Wednesday, January 28, 2009

That's why they call it laughing gas

I hate the dentist.

No wait, let me rephrase that:

I hate GOING to the dentist.

MY dentist is actually a really nice guy and is very good at what he does. But still... I HATE GOING TO THE DENTIST.


Bad experiences (PAIN)are all that I have (TORTURE) to motivate me and thus I am not very good at making appointments for such things as root canals or any other follow up procedures that lead to UNENDING AGONY. So when I chipped a molar a month ago I just dealt with it. Even when the filling that WAS in said tooth fell out because well, the tooth was CRACKED I did nothing.

Finally the gaping HOLE in my tooth started to hurt so bad and Ibuprofen was not doing the trick and I couldn't even COMPLAIN about it because every time I DID Matt would say, "Have you called the dentist yet?".

So this last week when I couldn't tough it out any longer I called and made the appointment.

Last night as I was lamenting the foreboding events that laid before me today, Matt suggested I ask for the laughing gas.

Me: I've never had it before.

Him: You haven't!? You should!

Me: But it costs extra.

Him: It's worth it! It's so nice, you'll love it!


Hmmmmmm...


(So ladies and gentlemen, I give you my first ever experience with laughing gas.)


A few minutes after they placed the "nose" on I began to feel all tingahleeee... and HEAVayee. My senses changed and I was introduced to what I like to call,


"DELAYED REACTION WORLD"


I'd hear something, feel something, SMELL something and it would take a second or two before it would hit my brain what it was! It was like what it would be like to live as a cartoon! You know, where the character runs off the edge of a cliff and doesn't know it until he looks down and sees the earth is no longer below him? THEN he falls!! I totally get that now!! It IS POSSIBLE!! It was like, DUH! Why didn't I ever understand this before!! It was all soooooooo interesting and new and sTRangE and...

funny.


I smiled to myself. Wow! So this is what every one's been talking about! Sooooooo cooOOOOOOL and niiiiiiiieeeEEEEsssssssssss...


Then I giggled. Outloud.


I couldn't help it.


It was like a switch that I couldn't turn off, I couldn't stop the giggling! I realized I was probably making a fool out of myself so I tried to explain...


"I see now why...hmmmeeee hee hee hee, they call hihiiitt... haaa hee haa hoo lllaaahhhfffing gggaasS!!"


Dentist and nurse politely exchange knowing glances and smiles.


"It rrReellLee gives you ah.... heeheehee hooo, hee hummmmm... ah uNiQue perrrspectiiihhhv on things!!!"


(Uncontrolled laughter at this point.)


He turned the mixture down after that.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Another reason why January is the best month of the year

My baby turned one on Saturday. I was going through all her little pictures reminiscing her birth, this past year, all the mile-stones and JeeeZzz lAhWeeez!

That went by quick.



January 24th 2008




Shelby - January 2009


We celebrated the day by going to McDonald's with some friends and and letting all the girls play. Later on we did the traditional cake and ice cream and Ellie made sure that Shelby opened ALL of her presents.






I know this "cake" seems awful small, but we've been overrun with b-day cake lately. These are actually brownies and only half-way frosted. (Some didn't WANT frosting on their piece! I don't get that- frosting makes everything taste GOOD.)



Last weekend for my birthday, Matt stole us away to St. George for some warm weather riding. We did a lot of looking for some fun trails and came across this really neat spot.


Little Black Mountain




5000 year old petroglyphs

I just want to say how lucky I feel to have these sweet little girls in my life (all born in January!)!! I love being a mom and I am so grateful for such a wonderful, loving, patient husband that takes care of us all!

Stay tuned for the next b-day kid in line: Christopher is my little Valentine's Day Boy!

Friday, January 16, 2009

You have to throw them parties

January is a busy month for us in the birthday department. Last week we celebrated Shannon and Ellie's birthday - each with their own friend-party.

Shannon chose to invite her friends over for a pizza-ice skating-sleepover-party.

Pizza party



Shannon and her friends



Cheesey-Ellie


Opening some presents.


On the way to the ice-center we noticed an incredible amount of traffic, all heading in the same direction.

"Hmmmmm, wonder where these people are all going?? Wonder if they are having a super-sale at the Dodge dealership?"

Turns out that I should have called ahead of time. There was a hockey game that night (against BYU I think) and a gazillion people were attending.

So we went to plan B.


Roller blading at the Fun Park.


Guess how many hours 11-year old girls can roller blade without getting tired?


3


The next day at Ellie's party:

(This is minute-by-minute account of her party for your enjoyment/use/guideline of what-to-do-or-what-not-to-do.)

1:30 pm Guests arrive

1:31 While waiting for all guests to arrive have children do this:


Draw and color themselves on a long roll of paper.

1:42 Make sure they are all coloring on the PAPER (not the floor, each other, or the couch.)

1:50 They are still coloring?? Offer positive reinforcement,

"Wow! That's so good!! You draw so well!! I LOVE your pink hair!! That looks just like you!!"

1:55 "Time to finish it up everyone! We have games to play! Yeah!! Cause this is a PaR-taY!! Okay?? You have 20 seconds to finish and put the markers away!!"

1:55 "10-9-8-7... Hurry!! Get all the markers put away!! 6-5-4... Oh dear almost out of time!!! 3-2-1! Markers DOWN!"

1:56 Roll up humongous paper roll and put it away (probably never to be seen again).

1:57 Play "Throw the Smile".

2:00 This game is boring.

2:02 Decide to play a new game.

2:04 YEAH! This one is much better!!

2:06 Pause game. Everyone is thirsty.

2:06-2:10 Get cups and drinks for thirsty kids

2:11 Resume game.

2:14 Mental dialog: "I still have 4 other things planned and I am running out of time! We need to get things movin!"

2:15 "Okay we have a winner!!! Time to make crafts!!"

2:15 Kids don't want to make crafts at this time. They want to open PRESENTS.

2:16 "Okay kids! Let's open presents! Yeah!! Whoo-hoo!" (It's important to keep the energy up.)

2:17-2:25 Ellie opens her presents. I run to a fro gathering up wrapping paper, ribbon and tissue, keep track of who gave what and make sure that Ellie says "Thank you".

2:26 "NOW it's time for crafts!! We are making snowmen!!"

2:26 Gather the kids around the kitchen table.

2:27 Instructions are given.

2:28 Everyone needs help AT THE SAME TIME.

2:29 Mental note: Don't make crafts with 5-6 year olds that require them to put small dried beans into a very small sock. They drop 9-10 of them on the floor.

2:38 I am a frantic blur of, "Who needs a scarf? Who needs their sock tied? Who needs more beans? Who is ready for glue? Can someone please help me because I am going crazy?"

I didn't really say that last one. Out loud.

2:50 Only ten minutes before parents arrive!! Crap!! We haven't sung happy birthday yet! We haven't even had cake and ice cream!!

2:51 I multi-task by hot gluing snowmen and lighting the candles and singing happy birthday and YES I burned my fingers several times.

Did I say I lit the candles? I guess Shannon did.

See. I told you I was frantic.

2:52 Shannon dishes out the ice cream and cupcakes, I am a hot-gluing as fast as my poor burnt fingers will allow and Matt is picking up the beans that are all over the floor before Shelby puts them in her mouth. I have no recollection of anything else at this time.

2:56 The first parent arrives to pick up their child.

"NO!!! I'm not done yet! Hurry, gimme your snowman! Where's his eyes?? What color of buttons do you want?? Where's his hat??"

The kid is eating ice cream. She doesn't care.

2:57 My sweet visiting teaching partner arrives to pick up her granddaughter. She doesn't say a word and dives right in to help.

3:06 "Wait!!! Don't leave yet!! I have goodie sacks!! Don't forget your goodie sack!

3:15 I am grateful for parents who were late picking up their kids. I am grateful that I only have 3 more snowmen to finish.

3:20 Last kid is out the door. With Matt and Shannon's help we clean up. It isn't too bad. Cake crumbs, beans and string. Phish, easy.

3:41 Reflecting back, I feel the party went well. We didn't do everything that I had planned. But no one cried, no one said they were bored, nothing got broken, no one got lost or forgotten, everyone liked the cupcakes and...



Ellie was happy.


Sigh. The things we do for our kids.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Fun to do

We are getting ready to celebrate Shannon and Ellie's birthdays this weekend. A package arrived in the mail yesterday for the two b-girls and since we have no restraint or patience in this house we opened it right away.


This is what was inside.

A mid the squeals of delight I had to ask, "What the heck ARE those?"

Response: BENDAROOS!!

Me: What are Bendaroos?

Response: Haven't you ever seen the commercials mom? They are soooooooooo COOL!!!

Apparently I am not up on all the commercials that entice little children to beg things from their parents.

But I have to say, these are pretty dang cool. We played with them for the rest of the night and part of this morning. They are not messy or toxic, no little parts, reusable and kids can be creative. LOVE IT.


Ellie and I built this.


This is a duck. A DUCK! Cute huh? And how talented are Ellie and I that WE MADE HIM.


BENDAROOS

My new favorite thing.

Go out and buy them for your kids today.

In other news we have reached another milestone in Shelby's life. Earlier this week, Shannon was able to get Shelby to walk across the room unassisted. (You all know how much fun it is when a baby takes their first steps, so I don't need to tell you how much cheering and clapping and "yeah-ing" has been going on at our house.) Shelby would still rather crawl than walk, but she is getting better. Tonight we tried to see if she would walk better with shoes on her feet.


Not so much.

She looked like a cat with tape on her paws.


Now lets try taking the shoes off...


Much better!!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Our last night of the year

For New Years Eve we hooked up with our friends and went out to the Barlow's (Sr) in Lewiston. We took our toys and lots of warm clothing to play in the snow.


Getting ready to go outside.

This is the best little hat because she isn't able to yank it off due to the strap. I love Velcro. Thanks Janna for getting such a sweet smile out of her!



Shelby's first time in her snow suit. She didn't quite know what to make of it and just laid there...



The snow ended up being too deep for the wheelers so our friend, Todd brought out the good stuff.

Our Ride for the night.



Matt and Shelby all bundled up.





We drove all over the place and stayed warm and toasty inside the Argo. It was AWESOME.


Besides driving around having fun we were also playing videographers for these two

Todd and Tyler, as they attempted to tube off of a humble looking jump.





Not as easy as it looks folks.