Third Time's the Charm

Matt & I FINALLY made it on our "real" vacation this year....on our 3rd try.
{definition of "real" = not work related, no kids, no cell phone/connectivity, no rigid schedule, no cooking/cleaning and includes sleep, relaxing, lounging, reading, leisure, recuperating, clothing optional (did I say that?), play, laughing, massage, walks on the beach, and service with a smile.} 

After our failed attempt in February.

And after our forced cancellation in April due to a debilitating injury Matt had.

ALTHOUGH, it almost looked like we wouldn't make it on THIS vacation either, when at 3:40 p.m. on the day we were supposed to fly out, (we planned to leave at 9:25 p.m.) we got a phone call from our babysitter having to cancel!
A HUGE THANKS to Mike and Mandy and Dean and Jennifer who all insisted we couldn't cancel our vacation - it was our 19th Anniversary, after all, AND I had chopped 15 inches off my hair in anticipation of Cancun's humidity - so we pieced enough coverage together between them all to still be able to go at the last minute.

Here's the Photo Story of Cancun 2013:

We kept seeing a lot of the same people throughout our stay....and me, always the people watcher, took notice of them.  Matt did too, and we started to name them, and then when we'd see someone, we'd inform the other, "There's cardinal lady" or whatever...

We shared our vacation with:

"My brother, Mike"
"My sister, Beeb"
"Catherine Zeta-Jones"
"Sleepy guy at the bar"
"The decoy couple"
"Red bikini flasher"
"Medusa man"
"The Illinois groupies"
"The bingo girl"
"Tall, skinny couple"
"The shuttle peeps"
"All the single ladies"
"Jennifer Gee" (a girl I went to Elementary & Jr. High with who now happens to be my sister in law's sister in law!)
"Shauna Bushey" (someone from Farmington)
"Twice his wife's age guy"
"The teenagers" (it was an adults only resort, how did they get in?!?)
"The Odd couple"
"The pink shirt guy's wife"
"70's feathered hair"
"The reverse polygamist"

What "characters" they were!

Now, I wonder?  Did others "name" Matt & I, as well, unbeknownst to us?  Nicholas Cage and Bonnie Hunt perhaps?  ;)

{circa 2007.  Matt was asked to play Nicholas Cage in a "Hollywood Squares" game/adult party we had at our church.}

Four Words Can Change Your Life

Several months back, after an annual exam, the Dr. ordered Haylee to have a "Bone Age Test" due to her VERY small size (height AND width) for her age.  Those results came back with the data that she is the size of an 8 year, 10 month old.....

EXCEPT IN TRUE LIFE, SHE IS 11 YEARS OLD.

So, that led to some blood work.  Some of the "conditions" they tested for came back positive.

So, that led us to Same Day Surgery at Primary Children's Hospital for an Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsies.
(Try to say THAT three times!  Heck!  Try to even get through it one time!)

It is confirmed, I was told....

"She Has Celiac Disease." 

So, that led us to meeting with a dietician.

We were told this means a gluten-free diet for life.

"Good News!" the G.I. doctor told me, "She can eat ALL the meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables SHE WANTS!"

Obviously, the doctor does not know my daughter.  Because what that means is that she will be eating exactly NOTHING!!!  She doesn't WANT to have anything to do with that list of foods she just rambled off in the name of "good news."

We've often referred to Haylee's diet as an "ALL CARB DIET."
I have made mentioned of it before on this blog o' mine:
Seven Is Heaven 
(I listed her 7 favorite foods back then.  Now:  Oreos - OUT, Ramen Noodles - OUT, rolls - OUT, Cookies 'n' Cream ice cream - OUT, Nacho Cheese Doritos - OUT, French Toast - OUT)
Some Sad News
(What are we going to do about one of her favorite restaurants? - they are famous for their ENORMOUS Cinnamon Rolls and Scones!)

Are You Sure We Share the Same Genetics?
(Explaining her "all carb diet")

This diagnosis explains WHY she is such a "pip squeak"......her body absorbs NO nutrients.
(not that there's that many nutrients in rolls and scones and rolls and bread and rolls and cookies and rolls and doughnuts, but still.....a normal person would be a big FATTY from eating those things!)

So, she can't eat what she likes.
And she won't/doesn't dare eat what she can.

So, I don't know what to do.

This changes everything.....and I don't like it!

And now they want all her first degree relatives (Me, Matt, and the rest of my children) to get tested because it's highly genetic - 20% chance that one/some of us have it, too vs. the 1% of the general population.

NO ONE wants to go be tested.  How long can we put this off?!?

YES.  It's because WE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!

Kids Say the Darndest Things - Aug. '13 Edition

Taken from the sidebar....

Miss B had her Kindergarten assessment and was not able to identify the letter "R" when asked.
(afterwards)Me: "Brookelle, what is the 2nd letter in your name?"
Brookelle: "R"
Me: "See, you know it! Why didn't you say it at school for your teacher?"
Brookelle: "Her finger was just moving on to the next letter too fast. It takes time to guess. Doesn't she know that? Oh, no, she doesn't -- she's OLD!" 8/13

We are Super Organized Around Here

As I was emptying the dirty clothes hamper in the girls' bedroom today, something nearby on the floor caught my eye, so I picked it up:

Here's the thing:  THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER SEEN THIS INVITATION!

And today is August 27, 2013.

Which means it is 3 1/2 MONTHS AFTER the fact.

How sad that the choir director went to the effort to create a cute reminder, and it was all for naught -- at least in our household.

Yep, that's pretty much how things roll around here!

{Aaugh!}

Simple Surprises

I went on a trip last week, and I had quite the streak of Good Luck.  Or maybe more than luck - just a bunch of happy things that happened.....which left me pleasantly surprised.  They weren't HUGE events, necessarily, so I'll call them "Simple Surprises."

1. Southwest Airlines has Diet Dr. Pepper as a drink choice on their flights!
2. There are GAMES like Connect 4 and Solitaire on the treadmill - it really HELPS the workout go by faster!
3. The "mystery guest artists" at The Grand Ol' Opry didn't end up being a mystery....it turns out Mark Wills sings "19 Somethin',"  "And the Crowd Goes Wild," and "Don't laugh at Me."   And Brett Eldridge sings, "Don't Ya"...all of which I knew!
4. The operator politely called me by name when I called to ask a question!
5. The factory outlet mall was actually pretty close to our hotel (within walking distance) instead of far away like we'd thought it looked from the taxi!
6. I didn't throw up the raw oyster I ate, right out of the shell, at THIS restaurant, in the presence of 5 people who were egging encouraging me on.
7. I was ID'd - that means the "bouncer" COULDN'T TELL IF I was over 21 or not, right?!?  And it has nothing to do with it being policy or anything.....  ;)
8. The Nashville airport provided foot covers (like the ones you'd wear in open houses) for us to go through security - I always think it is gross to walk on the floor in my bare feet when I have to take off my flip flops!
9. When I got done eating my Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory apple pie flavored apple, there were moist towelettes in the bottom of the bag - just what I needed!
10. There was Dish TV access on my iPad on one of the flights I took - I finally watched several of the episodes from season 8 of The Office for the first time.  I'm only 2 years being the times!
11. My girls GOT ON (standby) a "100% booked" flight....and we're able to sit by their Dad!
12. My Jamba Juice gift card money had NOT expired even after a couple years of non-use!
13. I came upon a "test" security checkpoint, where we didn't have to take off our shoes, remove our liquids from our bag, unload our laptops, or any of the usual things except pretty much walk through - that's as EXPEDITED as security can be!

Not Just Plain 'Ol Playtex Anymore

I had the "remarkable" opportunity (read that in your best sarcastic tone) to go BRA shopping the other day - in a real store.

It had been a while (I did it online at Amazon last time) and things have definitely changed.

There were racks and racks (no pun intended!) of brands, colors and varieties to choose from!

So, of course, the manufacturers MUST be feeling the pressure to stand out and catch the consumer's (me) attention - anything that will cause me to pick theirs above another.

And, catch my attention, they DID!  The marketing slogans or catch phrases they used on the labels/tags were quite amusing.

I may or may not have laughed OUT LOUD right there in the middle of the lingerie department!

Here's the top finalists:

• Gimme a boost
• Add-a-tude  (on a padded bra)
• We've got you covered
• We have your back
• Smooth Operators
• This is NOT a bra
• Prepare to stop traffic
• The secret's inside
• A secret makeover
• Give "the girls" a little lift
• Put "the girls" back where they belong

And my personal FAVORITE:

• Headlights are for cars

And after trying on 10+ bras, I found ONE to buy.  {sigh}

My New Baby was Delivered Last Week

After having THE SAME washing machine our whole entire marriage (18 yrs. 11 months), we had to finally replace it.  {boo hoo!}
My grandma had bought it brand new for herself about 22ish years ago. She only got to use it for a year or two before she passed away.
Then it sat in my parents' mudroom/garage for about a year and a half until I got married and became the proud owner of it.

Over the years, we'd had a "Maytag Man" come out and service it a few times and he kept telling me, "They don't make 'em like this anymore!" And he would gush about how good it was - and I felt pretty lucky to have "inherited" it.   BTW, it's matching dryer is still plugging along for us!

The appliance salesman told me that I should only expect a new one to last about 12 years now.  WHAT?!?   So, it's got HALF the life expectancy of my beloved whose spin ability just failed...and we spent 3 weeks mourning the loss...and then when everyone ran out of clothes and the piles were stacked to high heaven, we were forced to buy a new one...? (because the repair charge would be about a third of the cost of a brand new one, and we already fixed it once.)

So I present to you My New Baby:

No dust and crud build-up.  And it has a non-slamming lid.

I guess the "new ones" don't have agitators (that pole sticking up in the middle) anymore,

and I was having a problem with that in the store.

Because HOW are the clothes going to get as clean when they're not AGITATED?

Do any of you even know what I'm talking about - or was my machine THAT old?

But, I'm most excited about the size of the drum - look at all that room.  Hello bigger loads!!!

My children (OK, maybe not Ryan) could play hide-n-seek in there - although I don't encourage that!

My old one had 6 buttons:  small, medium, large and hot, warm, cold.

Now look at this panel of confusion!

But, I'm still that person using a flip cell phone with push-buttons, so this is a tad above my level!  ;)

Like I'd been told, They sure don't make 'em like they used to! 

But, I figured it out - And I spent the next day doing all the backed up laundry.....yeah!

Fifteen Ways My Husband and I are Different

1.  He says ONE word
for every 1,000 of my words.

2.  He barely cracks a smile when he hears a joke - or something funny.
 My cackle laughter is heard for at least a block radius in the same situation.

3.  He likes bananas
I believe bananas are Satan's fruit.

4.  He will "escort" bugs/spiders out of our house.
I practice the ol' tissue-smash-and flush method if my home has been "invaded."

5.  He often will say, "NO, thanks" to candy/ice cream/treats.  (He says NO!???)
I say, "YES, PLEASE!!"

6.  He sleeps with a sheet half-way covering himself.
I sleep with ALL the covers/blankets tucked right up under my chin and secured down all around me so there are NO "air holes."

7.  He has a Science mind.
I have an English mind.

8.  He likes Miracle Whip.
I think Miracle Whip is one of Satan's condiments.

9.  He likes fish.
I've tried...several times...but just don't.
(the only time he's getting it for dinner is out at a restaurant)

10.  He remembers every great sports trivia (scores from games 20+ years ago).
I remember the words to every conversation.

11.  He can "train" for a race/event one or two times, and finish with a good time (even medals).
I train daily for months, and finish behind him, and at the middle to back of the pack.

12.  He's the calm one.
I shoot first, ask questions later.

13.  He is 6' 3"
I am 5' 3"

14.  He likes to sleep until the last moment possible.
 When I wake up, my mind starts racing, and I *have to* get going in the morning.

15.  He is Brilliant.
The smartest thing I ever did was marry him.  almost 19 years ago.


 But other than that, I really think this relationship can work!  ;)

 How are you and your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend different?

Checkers, Anyone?

Or maybe a game of chess? - you take your pick.

Either way, we've got the yard-sized game board for it IN our lawn!

We moved into our new house exactly one year ago today and we finally put in our sod last Saturday.
(Yep.  This is the same yard that was suppose to be done by Summer, so our kids would have somewhere to play all Summer......but WHATEVER!)

But, by today, it looks like THIS!  "They" say it's normal...?!?

{Let's hope so!}

S.T.A.N.D.

Right after I got back from Aspen Grove, I headed to Girls' Camp at Camp Aerie somewhere in Utah.

I hadn't even unpacked yet and had to get another bag.

But, what's worse....is that I hadn't unpacked from when I flew down to St. George from the week before Aspen Grove.

So, at one time, I had 3 different bags from 3 different trips on the floor of my bedroom still - I just couldn't catch up.


BUT, back to Girls' Camp.  Our theme was S.T.A.N.D. (Stand Together As Noble Defenders).  These two awesome camp directors did most of the work - and planning and preparation and work and organizing and shopping and thinking and work  - THANKS KATIE & SHAYLA!!  You're awesome!

Since I didn't work, all I had to do was:

Be crazy.

Hang out.

And cry with my fellow YW leaders!

{We had an AWESOME guest speaker, author Laurel Christensen.}

Oh, and I got to act as "Chaperone" directly, with my advisor, Heidi, to our six Mia Maids (girls age 14-15) who came.

Here's the "Cast of Characters"

(hopefully they don't kill me for posting these "selfies")

Jordan

 Breanne

Savana

Marissa

Annie

Ashlyn

Here's a more accurate - as accurate as it can be after camping for 4 days, all natural - photo of our Mia Maid class.

There were 13 other girls of different ages, and three other women leaders, too, in attendance.  (See group photo towards the beginning of this post.)

And then I came home and did my much needed laundry........
But that was the last load that ever worked - our washing machine went ka put afterwards, and we've been without ever since.
And I've had two boys go to Scout camp during that time = tons of dirty, stinky stuff!!

This is what my laundry room now looks like:

And this is a familiar scene around here:

When we finally get it fixed or buy a new one, it's going to take me a YEAR to catch up....after I get around to unpacking all those suitcases, of course!  ;)

Bwa aaah haaaa!  (that's how you type out crying.)