I love slurpees!

A few years ago we were talking with some friends over dinner. Someone at the table said, "Did you hear that someone was murdered at the 7-11 in Columbia?"

I gasped loudly, my hand went to my heart.

"There's a 7-11 in COLUMBIA?" (--said very quickly, and very happily!)




(My friend Holly thinks this is a funny story, and has made me tell it to several people in the last few weeks. I thought I would tell it here too.)

just pictures today....

And....

we're off.

The house is off the market. Too many reasons to list why, but I feel good about it. Lincoln and I stayed up until 1 am talking about the pros and cons. We are planning to stay put and hopefully finish the attic so we have some more living space here. I love this home, so I don't mind living here a little longer.

A few pictures from this week.....


I had a busy Saturday and missed coloring eggs with the kids. Luckily Lincoln took pictures for me! =) Don't you love Talia's shirt! What a hoot...a perfect top for coloring Easter eggs!

I love this little girl! She ate a big chunk of daffodil later on.

I finally got some time to photograph some blossoms. Our cherry blossoms haven't opened yet, but I bet they will with in the next few days!




Natalia and I got to go on a walk by ourselves. It was a rainy day. Lincoln home sick, so we went out for a little while.

I love the petals on the ground here.

Simone loves her Daddy. ADORES him! He comes home from work and she cries and waves her arms when she sees him....because she can't stand that he hasn't picked her up yet. Lincoln LOVES this...and scoops her up into his arms! (Don't you love his gas station sunglasses...you should see them in person.....green and yellow flames on the side! LOL! ( It's a black and white photo for a reason!) He wears them and points to the flames with a super cool look on his face....just to BUG me! =)

Joy!

I created a new subfolder in my main photography folder today. The title of this new subfolder is....SPRING 2009! It felt so good to create that, to type those warm sunshiny words!

Today was a great day. I bathed 2 little girls, and then directed a shower of one small six year old by yelling through the shower curtain.
"You still have tons of bubbles in your hair."
"Are you finished?"
"Why are you still in there?"

Then Simone sat in her swing while I got ready. The phone rang....a showing at 4:00. I loved having plenty of time to get the house ready. I made three beds, and got the upstairs totally ready. When I came down to finish up the kitchen my maid pulled in the driveway. What?!!!!! She was supposed to come on Friday! She was a sweetheart and cleaned out my fridge and organized my shoe/coat closet since I had done a part of her work. I folded three overflowing baskets of clothes, nursed a baby, and did the cha cha to a song called "Iguana" with the kids while my house was cleaned. Everyone needs a maid!

We made the trip down to Brookside gardens. Such a charming place. I have never been there in the spring. The air was the sweetest smelling I have ever experienced in my WHOLE LIFE! I kept inhaling, and would make my children do the same. I wish I could bottle that smell!







The kids pet a huge turtle, chased geese, I got a handful of photos, and then Talia needed to go potty. That is the story of my life. Someone always has to go potty when the bathroom is very far away.

We are going to go back to try this one again. I needed to switch lenses, but she was DONE. =)

We went home and turned on all the lights, and the classical music. We went to the park to wait for Lincoln to finish his commute. The park we went to brought back so many memories. When we first moved to Maryland we lived in a condo for six months. They have a little tot lot and today I needed a playground where I could park (sleeping Simone in the car) and see the kids playing. I thought of this little playground. After Simone woke up I took her up to have her first real swing. She loved it! That giggle will be forever etched in my mind. I took pictures on my phone, and played a little Elizabeth Mitchell thanks to my phone and it's tiny speakers.

During all this gooey happiness, my mind went back to the last time I was at this tot lot. I was pregnant with Natalia, and Wyatt was 2 and a half. He loved to bring his tractors to this spot and dig in the sand. ("Scoopa the dirt....DUMP it in the dumptruck.") It was September 31, 2004, and we had gone on a walk to try to get our baby to come! We walked to the playground, and on the way home Lincoln would say, "Walk to that tree as fast as you can and then come back to us. Now walk to that sign as fast as you can. Now that corner....." It was quite a work out. That night Lincoln was snoring loudly. I wacked him with the back of my arm and my water broke.

To be standing there this evening, with THREE children instead of one was so overwhelming. A good overwhelming. Four and half years have passed, and I FEEL so different. I can not explain it, but I like where we are in our lives. I love having three kids. We are so blessed to have each other. I pondered a little about what the future may hold for us. I smiled...and then went back to taking pictures.

Wyatt and Talia were playing and chatting with a Mother and her little girl. They were so well behaved, and kind. The Mother smiled at me as they walked home, and they said some cheery goodbyes to the kids. I was proud of them, and so proud to be their Mother. Then they started a sand fight, and we left....and not easily I might add.

a little of my life....

We are having a good spring break. We aren't going on a "big" vacation because we are saving money like crazy for a new house. Lincoln is traveling (on his way home as I type) and it feels like he has been gone a lot lately. He travels the most during Feb. and March every year. I am starting to feel a little trapped....by three kids. I see the most gorgeous blossoms outside my door, and I don't have even the smallest second to go out and photograph them. As the sun starts to set each evening I want to run out and capture the gorgeous golden light on the barely pink blossoms. If they can just stay on the tree for a few more days. I will get them soon enough.

Simone is starting to sign. She can use a sign to communicate, and she does it quite well. Before this she would just cry to try to get what she wanted. Her favorite sign is more. She likes "more" so much they the other signs she has done in the past are no longer useful to her. I set her in her high chair and she immediately starts signing, and then I pull out the yogurt puffs and she grins and laughs! It is so funny.

Simone is also getting the cutest baby curls at the nape of her neck! I love it!

We have had a ton of showings on the house. The comments are all the same. The kids bedrooms are too small. (I already know this!) They also comment on the small backyard, and small square footage. They all say that the house shows well, and they'd better....because I work so hard on it every time I leave the house! I love having such a clean home, and then I remember the 10x10 storage unit that is full of tons of our stuff! It is easier to keep tidy with less to put away.

We were saying one nice thing about each person in our family tonight at bedtime. Talia said, "Mom I love you so much--because....you collect dinner for us, and love us."

This post needs a picture...but I don't have one. Yes, I do. I found this film scan on my hard drive. This is Natalia and I and it was taken in 2004 at our condo in Ellicott City, MD. She is 3 days old in this picture. My kids are getting so big. This huge boy walked out of my bedroom today. I thought, "No Way is that my little Wyatt?" I am trying my hardest to enjoy them while they are little. I want the



Lincoln just walked through the door! He's home a few hours early!! =)

hi.

So-- a few friends have asked about the house we put an offer on. We haven't heard anything which means our offer will not be accepted. A bank will not even look at an offer than is contingent on the sale of an other property if it is a short sale. =(
I found out that this house was near the landfill...maybe a mile and half away. That bugged me...I wondered if you could smell it. I drove out there. The neighborhood is so gorgeous. There are a few pastures with in walking distance with a few horses. Open air. Lovely homes. Lots of land to explore. I pulled up to the house. I stepped out of my car, and a large shadow passed over my body. It was a vulture, flying directly over me....if that isn't a bad omen I don't know what is. Funny! Oh, I couldn't smell anything, and I couldn't hear anything. It was quiet and wonderful. Oh well, we have got to sell our home first.

If you clean it they will come.

I cleaned my house before primary meeting. Show ready. Then I came home, and got Talia off to preschool. The only thing left of my to do list was TAKE A NAP! I put Simone down, and I carefully lay on my bed. (It was made so nicely.) Then a few minutes later my phone rang and woke me up.

"An agent would like to show your home from 1:30 to 2:30."

I rolled over to look at the clock. It read 1:23.

Are you kidding me? I looked outside. Two vehicles were parked nearby. End of nap.

an earlier flight!!!!!!

He is on his way home! Yay. It has been a week and a day, and that was a long long time. As you can probably tell by my previous posts...I was starting to get a little frazzled by the end.

Some funny things.

I came home from visiting teaching two sisters on my route. I started fixing lunch immediately, because the baby was starving. While I was feeding Simone some yogurt when I saw two cars pull into my neighbor hood. They stopped and stared at the house. The woman in one car put her cell phone to her ear. NO WAY! She is calling to see if they can see the home. I had left the house ready, but ran to put away the lunch mess I had just created. Then my phone rang, and then there were people standing at my door. It was so fast. I am so glad I was ready. Simone still had a messy yogurt face as we swiftly exited.

Getting the house ready in the morning was a little crazy. I was late for my visiting teaching appointment, because I dropped a container of toothpicks on the counter. What a mess, and not very easy to pick up either!

Well, I returned home after my impromptu showing, and found a wet diaper (folded nicely!) on my bathroom counter. Oh brother! I am sure they laughed at that.

I forgot to mention another crazy thing. I was running down the stairs to stop a fight between Wyatt and his friend ( a few weeks ago) and I fell down the stairs. It was just the landing and the last two steps, but I FLEW so far I landed in my kitchen! I went at least 10 feet and most of that I was in the air. It hurt so bad! The fight stopped. (I can't say that I will ever use that method again. )

how much longer....

I don't know about this house selling business.

Today I had a showing from 1:30 to 2:30. Nap time. That is okay because Simone can nap in the car. Talia was at preschool so I was doing the last minute staging of the house while Simone crawled around. Her favorite toy is the dog dish, so I keep having to fish her out of that. She crawled up several stairs and I had to rescue her from there. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, and put her in her carseat (she is still in her carrier). She screamed her little head off while I mopped the floor. Then we were out the door. I came back home to a message left at 1:49 that the showing had been canceled by the agent.



So Simone slept in the car for a very short hour, instead of like this.....

Pretty from far away.

Wyatt- "Mom you are pretty from far away, but then you get up close and there is all these bumps."

Me- "Wyatt that is the meanest thing to say! Never ever ever say that to a woman or a girl, you will hurt their feelings!" I start to cry. I guess if I am going to teach him a lesson in saying kind things to others-- this will help make it memorable. So I let 'em flow! I thought my skin was looking rather good lately. =(

Wyatt-"I am sorry. You are a pretty Mom. I think you are great." Then his tears start.

Pretty from far away......... my mind goes to the scene from the movie Clueless.

Tai: Do you think she's pretty?
Cher: No, she's a full-on Monet.
Tai: What's a Monet?
Cher: It's like a painting, see? From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess. Let's ask a guy. Christian, what do you think of Amber?
Christian: Hagsville.
Cher: See?

I had to get someone to tell me it wasn't true. So, I called Lincoln. The one person on this earth that thinks I am a total hottie! I tell Lincoln the conversation I had with Wyatt, and my loving husband proceeds to laugh. Rude.

I think I am owed something. SOMETHING. A shopping spree. A new camera. A new house. His apology wasn't very convincing.

I'll change the subject that one is depressing.

I drove by a house.
I loved it.
The price was too good to be true.
It is a short sale.
I call my husband in Oregon. I tell him I want it.
We put an offer on the house.
We haven't even been inside it. =)
We will go see it this week.

I love to be crazy! I don't think our offer will be excepted, but still I love this whole crazy feeling. I will let you know what happens.

I just bought a print of the above image. I love it. It is very small, just the size of a notecard. I am going to frame it and hang it in my bathroom. =)

(I am turning the comments off on this lovely post.)

What a week..

Pure sweetness! WHEN SHE IS ASLEEP! I have had the hardest couple of weeks with Talia. *She cut her hair.
*I caught her slipping a mini bottle of hand sanitizer in her pocket at the store.
*She dropped a huge hard toy on Simone's head. (this was an accident)
*She uses the word "no" more than usual.
*She quoted the Donkey from Shrek with this line----- "I'm SEXY!"----repeated several times.--We don't even own that movie...it is from a preview. I hate previews.
*She is very impatient, and wacks me on the leg if I don't respond to her requests quickly.
*She told me in the saddest voice, "Mommy, I am not beautiful." My reaction was, "WHO TOLD YOU THAT?" Where does a four year old get that? It makes me so sad.
*She came down the stairs tonight, with her baby doll and a big smile across her face. "I changed her clothes. Will you help me wrap her up?" I thought Talia was asleep...and had been for a long time. I wrapped the baby doll, and secretly was proud of her for changing the doll's clothes by herself!

I am trying to be a good Mom. What is a good Mom supposed to do in a week like this? I mostly have talked to her. I don't think it is sinking in! =) I love her. I want her to know that more than anything other thing right now. I think that is what she needs this week.



I know what you are thinking. The answer = Yep, while I was in Utah. They only make bows that big in Utah and Texas. Isn't she darling? She just had her 1 year check up. She only weighs 15 pounds 8 ounces. I know why...she got so sick in January and lost a lot of her weight. She is just trying to catch up. I get to spend the next month trying to fatten her up before her next weigh in.



We had a crazy Wednesday. I have to leave the house show ready every time I leave. That is the most daunting task. On Wednesday morning I had primary meeting. Then Simone and Talia had doctors appointments. Talia missed all but the last 10 minutes of preschool. Yes, I took her for those 10 minutes...so I wouldn't have to hear about missing preschool. Then we got Wyatt straight off the bus, and went to the grocery store. I had no diapers, not a one. There was a showing scheduled for the house from 5-6 and another from 6:30-8:00. I would have been really irritated with that last late showing BUT it was a second showing......and we just heard that they are interested. We shall see HOW interested they are. (fingers crossed) We ate dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger, and fortunatly it was Family Fun Night for Talia's preschool so we had somewhere to go after dinner. What a non-stop day!

Tonight we had the Sister missionaries over for dinner. I made Rosemary Chicken, roasted veggies, whole grain bread, and a yummy fruit salad. The dinner was the only good thing...oh, and Talia. She was really good. Wyatt, on the other hand, embarrassed me so badly I bawled after the missionaries left. Naughty.

How can I end on a happy note?


Cake baby! This was too much fun!

Cake anyone?

More pictures to come........

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"I wanted to hold Simone."

"OH, would you look at me! I got my way! I am SO HAPPY now!"

"Mommy, Why are you knocking on the window? It is so loud and scary!"

I just wanted a St. Patrick's Day picture. Is that such a hard thing to ask for?

Happy Birthday Simone

Happy Birthday to our sweet Simone. I can't believe this day is here. This year has gone by so quickly. I remember how tiny you were on the day you were born, and how wonderful it felt to hold you. You are such a sweet little baby. We love having you as a part of our family!

At a year old...
You love music, and you "sing" along and nod your head. It is so cute!

You love your Mom. Too much. Lately you won't let anyone except your Mommy and Daddy hold you.

You also love your brother and sister. They can always get you to smile. They love to help me take care of you.

You love the new Gerber yogurt puffs....you go nuts if you see the bag. If you are crying, I can give you one and you will STOP immediately.

You love to play with my "bliss" necklace while I hold you. You broke it a few weeks ago. =( You are tiny, but you are strong!

You love to sleep with a little doll or a stuffed animal. No binky for you...you want something to cuddle.

You are crawling, and love to cruise on the couch. Lately you try to stand on your own, and fall. You know how to climb the stairs now.

You still don't sleep through the night. You keep getting sick. You were sleeping so well, and did it a total of FOUR nights. That means I have had four good nights of sleep in a year.

I wasn't watching you closely, and you ate a dead bug out of the track of the door. You also ate a paint brush covered in paint because I was busy texting two feet away from you. You got paint on the carpet, and it was all over your teeth- I wish I would have taken a picture. (I didn't put that brush there...nor did I know it was there!)


Here is how Simone spent some of her day.

Playing in the cabniets while I made little cakes.

A nice birthday bath.

A few tears.

Ready for a party!

Playtime.

Time for cake!

She loved it!

Happy Birthday Baby! We love you Simone!

just funny

Yesterday I arrived at Target to get Talia's prescription. When I pulled in a parking spot, I noticed that all three of my kids were asleep. We all took a 25 minute nap in the parking lot. Maybe it was longer...I don't remember. =)

Wacky

Today was Wacky Wednesday. This is how I sent my son to school. As I watched him walking down the street I was laughing and scared. He looked...well....kind of rebellious. I told him, "Just because you have crazy hair doesn't mean you can have crazy behavior."

The sweet boy with the mohawk said, "I know , Mom."



He had some other fun wacky people in his class, but he said he was the craziest. His teacher sounded pretty wacky to me though....different socks, different shoes, and a single pigtail.

My whole day was wacky. First, I had primary meeting. I wasn't going to go because Simone's nose was so disgusting. I was wiping it every 5 minutes. I didn't want to go and make everyone sick. I was told, "it's okay with me if you come"...so I went. I told them I was going to be late. I had to get the house ready to show JUST IN CASE someone came to see it in the 2 hours I would be gone--on a Wednesday. I had enough time for cleaning or a shower. I chose cleaning, and I am so thankful that I did. As soon as I got to the meeting Lincoln called and told me there was a showing scheduled in 30 minutes. I almost cried. I was so close to leaving the dishes in the sink, not making the beds, and leaving a huge pile of cardboard from a photo order on the kitchen floor.

We had another showing in the evening. I took the kids to Costco. We had to get Cy a new dog bed, and garbage bags. I had Simone in the baby bjorn, Talia wanted to ride in the cart, and Wyatt walked with me. By this time the Mohawk had died, in case you were wondering. =) We got a sample of spinach ravioli with pesto sauce and as we slowly walked away Talia said, "Mom, is that a boy or a girl?" She was talking about the woman (I think) that had just prepared our samples. She didn't say it quietly either. All I could say in a barely audible whisper was, "Don't say that so loud. You will hurt her feelings." I don't know what else to say about that....geez.

Then....no that deserves a THEN!!.....We got home and the kids played in the basement while I folded laundry. Talia was dancing around, and she asked me to help her with a back bend. I told her to push her arms up and get her head off the ground. She told me that it hurt her neck. She has been complaining of a sore neck for a few days. Every time I touch it, or Wyatt is too rough, or if I dry her hair with a towel too hard she would complain. I thought she had a crick in her neck from a nap without a pillow. Then I saw it. A lump. Lump doesn't describe it. Humongo mass should I take her to the emergency room??!!!----there, that describes it. It is under her jaw (lymph node) and is swollen clear up behind her ear. It is about 2.5 inches long and rock hard. Scary. I called my pediatrician, my Mom, and Christie's husband, Dr. Brent. They were on there way home so they made a stop here. He felt it, and looked at her throat. He told me to watch her tonight, and take her to the doctor tomorrow. He called it a raging lymph node. =) I should mention that I feel the worst sore throat coming on, and Wyatt has had one for a few days. It wasn't Simone that should have stayed away from the primary meeting.

Wacky day.

snow day

We woke up to this.

I love a snow day. Not because of the snow, but because Wyatt gets to stay home. I get my family all to myself the whole day.

Simone has a bad cold. Poor darling baby. She got a front row seat for all the snow fun.

I took these today. They were having fun throwing snow.

Wyatt was sposed to throw it behind her....as you can see that isn't what happened. She hated it.

A lovely couple of days.