Dodging a bullet.....

Well we were pretty much spared by yet another hurricane. The scary thing is that they keep hitting more and more westward, so maybe next time we won't be so lucky. I pray that this season ends soon. It's been way too busy and catastrophic.

On that note, I'm sick to death of the people on some of the Houston TV station message boards criticizing officials for making them leave and then criticizing the forecasters for not making the right predictions. Um, with EVERY hurricane, we know that these things have a mind of their own and they'll go in where they want to go in. These people should just be thankful that they have their life to savor and a home to go back to. I think we all learned a lesson from Katrina in that you MUST be prepared and ready to go because you never know when the "big one" will hit and you never know what kind of damage it'll do. As much trouble as it was for everyone to get out of there, I'm glad they did. I hope that they are glad that they left too. Better safe than sorry.

I'm speechless when it comes to poor New Orleans. I really don't know what to say. The levees didn't hold and the city is under water again. It's so disheartening. It makes me wonder if this is God's way of telling them not to rebuild. But if you don't rebuild, then what are you gonna do? Let the city be part of the Gulf? Plus who's going to want to go back to live there? That's a tough situation. I pray that God watches over everyone working down there and that God watches over the people who are starting new lives elsewhere.

Richard's family came to stay here for a few days when we thought that Rita was going to hit closer to Victoria. My dad went to stay with my sister. Lisa and my uncle went down to Victoria and collected all of the photo albums. When they called me that day to say that they had done that, that's when it hit me. One of these things could wipe out my entire hometown. Scary. Very scary.

And to my Aunt Rita....I still love you. :)

Kyra, the babysitter.....

It's no secret that Kyra is a very independent little girl. She thinks that she can do everything....everything from dressing herself to getting something to eat by herself. Can you already see where I'm going with this? ;)

This morning I left to teach at the downtown gym. Richard was resting in our bed and Maeve was napping. Kyra was probably either playing on the computer or watching tv. We've never had to worry about her wrecking the house if we are asleep. We trust her a lot and she's just not the type of kid to make a huge mess.

The monitor stays in our room, but either it was off or Kyra turned it off. In any case, Richard didn't hear Maeve and she woke up. He didn't hear her, but guess who did? That's right. Her sister did. So imagine Richard's surprise when he gets out of bed and see Maeve sitting in her Bumbo seat in the living room! He said that he almost had a heart attack. Kyra said, "See, I can be Maeve's babysitter!" She had gotten her out of her crib and carried her into the living room. I've played that scene over and over in my mind and the thought puts me on the verge of a panic attack. I absolutely cannot believe that Kyra picked Maeve up! Maeve is probably about 17 lbs. now. I'm grateful that she got to her to the Bumbo safely, but what if she would have dropped her?

Richard and I sat Kyra down and told her that although she's a HUGE help with Maeve around the house, she SHOULD NOT ever pick her up. I told her that she can "babysit" without picking her up. Bless her heart though....she was just trying to help and be the wonderful big sister that she is.

I swear there's never a dull moment around here.

Sisterly love....

The girls were so cute tonight. I was giving Maeve a bath in her tub in the sink and Kyra was sitting at on one of the barstools and was singing. Maeve started giggling at her. Then Kyra would laugh. Maeve would laugh too! Finally, Kyra decided to start telling Maeve her "knock knock" jokes. She went on and on...making up the dumbest jokes I'd ever heard. Funny thing is by this time, Maeve was kicking and flailing her arms and laughing hysterically. I told Richard that Maeve must be the only one that thinks Kyra's jokes are funny! :0

It was the first time they've really interacted with each other. Sure Kyra walks around the room and Maeve follows her with her eyes. But this time was different. It was as if they were both on the same page.

I love my girlies!

Girl talk.....

The girls are doing ok this week. Kyra's allergies started bothering her over the weekend. They've gotten better but now Maeve sounds horrible. Ugh. Richard also has them and has almost completely lost his voice. I think there's good ol Mold in the air right now. Lovely. Looks like the girls are following in my footsteps with being highly allergic to that stuff. :(

Maeve has been rolling over constantly. She's all over her crib now. I never know how I'm going to find her when I go in there in the mornings. Last night I also discovered that she's VERY ticklish. I love those sweet belly laughs. She also loves for me to talk to her and she loves to babble back. I love this age where they aren't infants, but they aren't mobile yet either. I wish she could stay like this forever. :)

Kyra continues to crack me up. She came in my bed in the middle of the night because she was having "bad dreams". I asked her what her bad dreams were about and she said that "daddy and Spongebob's teacher were trying to take away my blankie." LOL! Guess she's been watching too much TV. Her imagination is running wild these days. Yesterday, she told me that she has affectionately named her blow-up toy from Sonic. His name is "Bob". Um, ok. She drew a treasure map the other day and was going around the house looking for things that were on that map. Amazing, I tell ya.

We did have a horrible drop-off at school this morning. Some other kid was crying so Kyra decided that she would too. By the time I walked out the door, she was screaming, "Mommy don't leave me!" My heart was breaking. I made a mad dash to the car with Maeve and we got the heck outta there. Poor kiddo. We still have days like that. Tuesday she was fine, but today was another story. I guess it just comes with growing up. I KNOW that Maeve will do it too.

A heavy heart.....

I hate to write about depressing things, but writing is therapy, right? That's just what I need right now.

I'm so saddened by the devastation left by Katrina. I feel a lot like I did after 9/11. I often turn on one of the news channels and just sit there....staring at the images with an enormous sick feeling. I want to turn off the TV, but I just can't. I feel so helpless. I can't imagine how those trapped must feel. I can't imagine how families that are waiting to hear word from their loved ones must feel. I can't imagine how those that fled and are seeing the horrific aftermath on TV of their own city must feel.

I sit here in silence. My kiddos are asleep. They have been bathed, fed, tucked in, hugged, and kissed. My husband is at work, but at least he has a job. We have a house and two working vehicles. We might not have the best of things, but we have luxuries that others do not have and might not have for a long time.

When I think about it being hot outside, I think about those that don't have a/c or electricity. When I packed Kyra's lunch for school tonight, I thought about those that have nothing to eat or drink. When I think to myself that I need to go to bed soon because Maeve might be up during the night, I think of those that haven't slept at all since this nightmare began.

All of my "problems" seem so small now. I pray to God that somehow, in some way, these people can piece their lives back together. My heart goes out to all of the people affected and my thanks goes to those helping them to safety.

You never know when the end is near so you should always let your loved ones know how you feel. So chances are if you are reading this, you know how much I love and care for you.

Green with envy.....

My friend Lynette emailed me this morning. Little background on her. I used to teach aerobics with her in my hometown when I first started teaching. She and I have remained friends through the years. She's been to hell and back (long story). Anyway, she got through it and now is enjoying life to the fullest. I'm so darn proud of her. She really is an inspiration to me.

Earlier this year she was in the Czech Republic and visited various countries around there. She emailed me this morning and said that she's in Tossa Del Mar, Spain! WOW! She said that she's getting a tan and is staying at a place overlooking the Meditteranean Sea. I'm so jealous. Hopefully I'll be able to see the world like she has one day. You go girl!

I emailed her back, but like I told her, my life seems boring compared to hers! LOL!

More HEB tales....

I run into the store today to get Maeve some teething tablets. I was making my way next door to the nail place and thought I'd grab a magazine to read while I was getting a pedicure. I walk to the area where all of them are and notice that they have moved the stand where they have all of the loose candy that you just bag and weigh. They used to have them in the produce section (makes sense since that's where the scales are). But, now they are by the magazines (and that makes sense too because I'm sure many parents stop there and have kids with them that will want the candy). In any case, there was this kid that was taking pieces of candy and eating and eating and eating.....all while standing there and looking around. It was so obvious that he was "stealing" candy. I chuckled to myself and walked off. I don't know why I find happenings at the grocery store so interesting. Richard said that I just like to "people watch". Yeah, either that or it's the fact that I don't have kids with me and notice more things going on. I don't know. Our HEB is packed 24/7, so there's always someone to take note of.

Today Kyra hid a mini spider in a James Avery box and called it her "pet". I think the thing was dead in there from the get go. Anyway, she must have closed the box and smushed it. She was upset and said, "Look, I told you that I dead (killed) it." The way she says things sometimes cracks me up. When it's bright outside, she doesn't say, "It's bright outside." Instead she says, "It sure is glarey outside." LMAO! I love that kid.

Yawn.....

Maeve decided that 4am would be a fine time to wake up this morning. When that happens, I usually just take it in stride and sit there and nurse her while I scroll through the DVR...trying to find something that will keep me awake. I forgot that I taped "Tommy Lee Goes To College" earlier in the week. I had missed a few episodes and wanted to get caught up. Let me first say that I don't particularly care for Tommy Lee. But this show is interesting to me. It's funny to see him "trying" to fit in on all aspects of college life. Of course they throw in the "hot tutor" for him to drool over too. He got a chance to march with the band at a football game and next week, he'll try to join a fraternity. While he never enrolled as a student at Nebraska, it still makes for some good TV. Well, maybe it's not "the best" reality show, but it's better than some other ones that are out there.

*yawn* I'm ready to go back to sleep now.

Roly poly....

Maeve rolled over last night. Richard and Kyra were at Cabela's and I just sensed that she would do it. I grabbed the camcorder and started shooting. I got it! Or so I thought. Richard came home and I just had to rewind it and show him. Nothing. Crap! Either the battery went dead or the tape ran out. I'm not sure. I was bummed last night so I didn't bother to check. LOL!

She did it so nonchalantly too. As if to say, "Well woman, if you'd just put me down sometimes I could show you a lot more tricks that I've got up my sleeve."

She did it again this morning. ;) My big girl. *sigh*

I have a bone to pick....

Damn that Nick Jr. and Noggin! Whenever a new episode of a show is airing, they announce it like 2 weeks in advance. Hence Kyra gets all excited and becomes obsessed with watching it NOW. When she finds out that it's not on as soon as she'd like it to be, she cries. Ugh. Disney is a little better about it. They'll announce it a day or two in advance. That's better for me too because then I can remember to set the DVR to record it.

Speaking of DVRs, Richard needs to put his 10 hours of "Into The West" on videotapes. They are taking up precious room! LOL! Actually, we need to call Time Warner because Richard swears that you can now get a box that will allow you more recording space. 40 hours just isn't enough for us! ;)

I hope that there are some good shows on this fall. I think that they took my favorite one, "Committed" off of NBC. Sucks.

My nearly 4 month old!

This is how I find Maeve in her crib when she wakes up. She's propped up on her elbows and looking around and "talking". She's quite the little chatterbox these days. She loves to hear her own voice. She hasn't rolled over yet, but she's getting there. Heck, I don't care. I love this age where she's NOT mobile yet. Last night, she laughed at me for about 5 minutes straight. I kept telling her that she was funny and she kept laughing. My heart was melting.

I haven't updated in a while. The first time I blogged this week, my computer decided to shut itself down. Grrrr! The second time I blogged, Kyra in her computer savy fashion, decided to just close the window. Guess her games are more important! LOL!

Celebrity musings....

-I heard that Christina Aguilera is dissing Britney Spears by saying that she's "let herself go" and won't have a career anymore after she has her baby. That might be true, but don't you think Miss Christina is trying to buy herself a little publicity with her comment as well? Ugh. What year are we in? Because this sounds sooooo 1999!

-Speaking of Mama Britney.....couldn't she dress herself up a little more these days? I don't think that she's completely "let herself go" but she's going to freak in a few years when she sees pics of herself with that bump. Those boots and short dresses are all she's photographed in! Surely she has enough money to buy some nice things. Oh wait. I heard that she was putting a rush on a new record because she's running out of money. So maybe she is shopping at garage sales. Who knows.

-Corey Clark of "American Idol" was being interviewed on a local radio station the other morning. Yep, he's using Paula Abdul's name to get his own out there. He wouldn't stop talking about her on the radio. It was kind of creepy.

-Kyra really likes Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl". She starts dancing like crazy every time it comes on the radio.

-Richard really likes Mariah Carey. LOL!

-I don't know who my choice of celebrity is. Any ideas?

He did it!

Richard called me from work tonight. I was in the shower, so he left a message. I play it and he's yelling, "174! 174!" Then he hangs up. OK, what the heck does that mean? I went along my merry nightly routine with the girls and then called him back at work. Turns out that he weighed himself and he weighs 174! LOL!

If you've known Richard all his life, then you know that he's always been a string bean. He's 6 foot tall and was around 150-155 forever. Looks like Mr. Metabolism has finally caught up with him! YAY! Honestly, he's gone into "I need to work out because I feel so fat mode". I don't know why. He's a man.

I can't wait to diet again. I've lost all of my pregnancy weight, but I have another 10 or so pounds to go to get where I was when I was at my smallest on the diet. And dieting while breastfeeding is pretty much a joke. I don't have time to take a shower much less watch every little thing that I put into my mouth. I'm trying to eat healthy, but salads are getting old.

But I'll get there one day.

Kyra's brain....

Last night Richard and I were rolling because Kyra was jumping around singing and dancing to a song that she had made up. Just to make sure, I always ask her where she heard something or "got that from" as I say. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "Kyra, that's a cool song. Where did you hear that? On TV? At school?"

Kyra: "No mommy. I just used my brain to make it up."

DUH!

I swear we should have had it on video. It was hilarious how she said it.

How much is too much?

We had an interesting poll on my message board yesterday. It was titled "How many kids do you think is A LOT of kids for one family?" I had to sit down and think about this. I have two kids and am done having kids. Three kids doesn't seem unusual at all to me and neither does four for some reason. So, my vote was for five. I don't have anything against people having tons of kids....each to his own. But, if I saw a woman in Walmart with five or more kids in tow, I'd probably be like, "Wow, that's a lot of kids."

I wonder what the average number of kids per family is in the US. I bet it's three or more. While the cost of raising kids gets more and more expensive, I don't think that's keeping families from having them.

My mom and dad are both one of three kids. All of my grandparents had two or more siblings. Big families were very common back then. They needed help around the house and on the farm.

We've been in this house for a little over two years and I'm already convinced that we've outgrown it! LOL! But as Richard says, "We ain't moving for a while!"

Houston, we have a problem....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8720825/

This is very scary. To think that almost the same exact thing happened to Discovery as did Columbia in 2003....only not in the same spot and not as bad. I wonder how those astronauts feel right now. To think that something could go wrong on its way back to Earth is very unnerving. WOW.

I have nothing against NASA, but they really need to reconsider how many things could go wrong on these shuttles that are so flippin old in the first place. A 20 year old car IS NOT going to be in the greatest of shape either, is it? Things get old. Things break.

Makes me angry though how NASA is so gung ho on sending shuttles into space to gain the public's respect without thinking about the lives of the astronauts and how their deaths could impact their families and future potential astronauts. When I was a kid, I heard "I want to be an astronaut when I grow up." all the time. Back then parents thought, "Sure. Great." If Kyra said that now, I'd be pretty darn skeptical. The future of NASA is uncertain. And I think with these turn of events, even NASA knows that now.

Manic Monday.....

Took Kyra to the dentist yesterday. That was at 8:30. By that point, I was pretty exhausted. Maeve had quit sleeping through the night a few nights ago. Ugh. Kyra did GREAT at the dentist. See back in January, she wouldn't let them touch her teeth. Yesterday, she let them clean and flouride them. I was very proud of her. I'm happy to report that she doesn't have any cavities!

After leaving there, we made about 4 stops at various stores. We got home around noon and we all took naps in the afternoon. Good thing because evening came and things got worse around here.

With the sleeping issues with Maeve came a lot of fussiness. She just hasn't been my mellow kid lately. I can't put her down without her crying for me. And, she was pulling off while eating, so I thought I'd put a call in to the lactation consultant. She called me back after I cried most of the day. She thought that Maeve's issues weren't breastfeeding ones at all (I thought they were). She suggested that we take her into the doctor. I look at the clock. It's now 5:30. Crap. So, I put in a call to the After Hours clinic up in North Austin (God Bless that place). We get an appt. for 6:45. We get there and the nurse practitioner looks at Maeve's ears and sure enough, her right ear is red. Yep, ear infection. Lovely. Kyra has NEVER had an ear infection so this is all new to me. We left with a script for Amoxillin and head to Walgreens to get it filled (our HEB pharmacy would have been closed by then). While we waited, we grabbed some pizza and headed to Tom and Mona's (our old neighbors) for a visit. We got home around 9:30.

What a day! Maeve is on antibiotics and I've been giving her Tylenol to keep her comfortable. Here's hoping that she's better in a few days. I REALLY want to go to Victoria this weekend!

Blogging about bloggers....

The KXAN Weather Team has blogs that you can read on their website. Nothing like blogging about the weather! LOL! I love how they get all fired up over these tropical systems. It's quite funny. I bet they're ready to blog about "the big one" when it comes in. Go here to read what they've written so far.....

http://www.kxan.com/Global/link.asp?L=159135

I'm a little tired today, so I think I'll catch a nap this afternoon. Maeve decided to wake up around 3:30 and stay up till about 5:00. However, she did go back to sleep till almost 10 this morning! I'm finding that uninterrupted sleep is golden, so I'm very thankful when she does sleep through the night.

Kyra has a dentist appointment in the morning. I'm taking her and Richard is staying here with Maeve. The last time Kyra went to the dentist was in January and she wouldn't let them touch her teeth. So, we'll see if anything's changed within the last 6 months.

I'm also teaching Flow this week. I went to a practice yesterday and soon found out that I've missed it dearly. I haven't taught since the end of February.

We are heading to Victoria next weekend for Kasey and Nick's wedding! Should be fun!

Back into the swing of things....

Well Maeve is almost 3 months old and after having the entire summer off, I'm going back to work in August. I start teaching again next week and then I'll go back to work at Dodd Studio on August 2nd. It'll be nice to get back into a routine, but gosh am I dreading leaving my baby! Here's what's going to happen.

I'll work all day on Mondays and Tuesdays and Richard will be home with the girls (it's his days off). On Wednesday, I'll teach my class downtown. I'll be off on Thursdays and then I'll work on Fridays and take the girls to Mona's (our old neighbor) and she'll keep them. So, the week will be broken up a little.

Still, Maeve is so used to mommy that I'll worry. She and I have FINALLY stepped into a wonderful nursing relationship. Those first few weeks weren't easy, but I think we're where we should be now. I love it and I know that she does too. She's 12 weeks tomorrow and I always told myself that I'd at least try it for 12 weeks and if didn't improve, then I'd stop. Now there's no way I could stop. We both enjoy it so much.

I know that a lot of people think that nursing is just for nutritional means, but it's really more than that. It's a way for a mother and a child to bond and build a trusting relationship. It's a means of comfort to her. It's also a self-esteem boost for me. Nothing makes me happier than to look at her and realize that she's growing and thriving both physically and emotionally because of me. This time around has been so different. I say that I regret not nursing Kyra, but I really think that formula feeding her was the best decision that I made at that time. I was not emotionally ready to take on a HUGE task like breastfeeding. Breastfeeding isn't for everyone, but I encourage those even thinking about it to try it out. Things are very tough for the first 6-8 weeks, but then they improve dramatically and it's smooth sailing! It's so beneficial for both mother and baby.

So within the next month, I'll be really busy so I apologize if you don't hear from me too often. I promise that I'll try my best to answer emails and keep in touch!

Could it be?

Maeve's eyes are still blue. They are bluer than Kyra's were before hers turned brown. That has me thinking that they might just stay blue! I can't remember when Kyra's turned. I wish that I could though.

NOBODY in my family has blue eyes. Richard's mom and sister have blue eyes and his dad had blue eyes as well. That's the ONLY blue ties that we have. Richard's eyes are a yellow/brown and of course, mine are dark brown. Kyra's are brown, but they aren't as light as Richard's and they aren't as dark as mine.

I've dreamt of having a child with blue eyes, but I never thought it would actually happen.

Richard's mom was up here this past weekend and she swears that Maeve's will stay blue. I went to see my OB on Monday for a check-up and I took some pics of Maeve with me and she swears that they will stay blue too!

Watch them turn brown tomorrow. *sigh*

About me.....

What were you doing 10 years ago?

***Ahhhh good ol 1995....the best summer EVER! I had just graduated from HS. Spent a week with Richard up in Medina at his grandfather's place. Spent the rest of the summer chillin at every picnic in the Schulenburg area....good music, good friends and great fun! Let's just put it this way...if my dad would have known where I was (or wasn't!), he'd have killed me!

5 years ago?

***Summer of 2000.....had a 5 year HS reunion that was a blast! Was getting ready for Shannon and Kyle's wedding too and found out that I was pregnant in September!

1 year ago?

***Getting ready for Lisa and Nathan's wedding. I think it was around this time that we had their couple's shower. Right after....I mean RIGHT AFTER they were married in August, I found out that I was pregnant.

Yesterday?

***Taking care of the kiddos and did Body Flow yesterday afternoon. I also have been cleaning house because Richard's mom and his sister are coming tonight.

5 snacks you enjoy?

***Popcorn, carrots, strawberries, grapes, crackers

5 songs you know all the words to?

***Can't think of anything in particular.....they are probably too embarrassing to list here!

5 things you would do with $100 million?

***Buy Richard an awesome bass boat, put $$$ away for kids' college funds, buy us a new suburban and a new truck, build a brand new house out in the country, RETIRE!

5 locations you would run away to?

***Anywhere in Hawaii, Medina, Gruene, Lake Austin, Susan's house! LOL!

5 things I like doing?

***Being a mommy, being a wife, surfing the web, taking a shower, working out


5 things I will never wear?

***Anything plaid, anything "see-through", Wranglers & boots (bad memories), and right now, a bikini

5 biggest joys at the moment?

***Richard, Kyra, Maeve, my family, my health

5 favorite toys?

***mp3 player, treadmill, laptop, DVR, cell phone

Willie and Walmart.....

Willie Nelson has a new regae CD out (yes, you read that right). I heard a bit of it on the radio and had to laugh. I love Willie, but I have no idea what he was thinking when he did this. That brings me to my next topic of discussion.

The front of Willie's new CD features something that he's notorius for....marajuana leaves. So every store that sells his CD has this cover.....well almost every store. What's the one store that they made a separate cover for? You guessed it. Walmart. Walmart's version features palm trees instead of marajuana leaves. I guess Willie's label made an exception for Walmart since a bulk of CDs must be sold there. I had no idea that Walmart was so "holier than thou". Apparently, they have refused to sell CDs with explicit lyrics in songs before. The first person that I think of when I think of explicit lyrics is Eminem. So I went to Walmart's website and did a search. They do sell his CDs, but they are "edited". I guess Walmart always gets its way.

The other week, CNBC was running a two hour special on Walmart. It was really interesting. The part that made me laugh the most was these people that protest putting a Walmart in their town. Like they're doing any good? Walmart is the most powerful store in the world. They showed how much of an excellent market they have over in China. I had no idea that there were Walmarts in China! There were these Chinese women doing their little Walmart chant. It was cute!

Bottom line: Don't mess with Walmart.

If you can't take the heat....

Good Lord, this heat is BRUTAL! I seriously don't know how we are going to survive this summer. Thank God I'm not pregnant anymore! I'd really be a pain to live with! We had our a/c unit checked out a while back because I swore that it wasn't cooling right. Turns out that it's fine. It just cannot keep up with the afternoon heat. Ugh. We've even resorted to putting a window unit in our bedroom. Richard loves it because he doesn't hear a thing when he's sleeping. That's the coldest room in the house. I could stay there all day long!

My dad complains that he must be getting old and can't take the heat anymore, but I'm 28 and I can't take it either! I love, love, love the winter months. I'll take them any day of the week. Seriously.

It rained the other night......a whopping .30 inches. But, I'll take it. Maeve was in bed and Kyra and I just talked while in the presence of a lonely flashlight. The power was restored within 10 minutes, but we had an interesting conversation about storms.

A never ending battle......

I'm tired. No, not physically tired. Maeve's been sleeping pretty well lately (slept through the night for the first time on Saturday). I'm tired of cleaning my house. I swear that it's a wreck 24/7. I clean it and then it's all messed up again just hours later. I don't know why I bother. Really. And I don't know who makes the bigger mess....Kyra or Richard. Good Lord. Of course, I'M the one that has to clean it up. Why? Because. Because I'm the mom. And because I'm the wife. Tonight, they all trampled to bed at 9:00 and left little 'ol me to do everything. Must be nice. I would have said something, but I was nursing Maeve to sleep and they tucked away without a peep. I'm sure they are in dreamland by now. Ugh.

They are two peas in a pod, those two. I'm just worried that Kyra will pick up Richard's lazy habits. He doesn't set a good example for her and I think that she thinks she can get away with not putting things away. Granted, he tells her to sometimes, but it's not consistent. I'm almost glad tomorrow is Wednesday and Richard goes back to work and I can be the disciplinarian for a few days to get her back on track. I think I'm going to start making a sticker chart/chore chart for her so she has daily duties to fulfill. We've discussed this on my message board and we've come to the conclusion that 4 years old isn't too young to assume a few responsibilities (like feeding the dog, putting food away, cleaning up toys, etc.). That will make it MUCH easier on me. I think Kyra will take to it too.....once she fills up a chart, she gets a reward. Hmmm.....may have to use that on the hubby too. ;)

Sorry I'm in such a crappy mood tonight. OK, rant over. Carry on.

Happy 4th!

Well, this year we decided to skip the long standing tradition of attending the St. John picnic. I figured that it would be no fun with a 2 month old....breastfeeding in the heat. So, my dad came up on Sunday and we spend the day together and he enjoyed his time with the girls. He spent the night and left on Monday morning. The girls miss him....especially Kyra and Mia!

We took it easy the first half of the day. Then Melissa called and wanted us to come to their house so that Kyra and Jake could go swimming at their neighborhood pool. So, we packed up and headed out to their new house (we've actually been there 3 times already! hehe!). Maeve and I stayed at the house while Richard, Kyra, Dean, Melissa, and Jake went swimming. They got back in the early evening and we grilled bratwurst and hot dogs. After we were all done, we headed out to central Austin to find a place to view the fireworks. Our plans were foiled when lo and behold the parking lot that they sat at last year was under construction! After jumping a few curbs, we found a descent spot. We enjoyed it, but I must say that we needed to be closer. The most AWESOME fireworks are at High Hill picnic on Labor Day weekend. Perhaps it's because you can be much closer to them to get the full effect. Kyra LOVED it last year. The noise didn't bother her at all. We told Dean and Melissa that they have to take Jake. Maybe we'll all go this year.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday and made it back home safe and sound!

Out of the mouth of a 4 year old.....

My previous post was one regarding Cabela's. Well, Richard and Kyra ventured over there the other morning to check things out. Richard was tired and needed to go to sleep, so they didn't stay there long. I warned Richard about the obscene amount of taxidermy that's probably in that place. He said that I was right....there must have been a few hundred pieces.

Richard had already gone to bed and Kyra and I were discussing it. Kyra said, "Cabela's is like a zoo except all the animals are dead!" LOL! I'm actually really surprised that she didn't come home freaked out. I'm sure there were birds in that place and Kyra HATES birds. She's got a bird phobia. If she sees one or one flies near her, she screams. I have no idea what set that off. I had a dog phobia when I was a little girl. I hated dogs....especially big ones. Even the ones at my grandparents' house scared the heck out of Lisa and I (shame on my dad for not letting us have a dog). I have to admit that I was a little scared of Miss 1 pound Mia when we got her. But, I got over that real quick. Now I realize what great companions they can be....big or small.

We WILL get another dog. We are thinking of getting one when Maeve is about 2 years old and knows not to hurt a puppy. We want another female chihuahua and I'd like a little black one. I want to name her "Lola", but Kyra says no. :(

A sportman's paradise.....

Yep, today is the day. Cabela's has officially opened its doors to the public. I was up with Maeve this morning at 5:30 and it was all over the news. They showed people lined up outside the store about 2 hours before it opened. One guy had been there for 4 hours!

They have closed the closest southbound exit to Cabela's on southbound 35. Makes no sense to me, but whatever. Instead they'll have to take OUR exit. Great. I can see Richard cussing to and from work! LOL!

My dad is coming up this weekend. We'll have to go check it out. I just hope that all of the roadwork and construction that they did was worth it. I'm going to be ticked if there are traffic pileups all the time. Ugh.

Oh, and they said that they expect 20,000 visitors today. Lovely.

A worn out welcome.....

So I watched The Real World-Austin last night. I mean how could I not? All of the places shown last night are very familiar to me. I just wanted to see what it was all about.

I have to say that this is a group of crazy kids (yes they are kids to me because I'm nearing 30! LOL!). Within the first 20 minutes of the show, two girls were kissing each other on a dare. Lovely. The 2nd half of the show included 2 of the male castmates almost getting arrested and one getting in a brawl bad enough to send him to the ER with a fractured bone near his eye. Yeah, they're really smart.

One thing I've noticed is that the first episode of each season is pretty much run the same way. The cast members arrive and are in awe of their new place. They meet each other and congregate in the hot tub. They immediately are talking about who is going to hook up with who. It's actually kind of "blah" to me. I think that in essence EVERYTHING has been done on this show. There's nothing surprising to me. There's been gays, lesbians, rich, poor, cowboys, sorority girls, frat guys...the list goes on. It's all very redundant to me. The cast last night seemed to be outspoken and "daring" because they know that's what's expected of them while being on the show. I just don't know how much is "real" and how much is "fake" anymore. I know there's a LOT of editing going on because they air 22 30 minute episodes and they lived here for 5 months. So, a lot doesn't even make it to air.

All in all, I think the show's days are numbered. It's in its 16th season right now. It's the granddaddy of reality shows. But it's kind of like "Friends" or "Everybody Loves Raymond" in that there's only so much you can do with a show. Then it's time to leave.....or is it? I guess it's still popular because there are people out there like me and when curiosity kills the cat, they get viewers tuning in to see what the roomies are up to.

Get into the groove....

Yesterday I did the new Body Flow release that I'll be teaching in August! Oh my gosh! I haven't done Flow since I was about 30 weeks pregnant. My body can tell. It's really amazing how quickly you lose flexibility. It's a shame because it takes so long to build it. It was a great workout and I took a long nap later in the afternoon. I was so relaxed. I really miss teaching Flow and can't wait to go back next month (hopefully). I'm sore today, so I know that I did everything right. It's funny because Kyra was laying on the sofa and soon fell asleep while I was working out. Guess the music relaxed her too! LOL!

Oh and Jen, I'm going to pop in the Pilates DVDs soon too. I just work out in the living room when Maeve takes one of her naps during the day. It's too hot in Richard's shop right now since he put the window unit in our room to keep cool. :)

An easy way out.....

I saw a commercial this morning for kids' vitamins. I think it was for Flintstones vitamins. They were pushing off the fact that their vitamins now had Cholate in them...."an important ingredient for proper brain development THAT'S FOUND IN BREASTMILK". It amazes me how all of these companies try to make these products "like breastmilk" just so people will buy them. It's NOT the same! It's also very demeaning to breastmilk and breastfeeding moms. As one myself, I want others to realize that nothing is better than the real thing. Gosh just watch a commercial for FORMULA and read the ITTY BITTY fine print at the bottom of the screen. It says, "Pediatricians recommend breastmilk as the best source of nutrition for baby's first year of life". DUH!

I could go on and on. I read something recently that said that there's 30 ingredients in formula and over 300 in breastmilk! Amazing! Gosh how I wish I had done this the first time around!

4 years ago....

My Kyra Marie is 4 years old today. I remember that Saturday morning well. After enduring almost 24 hours of labor, my doctor suggested that we do a c-section. I was terrified. But all of the pain went away when at 9:30 that morning an angel came into my world and made me a mommy. The beginning with Kyra was hard. She was very colicky and had reflux. I suffered from some postpartum depression. But, we sought help and within a few weeks all was fine again! The joy that Kyra has brought into my life is immeasureable. She is the brightest and kindest little girl. She's always worried about others and seldom worries about herself. She's a very sensitive little girl. She wants to make people happy too. My favorite moment is when she comes and sits on my lap and tells me that she loves me and that I'm the greatest mom. My heart just melts. She comforts me when I'm sad. She is the best daughter that I could ask for and I love her dearly.

She's already talking about turning 5 and going off to kindergarten next year. I don't think that mommy is ready for that quite yet. *sigh*

I scream for ice cream.....

Well it finally happened. Blue Bell's Wedding Cake ice cream is out. Richard has been waiting on pins and needles for this and has been checking the freezer section at HEB for the past month or so. He came home all giddy on Saturday morning. I knew why. HEB had it and he picked up 3 containers of the stuff! LOL! He's stocking up since we have the freezer outside (and will stock up at the end of the summer too). Let me tell you, this ice cream is sinful! It's got coconut, pineapple, cream cheese, and vanilla wafers in it. It does taste similar to actual wedding cake. Some of the Blue Bell flavors are seasonal (like this one) and you can only get them during a certain time of the year. We ate a lot of this ice cream last summer and Richard was ticked off when it was all gone. However, the ice cream tales don't end here.

Two summers ago, Blue Bell tested a new flavor called Cinnamon Caramel Crunch. Let's just say that this flavor put the Wedding Cake to shame. It was that good. We loved it. It was a seasonal flavor and by the end of that summer, it was gone. Fast forward to last summer. Richard went looking for it in the stores and it wasn't there. SO, he calls Blue Bell....yes you read that right, HE CALLED BLUE BELL. What a stalker! LOL! They told him that it wasn't successful enough, so they weren't making it anymore. I haven't seen him upset about many things, but he was ticked about this. He told all of his friends about it and suggested that they call or email Blue Bell and complain!

Bottom line: Richard likes his ice cream and he'll do anything in his power to get his hands on his favorite flavor.

Nocturnal bliss.....

God bless you, Jennifer! You rock! Jen sent me two books to read: "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and "The Happiest Toddler on the Block". I skimmed through the baby one and we have used some of the 5 S's for the past few nights and it's been WONDERFUL! Granted Maeve doesn't sleep through the night, but she has slept for 3-4 hour stretches. What an improvement! The most amazing thing is that she sleeps IN HER CRIB! She'll sleep there or in her swing.

For those that want to know, the 5 S's for getting baby to sleep better and quit crying are: Swing, Swaddling, Shhhh (white noise), Side-Laying Position, and Sucking. The ones that have been extremely effective for us are swaddling, shhhhh, and sucking. Richard and I have been swaddling Maeve up really tight before bed. Think of how tight they swaddle them in the hospital. It's like that. We found (and the book states this) that Maeve was waking herself up a lot by flailing her arms. This is because babies have an immature nervous system. I'm sure you've seen how babies do this with their arms and with their legs (they kick nonstop). Swaddling with their arms and legs in the blanket eliminates this. Babies LOVE to be swaddled. For the shhhh, we put a little radio on AM and don't get a station (on purpose), so that all Maeve hears is static. This works well too. Her Godmother also bought her a heartbeat bear that mimics sounds of the womb. That's another thing that helps. And yes, Maeve takes a pacifier. Kyra never took one. Maeve is obsessed with sucking. She'll definitely be a paci child. Kyra is my blankie child.

Richard goes back to work this week. I'm pretty nervous about not having his help at night. But, his mom is here this week, so I'm safe! Maeve hits the 6 week mark this week and she should be sleeping more at night. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

TV tales.....

When you're home all day and sitting on the recliner nursing a little one, you get pretty in tune with the TV and what time certain shows come on. I soon found out that with our DVR, we get a ton of channels...some of which I never really knew existed. The Discovery Health Channel has a ton of baby shows. They have one called "Birth Day" and one called "Adoption Stories". All of the birthing shows usually have me in tears, but I didn't think that the adoption ones would too. Good Lord. I cry and cry like a baby. Adoption is very special in my book. Someone near and dear to my heart is adopted. I think that it's the ultimate sacrifice and act of love as a birth parent. There's nothing "bad" about giving a child a better life that you couldn't provide for them. The adoptive parents are some of the most loving and caring people. You can just sense how thrilled they are to raise these children. It really touches my heart. If I had the money and the resources, I definitely would adopt a child.

On another note, I'm so sad that American Idol is over with. I'm bored on Tuesday and Wednesday nights now. I've been taping every talk show that Bo Bice is on. *blush* I told Richard that we'll be buying his CD when it comes out. :) I still wish that he would have won.

The Real World Austin starts on June 21st. Lord help me if I'm on there somewhere.

MOOOOOOOO!

I'm a human cow now! LOL! It's really going great though and I'll expect that it'll get better as time goes by. We have introduced a bottle to Maeve and she takes one from her daddy in the middle of the night while I pump. She's such a great baby. She only cries when she wants mommy and the goods!

Richard has been off of work since she was born and will have to go back on June 8th. I'm not looking forward to it. He's been such a big help with the kiddos.

Kyra is the greatest big sister EVER. She kisses Maeve and pays attention to her every move. She sings songs to her and draws her pictures. She is really looking forward to her sister being her best friend.

Mia is oblivious to it all. She's just as sleep deprived as we are and it shows! ;)

Maeve is now 4 weeks old and I can't get over the changes in her within the past month. Time flies!

Hope all is well with you. I'll try to update more often IF I get a chance. We are busy these days, so we shall see.

My sleep deprived state of mind.....

As I sit here to type this, I barely know what day it is. In fact, Richard asked this morning and we both had to think about it. It's now almost 2:30 and I'm still in my nightgown, which by the way is NOT clean.

Thank God Richard did laundry and ran the dishwasher this morning. I sincerely don't know what I'd do without him. Lisa left yesterday and cooked a ton of food while she was here. I so appreciate that. It's the little things that help out tremendously.

I just woke up from a nap and all of the others are still napping. We'll see how long that lasts.

I have a few appointments this week and I'm praying that I remember them all. I need to start making lists.

Maeve is doing fabulously with nursing. I stress the word "FABULOUSLY" because I'm starting to think that she loves it a little too much! ;) I'm so proud of Kyra too. She's handling everything like a champ and has been a HUGE help. I still cannot believe that I have TWO girls. As they both were sleeping in the car yesterday, I almost cried. I cannot believe that I've been given these wonderful gifts. Today, Kyra told me, "Happy Mother's Day!" and gave me this huge hug! Richard was astounded that she knew that it was Mother's Day.

As hard as this time is, I keep reminding myself that I've done it before and SURVIVED! I also keep saying to myself, "This too shall pass......" I can't wait till it does.

Our new arrival....

Maeve decided to come a little earlier than expected. She was born early Thursday morning, April 28th. I went into the hospital with contractions about 3 minutes apart, but still wasn't dilating and had no change in my cervix at all. Because at that point I could have labored a LONG time, we elected to do a repeat c-section. At 1:59 am, Maeve Elizabeth entered the world. She was 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 21 inches long. Her daddy had guessed her weight the day before and was right on the money. WOW! We finally got to go home on Sunday around noon.

Maeve is nursing beautifully and Kyra is so in love with her sister. It's really amazing. We are smitten by her as well. She's perfect.

We are a little sleep deprived these days, but it's so worth it. Our family is complete.

The date is set.....

If something dramatic (labor!) doesn't happen within the next few days, then Maeve Elizabeth will be born on Tuesday, May 3rd around 1:00. We have to arrive at the hospital at 10:30 and the c-section is scheduled for 12:30. I'm so freakin excited. I just want it to all be over with. The anticipation is killing me! Last time a c-section was such a punch in the gut for me. I never thought that I'd have one although Kyra was huge! I was in denial. Not this time! Put me on the schedule and "get r' done"!

We had to wait till Tuesday because Monday's spots were already taken. Oh well, it's just another day to rest and wait!

She'll be here soon! I promise!

Kid funnies.....

-Kyra can count to 30! Well, sort of. We were counting the number of cars that were on the train the other day. I heard her say, "twenty-eight, twenty-nine, twenty-ten, twenty-eleven...." LOL! Cute, huh?

-Kyra knows that my name is Kim and daddy's name is Richard. She even knows that La La's name is Lisa and Grandma's name is Debbie. However, she DOES NOT believe that Papoo's name is Charles. She totally disagrees when you tell her and she gets MAD! Silly girl!

-The other day, Kyra found the huge bin that was in the backyard that holds her outside toys. She was hot, so she dumped the toys out, filled it with water, stripped down, and jumped right in! LOL!

-She's freaked out by birds. We went to Hill's the other night and ate outside. There were birds flying around and on the tables and she flipped out. We thought it was funny though. ;)

-There weren't a lot of people sitting around us in church tonight, so when it came time to shake hands, Kyra walked out of the pew and shook hands with various people in other pews. That's my girl!

-Kyra came home the other day and said, "Daddy, we have a new pope!" He obviously hadn't watched the news yet and couldn't understand her because he thought that she wanted a new Coke! LOL!

Things I don't understand right now.....

-I don't understand how on earth Scott and Anthony are still on "American Idol". They suck.

-I don't understand why my daughter keeps repeatedly putting her shoes on the wrong feet. Seems like she would have learned by now. I keep telling her that Dora likes to look to the "outside", but she puts her on the "inside". *sigh*

-I don't understand why my husband had both his phone and his pager on "silent" today. Um, your wife is 39 weeks pregnant for goodness sakes! Grrrrr!

-I don't understand why they are putting a light by the HEB on Loop 4 here in Buda. Could that area be any more congested? A light there is going to back things up even more!

-I don't understand how I've lost 3 lbs. within these last two months of pregnancy.

-I don't understand why the lady across the street spends more time at home than with her husband at the hospital. He had heart surgery the other week and still isn't home. The other day I saw her outside on her porch swing eating McDonald's. :(

-I don't understand why Mia keeps following me around the house all day.....just isn't like her.

-I don't understand why I had so much cramping last week and am only dilated to 1 cm. with no thinning of my cervix. I thought something was going to happen soon. That was over a week ago. *sigh*

-I don't understand Michael Jackson. Period.

-Lastly, I don't understand why my husband planted a garden in the backyard and planted tomatoes, pickles, and okra. He doesn't eat any of that!

Pregnancy dreams....

Ahhh....the dreams of pregnancy. They are so nice. Yet, they are so unrealistic. LOL! I hate that I'm dreaming like this so close to the end. I want it to last forever! When I was pregnant with Kyra, I dreamt great all the way through. This time, it's been different. Those crazy dreams only happen once in a blue moon. Last night, I had a really LONG kiss with someone very special. I never kissed this person in real life, so I guess it was destined to happen in a dream. And that's fine. It was very nice and very genuine....almost as if it were happening for real.

Then I have the major "off the wall" dreams. Last week, I dreamt that I gave birth to a bug! LOL! Don't see that happening anytime soon!

I can't wait to see what my next dream holds!

Stop the emotional rollercoaster.....I wanna get off!

It's getting closer to D-day and I'm getting VERY anxious. I just want everything to go smoothly and for my little girl to arrive safe and sound. I have no idea when it's going to happen, but I'm ready.

Maeve weighs about 7 lbs., 2 oz. as indicated by ultrasound last Monday. Now, Kyra had an ultrasound at 37 weeks as well and measured 8 lbs., 13 oz. What a difference! Kyra was born at 40 weeks and weighed 9 lbs., so it's usually safe to say that ultrasounds measure the babies to be a little bigger than they really are. But, sometimes they measure smaller too. It varies. I can't believe that Maeve is so much smaller than Kyra. I'm almost excited though. Kyra grew out of all of her clothes very quickly. I think she wore virtually NO 0-3 month stuff!

Since Maeve is smaller, my doctor has agreed to let me go till 41 weeks. If I don't go into labor on my own before then, then we'll do a c-section. I'm VERY happy about that. I am 38 weeks today, so I have some time to work with in order to get this show on the road on my own. I'm dilated to just 1 centimeter right now. I hope that'll change from week to week! Pray that my cervix thins out as well.

Amidst all of the excitement, I also had a few lows this week. I'm not going to go into them directly. There are a few of you that know what happened. I pray that God watches over us and I pray for the happiness of my family right now. I think it's important to be at a good place at this very special time in our lives. I'm not proud of the events that took place this week, but I feel like they are yet another lesson learned. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

We are all very anxious right now. I think that Richard and Kyra are more excited than I am. They are ready.

Richard started walking Mia on a leash this week. Kyra goes with him. He said that Mia does really good! She's getting sort of stocky and when Maeve starts eating table food, Mia will be her best friend. She'll be down below waiting for the "leftovers". So, we figured that we'd start walking her. I might try it in the morning. I hope my allergies aren't acting up too bad. That's why I've strayed from staying outside too long.

Speaking of dogs, we DO want another one some day. I figure that we'd wait till Maeve is at least 2 and knows that she shouldn't hurt a puppy. My goal is to get a dog for my dad first. He's *this close* to getting one. He's worried about what he'll do with him/her when he goes somewhere, but he can take the dog along. He can get a little crate and the dog will just go where he goes. Can't you picture it? If all else fails, he'll have PLENTY of dogsitters in Victoria too. I can think of a few people that would step up to the plate and help.

That's all for now. Hope you're enjoying this lovely weekend!

The bun is done......

That's right. As of Saturday, April 9th, I'm 37 weeks. I don't know if many of you know it or not, but after 37 weeks, a baby is no longer considered a preemie and hardly any babies born after this time have major health problems. So let the wait officially begin! My due date is April 30th and I'm hoping to go into labor on my own before then. Here's the thing. Since I had a c-section with Kyra, I cannot be induced. An induction would mean labor being brought on fast and hard and they don't want to risk uterine rupture. By going into labor naturally on my own, the risk is lowered because it's your body making pitocin and not the actual drip itself. So, two things could happen. I could go into labor on my own or end up with a c-section. I'm hoping to deliver before my due date because after that, the baby will be bigger and there will be more talk of a c-section. Last time, I endured 22 hours of labor before resorting to a c-section, so we'll see what happens this time. Kyra was born with a HUGE head that my body didn't want to deliver. When I got a glimpse of her for the first time, her head was cone-shaped. I knew that she had gotten stuck in there and my pelvis wasn't big enough for her to come down. So, she was probably destined to be a c-section baby. Then again, she grew like a weed because I ate everything under the sun and gained 40+ pounds. I'm MUCH smaller this time and have only gained 26 pounds. So, a 7-8 pound baby would be nice. I go in for an ultrasound on Monday to find out just how big Maeve is. Of course the rate of error on an ultrasound is something like 15%, so she might not be as big as they think she is. We shall see.

Until then, just say a prayer that the baby comes out healthy and happy. That's about all I'm worried about right now.

There's no quick fix.....

Seems like all I hear or see these days are commercials on products that provide a quick fix to any ache or pain. Today I heard one on the radio about curing back pain. Now I empathize with people that have back pain. Shoot, I have it now. But I'm pregnant, so I almost expect it. I know once the baby is born, it'll be gone. Right now, I exercise in order for my back to feel better. And you know what? It works! If half of these people would quit going after every pill or potion out there, then we'd save a lot of money. There IS help for these people. It's called DIET and EXERCISE. I had chronic back pain till I started exercising. I couldn't even kneel in church because it hurt my back so badly. Shortly after starting to work out, I noticed a heck of a difference. It felt so much better.

Exercise also helps things like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and numerous other health hazards. I just wish that more money was spent by people joining gyms, buying bikes, buying treadmills, etc. These are the things that will save your life! No pill in the world will be good forever. I just want more people to get active. Sitting around and eating whatever you want and taking a pill or getting surgery for whatever is wrong ain't gonna cut it. I'm really proud of my dad. Since retiring, he walks a mile a day and has really started eating healthier. He cut a lot of red meat out and has even started reading food labels! It's NEVER too late to make a difference. Your body will thank you for it.

I don't have a problem with those that decide to medicate AFTER dieting and exercise don't work. But, they should really try to do more natural things first. Yeah, there are things that I'd like to change about my body, but I want to see where dieting and exercise will take me first. I could very well get to my goal and be very happy with myself. I really hope that's the case.

Hooked on a feeling.....

Richard's friends at work got him hooked on a show on Spike TV called "MXC". The ball kept rolling and now I like the show. It's a dumb show....purely for entertainment purposes only for sure. There's no story or "plot". It's more of a reality show. Well, it's NOTHING but a reality show.

It's set in Japan (can you tell where I'm going with this?) and there are two teams competing against each other. Tonight, it was the "Outdoorsmen vs. Educators"...meaning that people that "fit" into those categories compete against each other in numerous obstacle courses. The trick is that they make these courses so difficult that there's no way you or I could do them. So, watching these Japanese people struggle and wipe out is of course the "entertainment value" of the whole show. Some of these people fall so hard that I would think that an ambulance would have to be on standby to take them to the hospital if need be. Ouch! Oh, and another thing. They put English words to the audio to make it sound as if these people are speaking our language, but clearly they aren't. I guess that's supposed to be funny too. At the end, they go over the top 10 eliminations. This showcases the hardest hit people throughout the show. Again, ouch.

Here's a link if you want to know what I'm talking about.
http://www.spiketv.com/shows/series/index.jhtml?seriesID=10774&refID=mxc
I so could see this show branching out farther than Japan. They need to try stunts like that in Mexico or perhaps in the US. I can't imagine what it would be like if they'd make drunk a$$ people do obstacle courses like that. Like I said....it's all for purposes of pure entertainment. :)

Things I'd like to do before I die......

-water ski
-bowl a 200 game
-visit Germany and the Czech Republic
-snow ski
-see my girls graduate from high school
-see my girls get married
-visit Washington DC
-live in a log cabin
-feel confident enough to wear a bikini
-listen to my husband play a song on the guitar and be able to recognize it right away
-tour every major league ballpark in the US (actually Richard and I want to do this)
-visit New York City
-run a marathon
-do a triathlon
-visit the Northeast in the fall when the leaves are changing colors
-go to Hawaii
-float the Guadalupe River with my mom’s side of the family
-spend an ENTIRE weekend at Wurstfest (instead of just one night)
-visit Oprah and all of her houses
-watch the sunset on Lake Travis and spend the night on a boat
-get down to a size 8 and stay there for a while!
-take the kiddos to Disney World
-be a guest DJ on a radio station
-get pampered for a day at an expensive spa (I want the WORKS!)
-ice skate on a real pond
-visit an island in the Caribbean where the water is blue, the hotel and food are great, and there’s not a care in the world (and take Robbie and Janet with us!)
-live long enough to see a cure for cancer
-have a song sung directly to me at a show or concert
-be a Grandma
-buy my dad a ’57 Chevy
-own a 1965 Corvette convertible
-stand atop the Eiffel Tower
-spend an entire weekend ALONE in a calm, secluded place
-have some of my "vivid" dreams come to life
-be able to afford a maid
-sleep for 12 hours straight without having to get up to go to the bathroom (after having 2 kids, this would be a miracle!)
-see Willie Live
-own a margarita machine
-learn to play the guitar better than my husband
-work at a florist (although I DO NOT have a green thumb at all)
-take Richard's mom to see Neil Diamond Live
-learn how to sew (because I never learned from Granny)
-bake at least 1 birthday cake for my kiddos
-fly to Vegas with it just being my sister and I for a weekend
-sit in on a show on the Food Network and be able to eat the food afterwards!
-live like Paris Hilton for a day....or two....or three
-ride in a 100 mile bike race
-own a beach house

Outbursts from a 3 1/2 year old.....

Kyra is so funny these days. I have to share some of the things that she's come up with lately.

Easter was on Sunday. We live across the street from the Catholic church here in Buda. When crosses started going up in front of the church, Kyra started asking questions. It all started on Friday. She asked why there was a purple garment on the cross and I explained that it was Good Friday and that was the day that Jesus died. Honestly, I should have explained it better because that comment came back to haunt me on Saturday night. On Saturday night, we went to Target and when we were checking out, Kyra yells to the cashier, "Jesus died!" I wanted to find a hole to crawl into right then and there. The cashier says, "No, Jesus lives!" I bet that she thought I was the worst mother in the world for telling my child that Jesus died.

On Sunday, I took Kyra to church and Kyra noticed that the purple garment was gone and there was a white one over the cross. She came home and said to my dad, "When the purple was there, Jesus died, but now there's white there, so Jesus is alive!" Smart girl. I guess she redeemed herself from Saturday night! LOL!

Last week, I took her to the store and she was so friendly with everyone she came in contact with. When we were checking out, she said to the cashier, "Hi! How are you today?" Sometimes it scares me how friendly she is. I've started having talks with her about not all people being nice and not all dogs being nice either (she thinks they are). One night, we named all the nice dogs that we knew. Kyra knows a lot of nice dogs. ;)

Today I came home and saw Kyra "preaching" to Mia. I heard her say, "Now what did I tell you?" At first I thought it was funny, but then I realized that it's ME who says that to Kyra when she doesn't listen or has done something bad! Richard just laughed and shook his finger at me. I guess it *is* me who says that. *sigh*

Kyra likes to pray before bed and says almost the entire "Lord's Prayer". I'm very proud of her. That sweet little voice melts my heart.

She's also very excited about the arrival of her little sister. She kisses my belly several times throughout the day. I just hope she's as excited when her sister makes her grand entrance.

Everyday is a new day with Kyra. I love it. I can't wait to add another sweet little voice to the mix!

Aches and pains......

Well, it's official. I'm tired of being pregnant. The reality of it all has hit me within the last few days. Before, I was in denial. I have waited till the last minute to do a lot of things and now I'm rushing to get everything done. I'm stressed. Last night, I broke down and cried. I think it's just all caught up with me. I absolutely cannot wait to have this baby. I can't wait to see her, hold her, kiss her. I want her here! It really seems like I've been pregnant forever. I was pregnant at Lisa and Nathan's wedding, but didn't know it! That seems like a lifetime ago!

I'm now 35 weeks and neither Maeve nor I have any more room. I have no appetite. I gained one pound in a month. My back is killing me and I feel like one of my ribs has popped out! It hurts! Before, I felt fine and light, but now I feel HUGE! I'm still working out. I cannot go more than 2 days without working out. My body needs movement and stretching. If not, then I'll hurt even worse. I can't wait to teach step tomorrow! I'm hoping to teach till April 12th and possibly the 19th.

So, we'll see what the next few weeks bring. My due date is April 30th. I'm hoping to avoid a c-section. Please pray that I go into labor on my own. That's ultimately what I want. Don't think that I'm not going to ask for drugs though! When I get to the hospital, Mr. Anesthesiologist God better be greeting me at the entrance! LOL!

Easters of yore.....

Well, it's Easter weekend. Kyra is really into it this year. That got me thinking back to Easters of long ago when I was a kid.

We were always in Schulenburg at Granny's. We would go to the Easter Vigil mass. Before we would leave for mass, we would take those old cardboard beer boxes (remember those? Roxie or Lisa might.) and we'd make a nest of Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes in them. We'd leave the Easter Bunny a note and then come back from church with our boxes full of goodies! Yeah, it wasn't really hard to guess who had put the candy in there. My Granny didn't go to church till Sunday morning, so she was the guilty one!

Other years, we'd all gather at Granny's for a fish fry on Good Friday and we'd have our family Easter Egg Hunt that evening with the Mendel's and the Munsch's. Some aunts of mine (coughGlendacoughSandracough) would be extremely nice (read: mean) and hide the eggs high in the trees. I still don't understand that one. I was the only taller one at the time and of course, the oldest. I wanted my cousins to get just as many eggs as I did. I guess they thought otherwise.

Aunt Mary Lou and Uncle Willie's was the place to be on Easter Sunday. We'd go there from Schulenburg. Since they live on a farm, you'd never know what might happen. We did hunt candy outside...although I have no idea why because everyone was too stinkin old. ;) Lisa and I are the youngest! We'd have water balloon fights. We'd go up in Mark's room and snoop. It was always interesting. Ahhhh....the good ol days!

We aren't doing much this weekend. We have a 40th birthday party to go to on Saturday evening. Sunday, we'll go to church across the street and hang out here at the house. My dad is coming up to see Kyra. I'm nesting really bad right now, so I assume that I'll do some cleaning and organizing this weekend. Tomorrow makes 35 weeks! Just 5 more (or less! ACK!) to go! I can't believe that in a few weeks Kyra will have a little sister and Richard and I will have 2 kids! (Gasp!)

Happy Easter everyone!

Congress vs. baseball.....

I love baseball. I really do. But, what the heck is going on lately? The latest dispute is steroid use among players. Congress has forced MLB to drag players like Mark McGuire into this huge mess. I honestly feel sorry for Mark McGuire. He retired a while back....hoping to bow out gracefully. Instead, his "past" comes back to haunt him a few years later. So he doesn't want to talk. Fine. You know who else didn't want to talk? Bill Clinton. But he lied to the American people on national television and he was PRESIDENT! Poor Mark McGuire is just trying to keep a low profile and now they are trying to threaten him with remarks of never being inducted into the Hall of Fame. That's crap. Bottom line: He more than likely took steroids. So has probably at LEAST 10 players off of every bench in the MLB. He just got picked as the "bad apple" to talk about it. So what if he doesn't talk about it. It's not like the world will end if he doesn't speak up. Who cares. I certainly don't. I don't know if they are trying to bring a lot of publicity to baseball before the season starts or what, but I'm sick of hearing about it.

Also, the MLB and the players' union has agreed NOT to do random testing for steroids, although I have no idea why. If that's the #1 drug that players are all on, then why not do it? There are other sports that test for performance enhancing drugs. Why on earth should baseball be any different? Blood tests should be mandatory to pick up human growth steroids. Peeing in a cup ain't cutting it anymore. If there's no proof that any of these "picked on" players have taken steroids, then they have every right to keep their mouths shut. Heck, I'd take the drugs too if I knew I'd never get caught!

Rant over. Can you tell how mad I've been about this the last few days? LOL!

You're only as old as you feel?

Yeah, I felt really old today. I took Kyra to her 1st "friend" birthday party. It was strange seeing Kyra and her friends all mingling with each other. They missed each other this week because they had Spring Break. So, it was a great chance to have them all together again before school on Tuesday. They had a blast! I don't know if my little house would withstand 15-20 3 year olds though. I'd probably only do it if I had as big of a house as these people did! ;)

Doesn't seem that long ago that my mom was taking me to parties like that. Where the heck did the time go? I know that I had a birthday this past week, but I don't really feel that old....well, I didn't until today. Taking your child to a birthday party to be with all of their friends is just weird. Pretty soon it'll be dances. YIKES! I'm so not ready for that. I want my kiddos to be babies forever. I'm in denial with Kyra right now. She's almost4! That's closer to 5 and closer to kinder! I'm glad I'm having another one so that I can experience the cuddling, coos, and sweet little breath of a newborn. Otherwise, I'd be in worse shape than I already am! LOL!

Regardless of how YOUNG we feel, there's always situations that make us realize how OLD we are. It sucks.

Idol fever.....

Well I might as well admit it. Yes, I'm hooked on American Idol. I watched the first two seasons faithfully. I didn't watch much of last season because it was just boring to me. I'm really excited about this season though. They've got a lot of good talent in the finalists. The girls aren't as good. The guys ROCK! Anwar and Bo are my favorites.

So, I'm busy on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. LOL! Thursday night rolls around and I go into a depression until the following Tuesday night. Kyra even recognizes the Idol music and says, "Mommy, American Idol is on!" *blush*

Once a parent, always a parent......

I've been thinking a lot about Kyra and this new baby and how we'll all adjust when the time comes. I keep wondering if my heart will be big enough for the both of them. I know the love will just multiply and my heart will grow with room for the both of them. But, I worry. Parents worry. Parents will always worry no matter how old their kiddos are. I got to see that firsthand within the past few days. Not one, not two, but three of my cousins have all had accidents since Friday. Two were airlifted to Brack here in Austin. Luckily, they are all fine and are home. It's made me realize that I won't be able to shelter Kyra and Maeve forever. They'll grow up and drive and be out till all hours. I know it's rather premature, but it's something that I think about. I know it'll happen one day. And I'll worry just like all parents do.

Kyra was sick the other week and I felt so helpless. Her little body just had to fight so that she'd get better. The thing that keeps crossing my mind was that she was SICK, not HURT. I feel for my aunts and uncles that had to endure that pit in their stomach. I can't imagine how that felt. It honestly scares me. To see your child in pain has to be the hardest thing in the world. When I see a child stricken with cancer, my heart breaks. My heart not only breaks for them, but for their parents as well. Ugh. Life isn't easy. I'm sure I'll learn that even more as the years pass by.

We are all lucky in this world. We have food and shelter and the company of wonderful family and friends. But, one of the things that you should always thank God for is your health. Without it, you are nothing. I'm so thankful that God rested his hands on my cousins during their accidents. Things could have been a lot worse. I'm just glad that they are all ok and hope that they heal very soon.

Birthdays and such.....

My birthday is next Monday, March 14th. I have a LOT of family and friends that have birthdays in March and April, so if I don't get the chance to tell you personally, just know that I'm thinking of you and hope your day is just as special as you are.

Jen's birthday is tomorrow (the 10th). She came to visit us today. We had a great afternoon....talking about all sorts of things. I wish her and Kevin the best on their journey to Indiana. I can't wait to hear stories about what's all going on up there.

For those that don't come and visit, what are you waiting for? We love having company! We promise to cook at least one good meal for you! ;) Oh, and I promise that Richard will leave the knives alone too! LOL! (if you don't know what I'm talking about, see my last blog entry)

Looks like the weather is going to be cooperative through the weekend! YAY! I don't think I could stand another Saturday full of rain. Mr. Jim Spencer (my personal hero) said that it's rained for 6 weekends in a row. How depressing is that? Looks like there won't be a 7th though! SWEET!

Jay Leno was called to be a witness in the Michael Jackson trial. He can write jokes about Michael, but he can't tell them on his show right now. So the other night, he had Brad Garrett of "Everybody Loves Raymond" come in a be a "surrogate" and tell those jokes while he just stood in the background. BRILLIANT!

Hope everyone is having a great week. The sun is out, so let's all go out and get some much needed Vitamin D!

My husband likes the ER.....

So, yesterday I was calmly working with Janet until I got a call around 5 in the evening to "come home NOW." It was Richard. He said that he was hoping to make supper for me, but it got cut short (literally). All he told me was that he cut his thumb and he thought that we should probably go to the ER. He told me not to "fly" home though because it wasn't too bad. The bleeding had stopped. He didn't want to look at it though (Richard is notorious for passing out...isn't that lovely when I'm going to have a baby in a few weeks?). So, I came home and we got everyone into the car and headed to Austin. We dropped Kyra off at Mona's (my lifesavor) and then headed to South Austin ER. We checked in around 6 and waited forever. Finally, they took him back. I didn't go back there with him. He waited back there for a long while because he kept IMing me and calling me from his cell telling me that nothing was happening yet. Long story short, we didn't get out of there till after 9:00. By the time we picked up Kyra, got a pizza, and stopped for pain meds., it was 10:00.

The verdict: 6 stitches. When we left the house, Richard told me that he thought that he probably needed 1 or 2. Yeah, I knew that he just said that so I wouldn't freak out. They have to be in for 2 weeks. They were very nice though and gave him a script for vicodin. Lovely stuff. Really. When I had my c-section with Kyra, I LOVED vicodin! So, he's resting today. Kyra is at school and I'm about to go downtown to teach my step class.

When I called Richard's mom last night, she said, "What did he do now?" She just knew! LOL! Mother's intuition, I guess. See, Richard is no stranger to the ER. While we were waiting, he was *trying* to count the number of times he's been there to get stitches. I think we came up with about 4 times. He's spent more time in the ER at just 27 than most people do in their lifetime. His mom said when he was little, they were always making trips to the ER because Richard had done something....usually that something wasn't just a minor cut or sprain. He's got scars to prove it!

Richard kept apologizing for me having to wait so long in the ER for him to get out of there. No problemo buddy. In a few weeks, you'll be waiting on me! ;)

Baby update.....

I'm 31.5 weeks as I type this. I absolutely cannot wait for April to get here (and it's only March! LOL!). I can't wait to see and hold my precious little girl. So, last week was my final week to teach Body Flow. *sigh* I did get a new DVD in the mail this week for the next release and I went out in Richard's shop and did it this afternoon. Talk about difficult. I just did as much as I could and skipped over the parts that I couldn't do (there wasn't too many). Yoga poses are hard because my belly is in the way. I'm still teaching my step class and will till the end. I'm also walking on my treadmill here at home and doing Body Pump from time to time. I just have to stay active or I'll go crazy!

I went to the doctor on Monday. Imagine my surprise when I step on the scale and she says that I've lost a pound! hehe! Yeah, I totally wasn't expecting that one. All this time I've been gaining and gaining. I know it's all for a wonderful cause, but I'm not used to being this big and carrying all of this extra weight around. Hopefully, it'll come off fast after Maeve is born. That's why I'm so dead set on working out till the end. There has to be a PRIZE somewhere, right? I just hope that it shows on the scale!

Kyra is totally ready for her sister to be here. She keeps going in Maeve's room and admiring everything. She talks to my belly. It's so cute. She's beyond excited that she will get to teach Maeve everything that she knows! Kyra is very happy to hear that the months have now turned into weeks....just about 8 weeks to go! YAY!

I don't know what Richard thinks. He never talks to me about it. Perhaps it's because we've BOTH been through this before and we know that many sleepless nights lie ahead. I think we are both trying to get as much rest as possible right now. We'll need it. Kyra was sick with the stomach stuff the other week and late last week, Richard got a touch of the flu. Now if I could only stay well. I'm on pins and needles and washing my hands constantly. I DO NOT want to get sick.

So, that's the update. Maeve is fine and kicking the heck out of me. It hurts. Kyra was a gentle squirmer, so can you tell what I'm in for? ;)

My eyes! My eyes!

Do I sound like Phoebe from "Friends"? LOL! Well, today I'm referring to the sun! Yes, the sun is out! Thank God! I honestly didn't know what was going on this morning when the sunlight woke me up! WOW! Now our eyes have to adjust a bit to something that we've seen maybe 3 times over the last 2 months! Richard's been couped up with the flu for the better part of 3 days, so we are going out today.....even if it's just for a drive around town. We've had cabin fever for too long!

Here's your amusing tidbit for the day. This day back in 1990.....

Time Magazine quotes Milli Vanilli "singer" Rob Pilatus as saying, "musically, we're more talented than any Bob Dylan or Paul McCartney. Mick Jagger can't produce a sound. I'm the new Elvis."

Dukes of Hazzard.....

So my dad picked the wrong weekend to go out of town. CMT is having a Dukes Of Hazzard marathon this weekend! LOL! Someone gave him the 1st season on DVD for Christmas. That was his favorite show back in the day and we watched it with him when we were kids. He also likes Sanford and Son! LOL! At least that's on Nick At Nite every once in a while so he can get his fix!

So, the Dukes of Hazzard movie is coming out this year. It's starring Johnny Knoxville and Sean William Scott as the Duke boys. Jessica Simpson will play Daisy Duke (um, I just don't see it), Burt Reynolds will play Boss Hogg and Willie Nelson will play Uncle Jesse (Go Willie!). It's going to be one of those movies that won't have much entertainment value. But, people will go see it because there are so many big stars in it. Heck, I'll go see it if Willie Nelson is in it! I wonder if Willie had to get some white hair for that part!

The more I watch the Dukes of Hazzard, the more I realize that it really was a boring and redundant show. Sheriff Roscoe was always after the Duke boys. Boss Hogg was always eating. Daisy was always "around" to help out her cousins if need be. If there was a kidnapping, Daisy was the victim. Uncle Jesse was there for the Duke boys too....mostly on a CB radio. Enus was the good cop and always had a crush on Daisy. Cooter was there for the maintenance of the General Lee. The "bad guys" always got caught at the end. I wonder how many roads they actually used to tape all of those scenes. Because from the looks of the show, Hazzard County was about as big as the state of Texas! The roads never ended! If they really put that many miles on the General Lee, it would NOT have been in that great of shape! Of course, I'm being sarcastic. I know that it was just a show and that stunts were set up on purpose. But, it's fun to speculate. But if anyone knows of a REAL Boar's Nest, tell me where it's at! I wanna go!

Pet peeves....

There are a few things that I just don't understand.

Yesterday, I was at the gym and this lady walks in and Eric tells her that the Spin class is full (you have to sign up to Spin and once spaces are gone, that's it). Instead of opting to do another workout in the gym, she just walks out and says that she'll try again tomorrow. Um, what? OK, I just DO NOT understand how you'd pay for a gym membership to take a Spin class and that's it? There are a TON of other things to do (I was teaching Flow) and of course, *I* know that she should have just done another workout for the day. Your body and your mind NEED to cross-train! Some people can't get that through their thick skulls though! You'll see more results with a variety of workouts! Sheesh! Eric and I laughed and said that instead she probably walked across the street to eat a 2,000 calorie Schlotzsky's sandwich. Ugh.

There was hardly any gas in the suburban the other day and guess who drove it around on "E"? My lovely husband. The next day, I get in it and it's STILL on "E" when I have to go somewhere! Ugh! Fill the dang thing up! Obviously he doesn't care if I were to run out of gas. I know that I'm not the only one that this has happened to because I had a friend tell me that her husband does the same thing! Hmmmm.....

Another thing I honestly do not understand is these people that pass others up only to have to stop at a RED light?! Um, you're gonna have to stop anyway! Why not leisurely stroll to the red light? You might just save yourself from killing someone!

Oh, and did anyone watch American Idol this week when they voted off 4 contestants (2 girls and 2 guys)? I think the entire hour was FULL of drama and the way they voted off that last dude was ridiculous. Usually, they ask the ones that are gonna go to step forward on the stage. Instead, they panned the camera to a guy sitting down who we all thought was "safe" and said that he'd be leaving tonight. That's just cruel. Poor guy. The look on his face was one of disbelief and sadness. The other contestants looked just as shocked that they went about it the way that they did. It sucked.

I'm sure I have a lot more, but these are the ones that are coming to mind right now. It's been quite a week so far.....

Childhood nostalgia.....

I read one of those "You're a child of the 80's if......" lists the other day. Wow. Those were the days.

There were so many places in my hometown that we frequented that aren't there anymore. One that comes to mind was the big waterslide out on the Houston Hwy. That thing was HUGE! Just think of one of those slides at Schlitterbahn. That's what this thing looked like. My cousins would come and we'd all go up there and slide down. It was the best! Too bad it's not there anymore.

Another place that *is* still there that we frequented is the skating rink. My nephew had his birthday party there the other weekend. We couldn't go this year, but we went last year. That place hasn't changed much. They still do the "Hokey Pokey" and they still do the Limbo. I had some of my best birthday parties there. I even held hands with a boyfriend there while skating. Ahhhhh....memories.

I remember when the bowling alley would have "teen night" on Sunday nights during the summer. You could bowl for $1 per game and the shoe rental was just $1 too! You never knew who you might see there, so all of the girls were primped up! Looking back, I find that hilarious! It's a smoke-filled bowling alley for goodness sakes! It was fun though.

Gosh, the 80's. Some of the things that come to mind from that list are wearing jams, rolling up jeans, those clips that held your shirt in a knot on the side, Kaepa sneakers, big bangs, banana clips, birthday parties at McDonald's, jelly shoes, friendship bracelets, spokey dokes on my bicycle, Garbage Pail Kids, Slip N' Slides, "Not", and slap bracelets.

Those were the days....some of the best of my life. I wonder if Kyra will look back on her childhood and remember certain toys/fads like I did. I hope that there are one-of-a-kind toys/fads out there right now that kids will appreciate. They won't last forever, but the memories sure will.

Ugh. Nascar.

The Daytona 500 is tomorrow. Lovely. I don't like Nascar at all. I just don't understand the whole concept of grown men racing around the track as fast as they can with their "holier than thou" attitudes. I guess that they felt the need to create a sport that would appeal to rednecks around the country and Nascar seemed to fit the bill. With sponsors like Budweiser, Miller Lite, Jack Daniel's, and Jim Beam how could it not be?

I have to admit that it might be fun to be a spectator in the stands though. I bet there are some really heated arguments or even some fights to see if you're lucky. You know that half of the crowd is "drinking up the sponsorship" anyway. With so many drivers to root for, there's gotta be tension. It's not like going to a football game or a baseball game where you root for one team or the other. So, it's gotta be somewhat interesting.

I was so happy that football season ended and now 2 weeks later, all I hear is "Nascar this and nascar that...." Ugh.

Is it BASEBALL season yet? Now there's something to smile about!

A wicked obsession.....

My husband's obsession is starting to grate on my nerves. Is it fishing? No. Is it RC helis and airplanes? No. Is it endlessly working on cars? No. My husband's latest obsession is none other than Kenny Chesney. Ugh.

He checks CMT daily to record any show that he might be on. He listens to his music nonstop. He brags about this and he brags about that......

I DON'T CARE! I don't like Kenny Chesney! Granted, he's A TON better than Big and Rich or Gretchen Wilson (don't even get me started on her), but I really don't care for Kenny at all. Richard tries to convince me that he's a good guy....he writes his own songs, he's down to earth, yada, yada, yada. Yeah....whatever.

What really got on my nerves was the way he went on and on about his fans and how they are the best and they are set apart from all the rest. Yeah those fans are probably fans to other artists as well. You aren't the ONLY one out there buddy! It cracks me up how he's in his own little world. Um, not everyone bows down to you!

To Richard he can do no wrong though. *sigh* I'm starting to think that Richard likes Kenny more than he likes me! LOL!

Things you didn't know about me....

I stole this idea from Jen's blog. Thanks Jen!

-I hate, hate, hate Watermelon. Hate is a pretty strong word too. Can't stand any watermelon candy or gum either. The smell makes me want to vomit. Ugh.

-In February of '99, I cut my leg open on a license plate. Richard was at work. I crawled to the neighbor's house. It was bad. I had to have 15 stitches. It was my first trip to the ER EVER. Richard passed out while they were given me shots to deaden it. It was crazy in there!

-My mom's birthday is on October 12th (which USED to be when Columbus Day was observed), my dad's birthday is on December 25th, and their anniversary is October 31st. Yeah, who in their right mind gets married on Halloween?

-I was a very clumsy kid. I had 3 black eyes at one time or another. One was right when my sister was born, so all of the pics of me with her as an infant show my shiner!

-I used to take piano. I never practiced and wasn't that into it, so my parents eventually sold it. I could KICK myself now for not sticking with it.

-My sister and I had those embarrassing "bowl" haircuts as kids. Our mailman used to walk by and say, "How you boys doing today?" Ugh.

-Mia is my first dog. We were never allowed to have pets when we were kids. Now my dad LOVES Mia and we SWEAR that he'll eventually get a dog too. *sigh*

-I don't drink coffee....never have and probably never will.

-I don't really care for tea with sugar in it. I like it plain. We drank tea like this when we were little and it just stayed with me.

-I have flown on a plane ONCE. In August of '99, Richard and I flew to Vegas. I didn't really care for it, but I'd do it again if I had to.

Grocery tales...part 2

Went to the grocery store last night to pick up a few things. Yes, it was Valentine's Day. I wasn't picking anything up for that. I just needed some groceries for the week. But boy was I in for it. There were so many people there! It was a madhouse. The parking lot was worse. Forget Thanksgiving. The WORST day to go to the store is Valentine's Day. I had to laugh though because there's something about men waiting till the last minute to buy gifts that tickles my funny bone. There they were....some with flowers, some with chocolates, and some with balloons (which I thought was the funniest yet). Seeing grown men carrying little heart balloons is a sight to be seen. With the way some of these men looked, you could tell that there were NO PLANS to go out to dinner for Heart Day. I guess they were hoping for other things to happen. ;)

On the flip side, I wonder what their ladies look like. I hope some of them appreciated the one, lonely, single rose that was given to them. I saw a few guys with just that. That makes me laugh too. I know it's the thought that counts. But, what are the chances of that rose making it home in one piece? It's destined to get smushed in the car or ripped apart by Fido at the door. Poor roses.

Then there's the guy at the store that it blantantly proud of who he is. He's full of tattoos with a ripped up shirt that says, "101% Redneck" on it. Oy vay! I had to look twice to make sure it said what it said. Don't know what he came in there for, but I'll bet money that it for for some Budweiser or Miller Lite. Even more so, I wondered if he had a valentine. Now that's scary.

The week has gotten off to a rotten start. Kyra is sick with a full blown stomach bug. Let me just say that seeing your child sick is the WORST FEELING in the world. You are helpless. There's nothing you can do to make them feel better. It sucks. They have this sad, puppy dog look on their face. All she wants is mommy. Mommy DOES NOT want to get what she has. My washer and dryer are working overtime. Lisa, Richard, and I were all up with her last night. I hope that she's feeling better by the end of the day. My heart is breaking for her right now.

On a positive note, I had some flowers and a cute mug and balloon waiting for me when I got home yesterday. ;)

Valentine woes.....

Yep it's that time of year again and every year, I have the same feelings as I did the year before. Valentine's Day is not extraordinarily special at our house. It's a day that comes and goes. If I get something, then I'll consider myself lucky. Usually, I do not. I don't think it's because I'm not loved. I just think it's because "cards get thrown away" and "flowers die". Ugh. Excuses. It's really the thought that counts. Today, Kyra made us a card at school and I love it. It's simple and it's her art. I could see how proud she was when she presented it to me. Her little scribbles mean the world to me. I think that's enough. Or is it?

Why is Valentine's Day so publicized? The minute the Christmas decorations come down, the hearts and cupids come up. Sure it's nice to celebrate love, but why does every radio station, TV show, store, and restaurant have to shove it in my face? To me, it's a prized competition. Good thing I don't work in a big office or I'd have to send myself something just to look good. Ladies thrive on how their guy did. Was the gift big enough or was the restaurant expensive enough? I feel sorry for the guys that have HUGE expectations to meet. I'm easy to please. If I don't get something, so what. If I do get something, then it's a pleasant surprise.

In a few months, my family will be complete. My heart will be overflowing with enough joy and love to last a lifetime. I can't wait.

Grocery store fun....

Kyra and I went to the grocery store last night. I know.....BAD night to go. Yes, people were stocking up on all the Super Bowl goodies. It was a madhouse. You know, I'd really like to work the checkout counter for a day to see what the heck people buy. Yesterday would have been really fun because I bet over 50% of the people walking out the door had alcohol in their possession. I'm very nosey at the grocery store. I look in people's carts just out of curiosity. I know that's mean, but to me it's interesting. I laugh at the mommies because they are in the same boat I am. Their kid is BEGGING them to buy something and in order to avoid a full blown temper tantrum, the mommy buys the kid what they want and opens it in the store so the kid can have it immediately. Welcome to my world! :)

This one lady was checking out ahead of us and she nudged past us to go back into the store. I thought that she had forgotten to get something. Nope. She and her 10 year old kid come back to the checkout line and as she nudges past me she says, "I'm sorry, but I thought I lost my kid again." Niiiiiice.

Then there's the 300+ lb. man behind us who is trying to make Kyra laugh and he's making comments about EVERYTHING that I take out of the basket to put on the belt. He told Kyra, "Yeah hon, I bet you'll be eating good tonight!" Dude must have been hungry. I was waiting for him to be like a kid and take something from my basket and open it right then and there and start eating away. SHEESH! One can't get a moment's peace at the grocery store anymore!

Honestly though, the drama cracks me up. I could see the horrid looks on faces last night as there were too many baskets in an aisle and people had to zig-zag around others to get through. It was tense!

Now everytime you go to the grocery store, you'll start looking in others' baskets, right? hehe!

Grown Up?.....

So what exactly constitutes being "grown up"? I was thinking about this earlier today. Are you grown up when you graduate high school, college, move out, get married, have a baby? A lot of people will say yes. I beg to differ. I can name people in their 20's and beyond that I don't think have fully grown up yet. Heck, I've done most of those things listed above and I don't even consider myself grown up. Why? Because life is a learning process. You live and learn. You make mistakes and you pick up and move on. It doesn't matter how "old" you are. Age is just a number. I've seen more lively 50 year olds than 30 year olds. Life is just what you make of it. Just because you look old doesn't mean you are. I guess I'm starting to think about things like this since I'll be turning 30 in two years. I think the best years of my life are yet to come. So, I embrace getting older. I'm very positive and keep thinking that things HAVE to get better with time. I'll take whatever God gives me.

I am glad that I'm having my kids when I'm in my 20's though. My mom passed away when I was 14 and my sister was 11. My parents had been married for 12 years before I came along. I would have loved to have an extra 10 years with my mom. She had me when she was 30. I had Kyra when I was 24. 6 years is a LONG time....especially when it comes to childhood growth. I just hope that I have a LOT of years with my girls. I want to see them do things that my mom didn't get to see me do. That's why I pray to God everyday for my health and those that I love.

I don't remember my mom's voice anymore. It's been so long since I've heard it. Am I upset about it? Not really. With time, things that were so fresh on your mind fade away. I think it's all part of the healing process. I still hear Granny's voice though. I can imagine what she'd say if I picked up the phone right now and called her. She just had that unmistakable tone. I miss her. The last time I visited with her, she told me that Kyra would never remember her. Kyra STILL asks about her. We prayed a lot for her when she was sick. Kyra is coming to terms with the fact that Granny "isn't sick anymore and is in Heaven." That's A LOT for a 3 1/2 year old to comprehend, so I'm shocked and proud all at the same time.

I'm sorry about such a downer of a blog, but that's my mood today. It's yet another weekend and the sun is not shining. It's going to rain for the umpteenth time. I just feel blue. I don't feel well today either. Must be hormones. I just want to go to sleep...which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Being pregnant brings on the most WONDERFUL dreams! Ahhhhhhhh!

Brush with "reality".......

Well it was bound to happen and today it did. I had not one, not two, but THREE Real World girls in my Body Flow class downtown today. At almost 12 noon, I walked out of the women's locker room and I see about 5 people....two with cameras. I go into the aerobic room to greet everyone and 3 girls come in....mics and all! YIKES! The camera guy stayed outside of the room and taped from outside the windows. Since I didn't sign a consent form, my face will surely be blurred *if* they end up showing footage from today. I hope that they do A LOT of editing though. hehe! I'll bet that only 25% of what they tape actually makes it on TV.

They were in the gym last night too, so I'm sure they'll be back. Next time, I'll wear some makeup. I don't think that a 7 month pregnant woman with no makeup who is sweating up a storm makes for some good reality TV, do you? hehe!

For what it's worth, *I* don't think that the girls were very cute. Neither did my "pimp daddy", Eric who works the front desk. He'll find a way to get on the show, I'm sure. He's already signed a consent form, so he's good to go! Today, he told one of the girls that he was her "soulmate". Yeah, he REALLY wants to get on TV!

So, the gym was abuzz today and I was less than thrilled. The thought of being on TV scares the heck out of me.