PreK Eve

Jillian starts preschool tomorrow. I remember what the first day of school was always like for me - laying out the perfect outfit, having everything ready, lying awake for hours. I was always, always, always super-dee-duper excited. However, I didn't want my own anxieties to transfer to her, but I did ask several times the today if she was ready. The last time (and there is a reason it was the last) I asked, this conversation followed.

Me: Jilli, are you ready for school tomorrow?

J: I'm not going to school. I only want to go to PRRREEEEeee-school.

Me: It is PRRRREEEEeeee-school. (yes, I mocked her)

J: Well, I'm not going.

Me: Jilli, why do you not want to go to preschool?

J: Because, I just don't want to go.

Me: Jilli, you will have fun. You will make new friends. You will play new games and sing new songs.

J: So! (Holy wow, where did that attitude come from? Oh, yeah - me. Shucks!)

Me: I am sure you will change your mind in the morning when it is time to go.

J: We'll just see about that!!! (as she marched upstairs)

Yikes Ike or My Husband the Roofer

It is supposed to rain tonight. Mark thought it was about time we (okay he) fixed the roof. We lost 8 shingles when Ike blew through almost two weeks ago. So my handy honey, you know the one that doesn't like heights, scaled to the third highest peak (it sounds more dramatic when I write it that way) of our roof and with a little shingle cement, a few roofing nails, and one mighty swing of a hammer - our roof is fixed. F-I-X-E-D. Fixed! I am so grateful I am married to such a wonderful man that isn't afraid of hard work and finds great pride in the care and upkeep of our home. And by the way, great job holding the ladder Grandpa. He couldn't have done it without you.

Furniture Assembly, Anyone?

After the roof was finished, the mighty task of assembling the girls' furniture was the next item to be marked off the to do list today. It was a beautiful day, so Mark and Grandpa decided to put everything together outside. In addition, Mark's truck provides the perfect work station. Five hours and two pizzas later, mission accomplished. I still do not, Do. Not! know how I am going to fit everything in their room. I guess I will have to post pictures when the task is complete, but don't be surprised if it takes me a while.

You're Invited

A little while ago, I was reading an article about parenting in the August Ensign titled Love, Limits, and Latitude. I knew as I read that the impression from this article would be, will be lifelong. I was really inspired, encouraged, and validated by these simple words. I want to read this article every morning before I get going so I can start the day in the right frame of mind. Seriously, it made everything seem so clear. I consider myself a pretty savvy parent. I parent with love and authority, I praise with gratitude and esteem, and I discipline with clarity and diligence. But oh the times they are a changing. As Brendan and Jillian grow, their demand for discipline increases, and Mark and I have began to notice differences in our parenting. I come from a long line of yellin' and hollerin', so I constantly battle the vociferous urge to bark and squall commands. Mark on the other hand, comes from the ideology that you do what you are told, when you are told - no questions asked. If only it worked that way all the time, right? I have noticed over my last 11 years as a parent that my children are more responsive when I invite them to do something, instead of commanding them to do it. I was sharing the article and its teachings with Mark today and relating all my newly discovered answers to all the parenting questions we have had lately hoping to reach a middle ground. A middle ground may be within reach, each day adds a new piece to the puzzle. However, what we did get today was some immediate super-spectacular comic relief. Actually, it hurt too much for Mark to laugh, but I was laughing my tail off anyway.

The cause for such laughter...Mark and I were still not feeling well one day last week (he had pneumonia, I have shingles.) It was the first day we managed the whole day without help. The kids were finally bathed and in bed, Mark and I were ready to crash, and the Bigs were constantly getting out of bed. Brendan already achieved three times up post tuck in, Jillian was inching towards a fourth (we could here the springs of her bed squeaking yet again), and Mark had enough. Enough, I tell ya. So from his roost on the couch, he yells upstairs, "Jillian, I invite you to go to bed!" Read the article, you will understand and it will make you laugh even harder.

Karigan has Wings

The poor girl doesn't have much hair. She hasn't since the day she was born. Brendan and Jillian were both born with more hair than she has now. But, boy the hair she does have is just blond, blond, blond and curly, curly, curly. I am lovin' it. Even when it does stick out no matter how hard I try to comb it down. Her hair, just like her, definitely has a mind of its own.

I Heart Target <3

What a deal. I mean, What. A. Steal! Mark and I went on a day date to Target. Pronounced Tar-jhay - we were on a "date" after all, and we might as well make it as exotic as possible, right? And this is what we found. We had been looking on and off for about a year for new furniture for the girl's room. And wait until you get a load of this...the nightstand was $74.99, the bookcase was $99.99, and the dresser was $16.99 yes I typed correctly Sixteen dollars and ninety-nine cents. Can you believe it? We even asked the cashier if the price was right, she rescanned the dresser and said, "yep that is what it's ringin' up." Thank goodness for being in the right place at the right time. Now task #1 is assembling the furniture, and task #2 is making it all fit. Where's Grandpa?????

Sympathy Shopping

Since the "devil's fire" cream didn't work, I tried some of Mark's Gold Bond, and boy, by this time, it was Heaven sent. So Mark ran to the store to get more and strawberry syrup. However, this is what he came back with. Each of these items has a unique story behind it. Fun Stuff. Gotta love him. Wanna love him. Forever!

Chili Pepper Apothecary

Bite into a chili pepper and you are likely to feel an intense burning sensation - as if your mouth is on fire. So it would make perfect sense to apply a compound cream consisting of cortisone, lidocaine, and capsaicin to very sensitive, extremely irritated skin, right?

Well, that is just what the doctor ordered. I thought the whole battle with shingles was over and I escaped with mild neuropathy and only one spot. Ha Ha Ha! I woke up last Thursday with another "spot" on my neck, this one twice the size as the one on my abdomen. And, like an outbreak, by Monday I was covered from earlobe to knee cap. And with the pox came the pain! I followed up with the doctor on Tuesday, only to be told "yep, still shingles." He prescribed a higher dose of pain medication and a cream made at the compound pharmacy down the street. I adore the science behind holistic apothecary, but user discretion be advised. I picked up the cream, and then had a few errands to run while I was out. I used a dab of the cream in a small spot just to see how beneficial it was. And It. was. great! The lidocaine numbed the pain, and about 15 minutes later, the heat from the capsaicin soothed the chaos beneath my skin. I was so excited when I arrived home because it was time for the next application. I lathered every affected area, keeping in mind "a little goes a long way." And then it happened. I WAS ON FIRE! Crazy fire! Errupting from the tissues beneath my skin. A shower was the logical solution, right? Oh no, no, no. The warm water made the "fire" worse, and cold water made me shiver and my skin pucker.

I guess I will chalk this one up to "one of those things I am meant to experience in life." And I dare ask, "What's next?"

Soccer Pictures

My beautiful baby girl. This picture was taken on her last day as a 4 year old.

~

Go Starlights!

~ From Left, Back row: Coach Eric, Holly, Amaya, Jillian, Coach Jack

Front row: Reagan, Ana, Morgan; Not Pictured: Kennedy & Maddy

The Super Hero Inside Mark?

Mark's superpower would be (is!) super speed.

You're quick witted and fast to act. You're mind works at warp speed. From your perspective, everyone else is living in slow motion. You get so much done, people have accused you of not sleeping. Definitely not a couch potato, you feel a bit crazy if you're not busy doing something. Why you would be a good superhero? You would be the first on the scene, and likely to finish the job before anyone else shows up. Your biggest problem as a superhero is being bored by everyone else, including other superheroes!

The Super Hero Inside Me?

My superpower would be manipulating fire.

You are intense, internally driven, and passionate. Your emotions are unpredictable - and they often get the better of you. Both radiant and terrifying, people are drawn to you. At your most powerful, you feel like the world belongs to you. Why you would be a good superhero: You are obsessive enough to give it your all. Your biggest problem as a superhero: Your moodiness would make it difficult to control your powers.

What Should Your Superpower Be?

Really! It could not be any more true!

Spiritual Perspective.

Before church this morning, I was thinking how great it would be to start making a profoundly spiritual post to my blog each and every Sunday. I have a few times in the past, but I want to express this fervent side of me and share my testimony more often. So, I was sitting in sacrament meeting today and was wanting to take away something really illuminating to share on the blog. I was focused on focusing, listening, learning. Instead, I found myself hushing and shushing, getting books out, putting books away, feeding Cheerios, eating Cheerios, cleaning Cheerios, one potty break, one crying baby exit, etc. I was struggling to just begin to write something, anything spiritually driven. I decided procrastination was the best answer, and maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will hold more enlightenment.

Now that it is Monday, today's blogging purpose is to finish yesterday's post. Instead I chose to catch up on everyone else's blogs I read, when I stumbled upon a blog belonging to a very dear, childhood friend, Kasia, the Diana to my Anne of sorts. I will talk more about her later, for now I will finish this post. While catching up on the last I-can't-bear-to-think-of-how-many years, I came across this entry in her blog and it epitomized every emotion I was feeling and conjured the solution for which I searched. She was discussing Lehi's vision of The Tree of Life as told in 1 Nephi 8, and says Lehi PARTOOK of the fruit of the tree of life and it filled his soul with exceedingly great joy [while] many of the people simply TASTED of the fruit and they were ashamed and fell away and were lost. SO...What is the difference between partaking and tasting? Tasting refers to getting acquainted with or maybe testing the flavor of something; whereas, partaking means to share in something or to take part in something. I reflect on this a lot in my life, because I feel that I can easily get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I really want to be a partaker of God's greatest gift. I don't want to just taste of it. I really want to *share in* and *take part in* eternal life with my family and with God.

Our Family Date Night

WaterFire Columbus is becoming one of the most exciting art exhibits in Central Ohio. I know that may sound like a stretch, but I have always been mesmerized by fire. The magnificent array of bonfires was first established on the three rivers of downtown Providence, Rhode Island in 1997. In downtown Columbus, the flames reflect on the waters of the Scioto (sigh-oh-tuh) River. This was the last fire for the season and was held simultaneously with the Riverfront Arts Festival (kind of like Mayfest for all you Okies.) We had a great time walking through the different tents of vendors, had a few laughs with the artists, and contemplated buying several things only for Mark to say, "why buy it, when you can do that?" A few of our favorites: Chuck Wimmer, his art candidly illustrates the literary playfulness of words. Click on his name to check out his work. You will not be the same afterwards. Susan Kline, she uses children's playing cards with her personal info stickered to the back as business cards. Mark randomly chose a card with a chef on it from the stack. Her pop art is modern whimsy, something I would love in our home. Jennifer Li, whose story was so inspirational, not to mention, her hand made glass beads left Jillian spellbound. And last but certainly not least, Kimberly Erb. Her impressionism is unremarkable--beautiful, poetic romanticism in paint. Tina if you are reading this...she does custom work. I told her about Cricket and she said that she would give you the 30% show price if you would like a portrait - just mention the Riverfront Arts Festival in Columbus.

Our Family

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Ghoul's Night

SO...Tuesday night Megan, Becky, Kelly, and I decided that we need, need, NEED (okay, its a want) a mandatory, monthly girls night. Since September is halfway over, how cool would this be for October. I am loving the black lipstick, the spray painted skulls, and the silver-sparkly everything. The website even offers an "evite" template. Check it out and get more ideas here.

Who. Are. You?

When I started blogging, I was hoping to create a virtual scrapbook for all of our out of town family. I couldn't really imagine that anyone would check in on my blog very often except my family and a few friends. I was tinkering with the idea of going "private" or not, so I installed a site meter just to see who was popping in from time to time. This allows me to see who is visiting, how they found my blog, how long they stay, etc. Boy, was I surprised when I started getting hits from places uninhabited by people I know. I will never fully understand, why some people have found my crazy little life interesting, but I have recently noticed that several people are repeat visitors, but I don't know who they are. This leads me to my next question...

Are you a CLOSET Blog Stalker? Do you check in on my site frequently but never leave me a comment letting me know who you are? If so, please, please, PLEASE leave me a comment! If you find our lives interesting enough to stop by on a regular basis and check things out, then I want to get to know you too! And if you have a blog, then we can stalk each other. ;O) Scandelous, isn't it?

SHOW MAMA SOME LOVE PEOPLE!!!

Droppin' the L.B.'s

We can tease all we want, but seriously the numbers do not lie. As of tonight, Mark is officially weighing in at T-minus 21 pounds and I have lost a whopping 26 pounds (unfortunately, it shows more on him.) Lets be clear, I do not. Absolutely, DO NOT! encourage weight loss to be achieved in such a manner, however, it is one fan-freakin'-tastic consolation to being this sick. Especially when I have been toting around about twenty stubborn pounds left from my last pregnancy over. a. year. ago. Mark has been dragging the same amount of sympathy pounds around, too, might I add. At this rate, I am one stomach flu away from my goal weight. Really, I don't actually weigh myself for the sake of day to day tallying or diet control - that would be torture! - and I never even kept a scale in our house until I was pregnant with Jillian and was forced to weigh myself twice a day and then call my home health care nurse with the digits. But how great would the one above be - at least it would show me some love before the bad news was magnified to the world!

The Known and The Unknown.

She goes from one addiction to another. All are ways for her to not feel her feelings.

~ Ellen Burstyn

I had a very interesting conversation with my younger sister again today. I don't know where to begin. I don't know the answers. I don't know how this happened. I don't know how to feel. I don't know when she lost her light. I don't know why she chose this. I don't know why she is so angry. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say to her, to my parents, to my family, to myself. This is what I do know. Addiction touches everyone. Addiction never goes away - it is transferred or replaced. Addiction hurts everyone not just the addict and the pain is often unbearable. Addiction is selfish. Addiction is thoughtless. Addiction is rogue. Addiction is ruthless. Addiction is deceit. Addiction is not cured; it is managed. Recovery is not about blame. Recovery doesn't allow excuses. Recovery requires honesty. Recovery demands self reflection. She has a greater probability of short term relapse than long term sobriety. She has to be honest. She has to want for better. She knows better. She has experienced better. She has a choice. She is strong. She can beat this.

Taste the Future

Taste the Future is an event featuring culinary masterpieces from over 50 of central Ohio’s best establishments. The real stars of this event are the amazing chefs, Mark included, from around the community who show off their remarkable culinary skills to over 1,000 guests.

Taste the Future takes place on the downtown campus of Columbus State, Mark's alma mater, and all proceeds from the event fund scholarships and special projects. Every year the event helps hundreds of students build their future with a college education. This year I went with my great, great, great friend, fellow SAHM, and creative genius -- Kelly. Megan and first-timer Becky joined us there. It was a night of great food and greater fun. The only news left to be discovered is who is going to get pregnant this year. Two years ago, it was me and last year it was my sister-in-law Jennifer. Any guesses for this year?

Bowl Lovin'

I am love, love, lovin' these bowls. I have been thinking a lot about Christmas lately, and sadly, I already have quite the list going on in my head. Only a few things for me, most of the items are for everyone else, but I can't publish those here. These adorable bowls are on the top. Just B.E.A.U.tiful!