7 Quicker Picker Uppers (don't know why I called it that)

Joining Jen because that's whats I does.

1)

On Saturday morning, Maggie came down to our bedroom saying there was a black thing on her ear.  I immediately knew what it was going to be, but she was on Phil's side of the bed and he looked at her ear exclaiming "What in the world...?"  It was a tick, and the size of the one on the LEFT:

(And yes, I'm kicking myself for not taking an actual photo.  Bad blogger.)

2)

Needless to say, Maggie is very scared of ticks now and at random times during the day will tell me "I just keep thinking about that tick" as tears well up in her eyes.  I feel really bad that we didn't see it for 6 days but it was hidden up in the fold of her ear and it couldn't be seen until it got to the size of a raisin.  

Her brothers, remembering stories of when Phil had Lyme Disease and subsequently Bell's Palsy, keep telling Maggie that one side of her face is going to freeze up and so every once in a while she does these cute little nose wiggles and facial stretches while saying "I can still move my whole face!"  She will be tested for Lyme Disease in 4 weeks.

3)

Enough about ticks.  Cari can probably feel her skin crawling.  

Let's talk about weight, which can get my skin crawling.  

  

So I weigh in on Friday mornings at Weight Watchers, and after three weeks of the program and hardcore exercise, I've only lost 4.5 pounds.  I think I lost that in one week on other diets.  My head knows that a slow and steady approach is better, but my mummy tummy wants fast results.  I do love the balanced eating habits WW requires and all the apps make it fun to track.  I just wish they would let us weigh in naked because clothes weigh a lot!  Can you imagine all the naked ladies walking around WW...I think more men would sign up ;)

4)

Another picture of our niece Lenora, just so you (and by you, I mean me) can get your (my) baby fix:

Also, the lovely Caitlin has shared her good news too, and I'm so happy for them!

5)

I nearly had a mini meltdown last night when I read Grace's post that Dora isn't on Netflix anymore.  What the what?  The only reason we got Netflix last month was so Xander could watch his favorite TV show (and so we could watch Arrested Development starting on Sunday!).  Get it together, Netflix!

Swiper must be working for Netflix now.

6)

I loved Rosie's funny breastfeeding post this week, go read it if you haven't already!  She's a nursing rockstar.  Seriously, when we met at the Air & Space Museum, she was walking around nursing the twins like a champ.  Between her and Jamie Jo, I'm seriously delinquent in the milk making business.

7)  

I'm really hoping this rainy weather stops by Sunday afternoon so we can enjoy Storyland.  We'll enjoy it even if it's overcast and drizzly, but not if it's stormy out.  St. Swithin, pray for us!

Have an awesome long Memorial Day weekend everybody!  See ya on the flip side!

Bodies to the Fifth Degree

Playing with Cari for Theme Thursday: Bodies 

(Cari, I think you need a Theme Thursday picture logo we can put on these posts...just an idea.)

I had envisioned getting a picture of my kids wrestling with their bodies all piled up, which is the usual state we find them in when we ask them to "go play quietly", but I never got around to taking it.

So how about we marvel at God's design and ponder how two bodies:

Can help create 5 completely new and unique bodies?

And then those bodies are infused with a soul for the rest of eternity.  

It's wicked awesome.

Five Favorites: The Road Trip Edition

So we're going on a short trip to New Hampshire this weekend (with The Donaldsons!), which means I need to pack up 6.5 people's stuff to make sure we have everything we need.  I would say that I need to pack for 7 people, but Phil is pretty good about getting his own stuff packed with the occasional "Should I bring this shirt or this one?" and "Why are you bringing so many pairs of shoes?"  We've solved that last one by giving me my own suitcase.  

Anyway, these are my five favorite things that I make sure we have when we leave the house:

1)

Junk Food

Because nothing says "It's time to PAAAAAARTY!" like some chips and cookies, amiright?  I pretend like I'm packing healthy snacks (fruit, peanut butter, bread, granola bars) but I stash the goodies in the bottom of the bag for Phil and I to snack on while the kids are sleeping.  This is getting harder since having a girl because my Maggie can smell chocolate from a mile away.  I find as long as I unwrap the chocolate really quietly, pop it in my mouth while hunched over so nobody sees what I'm doing, keep my mouth shut the whole time I'm chewing and don't breathe until it's long gone, then I'm golden.

2)

Dramamine

Oh my goodness, do you know that carsickness runs on the maternal side of the family?  No?  Neither did I until I found that every.single.one of my kids inherited my carsickness.  So, we give Dramamine to the most repeat offenders and bring plenty of ziploc bags in case something, errr, comes up.  Bonus side effect of this wonder drug: sometimes the kids even sleep!

3)

Audio books

In conjunction with number 2 above, having a car full of motion-sickness-prone-kids means that said kids can not read books or watch movies in the car (#firstworldproblems) so we get books on CD from the library (this is what we'll be listening to this weekend) and play them until the baby starts crying which is when we switch over to Veggie Tales music, his current fave.

4)

A Portable Potty Seat

When your kids gotta go, they gotta go!  Pulling over on the side of the road has happened one too many times for my liking, and with the boys, it's a relatively easy solution (just point away from the car) but girls are a little trickier to relieve.  That's where this comes in really handy.  

Just look at how much fun he's having!

5)

Quiet Games

Have your kids play the Quiet Game or the Statue Game or the Sleeping Game until they figure out that these games are only fun for the adults with headaches.  Side note: my Dad used to always wish for one of those privacy screens in limos that he could just push a button and the divider would come up and he and my mom would be in their own little world.  After five kids, I totally understand.  In fact, I'm thinking they should come standard on passenger vans.  

When all else fails, buy them a thick shake or hand them a huge lollipop to keep their little mouths busy for as long as possible and repeat the parenting mantra "We're almost there!"