Weighing the Consequences

Well ... we're almost back from our trip. We're back in Spokane at Jay's parent's house, and heading home today. More info and thoughts about our trip when we make it back to Seattle.

Here is my thought for the morning though ...

I was thinking about this a lot on our trip. Bug spray can't be good for you. I mean ... it just can't. If drinking out of plastic water bottles isn't good for you ... bug spray isn't either.

Anything that repels bugs, can't be good for your body. I sprayed some on my body our first night up at the cabin (because everyone else was, and they said that's just what they do when they're up at the cabin).

Who am I to argue? I'm the new girl.

Oh ... I should back up. I was with Jay's entire family up at PendO'rielle River for their family reunion which is always over the 4th of July weekend. We all had a blast (which is why there are many more stories to come) and came home exhausted. We played hard.

Ok, back to bug spray ...

Before I went to sleep on night #1, I proceeded to 'baby wipe' my entire body to rid it of the bug spray residue. Again ... I'm taking that as a sign that bug spray is not a good thing.

So ... on morning #2, when everyone was spraying themselves ... I didn't. I had to weigh out the consequences of not spraying myself, with the consequences of spraying myself.

Not spraying myself won. I would suffer with mosquito bites, before spraying myself with bug spray.

I received no mosquito bites on day #2 and felt excellent about my secret ban on bug repellent. Maybe that's because bug spray mist landing in my Diet Coke without me knowing it and I swallowed some of it before realizing it was in there. I'm thinking on day #2, the spray I swallowed was working from within my body. Who knows?!?

Day #3 proved to be another story (my body is a mosquito-bite war zone). With that said, I still felt great about not using it on day #3 when I showered. Because no matter how many times I washed (scrubbed) my body ... I still left the shower with a thin waxy residue on my body.

Again ... another sign.

So ... I encourage you to weigh the consequences of your actions, before doing something 'because everyone else is.'

P.S. I hope I don't get Malaria or West Nile.

THAT Kind Of Mom

I actually get more pathetic!

I just dropped Cooper off for boarding.

I was so sad. And in the rush of signing papers, jotting down instructions, keeping other dogs in the waiting room from biting Cooper's ears ... I forgot to say goodbye to my little man.

I was so sad!

Here's where the pathetic part comes in.

I actually asked the girl to go back and get him.

So I can say goodbye to my little man.

ARGH ... I'm like one of the mom's that used to drive me nuts when I taught Kindergarten. They would drop their kids off with me and stay outside the door, peaking in. Each time ... their child would cry.

I remember thinking, "Please, just leave. Nothing personal, but once you leave, your child will stop crying and my job will become monumentally easier."

Now I'm one of those moms!

But I couldn't help it. The 'What-Ifs' were going crazy in my mind.

What if he gets hurt while I'm gone?

What if he dies while I'm gone?

What if he can't sleep at night because he's not with his mommy?

What if he cries at night and no one is there to hear his calls (this one sounds especially pathetic)?

What if he has to go potty but they don't know it?

Seriously people ... I need some counseling.

And yes ... I DO realize he's just a dog.

But he's MY 'just a dog.'

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Irrational Fears

Holy cow ...

Did you get a chance to see the lightening tonight? 

It was amazing.

Amazingly scary.

The lightening freaked me out tonight.

I've watched too many scary movies (see previous post), watched too many ghost shows, and have let my imagination run wild tonight.

My senses are on overload. 

Every creek of the house freaks me out. Every time Cooper looks out the window, I think I'm gonna see a scary face looking in at me. When I smelled smoke outside, I was sure my house was on fire somewhere (fire is actually a legitimate fear for me that I can share some other time).

I need to stop this senseless worrying ... but I just can't help it.

I'm a scaredy-cat tonight.

At what age do we lose the innocence of our youth ... and start worrying?

P.S. For those of you in my neighborhood who are lighting your fireworks off early tonight ... you're not helping with my fears. At all!

My Little Guy

The worst part about leaving town is saying bye to Cooper.

I hate going on vacations that Cooper can't go on.

This falls somewhere between loving, pathetic and unhealthy.

But I'm gonna miss my little man.

See you soon Cooper ... I love you!

P.S. Feel free to insert your childs name wherever I wrote "Cooper" and you'll understand.

Fun In The Sun

I watched Joe & Jeruschia's son today while they ran errands (way faster & easier without a 1-year old with you!). We had so much fun together and I took a ton of pictures of our exciting day.

We had been spraying Cooper with the hose and Jadin did not like it when I put it away. He watched me coil it back up ... then went over to assess the situation for himself (notice his wet hair).

He quickly started to uncoil it. His right arm is doing the sign for "please." Too cute.
He got the hose unraveled (he did that all on his own while I happily stood there giggling and taking pictures) and turned around to look at Cooper. He wanted water to be coming out of that hose so bad!
Since Cooper wasn't coming to him ... Jadin went right up to Cooper. Now it's Cooper who desperately wants water to be coming out of the hose.
At this point, I put the camera away and turned the water back on. How can you say 'no' to such a determined little boy?

Easy Entertainment

This is what begging for an Otter Pop looks like.

Can you see the lust in his eyes? We wants some so bad!
And sweet relief (no ... he didn't eat that entire Otter Pop).

This cooler entertained Jadin and Cooper for a good thirty minutes. Jadin kept offering Cooper, Diet Cokes.Hmm ... now he's pulling out beer. I'm questioning my morality at this point. At least he's too young to know what it is.
Offering me a Bud Lite. No thanks Jadin. I don't drink and babysit at the same time. :)
I love you buddy. 

I'll babysit you any time ... if you're mom and dad will still let me after seeing this post.

Cuddling

This is seriously adorable. 

I came upstairs yesterday to see where everyone was. Jay was laying on my bed watching TV. And Cooper was ... umm ... cuddling/laying on Jay. 

This is just too much cuteness for one room.

Hot & Sweaty

It has been CRAZY hot here the last few days.

I feel like I'm melting. I can't stop sweating.

I sleep ... and sweat.

I wake up ... and sweat.

I take a shower ... and sweat.

I get dressed ... and sweat.

You get the picture.

I was on my computer yesterday and when I turned around to see where Cooper was ... I saw this.

Apparently, we're all hot and sweating.

Sunset With Mom & Dad

My parents and I went out on their boat last night to watch the sunset.

Here is the sun setting over Lake Washington ... taken with my cellphone camera. Not as clear as I'd like ... but still beautiful.

Bra Shopping

I went bra shopping yesterday.

Need I say more?

By the way ... why do I always go UP a size?

At least I didn't cry this time. 

Last time I went bra shopping (I brought my mom for moral support) I cried in the dressing room while the Nordstrom sales woman went and fetched me HUGE bras that were certainly not the correct size. 

They were.

I cried.

This time, I just accepted going into it, that I would most likely (again) need a larger size. And shoot, as long as they look good in a t-shirt, who am I to complain?

Nordstrom is wonderful. They participate in events like Fit for the Cure and work closely with organizations like Susan G. Komen. 

The sales associates are also fabulous. They are trained to size and fit you and specialize in helping women who have recently had mastectomies and other Breast Cancer related surgeries.

My acceptance of my larger bra size is nothing in the big picture.

I'm happy to be healthy and happy.

With that said, I still hate bra shopping. It rates right up there with JEAN and SWIMMING SUIT shopping.

And I'm glad it's over.