Halloween = Pie

I sat back and thought about what we did last year on Halloween. We packed out our express shipment (un-accompanied baggage) and started our 2 day stay at the Robinson's abode. Since we don't celebrate Halloween we took the kiddos out bowling with some friends Bobbie, Aiden and Abby. As all the kids were preparing to leave, Max got a hold of Chuck's cape/mask and knelt down to their eye level...which yes, scarred them for life and gave us a great laugh. Not long ago I asked Bobbie if her kids remembered. A year later they all still talk about the "alien".

This year Max has duty and we don't have the cool friends around us like we did last year. Since it's just me and the kiddos, I asked Kalee what she would like to do tonight. Her response "Um, make a punkin' pie with lots of whoop-cream." Sounds good to me.

...the neighbor just called. She made cupcakes and knows I wont answer the door...gotta run. :P

Happy Birthday to my little Brother. No matter how old you are you'll always be my little Bub!

Walking What?

Yesterday was the 3rd morning in a row Kalee threw up (just one time in the morning). The first time I thought it was her gag reflex from coughing (and clearing out all the night time drain). Obviously 3 days later something was going on, so I called the pediatric clinic at the Naval hospital for an appointment.

• Left home at 12:00 because the parking garage is horrible and navigating through the bridges in that compound is nearly impossible.
• Checked in at 12:30 for her appointment.
• Medical Student saw her, listened to her and called the Dr. (like Balboa, this is a teaching hospital).
• Dr. listened to her breathing and sent her back immediately for a breathing treatment.
• Listened again when the treatment was complete.
• Waited for her to cough hoping it moved things around and listened again.
• Sent her down for a chest x-ray... she did fantastic and was amazed to see the pictures of her bones.
• Went back up to the Pediatric clinic to find out she has atypical pneumonia (AKA: walking/double pneumonia). She is being treated with an inhaler and an antibiotic. If I don't see signs of getting better by Friday we have to go back in.
• Ran upstairs to the women's clinic to see if I could catch my GYN as she came out of the O.R. After doing research I finally agreed to her first choice prescription suggestion (a few of you know whats going on) and asked her to put it in the system.
• Back down to the pharmacy to wait 1 hour and 40 minutes for the prescriptions to get filled.

...got home at 8:10. Funny enough I spent less time doing that then if I had brought her in to that ER. Crazy Hospital...always an all day venture...but the Pediatric clinic makes it well worth it.

Off to make her some Japanese apple tea. Fortunately, a friend recently re-stocked me which pays off during times like this. ;) Thanks Cindy!

A Book About Ballin'

I'm exhausted! Yesterday we went to the farm with a friend we met in Japan Emily and her two girls. The kids just love it there, and might I add I took some adorable pictures of her princesses. :) I need to start a portfolio for personal purposes. To top things off, last night my Mom had me up late proofreading a book she needed to get published by the end of this week. Yes Renee, I see you cringing. ;) I may not have your fantastic proofreading abilities "but I, tell, you My mom, has a intertaining way of Doing, things! At least, she was able two get her pointe acrost, sometimes, she said, the same thing ate times in almost the same way and I wasnt able to take a breathe becasue she didnt think she got the pointe acrost and she wanted to make sure she did?" OK, so it's wasn't quite that bad but I'm sure you could imagine she needed a little help. Click here to look at the book. It's about my sister Jessica's history of ballin'. I know I have a handful of readers that remember when she was in diapers. Believe it or not she will be 14 next month! You read that right!

...I made delicious Chicken and Dumplings for dinner on this chilly fall evening. I have to thank my Mom for teaching me how to make her fantastic dumplings....and leaving the recipe for me on the Bisquick box.

...ok Mom, where's my twenty bucks? LOL ...J/K

Not Me This Time!!!

Oh wait til you hear this one...

The other day about 9:00am I got a special request from my Dear Husband for pot roast. Being the good wife and cook I am, I made a commissary trip to pick up some meat and do a little shopping last minute. When I make a roast it's usually in the crock pot by 8:ooam...but not this time. By the time I got home, unloaded the groceries and sleeping kids, put the cold food away, browned the meat and cut the veggies it was after noon! Mind you I still don't have kitchen counters or a kitchen sink...so that complicates this task. At 4:30 Max said it needed longer. I looked at it around 5:30 and it was far from done. Darn! There goes Max's idea of having pot roast, spaghetti it is. The next evening while I was out running he wanted to get a head start on heating it up. I came home and saw he was hovering over the roast so I took that opportunity to take a shower and bathe the kids. I walked downstairs and a very familiar smell filled my nose as I inhaled. Kalee met me on the stairs and said "I can't find Dad... the cars are all here...he's not in the man cave (garage) and the kitchen is smokey!" I rushed in, pulled the pot roast off the stove and shook my head thinking 'better him then me'. I called his cell only to find him across the street at the neighbors house. Now I can eat burnt food from the grill...and sometimes form the oven. But the toxins form the burnt pot don't settle well with me psychologically.

...He made a trip to Subway.

That man needs to quit taking cooking lessons from me!

My Kids Said What?

K: Mom, I really take after Dad.
Me: Why do you say that Monkey?
K: My butt stinks really bad like his!

That says a lot considering I don't ever use the bathroom by myself.

Then she starts with this dreaded conversation...
K: Is today, tomorrow?
Me: No, today is yesterdays tomorrow.
K: So what is the next day?
Me: Tomorrow!
Kalee: You said that the day before today.
Me: You mean yesterday.

This conversation began when she was about 4. Finally she is starting to get the concept of 'tomorrow' but I'm still puzzled at why we continuously have this conversation. She drives me crazy!

For those that don't know I refuse to cater to pickyness. In my opinion it is embarrassing when we go to someones for dinner and they don't eat what is given to them. At one point Kalee didn't like veggies. I told her she was allowed to not like one vegetable but had to eat the rest when served. She choose to not like asparagus... but loves them since my Mom prepared them for her. Now she avoids cooked green bell peppers but eats them raw so I can't complain. Last night Bear didn't eat but four bites of dinner. Yes this mean Mommy told him he was going to be hungry later. Sure enough after we brushed teeth...

B: Mom, I starving.
Max: Mom made you dinner but you didn't eat.
B: Uh-huh (as in yes I did) I had 4 bites.
Me: You should of had more bites.
B: I eat (signed eat), it go in my tummy (rub stomach) and in my leg (pointing down so innocently).... I still starving.

Dad gave in. "You can have rice cakes, applesauce, cheese stick, banana, cereal...what ever you want son." Uh-huh...who's the sap?

Let's talk political!

It's possible. I actually talked to a friend about political stuff. I guess telling my Nana eight years ago I was not voting for who she was voting for... almost causing her to have a heart attack, while watching her eyes well, the heat waves escape her nose and ears, and her lip quiver... detoured me from expressing my opinion to everyone. Until yesterday! A friend of mine -knowing I keep my opinion to myself- said "I take it your not a fan of him." Well, um as a matter of fact no, I'm not! It was that simple! Everyone has different opinions. Isn't that why we vote? An hour later we were still close friends with different opinions. Maybe it was just the idea of disappointing my Grandparents? What ever it was, now I'm not as quiet about politics as I am about my bra size. Woah, bad analogy. I just bought my first non nursing bra since I had Kalee and announced my deflated size. Back to topic...I missed the first 45 minutes of the debate last night (had bible study) but made it in time to hear about the health care and education plans. Interesting stuff. Honestly being military I never had to think about the health end of things. Active military and their families have fantastic medical! I have had 2 children and my only medical related expense was gas to and from. Nope not even a co-pay. Now Bears dental expense is a different story...poor kid has my teeth! Now more then ever I see friends affected by medical coverage so just because it's not my primary concern currently, doesn't mean I don't think about it not being a concern at all. Fortunately, neither of these two crazy candidates will be in office by the time Max retires (as funny as that sounds it's only about 9 years away).



...I still think politicians are liars and I would make a better President of a lactation company then either. Oh how formula companies would HATE me!!!

Cow's Milk?

Bear: May I piece (please) ave (have) nu-nu ni-night?
Me: No son it's not nu-nu time.
Bear: But I use my nam-ers (manners). I deepy (sleepy).
Me: Yes, you used great manners. Don't you think your getting too old for nu-nu?
Bear: No, Daddy too old for nu-nu. (pointing to Max)
Daddy: (with a smirk) Do you want some cows milk? (we define where it came from because we use goat's milk too)
Bear grabbed my cheeks, looked at me dead straight in the eye, and said "MOOOOO!" I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants.

Oh yes, our kids learn sarcasm real young. They must, with having Max and I as parents.