General Conference!!!

It's like it's Christmas over here!  I'm wearing my new yoga pants and am planning on wearing them all weekend long, we're snuggled up on the couch and on the floor watching living prophets speak to us (and in some cases, retelling a few old jokes) and snacking like fiends.  I LOVE GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!

365 days 70-73

3-23-12
Confession: my favorite tee was accessorized by the Dude's nose before 9am.  I did not change my shirt.

3-24-12
Mismatched.

3-25-12
When church was over, all I wanted to do was climb in bed and hide under the covers.  So I did.  Staying in Wisconsin is good for a few reasons, but staying in our ward where there are so few active folks to go around that the few active folks have to be REALLY active... is not easy.   The not-so-active folks all need so much help and there is always so much to do that I'm not even aware of - I feel like I'm failing at my own calling and everything else all the time.  I wish I could turn it all off and be all "whatevs, I gots my own stuff to do.  Catch me up laterz when yous got your stuff together and we'll eat ice creams.  Till then ima gonna be here, showing up to stuff and stuff."

3-26-12
But today is a new day.  Literally - the husband started his new job today and thus will be coming home over an hour later than usual.  This commute really scares me.  I hope he doesn't hit a cow.  Also, I curled my hairs.

Speaking of hairs, I was Skyping with my mom yesterday and in between the Dude and Solei screaming, I heard her yelling back something about cutting my hair.  I admit, it's long.  It just keeps growing.  And I can't get it cut because I HAVE to get it highlighted and that takes forEVER because the chick who does my hair needs no less than 3 smoke breaks in between dong a nice job on my hair and telling me how she plans to fight off the zombie apocalypse.

You think I'm kidding.

Anywho, if I just got a cut, it would cut off the highlights I have and my natural hair color would be framing my face.  And my natural hair color makes me look like I have the flu.  So I HAVE to get highlights, but when on earth would I get at least 3 uninterrupted hours during the workday all to myself, hmmm??  So I'm waiting until some makeover show breaks down my door and says they are taking matters into their own hands and performing an exorcism on my hairs.

365 days 65-67

 3-20-12
Soaking up the sun.

3-21-12
Because the husband said I always look sad in these 365 pictures, this was for him.  (for the record, I'm usually going for pensive)  The Dude loves to ask "Are you happy??"  followed by "You smile!"  Who could resist that?!

3-22-12
The shirt cannot lie.

ovary exercizes

Featuring my awesome brother's awesome offspring.  We make highlarious humans in this family.  My favorite part is the hand-wringing.  And the freakin' adorableness.

365 days 53-64

*chirp chirp*  Hellooooooo.  You still there?  Me too!  I'm about to spam you with 12 days o' pictures, but they will at least explain in part why I've been so out of it.  Honestly, after finding out husband had a job and we knew where our lives were going to end up at least for a little while, I'm trying to catch up on life.  I've been in this sick holding pattern and landing has been a relief.  Although I landed exactly where I'd hoped to NOT land, but stability rocks.

3-8-12
I was slightly impressed with all the color I had going on, so I decided to take a picture, and the Dude decided I was too indispensable to allow me 4 minutes of alone time.  I think the Mormon fashion bloggers are safe.

3-9-12
WonderGirl pulled out my wedding album and insisted I take her through the entire tale of how Daddy and I met and married.  It's a lovely thing to look at our story through her eyes.

3-10-12
 I went outside.  In March.  I swear, this winter has been the best winter that a winter could be.  Because it wasn't really a winter at all.

 3-11-12
Can you see me?  We had some friends over for dinner and I snapped this.  Incognito frito.

 3-12-12
Not only am I outside, watching the kids, but I am NOT WEARING SOCKS.  I love no-sock weather!!!

3-13-12
Sometimes I'm the smart.  I recorded WonderGirl at the beginning of her lesson and then at the end, which resulted in wayyyyy fewer squeaks.  That's what I call a victory.

 3-14-12
Got some dental work done = boo.  Got the knockout gas = yay.  I don't think I ever really relax.  Drugs can be the awesome.

 3-15-12
SHORT SLEEVES!!!  It just keeps getting better!!

 3-16-12
Um, how about MY needs??  My parents are going to China for 10 months and my mother in law is going to have chemo therapy for the next year.  I have to try and keep a sense of humor about this, but I do NOT feel ready for the adults in my life to have a life of their own, nuh uh.

 3-17-12
I was dressed and going about my day when I remembered that it was St. Paddy's and I was wearing orange pants.  And then when I posted this wee picture on FB, most of the people didn't get the significance of the color orange.  I'm pretty sure if I wore these pants to a gig in NYC, I'd have a bevy of bottles thrown at my head.

 3-18-12
I decided to reread Just David.  A fabulous little read, although the Pollyanna sappiness can be slightly overpowering at the end.  The author DID write Pollyanna though, so it's excusable.  ish.

 3-19-12
Spring cleaning - it's official, the weather rocks.  So I started moving snow gear into the downstairs, YES.

AAAAAAAAND scene.  Well, not really, I'm sure there is plenty that has been going on, but mostly the weather rocks, and I am overjoyed that the Collies got to play St. Paddys gigs despite Michael being run over by a car and in a coma just a few months ago, but also heartsick about the fact that I missed playing St. Paddys gigs with the Collies and with the husband's new job, I'm not likely to be catching any in the future either.  Cue the sappy violin music, played conveniently by myself.

I'll be back.  Remind me to tell you about the time I sent the husband an invite to Pinterest and the mayhem that ensued.

have an epic weekend

Holy snap, look what youtube gave me!!  The music video for the Neverending Story!!


And then it gave me this gem, and 2011 performance - with backup dancers and a plushie Falkor the Luckdragon!!!!!  YESSSS!!!!!



I just realized every sentence in this post has multiple exclamation points, but I also think they are entirely justified!!!!!

365 day 52

3-7-12
Jump for joy!!

All the insanity I've been alluding to has resolved a bit today.  The husband resigned from his job and accepted an offer from another company.  It has been a long, scary slog of us not knowing where we should end up or what we should do, and this decision did NOT come easily.  There were offers and opportunities outside of Wisconsin that we would have looooooved to have taken, but nothing felt right.  Even this decision didn't feel right for a long time.  Stay in Wisconsin, PLUS add another half hour to the commute and cut our family time at night?  Ugh.  It's been tough.  I'm not going to lie - staying here was not our first choice.  Nothing personal, Wisconsin, but you don't make life all that easy.  I live 2 hours from a major airport, Walmart is virtually our only shopping option in town, and to get my 2 year old (who routinely licks shopping carts) to the doctor, I have to drive an hour just to get there.  And let's not get into being so far from my band mates (in Georgia... *sob*) and my musical life.  Ugh, I say.  Also, I don't drink alcohol so I have very little in common with the locals.

BUT.  We are supposed to be here for some reason.  So we are.  And at least knowing that has made me feel lighter than I have in a long time.  So when the Dude pulled all the covers off my bed and started jumping, I decided I should join him.

And now that I know we're staying put for a little while longer, I can think about decorating our bedroom a bit.  Any suggestions?

365 days 47-51

 3-2-12
Do YOU have glow-in-the-dark nail polish?  This isn't the best picture of it, but it's at least my first attempt.  It WORKS.  Seriously, sometimes I'm totally freaked out at night by my glowing fingernails.

3-3-12
Iowa bound.  We sure know how to par-tay.  Really, we needed a weekend away, and Iowa always works.

3-4-12
I needs me a ukulele.  F'reals.

3-5-12
Aaaaand home again home again jiggety jig.  Still need new shoes, obviously.

3-6-12
The insanity of the decision we are trying to make is almost suffocating.  In need of some distraction and inspiration, Pinterest.  I LOVE ME SOME PINTEREST.  I'm considering becoming a Pinterest missionary, since I've pretty much converted every woman in my age group at church and more.

Let's just go through my usual checklist.

Current major life decisions: still completely unresolved.
WonderGirl:  still freakishly bright and fab.  This morning she announced that strawberries are like spiders because spiders have exoskeletons on their outsides, and strawberries have their seeds on their outsides as well.  Hrm.
the Dude:  speaking like a fiend.  Still climbs on top of me regularly, puts his face right into my face and asks "Are you happy??"  I respond yes, he responds "Good."  Then climbs down again.  Also, he's been waking up with a dry diaper - any ideas on how to start potty training a boy?  I used to put WG on the potty in front of her morning PBS and she'd go within 30 minutes or so.  Tried that with the Dude and he was willing to sit there for maybe 10 minutes.  Also he didn't pee.  Poo is another thing altogether and we're on that, but boys pee slightly differently and I am not a boy.  Thoughts?

Also, I would just like to say thank you to the wonderful souls who developed DVD players for cars.  You get all the awards.

365 days 42-46

2-26-12

Shadows.

2-27-12

Charlie and Chocolate Factory with WonderGirl was more wonderful than I could have imagined. When we got to the part where he FINALLY got his ticket, I was in tears and she was in hysterics. (see below video for proof)

2-28-12

If only my own road was so well marked.

2-29-12

Leaping lizards! Spent Leap Day like every other day. Fabulous.

3-1-12

Step 1. Buy fabulous shoes. Step 2. Sew a skirt to go with it (it's an old red shirt I cut up and sewed some black stretch lace on top. Can you even see the red?) Step 3. Eventually go buy a red top to go with the rest of the ensemble.

I really can't believe I don't own a red shirt to go with this.

So, on the life front, there is still nothing I can report.  I feel like we've been put in a blender and I have no idea what the result will be.  No clue.  Last night the poor Dude was up with a coughing fit at 2am, so I went in and tried to help.  I gave him some cough and cold medicine and a cup of water and snuggled with him until he'd pass out.  He didn't, so then I tried some homeopathic cough stuff.  Nothin'.  So then I just tried a spoonful of honey.  But the coughing wouldn't stop.  I just held the poor boy and prayed.  In between sips and coughs I heard him smile in the darkness and then exclaim "Mmmmm, yummy water!"  A few minutes later when I pulled the blanket up tighter over us, he mumbled "Good job!"

For a year I prayed to hear him speak, to find out what was going on in his head.  Now that it's finally here, it's more fantastic than I could have imagined.  He's just as kind and hilarious as I thought he'd be.

And seriously, when we read about Grandpa Joe leaping out of his bed dancing for the first time in 20 years and screaming "YIPPEEEE!!!!" (while spilling cabbage soup all over Grandma Josephine) it was spectacular.  WonderGirl was so excited she could hardly stand it. And since I had the camera handy, I documented it for posterity.