Look What I Found!

This is one of the very first pictures I took of Carly. It was taken on my cell phone. Isn't she so adorable, though? She is only 3 days old here. I'm in love with this little girl. You could never guess that, could you?!

"IT'S NOT NICE TO BLOOD A LITTLE GIRL"

I took Carly for her one year old check up today and she ended up having to get 5 separate shots. I guess they even mixed some of the vaccines she needed but even with that the number that needed to be given separately came to 5. Luckily, they sent two nurses in and they double teamed her. I had her on my lap and Julie and tried to keep her attention by singing to her and they both stuck her at one in each leg. She didn't cry on the first round and then she let them have it on the second. By the 5th shot which was just in one leg she was really mad. She only cried for about a minute but she was pretty somber for a few minutes after that.

It reminded me a little of a time a few years ago when I went with my friend Lori and her three kids to the doctor. Her oldest and youngest had appointments. The oldest was 5, getting ready for Kindergarten and he needed shots for school and the youngest was somewhere between one and two, I think and she needed shots as well. I remember the soon to be Kindergartner did not like the idea of shots and didn't take very well to them but that was nothing compared to when his sister got her shots. Lori and I had to hold his sister still for her shots. He didn't like that one bit. I think the doctor himself gave the shots and I think he was a little slow at it--but anyway, his sister started crying and we had to hold her tighter. This only made her brother more upset at all of us--Mom, me and the doctor. He screamed as loud as he could at us, "IT'S NOT NICE TO BLOOD A LITTLE GIRL!" Luckily by that time it was over and all we had left to deal with were her tears and his anger. I'm pretty sure we soothed both with ice cream.

Luckily, Carly didn't get quite that mad. But keep that in mind will you! IT'S NOT NICE TO BLOOD A LITTLE GIRL!

Mom and Her Beautiful Girls

This is a picture of me with the girls. Isn't it cute? I love the way Carly posed her hand on her chin. No one did that for her either. She just did that all by herself. (Sara, Julie, Me, Megan and Carly)

Music Class

Carly and I went back to music class today and this time she was not nearly as shy. She played with the other kids, danced, clapped and made farm noises. She even shared maraccas and drumsticks and put them back when she was supposed to. She only started to cry once when she had to put something back but she got over it quickly. I'm really impressed at how quickly she is settling into the environment and learning. She got her own CD of music today and we listened to it at home. It was some of the same stuff we were doing in class. She recognized it and started dancing around and laughing. It was really fun to see her response to it.

She's got her darn cold back all of a sudden. The last couple of days she has started coughing again. I really noticed it this afternoon. It seems like we keep passing it around the house from one to another--never completely getting rid of it. I can't wait for SPRING!

FORGET SOMETHING DOC?

I've had this gomboo for over a month now. It's one of those that ran through the whole family-- at least twice and has never really left completely. I think we all have a few nagging symptoms hanging around. As for me, I have that icky throat drainage and a sinus headache that's been lingering. Plus, I have a cough that mostly bugs me at night.

Finally today I thought I should go see the doctor. I also figured if I was going I'd have her do a general check-up and get some bloodwork done, too. Anyway, she got me all checked out, we talked about which bloodwork to do, and she did a bit of paperwork. We talked a bit more. She gave me a few things, said goodbye and I left.

It wasn't until a few hours later that I realized we never did the bloodwork. I guess I didn't realize one of my symptoms was forgetfulness. I guess she didn't realize it was one of hers, either.

Baby Texter on the Loose!

Ye-Gads! I am going to be in trouble with my teenager. We won't let her have a cell phone. That's right-no texting for her, no competing with the cell phone at the dinner table or during conversation. No loud music coming from the dumb thing--you get the picture. So, why all of the sudden do I have a baby texting my friends and family? That's right and playing all the ring tones she can find, and calling my friends early in the morning and at later hours than she should. She has two, count them 1, 2 play cell phones that are as cute as can be--but no, she steals mine every chance she gets. I don't know how she does it but at first she would just hit buttons until she found my speed dial buttons and accidentally call someone--now, she has found her way into the texting system and has been creating actual messages. If you just keep hitting buttons it will put words in for you.

She wrote a message tonight that convinced my sister I had sent her a real note about something I thought we should do. She was just waiting for the rest of the message to come through and texted me back when it didn't. That's how I found out Carly had been texting. I used to be able to just let her play with it without any harm--but all of the sudden she's filling up my schedule and making herself play dates! If this keeps up Julie is going to insist on equal time texting on my phone. I gotta get this under control! In the meantime, if you get a call or a text from me that doesn't quite make sense--consider a smaller source . . .

A VISITING WE DID GO

We went to visit Rob's parents today because they hadn't been able to come up for Carly's birthday and wanted to see her and give her some presents. We get in their house and sit her down (on her feet). They haven't seen her walk yet. She walks from the door to Grandpa's chair and stops. Keep in mind that Grandpa is a very large man. Anyway, she looks over and sees Grandpa and stops cold. We all walk past her and sit down. We call to her, try to bribe her but nothing gets her moving. She is stuck. She doesn't cry--she just keeps looking at the big guy and can't seem to walk past him--like she's afraid he might grab her or something. It's pretty funny if you're sitting there watching it. Grandma has a big stuffed green frog for her that she keeps waving at Carly and offering to her and Carly's eyes get really big and excited. You can tell she wants it and she trys to move but she just can't quite do it. Finally I sit down halfway between Grandma and Grandpa to break up the walk, hold the frog out to her and get her to come. Then, after a little time hanging out she gets comfortable and makes up with Grandpa. In the end, she had a great time and she got her green frog! It was an exciting day. Grandpa's are BIG with Carly! No pun intended! OK - maybe the pun was intended.

SISTERS

Pure Carliness

Here are Some of the Other Cool Cakes People Brought

My Yummy Cake

This is my yummy triple layer chocolate cake. It has a lovely white, fluffly filling that is so good. I think it turned out pretty well. Although, when I got to the auction there were so many fun decorated cakes that mine looked pretty plain. But that's okay because I know it tastes wonderful!

IF I'D KNOWN YOU WERE COMING I'D HAVE BAKED A CAKE

I just finished baking two cakes. We are having a cake auction tomorrow night at church. They said they had one last year and it was really fun. I missed it so I just have to trust them about the fun part. They told us not to bring any money that it will be provided. I heard a rumor that means monopoly money. Sounds fun to me. One of the cakes I'm making is going to be three layer with a fancy, fluffy white cream in between the layers--chocolate of course. The other will just be two layer. I decided to try to make something cool and delicious looking. Hopefully, they will go for several hundred thousand dollars. I mean c'mon in this bailout economy they've got to be worth at least that!

Musik Garten

Today Carly and I went to Musik Garten for the first time. My little protege turned into a shy little baby, though. I was really surprised at her reaction. She didn't dance a muscle. She didn't act like she had ever heard music before or heard people singing. She wanted no part of dancing. I had to hold her to dance around with her while the other toddlers would at least hold their mommy's hands and walk or dance. No way would she do that--major shy. And when the maraccas and drumsticks were handed out for a song or two--she would not give them back without a fight. Hmmm.
(So much for the shyness--at least for that moment.) So, they let her hang onto them. She was afterall the youngest and newest child there and they said it takes a few visits until each kid gets comfortable and catches on to the routine.

It does seem like it will be a fun class for her to take. Did I mention that when I put her coat on her to leave and walked out the door she threw a fit and cried all the way home. That's not something she does. She did not want to leave. I guess that was my best sign that she did have a good time at Music Garten. Guess we'll be going back for more maracca fun!

I AM REALLY FRUSTRATED

My fifteen year old came home from school today with her junior/senior and freshman year of college planned out in a way we never discussed and all because of a meeting she got invited to at school today. Not that that would be a bad thing except for the huge pressure this new plan would put on her.

First of all the program offered to her in the meeting would cause her to have to transfer to one of two schools about twenty minutes away from our home for her junior and senior year. We would have to drive her to and from school every day. She would only know one other person at the school--leaving all her other friends. Second, she would have to take all AP classes (accelerated placement)and pass with an A to get credit. The expectation for this whole transfer and the taking of AP courses is so these students graduate from high school having finished a year of college credits. I think this is fine for students who want to do something like this of their own volition. I know their are some parents who really push their kids to do this kind of thing also. We aren't among them. I mean, we expect good grades from our kids--but at the same time, I want my daughter to have fun in school. I want her to enjoy her time there and her friends. I want her to be in a play like she has always wanted to be. I want her to have the chance to sing in the choir and take a dance class and hang out with her friends--all the things she has wanted. I want her to remember her class and have the desire to come back for her class reunion someday.

This program that was offered to her today not only gave her the idea that she would end up with a year of college behind her but promised a 2 year 3/4 college scholarship to a large number of universities. She didn't catch the "ifs" involved like, if you get an "A" in every class. She came home so convinced that she had to do this for her future success that she couldn't hear us in the beginning of the discussion when we talked to her about her not needing to feel that kind of pressure and us wanting her to have fun with her friends. She would do nothing but class and homework for two solid years if she did that program and I don't want that to be her memory of high school. I don't like other people putting pressure like that on my kids. It's not necessary and it frustrates me! I think they should have had a meeting with the parents! Grrrrr.

A Few Pictures of the Main Event

Carly getting ready to blow out the candle. Actually, her idea of blowing it out was to pick up the flame with her fingers. Mommy just said "NO" to that and helped her by blowing it out for her!

This was the cutest cake and Carly loved the Barbie. She carried it around all night long!

Carly got a Cow from Grandpa and Grandma (my parents)and she loved it the moment she opened it. She began making it moo by pulling its mouth open even though there was a lever to pull. She wanted to do it her way and there was not teaching her to do it the right way. No sir!

Cass, Mommy, Carly and April Sorensen getting ready to have some fun with the cake before we gobble it dowm!

Carly was not in love with this hat. It took a lot to get her to pose with it, let alone with it with a smile on her face. But our friend Cass is like magic and can do just about anything--as you can see!

CARLY TURNED ONE TODAY!

My Carly turned one today. I can't believe she's a whole year old. She is such a big girl. We had a fun party with some family and friends tonight and I let her eat a small piece of cake all by herself. No, I'm not one of those Mommie's who sets a whole cake in front of the baby and lets them dive in head first. Been there, seen that way too many times. Having said that--the mess at the end was almost just as bad. I will have to post pictures tomorrow because I am way too tired tonight. Actually, I hope there are some pictures to post. I let someone else run around with the camera while I hung with the Birthday Girl. I mean what's the Guest of Honor gonna do without her Mom right at her side, huh? We video'd most of it but not on a video camera I know how to put on here.

Oh well, way too much excitement for one day and one new one year old!

YA KNOW HE'S PROBABLY RIGHT

Rob and I went out for a Valentine's Day lunch today and to do a bunch of running around for Carly's birthday party tomorrow. She has a whole bunch of friends!
I know, I know she's only one. She'll never remember this birthday so why all the bother?! But she will have fun tomorrow and she WILL have the pictures to show her she had a one year old birthday party and a Mommy and Daddy who loved her enough to throw her one!

I know, you are going to say the birthday party is for the mom--not the baby. I disagree, it's for both of us. It will make us both happy--and we will both have the good memories. Mine from being there and watching her have fun and hers, from pictures hearing me telling her all about it. **Good idea. I'd better write it down as it happens. I am getting up there. Also, good seguay to the next part of my story.

So anyway, as Rob and I were heading home from all of our adventures he suddenly starts laughing. I look around and can't figure out what's so funny. I hadn't said anything recently so it wasn't me. I said, "What is so darn funny?" He says, "Did you see that sign at that restaurant back there advertising 'Kids Eat for Free'?"
Do you realize in a few years, we are going to be eligle for the Senior Citizen discount and our kids are going to eat for free"?

Hmmm. He had me there. That was funny. You see, I decided a short while ago to stop getting defensive about the facts. So, we both laughed all the way home.

P.S. I love my husband so much. He's the best Valentine's Day present ever!

The Case of the Missing Pan

So I have this really nice set of Cookware that my parents gave me for my wedding and for about a month I've noticed I've been missing one of the pans. But it's one of those things that's kind of in the back of your mind. Everytime I go to use that pan I can't find it--at least it's not in the cabinet where it's supposed to be and I check a couple of other cabinets but then I figure, "Well, maybe it's in the dishwasher or the refrigerator" and I stop looking and use something else. Well, I started looking for it while I was cooking again tonight and I got darned determined but I couldn't find it. I asked everyone in the house and of course, "no one" that pesky beast, had seen it or hadn't seen it as the case may be. I had everyone looking and I was just about in tears. I was really frustrated--going out of my mind thinking who could've walked off with it. I knew I didn't loan it to anyone.

Finally, when I am at my top frustration, my 15 year old says well, let me go downstairs and check. I told her there was no need to do that. It would not be down there. She insisted she should go look. I asked her "why?" She said that maybe she had accidentally taken it down there when she was doing dishes one time and she was tired. I thought that was a ridiculous idea but she said just let me check since we have looked everywhere else. I didn't put any stock in the idea.

However, within about five minutes and much to my surprise she came walking up the stairs with my very valuable pan! So, I, of course had to ask, "Where did you find it? She says, (with her head bowed and her eyes down) "in my bedroom under my desk." "WHAT?! WHY?!" (In my not so subtle tone.) "I don't know." I pushed for an answer. She didn't have one. The only thing she could come up with was that she had been overtired. No, she is not a blonde--though once in a while we wonder. I love you, Julie.

THE LAWS OF ULTIMATE REALITY

* Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

* Law of Gravity - Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

* Law of Probability - The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

* Law of Random Numbers - If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.

* Law of the Alibi - If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

* Variation Law - If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).

* Law of the Bath - When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

* Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

* Law of the Result - When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

* Law of Biomechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

* Law of the Theatre - At any event, the people whose seats are farthest from the aisle arrive last.

* The Starbucks Law - As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

* Murphy's Law of Lockers - There are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

* Law of Physical Surfaces - The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.

* Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

* Brown's Law of Physical Appearance - If the shoe fits, it's ugly.

* Oliver's Law of Public Speaking - A closed mouth gathers no feet.

* Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy - As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

* Doctors' Law - If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. If you don't make an appointment you'll stay sick.

I NEVER NOTICED BEFORE . . .

How much music there is behind commercials until I had Carly. She loves music and she dances to everything -- including commercials. Even if she is in her highchair she moves every part of her body she can move to the groove. I won't even notice the music on a commercial until she starts moving but she is making me appreciate the hidden music around me a lot more. (At least hidden to me.) Her favorite commercials are the new "HUNGRY" commercials from weight watchers or some weight conscious group. She really boogies to that one. She moves her hands to the beat of music, almost like she's directing or conducting and she is always right on beat. I've got to get her officially involved in music and soon! Luckily for me there is a place nearby that does music classes for babies, toddlers and up. I just need to get my body moving and get us over there. Anyway, until then we are groovin' to the music of oh so many commercials.

SOMEONE SENT THIS TO ME ON EMAIL AND I LOVE IT!

REFLECTIONS

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating,
somewhere in the mountain:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"

And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"

Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."

Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but
really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you
say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.

If you want more love in the world, create more love
in your heart. If you want more competence
in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all
aspects of life; Life will give you back
everything you have given to it.

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE.
IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!

Author Unknown

THE FAST FAMILY

Tonight we were fast. We went Go-Kart racing on an indoor race track and we had a great time. It was really fun and I found I became strangely competitive. I'm fairly competitive anyway--but I got really competitive with Rob. I knew my husband would be faster than I was especially since he'd done this type of activity before. Not only that, but he's good at stuff like this. Anyway, he got a lap or two ahead of me on several of our races but finally when I was getting in the swing of it he came around and tried to lap me the second time and something fierce kicked in and my whole being just said "NO WAY BUDDY." I sped up and rounded those turns almost like a pro and he couldn't get by me no matter how hard he tried. Pretty soon the checkered flag came out and we finished our laps. Now mind you, I didn't win the race, Rob did, but he never got that second lap on me. That's what I'm talking about.

Julie was really fast, too. I should mention here as the mother of a soon to be teenage driver how frightened I am to put her on the road after tonight?!(Although, she did improve with time.) Still, we had great fun and it definitely ranks high on the list of fun things to do with the family.

I would have taken pictures but the helmet hair just made it a poor choice all the way around. :)

WALKING, STARRING CARLY!

She did it! She took five steps and walked toward me earlier tonight and then a little later we caught this on camera. Sorry, I don't know how to edit it so you get the whole enchilada!

CREEPY BABY PRODUCTS

I read this today in the Deseret News and just had to pass it on. (Yes, this is a borrowed blog, today. Sorry) It's both funny and creepy. Ewwww.

Erin Stewart
DeseretNews.com blogger | Feb. 5, 2009 at 9:21 a.m.

There are a lot of bizarre baby products out there that I don't really understand and sometimes think are just plain weird. But I saw one the other day that tops them all:


That's right folks — the Zaky baby pillow, which claims that "it's like leaving a part of you with your baby."

Um ... yes, if the piece you want to leave with your sleeping child is a disembodied forearm with sausage-like fingers and felt for skin.

Sure, that baby looks peaceful now, but I can only imagine the conversation with a therapist in 15 years: "Yes, I felt loved and safe as a child, until I woke up one morning and realized they were just hands. JUST HANDS! NO BODY! Don't you understand? JUST HANDS!"

Yea, there's really no way to recover from that.

Maybe I'm just old-school, but isn't this pillow is missing some key elements of maternal comfort like the human touch? A heartbeat? Elbows?

Now I can see how some people could say this would comfort children and help them sleep. But seriously, what is so important in a mother's life that she has to use fake hands instead of using her own? What happened to the good-old fashioned method of actually touching your child, anyway?

What do you think of this pillow? What are some bizarre baby products that you've seen? (desnews)

Pretty gross, eh? I'd love to know if you've seen anything better, though?!

REMEMBER THIS PHOTO I POSTED BEFORE OF MEGAN

It's the one I wasn't too crazy about. Well, when the actual photos arrived from Penney's I found I was actually quite drawn to them. I find I like them much better in this form. They remind me of something from my childhood. Something pleasant, fun, almost childlike . . . now what could that be? OH, WAIT NOW I REMEMBER!
THEY REMIND ME OF A BARREL OF MONKEYS!



Hee, Hee, Hee . . . I loved my barrel of monkeys!

AND SO IT BEGINS . . . SAY HELLO TO HIGHER GAS PRICES - AGAIN

Yep--The breaking news today from the Obama administration is that it will cancel 77 drilling leases near a Utah park. Doesn't look like there will be any U.S. drilling during this administration and only more need for foreign oil. So, here we go again.

Bush-era energy drilling leases in Utah canceled
Interior Department to review whether to open those federal lands

In its first action to overturn Bush administration policies on energy, the Obama administration on Wednesday said it will cancel oil drilling leases on more than 130,000 acres near two national parks and other protected areas in Utah.

"In the last weeks in office, the Bush administration rushed ahead to sell oil and gas leases near some of our nation's most precious landscapes in Utah," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told reporters. "“We need to responsibly develop our oil and gas supplies to help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but we must do so in a thoughtful and balanced way that allows us to protect our signature landscapes and cultural resources."

"We will take time and a fresh look at these 77 parcels to see if they are appropriate for oil and gas development," he said, adding that the Bureau of Land Management will return the $6 million in bids from an auction last December.

The 77 leases were for areas near Arches and Canyonlands national parks, Dinosaur National Monument, and Nine Mile Canyon, which is sometimes called the world's longest art gallery for its collection of ancient rock-art panels.

Critics, backers weigh in Republicans and the oil industry have argued that the United States should open more domestic areas if it wants to create jobs and reduce its reliance on foreign oil.

“This action will come as a disappointment to communities that were counting on these energy leases to generate high-wage jobs in these difficult economic times," Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., said in a statement.

"We hope today's decision does not signal the administration is returning to the failed policies of the past, leaving much of America's vast energy resources locked up while the nation's demand for energy continues to grow," added Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute.

Environmental groups lauded the action, saying drilling would have threatened Utah's wild lands and spoil views from some of the state's spectacular national parks.

"I see this announcement as a sign that after eight long years of rapacious greed and backdoor dealings, our government is returning a sense of balance to the way it manages our lands," actor and activist Robert Redford, a trustee with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement issued by groups that opposed the leases.

Redford owns a home in Utah and hosts the annual Sundance Film Festival there.

The alliance of groups in December filed a lawsuit to try to stop the leasing, in part citing concerns it would pollute the air in the protected areas.

Judge had blocked leases
In January, a judge granted a temporary restraining order preventing the BLM, which is part of Interior, from moving forward with the leases.

"At best these lands will produce only 1.5 hours of the oil we use in a whole year," Robin Cooley, an Earthjustice attorney who represented the conservation groups in court, said in Wednesday's statement. "The oil industry will profit, not America."

Conservation groups promised to press ahead with the lawsuit to challenge long-term management plans that made the sale of the parcels possible in the first place. The plans, governing 7 millions acres of public land in Utah, were approved by the BLM last year.

The Interior Department said it was able to scrap the leases because the BLM had not yet formally accepted them.

The National Park Service protested the Dec. 19 auction weeks before it was held, and the BLM removed some parcels from the auction list in response.

At first, the BLM was going to auction a parcel so close to Delicate Arch, the signature landmark at Arches park near Moab, drills might have been visible through the center of the 33-foot-wide span. That parcel was 1.3 miles away. It was taken off the auction list under Park Service protest, but the BLM took bids on other drilling parcels within view of Arches, Canyonlands and Dinosaur parks.

Salazar said he was allowing the lease of 39 other parcels auctioned off in December that were not challenged in the lawsuit.

The BLM is scheduled to hold its next auction in Utah on March 24. It wasn't known Wednesday what lands might go up for sale next.

A monkey wrench
The battle between the Bush administration and activists took an unusual turn in December when an activist won $1.7 million in leases but then didn't have the money for a down payment on them.

The activist, Tim DeChristopher, said in early January that he had raised $45,000 from supporters and that if he didn't have to use the money he would contact donors to determine what to do with the cash.

The decision does not mean DeChristopher is off the hook, U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman told The Associated Press. Tim DeChristopher, a 27-year-old economics major at the University of Utah, won $1.7 million in leases even though he had no intention or means to pay.

Tolman said some people want DeChristopher prosecuted for running up lease prices and safeguarding several parcels between Arches and Canyonlands national parks.

To many environmentalists, however, DeChristopher is a hero. He said Wednesday he was willing to go to federal prison if he is charged for his act of monkey-wrenching. "This is how the environmental movement should be working," he said.

Hubby's Jury Experience Less Than Stellar

Rob had jury duty the last few days and I guess the trial was pretty serious and overall interesting in the end. He was actually looking forward to going through the process but it got down to the time to deliberate and come to find out Rob ended up being the alternate juror. No one told him until the very end. I guess they don't want any of the jurors to know their is an alternate so they don't call in sick unless they are dying and they don't want the alternate to know so he or she pays attention as if they were a juror. Poor guy, though, he really wanted to participate and he got to the very end and they said, well, thanks but no thanks. How frustrating!

The Coughers are Full

of phlegm! Carly and Mommy have been coughing our heads off for the past week and I think it's getting worse not better. Now, I think Julie is joining the group. This is no fun. Poor Carly--ear ache, sore throat and bad cough and cold--that's no picnic and wow, is she one unhappy camper.

I will sure be glad when we are all feeling better. Haven't even felt much like blogging. Sorry.

ONE STEP AWAY

Carly is just one step away from walking. She can stand all by herself for about 15 seconds and she will take one step before she sits down. It's that second step that has her intimidated. I guess I should be grateful for the intimidation factor at the moment. She is a speed crawler and a really fast walker if she is holding onto one of your fingers. So, just think how dangerous she will be when she doesn't need the finger anymore? I think I should be really frightened just about now! I should probably also start looking for an alternative energy source. What is it all these athletes use for energy and strength that they keep getting in trouble for? Just kidding . . .