Costco Brand Diapers?

Did any of you use the Costco brand diapers on your baby girls? I have never tried them before and I was wondering if they leaked or not. I used Luvs with my other two, but I would rather switch to the Costco brand if they are good. Please leave me your opinion. Thanks!

Sibley's 2nd Grade Music Concert

Sibley is wearing the green shirt and has a scarf around her neck. (Thanks for the scarf Aunt Jenny!) She did a great job and we are very proud of her! She really enjoys her music class and loves singing the recital songs to all of us. Sadie really liked the concert too. She danced around in my belly throughout the entire thing.

The Ghost Story of Sindy Lou, by Sibley Slade

[Sibley is really into ghost stories. She wrote this one all by herself, and Bryant found it in the car the other morning. I wanted to share it. I think it is awesome. Leave a comment and let us know what you think. So as to preserve her unique writing style, I will keep the punctuation just as she wrote it.]

This all happened in 1925. When the cowboys were out. One was going out to get some water down by the lake. When someone or a ghost walked by it looked like the old woman I would hear about in stories. Then he ran home calling a ghost a ghost. It's after me. To his older brothers. They said what's wrong. He said the ghost of Sindy Lou is at the lake. So I ran home. So that night they all went down to the lake. They all got scared when they saw Sindy. And they all ran home. The next day they all went down to the lake. They didn't see Sindy Lou. They walked home. Sindy Lou was at their house but they didn't know. Because she was hiding in the broom closet all night. In the end Sindy Lou found her way to the spirit world and never came back ever again. The End.

My Feisty Baby and Foreign Christmas Traditions

Since this might be my last pregnancy, I want to remember everything - the good, the bad, and the ugly. So, lucky you, you get to go through this journey with me! Sadie has gotten really feisty lately. Every time I lean against the counter to grab a dish, etc., she kicks at it. And when the cat comes and lays on my belly, she tries her best to kick her off. She lets me know as soon as she wakes up every morning. Sometimes she kicks me so hard it surprises me. Y'all know I startle really easily (like Mama). So every once in a while she will give me a good hard kick and catch me totally off guard, and I will scream.

Also, she has started stomping on my bladder. I really haven't been uncomfortable until the last week or so, which makes sense because I'm going into my third trimester. Anyway, those are the latest happenings in my belly. I can't wait to see how much she has grown and developed at my 28 week ultrasound.

On a side note, I went back to work yesterday. I taught first grade, and let me tell y'all, I got broken back in. I had forgotten how demanding teaching first grade is. I have a third grade class on Friday. Friday should be much easier. I had one little fat boy yesterday who cried all day. Every time I would hand out a new assignment, he would cry and say he couldn't do it, before he would even look at it good. I feel bad for his permanent teacher.

But, I digress. I wanted to tell y'all about a little girl. The first grade teachers switch classrooms for Social Studies, so I went in to the classroom next door to teach about Christmas in Australia. When I walked in, a little girl in the front of the class said, "Hey! You're that lady with a baby girl in your stomach." I said, "You're right. I do have a baby girl in my stomach. How did you know that?". She said, "I saw you outside this morning and I just knew you had a baby girl in there." Anyway, I was amazed at this little seer. Also, Christmas in Australia is quite different from ours. Here are just a few differences I learned about:

They leave Santa Claus biscuits and beer instead of milk and cookies.
They decorate Eucalyptus trees because there are no Evergreen trees there.
Since Christmas is in Summer there, Santa wears a swimsuit and rides a surfboard.

On the other hand, we get many of our American Christmas traditions from Germany. Germany is where they started to decorate and light Evergreen trees, or the Tannenbaum. Germany is also where the tradition of Gingerbread houses began. And in Germany, the bad children get sticks instead of presents, just like here. It's fun to go back to first grade and learn things sometimes.

I'm a Super Star!

No, I am not a real superstar, but I am a Scentsy Super Star Consultant as of today when I got my promotion!!!! This is a big deal for me. The next promotion will be Director. Director is as high as you can go. Directors get to go on trips and stuff! And I'm sure Jenny won't be far behind, which means we will be able to take our husbands and go on Scentsy trips together! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO! I am so excited. Oh Happy Day! First I got my pump out and now this! Happy Thanksgiving to me! And thank you so much all for supporting my Scentsy business for the last year and a half. Y'all are great!

A farewell to my constant, loyal friend...

This is my Zofran pump. We have been together nonstop for the last three or four months or so. I appreciate what this pump has done for me, Sadie, and the rest of our family. It worked so well on my nausea. On some days when the pump dose and the Phenergen weren't enough, I could give myself bonus doses with the pump and that would usually do the trick.

Bryant has been kind enough to change my injection site every couple of days so as to avoid infection. (He says he really hates sticking me with needles, but I'm not so sure.) Anyway, today I got fed up. My outer thighs are so bruised and the tissue is so knotted from prior injections that we literally could not find a new injection site. And, let me tell you, when I say there is no room on my big ol' outer thighs, then you know that is serious. He stuck me three times and each time he hit a blood vessel or a knot and it bled and hurt like the dickens. I finally said no more. I called my nurse and she said to leave it out and see how I do and that this "running out of real estate business could be a good thing." I have some back up Zofran pills here I can take if I need to.

So, wish me luck! We're gonna give this a try and see how I do. For the past couple of hours I have felt free - turned loose! It has been wonderful to just be able to walk around as I please without being attached to something. (I get it tangled in things all the time, or caught on furniture, the dishwasher rack, etc.) I am really looking forward to sleeping tonight without it. It wakes me every night beeping or tugging on my leg when I roll around and pull the tube taught. So, with gratitude for all it has done, I bid my pump adieu and look forward to a pumpless remainder of my pregnancy.

This baby's going to be early...

I know Sadie Louise is going to make an early entrance. I have been having contractions for a few weeks now, and I am only 20 weeks. The doctor says she doesn't like it and that I need to mucho take it easy. (She didn't really say it like that. That was for all you fellow Nacho Libre fans out there.) Last night I was having contractions 5 minutes apart, but they were really small. Sometimes they aren't small though, and they go all the way to the top of my stomach. You mamas out there know what I'm talking about. Anyway, I am just starting to get a little overwhelmed about all that I need to do before she gets here. I'm not gonna lie; It wakes me up at night. Well, worry and having to go to the bathroom every couple of hours wake me up at night. I think in general that women have more anxiety when they are pregnant anyway.

First of all, we will need to move. We made an offer on a bigger house for our expanding family, but it's a short sale and we are still waiting on the bank, so more about that later. Second of all, I have nothing for a baby, save a few items my sweet sister-in-law saved for me. Thank you Donna! She gave me a pump, some bottles, and an exersaucer. It has been so long since I had a baby that I got rid of everything. I just hope I have time to get everything ready before she gets here.

But don't get me wrong - We are so happy and thankful. I know I am lucky to have these things to worry about. We get excited about even the little things around here. Like yesterday my belly stripe all of the sudden just showed up. I had almost forgotten about that. And me and the girls looked at baby girl bedding online - so fun! And when we are in the store, we love to look at the baby girl clothes now. We are gonna have the best time outfitting little Miss Sadie. It's too bad Bryant will be in Mexico for everything. I guess we'll just have to send him pictures. Anyway, now I have vented and I feel a little better.

Would you be mad too? Or am I overreacting because I am super hormonal?

I really want yall's opinion on this because Bryant doesn't think it is a big deal. This morning we were in the living room getting ready for school. Out the front windows, we could see a lady walk by with her little prissy, fru-fru dog. It wasn't a poodle, but it was almost that bad. [Sorry, but I don't like prissy dogs.] Anyway, so her dog walks in to my yard like he owns the place and proceeds to squat and do #2 - in my front yard - where my children play ball and ride bikes each and every single afternoon. So, I walk over to the front door, unlock it, open it, and look at the lady like, "Are you seriously gonna let your dog poop here in my yard in front of God and everybody?". She just looks back at me. I would have gone outside, but I hadn't put my bra on yet. So, I shut the door and go and tell Bryant what is going on. He just sort of laughed it off. Skyler was still watching out the window. She said the lady had a bag and picked it up, but I still think that is so rude. I don't let my cats poop in my yard - where my children play ball and ride bikes each and every single afternoon. They go in a littler box in the garage. So, I don't think ladies with prissy little dogs have the right to use my yard as a toilet either, even if they do pick it up. What do you think?

Thank goodness for my sweet kids...

On Sunday morning I got up and got ready for church. I put on a maternity denim skirt and a red maternity sweater. I stood there in the mirror and thought about how big I was, how much I looked like Santa Claus in that red sweater. I complained to Bryant that I was getting to be big as a house, as we say at home. So, I finished getting ready and walked out of my bedroom. Sibley was in the living room all ready to go. When she saw me, she said, "Mom! You're wearing that? You look soooo cute!". Anyway, I just said "thank you" and thought about how sweet kids are, how they love their parents unconditionally. I'm so happy to finally be having another sweet baby.

Baby Sadie in 3D

The good news is that we got to have an early ultrasound. The bad news is that it was because I was having trouble last week. They thought my placenta had abrupted. But not to worry, things are fine now. I just had to be on bedrest for a few days. Those few days fell on the days of Skyler's Science Camp, which Bryant was chaperoning. [More posts and pictures from Science Camp later. Still haven't gotten those developed yet. They sure had a good time. Skyler moped around for a few days after because she still wanted to be at Science Camp. I think Bryant did too. They are both such happy campers.] My mother-in-law was kind enough to come and stay with me and help me while they were gone. I don't know what we would have done without her.

At any rate, here are some pictures from the ultrasound. When she flipped the switch from regular to 3D, I almost yelled at her to switch it back. Since I was only 18 weeks, Sadie still looks a little like an alien. And there is one picture where it looks like there is another baby in there, but that's just the placenta. I love the picture of her little fanny. I think that one is so cute. Most importantly, she looks healthy, and we are so relieved about that. We love her so much already and can't wait for her to get here. I'm so glad my girls will each have two sisters, just like I do.

Happy Birthday Daddy, Ashley, Alyssa, and Elsa!

Papa Update

We went to see Papa in the hospital tonight. They moved him out of the ICU and into a regular room. He is eating well and his face is healing quickly. We found out that his two cracked vertebrae and broken hand are actually from a fall he took a few weeks ago, and not from last week's accident. He had just refused to go to the doctor and get x-rayed. Also, he doesn't have as many broken ribs as they originally thought. He probably only has two, whereas they thought he had five. They put a stint in his neck and he has a tube draining from his lung. As soon as the lung stops draining, they will let him go home. I am betting that, ironically, they will let him out on Veteran's Day. I noticed what little I could see of his shoulder was yellow and bruised. I'm sure his little body is unbelievably soar, but he still doesn't complain. Like I said before, he is tough as nails. Long live Papa! We're so glad he's gonna be okay.

Papa

Bryant's 84 year old Papa was in a terrible accident in Eagar today. He and his Grannie were taking their morning walk when he tripped, fell into the road, and was run over by a dually. They flew him here to a trauma center in Phoenix and he is stable tonight. He is one tough little guy. He has a swollen, banged up head, five broken ribs, a collapsed lung, possible spinal injuries, and some internal bleeding in his chest cavity. Despite all of this, he is not only cognisant, but also making jokes. Man, that WWII generation really is the greatest. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. I'm so relieved that he is stable. If any aunts, uncles, or cousins need to stay here with us, we really would love to have you. We have plenty of room and we are close to the interstate. Y'all please remember Grannie and Papa in your prayers.

Halloween Festivities

Yesterday we started out with the Snake Parade at school and then the girls had their classroom parties. Skyler and Hattie went with the poll and decided to be gypsies. Grandma Slade made their costumes. We already had the bellydancing belts from our lessons and the scarf is from Grandmama and Grandaddy's mission in Cambodia. (Skyler is kind of freaking me out with makeup on because she looks so much older. Whoa! I'm not ready for that yet!)

Sibley came up with the concept of "Miss Underworld." She and Grandma Slade designed this beautiful red and black spiderweb costume. We added the sash and the crown is from my junior high homecoming. I did Sibley's makeup at school yesterday, but she wanted to do it herself today, and I think she did a great job.

I have to interject something about Bryant here. We went together to the school yesterday to get the girls ready for the parade and to help out with the parties. I was in Skyler's room, and I decided to check in on Sibley's room to see how things were going. When I walked in I saw Bryant sitting in the back of the room beside a little girl that obviously needed lots of guidance and assistance. I asked him if the teacher had asked him to help her, and he answered no, that he just saw that she needed some extra help. I thought it was really sweet and indicative of his character. He is so kind and patient.

We feel very lucky because last year at Halloween Grandmama Enslen was here helping us move and she bought the girls' costumes. Then this year for Halloween Grandma Slade made their costumes. And the girls didn't want to leave Mama Kitty out, so they made her a little mask, tied a cape around her, and made her a musketeer. Doesn't she look thrilled? Happy Halloween!!!

Just look at this sweet baby colt...

This is my daddy and cousin's new colt. Here is what Daddy wrote about it in his journal:
Here is a photo of my and Lincoln’s philly, a tri-colored grand daughter of Seattle Slew. The mama is on the left. The black around the colt’s face is the color of his grandfather who won the Triple Crown in 1977. Seattle Slew died in 2002. He was the only horse ever to win the Triple Crown while previously undefeated.

Don't let the innocent face of the mama horse, Swamp Mistress, fool you. She is mean as a snake. She bit my cousin's arm so hard he had to go get stitches. And it is a shame because her mama was so sweet. Anyway, I just love baby farm animals and wanted to share this picture. I can't wait to meet her. Congratulations Daddy, Lincoln, and mean old Swamp Mistress!

Happy Halloween!!!

And BEWARE.....Skyler has the swine flu. No, this is not a Halloween joke. Bryant isn't feeling well either, so don't you come around here no more, or at least not until this weekend, when we are no longer contagious!!!

Finally...The Highly Anticipated Egyptian Pictures!

Crazy Hair Day 2009

As if their hair wasn't ugly enough, they had their dad spray paint it green for them!

I have the Scentsy Christmas catalogs, if any of you want one...

This year they are offering a lot more Holiday warmers than ever before. And they even added Holiday plug ins. Let me know if you want a catalog.

Bryant's moving to Mexico....

It's a girl! Sadie Louise...And if you don't like it, then keep your mouth shut because we're naming her after my grandmother. Bryant's still holding out hope because the ultrasound tech said he was only 60% sure. We'll have another ultrasound in five more weeks to confirm, but it's a girl. Then I guess he can start making permanent arrangements for Mexico. Also, she was so cute moving around in there on the ultrasound. I mean to tell ya, she was really moving too.

I get to have an ULTRASOUND today!!!!!

Last night I had a dream that I had the cutest little baby boy. He was chubby and he had lots of black hair. So now I've had one dream it was a girl and one dream it was a boy. Well, I got up this morning bound and determined that I was going to find out what we are having today. Unfortunately, my doctor won't do an ultrasound for another 5 weeks. I remembered, though, that my friend Vicki Morris told me that some ultrasound schools give free ultrasounds to pregnant women for practice. I looked on line and found the West Coast Ultrasound Institute. I called them and sure enough they can get me in today! I go at 12:15! So, check back this afternoon and see if we are having a boy or girl! And, if any of you other impatient moms out there can't wait around on your doctor for an ultrasound, here is the contact info:
West Coast Ultrasound Institute
(602) 954-3834
4250 E Camelback Rd, #158, Phoenix, AZ

Sibley's Foot Surgery

Sibley has had an infected ingrown toenail bothering her for a while now. Late last week it got to be more than the poor child could handle. She didn't want to go to the doctor, because she knew he would probably have to cut it out. She was brave, though, and we carried her in yesterday morning to have the podiatrist take a look at it. Sure enough, he needed to cut it out, but he said he could fix it in the process so that she would never have another ingrown toenail again. After some coaxing and bribing, poor Sibley agreed.

It was pretty much absolutely horrible. The worst part was the numbing, when he had to shoot her big toe full of shots for what seemed like hours, but was probably just 4 or 5 minutes in actuality. (Y'all know she doesn't have any meat on her bones, so you can imagine how thin her big toe is.) The four of us were all in there together and it was rough on everyone. Skyler had tears in her eyes and I was trying not to faint. Bryant was being extra sweet and told her when she was done she could pick out wherever she wanted to eat lunch. So she was brave and she let the doctor go to cutting on her foot. We were all so glad when it was over, to put it mildly. Then we took her to McDonald's because she wanted a happy meal for lunch. I'll take a picture of her bandaged foot today and put it on here.

15 weeks and starting to feel a little better...

I have had a couple of good days during the past two weeks. One morning I even got up and cleaned and vacuumed my room. And I have cooked dinner several times now. I still have my Zofran pump, but I don't have to take as much Phenergen anymore. Yesterday I only had to take two all day. I usually feel good in the mornings, so that's when I try to get things done. By the afternoons I am feeling a little nauseous. And by four or five I generally feel like I'm gonna hurl. I am so thankful for my mother-in-law, who has been coming over once a week to help us with laundry and what not. I don't know what we would have done without her.

The baby is kicking now too. Last night I felt a really distinct kick for the first time. I have been feeling flutters for the last two weeks, but now I can feel actual kicks. I love it. I have been so worried about feeding this baby medicine all the time, so it's reassuring to me when I can feel he/she moving around in there.

Be sure and vote on Skyler's poll!!! See above.

Ma'at: The Egyptian Goddess of Truth, Order, Justice, and Balance

[I really wish I could download the pictures from Bryant's camera on to the computer so that I could share these beautiful Egyptian Wax Museum pictures with y'all! It's killin' me! Hopefully we can get the problem worked out soon and get those on here!]


Skyler was Ma'at in the school's Egyptian Wax Museum. My VT was kind enough to make this great outfit for her. I actually ventured out for a few minutes and went to the school to see her and her class. They looked great. I was so impressed with all of their speeches and costumes. Here's Skyler's little speech that she would say when people walked by:

I am Ma'at, the Egyptian Goddess of truth, balance, order, and justice. Without me, the world would be chaos. I married my brother, Thoth. We had eight children, known as chief Gods and Goddesses. I was the Goddess who decided if your afterlife would be good. The person's soul would be weighed against my white feather of justice. My name means truth in Egyptian.

Another Successful Fundraiser!

Thanks to y'all, Skyler had another successful Scentsy fundraiser for Science Camp this year! We really appreciate your orders. For those of you who may need a fundraiser in the future for camp, church, scouts, etc., I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. 20% of sales goes to the fundraiser. Skyler raised over $100 just with Scentsy, and she also did a little babysitting and got a couple of donations, so she is set! Thanks again!

Way to go Sibley!

We are so proud of Sibley. For the very first time, she got up and said her part in the church primary program. She had it memorized and everything. [I didn't get to go, but I heard all about it.] She is getting to be such a big girl. The only time she slept with us lately is when she had bad dreams from watching too many Harry Potter movies. She is still in our room some nights, but she has a pallet on the floor. With my expanding belly, there is getting to be less and less room on the bed these days. I have to say, I love waking up in the morning and hearing her go to town on her thumb. She is also practicing being a big sister as of late. She changes her doll's clothes and makes pallets on the floor for her doll too. And she arranges for a babysitter if she has to go out for a bit. I know she will be a great big sister, just like her big sister, Skyler. As always, Skyler did great on her part too. Sadly, this was her last primary program ever!

Poll Results

Well, it looks like most of you think we are having a boy. I personally think it is a girl, but then again I thought Sibley was a boy. I'm a very impatient person and it is killing me to have to wait and find out. Right now the plan is to find out at 20 weeks, which will be right at Thanksgiving. Thanks for voting! That was fun.

Skyler's Sugar Baby

For a school project, Skyler had to carry a 5 lb. bag of sugar around for a week and pretend like it was her baby. They were assigned a gender at school, and to make it very realistic, some of them were even assigned twins. Bryant wanted to take it one step further and make Skyler's Sugar Baby retarded, because hey, isn't that the real world? (I am laughing out loud as I type this. He is so hilarious to me. I know we aren't politically correct, so sorry if any of you are offended by this.)But, Skyler wanted nothing to do with Bryant's retarded or down syndrome baby idea and opted to have a normal, healthy baby boy, who she named Logan. She even found some old little boy Build a Bear clothes and put them on him. She did so well on the project. For her essay, she did a scrapbook of Logan's life, and she got a perfect score! Yes, Grandaddy, she made a hunnerd!

Brownie: Our Dog For A Week

About a month ago, Bryant went out to pick up the girls from the bus stop and came home with this cute little dog, who he named "Brownie." One of the neighbors had found her, but couldn't have her in the house because of allergies, so she handed her over to Bryant. She was obviously well cared for. She had a collar, but the nametag had fallen off. We kept her outside for a little while, but she quickly wormed her way into our home and our hearts. She was the sweetest little thing. She loved to cuddle with me, since all I do is lay on the couch or in the bed these days. And, at night, she would get under the covers and sleep by my feet. She liked to be up against my leg. She was such a good dog too. She would never bark unless someone rang the doorbell or knocked on the door. And she would be so excited to see Bryant and the girls when they got home.

Anyway, we made lots of posters and hung them all around the neighborhood in an effort to locate her owners. No luck. We finally had to turn her over to a dog rescue. I would have kept her, but Bryant is already so overworked having to take care of me and the girls right now. And the cats weren't too happy about a dog being in the house. Brownie was fine with them, but the feeling definitely was not mutual. One night Brownie was sleeping under the covers down by my feet and Snowball came in and laid smack dab on top of her. I was afraid WWIII was about to erupt right there on my bed. I jumped up and grabbed Snowball before he ever knew anything. He's pretty stupid anyway, as y'all know. So, if any of you recognize this cute little dog, call me and I'll tell you where she is now.

Toler Reunion

For those of you who don't know who the Tolers are, they are very good friends of mine from Alabama. Well, they're not from Alabama, but Brother Toler was stationed there in the military, and so we were fortunate enough to have them go to church and school with us for many years. Kelli, their oldest daughter, lives in Chandler now, so we get to see each other some, although not near as often as we'd like. Kelli and her husband, Justin, had a baby about a month ago (a beautiful little girl named Cora) and the rest of the Toler Clan came to town for the blessing. They were sweet enough to invite us over for brunch.

It was sooooo good to see them! I was just so happy to see them and I got to runnin' my mouth and before I knew it three hours had passed! I hope to get to see them again at Christmas. Amanda and Chelsea, their other two daughters, live pretty close to my brother and his family in Utah now. And we are going to Utah for Christmas this year to visit my parents, Jacob and his family, Amanda and her family, the Cornwells, the Atwoods, and Georgia and her family. Thatcher will be starting BYU in January. Yes, I am old enough to have a nephew go to college. I can't believe my little Thatcher will be going to college, but he's not so little anymore.

Back to the Tolers - Oh! Y'all know the fudge I made for Christmas that many of you gave rave reviews? Well, Sister Toler taught me to make that fudge and I think of her every Christmas when I make it. Sorry, that was kind of random. And now I want fudge.

Also, about the picture - I hate that I looked so terrible for our pictures. I must admit that it is kind of a pain to take a shower with my medicine pump in my leg, and I don't have hardly any energy anyway, so I don't shower as often as I should. And I haven't worn make up in months. And I don't brush my teeth as often these days because it makes me gag, and it gives me a stomach ache. And I really need to have my roots done, but I figure why do it right now? I never go anywhere but the doctor's office. This Toler outing was a very rare occurrence in which I went out and not to the doctor's office. Anyway, I guess I felt I owed y'alll an explanation as to why I am so ugly and stinky right now in the picture and in general. My mother would call me "Gravel Gertie." Yes, Mama, I am Gravel Gertie these days.

So, again back to the Tolers. Sister Toler was my Young Women's Leader for several years at church. I must say I was not the best teenager, but Sister Toler always loved me and supported me and had my back anyway, and God love her for that! If not for her, then I probably would have been even worse. The teenage years are hard, you know?

She reminded me when I saw her about one time she was substituting for Sister Bailey in early morning seminary. Well, me and Jenny Sue were obviously mad at each other about something. [Probably clothes, if I had to guess, or maybe she was running late that morning and I had refused to wait on her and went on to seminary without her. Then Mama would have dropped her off and she would have been fighting mad. It could have been a number of things, really. Mostly we would fight because she would borrow my clothes without asking and then I would go to wear them and there would be a hole in them. Or she would use my makeup. Or I would use her toothbrush. That really irritated her. It irritates Bryant now, so I have to do that to him every once in a while. Or she would want to be alone and I would bother her. She always liked to be alone, like my Skyler does, and I didn't, like my Sibley. But, I digress...] Well, we Enslens are not the best at controlling our emotions. Some of us are better than others. I am probably the worst at it, although I am much better than I used to be. So is Jenny. I like to think that every family is dysfunctional, yet some families, like ours, are very open about their dysfunctionality.

At any rate, those of you who went to church with me and Jenny in Alabama know that we had a tendency to sometimes erupt into violent tussles no matter where we were - be it Seminary, Young Women, it didn't matter. Sister Toler reminded me of one such incident and we had a good laugh about it. She said this time we went to fighting and Nathan Pattillo and David Bailey broke us up. They were usually the early morning seminary bouncers, I guess. Although, when Sister Bailey would yell at us to stop fighting, we usually would because we loved her so much.

I would like to say here that our behavior is not representative of Southern teenage siblings as a whole. We were definitely atypical, so don't go judging Southern people and calling us violent and trashy on account of me and Jenny acting fools. And, though we sometimes had fist fights, we would only stay mad at each other for a couple of minutes - maybe an hour or two at the longest. Then we were best friends again. I guess we got our frustration out and felt better. Enslens don't hold in their feelings. We feel like not saying how you feel is like storing up a lot of poison. So, we say our peace, or in my and Jenny's case, we yell and hit and kick each other a couple of times, or at least we used to, and we'd feel better. Yes, I guess we found fist fights to be cathartic.

Wow, this blog entry about the Tolers turned out to be much longer than I intended and somehow evolved into an analysis on Enslen teenage behavior. Sorry. I love you Tolers, and can't wait to see y'all again! Thank you for being so kind and gracious to me and my family and just being wonderful in general. Y'all are the best!

They're here!

I got the new Fall/Winter Scentsy catalogs today, as well as the new samples. They are wonderful! After smelling them, I am really excited for Fall and the holidays. Skyler is going to do another Scentsy fundraiser for camp this year. She will be going to Science Camp in state. She has to raise $130.00. She has already started saving. She will be sending around a fundraiser email soon. Thanks again to those of you who supported her last year. Now really is a good time to start on your Christmas gift list. And the Fall/Winter catalogs have new and improved packages. They have made the Scentsy System more affordable and they have added a couple of very affordable plug in packages. So, expect to hear from Skyler soon. And, don't forget, she is babysitting now days too - and she is an excellent babysitter!

I guess my birthday is pretty special for more reasons than one this year...

Why 09/09/09 Is So Special
Have special plans this 09/09/09?

Everyone from brides and grooms to movie studio execs are celebrating the upcoming calendrical anomaly in their own way.


In Florida, at least one county clerk's office is offering a one-day wedding special for $99.99. The rarity of this Sept. 9 hasn't been lost on the creators of the iPod, who have moved their traditional Tuesday release day to Wednesday to take advantage of the special date. Focus Features is releasing their new film "9," an animated tale about the apocalypse, on the 9th.


Not only does the date look good in marketing promotions, but it also represents the last set of repeating, single-digit dates that we'll see for almost a century (until January 1, 2101), or a millennium (mark your calendars for January 1, 3001), depending on how you want to count it.


Though technically there's nothing special about the symmetrical date, some concerned with the history and meaning of numbers ascribe powerful significance to 09/09/09.

For cultures in which the number nine is lucky, Sept. 9 is anticipated - while others might see the date as an ominous warning.

Math magic


Modern numerologists - who operate outside the realm of real science - believe that mystical significance or vibrations can be assigned to each numeral one through nine, and different combinations of the digits produce tangible results in life depending on their application.


As the final numeral, the number nine holds special rank. It is associated with forgiveness, compassion and success on the positive side as well as arrogance and self-righteousness on the negative, according to numerologists.


Though usually discredited as bogus, numerologists do have a famous predecessor to look to. Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician and father of the famous theorem, is also credited with popularizing numerology in ancient times.


"Pythagoras most of all seems to have honored and advanced the study concerned with numbers, having taken it away from the use of merchants and likening all things to numbers," wrote Aristoxenus, an ancient Greek historian, in the 4th century B.C.

As part of his obsession with numbers both mathematically and divine, and like many mathematicians before and since, Pythagoras noted that nine in particular had many unique properties.

Any grade-schooler could tell you, for example, that the sum of the two-digits resulting from nine multiplied by any other single-digit number will equal nine. So 9x3=27, and 2+7=9.


Multiply nine by any two, three or four-digit number and the sums of those will also break down to nine. For example: 9x62 = 558; 5+5+8=18; 1+8=9.


Sept. 9 also happens to be the 252nd day of the year (2 + 5 +2)...

Kimberly Wallentine: A True Friend

My friend, Kim, was my angel this week. I guess I should say she was my family's angel. Every night this week, she brought over a delicious dinner for us. And, as if that wasn't enough, she spent a couple of hours on Wednesday cleaning my house. She stripped beds, washed and dried sheets, made beds back up, vacuumed the carpet, and swept and mopped my floors. I think that is about the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. How can I say thank you enough? I am forever indebted. When I feel better, perhaps I can be your indentured servant for a little while.

Roman Name and Spartan Upbringing

Bryant told me yesterday that when his boy is born, I, the baby's mother, can have the baby for the time span of one year so that I can feed him and he may grow strong. Then, at one year old, I must turn him over to Bryant, so that Bryant can raise him not to be a "sissy." I asked Bryant, "What if it's a girl?". His response was, "Woman, how many times do I have to tell you? If it's a girl, I'm moving to Mexico." Also, I was told that "his boy" will not be wearing sweet smocked outfits or anything of the sort.

The Slade Man Diet:
Melissa, Gwen, and Amanda can all attest to this. The Slade boys have a very distinct diet that I'm sure Bryant will be teaching our baby, should we have a son. Josh has already taught the importance of the "Slade Staples" to Jack and Jonah, just as Keith did to Josh and Bryant. The Slade Staples consist of:
Beef Jerky
Mixed Nuts
Crackers and EZ Cheese (preferably wheat thins)
Fritos and Bean Dip
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
To be washed down by a caffeinated beverage - usually Pepsi, but sometimes Coke

If you give a Slade man these items and put him on the couch in front of ESPN or a video game, he is a happy camper. Also, if you give him a birthday or Christmas gift of the Slade Staples and throw in a package of brand new white socks, then you can do no wrong. That is truly the way to his heart.

Ultrasounds

We had two ultrasounds this week. They had to do one before they released me from the fertility clinic and the other one was just at my regular ob/gyn. The baby looks healthy and we got to hear and see the heartbeat! The next ultrasound won't be for a few months, but it will be our first 3D ultrasound, so we're excited about that.

Happy Birthday Skyler!

I can't believe our Skyler is 11 years old and in the 6th grade! She has always been such a good girl and we feel so lucky to have her.

Food, Glorious Food!!!

The nurse came yesterday and gave me an IV in my arm and a Zofran pump in my leg. I had lost two more pounds and she did a urine test and it showed that my body was in starvation mode, so I should have the IV for at least three days and the pump for as long as I need it. Hallelujah! The Zofran and Phenergen together seem to be working! I kept food down last night and this morning! Good ole Bryant is changing out my IV bags for me and the girls are helping me get from room to room by wheeling my IV stand around. We are excited around here about Skyler turning 11 on Sunday.

The New Plan: A Home Health Nurse

I should have a home health nurse come in starting today or tomorrow so that I can keep an IV all the time. I am actually relieved about this and hopeful that it will make me feel better. I am excited about the prospect of maybe being able to eat and drink things again. My body is so hungry and so thirsty. I went back to the doctor to get reevaluated yesterday and I had lost 4 pounds since I was there last on Saturday afternoon, and that was after they gave me 2 pounds of fluid in the ER on Monday, so they decided to go ahead with home health care. They also gave me a shot of antibiotics for my bladder infection, so I'm glad to have that taken care of. Keep your fingers crossed for me that this will do the trick. Thanks again for your comments and prayers! We need them!

My First Hospital Trip - and not to tour the birthing suites!

Yesterday Bryant just finally took me to the hospital. After two doses of Zofran in my IV, I was still puking. They couldn't believe it. So they tried Reglan, and it worked a little better. They sent me home with a prescription of it. And, big surprise, I have a urinary tract infection. I guess that's what happens when you don't keep down any fluids for a few days. But how the heck am I supposed to keep an antibiotic down? I'm just chop full of sweetness and good news, aren't I? I just want to apologize for being fussy and a bad friend, Mom, and wife for the next little while. I think I will be doing good just to make it through. Thank you for your comments and prayers! They are really keeping me going! And my mother-in-law is awesome too. She came over and did my laundry, fed my family, and cleaned out my fridge. Thank you! Thank you!

Ohhh...the sickness! Will the barfarama never end?

Please excuse me while I feel sorry for myself. And never mind my earlier post about Zofran. That worked for about a day. I can't keep anything down anymore - not Sprite, not crackers, not Gatorade, not anything. My upper body is sore today from throwing up so violently yesterday. And I am seriously surprised I even have the energy to sit up for a few minutes and type this post. I divide my time between the bathroom floor, the bed, and the sofa. Yesterday, while Bryant and the girls were at church, I threw up in my hair, so I had to get myself in and out of the bathtub and wash my hair. That nearly ended me. I lost three pounds just this weekend. How can I grow a baby on nothing?

And Bryant, that poor man. He has to do everything - take care of the girls, the housework, his regular work, and most of all me. I really don't see how he found the time yesterday to get enough laundry done to have the girls some clean clothes for school this week, but somehow he did. Bless his heart. And the girls too - They have really helped me.

How many babies are we having?

Just one. I asked Bryant which name we should use then, Brutus or Cassius? He said we could still use both. In fact, he wants to name the baby Brutus Kassius Slade, so the baby will have the same initials he does. He wants another BSer in the family. When I told the doctor about Bryant's onomastic ambitions for our child/children, she replied, "And I bet it will be the most feminine little girl ever." He then told her we already have two of those. All kidding aside, it would have been great to have twins and to never have to be pregnant again, but it would have been difficult to carry them. We are just thankful we are having one baby and that everything looks healthy thus far.

And a quick ode to Zofran:
For the past week I have been getting exponentially sicker every day. Then finally, yesterday, I started vomiting. After a couple of hours of dry heaving, I called the doctor's office. She called me in some Zofran and Bryant went to pick it up for me. [He also managed to cook supper, clean the kitchen, and pick up a few groceries, in addition to going to a church meeting and performing the normal duties of his job as an insurance agent. He is a saint! Don't ask me about the rest of my house, though. I am looking for some housekeeping volunteers.;) Just kidding. We'll just have to deal I guess.] But I digress - So, he brought me the Zofran and I could tell a difference within half an hour. I still feel like pure "T" crap, but at least I am not dry heaving for hours on end anymore. I took it again this morning and I was able to eat a taco! Yes - a taco! Thank you makers of generic Zofran! You are my heroes!

Fun With The Josh Slade Family

We were surprised and elated that Melissa decided to bring Sophia, Jack, and Jonah for a visit. We got to celebrate Jack's third birthday party with him and we even had a small early birthday party for Skyler. As you can see from the pictures, we sure had a lot of fun together. All of Josh and Melissa's children are so well behaved and are truly a joy to be around.

Jack sure loves his cousin, Skyler. He calls her "Copy," and follows her around everywhere she goes. We watched him at our house a couple of times, and he tried to feed the cat some Trix cereal. He picked the bag up upside down, though, as you can see from the picture. He also tried to feed the cat buttons and small toys. We so enjoyed having him here. I love the picture of him asleep in Bryant's lap.

We had so much fun with Jonah, too. I love the picture of him chilling beside Bryant on the sofa. He really warmed up to him and was calling him "Daddy" before long.

Sophia and Sibley had a blast playing with Barbies and doing other girly things. I just realized I never took a picture of them. Melissa, if you did, will you email me one? We sure hated to see Sophia go and hope to see her again before too long. The best part of the whole week was that Melissa cooked dinner for us nearly every night. And she is a great cook! Thanks again, Melissa. We sure do love and miss y'all.