Back to Publicland

So, you may have noticed that we are back from the Land of Private. Turns out there were quite a few people who were unable to figure out how to view us there (which was kind of why we were there to begin with, but I am talking about normal people...not weirdos). So I decided that I would try out being public again. [Shaking finger] But if anything weird happens or I get any "strange" visitors we are turning this car around and going back to Private, you hear me?!

Terrible Twos

Dun, dun, dun.

We have officially entered the realm of the terrible twos. I don't quite understand how a child can be the epitomy of sweetness and then they hit that 2nd birthday and some little devil gets control of their personality and they become evil masterminds of chaos and woe. I like to think that most people can relate to this, at least anyone who has ever had one of their own (or shopped at Wal-Mart...or any other store at Christmastime) will know exactly what I am talking about.

While I was pondering how evil Kade has become the past few months and lamenting over how much I miss his sweetness, the thought occurred to me that it is not like this is the first time I have gone through the terrible twos. He is my THIRD terrible twoster for crying out loud. But then my next thought was, "I don't remember the other two being that bad."

I mean, there was the call to Poison Control for Blake when he tried to drink Clorox. And then there was the call to Poison Control for Trevor when he Spidermanned his way up my bathroom vanity and managed to open the "childproof" packaging of my birth control pills and eat one. Yeah. That was a fun phone call. To this day we maintain that it was that unnecessary dose of female hormones that has made Trevor our most emotional son. Oh! Then there was the time they both dumped the dirt out of our indoor potted plant and tried to clean it off the carpet with wet baby wipes. Come to think of it...it may just be that all our kids are evil and bent on making me a nervous wreck. They just happen to pass the torch on to the next one to turn two, fooling me into thinking it is an age thing. This in no way diminishes the theory of the "terrible twos"; it just explains it a little better.

Too bad I will probably never go for a doctorate degree, because this is dissertation type stuff.

Kade's latest antics would fill notebook upon notebook if I chose to document them all. One of his more recent exploits ocurred last night when he got into a brownie that Blake left out on a plate in the kitchen. See, I consider this one a group effort of evil because Blake left the means for Kade to accomplish the end.

Anyway, I leave you with pictures of the dastardly deed because for once I actually had my camera ready and handy.

New Belly Button

I have a new belly button. What was wrong with the old one? You might ask. Well, remember back in October when I kept whining about being sick? Turns out I had a nasty case of bronchitis with a little side of sinus infection. The day I finally dragged myself into the doctor I decided to take advantage of the fact that my mom had Kade for the day and clean out my garage. Big mistake. This is when I first noticed the pain in my belly button region after a particularly intense coughing spell. Yes folks. It is possible to give yourself a hernia by coughing too hard.

Several hundred dollars later, a few nurses, several doctors, a nice supply of Vicodin, some general anesthetic and a very painful incision later (notice I left out the partridge in a pear tree), I am supposed to be a new woman with a new belly button to boot. I am sore though, and I am having a rough time staying down because I have so much to do and I am not one to sit idle for long. I noticed today that there is a little extra abrasion below the incision that almost looks like they dropped an instrument that burned my skin. It hurts and looks like it has the potential for becoming infected, so back to the surgeon I go tomorrow to make sure it is ok...and try to get him to tell me what he did that left that mark.

I can only thank my awesome family for trying to keep me down, and give me rides, and yell at me for lifting anything. Our ward has been awesome as well, bringing in meals three nights and making sure we have what we need.

Sorry, no pictures. I know. I know. But believe me, any befores and afters of my poor tummy would put any scary Halloween posts to shame, and then some. Until later, when hopefully I will have something more entertaining or at least more interesting to say!

Happy 40th!

Just had to give a happy shout out to my all time favorite show when I was a little girl. Sesame Street turns the big 4-0 today (ah, ah, ah...as the Count would say)! I am glad it is still around to entertain and educate my little ones once a day so that I can get a shower or do the dishes. Yes. I do have a habit of using tv as a babysitter sometimes. Don't judge me.

Anyway. Happy 40th to Big Bird and the rest of the gang on the Street!

Bozo the Clown

This is what happens when you are stupid and leave the clippers plugged in when you leave the bathroom on haircut day:

This is what you get when you try to make the best of things:

In hindsight I probably should have left it like this for Halloween, but I was obviously not having a smart night.

He is still handsome, but I really miss being able to faux hawk his hair. Oh well, it's not like he got a tattoo or something, hair grows back.

Tricks and Treats

Halloween is FINALLY over.

A little known fact about me is that I despise Halloween. Not so much the candy or the dressing up, or even the decorations. It is the fact that for about three months ahead of time my kids talk nonstop about what they are going to be, when is the big day, etc, etc. It wouldn't be so bad if they would allow me to use my own creative genius to come up with awesome costumes for them. NO, they pretty much want to be a Star Wars person or some other action hero that, try as they might, with the genes they've been given, they will never really look like.

This year I wanted to dork it up a bit and decided to dress up with them. I decided that if they had to be Star Wars [again], we may as well make it a family affair, and then I am putting a moratorium on S.W. for at least five years. I think it is pretty safe to say that Kade makes the most adorable Yoda ever, so that was a given. Trevor wanted to be Anikan Skywalker, and since he has the most potential to turn to the Dark Side, that was pretty easy too. This picture doesn't really do his costume any justice, but it really represents his two first loves, eating and cucumbers. He was overjoyed that he got pretty much free reign of the party food at Grandma and Grandpa's. You gotta love that even with all the junk food around he still went for the veggies!

Blake wanted to be Luke, and despite the fact that with his red hair and freckles there was pretty much no way on Earth I could make him really look like Luke, his costume was super easy so I went with it.

I remember being Princess Leia for Halloween one year when I was about five, and decided to recreate the look courtesy of an overpriced headband with fake buns over the ears and my temple dress. Last, but certainly not least, Chad went as Obi Wan Kenobi.

We ended up having a great time at the Ward trunk or treat and then out at my parent's house for a small party. The boys were thrilled to see their old fogey parents getting in on the theme and there were a few kiddos at the Church who got a kick out of the whole family dressed up. I may even do it again one of these years.

I know where the boys' excitement comes from, I was happy to see that my folks dressed up as well. Dad was a leprechaun and Mom was a hippy chick. I think they were super cool and love that they were such good sports.

So long Halloween 2009! May the Force be with you!