My Latest Obsessions

If you that know me really well (you are lucky! just kidding), you know that I tend to get a little obsessive about certain subjects. Lately there are 3.

1. Vaccinations, and the possible (and very controversial) link with autism and several other autoimmune disorders. ( I don't mean to open up a bag of worms here, I'm just saying, I'm obsessed!)
2. The Mountain View Corridor, (aka Legacy Highway) I'm concerned about when it is coming, where it will be located, and how it will affect my family and home!
3. (And the main reason for this post) The Community Food C0-Op. The food shortage, and rising price of food has gotten me seriously concerned. I spent $194 at the grocery store this week, and it made me sick to my stomach! I am going to join this food co-op, and hope that it helps with my budget. An order comes in once a month, and is about 50% off retail value. For example, the order for May is: 2lbs chicken thighs, 2 sirloin steaks, 2lbs pork spareribs, 1 lb ground beef, 3 varieties of fresh fruits, 5 varieties of fresh veggies, 1 loaf of bread, and 16 oz rice. The grand total for all of this? $21.00! I will find out more about it in the next week or so, if any one is interested, or wants more info let me know.

Goodbye Mazda, Hello Matrix. . .

Today we sold our old, (but cute) little Mazda Protege to CarMax. They only gave us $500.00 Uggghhh! We were spending over $600 a year to insure that little piece of junk! I bought it 10 years ago (with the help of my sweet parents) for just over $8500! I cannot believe the way cars lose their value! It is so depressing! If we were to sell it on our own, we probably could have gotten more, but the transmission is going out, and the check engine light keeps making an appearance, (and it kind of smells funny!) I was afraid that if we sold it to someone and the transmission died in a week, they would come back to us and NOT be happy!
What did we replace the Mazda with? A cute little Toyota Matirx, pictured above (ours is a silvery blue.) Terry wanted a commuter car with awesome gas mileage, I wanted a hatchback or crossover, so we settled on something in between.

I guess I will have to wait a few more years for my CX-9! (pictured above)

Warning: A Disturbing Story

When I showed up to work (at the youth treatment center) the other day everyone was rushing around, and one nurse was hurrying down the hall with the vital sign machine. (I knew something was up, and that it was no good.)

One of our 15 year old patients, (I'll call him "Joe") had somehow eluded his staff members long enough to pull off 6 of his toenails! When his staff found him bleeding they called the nurse to come down to bandage his toes. Luckily for EVERYONE he is a good nurse that is very intuitive. He went down to the unit to take care of Joe but he couldn't find him. He asked the staff members where Joe was, and they told him that Joe was in the shower. At this point, the nurse could have easily walked back to the nurses station, to wait for Joe to get out of the shower but instead he was prompted to walk over to Joe's room. He did not hear the shower going, so he called to Joe, but Joe did not answer. He pushed the bathroom door open and found Joe hanging from the shower rod with his shoelaces! The nurse lifted Joe up and he immediately took a deep breath. He had not been hanging for very long, and so he is going to be just fine. If the nurse had not paid attention to the promptings he received, I do believe that Joe would have passed away!

Random Question

So, when a nursing session becomes more of a wrestling match, is it time to wean?

What happened to my content and cuddly baby? Rowen is so busy these days he can't even hold still long enough to nurse. He tries to crawl off my lap, kicks his legs, flaps his arms, swats at my hair, pinches my arms, and even occasionally BITES! OUCH! Is he bizarre, or is this normal?!?

Mini-Me

So, I've decided that Terry and I didn't really have children, we had clones! This is the one and only baby picture we have of Terry, but I can't believe how much he and Rowen look alike! Rowen's face is a little rounder and his hair is a little wilder, but other than that he's mini-Terry!

They are even both sucking their bottom lip!

Young@Heart

I saw this choir "Young @ Heart" on NightLine last night, and I thought it was so sweet. Each member is 70 plus years old. If you listen carefully to the soloist, you can hear his oxygent tank clicking, but he has such a beautiful voice!

My Baby Girl is 4!

I can't believe that four years ago today, I was holding my tiny brand new baby girl! I watched her sleep, and wondered what she would look like, what she would act like, and what she would accomplish. Then I closed my eyes to rest. It seems like I barely even nodded off, and when I opened my eyes, she was 4 years old!

I was tucking her in bed last night and I noticed her beautiful profile, her sweet blond curls, and her long skinny arms. She has turned into a spunky, funny, sweet, and fiercely independent little girl. I love her with all my heart! She has taught me so much about life in her four years! She has accomplished so much, despite having an inexperienced and overly emotional mother! I am so excited to see what life has in store for her, but I am afraid that the next time I open my eyes, she will be 16!

Makaylee's 4th Birthday!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Daddies are Gross!

Last night I was walking into Makaylee's room to say goodnight to her. Terry was already in there, reading her a story. As I rounded the corner, I heard this terrible noise, that sounded like an elephant passing gas. I ran into the room and said "What was that?!" I could tell by the look on Terry's face that it was he, and not an elephant that was responsible for the noise. I said "OOHHH! Terry, that was disgusting!" He started cracking up, and Makaylee kindly said to me: "It's okay Mommy, sometimes Daddies are gross!" At this comment I too started laughing hysterically. A few minutes later, we had calmed down enough to say the prayer. Makaylee said a sweet prayer and at the very end, she very innocently, and very seriously said ". . . and please help us to not be gross like Daddy!"

Better Late Than Never!

I shouldn't admit to this, but today, I got the kids dressed up in their Easter clothes and staged some pictures! I am hoping that a few years from now, I will forget that these pictures were taken a week late! I mean, it is only March 30, Easter is usually right around now anyway, right!

Both my boys, looking a little tired!

You can't tell by this picture that all the Easter candy is already gone, can you?

Look Who's Crawling

Rowen is finally crawling, army-crawling. Unfortunaltey, he is not happy in this video because he really wanted the shiny camera I was holding (and baiting him with!) But you get the general idea.

2 Kids in a Bed and the little one said. . .

I usually put Rowen in the play pen, when I am taking a shower. That way, I know he won't choke on anything (because he is always putting little things in his mouth) and so that he will be safe from his sister. Well, One out of 2 isn't too bad I guess. This is the scene I found when I got out of the shower. I was mad for a second, and almost told Makaylee to get out, but they seemed to be genuinely enjoying each other. I also figured that having two children contained in a 3x4 foot space might make my life a little easier. So I let them play while I dried my hair.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! We had a fun day, but I am afraid I am having guilt. A few minutes ago, I realized that I had not taken ONE picture of Easter! Not one picture of coloring Easter eggs, or Easter egg hunts, or parties with cousins, or my BABY's FIRST EASTER! What a horrible mother am I? I feel so bad, that for a moment, I considered waking up said baby just to snap a quick picture. Tomorrow, I may have to dress the kids in (their now stained) Easter outfits and take a picture, just to ease my mind!

Where's the Hot Dog?

I was running errands while Makaylee was at preschool on Thursday, and the Oscar Meyer Wiener-Mobile was parked out front. I felt bad that Makaylee had missed it, so when I picked her up I asked her if she wanted to go see a giant, huge hot dog. She said yes, and was genuinely excited. We headed back, and got the grand tour. Makaylee said "cool" a few times, but seemed slightly unimpressed. After the tour we plopped down to eat a hot dog, and she kept looking around. She finally said "Mom, can we go see the giant hot dog now?"
I told her that we had just seen it. She scowled at me and said "Mommy! That was NOT a giant hot dog, that was a giant hot dog BUS!" He he he, I had to giggle at that. She was actually expecting to see a really-humongous-edible-hot-dog! I just love the way her little brain works!

Sweet & Sassy

Makaylee went to a Sweet & Sassy B-day party for her cute twin cousins Kayleigh & Abby. She loved being pampered and treated like a princess for a few hours! The girls got to make up a rule for their "kingdom" one of the little girls said "Everybody has to be nice!" (I thought that was sweet) but when it was Makaylee's turn, guess what rule she made up? "Everybody has to be LOUD!" He he he, that is just so. . .her!Getting hair and nails done!
Four pretty princesses

Princess Makaylee

Makaylee went to a B-day @ sweet & Sassy, it was so fun