The Tomlinsons: Sugar Coma

Day 131 (Friday):

We've been staying at Grandma's and the kids finally discovered the stairs the lead to the garage!

What's down there?


She's always up for an adventure.

Kees found Grandma's Christmas tree and a globe. He also thought Grandma's car was the nicest car he'd ever seen.

Look at this tree!

My cousin Randee, who happens to be married to Doug's brother came over for a little play date and lunch. Somehow I neglected to get any pictures. But they came back over in the evening so we could baby sit while they went on their anniversary dinner. They got married 5 years ago, and I was pregnant with Kees at the time and didn't even know it yet! It was a lovely wedding with amazing food.

After our play date was over it was Kora's naptime, so I decided I'd take Kees out shopping. I have this inner turmoil, I want to shop...mostly window shop to see what's new in America, but it also stresses me out. I didn't need to buy very many things this day, so it was a lot more fun. We went to Walmart Neighborhood Market, so it was a much smaller more manageable outing. Except for the bathroom visit. Poor Kees is not used to "noisy" toilets, you know the automatic kind that make a loud sound when they flush. I flushed the toilet after I used it and he said he needed to go too, but he wanted me to let him use the bathroom, wash his hands and leave the bathroom before I flushed the toilet again. The toilet did not flush automatically when I got off of it, but it did when Kees got off and he shot across that bathroom like an alien life form had grabbed his behind. The look on his face was sheer terror. I immediately told him that I was not the one who flushed the toilet and that it had just gone off on its own. He calmed down enough to wash his hands, and as we were walking out he said, "Momma, I don't think we should come to this store anymore, I don't like that noisy toilet." Last time we were in America, he had a few run ins with these toilets and every time we would go to the bathroom he would frantically ask me if the toilet was going to be noisy or quiet. Note to self: ALWAYS use the restroom before you leave home.

While I was in Walmart I took pictures of a few of the "new" items I discovered. I'm thinking of all my friends who still live in Thailand and I'm hoping seeing pictures of all this craziness will make their next visit back home and easier one. :) And of course I like to make sarcastic comments about some of the stranger things that have come out in the past year.

I convinced Kees to peel himself away from Kora so he could pick out a new Hot Wheel. Before we ever left home he said he wanted a green one. It was the first thing we did at the store. I got all the green ones down so he could pick the one he wanted. (Later we picked out a ducky for Kora).

A giant goldfish, if I ever take Kora in public again, and we end up in this store, maybe I'll see if she can fit inside.

A blood pressure machine! My blood pressure was low as usual, but my pulse was crazy high. Doug is the opposite, high blood pressure, but really low heart rate. He had a doctor ask him one time if he was a runner. Doug looked at him and said, "Do I look like a runner?"

This is 16 ounces as opposed to 12. Weird.

I have never in my life thought to myself, these Cheetos could really use some SALSA. I have no desire to try these...has anyone out there had them and feel the need to convince me otherwise?

Now you can get Flaming Cheetos in puff form.

Doritos Dinamita....huh?

I love coconut water. I always bought it fresh in Thailand for about 30 cents. I'm guessing this doesn't taste as good.

This is new.

New Pringles flavors: Loaded Baked Potato, Ranch, and Honey Mustard. Honey Mustard sounds the grossest of the 3.

Doug requested Fruity Pebbles. Cereal is one of those overwhelming aisles that you have to be in the right mood to look at all the options. I did my best to divert my eyes, but I did see a few wild things...

Fruit Loops is grasping at straws, this sounds so gross. Why would you put filling inside a fruit loop...

or add marshmallows. As if the cereal isn't sweet enough. Can you say Sugar Coma????

Key Lime marshmallows

This was my favorite find, on the baking aisle. Crystallized Lemon, I think I may go back and buy some of this to add to water or tea.

This mason jar jug thingy was on sale. I love it. It's plastic not glass...in case you were wondering.

Baby sitting cousin T, watching Curious George.

They had so much fun with Billy Big Mouth Bass.

They were pushing the button and running away.

She cracks me up, so feminine.

Day 132 (Saturday):

I'm writing this and it's STILL Saturday. I'm finally going to be caught up. I will sleep like a baby tonight. It feels so nice to check something off your list when your life is in the middle of chaos and transition. This blog is one tiny thing I can control. Kora is a tiny thing I cannot control, but that's another blog for another day. :)

We had a rough night. Kora was up a few times. Doug and I tagged teamed, but neither of us slept great. She usually sleeps through the night, but she still hasn't quite adjusted to the complete switch of night and days that we just did. Somewhere in all the hub bub, Kees got woken up way earlier than he should have and I spent the first 20 minutes of my day trying to figure out how NOT to make him cry. He's usually not that sensitive, I think he was just really not ready to be awake. Doug was gone at the time to get donuts for us. I think I shouted something at him when he got home along the lines of why would you leave me with these crazy children, it's too early on a Saturday for all these dramatics. Looking back, a simple "thanks for getting us breakfast sweetie" would have been nicer, but my morning self isn't very nice. My cousin Randee once soothed me in the night when I thought I burglar was breaking in, the next morning she said claimed that when you get woken up like that your truest self comes out and that she is a saint or some nonsense like that. If that's true, then I need to apologize to Doug for being stuck with me. Or remind him that I am much nicer after 10 pm, trouble is, I'm nice when everyone else is asleep. So yeah, donuts...

Yum.

I ate my donuts, I was somewhat amiable. Doug decided to take the kids the the park, at like 7 in the morning on a Saturday. I love family outings and I love the park, but 7 am does not love me. My body was rejecting itself, so I stayed home. I'm still sad about it because I really do hate missing out on things, but I needed the rest. Kees was coaxed into going because he wanted to wave at me as I stood on the falcony. Yes, I said falcony, it's another Kees-ism I refuse to correct, it's so cute.