Little Max Visits The Doctor

It was a cold day in central Texas, and Little Max had to go to the doctor. So, Little Max's mother fed him, changed him (as he peed all over the changing table) and bundled him up. Then they were off. Upon arriving at the doctor's office, the nice nurse asked Little Max's mother to take off all his clothes, including his diaper, so they could get an accurate weight for him. Little Max proceeded to pee all over the exam table, the nurse's hand and a portion of his own clothing. With the mess mostly cleaned up, the group trooped off to the scale. "8 lb. 8 oz." the scale read and the nurse recorded. Then they all made their way back to the exam room. The nurse said to put his diaper on, but leave him unclothed. Little Max was not happy about being left naked, so his mother bundled him up in a blanket to keep him warm until the doctor could get there. Just as Little Max was about to doze off, the doctor appeared. She listened to Little Max's mother explain the woes of the last few days, did her exam and pronounced her disappointment in Little Max not being back up to his birth weight. She ordered a series of tests to try to figure out what might be plaguing the wee child (including a catherization to check for a urinary tract infection and a couple of blood tests to check the bilirubin levels and to rule out any significant problems), and she requested that he be weighed again. Then the doctor left Little Max and his mother in the capable hands of the nurse, who came in to fill the doctor's orders. First, she performed the catherization, causing Little Max to pee all over the exam room once again and making him unbelievably angry (and causing his mother to leak out a few sympathy tears). When he had recovered from that ordeal, she stuck his little heel to draw the blood. Her goal was to fill two separate vials and put four dots of blood on a piece of paper. She expertly filled the vials and then began to work on the paper. She had completed only one of the dots on the paper when Little Max's mom happen to notice her son's blood spilling out of one of the vials all over the exam table. This caused the nurse to feel flustered and Little Max to feel upset, as more blood now needed to be extracted. Thankfully, another stick was not required, as Little Max was bleeding quite freely from the first stick. Finally, with all that drama behind them, the group made their way once again to the scale. "8 lb. 6 oz." the scale read. Little Max's mother and the doctor found the results completely baffling, as the boy appeared to be shrinking before their very eyes while still seeming to be relatively healthy. Having used up all the wipes and diapers in her diaper bag, and having agreed to bring Little Max in again in just five days to have his weight re-checked, Little Max's mother gathered up her son and her belongings and wearily headed for the pharmacy to fill a prescription for reflux medication--which the doctor thought might help with all the other problems Little Max seemed to be having. Later in the day, the nurse called to say the the bili counts were down to normal and there was no evidence of a urinary tract infection, which was good news. Still, the whole experience was quite exhausting for both Little Max and his mother and both were glad to have it behind them.

The End

Please Stand By...We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties

Well, we've had some computer problems the last few days, but I think my tech guy has got them all worked out now. We are also experiencing some technical difficulties with Watts Baby 3.0. This child who slept for six hours for several nights in a row at only a week old, decided at 10 days old to grow out of that. He has been very cranky during both the daytime and the nightime the past couple of days/nights. It seems to possibly be tummy trouble, but nothing seems to really soothe him or make him feel better. It's just the saddest thing. I feel so very bad for him and so completely helpless. We have another visit with the doctor scheduled for tomorrow, so I'm hoping she can give me some useful advice that might make life a little more bearable for all of us.

Grandparent-filled Weekend

It was a fun weekend, with all the grandparents--and even a great-grandparent--popping in for visits.

Look Closely

If you look closely, you will notice that that is a pull-up diaper on my son's head. This is how Weston presented himself to us first thing this morning. He came down the stairs grinning from ear to ear, saying simply, "Hat." I laughed so hard, I almost cried. And even better was that he chose to wear his "hat" for half the morning.

All My Children

The Brain: Ruth's school report for today included the news that she is in the process of writing a six-page "book" about Max's arrival, which she will finish tomorrow. She has been working on this for several days and even had to ask her teacher for extra pages in order to finish. Each page contains an illustration and 1-3 sentences. There have been some visiting teachers in her class this week, who are specifically there to observe her teacher teach writing, and they have been very impressed with Ruth's work.

After school, Ruth began reading The Great Illustrated Classic Swiss Family Robinson (a 3 pt. AR book)! She was flying through it, working her way through words such as "accomplishment," without even stumbling. The book is a challenge to her really only in how long it is.

As a bonus, Ruth got an extra peg (the reward system employed by her teacher) for cleaning up her whole table while some of her desk mates were goofing off. That peg bumped her up to 10, which allowed her to pick a prize from the treasure chest. We are so proud of her for all her accomplishments--not to mention all her help around the house!

The Brawn: Weston figured out how to open the door to his new room today and successfully escaped from his afternoon nap, if only briefly.

But, of course, there is much more to this sweet boy than sheer force. He has been a huge help with Max, rushing to bring us diapers and taking dirty diapers to the trash can, and generally just being very sweet to his little brother.

He has also had a lot of potty success this week.

And he has learned the "chorus" of the 10 Little Monkey Story: ...One fell off and bumped his head. Mama called the doctor and the doctor said, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed." He has even worked out some motions to go with it. It's adorable.

The Babe: Max slept in four-hour stretches last night, meaning I only had to get up once in the middle of the night to feed him, meaning I actually feel human today!

He also had his newborn check-up today. The report was mostly really good. He just has a minor jaundice problem. The doctor recommended that we give him a little formula after each regular feeding to hopefully flush the excess bilirubin out of his system. He will be re-checked tomorrow morning. But in the meantime, Ruth and Weston are thrilled to get to feed him a bottle.

The doctor also recommended that we put Max on his belly a few times a day, so this afternoon I did. I'm not kidding when I tell you he attempted to crawl! True, it may have just been a reaction to the extreme anger he felt at being put in that position, but I really don't think so. I, of course, think it is simply because he is brilliant and very advanced. But that's just me.

We are so very proud of our kiddos and are thrilled to watch them learn and grow. Each new day brings something else to be excited about--and brag about! Thanks for indulging me.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Rub-A-Dub-Dub, we've lost our tub.
And where do you think it could be?
I've checked the garage, the closets and Mom,
But the search yielded nothing, you see.

How does one lose a baby bath tub? Especially when one knows where all the other baby things are? It is a puzzle, indeed. We made do with a little tub from the hospital, and Max had his first sponge bath tonight. Don't be deceived by the picture; he didn't like it one bit!

Cuteness, Cooking, And Cat Naps

So "C," as it turns out, is not just for "cookie," as Cookie Monster originally suspected. Although, cookies are definitely excellent and did figure into the day. But, I'm sure you're not really interested in that little tidbit. The big activity of the day for me was a trip to the grocery store. Having been cooped up in a hospital room the last few days, I thought a little outing would do me good. It was good to get out, but the trip (combined with my sore body and my serious lack of sleep last night) completely exhausted me. But, fortunately, I was able to catch a little cat nap this afternoon, while Jeff took charge of the troops. And speaking of Jeff, he spent the majority of the day cooking yummy things with which to fill our freezer for those days in the not-too-distant future when there will be no one here to cook for us. What a man! But, I know you aren't here to hear about all that. You're here to see the cuteness. So, in an effort to keep you as a faithful reader, I will reward your diligence with this adorable picture of little Max.

Meet Max

Max Andrew Watts made it safely into the world on Saturday morning (despite a few minor struggles), and safely to our home today. He is eating well and sleeping well, and seems to be generally happy and healthy. His big brother and sister are (mostly) very happy to have him join our family, and Ruth's first commentary on the whole situation was priceless: "He's so little, but your tummy sure was big!" We are praising the Lord for the blessing of this new little life, and we are thankful to all who helped us welcome him into the world--through prayers and love and medical expertise. You'll definitely be hearing more about this little guy in the days...and weeks...and years to come!

Never Say Never

Well, nevermind that lower lip hanging down in the last post. We are on our way to the hospital...

Stalled Out

** This Post Contains Adult (Woman) Content**

So two weeks ago, I went to the OB/GYN and she said I was dilated to 1 1/2 cm and was 50% effaced. I thought that was a pretty good start, considering I was still three weeks from the due date. Last week she said I was dilated to about 2- 2 1/2 cm and still 50% effaced. Since then, I have moved furniture and cleaned and organized, etc. etc. I've had lower back pain and various other discomforts, so I thought I was really making progress. I just knew when I went in today she was going to say, "Well, you might as well just go ahead and go upstairs; you're going to have this kid any minute." Imagine my disappointment when she said instead, "No change since last week. See you next week." The last few weeks of pregnancy are just torture--in more ways than one. The hardest part, though, is definitely the waiting. So close, yet so far away, you know?!

And Now For The Moment You've All Been Waiting For...

(Or at least the moment I've been waiting for for a couple of weeks)...

We moved Weston into his big boy bed tonight. He was thrilled!! And we are thrilled! If it weren't for this fairly constant pain in my lower back, all would be right with the world! Yippee!



(And if he isn't just the very picture of cuddly cuteness, I'd like to know what is)!

Girl's Night Out

Some of my long-time (since Ruth was a baby) girlfriends took me out for dinner tonight to celebrate the imminent arrival of Baby Watts. We all have busy lives and don't get to see each other as often as we'd like, so this was a truly special time. Thanks so much, ladies, for treating me not only to some neat and much-needed baby things, but also (and maybe more importantly) to a night out.

The Hero Of The Day Award Goes To...

...My Mom! She showed up at my house today--as a total surprise--with her work clothes and can-do attitude to help me get some of the overwhelming mess under control. By the time she left, we could see the floor in the baby's room and were even able to vacuum in there. (Which may not sound like too great a feat, but you should have seen what we started with)! Jeff also got the "big boy" bed moved into Weston's new room. It is still unmade, but hopefully before too long he will actually be able to sleep in there. There are still plenty of things that I would like to get done before Baby arrives, but after today, I feel like he could show up anytime without sending me into some kind of stress-induced meltdown--which is good for everyone I assure you!

Back To Normal

Ruth was back at school today and Weston was back to focused potty training. I paid a pile of bills and even [gasp] cooked a real dinner. So, I guess we're pretty much back to normal...whatever that is. Vacation is definitley more fun, but a healthy dose of "normal" never hurts, I guess.

"You Might Want To Give Some Serious Thought To Thanking Your Lucky Stars You're in Texas"

My parents have a little plaque in their house with this saying on it. I can't find who to credit this quote with, but I love it. I'm always thankful to be a Texan, but never more so than a January day with temperatures in the mid to upper 70s. (Even as I type this the temperature is 70 degrees)! It's awesome. The kids spent half the day running around in the yard barefooted and half-dressed. We've got the ceiling fans on full-blast and the windows open. I can't think of any better way to do winter...unless I were to be on some tropical island somewhere, but barring that, Texas winter suits me just fine!

A Place For Everything, And Everything In It's Place

Oh, how I wish that were true! But it simply isn't, so we're just having to improvise. The nesting continues--slowly but surely. We actually have the cradle in place now...and lots of other things out of place. At one point I felt so completely overwhelmed, I just sat down and cried...and cried and cried. It was completely ridiculous, but it felt good to get that out of my system. I do think we're going to get there. And, as Jeff was kind enough to remind me, even if we don't, it's not really that big a deal. Ruth told me at dinner that it feels like we have a totally new house, if that gives you any idea what things have been like around here.

*For those of you inclined to worry, please don't. I'm not doing any heavy lifting and I even allowed myself the luxury of a nap today.

Showered

Both sides of the family gathered at my parents' home today to shower us and little "Tater/Jon Deer" with lots of love and gifts. We had such a great time and we got lots of neat things--including (but not limited to) the all-important new car seat, diapers in every size, lots of cutie-bug clothes, cuddly blankets and adorable hooded towels. It was a very fun party, and now little Baby Watts' imminent arrival seems more real than ever. We can't wait! I was particularly touched by a couple of little notes Ruth wrote to her new little brother and I will share them here. The words are all hers and they are just so sweet.

"Baby Bruther,
I love you Jondeer. You are my little bruther, Little Jondeer."

"Baby,
I love you and I cer (care) about you. Love, Ruth."

Nesting

I guess I'm in "nesting" mode now. Either that or I've just realized that I'm about to have a baby and have absolutely no place to put him! Anyway, I attacked no less than five rooms in my house today, leaving a bigger overall mess than when I started! Why is it that to clean up, one must first destroy?! I think there is a light at the end of this tunnel somewhere. And I think we may actually find a place for this kid if he doesn't decide to show up tomorrow!

Movie Madness

Jeff and I have been in the mood to see a movie in the theater lately, so after we dropped the kids off last night, we headed on over to see what was showing. We got there just after all the movies we were interested in started, and so decided to put it off for another night. This evening, we checked online to see when things were showing and headed over to the theater (a different one, I might add) in what we thought was plenty of time. Unfortunately, the show we wanted to see was sold out there. Finally, we headed over to yet another theater in the hopes of seeing a different movie. We were successful in getting in, but about 20 minutes into it, the fire alarms went off and everyone was herded outside into the freezing cold. Just as we were about to throw in the towel, the manager announced that it was a false alarm and that they would start the movies back up where they left off or give a refund to those who didn't want to stick around. We decided to stay, and through our diligence, finally got our movie watched. It was crazy, but it was still fun to be out on a date. We saw the new National Treasure movie, by the way. It was pretty cheesy, but still kind of a fun movie.

And We're Back

Well, some of us are back. The kids are spending a few days with Jeff's parents before they go back to Las Vegas. We are hoping this will be the perfect opportunity to get everything ready for our new little guy--who will be here surprisingly soon! We had a really wonderful holiday and hope you all did as well. We are thrilled that we had so much time to spend with family and friends! We are celebrating all the blessings we received in 2007 and looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us in 2008. Happy New Year!

We're Out Of Here

When all of the things that need to be done get done tomorrow, we're hitting the road and won't be back until sometime in 2008. I may show up here from time-to-time, but don't count on it. I just wanted to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season. And I wanted to leave you with an old song that has newly touched my heart as I have listened to people around me wanting this or that, and as I've been asked over and over what it is that I want/need. There are, in fact, a few things I need and this song pretty much covers it.


In Need

In need of grace
In need of love,
In need of mercy raining down
From high above.

In need of strength
In need of peace,
In need of things
That only You can give to me.

In need of Christ
The perfect Lamb,
My refuge strong
The great I Am.

This is my song,
My humble plea:
I am Your child
I am in need.

©1996, Reliance Music
Words and Music by Ross King

Brown Paper Packages, Tied Up With Strings...

...These are a few of my favorite things!

Jeff and I have recently ordered several things online, and so we've had delivery people showing up at our house every day this week. I have to tell you that I secretly get so very excited when I see the UPS/FedEx/DHL/mail truck on our street that I almost can't contain myself. And, secretly, I'm always VERY disappointed when it doesn't stop at my house. I may have mentioned that I LOVE to get fun snail mail, but a package just makes me flutter inside. And, apparently, it makes no difference to me that I am the one who ordered the package and know very well what's inside. I still get giddy--even if it's something completely mundane. It's a wonder I haven't become addicted to QVC or HSN or something. We are scheduled to receive more packages tomorrow, so I shall sleep in peace knowing I have something so exciting to look forward to. Sweet dreams to you, too.

Mixing Business With Pleasure

We met up with Jeff's aunt and uncle tonight to deliver some sugar scrubs and enjoy a delightful dinner. They live in Canyon Lake, so we decided to meet half-way, which put them in Austin and ironically, put us still in Austin. (It's a long way to the south side of town from here, folks). We ate at Texas Roadhouse, which was a new experience for Weston and I, though the others had eaten there before. There is something truly special about a place where they have barrels of peanuts sitting around and you are actually encouraged to throw the shells on the floor. Ruth, of course, thought this was absolutely the best thing in the world, and almost made herself sick on peanuts just so she could keep throwing the shells down. Weston especially enjoyed the fact that the bread arrived at the table at the same time we did, though he became quite sleepy half-way through the meal and began trying to fall out of his booster seat so he could lay down on the cushy booth seat. The food was really good and the company even better. It's so nice to live close enough to family to get to do things like this from time to time.

Are You Free Between 8:00 and October?

As you all know, my dishwasher decided to die on me just after Thanksgiving. And so, since then I have been waiting somewhat patiently to have it replaced. My waiting included these steps:

• Call Home Warranty Company (HWC).
• Be transferred to Service Company (SC).
• Set up appointment with SC. ("We can come out on Monday...between 10:00 and 3:00. Do you need us to call you before we show up")?
• Bad report for dishwasher from SC.
• Wait for HWC to call with my options.
• HWC calls, but hasn't really read the diagnostic report. ("I guess we haven't done the proper research. We'll have to call you back").
• Wait for HWC to call back.
• They never do.
• Call HWC to find out what the heck is going on.
• ("Oh yes, it looks like you are eligible for a new dishwasher. Here is a model number of what we are willing to put in. You need to go to a store or look online to see that this one will fit in your allotted space and that all the hook-ups are the same").
• I look it up online, all the while pondering how on earth I'm going to know if all the "hook-ups are the same," then say the heck with it and order up.
• I call HWC to inform them of my decision.
• HWC goes through a very long disclaimer about what isn't covered, making me think they are definitely hustling me and that no matter what I order, there will most definitely be a problem.
• HWC agrees to ship the new dishwasher to my house--in 5-7 business days. ("We can call you back tomorrow to give you a more narrow time frame.)"
• HWC actually calls back, informing me when the dishwasher will arrive and that I need to call the SC when it does to set up the installation. ("Looks like we can deliver your dishwasher on Friday--between 10:00 and 2:00").
• Delivery Company (DC) calls at 6:45 Friday morning to say that they are on their way and should be to my house in 20 minutes.
• DC leaves dishwasher in garage.
• I call SC when they finally open for business around 9:00. ("I think we can get to that on Monday--between 10:00 and 2:00").
• New dishwasher is finally installed and old dishwasher sits in garage waiting to be hauled off to the dump--because that is one of the things that neither the HWC or SC is responsible for.

I'm thankful to finally have a working dishwasher, I just wish I could have had it a little sooner. And, really, what is it with service companies and their all-day time-frames for getting things done?! I can understand a small window of time, but all day is ridiculous! And then to have the audacity to ask if they should call first! As if we're all just sitting around with absolutely nothing to do but wait for them to show up! It's ludicrous! But, I digress. The point is, I have a new, working dishwasher and no more puddle in the floor...And I only had to wait two weeks for it!

All's Well That Prints Well

The hero came through with the printer.

True tragedy was averted.

The damsel is in less-distress.

They printed off into the sunset.

All's right with the (printing) world.

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another

What I need is a little more stress in my life just now. I mean, here I am with nothing to do, nothing to worry about, really not a care in the world--if only something (or everything) could go wrong, that'd be great! (And if you didn't catch the sarcasm dripping from that non-verbal statement, let me assure you it was full of it)! Today, it was the printer. It died, what sounded like, a truly painful death. But the real pain came when I realized that I have lots of sugar scrub orders to deliver this week and not enough labels to make the products official. Will the fun never end?! Guess I'll be getting cozy at the print shop tomorrow, while I wait for my knight-in-shining-armor to ride up with a new printer and save me from my woes. (He did promise he would try to get me a new printer tomorrow, but then, of course, it has to be installed and I have to figure out how to use it--blah, blah, blah). If I go to bed now, I may just be able to put off another pitfall until tomorrow!

*On a positive note, the leaking jar fiasco seems to have been resolved satisfactorily. Thank goodness for that!

Meet Body Dulce's Newest (And Best) Salesman

The Curves where I work out is hosting a "Member's Bazaar" this week, where they allow members who have something to sell to set up a table and hock their wares. This event does not require you to actually be at your table (or even in the building), but if you want to come up, they don't object as long as you don't hassle the people who are trying to work out. I find it helpful to be there, because when I have a chance to talk to people face-to-face and tell them about the products, they are more apt to buy them. Obviously, if I want to go up during the day, I have to bring my Little Shadow with me. I wasn't at all sure how this would work out, but decided to give it a shot. He has been perfect. He brings his little backpack, filled with entertainment and also really enjoys the music and the attention he gets. This morning, he even got the attention of a couple of ladies looking at items on another table, and pointed to the scrubs on my table and said something that sounded just like "Body Dulce." And, seriously, who could resist a sales pitch coming from this little cutie?! The bazaar is going well, and I think sales will continue to pick up as the week progresses. I think if I keep my very best sales' guy on the job, it's sure to be a success.

Christmas Cards

One thing I really love about the holidays is getting Christmas cards in the mail--and we got our first one this weekend! I'm always a fan of fun snail-mail, but the Christmas cards generally carry news and/or pictures of friends and family, some of whom we don't see very often. So it's neat to see how everyone has changed and to learn what's going on in their worlds. Now, I'm not saying any of you have to send me a Christmas card, but know that if you do, it will be appreciated. And if you send a picture, you will even be awarded a place of honor on our fridge. Our cards go out for New Year's, so if you're waiting for us to reciprocate, just hang in there and know you have something to look forward to even after the other cards have been opened and the gifts have been put away.

Re-work

"To work again."

As in: "Hi. This is the salon carrying your sugar scrubs. Over half of the sampler packs I recently bought from you are leaking oil. Could you come by and take a look at them and see if you think this is normal?"

And: "Oh my goodness! That is definitely NOT normal. I will take them all back and replace them for you."

So everything has now been re-worked. The recipe. The jars. The bags. Everything. I've heard that these kinds of things just happen sometimes when you are starting up a business, but I was completely mortified! Fortunately, the lady was very nice about it, and the problem seems to have been resolved. But I'm exhausted--partly from the stress of it and partly from the re-working itself. See you all back here tomorrow for, hopefully, a less than woe-is-me post!

Dishwasher Woes

I'm pretty sure it is never a good thing when your dishwasher dumps most of its water on your kitchen floor at some point during the wash cycle. And, unfortunately, that's what's happening when I run my dishwasher these days. So, I dutifully called the home warranty company, who dutifully sent over some technicians, who diagnosed the problem with realative ease. "Looks like your heating elelment is warped and has burned a hole in the bottom of your dishwasher tub and in the spray arm, and that's what's causing the problem." The service company dutifully turned their report back into the warranty company who dutifully called me today to give me my options. They dutifully neglected to actually read the service report, however, so they were unaware of the holes. "Holes?! I didn't know anything about any holes...Can I put you on hold for a minute." We'll the lady very sheepishly admitted that they hadn't done the proper research, and she wasn't sure what we needed to do next...but she would definitely get back to me--later. So, after hosting a dinner party tonight, I am dutifully running my dishwasher--with all its holes--with a towel down on the floor to absorb the water. We all have to make choices. I choose not to hand-wash all those dishes!

Reading Update

Ruth's newest reading poster was points-based rather than book based--meaning she had to earn 5 points rather than read a certain number of books. We are assigning points to the books based on the points assigned by the Accelerated Reader Program. Most of the books she has read up to this point have been zero or half-point books. Well, today, she finished her first 1-point book-- a 55-page, 7-chapter book with mostly words and only a few pictures. She's been working on this one for a while, but today she insisited on reading for two straight hours just so she could finish. This completed her poster and boosted her confidence even more! She was soooo pleased with herself, and Jeff and I couldn't be prouder! I'm sure in no time at all she'll be tackling War and Peace!

Just Another Day In Paradise

4:15pm
"Ruth would you like to have reading time or Bible time first this afternoon?"
"That's no fun!"
"Well, I need you to change your attitude and pick one, please."
[Young girl proceeds to stare at Mom as if she has two heads].
"Do you want to change your attitude or would you like to go to bed?"
[Continued staring, but now with a challenge in her eyes that says, "I'd just like to see you try to send me to bed"].
"You can choose or I can choose for you."
[Now, murder in her eyes].
"O.k. I think you need to go lay in your bed for a while."
[Crying, wailing, udder heart-brokenness and stomping up the stairs--followed shortly by silence].

4:30 pm
"I hungee. I-ant sumping eat."
"We'll eat when Daddy gets home."
[Small boy toddles off to living room and proceeds to empty all bookshelves and toy bins].
"Weston please pick up the books and the toys."
"I hungee. I-ant sumping eat."
"O.k. we'll have dinner when Daddy gets home. Let's work on picking up those things."
[Major whining, followed by reluctant obedience].

4:45 pm
"I hungee."
{What are we going to have for dinner?!}

4:50 pm
{How about leftovers with a twist}.

5:00 pm
[Key sounds in the door].
[Toddler runs at full-steam to front door].
"Daddy!"
"I hungee. I-ant sumping eat."
"I told him we'd eat when you got home."
"Oh. No wonder he's so glad to see me."
[Mom heads upstairs to wake sleeping 5-year-old, who doesn't want to be awakened].

5:05 pm
[Dad's phone rings].
[Toddler enters room with every noisy toy he owns, sending Daddy upstairs to talk on the phone].
[Mom begins dinner prep].

5:10 pm
[CRASH]!
[Mom leaves kitchen to inspect and finds toddler trying to use guitar as a ladder while grabbing things off the piano].
[Glass covers the floor. Mom reprimands child. Crying ensues, followed by a thousand "I sorrys"].
[Mom gets broom and begins sweeping just as the curious, now-wide-awake and barefoot 5-year-old enters the room].
"DON'T COME IN HERE WITHOUT SHOES ON! THERE IS GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR!"
"Why is there glass all over the floor? What's going on? How did Weston get up there? Where's Dad?"
[Mom notices blood gushing from her finger].

5:15 pm
{What is that smell?!}
{Oh gosh, that pan is still on the stove, on high, and no stirring has occurred for at least five minutes!}
[Mom, with small sobbing boy wrapped tightly around her leg, grabs a paper towel to stop the bleeding and returns to the stove to find the middle contents of the pan burned on to the pan].
{Groan.}

5:16 pm
"O.k. Ruth, I'd like for you to get your book and read to me while I finish getting dinner ready."
[Girl immediately obeys, having already seen the choice Mom will make for her if she doesn't spring into action].

5:20 pm
[Dad appears, and the crowd goes wild].
"Can I do anything to help?"
"How about getting me a band-aid?"
" I hungee. I-ant mlk, pease."
"O.k. just a minute!"
"Can someone help me with this word?"

5:30 pm
[Peaceful and fabulously prepared dinner comes together flawlessly].

Riddle Me This

How is it that the more a hotel room costs per night, the less chance you have of getting a free breakfast?

Kick Counts

I had an appointment with my OB/GYN this week, and she really wanted me to be paying attention to the baby's movements. She gave me a chart so I can keep track of the "kick counts." Well, this baby never stops moving, so I think I'm going to have count something else because I definitley can't count high enough to keep up with this little mover! Should I be worried about what this means for the future?!

The Parties Never End

As you know (if you read my blog a few days ago), today was Ruth's half-birthday. Which could only mean one thing in our house: PARTY! It really just means you get to pick whatever you want for dinner and you get a little gift. Ruth chose to bring Chuy's in and eat it in the living room while watching Toy Story 2. Then we gave her a couple of board games. It's a family tradition we enjoy, and we had a lot of fun.

After the kids went to bed, Jeff and I got another party started. We put up a pole for Festivus. Then we read through some "grievences aired" and laughed our heads off. Jeff is very pleased with the pole, though he had a hard time believing that I was actually going to let him put it up. But, I would honestly rather be laughing my head off about a silly pole in the living room than grumbling through decorating a tree.

I hope you all found something to celebrate today or that you find something to celebrate tomorrow.

Pregnancy Fun

I know you are all dying to know what pregnancy-induced weirdness is going on with my body, so here you go.

• Early morning headaches
• Never-ending nosebleeds, even with me diligently following the tips of my doctor and Ruth's teacher (who used to have lots of nosebleeds as well).
• Weird lower back/upper hip pain made unbearable by sitting.
• Totally random leg cramps at completely unexpected times.
• And my constant companion: heartburn.

And that's just today's list! But even with all that, it's still worth it! We can't believe how close we're getting to meeting this little guy, and we're so excited!

*Tonight, we were all sitting on Jeff's and my bed singing songs, when Tater decided to join in with some dance moves. The kids were fascinated by my moving belly, and they began talking to the baby and giving him little kisses and hugs. It was beautiful and made it all the easier to overlook the other not-so-fun stuff!

New Cookware

Jeff and I decided to treat ourselves to some new cookware--really good cookware--because after 9 1/2 years of marriage some of our hodge-podge pieces just aren't getting it done anymore. The timing for this purchase was just right because Jeff recently received a discount coupon from one of his company's clients. Stainless steel now reigns surpreme in our kitchen, and Jeff even got his Minute rice to come out right tonight, which he credits the new cookware with--(certainly not actually measuring and timing). We are very excited about this purchase and expect everything that comes out of our kitchen from now on to be nothing but absolutely fabulous. So, please, by all means make plans to join us for dinner sometime soon.

Here A Party, There A Party

It's been one big party around here since I last wrote. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving party and enjoyed spending time with all our family while they were here. The potato martinis were a huge hit and were super-yummy. My parents and in-laws enjoyed them so much that they are already planning to borrow all the glasses for their own potato martini parties! Weston's birthday party with the family was a blast! It was definitely a boy party--complete with dirt cake in a dump truck, lots of truck and tractor toys, and a hard hat pinata. After the festivities on Thursday, we made our way to my in-laws place at Lake Buchanan, where the cold, rainy weather made a perfect backdrop for a weekend of board games, hot chocolate and visiting. Today was Weston's real birthday, so the party just continued. We all sang "Happy Birthday" to him first thing this morning (as he was sitting on the potty), and his swim class also sang to him. When I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday, he said, "Place. Booster Seat. Pasta." I gathered that he wanted to go to someplace where he had sat in a booster seat and had pasta. Jeff and I brainstormed for quite a while to figure out where that might be and finally came up with Red Robin. Jeff pulled up a picture on the internet and showed Weston, and sure enough, he said that's where he wanted to go. He ended up deciding on the corndog instead of the pasta, but we were so proud of him for communicating to us where he wanted to go. He opened his gifts from us when we got home, which rounded out the boy toys quite nicely. Now I just have to figure out where we're going to put all of them! It's been a fun few days, and we can anticipate one more little party this week as we celebrate Ruth's half-birthday on Thursday.

Cluster Dating

Tonight was date night number one for the week for Jeff and I. We have found ourselves (mostly) childless for a couple of nights, while the kids entertain their grandparents. We intend to make the most of it! Tonight we had dinner at Kona Grill and then did some shopping in the new Domain shopping center. Tomorrow night we are planning to go see Jeff's co-worker's husband's band downtown. Then, we might even sneak off on Friday night to San Antonio to watch the Spurs play. So much fun! We love our kids, but we cherish our alone times together!

The Factory Is Open

Jeff calls our kitchen and office "The Factory" on days when I'm busy with my sugar scrubs. Well, today the factory was definitely open, ensconcing the house in the aroma of gingerbread. And in the middle of production I got a phone call to ensure that the factory will remain open at least through tomorrow, when coconut takes center stage. But I have promised myself that, no matter what, the factory will shut down sometime on Wednesday because my in-laws will be here to spend the night, and who wants to sleep in a factory! (Besides, I need to take care of some Thanksgiving/Birthday preparations at some point)! I am just loving this sugar scrub business and am so pleasantly surprised to see how it's taking off.

*The website is functional, by the way, but just. The only thing you can do there right now is place an order. The layout looks nice, though, so if you'd like to take a look it's bodydulce.com. Hopefully, before the end of the year, it will really be like a regular website, with content and pictures and who-knows what else.

Now, That's Overwhelming

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how overwhelmed some people seem to be by the fact that I'm pregnant with my third child. Well, today I came across some facts that will just send those people completely over the edge. Apparently, the most prolific woman ever had 69 children! This was in Russia in the 1700s, so it wasn't the result of fertilization treatments. It is reported that this lady had some sort of ovulation disorder. This poor woman was pregnant 27 times and gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets and 4 sets of quadruplets. Only two of the children didn't make it through infancy. Now, that's overwhelming!

And closer to home, a former co-worker of Jeff's (i.e. someone we actually know and have some sort of relationship with) recently had quintuptlets (that's 5 babies at once!)--and he already had two kids! That's also pretty overwhelming, if you ask me.

Makes just three look super-normal and not the least bit overwhelming, huh?!

Weston's Bedtime Prayer

"Bess Dadee. Bess Momee. Bess Roo-f. Bess Wessy. Amen."

Indian Princess

Ruth's school hosted a "Thanksgiving Feast" today, which they invited all parents to attend. Her class made Indian headbands, and each child was given an Indian name. Ruth was "Red Leaf." And, of course, no self-respecting Indian princess would dare show up to a traditional Thanksgiving feast in anything but full costume, making her the envy of all her classmates. Ah, to be five again!

Just A Little Fishy

Weston's swim lessons are going very well. He is just a little fish. He isn't afraid at all (which is terrifying for me). In fact, the teacher says she's been teaching for quite a while and hasn't ever seen such a little guy be so brave. He loves to go under and jump off the side and stand in the shallow water up to his chin and bob up and down. He tries every way he can to get free of me. (Did I mention this lack of fear terrifies me)?! I even dreamed last night that he kept jumping into the pool before I could get there. After totally freaking out several times and jumping into the pool over and over fully clothed, I realized that he knew how to swim and he was o.k. and I was able to relax. I wouldn't say I'm all that relaxed in real life with Weston around water, but I will say that he is really learning to pay attention around the water and wait for me to be ready for him. I wish I could share some picutres, but I don't dare take my eye off him for even a second!

Patriotic Night

It was Patriotic Night at Ruth's school tonight in honor of Veteran's Day. The children sang some beautiful patriotic songs with all their hearts. It was lovely.

I Do

Jeff and I began our life together a little over nine years ago with these two little words: I do. What we meant by that was: "I do promise to love, honor and cherish you from now on." Well, "I do" has recently taken on an entirely different meaning in our household. As Weston approaches two, he has claimed this phrase for his very own. His meaning is slightly different than the unselfish way Jeff and I first said it. His meaning is: "I do intend to do this (whatever it is) entirely by myself without any help from anyone, thank you very much!" And any unsolicited help is immediately met with a shrill whine or real deal tears. I do love "2!"

A Peek Into My Shopping Cart

Here are some random things I bought today:

• 100 clear cellophane bags
• a hard hat pinata
• lunch and snack items
• 144 off-white terry washcloths
• too much junk food
• glue sticks
• a shopping cart full (literally) of martini glasses

Quiet Nights

Jeff hit the air for another business trip to Las Vegas yesterday. Ruth has been a little under the weather. And Weston has been his normal sleepy self. All that has made for a couple of quiet nights around here. I hardly know what to do with myself. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to do, but it just seems so quiet. I'm even reduced to cheesy Hallmark movies just to have a little background noise. It's funny how you can wish for just a few minutes alone sometimes, and then when you get whole hours, you feel like something is amiss. I shall relish this time to myself, for sure, but I will be glad when things are back to normal.

Just Two Weeks

It dawned on me yesterday that it's just two weeks until Thanksgiving. I guess I sort of put that on the back burner during all the sugar scrub hub-bub. Wow. Just two weeks. That means I have an awful lot to do--starting with finding the dining room table! It also means that I have neglected to share our theme with all of you. (If you're new to the blog, here's the background: We always host Thanksgiving, and we always have a theme to keep it from getting too traditional. We've had a fiesta, a luau, a farm theme, etc.). This year we are having a "Bacon, Not Bird" Thanksgiving. The bacon being ham, instead of turkey. And the special treat being potato martinis--probably stirred rather than shaken just to keep the mess to a minimum. Tater and I are VERY excited about this! Mashed potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes with more toppings than you can shake a stick at. Oooo, I just can't wait! If you don't have plans, you should definitely drop by. It's going to be a wonderful feast, with a side of little-boy birthday party.

Back In Mommyland

Well, it was back to my real job today--complete with one sick child, one cranky child, a sink overflowing with dirty dishes, a house that looks like a bomb went off, bills to pay, a few *episodes* (I honestly didn't know there was poop in the pull-up when I pulled it off with a flourish in an attempt to get the little man on the potty quickly), and all the other things that make this truly a one-of-a-kind job. Wouldn't trade it for anything!

Sweet Success

Well, I'm back, and I should now be a bit more consistent with my blogging. My show in Temple went really, really well! I pretty much sold out of everything I took with me, and even had to stay up late last night making more! A store in Waco decided to carry the scrubs, and several other vendors were interested in possibly carrying them in the future or knew someone who they wanted to share my contact info with. Another neat thing was getting to trade products with other vendors. They wanted some scrubs, I wanted some of their things, so it was fun to use the old-fashioned barter system. I learned a lot and made some money and had a great time. I hope I will be able to do something else like this soon, and I hope the contacts I made will continue to serve me well in the future.

I Haven't Slipped Off The Face Of The Earth, I Promise.

So sorry I've been out of touch lately. Nothing's wrong, but thanks to those who have expressed concern. Body Dulce has been in full production mode in the last week, getting ready for this little trade show tomorrow and the next day and filling some big orders as well. I have been up to my elbows in sugar scrub (literally), not to mention all the other stuff that goes along with selling that I never even thought about before. I've pretty much been at it from early morning until late night every day, and by the time it's time to sit down and blog, I usually vote for bed instead. Here are some highlights from this past week:

• Jeff had a birthday.
• We all got to go to an assembly at Ruth's school on Friday where Ruth was recognized, along with other kids from every grade, for her Jaguar Pride Award.
• Weston is doing a great job with the potty. His whole calendar is covered with stars!
• We went to Houston on Saturday for a little overnight trip. We decided to experiment with Weston in a big boy bed. I ended up being his bed partner, and I can say without a doubt that I don't want to do that again any time soon.
• Today is Weston's first day of swim lessons.

I will try to be a little more connected after the trade show is over. I'll be back Wednesday night. Wish me luck!

It's All About Asking Nicely

Jeff came home for lunch today, and while he was here, Weston was adamantly demanding something from him. Jeff was preoccupied and wasn't able to help him out right at the moment. (And no help from Mommy would suffice at the time). So I told Weston that when Daddy finished what he was doing, if he would ask nicely, Daddy would probably do what he wanted. When Jeff was able to shift his focus to Weston, Weston ran over to him, saying, "Nicely, nicely, nicely..." It was the cutest thing ever, and of course, Daddy couldn't deny the request! You can't ask much more nicely than that.

When Was The Last Time You Rode On A Yellow Dog?

For me, it was today. Before that, who knows--and who even wants to remember that?! I accompanied Ruth's class on a field trip to the Elgin Christmas Tree/Pumpkin Farm. We got to go on a hayride, listen to a story and lecture about how pumpkins grow, have a picnic lunch, decorate mini pumpkins, pet and look at a wide variety of farm animals, go through a corn maze and a hay bale maze, race rubber duckies and play on the farm's playground. It was a really fun day! The weather was perfect and the kids were well-behaved, for the most part. I don't think there is a Kindergartner at Jollyville who won't sleep well tonight--or a chaperon, for that matter!

Egg Nog Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year. The time of year when all the grocery stores start to put out Egg Nog. I have no idea why this heavenly drink is only offered to us once a year. Perhaps it has something to do with absence making the heart grow fonder. I'll drink pretty much any egg nog, pretty much anytime, but this weekend while shopping at Central Market, we picked up some of the Promised Land "holiday" variety. Ummm. I also came across this recipe, which I intend to try very soon--if the egg nog can last that long!


Promised Land Eggnog French Toast with Maple Syrup
Courtesy of: Central Market
6 servings

4 cups Promised Land Eggnog
4 eggs
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon freshly grated cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated allspice
12 (1-inch thick) slice Central Market Challah Bread
1/4 cup unsalted butter
confectioner's sugar
maple syrup

Whisk the eggnog, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice in a bowl. Place the bread slices in a single layer on a 10 x 15-inch baking pan. Pour the eggnog mixture over the bread slices. Chill, covered, for 2 to 3 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 20 minutes before cooking. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until melted and foamy. Place as many bread slices as will fit in a single layer in the skillet. Cook until both sides are brown, turning once. Repeat with the remaining butter and bread slices. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Barefoot and Pregnant

Ah, bare feet. Images of sunny days on the beach and childhood days running through the grass--until you become pregnant. Then, bare feet take on a whole other connotation. And heaven-forbid it should be your third child resting cozily there in your womb. Burgeoning bellies elicit the most unsolicited, and sometimes unnecessary, commentary imaginable. I mean, what pregnant woman hasn't had to sit through at least a handful of horror stories about deliveries-gone-wrong and babies born in less than perfect health. For me, this time around, it's the shock of it being the third: "Oh my goodness! Three kids?! Wow! You're definitely going to have a house-full." "Was this planned?!" "Well, I guess you don't mind being poor." And sometimes, it's not the words people say, but the look on their faces or the tone in their voices, even when they are trying to sound like they are happy for you. It seems that 2 is the "right" number of kids to have. If you go beyond that, people become very uncomfortable. And this is somewhat comical to Jeff and I, because it was infinitely harder for us to think about having two kids than it was to think about having three. Going from one to two seemed like stepping from the earth to the moon. Going from two to three seemed like walking across the street. Having three kids is not overwhelming or intimidating to us, even though it definitley seems to be to some people. We feel like we are doing a good job with the two we have, and we see no reason to believe that adding one more will change the way we parent. We are going into this new phase of life knowing more or less what we're getting into, and believe it or not, we are very exicited! So, bring on the happy images of barefootedness. Afterall, the difference between three and two is just one.

Fun Day

Here are some of the highlights of the day:

• Around noon, my parents and grandparents came over for a visit.
• On the way to and from her Portuguese class, Ruth finished her ninth (and final) book for this new poster--without anyone even looking over her shoulder. Many of the books she read for this poster were second and third grade level books.
• As a reward for completing the poster, and after giving her book report to a room full of eager relatives, Ruth chose a trip to Amy's for ice cream (Mexican vanilla with candy corns crushed in, anyone?) and some play time with the cows.
• Granny and I looked through Weston's scrapbook and remembered him as a little baby. (Is he really almost two-years-old)?!
• Weston got to add four stars to his calendar! (That's four successful trips to the potty, for those of you not familiar with our star system)!
• We had chili and cornbread for dinner. (Yay, Fall)!
• We had a little early birthday celebration for Jeff, complete with chocolate cake.
• The kids left with my parents and grandparents, and Jeff and I got to have an impromptu date night. We made our first trip over to The Domain (a new fancy-smancy shopping area here in Austin), perused the bookstore and enjoyed each other's company along with some Chai Lattes.

All-in-all a really wonderful day!

The Blue Hanger Circus

Every once in a great while I take it into my head to pop into the Goodwill Blue Hanger store near our house. Usually when I have some time on my hands--and some hand sanitizer in my purse. This is the "outlet" Goodwill, for those of you not in the know. It's always a bit of an adventure, but today was like nothing I had ever seen. They were refilling the bins and it was complete chaos. People were packed in like sardines behind the barrier, waiting for the signal to go and get the goods. People we pushing and trying to grab things away from each other. And I thought one lady was going to take some swings, when she wandered across the aisle and returned to find her shopping cart missing. I just stood there--a safe distance away--gaping and gawking and wondering what the heck I was seeing. It was like Christmas shopping in the mall. [Shudder!] Jeff thought I was making all this up, but I promise you I could not have come up with this in a million years. In my wildest imaginations, I couldn't come up with human behavior as wacky as fighting over the Goodwill rejects.

So Much More To Smile About

• My meeting with the spa went very well today and I got my biggest order, to date. Very exciting stuff!
• I'm told the website could be up by the end of the week.
• We met with Ruth's teacher yesterday afternoon, and she couldn't say enough nice things about Ruth. She was encouraging Ruth to pursue more challenges on her own and was also promising us that she would do everything she could to ensure that Ruth continues to be challenged at school. She was also suggesting some special projects for Ruth to do at school like some extra research with a couple of other kids for their focus on Korea next month and entering something in the science fair in January.
• I had a wonderful opportunity to visit with a good friend of mine yesterday.
• We haven't had to run the air conditioner all week because the weather has been so lovely.
• Mangia pizza for dinner.
• Going to bed earlier tonight than last night.

A Body Dulce Facelift

My Body Dulce products are wonderful for the body. They give just the right amount of exfoliation and moisturizing. And my confidence and creativity have also soared since creating the product. I have been so encouraged by the great response I've had to the product and the business. But today, Body Dulce did something for my face. It put a big ol' smile there all day.

First, I got a call from the salon in Temple that can say they were the first to carry the product. The lady just wanted to inform me that she had sold 5 out of the 6 jars I put in her shop just two weeks ago and that she'd like to have 10 more! And further, she wanted to know, "What would you like for me to do with all this money?" She also had a wonderful suggestion for me, which I immediately took to heart and have already applied (in rough-draft form). I will be perfecting it in the next couple of weeks, as I prepare for a "trade show" in Temple.

Then, this afternoon, I took the kids in for a haircut, and in the course of conversation, I found out that the lady cutting the kids' hair was the owner of the shop. I took the opportunity to talk to her about my scrubs, and she agreed to let me bring in some samples and business cards to set out. I am hopeful that that will generate some more business.

Tomorrow, I will meet with the owner of a spa here in Austin to see about getting my scrubs in her shop as well.

I also got my business cards and gift tags ordered this week, and the website is well on it's way to becoming official. I'm so excited about all these opportunities, and I'm amazed at how quickly this dream is turning into reality.

A Blustery Day In The Hundred Acre Wood

We seem to have bypassed Fall altogether here in central Texas, and winter arrived in a wet and blustery rush in the middle of the night. I was thankful that I recently bought a new hooded sweater that accomodates my current roundish figure (though I was not overly enthusiastic about the other tent-like cool-weather maternity clothes begging to be worn out into the chill), and that I was able to convince Ruth that the sundress probably wasn't the best choice for school today. I was also thankful for an excuse to eat yummy vegetable soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. I think the rest of the week is supposed to be absulutely gorgeous, and despite my poking fun at the cool temps today, I actually found it quite lovely. Add a few degrees and take away most of the wind, and it would have been perfect.

Clothes To Make A Man

We added a very important element to Weston's wardrobe today. It's big-boy underwear! He's getting pretty good at going to the potty and telling us when he needs to go, so we thought we'd step it up another notch. He's definitely not ready for the underwear full-time, but we're going to use them occasionally just to get used to the idea. Weston was absolutely thrilled when I presented him with 2 packages of big-boy underwear this afternoon. He was further thrilled to get to put on a pair and play on the deck for a while in his all-togethers. (And Ruth thought the whole process was hilarious). I wanted to put a picture here of Weston modeling the new undies--because his little tushie is just so cute--but Daddy isn't a big fan of pics like that, so we went with a more generic picture. But, trust me, that little bum is too, too cute in those cutie little undies. We're proud of our little man and hope to see him fully embrace the big-boyness that comes along with the addition to his wardrobe.

Watch Your Mailbox

Our Thanksgiving invitations went out today! We're so excited! True to form, it is a themed party and not all that traditional. Stay tuned for more info in the weeks to come.

Getting Out A Little More

As I've been thinking about Weston's upcoming birthday, I have realized, with a certain sadness, that Weston just doesn't have many friends. In fact, he has exactly one. That doesn't really make for much of a birthday party. (Ruth has always invited at least 20 friends to all her birthday parties). I started to feel like a pretty crummy mom for not getting the kid out more. So, today I determined that we would make a change. I loaded Weston up this morning, and I was on a mission. First, I stopped at the YMCA and signed him up for swim lessons for November. Then, we made our way to the library for the toddler storytime. About five minutes into that, I remembered why it is that Weston doesn't get out more, and I determined to make another change (in location, that is). He's a sleepy, sleepy little man, and he just doesn't have the fortitude for these friend-making functions. By the time we left the library, Weston was not just in tears but was absolutely in meltdown mode. And I had lost all hope that our swim lessons will be successful next month. Weston is actually a very social little boy, but he would definitley rather have a nap than a birthday party full of friends. I guess we'll just plan to invite the Snuggly and the Blanket to the party this year, and maybe we'll get out more next year.

You Know A Cowboy Needs A Horse

Pizza Casserole

After finding that fabulous recipe last night, I just left the cookbook sitting on the table. At breakfast, Ruth spotted it and was inspired. First, she wanted to know if she could put together her own cookbook. Her first idea was reminiscent of the dictionary idea. She wanted to have a book like mine where she could write down and illustrate a list of foods. Then, she decided it would be better if she actually wrote out some of her favorite recipes. As she began to throw out some ideas, she came up with pizza casserole. In Jeff's family cookbook, such a recipe actually exists. And so with enthusiasm, Jeff began to tell her about it. She stopped him mid-sentence. "No, no, no, Dad. I was thinking of making a regular casserole and cutting up real pizza into it." Hmmm. Sounds delicious. What is a "regular casserole" anyway?

Moist and Minty Marvel

Desperate for dessert tonight, I reached for the family cookbook and began to peruse the largely disproportionate dessert section. What I found was a little treasure that, to my knowledge, has never actually been made by anyone in my family. But I don't know why, because it's excellent. It's a fabulous combination of mint and chocolate (which is right up there with the chocolate/peanut butter combo, if you ask me), and it's super-easy to make. So, without further ado, here's my Granny's recipe for Moist and Minty Brownies. Please enjoy.

1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. sugar
1 stick butter
2 T. water
10 oz. pkg. semi-sweet mint flavored chocolate morsels
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs

Combine flour, soda and salt--set aside. In a small saucepan combine sugar, butter and water--bring just to a boil, remove from heat. Add 1 cup of mint-chocolate morsels and vanilla, stirring until melted and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in flour mixture and remaining morsels. Spread into a greased 9 in. square pan. Bake 25-35 minutes at 350--just until center is set. Cool completely, cut into squares.

In A Word: Wow!

Gone Again

• New tires on van. Check.
• New stereo in van. Check.
• Various and asundry van maintenence. Check.
• Full tank of gas. Check.
• Fully-charged ipods. Check.
• Bag of snacks. Check.
• DVDs. Check.
• Bags mostly packed. Check.

Sounds like a road trip in the making, huh? It's true. We're gone again. This time we're off to Albuquerque for the hot air balloon festival. We're leaving in the middle of the day tomorrow, and as you might have guessed, we're driving. It's a 12-hour trek. Hopefully, we will also remember to pack our good attitudes! We have been looking forward to this for about nine months, and we are so excited. We'll be back on Sunday, but I may not get a new post up until Monday. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Ah, Irony

Ruth woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and was grumbly, grumpy and generally grouchy all morning. She was disrespectful and uncooperative, and consequently we were a bit late to school. (Incidentally, after we dropped Ruth off, Weston caught the grouchy bug and I immediately put him back to bed when we got home). By 8:00 am I had had it. And it was right about then that the phone rang. "This is Mrs. Harris in the Jollyville principal's office." I was blown away. I knew Ruth's day hadn't started off so great, but I never imagined she would act up at school--especially enough to land in the principal's office. "We just wanted to let you know that Ruth has been awarded the Jaguar Pride Award for showing respect, responsibility, compassion and empathy." What?! Wait a second. That's not the kid I sent school today. The secretary put Ruth on the phone, and I was so very thankful for the opportunity to praise her and congratulate her on a job well-done after the rocky morning we had. She got a little certificate and gets to have her picture in one of the main hallways of the school and be recognized in the morning announcements. I'm really proud of her, and I'm so glad that we had that ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal morning.

The Dreaded Phone Call

On Sunday afternoon, while Jeff and I were merrily making our way to visit some friends in New York, we got one of those phone calls you never, ever want to get: Your son stopped breathing and is now in an ambulance headed to the hospital. Granted, my dad assured me that Weston was breathing again, but still. Did I mention I was in NEW YORK?! It turned out to be the simplest thing. He had an ear infection. The problem was a febrile seizure, which I had heard of somewhere in the back of my mind, but honestly never would have thought would have happened to my usually very healthy kid. It wasn't that the fever got so high, it's that it shot up so quickly. When we told our ex-paramedic friend what was going on, he asked, "Did he have a high fever?" Then, "I bet it was a febrile seizure. That happens all the time with kids that age." When my mom arrived at the hospital with Weston, they immediately diagnosed the febrile seizure and then proclaimed how common it was in kids this age. But it certainly wasn't common for either my mom or me (or anyone else involved). Other moms (and dads and grandparents) should be aware of this. Click on the link up there and find out some of the facts. Something else my mom learned and passed along to me, was that the hospital recommended that she alternate doses of Tylenol with doses of Motrin to control the fever. Neither of us had ever heard this, but it seemed to help--plus it keeps your kid from getting too much of a good thing.

Weston is just fine now. In fact, he was doing fine on Sunday night. His fever hoovered in the lowish range until around mid-morning today, when I guess the antibiotic finally kicked in. Now he is fever-free and back to his happy little self.

Our Trip To Vermont

One for the road

The kids are looking forward to a weekend of spoilage by the grandparents, and Jeff and I are looking forward to a weekend of foliage. We are off to Vermont for the weekend. We're considering it our anniversary get-away. I know, our anniversary was in August. And, yes, we were supposed to go to Fredricksburg, TX. But Vermon,t during peak Fall foliage, is pretty much the same, right?! Well, this trip just sort of came up. It's a combo business trip for Jeff and vacation for us. The whole point of the place we picked in Fredricksburg, if you'll remember, was the mention of "willow" in the name to fulfill our traditional ninth anniversary gift of willow. Well, it turns out that the place we're staying in Vermont is also willow-named. We're so excited! We'll share pictures when we get back on Monday.

It Ain't Braggin' If It's True

Well, this is going to be a brag post, so if you aren't into that, better go get a snack or something and check back with me later.

First, my brilliant daughter. Ruth finished another reading poster this week (eight books on this one--for a total of 26 books since July)! We celebrated tonight with a trip to Burger King--the one with the huge playscape. I wouldn't have picked that for a celebration for myself, but Ruth couldn't have been more thrilled. We've upped the ante a bit for the "Nine" poster. For that one she will not only have to read the books, she will also give a book report on each one to whichever parent didn't hear the story. She needed a new challenge, and she thinks it's a pretty neat idea. We're so proud of her!

And now on to my advanced son. While we were at Burger King tonight, Weston came to me--from the playscape, mind you--to tell me he needed to go potty. I rushed him to the bathroom and found that his diaper was already quite wet. I thought that must have been what all the "potty talk" was about, but was still pleased that he was making the connection between a wet diaper and going potty. Still, I put him on the potty so that he would further make the connection between telling me he needed to go and actually going. And to my complete delight, he went! (This was a slightly messy undertaking since Mommy is still getting the hang of the boy parts, especially when there isn't a little shield there to keep everything going the direction it should). Even more exciting was the fact that this was his second time to go potty today! (The first time was on the little potty we have at home. And while we're talking about that, let me just say, I never really thought much about what kind of potty we used when I was potty training a little girl. But now, I'm definitely thinking about it, and I'm currently in the market for a new one. Again, it has to do with those boy parts that I'm not sure what to do with). We are definitely on the right track! Woo-Hoo! So proud of our little man! He's just getting so big!

--One funny thing was that when he went at Burger King, we tried to reward him with dessert there, thinking by the time we got home he might have forgotten what he was getting rewarded for. We underestimated the child. He liked the pie fine, but he wasn't going to bed without his special potty treat--a couple of Skittles. As I was putting him in bed, he puffed out his bottom lip about as far as it could go and said over and over, "Treat." I foolishly tried to reason with him: "the pie was your reward." Finally, as real tears were forming in his little eyes, I gave in and got him his Skittles. His whole face lit up with a smile and then he immediately went to sleep.

Hard Luck Haircut

I have had the worst luck with haircuts the last several months. I've been going to the same place for a few years and have been completely pleased with the lady who cuts my hair. Unfortunately, she sort of flaked out over the summer. And so I've been putting off haircuts, and finally searching for a new salon. I must say, it's not going well. I feel like I've been going around with shaggy dog hair since about June. And when I tell people I want it short, they don't seem to believe me. I went in to a place today, with pictures in hand, firmly saying over and over that I wanted it much shorter. The only thing she kept saying back was "I think it should be longer here, here and here." Consequently, she didn't cut it as short as I wanted it. Which means sometime next week, it will probably be driving me crazy. Ugh! If anyone out there has a fabulous stylist (who won't cost me an arm and a leg), who knows how to listen and/or can look at a picture and at least get a general idea, please, please send me their name. I'm desperate here!

Take Me To Your Leader

Apparently over the weekend, some of the woodland creatures who hang out around our house held an election, and the carved bear on the right hand side of our front door (as you face the house) won. The squirrels are paying homage to him by laying their biggest, most impressive acorns at his feet. I suppose he must be living up to his campaign promises. I think the whole scene is hilarious, and Weston thinks he's hit some kind of toddler boy jackpot.

More Pregnancy Insanity

Tonight, Jeff and I were having a conversation--about nothing unpleasant, mind you--and I spontaneously burst into a fit of crocodile tears. No rhyme. No reason. No explanation. Literally seconds before that I was laughing heartily. Nothing whacked-out about that.