Funny Justice

I heard Justice calling for Ross in the kind of panicky voice that usually means he's about to fall off of something. I rush into the kitchen to find Justice holding on to the phone recharger that he had knocked off of the wall. It wasn't harmed at all, just hanging by the wires. Justice was apparently worried that he was going to get into trouble. He says "Phone, break it... Don't want a spanking... No, no mama. Phone, break it." Have I been too mean in the past or something?
For the record, he was not in any trouble over this.

Crud! Justice just figured out how to open the front door. This is not good!

Oh Yeah, One More Thing for the List

I forgot to add that since being pregnant, my thyroid is giving out. I caught it early, so it's really not a big deal. I just have to take a pill everyday for the rest of my life. And that puts me technically into the "high-risk pregnancy" category. I have to go 45 minutes away once a month and see a specialist to monitor my situation. That actually hasn't been so bad. The doctor and all of the nurses over there are wonderful! I've never felt so thoroughly taken care of before. It's like the 5 star hotel of doctors' offices. I've gotten lots more sonograms than I've ever had before, and they have one of those cool 3-D sonogram machines. I don't think the baby or myself are at any real risk, as long as I take my medicine. The baby looks perfect from every angle so far.

Did I Accidentally Step on a Witch's Toe?!

Did I break a mirror, while walking under a ladder, with a leaky bag of salt, and a black cat walking by, at midnight? Maybe I tripped over a leprechaun. Did I tell the immunity fairy that her mother was a bloated wart hog or something? Did Dionne Warwick tell her taro cards that I had been a bad girl?

I know what it was! I had a 13 year old black cat put to sleep at the end of the summer. That one actually happened. I cried quarts! I loved that cat, but apparently she is using up one of her 9 lives to come back and haunt me with pestilence unending.

Here is the run down:

Since I've been pregnant we in our household have had:

-strep throat
-head lice
-flu
-bronchitis for 2 months straight
-a puking virus
-broken rib twice
-Bruce had some horrible sore throat, where his uvula (the punching bag thing in the back of your throat) was swollen to about the size of his fingertip -no exaggeration. He couldn't eat or talk for about 3 days. He probably should have gone to the hospital because the thing kept gagging him and threatening to cut off his airway.

Within the month of February

-half of the family was sick with a fever that lasts 5-6 days
-a child with an abscessed tooth that had to be pulled out
-pink eye
-a husband with a BAD thrown out back
-me with a cold, which I really hope isn't a recurrence of the bronchitis thing, but I can't sleep at night for all of the coughing, which -as I have given birth 4 times, and am pregnant- makes me wet my pants almost invariably, and is not good on my rib that is still trying to recover.
-and another puking virus

Aside from truly tragic things like people being terminally ill, dying, or losing their testimony, is there anything worse than a puking 2 year old? They don't know that you are supposed to try to puke in the potty or a puke bucket. They just barf where they are. At least most of my house has no carpet. Thank heavens! He barfed all over his bed last night, and then on the couch. Between our normal massive amounts of laundry, the barf, and a child that has recently had a bed-wetting relapse, I am absolutely buried in dirty laundry. I really don't know if it can all be done.

Ross is supposed to be having a birthday party that he invited his whole class to (shudder, oh well, it's only for 2 hours) on Saturday. I am crossing my fingers that we will be well by then. Otherwise I will be on the phone forever trying desperately to call all of the parents to post-pone.

What a winter I am having. But as none of these things are more than annoyances, and nothing truly tragic has happened, I'm doing just fine. I am actually in good spirits today, believe it or not. I'll just start the washing machine up, and get on with life. Sorry for another complaining sounding blog! I feel like that's all I do these days. I must be a real bummer to read! Honestly, I'm alright though. That's just life. I just wonder what the heck is up this year. It must have been the cat thing! I need to go and tie about 20 rabbits' feet around my neck, wash by the light of the full moon in stump water, kill a few chickens, shovel salt over my left shoulder, find about 2 dozen four leafed clovers, and put lambs blood on my door now. See you all later!

The Rash Is Spreading

My hubby has started a blog. Now, lets all be good and visit his blog faithfully -unless he starts to reveal some of my less lovely characteristics, then you must never read him again!- And we'll all leave lots of comments, because we all love comments, and lots of them. And we cry when we don't get them, well, maybe not cry, but definitely pout a bit.

Here's a link

http://monstermoose.blogspot.com/

Okay, Now You've Really Crossed The Line!

Justice's toilet fascination has gone too far this time! I just heard him splashing around in the toilet, then he walks in here with the hair rinse cup, that I keep in shower, drinking from it, and saying "Toilet, drink it." Yuck!

That reminds me of a time when Mark was little. We were over at my parents house, hanging out in the family room downstairs. I realized that I hadn't seen Mark in a while. I went upstairs to check on him and found him and Jonni (my brother's child) in the bathroom with a washcloth a piece, covered head to toe in toilet water, dunking their washcloths in the toilet and sucking the water out. They didn't die, so I guess Justice will survive. It's just eew!

How about another one, while I'm at it. One time, when I was 6 or 7 years old, I was playing at my aunt Marsha's house. A cousin of mine (who shall remain nameless, lest this should embarrass her), and I had been outside playing and gotten completely covered in mud. Marsha put us in the bathtub, and went outside to do some gardening. Now, Marsha and Reid had a glass shower door, that slid on a track. It often got stuck, at least us kids couldn't open it. We had shut the shower door for fun. Well, my young cousin had to go to the bathroom, #2. Try as we might, we could not get that door open. We yelled and hollered, but no one could hear us. She finally couldn't hold it any longer. I have vivid memories of us standing on the sides of the bathtub, banging on the door and yelling for Marsha, with little poops floating merrily along under us.

Probably Not a Good Sign

It's probably not a good thing that I can hear Justice in the kitchen saying. "Mess, mess Mommy! Here Chloe, here Chloe!" Do I really want to know?

The Chuckers

Like father, like son. I just think it's really funny that Justice thinks that you are supposed to drop the chucks!

Funny Family Night Hide And Seek

We had family night one day late this week. Monday was too crazy, and it just didn't work out. (Please, nobody call the bishop on me, okay! ;) ) Anyway, we nearly always play hide and seek as part of our FHE games. Last night we had a couple of things happen that made me laugh. Bruce got found because we could smell his flatulence when we walked into the room, hence we knew he was there somewhere. Then Lydia hid behind me under my blanket. (I often walk around the house with a blanket draped around my shoulders, because I'm always cold.) I was sure that this wouldn't work. I thought for sure they would notice the big buldge behind me. (No cracks about how my backside must be bigger than I thought -okay!) Nope, I was found, but they searched and searched for Lydia and had to be given clues to find her. Mark even hugged me / Lydia from behind and didn't find her. I was cracking up!

Aside-my spell check has stopped working on this thing! It agrivates me. I'm not a terrible speller, but I don't spell absolutely everything right. I implore you to ignore my ignorance.

Another Shamless Plug

My older readers are probably sick of me saying so, but for you newer readers, I'd love for you to check out my brother, John & my blog. The link is on the side bar. It's pretty funny. We aren't always good about updating it, but everynow and then, one of us will put in a nugget or two.

Is It Any Wonder That My Dog Is Overweight?

The best friend is an enabler! While I was sitting here blogging, Justice fed Chloe about half a dozen HUGE leftover pancakes.

Of Gloves and Things

First off, can I tell you how happy it makes me to see that the number of days left on my baby count down is shrinking! It makes me happy that I now have fewer days to go than days so far. I am not one of those wonderful women who love pregnancy. I like the idea for a week or two, then I'm tired of it. I really shouldn't complain. I have easy pregnancys, but I don't like that every workout I get slower, I don't like not being able to do all of the races. And I don't like that my veins (which were already bad) are now absolutely horrid, and painful, very much so, from time to time. There now lets all tell Renae "WAH! You poor baby, now get over it!" Such a whiner about nothing!

Anyway, Oh happy day! I am taking piano lessons again! I so love piano! Someday, I hope I can be really good at it. People who haven't walked that road just can't appreciate how long it takes a person to get actually good at it. I didn't really start piano until I was about 17. I started out reading the bass clef "All Cars Eat Gas" style. It's been 15 years, and I can play some pretty darn hard things that I have put endless hours into. I can sight read most things from the hymn book, even in front of people, and not make a complete mess of it. But still, I am a far cry from Aunt Marsha! Someday!

About the gloves, I sent Ross & Mark to school today with a glove a peice. It is bitter cold outside, and I felt bad for them, but it's their fault. I can't tell you how many pairs of gloves / hats the two of them have lost! I check every morning, just as part of my routine, to make sure that all 3 of my school age children have gloves and a hat. I tell them to put them in their coat pockets when they take them off. Lydia is pretty good. She's only lost 1 1/2 pairs this year. Ross & Mark are constantly coming home with no gloves. I had to drive them to school today, so I went into Mark's classroom, to look into his locker. I was sure that I'd find it piled high with stray gloves. Not a one. So, being the too nice person that I am, I gave Mark the gloves out of my own coat pocket, and gave Ross the one that Mark had. Now they both have a set for today. I have threatened them -and I'm afraid I will have to make good on it- that the next person to come home with no gloves will have to wear the Barbie gloves. I have a pink pair of Barbie gloves that Lydia won't wear anymore. (Barbie's aren't cool anymore. All of the girls -except for Lydia, thank heavens- love Brats instead. Lydia doesn't like Brats either, but she is too embarressed to wear Barbie anything to school. On a whole other subject, I detest Brats, or as I call them "Tramps in Training." It's a sad commentary that Barbie is the more modest option for little girls. Anyway, I digress.) Anyway, Ross or Mark will have to wear the Barbie gloves to school one of these days. I will have to buy more gloves for them, but they are going to pay for them.

Am I way too whiney? I apologize! Winter is taking it's toll. Yay for Spring being weeks, a month, whatever it is, away. I can't wait!

We Have Finally Decided On a Baby Name

Plasticblackboxinthebackofmytruck

Catching up on About a Million Things that I've Thought About Blogging About Lately (Did I use the Word "About" Enough?)

The Ultimate Weekend

Lydia and her friends at her 10th birthday sleepover. They tried to sleep all of them in one bed, but I don't think it worked. Can't imagine why.
Here's a week ago when we all went sledding. It was great fun! (I just watched -the whole pregnant / broken rib thing- but I always have fun watching the kids having fun.)

A Week of Sickies

Well, we came down from all of that fun to have half of the family sick with a fever that gets up to 103 and last about 5 days. Lydia missed an entire week of school. Bruce and Justice are sick too. I've been playing nurse, and despite snuggling a sick little boy all week, I am still healthy. Thank Heaven! I'm hoping that everyone will get well soon, and that Ross, Mark, and I can continue to resist this one, so that we can be done with it soon. I've never had anyone miss more than a day or two at a time before (except for the time when Lydia broke her leg and the doctor made her stay home for almost 3 weeks -she had a tutor then). I think Lydia's brain will probably melt soon from too much tv. Justice is funny, he hasn't wanted to do anything but sit on my lap most of the time. I don't treat a fever until it breaks at least 102. A fever is the only thing that can kill a virus. So, as it's not actually harmful until it reaches like 105 -they just feel like crud- I just let them keep their fever . Anyway, I have given Justice Tylenol a couple of times. You can always tell if he's been recently medicated. He goes from a droopy-eyed whiney little boy, that will do nothing but sit on his mother's lap, to a droopy-eyed little boy who throws things all over the house, climbs on everything, gives the telephone an oatmeal bath, and puts dog food down the heating vents. He's almost easier to deal with when he feels bad! Nah, that's a horrible thing to say.

My OCD

Every now and again, I think I'm a bit OCD. I had a serious moment the other day. I needed a little shake or something. The kids had been watching tv and left if on. I plopped down on the couch to take a little time out from cleaning the house, Sponge Bob Square Pants was on, and being too tired to care, I just watched that for a bit. Sponge Bob and Patrick burst into Sandy's house (Sandy is a squirel who lives in a bubble thing at the bottom of the ocean) and left the door open. I kept worrying that her house would fill up with water. I seriously felt a physically anxious feeling for a couple of minutes. It was of absolutely no consequence on the show, they went on and didn't show the door again. But I was sitting there feeling stressed out because they left the door open. What a dork! Get a grip Renae!

I had more to blog about, but I'm sick of it for the time. Another time perhaps. Have a great day! Thanks for reading me!

We are having a snow day! We got, I'm guessing, 8-10 inches of snow last night. Lydia said earlier "It's the perfect day!" We had pancakes this morning, the kids went outside to play after breakfast. I told the kids that if they get their rooms super clean today, I'd take them sledding later on. Tonight Lydia is having 7 or 8 girls over for a birthday sleepover. Bruce & Ross are going out to the movies, and I think Mark is going to spend the night at a friend's house.

This morning, before he left for work, Bruce dared Ross & Mark to run to the trashcan and back, barefoot. Here it is. Goofy people!