Sleeping Beauty

Dressed up to go out!

Cora is my dancer. She loves everything about dancing. She has even choreographed a dance to one of our Wizard of Oz songs, that she does for us here at home. It was such a wonderful experience this week for me to take her to the Russian Ballet performance of "Sleeping Beauty". We got dressed up, went to a nice dinner and watched three hours of ballet dancers. It was great. Cora said a couple things I don't want to forget. First: "The boys look really funny in their tights." (yes, they do) "Someday, that will be me dancing the part of Sleeping Beauty." (yes, it will) I love Cora my sweet little dancer.

Deep Sleep

I laid down to take a nap this afternoon. It seemed like the perfect timing. Shae was home, the girls were playing somewhat quietly and dinner was cooking in the crock pot. I had no worries. I thought I would try to sleep for an hour or less so that I could sleep tonight. I asked Shae to wake me at 5:30 so that I could finish dinner preparations. I laid down and fell immediately asleep. At 5:30 Shae came in and told me the time. I was so confused, and from what he tells me apparently I told him I was confused and asked him why he was getting me up at 5:30. I thought it was a.m. He smiled and kindly reminded me that it was Sunday and I had just been taking a nap. After I asked a few more questions, none of which I remember I was finally convinced that it was indeed Sunday afternoon. Once I got moving and working on finishing dinner I felt awake and energized. While Shae and I were visiting later he commented about how confused I seemed after my nap and said I must have really been in a deep sleep. I believe I was. Then he said, thinking back he should have told me that I was just coming back from the future and it could be a little confusing or I just came out of the Matrix and it takes some time to readjust. What a funny guy he thinks he is, well I think he is too, but seriously I am glad he didn't try and trick me. It might have taken me that much longer to figure out what was going on. I did have a very good sleep, the problem is that it was so good now at midnight I'm not tired. *note to self* take short naps that aren't so intensive, then I can sleep in the evening too.

My two loves

My two loves are sunshine and music.

I have to say my true love is Shae. He knows me so well that he got me the perfect Christmas presents. I know that it is a little past the holiday but I have been enjoying these gifts so much that I needed to take a moment to brag about him and them.

Shae noticed that I have been a little blue lately (as in sort of depressed or down). He also noticed that it seemed to be when it was cloudy and cold and I hadn't been in the sun for a while. He told me he had been recognizing this pattern of the last few years - winter would start to come, it would get cold, I would get sad and start to hibernate, sleeping and feeling exhausted and not motivated to do much aka being grouchy and not happy or fun to be around. I read Kirsty's blog last year about SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I didn't think much about the fact that I might also have it. She recently posted here about it http://momedy.blogspot.com/2008_12_07_archive.html (please copy and paste it in your web browser).

Shae hadn't read her blog but started doing a little research on his own and decided that I must have SAD. (I happen to agree with him wholeheartedly). When I opened my presents from him Christmas morning I was thrilled. I had gotten a SAD light. He started to explain very quickly what this apparently odd light was and why he bought it. I already knew what it was, thanks to Kirsty, and was thrilled he bought it. I love my light. I read with it most mornings and it really has made a difference. It is very hard on me when the sun isn't out and this light really helps.

My other amazing gift...an ipod nano. I am so excited to have one. I love to listen to music whenever I can. It is such a perfect present and it will be wonderful for my runs, when I get back out there. (I just can't run in the freezing frigid weather and I don't have a treadmill). I use our elliptical trainer and stationary bike in the winter. And Shae would like me to give his punching bag another try, we'll see ;)

*GUSHING* Shae is truly amazing and loving. I am grateful to have such a wonderful loving husband who takes such good care of me.

A boy would know...

Today after another successful trip to the dentist, Cora and I headed to meet Shae for lunch. On the way to his office a very nice looking car pulled up next to me and then got in front of me in my lane. We were in pretty slow traffic so I had lots of time to check the nice vehicle in front of me out. I was trying to figure out what kind of car it was. In my head I pronounced what I saw on the trunk of the car as Maz- are- tee. What kind of car was a Mazaretee? Then I laughed out loud. Duh, a Maz-oo-ra-tee actually spelled Masarati. Well, give me some slack I hadn't ever seen one in real life and it took a minute for it to sink in. After all weren't we taught to read phonetically when we don't know a word on sight. I guarantee Shae would have know right off, what boy doesn't know his cars? I would be hard pressed to guess, since obviously I can't read either.

Peace mixed with insanity

The kids are out of school for two and a half weeks. I love when they are home and we can just relax. There is no set routine, we sleep in, stay in our pjs and just enjoy being home...well most of the time. This morning Elise has been quietly reading a book while her younger sisters have played dress up, dance class and made projects. All was fairly peaceful with the minor skirmishes here and there. I went down to the laundry room to work on the clothes when I heard all sorts of screaming and yelling. I went upstairs to find Cora and Adelle fighting over a fork they wanted to use for the play doh. There was no talking to them so I just sent them to their respective rooms to calm down. I went down stairs to finish the part of the laundry I was working on while they cooled off. When I went upstairs to talk to each child I asked if there was a better solution to having one fork than hitting each other and screaming. Adelle told me that she just wanted to use it, but then we agreed that with so many forks in our silverware drawer she could probably just get another one. When I went in to talk to Cora (the one who was doing the hitting) I reminded her that hitting is not okay - and I asked if she could think of a better solution. She told me "well, I told Adelle she could wait until I was done with the fork, she got mad and yelled so I hit her." I explained that while telling her she should wait was a good idea the hitting wasn't and by the way... don't we have a lot of forks that she could have got another one? She said "yes, there are lots of forks, I just didn't want to get another one dirty." So in the end it is my fault...I try so hard to keep them on top of cleaning up after themselves that Cora is staying ahead of the game by not getting stuff dirty. Oh well, I never said I was mother of the year...okay yes I did, but that was just a joke. It is good to have a little crazy mixed in with the peace, it keeps me on my toes.

My Absolutely Adorable Girls

I got a Golden Ticket

I got a golden ticket, well actually it was more fluorescent yellow and it said "Clinic Patient", not "Winner of a trip to Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory. But hey, I needed to find something good about the fact that I found myself at the insta care clinic yet again, on Sunday,and this time it was for me. Yes, folks I now have strep throat. All of the wishing, hoping and hand washing did not prevent me from getting the sickness my kids have managed to so kindly share...again. I had been hoping this sore throat over the last three days was just the beginning of a cold. I even convinced myself that I was fine enough to go to church and sing a duet for the Christmas program, but shortly after it ended I drove myself to the clinic so I could get on some meds and kick this thing. The truth is I don't have time to be sick, what Woman does? I have about a million things to do tomorrow not the least of which is take the kids to the dentist to get teeth cleaned. (I would cancel and reschedule but they are already four, five, maybe sixth months overdue.. but whose counting?...because I am such a great Mom and remember to take them for their six month checkups). So we are squeezing it in the end of the year. Anyway, the ticket I mentioned earlier is what the nurse gives you in the clinic once you have recieved your diagnosis so the pharmacy will bump you up in line to get your prescription faster. This translates to waiting 15 more minutes as opposed to 20. (Thank goodness for the extra five minutes). To top off the awesome day, and my awesome ticket it has been 7 degrees outside with a windchill of -5. But hey I am not complaining!! Santa is coming this week and I don't want to get coal because I was whiney. So Yippee for me...I got a golden ticket and medication to make me well.