Finger Update

My finger's healing. I broke off the nail that was hanging b/c it was there and I could. So gross!

Why I love living where we do

So I mentioned in my last blog that my morning started out a bit moody, but I snapped out of it and made it to Bible Study which was great.

Afterwards my sister and I met for coffee with Jonah and Davey at Bad Ass Coffee downtown. I know the name may be a bit offensive, but it's a Hawaiian place with donkeys everywhere and they have a tumble area for kids to play with mats and cushioned building blocks. I mean, where else am I going to be able to have coffee and some what of a conversation while my three and five year old are entertained? Too bad Jonah can read and asks to go there by name. Is that bad? We refer to it as Bad A coffee, but what can you do. There was another boy in there about three years, totally tackling and beating up my boys. Jonah laughed, but Davey not so much, he tried to shrink smaller and give dirty looks to discourage any foul play.

Then Vicki takes Jonah for the rest of the afternoon to hang with her at the beach (she lives one block away!) and the park while I take Davey to pick up Payton.

We get home, put Davey down for a nap and my mom stops by to see if Payton wants to go to the Farmer's Market. Of course she does. They have a great time and she comes home with this pumpkin she got to decorate there for free. Meanwhile, I had the house to myself which I took full advantage of. I kept the music off while I cleaned, I'm trying to be more quiet when I'm alone so I can talk to God less distractedly and listen better too. Sitting quietly I'm still working on.

I love that I got to hang with my sister at a moment's notice, that she took my son to spend quality time together with him at the beach, I love that my mom stops in to take Payton to the farmer's market and she gets to do this great creative project there. It's a blessing living more in community in my family and being able to do it here in my hometown. I didn't even know what I was missing out on relationship wise being so far away for so many years. I always thought my mom and I got along so well b/c we lived far apart, but now I live in her backyard and see her everyday and I love her more. It's good to be home. If I could only move T's family and our friends here too, I'd have it all!!!

Wicked Fun

I just got home last night from celebrating my dear friend Alyssa's 30th birthday! Her husband Dan planned to fly me down to Riverside to surprise her about six weeks ago and we pulled it off! It was so fun to spend a whole weekend together, we drank lots of tea, had lots of chats, and great visits with friends. It was such a blessing to be able to visit with everyone and catch up. It was fun to surprise everyone else too!
There were so many "highs" on my visit, but the one that takes the cake was going to see the musical "Wicked" at the Pantages Theatre in LA with Alyssa. You know how everyone keeps saying how amazing it is? They're not lying! We were in awe at everything, the costumes, the set, the music, the acting, all amazing! I was moved to tears several times and not just b/c the lady behind us was singing and commentating throughout either. It was great great fun and I highly recommend it to anyone so inclined to enjoy a good show!
I felt very content and full getting back on the plane to come home. My re-entry home here after visits to Riverside has been pretty rough up to now, but I was ok coming home. I was pleasantly surprised by that. I LOVED getting to see my friends, have a great breakfast with my mother-in-law, and catch a few of our high school students, but it's a little easier to be accepting that my life looks a little different now. Not totally easier, just a wee bit. I tried to weasle my way out of Women's Bible Study this morning b/c I wanted to be a little bit moody and Payton had a headache, so I thought, "perfect! I gotta stay home with her!" But she snapped out of it and eventually so did I. And of course I'm glad I went, God had a good word for me this morning on trusting and resting in him, even though I cannot see how it will all work out yet. I hate being stretched.
Anyhoo, Dan, Alyssa, I loved my weekend, thank you so very much. I can't wait till you embrace the NorCal baby! I've got a bumper sticker ready for you...

Dismembering myself

Today was the big day I was volunteering in Payton's class. When I broke the news to her she seriously responded with a Debbie Downer, "Wah Wah Wahhhh" without missing a beat! Where does she learn this stuff? After trying to deter me with giving me the wrong room number, she finally gave in and said, "room 14".
I show up on time and received my task of cutting 200 1/2 in. size strips of paper in the workroom (this was great for Payton b/c she didn't even have to see me!) I was using one of the "guillotine" paper cutters. I was 10 strips away from being done and I completely come down on my finger with the blade and slice it open!
There was blood everywhere, and I couldn't even look at it, I just held my finger and spun around in the room looking for something, anything, I don't know what. There was a repair man in the room with me who was no help at all, just stared with a blank expression, couldn't even open the door for me. So I open it with my elbows and stumble into the hall, find a bathroom, get paper towels, and go into the school office, tears streaming down my face holding my bloodied hand.
The ladies were great and fussed over me which always makes me cry more. As soon as I get any sympathy I get more hysterical. People should just treat me coldly and indifferently, like the repair man. I refused to look at it, I just let them do everything and they told me it was going to need stitches. I was just freaking out thinking "am I losing the tip of my finger? am I now going to be the funky girl with the story of how I chopped off my own finger?" I couldn't bear to look.
I called Trav to come get me (fresh tears) b/c I was afraid I'd pass out. I cannot handle blood, mostly my own. He promptly went to Jonah's school to get me instead of Payton's. After sorting it all out, we arrived at the doctor. They cleaned it and offered for me to look at it again. Instead I chose to lay down. I cut it in a curved away across my nail and finger tip but it could be glued which is what they did. Literally, they used household super glue! Amazing! My finger and nail will look funky for awhile, but it should heal eventually.
It's throbby and warm, so I'm always just holding it up. I'm supposed to baby it for three days so I don't re-open it (sick!). So no dishes or major stuff for me, hey, I can't even put folded laundry away without it taking forever. So I'm taking my day pass and I'm watching a movie tonight with a cup of tea while Trav's working, and I've saved all the dishes for him.:) I've typed this whole blog without using my left pointer. You never realize how important all your digits are till you chop one and it gets taken away...

The Jiggelys

About three years ago I attended a conference where one of the main session speakers was a woman in her mid 30's. She was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and was of a slender build by all means. However, she had a habit of pointing her arm out straight a lot to emphasize herself and every time she did her upper arms jiggled. She was a great speaker, but I'm embarrassed to say that a lot of her message was lost on me b/c I was fascinated by her repeated arm jiggles and kept watching for them. They were pronounced.
Well, it's come full circle b/c I too am now in my mid 30's and all of a sudden I've developed the jiggelys myself. It's like I turned 34 and my arms decided instantly to go flabby despite my regular push ups and pilates. They're a distraction. I'll point my arm out straight to show my kids something or give instruction and my peripheral catches extra movement in my arm after I've stopped moving.
The wonders of an aging body.
Bring it on.

For Mama Sue

Here's my chili egg puff recipe that's almost univerally liked by all except small children:)

10 eggs beaten lightly
8oz mild green chiles
16oz cottage cheese
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted butter
12-16oz grated Monterey Jack cheese

put cheese in a 9/11 cassarole dish. Mix other ingredients and pour over the cheese. Cover and refigerate 4 hours or overnight. Bake at 350degrees 35-45 minutes and may cook up to 50 minutes till set in the center. Serve with salso

Howdy Shoo!

A few days ago I hear Davey shouting, "Howdy Shoo!" over and over. I didn't think much of it until I heard Trav saying, "Davey you shouldn't say that, it isn't nice." He repeatedly pleaded with Davey to stop, so I wander out to find out what the problem was.
Apparently Mater, from the Disney movie "Cars", has a scene where he shouts, "Holy Shoot!" and Davey was impressed with the phrase and kept copying it. Crazy! I definitely battle with it sounding so funny and wanting to video tape it, but also realizing that we don't want to raise a potty mouth. What's cute is he totally says it with a country twang just like Mater. The joy of kids!

dinner at the Osborne's

So I whipped up a little chili cheese egg puff for dinner tonight for Trav b/c it's his favorite. You have to let it sit in the fridge at least four hours before you bake it. I put it all together and sort of precariously balance it on jars of applesauce and mayonnaise. Big mistake! I open up the fridge and it comes flying out and spills all over the floor. I stared at it for a few seconds, considered my option,s and scooped up the eggy, cheesy, chili, cottage cheesey mess with my bare hands, throw it back in the dish and recover it. It's now baking in the oven just in time for dinner. The cool thing is Trav won't even read this blog till after he eats it.
PS I would NEVER do this for dinner guests. At least I don't think I would, sometimes time is of the essence you know what I'm saying?

Hey kids, so this Sunday is our first with our new youth group that we are leading here at our church. We haven't been on a Sunday yet and our very first Sunday Trav is in charge and leading the study. It's very exciting and a little intimidating. We haven't met most of the students and aren't quite certain what a Sunday looks like for them, how they interact and respond to teaching, etc. Trav is a little nervous but mostly positive about our first day. It's his gift, I envy it. I like to think of all the bad things that COULD happen so we're prepared and quite often I miss out on the joy to be had in what we are doing.

It's such a new experience in every way. Trav was hired right out of college by the Grove, his home church and we stayed for 11 years. We've never had to make our way in a brand new church with brand new people. I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to think or feel about being in a new church. Trav is having a meeting with one of the pastors down at church this afternoon to go over stuff. He's a very nice man, but I don't know him. I knew everyone that Trav worked with for the most part and when he talked about his day I was invested in the people he shared about. Here I'm just learning about people, I don't know them yet. I feel very tired and anxious at the prospect of becoming more engrossed in this new community. It just came second nature before and now it's almost all effort. It's a hard switch.

I do remember my first few years at the Grove and feeling homesick and out of place as I was making friends and getting established. It took time, it wasn't instantaneous. I take comfort in that and know that this too will become home eventually. One day, I might look around and realize, this feels normal, it's home. It just might not be tomorrow or Sunday.

On that note, I'm excited to meet some students and finally put some faces with names and start some relationships. I know once I dive in I will be more invested and anticipating what our role will be with these students. Truly, it is a privelage and very humbling to be a part of their lives and hopefully point them towards Jesus and walk part of their journey with them.

We covet your prayers.

I miss our Overflow kids.

Our perfect day

Saturday we headed out to Monterey with our bikes, a picnic, and high hopes for a great day of biking, eating, and playing at the park. We weren't disappointed! We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was bright and sunny and in the low 70's. We rode our bikes on the bike path that goes along the beach and cliffs. Davey was a champ!

Trevor and Arden told us they had a Ghiradelli's down on Cannery Row and getting one of their hot fudge sundaes was really my whole mission for orchestrating the bike ride and park. I would've been happy just driving 45 minutes for the sundae alone. It also proved to be good motivation to get the kids to ride their bikes all the way there. Chocolate has always been a good motivator for me as well.

Much like his father, Jonah doesn't take a "normal" picture too much anymore.

I love this deep ice cream moment Jonah had. I wonder what he was daydreaming about?

Davey is always pretty generous with the kisses and hugs. I love how cuddly he is. Every once in awhile he'll tell me not to carry him b/c he's "a big boy" and then the next moment he'll tell me he's just a baby and to "please hold you". I was sitting next to him while we were eating and he thought he saw ice cream on my shirt and he said, "Oh mommy, let me help you," and got his napkin and wiped my shirt for me. It was such a sweet moment with my son, I loved his gesture of thoughtfulness.

We needed like 5 cups of water to wash down all the sweetness after we were done, so worth it though!

A rare moment when Payton was ok "being seen" with me. Perhaps it was b/c we were out of town? Today, (Wednesday) as luck would have it, I couldn't go volunteer in her classroom b/c they were doing a practice lock down (the age we live in!) and I wouldn't be able to get on campus. She overheard me telling Trav this and got a slow, evil grin on her face and turned around to face me and said, "really? you can't come?" I asked her why she doesn't want me there and she always mumbles, "b/c I'm just so embarrassed and I get bored if you're there". What is that? I've had to promise not to talk to her when I do go. I might bust out in song and a crazy dance right in front of her table just to show her.

We ended with Dennis the Menace Park which is one of our favorites. The kids were completely wiped out and testy by the time we left. The ride home included dumped pretzels, a sippy thrown in the back of the car in a desperate attempt to NOT share it, yelling, crying, and then three happy kids all pretending to be cats. Go figure.

The day truly was perfect b/c we left the kids with my parents later that night and met my sister Vicki at the Poet and Patriot downtown to see the Wild Rovers, an Irish band, play. Is there any better way to end a day than with rowdy loud Irish music? I submit that there is not!

JuJu Bee

I don't know why I gave Jonah this nickname, but he's had it for years. I really can't explain most of the nicknames I give my poor kids.
He has been such a crack up the last few weeks! His latest interest is being told stories. He wants to hear stories about when someone was surprised or hurt themselves and the stories always have to include the ages of the people involved and what exclamation they gave when they were surprised or hurt. He'll constantly prompt you to give this information if you forget and leave it out. Trav started it when he told a story about falling on a cactus and saying "Yow!" We now have heard stories of bike accidents, volleyball injuries, cheerleading stunts gone awry (that's mine) and various others, but we're starting to run out of exclamations. So far we've used, googalee goo!, yipee ki yay!, Yowzers, and a few more that I can't even repeat they're so bizarre phonetically.
I now hear Jonah making up his own stories. Yesterday he said that when Trav was 14 and He was 12, Jonah got thrown on a beach by a tiger and he ran into a tire and yelled "yippee ki yay!" He has the most vivid imagination.
Age being so important to him, he also uses it to get a dig in at you if you are displeasing him. Last week Trav and I were making him wear long sleeves b/c it was raining and his outfit choice is always mesh shorts, t-shirt, and flip flops no matter what the weather is, so he was very upset. He pointed at me in anger and said, "You're one years old!" and to Trav he said, "And you're three years old! And I'm just forty five!!" He delivered it with passion and we knew just how serious the situation had become. I think I was the lowest age b/c I was pushing the long sleeves the most vocally, at least that's what I think.
He now has his friend Daniel over from school and Davey's been napping so they have had the house to themselves. It has been great to watch them interact. They've played together perfectly this whole time, entertaining themselves without needing any direction from me, taking turns when playing a game, and now Jonah is telling all his make believe stories to Daniel and Daniel doesn't seem to mind. Life is good.

Our rainy day venture

Today my sister and I drove up the coast a few miles to a pumpkin farm off of HWY 1. It started sprinkling as we pulled out of the driveway, and we took a vote whether or not we should go for our squash in the rain. Payton and Jonah voted yes, Davey no, but he had just been woken up from his nap so it negated his vote. So we went for it in the rain with no regrets!

They had a corn maze that the kids ran through and Payton and Jonah peed on (separately). It was either that or find our way out to use a port-a-potty, and if you all know Payton you'd rather gamble on the immediate option. Everytime the kids saw a corn cob on the ground they'd say, "Eww!" Vegetables are so foreign to them!

These were my favorite pumpkins out of the 20 different kinds they had there. They're called La Rouge, and I indulged in one that now graces are front doorstep.

The highlight for Jonah was pulling a wagon round and round trying to pick up any pumpkin he liked. Whenever we'd tell him no, he'd just drop it flat on the ground or toss it over his shoulder depending on how big it was. This must've happened at least 15x. He likes to keep it real.

My sister LOVES brussel sprouts, which are like the only vegetable I won't eat. Who knew they grew on stalks like this? She was excited to go home and cook 'em up. She shared her "collared greens" with me yesterday which I actually didn't mind. She's a faithful farmer's market shopper and a very healthy cook. Trav would starve in her house.

I loved all the different kinds of pumpkins, they were so pretty! It was fun to get pumpkins at a ranch that overlooked the ocean with the rain coming down, it truly felt like Fall. All my pictures from pumpkin patches past in Riverside we are wearing tank tops and shorts and usually quite sweaty. Today we tumbled in to the car mud covered, giggly, and with flushed cheeks, sometimes change has it's upsides!

The Police

I LOVE this album, The Police, Every breath you take-The Classics. It's the best and totally takes me back to the year I was 18 and my crazy friend Lillie Reynolds and I spent so much time together. I can still picture her singing the songs at the top of her lungs while we were driving.
Anyhoo, I listen to it a lot and pretty loud b/c you can't listen to it quietly, and my kids have picked up on it. They have their favorite songs now, one being Roxanne and a few days ago Davey was requesting the song, "about the brother gonna kill me!" He kept saying it over and over and I didn't get it until I remembered "I can't stand losing you" Am I bad mother?:) I love listening to MY music with my kids at full blast with all of us belting it out. Are there any other parents out there with me on this? You can only blast the wiggles, imagination movers, and baby einstein for so long before you start to question reality.
Perhaps one day my own children will be in the record store (did I say record?) and will come across The Police and buy it b/c it brings back good memories of us together in the car and images of me, their crazy mom, singing at the top of my lungs. Ah, and the legacy is passed on...

Joining the Discussion

So I've been using Tom's natural deoderant for years myself. Several years ago I heard it probably wasn't a good idea to stuff your pores with aluminum to keep them from sweating and I thought, "what the heck! Makes sense." I converted Trav to be anti-anti perspirant as well at the same time, but not all the way over to Tom's. You gotta ease him into big changes like this.
But as of a few weeks ago, Trav is totally switched over and we're both proud Tom's customers. I have to say, from personal experience, that the new and improved deoderant with "hops" makes all the difference. I love it.
I've also been using their toothpaste without flouride and it tastes like black licorice. It's so yummy! Trav wanted out immediately so he's now using the kid's toothpaste from Tom's "silly strawberry". He also eats their gummy bear vitamins on occasion as well, I have four children.
Payton just colored a beard and mustache on herself with felt pens, it's gonna be a great day.

It's Not About Me

So, if you've read Trav's blog, you know that we have currently been asked to lead the youth group here at our church in a volunteer position through January. We are really thrilled, honored, and cautiously excited to get involved with the students here. We met together with two of the pastors on staff to talk a little more about the details and what they're hoping for and what Trav and I are hoping for and I left feeling excited, hopeful, and of course a little overwhelmed at the task before us.
I had to leave the meeting early to pick up the kids from my mom's and Trav stayed for youth group tonight so I'm anxious to hear how it went and what he thinks! So here's my speel(sp?) and why it's not about me. I say that I'm all for part time church positions and also working another part time job in the community, but now that it's here, I struggle with the sacrifice of time and money to our family. I say that I'm all for a "simpler" existence, but what if this arrangement entails us continuing to live in this tiny space at my parents' house for a number of years, not just for a "sabbatical" year b/c we can't afford a place of our own. Am I for simpler living now? And with a great attitude? Am I all talk, or do I truly have faith in the one Great Provider that he knows our needs and his provision and timing are perfect?
My life isn't about me and my comfort and my security in physical provision, and yet when we are given this opportunity to serve, my first thoughts immediately all go to me, my family, how it will impact us, what about living on our own again, blah, blah, blah. Of course you have to think about family and make plans, but am I laying my family and those plans on the altar before God and asking him to direct? Am I willing to follow where he's directing if it's mirky and unsure? I just want to snatch it all back and have my ducks in a row you know? Sometimes you construct these dreams of what you think your life should look like and it doesn't always turn out that way, but perhaps they weren't God's dreams for you anyway. Living out your faith and letting go is just really hard sometimes.

Davey got back

This is Davey's style choice most days around the house. Today he's sporting Wiggles underwear with black socks, a long sleeve T, and his bike helmet. It's great to be three!

Davey and Cats

I was talking with Davey about his allergy tests and how he was allergic to soy and dairy and then I mentioned his allergy to cats. He responds with, "Cats! I don't eat cats! Cats are yucky!" I love his take on the world.

Our big boy is 5!

The last of our birthdays, Jonah turned 5 today and I can't believe it. Of course my camera is still in the shop so this is a picture from swimming lessons this summer. It's an "old skool"

pose that he copies after Trav's video that he made for the LIFE conference. We celebrated with a party at Oceanview Park which is his favorite (it's also the site of the notorious pee slide incident with Payton this summer). Nana Sharon and Papa Greg arrived just in time and made his day. Today he came home from preschool with a one foot tall birthday crown on his head and he wore it out proudly with Trav to go bowling this afternoon. He is such a cool kid and we have loved watching him grow this last year. He loves the Imagination Movers, Funniest Home videos and re-enacting them, is REALLY into Peter Pan and wears a tent stake in his pants for a "knife", likes to climb trees, play soccer on Sunday afternoons, play the keyboard, drive really loud cars all over the house, turn on all six roof lights in the Pilot, and on occasion, destroy anything his sister might be working on just for kicks. Sometimes at night when we put him down for bed, he'll snuggle under his covers and dreamily ask, "Is it the napping house mom?" which is a book he likes. He's such a sweetie.

On a lighter note, an Angelina update

So the darn cat that tripped me disappeared for like a day, and I felt terrible. She finally reappeared and very cautiously approached my mom and Davey where normally she runs up to you and tries to get in the house when you open the door. She still won't approach me at all, my mom and Trav think I should feel grateful, at least I won't be face planting in the driveway any time soon.
But this morning I came home from driving Jonah to school and found Angelina hovering over a nice, fat rat that she had killed and placed in her water bowl. She was crouched, looking at me, calmly licking water around the rat. So sick!
We've moved her food and water bowl down the driveway (over the yellow line for anyone who's seen the kids' boundaries Trav painted), so the kids don't play with any of her "prizes".

My Quilt Meltdown

This could be a long one kids. Most of the time I feel good about are move, ok with leaving dear friends and making new ones etc, but sometimes it hits me afresh how much we left behind and I go through a rough patch. This is one of those times.
I was calmly eating my oatmeal wrapped up in my big quilt with pictures from the overflow all over it when the picture with Payton, Jonah, and Katie Boone sitting on the side of the pool at summer camp '06 caught my eye and I just lost it, for like an hour. I was reminded again of the community of friends and families we were a part of and have said goodbye to and it just sucks. I miss it terribly, there I'm crying again. I miss all the crazy summers of us girls bringing all our kids to summer camp and watching them grow up together, I miss friends like Sam and Stacey, who left Jonah's writing on the walls of their home for months b/c it was a sweet reminder for them, I miss that Jonah and Zeke, who have come so far and grown so much, don't get to grow together anymore, I miss pumpkin carving at the McIntyres and walking into a house full of friends that we love and having it feel like home, I miss that another new baby has been born and I don't get to meet her for awhile yet. The friends and families I thought we'd be raising our kids with are simply not to be anymore and I'm grieving it all over again. It is a messy business, this moving, saying goodbye to dear friends, and making new ones. I don't like it.
Perhaps all this is brought up so strongly again b/c we are being considered to lead the youth group at our church in a volunteer position as they are inbetween youth pastors. We are so excited for this opportunity and would be thrilled to help out, but I feel like I'm having to let go of the ministry and students and life we loved in Riverside in order to embrace this new one. It's new leaders, new kids that haven't even met us, it's a scary prospect in some ways. I'd give anything to have just one of our amazing overflow leaders here with us to partner with. It's amazing how having just one person who knows you and believes in you can just boost your confidence. I guess Trav and I will just have to be that for each other! They are also looking at a few other people so hopefully we'll know in a week or so if we will be heading it up. We are very restful in the outcome whatever it may be. God knows what this group of students needs, maybe it will be us, but if not, we are perfecting the art of waiting on God's direction in our lives. Before this opportunity came up we had concluded that God had called us here to Felton and we just hadn't felt released to leave yet, despite some great offers we had received to go elsewhere. So we are content to stay and be faithful here till God says otherwise. Pray for us, we'll keep you updated.

Blasted Angelina

So we have this stray outdoor cat that has adopted us who Payton has named Angelina. She's really sweet and is always looking in all our windows and curls around your legs when you're outside. My mom has said numerous times, "that cat is going to trip me one of these days!" and is always stressed about her rubbing up against her feet and legs. I always smirked inwardly like, "oh mom, just relax", but of course it's me that eats it instead. I was carrying an armload of coats from the car to the house and I could feel her under my foot, so I tried not to put weight down and move my foot aside before coming down, but wherever my foot was she was and I came crashing down to the asphalt. Payton is CRACKING UP! I'm almost crying but just more mad so I'm sputtering b/c I ripped my jeans that are only two months old, got a cut on my knee, ripped a whole in my favorite socks, busted my toe, busted my elbow, AND tore my flip flop and it's irreparable (yes I wear socks with flip flops casually around the house).
Once Payton realized I was hurt she went and got me boo boo cleaner, neosporin, and a band aid and doctored my knee up like an expert. It was sweet to have my seven year old minister to me and it brought me back to a healthier perspective. But I'm still mourning the socks and the jeans and the flip flops are in the trash. We haven't seen the poor cat since the incident. I don't even know if I landed on her or not!

The Poo Poo Mystery

I heard Payton screaming from the bathroom the other day and I walked in to see her "poised" and distressed b/c she really needed to go, but alas there was poop smeared all over the toilet seat! The funny thing is there was a pile of poop in the toilet as well but not one square of toilet paper with it. I immediately checked Davey out b/c of course it's the baby, but he was squeaky clean. I never did check Jonah, perhaps I was afraid of what I might find? They all got baths that night regardless.

My baby

I took Davey to the allergist today for 33 scratch tests on his back. They did Jonah's six at a time, but Davey had all of them done individually. It was miserable, I'm sure his screams scared some poor kids down the hall, but he recovered pretty quickly. He's not as allergic as Jonah thank goodness, but he's got some issues of course. Dairy and soy both rated threes which is notable, so I'm attempting to take him off those for a month to see how he does which should be a blast b/c the only protein the boy gets is from these two products! Peanuts were a four so that's out, any ideas for how to get my boy some protein? I walked out with five perscriptions, but I only filled three. I struggle with not following completely what a doctor tells me, but I seriously am not ready to put him back on steroids. It's such a delicate line to walk with what advice do you heed, what do you reject, and every doctor will tell you something different. I just want my boys to thrive. Jonah has been near perfect since moving except for a few cat episodes. I just need to figure Davey out. Wish us luck!

Jimmy Eat World at the Catalyst!

Trav and I went to the show downtown last night and they were fantastic! When I heard they were coming to town a month ago, I immediately bought tickets for Trav and I to surprise him, and of course when he came home I lasted all of five minutes and had to tell him. The catalyst is a small venue, and there was great energy in the crowd. I hadn't been to a concert since Dave Matthews back in '96, so it's been awhile. It was loud, hot, sweaty, and I could feel the music pumping in my chest, I loved it! Maybe I'm not as old as I thought...
One of our friends from community group at church is cousins with Zach the drummer and they surprised us with two backstage passes! We got to meet Zach, who seems like a really great guy, and now we can say we've seen the inside of a rock star's tour bus.:) They put on a great show and we got to watch it up front about 10 feet from the side of the stage with nice cushy seats. It's the only way to see a show as far as I'm concerned!

Old Navy bit me in the Butt!

I casually sat down to write some bills this morning when I saw that my Old Navy bill was for 251 smackers. I panicked b/c we don't live by Old Navy anymore and I haven't shopped there but twice since moving, once with a gift card, and the second was a $18 purchase a week ago. I remembered a month ago to finally change my address on my old navy account, I totally lapsed on that (I did remember the 112 other address changes we needed to make when we moved!) I closed myself in the kids room with the door closed hoping to shed some light on my bill with a friendly service person. The kids kept coming in and out screaming and driving their insane loud cars around me, I should've chosen the bathroom to sequester myself. Anyhoo, it turns out I made a $79 purchase in Corona before we moved in February and it accrued $170 in fees over these six months! I don't even remember what I bought, perhaps I thought I needed something cute before we moved? I don't know. We never carry a balance on anything, I couldn't believe what I did!
We've had all our mail forwarded, but I've never once received an old navy statement, which is why I probably forgot to change the address. The guy was so nice and removed the service charges without my even asking! Yay! I then spent 15 minutes on the computer, losing my salvation, to set up a payment account on line so I could pay my bill on time. I had to set up like 10 security measures and then the screen dropped me, and I had Davey dancing around me, "I want to play playhouse Disney!!!"
Old Navy and I are friends again, and this too shall pass, but it was a close one!