Thursday Ramblings

Good evening friends
Just a bunch of random things going through my mind. I just bought the Haiti benefit album from the telethon last week. It's beautiful. I love the acoustic sounds of all the songs. Right now the song Halleluia - originally by Leonard Cohen I believe. I think Rufus Wainright's version (as heard on Shrek of all sound tracks) is my favourite. But it is such a gorgeous song.

I haven't actually bought much through iTunes. There seems to be very little music that impresses me these days, and so 99% of my music on my iPod is from cds we've transfered over. But I'm enjoying this.

A few things:

• I had an awesome visit with Tanya and the boys coming over today. Tanya - thank you so much for taking the time to head our direction. I really loved seeing you all. Bill did too. 
• I twittered (@carolem) this - but I'm seriously contemplating starting a reviews/giveaway blog. I figure I read enough of them, I know what I like, so why not? Bill is on board with it agreeing that he'd help as he is a writing genius. I'm also going to ask my friend Andrea tomorrow if she might be interested (Andrea, if you're reading this, be prepared!! LOL!) as she is a technical genius when it comes to publishing/web site design (the guts behind), etc... I've been picking the brains of some of the ladies whose blogs I follow and they are very supportive. The name I have going right now is Messy Chic Mama (b/c darn it Messy Chic was taken for blogspot).
• I have a $50 Chapters giftcard to use - what book have you read recently that you totally think I need to buy and read? Nancy, was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies good?
• Bill has been off this week. I love my husband. As I said to Tanya today I'm not one of these "oh I need a break from my husband" kind of people. I like it when he's around, and although it sucks he has had to miss work, it's been awesome otherwise. And it's been extra awesome for him and Cordie to spend time together. Cordie adores him. I love it. Duncan on the other hand has been off because of it when he goes to Nikki's and school. I don't blame him. 
• So today Duncan didn't nap. He was still good but crashed within minutes of going to bed. Please don't tell me my boy is moving beyond naps! I rely on that time!! 
• Check out http://picasaweb.google.ca/carolejm/January2010# for some pictures I just uploaded.

3-year olds and bed time

Okay, I realize it is a phase, but honestly, is it a phase my son needs to go through?

My darling boy is going through the "I don't want to go to bed" phase of life. I know it's because he thinks he's missing something, and really he is, if he thinks us sitting on the couch together and watching "Castle" is missing something. But I don't think that's what it is.

He lays in bed "I want something else" what do you want? "Ummmmm... I dunno" but if you leave his room he starts wailing - and I really don't want him to wake his sister. So I go back in. I'm sure I'm supposed to let him cry, but it just doesn't seem right to me to make my son cry himself to sleep. I don't mind him reading books in bed, and chatting with his animals, it's the fussing that gets me!

And what I really hate is when I give into my frustration and take it out on him. Bill says it's hard not to, but you want to convey to this child how frustrating it is - but without yelling, or anything mean. But he's 3. He doesn't understand frustration like that.

I don't know how my Mom did it with 4 of us. I don't know how my friends who have large families do it. How do they get any sleep at all?

But let me put in a qualifying statement - Duncan is a really good kid. He honestly is. Mostly he is smiles and giggles and loves to play and run and he makes us laugh so much. So I know we just need to work through this, but when he does carry on I find myself getting anxious at his bed time because I don't feel like putting up with him.

And someone recently told me that if they aren't like this at 3, they are at 4, and it is much worse at 4. So I'll take 3 thank you very much :)

Datebook January 24, 2010

Because I'm thinking of it now, and it makes a bit more sense for me to do this on Sunday...

Today…

Outside my window: It is cloudy. Quite uniformly gray out there. We're supposed to get a bit of rain and wind I think. I believe this is one of the most boring winters we've ever had.

I am hearing: Football. Jets vs Colts. According to Bill we're cheering for the Colts. We're thinking of having a Superbowl Party here.

I am thinking: If we're going to have a Superbowl Party we'd better invite a few people.

I am hoping: My mood improves. Could be linked to the totally incosistent sleep I've been getting. Last night Cordie was only up around 1, but then slept until after 7 - which was awesome. But then Duncan had me up 2x!! Imagine...I almost got more than 5 hours straight sleep :P

I am reading: Echo - really, I am...

I am creating: Nothing.

I am wearing: white t-shirt and workout pants b/c I just finished working out on the Wii Fit Plus. I've actually been sicking with it, and my weight is heading in the right direction. Goal - 12 lbs before I return to work.

In the kitchen: In no specific order: pineapple chicken on either rice or pasta, baked ziti, chicken and mushroom bake, pineapple and bacon hamburgers with frenchfries, Kraft Dinner Surprise - this is because we have some KD cooked and in the fridge, no microwave, and I'd like to use it. I have a feeling it will be something with ground beef.

Plans for the week: Let's see... I really want to get back into taking Cordie to Peek-A-Book, so I'll do that tomorrow. I'm targetting different small places in the house to clean and organize, so I'd like to get the table beside me done (it's kind of my desk b/c I don't have one), and the shelf on the entertainment centre that is the other half of my desk. I want to get some stuff done for my brother Jeff. Tanya and Warren and Xavier want to come and visit, which would be awesome. I want to work out every day - which I've been doing when the kids nap in the afternoon.

A few of my favourite things: Duncan telling me "Good job Mommy" when I'm doing something for him like building train tracks. He's so encouraging *grin* But it does tell me he hears us saying it - which is good too. Cordie is just an amazingly sweet little girl. I'm loving that she's interacting with things more - and she dances! Which is hilarious!

A picture thought:
What little boy can resist dropping rocks down a storm drain? Not mine!

Friday Night

I am so freaking tired. I'm just tired of being tired. I have not had a full night's sleep in a long time now, and I really hope I might get the ocassional one again soon. But I hear from people who say their kid did not sleep through the night until they were 2. This will be a problem once I return to work and am a zombie :P

But I signed up for it. And she's rather cute!

In case you missed it on facebook, Duncan had been sleeping really poorly at night. We figured it was just a stage. Until the other night I was reading him a story. I normally sit on the side of his bed, but this time I climbed in beside him. While I was there I noticed how lumpy his bed was. Turns out his mattress was upside down. I never would have thought a mattress could have a wrong side, but this one did, and you could feel every spring inside. We flipped it right and he was sleep in minutes. Poor kid. We think it was from last week Monday when he was sick and we changed the sheets. Right now he's babbling at me "Mommy Mommy Mommy Mommy..." but he's just being silly.

Tonight we went to Jungle Jaks which is one of those indoor play places. It was a fund raiser for his preschool. He had a good time. But the thing about Duncan is that he's not a starter. You need to go with him and be there. He won't just run off and "see you later". So I was climbing all through it with him - I think I am going to feel that tomorrow!! I'm happy though that some other people we knew were there and the Dad didn't mind taking Duncan along while they were climbing up and what not.

See, Bill and Cordie didn't come because we were told they would charge for Cordie to get in. We said that's rather silly because she can't play with anything, so Bill kept her home. But it turns out when they are little yet there is no charge. Well we know for next time. Bill got to finish watching this season of Dexter.

Our microwave died. I'm super annoyed on several levels a. b/c it's only 3.5 years old b. we use it to reheat food on a regular basis (not usually for cooking food), c. it's also our range hood which is light and vent, neither of which work now. I called to see if maybe we'd bought an extended warranty on it - nope. I called the licensed repair place and they want $80 just to come look at it. I don't think so! So I called my brother Jeff. Jeff is awesome. Anyhow, Jeff usually knows a guy. Any time we buy something he says "you should have asked me, I know a guy!" And he usually does! So I called Jeff, but he didn't know a guy. But he is doing work for the owner of the store we bought the microwave from and suggested I talk to him to see who he might suggest for a repair job that's reasonable in price. I'm certain it's just a fuse, but looking up DIY online, we simply don't have the equipment or knowhow to repair a microwave on our own. Jeff, being the generous heart that he is, also said he has an extra nuker we can borrow until ours is fixed. Bless him! So I'll need to coordinate with him to get it. I wonder if perhaps I can bring the kids out tomorrow to his place to get it and say hi. Duncan adores Uncle Jeff. okay, he adores all his uncles. Uncle Sean earned total bonus points on Christmas day by sitting and playing with Duncan for what seemed like hours.

And that's our week. Sportball tomorrow for the boys. We start swimming next week. I got Cordie swimsuits at the dollar store. Even if they only last 5 lessons it was a good deal.

Oh, doctor's appointments. Bill had his follow up with the Ophthamologist and his eye is getting much better and he's back to work on Monday. We're very happy his eye is better but we're sad our unexpected time off together is over. Duncan had his 3-year check up. He was hilarious. Wouldn't stand on the scale. Screamed when his head was being measured, just wanted none of it. But he did settled down and made the doctor laugh. He wanted to hear Duncan sing and the only song he would sing was the Toby song from Thomas. But he's doing well, exactly where he should be developmentally and right on track. We weren't worried, but always nice to hear. And finally Cordie got her flu shots (H1N1 and regular) and she didn't even peep. She just glared at our doctor, but that was all. That's my girl!!

Food is ready.

Baby food

I've been making Cordie's baby food. Half my freezer is now full of things like ice cube sized pureed carrots, peas, broccoli, sweet potato, avocado, banana, cauliflower...

What's funny is I never made baby food for Duncan. I found the idea of making my own food totally overwhelming. Heck, with Duncan I could barely get dinner on the table half the time. Mind you with Duncan I think ever day I was out doing something baby-ish with him - story time, Shop N Stroll, Mom talk, swimming, coffee with Andrea... We'd get home, I'd nurse him to sleep, and I'd opt to have him nap on my lap, and next thing I knew the day was done.

How different it is with the second one. Even with Duncan gone to daycare two days a week, I've only managed to get to story time twice - which is sad b/c I have Monday's for that reason. But we're now always getting stuff done around the house, running errands, doing this and that. And not that much socializing. Very little napping on my lap.

It's just funny. I find it easier to get dinner ready on time (although it still feels like the house is never clean). My days fill up and they fly by. And I make my own baby food.

Why did I find it so hard before? It's so simple. And so cheap. I also find I'm just letting her try random solids more - like a piece of bread, apple, noodles, etc...

I just need to say my life is so full and so blessed. Although Bill is off for his eye (which sucks b/c he severely limits what he can do - he can't read, can't use his computer, light bothers is really badly, it gives him headaches... ) it's super wonderful having him home.

But that's not about baby food.

Datebook January 18, 2009

Today…

Outside my window: It’s dark.

I am hearing: The dishwasher. Bill typing. Music.

I am thinking: it’s bed time

I am hoping: Duncan stop goofing around at bed time and starts going to sleep properly again. I’m also hoping Bill’s eye gets better soon.

I am reading: I’ve picked up Echo again.

I am creating: Nothing.

I am wearing: Black t-shirt and my pj pants

In the kitchen: Last night was rustic pasta, tonight was KD Italiano. Also on the menu this week are tacos, unfried buttermilk chicken, spaghetti pie, and left over meat loaf.

Plans for the week: Well Bill is off work for at least a week as his iritis has flared up again. So today I put him to work. Real nice of me ‘eh? Sorry you’re sick, now go earn your keep *grin*. Anyhow, tomorrow our bed is being delivered, Wednesday I’ve got MOPS – I haven’t been since the beginning of Dec, so that will be good, and Thursday Duncan has his 3-year check up, Cordie is getting flu shots, and Bill has a follow up appointment with the specialist. On Friday Duncan’s school is having a fund raiser at Jungle Jacs (and indoor play place). Saturday is Sportball.

A few of my favourite things:  Duncan was singing “Round and Round the garden, like a teddy bear” to himself last night. Cordie getting her 1^st tooth. Sleep. I wish I got more of it.

A picture thought:

Adjusting to a king sized bed

Oh, the hassles of life - adjusting to a king sized bed.

Let's step back about 9.5 years when Bill and I 1st got married. I'd been sleeping alone in a queen sized bed for quite some time, and it took a while for both of us to adjust to actually sharing a bed. I'd been sleeping sprawled in the middle of a bed for quite some time, and now I could only sleep on half of it? ha! And sharing blankets...well truth be told we slept under separate blankets after 1st got married because I had a hard time getting used to sharing the blankets. I think Bill might argue I never did get used to it :)

Bill has a bad back. I won't get into the medical side of things, but that bad back isn't going away. We decided, as we could feel the springs in our current mattress that despite the fact that we didn't have the money (bad, I know, but it is what it is) that we would go ahead and upgrade to a king sized bed.

That bed came on Wednesday. It's beautiful. We're still waiting for the actual bed (headboard, base board, side rails) but that actual mattress is here.

What's funny is that it's actually taking a bit for us to adjust to such a freaking large bed! After years of sleeping within 2" of the side of the bed to keep from bumping into each other with elbows and knees etc, we're still doing that, despite the 3 feet of space that now lies between us. You know, it's something willing to learn to live with :) And oh boy is this thing comfortable!! I was napping today and frankly did not want to get up when one of my kids needed me.

And here is Cordelia modeling our new bed:

When Cookie Making Goes Horribly Wrong

I actually think it was seeing the Cookie Monster on Sesame St. Thursday morning that made Duncan want to make cookies. Fine with me. I actually love baking and cooking with Duncan. He helps me with pancakes, cookies, anything that needs adding in that isn't over a hot stove.

Usually the way it goes is Duncan pours in the stuff I've measured out. I don't quite trust him to dip into the flour bucket, etc...

Let's talk about adding flour to a mixture. I usually turn it on the lowest setting, with the guard in place until it's mixed in well enough to not fly all over the place.

Duncan didn't quite realize there was that kind of method to the madness. So he added a cup of flour, and while I was dipping in to get more, he put the mixer down, and turned it on full tilt.

And then this happened:

Flour went EVERYWHERE. Over everything on the counter. All over the floor. All over the chair Duncan was standing on.

All over Duncan.

and he reacted like this:

I gave him a big hug, and while he couldn't see me I laughed and laughed and laughed. 

Datebook - January 11, 2010

Today…

Outside my window: It is pouring out. Very mild. It’s 11 degrees C! That’s down right warm!

I am hearing: Elmo’s World. The washing machine.

I am thinking: I should get C and myself some breakfast.

I am hoping: Duncan’s tummy settles soon. It’s 2 hours later now. He seems to be better.

I am reading: Well kind of nothing. I’m still reading Echo as it were – but I haven’t opened it in weeks. It’s a good book and all, I’m just not in the mood for it. I’ve been playing the Sudoku game Bill gave me for Christmas in any free moments I’m stealing.

I am creating: Nothing. But I am going to make some bibs for Cordelia soon, a new cover for her high chair, and that quilt for Kelly’s baby.

I am wearing: Brown stretchy pants. My black t-shirt which has a cat  over fish bones – looks like a Jolly Roger but not a skull and cross bones.

In the kitchen: Last night was cheese tortellini with a tomato, spinach and basil topping (almost healthy!), there is also pork chops and home made apple sauce, slow cooker spaghetti sauce (which will, of course, be accompanied by spaghetti), and it was supposed to be chicken with pepperoni, but the pepperoni was expensive, so I’m going with ham... almost a fake chicken cordon bleu. Tonight Bill is at the hockey game, so I have no idea what I’ll be doing.

Plans for the week: Nothing specific. They days all miraculously fill up pretty quick. Today for example. I wasn’t expecting to have Duncan home, so that kind of changes things on the fly. Let’s hope that mattress comes soon!

A few of my favourite things:  You know  - just my usuals. My kids. My husband. My Keurig. *grin*

A picture thought:

Car seats, mattresses and other stuff... oh my!

Cordie has outgrown her infant car seat. *sigh* It's so hard to let go of ye olde infant seat b/c it makes her so darned portable! Now we'll need to do the buckle one child in, go back for the other etc... (okay, not entirely true, Duncan can walk outside and stand around etc...) but before it was good b/c I could get Cordie already to go, and then pop the seat into the base and we were set. Our neighbours, smart folk that they are, have an infant carrier good up to 35 lbs. Now, while this would be heavy to lug, when I'm running behind dropping Duncan off at school (ie every time he has school) it's nice I can just drag her along. But now I'll need to leave 5 minutes earlier so I can get her in the stroller etc... Oh the life. *grin* Tanya, you're right in that having a car parked right outside the front door certainly makes it easier for lugging children in and out. I hope you get a good routine down.

We bought a new bed last week (I think I mentioned this before). We were really hoping the mattress was going to be delivered this week, but I guess not. I called them on Thursday and they said it might come in on Friday and if so they would give me a shout for delivery on Saturday. But no call, so we'll be waiting until some time next week I suppose (kind of have no choice there).

And that's it! Carry on, carry on...

Avatar and other stuff

We finally got to go see Avatar tonight. We were going to go last week I think it was, and had Mom lined up as a baby sitter, but we couldn't get tickets, and decided to wait. Theresa saw it, said it was great, and said she'd baby sit one night if we wanted to go. So we took her up on that offer.

We were both really impressed. It's not often that I feel a movie lives up to the hype. And while largely predictable, it was still amazingly entertaining, beautiful, emotional, action packed... just everything it should have been. We saw it on IMAX 3D, which was also cool. The glasses hurt my nose though.  We showed up 45 minutes early and still had to sit in the 2nd row, but the beauty of IMAX is that there are no bad seats. We agreed this will def. be one we buy when it comes out on Blu-Ray.

Other stuff - I had that mole removed from my head yesterday. Glad to get it done. It aches only slightly now. I have to have some stitches removed in just over a week. I have wanted it removed to years now, but before my doctor said b/c it was purely cosmetic, and there is always risk of infection, and it was hidden in my hair, let's leave it alone. But now it was time. Mom watched Cordie for me, which was also great.

I went there, I had a headache already - we'd slept in (not something that happens too often in this house!) and so I started the day in a rush, and that made the headache worse, and then laying backward on the table at the office - blood rushing to head for 15 minutes - also didn't help. So it was pretty nasty by the time I was done - unrelated to the actual mole beign removed. But handy being at a doctor's office, he gave me some Advil Liquid Caps. Well by the time I was driving home I felt positively ill, and when I got home it was a brutal migraine. My poor Mom - she had to get back to work, but I know she felt bad leaving me. Anyhow, I did end up getting sick, but after that it totally eased up. Thank goodness. I told Nikki I was glad it was a day Duncan was with her, because Cordie is easy - hold her on your lap, or some such, and he's happy. By afternoon I was fine.

Bill has a flex day tomorrow. My folks are about to take off to Hawaii for a month (!) so we're trying to hook up with them somehow before they go. I also really need to buy a new car seat for Cordie this weekend. She's simply too big for the infant carrier any more, although I'll miss the convenience of it!  No other plans though. We've signed Duncan up for Sportball starting next weekend, and Cordie and I will do Waterbabies starting a few weeks after that. We missed signing Duncan up for this round of swimming, so we'll need to make sure to get him in for the spring time. He's now at an age where he does it on his own in the toddler pool. Crazy how much our boy is growing. Both of them! Cordie is almost as tall as Hannah, who is 9 months older than her. Hannah (Nikki's daughter) is not particularly small or short for her age - she's just right, and neither is Cordie particularly large for her age, but that's the way of it.

Alright, 11 PM, and Cordie-ella may be waking up soon, so I should go get ready for bed.

P.O.M.P. and Circumstance

We used to call it a containment breach. I have named the really big ones a POMP now - a Poop Of Massive Proportions.

Just thought I'd share. Any Mom of a baby knows what those ones are like!

Stalling

Oh my dear Duncan, he thinks he's fooling us with his pre-bed stalling tactics. What he doesn't realize is that children have been doing this for many, many years.

Duncan has several stall tactics. 1st, when he knows it's approaching bed time he'll either play very quietly hoping to avoid detection (I remember doing this when I was a kid) or he'll ask for a snack just before bed time, knowing if we say yes he'll get to finish it 1st (our answer usually depend on how well he did for dinner).

Then when you say it's bed time (or nap time for that matter - he still naps 2 hours every afternoon) he does this fake cry. I just say you take a nap/go to bed every day, this is not different.

Once upstairs he's taken to doing a little dance in our room. Very cute. Makes us laugh. Go brush your teeth.

Then it's story time. I'm all for bed time stories. I love that he is getting stories now, and it's fun to sit and read to him. A few stories. Not many stories. We've said we have no problem with him reading books in bed, but he gets one story from each of us, and then it's time to climb in.

Incidentally, we're about to move him to a bigger bed b/c of all his books and stuffed animals, there is not enough room for him! I too, used to have this problem.

Once in bed, and lights are out, and we're out of the room, we can expect to be called back in at least one more time. He always needs "another thing". What's funny is he can have everything and he'll lay there saying "ummm.... ummmm...." trying to think of something to stall.

It's cute. You know, it doesn't bug me too much b/c he's not fussing/crying/having temper tantrums. He just talks in bed/sings in bed/plays in bed... and I like that he is content on his own like that.

And eventually, always, he does fall asleep.

Datebook January 4, 2010

Miss me? I'm going to try and blog more consistently. And what better way to start than with my 1st datebook of 2010. Join in the fun, do it yourself!

Today…

Outside my window: It is raining. It's gray and dark. But that's okay, I've no where to go.

I am hearing: The news is on.

I am thinking: I need to get going on my project here.

I am hoping: I can stick with better eating habits and starting to exercise again. Now that Christmas is over - and quite frankly, we got through Christmas relatively unscathed in terms of bad eating. Not being in the office helped that as all the horribly yummy food was not available to me. Also, oddly, a lack of socializing helped.

I am reading: my cheese romance yet. I need to focus on reading more. Really. I think I'm going to try and step it up. Not quite to the level that Nancy does, but maybe.... 26 books this year? Honestly, I'm a slow reader, so I'm not going to beat myself up for not reading more. However, Bill did get my A Lion Among Men, which is the most recent book in the Wicked Years series by Maguire (1st book, Wicked, 2nd Son of a Witch). I've ended up enjoying this series so much more than I thought I would. I hear his other stuff is good too.

I am creating: Well, nothing right now. I finished all 3 quilting projects for Christmas. That's right 3 - fooled you didn't I mom? I couldn't mention the 3rd one here, but now she's rec'd it we're in the clear. Now I'm debating starting my quilt for Cordie made with blocks sent in from my quilting friends - but a few people have said they want to send more, so I guess I'll wait there. I am going to make wall hangings of a St. George and the Dragon, but we're hoping to paint the masterbed room, and Bill thinks I should wait until it's been painted so I can match the colours better (good point). I also have 4 (2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008) Western Washington Shop Hop quilts to work on. And finally, my SIL, Kelly, in Sweden will be having a baby boy in February, and seeing as I made a quilt for Erik when he was born, new baby should get his own too. Certainly not a lack of things to do!

I am wearing: Some clothes I threw on to dash out the door and drop Duncan off at daycare. It will be nice this week to get back into routine, although the Christmas break was wonderful.

In the kitchen: In no specific order - crock pot lasagne, meat loaf, chicken and pineapple, bacon and tomato pasta, and another pasta dish I think. We've got a menu planned through Friday.

Plans for the week: Well on Wednesday I'm having a mole removed from the top of my head. I've had this thing since I was a kid, but it's getting bigger, so off it goes. It's going to hurt! Ouch! Also have MOPS (but I prob won't make it b/c of said mole being removed right before MOPS is). Otherwise, cleaning, caring for the kids - you know, the usual Mom stuff. I still have 4 months off work, but damned if it isn't flying by.

A few of my favorite things:  Duncan singing "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas. It's awesome in his 1/2 a beat late, off tune singing with all his heart. I love Duncan singing. Cordie babbles/smiles/giggles. She loves her big brother so much, and he her, it is so cute. He babbles to her and she totally responds. And finally, my new Keurig coffee maker. Oh I love this thing!!

A picture thought:

Happy New Year!

Hi friends! Happy New Year to you all! I have not had/taken the time to blog lately. I will try to do so soon. Basically - Christmas was great (Bill got me some beautiful amythyst earrings and a Keurig coffee maker), it was awesome with the kids. The quilts I made for gifts went over all (I think, mostly). Boxing Day big dinner with aunts/uncles etc... Usually a huge affair, but not this year, but that actually made it nice b/c everyone could chat together. My brother Jeff is an awesome story teller, so he entertained us.

Bill asked if I could make some turkey soup. So I asked Mom if I could have the carcass - sure, she said, no one else has asked for it. Except it was a 23 lb turkey. That's a lot of carcass. That made a lot of soup. Several gallons in fact (not exagerating). Bill says "I wanted SOME soup, SOME! Not gallons!" LOL. But it's yummy. It's in baggies in the freezer at Mom and Dad's now.

Um... let's see. Rogers saw our blogs/rant about the whole iPhone thing and their head office called to see if they could make things right with us. The long and the short of it is that they are giving us the iPhones for the introductory price on a 3-year contract. I am really impressed and pleased and I told them so.

We bought a new king sized bed!! Could we afford it? Naw... LOL but our mattress is giving up the ghost, and we've been wanting a bigger bed for a while now (easier to have little kids climb in, even though they don't sleep with us). We shopped around and a local furniture place (where really we get most our stuff anyhow) set us up with a great deal. The mattresses get delivered next week and the bed itself a week or two after that.

New Years eve was nice. Chris, Ronnie and the kids, and Theresa came over. Very, very low key.  I'm surprised I lasted until midnight. Everyone was gone by 12:05. LOL! But it was great to have our friends over, the kids were awesomely behaved too. Not that I expect otherwise, but really, considering how late it was, they did good. Duncan was up until just before 10 - that is wayyyyy past his bed time, but he did good too.

I'm tired though.

Next week Wednesday morning I'm having a mole removed from the top of my head. I've been wanting this done for a long time now, and so now we're doing it. I know it will be ouchie, but it will be good to have it done.

Duncan wants to watch train movies on YouTube so I need to run.