Lost

I was in a plane and it crashed on a desert island. That's my excuse for being absent. So if any of you ever come here looking for updates I apologize for past abandonment. So new news in the Christus household is....baby due in February is a BOY! We bought a new house in Gladstone just North of Kansas City. And we have a new little addition to our family, a kitty cat that Isabelle has named Mermaid. Mermaid is a very good kitty. She lets Isabelle haul her around, put in her cabinets, cover her with blankets. All the activities little girls love to have kitties for. Nick is still working from home (so he says!) I still think he has cocktail parties during the day when we are gone. I still work in Westport and traffic for lack of a better word sucks. We happened to move when they decided to start work on the highway. We are looking for pre-school up here for Isabelle because I won't be at Westport forever. I am wanting to transfer after my maternity leave. So if we haven't heard from you in awhile let us know how you are doing!

So here I am again....

Oh,what have we missed in more than a month? Let's see. The pregnancy is going well so far. I am twelve weeks along and Isabelle is certain it is a girl. More than certain really, she refuses to acknowledge that it COULD be a boy. Time will tell. We have found a house in North Kansas City and are in the process of buying. If you have never bought a house, whew. Too much. Nick might as well make it a full time job trying to get everything straight. We went to Florida and visited my grandpa and his wife making time to go to Disney World, the happiest place on earth. I have never seen more people sweating together in one place in all my life. Well, I will update later. Here are some pic's of Isabelle's happiest day ever.

Disney World

Tonight Isabelle was getting ready to watch Tarzan and came running into the kitchen at full speed to get Nick.

"Daddy, daddy, come here. Now. "

"What is it Isabelle?"

The previews to Tarzan had an advertisement to Disney World (land) I still don't know which b/c I never got to go (no bad feelings dad!) .

"Daddy, I want to go there!!!"

"You do?"

"Yeah, and I can even hold Mickey Mouses hand!"

Nothing is better than seeing that kind of joy! Now if anyone would like to donate money for us to go, we'll take it.

Heparin

For those of you who dont' know, last summer we had a miscarriage. During that time we found out that I have a genetic disorder caller Factor 5 Leiden Mutation. It causes my blood to clot during pregnancy which is what caused me to have Pre-eclampsia with Isabelle and to miscarry last summer. So for this pregnancy we get to inject (yes using a needle) the drug Heparin into my legs and belly 2x a day from now until delivery. Tonight was my first dose and Nick got to do the stabbing. First reaction: Ow. Second reaction: OW. Third reaction: ooohh Owww...okay not so bad.

We have a Bun in the Oven!

Sarah: So when can we have another baby?

Nick: When we have a house and are more financially secure (typical).

Sarah: Well then I guess we'll never have another baby! (typical).

Nick: Sarah (sighs), I just think we should wait until the end of the year.

Sarah: (silent treatment)

2 weeks later:

Sarah: Hey Isabelle, go take this stick to daddy.

Nick: (looking at the home pregnancy test) No way! (half excited)

Sarah: (sheepish)

Nick: Are you serious?

Sarah: Isabelle, do you know what this mean? You are going to be a big sister!

Isabelle: I'm a big sister. I have a little sister?

Nick and Sarah: Yep!

Isabelle: I want to name baby sister Alice.

Nick and Sarah: maybe

The end

Arggggg!

I go into work at 7:30 this morning. We open at 9:00. The phone rings at 7:47. Conversation:

Sarah: Thank you for choosing (insert place of work here) this morning. This is Sarah.

Customer: Yeah, uh, I applied for a credit card sometime. And uh I want to know where it is.

Sarah: I would be more than happy to have a personal banker call you when we open at 9:00 and they would be able to give you that information.

Customer: What time is it?

Sarah: 7:47

Customer: So you aren't open?

Sarah: no.

Customer: So what are you doing there then?

Sarah: getting ready for the day so I can answer stupid questions for customers. (kidding, kind of)

Sarah really said: getting ready to open in the next hour and thirteen minutes. I will have a banker call you when we are open for business. Do you have a number I can have them reach you at?

Customer: No. My phones been disconnected. I'll call back.

What is wrong with people? Really? Any answers will be welcome in the comments section.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and soon-to-be mother's. Even if you are thinking about someday being a mother...Happy Mother's Day to you.

And a little history:

In the United States, Mother's Day started nearly 150 years ago, when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it "Mother's Work Day."

Fifteen years later, Julia Ward Howe, a Boston poet, pacifist, suffragist, and author of the lyrics to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," organized a day encouraging mothers to rally for peace, since she believed they bore the loss of human life more harshly than anyone else.

In 1905 when Anna Jarvis died, her daughter, also named Anna, began a campaign to memorialize the life work of her mother. Legend has it that young Anna remembered a Sunday school lesson that her mother gave in which she said, "I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother's day. There are many days for men, but none for mothers."

Anna began to lobby prominent businessmen like John Wannamaker, and politicians including Presidents Taft and Roosevelt to support her campaign to create a special day to honor mothers. At one of the first services organized to celebrate Anna's mother in 1908, at her church in West Virginia, Anna handed out her mother's favorite flower, the white carnation. Five years later, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling for officials of the federal government to wear white carnations on Mother's Day. In 1914 Anna's hard work paid off when Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother's Day as a national holiday.

The Parents VS. I-ZILLA

Parents: Isabelle, it is time to go to bed.

I-ZILLA: no.

Parents: Isabelle, you do not tell us no. It's bedtime. Do you want to read a story.

I-ZILLA: No.

Parents: Isabelle, do you want a spanking?

(bad question for future reference)

I-ZILLA: NO!

Parents: If you don't get into your room now, you will get a spanking. Understand?

I-ZILLA: I said No.

Parents: That's it. Get in your room!

I-ZILLA: NOooooooo....Aaahhhhhh.....(exaggerated moaning which happens to be I-Zilla's greatest weapon)

Parents: Isabelle, we love you very much, but you cannot tell us no. You need to learn to obey your parents.

I-ZILLA: (in between quiet defeated sobs) I-Iah-Iam-ss-SS-Sor-sorry.

Parents 1/I-ZILLA 0

Mr. Chicago

If you have never been to Chicago you should request a tour from Mr. Chicago. This is Mr.Chicago helping us cross the street.






Mr. Chicago rents anywhere from $50 - $100 a day but well worth the extra expense. Who else could help you find a bowling alley with "pin boys" in the year 2006?











This is me waiting for the L. Or is it el? I don't know, Mr. Chicago wasn't there for this picture.








Mr. Chicago took us for a drink in the John Hancock building on the 96th floor. Here is a view of Chicago from the restaurant.











Mr. Chicago was incredibly patient while waiting to take this picture with John Vanderslice. Look what we would have missed if he hadn't been?

Thank Mr. Chicago!

Days Off

I love days off. Not that I don't love my job. But I am so productive on days off. Today Isabelle had school pictures at daycare. (Nick of course tells me this at 10:00 the previous night after she's in bed so a bath with clean washed hair is out of question) So at 9:00 I took her school promising her a sucker from the bank if she didn't cry (for some reason getting her picture taken really freaks her out). So after the slight melt down and eventual compromise we headed to the bank for a sucker. Blue was her color of choice for suckers, we said hello to everyone that HAD to work that day and headed home. After we got back we dyed Easter Eggs and then baked some cookies. All of this happened before 10:30 am. Why can't I be that productive at work? It's a mystery I may never solve, and any insight you have to offer would be appreciated. The morning concluded with lunch and a "nap." When we woke up (yes we, I slept too) cleaned house. Long day short, we ate dinner and then went to Cold Stone Creamery on the Plaza for some really expensive, but good ice cream. My day off is over and tomorrow is another day.

Finding Nemo

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we
do? We swim, swim.

We took Isabelle to Nemo on Ice and it was spectacular.  GO GO GO if you ever
have the chance!  We had so much fun.  This is Isabelle eating cotton candy for
the first time. ($10 cotton candy tastes no different than $1 cotton candy
by-the-way!)It was worth it though b/c she did get the super cool Nemo hat!
Until next time,just keep swimming.

Long Time No See

I am sorry I have abandoned you blogger. It's been so long since I first set eyes on you. I remember the day we met. You were so brawny and inviting. I took advantage of you and we started a relationship right away. As time went on I got so busy with life that I only visited you when I could. Now I feel as if I have left you completely. I don't know when the fun turned into a chore. Days passed with no word from me and yet, here you are, welcoming me back with open pages. Thank you blogger. I vow never to leave you again.

There was a crooked man
Who walked a crooked mile.
He found a crooked sixpence
Against a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat
Which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together
In a crooked little house.

I once knew a woman you could compare with a warm towel straight from the dryer on a cold day. A warm towel makes all the cold disappear. You don't want to go to work because the towel is such a safe and comfortable object of simplicity. She was a mother of four and in my early married days I considered every aspect of her life to be absolute. If there was tear she'd turn it to laughter. A question of faith and she'd find the answer. I wouldn't call her perfect. Though I wanted very much to be like her. I modeled my marriage after hers. I found myself yearning for children just so I could be even a shaving of the mother she was. I always thought that a mother was a child's connection to the future. A mother, by nurture, not nature, teaches a child all the fundamentals of how to become an able functioning adult. Around my second year of marriage things began to change. Just little things at first. We would often go over to her house on Sundays for dinner after church. And by dinner I mean a hot home cooked meal with homemade iced tea and dessert. That was the first act of love to go. There were no more Sunday dinners. I saw less and less of her as the months went by. I was busy with my own life trying hard to discover the wife and mother in me that I didn't notice when we didn't talk at all.
TO BE CONTINUED...

Motivation

We started potty training Isabelle about 6 months ago. She did great here and there for about 2 of those months and then she flat out refused to use the big girl potty. This week, she's pottied like it's 1999! Can you imagine if every time we used the restroom we came out shouting and screaming "Yeah! I used the potty!" "That's awesome!" (high five and a big kiss) If everyone was motivated like that in all we did, life would be grand.

Example: Joe works in a factory puting screws in kitchen sinks on an assembly line. One day Joe gets done 2x as many sinks as his neighbor. His boss walk by with his "numbers" for the day jumping up and down causing quite the commotion. "Joe," he says, "You are such a big boy! I can't believe your numbers today! Tonight you can stay up as late as you want! (high five and a hug follows)

Now some might think this a bit extreme or slightly disturbing. But just think how nice and easy our days would be with a little extra motivation to take home with the paycheck.

I Gave My Child a Mullet

Oh, my.

Sarah says: I think I will fix Isabelle's bangs tonight because they are uneven and long.
Sarah thinks: I cut Nick's hair last week and it turned out great.

Nick says: Okay.
Nick thinks: Okay

(cut cut trim trim whack rip saw)

Sarah says: Oops.
Sarah thinks: Oh, crap. I can't send her to daycare like this. They'll call the child abuse hotline on me. The kids will make fun of her. She'll come home crying. Oh, crap.

Nick says: oops what?
Nick thinks: oops what?

Sarah says: Hmmm, it doesn't look too bad.
Sarah thinks: She looks like Joe Dirt. Oh, this is not a good thing. (sweating)

Nick says: What did you do? Sarah. (over exaggerated sigh)
Nick thinks: After what she did to my hair last week I don't even want to know what's going on in that bathroom.

Sarah says: It'll grow. Right?
Sarah thinks: Oh please Lord let it grow fast.

Nick says: Sarah, that looks awful.
Nicks thinks: Sarah that looks awful but I love you anyway.

Isabelle says: Mommy cutta my hair. Pretty.

for more information on the disorder that affects over 1 million Americans yearly go to www.mullet.com and donate today.

Just Pictures

Being a Parent and All the Cliches That Go With It

If you aren't a parent let me clue you into a few secrets. When you become a parent, nothing else is as important as your child. When they cry, you are all they want. When they are happy, you are the one they share that joy with. When they are being stinkers, you are the one that has to discipline them. When you go on a vacation without them, all you can think about is how they'll run into your arms when you return. When they go to school, you worry about them non-stop even though you trust who they are with. When they come home you cook them dinner and you actually like pleasing them with their favorite meal. When you sit on the floor and try so hard to pretend play with them, they are ecstatic, even if you are a terrible pretend player. Christmas becomes 10x as fun as when you were a kid. Birthdays are fabulous too. I often wonder who I was before I was a parent. I can honestly tell you that I don't know. I can't imagine having been alive without her. I can't imagine having to live without her. Those are the few things I learned in the past 2 1/2 years of being a parent. And I know I have much more to look forward to.

My Favorite Toy Is....

It's amazing how much money you can spend on toys . And yet, it all comes down to imagination. I remember when I was growing up we didn't have a swimming pool in our town. So the neighborhood kids and I would fill up drawstring trashbags with the water hose and then pull the draw string up around our necks to keep the water in. We would sit in those things for hours. Can you imagine what people driving by thought? Nick thinks this is an absolutley ridiculous story and loves making fun of me for it. But the point is this, do you really need money to be happy? No. Look at Isabelle enjoying this old stool we bought at an antique store for $10. She loves this stool. She jumps off it, climbs on it, puts blankets over it to make forts, plays her dolls using it as a house. What I wouldn't give to get that childhood ImaGinaTion back.

Sleeping Beauty

Hello again everybody! Isabelle's grandpa came to visit from Boonville tonight! So they decided to eat some popcorn and watch Sleeping Beauty. Don't they look cozy? It's 5 degrees here in Kansas City and getting colder. I am so grateful to have a home that is warm and full of such love. I'm posting another few pic's of Isabelle in a few minutes so stay tuned.

Almost V-Day!

Could she be any cuter? No guys, I mean Isabelle. This is not us tonight but I thought I'd share this picture anyway. Nick went out with Dink tonight. He left a few hours ago and I'm beginnig to wonder if he's coming back. I guess when you work from home you enjoy a little freedom when it comes your way. My girl and I watched Bambi II and Mickey's Christmas Carol (wrong holiday but who's counting). We also colored pictures of Princesses and made out her Valentine's for school tomorrow. Nothing is better than being a mom. And I love our special mommy-daughter time. On another note, the little boy downstairs left her a Valentine at the door tonight. I thought that was the sweetest gesture. So we took him some candy and a Cinderella valentine. Is it okay to send a boy a girly valentine? Oh, well. Chocolate is not gender specific. To all of you-Happy Early Valentine's Day and may you share it with someone you love!

The Stinky Cheese Man

I have never really read the book the Stinky Cheese Man. So I apologize in advance for taking the title and making it my own. Today work was very busy. On busy days we tend to deliver service to people that smell. Some smell like beer. Some like B.O. (a lot like B.O. actually). Some even smell like cheese. However, I have never (until today) smelled anyone quite like Mr. So and So. Mr. So and So is not a rich man. Though he isn't poor either. He is of short stature and has really nice blue eyes. He limps a little and his mouth droops to the left when he smiles. I would not have noticed these features had he not smelled like he stepped straight out of a cat box. A used cat box. I found myself in quite a spot. I was taking notice of all the things that made him appealing just to direct my mind from focusing on his smell. When he left I wondered if this little blip in my day made me a good person or a bad person. Was I good for focusing on all of his pleasantries? Or bad because I had to focus on all of his great attributes to avoid focusing on the atrocious smell? In the end I came to the conculsion that I am a bad person. I had a five minute conversation with a nice man and I can't tell you how old he is, if he has children, or even if he comes into to our center often. A good person would be able to tell you all of this and even his cat's name. So today I pray for grace, compassion, and a little bottle of lysol to take the pain away.

The Day the Couch Attacked Me.

Hey. My name is Isabelle. I am two years and have many worldy interests. I like to sing, dance, play Little Peoples, you know the usual. Saturday night I went with my mommy to visit my Grandma and Papa. They just finished their basement and it's much more kid friendly than it used to be. Or so I thought. The evening started with some hotdogs and chocolate milk in the kitchen, then we moved the party downstairs. Grandma just bought me a new doll house so I was playing with my princesses while watching the Little Mermaid. I had just gotten to the part where Eric jumps into the sea after Ariel to save her from the scary Octopus when I had the urge to run as fast as I could into the TV room where mommy was. Little did I know that Copernicus (the dog) was sleeping in my path to victory. Right before I landed on her after tripping on my own feet, the couch jumped up and attacked my lips. I still can't tell whether it was trying to kiss me or feed me chocolate. Regardless, I ended up visiting the doctore in the emergency room. The nice doctor gave me 5 stitches to take home along with 2 Incredibles stickers and 1 pooh bear sticker with a Halloween theme. So until next time, watch your step, you never know where you'll land.

Today I went to the dentist. What a great place to spend your day off (sarcasm). As a kid I remember thinking the dentist was a pretty cool place to go because they had a treasure chest full of suprises. Oh, what would I choose? The princess ring? Care Bear sticker? Balloons? How come as adults we don't get the treasure test? I didn't even get a new toothbrush! All I got out of the dentist today was a sore mouth and an appointment. I might suggest an a adult treasure chest to the dentist next time I go. Hopefully he won't think I am some sort of perv.

Bradford Parker

If you never had dinner with Brad Parker you should make it number 1 on your list of "Things to do before I die." Tonight we enjoyed a feast of cheeseburger macaroni served with nothing but love all the while watching Dancing with the Stars. I have yet to determine who the "stars" are considering I have never heard of half of these people. Brad made several clever comments regarding the show that I can't even repeat because I myself am not clever. Ladies, if you have yet to meet Brad Parker, please don't delay. This young hunk of a man will slip through your fingertips if you aren't careful.

I Got Hosed

Tonight we had our regional meeting for work. It was great! We're eating roast beef, drinking Pepsi, shooting the breeze. Then we start the drawings. Okay, I love drawings, though I never ever win. Several prizes were given using those little tickets everyone uses for drawings. There are 6 numbers on each card and our regional director was calling out the last three numbers on the ticket. So the GRAND PRIZE was a $100 girft card. And she call's the number 411! Yeah for me I totally win. I start to strut myself up to the stage. My team was cheering me on.....and then she dropped the bomb. 411 was the FIRST three numbers in the 6 number ticket. So I lost. What a night. And my losing streak continues, not to mention the embarrassing Zoolander moment.

I love Mark. I love his beard, his shirt, his pre-show scowl.



We enjoyed a nice meal at Aladdin's...my first go at Mediterranean food.
Not as terrible as I imagined. MMMmmmm....Baklava.


Bri-Bri in his pre-show stance. So hot.


N-Sync. Hardy har har.

2:00 a.m.


Kim and Jordon morning loving.


Brian and Nick morning loving.


Jordan examining Kim's neck while waiting for a table at
Milton's.

The End.

Confusion

Okay. So now that I've confused everyone by sending the wrong blog address (which I could have played cool and acted like I did on purpose except I am not a very good liar) we can start again.

Nick and I are in Lawrence. There is nothing quite like hanging out with our friends. I think I might attempt to hit the town soon considering that Jordan's house now reaks of coffee and boys. See you tonight at the Bottleneck and I will post pre-show, post-show, and during-show photos tomorrow!

Inspired by Sara

Well, this is my first go at the whole blog technology. Thank you Sara for peaking my interest! Sara is a friend of Nick's from college (who I didn't like to much at first because..i couldn't even tell you why) who I truly adore! She and her husband Kevin (who I met at the art center in college) came over the other night for some chicken. Sara is pregnant and due in July! Yea Sara and Kevin, welcome to the world of parenting. Speaking of, Nick and I get the weekend off of parenting. Isabelle is at Grandma's this weekend having a blast! Nick and I get the weekend ALONE! Kind of. Nick does have a show in Lawrence tomorrow night! If you are in the neighborhood tomorrow please come to the bottleneck in Lawrence to see Minus Story play and to say hello!

P.S. I miss my Isabelle!