The Post Office Incident

I will never go to the post office in Morton Grove ever again unless: 1.) Morgan is old enough not to be recognized or 2.) I have changed my hair style and she is not with me.

We have been having behavior issues with Morgan - as I am sure that most parents do with children of this age group - 2 1/2. I think about what people say about having a second child, you have probably heard it, that they are usually worst than the first. Well if that is to hold true, Morgan will be an only child! Today has to be the most embarrassing moment in all my life with her. I needed to go to the post office in the worst way today. My girlfriends birthday was last Friday as in the 16th and me being the aweful friend I am, has not gotten her birthday present in the mail yet! Plus I need to mail another couple pieces to another girlfriend that she requested I pick up for her for one of her friend's birthdays in April, which I needed to mail before we left for Canada! Please tell me that there are others of you out there who are as bad as I am when it comes to getting things done - I need support. So I really felt that I had to get this done today.

We were standing in line, as it seems we have been doing all day today, when she began playing on the heating vent that ran along the window. Now if it wasn't for the metal railing running above it about 3 ft higher she probably would never have even bothered. Admittedly, my hands were full with all these items and her Dora backpack, so I asked her to please get down three times, to which she ignored. It wasn't as if I really thought that she would listen, but like God does, I was giving her the choice to behave. Wrongly, I ignored it all while I felt the holy spirit inside of me telling me to pick her up, but like the sinful person I am, I ignored. Father, forgive me please. I figured, if I picked her up with all this in my hands she was sure to throw a fit. As we turned to corner I approached the lady behind the counter as Morgan began to scream! I told her she was going to have to come over here and just throw her fit. Well, I got what I asked for and more. She began throwing herself on the ground screaming her head off to the point people were starring at me and making comments all while I was busily trying to get all the packages together and addressed. I couldn't exactly walk out because I hadn't paid yet for the packages I had grabbed to use...so we stayed. I am glad I didn't take a shower this morning before running my errands because if i had, I would have had a second one in sweat! On a side note: My deodorant broke off today into a hundred pieces so, one pit was "fresh," while the other was not so (see Jami's blog, live, laugh, love for the inside on this). Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I was done and we left. I am sure they threw a "going away party."

1, 2, 3

I don't know if I just have an unusual child or what, but the kid never wants to eat! Getting her to eat dinner is such a chore sometimes. I am not sure how it happened but last night dad got her to eat by playing a game. He said "let's eat our meat at the same time, okay?" To which Morgan replied "Yeah!" Then he said "on 3! 1, 2, 3!" And they both ate at the same time! He got her to finish her meal by playing this game until all her food was gone! It is amazing to me at how hard somethings can be to get a stubborn, independent toddler to do, but yet when you come at it from another angle, it is equally amazing how easy it can be too!

If you have an example, please share!!!

Kind of Like Going to a Mini Zoo...

To get out of the house for a while, Wednesday, Morgan and I decided (okay I decided) to go to Petco to look at the animals. Petco in my opinion has the best selection of animals to gaze at followed by Petsmart and then Pets Supplies Plus (which hardly has any - not really worth the trip). I know this because after we spent an hour in Petco we decided (yes, I) to go checkout what Pet Supplies Plus had. I have to admit, we had a hard time finding the pets and I almost decided to just go home. However, the store is set up in such a way that you are directed all the way down aisle one, before you are permitted to enter anywhere else in the store. They must have all those impluse items there.... Anyway, after our disappointment, we (still I) decided to go to Petsmart. And low and behold the never often seen, mysterious, pet of all pets was starring us in the face. Of course Morgan says, "mommy, what's that?" To which she asks another 3 times before I can explain! It was a baby chinchilla!!! Okay, so maybe not a "baby," but in Morgan's world everything is a baby_______. Have you ever seen one of those critters? They are quite interesting to watch. I wonder does God say the same thing about some of us???

Here are some of the animals we saw, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, rats (in all varieties - don't ask!), mice (they were actually cute - did you know they come in apriocot??? Me either!), hamsters, birds or all varieties (yes, that one was easy), fish of all sorts (fresh & salt water), turtles, lizards, snakes, spiders (I wish God had never made them, but what do I know they are useful for something - couldn't they have at least not been so ugly?), cats, and many other things! Why pay to go to the zoo when you can spend a couple hours going to pet stores and seeing all the wonderful (strike the spiders) animals? We had so much fun and the best part...Morgan hugged me all loved on me when we left because she was so happy to see all the pets!

Satan Up to his Dirty Tricks....Again

"The Jesus Family Tomb"

To read the biblical response to this hype, click below!

http://www.harvestbible.org/Content/4/25526.pdf)

One thing: In my opinion, Don't you think that if a scandal as claimed here was going on in biblical times, it would spread like wild fire and be known the world over, supressing the bible forever? Have you ever seen a scandal remain secretitive that didn't eventually get out? And yet the most hated tool used by Christian's, the bible, has survived centuries, remains the best seller, and has been copied more times and published in more languagues than any other book on the planet. I have a number somewhere as to how far it exceeds the 2nd most published book, but I am too lazy to look it up! Regardless, it is not a close 2nd by far!

Ok, off my soap box!

Drawing the Line

Who said "doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity?" Well, don't we all do that from time to time? And sometimes do you just feel lost for ideas as to what you should do differently?

Tonight, we were able to hopefully leave a lasting impression on correcting Morgan's behavior and more importantly what undesirable behavior would cost her. We have been going to "The Little Gym" now for about 6 weeks maybe? Our first "trial" was so much fun and she loved it so much that I went ahead and signed her up for the next session which will be over sometime in June. Since that initial visit, we have been experiences the law of dimenishing returns.... Each time she enjoyed less and less, to the point where the last few times, she has been down right nasty. It is very frustrating to me because, we spent good hard earned money for her to be able to have something she might enjoy and an outlet to release a little energy during the latter part of the winter and early spring season. The idea of not going or leaving kills me because I envision a toliet with dollar bills going down as the handle is flushed.

I realized though the value of a lesson learned is like that toliet regergitating with dollar bills flying out of it.... Okay, so you get the idea that the return is much higher than the cost!!! So each time she has been nasty and mean to me, I have tried reasoning with her, letting her sit out for awhile until she got herself undercontrol and I gotta tell ya, it is exhausting!!! This is supposed to be enjoyable for her and I, but it is not anymore. It is a battle of her will.

Tonight I had had it. I was done. I told her we were leaving and I took her out into the waiting area while I put my shoes on, grabbed her shoes and jacket and we left - her kicking and screaming, barefoot and all. Don't worry - it was 67 out tonight so she was just fine with no shoes and a jacket for our short walk to the car! She screamed all the way home and I think the message was quite clear.

When we got home I took her upstairs, sat her on my bathroom counter and explained to her why we left. And then I made her tell me why we left. I also explained that we would not go back if she was going to be nasty and mean to mommy. I told her that she was going to sit in her room until she could come downstairs and say she was sorry. Which she did immediatly and of course I asked her why - and she could even tell me!!! Oh, my - I think she understood!!! I just thank God for finally getting me to just do it and I pray that this will have a return on my investment.

Congratulations Gina!!!!!

I am so happy to announce that my wonderful girlfriend Gina is spoken for!!! March 16th was Gina's birthday to which her equally as wonderful boyfriend, Brent, proposed to her! All her girlfriends, and especially her mother are so excited for her - she is such a great person and deserves all the best! Congratulations!!!

Whistler, British Columbia, Canada Trip #3

Can I just say hallelujah!?! I am very happy to relingush the title of "world traveler," but also thankful to have been able to go on all these trips! I am looking forward to starting work again and having some different activity in my life!

Our third trip started out with leaving Morgan sick and me being sick from Morgan! We left on the 6th of March. It was such a long trip!!! Our flight was 4 hours to Vancouver, then we waited for an hour to take a bus another 2 1/2 hours to Whistler. Once we got there and checked in we unpacked relaxed a bit and then went down to get some dinner. We ate there in our hotel and I had awesome chicken quesadillas. As I said I was sick, so I went to bed at 7 pm (which would be 9pm central time) only to wake up to aweful stomach pains at 9 pm. For the next hour I would be gripping the sides of the toliet as I sat there in horrifying pain from guess what??? Food poisoning. So back to bed about 10 ish, then up at 3 am in horrible cold sweats to take a bath, and again at 5 am! I woke about 8 am again. So Kyle and I went to get something to eat, and me being the tough cookie I am decided that I WAS going to ski. So I suited up, sweating all the way, and down to the ski lifts. It only took me two runs and I felt terrible. My lungs hurt so incredible bad I thought that I might have walking pneumonia. After talking to my mom, I decided that it might be a good idea to see a doctor, just to be sure. Of course, I was fine - I had the typical flu with a cold attached to it. She gave me some antibiotics just in case it didn't get better. Thursday, I rested all day and sat in the steam room in the spa downstairs a few times, which was heaven to my lungs. Later when Kyle came in after skiing, we went down to lower Whistler village, and I filled my prescription. I figured that it couldn't possibly hurt, since I had not had an antibiotic since having Morgan. After my day of rest - and a dose of antibiotics - I felt really good! Friday I went out and skiied all day, and felt as though I could have gone all night! Talk about a 180! Well, Saturday I was exhausted and it took me a lot longer to get moving. We skiied about a half a day and called it a day. Everytime I think about Sunday, I thank God for the rain, not only at the village level but also for the rain that reached the summit. Needless to say we stayed in and went out for lunch and dinner only!!! What a great way to spend a day - in bed. I was so tired I really could have slept the whole day. I wasn't feeling well either, but this time I felt weird. I remembered that I was allergic to an antibiotic that I couldn't remember the name of, when it was given to me in Louisianna when I had bronchitis. Well, as I felt weirder and weirder I realized that this was that antibiotic! So I stopped it immediately. However, the lasting effects of it was almost a week. I struggled the rest of the trip to feel good and only made it out one other day to ski. What a huge blessing God gave me to just relax. There was no point in being mad or disappointed because for one I just didn't have the energy to be and for two, I had already been given two other wonder ski trips. How nice, to be able to relax and not worry about a toddler or dinner or laundry!

The weather while we were there was very much like spring - no not necessarily warm, it rained or snowed everyday we were there!!! How depressing.... It would rain mostly in the village or at base level. So they had these bubbles on the chair lift up the mountain to keep the rain off you. We started off up the lift with rain, then sleet, then a huge cloud, and then better visibility and snow at alpine level! Weird, very weird! Most of the good skiing is alpine level to the peak, but because of the weather being so crazy, you never knew when a storm would blow in as we would travel to the peak making conditions so aweful you could barely see your hand in front of you let alone the person in front of you or the terrain of the mountain. Then in 30 minutes it would be clear! Crazy. There are two mountains in Whistler: Whistler and Blackcomb. We both agreed that Blackcomb was by far the better mountain. It opened in 1981 and I am sure after realizing the mistakes made on Whistler, made getting to runs and the layout of the mountain better.

We finally saw the sun on Wednesday 8 days later, the day we left to come home! It made for some wonderful pictures on the way back to Vancouver. I think of all the trips we had been on this year, Whistler to Vancouver was the most beautiful I have ever seen. I just wish the sun would have been out more to enjoy more of the beautiful surrondings.

Vancouver, is also the site of the 2010 winter olympic games. Whistler will hold the skiing events, bobsled, and louge. Hopefully, it will be good weather, so everyone can see how beautiful this creation is. Vancouver also is an absolutely beautiful city. There is the ocean, the mountains and and the sky scrapers making for a beautiful backdrop.

You want me to pay what??? For that???

Ok, so Kyle and I have started the home shopping process and I realize that your dollar certainly doesn't go nearly as far in Chicago as it does in most normal places. So what do you think this home is worth? Take your best shot! It will shock you! In fact, you might want to sit down.... Would you pay $150k? How about $300k? Me either but what about over a 1/2 million? How about 549K? Yep, I can't believe it either!?!?!? What has this world come too? Can you believe that some one would actually ask that for a dump like this??? The inside - oh watch out - it is seriously scary! And to make matters worse ok, this home is sitting on one of the busiest 4 lane roads in this town! Now you still gaging??? Or have you fallen over from a massive heart attack yet?

Needless to say "sticker shock" is beyond the actual meaning. I am stunned at what the prices of houses are...I can't get over it. Everytime I pull up realtor.com I guess I am expecting to see a revelation or something. But, to my dismay it never seems to happen.... How will we ever afford to live here? And you know what makes me even more sick? Is when I see these ugly little sad houses being bull dozed only to errect a massive mansion on top of it! And I wonder why the prices of house soar???? It gets worse too....there is this nice community where the glenview air naval base used to be that is gorgeous, but there isn't a home in there for less than a million. How sick??? There are tons and tons of these extremely overpriced houses - everywhere. What the heck to people do for a living???? Are they morgaged to the max? Because I refuse to be house poor. What is even more sad is that there are hundreds of these huge mansions out by Lake Michigan - huge - gigantic - gargantuan - what do they cost? Who the heck lives there? What on earth do they do for a living? Talk about culture shock. My small little bubble has been burst.....and I am sad....I just want a place to call home.