To Do List:

1. Share past week with blog family.

• scarlet fever - cyd & stroman
• stroman being full-body sanitized, then bathed due to curious hands in the potty while sister was using the toilet. (remember to describe the screaming and laughter from Cyd as she tried to get me to come to the bathroom)
• new marketing research job
• new health/wellness opportunity - my skin is gorgeous for the first time ever!

2. Post new photos

• stroman going up & down slide without help
• cydney's new bicycle
• anything else on all those digital cards you haven't cleared off

3. Explain why inept people who pass the buck make your tongue itch -- examples : Walgreens Pharmacy, BCBS insurance, WTU. That should be enough examples.

TAX TIME!

a) we did our taxes. after one day of sorting through all of my record-keeping for laren bridges : photography & deciphering all the medical receipts, the taxes are done. filed. yeah!

um...our 2007 medical records are quite interesting to me. let's see - feb. 12th, child born. said child diagnosed with severe acid reflux a few months later. i had to be checked for blood clots after stroman's birth because i'd lost feeling/control in my left leg...ER visit & a follow-up ultrasound exam of legs. other child, cydney, had 2 ER visits for what has been determined to be PFAPA (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, cervical adenitis) syndrome. we're talking 103-104 degree fever, but not lethargic or complaining. one night at 2 a.m. in the ER i'm quite positive that we were not treated quickly because her behavior (other than vomiting on the nurse) was normal. she was waving to other patients and saying hello to all the doctors. drew and i almost wanted to bribe her to act a little sicker. the end of that visit? 5:30 a.m - they asked ME TO GIVE HER A DOSE OF MOTRIN! that's what i'd been doing at home. thanks for your time. curse word. harsh curse word. disbelief. more cursing.

then we did lab work to have a guide to her blood when she's not having symptoms - and of course, she hasn't had another dramatic attack.

i was bitten by a poisonous spider following a photo shoot and had to have an ER visit myself. leg was inflamed, raised, etc. the nice nurse broke out a sharpie and circled the area so we could monitor any changes. the bite had developed overnight from a small circle (size of a pencil eraser) to larger than my man hand (seriously - had my schedule been clear, i totally had that guest appearance on Seinfield). the next day i had to meet with the surgeon...b/c many spider bites like this (WARNING - GRAPHIC!) require a surgeon to piece your flesh back together. she put me on meds for leprosy & another double-strength antibiotic. a few weeks later, life was better - still have a red spot where the infection was attempting to claim my leg.

b) photography is going well. and i'm meeting with jodi tomorrow to discuss a new job. it would be PT/work from home...research for marketing about ranch properties. i'm amazed to be offered an opportunity like this!

c) my friend, lori, is embarking on a vlog of her adventures in losing weight. ladies, most of us know that our weight/measurements/true feelings about how we look are hard to open up about. i think lori is a delightful woman and she'll keep it real during her journey, so read, watch & support as you will. also, drew and i are trying to get in shape & i'm trying to lose pounds - watching what we eat based on the SixWeekBody.com plan & we're working out 3-5 times a week. in the past week, i've dropped 4 pounds, but i have to say, i'm fighting those cravings for carbs & sweets. the basics of the eating plan for our body type - no salt, no added sugar, no cooking in oil or butter, eat 6 times a day, small portions. it makes sense - quick changes, etc. whatever works for you, do it.

d) my friend meredith can keep you up to date on American Idol, but I have to admit last night I watched it for the first time...while on the elliptical machine. David Cook - there's my vote.

going grey

or do you spell it gray?

well, for me aging is just part of life. it's like having a birthday - i can't stop it, so why lose sleep over it.

but, as you all know, my life is never normal.

i'm going grey. i'm 31 with 2 kids, a fabulous husband, yadda yadda.

but you'll never notice the grey.

because it's solely on my eyelashes.

NO KIDDING - so far, i've removed 3 solid white hairs from my lash line - ladies, you wanna feel pain, skip the bikini wax & tweeze out an eyelash. it'll make you consider having your next child w/o painkillers - b/c you'd rather have them for the day you have to pull out your next grey lash.

anyone else out there ever had this issue?

look out spring breakers!!

i'm dangerous.

ladies, don't cry for me! all the comments on the last blog made me realize that i came off sounding down.

nay.

v. happy with life, just frustrated with my attitude towards life.

and, trace & tracy, for those of us who have been through a divorce...you know that every decision, every day A.D. involves an element of rebuilding yourself. this is true if you had a nasty divorce or gave each other hi-fives on the courthouse steps! but the result *taking back the power* is undeniably powerful!

so - tidbits from cydney -

1. when we went to her specialist in Albuquerque, i was nervous. telling the details of cydney's health i wrapped up with - "and other than that, she likes to eat lots of candy when i'm not looking." the appropriate smattering of laughter from the nurse.

cyd: "i eat my boogers when you aren't looking too, Mom."

HOLY COW! SUCH TIMING! and honesty. she's only 3. but holy crap - that was the perfect tension breaker! i don't even have time to go into how many times we've told her that nose picking is gross.

2. cydlio & stromiester play WAY TOO MUCH. stroman had his 1 year immunizations today & cyd cried because she wanted to be there when he got shots. yesterday, she said, "Well, momma, stroman doesn't like shots. They hurt. They will make him cry. I better go with him."

3. stroman is now saying words. daddy, momma, ister (not a typo- he's calling her ister) and tonight he busted out with ball.

any cool things your families are up to now? or pets? or anything?

oh - the reason the spring breakers are in trouble is because i can purchase alcohol legally & behave just as immaturely as they do.

blessings...

as a control freak, i sometimes find it hard to let life situations be & let God handle them. as my mother used to tell me, it does no good to hand something to God but hang on to the corner & not let Him have full control.

to be honest, in the face of challenges i often just ignore them. last week, while frustrated over business, i finally voiced my real issue. "i'm sick of having to start over. i had to start over in Sweetwater (where i moved after the divorce and suddenly realized i HAD to make a living for cyd & self). i had to start over in Alpine & then, just when things are going along at a nice clip, we move. now i'm having to start over in Roswell."

husband immediately gave me a hug and reminded me that I GET TO START OVER! some people never get this opportunity. i can reinvent my business, learning from past mistakes and go forward. also, i did a top job of making him feel horrible for moving us here. not the intention. must learn to monitor speech more.

and here's where the quarter-life crisis falls into place...i was successful in high school in almost everything, sports, UIL events, state debate qualifier, etc. college was rather easy as well, good grades, sorority president, lots of friends, etc. first marriage fails and my confidence goes through the floor. oddly, it was obvious from oh, the first 23 hours or so, that it wouldn't work...but stubborn me pushed along and thought i could make it. now, it seems any bump in the road and i'm ready to throw-up my hands and quit. THIS IS NOT MY USUAL APPROACH TO LIFE. and yet, i give in so easily. afraid that failing again will be the -- the what, really? the end to my career? the ruination of my reputation?

just to let anyone who doesn't already know...i'm a photographer. started as a magazine field editor/photographer, now i do mainly portraits, kids, engagements (my favorite people to work with!) weddings, sports, action, etc. i've been beating the bushes here to get a job. just any ol' job, something. and no takers. cue the crickets.

here's why this post is labeled blessings: when i back off and look at my calendar, i actually have 3 shoots with large paychecks booked in the next 3 months - 2 weddings and a prom. in addition, i have a bridal portrait shoot and i'm getting orders from a wedding we did in January. true, these events are back in the alpine, texas-area, but we are looking forward to going back that way & catching up with you, you and hopefully you.

drew convinced me to spend a little money on marketing and we're taking part in a contest where we enter any child's portrait for a chance to win up to $5,000! E-mail me if you are in NM or West Texas and let's get your children scheduled a session during this time.

in the meantime, i've revamped all of my pricing & we're implementing some new marketing strategies just to get people to know about my services.

in the personal life, we've been looking to sell our house in alpine. TODAY WE GOT AN OFFER ON IT! Thank you God for this blessing. If we can sell that house, we can buy a home we found here in Roswell & get out of the excessively high rent we are paying! What a blessing!

and, cydney had a simple day surgery a few weeks ago & everything is going well! she was totally brave & didn't show any worries about going to a room with the doctors and not us.

plus, that time at the hospital was the first extended exposure we had to cyd's biological father and stepmother. it was tense at first, but we all talked - even laughed! - and got along beautifully! anyone who shares a child of divorce has the fear of having to be civil to the other parents...you know you do! you envision what life is like for the kids on visits - unlimited Slurpees & gallon size bags of M&M's followed by no schedule and the TV as a baby-sitter. it was so refreshing to know that's not what cyd gets when she goes for her visits!

what a nice step towards peace when she has soccer games, graduates from high school, gets married, etc. and summer visitation is being scheduled & we're so excited that Chas and Sunnie are wanting several two-week periods vs. a block of 42 days! everyone will get substantial summer time & cyd won't be too homesick.

this weekend, another blessing of our new location allowed us to take a day-trip to Ruidoso and take cyd tubing! we've had nice snow recently & we'd love to get her on skis but decided to start with tubin' - we all had a blast, except for little stroman who couldn't tolerate being kept behind the fences & away from the fun!

thanks, trace, for reminding me to post!

not kidnapped by aliens...just crazy busy

and once again, i've scratched out a few minutes to blog....

well - this week, Stroman turned a year old! i'm stunned how quickly time passed. it makes me long for another baby. but perhaps not another toddler quite yet. he started walking Christmas Day and is a champ at a) not sharing, b) screaming when sister takes something from him and c) throwing the most outrageous fits when he doesn't get his way. yet, he's wonderful!

Cydney is loving the new house (we're renting) and she's terribly fun to take house hunting. if we find a house that is new or empty, she's the first to ask if we can go "peeking and looking" to see if we like it. oddly, she loves every house we see!

this weekend, the grandparents will come to Roswell to celebrate with Stroman. forecast: snow. lots of snow!

also, the first week we were here we got to know a FANTASTIC pediatrician, dr beverley elliott - who treated stroman's ear infection & established cydney as a patient. it's nice to be 10 minutes from the doctor vs. the 2 1/2 hours from the doctor as we were in alpine.

we joined a gym and are loving the opportunity to work out together...which is fabulous now, b/c sweet husband got me an ipod for valentine's day and my days are once again FILLED with music. i'm addicted.

i miss alpine. i miss my friends. sometimes i miss the slowness of that little place. however, drew's job is so much more enjoyable for him. the administration is supportive, informed, involved & the students are focused - must be the military influence here at NMMI.

pictures from playing outside on Stroman's birthday - the ones with the ball, stick & cinderblock fence remind me of a prison yard! Cydney is becoming quite talented at soccer-ball, as she calls it. look at that perfect running form!

Tag - I'm IT!

Meredith tagged me to divulge some sordid details from my past...and when i began to think of "little known facts" about me, i realized that i talk too much to too many people for there to be much that is unknown. regardless, here we go:

1. around 4th grade i decided that my name should have been laren annedrea barns, rather than anne as my middle name. so i started writing it on my school papers, etc. even told people that was the name my mother wanted me to have but my father messed it up on the birth certificate.

2. in 3rd grade i experienced my first intervention...my best friends, jamie and courtney (twins), told me i had to quit cussing to remain friends with them. it was hard...especially the jitters and when i snubbed my toe on the end of the bed and stuff. but i got through it. thanks girls. (unfortunately, it didn't stick. i still cuss like a well-educated sailor in my head.)

3. i was the first Agri-Business Reporter for KCBD, Newschannel 11 while in college at Texas Tech University. i had a 2-minute package every sunday dealing with the ag news around the high plains area. 2-minutes is a big deal in TV time. i was also a producer for the 5/6/10 o'clock news and filled in on a few live shots while i worked at the station. KCBD is where i met one of the best women i know, Ashley Stacy Rodriquez.

4. if given the choice of any work, i would be a ranch hand...or owner. i spent summers working for my father and it was the most exhilarating, exhausting job i've ever had other than motherhood. i've built miles of 5-strand barbed wire fence, driven big John Deere tractors, worked cattle horseback and through a chute since i was 4. i've helped pull calves during calving season. dehorn, castrate, vaccinate, palpate, you name it. now, my family will tell you that i'm not a good hand, i'm only good for stories...like when the truck rolled into me while i was opening a gate and i was trapped between the farm truck and a 12-inch pipe that made up the brace for the gate. my dad says, "i'm just glad it was you and not your brother. you're mean enough to push the truck off of you and get out of the mess." true. however, my brother is smart enough to use the emergency brake and not get himself into the mess in the first place. i did push the truck off of me and escape to tell the tale. that same day i ran out of gas 10 miles from anywhere. it was snowing. it sucked.

5. my friend alison and i were once the victims of an attempted carjacking. long story short we were duped by some jerks in dallas while we were lost. one of the guys tried to get into the car while he helped us with 'directions'. the doors were locked and he was unsuccessful. meanwhile another guy pulled a sawed-off shotgun on us and demanded all our money. yeah, right. we were college kids on spring break...we didn't have any money. i sped away and the gunshot landed right in the doorpost between the front and back seat. had it been a few inches forward, it would have hit me. a few inches behind and it would have hit alison. they chased us but we got away due to my many years of watching the Duke Brothers execute some nice chase moves. anyone scared of getting on a freeway at the exit ramp and heading the wrong way?

6. i'm the world's worst at keeping up with friends. it isn't intentional. i promise to get better.

so, there...6 things you didn't know about me. and now, i tag - Lori, Caneel, and Trace

consequences of your words

one of my goals this year is to blog more.

why would i continue to drag you through the mundane rut that is my life with more incessant babble, you ask? now, that's your issue. i just write it. it's there. read it if you want to.

for me, writing is a release. i need to write more.

but tonight, my post is later than anticipated because we are packing up our 3-year-old's room. all toys, items used for play and all but 3 books are being removed from the little angel's room...because she is learning to suffer the consequences of her words.

i might be overreacting a bit...here's how it went down...

-crash-from the bathroom

drew, "cyd, what did you throw away?"
cyd, "i don't want my shovel anymore." (toy shovel that came with extensively decorated 3-story doll house that we gave her for Christmas)
drew, "no ma'am. get it out of the trash. and please go play in your room until dinner is ready."
cyd, "yes sir."

-sullen girl grabs shovel and throws it into her dollhouse. she then begins to dismantle the beds and other furniture. enter mom.

me, "excuse me? what are you doing? tearing up your dollhouse?"
cyd, "i don't like it. i only like Barbie dollhouses."

-here, mother refrains from screaming - barbie's a slut and slamming the door in a swift exit.

me, "barbie is for older girls. this dollhouse is perfect for you & you have played with it for hours every day since Christmas."

cyd, "i don't want it."

me, "fine. tonight, i'm removing all toys and books from your room. you will keep one stuffed animal and three books-"
cyd,"i want--"
me, "absolutely not. i will decide what stays and what goes!"

we discussed why she won't have her toys. we discussed how words can be used in a mean way and hurt feelings.

and i'm sure we failed to discuss many things that will someday make a therapist LOADS of money!

any thoughts, comments, advice, similar situations to share???