no sleep till brooklyn

boy can i not sleep.
i didn't go to bed last night until after 1.
and i woke up at 7:30.

and i only got a 15 min nap this afternoon.

tonight it is already 1am and i'm not sleepy still.  just took a melatonin maybe that'll work.
my brain is just in overload - not worried so much as i am just happy and excited about so many things.

some things i have to keep to myself.

but, some things i can share.

like, i got to talk to melissa today. (she knows what i'm talking about.)
and well this camera is just the coolest thing in the world.  i can't get enough of it.
and i sorted through all my paper scraps today.  that was a big task.

but i still need to make 4 thank you cards (which now i can do since i have the paper out and ready to cut and glue... my goal was to make them from my "scrap" pile - which wasn't too scrappy!) and i need to call lexmark and finish my printer installation. and i need to clean my shower (YUCK!). and i know just 2 days ago i washed 4 loads of laundry.  how did my laundry basket get full already again???  is it BREEDING???  geez.

so anyway, i have a lot on my mind, but i just can't pull myself away from the camera i suppose.  i play play play and play some more with these pictures.  i suppose it is a good thing i don't have adobe.

but hey, if anyone has it and would like to share your copy illegally, i'm not against breaking that law.  (did i really say that? i realize it only costs $70...)

SO>>>>>
off to bed.  maybe my eyes will shut.  in the mean time...

i think everybody is blogging somewhere else.  where are you, blog friends???

ordering

i'm excited that i closed my first SU order today.
yay!  i actually had enough sales to have a "party" - which means i got enough free stuff (since i was the hostess) to provide paper for the next workshop!  hopefully i can keep on booking these things....

anyone else want to book?  october is a great month to have a christmas card workshop!  (november is just about too late if you want to make your own christmas cards... takes 2 weeks to get in the product, and you have to have enough time to make them!)

anyone?  anyone?  i'm WIDE OPEN!!!  it doesn't have to be on a weekend.  i can do weeknights too.  saturday mornings are great, thursday nights.  monday nights.  sunday afternoons.  you name it,  i'm there!

rare video of kendal singing

not only is he singing, but this is the first video of holly dancing.
the song is head shoulders knees and toes - and he's singing along with the fisher price pup.
just watch the first minute.  the last minute is just random play, i was hoping that he'd do it again but he didn't. 

what i want wednesday - for my back to stop hurting!

so weird that i found this picture, because it shows nearly exactly where i'm hurting.  it was on a website that was "is it your kidneys or your back" so i'm not sure if this picture indicates kidneys or back muscles.

but either way, where those black spots are is EXACTLY where i'm hurting.  especially the dorsal view.  sometimes the pain gets so intense that it hurts all the way down to my toes.  and up to my shoulder.  but, fortunately, most of the time it is gone.  today was much better.  yesterday was much worse.  that makes me think it is muscle.

but, it still hurts  and i the same spot.  it is throbbing right now.  makes me want to vomit it hurts so bad. (probably why i can't sleep.)

so today (since technically it is wednesday), i'd like my back to stop hurting.  its what i want.  i said yesterday if it didn't stop that i'd call the doctor for tomorrow.  maybe if it doesn't stop tomorrow i'll call the doctor for thursday.  but definitely before the weekend.  we can't afford ER fees!!!  (i don't know why i dread the doctor so much.)

incidentally, i haven't any fever, and i haven't any urges to pee more than usual.  everything i read said that kidney infections would also have fever and/or frequent urination (and/or the urge to do so).  it really reminds me of when i was pregnant and "gas" would get caught in my intestines... that causes some severe pain from time to time... but, i'm not pregnant!!!  and, i'm positive this isn't gas!

playa hol

top ten tuesday - ten cute things kendal says and does

1. brings holly a paci when she cries

2. "airmane" no matter where he is - if he hears one (with his vulcan hearing), he is gonna say it.  (airplane)

3. school bus bus bus bus - he can't say bus just one time

4. when he sings happy birthday, the "you" part - he shakes his head like he's performing the song.  i'm not sure where he got it from, but you have to do it too.

5. "nani" - his first word nearly every day.  (banana)

6. kendal got a school bus tent for his birthday and he LOVES it when holly crawls in it with him.  he lets her drive.

7. he also shares his drinks with her.  even if it is milk.  i can say for sure she doesn't have any milk allergies.

8. he is obsessed with the television.  not the television itself, just the buttons and the fact he can turn it on and off, and put dvds in and turn that on and off.  he likes clicking the controls (remotely and on the machines) and is quite proud when he can find a channel and then change it to something else.  he hardly ever watches it for more than 2 seconds, he just likes mashing buttons!  same goes for the computer.  he can pretty much use a keyboard and a mouse as well as me!

9.  i love the way every letter and number he picks up is "b" then "2" then "o"... until you tell him what it is then he repeats the right one and puts it back.

10. "cokkit"  when he is tired, this is the only thing that will calm him.  (blanket)

11. a bonus one!

the other night we were at our wonderful neighbors' house.  you know how a screen (on the window) can look like wavy black and white lines?  well, he called it a zebra.  ha!  funny kid.  such an imagination.  he kept pointing to their screen and saying zebra.

i'm really out of practice with the blogging thing!

not sure why, except that i just haven't the time.  2 kids at home leaves not much time for blogging.

so today i will just say... why is our tax 7.75%?????  that is almost 8%?  that is ridiculous.  really.
i wish i could protest taxes.  if anyone has any bright ideas about it, let me know.  and, i know voting is a way to make my voice heard.  and i did vote.  and that is what landed me 7.75%!

our rich politicians don't care.  they all drive nice cars and get paid-for parking spaces in downtown raleigh. 

lush lifestyles of the rich and famous-in-their-own-minds.

eek!  it is monday, right? 

tonight is the big night!

i've been preparing for weeks.  it feels like months.
i've made cards,  remade cards, and then made more. 
i had to come up with cards i think people would like, cards that aren't too hard, cards that are simple but not too simple - and interesting enough to "catch" people like the first one i made back in march 2007.

i've cut paper, wrinkled and pressed paper, sponged paper, trashed paper, cut ribbon, sprayed paper, colored paper... ripped paper.  you name it.  i've done it. 

and i've ended up with two really cute cards.  one is insanely simple.  one is a little more involved.  both are easy as pie.

i can't wait to see folks scrambling through the catalog like i was the first time i stamped, the first time i went to a stampin' up! party.   i hope people ask me for advice because i didn't get practical stuff.  it worked, but it wasn't the best.  i learned quick.
i got better.
i'm still getting better.
the learning curve is a long slope and i'm still on it.

i love to stamp.
i love to make cards.
i love to make things other than cards.
and i ABSOLUTELY can't wait to share it with 11 other women. tonight.  on my birthday night.

if i could ever get to sleep!

she's a crawler!

Kendal's Birthday Party Pictures

• here are pictures from the birthday party - i didn't take too many pictures, katelyn took pictures with  my camera for the most part.  and, at least half of these pictures are from LK!  thanks LK for uploading your photos to my computer!!!  i wish i had pictures of everyone, i notice on here that i'm missing a lot of folks.

• we really appreciate all of you joining us for kendal's birthday party.  i wish we could have a party like this every weekend!  it really is fun getting together with everyone.  i know kendal loved it... he woke up from his nap and cried for 30 minutes because everyone was gone!  (specifically, "tripp, tripp, tripp!"  i don't know whether he just likes saying his name, or he just remembers him leaving the most?!?)  

• i especially like your kids over because they teach him how to climb!  with his developmental delays, having bigger kids over definitely helps him because he is a "monkey see monkey do" kind of kid!  when your kids are climbing on the jungle gym, he is too.  after ya'll left, he just wanted me to put him on the slide.  he wasn't as interested in standing around on the platform and playing!  :)

• so anyway, please - come back and see us soon!  all of you!

• p.s., for those who asked, kendal's adjustable high chair is a keekaroo - 

their website:  http://www.keekaroo.com/

• and, holly's fever broke last night after reaching 103.9 - she was sleeping in the bed with me about 1 am, and i thought she spit up because i'd given her water when she was awake at 11, but i couldn't figure out how it was on the top of her head.  it was sweat.  she (and the bed) was covered in sweat.  this morning, she's a solid 98.5.  i hope it stays that way.  still, no other symptoms - and she's hungry today too!  well, for bottles anyway.  haven't tried solids yet.

ha!  check that out, samantha - i made a drill rig out of the stacker blocks!  (did you know i was a geologist?  yeah.  apparently a real nerdy one!)

6 word story challenge

here is a challenge for all who are reading this blog:

the other night on terrestrial radio, i heard the "world's shortest story" by e. hemingway:

for sale: baby shoes, never worn.

this story really struck me as a maybe one of the greatest stories ever, very much a typical hemingway tragedy.
anyway, i thought maybe i'd see if i could write a 6 world story.  and, i challenge you to do the same.

i'm still thinking about what mine is... so, i'll post it as a comment later when i think of it!

Happy Birthday Melissa!

Before any crazy folks decided to go and ruin the day known as "September 11th,"  it was a special day in our house already.  Not a bad kind of special like it is now.

Our American flag is flying high on hour front porch just like it does every day.  We are proud Americans every day.  Every day I pray for our soldiers and celebrate and are grateful for my freedoms.  Every day, I hope and pray that every human on earth can have the same rights that I have, even if my insurance company decides that my migraine medicine isn't necessary thus they remove it from their "list" and now I have to pay nearly $200/month rather than $30/month to take it. Anyway, at least I don't have to stand in line to use my vouchers to get toilet paper or government made cheese and I can go to a doctor I choose (for now, right?).

But for the past 31 years, including the last 8 years, today is the day that I celebrate my sister's birthday.  Today will ALWAYS be the day that I celebrate her birthday - it was her birthday first!

Happy Birthday Melissa! 

31 years ago i was an only child

that's right!  melissa pointed it out to me this morning.  "31 years ago today you were an only child" was a text she sent me early this morning.  and she was right!  this picture was me when i was 2.  looks like kendal with long hair.

i can't say that i wish i was an only child.  i guess sometimes growing up it would have been nice to get all the new clothes rather than having to share that cost my my sister(S).  but, that really isn't a reason.  and, i suppose we both had our own room sometimes (we chose to bunk together sometimes... and kate and i always bunked togther).  so, if i was an only child i would have never had that option (to have a roommate). 

anyway, my point is that out of most all the folks i've ever known, my best friends have always been siblings (had siblings).  my best boyfriends always were siblings.  my worst ones were always only children.  as a matter of a fact, the ONLY person i can think of that is an only child that was ever REALLY REALLY nice (to the core) is rhonda.  maybe i'm overlooking someone.  but, in general, i'm glad - REALLY REALLY GLAD - i'm not an only child.  whew, i can't imagine what kind of monster that would have made me!  (i'm bossy enough as it is!)

only children are just typically too selfish.  let's just talk about jonathan for a minute.  most of you don't know who i'm talking about, but many of you do.  his world revolved around him - the rest of us just entered it for a moment, and only for his sake.   he will never have children, and if he does, i bet it'll only be one.  and that kid will be miserable just like him.

so anyway, i'm glad i have a sister (yes, katelyn, i said "a" because i just needed 1 to not be an only... of coarse, i'm glad you came along too...).  

really.  there is a reason i wanted to have 2 kids and have them close.  what if i had trouble getting pregnant?  what if we had to resort to "other options"!?!?!  i wanted to make sure there was time.  i did not want to have just one kid.

and another reason i'm glad i had HER as a sister - if she wasn't here and didn't have kids first, i may have never had any.  her kids made me want kids.  so maybe i should thank her and rob for that one!  :)

how long does it take to catch a cold?

i'm gonna guess about 3 days.

this morning after being well all summer (even miss holly hasn't been sick since may), kendal woke up with buggers!  guess the fall cold season is starting early in our house!  i'm sure holly will get it next since kendal kisses all over her and there is NO way to keep their spit separate!  :)  she's already sneezing.

good thing is that kendal goes to the dr next week for his 2 yr and holly the week after for her 9 month checkups, so if something lingers that long for either, they'll already be at the doctor for checkups!

EDIT:
katelyn just came over and i said "do they feel warm to you?" (because they both hate getting their temp taken, i just typically use my hand/cheek to tell if they have a fever...) and she said "they feel about the same, so if one is warm they are both warm."  so i broke out the ear therm. and holly DOES have a fever of 100 degrees - kendal was more or less on target (98.9) - and surprisingly neither minded getting it taken!  guess after months of no temp. taking, they were ok with it.  good news is my temp was a normal (for me) 97.4.  :)

and, on a separate note, i'm selling my old breast pump on ebay and it is up to $76!!! wow!  i never thought... so many times i've tried to GIVE IT away to new mothers and no one would take it!  i can't believe i'm actually gonna get some money for it!  i'm also selling some of my old ink pads, refills, and cardstock from the "in color" (melissa will know what i'm talking about) mainly because i just don't want to store it.  that is already up to $20.50!  that's unbelievable too.  this stuff is used, and the cardstock is only like 5 sheets here, 15 sheets there - not even whole sets!

just as a reminder

unless you're getting married or you're visiting the tropics or you're starring in "one who flew over the cuckoo's nest", you may want to put your white clothes away until next easter!  labor day is tomorrow!  here in the south, that means no more white pants, shorts, shoes, or sunglasses (athletic shoes, sock, & shirts are ok)!

well, unless you want to be talked and/or giggled about on my blog...  :)

goodreads

...makes me want to read!
if only there were more time in the day.  or, i had one of those personal reading lights.  its hard to read when i'm bunking with a light-sleeping, knocked out baby.  ("light sleeping" meaning: one who wakes easily and one who is sensitive to light.) 

time travelers wife.  the movie does not look interesting.  but, the previews do make me want to read the book.  i'm sure they destroyed the text by making it a blockbuster.  um, when is the road supposed to come out?  i still want to see that as a movie.

melissa and amy - 4 and 5 stars for night?  hum.  it is really not my style of book, i'm not into holocaust type tooks.  but, that makes me want to read it.  :)


loving goodreads!

A little lesson on eBay etiquette

 

If you've bid multiple times on an auction, you must have decided, for whatever reason, that you really wanted the item!  Therefore, it is your responsibility to check and see if you have won this auction!  And, you probably already know if you won it because you are refreshing your screen every second down to the end of the auction!  That means actually looking at your eBay account and checking your email messages!  You don't jump in and bid 22 times on an auction, right down to the last few seconds, and then just power down your computer and walk away! I don't care what time limit is stated in my listing as to when payment is expected.....if you've been bidding right along to the last few minutes or seconds and have now won the auction:  Pay immediately! 

I just don't understand why people bid and bid and bid and then at the end of the auction, don't immediately pay.  I've had this happen twice in the past two weeks.  Don't they understand that the sooner they pay the faster they get their item(s)?  When you win an auction on Thursday and you don't pay until Saturday afternoon, I can't mail it until Monday at the earliest.  That is four days wasted right there, because if you went ahead and paid it immediately, I could mail it the next day.

Really.  Get on the ball folks.  You're bidding like crazy.  Pay like crazy.  I pay immediately everytime!!!

kendalism - blanket

today i was washing the light clothes and whenever i don't have a full load, i usually just throw in kendal's blankets.  yes, that is plural.  he has two.  a green one and a white one, and he sleeps with both every night, every nap.

so he's a mock-er.  monkey see monkey do.  and, he's all about laundry right now.  he helps me load, transfer, and unload the washer and dryer.  so, since he is so helpful with clothes, i figured this would be a good time to get him to help me put his blankets into the washer.

right.

i grabbed the green one out of his crib, i handed him the white one.  off to the washer we walked.  he already helped me load the light clothes.  he holds an armful (his size arm full) and when he gets to the washer, he can hoist it up into the washer.  i've picked him up and shown him where he's putting it, so he knows what he's doing.

so, in the washer i put the green one.  hysteria ensued.   i said "you put yours in!"  he started crying and ran out the door, into the hall, and laid down on the floor on TOP of it.

needless to say, the white one will have to wait another day to get washed.

today's goal for holly: teach her to sit!

she wants to crawl so bad. and as soon as she gets up on all 4s, she spreads her legs and falls flat on her belly.

sometimes she'll play there for a while, but most of the time she just screams.  today she's screaming LOUD and fast.  (she really has a set of lungs on her.  she's way louder than kendal and that is saying a lot!)

so everytime she does it today, i'm not just picking her up and slinging her back on her butt, i'm making her back up onto her knees and then pushing back into a sit.  just like kendal's first physical therapist, lee anne (the most awesome PT ever) did for him.  i think the problem is that her pants are too slick.  carpet would help.  maybe when we move downstairs later she'll be able to do it on her own.  maybe maybe.

doubt it.  took weeks for kendal.  i'm probably wishing big for a one-day's result with holly.