Come on over

Hey Ladies, Karla Taylor is making her blogging debut on Married to Ministry. Check it out - and leave her some comments. Let's show her some bloggin' love!

Also, we are discussing family budgeting and moving to a new congregation on MtoM. I would love to hear your take on these subjects if you feel so inclined (and even if you don't).

There's nothing like a panty party to make you feel old

I hosted one of my favorite former OC students, Jeana Schow's, personal shower this week. All of the sudden I found myself in the middle of a panty decorating contest with college girls and it hit me: If being a thirty-something mother of two doesn't make you feel old then have yourself one of these showers some time. I was shocked to realize (or remember) that oversized t-shirts are NOT considered mood setting attire!
Jeana, thanks for making me feel young again. Let me know when they start making lingerie in flannel.

Katie Wins

Katie was right. Tonya Harding and the Uni bomber. I couldn't find ice skates anywhere but the mall bangs were pretty much a give away.

You win my dedication and undying affection.

Flashback

Can you guess who we are dressed up as? (we're not a couple but we are both criminals)

I Love Me Some Crayons

Death to Easter. Wait, that's not what I meant.

I thought I was doing pretty good getting this cute little lamb for Mia. I envisioned her carrying it to church in it's little basket and thanking me profusely for not giving in to societies' pressure to indulge her in sugary processed snacks. Needless to say this surprise did little to make her a better person. In fact psychologists have studied the following behaviors in children and their findings are quite disturbing.

It starts out innocently enough...

Then she uses good ole peer pressure to convince Raegan to join in (and believe me, it didn't take much)...And here it is: The Decapitation Of Little Lamby. Happy Easter everyone!
*You may think I should consider parenting my children instead of taking pictures of their inappropriate antics. You are probably right, but you know you have always wanted to cut a lambs head off, admit it.

Quote of the day

"So long means good-bye in Spanish, Mommy. "

We really must get out more.

Mama Drama

Want to know how to get through your kids surgery? Drugs. Lots and lots of drugs. Oh and the kid could use some drugs too, of course.

I am slightly disappointed in how quickly Bode bounced back from being cut open. I was secretly looking forward to a week filled with a sleepy baby who would require several extra naps. But, much to my dismay Bode is back with a force that can't be stopped with all the codeine in the western hemisphere.

I did get a few pictures of the five short minutes after surgery where he was actually quiet and still.

This is right after surgery. Sad.

"I will pay you back for this, you know."

In all seriousness everything went better than we could have anticipated and we are so relieved to have this behind us. The worst part was handing him over to 'Uncle Whore-hay' (aka Nurse George, and yes, I know that is not how you spell that but wouldn't it be funny if it was?) and watching him be taken to the OR.

And for all you Moms out there who have a kid that is going to have to have surgery on their nether-regions be sure and opt for the baby epidural (there is a scientific term for this but I can't pronounce it, much less spell it). The kid in the room next to us had some sort of similar surgery but he was just put to sleep and didn't also get the epidural thingy - not good. He screamed his head off the second his eyes were opened and it didn't stop for over an hour. Granted Bode was put to sleep and temporarily paralyzed but at least we didn't have to endure the screaming. Wait, we did have to endure it. Every person on the third floor had to endure it. But at least it wasn't our kid. All this to say, paralyze your kid. It is so worth it.

Home from Grandma's

We will now have to take Bode to the hospital to have his incision stitched back together. But what a cute hug!

This boy is officially hernia free

"You mean I'm really not that well endowed?"

7 months

This pretty much sums it up.

On a more serious note, the Bodester checks into Children's hospital tomorrow morning at 6 AM for the long awaited and much anticipated (by Mom) surgery. I will be sooooo glad to get this over with and never have to worry and fret over my son's testicles again! Please pray that he is healthy enough to go under anaesthesia and that the surgery is a success.

I love the night life

I guess none of my friends got the memo about the party last night. Me and about 4 other desperate and frazzled looking mothers were all at Walgreen's at 3 AM buying drugs to shut our children up. Like most club hoppers we were braless, bleary eyed, and stumbling all over the place, but I am sure the over-sized night shirts and house shoes gave us away.

This picture is in no way related to my post. Although if you are wondering who kept me up until the wee hours of the morning, you're looking at her.

I know this picture is a little over-the-top but I am just having the best time playing on Picnik. I must go now, I have more pictures to turn into Hallmark Movie Advertisements. I should probably keep a box of tissues handy....

I will get that sippy cup If. It. Kills. Me.

This is what Andy and I found last night when we went in Mia's room to check on her....already more maternal instinct than both her parents combined.

One of those days....already

So I'm not a loser afterall

We took Mia to Annie last night. She loved it and spent the entire intermission scrubbing the walls and floors of the Civic Center singing 'It's a Hard Knock Life' at the top of her lungs.
I guess I should be completely honest here and tell you Uncle Lucas did give us the tickets (the perks of being a producer) and I had to bribe Mia with a piece of candy to get her out of Aubrie's lap and into mine. But still. Does it count that we were going to take her anyway, even if Lucas didn't get us the tickets? No, I didn't really think so either.

Could these people make me look any worse?

Mia loved Sesame Street Live and she especially loved that Aunt Aubrie and Uncle Lucas took her. She 'accidentally' referred to Lucas as Dad the other day, but I knew the truth. She is probably plotting our deaths as I type this. No wonder Aubrie and Lucas keep asking us when we are going to meet with the attorney to complete our will....

Bode is officially the president of the Mia fan club

This is basically what Bode does all day - he watches Mia perform:

And Mia is happy to oblige.

My kids are so much cuter on other people's blogs

In fact, Aubrie if you want to just keep them at your house for a couple of days so that I can check in and see how adorable they are, feel free.

Just go ahead and lie already

Me: Mia, I am going to take a shower. Don't even think about bothering me.
after less than 30 glorious seconds of aloneness...
Mia: Mom, you have to come in here, there is a giant in the living room and he is eating all my food.
Me: Then go get some more food and leave me alone.
Mia: I can't. The giant says that after he eats all my food he is going to eat me.
Me: Just ignore him.
Mia: He said he is going to kill all the three year olds in this house.
Me: Then tell him you're four.
Mia: But that is a lie. Daddy says not to lie, it is a bad choice.
Me: Mommy says you can lie if a giant is in your living room threatening to kill you.

I just love being in charge

Just ask my husband, and my daughter, and my son, and my sister, and my mom, and my dad, and my sister-in-law, and all my friends, and any random person on the street. I would say that I will try to be a little less high strung and controlling but we all know that just isn't going to happen. What you see is what you get.

Mia announced that she has a new smile. She asked me to take a few pictures of it so she could practice. I will admit this fake, forced looking smile isn't my favorite in her repertoire but as long as she is doing this it means that she isn't screaming three-year-old obscenities(i.e. bottom-head, poo-poo Bode face). What is it with three-year-olds and potty language?

My life consists of cleaning up vomit

Bode just puked all over me for the 900th time. It dawned on me that for the past month I haven't done much more than clean up vomit and run to Walgreen's. Motherhood is humbling.

Remember when you used to dream about being a mother and all you thought it consisted of was dressing up kids in cute clothes and showing them off at church? It is so much worse and better than that all at the same time. Funny how that works.