I'm on a roll today!

Wow, I have done a lot of things today that I have been putting off and I feel really good about it! They were all little projects that I had been wanting to do, but just didn't have the motivation.

I gathered all our toiletries and put them into the master bathroom. Most of them were organized into containers, but I had some here and some there. Now, they are all in one place, and I inventoried what we have (found I have too much of some stuff and just about out of other stuff). I also threw out half empty bottles of old stuff and stuff that we've had, but haven't used at all. I just want that stuff out of the house instead of storing stuff we may never use.

I also went through our junk drawer. Stuff that was just junk was thrown way. Junk that was keepable junk is now in nice compartments and organized. Office supply type stuff is all together. Gadgets are all together. Toys too small for Kyle are all in a box. Along with the junk drawer, I went through the kitchen cabinets and organized. I gathered all the loose sippy cups and things together and are all nicely stacked and in its own container. I got all the lightbulbs in the house together and they are organized in a container. I got all the cleaners in the house consolidated into a container under the sink.

The owners left a few things here and there in cabinets and drawers and I finally gathered all that stuff together in one box and have it waiting for their return in the garage.

Hopefully I can keep on this decluttering and tidy kick and get this place finally organized with the "a place for everything, everything in its place" attitude. I hope to get the house decluttered and our house nice and neat. The office is my next big project. I think I may go through all my craft stuff and get rid of stuff that I think I may not ever use. That's the problem with starting new hobbies (scrapbooking, rubber stamping etc) - you get all the cool gadgets, but once you start into the hobby, you find that some of the stuff just doesn't work for you or you find that you just don't like it. I may unload it on eBay. But, I don't know if that'll be worth the trouble. Maybe I'll just Craigslist it or give it to friends.

Okay, back to organizing! (It's more fun to call it organizing rather than cleaning. I love to organize much more.)

L'orchestre de l'Opéra

L'orchestre de l'Opéravers 1868-1869Degas, Edgar 1834-1917

I thought the blog needed a picture, but I didn't have one of the kids that I liked. So, I thought of this one. Keith and I saw this painting at the Museum of Art in Seattle when they had their Impressionist Exhibit a few years ago. There were several beautiful paintings, but I especially remember this one because of the bassoonist. Looking for this picture online, I found some interesting info on the bassoonist. He was Désiré Dihau and was also befriended by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec who also used him in a painting.

Just another day in Paradise

Yesterday I worked on our budget for the year. Our biggest problem areas are dining out and my craft supplies (scrapbooking, rubber stamping & quilting), yikes! They are the categories that I have the most influence on. *sigh* I have my cravings for food and Keith does everything he can to satisfy them. But, I am starting my low carb diet on Monday, so that should help out with the dining out expenses. Even knowing all this, we did go out to dinner last night. We went to Islands.

When we got there, there were a million people waiting inside and outside of the restaurant. I hopped out of the car and put our name on the list 30-35 minute wait. Table for 5 under "Keith". It was cold out and all the heat lamps had quite a few people huddled under each, so we waited in the car with the kids. We waited about 15 minutes and then headed out - just in case they over estimated the wait. Keith went up to the host to see what the status was and the host said that we had already been called. I didn't think that that was right because there were some families still sitting there that were waiting when I put our name on the list. So we were seated. We rationalized that it had to be us because wouldn't it be a coincidence if another party of 5 under the name Keith didn't show up? So, we sat and ordered and Keith got his soup and then we heard it, "Keith party of 5". Hmmmm. So maybe the first "Keith party of 5" wasn't us and actually a "Keith party of 5" that didn't show. Oh well, I guess we got an unexpected break last night.

The kids were playing outside in the backyard while I was typing the above paragraph. But, we sent them back in because Kyle has taken to eating snails. Oh gosh! It is so gross. He crunches down on the things then spits them out. The poor snails are still alive and now have no shell. He's done this three times now, as if they are attractive enticing pieces of candy. Yuck!

Kevin has a new game. SimCity 3000. Like Zoo Tycoon, but here, you build your own city. Keith's co-workers think that it's amazing that Kevin, not even 5 yet, actually plays these games. What they don't realize is that Kevin plays these games and can set up the cities and zoos, but runs out of money. The whole point of the game is to make money. He is the one that figured out how the games work, so I guess that is impressive in itself.

Kaela is still in her whiny, crying mood. We are not sure what is going on, but now she is Momma's little girl and doesn't give Keith his kisses and hugs as readily as she used to. Hopefully she'll be back to her old self.

Keith said that the work week was good and that he got a lot done this week. His little three man department got approved for a $400k budget this year. That'll buy a lot of cool computers and tools.

We don't have much planned for the weekend. We are probably just going to hang out here at home. Which we enjoy doing. Tonight I think Keith and I are going to wait "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow". Lips is going to be in the movie (Angelina Jolie). She's kind of a weird one, but I think she is extremely attractive. Not Halle Berry beautiful, but extremely attractive.

Good bye for now.

Animals Escape from the Zoo

It must be all the Zoo Tycoon playing that Kevin and now Kaela have been doing.

They are in the living room and have their stuffed animals lying around. The seem to have escaped from their cages.

They have their guns too. (Oh my!)

Here's their conversation:
Kevin: "Kaela the animals escaped."
Kaela: "Let's get them!"
Kevin: "Kaela shoot the Panda!"
Kaela: "No Kevin! It's a animal!"

Kaela grabs the stuffed panda and runs. Kevin is chasing her saying that the animals will make the people scream (loose animals in Zoo Tycoon cause the guests to run and scream).

Thought I'd share. Kaela's "It's a animal" line made me smile.

Today, not such a good day *sigh*

Not that it was terrible, but I think my tolerance was low today.

Kaela's potty training, not so fun. I think she was having an off day (Keith noted this when he got home). She seemed to be having just as bad a day as me. She cried and whined about everything. She screamed and bawled every time the poor thing peed on herself. I finally convinced her that she should try the Disney Princess Pull-Ups. She settled for those. But, not only did she cry and whine about the pee, but everything else too. Kyle walked on her. She wanted to watch Dora even though it was Kevin's turn. She was hungry and didn't want to finish her PB sandwich. She wanted cheese instead. She wanted to play on the computer, but Kevin was on. She wanted to wear her Easter dress. She was thirsty. Now, none of this stuff is a big deal, but it is when she immediately starts crying for these things without even trying to tell me in a regular voice what she wants. I swear it was like the girl was PMSing.

Kevin and Kyle weren't so bad. Kyle got whiny when he wanted a bottle and Kevin didn't listen so well when I had him clean up. But, I got over it and feel pretty good now. Granted, it is almost 1am and the house is quiet.

Oh well, maybe I'll have better news to report tomorrow. Good night!

Thursday, Yeah! It's almost Friday!

This week has gone by fast for me, but the days were dragging. I have gotten off my duff today. I have cleaned the kitchen. Back to spotless again. Last night we had take out Indian (I was craving Chicken Tikka Masala), so there weren't enough dishes to run a load and I just left them in the sink. This morning, I unloaded the remaining dishes (from two nights ago) and then emptied out the sink of dirty dishes. I cleared the countertops and the kitchen again looks nice and orderly. I also have a load of laundry going. We are running out of underthings (TMI, I know).

Kaelie has been bugging me for days to let her wear her Care Bear underwear. Well, I finally broke down and put her in them this morning. She went about an hour and a half before her first accident. She screamed when she did it. She really hates to pee on herself. She even cries when she does it in the shower. So, we changed her. Not fifteen minutes later she peed a TON! She must've stopped midstream the last time because there really was a lot this time. She didn't cry this time though. She sat on the potty for a while and gave it the old college try. She thought she had to poop. Well, I told her that we would use pull-ups for the rest of the day, but she asked if she could do underwear again. I said okay. So, we shall see how long this potty training thing lasts. Hopefully not too long.

Kyle has eaten a lot today. Cheerios for breakfast. Later he ate a whole banana, half a peanut butter sandwich and now is eating string cheese. I don't know where the little guy puts it all. He will probably do a bottle for his nap and then when he wakes will be hungry again! This week though he hasn't been eating much at dinner time, but will have a bottle at night. He isn't getting chubby at all. He must have really good metabolism.

Kevin is still stuttering and I noticed that his face muscles are getting tense when he tries to talk. Not a good sign according to the literature I received from the National Stuttering Foundation. The Foundation says that we (as parents) should point out the stuttering and that we should work to help him stop. This morning I sat him down on the counter and pointed out his stuttering, pointing out to him that he said, "I I I I I I I I I'm hungry." I told him that sometimes it is hard to understand him when he keeps repeating words. So, I told him to say, "I am hungry," and we practiced it a few times. I told him to think about what he wanted to say before he said it. Well, I think that was a good thing because he just came up to me and said, "Momma, I have to tell you something. (Pause) I finished my string cheese." I gave him a big smile, repeated "You ate your string cheese (talking slightly slower than I usually do - as recommended by the Foundation). That is great!" Then I told him that I could tell he thought about what he wanted to say and that he said it perfectly and did a great job. He beamed back a huge smile. I think with some encouragement and pointing out that he is doing good should help. He seems to get stuck on the word "I" the most. I still think it's because he thinks faster than he can talk. Maybe these little exercises will help his thinking and talking to line up.

I spent a lot of time yesterday on the phone with doctors and such. Like I said, I failed my glucose test. I have to meet with the dietitian to be put on a special diet and go get instructions on checking my blood sugars (all stuff I already know, but I have to be retold as a formality). Then the following week, I have to go to the fetal diagnostic center so they can look at the baby and make sure she is doing okay. The plus side is I get to see the baby again. Ris will be coming up here four times in two weeks time. Prior to these appointments, she will be here next Thursday for my regular doc appointment and then again the next Saturday for Keith's and my date night. She is so good to do this for us.

Last night we had Indian food like I said. We ordered Keith's dishes "extremely spicy" (as the guy taking my order coined it). It was a bit too spicy for Keith. Usually spicy, hot or "spicy spicy" is too mild for him, but I guess "extremely spicy" at this particular Indian restaurant is indeed too spicy. For our date night we want to go back to the Mexican restaurant we went to the day after Christmas. We both really enjoyed that. We are thinking of seeing that scary looking movie "Hide and Seek". Looks creepy!

Well, my teeth don't hurt like they did two days ago. Sometimes they ache and then the next day it doesn't, then in a couple of months I'll feel it again. I guess I was feeling sorry for myself in my other post.

Oh, I am feeling lightheaded. Maybe I need to get something to eat. I am curious about my blood sugar level. I think I shall check it. So, good bye for now!

???

Hmmm. I'm not sure exactly what to call this post. Nothing really out of the norm went on today. I do find that my creative energy is low. I have no motivation to do much of anything right now except think about all the things I should be doing and all the things I want to be doing.

I guess there is a lot on my mind. My teeth is a big thing. I noticed that the top chewing teeth on the right side were feeling funny. I have been watching them closely while I floss because one of them just didn't look right around the gum area. Well, the funny looking one is slightly loose and the two on either side move ever so slightly. I have been battling bad teeth for years and I knew eventually I would lose them, but geez, I am not even 35 and I may lose more teeth! I always figured that old old ladies in their 70s lose their teeth. Not women in their 30s. I just wish that someone would have sat me down as a teenager and said, "Look, go to the dentist regularly, floss everyday and brush regularly or you'll be taking your teeth out every night and sit them in a glass on the nightstand when you're 35." My kids will be going to the dentist ever six months as soon as they start school.

Another health concern. I failed my glucose tolerance test miserably! I knew that I would fail, but didn't think it would be that bad. 110 is the target number and I more than doubled that at 235. I now have to see a specialist and go on the special diet and get monitored every two weeks. This is the third pregnancy in a row with gestational diabetes. Kyle was a bit on the big side when born, so this time I will be more stringent on the diet and not give up on it. This is definitely the last pregnancy. My body can't take anymore. Not that having kids is a bad thing, nor is it a hassle. If we had the means to (financially and physically), I would want more. But this sweet one shall be the last.

My energy is low. I am always so sleepy. It is probably a result of the diabetes. Maybe I I would just get off my butt and be more active during the day, the sleepiness wouldn't set in. The kids run around all day and have lots and lots of energy. Sometimes I wish I could have as much energy as they did.

Speaking of kids, they have been really really good lately. They play together really well and haven't been fighting. Not that they fight excessively. It's just small little squabbles over toys and things. Nothing that a stern look and a stern voice can't stop. Kevin has just become so grown up. Sometimes I forget that he isn't even five yet. Michaela is starting to act older too. She is definitely thinking for herself these days and has some pretty strong opinions about things. The other day she had a look on her face (my mad face I believe). She crossed her arms over her chest and stated, "Kevin is bothering me. I'm not playing with him anymore." Not two seconds later, they were playing in their room. Kyle, Mr. Smarty Pants, understands almost every word I say and will do the exact opposite. "Kyle come here. Let's change your diaper." His response is to run in the other direction squealing in delight. "Kyle don't touch that, that's Kevin's/Kaela's" His response: Grab it a quick as I can and run before Mommy comes after me. "Kyle time to get dressed." His response: Hand Mommy every article of clothing laying around that doesn't belong to him.

Okay, here's a question. The kitchen was spotless this morning. How come it looks like a tornado hit? It seems every night is the same thing. Clean the kitchen before bed. Keith always tells me to leave it for the morning, but waiting until morning makes the mess look even more horrific. Overnight all the gross things accumulate on the dishes, and they just get so gross to touch. I think I would rather take the time to do it at night.

Well, that's all the comments for tonight. I have to get to cleaning the kitchen! Good night!

Sunny Monday

It's sunny today, but the weather forecast says that it should be raining tomorrow and Wednesday. I have enjoyed the sun and as long as the rain and gloom don't last too long, the rain shouldn't be too bad.

The weekend went fast. It is always so nice to have Keith home. He does hate Mondays. Always dreads the week. I can't blame him. Home is more fun.

Let's see. Friday night was movie night. We watched The Forgotten. A good movie, we thought. It was entertaining. I had seen the commercials for it, so I wasn't surprised by some of the stuff that Keith was surprised about. There was an alternate ending available on the DVD. I preferred the original theatrical ending.

Saturday started off early for me. For once, Keith was still asleep when I left the house. I left at 6:30 to go to my blood test. The lab opened at 7am, but I knew that there would be a million people there. Last time I went 15 minutes before they were opened and I was still like the 20th person to sign in. This time, also being 15 mins before they opened, I was about number 12. I would have been in there sooner, but two older people cut in line ahead of me (even though I was there before them), but I didn't complain. Not like some of the other people that were in line and that came afterwards. I admire the people that work in the lab that hear the complaints day in and day out about the lines. All the other labs I had gone to also had long, long lines and long, long waits. I just expect them whenever I need blood drawn. I bring a book or a few magazines and patiently wait. The lab workers are always so pleasant and patient. I guess they get their satisfaction in the pain they cause when drawing these people's blood! My feeling is, why upset the lab employees, you never know which one of them is going to stick you with that big long needle! There really is no need to be unpleasant with them. They do work as fast as they can.

So, that was my Saturday morning. Keith said that right after I left, Kaela screamed and cried in her bed. She was awaken by the garage door opening and got scared. So, me leaving Keith asleep in bed didn't last long. By the time I got back an hour and a half later, the house was in full swing. Saturday was mostly us hanging out during the day. Kids playing, watching a little TV, them on the computer. We washed the kids up before Ris came to babysit. She showed up about 4pm so that Kyle could feel a bit more comfortable. We didn't want him to wake from his nap, have us be gone and Auntie Ris all of a sudden there. That really would have thrown him off. We did wake him from his name and he was grumpy. He gets that from me. I am a huge grump when I get awaken from a nap. He cried when we finally did leave, but stopped shortly thereafter.

The kids had fun fun fun with Auntie Ris. We did call once to see if dinner got off okay and that Ris didn't need anything. They played Army Men and were marching around the kitchen when we called. Kevin and Kaela talked nonstop about how much fun they had with Auntie Ris.

Keith and I tried out a Persian Restaurant that Keith passes everyday to and from work. We both had kabobs. The kabobs were yummy! It was served with rice. We both found the entire meal too dry for our tastes. Not dry in that the meat was dry. It was very tender and yummy. We prefer saucier foods like Italian or Indian, or even Mexican that comes with some sort of salsa or something. The kabobs seemed like they were missing something, but I guess Persian food just isn't like that.

After dinner, we had coffee. We went to a chain coffee house along the same road as the restaurant. We didn't like it. As much as people knock Starbucks, we would have preferred Starbucks.

After coffee, we drove to the large mall in the area that my friend Julie and I had went to last week. We had more than three hours to kill before our movie. We ended up going to Barnes and Noble and looked at books. Keith looked at (what else) computer books and I (also what else) looked at quilting books. Keith couldn't find one that he liked, but I found a really good comprehensive quilting book. Tips from A-Z. I liked it a lot, but didn't get it. We ended up ordering it yesterday on Amazon along with a few other things. Keith did end up getting a book on Amazon.

After the bookstore, we finally checked out the movie times. We still had about two hours to wait. So, we walked around the mall. It was crowded just like the other night. We went to Dave and Busters and sat at the bar and had a drink and french fries. Keith got a huge Guinness and I had a Long Island Iced Tea. No, I am just joking. I had a coke (okay, two cokes). We stayed there about an hour and a half. We talked about work and the book I am reading. We talked about all the people there and how this just isn't our thing. We decided that we were old. Not old like too old to go out, but old like too old to be bar hopping like we did in our 20s and 30s. Maybe if we went to the more upscale $15 a drink places that they have near the beach. But definitely not Dave & Busters.

We finally headed to the movie. We were there about half an hour early, but the theatre was already 3/4 full! We saw White Noise. We didn't think there would be so many people. There were a couple of families there. Kids not older than 10. Are these parents stupid? Geez. It was an after 10pm showing and the movie was SCARY! I like scary movies and can handle them pretty well, and I thought this was scary. No wonder kids these days are so numb to gore, violence and the horrors of the world. A 10 year old should be in bed, not at a movie like that. One of them even had a baby with them. Goodness. Stay home and put that baby in her bed!

Okay, back to the movie. Scary scary scary. Very creepy. The creepiest movies are the ones that leave you with the "that can really happen" feeling. The ones where the "bad guys" are still out there. It's a movie about communicating with the dead though white noise (EVP). Google EVP and all kinds of things pop up about it. Well, anything that messes with the beyond can be a bad bad thing. Don't do it! I told Keith that our TV or radios will never be left on static for one second. Well, none the less, it was a good movie and definitely a screamer.

After the movie we headed home. Ris left shortly thereafter. Keith and I went to bed after that. Even though I posted mostly negative stuff, it was a fun and relaxing time. Isn't it weird how the negative stuff comes out more than the good stuff? Keith and I did have a nice time together. We love to be able to be alone together. Ris will be back two Saturdays from now.

Sunday we hung out at home. Just a relaxing day at home. Did laundry and the normal house stuff.

The kids right now are all playing in the backyard. Playing, of course, GI Joe. I am blogging and then I am going to start cleaning up the house. I have a quilt I want to finish soon. Okay. That's it. Bye!

Silly Gooses

Silly Gooses

My cutie pies are silly gooses. They had fun posing for the camera in this one. Kaela is between Kevin's legs and Kyle was between hers. Kevin kept tickling Kaela which kept making Kyle laugh. They are always playing together. They are such good friends.

TGIF!

I know that I don't "work", but I am so glad it is Friday. Keith will be home all weekend. It is so nice to just be with him. We have been enjoying our evenings sitting together and watching TV. The new TV season has started and we are finding good shows to watch. Mondays are a problem though. I am really into the new show "Medium". It is about a psychic that helps the DA solve cases. It is based on a real person. I do like the show. I find it all very interesting. But last Monday, another new show started. "Super Nanny". It is about a British nanny that comes into peoples homes and helps the parents to control their children. Monday was the first episode. I am SO happy my kids are good. This show helps to reinforce that.

I was also happy to see that Keith and I utilize some of the same techniques the nanny did to get the kids straightened out. It was so horrible to see how in this episode a little 5 year old girl ran the house with tantrums and meanness. The problem was that the parents let her get away with it! I am not really understanding about how parents let their kids run their lives. Keith and I were raised that the parents were in charge and they were to be listened to. On a message board that I frequent a kindergarten teacher had posted that parents these days need to be parents and not their kids' best friends. This teacher has to spend at least the first month of the school year teaching the kids how to properly behave in class! I hope when Kevin starts kindergarten in September that he doesn't pick up many bad behavioral habits.

Okay, back to the TV schedule. Sunday nights is "Desperate Housewives"; Tuesday nights the "Amazing Race"; Wednesdays is "Wife Swap"; Thursdays are "Apprentice" and "ER". Friday and Saturday nights have been movie nights. All these shows of course, start long after the kids have gone to bed. We just like to relax on the couch and watch some of these silly programs. It sure is far different from the middle of the night romps to Denny's, coffeeshop or bookstore that Keith and I used to do "pre-kids". But, we do enjoy hanging with the kids until bedtime, and this is just the perfect lifestyle for us.

But this weekend will be different. We have Ris coming this Saturday night and every other Saturday night until the end of February. She is going to watch the kids so that Keith and I can enjoy "date night". We are so excited and so thankful to Ris! We aren't sure what we are going to do, but dinner is on the list and maybe coffee and a movie. We haven't been out in this area before, so we are not sure how crowded it is out there. We were thinking about heading to the coast, but I think that's where most of the "partying" goes on. So, it is probably crowded. I don't feel like getting too dressed up either. Jeans, I think, is about the pace I am looking forward too.

And oh! Dinner. I am craving carbs! I stopped having carbs on Tuesday and have been pretty good about it. I am taking my glucola test for gestational diabetes tomorrow at 7am. So, I wanted to try to cut out a ton of carbs (sugars) to try to "fool" the test. I had I had GD with both Kaela and Kyle, and will most likely have it with this one too, but if I am diagnosed, I will have to go to the doctor every two weeks. I just don't have the babysitting resources for that. So, I am just trying to put it off as long as I can for the diagnosis. I am *planning* on just trying to manage it myself for now. *sigh*

Okay, a kid update. Not much going on with them. Same old, same old. Kevin has been wanting to go back to the Zoo and has been spending a lot of time watching Animal Planet. Michaela is taking the opportunity to play on the computer. She is liking her Dora the Explorer program. Kyle, well, I was thinking about when and how to move him from our room into his own bed. I am not sure where we are going to put him. Either in with the kids or in my non-existent craft room. I guess I shouldn't be so selfish to occupy a whole room just for me. I had considered moving the toys into the craft room so that Kevin and Kaela could still play while Kyle slept in their room. Also, I wanted to keep the craft room open as a guest room. It would be hard to have it as a guest room with Kyle sleeping in there along with the guests! Oh well, we shall figure something out. We always do!

Okay. That's it for this session. Until later!

It's so Sad.

I was reading the San Diego Tribune Online. This morning in rush hour traffic, a car overturned and a three year old boy was killed. His twin sister is in serious condition at the hospital. The parents are just fine. What upsets me is that the boy was killed and his sister injured because they were not properly restrained!

Why is it that parents can't seem to use proper restraints with kids? I see it all the time. What is the big deal about a) following the law, b) taking the two minutes it takes to protect your child by strapping them in a car seat, and c) being a responsible parent? Why do some people insist on driving down the road at 70, 80 mph with their child free to roam the car? Don't they know that if their car suddenly stops, the kid will still be traveling at 70, 80 mph when they slam into something?

There is literature readily available for anyone who wants to know about car safety and children. You can't go into a kid's clothing shop or toy shop without seeing something about it. There are thousands of website out there that have info. Gosh, it just makes me sick that people don't do what they can to protect their children. Not everyone is perfect, but geez, use safety restraints on your children!

Sneaky Guy!

I just looked down at my leg and found Kyle's bread lying on my leg. I am sitting at the breakfast bar checking e-mail. Kyle is way over in the living room. He came over to show me a picture he picked up off the floor. When I looked down at him, I saw his rejected piece of bread on my leg. I have no idea how long it'd been there. He had been trying to get me to pick him up about ten minutes ago. All day yesterday he wanted to be my extra appendage. I am trying to ignore him today because I don't want to have to carry him around all day today - again! I guess I shouldn't ignore him that much.

At the Zoo

The Kids at the Zoo

Here are the kids at the zoo. I think the kids are getting tall. Kevin's nose comes up just past the counter top. Kaela is just at Kevin's shoulders. Kyle goes up to about Kaela's ears. Kyle may pass Kaela up in height. I am the shortest in my family. Kaela just may be the shortest in this one!

Okay, I know That I Shouldn't Complain

but it is HOT! Geez. It is January 18th and it is 80 degrees in the house. No, I don't have the heater on. It is low 80s today and because of it, the house is HOT. I suppose I could turn on the air con. The winter rates are cheaper than the summer rates, but this darn air con doesn't really cool the house. Instead, I have all the windows open and the fans blowing. It is hot outside, but it is hotter in here. I am so fickle. Wasn't I just complaining about the rain???

A Fun Family Day

Keith had the day off and we woke at a decent hour today. I made Keith go to bed by 11pm (he was falling asleep on the couch last night at around 10pm). I feel into bed around 2am. I cleaned up the kitchen (we had been eating on paper plates and the dishes piled in the sink were overflowing). I loaded up the dishwasher and even bleached the sink back to its pretty bright white that it has when it is clean!

We headed out at 10am to go the the zoo. It was a tiny, tiny zoo. The kids really liked it, but Keith was a bit disappointed in it. The entrance fee was only $2.00, so I didn't expect much. After frequenting the San Diego Zoo, I don't expect much from other zoos. The SD Zoo entrance fee is, what, like $32? I am not sure because we always bought a yearly pass. This zoo was only $2, so you can imagine the big difference in zoo quality and quantity of animals.

The zoo is run by the county in the large county regional park which in total I read is just shy of 500 acres. There was a duck pond and pony rides and railroad (which we rode neither of). It was a pretty place to walk around and have a picnic (tons of picnic tables). It also had a nice park. So, the kids played for a short time at a tiny play area, then we moved on the to much bigger area. They had a lot of fun there. Can you believe that the temp was low 80s???

After the zoo/park, we went to Denny's for lunch. A late lunch at 1:30, then afterwards we headed to Dairy Queen for ice cream. We really did have a lot of fun, as we all seem to. We do like getting out with the kids. They are easy to manage.

When we got home, I couldn't help but crash on the couch. I am feeling more and more tired these days. It must be this 28 week old baby sucking the life force out of me! As I slept, Keith and Kevin played on the computer (playing you know what).

Now we are about to have dinner. Thai from King and I. Oh! I gotta go and pick it up! Bye!

Joann's Update

Well, I did end up going back to Joann's. I bought even more fabric, even though Mom is right and said that there will always be fabric and there will always be sales. The gift certificates Mom got me for Christmas are officially all used up. Today is the last day of the sale and I resisted going. But, I did feel a little solace as I ran into a woman who was there the day before and there again when I went back. The first time, she was childless and I had all my kids. This time, she had her kids with her and I was childless. We smiled each other, embarrassed, as we recognized each other from the day before. We both admitted we were addicted.

A Really Great Day

Last night (should I dare admit this?) Keith and I stayed up until almost 3am playing Zoo Tycoon. Kyle woke at his usual 7am, as did Kaela. Keith, who can't sleep once the sun is up, rescued me and let me sleep in until 9am. I didn't actually get out of bed until 2 this afternoon.

Keith and I ended up sitting in bed and talked. Really about nothing in particular, but we enjoyed each other's company and talked about almost everything under the sun. We used to spend the entire weekend in bed and just talk, that is, of course, before the kids were born. Usually we talk at night before bed, but since we went to bed so late last night, we ended up talking in the morning. We just kept finding new things to talk about. We both remarked today how this is how it's been like since our first date. On that night we sat until the wee hours of the morning just talking about everything, but nothing in particular.

Well, it has been a good day so far. Tomorrow we are taking the kids to the zoo and *maybe* the park. Keith actually has the day off!

I'm So Addicted!

I am thinking about go back to Joann's for even MORE fabric. It is on super clearance until Monday. Who can beat $0.50 - 2.50 per yard? I have tons of fabric and can make a good number of quilts with it, but I still want more! Ack! Help me!

Last Night

Yesterday my friend Julie came over, and we hung out here at home until Keith got here. I ordered a pizza for Keith and the kids. Then Julie and I headed to the local big mall for dinner and a movie.

When we got there, we knew that we were in trouble when we got to the parking structure and it was jammed packed with cars. I had never been to this mall at night, but it really is one of the bigger ones in the area. So, we decided to leave the structure and park at the end of the mall near Robinson's-May. Well, when the kids and I shop during the day, in the middle of the week, we usually get a space right near the mall, but this time, Julie and I parked way the heck out there. We were so far away that there was a free shuttle to and from the mall. But we, the two big pregnant women hiked it all the way. Of course the Cheesecake Factory was way on the other side of the mall!

Walking through the mall, we noted how many people were there. TONS and tons. There are a lot of restaurants there, a night club and a huge theatre. We waited an hour for a table and sat and ate. We decided not to go to the movie (a 10 o'clock showing) and to head home. We were both really tired.

Anyway, we left the restaurant at 10pm and the mall was still packed! Now, did I miss something, or what? Why do people spend their evenings at the mall? It was like it was like Christmas, but no one really had any packages. It was weird. They were all just walking around. Teenagers, adults, older adults, families. Ten o'clock at night! I must be getting old or something, but I thought it ridiculous to be spending an evening just walking around the mall. I don't get out much in the evenings, but it doesn't really seem like I am missing much. Staying home with Keith and the kids seems a million times more fun!

Off to Joann's

Yippee! More fabric. I am so addicted to Fabric. Oh well, the simple pleasures in life. At least I'm not addicted to exotic cars or big houses. Fabric at 50% off the clearance price is not so bad.

Busted!

Kyle Getting into Trouble

Kyle got caught red handed. He actually moved the low shelves that he is standing on over to the beanies, stood up and started pulling the beanies off the shelf. Notice the ones that are already piled up on the top shelf. He was able to reach those from standing on the floor. Gosh he is getting tall! And did you notice that smile. The same smile he always gives me when he knows he is in trouble. How can you get mad at someone that cute???

The Fischers at Christmas

Christmas at my Parents House

I know Christmas was weeks ago, but I finally got a few (3) thanks yous out (via e-mail!) for all the wonderful gifts we got. I know, I know. Bad, bad, bad. I didn't promptly thank anyone. I am really bad at the thank you cards.

Well, it got me thinking about Christmas and how special it was to have Karensa and Paul and Mom be with us to celebrate. We also all got together with my side of the family which was even more special for us. So, I thought I'd post this picture. I do like it.

Our World of Computers

Kaela is on the computer right now. She isn't even three and is using the computer to draw pictures. I hadn't even touched a computer until the summer between 7th and 8th grade. It was a Commodore 64. I learned to program in Basic. In high school, it was Fortran and Pascal classes that I took.

Going off on a tangent here...
One day Keith and I were talking and we figured that he and I both started on computers around the same time. We find that as kids we did a lot of the same things. I took electronics in high school. Not a common thing for girls. He did electronic stuff on his own. I think that is one of the things he likes about me is that I understand some of the techie stuff and programming stuff that he talks about.

Anyway, back to the kids...
Kaela is now off the computer and Kevin is back on. We really need to get another computer. The way these two argue over who gets to use it! Then again, I don't want the kids on the computer all day long (like someone I know - ME!). Kyle is even getting into the computer thing. Any chance he gets, he grabs the mouse and scoots it back and forth, imitating the other two. He does play on the keyboard pounder. It is a program that allows babies to bang on the keyboard and not mess anything up. Every time a key is pressed a flower or fish pops up, depending on what you have turned on in the program. So even Kyle is using the computer!

Oh, another sidenote...
Did you hear that laptop use has lowered the sperm count in young males? It turns out that guys that keep their laptops in their laps while computing are killing off the little guys, resulting in a lower sperm count. I keep telling Keith to put his laptop in his lap... haha.

Well, talking about computer use, I should log off and get to work! We have to head to the grocery store for ginger for gingered carrots. I have been wanting to make them since before Christmas, but I keep forgetting to buy ginger! We are having steaks again. Yum! Gosh we are meat eaters...

Kevin still loves the Army

Kevin proudly displaying his GI Joe Base

He built this "GI Joe Base" in his room. Notice the Navy beanie bear arming the guns and the dinosaur next to him. He is still into the army stuff. We are going on three years of it now. It really is fun to see him use his imagination and do stuff like this. Sidenote: check out that haircut! It is a bit bedhead looking, but you can get the gist of how short it is.

Yippee!!!! The Sun!!!

Ah, now, this is what I like! It rained and rained all night. Everything is still wet, but the clouds are few and the SUN is shining! It is so pretty out. I do like that the rain clears everything away and now everything looks so fresh. I was really really really missing the sun. If it rains again tomorrow, that will be okay. I just needed a good dose of it!

Let's see. What has been going on. Not much really since we have been stuck in the house. The kids have been surprisingly good. You'd think they would be driving me batty by this point, but they have been really really good. Kyle is *yeah* binkyless. Yesterday he fell asleep right on the floor in front of the TV while watching with Kevin. He didn't act grumpy or cry for a bottle. He just laid down on his tummy and started snoozing. He has also been putting himself back to sleep when he wakes in the middle of the night. Maybe moving him to his own bed won't be so difficult after all. We are going to try to wean him of the bottle this weekend.

Kyle tripped on the low bricks leading up to the fireplace and whacked his head on the bricks lining the glass screen. He has a little cut and a tiny goose egg. But gosh, if he had a little bit of propulsion to his fall, he could have slammed into the glass screen. I have to look into something to block that.

Kaela is being a real girlie girl these days. She is really liking the ponytails in her hair. She has been wearing them to bed and immediately wants her "do" fixed when she wakes in the morning. This is not so good for me because she gets up about an hour before I do! She is also in constant contact with her purses. She keeps all her "special" toys in her Disney princess bag and all her hair accessories in her burgundy purse. She got a cute Easter outfit from Maria and Kaela is asking daily if she can wear it. She is still in love with her "rosy dress" (her flower girl dress from Karensa & Paul's wedding) and wants to wear it with her dancing shoes (the shoes she danced in at K&P's wedding reception).

Kevin is looking like a little boy. I am constantly thinking about him attending kindergarten in the Fall. I am not sure he is prepared. I need to start working on his letters and numbers with him. I think the kindergarten roundup is in May! I found that on the school district's website last night. This morning as I was brushing my teeth and popping in my contacts, Kevin was explaining to me how jets work. He was pointing to all the features on his Blue Angel jet and was telling me about each one and how the wings make the plane lift and slow down and all about the jet propulsion. This kid must watch Discovery Wings without me knowing. I am not sure where he learns all this stuff.

As for me, I have three quilts going as works in progress. Four quilts, if you count the one that I started way back while we were still in WA that I totally screwed up. It is a log cabin quilt and I messed up in the direction I was sewing the Logs. The other three are the quilt top that I did the other night. I am going to put on a more labor intensive border using the plaids in the quilt top. The other is a baby quilt for the baby. It shouldn't take too long to finish it up. The last is the bird quilt that I have started to cut pieces for, but I have changed my mind about the layout of the patterns. They are all relatively easy quilts, I just need to get them done. I think the term in the quilting community is UFO's. Unfinished Objects.

We had curry for dinner last night. Keith once again said that it was the best I've made. Gosh, it just keeps getting better and better. You know what Keith did for me last night? He is just the BEST! I was craving a Thai Iced Tea last night. It was pouring rain. He knew how much I was craving it. Even though he was relaxing and had his shoes off (we had just finished dinner and he hadn't changed out of his workclothes yet), he went to the Thai restaurant down the street and got me not one, but two. The second was for today. He is so sweet. I gave him a big kiss before he left and I even started to tear up because he was so sweet. He said he was happy to do it for me because he loves me so much. I am the luckiest woman on the planet! He truly is the best husband and father. He is always doing nice stuff for me and the kids. He is the BEST! Really truly beyond words to describe how wonderful he is.

Rain rain GO AWAY!

And don't come back for a few weeks! Ugh! This rain is really starting to get to me. I am feeling lazy (well, more lazy than usual). It is gloomy and ugly out. I like a little rain, but this is getting to be a bit much for me. *sigh*

Yesterday Was Nice

We headed South for my cousin's daughter's baptism. It was nice, as always. Dad did the baptism. Afterwards, we went to the reception. It was at a restaurant and it was SO HOT in there. We had a theory that the side where there are large parties (birthdays, baptisms etc), they turned the heat up. The other side, where the just plain customers sit, was quite comfortable. The restaurant was "all you can eat". We think they wanted the larger parties to hussle out of there and not eat all the food! We had a nice time hanging out with cousins and stuff. The 2nd generation cousins ran around all over the place (well, in the section of the restaurant that we were reserved for), but we kind of let them. What else were they supposed to do in a restaurant?

After the restaurant, we headed to Mom and Dad's. We hung out there with Maria and the kids. The kids had a good time, as always, playing. Each kid managed to pick a fight/squabble with Colin. Poor Colin. Kaela had been talking about seeing Ellie and Colin all week. She loves to visit with them. Luckily Maria doesn't mind the travel. It's great that she makes it easy for all of us to get together. Even though she lives far away, we never really seem to miss them. They will be back down here in February, March and April so far. I am sure she will be back in the summer too. Oh what fun!

As we were getting ready to leave, the last few minutes of the Charger/Jets game was counting down. It was an exciting game. The Chargers ended up losing in sudden death overtime, but it was a good game to end their season.

We finally got home around 10 and shortly after we hit the hay. Keith hasn't been getting much sleep lately, so I am glad we didn't stay up too late. The night before we stayed up until almost 3am. Keith was trouble shooting his laptop. Service pack 2 messed something up. I was working on another quilt. It is all rectangles, but for the life of me, I can't figure out why I can't get things to line up perfectly. Each block is the same size and each border around each block was cut the same size. I am using the same size seam allowance for everything, but when I sew the blocks into strips and then the strips into the quilt top, I can seem to get the blocks to line up. It is somehow skewing. You would think that if I cut everything right, meaning the exact same sizes, then sewed them the same. Then it should line up! Oh well, I guess it's just part of the learning process! The quilts in magazines always look so perfect. *sigh*

It has been raining here for a few days straight. We got one day of no rain, but it was ugly and gloomy out. It rained most of the day yesterday and is still raining today. We were thinking about maybe taking a road trip next weekend (a three day weekend), but are not sure because the mountains are snowy and there are reports of people getting stranded, as if we would like to be stranded in the cold snow in our car with three little kids, not to mention a pregnant mommy that has to eat all the time.

Keith is out right now finally getting a haircut. I gave Kevin and Kyle haircuts on Friday. They don't look so bad. Kevin's is really short. Shorter than he's ever had it. He looks like a little boy now. I guess there is no stopping it.

Kaela is doing fine. She had Maria put her hair in a ponytail with Ellie hair thingy and ended up wearing it home. Kaela didn't want to take her ponytail out, so she slept with it. Of course it came loose in the night, so she woke me this morning so that I could redo her hair.

They are playing in the garage. We set up the play house Aunt Jo and Uncle Chris gave them two Christmases ago. They are pretending it is Dairy Queen. I guess they love eating all that pretend ice cream!

Well, That Was Simple Enough

Kyle hasn't taken a binky since the day we pulled it from him. Two days ago, while playing in the kids' room, he found one. I took it from him as soon as I saw him with it. He complained, but went on playing. When I went back to check on them again, he had another in his mouth. Well, I pulled that one too. That was the last time he's had one. He hasn't complained, nor has he been unbearable to live with. No whining, crying or unhappiness, and he has been sleeping through the night. So, next phase will be the bottle. He currently takes them to go down for his nap and to go down at night. I think we have the long weekend coming up as the designated day. Hopefully it is as easy as it was with Kaela.

Yesterday was a slow day. It didn't rain yesterday, the first time all week, but when we got out of bed this morning the ground was all wet. It looks cold outside and windy too!

I made lasagna for dinner. I think it was the worst one I ever made. Kaela ate it. I feigned enjoying it. Kevin cried because he didn't like it. He said he didn't like the cheese. I remember not being to fond of the cheese when I was younger, so I finally caved and got him some leftover mac-n-cheese we had for lunch. Keith didn't eat with us because he had to work late, but when he got home, he wolfed down two huge pieces. He said that it was delicious. I seriously thought he was saying that just because I had talked it down so badly. But, now I think he did enjoy it.

I am continuing my quest to find a sitter or housecleaner. I want a sitter to come in 2 or 3 time a week for a few hours to entertain the kids while I am cleaning the house or doing other projects. Or, I am looking for a house cleaner to come in bi-weekly and do a thorough housecleaning. I've been putting free ads up on craigslist. Not having any luck in either department. I am conflicted though. Sometimes I say to myself, "I should be able to do it all myself." Other times I think that it is a lot to do, and I need help. I guess the best thing to do is to wait it out and see what offers I get. If it just doesn't feel right, then I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Well, good day to all!

The Appointment went Well

Yesterday was a good day. The appointment went fine and the doc thinks everything is progressing well. He doesn't seem too concerned with my previous gestational diabetes issues, but he did finally order a glucola test. He is sparing me the three hour test if I should not pass this one. He says he will just send me to the diagnostic center for an eval and to see how we are to proceed if the first test comes out with high sugar numbers.

As for the rest of the stats, I've gained 6 pounds so far and the baby is measuring right on target for 26 weeks. She isn't any bigger than any other baby at this point. I guess that's a good sign.

After the appointment, I went to the grocery store and picked up a few things I forgot to order in my regular grocery delivery. Then I went to Daphne's (Greek food) and picked up lunch for me, Ris and the kids. By the time I got home (almost 2pm), Kyle was ready for his nap. Ris said that the kids were really good and that she had a good time watching them. They played with the Christmas presents Ris brought for them. She got new ones because everything she got for them originally, they already had. She got Kevin this really cool remote control helicopter, which is actually a fun thing to play with. She also got him an army man action figure. Kaela got this extremely cute Dora the Explorer gumball machine. We filled it with MnMs instead. She also got a police man action figure. Their new toys kept them busy while Ris was here.

The rest of the day went fine. The garage was carless yesterday, so the kids had me set up their play house and they played in there for a good portion of the afternoon. We also finally bought a lamp for their room and now they can turn on the light by the switch. Having to go up and down the stairs is not a very fun thing for me to have to do ten times a day just to pull the cord on the fan light. Kevin is so happy that he can now go upstairs all by himself and turn on the light.

We had leftovers for dinner which actually wasn't so bad. It did help to clean out the fridge a bit. After dinner, the kids played and hung out for a bit. After putting the kids to bed, Keith and I watched Troy. It wasn't a bad movie. It was long though. I enjoyed it and found it entertaining. I haven't seen a really really good movie lately though. I'm not sure what the last one was that I saw. Just goes to show that maybe there haven't been any really really good ones, or I am just forgetting. Probably that I am just forgetting at the moment.

Oh, I watched "All My Children" last night - watched the repeat on SoapNet. It was their 35th anniversary show. I have been watching since I was probably I'd say 8. My mom says she saw the first episode when it debuted. She was pregnant with me at the time.

Keith really likes the shirts I exchanged for him. He is wearing one of them today. I may go back and get him two more since they are on sale right now for a pretty good price.

Well, today is a new day. I shall report back later.

Just wanted to say

Good Morning. Have a Doc's appointment today and Ris will be here to watch the kids while I am gone. I shall comment later as to how the appointment went. The baby is due April 11. That's just over 90 days away! Oh my goodness, where has the time gone? Kevin yesterday said that the baby was going to be born on his birthday. He said that he would tell me all about his birthday party when he came to visit us in the hospital. He can think of things like that, but he still can't spell his name! It's interesting how little minds work!

I Slept Great last night!

I awoke up this morning at 9am. I couldn't believe it when I woke and looked at the clock. Kyle actually slept all night without a binky. He went without one all day yesterday and all night. I did give it to him when he cried while we were shopping. It didn't help him though. He rejected the thing and hasn't wanted it since. Maybe this no binky thing will be easy. It is only day 2, so we shall see.

Well, we just ran a few errands today. Went to Staples and got ink for our printer and CD-Rs and DVD+Rs for archiving all of our thousands of pictures. Ah, the joy of digital cameras. I think since 2002 we've accumulated over 10,000 pictures. After Staples, we went to WalMart. Kevin has no long pants, so we went and got him a new pair of jeans and some sweats for the house. Our house gets really cold!

We finally made it to exchange the shirts that I got Keith for Christmas. In the rush and Christmas crowds, I picked up the wrong size shirts. Well, exchanging them more than three weeks later, they didn't have any of the same shirt. I had to get different ones. Keith likes them though.

The kids. Well, Kaela was being a pill today. She kept hitting Kevin. She got scolded each time and got a spank once, but it didn't deter her from hitting him. She whacked him with his green Halloween pumpkin, then she shoved him, then the next time it was with a plate from her Disney princess dishes. Ugh! What can I do about this???

Poor Kyle is have butt problems again. We've given him corn again and it turns his poor bottom all red. We had to Desitin him. (Sidenote: LOL, six years ago I never would have thought that I'd be sitting here typing in a blog that one of my kids had butt problems. I never thought that I would have three kids for that matter!)

Let's see, what else? I went on craigslist and found someone looking to do some part time babysitting. I am thinking of getting someone to come to the house to watch the kids to let me get some things done around the house - cleaning, organizing, finally unpacking. I'm still not sure though. We shall see.

So It's Late in the Evening and all is Quiet

I find that this is some of my most cherished time, other than the time when Keith comes home. Everyone is asleep (which is what I really should be doing), but this really seems to be the only time that I have to myself.

First, a quick confession. I am addicted to this Blog thing! I am always logging on and going to our Blog (this page), and then if you notice in the right hand corner of your screen there is a "Next Blog" button. Last night and tonight also, I have spent a good hour just clicking on that link to view a random blog. There are some really interesting (and somewhat strange) people out there. Most of them I find are interesting. It is really neat to be able to see what other people have to say. These are the brave ones I think. If I understand correctly, I have this blog set up so that this blog is not listed on blogger.com nor is it accessible by the "Next Blog" link. But, I don't think that I am really posting anything too personal.

Anyway, today was a good day. The kids were really good and we managed to get the house (the downstairs at least) looking really good. Kyle did well without his binky. His older sibs kept him occupied. He did end up taking a four hour nap. We shall see if he sleeps though the night tonight. He had a bottle before bed, ate a large dinner and is bundled in some nice warm PJs. Hopefully this does the trick.

Keith had a good day at work. He did notice a ton more traffic, as everyone has come back from vacation. The office wasn't as crazy as he thought it would be. That is a good thing. I hated when the office was hectic and everyone wanted this that or the other and wanted it yesterday.

Well, that is it for tonight. Until tomorrow.

My Girlie Girl - Kaela

Okay, so I had to include this picture of my Girlie girl to go along with the story.

What is Wrong with my Daughter???

Okay, this is exactly why I put this blog in place to record silly things like this...

Someone please tell me Kaelie is normal!!!

Kaela, in her quirkiness, put on Kevin's fleece hat that Grandma T got for him. She pulled it way down over her eyes and started saying, "Who turned out the lights?" Then, goodness knows why, she started walking really fast (almost a slow run I would say) and kept repeating, "Who turned out the lights? Who turned out the lights?"

As she is navigating through the kitchen, she walks into the bar stool, takes a peek, then continues her trek. She walks into the pantry next, then repeats the ordeal, right into the fridge. The fridge incident finally made me laugh (she slammed into it a bit hard) at her lack of, shall we say, common sense. Laughing, I told her she was going to hurt herself. Well, my laughing only made her pick up the speed. At this point she is thinking that it is funny to run into things while saying, "Who turned out the lights?"

After I'd say about five minutes of this, and Kevin, Kaela and I rolling with laughter, she finally decided that PBS Kids is more interesting.

Thankfully, she didn't get hurt and bruised (I guess I should have stopped her myself, but it was so darn funny). Like I said, my kids remind me of the little kid in Parenthood, of course the one that walked around with a bucket on his head. Gotta love em!

Going Binkyless!

Well, we have been noticing that Kyle is just using the binky as a security thing - well not really. It is hard to explain. Maybe it would be best to describe it as a bad habit. He has the thing in his mouth all day long, which Keith and I both agree has stunted his language skills. Even with him sucking on it though he still gets his crying fits. He will cry and the thing will balance in his mouth and not fall. But, it isn't working to pacify him anymore. I think it may also be damaging his teeth!

Again last night he cried and cried even though that darn binky was in his mouth. Kevin cried through the night (as a little boy), but at the time was in another room. Kaela sucked on a bottle or two nightly. As a result, she was a bit heavier then Kevin and Kyle were at that age. With Kyle still in our room, the 30 minutes of crying seemed like the entire night. With all that crying he did, you'd think he'd be tried this morning. But no! He woke up at 6:51am. Not enough sleep for Mommy who stayed up until almost 2am listening to him cry.

This morning when we woke it was still dark. Kyle right away wanted that binky. He had it in for about 10 minutes when I pulled it out of his mouth. I have decided that enough is enough and he doesn't need the thing. Well, it has been almost four hours since he hasn't used it and he really is doing well. Kevin and Kaela are playing with him, so I think that is a good distraction. Well, at the moment Kaela is the only one playing with him. Kevin is once again playing Zoo Tycoon. He is addicted to that game.

One of our New Year policies is less TV and computer time. More play time. One of my goals is to finally get their toys in order. That means put away in bins, like toys to like toys, and to actually enforce putting them back in their rightful and appropriate spots. It also means going through the toys and getting rid of the ones with missing and damaged parts and to give some away to the Goodwill.

Today was a fun day

We didn't do much today. We ended up taking the kids to the park. Kevin and Kaela ran around as if they had been cooped up in the house for days and days - which they were. Kyle actually walked around in his shoes. He had been managing to take off one shoe and walk around that way, but today at the park he was able to walk with both shoes on. He looked so funny doing it and kept stumbling on the walkways and curbs. I guess he didn't know to look for them.

Kevin and Kaela hiked up the hill and rolled down. Well, Kevin did. Kaela just walked up and down the hill. I guess Kaela had more sense as the grass was wet.

After the park, we went to McD's for our all too often McDonald's indulgence. Keith was craving some McD's fries. The kids split a McNugget meal. Not the most nutritious of foods, but it is so easy to give it to them. I guess it's not so bad since their daily snacks consist of apples and cheese and other healthier stuff.

Maria and I were talking about the kids birthdays. We thought it would be cute if Ellie had a Valentine's birthday party. Kaela for some reason is calling Valentine's stuff "Girlie" stuff. So she is making like it is Happy "Girlie" day, not Happy Valentine's day. I guess it's all the pinks, purples and reds.

We also thought it would be fun to combine Kaela and Kevin's birthday with Easter, so it could be decorated with Easter stuff (although I think Kaela would prefer Hello Kitty and Kevin would prefer GI Joe). We would have an Easter egg hunt and all. It would be up here at the house because with the due date so near, I don't really want to travel to far from the hospital.

Well, Keith and I watched King Arthur last night and I, Robot the night before. Tonight we are watching Open Water. Tuesday, The Village and Troy are being released. We will probably get those too. We are in a movie marathon mood. The Apprentice and Survivor are both over and all our other shows are reruns. We are forced to do movies instead. But, on Tuesdays we do have the Amazing Race to watch. That Jonathan guy really is an a-hole. I hope his wife ends up leaving him. He is so mean to her. Just my two cents.

Anyway, the new year is off to a slow start, not a bad thing though. Just makes for rambling on blogs I guess!

That's it for now. Until I update again!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

This is us after our steak dinner. We are all stuffed. The kids didn't stay up until midnight. They went to bed at their usual time. We enjoyed our evening. The kids played and hung out with us. They watched Daddy on the computer, surfing and looking at all kinds of neat things.

Notice Kyle and his pacifier. He is so attached to the thing. He's gotten to the point of having one in his mouth and holding a spare in his hand! Keith is going to break him of the habit soon. The kids (Kevin and Kaela) and I will head down to Mom and Dad's and Keith will spend the weekend having Kyle just cry it out. I have to leave the house when this happens, Kyle's crying is just something I won't be able to handle all day!

Today is a lazy lazy new year. Kevin has been playing Zoo Tycoon and Keith is programming. I am designing a new quilt with lots of bright colors and a really colorful bird block print that Karensa and I found at Joann's. Kaela is playing with her Christmas goodies and Kyle is napping at the moment. The baby has been moving around like crazy today. She moves as much as Michaela did. I think that is an indication of what she may be like.

It's a bit of a gloomy day, with the sun popping out every once and a while for a tease of sunshine.

Well, we want to wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2005!