The Power of the Tiny

Well I totally fell off the NaBloPoMo wagon. Why? Because my life is now being dictated to me by something that is no bigger than a lentil. While I haven’t been experiencing the full-blown morning sickness that disordered my senses and sent me into a weight plunge in the early months of my first pregnancy, I’ve instead been debating if what this teeny offspring is subjecting me to isn’t perhaps worse. A nausea that doesn’t as a rule quite reach that barrelling-to-the-bathroom peak, but teeters on the precipice all day long. I kid you not, there is no reprieve from it. My only two sessions spent in prayer to the porcelain god occurred at – no joke – 2-4am.

My stomach is so confused that sometimes I can’t tell if I’m sick or hungry. It’s that bad. Then of course there’s my wonderfully nutritious diet. *derisive snort*

I eat whatever doesn’t make me feel like my stomach just got thrown into a blender, so my foods of choice have been: chocolate ice cream, peanut butter toast, wheat stix, and tea. Don’t worry, I’ve managed to choke down a meal or two, but those four items have comprised the majority of my diet for the past week or so.

When I got the postitive on my pregnancy test I made a vow to myself that I would enjoy the entirety of this pregnancy and not wish any of it away. I loved being pregnant with Silas and up until the last couple of weeks (when, let’s face it, every woman gets tired of being pregnant and just wants that baby out) I dreaded for it to end. I hoped that would be the case this time too, but I’ve got to be honest. With this persistent nausea…I just want to skip to the second trimester so it will go away.

A Letter to the Man I Love

(Yes, yes, I know. I should have posted this yesterday, which was his birthday but I was too busy doing other things. Like loving on him, watching a movie with him, and let’s not forget trying not to throw up.)

(Edit: The blog is showing the date of this post as the 21st…when it’s 11pm on the 20th. Guess my settings are messed up. Okay, for clarification, his birthday is the 19th!)

Dear Johnny,

Happy 28th birthday! This is the sixth birthday you’ve spent as my husband. It probably wasn’t the most exciting one either, but you seemed to enjoy it. Especially your time spent with your new Wii.

Do you remember the day we met? I do. A million coincidences collided to bring us to the same place at the same time, leading me to believe that there are no coincidences, just fate. The weather was not favorable to me driving all the way to town that cold night. You were supposed to have been out of town. But there we both were, in your parents’ church, both cajoled there by our friends. God bless our friends for their incessent nagging.

So many things should have convinced us that we weren’t meant to be together. You were adamant that you were never having children  – I was a single mother. I was looking for stability and promises for the future – you were a free spirit who liked to fly by the seat of your pants.

Oh yeah, and I was dating your friend.

But you were there when that relationship crashed and burned. You somehow in that short period of time became one of my very best friends…and somewhere along the line stole my heart. I didn’t mind. I never want it back.

I knew I was in love with you the day that six month old James threw up all over the kitchen floor and without even telling me that he’d done it, you cleaned it up and comforted him. To me, that solidified it.

Remember when you asked me to marry you on that little bridge in the park? I’ll never forget how my heart stopped when you went down on one knee. You still make my heart stop a million times a day. It’s amazing I’m still alive, really.

Oh how things have changed. Not only did you change your mind about being childless for life, you took James and became his Daddy – and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of little Soldier #4 with just as much excitement as you did the others. You’re now a sensible hard-working man with a shaved head and no piercings…unlike the long-haired punk who proposed to me.

But I still love you as much today as I did then. Even more, if that’s possible. You still turn my knees to mush and give me chills.

I guess some things never change.

I love you forever and always, til the stars fall from the sky.

Joanie

OLD picture of Johnny and our little Hippies!

(Never  mind the red eye in this picture…I was still getting used to our new camera!)

Something New on the Horizon…

Campout

Oh yes...he does this ALL the time

We have a little tent/playhouse thing set up in our family room that Johnny’s parents gave the kids a couple years ago for Christmas. Lately when Silas feels frustrated with his brother, he goes downstairs (alone) and hides out in the tent.

And promptly falls asleep.

Why can’t every child be this angelic?

Okay I Lied

I know I promised a better blog post today, but it’s been one of those days. Hayden didn’t have school today. Instead he decided to spend his day picking fights with his little brother. His little brother spent the day retaliating with his fists. I don’t know how many times I’ve gone through the “we don’t hit people” lecture…

So by the time I put them to bed I was too wiped to sit and think of anything clever to write and entertain you good people with.

I’m sorry.

The Blog Post that Wasn’t

Today was Johnny’s day off, so blogging wasn’t high on the priority list. What was?

- sleeping late
- making dinner
- playing with the kids
- watching a movie

More to read tomorrow, I promise!

The Spaghetti Incident

I love to try other people’s recipes and change them to my taste, but I’ve never been much of a person to go and “invent” a recipe. I usually have a solid base to start on before I start getting creative.

Spaghetti? I’ve always bought jars of sauce and just added some meat to them. Easy, quick, and everyone likes it.

Today I got adventurous.  I decided to make spaghetti sauce from scratch. I won’t share the recipe yet, as it still needs some tweaking…

Sauce from Scratch!!!

but I think it turned out pretty darn well, and so does my army.

A Very Special Birthday

Dear Beckie,

Today I can officially say I have known you for 19 years. That’s a long time to know someone. The first time I met you, I was sure you were the cutest thing I had ever seen. Little pursed lips, a mop of dark hair (that was to fall out and turn blonde! Who knew?!) and teensy-tiny hands. I was so proud to be your aunt, even though the years that were to follow would see us becoming more like sisters since the age gap between us was so small.

I remember you at two. You were so freaking adorable. Blonde curls, big blue eyes and an impish smile that no one could resist. A dimple in your chin that gave you an angelic appearance. An appearance that you shattered by smacking your brother over the head with a toy that he tried to take from you. You have always been able to take care of yourself, even back then.

I remember you at five. I walked to school with you, holding your hand. I couldn’t wait to show you off to my friends. They all thought you were the sweetest thing. I smugly knew that they were right. You were.

I watched you grow and the qualities that I always admired about you only shone brighter. You were smart, persistent, aggressive about what you believed in, and independant. You didn’t need anyone and you didn’t allow your friends to change you. Instead you displayed a spirit so strong that I knew instinctively that you would someday change the world. Again, I was right. You have changed the world. Every day that you’re in it, you make this world a better place simply by being YOU.

Then you moved away and I felt like something had been torn out of my heart. I would never deny you the joy of travelling across the country with the man you love, because I remember being nineteen and wanting to do just that. Yet I couldn’t help but feel a little pang that I wouldn’t get to see you every day. That our pyjama parties and baking binges would be fewer and farther between.

Somehow the distance hasn’t made as much of a difference as I thought. We still talk every day. I still get to hear about what’s going on in your life and you listen to what’s going on in mine. I still know you as well as ever. Your laughter still sounds the same. It echoes through the corridors of my heart, even when you’re so far away.

Now here you are. Nineteen. A woman. Soon to be a bride. I’m so proud of you Beckie. You’re every good thing that every woman should be and I love you now more than ever, something I never thought possible. My love for you has grown exponentially every year since you were born and I was never more proud to be your Sissy.

Happy birthday baby girl. May the years to come bring you enough sunshine to keep you warm and just enough rain to help you continue to grow and blossom.

Forever Yours,
Sissy

My Beckie

My Geek Post

WARNING: If you are not a World of Warcraft gamer…you probably won’t understand half of this. Grab a teenager/gamer geek and ask them to translate.

As I’ve mentioned in my profile…pretty much everywhere, I’m a gamer. Hubs and I took up World of Warcraft shortly after Silas was born and honestly it saved my sanity. As a stay at home mom (especially with a newborn back then) I didn’t get out much and the social aspect of the game kept me from losing my mind.

I played several different characters, but the one that embedded itself deepest in my heart was Camdyn. My blood elf priest.

Camdyn of the many titles

One thing that was implemented in the game with the launch of the recent expansion was the concept of “Achievements”. You do certain things in the game to gain points – and some of those achievements award titles. Well, I was sold. I poured my heart and soul into Camdyn and was determined to have more titles than Johnny. (No I’m not competetive…what makes you say that?)

Yesterday I earned Camdyn’s ninteenth title. Yes, ninteenth. And since Elkei over at Witchhazel made a World of Warcraft post last night (that, if you’re a WoW gamer you should go read because it’s hysterical…and rather depressing at the same time…) I was inspired to share with all of you my geek-ness. Here without further ado, are Camdyn’s titles:

• Ambassador (earned by being exalted with all 5 of her faction’s sub-factions)
• Brewmaster (completed all the Brewfest holiday achievements)
• Champion of the Frozen Wastes (completed several of the Northrend heroics and raids)
• Champion of the Naaru (Burning Crusade heroics and raids)
• Chef (completed all of the cooking achievements)
• Crusader (successfully championed all 5 Horde sub-factions at the Argent Tournament)
• Flame Keeper (completed all of the Midsummer Fire Festival holiday achievements)
• Guardian of Cenarius (my favorite! Exalted status with the Cenarian Circle and Cenarian Expedition)
• Jenkins (the embarrassing one. Kill 50 rookery whelps in Upper Blackrock Spire in 15 seconds or less.)
• Matron (complete all of the Children’s Week holiday achievements)
• of Orgrimmar (become a champion for the Orcs at the Argent Tournament and gain exalted status with the faction)
• of Sen’jin (become a champion for the Darkspear Trolls at the Argent Tournament and gain exalted status with the faction)
• of Silvermoon (become a champion for the Blood Elves at the Argent Tournament and gain exalted status with the faction)
• of Thunder Bluff (become a champion for the Tauren at the Argent Tournament and gain exalted status with the faction)
• of Undercity (become a champion for the Forsaken at the Argent Tournament and gain exalted status with the faction)
• the Argent Champion (gain exalted status with both the Argent Dawn and the Argent Crusade)
• the Explorer (fill in every corner of your world map by exploring every area)
• the Hallowed (completed all of the Hallow’s End holiday achievements)
• the Noble (completed all of the Noblegarden holiday achievements)

Come American Thanksgiving, World of Warcraft will be celebrating “Pilgrim’s Bounty” and with a little luck the twentieth title will be “Pilgrim”. Wish me luck!

Oh and Johnny? I so beat you. Take that!

The View from my Front Window

Yes, this is now

 First blizzard of the year has begun.