I don't know who "Craig" is...but I'm sure glad he has that list! I've gotten some amazing things for next to nothing on it and had a very enjoyable time looking through a lot of horrid things to find my treasures. I thought I'd post a few that made me laugh today. I'm posting the actual title or heading to the ad, followed by the picture. Accurate descriptions? You be the judge. LOL. My own comments are in parentheses.

Classy End Table (you know right off the bat this is going to be a good laugh. "Classy"...oooo..I can't wait to open this picture...)

V-Day Gift! Weight Watchers Cookbooks plus extras $20 (are they KIDDING? If Mark every bought me a WW anything for Valentine's Day I'd be so angry (AND hurt!))

Horse Touch Lamp (Sho-nuff!)

Shabby Sheik Sofa (No, I am NOT kidding...this is how they spelled it. The photo isn't too bad...but I was picturing something more like this:)

Oh there's so much more...but I'm going to stop....for tonight. =-)

A Little Springtime

Oh, MAN is the weather great this weekend! A little slice of temporary springtime to brighten moods and medicate sun-deprived hearts. Isn't it just amazing what a little sun and moderate temps will do for a person? And boy did we need a little pick-me-up around here. The kids have been sick since early January. I took them both for an ear re-check yesterday to learn that they still both have ear infections. Grant is on his third round of antibiotics. Doc said if this doesn't clear it up we'll be looking at a visit to an ENT. Great. Just great. In the meantime, it's more antibiotics for both kids and Grant gets two nebulizer treatments a day.

I hate winter.

Even though they haven't been feeling healthy, I let them go out and play today (ears covered though). Man are we loving our new neighborhood. It seems when the temperature hit 50 and above....everyone comes out of hiding and into the cul-du-sac. yea! Friday night I looked out and Bailey was playing catch with THREE other girls her age! Right in the middle of the cul-du-sac. Then Mark took Lauren out and she played with her new neighbor friend who is just a year older than Lauren. They had a ball zipping around in Madison's Barbie jeep. Mark had a good time chattin' it up with the other Dads while the girls played. Grant & I stayed inside Friday night and watched from the window. Oh it just brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart to watch that stuff! This really is a dream come true...our new home...a neighborhood where the kids can play safely and we can enjoy our neighbors. sigh...we are truly blessed. It was a hard road to get here though. It seemed unattainable at times. And today we learned the difficult guy that we bought this house from.....fraud charges. It doesn't affect us...but a sad, sad story of what can happen when you let greed into your life.

Today I took all the kids out. Grant had fun trompin' around and riding trikes with HIS new neighbor friend, Zoe. I got to meet the neighbors again and hope to develop relationships with some or all of them later.

Mark is having fun (trust me...it's fun for him even if he complains) cleaning out the garage. He's mounting bikes on the wall, sorting, cleaning, hanging rakes and brooms...creating his man-zone.

Now I know there was significant snow melt and all, but our back yard seems to really have a swamp problem....do you think we'll have to call the sod guy back in the spring to regrade? Or is it just like this because the sod hasn't really "taken" yet? Anyone have any experience on this subject?

Ah....I wish it were really spring and not just a teaser....but I'll take it and enjoy it just the same.

We made the best of Super Bowl Sunday this year. Although I had hoped to have a party - or at least have a few friends over to watch the game with us (read: eat, drink, & watch commercials), we were still sick around here. Determined to not let the never-ending sicknesses stop us from having a good time, I made the best of it.

I picked up 3D glasses at our local grocery store, made chili and taco dip and did my very best to create a fun environment for us. Of course once the game started the kids started to melt down (what IS it about 5 o'clock until bedtime?!). A pair of 3D glasses was ripped in half before kick-off and the noisest toys we own became the favorites as we were trying to listent to the game. (sigh).

I wasn't THAT into the game, since MY TEAM wasn't in the Bowl this year, but I did have an interest in Kurt Warner. A seemingly good man (far too many of these around these days) with Iowa roots. I'll root for him. Of course that was probably a curse - sorry, Kurt.

Anyway, the game was getting good when I realized I hadn't bathed the kids in....well....not going to admit how long. So as not to miss anything, I threw them in the kitchen sink. (thank you open floor plan!) Not a horrible idea for Grant...but poor Lauren had her knees up to her ears in there. But hey - she was cleaned and I didn't miss a play. Good thing I didn't take them up to the tub because Grant would have missed this Cardinals touchdown!

In other news, I continue to struggle with what to do with our gazillion windows...all naked. I'm overwhelmed by their bareness and so I just don't make any decisions. I HAVE to get on that...soon.

I picked up a good bargain this week though for the family room. You KNOW how a good bargain excites me. How much do you love Craig's List? If you haven't bought or sold on there yet...get going! It's AWESOME! You have to weed through a bunch of junk...but the diamond is always in there somewhere. I got a really cute but not perfect side table for $10. PERFECT for next to the couch. And I'm currently waiting to hear back if my offer was accepted on this really faux wicker set that I'd like for my front porch.

This week is sort of back to normal around here (FINALLY), although filled with doctor appointments (ear re-checks, dentist, the dreaded annual exam for me, etc.). I'll be so glad when we don't have to administer meds, schlep everyone to the doctor, etc.

Speaking of medicine, Monday I took Lauren's antibiotic out of the fridge and it fell on the floor, breaking the cap. I stuck it back in the fridge on a high shelf. Later that morning I found a bib stuck behind something in the bathroom...it had bright pink stains on it. I questioned Lauren (always start w/Lauren) - asked her what the pink was. She admitted "medicine." I pulled her aside and asked her if she drank any. She said no. I told her it was very important to tell me the trutch...how dangerous it would be if she drank it, etc. She said it spilled. I ran to the fridge and sure 'nuff...there was a little pink sticky matter on the floor of the fridge and a small bit on the floor in front of the fridge. I scolded her about getting into things, being sneaky, the dangers of touching medicine, etc. THEN...a couple hours later..she starts vomiting....pink. She did this several times. I called the pediatrician who told me to call Poison Control. Based on the info we DID know (a lot of unknowns though), they determined she had consumed enough to warrant the ER...but since a couple hours had passed and since she had vomited...they instead said to call the pediatrician back and let them know they recommended kidney function tests.

I had my annual exam scheduled, and you know how long it takes to get in if you have to reschedule, so Mark took Lauren in for the blood draw. I'm happy to say that her blood work came back ok. (NOW I can wring her little neck for being sneaky, lying to me and taking yet another year or two off of my life). We do have to wait to restart antibiotics though...since they don't know for sure how much her system absorbed before vomiting. So right now we're praying the ear infections and urinary tract infection just goes away before they check her on Friday. If not, here we go with antibiotics again.

Enough drama for '09 already!