NDS = Happiness

I've been thinking about making our blog private.  Friends and family only.  Del and I have talked about it and we go back and forth.  I think the only reason I haven't, is because I like to find OTHER friends' blogs, that haven't "invited" me to read, but love reading them nonetheless.  I wouldn't want to deprive anyone..... LOL.  

Do I really want strangers all up in my business - knowing details of the goings-on of my family?  Then again, why would I care, if I don't know them, and they don't know me?  It's a conundrum.  Although, this post might seal the deal to go private.  We'll see.  I'm mostly worried about Del's family.  I don't think they truly know me like the rest of my own family and friends do.  I might be sliding downhill fast in their estimation.  I may have just crossed the line.....

So - back to the topic of the day:  NDS = Happiness.  (I'll just give you the second 2 letters of the acronym, and you can come up with your OWN "N" word.)

Del and I recently started a little "game" - called the "N" Deacon Shuffle.  I think most people know what this means, but if it's foreign to you, it's just dancing.  Step to the right, step to the left, not really getting into any elaborate routine or getting down with your bad-self.  No other moves required, i.e. macarena or funky chicken with arm gestures, turning around, etc. - just stepping back and forth to a/the beat.  Totally harmless, innocent, stinking hilarious.  (If you're getting a visual already, let me just apologize now.)

In order to play this game, you have to want something REALLY bad.  For example - Del wanted something on Valentine's Day.  In order to get what he wanted, I said he had to do the NDS first.  He was stubborn.  Sat on the couch for awhile thinking about it.  Without warning, he went into the other room, and came back a short time later wearing THIS.

He was also wearing sweat pants as well.  He danced.  I laughed sooooo hard, I couldn't stop.  He totally cheated, but I let it slide, for the sheer genius that he was, and for making me laugh.  (BTW - we don't go in public in that - I got it for him last year, thought it was funny, cuz we're ALL naked under our clothes, right!?)

Last night I was really craving some of Del's famous no-bake cookies.  We call them Birthday Cookies, because he always makes them for me on my birthday.  He just has the magic touch to make them perfect.  I asked him to make them after the kids went to bed.  He said, "no way - you have to do the NDS first."

We both laughed, and continued watching t.v.  Nothing else said.  About an hour went by.  He's concentrating on his iPhone-slinging.  I got up, stripped down, started stepping and snapping (I have rhythm, baby.)  He looked up from his phone and laughed.  I'm not offended.  It's funny! Then I picked up my bundle as I walked into the other room to clothe myself, as he yelled to me "Hey!  There's no snapping in the Deacon Shuffle!"  

WHAT THE???    

We're both laughing so hard as I walked back in the family room to do it again WITHOUT the freaking snapping.

He made my totally-earned "Birthday" Cookies.  They were delicious.

DRAW!

When Del and I were engaged, he and his best friend Matt lived in the little old house next to the restaurant where we met.  They were roommates for a few months before we got married.

I was a frequent visitor of this "man cave."  We used to sit and watch t.v. together, Star Trek, Lonesome Dove, Bonanza, you name it, it had to be MANLY.  Del also used to have an old gun cabinet that sat in the living room, beckoning these men to take a gun out and just hold it.  

Many a night, they'd each have a pistol in their hands as they watched t.v.  They would practice their gun-slinging skills: spinning it, twirling it around, doing tricks, pretending they were wearing holsters.  They would also practice their QUICK DRAW.   They wouldn't face each other or anything stupid like that and I'm PRETTY sure they weren't loaded - they mostly just drew on the bad guys on t.v.  It was funny to watch.

Things have really changed around here.  He no longer has the gun cabinet in the living room with the glass doors.  His collection lives in a safe now with trigger locks, and secret combinations all hidden away from curious little hands.

NOW...... he has an iPhone to occupy his hands while chillin' out in front of the t.v.  He has an application on his iPhone, called iQuick Draw.  I'm NOT making this up!  This application lets you pretend you're holding a pistol, and you have to jerk it upward, and it makes the shooting sound.  It is hysterical!   He quick-draws for the kids, and they ooooo and ahhhhh. 

Our hero, the iPhone slinger.

PS - I told him I was going to write this down on the blog.  He said quit making fun of him.  But as I sat down next to him to watch t.v. he said excitedly - "Ya know what the cool thing about this application is?  If  YOU download it too, we can quick draw against each other!"  PAHHH!  I couldn't stop laughing.

Random Pics....

Today I was downloading the rest of the random pics from my camera.  

This is a lovely little gash from the Cable Box falling on my head.  

We decided to get the giant t.v. out of Bug's room.  The cable box was sitting on top of it, and when I went behind the t.v. to unplug it, the box fell on top of my head.  YOUCH!  (I said a bad word.) Got teary-eyed too, it hurt so bad. (I'm tough, dang it!) 

That same day, I was cleaning the front of the fridge, and when I finished, I stood up and hit my head again on the counter-top.  (Question: If all the kids are in school, and I say a bad word, did it really happen if nobody heard it?  i.e.  When a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is around, does it make a sound?)

The next day as I was on an airplane to Denver, I had to make a run to the back of the plane.  I was wearing a hat.  As I came out of the bathroom, I bumped my head AGAIN on the stupid overhead vacancy sign.  Stupid hat bill, and stupid people who build airplanes too short for us 6'0" and taller people.    Not a great week for my head.

As I was downloading all the random pics, I came across a few more that I don't remember taking.... 

There were some pics of bare butts.  (I did post one on here, but took it off - don't want to offend anyone - LOL.)

Please tell me other people's kids are goobers like mine?!

Sydney's Times Table Practice.....

Every night Sydney has to practice her times tables.  Tonight it was the TWELVES.  

Eric and Jared wanted in on the action, thinking they're each faster than the other.  It's funny to watch them trash talk, debate who's faster, AND watch their faces.

I'm pretty sure SYDNEY won.  Sorry, Hosers - Valiant effort.

Uncle Eric & Jared's attempt....

Earlier tonight I was chatting with my brothers Eric and Jared about the scream contest.  These two are both dentists.  Eric lives in Colorado, and Jared in San Diego.  We LOVE to iCHAT.  

They wanted to give it a whirl.  I'm thinking Jared makes the best woman.  

He puts my scream to shame.

                     Jared's on the right.

Scream Video

We've decided to do prizes.  

Please VOTE! - whose scream did you like the best? I personally like Travis' the best - it cracks me up every time I watch it.

Babies, Babies, Babies...

A couple weeks ago I got on the computer to chat with Del.  We do this at least 5 times a day - chat, video chat, whatever.  He's my favorite person to talk to.  (sometimes my ONLY person during the day when all the kids are in school.)

Here's how it went - 

Kristin -  "What would you say if I told you I wanted 2 more babies?"

Del - "I'd say you are CRAZY!"

Kristin - "We couldn't just have ONE more, because it would be like having an only child, cuz Rylee would be 7 by the time this one was born.  Therefore, we'd have to have TWO more so they'd have a buddy to grow up with."

Del - "We could adopt."

Kristin - "Yeah, that would be good, then we wouldn't have to have two more.  We could adopt one just under Rylee - another girl to even out the Claridge Bunch.  3 boys, 3 girls."

The conversation went on for probably half an hour longer, but then that was it.  No plans of action, just more of a "what-if" type conversation.  Del doesn't fight it, he just goes with the flow trying to keep up with my ramblings.

That night when he came home, he asked if I was still wanting another baby.  After the nightly havoc of school science projects, homework, reading, times-table flash cards, piano practice, etc. "NOPE, I'm good" I said.  The moment passed.  Del let out a sigh of relief.  He said he already feels guilty for not spending enough time with the ones he has.  I agreed, subject dropped.

THEN.... a couple days ago I was at Walmart waiting for a prescription to be filled, so I wandered over to the travel-size stuff.  I picked up a tiny bottle of Johnson's Baby Lotion.  I bought it.  I took it home, lathered up my hands, and just sat there and took in the sweet baby aroma.

Seriously, it happens so quickly.  One day,  you're knee-deep in poopy diapers, wipes, formula, and sleepless nights thinking it will never end.  And the next, you're wondering when you stopped buying baby lotion?  It wasn't a conscious decision NOT to buy it anymore.  I have no idea when I stopped.  I miss it.  I miss the babies, MY babies. 

That night when Del called to chat before bed, (he's in CA all week) I told him about the lotion.  He's really worried, ok - panic-stricken is a better description.  

He said he thinks I'm a nut-job (and I just laugh, because I think I am too ) he says "what kind of person buys baby lotion then lathers themselves up in it just to sit there and smell it?"  He continued, "What you SHOULD do is go borrow one of their dirty diapers, and sniff THAT every time you think about having more kids!"

I laughed hard.

So - NO announcements at this time.  LOL.

I scream, You scream...

The other night we were messin' around.  Seeing who could scream the loudest.  I can't scream at all.  I can do a mean whistle, but I haven't been able to really scream good since the great Tonsillectomy of 1984.  I videoed the screams, but the pictures are stinkin' funny-lookin'.    

Here are the contestants - all fierce competitors in their own right - 

Rylee - she has a very tiny mouth and squeaky voice, but MAN, can she belt it out!

Sydney looks a little demonic - but she's SUPER loud!

Travis' can surprisingly pass as a GIRL's scream, if you weren't looking at him. (he's all boy.)

Bug - not quite to puberty yet, can shamefully belt it out WELL.

Matt's is pathetic, at best.  His is more of a YELL, or yelp. (he's happy he can't scream like a girl.)

If I can figure out how to upload the video on this thing, I'll post it tomorrow.  I still don't have the winners, so maybe ya'll can help me judge who has the best one.

Matt update....

The day after I posted about Matt, he told me the girl told HIM that she really did like him.  (Duh)  I asked him if he felt the same, but again he said No, he doesn't like her that way.  I asked him what he said to her, and he said he didn't know what to do.  

Del and I both had a conversation with him that night - we said "blame it on us."  "Tell her that your parents are super controlling - psycho, even."  We're totally ok with that.  LOL.  (not a far-cry, I know - be quiet.)

That's what he did.  He told her that since he can't even date until he's 16, it's pointless to even have a girlfriend right now.  She accepted it - they're still friends.  Phew!!!  Crisis over.

Yesterday morning, he walked in my room and said, "Hey mom, I just found out ANOTHER girl likes me in one of my other classes."

My response - "Oh yeah?"

Matt - with a wicked grin, "yeah, I think I'm turning into a Ladies Man."

We both cracked up laughing.

(Still scared.)