Abby Ed

Family Update

2011-11-07T11:38:00.002-07:00

Well, our backyard is officially transformed. However, it's losing its leaves and dying right now.

Maryn is almost 11 months, and I have no idea where the time went. All of those cliches about how fast they grow and you blink and they can say "Da-da" and hold their own bottles are so true. Everyday she gets more and more amazing. She gets around by moving and rolling and scooting and has yet to crawl. I think one day she'll just stand up ready to run a marathon, and quite frankly, I am in no hurry for the mobilization of Maryn. It's a lot easier when she can be contained, and I am quite certain she will walk and not roll and scoot to elementary school.

She says "da-da-da-da-da" and all other forms of consonant-a you can think of except for "ma-ma." It's a little disappointing, but everyone keeps telling me once she starts she'll be saying it constantly for the rest of my life.

Well, it's a short update, but I don't even want to discuss Tech football. It's heartbreaking...

P.S. There are hopefully going to be changes coming our way in the near future, at least that's what my fortune cookie said..

P.P.S. I will try to post updates more often. Sorry it has been such a long hiatus, but Maryn keeps me busy!

Backyard Transformation-In-Progress

2011-06-26T20:53:00.007-06:00

Our backyard is a work in progress. With a little elbow grease (and by "elbow" I mean Greg's elbow, not mine...someone has to watch the baby) we have turned our backyard from an eye sore to beauty galore. (Tried to find a lame rhyme).

Three dogs really take a toll on one's yard. And, seeing as how we live in a fishbowl, we were quite embarrassed that our neighbors could see our ugly yard, and we wanted to give ourselves a somewhat feeling of privacy. Greg has been working weekends to fix up our yard, and he has done such a great job! He tells me yard work is relaxing...I'll take his word for it.

It's still a work in progress, we are eventually going to add to our patio and such, but as you can see, it's looking so much better. We can actually sit out there and drink wine or coffee and look at the beautiful peak.

The before picture. (Notice, Greg had already started working when I shouted: "Wait! I have to get a before pic for the blog!")

Greg starting to dig out the flowerbed, with Cooper's help.

Flowerbed done, with trees. The little trees help with the privacy. There is an aspen in the left corner (every good Coloradoan must have one) and two maples. We were only going to do one maple, but then Greg called me from Home Depot and said: "I don't know where we're gonna put it, but I have to buy this tree, it's huge and cheap!" I still don't know how we got it out of the truck and into the ground with just the two of us. We had to adjust the shape of the bed and the placement of the little trees. It was a good buy though.

Another view of of the trees.

And...drum roll please...the Semi-After!! We put down sod and added lilac and burning bushes!

We put sod in a couple of weeks ago and finished the other half today, that's why the grass looks different. We also left a spot by the patio blank where we plan on extending our patio. (We didn't just measure wrong!)

Can you even take it how green Colorado is right now? We got home from Texas and were astonished at how green everything here is. It's beautiful!

So, it's still a work in progress, but I sure am proud of Greg and his hard work. Now, if we can keep the dogs from killing it, especially Wyatt and his radioactive urine....

P.S. No, there are no flowers because the dogs would probably just trample them...

P.P.S. Those of you with alleys should be quite thankful...

Season 5 is Under Way!

2011-06-15T07:32:00.003-06:00

Well, Greg and I wrapped up season 4! Season 4 brought us such great memories. Babies, puppies, cruises, and so much more. It was so great, I am excited for season 5.

I have become less bitter about social networking. I am totally back into it. It just became too much at one point. Now, I am back to enjoying pictures of people's kids and pets and vacations. I think I was only unfriended by one person because of my blog. Oh well!

Maryn is almost 6 months old. We are so lucky to have her. She is starting to get more and more independent everyday. She loves her exersaucer and her jumper. She loves sweet potatoes and bananas, and she is wobbly, but sits up without assistance. Mommy and daddy can make her giggle, but we can also make her mad. Don't take anything away from her, she'll tell you how angry she is with a mad wail. (That's when I call her a diva!)

I have decided to get started on the process to get my teacher certification. I will probably try and get a teaching job for the fall of 2012. I'm not quite ready to put Maryn into daycare right now, although I am not sure I ever will be... I miss being a teacher. I miss the students and the coworkers and the professional development, among other things. So, that's what I am going to do. It will get us out of debt and save for Maryn's college. (Texas Tech or an ivy league, not A&M or she'll be paying for herself...UT..hmmm...we'll talk). It's really not about the money. It's about using my training, and my degree, and doing what makes me happy.

It's hard to decide to work when you have the option to stay home. Mothers who stay at home wish they worked. Working mothers wish they were home. The grass is always greener... Colorado Springs is my home now, and I love it here. The people, the weather, the traffic control (seriously, Lubbock, I almost pulled out every piece of my hair every time I had to drive down Slide), the newscasters, the neighborhood I live in, the proximity to Maryn's Aunt and Uncle, the Pottery Barn, and most of all the scenery. I was just thinking about asking Greg if we could put a little office area in the upstairs bedroom so that when I am teaching I can do some work up there and be able to get an amazing view of the Peak. I am ready to plant my roots!

So, that's my plan. I am quite excited about it. It's a process. Take another test, get fingerprinted, contact former supervisors, and pay for something every step of the way. It's going to be worth it!

P.S. Seriously, so not as bitter anymore. Didn't mean to sound like a grump in my last post!

P.P.S. My weight battle is continuing. I've lost all the baby weight, now I am working on the fat I had even before the baby...

Social Networking Hiatus

2011-04-20T13:53:00.005-06:00

I think I need a social networking hiatus. I am starting to be very bitter about it all.

At first, I thought it was neat to find old friends, connect with family, and such on Facebook. Now, it seems that these status updates, likes, photos of how awesome you are and such have run amok, and I am guilty, too.

At first, status updates seemed to be about: Hey- what are you doing right now? Now, it seems, that all they are are everyone's soapbox. Each time I log on, which has become fewer and fewer times by the day, I seem to instantly regret it because all there is are everyone's strong opinions, and God forbid someone disagree, it becomes the argument of the century. And people are so combative, it seems. Everyone wants the last word, and it just makes me tired, because, in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter?

I was this close (imagine my long skinny thumb and pointer finger about an inch apart) to deleting my account. This close. But, then my sister convinced me not to. Because, as she pointed out, there are some people on there that I do want to keep in touch with, who's opinions do matter to me. And, that's true. But I will be on there far less than I used to be. I have already deleted the Facebook apps from my phone and iPad, so it is a lot less convenient. And, I am in the process of deleting a lot of pictures of myself and Maryn.

As my oh-so-wise husband said of the reason he never participated in the Facebook phenomenon: "It's just a lot of people who feel they should be heard, and rarely have anything intelligent to say."

P.S. Sorry this blog is short, I had to go check my Facebook...darn you Zuckerberg!

P.P.S. Abby- aren't you doing the same thing by using your blog as your soapbox? I suppose, but it is called "AbbyEd" for a reason.

To The Country

2011-04-12T08:35:00.009-06:00

A little while ago, Greg and I made our first trek to Weatherford with Maryn to visit Gamma and Granddad. It was lovely. Their backyard does not have the fishbowl effect like our's- meaning that all of your neighbors can observe, watch, judge everything you do in your backyard like you are their own personal goldfish family, so we were able to enjoy lounging outside. We hadn't been to Weatherford since Christmas 2009, so we were anxious to get back, and especially introduce Maryn to the country. Gamma had everything we needed, including a wonderful room for Maryn with all of her necessities, which made it so much easier for Greg and me.

Greg's aunts and some of The Edmiston's friends threw Maryn a lovely party so she could meet friends and family. It was wonderful to see everyone there. Maryn is lucky to have so many people love her! Greg has an amazing family, just like me. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends...we have all of the above on both sides and they are all so wonderful.

I am quite attached to this little girl. I try to consciously commit everything to memory so I can tell her all about herself as a baby. How when we rock her to sleep at night it takes forever for her to actually close her eyes all of the way and if you can still see a hint of blue eyes under those heavy eyelids that just refuse to close, you can't put her in the crib or they will spring open and a big toothless smile will appear as if to say: "Tricked ya!"

How when she is in her swing and "fussing" as soon as I walk over to her she pulls out that same smile as if to say: "Ha! I knew I could get you over here!"

How she drops her moose when she's sitting in her bumbo and then looks at me with questions in her eyes that say:"Where did it go?" and "Aren't you going to get that for me?"

How her baby stretches are the most adorable thing you will ever see. The first thing she does when she wakes up in the morning is arch that back and stretch these arms way above her head, making herself look older than she is.

Or how right now she is tucked sleeping/snoring under my left arm right now, which makes me have to hen-peck the keys (I would never, ever let my students type this way) and every once in a while she moves her hand and sends a few extemporaneous z's flying onto the screen.

These are the memories I want to keep in the files in my mind to pull out later when there are slamming doors and rolling eyes. How big is a memory? Does it get so full you have to kick some stuff out? I definitely have some high school stuff I would gladly get rid of and replace with Maryn memories...

P.S. No more trips for awhile, thank goodness!

P.P.S. I didn't plan on this blog being so baby-centric, but I suppose it mirrors our lives!

3 months!

2011-03-21T09:07:00.003-06:00

Today Maryn is 3 months old, and she is so much fun! I think that everyday she looks different. She has a new face or new sound she makes. I think each morning I tell Greg that she looks older, which is bittersweet to me. I love being able to hold and rock her and make her smile, but I'm excited for the days she and I can do crafts and color and play and such.

Some of her favorite things right now are singing and reading. Each day we sing our songs: the English, Spanish, and Greek alphabets, the days of the week, the months of the year, the 50 states, "Pat a cake", "I went to the animal fair", and "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," just to name a few. Her favorite right now is the months of the year song. She tires to sing along by Oohing and it's adorable!

Maryn already loves books. Dr. Seuss is her favorite right now. "Green Eggs, and Ham," "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," "Cat in the Hat," and the Dr. Seuss ABC's are read over and over and she coos along with me and kicks her legs and smiles. I don't know what it is about this guy, but she loves those books. He was definitely onto something. I think the pictures have lots of contrast and the story has a rhythm like a song, and she likes that. We also read a bible story each night from her beginners bible with colorful illustrations that she loves. I also get a new animated picture book on my iphone/ipad app that we read everyday and she loves it. Even I look forward to each new book!

Her favorite toys right now are her Lamaze moose and her bug shaped rattle. She also still loves her rain forest floor mat and her learning puppy that sings songs even when you accidentally step on it in the middle of the night. She still like being in the swing or her bouncy seat, which means Greg and I can still eat together.

She is beginning to hold her head up just fine on her own. She can sit up on my lap or in the bumbo and has pretty good head control. Tummy time is still a traumatic experience for her, and she has yet to roll over, however, I think tummy time makes her so mad that it won't be long because her tummy time anger will turn her over! Hunger hits her every three hours on the dot if she's awake, and she is sleeping through the night which has been happening for the past month. She takes 4 oz. every three hours and 5 oz. at night, which holds her over until the morning. She's starting to warm up to her baths, but only if I sing "Under the Sea" with Sebastian's Jamaican accent.

3 short months and so much amazing!

P.S. I realize this reads like her baby book, but that's kind of what I wanted. A place when she's old enough to read about herself and what her life was like while she was little.

P.P.S. Dieting is still on! Still no Dr.Peppers or french fries. Still depressing when I went shopping, but that won't be forever!

Calories, Calories

2011-03-07T14:17:00.002-07:00

If you have seen "Steel Magnolias" then you know exactly how to pronounce the title of this post.

I am so sick of looking six months pregnant. So, Greg and I have started a diet. We are both on it. All we are doing is eating healthy foods and I am working out a little. Not a ton because I despise exercise, but it makes the pounds go away, so I am willing to do a little bit. When I say that we are eating healthy, I mean I haven't had a Dr.Pepper in over a week. GASP! Greg hasn't had chocolate in over a week- and he has a sweet tooth the size of his head. We ate baked fish twice last week, made our own healthy pizzas, swapped out buttery popcorn for boring popcorn and my idea of a snack has gone from chips to oranges. We have started to plan out our meals for the entire week, so we don't play the "What do you want for dinner?" "I don't know what do you want?" game that we seemed to used to play every night on his way home from work which usually led to Mexican or Chinese food.

I have started mini-workouts. Our Comcast has Exercise TV on demand, so I pick little workouts to do. I have ordered Zumba, and I am waiting for it to come because I think it will be fun. I am trying to convince Greg to do it with me, but he refuses. He has no rhythm. I mean none, and he isn't confident about anything choreographed. So, he's started to walk Wyatt, which Wyatt needs just as much as we do.

We have both set goals and when we reach them we get to buy new stuff. When we get to our final goal weights Greg is going to buy more suits- sometimes he has to look the part of being as important as he is. My goal is to be able to wear tall boots in the fall and winter without looking like a caramel apple- a big round thing (which in my case would be my butt) on sticks. Also, I want to be super hot in our Christmas card picture. Oh, and be healthy and all that, too. But, it's mostly about the boots and picture, to be quite honest.

Yesterday Greg wanted to cheat, and asked me what I thought. I convinced him it wouldn't be a good idea, and this morning he weighed a pound less and thanked me for holding him accountable and not letting him cheat. We understand that this is temporary and someday I'll be able to eat an extra long chili cheese coney from Sonic again.

P.S. Already lost 6 pounds. Stupid workouts must be doing something.

P.P.S. It's supposed to snow 3-5 inches tonight and tomorrow. I believe I am ready for warm spring weather. At least it's not blowing dust...

Not As Simple Technology- But So Worth It

2011-03-01T09:18:00.006-07:00

Maryn is a big girl now- last night was her first night in her crib in her room. I have been dreading this day. Partly because I like her near me, partly because our bedroom in on the first floor and her room in on the second so it's super inconvenient versus being in our room. But, it's something we couldn't avoid for longer. I don't think she can be 7 years old and still fit in her bassinet. Maybe they should make bigger ones...

Well, Greg and I tripped out the nursery something fierce. We changed the bumpers to the breathable ones. It's sad, but important, to take off the super cute ones that match her bedding and put on the mesh ones. They let the air circulate and won't hurt her if she gets close to them. She is a wiggle worm!

We also hooked up our Angelcare monitor that will alert us if she stops breathing. I have mentioned it before, but I want to mention it again because it really gives us peace of mind. It's amazing.

Last, Greg mounted a video monitor to the wall, so I can see her all night if I want. I thought I didn't want this, but I have become so paranoid about SIDS that I have to be able to see her, or I would be trekking up and down the stairs all night to make sure she hasn't wedged herself in a corner. However good this might be for the butt and thighs, it would not be good for my need for sleep and rest.

Here is a pic of her napping in her crib today. The monitor is a handheld device so I can walk around with it throughout the house. It even came with a super stylish belt clip- which I probably won't be using! (Apparently Maryn already needs to clean up her room! And doesn't that sheep hanging off the crib look awful? It's her sleep sheep that plays ocean noises that we velcro-ed to her crib, but it looks like it's dying a slow death...)

Last night went well. She woke up once, Greg went up and re-swaddled her, rocked her a little, and put her back to sleep. She slept from 10:30-6:30, which is awesome.

All night in her crib- just one of the many milestones we have conquered!

P.S. Maryn is 10 weeks today! I can't believe it's been 10 weeks since we had her. It feels like yesterday. She is so much fun!

P.P.S. Did I mention I am super SIDS paranoid? I just don't know how to get over it. I worry and worry and worry. I am so tired of worrying... and don't give me your "you will always worry now that you have a child" advice. I already know all this...this just seems so out of my control and that stinks. I suppose I can be vigilant and do everything I can, but I still worry.

Simple Technology

2011-02-20T15:46:00.003-07:00

I know that technology can be complicated, just ask my husband. His computer caught a virus and crashed and he's not sure how much we actually lost. So, Maryn and I stick with the classic stuff: books. She already loves books. Whenever I read to her she fixes her eyes on the pictures and smiles and kicks her legs when I turn the page. Some of her favorites are "Green Eggs and Ham" (Dr. Suess is great because the pictures have a ton of contrast and there is a rhythm to the story) "The Little Engine That Could" and a board book we bought in Alaska called "Alaska's Train Story."

For Valentine's Day her Gamma (Greg's mom) sent her a recordable storybook from Hallmark. It is amazing. It's called "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and it's a story based upon the song. I love it because Maryn can hear her Gamma's voice all the time and I can just hold the book up and I don't have to read it! So, for Valentine's Day I bought Greg one called "All The Ways I Love You." He recorded the story and then left us in Lubbock for two weeks to spend time with family and friends. Everyday, once, twice, maybe even three times, Maryn gets to hear her daddy read her a story! They are amazing.

P.S. Hallmark has Cooper and Watson, stuffed animals that come with storybooks that react after the last line of each page. They are adorable, and Maryn would get one if she was a bit older!

P.P.S. Way to go Lady Raiders!!

Brrrr....

2011-02-03T12:02:00.005-07:00

Brrrrrr...is this what everyone else has been saying the past few days? Not only is it cold, but it's super dry. My dry skin has become dryer skin and I didn't even think that was possible. It seems that everywhere is cold, but at least along with the typical "Snack Foods for Super Bowl Party" segments on shows, they can now do "How the Teams and Fans are Surviving the Freak Snow in Dallas" segments. Personally, I hope the Steelers freeze and the Packers get it done, but that's just my opinion. I love that people who don't normally get snow are getting it. Now they can see what a PITA it is. (If you can figure out that acronym- good for you!)

Today I put Maryn in her crib for the first time ever. It was being used to store some stuff, so I cleaned it out, turned on her fun little crib toy and put her in it. She loved it. She loved watching the animals. It was her mommy who was a wreck. The day is soon coming where she will move from her bassinet in our room (the nursery is on the second floor, so this is much easier) to this crib, and I dread it. I want her to stay near me and little forever. Part of me wanted her to absolutely hate it, scream and cry until I picked her up. But, alas, my little girl is already more independent than me, and she was fine. So, here I was, saying "Good for you, little one" through tears, and she was kicking and loving it. Of course, with her baby-sized attention span she only lasted 20 minutes or so in here then she was ready for me to get her. Soon she'll start taking naps and sleeping at night in there. I don't like it, but I know it's what she needs.

One thing that has been so amazing is our Angelcare monitor we got. It has a motion sensor that goes under the mattress and if it doesn't detect her breathing, it goes off. We know it works, because in the middle of the night we'll forget to turn it off when we take her out, and, not sensing any motion, it goes off. So, the other person that is not doing the nighttime feeding (Greg and I switch- he's awesome like that) jumps up terrified thinking she quit breathing. Oops! Sorry! At least we know it's working like it's supposed to! It is such a comfort and will be when she goes to her nursery. I highly recommend it.

Here she is in her crib for the first time ever! (These are 3 month pants that I was trying on her- they are still a little big!)

P.S. If I can't even keep from crying when I just lay her in her crib for the first time, how in the world am I going to get through things like first day of school, or first trip without her, or first anything! For goodness sake! Get a hold of yourself Abby!

P.P.S. This pic was taken with my iPhone 4, and while I am super against using phones as your camera, I am quite impressed with how this turned out. I don't always have my camera, but I do always have my phone.

What I've Learned (so far) As A New Parent

2011-01-23T10:23:00.004-07:00

So, there are things I thought I would never do, and things I never even thought of when it comes to being a new parent. Here are a few off of the top of my head:

1. I don't mind waking up as much. If you know the Cranfords you know what I mean. You just don't wake up a Cranford- but in the case of Maryn- I just don't mind the lack of sleep and getting up to spend time with her.

2. Oh, the things you can do one-handed, since you have a sleeping baby in the other. I have perfected the art of making a bottle with one hand, checking e-mail and surfing the internet on my iphone, feeding and giving water to the dogs, fixing a sandwich, and the list gets bigger everyday.

3. Never thought I would sing pop songs to my baby, but "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz has become Maryn's favorite song to bounce to. (Still no Ke$ha...) I have also learned that I really like having a captive audience to sing to...

4. On the issue of singing songs- I have rediscovered all of the songs I learned in elementary music and am very thankful for them. Greg and I did rounds of "Row Row Row Your Boat" the other day while giving Maryn a bath because it seemed to calm her down. (Of course Greg kept getting onto me because I kept stopping and singing his part. I guess I need more practice.)

5. I never knew one bag could hold so much. When we went on our outing I packed one of everything in my super cute diaper bag, and it all fit!

6. I never knew I would carry so much stuff in one bag and not use one single thing in there. Not one thing.

7. I share pics of Maryn ALL the time. I think that everyone is getting annoyed, but I just want to share how wonderful she is. I'm sure some people are thinking: "Okay, Abby, you just sent me one 5 minutes ago, she couldn't have changed that much since then..." Oh, but she does.

8. XBOX Live was a whole lot more fun when I didn't have a kid.

9. I don't know anything about a baby's development. People keep asking: "When will she...?" or "What does it mean when she...?" and I have no idea. She'll do it when she does it and we will be ecstatic.

10. I always thought babies had cute little burps. I never realized that this precious little girl made of sugar and spice and everything nice would burp (and other bodily functions) like a man. It's impressive. And stinky. But still adorable.

So, here are just the things I can think of off the top of my head, and, let's be honest: I knew nothing so I am discovering new things about being a parent everyday!

P.S. Are there any things anyone else can think of that they learned when they became a parent? I would love to hear from others!

P.P.S. We should probably strike #1 from the record. After reading this, Greg informs me that I am not, in fact, happy when I have to wake up in the middle of the night, and, according to him, I do seem to "mind waking up as much." Like I said, us Cranfords like our sleep. I hope Maryn figures that out soon.

One Month Old

2011-01-21T16:41:00.003-07:00

One month ago I was feeling so much relief and anticipation. Relief because my baby was here healthy and safe, and anticipation because Greg and I were going to start our parenting journey. I can't believe it has already been a month!

Today we took our first outing that wasn't the doctor or the hospital. We went to Greg's office, where all the girls adored her, and then I took her to the library to return something and grab a book. She slept the entire time, and I got over my carseat/stroller apprehension. I think we'll tackle Target this weekend!

Also, I am going to mark today as Maryn's first official smile-because-I-am-happy smile! This morning I tickled her and sang pat-a-cake and she smiled at me! A few times! Hopefully I can get a really great pic of that winning smile to show you. This is the closest I've gotten, and it's super out of focus, but super cute:

P.S. I am blogging from my IPhone because, well, it's easier when you have a sleeping baby in your arms. (so forgive any famous iPhone auto corrects!)

P.P.S. I have the best job in the world!

Check Out Baby Maryn!

2011-01-20T09:06:00.003-07:00

My wonderful friend Sara came to visit last weekend and took some pictures of my little girl. She didn't cooperate for the most pat, and if you read Sara's blog you'll understand it was pretty much her mother's fault. She's still darn cute though!

Click here to see some pictures!

P.S. Yes, we did get some cute ones. However, most of them she either looked confused or terrified...

P.P.S. I ordered a whole set of announcements, and now I don't like them. I think I might be re-ordering. What in the world am I going to do with tons and tons of baby announcements??

2010- A Year of Firsts!

2011-01-03T09:48:00.010-07:00

For the first time, in a long time, I am going to look back on last year very fondly. Normally, I am ready to get into the new year, and try and forget about the old. This year, I don't want 2010 to end. It was an amazing year, full of new experiences, fun, and firsts!

2010 was the first time I've had to raise puppies. After a "Christmas Mishap," Sophie became pregnant and we decided to keep them and find them good homes. We thought we would only have 3 puppies and #4 would not be viable, but with Greg's heroics we managed to save #4! There are three families that thank us every time we see them for their puppy. We gave them away because we weren't trying to make money off of them. In fact, the families that took them did us a favor! Of course, our lives haven't been the same since because we kept Cooper. No longer can we leave things lying around, or they are chewed upon. Thanks Cooper for keeping us less messy!

2010 was the first time I went on a cruise. The Edmiston group went to Alaska and back on a beautiful cruise ship. It was so fun! We enjoyed food, trivia, shopping, and more. It was such a neat experience, that I hope to recreate with my family someday. I am still amazed by the flowers in the northeast. They are everywhere and beautiful!

2010 was the first time I was able to visit a foreign country- Oh Canada!

2010- finally got my passport.

2010- This is silly- but last year is the first time I have ever eaten at a restaurant alone. Since I only had an hour for lunch or dinner at my job, I would sometimes meet Greg, or go pick up something and take it back to the library, or bring my own dinner. But, I found that I wanted to get away from the job for a break, so I actually went to places and ate alone. For a person as codependent as me, this is a huge step. The next step will be seeing a movie by myself.

2010- First time Alli, Evan, and Bryson visited Colorado Springs. We had tons of fun! We went to the zoo, and The North Pole (another first for me!) I hope 2011 can bring new visitors to see us!

And of course, the big one- getting pregnant and having a baby!

The first part of 2010, I thought I would never be able to get pregnant. Greg and I tried for months and months, to no avail. Just when I was about to call the doctor to find out the next step, I got a positive on a test. I went through the sickness and wonderfulness of being pregnant, which ended in a positive birth experience and a beautiful baby girl, who I love more and more each day! Greg and I used to discuss how things were going to change after the baby, and they have, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

2010- Maryn's first Christmas. Unfortunately, she had to be under the light the whole time, but we are just glad that she was here, and was safe!

P.S. I suppose my firsts have ended, and they are now Maryn's firsts. Well, that's way more fun for me anyway!

P.P.S. Please, no more puppies in 2011!

A Glowing Christmas

2010-12-26T16:58:00.008-07:00

Turns out, Maryn was jaundiced. So, on Christmas Eve instead of waiting for Santa, we were waiting for the home medical supply company to deliver our biliruben light. They didn't come down the chimney. They brought one, it didn't work, we had to call, they eventually brought another one, and it has become a necessary evil. She must stay on it except to eat and to be changed (and the occasional cuddling that I have to get in- for mommy's sake). So, Christmas Eve was a long, long night, and she spent Christmas day on the light. It's hard to not be able to pick up your sweet baby whenever you want. And boy, is she sweet!

Here is her bed for the last two days...Boo

This is what Christmas looked like in my house

This is how cute and adorable she looked when we went to the doctor.

Here is what her daddy calls her "touchdown pose." You can also tell how yellow she was. Her color is much better now.

P.S. Hopefully, when we go to the doctor in the morning, she will get a good report and we can get rid of this light.

P.P.S. The medical supply person informed us that people have not returned their lights in order to grow "medicinal plants." I was so naive, that never occurred to me. They can trust that I don't want this light any more than I have to have it.

And Baby Makes Three!

2010-12-24T11:16:00.010-07:00

So, Maryn Abigail came into the world on December 21st, weighing 6 pounds 7 ounces and 19 inches long. It was a long night, as I was admitted Monday night and labored until the next day at 3:09 PM when Maryn was here. I don't want to say that having her was easy, but a lot of the aspects of childbirth that I was completely dreading were so not bad at all, thank goodness. There was a little bit of scariness for a while because Maryn's heartbeat would go down every time I had a contraction. Greg and I became too fixated on the heart monitor, hoping everything would turn out alright. As it turns out, her cord was bunched up at her chest, and apparently she was one lucky little thing to make it here. We are so thankful for her, she is adorable!

Right now she's a little bit jaundiced, so she is being watched. And yes, we are exhausted, but it's sooo worth it! Greg is a great dad, which isn't surprising because he's a great husband. He got to do some of the fun first stuff in the nursery, like bathe her, while I was being "taken care of" after the delivery. Here are a few pics!

Right before we left for the hospital Monday night:

View from our hospital room. Maryn came out admiring Pikes Peak:

Daddy right after birth:

Maryn is tired from her big day:

Getting ready to go home:

Here are her navy blue eyes:

Christmas outfit for our little Edmiston Christmas we had on the 23rd. (Notice the socks!)

P.S. I was a little disappointed that she didn't weigh at least 30 pounds. I guess I will be headed to a gym! Eventually...

P.P.S. At least two people I am Facebook friends with also had baby girls on the 21st! It was a wonderful day to have a beautiful girl!

Just Add Baby

2010-12-12T16:04:00.007-07:00

So, the nursery is finally considered finished, all we need is a little baby girl to go in it!

P.S. It's getting close! We are so ready, and by "we" I mean me, and my still expanding stomach.

P.P.S. I really hope she's here by Christmas, we have stocking stuffers and presents for her. Come on Maryn!

Waiting is the Hardest Part

2010-12-01T10:03:00.003-07:00

So, now we wait. My last day of work was last Friday, which made me quite sad, but I know that in a few weeks I'll be super busy. I have enjoyed my job over the past year, but it's just not economically feasible for me to keep it. So, I quit. Now, I am waiting.

It's so unbelievable to think that in a few short weeks, it will not longer be just Greg and me, and three worthless dogs. It will be Greg and Maryn and me, and three worthless dogs.

Last night Greg and I read a Dr. Seuss book to her, and she moved and kicked the whole time. She must be my daughter if she already loves books. She especially loved it when she heard Greg's voice. She is going to be a daddy's girl.

Lately I have been having some Braxton Hicks, I think, but I don't really know. Every little twinge I have makes me think: "Is this it??" It's usually not.

So, I guess I'll clean, do laundry, get my bag packed for the hospital, watch the Today show, read, maybe do a craft, and play Call of Duty, just like any housewife. Any ideas of ways to pass the time are appreciated...

P.S. Can't believe that my ticker at the top of the blog says "17 days to go." It still feels like she'll never get here, but my doctor promises he has yet to see any woman be pregnant forever.

P.P.S. Yes, it already looked like Christmas threw up in the Edmiston household. Is there anything better than while you are decorating for Christmas, it starts snowing outside? Colorado is alright...sometimes....

Stockings Will Be Hung by the Chimney With Care

2010-11-09T12:40:00.004-07:00

Ever since Greg and I got married I have wanted to get Christmas stockings with our names on them. But, I wanted to wait until we had our first child, so I could order their stocking, too. Once I found out we were having a girl, and we picked a name, ordering stockings was the next thing on the list. So, I went to Pottery Barn online, and picked out some mature ones for Greg and I, and a fun one for Maryn.

I can remember every Christmas when growing up, my Mom, Dad, sister and I all had stockings with our names on them. They were each a little different. I think my mom even made Alli's and mine. I am not crafty enough to attempt to make them myself, or it would just become one more unfinished project and no one would have their stocking ready for Santa this year. Now, we just have to hope Maryn is here by Christmas...

P.S. I already bought Greg's first stocking stuffer...he is going to be so surprised!

P.P.S. Way to go Red Raiders! Love, love, love the uniforms with "Freedom" on the back for the Wounded Warrior Project! So proud of my alma mater!

What a Wonderful Day!

2010-11-02T08:02:00.014-06:00

A while back, my wonderful friends asked if I wanted a shower for Maryn. At first I declined. I'm so far away, and I do not like being the center of attention. Then, I bought Maryn's baby book, and there were the pages for baby shower guests, gifts, and pictures. I thought, I can't just have them blank, so I agreed to have one.

This past weekend in Lubbock, Greg, Maryn, and I were blessed beyond belief by the many wonderful people in our lives. We had such a wonderful shower. It was more than I could have imagined. Thank you everyone for making it so wonderful! Thank you Kathy for taking such great pictures. I hope you don't mind if I use them!

The table with amazing food and an amazing diaper cake Amber B. made.

The onesies on the mantel. So adorable. The middle one has an "M" on it!

The gifts. Yes, there are some pregnant pics of me, and I suppose I can put them out there for all to see..

Alli wrote down all of my gifts for me. I will be starting on "Thank you's" today, as long as I can read her handwriting. (Kidding, Alli!) Here I had received burp cloths with Maryn's name on them from Dad, Leslie and Gini!

The amazing gifts we received. I looked like I had robbed a Babies 'R Us on the way home!

The most wonderful and beautiful hostesses a girl can ask for! One real aunt and five surrogate aunts! We missed the other real aunt, Aunt Megan, but she was there with us in spirit! Wow, can you tell who is the pregnant one here??

Mimi, me, and Aunt Alli

Mommy and Daddy. Have I mentioned I have the best husband in the entire world, and he is going to make the best father?? Cause I do, and he will.

Mimi, me, Greg, and Gamma! We were so excited that Gamma made the drive to come to the shower!

So, after having such a wonderful time in Lubbock, I cried pretty much the whole way back to Colorado. It was so nice to not be alone for once.

P.S. You should have seen the car on the way home. Poor Wyatt was in the way back and we couldn't even see him the whole time!

P.P.S. Happy birthday wonderful Lesley!

Work in Progress

2010-10-12T10:37:00.003-06:00

It seems as if trees in nurseries are all the rage these days. You know me, keeping up with the Jones' and all. Or straggling behind them...whatever. Well, here is my attempt at a tree in our nursery. I actually found this on HGTV's Rate My Space way before I even got pregnant, fell in love with it, and have saved the picture ever since. I think in the original they used material for the leaves, but I used scrapbook paper. I didn't want anything actually painted onto the wall, because I knew I would screw it up in eleventy billion different ways if it was so permanent. It looks kind of small on the wall in the pictures, but it really doesn't in person. Let me know what you think (as long as it's good)! Also, our nursery is not even close to being finished, we are working on it. We don't have a crib mattress yet, I set the bumper up to get the feel of what it will look like when we do have a mattress...

P.S. Yes, I know it's super pink. The paint color is actually called "Snow White's Song." Aaahhh, isn't that sweet! I always swore I wouldn't do a pink room if I had a girl. I would be more modern. But, look what I've become, and I love it!

P.P.S. I get to look at the Rocky Mountains every time I change her at the changing table. Not too shabby!

Earmuffs!

2010-10-11T10:50:00.005-06:00

The other day, my ticker at the top of the blog said something about how baby can hear your voice. My weekly e-mail that I get detailing Maryn's size and development week by week also said that you should read, sing, and just talk to your baby because you want them to get used to hearing your voice, and for daddy to do the same.

I'm not so sure how I feel about this. I am an avid shower singer- Funny Girl and Evita songs never sounded so good. (Seriously- try "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," it's amazing how the echo of the shower makes the song). I also just naturally sing and hum random songs as I am doing things around the house. I've tried to have conversations with Maryn, but for the most part they are pretty one-sided. I haven't really read to her yet, because, well, I don't think she needs to hear the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel or the final Hunger Games novel. They are a little too old for her.

So, now that she's been able to hear us, I feel like I need to be careful of what exactly she is exposed to. For example, the words that came out of my mouth during the past two Tech games (my in-laws are still appalled) were hideous and absolutely un-ladylike. Each Sunday during fantasy football, I chew out at least one of my players for being dumb, and I don't exactly use the word "dumb." I yell at them probably worse than their coach ever does. Let's just say football does not bring out my gentle, feminine side. I'm more like the hulk. You don't want to see me when I'm angry. (Did you hear that, Mike Sims-Walker?)

And, it's not just football, it's also music. As I'm riding along in my car and a Ke$ha song comes on, I think twice about singing and dancing to it because I don't want Maryn to turn out trashy like her. Let's face it, her songs may be catchy, but she always looks dirty.

I just told Greg the other day, that as soon as Maryn is out, I will have to yell "No, Cooper" so she recognizes my voice, because that's all she hears a good percentage of the day. If I had a nickel for every time I told that dog "no," I would be able to afford that duvet from Pottery Barn that I am in love with...

P.S. Yes, we will watch what she says after she is born. I'm not a terrible mother yet.

P.P.S. Nesting has begun. If you need something cleaned, let me know, I'll be there in a hurry!

Tips From Experts?

2010-09-23T11:14:00.003-06:00

I have started to watch "Supernanny." It comes on the Style network, and whenever I am home, I try to catch it. I'm trying to get tips on how to discipline. Believe it or not, I have a pretty bad temper. Just ask Cooper. Even though I also listen to Caesar Milan- The Dog Whisperer- I did not do what I am supposed to when your dog is not being "calm, submissive."

On Tuesday, Cooper got too caught up in rambunctiousness outside, and I went to pick him up and take him inside, before he learns from his mom how much fun it is to bark at the dog behind us. Well, he snarled back and tried to bite me. He didn't hurt anything but my feelings. I picked him up and put him in his crate inside, which is exactly what I am not supposed to do because we don't want his crate to feel like punishment to him.

If I can't properly discipline my dog, how can I properly discipline my child? Not supposed to use the crate- but I did. Not supposed to raise my voice- but I did. Not supposed to get frustrated and say things I don't mean- but I did. Caesar Milan would not be happy. I was not calm at all.

So, now I don't want to disappoint Supernanny. I need to learn consistency, and go with what is right, and not always what is easy. I feel lame actually getting ideas from Supernanny... Also, please be rest assured, I know that kids are different from puppies, and you can't use a crate with them.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my dad!

P.P.S. Tech lost to UT- I don't want to talk about it...

It's New to Us

2010-09-16T09:14:00.003-06:00

Greg and I met our match Tuesday evening. We walked into Babies R Us, and we might as well have entered The Twilight Zone, or a foreign country. Not even the foreign country where you are destined to meet someone who speaks English. Baby stuff is foreign to us. We are such novices.

I've been in the baby superstore before, I've bought gifts for people. But, it's so different when you are looking for yourself. So, you need bottles. Okay, simple enough....Wrong. There are about 52 different types of bottles and each one has 367 different shapes and sizes.

I guess I should have researched better. I don't know how many times I said to Greg: "My sister says to do this..." or "Amber said she uses these..." Once, I think I even said: "I just saw that lady register for these, I'm sure that means they are good..." I'm even getting advice by stalking other pregnant women. There is something wrong with me. It's a little overwhelming for people who know nothing. Then I think, how great of parents are we going to be when we don't even know what shape and size of bottles we need?

I suppose there have been less smart people that have babies and they turn out alright. Between Greg and I we have 4 college degrees. (The exact numbers per person aren't important...) Surely, we can do this baby thing. Right??

P.S. It's Tech- Texas week! Go Raiders! The game is Saturday, on my 21st birthday! It's also our new coach, Tommy Tuberville's birthday!

P.P.S. We have the furniture and it's almost all put together. We painted the room already. You guessed it- it's totally pink, which is exactly what I swore I wasn't going to do!

What's In a Name?

2010-09-02T08:14:00.004-06:00

It's amazing how differently you look it things once you walk a mile in someone else's shoes. I used to hate it when people would keep the name of their new baby a secret until they were born. I thought, what's the point, we'll all know soon enough anyway? Now, I know exactly why they do it.

Forever I have been obsessed with names. I love my name, and I want my child to feel the same. The problem is that I want to name my daughter something unusual without being nutty. I also want there to be a ton of significance behind their name. A story behind it. That's how Greg and I chose the name of our little girl.

For this first one though, I wanted the decision to be solely Greg's and mine. If I was a better secret keeper, we wouldn't have told anyone until after she was here. But, I'm not.

Before we knew she was a she, we had narrowed the names down to two: Avery and Maryn. There were a few signs as to why we have picked the one we did:

I always loved the name Mary, like my grandmother and mother. It's classic. However, I wanted a version of Mary, not necessarily that exact name. So, I looked high and low for a version of Mary. In came Maryn.

When we were walking along in Ketchikan, next to the docks, I looked up and saw this:

Here is a close up version:

It may not be spelled the same, but it's the same nonetheless. What are the odds? Not only the Maren, but the Maren E. So, that was the first sign.

The second sign came when I was trying to really decide between Avery and Maryn. Evan and I were watching one of his cartoons on Nick JR., Miss Spider's Sunny Patch. I had never seen it before and the episode that came on was titled: "The Marin Rose." Once again, what are the odds? It was all about the little kid bugs finding a rare beautiful rose in the woods for a king that was obsessed with it.

Then, my Aunt Donna pointed out that Maryn was sort of Mary and Kathryn put together, and that was my Mema's name. That's when we decided we had to have the Y in there.

So...drum roll please....Greg and I have decided to name our beautiful little girl that we already love so much Maryn Abigail. It is pronounced Mare-in. We love it. It's her.

My Ganny used to call me Abigail, she was the only one I allowed to since that's not my real name. There's where the Abigail comes from.

Her initials will be MAE, and Greg's Granny was Winnie Mae. In this way, her initials will honor her great-grandmother from her daddy's side, and of course she will carry the Edmiston name.

There are a lot of wonderful, strong, caring, kind, lovely women behind her name. Women that have meant so much to Greg and I as we grew up. She will be proud one day.

I have gotten over the anxiety of other people being able to pronounce her name right. It's not Mary-in. It's not Mar-in like Lauren. It's Maryn.

P.S. Nothing is set in stone until it's on her birth certificate...

P.P.S. I still love Avery. If she has a sister someday, her name just might be Avery...

Back from The Last Frontier- Part Two

2010-08-25T09:48:00.016-06:00

We found out a week ago that we are having a little girl. Greg's not sure what to think, and I am ecstatic. Everyone wants a sweet little girl!

Here is the second part of our trip:

We did some scenic cruising through a passage called Tracy Arm. It was pretty, with waterfalls and icebergs. It was also really cold that morning.

This is a glacier:

Some of the Edmistons took a helicopter ride to a glacier. The rest of us went whale watching, which is not an easy thing to take pictures of when your husband has the good camera.

We panned for gold in Skagway, and, as you can see, we were very serious. I found about $11.00 worth of gold!

Oh yes they did. Haha... (BTW- it says "Closed- Vacationing in Nantucket" on the bright yellow sign). We were in Alaska, after all.

I really liked Skagway. It was a super cute little town. They do love their tourists there.

Then, we made our way to Victoria, B.C. The flowers there were amazing.

Here is the old parliament.

We loved Victoria. Especially this guy, dressed as Darth Vader, playing the fiddle on the street.

This is the first time I have been to Canada. It didn't feel so different from the U.S. In fact, the first store we went into was playing the song "Ain't That America" by John Cougar Mellencamp. (He may have dropped the Cougar or Mellencamp. Not really sure...)

P.S. I think we'll plan a cruise for next summer. A warm one. I wonder if there are any grandparents around that would mind keeping their granddaughter for a week??

P.P.S. I will try to not inundate this blog with baby stuff, but it's so hard not to when everything you're thinking and doing practically revolve around that sweet little girl that has currently found out how much fun it is to kick and punch mommy's bladder, especially on a two hour flight. Thanks, sweetie!

Back from The Last Frontier- Part One

2010-08-10T10:02:00.015-06:00

We are back! Alaska was amazing, Canada was neat, and the ship was fun. I believe that the entire Edmiston clan had a great time. We ate, played trivia, ate, lost money in the casino, ate, shopped, ate, played bingo, ate, and ate some more! They aren't kidding when they tell you that cruises have food on them. Everywhere at any time there is food. Thankfully they had all sorts of fruits and vegetables, which is what I am really wanting lately.

When we left for Seattle I didn't feel too pregnant, and at the end of the week I did. It's like my stomach got huge overnight, which is good because it means the baby is growing, but it's a little hard to take as a woman...

Here are a few pics of our adventure!

Our ship, the Sapphire Princess

Seattle

Pike Place

Our dinner table overlooking the water with the best clam chowder ever

Ketchikan, Alaska

They make totem poles there
This is Creek Street, once famous for its brothels.

The salmon were swimming upstream to spawn. There were so many and some were huge.

I love this picture. However, this street leads right to Creek Street...with all of the brothels...isn't that ironic?

There is so much to be done around my house right now, I have to get ready for guests on Friday! Yay! I will post more pics from the trip later.

P.S. Thanks to the #1 Edmistons for sponsoring our adventure to Alaska. We made the best memories ever!

P.P.S. I guess we have to really start thinking about baby! We find out the gender next Tuesday! I'll keep you posted.

The Curse of the Internet Search Engine

2010-07-01T11:55:00.002-06:00

I love the Internet. There's so many fun things to do on it. Play games, get the latest news, catch up with old friends (and other people from your past you do not remember), read people's opinions, win at fantasy football, and so on, and so on...

However, I am pretty sure that the Internet is a pregnant gal's curse. Every tiny feeling or twinge of pain I have to Google. I'm sure it's probably nothing, but still, I have to know, so I Google something like "right side abdominal pain pregnancy." Stupid me. What comes up is information that scares the heck out of me. Stories from women who had "right side abdominal pain pregnancy" who either lost their baby because of it, or had a baby born with horns or something else awful. All I do, and all Google does, is scare and worry me.

So, I am forbidding myself from Googling pregnancy stuff...

It's probably going to be the same thing when Baby Ed is born. If they have a runny nose, and I Google it, it's probably going to end up scaring me with stories of babies who had to have their nose cut off or something tragic and unimaginable.

Sure, Google, you rock when I need to look up sports stats or authors or even products. But, can you can it with the scary pregnancy stories? I'm just not sure how much more I can take...

P.S. It's not just Google, they are all anti-pregnancy, it's just the one I use the most often. Maybe if Gates could make Bing more positive than Google, I'd give it a chance.

P.P.S. Going to Lubbock for a quick trip for the 4th. Can't wait to swim, but Google says that it's supposed to rain the whole time I am there. I can't get any good news from them...

Onto Season 4!

2010-06-08T17:26:00.003-06:00

Well, we have concluded season 3 of the Greg and Abby show, and now we are beginning season 4. (I'm sort of obsessed with reality shows, so I like to pretend that I am constantly starring in one...) Season 3 brought us so many fun moments:

- I got a new job.
- Greg still traveled, but it doesn't seem like it was quite as much.
- I was a bridesmaid, again.
- Brooks Tyler was born to the Bolens! Yay!
- We spent 18 hours in the car on the way to Weatherford on Christmas Eve.
- Sophie had puppies, and now we have Cooper AKA Barkley-McNutt-Spazmatico.
- I found out season 4 is going to have us adding to our family!

I'm sure there is more, but I only have a minute before I get sick...again...

I was able to hear the heartbeat for the first time today. 162 BPM, and according to some random old wives tale, that means it's going to be a girl. I'm not buying pink onesies yet. Besides, I think my sister's also said that, and she has two boys...

Well, I hope everyone will join us for our next season. Happy Anniversary Greg! Sorry we have to spend it with me sick in bed, but it will be so worth it towards the end of the year! I hope I feel better when we go back to Ruidoso, so that I can recreate that wonderful wedding weekend. (And by "recreate" I really only mean that part where I won all that money at the horse races).

P.S. I was asked what "CRL" meant in the pregnancy ticker. It means "Crown to rump length." That's how they measure the baby all squashed up.

P.P.S. I wish football season would hurry up and get here already.

Christmas Baby!

2010-05-12T08:59:00.002-06:00

So, this Christmas is going to be awesome. I do not have to get my family anything, because, after almost a year of trying, I am giving them a new child to love! Greg gets a son or daughter, our parents get a grandchild, it's a win-win for us. No wrapping packages, no stocking stuffers, it's going to be great.

I am kidding, of course. Not about the baby, that's real. No need to worry, you will still be getting a Christmas gift from Greg and me...and baby.

I am due around December 18th, which is neat because birthdays on the 18th are a running trend in my family. Yesterday, my doctor said my first ultrasound said I might be due the 21st, but we are going to hope for the 18th.

Right now I am sick. I am one of the lucky people who doesn't have just morning sickness, I have all freaking day sickness. For the first few weeks, I was not sick at all, which worried me. Now, I'm sick everyday and still worried.

I need to stop reading the internet, all it does is scare me. I was told I have a thing (I'm not going to go into details) that could maybe cause preterm labor. Super. However, I'm not opposed to bed rest. I could start that now..maybe I'll suggest that to the doc...

P.S. I swore to myself I would not do one of those cheesy pregnancy tickers on my blog...oops...

P.P.S. Puppies are gone, except one, so I'm glad this popped up right now, I need something else to blog about. Good timing!

Springtime in the Rockies

2010-04-19T09:15:00.003-06:00

Spring here means rain, then snow, then sun, then hail all in one day....I believe the weather here is actually more schizophrenic than the weather in Lubbock, if that's even possible. I can remember walking to class in a dust storm, leaving class in the rain, then enjoying the sunshine after classes were finished. Luckily, yesterday, we had a beautiful partly cloudy day.

The puppies love being outside. We are trying to start their potty training so their new owners don't curse us too much. We are set to give away our first little guy pretty soon. We are going to miss all of them, but we are excited we might someday get to sleep through the night!

Here is a short (very poorly made- I am no videographer) video of everyone playing outside yesterday:

And, here is Cooper vs. Wyatt. These guys are going to be fun to have around...

P.S. We are going to Lubbock soon to deliver the pups to their new homes! It should be so much fun to travel with 5 dogs...

P.P.S. Today it has been 15 years since the Oklahoma City bombing. I remember that I was in Mrs. Graham's 7th grade reading class when we heard about it. 168 lives lost.

By Popular Demand

2010-03-31T09:08:00.007-06:00

It seems every time I talk to someone on the phone, they say: "You need to put more pictures of the puppies on your blog." So, here ya go:

Here are Zoe, Ted, Molly, and Cooper:

Ted and Molly, with Cooper in the background:

We had a portrait session last night in the pen, and Zoe was all sorts of playful. She just posed for me. The others were quite annoyed with the flash, I think:

Don't be fooled, Cooper and Ted are rarely like this, they would rather tug on each other's ears than be best friends:

Molly must be exhausted from running around the house so much. She is our little escape artist. We leave the door to the pen open so Sophie can get in and out, and Molly has learned how to escape. Every time I turn around, she is under my feet with her little tail wagging. She likes to chase Wyatt around when she gets out...

And, while they are all my little ones for the time being, here's the little guy we get to keep. Cooper's lack of a toe on his back leg has not slowed him down one bit:

P.S. Does anyone else have a flip video camera? If not, you should. It's awesome.

P.P.S. Did you know that if you are a little bit messy, you are lazy, but if you are REALLY messy, then you have a disease? Why is that fair. However, thanks to the show "Hoarders" on A&E, I am a cleaner person, I think!

Because Other People Have Kids To Brag About...

2010-03-19T21:40:00.005-06:00

And I only have puppies...But...They are adorable. Each day they look and act more like dogs. Sitting up, playing, and they are even trying barking. We took a few pictures this evening, and please note that they are on a towel and not my rug. I learned the "don't put the puppy on the rug because they will probably poop on it" lesson the hard way...:

Here is Cooper laying his head on Ted:

All four of the quads, from left to right, Ted, Cooper, Zoe (her future owners have named her!), and Molly (the name my mom picked out for her puppy):

Cooper, Zoe, and Molly are behind Ted, who is posing in the front:

P.S. We are about to start putting them into a pen and not a box. I have seen a few try to make an escape, but were caught in the act. Before I know it, they'll be greeting me at the door when I come home.

P.P.S. Not much else is going on, except for snow...where in the world is spring???

Daily Weigh In

2010-03-04T11:13:00.007-07:00

Not quite as dramatic as "The Biggest Loser" weigh in, but important none the less. Each night we weigh the puppies to make sure they are thriving. They have all gained 5-6 ounces, and they are doing awesome. Four little wiggly, whimpering angels have made momma Sophie quite stressed out. So much so that now we don't feel comfortable leaving her alone with them. She nurses them, cleans them up, and then leaves. She's starting to get better, but we just want to make sure that everyone is safe, and so far, it's working.

However, it does require around the clock supervision, that's why we have contracted our midwife, now care-taker, out for another week. With Greg having to travel and me having to work, there is no way we can do this on our own. Thank God for her and her willingness and flexibility to be able to help us another week! Greg has been quite stressed and there is no way I am going to let him miss his fishing trip next weekend. He needs it so much, and we need just need a little help until the puppies are a little older.

We are about to have to get a new container to weigh them in. As you can see here, they are starting to outgrow this one. Katie-Belle demonstrates the weigh-in regimen in these pictures. There is usually a little squirming, whimpering and (if we are lucky) some sleeping!

And, just a darn cute picture of Ted Mosby:

P.S. I am sure there are more precise and scientific ways to weigh the puppies, but once we dusted of the chip residue, our food scale seems to get the job done.

P.P.S. I'll bet everyone in Lubbock will be glad to have their MiMi back, but we sure as heck do appreciate you letting us borrow her for a bit!

Quadruplets!

2010-02-27T11:26:00.009-07:00

Well, after thinking there would only be three puppies, we ended up with four! There are two boys and two girls. They are all healthy except one has an injury to his toe.

Mom took a quick shower thinking she had time and when she got out, there was the first puppy! Then the next few followed quickly. The last one looked like it wasn't going to make it, but after some heroics by Greg, little number 4 is well on his way!

Here are a few pictures I took this morning!

As you can see, they are tiny! about 6 ounces a piece!

Here is girl #1

Girl #2

We have already named the boys, but we realize that may someday change! Here is Cooper, who has the toe injury:

And our fourth little guy who we didn't think would make it. He came out wearing a tuxedo, with gloves to match. Because of this, Greg named him Ted Mosby. If you watch "How I Met Your Mother" then you understand. If you don't, then we are probably crazy, but that's alright. We feel a little crazy right now!!

So much fun!

P.S. If you can't tell them apart, no worries! We can't either!

P.P.S. I'm trying to convince Greg that having 6 dogs would be no big deal...haha!

Another Puppy Update

2010-02-18T08:39:00.002-07:00

Just for a puppy update, I know you are all on the edge of your seats...Greg took Sophie to the vet this morning for her "pregnancy scan." (FYI- pregnancy scans ain't cheap). There are three good looking puppies in there, and one that is probably going to come out mummified. The vet would be very surprised if the last one made it, so we will prepare for the worst.

Eventually we are going to prepare our old TV box (46 inch Samsung flat screen FTW!!) into her "whelping box." We should probably get it ready before she births all over my dirty clothes in my closet.

My husband says he laughed a little like a 7th grader when the vet gave him information about "pregnant bitches." (Sorry for the semi-profanity). I just told Greg that I hope my doctor doesn't tell him the same thing if I am ever pregnant...

P.S. Pray for three healthy puppies, and especially pray for the fourth that probably won't make it.

P.P.S. Most of all- pray for me and the next twelve weeks of whining. (No, not Greg...the puppies!)

Update on a Bright Sunshiny Day!

2010-02-11T11:17:00.003-07:00

I don't know if you have heard, but it's snowing something fierce up in the Northeast. I thought when I moved to Colorado I would have more winters like that. We've had a few bouts with snow, but lately, in between, the days have been absolutely beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky today!

I think I am getting used to Sophie's weight gain. Last night I didn't think she looked pregnant at all, until I picked her up. She is definitely heavier. I just hope it's puppies and not pupperoni that is making her that heavy.

There has been much interest in the puppies, which I appreciate. I looked online and people sell shorkies for tons of money. This is not a profit making scheme I had planned. This was very much not planned.

We have hired a midwife to attend to the puppy birth. (By "hired" I mean pleaded and begged to come here and not planning on paying, and by "midwife" I mean my mom). She's going to come up for two weeks to help with the birth and the puppies while Greg and I have to work. I know that dogs are pretty good about taking care of their own in the beginning, but I want to make sure Sophie is taken care of.

I have thought about names for our new puppy. Lexi or Gracie if it's a girl, and Oliver (Ollie) or Rocky if it's a boy. Gregory seems to veto every name I come up with. He acts like he doesn't care too much, but he sure is quick to tell me when he doesn't like one. He wouldn't admit it, but I think he's just super excited about having 3 dogs...

P.S. Holy 3 dogs, Batman! I'm exhausted already...

P.P.S. Any good dog names you can think of, let me know!

Bob Barker is Going to Be So Mad At Me

2010-02-06T18:12:00.003-07:00

"Have your pets spayed and neutered." That's how he ended every single episode of "The Price is Right." He reminds us to be responsible pet owners. I mean, why have pets if you aren't going to care for them responsibly??

Today, after a visit to the vet, we learned that our little Sophie is indeed pregnant. Super. Litters from her breed are usually between 2 and 5 puppies. Needless to say these puppies are accidents. Why isn't Sophie spayed, you ask? I have no excuse. Life got in the way? I kept putting it off and now it's too late? I don't know Bob Barker, quit yelling at me!!!

I feel responsible for these puppies being brought into the world, so I will make darn sure they find lovely homes. I suppose we are going to keep one for ourselves, and one will go to the father, or we expect monthly puppy-support payments!

We find out how many there are in two weeks. I was upset at first, but now I am thinking it could be quite an experience. Wish us luck!

P.S. New experiences! Yay!

P.P.S. These next few weeks (or 15) are going to be crazy! Any puppy- birthing advice is appreciated!

Tiring of Facebook?

2010-02-01T11:33:00.004-07:00

So, I have been on Facebook a while. It's a neat little site. It lets you keep in touch with people you forgot (or tried to forget??) a long time ago. It reminds me that my 10 year high school reunion is approaching. (I haven't RSVP'ed yet...) It reminds me when someone's birthday is. (Too bad Greg isn't on it. I can never remember his birthday. Isn't that awful?) It reminds me to try and look awesome and as skinny as possible in every photo I take just in case it winds up on Facebook.

I check it frequently. I have the app on my phone.

Even with all of this, I am slowly starting to absolutely hate it.

Just because you have Facebook doesn't mean you have to post everything you think onto your status. I know I am not the only person that feels this way. There is a certain thing called overexposure. Get Twitter if you feel the need to constantly update. (Yes, maybe I am a little bitter because I am not fun enough to constantly update my status...but I like to call it restraint...)

Just because you have Facebook does not mean that everyone or anyone cares how you feel about politics. I HATE political updates. I would rather get constant "Here's what I am doing right now" updates instead of political ones. You love the current administration. You want to guilt us all into Universal Healthcare. You recycled and think everyone needs to do the same. Well, I am here to tell you that no one is going to change their mind or take action because you posted it on your wall. I am to the point where I am going to start talking back...

Just because you have Facebook doesn't give you a right to say horrible things about others. "Status Update" is not French for "Vent." People just see you as angry and realize that in elementary school your counselor probably checked off the box next to "Doesn't get along well with others."

People already know the lyrics to songs. There's no need to put them into you status update.

I know what you are thinking: "If you hate it so much, why don't you just delete your page and be done with it?" Well, your right. I've thought about it. But there are too many people I do want to keep up with. Friends, family, and co-workers, that I want to hear from. Do the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to Facebook? Yes. I get to see pictures and videos of sweet babies that I may have missed if I didn't have Facebook. And, because of this, I will put up with all of the politics, status updates, song lyrics, and angry vents. It makes it all worth it.

I have to end here...I have to update my Facebook status...

P.S. I wonder how many people will de-friend me after this post...

P.P.S. It's not you...it's me...life is making me a little bitter right now...sorry about my angry blog vent...

Haiti

2010-01-14T20:26:00.002-07:00

I am a news junkie. I have it on all day when I'm at home and I check the internet for the latest when I am not. Journalism was one of my majors...but I did have quite a few. While watching this horrible tragedy in Haiti unfold, I am even more glued to the news. It's no secret what news channel I watch, and one of my favorite anchors on there said this:

This is a story where the pictures are going to look the same over the days ahead, and we’re all going to get bored with it, ’cause we always do. And then they’ll all be truly alone. And then they’ll really need us.” – Shepard Smith

Just thought I'd share. Maybe it will remind you how lucky you are to be able to have family and the necessities of life. Maybe you'll be thankful for your warm blanket and secure home. Maybe it'll move you to donate...

P.S. The American Red Cross rocks!

P.P.S. So does our military!

Patience is a Virtue....Blah....Blah...Blah

2010-01-12T09:02:00.002-07:00

As one gets older you would think you would have more patience. After having more life experience, you know that patience is a virtue that one must remember is such an important part of life. Being a patient person can make your life easier.

I am so sick of hearing things like this I might throw up all over my super cute new boots.

I am a patient person because I am a nice person. I will wait my turn because I do not cut in line, because I want everyone to go ahead of me, because, what's a few more minutes of waiting? I don't mind if the boy behind the counter decides he needs a short break right before he starts making my sandwich because maybe he's had a bad day, and even though my sandwich, un-toasted, with only pickles, tomatoes, and ranch, is the fastest, easiest sandwich to make ever, and I only have an hour for lunch, I don't mind waiting for a few minutes getting to know the other people in line while he does whatever he does during a break. (I would NEVER leave people waiting on me, but, hey, what do I know?)

I feel a bit hypocritical because I know people have to sometimes wait for me at my job, but I hope they know I am doing the best I can do that they don't have to wait. That's the difference.

I get tired of waiting sometimes. Hurry up. The freaking light is green- go!

I have spent so much time waiting patiently and letting others go ahead of me that I am tired of it and I'm not going to take it anymore!

Who am I kidding? I'm sure I'll have to wait just as long for my sandwich next time while I grin and say things like: "Oh, that's alright, you go ahead and take your break. I don't mind waiting..."

P.S. Any tips on becoming a more patient person?

P.P.S. Welcome Tommy Tuberville to Red Raider Nation!

Peace Out, 2009!

2009-12-31T09:08:00.003-07:00

I thought 2009 was going to be so much grander than 2008. Well, it was about the same. A few great things, a few not so great things.

Great things that happened in 2009:

1. Bryson was born. Yay! A new nephew!

I think that's about it. I can't think of anything else that matches that!

Here's why I am ready to move on into 2010:

1. 2010 will be the year of my real diet. The previous years were just practice. I know I say this every year, and this year I sort of, kind of, mean it.
2. Politics. That is all. I shall say no more. You all know how I feel.
3. Unfortunately, on day 2 of 2010, I have to watch a Tech football game. With no head pirate. I suppose as much as we will miss him, we can be interested in who Tech will go with next. Please Tech: DON'T BE DUMB!!
4. A year of disappointments month by month.

So, bring in 2010! Looking forward to the new. Except not so much my 10 year high school reunion. How did 10 years already go by?

I hope 2010 is so amazing that my post a year from now is titled: "Best Year Ever."

P.S. I am in the acceptance stage of grief now. I have a team to support on Saturday!

P.P.S. Any exciting New Year's Eve Plans? We will be asleep by 10...yes, we are "those people" now.

Lessons from Christmas Movies

2009-12-14T08:10:00.003-07:00

Tis the season for Christmas movies, or movies I like to watch around Christmastime. (I would actually watch White Christmas every month of the year if I knew I wouldn't get laughed at in the heat of summer). I hope someday my family can gather around the 46 inch flat screen TV and share in the joy of Christmas movies. There are so many lessons that they teach us:

1. Do not, under any circumstances, help a man dressed as Santa that has fallen off your roof, or you are in for it for the rest of your life, just ask Scott Calvin.

2. Magic is certainly abundant around Christmastime, from snow globes to lollipops that give you the gift of flight.

3. Even super cheesy, predictable made-for-tv Christmas movies can make you smile.

4. If you have a bah-humbug attitude in the beginning, you will learn your lesson by the end.

5. Animals also realize that it's Christmastime, not just reindeer.

6. Even Linus knows the true meaning of Christmas, and even if he is preempted for yet another speech, each and every year he reminds us in his sincere and matter-of-fact way.

7. Probably the most important lesson we need to be reminded of around Christmas happens in almost every single Christmas movie: Charity. Let us remember it is our family, friends, and neighbors that will help us in times of need. In "White Christmas" the charity of a few army buddies helped a ski lodge contend with a snowless season. Scrooge just had to find the spirit of giving from a few helpful ghosts to understand the importance of charity. The ultimate lesson of charity finds George Bailey in a tough predicament, and guess who comes through in the end...friends, family, and neighbors...

P.S. Notice I said "Christmas movies" and not "Holiday movies." Take that PC world.

P.P.S. Have you finished all of your Christmas shopping?? Out of the 21 people we buy gifts for, I only have two people left!!

Breaking out the Tinsel!

2009-11-29T13:40:00.014-07:00

Not so much as tinsel, because we used ribbon this year...we bought a new Christmas tree (which is now 30 dollars cheaper than when we bought it...thanks Target!). the reason we decided to buy this house was because I knew it could look beautiful decorated for Christmas! It did not disappoint!

We went with a gold, white, and a touch of silver this year for our theme, but I am still using my red and gold tree skirt from last year because they are expensive:

The ornament we received last year. We absolutely love it!

We have to represent our home state on our Colorado Christmas tree!

Our 2009 ornament from Wilma and Chuck! Love it!

Christmas decorating is not complete without Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

I have been waiting to put garland on this staircase wince we moved in here in April!

Cookie jar in the kitchen! Can't wait to make cookies to fill it up!

While this may be the worst composed picture ever, this Santa was the one thing that I was so excited about. I remember growing up we had an advent calendar with a mouse you would stick in each day, so I wanted one for my house. I searched and searched and found this one last year.

And, when mommy breaks out the camera, there are always pictures of the puppies. Wyatt is so much better at posing than Sophie.

And, as usual, they couldn't get along when I needed them to.

P.S. Christmas is the best time of year. Unless you are a teacher, then it's summer.

P.P.S. Thanks Mom and Tim for coming to Thanksgiving in the Springs. We had a grand old time, ate too much food, and watched some football. I hope you enjoyed the Edmiston Mountain Bungalow!

Losing Streak

2009-11-15T19:07:00.003-07:00

Tech lost. Broncos lost. Cowboys lost. I got killed too much in Call of Duty last night. So much so, that I left matches early so as not to be embarrassed by my score. (It's a gamer thing, you wouldn't understand). I baked a sweet potato in the microwave and it was still hard when I went to eat it. It was very unappetizing. Even with all the butter and brown sugar I put on it so that it does not actually taste like a sweet potato, it was still not great. One thing after another, after another, after another...

So, how does one snap a losing (or loser) streak? What do great teams do to turn things around? I know with winning streaks people don't change their underwear, eat the same meal before a game, listen to certain songs, and other fun (slightly un-hygienic) traditions. But what do you do to snap a losing streak?

I know what the easy answer is: start being a winner. Think like a champion and all of that. But when your QB is hobbling (see Tech and Denver), your O-line couldn't block for the life of them (see Dallas), your deaths are much higher than your kills (see Call of Duty), and your yams are still raw, it's hard to think like a champion. So, then you have to go with the: "it's not about winning, it's about having fun." Whatever. It's no fun to lose.

Well, I suppose I can look at this website and feel a little better...

P.S. If anyone has any tips about turning that frown upside down, that would be super.

P.P.S. Please forgive my negative mood. I haven't had the greatest weekend, and Greg is traveling...again. I promise more lollipops and sunshine posts to come!

Obligatory Texas Tech Football Post

2009-11-09T10:04:00.006-07:00

Last Saturday Texas Tech had a bye week. Bye weeks are usually no fun, but last Saturday we got to attend the wedding of some dear friends, and had a blast. So much of a blast that I had a bit of a headache, but that's neither here nor there. (Let's just say I am not as young as I used to be, and my body reminds me the next day after a night of fun). Well, this week we take on Oklahoma State, and I just hope it's a repeat of last year. In case you forgot:

That's the only game Greg and I attended, and it was fun!

After going to Tech games all of my life, I never knew that the band played the Matador song in front of the library after every game before they are dismissed. Here's a video I found on YouTube of the band after the Kansas game. Greatness!

Here's to a fun game against Oklahoma State! GUNS UP! RAIDER POWER!

P.S. I think the Cowboys are out for revenge, so it could get ugly!

P.P.S. Nothing about our football team feels certain this year. But, it seems that a lot of people's football teams aren't certain of anything. What a crazy college football season, and I love every minute of it!

Told ya so...

2009-10-29T21:30:00.003-06:00

It has been snowing a whole lot. Not sure if we are going to be going to LBK or not...

Here it is:
And here:

P.S. First pic is the backyard, second is the front. Notice that my tree is more sad and less pretty red.

P.P.S. We aren't sure if it's going to melt in time for us to travel tomorrow. Considering that we have to start our journey after it is dark, we aren't sure if that's going to happen.

"I want to wash my hands, my face, and hair with..."

2009-10-26T08:45:00.004-06:00

Ok, I am going to admit it: it's fun to live somewhere where it's not about IF it's going to snow, it's WHEN. As a small child in Lubbock, the possibility of snow was exciting. It was unusual to get to make snow angels. Whenever Greg and I have children, they will grow up getting bored with snow angels and snowball fights, and I just love that fact. They will always know snow.

Snow changes the whole dynamic of a Sunday. Yesterday, instead of running errands and working around the house, Greg and I hung out in front of the fire and watched football because it was snowing. I suppose that I am saying that snow makes us lazy (as if anything could aid in that, we are pretty good about that without snow). Snow just makes everything cozy. And, I get to sing Christmas songs all day long even though it's only October. Greg really appreciates that.

In the next two weeks we will be traveling to Lubbock twice. Once for a baby shower, and once for a wedding. It's going to be exhausting, but totally worth it. We'll have to leave after I get off of work on Friday night (because it's not in my blood to ask for time off), so we probably won't get to Lubbock until about 3 in the morning. Wish us luck. That is not the time to laud snow, it's the time to pray for it to not come around...

P.S. The title of this post is from the song "Snow" from the movie "White Christmas." If you knew that, I am super impressed.

P.P.S. If you are thinking:"Wow, Abby. Life must be pretty exciting to have to write about snow..." You are exactly right. The most exciting thing this week is that I am going to cut my hair off. OFF, I tell you! I am so tired of it! And, I think the fact that I always put it into a ponytail is making my head hurt...

Writer's Block

2009-10-09T21:15:00.005-06:00

I believe I am suffering from a case of writer's block. I can't think of anything to blog about. I suppose that makes me boring? Every time I think of something I could write about, I do a quick in-head pro/con list about whether I should or not. Here are a few of the topics I have considered:

1. Weather- boring, I know. But, it's already snowed here and I just know my faithful readers are dying to hear about how cold I am just like how they loved my incessant whining about how I have no air conditioning. Did I mention my house has NO air conditioning? Well, now I can write about sitting in front of the fire with a great cup of coffee while it's snowing outside and you can comment about how jealous you are.

2. Insert foot into mouth- It seems like I have this problem. I wonder if there is a cure? I always say stupid things, then think about them later and regret them. And worry about them. Sometimes I channel my inner Michael Scott I guess. I suppose we all do at some point, but I tend to stick my foot in my mouth more than the average human being. Except for the really flexible ones...

3. Dieting- I started dieting because, well, you know... But, writing about dieting just makes me want to eat candy, or something. I haven't had a Dr. Pepper in a whole week! If you know me and the relationship I have with this Dr., you will know that is a big deal. (Notice- I didn't say dieting and exercise because I hate having to exercise, why would I want to write about it?) Since "The Biggest Loser" is back on, I get inspired every Tuesday night...

4. Laundry- Oh wait, this has started turning into my to-do list. Sorry.

5. Waiting- (No, Amber Flew, not your previous job. I know better- you were a "server" and not a "waitress"). It seems like I am always waiting for something. Waiting in line at the bank, waiting for Greg to come home, waiting for 9:00 to come around so I can get into bed and not feel like it's too early and I'm a loser, waiting for the next new episode, waiting for something to come into my mind to blog about...I wonder how much time we spend waiting for things?

6. New words I love to use- "Awesomecakes" is every other word for me right now. It's so much more fun than simply "awesome" and if you read #3 you know I've got cake on my mind.

Any other suggestions are appreciated!

P.S. Not the most fun blog ever, but is that what writer's block is supposed to be? Fun?

P.P.S. If you get a chance, read about these young men from Ft. Carson who were killed while in Afghanistan. We shouldn't forget. Regardless of how you feel about the war, maybe you could take a second to read about these six and these two. We all owe them at least that...

Long Overdue Vegas Blog

2009-09-29T10:35:00.013-06:00

Well, we went. We saw. We didn't so much as conquer. However, I didn't lose everything. Our friend Will said it best: When you go to Vegas you have to pretend that money is more like Monopoly money. So true. Twenty dollars in this machine. Twenty dollars in that machine... It was fun to see everything and actually travel with Greg instead of being left while he goes gallivanting around. (Not so much gallivanting as working). I think we had our fill of Vegas for quite a while.

Here is the view from our hotel room. It was stellar:

A few hot air balloons at the conservatory in the Bellagio. So pretty:

Greg and I at the fountains at the Bellagio. We both just loved them.

Our friends Will and Holly. They are newlyweds! Congratulations Will and Holly! I love sharing my birthday with such a wonderful couple!

So pretty!

We didn't look like tourists at all...

Yes, that is Greg's margarita all to himself. Other tables were sharing them with 4 people. Greg drank all of his solo...

Not Vegas, but our tree in the front yard is just so pretty, I just had to post a picture of it. It's one of the only trees on our block that has changed colors. It definitely sticks out.

P.S. My fantasy football seasons aren't going so well. I can't seem to pick the right team ever in college pick 'em, and my star running back was carted off the field on Sunday. Super. If you have any tips, I would really appreciate them.

P.P.S. I started a new job and it's wonderful! I think it's going to be perfect for me for a long time!

What Happens in Vegas...

2009-09-09T12:09:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow, Greg and I will embark on a trip to Las Vegas. I suppose we are too old to have too many "What happens in Vegas..." moments. I am hoping for more fun and less crazy. Can you avoid that in Vegas? I have yet to go there as an adult, so we'll see how much I remember. First, though, I have to get through the flight, which I don't enjoy at all. Greg has become a pro at flying, he does it so often. I, however, get stomach aches before I board and white knuckles during the flight. Let's just say I am not the best company on a flight...

Greg and I rarely travel together, except to see family, so we are both really looking forward to this trip. If you have any tips for enjoying Vegas, let me know!

P.S. Busy next week- new job starts, in-laws visit, and Greg is really busy at work.

P.P.S. Yes, you heard that right. I am no longer just a housewife. Now, I'm only a part-time housewife!! (And blogger??)

Where There's Fire...

2009-09-03T09:39:00.005-06:00

I can remember driving down some remote Texas highway and seeing a fire burning on the side of the road. Greg, the seasoned traveler and super smart guy, told me they are burning on purpose. On purpose? Who would burn fires in wooded areas on purpose? He explained to me in scientific and some unscientific words how burning the scrub brush and grasses in the floor of the woods or forest (I guess you could call it Texas woods, they are quite different from the woods here in CO) can actually prevent huge fires from spreading, not to mention give the ground nutrients to sustain the vegetation. I believe they can also be cleared by machine. Of course, that's in most states...

Here's and article that I found today by the AP about the fires that are burning in California. I think it's great that people strongly believe in a cause and as someone said (I can't remember who) that dissent and debate are patriotic.

Well, people who are too worried about air quality to allow controlled burns, how's your air quality now? (Ok, if you read the article, it's not that they don't completely allow it, they just make it really difficult to do).

In fact, not only is it affecting your air, it's affecting mine, too. Thanks.

P.S. Oh, now I remember, it was her who said something like that.

P.P.S. Sorry if this is too political for my blog. It just makes me too sad about the two dead firefighters, the homes destroyed, and the people evacuated not to write a little bit about it.

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire

2009-09-01T09:22:00.005-06:00

Well, the huge fires are impacting us here in Colorado. Not like they are impacting the poor people in their path. It's horrible. I found a poem I wanted to share:

So as you look at the firefighter with his rake, hose or axe,
His beet red face or ice covered mustache,
You should know why he goes through that smoky front door,
And is forced to crawl like a baby down on the floor.
He does it to save both lives and property,
All that is precious to you and to me.
So take a good look at this modern warrior who serves his call proud and true,
And know that he would die just to save me and you.
~Robert J. Athans

Here are how the fires are impacting us:

This is what the view looks like from the back of our house. (The peak doesn't have snow at this time, this picture was taken a few weeks ago).

Here is what it looks like in real life. I had to zoom in a bit. I suppose objects in camera lens are closer than they appear.

Yesterday, I asked Greg why it was so hazy and hard to see the mountain. He said he thought it was humidity. Last night on the news the weatherman told me (yes, he speaks directly to me) that it was smoke from the California fires.

So, it's not life threatening or anything, just thought I would share. It's really weird to not be able to see the peak. You really get used to it.

P.S. Someone in California should do their "rain dance," as my dad calls it. (That means he just washed his car and it will rain within 24-48 hours). It rarely fails.

P.P.S. Someday I hope some smart person invents something that you can put around houses or something to keep the fire from getting the house. I will put that on my "Things that should be invented, wish I knew how to invent, and would make tons of money if I did" list. I think on "American Inventor" they had a guy with flame retardant bricks? Does anyone remember that? If so, they should get on that.

Purple Mountain Majesties

2009-08-27T10:55:00.010-06:00

Katherine Lee Bates was inspired by Pike's Peak to write the words of the song "America the Beautiful." There is a monument dedicated to her and that song on top of the peak. 14, 110 feet above sea level. How do I know that? Because I saw it. Greg and I drove (not hiked, I'm not a crazy person) to the top of the Peak for the first time last Saturday. It was the new truck's first outing. The tack-oma did a great job! Greg is very happy with it. 19 miles to the top once you get onto the highway, and some of it was a little bit scary. Occasionally, all you can see ahead of you is sky. I get nervous on dirt roads with no guardrails and switchbacks every five seconds. Some of it was paved nicely. I did the "Million Dollar Highway," by God. This was nothin'.

There were informative signs along the way, letting you know about the wildlife and the vegetation. Greg said once: "Oh, now we are in the subble-pine zine." I said: "Subble-pine? You mean Sub-alpine?" It was funny. Maybe you had to be there.

We bought amazing homemade fudge at the top, that we DID NOT need. We walked around, said: "Wow, it's tall." Then we made the trek back home. There were so many hills and mountains that I was reminded of "The Sound of Music" and Greg really appreciated my rendition of the soundtrack of the movie. Unfortunately, the only line I know of that song is "The hills are alive, with the sound of music" so I sang that over and over. For some reason, Greg cranked up the radio...

Proof I was there.

There's our house. Can you see it?

Apparently, you can see four states from the top, but I can't figure out which four. Colorado is one of them...

I saw this sign and it confirmed my belief that Bigfoot exists!

If you look really closely, I think I might have caught him in this picture. What do you think? Should I send it into National Geographic or something?

P.S. Greg has been in town the past TWO WEEKS!! Yay! I actually think we are going to make it three weeks in a row together. Wow. All I can say is that the house definitely gets messier with both of us here...

P.P.S. I didn't think the mountains looked all that purple. Maybe it was sunset when Miss Bates was up there?

Birthday and Un-birthday Presents

2009-08-18T09:05:00.006-06:00

My first nephew turned three on Saturday, and I wasn't there. Yes, I got him a present, a green garbage truck that functions and makes noise. (I don't buy anything for the boys that doesn't make noise, because I know Alli and Bryan really appreciate it. Someday, when I have kids, they are going to pay me back for that, but I've decided all noisy toys will stay deep down in the basement). This will be the first, and, unfortunately, probably not the last, birthday that I missed. It makes me sad, but that's one price you pay for living near the gorgeous mountains. Is it worth it? I don't think I can answer that just yet.

Thanks to the magic of the webcam, I was able to see my little king and tell him "Happy Birthday." He preceded to tell me that he was going to be 66 years old.

Greg got a new truck this week. It's fancy, for a truck. We are allowed to own red cars now because we do not live in Lubbock anymore. It's just too much to live in Lubbock and own a red car with a Tech sign on it. All we need is a silver double T on the back, and it will be perfect! I don't believe many people make a better car than Toyota. I suppose this is Greg's un-birthday present. Isn't that what the Mad Hatter always celebrated?

Now, all we have to do is win the lottery so that we can register it. If you don't know, Colorado car registration is super high, I think it's 2% of whatever the vehicle is worth. But, our property taxes are super low. And did I mention we get to look at beautiful mountains everyday?

P.S. I can't wait for fall. I never thought I would look forward to cooler weather, but I did spend a lot of time in Texas this summer.

P.P.S. With fall comes fantasy football. I will be dominating both college pick 'em as well as NFL fantasy football with a draft and everything. I am currently doing research to get ready for both. Yes, that's what happens when you don't have a job...If anyone would like to join our college pick 'em team, let me know. We have room for more, it's easy and fun!

Reunited and It Feels So Good

2009-08-12T15:41:00.010-06:00

So, we recently got back from Dallas for our King family reunion. It was so great to see all of my wonderful family, but it seemed to fly by too fast. I vote we make it at least one day longer next year. I just don't feel like I got to visit with everyone like I wanted to. Here are a few of the highlights:

Aunt Abby trying to help Evan hold Bryson because he asked if he could.

Getting ready for the balloon toss. Greg and I did not win, but I have a feeling that some of the balloons were on the juice, if you know what I'm sayin' and I think you do.

Bryson just loved swimming!

Two adorable little boys enjoying a baseball game.

Alli and I at the baseball game.
Greg holding Bryson. Might not be the most natural thing I have ever seen, but that's ok. He doesn't have to learn just yet.

We went by Weatherford to and from Dallas and Evan just loved petting Kit. I don't think Kit was quite as thrilled, but I'm sure she was glad it was Evan and not Sophie or Wyatt.

P.S. I have been really sick since we got back to the Springs. I don't think it's swine flu, but we'll keep a close eye on it.

P.P.S. No traveling for a while. I don't know how Greg does it all the time. I get really tired of living out of a suitcase, even if it is a super cute Vera Bradley bag.

Bridesmaid Duties are Over...For Now

2009-07-24T09:53:00.012-06:00

The wedding has come and gone. It was too much fun. Once again, I proved how I have no shame and did a lot of dancing at the reception. Who can resist the "electric slide?" I must say Amber had the most fun bridesmaids, because we sure did get out on the dance floor and got the party started. Nothing compared to the "Poker Face" dance. Those who were there are now laughing a little to themselves remembering that stunning display of choreography! I must admit, I was impressed!

If you don't mind a little (sometimes crude) humor, and I assure you, we don't, then you should check out this video of one of the groomsman's toast/serenade to the couple at their rehearsal dinner. My cheeks still hurt from laughing! Here is the link! Make sure you read the info on the side, and small children should probably leave the room!

I didn't take enough pictures. I never do. But, here are the few I did take:

Bridesmaid's Luncheon

Right Before the Ceremony

At the Reception
Prettiest Bride Ever!
Happy Couple!

P.S. I've been in the LBK for about a week now. My pasty Colorado skin has become so burned I can't even sleep well. It sure is nice to not be alone when Greg has to go off and save the world.

P.P.S. I really miss my mountains. I am quite attached to them.

An Uber-Special P.P.P.S. My wonderful husband informed me last night that we will probably be heading to Hawaii in December. That's right. You heard me. I better start running or something...

Fun Weeks Ahead!

2009-07-13T12:37:00.004-06:00

The next few weeks are going to fly by, but hopefully not. Greg and I will be traveling quite a bit. Not just Greg this time. This week, Greg is gone for the first part of the week, then we go to Lubbock, then San Antonio for a wedding we know is going to be perfect, back to Lubbock where Greg flies off somewhere for work, then in about a week and a half we'll be back home to Colorado Springs. I'm out of breath and tired just thinking about it, but it's going to be fun. Being out of the house during the middle of the summer is not such a bad thing, considering (I can't remember if I told you) we don't have air conditioning...beating a dead horse much?

The really serious, critical, grave (just press F7 and you can get a thesaurus too!) problem of the next few weeks is: when am I going to see the new Harry Potter movie? I'm too busy to go to the midnight showing when it opens in the middle of this week, and no one in Lubbock has read the books and wants to see it with me. I think, for the first time ever, I might have to go to a movie by myself. I just don't think I can wait for Greg to get back. It's just too darn exciting!

Unfortunately, the subject matter can be a little controversial, even though I just don't get it. When the last book was coming out, I got so fed up with people not being able to separate fact from FICTION, I wrote a letter to the local paper. If you would like to read it, follow this link. You can tell that when I wrote it, I was a little bit angry because I repeat myself a little too much...

P.S. So, I'm not the bride at this wedding we are going to (thanks Captain Obvious) but I am still having dreams about not remembering my shoes or showing up wearing a different color dress than all of the other bridesmaids. What does that mean?

P.P.S. Greg and I are officially-not-just-talking-about-it-and-then-backing-out going to Vegas in September! It's okay to be jealous.

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-06T10:18:00.005-06:00

This past weekend, we had our Colorado and Utah friends and family come and visit. It was our first time to have many visitors in our new house. I think it made me love our house more. Yes, the kitchen may be the perfect place for the Keebler Elves to bake their scrumptious goodies, but that's the only downside, I think. It seemed that everyone was comfortable and had their own space. Unfortunately, it rained. While it helped keep the inside cool (you know- Colorado hippies and their stupid building houses without air conditioning, you've heard about it from me before), it meant we couldn't hang out outside. At least we had plenty of room to be inside.

When Greg and I were looking at houses to buy, we thought about weekends like this. It's really important for us to have our guests feel comfortable, and I hope that they did. It's so fun to have your own house. Even the cleaning is more fun. I don't think Greg and I will ever rent again.

With the wonderful aspects of home ownership, there are also the pitfalls. On Thursday, we had a torrential downpour that caused one of our wells around a basement window to fill up with about six inches of water. Consequently, the water seeped through the window and got the carpet in the basement bedroom wet. Sophie was in trouble until we realized what had happened. I had to wash the sheets for the second time that day, and set up a fan to help get the area dry. It was fun. Trust me.

Last night Greg got a toothpick stuck in his throat and thus I experienced my first ever ER visit. I looked everywhere for George Clooney, to no avail. They numbed his throat, which we think made him relax enough to let it pass through. He's alright, thank God. We are so glad we live 2 minutes away from a beautiful new hospital. Our doctors and, especially, our nurses were wonderful and understanding, but don't think I am rude by saying I have zero desire to see them again soon.

P.S. I didn't take one single picture this weekend. Sorry. Use your imagination.

P.P.S. I find that those who preach tolerance are the least likely to practice it. Write that down.

Fun Trip to Lubbock!!

2009-06-29T14:00:00.015-06:00

I went to Lubbock this weekend for one of my best friend's bachelorette party and bridal shower. It was so much fun, and I am actually quite sad today knowing that I won't see them for another 3 weeks.

Amber with her gifts at the lingerie shower on Friday night:

All of the hostesses for the bridal shower the next day. Notice the beautiful flower arrangement:

I made my tall friends take off their heels and squat down a little to make me look taller. That's the definition of true friends right there:

Here we are at dinner before heading to the piano bar. It's work having to crop out the dirty props Amber had. (Those of you who were there know what I mean).

We told them to embarrass her. I think they did a pretty great job! She was such a trooper! I haven't laughed that hard in quite a while!

Yay! Amber B. won the "Saved By the Bell" trivia contest in which she had to yell out answers to random questions about one of the greatest shows ever!

We had too much fun!

And of course I had a tiny bit of time to see my nephews!

P.S. So sorry I didn't get to see everyone while I was there. I guess you'll just have to come and see me!

P.P.S. Sorry it's been a while since I updated the blog. I just haven't really done anything super fun. I suppose I better get more exciting if I want to keep this interesting.

Camping

2009-06-15T10:43:00.017-06:00

So, being the Coloradoans (Coloradoites?) that we now are, we decided it was about time we went camping for the weekend. We met our fellow Colorado (and Utah) friends for a weekend of fun, hiking, fishing, camping, eating, and drinking. Which also included sunburning, being sore, getting mosquito bitten, and not sleeping. It was still super amounts of fun because the company was so great.

Here is our campsite. (This is Will's tent that is made for a sultan):

Here is our new tent that we recently purchased. It was great and held up fairly well in the wind.

Here are all of the girls that tagged along:

A wonderful little trail we hiked while the boys fished:
It got kind of steep in places, but my little legs made it!

We hiked to where the boys were fishing:

It was some pretty scenery:

I took this picture thinking it was a beaver den, now I'm not so sure:
Later that day the girls went to Steamboat Springs, a super cute little town, and had lunch. The dogs were so good the entire time!

That evening was kind of windy, so the boys had to rig their grill to block the wind. Fortunately for us, we weren't hungry because of the Mexican food we ate in town:

Greg and I had a great time. We love camping together. I try not to whine too much (it's inevitable because it's me and I am usually a downer, but somehow Greg still manages to stick with me).

P.S. I just got back and I can't wait to go again. I don't think I could do it for a whole week, but a weekend was perfect.

P.P.S. I think I am going to turn into a hiker. It sure was fun!

Season 2 is Down...Onto Season 3!

2009-06-09T15:57:00.004-06:00

Greg and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary yesterday. Wow, does two years fly by or what? We find it more fun to refer to it as seasons- like a TV show. The Grabby Show. (Greg+Abby=Grabby) We bought our anniversary present for each other a few days ago. We desperately needed something to sit on on our tiny porch. So we got these:

Now we can sit outside! Yay! And everyone around us can see us because we have no alleys! Yay for no privacy! Oh well. Nobody else has it either.

So yesterday Greg surprised me with these:

I just love flowers. There are a few calla lilies that have yet to open up. I can't wait! We had plans to go out to eat. Instead we ended up going to Panda Express (yum), played a few computer games together, and watched the new episode of "The Closer" (so good). We are trying to save money until we get our Obamadollars for buying our new house, and this made our anniversary plans that much more enjoyable. If that makes us boring, then it's alright with us. I'm just glad Greg was actually home to celebrate with me, no matter how we did it.

P.S. Going camping this weekend! We should- we are so close to beautiful camping!

P.P.S. I just separated my dogs because I thought one was bothering the other. Now they are both crying to be together. I guess now I get why my Ganny would say to Alli and I when we were fighting: "Don't make me separate you two."

To Here and Back

2009-06-05T13:52:00.009-06:00

We have been so busy the past month. We moved, then Greg was gone for two weeks, then I was gone for a week, then my parents were here, and this week Greg has been gone. So, next week will be our first officially-normal week in our new house. Just us. Greg going to work and coming home to gourmet dinners I have prepared...Here are a few pics from our trip to Lubbock and Mom and Tim's trip to Colorado Springs:

Here we are at J.J. and Heather's wedding:

I love the way Evan is looking at his Uncle Greg drinking his margarita:

Not far from us is this pretty waterfall:
Here is our house! (Somewhere out there!) We are in front of our town we love!

P.S. I don't want to hear anything about my sunglasses and how huge they are. In my opinion sunglasses are never too big!!

P.P.S. Good Lord, it has been a long week. Greg finally gets home tonight! Yay!

By Popular Demand...New House Pics

2009-05-31T11:21:00.007-06:00

By popular demand, here is a link to pictures of our new house. Sorry about the mess in some of the rooms. One, sometimes both, of us has been out of town for the past three weeks so we have yet to get everything done. I guess I have been down on my job! I am determined to get everything super perfect before Greg gets back on Friday. Right now we cannot park in the garage because we just dumped the stuff that was left at the old place in there. I WILL have the garage cleaned out by the time he gets home. Anyway, enjoy, and let me know what you think:

Pictures of our new Colorado house!

P.S. Please remember that Colorado houses look different than Texas houses. For example- kitchens seem to be smaller. (At least that's what I'm telling myself- just go with it).

P.P.S. I don't want to hear of anyone taking bets on whether or not the garage will actually be cleaned out...

Sometimes You Forget How Classy People Can Be...

2009-05-29T13:13:00.008-06:00

Lately, I find myself cussing more and more. I guess as I get older my tongue gets looser. However, I know when I should and should not use colorful four letter words. At home with just Greg and I it's alright to let a few slip. Whenever we have kids- not so much, and I don't want others to curse in front of them either (Scott- this means you). In front of grandparents or in public I never cuss. Ever. I also do not use choice words to get a message across, it doesn't make it any more effective. Enter this: http://www.krdo.com/global/story.asp?s=10442500.

Wow. I understand that talking on a cell phone while driving is not the best thing in the world. I understand that more accidents happen because of people not paying attention while driving because whatever the person on the other end of the line is saying is so super interesting. I know I am guilty of carrying on a conversation on my iphone while going to and fro in my car.

When I see people like this who have to use unkind words in order to get a message across, I immediately do the exact opposite. You lose all of my respect when you cannot think of a better, more eloquent, way to say something. I will use my cell phone while driving MORE because of this lady. Think of having a 7 year old in the car with you asking: "What does that word mean?" Lovely. Maybe someone should teach her kids to talk like sailors. Oh wait, with such a great example, they probably already do.

One more thing: Is it super safe to try and read some sign poorly written on cardboard as you are traveling through an intersection? Just wondering. Wouldn't it be hysterical if someone was involved in a wreck because they were reading that sign and then sued her? (As long as no one got hurt. I don't even know if that could constitute a lawsuit but wouldn't that be some karma?)

P.S. Done with the old house forever! Yay!

P.P.S. It sure is fun to have visitors to our new mountain-ish bungalow! Everyone is welcome!

To There and Back

2009-05-26T17:46:00.005-06:00

I went to Lubbock, and I came home. It's weird to think that home and Lubbock are no longer synonymous. The Springs is home now. I suppose where ever Greg and the dogs are is home to me. This was the first trip back to Lubbock that I would rather bring all of my family to the Springs to live with me than move back.

Greg and I had so much fun playing, building with, and holding these two boys:

I believe Greg is more ready than ever to have babies. We both love Bryson and Evan like they are our own. We miss them everyday.

I was able to bring back Alli's babysitter, who I promised her I would get home in one piece because she is invaluable. Mom and I have already shopped, eaten, napped, and she's only been here one day!

Yes, Rosa's, Taco Villa, Weinerschnitzel, and Taco Bueno were just as wonderful as I remembered!

P.S. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Trips make me lazy.

P.P.S. When are they going to learn to mail food? Chicken fajita salad from Rosa's- if anyone ever figures out how to mail it gracefully.

Real Housewives of Colorado Springs?

2009-05-15T10:29:00.002-06:00

So, occasionally, mostly on Saturdays, Bravo has marathons of their reality shows. There is nothing else on TV on Saturdays. One Saturday I watched all of "The Rachel Zoe Project" and another Saturday I watched 87 episodes of Kathy Griffin's show. This last Saturday I watched "Real Housewives of New York City." It's not that great, but that didn't stop me from tuning in to episode after episode. (I actually prefer "The Real Housewives of Orange County," it just seems more glamorous and a little less confrontational).

Am I the only person who gets addicted to really horrible reality shows? At least I'm not Watching Bret Michaels' you-have-to-shower-immediately-after-watching-it-because-you-feel-so-icky show on VH1. They are almost a guilty pleasure, I suppose.

Maybe Bravo should do "Real Housewives of Colorado Springs." Dubbed the most mundane and tranquil reality show ever, instead of swanky bars and lavish events that the housewives attend, it would be more following them on shopping trips to Target and on a really good day, Pottery Barn. The only drama would be when Bath and Body Works tries to deny it's "buy 2 get one free" week, and tries to charge for the third item and then have to be corrected by the customer that, indeed, the third item should be free, whereas the 15 year old behind the counter rolls her eyes and says: "Well, it's not supposed to be that way, but I guess I can do it for you." (Yes, I can no longer go into that Bath and Body Works, and yes, it was supposed to be free).

Instead of gourmet dinners the cameras would follow them to an "expensive" dinner at Red Lobster. Is there anything better than popcorn shrimp? I have a feeling that there are more housewives like those in Colorado Springs than in Orange County or New York.

Well, I suppose Bravo won't be heading to Colorado Springs to film their awful reality shows. I guess it's like a train or car wreck, you know you shouldn't look and you may not like what you see, but you just can't help it. Networks are making millions off of curiosity. New Jersey is going to be good! (Did I just say that?)

P.S. Heading to the LBK on Monday to stay for a week. I cannot wait to see my newest nephew as well as my first nephew. I was supposed to leave last Tuesday, but I didn't want to take my kids (dogs) with me. It's going to be like a vacay- I can't wait. Rosa's, Taco Villa, Orlando's, Rudy's- I've got my eyes on you!

P.P.S. Interesting: Not politically motivated, just interesting. Tomorrow I'll try to be a little less controversial, maybe something about capital punishment? Also- GO NUGGETS!!

Worst. Idea. Ever.

2009-05-05T09:44:00.004-06:00

I enjoy children. I think they are super fun. I even like them when they get a little older because they even funnier at that point. But, there is one thing I hate. These:

What are they thinking??

Could this be the worst idea in the whole world? It wouldn't be so bad if kids used them only as recreational fun. Fine. Instead of skates, wear your heelys. They could have heely rinks or something. What I do know, is that they were not made for your kid in the grocery store aisle. How unnerving is it to have some 9 year old roll by you after you barely got that cereal off the top shelf to put in your cart? I think if I owned a business my sign would read: "No shoes, No shirt, Wearing heelys, NO SERVICE."

I tend to not judge parents because I am not one. I like to think they do the best they can. But, if you let your kid wear heelys in a grocery store, or to glide down the middle of the mall, I am judging you. Sorry, but I am. Don't buy them thinking that they are going to know when to roll and when not to roll. If there is a smooth surface even if it's in the middle of a crowded room, your 9 year old is going to use his heelys.

As a fifth grader teacher these "shoes" were the bane of my existence. My poor kids...if heelys are still cool when they are that age, they can beg all they want, they will never, never have them. I'll get them a puppy instead.

P.S. I checked out the heelys website and one of the first things they say is not to skate in a crowd. Right.

P.P.S. Greg's birthday was yesterday. He finally caught up to my age. I'm thinking he would enjoy a pair of heelys for his birthday. What do you think?

Pollen, Cottonwood, and Grass, Oh My!

2009-05-05T09:26:00.004-06:00

I never had allergies in Lubbock. I would get the occasional cold, but when you are in a room full of ten-year-olds with their noses running and they use your sleeve without you knowing as a Kleenex, one tends to catch a cold. Teaching also built up my immunity to such frivolous things. Lately, however, Colorado has been kicking my butt on a daily (and nightly) basis when it comes to my allergies.

I don't know exactly what it is in this mountainous air that is keeping me up at night with my nose running (I don't what to hear any "you better go catch it" jokes), my eyes swollen together, and my throat itching. Throat itching is really the worst part. I can deal with all of the other stuff, but constantly trying to itch your throat with the back of your tongue is the pits. I suppose this is another wonderful, whimsical aspect of living in Colorado that I am going to have to deal with. Yay!

So, here I type at our new dining room table (currently the chairs do not match because they are back ordered...ugh) watching the Today show, surrounded by used Kleenexes with one currently sticking out of my nose because it's just easier to leave it there than keep wiping it. My eyes are red and puffy, and the skin around my nose is red and dryer than usual. In other words, I look super pretty today. Too bad Greg is out of town...he doesn't know just how lucky he is (to be out of town, not have me as his wife).

P.S. Yesterday Allison and Bryan had Bryson Wayne Phillips at 3:30. He is adorable and looks a lot like Evan. I so wish I could be there...

P.P.S. Happy Cinco de Mayo! In honor of this holiday I am going to sit around and watch Telemundo and Speedy Gonzales cartoons while drinking margaritas and eating tacos. So, not really any different from any other day!

New Casa de Edmiston

2009-05-01T07:34:00.002-06:00

Well, it's official. We are living in the new house. We are exhausted. There is still stuff at the old place that we have to get, and thinking about that makes me feel even more tired. Wilma came up and helped, and I am pretty sure nothing would have gotten done without her. She and her energy are priceless.

Wednesday we called our house: "The House of Murphy's Law." The first thing that happened was that we couldn't get the couch that we bought specifically for the basement, into the basement. It's too big. (I did have one "told you so" victory, because I told Greg we shouldn't buy anything before we get into the house).

Greg had all sorts of cable to TV to Internet to cable boxes problems, but they were eventually figured out. One shower curtain fell...It sounds like the movie "The Money Pit" but it's actually quite lovely.

Wilma fixed our flower beds for us. Now, it's my mission to actually keep the flowers alive. I hope I can do it. I do not have a green thumb like my sister. I even killed pansies at the old place, after I was told that pansies were the one flower no one could kill. Well, the flower assassin has struck again, but hopefully we left her at the old place!

P.S. The new place is coming together well. I'll post some pics later!

P.P.S. I had no idea how dependent I am on Internet and cable. I feel like I lived like a cave woman for about 4 days,

One Week and Counting...

2009-04-20T11:51:00.002-06:00

In one week, Greg and I will be home owners. We are excited. Yesterday we bought a couple of pieces of furniture to go into the house. We will be moving all of our big stuff on the 29th courtesy of local movers. Once again, why do something yourself when you can pay professionals with muscles and dollies? This week I am getting ready to move. Cleaning out closets, drawers, basement. I forget how much I hate to move until I have to do it all over again. Thank goodness we won't have to do it for a while.

It's really hard to only be able to look at pictures of the new place for weeks. I think it's going to be the perfect starter home for our little family. Right now it's just the two of us and two rascally puppies. Someday we hope to make it bigger. Someday.

So, please send good thoughts our way for perfect moving weather and no snow, then ice, then thunder snow, then a tornado warning like we had last Friday.

P.S. Thank you Allison for the Peep you sent me. You know how I love those icky little creatures.

P.P.S. I tried sushi for the first time Saturday night. The shrimp tempura was great, the crab meat California rolls, not so much. Not to mention the chopsticks that my uncoordinated self just couldn't make work. It's hard! I suppose I will have to practice more.

Have You Hugged Your Accountant Today?

2009-04-15T09:19:00.005-06:00

Greg and I have a common philosophy: don't do anything yourself that people go to school to learn and become professionals in. Thus, we use an accountant. Our taxes were a little more complicated this year because Colorado has a state income tax. Still, we got everything together and shipped it off to Texas to use the Edmiston accountant. Yes, it may seem silly not to use someone here, but if it's not broke, why fix it? (That's the saying, I think).

We have had our taxes done for a while. It doesn't bother us to pay taxes, we like to drive on nice roads and have good teachers in our schools. We like to be contributing members of society. We like to think that when we pay taxes they are going to be spent responsibly...oops.

Well, to all of those accountants out there, remember: There are people in this world like me who have zero desire to ever learn how taxes are done or what a form 1040E is actually used for, and we thank you for taking care of us who are (and actually make an effort to be) ignorant towards the ever long and complicated tax code. Once again, thank you.

In the movie "Steel Magnolias" Truvy (played by Dolly Pardon) says: "I don't trust anyone who does their own hair. I don't think it's natural." I feel that same way about taxes (unless you are an accountant or have zero deductions), grooming your dog, giving your dog shots, home renovations, and schooling your children (just my opinion, I know there are lots of successful home school out there, I just could never do it because, once again, people go to school to learn how to do that exact thing...trust me, I know).

P.S. My Easter dinner was so good. Greg and I will be eating ham for every meal for the next 3-7 weeks.

P.P.S. I am very disappointed in my herbs, and I am going to throw them away, flower pots and all. I am going to cheat and buy already grown ones, that I can, hopefully, keep alive. My new house has a windowsill that will actually get sun in the kitchen, so I hope they will continue to grow there.

Peeps

2009-04-10T10:00:00.002-06:00

No, I'm not trying to be hip by calling people "peeps." I am naturally hip, and this would not add anything. I am actually talking about the candy. Or dessert, or whatever it is. I think it is the most unnatural food that ever there was. In fact every time I see one, on tv, in the store, around the world, it makes me sort of gag. Anyway, National Geographic had a photo contest calling for pictures of peeps in different places around the world. Here is the link, just in case you want to enter your own photo of a peep. Peeps give me the willies just about as much as this commercial, which makes me throw up a little in my mouth every time I see it and makes me barely able to eat yogurt anymore. I'm thinking about starting a petition to get it off of my tv screen.

If you want to know some interesting facts about Easter, such as: Why an egg? (Which I'm sure you already know because it's a symbol of life and rebirth...fitting, huh?) You can follow this website.

If you want to find out what a horrible Christian you are and realize that you should have listened more in Sunday School (Oh, this just may be my experience) you can take this quiz. I scored a 40, BTW, which is reprehensible. I hope you do better.

P.S. Cadbury Creme Egg? Now we're talking. I don't hate all Easter candy. My thighs will tell you that. Greg's absolute favorite are the Cadbury Mini-Eggs. He even ripped open a box in Wal-Mart the other day to get to them that I assume was about to be put on the shelves. He loves them that much.

P.P.S. I am determined to make an Easter meal like we would have if we were with family. Wish me luck!

Continuing the Dog Theme of the Week...

2009-04-08T10:52:00.003-06:00

Here is a heartbreaking story that I came across. I have wanted to read this guy's book for a while, but I'm tied up with Scarlett and Ashley and Rhett (who is more scandalous in the book than I remember him being in the movie). As I type this, I glance over and see Wyatt curled up on the couch beside me (yes, I realize it's my fault there is so much hair on the couch to complain about), he's asleep and dreaming so that every once in a while he lets out a little yelp. He couldn't look anymore innocent than he does right now. There is a special place in hell for people who execute dogs that are their owners' children.

Link to story about a hero's dog that was killed

P.S. You are right Scott, whiskey does make me feel better about my herbs!

P.P.S. Cuts in the DOD? Thanks. That's just what we need. Especially when we are buying a house. Super. Wonderful. (I just rolled my eyes like a 12 year old if you can't tell).

Wyatt > Marley

2009-04-06T08:54:00.004-06:00

So, Greg and I made a huge mistake and watched "Marley and Me." I had tried to avoid this story for a while. I read half of the book, and assuming the ending, I never finished it. It's just something I don't like to think about. But, Saturday night, Greg and I decided to jump off of the cliff together. We laughed, we cried, but most of all we thanked God for Wyatt.

Wyatt has some issues. He doesn't do well with other big dogs, but he gets along with small dogs. We learned Saturday night that he is nothing compared to dogs like Marley. He once chewed up Greg's desk chair, and since then has never really chewed up anything too major. My shoes are safe. We are so lucky that he hasn't caught on to how much fun chewing up things can be.

Sophie is easy, because she is small. I think because Wyatt has grown up with Sophie, he strongly believes with all his heart that he is actually the same size. He is the most loyal thing. He follows me everywhere. If I'm at the computer desk, he's laying beside it. If I take a shower, he lays on the bathmat in the bathroom. If I'm on the treadmill, he lays with his nose just under it. (Sophie, on the other hand, decided to jump onto it when I was walking. I don't think that will ever happen again). Sometimes, when I have to vacuum Wyatt's hair off of the couch, or pick up his landmines in the backyard, I forget how lucky I am. But he just smiles at me and reminds me that it could be worse. He could be more like Marley!

P.S. It really was a great movie. I recommend it, but if you have any heart at all, you are probably going to shed a few tears.

P.P.S. I'm worried about my herbs because they are starting to fall over. Any suggestions about how to give them support would be most appreciated.

Extreme Nightstand Makeover

2009-03-30T09:16:00.006-06:00

I believe I have found a new calling. Furniture refinishing. Not so much for other people, or for money, just for us. And when I say "I," I really mean mostly Greg, but I helped, too. I even used a power sander for the first time. My whole body is still shaking from that experience. As I mentioned in a previous post, Greg and I decided to redo the nightstand that matches our bedroom furniture. Because our bed is made for giants, a low nightstand cannot be used with it. Otherwise we would have to reach down two feet to turn off a lamp, and, for once, I am not being sarcastic.

So, we decided to give the nightstand a little update. (Yes, Lesley, that's Spanish for "update"). We sanded down the whole thing, restained it, put a protective coating on it, and new knobs and a pull. I'm not going to toot our own horn, but it looks darn good. (Toot! Toot!)

Here is a picture of the nightstand before. Two of the pulls are missing because after Greg had taken them off in order to start the sanding process, I yelled: "Wait! I have to take a before picture for the blog!" If you ask Greg I am sure he would agree that I indeed did yell.

And here is the finished product. In real life it is browner than it looks.

We put it in our loft. Yes, those are fresh flowers. I might have bought them because I knew we were showing our house to potential renters last Saturday, and I really want someone to hurry up and rent the place because I am sick of having to show it. (Mostly just sick of being ready to show it and the people not showing up). My house is so clean right now. I even cleaned the baseboards.

So, now onto the dresser and armoire. I am going to do the drawers and then when we move will do the rest in our new garage before moving it into the bedroom. It's going to be a big job, but I'll get it done. Except I'm not going to start today because it's snowing like crazy and the garage will be cold....Wasn't I previously wishing for more snow? I take that back.

P.S. Wilma- I have started "Gone With the Wind." So far, it's delightful!

P.P.S. 29 days until we close on the house!

Update de la Casa Numero Dos

2009-03-24T10:46:00.002-06:00

For those who do not speak the Espanol, that means House Update Number 2. The house has been inspected. There were a few little things, but nothing too major. Thank Goodness. No mold, mice, or pink tile, so far. Oh, did I mention I was having mold dreams? Not anymore! Now...we wait. One month and three days until we close. It's going to be a long month.

During the inspection Greg followed the lady around while I snooped around the house, decided where furniture that we had would go, and decided what furniture I am going to need to convince Greg to buy.

We are starting to get letters and calls from our landlord telling us what has to be done before we move out. They sure didn't seem so picky with the guy before us. When Greg moved in, there was no electricity in the master bedroom or bathroom and the oven didn't work. Not to mention the cracked blinds and dirty bathtub. I don't care if they charge us to recarpet the entire house (thanks Sophie) I just want out of this place.

P.S. Greg and I refinished a nightstand this weekend, and we are bound and determined to do the rest of our bedroom furniture. We'll see how that goes.

P.P.S. I should be cleaning in case they suddenly want to show our house. Did I mention I cannot wait to be out of this place?

Update de la Casa

2009-03-17T08:05:00.005-06:00

I believe I have aged ten years in the past 3 days. After looking at 11 houses on Saturday, Greg and I returned to one on Sunday. We loved it, and we decided to make an offer. It's a lovely house, with plenty of room for guests (or live-in family members- Scott, that means you. BTW, instead of no rent because, as you put it, you've been "such a great brother and brother-in-law for so many years," we've decided to double your rent).

Thus began the waiting. Our deadline was 6:00 PM last night, and 6:00 PM rolled around and we hadn't heard anything. Then, we did. They countered our offer. This whole process of offering, waiting, countering, mumbo jumbo is too much on my nervous system. Well, we don't have it yet, so I'll let you know if we do. We have to be out of this house by the end of May, so we have to find something.

I think the prospect of not having to move for many years is such a great feeling. I have probably moved at least every other year since I started college, and I am ready to be able to finally stay somewhere.

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you are wearing green, or I am virtually pinching you!

P.P.S. I am mildly disappointed in the amount of snow we haven't received in Colorado Springs. I know I was dreading it, but these 60 degree days in March are not what I had planned.

Update

2009-03-12T10:23:00.005-06:00

Well, I braved the DMV yesterday. I went to the other office on the other side of town that Greg told me to go to in the beginning because he said: "It's never busy." Well, it wasn't. He got to do his "I told you so" dance that he picked up from "Rules of Engagement" on Monday night. If you watch that show then you know that it wasn't pretty. However, I got in and out in about 15 minutes. It seems every time I visit a government agency the subject of who I used to be (Abby + maiden name) is a problem. They had to take a copy of my marriage license, and for a little bit they made me feel like I might not get the plates. But, they believed me that this old Abby and I are the same person and let me slip by. Yay!

Also, Greg and I went to sign all of the stuff to get pre-approved for a home loan. We had no problems, and were actually pre-approved for way more than Greg wants to spend. Our loan folks were lovely. Then we went to meet with our realtor. Greg and I put our order in for the house we want, or at least that's what it felt like. "We'd like 1 fireplace, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen island, a basement if you have it, and a large fry and Dr. Pepper."

We are going on Saturday to see a few houses.

Last night I had a dream that we found the absolutely perfect house, but it was infested with mice and the HOA was a bunch of environmentalists that would not let you kill them. You had to learn to live in harmony with them. Now, I'm worried about mice.

One night last week I had a dream that all of the tile in the house we wanted to buy was pink. I can handle pink walls- easily changed- but not pink tile!

P.S. Wish us luck on our home search. It's already a little bit daunting.

P.P.S. Cilantro must have heard you, Alli. It has taken off and is the clear winner as of today!

Green Thumb?

2009-03-09T10:36:00.006-06:00

So, about 5 months ago, I was going to try and grow my own basil, cilantro, parsley, and oregano. (I even painted super cute flower pots with the name of the herb on them). It seems that I always want to use these fresh herbs while I am cooking. So, we purchase them, use a tiny bit of the huge bunch that we have to buy, then they end up going bad in the fridge. So, I figured that having our own, we could just snip off parts as we want and need. Thus, saving money!

Well, about 4 and a half months after I had planted them, I guess they didn't get enough sun (and I'm also guessing that they didn't get watered often enough), and they never grew. So, my wonderful husband showed me the error of my ways. He took me to Lowe's where we bought more seeds, potting soil that claimed to be an "organic seed starter," and a "grow light." I have a feeling this is the same type of set up that hippies use, but what we are doing is perfectly legal.

Here's the result:

Okay, since you really can't tell from that pic, here's one of my basil, that's winning right now with the most buds. Cilantro and parsley also have sparse buds, but oregano has yet to show me something.

It may be too soon, but I'm already starting to look for recipes that are based around these four herbs.

P.S. This is such a big deal to me because I failed once at it already, so to see those green buds was kind of exciting to me.

P.P.S. I'm going back to the DMV in a little bit...wish me luck.

Adventures at the DMV

2009-03-04T09:33:00.003-07:00

So, yesterday I went to get the Altima registered here. (You are actually supposed to do it within the first 30 days that you are a Colorado resident...Oops!) In Lubbock, you could walk into City Bank and maybe be the second or third person in line. Not in Colorado Springs.

I walked into the DMV along with every other person that lives in this city. I got a number- I14, and took a seat between a husband who kept falling asleep and thus getting an elbow in the ribs from his wife, and a very chatty biker. The number they were currently calling was H21. The numbers go up to 100...

I waited for 2 hours. Thank God for the iPhone. I now have a new high score on "Bejeweled." Once they finally called my number I rushed over, thrilled, only to be told that the stupid form I had was stupid wrong. Ugh! It was the "outdated form." I needed to have filled out the "updated form." Unfortunately, I cannot fill it out, it is something a dealer has to do and sign. Lovely.

Here's the kicker- the forms are pretty much exactly the same. Except for 2 minor, minor changes, they are the same! Are you kidding me Colorado state government? I cannot wait until you inefficient people start running everything. Oh goody! Wait in line for two hours only to be told to leave and come back another day. I bet Americans will be thrilled...

P.S. Some of you may recall that I had trouble getting my driver's license at this same place. I didn't have my social security card, only my TX license with my picture on it. This place is not my friend. (I just rolled my eyes if you can't tell).

P.P.S. The one good thing they actually do, is they let uniformed military in a shorter line so they can get to them faster. I have zero problem with this. They deserve every little bit they can get!

Limbo

2009-02-27T11:12:00.002-07:00

That's where I feel like I am right now. In limbo. Not great, not horrible. Not happy, not sad. I don't know what I want to do, if anything. We want to have babies, but not quite yet. I feel like I am just waiting for something to happen. And don't tell me to do make something happen, because I won't.

This move has been really hard. I have the same friends from high school. I lived around family for 26 years. I still know no one in Colorado Springs. I waited my whole life to get out of Lubbock, and now all I do is dwell upon the fact of how good I had it when I was there. Great job, family, comfort...Here, I have Greg and the dogs, and that's it. (And half the time it's only the dogs because Greg is traveling and they have been really driving me nuts lately).

I didn't want to start a career here because I wanted to be a mom. But, now we are in this time where we are waiting to start trying to have kids. Limbo sucks.

P.S. OMG! The Obamas are getting a Portuguese Water Dog! How exciting! I know everyone is juts as thrilled as I am. The suspense was too much!

P.P.S. Did you know that google is actually spelled googol and it's a huge number?

The Oscars Were Last Night?

2009-02-23T08:40:00.004-07:00

Man, I used to love these awards shows. I used to love to see the stars and the clothes and the drama. I used to love acceptance speeches and musical numbers. They used to entertain me, and I used to look forward to them.

I really could not care less this year. I was curious about the clothes and the Today Show helped me out there. They went over best and worst dressed, without me even having to watch the 10 hour E! Live at the Red Carpet event.

This year I didn't see one single movie that was nominated for best picture. For the second year in a row I vowed to see all of the movies that were nominated, and for the second year in a row, I didn't. The closest I got to the Oscars was Wall-E and The Dark Knight. I enjoyed both. I tend to find that I don't always agree with the academy. I do think I want to see "Slumdog Millionaire" because it looks like it might be the least depressing of all of the choices. (Also, because I tried Indian food Friday night for the first time and I quite enjoyed it. Who knew that curry and cumin had such a great taste? Indians, I suppose).

Last year it was "No Country for Old Men," which I didn't see. I, at least, tried to read the book, but about 1/3 of the way through I got bored and asked Greg what happens because he had seen the movie. He told me and I never looked back.

All in all, I think I am very disillusioned with Hollywood. I don't like political jokes and I especially don't like political thank you speeches. Once Al Gore received an an Oscar, I knew I would never look at the Academy Awards the same way again...

P.S. I vow to see every movie nominated for an Oscar next year. Then, maybe I'll care more.

P.P.S. Here's a silly story: Greg and I always do that annoying and cheesy "I love you times 100," then "I love you times infinity," then "I love you infinity plus one." Last night Greg said, "I love you stimulus bill." I laughed and said that he won!

Scared Straight

2009-02-19T08:49:00.003-07:00

There are a lot of things in life that I do not do because I am worried about the consequences. I don't speed. Ever. I don't jaywalk. I don't steal. I try to never commit a crime. I think out of fear I am a quintessential rule follower.

Recently I was watching TV and a story about the Choice Bus came on. The Choice Bus is a bus that goes around to schools to scare students straight. The bus is half learning environment and half jail cell. I believe they watch videos about people who were not afraid of consequences that ended up in jail, and then actually get to see close up exactly what jail is about. Maybe, then, they will choose to stay in school and get an education instead of going to jail. (I don't think that EVERY person that drops out of school ends up in jail, but apparently about 75% of the prison population is high school drop outs...can't remember where I read that statistic so don't ask, but I promise I didn't make it up.)

While I think the Choice Bus is great, I'm not sure that that scared straight tactic will work as well as the scared straight tactic I went through.

In fifth or sixth grade they took us to the jail. The actual jail, with actual prisoners. It was scary. The inmates were scary. The facility was scary. I remember the inmates yelled at us and tried to grab us. I'm sure you can't get away with that field trip today because it's not very P.C. and today's pansy society would probably frown upon it. But it worked. For this girl, it worked.

I don't commit crimes because of:
A. My morals
B. The Golden Rule
C. The trip to the jail in elementary school

Something about understanding that you are not invincible and anyone can end up incarcerated (jail doesn't discriminate) makes you think twice about not following the rules. Just my two cents...

P.S. Greg had a very successful and worry free plane travel. He's back now. And, he received a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the continental U.S, because he let them bump him to a later flight. Now, we are thinking vacay! Any ideas about where we should go would be appreciated!

P.P.S. Not New Mexico or California.

I'm a Worrier...

2009-02-16T20:01:00.004-07:00

I am such a worrier. Everything I do, I worry about if it's okay, if I'm bothering anyone else, how does everyone else feel...worry, worry, worry, that's all I ever do. I don't think that my parents or grandparents were ever worriers. Not like me (lucky for them). It's no fun worrying all the time. Isn't there some saying about worrying and how it never gets you anywhere?

I write about this because Greg flies a lot. No, not like Peter Pan flying, otherwise I think I would worry less, except that he's super clumsy...I am speaking of airplanes. In fact, right now, he's sitting at an airport waiting to get on a flight.

Now, I love airplanes. As you probably know, we live around tons of airplanes. I love hearing them (thought it would bug me, now it's oddly comforting) and seeing them. I especially like when the military decides to have jet practice and I can watch the really neat ones. (I know- super lame) And, I see so many safely flying through the air on a daily (hourly) basis.

Still, I worry. From the moment Greg leaves the house to the moment he gets home, I worry. He has to call me as soon as he lands on the ground.

How much of life have I missed out on because I worry?

Oh, I remember that quote now: "Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere." I love rocking chairs...

P.S. The more you say the word "worry" the weirder it becomes.

P.P.S. Greg just called me to tell me he just boarded a plane. Let the worrying commence...

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T09:41:00.003-07:00

So today is Valentine's Day. Greg and I made Valentine's cupcakes last night. Since I do not know how to bake or cook for less than a classroom, we made 24 of them. So, we will be eating cupcakes for breakfast lunch and dinner for the next 4-6 days, if not longer.

Greg and I never do much for things like this. I get him some cherry sours and a card. He bought me some chocolates the other day (which are already gone) and right now he ran to the bank and to get us a Starbuck's. Other than that, we are going to stay away from the crazy restaurants and such. Neither of us are romantic, so we will probably just spend the day together catching up on TV shows and playing Wii. (He has to travel a few times in the next two weeks, so he just wanted to stay home and relax, and the weather outside is super cold and foggy). I wouldn't have it any other way.

Oops, I just remembered I have to get our dinner into the crock pot ASAP. I hope everyone has a fun and memorable Valentines Day!

P.S. Happy Birthday to Leslie!

P.P.S. Because I will probably not write anything until next week- Happy President's Day on Monday!

Lame Old Married People

2009-02-11T09:23:00.004-07:00

Sometimes Greg and I have the silliest conversations. Especially when we lay in bed before going to sleep. We always talk before we go to sleep. Sometimes we talk politics, sometimes we talk finances (then we are depressed enough to get to sleep) and sometimes we talk about random things.

Last night, since we got in bed at 8:45 (yes, you heard right, 8:45, I know that it's lame, but Greg is tired..always) we talked about everything. Politics- "spendulus" bill and if Greg's job is safe. (It seems it is, btw) Finances- this conversation ultimately ended with him trying to convince me that we cannot afford a fancy house and we will never get rid of our debt if we buy a bigger and more expensive house than we need. (Isn't that how this whole economy recession thing happened?) A girl can dream, can't she? Besides, it would be an empty house because we don't have enough furniture to fill 4 bedrooms.

Last night we had a grammar conversation. Is "ribbit" a verb? I know it's the sound a frog makes, but can you say that a frog ribbited? It sounds very strange, doesn't it? I suppose it's just a sound word, like moo. But you can say that a cow moo-ed but can you say that a frog ribbited?

Anyway, we are lame old married people (and I wouldn't have it any other way). We need to have some kids quick so that we can be lame parents instead.

P.S. I still have baby fever and I still can't sleep. Not much has changed around these parts.

P.P.S. Yes, we are thinking about buying a house. I'll let you know what happens.

Coincidence?

2009-02-06T14:36:00.002-07:00

If you notice number 7 on my list of 25 things about me, you will see that I have no desire to ever visit Asia. That night Greg and I ate Panda Express. We were going to try something new, but he got home from work late and was tired. Anyway, we always eat our fortune cookies. Remember to always pick the one farthest away from you and eat the cookie before you read the fortune. Here was mine the night I wrote the last blog:

Coincidence? You decide.

P.S. I still don't want to go and I completely disagree with my fortune cookie.

P.P.S. My brother-in-law needs to update his blog more. You can find the link to it in the right column underneath "Other blogs you should check out" and click on "The Ramblings of Scott." Maybe with a little peer pressure we can entice him to write more!

25 Things

2009-02-04T09:38:00.006-07:00

So, there's this trend on facebook where you list 25 random things that people probably don't know about you. Since facebook freaks me out just a little bit, I thought I would do mine here!

1. I have only been out of the country once, and that was to Juarez.
2. I never wanted to be a teacher, I just liked hanging out with the kids, and office supplies.
3. I love politics and think it is fascinating. I would love to be a congress woman. (At least then I wouldn't have to pay taxes!)
4. I was going to major in journalism, but I had one horrid professor that made me want to change my whole career path.
5. I was never really great at photography, it was just a job.
6. I met my husband at that job.
7. I have zero desire to ever see or visit California or Asia.
8. I am a control freak. Just ask Greg when he's driving us somewhere. I am the worst back seat driver- EVER!
9.
10. I booby-trap the front and back doors at night when Greg is out of town so I (or Wyatt) can definitely hear if someone tries to come through them.
11. I am terrified of dental procedures, thanks to having braces for 6 years and 2 oral surgeries on my messed up grill.
12. I would really like to adopt a child after we have two of our own.
13. Besides Nacho, Maggie, Bridger, Riley, Sunny, and Rowdy I don't generally like other people's dogs. Especially big stray dogs when I am walking to the mailbox or the neighbor's dogs that bark constantly.
14. I usually don't get movies that win Oscars, even though I feel like I should love them.
15. I will not listen to a song the whole way through.
16. I frequently do not finish books. About halfway through them, I get bored.
17. I think I have a bit of ADD (see #'s 15 and 16).
18. I hate brushing my teeth, but I still do it twice a day.
19. When I am really sick I like to watch cartoons.
20. I hate drinking water. What's the point? I would rather drink nothing.
21. I am terrified Greg and I are going to have problems when we try to have babies.
22. Rarely do I dislike a movie with a super hero.
23. I completely believe in ghosts and UFO's
24. I love to smell things. Spices, candles, anything.
25. I am dreadfully terrified of gorillas.

There you have it. 25 things you may or may not know about me.

P.S. I should have added that I love writing on the blog!

P.P.S. Greg and I are going to try a new restaurant this evening. Wednesday nights are new restaurant nights and, apparently, Tuesday nights are sundae nights. We are taking cue from Bryan and Alli and getting sundaes every once in a while. It sure makes the day end on a sweet note!

Super Bowl Fun

2009-02-02T13:16:00.004-07:00

If you are a Steelers fan...congrats. If you are a Cardinals fan...sorry. If you are like me and didn't really have anything invested in last night's game, then you enjoyed a darn good football game. We actually had friends (real, live, breathing people, not just our puppy dogs and plants) over for the Super Bowl. Will and Holly made the trek down from Denver for the game!

During the game we played squares, and I won 20 bucks! Or Greg got his $20 back that he put in for the both of us! Thanks to that last safety, otherwise Will, who picked his squares first and won the first half btw, would have won. Yay for the random, didn't know that holding in the end zone was a safety, safety!

We made food for an army. Greg and I will be eating guacamole, nachos, and buffalo wings for the next 8-10 weeks. We also got to miss the half time show because we played the Wii. Still love the Wii so much.

Even our puppy dogs were exhausted. So exhausted that they didn't hate each other for a little bit, and Sophie actually curled up on Wyatt. I've always wondered why she doesn't lay next to him more, he sure is warm and soft:

P.S. Greg is back in town! I think for most of February! Yay! We are so thankful that he has a good job in this economy, even if it does require traveling...

P.P.S. I made a super buffalo chicken dip. I had never made it before and it was so good. You'll need to be a fan of cream cheese, and I didn't use chicken breasts, I used 2 cans of chicken instead. Here is the recipe: Buffalo Cheese Dip Recipe

Getting Rid of the Clutter

2009-01-28T11:14:00.002-07:00

I'm not a pack rat. I usually don't have a hard time throwing anything away. Most of the things that sentimental people keep, I toss. I realize that a small amount of clutter is normal. (Don't look at my closet, this is not what this post is about...)

The clutter that I speak of is inbox clutter. I have this compelling need to keep old e-mails just in case I need them. I have e-mails from forever ago, that I probably will never need, but who knows? I cannot get rid of e-mails easily. I don't even think I kept cards from when Greg and I first got together, but I cannot bare to part with my confirmation e-mail from Amazon about a book I ordered last May. I think I have a problem...

So, while underneath my bed is completely empty, and I can barely find things to store in the basement, my g-mail and hotmail inboxes are full to the brim. I need to learn to part with e-mails. Is there a support group or something? Then maybe I could meet some people. Actually, I don't think I want to befriend people with the same problem as me. Maybe I should find a knitting group or something instead...

P.S. I'm a little bit scatter brained because I was woken up by a UPS truck this morning at 2:00 AM when I had just barely closed my eyes. Who gets deliveries at 2:00 in the morning, and if UPS is going to be delivering in neighborhoods in the middle of the night, they need to spray some WD-40 on their brakes. Sheesh!

P.P.S. Hope Alli and Bryan are having fun in Vegas. I suppose it's their last big hurrah before they have 2 little boys running around!

Mysterious Music?

2009-01-26T09:50:00.004-07:00

Our bedroom window is always open just a tad. The reason being is that during those hot summer months I whined and groaned about, we had a portable air conditioner in our bedroom, so we could actually sleep, back when I was able to sleep. The air conditioner vents out the window, but doesn't quite take up all of the open space, so there is a 6 inch by 6 inch square at the top of the window that is always open.

Once summer was over and the snow started blowing into town, I thought the time of the air conditioner had come to a close. I thought wrong. Greg now "has" to have it on in order to sleep. Every night I say "Can we not have the air conditioner on tonight?" and he says: "But I need it in order to sleep. You want me to be able to sleep right?" Well, of course I want him to be able to sleep. So, we sleep with the air conditioner on every night. Even when it's below zero outside. But don't think I won't ask him again tomorrow night. Until then, my heating pad will keep me warm.

I'm sure you are asking yourself why exactly I am telling you this? Well, every night when our alarm clock says 10:11 (Greg sets it 11 minutes fast, I don't know why, I just automatically subtract 11 minutes every time I look at it) I can hear some sort of music play for just a minute or so. I make Greg turn off the TV or stop talking so that I can hear my mysterious music. It only lasts for a minute or so.

At first I thought it was some sort of church bells. Greg and I Googled what churches are nearby- there are none. So, I don't know about that theory.

Now, I am starting to think that I can hear "Taps" being played from Peterson Air Force Base that we are super close to , but I have no idea if that's true. I don't even know if that's something they do at night. That's this week's idea about the music.

I know it's not just wind chimes. I can distinguish my neighbor's wind chimes (that don't make as much noise here as they would in Lubbock- Be jealous, because while we have occasional wind, we do not have dirt filled wind!!) from the music. Plus, wind chimes are not on a schedule.

Until I find out, I guess I will just have to speculate...Oh, how exciting...

P.S. Happy Chinese New Year! The year of the ox. Sounds a lot sturdier than the year of the rat, which is what 2008 was.

P.P.S. I warned you that Greg is gone until Friday so you are subjected to my ramblings...

1 Sheep, 2 Sheep...

2009-01-23T09:53:00.002-07:00

I cannot sleep. No, it's not that I cannot sleep, I cannot get to sleep. I come to a stopping point in my book, take off my glasses, turn off the light and precede to lay there for around the next 2-3 hours. I try all sorts of tactics to get me to fall asleep.

Sheep counting- I spend too much time imagining the scenery. The field, the sky, the fences they jump over... I get bored around sheep number 23, then I picture the Serta commercial with all of the numbered sheep and laugh a little, and then I totally forget what number I was on.

"Count down from 100"- This is what my oral surgeon told me when I was having my messed up grill operated on. It usually works for me because I can remember how quickly I fell asleep. Maybe I'm afraid someone will stick a scalpel in my mouth and operate- no fun.

Pray- I do this anyway, and I usually fall asleep in the middle of it (Sorry, God, but I do have good intentions) but here, lately, I have been getting through a whole prayer, even to the "Amen" part. I never used to get that far.

Tell every body part to relax- I learned this through a hypnotic thing that I listened to once. I start at my toes and work my way up. However, it never fails, I always have an itch right when 3/4 of my body is relaxed, and then it's over.

This habit of not being able to fall asleep may bode well for me when I have a baby that does the same (not soon) but until then, it's just annoying. Especially when I am almost asleep and I feel a tap on my shoulder and it's Sophie wanting back under the covers. Yes, I know I spoil my little girl, but that's a whole other post!

So, tonight, I'm Advil PM-ing it at around 7:30. Another crazy Edmiston Friday! I need to get my body clock back on regular time.

P.S. Greg has a lot of travel in the next two months, so get ready for some exciting blog time!

P.P.S. We are jealous of Alli and Bryan that will be heading to Vegas next week. Have fun and be safe!

Baby Fever

2009-01-20T10:17:00.003-07:00

I have baby fever, and I don't know how to get rid of it. Every time I see anything remotely to do with babies, I jump on the computer to look up nurseries and advice and warnings. Now, please understand that it will probably be about six or seven months before Greg and I really decide to have one or are serious about having one. (We are actually waiting until after a wedding I am in in July. Congratulations Amber and J.J.!)

I have already picked out my boy nursery and my girl nursery, names for a boy or a girl, which gear (strollers, car seats, etc.), furniture, and everything else that goes with baby. I'm sure it will change between now and whenever we have one, but it's so fun to think about. I think I'm embracing the whole birthing thing. (As long as they still knock you out like in the olden days...or animal tranquilizers would be good...) I should probably let Greg in on some decisions, but he won't care until it's real. Right now it's just my extra time and Internet access that are aiding my habit.

I know that all of the mothers that are reading this are thinking: "Oh, she doesn't even understand what she's getting herself into." Or: "I'll give her my kid for a couple days, then she'll change her mind." Or: "She should be thankful for all the peace and quiet she has right now." Well, please let me live with my head in the clouds like all couples do before they decide to have kids. Peace and quiet is overrated anyway...trust me.

One more question: Is there anything cuter than a baby in a hooded towel??

P.S. Inauguration today. It better be over by the time Young and the Restless starts. Otherwise, whatever. I'm just glad America's problems will be over starting today. When do I get my check in the mail?

P.P.S. Greg is out of town. He had sushi for the first time and like it a lot. I guess we'll try and find a sushi place in the Springs. Any sushi suggestions would be appreciated. I've never had it.

Congratulations Salt Lake City

2009-01-15T10:10:00.005-07:00

For the past two days Colorado Springs has been in the news, but not in the good way. Colorado Springs has been "dethroned," according to one of our dramatic newscasters here. Last year, Men's Fitness ranked Colorado Springs as the #1 fittest city in America. Then Greg and I took up residence here...

Now, the fittest city in America is...you guessed it...congratulations Scott and Meg...Salt Lake City. Apparently Greg and I tipped the scales in the unfit direction, and now Colorado Springs is #2. However, I have lost 11 pounds since Christmas. We are single-handedly going to try and get Colorado Springs' throne back, thanks to the Wii and Dance Dance Revolution. Also, we are going to try and hike a little bit around the mountains. There seem to be plenty of places to do some uphill hikes.

To get our throne back, I am going to start doing tons of outdoor activities. Tons. You may not be able to reach me because I might be climbing up the side of Pike's Peak...well, let's not be ridiculous...however, the day they have a climbing-up-Pike's-Peak Wii game,you better watch out, I will start "climbing" up to that peak.

P.S. Are you as excited about which dog the Obama's are going to get as all of the "serious" news organizations are? Labradoodle or Portugese Something Dog? It's so exciting!

P.P.S. Greg is out of town, which he will be a lot in the next three months. We are just glad he still has a job. He can travel as much as they need him to travel...

Homeland Security: USA (in SAP where available)

2009-01-14T09:26:00.003-07:00

So, Greg and I love "Scrubs," and every episode so far has been fantastic, but that's not why I'm here. The show that is on right before scrubs is "Homeland Security." We watched it the first time because we were waiting for "Scrubs" to start. We watched it the second time because we were curious.

Now, I must tell you that I have always enjoyed reality TV. No, not skanky, dating reality TV. I like where cameras follow people at their jobs. I loved "Airline" on A&E (God- people suck as airline customers when things don't go exactly their way) and "Parking Wars" is great, too. "Homeland Security" is a lot like the previous two. Cameras follow border agents and patrols and security at the airports. Unsung heroes, in my opinion. People have their job to do and protocols to follow. It also reminds you how dumb people can be.

People try to smuggle everything into the U.S., including drugs, pills, people, oh, and did I mention tons and tons of drugs? I love that this show is displaying that people are getting caught. Who knows how much crime the border and security people have stopped thanks to them finding materials being smuggled into the country?

Another thing I have learned from this show is: if you screw up in your past, it's definitely going to catch up to you. For example, a man from some other country who had been in the U.S. for 12 years (criminal activity was involved) failed to show up at a court date about his citizenship status, was picked up, and was probably going to be deported. He was crying and upset because he has children to take care of. Why didn't you think of them when you skipped that court date? Hmmm....I feel for you, but you failed to take responsibility. It's no one's fault but your own.

Then there are stories about an immigrant from Yugoslavia, came into the country the correct way, and now works for border patrol because he wanted to give back to a country that was a safe haven for him. Love that!

P.S. Is it me or is the month of January kind of boring? It's very blah after December that was so eventful.

P.P.S. Yes, I took the Christmas Tree down day before yesterday. It is not longer Christmas in January at the Edmiston bungalow.

Old and Boring

2009-01-11T12:58:00.002-07:00

That describes Greg and me. We are old and boring. Is this what happens when you get married? Or does it only happen when you live in a city where you know no one? The boring part is just a lack of acquaintances here. The old part comes from our adventure yesterday.

Greg and I went out, had lunch, and went shopping. Once upon a time, we would buy things that we didn't actually need, but want. All of that has certainly changed.

We found a $25 gift card to Bed Bath & Beyond from our wedding. I know, this is proof that we are not organized. Don't act like you haven't known that all along. So, after spending time at REI (I got really bored in there about 23 minutes after we walked in the door. Also- I am so proud of my husband. He actually picked a jacket out, tried it on, then said...wait for it...wait for it..."Why should I pay this much when I can get practically the same thing at Old Navy for a third of the price?" Who says that husbands cannot be taught!) then we headed to spend our $25 BB&B dollars.

Well, we walked around the store looking for something that would be no more than $25. We didn't find anything. We finally reached the trash cans. I know, super exciting! However, we need a new one for the kitchen. A pretty one. Boy, are they expensive. We perused all of them, pressed the open buttons on all of them, and scoped all of them out. We couldn't decide. Should we or shouldn't we? So, we make all of these arguments for and against. Over and over. This is not like us. This is what old people do. Young, fun people like ourselves throw caution to the wind and buy the trash can. Live dangerously!

Ultimately, Greg decided not to buy the trash can, but to go home and do research on it. That's exactly what he did, and today, he is going to go back and buy it. We are proud to know that our trash can was "vetted" more than either vice presidential candidate.

P.S. You can see why the title of the post is such...

P.P.S. I thought I would never break Greg of his "I have to buy all of the expensive clothes because they are so much better than cheap ones" attitude, and I have! Score one for me!

Motivation?

2009-01-08T10:26:00.007-07:00

I have none. I cannot get motivated to do anything. There is a casserole dish from Tuesday night that I don't feel like cleaning. Oh yeah, my Christmas tree is still up, too. How long before one decides just to leave it up for next Christmas? I regret ever putting one up. I can barely get motivated to do Dance Dance Revolution. Does everyone go through a period of lack of motivation?

I even looked up motivational quotes online to help me. Here is what I came up with:

"People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents." from Andrew Carnegie

What I thought after reading this quote is "I'm okay with mediocrity."

So, then, after finding a bunch of quotes that were supposed to motivate me to take down the tree and clean the gross casserole dish, I slowly started to move from finding motivational quotes to funny movie quotes.

Then I thought about the short clip my brother-in-law, Scott, or "The Powerhouse" as he would apparently like to be known as from now on, put on our fantasy football site. Maybe this will get me motivated:

Now I feel like cleaning the casserole dish, putting up the Christmas tree, doing laundry, and, strangely enough, winning a game or a race, fighting enemies, fighting for freedom, and watching "The Goonies."

P.S. Yes, Scott, I give you 100% of the credit for the video clip.

P.P.S. Who am I kidding? I'm always ready for a little Dance Dance Revolution!

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts...

2009-01-05T08:13:00.008-07:00

Greg has been off work for the past four days. New Year's Day, then Cotton Bowl day (blah), then the weekend. It sure has been fun having him at home all day. Especially when he starts to get bored and does something like pick the kitchen up or do a load of laundry. Then, it's really fun to have him home.

It snowed on Saturday and Sunday, so Greg and I hunkered down in the house and watched some TV. For many moons we have listened to Edmistons #'s 1 and 3, as well as the Phillips, talk about how great of a TV show "Friday Night Lights" is. Why haven't Greg and I been watching this show? We have no excuses. I guess I was teaching and he was PHD-ing, and we were just too busy to take on another TV show. We already have Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, CSI: Miami, The Office, and Ghost Whisperer, and I'm not sure we were able to commit to another. But rest assured, that is the case no more.

Wilma made us promise to watch it, and we did...

We have just finished the first season of FNL (Friday Night Lights, I don't want to have to type out the whole name anymore) on DVD and a few episodes of the second. In two days. We are addicted. We love these characters. We love their stories. We want to be like the Taylors, except without the bratty teenage daughter, of course.

We really needed this show after our Cotton Bowl loss to restore our faith in football, and I believe FNL did the trick.

If you aren't watching this show, you should be. The third season starts Friday, January 16th (Greg may have Battlestar Galactica conflicts, but not me), according to NBC's website, unless you have Direct TV, then just don't tell us what happens. Get the first two seasons and get caught up. IF you don't like football, then get through the pilot episode- it's the most football-y. Then football just becomes the glue that holds everyone together and not the focus of the series.

So, thanks, Edmistons #'s 1 and 3 and the Phillips. We appreciate you making us watch this show. We love it. We can't stop watching it.

The only downside is that our Texas accents tend to pop up a little louder and prouder after each episode.

P.S. The first season was only $15 dollars at Walmart. Now, you have no excuses.

P.P.S. Even the theme song is fantastic. If anyone knows how I can get it as a ringtone on my iPhone, that would be super.

This Year in Football...

2009-01-03T08:03:00.003-07:00

So far, hasn't been that great. Let's just say Greg and I are so glad we didn't make it to the curse of the Cotton Bowl. Our Red Raiders did not prevail. I told Greg right before the game started that I had a bad feeling. I felt like the other team wanted it more. Apparently, they did.

Greg and I tried everything: We switched seats depending on whether Tech was on defense or offense, when that stopped working, we changed into other Tech shirts, and when that didn't work I tried standing. I did not find the winning formula, obviously.

Congratulations to our team for having a great season! 11-2 isn't bad! I feel it's just a ladder to greater things next year!

One thing that I have decided is I hate how players get unsportsmanlike flags when they are celebrating. (Not so much during our game but during the Sugar Bowl). For crying out loud, let the kids celebrate when they are excited. Unless they taunt another player, give them a few seconds to be excited. I don't mean let them do snow angels or anything. Just let them be kids. (Do I sound old?)

P.S. We have a whole lot of months to get our spirits up for Red Raider football in the Fall.

P.P.S. Our weather has been lovely. Sunny, mild, clear. However, I hear Jack Frost is about to make another visit. Super...