Simple Lessons

We learned a few interesting things today on our adventure to the waterpark.


The girls learned that mom knows what she's talking about aka mom's always right!
I asked..ur TOLD them to wait until I sprayed them with sunscreen before going in the water. Pucca was the only one who listened. The twins made a bee line straight to the water slides. 5 minutes later they come over to where I am...as I stand there not looking very happy with the sunscreen in my hand, and my foot tapping in annoyance. "Do you really think the sunscreen is going to stick to you - now that your wet?" I asked not really wanting them to answer.

They seemed to think it would- so they towel dried the best they could and then sprayed eachother down. I just shook my head - knowing a lesson was going to be learned today.

Needless to say - my twinnies are now red faced little lobsters...thank goodness for Aloe with lidocaine!


My lovely lesson learned...spray sunscreen needs to be sprayed 10 inches from the body for maximum coverage. Last summer I asked the girls to put sunscreen on my shoulders and back before we went to the lake. That was one of the worst burns I ever got. So today- I thought I'll just spray this sunscreen all over and that should be pretty good. Spraying my back proved to be a little more difficult than I thought- because when I got home I noticed my shoulders and back have white tracks where the sunscreen hit- the rest is bright red. Its going to be the craziest looking tan ever! I seriously look like curvy candy cane- OUCH!







Just a glimpse of the striped sugary confection of similarity I'm going to be living with for a few days...peppermint sweetness not included!







Lessons learned aside- it was a fun afternoon!

Say cheese!

While we were back in GI town...I used my father-in-law's super awesome camera to snap some pix of the girls. Its become kind of a tradition...every June when we are back in GI for Stuhr camps- the girls get their pix taken. I really really really want Deb and Casey to take their pictures...perhaps this fall at Davey...wouldn't that be pretty!


To the grandparents reading this...I've already mailed your copies out!

Stranger than fiction

The girls and I are in GI town, while Pucca attends day camp at Stuhr. GI town is hard to describe...you really have to have grown up here to understand...the, uh, culture!

My mom lives in a fairly old home-in what once was a nice family oriented neighborhood. Not so much now...which is really too bad! The neighborhood is quite 'entertaining' to say the least. Since I've been here I've see two children (under the age of 5) running through their sprinklers naked- butt naked. I've seen a man spray painting his grass...not really sure-but that's what it looked like. And a nice old man taking a walk..talking to himself...loudly!

I've also noticed a street cleaner...you know one of those machines with the big round rollers that sweeps the streets.YA! I didn't even know those things were still used! I haven't seen one in my neighborhood- EVER! It was such a strange scene that Pucca was like "What the heck kind of car is that?"

And that's not where the strangeness ends...I've seen that street cleaner three more times in the last 48 hours. Which has me thinking...either this neighborhood has REALLY dirty streets or there's some hot chick mowing the lawn in a bikini. OR- maybe it was me in my tank top and shorts pulling weeds that lured that little street cleaning peeper back...my new hair color is quite alluring! ;)

Aside from the 'hardworking' street sweeper, naked sun-kissed children, strangers arguing with themselves and shamrock green grass...this trip was a nice escape.

Did I ever tell you...

I've been thinking alot lately about my husband; how long we've been together, all that's happened, all that we've been through, how much we've both grown up... that sort of stuff.

I was thinking about how we first met. Two strangers staring at each other from across the room- instant attraction, sparks fly, nothing else seems to matter as we are drawn to each other. We meet. We kiss. We live happily ever after.

Sort of.

Here's how it went down.

My mom raised me and my two brothers as a single mom. When we got to be teenagers- she had her hands full! Especially with my brothers. Well, one Sunday my older brother did something or other to get in trouble...big trouble. Big enough trouble that my mom had to call in some men from church to give him a good setting down! I, of course grabbed a front row seat on the couch to watch the show...when all of sudden there was a knocking at the door. My mom shot me an annoyed look and seeing that everyone else was occupied- I went to the door. I was eager to get back- not wanting to miss the action! Noticing it was a boy, presumably for Jared (my older brother) I let him in without saying anything or even really paying him much attention. I quickly ran back to the couch.

A few minutes later, I notice this boy slowly come into the room...not sure if he should stay and wait for Jared or go. He had on a green and yellow A's cap and he was looking down. I started to feel sorry for him- I could tell he was uneasy, when all of sudden he looked up and our eyes met. The world seem to stop, the yelling faded away and the only thing I heard was my heart beating. Sappy and silly - I know, but its true! Seconds felt like minutes. During our magic moment- some truce must have been made, because the next thing I know Jared and this boy are leaving.

Now the problem/beauty to having an older brother so close in age are his friends! Cute older boys around all the time...but me being the little sis...I was always off limits.

Not this time! Later that day when Jared returned home, I asked him what that boy's name was and then professed my undying infatuation with him. Jared just rolled his eyes, then told me he was dating someone and that he was too old for me. Whatever- I thought!

I didn't see him much- but thought about him all the time. I would always peer out the window to see if he was with Jared (picking him up or dropping him off). I had gym with the girl he was dating...awkward considering my brother took it upon himself to tell her I was in love with her man. I was seeing an lds boy from the stake- basically only getting together at stake dances and such...he lived 150 miles away. During the next 5 months all I could think about was that boy in the A's cap. I would bombard my brother with questions about him and tell him how dreamy his friend was.

One day I was in my bedroom and Jared and his friends (including my hunky man in the A's cap) were in the basement hanging out. The one great thing about my bedroom is that the vent from basement hang out room went to my room- so I could hear everything they were saying, I about died when I heard someone say "Hey Jared- would you mind if I dated your sister?" Holy crap! Who said that - I wondered! There were like 5 guys down there...then I heard Jared say "As long as you treat her good and don't hurt her, Kelly" I about fell down dead!



We started dating right before my 16th birthday...and we're still together!

YUMMY

I find a certain comfort and satisfaction in cooking and baking...not sure what it is! But you can definitely tell when I'm trying to deal with something- because I'll be baking and cooking up a storm!

Tonight's dinner was inspired from a recent visit to the Farmer's market. I love going there! All that fresh lovely produce...organic...local...ahhhhh!

My only qualm with the going to farmer's market...is yes, there's all this lovely mouthwatering goodness...but what am I going to do with it!? Salads, blts, kettle corn to snack on...what else!?

So I've been researching meals that utilize fresh yummy veggies and produce. If you have a stocked garden...then you are doubly blessed! When we move...if we move...I'm going to have the biggest baddest garden ever! I can see it now...rows of spinach, kale, carrot, onions, tomatoes, radd...er-wait...what was I talking about!?

Oh ya - fresh produce!

OK- so I made corn and black bean relish served over a chicken breast with some flour taco chips and a spinach salad. Here's the recipe!



2 ears of corn cooked and shaved off
1 15 oz can of black beans; drained and rinsed
1 large tomato chopped up (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup red onion chopped (a trick with red onion- if you think its too strong...soak it in cold water for five minutes...this will take down the potency of red onion when serving raw!)
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 T EVOO
1 T lemon juice
1 t salt
1/2 black pepper

Whisk together the EVOO, lemon juice, salt and pepper for about a minute. Place the chopped red onion, tomato, black beans, corn and cilantro in a bowl. Pour EVOO mixture over top and toss together until well combined. Makes 4 servings.

Serve over grilled or baked chicken. Be generous! Serve with taco chips as a make shift salsa-like side dish. It can also be refrigerated for a few days. YUM!

I seriously hope ya'll try it!

Happy Father's Day

Thank you for helping make me!

Thank you for guiding me!

Thank you for loving me!

Wishing you lots of love this Father's Day!

For the sake of not talking

I'm still not recovered...physically or emotionally- although with my hormones simmering down a bit- my emotions have become a bit more stable. I'm thinking more clearly and able to reflect a little on the situation. I'm still not wanting to talk about it...just saying the m word brings me to tears.


The short truth is this... I was 10wks along. It amazing how much you can plan and dream up in such a short time. I think we had the next eighteen years planned already. The pain is the worst. My body hurts. My heart hurts. It hurts to know that for some reason my body didn't want this. It hurts having seen the tiny person, hands, feet and hearing the heartbeat- knowing it wasn't meant to be. Its a pain I can't explain.

My sadness would have been all consuming if not for my sweet husband. He has been here, holding me, letting me cry, letting me cope however I needed. He's taken over the girls' care, brought me flowers, held my hand...I had to remind myself he lost something too. We grieved together...quietly at night when the children were in bed.

I've pretty much kept myself hidden away- phones turned off, canceling appts and meetings, tucked into my cozy bed or wrapped up in a blanket. But I've decided its enough. I have three other beautiful children and superb loving husband who need me to rejoin the land of living. We have a great life...and with the good comes the bad. Its what keeps us karmically balanced.

This weekend is Father's Day...and I'm determined now more than ever to show my husband how much I value him...he's such a wonderful husband and father!

Rollercoaster

These past few weeks have been a rollercoaster of emotions.

shocked.
happy.
excited.
concerned.
worried.
sad.
encouraging.
hopeful.
sad.
heartbroken.
emotionless.

Now I'm just wanting to get through the next few days and put the situation behind me...and have an amazing summer with my family. There's so much to look forward too and enjoy!

I'll be signing off for the next few days...

Random conversation with Pucca

The other night John and I were 'nerding out' on the couch...him with his computer and me with a magazine. Pucca comes into the family room all serious with her hands on hips and asks "Mom, did you take Paxil when you were pregnant with me?"
"What!?" I uttered with a scrunched confused face.

"Paxil! Did you take it when you were pregnant?"

"No." I answered still not sure where this was going.

"Good- because its really bad and your supposed to call this number if you did" she says as hands me a little pink fairy notebook page with a bunch of numbers on it.

Then she promptly turns and leaves back to her room.

I started laughing and John looks at me and asks "What did she just ask you?" I relayed the whole bizarre conversation back to him. We both agreed - we have one crazy kid! all be it a sweet and concerned crazy kid!

A friendly game with the family

John & our family, his brother & his family met J and N out at our little piece of heaven on Saturday for J's birthday dinner. Dinner was courtesy of John's brother and wife- super good! Grilled hamburgers, baked homemade onion rings and DQ icecream cake! Perfection- I kid you not!

It was a lovely afternoon- the cousins played together as the adults conversed. After a superb dinner a friendly game of baseball was started...

The girls showed off their super awesome batting skills as grandpa watched proudly! I think he was quite impressed!
They kept hitting them so far and we were on a slope so they would roll forever...that we let Max retrieve a few! She's my in-law's dog- and she loves to fetch balls...so it was perfect! Well- sort of...they were pretty gooey when she brought them back! And I was pitching...uh- yuck! But it was really funny to watch and she did good!


The littlest cousin wanted to play too...













I can definitely see more Kelly family games in the future!

Apologies

I'm formally apologizing for the spastic changes in my blogging format lately. I have used this one before... and really like it. Never should have changed it.

I've been told that when you feel like life's out of control- that's when you start rearranging furniture or in my case facelifting my blog. I would be coloring my hair- but I kind of like the color it is now...so the next best thing would be my blog. Psycho-therapy translation: Changing something visual with quick gratification fulfills the need for control. Its a real thing...look it up!

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me...I'm finally content! :)

Take me out to the ballgame

For John's dad's bday...we took him and his lovely wife to a Saltdogs Game. I wasn't really sure about it- but we knew Jeff liked baseball and that's all that mattered.

Much to my surprise... it was alot of fun! The ball park is really nice and they have grass berms for optional seating at a discounted rate. How fun would it be to take the family out there on a Friday evening, spread a blanket and watch some ball! If the kids gets bored- there's a play gym and various grassy areas for them to run! Throw in some peanuts and cracker jacks and you have one heavenly evening!

We went on Friday evening- it was a darn near perfect evening...a little on the cool side, but I'd so rather have coolness than our humid Nebraska heat!

Here are some highlights from our first Baseball experience:


Here's the gang









Pucca got a little antsy...so I let her take my camera and snap away. By the end of the game I had over 100 shots like these...





Funny story about the Mascot, Homer! Pucca really wanted him to come over to our section...so finally during the 9th inning- the twins decided to track him down and in an effort to drag him back to our section. We watched them walk all way across the stadium to where he was...and then they hashed out who was going to confront the furry one. Kwynn finally took a deep breath and walked right up to him telling him to come over to section 107. It was a 5 minute conversation of her pointing and directing and him just shaking his head. Really funny to watch! He didn't immediately come over so the girls kept going back to him- pointing to where he ought to be going. Not sure what she said...but it paid off!

JUMBO-TRON...Towards the end of the game the camera man was over in our section...We told Kynna to wave her arms so that she could be on tv. She happily agreed and started jumping and waving like crazy. Then she saw herself on the big screen- her eyes got huge, her hands immediately came down and she hid behind the people sitting in front of her. Seriously funny!

Another perk...after every summer Friday night game- they have a fireworks show! And a pretty decent one at that!






It was a fun evening...and the girls can't wait to go back! Who says you need boys to enjoy sports!?

Happy Birthday

Mr. Jeff aka grandpa aka papa Kelly aka dad aka studmuffin is having a birthday today! I won't give you his age or year of birth...but I will tell you he's...uhhh...hmmmm...how do I put it? Mature?!

Earlier this week he called me out on something and he told me I couldn't hide things from him...he's a silver wolf. I laughed and corrected him- "You mean a silver fox!" to which he just laughed. After we hung up I started to wonder- maybe he is a silver wolf... The Silver Wolf...like a super hero! He did after all recently retire- and I have been wondering what he's been doing with all his time! Maybe he stalks the night (no later than 9pm) helping innocents (squirrels, ducks etc cross the street), keeping the crime rate low (he's pretty strict when playing bridge and pitch).

He has been hanging around with a group of other 'retired' men...other superheroes? Maybe!

Either way- Happy Birthday Silver Wolf!

My smelly cow

I call Ems- cow. For alot of reasons but mainly because when she groans...she sounds like a cow mooing. Silly dog!

The girls (Ems included) and I are in GI town this week- the twins have a class at Stuhr Museum. We are staying with my mom. Last night, as Pucca and I were laying in bed- with Ms. Ems at our feet...I heard Pucca start coughing and gagging. I roll over to make sure she wasn't puking in the bed...and I see her plugging her nose pointing to Emma. "She STINKS!" Pucca declares trying not to gulp in the toxic air.

At this point I too am on the verge of regurgitating my lovely dinner. Our family has a standing joke about our farting dog...its really a very common occurrence around our house. But last night I just wasn't in the mood! I immediately started shooing her off the bed and reprimanding her for being a bad stinky dog! She sulked onto the floor and looked at me with her big sad eyes. I didn't care!

As I tried to ignore her, my thoughts were turned to Nie. She recently posted about a similar experience with her dog. But she found the whole situation a little more humorous than I. And that got to me. If a woman who has survived a plane crash that killed her friend, recovers daily from severe burns sustained during the crash, has endured countless surgeries and will have to endure many more, had her life and family transplanted to a new state, and will in her sweet way find a way to live through this and so much more,,,if this sweet beautiful woman can find HUMOR in her farting dog- then so can I gosh dang it!!!

I rolled over on my side to face Emma, who was now laying at the side of the bed on the floor. Her back was against the bed frame. As I reached down to give her loving pat- she sweetly turned her up towards me and proceeded to fart! I quickly drew my hand back, groaned "EMMMMMAAAAA!" and flopped over on my back.

Staring at the ceiling, I decided I'm not as good a person. Finding the humor was the last thing I wanted to do. I was passed that. I was now trying to think of a way to bottle that horrible stench and send it to the executives at the Purina Dog chow Extra Lean department. And just so I cover all the bases- I would send a bottle or two to the execs at the Bountiful Organic Doggie biscuits department. Either way= I hold them responsible for my dog's gassy imposition. And some day they may get a surprise in the mail...a jar filled with some toxic green hazy gas with a label that says 'Courtesy of Ms. Ems!' My hats off to you NIE...touche!

Cattlemen's Ball 2009

(image taken from Cattlemens.com)

Cattlemen's Ball is a super huge fundraiser for Cancer research here in Nebraska. You can check it out here. This year it was held just a stone's throw from my home town.

I went back to GI town to help out...I ended up spending most of the day with my mom- which is always entertaining. The craziest things always happen when we're together. Which is probably good - because then I have a witness that can corroborate my stories!

Here are some of the highlights from our adventure:

• The area received about 3 inches of rain over night- which made the alfalfa field (the part of the ranch where the festivities were being held) a HUGE mud pit! I mean "black squishy lose your sandals and never see them again" kind of muddy!
• Which made it a little more humorous...seeing all the uppity upps (not you nancy!) in their designer shoes trying to wade through the mud! White capris, tan dress pants...can you even imagine!?
• LOVED the fashion show! Not so much for the fashion...but the kids were so stinkin adorable! They did little diva model poses and had on serious faces. So cute! The last set was modeled completely by local cancer survivors...very touching! Especially when two little boys took their stroll down the catwalk...heartbreaking! Really!
• There was a frog sneaking around under unsuspecting people's chairs during the style show. Which happened to be right by me. So when the show was over...I happened to have a bucket (don't ask)... I tried to catch it. After hopping (the frog and I) through the rows for 15 minutes...I finally got the bucket over it. Then my mom told me to slide a piece of paper underneath, flip it over and then we could take it somewhere and release it. Sounded alot easier than it ended up being. Long story short- there was some screaming, a frog in my face, a bucket flying into the crowd and my mom (and other onlookers) laughing hysterically. I decided to let the frog fend for itself.
  
• I decided to leave early...didn't want to get stuck in a storm coming back home. I did, however, get stuck in the mud trying to leave the parking area. My van tire was almost completely covered and my front end was resting on the ground- possibly even sinking into ground- who really knows! I finally found a nice man in a pick up to help me. He couldn't help but comment on how obvious it was that a woman had caused this mess... no man would have gotten it soooo stuck. I took it like a champ. He pulled me out. I proceeded to get stuck two more times until he finally just drove my van to the road for me. I thanked him and headed home.
  
• My mom wore a black bra under her white volunteer tshirt. Neither of us had realized...really kind of hoping no one else did. Although, really how much worse could we have looked...muddy feet, drizzle/wind blown hair (and not the pretty kind), mud splatters all over the lower halves of our bodies and our faces showed every bit of tired weariness resulting from the day's work. Really!? What difference was a black bra under a white tshirt going to make...right!?
• I saw a man dressed in nice tan slacks and a yellow (I think it was yellow) polo shirt get sprayed with mud after helping a car that got stuck. Sprayed completely! I mean the only part of his front that I could see were his eyes...once he took his glasses off. His wife just looked at him and said "Oh honey! I don't think we can go in there with you looking like that!" I hid my laughter! The husband didn't find it as humorous.
  

Alot of money was raised today for a wonderful cause! If you ever have an opportunity to attend this annual event- please do! You won't regret it! Because even though there was mud up to my waist, foggy drizzly weather and a whole lot of craziness- it was AWESOME!

Summer is a-knocking!

Today was the last day - we had to drag our tired bodies out of bed at 5:45am. In fact, we were a little rebellious and slept in until 6:00am this morning!

Today was last day of trying to find lids to fit plastic ware for lunches. The last day of rushing to the bus stop.

Well- the last day for 3 months anyway!

Our summer is full of exciting adventures...its sad to think we only have 7 summer vacations left with the twins until they graduate. Once your kids become semi-self sufficient, time passes to darn fast!

Happy Last Day of school- kiddos!

A small service

In kindergarten- the kids learn how to grow seeds and the process by which plants grow. Pucca lovingly tended three sunflower seeds in a little paper cup for a week and half. She was soooo excited! And she couldn't wait to plant them in the backyard.

We found the perfect sunny spot and transplanted the three small sunflowers. She checked on them everyday and watered them regularly. Then one day she came in the house- tears rolling down her cheeks.

The sunflowers had died. The world had ended - her poor heart crushed!

As I tried to keep a straight face, I comforted my little darling. Telling her we would plant more seeds and that everything would be fine.

Her sisters also came to her rescue and held an impromptu funeral service for little Zoey and her friends. Kwynn made a tombstone and Kynna provided sisterly comfort.

It was really funny, sweet and touching in a crazy weird sort of way-and it took every ounce of restraint to remain respectful and not giggle through the service! Our neighbors tried not to stare as they watched us from their sun room.

Needless to say- that seemed to do the trick. And the fact we headed to Ace to buy a small planter and some seeds so she could grow some more. Drama. Drama. Drama. Definitely in abundant supply around here!

sleepy head!

This is what I wish I was doing today...all day long!

This weekend was crammed pack nonstop work around the house chaos.

It all started Saturday at 6:45am. I got up, showered, took Ems to the Kennel to get prettied up...she looks so stinkin great and smells pretty good too!

Then I went grocery shopping and was back home before 9am. I then mowed the yard...and learned an incredibly fascinating lesson. The mower doesn't like to mow if it doesn't have gas! Thanks, honey for passing along that valuable bit of information! :)

Then I dug out a bunch of dirt in our front plants along the porch...we had this really pretty almost a blue-ish colored grass in there, but it was too aggressive and wouldn't stay put in the planters. It also looked really bad this year, thin and sparse- so the impatient wench that I am- ripped it all out, dug up all the roots and sprayed weed killer just to be sure. Then I had these empty planters just screaming for something to fill them.

Talked John into going to Lowe's with me and we picked out a some pretty yellow green arboretae bushes and a another trellace for the raspberries. Those things are going crazy! And the June crop is already coming in and looking great! SOOOOOO EXCITING!

While we were there John bought a pole saw...Came home- planted bushes, trimmed trees, filled in patches in the lawn with the blue-green patch filler stuff. Somehow managed to get three loads of laundry and a load of dishes done too!

pfhewwwww- what a day! Makes me even more tired just thinking about it!

Yesterday- Made copies for sunday school lesson, bought new towels for our bathroom (long story), went to church, cleaned out downstairs pantry room, went through all the end of the year papers that come home with kids- sorted and let the kids pick out what would go in their keepsake boxes, softball practice, cleaned bathrooms and dang near passed out at 10pm.

I cannot wait for 9:30...where you will find me curled up sound asleep in my comfy cozy bed dreaming of how fast I want the next three days to fly by!!!