Story from the past...

Casey tagged me..
He's such a cute guy, so I'll do it, just for him! ;)
When Merrill and I were first married, we lived in a lovely, but small apartment. Summertime was the season in season at this particular time, and it was hot, and we were bored. Our new-found way of living was already, becoming monotonous... I needed to shake things up a bit.
I was at a party supply store (no, I was not going to throw a party to shake it up.. I really can't remember why I was there..) and I found a package of plastic spiders.. Merrill HATES spiders. I was the spider murderer in our house for a LONG time; he disliked them sooo much.
I was pondering what to do with these little pant-peeing-inducers, where to strategically place them and so forth, when I decided to consult my dad, the master of practical jokes.
He gave me the best spot, a better spot I would have never come up with in my own, inexperienced mind.
Under the toilet seat.
Right next to where his hand would have to be to lift the seat, to commence in doing his business..
So, I rushed home to plant the bugger, before he got home from work. I used a little dot of rubber cement, my scrapbooking adhesive at the time. It was there! Waiting...
He came home, and me, being the perfect wife, had a warm, balanced, nutritious dinner, waiting for him at the table.
I honestly thought he'd have to go use the facilities before dinner.. he didn't.
He probably was wondering what sort of girl he had married when I kept asking him, if he had to go to the bathroom.
"Don't you have to go yet? I mean.. you haven't gone at all since you've been home.."
Weirdo.. he must have been thinking..
Bedtime came. He brushed his teeth, but no toilet-using needs.
We said prayers.. then I asked him if he needed to go to the bathroom before we retired for the night.
Like I was his mom and he was a newly trained toddler who knew not the feeling of urgency.
Yup, wierd-o... me.
So, I let it go. Feeling much like a child on Christmas Eve, not being able to sleep due to much anticipation and excitement.
I finally did doze off...
I woke a little after seven.
No Merrill next to me in the bed.
A smile, a sly, satisfied, devilish smile surfaced on my tired face.
I went to find him.. and did.. sitting on the couch, remote in hand, watching Fox 13's morning newscast, with the angriest look on his face.. okay, maybe not so much anger.. more annoyance.
He proceeded to give me a full account of the event that transpired in the bathroom, much earlier that morning.
"I woke up around four, needing to go to the bathroom. I didn't turn on the light, I didn't want to disturb you.. I lifted the seat, and began.. then, as the sleep left my eyes, just enough, I saw something black on the toilet seat, right next to where my hand had been. I stopped.. and you know how bad that hurts Mindy!!! I backed-up, to get the broom from the closet. My plan was to hit it with the broom, and knock it into the toilet, then flush it. I kept hitting it, and it wasn't moving!! I hit it harder.. and nothing. Then it dawned on me.. IT WASN'T MOVING.. and I knew what you did. I was so full of adrenalin, and so mad, I couldn't go back to sleep.."
I was rolling!!!
Imagining him , trying to knock a fake spider off the toilet seat, from the opposite end of a broom.. in his PJs!!!
Oh.. I was so good!!!
Until he told me to watch out.. he was going to get me back...

Giggles..

My cousin, Bonnie, made a comment that someday, Peyton would laugh at this... the probability that she left that comment while I was waiting for my camera battery to charge is huge.. so huge I put it in the boldest largest font possible.. but about that camera battery, Santa should have brought us a spare..
Anywhoo.. Peyton seems to think the situation is funny.. now. Don't ask how she reacts when the big ol' ball comes a rollin' out.. which the ballistophobia is the clostest to the fear of balls.. it was fear of flying objects such as bullets.. what the name for fear of clowns (shudder..)?

She thinks it is even funnier watching herself watching it and laughing at it while she's watching.. we could go on and on and on...
Meanwhile...
The church became just a bit more true today..
We moved from 1-4 block time to 9-12 ;) Truth abounds!!
It was quite a lovely day indeed. It could have been a little easier if Peyton had slept more than she fussed last night. 4 am came and suddenly, in her little world, it was "playtime". I was one tired momma.. 4 maybe almost five hours of sleep?..
Here's pics from today and yesterday... oh how I wish I'd had my camera with me yesterday night... Christie, you MUST re-create and post ;)
...good times...
On to pictures of the day(s)..
Yesterday:We do stress oral hygiene.. no halitosis, gingivitis, or cavities allowed.. start 'em young!!
And today:
Lately this is Lynn and Mer's favorite thing to do together.. their little quip to everything now is: "Oh.. that's awfully sweet of you, but I'd rather be KINGED!!"
So blessed to have such an awesome husband who lives to play with his kids...

Ballistophobia..

Lynn is afraid of spiders.. Ashley is afraid of the dark.. This is Peyton's irrational fear..

Quick thanks...

Quick thanks goes out to my buddy Julie...
She suggested that I feed Pey the mixed rice cereal, to see if that would help with her sleep issue, which led to my lack of sleep issue.
I got it yesterday, she loved it, there was minimal gagging and no barfing. She slept till nearly 6 this morning.
Julie, do you have a solution for Lynn and Ash now? They won't sleep without the other one, and Lynn is seeing "pretend spiders" when she suddenly wakes up in the night. So... wonderful, omniscient Julie... can you help me with that one so I won't have two little girls sleeping on the floor next to my bed? Stuck listening to their prayers for the "pretend spiders" to go away...
Love ya!

So... we went to the craft store the other day...

Peyton was quite excited...
Ashley wanted to see some of the animated Halloween stuff... stuff that she has been afraid of. I brought my camera just for this occasion.
Here's what she told me:

But here's what happened:

Funny thing, she laughs at this when she watches it, and she wants to watch it repeatedly...

Just call it Tuesday tag day...

My childhood friend, Tiffany, did this tag. It looked like fun.
So don't be a bum, do it too!
Six random things about ME!
1. I do not like clowns. I think it would be safe to say that I hate them. Hate is a strong word, I know, but I could seriously care less if they existed. I would much prefer a parade or a circus without them. I was scarred for life on my second birthday when my aunt Wendy, invited her buddy "Corky the Clown", as "the entertainment". There is honestly something wrong with someone who thinks it would be "fun" to cover their real identity with something that really isn't that friendly looking. But seriously, there are so many serial killers who dress as clowns, they hide who they really are with the demented white-washed face and exaggerated features slathered on with greasepaint, and then try to make you their friend. (Shudder...)
2. I have A+ blood, and believe that genetic factor contributes to my perfectionist attitude. (Get it, A+, like a grade...)
3. I have a record. Misdemeanor Mindy, you can call me. It came from the short time period in which I worked for Smith's as a bagger/checker, and my duties were in that order. It was my day to bag, but the store soon got busy and they needed me to check. My first time ever, and I got caught in a police sting. I was so flustered when this guy wanted to buy a single, over-sized can of beer, I by-passed the I.D. prompt in trying to figure out how to ring it up correctly. Needless to say, he got a great deal, and I got busted. At least I am smiling in my mugshot!
4. I have a sweet tooth. I could easily make a meal out of a bag of sugar.
5. I still have dreams about waking up late for school, having nothing to wear because my closet is full of my high school wardrobe... and when I get there, after trying to gat the girls ready and find a babysitter, I can't remember if it's "A day" or "B day", and my schedule is a little blurry.
6. I used to win all of the girls camp burping contests. I can burp "I love you... I do not participate in that activity anymore, however, as I want my husband to remain married to me.