I went to IKEA today. Why don't they let you keep your kids in the ball pit longer than an hour? Surely they could sell more stuff if they let you shop a little longer without them.

I am happy with my purchases. I had a blast with Arrogant Sage and her dd, C. And Ash and Kins were there too. Ash won because she spent the most money. Or maybe Sage did because she spent the least.

When I arrived home, Handyman and his sidekick (who is actually his step-son) were busy working away. "We've had a few setbacks" Handyman told me. Seems the tub is small for the space and he has to build out the wall 1.5 inches from the floor to the ceiling. Sounds like a lot of work. Especially since that wall is 12 feet tall. He said the tub that was in there was not a standard size. So that adds more work and I wonder if that will cost me more money.

I also figured out another setback that he did not (yet) tell me about. I found a shard of broken mirror about 8" long. Hmmm...after he left I went to take a peek at the bathroom mirror to see how bad it looks with this piece missing. Well, the whole mirror is missing. I guess the whole thing shattered. I wonder when/if he will tell me about it. I wonder what the cost is to replace a 6 foot by 4 foot mirror.

Book club tonight was fun. So many people with so many different interpretations of the end of the book. Two people loved the twist at the end. Most others did not like it or hated it. I am really enjoying this book club! Our next book is The Kite Runner.

Ok, tooth is feeling better today. Alternate Dentist is lucky that I didn't have to tell on her.

Book club tomorrow night. I am dreading everyone's wrath because the book had such a lousy ending. I hope Tami picks a better book for next month.

I went to Mass this morning (Ash Wednesday). Then I spent the rest of the day cleaning (I scrubbed the huge kitchen floor on my hands and knees because that wet Swifter just doesn't cut it). In the early afternoon, Ash dropped off Kins while she went to a job interview. When she came back to pick me up, she said "Here, let me get that off your forehead" and she wiped the ashes off. I was too stunned to move then I burst out laughing. She thought it was just dirt from my cleaning. Geez, how dirty did she think my house was?

Jax's teacher emailed me today because apparently he and another boy in his class have been disrupting the class for the past two weeks with their "silliness". I asked Jax what he was doing that was so silly and he said "I like to pretend my lunch is poison and I die after I take a bite". Nice. And "I pretend that I am being flushed down a toilet and I spin around and yell 'AAAAHHHHHH' ". What is it about boys?! Why can't they sit nicely in class and LEARN? The other kid is doing similar things and they egg each other on. Anyway, the teacher asked that we speak to Jax (and the other kid's parents speak to him) and hopefully "their behavior will go back to how they used to act in class". At least that tells me that Jax hasn't been a brat all year! I hope his behavior improves...

Well off to bed. IKEA in the morning. I hope to meet Arrogant Sage there. And when I get back I am sure my bathtub will be installed. I need the bathroom done quickly because I found a house I want to buy!

Ok, so I don't have to be a detective to figure out that my trip to the dentist today was going to be a disaster. The clues were all there, it was just a matter of putting them together.

I had to have a cavity filled. The first clue was that Regular Dentist was not going to be in the office so they made an appointment for me with Alternate Dentist. My only experience with Alternate Dentist (who I guess is really my dentist's business partner and not from the Manpower Dentist Pool) in the past was an appointment last year when she lectured me about flossing on a regular basis (sorry but I have whacked flossing off my list).

Clue #2: The "virtual reality" movie glasses that they put on for me pinched my nose so much that I could not breathe so off they came (boo because I had chosen "Chocolat" so I could see yummy Johnny Depp).

Clue #3: Alternate Dentist numbs my mouth then tests to see if I still have feeling. Yep. So more novacaine or whatever it is that they inject into ones gums with that big freaking gun.

Clue #4: I panicked when they put this thing in my mouth to keep my tongue away from where they were working. I gagged then pushed it out with my tongue. I was so embarrassed.

Clue #5: Alternate Dentist fretting to the assistant that she needed more composite while filling the tooth. Then she commented four or five times that the filling was really, really deep.

Clue #6: The hour I spent in the chair after Alternate Dentist told me it would only take 30 minutes. I was the very last patient to leave the office today and the staff was just sitting around waiting and giving me odd looks because they ~knew~ something was not quite right.

So now, a few hours later, my face is unfrozen and has stopped itching (does that happen to anyone else?). I am in a lot of pain and am wondering just how early I can call Regular Dentist tomorrow morning.

Off to take some Tylenol (has anyone else read those scary stories about Ibuprofen lately??) then to bed. Oh, and I suppose I might floss my teeth if it saves me from another dental disaster and a meeting with Alternate Dentist.

Handyman could not install the bathtub yesterday because it is damaged. It goes back to Home Depot it goes tonight. He'll be back tomorrow to install the replacement.

I am feeling so run down. I have a cold and I am so tired. One day Cars will sleep through the night, right?

Laurie took Dex to soccer then to her house for a playdate with Cameron. I feel like I need to rush around and clean the house and run errands since I only have one child for the next 3.5 hours but all I really want to do it nap. I might just do that.

Snap-snap-snap! I am making decisions like there is no tomorrow. ;) I picked up the tile and grout today. Tonight Stephen and I had a "date" at Home Depot and we purchased a tub and shower faucet.

After our date at Home Depot we went out for dinner at the local ale house. Then to Safeway for some groceries. We are such losers. lol

Jax was very upset after swimming today. He would not tell us what was wrong until dinner time when he whispered in Stephen's ear that he stared at a women's breasts at the pool and was feeling guilty about it. OMG - he is too young to be looking and then feeling guilty on top of that! My poor baby!

Jax overheard me telling our neighbour that Kins has chicken pox even though she had been vaccinated. Jax became wide-eyed and a look of great concern came across his face. He interrupted "She's been killed?! What happened to her!?" He thought I said that Kins had been assassinated (He learned that word last month when they studied Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.).

I have made more decisions about the bathroom. Just need to go to Tiles for Less (for wall tile) and Home Depot for the tub and shower faucet. Baby steps...

But while I am trying to whack things off my list I somehow managed to get volunteered to cut out 100 paper hearts for Jax's class Valentine's party. At least the party is still a week and a half away so I hope to have them done by tomorrow. Off to start them right now.

Damn Cookies

I erased all of my cookies and now I cannot remember passwords and login id's for a number of sites. It took me 7 tries before I remembered this login id. I hate when this happens.

Cars had a little tantrum today and started yelling NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO at me. It was cute - I didn't even know he knew how to say that word!

Nanny is due to come tomorrow. Jax has only 1/2 day of school so my time is limited. At least I do not have to do any work for Dex's Sunday School (I did it all last week). I do get to pick up my new glasses at Costco. And hopefully buy a couple of things for the bathroom (tub, faucets, tile). And no second guessing myself about my decisions.

Ok, I am feeling a little saner today. ~whew~ I have whacked vacuuming and bill paying from my "to do" list for today. However, I have three whiny children. Cars had a bad cold. Dex says his throat hurts and Jax complained that he did not feel well but could not be specific so off to school he went. I think he was just tired. Still too early to decide if Dex will stay home this afternoon or not. I'll have to cancel tea today with Ash and Gloria. I missed last week because Kins was sick and I didn't want to expose Cars to her ickiness. Damn and he caught something anyway.

I finished reading my book (see sidebar). I hated the ending. It was stupid! Anyway, I know Ash and Paula also did not like the ending. I am not sure if anyone else from book club has finished it or not. Our next meeting is at my house on the 10th.

Fighting to Stay Sane

I feel like I have taken a little step backwards in the sanity department. I am just starting to feel overwhelmed with making decisions about the bathroom and other things. The little doubts and wonderings if I made the right decisions are nagging at me. I hate this!

Because of this perceived stress, I have reacted in the way I do best - emotional eating. Damn Chips Ahoy! being on sale this week has not helped matters. I have not exercised in days either.

Wow - I am throwing myself a pity party it seems! Cocktail anyone?

Nanny did not show up today. She thought I had told her I did not need her. I had told her I did not need her at 8am but to come at 9 instead. *sigh* So I had to run errands with all three kids. Plus I did not get to go to Costco to look for new glasses. Cars threw a ceramic St. Joseph figure at me at Christmas and scratched the left lens. The glasses place could not buff it out - I need new lenses. So I decided that I would just wait until my new glasses benefits kicked in this month and I am going to get a pair of glasses with clip-on sunglasses. I never got the hang of contact lenses (how unnatural it is to stick things IN your eyes!) so I have been without sunglasses for a year.

Dh came home late for dinner (stopped for a drink with people from work!). So I was ticked off at that. Then he tells me that if we had joined the health club back in November(which is free for employees of his company but they can only sign up during benefit enrollment time each November), we would be able to take the kids swimming there for free and cancel their Y swim membership. Aaargh! That is exactly what I told him in November but apparently because I don't actually WORK at MS then how could I have possibly known that. Geez, I cannot believe how pissed off I am at him about this.

I bought Jax two pairs of shoes today. His running shoes were a size 1.5 and his feet are size 3. Oops! He also told me that his clothes were not cool.(!) He is six. Ok, nearly 7...but still! I took him to Fred Meyer and asked him to show me some cool clothes. He pointed out a pair of cammo pants and a pair of jeans that looks like a mechanic had worn them for a year and never washed them. Those jeans also had the lovely chain hanging down from them for one's wallet. He also wants black t-shirts. What happened to my young, sweet, little boy!

Cars wearing Dex's hat. It is too small for Dex.

Dex thinks it is so funny to mug for the camera. Really it is just bloody annoying. As you can see the hat is too small for him but he loves it anyway.

Dex had a playdate today with the "real" Evan (as opposed to the
other Evan). Evan's mom called before she brought him over to ask if we kept guns in the house. She is the first person to ever ask me that. I told her I was glad that she asked and that we did not keep guns in the house. I think every parent should be asking that question when they drop their child off at a house for a playdate. I always talk to parents about peanut butter but now that the kids are older, I will certainly start asking about guns too.

Food Allergies

Another senseless death.

Restaurant warnings urged after teen's death

From the article:

- The prevalence of peanut allergy in children doubled in five years
- about 1.6 million Americans have peanut allergies
- about one in every 125 children has peanut allergy

"Among food allergies, peanut allergy is the most dangerous, said Dr. Richard Roberts at Carolina Asthma and Allergy Center in Charlotte.

Injections of epinephrine should be administered quickly, he said; otherwise, "most people die within minutes."

The good news:

It's benign. I need to go back in May or June for another pap to keep an eye on things.

Thanks again for everyone's good wishes, prayers and positive thoughts. They are greatly appreciated.

The bad news:

I lost the auction. There was about an hour left so I made a donation to Unicef and emailed the receipt to Hanan. Of course I was sniped with less than 30 seconds to go. But that's ok. The real winners will be the children who were victims of the tsunami.

It was a gloriously warm day today! It got up to 63 degrees at the local middle school (the temperature is listed on the local NBC station's website). And it was sunny! Incredible weather for January.

Contractor #4 arrived this morning. He is a friend of S & N. He will price everything out and email me tomorrow with a quote. The way things are going I am still looking at the other handy man guy. I want to get started on this project. My mom is coming for a visit in March so it would be nice if we had our bathroom back by then.

I am working on a letter of recommendation for my friends who want to adopt a child. There is so much to write and consider. I hope I can do them justice in this letter.

Jewel Quest

I love Jewel Quest. It is more addicting than Zuma.

This is why Washington State needs a re-vote for the Governor's race:

Man learns his votes were illegal for years.

There were illegal ballots cast for both parties. The voting process has to have integrity or no one will support or trust the system!

$40 Millions Dollars

I received this from a friend today and I thought it was worthy of mentioning. And for the record, I do not hate America so please no spewings of such in the comments section of my blog.

Excerpt from The Progress Report:

$40 million: Cost of Bush inaugural ball festivities, not counting security costs.

$2,000: Amount FDR spent on the inaugural in 1945…about $20,000 in today's dollars.

$20,000: Cost of yellow roses purchased for inaugural festivities by D.C.'s Ritz Carlton.

200: Number of Humvees outfitted with top-of-the-line armor for troops in Iraq that could have been purchased with the amount of money blown on the inauguration.

$10,000: Price of an inaugural package at the Fairmont Hotel, which includes a Beluga caviar and Dom Perignon reception, a chauffeured Rolls Royce and two actors posing as "faux" Secret Service agents, complete with black sunglasses and cufflink walkie-talkies.

26,000: Number of Kevlar vests for U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan that could be purchased for $40 million.

$17 million: Amount of money the White House is forcing the cash-strapped city of Washington, D.C., to pony up for inauguration security.

9: Percentage of D.C. residents who voted for Bush in 2004.

66: Percentage of Americans who think this over-the-top inauguration should have been scaled back.

Now is the time to worry...

Before the colposcopy the doctor told me he would not be taking a biopsy but would just be looking at the cervix. During the procedure he saw some white cells and changed his mind. Much discomfort ensued and now I must wait until Tuesday for results.

It was 67F today! Felt like spring. Not good news for the ski slopes up at the pass and I guess no tubing for us this year. And all of the rivers have flooded. Good think we live on a plateau. ;)

Two bathroom people came today. The first will email me an estimate tomorrow. The second was a handy-man service and his estimate was half of what the first one was! Well, a little less than 1/2 because I have to get some of the items myself but the estimate includes tile and a bigger tub! Whoo-hoo! And he can start February 5th. So we'll see how things go with the estimate tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the colposcopy. I hope the doctor can give me some answers while I am there.

Day 3

Third day of the fitness challenge. I am not doing very well on "dieting" but I have not had an eating binge. I wore my pedometer today while at Dex's soccer today and I clocked almost 2000 steps chasing Cars around the arena. I was impressed. I wore it for 1/2 the day and I think I had about 3000 steps. Far from the goal of 10,000 steps recommended. I forced myself to move about a little more than usual though. Normally I am such a slug.

Tomorrow I have two contractors coming to give me a quote on the bathroom. The first will be over-priced. The second is the one who did (S & N's bathroom). I am not sure how long that link will work. A third guy is due to come on Monday morning. He is a friend of S & N who has started his own "handyman" business. He told me today on the telephone after I told him what the first place had quoted us that with his current project he had moved a wall, re-plumbed, installed shower, bath, sink, tile, etc for less than that! So it looks like we can get this all done within our budget.

I knit a hat for Dex but it is small and fits Cars really well. Dex insists that he wears it. I need to take a picture of it. I used Noro Kureyon which knits up striped and it is gorgeous! I am working on a second hat for Jax but I think I have overcompensated and it will be too big. I remind myself of Lucille Ball with this knitting (I hope someone out there has seen that episode of her show).

Fiona wearing the Christmas hat I made for her.

Cars has a rash on his body. I wonder if it is from the antibiotics he is on (Cefzil). It is the first time he has been on it. The doc is not sure his ears cleared up while he was on Amoxicillin (or whether these are new ear infections). I wonder if the office is open today (MLK Day). I'll call a little later.

Cars did not sleep well last night (so I did not either). I had weird dreams too (think Star Wars v Cyborgs with Orlando Bloom thrown in for good measure).

It has warmed up and is PISSING rain today. Doesn't make for a nice day off school for the kids. I'll just send them out to the garage later to play ESPN Gamestation.

I am high bidder on Tsu Bear on ebay. The proceeds will go to Tsunami Disaster relief. There is still over a week left but I don't know if I will be outbid. I had planned to donate at least that much to a charity (Stephen and I had just not decided which one yet but we are boycotting the American Red Cross).

I'd better get my butt in gear. I have friends coming over in about 45 minutes and I haven't had a shower yet!

Yesterday on the way to the mall, I decided I needed a new bra because the elastic had gone out of my nursing bras and the wires had poked out of my regular bras. Plus of course my breasts had changed shape once again after nursing my third child. I headed straight to Nordstroms to be fit for a new bra. If I were going to spend money on one, it was going to actually fit me. (I bought two).

A few years ago I went there for a proper bra-fitting and found out that I was wearing both the wrong band size and the wrong cup size I bought a bra that actually fit me. The underwire did not dig into me. The front of the bra lay flat against my chest they way they are supposed to. What a revelation! A bra that fits right looks good and feels good. WOW! I swore I would only ever buy bras at Nordstroms for the rest of my life! I highly recommend a bra-fitting. Not by the young chicks who work at Victoria Secret but by a professional bra-fitter. Go to the nearest department store during a bra fit clinic and get sized and buy a good, well-fitting bra. You will be amazed at the difference a well-fit bra makes.

Discovery Health National Body Challenge

I signed up today at the mall for the Discovery Health National Body Challenge. I made my appointment for late in the day knowing that most people would want to go early in the day. There was no waiting line at all! I signed in, had my weight taken, my body fat calculated and my BMI. Then I had a full body shot taken. Next stop was the Discovery Store for my free bag of goodies. I received a food journal/exercise journal, a pedometer, a free sample of Secret deodorant, a bottle of some water with nutrients in it from Gatorade, an exercise DVD and my free 2-month pass at Bally's (I don't think I will be using that because it is way on the other side of the lake).

I am so keyed up to get FIT and lose weight. I hope this enthusiasm lasts through tomorrow morning!

Another sick kid. Another sleepless night. Another long day. Another boring blahg.

The people for the second bathroom quote moved their appointment to next week because snow was in the forecast and NO ONE drives anywhere here when it snows. I also have a couple of more names of contractors who have done bathrooms at more reasonable rates so we'll see what comes of it. Stephen is now hot to move for some reason. He wants the tub replaced then off we move to a new home. Like we can afford it. Gotta keep buying those lottery tickets, I suppose... heh

An acquaintance invited me over to see her bathroom that was remodeled last year. It is gorgeous: marble tile on the floors and around the tub, deep bathtub, shower with a bench, granite countertops, etc. It should be in a magazine! However, it is way more than I would want (I just want a tub that doesn't leak at this point) or would ever spend. She told me they spent (get this...) $39,000 on the bathroom. The tiling alone was $15,000. I felt like I was in the twilight zone. How the hell could someone spend that kind of money on their bathroom in the same area that I live in? Seriously. And the funny thing is that she said she was not going to put her son in full-day kindergarten next year because she thought it was too expensive (~$250/month!!). LOL

Our second book club meeting was last night. We discussed The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. There were three new members (and a couple who could not make it) so we are up to 11 people. Another friend who is in another book club said that 10-12 people was a good size for a book club. Next month we are discussing
The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve.

Our playgroup has decided to meet one last time before Sarah moves. Leslie is going to try to make it. Everyone is coming here on Monday. I gave Sarah and Leslie a little going away present consisting of a pack of note cards, strip of stamps and a sheet of labels with my address, Tracey's address and Jen's address pre-printed on them.

Here's a picture from our night out:

From L to R: Leslie, Sarah, Tracey, Me, Jen

Ok, off to bed for a little nap before Cars wakes up. *sigh*

I'll say it again - HOLY SHIT! Yes, we are looking at $12000 to replace the bathroom with the exact bathroom I already have (acrylic tub/surround and vinyl floor, new sinks and faucets, same toilet, cabinet and mirror). I cannot believe it. Honestly I thought I was going to faint when she said that price. Anyway, they were just the first quote so let's hope they are just really high! Stephen said that for that price he will do the bathroom himself! LOL Right. We could though just hire out someone to replace the tub...I'll think about it because I cannot imagine spending all that money. It is over out budget.

My appt with the GYN has been moved to next Thursday. :

Just arrived home from my night out with the girls. It was a lot of fun just shooting the shit with them all. I do feel horrible for Leslie. Their house closes (the one they just sold) on Saturday and they still do not have a place to move to yet. I am a little freaked out for her right now. I swear I do not know how she is holding together. I'd have gone crazy (crazier) by now!

One funny thing tonight is that a group of younger women left while we were eating and as they walked by Jen was like "How funny is that! Did you see their purses? It was a parade of designer handbags! A Chanel, a Coach, a Burberry and a Kate Spade!" (We were in fancy-smancy Kirkland). I hadn't noticed the purses and Tracey said "I wouldn't know a designer purse if someone hit me with it." I thought it telling because Jen is the only one of us with "money" so of course she would notice.

Tomorrow the first bathroom contractor is coming. They called today to confirm and told me the average bathroom remodel in these parts runs $12000-$19000! HOLY SHIT! Are people getting gold-plated fixtures?! Anyway, I am assuming that that price also includes a lot of plumbing moved (which we do not need), lots of ceramic or glass tile installed (I'll stick to vinyl flooring and an acrylic tub and surround) and a heated floor! Can I say it again? HOLY SHIT! We'll see what they say tomorrow...

Ok, I am off to bed. It is cold and I cannot get warm. My feet are like ice!

Missed the Boy Scout Pick-up

We forgot to put the tree to the curb for the Boy Scouts to pick up. Looks like I saved $10. So Stephen had to saw off all of the limbs from the tree and cut it in half to fit it in our yard waste bin for recycling.

It snowed yesterday (three days later than the storm they were warning us about). Jax really wanted to make a snowman so out he went. It did not snow that much so the snowman really became a mudman (have I mentioned that our backyard is a BOG from October through May?). But they had a ball.



Ramona and I had an IM conversation yesterday with us both hooked up to our webcams. It was fun "talking" to her and seeing her at the same time. I wish my camera had sound.

Tonight is Mom's night out with playgroup mom's. Our last one. Sarah is moving back to the east coast and Leslie is moving to Everett. And of course Carolyn moved to Philadelphia last year. So then there were three - Jen, Tracey and I. I don't imagine we will meet anymore because we are all just too busy. I loved meeting weekly with these women, even with the stress of morning drives around the lake to get to playgroup (we used to be the only one who lived in the boonies). I feel a real sense of loss. :(

It snowed for about 30 minutes yesterday, turned to rain then cleared up. I guess parts north of us were hit with snow. Today it is windy but it isn't really even that cold. I wouldn't mind if it snowed tonight so the kids could play in it tomorrow morning before it melted.

For Better or For Worse has been one of my favourite comics since it debuted in the Toronto Star when I was a kid. I wrote to Lynn Johnston a couple of years ago to tell her how much I loved her strip and had read it continually for all of these years. Anyway, this was last weekend's strip and it really struck me. I've been thinking of it non-stop so I thought it would share it:



If it is too small you can see it HERE

Brrr! Still cold. And they say there is snow is in the forecast.

I went grocery shopping this evening. The shelves were all bare. I asked at the check-out why it was so bare. Apparently the store did three times the normal sales today because we are expecting a snow storm in a couple of days. LOL It is funny that everyone raided the store. Well, not too funny because I didn't get everything I needed.

I've arranged for two contractors to come out to the house to discuss the bathroom renovation. Not sure if I mentioned but we had another leak on Christmas Day so we cannot use that shower/bath at all now. The tub really needs replacing so we are just gutting the whole bathroom. I hope it doesn't take ages to do or cost a fortune. I also wish that Stephen WANTED to do some of the work to save us some $$.

It is so cold! Well for here. It is about 20F/-6C right now and it made it up to 35F/2C today. I know that is nothing compared to Alaska (Hi Heidi!) but freaking cold for here. My feet have been like blocks of ice all day long!

My sister kind of received some results today from her last procedure. I say kind of because the dork doctor was to have called her but didn't and now he is on vacation so his receptionist read what she could of the lab results. Anyway, it seems that they might have been able to get all of the cancer out so she might not need a hysterectomy afterall. What great news! Of course she will not know for sure until she speaks to the doctor. What a relief for her! My mom is still planning a trip out west to see her so I am sure she will make a detour down to see us too. Oh and JP and Marilyn will be coming soon too because he just ordered something HUGE off Amamzon to be delivered here. I'll need to make room in the garage...

Today was the first day back to school for the boys. Stephen had the day off (since Jan 1 was on a Saturday) so he took Dex to school and picked up both boys from school. I did laundry most of they day. Whoopee-do-dah.

Tomorrow, Dex starts back at soccer. Jax starts the science program I signed him up for on Thursday. I also have MOPS on Thursday morning and Sunday School preschool planning Thursday night. I have gotten used to not running around here and there and I am little stressed already just thinking about it! What a wuss I have become!

I have barely spoken to Ramona in weeks. She went on that trip at the beginning of December (Miami and cruise to Caribbean) then she was busy working to pay off that trip, then Christmas. I do too think she is avoiding me because she does not want to talk about her infertility with anyone. I know she has not spoken to Leah Ann either and this is the first year in 25+ years that she has not seen Leah Ann at Christmas (except for the years Ramona was in Saudi). I wish I could make things better for her. :(

Jax and I played two games of chess tonight. It has been fun teaching him to play. Dex wanted to play too but then started getting upset at all of the RULES. He started ranting about how when he grows up he is going to make up his own rules about chess. *sigh* This his rules thing he has is getting OLD. Then Cars came over and started licking all of the pieces. Then Jax freaked out about germs. AARGH!

Ok, off to bed. Cars woke up last night at 11 and was up until 1:30 (ergo...) so I am in dire need of sleep.

The tree is down and outside, awaiting pick up by the Boy Scouts next weekend. I am irked that our county stopped the free tree chipping at the local park so our only tree removal is to have the Boy Scouts take it away for a $10-$15 donation! We only paid $20 ($19.97 actually at Home Depot) so it seems like robbery to pay them that much. Last year I am sure they were asking only for $8.

The ornaments and Christmas decorations are all boxed up and waiting for Stephen to put them back in the rafters in the garage. He bought a new 8' ladder today so he could easily put them back, rather than risk life and limb by standing on the "THIS IS NOT A STEP" step of the rickity 6' ladder.

Cars cries everytime he goes into the living room and doesn't see the tree. Poor thing!

Stephen bought me a webcam but I cannot seem to get it to work with anyone using MSN Messenger. I also don't have a microphone so it is pretty lame anyway. I wanted my mom to be able to see the kids.

Jax got a cheap digital video camera for Christmas. He wants to be a "movie maker like George Lucas" he says. Anyway, we looked at toy video cameras and they were more than this one and they weren't even digital. So he has been having a good time making his own movies. The camera is jerky and really the camera is not super great quality but it is fun to watch him record everything!

Time to go make a puzzle with him.

Happy New Year!

My Resolutions

Besides not complaining as much, I resolve to:

- take better care of myself, physically, mentally and spiritually
- not feel guilty about not keeping in touch with people. Email/snail mail/telephones work both ways
- not bite off more than I can chew. No more dozen swap partners!
- knit a BIG item like a sweater for ME
- curb emotional eating
- turn off the tv more often (clicking it off right NOW)
- go on a date with my husband once each month

This columnist writes it so better than I could (and kind of what I was trying to say...)

Tsunami relief isn't about us

My deal not to talk about my children's health has not made a difference. Jax had an ear infection in both ears last week and this week Cars has a horrible cold, conjunctivitis in both eyes and ear infections in both ears.

I am working on my resolutions for the New Year. Trying not to complain is #1.

Tsunami death toll soars to 114,000.

Edited out the rest...

Christmas was great. The kids had fun, we had fun. I loved the day. My present from Stephen is going back. He bought me a flat-screen monitor. I really do not need anything else to help encourage me to more sedentary than I already am. lol We are going to put the money towards a bathroom remodel since we had more drips so I think more than just the overflow drain is cracked up there. *sigh*

GYN's office just called and I do not have HPV so I think that looks more promising to me that the abnormal cells were just some abnormal cells. I am still not concerned and I am very proud of myself for remaining so calm. :)

Ok, I am off now to the post office to pick up a parcel that the mail carrier (a substitute driver) was too lazy to walk up to my house to deliver and now I have to drive 8 miles each way to pick it up at the mail center. I have complained to the supervisor already and told that the regular mail carrier would never have been so lazy. Three times in two weeks this substitute did this.

The presents are wrapped and the stockings are stuffed. Stephen is in the garage putting together the ESPN Gamestation. Last time I checked on him he was on step 46 of 83. I hope he finishes soon. If I were a good wife I would be out there keeping him company but it is so cold in there and I am tired and want to go to bed.

I am finally over my hissy fit today. Just in time for some Christmas spirit.

We went to 5pm Mass and I thought I was being so clever and leaving 30 minutes early to get there (it is about a 5-7 minute drive, depending on lights). The parking lot was already full and so we had to park at the high school across the road and walk back about 1/4 mile. The church was full so we ended up in the Social Hall to watch on a large projection screen. The hall was full too but we were able to get 2 seats at the end of an aisle so the bigger two sat on the floor until the church realized they were a couple of hundred or so seats short and brought in another 50. Next year, I told Stephen we were going at 4pm! He said no way. lol

*yawn* Ok, I must get my beauty sleep.

Merry Christmas!

The most wonderful time of the year?!

Stephen received a call from his doctor today reminding him to follow up about some scar tissue on his lungs. Hello? What is this all about? Seems he conveniently forgot to mention that to me when he went a few months ago to find out about some chest pains he was having (which started in MAY and he did not go until August or September!). And he conveniently forgot to follow up with her. So after I harrass him for 10 minutes he finally tells me about it. Then he says he will call next week to make an appointment. I told him to call right away and make the appointment for next week. He proceeds to call then makes the appointment for today to "ease your mind", he says.

Ok, it is Christmas Eve. We still have shopping to do (food shopping). We still have to reorganize the house to make room for two tables for dinner for tomorrow. We still have shopping to do. How can having him drive 15 miles to the doctor on the busiest day of the year "ease" my mind?

Then, as I was sitting there dumbfounded because he was so asinine as to make the appointment for one hour from that moment, I notice that we have water leaking from the upstairs bathroom again into the family room. F*CK! I glared at Stephen because I told him that what I wanted for Christmas (besides World Peace and a cure for cancer) was for the leak in the bathtub to be fixed and he brushed me off saying that it wasn't a real present.

So now that other shoe has dropped I am upset and angry and worried.

Bah humbug!

A big lump of coal for me. I just yelled at my 6 year old that he better pray that Santa still has him on his NICE list.

He is bored today. Boo-hoo-hoo. I asked him to help me wrap some presents. No, because he is too bored. Then he said I was so mean because I will not call to have one of his friends come over to play. God forbid he should do some homework or read a friggin book! He apparently has no good toys to play with either. It irks me so much. He spent ~25~ minutes whining and crying(!) because he is so bored but doesn't want to do his ~20~ minutes of daily reading. Aaargh!

I did not handle it well and I am angry with myself too. Sh*t! He has been sick (ok, I know I wasn't going to mention my kids' illnesses again) and today is the first day that he has been mostly vertical since Saturday but he completely pushed all of the wrong buttons.

Ok, now Cars is awake from his nap.

Bah Humbug!

We Three Things

We Three Things - for Heidi and Snapper

Three names you go by:
Denine
Mommy
Pez

Three screennames you have:
Denine17
Go_Pez_Goddess
DeninePez

Three things you like about yourself:
I like my eyes
I like that I am loyal
I like my sense of humour

Three things you hate/dislike about yourself:
I hate my belly
I hate that I cannot speak in public without getting tongue-tied
My teeth

Three parts of your heritage:
French-Canadian
Irish
English

Three things that scare you:
Spiders
Guns
GWB

Three of your everyday essentials:
Cuppa tea
kisses from my kids
Proactiv Solution

Three things you are wearing right now:
black jeans
Christmas socks
glasses

Three of your favorite bands/artists at the moment:
Simple Plan
Bowling for Soup
Barenaked Ladies

Three of your favorite songs at present:
Welcome to My Life - Simple Plan
1985 - Bowling for Soup
Accidentally in Love - Counting Crows

Three things you want to try in the next 12 months:
Pilates
Take a ferry to Bainbridge Island (or Vancouver Island)
Piano lessons

Three things you want in a relationship (love is a given):
Compassion
Honesty
Sense of Humour

Two truths and a lie:
I skipped Grade 4
I studied French for 10 years
I had a 4.0 GPA in University

Three physical things about the opposite (or same) sex that appeals to you:
Eyes
Smile
Ears

Three things you just can't do:
Sing
Insert contact lenses
Cook

Three of your favorite hobbies:
Knitting
Painting
Reading

Three things you want to do really badly right now:
Organize my house
Play scrabble
Have a bigger house

Three careers you're considering:
Interior Design
Graphic Artist
Nothing else...

Three places you want to go on vacation:
Scottish Highlands
Lake Louise, Alberta
P.E.I.

Three kids names:
Caitlin
Fiona
Charlie

Three things you want to do before you die:
Move back to Canada (retirement)
Be a grandma
See World Peace

Three people who have to take this quiz now or die a slow orgasmic death:
Arrogant Sage
Shellybean
And Mar (if she had a blog!)

I have such great online friends. Thanks to everyone for their support.

Funny enough, I am not really that worried. I had a pap last year after Cars was born (if not then, I certainly had one when I became pregnant with him) so if it is cancer or pre-cancerous cells, I know it can be taken care of without the radical treatment that my sister needs.

I finished knitting a scarf for my SIL for Christmas. I found this really cool yarn that I thought she might like. I started it last week but Cars found it and ripped it out when I laid it down next to the computer. So I started again on Friday and finished it last night when I babysat for Ash.

I went Christams shopping today - alone! It was nice to have the time just for me. I went to The Bon-Macy's, Eddie Bauer, Gymboree and Target. I also went to a cook packaging store that sells all sorts of boxes and bags and ribbons and wrap. I could spend all day in that little store.

DH made some Tempura shrimp for dinner and it was very yummy. Of course I had no idea until tonight what Tempura shrimp was. We just used this batter with some pre-cooked frozen shrimp. Yummy. I am having shrimp again on Friday because it has become our tradition to buy a shrimp ring on Christmas eve.

My brother is in Minneapolis (high today 8F) to take a look at a hotel that he has been asked to manage. Far cry from the 78F degree weather he left in Florida! Of course I had to call him and laugh about it. I don't think he really wants to move back to cold weather and snow!

My sister is in surgery right now while they determine how far her cervical cancer has spread.

And staying with that thought, my GYN's office called 30 minutes ago to tell me that I had abnormal cells in my pap last week. I am scheduled for a colposcopy in 3 weeks.

I sold my very first painting today! My friend Tami wanted a painting for her living room and I had painted one earlier this year that I thought would work for her. She came over today and said she loved it and wanted it. We agreed upon the price (basically the cost of the canvas only - I was just thrilled to be selling something!). Now I have the itch to paint again (it has been a few months). I did pick myself up a large canvas two weeks ago so after the holidays I am going to break out the paints.

Here is the painting (it looks nicer IRL - it is hard to see the shadows on the floor)



I cannot believe that Christmas is in a little over a week. I feel as though I still have a million things to do. Actually, I should be wrapping presents for teachers and for Nanny right. I think I'll do that now then go to bed.

I finally scanned in the boys' Christmas photo.


I finally had the car fixed. What a PITA going downtown Seattle in morning rush hour. I hope I don't have to do it again for a looooong time.

Cars has been so funny and such a little pip lately. I love love love this age. Jax loves Cars so much too and has a great time playing with him and teaching him things. He gets so excited when Cars talks too. It is great. Dex, meanwhile, loves to wrestle Cars to the ground the instant Cars grabs a piece of lego or any toy that is not his. *sigh*

Tonight, Dex and I made bookmarks for his teachers for Christmas gifts. Jax will have to make the one for his teacher tomorrow night. He spent his time making one for Gav. I'll also add a small gift card for the bookstore. I hope the teachers can tell they are book marks!

Yesterday's trip to the post office was not as bad as I had anticipated. I arrived at 8:40am and while the line-up was long, it was not through the metal detectors and out the door (like it was when we left at 9:10). The postal worker was really patient (read SLOW) and while I appreciate that he HAND CANCELED my Christmas cards to Canada to save a day (they could go directly to the airport since they were canceled), I could feel dozens of pairs of eyes burning the back of my neck and I heard many heavy sighs. LOL Anyway, so $37 dollars in shipping costs for the parcels to Canada and they should all arrive in time for Christmas. Yeah!

I ran out of Christmas cards last night. I only have about 5 more that I should write and maybe 10 more that would be nice to do. I am debating just saying screw it and not writing any more of them... Can I do it?!

Dex just left to go to soccer with his friend and his friend's mom. We are going to switch taking them every other week.

Now Cars is upset that he didn't get to go and he is holding his shoes out to me to put on. lol

Per Kimmer's request:

See the purple ball on the right? Well as you go around the tree that way there are 5 more all in a row side by side. LOL And in the photo on the bottom left you can see a bare patch.

Our tree is now decorated. Jax and Dex had a blast doing it while Cars just pulled the balls off one at a time. I love the tree with all of the ornaments clumped together, with five purple balls side by side and virtually bare in some spots. It looks homey and Christmas-like, especially with all of the tinsel (or icicles to Americans).

I have all of my parcels bundled up and ready for the looooooong lines at the post office tomorrow morning. I had better pack some snacks and drinks for Dex and Cars. We should arrive about 8:40 and I hope to be out of there shortly after 9. Too ambitious? I hope not. Then I will have to come home and keep working on my Christmas cards. I still have another 20 or so to do. But most of the ones to Canada are done so they should arrive by Christmas.

I bought Stephen an xbox today. He has to get his own games though. It does come with two games but not the kind that he really wants to play.

I saw an article in the paper today about this site. I think I just might buy one to help them buy their house! lol

I have it figured out. The more I post about my kids being sick the sicker they become. So no more! That's it. We are only talking about how HEALTHY they are!

Hale and hearty Jax keeps tattling on himself. "Mom, I jumped on the couch." and "Mom, last week I said a bad word at school." He is worried that Santa is going to find out and bring him only a lump of coal.

Strapping Dex has ramped up on the speaking again. I swear that boy does not shut up. Ever. And he TALKS LIKE THIS! YES, HE TALKS IN CAPS! AND says "EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME CAN I TALK?" if someone dares utter a word during his monologue. Again, it is hard to believe that he ever had a speech delay.

We bought a Christmas tree today. It is great! Seven feet tall and very straight. I had to buy more lights to put on it. I think it looks great. I might post a picture after it is decorated (only the lights are on it right now). Oh, forgot to mention that the best part of my tree is that it was $19.97 at Home Depot.

Stephen wants an xbox for Christmas. I cannot find one anywhere without a bunch of other stuff (games and dvd remote). You'd think he could get a discount from work but they do not discount the hardware because they make no money on it - only on the games.

I am going to be one of the million other last-minute shippers at the post office on Monday. Ugh - I wonder how long the lines are going to be. I finally finished my shopping for gifts that need to be mailed.

Last night was Stephen's work Christmas party. It was at his manager's house. I hadn't seen her in a long time but my nanny is her nanny Mon-Thur. She and Stephen used to work together at the research lab at the U of MN but now that she is his manager then we do not socialize with her. It is a little awkward because we used to do things like pumpkin carving parties and trips to the park together but no longer. The very first 4th of July fireworks celebration I went to was with her when we lived in Minneapolis (in 1994!). It is kind of sad but to keep things professional, Stephen has taken a big step back from her.

The good thing about last night was FREE babysitting. Ash watched the kids. I will watch hers next week when they go to her dh's Christmas party. :)

Tonight was the first night of book club. I had a blast. It was so fun to sit around with some great women (sans children) and chat and eat and drink and eat and chat and eat and drink and eat and chat. I just got home! It was fun discussing the book but mostly we talked about other things...like a real book club should. Laurie set up a dummy in her front hall that looked like a woman lying on the floor with empty boxes of bon bons and a bottle of wine at her feet! lol Next month the book selection is The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. Ash will be hosting.

Jax spent the day at home lying on the couch. He ate one bite of toast and one bite of carrot. By dinner time he was hungry and he gobbled down a bowl of chicken noodle soup which he promptly spewed across the kitchen table. He went to bed just as I was going out (at 8pm) so I am not sure how he is feeling at the moment. Better I hope. I guess I cannot send him to school tomorrow.

Stephen is in a better mood than this morning so perhaps he does not need FPT afterall.

I spoke to MIL today who was aghast that I had not yet sent out pictures and thank you's for Cars' baptism (yes, I know I am waaaaaaaaaay behind). But guess what? HER son has not sent them either. >:P Why it is always the mom's job to do that shit? I mean Stephen could be writing the cards and getting the pictures printed. And who is doing all of the Christmas cards? Certainly not him! Sheesh! I think this is the last year I am going to send them to his side of the family.

Well time for bed. I have my annual GYN appt tomorrow afternoon. Nanny is coming for the first time in a couple of weeks. It will be nice to have a couple of hours to myself (so I can go to the post office, and do some Christmas shopping).

Jax vomitted last night (in his bed - nothing better than doing laundry in the middle of the night) and this morning so no school for him. Dex seems to be doing better. WTF is wrong with us?! So sick all of the time!

DH needs some FPT. Funny enough he wants a big cast iron frying pan for Christmas. Little does he know he is going to get it - across his noggin.

Oh I loved "Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons"! I cannot wait until our book club meets for the first time tomorrow night to discuss it. I cannot even count the number of times I laughed out loud and cried while I read it. It was so well written and I loved the characters. So much in fact that I dreamed about them last night. lol

I need to dye my hair desperately. I hope to get it done tonight after the kids are asleep. My roots are a mile long! I also really need a haircut but there is just no time to do it these days.

I spent part of this evening wrapping CHristmas presents. It just dawned on me that Christmas is only just over 2 weeks away and I have so many gifts to get in the mail! Yikes! I hope to have everything mailed out by Saturday and pray that they all arrive in time.

Dex has the runs this evening. My stomach is churning and Jax just said his hurts too. I wonder if it were the cookies I baked today... :( Off to get everyone some Pepto Bismol!

I took Dex to the doctor yesterday. He kept saying his mouth felt funny and he was lethargic, lying around on the couch again. He felt warm but no real fever. A strep test came back negative (yeah!) so hopefully we are strep-free. Doc says she figures he just has a virus and should be better by today. He says he is not feeling better though and that the doctor was wrong! lol

I too went to the doctor yesterday. Got the whole deal about how I should lose weight and exercise because of my family history of diabetes and high cholesterol. A tetanus booster shot and some blood drawn for thyroid and anemia checks and I was on my way out the door with an armload of migraine meds to try. Only Imitrex has been ok'd to take while nursing so I will save the rest for after we are done.

Speaking of nursing, Cars is getting desperate. Everytime I sit down in this chair he comes over, climbs up and tries to lift my shirt because he wants to nurse. Sorry bub. I nurse him before bed and during the night. If he had his way we'd be nursing all day long.

At Dex's soccer today I told Laurie about the Evan incident. She had a good laugh then told me she had almost invited Evan's mom to join our bookclub but at the last second decided not to do so. Thank God!

And now I must go because Cars pointing to his butt which means he has pooped. Is this a good time to start training him then???

Ok, I think I am almost over my embarrassment from yesterday. I jsut hope I never see Evan's mom again. lol

Dex spent the day lying on the couch. Well, except when I dragged him to church and he spent the hour in Sunday school sitting in the corner. Anyway, I hope he is feeling better tomorrow because Ash is supposed to watch him for me while I go to the doctor. If he is sick then I will have to take him with me. I will still drop Cars off with Ash though.

Well off to bed to read my book. I have to have it read by Thursday for my book club (our first meeting!).

A little excitement around here the other night with the county SWAT team surrounding our neighbour's house for hours. Found out later that he had threatened his neighbour with an axe because he thought his neighbour was having an affair with his girlfriend. Go drink some more, buddy.

I mailed out my swap ornaments. Finally! Now I can start my Christmas cards. I did not sign up for any card swaps this year. And I am trimming my card list down. To quote a great online friend "WHACK!".

Horribly Embarrassing Moment of the Year (or possibly of the decade!):

Dex talks about "Evan" day and night. Evan is in his preschool class. I do not know who this kid is exactly but Dex spends every moment at school playing with him and talks about him all the way home. At this preschool, the kids are dropped off/picked up from the driveway so I have never met Evan or his mom.

Three weeks ago, Dex receives a birthday invitation for Evan. Great, I think to myself. I will finally meet Evan and his mom. I call and RSVP - leave message that we will be at Evan's party. Party starts at 1pm today. At 11:45am today I look at the invitation and realize that they live right near Jax's school. Hmmm...I didn't remember that from looking at the list from the first week of school. I pull out the class list and Evan's last name/address is different from the invitation. WTF?! If it is not the same Evan, who is this birthday Evan? I have no frigging clue. None.

So I at 12:03 - 57 minutes before the party, I call and identify myself and ask if this Evan is the Evan from New Preschool Name. No, Evan's mom says, it is Evan from Old Preschool Name. I draw a blank. I don't recall any Evan. I don't say a word. She prompts me. "You know, Evan as in..." She rattles off other names in the class. I don't say a word because I cannot remember. Long silence. Suddenly, it hit me! The kid whom Dex has never, ever, ever, ever spoken about. Ever. He and Evan had been to a couple of the same birthday parties and playdates at another kid's house. I am mortified and embarrassed! I rush to explain that Dex plays with this new Evan everyday at school and talks about him constantly and I had just ASSUMED that this was the kid whose party it is, blah, blah, blah as I stumble and fumble my way through. (BTW, I planned to spend the whole duration of the party there with Dex - not like I would be dropping my kid off at a total stranger's house). My face is red again as I write this.

I want to crawl into a hole. I don't want to go to the party. Stephen tells me I must go now. I tell Dex we have the wrong Evan. He does not recall another Evan. Shit! I whip out the class video from last year. No class photo on the cover. I pop the tape in the machine and fast forward until we see Evan. Dex says he remembers him now (good!).

Anyway, off to the party we go. As I am walking up to the house, a friend of mine is walking out after dropping off her son. Dex is happy that her son, his friend, is there. As we enter, we see two more of his buddies from his class last year. And there was Evan, whom, until an hour ago, we had both forgotten ever existed. I apologize once more and don't know what else to say. Evan's mom is gracious. I decide not to stay since no other parent has and I do know Evan's mom (we had chatted twice a week for a year while we dropped off/picked up our kids so you'd think I would remember!). Also, I am sure I was ~still~ blushing from embarrassment. I rush outside to meet up with my friend. She invites me to join her to go to Starbucks to pass the time. I agree (not only to chat but mostly so I would not have to show up alone to pick Dex up when the party ends).

Now to top it all off, Evan has a dinosaur birthday. Almost identical to Dex's party last May (to which the three other little boys at the party had been invited). As I am gathering Dex, one of the little boys says to his mom "I have a hat like this already from Dex's birthday - I don't want another!". We wished Evan a happy birthday again, thanked Evan's mom then rushed out.

Van needs an new oxygen sensor but of course they did not have the part (after taking 1.5 hours to find out what the problem was) and I have to go back another day during the week because they do not "like to install those kinds of things on Saturdays". It is not easy getting around Seattle with all the damn traffic. Note to self...never buy a car again if the dealership is 25 miles including a drive around one lake and across another.

Ramona found out today that she is perimenopausal so her fertility doctor told her she was out of luck in becoming a mother (save for donated eggs). She is devastated. I am heartsick for her.

My mom's thyroid nodule was growing again and she had it biopsied again - not cancer thank goodness. The chance was small but it was still there.

My fingers are calloused from trying to get all of this knitting down. No time for typing...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Stephen put up the Christmas lights today. Outside ones and the ones that line the front windows. I put out a few small decorations and I am itching to get the tree up. And I used to make fun of people who put their decorations up at Thanksgiving!

The friggin check engine light came on in my car again. I don't know if I should drive with it until I can get to the dealership in Seattle on Saturday or cancel my plans on Tuesday and drive in that day. I definitely cannot make it in tomorrow. The owner's manual says as long as the light is not flashing it is probably safe to drive.

Tomorrow is my last appointment with my psychologist that is covered by insurance. Until benefits are reset in January, I'd have to pay out of pocket for any visits I have with her in December. I am so cheap though that I cannot think it is worth dishing that money out on me. Shoot! I should have started going every other week sooner to make it last throughout the year.

Yesterday we went to Erik and Terry's for Thanksgiving dinner. We had a good time - it was nice not to cook/clean.

Today Stephen awoke early and went to Toys'R'Us because the one big item that we wanted to buy that was on sale for 50% off was SOLD OUT on the website (I ~knew~ we should have bought it earlier yesterday). Anyway, he did well and pretty much finished up the older two kids. Now all I really ahve to do is stocking stuffers and some clothing for Cars.

I watched HP3 tonight. It was really good. So much cut out of the book but I guess since the books are getting longer and longer there is going to be so much missing from the movies. Anyway, we had movie night up in our room because Stephen had some guys from work over for a card game.

I am about 1/2 way finished my SAHP swaps. Crap! Here I am the organizer and I don't know if I will get them out by the send date! Gotta get going!

Oh, and Dex has strep. Again. Now we need to go back in 2 weeks and test all 3 kids to see if they are strep carriers. Jax finishes his antibiotics in 3 days and hopefully Cars will not get it again.

So what kind of ninny goes to Costco the day before Thanksgiving? That would be me. I thought I was being clever and arrived a few moments after they first opened. Apparently thousands of others had the same idea.

I decided to go to Costco to buy a pumpkin pie. I remembered that I did not have a proper pie plate. After breaking the promise to myself last year to buy one, I concluded it would just be much less hassle to buy the $5.99 pie from Costco. It is enormous and it is cheaper than making a pie really (because I buy my pie crust, I cannot make it). It was a madhouse in there and were people elbowing each other out of the way to get to the pumpkin pies. In the case there were maybe on 20 left (not many for Costco) and everyone looked panicked (myself included). I parked the kids away from the ugliness and wheedled my way around the carts to get to the pies. Just then, they wheeled out a whole trolley of pies and you could hear the collective sigh as people realized they would not have to fight each other for the last few pies.

Then I maneuvered the cart over to the book section because my mother asked me to pick up a book for Stephen for Christmas. I found it without much fuss and we were on our way to find the big-ass can of nacho cheese (a Stephen request - he is having a card game here on Friday). I found it easily so we were able to leave. As I was making my way up the main aisle which was overcrowded with carts and people, a blind man with a white cane starts trying to make his way down the aisle to the back of the store. He was sweeping his cane and hitting carts to the left and to the right. Everyone was dumbfounded. No one could move out of his way because it was so busy. So they all just stopped. I cannot believe that no one from Costco offered to help him find his way to the back of the store (I heard him asking for directions). I would have helped him but I was boxed in by a couple of carts all the while keeping a firm grip on Dex's hand.

Anyway, we finally made our way to the check-out and I felt I caught a break because I found a short line. However, I had not looked in the carts of the people a head of me. The carts were brimming over and in he lines next to us, people had 5 or 6 items in their carts. Curses! I commented to the cashier that I could not believe how busy it was and he said "It *is* the day before Thanksgiving, duh!" So he did not not say duh but I know he was thinking it.

So that trip, for those few items took me ONE HOUR in the store. Another 15 minutes getting out of the parking lot and that was a trip I did not want to make ever again.

Met with Jax's teacher today for parent/teacher conference. She has shown us the progress he has made since September. He was graded "approaching level" for sight word vocabulary. I was concerned but the teacher said he had missed it by one word. She also said he has improved since his testing which was done.

I asked her about his speech, specifically the "TH" sound for S's. She is going to talk to the speech language pathologist to see if they want to test him. I am concerned about it because it is not getting any better so I do not see it going away anytime soon. So we'll see what happens next.

I subbed at Sunday school today. Wouldn't you know that my kid was the worst-behaved child in the class?! OMG I am so embarrassed! And I realize that this is probably not a one-time thing. I need to talk to the other teacher about it. The thing is, he might get kicked out of the class if this keeps up. These teachers are volunteers (read MOMS) whose children are in the class. Also, both teachers only have girls so I wonder if that is part of the problem - they don't know what to do with boys. I spoke to Dex and told him that he might get kicked out and have to spend the time with me in Mass rather than get to go to school for that hour. He told me class was "boring" and too long. I reminded him that he thought that church was more boring. He said he would behave better next time (in two weeks - no class next Sunday). I still cannot believe how badly he (to be fair - and three other boys) were in class. Not listening, running around the class, etc. Aargh!

Terry called to see if Stephen can go over and help move furniture for them. I said YES before asking Stephen (he took the kids to Costco) because Erik is getting sick again. Erik has some weird autoimmune disease that has damaged his lungs and he has no strength in his hands anymore. I hope Stephen doesn't mind that I said ok. Anyway, E and T are getting new carpeting in their family room. Just in time for all of us to spill stuff on it at Thanksgiving dinner! lol

I stepped on the scale this morning and was SHOCKED. I have gained 3 pounds in a few days. How is that possible? Ok, so I am not eating the best but c'mon! I am going to have my thyroid checked in two weeks when I go see my internist. While I don't wish my thyroid to be out of whack, I hope it explains this weight gain. In the meantime, I need to get a handle on this weight! I am now 12 pounds up from my pre-pregnancy weight and my post-pregnancy weight! I dropped all of that weight in no time and look at me - Cars is just nursing at night now really and I am still eating like I am nursing full-time. :
Tomorrow is the parent/teacher conference with Jax's teacher. I don't really have a lot of questions for her other than the low make on sight words. I am quite surprised at that actually. Anyway, I'll see what she says.

This week coming Jax goes to school M-W from 8:25-11:30. Then off Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. Dex has no school W-F. Time to plan a few family field trips to make the week seem shorter!

I made dinner two nights in a row without burning one thing! I think that is a record. Last night it was teriyaki-pineapple chicken breasts with rice and peas. Tonight was pork tenderloin with feta/cucumber/tomato salad and peas (left over from last night). I am impressed with myself! :)

Dammit I bought more yarn today at Ben Franklin. I swore I was not going to buy anymore until I finished the santa hats for the boys. What am I thinking?!

My friend called me yesterday to ask me if I would be a reference for her (and her dh) for an application for adoption. They have been trying for about 4 years to have children to no avail so now they are hoping to adopt.

Time for bed. It is late and I have some sleeping to do!

And so it goes

Strep throat! Jax's turn again. This sucks. At least we caught it before he got really sick this time. He told me this throat felt funny and I looked and saw that it was really red so I made an appointment to see the doctor. Doc was sure it was just a virus because there was no fever or other symptoms (they don't consider whiny a symptom!). But since strap went through the family he tested him and lo and behold... So we left with a Rx for antibiotics and I pray that no one else gets it again. Cars just finished his antibiotics up today so hopefully he will be ok.

And Jax cannot go to school tomorrow because he is contagious until he has been on antibiotics for 24 hours. So no MOPS tomorrow morning and a looooong day ahead of me. I have to go to Michaels tomorrow so it will be challenging schlepping the three of them in there. I need greens and Christmas picks for Sunday because we are making an Advent wreath at church after Mass.

Ash gave me my Christmas gift today. She planted some tulip, crocus, and iris bulbs for me in our garden! I shall finally have some spring flowers! I am very excited about it. She even laid some chicken wire over the bulbs to keep the squirrels away, including the damned one who dug up and ate the pumpkin seeds I planted. And the flowers will grow up right in the sunny spot in the garden where the neighbours' cat sits so hopefully they flowers will drive it away! Besides, I don't want the cat scaring away the beautiful Stellar's Jays that are flocking to my bird feeder.

Dex came out of the bathroom tonight calling "Mommy! There's a tarantula in the bathtub!"

Ok, so I knew it could not be a tarantula but remember our spiders? (you will need to scroll down a touch). ~shudder~ F*ck I hate spiders. I felt brave since it was "contained" in the tub and I was able to squash it with the fly swatter. F*ck I hate spiders. Have I mentioned that before?

So after cleaning up the spider guts, I decided it was bathtime. I filled the tub and put Cars in. Then I had Jax shower in the masterbath. After Cars was all cleaned up, I let him play for a moment and Dex decided he wanted to get in the tub with him. As Dex is about to climb in the tub Cars poops in the tub. Ok, remember that Flowgo website with the baby singing about "dumpin' in the tub"? Well, Dex recently found it bookmarked and has been playing it over and over again. So, he starts saying "It's just like that baby on the computer!". And it was ("Mom started screamin'/ I wondered what for") *sigh*

Then Stephen came waltzing in the door and wanted to know why all of the commotion.

Monday, Monday
Can't trust that day.
Monday, Monday
Sometimes it just turns out that way

Mondays always suck around here. I think it is because after two days off schedule it is hard to get back on. It did not help today that I slept in and had to get myself and three kids ready to go in less than an hour.

I went to see my counsellor for the first time in three weeks. She broke the bad news to me that my next session (two weeks today) is the last one covered by insurance this calendar year. So I will either go without seeing her for 5 weeks (eep!) or shell out the cash. We have such great insurance and I have been so lucky that I haven't had to pay for any sessions or even have a co-pay. It is just shelling out all that money at once, just before Christmas that is killing me! We'll see what can be done. It just might be my Christmas present.

I do know one thing I am getting for Christmas. My siblings and their spouses draw names and my sis has me this year. Which of course means that my mom buys me a gift and pretends it is from her. So, I ordered these boots. Now I can go out in the backyard with the boys in the winter. Our backyard turns into a complete bog and the rubber clogs I have do not keep my feet dry. Thanks for the boots, Sis.

Not much new. I was having some computer problems thanks to some spyware and it was a PITA to do anything on the computer. I spent a good part of today backing up documents and pictures, and deleting old programs so Stephen can install the new XP service pack.

Jax went to school only 2.5 days this week! Crikey! Thursday was Remembrance Day/Veteran's Day but the other 1.5 days he could clearly have gone to school like the other school districts around. Dex's school follows the Iss school district's calendar so he had school on Friday. Anyway, Ash suggested that on Thursday we go to Chuck E. Cheese. So we went, along with about every other parent with a child who did not go to school! I could not believe how crowded it was! But the kids had fun and that is what matters, right?

I knit a Santa hat for Jax. I finished it tonight (except for the pom-pom). It has 3 holes in it! I don't know what I did wrong. Luckily they were along the same area so I was able to weave some yarn and "sew" them up. Ugh!

Well it is late and I am tired. This blahg has become so blah!

I took the kids to SEARS on Monday night for their Christmas photo. The girl working there was not good and her manager or whatever kept commenting that people were waiting (nevermind that we had to wait 20 minutes past our scheduled time before we started). Anyway, I did get one ok picture of the three of them. I did not buy any individual photos of them - they all turned out rotten and really I had no intention of buying any but after the manager came in and told her to hurry along I let her set up and take individual photos. EvilOne has rubbed off on me and EvilPez lives!

And because I was so evil on Monday night, I paid for it today with a horrible migraine. It was so bad that I thought I was having a stroke. I had to ask Stephen to come home early from work (12:30) and I went to bed for several hours. I still hurt but now I am wide awake and cannot sleep.

Earlier tonight I was watching CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp) and I watched an episode of
The Greatest Canadian. Tonight's episode was about Lester B. Pearson who was the Canadian Prime Minister and he created the UN Peace Keeping program (for which he won a Nobel Peace Prize). I really had not known much about him besides the Nobel Peace Prize thing and that he was the one who gave Canada its own flag. What a great man. He has definitely ousted Pierre Ellliot Trudeau as my "Greatest Canadian"!

Cars has strep. I took him in for his 15 month check-up and while she was checking him out I noticed he had a rash all over his torso. She checked his throat and said it was red. Quick swap test verified strep. I will never believe anyone who says that kids under 2 don't get strep. Dex had it before he was 2 as well and they tried to tell me then too that kids under 2 don't get it.

Anyway, Cars now has some anti-biotics and will be on his way to feeling better in no time. I also had Dex get the flu shot since Cars cannot have it due to his egg allergy. He didn't get any of the shots he was due for because he is sick. Also, I had no idea that MMR had egg in it (Jax had it before he was tested for allergies and Dex is not allergic) so I need to talk to the allergist since the ped said usually MMR is given in an allergist's office if the child is allergic to eggs.

I put out my cool bird feeder that I bought at the Craft fair on Saturday. It is a vintage teacup and saucer sitting on a copper pole (copper pipe). It is so cool. We've had tons of little birds in the garden since Saturday and I bought more bird seed today. And where birdseed is, squirrels are soon to follow and I saw one little bugger digging in my garden right where I planted the pumpkin guts and seeds! I think I might need to get some chicken wire and cover over where I am hoping to grow the pumpkins so the squirrel will not eat them all. I would even welcome the neighbourhood cats back to my yard to keep the damn squirrels away!

At the craft fair on Saturday I also saw some really cool things that have given me good ideas for back-up for the ornament swap if the things I am working on do not turn out. I bought a pretty pair of earrings that I may keep for myself or give to my SIL for Christmas. They are crystal so maybe I'll make a matching bracelet for a set.

Well, time to make Dex some lunch before I take him to school.

I finished the hat last night now I am working on the holly leaves and berries. I'm on my third attempt...

Finally spoke to my mom today. My sis does not go in for her next procedure for 3 weeks then it will be another 1-3 months before her hysterectomy (health care in Alberta SUCKS! It would be better if she were living in Ontario). I guess they might move the date up if things are bad after her next procedure (which is to determine just how far the cancer has spread). This waiting must be torture for her. I cannot imagine.

Stephen is making corned beef for dinner. One of my all time least favourite meals. I am stiffling gags here. I hate-hate-hate corned beef but he is sure I will like it the way he is going to make it. This was a very regular meal in our house while I was growing up - corned beef, boiled potatoes and boiled cabbage. Sickening! I told Stephen I definitely would barf if he made the boiled cabbage so we are having peas in its place.

Cars has a fever so I think now he has an ear infection. Good thing tomorrow is he 15 month wellness check. No MMR shot tomorrow since he has a cold. We'll get it at 18 months (it was due at 12 months but I said no).

Cars is *finally* getting over his cold and sleeping for more than 1 hour stretchs. I swear I was about to go insane again due to lack of sleep. Seriously, I am sure last year that was part of what drove me over the edge. Oh and his molar popped through too so that is a relief for him (and me).

I finally finished DeniSe's scarf. I think I might need to add fringe (not sure how exactly to do that). We'll see. I did start knitting a hat for Fiona. I am actually using this pattern because the other uses size 9 needles and I do not have them. I also did not have the right sized circular needles so I am doing it all on dpn's. It is slow going because twice I have almost slid the stitches off the back end of them.

I haven't spoken to my mom in days. I am still put off about her Christmas decree. I spoke to my oldest brother and SIL and they said she has not asked them to do the same thing and they will not do it either. They have my sis's name in the Christmas draw and said they will buy her something but not send her any money they have budgeted for mom. SIL said that neither my niece or nephew bothered to cash the cheques she sent them for their birthdays this past year so she wonders if she sends them cheques for Christmas is they will be bothered to even cash them then.

Jax has a b-day party today and next Saturday. Both girls! lol I think it is cute that they invited him. One is the girl up the street who took the bus with him everyday last year. The other was in his class last year and they are in RE class together on Sundays.

I thought Dex was screaming upstairs but it turns out he is singing. He and Jax are practicing for when they are in a band. They like the song "1985" by Bowling for Soup (lyrics published in my blahg on 9.2.04). And they love the band Simple Plan. I think I will get them the new Simple Plan cd.

Time to run out to buy a gift for the party today.

***Ok, because it is not my week to see my counselor I am ranting here and I am not very nice here***

My mother is a whack. She announced to me yesterday that she is telling each and every one of us that she does not want anything for Christmas and that we are to take whatever money we would have spent on her and send it to my sister so her kids can have a good Christmas. WTF?! I told her that was presumptuous of her and she became irate with me. She then told me that two of my cousins have given money to my sister over the years for Christmas and why can't HER children (meaning my mom's kids) do the same.

First of all, lady, I have given sister-dear money several times over the years and while she always professed that she would repay me, I never expected to be paid back (and never was). It is none of your business that I have given her money which is why you don't know about it.

Secondly, what makes you think that I was even going to buy you something? You tell me every year that you don't want/need anything so we always make a donation in your name to the food bank or in the case of last year, the Kindering Center where Dex received his speech therapy. This year it was to be The Food Allergy Network.

And for the record, I always send my niece and nephew Christmas gifts. And even sister-dear gets something for Christmas, even though I don't draw her name. Usually I send her money but last year I had decided not to send her money ever again so I sent her a bracelet that I made. I don't even know if it was received because, as usual, she could not be bothered to let me know if she received the package that included the gift and the gift certificates for her children.

And, sister-dear always says that we look down on her and make her feel like a loser. Imagine how she will feel when we suddenly send her a lot of cash at Christmas? "Here sis. You have cancer so here's some money." WTF is my mother thinking?!

Anyway, for the record. I do love my sister. I love her greatly. I have tried for over twenty-five years to stay close to her even though we have lived thousands of kilometers apart. She has consistently rejected most attempts at any contact. When she was working, she would occasionally send me an email and that is about it. She has only ever called me when my mom has been visiting me...except for the couple of times when she needed money.

I defended her actions - or rather made excuses for her - to my brothers for years. Stephen always told me that she was responsible for the choices that she made in her life. Yes, some rotten things have happened to her but she made the choices about how to respond to those things. And clearly her choices were not the same ones I would have made and rarely did her choices work out for her.

Last year though, I decided enough was enough. After her boorish behaviour at JP's wedding and her affront to my oldest brother, I decided that enough was enough and I would not condone her conduct or expose my children to it. For the rest of our time in Vancouver, Stephen kept the kids away from my family (so they were away from her).

And now she has cancer. And not just a few cancerous cells. She will be having a full hysterectomy apparently. She has to have another procedure this week to determine how far the cancer has spread. Hopefully not to her lymph nodes. I pray not to her lymph nodes.

I hate that I am angry about this. I hate that she is sick. I hate that my mother is completely wigged out. I hate that my niece and nephew are older and wiser than they need to be because of the poor choices their mother has made over the years. I hate this and I don't want to feel this way.

OMG if i eat another piece of halloween candy I am going to burst! I MUST get this overeating. My weight is creepy up FAST.

The kids had fun trick'r'treating. For the first time we went to more than 7 houses. Also, they insisted that I take them out rather than Stephen so it was fun to be out and instead of home with easy access to the candy.

Stephen and I have had some long chats about the nut thing at school and he is composing a letter to send to the teacher, insisting that she inform us every time there is an incident like last week. I am also going to ask her if she would like to show the class the "Alexander the Elephant" video.

I have been working on the Christmas ornaments for the SAHP swap. I have a feeling I might need to switch ideas...again lol

I am in a pissy mood. I have been all day. I think it might be PMS but I am not sure. Grumble grumble.

We did not go to the MS family Halloween party at Stephen's work because it started at 3 and Dex was in class until 3:30. By the time we drove over and tried to find a parking spot it would probably be over. Besides, Jax cannot eat most of the food offered. So we just had regular old movie night and the kids watched a new Scooby-Doo Movie on Cartoon Network.

Stephen told me that I was harsh the other night when I told his parents we were never, ever going to Toronto for Christmas again. I asked him if he thought I were rude and needed to apologize to them. He said no but I could have sugar-coated it. I think that he just doesn't like to disappoint people and didn't want them to be upset that we would not be there. I remember back in '96 when they came to visit and Stephen told them we would not be home for Christmas that year his mom started to cry. That was the first Christmas we did not go to Toronto (we were strapped for cash because we had bought our condo). We did not go again in '97 (I was preggo) but we went in '98 and '00. We have not been since then.

And my mother has been nagging me for two weeks for a Christmas list. IT IS STILL OCTOBER! Stephen told me to tell her to shut up. I think I will and see if she still thinks he is so wonderful. ;)

They left this morning - yeehaw!

The last day was ok. We drove them up to see Mount Si and then to Snoqualmie Falls which was just awesome with the leaves turning colours.

Stephen took them out to run errands the rest of the day. They then left this morning right after I took Jax to school. It was so pleasant to have my house to myself again.

The peanut issue at school thing is still bothering me. The teacher told me that the kids had been very, very good about not bringing in nuts and peanut products and that it was just the first time. Also, she said that the kids were very "sensitive to Jackson's needs". I don't know what to do next, really. Stephen says that the school is doing everything they should be doing and he doesn't want to pursue it further. He thinks that it would be like crying wolf. :
Speaking of wolf - well wildlife (nice segue ;) - a neighbour sent an email about a bobcat in her backyard. She has lived here for 15 years and has never seen one up here. Lots of other things (racoon, coyote, deer, opposum) but never a bobcat. Scary!

My sister apparently needs a full hysterectomy. Even her ovaries (according to my mom because J of course will not answer the phone when I call her). She did tell my mom that she would not be opposed to answering the phone if I called her again (I tried to get a hold of her last week). So I called again this morning and no answer. I will try again on Saturday.

Nothing to report so just some random thoughts today:

- One would think that after 5 years one would have memorized a telephone number of a family member
- It is more economical to fill a sink with soap and water and wash the dishes at one time rather than running the water for 10 minutes
- Hand washing dishes is no benefit if it then means you have to run a not-full dishwasher later in the day
- Four adults do not fit in my kitchen between the sink and the stove so SIT DOWN
- I don't care to hear about how fat everyone has become
- My family is all doing well, thanks for asking. Oh right. You didn't.
- Yes, I really have had goose for dinner at your house one time. Yes, I know you haven't had it in 15 years but it *is* possible. Remember, your son and I started dating 18 years ago.

Ok, can you tell I have some issues and bitterness?

Today was Cars' baptism. His soul is now saved. :) Mass was late because someone thought they smelled a gas leak. So a few minutes after I dropped Jax off at his religion class, they evacuated the church. I came back 45 minutes later with the rest of the family and there were 5 fire trucks and yellow tape everywhere. Jax at the rest of the kids in the RE programs spent all that time outside (most were not wearing coats and while it was not raining it was only about 50F). I gathered him and then we all stood around outside for 45 minutes waiting for the all clear to go back into the church (there was no gas leak). During Mass Cars was restless because he was tired and hungry and by the time it came to baptize him it was the time when Mass is usually ending. He hollered and yelled while other baby being baptized - the cute pretty little baby in the lovely baptism gown - was quiet and calm. A friend of mine took photos so I don't have any yet (she is going to burn them to a cd for me). I hope Cars looked cuter than he sounded.

Oh, and JP and Marilyn drove down from Vancouver for the baptism which was a nice surprise!

I have had very limited computer time over the last few days and I am surly. I miss the forums and IM'ing my friends. Just 4 more days.

Edited to add photo:

JP sent me a photo. They are all out of focus though because he didn't think he was allowed to use the flash in the church. This is the best he had. Anyway, Stephen, Dex, Jax, Me, Cars and the outlaws

36 hours...

So far I have survived.

I took Terry to tea at a teahouse today and it was so lovely! It was nice to have some time for ME without feeling rushed. Anyway, we are supposed to meet she and her dh for dinner tomorrow night (it is a surprise for her) but I don't think Stephen has asked his parents to babysit yet. So I am getting pissed off.

Stephen and his mom have been arguing about Americans for the past hour. This is after his mom telling him how heartbroken she is that he moved to the States and will become an American when he is able to do so. Then they drank another bottle of wine and it went downhill from there. She called him an Enigma asking why he could possibly consider becoming American. Then she turned and pointed to me "And you are even a BIGGER Enigma! Your father, being such a huge CANADIAN politican! You! Becoming American!" Hmmm....

Inlaws arrived today. They brought a loot of Smarties and Coffee Crisps. Jax is elated.

Still haven't heard back from Judi. I didn't talk to mom today either. Still praying hard that it is a "mild" case.

I am going out to tea with Terry tomorrow - her 40th birthday. Stephen is taking the next few days off work so I will leave Dex and Cars at home with him and his parents and I will enjoy a couple of hours with a girlfriend. I am looking forward to it.

Cars was up from midnight to 3:30am yesterday so I am very tired. But look at the time - 11:26pm. Why didn't I go to bed earlier!?

Third blahg entry today.

Mom called this evening to tell me that Judi, my sister, has cervical cancer. Hopefully they caught it early. She had not been to the doctor in years and years (well for anything other than Rx for anti-depressants). She finally went because her arms kept feeling numb and she thought she was going to have a stroke (she is a heavy smoker). Anyway, good thoughts and prayers for her would be most welcome!

Ok, no strep for me. Just a rotten virus.

Hmmm - my blahg will not display but I can edit it. Weird.

Still waiting to hear back from the doctor's office about my strep test. My throat doesn't feel any worse so perhaps I just have some virus/cold. We'll see.

I went to bed at 7pm last night. Then I got up for a short while about 9 then back to bed. I needed the sleep, I guess. But my back is killing me for being stationary for so long.

Cars is really fighting the weaning thing. It has gotten to the point that if I hold him at all he will try to pull my shirt up to nurse. Poor boy.

Well off to find out why my blahg will not display...

Oh, I feel a fever coming on. I went to my doctor to have myself tested for strep. She doesn't have the fancy 5 minute machine to I will have to wait until tomorrow for the results.

One dose of antibiotics and Dex is finally feeling better. Of course he has been talking in a whiny voice for the past two hours and I want him to be quiet! Three more hours until Stephen is home and I can go to bed.

Dex is sick. He has a high fever and he says his throat hurts. I wonder if he has strep too. Off to the doctor in the morning.

The weaning is not going so well. Cars can break my resolve with his screaming. *sigh*

I bought the boys matching sweaters for Christmas. I am going to do so as long as I can get them! lol Now I just need to arrange a date for photos at Sears. Maybe the first week of November. Better call soon. BTW, the sweaters are cute and much cheaper than the ones from Gymboree that I had been looking at.

I finished knitting the scarf with Berroco Optik. It really does not look that nice. It must be my knitting though because the one in the fabric store looked lovely. ANyway, I will keep this one for myself. Now I am knitting one for DeniSe with Patons Allure in Amethyst. It is lovely! I will make a matching one for her dd. I am almost getting inspired enough to try something harder, like a hat or a sweater!

The outlaws arrive in four days. I am still sitting on the right side of sanity so I don't think their visit will push me over the edge like last year. I have decided to keep my (next) Monday appt with the psychologist and just tell the outlaws I have an appointment and they can babysit for me.

OMG, I gave Dex some Advil for his fever about 40 minutes ago and he is WIRED now. At least he isn't weepy like he was before the Advil. Now, how do I get him to bed? lol

If you give poison control a call, they'll want to ask you your name and address.
If you give them your name and address, they'll want to send you some Mr. Yuk stickers.
If they send you some Mr. Yuk stickers, you're kids are going to want to stick them on the window.
If they stick them on the window, you'll have to use Un-Du to get the stickers off.
If you use Un-Du, chances are you're going to get distracted and leave the Un-du out.
If you leave the Un-Du out, your toddler is going to get a hold of it.
If he gets a hold of it, he'll probably put it in his mouth.
If he puts it in his mouth, you'll have to call poison control.