To start things off, here is a picture of my niece, Cadyn. Look at that little face. Can't you just see the ornery-ness? She is adorable! OK, the pictures are kind of going to be in a jumbled up order- but go with it.
Like I said earlier- we had to take a total of 6 flights to get to California and back. Finally, on the last flight, from Dallas to Tulsa, the pilot let Quinlynne come up to the cockpit. Apparently- they don't have wings to give kids anymore? But, she totally loved getting to see the cockpit!

This is a picture of me with my cousin Tasha's grandson, Kash. (Isn't it weird that my cousins have grandkids?? It's true on both sides of my family.) Kash is such a little cuddlebug!

This is me with my cousins Audra's grandson, Robert. They said he never smiles and he never wants his fingernails or toenails trimmed. Well- I had a hangnail so I asked for a pair of clippers. Robert saw me with them and climbed right up onto my lap. The boy must just sense how I feel about nail hygiene. AND- we got a picture of him smiling...with ME!

This is my Aunt Di with Quinlynne. We are on a pier here, one you can drive onto. We were over on this side of it trying to see if there were any sea lions on the lower deck. Isn't the water pretty?

This picture is of Quinlynne looking out the window of the car when she figured out that was the ocean we were driving next to. She thought it was soooo neat!

This is Quinlynne & Aunt Di again. Can you see the excitement on her little face? She couldn't believe we were driving on a pier!!

That kid of mine

Over the Thanksgiving holiday Quinlynne & I flew to California to spend the holiday with family out there. My dad's sister (Aunt Di and that side live in Bakersfield.) Quinlynne had never flown before. It is strange to me how many things my child has not done, because I had done them by her age. My dad was a small aircraft pilot- I had flown, ridden motorcycles, gone boating, been in semi-trucks, etc. SO- for some ridiculous reason, one cannot fly directly from Tulsa to Los Angeles nonstop- at least not without paying an astronomical fee. We flew from Tulsa to Dallas on one airline, then Dallas to Phoenix & Phoenix to LAX on a different airline. Quinlynne and I get belted in on the first place. Quinlynne started to cry because she was scared. I wanted to get on to her b/c I was not gonna be that parent of the annoying child. She quieted down though. We took off, and Quinlynne loved looking below us. When we got above the clouds she said "Momma, it's beautiful! I can feel God!" It almost brought tears to my eyes. But then I thought "ooh- I hope she doesn't know something we don't know! They say kids can sense it first!" lol She did very well until our last landing coming into LA- her ear would not pop and she was crying. I can't blame her.

Quinlynne hadn't ever really been around that side of the family. Before we got there I tried showing her pictures of people and telling her their names. She was a little stand-offish, but I knew she'd warm up. One of the cute things she said while we were out there: Aunt Di was talking about something and she said "Well, hip hip hooray, Quinlynne!" Without missing a beat Quinlynne said "hip hip hoo bee!" I was in another room and heard it and was laughing to myself.

While we were there we drove to the coast. The family lives in Bakersfield, so it's a couple of hours to get to Pismo Beach. The drive there includes passing many, many, many oil well sites. We stopped for a pit stop at a little general store/restaurant/who knows what else and Q & I were walking to the restroom. On the way there is a pool table. Two guys who work the oil fields were in the midst of a game. It was like it was happening in slow motion.....Quinlynne walked right up to the table, picked up a ball & started to put it in the pocket. I yelled "NNNNOOOOO!!!!!" The guys just laughed & said it was ok, but I was nervous there for a while. "Tourist & daughter slaughtered for ignorance"

I will load pictures later.....but Quinlynne saw the ocean. We drove out on a pier and were able to see some sea otters. Quinlynne loved it. I'm so jealous of all that fresh seafood. Seriously- my mouth is salivating now. I had fresh clam chowder....I will never be able to put the gruel called calm chowder in this landlocked state onto my taste buds again. It was quite chilly and the beginning to rain when we were able to walk on the beach. The tide was out so Quinlynne wouldn't walk all the way out to actually stick her feet in the ocean. Wimp!

Anyhow- I'll attach pictures later....

Kids do say the darndest things

Quinlynne has said some darn funny things lately. Saturday she came up to me while I was on the computer & said "Momma, I'm so excited for you to graduate from school. When you graduate you're gonna buy me a pony & a puppy & paint my room pink." When did she just slide that pony thing in there?? Uh- not gonna happen, my cutie patootie. Then on Friday night I went to my room to put on my pajamas. Quinlynne was in my room watching the Disney Channel. I removed my brazier & Quinlynne so nicely pointed out "Momma, your boobies are HUGE." I was a bit appalled. It gets worse. I shook my boobs at her. She said "Momma, when I get older I'm not gonna have huge, hangy boobies like you." HANGY??? I said "These don't hang!" She said "Yes they do. They're huge, they stick out and they hang!" That little heifer. I wished FFF size cups on her at that very moment. I may need another trip to the plastic surgeon! She's said more things lately, but I just wanted to share those. I'll get around to posting a picture or two soon, as well!

"Clothes" vs Dresses

Yet another warning....this is my blog. If you do not agree with the opinions &/or beliefs written herein: I am sorry. We are all entitled to our own opinions & beliefs. Some of mine are about to be shared.

So, most of you know, I am Latter-Day Saint, or Mormon. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If you know anything about our religion, you'll know that the majority of Mormons are very conservative in most things, including politics. If you know me, you'll know that I tend to not be so conservative. As one of my church friends says to me: "you're my left-wing liberal friend". Let me just lay it out there for you...

1) I am a registered Democrat.

2) I don't love taxes, but I believe in them.

3) I am pro-choice. That is not to say I'm all about people hoppin' on the abortion train any time they find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy. So- I guess you could say I'm "pro-choice/ pro-life".

4) I believe that if homosexual couples want to have children, or adopt them, go for it. As long as they give their children plenty of love, support, teach them right from wrong & to be productive members of society....they should have the chance to be parents. It is not my place to judge. That is left for our Father.
5) I support our troops, no matter where they are. I don't believe or support the reasons our troops are in the Middle East- but I support our troops.

6) I support our governmental leaders. I DEFINITELY do NOT like many of them...but I support them because it's my job to do so as an American. If I don't like the job they're doing in office- it's my job as an American to vote & do something about it.

7) I don't believe one race to be superior to another. We are all made in God's image.

Then in a somewhat surprising twist (to some people), I have some conservative beliefs:

1) I believe it is a mother's job to nurture her children.

2) If a mother is called upon to be the primary supporter of her family, I believe she should be educated in order to give herself & her family a fighting chance.

3) I believe a father should support his children & love them. A child should know, without a shadow of a doubt, that his/her father would lay down his own life in order to protect them. (or maim a person in order to protect them! lol)

4) I believe children should be taught, from a very young age, how to pray. It begins by example.

5) I believe it is my job, as a parent, to have a testimony of Jesus Christ, our Savior, in order for my child to begin to gain her own testimony.

6) I believe in conservative dress. One need not let private parts show in order to look attractive or alluring.

OK, from these beliefs, this post is derived. Quinlynne attends a Lutheran preschool. Each Wednesday the children in preschool, and the students of the private school there, attend Chapel. The pastor gives a mini-sermon, makes announcements, the kids sing worship songs, and read verses from the Bible. Since Quinlynne will be in the Chapel at that church, I make her wear a skirt or a dress each Wednesday. This policy is not one Quinlynne is a fan of.

On the way home this evening: "Momma, what day is tomorrow?'

Me "Wednesday."

Q "What am I gonna wear tomorrow?"

me "I don't know Quinlynne. A dress of some sort."

Q "Momma, can tomorrow just be the last day I wear 'clothes?'"

me "No."

Q "But Momma- why not?"

me "Quinlynne, we show respect to Heavenly Father by wearing a skirt or dress inside Chapels. That's just the way it is. The Chapel at our church, or the Chapel at school, or the Chapel at a friend's church."

Q "Momma- when I'm a momma I'm NEVER gonna make my kids wear dresses to church!!!!!!!!!!!"

I'm SUCH a terrible mother!

5 year old?

I absolutely cannot believe my baby just turned 5 years old. Where on earth has the time gone? I know that before too long I'll be saying "I can't believe my baby is 15." I mean seriously. On Sunday night I had to break the Sabbath. After she was in bed I ran to Wal-Mart to get some cupcakes for her to take to school & celebrate her birthday. I came back & she was fast asleep in her bed. I crawled in her bed with her, admiring how beautiful she and her little spirit are. I had to feel how soft her skin is, and how soft & curly & beautiful her hair is. I started remembering what I had been doing exactly 5 years ago at that time. I cried. I cannot believe I cried. Seriously- am I going to cry like this every time I realize how much she's growing?

I remember after they removed that lovely catheter, I could not urinate. I promised the nursing staff that if I could walk down to the nursery I'd be able to make that bladder work. So, I shuffled to the nursery (in my new robe) and stood there and admired what a beautiful human being Heavenly Father had blessed me with. I could not believe He trusted me with such a beautiful, precious, special spirit. How the Lord must love me, and He knows me....and He still trusts me with this little beauty? I still feel those feelings, and they make me cry. (After I got back to the room, I did produce what the nurses were after.)

So, like other people do, I will write 5 things about Quinlynne in honor of her 5th birthday.

1. "Momma, why does your hair feel like wood right here?"

2. "When I grow up I want to be a hair cutter. Then I can wear jeans, flip flops and a long-sleeve-up shirt every day to work."

3. She weighed 7 lbs 4 oz at birth and was 19 inches long. I made them weigh & measure her again. "Ugh- look at me. I'm not exactly a small girl." (Also, at birth, the brief glimpse I got of her at the time they removed her from my uterus, she looked totally like an all white baby. Not at all what I expected. I thought to myself "Huh- maybe he was right....he didn't have anything to do with it.")

4. Despite being poked 6 times to get my spinal block done & the final product imparing my lung function, I love Quinlynne anyway. (Also- when she was brought into me from the nursery for the first time- I held her for about 30 seconds and was done. I asked if anyone else wanted to hold her. I just wanted to sleep.)

5. Quinlynne began sleeping through the night at 2 weeks. NEVER had any problems with her waking up during the night and needing attention. Now she wakes up nearly every night and needs help with something or other.

6. (One to grow on) Quinlynne's hair did not start curling until she was 9 months old.

7. (A pinch to grow an inch.) "Momma, I want an iPhone for my birthday." "No, Quinlynne." "Okay Momma, you get one & then you can let me use it."

I LOVE YOU, Momma's Precious!

Family pool time

Family time at the pool. Cadyn absolutely loved it (which surprised us all). Quinlynne is swimming now & thinks she's totally hot stuff.

Little trip

Mom, Quinlynne, Charlsie & I took a short trip to Minneapolis last weekend. If you remember, I used to live there. I moved there shortly after I graduated from college...a decade ago! Sheesh! I have a cousin who lives there. We got tickets back in February to a DCI show. 23 corps were going to be there. I was SOOOO dang excited. (I know I'm a nerd.) I had been excited for months. Now- unfortunately, I cannot get the pictures where I want them to be, so I'm just going to have to type tidbits & captions with each picture. So, sorry if it doesn't flow well. I have faith that you're bright enough to put everything together. We went to the drum corps show at the new TCF stadium at the University of Minnesota. Beautiful facility. We had Loge seating. I highly suggest it. I might be conned in to going to more football games if I had seats like that. This is Quinlynne seeing her first drum corp. I think it was Teal Sound from Jacksonville, FL. She did pretty well for the most part. Next time, though, I'll take some coloring books.I was about to fall asleep driving. Luckily, we were just getting ready to exit Minnesota & enter Iowa. We got out & I took Quinlynne's picture with those signs. (I didn't edit the pictures.) So, is that total rednecky to take those pictures? She looks a little nervous in the Iowa picture because it was starting to rain and I had her perched atop a guardrail. This is Quinlynne riding this ride called the Splat-o-sphere in the Nickelodeon amusement park in the Mall of America. I couldn't quite get a picture of her face...but the ride takes you up, then drops you a few feet, then takes you up, and drops you. She was so tickled. She couldn't catch her breath she was laughing so hard!This is Quinlynne looking down at the throngs of people while we rode the Ferris wheel at the amusement park. She liked it because it took us allllll the way up to the top of the building. (That's 4 stories.) Quinlynne posing in front of the swing ride thing that she rode more than once. She had to pose with Uniqua & Austin from the Backyardigans. It was a good thing I made her wear her sneakers. If people were wearing flip-flops, they had to take them off while riding rides. She mocked me because I was wearing sneakers with a skirt. "Momma, you're not wearing sneakers with a dress are you? You look like a dork." I can hardly wait until she's a teenager.This is Quinlynne at the entrance to the Mall of America. (Again, I didn't edit the pictures.) I was trying to tell her on the way there that we were going to a really big mall, not one like Woodland Hills. When we exited, I pointed out the mall to her. She still was not enthused. As we had to drive to the top of the parking structure, she started getting a bit excited. We walked into the mall & we were on the 4th floor. She looked down & started getting a bit more excited. When I took her to the center to look down onto the amusement park, her face totally lit up. As we were riding the escalator down, and down, and down she said "Momma, thank you sooo much for bringing me to this absolutely huge mall!"At the stadium on Saturday (I told you I'm having to skip around) we kept on getting herded back inside. "Ladies & Gentlemen, please look to the escorts for the exit to bring you to the concourse." There had been a lightening strike 6 miles away. Then, it rained a bit, then we were under a tornado warning. They should've just asked this Okie....we were in NO danger of a tornado. Hello- you can feel it when they're coming. The weather wasn't hot enough, the sky was too light, the clouds weren't right, and it wasn't still. Anyhow- how to occupy a 4 year old? Why, let her have the camera, of course. This is me, giving a "sexy" look...haha! And laughing b/c I looked ridiculous.This is Quinlynne, my friend Chad, and myself. (Isn't he handsome?)
Mom, playing with her phone while we were stuck indoors. I swear- it got old...Oh, then there was this fun time when we had to all go into the stairwells. I'm not kidding. We were there for about 30-40 minutes. And I'm not kidding.....it was only a thunderstorm....NO TORNADIC ACTIVITY!! I'm a bit perturbed. There are so many pictures of this (us sitting around) because that is mainly what the day consisted of. We only were able to see about 1/3 of the corps before the canceled the whole darn thing. OOOOOOH- ticked!Check out mom with her feet all propped up, enjoying herself. See what I mean about the Loge seating? That's my mom, my aunt & my cousin sitting there. This is the Teal Sound. This is the 1st corp that Quinlynne saw & paid attention to. So, I had to take a photo.

All in all, it was a good trip. The day we left Minnesota it was 71 degrees. At some points the thermometer said 69. By the time we made it to Kansas City, it was 96. Welcome back to the hellish weather!! It was great while it lasted!

First Pedicure

For Valentine's Day Quinlynne received a gift certificate for a mani & pedi. She was ever so excited to go. The place where she went has cute little spa chairs made for kids, complete with a DVD player. She thought she was just totally hot stuff getting this done. Of course, she picked pink AND green to have both her hands and her feet painted. Check out these pictures.

some toes

I'm not being able to work very much this summer. So, I'm trying to get some "toe jobs". You know that's how I paid for my entire portion of the OB & anesthesia when I had Quinlynne, right? People had toe parties & I decorated their toes. Here, let me give you some examples.

Ladybugs

Cherries
Palm trees/beach scene
Flowers
American Flag

So, ooh & ahh....then contact me!

4th of July

Our 4th of July was pretty low-key this year. I will say, however, that I thoroughly enjoyed the weather change from its norm. Yes, it was still humid outside. The weather was only in the 80s or low 90s I think, and there was actually a breeze! In the years past it is usually still 98 degrees at 10 pm with 700% humidity and absolutely no breeze. Torture. Hell.

It was nice to be able to sing patriotic songs in Sacrament meeting, especially all the verses of Star Spangled Banner. Quinlynne & Abby wore dresses that Grandi made them. (I didn't get pics of that.) Quinlynne drove me crazy until it was dark enough to shoot off some fireworks. We only had about 4 things to shoot off. Fireworks are just so dang expensive! But, here are some pictures of the Hoffman evening. Don't you love Quinlynne's outfit? Cadyn enjoyed watching her Daddy with sparklers. She is such a little cutie.