Still Little...

Sarah's two year check-up today. She is 24 lbs (10th percentile) and 34 inches tall (50th percentile). While she IS growing, she is still my tiny firecracker!! She also had lots of fluid in her ears, which means Steroids for 5 days, which means she will be a WILD WOMAN!! Other than that - everything was fine and no shots today!

She'll Always Be My Baby...

Sarah turned two yesterday. WOW. Two years have gone by since my baby was born! She has grown (although still a tiny fireball!) and changed so much! I could go on and on about the changes and how she has grown and turned into a fullblown toddler, entering into the terrible two's, but if you are a reader of this blog or a member of the family, I'm sure you are more than aware of Sarah's growth and milestones and accomplishments. (and I really do think she is really honestly finally finished drooling!!!)

Here are a few pictures from our VERY LOW KEY celebration yesterday. Cupcakes and applejuice and playtime in the yard and she was a happy camper! Her presents from Beth and us consisted of two butterfly nets, a bug container and a new bucket! (and a trip to the zoo, today!)

And today, as the main part of Sarah's "birthday present", we took her to the zoo for the first time (and Beth, too). She was so excited when we got there and I'm not sure she rode in her stroller AT ALL the entire time. She ran from exhibit to exhibit and was in hog heaven! It was definitely a good idea!!

Aren't the Meercats adorable! We still can't figure out why they were all staring at the sky! Maybe their predators are large birds?? Regardless, they were sure fun to watch!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY SARAH!!

Shake, Rattle & Roll!

We had an EARTHQUAKE this morning. The center was in Southern Illinois and registered a 5.2, but we ABSOLUTELY felt it! At first, I thought it was a low-flying airplane, but it lasted too long - like 20 seconds! I thought that it MIGHT be an earthquake, but wasn't sure. They are RARE in our neck of the woods, so when I heard it on the news when my radio alarm went off, I wasn't surprised, but almost excited! I actually felt an earthquake! I remember we had one when I was in highschool - way back in 1990, but I didn't feel it and I was so bummed.
Supposively, our lovely fault line that is close to us- the New Madrid Faultline - is set to have a major quake at any point. This quake originated from a branch of the New Madrid faultline- the Wabash line?

So that was our excitement at 4:39 a.m. today!!!

Attitude Adjustment

Its been my experience that just when one of my children is pushing me to to brink with their horrible behavior or bad attitudes, they completely do a 180 and change. Just when I think I can't take another minute of the whining or fussing or arguing, they change into angels.



Beth has been an angel for about 2 weeks+ now. I'm not sure if she just finally decided to listen to me lecturing her one day and really understood what I was saying or if her "sassy phase" was just over and my sweet Beth was BACK! Whatever the reason, thank GOD! She has been so pleasant lately. Don't get me wrong, she is still 5 and she still has her moments, but for the most part - WOW! Nothing has been a big battle in a while now and I'm SOOO very thankful for that, because I need every ounce of energy I have for the terrible two's that are encroaching on Sarah. Ugh....

God & Taxes

Isn't it said that the only 2 constant things in life are God and Taxes. I guess for some people that is true, but I disagree that the statement applies to everyone. It doesn't.

These two subjects are on my mind for several reasons - one being that tomorrow is the dreaded tax day and I still haven't done our Indiana taxes. Yes, INDIANA taxes. Since Bob had his consulting business up and running in Indianapolis in 2007, we have to pay taxes on that income. Yeah. I always put it off to the last minute. KY and Federal have been done since ealy March, though, so at least that has been off my plate for a while.

God/Church has always just been so routine for us. Its just "what we do" on Sunday. Beth still fights us about going, and I'm sure its because she's in that building 5 other days a week. But yesterday, she was ALL ABOUT going to Sunday school. Yeah! And Bob and I have finally found a Sunday school we like, too. Its the Books of the Bible, taught by our associate minister, who is much younger than we are! He does a good job and I've learned quite a LOT and had some interesting discussions. Outreach and Fellowship are really what the Methodists "preach." I "try" to do my fair share of outreach, but its hard for me. Fellowship is much more my style and the reason I started our Mom's Group. We're going on two years now and that makes me proud! This Saturday, we have our annual Great Day of Service (GDS), where all Church members are encouraged to sign up for one of MANY community service projects such as landcaping a local park, painting the inside of a local shelter, etc. We start the day with a service and communion and then we all go out and "do!" Everyone has the same color shirt on and its cool to drive around town and see all our Church members working so hard. This will be my second year as official GDS photographer, so I will attempt to drive to approximately 20-25 locations in about 2-3 hours to take group shots at each location, mainly to be used in promotional material for next year. Its my "thing." The coordinators of the event are always too busy to think about photography and its something that is needed. Beth & Sarah will stay at the Church to do their projects - Sarah's group (2 and under) will stay and just hang out, while Beth's group will work on things like cleaning the toys and planting flowers. She enjoyed it last year and I hope she does again this year. I think it helps get the kids used to "helping out at the Church" at a young age and its a cool idea!

The second reason "God/Church" is on my mind is because of last night's episode of Desperate Housewives. There was a storyline about how Lynnette, who has been affected by brain cancer and a horrible tornado, was searching for answers about God and asked her friend, Bree, if she could go to Church with her, since Bree was the only "religious" friend she had. After the sermon at the Church, Lynnette still had many unanswered questions so she raised her hand and asked the minister right there in the middle of the service. Bree about died from embarrassment, but it played out like Lynnette genuinely had some unanswered questions about God and Faith. The minister encouraged her to attend Bible study later that week. Lynnette happily accepted the offer, however, later that day, Bree approached her and during the converstaion, made the comment that Church wasn't the place for questions. HUH???? That if you just sit and listen to the sermon and the preacher each week, that eventually all your questions will be answered. HUH??? It all played out in the end and Bree eventually "came around" and talked to Lynnette about her faith, but gave no concrete answer as to WHY her "Faith" got her through her own tough times.

Okay - so why the rambing about a darn TV show? Well, Bree's answer to Lynnette really bothered me - Church ins't a place for questions? WHAT?!?! What kind of writer wrote that?? I'm not sure what they were trying to prove...maybe that the majority of people who go to Church are only there to be seen? That they aren't really there to learn anything or practice their faith? That its just habit and a social thing?? Because that is what I took from it. I DO think that a lot of people go to Church each Sunday because "its just what we do on Sundays." I agree to an extent, and I wish for myself that it will become more. I do believe as I get older that I'm wanting to have more theologocial dissussions and learn more. I do love my Church and do enjoy doing things for it. I enjoy the programs it offers and I enjoy inviting people to try it out!

I'm not entirely sure what my point is, other than the fact that the show last night just bugged me. Is that really how the average person sees Church-goers? Just going to be seen and to climb the social ladder? Hum....... (its definitely true at our Church around the election, though, and that irks me to no end...and around nursery school sign-up time, too!)

Okay - I'll get off my soapbox now - have a great week everyone!!

Hangin' Tough!

Remember these boys from Boston??

Well, they are all grown up now and still major cuties (in my opinion, at least!)

I'm feeling a little bit noustalgic because I just heard that New Kids On The Block are REUNITING and will be doing a reunion tour! How crazy is that! This article tells the tale, but it also made me realize I'm getting old! Hangin' Tough is 20 years old this year! Was I really TWELVE when it all started!?

http://music.msn.com/music/blockwatch?GT1=7702&silentchk=1&

It really feels like yesterday I was one of the screaming mimi's at Starwood Amphitheater - WAY BACK IN THE BACK - screaming, dancing and waving our hands like crazy, just so one of the "hot guys," like Joey or Jordon or Donnie, MIGHT see us, in the midst of that crowd of 25,000 preteen girls while Joey McIntyre croaned Please Don't Go Girl! I think I went to three of their concerts, had SO many scrapbooks and posters and bought all the teen magazines, like TigerBeat (remember THAT one!) for the fold-out posters, articles with tidbits that might give you an inside view into one of their lives' in Boston, or trivia questions about the boys. I guess every generation of girls has their own Boy Band and NKOTB was my generation's idols!!

Remember when you were singing along with these great one:

Step By Step

Didn't I (Blow your mind this time?)

You Got It (The Right Stuff)

I'll Be Loving You (Forever)

Ahhh...memories. I wonder if I can talk anyone into going with me to a reunion concert if they come anywhere near my neck of the woods? I know...cheesey, but think about it - how totally fun could that be!! Leave the kids and husbands at home and get a group of girls together and go and just be silly and goofy and 13 again? I'm totally in...anyone else?

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease

Sarah came home with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease last Wednesday. It started with a fever and never really progressed from there, although the daycare girl swore she saw blister in her mouth. Everytime I tried to look, she bit my finger! Its called Hand, Foot & Mouth because they can develop small blisters on the inside of their cheeks/throat and a rash on their hands and feet, that is supposively NOT painful or itchy. The doctor told me it was a virus and there wasn't anything he could do for her -just keep giving her Motrin/Tylenol for the fever and any pain she may have. Oh - and she had a sinus/ear infection, so he DID give her an Antibiotic for that. He said that it IS contagious and the incubation period is 3-6 days, so to keep an eye on Beth. He failed to mention to keep on eye on ourselves!!

Sunday, BOTH Bob and Beth came down with fevers - consistent, steady fevers. Motril and Tylenol would break them briefly, but the fever came up again. Bob complained of a sore throat (early symptom of HF&M). Beth has not said anything about her throat. Day 2 is today and fevers persist. I have NO fever, but I DO have a sore throat. HF&M or allergies- hard to say!

That's the health saga at our house. I'm SO hoping the fever doesn't get me - I don't have time for a fever!!!

Beautiful Beth the Ballerina

Yesterday was the 4-Year-Old Class CIRCUS! Beth was so excited about it - I'm not sure if she was more excited to be able to dance around on stage, walk on the balance beam or just wear the fancy outfit!! She did great and had a lot of fun! All the kids were purely adorable - they were all kinds of animals and characters, like tigers, lions, a monkey, a rabbit, a pony, a seal, an elephant, and a dog, as well as a strong-man and a clown, in addition to the 4 ballerinas!