Ok, Son....Enough Now

First the head, now THIS....



Got his thumb jammed in between some folding chairs. What you can't see from the picture is that it is about twice it's normal size. It's so swollen, that the black nail looks like it's going to pop off any second (and I've been told that it probably will). The underside of the thumb is reddish and badly scraped.

He's using the hand (to climb, no less!), but not the thumb. And as long as you don't touch it, he's as happy as a lark.

OH! So, the thumb was on Sunday, and on Monday night (the day he got the stitches out) he busted his head open AGAIN. Same place. He fell and it started to bleed again. Thankfully, it only looked like the scab had been displaced a bit, and not another deep gash.

It's been a bad week for Stinky.

Time Flies When You're Spitting Up

Gabe is 3 months old today.

He's huge. 24.5 inches long and over 13 pounds. That's really big for one of my kids. I'd have to look up the others to see where they were at this age, but I just can't believe any of them came anywhere close to the baby elephant that is Gabe Micah.

He just FEELS big. My arms ache after holding him for a while. His legs are scrunched in the side of the rocking chair when he nurses. He's wearing 6-9 month clothes. Where did this baby come from? His Dad and I are roughly the same size--SHORT. Like 5'3" short. Both of us. He's going to tower over us by the time he's 10!

Gabriel has a very sweet disposition though. A very laid-back baby. Easy to please. Sleeps through the night. He's teething like crazy, but you wouldn't know it by his demeanor.

You would, however, by looking at his clothes.

Because he drools.....like crazy.

He's very often, at any given moment, chomping on his fingers ferociously; blowing bubbles until he looks like he's foaming at the mouth; and/or saving his breakfast on his shirt for later. All which provide for a very drippy kid.

So I change him.

And change him.

And bib him.

And change him some more.

But poor thing, he just soaks through everything. It doesn't help that he's been congested too. Which means goopey eyes and snotty nose. He's really just a mess most of the time.

But he's my mess, and I love 'im.

***

So here's some pics I haven't posted yet. Some are from today, his 3 month b-day.

But don't worry. I cleaned him up before taking the pictures. ;)

Tinny What?

Tinea Versicolor
(ti-nee-ah ver-si-color)

***

That's what Boo has. Some sort of yeast growth on her that creates these salmon colored spots.

Flares up when it's humid. Can be itchy, but not necessarily.

Generally, a common side effect of living in skin.

Can you believe it? My Boo's got something relatively normal? Ha! Amazing!

***

The dermatologist gave me some cream to put on it to make it go away. Honestly? It doesn't bother her in the least, so why fuss with it? I mean, it's not like it's some rare skin disease or something. This is something we can actually LIVE with! I don't even HAVE to give her the medicated cream if I don't want to!



Just let me revel in this for a while, ok? I'm savoring the experience.....

Never A Dull Moment

Fell on blunt metal object. Thought he broke his neck. Ended up splitting his head. Bled profusely. At Toyota dealership service garage. Had all 6 kids. By myself. Call 911! Went to ER. Got 4 stitches. Was his normal, happy self.




(semi-graphic pictures........be advised......)










Mama loses 5 years. Gains 6 new gray hairs.

Roots

Unfortunately, St. Patrick's Day is considered to be a day set aside to:

A: Walk in a parade
B: Get drunk, or
C: Walk in a parade, getting drunk

Now I realize that most people who celebrate this holiday do so with wearing green clothing (like Irish people dress like leprachauns or something....), tacky shamrock earrings, and eating corned beef and cabbage. But, to REAL Irish people....

...those who honor their heritage.....

....and actually know something about where they came from....

...and remember their Grandfather's stories......

...and the hardships their ancestors endured before coming to America....

...and the hardships they endured AFTER coming to America....

St. Patrick's Day is probably a day to meditate on how wonderful it is to have such a strong family, and generations worth of memories, and deep........



roots.

At least, I do.

I am proud to be a third generation Irish American. I'm as green on the inside as they get.

Yummy/Healthy/Easy

I have been trying to lose some weight now that I'm "done" having kids. Actually, I could stand to lose about 50-60 pounds, lower my cholesterol, increase my metabolism, and do my heart some good. I need to change some old habits, and make some new ones. In particular, I have to get out more and exercise. That's hard for me, but I think I've found a slot in my day when I can get out and get some air and bring my heart rate up a bit.

Part of my new regimin will be changing our eating habits. Notice I didn't say, "My" eating habits. We all eat "not the greatest" and can all stand a little overhaul in our diet. I've changed it before, when Michaela had diet restrictions, and I know we can make it work again. The hard part is paying for the Better food. It's more costly to buy fresh veggies and leaner meats. But we're gonna try. I know HOW to eat healthy, I just have to make it happen.

A friend of mine posted a "recipe" (actually, it wasn't what you'd consider a recipe, just a list of ingredients) on her blog recently, and we've come to love it. It's can be really healthy (especially if you eat it with lean meat), and very yummy, and it makes me feel good to feed it to everyone. So, I'm gonna post it here, more in recipe form, and you can all tell me if you like it.......thanks Rebecca!

Rebecca's Pasta

One bag of frozen peppers (the tri-color and onions mix)
One bag of frozen cut-leaf spinach
2 cans of italian diced tomatoes
1 pound of pasta (your choice--we like Barilla's Penne Plus)
1 pound of meat (again, your choice--we like smoked sausage)
2T Olive oil
Minced garlic
Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper

Cut meat into bite-size pieces. Using a large pan, saute garlic and meat in olive oil over med-high/high heat until cooked through (eliminate this step if using sausage). Add all vegetables. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions. Add seasoning and spices to vegetable/meat mixture according to taste. Let simmer on medium heat until vegetables are tender and meat is heated through. Drain cooked pasta and add to mixture. Serve with salad and/or fresh bread. Serves 8 (approx.).

Our whole family eats this dish, and we still have a good amount of leftovers to spare. I think 8 adults could share this if they had the sides with it.

Oh, and if you couldn't tell, it's VERY easy to make. I've made it on Sunday afternoons after church, and it doesn't take very long to put it together at all (we're all starving after church, and hate to wait!).

Also, I love all the color in this meal! And from what I hear, that's a good thing when you're eating vegetables. A healthy combination that tastes good--who woulda thunk it?

Does anyone else have any other yummy/healthy/easy meals they want to share? I'm looking for some more good ideas!

They Make This Too Easy

There are two times in the year when I shop for clothes for my kids. I know, I know, that sounds impossible---especially with 6 kids---but it's true.

Like I have time to scour God's green earth for the latest in size 5 pants (navy blue), or a church dress for Michaela that doesn't make her look like she just left a nightclub.

Speaking of which....

What in the world is WITH little girls' clothes these days???

Oh, DON'T get me started! Arrgghghgh! Ok......that's a whole other post.......

By the way, notice the "Moms for Modesty" button on the side-bar? Yeah, that's me: A MOM FOR MODESTY.

MO--- DES--- TY. Ya know, where people actually have some shame? Yeah, thaaaaaat.

This ain't no "show off what God gave ya, Honey" blog. Nope. We wear CLOTHES around here people!




Ok, rant officially over.....

***

Anywho, like I was saying. I went clothes shopping for my kids today.

I only go twice a year because that's when the big consignment sales hit my area. Imagine department store sized buildings with nothing but oodles of kids' stuff that people are trying to sell. And not just clothes. Toys, books, baby furniture, bikes, you name it. If it has to do with children, you'll probably see it there. And the clothes! Rack upon rack upon rack of NICE STUFF. We're talking brand name. All for a fraction of the cost (well, it is if the seller actually wants to sell it--otherwise it'll just sit on the rack if it's too pricey).

Not that I couldn't get stuff like this at yard sales, but I don't have time to search yard sales for all the clothes my kids need. Not when Noah just grew like 4 inches in the past month! No. These consignment sales are my thing. I go with a list for each child, and I find everything I'm looking for. If something's not there, then I look in the next sale that's coming up. If I still can't find it, then I try a thrift store. THEN, if there's still some holes in someone's wardrobe, THEN I might try buying it at Walmart or Target.

Needless to say, when I plan right, I don't hardly EVER buy my kids clothes at retail prices.

Are you kidding? Not with 6 kids in the house. There's no way we could afford to dress them even half way decently if I didn't shop the consignment sales. Just no way. And not to mention, all the TIME it would take for me to clothe my brood if I had to check every store in town for what I was looking for.

And the modesty thing is a big part of it. Even Walmart has so much flimsy, floosy, show-off-ey, type clothing that I can't possibly outfit my kids shopping there. At least at the consignment sales, I can find ALL kinds of clothing from many different brands. That's a whole lot less time consuming than shopping at individual big name stores, AND I have plenty of modest clothing to choose from. Even if an article of clothing is last year's model, I'll still have a chance to buy it if it fits into what I'm looking for.

I know some people shuddder at the idea of used clothing, but honestly, how long do kids wear this stuff? Not long. In fact, a lot of people could look in their closets right now and even find stuff with tags on it. They've never worn it, and they never will. Their loss is my gain. I got Gabe some nice Carter's rompers like that. Carter's. New. 4 bucks. Cha-ching!

So I did really well this time. I found a lot of what I was needing for the kids' summer wardrobes. The things I didn't find, I know I can get pretty easily and cheaply somewhere else. And I got a bunch of brand name stuff too, for dirt cheap! That's a good feeling.

I like getting nice stuff for my kids, and I like not paying a lot for it.

Things like this help keep life wonderful (as opposed to stressful), ya know?

She's Got Shoes (She Knows How to Use Them)

Michaela loves shoes.

If for no other reason than, SHOES=OUTSIDE.

She's often trying to put shoes on her feet, in a desperate effort to make a break for the great outdoors. And really, it's not even the yard she's totally interested in. The van is an acceptable substitute (and that often also means, McDonald's to her). She just wants OUT of the house. This girl's got the worst case of chronic cabin fever you've ever seen.

So she shuffles in and out of her room, with this pair (not necessarily matching) and that one, trying hopelessly to get them on her feet. The only trouble is, is that most of the time, she's picked out a pair of LIBBY'S shoes.

When she's really serious about going out, she'll even get herself a pair of socks.

And believe it or not, she CAN get them on.

Now, I wouldn't say she's comfortable in them, the way she gets them on there, but she does it. She's that determined.

Unfortunately, the shoe/sock combinations generally don't get put on in a workable way, and she's left to falter around the house. Trying to convince us that, shoes HAVE been accomplished, and therefore OUTSIDE must now commence.

She scoffs at rain.

She scoffs at cold.

She scoffs at the street too.

And that's what worries me.....

***

This morning, Michaela and I were going through her normal getting-ready-for-school routine. I got her up, took her to the bathroom (if I put her there, she will often go, but she doesn't do it on her own), got her dressed, got her her medicine, brushed her teeth and washed her face. In order to keep her from waking everybody in the house (who's all still asleep at 6:15 in the morning), I don't put her shoes on until it's close to when the bus comes. She shuffles her feet horribly, and that makes a lot of noise on my wood floors.

We went to the living room, where she sits on the coffee table, and I sit on the couch to put her shoes on. She lifts up her leg and props her foot on my lap. I go grab a shoe and start opening it up to put it on her foot....

"No, that one." she says.

"Yeah, I'll do that one in a minute."

After I get the shoe ready to put on, I notice I've picked up the wrong one. It fits the foot on the floor, not the one on my lap. And it dawns on me, Did she just tell me that I had the wrong shoe? Does she know which shoe goes on what foot? So I decide to test it out....

"Boo, does this shoe go on this foot?"

"No. That one."

I switch the options.....

"Does this one go on THIS foot?"

"Noooo. THAT one!"

Hmmmm......

"OK, Boo, which foot does this one go on?" Holding up a shoe.

"That one, right there. Right there."



She was right.


Go figure.

***

It's little things like this that make my day. I don't know how many people WITHOUT a handicapped child can appreciate something little and mundane like that. I don't know if it would've stirred ME before Michaela came along. But I now have learned to enjoy these little streams of sunshine that burst through the fog in her mind. Some days, she just seems so UNABLE. And then she pulls a stunt like this, and I realize just how ABLE she can be.

I'm thankful for the ABLE days.

And for a kid with an obsessive shoe fetish.

Must Be A Monday

I'm feeling fairly sluggish today. Not sure why, but I have absolutely NO desire to do ANYTHING today.

Did I ever feel this way when I was out in the workforce? I'm sure I didn't get away with it THEN!

I should probably cut myself some slack. I DID make breakfast (instead of the kids making their own). I DID do the dishes. I DID change Asher and Gabe. I DID give Noah his spelling pretest. I DID clean up the living room. So, I guess that's not sooooo bad.

Well, unless you consider that I still have to shower, clean my room, clean the bathroom, tame oodles of laundry, make some necessary phone calls. Then it looks as bad as my brain is making it out to be.

And the rest of me is rebelling.

***

Does anyone want a nice job as a Mother's Helper? Free food!

Yeah, yeah, I didn't think so........sigh.

Hush, laundry! I'll get around to you!


soon.........

Anchors Away!

Michaela went to see Chief on Thursday, and it was a really good visit. It wasn't one of those, "I need to see her, so I'll fit her in" kinda visits, but just a run-of-the-mill, "See ya in (enter number here) months" kinda visit. We had quite a few of these generic check-ups last year. But this one was a little different, for me, at least.

See, it's been exactly one year since we started Felbamate.

I mean, A WHOLE YEAR! That's monumental! Before that, she was jumping meds like Anna Nicole jumped suitors! Um....er......but that's another story.....

So, for her to be on the same drug for that amount of time is just really great for her. I mean, super. Just super. And I was feeling pretty uppity that day. Peppy. Yeah, that's what I was feeling: Peppy. Excited to be going to a visit with Chief, with a list of like, two things. Just TWO things! And they weren't even serious issues or anything. Minor stuff. Like, "Can we get this drug in a liquid?" Stuff like that.

Do you realize how COOL that is?

Ok, maybe you can't relate, but just trust me. It was VERY cool.

***

Michaela's just kinda rolling along. She not getting better, per se. But she's not getting worse, either. It's what we affectionately call "Stable." I love Stable. Stable has been my best friend lately. Believe me when I tell ya: I've pampered Stable. BIG time.

But that's all changing. Chief and I had the same idea this go around: we're pushing Stable's comfort zone. I think it'll be a good thing.

Well, I'm PRAYING it'll be a good thing, anyways. This new "rocking the boat" type adventure....

***

Boo's on 2 different seizure meds. That's right. Two. There's Felbamate, and then there's Zarontin. Zarontin is kinda like Linus from the Peanuts comic strip. Quiet. In the background. Yet, very smart. It has been Michaela's anchor drug for almost two years now.

In my lingo, an "anchor" drug is simply a drug that she's taking to help another drug. Zarontin doesn't take care of her seizures by itself. But since it helps a little and doesn't cause any nasty side-effects, we've kept it on board. Like an anchor. Kinda keeping everything from getting tossed in the waves when we're trying to find a more powerful drug that works.

She's had a few different "anchors" in the 6 years she's had seizures. And Zarontin is the latest.

But we're getting rid of it.

See, the theory is that the Felbamate is doing the job of keeping her Stable. It's packing enough bang for it's buck (oh, and let me tell YOU, there's a lot of BUCKS behind that bang---just ask my prescription drug insurer!). Which means the Zarontin may not be needed any more.

And in my book, the less drugs, the better. So, in 5 weeks, she'll be off the Zarontin. And only on ONE seizure med.

That's sweet.

I hope.

***

Now, before you start thinking she'll only have ONE drug to deal with, let me tell you this: Michaela is also on another med.

Robinul. To control drooling.

Yeah, unfortunately, she's drools almost constantly. Almost. There are times when the flow is minimal, or seems to be not there, but if she concentrates on something really hard, she will probably drool even if she hadn't drooled all day. It's just something she can't control very well anymore.

But it is kinda annoying. Hmmmmm. Maybe annoying isn't the right word for it. Or maybe it is......it's just......just......kinda icky. Not pleasant? Does that work? Yeah. It's very Unpleasant.

So, she wears bibs all the time to keep her clothes from getting totally soaked. There are days when we change the bib 3-4 times a day, and there are days when she wears one for the whole day. There's not much rhyme or reason to it. And we've learned to deal with it. Like, wiping her mouth really quick before she plants a kiss on our cheek. Or adjusting the bib to lay on our shirts if she wants to snuggle close. No biggie. In general.

But I can't honestly say that I don't care about it. It's not normal, and therefore just one more thing that sets her apart and complicates life a little. It's really not all that wonderful to absent-mindedly lay your arm on a fresh puddle of drool. When you're running late for church. And you JUST ironed the shirt.....

Yeah, unpleasant.

The Robinul is supposed to help dry her up a bit. We'll take it. As long as she doesn't have any side-effects from it, we'll take all the drying we can get.

***

There's also a new drug we're putting her on: Risperdal.

Risperdal is an anti-psychotic to help her chhhhiiiiiiiillllllll out. Lately she's been very un-chilled. Very hyper. Very CRAZY.

That's our term for it around here: crazy. "Boo's acting all crazy again." "Boo, no crazies!" "Michaela, cool it on the craziness, okkkkkk?"

All the while, she's running around the coffee table, flapping her arms, randomly screaming and laughing at the same time. Or singing Twinkle Twinkle for 45 minutes straight.

The. same. two. lines.

You thought I was kidding on the crazy thing, huh?

So, this new addition to my drug cabinet is supposed to help that. We'll see. I've decided to not give it to her until the Zarontin is weaned completely. Then, if there's any problems that arise, we won't be confused as to what's the culprit.

But, I'm sure hoping it helps her sanity. If it does, it'll be helping mine too.

Because I need some of mine back. Really bad.

***

We're also taking her to see a dermatologist because she's had these weird spots on her back and neck for about 9 months now. They don't itch, blister, sting, or puss. They're just there. But why? Totally random spotting-ness. Last I knew, little girls don't grow spots for no reason.

Well, at least not before 12 or so. And then those are supposed to be on the face, not the back.

That appointment is going to be in March. I'm just curious enough to be anxious for it.

***

In general, things are looking good for Good Ol' Boo these days. And things are changing. But it's good change. Just little tweaks to help her have more quality of life, more ability, hopefully even less seizures. I'm just feeling really good about her right now. She's predictable, her bad days aren't horrid or long-lasting, and we're taking measures to help iron out some rough issues.

Like I said: it was a good visit.

Yeah, "Peppy." I'm still feelin' it.

It's Elementary, My Dear Watson

Homemaking, that is!

Jen has "tagged" me. Here's my take on it:

ABC's of Homemaking

Q: Aprons - Y/N? if Y, what does your favorite look like?
A: Yes, I have one. Only one. It wouldn't be my favorite. It's sissy looking.

Q: Baking - Favorite thing to bake?
A: Anything with chocolate involved is fine with me. However, bread is the most rewarding!

Q: Clothesline - Y/N?
A: No. But I need one! For the same reason as Jen....

Q: Donuts - Have you ever made them?
A: Why? When there's Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts?? Anything I would do would probably be sub-par.

Q: Every Day - One homemaking thing you do every day?
A: Laundry. It's the only way to keep up with the "large family size" proportions of clothing.

Q: Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freeze?
A: Well, technically, it's a whole refrigerator, but we only USE the freezer part.

Q: Garbage Disposal - Y/N?
A: No. They're too noisy for me!

Q: Handbook - What is your favorite homemaking resource?
A: Good ol' Mom. She's only a phone call away.

Q: Ironing - Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
A: What kind of question is this? Who in their right mind does ironing FOR FUN??? "Oh, honey, let's not go out to eat, I'm enjoying ironing right now." HATE IT. I delegate it to Chris whenever he lets me!

Q: Junk drawer - Y/N? Where is it?
A: I have a junk box. It's Rubbermaid, with a handy-dandy lid, and it sits in my pantry all pretty and neat. What an oxymoron, huh?

Q: Kitchen - color and decorating scheme?
A: It's a sage variation, and it matched my dishes, which is a "country gardening" theme. However, if you saw the mosaic in my island (custom, handmade!), you'd think it was "nautical"--because there's a New England lighthouse in it.

Q: Love - What is your favorite part of homemaking?
A: When it's done, it's very satisfying.

Q: Mop - Y/N?
A: OK, again, weird question. I'm a HOMEMAKER. Of COURSE I mop! And if I didn't, do you think I'd admit it here on my blog?? "Uh, Hon, let's not go visit Kelly anymore. I hear she doesn't mop her floors."

Q: Nylons - Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
A: This one feels a tad bit too personal.

Q: Oven - do you use the window or open the oven to check?
A: Both. Depends on the situation. (Aren't you all happy to know this little piece of useless information now?)

Q: Pizza - What do you put on yours?
A: Finally! A good one! OK.....lemme see.....mushrooms, meat, onions, peppers, BBQ sauce! Mmmmmm......

Q: Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
A: Sleep!

Q: Recipe card box - Y/N? What does it look like?
A: I've had one, but I couldn't seem to get the recipe I wanted WHEN I wanted it. Now I have a binder that Pampered Chef put out. They've since retired that binder, but I love mine!

Q: Style of house - What style is your house?
A: Farmhouse. One floor.

Q: Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N?
A: I have a couple of tablecloths that don't fit my table. Cloth napkins are just adding more laundry, so I don't use 'em.

Q: Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland?
A: Does very organized, semi-toxic wasteland qualify?

Q: Vacuum - How many times per week?
A: More in the winter, with Chris hauling in wood. Perhaps 2-3 times a week.

Q: Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
A: 7-8.

Q: X's - Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
A: Not everyday. Mostly on Saturdays when Chris is home and we have to get things done before Sunday or friends come over. For everyday, I usually have a list on the fridge of outstanding projects I need to accomplish. It's nice when those are crossed off!

Q: Yard - Y/N? Who does what?
A: Our lawn mower is persnickity, so Chris takes care of that. However, I will sometimes get immersed in outside stuff when the weather's warmer, and I particularly like to get some flowers out on the porch in the spring.

Q: Zzzz's What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
A: Probably cleaning the kitchen, although I don't generally wait until right before bed, but try to do it right after dinner.



Well! That was fun! I'm going to tag......Rebecca, Chrystal, Denna, Katie, and Dana....

Have fun girls!

Ya Gotta Love The 80's

Ahhhhh, the good ol' days! The golden age of Beatboxing! Although this video was clearly made recently (since beatboxing is experiencing it's second wind), it is a funny reminder of my childhood....

And how BAD we were when we tried to imitate the pros.....;)

Beatbox
Uploaded by loranger

I Don't Know What To Think

This video has really made me think. The significance of what the actor/director/producer says is almost overwhelming to me. I'm dumbfounded. Speechless. It doesn't make sense, yet it does. I almost want to find out that it's a hoax. Because that would certainly make life easier.

Watch this video all the way through (even if you think it's boring or strange to begin with), because there's two parts. The second part relates to the first, and I believe it will blow you away.

I really want to know what y'all think about this. Including you, Chief. Of course, Jeni, you MUST respond. My perspective on mentally challanged people has been really altered.

And considering the fact that I have a mentally challenged child (who presents with a lot of these same characteristics), I have a lot to think about.

All because of this video.

Video Problems Fixed

Like I said....

I think I fixed the videos. Let me know if they work now!

Taking The Good With The Bad

It's ok, this new Blogger. Don't like that ALLLLL the HTML I learned to be able to tweak this site is now gone....but that's not the end of the world. The well-fed people at Google seem to have made this whole thing a lot easier to manage, so I'll work with it. I'm still trying to complete 14+ months worth of "labels" (ie: on the sidebar--"If you liked reading THAT"), and deciding if I like the header font enough. I don't know if my sitemeter works yet, my flicker banner is missing (it was outdated anyway), and my Amazon book lister is gone.

I'm learning y'all. I'm learning to accept change gracefully.

But sometimes it's so painful.

Technical Difficulties

Stay tuned everybody. I just switched to the new Blogger stuff, and like I feared, it has messed stuff up.

Hopefully, I'll be able to clear it up and make it all pretty again soon.....

It's My Party, And I'll Record if I Want To!

Here's a little offering from my birthday celebrations last week. The pictures are from my SURPRISE birthday dinner, and YES, it was a surprise! I still can't believe they pulled THAT off.....I usually figure surprises out :) Thanks Everybody, for a wonderful 30th birthday!

"Does He Take a Passey?"

No. No he doesn't.

Fast Food??

OK, what is up with the Wendy's on University, y'all??? 20-30 minutes to place and fill an order?

Hellooooooo!!!

And then my food was cold, the burger buns were hard-ish, they only gave us one Kid's Meal toy (not even the decorated bags that the meal's supposed to come in!), and they ran out of lids for little kids (who really NEED the lids!).

Disgusted. ME.

To top it all off, out of ALLLLLLL the empty seats in the joint (hmmmm, should've been a sign...), this family with three young girls decided to sit the next booth over. And the girls stared. And stared. And stared at us. While we were eating. They were so close by leaning over their booth that I could've seen their nose hairs. I'm not kidding. Perfectly rude. All while their Dad chatted on his cell phone.

When their Mom came back with the food, she started berating her children for everything they did. "_________, if you don't eat that RIGHT NOW I'm gonna lay into you!" Things like that. My kids were dying to stare at THEM to see all the horrible things their Mom was getting onto them for. She was obnoxious. Just loud and mouthy. Imagine how she acted when one of them spilled their drink!

Instead of taking the kids to McDonald's like we usually do, I decided to try Wendy's, since they have chili, and Asher hardly ever eats his hamburger or chicken nuggets. I know he likes chili (whereas, he really doesn't like meat), and I figured we could eat there, and I wouldn't be wasting money on him for once. Even with all these annoying and frustrating issues, him eating his meal would've been nice.



Except he wouldn't eat the chili.

Killin' My Pride

As many of you could tell, I was having a hard day yesterday. But thankfully, my good friend Denna had decided to take me and our friend Lori out for my birthday; and that was today. Which was something fun to look forward to, and got my mind off of my Mom-less house.

But yesterday, my eyes were swollen and red no matter what I tried to think about. People at church were asking me how she liked her visit, and how long she was here, and how they enjoyed seeing her, and Bless My Heart, I'd start tearing up all over again. So, in service last night, I would try not to think about all this, and think of perfectly random, non-related things instead.

OK. THAT was a lesson in futility.

No matter what it was, there seemed to be some connection or memory of Mom. Even someone who I barely ever talk to reminded me of Mom, because I've played Scrabble with that person! How terribly annoying!

When my "little sister" Laura saw my face after church, I think it was obvious to her that something had to be done about my pitiful state. She told me that if I met her at her house after church, she would give me a facial. Who would pass that up? Not I! So I gladly agreed, seeing as how my face hurt from being constantly scrunched in that ugly "crying face." A facial sounded like just the ticket.

I helped Chris put the kids to bed and scooted over to Laura's house. She had a foot massager, and lotions, and scrubbers, and of course the facial stuff. Ooo La LA! I could definitely handle being pampered for a little bit. It was going to be a nice end to a hard day.

And it was. I was pampered and fussed over and generally spoiled, and I relaxed. I actually talked about Mom without breaking down.

***

Once the facial part was over, Laura noticed that I had more than a few offending hairs between my nose and my northern lip. Laura would be the type to notice such things, as she is still in her teen years, and is generally more conscientious than I. She's the glamour girl, I'm the tomboy. It is her mission to make me fashionable at the very least. And the fact that I hadn't promptly removed said hair before last night.....well, this was a problem, you see!

Not that I don't try to take care of such things on a regular basis (thanks to her), but with the baby and all....time had gotten away from me. Fine. I don't care. Take care of it, La. This is what facials are for, right?

So she breaks out some hair removal cream. Alright. Sounds like a plan. Shouldn't be any pain involved.

However, Laura makes a habit of not reading directions.

For if she had, she would have probably read something to the effect of, "Do not use this hair removal product after exfoliating your face." Or something of that nature.

It soon became painfully obvious that facials and hair removal cream do NOT go hand in hand.

***

"Uh, La??"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't know this stuff was supposed to hurt...."

"Well, huh. It didn't hurt when I used it. But maybe it does for some people. I know bleaching stuff kinda stings, so maybe that's why."

"Ok......"

(((10 minutes later))) "Man! this stuff STINGS! I'm taking it off!"

And after wiping it all off, my upper lip was throbbing and sensitive to the touch....

....not to mention BRIGHT RED.

"LAURA!!!!!"

***

And the irony of the whole thing was that we gals get RID of facial hair because it's "too manly."

But a bright red streak between my nose and my lip didn't do anything but make me look MORE manly. Like, I had a red moustache or something! Ack!

Yet, just to prove that I'm not vain, and that I'm not prideful, I WENT to that luncheon with my friends Denna and Lori-----red milk moustache and all. Yup. I "stuck out my upper lip" and swallowed my pride and enjoyed every minute of that Chinese buffet this afternoon.

(But I didn't go to the bank or the store like I wanted to.......a girl can only take so much pride killin' in one day!)