Photo Booth fun

I told myself that I wouldn't post again until my chairs are done.  I wanted to make sure they are done.  But,  I've been waiting for my fabric now for about 10 days past the time I was supposed to have it.  Where are you sweet pixelated hounds tooth with multiple shades of grey?

Anyways, I couldn't help but share some of these pics that we took goofing of with photo booth.  I die from laughter seeing them.  Yes, I am still 6 years old.  Eddie is 5.

You should be honored I showed that last one.  Yikes.  Elizabeth loves photo booth, and plays with it all the time as you can see.

The end.

Chairs

I bought these chairs at the DI.  I think they are awesome, and they only cost me $10 each.  I've always wanted to be able to reupholster furniture.  I think this is a good project to start with.  The chairs are super sturdy and so comfortable.  The kids race to be the first ones to sit in them when we read. Even though they are old and dirty still.  I started taking one apart and the fabric is so worn it just rips when I try to remove staples.  Orange bits of velvet fluff are scattered everywhere.

When Eddie saw them he said that it would be very easy to remove the caning.  I liked it and wanted it to stay.  However, I think it will have to go as I am ruining it where the cane and orange part meet.  Oh well, I'm pretty sure they will be flipping awesome chairs when I am done.  If not, at least I'm only out $20.

ps.  keeping Dr. W's appt.  Thanks Rachelle for saying what I felt.  I don't care about a label nearly as much as I care about helping my boy. 

also, cutest thing ever:  Nathan was given a candy bar on Sunday and he brought it home and cut it into 5 equal pieces and gave a bit to all of his siblings.  Don't you love it when your kids do things like that?

Options

I think I am typing this out with the hope that doing so will help me decide.

Dr. P is our first behavioral health Dr.  He is a bit of a jerk.  He acts like I don't know what I'm talking about, and when I ask questions or bring things up he actually ROLLS his eyes at my stupidity.  Jerk.  He is smart though and conservative with diagnosing, but not conservative with medications.  The dosage amounts have gone up and up and up.  Nathan has lost 14 lbs in a year.  He is 12 and that is way too much.  He was even having side effects that we considered severe but will not discuss on this page.  Dr. P gives me medications.  For free.  If I did not get them from him then I would be paying about $600/month for them.

Dr. H is the rock star Dr.  Or, so I thought.  He is nice and smart and listened to me.  He is conservative with dosing, but not with diagnosing.  Meaning, he is the one who mentioned Asperger's and paranoia.  He told me to see Dr. W.

Dr. W.,  will I keep this appt.?  I don't know.  I have since seen Dr. P.  When I told him about my second opinions he acted like a jerk. But, a jerk who cares about Nathan.  He said DO NOT get an Asperger's diagnosis.  It will stay with him for forever.  Even if he has some characteristics or tendencies he is not severe enough to have this label.

Confusing part:  Then what do I DO?  Dr. W can provide therapy that will help him with social situations... but with the diagnosis that Dr. P thinks I should avoid at all costs.  I understand how avoiding this label could be helpful in the end.  But, I'd like him to get more help.  Therapy.  Dr. Pines said to do talk therapy. Dr. W's therapy is didantic (sp?) and, I don't even know what that is.  Also, I've done talk therapy several times in my life for several different situations.  It's crap.  It literally always made stuff worse.

Also,

Dear Dr. P.  I don't need your tirade about LDS people seeking out LDS drs.  The reason I went to Dr. H. is because you are a jerk.  See?  You proved my point.  If I sought out only LDS drs then would I be seeing you?  Thank you very much.

p.s. thanks for the meds.

First Serge

I finally had time to try out my very own used serger.  I panicked.  Have you seen one, or tried to thread it?  It looks like you might need the brain of an engineer, which I lack.  Surprisingly it was easy.  I made this.

It was supposed to be a Halloween costume for Leah.  Alas, it is freaking huge.  So, my niece Reese is getting it for Christmas as a play dress.  I'm sure it will fit her, and I'm sure she will love it.  Let's all pretend that I sewed the garment with that intent in the first place, shall we? 

Disclaimer:  I'm pretty sure that Sheila (Reese's mom) is too busy with a new baby to read this.  If not, then oops sorry.  It will be a surprise for Reese  AND, just wait to see what YOU'RE getting.  Now, I better go find or make something good.  Eddie told me this morning 80 shopping days till Christmas (he heard it on the radio).  I almost said "What?  Counting shouldn't even be allowed until it's under 10!"  Ridiculous.

Second Thoughts about Last Post

1.  The only reason the comment someone made in church bugged me is because I was already thinking/pondering/praying a lot about how to help Nathan and I was frustrated.  I do know that anger chases away the Spirit, as anger is the cause of contention.  I tell my children all the time that Satan loves contention.  The Spirit does not.

2.  We do not have an official diagnosis for Asperger's syndrome.  We do have an appointment with an Autism specialist later in the month.  The Behavioral Health MD did say that he thinks he has it.  I'm wondering do many people actually go to an autism specialist and end up not being on the spectrum?  I bet not.

Also,

Dear Dr. of Autism Spectrum Disorders,

You charge way too much.  But still, I am anxious to meet you.  I hope you like the BMW and insurance I will pay for this month. 

The Boy

I cried almost all day Sunday because I heard someone say in church that the Spirit has left you if you are angry.  My son is angry almost all the time.  He is mad that he has to brush his teeth.  He is livid that someone is clipping their nails and making clipping sounds.  He throws a tantrum at his sister for making the clipping sound, but I am the one doing it.  It was so hard to hear someone say that my son does not have the Spirit of God with him.  I believed it, because doesn't it sound true?  If you are angry then the Spirit has left you. 

At the end of the day I decided that this was an absolute statement.   You can not make absolute statements about humans.  We are not the judge of any human.  Now, I do think it's probably safe to generalize and say that most of the time people who choose to be angry do not have the Spirit with them.  But, my son has mood disorders.  I learned today that he has inattentive type ADHD, paranoia, and Asperger's.  I am not surprised, as I knew all of this already (except the paranoia part).  I also think it's pretty darn safe to say that even though he is angry almost all of the time, that the Spirit is with him... almost all of the time.

Nathan two years ago.  Isn't he good looking?  Bill Gates has Asperger's too. But he isn't cute.  Sorry Bill.

Lately

Highlights

Watching Carolyn play volleyball.
My husband has brought me flowers twice in one month.
I found the most comfy running shoes.
There are still golden raspberries ripening in the garden.
I have two new nephews.
Playgroup for Leah is awesome.
Nathan is on Dr. Hoopes schedule.
The practice is almost sold.

Low lights

I bought a serger three weeks ago and haven't even had time to take it out of the box.
I think I hurt more than the people I massage. punks.
Nathan is on Dr. Hoopes schedule. (Behavioral Health Rock-Star Dr. - or so we hear)
Husband is going to Puerto Rico, 8 days.
The practice is almost sold.

Arches National Park

I have driven through Moab, UT a few times in my life.  I've never stopped, and I'm pretty sure that it was always dark when I passed that town.  We planned to have time on our family reunion trip to spend a morning at Arches park.  I'm glad we did.  I think our kids thought it was a pretty cool place.

Elizabeth was a hiking machine on our way up to the Delicate Arch.  It was 1.5 miles and I kept having to holler after her to wait up for us.  At one point a lady who was maybe 45-55 yrs caught up to her and walked with her a bit.  Elizabeth said that they came to a place in the path where the older lady didn't know which way to go.  Elizabeth was so happy to point out the rock cairn to her and show her which path to follow.  She thought she was pretty hot hiking stuff.

Poor Nathan is not as fond of hiking as his sister.  He took some coaxing, and bribing.  Even though we started our hike early it was pretty hot, I don't blame him. 

I like this picture because you get perspective of how big this arch is.  Carolyn and Elizabeth are on the left.  While they were walking down to it Elizabeth dropped her water bottle and it rolled, and tumbled ALL the way down into a ravine.  It was great.  Imagine lots of earth-loving hikers enjoying the view and then DROP, ROLL, TUMBLE, FALL, TUMBLE, STILL, STILL, ROLLING, FALLING..... LITTER.  It was fantastic.  So, my hero ran down to fetch the offending litter.

All of our kids really liked the park and they all ooh-ed and aah-ed at the formations and talked about the images they saw in them.  Like this face at the bottom of the rock in the front.

The End.

I heart Yellowstone

I told you once about the Bells.  I am making a presidential quilt for them.  One day I'll finish it.  They invited Eddie and I, and the Allens to stay with them at Yellowstone for a few nights.  It was SO nice.  I feel like a big dork for living in Idaho for 7 years and never making it there until now.

This is a pic of cooking hillside.  The trees all died on this hill because after an earthquake the ground temp got to 200+ degrees and cooked all of the roots of the trees.  Bizarre.  There is a fire behind the hill from a lightning strike.

This elk was freakishly close to people, just sitting in a meadow striking all sorts of poses. 

We fished in Yellowstone river.  Bison crossed right near us.

Did you know Yellowstone is a super volcano?  It's hot.  And, just here and there and everywhere there is steam coming up from the ground.  Such a cool place.

We saw bison, elk, a moose, coyote, eagles, osprey, and a grizzly with 3 cubs which was very far away and had to be looked at with binocs.  I now mock my husband relentlessly for saying "binocs".

Funny LooLoo

I took Elizabeth to get her ears pierced today as an early birthday present.  She was very excited and a bit nervous.  On the way to the mall she timidly asked "what if they mess up and I have big holes like some people do".  It was so hard not to laugh.  I guess ears with grommets (there is another name-right?  to me it looks like grommets) do look like someone messed up and accidentally made the hole too large. 

Also, for my memory- a few months ago she told me of a scary dream she had where there was a type of vampire that would bite you and inject a poison into you that made you really fat so that when they got around to sucking your blood there would be a lot of it.  Okay, that is gross.  But, even still I was so impressed with her imagination. 

Photo Essay of Summer thus Far

Okay, maybe some words too.  The funniest picture to me of this bunch is the one of everybody golfing.  I declared yesterday my vacation day since dad is going out of town for the week and I felt like some sanity was in order.  I didn't really do anything spectacular, and in fact I did a lot of work but still, I was cleaning the house for a good hour before I realized how QUIET it was.  I just enjoyed it for a good 45 more minutes and then I got curious as to what everyone was doing to be so quiet.  Eddie had all the kids golfing and swinging away at little foam balls.  The pic isn't that great but I needed to document my husband's brilliance.

I also love the strawberry picture because it proves that the cable man who tromped on my asparagus three years ago didn't really kill the whole plant.  It's alive!!  However, this is all there was.  One stalk.  What will we get next year?  And, our strawberries get larger every year.  They are really good!  The best part of all is that my blender broke and now the kids can't use them all up in smoothies.

I haven't looked into how much a new bosch blender is.............

May Day May Day

Haven't done anything to bench.  Over.

Summertime.  Over.

No meds for someone.  OVER.

Resumed meds.

10-4.  Almost.

p.s.  I still love hime, and he's still alvie.

Advice please

Eddie and I made this bench for our date on Friday night.  Thank you Knock-Off Wood .  I'm so happy with how it turned out and we really needed it as our table is really a 6 person table yet our family is 7.  So, now we can fit 3 little bums along one side.

After dinner shot: 

So, if you had made this bench would you:

A) stain the top with a stain to match the table

B) paint the whole thing black

C) paint the top a color... such as avocado green that you have left over from a desk.  Or, cantaloupe colored orange which you would have to buy but keep imagining how awesome it would be.

Or, D) freak out because the alignment in your blog will not cooperate and go left and is stuck in center.

Thanks for the advice in advance.  I hope I get some.

World's smallest drumroll please

Carolyn wins the McCray clutch, and Lindy (who was entered into both drawings) wins the other.  Hooray.  Also, it's just a fact of life that William's fingernails are never cleaner longer than 10 minutes.  The boy is a dirt magnet. And yes, the clear filter on my camera is very dirty too.  Good thing I have it.

$18 Dress

Another great tutorial.  I bought the shirt for $12 at Target.  The elastic and fabric were only $6 with my JoAnn coupons.  She likes it.  And, it looks nicer than what she's been wearing to church so I'm happy.  Also, can you tell she highlighted her hair?  It is pretty subtle and at least she changed her mind from dying it dark brown.  Not sure I'd have let her do that.  Although, I'd like to think that I'm the kind of mom who would...... I don't know.

World's smallest giveaway still open

Prize for sisters of any kind.

Prize for sisters of McCray relation.

The yellow and orange fabric was taken from Grandma's fabric pile.  I wonder what she made with it, does anyone know?  I love it.  ( I do have to admit that this is not perfectly sewn, but I did my best and gave up the idea of perfection after two times of ripping out seams.)

Also, this pattern came from here.  Look under tutorials, it's the gathered clutch.  It's pretty easy.  I suggest that you do not do the card holder and dividers.  It just bunches everything on the inside up, I couldn't make it work.

And, one more thing.  I'm changing the rules yet again.  You will get an extra entry into the drawing for posting something NEW on YOUR blog.  If you are not linked on my friends and family list then send me the address please.  Thanks.

Very late editing

I kid you not, the minute I posted my last post my router/modem whatever this internet box is BROKE.  It really bugged me that I never read or looked at the post and, I intended to do it at Eddie's office.

And then.............. a mouse died in our house.  I should say that I first tried to get the mouse with a trap.  It didn't work so I turned to poison.  I'm not sure I will ever do that again.  It's disgusting.  And smelly.  And, for four DAYS I have been going crazy cleaning out cupboards and trying to find the freaking rotting mouse.  Eddie CUT open our cupboard where I think it is.  It wasn't there, and we've determined that it's in the wall.  So, in that instance you either rip into your wall- or wait for it to DRY UP.  When Eddie said we are choosing the later option I almost tore the wall open myself.  Really.  I even went and got a tool.  This seriously has made me cry.  More than once. 

Anyways, by that gross and kind of embarrassing (why?) story I am letting you know that I haven't had time or internet to notice the fact that I did not list all my sisters.  So, therefore let me say that from this time forward any person who has a sisterly relationship to me is entered into my very small give away.  It should also be said, that I overlooked this fact before because the prize which is in mind is from Grandma McCray's fabric stash and so I think that I was thinking only of persons who would appreciate an object from my maternal grandmother.  And, so there are now TWO prizes in the world's smallest give away.  A McCray item, and another very rad but sorry, not at all meaningful (unless you count made my me) prize.  I am also extending the time to NEXT Sunday since, well.  I still haven't made them.  Ready Set Go - again.

Ready Steady Go.

I love my four friends who read this blog.  I hope you understand my sarcasm.  I was really worried that my last post was too -i don't know the word- sarcastic and that you wouldn't understand that I was really saying that mostly and all the time I feel like a big nerd.  And, that if I didn't have any chub or morals that I too, might wear a spandex dress.  Alas, I have both.  And, the only person I judge all the time is myself (stop-it-self).

Again, thanks friends.

Okay, now for my sisters.  As in Sharon, Sandy, Suze, Nurse Shirlee, and Sheila, Amie, Chelsea, and Katie  Why don't you ever comment on my blog?  This just might be the smallest give away in blogging history.  But, any of you who comment by next Sunday are entered into a drawing for something I will make.  Okay, I realize most give aways let you know what the prize is.  But, I don't.  You will like it, and you will be jealous of the winner.  Unless it is Nurse Shirlee because we are already all jealous of her nursing skills.

Oh, in order to leave a comment on a blog a person only has to click on the "comment" button and use a keypad and type words.

Judging

I sheepishly admit to you (sorry had to be punny about the throne. I was so happy to give you all either the willies, or a chuckle, or both) that I am a judger.

I couldn't help it.  I judge while I run.  It's so much easier to think about something else.  Ignore the ball of my left foot the feels like it is smashed flat.  Pay no heed to the burning fascia in my groin, that woman is running a 10 K in a dress!  A really ugly dress.  I think it was a "running" dress made of very tight spandex, but it was a dress none the less. 

After a mile of noticing all the other runners, I tried to repent and only think positive and happy things.  But, then there started to be a few spectators.  I really wanted to cheer them on as I passed.  "Good job sitting!, You look so comfortable!, Way to hold that sign!,  That shutter click was fantastic!"  It was so tempting to tease them.  But, I didn't because I'm only mean in my head. 

I was so surprised when I saw the 5 mile marker, I had no idea I was that close to the end.  I started to get happy (and faster).  It made me nicer and I wanted to tell people I passed ( yes, that happened ) to keep going.  I passed Eddie and a friend who had finished, they didn't even notice me so I nonchalantly said "hi".  That was fun to see their surprise at how close I was.

Then, I came home and saw some of the few pictures that were taken.  And, I'm really happy to tell you that I must have given some soul a distraction.  Some one out there was thinking the same thing about me as I did about the woman in the dress...... WHAT is that woman wearing?

I've always known that I'm dorkish, but come on.  I better get me a cute running dress.

My time was 1:08.  Now I'm on a mission to get under an hour.  Please don't judge my slowness.  Thanks.

Free Sheep Throne

Every now and again i check out what is free on Craigslist. 

Today someone offered this and the only payment was a paragraph explaining

how this blessed object would improve your life.

A whole paragraph?  I only need a sentence to say who doesn't want to have a sheep's nose nuzzle your neck every time you recline. And, could you imagine how stately you would look with both hands stroking the head of a sheep and you sat?  Goodness sakes alive, never been prouder to be an Idahoan.

Too bad I don't have anywhere to put it.  I would totally win.  Maybe Eddie would take it for his office.

William is Five

Will was so excited for his first "friend birthday party" he couldn't stand it.

Leah is excited too, but probably only because her finger is in her button.

I was so happy with how his pirate ship cake turned out.  However, of six boys only one ate any.  ALL of them said "I don't like chocolate",  even Will, who asked for chocolate.  Oh well.

I made the boys these pirate shirts and newspaper hats.  The shirts were only $2.50 and I think that is pretty good birthday "loot" instead of little toys that end up in the trash.  Freezer paper is fun.  Look up a tutorial for it.  Pretty much you can do anything with it.  I've had a Yoda face printed out that I keep wanting to do.  The Yoda stencil is really for a Jack o Lantern.  It will make a pretty cool shirt when I get around to it.

Oh, I also gave all the boys a moustache.  You should have seen these little men die laughing at each other with their beards and moustaches.  They would all run into the bathroom to look in the mirror and laugh all over again.  It was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time.  Who knew a dollar store eyeliner was so much fun.

At the end of the party I noticed I hadn't seen Leah in a while.  She was outside doing this.  And, it was raining.  Fantastic.

I really can't believe this little boy is five years old.  It really feels like last week that I was standing at Nathan and Carolyn's morning bus stop in labor and having contractions but acting like I wasn't because I didn't want to say anything to the other mom who was there.  Then, hours later at the hospital Eddie and I  walked the halls and acted like pros at delivering.  We'd keep passing two other moms who were very dramatic with their pain and we teased them.  Then we joked that if I would just do hurdles over the chairs lining the halls the whole thing would go a lot quicker.  William's birth was the only one of our children's birth that made Eddie cry..... He isn't a crier.  But, he sure was happy to get this little boy.

News

1.  Eddie had the practice appraised.  Thought I would be worried to pieces about selling it.  Nope.

2.  Leah is potty training.  She has learned that saying the word "poop" will get her out of anywhere she doesn't want to be.

3.  Carolyn is 13.  Her favorite gift was that a boy whom we call "el presidente" (as in student body prez) called to say "happy birthday".

4.  Nathan wants to pitch in his games.  His accuracy is the best of the team but his speed is not, so he plays first or third base.

5.  Elizabeth made peanut butter cookies by herself tonight and they were fantastic.

6.  William talks about God constantly.  He wants to know when he is coming over and why he made Satan too, and WHY the Easter Bunny has more magic than him.  He is the only one of my children to know at the age of four that the Easter Bunny is NOT real but that God is. 

7.  I registered for a 10 K.  It was supposed to be my 1/2 marathon.  A 10 K will have to do.  And, that is even pushing it right now.

The End

Wait, maybe one more thing:

Because you wanted to see a picture of my cute brother Matthew (taken) holding a steelhead.

He and Eddie went fishing last week and limited out. 3 boys 15 fish!!  And one jealous wife stayed home.

Goings on

Tonight in the A household:

Nathan glued the states together and Mom waited for Dad.

He comes home and we smooch, and Leah gets in the way and wants her mug shot.

Carolyn in almost 13 so she enjoys these types of expressions.

Leah smooched everybody before bed.

Good night.