A Marriage Made In Heaven

Very hot crispy french fries and sausage gravy. Like the kind you put on biscuits for breakfast. It was so beautiful. I wept.

New Spring Auctions

Here's a bunch of new spring auctions. As always, FREE shipping for blogger buddies! :-) I will have about 50 new ones up by the end of next week~I hope. . .

Greeting from the Frozen Tundra

We are up in Michigan for the long weekend. Kinda a last minute trip as we realized Caroline didn't have school Friday or Monday and Tim is pretty much unemployed these days! We are staying at the in-laws house and the fun part is they are in Florida so we kinda are just hanging out. We are always spending our time with family up here so we kind of came to see the folks we never get to see.

We went to see our friends, Kent and Jen, last night. They have the most awesome house right on Lake Michigan! Amelia and Greta had a great time playing with their boys, Weston and Grant. I think Amelia is smitten as ALL she has talked about since is her "new fwiend who is boy named Wess-on"! They took us to a great local joint that had a lizard in a cage which kept the small folk entertained all evening. Thanks guys!

Today we went to visit our alma mater, the awesome Calvin College. The girls loved it. Caroline was very concerned that it was too big and she would get lost "on my first day of school here." Amelia and Greta were just in awe of the CHEESE. Greta would say , "Big cheese, are you?" and Amelia repeated over and over that big cheese is "silly thing at a school!"

After the girls played "Here Is Your Future" and had to listen to me and Tim blather on about how much it had changed and endless stories of "here's where we did such-and-such" we went to the famous Yesterdog in Grand Rapids for chili dogs with my step-bros and their women. We then went to see Joel and Liz's new house which is a really cool 1910 place with awesome detail. Amelia and Greta traumatized their cats til the poor things hid so far even Joel couldn't get 'em out. Again, Liz, I am so sorry. Send me the bill for the kitty therapy.

Tomorrow we plan to spend the day with Tim's sister and family. My niece is 13 and makes for a great babysitter so we hope to have dinner WITHOUT the kiddies! On Monday we will head for home with a stop at Russ's on the way out of town. Hope y'all are having a stellar President's (Condi Rice in 2008) Day and we'll see you at home!

Switch-a-roo

I always wanted my girls to have a blankie. Each one got a beautiful Gymboree blanket for coming home from the hospital. There was something so cozy about each kid having a blankie and it certainly helped with having a babysitter!

Caroline's was this beautiful fall one and this awesome navy one did not pay attention to it til she was older~like 3. Now she keeps it in her room and plays with her American Girl dolls with it. She still takes it on sleepovers.

Amelia was born in June and got this cute summer-y print one. She never once paid attention to hers so it's in a nice spot for "someday"

Greta got this great floral one. Really sweet. What does she pick to love? A very soft BUT very white fuzzy number from Aunt Christine. It was great for a January baby but so hot and sticky come summer. Greta loved that blankie to shreds. It has holes and a permanent icky smell that just won't wash out. This week was the end. She took it in the van somewhere and dripped that black melted snow/muck all over it.

At Target yesterday I kept showing her fuzzy blankets and asking if she'd like a new "go-ey" (kinda like Joey only with a "g") She said no, no, no. MY GOEY!! I gave up but bought a cute pink one with flowers just in case. At bedtime we gave her the new one and got her all excited about it. It certainly helped that once Amelia saw the attention she threw herself on the floor in protest that it wasn't hers. Once Greta saw that Amelia wanted it, she changed her tune and decided that a new goey wasn't such a bad idea. I am happy to report that old one is bye-bye and new sweet smelling blankie is tucked under her arm as she watches Dora.

OK, go ahead and comment about how mean I am. Tim already has. Until he thought about how many germs were in the old one. Now he's onboard with the new program!

Goin to the Chapel. . .

Everyone needs to check Josh's vlog. He's got big news! The link is in my sidebar.

Perception vs Reality

I was just reading an article someone emailed me about being a "good" vs "bad" mother. The authors basic point was that different does not equal bad. By her definition the only bad mothers are those who neglect, abuse, and abandon their children. Formula feeding moms are not bad moms. Co-sleeping moms are not bad moms. Vegan moms are not bad moms. Junk food moms are not bad moms.

When I was a new mom, I actually had a friendship fall apart over this. Perception is a powerful thing. My friend was a breastfeeding, make your own baby food, co-sleep, baby wearing mom. I was the exact opposite. I bottle fed, happily supported the folks at Gerber, stuck my baby in her crib from the first night home. Neither of us were sure we were doing the right things so suggestions sounded like criticism. When she said, "Just stick with it! Breast feeding is so much better for the baby than formula." I heard "You selfish wuss. I didn't let it get to me and my baby is better off than yours." What's not at all what she meant, but that's what I heard. When I would say things like, "Are you getting enough sleep? Do you feel like you need alone-time with your husband?" She heard, "Your marriage is going to fall apart because your baby sleeps with you." We both felt hurt and judged which led us to just stop talking to each other.

Lots has changed in the 8 years since I became a mom. I am much more comfortable in my decisions which has led me to be more comfortable in my friends' decisions. I know I am doing what is right for my kiddos and I know other moms are doing what is right for theirs. I have also learned to take what someone says at face value. Yes, breast milk is the best food for babies, but my babies get formula and I am OK with that. I no longer dissolve into tears when someone asks me why I don't breastfeed. My kids go to bed early and I have friends who kids stay up late. Big deal. When a friend asks me why I do or don't let my girls do certain things, I generally offer a brief explantion or simply say "Because that's what works for us." And I hope that when I say "Caroline really needs 11 hours of sleep." my friend does not hear "Your kids are sleep deprived brats."

This also becomes an issue as your kids get old enough to notice differences in families. Just recently Caroline has discovered that our close friends' kids have a TV in their room. I explained to her that is a choice each family has to make and we have made a different one. We are not better because we don't allow a TV in your room and they are not better because they do. (Well, cooler maybe, but not better.) Every mom has things that "push her buttons" A girlfriend and I have shared a good laugh over our inconsistancies. She forbids Kool-Aid because it's too high in sugar but her kids eat fruit snacks all day long. I don't have fruit snacks but my kids can drink Kool Aid til they have a permanent stain on their faces. It just is a "thing" for each of us.

I think as women and especially as moms we tend to read too much into the sub-text of conversation. I always say I don't offend easily but I guess that's not the best way to say it. I know that when I say something and it's misconstrued, it drives me nuts. I figure it probably drives others crazy too. If someone says something that rubs me the wrong way, I usually try to figure why, what were they really saying, and did it really have anything to do with me? Often what I heard, was not what was said.

And in case you were wondering, my friend and I did make peace. We are not close buddies but we have talked about it and both see that we were being way too sensitive at a hard time in our lives. We chat on occaision and I do consider her a friend. :-)

OK, Fine

I've been tagged by Amanda and out of my desire to do it before Kim (who was tagged before me) I am going to go ahead. I never ever answer these emails but since Amanda asked. . .

A- Available or married? Married for 13 yrs, taken in various stages since 9th grade. . .

B- Best Friend? Um, Kary and Christine and Kim

C- Cake or Pie? Cake, yellow with strawberries

D- Drink of Choice? Sweet Tea, Diet Coke

E- Essential Item? Cell phone

F- Favorite Color? green and pink

G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Ick

H- Hometown? Um, depends on who's asking. Chicago-area is my usual answer.

I- Indulgence? McD's french fries

J- January or February? January cuz it's Greta's birthday!

K- Kids & names? Caroline Rebekah (8 1/2), Amelia Kate (3 1/2), Greta Lindsay (2), and Baby Bean Due 8-2-07~you think I'd give up names?

L- Life is incomplete without? sleep

M- Marriage Date? December 18, 1993

N- Number of Siblings? younger sister, Kim 30, younger brother Jefferson 26, Step-bros Joel 27-ish, and Josh 24-ish. Sis-in-law Saena 26, Liz 27-ish

O- Oranges or apples? Oranges, but only if someone else peels it for me and removes every speck of white stuff.

P- Phobias/Fears? Snakes, spiders, heights, giving birth without an epidural

Q-Favorite Quote? Uh. . .blank stare

R- Reason to Smile? Bears in the Super Bowl

S- Season? Spring

T- Tag three people! 9 Hookers in A Forest Preserve, The Pregnant Woman With 6 Kids, My Dear Sister (now she has to do it. Her's will be fun to read too.

U- Unknown fact about me: I am really a great singer.

W- Worst habit? Ignoring my screaming kids.

Y- Your favorite food? French fries

Z- Zodiac? Piecies. I can't even spell it.

My Little Couch Potatoes

Ah, mother guilt. It strikes us all. When it was just Caroline, I was the perfect mother. "No child of mine. . ." crossed my lips A LOT! When Caroline was a toddler/preschooler she was allowed to watch 2 hours of TV a week. Yep. And you know what, I stuck to it. We played outside, did craft projects, went shopping and out to lunch with Grandma. We were in a playgroup, we went to MOPS, we went to the library. I'm telling you, I was the perfect mom.

And then I had another baby. And then another. And yet one more is coming. Life has changed and I have had to adjust my ideals with it. Now I'm not against TV. I'm not one of those folks who thinks Bert and Ernie are gay or that Barney is a occult figure. I love me some Blue's Clues or Dora. (Though I have had 3 kids so far that are DEATHLY afraid of Swiper!) My biggest motivation for limiting TV was I didn't want to start a habit I would have to break. I saw grade school age kids I knew who just spaced in front of the TV for hours. I am also married to one of those. Tim would watch Spanish game shows if that was all that was on. I am not a huge TV watcher~I like to watch certain things and when they are over, I move on. I rarely turn on the TV with no show in mind. I was successful with Caroline in this. She is not a huge TV watcher, usually turns it off as soon as her show is over. Amelia, not so much. That kid is just like Tim. She will watch anything at anytime and often whines til I give in and turn something on.

Since the weather has been mostly too rainy for outside play and I am spending lots of time lying on the bathroom floor trying to keep my lunch down, Amelia and Greta have been watching way more TV than I'd like. At first the guilt was crushing. I felt so bad that I was turn their brains to mush and not giving them the attention their big sister got. Slowly, I am accepting that things have changed. My mobility has changed, who wants to shop and do lunch with a toddler and a preschooler. Heck, I consider it a major accomplishment if I can hit Target and Strack's in the same day.

So I am hopeful that soon we can start to limit the TV time. I am saving my pennies for a fence so I can send 'em outside without close supervision as soon as it gets warm. Now we just need a sandbox and swing set. . .

Baby Update

Let's all take a collective sigh of relief. ***SIGH*** I went in for an ultrasound yesterday because I was bleeding~not spotting but bleeding. All is well with baby and there is ONLY ONE. Hallelujah!

Happy Birthday Greta!

My littlest kitty is 2 today and what a strange trip it's been! She's a hoot and a joy and total stinker. I was inspired by Jana and Nora's story to try to write Greta's. I have never actually written out any of their stories so I thought this might be fun to relive it all.

I found out I was pregnant with Miss Boo when Amelia was only 11 months old so I was a bit shocked to say the least. I took the test on a Sunday morning and Tim wasn't even home so I of course called Kary first. I believe I said "I'm pregnant" and she said "Shut up."

Anyway, a rather rough 6 months later I began to have really severe itching on the palms of my hands and soles of my feet. I mentioned this crazy symptom to a few friends and they all thought I was weird and my doctor said, "You're pregnant. You itch." I just figured it was another one of those strange things that happen when I'm pregnant as I had similar symptoms with Amelia. One night when I was 35 weeks I couldn't sleep so I got up to surf the internet for baby names~since we still hadn't come up with a girl name. On one site someone commented on a bunch of names and then added a PS question about itchy hands and feet in pregnancy. I about fell off my chair. I followed the answers thru the maze of websites and ended up here. I had every single symptom listed and then I did what any rational very pregnant woman would. I FREAKED OUT. I tried to go back to sleep but ended up staring at the wall til morning. After I got Caroline off to school and Amelia settled into TV, I called my doctor. She was on vacation for 2 weeks. Um. . .not good. So I asked to speak to the doc on call. She ordered a bunch of blood tests and said, "Come back in a week." I had a gotten a friend to watch the girls while I went for more bloodwork and in chatting with her (she's a nurse) she says, "So-and-so had that with her daughter and she knows all about it. Call her." So I called the girl who was actually researching to write a book on Cholestasis. Her daughter was delievered in distress at 34 weeks. She gave me a referral to a high-risk doc who knows all about Cholestasis. After 950 phone calls to his office I finally got my Doctor Uncle Dave to call him for me. He called me back within 30 minutes, said come on down and we'll get that baby delievered tonight. Um, hello? Now?!? So off we went.

We got to the hospital, they hooked me up for a non-stress test, ultrasound, and amnio. Baby Girl (who we had decided on the way to the hospital to name Georiga Grace) is not cooked fully. Her lungs were "close but no cigar" was what the doc said. So we were sent home for the weekend with strict instructions to go straight to the ER if there was no movement for 30 minutes or more. Talk about a relaxing weekend~NOT! Over the course of the weekend we got a call from a girl from church whose niece was stillborn from Cholestasis. So that really helped me stay calm. Tim would wake me up all night long to ask if she was moving. Or I would wake up to him poking at my stomach trying to get her to move.

I called Dr Ambrose Monday morning and said I'm really stressed out about this, what can we do. He was really great. He said he totally understood, come on in and we'll check the lungs again. If they are closer, we'll induce you. Cut to the chase, lungs were ready, sent us up to L&D, started the pit and we were off! My Uncle Dave is an anethesiolgist so he stopped to see me. He looked at my monitors and said, "Why don't you have your edpidural yet?" I told him I wanted to walk, wait til the contractions were stronger, blah blah blah. He laughed at me, went and got his partner, shot that epidural right on it. It was awesome. I was so numb I kept asking the nurse if I was still have contractions. At on point I yelled at Tim for farting in front of the nurses. She jsut laughed and said, "Honey, that's you." Oooo! I was so embarassed!

Morning of Jan 11 came. Dr Ambrose came in at 7:45 and broke my water. I was only 3 so we figured it would be a while yet. About 8:30 I started feeling really uncomfortable. I was buzzing the nurse but not getting an answer. I sent Tim out to find her. He told her that I thought I needed to be checked. She rolled her eyes, told Tim that I was just at 3, and she'd be there in a minute. She came in 10 minutes later, lifted up my sheet, turned white, yelled "Don't push!" and ran out of the room. I complete and Baby Girl was crowning. After a flurry of activity, Dr Ambrose starts the 10 count to push. I got to 4 and he said "Stop, the head is out. . .oh, nevermind." I looked down and saw her little feet. He never even got a chance to suction her. That's what happens when your last baby was 8 lbs and this one was 6 lbs! She was healthy and perfect.

Greta Lindsay (Tim changed his mind about her name while I was in labor) was born at 8:50 on January 11, 2005. She is so much fun! Greta learned early on that in the chaos she needed to speak up or we'd forget about her. These days her greatest goal is to be just like her big sisters and tries so hard to keep up with them at all times. We love her to pieces and are so thankful for the gift that she is!

An Amelia Quote for the Day

Upon seeing me in a purple shirt

"Thank you for wearing that Mommy. I enjoy purple."

American Idol

After all the craziness of the holidays I am so looking forward to some serious couch-potato time. And what better then American Idol? It starts again in a few weeks and we can't wait. I know it is the cheesiest thing ever but it is SO fun to watch! Here's a neat shot of our own American Idol on Christmas. This is what happens when fun aunts and uncles buy for your kids. And Uncle Jer had to get in on the fun too. I think he sang "Dancing Queen" while Greta did "Hinkle Hinkle Wittle Tar"

Would Someone Please Make the Room Stop Spinning?

I forgot how awful "morning" sickness is. I have also been enlightened that the older you are when preggers, the worse it is. Fan-freakin-tastic. I want to puke. All. Day. Long. It is so bad. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to be having another (final) baby but I am so hoping this passes soon. Ugh. I have tried every trick in the book including prescription drugs and so far nothing helps much. The drugs have almost stopped the actual throwing up but I am still so queasy I could die.

OK, pity party over.

Christmas was good~the girls were spoiled as per usual and we got to have Cuncle Jer and Cant Kim and Ewise here for a few days which was great fun. Lots of sorting of presents to happen today until the Bears game starts. We have no plans for New Years Eve but that's OK cuz I'm not sure I'm really a fun addition to a party right now. We had a great time in Hilton Head with Dad and Judy and Jeff and Seana. I went shopping alone. As in ALL BY MYSELF! I was giddy with joy. I also found a Gymboree outlet down there and was in my glory. :-)

Chirstmas Wishes to All!

Merry Children and Happy New Baby to All! Oops. Guess I'm a bit mixed up, being preggers and all.

We are off to Hilton Head for the week~without the girls! All alone to sleep in, eat out, and shop, shop, shop. We'll miss you all and see you all for the New Year's Eve!

Merry Christmas to You from us!

Tim, Jen, Caroline, Amelia, Greta, and Baby Bean

You Take the Good, You Take the Bad. . .

Here's Jen, Anne and Shawnie singing the theme song from "The Facts of Life" We knew every stinking word. We also did a mean rendition of "Little Red Corvette"
I'm not sure what Tim was doing here. Suffice it to say it was the end of the evening. He did roll up his jeans to earn him the nickname "Huck". Not sure why.
Here is our only guy who dressed for the night. Lee AKA Steve sported his Sonny Crockett look.
Part of the festivities of the evening included Totally 80s Trivial Pursuit. All kinds of fun and hilarity ensured. Boys vs. Girls. They did well with Sports while us gals had Music and TV locked up! Here Dawn becomes very excited to shout out "Alan Thicke!!"
Shawnie tries out the martini shaker. We had Wedding Cake Martinis, Jack Frost Martinis, and the non-alcoholic Cosmo-NOT Martini. They were yummy!

I gotta say, I love these people. We had our 2nd Annual Small Group Christmas party last night. Yee Haw. Over the past year we have been through a lot together, the most difficult being the losses of Andrew and Jesse. We also know how to have a rockin' good time. Real friends are the ones who are there for the fun and the not-so-fun. So last night was a Christmas in the 80's theme. Great fun for most of us who were cool in the 80's not so fun for the ones who were toddlers in the 80's! We had martinis and dinner. Cheesecake and beer. And lots of "candy from the crapper." I had a dish of wrapped candies in the bathroom last year and they were so excited about it! Some of the highlights of the evening included the girls singing the "Facts of Life" theme song all the way through, Tim making up his own questions, calling Lee "Steve" all night just because we could, Tim rolling his pants up like Huck Finn, laughing at all our pictures from the 80's, and dicussion of the term skin flute. Hmm. . . Enjoy the photos and join a small group today.

To Do's Done

In an effort to feel as if I have actually accomplished something, here is my DONE list. Now most will need to be re-done before tomorrow night's party but hey, we're closer.

CLEANED
Master bedroom
Master bath
Hallway
Laundry room
Amelia/Greta's room
Girls' bath
Family room
Mudroom

Nov. invoices
Paid bills


STILL TO BE DONE
Playroom
Office
Kitchen
Bath
Mop floors
Caroline's room

Make grocery list
Grocery shop
Plan menu

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to work I go. . .

My Insurmountable To-Do List

In my "free" time I often surf blogs~especially the Christian Mom varitey. While some are a bit on the cheesy side, they are often well-written snippets from other moms like me. One thing I have noticed on the Homeschooler Mom Blogs (LOVE these as they are full of organizational ideas) is the practice of listing your to-do list on your blog (I think my pronouns are all messed up there.) One mom I "chatted" with said she does it for accountability. Well, heck, I need me some o' that! So, here's my To-Do by Friday night list. We are having a Christmas party here and only one person has seen the house so you know I'll be doing the grand tour.

CLEAN
~playroom ~office ~family room ~mudroom
~downstairs bath ~kitchen ~Amelia/Greta's room ~Caroline's room
~guest room ~girls' bath ~laundry room ~master bedroom
~master bath ~hallway

Grocery shop
November invoices
Pay bills
Laundry
PHONE CALLS
~painter ~builder ~insurance guy
Find pototo recipie
Finish and mail Christmas cards
Organize Christmas presents
Figure out who needs what for Christmas

I think that's it for now. Anyone wanna help? :-)

Griswold Family Christmas

I have a really weird extended family. I mean that in the nicest way possible, but they are kooks. We had a family Christmas party this afternoon that ended with a bottle of Irish whiskey being passed around the circle with everyone taking a hit~especially my 81-year-old Grandma and her sister. So I got thinking in the season of much family togetherness that I really do like them and the biggest reason why is they are a hoot. Exhibits A-E

**My Grandma makes us sing the "12 Days of Christmas" every year and last year we tried to do it "gay"

**My dad and my uncle once went sledding down a hill. With no coats. Into a creek.

**When Tim married into my family, he didn't know quite what to think. His family is very nice and my family yells things like "GET OFF ME YOU FAT OAF!"

**We once had a "meeting" to move the official beginning of Happy Hour up to 10am so one could have beer on one's Post Toasties.

**My Uncle Jim does a mean rendition of "Junior Birdman"

What kinds of fun stories come from your family? Do you do weird things? Are we the only ones who spend hours of drunken fun?

A few additions. . .

A while back I listed so simple do's and don'ts to make this holiday shopping season nice for all. After being out all morning, I need to add some.

DO vacate your parking spot immeadiately upon arrive to one's car. DO NOT organize your reciepts, adjust the heat, light up a smoke, balance your check book and start chatting on your cell phone while others are waiting to take your spot.

DO NOT chat on your cell phone while navigating a crowded parking lot. Please pay attention.

DO allow the person behind you to ask a quick question of the sales person who is helping you. If you are the person asking the quick question, DO make sure it is a question answerable with one-word.

Anchor stores in the mall, DO NOT close any earlier than the rest of the mall without making a huge announcement. Especially when my car is parked near your store.

Thank you for your cooperation.

My New Favorite Website

I am having a moment here. This is my new homepage. Every recipie EVER! Check it out and we'll have a party!