Spelling Tuesday

Well, Loralie killed her first pet today. Rest in peace sweet Dorthy. It was first thing in the morning. I had just gotten Loralie out of her bed and she promptly reminded me to "feed Dorthy". Just then my phone rang, and I must have set the fish food down at toddler level, because when I came back up to Loralie's room about half the can was floating on the top of the bowl. Loralie looked at me and said "just one pinch mama." I just stood there staring with my mouth open. Then I went into HAZMAT mode, trying to use the little fishie net to scoop out the foul smelling excess food. Unfortunately, we were out of the "declorinator" chemicals, so I couldn't just start from scratch. But when Caleb got home, that was his strategy. And apparently Dorthy didn't dig chlorine. We shall flush her and never speak of this again. We really aren't pet people...

Okay, two posts in a row is a little obnoxious, but that last one was a real bummer, so here's something funny Loralie said today: Yesterday, I treated myself to a car wash and a new "pumpkin spice" car air freshner. Today, when I loaded Loralie into her carseat to go run errands with me she sniffed with her little nose and said "it smells like christmas in here." Where does she come up with this stuff???

Last night I was having a perfectly normal final walk through meeting with a bride and groom when I had a complete and total meltdown. I was all smiles, asking them what their final menu choices would be. They said "oh, your dad was going to make chicken with noodles special for us for a side." It hit me like a ton of bricks. My hands started shaking, and I tried very hard not to look them in the eyes as I muttered, "oh... uh... you see... uhm ..... (Sobbing) my-dad-was-killed-in-a-motorcycle-accident-in-August-and-there's-no-one-here-that-can-make-that-now..." Sob Sob, Snot Snot- doing a flat out "ugly cry". Everyone was super uncomfortable, but very nice and tried to make me feel better. So much for mental stability. Who knew "chicken n' noodles" would push me over the edge? It just comes and goes like that. I miss my Dad so much. I really wish I could just call him on the phone and ask his advice. Or just hear him laug...

We took Loralie to her two year doctor appointment tonight. She weighed in at a whopping 24lbs and 12 ounces, and was 34.5 inches tall. (sidebar: she also had a slight temp, and the beginnings of an ear infection, which explains the three hour nap today...) She truly is the biggest and best blessing that we have in our lives apart from our salvation. She keeps me laughing all day long. Today we went on a walk and a dog was barking at her. She said "doggy, you wanna hug me?" Last night she wanted to say her prayers all by herself. She said "Dear Jesus. Thank you for God. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for Boppa . Thank you for Neenee . Thank you for Mommy. Thank you for babies. The End." Haha , sorry Daddy, you didn't make the cut that night. Tonight we all went to walmart and Loralie grabbed a shirt off the rack and said " oooh , cute. Daddy buy dis for me please?" She is learning fast! She loves to sing and dance, and often reque...

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Today was Loralie's second birthday, and her second of three parties! Party number one with with the cousins last month. This second party was with her little buddies. Sunday we will wrap things up with a family party. Here is how the room looked- Sesame Street theme of course! Mmm, Pizza! Here we are in "Elmo's World"! You can't tell, but I am wearing an Oscar the Grouch shirt, Caleb is wearing a Cookie Monster shirt, and Loralie is wearing a really cute tutu her grandma Lenz made her. When she put it on she said "my grandma made me!" Ha! I swear, she had a great time, just doesn't look too happy in this picture! The cake which was such a nightmare to make, and (admittedly) way beyond my skill level. Next year I am keeping it simple!

...I wake up a two year old! Can't believe it. Sniff sniff.

Today I started phase two of Loralie's birthday cake extravaganza... actually baking the cakes. But unfortunately, I didn't get that far. I had the batter all whipped up and taste tested by the birthday girl... (Don't worry, that spatula didn't go back in the bowl!) But then things got really interesting. I was preheating the oven, and apparently there was a big chunk of something or other sitting in the bottom of it, and before you know it, smoke is billowing out of it like the fiery furnace of Shadrack, Meshak and Abendigo! So, of course, every smoke detector in our house went off. Man, there is no way we would sleep through that! Me and Loralie escaped outside until they stopped screeching. She kept saying "too WOUD mommy!" and "phone ringin'?" I am hoping she thought that the smoke detector WAS the phone ringing, instead of hearing a ringing in her own head after all that racket! But never fear, no actual cakes were harmed in the wri...

Dorthy the fish. Named after our beloved Elmo's pet goldfish , our Dorthy is more of a birthday party prop than an actual pet, but we will see how it goes. How long do fish live, anyways? 'Cause it already seems as if Dorthy has lost her lust for life. She just stares at the same little patch of bowl for hours at a time, ignoring her food and her plastic underwater plants. Loralie asked to "play" with her this morning, so I put her on the table. Loralie just said "Hi Dorthy! Hi Dorthy! Hi Dorthy!" and then wanted to go play. Ha! Girl's best friend? I think not.

Today Loralie awoke from her nap screaming like a banshee . I went flying up the stairs to find her whole face covered in blood! Of course I freaked out and grabbed some wet wipes from the changing table and started mopping her up, only to discover that the source of the gushing was a tiny scratch on her nose, about the size of a pin prick! So I grabbed the trusty Dora band-aides and a cotton ball and tried to get the bleeding to stop. She was happier after I gave her some ice cream for her snack! Later, after the band-aide had been removed, and we had been playing for a while we decided to go to the store. I was half way to walmart when I hear "Uh oh Mommy! UH OH!" I look in my rear view mirror and see that darn scratch is gushing blood again. I hastily pull over to the side of the road and start searching the car for something to mop up blood with. I am a mom, right? Aren't we supposed to have Kleenex and wet wipes coming out of our ears??? Unfortunately, no such luc...

Well, after a meeting that my brother had with one of our landlords, it looks like stepping out all at once is not really an option. I think I am okay with that though. This last weekend was REALLY HARD. We had four events in a row, the Saturday one was SUPER complicated and riddled with drama (just ask me, I will tell you the whole harry story), but all in all we survived, and we did a good job. And the rest of the year should be a little bit easier now. We don't have any more four-event weekend until next spring. So my plan is just to take it one day at a time and do the very best that I can. This is the work that God has put before me, and I will continue to do it until he takes it away.

My family and my business are in turmoil. It just isn't worth it for me anymore to have to deal with the stress of this business without my Dad to lean on for help and advice. My mom and brother and I are at each other's throats constantly, we still aren't making any money, and the problems of the whiney brides just don't seem very important to me anymore. I just wanna be a mom. And a wife. And maybe make another baby and not have to worry about if I am still going to be working 16 hour days with a newborn. Please pray that God will provide a way out of our contractual obligations and a clear answer as to what we are supposed to do. I certainly know that I can't do this on my own. I will miss the Tuscan Ballroom, but not the strain that it puts on my family.

Today was a better day thanks to some TLC from my husband and a (slightly) less full workday. Loralie keeps me smiling throughout the day with her ever expanding vocabulary. Here are a few of her "famous phrases" lately: When pulling the car up to our street: "Dat's Worawie's Home!" (Loralie is an unfortunate name when you can't pronounce your 'L's'). When, obviously, Loralie did not get her way after throwing a mini-tantrum: "Mommy, I cryin' !" Like, didn't you notice? I begin to change her diaper and announce there is poop in there. Loralie: "Don't eat it!". Thanks for the tip. In the middle of a store, with a perfectly happy look on her face: "I poopin." :) Wonderful. A phrase that has recently been applied to everything from bath time to bed time: "I no wike it." After finding a dime on the floor: "I find moooney! Put it in mine piggy!" On our evening walk, as it just begin to ...

I am so stressed out! I feel like my head is spinning and my shoulders and back are so tense it feels like someone screwed them on too tight! We have four events this weekend, and practically NO STAFF. Why is it so hard to get people to work out here? We are literally four miles from William Jewell and yet cannot find 3-4 people who want to work two nights a week and make $100??? That sounds like a pretty sweet college gig to me! So I have posted yet another ad on craigslist and the parade of freaks has begun. I swear, you get some wierdos when you post jobs on there. I am interviewing people on Wednesday night, so pray that I find a few that are decent. Seriously, the only qualifications for this job is working arms and legs and a white shirt/black pants outfit! To add to my stress I feel like I was a bad mom today. I was on the phone and computer all day long dealing with this (and other) nonsense, and Loralie was starved for attention. She also managed to pull the iron d...

I was showing Loralie the scrapbook that I made of all my Dad's pictures. She looked so happy to see "Poppa" and kept exclaiming every time she saw him. She also kept calling the younger pictures of him "Uncle Matt" and the younger pictures of my mom "Aunt Andie". She was sure that one baby picture of me was "Baby Ada" (I have always thought that she looks a little bit like me, especially when she was newborn!). But my favorite was when she saw my wedding picture and said it was a "pretty princess". I said, "Loralie, that's mommy!" and she said "Mommy a princess!" Love that girl :)