Illin'

Part of my acclamating process out here on the wrong side of the Rockies is to try and get involved. Involved in anything. Easiest thing to get involved in? Bible studies. I mean, it's a rule that the other girls have to be nice. Right? So on Wednesday I started a Beth Moore study and those of you familiar with Ms. Moore know that she's very in depth. So in depth in fact, that I blamed my headache on her. I don't really ever get headaches and this one lasted all day. Surely it was her fault, right? By Wednesday night I just wanted to shove two O.B.'s up my nose because it just wouldn't stop running. I went to bed relatively early (i.e. before 1am) to try and sleep it off. I woke up with the gift of a MAC truck lodged in my head.

This is so unlike me. I don't get sick like this and the last time I was, I think I was pregnant with my 8 year old. And the kicker is, I didn't catch it from one of my walking petri dishes kids. They're both perfectly healthy. I sludged through the day, even making a trip to Target for milk (one of the great things about Colorado....Super Targets!!) and drugs. Too bad I had my kids with me and didn't notice the drugs I bought did NOT contain an antihistamine. So for the rest of the day I had that I'm-going-to-sneeze-any-second feeling. It really is quite fun, if you're a glutton for punishment.

I'd been bribing my kids during their off track time with a movie in exchange for good behavior. With today being the last official day off, I had to make good on my promise, sick or not. So I divvied up our candy and put it in my movie purse. Oh come on, don't tell me you don't do that. We headed out and sat through 'The Tooth Fairy'. Cute kids movie + sinuses on vacation = minimal interest. But I did it. I didn't whine and complain like I wanted to. I wasn't selfish and claimed I couldn't leave my bed like I wanted to. I didn't even pout because I wasn't willing to buy popcorn I can't taste like I wanted to. On this last day of off track time I celebrated, mouth breathing and all, by making good on my promise and letting my kids have their way. Now it's my turn as I sit on my couch, bundled up and watching the opening ceremony for the Olympics and whining to my husband that I can't breave fru my dose. Go U.S.A.!

Q & A

Have you heard people ask those silly questions like, why do you park on a driveway and drive on a parkway? I have my own set of silly questions that have been swimming in my brain. If you can answer them for me, you get a prize*.

• Why did it take 18 years for my husband's job to completely rock AND why are we so far from friends and family when this kickin' job is finally happening?


• Why were we finally in a place of financial freedom in California (I know, sounds like an oxymoron) and then get moved to Denver where it feels like we're back to where we were two years ago?


• When making knock off Chipotle guacamole, one is instructed to dice a serrano or jalapeno pepper. When you do this, you're supposed to wear food prep gloves or you risk burning your skin. But then you put said peppers into your MOUTH and they eventually end up IN your body. Man, good thing they instructed me to protect my fingers.


• When you find something at Costco that everyone in your family loves, why do they quit stocking it?


• Any time I state, "I will never", it ends up happening. Why?? Examples? I will never date a Marine--married one. I will never drive a Ford--had it for 3 1/2 years. I will never live where I have to shovel snow or endure a tornado--double check...oh Denver you wacky city.


• Why does my eight year old think that he is smarter than I am? Doesn't he know he needs to be at least twelve before he starts that behavior?


• Why does my cat feel the need to yak on whatever is cleanest/most difficult to clean in the house? We've got a ton of wood flooring and tile in the house but apparently my oversized comforter and freshly changed sheets are a better option.

What are your unanswered questions? I know I'll have more. I've had a LOT of time to think lately with all the not working and the snow and the kids being home. My brain needs a vacation in San Diego.

*One shiny Gold Star. Woohoo!!

It's a Secret

I've been spending lots of time with my babies lately. Alright, they're not babies but they resemble them at times. Out here on the wrong side of the Rockies, my kids are in year round school which means they have WAY too much time off. We're in week two of a three week break. Pray for me. My husband's been out and about quite a bit lately as well so quantity time is a-flowin'. One of my favorite things to do with my kids is to read with them. It's out of sheer laziness. I get to sit on the couch and read books and they'll usually play with my hair or rub my arm while I read. Not a bad deal.

So I'm sitting with my son in the family room and my daughter is still upstairs. I smell something funny. Not like something burning, or foul, or play doh mixed with animal cookies smooshed up and used at hair putty. Kind of a good smell, but not one I recognized. New air freshener? No. I didn't put in a new plug in any time recently. I wasn't wearing perfume or lotion. My eight year old wasn't trying a new aftershave. Hmm. I ignored it and waited for Leah to join us on the couch for story time. As she sits next to me, the air around us is stirred and I smell it again, but this time stronger. I lean over and sniff her and then lean the other direction and sniff Trey. "What is that smell?!"
"What smell?"
::sniff sniff: "I don't know. Trey, did you put lotion on?"
"No."
"Something smells...powdery."
Then Trey tells me it's his arm. I grab his arm and sure enough, that's where the smell is coming from. "What is that?"
"I don't know. It was in the bathroom and I put it on. It was that blue thing."
"My new deoderant?
"Haha, yeah I guess." Clearly at this point he really doesn't know what deoderant is. Apparently he's been living under a rock.
"Trey, I put that on my ARM PITS"
"EWWWW!!!"
"Ok, no more putting things on your body if you don't know what they are."

Seriously.