a lotta questions.

this was forwarded to me and since i have nothing else to update--it was an easy post.



1 . WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? no.

2 . WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? i teared up a bit in church this morning.

3 . DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? not particularly. but i do not despise it either.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey or chicken, but not the slimy kind.

5 . DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes

6 . IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? sometimes, other times i would run.

7 . DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? yes.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS yes.

9 . WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? not a chance. ever. you know that rope would unhook while i was on it.

10 . WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? grape nuts or smart start

11 . DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no.

12 . DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? well physically, i could squash my neighbor like a bug...but that doesn't say much. emotionally...i have not cracked yet!

13 . WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? chocolate peanut butter

14 . WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their facial expression...happy, sad, worried....

15 . RED OR PINK? pink.

16 . WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? hmmm- it is hard to pick one. my nose, most other areas of my body.....


17 . WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my goldfish who were flushed down the toilet (while still alive)

18 . WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? black pants and no shoes

19 . WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE ? a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bar. (i am a total health nut!...there is that darn sarcasm again!)

20 . WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? my tired children-spatting

21 . IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? green

23 . FAVORITE SMELLS? the ocean, sunday dinner at my mother in laws, hyacinths and lilacs

24 . WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my friend, emily

25 . DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? it was a forwarded, forwarded, forward from someone from church who sends these to the whole church.

26 . FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? gymnastics and soccer (anna style)

27 . HAIR COLOR? Brown with some blond highlights and 1 misplaced grey one.

28 . EYE COLOR? dark brown

29 . DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no.

30. FAVORITE FOOD? pizza. and dessert. and i just really like food- all sorts.

31 . SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings

32 . LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? bee movie

33 . WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? light green

34 . SUMMER OR WINTER? summer, i guess but only after spring and fall

35 . HUGS OR KISSES? hugs

36 . FAVORITE DESSERT? it would be impossible for me to pick just one. c'mon, people!!

37 . WHAT BOOK( s) ARE YOU READING NOW? not reading, though i would love to be. only looking for overdue library books....

38 . WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? no mouse pad.

39 . WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV last NIGHT? i played mexican train dominoes last night..wait i caught a bit of snl before falling asleep.

42 . FAVORITE SOUND? my girls singing

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? beatles (but bring on the country!)

44 . WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? belize

45. IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD YOU LIVE? if i could take some folks with me i would head out to the east coast somewhere.

46 . DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? i can touch my tongue to my nose. (long tongue and big nose)

47 . WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Grand Rapids, Michigan

48. HOW IS LIVE DIFFERENT THAN YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE? wow. in every single aspect i can think of.

49. WHAT IS YOUR BEST FEATURE? hmmm...i do not know.

50. HOW WILL LIVE CHANGE IN THE NEXT 6 - 12 MONTHS? how am i supposed to know? my brother in law will wed. my friend and sister will become mom's again. my girls will grow another year older. life will go by too fast.

easter pics

today's talks

lauren, claire and emma are heading down the steps; each with a purse slung over their shoulder. i ask where they are off to and they reply to disney world. i ask if i can come along and lauren says that you need money to go there. "how much" i ask. and she replies "one hundy 20 billion" "wow!" i say "that is a lot of money". i have lots of money, she says. "where did you get all that money" i ask. she answers "my kids are all grown, i got my money back".


just now as we were tucking dramatic claire into bed she is on the verge of totally losing it. i am trying to calm her down and explain that she is tired and that if she chooses to act this way, there will be consequences (i.e. her beloved cubbies tomorrow). she says "i feel as though no one loves me". i tell her she knows that is not true and she says "when i close my eyes my head tells me that no one loves me and if i sleep, no one will like me neither." her therapy bill will start at a young age. increase the flex pay for next year.

**marissa- no need to post a comment. i have had enough badgering for one day. ;)

inappropriate behavior

yesterday, while the girls and i were driving in the car- i decided to go for a giggle. we were listening to the high school musical soundtrack and the song "get your head in the game" came on. i started singing "gotta get your nose in the game" or "get your foot in the game". at first lauren was beside herself trying to correct me....but then she started to giggle. running out of body parts to "get in the game" i sang "gotta get your biscuits in the game". claire coldly stares at me and says "mom!..that is inappropriate" and then averts her eyes out the window, as though she was so disappointed in me that she could not maintain eye contact. the emotional lashing(3 year old style) was so intense that i turned a bit red in the cheeks. the van fell silent and all that loomed in the air were my dirty lyrics. lesson learned. my apologies, girls, for filling your delicate ears with such filth. biscuits are now banned from my vocabulary.

because you are dying to know more about me.....

Thank you Marissa for your "4 things" tag! I swear that I have done 40 of these..but at least it is an update!!

1. Four jobs that I have had in my life:
-celery planter
-strikers (mini-golf/laser tag girl!)
-hostess at gutheries
-hair stylist

2. Four Movies I would/have watch(ed) over and over:
-beaches
-Fried Green Tomatoes
-50 first dates
-Walk the Line

3. Four places I have lived:
-Hudsonville, MI
-grandville, mi
-mt pleasant, mi
-byron center, mi

4. Four TV shows that I watch:
-CSI
-Criminal Minds (b/c i have the secret soul of a forensics expert.)
-Biggest Loser
-amazing race

5. Four places I have visited:
-belize
-mexico
-puerto rico
-curacao

6. Four people who email me regularly:
-marissa
-ronda
-sherri
-male part enhancement people

7. Four of my favorite foods:
-Pizza
-fish
-any kind of yummy appetizer
-chewy fruity candy

8. Four places I would like to be right now:
-vacation (anywhere with a group of my buddies)
-since my kids are screaming...my front porch would work
-on a cruise ship to an exciting location
-bed is always a happy place for me

9. Four things I'm looking forward to this year:
-hanging out on my porch, watching my kids play
-summer (and holding 2 new tiny babies)
-i can only imagine what God has in store for us.....
-

10. Four people who should post 4 things:
-emily l.
-jen m.
-stacy m.
-i dont know who else reads this...any of you blog readers who never comment (my sister, for instance) and whoever reads this in norway!!

smart as a whip.

so today, as we are pulling out of our parking spot at the grocery store, lauren is looking out her window. she hollers out "mom!! that car is moving and there is no one in it!!" i shook my head thinking that she will catch on that it is US who is moving, not the empty vehicle. instead she follows up with "whoa-- that was so weird." a bright, bright future to come for that one.

woe is claire.

poor, poor claire stubbed her toe. she has always had a dramatic flair, and this instance was no different. i carried her balled up body to the couch, kissed her tiny toe and went to get her some ice. when i returned her eyes seemed to be shutting involuntarily (probably from the pain and that darn genetic drama gene!) i smoothed back her hair and asked if she would be all right. she answers, she thought that she would, but she may be unable to attend school next week monday. (followed by a weak whimper) then she says that when she thinks of treats it makes her toe feel happier and that if she could EAT a treat...it would be better for sure. i hand her the treat of her choice (for medicinal purposes, of course.) and she walks away saying...."it will probably hurt again at bedtime, so tell dad that when i cry- he can't put my monkey on timeout." at least she thinks ahead. way to cover all of your bases, claire!