Speaking of Black Friday. . .

Good thing for Black Friday deals! I'm not a shopper. I've dabbled in Black Friday before, half heartedly, like at 10 am, and I'm not really a fan. Remember my Black Friday experience from two years ago? I do. My bum does. I'm sure the perpetrator remembers my bum. He should, because it was way skinnier and taught two years ago.

Anyway, back to why I'm glad for Black Friday deals, even though I don't get into it. Our geriatric dryer died. It was time, for it was about 19 years old. So, Friday we scored a great deal on a fancy new dryer! But it won't be here till December 8, so that's two more weeks of doing laundry at "The In-law's Laundry Mat." Good thing for in-laws.

I nursed the dryer as best as I could. 3 weeks ago, I even took the whole thing apart, replaced the felt drum liner, and learned a lot about dryers in the process. But alas, the heating element went out, and although I could have figured out how to fix it myself, it wasn't worth it for such an old dryer.

Oh, and earlier that morning (Black Friday), the van wouldn't start, leaving me stranded at the massage place (a wonderful birthday massage). Neal came to the rescue and gave it a jump, and that seemed to work. Saturday morning, the battery was replaced, but we soon found out that it's really the starter that needs replacing. Little Ol Tithing Van is in the shop right now, getting a new starter. I hate putting money into that thing, because we're getting a new van in just a few short months. But it's better to sell a running van than a dead one, right? Anyone want a classic 1994 mini-van? I'll throw in a new starter!

Abigail is starting to show signs of Peton Word Disease. Currently, she calls pajamas "jamanas." Also, anything or anyone who is nice, is called "nicely." She says things like, "That's a nicely lion!" or, "I will be nicely at preschool today."

Little liar. She's not nicely at preschool.

Yesterday at church, we had a little circus. Yesterday was my second week back since the baby was born. I also had to speak in Sacrament meeting. On top of it all, Abby woke up in a terrible mood. I could tell we would have struggles with her. Instead of sitting on the stand, I sat down with the kids and Sister K. Just before my turn to speak, Jake filled his diaper with his soupy poop. No surprise there. He is in a constant state of pooping. While I was speaking, Abby started throwing a small fit. I'm pretty sure it would have fizzled out, but she hit her lip on the bench. She freaked. Loudly. A different Sister K. grabbed her and carried her out of the chapel. She was screaming like a mad fool. I stopped my talk and waited for the noise to exit the chapel. I think I played it pretty cool, and made a few jokes, but inside I was terribly embarrassed. What a disaster.

After I finished, I went back to the bench, grabbed Jacob to change his diaper, and left. When I got back, Abby said, "I need to go pee!" So, we left again. In and out - in and out.

I took a nap when I got home and tried to forget the previous 3 hours.

When Neal finally got home from the church yesterday, and in the 2 seconds we saw him before he went back for tithing settlement, he said, "Maybe I shouldn't have asked you to speak in church. Sorry."

Contrary to what you may think after reading about some of our weekend happenings, we had a great Thanksgiving weekend. I had Mable do the turkey this year because I'm a little turkey-shy from 2 years ago. It was the perfect turkey, and the pile of rolls I made turned out perfectly! There is always redemption in great dinner rolls. As well as candied sweet potatoes. I love that dish.

We also cut down our Christmas tree and got everything rolling for the holidays. My house smells like Christmas right now, and I love it! Christmas and baby poop from the diaper I just now changed.

I must go now. Abigail is screaming because apparently Mary is missing from the Playmobile nativity set. "Mary is lost! Mary is lost!"

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends.

"Hello beautiful." That's what he's thinking when he looks at me.

See Abby's Indian feathers? Now, imagine an Abby-sized tantrum (they're seismically big, by the way), while she's wearing the Indian feathers. I'd say it's a perfect combo. You know, she does have Indian blood. Some Cherokee and Creek. It's from her Daddy. Just add a little war paint, and game on!
Last night, Abby asked me if Jesus could drive his rock. "What?" I say. Abby asks again - can Jesus drive his rock? Then I look at her, and she's sliding the Jesus statue across the table, like he's driving the rock. Crazy girl with the crazy hair. Sometimes I love when her hair is wild, just like she is.

My chili and your chili were hanging out clothes.
My chili punched your chili right in the nose.
What color was the blood?

I made some homemade chili last night. I had the beans going earlier in the day. I used to HATE that smell as a kid. HATE! Well, apparently Abby hates that smell too. She was chilling out, watching a movie, and started whining about Jacob pooping. "Mom! Jakie pooped! Come change his diaper!" A sniff check revealed a clean diaper.

Soon, she was whining again. "Mom! My blanket smells like poop! Take it away! It's discustin!" A sniff check revealed no poop smell. I asked Abby if she farted. "NO! I didn't toot!"

A few minutes passed, and she started to get really upset and cry. "Mom! Make the poop smell go away! I hate it!"

Then I realized, it was probably the beans. "Come here Abby. Let's see if it's the beans that smell like poop." I lifted her up, lifted the lid off the pot, and she yelled, "Oooo! It's the beans! I hate beans! They smell like poop!"

Guess who wouldn't eat chili last night?

Kate got her report card a couple of days ago. She did pretty good. In elementary school, they grade by numbers; 1-6, six being the highest. None of my kids have had a 6. Sarah says it means you have "super-natural powers" if you get a 6. The actual definition of 6 is, "Exemplary work at this level is both exceptional and memorable. It shows a distinctive and sophisticated application of knowledge and skills." Well, Kate got a 6 in one of her math areas. We were pretty excited, and honestly, kind of surprised. She's a Peton, and we all suck at math. She was talking about it the other day, and I again told her how proud I was of her. She said, "Now, what did I get a 6 in again?"

I said, "Fractions."

Kate then said, "Ummmm. . . . . What are fractions?"

Maybe the 6 was a typo? I think I'll be discussing that 6 with her teacher at conferences next week. . . .

Things here are going well. We're all adjusting and settling in to our new family life. We all adore Jacob, even if Abby mostly avoids him and acts like he doesn't exist. She'll warm up to him eventually. I'll say, "Abigail, do you love Jacob?"

She says, "I love Daddy." or any other person/pet in the family. She won't say she loves Jacob. Silly little girl.

How am I? Tired. But I tell myself that someday I'll get more than a 3 hour stretch of sleep. Lucky for me and my entire family, I started up on the old drugs again shortly after the boy was born. I do believe that was a wise decision. I can't trust myself these days. Best to trust the drugs until I can settle in to hormones and exercise and sleep again someday soon. They have been helping a great deal, and I'll take the extra help.

I'm in Love

I think I smell something.

Yeah. I definitely smell something.

There is is again!

Seriously?Seriously.

Why did she have to leave? Why? Mom's are the best. Especially this one. I can't even measure up to her awesomeness. She helps in all the right ways. I need to go to Utah soon. I love my mom.

How did I live so long without this kid around? How did our family function without this hunka hunka burnin love?

Damn Mom! What IS that smell??
We had some Halloween. See all of that candy? It's good stuff, and there is a ton of it. Our neighborhood is trick-or-treat central. People from all over town drive to our hood, park their cars at the church and set their rug rats loose. But the way our cul-de-sac is situated, they treat at every street but ours. Weird. I have pounds of left over chocolate products. A few pounds was put away for stockings at Christmas, and a few pounds is being sent to the church with Neal so he can bribe kids.
This kid goes crazy with candy. She loves it all, and it seriously makes her eyes cross. We've had a crazy week trying to de-tox her from all the sugar.

Sarah had a friend come over on halloween. They decided to go troll the neighborhood. As they were getting ready to leave, I noticed they both were wearing all black - not a good color choice for pedestrians, yet the color choice most pedestrians choose on cold, dark, rainy nights. I asked Sarah, "Why are you dressed in black? Do you want to get hit by a car?"

Sarah: "No. We just don't want anyone to see us."

Me: "So. . . . . you want to get hit by a car then?"

Sarah: "Uhhhhhh. We'll be fine mom."

Our annual Halloween dinner. Dry ice works well at cooling down goblin meat stew.

What is this? Some of my sister's probably know what that top bag is. Back in 1996, Clinique had their bonus promotion. That makeup bag lasted a long time. The zipper finally broke. But, it was my lucky day a couple of weeks ago! I was walking through Macy's on my way out of the mall, a place I go to maybe once a year, and I noticed it was the first day of another Clinique bonus promotion!! So, I bought my qualifying $20 worth of stuff (it used to be $15), only it was really about $40, and ended up with a new bag! And some other free products that I divied up with Sarah. So now, I have a new makeup bag that should last me for the next 15 years!

So, how am I doing with the new baby? It's kind of rough adjusting. Neal is gone a lot. I'm glad the 2 hour stretches of sleep won't last forever. That's what I keep reminding myself of. The thing with sleep is when you're not getting it, everything else in life looks like a disaster. That's where I am right now. Freak show extraordinaire.

One day at a time.