Well, it beats the alternative

I just had my, uh-hem, 31st birthday.  I chose to take the following stance on birthdays:  Having another birthday beats the alternative.

Now, my cake was no comparison to Little's birthday cake this year.  However, the older one gets, the less cake one requires.  It's probably due to a non-existent metabolism.

This cake is from some of my co-workers.  I have the same birthday as a co-worker.  I assure you it was a misprint.  It should say "Sexy Lady," referring to her.  (See above reference to metabolism.)

(And now that I look at the picture, I really shouldn't have covered my name up.  You know my name.  Go ahead and sign me up for the home.  I'll be the one eating the checkers.)

Additionally, Little and Husband made me a funfetti cake with funfetti icing.  She ended up convincing me to put a candle on the cake.  But somehow, she got to blow out the candle.  What?  Wait.  So it's not my birthday?  I'm now convinced that I am still 30.

In an effort to boost my metabolism, I am determined to do a 5K this spring/summer.  I have decided if I announce it, then maybe I will be accountable and actually do it.  As for right now, I am running a 12 minute mile on the treadmill, which is about the equivalent of walking at a speed of 2.5 mph on pavement.  I have a long way to go.  At about 2 1/2 miles, it's all I can do to finish.  But I do finish, despite how good I look  being a quitter.

(Settle down.  5Ks are so ten years ago.  These days everyone wants to do a marathon or a half-marathon, which those runners use their fancy lingo and just call a "half."  Maybe a should look for a half-5K.)

About this whole 5K thing, the way I am choosing to see it is signing up to do one, actually starting one, and finishing one beats the alternative.

You can remind me of this when I finish last in my age group with a time of 74:36 minutes.

All over the place

Be warned.  This post is going to be all over the place.

First of all, I haven't blogged in a while, because I am so mad at Blogger right now.  Sometime last week, they slipped in some message about updating to something, and since I am used to performing the same key strokes and mouse clicks, before I realized it I had chosen the upgrade.

Well, then Blogger wasn't compatible with my current Google something.  Therefore, I couldn't blog.  So I had to install Google Chrome, whatever that is.

And now, I can't get on the blog from Internet Explorer.  I have to blog from Google Chrome.

I can't figure out how to restore anything to when things made sense, so I boycotted.

Boy, I was really showing them by not blogging.

In other news, yesterday was Leap Day of Leap Year.  I've decided that I officially dislike Leap Day, because it was a day of complications and the unusual.  So from today forth, I will be going by the correct time and day.   Sans Leap Year.

(Because every fourth year is not an entire 24 hours longer.  Each year is truly 6 hours longer.  And whoever decided that it would just be easier to simply add a day on the fourth year.  Whatever.  And when I was in school Pluto was a planet.  So apparently some people aren't as smart as everyone once thought; however, they are smarter than me, but they are still wrong.)

And this would be my birthday month, and Little mentioned something about me needing a Phineas and Ferb cake.  And she finished the conversation off with "That sounds like a good idea."  Next, she'll have me making goody bags for my birthday.

Just to add to the randomness and to support my stance on Leap Day, Little streaked through the fellowship hall at church last night.

I think I'll just leave it at that.

She loves him, right now

Everyone keeps wanting to know how Little is adjusting to Blue.

Does she like him? Is she a big help? Is she jealous?

And to be completely honest, she's been great. In fact, she's done better than I expected.

She is a tremendous help. She helps make bottles, feeds Blue, burps Blue. If we need something, she is more than willing to get it. She's precious.

There's been no jealousy. Occasionally, I heard some baby talk sneak in to her conversations with me. And there have been the few times when she cries like her brother. But nothing, I mean nothing, like what could have been.

She is constantly wanting to touch him, kiss him, hold his hand, and get in his face. He's getting a little more mobile now, you know, with his neck and head.

And frankly speaking, some days he is not feeling like putting up with it. But she is persistent.

And you can just see the desperation in his eyes.

I'm sure enjoying these days.

Because we all know what is coming next.


"Mommmmm!!"


"She's touching me!"



"He's playing with my toys!"



"She won't get out of my room!"



"He's looking at me!"

Christmas in February

Not really. You're just hearing about our Christmas in February.


I had big plans for Blue at his first Christmas. He had other plans.

And when there is another child involved, the show had to go on.

Santa ate Little's homemade cookies and drank all of the milk. Her expression is priceless.

Enjoying her loot.

But finally, Blue had to be removed from his bed, even if his eyes are still closed. There had to be photo of him with family interaction.

You like?

I changed up the blog design. 

Every time, I do this I end up feeling defeated.  This is something similar to having my hair cut into a new style.

Can you relate?  You start out with excitement, because you know it's time for a change, but by the end of it, you realize that you've gotten in over your head. 

But I just blew through it.  The blog, not my hair.

I realize that the banner looks as if it should hold three pictures.  You should know that is when the defeat started creeping up on me. 

I say "looks as if it should hold three pictures,"  because I tried.  I really did. 

And so I thought, I can remedy this.  I'll just center the new title over the picture frames. 

And defeat sent me packing.

A letter to my sixteen year old self

A dear friend of mine, who I have known literally since birth, writes a wonderful blog. A few weeks ago, she posted a letter she wrote to herself at sixteen. To read more about the concept and her letter, you may find it here.

http://flowersandkittens.blogspot.com/2012/01/letter-to-my-sixteen-year-old-self.html

After reading it, I thought, "Now that's an idea." After thinking about what I would say to myself nearly fifteen years ago, I realized there is no way I would post it.

If you can imagine or if you knew me at sixteen, I don't want to be that transparent. Yikes!

But after seriously considering it, I came to the realization, for my kids sake, that I should do it.

Be warned.



Mollye,

I understand that times and circumstances are not what you think they should be, but you need to accept that this is the hand that you have been dealt. Don't worry. Things are unfolding at a delicate pace, so that when the time comes, the One who has been trying to get your attention will receive the glory. Your testimony will be awesome, and yes, you will give it.

So let me address a few particulars with you. I'm going to ask that you read until the end. And I'm thinking that its a good thing this is a letter, because you will not be able to interrupt or argue.

It can be a great thing how opinionated you are, but you are not there yet. Right now, you are extremely critical. Critical of yourself. Critical of others. These things are not for you to judge. And it's important that you understand that some things are none of your business and have nothing to do with you, even if you are told differently.

That being said, you should be kinder to everyone, especially those who you don't consider your friends. Years later, when you see people you were not particularly friendly to, you are going to be ashamed and will find yourself compelled to tell them you are not the same person you were in high school. You are missing out on some great people.

Great friends are better in quality than quantity. Not everyone who you think is your friend truly is. And some people are your friends for all the wrong reasons. You know this already, but chose to ignore it. Enjoy those who enjoy you for you, not for who they think you are.

You've got a lot to learn, so stop acting like you know everything. You're sixteen, not sixty. If you are not learning, your losing. And history is more important than you think.

That boy that broke your heart, get over him. You'll save yourself a lot of heartache if you simply appreciate the boy that's standing in front of your face. You can't really think that he's playing hooky from school to watch movies with you since you're sick just because he's a friend. He's head over heals, and you're ridiculous for not realizing.

Get out of the tanning bed. It's not that important. Not now. Not ever.

And while this probably seems like a lot of things are "wrong" with you, nothing is. You're like most other girls your age. Except that your different. And that's okay.

King

Apparently, the only camera I own is the one on my phone, because that is the only way I'm taking pictures these days.

It's really inconvenient for me to run and grab my nice camera for those special moments, especially when I can just snap these pictures with my phone.

Picture quality and clarity are over-rated. At least that's what I'm telling myself right now.

Now, look at my precious Little and Blue.

The Lion King. I bet we have watched it 672 times since she received it for Christmas. I think it goes without saying that my bed is no longer my bed.

Blue thinks he's the new king of the jungle.

And this had to be snapped in a hurry.

My sweet thing makes me work hard for those smiles.

Blue was worn out. All those birthday parties in the month of January were too much.

Now pardon me while I go permanently attach my camera to my body.