License plate update

Now, just so everybody knows I fully intended to change the plates, here's the evidence. The class C misdemeanor plates have been removed.
Of course, I realized after I'd put the tool box away that I put the plates on the wrong way. I guess I just can't win

Pretty Things

I got pulled over today. I really hadn't done anything wrong. Except I hadn't yet made it home from the DMV. It's really not fair that they say it could take 6 weeks for your plates to be accurate when you switch them over and yet somehow, they change before you even get home to actually put the plates on. So this afternoon, of course, I got pulled over in my van.


Man in Uniform " Did you know your plates are expired?"

Me... (I'm gonna kill Kevin) "Yes, actually these are the accurate plates, I just got them changed over today and I haven't been home yet"

MIU "Well you need to get them switched right away, this is actually a class C misdemeanor"

Me "do you carry a wrench with you so you could do it for me?" no, I didn't say that really. But I don't understand how you can drive legally both to and from the DMV without getting on the ground in the nasty parking lot to actually change the plates. Or maybe my husband should have taken the paperwork back there himself last week like he was supposed to. At least I had the papers up to date, but seriously I have such a fear of authority I was shaking by the time he left. And did he really have to throw in that misdemeanor thing? Did he get a sufficient power trip by freaking out this mom in her minivan with 2 little boys? I'm not sure what the goal was, but that's certainly what he accomplished.

So to try to settle myself, I thought I'd enjoy some pretty flowers. My yard actually looks pretty bleak because, well, we don't like to mow and it's rained A LOT. And all that rain kind of pummeled my flowers. Except the lillies which have yet to bloom. So I'll share some pics I took before they were demolished by the downpour the other day.





These are some bearded irises that someone planted before we moved in, probably my mother-in-law. They are so pretty when they're all blooming at once. It's usually the first flower to bloom in the spring after the tulips are gone. I just love these dark purply-red ones.

I have absolutely no idea what this flower is, but several of them popped up in among the day lillies which haven't bloomed yet and I think they are just gorgeous. Don't you think they're pretty? I hope my pretty flowers have brightened your day. They've certainly made me feel better.

Argh!!

JJ has decided that naptime is not for him today. I put all three kids down about an hour ago, and I keep hearing his little voice. Then I heard some rattling. And some shrieks. So I went in there and put him back down and told him in my sternest (is that the right way to say that?) mommy-voice that he was to lay down and go to sleep. About two minutes later, I hear some giggling and more rattling. So I open the door to see him leap down onto the pillow like he'd been that way all along. Isn't it supposed to be another year or so before he starts pretending like he wasn't doing what I know he's doing? Why does he dive into his bed some days and others, like today, he just dances and sings and plays while his brother just dreams sweet dreams, completely oblivious to my baby boy's hijinx? Can someone please tell me, please?!

Read a good book today

My kids and I have been reading classics at bedtime for the last couple of months and I've really been enjoying it. I'm embarrased to say I kind of missed out on the classic childhood stories and read The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley instead. But at least I was reading, right? We just finished Tom Sawyer last week and I hadn't remembered to get a new book the last time we were at the library.

So, I was looking over my bookshelf and noticed the Chronicles of Narnia. I read some of these books as a child, I think I got sidetracked around book 3, and then I got the collection for myself when my girl was born. These are GREAT books. If you've never read them, do it today. If you have read them, read them again. If you don't like to read, go watch the movie, it's pretty good too. But whatever you do, read to your kids and let them see you reading, too. In this day of tv and instant gratification, it's kinda nice to see my kids excited to hear who's going to go to Narnia next or what the White Witch might do when Edmund comes back. And they have such great imaginations, they don't need pictures or actors to tell them what's happening. They come up with great ideas all on their own. So curl up with a good book and your kids and enjoy the next rainy day. (that will probably be today)

*end of sermon

Prayer Warriors Needed *update

This is my little man. He is an awesome little guy that everybody loves. But he constantly makes this funny noise that sounds pretty nasty while he's eating, so he had an appointment last week with a feeding therapist. I'd never even heard of a feeding therapist before last week so it was quite educational for me. She is actually a speech pathologist that specializes in feeding. Apparently his funny sound that he makes when he's eating is him choking, two or three times every meal. It's actually kind of scary to realize that he chokes on his food every single time he eats. Evidently his tonsils are so large that he cannot swallow his food easily and instead is choking on it regularly. So sometime soon he will be having his tonsils and adenoids removed. Despite the fact this is a relatively minor surgery, and quite necessary, it's still surgery and we would appreciate all the prayers our little guy can get. Also, my baby's ENT who we really like, will not take little man as a new patient so our only option outside of traveling to Chicago is an ENT we are unfamiliar with in town. As a surgeon, he comes highly recommended, so I am not concerned about that terribly, but I want my little guy to be comfortable with his doctor, too. Pray that everything goes well and that I am able to be a good advocate for my. I have a tendency to get intimidated by doctors and I don't want little man to suffer for my insecurities.

*My guy has since seen the ENT who is not convinced he needs his tonsils out, in strong disagreement with both the pediatrician and the feeding therapist. We are having a test done, basically several x-rays taken while he eats, next week. Provided that he does what both I and the feeding therapist have observed him doing, this should help the ENT make a more informed decision.

Please note that while I am pleased that the surgeon wants to be thorough, I felt like my concerns were summarily dismissed and the opinion of the feeding therapist were utterly disregarded. Particularly since Micah had woken in the night with tonsils swollen and cutting off his breathing. Please pray for guidance and direction for both me and DH as well as the doctors and therapists as we try to help my little guy in the best way possible.