the sky is pink

Yes, if you can bear it ... Today at Taylor's basketball game, Mason had to go to the bathroom. I asked Carter to take him and to help him wash his hands. A few minutes later, Carter returned alone. I asked him where Mason was and he said he was pooping (in the boys' room, of course!). I told him to go back and wait for him, and when he needed help, to come get me. I waited. And waited some more. No sign of either one. I went down to check on them and I saw Mason washing his hands. I immediately asked who wiped his bottom. Carter then replied, "he didn't poop enough to wipe." WHAT?!?! I made Mason go into the girls' room and I checked him. And, yes, he needed to be wiped. Boys! (By the way, just when I think basketball season is over again -- Taylor's team won today at the playoffs! They've only won 2 games total and one just had to be the playoffs! So now we have another game next week at the championships! Oh my!)

I received this recipe from my friend, Ginny, last night. We roasted chickens for the banquet and had some left over. She recommended this recipe to me, and I am recommending this recipe to you. (I do not know the origins of this recipe, other than from Ginny.) Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip 2 T. butter 2 stalks celery, chopped 8 oz. cream cheese 8 oz. blue cheese dressing 12 oz. 4 oz. Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce ( must be this brand -- I am very loyal to Frank) * 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese chopped, shredded baked chicken (I used one small fryer chicken), approx. 3-4 cups (?) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in large pan. Saute celery until soft. Add cream cheese, blue cheese dressing, and Frank's Red Hot Sauce and heat until melted and hot. Stirring often to mix cream cheese. Add chicken and 1/2 (4 oz.) cheddar cheese. Place mixture into a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 20 minutes and then add remaining cheese and bake for an addit...

The wind is so strong and powerful today. It would be a perfect day to curl up on the couch with some hot chocolate and watch a good movie. Oh wait, I kind of did that yesterday! Yesterday Jack, Mason and I watched the new movie Just Like Heaven with Reese Witherspoon. It was very cute and we all enjoyed it. The movie prompted a lot of questions and conversations from the boys about my sister, "Aunt Krissy," who died in a car accident nearly 3 1/2 years ago. Today I'm trying to decide between sewing and using a heating pad on my back. (Spenser is napping, so this is prime time.) Last night at the Blue and Gold Banquet, Taylor's cake won "most spiritual" award. He had seven figures from the Book of Mormon surrounding his cake, as the theme was time traveling. His cake was the first one gone. I went to get a piece and there wasn't any left. Then Joe did the same thing and Brenda, my sister-in-law. The worst part is -- it wasn't from scratch!...

This is what I had to look at for 24 hours. Yep... This morning after dropping Jack off at pre-school, I stopped by Wal-Mart and bought a new plunger for the sink. I popped out so easily -- and on the first try! (Joe planned on using the "used" plunger last night, but luckily couldn't find it. He said he was going to tell me he used a fork. He would have been a sorry little man if he lied to me about that !!!!)

I was just baking a cake for tonight's cub scout "blue and gold banquet" and cleaning up. I had a small dish that I use for personal servings of dip inside of something I was soaking and it fell into the sink as I was drawing water to rinse my beaters. I tried to grab it before it headed into the garbage disposal, but with the pressure of the water, it kept going and going. Now it's stuck in the opening of the garbage disposal. Water can drain around it, but it is catching leftover water as well. I tried to pry it up with a butter knife, but it is not willing to budge for better leverage. I called Joe at work (expecting him to say he will take it apart tonight) but instead I hear the words, "take the toilet plunger and try that." NO! Absolutely not! I will not allow a used toilet plunger in my kitchen especially there! He said, "fine, I'll do it when I get home ... with the toilet plunger!!!!" I think I'm going to be sick ...

I joined a "group" where people post pictures of "corners of my home." While I am still trying to work on the technical details of it, I decided to give it a go today. This is the fireplace in our formal dining room (which is also currently my makeshift sewing area). I walk through our dining room many times every day and I often try to imagine who used that fireplace in it's 130+ year lifetime. So much history ...

Four Jobs I've had: telephone operator (at answering service) pizza deliverer office manager assistant to president Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over: Wizard of Oz Sound of Music Overboard Legally Blonde (I & II) Four Places I've Lived: Maryland Maryland Columbus, Ohio Maryland Four Places I've Vacationed: Cancun Quebec Niagra Falls Topsail Island, NC (Okay, this is how dumb I am -- I just had to run upstairs to look at my sweatshirt to remember where in NC we were!!!! My entire family spent a week together this past August!) Four of My Favorite Dishes: buffalo wings (HOT & SPICY!) french fries double chocolate muffins steamed crabs and shrimp Four TV Shows That I Love: CSI My Name is Earl What Not to Wear Grey's Anatomy Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now: warm, sandy beach isolated log cabin in my warm bed (alone) shopping with someone else's money

is finally finished!!! Here it is ... *Update: I forgot to mention that now Jack wants a matching coat! What a guy!*

has been wearing all kinds of pajama ensembles lately ... this is just one of them.

Our family finished reading The Book of Mormon tonight (we started July 2005). It has been a challenge to get five little ones to sit still, but we finally reached this giant milestone. Most nights we would read at least a chapter. But not every night. Sometimes it was only 5-10 verses, whatever I felt we could do with hurting each other :-). Some nights we would read 2 chapters or more. I read the entire thing aloud (except the one night I had a sore throat and Joe had to read -- I didn't like that very much). I am so proud of my little family. I asked the boys their favorite part of The Book of Mormon and this is what they said: Taylor -- can't remember, it was too long. Carter -- "the beginning" meaning 1st Nephi Jackson -- The Army of Helaman Mason -- the "armies" (Helaman? or just war stories?) I guess it's time to start back up again. I guess we will get to read Carter's favorite part again really soon. This time we are going to invo...

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! It was a nice day. Joe (who had to work until midnight last night) took off today ... and Wednesday -- only he didn't tell me until today!!! We went out to dinner tonight. All seven of us. We went to the local Chinese buffet, and it was delicious as usual. I always enjoy their mixed vegetables, hunan beef and something else that I forget what it's called (mala chicken? spicy chicken and mushrooms). Of course we all overate. But that's okay. We only do it once in awhile. Poor Taylor & Carter had karate afterwards. I hope they felt okay! Today Joe gave me a beautiful pearl necklace for Valentine's. It has two strands. It is very pretty. I always wish he didn't spend so much money on me. I really don't need him to ... I spend enough on myself all the time! (JUST KIDDING!!!) No, I really don't need expensive gifts. Just appreciation. I gave him a gift bag of candy. He likes to snack on candy all the tim...

during a snowstorm (okay, I know, also "when there's love at home"). It's so pretty and peaceful outside. While it's been snowing for over 3 1/2 hours, there's not too much snow. Maybe only a couple of inches. We are expected to get up to12" before its end . . . Maybe (hopefully) no church tomorrow?!?

but what's new??? Spenser's nose has been running like crazy the past few days. I have been wiping it non-stop. Carter was sitting at the ottoman doing his homework and asked me a question. I picked up the tissue for Spenser's nose, walked over to Carter and tried to wipe his nose. He just sat there. He was a little stunned. Then I said, "Oh, I meant to wipe Spenser's nose." THEN, minutes after that, Mason asked me to make him a paper airplane. Carter's homework consisted of listing healthy picnic foods. He exclaimed "apple butter sandwich!" As I was making the airplane, I handed it to Mason and said, "here's your apple butter airplane." Both Carter and Mason looked at me like I was nuts.

Yesterday I cut out the pattern for my "zebra coat" and started to cut the fabric (it's thick and gave me a blister). It made a total mess on the floor -- Christy, you didn't warn me!!! I can't wait until it's done!!!

Today Mason (who is always changing clothes throughout the day when he finds something "better") came downstairs to ask if he could change into one of his Superman shirts. I told him no, because I was tired of him dirtying clothes all the time and changing. He begged again. I said, "No. Just because you are the Master of Disquise does not mean you get to change clothes all the time." He replied (in all seriousness), "I am not the Master of Disguise. I'm just a boy." I cracked up. He has been so funny lately.

Tonight Mason was crying after his eyedrops. He cried so much he started to gag, like he was going to be sick (you know how I feel about that!). Anyway, I said to him, "If you throw up, you will be a sorry little man." He looked at me and started to run upstairs, crying "I don't want to be a sorry little man." I love him.

It's a little blurry. Sorry. I made this on Thursday, while Spenser was napping. I actually received a compliment when I went to the pizza shop up the street (for "pizza from up the street") last night.

Here is handbag #2 from Tuesday. It's made of hot pink Asian-inspired fabric and lined with light pink floral Asian fabric. I started and finished it while Spenser was napping (minus the button/ribbon closure -- I had to buy those). The entire time I sewed it I thought lovingly of my dear, wonderful friend, Kathie. I just kept thinking of our friendship which spans over 30 years -- yes, we were very young at the time!! I think it was the next day or Thursday, she called me!

Yep. That's me. Why is it that everyone I don't know, knows me? Today at basketball a man walked by, smiling. Then he stopped to say, "Finally got a girl, huh?" I have no idea who he is. Then he talked to me for a few minutes and talked to Spenser and rubbed her head. This is a very common occurrence for me. My friend, Nikki, says I have a "stalker" (not for real, don't worry -- I'm not in any danger). There is a lady around town that always talks to me like she knows me and knows about me. It's a little odd. No. It's a lot odd. It was only through Nikki that we found out who she is (kinda -- we really found out who her daughter is, who is nobody to me). I swear I am like a walking freak show. Everyone in this little town knows us, our family, and maybe our secrets ... shhhh

to be loved like this... This is Mom (a.k.a. "Mimi" to the grandchildren) holding baby Olivia (Emily's baby) and Spenser. Spenser loved to put her hand on Olivia's bald head. They were so dear together ... all three of them.

Today, Mason had an appointment with Carter's pediatric cardiologist (a Johns Hopkins doctor) to make sure he doesn't have Carter's heart problem (bicuspid aortic valve). The doctor said Mason looks GREAT! He does not have Carter's heart problem! Yipee! Mason was so good in the office (except when they took his blood pressure and the cuff got tight and when they stuck probes all over his chest -- that kinda freaked him out). The doctor said he wished all of his 3-year-old patients were as good as Mason. I guess it helped that the doctor's office has a portable DVD player and he just happened to have a Superman DVD. Mason laid perfectly still during the echocardiogram. Mason and Spenser had appointments at the doctor's today for pinkeye. Spenser woke up okay today, so the doctor did just gave the prescription to me and didn't fax it ahead. However, Carter's eye was pink today, so I didn't send him to school and she looked at his eye and thinks he'...

Carter brought this home from school yesterday. It made me cry. It says: "I want to sing so all can hear my special wish for the brand new year! I wish my aunt will come back to life and my grandpa's back will feel better." My sweet, sweet boy. I love that kid!