seriously?

Want to know what's worse than being diagnosed with pneumonia?

Getting your period the same day. You know, just to top it off.

Yep.

six for Saturday

It's been a long week.

1. Someone once told me about the strategy of the Binky Fairy. The child relinquishes his/her binky, and the Binky Fairy brings them a special surprise in return. I was going crazy over Eva's tight-fisted hold on her binky, despite being 4 now, and so I mentioned the idea. I didn't have high hopes, but she latched onto it immediately and wanted to put her binky outside her door last Sunday night.

I was thrilled and scrambling to find the special surprise without being able to go shopping! I brought up a stack of books that used to belong to the boys, along with a DVD that I forgot to give her for Christmas. She was amazed and excited the next morning. She did wonderfully well for 2 nights, and then the trouble started.

She has been plagued with nighttime fears, crying hysterically and saying she is afraid someone will come in her room, an animal will crash through her window, or that she will die in the night. We have come up with all kinds of ideas to reassure her, including Jack the Guard Dog, the presence of a big strong Mom & Dad, and the fact that her room is way too girly and pretty for any bad guys to want to enter. The fears seem only to be intensifying, and now that Bella is sleeping in her room, she is becoming alternately frightened and irritated by Eva's histrionics. It's 10:00 and Eva only just now stopped crying, after nearly 2 hours. Serenity NOW!

(photo by Jill)

2. Lucas and Landon asked us if they could have a sleepover. While our policy is sleepovers only with cousins, we decided to have a summit about it. I approached Marc about it and he said, "I don't have a problem with it. They're practically family." I felt the same way. Ditto with Jill & Randy. Shortest summit ever!

They ended up sleeping here on Monday night, playing here most of Tuesday, and then going to Jill's and sleeping there on Tuesday for the ultimate switch. She brought them back here when she came for Creative Wednesday. They were together for a full 48 hours and were still disappointed when it was time to part ways. I totally understand that.

3. Somehow, I managed to not be crazy and cleaning like a madwoman on Wednesday, even though that was the day Jessie and her family arrived. I guess all of my work in the preceding couple of weeks paid off and I was blissfully calm. That is definitely a first, and most welcome indeed, as Jill came over for Creative Wednesday!

4. Max made some jazz cds for my grandma, who shares his musical tastes, and then he made her a darling card in Photoshop and sealed it with the sealing wax he got for his birthday. I love every bit of this.

5. I don't usually have good lunches, but Jessie and I had the most delicious lunch yesterday! We got the idea from Cooking Light: tuna mixed with light mayo and celery, layered with radish slices, avocado and sprouts on homemade wheat bread (miracle bread). Seriously scrumptious. Also cucumber spears and Rainier cherries. We were both in heaven.

Jessie told me how to use miracle bread to make hamburger buns, and we did that for dinner (basically you just shape it into buns and bake it for a shorter amount of time). So easy! So delicious! Marc said he doesn't know if he can go back to regular buns, and with bread this easy, he won't have to.

6. Marc found my keys! He was walking out to his car and he saw a little something silver glinting in the bushes. I was totally amazed, as I had pretty much given up hope of finding them (they have been lost since last Saturday). He is lobbying for this coup to definitively put an end to the use of the term "man-looker" in our house.

If I actually survive the next 24 hours, I'll be back to report on my visit with Jessie and her family so far...

miscellany

I was sick all during my kids' Spring Break. I didn't get to do fun things with them every day like I had planned. Their grandparents took them out one day, and their dad took them out another day. My attempt to take them to a movie didn't pan out, either, so we rented one and made popcorn at home. I didn't take one single picture during the whole week! I have never been more grateful for my kids' homebody tendencies. They seemed to have a great time just hanging out at home. Whew!

This is what she did during a rare half hour of peace and quiet. She wasn't crying and she wasn't whining, so I willingly ignored what she was doing, which turned out to be making her hands into spiders with markers. Well. I didn't see that coming. And, truth be told, I wouldn't mind if she colored on her entire body if it would buy me some more peace and quiet.

After almost two weeks of having no cold water in the kitchen, I'm happy to report that it is fixed! Marc bought a new part and a new wrench and got it done. I am thoroughly enjoying being able to fill up my water bottle whenever I want to, and having ice in the freezer. Yahoo!

Our freak snowstorm last week caused some major damage to our trees. I borrowed a limb saw from the neighbors today and went to town with some major pruning. I have never used more than loppers before, and let me just tell you that it takes some serious manpower and a decent amount of time to saw off big branches. I eventually gave up on the high breaks, as, even with a ladder, I couldn't really reach them. I was trying to saw over my head, which made it difficult to get any torque and also caused sawdust to rain down on my face. Also, after spending a couple of hours in the trees, I couldn't stop sneezing and wanted to wash out my eyes. I will say it was pretty satisfying to see the huge pile of boughs I did manage to remove.

The lesson I taught in YW on Sunday was discouraging. Our large group of normally boisterous Laurels were all sitting there like zombies. It made me question my aptitude for this job.

Tonight for our activity we went to the driving range. (One of our girls is a major golfer and her father owns the local course.) They weren't about to allow me to just sit on the bench and watch, and therefore I had to humiliate myself. Repeatedly. They seemed to get a kick out of it, though, so I guess it wasn't all for naught. I honestly don't have an athletic bone in my body.

I got my hair done on Saturday. I'm not 100% sure about the cut yet, but I really like the color (blonder). What could be better than spending 3 hours with someone else playing with your hair? I enjoy chatting with Sharolyn, too, I really think she gets me.

Lucas is home with a fever again. I thought perhaps he just kind of wanted to stay home, but no, he pulled out the symptom that gives you a guaranteed pass to miss school. You can't fool the digital thermometer. (although you can fool the old mercury ones -- I faked a fever a few times as a kid... I wonder if this is my punishment?)

Tomorrow is Wonderful Wednesday. Hallelujah!