the history of hair

it's so short I just had to blog about it!  

Please don't mind the ridiculous look on my face in the December photo - I had newborn twins and an 18 month old, you'd look like that too!

gone country

So yea, I like country.  

It started in 2002 when I won tickets to see Alan Jackson - I had no idea who he was I was just excited to go to a concert at the new Arena so I put my name in for the tickets and won.  Chuck told me who he was so I started listening to WOKQ and was hooked, some days it's a little too whiney for me so I switch back to rock, but most days I'm a country girl.

A year or so ago Chuck was in the car with me when a Brad Paisley song came on.  Chuck being the musician he is loved the guitar rifts and went so far as to buy his newest CD - then one night after a few beers decided to join his fan club.  I gave him shit for weeks about that.  However I ate my words on Thursday when we went to his show and had AWESOME seats - a benefit of being a member of the fan club is advanced ticket purchase!  We were sitting right next to the "cat walk" type stage that goes out into the crowd - you know the one that they walk down and high-5 the fans, yea that one!  I was actually leaning on it most of the night.  it was sweet! 

And for your viewing pleasure - and to make the other BP fans jealous - here's a slide show.

pida on fwloor

My 2 year old has a tough time sleeping - I'd say 9 nights our of 10 she wakes up and my hubby being the softy he is brings her into our bed.  No big deal - I'm tired of s*x anyway and this gives me a great excuse to avoid it.

Last night he brought her in at sometime during the night and I didn't even realize it.  Several hours later she woke us up with a scream - so loud I actually jumped up.  She started crying and saying "pider bite lorelei!" "pider on fwloor" (for those of you that don't speak toddlereise that means "spider bite Lorelei" and "spider on floor").  We calmed her down and got her back to sleep.  

Poor kid obviously had a dream about a spider.  I know everyone dreams, but I'm at a loss as to how to explain this to her.  We watch TV so maybe I could tell her dreams are like TV and not real?  Will she understand that at this age?  Anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this?

Copyright Schmopyright

So I'm sure it's still copyright infringement - but since these are actually just pictures of the pictures I thought I'd chance it, because gosh darn-it these are some cute ass kids!! :)

Prescott Park

This summer I've been trying to get out on a little adventure every week - just little day trips to the beach or the park, something to get us out of the house that doesn't cost a fortune!  Today seemed like a great day to get out - cool but the sun was shining!  I found a backpack when I cleaned out my closet yesterday so I packed it up with diapers and some leftovers and headed to Prescott Park for lunch and to look at the flowers, Lorelei was a bit upset to find that this park didn't have swings but cheered up as soon as she saw the water and the seagulls! 

Servings per container

I've never really paid much attention to the servings per container - I'll sometimes check the calorie count which of course includes the number of servings, but I've never really looked at how many servings there are in reference to will there be enough to feed my family.

Saturday night we had chicken on the grill and I threw in one of those Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers in the microwave.  When I started serving it I realized we didn't have much for left overs - when I checked the bag sure enough there are only 4 servings - there are 5 of us!

So I started checking my cupboard - here's what I found:

Mac n' Cheese - 3 servings per box 

Loaf of bread - 18 1-slice servings per loaf (that's over a half loaf just to make a sandwich a person!)

Cocoa Krispies - 15 servings a box (that's a box  a week if we eat it every morning *which we don't!*)

Gallon on milk - 16 servings (at 3 glasses a day per kid that's over a gallon every other day!)

Right now my older daughter only eats about a half serving and the twins are splitting another half serving - but soon enough everyone is going to be eating a full serving and that means to feed everyone I'll need to cook double batches!  And really does anyone eat just one serving anyway?  Just this morning we made eggs for everyone for the first time and cooked 6!

And I thought formula was expensive - yikes!

My own personal 9-11

Five years ago today I found out I was pregnant.



A week or so earlier I realized I was a few days late, then my grandfather died, I went back to school after 7 years, and my father let me know he was moving 1000 miles away - needless to say my "AF" was the last thing on my mind.


Tuesday the 9th I was feeling like shit, I was really crampy and uncomfortable but couldn't put my finger on it - I felt gassy more than anything (I hadn't re-realized I was late yet).


Wednesday the 10th I went to work and remember telling a friend how crappy I felt, I really thought it was bad gas - I had recently started taking some diet drug thing and also eating a lot of veggies. Chuck had practice that night and I was laying in bed in so much pain I was getting ready to call 911, but didn't want to because I had gone to bed in the buff and was too embarrassed to have paramedics come in and find me that way. Chuck came home later and I was finally able to sleep (again I somehow the thought of being pregnant still hadn't crossed my mind).


Thursday the 11th I got up and got ready for work as usual, I had some coffee and did my morning *ahem* business and felt pretty good. I left for work and started the day as usual. Around 9AM I started feeling shitty again, bad enough so this time I called the docs - the first thing they asked was if I could be pregnant. *LIGHTBLUB* I started looking at dates and realized I was over 2 weeks late. Oh Shit! How the fuck did that happen?!?!?! OK so I know the logistics behind it, but really when you're not married and are not really planning starting a family at that time the first thing you think is "Oh Shit! How the fuck did that happen?!?!?!". Doc sent me home to POAS (pee on a stick) and call with the results.


Since I lived over an hour away I decided to go to my mum's house instead since she was at work and I had a key. I stopped at the drug store on the way and picked up a HPT (home pregnancy test). I get in position and do what I need to do - 1 line not pregnant 2 lines pregnant. Wouldn't you know it - I get NO lines! defective test. So I had to go back to the store and get another one. I get back to the house and now of course can't pee if you paid me. Drink some coke, wait a bit, put my hand under running water, drink some more coke and finally able to go again. 2 lines - immediately. I dump out the coke because you're not supposed to drink caffeine when pregnant.


I call Chuck, and leave a message - he knew what was going on, message said "Um yea, I'm at my mum's call me''. I know he's going to know the results before even calling back. We talk and wow this is unexpected but ok we'll handle it no problem!


But something's wrong, I know it already. I've been in pain for weeks and now am almost doubled over - I've never been pregnant before but I know this isn't right.


It's a even longer story involving hospitals, ultrasounds, dr's giving me advice and shots of Methotrexate but the short of it is my first pregnancy is ectopic (as is the second and the third) and there's nothing they can do for that but end it.


It sucks but we handled it and here we are today with three great kids. Everything makes you stronger, I just wish I didn't need to be so strong.

(edited to add) I hope no one thinks I mean this in anyway compares to the actual 9-11, it's just the same day hence the title!

Praise from a 2 year-old

Lately my 2 year-old has been telling me when I do a good job.  It's so sweet! 

A few weeks back we were painting pictures and I showed her mine and she said "Wow, wow mumma.  Really good job mumma!".  Then again yesterday I made pancakes (my "weakest link" if you will) and was all bummed out about how they turned out, and when she tried hers she said "mmmmm, really good job mumma!". 

I got all teared up - I guess I must be a doing an OK job with her, because she obviously learned this from me.  Also they are honest at this age.  So there's nothing like praise from a 2 year-old.

A year already

Hard to believe but it's been a year today since my Dad* was almost killed in a steam pipe explosion on the UNH campus**.  He's made a remarkable recovery, there were a few days we really didn't think he was going to make it.  

He was flown to Mass General where he remained in the ICU for I believe 27 days, then additional time in another room within the burn unit.  We were told he would remain in the hospital for a minimum of 80 days - this is calculated by the % of burns - and he would then need additional time in a secondary rehab center.  We knew he'd never be there that long, he's superman you know.  For as long as I remember we've made fun of him for working out so much, calling him chubby and telling him to give it up old man, it's a good thing he was in as good shape as he was or he wouldn't have made it.  He was home in 78 days - the day before Thanksgiving and just 8 days after the twins were born, you should have heard the sadness in his voice when he learned he wouldn't be able to be at the hospital when they were born - he worried I'd be upset, silly man!

Here's a few pictures of him before and after.

With mum when Lorelei was born June '06

With Lorelei Christmas '06

With Sadie mid-December '07

back to work (on our bathroom) mid-April '07

As you can see he's changed a bit, he's a little bit grayer and a little bit older, and he's still quite scarred, including the mother-fucker of all scars on his chest, but just on the outside.  We all know he's in a lot of pain still, but he refuses to let it get him down.  He told us while he was still in the hospital he planned to be back to work by spring - who goes back to work after this?!?!?!  I don't know another person who wouldn't have just sat home and collected the workers-comp checks, myself included!  But not this guy, he was back to work in 6 months 1 day - unbelievable. 

*OK technically he's my step-dad but you know what they say if it walks like a duck it's a duck, right?

** There are a few errors in this story.  He is a plumber not a construction worker, he actually received 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 80% of his body and he works for another (not to be named here) plumbing company not Harvey Construction. 

bathroom pics

We're about 99% done with the bathroom - the only thing left is a TP holder (the one we wanted was out of stock) and some artwork.  I'm thinking black-&-white naked baby pictures in black frames.  What do you think?

Here's a quick slideshow of the almost finished product.  I give Chuck total credit on the decor, he's good when it comes to this kind of thing.  Which is surprising since he once left the house in blue and yellow striped cut-off wind-pants, camouflage hunting boots and an Ozzy Ozborn t-shirt.

Mutha Sucka

No real reason behind this post - I just want to show off how freakin' cute my boy is!  (the shirt actually says Mutha Sucka we just couldn't get him to sit still!)