Goodbye 2008--Hello 2009...

I've had somewhat of a rough transition after coming home from my trip to Arizona. I still haven't located my camera cable so I have no photos to share but I'll get to that in a couple of days!

I have some work stuff I've been procrastinating so I need to get to that but I wanted to write one last (at least) blog entry for 2008.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's Eve, see you next year!!

*I need a bit of time to chew on the events of the past year and my recent trip before I can truly process them here. Plus I need to map out the new year in my head a bit. When I have figured some stuff out you'll be the first to know!!!

There's No Place Like Home

The boys and I finally got back home yesterday evening at around 4:30pm. S was still at work and I unpacked everything before he got home.

It didn't take long for me to feel how exhausted I was and after dinner I fell asleep while S got the boys ready for bed. They slipped into bed beside me and I barely noticed. I slept soundly and woke up this morning around 9:30am. Now I'm just trying to get used to being back at home.

My neighbor just knocked at the door--two of my chicken girls were out. After shooing them back in the yard I'm back in my cozy house, compiling a mental to-do list while the boys play in their room.

I have a jillion pictures and after locating my cables and uploading them I will post them!

Hope everyone had a great holiday, Happy New Year!

Bye for Now!

Well, tomorrow bright and early the boys and I leave for Arizona. I am exhausted but I had a wonderful birthday thanks to my friends and husband. (my kids kind of made it worse with tantrums and general misbehaving but...that's ok)

I wanted to blog before I left and share pics from my birthday but alas, not gonna happen.

SO expect a HUGE catch up when I return. I don't know if I'll be blogging while I'm gone, it depends on my mom's computer situation and whether I have time.

Have a great Christmas!!!

xoxoxoxo

Just in time for the sick season...

Over at Hormone Colored Reviews my cyber-pal Kim is giving away one of those super-fancy forehead-scanning thermometers. I have always wanted one of these bad boys so I really hope I win!

It would have come in handy last week when my boys were so sick. (thankfully they are FINALLY better...just in time for our trip!) I talked to my mom and she was worried that I was going to get my brother Bubba sick (um, he's 29, not 2!) and I was like "Whatever!" When he came down last year for my birthday he was sick and tried to pretend like he wasn't. The second he left we all got sick, one right after the other. But luckily we don't have to worry because *knock on wood* we are all currently healthy.

BUT--I STILL want this thermometer. And all parents should too, if you don't already have one. I have one of those P.O.S ear thermometers and the much less popular (and not ever used anymore) rectal model so this would be a much-welcomed addition to our arsenal.

Go over and enter now!!!

It's 3am...do you know where your children are?

This sounds like something one of my little rascals would do...time to get double locks!

Police were alerted to a break-in at a Beaumont Family Dollar after a four-year-old got into the store at 3AM Monday morning. It seems he unlocked a door at home, walked to the store a block away, crossing a multi-lane road, and found his way in through an unlocked door (see the video here). The opening of the unlocked door triggered a silent alarm; when the cops came, they discovered the small boy playing with toys in the store. Police found the boy's mom looking for him in the neighborhood nearby. While CPS investigates the incident (even though they suspect no foul play on the parents' part), she has voluntarily placed her son and his brother with other family members. [KFDM]

Quarantined!!

The boys have been sick now FOREVER. This means cranky, snotty, congested, coughing sleepless nights for them and me, constant nursing (ugh! exhausting for me since at this point I try to limit it to mostly nap and bedtimes) and the worst part: being completely shut in our house.

No playdates, limited errands. I haven't taken them anywhere if they have had a fever within 24 hours.

Ugh. I am going crazy--I think tomorrow I may actually get to see two of my mama-pals. Finally! Conversation with someone who doesn't need my help in getting dressed or wiping their tushies! (although, you know: if they DID need my help with those things I would suck it up and make it happen!)

To Do: Ten Things

Friday is my birthday (!) and Saturday my brother is driving from Dallas to pick us up and take us to Arizona. We've been preparing for a while now so it's a little surreal that it's happening NOW!

Last night I packed most of our clothes and today I am trying to 'wrap up' (ha!) Christmas stuff so to speak.

I made chocolate-dipped spoons to give but now I don't know WHO to give them to and HOW I'm going to wrap them.

But, they were fun and easy to make and the boys and I tried them out: they made our hot chocolate even yummier. They would also be good in coffee and some teas.


Before: Spoons! (it would also be fun to thrift interesting-looking or vintage spoons)

Chocolate goodness!

After: before freezing


LeeLee tested

Moomies approved!

After flash-freezing, ready to store in the freezer

I had some chocolate leftover and scoured my pantry til I found:

Yummy!

So now that's done I still have lots to do (so why am I online??! ;) I have to use up the last of my pumpkin (I'm going to make another loaf of pumpkin bread that will last approximately one day in our house!) and I have a whole to do list:
1. Give myself a facial
2. Schedule a massage
3. Buy diapers, wipes and a travel candle
4. Make 4 tiny pies
5. Wrap presents for in-laws, drop off at MIL's house on Friday
6. Finish packing: toiletries, shoes, jewelry, crafty stuff
7. Make sure camera battery, iPod and cell phone are charged, pack chargers
8. Send work reports
9. Wash my sheets (it sucks to come home to a messy house/dirty sheets!)
10. Wash the boys' fuzzy blankets and "Blue Ladies" (small thermal blankets that they sleep with) to take in the car on the trip

*Sigh* Got to get going!

Weekend Wrap Up: Odds & Ends

First of all: Today is my lovely (and very pregnant) friend, Reesa's birthday!!! She is my fellow feisty Texas Sagittarius and one of my favorite people! She is very mellow, supportive, accepting and kind and I wish her a very happy birthday!


This weekend my little guy Moomers was feeling weepy and not meshing well with his Papa and brother so I took him on a special date. We went to a nearby bookstore and browsed around then went and shared a sandwich. I love my special dates and one-on-one time with both of my boys.

Papa did something unexpected and got cable. We have resisted for so long and he just did it out of the blue. It was SO COLD yesterday and this was where you could find my three guys all day: glued to the tv.

I can't keep clothes on my little nudie, LeeLee. He disrobes every chance he gets!

Our little chicken girls are finally comfortable with us: maybe TOO comfortable. Here is Lady and Pillow trying to sneak in!

Papa also put together my mesh screen earring holder!It's nice to have a crafty/handy husband even if we DO get on each others nerves!

I didn't think I had nearly enough earrings to put on it but surprisingly I did. I was able to pull out ALL of my jewelry and display/organize it. There are some pieces I will never wear but I like having them out anyway. They all tell a story and contain a memory of a certain time in my life and I like looking at them all.

I even put up some of my questionable early attempts at earring-making! I sure did get creative before I learned the "proper" techniques. ;)

I stocked my necklace board with every necklace I have instead of only the things I wear a lot. I'll have to make a new one if I get/make more necklaces. Looking at it I realize I need a nice chunky earth-tone necklace. A trip to the bead store is in order!

Now my jewelry box doesn't make me want to cry! Bracelets:

Rings:

Watches and other things I don't reach for often in my train case!

I worked all day on Sunday and had every intention of working yesterday but the weather derailed that. It was freezing cold and the forecast called for sleet right at the time I would be stuck on the freeway in traffic (in the dark) coming home. I probably would have been fine but I just couldn't do it.

I am now officially through with my skincare work until I return at the end of the month. So now I can focus on packing, wrapping presents and saying bye (for a week!) to my mama-pals. I'm looking forward to the next few days. It should warm up just in time for my birthday. I am planning to go to yoga and spend a few hours alone before getting ready to go to dinner with Papa to celebrate.

I hope everyone is staying warm and nearing completion of all your holiday tasks!

Santa, All I Want For Christmas is a Robot--I brought a picture!

Today I took the boys to S's work for lunch and to meet Santa. They never have gone to sit on his lap and haven't shown any interest in any Christmas stuff until this year. They know it's a special time of year and so when S told me his work provided a Santa to take pictures with I decided to take the boys.

We brought food for the four of us and ate before going to meet old St. Nick.

I was worried that there would be a crowd of kids to infect/get more germs from but the lobby where he was seated was empty when it was our turn. They were waiting for us and I carefully wiped the boys hands and faces. They didn't cough on him (small miracle) and I noticed he was wearing white gloves (that he will either dump into a vat of bleach at the end of the day or burn, I'm sure)


"Hey, dude--you ready?"

"Ok so listen closely: I want a robot. A mean one with bunny rabbit ears."

"Here's the picture I brought for you."

"Let us show your elf how much we love Star Wars"







"Oh! I brought the trilogy to show you..it's right her in my backpack! Sure it's VHS, but I enjoy watching movies on the VCR"

"We love you!"

"High five!"

"Ok, Moomers, let's get out of here!"

Amused Papa

Tired Mama (notice our matching red cowboy boots!)

I Never Read Dooce But I May Need This

"Aramis Cologne by Aramis was designed in 1965. It's fragrant nature explores essences of bergamot, cumin and jasmine. Blended with notes of patchouli, amber and musk, aramis is a formal fragrance."

I followed this link from Not Martha and just may have to set foot in a Bath and Body Works, something I hardly ever do.

My dad wore Aramis cologne and even though I think of him daily I especially miss him during the holidays.

Did my dad love the holidays? No, my dad hated the holidays and he sucked to be around celebrated hesitantly during them. But the holidays are typically times when you see your family and since I am about to see my mom and brothers it makes me miss my dad more.

So if this candle does, in fact smell like my dad's cologne then I may have to go buy one. One of my favorite childhood scent-memories was the smell of my dad's cologne mixed with the aroma of freshly-drank coffee. This was what he smelled like when he was kissing us goodbye in the mornings before he left for work.

I was also thinking tonight about my favorite holiday memory: I was about ten and my brothers and my mom had just finished trimming our Christmas tree. My mom turned off all the lights and we turned up the radio and danced like crazy, spinning around until we were dizzy and the lights became a blurry glow. My dad NEVER helped us with the tree and if it were up to him we'd be eating soup out of a can on Christmas but my mom always tried her hardest to make them special for us every year, even when we didn't have much money. Thanks, Mom--we can't wait to see you!

Bettie Page Died Tonight

"I want to be remembered as the woman who changed people's perspectives concerning nudity in its natural form."-Bettie Page

Bettie Page has died at age 85. She was a pop-culture icon and has made me proud to be a brunette. No matter how hard I try my bangs will never look as cool as hers did in 1955. Thank you, Bettie, rest in peace.

Lazy Day with the Sickie Twins

I was up all night last night with two feverish, coughing boys. My thermometer sucks so I don't know if they actually had a fever or not. If so, it was mild but they were definitely warmer than usual.

But thanks to a cranked-up heater I too was way warmer than usual, and completely parched and uncomfortable. Off went the jammie bottoms and fuzzy socks somewhere around 3am. At 6am my LeeLee was restless and congested and calling for his Papa. I got up and gave him a cup of ice water, had one myself and made one for Papa who we were about to wake up.

I turned off the heater and climbed into the spot Papa had made for us in his bed. We all fell back asleep. I was dead asleep when S left for work until he woke me to tell me that he was leaving. 'Check on Moomers' I rasped as he was on his way out. Sometime after that my Moomies crawled into bed with us where we all slept until 11:30am.

I have given up trying to get on a reasonable schedule right now. My boys are sick and clearly need the rest. I'm not sick but I am always down for some sleepy cuddles. I'm hoping to be 100% healthy before our trip.

Today we've just been having a mellow, lazy day at home. I made round 2 of homemade play dough, this time in blue.

I am roasting sweet potatoes for our dinner to go with the meatloaf I have planned. I'm defrosting the last of my cowboy cookie dough to finish baking and (hopefully) deliver to my MIL with all of my in-laws presents. Although I love these cookies so I can't make any promises that any will actually make it to her house.

I should be putting the final touches on my Christmas presents and wrapping them but...I have a mental block against Christmas right now. I will get over the hump shortly I'm sure. I am working this weekend so I SHOULD do it today but...I may not.

Tomorrow Santa Claus will be at S's work...I think the boys are finally ready to go and have their picture taken with him without being totally freaked out. If they are feeling better and have no fever we will go down there.


Play dough masters (drinking bubbly water mixed with orange juice and an herbal immune boosting tincture)

Beatnik Moomers

Tylenol chug-a-lug

Moomers calling Grandma yesterday on his yellow play dough phone (and dirty face!)
Hello, Grandma?

Happy Birthday Crafty Chica!!!

Today is Kathy Cano-Murillo's birthday! I hope she is having a glitterific day!!!!

Snow Day

Ok, not really--we just got a few flakes last night that have long since melted away but it's still COLD, ya'll! (37 degrees) so you aren't going to catch me out there.



So what to do with restless preschoolers?

I remembered this recipe for DIY play "dough" and decided to give it a whirl. I'm game for anything that a) I can make in my kitchen and b) will keep my boys occupied.



It was fun, quick and easy to make and they both agreed on a color: yellow.

It smells dough-y and salty and has the same texture as Play-Doh.


I was tempted to add a few drops of lavender for some calming aromatherapy play dough but I am fresh out!

Now they are at their table busy making cakes and cutting out teddy bears, gingerbread men and stars--and even better they too busy to ask me to put on the 'mean robot movie.' (Star Wars)

I may even be able to squeeze in some baking of my own--I want to make pumpkin bread and maybe more cookies today. There may be some merit to being forced to stay home after all!

Doh!

Sometimes I think wistfully that I wish all this internet technology had have been around when I was in high school. Then I realize I would have clogged the world wide web with silly stuff and humiliating mistakes: kind of like this one.

On second thought, I think it's best that I didn't have my first email account until I was well into my twenties!

Random Thoughts Swirling Around in My Head

"You are a living magnet. What you attract into your life is in harmony with your dominant thoughts."
- Brian Tracy



S and the boys are asleep and I don't quite know what to do with myself. It is really cold (34 degrees...and there are actual snowflakes coming down! Too cold for this Texifornian!) and rainy. I hope my poor chicken-girls are ok out there.

The boys and I woke up at ELEVEN this morning. I could not believe it was so late when I opened my eyes. My LeeLee crawled out of bed and slept on the floor for several hours. I almost threw my back out again trying to lift him back up half-asleep.

Both of the boys have been a little under the weather lately, LeeLee had diarrhea for two days then Moomers got it too. It seems to be gone only to be replaced by a really nasty cough for Moomers. LeeLee seems back to normal health. Tonight at bedtime S rubbed his little chest and I turned the humidifier on. I've also been giving him immune boosting stuff. I hope all that knocks it out quickly: I want to arrive in Arizona completely healthy.

The glow of my tiny Christmas tree is pleasing me to no end. Although I am cold I just polished off a pint of Ben & Jerry's Stephen Colbert Americone Dream ice cream. Yummy.

I FINALLY finished my continuing education credits that I needed to renew my esthetics license. I had to slog through 6 hours of poorly written material. AND I had to pay $40 for it on top of the $60 I have to pay to the state to renew my license. Ugh. It's highway robbery here in Texas sometimes...but it feels good to be able to check that off of my to-do list, it had been looming large.

This weekend I also got back to baking my weekly sourdough bread. I skipped last week because I didn't feel like baking bread after all the Thanksgiving cooking. I used my 1 cup of starter to make some really sub-par pancakes (my fault, not the recipe: I was distracted and burnt a few of them)

After I got home from my trip to San Antonio for work on Saturday (where I did NOT get lost at all until I made it back into Austin!) I did the first step in mixing the bread dough and left it overnight to rise. I baked two beautiful loaves on Sunday and am so happy to have fresh bread in the house again!

Today I bought some snacks for the car ride to Arizona for me and the boys. I've also been slowly filling their new Spiderman backpacks with toys and books they have never seen before in hopes of keeping them reasonably entertained. I talked to my brother yesterday and it turns out the trip is about ten hours shorter than I had thought which makes me happy.

I have mailed my family's presents to my mom--in fact I had a marathon post office day the other day: five packages. Two presents, one crafty trade, one Etsy order and one project submission for the CHA show. (which I STILL can't believe I won a spot in!)

I've tackled most everything on my to-do list this month, surprisingly. I've tried to stay on top of everything to prevent a total overload-meltdown. I still need to make a few ornaments, do some baking and wrap/drop off my in-laws presents (since I won't be seeing them on Christmas) but aside from that I'm doing ok.

I'm kind of panicking at the thought of leaving my crafts behind. I've started to pack a few things to take with me to work on while I'm gone and of course, I hope to harass my mom into taking up a craft. Last time I was there I tried to teach her to knit and she picked it up ok but then said it hurt her hands. I left her with a bag full of supplies hoping she'd learn anyway but nope. She seems to think she was born without the crafty gene: I think EVERYONE is born with a crafty gene. I think she just hasn't found the right craft yet and mark my word: I WILL find out what "her craft" is. I will! I'm taking my decoupage stuff. That may be the ticket!

I can't take too much stuff with me, space is going to be seriously limited in my brother's car with me, the boys, Bubba, his girlfriend, his dog and all of our assorted crap but I have a bag I hope to stash some crafts supplies in:


Look at how FREAKING CUTE this is! I found it here which really surprised me. It was cheap and it holds an amazing array of stuff: three pairs of circular knitting needles, small scissors, embroidery floss and needles, a pencil and three paint brushes! Plus, hello! It's shaped like a hippo!

Some stuff to decoupage, maybe make earrings with

My knitting supplies complete with Vickie Howell sticker!
Miss Vickie recently announced her pregnancy: she will be adding one more to her brood in June of next year. I don't know what's in the water over at Austin Craft Mafia headquarters but at least three members currently pregnant! (Jennifer Perkins and Jenifer Arnston as well!) Congrats, ladies! I will be avoiding any beverage you try to serve me! ;)

Crafty survival kit!
It's 12:30am--I guess I should head on to bed. I had two hours of freedom from parenting. That's a good chunk of mama alone time. I didn't let the boys nap today so they would sleep semi-early and hopefully wake up earlier tomorrow. I know there are probably a ton of parents who would kill to sleep that late and having kids that love to sleep has definitely served me well. But having half the day gone before I even get out of bed can be a bit depressing.

Good night!