Sad to say....

Someone didn't make it, just as I feared. Our beloved Steve Buscemi has passed away. This was several days ago. The kids have not noticed and did not ask about him even once. Weird. I was all ready to sneak off to Petco in the night on a little covert operation to find a body double. But no need. Hmmm.... It's ok, Steve. I will mourn your memory if no one else will. I asked Dan, solemnly to dispose of his body. When he came back after a time, I said "Did he go peacefully the way of the toilet bowl?" Dan cocked his head in surprise, "Nah, I just shoved him down the garbage disposal."

Ew.

Does anyone else think, EW??

Poor, poor, Steve.

Here we go....

Eight years ago after a very challenging time in my life I was on my way to work one day when I noticed that my face was going numb. I looked in the mirror and for some reason one eye wouldn't blink and I had half a smile. I came to learn that I had a condition called Bell's Palsy. I think I have mentioned this before. For most people, this is a very temporary condition, one sided facial paralysis taking (on the outside) about 3-6 months to completely resolve. While mine did improve significantly, I never fully recovered. Although my husband and family swear they don't even notice it anymore, it was always there...in the mirror....staring back at me every morning. A reminder of that horrible time in our lives.
A week ago I was shopping at the mall with my parents and I felt an odd sensation. I felt panic. We raced over to the emergency room to learn that my Bell's Palsy was back. This time, on the OTHER side of my face. If you have never experienced anything like this, I don't know how to explain to you the mental and emotional ramifications of having a disfiguring condition effecting your face. Your face is so much of who you ARE. This has been so hard for me. I went to bed for a few days and wouldn't look at anyone. This is one of my worst nightmares. What if it stays like this forever? My husband has to have a wife that looks like this? My kids are going to be embarassed at school.... Horrible thoughts.
Last time I had this, people would talk...really....slow....to....me. People assumed that I was mentally challenged. One woman in my church told me that she knew a guy in college who had Bell's so they called him Quasimodo. Nice.
Having said all that....I have a wonderful, spiritually warrior like family that got on it right away. Before I knew it family, friends even strangers all over the country...continent really....were praying for me. My husband has been a rock. The medication that they give you for Bell's makes you a lunatic for a while and I have been an emotional wreck. The first time I had this, I did not have any movement in my face, no improvement for 6 whole months. It took a few years to get back the mobility that I did achieve. I started acupuncture right away, which I did not try last time and it seems to be helping tremendously. It has been one week, and I have regained movement almost equal to what I have on the other side of my face already. The truth is, I know that God is doing it. There are a lot of faithful people praying for me. I know God can heal me. And I know that He will. I have even been having sensation on the original side that I have not had in YEARS. I don't know or understand why this has happened to me, but I am choosing to use this as an opportunity for the Lord to teach me something about His healing and grace. Already, I have seen so much. It is going to be a long road ahead I am sure. Good days and bad but I am determined to hold on to my faith.
Six years ago today I married this REALLY hot guy. Tonight he is taking me out for dinner and a movie. And we are going to celebrate....for lots of reasons.

Merry Christmas

God bless us everyone on this glorious morning that we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Out to lunch

I am having some health issues and need to spend some time focusing on getting better. Nothing life threatening, but I'm having a rough go of it. Have a very Merry Christmas. I'll be back soon.

A new member of the family

We have a new member of the family. He looks a heck of alot like this guy:

In fact....that is his name. Steve Buscemi. Their resemblence is uncanny.

I am a little worried for Steve. My kids are behaving alot like this...

TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR!!!

Pray for Steve. I'm not sure he's gonna make it....

Life Experiences

I saw that Carly did this one and thought it was great so I shamelessly stole it.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
0 6. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had/Have amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the snake river
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in a Rocky Horror Picture Show
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read "The Iliad"
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone whodidn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

I got 57. What is your score?? Considering I have lived a third or so of my life....not so bad.

Grump in the night

The lights are going out in the Cain house. It is quiet other than the slow and steady breathing of my new husband laying beside me. He sighs and drapes his arm over me and pulls me close. The house creaks and I hear rain dripping outside my window. My eyes are heavy and begin to droop. Finally I am asleep. Suddenly I hear frantic yelling. Dan had shot up in bed and was yelling the most hideous profanity, "She is a f#$$%$#ing @#$#@! She's a %&$# @$%&" This went on and on for a few moments. I sat there stunned, peeking out from under the blankets at my sweet and gentle husband sitting up and cursing some unknown woman. Then he laid back down, snuggled up to me and muttered "I love you" and was quietly snoring. It was just after our honeymoon and I began to think, who is this nut that I married? Little did I know that this was the first of many weird conversations we would have in the middle of the night.

My husband is a weirdo. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy to pieces. But there is just no getting around the fact that he is bizarre. During the day he is a clean cut, steady, handsome, straight as an arrow kinda guy. As soon as the lights go out and he falls asleep...you never know what you are gonna get. Yeah yeah, I know what you are thinking, but no. He will have entire conversations with you...and never remembers a thing...and most of the time he is so unlike himself. Not in bad ways, he's usually silly or odd. (and in case you are worried from the above story...NEVER violent or truly mean)

You'll be sleeping soundly and the next thing you know he rolls over, grabs on to you and demands to know where all the fortune cookies have gone.
When we were engaged, Dan was living in Great Lakes, IL and I was going to school in San Diego until about 11pm. When I got home from school I would call Dan every night and have a little chat. He was always so lovey dovey on the phone... He told me last night that he doesn't remember one single phone call. Hmmm... So sleeping Dan is romantic? Where did I put those sleeping pills....

Then when I was pregnant with Red and I was almost 2 weeks overdue, Dan rolled over one night and looked at me with a very stern voice, "You better have that baby. You better have that baby NOW. I'm getting an attorney!" He grabbed the blankets away from me and rolled over in a huff. "I MEAN IT!" Then was back to snuggling and snoring yet again.

On the flip side, if you need to talk to HIM while he is sleeping...good luck. When Red comes sneaking into bed with us at night, it is his job to put her back to her own room. I can try gentle nudging...nothing. Irritating poking....nothing. Shaking and talking loudly...nothing. The only thing that works is you have to be downright mean. I'm talking yelling and kicking at him under the blankets to get his attention. Then he wakes up and looks at you like you are a big monster..."Why are you yelling at me? Just ask me and I'll take her back." Gees!

So if you ever happen to be a house guest of ours, don't be alarmed if you find Dan frantically searching your room for a bag of potato chips, or having a conversation with the dog. He'll be fine in the morning.

Holiday Traditions

My family has a lot of Christmas traditions. Dan came from a family that kind of "goes through the motions" on holidays. My family makes everything a CELELBRATION. Usually around food. Maybe that explains why we are all just a little bit chubby.... Here are some traditions that we celebrate.

1. Every year my parents take all grandchildren over the age of 2 to Disneyland and keep them for the night (an annual Christmas tradition that Dan and I look forward to like giddly school girls). The next morning they bake Christmas cookies and grandma and Poppa spend the next week in an exhausted stupor. We spend 3 days getting them down from the sugar high and deprogramming them from over spoiling. Everyone is happy.


2. This Saturday we started a new tradition. My dad's business, Mr. Handyman, was in the Pacific Beach Holiday parade and my family joined in. We decorated the van and got dressed up in silly outfits and followed in the parade. Savannah wore her Christmas princess dress and handed out candy. She really thought she was IT and waived to her many admirers. She was adorable. Brady was raring and ready to go smiling at all the other parade people and exuberantly waving his candy cane....until we actually hit the parade route and then he fell over and went to sleep in the wagon we were towing him in. Vincent got to sit up front in Poppa's truck and smile, wave and yell at all the people.

3. Decorating the tree. This is one of my favorite childhood memories. My dad would set up the tree and then sit back exhausted from holding in all the 4 letter words that I am sure he was thinking while battling that damn tree. Then mom would makes some yummy snacks and my brothers and I would hang the ornaments. Fights always broke out. Usually because of Kevin tormenting one of us. People think he is the quiet and sweet one. Don't believe it. (This does not bode well for me with Brady) He would do something to to pester one of the rest of us and a brawl would ensue. Good times. Afterwards we would sip hot cocoa and sing Christmas carols around the tree. I have tried to carry on this tradition with my own family but usually end up singing alone.

4. Life-saver Man. He kinda goes along with #3, but needs to be a tradition of his own. Life-saver Man was a hideous ornament that my brother, Robby, made when he was really little. He was made out of a mini pack of Life-savers, maroon colored yarn and a styrofoam head. We loved him. My mother did not and would have a hissy every year when she would find Life-saver Man hanging from the highest branch of the tree right in front...where she was too short to reach. Bwahahah!

5. Boxing Day. You Canadians know what I am talking about. It is the day after Christmas and a Canadian tradition that we kept celebrating after we moved back to the States. We invite over all our friends and have a big Boxing Day Brunch and a "White Elephant" gift exchange. Everybody brings silly gifts and then we steal them from each other. I like to put in a nice gift like a Starbucks gift card. I usually end up with something weird like a turtle shaped stepping stool. Hmmm...

What are some of your traditions?

Wacky Stuff Wednesday

Your Wrestler Name Is...

Foxxy Sass

What's" Your Wrestler Name?

Your Hair Should Be Orange

Expressive, deep, and one of a kind.You pull off "weird" well - hardly anyone notices.

What's" Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

Credit where credit is due

My husband is awesome. It's true. And the fact of the matter is I don't say it enough. On Sunday I left the kids with Dan and went to a Southern Living party and a friend's house who is the wife of someone Dan works with (Will). While I was at the party and all us gals were joking about our husbands and motherhood and the Navy and staring at extremely overpriced cookware and decorative pottery some touchy subjects came up.
The "who really has it harder" controversy between stay at home moms and the working dad. Now of COURSE we all know that us SAHM have it alot harder. (sheepish grin) But I got to have a little perspective into the life of the working dad via Will. He joked about how his wife at least gets naps during the day, can sleep in and wear pajamas until noon. But when it comes down to it, he said he did respect her for sacrificing and staying home with their daughter, but he has to deal with guilt of being away. All he wants is the acknowlegement that he works hard too and doesn't have it EASY. He works a full day and them comes home and has to hit the ground running.
Another friend of ours who also works with Dan was there as well, her name is Xandria. She stopped me before I left the party and said "I don't know if you know this or not, but Dan talks and thinks and worries about you and the kids all the time. I thought you might like to hear that." And I did.
It's easy as a SAHM to think my hubby is off enjoying the outside world and forgetting about me completely during the day. But he isn't, and that feels good. I went home and gave him a big hug and told him how much I appreciate him supporting our family the way he does.
So today I am going to put on my best 1950s wife impression, have a good home cooked meal waiting for him when he gets home, have him put up his feet and fix him a cocktail. Hee hee. Because I got a good man and I don't want him to think I forgot that.

A little less fatty and frumpy

I have been "trying to lose weight" for 8 months now since my little Boo was born. I don't diet really. If I do, it only lasts for 2 weeks max. But if you add up all my little dieting endeavors together I have lost a total of 16lbs. Not too shabby! In a perfect world I would like to lose another 15-20. I would settle for 10. FYI - I am eating chocolate and kettle corn as I type this...