Goodbye to my Youth...

Yikes. I'm 30 today. 30! Doesn't that sound so old? Wasn't I just partying with my friends at JR's? It does seem like a little while since high school, my reunion helped me with that, but I was JUST in college. I still think of myself as a little bit fun and cool (yes Chad, Todd & Heath...I know, I've never been cool). But I don't know what's in fashion or how "they" wear their hair these days...is the "Rachel" still in? So I'm taking a page from my friend Sarah's blog. Almost every post she puts down 10 things she's grateful/happy for.
So here's my list paying homage to this birthday: 30 things I'm happy/grateful for (in no particular order):

1. The 2nd anniversary of my 29th birthday (because it means I'm still alive...old, but alive).


2. Wade--the most perfect match for me & such an involved dad. I sure lucked out with him. (Quick side note: my Tulsa sisters will remember my first crush at TU (Erich Shadle)...ran into him a couple weekends ago. He was a waiter at the restaurant we were at. He's still a cutie, but his line of work would definately not support my 3 kids. He asked if we were in Tulsa or St. Louis now, so he gets definate "cool points" for remembering where I am from.
3. My Scrapbooking hobby-gives me an outlet for the 1000's of pictures I take.
4. Mt. Dew
5. My daily Y & R (Young & the Restless), because I've been following it for over 20 years (now that makes me sound old....and pathetic) but Mandy and I used to sneak a little portable TV up to Sunnybrooke Pool and watch it...that was 4th grade.
6. My high school friends. There is something about the people that have known you through these years that is bonding for life. Special kudos to Derek and Justin who always treat me like I've never been gone...even though I haven't lived there since '95. My grade school friends (mostly Micki and Mandy-who know what a geek I really am from my "head gear/braces/retainer" days.) and maybe the only 2 friends who really know my natural hair color :) (for those keeping track-it's dark again)
7. Riley-my curly headed spaz-that has more energy than most 4 (almost 5) year olds. And is a bigger help than I could ever imagine.


8. Bubble Baths, a glass of Reisling, and my Creating Keepsakes magazine (my favorite nightime ritual)
9. The computer-because I might not be in touch with some old friends if not for email. And for my friends that blog. Jaye...thanks for introducing me (and for letting me steal your template...almost exactly).
10. My mini-van. The first sign that I was old. I held off as long as I could but child #3 did me in. As far as minivans go, we're pretty blessed. Got everything we need and more...AND (Chad) it was the #1 ranked in Consumer Reports (easily beat out the Seinna).
11. Cade-and eyes that glisten when he smiles
12. Buckets-to catch puke so you don't have to clean as much out of the carpet
13. Music. It can take you back to another time. The Doors remind me of high school and Derek's house - "Island" dancing--Karen and Dave leading us all (thats D's parents for those that weren't lucky enough to be there). "Return of the Mac"...definately college and my sorority sisters. "Anvil Chorus" my dad pulling in and blarring it in the garage. Classical-Mom. Ratt-Chad. "Eye of the Tiger"--cheering. The year we all got new mattresses and we spent a few weeks with all the neighbors bouncing on the old ones in the garage to "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake (on a mixed tape we had to make by recording the song off of the radio)...back then there was no downloading music-you usually ended up with the DJ talking over the beginning and/or end. Fun times.
14. Brooke-my stationary little angel. I have only about another month before she becomes mobile and knocks my world upside down
15. My job at Scraphappys. Supports my habit, and allows me the chance to "escape" from the house when I need it.
16. Health-With all the things that could go wrong we are so blessed to be healthy and have 3 healthy kids...and we have a (half-eaten) jar of that tainted peanut butter and we're all good.
17. My family-Mom, Dad, all my brothers (& their wives/fiance's). Also all my in-laws in Tulsa and Tennessee. I LOVE having a big family. I can't imagine how it would be to not have my brothers. Although I always wanted a sister (until I joined a sorority) and now I know - I got the best deal just having the boys. Although I was forced to play w/ GI Joes & transformers a little too much!
18. My house. I love my house. My only complaint...(no playroom)--but that's a big one.
19. Pay at the pump. I could make a whole list of these...drive thru's (dry-cleaning, pharmacy, restaurants, bank, etc) When are they going to make a drive thru Pilates?
20. Another that could be a list in itself...the little things that make life easier...disposable diapers, microwaves, my digital camera (do you remember life without these? I can't even imagine the amount of money I'd spend on film and developing). It would take me a whole roll of film...just to get "that one" with all 3 looking at the camera.
21. Summer just around the corner. Cause it means flip flops (my favorite)...and gardening season for me. There is such a sense of accomplishment when you prepare a dinner with things you grew yourself...or eating watermelon off the vine. Yum.
22. "Lost" on Wednesdays, "Grey's Anatomy" on Thursday. What girl from my generation didn't fall for McDreamy during "Cant Buy Me Love"?
23. My tattoo...and the memory of all of us getting them together on our senior spring break trip in Vegas. And for getting it (in my opinion) in the best place possible, and for getting something that doesn't make me regret getting it 8 years later.
24. My neices (Kate' & Kelsey) and nephew (Aiden)...and the other one on the way. So my kids have cousins and holidays will never be dull (or quiet)! Was Christmas ever fun before kids?
25. To be living in the best country in the world.
26. Sampson. The world's most wonderful dog. Everyone who meets him says so. Even his grandmother who "hates" dogs likes him.
27. My mom's recipes. Sorry, but she is hands down the best cook. Undisputed. No contest.
28. Dr. Nilson (my own personal Dr. McDreamy) and 3 smooth, fast, deliveries. Got to keep having babies so I can keep going back. (Just kidding Wade...kind of.)
29. Super Target- possibly the best store on the planet...groceries, clothes, home decorating.
30. Wade giving me a trip to visit Christy in Boston for my birthday. And that we pushed the trip to St. Patrick's Day, because let's face it...besides Ireland is there any other place that would be a better place to be on St. Patty's day? Anyone know the best place to get Boston Creme Pie? You can bet I'll find it.

Wow. Long Blog. For those that complain I don't blog enough. Now you have plenty to read before I get back on.

My Valentines

My valentine is out of town, so these 3 became my valentines yesterday.

I know the day is supposed to be for Wade and I...but I dont know...Valentine's day just isnt a big deal to me. I'd really rather get flowers on a random day when Wade is just feeling the need to show some love. But as far as Valentine's day goes, I'm not a flower girl, I'm a little too practical for that, spend the money to get me an hour massage...

Now Valentines is a HUGE day if you're school-aged. Riley made her box and decorated it all up and was so excited for her school party. (I remember how fun that was!) She picked out Shrek valentines and her first special valentine was a boy named Griffin. He is the class "bad boy". Always getting in trouble and sent to time-out. When we have parties at the school he's the kid belching and making all the kids laugh and act up. And somehow she is crazy about him, she talks about him all the time. When it is her snack day and she gets to pick the helper...she chooses Griffin. This is her special friend. She picked out her first valentine for him. "This one is for Griffin...mommy! I want this one for Griffin. Mom---did you address this one to Griffin, cause this one is for Griffin!" Enough of Griffin. She's enthralled with him. Hope it's a stage. But I guess she comes by it honestly. I had a bad boy phase...his name was Donnie Wahlberg. And my room in middle school was dripping with him. It's like the New Kids threw up in my room and little Donnie chunks landed everywhere.

Patience

By the way, be patient with me if you have called/emailed this past week. I have over 200 unread messages in my inbox. So if you sent me a forward, joke, or link to another website...chances are I will not get to it right away or it may get "accidentally" deleted if it's a joke or forward. I hope to tackle a few everyday until its manageable. I will try to return calls later in the week too. But I've had other priorities lately.

Sick and Stir Crazy

The last time I posted an entry was a little over a week ago. I tend to update the site while Riley is at school (if I can get the other 2 to nap at the same time) or late at night after everyone is asleep. Little did I know that as I was posting my last entry on the blog my daughter was in the nurses office at her school with a 103.3 (oral) temp. So it turns out that all 3 kids have RSV. And as a double whammy, Riley also has a pretty substantial case of pneumonia. So we have once again been hermits for a week. Yesterday we went for a "re-check" to make sure Riley was clearing up and the diagnosis...all 3 have ear infections. We missed school all last week, missed church, missed Adonis's Superbowl Party, missed MOPS today, again we're stir crazy, AND the weather is beautiful--it's 65 today. Wade has been in Denver this week. He is home tomorrow and Thursday and then we wont see him again until the following Friday. So of the 12 days, he'll be home 10 of them. Now tell me that is a bit unfair? :(
I thought about going home, but I can't with the sick-o's. So I'm stuck.
As my sister-in-law Lindsey and I were talking about...there are 2 kinds of sick. The kind where you get to skip school and lay on the couch and watch movies all day.
Then there is this kind...

Just miserable and nothing helps.
This is what the kids bathroom counter looks like.
The kitchen counter is much the same. They all have to do breathing treatments, so it's loaded up with the nebulizer and the masks and the medicines for that .
The highlight of my week...that little glimmer that keeps me going--is that LOST is back on tomorrow night. Can't wait for that. And they moved it to a later time so we wont miss the beginning when we're putting the kids down anymore. Lovin' that!
And Riley is feeling a ton better than she was last week. All of their fevers are gone so I can only hope the other 2 are following suit.