Okay, Okay, I know I'm a Loser... (aka Longest Post Ever - 3 months' worth actually)

Is there any way to catch up? I don't think so. It's overwhelming; that's really what's prevented me from posting. But just to warn you, this is the longest post ever, so if you don't want to read it all, just look at the pictures.... maybe you'll be bored with even that though. Just proof why I don't blog more. :)

Frankly, I don't have a good excuse, but I just haven't been too motivated. I guess, as Claire says, I'm "just another blogger". But I don't have to be exemplary to feel good about myself... :) In my defense however, I actually did try a few times, (I had a couple of drafts in my folder - Ashley's ABC tag and a summer catch-up - but I gave up on those. Sorry.) What is with us Jim Jewkes girls and our sporadic blogging? At least Sam and Jill have been better than me.... Anyway, here are some pics from the summer along with a list of activities (some of which may seem insignificant, but I have pictures of 'em, so what am I gonna do with them but put 'em on my blog...) So, for your viewing pleasure:

*Oh wait - Disclaimer: My camera has been wiggin' out lately. Terrible coloring and faded pics, among other things. I wanted to edit all these to make them more vibrant, but there were far too many - and I was super overwhelmed, (thus avoiding blogging for 3 months). Plus, when I don't edit them, I think you can click on them and make them bigger anyway. So sorry for the disappointing color in these pics. But I'm still posting them nonetheless.

Summer Activities:

-I got strep throat 3 times in a row. It really sucked. Both the kids had it too, and kept giving it back to me. But my stupid doctors wouldn't culture them (until after I got it for a 3rd time!)because they didn't have any symptoms, despite my begging. Ugggghhhh!!!!

-We went to a fun [Rochesterfest] parade and got lots of treats.

-We had a really fun 4th of July Ward Party, and a friend party in the evening. There were slip n' slides and fireworks, and good food and friends. Just plain fun!

Ben covering his ears during the fireworks... What a good little Audiologist's son:

-We had a visit from Doug's folks. YAY! We went to Oxbow zoo, Lark Toys, Wabasha, MN and Nelson, WI; also, we went to see the St. Paul temple- (it was closed), Como Zoo, the Mall of America, a waterski show, and a bunch of other stuff.

-Our house is now brown and not yellow - with all new siding, roof and new storm doors. I guess I forgot to mention why. There was a huge hail storm while I was in UT at the end of May. Probably at least 75% of the houses on our street had their roofs replaced, and another 25% had their siding done too. It was kind of a huge headache for me to coordinate it all. I'm sure there are plenty of you out there that have had to make a huge claim like this with insurance - so maybe you know what I mean. It was mostly only complicated because of the stupid mortgage company, (the insurance company writes the check to us AND the mortage company - and it was a downhill-spiral from there.) Anyway...

Before:Just imagine over 100 of these all over the house:

After:
We're really happy with it, and glad it's finally all done.

-I got pregnant (for those of you who don't know, but most of you do because I'm nearly 19 weeks now - due March 10th). We find out what we're having in 3 days. Yay! This picture is actually a picture of me at the Como Zoo when I'm only like 7 or 8 weeks along. I wasn't showing at this point or anything, but in this picture I look like I am - so I figured it was as good a picture as any to put on along with this event/announcement! :)

-We went swimming only 5 or 6 times.
-Samantha and Hazel also came for a last minute visit. SO FUN! We went to the beach, to Lark Toys/Wabasha/Nelson, WI trip, and some other stuff that for some reason I can't remember. Sam's gonna be mad at me for this one, but I think she looks cute - and it's the only pic I have of Hazel. I didn't do a very good job doting over her. Sorry Sam... She IS truly an adorable little sweetheart though.

Smudge on the lens. Darn.

My good friend DeNae came with us.

-This summer, we also went to a lot of parks:

-Went on a lot of evening walks:
-We got a car that is new to us (2003 Pilot), and bigger- like we'll be needing soon... Don't worry, we're not 'in the money' or anything, it was really cheap. High miles :) -And last but not least: We made a lot of messes, and just played with friends.

Nothing too extraordinary. But I have to say, the beginning of the summer was likely the worst of my life - I was really down, and it was terrible, ( I mean, at one point, I'd hardly left the house for like, a month). Mostly because I was so sick until the beginning of August, not to mention morning sick. And on top of it all, I had to deal with all the stupid insurance crap of getting the house fixed. But somehow the summer sort of redeemed itself, and it ended up being really fun. I know I'm still a month or so off from the summer stuff being over - I'm catching up gradually. We still have Ben's birthday to put some pics from, and our most recent Utah trip, as well as the apple orchard we went to yesterday. So, if you're still checking our blog every now and again, (and I wouldn't be surprised if you're not,) stay tuned... I think I'm back, (but I'm sure it still won't be too TERRIBLY frequent)!

Do I smell Hymn 342 in the near future?

I'm sorry that Katie has temporarily given up blogging, keep trying to persuade her. However, I have come across another gem. This appears to be some sort of twisted Canadian Christian Lawerence Welk-like show. If that isn't enough to tempt you to watch, perhaps listening to the genius lyrics at about the 1:50 mark comparing Jesus to a Canadian Mounty will. No wonder my sister married a Canuck.

There is plenty of eye candy throughout for both men and women. I just hope the guitar player's subtle gyrating is not too provocative.

Too Late for a Grammy?

Since Katie hasn't posted for a while, it's time for another random video from Doug. I have had what can only be described as the "greatest song ever written" in my head the last few weeks. Now I feel like I need to share this with everyone so you too can enjoy! Now I have to work on making this my ring tone.

If you don't want to sit through the full 2 minutes (and I can't imagine why you wouldn't), at least check out his "crazy eyes" at about the 43 second mark.

And the Winners are:

Samantha, Jen Trost and Alicia Vawdrey! Yay for you girls! In the next week or two - you will be receiving one of my favorite things in the mail. I hope you love it too! All you gotta do is Pay It Forward on your blog! :) Isn't it nice spreading the love? Oh, and Alicia - I need your new mailing address. Will you email it to me? dworth77@hotmail.com

Pay It Forward...

So I won my friend Carly's "Pay It Forward" a while ago - but kept forgetting about it until now. So - I'm finally asking, if you'd like to do it, ("IT" meaning leaving a comment for me on this post, then I'll draw 3 WINNERS, and send you a little gift.) But the only catch is that you have to do the same on your blog - y'know, PAY IT FORWARD! :). I'll draw names on July 18th, and then I'll send the little surprise! I hope everyone wants to do it - because it's fun, and well, who doesn't LOVE to get good stuff in the mail!?? It will brighten my day even if you want to do it. So PULEEASE! Leave a comment! :)

As Promised.... Tile!

Just as a disclaimer - the color in the pictures isn't very true - it looks a lot more orangey than it is in real life. It doesn't clash with the carpet nearly as much as the pictures would lead you to believe....

I must say that I'm as happy with this as anything in my life right now. I LOVE my new floor. Totally worth the headache, (of course, I can't speak for Doug!) But it did consume my life for at least a good week after I got home from my trip - so I feel I have some claim on the work. But anyway, isn't growing up sad? It just takes so little to please you - usually convenience or beauty of sorts... However pathetic that thing actually is. Oh well, I've accepted the difficult fact that home improvement is a joy my life - and it's strangely gratifying.

Utah - Forever ago now, but here are some pics.

It's been nearly a month since we got home, and I'm starting to think I'm completely pathetic. Sorry everyone. In my defense, I feel like I've had some pretty legit excuses - which I will post (or rant) about later. We've just had SO much going on. I'm sure nobody even checks my blog anymore, (heaven knows I haven't had any time for sitting at a computer - I've looked at very few of your blogs lately. Sorry again.) But, for those of you who haven't given up on me: I still thought I'd post some of the few pics that I took while in UT. Visiting St. George was a lot of fun. Even though we didn't do a ton of high-action-adventure or anything, we were able to squeeze in:

Time for hanging out with family

James - isn't he grown up now? It's kinda freaky.

Hazel's Blessing. And since Sam never updates her blog with pictures, I'm taking the liberty showing pics of her adorable baby girl.

Mini Adam? I think yes.

We got to check out the gorgeous Sand Hollow project.

Swimming at the Wilkey's with Hillary and her kiddos.

Hanging out in the hotel.

Annie's shower at my Mom and Dad's house. I got some pretty great coverage of the whole thing wouldn't you say?

More hanging out with family at Ethan's Baptism in Parowan. The boys had so much fun with their Worthington cousins even though their time was pretty limited together.

It was a fun time! We wish we could have gotten to see you all, but since I spent so much driving and traveling, it ended up seeming like a pretty short trip. We'll be back in September though - with Doug- so it will be way more fun! And longer for sure.

My first post back... sorry it's a bit anti-climactic

Sorry about my slowness. I promise, I am alive. I haven't been blogging at all lately. TOO MUCH to do! Getting back from vacation is always crazy, and I know I'm just full of excuses - but y'know, the desire is just not there. I know, my priorities are all messed up! :) I feel like I'm just now getting back into the swing of things with all the laundry, email, mail/bills, cleaning, yard work stuff, catching up with friends, and HUBBY :) etc., etc. AND, Doug DID lay the tile while I was gone. -I looks amazing btw; I'll put it in an upcoming post. BUT, it wasn't completely done when I got back and we've had to spend a few days grouting, and cleaning, and sealing the tile - and we just finished it all yesterday. Still no base boards back on though - oh well, beggars can't be choosers I guess. I've also been running around trying to get the house back together, to hardware stores, getting carpet transition repaired, working with insurance guys (also a future post, but I'll just say now: believe it or not, while I was gone, we had another storm that damaged our house! ARRRGH!) .... and y'know, blah blah blah. And on top of it all, I've been fighting a cold, and I'm NOT happy about feeling so crappy. I'm sure you know how it is!

But anyway, the point of the post is this: I just really wanted to share this quote. For some reason, it's just really special to me.

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."

~Dinah Craik

I think it's probably just because I want to and hope to feel loved, or even liked, in spite of myself! :) Doesn't everyone need a friend like this? Actually, I think it's more like the relationship that you have with your family - right? I feel so blessed to have people in my life who help me feel safe and at peace with my sticking my foot in my mouth all the time! No judging, or holding grudges. I just love how the thought was articulated in this quote. I think about this a lot. Lots of love to all! (In this category though, I might have to give bigger thanks to Doug and Claire, who pretty much just "get" me! :) XO.)

Stay-tuned for more post-vacation pics, and pics of the our house woes and successes, etc...

Can Somebody Screen These People?

Since Katie probably won't be posting for a few days, I thought I would leave this excellent interview from a field reporter in Portland, Oregon. I think this video has been around for a while, so sorry if you have already seen it. I first viewed it after having three nights in a row with less than four hours of sleep, so maybe it is not as funny as I thought.
The reporter asked him what he thinks, and he gave an honest answer. You've gotta love live television.

Happy Birthday Jilly Beanious!

Jill, Happy Birthday! I know, I know, I wasn't going to blog while I was on vacation - but I'm making an exception for my dear sister who is 29 today... Thanks for always being so generous to us, funny and talented. You are quite a gal indeed! Here's to another 60 or so years of being a chocaholic! :) - I'm sure it'll be the secret to your long life! Love ya.

Peace OUT!

I'm going to Utah today - for 10 days. I'm going to be in St. George for most of the time, so I probably won't be able to see anyone. But I just thought I'd let you know that I likely won't be posting for a little while. Who knows? I may surprise you though... but probably not. :)

Doug, the boys and I are really gonna miss you a TON!!!! I'm sure you'll be super busy with laying the tile and everything though - so I hope it distracts you from being too lonely... :( Love ya tons, and we'll see ya soon!

Just so everyone's not too sad :) - I'll leave you with this:

Ahhh... this sound brings joy to my heart.

The sound to which I am referring is the sound of a relatively quiet DISHWASHER! ...A real dishwasher to call my own! It is like music to my ears. I wasn't going to put this kitchen remodel post on until we tile the floor, (hopefully this will be done while I'm out of town next week,) but I just couldn't wait to tell you all how excited I am that I have a [permanent] dishwasher now! We're running it now for the first time! And I love it. We've never actually lived in a place - aside from my parent's and inlaw's homes - where we've had this beautiful appliance! Praise be to the DISHWASHER!!!! (and the inventor of such a fabulous helper of humans and wives.)

BEFORE

(as you can see, we did have a dishwasher - and it did a good job cleaning, but it was incredibly loud - and portable, if you couldn't tell. And you'd have to hook it up to the sink so you can't use the sink the whole time it was going, and we didn't want to leave it hooked up all day - so I wanted to be home, and it was always hard to time and everything. Maybe I'm being dramatic, but it was a HUGE pain in the butt for us - I mean, it was better than nothing. But still...)

Now it is a little more evident as to why I've always hated doing the dishes, right?

AFTER I'm LOVIN' IT! THANK YOU ECONOMIC STIMULUS CHECK! :)
PS - stay tuned for pics of the tile in a few weeks.

And for fun - I'll throw in some of the silly pics we took while taking out the sink and the stove top.

Spence is obviously confused. But he's cute while doing that - so I'd say it's okay.

SPICKLE Sandwich?

I just wanted to share that my kid is a total weirdo. Tonight for dinner, he wanted just a "crunchy sandwich." I asked for him to elaborate - then he said, he only wanted pickles and carrots on it. I said, "Oh, you mean you want a tuna fish sandwich with pickles and carrots in it?" He said, "No, ONLY pickles and carrots on the sandwich." Shaking my head, I set out to make his odd request. I tried to put mayo on it, and he freaked. How dare I put something normal like mayo on your precious sandwich?

Then, I realized we didn't have carrots. So, I suggested I put Ham on it. He said he would like that. I looked, and we didn't have ham - only SPAM, (I know, I desperately need to go to the grocery store!) Spam is not something we use frequently, we've only bought it once in fact - just to try it. We could only stomach a little bit and had the rest in the fridge. Anyway, he said he'd have that. Thus was born the Pickle and Spam sandwich - the SPICKLE, if you will. He loved it and gobbled it down with enthusiasm. Disgusting as it may be, maybe I should market it to other 3-yr-olds? Keep an eye out for it on a menu near you!

Another Ben-ism:

I got a CHI hair-straightener for my birthday. An item I've been talking about and wanting forever. As I was doing my hair today, I said something about my Chi straightener. Then Ben asked, "That's your Chi straightener mom?" I said it was, then proceeded to put it on my hair. Ben quickly said, "How come you're using that on your hair? Isn't it for cheese?"

TAG - 7 More things...

*TAG* continued - Share seven facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird, whatever you are brave enough to share.~Tag people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.~Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So, I've been thinking of some things that I dare to reveal about myself. But none are quite as good as "post-church-hyperactivity hour." But hopefully the following will appease the TAG Gods:

1. A couple of months ago, I read the book "The Five Love Languages." And I could never decide which one I was. I have now decided that WORDS OF AFFIRMATION is my primary love language. So, now you know how much your comments mean to me! :) And if you haven't read that book, I totally recommend it.

2. If any of you know me kinda well, you'll know that I love to leave long messages on voicemail. I do that because if anyone ever leaves me a message like, "Katie, its' ________, call me." I'm always worried that something bad has happened. I NEED more DETAIL for heaven's sake! I'm obviously ridiculously detail oriented. I know I always ramble, but secretly, I do it on purpose because I kinda think it's funny to imagine my friends or family laughing at my unintentionally funny message. Is that weird? :)

3. I get HIVES when I'm exposed to COLD. Yes, you read that right. And I live in Minnesota. It's retarded, I know. They are the kind of welty, huge, itchy hives. It only happens to my extremities when it's prolonged exposure, not like while walking from the store to the car. And they go away when I get warm again, (I frequently soak my feet in the bathtub to hasten the process). They can be really painful too on the bottom of my feet, (it feels like I'm walking on rocks,) or the tips of my fingers. Scars are also a place where the hives pop up. My chin and elbows are other frequently afflicted areas. It's all very weird, I know. For that matter, I have TONS of skin abnormalities. Freckles, hives, BLOTCHY skin, when I'm excited, nervous, HOT, mad, crying, whatever. Now that I think of it, maybe it's related to blood pressure or something. People always think I have some sort of disease. I'm pretty self-conscious of it, because I can feel when it's happening, but I've learned to try to ignore it. At least I never had acne as a kid - or I'd have been mad at my quadruple whammy!

4. I LOVE traveling, and consider it my passion in life - although, pathetically enough, I've only traveled (and scarcely at that,) North America. Outside of the country, I've only been to Ensenada Mexico - not even real Mexico, and Canada. A girl can dream can't she?

5. This is more for the benefit of my friends. Who still like me, (I think) in spite of myself. I am a Jewkes. Therefore, I have "READY, FIRE, AIM" complex - as we all like to call it. It's like diarrhea of the mouth - I just say stuff without thinking how it's gonna come off. Usually harsher than expected, or completely offensive or ridiculous. I usually realize it right after I say it, and wish I hadn't. Then I have to clarify, back-pedal, try to sound half-way like I know what I mean. And I never can express myself well on the spot. I often worry about things I've said for days, and how it was perceived. Basically, I stick my foot in my mouth constantly. And yes, I am embarrassed about it.

6. I was attacked by a dog, (a huge Akita) when I was 12. I was at a birthday party. The dog got nervous and leaped on top of my head. I have a huge scar on the top of my head - that amazingly, stops right when my forehead begins, the nerves somehow got kinda messed up - because when I scratch the scar, the back of my head tingles. It took weeks before I could even smile without getting a headache. I do have some minor scarring on my arms and a couple between my eyebrows - but they are tiny, and pretty unnoticeable. I think I had about 50 stitches total was all. I was INCREDIBLY blessed to have such minor injuries.

7. I love cars. Not like, fancy cars or anything. I just like learning the makes and models of cars. The conversation usually goes something like this, "This dumb Camry is following me too close." "No Doug, that's a Honda Accord that's following you too close. It could be a 2000, but I don't know, 98-'02, had the same body style." Okay, I'm sure that exact conversation has NOT occurred, but something like it. And not to offend Doug's knowledge of cars, he probably wouldn't get a Camry and an Accord mixed up, (his knowledge of cars is decent) - but you know what I mean. I'm weird, I know.

8. (BONUS!) I am kinda Know-It-All-y, and I really wish I wasn't, because that's a really annoying personality trait, AND, let's face it, I really DON'T know it all. I DO know that.
My sweet grandma read my blog and told my mom that I tear myself down way too much. I don't think I do that - I'm just sayin' the truth. Sorry Grandma. But I just don't think I'll ever have the confidence and invincibility complex that I had in my youth. That would be nice though.

I know that most of you who know me well probably know a lot of this stuff about me already - but hopefully you learned something new...
So, now that I'm finally done - I will TAG:
1. Carly Van Dyke, (a new blogger)
2. Sam (maybe this will get you to post something new)
3. Jill (just because I need to know more weird stuff about you)
and if anyone else wants to do it. Do it.
You HAVE to do the Husband and Wife part, AND the 7 things - or I'll be really disappointed. SEE PREVIOUS POST.

Happy Anniversary and Husband/Wife Tag - how fitting!

I'm getting around to Claire's tag, and it's such a perfect day for it. Today Dougatronic Supersonic and I are celebrating 6 years together. Happy Anni' Hun! I am so blessed to have such a fabulous husband. In my gratitude journal that I write in every night, there are many entries stating that I am thankful for the help and companionship of such a special person. And heck, there are a million other entries where I wanted to put that I'm thankful for Doug, but felt like I should branch out - so I put something else. I love him more than anything else in the world. He's all I could ever hope for in the man that I'm going to be with forever. I would say that I am completely unworthy of a spouse like him. I'm not sure why the Lord blessed me so generously, (in this aspect and many aspects of our life together,) but I am so happy to have D nonetheless. And along those lines, I am grateful that I have wonderful children that take after him - not so much me, thankfully. Okay, Ben is kinda like me. But has the heart of his dad - which is what I'd want. We are perfect for each other!!!! But anyway, here's the tag:

HUSBAND AND WIFE TAG

What is his name? Douglas Kent Worthington. Or as they say in Spain, "Dooglas Washington"

How long have you been married? 6 yrs TODAY!

How old is he? As I have lovingly gloated, He's 30 - I'll only be 26 next week.

Who eats more? No question, him. He's a hard-working, Mega-Man, and needs much sustenance.

Who said I love you first? I did - and I knew he wasn't ready to hear it, (he had not been as many serious relationships as I had,) and I told him that I knew that, and that he didn't have to say it back - but it was too hard for me to hold it in any longer. How cheesy huh? It's like a sappy romantic comedy, minus the comic relief.) And he didn't say it for a week or two. But it wasn't too bad. I had expected the non-reciprocation...

Who is taller? He is.

Who sings better? We both sing well. Doug has a super excellent voice, and he has more musical knowledge than me. He has a great quality to his voice. And when I sing church songs, (which is all I really sing anymore, unfortunately,) I have to do a lot of crappy falsetto, because my natural range is kinda lower, so I don't think that's very pretty. But when I sing in my natural, full voice, I might have a better quality to my voice - but he sings BETTER, because he knows the notes, and how to read music, and he's more consistent than I am. So, that was a kinda long way to say: HIM.

Who is smarter? For sure Doug. I always wanted to marry someone smarter than me - and I got my wish, even though it's totally bit me in the butt. He is SO often right. He can recall facts, instances and situations with near perfect detail, that I am always wrong, to the point where it makes me feel bad about my abilities in that way. He would never try to make me feel that way on purpose, and he's always trying to tell me that I'm not always wrong. But when you're wrong so often, you get used to thinking that you never will be right. I think it's really my parents' fault though, because they're the ones who originally lead me to believe that I was so smart, and had such a good memory and stuff. ... and I always say I don't have any baggage from my childhood. Sheesh. :)

Whose temper is worse? For sure mine. I'm not proud of it or anything, he's just so tame, and I'm kind of firecracker-y. Unless it's while Doug is driving - that's when he lets it all hang out. Not literally. EEEWW.

Who does the laundry? That is the only household thing that I do pretty much all on my own. I guess that's not true, he does sometimes help me fold the "delicates"... it gets us in the mood. :) ha ha.

Who does the dishes? I would have to say he has the slight edge in this category, if there is an "edge" to be had - I don't think it's some sort of priviledge to do the dishes more or anything. There have been times in our marriage, (like most of it,) when he is the only one that does them - because I HATE dishes so bad. But, we've been on a kick where I've been doing them a lot more - I'd say most of the time. Whoa, that's weird.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Looking at the bed, it would be HIM. I'm not sure why anyone would care about that. Why is that on here? Honestly. Does it mean something about your personality? If there is anyone out that that finds this particularly interesting, me let me know.

Who cooks dinner? Mostly me, but he helps A LOT. And he has his things that I always let/make him cook. Fish, a lot of meats, and it's like some sort of unwritten rule that he will make Saturday morning breakfast - unless I want muffins - I have to make those.

Who drives when you are together? He does - unless I'm picking him up from work - and then he only sometimes does. As I have mentioned before, I don't love driving in bad weather, (although my phobia has forcefully improved some,) and in the midwest, bad weather happens a lot.

Who is more stubborn? I think I am - which is bad, because of the aforementioned "I-am-never-right" thing.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? We both do, but lately, I have been more stubborn. Don't judge me, I've been having hormonal problems or something.

Whose parents do you see the most? Neither. I would say that is pretty equal. When we go home, I guess I see my family more - but when we're together, I try to divide it pretty evenly. And since NO ONE comes out to see us lately - HINT HINT - I guess that puts no one as the front runners. Okay, Bob and Tami have come up to see us. I am taking this to mean parents though.

Who has more friends? Doug for sure. All his friends from HS and College are now my friends. I have few of my own, other than their wives. Here in MN though, I have more, but it's only because all the guys here are doctors and work constantly, so even their wives don't get to hang out with them much, let alone have time for friends... And then, I have more CLOSE family, who I consider friends - but maybe that's only to make myself feel better. I LOVE my cousins! :)

Who has the most siblings? Doug. He comes from a family of 7 kids, (he's the 6th) - and my fam only has 4 kids.

Who wears the pants in the family? I don't know. I guess I do. He is definitely not a push-over though. If he cares about something, he'll make it known.

There's a PART II to this tag. And it's to tell 7 Things About Me.

I have done this before, and I will try to think of more things.... But I don't have time now - because I easily included far more than 7 things about me in that tag, (and I am super brief - can you detect the sarcasm?). I will however, post what I have now, and hope that my hubby sees this anniversary wish. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ya Doug - and I'm so glad that you've been able to endure me for so long!

More to come - and beware, you might get tagged!

Yay for Summer, Fever, and "I Got Worms" (movie line anyone?)...

It's the first day we've been able to wear short sleeves and short pants for 3 days in a row! Yippee. I don't want to jinx it, but could it be that summer is actually near?

These are Ben's latest thing. Worms. I have mentioned it before, but not really emphasized the real PASSION he has for them. He LOVES collecting them. He digs for them, and consequently has gotten our poor 9 and 11 year old neighbor girls and their 5 year old little bro. to join the fun as well,) and names them either "Wormy" or "Jackson" - Jackson is always their middle name. And he finds teeny baby ones and calls them "Adorable". That's a strange definition of adorable if you ask me. I don't know if you can tell, but in that little bucket is probably no less than 20 worms. All with the same name, but they're various relatives to each other. Often he'll find Wormy's mom or dad, or baby brother. It's kind of funny, because in the last few weeks, he's probably killed at least as many worms as are in his bucket right now - and because he insists on keeping them as pets, (isn't it strange that he's such a little BOY?) these ones will undoubtedly die too. It's like one big love-filled worm genocide out here at the Worthington household. His favorite thing is to hold them, while they crawl all over his hands and arms, then he curls them up in a ball in his hand, shake them a little bit - YUCK! (That's usually where they die...)

But while Ben is out celebrating warmth and worms with our next door neighbor boy Jake, (his new best bud.) Poor Spence is inside doing this:

The poor kid has been crying since last night. And if you know his temperament, you know that is SOOOO NOT like him. When I put him to bed last night, I noticed that he had a fever, and he's had it since. I thought he might have an ear infection because he pulled on his ear a little, but I've never seen him like this. He's only been diagnosed with one other ear infection - and that was when I went to a well-check, the doctor looked in his ear and told me he had an infection - but there were NO other symptoms. So, to have him so upset is disturbing. He even woke up in the middle of the night, (which honestly NEVER happens,) and cried for like, an hour. So, I went to the doctor this morning, and sure enough, it's the stupid ear infection. That's the only thing they can figure. I HATE antibiotics though, my kids always get pretty bad diarrhea with it, (well, Ben's never techinically been on anti's - but I had to have them once when I was nursing, and well, there you go - Ben's had diarrhea from them). I sometimes think, "which is worse?" Constant crying, or being up to my ears in poop? Then I remember the boils that the kids get on their bums from the diarrhea, and then of course, there's no contest. Bummer. Literally. Okay, I know that was dumb. Here's to hoping my happy little baby returns soon! And that winter doesn't.

What I meant was...

Doug said he didn't even get my last post. And if Doug doesn't get it - the man who basically has half my brain, (and I know I'm missing as LEAST half these days) - I know nobody else will get it.

So, what I mean is: I know that I'm dramatic in my posts, so, if you think so too - it's not some crazy revelation to me. Like saying that Ben has this HUGE bald spot, when it's really just like, 1 inch, by 1 inch squared, or smaller. But nevertheless, in a situation such as this, I think I am dramatic because it IS rather embarrassing to me, because now it just looks like whoever shaved his head (most people would guess his mother,) didn't know how to use a pair of clippers, and just gave him a big old nick. Anyway, the point is - I know I make mountains out of molehills sometimes, but that's just me. I just thought I should clarify that I KNOW that's a flaw in my personality. That's all. However unclear it was. :)

And just because I've been thinking about it lately, another little insight into my blogging is: over the years, I have become MUCH LESS DECISIVE. That is why I have 20 pictures per post. Because I can never decide which ones to put on, so I just put them all on - or most of them anyway. I always think you can tell a lot about one's personality when they come back from a vacation and will only put on their blog one or 2 pictures. That is something that I would LOVE to be able to do. So, sorry that you always get WAY more pictures than you could ever really appreciate. :)

Random as it all is, I just thought you should know...

Just so you know...

I know that I'm dramatic.