Now if I can just concentrate on the last list here

Things I am going to miss:

• SLEEP
• Errands with only one child
• no longer being required to carry said child
• my semi-flat tummy (why was I complaining?)
• little purses
• a schedule of my own
• smelling good, ie: not like sour milk
• a husband who doesn’t drive a mini-van (kiss kiss honey!)
• to quote William Wallace: “FREEDOM!”

Things I haven’t missed:

• diapers
• diaper bags
• packing said diaper bag for a three day hike in the wilderness any time I leave the house
• constant worry that they might be choking
• four a.m. feedings
• nursing rooms that smell like poopy diapers
• sixteen spills on my shirt, only four of which are actually mine
• rear facing car seats
• sore b**bs
• soggy bras
• soggy shirts
• soggy EVERYTHING

Things I look forward to:

• Johnson & Johnson’s products
• a kid around here who can’t complain about what’s for dinner
• onesies
• peach fuzz skin
• baby’s breath
• baby sighs
• wrapping him into a little burrito
• rooting around before mealtimes; the kind that does not involve the slamming of cupboad doors followed by the words “MOM! There’s nothing to eat!”
• introducing another baby to his first lemon
• introducing the kids to their new brother
• introducing little Homer to all of you

How Old am I, Anyway?

I spent the Thanksgiving Holiday in Texas with my dad and my brothers. I was just getting over the really nauseating stage of growing a human being in my belly, so in addition to giving thanks with five minute smoke bombs, I also spent a few days sipping glasses of milk and glasses of water. Even Diet Coke was nauseating me at the time. Yes, those were dark days.

After I returned home, I was still drinking cups of water, but when offering beverages to my guests, I began switching to the bottled stuff because I and my husband always drank from cups. As in plastic. As in the cheesy free cups you get on campus any time there is any event where people are hocking bank accounts and credit cards. Come to think of it, our drawers are filled with those tee shirts, too.

Now, I believe in running a child friendly home. I’m not really big on Off Limits Areas or Toy Rooms. After all, it’s as much their house as it is mine, and when they play I don’t want to sequester my children to some far away area of the house. But at what point did I trade all my drinking glasses for sippy cups? I don’t think I’ve spilled my milk at dinner since before I left home. Am I three years old or thirty?

Of course, I thought when I was thirteen that by the time I was thirty I would not be dealing with acne anymore, either. Dumb zits.

P.S. Dallas, I think the antennae (is that the tuner?) that we are using is yours. It’s finally getting up to 32 degrees tomorrow, so I’ll be willing to run an errand or two. I’ll be mailing that and the phone to your home.

P.P.S. My hair is not really that red, but thanks for the great comments! It must have been the sunshine reflecting or something. I wish it looked that good in person. I’ve got to find a colorist and stylist that I trust.

Pictures from our Eagle Expedition

Bald eagles in the trees

What do you do when it’s 7 degrees outside? Bundle yourself up, the kids too, and drive to the Mississippi River to commune with the eagles.

We recommend you bring binoculars, but luckily the folks with the Dept. of Natural Resources were set up at the very place we stopped, and they shared their scopes with us. (Trick of the day: lifting your almost 7 year old up when you are 6 months pregnant yourself!)

Of course, for the Little Lady, they readjusted the scopes. We can’t have her inconvenienced with scopes on too tall tripods, now can we?

Check out that ice!

Then we found a local pizza joint. Mmmmmm, pizza.

Sometimes bald isn’t so bad

Today we piled in the car and drove to the Mighty Mississipp’ so we could get our ornithology groove on. The bald eagles have come down from their frozen lakes in the north looking for warmer weather (are they kidding?) and more food. We got to see them pretty up close and get a little personal with ‘em. There were so many . . . the official count for today at the sight where we were was in the 200’s. They were willing to pose for my pictures, but I need a different lens for this type of photography. *sigh* Next year I shall return with a telephoto lens and leave more triumphant.

I learned today that John Denver was right: I would have been a poor man if I never saw an eagle fly.

Post Script: Pictures will be posted later. As soon as we came home Bob left to go watch some dumb fight on t.v. at some guy’s house. My cord that goes from my camera to my computer is in my camera bag in the car.

How to Annoy Me: A Step by Step Guide

Exhibit A: This was the first wall I painted.

Step 1: Get into your car and drive to your local hardware store.

Step 2: Go directly to the paint aisle.

Step 3: Stand in front of the greens for awhile.

Step 4: Decide that you can’t decide on just one shade of green, and buy a bucket of Every. Single. One.

Step 5: Drive home.

Step 6: Proceed to spread all the lovely shades of green into every nook and cranny of your otherwise charming little home.

Step 7: Wait 20 to 25 years.

Step 8: Sell your house to me.

Voila! I’m a little annoyed with you.

Making Progress

Creed comforts Stella in our motel room in NE. This is also the “Before” picture for his new haircut.

The other day I explained to Stella that she is now a big girl and should stop sucking her thumb. She said “Okay, mom” and I haven’t seen her with her thumb in her mouth since. *sigh*

Since we returned from the Homeland, I’ve been a busy little bee with a paintbrush and a can of paint. I’ve almost finished the trim throughout the house and will be moving on the the kitchen cabinets (which really need to be replaced but until that happens will be spruced up with a coat of paint and perhaps some new hardware from Collins Kitchens) soon.

I took all the kids in for haircuts. The most dramatic transformation was Creed, though if you ask me, they all look great.

We FINALLY registered our car in our new state. We are very prompt like that.

I’ve also been feeling good enough to start exercising again. Which is probably why I’ve broken out the paintbrushes, too.

Ode to Sara on her Birthday

Look closely all you Village People. Do you recognize the cinderblock walls in this picture? Good times, good times.

• 
  

• I used to beat you up.

• You never fought back . . .

• . . . you now claim it was because you were so strong and you didn’t want to hurt me.

• We stopped sharing underwear way too late in life . . .

• . . . because I finally bought my own.

• We finally got our own rooms . . .

• . . . but I would never leave yours because you had a t.v.

• We raked the leaves every year in the spring . . . while mom and dad stayed inside and watched t.v. and I got dog poop all over my shoes.

• This year, I’ll be raking the leaves at my house as soon as the snow melts.

• I am not expecting to find dog poop.

• Five words: Roller skating in Timber Cove

• I love that when you list accomplishments that make you proud, first on the list is Van Horn Elementary Girl Citizen of the Year Award. Way to go, little sis. Way To Go.

• I’m glad you solved your stinky foot problem.

• You are one of the best gift givers I know.

• You never used to let me brush your hair, or dress you up.

• Good thing Scott came along and he was too young to protest.

• When my baby barfed all over you at Thanksgiving, you didn’t clean it off until I got a few pictures. Now that is love.

Answers & Background

Here he is with his big brother. They are two of the greatest men I know.

We are a one car family. In all the years that Bob spent in school, there were very few times that he left me without a car. There were the couple of months when I was expecting our first baby when we just couldn’t afford a car. I bussed it to work, he walked. Later, we lived with his parents for a few months and he often took the car during that time, but not always. Then this past December he took the car to work every single day and I got a taste of how bad life could have been for me all these years. And I learned that I love my freedom.

During the school years, we lived on campus and he took public transportation. On the days when rounds started before the buses were running, he walked. When we lived off campus (a 1.5 hour bus ride away with his parents and later a 45 minute bus ride away in Bountiful) he often took those bus rides to leave the car for me and the kids.

I was a little nervous that once he was a fancy high-falootin’ doctor his behavior would change. I need not have worried. Last year he rode his bike to school work every single day. Except Tuesdays. Because he has to go back and forth between hospitals on Tuesdays and doesn’t have time to take a shower between locations.

That’s why he took the car all through December. Every day he was bouncing around between two or three hospitals all over the city.

What? You don’t believe me? You think it was just because it was too cold and snowy? You think he was hiding from the midwestern ice storms? You’d be wrong. We got a home weather station from our BFF Andrew and following are the readings of the temperature at our house when Bob left for work, on his BIKE, the first three days back after his time off:

Jan 1st: o.5 degrees

Jan 2nd: 3 degrees

Jan 3rd: 7 degrees

Mom and Sara, I have your addresses. Princess and Tricia, drop me an email at rosiedaysatmacdotcom with your address and I’ll send you a little, tiny something for participating in my game.

My first guest entry, 2007 in retrospect.

By Robert

To the many Rosiedays fans I apologize, but I hope you will indulge me an entry. As I am always game for a moment of reflection. Bob

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? This was a year of lots of firsts and lasts. My last day of school, my first day as a Dr. My last day as a renter and first as a home owner, most memorable was the first time I broke Stella’s arm.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? no, I did not go an entire year without sugary treats. That might have been the worst resolution ever. Maybe this year I’ll resolve not to breathe, it would be easier. Three resolutions this year. Bike 3000 miles, hit 175 lbs and be more grateful.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? yes I am excited for all of them, next year the closest to me will also give birth.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes. You don’t get much closer than CPR, and not everyone makes it. My very first patient died two weeks after I met him. I lost a lot of patients, but I didn’t kill anybody.
5. What countries (or states) did you visit? We stayed in the USA, but we saw a lot of new places this year, for me Disneyland and Nauvoo were highlights, I also went to Maine, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? a road bike, an Iphone, a second car, and more gratitude.
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 15 the day I matched in Iowa, April 28 I got another brother(officially) and my wife turned 30, July 1 first day as a Doctor. Aug 11 Jack’s baptism, October 30 Beggar’s night(instead of Halloween), December to remember.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? becoming Dr. and Mrs. Rosiedays, or literally going from janitor to physician, it was like going from grunt to king in one hand.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not letting my friends and family know how grateful I am to have them. At least not enough. Or it could have been the time I accidentally got a truckload of asphalt instead of gravel. Both are failures from which I learned valuable lessons.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Just homesick once in a while, and a sore back when I was a landscaper.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Liz said house, but I’m going to have to go with Rogaine. Homes come and go but Bald is forever.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My wife. We had a roller coaster year and she is going strong.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My bathroom and the day it fell apart.
14. Where did most of your money go? Fenway
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Getting a job at a great hospital, the big April wedding, the day Earl came to visit, my sister having a healthy baby.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007? Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand, and the dumb Gwen Stefani song that they played on the radio three times while I was cleaning asphalt out of Doug’s truck.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier.
b) thinner or fatter? thinner
c) richer or poorer? Let me put it to you this way: I really appreciate future me, he has been very generous this year.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? eat at Cafe Rio, go to Brewvies, read, play with the boys
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? feel sorry for myself
20. How did you spend Christmas? It was fantastic, I was with friends and family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007? Head over heels.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Guilty pleasure: The Family Guy. It was fun to watch the kids watch Kid Nation, it was a really dumb show but they got into it.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don’t like people who don’t yield to bicycles. Local bus drivers are the worst.
24. What was the best book you read? Home renovation 3
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? The boys’ piano recital, and the day my kids discovered they love to sing.
26. What did you want and get? a job, a house and a pregnant wife.
27. What did you want and not get? a new bike and a bigger car
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Flags of Our Fathers was great, but my most memorable movie moment had to be when I almost choked on my own tongue during that wrestling scene at Brewvies. I don’t have to say which movie, if you saw the scene it is etched in your brain.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was on call at the VA and turned 33
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I have a great wife, fantastic friends, wonderful kids, a roof over my heads, a job I love, a baby on the way, and I’m healthy. I’m satisfied. Two thousand eight resolution #3: check.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Don’t buy pants unless my wife is there. In fact, let her buy my clothes.
32. What kept you sane? Coming home from work. And riding my bike.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I thought that the Camaro in Transformers was awesome, and Bob Barker. Seriously Drew Carey as a replacement: the price is wrong.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? Boxers or Briefs. That debate is amazing.
35. Who did you miss? I didn’t miss, I hit.

36. Who was the best new person you met? Too hard to answer, I’ve met a lot of great people.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.

1. Change is hard.

2. I love mountains.

3. The more you study, the more you realize how little you know.

4. Kids really do grow up fast.

5. My wife is more amazing than I thought.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.”

This is me! I must have been about 6 or 7 years old here. My dad sent me 3 CD’s full of family pictures that I’ve never seen.

I need to credit the Duchess for this list of questions. I hijacked them from her blog.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? bought a house and moved across the country
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? yes, except one, and yes
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? you bet! Three sisters in law and a few friends . . .
4. Did anyone close to you die? the only person I know who died last year was Wayne Ashworth . . . and we weren’t all that close but I did things for him that I have never done for another grown up person
5. What countries did you visit? nothing exotic, unless you count The Happiest Place on Earth as a visit to a foreign land
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? a vehicle that seats at least six, so that our whole family can drive to church together
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? the whole month of April, one of the happiest times of my life. And June 8, 2007, the day we closed on our house. And July 1, 2007, Bob’s first day of Residency. And August 11, 2007 Jack’s baptism.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? still being married to, and madly in love with, my husband after supporting him through TEN YEARS of school. I totally deserve a medal.
9. What was your biggest failure? I failed to get a photo of my dad with my sister at her wedding
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? does depression count?
11. What was the best thing you bought? my very own house
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Robert’s big brother and his wife and kids, Andrew, and my dad and Eddie. They all came in August to be here for Jack, and when they got here they went to work on my yard.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? At times, my own. Otherwise, I plead the fifth.
14. Where did most of your money go? OUR MONEY! Not student loans! (Starting in July.) It goes to the mortgage and to clothe and feed my children.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My sister’s wedding, Bob finishing school, buying a house (are you starting to see the trend?)
16. What song will always remind you of 2007? The Carpenter’s “We’ve Only Just Begun”
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier.
b) thinner or fatter? pregnanter
c) richer or poorer? about the same, though we have stopped accumulating Student Loans
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? write more thank you’s and send more birthday cards
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? yell at my kids
20. How did you spend Christmas? overwhelmed by the generosity of family
21. Did you fall in love in 2007? I fall in love all over again every day.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Until May it was Gilmore Girls (hi Shannon!), after that . . . Biggest Loser I guess.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I can’t think of a single person that I hate. I’m boring that way.
24. What was the best book you read? I read so many, this is a blog entry on its own.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? My daughter has the same disease I do: Singing Turret’s
26. What did you want and get? MY OWN HOUSE w/Garage
27. What did you want and not get? A vegetable garden out back (my own fault, it will happen this year.)
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Was Charlotte’s Web this year? I watch it almost every day.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Thirty, Flirty and Thriving and I celebrated my Sister’s nuptials.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? finishing the year consumer-debt free
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? same old, same old
32. What kept you sane? Meeting our new friends, reading our old friends’ blogs, $20 flat rate long distance combined with my sister’s lack of employment, plus, at the very end of the year, a trip to the HOMELAND.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Rosie O’Donnell and Paris Hilton
34. What political issue stirred you the most? knee length skirts or minis? Plus the disappearance of the thong, what happened to all that visible underwear?
35. Who did you miss? My mom. Weak, I know, but true. And my hairstylist. Vain, I know, but true.

36. Who was the best new person you met? All those who have gone out of their way to become my friends are the best new people I met.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.

1. It is not just a concept that the mother sets the tone and the mood for the household. It is reality.

2. I can do hard things.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
How about a movie quote: “There’s no place like home.” Whether you call Iowa home or Utah home.

It’s a contest

0.5, 3, & 7

What do the above numbers have to do with each other, me and my family?

Answer this question correctly (be specific!) either by making a comment or sending me an email, and you will get a prize in your snail mail box.

The contest will close in three days at midnight.