I'm the Queen of Returns

Appetizer:
What are you proud of?
After missing graduating high school with honors (my GPA was 91.6-they do not round up-it has to be exactly a 92 or above-I'm not bitter, I promise ;) I motivated myself to graduate from college with honors.

Soup:
What is the best thing you've ever won as a prize?
The door prize at a DU dinner-a Remington gun. Really, it was worth a good chunk of change, so I sold it and used the money to buy Christmas presents.

Salad:
Name something you do that is a waste of time.
I often buy something only to return it a few days later.

Main Course:
In what year of your life did you change the most?
The year I became a mother.

Dessert:
Where is a place you would consider to be very tranquil?
On the beach listening to the tide come in.

New Ticker, But No Disrespect

As you may have noticed I put up a ticker above my links. Please understand that it is not intended to disrespect the men and women who have died serving our country. It is just meant to make people think. Think about the sheer volume of that number, which continues to climb each day. Think about the fact that the children who have been aborted never had the chance to grow up, join the military, and fight for what they believe in. I think Mother Theresa said it best...

"I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we can accept that a mother can kill her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?"

Room to Spare: Advantages and Disadvantages

I can see this picture going in David's high school yearbook, right next to a picture of him when he turns 16 and finally gets to drive a real car.

Papa John shows David the ropes. Yes, that is another boat in the background, but no its not ours. Its Jason's cousin's-we are storing it for him (the disadvantage of having room to spare).

I remember how much I really, really, really wanted one of these motorized cars when I was a kid. I'm pretty sure it was a jeep too, just the pink barbie version. I never had one but I turned out just fine. Heck, I might even be a better person today because I didn't have one! I try so hard not to spoil David, but when things are free you've gotta take 'em, right? My Dad has a friend whose grandchildren grew out of this "toy". He offered it to my dad who knew his 3 grandsons would certainly make good use out of it. We have a place to store it so by default it stays with us (the advantage of having room to spare). Just one more reason my blogging gals have got to have a play date here soon!

In Today's Headlines...

...a new breed of twins was discovered...

... but my twin cousin's Julie (back, yellow shirt) and Jennifer (front, yellow shirt) are still fraternal. I think my sister and I could pass for twins better than they could (we're the other two girls in the picture). Other cool twin info: Identical twins have identical DNA, so genetically speaking, the children of identical twins are half-siblings, instead of cousins!

A Feast Fit For A Fox

Appetizer
Who is your favorite news anchor/reporter? Why?
Sean Hannity-he is conservative and tells it like it is. I give him props for putting up with Alan Colmes. I also like Greta Van Susteren because she asks the questions we all want to know the answers to.

Soup
Name 3 foods that are currently in your freezer.
Ice Cream, Biscuits, and Lean Cuisines.

Salad
If you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it?
Up Yonder.

Main Course
What will most likely be the next book you read?
"A Wedding in December", I bought it a few months ago and still haven't read it.

Dessert
What is the first thing you notice about the opposite gender?
Height and or hair color.

PSA: Knowledge is Power

Here I go gettin' all serious again. When it comes to being monetarily generous in the past I've been burned. Nothing makes me more angry to find out that I gave money to a person, a cause, or a non-profit organization, only to find out later that I was lied to about what the money was for, or where it was going.

I want to reveal some little known facts about two organizations I've given money to before, but will not anymore. First up, the Susan G. Komen breast cancer Foundation. For the record, my maternal grandmother died of breast cancer six days before I was born. Let's add together the fact that I never got to meet her, plus the fact that I am more likely to develop the disease, which leaves me with nothing other than to say that breast cancer research is certainly something I would consider a worthy cause. But not when the organization stated above gives money to Planned Parenthood, which happens to be the top abortion provider in the U.S. The Susan G. Komen foundation also refuses to admit that there is a link between women who have had an abortion and breast cancer. Next up, March of Dimes. Who doesn't want healthy babies? Well March of Dimes only wants babies, if, and only if they are healthy. They encourage prenatal screening for birth defects to which the only "treatment" is abortion. This reminds me of someone I know of who found out her son had down syndrome before he was born. Her insurance company fought with her over the medical care of her son. Their argument was that they did not have to pay because it was a "pre-existing condition" since she knew of her son's disease before he was born and could have chosen to abort her child. Again, March of Dimes also refuses to admit that there is a link between premature birth/low birth weight deliveries of babies to women who have previously had an abortion.

It is so sad that we have to think twice about our gift giving. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but knowledge is power... My next Public Service Announcement will be happy, I promise ; )

"I Did It My Way"

David would rather play golf, than wiffle ball.

Charlie would rather dunk himself in the water, than drink it.

Lazy Linking Feast

Appetizer
Name two things that made you smile this week.
This and That

Soup
Fill in the Blank: Don't you hate it when______?
You read stuff like this?

Salad
When you can't go to sleep what is your personal remedy to help yourself drift into lullaby land?
I pray a Rosary.

Main Course
What is something about which you've always wondered but have not yet found a good answer?
How 1 + 1 can = 3 . Now that's fuzzy math!

Dessert
What is your favorite pasta dish?
My mom's famous lasagna.

Swings 'n Slides

David's first "flight"


Ben saying "Cheese".

"Weeeee!"

Ben's shirt reads "I do all my own stunts" a birthday present from me.

"No David, this is how you do it."

Today David and I met my sister Lara, and my two nephews, Ben and Will for lunch at Chick-fil-A. It was really, really, crowded and we got the last two parking spaces. A lot of mothers and children wanted to eat lunch at 1 pm! Next, we headed to a toddler park near my sister's house. We saw some of the same mothers from CFA there too. The park is unique in that it is all fenced in, and the equipment is sized just right for the kids Ben's and David's ages. We will definitely be doing this again soon.

My First Born Survey

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes.

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Is that two lines? I can't tell. One looks darker than the other.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
Um, we just donated a boat to a pro-life organization. What do you think?

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
25 at conception/26 at delivery.

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
Home test.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
Jason.

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
Yes.

9. DUE DATE?
September 4.

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
No.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Sweets, mostly chocolate.

12. WHO IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
People who would ask me when I was due, after my due date.

13. SEX OF CHILD?
Boy.

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
Nope, I actually wanted a boy.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
40+ (can't remember nore I care to know the exact number).

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Yes, 2.

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
None.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Newton Medical Center.

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
31

21. WHO DROVE YOU THE THE HOSPITAL?
Jason, twice. They wouldn't let me stay the first time because I wasn't "progressing fast enough". I was their only patient at the time. Drove 30+ miles home (at 2 am), screamed my head off for awhile, and drove back shortly thereafter.

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Jason.

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural.

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
Yes, finally after 12 hrs of labor (I would have had it sooner if they had let me).

25. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7 lbs 4.5 oz

26. DID YOUR CHILD HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS?
He had to spend the first night in the nursery because they thought he might have meconium aspiration.

27. WHAT DAY WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ON?
September 10.

28. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
David Carlton.

A Sentimental Goodbye

It turns out I didn't need a super bowl commercial, or divine intervention to get rid of the 1969 Super Skeeter. Tomorrow the boat will be picked up, sold by a third party, and the proceeds will be donated to American Life League. I have to admit I am a little sentimental about it leaving, not because of the boat itself, but because of who it originally belonged to. I know Jason had many memories fishing with his dad on this boat, and I am sad that David will never get to experience a fishing trip with his grandpa. However, his legacy lives on in his son, and I pray they have the kind of bond Dan and Jason did.

Don't worry...our boat garage won't be empty for long...

Elena's Princess Party

Elena, the birthday princess
playing in her new...
...playhouse!
David playing choo-choo's with Joel(daddy)...what else would he be doing?
Sunshine shades

3 years and 3 candles lit by Julie (mommy).
Princess Pontiac
David relaxes while Elena drives.

David's first and last time driving a BMW.

Who cares if its purple? This car has a real working radio in it!

Today we all went to Elena's 3rd birthday party. The girl got a house and a car...what else does she need? As you can see David had all kinds of fun. He especially enjoyed her new car, which was fine with Elena because she seemed to really like her playhouse. She liked it when anyone would ring the doorbell and then insisted she prepare a meal for each house guest. Other presents included Elmo Barbie, Dora Candy Land, Cootie, and clothes. After the party was over, Joel and Julie graciously invited us to let David take a nap in their guest bedroom for awhile, so our prayer group could go to Saturday evening mass together and avoid losing an hour of sleep tonight. Happy Birthday Princess Elena!

Wine and Dine

Appetizer
What is your usual bedtime? Do you like that, or would you rather it be different?
Between 11pm and midnight. I often wish I had gotten to bed earlier, but night time is my only kid-free time, so I gotta make good use of it!

Soup
When it comes to advice, do you give more, or receive more?
At this stage in my life, probably give more, but only when its solicited. There were times when I received more, and although I didn't always take the advice, most of the time I wish I had.

Salad
Describe a memorable meal you've had.
Hum, this is a hard one. When you have two parents who cook to perfection, every meal of my childhood was memorable. I still love going "home" to visit them and letting them create delicious meals out of whatever they can find in the refrigerator/pantry.

Main Course
Name a work of fiction that affected the way you think about something.
"The Man Who Planted Trees" made me realize that when I leave this world, I want to have given more than I took.

Dessert
What is your favorite type of fruit juice?
Its a tie between apple and grape.

Youngest Blogger on the Block

Seriously y'all this was not staged. David is a very keen observer. He asked to be put up in the chair, but after that he needed no help, and knew exactly what to do.

Patrick's Party

Katie and Luke gettin' the party started. Katie is so happy because she learned she can tolerate hot dogs as long as they are grilled. What??? Her dad was a professional baseball player and this is the first time she's ever had a grilled hot dog??? Katie, you got some explaining to do.

"Ma" and Patrick

Patrick can hardly hold in his excitement...

...over his special birthday party visit from the fire department!

He's a natural. When asked if he wanted to drive or be in charge, he said "Be in charge". Smart kid.

Becky with barely enough breathing room!

I'm back home blogger buds! Saturday I rode with Katie and Joe to Becky's house for her son Patrick's 4th birthday party. Becky and Luke pulled out all the stops! It was a firefighter themed party and the local fire department came by and let all the kids get in the truck. I'm tellin' ya that was pretty special because in my neck of the woods all we have is a volunteer fire department-they don't have a"real" fire truck and most of them just have sirens attached to their own personal vehicles. Note: this does not make me feel very safe. Anyway, you can see Patrick was in heaven and will surely remember this for years to come. You can read more about this event and see more pictures here, here, and here. Thanks again for having me Becky, I really enjoyed it!

Not Kosher

Remember this post about one of our favorite places to eat? This week the Basket Bakery has been all over the news. They are in trouble for using pork and passing it off as vinerschnitzel (veal) (charging customers as if they were buying veal, a much more expensive meat) and also for adding a "secret" ingredient (a preservative) to their "organic" breads. A distruntled former employee brought this to the attention of the media which sparked a surprise health inspection at the Bakery. The next day they were shut down due to rat infestation. Currently they are up and running again. Yeah, I'm pretty much never going there again. Never.

Think Pink

Appetizer
What does the color pink make you think of?
Phi Mu

Soup
Name something you thought you had lost, but later found.
Recently, one of my watches. I put it in my pocket when I was giving David a bath and promptly forgot about it. Jason found it in the washing machine after my jeans had been washed... thankfully it still works!

Salad
In 3 words, describe this past week.
Mom's time off. (I had two days of babysitting this week!)

Main Course
What are you obsessed with?
Putting things back in their "place".

Dessert
What kind of perfume or cologne do you like to wear?
Dream Angels, Heavenly