What I would NOT do for one million dollars...

World's most dangerous walking path!

We are tickled white...

The kids have been bugging me on and off for over a year about doing Karate. Well the prices around here are sky-high. But on Tuesday I called a new place that opened up just outside of our neighborhood and they had the most reasonable prices around. A few hours later they had their first class and the next day I was hemming pants. So they are now official Taekwondo students. I am loving how close the place is and there is a class each night and they can go to whichever classes they like - super flexibility for mom.
If any of you guys are interested here is their website:

TKDfit

Frustrations...

I am ignoring Ami's cute post about not complaining...

1. I personally think a bad, bad, bad sign in marriage is when the couple is no longer sleeping together. And no I don't mean that - I mean actually sleeping together. And I humph at almost all excuses people give: fussy babies, children that wont' sleep alone, snoring, temperature differences, insomnia, etc. I mean Kyle grinds his teeth louder than a saw mill and I wouldn't go anywhere. And I know I steal the covers relentlessly, then get hot and dump them all back on him, but he won't go anywhere either. The only exception to my rule is pain. Which for me rears its ugly head in pregnancy, usually about 2 weeks to a month after I stop puking. The doctors attribute my excruciating hip pain to "relaxin" a lovely hormone in pregnancy that loosens all of your ligaments. Here is how the American OB website describes it:
   "hormones released during pregnancy allow ligaments in the pelvic area to soften and the joints to become looser in preparation for the birthing process of your baby; this shift in joints and loosening of ligaments may affect the support your back normally experiences"
   All I know is if I lay in one position for more than thirty minutes I wake up in so much pain I can hardly bare it and I can hardly move or even get out of bed. My hips feel like a Zamboni has been running over me all night. I go through my five step process: whimper, cry, pull on Kyle or the side of the bed to move, stand in one spot for about a minute until I think I might be able to move, then I start my Parkinson's like shuffle while simultaneously crying and hoping I don't fall. So here I am with 18+ weeks to go facing sleeping in the recliner, until this little girl arrives. And I feel like throwing a temper tantrum!!!
2. On to the second thing to complain about: Anal retentive Maiya. I was determined yesterday that she was going to poop in the toilet. We had no where to be and started the day with a tell tale red pushing face in the corner. Well 12 hours later (about six were spent in the bathroom) - She won. No poop. I withheld the diaper from nap time to try to force my hand. But she had to get one for bed. And she woke up this morning with a surprise for daddy. so frustrating...
3. And I want to break up with myspace. I only started it so old friends could find me, yet I still find myself checking it too often. All that is there is old, weird friends that do approximately 10 of those dumb surveys a day. No one communicates with me there and yet they don't really venture over to my blog either. It seems like waste to even log on, yet I find myself doing it anyway. I find myself annoyed that I need to update some waste of internet, yet I don't like ignoring it either. Myspace accidentally erased my sister's page a year ago. I hope they accidentally get me next.

Does this mean they can't decide either?

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebs - Collage - Morph

Oyakawa Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Oyakawa Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Genealogy search - Genealogy software

Character Day

Ella dressed up as the Paper Bag Princess today. It is dress as your favorite book character day. I was pleased she picked what I think is one one of the BEST BOOKS EVER FOR GIRLS! - The Paper Bag Princess rocks - She is so much cooler than those lame-o Disney Chicks. This was one of the first times Benjamin was bah-hum-bug about dressing up - guess he's getting to old/cool for stuff like this. He wore a striped shirt and said he was Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, but I couldn't get him to carry a stuffed tiger to finish the look.

Here is the summary of the book - if you don't have a copy for your little girls - get one!

Elizabeth, a beautiful princess, lives in a castle and wears fancy clothes. Just when she is about to marry Prince Ronald, a dragon smashes her castle, burns her clothes with his fiery breath, and prince-naps her dear Ronald. Undaunted and presumably unclad, she dons a large paper bag and sets off to find the dragon and her cherished prince. Once she's tracked down the rascally reptile, she flatters him into performing all sorts of dragonly stunts that eventually exhaust him, allowing her to rescue Prince Ronald. But what does Prince Not-So-Charming say when he sees her? "You smell like ashes, your hair is all tangled and you are wearing a dirty old paper bag. Come back when you are dressed like a real princess." (At least he has the courtesy not to mention that the princess's crown resembles a dying sea anemone.) In any case, let's just say that Princess Elizabeth and Prince Ronald do not, under any circumstances, live happily ever after. Canadian author Robert Munsch celebrates feisty females everywhere with this popular favorite

Interesting story about Designer Babies...

"The words new mother Fiona least expected or wanted to hear when she gave birth were: "It's a boy."
But maybe you won't think so bad about her when you hear the reasons they only wanted a girl:
Parents sue after child inherits haemophilia

Easter Pictures are up at Flickr !!!

School Night

Benjamin's Colin Powell Projects

Ella's Brag Folder

Ella' self portrait - don't know why she made herself blonde

She will give up when she is supposed to ...

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

She has a name...

Cora Mae Oyakawa

Lots of good news

Good times, good times...
First the obvious - We are thrilled to be adding a little girl - and yes I will answer what I assume are your burning questions:
1. How do I feel about the baby being a girl? Yes I am obsessed with the number two and yes a boy would have made a wonderful set of two girls and two boys but (as my Dad would say there is always a big but...) I did have a tickly feeling this was a girl - even though I SWORE to everyone that I had no idea. There were signs: I saw an adorable little teeny tiny dress and knew I needed a little girl to put in it. And our reservations to Disney came last week and and the travel agent took it upon her self to give "Infant Oyakawa" a gender, yup : Girl. So for the record - I am thrilled that I will be the mother of one boy and three girls. Even though he is a boy's boy - Benjamin couldn't possibly be a better big brother to his sisters. And as far as companionship I think our new little girl will fit right in - as opposed to boys eight years apart. So there have been no pangs in my heart to change our plans for permanent birth control. The only thought that has crossed my mind is "hmmm it would have been interesting to know that would be the only baby boy of mine" To which Kyle replied - "Why? you wouldn't have done anything different" - True, true. Except one thing: I wouldn't have moved 8+ BOXES OF BABY BOY CLOTHES FOUR TIMES !!!!! Which leads to this announcement:
Mom of Oz will be consigning GOBS of adorable Boy clothes at the Just Between Friends Sale April 18 & 19 - check out the website and come buy everything from consigner #1414
2. Name: I know everyone is wondering but I can only say... long sigh...we have not officially decided - and with some experience under my belt I am not opening that debate to the public forum - we'll let you know when we (ahem Kyle) decides.
So in the excitement yesterday I didn't blog this important thing:
Happy Birthday Nana - we love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and there is more...

Maiya got a "Big Girl" bed this weekend. The first night went wonderfully - hoopla, pictures and a sleeping girl one hour later WITHOUT "icky' her security blanket - We were thrilled. The next day naptime involved a lot of screaming, crying for icky, numerous protests, and no sleep. That night she fell asleep on the floor. Today she slept there just fine for her nap - so here is to hoping this transition roller coaster is winding down.

Other good news - Aunt Beth finished her first week of Chemo with relatively few problems - I am happy for her and hope the rest of the six months of treatment goes just as well!!!

Meg played her first real song on the violin!! I am so happy and proud of her - she has been working on it for a couple of months now - and I think she sounds really good, but then again I am tone deaf LOL - just kidding with ya Meg. - Well not totally I truly am tone deaf.

While she was here at Christmas, my mom made & froze white beans and rice - one of my favorites!!! Just like cajun red beans and rice, but better. I have tried several times myself but nothing, I mean absolutely nothing is as good as Mom's. I actually call it crack and rice, because I CANNOT GET ENOUGH of this yumminess.

And last but not least - THANKS MEG for watching the kids this weekend so we could sneak off to a four-star hotel in Dallas. With a little help from priceline we had room service, and a movie for less than the regular price of a room. It was a wonderful little honeymoon - I LOVE YOU KYLE!

It's a ...

I am sorry...

I am on page 267 - they are in the meadow - I have to painfully admit I am just not that into it. Put it down two nights ago and realized I haven't picked it back up yet. Thoughts in my head about it: little too high schoolish, little too wholesome (something has to be kicked up a notch romance or horror), and unfortunately the pictures of the characters to play the movie are in my head and they are not nearly as gorgeous as they need to be - so I constantly don't know what mental image to have of these people. The only thing I can compare this book to is a monologue Kyle gave when we were dating about how Bram Stoker's Dracula is one of the best love stories of all time. So right now: Kyle's interpretation of Bram Stoker: 1 Twilight: 0

Nine Years today!

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. ~Author Unknown

True love stories never have endings. ~Richard Bach

Confession...

I am judgemental. I fight this tendency. Now don't' get me wrong I think I am a kind person, but there are just some people .... One such person is the principal at my children's school. I confess I didn't like her demeanor from the get-go - but she solidified my irk in several meetings about Ella where she talked to me like I was either an idiot or in elementary school myself. I also approached her about the school's Nazi-like position on no singing Happy birthday to your child on their birthday or letting Mom bring cupcakes. - She entered the realm of shockingly rude to me on that subject, instead of just talking down to me. Since then I have made it a point to be extremely rude at every opportunity I get without my kids or a bystander seeing - which unfortunately isn't often enough. In fact right now I am only clinging to one intense glare I was able to make at a restaurant in town. Which all leads me to this morning. I was scheduled to volunteer at the school at 10 am, the same time school was to start with the delayed opening. So instead of them getting dropped off in the line we all parked in the visitor lot. The parking lot was a lovely icy black. My exact thought was "Please don't let my big butt fall in front of the long line of cars" - We all proceeded to head straight across the carpool lane into the school (about twenty feet to the safer, dryer sidewalk) When I hear Principal Pain yell at me "Use the crosswalk" - and yes I mean literally YELL at me - I was close enough that yelling wasn't necessary. So there I stand holding both my kids hands on very dry ground looking back at the slick parking lot - which I have to re-enter to make my way the 30 YARDS or so to the stupid crosswalk. It was a HUGE dilemma for me - I pride myself on sarcasm and being passive aggressive - or in some cases openly aggressive. (In fact Kyle is convinced I will be killed on the highway in some road rage incident. - My mom can attest to some people's attempts. - Seriously don't try to fly up on the shoulder and squeeze in in front of me - I WILL run you off the road!!) You don't know how bad I wanted to continue walking head held high right past her. Instead I did the right thing, headed back to the parking lot and over to the crosswalk, where it just so happened we almost got hit by an exiting parent who didn't expect people to cross there. Yes the crosswalk is where all the cars are exiting! And to make a short story longer - I have been fuming about this whole dumb thing since. I should be happy I did the right thing, but now I am only pining for a solo encounter with her somewhere. I know I probably have the wrong audience since all my friends are sweet LDS ladies with much betters hearts than me - but have you ever been rude and or rebellious in front of your children?

Teckis Snow and Rock & Roll

Making Mr. Snowman with the neighbors
Kyle: "Oh this is just great"

Bunny tracks

The kids taught her this while I wasn't around. I opened I-tunes to play music for her and said what do you want to listen to? (expecting the usual "twinkle") When out comes "rock and roll". What did you say?

So its not a chapter book but

Benjamin has found Kyle's old Garfield books and he is reading them every night. Kyle and I crack up from the belly laughs he makes every night while reading. During the day he quizzes on facts about Garfield - which Kyle can keep up with much better than me since they are his old books. And he has taken to drawing them as well. I think he does a pretty good job.

I heart movies...

Being sick I was somewhat consoled by way too much TV, and often lamented that none of my favorite movies were on. Abby's recent post gave me an excuse to avoid housework and categorize my faves. - It was fun even though I did waste too much time doing it.

1. Chick flicks: Sliding Doors (1998 Starring Gwyneth Paltrow) and of course Terms of Endearment (1983 Starring Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger - who can't cry at that movie - Fave quote:"It's after ten. I don't see why she has to have this pain...It's time for her shot. Do you understand? Do something! All she has to do is hold on until ten, and it's past ten. She's in pain. My daughter's in pain. Give her the shot. Do you understand me? Give my daughter the shot!"
2. Romance: Say Anything (1989 Starrring Jon Cusack), The Graduate (1968 Starring Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman - Best soundtrack of all time) and Garden State (2004 Starring and written/directed by Zack Braff)
3. Modern Comedy: Love most Will Ferrell and Chris Farley stuff, but for absolute favorites see Coen Brothers list.
4. Dark Comedy: I don't know if its in this category but I LOVED Fargo (1996 Starring William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi) Buscemi cracks me up in almost every scene. I also loved that they claim its "Based on a true story" and they actually made the entire thing up. Gotta love the Coen brothers. Which leads me to my own category: Coen Brothers movies: O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Big Lebowski, and Raising Arizona - in that order.
5. War comedy: Top Secrect (1984 Starring Val Kilmer - Parody of WWII spy movies in which an American rock and roll singer becomes involved in a Resistance plot to rescue a scientist imprisoned in East Germany)
6. War Drama: Don't like these - Does Officer and a Gentleman count?
7. Sports: I don't like any sports movies either, but if pinned down by bad-guys and had to say, I'd say League of Their Own. - But that's a chick flick really.
8. Drama: The Shawshank Redemption (1994 Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) Only Stephen King movie done well. And The Color Purple (1985)
9. Musical: Grease 2, then Grease, then Zanadu then Little Shop of Horrors - in that order. Of the more serious - Sound of Music and Evita - but truth be told I LOVE THEM ALL
10. Parody: This Is Spinal Tap (1984) - "Does for rock and roll what "The Sound of Music" did for hills "
11. Action: True Lies (1994 Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis) Honorable Mention: The Kill Bill movies, but only when they come on TV - pared down violence.
12. Horror:The Blair Witch Project (1999 Starring - Heather Donahue and the brilliant Indie writers who created this film - went to see it in the theaters three times) Honorable Mention: Poltergeist
13. Hitchcock: Its not a movie but an episode "The Man from the South" involving an infamous bet over keeping one's pinky finger, which leads to my favorte Quentin Tarantino movie : Four Rooms (1995 Starring a TON of celebrities including Madonna and Antonio Banderas)
14. Suspense: Deceived (1991 Starring Goldie Hawn) Honorable Mention: The Usual Suspects
15. Foreign Language: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000 Starring Yun-Fat Chow and Michelle Yeoh This movie has one of the most romantic scenes which I will quote: "I would rather be a ghost, drifting by your side...as a condemned soul...than enter heaven without you. Because of your love...I will never be a lonely spirit."--Li Mu Bai to Shu Lien
16. Science Fiction: Starman (1984 Starring Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen - coming on TV March 5th 9:45am on TMC) Honorable Mentions: Innerspace, Flight of the Navigator, Cocoon
17. Holiday: The funny ones and yes I never get tired of them - watch them every year: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989 Starring Chevy Chase) and A Christmas Story (1983 Starring Peter Billingsley) - did you know that movie inspired "The Wonder Years" TV show?
18. Disney: The Sword in the Stone - I want Merlin to make me into a fish
19. Live action Disney: Freaky Friday, Pete's Dragon, Swiss Family Robinson, and The Chronicles of Narnia
20. Pixar: Finding Nemo
21. Cult Classics: Rocky Horror Picture Show, Wizard of Oz, Napoleon Dynamite
22. John Hughes movies: The Breakfast Club and She's Having a Baby

Wow I like a lot of movies...