Oh Holy Night...

Last night Abby Jean and I took the kids to a Christmas extrodinaire at a church nearby. They were doing a "Back to Bethlehem" night and we thought it would be fun to go see what they had...OK, we went because there were free camel rides. We went kind of late (because we have kids and are we ever really on time?) so we skipped the camel line initially to check out all of their neat little booths inside where the entire congregation of this church were dressed in bathrobes and drapes. I hate to say it, but they found the animals more interesting than the real baby playing baby Jesus, tucked in a corner between candle making and real sheep (I think it was a girl baby anyway). We stood in line (because it was much shorter) to ride the donkey while I tried to explain to a slightly confused Haley that it was not the real baby Jesus and this was not the actual donkey that Mary rode...which Haley disputed, "no, it's not hard or uncomfortable, its fun!"...she's never been nine months pregnant before.

Anyway, Clark missed it because he has school two nights a week. Haley left him these notes on the counter to tell him all about it. I'm still kind of amazed that my child can read and write (creatively...she's only in Kindergarten, give her a break.)

[we did not ride the camel]

[instead we rided the donkey]

By the time the donkey ride was over they had cut-off the end of the line for the camel. So we stood and watched our dreams walk around small circles with other children on its back.

Thanks for nothin Mr. Camel...the kids may never get another chance to know what it felt like to be a wise man riding a camel through the desert.

The Domestic Diva Lives!

A couple of years ago CBS produced a show called "Domestic Diva". My sister and brother in law both tried out and both got call-backs because they are, Domestic Divas. I never saw my brother in law's audition tape but we all saw my sister's and loved it so much I like to watch it over and over and over again. Just watch and enjoy the humor of my sister and the talent of her husband who masterfully peiced this video together.
I don't know how to make a link yet so you have to go to
youtube.com and then search "domestic diva carrie". It's hilarious. Trust me.
Carrie Ann, you will always be a Domestic Diva in my eyes.
(PS All of us in the Oscarson family have Carrie Ann to thank for our blogging involvement...she was the one who started it all...but now she is much too busy, and we mourn her absence from the blogging world...come back...)

A train leaves Chicago going 60 mph...

So while driving with my sister tonight we calculated (through an in-depth word problem) that women generally spend about 6.5 years of their life having their period.
Hm...math really does come in handy.
By the way, for two college graduates who didn't necessarily find math a strong point, it took us way too long to figure that out.
(Call for details on how we actually came to that conclusion.)

We like them...a LOTT

This is my friend Mandee. She has been our friend for a long time and we like her, muy mucho. They have great stories and an awesome sense of humor (it's one of those days where I can't think of a better word than awesome...oh wait, SWEET...no, nevermind, awesome was good.)
Anyway, go enjoy her stories. I hope she takes time to write about her husband's and her life--they've had some amazing and wonderful things happen.
It's like fellowshipping a new member of the church...now lets go welcome her and send her a loaf of bread.
My friend.
We knew Mandee and her husband in Charleston. One of my favorite memories of cute Mandee besides her delicious cooking and impecable decorating and style, she mowed the lawn in a cute outfit with black mules (shoes, not a "mule pulled rig").

The Magic Cornucopia

I've decided (not recently...I've always known) that my life is what you get when you cross a cornucopia (from which blessings flow) and a magician's hat...neverending surprises...that means that my life is and always has been neverending blessings. I attribute this to many things that I will have to thank you all personally for, later.
However, pulling out of the November-is-the-month-of-supreme-grouchiness, I've been inspired by my friend (a bosom-buddy I'm convinced, if we ever met...my sister's sister in law) to list a fraction of the things that I am grateful for in my life.
When I was engaged I made a calendar for my fiance that counted down 109 days until we got married...each day was something that I loved about him (an idea which I ultimately stole from my brother in law--you'll have to read his wife's because he has been seriously slacking...or working, whatever). We should all do this more often. After all, "gratitude unlocks the fullness of life". I'm grateful that this is at least one positive thing that goes through my brain without effort.
I am grateful for (in no particular order)
1. my husband
2. my kids
3. my parents
4. my siblings
5. my friends, far and near
6. my husband's job
7. our home (its clean, and cockroaches aren't the norm)
8. movies
9. potatoes
10. Target
11. our matronly minivan
12. dishwashers
13. deodorant
14. indoor plumbing
15. cheese
16. the computer
17. a college degree
18. ceiling fans
19. flip flops
20. cameras
21. scrapbooks
22. cute scrapbooking supplies
23. thick hair
24. health
25. trash pick-up
26. our country
27...and its leaders
28. swimming pools
29. my hearing
30. antibacterial lotion
31. cute pens and pencils
32. office supplies in general
33. Mrs. Smith's Dutch Crumb Apple Pie
34. Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk
35. pink, little girl things
36. underwear
37. a washing machine
38. my bike with a bell
39. a cool neighborhood with great neighbors
40. babies
41. hugs
42. art
43. sunflower seeds
44. soft grass
45. cold water
46. country roads
47. a big family
48. Steve Irwin
49. and while we're on the subject, TV
50. board games
51. caramel
52. my down pillow and comforter
53. pictures in black and white
54. my childhood
55. grandparents
56. random acts of kindness
57. lavendar
58. humor
59. good eyesight
60. that I can get pregnant and carry a baby
61. creeks and streams
62. Tylenol
63. A&W Root Beer
64. a good grocery store
65. a clean bathroom
66. a sensitve conscience
67. a living prophet
68. and while I'm on that subject, the true gospel
69. creativity
70. a good imagination
71. compassion
72. stars
73. Texas thunder storms
74. a good salad
75. blue
76. paper clips
77. cute kids' clothes
78. fun shoes
79. our digital camera
80. ziploc baggies (all sizes)
81. order
82. intuition
83. double-sided tape
84. flowers
85. history
86. a temple so near
87. taking walks
88. heavy rain
89. decks
90. BBQ
91. getting the mail
92. playing Dr. Mario
93. Christmas lights
94. family vacations
95. sunsets
96. hindsight
97. ice
98. horses
99. floss
100. sleep

I've decided not to blog until I'm not in a bad mood...it may be awhile.

My beef with pork, of the rind variety...

WARNING: Do not read if you have a weak stomach, or if you are hungry, or if you actually like pork rinds...in fact, if you like pork rinds, maybe you and I shouldn't be friends.

Product : Pork rind obtained from sound pig carcasses that have been declared fit

for human consumption by a competent authority.
(actual comments from a website about pork rind manufacturers)

When our oldest daughter was about six months old we moved to Groton, Connecticut for three months. Clark was completing Submarine Officer Advanced Course--a school that prepares new officers for the fleet. Since we only had one, small child we accompanied him and stayed in his living quarters, a big 6 story hotel (converted extended stay) called the Susse Chalet. It was a typical hotel. We lived in this room for three whole months from January to April...it was very bleak and cold outside--but we took advantage of our time in New England and took every opportunity to see Boston, New York, Newport, Providence and Mystic. We really had fun while we were there but missed some of the niceties of living in a home. We took our own comforter, watched a lot of TV, played A LOT of Dr. Mario (we brought our Nintendo and computer), did our laundry in the basement and ate two meals a day out of a dorm sized fridge in our room....thats a lot of PBJ's and bagels. We ate dinner each night at the Mess Hall on the base. We went the same time every night and ate in the officer's room to avoid being stared at by all of the single men in the cafeteria. Dinner was usually a lame salad and some very middle-school-lunchesque meal...but we sat and watched Simpsons while we ate. It was truly an experience. (Even though is was far from even a 1 star restaurant it somehow managed to satisfy my need to eat out regulary, though we ate out in town every opportunity we could manage.) Needless to say, we craved home cooked meals in a real kitchen...for three months.
We jumped at the opportunity to visit a good friend that my husband worked with here in Houston. He is originally from Boston and we love the man...a true Bostonian through and through. He was going to be in town for the weekend and invited us to join him for dinner at his parent's house on Sunday evening. We were so excited...we were starving...
We made the 1 1/2 or 2 hour drive to the Boston suburb, trying to tame our imaginations the entire way there of what scrupmtuous meal was being prepared and laid out for us at his sweet, mother's house...no doubt a grandmotherly type Martha Stewart slaving over her quaint New England gas stove making hearty clam chowder and fresh rolls.
We were warmly greeted by Mr. G (that really is what we call him) and ushered ourselves into the house, our grumbling tummies expecting the heavy aroma of home made something...but alas, it was not so.
His mother, though a very sweet and friendly lady, had leathery old smokers skin and a voice lower than her burly son's. We made idle chit chat while Clark and I wrang our hands waiting in anxst for our meal to be revealed.
Then she brought out the peanuts. We dove into them. And when she brought out the heaping bowl of pork rinds, we devoured the rest of the peanuts. That was it. That was what we drove two hours for in the dark New England night? Our neglected bellies ached for the fill of home cooked goodness and we were offered light, fluffy, pig carcass. I don't want to eat something that at some point had to be inspected to be "declared fit for human consumption". I like to stick to food that is "obviously for human consumption...no questions asked." While obtaining the picture for the top of this post I came across horrid inscriptions that left my head realing and my stomach queesy..."pork cracklings"....huh?....and a link to something called Celiac Sprue Disease...stop, just stop...I suggest sticking to the good hearty crunch of a Dorito or Ruffles with Ridges...but come on, pork cracklings, animal skin, really?
In all fairness, Mr. G did proceed to take us out for amazing Calzones at a little pizza take out place. Truly the best calzone I've ever tasted....but at the price of a bitterly disappointing day. The icing on the "pork rinds", so to speak, was when we were walking out the door she slapped her forehead and apologized profusely that she had forgotten to bring out the salsa...the dear woman...is that why she assumed we didn't touch the deep-fried pig by-product? As my mother would say, "Bless her heart"...and bless our bellies.

Radish and Fried Pork Rind Salad
Whatever you do, please, please...don't forget the salsa.

Poopy Pooperton

My 3 1/2 year old just returned from the bathroom. She didn't even tell me she had to go and she came back screaming that she had two poops! My heart is joyous, nay, swelling with glee. It has taken far too long. We have put to rest many (and I mean MANY) a pair of poopy underwear that I was not willing to clean out. She is on her way folks. All of those prayers containing the words poop and tinckle are starting to pay off. There's no turning back. As far as I'm concerned she can eat suckers until the end of time.
Good girl Abby.

TRICK OR TREAT, SMELL MY FEET, GIVE ME SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT...

So here we are this year, in all our girly glory.

The girls were butterflies (with crowns, because crowns make everything more fun, of course) and Mia was an inebriated chicken who couldn't walk in her costume (last week we took them to the ward activity--the first time I put her down she took one "step" and fell flat on her face, producing one loud thump heard around the parking lot and one large scraped goose egg...er, chicken egg on her forehead).

That's OK, we didn't take her out trick-or-treating. She stayed home and manned, or rather man-handled the candy bowl with Caleb.

There's just something about those little legs..and I wish you could see Haley's underwear hanging inappropriately low out of her leotard...priceless. (And thanks Aunt Abby for the fancy face work.)

Did you know that too much sugar underage produces unbelievable hair growth?..and I can' t do a thing with it.

(Haley Bug towing a line at the ward party)


Hope ya'll had a fun Halloween!..our dentist will remind us of how much fun we had in the coming months.

The glass is indeed, half full.

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that ha’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don'’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey, filled with delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas, and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."”
Gordon B. Hinckley

I am grateful to take notice of the many moments in my life that are beautiful and unforgetable. I loved the idea (that I recently read in another's blog...sorry, I can't remember exactly where but its one of you that I love to read) that certain moments of life are seared into our memory. We may remember subtle details of seemingly unimportant moments and we will remember undoubtedly how we felt at that particular moment. My life has been filled with them...especially my adult life.
One of the most stark that stand out in my mind happened when I was newly graduated from college and living in Annapolis, Maryland...waiting to get married. I was in love with my fiance, leaving work after a satisfying day and it was incredible outside. It was early spring but it was warm enough to have my windows down as I drove from Anne Arundel Community College back toward downtown Annapolis, past the Naval Academy where I would stop off to throw rocks at Clark's window and see him for a short moment before going home. There is a bridge in Annapolis that crosses over the Chesapeake River. As you come up over the middle of the bridge you have a perfect view of the Naval Academy in all its historical splendor. The bridge itself is a work of art with detailed stone statuettes and old fashioned gas lamp posts. I was driving with the windows down and listening to Time to Say Goodbye by Sarah Brightman. Seagulls were dancing up and down the sides of the bridge in time to the music and I felt a euphoric sense of contentment and happiness to be alive. I was warm and happy. I will never forget that moment. It was like a symphony of the senses, being played in perfect sychronization and harmony. It felt as if the birds and water were part of a choreographed motion to the music and I actually felt a swelling in my breast...a rush of adrenaline that left a silly sort of smile across my face.
Today, years later and "hundreds-of-those-moments richer" I had another one. I was at the park with my sister and our kids on another perfect day. The weather was incredible and the company...(I can't find a word that describes how much I love the people I was with, minus my husband). We were walking our strollers holding the babes and my two daughters were riding their bikes ahead of us. These moments are many since my five year old has learned to ride her bike. There is something so innocent and poetic about watching her from behind, concentrating on her balance and so proud of herself for growing up...and her back side is darn cute...my two older girls, so far, have inherited their Dad's legs...my favorite part of his body (besides his head, of course.) Their cute little legs, peddling...their juvenile heads, still slightly large for their bodies. ANYway, Abby was right in front of us on her little plastic bike and peddling a mile a minute to keep up...we must have watched her pedal those little legs in eternal circles for a good mile and a half, at least. She had her hair down (impossible to convince her to do anything else with it), a little white t-shirt with delicately puffed sleeves adorned with a bow, and a little plaid skirt with knee socks. Her unintentional determination to pedal and pedal and pedal made my sister and I both smile. That moment was added to permanent fixtures in my memory...I hope I never forget what they were like at this age. I still feel the rush of emotional adrenaline and tears welling up waiting to release that joy and emotion that I can't contain. My family evokes these feelings in me.
Life is not perfect. I suppose if you graphed the good and bad times there would be a dramatic overshadowing of the bad....but that is so beyond the point. Our lives will always be what we think of them. We choose every day how we think and what we do. Things happen to us but they don't define us. Things happen to us, but we will always have a choice of where to go from there. Things happen to us but we don't have to assimilate what they are. We choose. We choose what we are. We choose what we think. We choose what we do and ultimately where we will end up.
I don't want to downplay how difficult this can be. I can sulk with the best of them. I like to wallow...its how I sort through things and move on. But the power is there, in each of us. It is our divine nature to overcome--we are not alone. We have an ever present, loving Heavenly Father and we are surrounded by people who make our lives beyond bearable, beautiful. Choose this day to see the cup half full. Optimism is the key....no. Gratitude is the key. James E. Faust said that

"Gratitude unlocks the fulness of life. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend".

Be grateful for everything and you will not only grow, you will be happy.

I know her!

Hey, Kristen has a new website and its beautiful--so go look, now!
http://kristendukephotography.com/

(chills)

I am suddenly freaked out. I sat down at the computer to go brain numb for a few minutes and got sucked into the blog vacuum. So I am going from blog to blog, click on a comment here, "oh that looks interesting" and sooner than you can say "lol" I am lost out in blogo-land....and yet, familiar names are starting to pop up-comments by people that I have read before but through different people. I am suddenly caught in a whirlpool, a blog "eddy", if you will...you were there, and you, and you.
I feel like I am being watched, like we are all linked by some greater power....oh, its just the internet.
The whole "small world" thing is starting to creep me out, that's all.

Roughing it.

OK, I realize that the kind of camping we do it hardly roughing it, but any time I don't get to sleep in my own bed is rough. We took an overnight trip with the parents and cousins this weekend.

I have to set the record straight to all those out there who label me a "camping-hater". Such strong words. I simply do not care for the sleeping outside part. Everything else I can handle and really, truly enjoy. I mean, who doesn't like pancakes, eggs and sausage cooked over an open fire and you haven't camped until you have had the foil dinners that my Mother in law makes (Sorry Mo, I love yours too but its been a while!). To further prove my dedication to my in laws (who have labeled me a hater of camping) I went with a raging case of pink eye (extreme measures were taken to disinfect at all times, I assure you...though we should see how good a job I did at that in the coming 24 to 48 hours.)

ANYway! In short, we had
2 camping sites
4 tents
1 hammock
8 adults
1 pre-teen (complete with make up and hair accessories)
9 kids
a few powdered donuts
tang
and one case of pink eye.

It is always loads of fun (excluding the hours between 11pm and 6:30 am at which point I finally woke up my husband to walk my half-blind self to the bathroom where from 300 yards away we could hear our daughter calling through the quiet wee hours of the morning for her Mommy to change her out of a urine-soaked sleeping bag)
I love the food, the company and the time together. Whenever we go camping with all the fam we take a long hike--that's my favorite part.

I love being outside and not caring what we look like or where we have to be, what we have to do and how many stains we have on our shirts. It's a time for me to revel in my family, to be grateful for the Earth that we live on and the people that I get to live with. I'm grateful that we get to go even though the prep and clean up when you tote along 3 small kids is not all that fun, its a perfect excuse to just be...and I love it.

Things you didn't ask to know about me...

Brace yourself...this is a long one.
Here are some fun facts about me that you didn't ask to hear and might not even care to know...so here we go. (Thanks Sunnie for the idea.)...I also want to take time to note that that was my first link creation...so take a moment to say yeah for me.
PET PEEVES
I hate hearing people eat. The worst is cereal. If I am not eating also I absolutely have to leave the room because it makes me want to throw something...preferably the cereal bowl. Also hearing people take huge gulps. There is a lot of other stuff that grates on me but I'll spare you the list.
RECURRING DREAM
I have (in less frequency these days) dreams all the time that I have to go back to high school or college because there is a class that I didn't finish. I know that I have a husband and kids but I have to just leave them and go finish...usually I can't find my locker.
YOU WOULD HATE LIVING WITH ME BECAUSE
I like to sleep diagnonal in the bed and I whine when I am tired...I also get very grumpy and irrate when I hear people chew (in the morning especially.)

My FIRST KISS was a boy named Clark, but it wasn't my husband.
I also KISSED a boy in college that my sister kissed too...she really dated him, I didn't...and it wasn't near the time that she dated him...however, it was NOT a "non-commital make out" (that's another pet peeve--sorry, I don't approve of making out with people that you don't even like, I think its dumb)

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Once I followed the wrong friend home from school. I somehow mistook her for someone else, got on her bus, got off at her stop and stood in the front lawn while her mother asked who I was...my Mom had to come pick me up.

MIDDLE SCHOOL
I had short, permed hair.

We moved mid-sixth grade and I developed obnoxious anxiety problems...I sat out in the car during 8th grade graduation while my parents attended...I had a new dress and everything.

HIGH SCHOOL

I was a runner. I did cross country and track, the 4 by 4 relay, high jump and triple jump. I also did an AP art portfolio and got a 4, not bad...not amazing, but not bad. I still like to draw and illustrate.

COLLEGE
I used to take naps under the stairs in the JSB and developed a disturbing taste for the tuna sandwhiches out of the vending machines (I know, scary...maybe thats why I didn't date and marry someone from BYU)...and contrary to my dreams, I did graduate.

POST COLLEGE
I had a long distance relationship and engagement. We dated for a year, then engaged for an entire year. He proposed on top of the Empire State Building in NYC.

I have had really short hair...and my brother called me Peter.

I used to watch Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Mad About You daily.
Before I hit puberty and discovered metabolism I was a really good rock climber.
My favorite color has always been blue.
I wish that I could breathe underwater.
I was born in Sweden.
I love making lists, for everything...I'm like my Dad but I look like my Mom.
I have three girls...I secretly want all girls but I'm sure that I would love a boy too.
I had mono in college.
I have a c-section scar, and its ugly.
I love love love art history but I have a horrible memory...my favorite painting is Starry Night by my favorite artist, Van Gogh. A couple of years ago an exhibit came to Houston that included a bunch of Van Gogh paintings...when I walked in the room and saw the actual Starry Night it took my breath away and made me cry.
I can play the piano but I'm not very good at hymns.
I know sign language but I'm too shy to use it much.

I love my parents and siblings and all of my in-laws.

I don't mean to be obnoxious, I really am a nice person but I tend to stick my foot in my mouth, a lot...especially lately.
I do like myself but I don't think that I would be friends with me.
I love Houston in the winter.
I was a really good roller skater when I was little.
I came in third place at a BYU polka competition...I didn't polka on a regular basis.
I still have my baby blanket.

I am a Navy wife and I love it...I love doing something hard that is totally worth it...I believe in my husband's job and I respect the people he works with.
I don't like seafood (except salmon, and apparently tuna sandwhiches from the BYU vending machines.)
I'm a pretty good cook.
I am spoiled.
I spoil my children.
I've seen my parents do the Electric Slide...but don't judge them, it was a long time ago.
I once had a crush on a boy in college because he knew all the words to "Parents Just Don't Understand".
I love my life and feel so very lucky every day.
My kids are funnier than me and my husband combined (which is funny because they are my husband and me combined!)
I like caramel.

Thanks for joining me on this journey of me...I'm sure you have learned a lot and wasted a good 10 minutes. It was a pleasure.

Swept but not mopped...

I've decided that this is my life in a nutshell. The kitchen floor may (emphasis on the may) get swept regularly but very seldom mopped. The house gets picked up, but rarely "cleaned". The vacuum comes out to play not often enough and my best friend is the all-purpose Clorox wipe (it disinfects, right?...That's all that really matters to me, peace of mind, even if it doesn't really kill bacteria.) Mind you, that I'm OK with that, for now. With the birth of each child it has taken me an average of 6 months to feel "in control" of things again. It takes me about that long to find the new balance in juggling the different aspects that make up my days. I'm not miserable or anything for that long...In fact, I don't even notice that I don't have it down. But by about 6 months is when I feel like things are clickin' and ask myself how did I do it before?
This last little one was a blow to my cleaning standards. Maybe it was the combination of having a third baby, moving into our first house that was 3 times the size of anywhere we had lived before and being surrounded by such distracting family (I mean that in a fun way...As in, I would rather play than keep up my house). It has taken me months to feel OK with leaving dishes in the sink, letting laundry pile up, and up, pasta for dinner 5 times a week and putting flip flops on in my own kitchen so as not to be grossed out by the amount of crumbs left behind by said three children.
BUT...
I have also learned to ignore being irritated by a messy house and I have spent more time with my kids. I have enjoyed playing with them and learning about them. I am much slower to clean, to organize, to scrub, to fold than before but I am happy with the way things are.
I just wonder how long it will be before my husband and my bedroom stays clean for more than a week at a time...Maybe it won't be until I am old and need a caretaker and then I could just hire someone that will do light cleaning as well...
After all, pigs are happy in the mud, aren't they?

Frozen in Time...

I have a friend named Kristen. We have been friends for a long time...nearly 14 years! (man, thats a long time...) Kristen had a camera in high school with a yellow button, and she always had it with her, and she took pictures, and if someone else took a picture with it we would all yell "push the button hard!" because we knew it was a sticky button. She has a love for a history of pictures and I'm sure she has enough to tell the stories of a lifetime. I am envious because she has started her own photography business, and she is great!

I love that she takes pictures of my kids for me every time she comes to town...I don't feel like I can let her visit without her camera because I love her ability to capture my children.

Check her out, she is the best!
(PS She's doing Christmas Cards this year and they are CUTE!)
Thanks Kris!

http://kristendukephotography.com/

jeez...

I supplimented between grocery trips with a different brand of milk. I have to say, I felt a little hurt every time I got it out of the fridge. I half felt tempted to say back to it, "Fag."

(I apologize for the lack of political correctness of this entry...but he started it.)

Take me out to the ballgame...

Last night we started a family tradition with the girls. We took them to their first major league baseball game (the first one that they may actually remember--there was that time that I nursed Haley on the concrete floor in the bathroom at a Seattle Mariners game.) I loved going to baseball games growing up and have vivid and fond memories of watching the Cardinals play in Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It is one of my most favorite childhood memories. And ironically enough, last night's game was the Astros vs. the St. Louis Cardinals (I felt a little inner turmoil but we decided to route for the 'stros..the Cards just haven't held the same place in my heart since Whitey Herzog and Ozzie Smith left.)
There is nothing like walking towards the stadium with crowds of people wearing supportive jerseys, ready to cheer and be united in a cause...its nearly breathtaking to walk into the stadium where you catch a glimpse for the first time, the illuminating lights, the bright green field against fresh dirt and crisp chalk lines. And the food, don't even get me started. I love it. I don't especially love to watch sports, but I love going to baseball games. Where else can you feel totally guiltless throwing peanut shells on the floor and yelling at the top of your lungs?
We took the two older girls and had a blast. Abby sat on Clark's lap and Haley sat with me as we each explained the game. Haley giggled excitedly every time I told her that something meant that "he is OUT!" She was completely entertained by the fact that the grown men had to go and sit back down if they couldn't hit the ball. They were so excited.
Haley and I stood in line for food and returned to our seats 45 minutes later, $40 poorer and two and a half innings later (we even missed a homerun which is the worst at an Astros game because there is a huge train that blows its whistle and moves!) Abby became increasingly docile and complained of a tummy ache. When a small child says her stomach hurts you don't fool around, so we left early (you really sit too closely to the people in front of you to chance anything--besides, Haley had already dropped her pizza on the lady in front of us...vomit would have been just plain rude.)

I like this picture because you can see me in the backround coaxing Abby to please throw up INTO the large fry cup.
We spent an inning or so watching the game from a lower deck. Once we actually left the inside Abby started to feel better so we figured our little princess just couldn't hack the height of our assigned seats. Oh well, next time we'll have to get box seats to avoid the vertigo.
The crowning moment for me had to be when Haley untucked her shirt to wipe her mouth. When I started to groan she said, "don't worry, I'll tuck it back in." That was good enough for me.

Being a Pack Rat finally pays off!

I'm here to tell you all that keeping things beyond their time and reason can pay off. I used to be sentimental and am becoming increasingly less as the years and things accummulate. I have moving on my mind and I'm starting to panic about certain areas of my house. "They can't pack that!...what was I thinking?...I don't want to move or unpack that for sure!" So even though moving is still a good 9 months away, I have begun an exodus of junk. I love to do this. Purging is fun for me and it leaves me feeling so much better...purging of things, that is (my breakfast is still where it should be.) I wish that my camera was refreshed so I could take before and after pictures because I love them. I love to take a cluttered closet and leave it neat and tidy, full of right angles and labeled bins. It gives me pure joy...and I must admit, I am good. I figure I should be grateful for at least one of my talents. And this just happens to be one that I can practice, often. I even drove to Utah this summer with my sister and four children to help do this for another sister. It was truly enjoyable.
ANYway! The point of my story is...I was emptying the closet in our office and throwing loads of stuff away. I came across a gift bag full of all of the cards from my bridal shower and wedding (SIX YEARS AGO!). I figured that if I looked through each one just one more time I could fondly remember the event and throw it all away. I was going through each card and reading the name when I came across $25!!! thats cash, so it was still viable! Thus we see that it can indeed benefit us to keep things, and most certainly benefit us even more to go through it and throw it out. So go my friends, clean out your closets and under your beds. There may be treasures awaiting you yet.
And thank you Stevens family, we had breakfast on you this morning.

and the last candle has been extinguished...

Well, not really. Clark missed out on candles because he was too busy for his birthday. Little Abner, Mi Mi and I met him at work today with a balloon, a yummy cake and some gifts. We went out and grabbed lunch at a deliciously po-dunk establishment in Waller, Texas--an incredibly loaded baked potato with brisket and a lot of other stuff. Mmmmm. He got to leave work early so we went and hung out at the mall, he chose a couple of birthday items and then he took off for school. Maybe I'll make him an after-school snack with a candle when he gets home. I love the Birthday Boy and I'm sure grateful that he was born!!

Clark is kind and sweet, he is strong and sensitive. He is sure and smart, brave and patriotic. He is deep yet silly and protective but generous. He has confidence and humility and is a terrific leader but knows when to support and be led. I love his sense of humor, his squinty eyes and his delicate ankles. I am lucky to be able to share my life with him and feel blessed by his companionship! I love you Clarky Pants!

BIRTHDAY OVERLOAD!

This time of year brings so much glee and celebration it makes me want to combust like a birthday pinata. We start simple enough...a joyous celebration of the birth of yours truly on August 23 (I'm sure that your card got lost in the mail...) followed swiftly by my first born's day of recognition on the 30th. Two days later is the anniversary of our 3rd's birth followed by my hubby's six days later...are you following me? In another week or so we will be birthday-ed out. These two weeks includes lots of presents, lots of eating out and way too much cake. I just leave my little nifty HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner hanging up most of the month to cover all my bases. And that doesn't even include nieces, nephews and siblings who also share our months 'o birthday mayhem. My middle child is so spoiled...her birthday is in May (the same day as her namesake!).
So here's my wide shout out to all you that I love dearly--there is not paper enough to send cards so this is it! But know that I love you truly!
Julia August 22
Me August 23 (yahoo!)
Haley August 30
Mia September 1
Waverly September 6
Clarky Pants September 7
Chip and Oscars September 10

Did I miss anyone?

To make matters slightly more chaotic, the battery on our camera is dead and we can't find the charger...so Thank You Big Abby for supplying the pics!

This was my favorite birthday present in all history of b day presents. The diamond fell out of its setting back in February and Clark had it re-set for my birthday. He's pretty cool. And what can I say, a girl likes a little bling.

A girl after my own heart. Haley decided that she wanted to go out for her birthday dinner. And where do you suppose a five year old wants to spend her birthday celebrating? Why Sweet Tomatoes of course...all the birthday broccoli you can handle! Nothing justifies overeating like a buffet.

If that were a real cake, it would be all over her face. So imagine this next pic with chocolate frosting instead of pink flesh tones. (we're destroying her cake on Sunday)

Sorry this picture is a little old, but I won't have an updated one until Clark's actual birthday.

Iguana be in pictures!

My family has long been living our lives in movies. I still have memories of our first movie closet in St. Louis- an entire walk in closet off the family room with shelves and shelves of VHS tapes. Princess Bride, Swiss Family Robinson, Flight of the Navigator, Tron...all the classics of the 80's. Our family loves to stay at home and watch a movie or go out and catch a flick (which we've even been known to do on Christmas Day!) One drastic side effect, I'm afraid, is that most of our dialogue revolves around movie quotes. Hey, if you don't know what to say, use a pre-fabricated response! Sometimes it doesn't even have anything to do with what we are talking about and yet, it still fits.
Here are some of my favorites that I use on a regular basis. We'll see how well you know your movies. (And Abby Jean and Spencer don't count...they know all of these.)
"How many fingers does Mrs. Claus have?"
"E-leven"
"It's crap, get it off the wall"

"Where have you taken us Philipe?"

"Paul, where are you? I need a cigarette!" (I don't use this one but Abby Jean does and it makes me laugh every time.

"Curse you aqua-scum!" (this one you can use in leu of a curse word or anytime you are upset)

"Jan Levingston I presume"

More to come as my feeble mind can recall....(brain capacity is sparse these days...)

BOOBS!

I saw this bumber sticker at the store the other day and it made me chuckle...and it kind of made me feel like being more pro active for a cause. Sometimes it just takes something a little off color to really get my attention.

Picky Eater or Food Critic in the Making?

This morning I couldn't get Abby to eat her breakfast because it was ugly, or "ug-a-lee" as she puts it. Could it be that that she has a delicate palate for gourmet cuisine or maybe she's just 3.
I suppose I can try harder tomorrow to make her food more...presentable.