Not so much with the "Let it Snow"

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Due to the big ol' snowstorm in the Midwest, poor Pusher and Puck were delayed. Their first flight was canceled, which meant they couldn't get to their second flight to actually get to Ireland... which pushed their visit back a day.

No fun! As Pusher said on her blog, she's sorry she kept wishing for more snow this winter... 'cuz it came back to bite her in the butt.

Well, at least they're losing one day out of a two week vacation, not a shorter one. And they didn't have to worry about missing their tour bus or anything like that... and they've got very flexible hosts here. *grin*

Also, Pumpkin is either growing like a weed or fighting off some sickness. She's been a tad bit grumpy and easily frustrated lately... and took a THREE hour nap this afternoon. Yeah, and she only got up then 'cuz I woke her up. No problems (other than the usual amount of try-to-avoid-bedtime-itis) with going to sleep tonight, either. Here's hoping the extra rest today will help her stay in good form during Puck and Pusher's week with us! Cross your fingers, would you? 'Cuz a grumpy 2 1/2 year old is not much fun to be around... even for her loving parents, let alone guests who aren't used to toddlers!

Also, blogging will most likely be scarce to nonexistent this week due to touristing. We're even planning on all going up to Galway and staying overnight (!) at a B&B on the weekend, which Mr. Kluges, Pumpkin and I haven't done for a very, very long time, so I'm looking forward to that, too. Yay!

(Oh, and of course bringing Pusher to the English Market and to visit our favorite cheese guy. Oh, the varieties we'll try! Pumpkin's been asking for a kind of sheep's cheese that's apparently a new favorite (we've gotten it twice, I think), so she'll be happy, too. (Obasa? *shrug* That's close enough to the name that I can find it there anyway.)

(Hmmm... that reminds me... we've got some Wensleydale with cranberries in the frig.... sounds like time for a snack...)

Ok, my pregnant appetite and I are going to go. Have a great week and stay warm!

Wait, I thought the sign said "DRIVE-Thru..."

****************

copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Ok, folks, here's your cultural moment for the week.

This photo was taken (not by me - Mr. Kluges got it at work from somebody) at a ubiquitous fast food restaurant on Ennis Road in Limerick recently - or so we've been told. We're guessing that they're members of the Traveller community... and that they've apparently decided this MickeyD's has a Ride-Thru! *grin*

Ah-oooooo!

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Based on my own personal sample of 1 previous pregnancy with lots of heartburn and a baby born with a good head of hair...

...and this New York Times article....

...I think I might be having a werewolf.

(That or I should just buy stock in Gaviscon.)

Questions Galore

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

A sampling of questions posed recently by our 2 1/2 year old...

• Why do we have mouths?

• What is "squishy?"

• What's in that big white 'tainer? ("Garlic.") Can I has a taste?*

• Yook, it's kinda foggy! Can we feel it?

• Why is there hair in your nose?

• Why are you talking?

• Why did you stop talking?

And my personal favorite...

• What color is horse poop actually?

*'Cuz I know you want to know... Mommy said, "Well, honey, it's really spicy. I don't think you'd like it." Then Daddy said, "Yeah, it's pretty spicy, but do you still want to try it?" "Yeah." "Ok."
So she did... and she liked it. Drank a lot of milk between small slices of garlic, but she ate like 3 or 4 little pieces. That girl likes some WEIRD stuff! (And her breath and poop are going to REEK tomorrow...)

Uncle TP and Auntie Kay come to visit

****************

copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Hi! I'm here; I'm back; I missed you, too. *grin*

Had a good time with my brother and sister-in-law. Since he reads this blog occasionally, he came up with his own nickname. So, hello, Uncle TP! And we'll be calling his wife Auntie Kay, I think, unless she wants to leave a comment with a different idea.

(Auntie Kay, Uncle TP, Mr. Kluges, and Pumpkin walking up to Ross Castle.)

Pumpkin and I enjoyed touristing with them on Wednesday and Thursday. We visited Kinsale on Wednesday, complete with walk from the town center out to Charles Fort, followed by the obligatory Blarney Castle visit. Thursday was Cobh for the Queenstown Story museum and St. Colman's Cathedral in the morning and Cork (particularly the English Market) in the afternoon.

Mr. Kluges took Friday off, and we drove out Killarney way and went to the National Park, where we hiked and visited the Muckross Friary (aka Muckross Abbey, depending on the source), which was new to us. It had wonderfully complete cloisters with a HUGE yew tree in the middle!

(I love cameras with timers! Also, convenient rocks that are fairly level and at the right height.)

Oh yeah, and by the way, spring has definitely arrived here in Ireland! The crocuses and daffodils are popping up all over and there were some gorgeous pink flowers on some of the bushes at Killarney National Park!

Some Rhetorical Questions

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

For how many days will I find black smudges around the house from the washable marker featured in the previous post?

The three-months-to-write-thank-yous rule applies to Christmas gifts, too, right?

Is it just me, or is it cruel for my husband to leave the bottle of Jameson sitting out on the counter, where it just taunts his pregnant wife, instead of putting it away himself?

How many times in a row can a two-and-a-half-year-old ask the same question?

Why do I rent a movie that I know will make me cry, and then watch it at night, while I have a cold, when I know that I will get so stuffed up I won't be able to breathe when I try to go to bed?

Will I be able to cut my own toenails for the entire remainder of my pregnancy? ('Cuz I still can now, but I'm not sure about a couple months down the line...)

So, what's happening to all the bees?


And finally...
...will you come back and read my blog next week, even if I don't do much (ok, probably any) posting for the rest of the week since my youngest brother and his wife are coming to visit?


You will?!? Oh good! See you then!

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day, even if it's a little early.

My Baby's Got Ink!

****************

copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Something tells me Pumpkin's going to want to get a tattoo when she gets older...

And she'll probably design it herself.


P.S. Thanks, Youngest Bro & Sis-in-Law (who need better nicknames, I know) for the washable markers... and Grampa Jem for showing her they could be used on skin...

I hab a code.

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Yeah, I've got a cold. A suck-your-soul-out-through-your-nose kind of cold. Or maybe it's a suck-your-brain-out cold. 'Cuz that's the kind of cold you have when you're drinking tea, and then you forget where you put your mug, and then you realize it's still in your hand.

(Ok, so that didn't actually happen, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.)

It's been storm-cloud-brewing for a while, and poor Pumpkin must have caught the germs at the same time 'cuz she's not her usually self either. Dosed her up with cough & cold medicine before bed last night, so she slept it through at least. Well, slept through until about 6am that is. Not nearly as pleasant as her usually 7:30 or 8:00 wake up, especially for a Mommy who couldn't fall asleep until after 12 and then woke up twice to go to the bathroom. (Stupid pregnancy bladder combined with "it's a cold so drink lots of liquids.") But the poor thing was in tears three times before 10 am, so I know she's not feeling well.

(That'd be due to the fact that I wanted to eat breakfast before we made cornbread, after she pulled too hard on her necklace and it exploded in a rain of beads all over the floor, and when I wouldn't let her eat the old popcorn we found under the couch while looking for the beads. Poor child.)

Even though I'm zombie-ing it through the day, I have managed to do some laundry, make that cornbread, empty the dishwasher, and do the usual toddler care. I'm blogging now between putting her back in her bed for naptime, but then it'll be time to make the dough for the hamburger buns. (Nope, haven't gotten those made yet, but it's on the docket for tonight!) You'll note that even though Pumpkin LOVES to help me bake, I'm opting to go it alone today! Then once it's raising, it'll be time for a sweet, sweet nap. (Sometimes I really love being a stay-at-home-mom! 'Course if I'd've still been teaching, I would have called in sick last night, emailed in my sub plans, and slept IN.)

Ok, somebody's banging on her bedroom door, so it's time to re-bed-ify her. Here's hoping it's the last time before the Sandman comes visiting.

Skyway Robbery

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Ok, did any of you happen across this on CNN yet?

BA to charge $470 for an extra bag

Yeah, so you get what? One carryon, plus one suitcase? Otherwise it's $470 round trip for that extra bag? Dang! Now, I'm a proponent of packing lightly, but lately, when we've travelled, it's involved either bringing an extra suitcase for bringing things back that were in storage or needing to pack wedding clothes or, oh, having stuff for the first 6 weeks we moved here before our shipment came in. And our carryons have been filled with stuff-to-keep-a-toddler-busy- while-on-a-long-flight-to-avoid-crying-and- keep-everyone-around-us-from-hating-us. So it's not like we can pack that much lighter 'cuz dang it, we used all the toys and nearly all the diapers and clothes we had along!

So I went to their site and looked up the new baggage policy. Yeah, "simpler," my arse. So it seems to vary based on where you are going, your status as a traveller with them, etc. Heck, even the infant allowances vary! And the charge? Well, that's WAY at the bottom where you might miss it.

So, if you're thinking of using British Airways for travel in the near future, better make sure you're a fairly light packer... or plan on a SIGNIFICANT extra charge!

Vision vs. Actuality

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

My To Do List for Naptime:

• choose photos to get printed this weekend to get sent out with Christmas thank yous before Valentine's Day
  
• laundry
• repeatedly put girl back to bed until she stays there
• put away dishes from dishwasher
• tidy up dining room table (the "everything gets dumped here" spot of our house)
• decide if having leftovers or making bacon cheeseburgers tonight for supper
  

What'll Probably Actually Get Done During Naptime:

• repeatedly put girl back to bed (We're on 4x currently.)
• several games of spider solitaire
  
• have snack while writing...
  
• ...this post
  
• nap

Love/Hate Relationships

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

I love reading blogs,
but I hate when I can't think of any good ideas for posts myself.

I hate being so far away from friends and family,
but I love that so many of them have/are going to come to visit!

I love The Planet,
but I hate when other parents don't adequately supervise their rough-playing kids.

I hate cleaning the goopy stuff out of the drain after doing dishes,
but I love that Mr. Kluges will do it for me. (*smooch* Thanks, hon!)

I love naps,
but I hate waking up groggy and feeling like the world shifted two degrees while I was asleep so everything is just slightly askew.

I hate heartburn,
but I love Gaviscon.

I love the library,
but I hate that they have a ton of second or third books of series without carrying the first one!

I hate (ok, dislike is a better term, 'cuz I accept that it comes with the territory, but that doesn't fit the pattern) changing Pumpkin's dirty diapers,
but I love that she'll let us know she's working on one by saying, "I just like to poop in my diaper." (Guess she's not ready for training yet, huh?)

I love that here it's considered ok to have a single beer or glass of wine a week while pregnant, which I savor on the weekend,
but I hate that it's Monday and I've got a craving for red wine...

I hate writing a post and then seeing that "0 comments" thing,
but I love getting online later and seeing it with a new number! (HINT, HINT!)

St. Colman's Cathedral post up at Honest Erin's

****************
copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Not a lot to say today, but I did put up a new post over at Honest Erin's about a beautiful cathedral in Cobh called St. Colman's. It's the one we visited for Christmas mass and it's gorgeous!

Blame it on the rain... or pregnancy hormones

****************

copyright 2007 by Ms. Huis Herself
Please read this at musenmutter.blogspot.com
because that is the REAL site. Thank you!
****************

Edited to add photo of round tower.

So, I have to apologize for not being great about posting lately. I'll sit down at the computer, open up a new post, and just stare at the blinking cursor. 'Cuz whatever I had in mind to chat about... well... it's just gone.

Blame it on pregnancy hormones, I guess. Oh yeah, that's something else I love about being pregnant - you can be forgetful and clumsy and, hey, it's not you! It's the pregnancy hormones!

(Which is especially nice 'cuz I set one of our lovely useful-souvenir-matches-our-plates-we-love-them coffee cups on the table last night, then grabbed it to move it to the counter, and somehow smacked it into the back of a kitchen chair, causing me to lose my grip on it, which mean it completely sah-MASHED! into the corner formed by the floor, the refrigerator, and the cupboards. We're talking multiple, multiple pieces here, folks. And of course, since I had been going to make myself seconds on hot chocolate, there was still about a half-inch of cocoa goo in the bottom. Which ended up splashing everywhere from half-way up the frig, to 2 to 4 feet on either side of the incident. *sigh* Cleanup took a bit. )

So anyway, we're still here and fine and all. Pumpkin is over her sickness and is sleeping wonderfully both at naptime and nighttime again. (Knock on wood) We even went touristing last weekend, visiting Dungarvan and Ardmore to see a castle and a church with a round tower, respectively. I'd include a photo here, but Mr. Kluges currently has some of our computer stuff detached, so I can't. Instead I'll leave you with cute Pumpkin anecdote from the weekend.

Upon waking up in Ardmore, (we love car naps!) and seeing the round tower, Pumpkin said, "Oh! It's a tower! Maybe Rapunzel lives there!"