Josh: Can I have some ketchup for my hot dog?
Me: No, we're out of ketchup.
Josh: Do we have any whipped cream, then?

don't you love it when you're right?

So, like 14 months ago I had a baby. I have been round and round with Humana insurance and Timpanogos Hospital. You know normal things like

1. the hospital switched mine and Sam's Social security numbers so all the bills were being sent to him and I couldn't pay them because I had no number!
2. they wouldn't cover Sam because even though we called the insurance the day we had him, we didn't find time to send a written letter saying we had had him
3. the hospital, again, listed Sam as BB(baby boy) Meiners on all of their claims so Humana refused to pay because BB doesn't exist
4. even after I took the kids to the hospital and talked to the lady and her supervisor and her supervisor and she called the Big Guy on the phone and they all said our bill was paid in full, I still got calls from some lady in Missouri saying I owed more money!

We finally decided to pay it off on our credit card and be done with it.

So, today I open the mailbox and there's a $500 reimbursement from Timpanogos because we accidentally paid too much!

Whatever!

And, yep, it all has to go right back to the credit card.

Today's Realizations

1. When 5 different people tell you to go to a dr. because you sound bad,
you should go because it's bronchitis.

2. Everytime you take all 4 kids to the grocery store alone it will be Crazytown. Ev-er-ee-time! And yet, I do it over and over and over...

3. Sam would rather eat the dry,
hard pasta off the floor than the warm,
fresh pasta you serve for lunch.

4. The boys can put together a pretty good shopping list in five minutes if you have an old spelling test handy to write on.

5. If you forgot to get the OJ, a Sobe cranberry grapefruit juice tastes pretty good, too.

6. I'm not having hot flashes! Someone opened the vent above my bed again and I catch the heat right in my face - that's why I alternate sweating/freezing all night!

7. If you need a little self-image boost, have one of your kids hide a piece of K'nex under your scale. The resulting 30lb. weight loss made my day!

8. Sometimes I dilly-dally on the internet instead of making dinner

Things we learned while mom was sick

1. If mom doesn't feel like getting up to make chocolate milk, you can do it yourself and improvise with water. Josh reported it as being 'disgusting' and still tasting like water!
2. Dad CAN cook. Albeit you get Mac & Cheese with a side of instant potatoes for dinner, he can and will do it once you get hungry enough.
3. Dad can exaggerate, too. When he reminds you he spent an hour making your dinner so you should be happy to help clean up toys, don't let him get away with it. "It took you an hour to make something mom can make in 10 minutes? " Cam defiantly points out. He still had to pick up all the crackers that were spilt on the floor.
4. If mom is wheezing orders from the LoveSac, simply turn up the speakers on the computer game you're playing.
5. Joshie (4) has the best handle on what goes on around here all day. I think he was the most eager to play with Sam and get things for me when his older brothers 'just couldn't do it'. Such a good helper, that Joshie, until I got him sick...
6. Husbands give very good advice like: "don't be sick anymore", "take care of yourself while I'm gone", and the ever-popular response to my whining, "don't die!"

March for Babies

OK, so you see the cute baby over there on the right? You can click on it and it will tell you all about the March of Dime's march for Babies.

My sister, Libby, is heading up a team for the walk in Provo. It's up Provo Canyon, only 1 1/2 miles on May 16th. You know what's coming next... I want you to walk with us. I guess you can put your own team together if you don't want to be with us, but we've heard from lots of you how fun we (my sisters and I) are so I'm expecting a lot of feedback.

I know I've told you before, but Miles and James (my nephews) were diagnosed with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) April 25, 2008. Due to having educated doctors and it being the plan of Heavenly Father, they were born on August 21, 2008. There are so many more pregnancies with TTTS that never make it to full term because people are not educated. My sister is heading up a team to help spread awareness and help educate people so that "one day, all babies will be born healthy".

Miles & James say thanks!

Have you ever wanted something so bad...

I have become obsessed with the Shark Steam mop. I saw the infomercial back in December. I want it. Look how happy the lady is in the picture. I neeeeed it. I could do all the tile from the front door to the oven. I could do the baseboards. I could do the walls. My house would be so clean and sanitary that it wouldn't matter what Sam was eating off the floor!
I wanted it for Christmas and Jared refused. "I'm not getting you a mop for Christmas" which was the smart husband answer. But what he didn't understand is that I really, really, really want it!
I see it everywhere for $80-$90, even WalMart. I've been watching for a 30% off coupon day at Kohl's. I did the math in case I found a 20% off at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. I checked Ebay. And then, ta-da! I saw it at Costco for $68.99 today. I picked it up. I turned it over. I hugged it. In my mind, I quite possibly named it George. But, alas, I put it back on the shelf and walked away.

My floors are still dirty and Sam will most likely die from something icky he picks up and puts in his mouth. But, hey, I didn't spend any money and that's what really matters! I think.

Wii Vacation

(dbl click pic to blow it up)

This was waiting for us after school.

"Where will the Wii go?", asked Joshie.
"To Mexico to swim in the ocean and drink pina coladas by the pool," I answered.
"It's not real, Mom."
"Oh yeah, Maybe that's where I'll go when I rubberband a note to myself!"