Here I've sat, lonely in my new little abode for 3 whole weeks and LO, AND BEHOLD! not one but TWO friends are coming to visit this weekend! I can't wait to see some familiar faces and actually have some semblance of PLANS this weekend. I'm happy as all get-out (what does that little euphemism mean, anyhow?)
Anyway, POINT BEING is that I'm stoked to have visitors this weekend. Isn't it funny that they're coming on the same weekend, though? It's either feast or famine in the excitment department down here. Does that mean that when they leave there'll be another famine?
Another nice factor in having friends visit is that it forced my sweet wonderful husband to actually find a place to house his multitudes of junk somewhere besides our living/dining/bedroom. Sure, it will of course be stuffed in the back utility room, but at least no one can see it. I don't know about anyone else's husband, but mine has an extreme talent for squirreling away the most confusing objects. He always insists that we need them. So if we ARE ever victims of a hurricane, you can rest assured that we'll be all set with our two broken Mac Monitors, various random (non-working) computer parts and lots and lots of twine.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Starfall Rocks the Casbah
If you’re looking for free educational computer games for your kids, I cannot say enough about www.starfall.com. I’ve never seen something that so effectively teaches pre-reading while being fun at the same time. Stevie was on it for at least an hour today.
Stevie is almost reading. He’s incredibly interested in words, and is constantly trying to sound them out. Because he learned to sound out words phonetically (thank you LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD), he kept getting tripped up on sight words, or ones with silent letters. But the Starfall games helped him with that quite a bit.
We went to story-time at the public library today, and while it was not as bombastically joyous as good ole Mr. Bob, it was VERY well done and I’m excited about it. It’s well-organized and Stevie loved it. They put all the words to songs, etc on an overhead projector so all the parents can sing along. There’s this one song that my son found particularly hilarious:
On a different vein, if you’ve ever wondered what Steven’s dancing looks like, here it is. Something that I’m sure you’ll treasure forever (I know I do).
Stevie is almost reading. He’s incredibly interested in words, and is constantly trying to sound them out. Because he learned to sound out words phonetically (thank you LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD), he kept getting tripped up on sight words, or ones with silent letters. But the Starfall games helped him with that quite a bit.
We went to story-time at the public library today, and while it was not as bombastically joyous as good ole Mr. Bob, it was VERY well done and I’m excited about it. It’s well-organized and Stevie loved it. They put all the words to songs, etc on an overhead projector so all the parents can sing along. There’s this one song that my son found particularly hilarious:
A-tooty-ta, a-tooty-ta, a-tooty-ta-ta(He’s obviously made the connection to our family's word for you-know-what.)
On a different vein, if you’ve ever wondered what Steven’s dancing looks like, here it is. Something that I’m sure you’ll treasure forever (I know I do).
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Accident-Prone David
Why does it seem my youngest son is determined to off himself? Over the Christmas holidays, we had to take him to the Emergency Room for stitches three times.
Yesterday he climbed on a box in my bedroom and either fell or hurled himself off it, slamming his little lip on the edge of our box spring. When I came running in, his mouth and nose were covered in blood. After a hysterical 15 minutes in the bathroom trying to staunch the bleeding, it finally stopped. He stopped crying after awhile and began playing again, so I decided nothing could be broken. But now my little boy’s lip is so swollen it looks like he’s holding an orange under his upper lip. He looks like a little monkey. If you look carefully at his nose, you can see the dried blood I couldn’t clean off.
His lip looks a bit like Mushmouth from “Fat Albert,”
bless his heart.
Yesterday he climbed on a box in my bedroom and either fell or hurled himself off it, slamming his little lip on the edge of our box spring. When I came running in, his mouth and nose were covered in blood. After a hysterical 15 minutes in the bathroom trying to staunch the bleeding, it finally stopped. He stopped crying after awhile and began playing again, so I decided nothing could be broken. But now my little boy’s lip is so swollen it looks like he’s holding an orange under his upper lip. He looks like a little monkey. If you look carefully at his nose, you can see the dried blood I couldn’t clean off.
bless his heart.
Monday, June 23, 2008
This is for you, Shannon
This is a real picture….of my feet, actually. The Thursday before we moved, I must have been a tad frazzled. I decided last minute to go ahead and go to Pot-Luck Lunch, and walked right out of the house with these little babies on my feet. (Notice that they are both left shoes, and one of them actually has little foot-prints denoting where to place your foot, which I have on the wrong foot ….and I had been feeling so cute that day…sigh).
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Suddenly Feeling More Prolific
It rains A LOT here. I mean a lot a lot. I think it’s rained every other day since we moved in. Which is actually a very good thing because Steve and I totally dig rainstorms. Plus, we have the excellent 1950’s-type carport, which is perfect for sitting under and strumming the guitar while the rain beats down overhead. The kids abandon all sense of decorum and get soggy wet (hey, I love to play in the rain and I’m 30), so I got a few shots at dusk the other day.
Though I didn’t let on in my earlier, more depressing and cynical post, I really am excited about this new gym. They do the free babysitting thing for TWO WHOLE GLOORRRIOUS HOURS. Not that I’ll ever be exercising for two whole hours, but at least the option is there. I very well might just sit in the sauna room or take a shower there, just for the sake of being able to take a shower without onlookers. (Remember when you used to be able to take showers completely alone, without little heads poking in every five minutes to insist on coming into the shower with you fully clothed or to demand that you come out immediately and make them a PB&J?)
(We have a severe thunderstorm watch tonight, with potential for 60 mph winds! Deploy hurricane shutters!—insert girlish squeal here.)
Though I didn’t let on in my earlier, more depressing and cynical post, I really am excited about this new gym. They do the free babysitting thing for TWO WHOLE GLOORRRIOUS HOURS. Not that I’ll ever be exercising for two whole hours, but at least the option is there. I very well might just sit in the sauna room or take a shower there, just for the sake of being able to take a shower without onlookers. (Remember when you used to be able to take showers completely alone, without little heads poking in every five minutes to insist on coming into the shower with you fully clothed or to demand that you come out immediately and make them a PB&J?)
(We have a severe thunderstorm watch tonight, with potential for 60 mph winds! Deploy hurricane shutters!—insert girlish squeal here.)
Connected...
Finally, we’ve got our internet up. But I’m just really not in the mood to write. Especially since I have nothing to write about. I’ve done ZILCH in the past two weeks, except for get hysterical every single day about, say, forgetting to get milk at the store or not being able to find the 3-hole punch. Oh well, I guess I did finally join a gym, but that’s about it. So instead I’ll just share these two hilarious things I shamelessly nicked from Cranky Fitness.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Feeling Desperate
Okay, just a quick update. I seriously think I might be getting the shakes from being away from the Internet for so long. I haven't had time to read ANYONE'S blogs, so I feel so isolated and have no idea what's going on with anyone. I've already read 3 books in one week because I didn't know what else to do with myself, (though I'm sure my husband has appreciated all the extra attention paid to him and to housework). And to top everything else off, we went to church today, and Playgroup has been postponed until September. Super Sigh. More later...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Unwelcome Internet Fast
I know I’ve been impressed by some of you for going on “an internet fast,” but unfortunately, my current one is not so much an exercise in self-mastery as it is an unavoidable annoyance. On Monday, I excitedly called the idiots at AT&T, only to find out that they don’t service League City. Wha??!! I live in League City, TX, not Mozambique, Africa. How can they not service us? There are 67,000 people in this town!
And believe me, not communicating via Internet (as I was doing in Arlington, like, 110 times a day) has left me quite bewildered and at quite a loss of what to do with my free time. Yesterday I baked a 6-layer cake and re-grouted the bathroom (total lies).
In a nutshell, we FINALLY arrived in League City at 9:00pm Saturday night. I drove the entire way with the kids, and someone had accidentally packed up our portable DVD players so needless to say, they were in an unpleasant mood.
There was an entire ONE guy from the ward to help us unload (bless his heart, we were so grateful for him!!!) I think we were a little spoiled after the tons of help we got packing up (by the way, thank you SO MUCH Keith, Shannon, Mike, Julie, Phil, Shana, Paula, Pat, David and oh shoot, if I forget someone I’m going to feel like a real toad).
Because the 4 of us (the 4th being my Dad) didn’t finish unpacking that night, we decided our ox was sufficiently in the mire and skipped church to unload the rest of it. We’re more or less settled in, but without the Internet, I feel like I don’t know where anything is or even how I can find out! I did find the local library, however, and already got a card and 3 books. I’ve barely seen my husband in the past 3 days, but I’m sure he still looks the same.
Anyway, all is well (except for a magnitude of exotic bugs that despite screens and so forth INSIST on showing up in the most unwelcome places (i.e. the shower, my pillow). I probably will be posting sporadically at best because of said Internet debacle, but I’ll do my best!
And believe me, not communicating via Internet (as I was doing in Arlington, like, 110 times a day) has left me quite bewildered and at quite a loss of what to do with my free time. Yesterday I baked a 6-layer cake and re-grouted the bathroom (total lies).
In a nutshell, we FINALLY arrived in League City at 9:00pm Saturday night. I drove the entire way with the kids, and someone had accidentally packed up our portable DVD players so needless to say, they were in an unpleasant mood.
There was an entire ONE guy from the ward to help us unload (bless his heart, we were so grateful for him!!!) I think we were a little spoiled after the tons of help we got packing up (by the way, thank you SO MUCH Keith, Shannon, Mike, Julie, Phil, Shana, Paula, Pat, David and oh shoot, if I forget someone I’m going to feel like a real toad).
Because the 4 of us (the 4th being my Dad) didn’t finish unpacking that night, we decided our ox was sufficiently in the mire and skipped church to unload the rest of it. We’re more or less settled in, but without the Internet, I feel like I don’t know where anything is or even how I can find out! I did find the local library, however, and already got a card and 3 books. I’ve barely seen my husband in the past 3 days, but I’m sure he still looks the same.
Anyway, all is well (except for a magnitude of exotic bugs that despite screens and so forth INSIST on showing up in the most unwelcome places (i.e. the shower, my pillow). I probably will be posting sporadically at best because of said Internet debacle, but I’ll do my best!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Good Friends
We had a very busy day today, as we were saying our goodbyes to several different people. In the morning, we went to the Rec Center for the last time and had lunch with my friend Mary and her little boy, Stevie’s friend Dallas. She gave me the sweetest card and despite my remonstration even had little gifts for the boys. I was overwhelmed.
In the afternoon, I went to Stacie’s for one last fabulous cut (and fabulous it was!) I told her to cut it short, because who knew how long it would take me to find such a talented (and affordable!) hairstylist again! Stevie and David played with Clayton and Little Jack, and Stacie (that tricky girl) ended up comping me the cut. Thank you, Stacie!!!
Lastly, I met up with Sarah for one last mini-girlz night dinner and a possession exchange (it seems I had accumulated her beach towel and quite a few of her books!) She gave me the sweetest, most thoughtful little homemade book she had made for Stevie. It meant so much to me I almost cried right then and there. Inside, she had pictures of all Stevie’s little friends: Jared, Bella, Clayton, Ewan, Natalie, Jack, Brady, Aubree, Ben, Fynn-- all his little friends interposed between these words:
Thank you, friends, for being such good ones.
In the afternoon, I went to Stacie’s for one last fabulous cut (and fabulous it was!) I told her to cut it short, because who knew how long it would take me to find such a talented (and affordable!) hairstylist again! Stevie and David played with Clayton and Little Jack, and Stacie (that tricky girl) ended up comping me the cut. Thank you, Stacie!!!
Lastly, I met up with Sarah for one last mini-girlz night dinner and a possession exchange (it seems I had accumulated her beach towel and quite a few of her books!) She gave me the sweetest, most thoughtful little homemade book she had made for Stevie. It meant so much to me I almost cried right then and there. Inside, she had pictures of all Stevie’s little friends: Jared, Bella, Clayton, Ewan, Natalie, Jack, Brady, Aubree, Ben, Fynn-- all his little friends interposed between these words:
You may be going on aWe had a wonderful time together. When I got home, I gathered everyone up and we read the little book and looked at all the pictures of Stevie & David’s friends. Stevie’s lip began to quiver, and I think he finally started to understand that we’re saying goodbye for awhile. Steven and I just started boo-hooing at this and we all hugged and had a little cry together.
New adventure far away!
But we will miss you and
Friends we will stay!
Just tell yourself, Duckie,
You’re really quite lucky!
Today was good,
Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
Think left and think right
And think low and think high.
Oh, the thinks you can think up
If only you try.
From there to here,
And here to there,
Funny things are everywhere.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Last Day
$465! That was our grand total after the garage sale. Absolutely lovely. But the garage sale itself…well let’s face it, they’re never lovely. Hot, sticky and dusty and not a lot of people showed up. But all hail Craig’s List. I should have just done that in the first place. 24 hours after putting everything up for sale on Craig’s List, it was all sold. Glory be, now we won’t have to lug those hideous off-white pleather couches to Galveston.
Today was our last day in 1st Ward. In our church, we have a Fast and Testimony Meeting on the first Sunday of each month. Everyone is supposed to fast for 24 hours prior to the meeting, and then we’re invited to bear our testimonies about the gospel at the meeting. All day long, I tried to pysch myself up to get up and bear my testimony, because my heart was so full. But I chickened out, both in Relief Society and Sacrament.
So I thought I’d do it now. I am so darn blessed, and I can’t figure out why. Through absolutely no merit of my own, I’ve tasted the forgiveness and mercy of Jesus Christ first hand. I felt personally and singly loved by my Heavenly Father. I’ve had people placed directly in my life by the Lord that have changed me and copiously blessed my life (some of you are these people). He sent me Steven, who is so patient and loving and kind in every way, and who is such an astoundingly perfect match for me. He gave me my two miraculous children, who fill my heart with that deep, deep joy that permeates my heart even when things aren’t going so hot in my life. And even the bad things, the hurtful things and the pain that I’ve suffered from time to time always seems to have been impeccably placed in order to chasten or chisel me into what the Lord needs me to be. There have been times in my life when I haven’t lived the gospel, but now that I’m trying to, the difference in my confidence and my peace is like night and day. I find joy in knowing who I am and what I’ve been sent here to do: bless the lives of others.
I wish I could be better. I wish I could love more flawlessly and without fear. I wish I could serve more abundantly without thought for myself. I wish I could tell everyone that I love how very, very much I love and need them, boldly and honestly, without feeling sheepish or sappy. But I know that through the atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ, that despite my constant weaknesses, He’ll make up the difference in the end. And for that reason alone, I think I can keep trying.
Today was our last day in 1st Ward. In our church, we have a Fast and Testimony Meeting on the first Sunday of each month. Everyone is supposed to fast for 24 hours prior to the meeting, and then we’re invited to bear our testimonies about the gospel at the meeting. All day long, I tried to pysch myself up to get up and bear my testimony, because my heart was so full. But I chickened out, both in Relief Society and Sacrament.
So I thought I’d do it now. I am so darn blessed, and I can’t figure out why. Through absolutely no merit of my own, I’ve tasted the forgiveness and mercy of Jesus Christ first hand. I felt personally and singly loved by my Heavenly Father. I’ve had people placed directly in my life by the Lord that have changed me and copiously blessed my life (some of you are these people). He sent me Steven, who is so patient and loving and kind in every way, and who is such an astoundingly perfect match for me. He gave me my two miraculous children, who fill my heart with that deep, deep joy that permeates my heart even when things aren’t going so hot in my life. And even the bad things, the hurtful things and the pain that I’ve suffered from time to time always seems to have been impeccably placed in order to chasten or chisel me into what the Lord needs me to be. There have been times in my life when I haven’t lived the gospel, but now that I’m trying to, the difference in my confidence and my peace is like night and day. I find joy in knowing who I am and what I’ve been sent here to do: bless the lives of others.
I wish I could be better. I wish I could love more flawlessly and without fear. I wish I could serve more abundantly without thought for myself. I wish I could tell everyone that I love how very, very much I love and need them, boldly and honestly, without feeling sheepish or sappy. But I know that through the atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ, that despite my constant weaknesses, He’ll make up the difference in the end. And for that reason alone, I think I can keep trying.
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