my deal with myself

Diet Coke, I love the stuff.

I have TRIED and TRIED and TRIED to kick it and cannot.

There is a contest going on right now that you can enter a pin and get a chance at winnig $25000.

Would we not all just LOVE to win it.

As I was having a conversation with my self( I tend to do that every now and again) I was trying to convince myself to give it up once and for all.

Then I was thinking about winning the contest.

$25000, that would be nice!

And, without realizing I said it, to myself of course, I said,

"If I win the $25000 contest, I will give up Diet Coke."

I looked around to be sure no one else was saying it.

I shocked myself!

Yup, it was me who said it.

I know, my chances in winning are slim to nil.

I have a total of 3 entries to the how many of millions of entries.

AND, it depends on how many gold Canada wins.

Yup, you see my chances.

Then, I was actually brave enough to say it to the Mr.

He was shocked.

Can't say I blame him, I am too.

I did say though that if I did win and had to drink a Diet Coke for promo reasons, I would.

Then, that would be it.

I know, now that I said it aloud I cannot go back.

I have tried so many things.

The last attempt was when Jason went away for the summer.

I decided to give it up the day he left.

That was bad for so many reasons.

So, there you have it.

That is my deal with myself.

The weekend Auntie S came to visit!

Auntie S had been on her mission in California for 18 months.

We had not seen her since May/08

Oh, how we missed her.

We had not seen her until last weekend.

Oh, how much FUN it was!

This is mostly pics for those who we know would love to have been here but could not be.

Enjoy.

B and Auntie S, he greeted her at the door when she knocked about 3 hours earlier than we thought!

Auntie S decorated the sponge bob cake.

We used Wilton food coloring for the first time, LOVED it!

Colors are so vibrant, we figure the yellow should be called "Sponge Bob Yellow"

Here is Auntie S and M cuddling on my bed.

This brought LOTS of crazy times!

L quite content to just hang with his Auntie.

Just a little bit of background:

L has, in the past, gone and basically hidden when people come to visit.

Basically becomes anti-social, BUT in the past few months, he has totally changed as a whole.

He has become SO happy, loving and caring.

We were a bit nervous how this weekend would go.

I think S is feeling like she lost 60lbs off her hip, he was attached!

Telling her something important!

3 crazies snuggling!

L showing her the Nativity we got given to us.

He LOVES it, I just don't have the heart to take it down.

Plus, it's a good yearlong reminder of CHRISTmas.

Mom, this one is for you.

This is what it was like basically ALL weekend!

Except when she left.

He wouldn't talk to her!

Round and round the garden, goes the little mousie, you know how it goes.

Rhymes that entertain kids forever!

Mr. M and M woke up super early on Sunday morning.

This is how I found them when I woke up.

All 3 hanging on the couch Sunday afternoon.

I just LOVE how tough M is here!

B FINALLY came for a cuddle!

He is the one who basically hid all weekend.

What a turkey!

All of them cuddling on the bed, getting ready for a rumble!!!

I know, I know, I am a bad parent, I let my kids stand on the headboard and jump off.

It was SUPER fun.

All in a controlled environment so nothing to worry about.

Oh, the joy that was had.

B was the winner, I think.

On a TOTALLY side note, Do you see his belly button and how nice it is?!

SUPER happy about it.

It is really going down.

I think we are past the point where we have to worry about surgery.

I don't even think about it anymore.

For any men who think my little sister is hot and want to date her, PLEASE keep her in Canada.

Both my other sisters deserted me, I want ONE that lives here!!!!

We had so much fun and were happy when we woke up monday in the am and there was freezing rain out and she got to stay for half of the time, it was WONDERFUL!!!!

We love her and are happy to have her home.

We are grateful for how hard she worked on her mission.

The people of California were blessed to have her, now we have her home with us!

Love ya S!

I got flowers

I got flowers today.

I have not got them in 5 years.

I am not a girl who expects flowers or really cares if I get them.

I actually appreciate it if Mr. Miller does not buy them around Valentines day.

Too flippin expensive.

Mr. Miller walked in the door with flowers.

How nice.

I said Thank-you.

He looked sheepishly at me and asked if I got his message.

yup, I did.

This is the story.

Mr. Miller's Principal bought 5 things of flowers.

She decided she would give them to the teachers she thought was doing a good job.

Mr. Miller was one of them.

Mr. Miller passed them on to me.

How nice.

I always feel like a bum around Valentines day.

I hate getting anything therefore I don't give anything.

I know Mr. Miller would love to take me out for a romantic dinner.

Lines are too long.

I know he would like to buy me flowers.

Too expensive.

I know he would like to make Valentines with the kids for me to have.

 They clutter up my house and end up in the garbage.

To me, I would much rather that he did little things during the year that mean things to me.

Foot rubs, get those!

LONG Sunday naps after church, get those, EVERY week!

Helping with housework, get that every day!

Him not expecting me to go out of the home to work, get that!

Him working hard to provide for our family, get that!

I wanted to have beautiful children, got those!

There are many moments during the year I know Mr.Miller loves me.

I appreciate those moments.

I appreciate the flowers too.

This is what I get for Valentines day, TIME with these fave people of mine!

learned something new today...

So, I learned something new today.

But let me start back a few days ago.

I went to the docs, got x-rays.

Sat in the flippin docs office for 1.5 hours to get the results, with 2 kids I might add.

NOT fun.

I was in with the doc for 4 minutes, enough to be told I have 2 bone spurs and get a referral for Orthopedics.

Today was my appointment.

My most painful bone spur, the one that I actually could feel, is at the back of my heel, at the base of my achilles tendon.

I have tendonitis throughout my foot and ankle.

Actually, both of them.

I asked the doc about bone spurs, how they happen.

I have tight muscles, very tight.

The tight calves lead to tight hamstrings lead to tight quads, which is why my lower back is sore.

Makes sense.

When all this tightness happens, feet don't work properly.

I have under 5% range of motion on my ankle.

I asked if I bone spurs is reversable.

IT IS!!!!

The skeletons of our bodies change about 7 times in our lifetime.

A bone spur happens when our body is changing and our body is compensating.

So, I can reverse it by loosening my muscles and eventually my body will

"eat away the bone spur"

because my muscles will be loser so there will be no need for the extra bone to be there.

Makes sense, glad it won't be like this for life and it's my responsibility to fix it.

I did my muscles excersizes today.

They are not hard but flip do they ever HURT!

My calves, hamstrings, quads and back are SORE.

But it's good.

I need to do this because then I can do other things I need to do.

Right now my workouts are all upper body workouts.

They are fine, but I need more.

I NEED to be able to get impact on my lower body.

It will happen.

I like it when I learn something!

The queen bee turns 2!

So, Little Miss M turned 2 this week.

HELLO, where the heck did the last 2 years go???

She came to me first thing in the morning and said, "Mom, I'm dressed"

Yeah, right.

I don't think so!

L was home with us that day.

It was kinda fun.

She KNEW it was a wonderful special day.

Some of my favorite things about her:

She is just a wonderful child

She is busy

She is loving

She loves her "baby" that comes everywhere with us

She loves to talk

She is POTTY TRAINED!

She is so compassionate

Fave thing to do is cuddle

Most common word, either Sorry, Whatever, or Sure, I know, all over the place on that one!

She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her brothers

They LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her

She brings us happiness in our home

We are so BLESSED to have her in our home

Dinner time, man, she looks rough!

Her cake, oatmeal with coconut and pecan topping, yummy!

Presents with her brothers

she wanted a bath after her bath.

Mom, this is just for you

Well, anyone can look at it but there is a funny story behind this

I was in E-town a few summers ago with my mom

B was asleep in the car and we picked him up and brought him into the dollar store with us

Laid him down in the cart

He slept that way for about 45 minutes

Then slept for about 4 hours on a trip to my folks

Woke up for about the last 45 mins of the trip

Then slept all night long

When we pulled up to Dollargiant today, M was alseep

We laid her in the cart

She slept the whole time in the store, just like this

I just had to take a pic

It was so cute

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this little lady

She brings me joy where I never thought I would

She is a wonderful addition to our home

I would have it no other way

Hoar frost

I just LOVE how this hangs!

We have had quite a few nights of this and it has not really ever left the trees.

I LOVE how thick it is on this tree!!!

This is the main street int he town we live in.

I just love the whiteness of it!

I am going to have to take my camera with me in the morning.

LOVE IT!

I love how red the STOP sign is!

Thickness of it on the chain.

I just think it's beautiful.

Once again, love the contrast.

L kept saying, "why do you have to be so embarassing and take pictures of EVERYTHING?"

Cause, I think it's pretty!

fixing the bite!

This is L's underbite with his appliance.

I could tell for a bit that he would have an underbite, inherited it from me.

I had an appliance, called the "fridge" when I was a kid too.

About 3 months ago I took him to the dentists for his regular appointment.

Asked the dentist if I should take him to an orthodontist.

Said yup.

Took him in and realized under the lights that not only did he have an underbite.

The enamel was wearing off from the bottom teeth rubbing on the top ones.

We had MAJOR issues with his baby teeth looking like they had baby rot as they had no enamel on them.

So, I said, "get him a retainer"

Also mumbled, "glad we have insurance!"

He got it on Thursday. 

Funny kid.

Hummed quite loudly when they were putting it in.

It's something he does when he is uncomfortable.

The poor lady thought he was in pain. 

Nope, just coping.

Also, whenever one puts something new in their mouth, it's automatic that twice the amount of spit accumulates.

That was gross.

L thought he couldn't swallow it.

HELLO, what do you do all the time???

The one thing I like about this is he spend more time sounding out his words.

That is something $480 will buy you, good pronounciation.

 

This is a mold of his teeth and his retainer.

Picked it out himself.

Yup, he went for an oilers symbol in the middle.

Maybe THIS will bring them luck

We will show updated pictures when things really start to happen.

Should be about 3 weeks and they will be on top of each other.