Friday, April 30, 2010

(A More Real) Love Story

Friday Confessional

It's Friday again....you know what that means- time to head over to glamazon, link-up, and 'fess up. 
I confess:

  • I am the only blogger out there without a cool nickname/alias.
  • It's getting to me.
  • I have thought about it long and hard to no avail.
  • Nicknames I have had in my life:
  • Kellie-bellie
  • Kellie-jellie-bellie
  • Typhoid Kellie
  • Factory Defect (thanks, Dana)
  • Fireball
  • I would rather not be known as any of those, thankyouverymuch.
  • *Sigh* and so I remain, plain ol' Kellie Hendricks.
  • It probably makes stalking me easier though.
  • Stalkers- that is not an invitation or a challenge.  Stay away.

  • Last summer I took my kids to the local rec center for a fun day of swimming.
  • We played 'I spy' on the way.
  • London spied something white.
  • To make a long story short....it turned out to be me.
  • In an attempt to avoid a repeat of that fun episode this year, I have been sunning on our back deck on any day the weather co-operates.
  • I'm white. Really white. Like you can see my vein systems through my transparent skin white.
  • I would like to take this moment to apologize to my backyard neighbors.  (Please protect your eyes from the bright glare with some uv sunglasses, and then close your blinds when I'm outside)
  • My face has become as freckled as the 9-year-old Kellie's used to be, but other than that....nothing, nada, not even a ghost of a tan line.
          Is it possible that the sun is bleaching me even whiter?
  • I'm not asking to look like Halle Berry, I just want to be able to wear maternity capris without the eager beavers offering their unsolicited Jergens/Nivea/other smelly tanning lotion advice.
  • (Yeah- and I know that up to this point half of you were getting ready to mention your special lotions in a comment.  I still love you.)
  • I'm not giving up yet. It's still early in the season; I'll let you know how it goes.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

For me?

I can't believe it!  I got a blogging award.  No, seriously.  Stop laughing.  I really did.  Go to one of the most fabulous blogs ever, The Purse Blogger (doesn't the name just say it all?), and check it out if you don't believe me.  Go check it out anyway, she's awesome!


The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging world.”
Of course, awards come with rules…
1. Put the logo on your blog and/or within your post.
2. Pass the award on to twelve bloggers.
3. Link to the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and the link to the person from whom you received this award
The really fun part of this is- I get to pass it on!
(Let the drumroll begin)

And the winners are:

  1. Dana Fallentine @ San Diego Cooks
  2. Debbie@ The Davis Family
  3. Lourie@CA Girl
  4. Lucy@Lucy's Reality
  5. Tylaine@Just Me
  6. Cool Mystery Woman@memyselfandaphrodite
  7. Shan@Oh, the Joys of Children
  8. Madwoman@Ontheverge
  9. Allyson@MVP's of Mesa Town
  10. Heather@Family Volley
  11. Laurie@Laurieville 
  12. Joy@OurFamilyofFour
 Dana-you are the best sister in the world.  You are always there for me and call when no one else does.  You are one of those people who rises to the top by lifting those around you. Your cooking blog rocks.
Debbie- my blogging buddy.  Everyone loves you.  In the 3 years we've been friends, I have never heard/felt/thought/seen anything negative about you.  You throw fabulous parties, you have a beautiful family, and I am so glad I know you.  Everyone needs to check out your Delicious Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe, and your onlyinwestvalley blog.

Lourie- you are a sweet and supportive blogger.  I am jealous of your California sunshine- it's snowing here right now.

Lucy- thanks for your insightful posts.  Keep it up!

Tylaine- please ignore yesterday's message.  I found it (obviously) and learned you live in the same city where my husband works...if you ever get pulled over by a K-9 officer there, mention my name for a Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card.  :)

Mystery Woman (Aphrodite)- Anyone who is willing to help me pull out Ms. Special's hair extensions deserves the Sunshine Award!  You rock!

Shan- I think you should know you top the list of "People I am Having Over for Dinner After I Have this Baby"  You are an awesome Mom and nurse and one the very few people I would consider letting into the delivery room :), even if it was just to guard the door for me.

Madwoman- Here's to my fellow second chance blogger.  I LOVED your last post-it notes!

Allyson- I know you are already getting a big head from being so famous, but you make me laugh!  I love your posts- don't ever stop writing.

Heather- I'm so glad I found your blog!  I love the great advice you give and you inspire me to spend more quality time with my children- thank you!

Laurie- Thanks for your comments and support from across the country.  I love that we're friends on Goodreads .  I hope more bloggers will find us there and hook up.

Joy- I love all your comments; you make me smile. Thanks for being such a sweet cousin!


Purseblogger- you unselfishly make it all about everyone else and that's why we love you.  Thanks again!




Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I love him.

My husband is the best. He really is. I am so thankful he is mine.Here are a few reasons why I love him:
  • He brings me strawberries and cream in bed (without an ulterior motive)
  • He does the dishes.  A lot.
  • I always feel safe around him
  • He never tries to control me or my decisions.  Ever.
  • He does all the maintenance on our vehicles himself, and he does it well.
  • He works long hours and late shifts and seldom complains about his job.
  • He attends all my 'baby' Dr. appointments with me.  I don't even have to ask him to come- he just wants to be there with me.
  • He calls me.  Just to see how my day/night is going.  I love it.
  • He bought me a Lost t-shirt.  Just for fun.  I can't wait until I can fit into it. (August, when will you get here?!)
  • He is a fantastic Father. He gives baths, helps Nathaniel with homework, and even does London's hair sometimes.
I love having a husband I can count on.  There is no one else I would want to spend the rest of my life with.  I can't even imagine living without him.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

Pretty Melody on a Happy Monday

 
Happy Monday!  The sun is shining, and London and I just came in from lunch outside on the patio.  She spilled her water, and I said, "Isn't it great that we're outside? We dont even have to clean it up, it will dry all by itself." And it did.  I LOVE warm weather and fresh air.  


I like the music video posted above- don't ask me why, I just do.


I also like this poster: 

"Retards.  We all know one."


Don't let the idiots of the world get you down.




Today is also my husband's birthday!  Yes! I am 3 months older than him and I love it when we're finally the same age again.  




We are going to Cabela's in a couple of hours, and then out to eat- somewhere good.  Tucano's, maybe? Mmmmm.....Tucano's.  *Trying not to drool on keyboard*


Happy Monday!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Sunday Snapshot


"Cleanliness is next to dog-liness"

August 2009
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Friday, April 23, 2010

Friday Confessional with Glamazon

  • I like to write out 'ToDo' lists
  •  These days they include things like 'Shower.  Brush Teeth.  Gestate.'
  •  Some days that's all that's included.
  • Don't judge.  It's really hard for me to brush my teeth and keep breakfast down.
  • I had a talk with London this week about calling people me 'fat'.
  • Last night she put her hands on my growing belly.  
  • "Mom, you're stomach is sooo fa- I mean beautiful. Um...it's fat and beautiful, Mom."
  • I told her she wasn't even allowed to talk about my butt.
  • At all.
  • Ever.
  • I'm not one of those women who obsesses over her weight.
  • I swear, I'm really not. 
  • I have never counted calories or been on a diet.
  • I don't even own a scale.
  • I really think that if I am healthy and my body is useful and able it's great.  Women are all beautiful by nature.
  • It's left me wondering why London is so concerned about my figure.
  • Maybe it's just normal 4 year old stuff, I don't know.
  • Anyway...
  • Rich's birthday is on Monday, and I need to get him something still.
  • He wants a boat.
  • It's not going to happen this year (sorry, Honey)
  • Any suggestions?
  • I'll probably just wind up taking him having him take me to Cabela's, and just let him pick out whatever.
  • 'Cause that's the great kind of wife I am.
  • Did I mention that I would be gestating while we go to Cabela's? I just thought you should know.
  • How the he&& do I get the pink button on this post?
  • If I figure it out, I'm seriously going to celebrate.
  • OMG!! It's a rainy day miracle! I did it! 
  • Now, quit judging me and go write your own.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Quote of the Week

We were stuck in rush hour traffic on I-15 in downtown Salt Lake City one evening, when Nathaniel noticed a road sign.

"Mom! That sign says 'Las Vegas'!  We're in Las Vegas!", he exclaimed.

"No, honey," I explained, "That sign just means if we stay on this road long enough, we'll eventually get to Las Vegas.  We're still in Salt Lake."

"Oh," he said disappointedly, and looked around at the gridlocked cars for a minute. 
 
"Well, I know why there are so many people on this road, " he decided, "They were tricked!"


Tuesday, April 20, 2010






I'm just sayin'
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Worst day.


I'm having the worst day.

I'm just wishing I could be someone else, somewhere else.

Just wishing for anything but this.

Just wishing.
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Monday, April 19, 2010

Sickies

The only thing worse than suffering

is watching those you love suffer.

Nathaniel was sick with the flu all weekend.

I caught it yesterday.

At least the sun is shining;

and it's warm enough to open the windows

and let the fresh air in.

It's Rich's day off, too

so we're fortunate to have him here

to bring us juice,

good movies,

and spend half the night on the bathroom floor

with our son.

I watched "Cinderella Man"

for the first time yesterday.

I loved it. Loved it!

I need to get up now

to take a shower,

change the sheets

(is there anything better than crisp, clean sheets?)

and maybe go sit in the sun for awhile.
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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sunday Snapshot

London tickling her Grandpa.

March 2010
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Saturday, April 17, 2010

Shooting bugs.

The weather is finally warmng up- at our house that means bugs and more bugs!

Nathaniel and his friends like to spend countless hours hunting and collecting these poor little creatures.

I have to remember to save, wash out, and poke holes in the lids of every glass applesauce jar we empty.

(And yes, the prating mantis in the above photo actually is riding a skateboard.)

I love taking really close-up photographs of my children's lives; it's a great way to preserve the memories by capturing the intimate details of the moment.

To get a tiny object shot, you want to put your camera on 'macro' mode. It's generally symbolized by a flower icon. Use the telephoto part of your lens (that means get as close to your subject as you can with the lens), and you should be able to get some great detail shots!
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Friday, April 16, 2010

Friday Confessional

I'm joining Glamazon's Friday Confessional today.  Enjoy.

  • My entire adult life, I have washed my hair every 2 days.  Now it's every 3.
  • I was so good this spring-SO GOOD- and didn't have any Gymbucks to spend.
  • Then my Mom gave me hers.
  • How could I say no to that?
  • Gymbucks are evil.
  • Rich took me to the mall yesterday, and I could only get half of them spent before I got so nauseated I had to leave.
  • It made me really sad.
  • Will the real Kellie Hendricks please stand up?
  • Because I'm not her anymore.
  • Oh, that's right. She's on vacation for next 4 months and will be back after I have this baby.
  • London had the flu on Sunday night.
  • She curled up next to me and said, "At least we get to throw up together, Mom."
  • I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
  • The real reason my kids didn't get jelly beans for Easter is- I ate them all.
  • A bag at a time.
  • They were Jelly Belly's.
  • It was totally worth it.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Neighborhood

My daughter has become something of a TV addict since I became pregnant.

Like the unswept floors and the messy pantry, it's just another one of those things I tell myself I can stand for another 17 weeks.

Yesterday, she kept asking if she could watch "Neighborhood".

"Neighborhood?", I replied, "What is that?"

"It's a show. With a girl."

Neighborhood? The only show I can think of with 'Neighborhood in the title is Mister Rogers.

"Is it a PBS show?" I ask her.

"No. It's our show. We have it."

"Oh. Well if you can find it and bring it to me, you can watch it."

She did just that.
















Here it is. "Neighborhood".

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Victims of the Urgent

"To succeed (in parenting) will require setting priorities and then resisting the tyrrany of the urgent.
Dont be a victim of the urgent.
In the long run, much of what seems pressing right now won't matter.
What you do with your children will matter forever."

-The Five Love Languages of Children


I love this quote. It is so true. I have been a victim of the urgent all too often in my life. I have asked God to please let me learn whatever it is that I am supposed to come away from this difficult pregnancy with, and this lesson is part of the answer.

It's okay to keep the piles of laundry waiting.

It's okay to have dirty dishes in the sink.

The dust on the shelves is not going to hurt anybody.

Someday, my children will be grown and gone, and then I can live in a perfectly clean house. Then I can be busy with other, 'urgent' things.

Right now, though, is the time to read them books and look into their sweet eyes, and hold their little hands as I teach them all I can.

Actually, right now I need to go admire some Pokemon cards with Nathaniel and enjoy the picnic London's created on my bed. I'll brush away the crumbs later.
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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Zions Park

As Bea guessed, we went to Zions National Park over the weekend. It was awesome!
I couldn't hike, as I am so physically limited right now, but it was still fun.
My parents rented a fantastic cabin that was just outside the park, and the entire family came.

My kids hiked and played with their cousins, and roasted marshmallows over the outdoor firepit, having the time of their lives.


Nathaniel, Alexander, Jenna ,and London explore a small cave.


Nathaniel and Michael are best friends that just happen to be cousins!


Start to finish, London and Jenna were inseparable. What a great weekend, let's do it again soon!
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Monday, April 12, 2010

Bea Rocks.

Congrats to Travelin' Bea!!  She won the 'Where am I?' game and I am going to mail her a very cool surprise.

A few hints...


No one wants to try? Not even for cool mail?
Hopefully these will help.



I didn't do much of this at all.



I did lie down anywhere, anytime I got tired, and saw the world
from a different point of view.



It was warm in the sun and cool in the shade.
The feeling of spring was in the air.


Any guesses yet?
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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Where am I?

So, I've been gone this weekend.
If you are the 1st reader to guess where I've been, and guess correctly, I'll mail you something cool.
I don't know what yet, but it will be cool.
(Sorry, if you were here with me, you don't count.  Don't be sad, you got to come.)
Hint: It was a little warmer here than in Saratoga Springs.
Pictures coming soon.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Free is good.

After a 4 month break, I've started writing for Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine again. 
For a limited time you can view April's edition (and my latest article titled 'Think Sharp!')absolutely FOR FREE.
It's such a great publication. Check it out!
www.ScrapbookDimensions.com 

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

What da heck?!

Quote of the week:

London: What da heck? Dere isn't nufin' on it. 'Cept stripes!

(Upon being dressed in a non-Gymboree shirt)
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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Spider

Yep. A real spider.
On the ceiling, looking at me like I'm
dinner.

Yuck.
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Monday, April 5, 2010

I Love Cops!

When people (women, mostly) find out that I am married
to a police officer, all too often this is their response:
"Doesn't that scare you? Aren't you afraid he'll be killed?"

It's rude. It is.

When I'm told someone's husband is a lawyer, I don't ask,
"Doesn't it bother you to be married to someone who
can't keep his hands in his own pockets?"

If their spouse is a pilot, I don't gasp,
"What if his flight gets hijacked?
What if he crashes?"

If the husband's profession happens to be gynecology, I don't...

Okay, I'll stop there. You get the point.

That being said, I would like to share my 10 favorite
things about being married to a cop:

1. The uniform. It's soooo hot.

2. The health/dental insurance. It's awesome!

3. The cop stories. I love hearing about all the exciting things
he gets to do. The stories are often requested at family
gatherings and parties- and it's fun to watch Rich be the
center of attention for awhile.

4. The cop truck. It didn't cost us a penny.

5. Job stability. Especially in this economy.

6. Rich loves his job. He loves it! He looks forward to going
to work every day.

7. The bullet-proof vest. Not only does it protect him, but it
makes him look really buff.

8. Our children have grown up knowing their Daddy is a
real hero.

9. I love having a k-9 dog in our backyard. Can you say,
"Home Security"? It's nice to know that any burglars
who attempt entry through the backyard, will have to
make it past a highly trained German Shephard
before they could even get close to our home.

10. The gun. It's hot. He wears it everywhere. It's nice to know
that if we happen to come across some sort of crime or tragedy
our family will not only be protected, but my husband would be
able to protect others too; maybe even you or your loved ones.

So, the next time you meet the wife of an officer, be polite.
Don't bring images of her beloved husband dying to her mind.
You now have 10 great things relating to her spouse's profession
that you can bring up, if you're interested.

I promise, she'll appreciate it.
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