Snuckin' Fow

Can I tell you how much I dislike the snow (I know, Barbara thinks I am insane....)? It's been snowing here for about 31 hours straight and we have over 15 inches on the ground. Ick, ick and ick!!! I swear I was born to live in the south (southwest, where it is DRY and not humid. Although, when I was in Georgia oh so many years ago, it was quite nice in the winter). I had to run out to the store this evening and all I can say is thank dog for 4 wheel drive. You'd think the first snow of the year and the DPW would plow and sand but nooooooo. I live on a side street off the main street in town and there is as much snow on the road as there is in my drive-way (a lot).

When it's daylight tomorrow I will snap a few photos (for my bff Barbara) and post them.....

In the meantime I am going to go have a cup of coffee (with a little booze in it).

Facebook

What a time suck facebook is! Anyone who's anyone is on facebook......and since I am such a follower, I joined too. You can find me by searching for me by my maiden name or my married name or both! Just a warning, this is no surprise, my facebook is as lame as my blog. So don't come crying to me when you are bored to tears....I warned you.

In other news....I did it again, I went to Target and wore my red sweatshirt (wtf?). The funny thing is is I NEVER shop there. In the past 2 weeks I have been there 4 times.......that is more than I have been there in the last 2 years!! It's just not my favorite store....I find it pricey. For the average shopper I can see the draw...but I am not "the average shopper". I rarely spend money on food stuff (except for produce, meat and eggs). I use coupons, sales and stock up when I can. But, they have stuff the kids want for Christmas (toys, cell phones etc.) so I brave the crowds.

This shopping season sneaked up on me (does that sentence sound weird...."sneaked" doesn't sound right, but it is because snuck isn't a word....even though it sounds better). I think it had to do with Thanksgiving was so late this year, before I knew it it was getting too late (for me) to internet shop (I am a fanatic about making sure I have everything a week before xmas, not the week of.....ever since I ended up having to run to Toys r Us on Dec. 23 to purchase everything I ordered because the shipment hadn't arrived....of course it arrived bright and early Dec. 24....but still, I panicked).

I am almost done with my shopping! I was able to get some neat gifts for the kids. Some unique things for the kids that they are going to love. I can't say what though because sometimes they read my blog (and complain about how lame I am. Or complain about a picture I posted.). I only wish I had more money so I could get them everything on their lists (considering they are kids/teens, they don't ask for much). I had to physically stop myself from buying more gifts for Abby....I was walking through Target picking things up, putting them in the cart and then going back and taking them out (maybe that is why it took me over an hour to get a few stocking stuffers!).

Billy took Abby to see Santa at the mall. She asked for a Wii.......we, um, already have one....but she wants her own. And she wants a TV for her room and her own MP3 player so she can listen to Teenage Dirtbag by Wheezer. She also asked for a cell phone (I got her a Cinderella one, that makes noise and comes in a jewel bag.....although I think she wanted a REAL one). The only age appropriate gift she asked for was the Barbie Stylin' head thing. I guess that's what happens when you have 3 older siblings, 2 of which are teens. I went out on a limb and got her lots of age appropriate things....I'm thinking she will be quite happy. Polly Pockets, Disney Princesses, PlayDoh etc.

Anyway, she saw Santa. Unfortunately she did not get her picture taken. My husband is no cheapskate (not like me) but even he couldn't see paying $24.99 for a 3x5 picture and a wallet size picture. Holy cow, when did they get so expensive!!!????!!! I'm sure she didn't care about getting the picture...although I would have loved it. She was happy to go to the arcade and spend $5 playing video games. She won some tickets that you trade in before you leave for a prize. My 4 year old little girl chose vampire teeth for a prize........vampire teeth......to scare me with.......there goes that "she has 3 brothers, 2 of which are teens" thing again.

Let's pretend it hasn't been forever and a day since I last posted....

Well friends, I have been busy! For real. My planner was almost as full in November as it was in October and then of course there was Thanksgiving.



So, a little updating....list style!

1. Both Jamie and Nate got their casts off. Nate had his for 7 weeks and Jamie had his for 9 weeks. After more than $500 in office visit co-pays I am glad that ordeal is almost over.


2. Jamie has 2 more appointments to x-ray his arm. One in January and one again in May. If everything goes well he will be in the clear.


3. Nate, even after being injured every single football season, plans on going out for freshman football next year. Needless to say, I might just have a nervous breakdown.


4. Abby has had an ear infection in both ears since Thanksgiving that won't go away despite the Amoxoclin......her left eardrum ruptured....I know this is bad but I was a little relieved because it relieved some of the pressure and she was able to finally sleep.


5. Tommy is a smart ass. Really....he got all A's and one B+ on his report card. He is in fifth grade....so this is "for real" school.....you know, math with fractions and decimals, real book reports, science projects and boatloads of homework. Today he has to stay after school.......for a little luncheon with the principal. All the children at his school that scored proficient or advanced on the MCAS test are staying after today to hang out with the principal. She has some surprises up her sleeve for them!

So that was a little update...now I want to list some observations and advice.

1. When shopping at Target do NOT wear your red sweatshirt. People will mistake you for an employee and you will spend the entire time explaining to people you do not work there and you can't help them.


2. Logic would say, "take your sweatshirt off dummy" but reality would say, "keep it on, you have a giant stain on the front of your shirt...."


3. Ebay is good. I have been able to complete half of my Christmas shopping on Ebay..


4. The sucky economy is totally affecting my job....not because my employment status is in jeopardy (it is not) but because my boss lost a shit load of money and now he is GRUMPY! And I have to deal with him.


5. Remember the Barbie head thingy, where you could apply her make-up and do her hair? Well, get this, now she has hands so you can do her nails too!! I am totally getting this for Abby, she'll love it. And yes indeed, it is creepy (a big head with hands......eek)

So there you have it, a recap of sorts on my boring life.

Shayne Elizabeth

Even when she is sleeping she looks like her mommy!! This Saturday she will be 8 weeks old.

I forgot to mention....

Through all of this (broken arms, sick Abby, appointments up the ass) Tommy has been a real trooper. He has pitched in and helped out in so many ways. He washed the dishes last night (I have dishpan hands.....I needed a break!), he takes out the garbage, helps with the laundry and even helps his brothers out. Last night he made toast for Nate (although Nate is capable of making toast for himself....he gets crumbs in his cast...which is gross).

I just wanted to clarify that.....Tommy is an A+ kid and I am lucky to have him!!!!

Sorry, I am not a good story teller

Apparently I forgot to tell you how Jamie broke his arm! Thanks Barbara for pointing that out.

As you all remember, Nate broke his at football practice (no surprise there since he spends (or spent) 5 days a week practicing). Jamie on the other hand....my non-athletic child, was hanging out at Burger King with his friends. (*an aside here: I really dislike the whole "hanging out" thing...I know he is 16 and that is what 16 year olds do....but also, he is 16 and 16 year olds get into trouble when they are "hanging out"*). His friend Matt drives a pick-up truck (a big red ugly truck)...his other friend's "drive" skateboards and bicycles. So Jamie borrowed the skateboard (since he doesn't have a license and can't borrow the truck) and was goofing around. One thing led to another (remember....non-athletic) and he landed palm down (after hitting his head). When you land, full body weight, onto the palm of your hand (and you are adult size.....5'9" 175lbs) you tend to BREAK BONES. So that is how he broke his arm/wrist. And to clarify something else....he actually broke both bones (the ulna and radius) in his left arm. The break in the ulna was really just a fracture...that will heal just fine with a cast. It's the break in the radius that has us worried (still).

He has another appointment at Children's Hospital Boston (Waltham campus) tomorrow where we will find out more. It has come to my attention that his pinky "isn't right" and the whole back of his hand is bruised (and swollen) still, after 2 weeks. This has me slightly concerned. But, they are taking this cast off and he's having xrays before they put another one on. I guess that means we will ("we" meaning the doctors) be able to get a close up look at it. I mean, it very well might be normal...what do I know? He had some soft tissue damage as well, so it could be related to that.

So there you go, the rest of the story (which has a moral.......you shouldn't hang out in parking lots with friend's who use skateboards...especially if you are impulsive and un-athletic).

A few pictures that sum up my life right now

It's been hectic here to say the least. I have been meaning to post a REAL post (and not some lame meme) but haven't had the time or brain capacity.....but, I've got a fully charged battery (literally and figuratively) and a few minutes free.

So, the kids went and broke a few arms. If it wasn't so blatantly true then I would think it was a joke.......two friggin' kids with broken arms. Both the left arm and both the radius. Jamie's is worse....he almost required surgery. Nate, who weighs 93 pounds (with the cast), plays football with kids that weigh 165 pounds.....need I say more? There must be a math formula for force (f) + Weight (w) x resistance (r) = broken bone (b)...f+w(r)=b.....My son was tackled from behind (clean shot...he was carrying the ball) and then a bunch of players (his own teammates...this was at practice) kind of fell on him. The radius was SNAPPED in 2..... So here I am, cleaning raw chicken (I live such a glamorous life, no?) and I hear the familiar footsteps of Bill....but it's an hour before practice ends.....and the words, "it's broken". I didn't even need to turn around and see which kid he was referring to. Why? Because this is the fourth broken arm Nate has had (fifth if you include the broken clavicle from last summer). Off to the hospital to have it set (and get some morphine, which Nate doesn't like...it makes him silly and it makes him puke). After they sedated him, set the arm, casted it and made us wait until the sedation wore off, we were free to go.

Fast forward 6 days. I was just getting used to helping my teenage son, with a cast to his armpit, use the shower, tie his shoes, put on his deodorant (like I said, the glamorous life) and other assorted shitty things when I get a panicked phone call from Jamie. He's screaming into the phone and crying hysterically (yes...he is 16.5 years old...yes he screamed and cried like a baby...no he doesn't care if you laugh at him). I rushed home to find him freaking the f*ck out. He was in panic mode, screaming and yelling and pacing. After I slowed him down and looked at his arm.....I almost lost my shit. The bone was poking against the skin, his hand was distorted and his fingers were turning purple. Off to the hospital we go (in hind sight, we should have called 911). After Xrays, exams, morphine (which Jamie liked.....maybe a little too much), belligerent cursing and a doctor who wouldn't even touch him, we were transferred via ambulance to Children's Hospital in Boston for possible surgery. No surgery, just sedation (like Nate) and setting, cast, sling, waiting for the sedation to wear off and waiting for the hallucinations to stop....we finally were able to go home.

A summary:

1. Nate will have the long cast for 4 weeks, a short cast for 2 weeks and a brace for 2 weeks




2. Jamie will have the long cast for 6 weeks, a short cast for 2 weeks, a brace for a period of time not known at this point and physical therapy.




3. They have both figured out a way to get along with life....showering, tying their shoes, buttoning their own pants etc.




4. It sucks for me because now I have to do the dishes.




5. I have spent about $250 this month in insurance co-pays....

Moving on....

What you see in that picture is Abby's throat. Those are her tonsils touching (and her green tongue.....wonder what she was eating). This has been a monthly thing with her.....weird viruses that settle in her tonsils giving her a high fever, swollen glands that you can SEE and tonsils that swell up, turn red and get all puss like. We go through the motions testing for Mono, but it's never that. And to top it all off, it lasts for 10 days at a time. It slowly wears off and then we have a few good weeks only to start it all over again. We still need to get her 100% better so we can get her a hearing tested (did I tell you that she is having problems hearing?).

It's tough being a princess...... This picture is cute but sad, here she is all dressed up like a princess yet she can't keep her poor eyes open because these viruses kick the shit out of her. She falls asleep at 6:00 PM and sleeps through the night until 9:00 AM the next morning.

And to add insult to injury....Nate failed the eye exam at school. What the hell, what's one more appointment? That is my planner page for October..... Not included on the page is Tommy's teacher conferences on the 24th... That is just the "extra" stuff this month....not including the regular crap (like football practice Tues. - Friday or the 2 football games each weekend etc.) that we do on a regular basis.

And Billy wonders why I insisted he take me out on Tuesday for a margarita!

Another MEME

I have stole this meme from Karen.

37 things about me.

1. Do you like blue cheese? yummy!
2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes? nope
3. Do you own a gun? have no desire to
4. What Kool Aid flavor was your favorite? didn't really like Kool Aid
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not usually
6. What do you think of hot dogs? They are OK
7. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Pepsi or coffee
9. Can you do push ups? no, not even 1 (I tried)
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring, which is made with my Mother in-laws diamond
11. Favorite hobby? Knitting, sewing and using coupons
12. Do you have A.D.D.? No
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? yes, glasses
14. Middle name? Lee
15. Name three thoughts at this exact moment? a. I need to switch the laundry over into the dryer b. I have a tickle in my throat c. Abby should be hungry, I need to make lunch.
16. Name three drinks you drink regularly. Pepsi, water, coffee
17. Current worry? the economy and how it's going to or has affected us
18. Current hate right now? Tampa Bay Rays....they are kicking our a$$es in the playoffs
19. Favorite place to be? CVS.
20. How did you bring in the New Year? complaining about my busted car
21. Where would you like to go? Arizona
22. Name three people who will complete this? no idea
23. Do you own slippers? yes
24. What shirt are you wearing? gray t-shirt
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No, too slippery
26. Can you whistle? not really
27. Favorite color? orange
28. Would you be a pirate? um, no....but my boys would
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing....ever
30. Favorite girls name? Abby
31. Favorite boys name? William
32. What's in your pocket right now? nothing
33. Last thing that made you laugh? my daughter
34. What vehicle do you drive? Ford pick-up truck
35. Worst injury you ever had? Broke my leg (several times)
36. Do you love where you live? not really.....it's convenient, but I don't LOVE it
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2

The Sprinkleheads

My niece Devyn is almost 5. She only knows my last name by hearing it, not by reading it. So the other night she was trying to explain to my sister that she was going to mail me (Auntie) and Uncle Billy some cards and that she was going to use one envelope and address it to The Sprinkleheads. My sister had to ask her several times, "What? What did you say?" because she thought she heard wrong. Nope, she heard right, except for all these years Devyn has heard wrong! She really thinks our last name is Sprinklehead.....

In honor of her and her creative hearing we will now be the Sprinklehead family!!

If you don't know me personally, then you probably don't know my last name.....it's Spengler.

Spengler....Sprinklehead.....I can see (hear) the resemblance...

Two posts in one day!

I stole this meme from Becky . It looked kind of fun so here goes!



The rules:

A.) Go to Music Outfitters

B.) Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year

C.) Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline your favorite. Do nothing to the ones you don’t remember (or don’t care about)



1. Look Away, Chicago

2. My Prerogative, Bobby Brown

3. Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Poison

4. Straight Up, Paula Abdul

5. Miss You Much, Janet Jackson

6. Cold Hearted, Paula Abdul

7. Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler

8. Girl You Know Its True, Milli Vanilli

9. Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird, Will To Power

10. Giving You The Best That I Got, Anita Baker

11. Right Here Waiting, Richard Marx

12. Waiting For A Star To Fall, Boy Meets Girl

13. Lost In Your Eyes, Debbie Gibson

14. Don't Wanna Lose You, Gloria Estefan

15. Heaven, Warrant

16. Girl I'm Gonna Miss You, Milli Vanilli

17. The Look, Roxette

18. She Drives Me Crazy, Fine Young Cannibals

19. On Our Own, Bobby Brown

20. Two Hearts, Phil Collins

21. Blame It On The Rain, Milli Vanilli

22. Listen To Your Heart, Roxette

23. I'll Be There For You, Bon Jovi

24. If You Don't Know Me By Now, Simply Red

25. Like A Prayer, Madonna

26. I'll Be Loving You (Forever), New Kids On The Block

27. How Can I Fall?, Breathe

28. Baby Don't Forget My Number, Milli Vanilli

29. Toy Solider, Martika

30. Forever Your Girl, Paula Abdul

31. The Living Years, Mike + the Mechanics

32. Eternal Flame, The Bangles

33. Wild Thing, Tone Loc

34. When I See You Smile, Bad English

35. If I Could Turn Back Time, Cher

36. Buffalo Stance, Neneh Cherry

37. When I'm With You, Sheriff

38. Don't Rush Me, Taylor Dayne

39. Born To Be My Baby, Bon Jovi

40. Good Thing, Fine Young Cannibals

41. The Lover In Me, Sheena Easton

42. Bust A Move, Young M.C.

43. Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Great White

44. Batdance, Prince

45. Rock On, Michael Damian

46. Real Lov, Jody Watley

47. Love Shack, B-52's

48. Every Little Step, Bobby Brown

49. Hangin' Tough, New Kids On The Block

50. My Heart Can't Tell You No, Rod Stewart

51. So Alive, Love and Rockets

52. You Got It (The Right Stuff), New Kids On The Block

53. Armageddon It, Def Leppard

54. Satisfied, Richard Marx

55. Express Yourself, Madonna

56. I Like It, Dino

57. Soldier Of Love, Donny Osmond

58. Sowing The Seeds Of Love, Tears For Fears

59. Cherish, Madonna

60. When The Children Cry, White Lion

61. 18 And Life, Skid Row

62. I Don't Want Your Love, Duran Duran

63. Second Chances, .38 Special

64. The Way You Love Me, Karyn White

65. Funky Cold Medina, Tone Loc

66. In Your Room, Bangles

67. Miss You Like Crazy, Natalie Cole

68. Love Song, Cure

69. Secret Rendesvous, Karyn White

70. Angel Eyes, Jeff Healey Band

71. Patience, Guns N' Roses

72. Walk On Water, Eddie Money

73. Cover Girl, New Kids On The Block

74. Welcom To The Jungle, Guns N' Roses

75. Shower Me With Your Love, Surface

76. Stand, R.E.M .

77. Close My Eyes Forever, Lita Ford

78. All This Time, Tiffany

79. After All, Cher and Peter Cetera

80. Roni, Bobby Brown

81. Love In An Elevator, Aerosmith

82. Lay Your Hands On Me, Bon Jovi

83. This Promise, When In Rome

84. What I Am, Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians

85. I Remember Holding You, Boys Club

86. Paradise City, Guns N' Roses

87. Iwanna Have Some Fun, Samantha Fox

88. She Wants To Dance With Me, Rick Astley

89. Dreamin', Vanessa Williams

90. It's No Crime, Babyface

91. Poison, Alice Cooper

92. This Time I Know It's For Real, Donna Summer

93. Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson

94. Heavan Help Me, Deon Estus

95. Rock Wit'cha, Bobby Brown

96. Thinking Of You, Sa-fire

97. What You Don't Know, Expose

98. Surrender To Me, Ann Wilson and Robin Zander

99. The End Of The Innocence, Don Henley

100. Keep On Movin', Soul II Soul


Wow, what a trip down memory lane. Some things I realized about the year 1989.....the music sucked! And who the heck is Karyn White? Why don't I know this music artist from 1989 who had a few hits? I also realized I don't like Madonna, I like Gun's and Roses and I really need to download Buffalo Stance ASAP!

Totally Random stuff

1. Today is September 11.....I can't believe it has been 7 years already. Always remember, never forget.
2. I am a simple person. I maybe, sometimes get a little excited over small things. Like the new magic markers I bought for Abby yesterday. The covers are soooo easy to snap on. I used to always only buy Crayola. You have to admit, they are the 'superior' magic marker. But of course, my frugalness (or cheapness, however you want to look at it) usually dictates what I buy these days. So I was at Office Max last night picking up a few things for work and a few last minute things for Jamie (a new scientific calculator....the 3 rd one since 7th grade). I happened to walk by the clearance section (oh, who am I kidding?! I didn't just happen to walk by, I walked by on purpose) and noticed these cute markers.....Office Max brand. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality....and of course the easy snap on covers.
3. I just got a call from a friend. She is involved in newspaper sales....I love newspapers. Do you know why? Because newspapers have coupons in them and I LOVE coupons. So she was telling me how she has all these newspapers in her garage. Apparently the distributor doesn't want them back when they haven't sold. He says to just recycle them. So she is giving them all to me!! And that means I will have lots and lots of coupons (there goes that "simple person" thing again)!!!! I can't wait to tell Louise ("Hi Louise"). And since this is a weekly thing for my newspaper friend, I can have the extras every Sunday. EVERY SUNDAY!
4. I was thinking that maybe I would start another blog. I wanted to have a designated space to post my good deals. Some of my "many" readers ("Hi Barbara"! I think you are the only one who reads regularly.....oh, and maybe Mary does too, "Hi Mary"!) might not know that I am a coupon using, deal getting, money saver. I spend very little (really, like $notverymuch dollars) per week/month/year on groceries, toiletries, clothing etc. I want to share my knowledge as well as have a portal to document these deals. I'll let you know what I decide....
5. I still knit. I knit alot. I want to post more of my crafting/art things here on the blog. I have made 2 baby sweaters and a pair of mittens and quite a few pairs of socks this summer.

I hear someone calling my name.....oh crap, it's the 35,000,000 loads of laundry calling me! I have figured out how to feed my family for pennies but I can't figure out how to decrease my LPW (Loads Per Week).......Any hints?

I am pleased to introduce....

Shayne Elizabeth

Born: 8/30/08 at 4:20 AM

Weight and height: 9 lbs. 1 oz. 20 1/2 inches long

So, yup, my sister had her 4th daughter this morning!! She is a cutie. More pictures later!

It's been too long...

Sorry about that, time got away from me. Things have been hectic around here lately... So, to fill you in how about a little list...or a big list...

1. Abby is sick. She has conjunctivitis (or, "gingivitis" if you ask her). On top of that she must have some sort of virus because she also has a fever. Fun stuff trying to get eye drops in. It took 4 people last night for her first dose. I held her arms down with my body, pulled her lid down and put the drops in and Billy, Nate and Tommy hovered around and got in my way (see, 4 people).
2. On the plus side, one dose of eye drops and her eyes are looking a little better!
3. The kids start school tomorrow!!!! And not a moment too soon....have I mentioned how looooong the summers are for me?
4. Nate and Tommy started football a few weeks ago. I noticed as they get older they get smellier...I need to stock up on deodorant (there must be a sale on Speedstick somewhere right?).
5. My neighbors to the right are absolutely driving me nuts. Noisy, noisy, noisy! During the week, when my kids are trying to sleep, they blast their music...horrible techno music, really loud. And today, at 7:00 AM, they decided to replace the roof and block my driveway and wake up my sick daughter......
6. I love our new oral surgeon. He didn't kill my husband and my husband didn't kill him....all is good.
7. I realized that women are very catty...and I don't like it. Over the last 3 weeks I have had some "woman" issues and needed to go back and forth to my gyno. They recently combined 2 of their offices and now have a huge open office, with very little privacy. It urked me to no end that the whole waiting area now knows my name, address, birthday and phone number....not to mention why I was there in the first place. And as if that wasn't bad enough, I had to sit and listen to the office workers chew apart their coworkers who were obviously not present....And one secretary was really mad at her mother because she was trying to take over the renovations to her house and she was mad at her father because he bought the wrong paint....on and on and on this went. It was horrible. But at least I love my CNM and the nurses are very professional.
8. Abby cut her hair again........while I was at the CNM......she now has a "bob". It looks cute but is too short for ponytails....we worked hard to get it long enough for ponytails since she got it "fixed" last time she cut it.....I am saddened by this.
9. I haven't read nearly as many books this summer as in summers past. I knit more though, so that's a good thing.

I know, boring list..but that's my life in a nutshell, BORING!

Proud Mom Survey

I totally stole this from Mary...I hope you don't mind!!

Proud Mom Survey

1. Names? James Michael, Nathaniel Guy, Thomas William, Abigail Helen Rose
2. Birthdays? April 12, 1992, June 7, 1995, June 17 1998, February 15, 2004
3. Time of birth? 8:07 PM, 11:36 PM, 12:43 AM, 10:46 PM
4. How long did labor last? 17 hours, 12 hours, 2 hours, 4 hours
5. Who was in the room? with Jamie: My Mom, sister Brenda, and 2 other unmentionables. with Nate: Billy, with Tommy: Billy and Brenda, with Abby: Billy
6. How long did you push? Jamie: 4 hours, Nate: 20 minutes, Tommy: 5 minutes, Abby: one big push!
7. Weights? Jamie: 9 lbs. 4 oz, Nate: 8 lbs 2 oz., Tommy: 8 lbs 14 oz., Abby: 7 lbs 13 oz
8. Any hair? Not much for the boys but Abby was hairy like a monkey!
9. Who does your baby look like? Jamie: my dad, Nate: me, Tommy: a clone of Billy and Abby looks like both of us.
10. Be honest...how much weight did you gain while pregnant? Jamie: 60 pounds, Nate: 30 pounds, Tommy: zero and Abby: zero
11. Was baby early or late? 2 days late with Jamie, 4 days early with Nate, on my due date with Tommy and 8 days early with Abby (the last 2 were self-induced......casteroil method)
12. Who drove you home from the hospital? Mom, Billy, Billy, Billy
13. How many baby showers did you have? 4
14. Did you breastfeed? no
15. Who keeps your baby the most? me of course
16. When do you wanna have another? I'd love one more (but I am getting too old....)
17. How did you pick the name? All the first names we chose were because we liked them. The middle names went like this...Jamie: Michael for me, Nate: Guy for Billy's best friend and Nate's godfather, Tommy: William for Billy, Abby: Helen for Billy's mom and Rose for my mom and grandmother.
18. How did you know it was time to go the hospital? With Jamie I thought my water broke (it didn't)...they kept me anyway because I was in labor, with Nate the contractions were so painful I couldn't breathe, with Tommy they had me come in right away because I induced my labor (with permission from my midwife) and it was a good thing because my labor lasted only 2 hours! With Abby they had me come in right away partly because with Tommy my labor was so short...they thought I would end up having her at home.
19. Anyone spend the first night with you at the hospital? Nope
20. Did you cry the first time you held your baby? No, for various reasons. Jamie...I was emotionally drained from 4 hours of pushing, with Nate I just didn't, with Tommy I was "under the influence" of some wacky stuff and was delirious and with Abby I was so relieved (it hurt so bad) I could only cheer!
21. Who cut the cord? Bren, Doctor, Bren, Midwife
22. Where was the baby born? the first 2 at Beth Israel Deaconess, the second 2 at South Shore Hospital
23. Did you record the labor? Pictures, nothing, pictures, nothing

Sunshine on a cloudy day

This morning when Abby woke up she tiptoed out into the living room (where the rest of us were, already awake). She always enters the room and waits in the doorway for me to say it.... Today was no different....she waited until I said, "Hey Sunshine, good morning!!! Did you have a nice sleep?". And then she ran to into my arms for some morning snuggles and kisses.

Lately I have been calling her Sunshine and since I have a habit (I won't say a BAD habit...) of nicknaming my kids, I have been calling her "Sunshine on a cloudy day". Silly, of course. This morning when I called her "Sunshine" she looked right at me and said, "It's Sunshine on a cloudy day..". Um, OK, now she wants to be called Sunshine on a Cloudy Day..I am OK with that. Thank goodness I wasn't calling her Breathe of Fresh Air or Sight for Sore Eyes....that would be way to silly.

Challenger Crossword puzzles are sooooo easy!!!

Well, it's no secret, my kids are smart. Abby is the smartest! Can you believe, that at 4 years old, she can complete a Challenger Crossword Puzzle? The proof is in the pictures!





Cute huh? I love crossword puzzles. Sometimes I indulge myself and purchase a Dell Crossword Magazine. I should buy them more often, especially now that the kids are getting older and able to complete the "Easy" ones with a little help from mom and dad. Abby was smitten with the little squares (her art has been very geometric and squiggly lately...I should photograph some of her pictures...very abstract).

She's such a ham!

My little Abby, she sure does love to pose for the camera!

10 Favorite Movie Characters

This is doing to be easy...I love movies!!

1. Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) (of course!!), "Forrest Gump"



2. Raymond Babbitt (Dustin Hoffman), "Rain Man"



3. Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding and Andy Dufresne (Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins), "The Shawshank Redemption"



4. Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler......a guilty pleasure), "Happy Gilmore"



5. Sybil Dorsett (Sally Field), "Sybil"



6. Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet), "Titanic"



7. Lt. Daniel Kaffee and Col. Nathan R. Jessep (Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson), "A Few Good Men"



8. Farmer Ted, "The Geek" (Anthony Michael Hall), "16 Candles"



9. Andie Walsh and Phil Dale, aka Duckie (Molly Ringwald and Jon Cryer), "Pretty In Pink"



10. Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), "Footloose"

That's just 10, since this is "10 on Tuesday"....but I could go on and on and on and on.

Monday, Music, Michelle, MP3 player

I love Mondays....I love the letter 'M' too. Is it weird I have a favorite letter? My favorite number, if you care, is 3 (or $1,000,000.....especially with the $$$$$ in front!!).

I love the color orange, cauliflower and Neil Diamond. I love my kids. I love the summer weather. I love the smell of sunscreen (smells so "safe"). I love UPS, a good deal and Kohl's.

I love my family and friends. I love my truck, my home and hometown. I love, love, love.....love.

Here's what I am listening to today...

1. Honky Tonk Women, The Rolling Stones
2. Stray Cat Strut, Stray Cats
3. Da Ya Think I'm Sexy, Rod Stewart
4. You've Got a Friend, James Taylor
5. Your Mama Don't Dance, Loggins & Messina
6. Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd
7. Night Fever, The BeeGees
8. Me and Julio Down the School Yard, Simon & Garfunkel
9. Dancing With Myself, Billy Idol
10. I melt With You, Modern English

My MP3 player is a great source of entertainment for me lately. You never know what's next (well, you can cheat...but I don't). I'd love to get more Rascal Flatts on there and more Brian Setzer.

Hope you're enjoying your Monday, I know I am!!

Ten on Tuesday a day late

10 Favorite Sports to Play/Watch

First, I don't play sports. Not since I was in 8th grade at least. So my list will be 10 sports I like to watch.

1. Baseball, specifically the Boston Redsox .
2. Football, Go Pats!
3. Soccer
4. Rockland Little League Baseball
5. Rockland Youth Football
6. Gymnastics
7. Curling
8. Crab Fishing
9. ????
10. ????

I know, only 8...jeesh. And you would think that living here in Massachusetts I would have put Hockey and Basketball on my list but honestly......I'd rather watch paint dry. My favorites up there from my list? My boys teams of course!! Rockland has some great sports organizations and we are happy to be a part of them.

MP3 player

Some people have said I have weird taste in music...... I listen to a lot of different music, mostly older stuff and stuff that doesn't "fit me" (Nelly.....Justin Timberlake....Loverboy..... Too Short (FYI, not for young ears...very explicit lyrics)....etc.). Here's a sample of what I have on my MP3 player....the last 20 songs I have listened to:

1. Harden My Heart by Quarterflash
2. Freeze Frame by the J. Geils Band
3. The Chain by Fleetwood Mac
4. Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel
5. SexyBack by Justin Timberlake, featuring Timbaland
6. Cherry, Cherry by Neil Diamond (the best ever)
7. Poison by Bell Biv DeVoe
8. Let's Live it up by the Brian Setzer Orchestra
9. Jam On It by Newcleus
10. Rich Girl by Hall and Oates
11. Stray Cat Strut by the Stray Cats (Brian Setzer)
12. Rapper's Delight by The Sugar Hill Gang
13. The Stroke by Billy Squier
14. Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley
15. She's a lady by Tom Jones
16. P.Y.T. by Michael Jackson
17. Return to Sender by Elvis Presley
18. Country Grammar by Nelly
19. Desiree by the one and only Neil Diamond
20. She's Gone by Hall and Oates

I have 189 songs on my MP3 player (I have a ways to go before it's full....it's 4 gigs). Of all those songs (and besides my all time love of Neil Diamond) the song I most enjoyed listening to tonight was "Stray Cat Strut". It brought back fond memories. When that song was popular way back when I loved it so much that I insisted that my dad buy me the album (yes, album) and a t-shirt with the Stray Cats on it for Christmas. One of those baseball shirts with the white body and colored three quarter length sleeves. I had purple sleeves....and he got me a pair of jeans to go with it.

email me

If you feel the urge, you can find my email address by clicking on "view my complete profile"....my email address is there. The unfortunate experience I am having with the blog is, my name and email address are so long (sorry) that the text wraps around and it looks silly. So I made a few changes.....like now instead of Michelle from Massachusetts I am Me from MA. And I deleted my email address from the home page.

10 Inventions That Have Made Life Easier

Ten on Tuesday

Ten Inventions That Have Made Life Easier

1. Cell phone. Even though I don't always carry it with me and I only have a cheap pay-as-you-go, I definitely think it has made my life easier. The older boys have them and it makes me feel better knowing that while they are out I can call them.
2. Computer w/Internet. How could this not make life easier? In so many ways having a computer has made my life easier....I use it at work for all work type things (word processing, keeping the books, payroll). At home for banking, playing, kids school work etc.
3. Remote controls, (if you click the link...that's the one we use).....who liked getting up to change the channels on the TV as a kid? yeah, me either.
4. Ebay. I have sold and bought plenty of things...I have found that "hard to find item" that I would otherwise have not. I have sold things and earned extra cash for my family. If you need it or want it...Ebay has it!
5. Air Conditioners.....I couldn't live without them in the Northeast humidity.
6. Crocs, the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. I have bad ankles from multiple injuries (severely sprained ankles...both and broken ankles...both; multiple times...so I can't wear high healed shoes and sometimes even my sneakers irritate my sensitive ankles).
7. Canvas grocery shopping bags. They make my life easier because they are sturdier than the plastic ones offered at the store, they hold more and they are better for the environment...it's a win win situation.
8. Polly Pockets, Abby plays with these for hours. This is a better "babysitter" than the TV!!
9. My digital camera . It doesn't have the most options and isn't "top of the line", but it is a good little, inexpensive camera. I take more pictures with it than I did with my Canon 35mm camera. It came in handy when I needed to take pictures of Billy's car accident. I am able to capture cute and funny things (that I can see instantly and not have to wait for developing).
10. In door plumbing, electricity, base board heat, the automobile, refrigeration, and a multitude of other inventions (the cotton gin) that we use (in one way or another) each and every day that we totally take for granted!

This list is complete with links! I linked to the things I actually use/have (so you can have a little peak into my life!).

Summer

9:01 AM.

It's quiet here (I know, I know...it's a miracle). Abby is quietly playing with her LeapPad (Nate's hand-me-down), Nate is playing Playstation, Tommy is in New Hampshire with Bren and Jamie is at my mom's doing chores to earn cash (it's tough to find a job in this town! He has applied everywhere within walking distance......we live in the center of town; There is a McDonalds, Burger King, CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens, Papa Johns, DAngelos, 7-11, Tedeschis convenient store, about 10 banks, a million liquor stores, several churches and other businesses....and not one is hiring!).

Coffee, light with sugar....yum! So yummy in fact I might have 2 cups. Have I ever mentioned Heather? My friend who makes the best coffee? I once asked her how she does it and like any other super talented person she just shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know!" She's just being modest....she knows it's technique and skill. Or it could be the old coffee maker she has (I think I remember her saying she got it as a wedding gift....her and Steven have been married since 1991 (?)......I know it's August 1st....might be 1992). Anyway, it's the best, for real.

I love the laid back feeling of summer vacation. No rush to get up and go...we can be lazy for a bit. Since I don't have a car, we spend a lot of time close to home. In past years this has been an issue for me. Since we moved here it's not so bad. We live near the library, the Dollar Store (this is like DisneyLand for 4 year-olds!!), the town hall, all the schools, other little shops, the hairdresser etc. So when the mood strikes, we can find something to do. And with the price of gas these days, even if I had a car, I'd still stay close to home....

I have a few things I want to accomplish this summer:

1. Teach Abby to tie her shoes....she tries but hasn't quite gotten it yet.
2. Help her become more independent in the bathroom (ie., *warning, too much info* wipe her own butt)
3. Teach the boys to use the washing machine.....they already know how to use the dryer, but the whole detergent/cycle/load size/water temp thing is a little intimidating....maybe I'll make a "cheat sheet" and post it by the washer!
4. Clean out some of the junk in the basement...when we moved I packed almost everything (12 years of junk) and stacked most of it in the basement when I was unpacking.
5. Shampoo the carpets.
6. Make Abby a few more dresses and a couple pairs of shorts.
7. Make my friend Michelle 2 baby quilts (twins!!! a boy AND a girl!!!).
8. Knit 2 baby sweaters (see above).
9. Go blueberry picking (and strawberry picking too!)
10. Relax, a lot....

There are other things, but that's a start. And of course nothing is written in stone.

There, I went and did it...

I combined my myspace and my blog. Well not really "combined" I just told them each about the other.....

Like I said on myspace...please be nice to me....don't judge.

Champions!!

Well, me being from the Boston area you might think I'd be talking about the Boston Celtics, right? Nope...I am talking about my son. His Little League team (the Mets, sponsored by the Rockland Firefighters) won the championship tonight! And my boy did great!!

Nate was the closing pitcher and made the game winning out (caught a pop up). We are just so happy for him and his team. They worked hard and it paid off. And now that he is 13, next year he'll be moving up to another league. So this was a great way to top off his little league "career"!!

He is exhausted....it's been a long week of games. I am at work right now but I can guarantee you that he sleeps with his trophy tonight (and the game ball, which he got for making that awesome play)!

Way to go Nate!!

"Ten on Tuesday" or "I am such a follower"

I read Carol's "Ten on Tuesday" blog entry today and decided I would like to do it too.

It's no secret that I have been having trouble coming up with interesting things to talk about here on my blog. Not that my "Ten on Tuesday" list is going to be that great or interesting....but, hey, at least it's something!

So this week's topic is: 10 Things that annoy you at work (this is hard because I love my job, I work alone and the things that "annoy" me are really my own fault!!).

1. My "to file" pile gets so overwhelming sometimes I have to devote an ENTIRE DAY to tackling it.
2. I am lonely sometimes.....
3. The walls are dull gray and there are grates on the windows (tiny basement windows....no sunlight gets in).
4. My chair is falling apart (but I am hesitant to replace it.....I've had it for 19 years...) and sometimes the wheels stick.
5. Right now, the photo copier is broken. Not surprising because when one thing breaks (2 printers, 1 laptop, 1 digital camera) everything breaks!
6. I lost a check stub (I am a bookkeeper) and had to try and remember what the check was for so I could apply it correctly....I found the stub....in my monster file pile! I applied it correctly...
7. I need my glasses to see the computer but I don't need them to read....makes it difficult when you are typing a letter for your boss that he has kindly written out for you (or UNkindly if you are my boss...he writes so damn messy I have to refer to my ancient dictionary of hieroglyphics...)
8. MY office is a dump. It is filled up with my BOSSES stuff....so annoying to sit here surrounded by paint cans and blueprints.
9. My cell phone doesn't work in here.
10. When I leave it's usually after 11:00 PM and it's dark and scary outside. So scary that I run to my truck, hop in, lock the doors and fly home (about 2 miles....which I would totally walk if it wasn't so late when I was done).

So there you have it, my 10 on Tuesday!

blogging

yeah, well.....It's dinner time and I am making bacon and eggs. I was going to make ribs on the grill but it is raining (again). So breakfast for dinner it is! I think this is one of my all time favorite suppers...

When I was little kid we often had dinner for breakfast (once a week?) and Friday's were "soup and sandwich" nights. And once a month we got either McDonalds or pizza. Those were good times. I remember when we were old enough to walk to McDonalds ourselves (me and Bren)...my mom would give us $5 and we could get 2 Happy Meals (I was probably 12 or 13 years old)....for $5! We even had change left over....can you even buy one Happy Meal for $5?

Speaking of money...Nate has a field trip this month, to Canobie Lake Park (in New Hampshire). I got the notice last week, you know..the permission slip. It's going to cost $40 for him to go!!! Yup, FORTY FREAKIN' DOLLARS!!! When I was a kid our field trips cost a dollar or 2....the PAC paid for most of it. Now, with the state funding such as it is, the PAC needs to pay for things like books and other supplies. Oh well, what are you gonna do? Not let him go?

Well, bacon's done, now onto the eggs...scrambled in case you care.

Bad blogger

I know, I know. I should blog more often. I mean to it's just that lately I haven't had much to say. My life is so boring! How interesting is severe poison ivy? Or dirty feet from playing outside with no shoes on? How about 25 missing homework assignments? Buying new work boots because your kid wrote inappropriate things on his shoes (16 yearolds, sheesh)? Not interesting.....

Also not interesting....we bought a new washer and dryer (we "stimulated the economy")...and a new vacuum cleaner. I also got new glasses, and a good deal on hamburger patties. Hhhmmm, if you haven't already died from boredom, I had a really good hotdog the other day.

So there you have it, boring stuff about me! Tune in next time where I tell you about the Mike's Hard Lemonade I drank last week (refreshing!).

Pictures

It's a.................

Anyone who reads my blog knows that my sister is pregnant with her 4th child. Today she had an ultrasound and now we know what the sex is......


GIRL!!

They were pretty sure it was another girl (this makes 4 daughters), just because that's what the odds were. They were kind of hoping it was a boy, because you know, they already have 3 girls. But, they are happy, we are happy and she is healthy.

Congrats to Brenda and Dennis and Breanne, Kaylee and Devyn!

Overheard Conversations/Arguements

*picture courtesy of boston.com

First, How about those Red Sox, eh? Very nice, very nice indeed. The home opener was awesome, as expected. The Boston Pops, the players, Bill Buckner, Steven Tyler singing the national anthem, ring ceremony, flag unfurling....doesn't get much better than that (well, except when they actually WON the World Series....that was truly the BEST).

Anyway, have you ever been stuck in a situation where you are able to clearly hear a conversation/argument you have no right listening to? And you can't leave, you are literally STUCK? Well, that happened to me today and I was sooo uncomfortable. My boss got a call this evening, from a client (who I always thought was a good friend, now I am not so sure). Apparently my boss did something (I know what it was that he did, but don't really need to go into details....the fact is, my boss was RIGHT and dude was wrong) to piss this guy off. My bosses cell phone, the earpiece volume, is turned up so loudly that I could hear the ENTIRE conversation, word for awful word (lots of swearing....'F' this and 'F' that...very unprofessional if you ask me). I was stuck because he was standing in the door way to my office, so I couldn't leave. Now, I think that 2 things were going on...because my boss isn't the type that would intentionally let me overhear a conversation like that. One thing, he doesn't realize that the volume is so high on his cell that the whole world and their mother can hear the person he is speaking with and two, he was so stunned by this call he just stood there with a 'dumb' expression on his face....stuck like a deer in headlights. My boss didn't say 2 words the entire 10 minute conversation (well, he said, "hello" at the beginning and "fine" at the end..). After the tirade/rant was over and he was through with his call, he went into his office for 10 minutes before he came out. By his expression and actions I could tell he was shocked. And I was embarrassed...because I heard the whole thing (and what are you supposed to do? Pretend you didn't hear this a$$hole on the phone? Act like nothing? Ugghh...I just continued on with my work and pretended I couldn't hear anything....). I think my boss was embarrassed too, it was really awkward (and that is saying a lot, because when you have known someone for the better part of 30 years...you tend to get past 'awkward moments').

So there you have it...I was speechless (I know, hard to believe!).

Orange Jelly Bean

Kaylee loves orange jelly beans!

Sick house

Uuugghh, it's been one after the other here. First Abby had an ear infection, then Tommy had strep throat, then Nate had strep throat and Abby had another ear infection. Now Tommy is complaining his tummy hurts. I guess helping a sick classmate on friday wasn't the smartest move. But that is how Tommy is, he always lends a hand.

I'll tell you, I'll be in the loony bin if the stomache bug comes through the house.....seriously.

D is for daughter

Guess what I got?

A new camera....and it isn't even broken (I feel so lucky). And Nate is happy too because now he can take pictures of himself and put them on his myspace page! More pictures to follow in the coming days, weeks, months etc.

Wicked pissa!

You Are 92% Massachusetts

Wicked pissa! Now go down to Dunkies and celebrate.

How Massachusetts Are You?

C is for Cookie Monster

Cookie Monster is one of Kaylee's favorites! She absolutely loves Sesame Street and all the characters....especially Cookie Monster.

Princess Abbykins

B is for......

In keeping with the "letter of the week" thing, I need to do "B". Here are a list of all things "B":

• Brenda, my youngest sister. She's quite a gal. She's smart, funny, honest, caring, loyal and generous (among many other things!). She's pregnant with baby #4 and feeling kind of icky....send some "feel better" vibes her way, she could use them!
• Baby, there will be another one in September....keeping fingers crossed that she has a boy this time!
• Breanne, my niece who is going to be a big sister again!
• Boobies, a topic that has come up recently....have you given yourself a breast exam recently? No? Well get to it! It's important.
• Binkie, Devyn gave hers up in December...what a big girl!
• Basket, I have 4 full baskets of laundry that need to be folded.....I am procrastinating.
• Baseball, sign-ups for Nate are tomorrow......can't forget those! And Baseball season is just around the corner! Go SOX!!
• Book, I was finally able to procure a book I had been looking for for years! 'Simply Socks' by Anna Zilboorg.
• Brady, Tom Brady....the best Quarterback ever! Go Pats!
• Bike, Nate's bike was stolen.....again. Last time he found it in the bushes at the Middle School.....this time it is nowhere to be found. That is the LAST bike I will ever buy him. He's on his own now, since I had been telling him since Christmas to move it into the basement.

I know, I am lame....and my camera is still broken so no pictures today. Hope everyone has a nice weekend!

I kind of got the ok to announce this......

My sister, Brenda, is having another baby! It's very early on, so really we should still be keeping it a secret.....but if you know me (and her), that's easier said than done. So here we go again. I am so excited for her.

We are really needing another boy in the family. The last 5 children born have all been girls (Hannah, Breanne, Devyn, Abby, Kaylee)...so it's about time we got a boy. What do you say Bren, can we have a boy this time?

Ah, who the heck am I kidding, I'll be happy with another niece (although, the youngest males in this family are Michael and Tommy....they are both 9 1/2!!!).

So there you have it....and I am quite proud of myself...I kept it a secret for 4 whole days!!

A is for Auntie

Out there in blog land there is a letter thing going on. Every 2 weeks you do a blog post for that letter (we are going in order). This week it's the letter "A". And in our family "A" stands for Abby....... I post about Abby all the time so I wanted to change it up a bit.

So this week, "A" is for Auntie. It's a title I take very seriously. I have been an Auntie many times over, I have 14 nieces and nephews (Krystal, Mark Jr., Jackie, Nicole, Timothy, Matthew, Joseph, Rebecca, Maria, Michael, Hannah, Breanne, Devyn, Kaylee.......then my 4, Jamie, Nate, Tommy and Abby make 18 kids between us and maybe someday I might have another niece or nephew.....you just never know).

I like being an Auntie, I like being called Auntie and love all my nieces and nephews. I like when I call my sister Melissa and one of the kids answers and they say, "Hi Auntie". It's fun trying to guess who it is (there are six kids over there....well, five now...one is married). But each and every time they say it it is said with love and happiness. It makes me feel nice.

I like it when Devyn calls me "Aunts", she is a little stinker and has the quirky names for people (her dad is Dennis Michaelman). She kind of says it like, "Hey aunts, waz up?"......she is 4 years old....it's hilarious.

Breanne is learning how to spell her middle name and is finally making the connection that she was given my name (Michelle) as her middle name. I think she is pleased and I am honored. She is the best person ever to share a name with.

So "A" is for Auntie......I hope I get to have another niece or nephew soon....that would be awesome!

Losing it

Crazy I tell you. It's been over 2 weeks since we had a vehicle and I think it's really getting to me.

I am hiding in my bedroom right now, with my laptop, a can of Pepsi and some Wint O Green Lifesavers. "type, type, type, sip, sip, crunch, sip, crunch, crunch, type, type". I was hoping for some peace and quiet but, well, I have 4 kids and a husband ( a husband who all of a sudden forgot how to "parent" his children). I haven't had but 3 or 4 minutes of steady quiet since I (ran in here screaming my head off) came in here. First it was the usual, "Mom/Honey what are you doing in here?". Then it was, "Mom can I have/do ______?". Then, "Honey where is/what is/how is _______?". And of course I was needed to wipe a butt (Abby is only 3 and still learning), take a slippery, bubble bath covered little girl out of the tub, clean up spilled soda/juice/water and hug and kiss everyone at least once. I think they think I have slipped over the edge and they figured they would get one last "lovin'" in, since it's likely I'll be hitchhiking my way out of town tomorrow (if my truck isn't fixed by then).

I went to the Mall with my sister yesterday (and 6 of our kids....Jamie wasn't with us). It was meant to sooth my soul and get us out of the house except it felt more like work to me (Abby is a full-time job sometimes). The highlight of my day (score at Old Navy, all clearance stuff was marked 50% off!) was watching Poopaylee "run". She makes all the right motions, swinging her arms and moving her feet.....but she is about as fast as a snail. And her little butt butt wiggles and she makes a real serious, "I'm running full steam ahead" face....oh she is sooo friggin' cute!!! And she was so happy to take Abby's old toys home....Fisher Price people last for ever!

Ahhhh, it's been quiet now for awhile. Maybe I'll just rest my eyes for a few minutes........