The stomach flu is bad.
When has it both mom and dad.
It really isn't much fun.
To repeatedly barf up a lung.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
Stomach Flu...
...is wending it's ugly way through the whole town since before Christmas. Unfortunately, my lovely Katrina did not escape it's wrath. We thought it was gone on Saturday and early this morning at 4 am (Sun.) it was most definitely NOT gone. Lots of wash loads. Lots of disinfectant. One good thing is we got to go shopping for some pretty new rugs in the upstairs bathroom. Also, Target had a sale on some matching new bath towels which also needed to be replaced. So there's that. Always look on the bright side, right?
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Gourmet Bathwater
The other night I had a bad sinus headache and Butch suggested I take a nice, hot bath. I popped a couple of Tylenol and hopped in and tried to ignore all the noise from downstairs ("calgon, take me awayyyy") but about five minutes, and a half a chapter of The Man Who Was Thursday, and before I got a chance to shave my legs, I heard a knock at the door...
Niklaus: Mama, mama,(knockknockknock) mom, MOM,(knockknockknock) MOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOHHHHm. Can I take a bash,(knockknockknock) please?(knockknockknock) Can I take a bash, please? PLEASE???????(knockknockknock) Mom, can I please take a BASH!!!????
Me: (sigh) Yes, Niklaus (I had just given him one the day before, and all day he was asking for a bath, but I had stupidly thought that he would forget all about it) you can come in.
N: YAY! Will you take a bash wif me?
Me: Sure, just stay on your side of the tub and don't crawl on me! And NO splashing, got it? (We have a big, corner-style whirlpool bath so there's lot's of room for "swimming" in the bath and more than enough room for two which makes it almost seem a waste to just bathe one person at a time, you know...yeah, I just got worn down by his begging. Stamp "sucker" on my forehead.)
N: Okay Mommy.
So we hung out in the bash for a while. We played "OH NO! The SHARK IS GONNA EAT THE RUBBER DUCKY!", and good old "Monster Truck rally" with the now sticker-less mini monster trucks, "We're Drowning in Bubbles!", "Bubble Suit", and the always popular, "Bubble Beard and Hair". At one point, he grabbed an empty bottle and filled it up with bath water, held it up to drink it and saw my horrified look. Before I could even get the inevitable words out, he dumped it and turned on the tap and said, "THIS is the GOOD water, right mama? I'll ONLY drink THIS water, right?". That's right son.
I had a hard time getting him out because we had so much fun and while I was drying him off with the towel he said,
"Wow, Mom, that bash was superdeeelishus. It was the best bash I ever tasted!"
Niklaus: Mama, mama,(knockknockknock) mom, MOM,(knockknockknock) MOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOHHHHm. Can I take a bash,(knockknockknock) please?(knockknockknock) Can I take a bash, please? PLEASE???????(knockknockknock) Mom, can I please take a BASH!!!????
Me: (sigh) Yes, Niklaus (I had just given him one the day before, and all day he was asking for a bath, but I had stupidly thought that he would forget all about it) you can come in.
N: YAY! Will you take a bash wif me?
Me: Sure, just stay on your side of the tub and don't crawl on me! And NO splashing, got it? (We have a big, corner-style whirlpool bath so there's lot's of room for "swimming" in the bath and more than enough room for two which makes it almost seem a waste to just bathe one person at a time, you know...yeah, I just got worn down by his begging. Stamp "sucker" on my forehead.)
N: Okay Mommy.
So we hung out in the bash for a while. We played "OH NO! The SHARK IS GONNA EAT THE RUBBER DUCKY!", and good old "Monster Truck rally" with the now sticker-less mini monster trucks, "We're Drowning in Bubbles!", "Bubble Suit", and the always popular, "Bubble Beard and Hair". At one point, he grabbed an empty bottle and filled it up with bath water, held it up to drink it and saw my horrified look. Before I could even get the inevitable words out, he dumped it and turned on the tap and said, "THIS is the GOOD water, right mama? I'll ONLY drink THIS water, right?". That's right son.
I had a hard time getting him out because we had so much fun and while I was drying him off with the towel he said,
"Wow, Mom, that bash was superdeeelishus. It was the best bash I ever tasted!"
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Paulina Noelle
Here is big sister Gabby meeting her little, baby sister for the first time (and probably wondering where the "other" baby might be after being so used to the twinks!). Notice Paulina's big, ol storkbite on her forehead? Gabby had the same, exact thing when she was born!
I thought I'd include a picture of my cute bro-in-law since he might have had SOMETHING to do with that baby too. I should probably mention my gratitude for his openness to life as well. Matt, thank you so much for your part in making all these beautiful babies for me to be auntie to. I love you too.
(Matt's thinking, "Hey, it was my pleasure! ANYTIME!" heehee)
I thought I'd include a picture of my cute bro-in-law since he might have had SOMETHING to do with that baby too. I should probably mention my gratitude for his openness to life as well. Matt, thank you so much for your part in making all these beautiful babies for me to be auntie to. I love you too.
(Matt's thinking, "Hey, it was my pleasure! ANYTIME!" heehee)
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
"Tell Someone"
"Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of a common virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). For most women, HPV clears on its own. But for some, cervical cancer can develop. It can be devastating to you or the people you care about."
...Oh yeah, and while you're at it, since NONE of the commercials (tv or radio ads) includes it in their schpiels, tell someone that the so-called "common" virus is an STD! Boy, does it irritate me. I heard that ad on the radio and got steamed because it is so misleading. A good friend of mine brought her daughters in for a check up and routine immunizations and her doctor recommended the HPV one with the whole explanation about how that (HPV) could lead to cancer and my friend trusted the doctor and agreed to it, not having been told that HPV was an STD that her daughter is at NO RISK of contracting! To me, that is an agenda on the part of the doctor. She might have thought she was doing the right thing by leaving out this bit of info. but my friend was horrified when her hubs told her the truth.
If you have to immunize your daughter against HPV when she's 12 or any age for that matter, then you have a bigger problem than getting cancer (oh yes, there are bigger problems than getting cancer, contrary to what the secular media might tell you!). We're talking about the fight for our daughter's souls here, people! It makes me sick that the commercials portray this HPV as something any girl can get maybe by a sneeze, or by coughing too close to someone else, (remember, "common virus"!) or not washing your hands. This whole thing smells BADLY of a conspiracy. I don't throw that term around loosly, but how could they advertize it in this way unless people believed it in some focus group and suckered into getting the immunization under false pretense? When you go to the HPV "Tell Someone" website, it takes a while before you even find out that HPV is an STD which is disgusting, if you ask me. If they really cared about women they would be up front and give the info honestly. It might save women from making some pretty stupid decisions even if they don't have people in their lives that care about their moral or physical health. They did the same thing with the Hepititis B shot about 10 years ago and were promoting the first in the series of 3 shots to be given before the babies left the hospitals after just being born (I KNOW this because they did that with Matty when he was first born. I said no in the hospital but after pressure from the doctor I had to look it up and found out it was another STD so I said no again later). How could they do that? The poor babies didn't even have a chance to develop their own immunities before they pumped them full of a largely experimental immun.. By the way, the hospitals don't even recommend that anymore for newborns. Yet another HMMMM?
Do I believe that all immunizations are inherently bad: NO
Do I believe that all immunizations are inherently good: NO
Do I believe doctors who lie, or mislead, or guilt parents into giving questionable immunizations? NO WAY. And if you have one of those doctors (even one who is just plain ignorant) inform them and get rid of them. Period. This is an easy test, just ask them to give you a good reason to immunize your child against HPV. You know your child, the doctor doesn't. Any doctor worth their salt helps you to be a better parent and doesn't "lord" their doctor status above you with statistics and CDC informational booklets that make them feel smarter and you feel absolutely powerless to defend your rights as the parent of your child.
(Ugh. Sigh. Throw up my hands and stomp away.)
(deep breath, coming back...)
OKAY:
DO NOT blindly give your children shots without at the very least questioning the doctors as to their efficacy and risks involved. Study up and weigh the risk/benefit before you give your child something that you can't take back. You read the label on the ibuprophin bottle, don't you? You stress out when you think you might have given your child too much cold medication, so why not do a little research before you inject something into their bodies just because your doctor told you to and the government approved it using scare tactics to advertize and make you believe it's absolutely necessary for your child's health and/or their attendance in school (if you are told your child cannot attend school unless they are updated on their shots, the doctor/clinic is in violation of the law in MN because you CAN opt out. All you have to do is sign a form stating you object to whichever shots for concientious/religious/etc. reasons). Always ask questions about any medication/treatment/shots and discuss it with everyone who cares about the health of your child (husband, grandparents, aunties and uncles) before making those kinds of health decisions.
I know this is a rant, but it ticks me off... can you tell? The next post will be a fluffy one, I promise.
...Oh yeah, and while you're at it, since NONE of the commercials (tv or radio ads) includes it in their schpiels, tell someone that the so-called "common" virus is an STD! Boy, does it irritate me. I heard that ad on the radio and got steamed because it is so misleading. A good friend of mine brought her daughters in for a check up and routine immunizations and her doctor recommended the HPV one with the whole explanation about how that (HPV) could lead to cancer and my friend trusted the doctor and agreed to it, not having been told that HPV was an STD that her daughter is at NO RISK of contracting! To me, that is an agenda on the part of the doctor. She might have thought she was doing the right thing by leaving out this bit of info. but my friend was horrified when her hubs told her the truth.
If you have to immunize your daughter against HPV when she's 12 or any age for that matter, then you have a bigger problem than getting cancer (oh yes, there are bigger problems than getting cancer, contrary to what the secular media might tell you!). We're talking about the fight for our daughter's souls here, people! It makes me sick that the commercials portray this HPV as something any girl can get maybe by a sneeze, or by coughing too close to someone else, (remember, "common virus"!) or not washing your hands. This whole thing smells BADLY of a conspiracy. I don't throw that term around loosly, but how could they advertize it in this way unless people believed it in some focus group and suckered into getting the immunization under false pretense? When you go to the HPV "Tell Someone" website, it takes a while before you even find out that HPV is an STD which is disgusting, if you ask me. If they really cared about women they would be up front and give the info honestly. It might save women from making some pretty stupid decisions even if they don't have people in their lives that care about their moral or physical health. They did the same thing with the Hepititis B shot about 10 years ago and were promoting the first in the series of 3 shots to be given before the babies left the hospitals after just being born (I KNOW this because they did that with Matty when he was first born. I said no in the hospital but after pressure from the doctor I had to look it up and found out it was another STD so I said no again later). How could they do that? The poor babies didn't even have a chance to develop their own immunities before they pumped them full of a largely experimental immun.. By the way, the hospitals don't even recommend that anymore for newborns. Yet another HMMMM?
Do I believe that all immunizations are inherently bad: NO
Do I believe that all immunizations are inherently good: NO
Do I believe doctors who lie, or mislead, or guilt parents into giving questionable immunizations? NO WAY. And if you have one of those doctors (even one who is just plain ignorant) inform them and get rid of them. Period. This is an easy test, just ask them to give you a good reason to immunize your child against HPV. You know your child, the doctor doesn't. Any doctor worth their salt helps you to be a better parent and doesn't "lord" their doctor status above you with statistics and CDC informational booklets that make them feel smarter and you feel absolutely powerless to defend your rights as the parent of your child.
(Ugh. Sigh. Throw up my hands and stomp away.)
(deep breath, coming back...)
OKAY:
DO NOT blindly give your children shots without at the very least questioning the doctors as to their efficacy and risks involved. Study up and weigh the risk/benefit before you give your child something that you can't take back. You read the label on the ibuprophin bottle, don't you? You stress out when you think you might have given your child too much cold medication, so why not do a little research before you inject something into their bodies just because your doctor told you to and the government approved it using scare tactics to advertize and make you believe it's absolutely necessary for your child's health and/or their attendance in school (if you are told your child cannot attend school unless they are updated on their shots, the doctor/clinic is in violation of the law in MN because you CAN opt out. All you have to do is sign a form stating you object to whichever shots for concientious/religious/etc. reasons). Always ask questions about any medication/treatment/shots and discuss it with everyone who cares about the health of your child (husband, grandparents, aunties and uncles) before making those kinds of health decisions.
I know this is a rant, but it ticks me off... can you tell? The next post will be a fluffy one, I promise.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Happy Birthday!!!!!!
It was a beautiful day! Paulina Noelle was born about 2:25pm with a ton of goldish, fuzzy hair on top of her cute, perfect head. She was exactly 7 lbs 15 oz. (I won the final guess at 7,13 closest without going over hahaha) and I'm not sure how long she was but she is keeeee-yooooot as a bug's ear. Thank you if you prayed because it was probably the smoothest, most perfect delivery EVER IN THE HISTORY OF REALLY GOOD EPIDURALS!!!!! I think she got a teeny bit nauseous for about a half a second. She pushed about 4 wimpy times and out popped Paulina. Seriously. I'm not exaggerating here people. If every woman had a delivery like that one, we'd all have 10+ kids and the world really WOULD be overpopulated as some in the media would like us to believe. If every woman had a delivery like that, we'd have to re-write the book of Genesis and re-think the whole theology behind the sin of Eve if you know what I mean. DANG! Who looks that good 20 minutes after having a baby? Huh? Huh? I'm not EVEN going to show you the picture that shows her in the middle of a "push". It's sick how cute she looks in that one. I'm going to start a new club. It's the IAABFSPWWCSTPBBNGAOOFOTROHBPLGLOAISWTROYP club. It stands for I am a big, fat, slobby pregnant woman who can't stand those pretty "basket ball", never- get- an- ounce- of- fat- on- the- rest- of- her- body pregnant ladies go live on an island somewhere with the rest of you people club. WHO'S WITH ME???? (I might have to work on the acronym, though. It's not as catchy as I had originally thought.).
I think this picture is so cute. It looked to me like they were thinking something like, "HEEEEEYYYYY, I know YOU!"
I think this calls for a caption contest!
Here's my lame entry:
When Trine's babies are born, they are so smart that they start singing their ABC's in the delivery room. Here she is showing Paulina how to start with the proper pitch...
I think this picture is so cute. It looked to me like they were thinking something like, "HEEEEEYYYYY, I know YOU!"
I think this calls for a caption contest!
Here's my lame entry:
When Trine's babies are born, they are so smart that they start singing their ABC's in the delivery room. Here she is showing Paulina how to start with the proper pitch...
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
God's Sign is the Baby
We will be expecting the 16th grandbaby of my parents tomorrow (hopefully!) sometime so pray for my sister and niece/nephew to come through the delivery safely! I hope for her sake it is relatively pain-free (hey, a girl can dream!) and without complications. Please, please, praypraypray! Also, if you have time, her 4 year old Gabby is sick with the croupy cough thingy and pray that they will all be healthy for the new baby to come home?
Here is an amazingly beautiful excerpt from the Holy Father's Christmas homily that I find appropriate for our week. He almost sounds as if he's had a baby himself or as if he COULD! What I mean to say is that it is easy to see his profound love for Christ in the words he chooses. It sounds so tender and sweet...check it out!:
God’s sign is simplicity. God’s sign is the baby. God’s sign is that he makes
himself small for us. This is how he reigns. He does not come with power and outward splendour. He comes as a baby – defenceless and in need of our help. He does not want to overwhelm us with his strength. He takes away our fear of his greatness. He asks for our love: so he makes himself a child. He wants nothing other from us than our love, through which we spontaneously learn to enter into his feelings, his thoughts and his will – we learn to live with him and to practise with him that humility of renunciation that belongs to the very essence of love. God made himself small so that we could understand him, welcome him, and love him. The Fathers of the Church, in their Greek translation of the Old Testament, found a passage from the prophet Isaiah that Paul also quotes in order to show how God’s new ways had already been foretold in the Old Testament. There we read: "God made his Word short, he abbreviated it" (Is 10:23; Rom 9:28). The Fathers interpreted this in two ways. The Son himself is the Word, the Logos; the eternal Word became small – small enough to fit into a manger. He became a child, so that the Word could be grasped by us. In this way God teaches us to love the little ones. In this way he teaches us to love the weak. In this way he teaches us respect for children. The child of Bethlehem directs our gaze towards all children who suffer and are abused in the world, the born and the unborn. Towards children who are placed as soldiers in a violent world; towards children who have to beg; towards children who suffer deprivation and hunger; towards children who are unloved. In all of these it is the Child of Bethlehem who is crying out to us; it is the God who has become small who appeals to us. Let us pray this night that the brightness of God’s love may enfold all these children. Let us ask God to help us do our part so that the dignity of children may be respected. May they all experience the light of love, which mankind needs so much more than the material necessities of life.
Guardian Angels,
Pray for us.
St. Gerard,
Pray for us.
Mary, Queen of Heaven,
Pray for us.
All you bloggers out there (especially you saintly mothers!)
Pray for HER!
Thank you!
Here is an amazingly beautiful excerpt from the Holy Father's Christmas homily that I find appropriate for our week. He almost sounds as if he's had a baby himself or as if he COULD! What I mean to say is that it is easy to see his profound love for Christ in the words he chooses. It sounds so tender and sweet...check it out!:
God’s sign is simplicity. God’s sign is the baby. God’s sign is that he makes
himself small for us. This is how he reigns. He does not come with power and outward splendour. He comes as a baby – defenceless and in need of our help. He does not want to overwhelm us with his strength. He takes away our fear of his greatness. He asks for our love: so he makes himself a child. He wants nothing other from us than our love, through which we spontaneously learn to enter into his feelings, his thoughts and his will – we learn to live with him and to practise with him that humility of renunciation that belongs to the very essence of love. God made himself small so that we could understand him, welcome him, and love him. The Fathers of the Church, in their Greek translation of the Old Testament, found a passage from the prophet Isaiah that Paul also quotes in order to show how God’s new ways had already been foretold in the Old Testament. There we read: "God made his Word short, he abbreviated it" (Is 10:23; Rom 9:28). The Fathers interpreted this in two ways. The Son himself is the Word, the Logos; the eternal Word became small – small enough to fit into a manger. He became a child, so that the Word could be grasped by us. In this way God teaches us to love the little ones. In this way he teaches us to love the weak. In this way he teaches us respect for children. The child of Bethlehem directs our gaze towards all children who suffer and are abused in the world, the born and the unborn. Towards children who are placed as soldiers in a violent world; towards children who have to beg; towards children who suffer deprivation and hunger; towards children who are unloved. In all of these it is the Child of Bethlehem who is crying out to us; it is the God who has become small who appeals to us. Let us pray this night that the brightness of God’s love may enfold all these children. Let us ask God to help us do our part so that the dignity of children may be respected. May they all experience the light of love, which mankind needs so much more than the material necessities of life.
Guardian Angels,
Pray for us.
St. Gerard,
Pray for us.
Mary, Queen of Heaven,
Pray for us.
All you bloggers out there (especially you saintly mothers!)
Pray for HER!
Thank you!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Christmas in the Attic
Butch thought that the garage needed to be insulated since it was already sheet rocked...and since it was insulated, put in a heater, and we might as well throw some plywood up there for storage...and since it looked so cool we might as well make it be a fort instead of storage! The kids keep very busy in there in the not-too-cold, not-too-hot days. I would have loved a spot like this when I was little. I hope they have fond memories of it when they grow up or we leave this house for a better one out in the country closer to my sister and their cousins. Kids need a fort. I built one for my brothers out in the woods when I was about 13 but I had been a veteran fort builder by that time for many years. I think I must have built about 2 tree forts, 3 ground forts and LOTS of blanket forts before that time. I'm so happy that my kids have their own space to fight over, plan things, play quietly, pretend they're grown, watch movies with their friends, learn how to clean and keep things organized (small space!), and generally go to a place where grownups are not allowed unless they are adding improvements. We are thinking of cutting a hole in the girls room and building a secret door that enters the fort, but that will be a summer project. Can you imagine how COOOOOOL that would be?.
Since I discovered how easy it is to embed video, you might as well check this one out of the fort decorated for Christmas. The kids did it all by themselves and it was all their idea...
Since I discovered how easy it is to embed video, you might as well check this one out of the fort decorated for Christmas. The kids did it all by themselves and it was all their idea...
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
What Happens When Bocker Misses His Nap
This video is an example of what Niklaus does when he is so tired he can't even think straight. Notice as you're watching it how his eyes are almost shut and he's wandering around aimlessly and biting his nails. He sounds like he's drunk. Also, don't call 911, Mari's not lacking oxygen...She only picked up the ring-pop sucker off the floor and I didn't have the heart to take it away from her. She was enjoying it soooo much (it's the one Bocker mentions at the end of the video...he didn't like it as much as Mari, let's just say)!
I had the camera in my hand trying to get a funny picture of Mari's blue lips and tongue when Niklaus came in the room making that hilarious "whoowhoo" sound talking about a siren that he heard in the distance. Also, it is the first time I've ever heard him make use of the word "ridiculous". It's especially funny because he can't say his "L"s. Check it out.
A couple other things of note:
There is a good view at the beginning of Mari's now famous "spike" on top of her head. No matter how much spit we apply, that thing will not go down. She's got this double swirl on top of her head and that's where her hairs meet. Not a good formation for a girl. She's going to have issues with that in the future, I'm sure. Okay, one other thing is the red all over Niklaus' hands and arms. We were painting earlier and that's the only color he painted with. I know because it's the color of my dining room table now... and floor.
I had the camera in my hand trying to get a funny picture of Mari's blue lips and tongue when Niklaus came in the room making that hilarious "whoowhoo" sound talking about a siren that he heard in the distance. Also, it is the first time I've ever heard him make use of the word "ridiculous". It's especially funny because he can't say his "L"s. Check it out.
A couple other things of note:
There is a good view at the beginning of Mari's now famous "spike" on top of her head. No matter how much spit we apply, that thing will not go down. She's got this double swirl on top of her head and that's where her hairs meet. Not a good formation for a girl. She's going to have issues with that in the future, I'm sure. Okay, one other thing is the red all over Niklaus' hands and arms. We were painting earlier and that's the only color he painted with. I know because it's the color of my dining room table now... and floor.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The Nativity Story
Okay, I haven't actually seen that movie yet and can't review it with any authority so for those of you who LOVE birth stories, go here for one of the best I've ever read...and really witnessed!
Monday, December 11, 2006
My Favorite Books
I have been posting a lot, and reading a lot, and THINKING a lot about books lately!
Anyway, some of my favorite books are Usborne books. I discovered them when I was first considering homeschooling Katrina about 8 years ago or so. A good friend of mine started selling them (they are available in book stores and libraries, too but I liked buying them from a friend) and I decided to become a consultant (mostly to buy them for myself and family) and I'm not planning on making selling books a profitable thing or anything but I am having ONE party tonight and will order for whomever wants these great books any time from now on!
Here is a copy of the reminder email I sent to the people on my invitation list and the reason I'm posting it on my blog is if anyone "out there" is interested, or any of my friends or relatives who read my blog are interested, they can follow the link to my site and click on the "Laura's Kickoff Party" link or call me to order (saves on shipping). I can't wait to try out the "Your Baby Can Read" program. If nothing else, it would be funny at family get-togethers to show off the tricks they might learn!
Hey Ladies! I just wanted to remind you that my party is tonight (wine, women, and song...well...maybe not "song", but I'll sing if you get enough wine in me!) and even if you can't attend, you can go to my website and order by Thursday (or call me with your order to save shipping) so you can get your books before Christmas. A lot of people forget about books for Christmas presents, but they can make a very lasting and wonderful impression on the children and adults on your list. I hardly ever throw away books unless they are falling apart or get wet! I still cringe when I think about how I threw out or gave away my favorites from when I was little or in school and how I could use them now for the kids! I'm trying to build up my library again but I'm very picky now on the books I choose as I don't like clutter. Dusty books are clutter! That's why I choose Usborne books a lot, because they get read and referenced often and don't get time to get dusty (yay for no extra cleaning!).
Alright, have I convinced you (winking and pointing my "shooter" fingers at you like a cheesy salesman)? If I have, come to my house tonight at 7 and bring a pal, or call or order from my website by Sunday, December 17th (or anytime you want when you are looking for good books from now on!).
Okeydokey, hope to see you soon!
Laura
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, some of my favorite books are Usborne books. I discovered them when I was first considering homeschooling Katrina about 8 years ago or so. A good friend of mine started selling them (they are available in book stores and libraries, too but I liked buying them from a friend) and I decided to become a consultant (mostly to buy them for myself and family) and I'm not planning on making selling books a profitable thing or anything but I am having ONE party tonight and will order for whomever wants these great books any time from now on!
Here is a copy of the reminder email I sent to the people on my invitation list and the reason I'm posting it on my blog is if anyone "out there" is interested, or any of my friends or relatives who read my blog are interested, they can follow the link to my site and click on the "Laura's Kickoff Party" link or call me to order (saves on shipping). I can't wait to try out the "Your Baby Can Read" program. If nothing else, it would be funny at family get-togethers to show off the tricks they might learn!
Hey Ladies! I just wanted to remind you that my party is tonight (wine, women, and song...well...maybe not "song", but I'll sing if you get enough wine in me!) and even if you can't attend, you can go to my website and order by Thursday (or call me with your order to save shipping) so you can get your books before Christmas. A lot of people forget about books for Christmas presents, but they can make a very lasting and wonderful impression on the children and adults on your list. I hardly ever throw away books unless they are falling apart or get wet! I still cringe when I think about how I threw out or gave away my favorites from when I was little or in school and how I could use them now for the kids! I'm trying to build up my library again but I'm very picky now on the books I choose as I don't like clutter. Dusty books are clutter! That's why I choose Usborne books a lot, because they get read and referenced often and don't get time to get dusty (yay for no extra cleaning!).
Alright, have I convinced you (winking and pointing my "shooter" fingers at you like a cheesy salesman)? If I have, come to my house tonight at 7 and bring a pal, or call or order from my website by Sunday, December 17th (or anytime you want when you are looking for good books from now on!).
Okeydokey, hope to see you soon!
Laura
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, December 08, 2006
Deer Santa
Niklaus and I broke away to Coborn's to get something for supper the other night and happened upon their annual Christmas dealio where they hire a really cool band to play Christmas music (I swear the lead singer was channeling Burl Ives, he sounded EXACTLY LIKE HIM!), have samples around every corner, and even have people with trays handing out holiday-style appetizers. I actually was there to get a few (ahem, it was St. Nicholas eve) things that I had forgotten (nothing like waiting until the last, possible second) the one hundred and forty-two other times I had been to the store in the last couple of weeks (how I got that stuff under his coat in the cart and into the bag at the checkout without him seeing was practically genius, if you ask me) and it was just so great that he was there with me because he's holed up at home all day while we are doing school and I love it when he can get some special attention. We were by the freezer/meat section when I saw the man in red...
Me: NIKLAUS! (in stage whisper) It's SANTA! Look behind you!
Niklaus: Whoa!
Santa: Hi! Want a candy cane?
Niklaus: Thanks (dead serious)
Santa: Here, take two...they're small!
Niklaus: Thanks
Me: (as we're walking away) Hey Niklaus! That was sooo cool, that was Santa Klaus!
Niklaus: Yeah, but where's his deers?
Three year-olds are AWESOME!
Me: NIKLAUS! (in stage whisper) It's SANTA! Look behind you!
Niklaus: Whoa!
Santa: Hi! Want a candy cane?
Niklaus: Thanks (dead serious)
Santa: Here, take two...they're small!
Niklaus: Thanks
Me: (as we're walking away) Hey Niklaus! That was sooo cool, that was Santa Klaus!
Niklaus: Yeah, but where's his deers?
Three year-olds are AWESOME!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
The Worst Book Ever
I was just tagged by the Smart Girl and I had to think really hard about this one because I've read SO MANY FLIPPIN BOOKS! I can't ever NOT finish a book because I'm an optimist and if it starts out bad, I always have hope that maybe, just MAYBE it will get better before the last sentence. Most of them do but some don't. I honestly don't remember the last time I didn't finish a book but I do remember throwing one of the "Left Behind" books across the room unfinished after it became evil in my hands and I never ever read another one of those terrible things again I tell you! I did just read "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter". We read it in high school but I didn't understand some of the themes back then because I SURELY wouldn't have re-read it if I had! It was pretty much a crappy, depressing book that makes you think that life is not worth living in any way and that families with lots of children are depraved and that the only way to salvation is to be a communist. Now, you might not think that if you read it and you might just be mildly bored by it and think, "what the heck was laura TALKING about?" but trust me, it was between the lines and I oughta sue my old English teacher for trying to indoctrinate me at such a tender age...oh that's right, that is the public school teacher's JOB...to turn me into a mindless/liberal/bitter/hater with a penchant for Marxism and no sense of historical accuracy. Moving on...anything by Nicholas Sparks bites big time. BORING and stupid waste of time to read that nonsense. Ugh, the movie was unbearable...what was that thing called, oh yeah "The Notebook". Double Yuck.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Three Years Ago Today...
...I was thinking that I was soooo smart. We had gone to my brother's house for a 500 party the night before my due date and I thought I had at least a week left of the pregnancy. My partner was my bro in law, Mathew, and he kept giving me sneaky glances and giggling to himself because he insisted that I was in labor. HA! What a dummy. Didn't he know that I was a WOMAN who CERTAINLY knew better than him when I was going to have this baby thank you very much? Hmph. Okay, so fast forward to the 40 minute drive home...past the hospital where my baby would be born...the following week...boy oh boy, my stomach REALLY hurts...Butch is passed out in the seat next to me buuuuut, maybe I should just stop into the hospital just to get checked? NAW, I'll just go home and go to the bathroom, then I'll feel better, but OH, that is crampy!
We got home around 2 in the morning and Butch dragged his butt up to bed but I "slept" on the couch because I was so uncomfortable. I tried and tried but couldn't sleep because, darnit, I'd had coke and caffeine affects me so much. Well, to get to the point, by about 5 in the morning, my denial had broken and I called my sister to tell her she'd better think about meeting me at the hospital in an hour or so. BUT MATT answered the phone (darnit).
Matt: Heeeeeeellloooo? (in a cutesy, smug voice)
Me: Uh, Hi! Is Trine there? (trying to sound very not in labor and innocent...at 5 in the morning...on a weekend day after getting home at 2 in the morning...on my DUE DATE)
Matt: WHY?????HMMMM????
Me: Just let me talk to her, sassy pants.
Matt: Okay, fine, she's right here hehehehehehe
Me: (Grumblemumble)
Trine: HELLOOOOOO? (excited and freaked out)
Me: Um, yeah, I'm actually in labor so you'd better meet me at the hosp. I gotta go wake up Butch and pack a bag, I guess.
Trine: (shuffleshufflemumblemumbletellingmattthathewasright) Matt says "I Knew It"
Me: Yeah, okay, fine, he's a genius. What is it with him and knowing things about women in labor?????? He's a freak of nature.
Seriously, that dude grew up on a dairy farm and my theory is that he got some sort of gestational zen from the cows, anyway...
What Matt DIDN'T know was that I was about to have the WORST birth experience of my life (so far, anyway) and that that baby was 10 pounds 6 ounces of sheer, horrible PAIN! Even the epidural couldn't block the pain of all of that chunky baby-ness and I could have shot the idiot doctor who delivered him.
Bygones.
Now for the good news: Niklaus is the funniest 3 year old kid I know. He keeps us in stitches and giggles and comes up with the funniest phrases and thoughts. He is sweet and always says, "Yes" instead of "Yeah" which is so cute. He looks most like his daddy than any other child in this family, except he has light brown eyes and strawberry blond hair. His eyelashes are longer than a boy's should be but that makes it so much harder to get mad at him or put him in a time-out. He loves his brothers and sisters and has taken to calling Matty, "My Buddy". When Daddy comes home at night, he goes on this marathon talking spree that's like a run-on paragraph that only Butch and I can make sense of. Someday maybe he'll be a story teller or a writer.
I kind of wanted his birthday to be on the feast of St. Nicholas (even had the day set to be induced by the doctor!) but WHEW am I glad he was born when he was. Right on time and the date was 11-30-03 at 11:30 in the morning which is kind of a cool set of numbers, don't you think?
I know this picture has Mari in it, but she and Niklaus look so much alike and it was such a pretty picture. She and Niklaus are the closest in age and hopefully will be very close as they grow together. Even though he's rough on her, she just loves him to pieces.
We got home around 2 in the morning and Butch dragged his butt up to bed but I "slept" on the couch because I was so uncomfortable. I tried and tried but couldn't sleep because, darnit, I'd had coke and caffeine affects me so much. Well, to get to the point, by about 5 in the morning, my denial had broken and I called my sister to tell her she'd better think about meeting me at the hospital in an hour or so. BUT MATT answered the phone (darnit).
Matt: Heeeeeeellloooo? (in a cutesy, smug voice)
Me: Uh, Hi! Is Trine there? (trying to sound very not in labor and innocent...at 5 in the morning...on a weekend day after getting home at 2 in the morning...on my DUE DATE)
Matt: WHY?????HMMMM????
Me: Just let me talk to her, sassy pants.
Matt: Okay, fine, she's right here hehehehehehe
Me: (Grumblemumble)
Trine: HELLOOOOOO? (excited and freaked out)
Me: Um, yeah, I'm actually in labor so you'd better meet me at the hosp. I gotta go wake up Butch and pack a bag, I guess.
Trine: (shuffleshufflemumblemumbletellingmattthathewasright) Matt says "I Knew It"
Me: Yeah, okay, fine, he's a genius. What is it with him and knowing things about women in labor?????? He's a freak of nature.
Seriously, that dude grew up on a dairy farm and my theory is that he got some sort of gestational zen from the cows, anyway...
What Matt DIDN'T know was that I was about to have the WORST birth experience of my life (so far, anyway) and that that baby was 10 pounds 6 ounces of sheer, horrible PAIN! Even the epidural couldn't block the pain of all of that chunky baby-ness and I could have shot the idiot doctor who delivered him.
Bygones.
Now for the good news: Niklaus is the funniest 3 year old kid I know. He keeps us in stitches and giggles and comes up with the funniest phrases and thoughts. He is sweet and always says, "Yes" instead of "Yeah" which is so cute. He looks most like his daddy than any other child in this family, except he has light brown eyes and strawberry blond hair. His eyelashes are longer than a boy's should be but that makes it so much harder to get mad at him or put him in a time-out. He loves his brothers and sisters and has taken to calling Matty, "My Buddy". When Daddy comes home at night, he goes on this marathon talking spree that's like a run-on paragraph that only Butch and I can make sense of. Someday maybe he'll be a story teller or a writer.
I kind of wanted his birthday to be on the feast of St. Nicholas (even had the day set to be induced by the doctor!) but WHEW am I glad he was born when he was. Right on time and the date was 11-30-03 at 11:30 in the morning which is kind of a cool set of numbers, don't you think?
I know this picture has Mari in it, but she and Niklaus look so much alike and it was such a pretty picture. She and Niklaus are the closest in age and hopefully will be very close as they grow together. Even though he's rough on her, she just loves him to pieces.
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