2007 Roundup....

WOW. It's here. It's the last day of the year. Honestly, I won't sit here and say, "Where did the year go?" Because it was the longest year of my life. I'm so glad to see it go. Today the girls and I had to run to the banks and pay taxes (yuck!). Then we went to the library and I grabbed Mc D's for them and Sonic for me and we went out to the local park and parked our booties on a picnic table and ate. We just enjoyed the sunshine and unseasonably warm weather. It's supposed to get nasty and cold later tonight. I couldn't think of a better way to end the year. It's been a year filled with so many lows that I wanted to celebrate today!

Where do I begin? Well, I might as well start out positive.

Maeve turned 2 this year and I absolutely cannot believe the changes that this child has endured. She went from babbling language that we didn't understand to talking in sentences! She even sounds like Kyra now with what she says! It's amazing! It almost happened overnight too. It's like something just "clicked" in her head. She started preschool and LOVES it. Her teachers are Mrs. Sharri and Mrs. Marcy. She calls Marcy, "My Marcy". Richard's new job will pay for 1/2 of her schooling per year, so we are STOKED about that. She's learning so much out there. There are a handful of kids in her class that are potty training. We are getting there. Today, I borrowed a potty training DVD from the library. We'll see how she reacts to it. She mentioned just washing her hands. Ugh. She's missing the point! LOL! But she's a cute kiddo and is so much fun these days.

Kyra turned 6 this year. She finished out Kindergarten on a great note. Her teacher was wonderful and she made so many friends! She went to art camp this summer in the town over and loved that. She's so full of excitement over arts and crafts. She loves to draw. She loves to create. I think her last year in preschool was when this started. She had an awesome teacher that came up with all sorts of fun crafts for the kids to do. It stayed with Kyra.

Kyra also had her dance recital last summer. She did so well! She was in tap and ballet. This fall, we've added jazz to the mix, so she'll have 3 different costumes for her next recital. She loves dancing. She's made friends there as well.

Then she started 1st grade! We read all summer long, but imagine my surprise when I have a conference with her teacher and learn that she's almost reading at a 2nd grade level at the beginning of school! She loves to read. She loves school. Her teacher this year in 1st grade is wonderful too. I secretly hoped last year that she would get her and she did! She has a slew of friends and knows what class all of the kids from last year's class are in! She's so bright and fun! She keeps her daddy in line too and I LOVE that. She helps her sister. She helps me. I couldn't ask for a greater kid.

Richard went through some big changes this year. Earlier this year, a maintenance position became available where he worked. He applied for it and got it. He got a wealth of experience from the job in just a few short months. But this left him aching for more. He now was where he wanted to be, but saw no growth company-wise at where he was. So in November, he went to a job fair at Samsung. He prepared himself and got an interview THAT SAME DAY. The day before Thanksgiving, he got a call that he was hired! He started on December 17th and is still in the training process. But he loves it. He said that so many things are different up there, but it's very positive. He's working in north Austin, but doesn't seem to mind the drive. We'll see if he still feels that way when he goes on shift and back to nights! I can't wait for that! I feel so out of it with him working during the day. I miss him. I know when he works nights, he'll be sleeping during the day, but it will feel like he's home more. Oh, and he can get all of the overtime he wants at this place, so hopefully we will work ourselves out of debt this year! YAY! Mamma wants some wood floors and wants to paint! ;)

As for me, I think I learned more about myself this year than ever before. I started the year in an ER with strep throat. For a few months, I fought a horrible battle with depression. In April, I found out why. My thyroid was out of whack. So on medication I went. I sought therapy and that helped tremendously. I also was introduced to some natural progesterone cream and I'm seeing great results with that. Slowly but surely, I was becoming "me" again. My hair stopped falling out. I stopped crying on a daily basis. I had an interest in more things. Then in November, things came to a screeching halt. I had Fifth Disease and had complications from that because I'm anemic. I gained 20 lbs. of fluid. My heart rate was low. Everything checked out fine though and the virus just had to run its course. I feel so much better now. But being so sick caused me to take a look at my life and realize that I needed a break. So, I took a month off of teaching. I worked out when I wanted to. I enjoyed the holidays and my kiddos more. It was so good for me.

I've learned to listen to what my body is telling me. If I can lay down, then I do. I don't force myself to take on things that I don't want to do. With my depression, I take it one day at a time. If I have a rough few days, then I always remind myself that this too shall pass and I'll feel better soon. And I do. I've learned to take signals from my body and go to the doctor instead of ignoring whatever is bothering me. I've learned to go and sit out in the sun for short periods and enjoy it. It really does wonders for your mood. I've learned that my house will be a mess. I have two small kids. It'll get cleaned up one day. But for now, I need to sit back and enjoy them! I'll get my house the way I want it one day!

The highlight of my year occurred on August 8th (yes, I remember the date because that's my niece's birthday). I saw Taylor Kitsch at the gym that I teach at and had my magazine with him on the cover with me. I actually got up the courage to go up to him and ask for an autograph. We chit-chatted for a bit. OMG! I have the BIGGEST (*coughobsessioncough*) crush on him. He's a gorgeous human being. I have the signed cover of the magazine framed and it's on my nightstand. LOL!

I've learned patience with a new puppy. I forgot about my sweet Zoe Lou! She came into our lives in February and has been going nonstop since. I pray that she calms down soon. Mia is adjusting and loves having a buddy.

I just want a healthier and happier year in 2008! I'll take it one day at a time!

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for dropping in and reading my blog from time to time!

Now this saddens me.....

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5itableVuT2QIr2H6dF1FyV1gXZpQ

And it worries me too.

WWJD? Or more importantly, what would He think?

We're alive....barely

-We made it through Christmas. Now I have some sort of stomach bug and Maeve is having signs of having it too. Ugh. Can 2007 just go away already? I want to be WELL!

-Since I've been sleeping A LOT and am trying to get well, my house is pretty much trashed. I've been letting the girls play with all of their toys. They are everywhere. At least I can pretty much rest easy and not feel so guilty about having them couped up with me. At least they are having fun and enjoying themselves. Though I think if we have to stay indoors tomorrow, I will seriously harm myself. ;)

-I hope to get to the gym tomorrow. I seriously need to work out. NOW. It's been a month since I've seen a gym (though I've worked out here at home). Can you believe that?

-New music and choreography have arrived, so expect more "I'm so stressed out" posts from me in the upcoming weeks.

-I've watched more TV in the last 2 days than I have all year. I've decided that I miss watching the early morning talk shows. I'll have to tune in more often.

-On a TV note, I'm desperately missing FNL right now. I know that there are only 6 new episodes in the new year (damn writers' strike!), but I can't wait to see them. Oh, and I'm having some MAJOR Taylor withdrawals! I hope that he comes back to Austin and the gym SOON! ;)

-Richard is LOVING his new job. LOVING IT. I don't think he minds the drive at all. He's so damn hyped up every evening when he comes home. I get to hear all about it!

-Kyra is going to drive me insane during these 2 weeks that she's home. INSANE. She's so bored. I need to take her to a friend's or something. Thank God she has a sister. They've played really well together and have left me alone for the most part.

-I really want to take a vacation for Christmas one year. I want to leave all of the drama behind....for.just.one.year. How great would that be? I'd mail/give gifts a month early and say, "Here ya go! See ya!" :)

-All of these commercials/ads for New Year's Eve are making me tired. We stay HOME every year! It's no different from any other night for us. Oh, and again, is it 2008 yet?

-Expect a doozy of a recap of the year very soon. So much has happened this year. I won't elaborate now because my head is already spinning. It doesn't need to spin any more than it already is! ;)

I'm OUT!

Fur babies.....

Cutest thing ever.....

This is a magnet that Maeve made at school and gave us for Christmas. I love it. Her smile is perfect and she looks so darn festive! I really lucked out by dressing her in red that day! I had no idea!

Kiddos with Santa....

All I want for Christmas is.....

Hello, goodbye....

Saturday night was Richard's last night to work at Spansion (formerly AMD). About a month ago, he went to a job fair at Samsung and got an interview in the same day. The day before Thanksgiving we got a call that he got hired! He started today (one day off between jobs....how funny is that?). Yes, it's in north Austin and it's a bit of a drive, but I think the pros outweigh the cons. This is exactly what he's been waiting for.

He was at his previous job for 10 1/2 years and just didn't see any growth happening for himself or the company anymore. With this new job, he knows that he'll be here for a long time. We aren't going anywhere (except to north Austin if we decide to move one day!). We love it where we live though and the schools are great, so we'll stay put for a while....maybe forever. Who knows.

So go out there and buy some Samsung products! LOL! ;)

Friday nights of yore.....

I thought I would fill you all in as to how I spent my Friday nights as a kid. My mom was OBSESSED with these two shows. "Dallas" came on at 8:00 and "Falcon Crest" came on at 9:00. We were so happy to stay up till 10:00! LOL!

My mom was also hooked on "Guiding Light" through the years and my sister and I still watch that soap to this day. She's very religious and tapes it, but I just catch it every so often. It's nothing that I set my DVR for. It's gotten pretty ridiculous lately.

I miss 80's TV. *sigh*

Filthy mouth.....

Maeve is at the computer. It's been giving us error messages all day. Something's not right. She can't play her game.

All of a sudden I hear her say,

"Oh sh!t!"

Hmmmmm.....wonder where she heard that polite little word?

*sigh*

She's sooooooo TWO!

Conversation with Maeve today:

Me: "So Maeve, does anyone get in trouble at school?"

Maeve: "Yeah."

Me: "Who honey?"

Maeve: "Katie does."

Me: "Well, what does Katie do?"

Maeve: "She hits! She hits!"

Me: "I see. Maeve, I hope you don't do that. You're a good girl, right?"

Maeve: "Yeah."

***Lord, I hope she's telling me the truth. I have yet to get a bad report from her teachers. They act like they love her! LOL! I find it absolutely amazing that this kid remembers all that goes on at school and that she tells me. Oh how I wish I were a fly on the wall in that classroom!

Tonight, Kyra walked by Maeve and Maeve was in the way and she fell on the floor. Kyra insisted it was an accident.

Maeve: "I fell down! I fell down!"

Then I hear a big pause....

Maeve: "You're going to be in big trouble, Kyra!"

Oy! This kid kills me. I swear her vocabulary has doubled within the last month. I can't believe the words that are coming out of her mouth! Amazing!

Have you seen my elf?

Here he is in all his glory!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1164010132

And NO Kimmy. Unfortunately, you can't make him into a stripper! ;)

Christmas tunes.....

Just sharing old favorites that I like to listen to every year.....

1.) "Christmas Canon"- Trans-Siberian Orchestra
2.) "Silver Bells"- Elvis Presley
3.) "Song For A Winter's Night"- Sarah McLachlan
4.) "Silent Night"- Enya
5.) "O Holy Night"- Celine Dion
6.) "Veni Veni (O Come, O Come Emmanuel)"- Mannheim Steamroller
7.) "Silent Night"- Trans-Siberian Orchestra (such a pretty version....one of my favorites)
8.) "Pretty Paper"- Willie Nelson
9.) "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"- Josh Groban
10.) "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"- Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan
11.) "The Lord's Prayer"- The Irish Tenors
12.) "Ave Maria"- Celine Dion
13.) "Auld Lang Syne"- Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin
14.) "The Little Drummer Boy"- Johnny Cash and Neil Young

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....

Random rants:

-Our camera is gone. I have no idea where it is. The last time we had it in our possession was on Thanksgiving Day. I'm pretty sure my lovely, drunk husband left it on the back bumper of the suburban or something and it's long gone. So guess what we'll be getting for Christmas? ;)

-On that note, Kyra is missing BOTH front teeth and I have to get a camera to take pics of the cutest little mouth that I have ever seen!

-I HATE online photo processing. I usually use Walmart and upload online and have issues. Yesterday, I decided on a whim to use Target. Guess what? I went there this morning and the lady said, "They didn't print." WTF? First off, they should have been ready yesterday. I did ONE HOUR. Then they weren't ready this morning either? When did ONE HOUR turn into TWO DAYS? She said that I'll be getting a discount when I pick them up. Yeah, it had better be a HUGE discount! Like I should get them FOR FREE!

-My first born really ticked me off this morning. First of all, she didn't want to wear the shirt that we picked out last night. Ugh. Then she wrote me TWO letters this morning. One was about shirts and how she thought that wearing turtle necks wasn't appropriate for any season because it's too hot. The other letter said something to the effect that she hates it when she comes home from school sometimes because she feels like she's in jail. W.T.F.? I asked her why she felt that way. She said that sometimes we all argue. I explained to her that just because we don't all get along doesn't mean that we don't love each other. I asked her if everyone at school gets along. She said, "no, not always." Well, there ya go. People disagree. Life sucks. ;)

-My Les Mills stuff still hasn't arrived. It should have arrived last week. They gave me a tracking number yesterday and I entered it in and it said that my package was in Salt Lake City. This morning, it said that my package was in Denver. W.T.F.? It's supposed to ship from Fort Worth! If I don't get it today in the mail, they are getting ANOTHER phone call from me.

-Doctors don't understand. I got a friendly phone call from one last night and he is hesitating to do anything with me until we get clearance from the cardiologist. I wanted a steroid shot. The cardiologist recommended it. I guess the doctor out here doesn't understand that things are FINE in the heart department. I'm fighting off a virus....a NASTY one. I'm very anemic. I need some iron. Oh, and iron comes in really LOW dosages. A friend of mine is anemic and gave me the name of what she's using. So I called the doctor AGAIN and begged for it. Hopefully, they will call it in. Geez! All I want is a little help here!

-My lovely, dear husband locked his keys in the car in Austin at Lowe's this morning. Who comes to his rescue? You're looking at her! Why are men so stupid?

-Maeve wants EVERYTHING in Target. EVERYTHING. I've never heard so many, "I want that's" in my life. Oy! And then right before we were getting ready to check out, she had a meltdown. I threatened to put away what she really wanted. Bribery always works! :)

-I really need to get out and at least take a walk around the block today. But right now, I want to take a nap instead. ;) I love my sleep these days!

Give me a break!

Sorry for the lack of blogging lately. We've been busy. And then this week happened. It's one I'd rather forget.

A few weeks ago, I got a rash. I went into the doctor and he thought that it might be fifth disease (something that school kids typically get). There's a blood test to test for it now, so I went ahead and did that. It was positive. I also had major joint pain with it (which is typical when adults get it). I really thought that I was getting better.

Then I gained 15 lbs. in 2 weeks! I am full of fluid! They think that the fluid is just a reaction from the virus and that I'm just going through the viral process. But I've been to a cardiologist too because my heart rate is so low. And my blood pressure is high. I'm also anemic (which I pretty much knew). But everything checks out ok with my heart.

So the guessing game continues. We've already ruled out a slew of other things like mono, hepatitis, lyme, etc. And my thyroid is FINE through all of this. The doctor did put me on diuretics and they are slowly taking the water weight off. I just hope that it doesn't come back. I'm thinking of asking for a steriod shot this week to boost my immune system.

I think I just want to take some time off. I'm so self-conscious about the way I look right now. The last thing I want to do is go to the gym. I just want my body to heal.

So I'm scrambling to get subs for the next few weeks. I need to rest. I need to take care of myself. I won't push myself anymore. I just want to take care of my body and get well for Christmas!

Lots to be thankful for.....

In a year that has totally changed me both physically and mentally, you'd think that I'd come on here to bitch and moan. But I won't. I won't because what I've learned this year about myself has only made me stronger. I've had numerous health issues. I've suffered from depression like never before. My thyroid hadn't been kind to me at all. Most of all, I've learned to take cues from my body and slow down. Take one day at a time. Keep a journal. See patterns of when I know I'll feel bad. Always remember that there are more good days than bad. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel. My problems could be worse. These are all words to live by.

I'm so grateful for so many things. I'll just touch on a few of them.

-I'm thankful that God has brought me through another year. I was a wreck last year at this time. What a difference a year makes! I pushed and pushed until I found out what was wrong. I always had faith.

-I'm thankful for a kind, understanding, patient husband who stuck it out with me and nodded in agreement when I told him that I would be persistent with the doctors because I needed to be well for him and for our kiddos. He always believed in me and he believed that I would start to feel better. And I did!

-I'm thankful for my Kyra. Kyra is like an adult trapped inside a kid's body. I'm not kidding. She's so wise beyond her years. Some of the things that she says amazes me. She definitely keeps her daddy and I in check. I'm so thankful to have a little girl who loves school and loves doing well in school. I hope that trend continues.

-I'm thankful for little Maeve. What a spitfire she is! But she's very, very loving too. She's such a cuddlebear! She loves to just sit on my lap and cuddle. I adore all of her constant banter. She's talking in sentences now. Today she told Kyra, "Don't say my teachers' names!" Oy! But then she showed me what an angel she is by singing "Jesus Loves Me" in the checkout line at Walmart! And when I asked her what she's thankful for, she said, "My family." Awwww....such a sweetie!

-I'm thankful for my two furry babies that get me through each day. They are so innocent and loving. They meet me in the bed at night. They protect me and let me know what/who's outside. They kiss the kiddos constantly. They are perfect.

-I'm thankful for the most wonderful family. I love each and every one of them. I'm thankful that my dad, my sister, and my brother-in-law love us so much. I'm thankful for Richard's family and the fact that my girls love to be around them. I can leave them out at the house when I want and I know that they will enjoy themselves. They are still telling stories of this past weekend. ;)

-I'm thankful for some great friends. I am not a person that has a TON of friends like some people do. But I do have a small group that I talk to and keep in touch with on a regular basis.
Brianna, Anna, Jennifer, Kimmy, Candi, Susan, Margaret, Melissa and Dean.....my life is so much better with all of you in it. I thank God every day for your friendship and kindness.

-Do I get a materialistic "thank you"? Oh good! I do! I'm thankful that I actually met Taylor Kitsch this year! (SHUT UP KIMMY!) ;) It's not often that you get to meet the celebrity that you have a total crush on!

I could go on and on with more things, but I think you get the idea. Writing uplifting words really does make you feel better! :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Salute to Veterans....

Kyra had a solo with 5 other girls at 1st grade's "Salute to Veterans" program on Thursday night. Kyra is 2nd from the left.

Sorry it's short, but YouTube won't let me upload more than a minute or so with my camera.

Holiday blues.....

Does anyone else get really bluesy this time of year? Or is it just me?

I get really stressed out over buying gifts for so many people. Then there are my kids. I think to myself, "Did I get them something good? Is it what they want? Did I spend the same amount on the both of them?"

I think that I really miss loved ones at this time of year.....especially my Granny. I miss her calling me to see what our plans are. I miss her telling me the menu that she's provided for Christmas Eve. I miss walking into her house and smelling Heaven. I miss her providing some slippers for me when I forgot them. She'd always say, "You don't want to walk on my cold floor!" I miss her sharing stories of her church. I miss her complaining about putting up Christmas lights and then putting up a TON of them anyway. I miss hearing her car driving into the driveway. I miss seeing her with Kyra. I miss her voice.

I guess I'm just going through some stage of grief. They hit me at various times. I'll get through it.

Well it was bound to happen......

When we moved out to our "little town" in June 2003, the only thing around was an HEB. Boy have times changed. Since then we've added a Walmart Supercenter, Cracker Barrel, Cabela's, Chili's, and various other restaurants.

Today, Richard and I were at the bank and we overheard that there is going to be a Starbucks, a Taco Cabana, and a Lowes opening up soon.

I'm not sure what to think about that. Starbucks? I feel all urbanized now. Oh, and they conveniently put it on the other side of the highway so that people will stop by there on their way to work. Niiiiice. That place will be packed. No doubt.

Honestly, pretty soon you'll be "in town" the entire way from Austin to San Antonio.

Where do I live again? ;)

To get you into the Halloween spirit.....

Cutest.thing.ever.

Kyra said, "They are in love...." LOL!

Sesame Street....circa 1977.

I really wish they'd revisit this and do an updated version of the same thing. *sigh*

And the Snapple bottle cap says.....

"There are more than 30,000 diets on public record."

Hmmmm....now that's food for thought. ;)

What a vocabulary!

Maeve: "I have a flashlight!"

Me: "It's bright, isn't it?"

Maeve: "It's perfect!"

WTF? Where did that word come from?

Poor thing is so oblivious....

Kyra is learning about animals at school this week for science....more specifically, frogs.

But she just made a web (drew a circle and then drew lines outside of the circle) and on it she wrote what she knows about caterpillars.

My eyes skimmed the paper and saw the usual facts (good girl!). However, then my eyes met a word that I didn't recognize.

She meant to write "they are insects". Instead, she wrote, "they are insex". PIMP!

For a moment there I was scared that she learned something that she shouldn't have!

Thank God for "as of yet" oblivious kids!

Something is wrong with me.....

Fall is officially here. There's a chill in the air. It just feels different. Everyone is in a good mood. Me included. I see pumpkins. I smile. Heck, we even have some Halloween decorations outside this year.

What the heck happened? Usually I loathe Halloween and all that comes with it. As we get closer to it, I cringe more and more. Not this year. I don't know why, but I feel a sense of peace about it. I haven't bought candy yet, but I might not have to. We might take the girls to a friend's house on Halloween night or we might head down to the city park. We aren't quite sure yet. I know that we'll have to decide soon.....this weekend at the latest.

My girls are happy with what they are going to be for Halloween. Kyra is going to wear her recital costume from last summer and go as a ballerina. Maeve is going to wear her favorite pink dress-up clothes and be a princess. Easy. Next year, they are going to be Panthers cheerleaders (Friday Night Lights). Mark my words. ;)

I just feel content. I'm actually enjoying this time of year. It's weird. I'm not stressing out about it. Maybe I finally *am* feeling better. Let's just hope that I continue to feel like ME again. It's really nice. :)

Enjoy this beautiful weather! And SMILE!

My little stinker.....

Today I went to pick up Maeve from school and I did my usual asking if she had a good day. She always does.

But today, her teacher said, "Well you know that Maeve uses the potty here, don't you?" Um, NO! I wasn't mad that I was never informed of it. I was just in shock that it was actually happening. I went on to tell her teacher that Maeve did it one time for me last week here at home, but that was it. Usually she sits on the potty everyday at some point, but laughs, does nothing, wipes, and flushes.

Now I don't know if she actually *does* anything in the potty at school. They just told me that whenever the other kids line up for potty time, Maeve does too. They said that she pulls her pants down and takes her diaper off! LOL! I guess she wants to be "one of them". It wasn't until she started school a month ago that she became increasingly interested. I've heard that out of 14 kiddos in her class, 5 or 6 are "training". And apparently my Maeve is one of them!

Nothing like peer pressure among 2 year olds! ;)

Pumpkin time!

We went to our town's pumpkin patch on Saturday evening. My mother-in-law and my niece came up this weekend, so they went with us too. The kiddos had a blast and I got some good pics! ENJOY!

Potty business.....

I'm sure it was a fluke, but Maeve used the potty this morning! She told me that she needed to go, so I took off her diaper. She ran into the other bathroom and got her Dora potty seat and sat on it and got this look of concentration on her face. She knew EXACTLY what to do! Other times, she'd sit on her seat and do absolutely nothing.

That's why I've never pushed the potty issue. With Kyra I did, and that was a mistake. Kyra didn't train till 2 weeks before her 3rd birthday. I think she would have trained a lot earlier if I would have left her alone. One day, Kyra decided to go on her own and never looked back. It was like magic!

I really figured that Maeve would just go ahead and train herself. Honestly, I think it's much easier for them to decide to go. It means less mess to clean up!

I'll keep ya posted.

So much for that uniqueness....

When it came time to think about names for both of my girls, I had two criteria:

1.) The names had to be short.
2.) The names had to be different or unique.

Of course, I wanted to choose pretty names that would flow well with a middle name and our last name too.

I haven't had issues with Kyra's name so far. If anything, people pronounce it KIER-A instead of KY-RUH. So, we just politely correct them.

But when Kyra started school, imagine my surprise when I find out that there's a little boy in her class named Kyle and a little girl in her class named Kyleigh.

How confusing is that? LOL!

At least they aren't the same names!

I can't wait to see what Maeve will encounter with her name. Either the teacher or the teacher assistant at her school keeps spelling her name, "Mauve".

She's NOT A COLOR! ;)

It's finally here!

Watch tomorrow night, peeps!

Woman gives birth to own grandchildren.....

Now this is a weird story.

I guess anything is possible in today's world.

So bittersweet.....

Miss Maeve has done an excellent job adjusting to preschool. She hasn't cried yet. She loves it and talks nonstop about it. Well today, she came home singing a song that Kyra learned while she was there during her first year. I recognized it right away. She is ADORABLE singing that song. I need to capture her singing it on video because she's so darn cute!

I've been having some really tough moments lately. Depression is something that I might just have to deal with for the rest of my life. But I have been very proactive about it and know what things to do to get myself out of a rut. Plus, I realize that my hormones are still adjusting, so I just wait for the "icky" moments to pass. Keeping busy really helps.

Lately though, I get really down when I think of Maeve growing up. See with Kyra, I knew that I would have another child and I knew that I'd get to experience everything all over again. But now that Maeve is meeting her milestones and leaving the "babyness" behind, it's hit me really hard. I wonder if all moms go through this when they realize that they are done having kids. Maeve is my baby. But my baby is growing up. *sigh*

Thoughts?

What happens when lightning strikes an airplane?

I was clicking this and that on YouTube and found this video. Apparently, lightning strikes on airplanes are VERY common. Here's a link to a good explanation as to why it's nothing to be concerned about.

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20031128.html
(You'll have to copy and paste the link in your browser)

More updates.....

-School has gotten off to a great start this year! Kyra loves 1st grade. She's doing very well. I'll know more once I have a parent/teacher conference next week. I'm looking forward to hearing all about her progress so far. Her teacher is a sweetheart. Kyra is a lucky girl.

-Maeve LOVES school. I mean, LOVES it. I dropped her off on the first day and we've had NO TEARS so far. None at all. School is all she talks about and she's pretty disappointed that she doesn't get to go all of the time. Her school is just on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:45 till 2:00. Her teacher told me today that I never have to ask how Maeve is doing because every day is a good day for her! WOW! I would have never guessed that she would do so well. She loves playing with the toys, coloring, painting, playing on the playground, having snack, having lunch, and even taking a nap! She's always asleep when I pick her up. She sleeps from 12:40-2:00. So she has a good nap. I'm thrilled that she loves it so much.

-Starting tomorrow, I will be helping out in Kyra's school's library on Friday mornings. I'm a little nervous and excited at the same time. They have such a cute library at the downhill campus. I'll help out where I can!

-My sister is taking the girls for the weekend. I'm looking forward to it! I need a break! ;)

-Maeve is way into "pretending" right now. She pretends to read books. She loves to hold her dolls and carry them around like a little mama. Yesterday, she kept telling me, "Shhhhhh!" I asked her where she was taking her baby and she said, "To church!" LOL! She knows that we have to "shhhhhhh" in church! She's so funny these days.....and very smart.

-I've taken up running again (in addition to everything else that I do!) and I'm trying to run twice a week. Lately to combat the boredom, I've been going down to the hike and bike trail on Town Lake to run. I love it. I put Maeve in the jogger on Monday and took her along and she loved seeing all of the strollers and especially the dogs! There were dogs everywhere! I wish mine weren't so lazy. I'd take them too! I doubt that they could make it for 4.5 miles though!

-My gym classes are going great. My Flow class has really picked up again. I'm thrilled about that.

-Richard loves work and has had ample opportunities to work overtime lately. That's a good thing! :)

-I'm really ready for some fall weather. I can't believe that it's still 90+ degrees though! I'm waiting for that first crisp cool front!

***I think that's all for now. I must pack for the kiddos for the weekend! Woooohoooo!

The guessing game....

So, who does Maeve look like? Honestly, I change my mind on a daily basis. Here is Maeve with my mother-in-law, Debbie. So, you decide. Do they look alike? BTW, Maeve's blue eyes are definitely a paternal trait. There are NO blue eyes on my side of the family!

Another FNL moment.....

I've been to two high school football state championships and I can honestly say that this is how the players, coaches, and fans feel when they step into a stadium that is 10 times the size of their little high school football field. It's amazing. It really does give you that "kid in a candy store" feeling.

We remember....

Please take a moment today and remember those that lost their lives on this tragic day. Please pray for their families and all active military personnel. Also, pray for an end to this war. May peace one day fill our world....

Well it's what I've been saying for years.....

First of all, I'm watching MTV. Yes, it's the ONE DAY out of the year that I'll watch it LIVE. The Video Music Awards are on.

It's kind of ironic really. They are called "Video Music Awards". Would someone please tell me when MTV actually plays videos? When can I watch the videos that were nominated? And NO, I don't want to watch online. I want to watch on MTV!

Big props to Justin Timberlake who I just heard say TWICE to "play more damn videos!" GO JT! I've been saying this for years! I'm sick of the reality crap!

Oh, and how bad was Britney's performance? Girl should just move to a remote island and disappear! She was beyond horrible! I don't feel sorry for her anymore because she's had every opportunity to redeem herself and she just keeps diggin' her grave.

I'd say that my teaching performance in my Body Step class today was 100x better than whatever that was! LOL!

Greatness.....

Friday Night Lights

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My baby went to preschool today!

Here she is in all her glory! She didn't even shed a tear when I dropped her off. She walked right in and claimed a little ride-on car! LOL! I get to pick her up in an hour! I can't wait to hear how it was!

*sigh* She grew up way too fast for mommy!

Life's about taking risks.....right?

Well it was long overdue, but today I FINALLY got the nerve to go to the gym and take a Body Jam class. We launched the program last year and it's become very popular, but I never had the time to fit in a class (sounds crazy, I know) in my week. After today, I'll definitely have to do it at least once a week.

IT.WAS.A.BLAST.

Now I don't know why I didn't take a class sooner!

Yes, you dance....A LOT. It's what the class is all about. But you also learn to dance your cares away and just let go. As in any class, there's always a deeper meaning behind "just physically being there".

I kept up pretty well. Heather said that you don't feel like you get a great workout the first few times because you're just trying to keep up.

But my sweaty body indicated that I worked pretty darn hard!

I worked areas that will probably be screaming at me tomorrow!

As for today, I realized that my hips can move! LOL! I've never felt so FREE! ;)

This.is.awesome.

Anyone remember the Schlittercoaster at Schlitterbahn? This slide reminded me of it!

My 1st grader.....

This last pic is my favorite. She was NOT HAPPY that I snapped a pic of her in the classroom! She was "embarrassed". Oy! Is that starting already?

Her teacher has a smiley face theme. They are everywhere!

She loves 1st grade! She's so excited about this year!

Stripper pole cat fight....

This is hilarious! Always train with a reputable stripper pole instructor who can do the correct "spotting". LOL!

Boys, boys....

This is one of my favorite scenes from FNL (and there are many!). My season 1 DVD should ship this week! I'm so excited! And oh, is it October 5th yet? ;)

Well, we've jumped on the teeny bopper bandwagon....

I taped "High School Musical 2" for Kyra the other night. She finally discovered it on the DVR yesterday and she watched it 3 TIMES! I have to admit that it's very cute....cheesy, but cute. I'm convinced that it's a cross between "Grease" and "Dirty Dancing", but it's squeaky clean! Kyra loves looking at the words flash across the screen and singing with the songs. Maeve just dances around like she's the center of attention (well, isn't she? LOL!).

So today we go to Walmart for some last minute school things and Kyra BEGS me to buy her "High School Musical" (the 1st one....it's out on DVD). I caved and bought it. Next, she wants the soundtracks to each movie.

Does it ever end?!

To tease your brain.....

http://www.oldjoeblack.0nyx.com/thinktst.htm

I got 13/25. Comment below and let me know how you did!

Have fun!

Sweeter than candy......

It's nice to be noticed......

This morning, I took the kiddos to church. I usually have to teach on Sundays, so we try to hit up church on Saturday nights. But today another instructor taught my class and I'm teaching her class tomorrow. So off to church we went.

The girls were very well behaved. Maeve wanted to slip up, but I kept being persistent with the remark that if she didn't behave, we would go outside. She knew what that meant.

Kyra took her "Picture Missal" to church and followed along with all of the parts of Mass. I'm so glad that her Godmother got her that for Christmas. She loves it.

Maeve brought her Catholic book of prayers for babies along. She pointed EVERYTHING out on ALL of the pages. I kept "shhhing" her because she was a little too excited about some of the pictures.

When it was time to make the sign of peace, we shook hands with the couple behind us. The lady said, "You have some beautiful girls and they are so well behaved!" Yeah, if she only knew! LOL! They are only like that some of the time!

Then on our way out of church, we were walking to the car and the man rolled down his window and said, "You are doing a fine job with those little girls." I said, "Well, I try!" It isn't easy. But it is rewarding. And when I get a comment like that, I know that it's totally worth it. After all, I take them to church by myself. It's just what I have to do.

I'm almost thankful that daddy doesn't go because we ALL went to a Catholic baptism yesterday in downtown Austin for one of Richard's friend's little girl and the kids were horrendous with daddy around! They misbehaved (in my book) and were jumping around on him. He didn't know what to do! Yeah, hand them to me! I deal with this all the time! LOL!

Is this for real?

Better late than never......

I took this with my camera on July 4th. I never put it on my blog because I didn't know how. Well, I figured it out! ;) ENJOY!

To get you hooked.....

I'll post these from time to time..... ;)

OK, no excuses people.....

As you can see from previous posts, I'm a huge fan of "Friday Night Lights" and I'm stoked that the show is back for a 2nd season AND shooting in Austin. All I can say is that you MUST watch season 2! I want as many people as possible to jump on the bandwagon. It's not just a show about football. It's a realistic show about small towns, families, friends, rivals, and of course, DRAMA! It's a wonderful show and I'm so upset that it didn't get more Emmy nods for some cast members....especially Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton.

Here's what you do if you want to catch up. Watch season 1 in its entirety. You can watch ALL episodes ONLINE. Go here.

Or if you want, you can buy the season 1 DVD for a VERY inexpensive $20! It comes out on August 28th. You can pre-order on Amazon here.

NO EXCUSES PEOPLE! Join me in watching the BEST SHOW on television! Season 2 starts on Friday, October 5th. The show has taken the 8pm (central time) timeslot. If you can't watch it, then DVR/Tivo it! Do whatever you have to do! ;)

What would they do without us?

I'm convinced that husbands would be NOTHING without their wives. Why? Well, let me explain a little of what my husband does on a regular basis.

-He leaves his phone in the car. I found it today in the suburban and it was not charged. So who brought it in the house and charged it? That's right. ME.

-He loses his keys. This happens A LOT. In fact, it happens so often that I don't even get all bent out of shape over it anymore. The keys are usually found outside somewhere (scary, I know) or in his pants/jeans/shorts pocket. But who always tracks them down? That's right. ME.

-He must constantly be reminded to make an appointment. I'm talking doctor, dentist, etc. I think he thinks that I am the one that will do it for him because I know his schedule. Nope. Ain't gonna happen. This is one thing that you can do yourself. Put your big boy pants on and do it yourself. Oh, and once the appointment is made, then who do you think has to remind him of the actual appointment? That's right. ME.

-He always forgets my schedule. Dude, I do the same thing week after week. I work out on the same days. I teach on the same days. Nothing changes. I hate the question, "So what are you doing today?" Dude, you know! Who calmly tells him the same thing he heard last week on such a given day? That's right. ME.

-Me: "Have you fed the dogs this morning?"
Him: "Nope. You feed the dogs, remember?"
Oh yeah, I forgot. But wouldn't it be nice if YOU did it for once. Dude, that's a hint that I want YOU to do it. So again, who feeds the dogs? Yep, ME.

-He forgets the kids' schedule too.
On a Monday afternoon.....
Him: "Where are you going?"
Me: "To take Kyra to dancing."
Him: "She does that on Mondays?"
Ugh. So who takes her to dancing? ME! ME! ME!

I really don't know what he'd do without me. I also remember to give the dogs their heartworm pills once a month. I multi-task. I rarely write reminders down. I just remember.

Why can't he?

Oh yeah, I forgot. He's a man! ;)

The divas.....

They are coming home tomorrow! Thank goodness! I miss them!

A pee in your pants kind of day....part 2

If you follow my blog, then you might remember this post. Well since posting that, I had seen HIM at the gym downtown a time or two, but I always had just missed him. I bought the Men's Health magazine in February because he was on the cover and I thought that if I ever had a chance to meet him, then I'd get him to sign it. (And of course, I would frame it! LOL!)

"Friday Night Lights" resumed filming in Austin about a month ago. I think that they are trying to get as many episodes taped as possible because there is talk of a writer's strike happening later this year.

Well today.was.the.day. I walked into the downtown gym and saw him in the corner of the gym working out. I knew that this would probably be a once in a lifetime chance to approach him. So I got my magazine out and took my sharpie pen with me. He was doing abs (O.M.G.) and I didn't want to bother him, so I set the magazine down beside him and said, "I don't want to bother you while you're working out (yeah, too late for that!), so just sign this when you're done." I didn't want to sit there and stare (LOL!), so I walked up to the front desk. In the meantime, he hits up a stairstepper and took the magazine with him. Then I went and got it from him and thanked him and we chit chatted a little bit. I introduced myself and so did he (LMAO! Um, I KNOW who you are!). He shook my hand! We chit chatted about the gym and about this season of FNL. He said that they LOVE filming in Austin and are working on the 3rd episode right now. I couldn't believe that I was making small talk with him! OMG!

For those that want to know, he is BEAUTIFUL. His eyes are gorgeous and his face is completely clear. Like Katye said, "He's just pretty." And his voice....I love his voice. LOL! You also can totally tell that he's a fitness freak and takes very good care of his body. Dude is VERY buff.

So there you have it. I'm still in shock. I'm sure I'll wake up tomorrow and think that this was just a dream. LOL!

So in ending, I'll just scream, "OMG! I MET TAYLOR KITSCH TODAY!"

Dog observations.....

Since the kiddos are gone this week, Mia and Zoe have had a lot of "one on one" time with me. They are so hilarious! Here's some of the things that I've taken note of this week.

-Zoe is slowing down and easing out of her puppy stage. She sleeps a lot more than she used to and just sits on the sofa. She's still "ADD dog" at times though.

-The dogs actually remind me a lot of Kyra and Maeve. One minute they are all cuddled up against each other and the next moment, Zoe is chasing Mia around the house and annoying the heck out of her. Yes, it's very familiar....even with dogs. ;)

-I feed Zoe first thing in the morning. When she's done, then Mia has her turn to eat. Zoe will run in our bedroom (we feed them in different rooms) and pester Mia till I've put her food down. Then Zoe will sit there and watch Mia eat all.of.her.food. It's hilarious!

-Today, there was a guy here to buy Richard's boat (another long story, another post). Mia freaks out when strangers are around. She hears the different voice. Well, Mia stopped barking for a while and then Zoe took over! LOL! At one moment, Mia hauled butt outside in the backyard and Zoe followed. It's like Zoe is Mia's little "apprentice". So funny.

-When it's around 8 or 9pm, these dogs follow me all over the house until I start getting ready for bed. I assume that they want to cuddle. Then when we are all in bed, they settle like sardines on top of each other ON RICHARD'S SIDE OF THE BED! Um, he's at work! You can cuddle with me! Dumb dogs.

-Zoe has been frantically visiting the girls rooms pretty often this week. She knows that they are gone and that it's just not right. I think she misses them. Especially Kyra. Kyra is her bedtime buddy. When Kyra goes to bed, Zoe follows her and goes to bed with her.

***I hear that my kids are having a blast with their grandma and cousins this week. Their grandma is taking ALL 6 KIDS to a photography studio in the morning to have a portrait taken of them all together. LORD.HELP.HER.

They should be back on Friday or Saturday.

What will I do?

My mother-in-law came on Friday evening. Today, she left and took Kyra and Maeve to Victoria. FOR A WEEK. The girls have never been away for more than a few days before. And when they are gone, I miss them like crazy! I'm going to be lost this week. I've already made lists of things that I can do! LOL!

Tonight, I went out and rented 4 movies. I've already watched one. I'll do my normal working out. I have a list of places that I need to run errands to in Austin. I might get a pedicure. On Thursday, I have a doctor's appt. and then I think I'll drive down to New Braunfels and meet a friend for lunch. We're talking about going to Gruene. So I guess technically, I won't be *that* bored. Or will I?

I'm sure I'll be climbing the walls by the end of the week. As for the girls, they probably won't return till at least Friday or Saturday. Either my mother-in-law will bring them back up here or perhaps my dad will be brave and drive them back up here himself. Kyra is not a problem for him, but he's a little nervous about Maeve. She'll be fine though! I told him to put the polka music on and she'll be a happy camper! LOL!

I'm sure there's an alterior motive.....

Conversation with Richard today:

Him: "Hon, let's rent some movies this week to watch together when I'm off."

Me: "OK, but you know that you and I don't agree on movie choices AT ALL. What the heck are we going to watch? Chick flicks?"

Him: "Sure, if you want. Whatever you want. I just want to sit down with you and enjoy a good movie."

Me: "Oh please. At the end of the movie, you'll stand up and say, 'We wasted two hours on that?' I know you too well."

Him: "No I won't!"

Yeah right. Anyone want to make bets?

I wonder what he wants. ;)

Weekend funny.....

***I know you haven't heard from me in a while. I'm sorry. I've been swamped with choreography and other things. I'll update more this week. Promise!


First-grade teacher, Ms. Brooks, was having trouble with one of her students.

The teacher asked, "Harry, what's your problem?" Harry answered, "I'm too smart for the 1st grade. My sister is in the 3rd grade and I'm smarter than she is! I think I should be in the 3rd grade too!"

Ms. Brooks had had enough. She took Harry to the principal's office. While Harry waited in the outer office, the teacher explained to the principal what the situation was.

The principal told Ms. Brooks he would give the boy a test. If he failed to answer any of his questions he was to go back to the 1st grade and behave. She agreed.

Harry was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he agreed to take the test.

Principal: "What is 3 x 3?"

Harry: "9."

Principal: "What is 6 x 6?"

Harry: "36."

And so it went with every question the principal thought a 3rd grader should know.

The principal looks at Ms. Brooks and tells her, "I think Harry can go to the 3rd grade." Ms. Brooks says to the principal, "Let me ask him some questions."

The principal and Harry both agreed Ms. Brooks asks, "What does a cow have four of that I have only two of?"

Harry, after a moment: "Legs."

Ms. Brooks: "What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?"

The principal wondered why would she ask such a question! Harry replied: "Pockets."

Ms. Brooks: "What does a dog do that a man steps into?"

Harry: "Pants."

Ms. Brooks: What starts with a C, ends with a T, is hairy, oval, delicious and contains thin, whitish liquid?"

Harry: "Coconut."

The principal sat forward with his mouth hanging open.

Ms. Brooks: "What goes in hard and pink then comes out soft and sticky?" The principal's eyes opened really wide and before he could stop the answer, Harry replied, "Bubble gum."

Ms. Brooks: "What does a man do standing up, a woman does sitting down and a dog does on three legs?"

Harry: "Shake hands."

The principal was trembling.

Ms Brooks: "What word starts with an 'F' and ends in 'K' that means a lot of heat and excitement?"

Harry: "Firetruck."

The principal breathed a sigh of relief and told the teacher, "Put Harry in the fifth-grade, I got the last seven questions wrong."

***THANKS KIMMY!

Fashion meltdowns.....

Yesterday and today, I've had a 2 year old that REFUSES to wear her own clothes and throws a FIT when she can't wear her 6 year old sister's clothes. I can tell that there will be some tough years ahead. *sigh*

It's the little things.....

While fumbling around on Yahoo's Music Launchcast, I found an awesome radio station. If you scroll down here, look under "More Genres" and click on "Classical Crossover". Love it! Pure bliss after the day I've had! :)

Men need periods. Period.

Can't they have one? Just one? That's all I'm asking. Maybe then they would be a lot more understanding and sympathetic toward women.

I just woke up from a two hour nap because I'm having a miserable day and the first words out of Richard's mouth were, "Why don't you get up and get dressed so we can all go out to eat?"

Um, no. Not today buddy.

So he took himself to the grocery store. LOL!

This is scary.....

I just printed out the 1st Grade school supply list.

1st grade!!! Why does that seem so *old*?

More hometown observations......

-I found out that the gym that I used to teach at now has Body Pump! I'm speechless. Will wonders never cease?

-I'm still 100% convinced that the mall in V-town is ghetto. I took Kyra in there on Sunday. We walked in, got what we needed, and walked out. Their idea of a "food court" is just scary. (My apologies to those of you who actually like that mall.)

-HEB Plus is the devil. They have waaaaaay too many things in that store.

-Speaking of HEB Plus, I think everyone in the damn town was there on Sunday afternoon. I HATE seeing people that I know. I NEVER made eye contact and shuffled in and out of aisles just to avoid them. It worked! :)

-One of the people that I saw was my old Spanish teacher who busted me for cheating during my freshman year of high school! LMAO!

-With all of the rain that they've gotten down there, the mosquitoes are HORRIBLE. Oh, and does anyone remember the mosquito sprayer trucks that the city owned that would come and spray periodically? Are they still around? Because if they aren't, then they SHOULD BE!

-Note to the weather lady on the weekend hometown news: YOU SUCK! The weather forecast doesn't consist of the words "uh", "um", or "oh". You need to practice in front of a mirror during the week!

-To be honest, the weekday weather lady wasn't much better. *sigh*

-My dad said that they have people float in and out of that news station on a regular basis. They don't stay long.

-Except for this person. He's been there FOREVER.

-Oh, and one person that does ROCK that works there is Shawna! Love her! She's married to an old classmate of mine.

-I remember when Riverside Park was nice. It seems so "run down" now. The duck pond is still there, but I miss the train that used to run through the park. Ahhhh....the good 'ol days!

-It's weird, but the town seems like a "stranger" to me now. I've been gone for so long and so many things have changed. I don't think it's grown that much people-wise, but I do think that there is a bigger demand now for the more "upscale" businesses like Home Depot, Starbucks, Olive Garden, Best Buy, etc. It's just weird to see them all there now.

And I almost fell off of the table.....

This morning, I went to the doctor and he agreed to have another blood draw! YAY! This is good news! I really want to see what the acupuncture has done since I started taking treatments. We talked a lot about acupuncture and he's not opposed to it at all. He said that in about 35% of patients, they report 100% improvement with their condition. He said that another 30% of patients report 50% improvement. The rest saw no improvement. He used to work with the chiropractor in the office where I'm taking acupuncture and he said that he saw "amazing things" while he was there. WOW. I guess sometimes Western medicine and Eastern medicine can live together in harmony! LOL!

We talked a lot about thyroid and what my worst symptoms were. I said that they were fatigue and the fact that my moods were so erratic. Then he said, "Well, sometimes fatigue can be caused by a lack of exercise." OMG! I almost fell off of the table. I assured him that I get PLENTY of exercise.....more than most people! LOL!

So we'll see what my TSH level is. A "normal" level is .5 to 5. When I was first diagnosed, my level was 6.95. I felt horrible. A month ago, it was at 2.3 and I still didn't feel good. This time, I'm hoping that it's closer to 1. I think I'll feel my best when we get it closer to 1. I hate that it's such a broad range. Someone might feel great at a level of 2.3. I didn't. Everyone is different. That's why it's important to see your doctor if you feel bad and INSIST on the correct treatment. Or you can be like me and say, "Screw the whole thing" and seek healing elsewhere. I thank God for the person that walked into my life and convinced me to give Chinese medicine a try. :)

So *that's* what it feels like.....

My acupunturist recommended that I take ginseng on Friday. He said, "Give it 5 days and if you don't feel any better, then increase your dosage." I'm already taking 3 tablets twice a day! LOL!

I think today the ginseng finally kicked in. I had more energy today than I have had in months! Usually when Maeve naps, I nap. Not anymore.

I told Richard today that this stuff is like a miracle drug. It's made me think a heck of a lot clearer too. I just feel normal. I feel like myself again. Of course all of this could change tomorrow. But today was a good day! So I'll take it!

I'm off to wind down with a bath. The relaxing music, candles, and bath salts are calling my name! LOL!

Yet another Kyra gem.....

I'm blogging about this because I want to document somewhere that she said this. It was so funny!

Conversation with Kyra this morning:

Me: "Kyra, let's go to HEB Plus this afternoon while Maeve is napping (Richard was here sleeping too) because I want to look for some herbs."

Kyra: "Mommy, what are herbs?"

Me: "They're like really good, natural medicine."

Kyra: "Well, the word 'herbs' such is a gloomy name for medicine!"

Gloomy? LMAO! She's so clever! I couldn't dream this sh!t up!

This n' that.....

-We got MORE RAIN last night. I really think I need to build an ark! LOL!

-We also have tomatoes coming out of our ears! (not really) We have A TON of them! Richard can't keep up with making salsa! LOL! Anybody want some? 'Cause we have plenty!

-We have so much trash to be picked up this week because THEY PICKED UP TRASH ON JULY 4TH! Can you believe that? Who does that? I thought that everything would just slide a day last week. I was wrong! Weird!

-I got NOTHING done while the kids were away. I was so lazy. I almost feel bad about it! LOL!

-My favorite part about them being gone was being able to sleep in. Ahhhhhh! Why do my children get up with the chickens anyway? I can put them to bed at 9 or 10 and they'll still be up by 7. Ugh.

-My hair is still falling out. And that bothers me. :(

-On a positive note, my acupuncturist suggested that I get some ginseng for energy. I got a bottle and woah, what a difference! Next we'll work on my mood! ;)

-We are taking a little mini-vacation this Friday through next Tuesday. We'll hit up La Grange, East Bernard, and Victoria. Oh, and Richard will hit up the bays! LOL!

-I'm in choreographyland again. This time it doesn't seem so hard to learn. I think it's because my brain is working better. Thanks Mr. Thyroid!

-Speaking of thyroids, I'm going to the doctor on Wednesday morning to have my TSH level checked. I'm nervous about that because it hasn't been that long since I had my level checked and I know that the doctor will be very skeptical. My acupuncturist recommended that I have my level checked since we've done 3 weeks of treatments now. Now, my doctor here used to work with the chiropractor from that office, so I'll mention his name and see where that takes me. Wish me luck!

-I'm also nervous because "that time of the month" is coming and usually that's when I feel HORRIBLE. I'm anxious to see what this week brings. I think if it's a good week, then I'll know that the acupuncture is helping.

-Zoe is getting on my nerves. She's so darn sneaky. I have to outsmart her. She can't go #2 inside forever! Richard suggests just leaving her outside. LOL! Nope, I don't think that'll work!

-Richard bought Kyra some workbooks from Half Price Books and she's been working on them constantly since she got home. She loves to learn....even in the summer! ;)

-It's quiet. Maeve is napping. Ahhhhhh......

Richard's birthday: the celebration.....

On Friday night, we met some friends from Houston at Baby A's up in north Austin. This is a fairly new location and it was fantastic! They also had their neighbors down with them and the neighbors met up with some family, so we had quite a dinner with strangers. But it was fun!

Richard's friend Jason was planning a party for tonight (Saturday night) for his wife, Kimberly. It was to be a surprise. Jason wanted Kimberly to think that they were going to Z-Tejas to celebrate Richard's birthday. So, when they arrived, she was SHOCKED to see all of their family and friends waiting for her! I was even more shocked because on the menus, Jason had them put, "Happy Birthday Kimberly and Richard!" What an awesome friend! Richard was treated like royalty too. He loved it. What was a huge surprise party for his friend's wife was also a party for him! Kimberly had birthday on the 5th. We've celebrated their birthdays together a few times....but nothing like this before!

We had THE BEST food. We had pleasant conversations with people that we had just met. I even exchanged email addresses with a girl from Austin that we sat by. Who knew complete strangers could be so much fun? We also got to meet and sit with Kimberly's parents. I must say that when Richard and I grow old, I want to be like them. They are so lively and energetic! They are VERY sweet people.

The quote of the night came from Richard. He said, "This is the BEST birthday I've ever had!" Everyone signed the menus for him and Kimberly. Complete strangers signing and saying the nicest things! I told Richard that even if he never sees some of them again, he'll always remember how he spent his 30th birthday!

What a night! But I'm ready for my babies to come back tomorrow! I miss them! I can't wait to see them!

7-7-07

Today is my hubby's birthday! He's 30 now! He finally caught up to me! ;) Yes, he was born on 7-7-77. Every time I pick up a prescription for him, they always ask for his birthday and when I tell them, someone always has to comment about it. Usually I get, "Oh wow!" or "How lucky is he?" We didn't win a huge jackpot in Vegas when we went, so I wouldn't say he's that lucky. LOL!

I just read an article that said that 40,000 couples will marry today. That's up from the usual 15,000 that marry on any given Saturday. I bet those people really had fun coming up with stuff to plan their wedding. Like I bet some deliberately had 7 bridesmaids and 7 groomsmen. I bet a lot will marry at 7pm. Some brides will probably go all out and have a 7 tiered cake. Some brides probably chose 7 types of flowers for their bouquets. You get the idea.

I read that a couple in Victoria didn't ask for gifts. They asked for lottery tickets (which personally I think is kind of tacky). I guess they think that they'll get lucky today of all days. And if they don't win today, then they never will! LOL!

My "other" dog.....

Calli (Lisa and Nate's Yorkie) has been here with us since Friday. My dad brought her up here with him after Lisa went to Rockport. We are taking her back home today. Calli is a wonderful dog and we love her to pieces. She fits right in and is never any trouble at all. What made me laugh this week is that we've discovered that she's VERY protective of Mia! Zoe will start trying to play around with Mia and annoy her and Calli will chase her down and give her a piece of her mind! Mia NEVER sticks up for herself and lets Zoe walk all over her, but not Calli! Zoe will leave Calli alone 99.9% of the time because she knows that if she doesn't, she'd better watch her ass! LOL!

We are off to *try* to have a nice July 4th in St. John. We are going to Lisa's in La Grange tonight. I will come back sometime on Thursday. The girls will be with Lisa through Sunday! How about that? I get me some peace and quiet later this week! YIPPPPEEEE!

Everyone stay dry! *smooches*

Get out!

Today I was in Old Navy without the kids and witnessed the complete meltdowns of two children. The first was from a little boy that must have been a little older than Maeve. I saw him in the store for a while and he was a terror. He kept yelling and kicking and screaming. I overheard whoever was taking care of him (couldn't tell if it was his mother or his nanny/babysitter....she truly looked young) say, "You sure are being mean today!" Um, RED FLAG! He must have heard those words because from there it totally went downhill. He was kicking her, screaming, laying on the floor, etc. It was bad. She continued to shop and keep her cool all while he was screaming and carrying on. I kept thinking, "You need to get him out of here woman!" Nope. Clearly, there were stares from other people. She did end up buying something and yes, he remains screaming at the top of his lungs at the checkout line. Ugh. FINALLY, the girl left and was carrying him out of the store like a sack of potatoes. I refuse to call her his mother because I'd hope that his mother wouldn't put up with that nonsense. But she might have been his mother. I don't know.

Tantrum #2 came from a little girl that was with her mom and they were checking out ahead of me. The little girl wanted a mini football. Her mom gave it to the cashier to scan and she had a fit! OK, first off, I have always explained to my girls that yes, the cashier will take it away for a bit and then you'll get it back. That seems to make the process a lot easier. This mother didn't do that. Then after she did check out, the little girl was still there kicking and screaming on the floor and the mom is like, "Bye! I'm leaving! Are you going to stay here?" Geez! Take your kid already and get the heck out of here!

Apparently there were a lot of tantrums in Old Navy this weekend. The girls at the front talked of some really bad incidents that happened yesterday. And one woman told them, "Sure makes you want to use birth control, huh?" OMG! I just laughed. Too funny!

My rule of thumb is that if my kids EVER did that in a store, we would drop whatever we had in our hands to buy and leave immediately. I don't tolerate behavior like that at all. Luckily, my kids are good in stores and I can talk sense into them pretty easily. We ate out last night and they were perfect. Honestly, it's all about making them understand where they need to act appropriately. And if little two year old Maeve can understand that, then anyone can! It's not the kids' fault, it's the parents'.

Um, where am I again?

So today I had another appointment with the acupuncturist. I was a running a little early and had some time to spare, so I thought I'd drive up Mopac a bit and check out The Domain. WOW. Can you say uncomfortable? I felt weird just driving down that main street. Dang! To one side, I see Louis Vuitton and on the other side, I see Tiffany and Co. Then a little way down, I see Barney's and Betsey Johnson. Um, am I in Austin or on Rodeo Drive? It was so surreal. I can't imagine what it would have felt like to get out and walk in and out of the stores. I couldn't afford a thing! LOL!

Back to the appointment....it went great. I'm going once a week. I can totally tell that my sessions are having an impact on me. I've been doing a lot of research on the subject as well and I ate shrimp twice this week. Why? Because the iodine in shellfish helps the thyroid. I never knew that ANYTHING diet wise could help. But it does! One thing I've learned is to always do your research and seek 2nd opinions or alternatives. One day I might be able to wean off my medication all together. Imagine that! And they said that I'd have to take it for the rest of my life!

Things are a lot calmer this week. I like that. After last week, my sanity needed a break. ;)

Happy weekend! Hope you're dry whereever you are!

Thanks Chelle!

SCATTERGORIES…it’s harder than it looks!

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following They MUST be real places, names, things…NOTHING made up!

Your Name: Kim(berly)

Famous Artist/Band/Musician: Kenny Rogers

4 letter word: Kind

Vehicle: Kia

TV Show: "Kids Incorporated" (LOVED that show!)

City: Kyle (it's the next town south of here!)

Boy Name: Keanu (as in Reeves! YUM!)

Girl Name: Kelsey (Kyra was almost a "Kelsey" BTW.)

Drink: Kool-Aid

Occupation: King (LOL! Wouldn't it be nice to be royalty?)

Flower: Kalimeris (had to look this one up, sorry)

Something you wear: Keys (Do they count? Because I wear them all the time! LOL!)

Something you do: Kiss

Color: Khaki

Sport: Kickball

Something that you like: Key Lime Pie

Celebrity: Kelly Clarkson

Food: Ketschup

Something found in a kitchen: Knives

Reason for Being Late: Kids

Cartoon Character: "Krypto the Superdog" (Ugh)

Something You Shout: "Keep out!" (LOL!)

I tag anyone who wants to do this!

Updates galore.....

Ok. I'm sorry that last post was a real downer. It's funny how things can change in the blink of an eye. Again, I think we all have angels that circle around us here on earth and if we're lucky enough, one of them comes in contact with us and changes everything. That happened to me on Wednesday afternoon.....just hours after I wrote that last post.

I have a friend that I teach Body Flow to downtown. She's been through some rough times as well. She was in a car accident in November and still hasn't bounced back totally from that. Instead of really pushing the physical therapy, she also found the wonderful world of yoga. This has helped her healing tremendously. After my class on Wednesday, I talked to her and found out that she was seeing a new chiropractor and acupuncturist. I had always wanted to try acupuncture. She gave me the name of this place and so Wednesday afternoon, I was on the phone calling and verifying benefits. Yes indeed, it's covered under insurance. I only pay $30 every time I go. On Thursday morning, I had an appointment. WOW. I can't say enough good things about that place. Amazing. I met with the chiropractor first and he evaluated my spine and said that it was in "great shape" (thank you Body Flow!). He soon sent me off to the acupuncturist. I always wanted to have this done, but I was skeptical. I told him how I was having troubles with my thyroid and how it was messing with my hormones and my moods. I told him how I was on day 8 of my cycle and I just wanted it to go away! LOL!

So he got started. He pushed on areas around my belly button and one time I almost jumped off the table! As soon as he put a needle in, he pushed there again and the tenderness was gone. Amazing. He did the front of my body and then the back. He does leave the room for a while so that the needles can find the pressure points and do their work. I was so relaxed. And I have to say that on Friday, my period was GONE! All gone! So I guess he took care of that!

He explained to me that since I caught my hypothyroidism early and I'm on a low dose of meds., that he can work with me to restore my thyroid function fully. Imagine that! I told him that yes, it's hard for me to imagine being on medication for it for the rest of my life. So, we'll see what happens. I have another appt. this Friday.

I have to tell you too that the needles DO NOT hurt going in. I know that they look like they do, but they don't. He also performed moxibustion, which was very interesting. That didn't hurt either.

I'm not a skeptic anymore. After the appt., I felt so rejuvenated and relaxed. I hope that the treatments continue to work well for my condition.

I should be able to post more this week. Last week was crazy. Kyra had summer camp and my cousin was here. Things should hopefully slow down soon.

Oh, and if you have a moment, pray for Richard. He has issues that I don't want to go into. They do involve his "bum" though. He's in quite a bit of pain right now. Poor guy.

Thoughts.....

I'm sitting here on a Wednesday morning and we are having some pretty nice thunderstorms right now. They aren't scary, just nice. It's always nice to feel the cooler air outside and hear the rain and know that we won't have to water our yard for at least another week! :) In the summertime, that makes me happy!

I really don't know where to begin to talk about my personal issues. All I can say is that I'm going through a very rough time right now. Something just isn't right with me. I'm being very proactive about it and taking steps to feel better. I've been angry with my doctor and very persistant too! I think that I even had the nurse on my side yesterday on the phone, so that's a plus! I mean, why else would she suggest breaking my pills in half to up my dosage? LOL! So yes, once again, I'm questioning my thyroid dosage. My levels are "normal" according to the labs, but the range of "normal" is so big! That's why I am trying to work my way into the lower range of "normal". It's only then that I think I will feel better. I know my body better than anyone right? This shouldn't be a big issue with the doctors, but it is. Lab results don't tell the entire story. I think once in a while, they should ask, "So just how are you feeling?" Ugh. I'm not resting until I regain full control over my health. I don't like feeling icky.....especially when I have a wonderful husband, two beautiful children, and two cuddly dogs to love. ;)

My thyroid isn't the only issue right now. Since it is out of whack though, it's causing my hormones to go crazy. That could be another reason why I don't feel so good. So, we'll just have to wait and see how that all plays out. In the meantime, I'm going to talk to my OB/GYN about switching my anti-depressant. I've been on the same one for years and I think it might be time for a change. That can't hurt either, right?

It's so hard for me to accept that I have issues.....health issues. I know it's not a big deal and yes, I can get help and if I don't get the help that I want, then I can just find another doctor. But the bottom line is that there's something wrong. That bothers me. I have no control over it. I just have it. It's not like heart disease or diabetes. I can't control it with diet and exercise. It's just there. But what I can do is take control of my life and insist on getting all of the right answers. I also realize that I need to de-stress my life, so all of the Yoga that I have been doing is helping tremendously. I used to just live to work out. Now I work out to live. It's funny how that has changed. I think that fitness is a bigger part of my life now than ever before. It makes me feel good. It helps me cope. It keeps me sane. And that is good.

Wow! 6 years!

Happy 6th birthday to my "baby"! I can't believe you're 6! WOW!

Make it stop! Please!

Well we survived the weekend. Kyra's party was awesome. Lisa and I cleaned my dad's house like it hadn't been cleaned in years on Friday. We went to Target and spent $500 on new things for him....including a vacuum cleaner. He was very appreciative of that. It was a nice weekend! It went by fast though!

So my sister decides to buy this for Kyra for her birthday.

Guess who's played with it more than Kyra so far? That's right. MAEVE!

I think we have a little cheerleader in our future. But....Kyra is starting cheerleading tomorrow night at the dance studio. So it should be an interesting summer.

I think they say "Bella" over 100 times in the DVD. I'm NOT kidding. Richard said, "Please turn that crap off. It's enough to make anyone crazy!"

It is cheesy. VERY CHEESY. But isn't that the point of cheerleading anyway? ;)

I soooooooooo cannot wait for my sister to have kids. Paybacks are a bitch. I'm going to get her kids the loudest and most obnoxious toys......not to mention the ones with a gazillion pieces!

Then SHE can deal with the headaches! ;)

Until next week.....

We will be in Victoria this weekend. We are leaving this afternoon (Thursday). We are celebrating Kyra's birthday a week early. I'm soooooo ready for some time away. I've been working out so hard lately, so I'm ready for a break from that too.

See y'all next week! :)

Nature's fury.....

We had some really bad storms on Sunday night. My friend Anna was caught in the middle of one and I talked to her on the phone till she got home. That's how freaked out we both were. She lives about 30 minutes west of us. So as soon as I got off the phone with her, I whisked the dogs outside and let them potty. We have Calli (my sister's dog) this week and storms really bother her. So, Kyra and I both sat on the sofa with the dogs and prayed. We lost power a little after 9 and it was out for over 2 hours. I have NEVER heard such bad wind in my life. I swear that it must have been 100 mph. We got the "straight line winds" that you always hear about. Anyway, here is a tree that's out in our front yard. Since the tree is on the other side of the sidewalk, it's technically not our tree. We live on the corner, so it's the neighborhood's tree. It just snapped the sucker in half! Crazy! There were trees down everywhere around here. Now I'm scared because the tree is leaning toward our fence. Richard said that it's nothing to worry about. But still. I'm just thankful that we are fine and there was no damage to our house.

Maeve slept through the entire thing and Richard was at work. So, Kyra slept with me on Sunday night. Just when the house was getting unbearable hot, the power came back on. Ahhhhh.....

Our town was on the news on Monday afternoon. So I guess it really was bad here. :(

Recital pics.....

Just because.....

Things are going to change (again)......

If you remember a while back, I blogged about wanting to rid myself of all the negativity in my life. I know that it's hard to escape sometimes. I mean look at the world that we live in right now. There's negative everywhere. It's all over the news. We hear about more soldiers dying overseas everyday. It makes me sad.

I even catch Richard saying negative things and I tell him to please stop saying them. Little eyes see and little ears hear, ya know? I do correct Kyra too when she says something that's not very nice that I don't want to hear.

I just want to purge myself of negative and focus on more positive things. I do read a lot of websites and blogs and chances are that if there's a lot of bitching and moaning going on, then I'll choose not to visit there anymore. I can't stand it. Every once in a while, I take a look at my blog and see how much negative there is in it. I try to eliminate negative posts. I don't want to bring anyone down with me. I hope that reading this blog is an enlightening experience and I hope that it brings a smile to your face once in a while. I choose not to go on and on about bad things. That's not what I want you to hear about anyway. Instead I'd like to focus on my childrens' achievements and my personal growth. I want you to be informed about what's going on because I don't see many of you too often and I know that you want updates. This is the best way for me to let you know what's going on. If you choose to read, fine. If not, then that's fine too.

The bottom line is that I want a change in my life, so I'm taking steps to make it happen. If you want a change in your life, then you have to make it happen too. Bitching and moaning about it won't help. You can't just snap your fingers and everything will be ok. It doesn't work that way. You are in control and life is what you make of it. Life is too short to focus on all the negative. Be happy for goodness sakes! Take some time and make a list of positive things in your life. We all are blessed and have so much to be thankful for! Most of us have it made in that we have the basics of life....food, shelter, love, friends, and family. I think that's all you need to get by.......

1 down and 12 more to go.....

Today was Kyra's last day of Kindy! WOW! Where did this year go? Seems like yesterday that we walked into her classroom for the first time and she was a little apprehensive about being left there. I was a wreck. Did I really have to leave my baby in such a strange place?

That all changed soon though. She grew to love and trust her teacher who she will miss tremendously (me too!). She learned more about letters and numbers and learned to read! Her imagination grew by leaps and bounds. So did her independence. She was forced to be a responsible student and loved it! My baby made friends! She got her feelings hurt once or twice. She got a perfect report card all year long. She got an award for Caring (which makes me so darn proud). Kyra had a wonderful year. She'll never forget it either. I can still remember so many things about my year in Kindergarten! I still see my teacher from time to time and am sure to give her a big ol hug!

I've been feeling really great the past few days. I think the hormones have evened out a bit (yay!). I have more energy that I've had in months. Yesterday, I was outside with the hedge trimmer and having a ball! Richard was laughing at me. He mowed, so the yard looks nice. Plus we've gotten so much rain! So he'll have to mow again next week! ;)

With all my newfound energy, I decided to take Maeve's crib down today. She's been sleeping in a twin bed for almost a month now. It was time. I did it all by myself when Richard was gone with the girls this afternoon. It was kind of bittersweet. I know that I'm completely DONE with kiddos, but part of me will always long for that little being to be all snuggled up in the crib and blissfully sleeping. *sigh*

So, Kindy is over and the crib comes down. What a day!

I think my next post will be about Maeve and her talking. This kid can talk! Oh my goodness! She NEVER shuts up! We are in SO.MUCH.TROUBLE!

In a fog....

I'm sorry for the lack of blogging this week. I've been feeling horrible since Sunday. I felt worse on Monday. Tuesday was better....a lot better. And today it's Wednesday, and I still have a rollercoaster of emotions. This is so difficult. I can tell that my body is thoroughly confused from being on two different medications that are trying to regulate the hormones. It's crazy! I know that this too shall pass. A few months down the road and things will be A LOT better! I just know it! My hormones have been out of whack for so long that it makes sense that it would take a while to get them back to normal. But I just want to feel like myself again! I'm tired of feeling sluggish, moody, and just being an overall pain in the ass. I know I'm not fun to live with right now. I swear that the hormones weren't even this bad when I was pregnant. BOTH TIMES! I'm telling you folks, it's bad! The thyroid is a critical organ in the body and when it's messed up, it throws EVERYTHING off! I feel so icky. It's hard to explain and I hope that none of you ever have to go through what I've been through. Thank God that you are normal and healthy because it sucks when you're not.

I'm going to check back with my doctor in a month and get bloodwork done. We'll see where my levels are and if my dosage on the thyroid meds. needs to be increased. I'm on a very low dosage right now, so I wouldn't be surprised if I had to increase just a little bit. I still don't feel 100% and it might take me a while to get there. This is a total trial and error situation.....you have to work to tweak your optimal dosage. This could take months.

I've learned a lot about thyroid disease within the last few weeks. Thank God for the internet! I've researched so much! I've come to grips with the fact that this is something that I have no control over. It just happened. I even found a statistic in a magazine that was very interesting. It said that 5-6% of women who are post-partum get hypothyroidism. I think that's what happened to me when I quit nursing Maeve. My hormones never returned to normal. I quit nursing her a year ago, so my thyroid just slowly shut down after that.

I think every "bump in the road" that's been thrown my way throughout my life has been there for a reason. I'll get through this. I'm already so in tune with my body and I know when I don't feel right. I thank God that it occured to me to get my thyroid tested. Everyone deserves to live their best life. I just hope that my best life returns soon! ;)