you can almost see her lips moving "oil... can".... j/k more like "oy just take the picture you chud!!"
(learned a new word from her today -- "chud" -- apparently it might be a pennsylvanian thing?....)
I mean really -- who *wouldn't* walk 2.3 miles for that face???
here's another good one from a different angle -- and apparently cleaner glass :D
but I beat you -- and trust me, this shocks me more than you know.... my score on the quiz was...
FilmCritic.com - Movie Reviews
Here is one pic of the cousins hanging out for the first time...
Here's one of me with Elizabeth and Kate both playing with "Auntie Kristen/Tutti Fuzzie BLING" -- (my new watch from Fossil)
A good one of Guapa with Elizabeth...
Guapa has his hands FULL -- 3 grandbabies!!
And one last one for now -- a really cute one of Guapa and Nana with all the babies...
This was my favorite family photo even though Andy was talking and Mia was sticking her tongue out...
This one is Mom and Mia making Elizabeth the "cheese" in the "kiss sandwich"... Mia is the Bologna in the kiss sandwich and Kate is the Bronschweiger (probly spelled that wrong)... so Elizabeth gets to be the cheese...
This one is Mia and a new friend marching through the fountains at the park at Ballantrae...
and lastly this is me, Tutti Fuzzie (long story short, Fuzzie is my nickname from my Dad from when i was 2, and tutti came from me driving to Georgia and getting the word for aunt in italian wrong, but Dad and David loving it so it stuck) -- Tutti Fuzzie in heaven with double baby bonding... What a great week - as Dad put it "Tutti Fuzzie didn't have a cold lap all week!"
a friend of mine just read my post about energy levels etc. and sent me to a website with a post by a lady who suffers from Lupus. Just for clarification purposes, I do NOT have Lupus, but the way that she explains fatigue and energy levels is very much like what I am going through at the moment -- so please read it and you will understand more of what my life is like right now.
The SPOON THEORY by Christine Miserandino
Isn't she gorgeous????
I've finally gotten some editing software so I have changed the size of the pic and will post more pics soon!
Ok so I got wrapped up in story telling -- lol -- that happens to me a lot. What I originally sat down (an hour ago) to blog about was what I've been going through physically since the surgery.
The surgery was 10 weeks ago -- and I never really knew what to expect from the beginning. I knew they had to take it, and I'm glad they did (especially since there was a little teeny bit of cancer in there) and I'm thankful for being able to breathe better (especially at night)... but o my word I am really struggling here.
There's just not much for describing how it feels to have to take a nap after unloading the dishwasher or going to the grocery store. You feel very fragile and feeble and for a 34 year old girl, that is devastating. I'm supposed to be in part of the prime of my life and I feel like I'm so weak and have NO confidence in anything. I have been doubting my strength, my self-esteem, my husband's love for me, everything. It has been awful. I have never felt like this before.
On top of all of that good fun, I have been having muscle issues -- basically I get charlie-horses but I also get cramping in the muscles in my back and arm and neck and everywhere... especially at night when I toss and turn, I would roll over and suddenly be in agony as all the muscles in my lower back just seize up.
I talked to my uncle about this (he's an endocrinologist) and he asked me how much calcium and vitamin D am I taking... and originally when in my follow up appointment with the surgeon, he mentioned for me to take a calcium supplement for a few weeks, and then "wean myself off of it after that"... well according to my uncle, this calcium supplement is now part of my life forever... and not only that, but I was only taking 1 tablet a day (they are these really enormous horse pills!!) -- my uncle said I'm supposed to be taking FOUR of these horse pills a day to get the right amount.
So I went out and found a double-dose horse pill so I only have to take two a day, but still... o my word.
In other fun medical news in my life, I have started a new med which will make me feel nauseous for the first week or so while my body gets used to it.
My wise words of advice for you all? Don't get older... it stinks.
On the Friday of the Familyfest, I made eggrolls in the morning. Mom and I had talked before everyone arrived about what kinds of fun family foods we would make for the boys and that was at the top of the list. I know how she dreads making them, and I don't mind it, so I volunteered (to her relief!) to make them -- and Friday morning seemed like the best time.
The plan on Friday was that the Dunlaps (family friends from when we were growing up in Sidney) were going to stop by to see the boys and to meet Elizabeth (they kind of adopted David as theirs since Dave and their son Ben were best buds) -- they were going to be coming for lunch, and then all us girls (Katie, Ali and me) were going to be going for a pedicure at 2pm.
I went shopping for the ingredients at 8am, got home about 9:15 ish and felt exhausted (more again in a following post about my muscles and energy) -- but I just pressed on and got to it and started making the eggrolls. All the while I was also running up and down into the basement because I had laundry going. The eggrolls took a few hours to make -- I finished them about 12:15, Mom had called about 12 to say that the Dunlaps were there and that I should come now. I asked her what I should do with the eggrolls -- she said just bring them.
So I got all loaded up in to the car, and headed on over. When I got there, they were all hanging out -- the guys had gone golfing together (both my brothers, my dad and Andy) and the Dunlaps were there and so I got a nice big greeting as I came in with armfuls of eggrolls. The Dunlaps are wonderful -- they know exactly how much effort goes into eggrolls and they were there the last time I made them too (for Mom's surprise party) and they make a big fuss over how excellent they are and what a treat it is to have them and they just know how to make a girl feel good about her cooking! So three steps into the door, the eggrolls got passed off to Mom and suddenly Mia ran over to me saying "Aunt Kristen!!" and kind of held her arms up as she leaned up against me. I was stunned but luckily was able to still think "duh Kristen, pick her up!" and so I picked her up and she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a big warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. I was LOVING that. That was the first one ever -- I've gotten hugs from her before but they're the "ok hug everybody goodbye" kind -- but that one was spontaneous and sweet and I truly cherished it.
Last week was a big fun-filled-baby-holding-familyfest and I LOVED IT.
Brian and Ali and Mia and Kate came into town on the Saturday (the 30th of June). I got to meet Kate for the first time when they arrived (Kate was born mid-January -- she's 5 1/2 months old and a real cutie!! She's a big smiler) and that was precious -- we bonded big time. Mia was her usual self (she's 3 now) -- wary at first but by that evening dying to show me all her tricks, how high she can jump etc.
Then Dave and Katie and Elizabeth (who is 1 month old) arrived on the 4th of July at the Dayton airport (I went to pick them up). I actually ran into the couple who lived next to Mom and Dad's house in Sidney while we were growing up -- my brothers were great friends with their sons -- they were at the airport dropping off a friend -- it was funny to run into them, I hadn't seen either of them since David's H.S. graduation about 14 years ago. Andy went to the Dublin parade while I was picking up Dave and Katie -- he liked it but he was disappointed that it wasn't as good as 2 years ago (and I reminded him that that was the pinnacle of good parade -- it was his first parade experience ever, it was our first 4th of July in the States etc. -- not gonna get any more exciting than that I'm afraid).
The Fourth was great fun -- we just spent the time hanging out and laughing and then we had an enormous meal and could hear the concert going on over at the high school (Village People and KC and the Sunshine Band!) -- Andy was dying to go over there, so he and I went and the rest of the family found a place nearby to sit on a hill to watch the fireworks. We ended up high up in the stands, which was fine, it was a good spot, not overly crowded and we had a good view of the concert. The Village People had finished by then and it was KC's turn. Excellent music -- really enjoyed that, all except for the ummm "dancers" that he had with him on the stage -- their style of dancing was more suited for a place with many men, a few poles and less clothing (well they did change outfits a few times and one or two of them were much "less"). But because we were that far away, it was fine -- I did feel pity for those closer to the stage.
Then the fireworks began and they were excellent. Dublin really pours a lot of money into their fireworks and it shows. Unfortunately they don't put as much into the music that they play during the fireworks... I was wishing I'd had my i-pod with me to make my own soundtrack for the fireworks, but o well! There were so many fireworks that I started to get a crick in my neck... but that also could have just been me and my freaky muscles (more about this in my next post)...
After the fireworks, we filed out with the other 2 million (ok ok it wasn't *that* many but it sure felt like it!! I have crowd anxiety -- so 100 ppl feels like 100,000 to me) people and walked back to my parents house. Dad was kind enough to drop us off so I wouldn't have to walk there and then walk back -- it's about 2 miles and I can make that walk once but not twice, so I was thankful.
Dad's birthday (the 5th of July) was a lot of fun -- we just spent the day relaxing and having a good time -- it was hilarious -- Mom had taken Bri and Mia to go pick up Dad's cake, and so I came over and as soon as I walked in the house (as was typical for the whole week) I would be handed or I would take a baby from one of the moms -- this time it was Kate I was holding (I think Ali wanted a shower or something). So I'm happily holding Kate and she's grinning and playing with my new "Auntie Kristen bling" watch (THANK YOU AUNT ANNE!!!!) from Fossil. Dad comes in and starts moaning at me about how I'm always holding a baby and how I haven't had a cold lap all week etc. And I came back with "Have I ever stolen a baby from you or hogged one when you wanted her?" and he had to admit that no, I hadn't done that! It's been GREAT because there are enough babies to go around!! So I asked if he wanted Kate and he said yes -- so I gave her to him and he turned away from me to go and get her balloon from a few feet away -- and the funniest thing is that in that short few seconds that he turned away, Katie came downstairs and said to me "can you please hold Elizabeth while I go and do something" and I was like "sure!" -- so that when Dad turned back around with Kate and her balloon, there I was sitting, grinning like a Cheshire Cat, with ANOTHER BABY!! He laughed and the put Kate on my lap too -- so I had them both -- and they took a few pictures -- I'll have to see if I can get that one and post it.
So now I am in baby-withdrawal... big time!! Come back babies!! Move to Ohio!!!!! Please??
A few weeks ago I went to lunch with a really fun (and crazy) family from church -- I dearly love this family -- and they invited Andy and I to join them today for another adventure at Windchimes Chinese restaurant. Another fabulous yummy meal and lots of laughter ensued.
This time when we got to the fortunes, their daughter Jill wins for the best one -- hers was "Saints become sinners when they keep on trying... in the bedroom" !!!
Mine was second runner up as: "Delay is the antidote for anger.... in the bedroom" niiiiiice.