Weirdness

To get myself to write tonight, I am doing a meme-thingy from My Cuz Brent (whom my kids think is their uncle) and Becca. Brent did seven, Becca did 100--I am going with ten. I think.

Ten Weird Things About Me

1. I absolutely cannot get in bed without washing and moisturizing my feet. I have fallen asleep and actually woken up to go in the 'throom and wash my feet. It stems from this larger weirdness I have about dry skin (which I've had all my life) snagging or scraping against fabric. It's like nails on a chalkboard and I cannot tolerate it.

2. I have a hard time eating mixes--like mixed jelly bellies or chex mix. I usually eat the items in the mix separately, starting with my least favorite thing and saving my favorite for last (in the case of chex mix, for example, I eat the pretzels, then the breadsticks, then the bagel chips, then the corn/rice chex, and finally the wheat chex) (crazy, I know).

3. I cannot understand why using the postal service is so difficult for such a huge percentage of my acquaintances and family. I have gotten used to it, mind you, but I don't understand what is so hard about keeping a basket or drawer stocked with paper, envelopes, a pen, an address book, and stamps. For the love of all that's Holy, people...we have an exemplary postal system and I intend to share the joy of snail mail with my loved ones until it becomes cost-prohibitive, so help me Ben Franklin! (This makes ME weird because I'm the weirdo who still uses the snail mail--me, my grandma, and my friend Lisa Robbins Anderson)

4. When I was a little girl, there was almost nothing that brought me more joy than a clean sheet of white paper. Seriously--I would almost shake with happiness and anticipation of filling it up with something.

5. I can't stand to have my fingernails grow past my fingertips.

6. I am working really hard to stop judging smokers as less intelligent and people wearing heavy eyeliner as trampy. It's really hard and I don't want to be like that. Luckily, in my town I'll get lots of practice.

7. I am an ice connoisseur. I will go out of my way for soft ice because I like to eat it. Chalk it up to my Arizona upbringing. Which leads me to...

8. My beverages must be ice cold. Like bordering on slushy. The only hot drinks I like are cocoa and Postum, but still in very small quantities.

9. I have kept a journal since I was nine. It's pretty entertaining, and I keep vowing to go back into them and do more "on this date in history" entries, cuz hey, there's fodder.

10. I almost always have about five thoughts in my head at once. Sometimes people think I am forgetful or irresponsible, but it's because I have to work hard to shut my brain up and focus. This is also why I require a very clean and distraction-free work environment, and why I have to get my chores done before I can do something creative--if I don't, my brain will not shut up!!! I am sure that's an undiagnosed disorder.

Feel free to add to the list in the comments...:) And happy hump day.

Beautiful Dawn

Take me to the breaking of a beautiful dawn

Take me to the place where we came from

Take me to the end so I can see the start

There's only one way to mend a broken heart



Take me to the place where I don't feel so small

Take where I don't need to stand so tall

Take me to the edge so I can fall apart

There's only one way to mend a broken heart



Take me where love isn't up for sale

Take me where our hearts are not so frail

Take me where the fire still owns its spark

There's only one way to mend a broken heart



Teach me how to see when I close my eyes

Teach me to forgive and to apologize

Show me how to love in the darkest dark

There's only one way to mend a broken heart



Take me where the angels are close on hand

Take me where the ocean meets the sky and the land

Show me to the wisdom of the evening star

There's only one way to mend a broken heart



Take me to the place where I feel no shame

Take me where courage doesn't need a name

Learning how to cry is the hardest part

There's only one way to mend a broken heart



-The Wailin' Jennys (watch the video below)

Rainy Days and Mondays

I was feeling a bit out-of-sorts and very head-achey today (don't worry--I'm chalking it up to a hormonal shift because I am finished nursing James, *sniff, sniff*), when we got TWO packages in the mail to cheer us up! One was from Nana--Heidi's baby elephant (which I had to listen to her cry about for a whole week after we left it in Utah) and a box pf goodies and a sweet blanket for James from my friend Jessica in North Carolina. Here's a picture of Heidi and Addie using the stamps and eating the Laffy Taffy that Jessica sent. Happy Monday! Thanks, Nana & Jess!On another note, here is a really beautiful song which I would like to dedicate to all of my sisters, and especially my sisters-in-law, Amie & Audrey. I love you all. And Georgia, you once said you thought you'd love any band called the Wailin' Jennys...well, here they are....

Poor James Ole...

We knew it would be hard to have two big sisters! James had to be Apple Dumplin' last night while the girls were playing dress ups at bedtime. Addie is quite the poser, while James just looks worried...

...and Heidi looks crazy!
(trying to get everyone to look at the camera...)

Hooray! Daddy came to rescue James and restore his masculinity.

Overheard

Sunday after lunch:

Rich: It's time for everyone to take a rest...do you want me to snuggle with you on my bed?

Addie: (whining) No Dad. I don't want to snuggle with anyone...and CERTAINLY not mommy.

(should I be hurt? I like to snuggle by myself, too...)

While I Was Gone

The freezing weather made for a huge build up of ice floes on the bend in the river at the ranch.

See the car there on the right? It's parked on the road, and the ice is all teh way up the river bank to the road!

At Long Last

We finally (and thankfully) made it home to Montana. Miraculously, we had clear, dry roads the whole way both to and from Utah! But that doesn't mean it wasn't FREEZING! Last Saturday (right after I wrote my last entry) Heidi and James got really sick (James was throwing up, Heidi had a fever and barking cough). I was trying to spend some time with Matt before he left the next day, but I kept having to cleanup barf! So we nursed them back to health on Sunday and delayed our trip home by a day. I spent Monday night at my Dad's in Pocatello (which was such a nice visit--thanks Dad & Becky!) and got home to Livingston at 2pm. I stayed home all week and battled a cold, scrapbooking and doing laundry and playing with my kids. It's so fun to cozy-up in the winter!

Here are photos from the past week--James loves the hot tub! He hasn't been feeling well--I think he's teething--and the tub makes him feel better.

James in the tub...
Happy boy in seventh heaven!

Saturday night we had Angie and Danny and Rosalie over (Davy's working nights). We ate Taco Salad, watched "Ant Bully," and Heidi and Rosalie played with Princess Mega Blocks.
Heidi is so proud of her castle! Rosalie is eating the dragon.
Heidi and Rosalie take Cinderella for a ride while Addie brings the Little People Farmer over to take care of the stables.

Before I Left

We were still having quite the cold snap before I left for Utah. On Saturday, January 13, I made this big pot of chili for my family. I took some to Utah and left some for Rich. It was so good, especially with Marie Calender's "just add water" cornbread. Ricky Lauren's Cookhouse Chili
James in his seat, enjoying the ruckus from the counter
Heidi and Addie help clean the kitchen floor
"When we're helping we're happy and we sing as we go, for we like to help mother, for we all love her so!"

Or something like that.

Stayin' Alive

"Well, you can tell by the way I use my blog..." that I am knee deep in the remains of the catastrophes here, and I've been a babysittin' fool this week! I am still in Utah, right now at my brother, Will's house, enjoying the last few hours with my brother, Matt, before he heads back to Iraq for 8 months. I have been here all week with Will's wife while he was on a business trip--they have had some issues this month, not the least of which is a very uncomfortable, fussy newborn baby (who is as cute as a wee button).

Some of the days this week were spent at my sister Jill's--she had a hysterectomy Thursday to resolve some terrible pain she has suffered for the past 13 years. Audrey and I just saw her in the hopital and she is doing great. She comes home tomorrow.

My mom is here from Missouri for 6 weeks, so I am going to leave all these folks in her capable hands and head home on Monday. I think I will stay over at my Dad's in Pocatello, then drive home to Livingston on Tuesday. It will be so great to be home with my sweetie pie and the spic-n-span house he's been spring cleaning (a little early, but so welcome!)

I have had a great time with my siblings, but they all have a long way to go to fix their problems. I love them to pieces and I hope they--and I!--make it through all the heartache, back into the light!

Chubby Bubby

Just a quick note: yesterday before I took Heidi to her pre-school and went on a field trip with Addie's class, we had a quick check up for James, where he weighed in at 18 lbs 6 ounces. That's EIGHTEEN, people. I think my 14-month-old niece weighs that much. He is also over 26 inches, long, so he doesn't look particularly round, but he's a BIG BOY. As for the rest of us, we are also well and happy and squishy, working hard to clean up Christmas and packing up (AGAIN--ugh!) for a week with our Post cousins in Utah next week. (I am going to keep Audrey company while Willy is on a business trip next week--the kids are so excited to play with their cousins!)
Chinese chubby baby posters were a must have for New Years. Called "Nian Hua", or Chinese New Year posters, these Chinese chubby baby posters exudes happiness and strength.

Christmas Morning

What Santa brought for James...
...and Addie...
...and Heidi...SCORE!
Addie showing off her lavender-scented rice bag (to keep her warm--from Aunt Amie), and the watch she got in her stocking (notice in the background, Heidi had already stripped the clothes off her Christmas doll)
Heidi with her naked baby and her new sunglasses and the candy bracelet that was a BIG mistake.

Heidi's Hat & Scarf from Aunt Angie

Addie's cool new books from Grandma

Oranges, Biscuits & Gravy for Breakfast

I also scored some great gifts--lots of lovely jewelry made by my SIL, Angie, a shopping trip to IKEA, a calendar of vintage cowgirl prints, a Cocomotion Hot Cocoa maker for the whole family, and a rolling case in which to store all my "Crafty crap." Rich also got some great gifts (and gift cards) from Angie, as well as an LL Bean ice cream maker shaped like an orange soccer ball, and an LLBean Hawaiian print toiletries bag. I also got him a gift that keeps on giving to both of us...Flogging Molly's "Whiskey on a Sunday," which is a documentary DVD AND a live album. (We are officially envious that Sam got Kristen Flogging Molly tickets for their first anniversary, and the Phoenix show is on St. Paddy's Day!)