For Melissa Dobby-doo

Here is my post that never was. But now it is.

So, I was going to complain about the winter and how it's still here and how I'm seriously thinking about moving to Bora Bora where it's summer all year long. These are some pictures from last Saturday when it was actually warm enough to go for a (very short) walk. Then we came home for hot chocolate and cake. Yum. I think hot chocolate is the only thing that makes cold days worthwhile. But I will still be drinking cocoa in Bora Bora... oh yes I will.

{The scarf around Maggie's neck was knitted by my cousin Carolyn and the hat was knitted by my Aunt Kathi... obviously I need to be taking lessons from these two. And while I'm giving credit, the brown mug in the last picture was made by my uncle Duane... man, I come from a talented family!}





Today is rather sunny (I love the word "rather") and so I'm taking the kiddos to the park. I should probably take up skiing, or sledding, or snowshoeing so that I don't dread snowy winters here in Utah, although I still favor canning all of this for life on a tropical island. You'd all come visit me, right?

p.s. I just changed my mind about Bora Bora. Although it's 78° there today, it's raining. I choose St. Thomas, Virgin Islands instead where it's 80° and SUNNY.

Also, here are some pictures to tempt you to be my neighbor (I could totally see myself living in that little pink house... reaching out the window and grabbing a banana for breakfast...mmm, that's heaven):

standing on my {organic and made with essential oils} soap-box:

The past five days I have suffered from a continual headache. I would describe it in detail for you, but that would require me to use several expletives and this is a family-friendly site. Let's just say a blunt object being shoved through my eye socket would have felt better. Too graphic?... sorry.

There have been several nights of taking these:



And several days filled with these:



There have been numerous hot showers, long baths, massage, drinking tons of water, eating my weight in protein, stretching, and also hair pulling and crying. It's been exhausting. And then this morning I found this little bottle in my bathroom cupboard:



I rubbed some on my neck and shoulders and gave myself a little mini massage. And then I rubbed a bunch on my forehead and temples and then I just sat here and smelled it for a few minutes. And...relief. Headache gone. No more wanting to poke my own eyes out.

I don't know why I'm always a little bit suspicious when it comes to essential oils, but let me tell you...next time, I'm grabbing this bottle FIRST.

And it's only 9 a.m.

This morning Maggie woke up at the ridiculous hour of 7 am (my kids usually sleep in 'til 8, and I count on that last hour of sleep because it's what keeps me sane). So I try to get her to snuggle with me in my bed for awhile, but she lays there tossing and turning and sighing and clearing her throat until I finally ask her what she wants and she leaps up, hands stretched over her head and yells, "Brekkfixed!" So I drag my feet all the way to the kitchen and ask her what she wants. She doesn't know. I ask her, "Yogurt?" No. "Toast?" No. "Cereal?" No. "Juice?" No. "Oatmeal?" No. "What?" I say exasperated... "What do you want?" She still doesn't know. "Maggie," I say, "tell me what". She looks up at me and says, confused, "what."

I put a glass of milk and a few crackers on the table and go back to bed.
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In other "Maggie News", she cut her own hair. With scissors. Or as she appropriately calls them, "sharps". Somehow during the two minutes I was changing Cash's diaper, she found scissors and cut a chunk of her hair. Luckily, it wasn't too big a chunk, and I honestly can't even tell where she cut it. Still, it's pretty terrifying when your daughter says, "Look mom! I'm pretty!" and you go into the bathroom to see this:


She wanted a haircut because last night I gave one to Cash. Sibling rivalry begins. Here's a snapshot of Cash's haircut (so trendy with the little faux-hawk... or maybe it's just redneck.) {Also please notice the pretty necklace that Cash insists on wearing EVERY DAY- sigh}



UPDATE: It's now 10 am and Maggie just showed me where she "painted" the walls with a sponge brush and an ink pad... oh, heaven help me...

on being thick skinned...

This morning after her bath (which consequently had turned her into a mermaid) Maggie let it be known that she did not need any lotion. I informed her that it was a very well known fact that mermaids do need lotion- lots of it- so that their skin is very soft and they can swim through the water faster. Oh yeah! she exclaimed and allowed me to slather her with lotion. After I was finished she smiled at me and said, "Thanks Dragon!"