the good part

The Stinker

2011-02-06T21:28:00.003-05:00

I know I have shared this with many of my family and friends, but it is time to make it public. My smallest stinker REALLY IS a little stinker.

There is something wrong with child #3. In the past two weeks, she has pooped in the tub 4 times. And that is exactly the number of times I've bathed her in the last two weeks (I'm going to win the mother of the year award, I know).

Not only does this stinky kid like to poop in the tub, she has a problem with the toilet. You see, she really likes to eat things or suck on things that have been dipped in toilet water. I've caught her dipping her binkie in the toilet several times as well as an apple that her sister had "shared" with her. She also enjoys peed on toilet paper, in case you were wondering. And it's not just at our house. The other day she decided to use a cup to drink straight from the potty while I was teaching piano lessons at my students' house.

I'm at my wits end. I try and keep the door shut at our house, but it just won't stay shut. Why can't everyone in the house just stop using the bathroom? I've thought about using a toilet lock, but if we can't even shut the door, do you think the toilet is going to stay locked?

The only good thing about the whole potty-mouth debacle is the future blackmail for when she's a teenager. Just wait until she has a date come to pick her up. (Insert evil snicker.)

Suggestions would be appropriate and appreciated. . . .

Surprise!

2011-01-12T22:51:00.005-05:00

We are still alive!

Unfortunately, due to some computer issues (and a lot of laziness) we have not blogged in, um, 6 months. So what has happened in the last 6 months?

Can I sum it up in a hundred words or less?

Last summer was hot.

Allie had swimming lessons.

We went to Utah.

Allison started school.

Allison loves school.

Allison played soccer.

Lindsay started "mommy school".

Allison and Lindsay started dance.

Lindsay has learned to communicate without having a tantrum. (mostly)

Lindsay decided to become an artist when she grows up.

Sarah learned to walk.

Sarah learned to run.

Sarah learned how to climb.

Sarah learned how to climb on the kitchen table.

Sarah learned how to climb on the back of the couch and jump off.

It's a miracle Sarah is alive--though she does have several cuts and bruises.

Halloween was fun.

Thanksgiving was fun even though everyone threw up sometime over the holiday weekend.

Our trip to St. Louis and St. Paul/Minneapolis was fun.

Christmas with Jamie's family was fun.

New Year's with Steve's brother and his family was fun.

Steve is alive and happy.

Jamie is alive and cranky.

All is normal.

Our computer issues have been resolved, so I'm hoping to start posting more frequently.

For Grandma

2010-07-11T22:46:00.009-04:00

This blogging thing ain't goin' so good. I had every intention of writing a post a few weeks ago, but I didn't have camera to download pictures from. When I finally got the camera from Steve, trying to get the software to work and even just hooking up the camera to the computer was painful. At one point, I had to contort myself into a position that I almost had flashbacks of leaving the womb.

Anyway, the point is this. I put a lot of effort into getting the computer ready to receive my witty insights into our exciting lives. And I don't have much energy left to provide said witty insights. So no complaints from the peanut gallery.

The happenin's 'round here:

May:

Allison's dance recital was just so much fun. She danced a ballet routine and a tap routine. She was amazing and adorable. . . just like always. She is the last one on the left in the above picture.

We remodeled the kitchen and dining room. This is the only picture that even remotely relates to that remodel--note the green painter's tape in the background. I do have before pictures, just on a different camera. And if you think I'm going to go through the process of downloading those pictures. . .

We had a bout of the upchucks. Notice that they are using towels as blankets. We went through that much laundry.

We went to a graduation for our brother-in-law. I'm not even sure if this is his picture. I think it is, but Steve was taking some pictures of random graduates.

Allison graduated from pre-school. What an accomplishment!

Teacher Mrs. Strominger and Big Al

Steve's brother John visited with his family. We had a blast and the kids played so well together. (Once again, I have more pictures. They are just on the other camera.) This is Sarah (right) and her two cousins, Tanner and Brian.

JUNE

June was full of good times. We've spent a lot of time reading together, playing the backyard sprinklers, and having "mommy school". In fact, we've done these things so much that they are starting to lose their appeal, especially for me.

Lindsay had her 3rd birthday. She was so impressed by Allison's Pinkalicious party that she wanted to have a Purplicious party. So we had a purple pajama party with our family. Fun, fun, fun!

Please notice my AWESOME skills at cake decorating. It looked like someone threw up on the cake.

Steve decided to leave me alone with three sick kids while he went and lived in the lap of luxury. Yes, that is the seaside RESORT he stayed at.

Super Lindsay saves the day!

Note: I am not very adept at using Steve's camera.

July

We had a great visit with Grandma and Grandpa Gammon. They helped us around the house. We went to a parade and the zoo. Good times!

Pink cowboy boots really do go with anything. Right?

Sarah finally cut her first tooth:

And last but not least, this is what happens when you walk in the other room while your kids are using scissors for a "craft."

You see this is how it will go down. The oldest will say to the youngest, "See what I can do?" And she will cut off a small chunk of hair in the back. Then the younger child will proceed to style her own hair into the awesomest mullet ever seen.

This actually looks better than it did after she first did it. I cut part of the mullet off in the back.

I was going to get the girls hair cut in the next week or two anyway. Now it will just be a little shorter than planned.

And that's that.

Promise?

2010-06-22T21:15:00.002-04:00

We're still here.

I promise.

I'm waiting to get the necessary stuff hooked up to our computer so we can download pictures for the last 3 months.

I'll do it this weekend.

Promise.

April (and a little March)

2010-04-30T21:16:00.004-04:00

Okay, the review of the month.

Steve: Matched in trauma orthopaedics fellowship in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Has been busy, busy, busy.

Jamie: Stressing over remodeling our kitchen

Allison: Excited about her dance recital next week.

Lindsay: Loud. (but still cute)

Sarah: Crawling and pulling herself up on the furniture.

Pictures from New Orleans trip:

Beach near Biloxi, Mississippi.

Lots of alligators on the swamp tour.

Taking in some of the local architecture:

Steve puts aside his fear of turtles and holds this monster. (He's really crying inside.)

Sarah really loves alligators. Really.

Back at the ranch, Allison "helps" Lindsay learn how to ride the tricycle.

You Get What You Get and You Don't Get Upset

2010-03-31T22:55:00.006-04:00

Acckk! I made a goal to at LEAST post something once a month. And it's the last day of the month at 11:00pm. I'm cutting it pretty close.

Okay, 10 points to someone who knows what book the blog title is from. (Hint: it rhymes with a famous bubble gum brand. ) I volunteered in Allison's class last week and the kids in her class kept saying variations on this saying--"you get what you get and you don't get chicken pox" or " you get what you get and you don't get a banana." I'm not sure why it was so funny, but they just couldn't stop giggling.

Anyway, when I went through my camera tonight and found 3 pictures I was reminded of our little saying. So here it is:

Exciting, eh? The other pictures are a variation on "an ode to craigslist patio furniture." We took a lot of pictures, but unfortunately they are on Steve's work camera and Rachel's camera. So I'll have to post pictures later. And remember, you get what you get and you don't get a popsicle.

So to summarize this month:

Steve and Jamie: Wild trip to New Orleans! With a baby! What fun! With Steve's bosses! Oh joy!

Allison: Turned 5 this month. Had a FABULOUS birthday. Loves her new bike. Thinks she's pretty grown up now and will be able to drive and date next week.

Lindsay: Inherited the tricycle. Has no clue how to ride it. Thinks it's fun anyway. Has severely damaged my hearing with all the shrieking she does.

Sarah: Wild trip to New Orleans! Late nights! Long car drives! What joy! What fun! (Have I used enough exclamation points yet?) Will be crawling very soon!

Next month: Pictures! Fellowship location announcement!

Status Quo

2010-02-21T22:50:00.005-05:00

Hi!

Everyone is happy and lovin' life here, like always.

Here are our updates:

Sarah's fat, like always.

Lindsay's been eating lots of candy while wearing a tutu, like always.

Allison's been having a good time, like always.

Steve's gone, like always.

(Insert invisible picture of Steve)

And I'm feeling slightly insane, like always.

For example, here are a few shots of things I've found around my house lately.

The shadow of another toy. . .

Am I the only one who finds this slightly odd? Is the universe trying to tell me something?

(This is NOT an announcement in any way.)

Grossed out yet?

2010-01-22T13:54:00.002-05:00

Okay, so here is the good news. Lindsay is potty trained!!! Woohoo!!

So here is the bad, gross, disgusting news.

A couple nights ago I walked into the bathroom while Lindsay was sitting on the potty.

She was scrubbing her little bottom with her TOOTHBRUSH. And I mean full crack scrubbing. At least it was just her toothbrush, right?

Hmmm, maybe I should just throw away all the other toothbrushes just in case.

Two months

2009-12-26T21:02:00.000-05:00

In case we haven't seen or talked to you in the last two months, here is what is going on:

Steve has been interviewing for orthopaedic trauma fellowships all over the country. He's been to San Diego, Washington D.C., Dallas, Tampa, Baltimore and will be traveling to Cleveland, Seattle, and Denver in the next few months. He's stayed very busy with work and has had fun interviewing new residents for his orthopaedic program here in Cincinnati.

I had fun traveling to Utah this month with 3 kids under the age of 4 BY MYSELF. I realized what a colossal mistake I was making at the last minute and tried to call the airlines to change our tickets. We ended up going anyway and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how well the kids did. It was one of our smoother trips--I didn't yell or swear and nobody threw up on the plane. It was a miracle. Allison was so helpful, I had no idea she could do so much. We had a great time in Utah visiting family. The kids were so happy that they sobbed when I told them that we had to come home.

Allison is loving pre-school. She asks almost every day if it is a pre-school day. She had a Christmas program last week and was so stinkin' cute in it. She knows all (most) of the words to Rudolph and will sing on demand. She loved playing with her cousins while we were in Utah and told me that she would rather stay with her cousins than live with us. Hmmm, tempting. Allie also had a great Christmas and has been on cloud nine the last two days. Dollhouses, Legos, Polly-Pockets, and gingerbread houses--who could ask for more?

Lindsay has become a little motor mouth. She never stops making noise!!! NEVER!! The problem is that a lot of that noise has turned into temper tantrums and she melts down at least 5 times a day. She makes up for the tantrums and the noise by saying the funniest things. Some days she won't respond to questions unless she is addressed as "puppy dog" and she wanted to ask Santa Claus for bones to chew on. It didn't happen. She got a baby doll and a play vacuum instead. She loves the vacuum and ran the batteries out in about 4 hours. If only it really vacuumed. . .

Sarah is a sweet baby. She is a quiet and serious little thing. I have to constantly remind myself to check on her because she is content to sit quietly and look around. She rarely cries. I think she is making up for Lindsay's noise. Sarah is constantly wiggling and I know she will be an active kid. She is starting to sit up with very little help.

We've had a lot of fun this week. Steve was off the last few days and it has been heavenly. We hung out with some friends on Christmas Eve and then that night we acted out the Christmas story with our little family. Christmas day we just kicked back and relaxed.

The few days before Christmas were HECTIC. I wouldn't recommend taking a vacation the first 2 weeks before Christmas. Steve and I had to pull some very late nights to "help" Santa finish the big dollhouse project. Fun stuff.

Anyway, we are all doing great and are looking forward to the new year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our friends and family.

Thankful

2009-11-22T21:21:00.005-05:00

My mom sent this video to me this week, and I've been thinking a lot about it.

What are you thankful for?

Bits and Pieces

2009-10-31T23:09:00.011-04:00

For all of you who feel like you haven't seen enough of Sarah, here it is.

1 week old:

Yep, she's a little bird:

Chubby now with a hint of a smile:

Awesome picture where I prove that I don't know how to use Steve's camera:

With her new cousin. Notice how HUGE Sarah's head looks. That's how we make them, folks. Short, chubby, with humongous heads.

Lindsay is fabulous wearing my lipstick:

We try to find colored leaves, but all we can find on our nature walk is a couple of green and brown leaves.

My girls looking fancy:

Super fun time playing in the leaves:

Is that a giant purple dinosaur I see? Allison's school project:

Steve has been all over the country this month. Here he proves that he can travel from sea to shining sea in a matter of a week:

Washington DC

San Diego, CA

Allison went to the best party ever and came home looking like this:

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. I give you, Halloween.

A witch and a bunny:

Fancy Nancy and her friend Piggy:

Two ladybugs and a Fancy Nancy:

Can you tell we had a "spook"tacular time?

Sarah was glad just to survive the night:

September

2009-10-02T22:28:00.002-04:00

Quick update with pictures:

Nice shorts.

The three musketeers:

A rare happy moment:

The first day of pre-school:

Favorite purple dress:

A baby blessing:

Genetic testing for the midget:

(Result is she's fine. She's small.)

Oktoberfest. It was awesome. And we were the only ones not carrying around a mug of beer--I can only imagine how much fun it would have been if we were drunk.

Allison and Lindsay build an ark. We're still waiting for that flood:

Introducing . . .

2009-08-27T21:17:00.007-04:00

Sarah Gammon

Baby Sarah was born on August 10, 2009 at 10:40 am. She was 6 lbs and 18 inches long.

Everyone loves her lots (even Lindsay).

Sarah is a good sleeper.

Allison and Lindsay made this amazing poster for the birthday party we had for the baby.

We had lots of fun with Grandma and Aunt Tricia while they were here. They were lifesavers!

Allison is very eager to help with the baby. Sometimes a little TOO eager.

And she is getting better at holding the baby.

Steve is dealing with the abundance of estrogen quite well. He is the BEST dad.

In fact he is such a good dad that he took Allie and Lindsay to the zoo for his work party. The girls loved it!

Really, Lindsay had a good time.

Really. I promise.

At least Allison was happy.

A New Addition, the Lack of a New Addition, and the SWAT Team in My Flower Beds

2009-08-02T21:11:00.005-04:00

Okay, so here is what's up with us. Sorry that there aren't any pictures.

1. We bought a van. Steve's car decided it was done. I can't say I was disappointed, the car was a health hazard. Our friend found us a great deal on a 2001 Honda Odyssey and so now we are the proud owners of a minivan. Nothing says hip and young like a minivan, right?

2. Yep, I'm still pregnant. We should have the child by next week at the latest. I'm hoping for sooner. Tuesday sounds good doesn't it? Tuesdays are good days to have babies I think. Tuesday we'll have a grandma here to help out with the other little varmints. We're still open for suggestions on names for varmint #3, so if you have any. . .

3. The kids love their new room. I've just got to finish the binding on Allison's quilt and then I'll post some pictures.

4. Potty training was NOT successful. We had some days when I thought we might pull it off, but in the end it didn't happen. We'll try again in a few months.

5. Last week was quite the adventure. In addition to losing a car, finding a car, and planning a party at our house, last Wednesday I looked out the window and what did I see? The SWAT team standing on my lawn. Our neighbor apparently was threatening to commit suicide and had a weapon. At one point we heard a loud boom and we thought he shot himself or someone else. (I guess the SWAT team uses some kind of distraction smoke bomb thingy to disorient people before breaking down doors--just a little FYI, in case the SWAT team ever comes to your house.) The neighbor and his family were okay, and he is currently getting treatment, but it was weird there for a while.

6. Things have really calmed down around here. We're all doing well and will try to update again in the next two weeks.

Delayed Vacation Pictures and Updates

2009-06-29T14:49:00.006-04:00

So, it's a no go on the dance recital video. Why? Because I'm too lazy to get it from Rachel's camera.

Here is our super fun vacation to Carolina Beach, NC.

It was pretty chilly when we got there so we went to the aquarium to check out the fishies.

Steve and Allison practiced their "best" pirate faces.

Then Steve got eaten by a crocodile.

We went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina just so we could say we've been to South Carolina.

We had fun at Carolina Beach with the kids. Lindsay loved splashing in the water as long as it didn't cover her knees.

Our nephew Harry had fun in the sand.

Some of us tried boogie boarding. Even Allison tried it once and managed to ride a wave all the way in. Woohoo! Good times.

We saw a really big ship.

Then we knew it was time to come home.

Updates on the family:

Steve: Applying for trauma ortho fellowships. Will start interviewing in the fall. Recently won an award for resident teaching. (Atta boy, Steve.) Enjoying mowing the lawn.

Jamie: Nesting and creating new projects that she probably won't finish. Has 5 weeks of pregnancy or less. Woohoo! Feels like a beached whale most of the time.

Allison: Starting to sound out words. Loves creating "cards" and interesting art projects for her friends. Really wants to play soccer this fall and is excited for school. Loves to help me water the plants and wants to run through the sprinkler every day.

Lindsay: Potty training. Moved to a big girl bed. NEVER stops talking. Still a midget. Wants to do everything big sister wants to do. Is so much fun when she's in a good mood.

Dancing Queen

2009-06-02T19:14:00.005-04:00

Here's a little something for my mom on her birthday:

We went on a tour of a bagel bakery a few weeks ago. We LOVED eating bagels and pitas fresh from the bakery. Here are my girls sporting the trendy hats.

Next came Allison's dance recital. Here are a few shots before the recital--note the super slick hair.

The recital was pretty hilarious. I was watching the poorly shot video the other day with Allison, and she asked me why everyone was laughing. I told her she was just so cute we just had to giggle.

Our video turned out horrible. Rachel and Jesse took some video too. I'll try to add it later this week.

Steve was so proud of his little girl. It's a good thing he had fun. I imagine it will get a little old after 3 girls.

Coming soon:

Rock stars at the beach.

Help!!!

2009-05-28T16:29:00.002-04:00

Hey guys,

I NEED YOUR HELP! In an effort to marry off my last single sister, I entered her into a dating contest. (I know, I'm an evil sister.) The Mormon satire blog Seriously So Blessed is sponsoring the contest and my sister Tricia was chosen out of hundreds of single Mormon women to be a finalist. If she is chosen, she will go out with a guy who sounds really fantastic.

All you need to do help her win the contest is go to the link below and vote for Tricia. Voting closes on Monday, so vote as soon as possible. Please feel free to forward this to anyone else who might know Tricia.

http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/2009/05/mo-matchelor-steve.html

or

go to www. seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com and vote for Tricia to go out with Mo-Matchelor Steve.

It's okay if you feel a need to yawn.

2009-05-10T10:53:00.000-04:00

Hello, is there anyone still out there? Hello?

I've had a case of the blog blahs lately. I have stuff to write, just no desire to sit down and share. (It doesn't help that within 3 minutes of me sitting down at the computer, Lindsay wants to sit on my lap.) Anyway, in the last month and a half we've been to my sister's wedding, had visitors at our house, we've played outside, and just been pretty happy. So that pretty much sums it up.

Here are a few pictures:

Allison loved her beautiful fancy dress for Aunt Paige's wedding:

Lindsay was out of control at the wedding reception:

Allison quickly found a friend to play with. We enjoyed watching the wrestling match later in the evening:

Here we go again!

2009-03-14T09:02:00.002-04:00

I've got to keep this short. Lindsay is "helping" me write this post. We took a family trip yesterday to the doctor's office. And the doctor gave us the news. . .

IT'S A GIRL!

A Recap

2009-02-17T14:07:00.003-05:00

I've had a case of computer-itis lately. Every time I sit down at the computer for more than 15 minutes at a time, I start getting a pounding headache and I feel the need to hurl. I know it is related to the parasite growing in my belly, but it limits me to blog-checking, email, and an occasional episode of Chuck online.

So I'll be snappy.

Here is Christmas:

Good times. Here we try to invite the spiritual into our Christmas holiday by dressing up in my fabric scraps, a few tablecloths, and Steve's ties:

I'm not sure what this is a picture of, but any chance I have to publicly humiliate my husband . . .

(I'm just kidding, honey. You know I love you!)

This is how we plan to fatten up Lindsay:

I know, we are great parents. And to prove it, here is how we teach our kids to pray:

Lindsay hasn't quite figured out the "on your knees" part.

Allison has become quite the little pack rat. Here is her "den" that I found behind the couch. In case you can't quite tell, there is an old apple, a pen, some twisty ties, paper, clean diapers, a comb, a package of old nasty lunch meat, a bowl of dry cereal, the container of honey, and some dress up clothes. Surprise!!!

And here is how we feel about winter:

Goodbye!

G-36 and E-12!

2009-01-18T10:26:00.004-05:00

Clarification from Jamie: This was blogged by Steve. G-36 and E-12 refer to the idea that this baby will be the 36th Gammon and the 12th member of the Ellison family. Jamie does not really like the idea of having a floating otter on our blog, but she is trying to be supportive.

Random again?

2009-01-04T19:03:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I'm too lazy to find our camera to download pictures from the last month. But here are a few random glimpses into our little world.

1. The above picture is probably the most expensive stuffed animal that we own. I estimate his value with all of his stamps at least fifty dollars. I've noticed several blogs that have "giveaways" lately and I thought about hosting a giveaway for this guy. At least I wouldn't have to worry about shipping.

Nah, I'm too lazy.

2. Allison started Sunbeams today. I sat with her class to help some little youngsters stay "super glued" to their seats (seriously, you should try it). It was so fun to watch her with all the big kids. And I'll admit it, I got a little choked up.

3. Lindsay can't run. She's 19 months and been walking for 7 months, but she can't run. Should I worry or just be very grateful?

4. Steve just had a paper accepted to a European orthopaedic journal. They are doing poster presentations in April. Lisbon, anyone?

**I was just informed that he won't be able to travel to Portugal for the presentation. He's too low on the totem pole.

5. We enjoyed spending the holidays at our house. It was nice and kind of laid back.

6. Lindsay's vocabulary is expanding rapidly. Her new favorite word is "nasty." It is pronounced "na-hee."

7. I'm tired and it is only 8:00pm. Goodnight!

Need a little giggle?

2008-12-12T13:25:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I find this totally hilarious. If you want, you can win one at this "seriously, so funny" site.

My quirks

2008-12-02T13:15:00.000-05:00

I was tagged over a month ago by my good friend Heather. I've had a little writer's block for the last, oh say, 6 months. But here is my attempt at the tag. Are you ready for a little too much information? Here are the rules:

"MY UNSPECTACULAR QUIRKS"
1.Link to the person who tagged you
2.Mention the rules on your blog
3.Tell 6 unspectacular quirks about you4.
Tag 6 following bloggers by linking to them
5.Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

1. I am not a deep thinker. One of my friends once told me that she loved to think "deep thoughts." We were 16 at the time, and she was pretty young and immature. But I'm going to admit it. I'm pretty shallow. I spend most of my time thinking about things that are not going to change the world. (My thoughts might change what we are having for dinner. . . )

2. I love a long hot bath. I have a hard time going to bed at night, but have learned that if I soak in the bath for a while, it helps me to relax. I've told Steve that when we build a house one day, we HAVE to have a big ol' jetted tub.

3. I have a large collection of bowls. Yep, bowls. I worked at Pier 1 in college and I developed a love for mixing bowls. I have at least 15 different mixing/serving bowls and I would buy more if Steve would let me.

4. I am a fast reader. I've always loved to read. I read the last Harry Potter book in about 8 hours. I've developed the ability to read super fast, but I'm not very good at information retention. Because of my poor reading retention, I also like to read the same books over and over. I have a collection of about 50 books that I have read at least 5 or 6 times each.

5. I am a picker. Scabs, peeling sunburns, hangnails, etc. I drive my kids and husband crazy. Steve has really dry flaky skin and I am constantly bugging him about scratching it off. I can't stand it when my kids have dirty ears or noses or dry skin. Lindsay had cradle cap when she was a baby and I just about went nuts. She always had flaky skin in her hair because I would scratch her scalp while she was nursing. Grossed out yet?

Just one more.

6. I would rather clean the bathroom than fold laundry. I HATE laundry. I would rather clean toilets for hours than fold laundry and put it away for 20 minutes. This is why I always have a huge pile of laundry sitting on my couch in the basement. But strangely enough, my bathrooms aren't really that clean . . .

I Tag:

Whoever is ambitious enough to try this one.

Our Little Angel

2008-11-15T16:54:00.006-05:00

How is it that this. . .

. . . can become this:

See the whole act:

I'm Baaaaack!

2008-11-14T23:16:00.003-05:00

I am so far behind on this blogging thing. I have two tags, a bazillion pictures, and a lot of venting to do. But for now, here's a little something from Allison:

Overheard at the petstore:

Allison: Mommy, I want a pet. Can I get a pet?

Mommy: No, Allison. We would have to sell Lindsay to the gypsies in order to afford to pay for a dog.

Allison: Oh.

Overheard on the way home:

Allison: Mommy, can we sell Lindsay to the gypsies?

Mommy: Hmmm. . .

Our Summer In Review

2008-09-30T23:21:00.006-04:00

I know summer was officially over last week, but today was the first day that it really felt like fall here. So here is a little review of the good times we had this summer.

We spent lots of time at the fun farm near our house.

Not to mention the funny farm inside our house.

We had fun chillin' with our fam:

And friends:

We had lots of girl time:

And you know that girl time ALWAYS involves chocolate:

Allison played with her sister from another mother:

We went camping in the living room:

We got sick a few times:

Steve relived the glory days of his youth with his very serious brother:

The girls re-discovered their extended family:

Allie met her favorite "kissing cousin"

We went canoeing while Steve's very serious brother took pictures of us:

Allison decided that she LOVES playing in the water.

And last but not least, we taught my very handsome and very single brother to change a diaper. Now the boy has some skillz:

Sorry about the randomness. It's late and I'm a little tired.

The Whole Enchilada

2008-09-12T20:51:00.002-04:00

Okay, these are the BEST ENCHILADAS I'VE EVER HAD. Steve requested them for his last birthday. I would request to eat them for my birthday too, but that would mean I'd have to cook on my birthday. (Sidenote: if anyone else wants to make these for my birthday, that would be super.) If you want me to make them for your birthday, you're going to have to pay me lots of money.

Beef Enchiladas

1(2-3 lb.) roast beef, cooked and shredded
4 cups water
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small can diced chilies
½ (16 oz.) bottle salsa
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. beef bouillon
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese

Cover shredded beef with water. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for 3 to 4 hours. Drain, reserving all liquid. Fill flour tortillas with beef and set aside

Thicken reserved liquid with flour or cornstarch. Pour a small amount in the bottom of a greased dripper pan. Lay beef-filled tortillas in the pan and cover with remaining sauce. Cover with grated cheddar cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

I know that this sounds like a lot of work. IT IS WORTH EVERY MINUTE!! I often use leftover roast beef to make this recipe and only make half. It makes a lot.

Yep. We're still here.

2008-08-27T23:01:00.005-04:00

I know, I know. It has been over a month since I posted last. So here is an update:

Steve's busy saving the world--one broken arm at a time. So much for thinking that his third year would be easier. He's been doing trauma the last two months and it has been rough. He's feeling a little beaten down:

And anytime Steve's feeling overwhelmed, that means I'M feeling the same.

Luckily we took a great trip out to see the fam.

We played:

We hiked (at least one of us did):

We made some new friends:

We looked at ginormous houses:

We got really dirty:

We had a great time:

And now we're back.

Dang.

Lindsay-Lou and Allie too

2008-07-21T23:27:00.003-04:00

For the grandpas and grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins, and any other random people who care:

Have a good day!

Would you like a side of delicious with that?

2008-07-17T20:40:00.003-04:00

Okay, so we had something delectable for dinner tonight. This Fajita Salad from the Cooking Light website is to die for. And I would probably eat the Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce even if you smeared it on a piece of wood. It's that good.

Try it. You'll love it.

(Oh, and did I mention that it only took me about 20 minutes to make? Fabulous!!!)

Welcome to our life

2008-06-30T23:04:00.003-04:00

Steve had a long day at work today and didn't get home until after 8:00 tonight. I let Allison stay up late, but I put Lindsay down early. This is what I heard while Steve and I were saying our prayers tonight at 10:30 . . .

". . . and thank you for our beautiful little girls, Allison and Lindsay. Huh. I didn't even see Lindsay today. . ."

Wow, Steve. Your power of observation is overwhelming. Glad you just picked that up.

Two Little Girls

2008-06-29T22:59:00.004-04:00

What have we been up to lately? Things have been a little a little crazy:

Allison needed another makeover:

Before

After

We finally got Allison to eat her vegetables:

Or maybe not:

It's a good thing that Lindsay loves vegetables. She is such a little angel.

What's that, Lindsay? You also love to eat baking powder? Well that explains this then:

And you also like to eat toilet paper? That's just wrong.

After all that fun, I think it's time for a nap.

A Boo-Boo, a Baby, and a Birthday

2008-06-09T09:26:00.006-04:00

My girls have been busy, busy, busy. Allison decided to take a tumble last week. She skinned her knee pretty good and then decided that she REALLY likes bandaids.

She still loves being a princess. She especially loves dancing with her "prince."

I let Lindsay try some frozen Gogurt the other day. This was her response:

Our other princess had a birthday this week.

She loved her new toys:

And she LOVED the birthday cake. She gets her love of sweets from her daddy.

But she gets her tendancy to make a mess from her mommy.

Lindsay wants to tell you something.

Have a good day!

What a crazy kid

2008-05-30T22:00:00.004-04:00

I can't believe this crazy girl will be one in a week.

(Note: the bad thing about posting pictures on the internet is that you get to see how messy our house is.)

Palmyra, Kirtland, Niagara Falls, and "The North Coast"

2008-05-18T14:55:00.007-04:00

This past week we got to take a much needed vacation. We first drove to Cleveland Ohio and stayed with Steve's Uncle Earl and Aunt Sharlene Mortenson. We visited and waded in the waters of "America's North Coast" as Uncle Earl calls it (Lake Erie). We then drove to Palmyra, New York and visited various LDS church history sites, including visiting the Sacred Grove, seeing the Palmyra Temple, climbing the Hill Commorah, and touring the E.B. Grandon bookstore where The Book of Mormon was first printed. We spent a night in Palmyra and "ran into" an old friend from Steve's home ward in Utah. His old friend (John Giles) is living in Hawaii with his wife and 3 kids and was on vacation too. After Palmyra, we drove to Niagara Falls and stayed a night there. The next day we drove home, stopping in Kirtland for half a day to visit sites there too. The following are pictures from our trip:

Uncle Earl and Aunt Sharlene Mortenson's house in Clevelend

America's "North Coast"

The Kirtland Temple

Larry and Annette Giles (from Steve' home ward) are currently site missionaries in Kirtland. Also pictured is John Giles (their son) and 3 of his kids.

Allison found a bag of markers and was "really quiet" for a while in the backseat before we found up what she was up to. She told us she was a pirate.

Allison in the Sacred Grove.

More Sacred Grove.

The Hill Cumorah is steeper than it looks. Jamie enjoyed watching Steve struggle with the double stroller with the kids.

Lindsay and Steve at the top of the Hill Cumorah

Lindsay and Allison did not like Niagara Falls. They thought it was noisy, misty, and cold.

Steve, on the other hand, loved Niagara Falls.
He also loved blogging this post. Jamie is taking a break from blogging and is now eating bon bons and relaxing in a bubble bath.

Seven things

2008-04-27T23:06:00.003-04:00

My good friend Stephani tagged me a while back and I'm finally getting around to it. So here are the rules:

-Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
-Share seven facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird, whatever you are brave enough to share.
-Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
-Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here it is:

1. I am a huge Anne of Green Gables fan. I love L.M. Montgomery and have all twenty-something books of hers. Someday I would like to make a pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island. Steve thinks I'm crazy, so it will have to be a "girls only" trip. Anyone want to go?

2. I am the great, great, great, great granddaughter of Porter Rockwell. Perhaps I really can blame my tendency to say naughty words on genetics. (Sometimes heredity comes in handy. If I ever decide to become a gun-slinging cowboy, I can blame it all on my wild forbears.)

3. I ran a half-marathon two weeks before I found out I was pregnant with Lindsay. I find a great deal of humor in this--especially when I get winded walking up the one flight of stairs in my house.

4. I get to sleep on the couch tonight. SOMEONE decided to have an "accident" all over my bed and I am currently washing all the sheets and mattress pads. Steve is working, and I find my couch strangely comfortable.

5. That someone was NOT Steve. Or Lindsay. Or me.

6. I am so excited to start planting this spring. Steve made me some beautiful window boxes for my birthday and I've spent hours trying to decide what to plant in them.

7. I love my babies so much. Today in our leadership training one lady talked about how lucky we are to be able to teach such valiant children. It really hit me how lucky I really am. I am grateful to have such beautiful, good little girls. They are smart and happy and fun. I am such blessed woman.

Whew! That was harder than I thought. I'm going to tag my family here. But if anyone else is running out of blogging ideas, consider yourself tagged.

I tag:

Tricia
Natalie
Shelley
Kori and John
Karen and Joe
Rachel and Jesse
Carol and Dave
Serena and Dave

All I wanted was some chocolate ice cream . . .

2008-04-22T21:46:00.003-04:00

I thought we would play a little game tonight. It's called the Bad Mommy game.

Are you ready?

The other day I took the kids to the library. (Good mommy!) I left the library holding a large stack of books and my purse in one arm and Lindsay in my other arm. Lindsay decided to pretend like she was a limp noodle and start sliding down one leg. I reached the car just as she was dangling by her arms and neck under my tightened grip. (Bad mommy!) I threw the books on the hood of the car and started to scoop her up. Forgetting that I had another child practically glued to my leg, I turned, tripped over Allison, and started to fall. I somehow managed to hold on to Lindsay, but I knocked Allison down and then fell on my back. I also managed to land in the dirtiest part of the parking lot, right in the oil drippings from someone's car. (Bad mommy!) We were all fine, just very dirty.

Note that I kept my calm and did not use any naughty words. (Good mommy.)

Last night I ran to the grocery store with the kids. Once again I tried to carry too much stuff. I grabbed my groceries in one arm and Lindsay's car seat in the other. When I got to the door, I realized that there was no way I could open it. So I sat the milk down on one of the posts for the deck and unlocked the door. I turned to pick up the milk and accidentally bumped the post with the car seat. The milk toppled to the ground and exploded. (Bad mommy.)

It was lovely.

Allison was screaming and crying, "I sorry, I sorry, I sorry, mommy." (Oh, bad, bad, mommy.) I finally calmed her down and started cleaning up the lake of milk on my porch and deck. I was able to hose most of it off pretty easily, so I figured "why cry over spilled milk?" (Sorry, I had to get that out of my system.)

Note that I kept my calm and didn't say any naughty words. (Good mommy.)

I started to put the groceries away, and I picked up what I thought was some low-fat chocolate ice cream thingies. I realized that I had picked up coffee flavored ice cream instead. So I said it. "Oh hell."

Then I heard a little voice from clear across the house, "Oh hell. Oh hell, oh hell, oh hell."

BAD, BAD, BAD MOMMY!

In case you were wondering . . .

2008-04-14T21:01:00.003-04:00

Yes, we are still alive. I've felt like I have the creativity of a flea lately, so I haven't felt much like writing. So since I don't feel very creative, here are the vital statistics.

I'm LOVING spring. Our trees are blossoming and I look outside and say a little prayer of thanks for the warm weather. I've been quite happy and content the last few weeks. It may be the warm weather, it may be that my wonderful mother came for a two-week visit, or it may be that I'm currently hyped up on anti-depressants. I don't know, but it's a great feeling.

Steve is back on the night shift on the trauma service. Every night is a new adventure in saving lives. These beautiful glasses are his most recent purchase for work. Apparently they are all the rage in the operating room. I don't even want to talk about how much they cost.

Allison has recently taken to calling me "Mother." Not "mommy," not "mom," just "mother." I don't know why, but it really gets under my skin.

We've been trying something new at our house to help Allie pick up her toys. I found the House Fairy online recently and have been trying it out. The House Fairy comes every night and checks to see if all the toys are picked up. Then she leaves a sticker on a chart we made. After Allie gets so many stickers, she then gets a prize. The jury is still out on whether or not it works, but my little girl is now fascinated by fairies.

Allie is also getting quite good at riding her little bike. She wants to wear the elbow and kneepads around the house all the time.

Lindsay is getting more mobile. She can crawl backwards, but cannot seem to move forwards. She has also perfected the banshee screech. We went to a restaurant last weekend with some friends from Steve's work and Lindsay blessed us with her full-pitched wail for a good part of the evening. I don't think his friends will be wanting children any time soon.

Pictures, Pictures, and More Pictures

2008-03-25T21:48:00.007-04:00

Just a few pictures . . .

We recently experienced some flooding in our area. I'd never seen flooding like this-- so we had to join all the other people gawking at the flood waters. This is the park we like to frequent:

These are both taken from the main road:

Here is our baby girl enjoying the swings at the park a few days before the flooding:

Isn't this guy handsome? These two girls LOVED having Uncle Spencer visit a few weeks ago.

Here's Allie enjoying some of her birthday presents:

Here's our Easter fun:

Lindsay really does love her Uncle Jesse.

***Note: there was a picture here from the Easter egg hunt at our friends' house. However, as pointed out by some of the comments, there was some inappropriate crackage going on. We apologize for any mental anguish we may have caused to the person whose crack was showing, and to anyone who viewed said crackage.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T17:40:00.004-04:00

It has been my lucky day today. Currently BOTH kids are asleep! I thought I would share my luck by showing a few more pictures. Here you go:

Allison has invented a new method of shipment. It might just catch on . . .

We recently visited the Indianapolis speedway. Steve has decided to throw away his years of training and become a racecar driver.

He dreams of doing this:

Then he would really be a:

We're not really sure how to tell him that he's a crazy dreamer. Maybe we'll let this guy tell him:

We think the craziness might be genetic. Poor kid.

ABC's tag

2008-03-14T22:17:00.003-04:00

A- Attached or single: Attached
B- Best Friend(s): Definitely Steve. He's the best.
C- Cake or Pie: Pie
D- Day of Choice: Sunday--but only if Steve's home. If he is on call, it is my least favorite day.
E- Essential Item: Kids. Yep, I can't leave home without them.
F- Favorite Color: Red, maybe?
H- Hometown: American Fork, UT
I -Indulgence(s): Yogurt with cereal mixed in it. Or if I've been REALLY good, then a Reese's chocolate covered peanut butter egg.
J- January or July: Um. Neither.
K-Kids: Yep. Still have 'em.
L-Life is incomplete without: Sleep.
M- Marriage Date: June 22, 2001
N- Number of Siblings: 2 sisters, 1 brother
O- Oranges or Apples: Apples--especially the Pink Ladies
P- Phobias or Fears: Cockroaches or big spiders. (It comes from living in the ghetto in St. Louis.)
Q- Quote(s): These things happen and we move on. (Sorry, inside joke.)
R- Reason To Smile: Lindsay's laugh. It just makes me feel good.
S- Season: Fall or spring
T- Tag Six: I don't want to leave anyone out. If you've run out of blogging ideas, go for it.
U- Unknown Fact About Me: I can't curl my tongue. It's genetic.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: I eat meat, but I could easily become a vegetarian. I'm not a big fan of oppressing animals.
W- Worst Habit: Not writing things down.
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds.
Y- Your Favorite Food: Grilled vegetables or a good baked potato
Z-Zodiac: I'm not really sure and I'm too tired to look it up.

100 things about us

2008-02-26T22:29:00.004-05:00

So I've hit a mental wall in the blogging department. I don't feel like saying much. And I had some fun pictures to post, but I couldn't get all of them to post right. So I've decided to take my friends' examples of writing 100 things about our family. (I couldn't think of 100 things about just me!)

Steve
1. He can sleep anytime anyplace and through anything.
2. This is why I don't leave the kids home alone with him very often.
3. Once I came home only to find Steve asleep on the couch, with the house in shambles and Allison asleep in the hallway.
4. He likes gingersnap cookies.
5. He also likes apple crisp.
6. We've been married almost 7 years and I didn't know he liked apple crisp until last week.
7. Loves frisbee.
8. Loves frisbee.
9. Loves frisbee.
10. Did I mention he loves frisbee?
11. Also likes frisbee-golf.
12. He once lit his bed sheets on fire when he was a boy.
13. He's really handy around the house.
14. Except for plumbing issues.
15. He can flood the toilet with the best of 'em.
16. His favorite store is The Home Depot.
17. He is obsessed with yard work.
18. He was really disappointed this past week when he had vacation and it snowed all week and he couldn't trim the hedges.
19. He is crazy about our two daughters.
20. He is really good at painting our 2 girls' toenails with pretty colors.
21. He does a good job with their toenails because he's got the "steady surgeon's hand."
22. If he had it his way he would still be wearing the same Levi’s and t-shirts he has had since he was 15.
23. He was fun to have around this past week on his vacation.
24. He grills a mean hamburger.
25. I love him very much.

Jamie
26. I can't sleep through anything.
27. Except when I'm at anything with church. Without my kids. THEN I fall asleep quickly.
28. Number 27 hasn't happened in a really LONG time.
29. I really need a haircut, but don't want to actually make the call.
30. I put off doing a lot of things, because I don't like making appointments on the phone.
31. My husband thinks that my blueberry cheesecake is to die for.
32. I've never made blueberry cheesecake.
33. I think this might be the source of some future contention.
34. Steve recently taught me a little about baking.
35. I'd never made anything requiring yeast.
36. That's not quite true. I did make a batch of rolls for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago that were a complete flop.
37. Steve taught me how to make scones.
38. Now I want to try all sorts of baking.
39. Baking does not help my goal of losing the rest of my baby weight before Lindsay is one.
40. Man, I really need to get moving on that goal. It's only 3 months away!
41. I've really enjoyed having my husband around this week.
42. I'm not exactly sure how we are going to make it through the next 4 months. His work schedule is going to be bad. REALLY bad.
43. I'm so excited for my mom to come visit in a few weeks. I've already got projects and fun stuff picked out for us to do while she is here.
44. I enjoy listening to classical music.
45. Steve introduced me to the wonderful world of NPR this last week.
46. We enjoyed an overnight trip to Indianapolis a few days ago.
47. I didn't realize how much I needed to get away from my messy house. It was lovely.
48. I think we had to stop 6 times for Allison to go to the bathroom in between Indianapolis and our house.
49. It's only 100 miles away.
50. We finally wised up and told her to hold it. Which brings me to the princess:

Allison
51. She is a very sound sleeper.
52. She gets this from her daddy.
53. Because she is such a sound sleeper, I think she may have to be in nighttime diapers until she is 18.
54. Allie got into my make-up today. She was very pretty with her red lips and mascara eyes.
55. She was pretty proud of herself.
56. She does this about once a week.
57. Two year olds have poor impulse control.
58. This is the mantra that I have to repeat over and over in my head.
59. Our little girl is quite the girlie-girl.
60. She loves to dance.
61. When we went to our "Christmas Ball" in December, Allison was WAY more excited about it than we were.
62. She told me the next day that we went to the ball to "dance and dance and dance"
63. I have a great video that I would love to post of Allison dancing with her "prince," but our internet is too slow to download it and get it to post.
64. We really need to get a new internet provider. I don't think our internet qualifies as "high-speed" any more.
65. Allison also has some mad soccer skills.
66. She has her daddy's cheerful temperament mostly, with a little of my flair for emotional meltdowns.
67. Maybe the second part of that is just being a girl.
68. Allie is a pretty smart cookie.
69. Allie really likes cookies
70. She will not eat vegetables, but she recently decided that she really likes raw spinach dipped in Italian dressing.
71. Spinach?????
72. I'm hoping that the other vegetables are not far behind.
73. Allie is a very social child. She love, love, LOVES playing with her friends.
74. She has been very stir-crazy this week. Sunday afternoon I found her putting her coat and boots. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, "we go now." When asked where she was going she would only repeat "we go now" over and over. I think she was telling me that she wanted to get out of the house.
75. We went for a drive. Within 5 minutes of leaving the house, she was sound asleep.

Lindsay
76. Lindsay also inherited Steve's cheerful temperament.
77. But when she's unhappy she can SCREAM.
78. She's mostly just unhappy before bedtime.
79. Steve doesn't get to see her during the day ever. This week he keeps saying, "I can't believe how happy she is. She is such a happy girl." It makes me want to smack him upside the head. I've been telling him this for MONTHS.
80. Lindsay loves drinking from a bottle. And she is totally weaned. Finally!
81. She gets so excited whenever I get a bottle out. Her arms and legs get going so fast that they are practically a blur.
83. I don't know much about buying formula. Is buying the generic brand okay?
84. Because it's a heck have a lot cheaper than the name brand stuff.
85. Since Lindsay has started taking a bottle she doesn't seem to care much for baby food. She seems to want real food more.
86. She is getting pretty fat.
87. I just want to pinch her little cheeks all the time.
88. Speaking of cheeks, her other little cheeks are sure cute.
89. Lindsay always has her mouth open.
90. I thought it was a phase, but when I look back through the last few months’ pictures, I'm hard pressed to find one without her mouth open or her tongue out.
91. She is finally rolling over.
92. I think she might actually start crawling in the next few weeks. She's started scooting backwards in the last few days.
93. I'm sure glad I didn't try and think of 100 things about me. It's much easier to think of things about someone else.
94. Sorry if we are boring anyone.
95. Is anyone still reading?
96. John, are you still there?
97. John? John? I think he's gone.
98. My brother-in-law has a short attention span for reading emails and blogs.
99. At least my mom is still reading.
100. Right?

Her First Exhibition

2008-02-14T21:33:00.006-05:00

Allison has recently become quite the little photographer. Every couple days, when I pick up my camera, I find some new example of her creative genius. I thought that it would be nice to share her talent with the rest of the world. Mind you, I had to be very selective about which photos to display. Her portfolio is quite extensive.

Her first few pictures are a series of self-portraits.

Flash

(Wow, that mirror is dirty. Excuse me while I go and find some Windex.)
Nose

Lips

The next few pictures are some views from her view.

This picture is simply entitled "Couch." It should be noted that she took this picture before she decided to pour a bottle of bright orange acrylic paint on the couch. Let's just say that her creative genius was NOT fully appreciated that night.

Couch

The final picture in her collection is the view of the one of her favorite toys.

Cinderella

I post these especially because our little Ansel Adams has taken a recent interest in the internet. The other day I found Allie playing with the computer. When I asked her what she was doing, she simply looked at me and said "Mommy, I bwogging."

Humph.

The last picture that I post, I post for Valentine's Day. I think that this picture pretty much sums up my mushy, soggy feelings about this lovey-dovey day. I put Lindsay to bed tonight and she cried and cried and cried. Finally, I got her up and held her for a few minutes. I noticed a strange fruity odor coming from her diaper area, so I decided to change her diaper. This is what I found:

Yep, nothing says Happy Valentine's Day like a couple of candy hearts stuck to your bum.

Inside Out

2008-02-04T20:18:00.000-05:00

In the small town I grew up in, there was a strange fad that broke out about the time that I was in high school. It was very popular to wear your sweatshirt inside out. You know, with the tags hanging out and the seams showing. I'm not really sure that this was a widespread phenomenon (my hometown was a little backward), but it was definitely a weird one.

Where am I going with this, you ask? I was leaving Target after my weekly excursion, when I tried to put my keys in the pocket of my hooded jacket. I soon realized that I had no pocket. I had put my jacket on inside out. Good job, crazy lady.

I'm wondering if I am going to start a new trend. Isn't that how trends start--with a 30ish mother of two kids wearing stained sweats and no make-up. We'll see . . .

On a different note, I just wanted to share that Lindsay took her first bottle tonight. I WILL have her weaned by the end of the month. Hello freedom, here I come!

Average

2008-02-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

The older I get, the more I realize that I am just average. I'm not spectacular at anything. I don't have any amazing abilities or talents. I'm pretty good at some things, and pretty bad at some things, but most of all I just fall into the middle ground.

Usually I'm okay with being middle of the ground. Usually I'm happy with my small circle of influence. This past week, however, I started thinking about how nice it would be to be FANTASTIC at something. Wouldn't it be great to be able to paint beautiful art, or play uplifting music, or be an awesome soccer player? If I'm honest with myself, I realize that I am far too lazy to cultivate what little talent I have to become that inspiring person. I guess I just have to be happy with my little talents and making the little differences in my own little world.

So how do you feel about being ordinary? Are YOU okay with it? Or maybe you don't fall in the "ordinary" category. In that case, what is it like to be you, Mr. Extraordinary Person?

Our little stinkers

2008-01-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to say how much I love these little stinkers.

They sure get into a lot of mischief, but I can't help but love them.

I'll have more pictures to add once I figure out why my computer hates our pictures.

How random can you get?

2008-01-16T11:20:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick update on the last month in pictures:

We had a great Christmas. Here you see Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, and the cow. I played the part of angel/shepherd/wise man/donkey. You see now why I didn't take a picture with me in it. My costume would have been very confusing.

The kids LOVED their Christmas presents. This is Allison saying, "Thank you Grandma!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new clothes."

Santa Claus lined up all of the Allison's stuffed animals so that they could watch the kids open their presents. Lindsay sort of blends right in, doesn't she?

Allison was badly in need of a makeover before Christmas. This is before:

This is the after.

Lindsay enjoyed hanging out with her dad for Christmas.

Here is my brain spewing some thoughts that I've been thinking on lately:

I smell like maple syrup. I've been taking a supplement lately that makes me smell like maple. So if you have a sudden craving for pancakes when you are around me, you'll know why.

Recently Allison has been fascinated by baptism. We've had many a baptism of her toys in the tub, but I had to put my foot down when she wanted to baptize Lindsay.

Steve and I had a really fun date a little while ago. We would like to have an international night about once a month. This month was Cuban night. We dropped the kids off at a friends house and made dinner together. We had this yummy Cuban black bean soup and picadillo empanadas. We had SO much fun.

Allison told me the other night that she wanted to go to Kentucky. How did she learn about Kentucky, you ask? Beats me. But I think that she may have somehow picked up the strange idea that the My Little Ponies live in Kentucky. Anyway, if someone knows a good horse farm we can visit in Kentucky, we're ready for a field trip.

Okay, that's enough randomness for today.

It's in His Genes

2008-01-12T15:23:00.000-05:00

Just as I dragged my sorry behind out of bed Thursday morning I heard someone fumbling with the front door lock. After having a small panic attack because I thought someone was breaking into the house, I realized it was Steve. He walked into the room, he pulled back his white coat and pointed at his pants. They were SOAKING wet. It looked like someone had dumped a bucket of water on his lap.

Apparently, he finished doing his business in the bathroom at work and flushed the toilet. The toilet then decided Steve's deposit was more than it could handle and regurgitated back at him. Yep, the Gammon intestines strike again. Someone really does need to invent a pocket plunger for my digestive system-challenged family.

After the toilet attacked him, Steve ran away (probably swearing at his forebears). He put his white coat on over his scrubs (it comes down almost to his knees) and walked straight out of the hospital and to the car. Luckily, he had time to come home and switch clothes.

Poor guy. (Snicker, snicker.)

An Explanation

2008-01-04T15:19:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't posted in several weeks. I know, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't do it. Shortly after my last post I reached a breaking point in my sanity. I found myself faced with a few options. I could either 1) shave my head in a public place like a certain celebrity who has received a lot of press lately or I could 2) check myself into emotional rehab.

The rehab option seemed like a lot healthier option to me. So the last few weeks I have just been trying to get by. Luckily for me, I have good people who love me and have been taking good care of me. My sister flew in from Utah to provide some support, and Steve has really stepped up and helped out a lot.

I've been spending a lot of time reflecting and I finally feel like I am on the road to recovery. Life is getting better, and I am able to function a little better each day. I am so glad that I am surrounded by people who care about me and I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to slap me up the side of my head occasionally. Because sometimes I need that, even though it hurts.

I promise there will be less whining and more pictures in a few days.

Our Christmas List

2007-12-18T14:39:00.000-05:00

Dear Santa,

We weren't sure if our Christmas list arrived at the North Pole (we don't really trust the postal service). We thought that this might be an appropriate forum to share our Christmas list with you. We are so grateful for the advances in technology that make this possible.

Steve:
Steve has been a very good boy this year. All he really wants for Christmas is some time off to spend doing this:

Jamie:
Jamie's list could be very long, but she will try not to be greedy. Mostly Jamie wants more time to be spent with this guy:

But if you can't do that, she would like a maid or a year's worth of cleaning service. Thank you very much.

Allison:
Allison has really loved watching Frosty the Snowman over and over and over this year. So what she wants for Christmas is for a magic hat for this gentleman:

She also needs a new hat so she will stop wearing inappropriate things on her head like this:

Or some new clothes so that she doesn't have to wear this all the time:

Lindsay:
Lindsay really would like a new pacifier, we think:

But we had a hard time understanding what she was trying to ask for, so maybe you can figure it out:

Sincerely,

The Gammons

Recent discoveries

2007-12-12T10:45:00.001-05:00

First of all, thank you for all the feedback about the dress. I'm pretty paranoid about this work thingy. I don't enjoy going to parties where I don't know anyone, and I'm especially nervous about going to a party with a bunch of snooty doctors and their wives where I don't know anyone. I'm also not much for getting "fancied" up--it stresses me out. I am going to try and not worry about it though and have a fun date with my husband.

For those of you who asked,I found the dress at Macy's. They had several modest dresses and they were having a holiday dress sale where most of the dresses were 50% off. I got a pretty sweet deal.

Anyway. Around here we've been making some interesting discoveries. I thought I would share a few with you.

I recently discovered that I am a "high-maintenance" person. Who knew? Steve informed me that I've only been really high maintenance for a little over a year-- about the same time he started residency. At least I have something to blame my emotional neediness on. Hmmm. . .maybe.

Steve discovered that going to the dentist is expensive and painful. He went to get two cavities filled and ended up with a root canal. And a bill for 1200 dollars. Ouch.

We both re-discovered why we pay tithing. Within minutes of discussing his distressing procedure and bill with me, Steve opened up some mail to find (cue Hallelujah chorus) a check for almost the same amount of money. Hooray! The funny thing is that the same thing happened last month when we had to fix the car. I think Heavenly Father must know that we needed a little boost in the faith department or something.

Allison recently discovered that while prunes may taste good, they should not be eaten like candy. Poor girl. Poor mommy.

Lindsay makes new discoveries every day. While I type this she is sitting on my lap discovering the keyboard. She thinks it is quite fun.

,n4 4dsby uj4 43kji kji4fkj4f k4fkjf kfkvkv4k4kg kmmmm j m

She really likes the space button. See you later!

Cocktail, Shmocktail

2007-12-10T10:15:00.000-05:00

Steve has a holiday work party on Saturday. The invitation said it was a Holiday Ball. I thought it was pretty formal so I went and got this dress. I got an email today saying that most people wear "cocktail dresses"--whatever that means. Is this too formal? I know it looks like a ball gown, but the waist is at the bottom of my ribs and the hem is 2-3 inches below the knee. What do you guys think?

If this doesn't work, I can take the dress back and find something else. Do you think jeans and a t-shirt would be too informal?

Reason #156 That I Need New Glasses

2007-12-07T20:33:00.000-05:00

I went to bed quite late last night. I went through my nightly routine--taking my contacts out, getting my pajamas on, etc. I put toothpaste on my toothbrush and started to brush my teeth. I quickly realized that something was not right. The toothpaste tasted strange and my mouth started to feel funny. I picked up the "toothpaste" and realized I had made a small error. I was brushing my teeth with the Benadryl anti-itch cream that I was using to treat Allison's rash.

Tho if I talk with a lithp you'll underthtand why. My tongue ith a little numb.

News from the front

2007-12-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

It's official.

The parents took a huge hit tonight in the sleeping wars. The battle was almost lost. Enemy #1 and Enemy #2 pulled out the heavy artillery--the piercing, shrieking cry of Enemy #2 AND the bum-scratching-rash-that-keeps-her-awake-and-smelling-like-stinky-rear-end of Enemy #1.

It was a lengthy battle, one full of tears, yelling, and temper-tantrums--from both the parents and their pint-size enemies. The parents had to fight with limited resources. One of the parent soldiers was MIA because he took the night off and spent it taking care of injured kids at the hospital. That left the cranky, emotional female soldier, and she is currently experiencing a little PTSD. And a little PMS.

We're thinking about calling in back up. If the Super-Nanny isn't available, then we might have to call in the Marines.

Help.

Recipes

2007-11-30T14:16:00.000-05:00

I thought I would post this easy treat recipe. Once again, Kraft Foods, I love you.

Oh, and if you like spinachy pastry thingy's, you might like these.

Overheard

2007-11-27T22:38:00.000-05:00

I think Steve's been spending a little too much time at the hospital. He was reading Allison Disney's Cinderella as a bedtime story. I overheard him tell Allison that Cinderella had two wicked stepsisters, Drizella and "Anesthesia."

Oh, and just to clarify, the creepy Thanksgiving poem was a joint effort with my husband. I promise that we aren't really that scary--it was kind of an inside joke gone bad.

Silence of the Turkey

2007-11-24T10:50:00.000-05:00

There's a body in our fridge.
Hacked and hewn,
Flesh ripped from the bone,
A hollow shell of its former self.

In the dark of night
We carefully pick its bones,
Place the carcass in a large garbage bag,
And sneak out to the trash.

We heave and puff,
Pushing it over the edge of the can.
It lands with a resounding thud.

We put the lid on
And stealthily tread back into the house.

Relief.

It's finally gone.

That was one good bird.

Don't tell the Department of Labor

2007-11-19T22:23:00.000-05:00

I've been looking over my recent posts and I realized that I have strayed from my original intention for this blog. I originally started this to keep in touch with family and to share a few pictures. I seem to be spending more time venting than sharing pieces of our normally happy lives. So tonight I say, here's to less thinking and more pictures.

Wow, I'm tired. That sentence sounded better in my head.

We've been thinking about hiring a maid. We're not sure child labor laws will allow this:

For a two-year old, she does a pretty good job. If the maid thing doesn't work out, I'm thinking about teaching her to cook. Surely she can at least cook something better than this gourmet meal:

Steve has put her to work in the yard raking leaves and weeding. He says that he his going to cut her pay in half for this little incident:

On the other hand, he did get her back.

Lindsay is just nervous for her turn to come. As soon as she can hold a dishrag, we'll put her to work.

Train up a child . . .

2007-11-14T14:32:00.000-05:00

Finally! Today I finally got feedback from my child that I am teaching her correct principles:

Me: "Hmmm . . . should we go to Wal-Mart or Target to do our shopping?"

Allison: "Mommy, I go Target."

Wow. Am I a great mom or what?

On living simply

2007-11-09T23:37:00.001-05:00

At the park today I noticed an attractive young family. The mother was stylishly dressed with an attractive coat and scarf. She was perfectly coiffed with a cute short hair-do. Her kids were adorable--the toddler boy riding a fun retro tricycle and the baby packed into the coolest stroller ever.

When I looked down at myself, I realized I had carrot spit-up down the front of my shirt and my stretched out yoga pants. I contemplated my face free of any make-up and my ponytail with the strands of hair being held in by at least 10 bobby pins, and I sighed. I thought to myself, "Self, when I grow up I want to be like that mom."

About five minutes later, I heard the mom yelling at her toddler in not a very nice way. Even though she had a most impressive British accent, it didn't cover the frustration she was taking out on her little boy.

So I said to myself, "Self, maybe I should rethink that goal."

I've been thinking about priorities a lot lately. About how some of mine are good, and some of them are kind of messed. I've thought a lot about a poem that my mom gave to me several years ago:

"To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich;

to study hard, think quietly,
talk gently, act frankly;
to listen to stars and birds,
to babes and sages, with open heart;
to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely,
await occasions, hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony."

--William Henry Channing

Sometimes I have to re-read this poem to be reminded how I want to shape my character. I've got a lot to work on.

Lindsay is crying. Time to go work on some priorities.

Thankful

2007-11-05T22:48:00.000-05:00

I really meant it when I wrote that I can't participate in NaBloPoMo. I just need to focus my life right now. I do, however, need to share something tonight. Just for me. (Don't expect anything tomorrow.) I read Patty's thankful list tonight and I really need to write one for myself.

Tonight I am thankful for . . .

1. A great visiting teacher who is willing to help at a moment's notice.

2. The temple

3. Repentance--we can ALWAYS fix things with a little help from

4. The Savior

5. Prayer

6. Scriptures

7. My family

8. Brownies (Thanks again to my visiting teacher)

9. Ibuprofen and Tylenol

10. My soft warm bed

Goodnight!

NaBloPoMo-- No Go

2007-11-04T21:03:00.000-05:00

I mentioned that November is National Blog Post Month (NaBloPoMo) a few days ago. I thought I would see how many days I could post before getting burned out. I went three days. THREE MEASLY DAYS!

I have no stamina.

An Inconvenient Truth

2007-11-03T22:03:00.000-04:00

Tonight I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few last minute items. It was getting late and I had both the girls with me. After hurriedly finishing my shopping, I walked out and loaded Lindsay into the car. I was about to take Allison out of the cart and put her into her car seat when I spotted it. The pair of Leggs Black Silk Mist pantyhose that I had not paid for. Sitting in the bottom of the cart.

Since I have been shopping with two kids in the cart, this has occurred with increasing frequency. Grocery items get stuck under Lindsay's car seat in the shopping cart ALL THE TIME. I don't realize that the unpaid-for item is still in my shopping cart until I get out to the car. Hauling my kids back into the store to either pay for the food or to hand it to the customer service desk is painful.

I've considered leaving with the item in question, but I just can't. I know that my conscience would bug me until I would have to return to the store at 2 am (this is when my conscience is most active)and pay for it.

Luckily there was a Kroger employee gathering carts tonight. I gave him the nylons and drove away in peace. Sometimes being honest is a real pain in the neck.

A Friday Favorite

2007-11-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

My good friend Stephani blogs every Friday about something she loves. Stephani and her husband are currently out of the country on vacation, so while she is gone I thought I would steal her Friday Favorite idea.

I have two Friday Favorites to blog about today. One of the things I miss the most about St. Louis is Eckert's farm. Eckert's is a pick-your-own-produce farm that has a fun fall festival each year. I have yet to find something akin to it here. I miss the apple picking, hayrides, and the FABULOUS gift shop and restaurant at Eckerts.

While on our recent vacation, we went to another fun fall activity. Gardner Village is a collection of shops and restaurants set up in an old mill and factories. They have different events throughout the year. Around Halloween they decorate the old mill and shops with giant witches. They have hayrides with a witch and they encourage customers to dress up in their costumes while they shop. It was hilarious to see a bunch of middle-aged women dressed as witches while they perused the boutiques. We had a great time!

My brother took some cute pictures of the kids.

Then we took some pictures of these strange, but good-looking people.

We're seriously thinking about hiring a dating service for my sisters. Anybody know any single men between the age of 25-30? (NO LOSERS NEED APPLY! MY DAD OWNS SEVERAL LARGE RIFLES AND IS AN EXCELLENT SHOT.)

This man is my real Friday Favorite. Look at how cute he is!

Halloween fashion show

2007-11-01T13:50:00.000-04:00

Did you know that November is National Blog Posting Month? The people at this website have issued a challenge to post something everyday during the month of November. Can you imagine? I would never get anything done--I would be too busy reading blogs all day. So I don't know if I can make the challenge, but I thought I would start by at least trying to post every day for the rest of this week. We'll see.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the kids for Halloween. We went through many options to arrive at our FANTASTIC final costumes. (I think that all kids must go through this, Dory!) Allison originally wanted to be a princess. As you can see here, we really like princesses at our house.

Next she decided that she wanted to be the black Spiderman. I think she got the idea from this little friend. Allison ran around the house for several days singing the Spiderman song and shooting pretend spiderwebs out of her wrists. I was glad when the Spiderman costume was no longer a popular option at our house.

Allison went through many other costume ideas--clowns, mermaids, pumpkins, etc. I personally thought it was funny when she decided to try out the whole Lucha Libre look. I was going to buy her some stretchy pants, but Steve thought that it was a little too macho for his little girl.

(Yes, that is a pair of Little Mermaid underpants on her head. Don't ask.)

Steve and Allison then decided to try out the popular pirate theme.

(Yes, I do know it is not politically correct to make fun of handicapped pirates. I had a serious talk with Steve.)

Lindsay decided to get in on the action. She liked being the queen of the house, but Allison didn't like anyone else moving in on her current title.

Then Lindsay thought she would try to recreate that scene from A Christmas Story--the one where the kid can't move because he's got too many winter clothes on.

So here are the final costumes. This is Allison as a ladybug princess. I had her ladybug costume from last year, and I didn't want to make or buy a new one. Allison became really fixated on being a princess, so we compromised by letting her be a ladybug princess. That way, all I had to do was give her a crown and a wand. (Thanks for the idea, Lindsay P.)

Our little Lindsay was the cutest bunny on the block. Okay, she was the only bunny on the block, but she was still cute.

Steve decided to go a little crazy and be a doctor for Halloween. I decided to be a witch for Halloween--that way I didn't have to dress up too much.

I hope you enjoyed our Halloween fashion show. We had a great time trick-or-treating with the kids and spending time with Rachel and Jesse. Have a good day!

Post-vacation grouchiness

2007-10-29T23:48:00.000-04:00

We got back from our fun trip to Utah last night and I have spent the whole day feeling sorry for myself and being grouchy and tired. So to cheer myself up, I've decided to play the good news and bad news game--a game introduced by my good friend Leslie.

The good news is: We had a great time visiting family and friends while in Utah.

The bad news is: I've now got 10 piles of laundry to do and no motivation to do it--I'll blame it on my post-vacation depression.

The good news is: I missed the Primary program. (Sorry Leslie!)

The bad news is: I missed the Primary program. (Sorry again.)

The good news is: I lost the 5 pounds that I promised I would before I left on vacation.

The bad news is: I gained 3.5 pounds back by eating all the yummy vacation food. To Cafe Rio, my tummy thanks you. My thighs, however, blame you for making my jeans fit tighter.

The good news is: We got to see all of our immediate family who live in Utah plus all of our grandparents.

The bad news is: I spent half the trip feeling guilty for not spending more time with both sides of our family.

The good news is: I got to see the new IKEA.

The bad news is: See the previous bad news.

The good news is: We had the wildest, craziest princess party with my cousins' little girls.

The bad news is: Who knew that little girls could be so loud? I still have a headache.

The good news is: We got to meet my sister's new boyfriend and my brother's first girlfriend.

The bad news is: I think we embarrassed the heck out of both my brother and sister. Um . . . or maybe I should put that as one of the good things.

The good news is: Allison and Lindsay were SO good on the trip home.

The bad news is: It took over 16 hours to get home. We left at 9 am and didn't get home until 1 am this morning.

The good news is: I think Lindsay finally forgave me for chopping off part of her finger this morning.

The bad news is: I chopped off part of Lindsay's finger this morning while trying to cut her fingernails. I seriously thought she would need stitches. I spent all day feeling horrible.

The good news is: I get to go to bed now.

The bad news is: I don't know if I can find my bed under all the laundry.

I'm hungry.

2007-10-18T10:52:00.000-04:00

I'm hungry right now, but it is too early to make lunch yet. So I thought I would post some recipes that we have tried and liked in the last two weeks.

Before I post these, I must explain that I am perhaps what you would call a "lazy foodie." I love to try new recipes and I love exotic sounding dishes, but I don't try them very often. Why? First of all, as we've seen before, making dinner with two young kids is an adventure. It is usually better to make something fast and easy rather than making something that takes 3 hours to create.

Second of all, gourmet dishes cost too much. We are on a limited budget right now, so the cheaper the better.

Last of all, Allison has to be the pickiest eater on the planet. I don't know where she gets it from. I'm not picky and Steve will eat anything that he can chew. (He once took a can of cream of mushroom soup concentrate to work and ate the soup cold straight from the can.)Anyway, as much as I'd like Allison to try Chicken Tikka Masala, I know she won't. If she could live on macaroni and cheese and peanut butter sandwiches, she would.

So back to these recipes. These are easy and fast, and they taste kind of gourmet. So enjoy!

Phyllo bean burritos

2 cans black or pinto beans or refried beans
1/2 c. salsa
1 onion, chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1 package frozen phyllo (filo) dough, thawed
cooking spray or olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Smash beans with a fork until they reach the consistency of refried beans (or puree them in food processor). Mix in salsa, onions, and taco seasoning. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough on work surface, but keep unused dough covered with a damp cloth. Take one sheet of phyllo dough and either spray with cooking spray or brush with olive oil. (I tried both and I couldn't taste the difference.) Layer another sheet of dough on top of the first sheet and spray it with cooking spray. Then spoon bean mixture along one edge of the dough. Carefully roll up. Place burrito on a cookie sheet. Repeat until dough or beans are gone. Spray tops of burritos with cooking spray or brush a little olive oil on the tops of the finished burritos. Bake until the dough turns a golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Or just eat them plain like we do.

The second recipe is one I ripped off from Potbelly's Sandwich Works. It is DELICIOUS! Don't skip the homemade croutons--they are the best part. I don't have measurements, but it doesn't seem to matter. Just throw it together and enjoy!

Italian Salad

Romaine lettuce, chopped
Tomatoes, chopped
Cucumbers, sliced
Pepperoni
Salami or ham, chopped
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Artichoke hearts (from a jar), chopped
Roasted red peppers(from a jar), chopped
Cheese, cubed or shredded
French or Italian bread (to make homemade croutons)
Olive oil
Italian salad dressing

Slice bread and brush slices with olive oil. Then chop bread into bite size pieces. Or you could chop the bread into bite size pieces and toss with the olive oil. Anyway, the point is get the olive oil onto the bread somehow. Place bread in a non-stick skillet and saute until bread pieces are golden brown. Sprinkle croutons with a little salt and pepper.

Toss lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, meats, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, cheese and croutons. Add Italian salad dressing to taste. Serve immediately.

Note: I used turkey pepperoni, ham, and fat-free Italian dressing to save on calories. I made up the calories I saved, however, by eating the homemade croutons by the handful. Seriously delicious.

Okay, now I can go eat lunch. Macaroni and cheese, anyone?

NOTE: PHYLLO DOUGH IS A VERY THIN PASTRY DOUGH. IT MAKES A FLAKY, CRISPY BURRITO. YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE FROZEN FOOD AISLE OF THE GROCERY STORE, BY THE FROZEN BREADS.

The Many Faces of Lindsay

2007-10-13T23:14:00.000-04:00

vo·cif·er·ate – to speak or cry out loudly or noisily; shout; bawl.

It occurred to me that perhaps I should designate a post solely to the posting of some pictures of Lindsay. Most of her aunts, uncles, and cousins have not met her yet, and I know Lindsay's grandparents always love pictures. So I present to you "The Many Faces of Lindsay."

The first picture is a reflection of Lindsay's true personality. She is a sweet baby, usually very happy and content.

She does have her moments though. It starts with just a hurt feeling.

Then a little whimper.

Then she starts to let you know that she is serious.

And then my sweet little angel begins her vociferation. Usually this means that my other little angel is involved somehow.

Finally, I thought I would show you how Lindsay spends time with her daddy. Now that's quality time.

I love my lips . . .

2007-10-10T09:25:00.000-04:00

Twenty points to anyone who can figure out where I got the name of this post. I thought I would lighten the mood around here a little by posting some interesting pictures that I've found on my camera recently.

We have been discussing our "Extreme Makeover" options around here. Allison thought that she'd like to see what she would look like with lip-plumping treatments.

She looked so good that I thought that I would try it too.

Steve wanted to see what he would look like with cheek implants.

Lindsay thinks we are all a little crazy. She is quite confidant in her own good looks.

Moving On

2007-10-07T22:51:00.000-04:00

I don't know how to start this blog. I've had so many feelings and thoughts swirling around inside me today that I don't know how to begin. Today was our daughter's birthday. Elizabeth would have been four years old today.

When we lost Elizabeth, we felt surrounded by the love of our family and friends. So many of them seemed to know just the right thing to say and do to touch our hearts. We appreciated that love.

Steve's boss at the time, however, came to him one day and said, "I was sorry to hear that your baby died. Um. Well. You know, these things happen, and we move on." Then he turned around and walked away.

Steve was stunned. Surgeons are known for their lack of tact, but this seemed pretty insensitive. This conversation became a running joke between us--whenever something bad would happen, we would just say "these things happen, and we move on." As time has passed, I have come to see this conversation a little differently though.

Bad things DO happen to everyone. People lose their jobs, spouses get sick, children lose their way, and sometimes we lose the people that we love. These things happen, and the only way we can heal is to keep going, to move on. Some days it is excruciatingly painful to keep going, but we have to move forward with our lives.

Steve and I felt overwhelmed by the love of our Heavenly Father at the time of Elizabeth's birth and death. As I listened to the talk given by Elder Tenorio during the Sunday afternoon conference, I understood a little how he felt when his children died. The blessings of the temple are extremely comforting. Even though it was hard to lose our child and to be faced with the possibility that we might never have children, the concept of eternal families enabled us to move forward with our lives.

At the time that Elizabeth died, I didn't want the pain to go away. I thought that if I stopped hurting, that I would forget. I was wrong. As I have "moved on" the pain has lessened, but I have not forgotten our sweet baby. Today we talked to Allison for the first time about her sister Elizabeth. We showed her the baby blanket and Elizabeth's picture and we told her that she has a sister that lives with Heavenly Father. Steve even baked a cake for Elizabeth's birthday and we had a little party. I was amazed at how much Allison understood. She was excited to have another sister and kept talking about how she has two sisters--Lindsay and Elizabeth. It was one of the sweetest experiences I have ever had.

I have rambled for too long. The bottom line is that I AM happy. Our family is happy. I would not change the experiences that we have had and I am so grateful for our blessings.

Happy Birthday little one!

Blogging school

2007-10-04T22:37:00.000-04:00

To whom it may concern:

I thought I would do a little tutorial for you on how to comment on the blog. I know it may seem a little intimidating to try something new, but you can do it. It is SO easy.

First, notice the bottom of this post there is something that says COMMENTS. Click on the comments section and it will bring up a new screen. Just type your comment in the "LEAVE A COMMENT" section. It doesn't have to be profound or funny. It doesn't even have to be nice--though I might cry a little if it is mean. What is most important is that you leave a comment! I love getting feedback.

Anyway, once you have typed your comment you have three ways of identifying yourself. First, if you have a Google email account or blog, you click on the circle next to GOOGLE/BLOGGER. Then you enter your email into the USER NAME space and your password in the PASSWORD space. Once that is done, just hit publish and your comment is on the way.

If you do not have a Google account, you can click on OTHER or ANONYMOUS. Use OTHER if you already have a web page that you are linked to. Enter your web page address and your name. If you do not have a web page, then include your name in the text of your comment and click on ANONYMOUS and the PUBLISH button when you are done.

See how easy it is. Okay Ellison family, there are NO MORE EXCUSES!

My new mission

2007-10-03T18:27:00.001-04:00

I discovered my mission in life. Can you guess what it is?

"To be the best mother and wife," you say? "To be a useful, productive human being," you ask?

No. While those are worthwhile missions, my mission is much more important. My mission in life from here on out will be to convince people NOT to put carpet in their dining rooms.

I don't know who came up with the fantastic idea to put carpet in my dining area, but that person should be reprimanded. Severely.

So here are my 15 reasons why you should NEVER, EVER put carpet in a dining room.

1. Play dough
2. Spaghetti sauce
3. Chocolate ice cream
4. Chocolate pudding
5. The smell of Spot Shot
6. $80 cleaning bills
7. Macaroni and cheese
8. Macaroni and cheese after it has been digested and then puked up by a toddler
9. Finger paint
10. Kool Aid
11. Jello
12. Chili
13. Coffee (Okay, so I don't drink it, but if I did I'm sure I would have spilled some on that stupid carpet.)
14. Kids who think it's funny to throw food on the floor
15. Adults who can't seem to get through a meal without spilling something (i.e. Jamie)

I'm sorry if this is offensive to anyone who has put carpet under their dining table on purpose, but I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! We went to Home Depot this last week to look at replacing the floor in our kitchen and dining space. Unfortunately, it is going to have to wait for a while. (Especially now that we might have to replace the oven.)I guess I'll go call the carpet cleaners . . . that nasty, stinky Spot Shot just isn't cutting it!

Dinner adventures with the Gammons

2007-10-01T20:23:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had a night like mine tonight?

I decided against going to the grocery store tonight and decided to get creative with what I had in the fridge. I turned the oven on and mixed everything together and popped it into the oven. I decided I had just enough time to feed Lindsay and pick up some of the mess Allison had made before my casserole was done.

I fed Lindsay and then put her down on the couch, intending to come back after grabbing something from the kitchen. I was distracted from my quest, however, by the smoke billowing from the oven. I opened the oven door, pulled the casserole out, and then tried to open all the doors and windows to prevent the smoke alarm from going off. I was not quick enough.

Meanwhile, Allison decided that it was time to go potty. She kept tugging on my leg saying, "Mommy, potty. Potty, mommy! MOMMY, POTTY!"

Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, I heard a thump followed by a wail from the other room. Lindsay apparently decided that it would be an appropriate time to learn how to roll over. She doesn't have very good timing.

Eventually, I got everything and everyone calmed down. I scraped the blackened breadcrumbs off the top of my casserole. I fiddled with the oven long enough to realize that when I set it on bake, it turns on the broil setting instead. I guess I'm going to have to find someone who fixes ovens.

Sometimes making dinner is an adventure.

Falling . . .

2007-09-30T23:26:00.000-04:00

I love fall.

There is something so quiet and reflective about my favorite season. I love the changes that heighten my senses as summer turns to autumn.

I love the sound of the wind as it rustles the leaves. I love the way the wind stings when it hits my face. I feel alive on a windy day. Autumn's cold breezes waken a part of me that won't surface any other time of year.

I love the sights of fall. Colors seem crisper and brighter. The leaves on the trees with their riotous colors dance like flames in the air. The sky is always a brighter, clearer blue against those trees.

I love the textures of fall--the fuzzy sweaters, the brittle leaves, the bumpy lumpy gourds and pumpkins. I love the firm smooth texture of apples. The tastes and smells of fall overload my senses. Hot chili, hearty soups, and steaming apple cider make my mouth water. Fall always smells like cinnamon and pumpkin to me, but I also love the cold smell of the decaying leaves and dirt.

Okay, enough dreaming. It's time to face the piles of laundry and dishes.

Steve quits his job to become a royal smoothie maker

2007-09-27T22:52:00.000-04:00

These are the pictures of the kids that I promised. This is what Lindsay looks like when Daddy does her hair. Steve's thinking about quitting his current job to become a stylist. What do you think?

These are my pretty princesses. See how they love each other?

Allison is trying to learn proper ways to express her affection. She still has some work to do.

This is Lindsay's response to being smothered.

I was so jealous of the Blendtec blender that I bought a new blender. Unfortunately, my 30 dollars didn't produce the results that I wanted. When I put golf balls in my blender it just laughed at me. Then it exploded.

My new blender does make a mean smoothie, however. This is us after trying Steve's delicious Orange Julius.

Bloodsucking Vampires

2007-09-19T22:25:00.000-04:00

fractious \FRAK-shuhs\, adjective:
1. Tending to cause trouble; unruly.
2. Irritable; snappish; cranky.

I've had vampires on my mind recently.

My little angel of a baby has turned into a cranky vampire. For the past week she has had these HORRIBLE crying spells. Lindsay is a cheerful baby, but when she gets upset she sounds like someone is torturing her. I have been at my wits end trying to keep her happy. I finally discovered the cause of all the mayhem--she's teething. And not only is my precocious three-month-old teething, but she is growing FANGS! Most kids seem to get teeth in the front, but my little vampire seems to be sprouting eyeteeth just in time for Halloween. I wish I could I could take a good picture of her teeth, but I will have to wait until they come in all the way.

I finished a fantastic book about teenage vampires this week. I'd read Stephenie Meyer's first two books in the Twilight series and enjoyed both, but I was not prepared to be so engrossed in the third book. I picked it up one morning and decided to read just a few chapters while the kids were asleep. Four hours later-- when I finally came to my senses--I realized that I had zipped through most of the book. I was able to put it aside for a few hours until Steve got home, but as soon as he walked through the door I handed my fractious infant to him and buried myself in the book again. At 10:00 that night, I came out of my teen fiction-induced stupor, having finished an amazing book, but having no idea what happened in the real world. Sometimes I can't seem to stop when I pick up a book. I have no self control. I have now banished myself from the library (except for story time)for at least a month.

This last week we also had a slight scare with a bloodborne pathogen. Steve got stuck by a contaminated needle during a surgery last week. There were some concerns that the patient possibly had Hepatitis C. Luckily, the lab results showed no signs of any bloodborne diseases.

I had not really given much thought to what life would be like if someone in our family had a possibly life-threatening disease--especially one that was contagious. I can't imagine how difficult life would be. I had a friend in nursing school who had Hepatitis C and I never realized how that must limit what she does. Even when your body seems healthy and strong, you have to constantly wonder if it will start to deteriorate. And the worry about passing the disease to someone else--especially someone you love--must be heartbreaking. I hadn't really thought of Steve's job being dangerous, but I guess every job must have its occupational hazards.

I promise I will post some great pictures of the kids soon. I'm still having some trouble with my computer.

The best cookies ever!

2007-09-16T23:19:00.000-04:00

I was going to post some cute pictures of the girls, but I am having some difficulties with my computer. So I decided to share this recipe we tried at Rachel's house instead.

Warning, these cookies are addictive!

Chocolate Caramel Cookies

1 box chocolate or devil's food cake mix
1 stick of butter, softened
2 eggs
1 bag of Rolos chocolate caramel candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the cake mix, butter, and eggs together to form a soft dough. Take one Rolos candy and roll enough dough around it to form a small ball. You can roll the cookies in some granulated sugar to give them a pretty texture, top with a pecan, or drizzle with white chocolate. Repeat until either candy or dough is gone. Eat remaining candy or dough (He, He!)Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Note: I made these with a regular chocolate cake mix, but I think it would probably better with a devil's food mix.

If you were wondering what I want for Christmas . . .

2007-09-15T23:36:00.000-04:00

When Steve's brother John came to visit a few weeks ago, he introduced us to this this fantastic website called www.willitblend.com. If you haven't seen these videos, they are highly entertaining. Make sure you click on the "Do not try this at home" button. I especially recommend watching them blend hockey pucks and golf balls. Amazing!

I posted the glow sticks video as a little tribute to Allison. Allison decided to drink the liquid inside a glow stick on Labor Day. In case you were wondering, the mixture tastes "yucky". It made her sick to her stomach, but did not cause any lasting damage. We also got to talk to our good friends at the poison control center. We've had many a conversation with these helpful folks. I hope they don't keep a record of how many times we've called--Allison has a tendency to eat all sorts of "yucky" things.

The word of the day is . . .

2007-09-13T22:32:00.000-04:00

When my sisters came to visit last summer, we played a fun game. One of my sisters was studying for the GMAT and had several vocabulary words to learn. We decided that to help her learn we would pick a word every day and try and use it throughout the day in various contexts. It was thoroughly entertaining. So I've decided to apply this game to my blog. Every week I will try and find a new word and I will try to use it somewhere in my blog. If you have suggestions, please feel free to make them. I'm hoping that I will be able to expand my vocabulary a little, even if I can't remember most of the words more than a few days. This week's word is:

jeremiad \jair-uh-MY-uhd\, noun: A tale of sorrow, disappointment, or complaint; a doleful story; also, a dolorous or angry tirade.

I also thought I would post a few pictures that have been hanging out on my camera.

I tried to take some pictures to show how chubby Lindsay is getting. She started out as a scrawny little bird and she's fattening up nicely.

I love fat babies. Every time I look at this picture I want to do some serious cheek-pinching. Have you ever seen jowls like that?

Last weekend we went to the local amusement park. Allison had lots of fun riding the rides. She especially liked this ride because she got to sit next to this random cutie. Notice how she's checking him out. Do you think he'll notice how she is eyeing him?

We also went swimming at the pool at the amusement park. I had a hard time getting her in the water, but after a few minutes she didn't want to leave. Notice my fancy photography. I'm really good at chopping off people's heads with my camera. It's a good thing Steve doesn't have a job where he has to think very much.

And this brings me to my final picture. I don't think people fully appreciate the spectrum of Allison's moods. Most people only see the sweet happy girl she is most of the time. But sometimes she wants people to hear her jeremiad. Sometimes she just wants someone to listen.

The GamFam will be proud

2007-09-08T23:19:00.000-04:00

Warning: If you have a weak stomach or are opposed to reading about bathroom habits DO NOT READ FURTHER. I post this mainly to impress Steve's family.

Before I married Steve I had no idea he had a family secret. A BIG secret. A secret I discovered on our honeymoon. Late one evening Steve went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. I waited for him to come out so I could use the bathroom next. I waited, and waited, and waited. Then I timidly knocked on the door. (We were still on our honeymoon, so of course I knocked.)

"Steve, are you okay?"

"Um. No."

"What's the matter?"

"Um."

"Steve, are you sick?"

"Not exactly."

"Then, what's wrong?"

"Well . . . I sort of plugged the toilet."

"You what?"

"I flooded the toilet, okay? There's no plunger in here, so can you please go down to the front desk and ask for one?"

At this point we argued for a few minutes because I was too embarrassed to go ask the attendant at the front desk for a plunger. I'm can't remember why I caved, but I eventually trudged down to the front desk. The attendant at the desk looked at me dumbly when I made my request:

"You want what?"

"A plunger. You see, my husband flooded the toilet." (Notice that I make sure to specify that I was not the culprit. Heaven forbid that someone think that I clogged the toilet.)

The girl at the desk looked at me strangely and then went into the janitors closet to look for a plunger. She returned empty handed.

"We don't have a plunger."

"You're sure? You don't have one anywhere?"

"Nope."

"Um. What am I supposed to do then? It's almost 11 o'clock at night."

"I dunno." (Did I mention that the attendant was probably still be in high school?)

"All right," I sighed. "I guess we'll figure something out."

I realize now that I probably should have made the attendant look again. I mean after all, this can't have been the first time the hotel had this problem. They had to have a plunger SOMEWHERE. Instead I hauled my confrontation-avoiding hiney back to the room and told Steve the sad news. We ended up at some grocery store at 11:30 at night buying a plunger. Our first plunger. How romantic. I should have seen the signs then.

It wasn't until I shared this experience at a Gammon family get-together that I found out the full secret.

The Gammon siblings have intestines of steel. Apparently, it was at least a weekly occurrence for someone to plug the toilet when the kids were growing up. And it wasn't just the boys. Steve's brother-in-laws swear that they have to keep industrial-style plungers in their homes to keep those Gammon girls from overflowing the white throne. And according to Steve's toilet-clogging siblings, the toilet does not flood from an over use of toilet paper--if you get my drift.

Anyway. I have a point to this disgusting story.

This afternoon, in an effort to avoid a nap, Allison informed me that she went "poo-poo in pants." I took her to the bathroom and pulled down her pants to find a baseball-sized mess in her pants. After disposing of the "poo-poo ball" (this was Al's term, not mine) into the toilet, I went to flush.

My two-year old flooded the toilet.

Eww.

Back to Reality

2007-09-05T15:42:00.000-04:00

So our vacation is officially over. Steve went back to work yesterday and was on call overnight. We had such a good time during his time off. After we got home from North Carolina, Steve's brother John and his wife and baby came to visit.

Little Spencer is only a few weeks older than Lindsay.

He is a fun little guy and is the spitting image of his father:

We had fun hanging out with John and Kori and Spencer. Rachel and Jesse also played with us when they were available. We enjoyed some awesome barbecue, played some pretty competitive games of cards, saw some of the sights and sounds of our fair city, and enjoyed the paddle boats at a local lake.

It is amazing to me how happy the girls are when Steve is around:

Sometimes I can't decide if vacations are good for me. I think that they ruin day-to-day life for a while. Even though I can't wait for our next vacation, I dread it a little too. I've heard of post-partum depression, but is there such a thing as post-vacation depression?

North Carolina Trip and Random Pictures

2007-08-28T23:01:00.000-04:00

Jamie says I have to post something. Here is my first attempt at blogging:

Today we got back from a 4 day trip to North Carolina to visit Dave and Serena. We left last Friday after I got off from work and drove all night until 4:00AM. We decided to do it this way so Allison and Lindsay would sleep most of the way.

Over the weekend we cruised "The Triad" and "The Triangle" seeing all the immense sights and sounds of these locations. For Non-North Carolinans, "The Triad" is composed of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point, and "The Triangle" is composed of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Allison enjoyed paddle-boating in a nearby lake and practicing her artist skills at the Greensboro Art Museum.

Allison became the Queen of Dave and Serena's home. Within minutes of arriving at their home, she walked around like she owned the place leaving a wake behind her wherever she went. Lindsay didn't care one way or the other as long as she was being held by whoever.

Here's Dr. Allison with her surgeon's cap:

Here's where we live (as seen from Schuyler Nichols' plane):

Lindsay needs to be on this post too:

Tagged

2007-08-24T09:36:00.000-04:00

Hey, we've been tagged by my good friend Lindsay. I thought I would post my results and then I'll post Steve's answers later--just for fun. I've been after him to post something for a while, but he's just been too busy. After all it is the Gammon family blog. Anyway here are my answers:

4 jobs I've had . . .
Greaseball #4 -- Digging trenches for my dad's landscaping company.
Salad Girl -- Stocking the salad bar at an old-time saloon. Who knew that cowboys liked salad?
Old Man Bum wiper -- Nurse's aide at the Veteran's hospital.
Registered Nurse -- Still wiping bums, but getting paid more to do it!

4 movies I could watch over and over. . .
Roman Holiday
Goonies
Pirates of the Caribbean--I'm a sucker for pirates, AARGH!
Little Mermaid-- Oh, wait. That's not me, that's Allison. Over and over and over.

4 places I've lived . . .
St. Louis, MO
Cincinnati, OH
American Fork, UT
Saskatchewan, Canada -- Okay, so it's just wishful thinking.

4 favorite television shows . . .
So You Think You Can Dance
Lost
Sesame Street--It let's me take a shower in the morning, how awesome is that?
American Idol

4 places I've been . . .
Sharon, Vermont
Matewan, West Virginia
Key Largo, Florida
Havasu Falls, Arizona

4 favorite foods . . .
Grilled squash and onions
Rachel Cobia's chicken fajitas
Homemade bread and raspberry jam
Vegetable lasagna

4 websites I check often . . .
hotmail.com
kraftfoods.com
msnbc.com
craigslist.com

4 hobbies I enjoy
reading
jogging--okay so I don't enjoy this right now, but I will once I get back into shape.
cooking and feeding people
quilting

4 people I tag . . .
Jesse and Rachel
Leslie M.
Heather P.
Shayleen L.

You're it!

Mmmm . . .

2007-08-21T22:29:00.001-04:00

We tried a great new recipe tonight. Here it is:

Grilled Rosemary Chicken and Red Peppers with Cucumber Relish

2 c. plain fat-free yogurt, divided (Greek-style recommended)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 large sweet red peppers, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 large cucumber, diced
1/4 c. red onion, diced
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. yogurt, 2 chopped garlic cloves, rosemary and lemon juice. Add chicken and let mixture marinate at least 15 minutes or overnight in refrigerator.

Grill or broil chicken and peppers--about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, to make relish, combine cucumber, onion, remaining 1/2 c. yogurt, remaining garlic clove, parsley, oil, salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Serve relish over chicken and peppers. Yields about 1 1/2 c. of chicken/ pepper mixture and about 1/2 c. relish per serving. (5 points per serving)

This was pretty fast and easy and it was delicious. I realized while I was typing, however, that I forgot to add the garlic to the relish. It was still great! Leftovers would taste great in a pita or wrap the next day.

It kind of reminded me of this recipe that I tried a few months ago, which was also really yummy and fast.

Greek Chicken Kabobs

1/2 cup KRAFT Greek Vinaigrette Dressing (I used a generic brand)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into small wedges
1 medium lemon, halved

COMBINE dressing and mayo; pour into large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with the dressing mixture. Refrigerate at least 20 min. or up to 2 hours to marinate.

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade. Thread chicken and onions alternately onto 16 wooden skewers.

GRILL 8 to 10 min. or until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, place lemon, cut-sides down, on grill grate next to kabobs. Squeeze lemon juice over kabobs just before serving.

Enjoy!

Change is good

2007-08-12T22:40:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I saw something on the Oprah show that really made me think. A pastor of a church in Kansas City who preached a sermon about speaking positively and the effects of complaining. At the end of his sermon he handed out some plastic bracelets to the congregation and gave them a challenge. He challenged them to wear the bracelet on their right wrist as a reminder to not complain, speak negatively, or gossip. The challenge was to go 21 days without complaining or speaking negatively thereby creating a habit of positive thinking and speech. If the member of the congregation messed up, then he or she was to move the bracelet to the other arm and start over. Apparently a large portion of his congregation have taken the challenge and have succeeded.

I was so inspired by the story of this congregation. I complain ALL THE TIME. I knew it was time to start working on it. So I got on the church's website and ordered a bracelet. (It was free!) It came in the mail a few weeks ago and I started the challenge immediately. Then I gave up after changing my bracelet to a different arm at least 5 times in about three hours. I decided to give it a little time and then start over.

Last weekend I had a little breakdown. Steve was on call the majority of the weekend and both girls were quite a handful. So when Steve came home Monday and told me that he had to study all night, I lost it. Unfortunately, Allison was the unwilling witness to my breakdown (Steve had gone to bed) and I think it frightened her. After I put her down for a nap too I had a little time to reflect. Here is what I came up with:

I have lost touch with what is really important. I've allowed myself to wallow in my "poor me" mode and forgotten all the good things I have in my life. I've also allowed myself to only focus on just getting by and I've forgotten to do the things that help me to thrive. I read something this week that reminded me that feeding myself spiritually should be my highest priority. Whether that means reading my scriptures, or taking time to really ENJOY my family, I need to take care of myself. I am truly blessed and when I feel spiritually awake and alive I can recognize my blessings. When I am not taking care of myself spiritually, I perseverate on all of my "problems."

So I've come up with some things that I can do to help myself. And I will try again with the "A Complaint Free World" bracelets in the near future. Hopefully I will be a little more successful the next time I try it.

And I wonder where those chubby cheeks came from . . .

2007-08-10T22:40:00.000-04:00

Lindsay has been so smiley this week. I have tried to catch it with my camera all week, but this is the best I can do. I guess I can scratch becoming a professional photographer off my list off my list of careers I'd like to have. She really is much cuter when she smiles than this fat-cheeked picture shows!

I want to tell my mom how proud I am of her in this somewhat public forum. She is on a backpacking trip in the Uintahs right now--probably being eaten by mosquitoes. Anyway, this is a pretty major accomplishment for her. She has been getting up early the last few months and walking or hiking 2-3 miles. Mom, I am inspired by your diligence. Now if I could just follow your example.

I found an awesome treat when I was at the grocery store the other day. I generally don't buy into the "100 calorie" treats--way too expensive and a waste of good calories. But I was walking by the Hostess treats section of the store and I saw, you guessed it, 100 calorie packs of Ding-Dongs. What the . . . Ding Dongs? So I closed my eyes to the price tag and bought some. They come with three tiny little cupcakes per portion. I tried some when I got home, and they were pretty good. By the end of the night, however, I came to a realization. Hmmm. . . four 100 calorie packs equals 400 calories. Whoops! So the moral of the story is: 100 calorie packs of Ding Dongs--good. Eating 4 portions of them--not so good. ( I failed to mention that each pack had 5 grams of fiber. Which made my tummy VERY unhappy.)

Okay, time for bed. Or maybe laundry. (Can you guess that Steve's on-call?)

Yawn!

2007-08-09T23:06:00.001-04:00

When I change the template on my blog, that means I don't have to post anything. Right? I promise I have something in the works, but my brain is too tired to articulate. I'll just have to try posting in the morn . . . ZZZZZZ.

Water parks, cowboy boots, and Vanilla Ice

2007-08-05T22:46:00.000-04:00

I love having a digital camera. We bought it about three months ago and it is worth every penny. We are inching our way into the world of technology--we still don't have a cell phone. (We did have a cell phone when we moved to Cincinnati, but that's another story--one involving a bucket of water and me being a klutz.) Anyway. I love having a digital camera. It still amazes me every time I sit down and download pictures onto the computer. It takes less than 10 seconds to move pictures from our camera to the computer. With our old camera it would take months, even years before we would finally see what our pictures turned out like. (We aren't very good about getting film developed.) Even then we could not delete the pictures that didn't turn out so great. We just had to live with them. With the digital camera, I can take a look at the picture and say "Wow, do I really look like that?" and then happily delete it.

So we took the opportunity to use the digital camera this weekend. Steve had the whole weekend off--it was FANTASTIC! We have so much fun when he's around. After completing the list of chores I had compiled on Saturday, we decided to take the kids to the wet playground and then play Frisbee golf. We had a great time. Allison had fun running through water and laughing at us every time she sprayed Steve or me. Lindsay even got wet--Steve styled her hair to dry so that she would look like "Vanilla Ice". (Yep, that's the man I married.)

Allison also got a new pair of boots this weekend. A couple of months ago we found the COOLEST pink boots at Target. Allison campaigned hard to get them, (mostly by whining and crying) but Mommy just couldn't justify the price tag. When I was a Target this weekend, however, I found the boots on clearance for $3.00. So Allison got a new pair of boots this weekend. She loves, loves, loves them. She won't take them off! She wanted to wear them to the water park and she wanted to wear them to bed last night. Did I mention that she loves them? Steve and I got a big kick out of the fashion show that we had to go through in order to find a dress that she could wear them with to church. She looked so cute when we finally found "the right dress" that we just had to take a picture.

My cute girls

2007-08-03T10:46:00.000-04:00

My Greenish-Brown Thumb

2007-08-02T22:10:00.000-04:00

Steve is on call tonight. This pediatric rotation has been tougher than he thought it would be. He spends a lot of time at work and then has meetings, projects, and studying to do once he is done with his 12-14 hour day. He really likes his work, however, and still thinks that this might be "his thing."

I took one of the first squash off the zucchini plant tonight. It seems that a small animal has decided to raid our garden. My bet is a squirrel, though I have seen rabbits in our yard. Our tomatoes and peppers have perfectly round bite marks in them. I'm not sure what to do to get rid of the pests. When I first moved to Missouri I thought they were cute. Now I am trying to decide if I should purchase a 12 gauge shot gun or try rat poison. Our garden is pretty sad right now. Steve's job was to water the plants, but he has been too busy to do so. I have also neglected them, but my goal is to start watering every day--at least our planters. I went to water Rachel's plants today (she is out of town) and her plants are beautiful. I'm trying to take inspiration from her diligent care for her plants. Dad will probably disown me if he sees our yard! Where did the Ellison green thumb go?

Allison fell down and skinned her knee while we were at Rachel's apartment today. We were going out to our car and she took off running straight out to the parking lot. I yelled at her to stop, but she just kept going. As soon as I started to go after her, she biffed it. (Is "biffed" really a word? I'll have to look that one up.) I think I must be a bad parent because what I wanted to say was "Serves you right!" I tried to reign in that instinct, but I had a hard time being sympathetic. A skinned knee is very dramatic to my little 2-year old. She kept showing me her boo-boo and wanting kisses all day. My heart warmed just a little bit when she wanted to kiss Lindsay's "boo-boo" better when Lindsay started crying tonight.

I had better end this now. I have the hardest time going to bed when Steve's on call. I mop the floor, I read a book, I work on a project, and now I write in a blog. I guess I need to stop procrastinating the inevitable. Good night!

Trying Something New!

2007-07-31T22:31:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've been inspired by a few of my friends (he-hem--Lindsay, Heather, and Leslie) to start a family blog. More than anything I need some to be doing some kind of journal writing, so maybe this will count. My life seems pretty boring right now, but maybe I'll be able to come up with something interesting. Hopefully, it will also help me to stay in touch with my family and friends a little better than I do now.

So life has been pretty good lately. I'm starting to get the hang of having two kids--kind of. At least I can see what color the carpet is from underneath the pile of toys, books, that seem to pile up so quickly. This past week I decided to start potty-training Allison. After two days of frustration and eating too much chocolate (being an emotional eater and having "potty rewards" around is a bad combination) Allison finally started to get the hang of things. We are down to about two accidents a day now. We also have come up with a new potty dance. Every time Allie goes potty Steve or I have to do the potty dance. I'm sure we look quite ridiculous.

I did have an alarming experience on Sunday. I was making lunch and I put a cheese quesadilla on the stove and turned the heat on high. I then ran downstairs to bring Allison up to eat. When I got downstairs, I realized that she had gone potty and I had to empty out her little chair. So I went to the bathroom and when I came back to the downstairs living room I realized that Allison had locked the door behind us. She had locked us into the basement! I got upset when I remembered that Lindsay was upstairs in her swing. I was trying to pick the lock and even trying to break it when I realized that I had left the stove on. Luckily we do have an outside entrance to the basement. Panicking, I ran outside with Allison and to a neighbors house. I knew that all the windows and doors were locked to the upstairs of the house. I was terrified that the pan would catch fire while we were trying to get back in so I called 911. Luckily my neighbor was able to break the lock off the door after we got back to the house. By the time I got into the upstairs of our house, the kitchen was pretty smokey. Lindsay was just as happy as can be in her swing, however. I am so thankful that our neighbor was able to break the lock on our door because the police didn't show up for another 10 minutes! I've been thinking a lot about how precious my family is to me and how grateful I am to have such beautiful children. If something would have happened to Lindsay, I would have been devastated. I'm so glad that we have a guardian angel in the form of a good neighbor. Now if I can just think of some way to say thank you. How do you thank someone for possibly saving your child's life? He told me he wouldn't say no to a six-pack of beer, but I think I might just have to come up with something else.

Anyway, I have been rambling on way to much. Good night for now!