Wedded Bliss

Did you laugh? C'mon! Anything that starts with "wedded bliss" has got to be for s&g's because anyone who's actually been married for any length of time knows that "Wedded Bliss" only describes the ceremony. Sometimes the honeymoon.

Handy Man and I are celebrating our wedded bliss on this day - our anniversary. Like most couples, we've worked really hard to make our marriage work for us. I won't even pretend I'm a marriage expert but I have some points about why marrying Handy Man was the best decision I've ever made in my whole life.

* The man is funny. And I mean tears-down-your-cheeks, aching-tummy kind of funny. And that makes up for all the times he's not.
* He is ambitious and an incredibly hard worker. Okay, so maybe he's a work-a-holic, but I prefer that anytime to an apathetic, slothful, bum of a couch decoration. He is obsessive about perfection in his work. That makes me very proud of him.
* He tries really hard to make me happy. He's mostly thoughtful and I can tell that my happiness means something to him. I appreciate that, because his happiness means the world to me.
* He gives great gifts. I don't mean this as a materialistic kind of appreciation. What I mean is that he actually considers the usefulness, time-saving, and happiness factors of the gifts he generously gives people he cares about. I've always felt that he has an intuition for what people want or need, even if they don't know. If Handy Man gives you a gift - it was intended for YOU. I find that thoughtful and very charming.
* Nothing is half-@$$ed with him. So maybe that goes back to him being a hard-worker. But in this case, I mean that he tends to have great follow-though on his projects. I can name only a handful of projects he's ever started and not completed. And the man has done hundreds of projects! As for my master-bath shower (incomplete) - I know it'll bug him and annoy him and eat at him until the job is done. I love him for his ability to follow through.
* He humors me. I tend toward the dramatics (oh, don't pretend to be surprised! ;) ). He is patient, and boyishly tolerant of my theatrics. He listens to my woes. Sometimes he doesn't even try to fix it, sometimes he actually just listens.
* In our time of true crisis in the NICU, he was strong. Without complaining, without missing a beat, he simply just knew what to do. I was an absolute disaster - scatterbrained, distracted, overwhelmed, scared out of my mind. And yet, he seemed to have it all together (even if it was just for my benefit). His stability was a beacon for me when the rest of my life felt completely out-of-control. It may seem very 1950's Ward Cleaver-ish... but I appreciated his stoic assertiveness and ability to get-'er-done.
* Handy Man is a great dad. I've never seen a man father his boys like Handy Man does. My boys will someday appreciate this, but right now they don't. Handy Man is a great dad even though the boys don't notice, don't appreciate him, and never, ever thank him. Our boys are blessed with an involved father. Handy Man changes diapers, gives baths, assembles Legos, tolerates messes, shops, gets silly, wrestles, puts them in their places, reads stories, lets me buy a thousand types of curricula to get it right, kisses owies, not to mention the basics of feeding, clothing and housing 3 very boybaric creatures.
* He scratches my back for me. This may seem like a little thing, but it's not. To me, it's my love language. And he *offers* to because he knows it makes me happy. I swear I'd purr if I could.
* Handy Man is a people-person. He always has something interesting or nice to say to everyone. He is like a how-to for those toaster people. People always remember him! We've run into people before that we've already met; most of them reintroduce themselves to me (having no recollection of me at all) while they always remember Handy Man. I'm not sure what that says about me, but it clearly proves what a people-magnet he is. And while I often find new situations awkward, he seems to be totally in his element. He is the ying to my yang in social situations.
* He likes chick flicks. This makes me deliriously happy. I don't watch anything scary, bloody, violent, or criminal. This narrows down the Hollywood Hit List a lot. Not all men would sit through nearly a decade of romantic comedies.
* He makes me want to be better. I know that sounds like a line from one of my cheesy romantic comedies, but it's true. He makes me want to be smarter, nicer, and better at all the things he does naturally. He makes me want to be a wife deserving of all of the great things he is and does for me and the boys. He makes me want to work harder, be more tolerant, laugh more, enjoy the life we've created.

Even when he is an absolute bear, I am so grateful for him, our years and the family we've created. So, Handy Man...

Happy Anniversary! You are already the greatest gift I could ever ask for.

Then again, bringing home take-out couldn't hurt. ;)

"0 Days Tornado-Free"

You know those work sites that have signs up that say "151 days Accident-Free" to celebrate safety? Iowa needs ones of those that says "___ Days Tornado-Free". Except ours would say 0. We've had tornadoes every day for almost a week. And we've got more tornado watches tonight, too. We spent last night sleeping in the dank, musty storm shelter. 3 boys, 1 mom and 1 freaked-out cat. Good times. Think they've got wifi in Oz?

So what else have we been doing? Well, turns out some of my sibs went out and got themselves all edumakated. Last weekend we celebrated the graduations of one sister from college and another from high school. Way to go, my Smarty Pants girls! Upward and onward!

Need I mention that it took $89 dollars to fill my gas tank?? Probably not, but holy cow. Something's got to give. That is absolute insanity. It's not like I drive a Hummer or an SUV, fergoodnessakes. But I am seriously rethinking my minivan. Anyone drive a grocery-getter? I have my eye on a more fuel-efficient, low-riding grocery-getter.

And guess what else I have been doing?

I have been drinking really great coffee. I mean frothy, foamy, black-as-tar, beautiful espresso. See this beautiful piece of machinery? It is a Francis!Francis! X5 and it is my new BFF. I LOVE this machine. LOVE it. Is it possible to love an espresso machine? It is if that machine is the FF X5! Isn't she a beauty??? I am still perfecting this sucker - she seems to like me more if I feed her pods instead of ground beans. Whenever I do the ground beans she misbehaves. I will prevail!


And speaking of BFFs, my BFF is now the proud mommy of a gorgeous baby boy. He is 7+ lb of absolute perfection. I spent this evening staring at his tiny toes, his perfect little ears, the most darling little chin... ugh! Amazing! Congrats to BFF and DD! Love you both, congrats on your son! I still can't believe you were birthing yesterday and home, comfortable and so mobile today.

I have pics coming soon that would even make Mr. Perfectly Manicured Lawn proud. And you want to hear something so so funny??? One of our other (nice!) neighbors, came over to... get this... ask Handy Man for landscaping advice!!! Aheheha ehea ahoooho HOO HO HO heeeh eaaaa. Oh, that just makes my tummy hurt! Isn't that too, too funny?! Oh my goodness. Wait, I've got to tell it again. Our neighbor came over - to our yard - and looked around. Then, he asked *my* Handy Man for some tips. AHha ahah ahe he ha eha eah hooo heee ha. I spent the next 10 minutes howling in laughter in our yard until I had tears running down my cheeks. Awww, Handy Man... my dear, sweet, green-thumbed Handy Man.

So hopefully you'll forgive me for the pause in between blogs. It's been a whirlwind - quite literally - around here!

Reason #574638526 That Our Neighbors Love Us...

Mr. Perfectly Manicured Lawn stood in his lawn pretending to water his lawn and pick up every twig in his yard. Under his breath I'm sure he was cursing Handy Man's name. He just can't see the potential. Can you see it?

Did you know that if you do all that digging - you'll probably find one of these? This pic is for my dad. Hey Dad, wanna come to Iowa and visit us??

Friends 'n' Rock Gardens

These are my favorite pics from this week.

We had friends over and I'm not sure who had more fun, Handy Man or the 7 kids running through the house! Our friends are just perfectly Trouble's size. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. ;)





And guess what! Guess who won't be the scourge of the neighborhood anymore? Well, we still might be. We're not sure we can keep anything alive. Maybe that's why Handy Man had 6 huge rock sculpture things delivered. What will Mr. Perfectly Manicured Lawn think of rocks in our garden?. As for the living plants... well, time will tell on that one. Handy Man has never planted a thing in his life. My experience? I once planted tulips. The squirrels dug them up and the deer ate them. It was a raging success. ;) But don't my menfolk look awfully handsome working in the yard?

Date Night with a Crooner

Handy Man and I had our first date night since before Trouble was in the NICU.

Seeing as how he is turning 5 in about a week, we were loooooooooong overdue for some couple time. So a few months ago, Handy Man surprised me with tickets to see my heart-throb Canadian crooner, Michael Bublé. The concert was fantastic. I've seen some of his "colleagues" - Josh Groban and Andrea Boccelli - and I loved those concerts. But Bublé is so funny and so believably sincere, it was more than his music than made the night. He is a genuine entertainer. The tickets were well-worth their cost.




It was fun to feel like a grown-up, a couple and to have an occasion to wear these:



Another first time? Leaving the boys with someone other than a grandparent. Thankfully they were in great hands and it felt more like a playdate to them than being "left with a sitter". They played with friends and had a great time. Big thanks to our "sitter" (who reads this blog!).

Most thanks go to my Handy Man. He planned the night. He encouraged me to be brave enough to leave the boys for a night. He took us to a fabulous restaurant and even got a cab for me when I didn't want to hike it in my cute heels. We meant to get a few pics taken together on our date night, but we forgot and had to ask the elderly porter to try. He did okay, don't you think? We have so few pictures of us together; this is a true treat.

Thanks for a great night and to everyone who made it possible. I love you Handy Man. You are so good to me. I had the hottest date at the concert (even more so than the "tan guy"!). XOXOXOXO

Another Round of "Ask LWM3B"

It's been awhile since I've answered some of the reader emails. I guess if I don't ever answer them, people are going to stop asking. So here are some I found while cleaning out my inbox yesterday...

(1.) You travel a lot. Where ya' goin' all these places, girlfriend?

Well, I don't know if I travel extensively, but I do a bit of business here and there. I am a telecommuter. My office is in White Plains, NY (home of the March of Dimes' National Office). So, I head out there quarterly. I also do a few conferences with some of our amazing volunteers and some for speaking or learning opportunities. So when I'm off hopping tarmacs, it's usually all in my quest to support NICU families, either learning more about it or helping others learn more about it.

This year, though, I will also be traveling to BlogHer in San Fran and to my sister MOBS's wedding in Mexico. Are any of you heading to BlogHer???

(2.) Tell me how to make that grilled peanut butter thing, please?

Ohh... do try this. Really. It's so super easy. Make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Now, just like a grilled cheese, generously butter the outside and grill on your stovetop. Be careful because PB tends to melt - you need just enough to give the bread a crunch! I eat it with a fork, because it's just too messy to pick up. It's dessert! Next time, I'll tackle the peanut butter and cereal combo.

(3.) How did you meet that Handy Man of yours? Do tell.

Oh my. I'll give the abbreviated version. I was teaching Italian at a big university near Handy Man's hometown. I was a young thing. For whatever reason, Handy Man decided he wanted to learn Italian with the plans of taking a trip over to Europe for their amazing food. (On a side note, only a man plans his vacations following his stomach!). So he went about finding a local tutor, and I was who he found. He was my student. And I almost didn't take him - all my other students were college-age preparing for exams or in my classes at the U. I couldn't figure out why "some old guy" wanted lessons. But serendipitously, I was so broke that I had to take any $$$ opportunity I could find. So, that's how it started. And he was a GREAT student. ;)

(4.) How long do you plan to homeschool?

For however long it continues to be successful. :)

(5.) Think you'll stay in that house forever?

Most days I'd like to. But if our state ever changed the homeschool laws, we'd pack up the boybarians in a nanosecond and head to Illinois or Texas - or wherever we could maintain our schooling status quo. If Handy Man decided to take his business elsewhere, we'd go. I am lucky enough to be able to do my jobs wherever the wind blows us. This house is special to us, but ultimately, it's just a house. Now, if Handy Man decided to build again in our local area, I'd kill him.

(6.) How did you get started with design. How can I get started?

I still wake up some days in complete disbelief that people ask me to design their blogs. Boy that was a crazy path. I guess it all boils down to: see a need, fill a need. (Name that movie!) There is a huge need to be filled. And moms especially seem to appreciate working with other mom-treprenuers. I absolutely love everything about it, but other than an affinity for design, I have no educational background in this field. My majors were in language (both pathology of and foreign) and it turns out that coding is really just another language. It was pretty easy to pick up.

So you think you want to learn? I first suggest in investing in a good graphic program: I use Adobe CS3, but even Photoshop Elements is a great starter program. You can find CS2 for pretty cheap now that the next thing is out, and CS2 can do nearly everything CS3 can do. Then... well... some people buy books. I don't own a single CSS or html book. Some people swear by it, but I really need something more hands on. So I started a test blog and just started playing with the code and watching what happened. If you think a book would help you - there are hundreds. But sometimes trial and error is simply the best teacher. I will be starting to post TIPS for Bloggers over at my other blog: Graphically Designing.

I was going to post the search options again - some of those are too too funny - but there have been some creepy ones lately. I need to follow those and change those posts. I'm getting some weirdo traffic. So those of you looking for anything above rated PG - you're barking up the wrong tree.

Another QnA at LWM3B

Here are some of the questions from my comments and inbox lately that inquiring LWM3B minds want to know.

Q: You have awesome music, Darcy. Where can I get myself some tunes?

A: Well, first will someone please go tell Kysha that my music is awesome? Even when my 4 year old helps? Okay, next I say exercise caution when deciding if you want music. A lot of people find this feature extremely annoying. Bloggers who like to have a lot of windows open at the same time (uh, me) have crazy things that happen when our own blogs are open... then we go visit our friends. Want an example? Open my blog and the Nester's blog at the same time. Another example? Abba is blaring when I'm trying to hear my future daughter-in-law sing itsy bitsy spider. It's madness, I tell ya.

If you still want music after all that... here's how you do it. Scroll down my blog... waaay down. See the very bottom footer? There is a little music widget down there. Click it. It should take you to the site where you can make your own. That easy. It's free. I love free. And Kysha... you can also skip to ABBA if you want.


Q: Did you ever find more PB Loco?

A: Yes! But not at the SuperTarget. I made the 1/2 hr trek to the closest one only to find all they had was Sun Dried Tomato and some Jungle Banana flavor. Blech. Luckily for the boybarians, their Nanie loves them very, very much. She sent us a case of PB loco and I wish I could have recorded Einsteins whoops of joy and the way Picasso danced around the kitchen. We currently have 3 open jars and Einstein has eaten a variation of PB Loco for every meal since then. Okay, I have had my share of it too. Thanks, Nanie.


Q: Did your elliptical machine ever arrive?

A: No. After two days of "unreachable conditions" the freight company tried to ship it back... to the pacific northwest! Can you even believe it? Today, Handy Man called me and told me he drove to a town about 45 minutes from here to pick it up from the freight company. My Lenten Promise starts tomorrow; the elliptical will be here late tonight!

(Update: As of 10 pm Friday nite - it's here! Handy Man is assembling it right now! Dainty, I am already cursing your name for this.)


Q: Are all those cute girls your college roommates?

A: Nope, but they are just as fun as a whole gang of college girls! I met those amazing mommies through the March of Dimes. They are all mommies of miracles, both survivors and angels. We come from all over the US and try to get together a few times a year. Not only are these women some of the strongest women I know, but they dedicate oodles of hours to volunteering. They are very selfless when it comes to making sure other families find the NICU a less terrifying place than it was for us. It is very empowering to have a set of girlfriends who truly understand the ache, fear, isolation, grief, hope, triumph, and joy that starts (and sadly, sometimes ends) in the NICU. There are others, too... that couldn't come that time, but that I've talked about in my blog before. You can meet most of them over there on my blogroll. 'Cept for Dainty and ksc. They're slackers like that. But McTriplet Mommy, Miracle Monster Mom, Phamily Matriarch (Chuc' Mung ` Nam Moi'!) and Little Wonders (Happy birthday to the Wonder Triplets!) are all clickable. So is QuadMom... she's coming for a girls' weekend tomorrow! In case you were wondering... thats 2 sets of triplets, 1 set of quads and a partridge in a pear tree.

Q: How did you make that adorable picture of your boys over there -------> on your side bar?

A: Photoshop. By making all three photos the same width, in the case of my blog about 175 pixels wide, I was able to stack all the pictures into a single image. Then using the text feature, I just wrote their names and ages on each one so you could see the boybaric creatures I blog about all time. I'm thinking of adding Handy Man over there, too. Wouldn't that be *handy*???

Q: So... is Handy Man really a "handy man"?

A: Hahehehaeahhooohoohheahehaha! Hooohee, that's funny! While he is handy, it's just a fun moniker. Handy Man is actually a residential designer. That means he designs houses, like an architect - only his degree is in Urban Design instead of architecture. This is also why there is usually a plethora of blue prints in the background of my photos.


Q: You said in a blog that you're a "work at home mom". What do you do?

A: I am a web moderator for a NICU Family Support site. I work part-time from home. The site provides parent-to-parent support for families who have a baby born too soon, a baby born with birth defects, for families who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. It is an excellent and sound medical resource as well as a place of hope and comfort for so many parents who are at their most fragile. I am proud to be part of the team that makes sure there is a soft place for NICU parents to land.

Q: How are you ever going to recover from this?

A: I never will. But maybe this pic of me and Handy Man will redeem myself a little bit. I no longer have a mullet and I wear more sensible clothes now. I'll try to find the one of me at 14 in a HUGE men's XL shirt of Bart Simpson that says, "Don't Have a Cow Man." (Nanie do you have that one somewhere?)

Doesn't Handy Man look like a little boy??? Awww, he's so cute.

That's it for this installment of QnA from YOU. Thanks for playing along.

Keepin' it Real and the Value of Camaraderie

So much going on here! Notice the new song? Trouble picked it out just for YOU. It's from Shrek 2; and fits nicely with his current obsession with all things Shrek. What Trouble may not know is that he is MY hero.

First, I need to acknowledge this package that arrived at my door this morning.



Oh my goodness! It wasn't signed, so I'm not sure to thank (Mom? Was that you?). So THANK YOU! Handy Man and I enjoyed some great coffee this morning. In fact, it was the best cup in awhile. You know how some mornings it just tastes better? Mmmm... look at it! Pure bliss! I owe it all to the wonderful sender of the beautiful, delicious illy.





Also! Our school room is getting an 'Extreme Schoolroom Makeover". We have a college dorm-like hodge podge of bookshelves. We have several, but we've outgrown them. Currently, a stack of gorgeous leather Brittanicas is sitting on my floor. For shame! So Handy Man is making the entire back wall built in shelves. Above the right side computer work stations he is also building shelving up there, as well. He moved everything into the center of the room, tore off the trim, and I can hear the saw and router working hard in our garage. I need to send extra props to Handy Man because it's f-f-f-freezing out there! He is working in the garage with a little space heater that's hardly doing anything. I went out only to deliver him some hot illy, and shuffled back in. Brrrr! Handy Man, we really appreciate your hard work in the freezing cold. You are so good to us.

So this is for all you homeschoolers who think homeschool moms only blog the beautiful, perfect, tidy spaces. This is the reality of my schoolroom. We haven't been in there all week.

That ^ is my photoshop rendering of the space where the shelves will be.


Handy Man, hard at work.

And you-whoo, Nester, this is totally for you. We hung curtains in the schoolroom!



The fabric reminded me of Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study - or it would, if the book were in color. It felt like a nature journal, and I loved the plants, cocoons and butterflies all over. The cocoon reminds me a little of Trouble's birth... forced before he was ready. The beautiful butterflies remind me of the gentle grace of all my boys. AND! I didn't sew them. They were purchased from Ikea and they came with an iron, no-sew kit. All we did was cut to the desired length, fold over the iron on part, and heat. Aren't they pretty?! Thanks, Nester! I would have never attempted something like this before I "met" you.


Lastly, I'm going to weigh in on something a little outside my comfort zone. I hope I don't alienate anyone. I've noticed a growing group of homeschool mom bloggers deciding to quit blogging. While many of them chose bible quotes to support their decisions, I'd like to offer an opinion of my own. My family is Catholic. I don't pretend to know the culture you talk about when you talk about "Titus women", Proverbs something-or-another, or "helpmeets". But I can speak a little about the value of blogging. Women who are abandoning their blogs because they feel it isn't Godly or is selfish may be forgetting some things that I've found very comforting. When you invest time in your writing, you give yourself the gift of time. Moms, you are more than just your kids' moms and your husbands' wives. Investing in yourself... be it writing, reading or researching.. is valuable. I don't know about you, but writing is my way of organizing my thoughts. Some of the women abandoning their blogs talk about investing time in "real" relationships. I understand that for many of us, we are separated geographically beyond what is ever possible for face-to-face meetings, but I urge you not to discount the value of a comforting word.

When I visit your blogs and leave you a message, I am no less sincere than if I pick up the phone or have coffee with a girlfriend. The blogosphere is a viable way for mothers who may be otherwise unable to meet like-minded people for conversation, friendship, support, camaraderie. When I was first introduced to "networking" online, it was foreign to me, too. I was stuck at home with a very fragile baby and two toddlers. I couldn't go meet other moms for mommy-n-me groups. I couldn't take a sick baby to a park. I had no other way to meet those who might understand my life. The same can be true for homeschoolers. Sure, we aren't stuck at home. We see museums, parks, science centers, field trips, stores, dance classes, etc. Some of us have active local groups. For those of us who do not, the relationships formed online should not be so easily dismissed.

I also feel that allowing yourself an outlet - creative, for frustrations, for organizing thoughts, for networking, for learning - allows you to grow. Blogging exposes you to new ideas, new people, unusual customs, and resources you might not otherwise discover. It allows you to see others' gifts, and take comfort in their trials. I urge those of you who feel blogging is only a waste of time to reconsider what you've gained, or furthermore... what you offer to those who visit you. So many of you have been an incredible blessing to me. Hopefully, some of my trials and triumphs and the absolute insanity here could mean something to you, too. I have made some *real* geniune friendships networking with other moms online. It isn't impersonal. My network of friends has provided comfort, laughs, support, wisdom and friendship. I urge bloggers to reach out to eachother. As technology grows, your friendships are not limited to those in your geographical area. You can find meaningful relationships that are not bound by state lines.

E Pluribus Unum.

Warmly,

I Pinned Him Down and Hog-tied Him

... Just for you. Handy Man agreed to be interviewed with only a little bit of skepticism. He was taking a break between cutting lots and lots and lots of lumber. He's making a wall and a half of built-in bookshelves for the school room. He didn't mind the interruptions. Too much.

Q: Hi Handy Man, love of my life. Wanna answer some questions?
A: That's the question?

Q: Yes. It's an interview.
A: I suppose. Want me to sit down?

Q: Sure. Sit. So, do you read my blog?
A: Do I read your blog? Every once in awhile.

Q: Have you ever thought about starting your own?
A: Heck no. You crazy? I'd never hear the end from you with your grammar policing. But I am a better speller than you.

Q: I wouldn't pick on your grammar!
A: You pick on my grammar all the time. All your comments would be edits and 'fix this'. I could see it now.

Q: So, what's your favorite thing to do when you're not designing homes?
A: Hmmm! You really want me to answer that?

Q: Yes.
A: No you don't.

Q: Please?
A: There're little ears around. Besides *that*... ummm... sleeping. Oh, and being with the family, the kids. You (if you've had coffee).

Q: You mean, it's not my 'Honey Do' list?
A: Well, I was going to say something about the list, so maybe someday I can finally be done with it. I'm working on it right now!

Q: Can you tell my readers a little about the house you designed?
A: It has a few outside corners, a roof, some windows... and so far, it keeps us warm (he laughs). No... I don't know. We went around and around designing it. I was my worst client. And once we decided we couldn't afford a 6000 sq ft house, we had to narrow it down. It's a nice house, tucked in the woods, extremely private... so you can run around n@k3d if you want. (he finds that hilarious!)

Q: Would you ever do it again - the whole home building process?
A: If you ask me right this second... no. If you ask me on a normal day, yes. It was a lot of work. It was a lot of fun, but it was worth it. it would be fun when the boys are a little older and we can teach them a few things about design and construction. And I didn't cut off any fingers this time. I think it went well. (pause) Um... I don't really think I'm that interesting, and I think you're going to lose all your readers.

Q: You're probably right. Remember the day we met?
A: Yes. I remember you opening up your door.

Q I think my readers want to know your version of that story.
A: Of when we first met? Well... I thought I would take a European vacation with a buddy of mine. We both decided to learn Italian because we would go to Italy. So I searched and found a tutor. I thought I would learn Italian, and I was actually surprised when you answered the door when we were first going to meet to teach me. I thought you were going to be some old hag (he laughs), but you were a cute, little young thing... uh, woman. I thought this would be fun. But I never thought we'd end up here, together with three boys.

Q: Speaking of the boys, what's it like to be the daddy to 3 very busy boybarians?
A: It's pretty easy if you have a light saber on your side. If not, you better beware or you'll be attacked by a Jedi Knight.
No really... it's awesome. They are wild and crazy, but still... they really are good little boys. I never thought I'd have three little cute kids to admire me so much. I have no idea how that happened. Are you sure they're my kids???

Q: Do you ever wish you had a little girl in the family?
A: Absolutely. I wish we had a little girl right now.

Q: We could go work on that, you know.
A: Uh, no. Well... maybe. If I was guaranteed to have a little girl, I would. But our luck we would have a little boy - no, twin boys. Then we'd have 5 boys and I don't think cows would live well in the timber. And if we had that many boys we'd definitely need a dairy cow.

Q: Is there anything you want LWM3B readers to know about you?
A: How stunningly handsome I am. And don't believe anything that you say about me. That my favorite food is pizza. You took me away from having that every night of the week. My 3 favorite movies are: Ferris Bueller, Breakfast Club and Fletch.

Q: You want to go back to the Honey Do list now?
A: Yup. But tell them this... never in a million years did I think I'd end up with a sorority girl from Chicago. Never.

Oh my. That opened a whole new can of worms.

Just Like Daddy

For those who have asked about Wordless Wednesday,

No, the Ghostbusters shirt is no longer in my possession.
The year was 1985. I was 9. June-Bug was 8.
I think we were on vacation, and I have no idea what our parents were thinking.
And no. June-Bug doesn't know I posted the picture. Maybe I'll post a recent one soon, so I can redeem myself and show how cute she really turned out to be. And she no longer lets her belly show. She's decent like that.

So! Onward!

I really love when the boys dive right in and get involved with Daddy. Since Handy Man works uber-hours, we only see him in the evenings and weekends. A few years ago, we adjusted bedtimes back an hour when we realized bedtime was only 1 1/2 hours after his usual arrival home. This barely left time for hello, eating and running off to bed. The boys needed more daddy time.

Handy Man is a real hands-on daddy. He changed diapers. When most daddies would stutter and wage guesses, Handy Man knows what sizes his boys wear and about how much they weigh. He knows their diagnoses, what they're working on in school and when they have a bad day. He spends lazy Sunday afternoons putting together complicated Star Wars Legos. When I took on part-time employment, he took over the bedtime ritual. He reads the stories, puts boys in pjs, and tucks them in to sleep.

But nothing warms my heart more than when my beloved Handy Man tries to teach the boys the ropes at work.

So, Handy Man... is this how it's done?

Since You Asked

Occasionally, I get questions in my comments or via email about things I've rambled on about here on my blog. So you want to know... here are the answers. Have more? Email me, and perhaps I'll get to them in the next installment.

How do you find out how people find you?

I happen to use Stat Counter and MyBlogLog. But there are hosts of free counters that can track traffic on your blog. Just Google "free stat counter" and pick one that suits you. They tell you super strange stuff, like the screen resolutions of your visitors or what browser they use. But it also tells you interesting things like the cities, states, providences and countries your visiors are from. Waving to Pago, Pago, American Samoa, Greece, and South Africa. Sometimes it's just cool to see how small the world really is. It also, much to my mad giggles, tells you what keywords people use to find you. Those are just funny.

What in the world is Trouble eating?

Do you not recognize the nutritious Boybarian staple, Toaster Strudels??? The Wildberry flavor happens to have neon blue frosting.

Are you going to interview the other boys or Handy Man?

Ummm... eventually they'll each hold still long enough for an interview. The worst is actually Handy Man. He's a workaholic and goes and goes and goes until he falls asleep. Often standing up. I happened to catch Trouble in the bathtub where he can't run away. Isn't that a great trick?

Do you charge for design work?

This is Handy Man's biggest pet peeve with me. Seriously. Ask him. I am trying to build a portfolio and some credibility. But it takes a lot of time to makeover a blog. I hope to eventually turn the design work into some book money to help offset homeschool expenses. Many of my loyal readers are homeschoolers so they get it, but unlike public schools, we have to pay for things like microscopes, globes, maps, and books. And even though we pay taxes to the public schools and not use their services, we don't get any credit to offset our expenses. This is a voting year, so you can bet my ideal candidate hopes to provide some tax relief to homeschoolers. Anyway, that turned into a tangent. The short answer is: No I don't... but that window will be closing shortly. I can't work for free much longer or Handy Man is going to take away my beloved toys.

What is the story behind yours and your grandmothers' names?

My name is Darcy. My grandmothers are Marcy (Marcella) and Darlene. My great-grandmother's name was Lee. I think you can figure out the rest.

How long did Trouble spend in the NICU? How long was he on oxygen?

Trouble spent 3 months at birth in the hospital in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). He spent over 3 years - 38 months total - on oxygen with tubes up his nose and dragging tanks everywhere. It was a very hard time for our family, so I don't blog about it much. If you want to read more about Trouble's rough start you can read the essay, "Why I Missed My Own Son's Baptism".

Where are you from, City Girl?

The Chicago Area - Home of good hot dogs, Portillo's, Michigan Avenue, real restaurants, delivery (oh, how I miss delivery!), art museums, off broadway shows, great shopping, and all sorts of stuff not found in the sticks.

How far is your nearest Starbucks?

It's about 20 minutes away. 40 minutes round-trip. *sigh*

What's your favorite coffee drink?

I love illy. Starbucks can't even hold a candle to illy. Dark roasted, ground into powder-like consistency. Here at home I start each day with a quad-shot latte. Please don't email me with the side effects of caffeine. My day would be much, much worse without it. I start dreaming of my morning coffee when I lay me down to sleep. At Starbucks, my drink of choice is a non-fat Cinnamon Dolce latte, no whip. Aren't you glad you know that about me?

Do you have any siblings? Why don't you ever blog about them?

Yes. I have a multitude of siblings. Five sisters and three brothers. No, that is not a typo. I don't blog about them because 1 - I'm not sure they want me to... 2 - they all live out of state and we don't see each other as often as I'd like... 3 - I have one of those families that needs a flow chart not a tree. So, some of my siblings aren't each other's siblings. That's a blog for another day. My sister "Mobs" can be seen here. Mobs stands for Mean Ol Baby Sister. She's actually not mean. She just earned that nickname when she chopped off 12", then 14" then 16" off my head for Locks of Love and laughed madly the whole time. It's also 84 degrees today where she lives. Brat. Since I don't talk about them that often, I'll give you this tidbit. Mobs is getting married this year to a hot fireman who really is a calendar pin up boy. I'll scan the calendar pictures to prove it. I'm sure Mobs's future hubby won't mind.

Did Handy Man really design your house? Can we see it?

Yes, he really did. It took him almost a year to build it. I love this house. My beloved Handy Man thoughtfully planned each niche, every tile, each strategically placed wall. He did nearly all of the work himself. In fact, buried in our hollow banister are pictures my boys drew, some random toys, and a love letter I wrote to Handy Man. Someday, should someone ever tear down this house... I hope the finder tracks down my children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren so they know just how much I loved my family.

Can you see it? Maybe. If you're really, really good.

Hmmm... that seems to satisfy the boybarians.

You All Crack Me Up

So I have one of those nifty stat counters that tell me things like who you people are who drop in on the boybarians, if you use Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari (why do people really care about that?), your IP etc. But it also tells me the interesting stuff you all type into Google to find me. Most of you crack up me. I have spent many good minutes in resounding giggles about the kind of stuff y'all are looking for here. 'Cept for the creepy person who is looking for b0y$ in und3rw3@r. You are not funny. You give me the heebie jeebies and the urge to run you over with my soccer-mom mini van. (Sorry to have to code it... I don't need to be attracting more of those.)

Anyway, tangent. Most of you are pretty funny. Many of you are looking for free stuff. But the majority of you come here looking for homeschool curriculum stuff. And don't get me wrong... I'm flattered. But sometimes that causes the heartiest guffaw laughs. I mean, I don't know anything about curriculum. My oldest student is 7, fergoodnesssakes. I'm still glad my older two can read. I still spend some days thanking my lucky stars they can.

So while I'll continue to share our homeschooling trials and triumphs, I hope all you Googlers (did I just make up another word? I love that!) don't come expecting expert advice. But that, I suppose, is the beauty in homeschooling. It's a journey. I've learned so much since starting this. I tell Handy Man all the time how smart I am now that I've finished 1st grade. And it's true.

So, whatever query brought you here to Life With My 3 Boybarians... thanks for dropping in. You keep me accountable. Even if it's just to my mom. (Hi Mom.) And one of these days, Handy Man will get his hot bootie back in gear and make you all a Weekly Report.

SO, for my amusement, here are some of the most recent Google searches landing people on Life With My 3 Boybarians:
*3rd grade language arts
*free iTunes (keep on walkin' buddy. None of that here.)
*2nd grade language arts
*singapore + horizons
*lovely locks
*pretty girl hair cuts (hahehhaeah HOH HE EHAHEHA ahhhh ahehee. oh my. funny stuff)
*mill creek academy (in many variations of the spelling)
*boybarians (mine are *The Boybarians* not just any ol' boybarians!)
*peanut butter (I'm with whoever Googled this. Email me. We can be cyber BFFs)
*mmm mmm mmm (seriously?! ahehahehehaha funny! what were they looking for?!)
*star wars saga (I don't think Ive ever used the word 'saga' in my whole life. There. Now I've used it twice)

and here's my favorite:
*hot handy man (You found 'em girls!)

hhoohehahhheahehaheheheahehahehheeaaaaaha. Hot Handy Man. I think they were looking for a calendar man. But they got this instead!

I love Google!

Appyhay Ewnay Earyay

This weekend was supposed to be a trip down south - well more south than Iowa. In Kansas City, it's predictably 10-20 degrees warmer than the arctic tundra we call Iowa. But our friend Princess Leia got sick, and the boybarians were sooo bummed! So, we're rough tough Boybarians! We're not going to sit around and be sad. No way!

We're goin' north.

Wait. North??? Now c'mon. Really?! Who does that at the end of December? Who goes *more* north than they already are?!

Apparently we do.

But look at this face...


It was so worth it for that face. And the fact that my nephew, Baby J, is the most laid back, best baby in the world.

To help console Einstein's broken heart about missing a weekend with Princess Leia and her family, we took the boys to the second best place in the world for a boybarian... Legoland at the Mall of America.

OMgoodness. It was like little boy heaven there. They didn't want to leave. "Can we seep here, peez?" asked Trouble. "Yeah!" chime in the others.

We ate at the Rainforest Cafe, caught some of the great sales, basked in all the glory that is Ikea, and went back (over and over!) to the Legos. The boys didn't even mind that the hotel was renovating and except for the room, which was fantastic, the hotel was a dump. And smelly. And right by the noisy airport.

Apparently, Legos are enough to keep the boys happy, and the 1-2 punch of Baby J and Ikea are enough to keep me happy. Handy Man mostly just tolerated us. What a great guy.

All four boybarians:


It's almost too good to be true:


Little boy heaven:


It takes all 45 Einstein pounds to make these Legos stick.


Jango Fett - It's a better combo than chocolate and peanut butter. It's Star Wars and Legos.


Life With My 3 Bionicles:


What a view. Don'tcha love how he hovers protectively over his boys?


Today, the boybarians did their yearly purging. It felt so good to see Handy Man drive off with 5 huge contractor bags full of donations. The boys were so grateful for their new Star Wars legos and figures, they were surprisingly generous with their donations this year. I think my boys are growing up! All the "baby toys" are off to find new homes.

*sigh*

I think I need to go back to Minnesota and go cuddle Baby J some more.

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My wish for you all is a happy, healthy, prosperous, full-of-learning and adventure, wonderful 2008. Happy New Year!

Handy Work - Mmmm mmmm mmm.

I am still debating about whether or not I should post the photos of Handy Man's big 'April Fools in December' joke on me. Turns out my "uncomfortable surprise" face is not altogether flattering; nor am I very clever at disguising how I really feel. I really need to work on my facial expressions. Really.

Sooooo... Handy Man got me a new toy for Christmas! It's a sparkly, fast, gorgeous... laptop. For you nerds out there - it runs Mac's new Leopard (I'm getting light-headed!), it has 2.6GHz Intel Core duo processor, built-in airport Extreme (for anytime, anywhere internet surfing). It is fast, loaded and way cooler than even my desktop (swoon!). My desktop runs Vista, which I actually really like, but man oh man... Macs are just... well... smart. Intuitive. And very, very cool. Thanks, Handy Man. It's the best Christmas since the year I got the complete Strawberry Shortcake figurine set.

One of my new upgrades with the Mac was switching from Photoshop CS2 to CS3 (thanks for your help, Dr. D!). And Handy Man ordered these nifty little Photoshop actions for me to play with. It's a brand new machine, a brand new graphics program, and some brand new features... so I've had to do a LOT of toying around with the graphics. These actions really work with best with portraits, I think, but as cute as the boybarians are, sometimes when on the learning curve, I need a little more excitement.

What do you think of my.... errr.... Handy work????

The original

Urban

Vintage with a cool and intensify.

MMMmmmm... black and white. I like.

Blank and white with a blue wash.

So which action do YOU like?

Warriors

Inspired by the Aborigenes and the Maori tribes from our Australia and New Zealand studies, the Men of Mill Creek Academy proudly present a series we'll call "Warriors." Brace yourselves.