When I say they, I mean days that I don't feel good. I felt like crap all day today, and I had a fever early in the afternoon for a few hours. Not good when you're all alone with two small children who really like attention. I managed to get Taryn to fall asleep with me for a while, but TJ was wide awake the whole time. Who knows what he was up to while I was in and out. I couldn't help it. My head was painfully pulsating as if someone was beating on it with a sledgehammer, and I was so drowsy and out of it that I couldn't hold my eyes open. Thankfully, he didn't get hurt, and DSS hasn't found out yet that I fell asleep while my kid was awake! I think I may have a sinus infection or something, I'm not sure. I also think Taryn may be teething, and that I may have found a small sign of a tooth coming out, but I'm not sure about that, either.

What I am sure about, though, is that my kids are ADORABLE! Yesterday I was playing blocks with TJ on the floor in his room, while Taryn was taking a nap in her crib. I heard her wake up, and she was making little cooing sounds and wiggling around looking at her mobile. I saw no point in messing with her. She got quiet for a minute or so, so I looked up at the crib to see what was up. This is what I saw:


Then I started laughing at the total cuteness of it, and TJ got curious:


I love my life! I hope you have a great day! Talk to you later!

It's my new ride. Ain't it pretty? Yeah, I'm not so much a minivan kinda gal, but I have to admit, it was totally made for a mommy. I must finally come to terms with the fact that I am now a mommy. Anyway, it's a 2002 Toyota Sienna. They say it's green, I say it's blue. Either way, I think it's a really pretty color, and so much better than the boring white I've been driving all these years now. It's got comfy captain's chairs in the front and middle seats, and a bench in the back. There are little a/c vents for each person, and a cup holder as well. It has a tape and cd player, with a kick-ass speaker system. Now we can listen to "The Wheels on the Bus" in style! What I think is neat is the automatic side door. Unfortunately, so does TJ, so he keeps opening it, then shutting it before I can get to him! He shut it on me about three times already today!

I went yesterday to get it, but Trey wouldn't go along unless he was there to check it out. I'm glad he came, b/c he has better staying power and stand-up than I do. He insisted on one price for it, and they kept trying to talk him up. He wouldn't budge, and he got it! So, now we've even gone from being totally upside-down in our last car, to being right on cue with this one! Hooray! Plus, we have more room now, and if necessary, I can start babysitting to make some money.

Anyway, I guess that's it for now. I hope you have a great day, and I'll check you later!

I've been gone for a while now. It's not that I didn't want to write, it's just that pure exhaustion plays a big role in actually making it to the computer before I fall out on the floor! I'm just finishing up day number five of non-stop running around, and I'm completely TUCKERED OUT! Tomorrow promises to be just as hectic, but I fully intend to at least sleep until 8:30, as opposed to the before 8's I've been doing! Anyway, here's a quick synopsis of my past few days:

Saturday, we went first to the Wiggles Block Party downtown at the Colonial Center to celebrate the selling of the excessively high priced tickets for their show in November. We did not buy them, but did manage to waste a good deal of time cooking outside in front of the coliseum while trying to find the reason we drove all the way downtown! It sucked. The saving grace was the very cool and nice young lady that painted hands, who painted a car on TJ's hand, and was nice to talk to. She then came to us and made animal balloons for the kids (Echo and kids were with us), which was pretty cool. After that, we went to the Okra Strut in Irmo, which is supposedly a big thing for the town, and, well, it was HOT! We bought the overpriced tickets that you had to use for everything, got snowcones, then proceeded to go watch karate demonstrations for as long as humanly possible b/c it was so freaking hot outside in the large paved parking lot in which it was held. Before I finally gave up b/c Taryn was screaming for food (and did I mention it was HOT!), TJ, Jaiden, Jaylen and Echo rode a ride of some sort and played on a bouncy slide. We went back later, but it was still hot, and it still sucked. TJ rode one more ride, and we watched the Army band play while eating overpriced cotton candy and drinking overpriced lemonade! It was nice, though, to get to see and hang out with Echo and the bunch again!

Sunday, we went to church, and afterwards, celebrated the baptism of adorable little Ethan (who's two weeks older than Taryn). That was fun. I made the tea and lemonade. That was stressful to me. What sucked is that I made wayyyyy too much, and now I have enough tea at home to last several years it seems! By the way, Taryn will be getting baptized on November 13th, so mark your calendars if you would like to come! Sunday night Julia and cheerin' came to spend the night! Yippee!

Monday morning, bright and early, we got up to head out to the children's museum, EdVenture. Little did we know, they are closed on Mondays! That was a BIG downer, and one that it took me a while to get over (I stayed cranky for quite a bit!). Julia had come up here just to go there! We ended up going to the zoo instead. It was fun, and thankfully God had some mercy on us since we had to miss the museum, and He made decent weather for the day. The highlight for me was watching the gorillas get fed. The head gorilla peed right in front of us for everyone to see! How fun!

It took very little harassing to convince Julia to spend another night. Yeah, she was scheduled to work, but whatever...We were all pooped when we got back to the apt., so we all kinda chilled last night. We needed to, since no one got any sleep the night before with all of the excitement of the sleepover, nor did they have any naps. This morning, again we awoke bright and early, but more rested this time, and headed out to the museum. This time it was open.

The museum was a BLAST! I discovered that you can actually go inside the giant boy they have there, and you can see his insides and play in them. That was cool. We grocery shopped, played on firetrucks and in water, ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, played virtual volleyball, and pretended to be on the news. TJ even made a person...he named him Guy! We did lots of other fun things, too. As a matter of fact, Julia and I even got kinky with the characters from Peanuts...but you'll never see those pics (just b/c Julia's real modest, you know...). I do, however, have a few that you can see, if you just follow the one below to my Flickr account. I promise it'll be worth your trip!

Okay, this has gone on long enough. That's my last four days in summary. I hope yours went well, and I will now be going to find out...Later!

down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart!

Ever heard that one before? I love that song. Know what else I love? The fact that I got to go out tonight with my Sunday School bunch and have a great time. Why is that? Well, because some awesome group at church (yes, it's sad, I really don't know who they are) offered to babysit for us free of charge tonight as a baby gift to all of the new moms in my SS class. Now, tell me that's not totally AWESOME!!! It's Kiley's birthday, so we all went to Outback and had an aussie good time! I met a new couple, and I suck b/c I don't remember their names, but they were very cool people. I don't think there was a moment of quiet at the table of fourteen, and it was so much fun. I even had a couple of margaritas, b/c apparently, this crowd is not against drinking, which was so nice. It's so rare that I get to get out and just chill and enjoy a good margarita (I do love me some margaritas!) in the company of others. I've mentioned Amy before on here briefly (she has twin babies and a three year old girl, and we went walking and to the zoo together). I sat across from her tonight, and rode with her and her hubby to conserve gas. I love her. I so want her to be my friend! She is so cool! She's a tad bit sweeter and less sarcastic than me, but I think we have a lot in common. I could so be good friends with her, and I can think of nothing better than having a good friend here that also has little kids and the same issues as I do. Plus, TJ has decided that her daughter is his girlfriend. Yes, ladies, I'm so sorry, but TJ has declared himself taken and chosen himself a girlfriend. Now, how she feels about it may not be the same, but...she did enjoy playing with him tonight at the church! So, now I need some tips on how to lure Amy into my trap and get her to be my wonderful new friend that chats with me on a regular basis and hangs out with me. Hook me up, oh brilliant readers!

Anyway, it was fun getting to go out tonight. Sadly, we only had from 7-10 to go out, and we were forced to wait on our table for almost an hour (so much for call ahead seating!). By the time we finished eating and paying, it was 9:45, and we had to rush out before the carriage turned back into a pumpkin! There had been talk of going to Frankie's afterwards, and riding the go carts and such, but whether or not they did that is beyond me, since we had to meet curfew. Still, it was so nice just to get to hang out. I really wish Trey could have gotten the night off, b/c I think he really would have enjoyed it.

As if that wasn't enough for the day, we also went shopping this afternoon and to mom's group this morning. TJ got to go play with other kids twice today, which is so great! I learned something important in mom's group, which was to put God first, then your husband, then your kids. I don't do that right now, and although Trey's kinda said that before, it never really hit home till today. I'm not sure what she said, exactly, that made me click and realize that I do need to foster my relationship with him, but whatever it was, I have now resolved to work on making more one-on-one time with Trey. Very soon (hint, hint) we shall be sitting down and having a talk to figure out how to work out our lives to fit said time in.

Lastly, to round out an already great and exhausting day, I do believe that, aside from getting accidents and sleeping through the night down quite yet, TJ is potty trained. He has done it all, and does it on his own now. Admittedly, he won't pull his own pants down yet for me (yet he can do it just fine at church, I was told so tonight!), but he's got the main part down. When I was a teenager, you could have never convinced me in any way that the most exciting thing in my life would ever be focused around poop! However, not only am I excited that it's been so easy (not that we haven't had our share of icky moments, and surely have plenty more!), but I have told pretty much anyone I can find that has ears, even if they don't want to hear it! I'm sad, yes I know it...but I'm the happiest pathetic person you'll ever meet!

Well, I think I've gone on long enough now. I hope you are having a magnificent day, and I'll talk to you later!

But nonetheless, we accomplished a few things.

TJ had a BIG moment this morning...one that was worth waking me up for, even (I was trying to sleep in, oh well...). To quote Trey, the moment went as such:
"Daddy, I gotta go poo-poo."
"Okay, go ahead."
five minutes or so pass...
"I DID IT! I DID IT! DADDY COME LOOK!"
Then, within minutes, I was summoned to the room to look as well. It was a wonderful time for the Pitchford family this morning! Yes, my baby is truly growing up! What's so great is that I can share such memory-making moments with you all. Don't you feel special?

So, Taryn can now roll over. It's great, I guess. She rolls herself over w/in seconds of being put on her back, then gets really pissed off when she gets stuck that way. It would be alright if she didn't do it EVERY FIVE MINUTES!!! I swear, though, she looks like she's trying to crawl, and I am SOOO not ready for that!

Anyway, she's also now figured out how to hold her rattle, and is totally infatuated with it. She was in the backseat of the car today, waving it in the air and trying her darndest to get it in her mouth! It was so adorable! So, when I put her to bed tonight, I figured she might like to have it with her to play with in the morning when she wakes up (one can hope, right?). I laid it next to her, and when she saw it, she immediately rolled on her side and did everything in her power to get it. This is where she ended up:


TJ and I made puppets today, too. That was cool. I think his came out totally awesome, and now we'll have hours of fun with our new puppets. We've already had long conversations in our pretend voices with them!

He glued the eyes, nose, and tongue on all by himself! It was even his idea to make the feet, and he drew them for me to cut out. Ain't it cool!

Alright, you guys have a great day. Talk to you later.

I do wanna holla out to some friends, though...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULIA!!! You're old like me now! Hooray! We can party the old school way, with our canes and walkers and back pains! We can listen to old school music, like Nirvana and Pearl Jam (all the yungins' right now are going, "Who?"). We can dance in a retarded, looks like you're squishing a roach and praising God, kind of way. We can talk about our arthritis and our many, many, many doctor appts...

Oh, wait, you're not quite that old yet, just me...

Okay, so we can reminisce about the old days. Back ten years ago when we were wild and crazy. Now, we're "Mommies". Big changes, eh? Anyway, I hope your birthday is a great one, and if you come to see me next week, I'll do my best to celebrate in a way worth your greatness, on a very limited budget!

While I'm on my holla track, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Mark and Karla! I meant to write it yesterday, and I was so out of it after my zoo trip, that I forgot to. I'm sorry, but I hope you guys had a great one! Two years of wedded bliss is great! Those first couple of years are the hardest, and if you can make it through those and still love each other and even generally like each other, then you're good to go! Here's to many, many, many more exciting and wonderful anniversaries to come! Yippee!

Well, that's about it from me. Talk to you later, and you all have a terrific day!

You would see a face that has a grin from ear to ear. Yes, that's right, I'm a very proud and happy mommy! Today was a busy day, in many, many ways!

We started the day out early by going to the zoo with a couple of friends from church with little babies and a three year old. It was fun. TJ, as usual, was more interested in the sprinklers and playground than the actual animals, but I wasn't surprised. Of course, it made me feel kinda slack when the little girl we were with, who just turned 3, was like, "Oh, look, there is a ring-tailed lemur," while my kid was like, "Fishy, ooohhhhh!" Okay, so it wasn't that bad, but you get my drift!

Anyway, while we were there, TJ was in just the plain undies. In case I haven't told you, and I know I haven't, I have begun potty training TJ. We started on Saturday, I think. It's going well. We were hanging out in the aquarium, feeding babies and changing all four hundred diapers (there were four babies, all nasty!), when TJ told me he had to go pee-pee. Okay, big moment here! I knew he'd have to use the bathroom while out in public, but I so wasn't ready for it! So we head over to the women's bathroom (of course), and get down to business. I thought for sure he wouldn't be able to reach the toilet, or freak out b/c it wasn't his potty chair at home. Nope. He did it. Just like that. Didn't even miss the hole. Yeah, I walked back to that aquarium with a giant grin on my face, but not till I made sure to praise TJ a LOT and give him a hundred high fives for making this so easy for me! Good times...oh yeah!

So, we get home. We are totally tuckered out. I've also decided to cut out naptime for TJ in the hopes of getting him to go to sleep earlier at night. So I can't take a nap, but I really, really want one b/c I'm SO TIRED (that sun will do it to ya')! We play. We chill for a while. We play some more. While we're playing cars in TJ's room for the hundredth time this week, Taryn does something wonderful...she rolls over! A full-fledged roll over! Right onto her tummy from her back! It's awesome! Well, for a minute or so, that is. Then she realizes that she's on her tummy and doesn't want to be there, but has no idea how to roll back. So she freaks out. I flip her back to her back. She rolls over again, and proceeds to freak out again. I flip her back again. She rolls again. Do you see a pattern forming here? Yes, this went on for about half an hour, until finally she passed out, on her belly no doubt, from sheer exhaustion from her new flip and freak out routine! It's so cute, though. She takes her legs and holds them straight up in the air, then throws them down to one side as fast as she can, and her tummy just kinda rolls with it while she's going down! TJ didn't flip that way, he went from his tummy to his back (he liked being on his tummy), so I don't know if it's normal or not. Now, of course, I can't just lay her anywhere anymore. I actually have to watch her or put her somewhere she can't roll off of. Geesh! Now I'll actually have to be a good mom or something...

Oh, but isn't it grand! I mean, my babies are doing such wonderful things! Now I must cry. Yes, they are doing wonderful things...and they're growing up! Pretty soon, TJ will be the new president (ha, I hope not!), and Taryn will be winning her third Nobel Peace Prize. Where does the time go? Guess I'll just have to keep having them. These baby days are so much fun, and they're so damn cute!

Oh, and funny stuff. TJ really was tuckered out. I knew he was tired, but I resolved to keep him awake anyway in the hope of getting him to sleep easier tonight. However, sometime around 6 he was playing by himself under the table while I held Taryn on the couch. I thought he seemed mighty quiet, and when I went to see why, I saw this:




You guys have a great day! I'll talk to you later!

Yeah, I'm behind, but I just wanted to give a shout-out to my blog! On the 15th, it turned one year old. We've been through a lot, ol' blog...

It all started September 15th, 2004, when my best bud, Julia, wrote to me to tell me to check out her new blog ("Her what?" I thought...what a strange name for a website!). I instantly fell in love with it. When I found out that it was free, I was so there! I immediately went to Blogger, and made my own. Now what to do with it? To this day, I'm still not sure what to do with you, oh sweet blog, but one day I'll figure it out!

So, just to name a few things we've been through this past year, let's review:
M's intervention at work for his behavior
well, let's just say everything at work...and leave it at that!
me getting fired
me getting unemployment
our almost foreclosure
us selling our house
me getting pregnant
everything about the pregnancy, good and bad
me meeting a ton of new people!
TJ getting baptized
me going to counseling for anger
Traci going off on...well, everyone, especially Canadians
TJ's second birthday
TJ's second birthday party
my 27th birthday
Trey's 29th birthday
Mother's Day
Father's Day
untimely and tragic death
Taryn's birth!
me getting happy drugs
millions of amazements at my children
the new Cooper River Bridge opening
arguments on spanking
my unique God thoughts
Oh, and TONS more stuff...

Let's see, who are the new friends I've made whom I've actually contacted:
Karla and Mark (gifts, messages, and cards back and forth)
Kate (phone calls, messages, cards and gifts back and forth)
Tammy (gifts back and forth)
Jillian (gift to)
Renee (clothes from)
Brandy (gift to)
Kristen (gift to)
Echo (hung out, phone calls)

Hopefully I haven't left anyone out...

* none of this was in any particular order.

So, again, Happy First Birthday, Blog! Here's to many, many more celebrations for years to come. You've been a great friend, little blog, and you've really hooked me up with some super cool people!

Talk to you later. Have a terrific day!

Ahhh, yes. I was diligently making a wonderful post in honor of Taryn's three month birthday yesterday (well, early this morning, but...), and on the very last picture, blogger froze up on me. I have to say, it was pretty irritating. Now, though, I am back to try again.

So, HAPPY THREE MONTH BIRTHDAY, TARYN!!! Yes, I know I'm now a day late, but well, I'm sure you don't mind (since you can't read anyway). I'm so amazed at everything about you. I thought for sure when I was pregnant with you that I could never love anyone as much as I love TJ. I was so wrong. I love you just as much, yet in a special way that's just for you. You never cease to astound me at every waking, and sleeping, moment. I've decided to list just a few of the things that you have accomplished in your short time on this earth so far:

-You laugh and giggle (it's the sweetest sound on earth!)
-You are SO ticklish! (I don't remember TJ being ticklish so early)
-You are weight-bearing when we hold you up in a standing position (a four month old feat, according to the dr.)
-You are working on rolling over, but you are much more focused on sitting up--when I prop you up, you can sit, albeit a little bent over, for a couple of minutes before you fall!
-You can talk like crazy, and I swear that sometimes your words actually sound like something you would actually say in that situation!
-You can turn yourself around in a complete circle just by wiggling! I think that's cool!
-You are officially the Spit-Up Queen. You make sure I'm marked with your scent at every possible opportunity!
-You are the most alert little baby I've ever seen, and you are much more active than any others in your age range that I know of (there are about ten of them that I know right now!)
-You can wiggle yourself right out of your swing, carseat, and stroller, all w/o so much as a struggle!
-You can get your little linky toys to your mouth now, and even eat your shirts and dresses!
-You are bigger than any other baby your age, and I'm sure you could kick any of their butts with no effort at all...TJ better watch out!
-You have managed to live an entire three months w/o injury, even with your brother "loving you" nearly to death!

Oh, Taryn, you are an amazing little girl, and I can't wait to see all of the wonderful things you have in store. It's going to be a fun life!



On the flip side, I'm almost positive now that TJ has this Hand-Foot-Mouth thing or whatever. He has had fevers now on and off for a few days. As a matter of fact, last night when I was writing this post the first time, he woke up screaming, and I had to give him some Tylenol and Motrin, and rock him to sleep.He was so miserable, and it makes me so sad to see him that way. He never had any problems teething, so when he complains about his mouth hurting, I don't even know what to do. Trey found an ulcer in his mouth, and we got some Orajel, but I don't think it helps much. He was so miserable all day yesterday, and couldn't eat, b/c everything he put in his mouth hurt him. All he could do was drink. It hurt to watch and know I couldn't do anything to help him when he cried to me. Thankfully, Trey's parents were here to help out, and his mom took him some of the time so I didn't have to be sad all alone! Even more thankfully, he said his mouth doesn't hurt today, and has managed to eat half his breakfast already! Yippee! He's been begging me for chicken since he got up, so I guess in a second I'll go and make him some...

Okay, gotta run. Trey's crying that his knee hurts...Oh, and he's having an MRI tomorrow morning on it. Please pray that it's alright and he doesn't have to have surgery (I'll have to get a job then, and that would just totally suck for him, too). I'll talk to you later, and I hope you have a super terrific day!

My mom sent me this email the other day. It doesn't really affect me, but if it's true, it could possibly affect some of you out there:

All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are being recalled.
You may want to try calling the 800 number listed on most
drug boxes and inquire about a REFUND. Please read this
CAREFULLY. Also, please pass this on to everyone you know.

STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has been
linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain)
among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use
of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA
recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative
medicine.

The following medications contain Phenylpropanolamine:

Acutrim Diet Gum Appetite Suppressant
Acutrim Plus Dietary Supplements
Acutrim Maximum Strength Appetite Control
Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's Cold Medicine Effervescent
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine ! (cherry or orange)
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold &Cough Medicine Effervescent
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold &Flu Medicine
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold &Sinus Effervescent
Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine
BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder
BC Sinus Cold Powder
Comtrex Flu Therapy &Fever Relief
Day &Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules
Contac 12 Hour Caplets
Coricidin D Cold, Flu &Sinus
Dexatrim Caffeine Free
Dexatrim Extended Duration
Dexatrim Gelcaps
Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free
Dimet! app Cold &Allergy Chewable Tablets
Dim etapp Cold &Cough Liqui-Gels
Dimetapp DM Cold &Cough Elixir
Dimetapp Elixir
Dimetapp 4 Hour Liquid Gels
Dimetapp 4 Hour Tablets
Dimetapp 12 Hour Extentabs Tablets
Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops
Permathene Mega-16
Robitussin CF
Tavist-D 12 Hour Relief of Sinus &Nasal
Congestion
Triaminic DM Cough Relief
Triaminic Expectorant Chest &Head
Triaminic Syrup Cold &Allergy
Triaminic Triaminicol Cold &Cough .....

I just found out and called the 800# on the container
for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily
recalling the following medicines becaus! e of a certain
ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in children:

Orange 3D Cold &Allergy Cherry (Pink)
3D Cold &Cough Berry
3D Cough Relief Yellow 3D Expectorant

They are asking you to call them at 800-548-3708 with
the lot number on the box so they can send you postage for you
to send it back to them, and they will also issue you a
refund. If you know of anyone else with small children,
PLEASE PASS THIS ON. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF!

DO PASS ALONG TO ALL ON YOUR MAILING LIST so people are
informed. They can then pass it along to their families.

To confirm these findings please take time to check the
following:

http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa/

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN IN CASE THEY GIVE IT TO THEIR
C! HILDREN OR TO FRIENDS WHO HAVE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.

I wouldn't call the 800 number here, but I think the website is probably okay, and surely you could call the number on the bottle if you think your medicine might have something recalled or unsafe in it. Just thought I'd pass this on...

I wrote out this whole long post on how much I love Taryn and wishing her a happy three month birthday. Then, on the very last pic I was putting on, it froze up and I lost the whole thing. It's not 1:30 am, and I am so very tired. Alas, I will have to come back tomorrow morning and try again. Note to self-I wrote about Taryn's 3 mo. birthday, posted two pics from each month so far, and was going to talk about TJ being sick. Okay, I'll see you soon, since, technically, it is already tomorrow!

Today I didn't leave the house. It was nice. The last week or so, we've been running around like chickens with our heads cut off. I haven't gotten anything done around the house, really, and it was starting to really bother me how messy it was. So, yesterday, after I had vowed to stay home, but was forced to go out and run errands, I vowed that today I would stay home and get stuff done. It does suck, though, that the weather was so nice out. Oh well...Anyway, I managed to vaccuum the whole apt., sweep and clean the kitchen floor, wash dishes twice, and wash and put away three loads of clothes. The other day I dusted all the furniture, so all I have left is to clean the bathrooms and clean the floors (steam clean). Then, the process begins again...Ahh, the joys of home upkeep!

So, I think TJ may be sick. He had a fever last night and went to bed really early. It was a little surreal, b/c Taryn was asleep too, and it was 8:30 and both babies were dead to the world. I didn't know what to do with myself! Anyway, when he woke up, I went to hug him, and he was on fire. I gave him some Tylenol, and he passed back out till Trey got home. Then, when he heard his daddy, he woke up, and he seemed fine. Again today he had a fever for a little while. Other than that, though, and the fact that he's ULTRA whiney the last couple days, he's acting totally normal. The only other thing that strikes me is that he's been complaining about his mouth hurting. I figured he probably bit his tongue, but I'm beginning to wonder if that might be some kind of symptom. He freaks out everytime he eats anything, and wants me to kiss his mouth (on the inside!). So I have to kiss my finger and jab it in his mouth. He never can tell me where it hurts exactly, so I just have to wiggle my finger all around in there. Let me tell you, that's tons of fun! So, if you happen to know of any illness that includes symptoms of sore mouth and fever, do let me know. I'm feeling a little sick lately, too, but I figure it's just sinuses...

Here, on the eve of Taryn's three month birthday, I must show you some pictures:
Then and now-









TJ has been the best and most loving big brother ever, since day one:








I'm sure I'll have tons more tomorrow, seeing as it will be the actual day!

I'm trying to start going to bed earlier now, and it's almost one now. So, I guess I'll go hit the sack. I'll talk to you later, and you have a stupendous day!

Today was so busy! We got up early and went walking with Amy from church. It was fun. She has a three year old, who was at preschool at the time, and two six month old twins. She's cool and fun, and SOOOOO sweet. We walked around the lake down the street from my apt. until we were ready to die, and then called it quits. However, before we left, I invited her to go to lunch with us at Trey's work, and I'd hook her up. She took me up on my offer! Hooray! So rarely do people have the time or want to go hang out with me!

So, we headed on down to the restaurant and dragged our three tiny babies and TJ inside. It was so funny. Her babies were born two months early, and are twins. Therefore, they are a bit on the smaller side. I got the biggest kick out of the fact that they are six months old, and Taryn will be three months old this Thursday, and she's the same size as them! We had all three of them in their little car seats in a line around a round table. We were the hit of the restaurant. Most people came up and asked if they were triplets. I'm sure they were wondering about the odd one out (the twins look just like their dad, with a long face and big eyes that kinda stick out). I kept telling Amy that people were surely looking over and thinking they were triplets and feeling sorry for one of us! Not to mention the fact that TJ was being a holy terror, as usual. Amy handled TJ's hyperactivity so well. I kept wondering if her daughter had been there and acting like that, if she would have handled it as well. I was pretty proud of myself, though. I ordered a salmon salad with vinaigrette dressing (which is lowfat, and surely the lowest calorie dressing they have), and I couldn't even eat half of it! I was so full! The server seemed a little upset that we weren't having dessert (it was slow and she was bored), so I figured why not, since we weren't paying anyway. So Amy and I split an apple pie w/vanilla ice cream. I felt pretty good about that, too, though, b/c between Amy, me and TJ eating the pie, there was still over half of it left. I was SO FULL when I left, too! I think my stomach has shrunken or something. Now if my body will just follow suit...

Afterwards, I took TJ to the playground downtown for a while. Then we went home just long enough to take a nap for an hour or so. Then it was off again.

I dropped TJ off at Gina's house and headed over to the church. We had Faith Circle tonight, and I have to say, I doubt I impressed too many people. We were making cards to send to the people at the nursing homes and what-not. Dawn brought in a TON of stuff like stickers and rub-ons and stamps and the like to make the cards. It was quite overwhelming! Finally, I decided to do a Halloween card. I got the idea together in my head, and it was kinda cool. However, once I got it on the paper, not so cool. Actually kinda juvenile and stupid looking. They hastened to remind me that the people most likely wouldn't see it anyway, being quite old and probably senile. However, I felt bad that it was so lame, but didn't want to waste it. On the front were various pictures of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns, and some stickers that said Happy Halloween. I stressed over what to write on the inside to make up for the sad front, and I think they were beginning to feel sorry for me that I was worrying so much about it. Finally, though, it came to me. I wrote a poem:

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!
On porches, streets, and even chairs!
Jack-o-lanterns bring us light,
So Happy Halloween this night!

Okay, still lame. At the time, though, I was quite proud of it. Anyway, whereas everyone else pumped out the creative and beautiful cards, I managed to make one. It was just too stressful for me! I decided tonight that I definitely would not be a good candidate for scrapbooking. If I'm going to do something, I don't want it to suck, and I think that anything I did in that area would suck.

Well, that's my day in a nutshell. I skipped my coffee this morning, so I could drink water while I walked instead. I would like to point out that water, although very good for you and actually quite tasty (especially with all of the wonderful chemicals in ours!), does not in fact have any caffiene in it, and did nothing to help me stay awake all day! Nor did my tea at lunch. Or my diet coke at dinner. So, I'm off to bed now, two hours early, yet still later than I'd like to be in bed! I'll talk to you later, and you have an awesome day!

Okay, I promise this is it. I don't think I have all the pics with me that we took, and thus there are very few to see. However, I put a few I kinda liked, so I could have closure. We went to Disney World and Sea World. It was tons of fun! I can't wait till we can go back again!

Alright, the end to my saga of pics:

The honeymoon

Talk to you later! Have a great day!

Okay, here's the next installment in the wedding saga. It's quite a few pics, so make sure you have a few minutes if you plan to look at them. It was hard to narrow them down, so I put a bunch on, and I still didn't put half as many as I wanted to! We used the little cameras on the tables instead of hiring a photographer. I liked how I got so many different angles of the same things, and the different perspectives I got in the pictures (for instance, I always knew when a kid had taken a pic, b/c it was usually of a butt or someone's knees!). Also, they're all out of order, but you can figure it out! I hope you enjoy them!

The Wedding Saga

PS-if you want to see the description on any pic, just click on it, and it will show you what I wrote. Then you can click on resume show to go back.

I'm going to post some pictures for you all to see. Here's a little hint:


First, though, I must make some things clear. One-These pics were taken almost four years ago, and not on a great camera. Also, they were stored on floppy disks, so they're not the best quality. I did not pay someone to take them, b/c I just don't care that much. Two-the theme was a Halloween costume party. This is what happens when you begin planning your wedding over a pitcher of margaritas during happy hour at a Mexican restaurant! Three-My dress was what I wanted. Purple is my FAVORITE color in the whole wide world! I wanted to be the queen, and never, EVER in my life did I ever want a white dress for my wedding. Trey was the king. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were princesses and princes. Everyone else was asked to wear costumes. Most didn't, therefore making the ones that did look kinda silly. They were actually the correct ones! Four-Don't expect extravagance. I planned, paid for, and decorated the entire wedding. Trey made the food (which was unfortunately eaten before we could take many pics of it, b/c he did an AWESOME job!), and family helped out with day-of getting ready. It was really low-key.

Anyway, I don't know why I felt you needed to know all that, but I did. So, if you're ready, click on the cake, and look on! You may even recognize a few people! I'm tired now, and I'll try to put on pics of the reception tomorrow if you care to come and check them out. These are just some of the ceremony and stuff. I also have some from the honeymoon if you would like to see them. We went to Disney World and Sea World! Hooray!

Talk to you later! Have a great day!

I guess there's not a whole lot you can say, except "Cute kids," again to the tons of pics I put on yesterday. I'm hoping that's why no one, except super-cool Julia, commented. My fear is that I've run everyone off with my rant about God the other day. Please don't think that will be the norm here, just what was in my head at the time...

Anyway, Julia and I have decided that we are going to stick together to diet and exercise. We are going to check on each other daily, and make sure to yell at each other if we're messing up. As well, we'll do our best to help motivate and listen to each other's gripes about the whole dieting process. I'm even charting what I eat each day so I can keep up with it, and notice anything like patterns or something. I just feel like being scientific, ya know! I have to say, though, I started today, and just knowing that I was going to have to be honest about it, then send it to Julia and let her see what I was eating kept me in line. Of course, I still had dessert, and more than I probably should have. However, it didn't stray from the diet, so I'm okay. Oh, and if I didn't mention it, I'm eating b/t 1200 and 1500 calories per day, and I'm going to do Tae-Bo at least three times a week. I did it before I got prego w/TJ, and it was fun and I did pretty well on it. It was right about when I started really noticing a difference that I got pregnant, and dropped it like a bad habit! I have it scheduled to do at 7 w/TJ, but I didn't feel like it today, and I had vowed I'd just do it tomorrow. However, when I wrote to Julia to tell her about my day, I felt guilty saying I hadn't done it b/c I was lazy, and figured she'd get on me about it, so at 11:30 I went and did it! If we keep this up, it could really work! Of course, she really will have to give me the disappointed look when I mess up, so I'll stay on the straight and narrow! I tried the same thing w/Trey, but it's just not the same.

Other than that, nothing exciting. I think I'm gonna try to think of my past, and somehow describe the memories I have in a funny way. I want to be more like the Karla's over there. Their stories are funny and entertaining. I know I've had quite an interesting life, I just have to figure out how to make other people think so, too. Too bad I'm more of an essay writer-type person, and not very funny. I'm actually pretty funny at times in real life, or so I'd like to think, but I can't seem to bring that "Let's everybody laugh at Christi" thing into my narrative writing. I'll have to work on that. Of course, maybe it's b/c I'm kind of a one-liner kinda gal. Maybe you can't be funny if you're just writing a series of funny and unrelated phrases. Maybe I can only be funny if engaged in conversation. Yeah, maybe that's it. Who knows....

Oh, and answer this for me, if you can: Why do you suppose that sleeping babies are SO DAMN CUTE, and make your heart just melt and fall to pieces? I swear I could check in on my babies every ten seconds all night long and not get tired of it, if I didn't have to sleep myself! It's my favorite part of the day. Makes me feel all giddy inside, and I get a stupid, goofy smile on my face!

Alright, I'll talk to you later. Have a great day!

My kids are getting all kinds of new stuff! Most of it has been around, they just didn't know it, but...

So check it out!

Taryn's new slippers:


Taryn's new keys, and TJ's new slippers, although he's actually had them since his first Christmas:


Taryn's new outfit. She wore it to church today:


TJ's new haircut, and his new undies (we've committed to nothing except letting him try them on and see how they feel!):


Okay, well, he just peed in the first pair. Guess I better go change them now. Oh well...Talk to you later! Have a wonderful day!

Okay, I must stand my proverbial ground here. I will respond to my responses. I will respond to the following:

"I hate to think of a God that kills people!"
"We are part of that very same system and most of the time we are the predators with no natural enemies (other than each other)."
"I also couldn’t bring myself to believe there is a God out there with such vengeance."
"I just can’t bring myself to believe he has a master plan to pick people off this earth or inflict pain and suffering."
"I think the vengeful, punishing God of the old testament mostly, was interpreted that way by the ancient Hebrews who needed an angry God to keep themselves in line."

Okay, let's see, where to begin? Alright, I may have been rash yesterday, saying that God is "mad". Perhaps dissapointed is a better word. I mean, here He's given us this world, and given us pretty much free reign over what we do with it. All He asks is that we please take care of it, and take care of each other, for the most part...Oh, and please give Him some credit where credit is due and be appreciative. However, we're not doing such a swift job at that.

I never, ever said that God is either "vengeful", "punishing", or a killer. However, if you refuse to believe that God has a hand in all death, as well as all birth, then in my humble opinion, I think you are wrong. I think it's funny that we celebrate the birth of a new baby, and applaud God on making such a wonderful and innocent creature. Then, when someone dies, we curse Him. Hey, when He put us here, He made it perfectly clear that one day we will all die. We don't know when, but when our time is up, it's up, and God has a large part in that. I'm not saying by any means that He's doing it out of meanness, spite, or anything bad. I don't think God is like that, either. However, he does play a major roll. He understands that sometimes people have to die, and sometimes there is a good reason for it, whether we want to accept it or not. Everything that happens in this world has an important lesson in it, whether we see it or not. I learned this just recently when we had our troubles with our house selling. At first I blamed God for punishing me, and was mad about it. Then I realized that it wasn't punishment at all, but a lesson for me. Once I did, my house sold, and I came out of the whole ordeal with important new life-guiding knowledge. I'm learning from Katrina, too. Just from what I've seen, I already know that there are people out there that are kind, and will do everything in their power to help. I'm seeing a side of me that is compassionate and wants to do something to help people, people I don't even know, buy feel deeply for. I'm learning that their are evil people, who would use this time as a chance to take advantage and loot and pillage those that are already suffering. I believe that if God really was vengeful and a maddened killer, he would definitely kill those people first. However, surprisingly, they lived, while others were forced to give their lives to a greater cause and die. I'm learning from all of them. I'm learning about myself, the world, and nature itself.

As far as having no natural predators. I think that's wrong, too. Perhaps we don't have animals stalking us for dinner (usually), but nature itself is our predator. I mean, how else can you explain something that, in a matter of hours, is able to kill so many people? If that's not a predator, what is? Also, here is another instance where I completely believe that God had a BIG hand in what happened. He IS nature. He controls nature, and He decides what needs to be done and why. Why do you suppose this hurricane happened? You could argue science here, but it's my understanding that even the science world is beginning to accept that God plays the lead role in how science unfolds. You have to wonder how all of this got started to begin with. Yep, God. Someone had to have thought up all of the intricacies of the world. Unfortunately, sometimes nature kills. We have to deal with that, and not see it as vengeance or something mean, but just the tragedy that it is.

As for the "punishing" God, I don't think He's that at all. Just like I don't see myself as an angry, punishing mother. When I discipline TJ, I do just that, discipline. There's a BIG difference. Consequences are not punishment. God is our father. He is entitled to, and expected at some times to keep us in line. His actions must be on a grander scale, of course, as He has, oh, I dunno, trillions of children! He has to make a big wave and wake us up! There are lots of misbehaving children out there! Those Hebrews that needed a God to "keep them in line" are just like us. We need God to keep us in line, too. He doesn't have to be an angry God, but hey, He has every right to get upset and disappointed in us, and to show us the error of our ways sometimes. Like I said before, He did say that He was going to come back and destroy the world with fire one day, and who knows when that day will be. It was promised, which means He is free to do it whenever He pleases, without warning. I think everyone, while not being paralyzed in fear of it, should accept that one day, anyday, it could happen. As horrible as the thought is to perish in a fire the size of the world, God did say He would do it one day if necessary, and thus, it could happen. I don't like to think of dying, either, but I know that one day, it will happen, whether I like it or not. Will I blame God and call Him angry and punishing b/c I had to die? No. It was bound to happen one day, and it was part of my plan that He has for me. Will I be upset and sad, and maybe others will be sad, too? Yes, I hope, but that's much different from mad, and quite expected. I am sad that those people had to die. I'm sad that any person ever has to die. I'm sad that anything bad ever has to happen. I'm a really sad person sometimes. I don't blame God, though. I thank Him. I thank Him that I have been fortunate enough to be here as long as I have been, and that He have given me what opportunities I have been allowed, and given me the ability to learn from His lessons.

Do I think the end of the world is near? No. If anything, I think that this is a warning. I think that God is saying, "Hey, wake up! You guys need to heed my warnings, and you need to clean up your act. You're acting badly, and you need to start listening, before it leads to a much worse consequence." Could the end of the world be near? Sure. Could I wreck my car and die this afternoon? Sure. I don't know what's in store, and that's what I love about the world I live in. However, I think that God loves us so much that He's willing to do such a thing as have a terrible hurricane to help us. He knows that this will bring us closer together, and awaken us to how terrible things really can be. Who knows? Again, this is just my opinion.

Have a great day! I'll see you later!

Okay, I've just been catching up on the events of the past week, with Hurricane Katrina and the levee's breaking and what-not, and, I have to say it scares me just a little. I mean, yeah, it's scary about what happened. That's a given. Goodness knows I am really feeling bad for the people there, and hoping and praying for them, and trying to figure out what I can do to help. However, that's not so much what I'm talking about. I feel like this tragedy is, well, a little Biblical feeling.

*So, like, God destroyed the earth before with floods. Yes. He did it to punish those not following Him and listening to what He was trying to tell them. Fair enough. And yes, He said next time He wouldn't use flooding, but instead use fire. Okay. Good deal, God, gotcha. However, I kinda feel like maybe He's mad b/c the world is going to shit and we're not taking very good care of it. People left and right are ditching God and only seeking Him when it's convenient. I know as a mother that if my kids did that to me, I'd still love them and help them out, but it would surely piss me off! I'd probably try to kinda let them know they were screwing up in some way or another before I totally cut them off. That's how I'm feeling right now.

Okay, so look at it like this: Let's just say that the first big thing on the national scale was 9/11. Although we could probably go back earlier, like the Oklahoma City bombing, or something else major, let's just start here. Here, God could have been saying, "Hey, I'm ticked off, and oh yeah, you guys don't forget that I said I'd destroy the earth by fire next time. Here's a little warning, a big ol' destructive fire, to clean up your act or else!"

We didn't listen. So, He said, "Okay, fine. Check this out." Then he made a big ol' Tsunami and killed a bunch of people and destroyed their world, essentially. He said, "Hey, remember what I did before? Yeah, maybe you forgot, so I showed you just how bad it was." He flooded them as a kind of reminder, and hoped that the world would catch on.

Did we? Of course not. So, now he's trying again. He's getting pretty ticked now, and He's getting tired of reminding us. He's been reading all the books, and they say to be consistent, and not sway when you say you'll do something. Oh, but He's such a loving father to us all, and He doesn't want to take such drastic action (the whole tough love thing, you know), and He's trying everything in His power, aside from just coming down to the earth and saying it out loud in total obvious fashion (which He just doesn't do!), to let us know to clean up our act or He's really gonna have to do what he said.

Let's take this example. TJ is being a brat today. He hits me. I tell him to stop, or he'll have to go to bed for the night. It's 8 o'clock, and I probably shouldn't have made such a big threat so early in the night, but I'm hoping he'll just cut it out, especially since my threat was a big one. So, ten minutes later, he hits me again. Well, now I don't want to put him to bed at 8:10, b/c surely he'll be up in the middle of the night (his bedtime isn't until 10), and I'll have to deal with him then. So, I remind him of the warning he got earlier. Half an hour later, "smack!" That's right, hit again. So, I remind him of what happened last time I told him to stop hitting me and he didn't. That's right, lost all his candy for the night and went in time out. "See, I followed through then, TJ, and I'll do it again," I'm trying to tell him. Finally, he hits me again, and I just have to put him to bed, early or not. I can't dilly-dally around forever. Not only am I mad about it now, but he's gonna know I'm a total push-over if I don't do what I said I'd do. So, who's to say that God isn't right there on the edge and just mad enough to do what He said He would? Maybe this is just my thoughts. I surely hope I'm wrong. I do have an active imagination at times. Either way, it really scares me, and I'm making sure I'm in the right boat when the time comes.

Well, you guys have a great day, and I'll see you later.

*disclaimer-I'm not writing from Biblical fact, just kinda writing how it's interpreted in my mind.