We are home

It was a LOOOOOOOOONG trip. As usual, I got pretty sick in Louisiana. Sorry if I missed you there (but only if you actually responded to my request to get together. Those of you that didn't get a big stinking raspberry!) I have pics to share. One day. After I've slept a week or so.

Memory Meme

Stolen from Mommy to Ander and Wife to Box

1. Add a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. I can't wait to see what people remember.It'll be fun! I tag all of y'all!

Wow!

I have to say, after almost a decade of infertity, I never in my life imagined I'd see this day. Thank you God for all your blessings!

6/27/08


(P.S. If you're catching me on Google Reader, go to my real page and check out the new widget.)

Happy Anniversary to my sweetheart!

As usual, we are in different states for our anniversary. But our hearts are in the same place. I love this man more every day. He is an awesome father, a fantabulous husband, and one of the best friends I have ever had.

Lots of birthdays

Happy belated birthday (yesterday) to my cousin Joshua.

Happy birthday today to Kerry and to my dad.

Happy birthday tomorrow to Katie's best friend (& Kerry's son) Zachary!

6 Quirks

Marie at Naru Hodu tagged me for the Six Quirks Meme

The Rules:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged me


2. Mention the rules on my blog


3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of mine


4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them


5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

My Quirks:

1. I tend to use parentheses way too much. (I mean WAAAAAAAY too much. Like every 2nd or 3rd sentence unless I go back and edit them out.)


2. Although I am not generally very adept at or noticeful of the cleaning/household arts (especially dusting), I can not move a piece of furniture until the floor over which it is going has been thoroughly swept/mopped or vacuumed. And the wall and baseboard behind it if that is visibly dusty/dirty.


3. I find it very difficult to make any important decisions without asking the opinion of at least 3 or 4 people I know well, love, and/or respect. I don't necessarily follow any of their advice. But for some reason, just knowing it seems to be helpful in my ability to come to a final decision. (This one drives my husband crazy. Because one of his quirks is he thinks he is always right, and gets highly offended if I don't follow his advice. He isn't [always right], but life is generally easier when I can let him think he is.)


4. New electronic toys excite me way too much. To the point that I will waste time online reading about them/drooling over them when I know I can't afford them AND don't need them.


5. I can not follow a regular timed schedule. Despite the last 6-7 years of desperately trying to. And all the mental beating-up I and the rest of the scheduled world subject me to over this inability.


6. I despise disposable plates. They totally ruin the eating experience for me. Plus there is the guilt of putting it all in the landfill, just because someone was too lazy to stick a few extra plates in their dishwasher.

I'm tagging

1. Kristy at Giftie Etcetera


2. Elle at elle, phd


3. Kerry at whiny baby tales


4. Aunt Sharon at Shawkin


5. Frog at Random frog thoughts...


6. Mamaebeth at Mamaebeth

Family Portraits

We had McKenna Hubbs of More Than One Moment Photography photograph us this year. It turned out much nicer than last year, trying to rush from behind a self-timed camera and having nobody to get the littles' attention.

Mom & Dad


Our family; John's family


Jena's family (missing Greg & Paige), Julie's family


Group photo, Grandkid photo


Kid photo, Grampy and his dogs

Visiting friends

While we were in TX, we got to visit my old high school dance-partner-in-crime, and also college roommate for a while, Katharine. (Everytime I would say her name, Katie would yell "I'm Katherine! I'm Katherine! I'm Katherine!) She has 3 kids. Ameer is 4, Halah is almost 2, and Adam is just 4 weeks old. We were really happy to visit, even though it was really short. But they only live about 20 or 30 minutes from Grammy & Grampy, so we will hopefully see them again when we pass through there. Here are some pics from the visit.

Off on another great adventure

We're leaving DFW and heading south to Austin to party with Aunt Chicken & her family. I have photos to post but every time I've had 10 minutes to do it, my brother has been playing poker on my computer. Hope I can get to them soon...

Happy belated birthday to my mother-in-law (6th), her mother-in-law (7th), and her daughter/my sister-in-law (9th).

Family

We are having a great time here at Grammy & Grampy's new house in Euless, TX! The whole family (except TJ) is here. It is crowded, but very nice. John's family is staying with Jena, who is all of 5 minutes north of us. We are staying at Grammy & Grampy's. Julie lives about 45 minutes from here. She is working this week, but will be with us this weekend and next week.

I am usually too busy having fun (or helping unpack) to remember to take pictures, but here are a few that I did manage to take:

Katie loves to show off her photo album to anyone who will look at it. Here she is showing it to Uncle John, and then Grammy. (She previously avoided Grammy, but I guess showing off her pictures was more important than playing shy.)



Grammy & Grampy have cable. The kids are excited to be able to watch NickJr on a real (big!) TV instead of a little square on a computer screen. And to watch Playhouse Disney shows instead of just playing the online games.



Uncle John's kids, cousins Jonathon (14), Jenna (12), & Rachel (10)



Grampy at his new computer station



Sammy took this picture of Daddy (who is about 2 weeks past badly in need of a haircut!). Pretty good aim!



Brooke, Lance, Rachel, Jenna, & Sammy playing our new Ladybug Game



I guess cable is not so great after all. Sometimes what you want to watch isn't on when you want to watch it. Lance and Katie watching Dora the Exporer on my computer.



The newest cousin, baby Lilly, almost 6m old (and only about 4 lbs lighter than Katie)!

Us on tour

We are about to begin the annual trek southward. As usual it will be pretty busy and chaotic. If you are in Dallas, Houston, Baton Rouge, or anywhere along the way, and want to see us, send me an email.

Amanda's twins

Check out Amanda's famous babies! (The diapers are pretty cool, too, by the way. Although I'm not sure I could get used to all the hooks!)

Fashion

Katie loves to pick out clothes. Her own, and everyone else's too. She has a pretty good sense of style, too. You should have seen the pretty blouse she picked out for Daddy to wear to work today! ;)

She also wanted to wear these barrettes that match her outfit so bad, she actually sat still long enough for me to brush the tangles out of her hair AND put it up in pigtails. This is quite a feat, as usually I am brushing her hair on the run... literally! As she is running away from me!

When I tried to take her picture, her brother jumped in front of the camera. (I don't know where he gets that from!!! LOL!) I finally was able to convince him to stand next to her instead of in front of her!

Mom's group kids

Katie in her "movie star glasses." What is it with this girl and being in a box???




While I had the camera out, I figured I'd better get the other kids, too. They are all growing too fast. Before we know it they will be in school or something!



They all had fun playing in the water table. (Katie drenched herself, which is why she took her clothes off).





I really like this picture of Morgan.




Katie took this one!

I am sorry

I must apologize to my husband for making him sound like an unreasonable clod in the last post. I was not at all trying to do that... and he most certainly is not. I was just trying to express my utter frustration at my inability to get a single meal on the table that everyone can eat and will enjoy AND will not make anyone ill or itchy or dead!

Also to everyone who responded, for not responding back. We've been having some awesome weather here, and consequently I am usually supervizing munchkins in the back yard and not upstairs on the computer.

Rant: Food rut

(Desperate plea for help at the bottom. Please don't miss it!)

I have been in such a food rut lately. I can't find anything that I'm in the mood for that doesn't irritate anyone in my family and/or that does not require my undivided attention in preparation.

• Sammy can't have: dairy, soy, peanut (or anything processed in a facility with peanuts), egg, peas, theoretically fish (although he tested allergic, we've not found one he'll actually react to, so allergist said keep giving it to him and just keep an eye on him). Won't touch hot cereal with a 10-ft pole.
• I can't (or shouldn't) have: dairy, soy, egg, beans, yeast, possibly wheat, mushrooms, broccoli, chicken, pork, potatoes, anything white/refined/processed, too many carbs vs. proteins, anything that aggrivates reflux
• My husband won't eat: salad, stir-fry (which the rest of us ADORE), anything that isn't drowned in cheese, anything with bell peppers, anything brown/unrefined/unprocessed, hot cereal except grits (very white/refined)
• Katie: I haven't quite figured her out yet. It used to be there wasn't a meat she'd turn down. Now she doesn't eat very much meat. And she actually voluntarily ate a bite of bread for the first time ever yesterday. Don't let this one know if you have hot cereal for breakfast (or make extra for her) because she will eat at least half of it!
• My brother: doesn't like beef. Prefers chicken. Doesn't even bother to eat with us anyway so I don't know why I'm bothering to list his preferences.

What I need to do is come up with a weekly menu and then if I feel that's too repetitive, have some alternatives. And to find some way to get us to eat more veggies, because nobody gets enough of those around here.

Okay, weekly rotation ideas. Here goes...

Breakfasts: Oat-Bran Muffins, pancakes, Oat Bran (hot cereal), Oatmeal (hot cereal), Quinoa (hot cereal), Bacon or breakfast sausage or ham (need a meat/protein every day)
Lunches: Salad, Sandwich, Pasta, Leftovers
Dinners: Hamburgers, Taco Bar, Spaghetti, soup when it's wintertime (which it isn't), pizza (spelt flour, baking powder instead of yeast, no cheese. Very carby so shouldn't have it often!)

That's it. That's all I can come up with. And half of those are not acceptable to everyone in question. See what I mean about a rut? I can't even come up with a week's worth. No wonder I despise meal planning/prep so much! I need some ideas. Please, please, please share any you might have!!! While you're at it, please share your 3 favorite veggies so I can have some veggie ideas, too.

Please pray

for my friend Stephanie and her family. (The same one who was here visiting week before last.) Her dad died unexpectedly last night.

Old phone pics

Found these photos that I had snapped with my phone but never actually shared.


4/10/07 - Playing at home


5/9/07 - Swinging at Zachary's house


5/11/07 - Swinging at the sand park. (There is NO WAY I could fit them together in this swing now!!!)


8/18/07 - Reading an early morning story (Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear) with Daddy



8/25/07 - At the new "don't play in it" (yeah, right!) water sculpture at America the Beautiful park


9/16/07 Eating strawberry applesauce at Memorial Park after Rachel's skating competition


1/4/08 - making "words" in the bathtub


2/4/08 - putting the numbers in order (he had them in the right order, but by the time I'd grabbed the nearest camera, he'd rearranged them and refused to put them back.)

Sand Park

My kids love the sand park. Last week our friends David, Stephanie, Max, and Gianna were in town visiting, so we met them all there to play. It was great fun! (I wish I had remembered to bring my real camera. But the cell one was better than nothing!)