Say it isn't so!

To quote the words from a favorite childhood book series

"I was just SO MAD!"

The ABC broadcaster out here in the Charlotte area is WSOC-TV. Appearantly they, and Time Warner can't get along. They increased their cost 5 times the normal amount of any oher broadcasting station "due to economic recession" and Time Warner wasn't going to pay it to carry the ABC station on their lineup in this area. They couldn't come to an agreement.

So as of April 1st, I can no longer watch

• Brother's and Sister's
• Dancing with the Stars
• Oprah
• In the Motherhood
• Grey's anatomy
• NBA playoff's
• and General Hospital!

Not that I ever watched the last three anyway, but I would like the option!

I started my day thinking about how much I would pay to use Dial Up internet connection (gasp!) and Dish Network and a regular landline for phone just so I could cancel all of my services with the devil that is Time Warner! But then I got to thinking, I don't blame them. We just went through this with Viacom too, but they worked it out. WSOC-TV would rather not get any money to be on the Time Warner cable line up, instead of lowering their prices? They played a greedy game, and Time Warner didn't bite the bait. Good for them. Bad for me.

Good thing American Idol is on Fox.

The 'Usual' Please!

From time to time during the winter I made it a treat to take the kids to Starbucks on our way home from Gymnastics- they have kids hot chocolate for $1.10! Not bad. And I blame Tiffany for getting me hooked on the Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate! I never went very often before trying one of those.

Febuary we took a hiatus from Gymnastics, obviously we had a rough month with all the sicknesses going on around here. So this month, we're back to it.

I pulled up at Starbucks last night on the way home from Gymnastics, started my order by saying "2 Kids soy hot chocolate... and" then the guy on the intercom finished saying my order for me- with my drink exactly how I like it with soy, and said "I know who you are, pull forward!"

!!! I guess I go there a lot?

I ain't fraid of no ghost

Kellan has this toy from the movie "Cars" that has two spiral columns that you put two cars at the top, flip down the handle, and they race to the bottom. It says things from the movie like "You're one gutsy racer." And "Speed, I am speed."

It has had its moments of weirdness from time to time, going off and making noises, particularly at bedtime. We've had to take it out of his room twice before because it wouldn't stop. This week, he came in my room two nights in a row telling me the toy woke him up. Again, last night at bedtime, it was going off as we were saying prayers, so I took it out.

He came out to tell me though that "If I hear that toy, it's a ghost doing that to my toy." I said "Oh Kellan, it isn't a ghost, it's probably Grandpa Earl."

So it sat on the kitchen counter, and Kellan went back to bed. James and I started talking about a few expriences that we've had with his Dad's presence around our home from time to time in our life- particularly with a picure. And we realized it was messed with-again! So I go to fix this picture, jokingly fussing outloud "Alright, Earl. What do ya want? Leave my picture alone!"

And while I'm mocking the dead, the toy that is now in my kitchen started making its noises, again... and again... and again. And during a 2 minute conversation with James about his Dad's life, and assumed interest in his grandkids he never met here on earth, this toy must have gone off 30 times. Much more than the two or three times during the night it has previously done spontaneously. So I said "Alright, I get it! You're here Earl, and you're just saying 'It's me! I'm still around!" After a few more times just to really solidify the weirdness, then the toy was quiet for the rest of the night.

But I'm still deliberating... Goodwill, or Trash?

New Car!

Isn't it purdy?

After a couple of months of searching for a minivan that we could get into with the upside down value of our trade, we ended up in a brand new station wagon, lol. It's a 2008 Ford Taurus X Limited.

But it's a far cry from the LaBamba station wagon we had growing up isn't it mom? Its not really a wagon, it's a "cross over" vehicle. It looks more like a mini-minivan.

But it's got three row seating so I can separate fighting children, and a DVD system, that's all the criteria I wanted in a vehicle! The moon roof, heated seats, sirius satellite radio, leather interior, chrome 18" wheels, and all the limited features are just an extra perk for me :)

The best part is, the payment isn't much more than what we were paying out for James's trailblazer, which did a LOT of sitting around. This one gets drivin everywhere atleast. And it's 0% financed, so we won't lose several thousand dollars on this one like we did with the trailblazer. Ya live and learn. I'm so flippin' happy (because it's nice to drive without whining and fighting again) so I just wanted to share!

A little Max attack

For my little niece Brooklyn who asks for "Beebee Mac." And because he's just so flippin cute.

Give a little whistle "whoo hoo"

I'm so proud of myself

How am I supposed to go to sleep when I have cool things to play with all the time?

Weekend Getaway

Since we've been so cooped up recovering from this, then that, we figured the kids would enjoy a change of scenery. (Maren mainly, she was a trooper being on the back burner for so long. Kellan kept asking to stay home instead!) But I didn't want to be in the public around more germs for my little recovering man, so we opted for a hotel to let them run buck-wild.

We got a room that had a "Build-a-bear" package which had a robe and slippers shower set for their stuffed animals with the hotel logo on it just like our stuff too. The kids had fun dressing up their bedtime buddies!

They got to go swimming, jump like maniacs on the beds, and even had an impromptu pillow fight with daddy, good thing they went easy on him.

We took them to a Japanese Hibachi grill, you know where they cook in front of you with the tricks and entertainment, huge flames, etc. It was very entertaining, and Maren giggled and made the Chef's day with all the "Wow's!" Kellan however kept asking to go home, only ate one bite, and drank the entire cup of cocktail sauce when I wasn't looking! He kept saying that his tummy hurt, he's still not back to my normal little guy. Max sat in his Bumbo seat on the table near James where he attracted just as much attention from all the other customers because of how fat and cute he was with his babbling.

The next morning as we were getting ready to check out and head home for the day, James and the kids went down to the first floor to get breakfast, and I hopped in the bath quickly. 15 minutes later there was a knock. When I didn't get to the door, a second knock was much more persistent and I yelled out "Alright, I'm coming!" So I dried off quickly and just walked out to the door. I was expecting it to be James with the kids and a tray full of breakfast. I didn't get to the door before an entry card was used to open the door- and in walked housekeeping. And I was standing there... totally naked. To which I said "Oh, sorry!" They did too, and shut the door quickly. Then I thought "Why did I just apologize?!"

So I called down to the front desk to be sure of when check out was, they told me 12:00. So I asked "Okay, then can you tell me why housekeeping is letting themselves into my room while I was just getting out of the bath before 10:00 AM? They let themselves in when I was completely undressed, and I expected the knocking to be my husband coming back with food."

All the girl at the front desk had to tell me was "I'm sorry, but you could have put a do-not-disturb tag on your door." That's it? That's all you have to say? Appearantly I just lack inhibitions, because even this didn't embarrass me. I was more irritated by the lack of customer service at the front desk of this 4 star hotel. I was ready to write off Hilton's forever!

So as James went back to get his breakfast (he couldn't carry it all) he defended my honor :) He fussed about paying for a room until noon- and not being able to do what we wanted/needed in the room we paid for without giving notice first? They had a list of early checkouts, which the supervisor mistakingly circled our room as one of them. When James talked to the manager about it, she felt SO BAD and was much more apologetic than the front desk receptionist on the phone. She gave us a $75 voucher to the resturaunt and 2 dessert giftcards for the kids too.

All in all, it was a very fun weekend. And the hotel was very nice. Because of the nakedness drama, I didn't have time to go down and get a hot stone spa treatment I soooo desperately wanted. The manager helped make us feel accomodated and valued. We'll be back Hilton. And I'll be sure to put up the do-not-disturb tag anyway.

Wii will rock you

Why does the Wii remote have braille dots on the 4 lights at the bottom of the remotes to indicate which player you are? If you're sight impaired, then you can't play the wii, and you probably can't see the light indication if you rely on braille dots!

And clearly Kellan plays the Wii way too much if he, at 3 1/2 years old, can kick my butt at bowling, golf, and Mariocart. I am ashamed of my 63 bowling game score, to his 105!

But I have to just say, I have a lot of fun with the wii fit. It's cheesy, and the explanations take way too long to get in and have a good work out, but it's fun to do with the kids too, and I really like doing the Yoga in the morning. According to the wii fit, Max weighs 21.5 lbs, and he turns 5 months old tomorrow. Atleast he only gained 1 lb this last month, he seems to be tapering off finally, lol. What a chunkers!

So tired

It's my blog so I'll cry if I want to.

I'm so tired of being stuck in my house. But it's the reasons that I'm the most tired of. I'm tired of my little Kellan being sick with one thing after another- his immune system needs to get back to full strength, so if you have the slightest sniffle, keep it to yourself please! Stupid salmonella. Stupid time of year.

Bring on spring.

I have so much in my life that shows me that my Heavenly Father hears my prayers, and that through all the growing experiences that I need to go through, he's going to throw some cushion in there for me. But I keep going back to the scripture in Phillipians 4.

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I believe that. With God, nothing shall be impossible. I can do ALL THINGS. But it's overwhelming to truly feel like you've been given everything to handle. Just because we can do all things, doesn't mean we should.

I know my life could be worse. I hope no one reads this and says "Waaah, try dealing with what I've got going on, yours should be easy." I"m just in a difficult funk. I miss feeling like I've planned this life, and welcomed these trials with someone meeting those steps with me. And Tiffany, you're right. I've been through a LOT in the last 5 months. I just need a mental rest. I need to find that place of being content again, even with the trials. I'm not a private person so this is a big unloading- sorry! I just need a nap most of all, lol.