My Big Secret

...At least it is a secret I try desperately to keep from all new acquaintances. I am pretty good about not sharing, even hiding it until I finally feel like I can trust you. So here's the thing... today I'm pretty desperate. The thought about what is going to happen tomorrow makes me want to curl into a ball and cry. I would choose numerous other forms of torture, before choosing to go through what lies in wait for me tomorrow. Some examples of torturous experiences that I would rather have include strutting my stuff down the sidewalk in my neighborhood stark naked, eating a live insect, watching The Wiggles (or Dora, or The DoodleBops, or Calliou) all day long for 24 hours straight, plucking my nose hairs out one by one, or even perhaps a root canal with no pain relief. I. am. dead. serious.

My number one phobia in LIFE is fruit. Eating. Touching. Smelling. No... I am not kidding. Let's get a few common queries out of the way, shall we? Yes, every kind of fruit. Even strawberries. Even watermelon. And yes, even tomatoes. Even fruit flavored things. No, nothing tragically fruit related ever happened to me. Yes, it's always been this way, ask my mother.

So, what so catastrophically horrendously heinous is going to victimize me tomorrow in all its fruity splendor? Three words people: Glucose Tolerance Test. If you've never been pregnant, the horror of week 28ish is the test for gestational diabetes. Let me offer a little glimpse into my personal hell, the forgotten level of Dante's Inferno, if you will. You have roughly 3-5 minutes in which you must ingest 10 ounces of thickish orange crush flavored syrupy "beverage", wait an hour, then get a blood test to see if your body is processing glucose properly. If it is, hurray, you can go on living a normal pregnancy. If it isn't, you might have gestational diabetes, in which case you get to do the procedure all over again, only you fast for several hours beforehand. Super.

This is my third pregnancy. I have never had gestational diabetes previously, but my doctor insists that I do this test again. I don't want any harm to come to my baby, or to me, so I will cooperate. However, I'm not going down without some choice words. Let me re-cap my previous experiences with this test.

#1, pregnant with Buddy Boy: My doctor is kind enough to give me the drink to take home to "chill", she says this helps with the taste. A few days later, one hour before my appointment. I gather the courage to commence sipping. Dry heaving ensues. Mascara running down my face as I moan, "Oh Dear Jesus please save me... Oh God... Oh God... Help me..." This was not sacrilege, I was literally praying. More dry heaving. Glance at the bottle, 1/4 down, 3/4 to go. More crying. More crying. Plugging the nose, 3/4 down. Barf-o-rama. Down the last ounce, hope it's enough. Blood test inconclusive. Repeat above one week later. Results negative.

#2, pregnant with Sweetpea: Same nice doctor willing to give me the drink to "chill" at home, Science has progressed, this time two flavor options, Cola and Orange. Before I know what I've done, the word "orange" comes out of my mouth, I'm handed the bottle, and am shoved out the door. Begin kicking myself in the parking lot asking my own dumb self, "what did you just do?!?". A few days later, one hour before my appointment. I gather the courage to commence sipping. Dry heaving ensues. Mascara running down my face as I moan, "Oh Dear Jesus please save me... Oh God... Oh God... Help me..." More dry heaving. Glance at the bottle, 1/4 down, 3/4 to go. More crying. More crying. Plugging the nose, 3/4 down. Up-chucking. Down the last ounce, hope it's enough. It was. Results negative.

#3, present day: New doctor, very strict. It isn't an option to get the drink prior, chill, and cry in the privacy of my own home. This time I MUST drink it under the supervision of a nurse, then sit in the waiting room for the blood work.

If you're reading this thinking, "oh puh-lease, so pathetic, it isn't that bad", just know that I hate you right about now, and don't want to hear it. I have spent the last three years dreading this event. More so than actually giving birth. I have brainstormed how to get around being subjected to this level of torture, including freezing said "beverage" and chopping it into little pill size pieces to swallow, eating the same sugar/carbohydrate amounts in jelly beans or cotton candy, skipping the test altogether. Here I am, on the verge of a major meltdown. Less that 24 hours until not only facing the biggest phobia I can possibly imagine, but also enduring the humiliation of a 2 year old style tantrum breakdown in front of a nurse, including but not limited to: begging for mercy, sobbing, my infamous "dry-heave face" that Gary thinks is so funny, and the actual puking and then having to start over.

This would all be freaking hilarious if it were happening to anyone but me. Please pray for me.

Seriously.

Big Day

A New Tradition

The first annual Krull "Back to School Celebratory Dinner" commenced this evening. I hope to start a new tradition to celebrate the return to school by letting our kids choose dinner, have a cake, and some decorations the night before the first day. Buddy Boy chose Teriyaki Rice Bowls as his dinner of choice, which I was very pleased about since they are so easy, plus healthy. A teeny tiny cake and some decorations, and a very... VERY excited Kindergartener, rounded out a delightful evening.
Snack is packed. Water bottle is packed. Backpack is ready. Bring it on Kindergarten. I'm going to be so bold as to go on record to say that I will not cry tomorrow when we drop him off. And if I do, I'm going to lie about it.

Don't Forget to Remember...

The Christina Hendrick Photography giveaway ends on Monday! Don't forget to leave a comment for each entry! Winners will be announced August 10th!

Back to School Teacher Gift

After teaching first, second, fourth, and fifth grades for a total of ten years (yikes... can I really be that old?!), I have received my fair share of teacher gifts. This one is one of my absolute favorites! I saved it with every intention of making my own to give Buddy Boy's teacher when he started Kindergarten. Well, the time has come. My baby boy starts Kindergarten next week. I thought I would share in case anyone else wants an awesome gift to so thanks to their child's teacher, or to celebrate the start of a new school year.

Pencil Can Vase

Supplies:
* A pack or two of pencils (super cheap right now with the back to school supplies)
* A coffee can (or other medium sized can)
* About a foot of school-ish ribbon
* Hot glue/hot glue gun

So Easy:
Just sharpen all of the pencils to the same length. Glue the pencils around the edge of the can with the points facing up. Tie a cute ribbon around the circumference. Add a bouquet of flowers. Brighten your teacher's day!




p.s. Don't forget to enter the giveaway below for a family or newborn photo session with Christina Hendrick Photography. Winner announced on August 10th!

Custom Bleach T-Shirts

Despite the horrid temperatures outside, we ventured to the patio to create our own custom bleach t-shirts. We were hot, sticky, and smelly by the time we were done, even though we were outside for a mere 15 minutes. So, enjoy our finished product, but go here for a beautiful picture tutorial on how to make your own. We altered the instructions a bit for our own purposes, choosing some clip art over initials, and I used contact paper instead of freezer paper.

This was such a fun project! I purchased Sweetpea's purple shirt on clearance at Target for $1.50, Buddy Boy's navy blue on clearance at Target for $2.00, and his gray one at the dollar store.


In the tutorial that I read, it had a disclaimer: "This requires very attentive adult supervision and responsible kids that are obedient and good listeners". And let's be honest... my little darlings didn't get the nickname "The Crazies" by accident. I had visions of The Crazies going squirt crazy on me, with bleach... the nightmare ending with a visit to the E.R. because of bleach in the eyes. But alas, they were very obedient, no one ended up maimed, and they loved their new t-shirts!

I was so inspired, that I finally tackled a task that has been on my to-do list for a year: tags for the toy bins! I used all scraps that I already owned, a turquoise blue linen leftover from a project my grandma made. After cleaning out the toy room, I divided the goods into new categories and made a tag for each bin. I used quite a hodgepodge of alphabet stickers, that incidentally made a cool ransom-note-ish effect, then sprayed with bleach. I sewed each piece onto a felt rectangle, and finally attached snaps to both the tag and the buckets. The tags are now interchangeable, and cost merely $5.00 each, the cost of the toy cubes at Ikea.

On my nightstand...

My summer reading list needs a boost. These are the books I am currently reading or have just finished. From top to bottom...

1. What Your Childhood Memories Say About You and What You Can Do About It by Kevin Leman

I haven't started this one yet, but will be reading it with a small group of women... should be very interesting!!

2. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream by David Platt

I just finished this one. Gary and I both read it. It is very overwhelming/convicting/inspiring... it is wholeheartedly what our hearts desire right now.

3. True Religion by Palmer Chinchen

This book was written by our Pastor and again, aligns with the values in the Radical book... as well as where we are feeling pulled. Palmer grew up in Africa in a missionary family. This book is full of great stories and a different world view.

4. Never Mind the Joneses by Tim Stafford

I am literally on page 5, but so far so good. This book gives ideas and guidance on how to incorporate teaching Godly character traits into your family culture, while realizing that every family is going to do it differently. This is the book I'm currently reading with a small group. I can't wait to hear how their families are doing it!

5. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

I just finished this one. Although I don't agree on most of the author's personal religious beliefs, I think it was good to read about how someone else believes in God. I really don't want to live in a Christian bubble, so hearing someone's opinion, as diverse from mine as it is, is beneficial. Besides the theological differences, the stories and images from her travels are amazing. It truly is inspiring to read about how someone can enjoy food, travel, sights, sounds, smells... and yes... the movie is coming out soon with Julia Roberts, and I always like to read the book first.

6. The Minds of Boys by Gurian/Stevens

Buddy Boy is starting kindergarten in two weeks. School always came easy for me, but I know that it can be a different ballgame for boys... especially boys as wild and impulsive (yet crazy intelligent!) as ours. I want him to have the best experience possible, so learning about how his little brain works is a good start.

7. Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol

I bought this seven months ago with some very lofty intentions. I intend to become a self-taught sew-er, so I'm finally reading it. Plus, the pictures are cool.

Books I LOVED LOVED LOVED but had to return to their owners...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (read this one before Half-Broke Horse)

Half-Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

I need suggestions for a good read. Preferably one that you'd rather not sleep, but read, because it's so good. There's only so much non-fiction a girl can take.

Leave your suggestions in the comment section here, please!!!