Does Anybody Care?

So, I pretty much could have died yesterday. Thanks to my family who DIDN'T call to see if my little family and I were snug as bugs in rugs at home or if we had plowed into a snow bank freezing and shaking and perishing for want of warmth? Thanks. Thanks a lot. I think I see big fat return labels on all your presents. Let THAT be a lesson to you. And now (since you asked) here is my story:

Every once in a while I'll wake up with a feeling that a trip to Cafe Rio or Anthropologie is imperative. It just so happened that earlier this week when I awoke, let's say on Monday, it was made known to me that a visit to both Cafe Rio and Anthropologie were necessary. It had to be Wednesday. Wednesday Kelly would be home. Wednesday I could have time. Without the children. Alone. FREEDOM!!!! And then Wednesday came along with that blasted snow. Courage. I must have courage. The fear of driving in the snow plagues me even though I've long since lived in Utah (thank goodness!). Yet here I was and I had to make a choice. Well, I'm nothing if not very brave and I took on the challenge, drove to Anthropologie where I scored this treasure for only $3.95! Because who doesn't need a hedgehog candle? I was meant to bring him home. Courage...courage and faith (And if you can tell me what movie that's from I'll give you a dollar)

I enjoyed my grilled chicken salad with extra pico de gallo on the side and my 3/4 cup full diet dr. pepper and 1/4 cup full diet coke with two straws knowing that I was alive and it felt good. Could life get better?

Then we built a snowman who is now decapitated.

And this is the view from my front door this morning. Notice the slushy streets, family dear. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

THE END

DECIPHER THIS!

Lilly has written another book. Last night she just sat down,said she wanted to write a book and she did. She even drew pictures. She's an artistic genious and that's all I can say about that. Here are her words. See if you can figure out the story. For those of you who don't read Lilly, then a translation is provided below. Happy reading!

Watsapanatim ther wur a famly. A hapy fuamuly. Tha selubrat Crtsmis. But wun Crismis it wus a the wrs Crismis. En rona prticeelr and Crismis tha didit hav enee fun. Tha had to cleen. But the next day tha had the best Crismis evr. And the next and day. The end.

To evreebudy

From Lilly

ilustratit bi Lilly Sowell

The athr is bi Lilly Lilly Sowell

Translation:

Once upon a time there was a family. A happy family. They celebrate Christmas. But one Christmas it was the worst Christmas. And one particular Christmas they had to clean. They didn't have any fun. But the next day they had the best Christmas ever. And the next day and the next day.

Then End.

To everybody

From Lilly

illustrated by Lilly Sowell

the author is by Lilly Sowell

The Acceptance Speech

I would like to thank all of you who voted. It's nice to win something, although I'd prefer to win something more along the lines of a "How'd She Manage To Take Such An Ugly Picture When In Real Life She's So Stunning?" contest. I just want to remind everyone what I actually do look like in case I've scarred them from my ugly picture. So, feast your eyes on this...

p.s. I think it's a little weird that there were two votes for Lilly. And I think Kelly's picture should have totally won. Besides your obvious lack of judgment, I'm really grateful.

The Contest... Continued

Not to interrupt the voting process (and I'm not at all embarrassed that I'm winning by a landslide and all the votes are not actually helping my self-esteem but causing it to plummit downwards at an alarming rate), but I actually meant to post this picture of Kelly. I just wanted to even out the playing field.

WARNING: DO NOT CLICK TO ENLARGE OR YOU MAY SUFFER SEVERE AND UNCONTROLLABLE CRYING AND/OR BLINDNESS

And if you don't know what I'm talking about (and who really does?) just scroll down.

A Contest For The Ages

Last night Kelly and I took the kiddies to Town Center to have a little family time, do a little shopping and a little playing in the snow (a.k.a. bubbles that shoot out from the trees and that taste really gross- as Lilly will tell you). It was fun. We had a little fro yo and to make that even more exciting we held a "Who Can Eat Your Frozen Yogurt With The Ugliest Face" contest. And guess what, you guys get to pick the winner. The poll is on the right.

This is Abe's best attempt, but I think he failed miserably.

Kelly had a couple of really good options, but I think this was his best work.

Sweet Lilly, she did pretty well.

Well, to be fair, I had a really hard time getting an ugly picture. I mean, Kelly actually had to give me lessons because it's so hard for me to take a bad picture. I don't know how the rest of you do it.

Please vote for the ugliest and the winner gets bragging rights. If you don't mind, please vote several times so it looks like I have a lot of readers. It will help my self-esteem.

Welcome!

Just a sweet little face to welcome you into December

They're Wearing WHAT?

This one's for you Pop pop.

(make sure you click on the picture to get the full effect)

Honesty

I learned something on Thursday...

Thanksgiving is A LOT more fun when someone else does the list making, shopping, cleaning, chopping, baking, mashing, whisking, bag of gizzard pulling, decorating, worrying, and clean up-ing. Next year I just want to show up, eat and leave.

Can I come to your house?

(that's me practically DEAD after a loooooooooooooong day)

New Fashion Segment

After seeing what my kids have decided to wear the past two days, I've decided to start a recurring fashion post entitled "They're wearing WHAT?" Here's what they came up with today for our trip to Vons.

I'm hoping that by letting them pick out their own clothes and express themselves in that way, they'll one day win Project Runway and thank me for allowing them to be themselves in their youth. There IS a method to my madness.

p.s. Today while talking on the phone with my sister, laughing about our children and their wackiness, she says to me regarding Abe, "He'll be the death of you." We then hang up, I look at Abe standing on the kitchen chair in just a diaper with his entire fist in his mouth, and as I yell "NOOOO!!!" and lunge at him to pull his hand out, he throws up all over the chair and himself. Besides wanting to call my sister back and tell her she's right, I also think, hey, good timing because he already needed a bath. It's the little things, friends. Just the little things...

My Life Thus Far (well, just since this morning)

I woke up this morning with a feeling that I needed to go to Anthropologie today. But first, I had to do my motherly duty and take my kids to the park. They got all gussied up for our outing. Abe's checklist of must have items include:

1. a necklace

2. a purse (with a toy car inside)

3. a ziploc bag of money

4. a barrette

After the park it was my turn and I found a treasure on sale. Won't these look lovely on my Thanksgiving table? I realize some of you may think these are not that special, but you'd be wrong.

Next came lunch.

Instead of a spoon, Abe just sticks his whole head in the bowl and slurps it up.

I guess he found an easier way to get the job done. Now I must go do my job and clean up the rest of the mess. You may be surprised, but some soup actually didn't make it onto his face. The rest is actually on my kitchen floor.

Now for the second half of my day...

Part II

Okay, may I preface this by saying that this is just my opinion. I also want to state that I'm looking forward to seeing Twilight. I think it looks good and I really liked the book. The first book was actually my favorite out of the four and I think the last book was a big fat waste of my time but don't even get me started. So, I really am a fan but...



Yesterday I was going through some of the comments on a recent blog post from cjane. It's a blog I'm sure many of you know about and I've enjoyed reading her blog as well as that of her sister (Stephanie Nielson). It's always remarkable to me to see how many people have been affected by their situation and have been inspired by them, me included. As I was looking through the comments I read one that said "Chrisian is the new Edward." I was floored. Really? This woman, who I am sure wrote that meaning only very good things, but nevertheless is comparing a burn victim whose life and the lives of his wife, children and extended families have been turned upside down to a fictional vampire character from a book. Anyone who reads Nie Nie dialogues or articles where Christian Nielson talks about his wife can't help but know that here is a man who truly and deeply loves his wife and how wonderful that is. Who doesn't want our loved ones to talk about us in the same way? However, he's a real person, whom we don't even really know, going through something impossible for most to understand. I just thought it was offensive to compare such a fictitious character to a human being under such circumstances. BUT THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION AND I HOPE WE CAN STILL BE FRIENDS.

(p.s. I realize that in part I I'm comparing Kelly to Edward but that's just for jokes and giggles)

A Celebration! (in two parts)

To commemorate the opening of the much anticipated Twilight, I've been thinking a lot about Edward. Notwithstanding that one is a vampire, there are some similarities between Big Ed and Kelly. Here's my list:

1. Both have chiseled bodies (you're welcome K dog)

2. Kelly stays up WAY later than I do.

3. Sometimes it seems like Kelly is still 16.

4. We're going to be together forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever...(to be continued) and we never ever get sick of being together. In fact, he's not here right now and I can hardly finish this post because I miss him so...

5. He can't read my thoughts, and like Edward and Bella, it would be SO much easier if he could.

6. Like Edward's Bella, Kelly totally thinks I'm practically perfect in every way (like Mary Poppins)!

So today, I'm GRATEFUL that my husband in NOT a vampire because he's already kind of like one, except he drinks milk, not blood.

Stay tuned for part II when I discuss fact vs. fiction. (HINT: I always have liked a little bit o' controversy.)

Quick Thinking

Lilly's asking even more questions about Santa. First, she asked me this. Then yesterday she asks these doozies.

1. Does Santa ever die?

2. How does Santa get in our house if we don't have a chimney?

I fumbled through the first answer and then Kelly was around for the second question. Lilly yelled it whilst using the commode and so I begged Kelly in a fervent whisper to help me with the answer. All he said was, "She probably knows there's not a Santa and she's just trying to stump you."

First of all, my mother always said that if you don't believe in Santa then he won't bring you presents. Well, I certainly LOVE presents, so Santa is my main man this time of year. Kelly better get with the program and fast!

MATH

LAST NIGHT

+

+

CROUP

+

3 HOUR TRIP TO THE ER FOR BREATHING TREATMENTS

=

ONE VERY LONG NIGHT

AND

TWO VERY TIRED PARENTS

I KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN

(P.S. LILLY'S JUST FINE AND KELLY STILL HAS REMARKABLE POWER OVER ILLNESS EXCEPT HE DOES NOT HAVE A BREATHING MACHINE. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE'LL GET LILLY FOR CHRISTMAS SINCE SHE GETS CROUP A LOT. THEN NOTHING CAN STOP US!)

My Husband, My Hero and The Wind Beneath My Wings

I'm going to do something I don't normally do. I'm going to write something really nice about Kelly. He deserves it after letting me post this. What a trooper. Anyway, today I'm grateful for Kelly. Yippee!


You see, my kids both have croup and instead of messing around with humidifiers and doctor's offices, my dear hubby calls up a pharmacy, puts in a prescription, and goes and picks it up (on a Sunday, eeek!). We pump the kids up with steroids and soon the wheezing is gone, the coughing subsides and the sleep becomes peaceful.
Love this man, love his job and I especially LOVE his POWER over illness!

What Am I Supposed To Say?

Yesterday Lilly asks me if Santa Claus goes to the bathroom. I answer yes and then she says, "Where does he go?" It took me a second, but she wanted to know where he goes to the bathroom when he's out delivering presents all night long. These kinds of questions really stump me because I'm not quite sure of what to say, so this was my answer. "That's part of the magic!" And then I changed the subject. I mean, is it a good thing to think that Santa might have used your bathroom? I just don't know.

Today

Today I'm grateful for my boy...

(and also the pacifier and the bed)

Gratitude

I wanted to get my intro above the globe, but I didn't so just pretend.

I may or may not stalk a few (or several) blogs of people I don't know. And yet I feel as though we could totally be BEST FRIENDS if only they knew I existed! Does that sound a little creepy? Anway, I got this idea from a fellow blogger who said that each day during the month of November she would blog about something for which she was grateful. Well, if I'm anything, I'm a realist and I knew I wouldn't do it everyday, but I did it today and maybe I'll do it again. My whole family participated. Hence the picture of the world. Lilly said she's grateful for the whole world. She also said she appreciates the rain and a comfy bed. She also likes long walks on the beach. No, I'm just kidding.

Abe is always grateful for Costco. He calls it "ca coe" and he asks to go there everyday. When I tell him, "Not today" he cries out "Why?" He sounds like it's torture not to be able to go.

Kelly is grateful for the lowering gas prices. Who isn't? It makes us positively giddy. Who cares that the economy is in crisis. The President elect can fix that. He can fix everything! (I'm not making a political statement)

And this is what I'm grateful for...Just listen...If you were in my house you'd hear absolutely nothing. Yippee! I LOVE peace and quiet and that's what I've got right now. So I'm feeling very grateful indeed.

The End

Which Do You Prefer?

Lilly, Lilly, Lilly...she has definitely been testing my patience today. Oh the tears and the snarls and the dirty looks! I have been a perfect motherly role model today, though. Really, this one is for the books. I only laughed once when she was angry and yelling at me because I interrupted her. I told her not to wear underwear anymore because it causes such wedgie-rific problems when she sits down in her carseat. I ignored her accusations of me not listening to her. AND I never yelled. Not one peep. Maybe I should write a book on dealing with a sleep-deprived 5 year-old-drama queen (oh, excuse me, princess). By the way, right now she's lying (or is it laying? Cari, can you explain the difference to me, please?) on the floor next to me saying she can't walk and I need to carry her to the bathroom. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I'm SO grateful it's bedtime. But the real point to this story is how truly funny she is...

We were at Target tonight, the happiest place on earth in my opinion, discussing the difference between artificial and real Christmas trees. When talking about why some people like to buy artificial trees she says to me (talking about the trees for sale at Target), "They call it fiction. And if it's real, it's non-fiction. All these trees are fiction." She really can be such a dear.

This Gives Me Anxiety

I got tagged and it makes me nervous. I don't particularly enjoy writing about myself. I prefer to stay mysterious (that's how I got Kelly, ya know) but I suppose I'll divulge a little bit.

6 random things about me
1. I'm either nervous or scared about everything. Example #1: the first sentence of this post. And yet I feel as though I'd be quite adventurous if given the opportunity (and I don't wimp out first). It's a conundrum.

2. I can only snap with my pinkie and only with my left hand.

3. I can fit my fist in my mouth. It's pretty gross and I don't show just anybody so don't ask.

4. I used to think that someday I would play Christine Daae from The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway (or off Broadway, I'd do either). I learned all the words and would sing it at the top of my lungs when no one was home. Besides not being able to carry a tune, I think I'm pretty close to my dream coming true.

5. My maiden name (now my middle name) is Barraclough. No one pronounces it correctly so they just say Bearclaw. I'm fine with that and people have actually asked me if I'm Native American. Yes, I would tell them. I may be blonde (I am blonde, I am I am I am!) and fair skinned, but I'm actually from the Hopi tribe. Some people are so gullable.

6. Okay, here's my claim to fame. Once I divulge this little goody I have nothing else to WOW people with... I went on A date with Paul Walker. He's the kid from The Fast And The Furious. He actually ran after me to get my phone number. Ah! Those were the days. I was much younger then and dare I say, fancy free.

I'm glad that's over. The rules say I'm supposed to TAG 6 other people. I don't think 6 other people read my blog that have blogs of their own. Therefore, I'll break the rule and TAG only 3.
Nickie, Alisa and Brittany, I now pass the torch to you.

I Ate Too Much Candy

Here are Abe and Lilly before going out to trick-or-treat.

It was the funniest thing to walk behind Abe and see him waddle down the street. He liked wearing his costume, though.

Every year we have trouble getting Lilly to stay out for a long time to trick-or-treat. Obviously Kelly and I want more and more candy but when after only 5 or 6 houses she asked to go home last night, we both were really disappointed. Kelly tried to allay our candyless fears by saying that he'll take her out later only to hear Lilly say, "I don't want to go out later. I just want to go home." We tried to convince her, but to no avail. She just wanted to pass out the candy at our house. Something about it's better to give than to receive. Surely that's not applicable to Halloween candy! But still I've managed to OD on snack size candy bars anyway and I just want to throw it all away. I'll never learn.

Conversations with Lilly (and please don't be offended)

Lilly and I were just talking about something or other. I can't quite remember, but she said to me,

Blow me.

Shock and horror.

What did you say?

Blow me.

Where did you hear that?

You say it.

Shock and horror again. I seriously think when did I ever say that? Ever? Then it hits me,

Oh, bologna!

Relief. And I think I'll work on my pro-nun-ci-a-tion.

This Really Made Me Laugh!

Out of everything I've written, this is the ONE thing Kelly didn't want me to post. So, I just HAD to! See in the first picture how Kelly
had a really good idea to carve a ghost. So he carved out the eyes, the nose and the mouth and then while he was carving out the shape of the ghost he realized...

...that he made a BIG mistake! Nice try honey! Oh man! I'm still laughing about this!