Because she asked me to....

and i like her.

so.....

1. what were you doing 10 years ago?

Jason & I were living in our first apartment together, with a roomie - and because of totally opposite work schedules, we only saw each other for maybe 3 hours a day. And those 3 hours were either in the middle of the night, or would include when I went to visit him at the restaurant he was managing. We really didn't get along all that well - probably b/c I was 19 and immature, and he was 21 and also immature. We were b-r-o-k-e, too. But I knew I loved him and we stuck it out. It was worth it. :o)

2. what 5 things are on your to do list today?

Call BRU about BPA bottles, Get Jason's MRI scheduled, find the bottom of the laundry, grocery shopping, VPN in and work. I wish so hard that was the entire list.

3. what are some snacks you enjoy?

chips & salsa - from just about anywhere.
guacamole - I've often said that "my heaven" would have a river of guac in it, just there for the dipping.
fruit - specifically pineapple. I can eat pineapple until I barf, and then want it again the next day.

Crap, now I'm craving those things.

4. what would you do with a billion dollars?
Give most of it away. I know everyone says that, but I know me, and I know that if I kept it - it would be the beginning of the Lifetime movie they'd end up making about my tragic demise.

I'd keep enough to travel, have a house big enough to entertain - but small enough to manage, have my retirement set up - and then I'd give it away. My church would get quite a bit and my missionary friends would get quite a bit. I also love the idea of finding small, deserving charities that are desperate for funds - and being able to help them change the world. I'm already enjoying the link Christina posted that helps you research charities.

Man, it almost makes me sad to allow my mind to go down that path because I DON'T have a billion dollars to help. I wish I'd invented the internet or the microwave or the Ipod or something.

5. list the places you have lived:

I have to list specific suburbs b/c my list is so un-interesting.

- Garland, TX
- Dallas, TX
- Mabank, TX
- Trinidad, TX
- Wylie, TX

6. list the jobs you have held:

- Gas dock girl at a marina on the lake (4 summers)
- Waitress at a bar & grill on the lake (3 summers)
- Checker at a grocery store (2 winters)
- Health Unit Coordinator for PACU at Presby Dallas

Then there's the jobs I've had as an adult, that are boring and... well... all grown up and stuff. I currently work as a special events planner for a technology company (from home).

7. list the people you'd like to know more about:

Her, her and her.

Hey Mommas!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Hey! Look what I can do!

Charlotte now sits up like a big girl!

Wordless Wednesday

Updates on All Things Duckworth

Did you know there's more to life than my adorable, sometimes trying, daughter? I sometimes forget, but apparently - it's true.

Here's a rundown of things that people ask me about, and I forget to blog about:

1. My dad is still in Iraq - will be until next Spring, at least.

2. Jason's back is a hot mess BUT we have a new doctor, and we dig him. We went to him asking for information on a neurostimulator implant, to help control Jason's pain... he said he doesn't want to do that, he wants to try and actually fix Jason. Praise God! For those that don't know exactly what the dealio is with his back, in Sept of '06 (on his 30th birthday) he had 3 levels of Dynesys installed... this image shows a two-level installation.


Then, the following April, he had a second surgery to remove some excess disc tissue that was still causing some nerve compression. Now he has some crazy scars, and still can't do much of anything. But hopefully this guy will be able to do something about that... we find out the "plan" in early July. As for what started all of this, who knows. We were in Mexico with the Smiths, and all of the sudden he could hardly walk. There was no traumatic accident to blame, or anything like that.

3. Charlotte (yeah, we're back to her) waited until I ordered 3 books on gentle sleep solutions, and then decided to go back to normal. In fact, Saturday night - she slept from 7:30pm until 8am, when I actually had to wake her up for church! Last night she had one wakeful episode, but whatever was causing the constant screaming seems to have (hopefully) resolved itself! When the books come in, I'll post a review. Thank you for all your support with that, though. Babies can be so incredibly... well.... something.

4. To help Jason's back situation, we went out and bought a new mattress. After spending what felt like hours trying out everything in existence, we ended up with a Tempurpedic Rhapsody. Because there is now frequently a 3rd body in our bed, we also graduated to a king. This meant new furniture, new linens, rearranging the entire bedroom, etc. It's so worth it, though. Man, that's some good sleep. For our new bed, we went with a platform bed so that it's easier for Jason to get in and out of. It still kind of feels like we're too low - like we're on the floor or something, but I love it a little more everytime I get in it. And it's so big that we can spread Charlotte and her toys out on it, to play, while Mommy does laundry. Don't mind the rumpled linens, the mess, or the shelf with nothing really on it. I haven't even thought about decorating or any of that stuff. I'm thinking I need a lamp, and some king sized pillows, but I'm not sure what else. Ideas? Rachel? :o)

My heart hurts.

*sigh*

After two nights of what I thought was teething, I wasn't so sure. Could it be an ear infection? Well, it's Friday - so better check to be safe, before the weekend.

Went to the doctor... nope, completely healthy. She doesn't even really think Charlotte is teething. The diagnosis is, apparently, a case of "bad-attitude-itis".

She's not sleeping, we aren't sleeping, WHAT HAPPENED???? I've brought her into our bed, in the wee hours - out of sheer desperation, but that's not a real solution. Then I only get a little sleep, and what I do get, is bad. No matter how freshly trimmed those little nails are, they're sharp. And she kicks her socks off, so at 4am - when she's fretting and flitting and tossing and crying, grabbing my face and bicycling her legs up against my tummy - it's like being in bed with a 14lb, 14oz gerbil. A cute gerbil, but a hostile gerbil just the same.

I don't know what to do. So many dear friends suggest crying it out, but my heart doesn't feel like that's the right answer either. She is positively HYSTERICAL. Gasping, sobbing, needing me. I'm supposed to say no?

Geez, it's the middle of the afternoon and I'm crying just thinking about it.

I want my sleeping baby back. :o(

What do you get when you cross...

... a Charlotte, with a full moon, with teething?


A scary monster that can't be calmed, and about 45 mins sleep.

Pass the coffee, please.

I'm ordering an amber teething necklace today. Nothing else seems to help.

My calling.

Some days, it is so clear that God has called me to be this man's wife - and this little girl's Mommy. It is my prayer that I do the job they both deserve.

From Jason's first Father's day...

My daughter is one of "those people."

You know, "those people" who are having the time of their life - but don't want to admit it.

She got to hang in the pool with some of her best pals, but wanted to look aloof. Keep her enthusiasm bottled up on the inside. After all, it was the biggest social event thus far - in her short, little life - Dealey's first birthday party!

I kind of think that she was just nervous around Pierce, because he's so dreamy - but don't tell her of my suspicions. I don't want her to be embarrassed.

Have you ever seen someone with so many fat rolls IN THEIR ARMPIT?

I love my squishy girl.

Finally, a finished SOMETHING.

Before Charlotte was born, I had these two canvases that I wanted to do something with - to hang in her nursery. I became absolutely CONVINCED that she was going to be born anyday (about 3 weeks before my due date), and that nasty little nesting bug told me I had to finish them immediately. So I slapped some stuff on them, and hated them.

And of course, she wasn't born for another month.

Here you can see how ugly they were, and where they hang on her wall. I'm okay with the location, it's just the crap on them I hate.



Almost 6 months later, I've finally repurposed them. I was inspired by a project Rachel did for her guest bath. Of course, mine doesn't have that *magical* quality that Rachel projects always have - but they look a lot better than they were before.


Because the stuff I had on there previously wouldn't come off completely, I used spray adhesive and covered them with crinkled tissue. I then painted them, and sealed off the edges. I purchased a 1" circle punch, and went to town on a bunch of scrapbook paper - then used 3D adhesive rounds to attach them to the canvas.

One project down, 319 to go.

You got questions? I got answers.

So I heard about this new service, ChaCha, where - for free - you text any question under the sun to 242 242 (chacha), and a live person finds an answer, and responds. Need directions? Need movie showtimes? Need a phone number? Trying to remember the name of the guy that was in that movie? Wondering what the square root of 957 is? Wondering if you should stay or hit at 17? Ask ChaCha! I thought it sounded interesting, so I did ask ChaCha.

Questions I've asked:

Why won't my baby take a nap?
What is the address of Cuba Libre, in Dallas?
What is the nearest cross street to that address?
How hot is it going to be today?
What is the meaning of life?


The answers were awesome! Informative, quick - and in cases where appropriate, amusing.

This is turning into a super useful tool!

I started reading up on it - it was debuted at Sundance, highly promoted at the Indy 500, and ABC news did a story on it just the other day .

I got so interested in the whole thing (I'm weird, I know) - that I actually applied, went through a testing process, and am now a guide who answers questions. It's like on the spot trivia/research. Challenging at times, but fun. And it pays a little bit. (not a lot, by any means... but a little)

Questions I've answered so far:

Do babies always stop moving before labor begins?
What is the phone number for *some ice cream parlor in MA, can't remember the name*?
What were Mickey Mantle's career stats?
How fast will a Ducati motorcycle go?
Driving directions for *point a to point b*?
Where does Jessica Alba live?
How much formula do I give a kitten?
Where does Matt Damon live?
What color is a giraffe's tongue?
What time does the game start?
How do I ask a boy out, if I'm scared he'll reject me?

See - you can ask ChaCha anything! The idea is that a live person can do a better job of inferring what it is you're wanting to know, than a mathematical query like Google.

You should try it. :o) It really is free (well, unless you have to pay per text message - then it costs whatever your cell phone company charges you).

Let me know if you do! Or if you have any questions about how it all works - I can answer those for you, as well. I can also tell you how to become a guide, if you think you're up for that.

5 months old, already?

Charlotte Giggles

Maybe this will make someone smile...

I have to video it from the side, b/c when she sees the camera... *blank stare*

Also - I edited and cut out the part where I sing, b/c once I start... she's *blank stare*.

Please forgive the fake throat clearing.

Call your dentist.

Because this baby is so sweet, she'll make your teeth hurt.