My IQ has Plummeted

Well I was warned by mother that the day would come when my IQ would drop so low that I was no longer capable of changing the channel on the TV or taking the cellophane off a new toy or adjusting the car radio with out the help of my dear daughter, but I was a little surprised that it happened all at once. Not slow and gradual 'dumbing' but one night Bekah went to bed and turned 11.75 and the next morning Craig and I woke up extremely dumb. Oh I can't imagine how dumb we'll be when Anna turns 11 or 12...

(the irony of this photo is that it took me (the dumbest of all dumb) to come in and show her and Craig how to place those silly plastic spoons (after they had spent 4 hours trying) so that the dang thing would spin! (in Craig's defense he hadn't clarified the objective of the project before beginning!)

HELP!

All right all my blogging friends. I need your thoughts... Outdoor toy storage! How do you do it? How do you store bikes, hula hoops, balls, bats, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, water guns, sand toys, bows, arrows, worms, butterflys, bug houses, butterfly catchers (you get my drift)... so you don't look like your constantly having a yard sale? AND you don't have to bring it in every night AND so the kids can get it and put it away themselves AND so it doesn't drive you bonkers! Please share your ideas!

Congratulations!

Craig: I was asked to be chief resident.

My response: whoopdy-doo. Don't you already do the chief work... did they have any other choices? Your the only 4th year...

Craig: Uhhh. Chief of the whole consortium.

Me: Wow! Congratulations! How many people are you over? Is there a pay raise? How much extra work does that entail? How did they choose you?

Craig: 55 people

NO pay raise

Some Extra work

They chose the sexiest resident

Really it is an honor and I wanted to brag a little on Craig. Good Work Honey!

I wanted to include your most 'chiefly' pictures!

Then I wanted to include one so you'll always remember who you really are!

Last week a very special person died. Craig's Grandma Opal Anna passed away late Thursday night. After a quick trip to Missouri for the funeral and a day at home catching up, I wanted to leave one memory. I remember the first time driving up to her house. Craig and I had just gotten married and we were on our way to Kirksville to start medical school. Craig was so excited to have me meet his grandma. As we pulled up I thought, 'I see the garage, where's the house.' Grandams house was a little corner of that big, over sized 4 car garage. I thought to myself as I entered her little 1 bedroom house, 'wow this place will get crowded quickly.' That was the last time I ever thought that. It wasn't long before I realized that grandma's house was never crowded. There could be 100 people there and the only sign of the house being too full was the port-a-potty she rented so 'all them boy's ain't using hers.' It still didn't feel crowded because grandma had a way of making everyone feel welcome and loved. It takes a very special lady to make each one of her 22 grandchildren truly feel like they are her 'most favorite.' We will miss our summer trip to Grandma's but know she is now with her hubby in heaven.

Ahhhhhh! It's good to see.

I'm know I'm jumping the gun a little. But after a lot of this...

(By the Way only a REAL man can get a way with shoveling the driveway while wearing his wife's UGG's - which he now thinks are way more comfortable than any of his 12 pair of work/snow boots)

And too much of this.... to still be put away

(all the Christmas decorations got buried shortly after Christmas and are just now starting to reappear!)

And front porch steps that just didn't make it through...

(anybody have a suggestion as to how to fix these?)

It is so exciting to see this...

(I was so surprised when I saw them today!)

And fun to buy cute little these...

(Girly sandals and capri's!)

And of course to have these out...(Our neighbor says she knows it's spring when she see's the other neighbors pink barbie jeeps hanging out at our house!)

Order Up!

I would like to order a new life. One that includes, but is not limited to:

work weeks that are less than 100 hours long

a husband who is not constantly exhausted

squirrels who make their nests in my trees not my attic

children who mostly don't whine

house work not being completed between 10 pm and 1 am

an occasional girls night out without having to make up for it for the next 4 days in extra house work

a weekly date night with my husband

a budget that seems to pay all the bills (I know I'm reaching for the stars here)

Date nights with the kids that don't include, 'you go, no really you take them' (I'm so tired!)

and for dessert - monthly pedicures...

What do you think the bill will be for this? hmmm $300,000? That's about what it costs to become a doctor. I'll let you know in 16 more months if this order can be filled.

Little Quinny

To make a long story short, Quinn started preschool Monday. All in one day he learned, that he has to go potty - 'because the teacher said so.' His teacher is 'higher, higher, higher' (she is over 6 feet tall) and that you put your back pack in the 'big bucket, not the little bucket, the big bucket!' He loved it and came home and announced, 'I'm a big boy now, not a baby!' Don't tell him, but he is still my baby!
Lexsie was offering all sorts of moral support!