A hiatus

Sorry all for the break in writing. I've been consumed by lots of things going on -- a big series piece I've been working on that runs this week on the radio, Benny teething, Max STILL potty-training, football games, new TV shows and finishing "Katherine" by book group. I'm feeling very tense between my shoulder blades, the place where my chiropractor says I carry my stress. But kissing all my boys helps, and I will post again soon about fun stuff we've been up to.

Clothing

My skinny pants fit again (Crowd: Yeay! Huzzah!)

But I think they are out of style (Boo! Hiss!)

I bought these brown pants (slacks? trousers?) probably seven years ago at the outlets with my friend Autumn. They were kinda tight then, and I've worn them off and on over the years. But now they fit great after months of walking and walking and walking while pushing a double stroller, and holding a 21 pound nine-month old on my hip as I go around the house. But, are they really that cute/stylish/flattering?

Notice the flare, bell-bottom-type thing going on.

I've come up with a solution. Time for new pants! Seven years is long enough.

I'm also going through my closet this week and tossing stuff that is a)obviously out of style and b)I never ever wear. Included in this list: a long black skirt with pockets on the sides I thought was cute when I was TWENTY. Also, a tight red striped shirt, teeny polo top that just doesn't meet the top of my pants anymore, and jean skirt with a slit in the front. Not quite appropriate for a mother of two. I haven't worn these items in years and years but somehow they still sit in the back of the closet.

Ladies, who is with me -- it's shopping time.

C Jane, and NieNie

I've become obsessed with the story of Stephanie Nielson and her sister Courtney K. A few weeks ago at KSL, we did a story about a woman and her husband who had been in a plane crash in Arizona. Her parents are a prominent couple in local and state politics. But I didn't realize how much more there was to the story until I found a link to Courtney's blog on a friend's blog.

Courtney (c jane) is now raising her sister Stephanie's four children while she and her husband (hopefully) heal from critical burns from the plane crash. Some of you already know all of this -- I've found the blogging world to make the world much smaller. I recognized some people's names I knew in the comments on Courtney's blog and on Stephanie's, the NieNiedialogues. Anyway, almost every day I check blog.cjanerun.com for updates on her sister NieNie, and hope for the best for this family.

Read the latest article about the situation, this one in the New York Times, by clicking here.

Friday night ramblings

This picture doesn't even do it justice. When I walked outside, our tree looked gorgeous with its green and gold against the darkening sky. I LOVE fall. But this tree is a goofy one. It doesn't drop its leaves until almost Spring.

JB's camping with Max tonight at our church's annual "Dads and Kids Campout." They just called. Max is in heaven -- he has a stick, he's sitting on a pile of rocks, he's dirty -- he's all boy.

Ben's too young for such a campout this year, so we went to this:

Monet to Picasso at the UMFA. It was so crowded -- it felt like I was back in the museums in Europe with all the tourists. Good and bad -- bad, crowded (though it's encouraging to see so many appreciating art). Good, the artwork. Great, fabulous brushstrokes and colors of impressionism, realism, cubism and every other ism I grew to love as a humanities minor. Also some sculpture, including Rodin. I tried to explain it all to Benny but he just kicked and squealed in the stroller. So we left without too much more deep thinking next to "The Thinker."

Then I went grocery shopping and came home to feed myself and the baby art-appreciater. For him: Gerber's chicken and vegetables. For me: Albertson's fried chicken from the deli and shrimp from the seafood case. Plus a piece of toast and a handful of grapes. I really eat so funny when JB is gone. Last weekend when he went to the U of U-Michigan game in Ann Arbor with his dad, I made the craziest dish for dinner for Max and me. It started out fine -- pasta, white sauce, chicken, yellow squash. Then I added hot dogs. Oh yes, chopped up hot dogs. I think I hoped Max would eat it (he didn't) and I wanted to use up some leftovers.

I also watch crazy things on TV while my remote-controller is gone. I sneakily watch "America's Next Top Model," even though I think I will drop it this season. The first episode was pretty awful. I end up watching either "America's Funniest Home Videos" or a classic TV show or movie. Last weekend it was "Yours Mine and Ours" starring Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball. Tonight, "What's Up Doc" with Madeline Kahn. I list her first because she really is the funniest part of the movie.

Politickin'

You know you're watching too much political coverage when your three-year-old chants "John Muh-Tayne! John Muh-Tayne!" from his perch on the living room couch. Or it's just a sign that he may need speech help someday. Those darn Cs and Ks keep becoming Ts.

I wonder if Barack Obama invaded my three-year-old dreams after the democratic convention like he did mine?

Also, whatever your political leanings, do you ever wonder what you'd be like as a delegate to a national convention? These people go crazy with the chanting and the hollering and the waving of the signs and wearing of big hats. I wonder if I'd get caught up in it too, like the girls you see in the old Beatles concerts. I'd probably take more pictures of the people around me than of the speakers on the stage.

What am I doing rambling on -- it's past my bedtime!

Luci-fee

My sister Bekah and I have decided that the cat from Cinderella, Lucifer, had it right. Mice aren't cute, cuddly singing creatures that help put a bow in your hair and clean the house for you -- they are awful little buggers!

Her proud cat brought in a mouse to lay as a prize beside her bed. Can you imagine putting your feet down in the morning and almost stepping on a mouse? By the way, we believe this mouse came from outside. Rebekah's house is quite clean.

Also, a note about my sister. She's hilarious. If anyone's noticed, in her comments on different posts she'll surprise me with a different link to her name every time.

And she doesn't have cancer. They thought she did, took out her thyroid, but no cancer. Life is good.

An alarming night

Normally the boys are great sleepers. 7:30 PM to about 7 AM. Ben wakes up once for a feeding but goes back down easily. Last night however, it was a different story.

Maybe it was the crazy thunder and lightening, maybe it was the crazy colds the boys caught -- again. But they had a rough time.

We are used to Ben standing up in his crib while holding onto the side a dozen times and squealing for help getting back down. It's part of our nightime ritual. But we are slower to respond now as he is learning to get back down on his own. For some reason last night Max hollered out each time Ben stood up. He's either an early tattle-tale or he was truly concerned about Ben's welfare.

7:35 through 7:50PM: "Mom. Mom! MOOOOMMMMM! Ben's standing (waaaaahhhh). "This sets Ben crying and Max crying even louder. I go in and lay them back down, 3 or 4 times.

7:50 - 8PM: (JB's turn) "Daaaaddddyyyyy, (sob sob), Benny climbed up again (sob, hiccup, sob)"
JB goes in and lays them both back down, says a firm "night night" and leaves. 3 or 4 times. Ben pops up immediately. It's his m.o.

8:05PM: Max realizes he has legs and climbs out of bed, opens the door, and sobs for us. I decide to bring Ben out to the living room until Max calms down and goes to sleep, then I wanted to sneak Ben back in.

8:06: Max realizes he's been left alone in the room while Ben is out of bed. He becomes so upset he throws up, all over the bed, himself, and a little on me.

8:20: He's bathed, has new sheets, a substitute night-night (blankie) but is still a little keyed up. So he sat on the couch while Ben went to bed and fell asleep almost right away. Later we sneak Max into bed.

3:25 AM: My alarm goes off. It's a holiday, I don't have to be at work, but I forgot to tell my alarm clock. Grrrr.

4:00 AM: THUD! I bolt out of bed as Max begins a siren scream. He fell out of his toddler bed for the first time, well, ever. I dash in there, scoop him up and take him to the couch but it's too late, Ben stumbles into wake-dom, spots me, and tries to stand up. Thankfully I was able to put Max back in bed and rock Ben back into sleep-dom.

6:45 AM: JB's alarm goes off. Tell the clocks it's a HOLIDAY!

7:00 AM: Both boys wake up, smiling and cooing, like they've had the best night of rest ever.