"Holy Empty Shelves, Batman!"

I finally did it... no, not updating the blog, although that is also pretty crazy!
I went Christmas shopping.
No smiley face, no exclamation point; it was completely a failure. I needed to get: socks (forgot), a sled (the aisle was completely devoid of merchandise), a certain gift for Bryan (wrong size), and some other gift for Carolyn (she was with me, does it even count then?).
Oh, have I made this Christmas un-fun or what? Mostly I'm worried about money, so I've largely limited our potential merriment. It's even been too cold to go outside, so we can't even enjoy all of this snow while we try to be un-materialistic. Our dryer broke, our heat keeps going out, and Bryan can't even go fishing with his Dad!
What is going on this year?
I guess the only enlightenment I'm getting is that we are still pretty lucky even though I'm acting like Scrooge. I can't help but think that it would be pretty selfish of me to take a picture perfect Christmas, with a tree surfing on top of awesome gifts, for granted. There are so many people without Mommies and Daddies or any gifts at all, no heat, no cars, no nice comfy apartments, and the list goes on.
Kind of makes me think back to what the Christmas story was all about, and that's the important thing, right?
I just want to say that I love you all (yes, you), and I am so lucky to be spending Christmas with my wonderful family in this amazing place I call home!
Merry Christmas!

Two more to go!

I'm down to two semesters of school and two weeks left in this semester. I'm kind of excited to be at the point where I'm finally registered for some of the last classes I will ever take! It's gonna be a tough spring, but I am excited; is that weird?

Thanksgiving was BRUTAL this year, we ate enormous meals for 5 days straight. My stomach hasn't stopped hurting for a week. This is not a good thing actually, because my doctor wants me to take some more tests to figure out what's going on with my body, lately. I've gained more than 20 pounds in the last month and apparently that is not normal. That coupled with extreme fatigue, unbelievable pain, and some other strange things makes me worry. But, as usual, I'm sure its nothing but stress, so it's not worth the trouble.

Oh, we got approved for a home loan, so we might start looking at houses (maybe, if it doesn't cause me to gain another 20 pounds!). Carolyn tells us, "Carolyn home" when we talk about it, so maybe she's trying to convince us to get her a place with a yard and the potential for a puppy...

Well, that's what's on my mind right now. Perhaps someday I'll have the ability to post pictures again!

CANDY!!!

So, in case you didn't hear, yesterday was Halloween...

I was so excited all day, because Carolyn actually kinda knew what was going on this year. She went trick-or-treating with her daycare and learned all about how to get candy. So when we went to go show the family her awesome cow costume, she already knew to grab as much candy as she could fit into her pumpkin. What can I say, she's a genius! I feel bad, however, because by the time we made it to Grammy and Grandad Hall's, she was too tired to moo anymore; she just fell asleep. I sent a disposable camera with the daycare, so maybe I'll get some cute pictures; but until then here is our little Halloween moo cow.

Bryan taught Carolyn how to eat MaltO'Meal like he does this morning. My thought was, didn't she have enough sugar last night?

I've been thinking...

Not that it is that unusual for me to think; as a matter of fact OVER-thinking is probably my normal state, but I have been in a particularly reflective, inflective, and critical mental state for the last couple of weeks. However, instead of bringing all potential readers of this narrative into my level of psychological torment, I think I will list some interesting things that I have thought about, recently.

My daughter is a genius when it comes to words. I realized this yesterday when we were driving; she pointed and said "Schood bus" when a big yellow bus drove past.

Bryan is perhaps the most patient man in the world, except when his shoes are stuck on his feet, then he completely goes berserk.

We have exactly 3/8 of a dining room table.

When I was a sophomore in college I told someone that my favorite quote was from Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carrol (think Alice in Wonderland). I think that it still is.

The time has come, the walrus said,

To speak of many things;

Of shoes and ships and sealing wax;

Of cabbages and kings;

And why the sea is boiling hot,

And whether pigs have wings.

In a way, I guess it reminds me of what I think congress must be talking about... sorry, sometimes I think I'm funny. But really! why does it seem like our government is so busy worrying about things that don't make any sense to me (Baseball steroid use, horse welfare, cruise security, etc.) I'm worried about real issues that will affect my family and my children's future. What if I am upset that neither presidential candidate appeals to me in any way? that I don't find anyone up for election worthy of representing me, even at the most local level? I am almost at the point of not caring anymore! But that would be unpatriotic, and so would moving to the Northwest Territories, so I guess I'll just keep worrying about it.

I will also have to beg for mercy for my lack of pictures. I don't have time to go online, regularly, at home this semester, and I don't have pictures at school, so you're just gonna have to live with it.

Update

It was just an ear infection, and luckily it rained that night and the sound soothed her to sleep. However, every night since she has been begging for "rai'nn" (I'm trying to show how she says it, it's cute) whenever she gets tired. Oh! And she actually really likes her medicine THANK GOD!

Morning Sickness

NO NOT THE KIND YOU ARE THINKING!


Carolyn woke up this morning at 5 and was in pain of some sort : (


I am kind of scared because I don't know what's wrong and she is obviously not doing very well; but I am letting her sleep for a while before I bring her in to the doctor. It occurs to me that this may just cause her not to nap as easily later today when I really am fed up with coddling an irrationally unhappy child. I'm just all around worried about my little monkey-bean... I'm probably more of a wreck than she is. I can't help it though, her little cries of "Dadda 'a Momma" break my heart when I don't know what's wrong. She thinks I can make it better.


Okay, enough divulging of my insecurities as a mother; here are some really cute things that will make me feel better as I'm posting them:

Carolyn wants YOU to provide her with candy!

When asked "How did you get up there," Carolyn replied " a'know?" (I don't know)

Blog-o-naut, or is it Blog-not?

Well, we have been busy, but not really with anything too spectacular. I am back to school and Carolyn is too. The signs are all there... the messy house, no food in the fridge, and we are all sick with something that came home from daycare. Ahh, the communal germ and virus pool that children swim in every day. At least I have some interesting classes this semester.

Well, I guess I better get everyone caught up on the cuteness that is our daughter.

Is it a tweet-tweet (bird), is it a blfffff (airplane)? No, its redneck baby! (Please do not be offended by this image)

Here I am getting my hair done by my little beautician:

A new favorite food: