it a day! (See, I *knew* there was a good reason I asked Gordon's co-worker for the boxes to begin with....I certainly couldn't have told you what I was going to do with them six months ago, but we've got the PERFECT use for them now!)
Amy graciously offered to pick up the medicated feed, a feeder, and a waterer for us from the local feed supply store. Lucky for me, she was already heading there this morning to pick up some feed for the chicks they'd ordered. The only thing we still need to pick up would be some sort of litter to line the bottom of the brooder box with. Nothing that should be difficult to get! (As a matter of fact, I'm going to call Gordon right now and ask him to pick some up on his way home from work....there's a feed supply store just down the road from where he works.)
Be on the lookout for some pics of our chicks in the next few days -- I'm sure it'll be difficult to tear the children away from them!
Of course, because I'm a procrastinator that only my Dad could be proud of, we're not ready for the chicks to be here today! We have no medicated feed. We have no waterer or feeder. We have no litter to put in the bottom of the brooder box. We haven't even built the brooder box! (About the only thing we've had in advance is a heatlamp....thanks to the gentleman we purchased our house from -- it was left here)
Necessity being the mother of invention, Gordon had the great idea that we can convert one of the wooden wine boxes I'd acquired over six months ago into a brooder box. It'll work perfectly. We just need to afix some wire mesh to the top and call it a day! (See, I *knew* there was a good reason I asked Gordon's co-worker for the boxes to begin with....I certainly couldn't have told you what I was going to do with them six months ago, but we've got the PERFECT use for them now!)
Amy graciously offered to pick up the medicated feed, a feeder, and a waterer for us from the local feed supply store. Lucky for me, she was already heading there this morning to pick up some feed for the chicks they'd ordered. The only thing we still need to pick up would be some sort of litter to line the bottom of the brooder box with. Nothing that should be difficult to get! (As a matter of fact, I'm going to call Gordon right now and ask him to pick some up on his way home from work....there's a feed supply store just down the road from where he works.)
Be on the lookout for some pics of our chicks in the next few days -- I'm sure it'll be difficult to tear the children away from them!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Grace seems to be on the mend!
After lounging around on the couch for another entire day, I'd say Grace is on her way to getting rid of that nasty bug. She even ate some goldfish early in the day and a slice of pizza at dinnertime without revisiting either food choice!!
Right now, the girls are in their room to clean it. It's their usual Saturday routine. Grace is saying her tummy still hurts a bit. I'm not sure if I should buy it or not.....the Mommy in me wonders if she's just trying to get out of having to clean! At any rate, she looks immensely better, just looking at her.
Right now, the girls are in their room to clean it. It's their usual Saturday routine. Grace is saying her tummy still hurts a bit. I'm not sure if I should buy it or not.....the Mommy in me wonders if she's just trying to get out of having to clean! At any rate, she looks immensely better, just looking at her.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Can't get rid of the sickie germs
Poor Grace is sick again. It all started Wednesday evening. She said her tummy hurt and she didn't want to eat dinner. She woke Gordon and I at 12:30am to tell us she needed to throw up. I'll save y'all the details on that.
Obviously, I kept her home yesterday. She seemed to be doing well, but wasn't eating anything either. The only thing that passed her lips all day long was sips of water. Still, she looked better. She decided she'd like to try some dinner. Probably because we were having her favorite -- Macaroni & Cheese. Unfortunately, eating a few bites of Mac 'n Cheese probably wasn't the best idea. It was only a couple hours later that she was back in the bathroom revisiting her dinner.
Now, after a couple more bouts of vomitting, Grace is looking better once again. She's even eaten some goldfish this morning and has yet to need to run to the bathroom!
I'm praying that these sick germies go away and STAY away. Next week is school vacation for the girls and it would be NO FUN if one or the other of them (or me!) is stuck being sick during vacation.
Obviously, I kept her home yesterday. She seemed to be doing well, but wasn't eating anything either. The only thing that passed her lips all day long was sips of water. Still, she looked better. She decided she'd like to try some dinner. Probably because we were having her favorite -- Macaroni & Cheese. Unfortunately, eating a few bites of Mac 'n Cheese probably wasn't the best idea. It was only a couple hours later that she was back in the bathroom revisiting her dinner.
Now, after a couple more bouts of vomitting, Grace is looking better once again. She's even eaten some goldfish this morning and has yet to need to run to the bathroom!
I'm praying that these sick germies go away and STAY away. Next week is school vacation for the girls and it would be NO FUN if one or the other of them (or me!) is stuck being sick during vacation.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
52 Things about me....
Sorry, Amy....I had to steal this questionnaire from your blog....it's been a while since I've done a fun one like this!
52 Things You Possibly Didn't Know About Me
1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
Toys and papers
2. What's your favorite curse word?
Shit
3. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Grace, Dianna, & Will
4. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
making some cinnamon toast for Dianna
5. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
making some cinnamon toast for Dianna
6. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
umm....hopefully cleaning and baking some bread!
7. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Nope
8. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Dianna, your toast is done.
9. What is the best ice cream flavor?
Chocolate or coffee
10. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Coffee -- is there anything else to drink in the morning????
11. What are you wearing right now?
lounge pants and a t-shirt (aka jammies)
12.What was the last thing you ate?
a bite of Dianna's cinnamon toast. HEY, if I'm going to have to make it, I should darn well be able to taste it, right????
13. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
nope.
14. When was the last time you ran?
ummm.....dunno.....hopefully I won't have to do it again for a long time!
15. What's the last sporting event you watched?
The Bud Shootout on Saturday. Racing's a sport in this house, ya know!
16. Who is the last person you emailed?
My Brownie co-leader
17. Ever go camping?
yep! We love to go camping!!
18. Do you have a tan?
I actually saw yesterday morning that I still have a bit of a tan line from where I got a bad sunburn on my back last summer.
19. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
not usually
20. What did your last IM say?
I don't remember exactly, but it was a message Susan sent me when I was offline.
21. Are you someone's best friend?
Yep.
22. What are you doing tomorrow?
Possibly going to the girls' V-Day parties at school. Then it's Brownies tomorrow night, so I'll probably also be preparing for that during the day.
23. Where is your mom right now?
At home.
24. Look to your left, what do you see?
An end table with a table lamp on it.
25. What color is your watch?
I haven't worn a watch in months.
26. What do you think of when you think of Australia?
My friends Beck and Cathy
27. Would you consider plastic surgery?
As in ELECTIVE surgery??? Heck no!
28. What is your birthstone?
Topaz. NOT Citrine!! (I hate how most jewelry makers substitute Citrine for Yellow Topaz)
29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit thedrive thru?
If I'm getting fast food, it's because we're headed somewhere, so it's the drive thru usually.
30. Do you have a dog?
Yep, Lexi. She's a great guard dog.
31. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Ummm....I can't remember! I just had to look at my caller ID to jog my Mommy Brain. It was Amy when she called to see if Rachel could get off the bus here on Thursday.
32. Have you met anyone famous?
Max Showalter was a regular patron (and friend of Michael Price's) when I worked at Goodspeed....SUPER NICE guy. Definitely not your typical stuck up celebrity.
33. Any plans today?
Yeah, I've got to bake some bread, do some cleaning, and do a few other projects.
34. How many states have you lived in?
Just one
35. Ever go to college?
some
36. Where are you right now?
On the couch in the living room.
37. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
That the dog won't leave the darn cat alone!
38. Last song listened to?
The theme song to Clifford.
39. Are you allergic to anything?
The sun. Seriously. And certain soaps make me break out in a rash.
40. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
My sneaks.
41. Are you jealous of anyone?
I don't think so......
42. Is anyone jealous of you?
I don't think so.......
43. What time is it?
8:34am
44. Do any of your friends have children?
most do
45. Do you eat healthy?
Sometimes
46. What do you usually do during the day?
laundry, cooking, cleaning.....you know, the usual June Cleaver type of activities!
47. Do you hate anyone right now?
Not really.
48. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Yep.
49. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
32
50. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Nope...the last time I was there it was still called Riverside. How's that for dating myself!?!?!?!?
51. How did you get one of your scars?
I scraped my wrist on the edge of the rabbit cage when I abruptly pulled my hand out. One of the rabbits had bit my knuckle.
52. Do you have a cat?
Yep. Clover.
52 Things You Possibly Didn't Know About Me
1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
Toys and papers
2. What's your favorite curse word?
Shit
3. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Grace, Dianna, & Will
4. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
making some cinnamon toast for Dianna
5. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
making some cinnamon toast for Dianna
6. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
umm....hopefully cleaning and baking some bread!
7. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Nope
8. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Dianna, your toast is done.
9. What is the best ice cream flavor?
Chocolate or coffee
10. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Coffee -- is there anything else to drink in the morning????
11. What are you wearing right now?
lounge pants and a t-shirt (aka jammies)
12.What was the last thing you ate?
a bite of Dianna's cinnamon toast. HEY, if I'm going to have to make it, I should darn well be able to taste it, right????
13. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
nope.
14. When was the last time you ran?
ummm.....dunno.....hopefully I won't have to do it again for a long time!
15. What's the last sporting event you watched?
The Bud Shootout on Saturday. Racing's a sport in this house, ya know!
16. Who is the last person you emailed?
My Brownie co-leader
17. Ever go camping?
yep! We love to go camping!!
18. Do you have a tan?
I actually saw yesterday morning that I still have a bit of a tan line from where I got a bad sunburn on my back last summer.
19. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
not usually
20. What did your last IM say?
I don't remember exactly, but it was a message Susan sent me when I was offline.
21. Are you someone's best friend?
Yep.
22. What are you doing tomorrow?
Possibly going to the girls' V-Day parties at school. Then it's Brownies tomorrow night, so I'll probably also be preparing for that during the day.
23. Where is your mom right now?
At home.
24. Look to your left, what do you see?
An end table with a table lamp on it.
25. What color is your watch?
I haven't worn a watch in months.
26. What do you think of when you think of Australia?
My friends Beck and Cathy
27. Would you consider plastic surgery?
As in ELECTIVE surgery??? Heck no!
28. What is your birthstone?
Topaz. NOT Citrine!! (I hate how most jewelry makers substitute Citrine for Yellow Topaz)
29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit thedrive thru?
If I'm getting fast food, it's because we're headed somewhere, so it's the drive thru usually.
30. Do you have a dog?
Yep, Lexi. She's a great guard dog.
31. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Ummm....I can't remember! I just had to look at my caller ID to jog my Mommy Brain. It was Amy when she called to see if Rachel could get off the bus here on Thursday.
32. Have you met anyone famous?
Max Showalter was a regular patron (and friend of Michael Price's) when I worked at Goodspeed....SUPER NICE guy. Definitely not your typical stuck up celebrity.
33. Any plans today?
Yeah, I've got to bake some bread, do some cleaning, and do a few other projects.
34. How many states have you lived in?
Just one
35. Ever go to college?
some
36. Where are you right now?
On the couch in the living room.
37. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
That the dog won't leave the darn cat alone!
38. Last song listened to?
The theme song to Clifford.
39. Are you allergic to anything?
The sun. Seriously. And certain soaps make me break out in a rash.
40. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
My sneaks.
41. Are you jealous of anyone?
I don't think so......
42. Is anyone jealous of you?
I don't think so.......
43. What time is it?
8:34am
44. Do any of your friends have children?
most do
45. Do you eat healthy?
Sometimes
46. What do you usually do during the day?
laundry, cooking, cleaning.....you know, the usual June Cleaver type of activities!
47. Do you hate anyone right now?
Not really.
48. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Yep.
49. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
32
50. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Nope...the last time I was there it was still called Riverside. How's that for dating myself!?!?!?!?
51. How did you get one of your scars?
I scraped my wrist on the edge of the rabbit cage when I abruptly pulled my hand out. One of the rabbits had bit my knuckle.
52. Do you have a cat?
Yep. Clover.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Bud Shootout
Just a quick note to say that Gordon and I watched the Shootout on Saturday night. Well, technically, I only watched the second half. I was snoozing on the couch within minutes of putting the kids to bed, but woke in time to catch the 10 minute intermission they had for the shootout and managed to stay away for the entire second half.
I'm not too sure I like these COTs (Cars of Tomorrow/Today) yet. I like the idea that they're supposed to be good for both short tracks and super speedways. I just don't know if I like how they're not as consistent performance-wise from start to finish. Perhaps as the teams get better acquainted with the new setups the racing performance will be more consistant.
ANYWAY, the whole purpose of this post was to say that although I'm not a die-hard Junior fan, I was thrilled to see that Dale Jr. won the Bud Shootout. He race awesomely. I'm glad he was able to show right from the getgo that he doesn't need DEI to be as good as he's been. He's a talented driver. Period.
I was a tad disappointed to see my boy, Carl, didn't finish great. He raced well, but just didn't seem to have the right breaks. Hopefully he'll have better luck in the next few weeks and will be able to have a good start to the '08 season.
I'm not too sure I like these COTs (Cars of Tomorrow/Today) yet. I like the idea that they're supposed to be good for both short tracks and super speedways. I just don't know if I like how they're not as consistent performance-wise from start to finish. Perhaps as the teams get better acquainted with the new setups the racing performance will be more consistant.
ANYWAY, the whole purpose of this post was to say that although I'm not a die-hard Junior fan, I was thrilled to see that Dale Jr. won the Bud Shootout. He race awesomely. I'm glad he was able to show right from the getgo that he doesn't need DEI to be as good as he's been. He's a talented driver. Period.
I was a tad disappointed to see my boy, Carl, didn't finish great. He raced well, but just didn't seem to have the right breaks. Hopefully he'll have better luck in the next few weeks and will be able to have a good start to the '08 season.
Friday, February 8, 2008
crunch, crunch, crunch...
I've been telling everyone for months now that I'm heading towards a transformation without even meaning to. That's right -- I'm slowly transforming into a CRUNCHY MOMMA. It started out all so innocently. First, it was when I decided to play more in the kitchen and make my own spaghetti sauce and pizza dough for our weekly Pizza Night. Next it was my triumph when Gordon finally fabricated T-shaped clothesline poles and strung rope between them for me to hang our laundry out to dry in the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
After that, it's all been downhill from there. Let's just say that I'll be cloth-diapering this next baby and have been looking into making my own laundry detergent. Oh, and I plan on sewing my own tote bags to re-use each time I go grocery shopping, rather than adding to my ever-growing pile of plastic grocery bags each week.
The latest in my frugal/eco-friendly trend is that I have started baking our own bread for sandwiches and such. Now, don't think I'm utilizing a TON of energy on this -- once again the dough cycle of my bread machine is my best friend! All I do is toss the ingredients in the hopper, click the button till it's set to the dough cycle, and then wait for the dough to be mixed/kneaded together. After that, I take the dough out, punch it down a little, place it in my loaf pans, and let it all rise one last time. A quick bake in the oven and voila! Yummy bread, fresh from the oven!
After that, it's all been downhill from there. Let's just say that I'll be cloth-diapering this next baby and have been looking into making my own laundry detergent. Oh, and I plan on sewing my own tote bags to re-use each time I go grocery shopping, rather than adding to my ever-growing pile of plastic grocery bags each week.
The latest in my frugal/eco-friendly trend is that I have started baking our own bread for sandwiches and such. Now, don't think I'm utilizing a TON of energy on this -- once again the dough cycle of my bread machine is my best friend! All I do is toss the ingredients in the hopper, click the button till it's set to the dough cycle, and then wait for the dough to be mixed/kneaded together. After that, I take the dough out, punch it down a little, place it in my loaf pans, and let it all rise one last time. A quick bake in the oven and voila! Yummy bread, fresh from the oven!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Will's new bed!
Gordon and I went and ordered the bunkbeds for Will's room yesterday. They should be delivered in about 4-6 weeks. Below is a picture of the set we purchased, sort of. The set we ordered will be just a regular twin over twin bunkbed set, not the twin over full with trundle underneath that's shown. So, just picture the beds without all the extra width on the bottom part! ;) 
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
On this day, I thee wed....
On this day, eight long years ago, Gordon and I pledged before God, our families, and friends that we would forever love, honor, and cherish each other. I think we've gotten off to a great start! As we celebrate our 8th Wedding Anniversary today, I feel like we've just barely put a dent into our life together. We've got a lot more to experience with each other before we can worry about getting tired of each other's company!!
And now, it's time for a quick trip down Memory Lane.....
Welp, guess that won't happen right now -- blogger.com doesn't seem to want to allow me to upload any pictures at this very moment. I guess I'll just pull out my big ol' Wedding photo album and peruse all of the pictures here in the safety of my own home.
One last thing before I go, however. I want to wish Payton and Lily both a very happy First Birthday!! A very good friend of mine gave birth to her twin baby girls a year ago on this special day!
And now, it's time for a quick trip down Memory Lane.....
Welp, guess that won't happen right now -- blogger.com doesn't seem to want to allow me to upload any pictures at this very moment. I guess I'll just pull out my big ol' Wedding photo album and peruse all of the pictures here in the safety of my own home.
One last thing before I go, however. I want to wish Payton and Lily both a very happy First Birthday!! A very good friend of mine gave birth to her twin baby girls a year ago on this special day!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Updates abound
As I said I would, I marched my butt down to the bus stop when Grace was being dropped off the school bus on Friday afternoon. Her driver was more than able to answer my questions. There will NOT be a permanent bus route change for the Kindergarten run. It was a one-time exception. Grace's usual driver only had one child for her regular run, so she offered to help Di's driver out by delivering a couple of her students for her. Hence the mess I ended up with on Friday. Needless to say, I will now ALWAYS look when I think I hear the bus driving down the road. No more discounting it's possibility due to an earlier than usual time.
I have been suffering since late Tuesday evening with what was first very bronchial type symptoms, but have since mellowed out to regular cold symptoms. So, now I've got just a regular cough, a seriously runny nose, and am sneezing almost non-stop. I'll take those symptoms a thousand times over, compared to the painful hacking I was doing earlier this week!
Friday evening my mother called me to advise that Dad was being rushed to the hospital after his dialysis treatment. His heartrate was racing away and the techs at the dialysis center couldn't get it stable. The doctors at the hospital started Dad back up on a medication that his kidney doctor had told him to discontinue back in December. Then they 'convinced' Dad to stay overnight so they could observe him throughout the night. (When I say 'convince', I mean more like my mom and sisters ganged up on Dad with the help of the docs and pretty much told him he had to stay) Dad is now back home and in a better mood. Something about hospital stays (and their crappy food) always gets Dad in a grumpy frame of mind.
I have been suffering since late Tuesday evening with what was first very bronchial type symptoms, but have since mellowed out to regular cold symptoms. So, now I've got just a regular cough, a seriously runny nose, and am sneezing almost non-stop. I'll take those symptoms a thousand times over, compared to the painful hacking I was doing earlier this week!
Friday evening my mother called me to advise that Dad was being rushed to the hospital after his dialysis treatment. His heartrate was racing away and the techs at the dialysis center couldn't get it stable. The doctors at the hospital started Dad back up on a medication that his kidney doctor had told him to discontinue back in December. Then they 'convinced' Dad to stay overnight so they could observe him throughout the night. (When I say 'convince', I mean more like my mom and sisters ganged up on Dad with the help of the docs and pretty much told him he had to stay) Dad is now back home and in a better mood. Something about hospital stays (and their crappy food) always gets Dad in a grumpy frame of mind.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Missed bus -- again!
Today was the second time I've ever missed Dianna's bus. Well, technically, I didn't miss the bus. The bus missed me. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I was in the living room with William. I *thought* I heard something that sounded like the school bus. I looked at the clock and saw that it was only 11:35am. Too early for Di to be dropped off. Her bus doesn't bring her home till at least 11:45am. Usually closer to 11:55am. So I go back to doing what I was doing.
Not five minutes later something outside caught my eye through the window. You guessed it -- it was the darn bus driving away. Arrrrrgggghhhh!
I immediately grabbed Will (thanking God that I hadn't put him down for his nap yet!) and threw his coat on him. We ran out to the garage, got buckled into the car, and headed off towards the elementary school. Of course, we beat Dianna back to the school. Actually, we waited for her for almost 20 minutes!
In my defense, Dianna tells me after the fact that she wasn't on her regular bus route today. Apparently the powers that be decided to send her, Clayton (the little boy from up the road), and one other child on a different bus today so they'd 'get home quicker'. At least that's the story Dianna tells me. I'm not thrilled that they failed to inform the parents that the children may be returned home a little bit earlier. To me, a 5 minute early drop off would have been nothing, but we're talking about a 10-15 minute earlier drop off. Something I would have thought someone may have wanted to advise the parents on, no??
Needless to say, when Grace gets dropped off from the school bus this afternoon, I plan on being down at the bus stop bright and early. I will be asking her driver if this 'new' bus arrangement for the Kindergarten run will continue or if today was a one time thing.
I was in the living room with William. I *thought* I heard something that sounded like the school bus. I looked at the clock and saw that it was only 11:35am. Too early for Di to be dropped off. Her bus doesn't bring her home till at least 11:45am. Usually closer to 11:55am. So I go back to doing what I was doing.
Not five minutes later something outside caught my eye through the window. You guessed it -- it was the darn bus driving away. Arrrrrgggghhhh!
I immediately grabbed Will (thanking God that I hadn't put him down for his nap yet!) and threw his coat on him. We ran out to the garage, got buckled into the car, and headed off towards the elementary school. Of course, we beat Dianna back to the school. Actually, we waited for her for almost 20 minutes!
In my defense, Dianna tells me after the fact that she wasn't on her regular bus route today. Apparently the powers that be decided to send her, Clayton (the little boy from up the road), and one other child on a different bus today so they'd 'get home quicker'. At least that's the story Dianna tells me. I'm not thrilled that they failed to inform the parents that the children may be returned home a little bit earlier. To me, a 5 minute early drop off would have been nothing, but we're talking about a 10-15 minute earlier drop off. Something I would have thought someone may have wanted to advise the parents on, no??
Needless to say, when Grace gets dropped off from the school bus this afternoon, I plan on being down at the bus stop bright and early. I will be asking her driver if this 'new' bus arrangement for the Kindergarten run will continue or if today was a one time thing.
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