"Persuasion," by Jane Austen

While I was hesitant to read this book because it isn't light reading... The language is not typical of what I normally read, I am glad that I read this book.  First, because it is a classic, but secondly, because it is of suffering, love, family obligations, and such.  I find it hard to enjoy most of the characters really, because they are almost all narcissistic in one way or another.  They pride themselves in obliging most effortlessly in things of so little importance in life and it is tiring to no end and most annoying, that their characters never evolve to excite me!  Only Anne, who is undoubtedly the heroine, is refreshing and real!  She is constantly surrounded by habitual selfish men and women alike whom she esteems yet directs in her quiet way.  She is alluring and beautiful from within and most honest and I loved to watch how she participated in each chapter of her journey throughout the book.  I would have loved to have read more of the life which awaited her in the end, but am satisfied with how the book closes.  Be sure to read this book and read it's criticisms as well as it's positive reviews.

NOTE:  I suppose I have lived a dramatic life enough where I do not find vanity and hypochondria entertaining.  I am drawn to Annes navigation through all the drama and am glad that she draws strength in her friends!  For it is almost unbearable to not have those in whom you can reflect and draw inspiration and encouragement from!

American Idol vote offs...

Well, here is my bottom 4.  I know, they only do a bottom 3, but it was a tough one.  Maybe I won't be far off.  Anyway...

Your gonna flip!

So I realize that Easter fell on Sunday April 4th last year.  I don't remember when, or more specifically when we made Easter eggs, but the day I uploaded the pictures was on April 4th.  Anyway, we had so much fun of an adventure making eggs, what with glitter and all and it was crazy times... Reagan due anytime, my mom and grandma about to come for a visit and planning and the holiday and such that well...  look at the cute pictures first...  (I will NEVER do glitter eggs again!)

They were way to messy and if you wanted to peel and eat well, you had to be content with eating a little glitter.  It was unavoidable.  Well, as you can guess we hid these eggs along with the plastic ones and they got put in the basket with the other eggs... well, here is where the story gets NASTY............

One year later...

I am going to be part organizing the Easter party at Taylor's school.  Yeah!  We are going to decorate the room, there is an egg hunt, games and the like.  Well, I went up to our attic to retrieve all that I have, (not much) and as I was going through the eggs, some of which were neatly organized in egg cartons, some not even opened from the Walmart bag... I found... I think 3 or 4 hard boiled eggs from last year.  DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  They had leaked some foul ooze and stunk worse then you can imagine and I can't believe I am telling you the story.  I am MORTIFIED!  Makes me not want to do eggs again. In fact, maybe I really won't!  Anyway, learn from my mistake... Don't hide the colored eggs, or just do a better job at putting your stuff away and check it twice.....  EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWHHHHH!

This years Books Alive Event

Should I pet it?

Okay, this is neat.

I think I will just look at it.

"What are you looking at?"

This woman must have tooted!

Thankfully, this was FREE!  Love it!

He loves to bounce!  Wish we had one at the house!

Then the downpour! 

"I am so upset!"  "I am so sad!"  

"I really wanted to ride the horse!"  

We just sat for a bit while it really came down so that Taylor could calm down.  

We went out to go ride the little pony and I had talked about it with Taylor since yesterday.  He was so excited and we packed lunches and everything.  The weather forecast was iffy, but there were thunderstorms headed our way.  It said 3pm it would finally hit us.  WRONG!  Well, we got to the park and saw some animals and saw the horse, but I asked how much it was and it was TOO expensive.  $6.00 for a trot around two stakes they had placed not even 10 ft. apart.  Sorry... I asked if Taylor wanted to do the bounce house first, since there was a line and he doesn't have much patience anyway.  Luckily, this was a GREAT diversion!  He had his fun and then we were walking to the horse again, there was still a little line, and it started to thunder and lightning and everyone started running.  I told Taylor we better follow suit, these people looked like they knew it was coming...  Right when we got to the parking lot, it seemed to scream at us to hurry up!  Taylor started crying and said he was scared.  Then we packed up the car (still dry) and as soon as I shut my door it came so heavy that the thunder shook the ground and I couldn't hear Taylor who was now balling and saying how sad he was that he couldn't ride the pony!  He was devastated!!!  To say the least!  I bought him a birthday cake cupcake (also expensive!) and after we ate at home he got half and mommy got the other half.  Thankfully, I can take him on base to ride a pony for cheaper and more of a ride.  I can't wait!  Anyway, that was our morning.  We got home and the river was already snaking across our back yard.  Okay.  Fine.  Looks like we are going to hide out at home for a while.  Taylor already has his footed pajamas on.  At least we aren't floating away!

Our new garden

Taylor is so excited and likes the lettuce!  It is very tasty.  We have eaten a little but are waiting to make a big yummy salad.  

Taylor took a picture of my big pregnant self.  He moved a little so it is blurry, but it is in front of the same romaine lettuce.  

We have 2 rows in the far right column and at the end is the romaine and just in front of that is the section for green peas.  They are growing and it is so exciting.  The seeds take a while till full maturity but I will post a little later so you can see the progress.  The middle row is full of potatoes, but they aren't doing what I want so I feel I should dig them up and plant herbs and garlic and or just get it ready for some squash.  The far left is all spinach.  They have started out slowly, but they are getting ready to show.  As soon as it comes up, I 

Wow!  I am loving it!  It is so much fun and Taylor is on the lookout for bunny rabbits who might think they want to eat from our little plot.  He loves to water it and look at it every morning before we head out in the car to school.  Too much fun!  I can't wait to show you!

Reagan update

So, here is an update.  Last week Reagan was seen with speech pathology and radiology for a Barium Swallow Study.  This is where they make up several bottles and food with ranging liquid consistencies...
She was not able to eat several hours before the test so as to insure she was ready to suck down anything they gave her.  (Apparently it is disgusting!)  Anyway, they gowned her up and put her in the x-ray car seat contraption and in the end, she must remain on the same thickener at the same consistency that she has been on since birth.  In other words, things have not bettered themselves.  I told the Dr. that I was concerned that my little girl would have to be the only 5 year old with a lunch box including a bottle because the sippy cups available didn't allow for her thickener to pass through all the included parts.  We are trying some of the straw cups with extra wide flexible tips now as per recommended.  This will also help Reagan maintain a closed airway if she is looking down to drink as opposed to tilting a cup and therefore her chin.  Ramble, ramble... Are you following so far?  Today, we went for post-op with Ear-Nose-Throat and based on little to no change in her swallowing they need to investigate if there is any change to her vocal cord and or airways.  We have an appointment for April and they will have to keep her overnight, after she has been anesthetized and scoped.  They will compare results they found last June to see if any improvements were made in healing of her vocal cord or if the growing body fixed itself in regards to her softened airways.  However, they are interested in seeing to her acid-reflux.  Could that be hampering her ability to swallow correctly?  They want to send us to GI doctors now to have a PH probe.  
http://www.medicinenet.com/esophageal_ph_monitoring/article.htm
You may read about the probe at this link.  There may be other tests they want to preform, but I have yet to go visit them to talk about Reagan.  We will see within the weeks.  The reason they want us to check up on the acid reflux is because it could be causing some swelling or weak tissue around the throat.  If we can possibly check that and avoid surgery then that is a good thing.
--------------  Just off the phone with her pediatrician and SO GLAD that she is WONDERFUL... she is going to call right now to better understand what we talked about today at the ENT appointment and try to get us in to GI as-soon-as-possible.  Also, she says that she will likely be the Dr. on duty when we have the scope and overnight visit in April so she will be able to see Reagan through all of this.  (I LOVE THIS DR!)

That is all for now...  Isn't she cute!

I got my hair done...

I suppose every time I am pregnant, I opt out of coloring my hair every, what is it 6 weeks.  I grow my hair longer and then I go back to blond.  Of course, I had to stay true to self and do what I always do and here it is.  Taylor took the picture.  What a good photographer in the making.  Anyway, if you don't like it, too bad!  It is here to stay for a while!  

This is the finished roll...

Sorry I didn't add this to the previous post.  This is the amazing recipe I just posted on rolls.  We have been eating them with peanut butter and milk after dinner.  We can't get enough!  Love them!

Making YUMMY rolls!

We love to get in the kitchen and I am trying to help Taylor learn the basics.  He doesn't like to get dirty but is learning that sometimes it is okay.  He asked me why there was a mess on the counter.  I explained that you rub flour on your work surface so that it doesn't stick.  He quickly got the hint.  

This is BETTER than PLAY-DOH!

This is my dough!

Counting how many there are.  Very precise!  We did make too many, but no one cares.  

Before they have risen.  Taylor is learning.  By the way, take note of my sparkling oven.  I poured all my energy into making it glisten!  

  Here is the recipe.

Bread Machine Dinner Rolls

Serves/Makes: 15    |   Difficulty Level: 3    |   Ready In: 2-5 hrs

Ingredients:

1 cup Water

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

1 egg

3 1/4 cups bread flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons yeast

Directions:

Place all dough ingredient in bread machine pan in order listed. 

Select Sweet dough cycle. 

Grease a cookie sheet. Divide dough into 15 pieces. shape each into a ball. place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Brush with margarine. Cover, let rise 30 to 40 minutes or until double. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 12 to 15 minutes 

Brush tops with margarine if desired.  (didn't do this.)  (Before baking though, next time I might brush some oil and poppy seeds or sesame seeds on them.)

These were delicious!!!  Everyone loved them!  I served them to friends and the kids loved them too!  If serving to more than 3 adults and 7 kids... make more...  IE..  make some the day before or something...  BONUS:  Taylor really enjoyed playing with some extra dough when I pulled it out of the bread maker.  Great to do with the kids!  

The kiddos

Taylor really loves this guy.  His name is Mason and he is in 1rst grade.  Taylor says he is his best friend.  Too sweet. 

Goofy!

Well, we were just checking it out, the pigtale look.  Maybe later.  

It was just one of those mosey around days.  Both kids were in footed pj's.  Very nice.

This is my "monkey."

Reagan helping~

Reagan can't get enough of the dish washer.  She will climb in it if I am not careful to be right there and grab her out of it.  I don't want it broken since it is bran-spankin-new.  Anyway.  She is into everything obviously, but I sadly don't want to wait until she is down for a nap until I can get the dishes done.  Sigh.  Thank you Reagan for all your help!

Lookabaugh's come to Georgia

It was such a pretty day that we sat outside and Grandpa Matt grilled.  It was so much fun!  We all got worn out!  Hi, Grandma Kim!

Sadly, this is the only pic I have of Aunt Kristen.  Poor dear, had to push and push and push and push and...

Group shot.  Most definitely, the TV is on.  I am only saying because Taylor is off in la-la land.

We had a great visit!  Wonderful weather and games and playing outside.  The family got to talk Taylor to school and pick him up and that was such an exciting thing!  He introduced them over and over.  Then he introduced all of his classmates.  I am very thankful that they came and helped me more than ever!  We had to go in for some appointment for Reagan for her swallow disfunction which took up a big chunk of time.  I hadn't had any idea what to do with Taylor since he had school.  The Lookabaugh's were so grateful to help out and I am so thankful to them.  Not only did they help out with Taylor they fixed EVERYTHING broken in the house!  Oh, and out of the house.  Glad y'all came!

Watch out!

Not much is going on around here... just being cute!