Lucky Seven

My friend Baloney tagged me in this little ditty, thingy where I'm supposed to tell you 7 Random Things About Myself.  I'm supposed to put this little icon thing on my blog, but I'm still figuring out my MacBook and can't figure out how to get it on here.

First off, before I start, I'm SO happy Baloney tagged me on this one instead of the 25 Random Things About Me that is going around on Facebook.  Trust me, there's not 25 things about me that would keep your attention.  I'm not sure I could even come up with 25 things.  But 7, yes, I can come up with 7 (I think), so here we go:

1.  My favorite color is pink.  Has been since I was a little bitty girl.  I love, love, love it.  Any shade...light pink, dark pink, bright pink, hot pink.  Whatever it is...I love it.  Pink...it's my signature color.  (BTW...I have a pink turtleneck on right now).

2.  I like playing with Barbies.  I loved them when I was little and I love them now.  Maybe that's why God blessed me with two girls.

3.  If I had met WM when we were younger, I would have 2 or 3 or more kids.  I love children, love babies, love being pregnant (probably because I have super easy pregnancies).  I love being a mom and having a family.  But I'm getting too old to keep having babies.

4.  I hate cold.  I hate cold.  I hate cold.  'Nuf said.  (I hate cold).

5.  I like almost every kind of music out there...except country (which makes me the odd man out here in Oklahoma).  Oh, I don't like rap, either.

6.  I love ballet and used to dream of being a professional ballerina.

7.  I'm actually very shy, I've just learned to overcome it over the years.  But it still sneaks up on my every now and then.

There you go...seven useless things to know about me.  I hope after reading these things that you'll still return.  Now I have to tag 7 people to do the same and put it on their blog--but I don't know 7 people that blog regulary, so here's what I'm coming up with:

The Cuervo Family

Susie's Zoo

The Jacquot Family

The Manning Memo

Now...one more thing.  In the time that it's taken me to type this post I got a phone call with some sad news (no, no one is sick or dying), but my brother and sister-in-law are both in need of prayers.  Please pray for peace of mind and understanding, and jobs.  Please.

Happy 148th Birthday!

Today is KANSAS DAY!
In honor of my home state's birthday, I thought I'd do a blog on the great state of Kansas. For those of you reading this that are in Kansas, thank you for stopping by...you already know all this and need to go partake in the festivities planned for this big day. For the rest of you, here's a little bit about my homeland. :)

Kansas officially became a state on January 29, 1861, becoming the 34th state in the Union.

State flower: Sunflower

State bird: Meadowlark. It's the western meadowlark if you want to get technical about it.

State tree: Cottonwood ("ahhhh-chooo") I'm actually not allergic to cottonwood trees, but a lot of people are. Plus, I always thought it was kind of neat when the cottonwood trees released their cotton and it looked like a snowstorm in the middle of the summer. Ahhh, memories.

State Animal: Buffalo

State Song: "Home on the Range"

State Nickname: Sunflower State, Wheat State or Jayhawk State

The word Kansas comes from the Sioux word meaning "people of the south wind."

State Motto: "Ad Astra per Aspera", which is Latin for "to the stars through difficulties."

Kansas was the first state to constitutionally prohibit alcohol.

Brown v. Board of Education (Topeka, KS) paved the way for integration of schools.

I don't want to bore you with a whole bunch of history, such as Bleeding Kansas, John Brown, etc., etc. If you're interested there is plenty of Kansas history online. By the way, everything I've posted on this blog I knew by memory thanks to many years of Kansas history classes.

You should test your knowledge of Kansas...click here to take a Kansas quiz.

Now...go hum "Home on the Range" and put a bouquet of sunflower on your kitchen table and have a great Kansas Day!

A Joyful Contest

I don't usually enter contests...very rarely as a matter of fact. I mean, I already know I'm kind of a dork. Losing a contest makes me feel dorkier. But my sweet SIL has convinced me to do this one.

Here's the worst part...it's a photography contest. And here's my problem...I'm not a good photographer. I have decent equipment...nice camera, MacBook equipped with photography enhancing software (that I have NO idea how to use). Shoot, I have three great subjects to photograph. But for some reason, nothing comes out how I want. But I don't care, this time I'm going to step out of my comfort zone and enter a photography contest (which luckily encourages "newbies" and "amatuers" like me to enter.

So go to this website and check out all the faces. It's called I Heart Faces.
This week's photography topic is "Joy." Now, I have to admit that my first instinct was to post a photo of my good friend The Fabulous JOY McGill...but then I thought no one else would think that's funny.

Get it? Joy...Joy. Ha--I think that's kinda funny, but like we established early on...I'm a dork.

So I had to come up with a photo of a face expressing joy. There's lots of joy going on at our house, but the trick is capturing it with my camera.

So here's what I came up with.
This is Katie on opening day at the swimming pool. She was super excited and there a lot of joy on her face that day. She was Swimming in Joy (that's the name of the photo).

Go visit that site...and get brave and enter the contest. At least you know you'll beat me.

Ear Plugs, Diaper Pillows and The Bird

This past weekend WM and I decided to pack up the kids and head north to my tiny hometown in the southern part of Kansas. It had been awhile since we'd been home and WM was itchin' to get out and go hunting on the prairie and all the Little Lams were well, so we decided to make a go of it.

We had a great time! With the exception of losing Sally for 3 hours, it was a wonderful weekend. The Little Lams played with their cousins, I got to hold and cuddle my baby nephew. Patrick got to drive a tractor and Katie got to play dress up with my sister and my old prom/8th grade graduation/bridesmaids dresses. And Baby Lam just ran around the house giggling. It was so nice and relaxing and you just can't beat your mom's homecooking (I hope someday my kids will feel the same way).

Here's Katie in my 8th grade graduation dress...it's so 1984.So on Sunday when we'd had all the fun we could stand and our tummy's were full, we hopped back in the car for our 3 1/2 hour drive home.

The drive was actually uneventful thanks to our new DVD player. However, Patrick got a little bored and restless and had to get creative to entertain himself...

"Mommy! I can't hear anything!! Mommy....MOMMY!"Me: "Patrick!! What's in your ear????"

"Ha, I'm just joking. I can hear you."That would be his gummy lifesaver stuck in his ear.

Here's Baby Lam who decided to use her diapers as a pillow and blanket. Nice mess...thanks baby girl.Then there was this...

Katie: "Mommy, something is really hurting my finger"
Me (not turning around): "What is it?"
Katie: "I don't know but it really hurts."
Me (still not turning around): "Blow on it, that'll make it feel better."
Katie: "It's not helping, I need to you look at it"Nice. Fortunately she had no idea what she was doing. Oh...and it was a hang nail.

Life is like a box of chocolates when traveling with the Three Little Lams...you never know what you're going to get.

Photography and a 3-Year-Old, Lesson #1

I have lots of cute pictures of my girls.  Well..."lots" might be a bit of an exaggeration.  Let's just say I have some.  But lately I've been on a quest to get some pictures of my little guy.  I need more pictures of my boy!  He's just as cute as can be and really sweet and cute. But just as soon as I get out my camera he starts ripping around the house thinking it's a game to dodge me.  It reminds me a little bit of Sally (our puppy) when she has something in her mouth that she's not supposed to have and I'm chasing her down and she's darting in and out and jumping to and fro.  Patrick and Sally are a lot alike in some ways.

Tonight I decided to make another go of it.  Patrick was dressed fairly decent and in an agreeable mood, so I decided to seize the moment. I casually picked up the camera and took a few shots of the girls to make him think I was taking pictures of them.  And just as I turned to him...he took off like a running back for the end zone...dodgin' and dartin'...dippin' and divin'...the whole time with a big smile and a cackling laugh.

The game was on.

Here's what I got:

"Ha--I'm outta here!"

"You can't catch me!" (notice how he thinks this game is funny--I, on the other hand, did NOT think it was very funny).

This is probably my favorite...I was actually taking a photo of Katie and he was darting in and out of the background laughing--totally teasing me.

I've decided I need to, a). get one of those fancy high speed lenses or b). give up.

Should I just give up?

Sittin' 'n Rockin' 'n Coughin' 'n Prayin'

WM was giving me a hard time because I haven't posted anything new lately.  He said "I don't read blogs, only yours and you haven't put anything new on in a long time."  So I figured I'd better keep up with my wifely duties and post something for him to read.

But then I thought, "hey, does he not remember what I've been dealing with all week?"  If you haven't been following me on Facebook, it went a little something like this.

Last weekend:  Josie develops a cough and runny nose.  Nothing to get excited about, Patrick had had the same thing and he is fine.

Tuesday:  Josie's teacher calls to tell me she has a 103 temp.

Wednesday:  Still running a high temp, we go the peds office.  X-rays, blood work, etc., etc.  Diagnosis:  double ear infection and pneumonia.  Get meds.  She cries most of the day and wants me to hold her all the time.

Here's the little sickie playing at the pediatrician's office.  She looks a lot better than she was feeling.  The photo is a little misleading.

Thursday:  Josie will not let me put her down.  She cries all day and is super clingy.  Thursday afternoon she starts throwing up.

Friday:  Back to the peds office.  Ears and pneumonia are worse.  Two antibiotics shots.  New oral antibiotics (old one is thought to be causing the vomiting).  Get home and she continues to cry most of the day and only wants me to hold her while sitting in the rocking chair.  So there we sit...and sit...and sit.

I think we're on the mend, though.  She took a 3 1/2 hour nap today and is acting a little perkier this evening.

So that's why I haven't posted in nearly 5 days.  Because I've been sitting in a chair with a very sick baby.  But I promise, that starting tomorrow I'll be more timely.

I promise.

Unless one of the other Little Lams gets sick.

3 Year Old vs. Mommy

See this little guy...

He's 3, well really he's 3 1/2, but who's counting (actually he is).  Don't let that cute, angelic little face fool ya...he's the world's biggest pill!  I remember when Katie was 3 and I was pulling my hair out, my dear friend, Susie, told me that 3 is harder than 2.  And it sure is.  But this little dude has taken it to a new level. 

He's been trying out some choice words such as (this is just one example)...

Me:  Where's the TV thing?

Him:  where's the d%*& remote?

Me:  WHAT?????

Him:  (gives me his cute smile)

Us:  (off we go to wash his mouth out with soap)

He's wearing us out.  His 3-year-old-ness is way worse than Katie's ever was...WAY worse.

He argues about everything, and I mean everything...what cereal he's going to eat, what he's going to wear, whether he's going to brush his teeth, etc., etc.

We had a battle of the wills in the Starbucks parking lot this afternoon.  I'm sure the Starbucks people thought something was wrong with us.  But I wasn't moving my car one inch until he buckled up the right way.  The seatbelt issue is one of our biggest sources of argument.  I won that battle, but he put up a good fight.  We sat in that parking lot for a good 25-30 minutes--I turned off the car and patiently sat there and messed with my iPhone while he ranted and raved about how "I'M NOT GOING TO BUCKLE UP" (which he did in the end).  Good thing Baby Lam was snoozing, she may not have been so patient with just sitting in the car--going nowhere.

So I need some more mama help--what do I do with this little guy?  The problem is he turns on his charm, too.  All the time he's saying "I'm your boy, right?"  And boy, do I love that little guy, he's so darn cute and such a mommy's boy, but I'm so frustrated with his behavior.  I know it's just a phase, but how do I get the arguing to stop?  Help me!

P.S.  He's also the world's worst back seat driver.

One More Change

So, I changed my blog design again.  WM came home from work and said "what'd you do to your blog?"  My first thought was..."you read it?", but actually I knew he did.  But he continued on to tell me how it was too busy, looked like Christmas tree ornaments, etc., etc.  So I decided to give this one a try.

Shoot, I'm becoming a pro at switching these things around...I just might start changing them around on a monthly basis.

Nah, who am I kidding?  This one will do for now...

...until someone else says they don't like it.

...and being the middle child, I'll change it because I want to make everyone happy.

Hey--isn't it supposed to get cold here tomorrow?

Get Blog A New Look....Check!

Thanks to the Brilliant Baloney, I have a new look to my blog. That was one of my goals for this year ("goals"...not "New Year Resolutions").

So here it is. Tell me honestly, what do you think? I can try something different if it makes you want to puke. But seriously, if you felt like puking you probably liked the Pepto pink thing I had up for a couple days. I love pink, but even that was too much for me!

I've got a little tweaking to do, but for now, just enjoy...look at the dandilions...read the blog...make a wish!

Happy Friday!

YES!! You're in the Right Blog

Whoa, Nellie...that's a lotta pink! But I wanted to shake things up and since I love pink, I thought this would be a good start. I'm gonna mess with the colors and gets things the way I like, but for now this is what you get.

It's my first step in getting this 'ol blog...organized...

I'm Really Tryin', People

I'm really trying to keep the blog current, I really am.  And I'm really failing.  I have many things to tell about, but like I said before I just can't get my thoughts organized.  Here are what I believe are the culprits of my mangled brain:

1.  Lack of sleep.  I'm not talking about 1 or 2 day (or even weeks) of dealing with sick kids or a baby going through a phase.  No, I'm talking moooooonths of not having a full night of sleep.  Actually it's probably years, but who's counting? The Three Little Lams have sleeping issues...and it's catching up with mama.  Speaking of sick kids...

2.  Sick kids.  The tummy bug made it's way through our family over the Christmas break.  And now the gunky cough, cold, mookie nose is sneaking up on us. 

3.  Work.  It's crazy at my other job (my St. John job).  I can somewhat blame myself that I took a mental break over the holidays, but also we're just plain busy and I feel like a spinning top when I'm there.

There are a whole lot of other reasons and I could go on and on, but I won't.  I don't want to bore you people with my stories about how laundry has consumed my home and how I can't even remember the last time I cooked a "real" meal for my family (not the 'heat and serve' variety).  I mean, I do have 2 of you readers left, I'd like to keep you around, too.  But, I really want someone to leave something in the 'comments' section that will tell me how to organize my thoughts and, ultimately, my life.  I have to admit that "organize myself" never was even considered as a New Years Resolution. I knew that was NOT realistic.  But I think I've been running around willy nilly for long enough, I need to get things organized before I lose track of something really important. :)

Will someone please tell me how to organize myself?

Oh--and tomorrow I'll tell you all about my (already broken) New Year's resolutions.  And how my favorite baby lotion went and changed it's formula--without asking ME!

Ooooo....and one more thing....I need someone out there reading this to tell me how to get rid of these cramps that I get in my feet every night.  And don't tell me to quit wearing high heels, I won't, just tell me what to do about these foot cramps.  OUCH--they really hurt!

When Will I Ever Get it Together?

One of my New Year resolutions was to be timely on my blog posts.  But I've already broken that resolution, so why exert myself by coming up with something clever and entertaining to blog about.  I must maintain my mediocrity.  Maybe that should be one of my resolutions...strive for greatness.  But I'm a middle child--we don't strive for greatness, we already know we're great, we are more concerned about those around us--"Are you happy?"  "Do you need anything?"  (I think that middle child mindset is what makes us such great parents...but that's just me).

So, since I haven't gathered our Christmas and New Years happenings into organized thought I decided I'll just post this video of my little cutie.  It'll totally bore you unless you are as in love with my Baby Lam as I am and think everything she does is super cute (except when she screams "DON'T" at me...oh, and when she gets up at 3:00 a.m.).  But it's the best I can do right now--at least it's a start on keeping things timely.

Love ya!