It's All Trivial...

Hmmm, guess I took an impromptu bloggy break. Guess I was feeling overwhelmed. Or just whelmed. Because you DO know that whelmed and overwhelmed mean the same thing, right? You didn't know that? I'm not lying, it's true.

So the story of my life goes. I know countless bits of trivia and inconsequential flotsam. The only time I get to retrieve those pearls from the hallways of my brain and actually use them to impress anyone is either A. Blogging B. Trivial Pursuit or C. crossword puzzles.

Not exactly worthy of an award or national recognition, but whatever. At least it makes me a bit more interesting. Cocktail party conversation starters, maybe. Because I go to so many cocktail parties. Heh. I'm living the high life over here.

Other random bits to elighten:

• do you know that the highest quality coffee comes from an arabica coffee bean, which is different than most coffee beans? It also has the lowest caffeine content as well. Don't believe me? Here you go.
• Double points if you know what a hautboy is...
• or that the "green fairy" highly alcoholic drink is absinthe...
• last but not least, that bears don't actually hibernate!

So, we are back to blogging on a somewhat regular basis...

A

Random Hospital Chatter...

We are just now getting the finalized hospital bills from Lil Chick's hospitalization. Apparently it racks up quite a tab. YEOWCH. However, we are feeling thankful that insurance is paying a good chunk of it.

Here is some random hospital chatter floating through my brain:

The hospital food was not super great. Now. I am a VERY unpicky eater. I'll eat most anything and say it isn't too bad. However, the food left much to be desired. Enter Becky, my cousin in law. She is a Registered Dietitian at the hospital and gave me some huge insider tips on what I could order on my meal trays. Every day I had a huge Naked juice smoothie, a vanilla or chocolate milkshake, protein bars, fresh fruit, fresh side salad and either a grilled cheese sandwich or Club sandwich. The nurses always said to me, "You have the BEST meal trays!". Hee hee hee.

Over the course of the 16ish days spent in the hospital I consumed close to 20 Club sandwiches. They we SO good! Really. They were. I would look forward to my lunch and a movie. When you're on bed rest in the hospital there's not much to look forward to. Eating and blood draws...woot it up! Apparently Club sandwiches were very exciting for me.

We had some amazing nurses, both in Labor and Delivery and the Pediatric unit. I felt comfortable in their care. The L&D nurses kept trying to recruit me, but I said I wanted to be lazy for awhile. Make pies and grow a garden. That sort of thing.

There really is no limit to how many Sudoku puzzles you can do in a row. I did so many of them my eyes started blurring.

One of my Obstetricians took pity on me in my laptopless state, and brought his personal Macbook in for me to use. GLORY. I wrote two posts before heading downhill.

That very same Obstetrician delayed a scheduled C Section so I could get my epidural. Once again...GLORY. Dr. M you are my friend for life.

When Lil Chick was in the hospital I still had bruises up and down my arms from my own hospitalization. I felt quite battered both physically and emotionally.

I realized that despite the dire circumstances we were in, I still felt very comfortable in the medical environment. I felt competent and sharp. Weird huh? Especially since right now I feel fuzzy and dull. But that's because I'm in a post chocolate chip consumption coma.

And of course, my family and friends love me. They showed love by visiting, calling, praying, cooking, cleaning, babysitting, loving on Bubbalu when I couldn't, shopping & returning, more praying, mocha delivering, hugging & crying, emailing, gift gifting, yet more praying and telling me they love me.

But they didn't have to tell me they love me. I already knew. It was shown to me over and over again.

And I love you all right back.

A

Sweet Lemonade...

Tiff over at Still Seeking Sanity was sweet enough to give me the Lemonade award! Thanks Tiff! The Lemonade award goes to those who show great attitude and/or gratitude.



Here are the rules for receiving the Lemonade Award:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link your post to the person from whom you received your award.

And the nominees are....

1. Esther at 3 Girls and a Guy
2. Laura at Living Life Through The Eyes Of Laura
3. Megan at her private blog...
4. Rebecca at Brown Eyed Girl
5. Jessica at The Jagers
6. Lisa at Growing Up Mo'
7. Tina at So Very Blessed
8. Lora Lynn at Vitafamiliae
9. Missy at It's Almost Naptime!!
10. Christy at Real Life Adventures

Hmmm, looks like I ran out of numbers already! Thanks again Tiff!

A

Addicted to blogging?...Nah!

70%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Well well well, Ms. BrownEyedGirl. I bowed to your petty challenge, and look who is coming out on top.

How addicted to blogging are all of YOU?

A

WHAT Have You Been Up To???

OK OK OK, I know I've been delinquent in posting over this last month. But really, I have a pretty good excuse. Mostly that I couldn't access my blog or post without my computer shutting down. See? Pretty good excuse.

Then my heroic husband managed to fix the bugs so we are in happy computer land once again!



Except my computer doesn't have arms. Or hands. And doesn't tilt to the side, but whatever. The fact remains, we are in happy computer land.

A

Toilet Paper Debate of '08...

Here we are back home from our lovely Oregon Coast vacation where we had many a campfire debate. So, I have one question for all of you smart internety peoples.

Which way should toilet paper be hung? So the open end is over the top or under?

Ok, I know it's 2 questions, but the second one is for clarificational purposes.

Discuss...

A

Sharing The Love...

Thanks to Ms. Diaper Diaries for:



The rules of this award are: SHARE THE LOVE!!! Share this award with all those blogs out there that you love. All the people who make you smile. All those that make you laugh. All those that make your day. All those that leave uplifting comments on your blog. **All I ask, is that you include a link to this post with the award and ask your recipient to do the same**

This award goes out to ALL my regular commenters...you know who you are! Just grab the pic, put up the rules and linkylove, and share the LOVE!

A

Craigslist Is My Friend...

If you are moving, be sure to make good use of Craigslist. We are moving in less than two weeks (let the ear plugging and lalalaing commence) and were in desperate need of boxes and packing materials.

Enter Craigslist. On the advice of a fellow dental school graduate who will also be moving soon, we decided to search for free moving boxes online.

Monday morning I saw a new post for some free moving boxes and packing paper and bubble wrap. Made a quick phone call and Lance headed over to pick up some boxes. Turns out this couple had been moved by a professional moving company and had PLENTY of boxes, packing paper and bubble wrap. They even asked if they could drop more off at our house later that evening. Um, OK!

We have boxes coming out our ears, and filled the entire under-the-stairs closet full of packing paper. We also were given the appropriate boxes for dishes, glasses and cups, as well as picture frame and wardrobe boxes.

So, we are doing well in the packing department.

Guess how much it cost for all this packing gloriousness? The gas that it took to pick them up. Yep. FREE. A quick Uhaul 3 bedroom quote had us at $379.98 for boxes and packing material.

So, what has been YOUR best Craigslist score?

A

Sad Sad News...

One of our favorite Christian music artists, Steven Curtis Chapman, lost his 5 year old daughter yesterday to an accident that happened in their driveway.

Read more about it here.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family.

A

Watch Out...

17
Well, at least I know I'll survive Jude's 5 yr birthday party if it gets a little out of hand.

A

On The Road Again....

Things I saw while driving today:

• A majestic eagle perched in a scraggly tree overlooking a glassy lake. I think it looked at me.
  
• Ok, I didn't SEE this, but I could SMELL the country...they were spreading again. Ahh, fertilizer.
  
• A big tractor that I thought wasn't going to stop in time for me...but it did.
• Many Canadian plates driving into the states to shop, because the US dollar is worth mud.
• A ranch-style house, run down and unkempt, with what had to be 14 cars in the front yard. Not sure if that is legal in our parts.
• A new car I've never seen before : A Nissan Rogue. Was curious where they got the name from. X-MEN? What would a Wolverine vehicle look like? Even worse, what about a Magneto car? That just wouldn't work at all. Talk about high insurance rates. Geico wouldn't be a lick of help.
  
• Yet another Starbucks invasion...which I wholeheartedly support. After all, my creamers are getting low.
• An empty car seat. Don't panic, all is good. MIL graciously offered some get out and go shopping time. Cranky attitude miraculously disappeared after "therapy".
  

A

Trust and obey, for there's no other way...

Read this devotional sent to me by sis.....

http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/encouragement/11561168/

WOW...

this spoke volumes to my heart. The timing of the
message could not have been more perfect. Last week I was
freaking out over Christmas, Jude's b-day, Chr. cards, Lance
taking boards, etc. Then, God said to me "trust in ME alone, cast your
anxieties and worries aside" and showed me where my heart needs
to be on a day to day basis.

Tannenbaum take 2

Well, I redecorated my tree again. Oh yes I did. I had to redo it now that we are in a new apartment.

What?

Oh, you didn't know we moved? Yeah, we did.

Well, early Monday morning we woke to flooding in our apartment. Early meaning 2 am. So, we did the whole try to protect your belongings thing. We diverted water any way we could think of: sweeping with a broom, makeshift sandbags, scooping it up with a dustpan, digging trenches, blocking flow with towels and bailing with buckets and garbage pails.

Oh yeah, did I say that water is COLD in December? And, I was wearing sandals.

So, Monday afternoon through last evening we moved to a new apartment. I am happy to report that the only opening was for a 3 bedroom apartment, so we have been upgraded! God continues to bless us. Sometimes we just need to trust God a bit more.

Me? I was thinking at 4 am Monday that this was a horrible, sucky thing to have happen, what with Lance taking his boards next week and Jude's b-day party on Saturday. Now, I see God's plan to move us to a new apartment that suits us just fine!

Of course, what are we without family, church and friends? We couldn't have done it without them. Help came in many forms: providing meals, prayers for our well-being, phone calls and emails of support, watching the baby and the work of many hands helping to move us.

Thank-you doesn't seem like enough to say...

A

Why Vintage Dutch Girl?

Why Vintage Dutch Girl?

Just because, that's why....

• I am dutch by heritage
• I am a female
• I love me some garage sales and thrift stores
• I also love crafting in all ways
• Finding new uses for older things appeals to me
• I am also rather "vintage" in my ethics as well

Well, welcome to my blog! Not sure where we are headed, but here goes...