Before the harassment starts again...

I don't have internet at home anymore so my posts will probably be more limited than usual. See you after the new year? LOL

What happened?

7 years ago today I checked into the hospital, 9 months pregnant, weighing in at 175 pounds. Nine months pregnant...175 pounds! I am currently at 199 pounds. "Diet-Take 1" crashed and burned. I am officially starting "Diet-Take 2." Good-bye Dr. Pepper. Maybe I'll give your cousin Diet Dr. Pepper a whirl.

Halloween.

Halloween was 5 days ago. I am sooo very sorry for letting these five days pass without sharing the photos of my adorable children in their adorable costumes. My cousin Julie posted her photos on the day of Halloween. She is a much better mother than I am.

Here are my Cyborg Alien, Senorita, Cheerleader, and Ninja for your enjoyment.
Here is my pumpkin butt. (pun intended)

Here are the pumpkins that were carved.And here is Daddy and Alice passing candy out to trick-or-treaters. If anyone would like to see any more Halloween themed pictures from our household, please ask.

Week Four, Day Two

Still holding at 195.

Just FYI...

I am back from the park now. Yes, it did only take an hour to load our bikes, drive to the park, ride around the parking lot long enough for me to be sore and out of breath, and then drive back home. Matt is now upstairs running me some bath water.

Week Three, Day Four

Sorry Julie! Didn't realize you were that interested in my weigh-ins. I, on the other hand, am very interested in your weigh-ins. You should be losing about 10 pounds in the next week! And I am sure that I will be one of the very first people to hear when there is some action since I've poured the guilt on pretty thick the last couple times something has happened. LOL. Anyway. Week Three was a flop. I'm back up to 195. But, I am on my period so I've decided that this is a "bye week." Matt is out in the garage getting our bikes ready for my first attempt in ten years. I hope what they say about riding a bike is true. Pray for me.

Week Two, Day One

Down to 192 pounds! That's 5 pounds in one week!

Week One, Day Two

I went back and forth on whether or not to post this on my blog. But then I realized that there is probably a total of three people who actually read this, so what's the big deal? I started a diet yesterday, weighing in at 197 pounds. I'm looking to get down to at least 150. I'm going to track my progress on my blog. So, if you find this boring, I'm sorry; but no one is forcing you to read this anyway.

True Love.

Some people believe “True Love” only exists in fairytales and movies. Although, I personally believe that all of those unbelievers secretly dream of finding it for themselves someday. No one is guaranteed it. There are a few fortunate ones who actually do find it. I am one of them. I have been blessed.

I remember the day that we met. I remember the excitement I felt. Knowing that my eyes had never before seen anything so gorgeous. I remember the first touch. The electricity. It was magical. I can not believe the way I feel when we are together. Like a brand new woman. Like I have the whole world at my fingertips with limitless possibilities.

What did I do to deserve such a rare and precious gift? I may never know. All I know is that the Good Lord has chosen to bestow this blessing upon me and I should never take it for granted. That’s why I want to publicly declare my love for all to hear. I, Pamela, now and forevermore, love and cherish my new bathtub.

Paradise!

Here is my new tub. I love it!
The tub surround color is called "Tahiti Blue". We are going to try to get a matching vanity top, (after we replace the vanity.) The very next project though is building a new linen closet. The old one was taken out to provide room for the tub.

More Good Stuff!

I just got the mail and in it was a Mother's Day card from my favorite cousin! And inside the card was a beautiful necklace! Thank you, Julie! I love it!

Happy Mother's Day!

Somehow Mother’s Day got a little out of control this year. Back a couple of months ago, my wonderful fiancé announced that he would like to put in a bathtub for me for my wedding gift. I was thrilled. We’ve only got a shower right now and taking baths is one of my favorite things to do. So I graciously accepted and we put in an order with a contractor. (BTW, we are not talking about just any plain old tub; we are talking about a Kohler Jacuzzi tub!) Installation was scheduled for the end of May.

Then the wedding got postponed. So the bathtub installation was then dubbed a Mother’s Day/birthday/Christmas gift. Which was fine with me, after all, it cost much more than we would normally spend on a year’s worth of special occasions.

As Mother’s Day neared I seemed to start “collecting” Mother’s Day gifts. It seems that a lousy bathtub was not enough to reward me for my mothering duties. A couple weeks before, I was treated to a pedicure and a new pair of “yoga sandals”, which are much like flip-flops but have a separator between every toe instead of just the first two. One week before, we got a babysitter and Matt took me to dinner at Applebee’s and then to see a play at a local community theatre. The next day, the kids took me to lunch at the Olive Garden and presented me with a hanging basket of purple petunias, a dress, a blouse, and assorted cards. A few days before, I received a shiatsu massager that I had drooled over in the Wal-Mart flyer. The day before, I got four new Willowtree figurines, one representing each of the children. And finally, on the actual Mother’s Day, Ariel and Hannah gave me two little birdhouses that they painted themselves.

I love all the gifts I received and am very flattered by the outpouring. I don’t feel as though I am worthy. Now I must go plan for Father’s Day as I have a big act to follow.

Uninvited Guest.

There is a mouse in my house. I slept in Hannah's bed last night. (The top bunk.)

Bloody Navel.

A cross between a Bloody Mary and a Fuzzy Navel? Ehh...not so much.

Pinky the Octopus (2009-2009)

Yesterday we suffered a great loss in our household. Pinky the Octopus died at the age of 3 weeks due to natural causes. We met Pinky the last time Hannah visited her one set of grandparents who frequently shop at the dollar store. Pinky was a pink rubber, liquid-filled toy octopus who quickly became a beloved member of the family. He was cute despite the fact that he only had one eye. (An injury from the war which was a sensitive topic of discussion.) He was kind of like a stress toy. You squeezed him and different parts of him bulged out bringing great joy to all. Last night while tidying up the living room and straightening the throw pillows on the couch I discovered our little pink friend. I picked him up and decided to give him a couple of squeezes on his trip to the bottom of the staircase where he would then catch a ride with the next person going up. It was on his second squeeze that he gave up the battle. The pressure was too great and his frail little body just couldn’t take anymore. Pink octopus guts spewed forth. All over me, the coffee table, the floor. The goop shot about four to five feet in every direction. Matt was on the phone with his mother when it happened. I let out a shriek. Matt gave me a very confused look, wondering what on earth the commotion was about. It took a minute to sink in that the octopus in my hand was now flat and there was pink ooze splattered all over the place. We both busted out laughing. I had to break the news to Hannah this morning. She seemed to take it rather well. I tried to stress that the passing process was very quick and it was likely that Pinky did not suffer. Services will be held Tuesday morning curb-side, where friends and family will gather for a brief celebration of Pinky’s life before his earthly remains are taken to their final resting place of the Akron City Dump via the Akron City Department of Sanitation. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Pinky’s memory to the ASPCRA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Rubber Animals.)

...and Pam Came Tumbling After.

So I fell down the stairs again yesterday, and this time I decided to really do it right. I'm pretty sure I broke my tailbone. I've been told that they don't do anything for a broken tailbone besides prescribe pain medicine and an orthopedic pillow. I've already got both of those. So I don't see much point in going to the doctor just so he can send me a bill. I did try to "mix it up" a little bit. This time I went down the basement stairs. I've also been told that it may take a good 4 to 6 months for it to heal. Which is great considering my wedding is in 4 months. That should be fun. Maybe I can get my butt pillow sewn right into my dress.

Rub-a-dub-dub, Mom's Stuck in the Tub.

So we take the kids to the Dairy Queen after the cub scout meeting last night. We get there a little after 8pm. Matt and the kids are up at the counter ordering while I am reserving our table. Just then my cell phone rings. It's my mother. She says that she's been stuck in her bathtub since 3pm. She took her telephone into the bathroom with her while she was taking her shower just in case anyone called. Apparently someone did call. It was one of her friends. She explained to him that she had been stuck in the bathtub for 5 hours and he suggested that she either call her daughter or 911. She chose me. So Matt and I drive an hour to Wooster, free my mother, and then drive an hour back home. So...Mom's moving to Akron, and staying out of the bathtub in the meantime.

Trip to the Vet.

Have you ever tried to coax a 42-year-old that you've only known for less than a year, and just moved in with 10 weeks ago, into the back of a van? (Hint: use doggie treats.) I get to go back next Tuesday with his brother. He's far more naive and not as heavy.

Invitations!

The wedding invitations arrived today! They were dropped off by the nicest UPS man in the world. They were packed safely inside the best plain brown box in the world. Inside that box was some lovely brown paper. Under that brown paper was the most wonderful plain black box in the world. Inside that box was some fabulous tissue paper. Under that tissue paper were the perfect, most beautiful wedding invitations in the world. (I'm a little giddy if you couldn't tell.)

Grandma.

Everyone who knows me well, (heck, everyone who knows me even a moderate amount,) knows that I have a crazy grandmother. That's how I identify her. I say, "My grandmother, you know, the crazy one," and everyone just nods their heads because they know exactly who I'm referring to. And they never question as to why I refer to her the way that I do. She has made a reputation for herself. They all have had the privilege of talking to her on the telephone. She has always called everyone I know randomly. I don't know why. She's called my ex-boyfriends and ex-husbands, along with my ex-in-laws. Most of them have caught on though and let her leave them a message in their voicemail. My mom hasn't figured that one out though. My grandmother calls my mother (her ex-daughter-in-law) regularly. Then I usually get a phone call from my mother complaining about how Grandma is running up her cell phone bill. Then the next time I talk to my grandmother she tells me how she can never get my mother off of the phone. She calls my cousin Julie and tells her what a horrible granddaughter I am. She'll make up these crazy stories about things I've stolen from her or awful things I've said to her. Then I get a call from Julie asking me if I knew that Grandma feels the way she does about the topic of the hour. And of course I have no idea what she's talking about. I'm thankful that Julie has the sense to know that Grandma suffers from some arterial flow problems and is in her own little world. It's always fun though to hear what soap opera scene I've participated in in Grandma's imagination. The latest one is that I took the money Grandma gave my daughters for Christmas, which was intended to buy clothes with, and took Matt out to a big fancy dinner? First of all, Grandma did give the girls Christmas money, $10 each. But then she had them put it in their "secret hiding place" at her house for safe keeping. So I never touched the girls' Christmas money. And secondly, $20 would not touch any "big fancy dinner" that Matt and I eat. It would cover a trip though a drive-thru and that's about it. I mean, really? What kind of mother am I? My children are running around naked because I needed a Whopper and some onion rings? Yes, I understand that complaining about this to the world makes no sense because Grandma is never going to change. I just needed to vent. I'm done now.

Easter Outfits.

Well, it took 2 days and trips to 4 different Wal-marts, but I found the kids' Easter outfits. They are all cornflower blue. The reason I had to go to 4 different Wal-marts was because the dress I wanted for Ariel was not available in her size at the first 3. But, I eventually found it. Never give up, never surrender. Galaxy Quest was a great movie.

I Bought A Dress!

I went to David's Bridal with Angie yesterday and bought a dress. I really like it. I'm not allowed to put any details about it on here though because Matt reads this. So let me know if anyone has any questions. I'm still up in the air about what the rest of the bridal party is going to wear. I've gone from navy to bright purple to dark purple to silver and now I'm considering blue? Just different shades of blue. Lighter for the kids and darker for the adults.

Long Time, No Blog.

I got engaged on December 10th. I love my ring. Matt picked it out all by himself. It’s not like anything I’ve ever had before. (And that’s hard to do once you are on your third engagement ring.) I did get laid off from my job as of December 19th, they closed down the factory. It was only supposed to last until January 19th, but then I got a letter saying that it was going to last at least until the end of February. So now I am a stay-at-home mom. Which I am enjoying. Due to the layoff, I am being evicted from my apartment, and my van got repossessed. Which doesn’t sound good, but is not so bad. We are living with Matt now. The girls started attending school in Akron after Christmas vacation. They have adjusted to their new school just fine. School uniforms are required, which I LOVE. No more morning battles over what they do or do not want to wear. It’s wonderful. Matt bought a different used, although newer, van for me to cart children around in. It’s red. :)

Still working on getting the rest of my belongings out of my old apartment. The winter weather has been working against us. Maybe once we get that finished I can start planning the wedding. We set the date for July 4, 2009. We announced our engagement at Matt’s family’s Christmas celebration a few weeks before Christmas. Everyone gave us hugs and said “Congratulations” and was so happy for us. We then announced our engagement at my dad’s house the day after Christmas, to which my step-mother replied, “Yeah, I heard.” Lovely, don’t you think? Anyway, we do have a location and caterer (thank you Francis family), a photographer (thank you Koloini family), and a DJ (thank you Mr. Congo.) I’ve also received other offers to help with other assorted wedding tasks (thank you Sickler and Schul families.)

Christmas went well. We stayed at home with the kids on Christmas Day. Matt bought me a new bike and I bought him tickets to see the Tran Siberian Orchestra. The show was on December 30th and we had a great time.

I got a new cell phone (also red), and it came with a new cell phone number. If you need the number just leave me a comment and I’ll make sure you get it.

All the kids participated in the Cub Scout pinewood derby on January 25th. Hannah won third place in the family division and got a trophy. It is her first one. She was so excited. I wasn’t there to see it though. I went to Matt’s sister’s house for that weekend to go to a quilting class with his mom and two sisters. It was a lot of fun. He really does have a great family. Both of his sisters have declared that they are my favorite sister-in-law. We scheduled another family quilting fest for the end of February.

Matt’s grandmother landed herself in the hospital last week and went home with a bright, shiny, new pacemaker. Everyone says that she is doing well.

Today was “COSI on Wheels” day at the school. The kids had fun. I was there as a volunteer all day and they fed us pizza at lunch time. (Had to put that in because you know it’s all about the food.) The girls and I went to the real COSI back in October. I told the boys that I would try to arrange another trip this summer so that they get to go too. (Yes, Julie, we will be needing our tour guide again, let me know when you are available.) :)

I’m sure that many of you are aware that the new season of American Idol is underway. I’m very excited. BTW, I am totally addicted to TIVO now. Can’t live without it. Also, congratulations go out to the Steelers on their sixth Superbowl victory. Woo-hoo!

I think that’s all for now.