For My Parents

Ever heard your parents say, "I can't wait until you have a child just like you," while they're thinking that will be the day they receive justice for all the trouble you caused them? There's also, "what goes around, comes around." Well, Mom and Dad, your wish has come true. Kyle is one stubborn, independent toddler. I don't remember being a stubborn, independent toddler, but I can imagine what it must have been like by starting with my stubborn, independence-craved teenage years and working backwards. (I'm sure there's some equation or rational number that could help me, but estimation, in this case, should suffice.) The exact amount of stubborn independence doesn't matter, but the fact that I'm quite sure I have a child just like me is enough to put a smile on my parents' faces. So, parents, sit back, relax, and enjoy a small portion of retribution, brought to you by a story from the life of Kyle. (I'm sure this is a gift that keeps on giving, so there will be many more stories to come.)

Earlier this evening, I heard some noises followed by frustrated screams coming from Kyle's room. I went up stairs to survey the damages and found that Kyle has learned to climb in the bathtub, but not back out of it. There was much frustration....

....and even what looked like a plea for help.

So, I reached out my hand to offer Kyle some assistance in getting out of the tub, but my services were quickly denied. He was going to get out of there, on his own, if it was the last thing he did.


I'm sure there are many reasons why the Lord had us wait so long to become parents. One of them must have been to give me adequate time to practice patience. Many times I find myself taking a deep breath, standing back, and watching, as I did this evening. Much like a mother hen must watch her chicks hatch through their shells without helping, I have had to learn to allow Kyle to work out his frustrations without hindering his progress.

(Who am I kidding? After about 3 minutes, maybe less, of watching him scream and holler and keep slipping into the still-wet tub, I just picked him up and went downstairs. Does he really need all that much independence at 16 months? Yes, patience would be a great weapon against stubborn independence. But, who needs patience when you have A LOT of stubborn independence to counter with?)

Bill Baggs State Park

Today we took a drive down to Key Biscayne and ended up at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. It was another gorgeous day in South Florida, and the mile-long stretch of beach was beautiful. (No wonder this was named one of the top 10 beaches in the U.S. in 2005.)

Kyle was on the move the whole time. He chased birds, collected sticks and sand from the beach, rolled around on the shore, made a few friends, and dove face-first into the water a few times. I had to keep a close eye on him. He almost got away from me a few times!


The park is also home to Cape Florida Lighthouse, the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Sadly, it is closed for painting, so we weren't able to take the tour to the top. I guess we'll just have to come back another time. (I realized that I didn't get any pictures of Nathan, so I'll have to do an update when Chrystal emails me some of the ones she took!)

Stephen just left to take Chrystal and Nathan to the airport. (boo-hoo!) No matter how much fun we've been having, the weekend had to come to an end. I am so grateful that they were able to come spend Thanksgiving with us! We had a wonderful time and can't wait to meet up again in Utah for Christmas!

Girl's Day (with Kyle)

Nathan and Stephen went fishing for the day, so that left us girls (and Kyle) free to do whatever we wanted. We decided to visit the Fairchild Tropical Gardens, where we walked the 83-acre grounds and observed many varieties of plants.


There were many other "tree-huggers" there, so I decided to try and fit in.

We even saw some other living creatures: birds, iguanas, turtles, lizards, and insects.

Again, we enjoyed perfect Miami weather and marveled at the beauty and peace found while surrounded by nature.


What a wonderful way to spend a day! I needed that calming place after driving in Miami traffic. I love Chrystal A LOT to do that for her!

After Dinner Beach Trip

To avoid being taken over by a trytophan-induced coma after dinner yesterday, we decided to get some fresh, ocean air and take a drive over to the beach. We walked along the shore and even stepped in the water. It was seriously warm enough to go swimming!


We watched the sun set over the water and saw a couple of cruise ships sail out to sea. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was one of those nights that made us realize why people live in Miami.

Happy Thanksgiving

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
---Melody Beattie



We have so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving and throughout the year. For one thing, in honor of the holiday, my best friend since 7th grade, Chrystal, and her husband, Nathan, came down from Atlanta to spend the weekend with us.

We actually decided to do a mostly traditional Thanksgiving meal. On the menu was herb-roasted turkey breast, honey-glazed ham, apple and onion "stuffin' muffins," roasted red potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and lots and lots of rolls. (I got some of the recipes from Rachel Ray. Everything turned out quite well except the gravy. Don't trust her gravy concoctions!) Anyway, here we are cooking the big meal:


Even though it was my first time to make this stuff, there weren't too many mishaps. I did spill half of the poultry seasoning on the floor....that lid was a mess waiting to happen. Thankfully, I probably won't need to use that stuff until next Thanksgiving.


The boys watched football while we were getting the food ready.

After all that work, it only took about 12 minutes to eat, but it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Now that the meal is over, the leftovers are put away, and the dishes are done, we get to relax, enjoy our time together, and get ready for the A&M vs. t.u. football game this evening. (I don't think the Aggies have a prayer of winning, but we will support our pathetic football team and be grateful for any points we are able to score!)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Snap to It

We're trying to teach Kyle how to snap his fingers. Whenever we sing a song he knows or if he hears a song on t.v. that he recognizes, he starts waving his hands up and down with the beat and trying his hardest to snap. He's not quite there yet, but I'm sure he'll pick it up soon!

Friend Test

OK, people, let's have some fun. See how much you really know about your friends. If you want to participate, place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not. Feel free to add a notation, if you wish. Then, answer the 30 questions at the end and send it to your friends or put it on your own blog. Hey, it's all in fun, right? And besides, no one is twisting your arm to participate.

( ) Gone on a blind date
( x ) Skipped school (Many times, right Amber?)
( x ) Watched someone die
( x ) Been to Canada (Niagra Falls)
( x ) Been to Mexico
( x ) Been to Florida (still here)
( x ) Been on a plane
( x ) Been lost (This is one reason I don't like to drive.)
( x ) Been on the opposite side of the country ( I've been on both coasts, but I still need to visit Alaska and Hawaii)
( x ) Been to Washington, DC (Loved it, but got heat exhaustion.)
( x ) Swam in the ocean (Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea(?), and Atlantic)
( x ) Cried yourself to sleep
( x ) Recently colored with crayons (Tried to work on this with Kyle. Granna, there's still a chance he's left-handed.)
( x ) Sung Karaoke (and Rock Band. Fun, fun!)
( x ) Paid for a meal with coins only?
( x ) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
( x ) Made prank phone calls (until *69 and caller I.D.)
( x ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose (Ouch!)
( x ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( x ) Danced in the rain
( x ) Written a letter to Santa Claus (I wish I still could....)
( x ) Been kissed under the mistletoe (love it)
( x ) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about
(x ) Blown bubbles
( x ) Gone ice-skating (I love ice-skating. I wonder if our lake will freeze over this year....)
( x) Ever had any major surgeries? (several eye surgeries. Thanks, cats.)
( x ) Been skinny dipping outdoors. (It turned out better for me than the girl on Jaws.)
( ) Danced in the snow (It was probably closer to running and playing than dancing)
( x ) Gone to the movies (not recently)
( x ) Got a speeding ticket (One. I was only going 4 miles over. That's College Station motorcycle cops for ya.)
( ) Gone through a divorce (No way, thank goodness!)

1. Any nickname? Mel, Kitty, Hammer, Ms. Mel, Burg

2. Favorite Drink? water, lemonade, rootbeer, Peach Fresca

3. Mother's name? Dianna

4. Tattoo? only temporary ones

5. How much do you love your job? I'd love it more if I got paid

6. Birthplace? Lubbock, Texas

7. Favorite vacation spot? somewhere tropical

8. Ever been to Africa? no, and I don't have any plans to.

9. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Not FOR dinner, but after dinner. I LOVE cookies. I have eaten them for breakfast.
10. Ever been on TV? I was on The Children's Miracle Network

11. Ever steal any traffic sign? no

12. Ever been in a car accident? I've been in two: one in my station wagon and on with Amber in her Pontiac T-1000

13. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 door

14. Favorite salad dressing? Ceasar from Outback

15. Favorite pie? cheesecake

16. Favorite number? 15. I think I just had to pick a favorite number in Elementary School and I picked that. That number as a random answer also helped me get into the final round of the school's "Math Bee."

17. Favorite movie? Shawshank Redmeption, When Harry Met Sally, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Back to the Future, The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, Beaches, the list goes on........

18. Favorite holiday? Christmas

19. Favorite Dessert? cheesecake or cookies or Blue Bell ice cream

20. Favorite food? Italian or Mexican

21. Favorite day of the week? Saturday

22. Favorite brand of Body wash? Dove?

23. Favorite toothpaste? Crest

24. Favorite smell? chocolate chip cookies baking, men's Eternity cologne

25. What do you do to relax? sleep, listen to music, read

26. How do you see yourself in 10 years? done with school and student loans, done having kids, back in Texas, in a home, coming up on the big 4-0.....maybe I'll have a "mommy make-over."

27. Favorite color? I have a lot....red, yellow, pink, maroon, sea foam green

28. Furthest place you will send this message? I'm sending it out into the great Bloggersphere.....who knows how far it will go?

29. Who will respond to this the fastest? Amber or Chrystal? They like to have ideas of things to put on their blogs.

30. Is your best friend male or female? Male: Stephen, Female: Chrystal

31. Are you, or if retired, did you pursue your desired career field? I always wanted to be a mom. That, or a marine biologist. I think I made the better career path choice.

32. What will people think after reading this? "I need to put this on MY blog!!!"

33. Are you happy with your life and the way things have turned out? I am very happy, but I don't think my life has "turned out" yet. I'm still enjoying the turning and where we will end up next.

In Kyle News: He has just about sucked the life out of his latest binky. I tried to pull the old "switcheroo" on him last night, with an exact replica, but he could tell the difference. He would have NONE of that. Then, he wouldn't even take his old one back, little hardheaded kid. We had another sleepless night.....and nap time because of that stubborn streak. I finally just left the darn thing on the ground. What do ya know....he picked it up and put it in his own mouth about 20 minutes ago. Sound like anyone else you know?....."I do it mineself!!!!"

UGH!

Kyle had a fever all day yesterday. It turns out he's cutting at least 3 new teeth and didn't have any other bad symptoms....just fever. All he wanted to do was be held, on the couch, with his blanket, next to me all day long. That was fine, yesterday, because it was Sunday, and I could just sit and read and do what I could to help him feel better.

Last night wasn't so fun. His fever finally broke, but he didn't want to sleep.

This morning wasn't so great, either. Monday is my grocery shopping day. Kyle wasn't cooperative. Apparently, he wanted to return to the couch and resume yesterday's lack of activity. Plus, half of Miami was also grocery shopping, in preparation for Thanksgiving gluttony. To add to the madness, Monday appears to be restocking day at the grocery store, so workers were taking up the limited space and making it difficult to get through the aisles, let alone find poultry seasoning from the shelf. Kyle's refusal to sit in the cart didn't make the whole experience any easier. I do know that I have the ability to maneuver a shopping cart through a maze of people and boxes and workers, all while holding my toddler, collecting items off the shelves, and answering phone calls. If there was some kind of test, I think I passed it.

I'm not saying I did all this with patience and with only kind words. No. That would be asking too much. I think it's time for me to get back to the couch and finish my book.

Stunts

Kyle has learned how to open doors. Not cabinet doors. Doors to rooms that were previously secure. Now he can get into, on his own, places that he should not be unsupervised, like the bathroom:


He took a chance by sneaking in there yesterday when I was busy in some other room. I heard him having too much fun and went upstairs to make the discovery:

He opened the bathroom door, went into the cabinet, found a brand-new roll of toilet paper, and did his own consumer products test. Yes, a roll of Charmin can absorb and hold the entire amount of water in a toilet bowl.

The funniest thing is that he knows he's not supposed to do things like this. When I caught him, he just looked up at me and started shaking his head, "no." (He's been doing this lately...getting into places and bringing me things he knows he's not supposed to have, all while telling me (with the head shake) that he's not supposed to have it, but does anyway.) At least he knows right from wrong, even if he's stubborn enough to choose the wrong and look me in the face while doing so.

I did give him my own stern "NO" right back, which immediately made him burst into tears. He ran out of the bathroom and had a little pity party while I cleaned up the mess and got rid of the evidence.

Maybe he felt enough remorse to not pull that stunt again. Maybe not. I guess I'll just expect to find something else in the toilet next time.



*Stunt for the day: Kyle woke up not feeling too well, but we tried to make it to the first part of church. He was a little fussy when the meeting started, so Stephen set up his iPhone for bowling to keep Kyle entertained. It worked, for a few minutes, because Kyle loved rolling the ball into the pins. Then, he started exploring and pushing other buttons. Before I knew what he had pushed, he'd opened up iPod and music started playing....on loud.....right at that pause of silence between the end of the hymn and the beginning of the prayer. At that moment when everyone else is bowing their heads in reverence, Stephen's trying urgently to stop the intro to Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me, and I'm laughing uncontrollably with embarrassment. Nice.

Another One Bites the Dust

The naysayers nayed. The debaters debated. But, I called it! I knew that Texas Tech couldn't make it through the end of their season undefeated. I guaranteed they would be brought down. I knew it!

I don't care that they beat A&M. We suck this year. It's no big thing to beat us; even Baylor did it. tech didn't even give us a true beat-down, as I expected. It was a nice win, but nothing to brag about. (Neither is the beginning of their season, by the way....Eastern Washington????)

I'll admit they have a good team this year. They've always been able to run up the score offensively, but this year the defense was there, too. But, some of the season up to this point has been luck. I mean, they barely beat Nebraska, at home. And, the t.u. game just went tech's way. That's good, though......the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

And, they fell hard.

The evening was ripe for an upset....#2 v. #5.....in Norman.....a puffed-up tech team, feeling invincible with their highest school ranking in history......tech stopped on their first drive....and the next....and the next. Add that to OU's ability to run up the score, and the "dynasty" crumbled right before our eyes. (Did anyone else notice how the personal fouls started flying?) As Coach Leach said, "we just never got our team settled down."

tech's official website titles the story, "No.5 Sooners hand No. 2 Red Raiders First Loss." Sorry, raiders. Nothing was handed. You were straight-up, fair and squared, smoked. And, it wasn't close. I'm more likely to agree with the way the story is stated in Norman: "Sooners rip No. 2 Texas Tech, 65-21." Did you see that score? Yep. Higher than anything the "high-powered" tech offense has put up all year.

I'm all for teams and tradtions....I'm an Aggie. We have plenty of team pride. We always yell..."beat the hell outta.....whoever we're playing," even in years like this when we're more likely to win over a high school team than Eastern Washington, but, hey...it's tradition.

I must admit that I loved watching this beat-down. I know I'm supposed to hate t.u. more than any other team, but my least favorite Texas school is tech. I had some awful experiences at games in Lubbock (and College Station) with some awful tech fans, and I'm still bitter about it. They've taken things way too far with me. I know there's bad eggs at every school....even A&M. However, a bunch of unfavorable stories about my school isn't going to change my experience anymore than a bunch of wonderful, happy stories about tech is. (Just like me listing bad stories about tech isn't going to make anyone put their guns down.) I'm biased by some things that tech fans have actually done to me: throwing beer bottles at me....a week after having a D&C......throwing tortillas at me...when I was pregnant....verbal attacks....even to one of their own, who just happened to be with us at the game. There's a reason the phrase, "classless clowns" exists.

Anything can happen any given Saturday. I don't think tech thought this would be the result. They were too proud of all they'd accomplished so far. I think I've heard something about that somewhere......something like......"pride cometh before the fall?"

Back in High School???

Many of my fellow bloggers have recently posted about staying up all hours of the night, feeling young again, hanging out with screaming teenage girls, and acting like they are young again, all in the name of "Twilight Fever." I, too, was up all hours of the night last night, acting young again, and feeling like I was back in high school, except not at a movie theater. Stephen and I went to a party with a bunch of his "peeps" from school. (We were actually afraid we wouln't be able to get a babysitting, what with all the teenage girls busy at the movie premiere, but ours was lucky enough to see the midnight show!)

The party was at Zul's house. That's right....ZUL. (Anyone who knows Ghostbusters quotes probably knows exactly what I thought of when I heard that name...."There is no Dana, only Zuul." The crazy thing about this is there actually is a Dana.....keep reading! )

It was a Thanksgiving party, complete with all the "traditional" foods.....chicken wings, chicken curry and rice, empanadas, papas fritas, asiago cheese dip, a veggie tray.....and, oh yeah...a turkey and rolls and yams and pumpkin cookies.

I, of course, had to make Delicious Chocolate Cake. Stephen's already taken some to class and study groups....he's gotten several people addicted.

Aside from the crazy combination of foods, the party was really fun. I haven't been to a "real" party since high school, and it really brought me back. We had everything...loud music, a fire pit in the backyard, and lots of drinking. Just like so many years ago, there's always someone there to offer a taste of some 30 bottles of hard liquour, jello shots, 99 bottles of beer, and shots of tequila. And, once again, I (along with Stephen) was one of the only ones to not partake. I thought it was funny how people would try to pull me into the circle to take a shot of this or that, then I'd just say, "you know I don't drink, right?" and that would be that.

Dana, Stephen, and Charlene: The Best Study Group Ever.

We spent most of the party hanging out with Dana and her friend, which was nice because we're all a little antiestablishmentarian. It was fun being able to be sarcastic and make our commentary on the rest of the party. You still have the same groups...the "in crowd," the outsiders, the list goes on...

The Whole Group, minus 8

It was getting pretty late, and we were starting to think about leaving. However, just then Zul pulled out something that made me want to stay, something that really made me feel young again. (Get ready, Hubba, because you're going to love this one.) It's something I'd never done before but had been curious about, something that I would normally just stand by and watch, better at being on the sidelines, an observer and not a willing participant. The first round, I was more than willing to step back and let Evelyn, the first one to be volunteered, have a shot at it, but she kind of failed at the task. So, with Stephen's prodding, I had to step up to the plate as the lead singer of....ROCK BAND! We started off with an easy one, Weezer's "Say it Ain't So." WE DID AMAZING and when I tried to pass the microphone off to someone else, no one else wanted to take over. So, we did another one, Garbage's "I Think I'm Paranoid." After that, Evelyn wanted another shot and joined me for "My Sharona." IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!! I would have stayed and played all night, but we had to go and get our babysitter back home by 1:00. Maybe Zul will invite us over to his house sometime to get the band back together!


On the way home, we almost hit something. I thought it was a cat, but it was actually a possum. (Hey, Billy...how's your possum? AWESOME! (that's from a Rush Limbaugh parody, for those of you who don't know.)) Thus ended our night of acting young again. We were shot right back into the context of our conservative, adult, parental lives....

Until the End of the World

Directions
1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it makes you look.
4. Title this email what the answer to your last question is.
5. Good luck and have fun!

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Sometimes (Erasure)

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Roller Coaster (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
The Sweetest Condition (Depeche Mode)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
We Can Last Forever (Chicago)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Everything Counts (Depeche Mode)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Tuff Enuff (The Fabulous Thunderbirds)

WHAT DO YOU OFTEN THINK ABOUT?
I Wouldn't Normally do This Kind of Thing (Pet Shop Boys)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Temptation Waits (Garbage)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Swallowed in the Sea (Coldplay)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Sweet Sweet (Smashing Pumpkins)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Just Can't Get Enough (Depeche Mode)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Give it Away (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Sunday Morning (No Doubt)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
I Can See For Miles (The Who)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
I Feel Loved (Depeche Mode)

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO NAME THIS POST?
Until the End of the World (U2)

Kyle's New Trick

Just when I thought it was safe to leave Kyle on the changing table and turn my back to grab something out of the closet...

At least he decided to go down feet-first and not try to just jump off or tumble over on his head! I also love that he had to grab his blanket the minute he got back on solid ground and he wasn't ready to take a nap until he had his binky. (He's also such a big help when it comes to doing laundry!)

Have you ever seen this look before?

It's the look of someone "in the zone." He can't take his eyes off the t.v. at certain times, even if I'm shouting his name and making noises to try to attract his attention. I just wanted to get a couple of pictures where he's actually looking at the camera!

Back to the Park

After a 3-week hiatus, we were back to our weekly morning gathering at the playground today! It didn't start off well, with Kyle not wanting to be separated from me. I tried to get him to play with the other kids, but it was either be held OR cry (complete with tears that convinced the other moms that he was truly sad and not just being a boob.) However, once he discovered that I wasn't going to abandon him at the park, he started to come out of his shell.

He monopolized some of the other kids' toys.

He had fun "driving" the car.





He even ran around and had a good time in the sand and sun.


I am loving the cooler weather and was so glad that we weren't the only ones at the park today! What a fun way to get Kyle out in a different environment and to chat with some other moms.

Have You Ever?

I didn't take any new pictures for the day, so I thought I'd post one from a year ago. Can you believe how much little ones change in a year?


I promised a friend that I would look for ideas of things she can post on her blog, and I found this activity on a friend's blog. Let's see how much we can learn about each other! You can add comments or explain stories, too. This is really fun...and it makes me wish that I have done so much more than I have!

Have you done any of the things on this list? Just copy and paste this to your blog and highlight or bold the ones that you HAVE done.

1. Started your own blog (duh!)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (Mount Timpanogos...once. Started a second time, but wised up, turned around and went to Taco Bell with Amber!)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (Sorry to any of you in the audience!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (on a cruise)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (I'm not sure what "art" means, but I've taught myself many things, so I'm claiming this.)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (or something like that.)
17. Visited the Statue of Liberty (on Heritage Tours, my senior trip)
18. Grown your own vegetables (didn't have a choice in my family....you were going to pull those weeds, whether you liked it or not!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (traveled from Salt Lake to Iowa to visit Marci.)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (don't tell any of my former employers!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (no comment.)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person (Heritage Tours)
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (Does Carpenteria, California count?)
35. Seen an Amish community (Thanks again, Heritage Tours!)
36. Taught yourself a new language (just a little)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (again, sorry to those of you in attendance)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported by ambulance (after a car accident on November 13, 1996)
47. Had your portrait painted (I'm counting those crazy caricatures)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (it's how I survived being a poor college student!)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (long story)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (Heritage Tours)
71. Eaten Caviar (First time was 9th grade at a French restaurant, Le Caille)
72. Pieced a quilt (actually, helped someone piece a quilt)
73. Stood in Times Square (you guessed it....Heritage Tours.)
74. Toured the Everglades (on an air boat just recently!)
75. Been fired from a job (Thanks, Linda McGee and PPRI. Yuck.)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (Probably not speeding...just riding around on our farm in Lubbock.)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (does flying over it count?)
80. Published a book (Maybe someday soon....)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I know from personal experience the truth behind the phrase, "running around like a chicken with its head cut off.")
87. Visited the White House (Heritage Tours, again.)
88. Had chickenpox (over Christmas break.)
89. Saved someone's life (I'm not counting it, but we were right behind a girl who smashed into a semi. Her car started on fire and Stephen and Bob ran up there and Bob pulled her out.)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (some D-lister on a cruise boat....can't even remember who.)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person (not on Heritage Tours, though.)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (too stinky)
97. Been involved in a law suit (suing insurance over my cat-eye accident)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee (and a wasp)
100. Been anywhere outside of the United States

Isn't it Ironic?

I decided to go to the library and get a few books to pass the time until I can get my hands on Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Guess what was waiting for me when I got there? Yep, Twilight. I waited and waited for that book, and the minute I borrow it from my sister, it's right there waiting for me. This event also just happens to occur on the exact day I decided to get books to take me away from the series.
I figured I might as well put my name on the list to get the other books. I'm only number 60 for Eclipse and 26 for Breaking Dawn. Who knows? I might get lucky. (What's more likely to happen is that the Breaking Dawn will become available next week and Eclipse won't resurface for three. I think irony will hit me faster than luck.)


*I know I could just go out and purchase them and be done with the whole thing, but I already gave in on my hold-out on reading the series. I have to maintain some degree of hardheadedness!

16 Months Old

Time is flying by. Can anyone believe that November is halfway over? This is crazy. I am amazed that Kyle is now 16 months old.

I knew I needed to take some pictures to document the day. Here's what I got:



Not exactly what I was hoping for. I wanted to capture pictures of my calm, loving, happy child for everyone to see on the 16-month anniversary of his birth. What I got instead was a screaming, crying mess. (I guess he skipped his morning yoga.)

Then, I was finally able to calm him down.



Does anyone know what I finally had to do to get him to stop throwing a fit? Anyone? Anyone? Kyle?


Yes, that's correct. He wouldn't stop throwing a fit until he had his blanket and binky back. You would think that with age would come maturity and he would outgrow some of these things. Instead, it seems that he is becoming more and more attached. I can't even get a picture without that plug in his mouth. If this becomes the trend, I guess I'll just have to tell you how many teeth he has because you know you're not going to see them.


Two more things that seem to make Kyle happy: The Price is Right and Brobee (only with the binky in, of course.) This video shows Kyle clapping along with the studio audience as someone tries to win a Ford Focus. It also shows him reunited with Brobee, who has been non-functional for over a month. Stephen had to resurrect Brobee last night. His batteries were dead and now they have been replaced, with the help of an eyeglass screwdriver. I can't believe it took us so long to fix the little guy, but we had to first locate a tool small enough to do the job. (Thank goodness I remembered where I had put it when we unpacked!)