All Is Well With Puffy

By Popular Demand, I am giving an update on "Puffy, the Magical Swollen Foot." All is well, as you can see from this picture (if you can get over the STILL non-pedicured foot and a little swelling around my ankle...HEY I've been sick okay?). Turns out my doctor was right, taking it easy really does help. But of course, I thought he was silly and that he was just being dramatic (haha) and didn't listen. It wasn't until I had bronchitis this last week-and-a-half and was in bed the whole time (which is what he wanted me to do in the first place) that the swelling finally went down. Well, his prescribed bed rest is something I'm gonna have to listen to, since I've been forced into it. So, if any of you try to visit my house on an unexpected house-call, or notice any clutter in the background of any of my pictures, you are hereby warned that you're not allowed to judge, cuz my doctor told me to TAKE IT EASY! Otherwise, we will all be visited by Puffy again, and you can be sure I'll make you all see it. :)

Church in Camarillo

Piper, Xanthe & Xoe at church

California Trip Series, Part 2 (Visiting Nan's House)

Baking At Nan's

One of our favorite things of traveling to California is visiting our cousins. Here we are at Nan's house and she had the cutest play kitchen with all the play food and utensils, including a little kids' cookbook. Xanthe got it in her head that she wanted to bake some Sprinkle Brownies. We love Nan's house!!!

California Trip Series, Part 1

Our Jimmy-Rigged Car:
Can you tell how rigged up I created the car for the girls? I was without Brian cuz for Valentine's Day I thought it would be a great idea to fly Brian to Utah during our Spring Break trip for Guys' Weekend, until I realized that I really DIDN'T want to make that trip without him being 7 months pregnant and burnt out on driving. If only you could see how rigged up the Game Cube is with as many cables as I could find that would make it work. My dad would be proud! And of course we had to bring Grammy's Easter present the girls made ALREADY assembled (You can see the silk flowers and the Easter basket above their head). It was a burr in my side with it rolling around the car. Needless to say, that was the easiest trip I've made. It's all about stocking up with as many things your kids can do! I threw the belief right out the door that you shouldn't let your kids watch too many DVD's and video games! Bring it on! The girls had at least 20 videos, 10 games and 10 DVD's to choose from, as well as board games, books and activity coloring books! Now THAT'S the way to travel.

My New Favorite TV Show

PROPS to SUPERNANNY

When I start watching a show, I get addicted. Take CSI. I couldn't watch any other show until I watched every 75 episodes that were recorded on our DV-R. I know. It's a sickness. But I thought that if I watched another show I'd feel like I was betraying the show I was watching, or I'd lose/forget a plotline. I did the same with CSI:Miami, Alias, The Office & House. I started recording SuperNanny, but never watched it because I was afraid to delve in. But now that I'm in, I'm in! Seriously, my first thoughts were that I didn't want to see a show with all this discipline and nothing else. But was I wrong. There is love, and positive reinforcement, and she does things with these families that I thought could never be helped. She even sees issues with the parents that need to be worked out (whether it's from their own childhood, or in their marriage) before they can even move on. I'm so sad that it's only one once a week cuz I have to pace myself, otherwise I'll be out of episodes, and have to move onto another one. And that makes me sad. :)

The Silver Linings and Little Black Rainclouds of Pregnancy

Top Reasons To Like and/or Dislike Pregnancy

As I've been growing large with child, I've been realizing that with pregnancy, there are so many things we are gifted with that normally we don't experience. Somehow I've tried to find the positive in these things to make the journey endurable. However, I've realized that with all of these things, there is both a silver lining (my LIKES) AND a little black rain cloud (my DISLIKES) that come with these new gifts. So, I am starting my first round of Top Reasons to Like and/or Dislike Pregnancy Symptoms.

Reason 1: Baths for Aching Joints
LIKE:
I get to take so many baths for my aching joints…at least two to three a day
DISLIKES:
Having to now use the handicap handlebar to get out of the bath.
Having every part of me covered in the bath except this huge mound of an island sticking out from the middle of me that never seems to get warmed. That mound ends up being completely white while the rest of my body is red.
Having to soak every part of me EXCEPT my feet because the hot water swells them (see entry below)

Reason 2: Gaining Weight
LIKE: I don’t have to worry about gaining weight cuz it’s totally natural and healthy
DISLIKE: When all my weight seems to be gained in my feet (again, see entry below)

Reason 3: Heartburn
LIKE: Being able to drink a mixture of rootbeer and milk to take away my heartburn. TUMS make me gag cuz that's all I took with the twins. This mixture tastes like a rootbeer float. A lot of the time I actually justify that I’m either: On the road, need a treat, or don’t have any rootbeer, that I'll actually go out and BUY myself a Rootbeer Float from Wendy’s. You have to understand. Rootbeer floats are one of the few things in life I think are truly genius concoctions. And I GET TO HAVE THEM ALL THE TIME.
DISLIKE: Having the heartburn that justifies the need to have a rootbeer float. Heartburn just sucks…let’s just put that out there. Cuz it does. I’ve now resorted to sleeping sitting up if I’ve had too many rootbeer floats for the day (can that even be possible) or if I get it in the middle of the night (which then causes more problems if I end up on my back…see my Puffy Feet Entry for what happens with THAT!). Not only do I get heartburn from garlic, spices, etc., but I get heartburn from drinking water

Reason 4: Drinking More Water
LIKE: Forcing myself to drink more water, which is always healthy for you!
DISLIKE: Having constant wet pants from the pee that is always leaking from me. Whether it’s a sneeze, a cough, or just total lack of control, seriously folks! Could it get any more degrading than this?

Reason 5: Having Puffy Feet
LIKE: Getting out of housework. I just tell my husband “I HAVE to put my feet up! They’re getting too swollen.
DISLIKE: Have you actually SEEN my puffy feet? See the entry below and you’ll see my point.

Reason 6: Stuffy Nose
LIKE: (I'm still trying to find something to put here. Haven't found the silver lining for this one yet)
DISLIKE:
Having to relive my childhood of listening to my mom suck nasal spray every chance she could to relieve the pressure in her nose, and realizing that I sound just like her.
Having anxiety attacks when I can't find my nasal spray, especially when it's in the middle of the night, and I'm actually contemplating going out to buy more at 4 a.m. And actually considering my dad's idea of tying it to a string to the side of my mom's bed a good idea... AND carrying one in my purse, my car and anywhere else I can so I'm able to find it at a moment's notice.

Is It All Downhill From Here?

The Paradox of My Puffy Feet
As I ruminate on this picture, I'm appalled at the absurdity and reality that my feet look like this all of the time. I feel offended and cringe even looking at it. It's a good thing my belly is getting so large because it makes it easier to not have to gaze upon my growing slabs of meat. If I did see that all the time, I would probably get really depressed. My husband just said that I'm growing hamhocks. I would be offended if I didnt' feel it was true, but it really is.

You may ask why I titled this entry as "The Paradox of My Puffy Feet." Well, here's the paradox: Among many of the things that my doctor has told me to do to help with this (lay on my left side, drink tons of water to flush me out), one of them is that I need to lay down with my feet up. But how, may I ask, do you lay with your feet up when you're not allowed to lay on your back, because apparently it cuts off your circulation and stops your breathing ? (and yes this is true because it HAS happened to me many times...either in the sonogram room or in the middle of the night when my body rolls over onto my back because the muscles on my left side are starting to atrophy, my breathing stops and I start to lose consciousness.) Therefore, because I can't properly put my feet up without passing out, my feet become consistently puffy. That is the paradox, my friends.

On a side note, yes some have suggested that I just SIT with my feet up, but then again, I think I might feel as though I've just gotten closed up into a portable mattress.

AND don't even think of judging my lack of a pedicure. Just don't. It makes the whole thing THAT much worse. :)

Look What Surprise I Came Home To!!!

My Dear Husband surprised me when I came home from California with a brand-new kitchen sink! Yup! He even hooked up the right pipes so the dishwasher spout and soap dispenser all work properly, and the dishwasher itself even still works (I guess it hooks up to the kitchen sink...no, I didn't know that...I'm sure you all did, but I didn't). How amazing is he? But, I wonder, do you think he's trying to say something? That I need to do the dishes more? :)

ROLIE POLIE OLIE

Oh my gosh! How funny is this picture?! I still can't stop laughing! I just got back from vacation and Brian surprised me by bringing home a photo album from his parent's house (he just visited them in Utah). You know...I've NEVER seen any baby pictures or kid pictures of him so I've been mentioning (aka "harassing") this to them quite a bit. I'm sure they're so ready for me to shut up about it. :)

Anyway, I stepped up the badgering when I realized that because I haven't seen any pictures of him, I have no idea what my OWN kid could look like....remember? The one who is already gestating inside me? And how happy am I that he could turn out to be this cute, roly, poly chunky kid! Brian also quickly informed me that he was almost an 11 pound baby (he couldn't remember exactly, so once I find out, I'll update y'all). And how in the world did he grow up to be so skinny? He said that he always used to make the joke to people that he never gained any weight through the years until he was about 30. He just stretched into the weight he was born with. And when I say he was skinny, he was SKINNY! He said he was 6'2" and 130 pounds. I'll also try to post a picture of him that would do him justice to show how skinny he was. hahah. Gotta love it.

Anyway, I have been giggling since I came home and the girls think it's the greatest thing too! They loved seeing all his pictures. Could you imagine if I have this HUGE baby? Compared to the girls, cuz they were 3 lbs. 15 oz. and 4 lbs. 2 oz. Hahaha! What a switch that would be! Here's Brian at his junior prom (he is so pissed that I posted this picture...hahaha). It still doesn't quite show it very well but it still gives you an idea. The one word that comes to mind when I see this picture is "rad". He is such a product of the 80's. :)

The baby's nursery AND playroom

Here's how far we've gotten with the baby room. Just GUTTING this room out was rough. It was a full-on play room before. Brian has done so much work on it! He truly is so talented at all this stuff. And below is kind of an idea of what we want to do with it. Brian is going to put molding over the curtains like we have in our living room (see the picture below it). I'm building it also around the bumpers I got from Pottery Barn Kids that you can see inside the crib that are still in the package, navy and white stars. Let me know what you think and/or if you have any ideas.

Gotta Sell Them Girl Scout Cookies!

Can you tell selling Girl Scout cookies is a HUGE part of our lives right now? Can't wait til this weekend cuz Cookie Season will be over! But no worries for you California people! I've got the goods comin' with me! But I wouldn't EVEN put it past anyone if they've picked up a couple boxes from the grocery store sales! Who could resist?

These pictures are of Xanthe & Xoe selling cookies at their 7th Cookie Booth assignment! We had 9 cookie booths total for our troop and each girl only had to do 3 Cookie Booths. But the girls just kept wanting to go to them. Don't know why! Maybe it was the Singing Do-Si-Do costume they got to put on and make up dances to (and the "singing" part comes NOT from the costume but from the funny song CALLED "I'm a Singing DoSiDo" they made up on their own). Or the Starbucks Hot Chocolate I bought them every time (since we have a Starbucks inside every major store...), or it could be that most of their friends are in their Girl Scout Troop. Or maybe it's cuz their mom is the Cookie Mom and any of the ones I have to be at, they want to be at too. :) Hey! Thanks for all you guys who ordered from them. It really helped. They sold enough boxes to help pay towards Girl Scout camp this summer! They're way excited! So thank you again!

Xanthe's Art Show

So, I didn't even know this, but I guess there is an Art Show at the School District's office featuring a whole bunch of kids' art projects from each school, including the middle schools and high school. The art teachers each select certain students that they think have shown great artistic ability. As you can see from the invitation that was sent home with Xanthe, the art teacher at their school selected her. It was held tonight (Thursday) and we had a great time. I was so impressed with how much work all the schools went to make this such a fabulous display and Show. Here's an overview of a portion of the Show. But they had displays all around the room and even down the hallways of the Offices. There's also a closeup of one of the four displays from her school.


Below is Xanthe's art piece that was chosen, the dragon/monster in the right hand corner. They were learning about lines of symmetry and she had to create this detailed monster folded in half, then add details that matched the other side.


And I'm sure you're all wondering how Xoe handled the situation, and whether or not she was jealous. I was kind of wondering why the art teacher (Mrs. Sandagata) chose Xanthe over Xoe since she is always going on and on about how artistic BOTH of them are. She also tells me how she has already told her husband (the high school art teacher, who, like his wife, are a very artsy young couple) about "Xoe and Xanthe", and that even in their personality, names and clothing (yes, you all know their sense of style) they are so artistic. Well, Xoe handled it with style! She was so supportive of her sister and kept saying that Mrs. Sandagata assured her that it was hard for her to make a choice, that she would definitely be in the show next year, and that she couldn't choose siblings. This picture is of Xoe walking around looking at every piece of art. She really enjoyed the show and didn't want to leave.


For you Girl Scout parents, she found Eleni's art and was so proud of Eleni for making it into the art show that she wanted to take a picture. Same thing with Toni's art...I have a picture but just haven't posted it.

...But the best thing Xoe did to be supportive was at the very end. Xanthe had gone to one parking lot to ride home with Brian, but Xoe and I had to walk back through the show to get to our car. We decided to say goodbye to Mrs. Sandagata. At that moment, the newspaper was rallying kids together to take a picture of a few of the Bella Vista students with the art teacher and asked Xoe to hurry over since she was a student at their school. When they were finished taking the picture, Mrs. Sandagata was writing down their names for the paper, when Xoe asked if she could write her own name. (Of course, the art teacher had no idea whether this was Xoe or Xanthe). As I watched her write her name, instead of writing "X-O-E", she wrote "X-A-N-T-H-E". She whispered to me later that she wanted Xanthe to get credit since it was Xanthe whose art was chosen and was being honored that night. I don't know about you guys but I was so impressed, which I told her so. I was mostly impressed that instead of acting jealous of her sister, she was supportive of her. These girls are amazing. I just have to remember that during the times when I'm about to lose my cool with them. :)

Dr. Suess' Week at School

So, this week at school, they are celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Each day the kids could dress up with a certain theme the school had set. I'm so sad I didn't have a camera for Monday and Tuesday cuz Monday was Crazy Hat Day. Some kids wore crazy hats but their teacher also had a fun thing and gave them each 30 straws and a roll of masking tape to see who could create the tallest hat. They all came walking out of school with these huge tall straw hats.

Tuesday was Crazy Hair Day. Xoe put hot pink glitter streaks and blue streaks in her hair, and Xanthe did braids all over her head. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of it!

Then Wednesday was "Wocket in My Pocket Day". (Nan, I really wish they would have done "Wacky Wednesday"! How do they not know that book?) Anyway, the library had them all make little wocket creatures to wear on their pocket.

Today, was Crazy Socks Day. I FINALLY got a picture of them. This time they were wearing their crazy socks. For Friday, they are all decorating their doors the craziest and having a contest. Xanthe's been creating lots of art from "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?" and some birthday book by Dr. Seuss. It's been really fun for them. And of course, I'm a sucker for all that schoool fun stuff. I love when they do fun things like this.