Owner: Temporary? Insanity URL:http://kymburleev.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:41:44 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: I'm a dabbler. A little of this, a little of that. Not extraordinary in any way except for the fact that I'm humble enough to realize it, honest enough to admit it, and egomaniacal enough to hope that despite it you'll all adore me. Go on. You know you wa Site statistics:Click here
Hypochondriachism 2007-06-13 14:10:00 I spent half an hour last night trying to diagnosis myself via the internet. I even found one of those sites that lets you click the affected area then answer specified questions. I won't give out the address though, because I don't want to be an enabler.And what did I learn? That it probably maybe not might be a spider bite on my foot. And that if it is one, that I started it. Because your average spider only bites it self defense. I think I'll limp over to my card box and see what I've got in the "Sorry I Tried to Squish You While I Was Sleeping" section.This isn't the first time my tender tootsies have been ravaged by wee beasties in the night. Last week I was hobbling around, similarly afflicted. And Neil? You guessed it. Nary a nibble.Last night, despite the incredible amount of pain I was in, I went ahead and hosted the activity I'd planned for the Young Women (our churches' Youth Group). Practicing the song we're going to perform, and making fudge. As I hobbl
My Little Women 2007-06-12 14:18:00 Now, before anyone mentions it, I know that her socks don't match her outfit. Her Daddy had some hand in dressing her that day, but I've made my peace with this picture now.It was taken while visiting my parents, and while watching Emma and her cousin Sadie romp around the living room. They climbed, they jumped, they played catch, and they ran in increasingly erratic circles around the coffee table, trying not to catch each other (because then the fun would be over!).I was pondering today about the restless energy that fills my children. Such ponderings are inevitable when pushing them around in a stroller for over an hour, listening to them grunt and strain at the belts, and watching them contort themselves into the oddest configurations.They never seem to stop moving. I know there are children out there who like to sit still. Who will cuddle on your lap, or sit on the floor and quietly play. I've seen them! They do exist!Not my girls.And despite the fact that we sometimes get s Read more:Women
Bye Bye StatCounter! 2007-06-11 13:45:00 I often admit to my readers that my main reason for blogging is the lovely ego stroking that comes with. Alas, my dear sweet StatCounter has become an ego basher instead. I used to be thrilled over the number of "unique visitors", the cute red balloons on the world map, and I got numerous giggles out of seeing how people had found my blog (e.g. Google Search: "How to rule the world with jello").Once again though, math is my undoing in life. Even with my limited skills, I can figure out what it means when I have 97 visitors on a given day, and 7 of them leave comments.As I'm a person given to fits of paranoia...my laborious counting of fingers and toes leads me to the following conclusion...On that day, 90 people decided they didn't like me.Indeed, ignorance is bliss. And so I bid my StatCounter a reluctant adieu, content once again to believe that I am universally adored by all who visit me here. Read more:Bye Bye
Saturday is a Special Day 2007-06-16 11:13:00 There's a little song my parents used to sing at us when we were doing Saturday
morning chores..."Saturday is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday!"The sing-songy tune often pops into my head on my more productive Saturdays. It's only just past 9am and I've already gotten up, got myself and the kids fed and dressed, made the bed, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, swept the floor, scrubbed down the highchair inside and out, scrubbed the table and chairs, and put through a load of laundry.I'm feeling good. Sweaty, but good.My favourite part of the day though is having Neil home. And especially Emma turning to him frequently and shouting out, "Welcome home, Daddy!" She's so excited to have him home, and knows how to express it. I've decided to take a page out of her book and do likewise. But instead of shouting "Welcome home!" at him randomly throughout the day, I'm logging off.For the whole weekend.I got him some nifty gifts, but I think this one tops them all. N Read more:Special
Can You Make Sense of This? 2007-06-15 13:09:00 When I saw this graphic I just had to think of a way to use it in a blog post. Part of my inherent dorkiness is a love of puns, and this is one of my favourites.I even thought of a way to tie "sense" and "scents" together. Because yes, I am that cool.As my regular readers know, I've been trying to lose weight for some time now. Okay, "trying" might not be quite the right word. It's not like I've made the attempt and failed, I've failed to make a true attempt. Mine has been the on again off again life of your average dieter.I do so hate to be average.Fact is, I know how to lose weight. I studied nutrition for months. Every book available at the local library? I checked out and studied. I read articles, joined online weight loss support groups, tried out Weight Watchers and learned a whole heck of a lot. I know what and how much I should be eating and drinking. I know what kind of nutrients my body needs to function effectively. I know what kind of treats are safe to keep in the hou Read more:Sense
To the Victor go the Spoils 2007-06-14 11:31:00 Last night Neil came home weighed down with groceries...and Good Mail! A package of Infidel-y Goodness was in his arms. I caught sight of the lovely gleaming yellow treasure, waited patiently as he handed it to Becca and she carried it, grinning hugely, to her Mommy.And then I tore it open, careful not to damage the hilarious envelope (Infidel? You da bomb, baby!). Inside were a pair of custom made thongs (yes, thongs!), which Emma and I have been fighting over ever since.Pictures speak louder than words though, so here's a little insight into how I spent my morning today...She needs to work on her "Neener neener neener" face, but it was a valiant effort, n'est-ce pas?Emma graciously condescended to give me an interview. Click the link to view the clip:http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=4076613654845999692 Read more:Victor
Somber Reflections 2007-06-19 15:04:00 I really need to start keeping my notebook by my bed again. I had a fabulous idea for a blog post last night, as I was falling asleep. I mentally repeated it to myself a few times (because it really freaks Neil out when I do it out loud), to help cement it into my forebrain, but to no avail. It's slipped away from me, and that particular flash of brilliance will never illuminate me again.I think it had something to do with cows? Nevermind. On with the show.The other night Neil and I were watching The Shadowlands, a brilliant movie depicting part of C.S. Lewis' life, with Lewis being portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. We laughed out loud in a few spots, but mostly we quietly contemplated the story unfolding on the screen, cuddled up in bed, crying at times. It was thought-provoking, touching, and disturbing. After I was done my cry, we talked about it for awhile. Specifically about what would happen should Neil die unexpectedly. I tried to give the conversation a more lighthearted air, thr Read more:Reflections
Did You Miss Me? 2007-06-18 21:41:00 Okay, I know I abandoned you. But please. Please. Tell me you still love me. Tell me you haven't found another blog written be a quirkily neuroticish gal who likes to make up new words. Tell me I haven't been replaced despite my protracted absence! In truth, I'm not feeling paranoid and needy at the moment, I just couldn't think of anything else to post about. More tomorrow!
Update 2007-06-22 22:13:00 I'm down in Vancouver and I've just arrived at my parent's house after spending several hours at the hospital. They're running tests, they're waiting for the sedatives to leave her system so she'll wake up (she's yet to return to consciousness since passing out yesterday afternoon). Waiting, waiting, and waiting. There's going to be a lot of that, it looks like.It was so hard seeing her with all the tubes in her, and hooked up to a machine helping her breathe, and feeling how hot her skin is as her body battles whatever it's been infected with. My heart is so full of feeling, and my mind so full of thoughts, that I feel I'm about to spill all over the place. But I'm too worn out to do it here, in words. I imagine there will be many blog posts to come inspired by the lessons I've learned during this past twenty-four hours.Thank you for all your prayers. Mom doesn't seem to be in imediate danger, but there may be a long, slow recovery ahead of us. Please, please keep her in Read more:Update
Urgent: Prayers Needed 2007-06-21 17:11:00 I've just had a phone call from my Aunt, letting me know that my Mom has passed out and been taken to the hospital. She's been really ill the past few days but the source is unknown. I'm really, really shaken up by this. Offering up a plea for prayers is the only thing I can do from so far away.~Update~ Thanks so much for all your prayers and loving comments. Every single one has made me feel that much better. Unfortunately they still haven't figured out what's wrong with my mom. I'm driving down there this morning, without the kids, and Neil might follow later on with the girls. Please keep praying. I'll update as soon as anything is known.Please scroll down to read a happier post! Read more:Urgent
I'm not Three! I'm Emma! 2007-06-21 10:40:00 Sorry for the picture overload, but I couldn't resist sharing the cuteness. It was an exhausting day, but I got a happy toddler and some awesome pictures out of it. My first attempt at a layer cake was...interesting, but so delicious. Emma spent the whole day wishing everyone and everything "Happy Durthday!", and arguing strenuously when various people dared to insinuate her name was "Three
" instead of Emma. "I'm not three! I'm Emma!", she fiercely asserted. Toddler logic cracks me up.I took a few video clips, for those who are interested in some gratuitous Emma-ness. Here are the links...Clip 1Clip 2Clip 3Clip 4
I Love You Gals! 2007-06-20 22:08:00 The outpouring of sweetly expressed thoughts and advice in response to my post yesterday simply overwhelmed me. I can't adequately express my feelings, I just can't. And no, a cheesey graphic can't do it either, but hey, it was cute, okay?I'm going to live my life with an eye to the future, but with my heart in the present. A rather nasty mental picture, if you have that sort of imagination, and a lovely sentiment if you don't.And moving on to a cheerier subject, I'll be posting tomorrow about all the birthday frolicing and frivolity that marked Emma's third birthday today. Pictures and video clips abound, and it will take some time to decide which to delight (or bore) you with.Again, thank you all, my beautiful blog reading friends. You sustain me in more ways than you realize.
Lesson the First 2007-06-27 10:56:00 Normally, when I take a picture like this one, I give a silent chuckle and then delete it. There's nothing extra special cute about it. No funny facial expression. No capturing of a sweet or funny moment. I don't know why I kept this, but for some reason it appealed to me. And I'm glad, because it expresses some of the feelings I've had this weekend. It comes down to vulnerability. Becca looks so very vulnerable in this picture. And that's how I spent most of the weekend feeling.As I held my mom's hand, I watched her restless sleep, the chorus of beeping monitors making an eerie counterpoint to the whispery sound of the ventilator. I still wasn't really processing it. I was functioning on autopilot, trying not to think about what might happen. For one sharp, clear moment, I perfected the art of living in the present. Holding her hand, right there, right then, giving her that scant comfort, was all that mattered.But I lost hold of that moment, and nearly lost hold of Read more:First
Prettily Procrastinating 2007-06-26 10:09:00 You'd think that, being home again and settling into the old routine, I would have spent a portion of my day yesterday getting caught up on my blog reading.Ah, not so much.And I can't use emotional trauma or physical exhaustion as an excuse. I'm actually feeling surprisingly good. Miraculously good, even. I've little doubt that all the prayers being said on behalf of our family are having a profound impact on our health and sanity.No, I spent all my free time yesterday exploring www.blogskins.com. Oh. My. There are some pretty blog templates there. And as long as you give kudos to the artist, they're free.However, as most of the artists are in the teenage angst stage of life, it was very difficult to find a template that wasn't full of mournful song lyrics. I fell in love with template after template, only to have it ruined by someone's broken heart.At last, shortly before (alright, after) bedtime, I chanced upon this one. It startled me with it's beauty, and I love wh
Hope 2007-06-24 21:38:00 What a wonderful gift of hope our family was given this morning! Mom woke up, and not only did she focus on us, but she was able to respond to commands, and answer yes/no questions by shaking and nodding her head. This is a huge leap from yesterday, and I was tearfull with relief. To be able to tell her what was happening, to tell her how much I love her, and to see it acknowledged in her eyes, was such a blessing after these stress filled days.As acceptance of the current situation comes, so does the reeling blow of realizing how long a recovery process she's likely to have. Months. Such a frightening word suddenly; months. And yet, I'm grateful that we'll have those months, and the years to come afterwards. Having been overwhelmed by fear and heartache, I would be ungrateful if I didn't acknowledge the blessing that is Hope.
I'm Scared 2007-06-29 12:50:00 Warning: Serious/Sad/Negative post to follow.Tomorrow morning we're driving down to Vancouver for the weekend. Monday is Canada Day, so we have a lovely long weekend to enjoy. Or possibly dread.Obviously I'm feeling a wee bit conflicted.The last time I saw my mom she was awake, but on a ventilator and unable to talk because of the tube down her throat. Now, she's breathing on her own, and making rapid progress in her physical recovery. As relief sets in, so does panic. What about her mental recovery? Some of you have met my mom, most have only heard little mentions here and there hinting at how much I love her and aspire to be more like her. Although emotionally tempermental much like her daughter (our Scottish/Irish heritage is to blame, really), she's also one of the most hilarious women I know. If she'd had the inclination, she could've been a stand-up comic. I can't remember a phone conversation with her where she hasn't had me laughing so hard that I was sore for Read more:Scared
On A Lighter Note... 2007-07-03 21:58:00 I am officially too obsessed with my weight. The stress of the weekend has taken its toll on my poor neglected body, and I've been suffering a horrible case of the runs.Am I concerned by this attack on my physical health? Nope. Rather, I'm excited and enjoying the cleansing process.And eager to weigh myself tomorrow morning.Sick on more than one level.
Home Again 2007-07-03 11:15:00 This is a post that simply can't be written in chronological order. It would be bordering on cruel. And so I'll start with yesterday. When we arrived at the hospital yesterday morning, I was seized once again by the panicky edge of anxiety that dominated so much of the weekend. I dreaded having to see Mom in a state of confusion, even dementia, again. I didn't want to carry that memory home with me. Just as I was blessed last weekend, seeing her regain consciousness before I had to make the long drive home, I was blessed yesterday. When I walked into the room, I could immediately see that she was herself again. There was a clarity in her eyes that hadn't been there previously, and her voice. Her voice! No longer the voice of a stranger, but my mom, back at last.I have never in my life experienced such an intense flood of relief.You can only begin to understand it, if I paint a small picture for you of the days previous. Saturday afternoon we drove into town and went stra Read more:Again
How Much Do You Love Me? 2007-07-07 11:21:00 How Much Do You Love Me?Enough to vote for me?2007 Bloggy Hoss ElectionsI don't know which of my beloved blogging beauties nominated me for this honour, and I'd love to say that I feel humbled by having achieved the status of a finalist. Alas, I'm not feeling the least bit humble. I'm bursting with pride and inflated ego!I have a nice personality! My life long dream has finally come to fruition! Mwahahahah!Don't fear that my newfound fame will change me in any way. I'll still be the same neurotic, egomaniacal sweetheart you've come to know and adore.My ego is about to take a major dent though, as summer has finally hit the Cariboo and we're off for a first swim of summer. I'm sporting a brand new swimsuit (Size 14!!), and feeling torn between excitement to be down from my Size 18 of last summer, and naseau at the sight of my pudgy belly.So please. Vote for me. If I get a swelled head to match my swollen belly, I might at least look proportionate.Show me the love!
My Newest Addiction 2007-07-06 13:41:00 My Newest AddictionI know, I know, you're rolling your eyes and thinking, "Not another one!" Alas, it's all too true. Once again, I've entered into the merciless cycle of addiction. Those who know me best, know how prone I am to this. They know the way my eyes glaze over during a conversation, as my mind skitters off somewhere they simply cannot follow. They've listened to the nervous babbling, and witnessed the tremors which plague me during those horrible moments of withdrawal.It's worse this time. So much worse. I think about it as I'm falling asleep at night, entranced by mental pictures of my next foray. License plates, word verifications, and even the letters on the cereal box...all call to mind the next game.Scrabble. My nemisis. My secret lover. How my adoration and my loathing war against each other as I am seduced by the unearthly glow of the monitor. How sweet and agonizing the sound of clicking tiles falls upon my ears!My vocabulary grows in proportion to
Light as a Feather? 2007-07-05 11:26:00 I have sad news to report this morning...I woke up, not to the churning stomach that has plagued me the last few days, but to a perfectly content, even blissful feeling. This may have something to do with the girls having slept in till 8am this morning (cue the Hallelujah Chorus!), but has more to do with a return to perfect health.Heaven help me.I've not so secretly been enjoying my recent bout of tummy pains. It's been no trouble to moderate my eating during this time. I was inclined to have a bowl of ice cream yesterday afternoon, but my all too vivid imagination kicked in and I demurred.I've lost three pounds this week, and though I want to jump for joy at having reached a record low, I'm being tempered by the realization that with the return of a happy tummy, may come the return of my bingeing. I have so many reasons not to go down that road again. I'm hoping and praying that my recent illness was a blessing, a chance to break the cycle of binge eating. But I'm scared
I'm Leeeeaving, On a Jet Plane! 2007-07-12 00:16:00 It's slowly been dawning on me that I'm leaving. Soon. Like, less that two weeks kind of soon.So much for dropping twenty pounds before taking off on vacation. Ah well, this way I won't intimidate my gal pals with my innate hotness coming to the surface and all. Yeah.Anyway, since I'll be flying past, over, and to, a variety of blogging babes, I thought I'd post my whereabouts and whenabouts for my adoring fans.Monday July 23rd- Arrive in Seattle at 2:00pm, Depart at 5:30pm- Arrive in Salt Lake City at 8:30pmTuesday July 24th- Visit with best friend DeDee and her family in Pleasant Grove.Wednesday July 25th- Play some more. Meet up with bloggy friends? Dinner anyone?Thursday July 26th- Play in Salt Lake City all morning. Come! Join us!- Spend scads of money on friends and friends' kids. My treat everyone!- Depart Salt Lake City at 3:10pm. Cry.Of course, the prospect of traveling alone, without Neil or the kids, is at once terrifying and ecstasy inspiring. But what weighs most hea Read more:Plane
At the Crossroads 2007-07-11 11:23:00 There's a little voice inside my head.No, this isn't one of those posts where I mock my mental instability. Although, it has been awhile since my Split Personality Disorder post, so maybe I'm due.I have this feeling of being at a crossroads in my life. I don't want to delve too far into metaphor, because I tend to overdo them, but...I've been traveling this same old path for so long now that I've become familiar with every rut and bump. And suddenly I see this new path, veering off to one side.And the voice inside my head? Not such a little voice anymore. Not so gentle either. My inner monologue is asserting itself in new and startling ways. It chides me when I slack off, and praises me when I work hard or well. And somehow, through its influence, I find myself posessed of a frightening clarity.I can see my potential. I've caught a glimpse of the woman I have it within myself to become.And I'm scared stiff.I miss my precious ignorance. I miss the miserable contentedness of thin Read more:Crossroads
I Can't Get No! 2007-07-10 11:26:00 Nana na na na na! Satisfaction! Nana na na na na!Oh yeah, I'm a singin' and I'm a groovin' this morning! The dishes are done, the beds are made, everyone's dressed and fed, the laundry is folded and put away, the house is tidy, and I'm enjoying a much deserved break.I've got a rockin' good song thrumming away in my head, and I'm grinning like the lunatic I often am.Satisfaction!I finally got some! In the form of a blog template that makes me smile. As fun as it's been changing my template every few days, I'm so excited to find one that has literally made me squirm with delight as I watch it load onto the screen.Isn't it funky?Nana na na na na!
They Come in Threes 2007-07-09 09:53:00 I had a seriously fun weekend. Really. I'm not being sarcastic or anything.We went to a nearby lake on Saturday morning with friends and had so much fun. Neil cleaned out the garage that night while I did a ginormous shopping trip. After church on Sunday, lovely long naps were had by all. And while Neil did his thing at the BBQ, I followed the girls around with a camera, trying to snap shots whenever they slowed down. Which wasn't often. There aren't very many pictures.It was fabulous family fun all weekend long. I was also in pain all weekend long, and left to reflect how sometimes, true to old superstition, bad things come in threes:1) A severely bruised knee that doesn't hurt at all...except when it's poked, pinched, kicked, or sat on, at which point it becomes the epicentre of a pain so intense it leaves me doubled over with tears in my eyes and wondering what a broken kneecap feels like.2) The first sunburn of summer. Not just the first, but the worst I've ever had. Ouch!3) Read more:Threes
Some Things Cry Out to be Shared 2007-07-14 15:37:00 Every night, after bathtime, and before bedtime, we have Play Time. An extended period of rolling around on the living room floor, playing hide-and-go-seek, and using Mommy and Daddy as if they were playground equipment. Neil and I usually end up a little sore, sometimes even bruised, but it's worth it for the hilarity of it all.Take a peek:A Video Clip of Neil and Emma being Adorable
It's All About Me! 2007-07-13 00:05:00 For the past few months, I've kind of shuffled my feet and looked the other way whenever I was tagged for a Meme. I simply didn't feel like it. There. I said it. Please love me anyway?But I'm beyond bored tonight and figured that since my most recent tag was a Meme about my favourite subject (Me!), I might as well tackle it.Eight Random Things About Me1) My skin is about the whitest possible white that skin can be. And my unsightly body hair? You guessed it - black. Definitely did a nasty dive into the gene pool. I have a unibrow and pluck at least once a week, and have hairy knuckles and toes that I deal with in the same way. Ask me if I feel pretty. Go on. I dare you.2) I love to talk on the phone. But I am superbly paranoid about the act of making a phone call. My vivid imagination takes over, and I'm confronted with a dizzying array of possible scenarios that my phone call might interrupt. So mostly? I don't make phone calls.3) I'm a hypochondriac. Because I know that I have
Fun in the Sun 2007-07-17 15:34:00 After a yummy dinner of Rotini in Marinara Sauce last night, Neil and I looked at Becca's face, exchanged gleeful grins, and decided that an evening of frolicking in our little kiddy pool was in order.It was hard to get still shots of the girls, as they were romping with such wild abandon and all. I'm in love with the picture of Emma making a funny face, and got a real kick out of Becca pushing the doll stroller around with her teeth!I tried to get video clips of Becca, but she was too busy for me. And so, once again, Emma was the star of the show...Cuteness Part ICuteness Part II
Utah Here I Come! 2007-07-16 18:09:00 For those of you not fortunate enough to be on my travel path next week, please scroll past this post. Please. Don't torture yourself. I'm sure I'll visit [insert your city name here] someday.So here are the details for those lucky souls who have the opportunity to bask in my wonderfulness (my wonderful neurotic feelings of...oh heck, will they like me in person?!, that is).Wednesday Night - Dinner at Applebees in American Fork - 6pm. Please RSVP so I can save you a seat!Thursday Morning - Meet at the Visitor's Center in Temple Square at 10am.And/Or join us in front of Barnes and Noble at The Gateway Mall at 12pm. I'm going to buy a book for every gal that comes, we can all grab some lunch, and I'll treat the kids to ice cream after. I'm not above bribing people to be my friends, you know. Then we have to leave for the airport at 1:30pm. And I will probably cry.Sounds like fun, eh?
Poetical Ponderings 2007-07-15 22:20:00 I wrote this poem when I was seven. Burgeoning genius here, don't you think?A Rainy Day:The rain is falling very quickIt couldn't be much quickerI should have brought my hat alongI should have brought my slickerMy hair is wetMy clothes are wetI couldn't be much wetterI fell into a river onceBut this is even better!What I wouldn't have given for a little rain today. Perhaps it's just as well, because in my heat induced delirium, I may well have given into the temptation to strip down and dance joyfully around our yard. Although considering our neighbours on one side are an old retired couple, and on the other a gay couple, it may not be such a bad idea at that.
Recommend Site To A Friend
