The Magician's Nephew

Seeing Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe last week got us revved up to continue our Chronicles reading. We'd gotten busy and sick at the end of the year and took a reading break but we started up again today. I love being in the middle of a novel with the kids, especially when there are happy moans at the end of our allotted time, meaning that they can't wait to find out what happens next. I think our togetherness reading time will be a fond memory someday!

Scotland, here we come!

My Mom & I bought our plane tickets! We are officially going to Scotland to see Megan and Jason! WOO HOO!

Medication

I'm not one of those people who hates to take medicine. If I have a headache or I cut a finger or something, bring on the Tylenol. Ongoing medication, though . . . that scares me. Imagine my dismay, then, when Caris's allergist recommended that she go on Claritin full-time. Whaaat? I'm going to put my two-year-old on a medication every day, indefinitely? I'm so not comfortable with this, so I haven't done it. I also haven't researched the long-term effects of Claritin. Sigh. Fast-forward a few months, and my poor baby girl is so miserably allergic that I now am in the position of actually needing to put her on the medication. Her symptoms are every day now, as opposed to occasional flare-ups. It's affecting her skin, her moods, her sleep. Please pray for my baby, and for me to have wisdom when I'm doing my research!

Caravanting

I just called my Mom & Rod's apartment, and asked if my Mom was there or was she out caravanting. Rod said, "I think that would be when several people are out galavanting together." I am still laughing!! Sometimes I think I truly have lost my mind!!

Shape Up

Ten plus years ago I took this great class at the local community college called Shape Up. At the time, I was IN great shape but it was a great way to get 3 extra units and also to exercise right there at school, since I was there anyway for my other classes. I took the class again right when I started working full time, and I think I might have dropped it due to some major asthma flare-up I was having. Anyway, fast-forward numerous years and I'm taking the same class now, as a full-fledged grown-up! It starts at 6am. IT STARTS AT 6 AM. OMGosh! I've gone 3 times now (the first time I went though, it was a holiday and so there was no class)! One whole week! HA HA! I am proud of myself!

Warning: TMI

Caris pooped just now, and then called me to come help her. We flushed and she said, "Bye bye poops! Mommy, where the poop lives?" I told her it lives in the sewer and she said, "Can I go in there? Noooo . . . I get all dirty in there; I have to take a baff."

Awww!

Malachi's in his room playing his guitar vigorously and singing along, and Graham just said, "I hear Malachi worshiping." :*)

Waxing Philosophical

Alright, just groan now 'cuz this is about to be the most groan-worthy analogy ever, but I guess God knows when it's late and I'm tired but not quite ready to sleep yet. So today at 2:30 p.m. I went in and got waxed. I planned on full legs and underarms, but chickened out on the removal of pants issue and just did half legs and underarms. This girl who does my waxing is simply wonderful. She's funny and real and possibly most importantly, quick. She spreads that warm wax on, gently but firmly rubs on the cloth, and rrrrip! In just a moment there's a beautifully bare area . . . oh yeah, and it hurts. Now my legs maybe are conditioned to this, because they really feel fine at this point, less than 12 hours after the wax. Actually, they felt fine immediately. My underarms though, they are sore. They're really tender. It's not to the point of being painful, really, but definitely there's the feeling that something happened in there today. So I sat down and read a few posts on a message board, then just sat quietly stroking my very smooth underarm. It's soft and wonderful and totally hair-free, but not in that shaving kind of way. You know how your tummy has tiny blonde hairs that no one ever notices because they're so soft and fine and light? Yeah, those are the ones that are left. Then the groan-ish analogy came over me: letting God do His work in me is a lot like waxing! I think about it, pray about it even, plan for it, take action, and . . . OW! Some things God rrrips out of my life and I don't even miss 'em two seconds later. Other things though, they sting. Even thinking about plucking certain things from my life makes me cringe. Let's take sugar just for example. I know that I need to cut back on my sugar intake. There's just no question, it's as ugly as my lower legs were at 2:25 p.m. today. Big difference, though: my sugar intake affects my whole family. It makes me irritable and slothful and definitely not energetic and fun! I love it, though! I don't want to cut back on sugar! I just know it's going to sting, and I just know how I will feel that rrrip feeling every afternoon when I'm just about ready to go to bed, and bedtime is a long way off. Then my hand brushes my so-smooth legs, and I know how worth it that sacrifice will be. Yeah, it'll sting; there's just no getting around that. But when we take a big step, make a giant leap even, that end product is something really amazing.

Snowman S'mores

The kids & I went to Target today to pick up a few things. On our way out I spotted these funny pajamas in the girls' section, and pointed them out to the kids. I said, "Look you guys! It's a snowman made out of marshmallows, and he's standing on top of a graham cracker and a piece of chocolate. He's a s'more!" Caris looked at it, laughed and said, "He's like, 'aaaaaa! Get me out of this s'more!'" I laughed so hard! She is so perceptive!

Photo Blog

I just set up a photo blog! http://paynephotos.blogspot.com/

How cute!

Caris was the first one up this morning. She woke me up from a dead sleep when she got in bed with me to nurse. I was having a funny dream that she and her friend Meadow were misbehaving at a soccer game and I was feeling embarrassed until Meadow's Mom Laura joined in their toddler fun. LOL! Anyway, I was checking my message boards just now and looked over and saw that the dining room table has guests! At the head of the table is Grandpa Maroney's dalmation puppy. Then closest to me, Bitty Baby occupies one chair and Graham's little light brown beanie baby-type pony is on the chair opposite Bitty Baby. How cute, picturing Caris coming through here early with her arms full, giving them each a spot at the table! :*)

Seems prudent

It just seems like the right thing to do to post one more entry for 2005. Then again, I have nothing especially profound to say, so maybe I shouldn't. LOL! We are "celebrating" New Year's Eve by having a completely normal day. Alif took the kids grocery shopping. When they got home, Malachi spilled the beans that Caris had gotten lost for a brief time in the store. Alif says it was only about 10 seconds but that nonetheless there were tears and hugs. Thank God they're all home in one piece! I really got upset with him, but honestly, these things do just happen. Just not to me. HA HA HA Just kidding, I had an experience much like that with Malachi when he was about this age. It lasted only about THREE seconds but it scared the heck out of me anyway.

I sewed up several covers today. Finished up one for Alison and a girly medium for instock, cut out a couple of Denver Broncos and finished one (the other will be an AIO and I'll work on it tomorrow). I'm going to stock the store sometime next week or early the week after. I hope it's successful.

The kids are really driving me a little bonkers today. Graham had an especially fun day going to Build A Bear with my Mom, and Malachi was truly jealous for the first time (that I have noticed). He pouted around and acted generally unkind, and was just very unpleasant today. When they're together they're arguing more than usual, which just always puts me on edge. At the moment they're all on time out on various beds. Poor things are probably starving as it is 7:50 and they have not had dinner. I actually really can't wait to get on a more normal routine this next week! I wrote out menus for each day and so gladly, our meals are planned.

So - there it is, my last post of 2005 and it's almost all complaining! How's that? OH wait, I almost forgot one last complaint. We got this cool s'mores maker for Christmas, and we didn't realize it needed a 2.6 chafing candle (what the heck is that? I *think* I've seen them but no clue where or when). Alif is now out at almost 8:00 on New Year's Eve, scouring the entire East Side for a Chafing Candle. AAAAAAG!

Sweet!

I went to the doctor this morning, finally. The Physician's Assistant, actually. Her name is Jerilyn and she's very sweet. I mentioned that I'm still nursing my 2.5-year-old and she said, "good for you!" I said, "I don't hear 'good for you' too often." I absolutely loved her response. She smiled and had a wistful look on her face, paused, and said, "I nursed so long my whole family was scandalized." I love it! SWEET!

Rock Star

Malachi has been asking for a guitar for quite some time now, and Grandma and Grandpa Payne got him one for Christmas. My quiet boy is right now in his bedroom throwing a full-blown rock concert, playing his guitar, singing and shouting out sayings like, "Who wants to praise Jesus with me to-NIIIIIIIIGHT???" I called Alif and told him and he said, "I guess that guitar has evoked something in him." I guess so! Rock on buddy!

Up Close & Personal

A few minutes ago Graham asked me if he could go outside and ride his bike. I said, "sure." but thought it was odd because he doesn't know how to ride his two-wheeler at all, and hasn't shown any interest in it at all. He came back in after just a couple of minutes and I asked him if he rode it. He said, "When I got up close to it, it looked hard again." LOL

So Graham got sick Tuesday, I got it Wednesday and Caris got it Thursday. We're all still running fevers and coughing & congested! What a long time to be sick. We did go to Medieval Times yesterday and I'm so glad we did, but we have spent all day today lying around to make up for the rest we lost yesterday. It was well worth it to see Megan and Jason (and some of Jason's family, too) and to see the looks on my boys' faces as they watched the knights in battle. There was a point during the show when the valiant knight was battling the "bad guy" and I was spurred on to pray for my boys - that God would equip them to fight every battle, that he would instill in them virtue, integrity, chivalry - etc. It totally brought me to tears, and wouldn't you know the server came by at just that moment. How embarrassing! :-D Anyway, it was a good time and the boys have been talking about it on and off all day today. Alif loved it just as much as the boys did, and he's been helping them to use pieces of construction paper taped together to draw up their perfect sword. Next they'll cut them out of plywood and then paint them just so. Great Daddy & sons project!

Poor Grammy

Graham woke up at 12:30 and vomited a little, then slept fine after that. He woke up coughing this morning, so I went in and gave him some Robitussin. I got him up and situated on the couch, and took his temp. It was at 102.8. I gave him some Tylenol, and in an hour it was down to 102.6. Not a great improvement. He's been on the couch all morning, sleeping on and off. Poor baby!

Monday Morning

The morning is starting out nicely but moving along much too quickly! We all slept in a bit, then I got up and had mucho motivation so I started cleaning right away. I got two rooms done, then read to the kids and made breakfast. Time to clean again!

Silly!

A friend sent me this silly link http://members.aol.com/frogiearno/dearsanta.htm and here's what resulted:


Santa Clause
North Pole, Earth
Dear Santa,

I have been a good girl.
It really wasn't my fault what happened at Lynette's Office party. It was Amanda who spiked the punch with too much Hot Chocolate. I can't help it if I drank 7 glasses. It was so good---smelled and tasted just like baby wipes.
I thought it was funny when I put Sarah's Shirt on my head and danced the Chicken Dance on the Leather Sofa while singing `Santa Got Ran over by a R'. I didn't mean to break Lynette's TV and don't know why Lynette would accuse me of Shoplifting.
I don't remember calling John's wife a Hairy Dog---even though she looked like one with Red eye shadow and Blue lipstick!
And when I threw up on Liz's husband's Arms, it was only because I ate too much of that Dogfood.
After all that fun, I admit I was a little tired. So I fell asleep on my way home and drove my Truck through my neighbor's Chimney. I don't think that was any reason for my neighbor to call me a Tall Cat and have me arrested for Hooking!
So, Santa...here I sit in my jail cell on Christmas Eve, all Slutty and Pink. And I'm really not to blame for any of this Delightful stuff. Please bring me what I want the most---bail money!
Sincerely and Shyly yours,Emily (Really a nice girl!)
P.S. It's only 7 bucks!

Flowers!

Alif purchased a whole bunch of flowers right before Graham's birthday party, and Graham & I planted some today! We planted 8 Stocks in deep pink, light pink and white, and 8 Narcissus, all in the front box under the window. I'm so excited! Oh, we put one white stock in a pot on the porch, too. Caris came out to see it all after her nap and said, "Awesome!" It was so nice having some alone time with Graham, and what a pretty end product too!

Respect for The working man

That's right, not just any working man, but *The* working man, my husband. He rises early every day and works, really hard, from morning to night. I've always thought it odd that he can fall asleep most anytime, any place, but I think his hard working must be a good part of the explanation for that. Today we were all working together, as previously mentioned. I needed breaks every hour, sitting for a few minutes, getting a drink etc. He, on the other hand, has been up and working since early this morning and hasn't stopped once. Not even to eat. It's almost 5:00 now, and he's still going strong. And what's really amazing is that this is a typical day for him. I really respect how hard he works.