Thank you all for your well-wishes and prayers.  The little guy is on the mend.  He sounds terrible when he coughs, but is starting to be his silly ole self again.  His smile...it's enough to make all that "bad stuff" go away.  If you sing anything at all, the little guy starts boogeying (his fav while in the hospital was the Barney song...I don't think he's ever seen the show, but the song is kinda catchy in an annoying way).  *sigh*  I truly hope he keeps recovering at this steady pace. 

We're going to see Mama Mia on Saturday night.  The National Theatre is one of my favs...very old-fashioned.  We're all getting a spiffied up (not just clean jeans ).  Soooo, what's YOUR favorite ABBA song?? 

What a rotten couple days...Spencer has pneumonia and was in the hospital from Sunday night until this afternoon.  I am exhausted from sleeping in a hospital bed with a wheezy, coughing, whining, wiggling 18-month old.  Can you all pray for a quick recovery???  I'm going to go eat some food and hit the hay...my brain is officially mush.

Whooo-hoooo!!!  Finished my second semester!    I am sooooooo relieved that yet another one is finished.  Last night was the most relaxed I've been in months.  Royce made me his special homemade calzones and we cuddled and watched Survivor and CSI.  The next three weeks are gonna fly...but I'm making sure that I have as much fun as possible.

Starting with today...taking my peanut to see Brother Bear, the library and to do some Christmas shopping for the hub.  *shhhh* Don't tell him, I'm not 'sposed to get him anything else.  Yeah, whatever.    heh heh  Anyone know where I can get "It's a Wonderful Life"?  I went to Best Buy and Target yesterday with NO luck!!!!  I could have bought it with "Miracle on 34th Street", but I didn't want to spend the extra moola (cheap cheap cheap).

Then, I'll go to the Depot and buy the paint for our morning room...it's a big room off the kitchen where we have our kitchen table, and the kid's kitchen and some toys.  It's a Southern exposure so I'm going with a dramatic color...Behr's Chile Pepper...a reddish-orange color.    The ceiling will be bright white, and then there will be 4ft high wainscoating capped with a cool moulding...painted white.  I am definitely going to prime the walls with a dark color before painting...Fuego's post taught me that!! 

Alrighty, I've blabbed enough...see what being un-stressed does to me?!?!?!?!?!  Have a blessed day, y'all!!!

Got this email from my hub this morning...laughed pretty hard so I thought I'd share. 

For those who need some investing tips for the New Year: 

In the wake of the Exxon/Mobil deal and the AOL/Time Warner implode, thoughts are that these are expected mergers so that you can get in on the ground floor and make some BIG  bucks.
Watch for these consolidations in 2003 and make yourself a bundle:
 1. Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W.R.
Grace Co. wil l merge and become: Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.
 2. Polygram Records, Warner Bros., and Zesta Crackers join forces and
 become: Poly, Warner Cracker.
 3. 3M will merge with Goodyear and issue forth as: MMMGood.
 4. Zippo Manufacturing, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will
 merge and become: ZipAudiDoDa.
 5. FedEx is expected to join its major competitor, UPS, and become:
 FedUP.
 6. Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will become: Fairwell
Honeychild.
 7. Grey Poupon and Docker Pants are expected to become: Poupon Pants.
 8. Knotts Berry Far m and the National Organization of Women will
 become: Knott NOW!
 That's all for now. Invest wisely..............

I need some help here, folks.  Took the little guy for his 18 month old appt yesterday.  Seems that in the past 6 months, he's lost 13 oz, and not grown a lick.    The past couple months have been pretty tough on him as he's had ear infection after ear infection and teeth popping up like popcorn.  Also doesn't help that the child is pickier than Paris Hilton picking out shoes.  (heh heh)

So, now he's on a high-fat diet because his brain needs tons of fat to develop properly.  He gets to drink Half and Half with Carnation Instant Breakfast™, butter or cream cheese on everything he eats, and carbs galore.  *sigh*  My question...anyone have some kid-friendly recipes??  This child just won't eat!!  I'm worried about my lil man.  Spencer is just the happiest little boy, and I don't want anything to happen to him.    Help!

Y'all, we just had an EARTHQUAKE!!!!  Yawp, here in Maryland!  Ok, so it occured 30 miles west of Richmond, 3 miles deep, and was only a 4.5 on the Richter scale...but my dog went insane and my wines glasses were jingling!!  Dang, weird for that to happen here.    Think I should start bolting things down?  heh heh

How you all doing?  I'm studying my fool head off...have my last final on Thursday and I'm soooooo burned out I can barely concentrate.  I'm thinking that I'm gonna steal Kyra away from the sitter's on Friday and take her to see Brother Bear...my reward for making it through my second semester. 

Well, y'all stay warm.  I'm hoping this snow melts away in a hurry.  Was pretty on Friday and Saturday, now I want it to just *poof* go away!

Dangit, Xanga, you ate another blog!   

Guess what happened 4 years ago today?!?!?  Hmmm????  Give up?!?!  Okay, I found out that I was preggers with Kyra!  Dang, I can't believe that was 4 years ago.

Four years ago we were:

• living in our friend's basement with our dog while our house was being built
  
• just beginning to think about when we would start a family (and who says God doesn't have a sense of humor??)
  
• married only a year and a half
  
• absolutely stunned that I was pregnant (yes, the words, "How'd that happen?!" were spoken)
  
• figuring out how to tell the family
  
• working in totally different jobs...ok, I was an audiologist, now a student.  Royce was with the same company, but doing a totally different job.

It is funny how life changes with three little tiny words..."You ARE pregnant."  I can't believe that there was a time that my little peanut wasn't a part of my life.  She is growing up soo fast, sometimes it makes my heart ache to see that happening.  I wish I could slow down bits and pieces of it, you know??  I'm just soo glad that both she and Spencer are as healthy and happy as can be.  They are most definitely my bright shining stars.  Dang, I'm lucky. 

Can I ask for some prayers for my parents?  My dad took my mom for assessment today at a facility associated with Johns Hopkins.  The doctor feels that my mom doesn't have vascular dementia...he said that she definitely has Alzheimer's.  Though at this point, it really doesn't matter.  He said that she has already had this for 10 years, so we're really only looking at about 2-3 more years with her.  And, most of that time she'll probably be in a full-time care facility. 

This has not been a good day for my dad.  I'm pretty sad myself.  To read about it is one thing, but to finally get the diagnosis and know that my mom is not going to be with us for much longer...that's a bit hard to take.

Atleast I know to really treasure the holidays this year and for how ever many more we have remaining as a complete family.  I'll be thankful for the time we have together and I will try my best to remember all the amazing traditions that we have amassed over the years.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. 

Welcome from the world of fevers, runny noses, puke, and aches and pains.    Yes, the flu/virus/ear infection thing has hit our home...and HARD.  The fact that I spent 25 bucks on a flu shot that won't work is obviously killing me (oops, they chose the wrong strain) and the fact that my kids also have received their first one and still need the second one...well, I'm just ticked off.    Yeah, at noone in particular, just the dang flu-bug that has made my kiddos and hence, me, sooo sick. 

So, how are y'all doing?  Anything fun happen this weekend while I was watching Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and Spirit for the 100th, 5,243th and 3,556th times, respectively??  Well, I have absolutely nothing of substance to write.  Y'all stay cool, stay away from anyone with a runny nose and glassy eyes.  It's either a zombie or someone with this flu.  And it ain't purty!

Yup, another grainy pic to share. 

That'd be me, Spence and my dad.  Can u tell that he's my dad??  *groans* 

Have a spectacular weekend.  Enjoy the warm weather, if you also happen to be blessed with this warm front.