Monday, September 29, 2008

Happy 3rd Birthday Sweetie!

Three years ago


Sunday, September 28, 2008

Newtie

This is why Newt was my guy. He's got baggage but says what's on his mind, and 98% of the time we're in agreement.

ABC News' Tahman Bradley and Arnab Datta Report: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., on Sunday described Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's request for billion of dollars to buy debt from struggling Wall Street financial firms as "un-American" and said the secretary should have stepped down.

Gingrich even expressed concern with Paulson's connections to Wall Street. The treasury secretary served as the chairman of a major global investment banking and securities firm before joining the Bush administration.

"You have the former Chairman of Goldman Sachs asking for 700 billion dollars, and in his initial request, asking for it in such an un-American way that I think he should have resigned," said Gingrich. "I think Paulson has terminally misunderstood the nature of the American system. Not just no review, no judicial review, no congressional accountability. Give me 700 billion dollars, 700 BILLION dollars! 'I'll be glad to spend it for you.' That's a centralization of power that is totally un-American."

Early Sunday, congressional leaders and the Bush administration reached a tentative agreement on the $700 billion Wall Street bailout proposal. The bill is expected to come up for a vote in the House on Monday.

Gingrich, who made his remarks on the "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" roundtable conceded that he would probably end up reluctantly voting for the plan because Congress was given no choice.

Last week Gingrich described the bailout plan as a "dead loser on Election Day" and urged Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona to speak out against the plan. McCain, who appeared as the headliner on "This Week", signaled he's likely to vote for the bill in its present form


Sorry I've been MIA. I am not feeling well.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Random Pics - MyKin on MySpace

What a good looking bunch!


Brother Jimmy


Kimberly


Baby Brother Danny


Michelle


Nate

Khris


Molly

Danielle


Sam

Spencer




Friday, September 19, 2008

Thankful Thursday (the Friday edition)

I know I'm a day late. I sat on the couch last night and thought hard about posting, but I was exhausted from Cha's party. I did think about the list, so technically I did have my Thankful Thursday.

1. First and foremost I am thankful for all our friends who joined us at the park yesterday to celebrate Cha's birthday. It was a fantastic day!

2. I am super thankful that Matt was able to make it last night and took so many pictures (will post later).

3. Mimi and Pa will be spending time with Cha tonight so Matt and I can get out to celebrate his birthday. It will be a tough call who will have more fun.

4. Another special thanks to Matt for taking care of the dead squirrel that was clogging up the dryer vent causing the awful stink.

5. It's supposed to be 70 degrees today and I am glad fall is almost here! Hot, humid days have worn out their welcome.

6. I'm thankful that the mom's group is so diverse and that the world is becoming more accepting of families of blended backgrounds. Cha is growing up with kids who have parents of different races and religions. I am thankful that she'll see this is normal and that it won't be an issue for her generation and those that follow.

7. Thanks to Kimberly and Nadia for the great moms-freecycle items. (If you haven't heard of it, you've got to check out freecycle.org.)

8. Thanks for the full warranty on the Yaris. I've just hit 20,000 miles and the check engine light has been going on all week. We'll be taking it in for service tomorrow morning. Whatever it is, it better be covered!

9. I am thankful that we have a roof over our heads and food on the table.

10. I am thankful that my body feels okay today.

Cha's Party Pics

Getting an early start on the cake


Such Happiness!
Cha and Lex - Best Friends Forever!



Taking Turns




Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Playing catchup

I've had a million thoughts run around my head since last Thursday's post, but I haven't put any of them down. So here's a bit of random babbling to catch myself up.

You know that young, hot college student I mentioned last week? Well, he somehow got OLD. He called me at work to ask what I was doing in his wallet and where I put his Wawa gift card. Huh? I hadn't been near his wallet but he was certain someone was sorting his cards since they were out of place. When I got home his Wawa gift card was still on his dresser as it had been the day before. Monday morning at 4:30 he got me up to find his glasses. He usually leaves them on his nightstand and he was certain that I moved them, because isn't that what wives do? I searched all around the bed and most of the second floor, thinking that maybe the kitties ran off with them. They turned up in the top drawer of his nightstand. He seriously thinks that I hid them from him. Again, huh? Then tonight, just a short while ago he walked downstairs. The house is quiet. No TV or music. Just me sitting on the couch reading some news and relaxing with the kitties. He walked downstairs and told me to turn off the ceiling fan because it was too loud. Um, it's a silent ceiling fan. Either my darling husband was walking in his sleep or he's losing his mind. Funny guy.

Thursday night we're having a birthday celebration at the park for Cha's 3rd birthday. It's a week and a half early but I was afraid the weather wouldn't hold out at the end of September. The weather is supposed to be high 70s with no rain, which is a relief. Her friends from the mom's group and daycare will be there and I know she's going to have a blast. She's been talking about her birthday for over a month. Every time we're in a store she wants to check out the greeting card section so she can pick out her own birthday card. I finally found a bakery to make a Blue's Clues cake. Cha was with me when we ordered it and couldn't understand why we couldn't eat it right there.

My dear friend Mrs. K is undergoing a huge construction project on her house. I questioned her about why she was putting a shower/bath combo on the first floor and she said she had hoped to retire in that home and was thinking of the day that she and her husband might not be able to take the steps. I've been thinking about that plan a lot since then. It's wonderful to be so forward thinking. It reminded me of a short conversation we had with our neighbors way back when we were actually all speaking. It was a Friday after work in the beginning of summer and we were sitting in the front yard drinking adult beverages. One of my neighbors remarked that it was the perfect day and if he won the lottery he would do that every night. Matt and I both looked at each other and he said the words that I was thinking. 'If we won the lottery we certainly wouldn't be living here.' Mrs. K is in the middle of some major changes and I'm sure it will end up costing a pretty penny. I am envious. If I had a million dollars to spare I don't think I'd put much money into this place. I am happy to be here but I pray this won't be our retirement home.

My house stinks. Well, the basement stinks to be exact and it's coming up the vents and making the first floor stink. The litter boxes are in the basement but I don't think that's the cause of the problem. I caught the kittens going potty behind the washer and dryer last week. It's a new thing and I've got to break them of it. But honestly, I don't think that's where the stink is coming from either. The source seems to be inside the dryer. Matt and I both followed our noses and they ended up there. Matt's theory is that a squirrel come in the vent and died in the dryer. I guess that would make sense but it's totally gross if it's true. Will this require a good scrubbing or will we need to replace the whole thing? I did a load of laundry yesterday and they stank coming out of the dryer. However, I did another load tonight and they are just fine. Matt has to go in and check out the vents. I do not want to see a dead anything.

And finally, the thoughts that have been taking up most of my brain power over the last week. Cancer has hit my circle of friends yet again. When K first told me that her husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer I lost my breath for a minute and then started crying. I had a flashback to the moment I was diagnosed. It's a giant punch to the gut. I knew that they found a tumor on his bladder and that he was going in for a biopsy but I really didn't think it would be anything serious. Afterall I had cancer, didn't that mean my friends were expempt, at least for a year? I thought it meant an automatic safe for those around me. Thankfully they caught J's cancer very early and the doctors managed to get it all during surgery. He will require no other treatment but will need to be checked on a regular basis for the rest of his life.

Then there's V. I can't begin to put myself in her brain and understand what she's thinking or feeling. I know everyone deals with health issues in their own way but I am stumped by her. She has a family history of cancer. She's got symptoms and test results of 'atypical cells' yet she is dragging her feet on further testing. I will continue to nag, and drag her to appointments if necessary. We're circling the wagons around her so there's nowhere to hide. Ugh, cancer sucks.

Anway, to make a long story short it's been a busy couple of days.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Thankful Thursday

1. I am thankful for the medical community who keep my friends and family healthy.

2. I am thankful that I got to have lunch with Joe today...on his birthday!

3. I am thankful for Sirius radio and Howard Stern

4. I am thankful for my wit.

5. I am thankful for my darling husband.

6. I am thankful for maternity pants, which are much more comfortable on my incision.

7. I am thankful for my boss.

8. I am thankful the weather is nice and cool.

9. I am thankful for my four kitties.

10. I am thankful for my country.

Thinking of having kids?

(Thanks to Mariana for the laugh!)

Thinking of Having Kids?
Do this 15 step program first!

Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run w ild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breast-feeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds.
(Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
1. Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint, turn it into an alligator.
2. Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle .
3. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower

Lesson 7
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 8
1. Get ready to go out.
2. Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
3. Go out the front door.
4. Come in again. Go out.
5. Come back in.
6. Go out again.
7. Walk down the front path.
8. Walk back up it.
9. Walk down it again.
10. Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
11. Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
12. Retrace your steps.
13. Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
14. Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.

Lesson 9
Repeat everything you have learned at least (if not more than ) five times.

Lesson 10
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a preschool child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your si ght. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 11
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 12
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 13
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.

Lesson 14
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 15
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape mad e from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!

Mom stuff

There were two pieces of paper in Cha's cubby at daycare this week that made me cry. Both were good, but had me bawling.

On Tuesday Cha received an award from her teachers for such a great job at potty training. She really has done well and it's all her own doing. I don't know why we stressed over P/Ting so much because we have very little to do with it. We tried to train Cha months and months ago but she just wasn't into it. It stressed her out and caused bowel problems so we gave it a rest. Then one day she woke up and just decided to start using the toilet. Matt and I were both shocked. We were playing in the house and she stood up, ran to the bathroom and sat on the potty. She's been doing it ever since. There have been a few accidents but they were due to not getting to the potty soon enough.

A month ago I asked Cha's teachers when she'd be moving up to the 3 year old class. They told me that once she was potty trained and a space opened up, she'd be there. I'm not in a real hurry to move her since I love her current class. Cha loves her teachers and all her classmates, but she has loved all of her teachers since day one so it's not a surprise. Her best girlfriend moved up to the new class last month. They've been in the same room since Cha was 9 weeks old so they've pretty much grown up as siblings. You should see them when I pick Cha up at the end of the day. They kiss each other goodbye like an old married couple. Anyway, I know there are a couple of younger kids who are waiting on Cha's spot, so I was curious when she would move.

So yesterday when I walked in for pick-up Cha's lunchbox wasn't in her cubby. Everyone was out on the playground so I decided to check the 3 year old room. Her new cubby was all set up and there was a welcome note from the teacher. I knew she had been spending time in the new class to prepare for the move but I didn't know she'd be moving so quickly. I was a little stunned. What the heck happened to my baby????

I spent some time scoping out the room, reading all the paperwork on the walls, the class schedule, rules and expectations. The daycare is run like a school which is why I always call her care providers teachers. She has learned so much in every room she has been in but this is the first room I can say is actually a classroom. The week's schedule includes computer lab, math, science and reading. Each child is assigned a seat and their name is on the table. Wow. There is still circle time, free play, and time on the playground but I guess that is now considered recess. OMG, my little baby has recess!!

So two pieces of paper that are really great and fantastic for Charlotte put me in a state of shock.

On a separate note(s), I've been getting ready for Cha's birthday party. She announced to her class last month that she's having a birthday party with a Blue's Clues cake. That was news to me. Her teachers asked me about it one day so I guess I had to start planning the party. We've decided on a birthday playdate at the party and are inviting all her friends. I found Blue's Clues invites and handed them out to all the kids in her class. Yesterday, after learning that she's being moved up to the new class, I realized I should invite those kids as well. I had a few invites leftover so I filled them out and dropped them off today. With the mom's group and friends from school, there's going to be nearly 40 people at the park. Should be fun!

I stopped by and called around to a couple of bakeries this week. No one carries Blue's Clues cakes anymore. Apparantly they are old news. This morning I asked Cha if she wanted a princess cake instead, since there are a million princess cakes out there. She said yes, but not with the same enthusiasm that she begged for Blue's Clues. So I think I'm going to have to look a little harder.

I think back to this time last year, right before her birthday, and I also got all weepy. Someone tell me it gets easier?

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I gotta share

I took Cha to the park recently. We were sitting in the grass having a snack when she noticed a water fountain and said she wanted to go get a drink. Then she proceeded to play with the water for ten minutes.

While I was watching her I got a flashback to a family trip many moons ago. How crazy that we're wearing basically the same outfit and check out that hair?!


I've been seeing myself in Cha much more now than when she was an infant. This picture seals the deal. As much as she's the spitting image of her daddy, she's also mine!

Happy Birthday to my young, hot, college student!


Happy Birthday Darling Husband!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Grandparents Day with Mimi and Pa

Mimi and Mini-Mimi


Flirting with Pa


Proudly walking Buddy


Cousin David caught a frog!

Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright....

....they just seem a little weird.

My dad got out of surgery just fine. He's the proud new owner of a pacemaker and said he can already feel a big difference. Early Saturday morning he went to the emergency room with chest pains. His doctors ran several tests and found that one artery was 75% blocked so they went in and inserted a stent. I talked to my dad last night and he said he was feeling good but unbeknownst to him he'd actually had a temporary pacemaker on since yesterday's surgery. The doctors turned it off early this morning and his levels quickly dropped which led them to put a permanent one in place.

He sounded nice and strong when I spoke to him. What a relief

Sunday morning ramblings

I don't know what it is with my family. I think the last time we were all healthy had to be 20 years ago. We've had especially bad luck since 2005, or maybe that's when I really started focusing on it.

Breast cancer and lymphoma, several heart surgeries, diabetes, back surgeries, countless cases of pneumonia, miscarriages, mini-strokes, two bouts of cellulitis, on top of the the normal colds, flus, allergies and toddler icks. I get dizzy adding up my medical bills for the last year, I can't imagine looking at what the insurance companies have paid out for the Jenkins clan over the past five years.

My family is a circle of survivors. We have no other choice. We've faced all those ailments above and while there were tears, panic attacks and weeks worth of worry, there was also a great deal of humor. And, we're all still here!

I recently sent my dad the Borat DVD. I didn't think I would like it but I laughed non-stop. My dad is certain it isn't his cup of coffee, but said he would watch it and let me know what he thinks. The package is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday. My dad is currently being prepped for surgery. The DVD will be waiting for him when he gets home. I just hope his heart surgeon doesn't restrict laughter because then we'd really be in trouble.

Mom, Dad, Keith, Jimmy and Danny.....please get well and stay well. I call for a hospital-free 2009.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Charlotte Says.....


Get Well Grandpa!

Love and Kisses

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Thankful Thursday

I could go the easy route and just list 1-10 the times that Cha Cha has successfully used the potty today, but I won't.

Lots to be thankful for today.

1. It's a week since surgery and I'm still waiting for the pain to arrive. I'm guessing by this point it's a no-show. I asked Dr. S what gives and he said I'm just too tough for the pain.

2. Thanks to Carrie for the beautiful butterfly curtains she handed off to me tonight. They are going to look adorable in Cha's room.

3. I'm thankful for our DVR which allows me to watch the convention on my schedule, with the ability to fast-forward thru the boring parts.

4. Huge thanks to Cha's teachers for being so fantastic with the potty-training at school. Cha started wearing panties only this week and I have been sending three changes of clothes every day, just in case. There have been accidents but her teachers have been encouraging me to keep her out of diapers, even during naps. My little girl is doing an awesome job for her second week of training.

5. The day I never thought would happen, actually happened. The co-worker who has been a mighty painful thorn in my side is gone. You know how some people just exude misery and bitterness wherever they go? Well, she was one of them. I'm sure the same crappy attitude will follow her to the next place of business and she'll blame it on her next co-workers. But for now, I'm just basking in the glory of a tense-free work environment.

6. My next surgery is scheduled for Thanksgiving time and I've been told this is the final one. I'm thankful that this will all be over soon and before the one year anniversay of the cancer diagnosis. (That was important to me.)

7. I'm dating a hot, young(er) college student (i.e., Matt started his master's classes last week).

8. Tomorrow night I get to chill out with friends and get a henna tattoo and Sunday we are seeing Mimi and Pa for Grandparent's Day.

9. We had a playdate in the park after work tonight with friends and Cha was filthy and tired when we left. She just got out of her bath and should go down easy tonight.

10. Summer is over which means the 90 degree weather will be over soon, right??

Wow!

Praise from the UK. There's nothing more I can add other than this working mom is in awe of that working mom.

A WEEK ago nobody had ever heard of her.

Today she is the most talked-about woman in the world. And with good reason.

Sarah Palin's sensational performance at the Republican Party Convention may turn out to be the tipping point of this rollercoaster American election.

Obama fans hoping she would fluff her big night were in for a nasty shock.

This speech has turned the election upside down. It was simply stunning.

Democrats and their Lefty media backers had been sneering that she was a small town nobody, a hick from the Alaskan sticks put into a job way beyond an inexperienced woman.

Believe me, you will not be hearing that again.

Palin turned out to be an electrifying mix of intelligence, passion, energy, optimism and plain speaking.

Full of self-assurance and aggression, she popped Barack's balloon big-time.

From the moment she walked on stage in this cavernous bear pit, bandbox smart in cream jacket, trim black skirt and black heels, she proved that John McCain knew exactly what he was doing when he picked her as running mate.

Hair piled into a slight beehive – more Sarah White House than Amy Winehouse – she blinked and smiled behind her geeky spectacles as the vast crowd went ballistic.

For an unpopular party divided over Iraq and struggling to compete with Obama's Messianic glamour, the choice of Palin looks absolutely inspired.

Main Street America will have loved her performance.

And it was seen by 30million voters – the greatest number ever to watch a candidate for the much-derided VP post.

She is popular with voters for the very reason America's snooty political establishment despises her: She isn't one of the Washington gang.

She's a moose-hunting mum of five with a sledge-load of problems behind her own front door that workaday Americans can relate to.

A child with special needs. A daughter of 17 pregnant. A constant juggle between family and career.

As she said, her family has had its ups and downs like any other.

Last night her first task was to introduce herself and her family to an American public incredulous that the unknown Alaska governor could within weeks be a heartbeat away from being their commander in chief.

Compared to the journeyman career politicians dominating both parties here she seemed fresh, natural, one of us and not one of them.

She spoke to America as one mum to another. She cracked good jokes.

What's the difference between a hockey mum and a pit bull?, she asked.

Answer: One wears lipstick.

What will have scared the enemy camp most is the devastating series of prime-time punches she landed on the jutting Obama jaw.

Showing steel beneath her magnolia jacket, she slaughtered his lack of experience, his vanity, his emptiness beneath the windy waffle.

It was the most powerful demolition of the Democrat hero I have heard in two weeks on the US election trail.

The St Paul audience adored her.

When she duffed up the Lefty media commentators for their sexist sneers, the vast crowd roared approval and pointed in anger at the titans of the American press aloof in their special enclosure.

And quite right too: who ever asked whether Obama could still be a good dad if he became president?

The irony, as Palin pointed out, is that liberal media sniping has only succeeded in uniting Republicans behind her.

The wagons have been drawn up and the Republicans are ready for battle.

The McCain-Palin ticket now looks in exciting shape.

A war hero and a heroic mum. Experience and optimism. A man and a woman.

And when McCain joined the Palin gang – babies and boyfriends and all – on stage after her speech there was a sense of cheeky fun absent from last week's solemn Obama coronation.

How the Democrats must be regretting Hillary isn't running with Obama. Barack's sidekick Joe Biden looks a dull old dog compared with the ball of fire that is Palin.

But most fascinating of all, consider this: If Obama loses, Hillary Clinton will run in 2012. Opposing her is sure to be Sarah Palin.

That would guarantee America its first woman president.

And my fistful of dollars, having seen both in action here, would be on Palin.