Rock Stars!

So, I have been following Kelle Hampton's blog, Enjoying The Small Things for almost a year now. The link to her blog made its way to me via my mom, who warned me to read it when I had time to sob like a baby. I went to the site and immediately closed the page. Not knowing what the blog was about, all I saw was that the blog post was about a birth. Being a Mom to a new baby at the time, I feared the the blog was related to fetal demise and I just couldn't bring myself to read it.

After my mom and sister reassured me that the post was not about a loss, I agreed to read it. Holy crap. Not only did I sob, I was nearly inconsolable. Not only is Kelle an amazing writer, she has incredible, emotional photography to help her illustrate her words. From the first post I read, I was hooked. Chloe was still a little peanut at the time and I would lay in bed with her at night while she nursed, with my netbook propped up on pillows. And I read. And read. And read. Every night I read until I had read the entire blog, from beginning to end. You can read about Nella's Birth Story by clicking here .

I have fallen in love with this family over the past year. Kelle's creativity helps me foster my own, and her girls are just precious! Nella turns one a a couple of weeks and there is a fundraiser in her honor. If you are touched by this family like I was (and still am), please consider making a donation. You can read about donating by going to today's post on the blog, or just click this link. For a mere $5 donation, you can help Nella's Rockstars make a huge impact on children just like this sweet little punkin'! I know I don't have a large readership, and that's on purpose, I am a pretty private person, but if anyone out there is indeed reading, please consider making today a charitable one!
S

Schwety Starbucks.

So, I failed miserably at my whole "32 Random Acts of Katy (Kindness)" this year. My first goal was to complete all 32 acts in May. Didn't happen. I extended my deadline to the end of the year. Didn't happen.

I would normally say "I suck," and obsess over my failure, but I have to remember that I still did more nice things for strangers than I would normally do so I guess it was a mediocre success? What I didn't expect to discover is that I'm still painfully shy.

My mom and my sister are laughing right now because I doubt either one of them would describe me that way. Let me rephrase: I am painfully shy when I am not in my own element.

I tended to commit random acts that were "faceless." Buying a drink in the Starbucks drive thru is easy because you have driven off before the person knows what you did. Collecting grocery carts is easy because the grocery store employee is probably never even going to realize you did it. The acts I committed that required direct conversation or interaction with others made me extremely uncomfortable and schwety.

I definitely learned something from this. Before trying this, I *might* have described myself as outgoing. Now? Definitely an introvert. Definitely.

Well-Versed in MER

Mer is a word my sister, our friend Sara and I kind of "invented" in high school. What is hilarious about it, is that we have our families, friends, co-workers, husbands, and children using the word, too. It really should be a part of the Urban Dictionary, if you ask me. What does Mer mean? Nothing, and everything, all in one. Mer's connotation hinges on the tone and inflection given when saying it. Clear as mud? Let me try to help...

(disclaimer: these are just examples and in no way are meant to completely define each Mer).

Mer! (angry)=You are not going to believe this crap!
Mer. (emotionless)=I'm bored; Hi; Conversation space-filler; I'm done talking, time to hang up.
Mer? (lighthearted tone)=Is it really you? It's about time we talked!
Mer! (pain)=Holy crap, that hurt!
Mer! (irritated and annoyed)=Ugh, why don't you get what I am trying to say?!
Mer! (disgusted)=That has to be the stinkiest diaper I have ever changed!
Mer! (excited)=Yum! Chocolate!
Mer! (judgmental sarcasm)=omgIcan'tbelievethatcameltoewalkingourway.

To know Mer is to love Mer. You must try it to love it.

Mer.

Ralphie. And I'm not referring to A Christmas Story.

I knew I shouldn't have posted about being the only family member to evade the stomach bug! Wednesday night the stomach bug hit me hard! Just like everyone else, it was pretty brutal but thankfully the worst part was short lived. For all of us, the nasty part only lasted about five hours, plus another day or so of just feeling bad. I am back to normal now, thankfully! I am hoping that is the last bug in our house this winter!

Finding My Voice

First of all, on a scale of 1-10 how wrong would it be for me to leave my husband, move to Oklahoma and marry The Pioneer Woman (assuming she swings that way)? The woman is hysterical, smart, and she cooks! Okay, so maybe it would be a 10 on the scale, but could we consider it a 6 if I invite Ryan to come with me and I share my table scraps with him? Polygamy: Is it really wrong?

Secondly, I was perusing The Pioneer Woman's website and I came across a top ten list for blogging. Some of her suggestions really made sense to me.

For example, blog often. Duh. Nobody is going to keep checking your blog if you never update. I have no interest in gaining a large readership of any kind, I keep my blogs for my family and friends and so my children will be able to see who I was/am in my own written words.

Another example: write in your own voice. Write exactly how you would talk to your sister or your best friend. And that's when I realized that I was trying to be way too formal and PC about things. My own blog isn't written in my own voice, how silly is that? I am the type who proof reads a hundred times for typos before hitting "publish" and I have also censored myself in a few different ways. No more! And that should be a change for the better because I can be pretty hilarious when I don't have the pressure of being perfect.

And since I will be writing in my own voice from now on, my next post will introduce you to the word MER.

RAK Update

23/32: Gave change to one of the charities at an intersection.
24/32: Collected 2 abandoned carts in the Target parking lot.

8 more to go by the end of the year!

Captain Puketastic and his two Puketeers

Saturday we had a great day running errands as a family. Lately, it has been so enjoyable to "go bye-bye" as I like to say. The kids are so well behaved (usually) in public and they really enjoy going different places with us. It's actually easier to go places with the kids now, as opposed to staying home where they just antagonize each other and bicker.

Anways, getting back to the title of this post...About 9pm, Ryan complained that his stomach was upset and he asked me if I felt okay. I felt kind of achey in my upper back, but that's not super unusual for me since I'm still nursing Chloe. I decided to do a super does of Vitamin D3 (HUGE immune system boost for those who may not know, even better than Vitamin C!) and go to bed. I had given the rest of the family some Vitamin D3 earlier in the night so I didn't bother Ryan with more. Perhaps I should have. The next thing I know, he's waking me up asking if we had an Pepto Bismol. I told him I thought we did and told him where, and then promptly fell back asleep.

The next morning, he slept. And slept. And slept. When he finally emerged from the basement he informed me he had been up all night puking with the Big D to boot. Ew! He also told me to avoid the basement as he had TWO trashcans filled with puke. Ugh.

The kids and I continued the Vitamin D3 and added in some homeopathics to try to save ourselves. Monday came and went without incident. In fact, the kids and I had a fabulous day of great behavior and great eating. Both kids ate a ton of dinner, which turned out to be the calm before the storm. The puke floodgates (for both kids) began at 1:30 am. Tucker was throwing up every 30-45 minutes! He was scared, screaming while he "coked" (choked). I was covered in puke, the bathroom was covered in puke, and we had several jammie changes. I stayed with Tucker and Ryan tended to Chloe, who definitely had a much easier time with things. The puking stopped at 6am, Ryan called in sick to help with the kids, and we spent all day yesterday trying to rest and get better.

The kids are much better today, although Chloe is just now getting the Big D, she is happy and her usual self. I have yet to catch the bug and at this point, I think I dodged the bullet. I am still washing the mounds of puke laundry, but I think if I was going to get it, I would already be sick. At least I hope anyways.....

Oh, and in better, more exciting news, CHRISTMAS IS 10 DAYS AWAY!!!!! I can't wait!