Wednesday, February 27, 2008

February Catch Up

It hasn't been too long since my last post, but I feel like I'm behind on what has been going on here.

Valentine's Day was nice and low key. The kids and I donned our Valentine aprons and made some cookies.

Only three kinds since I had just pitched the last of the uneaten Christmas cookies. We made Almond Sweethearts (which are macaroons), Chocolate Hearts (meringues), and heart shaped Rice Krispie Treats. I found these strawberry flavored pink marshmallows in the grocery store, so how could I resist? The Rice Krispie Treats were my favorite. I swear I could eat the entire tray, no exaggeration. For dinner I made rack of lamb, potatoes and asparagus. Vince requested this port and cherry sauce for the lamb, but since he took the bag of dried cherries to work to munch on, he got port and cranberry sauce. No one complained. For dessert I made a batch of hot fudge sauce and served it over Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream with whipped cream. Nice and simple. You just can't beat the classics.

The next day was Vince's 41st birthday. Some friends planned to meet us for sushi and we arranged for a babysitter. For once Sophia didn't mind being left behind because our sitter is our friend's daughter and the kids love her. For some reason I felt guilty about leaving the kids behind though, so I made them homemade deep dish pizza for dinner. One was spinach-feta and the other tomato-basil. They turned out so good. I've been wanted to try making it for a while now and finally got off my butt and did it. I'm so glad I did, it will be a regular item at our house now. Of course I had to taste them before leaving for the sushi restaurant, but my sushi appetite was not diminished in the least. There are many things I miss living in Texas, and sushi is one of them. But our friends recommended this place, and it was really good.

The new house is coming along. The rough plumbing has been put in place and last Saturday we picked the brick and stone for the exterior of the house.

Sophia has made getting her school work done in a timely manner her lenten sacrifice. It was pointed out to her that getting her school work done is not actually a sacrifice but something that is expected of her on a daily basis, but I'll take it where I can get it.

That's about it. I've decided I'd like a new digital camera. Ours is over five years old, doesn't zoom, and the flash washes out the color. Maybe the Easter bunny will be good to me.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

He's Trying To Kill Me

If I fall over dead, don't be suprised. It will be from weakening of my arterial walls, or a stroke, or something else stress induced.

Harrison does these things, things he knows he's not suposed to do, but he doesn't know why he does them. And it isn't here or there, now and again, on occasion, it's just about everyday. Everyday there is another, "I don't know", coming from his lips. Everyday I'm trying to understand why he just did whatever it was he just did, that he knew he wasn't suposed to do, but did it anyway.

I could give many examples, the list goes on and on. But just today for example. Sophia got to take a bubble bath in our big tub in the master bath. Harrison wanted to take a bath too. But he's sick. He's sick with a hacking cough. A cough that makes him cough so much he ends up gagging. So I didn't want him in the tub, all wet, and eventually shivering because he won't get out until the water is stone cold and he's therefore shivering. And trying to get him out of the tub before the water is stone cold and he's all shivery, is just more than I want to put up with right now. And I know, I know, I'm the mom. Take charge and all that. Well, I did. I said "no", to the bath, and I even went so far as to tell him why no bath. So why did he squirt Neutrogena Rainbath Gel into his hair after I told him no bath? Why did he come to me, and the first words out of his mouth were, "I put bath gel in my hair, and I don't know why"? I'm thinking it was his sneaky attempt to get a bath anyway. If he put bath gel in his hair, I'd have to rinse it out, right? Rinsing it out would occur in the bathtub, right? Wrong! I stuck his head under the faucet, making sure to only rinse the top of his soapy head. Not that that will teach him. These I don't know moments have been repeated. Numerously.

"I don't know". Those are my trigger words these days.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

That Ain't Oil

Nope, it's water. Our builder sent pictures of our well being dug. What better gift for Valentine's Day than progress?

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Why My Mom Is Da Bomb

Late yesterday I noticed a package left on our porch. It was the package my mom said she was sending us for Vince's birthday and for Valentine's Day. Inside the package was goodies for everyone!

1) For Vince's birthday, she sent a gift card to Roy's. Yuumm, Roy's. Thank you from the both of us, since I'm sure I'll be the one that gets to go with.

2) Also in the package was handmade Valentine's aprons for me and each of the kids. My and Sophia's aprons match with cupids and hearts, but someone had to take the picture. Harrison's apron has puppies and little paw prints. The babies have conversation hearts, one trimmed out in pink (Annamaria chose that one), and the other in purple. So cute!
I love how Francesca is looking at her whisk like, "What the heck is this thing, and what I'm I suposed to do with it?" And yes, the kids are in their PJ's, it was still early when I took the picture. So we're all outfitted for our Valentine cookie baking. And "thank you" Aunt Sue for the extra apron, a spare always comes in handy. ( A cute puzzle fabric one.)

3) And as if my new apron wasn't enough, there was a Starbucks gift card tucked into my apron pocket. Finding it just made me giddy all over. Of course Vince had to roll his eyes. He just doesn't understand, black coffee drinker that he is.

4) A generous contribution check towards Sophia's orthodontic needs. The kids needs some help. Much appreciated.

5) A pair of cords my grandma picked up at the $5.00 store for $2.50. Too small for her, too big for my mom. And while they're not typically anything I'd pick out for myself, they fit. So who am I to refuse a free pair of new pants? Thanks.

It was like a mini-Christmas.


Thank you Grandma Dee Dee. We love you!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Infant Water Safety

O-kay, so apparently this is not new news.
I have been living in a cave in the far reaches outside of civilization.
Admittedly, I don't watch the news, it's usually too depressing and overly dramatic for my taste, so maybe that is why I missed this. But even so, I'm embarrassed to admit that I have four children and none of them know how to swim.
I have memories of swimming for as far back as my memory goes, but I grew up with a pool in our backyard. Still no excuse, my children are not strangers to water. Therefore I will be contacting one of these instructors immediately.

So just in case you've been living in a cave as well, check out this link. It's amazing.

http://www.childdrowningprevention.com/index.html

Then go to www.infantswim.com

Friday, February 01, 2008

Two Weeks

I realized that at first glance my title may be misleading. It may lead one to jump to wild conclusions even. So, just for clarity, no I am not two weeks pregnant, so just calm down. Don’t get excited.

Vince called me this morning, outside of his normal calling routine, to tell me Chris from Salt Creek (our builders) had just called him. She just wanted to let him know, that they’ll be doing the soil testing which should take two weeks. In the meantime they’ll be setting up the stakes to mark the foundation of the house. Once the soil test results come back, ground breaking will begin, and she said the process should just fly from there.

It was all good news. She was just keeping us updated. So why was it, when Vince told me Chris just called, did I stiffen? Clench up a bit even? I held my breath until he was done telling me what he wanted to tell me. It then took me a moment or two to process the information. It then took me another moment or two to realize that the information wasn’t bad. It was good even. They’ll be breaking ground in two weeks. Two weeks! So what bothers me is that I immediately went to the place where something must be wrong. Oh, what is it now?

Over the past year or two we’ve been through a bunch of crappy happenings. So now I’m just expecting it, the crappy happenings that is. But Vince is employed, we’re practically debt free (until we purchase this house anyway), everyone is healthy, etc., etc. But I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’m expecting this house of cards to come a tumbling down. For the sh*t to hit the fan. I can’t just seem to relax, and enjoy the good times while they are here. Because I know, this too shall pass. Just like the crappiness passing, the happiness will pass. That’s life, right? It ebbs and flows, the happiness and the crappiness. You’ve got to take the good with the bad. For every sunshine, a little rain must fall. How many more clichés can I come up with?

It’s my ability, no tendency, to cling to the negative that bothers me. So, how does one become a half-full type person? Is it something you’re either born, or is it something you can learn? I heard a person say, “I believe if you just focus on the positive, all the negative stuff will just go away”. I immediately thought, “Wow, way to live in denial”.

Well either way, in two weeks I should be able to post pictures of more than brush and dirt.