your kidneys, apparently they are important

You know what a kidney infection will get you?

• nausea and barfing, copious amounts of nausea and barfing, nigh unto anything experienced before
• lots of laying around moaning pathetically and praying for the sweet release of death
• one almost 18 month old suddenly wondering where his mother went
• a trip to the urgent care
• 2.5 bags of IV fluids
• 2 shots of Zofran
• 1 shot of antibiotic
• a follow up visit to the urgent care
• another antibiotic shot, this time in right cheek
• sweatpants
• clear fluids
• a sore butt
• a lost weekend

Tell me, when I get sick why is it always on the weekends?

We did it! We really did it!

Basically,

it was awesome.

I mean really.

cute kids watching some movies, pretty much staying out of the business

surging up some p.j.'s and towels and stuff

as promised, the Connie, and my (somewhere down the line) cousin Tana and her delicious baby, and then a helper lady...

tying (I tried to spell that tieing) some quilts

aaand more tying quilts

aaaand even more

and hey guess what, MORE QUILT TYING!

that's Melanie on the right, and her mom on the left

good looks are genetic

(if you needed more proof other than me and Connie)

and then we were finished for the day

Those of you who came, those of you who were there in spirit, pretty much pat yourself on the back for doing some good today.  And if you're interested in doing some more, don't forget about Sue's new service squad and also, every Monday the humanitarian group we met with today meets at the building on 240 S. Center (the very same) in American Fork from 10-1 to do more of what we did today and they'd love to have your help again!

If you came and we didn't get a chance to meet, I feel badly about that but I hope you know you are loved and appreciated and pretty much radiate awesomeness.  If you came and we DID meet, same thing and p.s. you smell good.  If you came, quilted, folded, sewed, brought treats, ate treats, herded kids...  dittoX10.  

and word to all your mothers

ONE LAST PITCH!

For the sake of repetition, here are the details ONCE AGAIN for our little quilting bee...

Where: American Fork LDS Stake Center at 

240 S. Center St. (um initially I had the wrong address posted, but this is correct!  Basically if you are on American Fork Main Street turn South on Center and the church is about 4 blocks down, you can't miss it!)

Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Bring: a surger if you have one!  

*Supplies will be provided BUT batting donations are ALWAYS appreciated (hint hint)!

*if you have good sewing shears, bring those too

if we have a great showing than we will also have other humanitarian kits to put together in addition to quilts

You guys rock and thanks for heeding the call to service and whatnot.  

Let's do this!  See you tomorrow (should I wear a rose or something?  I'm so nervous...)

It's not Monday yet!

This day,

not my favorite.

But the fact of the matter was that it ended well.  I'm about to eat a peanut butter cookie, and my kid is happily asleep probably dreaming about those heart shaped York peppermint patties.  Seriously, he's addicted and it has nothing to do with me.  Or maybe he's dreaming about how he almost stabbed out my eye with a fork, missed by millimeters and now I have a gaping wound in between my eyes.  Okay maybe not gaping, but I lost some blood.  War wounds I tell you, leave me looking like a cyclops.  Or a tri-clops?

Eh.

I need to send a special "thank you" to all of my internet girlfriends out there for helping spread the word on our little quilting project.  You who have sent emails, left comments, posted links, facebooked, voiced support, I heart you big time.  Like almost as much as I love my sweatpants.  Okay so you're a close to mid-distant second, but maybe if you BROUGHT me sweatpants to the quilting bee, or wore them there?  That would seriously up your "things Kalli hearts big time" status.

But really, thanks.  And those of you who are still reading this and not off watching your DVR'd Office re-runs, there is still time to put in your 2 cents.  I mean it's not 'til Monday, spread the word!  Come meet me and Sue and some of my other illustrious, funny, equally dedicated to consuming fine baked goods, and HOT internet lovers (you know who you are).  I have many, there is nothing monogamous about the internet after all. 

*sidenote, how much spam mail and weird google hits do you think I will get for typing out the words "internet lovers"??

ALSO, THE CONNIE WILL BE THERE, straight up and in the flesh, sewing her little heart out, because she is is a giver that one, and required to attend because I called her up and commanded that it should be so. AND, maybe my grandma too.  Me=posterity of their fruitful loins.  Gross, I never want to talk about loins and my Grandma in the same sentence ever again.

That's probably my cue to wrap this up.

In conclusion, refer HERE for details.  Also, batting specs I was given dictate 6 oz batting 48 inches wide.  I don't know much about batting but I do know when I called at JoAnne's they said they'd give a discount if you were purchasing for humanitarian, so you might want to ask about that upfront before you purchase.  If you have some just laying around then heck bring it in!

*There will be light refreshments served of course,  this is in a Mormon cultural hall after all.  You can't have a gathering without light refreshments.  Light refreshments in this case being my friend Melanie's wicked good cupcakes. 

If serving our brothers and sisters weren't reason enough for you to attend our little humanitarian fiesta, than by the hammer of Thor at least come for the cupcakes!

I rest my case. 

Not really, I'm sure I'll mention this again on Sunday.  Prepare thyself.  So it is written, so it is done. 

 

Help for Haiti

I've had Haiti on my mind.

Haiti.

If you're like me you've been wondering how to help, how to make any sort of a difference in the awfulness of what's going on down there.  All while you sit warm and cozy in your sweatpants typing away on your macbook.  Trust me, the irony is not lost.

Well I've got something, and I don't need money from you, I just need your time.

Did you know that within 48 hours of the quake, LDS Humanitarian Services and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had commissioned two planes loaded with 160,000 lbs of relief supplies with additional supplies to be delivered via truck through the Dominican Republic?  Pretty incredible if you ask me.  It's just one more thing I love about my church, the powers that be are organized, prepared and ready for action.

My friend Melanie and I got in touch with LDS Humanitarian Services to ask how we could help, turns out their greatest need at this time is full size quilts.

This is where you come in.  We need your help.  Let's help an organization so busy actually helping those we only wish we could.

On Monday, January 25th we will be hosting a quilting bee at a church in American Fork.

The details are this:

Where: American Fork LDS Stake Center at 240 S. Center St.

Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Bring: a surger if you have one!  

**Supplies will be provided BUT batting donations are ALWAYS appreciated (hint hint)!

Email ME (if you're planning on it): kallikverb@gmail.com

Doesn't matter if you can't sew, your help can be used cutting, ironing, tying or somewhere else.

I know this is a somewhat inconvenient time, but I am begging you to do what you can to make it work.  Even if you can only stay an hour, or a half hour, come on your lunch break, we need you!

Bring your kids, mine will be there going batty because that's smack in the middle of his nap time.  Sweet!

We are doing this!  Come and do it with us.  Here's how you can help.

So we'll see you there, right?

RIGHT!


Also, your help would be appreciated in tweeting, facebooking, blogging, just passing the word along you know?

I still love sweatpants best...

Today's churching outfit consisted of this skirt, a tuxedo ruffle button up, 3/4 length black cardigan, some secksy tights (along these lines), and of course a pair of peep-toe black patent leather mary jane wedges.

Too many adjectives? 

I don't care.  

And then some black liquid eyeliner.  Not chola style or anything like that, just a little zazzle for the sabbath you know?  Sorry, but liquid eyeliner is a tricky mistress.  Once false move and you're looking like you let your 17 month old at your face with a sharpie.  Yikes.  

But I tell you what, done right and suddenly I'm all minxalicious, ME-OW!

Sunday is my one day.  My one day for turning it on.  The other 6 days of the weeks are pretty much, if I shower than success.  But not Sunday.   

Am I the only churchgoing weekday shut-in who feels that way?  Who treats dressing for church like a pseudo fashion face-off (as much as you can have a fashion face off in Utah) and in her head rates herself against the other women her age and their outfits on a graduated scale?  Who congratulates herself when feeling particularly confident in her choice of ensemble that day?  Who, last week, spotted a fellow comrade in the effort wearing these fantastical baby pink knit pattern tights causing an instantaneous desire to own said tights and resulting in a frantic and thus far fruitless search to find them?

I realize this type of behavior is on par with something close to crazy.

But it's an outlet.  And Lord knows in this smoggy, friggin' freezing, middle of winter day and age we can all use one of those, right?

Tell me, how do YOU dress for church and more importantly, have you mastered liquid eyeliner yet?

she is 30, yes she is

the children are wonderful to cooperate as usual

My Stoopid

my seester

who showed up for her birthday lunch wearing almost the exact same thing as me

truly great minds think alike

or at least hot women with red headed children

I love you Stoopid!

Happy 30th!

if the shoe still fits, I'll wear it

I'd almost forgotten about my beloved Samoas until I spotted them a few days ago, looking forlorn and forgotten about in their little shoe cubby.

So I wore them today, first time I've laced up tennis shoes as everyday shoes in like 4 years.

It was like coming home people.  

And then the Nub was wearing his cute tennies and then I pinned him down and took a picture of our cute tennies together and that was the excitement of our day.

Or maybe that was the fajitas I made for dinner.

Those were pretty exciting too.  

labels are for jars and file folders

I've been having issues lately 

issues with people slapping a label or special terminology on everything they do parenting wise

I just call it mothering

and that's good enough for me

tell me if you agree on my latest at Rocky Mountain Moms Blog

a playlist for your Tuesday morning

This is for one of my internet girlfriends, Sue, a member of the Provo All Stars
on her blog she asked for new work out songs, or old workout songs that are awesome
so below I present to you a few currently in rotation on Black Mamba, my ipod
*WARNING-videos may feature some scantily clad young ladies backing it up
 so be warned

ALSO

you're welcome

Glee- Bust a Move, cuz you want it, you got it!

Soulja-Boy Crank That, a slow jam with a dance move built in!

Coldplay-Viva la Vida featuring Chris Martin weirdy weird dancing!

MIA-Paper Planes something about shooting guns makes me get all crazy like

Nelly, I love Nelly, man I love Nelly

Salt and Pepa-a personal favorite of mine

The Darkness-cross dressing hair band weirdness

Postal Service, yes, every Postal Service song has beat worth moving too, good for running

and to close, a tribute to all my fat bottomed girls, you know how we do

talk is cheap

The last few days I've been knocked out with yet another wicked gross sinus infection, the 2nd in as many months.  I blame it on the nasty blanket of disgustingness permeating the air throughout our beloved Wasatch Front.  Aside from chapped nostrils, the constant sneezing, the clogged ears, and the unbearable pressure- amongst other equally perturbing symptoms for pity's sake... the thing I especially hate about sinus infections is how dumb they make me sound when I talk.

Dubby, you dow Bobba lubs you right? Do are the sbartest, bost hadsome boy ever! 

or something like that

I think it's a common human condition that everyone hates the sound of their own voice, myself included.  Compound that natural distaste with clogged sinuses and it's a recipe for sounding downright stupid, like Larry the Cable Guy quality.  The fact that most of my conversations are with a 17 month old is at least one redeeming aspect of the situation, he could care less what I say.  As long as I continue to funnel him his daily fix of apple juice and chicken nuggets and stay within visual contact, whatever comes out of my mouth is of no concern to him.  An adult conversation, however, is more of a stretch.  Thank the sweet clementines above I woke up this morning with a rather intense case of cottonmouth but clear passages ahead.  Praises be, I can enunciate again.

And so we're on to another week.  Things are looking exceptionally lame around these parts, weather and all, at least until March when me and Nubby trip off to the coast.  Tell me how you're staving off the doom and gloom.  I need inspiration (not idsbiradtion).  

a promising start

I had a post ready to go about all of the minor annoyances flitting across my radar lately, and don't worry, I'm sure I'll still put it up at some point this week because that's how we roll here at MLAK!

But for today, instead I will just tell you that I was right about 2010 thus far.

Good things are definitely afoot.

Good things always require hard things to happen first,  sometimes the hard things ARE the good things, and that is the beauty of life right there friends.  Where much is given much is required.

But the most incredible thing about it all is how much life can shift based on the actions of those around you-both good and bad.  When they go bad, it's hard to see anything else.  One minute you're moaning about how bad things suck, and the next minute someone steps in to help and then suddenly a solution begins to come together.  Ridiculous, and I know you know exactly what I'm talking about.  

Where would I be without the goodness and generosity of others?  Not a thought worth entertaining.

I will say this with surety, my life as a Kalli is a good one.

And also, I found something good about March-a mini vacation to San Diego to see KK!! Woo WoO!!   

Mom, Mama, Ma, Mommy...

Does your life go something like this?
(thanks Shar for the video link, we laugh about this episode every.time.)



read more about the Nub's separation anxiety 
HERE 

on  my latest at Rocky Mountain Moms Blog


kthanks

*wistful sigh

this is someone's house

this is the barn/guest house that goes with it

really the pictures don't do it justice and this is a view from the back, the front is even better

trust me

it is a fantasmical piece of property

craftsman style (that's my bag)

4 car garage separated by an attached breezeway (you know, for those 4 cars that every family has)

acreage

horse property

fenced

secluded yet not

I pass this house every time I go for my runs/walks

and someday it will be mine

okay probably not

but a *cough lady *cough cough can certainly dream

and use all the powers of the secret

I don't think I'll ever need a 4 car garage but I think someday I might need a barn/guest house

you know, for my herd of horses and extended family members to stay

no but in all seriousness, I love this place

and I hope whoever lives there will see this and feel sorry for me,

sorry enough to give me the deed

again, a lady can certainly dream

really it should be spelled "Janruary" if we're going for consistency...

Jaaaanuary

admitedly not my favorite month

nor February

although February means Valentine's Day which inevitably brings Valentine's Day candy which don't worry, is already in stores in case you were wondering.  I also may or may not have plowed my way through a bag of peppermint patties shaped like hearts with pink insides, and they were good, REAL good.  February is tolerable I suppose.

March?  Other than my cute little neph's birthday and St. Patty's day-also coincidentally the Connie's birthday, I'm not sure anything good ever happened, ever, during the month of March.

Yes, these next three months are a revolving door of blah insterspersed with a few good snowstorms until finally one is allowed to step out to the other side and suddenly it's hello April! Welcome rain!  And then May at last and we are done, usually.  You never know when a freak blizzard will rock the foundation of Zion afterall, here we must be prepared for the perpetual dying last words of winter.

Considering this, I'm tucked in for the wait, survival of the fittest if you will.

I'm convinced good things are afoot for 2010.

And I certainly won't let you, January, or you, February, and especially not your ugly sister March make me feel otherwise.