Let's Get Ready to Ruuuumble!!!

Evil--thy name is wallpaper. I had this great idea to redo my downstairs half-bath. It has some dated wallpaper that was in need of fixing and I thought it would be a great first attempt at home repair. I bought all the chemicals and tools that you're supposed to buy to make the job a breeze. It should've gone according to plan, but it hasn't.

Who are these people who have wallpaper that comes off in large strips? I think that only happens in the movies.

At first, my wallpaper wouldn't come off at all! Then, I got more aggressive and it started coming off in about 1 centimeter segments. There had to be a better way.

Thank you internet. I created a vinegar/water solution and sprayed it on the walls and viola! there goes the wallpaper.

You may be hearing lately about how wallpaper is coming back into fashion. I even thought about putting up some cute wallpaper and matching it to a paint myself. Now, I know. Wallpaper you are evil.

This is my sub-contractor--isn't she cute?

Our First Day of School

Today was Ryanna's first day of Kindergarten. Yesterday we painted her toenails and talked about what outfit she wanted to wear and how she wanted to do her hair for today. She decided she wanted purple toenails, braids in her hair and a bright yellow and orange outfit that her grandparents gave her. After weeks and weeks of her telling me how excited she was for school to start, she seemed pretty nonchalant about school starting tomorrow.

Today, when Derek's alarm clock went off, I couldn't sleep. I had to get up and get going, so that I would make sure and get her to school on time. I definitely didn't want her to be late for her first day. Derek gave her a Father's blessing after they discussed whether she would like one. I found the whole experience nearly brought me to tears.

Ryanna had some toast with jam and brushed her teeth (before putting on her clothes since she seems to struggle with not getting the toothpaste on her shirt) and I did her hair. We hurriedly packed all the items she would need to contribute to the class (everything is shared, nothing is individually owned), put Owen's shoes on, loaded up the stroller and drove the block and a half to her school (it's already over 90 degrees outside and I knew I would be rushing, so driving was the better option).

When we got near the school, I was shocked to see all the cars. Parents and kids everywhere! We parked, loaded everything into the stroller and speedwalked over to meet her teacher for the first time. I certainly wasn't alone in the amount of parents who wanted to be right by the side of their newly adapting children. After the kids got in line, the teacher told them to blow us all a kiss because Kindergarten was so hard for parents. She was right. I was already tearing up and Ryanna will only be gone for three hours each day.

I can't seem to explain very well how emotional this morning has been for me. Here is my daughter, who has spent everyday of the first five years of her life with me and now I send her to school knowing that I'll never again get her all to myself. It's difficult for me because I love her so dearly and I want her to be safe and well-cared for. I know other kids can be mean, that she may be misunderstood, that she might experience situations that test her in every way and it's hard to know that I won't be by her side to help her. It's hard to know that her dad and I won't be the only adults whose opinion she values--her teacher will hopefully be a great friend and example to her.

It must be a bit how God feels as He sends us down to Earth. He knows that He loves us so dearly, but that he won't be able to be physically there by our side helping us to do what's right and protecting us from bad decisions--made by us and inflicted on us by others.

On the other side of this coin, I'm so excited for her to learn. She loves to do all the activities I know Kindergarten will provide and I'm excited for her. What a fun, scary and exciting day for BOTH of us.

Trippin'?

I used to be able to just think about travel in very simplistic terms:
How long is it going to take?
How much gas money will I need?
How many meals/snacks will I be consuming?
Can I get a book on tape or some music to sing really loud to?

These were all very logical questions and easily answered--BEFORE kids.
Since I've now had two kids, things have changed. These are the questions I think about:
1. Can we time this trip mostly around Owen's nap time?
2. How many different movies will I need to pack, so that the kids will stay entertained for the required amount of time?
3. What snacks can I bring that will do the least amount of damage to the car?
4. How many days are we going to be at ________ before we leave? Because trying to convince Owen to get back in that car the second time may cause what people call a coniption.
5. How can I position the kids in the back seat to where Ryanna can care for most of Owen's needs, so I won't have to turn around and make myself sick?
AND, if I'm pregnant like I am now:
6. How many hours is this going to take? My bum starts to seriously ache from the added weight and shift of the baby.

We leave for Utah tomorrow and I'm starting to get nervous about the 14 hours or so it'll take to get up there. Can you tell?

Tum-ta-Tum-Tum-TUUUUUMMMS!

So, I'm feeling a little silly right now. This morning I woke-up with a nasty taste in my mouth. No, not the typical morning breath as you're probably guessing although that's probably partly true too.

I came downstairs and got the kids some food and then decided that it would probably help to eat to get that taste out of my mouth. Only, it didn't help. That yogurt did nothing. So, I figured that perhaps maybe something like Twizzlers would do the trick? Don't give me the health food talk here, I'm pregnant and trying to get a nasty taste to go away.

Twizzlers, didn't do it either. I went for a handful of almonds--see, I don't always choose junk food as the answer. Nope, no luck with those either. I figured maybe it'd go away on its own if I was just patient.

For lunch, I had leftovers of the orzo pasta I made for dinner last night with some strawberry milk to drink figuring perhaps one of those two tastes would work for me.

No, no, no. Still there.

So, I don't know why I didn't think of this before; it happened with my last two pregnancies--it's heartburn! I just realized that's what that nasty taste is and why I can't get it to go away. I get incredibly bad heartburn when I'm pregnant because there is just no room in there for my stomach to do its thing properly with a baby jumping and kicking and pushing it around.

The first time I ever experienced heartburn I was pregnant with Ryanna and since heartburn and I had no history, I just thought I had reached yet another miserable pregnancy milestone--the inability to sleep without feeling a burning sensation in the back of my throat. I went to my OB and described my symptoms and he said, "That's heartburn." Oh, so I don't have to live this way? No, I didn't.

Tums were my best friends and favorite (read sarcasm here) treat. I honestly started to feel a bit like I imagine a drug addict feels. At first one or two were doing the trick, but shortly I needed 5-7 each go. I would honestly just grab the bottle, put it to my mouth and pour. Ryanna came out okay as far as we can tell.

Fast forward a few years to Owen--a much bigger baby. The heartburn started again. I bought Tums, but this time they did absolutely nothing. One night it was so bad that I slept for only a couple of hours and then made a mad dash to Wal-Mart at 6 in the morning to buy a bottle of Pepto Bismol. This was after having eaten ice cream and yogurt and drinking several glasses of milk. I told my OB that I thought I might have to give up food for the remainder of the pregnancy and he gave me Prilosec. Ahhh, blessed Prilosec, I almost named my first son after you.

So, here I am with baby number three on its way in a couple of months. How did I not recognize these symptoms? How did I go through this entire day not recognizing the nastiness of heartburn? Must be that pregnancy forgetful brain thing that everyone talks about. Good thing I see the doctor next week, I don't think there's any Prilosec in the house! And, I may just have figured out the name for our next child...

Flagstaff Funnies

We just got back from another trip and apparently all this travel is taking its toll on me. I woke up with Owen this morning at around 6:15, which is his usual wake-up time, and came downstairs. I was only with him for about an hour when Derek came downstairs and I fell asleep--till 10!!! I was and still feel tired. This pregnancy really has zapped my energy. I wonder if I'm growing another huge boy baby like Owen? I don't really want to try and top Owen's nine pound birth.

While we were in Flagstaff, Ryanna wanted to know what time it was, so I told her to ask Derek. She said, "Dad, what time is it? Will you check your blueberry?"

Apparently that's the newer version of the Blackberry huh?

Then, on the drive home, she was having a discussion with Derek...

Ryanna: "Dad, do you know why I don't kill people?"

Derek: "Um, because it's wrong?"

Ryanna: "No, because I'm not strong enough."

Don't ask me why she's even thought about this. It's not as though we even let her watch PG-13 movies. I guess pre-school is a harder life than I realized.

And, for all those of you wondering if we've picked a name for this boy--we haven't. We can't seem to come to an agreement on this. Derek absolutely doesn't like the names I like and I don't like the names he likes. It's getting a bit frustrating.

Our visit to Missouri

We just got home from a trip to the Midwest to visit my parents. The weather was absolutely beautiful the first two days. Those of you living in Arizona know that means it was anything below 90 degrees. Plus, those first two days, there was no humidity!

We lit fireworks on three different nights, ate frozen custard at the local place, had chocolate, rootbeer, orange and strawberry milk all from a local dairy. The bottles are these heavy, glass bottles like you would think of the old time milk coming in and the milk is delicious! We also went to Worlds of Fun and hit all the kiddie rides and a ball park inside (imagine a park with thousands of foam balls and all kinds of contraptions to shoot, rocket, launch or vacuum them everywhere). We also went fishing at one of the local lakes and Ryanna and Papa caught at least 13 different fish in about 2 hours (all Blue Gill).

Mostly, we were all incredibly spoiled each in our own ways. Ryanna and Owen having every activity based around their interests and me being allowed to get naps and sleep in in the mornings.

It was such a fun time and we look forward to going back.

On a sidenote, all of the songs you will hear are Ryanna's current favorites. Enjoy them while you view the photos.