A Year Isn't So Long, Right?

I’ve got some bad news. You might want to sit down for this. In fact, go grab some chocolate before you sit down. This is big.

Ready? My publisher has changed their mind and they’re no longer going to publish my book.

OK, now take a bite of that chocolate. Take a deep breath. Actually, my book is still going to be published. Just not this summer. (I’m sorry, but you always give really bad news first. That way it doesn’t sound so bad when you deliver the sort of bad news.)

It’s true. Because of the Olympics and the upcoming election, my publisher realized that my book wouldn’t get much publicity if it came out in August because shockingly enough, there are people out there who would rather hear about the Olympics and the election than my book! I know!


Anyway, Guideposts is still planning big things for my book, but they’ve been pushed back a bit so they can launch it with style in time for Mother’s Day 2009. I know, I know, it’s a year away. But just wait until you see what they roll out to publicize the book. It’s going to be fabulous—and now they have extra time to think of even more ohmygosh over-the-top promo.

I kinda feel like an idiot after talking about my book and the tour and putting a countdown ticker on my blog!


My biggest concern was telling you guys. But I know how awesome all you readers are and I know that you’ll stick around and wait until next spring. Sooo, until next spring, I guess you’re just stuck reading my blog. Oh the horrors.

OK, now I’M in search of some chocolate!

Stay for Dinner!

My son had a friend over after school to work on a project. Why is it that every time my kids bring a friend home from school, it's a day that I've been exceptionally lazy? I hadn't even gotten in the shower yesterday when Austin showed up with his friend. And to make it worse - I knew he was bringing a friend home with him. He had asked permission the day before. And still, there I was in flannel pajama pants, unshowered, half a box of cereal on the family room floor, unwashed dishes on the counter. Lovely. If the poor kid needed to go to the bathroom, I was going to offer to drive him down the street to 7-11 so he wouldn't have to wade through my mountain of laundry to find the toilet (which was in serious need of a scrubbing).

We ate dinner early yesterday because we had a softball game to get to. We're eating really early most days now because of baseball/softball. "Hi kids. I know you just walked in the door from school, but here, have some dinner so we can leave." Ugh. It's either that, or we're eating at 9:00 PM. We opt for early.

Anyway, since we ate early and Austin and his friend were still working on the project, his friend ate with us. It was a typical dinner in my house. Five conversations were going at once and it sounded like total chaos.
Finish your meatballs.
I can't. I'm wearing flip flops.
Where's my game tonight?
Mom, can I go to John's birthday party?
Can Tyler stay for dinner too when he comes over next week?
I want more spaghetti.
I don't like meatballs.
Stop playing with monkeys at the table.
I can't. I'm wearing flip flops.
I need posterboard.
BURP!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Excuse you.
Oh, I can be excused? Thanks Mom. Bye.
Sit back down and finish eating.
How do you spell "happy"?
Lexi, where are your glasses?
I dunno.
Remember, there are only two places they can be!
I know, I know. On my face or in the case.
So where are they?
Moooo! Moooo!
No animals noises at the table.
But I'm a cow.
He can't stop. He's wearing flip flops.

During this, Austin's friend is just staring at us like we're insane. I swear I saw him mouthing, "Go to a happy place, go to a happy place..."

Now this kid actually has 3 older siblings. Of course the siblings are much older and 2 are off in college so I doubt dinners in his home go down quite like ours. Still, at least he's familiar with having siblings and the goofiness that goes with it. I really worry when one of my kids has a friend who's an only child over for dinner. I can only imagine what they go home and tell their parents.
"Mom, please don't make me ever go back there again. They scare me."




Still, I can't imagine quiet, calm dinners with a minimum of conversation. That wouldn't be very fun. I mean, I could probably finish my dinner while it was hot, and I'd probably be able to digest it without feeling the burn of an ulcer, and my blood pressure would stay under 180/100. Yep, no fun at all there.

Haircuts and Rainstorms and Watermelon, Oh My!

Brooklyn has a habit of chewing her food for hours. Literally. She'll get down from the table, run around and play, and take a bath. A couple hours later, I'll go to brush her teeth and discover a mouthful of veggies, or chicken, or bread. Tonight it was watermelon. I was trimming Jackson's nails and Brooklyn walked over to see what I was doing. She leaned over to get a good look and sneezed. Chewed watermelon went flying all over. Over Jackson's nails, both my hands, my jeans, my shirt, the couch, the floor, some papers on the table, and a throw pillow. We all made a chorus of "Ewwww"s and laughed at the watermelon fountain that had spewed from her mouth. Lexi walked over to see what we were laughing about and stepped in a pile of watermelon goo and then squealed and ran off tracking it through the house. This was after the kids played out in a rainstorm and came in soaking wet to track water all over the house. Then it was time for a haircut...

What's on Dawn's Roof

Well, it's been like a week since my husband cleaned all the crap toys off the roof, so let's take a look and see what has accumulated in the last couple days...


A sun visor. Where else would you put it, but on the roof?


The Little Mermaid - I guess she's sunning herself.


A blurry picture of a tortoise trying to flip over so he can crawl off the roof. (No, it's not real.)


Is it more confusing that a doll is on the roof or that the doll has purple hair?


And what roof would be complete without a frisbee?

(Yes, we know we need a new roof. It's on the list!)

Let Them Eat Cake!

I wrote the following post a couple weeks ago and just realize that I never published it here. Oops! Better late than never, right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Have you seen the movie Cheaper by the Dozen? You know the part where the mom takes off on a book tour and the whole house falls apart while Dad is in charge and trying to juggle work and the kids? I’m afraid that’s my life. Only I haven’t even left on a tour yet!

Joe and I got into an fight argument discussion about the kids’ homework. I was mad because Joe hadn’t been checking and signing their assignment notebooks. He hadn’t been making sure Austin completed his assignments. After last quarter when Austin went from “A”s to well, um, a letter in the last half of the alphabet, we took away his freedom and required him to get his assignments signed daily. Joe got defensive and claimed that I was mad at him because he wasn’t doing things “my way”. Ummm hello? It’s not that you aren’t doing it MY way. It’s that you aren’t doing it at all!

In all fairness, I admit that I sometimes, occasionally, rarely get mad when Joe doesn’t do things the right my way. It’s true that I get ticked off when he’s outside messing around with the swingset while I’m trying to help the kids with their homework, get them to clean up their rooms, and get dinner on the table because we have to leave for baseball in fifteen minutes. But that was not what this argument was about. I’m enjoying this new turn in my life. I love writing. I like taking off for New York. I enjoy doing things away from the kids. Don’t get me wrong. My kids are still my number one priority and if none of this writing success had ever come about, I truly believe I’d still be happy. I wouldn’t feel unfulfilled and bitter that I was "only" known as Dawn, the Mom. That said, I have to admit that I’m very much enjoying being Dawn, the mom, the writer, the traveler, and the actor right now. But with this, comes a shift in work. I have more writing to do and have less time to do everything that needs to get done around the house.

I’ve never experienced this before. I’ve always been a stay at home mom. I’ve always taken care of the laundry, shopping, appointment making, cooking, bill paying, homework duty, and kid care. That’s what I know. I’m used to being on my own with the kids all day, every day. I’m used to taking the kids with me everywhere. Joe is used to working 60-80 hours a week. He’s used to going to work, coming home to eat and sleep, and then going back to work again. Our roles have changed now and we’re having a hard time adjusting. Actually, that’s not quite right. I wouldn’t say that we’re really having a hard time, but we are definitely going through some changes.

I don't remember having a difficult time adjusting when I quit work to stay home and raise my kids. Of course, there wasn't much work when I just had one newborn. I mean, he wasn't fighting with anyone, didn't have homework or baseball games, and he didn't trash the house. I guess that's why it was an easy adjustment for me when I quit working outside the home to stay home and be a mom. How about you? Are you going through a hard time finding a balance between you and your spouse or between home and work? For those SAHMs, was it a difficult transition when you quit work to stay home? How do you and your spouse handle jobs now that you're a SAHM?

I suppose it’s natural. I’m sure it’s normal for me to have a hard time giving up control in the childcare area and letting my husband take over and do things his way. I imagine the guilt I feel when I leave is also normal and okay. I think it’s normal for Joe to have a difficult time adjusting to being home and juggling all the things I do without a second thought. I have a new respect for moms who work outside the house, not that I’m out of the house all day, Monday through Friday. But still, I’m getting a taste of the juggling act working moms go through. I’m positive there’s a way to have my cake and eat it too, however. I mean, why even have cake if you can’t eat it, right? That would just be silly! I’ve been given an amazing opportunity and I know I can make it work for us. I think it’ll just take some time, patience, and probably a whole lotta mistakes to get into a new routine.

Pass the frosting!



And speaking of frosting...


CHOCOLATE! It's a shame the chef went to all that trouble making it look so appetizing. Believe me, it didn't last long.


The most awesome coconut cake. Evah! (My Long Island friend's accent is rubbing off on me.)


I tried tofu for the first time. It tasted great good like nothing. It really wasn't bad tasting at all, but I had a hard time getting over the lovely gelatinous texture. Mmmm, tasty unflavored fried Jello.


lunch with the folks at Guideposts


This is the sink in my hotel room. Notice where the faucet is. I poked my eye out every time I washed my face.


Yes, I had the whole bed to myself and it looks like a pack of wild dogs slept in it. I got up and made my bed because well, it's habit. What can I say. Then I thought to myself, "I'm in a hotel! I don't have to make my bed! What's wrong with you?!" So I messed it up again.

Yes, I'm disturbed. But I had to mess it up again because Janet, my agent, laughed at me when I told her I'd made it.

Sunday Sound Out

How many of your kids are in baseball right now? Just Lexi and Austin? Does Savannah play a sport?
Austin, Jackson, and Lexington are playing baseball this season. Savannah is playing softball now. Tomorrow all 4 of them have games at the same time at different fields across town. I'm still trying to figure out how we're going to get to all the games.

Wait a minute--in all the amusement this almost got by me--do you really drive a truck? I mean, how do you fit six kids in a truck?
I actually drive a van. Brooklyn has just called it a "truck" for some time. I think I've finally taught her to say "van" now!

What program do you use to edit your movies? My program doesn't do the cool titles yours does.
Austin uses I use Windows Movie Maker.

That provided a good laugh. I have a question for you - how's it going with your on-line surveys? I'd love to hear an update and if it's still worth it.
OK, I've gotta be honest here. I don't have a clue what you're talking about. Of course, that's not saying much since I'm clueless about a lot of stuff these days.

I recently started a blog for my family and friends to see, but I can't figure out the *cross out the word* thing that you do . I can do it in my word program, but when I copy and try to paste it over, it doesn't have the crossed out words there. I know this is such a random and of the subject thing, but I AM SO CURIOUS!!! AND I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT!!!
OK, before the word you want crossed out, type "<" then type "del" then type ">". Then after the word you want crossed out, type < /del >. That will draw a line through the word. I used some spaces and quotation marks in my example so the word wouldn't really get crossed out. Just omit the spaces and quotation marks when you do it.

Dawn I was wondering how the Feingold diet is working for you this time around?
Well, it doesn't work as well as the medication he was on as far as helping him to slow down and control himself. However, it also doesn't give him high blood pressure like the medication did, so we're dealing with it. It's a good, healthy diet for anyone to follow, but I won't lie and say it's easy. It's time consuming, expensive, and it can be hard to stick to sometimes. Avoiding temptation at a birthday party, for example, is difficult for a kid. It does have its drawbacks. Still, all in all, if you can afford it, cutting out artificial additives and preservatives is a good thing. Jax (and Clay for that matter) are much calmer, and more focused and in control than without the diet.

How much time do you spend in a week writing and posting the comments on your blog? Is it a full-time job?
Hmmm, that's a good question and I'm not sure how to answer. I write most of my posts really quickly. In general, it takes me 30 minutes or so to write a blog post. When I do a SSO, it takes me quite a bit longer because I have to go through a week's worth of comments to find the questions before I can answer them. Also, when I do a post like the one with the Mother's Day ideas, it takes a long time because I have to research and find ideas and insert a bunch of links and pictures into my post. Those usually take several hours. As far as approving comments, that doesn't take long at all. I quickly read through all of them and click "approve". Between that, book writing, and going through buckets of email, I'd say I spend maybe 20 hours a week or so on blog related stuff.

The movie is Steel Magnolias and the character is Wheezy!!!
LOL! OK, not to make fun of this, but it struck me as funny (probably because I watch too much kiddie and old TV)


This is Wheezie.


This is also Weezy.

However, Shirley MacLaine's character in Steel Magnolias was Ouiser Boudreaux.
How very sad that I even know this. Oh, if only I could send all this useless info to the recycling bin in my head, I'd free up so much more memory space. Then perhaps it wouldn't take me a whole week to remember to give my daughter lunch money.

Just wanted you know my husband is not happy with you. Because of you I am now addicted to blogging. You were my first and and now I can't stop. Any suggestions on what I should do?
Get a new husband?

What is the highest number of hits you've had in one day on your blog?
94,258
Nope, that's not a typo. This was right after the Pokemon card auction ended. I went from 5-10 hits a day to 94,000. I was totally freaking out and I don't think I ate or slept for a week after the auction ended. I didn't leave my computer at all. I got more than 10,000 emails from people that week. It was insane.

A few people asked me how they could find the products listed on my mother's day post here. I think I've fixed all the links so they should work now.

You still have time to enter the Lands' End giveaway here.

More Markers???

I was without phone and internet yesterday (thank you very much AT&T) and I still have to plan out my Sunday school lesson. What? I still have 12 hours until Sunday school. Plenty of time. Anyway, after sitting out in the freezing rain at my kids' baseball games today, I'm beat. Too tired to post tonight. But here are a few other Mother's Day ideas....

You can send Mom or Grandma or Aunt or your friends or your sisters (or all of the above!) a FREE e-card here. Let your loved ones know you're thinking of them.

Need some more creative gift ideas? Someone Spoil Me has compiled a list with tons of ideas here!

Or you can give Mom a big pile, of sunny, yellow dandelions. That's what I got from Brooklyn today! :)

Finally, what is it with my kids and markers??? After his bath, he still has a faint blue mustache. That's great. He'll look like Hitler at church tomorrow.

You still have until Wednesday to enter the Lands' End giveaway here.

What Does Mommy Drive?

And make sure you check out this awesome giveaway from Land's End on my other blog here.

It Often Snows on Opening Day

Last night was the first official baseball game for both Austin and Lexington. I think it was 2 degrees here. The thermometer read 35, but I'm pretty sure it was wrong. I think my butt is still frozen from sitting on those metal bleachers. I should know better. I mean, how many years have I've been doing the whole baseball thing? Certainly long enough to know that you need to bring mittens and blankets until the middle of May. Thank you Laura and John for sharing your blanket with me!

By the third inning, hypothermia had set in. My butt was numb, my snot was frozen, my fingers hurt so much I could hardly push the buttons on my phone to call Joe and get an update on Lexi's game. When my frozen ear actually cracked off my head, I decided to go on a quick coffee run. I went to the McD's drive-thru and ordered 2 cups of coffee; one for me and one for a friend I was sitting with. As I placed my order, I realized I didn't know how Laura took her coffee, so I asked the guy for about 8 creamers and 4 sugars to make sure there would be plenty for both of us since I really didn't know how she liked her coffee.

So, I paid and pulled forward to get the coffee. The guy handed me 2 cups and closed the window. "Um hello? Can I get some cream and sugar please?"

"I already put it in the coffee," he answered.

Well crud. What if Laura takes her coffee black? Now what am I going to do? I asked for another cup, but my order had apparently drained the pot so I was told I'd have to wait until he brewed another pot. I didn't want to miss any more of my son's game, so I just took the coffee and hoped that Laura would like it.

When I got back to the game, she and I sipped our coffee and realized the guy had put 8 creamers and 4 sugars IN EACH CUP! Now, I put a ton of cream in my coffee, but this was ridiculous even for me. It didn't matter though, since the coffee froze into a nice mocha popsicle 3 minutes after I got back to the game anyway. Joe said he saw snow yesterday afternoon.

Gotta love baseball season! The good news is - both teams are undefeated as of now! Woo Hoo! So what that they've only played one game. They're still undefeated. :D

As I was doing some cleaning up in the boys' room this afternoon, I noticed some new artwork.

Nice huh? I've always wanted drawings of smiley faces on the bedroom walls.

Hey, it's almost like the picture my gyno's office!

It's an abstract.

This is what my NINE-YEAR-OLD did! Certainly he knows better. So when I picked him up from school, and he asked, "Can I go to so & so's house to play?" I cheerfully answered, "Sorry honey, but you have another commitment. You get to go home and scrub the walls in your bedroom! Won't that be fun and exciting?!"

He didn't think it was so fun and alluded to the fact that I was the meanest mother on the planet.
"The meanest on the planet? Really? Do you really think so? You mean, you think I'm the meanest on the whole planet? YES! Woo Hoo! I'm the meanest on the planet, the meanest on the planet, the meanest on the planet! Too bad there's not an award for that!" I gleefully cheered.

Kids do not like it when you mock them. It makes them all mad-like. I highly recommend it.

Maybe, next time, he'll use PAPER, for crying out loud!

Mother's Day is Right Around the Corner!

OK, I messed around for like 2 1/2 years to get this to line up and look right. I give up! Here ya go.

Mother's Day is fast approaching. Have you gotten Mom something yet? If not, I've compiled for you, my devoted readers, a list of possibilities. You can use these while shopping for your mother, mother-in-law, grandma, or any special mom-like lady in your life. You can also, print it out, and nonchalantly leave it lying around where your husband will find it. NOTE: do not count on him actually finding it, reading it, understanding the hint herein, and getting you a thoughtful gift. It's only happened twice in history so the odds are against you.

If your Mom likes to garden, a hanging basket of flowers, gardening gloves, or other gardening gift sets make a thoughtful present. If Mom, like me, kills anything green, then maybe this plant is the way to go. The "Almost Unkillable Plant" is ideal for home or office. Just keep in mind the keyword here is "almost".

I don't feel that I have a really big family, but apparently manufacturers disagree because every time I try to order a personalized gift, I run into the same problem. Most personalized items include up to 3 or 4 kids. Not here though! These sculptures of bears on a couch can be personalized with up to 17 family members! They have several different beary cute designs from which to choose. (I can't believe I just used such a lame pun! My sincerest apologies.)

This mug pretty much says it all.

What mom couldn't use a bit of pampering? A gift basket of goodies from Bath and Body Works always makes a lovely gift. On the flip side, it's probably not a good idea to get Mom a fragrance that screams out, "I care for toddlers all day!" Case in point... Play-Doh cologne. Mmmmm! Nothing says, "I Need To Get Out More Often" like the smell of Play-Doh.

Check out these night lights from Light Affection! Are these cool or what? They take your picture, carve the likeness into some sort of material, and illuminate it from behind to create these night lights. Mom or Grandma would love this!

I love these purses from Personal Creations. These purses come in different sizes, have black leather trim, and a zippered inside pocket. Simply upload your favorite digital photo to their website and they'll create your one-of-a-kind purseonalized bag. (Seriously, another one?! What's wrong with me?! Enough with the stupid puns!) And don't worry; you don't have to decide on only one picture. You can order additional snap-on panels of as many pictures as you'd like.

Who doesn't like chocolate? Except for my friend Sue's kids, (I know - weird!) I can't think of anyone! Go to MyMMs.com to order a bag of personalized M&Ms for Mom. Order pink and white M&Ms that say "Mommy" & "We Love You", or order yellow and aqua M&Ms that say, "Mom" & "You're the Best". The possibilities are endless. Check out their assortment of gift bags and containers too.

Now here's a gift that Mom can really use! It's a diary. Or is it? Open it up and find the hidden flask. At the end of a long day, nothing helps you unwind like locking yourself in your room and "writing in your diary".

This comes from a website called stupid.com. I think the name sums it up. I did actually think this one item was kinda cute though. It's a baby sock change purse! I love how the small print in the picture reads, "$20 bill probably not included". If anyone is crafty out there, I bet you could make one of these. If you do, be sure and send one to me. :)

Is Mom a gourmet cook? How about Rachael Ray's cookbook, 30-Minute Get Real Meals? Throw together impressive and delicious dishes in minutes. Or maybe a creme brulee set from Bed, Bath & Beyond? Of course, then you'll have to invite yourself over for dinner and insist she try out her new present. ;) See? When you give, you receive.

It's perfectly acceptable to give cooking accessories if that's what Mom is into. If Mom is the type who orders take-out for dinner and has no desire to learn how to boil water, don't make the mistake of giving her something like this. This oven mitt set comes with instructions and a handy diagram showing you how to slide your hand into the opening so you don't make the mistake of putting it on your head or something stupid. Mom probably won't find it too amusing.

This is my favorite necklace. I wear mine every day. Clayton comes up and quizzes me about which birthstone baby represents which kid on a regular basis. This would make a nice gift for Mom or Grandma.

And of course, the number one item atop everyone's Mother's Day list, is a copy of Because I Said So! OK, so you won't really have it in time for Mother's Day, but a certificate that says, "A copy has been ordered for you!" is the next best thing. Right? Right? :D

Can't blame a girl for trying. ;)

Sunday Sound Out

Why did you go to the dot com address vs the blogspot?
It’s easier to remember? Actually, I’ll be able to do more with a website. Well, I probably won’t be able to do more, but my web designer will.

What is the link to your other site where you review products?
I review some stuff here and Angie and I review stuff here.

Before you had kids, did you have any hobbies? crafting, gardening etc.?
I collected craft supplies (as you may recall from this post) and I started many a project. I think I may have even finished one or two of them. As far as gardening goes – I have a black thumb. I kill everything. I kill air plants. All they need is AIR! Yet, I somehow manage to kill them. Plants don’t fare well around me and in all honesty, I don’t have the slightest interest in maintaining a garden. But it’s ok because I’m not an old southern lady so I don’t have to.

Can anyone name the movie?

When do you usually go to bed? (if you sleep at all... ;)
I’ve been trying really hard to get to bed before 2:00 lately. But I don’t actually sleep. In between Brooklyn sticking her feet up my nose, Clayton walking into my room in his sleep, Lexi waking me up because she’s had bad dreams and (the worst of them all) Joe snoring, I pretty much just stay awake all night. I seriously have pretty frequent fantasies of smothering Joe with his pillow. (Sorry honey, but it's true.)

As a parent, what is the most scariest thing that has happened to you regarding your children (i.e. illness, accident, etc)?
One of the scariest things that I can recall was when my oldest son was attacked by a neighbor’s dog. He was 4 years old at the time and had to get 12 of the bites stitched up. I still get all freaked out to this day if I think about it. Another time was when Jackson got swept out on a wave in Lake Michigan while we were at the beach. I think he was only 3 at the time. I hadn’t realized that he’d run back into the lake until he was a ways out. I had a Bay Watch moment while I ran down the beach, flubber thighs bouncing away, as I tried to reach the spot where he was floating away. It took a month for my heart to stop racing. Later we learned that a kid drowned in the same area that weekend.

Are you scared how your book will be received when it comes out?
Absolutely!

Also do you think you will be nervous to meet your fans?
Nah, not at all.

I hope you take this in the spirit intended: Why did you have six children?
Because I didn’t want twelve.

Dawn, When you were young, did you dream of having 6 kids, a husband who cooks green, jello fish and the most excellent blog in the history of blogdome?
No, I dreamt of having 10 kids and a husband who can cook a porterhouse on his manifold. (Don't get any ideas, Joe!) Actually, if you had told me, back when I was 22, that I’d have 6 kids and a husband who makes KoolAid fish, I would’ve thought you were off your rocker. And I had no clue what a blog was until a couple years ago.

How many children were there in your family growing up? Where are you in the birth order?
I just have one sister. I'm the pretty one. LOL!!! (Just making sure my sister is reading my blog!) I'm the oldest, but shhhh, don't tell my kids. They still think I'm only 29.

What does a typical dinner look like at your house?


Dawn, if I remember correctly, your house isn't much over 1000 sq. ft. How do you manage to keep everyone's clothes, toys, etc., organized and stored with that limited amount of space?
We just don't let the kids have any toys or clothes. Honestly, I don't know. We've always lived in this house so it's what I'm used to. It's not like we had to downsize and figure out how to put a ton of stuff into a small space. I should take a picture of our closets some day. It would probably scare you guys though.

How did you tell your husband and family about each pregnancy? What were their reactions? (I'm about to break the news about #4 and need some ideas and encouragement b/c #3 is only 7 months old!!!)
Well, I'll tell you what is NOT a good way to tell him. Don't take your positive pee stick and march out to where your hubby is snoring away on the couch, whip the stick at his head, and demand, "How the crap did THIS happen?!!!" It doesn't make for lasting memories. Actually, yes it does. It just doesn't make for GOOD memories. Not that I've ever done this. I've just heard. From other people. Not me.

What do you miss the most since you became a mother (hard to remember, maybe)?>
SLEEP!!!

How do your kids get along with each, really? Do they play together? What things do you do or say to encourage developing good relationships?
Some combinations get along better than others. And none of them get along 24/7. For example, when I took Clay and Brooklyn back in to get their pictures taken on Friday, the photographer got some great shots of them hugging, holding hands, giving each other kisses, just looking totally cute and adorable. Of course, as I was scanning at the proofs, I looked over at those same cute, adorable kids and saw Brooklyn on the floor with Clay tap dancing on her head. She then got up and chased him down and pummeled him with her little 2 year old fists while yelling, "Clay Punk!"
I've given up encouraging them to get along. Now I just tell them not to get blood on my carpet.

How do you respond to people who ask if you know what makes those babies?
I just look at them as if they're stupid and say, "Yes. Don't you?"

Does it ever bother you that people all over the world have an inside peek into your life (pictures of your kids, your couch, your carpet????)
Not really. I have control over what I write. I only write about things I wish to share. And I'm usually pretty good at just ignoring the ignorant people who think they have the right to pass judgement.

Edited to add: Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. For those of you who thought I was having a colonoscopy, I'm not. I'd be scared if my gyno gave me a colonoscopy to check out my cervix! :o
I'm sure it's fine, but I had this same thing happen about 17 years ago. It was precancerous at that time and my doctor did cryosurgery. I'm just kicking myself for waiting almost 3 years to go to the doctor this time around. Oh well, no sense in worrying about something you can't control.
Thank you again for thinking of me. :)

When Good News is Bad News

Good news: my thyroid is just fine. Wait, maybe that's not good news after all.

Bad news: I got the dreaded call that my pap showed abnormal cells. I have a colposcopy and biopsy scheduled for May 19th.

So, if any of you have still been putting off your visit to the gyno, GO NOW! Well, maybe not right now since it's like 9:30 on a Saturday night, but call on Monday and make that appointment!

I'm doing some reviews for my other blog this week. Check it out if you get the chance.
Check back here tomorrow for Sunday Sound Out.