Day One without Starbucks.....

Ahhhhh....Starbucks...you seducer you!

Day One without Starbucks:

Day started out pretty well! Only had one absent-minded caffeine withdrawal moment in the car when I missed my turn that I make all the time. But I feel the pressure in my head coming on.....or maybe my sinuses are acting up? (denial?) The lovely green awnings of 2 different Starbucks caught my eye as Jaden and I were out running around but the force is strong within me......must... resist... the dark brewed side. ;D

John called me on his way into work and asked how my morning was going...Going Well! I said...half surprised at my answer. "Good, Good", he says. "You know, the Dr. told me this morning that I needed to quit drinking caffeine too!" Then I hear him muttering to himself, "Hmmm, I thought there was a Starbucks down here." What did he say?!?!?!? I explained that if we both had to give it up, and I hadn't had any today, then he shouldn't either! He says, "Well, I thought I'd start tomorrow." Right, Right, traitor.

After lunch I put Jaden down for his nap and I found myself googling and checking youtube.com for pics and/or videos relating to craving coffee, Starbucks addiction, etc., for this blog. Seriously?! What a waste of time! But I did find this really cool vid on youtube.com! 2 teens going through the Starbucks drive-thru and they do this rap. So funny! Really! It is! Go to YouTube.com and search for Starbucks Rap. For some reason my caffeine deprived brain could not figure out how to download it from YouTube.com to my blog. {{{{heavy sigh}}}}} It's going to be a LONG weekend.

Correction made at 5:01 p.m.:

Sadly as of 4:12pm, Jaden and I hit the Starbucks drive thru. {{GASP}}}

Jaden was in the back seat screaming, "I want my pumpkin loaf now!" so that didn't help my headache! He was only faking the tantrum because as soon as he said it, I started laughing which got him laughing and because he made me laugh, he kept repeating it until we got up to the drive thru girl.

I feel guilty for giving into my cravings and the drive of shame back to the house was a downer......WHO AM I KIDDING?! I was in heaven, sipping my Iced Tall Latte and sharing my chocolate chip banana coffee cake with the boy! (they were out of pumpkin loaf and cream cheese pumpkin muffins!) =D

Here's our conversation:

April: Mmmmm? (after handing the boy some cake)

Jaden: Mmmmmm Mmmmm MMMMMMMM! (smacking away with chocolate on his face)

April: Mmmmm Mmmm (in agreement)

Jaden: Let me hold it! (real meaning: give it to me, and when you do it's mine and I will eat all of it).

Better luck going cold turkey tomorrow huh?!

Relax?!?!?!

Today I had an acupuncture appointment! 3 years ago I was getting acupuncture treatments once a week to aid in getting pregnant....it worked after only 3 months! John and I are ready to try again for #2 starting next month so I wanted to get started with the one thing I know really helped us conceive Jaden. But I must say that going to a new Dr. was a little intimidating....I mean...you don't want just anybody sticking you with needles! So upon a recommendation from the pilates instructor from our health club; I called Dr. Kim and set up the appointment.

So we sit down in the treatment room, go over my history and he tells me that I have to quit eating sugar and cut out caffeine. WHAT?!?!?! I went in to get help and he wants to kill me! So I ask him, "does my husband have to cut that out of his diet too?"...thinking to myself that if I have to be denied the goodies and suffer....I'm taking John down with me. Doc says...."No". ......greeeaaaaat.........Thank goodness I already had my Starbucks fix that morning!

Then the treatment began! Before the first one went in, the doc says to me, "I have to use the long needles for your pelvis area". And I say....."How long are we talking here?" And he holds his hands up about a foot apart, "About this big" and laughs. He laughs! Not sure that the length of a needle is something to joke about but I gave him a weak/fake laugh....just to be nice. After he worked on my stomach, he says "Pin cushion!" and snickers.....I had to laugh at that one because I did look like a pin cushion or a porcupine! I had AT LEAST 20 needles stuck in me! (Man I wish I had thought to bring my camera with me to take a picture!)

Once he was finished sticking me, he turned on the heat lamps, turned down the lights and said to relax for 30 minutes. Hmmmmm. Problem is, when I start to fall asleep, I twitch! Annoying habit that drives John crazy but there it is. So I got nice and cozy under the heat lamps, I started to doze off and in turn start twitching which moved the needles which then immediately woke me up because it hurt like #$$$! So I just laid there thinking about how much I wanted to put up the Halloween decorations, how hungry I was, where should I eat lunch.....blah, blah, blah. Not real relaxing huh? But it was nice to just lie there and do nothing which is so not like me. I'm usually GO GO GO GO GO! Hmmmm. I'm sure that has nothing to do with my caffeine intake! =D

But seriously....it's all worth it. John and I want to have another baby so we'll be trying through the end of this year. We'll keep you posted!

Farting Cockroaches?!

Recently we went home for my husband's grandfather's 80th Birthday party and had the opportunity to visit with family and friends that we don't get to see very often. It was great!

One evening, Aunt Kathi, Uncle Lonnie and I were discussing different ways to kill outdoor pests. Example: Slugs like beer, just stick a can outside and they'll crawl in and drown or pour salt on them and they'll dissolve. And all of a sudden the discussion takes a very intellectual turn!

April: I saw a GIGANTIC cockroach outside the other day! (everything is gigantic in TX, you should see the mosquitos!)

Uncle Lonnie: (smirking) Just pour baking soda on the ground. They'll eat it and die because the sodium bicarbonate causes a build up of gas and cockroaches can't fart so they explode.

April: (pause) Are you serious? (starting to laugh) They just go boom! (laughing now)

Uncle Lonnie: (laughing) Yes they explode!

April: You know this is great material for my blog. No seriously! I'm going to blog about this! =D

So I Googled "Do cockroaches fart?"! Here is what I found on one site: "Cockroaches are among the biggest contributors to global warming, since they break wind every fifteen minutes. Furthermore, they continue to release methane gas for eighteen hours after they die."

And on another site: “Insect flatulence may account for one-fifth of all the methane emissions on this planet. (Termites are also prodigious farters; indeed, dogs trained to sniff out termites are actually following their farts.) Cockroaches are among the biggest contributors to global warming, since they break wind every fifteen minutes. Furthermore, they continue to release methane gas for eighteen hours after they die.”

Seriously?!?!?!

How do people know that cockroaches fart?! Do they put their ears right up to the little suckers backsides and listen for one?! Eww Eww Eww!

So I guess Uncle Lonnie was wrong! I guess you just have to step on them!

Save the planet! Kill a farting cockroach!

Photo Update

I posted some pics of Jaden last month that were "possibles" for the 2010 Hope Calendar coming out in October. Here are two more that Debi took but we still don't know which one she is going to choose! Can't wait!

Too much?

I was looking at all the toys in Jaden's playroom the other day and it seriously looks like we have 3 kids at least! Do you think kids have too much these days? Really! My brother and I grew up in a 3 bedroom house, the four members of my family shared 1 bath until I was in Jr. high at which time they converted the 1 bath and parts of 2 closets into 2 full baths. We didn't have a playroom either! My toys were in my room, my brother's in his and the outdoor toys were kept to a minimum in the backyard. Today, kids have their own bathroom, playroom, a giant climbing structure in the backyard that resembles Mt. Olympus and battery powered ride on cars with their own parking space in the 3 car garage! It's crazy! Who is to blame for all this craziness?! Oh yeah......we the parents buy all this stuff for them. Hmmm. Nevermind......=D

Jaden in Toy Land

In Memory of Gordon

Gordon

1993 - 2009

A week ago, we took Gordon to the vet for a check up. The Dr. said that the arthritis in his back legs was getting worse (more shaking than usual), he had lost more weight (hyperthyroid & was about 5 lbs) and the Dr. thought he had a mass in his chest which was pressing on his heart. Said that Gordon's heart occasionally stopped or skipped beats when he took a breath (arrhythmia). Because of his advanced age, medication wouldn't make him better...only prolong his condition. I knew this time was coming but nothing prepares you for having to say good-bye to a family member. We made the difficult decision to put him to sleep before he suffered anymore pain.

Gordon was my baby before I had Jaden. 16 years we spent together. Before the husband, before the move to TX, before the kid.....lots of history together. To say he was my favorite "furry kid" would be unfair to Katie but we did have a different relationship. Katie was the "Diva" in the house, content to come find me only when she needed something. Gordon was the "softie", sneaking into my lap while I was watching t.v., sitting at my feet while I was working on the computer, patting my leg if I was drinking a glass of milk, Pat, Pat, Pat, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme. =D He loved sleeping on my tummy when I was pregnant with Jaden and once Jaden was born, he was Jaden's shadow. It's strange how quiet the house is now without Katie and Gordon.....I really miss them both.

The night before we took Gordon in for his appointment.

I think we knew that the Dr. visit wasn't going to go well so we made sure that Jaden and Gordon got to spend some time together.

Jaden even kissed Gordon good-night.

Katie and Gordon

Jaden and Gordon's naptime

Gordon watching Jaden play

"Look! There's Gordon!"

Gordon watching us play with the iMac camera

when Jaden was 10 months old - at the old apartment.

Flying with a Super Hero!

Super Jaden and his sidekick Mommy!

This is what Little Man thinks of pickles...

No!!!!

Product Endorsement

Who doesn't love a dazzling smile?!  I owe a big thanks to my orthodontist and my parents for my straight teeth but I must confess, I haven't taken very good care of them color wise....I'm a big coffee drinker!  I've tried bleaching trays through my dentists office (MANY years ago) and Crest White Strips but I've finally discovered something WAY more effective!

 

After experiencing gum sensitivity with the trays and strips and being shocked at the $600 I would have to spend at the dentist for some ZOOM whitening, I was cautious about this product, especially since I've never heard of it.  I saw an ad for Luster in one of the magazines at the hair salon, so I did some research online and read all the user reviews I could find.  I always, always, always read user reviews before purchasing ANYTHING online and I must say everyone was right!  After only 5 applications, I noticed a difference and NO sensitivity AT ALL!  You can apply it up to 20 times and are supposed to see up to a 5 shade difference.  My teeth were the lightest shade of yellow on their "color chart" to begin with so I didn't have a lot of work to do.  I guess I should have taken before and after pics but it just seemed kinda weird.

I doubt I'll do the full 20 applications (want to avoid that ultra bright smile from that great Friends episode...you know....when Ross' teeth glowed under the black light?.....no?  o.k, moving on) but I think 10 will get me where I want to be and then it's just monthly maintenance from there.

I have no plans on giving up my Iced Lattes or the occasional iced tea so this is perfect for me!

Yeah!  Now I'll "smile more because my teeth are white", I'll "be happier because I'm smiling more", "It's like a feel-good virus-before I know it, I'll be making other people smile too!"  (that one really cracks me up!) and I'll look like I've "turned the clock back years, even decades"! Hey!  Wait a minute....I don't look THAT old.  =D

Lost My Mind!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am pretty laid back and not easily upset.  But this morning........I lost my mind!  

Jaden and I were taking the back way to the dry cleaners from our house.  The road winds back by a subdivision that is still under construction so there are a lot of big trucks pulling in and out all day.  As I approached the intersection to the new construction area, a LARGE semi was easing out, I thought he was slowing down to let me pass before pulling out.  I was wrong!  He either didn't realize how far out he was or how fast he was going....or really didn't care!  I swerved and honked and then pulled over when I realized he had stopped behind me.  I threw the car in park, jumped out, ran up to the front of his semi and started yelling expletives at him and telling him that I was taking down his information to report his driving (while he just shook his head and threw up his hands), I got back in my car, waited for him to pass so I could get his tag number, once I had the tag number and the name of the company, I passed him and we went on our way to the dry cleaners.  Then it hit me.....WHAT WAS THAT?!  I don't lose my temper!  I can't remember the last time I was that mad!  You know the scene on the Incredible Hulk when Bruce Banner gets mad and starts shaking and turns into the the Hulk?  That's how I felt!  Crazy!  I was so glad Jaden didn't hear or see me because I think I would have scared him!  =D  

Anyway, I called John and told him what happened and gave him the information and he said he'd call in the complaint.  I was to the point of being so mad that I would have cried on the phone which is horrible!  I don't like crying, in front of people or on the phone with people, especially with people I don't know.  

Once I got off the phone with John, I did something sure to make me feel better....we drove to Starbucks!  Jaden asked for pumpkin loaf (his fave!) and I told him, "whatever you want honey, we've had a very traumatic morning! "  A Latte and pumpkin loaf make everything better!   Ahhhhhh!

Super J!

The Husband and I found this Super Hero in a Box at Borders book store last night while on our "date". We thought Little Man would enjoy it! Well, after putting on the Identity Concealing Mask, The Thrill Packed Wrist Bands and attaching the Action Filled Cape, Little Man posed just long enough to get his picture taken and then announced, "I don't want to be Superman anymore" and took off the mask and wrist bands! He left the cape on and we asked what was wrong and he said, "I'm a Queen".......not sure we heard him correctly, we asked him again. Again he said, "I'm a Queen". Little Man looked and me and said, "Mama, what have you done". =D I laughed and explained to Little Man that girls are Queens & Princesses and boys are Kings & Princes. He seemed confused as were we until we figured out that he associated a long cape with the Evil Queen (who has a BIG cape/robe) from the movie Snow White, which he's been crazy about for months. But even after explaining the difference to him, he just got frustrated and took the cape off and decided that his Handy Manny Toolbox was much more interesting. Oh, well!

Reluctant Super Hero.

And then an hour later.....

Super J!

Who is that masked man?!