this is me now

8.31.2011

should i be concerned?

should i be concerned that my husband asked for a new vacuum?
should i be concerned that he knew exactly which kind of vacuum he wanted?
should i be concerned that my frugalprudentdiscount-crazy husband didnt care about the cost?
should i be concerned that my 17 yr old cheered when he found out i got a new vacuum?
and said 17 yr old asked if it was bagless?
and with the ball thing?

                             i think i will be concerned---but not until AFTER the vacuuming gets done

8.29.2011

can we blame Milo?

so here's the story---and i'm stickin' to it.
when you choose names---sometimes you dont think about if there will be stuff with the child's name on it---expecially those of you who spell your kids' names weird (pet peeve---but i'll be okay)----truly---met a woman whose name is Caitriona-----KATRINA---really?  REALLY?  reallyreallyreally????????

deep breath

i remember Lyric as a child commenting that there was never anything with her name on it---so one date night at Grapevine Mill Mall, David & I found a kiosk that did personalized license plates---little ones---so we had them do one for Lyric---she was thrilled!

back to the story:
I have a grandson named Milo.  (lyric's son---she's about to have a baby named Pyper---seeing a trend?)
not much with Milo's name on it.  So david saw some dogfood snack/treats---brand name Milo's Kitchen---so, of course, being married to me---he got them!
so now---conveniently---I have a grandson named Jonas...his name is not the issue----Jonas is an eater----well---jonas is a chewer ---(side story---jonas eats most everything---but only for awhile---then he spits it out---he eats watermelon--til the good juice is gone---then you find watermelon all over the floor---also true of apples, noodles, meatballs, chicken nuggets---yeah---he's a chewer)

back to the story:
Jonas is at the house---points to the bag of dogfood treats (milo's kitchen brand) and so I, being the GRANDmother that i am---get the bag and open it---anticipating letting Jonas and Cannon give the dogs (lucy, chloe and chip--since we are talking about names---just fyi)---a treat---but NO! as fast as you can say JO--------nas!---he has dipped his hand in and tossed a treat IN HIS MOUTH!---now these are chicken meatballs---soft---like a human meatball (not a meatball made of human---but a meatball a human would/should eat).

now normally i dont get overly concerned about the babies eating dogfood (oops---my daughters probably are reading this)---cause its mostly cereal-type and all sorts of healthy bi-products---and who doesnt like a good bi-product now and then)--but for some reason this creeped me out----and he didnt chew it---he just held it in his mouth!  with the dogs following him ---hoping he would do the Jonas thing and spit it out---and finally----Lucy was the winner in the "eat whatever comes out of Jonas' mouth" contest.

i blame Milo---if his name was Peggy Sue we wouldnt have had this problem.

8.25.2011

Orlando trip


got to jaunt down to Orlando to see my cute nephew, Brian Ensign, marry his cute girl, Ashley Barney---their colors were creamsicle orange and salmon pink! i LOVE clever adjectives! It was wonderful to see my brothers Marc & Matt and their wives, Pat & Shelly (respectively)---plus matt's kids austin, luke and Jackie & derek and their doll-of-a-son Elliot (he is one week younger than Beth---so I got to get my fix of 6 month olds in). Got to spend lots of time with my Mom and Lyric & Milo and Ben (see previous post)---here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:



big bonus was spending time with Mr Milo Webb---he who talks and cuddles and gives grandma kisses!

 while the rest of the family spent the day at Disney---Lyric, Milo, Mom and I enjoyed lunch at Olive Garden---(Ben was at work/school/lab)---Milo figured out Tongs during the lunch!  Lyric is one of the loveliest 37 week pregnant women EVER!
 we stayed at a condo that slept 13! Milo loved playing hide and seek in the kitchen.
 We headed to Disney to see La Nouba (cirque du soleil)---it was AMAZING and so much fun....whole new appreciation for America's Got Talent.  we had terrific seats to enjoy the show.  Then we strolled around Disney Downtown watching street performers and italian ice..........nummers. (notice the cool movement of the general public around two of my favorite ladies!)
 my brother Matt with his Elliot.  It was so much fun to watch him enjoy his grandbaby.
 outside the temple getting ready for pictures---Luke, Shelly, Jackie, Dereck and Elliot---it was hot and humid---duh---August in Orlando!
 Ben and Milo---Ben was so good---he watched Elliot and Milo during the temple (with a lot of help from Luke & Austin)---made french toast for all of them---got everyone to the temple in time for him to make it to the sealing (thanks luke & austin for watching the boys during the wedding!)
                                                                          Brian and Ashley Ensign.
 Mary Lou Ensign---matriarch and sweet funny woman.....Austin crouching in the background.

My mom hosted a lovely luncheon at BJ's Brewery after the wedding (had to add in the brewery part---they make their own root beer and black cherry sodas---as well as other brewed drinks). This is Lyric sucking down probably root beer---next to Jackie and Dereck...Elliot was with Grandpa Matt.



 at the condo enjoying pizza during a TERRIFIC rainstorm ---love Florida rain---
 back at the temple---they were so happy and cute
 Milo thinking he is going to be a big kid and not sit in his car chair!

Mom and the couple

8.22.2011

Ben Webb---a moment we'll share---naw---that sounds way too mushy---

 ----my lovable son-in-law---married to Lyric---he is quite the character---brainy enough to make my eyes glaze over (getting his PhD in lasers and optics...what?)----adventurer enough to scare me (swimming with sharks and such ilk)--- mischievious enough to make me want to put him in time-out---loves my daughter enough to make me weep---

we share a love of Smokey Bones---(okay---that link makes it look a lot more like a Hooters than it really is) a restaurant in Orlando---so we go everytime i go there---and i'm pretty sure he goes when i'm not there---traitor----but anyway---

i was in orlando---so we went to smokey bones----their beans and their roasted corn are TO DIE FOR---but they had something new---SMOKE STACK---we were eyeing the ad for it---and he kinda had 'that look'---i asked him if he wanted to order it and he said---"its $17!"---yes---for a burger----so I smiled and said---"if thats all that is keeping you from getting it---then today would be the day"---so he did---and it came---and he ate it---

this is not JUST a burger
3 patties  --- each 1/2 lb
3 cheese slices
pulled pork
onion rings
french fries
cole slaw
lettuce
tomato
one bun

this kinda stuff makes my heart smile!  i love a 'do you remember when' moment---and this was one

8.13.2011

hair-----the bain of my existence

i'm sure i've said this before---but i was not blessed with lovely hair---lifeless, straight as a pin with less confidence, fine enough that i can feel when a mosquito lands on me......2 hairstyles do well with this hair---long straight from the 70's and army cuts.....and i've done them both.
but you know its time to cut the hair when you start putting hair clips that are meant for 4 yrs old!
its comin off.

8.09.2011

NUMBERS and PORTER KEVIN NELSON

was born 8/8 at 4:56 a.m.! numbers numbers numbers----he was 7 lb 5 oz and 19 1/2".....11 days early.....
numbers numbers numbers.....270 miles in 4 1/2 hrs...with a gas stop (i drive the speed limit---most of the time....2:30 a.m.....when we arrived in houston----9:30 p.m.---when we got the call that Leah was being admitted into the hospital...1......push for Porter to enter the world!

Leah has contractions a lot at the end of her pregnancies---but they dont progress---so she was determined that with THIS baby she was NOT going to the hospital early just to be sent home....so she walked and walked and walked and rested and drank water (really? 9 months pregnant in houston in august? really?)---and contracted and contracted---but she didnt go to the hospital (well---once she went to the dr and he checked her----but NOT to the hospital).....so we anticipated that she would be induced sometime in the middle of august....

porter had other ideas.

11 a.m.i was sitting in church on Sunday, Aug 7---minding my own business---noticing no sign of ace or david on our pew---hmmm---where are  they---so, of course---i check my phone---ace texted me "turn your phone on vibrate"....so i do.
10:55 a.m.  leah had called and told david she was having different contractions and worse---so kinda pay attention today---then she went to church and then to a friends house!
8:30 pm---got a text from her---but i didnt see it "....going to the hospital"
9:30pm---joe calls and says she is being admitted---so we are on our way (we had already packed bags just in case)
10 pm---said goodbye to ace---gave him instructions---and dave & i were out the door.

porter's heart rate was high when she went to the hospital----lots of back and front contractions----dr checked her---she was at a 3---he didnt like the heart rate being so high---so he said 'THIS IS IT"
10:30PM....admitted...pitocined....epiduraled....cathetered.....water-brokened....and so it began...the slow crawl to 10.
4
5---we arrive
7---any pain dear? no!
BAM! 10---call the dr! (he's already at the hospital--just call him to the room----duh)---grandpa excuses himself to the waiting room----
dr comes in---checks her---LETS GO!
OKAY---dad---count to 10---mom---you push---then you relax...ready
1,2,3....WWWWAAAAAAIT!
dr grabs the sucker thing....sucks out grossness from porter's little face....
and SLIDE INTO HOME! safe!
literally one push.

1 hr of ooooo'ing and ahhhhhh'ing ....then an hour at the nursery for bath...
but no bath....
100----what your oxygen saturation should be..............90 what porter's is
60.....what your respiration should be......................100 what porter's is... (the 41 is wrong---the nurse was messing with him when i took the picture---DOESNT SHE KNOW I BLOG?!)
so he spends a coupla days in the NICU---cant breathe and eat----so tubes go in----
20 hrs old...out of the oxygen tent---breathing the real stuff
24 hrs----first bath---saturation is 98---YAY
30 hrs----respiration is 60-70---yay! still cant eat and breathe at the same time---so now we are working on that....
mother and child are doing well---porter has/had fluid in his lungs that his body has to absorb---so he can then breathe deeply---not shallowly---hmmmm---note to self---look up shallowly....
1 ....more beautiful baby boy---dark hair---we'll see if it stays dark
2 ....happy brothers anxious to meet "quarter"
7......grandchildren in
3 years........................
probably cant continue this rate....but its something to consider.........

ps---Leah was released 8/10----porter is doing great---eating---lungs are clear----needs one solid day in NICU to "prove himself" (so much for unconditional love at 3 days old!) and then can come home!

8.01.2011

perhaps i need to not....

....watch so many cooking shows....

i'm preparing my signature dish....Chicken Stuffing Casserole....a family favorite....(except poor Molly---she would cry everytime i served it)....
     boiling water with butter....diced vidalia onions, thinly sliced mushrooms rehydrated, corn off the cob with diced peppers for a little heat....boxed (gasp!) stuffing mix added to the water...then all the vegetables added in...with a creamy mushroom soup, sour cream and greek yogurt (so wanted to say marscapone ---but just because its a cool word) sauce mixed into the stuffing.  Now---for the protein....

i george foreman'd (yes--its a word) a bunch of chicken breasts
yesterday for some lovely romaine chicken with chop salad wraps (topped with a honey mustard dressing).....so today I took out the leftover chicken and diced it....until i picked up this one...very thick...lovely piece of poultry....


WHAT?   WHAT?   WHAT?    WHAT?      WHAT?
I sliced into it to see if what i was seeing was.....

yep---it was UNCOOKED....not done....medium rare....a little pink....

and in my mind...all i could hear...over and over...was Gordon Ramsay screaming at me :
                                                            'ITS RAW!"
(fyi---click on 'its raw!")

i've been chopped.


ps...the romaine chicken wraps were fine...just in case you were worried