It Only Happens Once a Year

TOP TEN THINGS I MAY OR MAY NOT BE DOING ON MY BIRTHDAY TODAY:

10. Wrestling an alpaca
9. Forging a very large check
8. Avoiding the very strong urge to buy professional carpet skates
7. Talking on Skype with my long-lost identical twin sister, Urmgard
6. Winning the karaoke contest at my local Applebee's
5. Spending quality time with my Obama voodoo doll (oh wait, I do that every day, nevermind)
4. Fundraising for my trip to the US Colony on the Moon in 2020
3. Searching with OJ for the real killer
2. Eating my weight in Necco Wafers
1. Curling up in the fetal position on the couch with a blanket and wishing I were dead because I caught Cindy and Luke's stomach bug...

It's only 6 days late...

My mom just got put on a new prescription to continue to help the neuropathy in her hands to go away. It is called Lyrica, and when she read the label and accompanying information, there were over 20 different listed side effects. I don't want to freak you out, Mom, but I did a little research and there are actually a few more that you need to watch out for...

TOP ELEVEN LESSER-KNOWN SIDE EFFECTS OF PRESCRIPTION LYRICA

11. Tingling eyelashes
10. Itchy barnacles
9. Spontaneous ventriloquism
8. Loss of interest in breeding woodchucks
7. Tears that taste like gravy
6. Thoughts of tax evasion
5. Loss of touch with reality, illusions of grandeur and irrational feelings of superiority (Oh, wait, those are side effects of being elected president with zero qualifications. Oops!)
4. Trouble remembering the winner of American Idol for seasons 2,3,5,6,7,8,9 & 10. (Oh, wait, that's a side effect of being a human being)
3. Heightened sense of when the garbage man will come
2. Poor judgement, followed by voting Democrat
1. Irregular smiling

To Disney and Beyond!

I normally don't get my pictures up so quickly, but I find myself here at the computer with some free time this morning, so why not use it wisely? Yesterday was absolutely great! We went to Disney with DeAnne to meet up with cousin Kate and Aunt Teresa. The weather was rainy for only about 15 minutes and then it was cool and cloudy the rest of the day- which kept the crowds low and our efficiency high. I would say we didn't wait more than 15 minutes for anything. Which is the only way to do Disney. No long lines and ridiculous heat for me. And can I say how much I just love Kate and Teresa? Well, I am going to, no matter what your answer is. They are so fun to talk to and spend time with. I really, really wish they lived closer to us :( But unfortunately they are probably on their way to the airport right now to head back to Utah. (My kids hate Utah, by the way. It is an evil, evil place where everyone they love lives or moves to, leaving them behind.)

A few pictures...



I have learned that Luke is a fan of "meeting" characters as long as he doesn't have to talk to them or interact with them a great deal. Really he just likes observing them secretly from close distances. This photo took a lot of guts.


These three LOVED to spin :) The adults, not so much...


Luke loved the carousel.



Teresa had a death wish and agreed to go driving with Cindy. She barely survived...




Captured by Zurg! Luke LOVED the ride Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. He rode it 3 times and felt just like Dad playing Call of Duty :)



Even though it is about 30 days off, this picture totally counts as my annual picture with Cindy in front of Cinderella's castle. Can't wait to go back this December when the New Fantasyland is open. Here are some pictures that show what is coming if you care to know.


Cindy and Kate on "People World." I mean, It's a Small World.


Finally, at the end of the night, Cindy managed to ride Cinderella's horse on the carousel. All was right with the world.


Hard to believe how much she's grown already...




We managed to last all the way to 8pm for the fireworks show, which never disappoints. We also did a few new things this time - the Buzz Lightyear ride, the Jungle Cruise (which I have not done since I was about 8), Peter Pan's Magic Flight, (which Luke talked about almost the whole day) and when the kids stopped at a food cart and were offered a snack of their choosing, Cindy chose an orange. I am still confused. Cindy had obviously been kidnapped and replaced by some other child. Not to say that we still didn't have funnel cake, cinnamon sugar almonds, cookies, chocolate coins, and waffles with nutella and fruit- but still, an orange?

Overall, it was such a great day together. The kids and I loved every minute of it. Now I just have to convince Jason and Teresa to move here. Which might not be too hard of a sell right now because Lakeland's high temp today is 75 and Salt Lake's is 22. Just think about it, okay Teresa? :)

House of Mouse

The kids and I are headed to Disney today - yahoo! What better way to cap off a week of throwing up and missing school than by missing some more school to go play with your cousins! Luke is apparently most excited about (and I quote): "That one ride where you see all those fake toys singing and dancing and playing instruments." Cindy told him the correct name of that ride (duh), which is called "People World." See? We don't really go there near enough as we should. Anyway, I am still working on that Top Ten list! I won't let the week pass without making this one up. So as I walk around Magic Kingdom my little brain will still be in Sweeneyville :)



P.S. Extra, Extra! Read all about it!! Has my marathoner extraordinaire sister-in-law Linnley FINALLY convinced me to train for a Half Marathon??? It's a 100% definite, possible, totally imaginably, weather permitting maybe! I never thought I could make such a hard and fast decision. Seriously, I am mulling it over....someone stop me!!

Once Again

Obviously the top ten didn't materialize this week. Monday was a day off for the kids and it completely threw me off. Plus, both my kids have been throwing up :( I am trying to stay positive in all this, you know, as I wipe down the bathroom walls, floor, tub, ceiling, shower curtain, vanity, mirror....okay, that's probably exaggerating just a bit, but I will focus on the fact that even when sick, my kids are totally non-dramatic. They don't whine, they don't moan and groan or even really cry. Their drama level is about a zero when it comes to puking. Both my children just throw up, blow their noses and then move on with life. It's quite remarkable. They obviously get that from their mother :)

Is it bigger than a breadbox?

I think something is wrong with Cindy's 20 Questions App on her iPod. Usually that game is eerily accurate and gets most everything right, however, the other day we told it to guess the animal we were thinking of and these are the questions it asked us (roughly in this order):

Is it a carnivore?

Is it full of water?

Is it hunted?

Does it break when you drop it?

Is it made of metal?

Does it have horns?

I know that iPods are from the future, so I am dying to know the kind of animals it was ruling out when it asked these questions. I guess it was just making sure we weren't thinking of the the Fragile 4-Horned Hydra Yeti?? AWESOME!

Quickies

Yesterday we asked the kids what we should do for Family Home Evening. Cindy immediately suggested "We need to learn how to do the splits." She's got us there, we haven't covered that one yet.

Then later on while having our Family Home Evening about the 10 Commandments, we were trying to nicely explain what "adultery" was. That lead to Cindy making a comment about how some parents get divorced. Jacob told her that was not ever going to happen to us and then Cindy said, "Besides, you guys are a great couple!" Once again, you can't argue with her!


Yesterday in the hallway at church, I asked Luke's new primary teacher, Brother Carter, how Luke was doing in class. He just smiled a big grin and said, "I tell you what, don't ever leave him lying around because I am gonna steal him :)" I thought that was so cute, so at dinner yesterday I told Luke what Brother Carter had said. Luke's expression was the most perfect blend of smiling and sheer horror that I had ever seen.

I Finally Found The Love of a Lifetime

This one is kind of a weird one, but last year some time I heard my friend Lisa McKendrick telling me about a magical Coke machine at Firehouse Subs. Supposedly they had all kinds of ways to make your Coke with different flavors and add-ins and most of the options were diet and caffeine free! Did you read that slow enough to understand what she was saying?!?!?!? That's like finding a dress that's in your size and on sale, or finding a Republican South Carolina resident who is a registered voter and not completely ignorant- it's nearly impossible! But ever since then I have been saying I was going to go and check it out, so FINALLY the family and I went to make our pilgrimage. (Plus, I had never before eaten at a Firehouse Subs in my life, so the reason to go was really two-fold.)

Anyway, here is shot of Cindy at the magical carbonating kiosk of fantasticalness.

(♪ choirs of angels singing ♪♪♪)

It's a touchscreen kiosk that dispenses ice and then whatever flavor of whatever soda you want. Seriously, this is as close to the replicator in Star Trek as I have ever been. It was a special moment. Cherry Sprite Zero? Yes ma'am! Vanilla Caffeine Free Diet Coke with a hint of lime? Roger that! Diet Orange Fanta with a touch of peaches n' liver? Oh wait, they didn't actually have that, but you get the idea. If I had this in my kitchen I would never leave the house. Totally worth the trip! My cheesesteak sub was pretty good, but I was not blown away. Jacob's pastrami sub impressed him and stuffed him at the same time. But considering that he covered that (and absolutely everything he eats) with hot sauce anyway, it was bound to make him happy. And as for the kids - they were just there for the Cheetos :)

Well Done

I can't believe it but another soccer season came to a close last night. McKeel played well, but unfortunately it just wasn't enough :( They lost in the second round of districts, 4-2. This season was a tough one for the team! They moved up a classification and essentially had to start running with the big dogs. And they kept up! Their schedule was rigorous; they had practice or a game every single day, they played Saturdays, they played indoor tournaments, they ran 5Ks - it was a lot of work. I'm definitely proud of all of them, win or lose. It's hard to share your husband with 18 teenage girls for almost half the year, but I wouldn't do it for anyone else but them. They really are a great group of girls and they treat Jacob with tremendous respect and kindness. And he is an excellent coach! I am not quite sure he grasps how talented he is and what he means to that program. And despite the season ending only last night, visions of seasons to come already dance in Jacob's head. The next few years should be quite a ride. Even I'm a little excited! Wha??? The one thing I am NOT excited about however, is the once again inevitable consequence of the soccer season being over; now we have to start doing yard work again. Crap.

Mostly for Mom and Dad

I put this on my Facebook page, but I have to make sure you don't miss out on seeing this:







I need that AT-AT get up for Cucuface...