I have a problem...

Thanks to my friend for posting that she just made cookies...I ran to my kitchen to bake some cookie dough. When I went to open the tub, there wasn't even enough to make two cookies. I have a problem of grabbing a spoonful here and there throughout the day...or so I thought. You see, tonight is when I realized that I have hit rock bottom. I wasn't mad because my sons were unable to help bake cookies with me. I was upset, because every night after everyone goes to bed I grab a huge serving spoon and start dipping it out...and spooning it straight into my mouth. Hey - at least I use a spoon!! I DO live in a house full of boys that wouldn't care if I didn't!

As I was starting to have an anxiety attack, worrying about not being able to have my raw cookie dough tonight - I went to shut the refrigerator door and noticed out of the corner of my eye...in the extreme, WAAAAY far back...a tube of sugar cookie dough. No, it is not my first choice (that would be Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough). But it suddenly calmed my nerves. In honor of my findings, I decided to celebrate. So I sat down in front of the TV with a teaspoon (they work best with the tubes) and my tube of sugar cookie dough...

Here I am two hours later with an empty tube of sugar cookie dough. Well, at least it wasn't a tub!! I have finally hit rock bottom. I can no longer blame my constant weight fluctuation on the Hashimoto's Disease that I was diagnosed with a few years ago. It is really the RCDD (Raw Cookie Dough Disease) Yes, my dear friends...it is because I am addicted to raw cookie dough! Just when I think I have finally overcome my addiction, I relapse. I realize that I have a problem and need help...I need a chaperone to accompany me to Sam's Club, from now on.

I don't have a clever title this time....

What a busy week. Last week when I posted, it was our anniversary. I had to go to a continuing education class on our anniversary, so Brad stayed home with the boys. Christopher had a fever and was feeling puny so we decided not to leave him with a sitter that night. David insisted since it our wedding birthday that we should go out. When we asked him where we should go, he said what any typical man thinks...but doesn't suggest on their own anniversary....Yep, we went to Cabela's hunting store. The boys love going and looking at the animals and fish. When we got in there David wanted to be in charge and so we let him lead. He led us straight to the shooting arcade. He will make an excellent husband one day! :) After Cabela's we all went out for family dinner at Outback. The nicest restaurant we can bring the boys too and not disturb others.

Brad brought Christopher to the pediatrician on Tuesday. She said he has another ear infection. It is probably the same one that he has had since November (possibly earlier). He is fine while he is on the antibiotics and then a few days after the prescription - it returns! She sent us to the ENT for him to get another set of tubes. I brought him to the ENT and he will have his tubes put in next Wed. She suggested that we get his adenoids removed too. The tubes are noninvasive, but the adenoids will cause it to be a little more dangerous for him. Brad and I were reminiscing just the day before about his open heart surgery (we were doing a story for the BR Parents Magazine for CHD Awareness Day). Brad mentioned how Christopher bled profusely and caused some problems during his surgery. So now, I have that in the back of my mind. Hopefully we won't have any bleeding problems. All three of the boys have had tubes put in and it is a very quick procedure. David had his adenoids taken out at the same time and he was outside playing the same afternoon. I know that we have been through far more complicated surgeries than this...but it still causes some anxiety! We'll go to the cardiologist tomorrow to get him "cleared" for anesthesia.

On Friday, we were invited to a play date at the Governor's Manson. Bobby and Supriya's four year old son was born with one of the heart defects Christopher has. Supriya is the spokesperson for our LA Pediatric Cardiology Foundation. We are gearing up for our annual fundraiser and preparing for National CHD Awareness Week next month. We were able to film a lot for the 30 minute special that will air next month (6:30 PM, February 26 on WAFB). Christopher had a great time playing on their huge tree house. Bobby (Gov. Jindal!) helped us out before he was governor and since he is kind of busy these days...she has picked up where he isn't able to anymore. She is such a super sweet lady and has does so much for our foundation...I hope she becomes our new first lady for the country in 2012!

Saturday morning David had his second basketball game. He is really good this year and enjoys it. They lower the goal down to a reachable height and practice right before the game. That way the kids can actually use the skills that they learn in practice immediately! He is still taking tennis lessons too; so it seems as though we are NEVER home. This week I have Board meetings tonight and Thursday night, LPCF meetings tomorrow, David has tennis on Tuesday, Basketball on Thursday, Brad and I are going to the Hornet's game on Wednesday....UGGGG!!! The last week of the month is extremely hectic here!!!

With the little boys birthdays coming up, we decided to give them a big boy room for their birthday. Their beds came in a few weeks ago and so they are now sharing a room. They adjusted quickly and although they just play and hangout at nap time instead of sleeping, I don't mind since we are now using the fourth bedroom to hide all of their toys. I am excited about finishing their new room. Their dresser has been on back order and should be in next week! Then I'll have a place for all of their laundry!!! I am hoping that when Cathy comes to stay with us next month - she can show me her excellent painting skills...I am such a slow learner, I may have to have her show me a few times! :) Since the little boys got "Big Boy" beds, we got rid of the guest bed and Jacob's toddler bed. I had asked Brad one evening if he knew of anyone that needed the toddler bed. David overheard and said we should save it for our next baby. I told him we weren't having anymore babies and he threw a fit! I asked him what was wrong and he was mad because he "doesn't have his sister yet". So...if anyone has a sister that David can borrow every once a while, we need one. I have a feeling, he'd be glad to pass her back quickly. Just the other night we went to watch the Harlem Globetrotters and we bought a souvenir basketball. On the way home, Jacob wanted to hold and David was upset because he assumed that it was "HIS". I pointed out that they could ALL share it and play with it together and he yelled, why did you have to give me brothers!?!

Brad stealing the Harlem Globetrotters' Fans...

No need to buy seats for everyone...they just sit in MY seat!?! Unfortunately, everyone over 2 had to have a ticket - even if they don't use the seat.

Seven Years Ago Today...I turned into a Wife!

That's right folks, seven years ago today we got hitched. I remember the first time I saw Brad like it was yesterday. It was back in 1998. I worked in the Mall Management Office at Prien Lake Mall (Lake Charles) and he came in to inquire about leasing space. After he left, my boss and I were discussing how excited we were about Chick-fil-A coming in to the mall...I mentioned that I was pretty excited about the guy that was coming in along with it!! :) I'm still a big fan!! A mutual friend of ours (Lionel, the maintenance man) ended up playing match maker for us. Lionel called me one day to say that he hoped I didn't mind, but he passed my phone number to Brad....of course I didn't mind. I had already made plans for that night and ended up staying home to wait for Brad to call me....yeah, that's pretty lame!! He didn't even call either!!! A few days later, he was in my office and asked me out...finally!!!

A few months later my home office found out that we were dating. It was against their policy for salaried marketing or management employees to date tenants. ...conflict of interest...according to them I could have given Brad some confidential info about others leases and things that would have been beneficial to him! I wouldn't have done that though :) We were only dating and I HAD to have a job! Once I figured out that he was worth keeping around, I ended up switching jobs to manage an apartment compex.

....Here is where the good part starts...so on September 11, 2001 (THE 9/11), my home office came into town to announce that the entire apartment complex staff was being "laid off"!! Ummm, when you loose your job as a Property Manager, you also loose free rent, health insurance and a paycheck!! I was pretty stressed and upset about loosing my job and scared about the 9/11 events!!! I went to Brad's house to try and figure out what I was going to do. I mentioned that I should be more carefree like my twin sis that had just moved to Maine on a whim...hmmm maybe I could go stay with her!! He and I were going to head to my parents house to annouce that I would be moving back in with them...only option I could think of... until Brad reached into his duffle bag and pulled out an engagement ring. "wanna get married and stay here"? Yep, that is MY romantic man!! :) According to him, he had the ring for about six months and was just waiting for the perfect time to get engaged....I never imagined myself getting engaged sitting in the driveway of his house...but it was "perfect".

....Fast forward four months later and we had a very small (family only - so don't get upset if you weren't invited!!) ceremony where he and I committed ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives! Today begins year seven of it...

Sure, our marriage has been through a lot of rollar coaster moements and lots and lots of stress, but there is no one else that I would rather run home too, cry with, tell my deepest secrets too, laugh and be silly with or have sitting by my side for the rest of my life than Brad...He is the most generous, caring, attractive, good hearted family man and I am super lucky to be able to call him my husband!

Not only do I get to call him husband, but he is also my baby daddy and boy is he a great daddy! I could not have picked a better leader for the frat house!

6 years ago today....I turned into a Mother!!

Well it's official...David is now two hands! He can no longer describe his age by holding up one hand. We had his birthday party Sunday at Jump and Jive, he was (and still is) confused about having two birthdays. He doesn't understand that we couldn't do his party on his birthday because of school. Actually, he is still confused about what a birthday is. I tried explaining to him that this is the day that I had to go to the hospital and get him out. His response was, why didn't you wait until summer so I could have a swimming party.
This morning, before school, we allowed him to open his gift. As he was opening it he said, "I know what it is...a BB gun". Nope!!! Golf Clubs. Yep, he has his own set of golf clubs and a cute case thingy to carry them in. He and Brad are going to a club this Sunday to try them out. I am not sure who is more excited, David or Brad!! I'm not too upset either, once the younger two are old enough for them-they can ALL go hang out on a golf course and I'll be home alone....Something I only dream about now! :) ....Anyway, back to David's birthday, he has planned out the entire day for us. First, he had to open his present before school. Then, we all had to meet him at school for lunch. The little boys and I do that often, but today Daddy joined us to eat lunch with him too. As soon as we pick him up from school he wants to practice his golf swing "for about 20 minutes", change clothes and then go to the movies and see Bolt. I am not a movie person and I am not too excited about bringing Christopher and Jacob to the theater either!! They are not fans of TV, so I can only imagine how the theater is going to be!! After dinner, we will be eating a nice home cooked meal...at Cracker Barrel. One of his favorite restaurants (other one being Piccadilly).

Thanks to everyone that sent him cards and gifts. I am working on Thank You notes today!!Sister, when he was opening yours he wanted to know if it was from Sierra (her dog) too! He loves to get mail. KK, I brought yours with me when I went to pick him up from school yesterday, he was sooooooo excited. "She remembers me?!?!...did you know that KK doesn't like milk?" We are going to use the gift cards Friday after school! For those of you newbies, KK was the Super Nanny!! When people would see her out with the boys they would always tell us how good she was with them! We had the BESTEST babysitter in the world! When I wanted to go back to work, she watched Jacob (he was too young for Mom's Day Out) and would pick up the others from school. They LOVED her and so did/do we!!! We were very lucky to have her; I really...no REALLY needed a break in those times...didn't realize how bad until I look back! She was a lifesaver!!!

What is you Wii Fit Age????

Santa brought me a Wii Fit. It is a "game" that includes yoga, aerobics, snowboarding, etc. to get you in shape. It has a calendar and will keep all of your data in the system for you (your age, weight, goals, target weight, etc). It will calculate your "age" based on your BMI (that it calculates for you!), balance skills, posture, etc. Anyway, the freakin' thing said I was 45!!! That is 14 years older than I am. Brad just happened to be sitting on the couch as I was doing it and saw the 45. He laughed so hard, until it was his turn. It calculated him as obese and 55!! We hadn't used it since Christmas and so when Brad and I came back from Atlanta and eating junk all during the holidays it pointed out that I had gained a pound. It then asked me why, giving me a few excuses..eating too much, lazy, not exercising, etc... It then told me that according to my goal - I should be decreasing my weight instead of increasing! Even though it tells me things that I'd rather not hear and shows numbers that I'd rather not affiliate with myself...it is a pretty cool "game".



Sunday night, Christopher wasn't his usual self and since Brad and I were leaving town for a few days, I wanted to make sure that he was OK. I feel bad enough leaving the boys behind, but would hate to leave a sick one behind too! Last month when he went to the ENT to get the vocal scopes and we were told on two different occasions that he also had an ear infection. The ENT mentioned that he had a bunch of junk in his ears and he couldn't really see the tube that well. I told my pediatrician and she agreed that she couldn't even tell if the tube was still in. She cleaned out his ear really good and noticed that the tube actually had a bunch of gunk (sorry, I don't know the technical term for ear boogers) still attached to it. She literally pulled the tube out of his ear (it was coming out anyway) and then cleaned the ears out really good with a solution thing. Christopher did not enjoy it but it made him feel better almost immediately!! She gave him a shot and sent us home with some antibiotics for him. We are going to wait until the end of next month to decide if we want to do another set of tubes. She'd rather not do it unless it is really necessary because of the risk associated with the anesthesia and his heart. I agree- but since he did fine last time and we saw how much of a difference it made, I am for him getting another set if he continues to have ear infections. They'll do it at Our Lady of the Lake and his cardiologist would be on "stand-by". It is a very minor procedure last all of about 10 minutes. Last time he stayed at the hospital for four or five hours after and was fine.




Brad and I went to Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Bowl game this past week. Since it would take just as long for us to fly (checking in, layover, car rental booth and of course the delays at the Atlanta airport!!) we just drove the seven hours to get there. I'd rather drive with him anyway, we have fun on roadtrips. Brad has become a real pro at the horn honking game. He honks a song and I have to guess what it is. He kept with the holiday tunes so I won every time!! Sometimes he'd try to slip in a rock song by Aerosmith, but he was laughing so hard he messed it up.

Since LSU played in the Chick-fil-A bowl and Brad has the LSU store, Truett Cathy (founder of Chick-fil-A) invited us to attend his Tailgate Party and watch the game in his suite. We got up to his suite and Brad knew most of the people in there - I on the other hand didn't know anyone other than Truett and his grandkids. We sat right next to the guy that started Camp Winshape, a summer camp that Brad went to as a kid. I tried my best to represent Brad (and LSU) well, but once the LSU band started it was football time and it was obvious my cheers were for their opposing team! Brad and I were the only ones wearing purple! Chick-fil-A is based out of Atlanta and so is Georgia Tech. The game was still super fun and even though we were the only ones cheering most of the time (38 LSU -3 GA Tech). We sat next to Truett's grandson and his friend kept mentioning how embarrassed they were...yep, my boys at LSU can do that!! Geaux LSU!!



Well it is a new year, 2008 was much better than 2007 and I am hoping they continue that way! The fears of the economy and still the uncertainty of the mall bankruptcy start it off a little stressful - but we have much more to be thankful for! Brad's store did GREAT in 2008 - the best year so far with huge sales and profit increases! The boys are all doing well heath wise...I think! Sure we all have colds and earaches but after visiting the kids at the hospital with the Cow at Christmas, I realized how much we truly have to be thankful for. We had a few friends over last night, one is a doctor and one is a PICU nurse at Our Lady of the Lake. They pointed out that a few of the kids that we saw had been there for over 300 days...That is almost a Year!!! It really puts things into perspective. There is always someone out there that has things a lot worse than we do!



School starts back up on Monday and after two weeks of the boys going to bed at 11PM and waking up at 9, it will probably be a tough week. David starts the spring league of tennis this week and basketball starts next week. Christopher will start going to tennis lessons next month-maybe, we are going to see how he does. If he is too much of a distraction to the others, we'll wait and try again in the fall. He will be in the same pee-wee group that David used to be in. I'm thinking since he has been so many times to watch David he'll be OK. We'll see though!! I can't believe my middle man is old enough to start tennis lessons!! :(



This year will probably be the first of many more hectic ones to come. How does it work with three children on three different sports or teams? Sure Brad and I can split up with two, but who will be watching the third child's game??? I guess I have a few months to try and figure it out or think of ways to convince the coach that Christopher and Jacob should be on the same team...and convince Christopher and Jacob that they want to participate in the same sport! :)


Happy New Year!!!

Finally A Christmas Update...

I haven't posted in a while. I am enjoying the Holidays too much to take a moment to update. Christmas was GREAT! I guess now that it has past I can give you the real story of my birthday gift (the three stone necklace). I kinda knew about my gifts before hand...You see a little birdie told me! :) I couldn't post it though because then Brad would know about his gift! David and I went to Lee Michael's to pick out a watch for Brad (for Christmas). While we were in there I looked around at other stuff too. David pointed at a necklace and asked if I liked it. He always does that so I didn't think anything of it. After I told him yes I like it, he said well that is kind of like the one we got you except it has three diamonds on it. One for each kid. I just laughed and told him NOT to tell Dad about the watch. Later that SAME day, after checking the mail we were looking at a catalog, David asked if I liked a robe. I said yes, he said that it was like the one that he got me except a different color I though it was funny especially since it happened twice in one day!! Those were the only two I knew about.




A picture of the Sistas taken by David!

My sisters came in for Christmas. One lives in Alaska (well she just moved to Indiana a couple of months ago) and my twin sis lives in Maine. We also have a brother, but he is stationed in Korea and was unable to come home for Christmas. We are rarely all together. Hopefully next Christmas!

On Christmas Eve we opened our gifts....I just can't wait until Christmas morning and I thought it would be kind of mean to have the kids open their gifts, see what Santa brought them and then have to leave fifteen minutes later to head over to the west side of the state to see my family. ...OK...so we open our gifts EVERY year on Christmas Eve because I can't wait twelve more hours!!! I was handed the first gift and before I could open it David said push play, push play!! Brad got upset and I had no clue what he was talking about until I opened it. It is a flip camera. When I pushed play it was a movie of the boys saying Merry Christmas! I had never heard or saw such a thing but it is a very small portable movie camera that I can throw in my purse and then easily download the movie onto the computer for e-mail, you-tube, the blog, etc.

David leaving out the reindeer food...the next morning they had created a huge mess!

Cathy (my twin sis) stayed with us that night and we waited up for Santa Claus. Santa Claus had left a school bus in Brad's truck earlier that day and of course David found it and told Christopher. We put it out with Santa stuff anyway and David didn't make the connection...if you catch my drift! :) Christmas morning was a lot of fun. I slept on the couch so I would hear them get up and get some pictures. David ended up going in our room in the middle of the night and asking Brad if Santa came yet...Brad said David stayed in our bed and was up all night listening for Santa. David got a Wii but was more excited about the stuff penguin!??? Christopher got a new bike, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the school bus that he wanted and Santa brought Jacob a workbench with some tools, movie and a night night CD. Ohh....Santa also brought Christopher some new underwear and left a note asking him not to tee tee in them. He is doing all right, but some meds that he is on is causing a few accidents...Ok - maybe it is not all the meds and partly mommy!!

Christopher exhausted on Christmas morning!!



David and his penguin!






Jacob and his workbench

On Christmas morning we headed over to my parents house to meet my big sis and the rest of the family for a yummy Christmas dinner. My aunt was there too. The kids love her and her dogs. Her dogs are named Harley and Davidson. She just bought a new Harley Davidson so she is even cooler now. The boys love motorcycles. We went to her house after dinner to see her new bike and Brad got on her bike. He sold his Harley after Christopher was born and I'm afraid he is going to get the fever again! He has been a biker dude since long before we met and since car seats don't really fit well on Harleys, he has given it up for a while.

the best picture of the Gill cousins

Last weekend we went to Brad's parents and celebrated Christmas over there with his brother and the boys cousins. They have two little boys too, one a year younger than David and one in between Christopher and Jacob. While we were cleaning up after dinner, the guys left to run an errand. I realized that with five young children it was awfully quiet. I began looking around for Jacob and couldn't find him (along with his youngest cousin). Jamie found them in my MIL huge, nicely organized pantry. Nope, they weren't sneaking snacks...They were working as a team to empty out the five gallon bottle of water on the cooler. The floor was covered in water!!

Before the water incident, G'ami brought us all to Christmas lighting at the Lafayette zoo. It was really neat. Then we headed back to their house and opened presents. The past few years she has bought us all (kids and adults) matching Christmas PJs. As soon as I download the pictures from last weekend, I'll attach a picture! Brad looked extra cute in his! :)