Fried Chicken Cleaner

When will I learn not to open the door to strangers?

I absolutely HATE door-to-door salespeople. I don't know where these people get their training, but being overly enthusiastic about whatever piece of crap you are selling is NOT appealing to the customer! In fact it is really obnoxious and just makes me want to slam the door.

Too bad I can't just ignore them and pretend not to be home. As soon as the bell rings my dog is barking and my kids go running to the front door and press their little noses on the window to see who it is. Would it be horrible if I just let them stare as the stranger stands there awkwardly waiting for the "woman of the house" who will never come to answer? Would it be awkward if I joined them? Would he try to give me his spiel through the glass?

I had one of those annoying salesman come a few days ago, and boy was he psyched about his product! I would to if it was a big brown bottle of cleaner that tasted like fried chicken as he claimed his did. To prove his point he sprayed a few squirts on the palm of his hand and licked it clean off! Mmmm....very tempting....should I buy this $45 bottle of cleaner just so I can taste it? Um...no.

He cleaned the window by the door, he cleaned the wood floor by my feet. It's so versatile! Then to go even further to show what this miracle fried chicken cleaner can do he asked me for a pen because apparently he lost his a few houses back. He wanted to demonstrate how effective it is by writing on a cloth and using the cleaner to clean it! AMAZING! I had to see this!

I got him a pen Theo recently bought and after using it on the wash cloth he asked if he could keep it, then shoved it in his pocket before I could answer. I have to back up here a few clicks and tell you that pens in our house are very scarce. I know it sounds odd, but we don't have the ability to retain pens in our home. For some reason they just disappear. Weird.

After his demonstration he started to ask what my last name was so he could start filling out the order form before I committed to anything. I told him I wasn't interested and can I please have my pen back. He actually seemed offended that I asked for MY pen back. He was shocked and asked "You don't have any pens in your house?". I'm like, "Seriously, we have issues with keeping pens.". Then he asked if we have a permanent marker that he could have since his was lost, if you remember. I thought it was awkward that he was asking me to replace something that he was trying to basically steal from me. But I was trying to be friendly and found a couple of off brand permanent markers in the cabinet. I thought I was being nice by giving him 2 instead of just one, but when he looked at them he started studying them to make sure they were indeed permanent. For one thing, pens aren't permanent, which is the first writing utensil he used and now he's all particular that it HAS to be permanent? And second, considering he is basically asking for a handout he really isn't in the position to be picky.

After finally admitting defeat and realizing that I wasn't going to purchase his product, he asks if I can recommend any of my neighbors and if they are as "cool" as me. I thought, you mean will they listen to your song and dance (literally) and then generously give you two free pens....probably not. So good luck with that, and wish me luck with my "no-open door policy".

Paci Love

Ah....this is the life!

Dude, where's my paci?

I SAID WHERE IS MY PACI???!!!

Whew, that's better.

Nite, nite

Getting Old

I've been putting off writing a post because truth be told I really like that last post. I tend to do that, keep a post up for a while if I'm exceptionally proud of myself for what I typed. And I am of that post. *patting self on the back*

Speaking of posts that I am really proud of I was looking back over some previous new year resolution posts and how can we forget THIS little nugget? And yes, it is still on my fridge.

It's funny how last year at this time I was battling the bulge left over from baby weight. But within a few months I dropped about 15 pounds preparing to run my very first half marathon at the Disney World Princess Half Marathon. I was in peak physical shape, (well peak for me) and motivated to keep on going for a healthy weight and to once and for all be a bona fide athlete and look like one.

But then I got preggers.

I went from running 10 miles every Saturday to barely being able to walk around the house within 5 months. I beached myself on my bed and started packing on the pounds.

Now here I am a year later, in the same position as last year. I am very eager and anxious to pick up my running again, even dreaming about it. With Hannah, I was back pounding the pavement when she was only 4 weeks old. It felt great! I totally thought I was going to pick up again after Charlotte. At 3 weeks I attempted it. The first mile felt awesome! I felt like I was soaring! But then I felt my body literally start to deflate once I hit the 1.5 mark. I stopped and paid the price for a week! I tried again at 4 weeks, this time just walking, again, paid the price for a week! Now she is 5 weeks and my confidence has been shattered as to my bodies ability to bounce back the way it used to.

I know it's too early and I shouldn't be beating myself up about it. It's just the fact that I once was able to. I guess I'm just getting old.

What's In a Name?

While being pregnant with this sweet little peanut, my mind was littered with names. I had no idea what her name should be. Of course I had some names that crept to the top of my list only to fall short after a few weeks of consideration.

Finally my list consisted of three names: Cora, Jillian and Charlotte. I was certain it was Cora, then it fell from grace and Charlotte took it's spot. I still wasn't feeling 100 percent about it and that's when Jillian came up. I told everyone I was just going to have to wait until I meet her to know what her name is suppose to be.

The night she was born, she was all kinds of nasty and goop covered. The nurses whisked her over to the weighing table to get her cleaned up only after I got a quick glance of her perfectly spherical head and counted all ten fingers and toes. I hadn't had that bonding moment where I looked into her eyes and announced to everyone in the room that her name is.....

As they were cleaning her up one of the nurses asked what her name is. Before I could respond Theo says, "Charlotte!". I felt like my thunder was knocked out of me, I hadn't had time for my revelation to kick in yet. But I relented and just went with the flow. Once the nurses started to clear the room and leaving Theo and I to ourselves with our new family addition he asks me if 'Charlotte' was okay. I felt that even though he announced it to a room full of nurses that we will never see again and we haven't signed any Social Security papers that the name was already established.

It's still hard for me to call her Charlotte, not because I don't love the name, but because I feel like she was suppose to be called something else. Unfortunately it isn't one of the other 2 names on my list either. I can't be bitter about it because with all our kids I have asked Theo's opinion on their names and he has always left it up to me. Now with our 5th and final baby he really wanted the name Charlotte.

I think I love the idea that he named one of our babies more than any name he could have picked. So Charlotte it is.

Renki the Magical Elf

Do you see him?

This adorable Elf is from the cute kid's book, "The Elf on the Shelf". Some of the girls I teach in my Sunday primary class were talking about it and I remembered hearing about this before. I thought it was such a cute idea that I went out that Monday and got the kit from Books-A-Million for a fun FHE night.

We read the book and named the Elf; Renki. (That's 'Ikner' spelled backwards, Theo's brilliant idea!) We went around the room introducing all the kids. Tobie very cooly replied, "What's up?", Miriam gave an energetic wave accompanied by a giggle, Emma growled at the unwanted attention from the doll and Hannah just sweetly waved.

They believe in this Elf's magic so earnestly that I believe he could have jumped up and done a jig, but that would be against Santa's law, so he sits obediently on his perch and quietly watches the kids while making mental notes to report back to Santa with.

The night went smoothly. The kids were more helpful, more obedient and showed love and courtesy towards one another. If any one of them got out of line, the other would gently remind them, "Renki's watching you.". Which would quickly snap them out of their bout of disobedience.

It was all going well....until it was time to go to bed. When the lights go out, apparently that cute little Santa's helper becomes a minion of the Dark Lord's. It worked out alright as far as the two girls were concerned. They were paralyzed with fear to their beds. But we had to deal with Tobie sprinting across the house to our bedroom as he kept checking behind him to make sure that the possessed doll wasn't following him. Each time we had to chase him back to his room, and each time he came back just to let us know how much "dolls that move FREAK ME OUT!".

After a night of sleeping on our bedroom floor, he has gotten use to the idea of Renki. All the kids have, and they love waking up the next morning having to find where his next sitting spot will be.

Even though I'm glad that they got used to Renki, that also meant they got used to his presence and their true natures have come out already. That slight reminder that Renki is watching, doesn't hold as much power as it did at the beginning of the week. Oh well, I guess that's better than thinking Renki is out to bite their legs off or something gory like that.

Nearing the End

As I get closer to the end of my pregnancy I get less and less motivated to make a posting. Mainly because I have no pictures to share. I may one day get around to posting some of the random pictures that my Theo has taken, but right now my brain isn't functioning on all cylinders to stay focused as I wait for the pictures to load and then come up with some informative description of what is happening in said pictures.

When the new baby comes I guarantee that there will be pictures.

On another note about pictures, I have always been envious of people who take awesome pictures to post. It makes me wish that I could be there participating in their picturesque holiday. But then I see that one picture of the questionable Uncle, or the Grandmother that I know uses too much Dollar Store powder on her face and I wonder;

"What do they smell like?"

And then my curiosity is curved. What can I say, I'm a smeller. I will hold my breathe when walking past questionable looking people just so their smell doesn't penetrate my nostrils.

Am I the only one that does this?

My Little Runner

Last Saturday was Tobie's first run! He was so excited! His school even started a running program this year called the Star Chasers, where after school on Wednesday's they run around the field getting a charm for every lap. Twice around is 1 mile. On race day he was more than ready. His Dad had just ran the 10K, but still got in line with Tobie to run one more mile with him. My main concern was that he wasn't going to make it. But apparently all that worrying was for nothing. Theo said he was racing different kids the whole way. He would get beside a kid and keep his pace, picking it up turning it into a one-on-one until the other kid finally pooped out and fell behind. Then Tobie was on to the next kid in front of him. I thought I had plenty of time to walk down to the finish line and get a great shot of him crossing it, but just under 10 minutes Tobie goes flying by me! He wasn't even winded when he got to the end. He even asked me, "Is that it?".

I think it is absolutely wonderful that he has taken such a liking to running. I've only become a runner in the past few years, but my whole life I secretly wanted to be athletic. I would cover up the disappointment in myself by telling people running was against my religion. It was all funny, but deep down I so wanted that life for myself. Now my son is picking it up at such a young age, and I know that Theo and I have been a big influence on him, but seeing his enthusiasm is going to be the motivation I need to keep it up.