In the Trenches

Angry Doh

2011-09-16T22:30:00.007-04:00

Once in a while I get an a-ha idea, and it provides several hours of entertainment for the kids. This was one such idea: PlayDoh Angry Birds.

Blake and the blue bird.

George wanted the yellow bird.

I started with the red bird (pictured above), and gave it to Josh. He pretty much immediately altered it and ran with the idea. So here is his first little flock.

And the next day, he went even further, creating his own birds, eggs, nests, and the like. George also created some birds, but seemingly I failed to capture those in a picture. But they were cute.

As we're mildly obsessed with Angry Birds here, I have plans for more AB-related crafts and such in the future. And I can't wait to see how they turn out.

Encouraging Their Passions

2011-05-20T00:23:00.008-04:00

Having all boys, we naturally own a variety of toy vehicles, construction equipment, and sports gear. It is easy to cater to their natural play instincts, but I have also made an effort over the years to try and include things like baby dolls, a play kitchen, and other such "girly" toys. And I have encouraged them to pursue their interests, being careful not to label things as girly (though they have picked it up at school already, and are quick to point it out at the store). Joshua, in particular, has always loved things that are tiny and/or shiny. For Christmas he received a set of Squinkies, and LOVES them. Nevermind that I could only find them in the pink aisle at Toys-R-Us, or that George told him, "That's a girl toy!" Josh didn't care if it WAS a girl toy. He liked it and it doesn't matter to him what anyone else thinks about it.

So it came as no big surprise to me that, while at the Homeschool Convention over Spring Break, a book about paper dressmaking caught his eye. It had sparkly things! It had shiny things! And it had the tiniest hangers ever! He ooohed and aaahed over it, but when I looked at the price, I told him we couldn't buy it. He cried and cried over it, but I gently reminded him that his birthday was coming up and that maybe that would be a good gift for him if he still wanted it. I found the book on Amazon.com for a lot less, and ordered it for him for his birthday. He was overjoyed when he opened it and saw that he got the much desired gift. I told him it was something we could do together, as it is recommended for ages 8 and up, and he would most likely need assistance.

He wanted to dig into it right away, but as we've been booked solid the past few days, we weren't able to open it up and work on it yet. While my parents were here preparing a fish fry dinner for us, Josh asked if he could use the book. I let him get out one of the tiny hangers (the whole reason I believed he wanted the book in the first place), but told him that we couldn't do a dress yet as it was nearly dinner time. So he asked if he could use regular paper and crayons, and I said sure. By golly if he didn't create his own dress AND purse with them. And he did a really great job! He even fashioned a way to get it to stay on the tiny hanger (the stenciled patterns in the books have tabs to hold them on). I was blown away by his ingenuity. That's Josh though - if he wants to do something, he doesn't let anything stand in his way.

This is what he created.

This is just to show the size of his tiny fashion creations. That's a quarter.

So now we're all excited to begin making dresses together, with all of the accessories as well, using the real paper and materials. I told him that if/when he ever designs real clothes for women to wear, he'd have to come up with some modest but stylish clothing (not that he knew what I meant, but we can talk more about modesty as we go along with this particular craft time).

I could have easily steered him away from this book. I could have said - this is for girls, honey -and left it at that. But what if, in doing that, I were suppressing a talent the likes of which the world has never seen? Who am I to stop him from using his God-given talents and abilities? I will not. I will encourage him to follow his passion to the fullest, and I won't think of him as any less manly for it.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

2011-05-16T22:10:00.008-04:00

I couldn't let this birthday pass by without taking a peek at old photos and allowing myself to get nostalgic. Wow, how fast the past 6 years has gone by. I no longer have helpless babies who are completely dependent on me, who cannot comprehend what I am saying nor communicate their innermost desires. I can no longer have them fit easily on my lap or carry them around the house with ease. They are reading, writing, doing some math, and tying their own shoes. They are clever, funny, silly, and very independent thinkers. It is amazing to watch them change and grow. Before I know it they will be off to college! I hope to enjoy and capture and cherish as much of the time I have with them as possible. Now please enjoy a glimpse of my babies, er, big boys from the last 5 years. Oh, and if you click on the pictures you will get a bigger image.

Spring: The Good and The Bad

2011-05-11T21:22:00.000-04:00

When we first moved to Tennessee, it was June 1st. Essentially we missed Spring. And that first summer, 2 years ago (come June 1st), it was a mild, relatively dry summer. I was flabbergasted, as I had expected oppressive humidity and sky-high temperatures. But it wasn't really much different than in Indiana (where we moved from).

The Bad: Then, last March, we experienced our first Spring in Tennessee. And how. Allergies went haywire, and it was so bad for Joshua that he was diagnosed with asthma and allergies, and had to begin breathing treatments and multiple medications to get it under control. As we would talk with people at the Farmer's Markets last year, we heard from several that allergies in East Tennessee were some of the worst in the country. Super. We bought some local raw honey, which seems to help, as long as I'm consistent with getting us eating some every day. And this year, when the Top 10 Allergy Cities article came out from weather.com, guess which city topped the chart at #1? Yep - Knoxville, Tennessee. At least this year I was prepared for what was to come, and we starting taking a concoction of what the boys have dubbed "allergy apple juice," which is comprised of 1 tsp. raw organic apple cider vinegar, 1 TBSP organic raw local honey, and boiling water to fill a coffee mug the rest of the way. I drink it hot (tastes MUCH better to me that way), but I make a pitcher of it and put it in the fridge for the boys. My brother swears by this drink, and told me about it last summer. And I really do think it helps a lot. So Spring here in East TN has done a number on us allergy-wise, but each year we get better with managing.

The Other Bad: We also get a lot of rain and severe weather in Spring. And that can result in damage, power outages, and scared little people (and big people).

The Good? Well, there is a lot of good, despite the sneezing and wheezing. How fast things green up, how it starts warming up in March, and my favorite...

Wild Honeysuckle

I wish you could smell that. It is an intoxicatingly sweet and delicately floral scent. Last Spring, when it burst forth from hibernation and graced our property, I would open the front door and the fragrance would waft in. It was heavenly. We have it all over the place here. It won't last long - just a matter of weeks, really. But for that brief time, it almost makes living in the #1 allergy city in the country worth it. We have taught the boys how to get a taste of the sweet nectar, and now their favorite thing to do is seek out honeysuckle on our nature walks and savor each little drop.

Josh pulled a section of vine for Blake to hold during our walk.

This is a patch (?) of it in the backyard.

Sweet, sweet, nectar.

I think they could do this all day.

George suggested that we make a drink from honeysuckle nectar. And while I thought that was a smashing idea, I explained that it would take probably all of the honeysuckle we could find to make even a small glass of it, as each flower contains just a drop. And all of the work that would go into "juicing" honeysuckle flowers is beyond what my brain is willing to grasp.

No. This is not wild honeysuckle, but it is no less important.

These are the flowers that will become my favorite of all berries: black raspberries. This is another reason to be grateful for the location of our current residence. Lots of wild black raspberries around. We bought a few raspberry plants for our own property, and hopefully those will produce lots of yummy fruit for us in the years to come.

To add to The Good category is also our strawberry bed:

That was taking right after I weeded and mulched it for about 3 hours. Last year we mulched it with straw, and thought we had ruined them forever because of all of the grass and weeds that came up. The strawberry plants were all but swallowed up. We thought we'd have to start all over. Imagine our delight and surprise when they came back - strong! And now, we're getting a crop of lovely organic strawberries. We're going to add a couple more beds down the road, so that we can actually use them to make things like jam and sorbet.

This was today's yield. And they were SO good.

Exotic Fruit Day: Star Fruit

2011-05-06T21:45:00.006-04:00

Back when I worked in a cubicle, my friend Frank and I would try to make work life more interesting however we could. We came up with "Exotic Fruit Day," and once every couple of weeks, one of us would seek out a type of fruit we'd never tasted before and bring it in for us both to eat. We shared with our other cubicle buddies as well. So I got to taste things like kumquats, pummelo, ugli fruit, and a few others that I can't remember. There were some delightful flavors, as well as some that were surprisingly UN-tasty. I always look back fondly on those attempts to broaden my palette, and we've decided that as part of our homeschooling efforts, we will introduce new/foreign/exotic foods for us all to try as we go along. Most likely in a limited fashion, especially at first, being that our kids are still very young and, as previously mentioned, some foods can get a bit pricey.

Recently we came upon an Asian market, and as we had some time before we had to pick the boys up from school, we decided to go in and peruse. I saw that they had dragon fruit - something I had seen and read about, but not tried. I was sorely tempted to get one, but the cheapest one there was $6.99. For ONE piece of fruit. And as we have not yet officially begun our exotic food journey here, I decided that paying that much on a whim was probably not the best idea. There were also other fruits like mangosteen and lychee. In fact the Asian market was chock full of interesting and totally strange-looking items that I am dying to try. So we will be going back there for sure.

Then, as I was grocery shopping the other day, I saw star fruit. This is something else I have never tried, but at $1.37, I figured it would be fun for the boys and worth a shot. It's been several days since I bought it, and I decided today was the day I would slice it up for the taste test. Here's what it looked like as a whole piece of fruit:

I had no idea what to do with it, so I just went online and looked up "How to eat a star fruit," and got instructions (with photos!). I realized after reading a bit that the particular piece of fruit in my possession might be a tad overripe. But I was still hopeful. I noticed as I was slicing it that it smelled really good. Kind of like a grape and banana together. And here it is sliced:

Chris and I tried it first, and we both decided that it MUST be overripe, because it had just the teensiest hint of tasting "off." But if I had cut it up a few days ago, I'm certain it would have been great. The texture definitely reminded me of a grape, and it was juicy. I gave some to the kids, and they all liked it immediately. I could not get a good picture, but here they are enjoying a slice (Josh had finished his and went back to his video game).

Overall review? I would definitely try it again, and maybe even make it a semi-regular offering at our house. It is a fun shape, which is always great for kids, and is very appealing. Good taste and smell, and not a terrible price for a once-in-a-while treat. I'm glad I bought it. Exotic fruit day is back!

Art Show

2011-05-04T21:23:00.004-04:00

Check me out! I am posting two days in a row!

Last night we went to the boys' art show at school, where every student has a piece of artwork on display. The hallway walls are lined with the various drawings, paintings, sketches, and the like. I have always loved looking at kids art - I am always amazed at the skill and creativity that some of these children show in their work. I didn't take any pictures of anyone else's work, unfortunately, but trust me, there were some pretty amazing pieces of art.

George's contribution: I believe these are chickens.

Josh's patterned turtle:

And Blake, just because he's cute and because he said "Do me! Do me too!"

Milestone Mania

2011-05-04T00:51:00.002-04:00

Time is flying, and shame on me for not documenting more of our life here in the trenches. Stories have been created, milestones reached, and decisions made. But I have neglected to share with my readers (which is mostly family, whom this was originally created for anyway). So I am once again going to attempt a more regular pattern of sharing the stories, pictures, videos, and daily happenings. We shall see how it all pans out. For today, I wanted to share with you all the fact that both of my Kindergarteners learned how to tie their shoes. Today. In like, half an hour. If they can successfully demonstrate that they are able to repeat the action each day until the end of this week, they will receive a new online video game. They are excited.

I had decided some time ago that I would make them a practice shoe out of sturdy cardboard and use different colored laces (from our lacing cards). So we started with that. George called his the "dummy shoe." I thought that was pretty clever. Chris showed him how while I was working with Joshua. George got it pretty quickly, whereas Joshua was struggling a bit. So I sent him to Daddy to see if his way would be better. He was still having some trouble, and I showed him one thing different and that was the clincher. It reminded me of when I learned how to drive (on a stick shift, no less). My dad had been trying to teach me, and I struggled to get the car to move smoothly without lurching. But my brother gave me a lesson one day, and one thing he said made me get it. Sometimes you never know what is going to make you get something, know what I mean? I bet you do. I bet you know what I mean. (Sorry, the boys watched Veggie Tales Pistachio the other day, and I heard that line and cracked up.)

Anyway, once they got the hang of it, I took a video of them each performing the long-awaited task (which we probably could have taught them SO long ago - oops). Enjoy.

Random Goings On

2011-03-10T12:01:00.002-05:00

It's been too long to jump in with a relevant post, so I will bullet point a few highlights of our lives at the moment. Then I will attempt yet again to get on a regular posting schedule. I have many retro posts to do, along with many current thoughts swimming around that might be nice to have documented. So here goes - our life at the moment, in snippet(ish) form:

Kindergarten is quickly coming to a close for George & Joshua, and there have been many firsts. And though the public school experience has overall been a positive one, we have decided to homeschool this next year. More to come on this topic.
We have currently gotten into Dave Ramsey, and are striving to become debt-free. More to come on this topic.
We are attempting an overhaul of our home organization. We want to be clutter-free and have a home that is easy to maintain. This coincides with the desire to homeschool. More to come on this topic.

Well, I suppose that covers the big areas. There is much more to be discussed, of course: weight loss goals, vacations taken, pictures of the kids, funny stories, etc., but now is not the time, as I must get ready to pick up the boys from school. I thought it would be good to get something down here though, as a baby step to getting the ball rolling again.

Appreciating Good Health

2011-02-20T01:58:00.002-05:00

Taking good health for granted is something I do quite a lot, I've found. At least, I used to. I'm beginning to be thankful for every day that I (and my family) am not sick. Since the twins have started Kindergarten, we have been sick more often than I can remember. From September through December, we were sick every time we turned around. Then after we got back from our holiday road trip (something that needs to be added here in another post), we were healthy for about a month. And it was glorious! As I type this, I am afflicted with the type A flu, a strep infection, and a ruptured eardrum. The eardrum thing has been the most difficult. Along with horrible pain, it has brought issues with equilibrium (dizziness/off balance), problems with chewing and jaw pain, and really disgusting drainage. It has kept me from being able to sleep, and I've had to get creative to keep water out of it for showering purposes. All of this from one little ear.

And as I reflect on this past week of a having house full of sickies, numerous co-pays, and a plethora of prescriptions, I am reminded of how many people are without insurance. I am thankful for good insurance. I am also reminded of how many people are dealing with chronic pain. I am thankful that my pain will go away. I am reminded of how many people are living with life-altering debilitating diseases which require much more than a doctor's visit can solve. I am thankful that my illnesses are treatable. I am reminded of how many people cannot afford the medicines to make them better, and simply do without so that they can feed their families. I am thankful for my husband's job.

Despite the pain and difficulties of this past week, God has blessed our family in many little ways, showing us that He does care and that He is present. A perfectly timed call from the doctor (on a Saturday!) allowed us to avoid a trip to Urgent Care with all of our sick kids. The fact that my parents were here to help during some of our worst days was a blessing I can't express enough gratitude for.

I am ready to feel better. I would like to get back to normal living. But even now, though I have a ways to go to get better, I am grateful that I have known so much good health throughout my life. And I hope to appreciate every day, healthy or not, as a gift from God.

3 Little Words

2010-10-17T23:47:00.004-04:00

There are three little words that pretty much define my life. To hear them means that I am needed, and that is a good thing. But sometimes I hear them and it is like nails on a chalkboard. At times those words make me seethe with resentment. I'm sure this is not how I am supposed to feel - I should be grateful after all for what God has blessed me with. And I am. Truly I am. SO grateful.

But when you are in the trenches as I am, day in and day out, and the frequency with which such words ring in your ears is such that it almost seems a constant...it can get beyond annoying. It's as if the response to the previous mention of said words was nonexistent. And the never-ending thanklessness of it becomes so wearying. And yet, it is also a comfort to my heart, to know that I am source of met needs, of satisfied little people who count on me to do my job, of which those three words spur me on yet again to pick up my mantle and carry forth....

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

And there you have it.

How I Almost Burned Down Our House

2010-09-06T18:25:00.003-04:00

A single decision can set off a chain of events from which your life can be completely altered (i.e. devastated). Conversely, a single decision can bring about a series of other decisions that ultimately prevent a horribly catastrophic event. The former almost occurred, but latter has just occurred.

We had been hanging out in the neighbors' yard, as they are having an all-day bonfire to which we were invited to attend. The boys played happily, got rides on the ATV, received popsicles...while Chris and I chatted with other adults and enjoyed some delicious food. I took Blake back home to take his nap, and rested and watched a lovely British movie by myself while resting on the couch. Once Blake awoke, I decided to start cooking some chicken for shredding, figuring it could boil whilst we were hanging out a bit more prior to dinner/baths/bedtime routines.

I had let the dog out when Blake and I went back over, and he came over as well. When he showed up, my neighbor told me that Jaz had earlier come over to say Hello and also decided to make himself at home in the back yard by taking a dump. I immediately sprang into action to find a baggie to pick it up. They insisted it was no big deal, but I would not hear of it (I cannot tolerate other animals leaving scat in my yard, so I will also not allow my dog to defecate in another person's yard). I picked up the poo, then walked over to drop it off in our trash receptacle. I then went inside to wash my hands.

When I got inside, I immediately got the very strong smell of smoke. I walked over to the stove and noticed there was actually some smoke floating in the air. I looked down and realized that, rather than the pot of chicken put to boil on the back burner, I had actually started the front burner, which had a plate, a spoon, and the edge of one of my beloved bamboo cutting boards on it. All of which were being scorched. I corrected my mistake, put the hot plate and spoon in the sink, ran cold water over the cutting board, and thanked God that I did not just burn down the house or cause any significant damage with my brainless move.

The moral of the story: Always pick up after your dog.

First Day of School!

2010-08-30T09:42:00.005-04:00

*sigh* Thus begins another mother's bittersweet journey of sending her babies out of the nest and into the wild. George and Josh are in school. Hard to believe, it just happened so fast. Of course, everyone says that. And cognitively, I knew it would go fast because EVERYONE said that it would. But the actualization of it is another matter. The fact that school is upon us now...well, it's just really happening! But that's okay. I feel that having the big boys gone for a whole week with my parents just prior to starting Kindergarten was a hugely beneficial step in preparing my heart for it. And I got excited about it. I didn't even cry on their first day! I started getting misty at the sneak peek the night before, but I was amazingly composed, if I do say so myself. The quiet and calmness of having just Blake was probably a good selling point too. I could see myself enjoying a lack of chaos for a few hours each day. Sure, I have a two-year-old to contend with, but it helps that he is pretty adorable and carries on hilarious conversations (no lie!).

So without further delay, the documentation of the first day of school:

Ready to go! And no, I didn't buy them (nor did they pick out) purple backpacks. These were prizes they received from playing Flag Football last year, and they were the right size. So we're reusing them until the boys care enough about style/color/theme.

George loves to ham it up for the camera. Meanwhile, Josh's less-than-natural smile makes him look like he is in pain.

In front of the school building.

At the front doors!

And finally, in the classroom. They walked in and never looked back. This was the only day for them to be in the same class (before they got assigned to their teachers).

So for the past 2 weeks, they've only had one "stagger day" each week. But today marks the beginning of school every day. My babies are in school! Wow.

Summer Sabbatical and Tadpole Town

2010-08-12T00:45:00.010-04:00

It hasn't been an intentional neglect - I have been meaning to post about so many things: the goings on of this summer, Chris' job situation, retro posts to include the boys' birthdays, deciding to send the twins to Kindergarten, etc. But due to the funk and just being out of the habit - time has once again run away from me. But rather than try to do too much all at once, I'll start with a fun new development - what I like to call Tadpole Town. Behold pictures taken late one night in June, when Christopher discovered that we had some tree frogs who were fond of our kiddie pool:

Just having a leisurely swim, enjoying the night in our pool.

What are YOU looking at?

And another new little friend.

In late July, George & Joshua went to visit my parents for a week, and we took Blake to the neighbors' pool rather than clean out the kiddie pool just for him (plus we wanted to swim). So the cleaning of the kiddie pool went undone and unnoticed for about 2 weeks. We had drained it, but there were still a couple of inches of water left, which started accumulating a nice layer of algae, along with a huge dead spider and some other dead bugs. The day I decided to have Chris clean it (yes, this is most definitely a job for him, like most outdoor jobs), something caught my eye when I bumped the pool. A little flicker of movement. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that there were, in fact, tadpoles in the pool. A LOT of them! I counted at least 30. Such a cool thing to see (especially when you have little boys), albeit a bit gross considering that we allowed our pool to become a breeding ground for algae and frogs.

Here are the boys, checking out the tadpoles (as has become the daily custom).

And here are a few of the little fellas:

I have done a little research on raising tadpoles, and it seems as though we may be able to just keep them outside and watch them turn into full-fledged frogs without too much effort. The water in the pool is diminishing daily, and the hot sun has to be almost cooking the little guys, so we need to get them out of the pool and into a nice shady spot with some cleaner water (not to mention that we'd like to use the pool for, oh I don't know, swimming?). But it has been fun to check on them every day. Oh, and for those of you fond of the grotesque, here's the icky dead spider that went from floating to stuck onto the bottom of the pool. Eww.

In a Funk

2010-07-12T14:02:00.002-04:00

I have been struggling with crippling fatigue and the blahs for several weeks now. I am functioning at a less-than acceptable level, and it is starting to really affect my general well-being. I'm overwhelmed, I'm snappy with the kids, I'm getting depressed, I can't exercise, and I'm suffering from sleep problems. I saw the doctor a couple of weeks ago for a complete physical. He decided to test my thyroid along with the other blood tests. A couple of days after the Dr. visit (and before getting all of the bloodwork results), I came across a recommendation for a book from one of my favorite bloggers. Some time ago she talked about getting off coffee without any negative withdrawal symptoms by using amino acid supplements. Then in the more recent post she talked about this book and how it is helping her to eliminate cravings for sugar and alcohol as well. She actually went to a weekend seminar the author was giving, and learned even more about nutrition therapy.

The book is called The Mood Cure, by Julia Ross. I got the book from the library and plowed through it in a couple of days. And let me tell you, this is profound stuff. I will be buying this book. Not only is it applicable to pretty much every American (especially those consuming the Standard American Diet), it is also downright fascinating. I was pretty immediately convinced that my problems are all due to deficient brain chemicals, and that I needed to change up my diet and get on some amino acid supplements. I decided to wait to hear from my doctor before springing into action, as I wanted to make sure that, if it was my thyroid at the root of things, I could take care of it first. The doctor (himself!) called me and went over all of my results. On paper, I am in excellent physical health. Even being quite a bit overweight doesn't show in my bloodwork. He had recommended during the exam that I get outside for Vitamin D every day (15-20 minutes, midday sun, NO sunscreen), and I've been working on that. It has helped perk me up a little bit, but not enough to really get me going.

So I talked to him about reading The Mood Cure (which he was familiar with, which makes me love him even more as he is very knowledgeable in natural healing/living), and told him I'd like to try some of the supplement. He was fully on board and offered his assistance should I need it. So I am anxiously awaiting my supplements (had a shipping snafu with an online vitamin company), and I have a lot of hope that this will be the solution. It will take some serious discipline (the supplement schedule, plus the change in diet, for example), but I think once I turn the corner with my energy level, I will be able to start exercising regularly again and get my life back.

I know it has been a long time since I posted anything, so I wanted to give a little explanation for that. I'm hoping to get some motivation to get back into the important things of life again, and I think I'm on the right track.

If you are interested in taking the mood questionnaire, you can do it online here. It will give you a good indication of whether or not you may need to correct a deficiency in your brain. I can't recommend this book enough, and I haven't even started my supplements yet! I will definitely be posting about my progress, so check back in on occasion. I may even post some fun stuff too. :)

5 Years: A Snapshot

2010-05-24T00:50:00.005-04:00

It's hard to believe that it has been 5 years since I had two newborn babies in my arms. I had to reminisce a bit and look through some old photos. And while I was at it, I thought I'd share a few:

One month old, and already full of personality.

The morning of their first birthday party, with their buddy Elmo.

Two years old, on a nature hike with Daddy.

Three years old, and wanting to do everything Daddy (and Mommy) does. Helping Daddy move some dirt here:

Four years old, and they each caught a fish (and got their first serious sunburn) on their very first fishing trip with Daddy.

Today, at barely five years old, at their church preschool graduation. Onward and upward!

It went so fast. Everyone tells you to enjoy the moments when your children are small. Everyone says the time flies by. And on some level you can understand that in your head when people say it. But to experience it as your children go from 0-5 in the blink of an eye makes you truly understand. And you become part of that group of "everyone," who wistfully tells someone else to enjoy their baby, because it really goes by fast. Even though they will know soon enough.

Boys on Bikes

2010-05-19T23:59:00.009-04:00

It is seriously shameful how long I go in between posts these days. And what's worse is how much stuff I could be sharing. I have many pictures and stories that have just gone undocumented. The shame of it all. So I will start with yesterday and perhaps one day I will do my series of retro posts to include things like birthday parties and milestone events. Perhaps.

Since George and Josh turned 5 years old on Monday (ack!), they finally got bicycles as gifts (from their amazing grandparents!). It rained most of the day on their actual birthday, of course, and so we had to take them to the park yesterday (since our property is hilly and all gravel or grass - not the best terrain to start out on) to try them out. And they did great. Observe:

Here is the unveiling. They were itching to ride and got on immediately. We allowed them to pedal about in circles on the deck during the 5 minutes of sunshine we got that evening. They were thrilled.

Now for the real riding the next day. Helmets and all. This was a rare side-by-side moment. Most of the time they were passing each other, racing, or doing completely different things.

Josh, happy as a clam on his new best friend.

Giddy George with his favorite toy.

And not to be left out, Blake received a hand-me-down tricycle (thank goodness!) at the same time. He is also in love with it (though he needs a bit more practice). Here he was saying "I used the brakes."

Josh and Blake after an intentional collision.

Passing each other on the way to somewhere else.

Then we went on their first "trail" ride.

And there they go!

The trio in all of their pedaling glory.

They had a blast and did NOT want to go home. And asked if they could ride bicycles the next day. And when we left for the doctor this morning, they asked if they could ride them today. I have a feeling we'll be going to the park a lot this summer.

Just Breathe

2010-04-11T22:47:00.006-04:00

This is the worst spring allergy season ever. Ok, so maybe that was overstating it a tad, but really, it is bad this year. Just Google it and you'll see.

Poor Joshy has allergies. Here's my little sneezy, itchy pumpkin (isn't he too adorable?!):

He gets the aforementioned (nay cursed) allergies from my side of the family. When he touches the cat and then touches his eyes, you can bet his eye will be red and itchy in a flash. It happens to me too. So we have to remember to wash our hands whenever we touch animals. That's pretty manageable. But since we live with not one but two pets, there are some indoor allergens to contend with. And of course, when Spring and Fall roll around, a fresh set of allergy pollens, molds, dusts, and whatever else crops up. So the pediatrician suggested trying Claritin with Josh. And since we've started it, Josh has done better. He takes it once a day, year round.

But this year? Once the weather finally turned warm, nature exploded into a yellow-tinged, hazy, polleny mess. And Josh has been suffering. He had the worst of it last week. We were giving him his daily Claritin, but we had to add in Benadryl because he couldn't deal with the itchy throat and eyes, and he had drainage and a slight cough from that.

He woke up crying two nights in a row, nose stuffed up to the point where he could not breathe. And he had a slight wheeze. I think he was scared because he felt like he couldn't get a breath. Then he would start crying, which only made things worse. We brought him to our bed both nights just to spare George and to help comfort/treat Josh. We did saline in the nose, and gave him Benadryl whenever it had been long enough, but he still had a hard time.

On top of all of that fun stuff, he ended up getting a monster case of poison ivy (which is thriving wonderfully all over our property). Thankfully, we started our second annual regimen of the wonder product Oral Ivy a few weeks ago, or else I think he'd have been suffering a fate I shudder to ponder. But even though it wasn't as bad as it could have been, it was still not pleasant and he would sometimes scratch it in his sleep.

So after those two bad nights, we decided to take him to the doctor. And the doctor said that Joshua has asthma (no doubt allergy-induced). His oxygen levels were low, and he took a breathing treatment while at the doctor's office. And after 3 hours at the doctor and a whole booklet's worth of prescriptions to bring home, we have a new situation on our hands.

Joshua (for now) has to take breathing treatments 4 times a day with a nebulizer. He uses one inhaler twice a day, plus is taking a steroid twice a day (for the poison ivy), plus is on Singulair daily, and will continue his Claritin daily. Oh, and there's a rescue inhaler in the mix too, just in case. And, being how I am, I had to create a spreadsheet medicine chart for the fridge so we could keep track of it all.

I am not thrilled with the idea that we are infusing our son with medications aplenty. But I am very thankful that these medications exist and can help treat him. I will seek out alternative and natural methods of healing him from (or at least reducing the symptoms of) this asthma and the allergies from whence it came. I would like to get him down to minimal (or no) medications if possible. But for now - I am so grateful for drugs. My son has slept soundly the last two nights, and he back to his chipper self. Now we can all relax and take a breath. Literally.

Life Can Change in an Instant

2010-04-10T23:25:00.003-04:00

I have a very special group of friends. I met them over 5 years ago, when I was pregnant with George and Joshua. We were all pregnant with our first children, as a matter of fact. Women from various locations and backgrounds happened to have this one thing in common at the same time, and we came together in an online group. We were called "June Joys," because our babies were due in June.

A core group of us have remained friends throughout these past 5 years. We have shared our joys, pains, frustrations, phases of motherhood, the birth(s) of subsequent children, and just about everything else you can think of. When one of us has an issue with our child(ren), we bring it up to the group. And many times, others of us are going through the same thing. I think of these women as true friends to me. They have supported me in so many ways, laughed and cried with me, complimented my children and my efforts in motherhood, lifted me up when I have felt like a total failure, and have offered advice, suggestions, and resources that have proved to be incredibly valuable in my life. And though I have never met any of them in person, I love each and every one of them.

One of these special friends is Stephanie. Stephanie is an amazing woman. She is a woman of great faith in God, a math teacher/tutor, an outdoors enthusiast, skilled in crafting (knitting, etc.), and a very devoted wife and mother. She became a La Leche League instructor as she is very passionate about breastfeeding. She was a great resource to me when I was trying to nurse Blake and when I needed to increase my supply when I was pumping exclusively.

Stephanie is the mother of a little girl who is George and Joshua's age, and a little boy who is (I think) around 3 now. She had not been posting regularly on our group's board for a while, but many of us are Facebook friends with her and found out there that she became pregnant with number 3. We were all thrilled for her, of course.

During this pregnancy, Stephanie came down with pneumonia, and one day in February she became unresponsive. She was taken to the hospital, and has been hospitalized ever since. Her pneumonia turned into spinal meningitis, which caused paralysis from the neck down. She also suffered from other infections, and they had to deliver her baby at 28 weeks by emergency C-section to save both of their lives. She had a baby boy, and he is doing well at the time I am writing this (and I am unsure of all of the details, but this information is to the best of my memory/knowledge).

Stephanie has only seen her children twice since being hospitalized, and has only gotten to see her newborn preemie once. She has a trach tube, which means she cannot talk. And because of the paralysis, she cannot sign. The only way she can communicate is by having people read her lips. She has been transferred to a hospital many states away from where they live so that she can get specialized care, and her husband has to travel back and forth to be with her as much as he can. But he works full-time, of course, and is running out of paid time off. The medical bills are racking up quickly, and there will be more costs added due to the special care she will continue to need once she does get home.

This is a family that needs help. Their lives have been turned upside-down, and life as they knew it will never be the same. God is with this family, and there are tons of prayers going out for them daily. But they need support of a tangible kind, from people who are willing to give just a tiny bit. Whenever I think about what life must be like for them, it makes me wish I had some kind of real clout in the world. If I only had some celebrity who would tell this story and pull the heartstrings of millions! Oprah, we need you!

Alas, I have no connections. No clout. But I do have this blog. And I figure that this is a way that I can attempt to help out this family. So I ask you, dear reader - would you be willing to help? My goal is to raise $1,000 by July 1st. In the grand scheme of things, this is chump change. It won't touch the bills that this family will surely accrue. But it could pay for a couple of plane tickets. It might help with the need for ongoing childcare. It may be enough to help out in a moment of crisis.

How, you may ask, can I help? Well, I have placed a handy-dandy widget in the upper right corner of the blog page. All you need to do it click on it and it will direct you in how to donate (using PayPal). No amount is too small.

I applaud those who are helping out in the wake of the disaster in Haiti. I am grateful to those who give and serve in far away countries. And I know that there are many people fighting daily to better the lives of so many who struggle in our own country. But this is a chance to really make a difference for one family. A family who has been facing and will continue to face incredible challenges. A family who needs to know that people are praying and pulling for them. Will you help me make a difference?

A Revolutionary TV Show

2010-03-26T02:37:00.005-04:00

So I saw some buzz on a few of the blogs I frequent about Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution show. I decided to check it out (you can watch it online here), and it was truly a breath of fresh air. What with all of the junk they serve up on TV these days, it is tough to find truly quality (and family friendly) programming. But this show? It is a must watch. You can even sign a petition to support it (I did!). I think this is so important that I added the badge on my website. Just click on the image that looks like the one below (on the right hand side of the page) to show your support.

My food philosophy has changed drastically over the past couple of years. I used to buy into the low-fat, low-calorie hype. I thought that you should eat as much soy as possible for good health. I thought that artificial sweeteners were THE way to lose weight, because then you didn't have all of those extra calories to worry about. I thought buying frozen meals like Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice were perfect, easy, and above all healthy options. But I have since been convinced that real food - and by that I mean unprocessed, raw, and in its natural state - is a much better way to provide good nutrition.

Sure, it takes more planning to cook from scratch. And yes, it does take some more time to prepare wholesome, healthy meals on the stove and in the oven rather than popping them in the microwave for 2 minutes. But the benefits are SO worth the extra time and effort. And with practice and a little strategy, you won't have to slave over meals every night to feed your family well.

Imagine my delight to see that this is what Jamie Oliver is trying to teach America. He is hoping to get into the schools and the fast food restaurants and change things up so that people will have better choices. So that a child's school lunch will consist of substantial nutrition, not just processed junk food and super sugary drinks.

What can I say? I have only seen the preliminary show, and I am a BIG fan. This is a guy with passion. Heart. And a mind to change the world. I believe he can do it. I think that God will take this one man's vision and bring about real change, even if for only one person, family, or town. But I believe it will be bigger than that.

If you are someone who reads this blog, then I implore you - watch this show. It is disturbing, fascinating, and heartwarming. And real.

Sample of Spring

2010-03-08T15:42:00.002-05:00

I have been struck with Spring Fever. A taste of sunshine and warmer weather has me dreaming of gardening, long walks outside, taking the kids to the zoo...and so much more. I am tired of dreary gray skies. And cold air. And rain.

The boys and I are in Indiana visiting with my parents and with my brother Tim's family. The boys are having a blast with their cousins. And it is a nice day here too, so the boys have been playing outside for a while in the sunshine. So nice!

My newest dream is to have some honeybees. I think next year we may get a couple of hives for our property so we can have our own raw honey. And maybe, someday, we might have some chickens in the backyard. Who knows. But all of it makes me think of and want Spring to be here NOW. I'm ready!

Self-Induced Stomach Flu

2010-02-26T00:14:00.003-05:00

You would think that the last thing I'd want to deal with after having my kids go through a bout of E. coli is the stomach flu. But me? I brought it on myself. How is this possible?, you might ask. Well let me explain.

For the past few months, I have been trying to consistently take (and give to my family) a supplement called Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), at the recommendation of my awesome sister-in-law. Basically you mix an acid solution (citric acid, in our case), and use 5 drops of that per every 1 drop of MMS. You start out by taking just one drop (activated by the acid solution for 3 minutes), in water or juice (JUICE. Definitely juice! But it has to be a juice that does not have Vitamin C. We use organic apple juice for ours.). Then you work up to either a standard dose (based on your weight - usually about 6 drops for adults and up to 3 for small children like mine).

This solution is supposed to be able to prevent viruses, flus, and illnesses of all kinds, as well as help you get over them faster when you do get them. I honestly believe that it was taking probiotics and MMS that got my kids well as fast as they did after contracting E. coli 157. The Public Health Official was amazed that they were not hospitalized (she said that there has been a child die in our area from having this!).

I have not been as consistent with this as I would like to be. Usually George reminds me sometime during the evening by yelling out "Apple Juice!" Which is my cue to make it. Sometimes I do, and sometimes it is not an appropriate time (like if I'm making dinner). But I digress. So two nights ago, I gave the kids (except Blake, because he was already in bed and I had forgotten) their dose, and made mine and Chris'. When I tasted it, it was VERY strong, and I thought I just added too much citric acid. I think I was trying to give us a 4 or 6 drop dose, but I can't really remember. I warned Chris about the taste, but he drank his as well. This was around 7:30pm or so. I gave the boys their bath and got them ready for bed, and by 8:45pm, I was feeling extremely queasy. I had to short-change the boys' bedtime routine (No books! No prayers! No hugs or kisses! Mommy's sick - I'm sorry!) so I could sit down a while and not move. Chris was at Lowe's at the time.

Now, the reason they have you work up in drops is so that you can let your body tell you if you have taken too much. This is a powerful detoxifying agent, so if you take too many drops, you will feel queasy or experience some intestinal discomfort. It's not a bad thing necessarily - it just means that you may have something going on in your body that needs to be taken care of and the solution is doing it's job, albeit a bit too fast. So you back off on the number of drops the next time. The goal is to take as many drops as you can handle without feeling sick. And up to this point I have only felt mildly queasy a couple of times. No big deal.

To make a long and very painful (not to mention dis-gus-ting) story short, I ended up puking my guts out off and on until about 1:00am, which is when the horrible diarrhea took over until about 3:00am. I suffered yesterday morning with it as well (the vomiting was over by then), until I finally got fed up and took my first Immodium. I was very weak in the stomach all day yesterday and ended up having to take another Immodium last night around 11:00pm. But today my stomach has been much better.

So what happened?! I have a couple of guesses. The most logical one in my mind is that I switched the bottles of citric acid and MMS and gave Chris and myself 30 drops of MMS instead of the appropriate 6 (or 4). A mistake that, if that was indeed the one, I will NEVER EVER make again. So you may be wondering, how did Chris fare in all of this? He was a bit queasy, and had some gurgling in his stomach. But that was pretty much it.

Needless to say, I did not take my MMS today. I figure I will resume it again in a few more days. Because I do believe that it is a wonderful (and cheap!) way to stay healthy. But you MUST follow the protocols correctly, or like me, you will be very, very sorry.

What Makes Me Smile

2010-02-23T13:26:00.004-05:00

This morning I woke up with a headache. And a neckache. And a bad attitude. And as I was feeling especially grumbly because I HAD to get up anyway, I was reminded of an article I read in Family Fun just last night about positive thinking.

The mom who wrote the article explained how she got her 9-year-old son who was prone to complaining and being negative to start thinking and talking more positively. In a nutshell, it started with having him give her one positive statement for every negative one he spoke. What a great idea, thinks I!

So I'm going to give it a try. Here are some negative things I was thinking about this morning. Let's see if I can come up with some positives (shown in purple):

I have a headache. I am, for the most part, in very good health, and do not live in chronic pain.

The weather is cruddy. Spring is just around the corner!

My house is an absolute disaster (and beyond - believe me, I cannot underestimate this statement). I have a big, warm house to live in, which accommodates my family very nicely.

My husband has been gone a lot for work lately. My husband has a great job, which provides for our family very well, and we are blessed for him to have work to go to. Also, he is around a LOT more than most people who work full-time.

That was not difficult at all! I am hoping to remind myself of all of the positive things in my life whenever I start to think negatively or start to complain. There is no such thing as too much gratitude.

In addition to the positive statements I listed, here is something else that made me smile today:

While I was lying in bed trying to will away my headache (since the medicine wasn't helping), I heard the boys chatting over the monitor. I listened closer, and realized that George was "reading" Green Eggs & Ham to Josh. How cute is that?!

And now my baby is beckoning me to play. Another thing to make me smile.

Our Experience with E. coli, Part 1

2010-02-22T01:15:00.007-05:00

I have seen way too much of toilets in the past week. We have been dealing with E. coli 157 (want to know more?). This is an evil bacteria, causing diarrhea the likes of which I have never known or imagined could exist. Fortunately, I personally have not contracted it yet, but believe me - more than once have I wished and prayed that I had it instead of my child(ren). The thing that is most frustrating to us is that we have no idea where it came from. Let me go back:

On Saturday, February 13th, the boys had a basketball game. They missed the previous week's game and the subsequent practice due to a cold, but by the time Saturday rolled around, they were well enough and they seriously needed some exercise. We hadn't gone to church on either Wednesday night or the Sunday before since they had been sick. They aren't in school or daycare, so the basketball game was the first time they were in contact with other kids for a while. After the game, Chris informed me that George had had to make an emergency trip to the bathroom during the game to go poo. Not big news to me, the kid has been regular for as long as I can remember.

On Sunday we missed church again due to me having a migraine. George seemed pretty normal that day. Then overnight that night, he got up a few different times to go to the bathroom, as well as many times throughout the morning. At one point, he told Chris he was sorry because he tooted in his underwear and got it dirty. Chris inspected it and noticed that there was blood as well. This was around noonish on Monday. A handful of bathroom visits later (each involving blood in the stool), we knew something was really wrong. He also had horrible cramping pain each time. So around 2:15pm we packed up the entire crew and headed to Urgent Care. Once we got there, they said that they had just accepted their last patient of the day as they were closing early due to the fact that the weather *might* get bad. At that point in time, there was no precipitation and the roads were perfectly clear. Grrr. So we headed down to Children's Hospital.

We spent the next 3-4 hours at the ER. We did a whole lotta waiting. Considering how long we were there, and that we had burned through all of the snacks pretty quick, and that Blake didn't get a nap that day, and that George had to go running to the restroom every 20 minutes or less, the boys did surprisingly well. They took blood and urine samples, and the dreaded procedure of taking blood. George has never been a very good patient. Always freaks out at the smallest of things, even before they happen. But this time, he did awesome. He did cry a little bit when the phlebotomist drew his blood, but she was great with him and he did follow her instructions to keep still.

We had to wait for the lab results, which were normal. They sent us on our way and told us they would contact us once they got the results from the other specimens. Monday night was a little better for George - he only got up maybe 2-3 times. Then around 3:00am, Josh woke up to go. And again at around 6:00am. And that began his journey with the evil illness.

Tuesday afternoon we got a call back informing us that George had contracted E. coli 157. I was shocked. Stupefied. Puzzled. How? Where? When? She said that we needed to give him probiotics twice a day until the diarrhea cleared up, and avoid fruit juice and fiber, etc. I decided to start the whole family on the probiotics right away just to be safe, and we cracked down even more on the kids' handwashing habits (which are pretty darn good already). George still had to go a lot, and Josh had to go a lot more than normal, but only a speck of blood here and there, and he didn't complain about having cramping like George did. Josh has always had a hardier constitution than George, it seems.

Wednesday was a blur. Blake had a couple of nasty diapers early on, but seemed OK after that.
Thursday I took George back down to the ER for a follow-up visit, which turned out to be another whole goat rodeo having to wait, go through processing, and all of that. We waited for an hour and 15 or so, and they finally called us back to go to a room. I was surprised that they didn't just send us to the lab (the nurse I had spoken with led me to believe that this would be a quick, "fast-track" visit, with just a blood draw). I asked if we'd be able to get it done by 4:30pm (it was 4:05 or so at the time), and the nurse laughed and said, "umm, I highly doubt it." So I politely let them know that I would have to leave by 4:30, as my husband had to leave for a job and our other two little kids were at home so I had to get back. After hassling with the nurses, registration, and some phone calls to Chris, we ended up leaving (after 4:30, mind you). So we didn't get seen, we had to drive back during rush hour traffic, we'll still get charged the $100 ER co-pay, and we wasted all of that time. Grr.

On Friday morning, I got a call from the Public Health Department. They always follow up on reported cases of E. coli and the lady had some questions for me so they could try to help track down the source. Here is where I will say that there is much more about this piece that will be included in Part 2. For now I will press on. Blake had started pooping more this day, after we had thought he had gotten better. During one of the conversations I had with the PHD, Chris was changing Blake and saw some blood in the diaper. Just great. Fan-tastic.

Friday night was horrible. From about 8:00pm until about 3:00am, Blake had no less than 10 bouts of painful poo. What's worse is that since he is not toiled trained, his bottom was getting increasingly raw. Every time we tried to wipe him or put cream on, he screamed in pain. It was an extremely rough night. And it has been rough since. The frequency has gone down each day, which leads me to believe that he is getting better, and his appetite is good and he is drinking his fluids just fine to stay hydrated (as are the other two).

George and Joshua seem to be fine, though we're not completely out of the woods yet as there is a risk of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) in children under 5 which can show up 5-7 days after diarrhea stops. There are lots of symptoms, but simply put, HUS could cause renal failure. So George has an appointment on Tuesday to get his blood checked so they can test his kidney function. Josh had the diarrhea for a much shorter time frame and got better pretty quickly, so we'll see how George's test results come back before we decide to get Josh tested as well. We'll be getting an appointment for Blake though, as he is the smallest and probably the most at risk.

Chris had some tummy trouble for a couple of days, but for some reason I have been the only one who has not gotten it at all. I am hoping we are at the end of this awful sickness, and will be posting again soon about the other development this has incurred.

Birth Order: Bogus or Brilliant?

2010-02-11T15:06:00.002-05:00

At my moms group this morning our speaker talked about birth order, and the significance that plays in family relationships. I found it absolutely fascinating, and a topic I had already thought was interesting. I bought the book about birth order by Kevin Leman, but I lent it to my dad before I had a chance to read it.

Mr. Sexton (our speaker today) has been studying and speaking about Bowen's Family Systems Theory for over 10 years, and he works for the University of Tennessee hospital currently. He is also a chaplain and does some family counseling as well. He said that the birth order traits are amazingly accurate, and after he explained them a bit, I could see what he meant. It has definitely given me a new perception on how I view people (including myself).

I am looking forward to delving into this topic more, to be sure. But I, for one, think it is a brilliant theory.

Wish I'd Thought of This Today

2010-02-06T00:47:00.004-05:00

Today was a rainy day. Cold and rainy. My least favorite type of weather. I'd honestly rather have a blizzard than a whole day of cold rain. Blech.

And I didn't really do anything fun with the kids today (I had chicken stock to deal with, along with some other stuff), so they got to watch some TV and play on their own, which never lasts for too long without someone crying over something. And I remembered (only too late) what fun they had a while back with this:

They built houses (with a little help) out of a set of foam floor padding (which is also really fun to make paths with), and pretended to be neighbors. They had little neighborly feuds, and then were friendly neighbors who visited each other - it fostered such imagination!

I wish I had thought of this today. Ah well, perhaps tomorrow. It's still raining now...

It's Snow Fun/To Be Sick

2010-01-31T23:56:00.020-05:00

Aren't I clever with the double topic post that makes a punny sentence when said altogether.

I have decided that I need to update the blog a lot more often. There is a lot that goes on around here, and I have been slack in my responsibility to update the family and friends (nay, the interested world, ha-ha). So I aim to post something at least twice a week. I will do some retro posts (the big boys' 4th birthday comes to mind...) as well as current ones. Having said that, here is a current one:

Today was a snow day. We got quite a bit of snow (especially for Tennessee) the last couple of days. We ran a few errands yesterday, and discovered that the lane up to our house (which is decently steep) was treacherous and almost unmanageable. Chris had to drive up backwards, and we were spinning our wheels quite a bit for a while. The boys were stressed (as was I), but Chris was absolutely determined to get up that hill. I was envisioning having to lug the kids and groceries up through 6 inches of snow and slush along with leaving our van at the bottom of the hill, and was grateful to have a very competent and confident snow driver for a husband. But that is a side story. The point was that once we did get home all safe and sound (and warm), we decided we wouldn't be journeying anywhere beyond our yard the next day. And we found out later on that church services were cancelled anyway. So we thought some sledding would be in order.

The boys have been begging to play out in the snow every time a flake falls. George especially. But the last couple of days, George had an ever-increasing illness setting in. This morning it seemed about the same, but just as we were getting bundled up to go outside, he got sick and threw up. Poor little guy. So we banned him from the snow play. I decided to go ahead and take Josh and Blake out, as Chris was happy to stay inside with George. George cried just a little bit, but got over it quickly, which indicated to me just how poorly he was feeling. Normally he would have cried buckets and wailed for hours at the thought of not getting to go.

So while he was inside watching a movie of his choice (his first viewing of James and the Giant Peach, he decided), Joshua, Blake, and I were outside loving the sun and snow, as you can see:

Blake after we first got outside.

Josh immediately grabbed a chunk of snow and came at me with it. He started laughing uncontrollably the closer he got, knowing he was going to throw it at me.

Blake quickly shed the gloves and sunglasses and went straight to eating snow.

Mmmmm......

It shouldn't have surprised me, considering that this next picture was the first time he was ever in the snow (almost exactly a year ago) and you can see what his favorite part about that experience was.

I would have taken him out in the snow the year he before, but I'm not sure he could have appreciated it considering he looked like this:

So while Blake was eating snow, I was busy getting in a workout. I mean, building a snowman. And here it is! Why yes, that IS a real carrot nose, and even more impressive is that it came from our very own garden!

Here's our snow-loving doggy.

Josh worked up an appetite, and thought the carrot nose was a bit too tempting.

Chomp!

There goes the nicely pointed nose.

Then Blake took matters (or carrot, as it were) into his own hands.

Aww, buddy, I'm sorry I tried to eat your nose. I still love ya.

Blake loves ya too.

I can't stand how cute this picture is.

And here is Blake's very first sledding experience, which he of course loved (he is MY son, after all).

Blake was trying to lead me somewhere, but we had more sledding to do, and he wouldn't come willingly. So I carried him, kicking and screaming. I should mention it was past his nap time.

While Blake and I sledded a bit and then I dropped him off with Daddy for his nap, Josh effectively demolished our snowman.

So we did some more sledding. Here we are, getting ready to take off.

How much happier could a boy get?

He even cheerfully dragged the tube back up the hill. Repeatedly.

And poor sick George missed out on all the fun. Isn't that just the cutest misery you ever saw? He did have fun hanging out one-on-one with Daddy, so it wasn't all bad. Maybe next time it snows big here in Tennessee, little buddy.

Single Parent

2010-01-26T22:59:00.004-05:00

Chris is away on his first business trip since Blake was born, leaving me with all 3 kids for almost a week for the first time in my life (without help).

Things with the kids are pretty much fine, though I am more tired at the end of the day (obviously). This is the second night but only the first full day. I figure tomorrow mid-day will put us at about the halfway point. Bedtime takes a little longer, and I've had to reinstate the SuperYard (sorry Blake!). But overall I feel that it could be worse. It would be nice if the weather wasn't so icky.

Two bad things have happened so far, and they are both completely unrelated to the solo childcare situation.

1) I spilled an entire cup of water on my beloved MacBook. I fear it will never be the same again, but time will tell. I am encouraged by the comments on Facebook by those who have had their laptops survive such a catastrophe.

2) We have a mouse (or mice) either living in or frequenting our pantry. We noticed the other day after the boys' basketball game that the bags of crispy nuts I had made had some little chew holes in them. Then tonight, as I was looking for rice to put my aforementioned addiction, er, computer into (a friend suggested this tip - said it would draw out the water), I discovered that almost EVERY bag of rice, beans, and grains has holes. Not to mention some *other* evidence that left no doubt about the culprit(s). So now I have popcorn, beans, and grains on my kitchen floor and who knows where in the pantry. I'll have to clear off the shelves and dump out the organizational baskets to find it all. Grr. I spent 45 minutes putting most of it into glass storage and labeling it. What a pain! And I'm still not finished, but I need a break to blog out this frustration.

Did I mention I'm tired? And I really need to start on this online Bible study I enrolled in, but now instead of doing it from the comfort of my bed, I'll do it in our freezing spare room (where the "house" computer is). Having gotten all of that off of my chest, let me say that I am super grateful that Chris insisted we get this computer as well as the MacBook. Also, let me say that I realize I am complaining about things that are completely trivial in the light of the Haiti earthquake, the economy, and a myriad of other issues that are infinitely more important. Just so we're clear that I do have a smidgen of perspective here.

So I must drag out the vacuum cleaner and suck up all of the little bits of potential mouse lure (since the glue trap isn't working thus far). And then I might just go to bed.

Feeling God's Presence

2010-01-20T22:24:00.004-05:00

Meet Melanie:

Melanie is my best friend. We have basically grown up together since our early teen years. We stayed close all through college, were roommates after college, she was a bridesmaid in my wedding, and she attends our family functions as one of our family members. She knows me: good, bad, and ugly. She accepts me and loves unconditionally. She is willing to tell me hard truths and call me out on poor behavior or misplaced attitudes or perceptions.

Melanie was a church-goer her whole life, but truly received Christ's salvation just a few years ago. Since then she has undergone a transformation, and strives each day to bring glory to God and make this world a better place (the latter of which she has always done). Melanie inspires me, prays for me, encourages me, and makes me want to be a better Christian. I miss Melanie fiercely when we are apart. But the Holy Spirit has reminded me more than once that I can rejoice in the knowledge that Melanie and I will spend eternity together, in the presence of our Savior.

Melanie and I were catching up on the phone earlier today, just before we were getting ready to go to our Wednesday night church service. Melanie was telling me about a Bible Study that she is involved in about stewardship. We talked a bit about that right before we hung up. My family and I go to church, and I looked at the sermon notes to find out that the topic is "God's Economy." Coincidence? I think not.

I started thinking about how God has been getting my attention over the last 6 months. Repeated themes, uncanny situations, and even certain Scriptures that I thought I had just randomly read somehow ended up having real-life application soon after I came across them. And tonight, it occurred to me that all of these are instances of feeling God's presence in my life. I know that God is real. I know that God loves me. And I know that he has a plan and a purpose for my life. It is a humbling thing. I have always loved that God has promised to be present when two or more have gathered in His name. But I didn't realize that promise could include a simple phone call between best friends. But it does. It definitely does.

Trumped Up Toy

2010-01-10T20:48:00.013-05:00

The boys have really been getting into games lately, and one that we've introduced with decent results is Dominoes. The set we have is made of marble (I think?), and the dominoes are heavy. There aren't a ton of them either, which is fine if you're playing the game, but far from adequate if you want to set up cool domino mazes to knock down. As this was something my brothers and I loved to do as kids, I thought it would be fun to find some that were a bit more kid-friendly.

So when I was shopping for Christmas gifts, I couldn't resist getting some that were Mickey Mouse themed since we were going to Disney World as our big "family gift." And I found this:

Too perfect, right? It is so cute! It was only $5, the dominoes are plastic (there are 140 of them!), Micky Mouse themed, and there is even a cool bridge that comes with it. The boys were excited about it too.

Then I opened the box. The dominoes that I thought were standard sized are, in fact, tiny. Then I discovered that the pictures for said miniscule plastic red rectangles are not actually on them to begin with. Observe, if you will:

I added the Scotch Tape dispenser for a size reference.

They did included a sheet of tiny stickers for lucky parents to adhere themselves. See?

Ok, thought I, not that big of a deal. They are pretty cute. It will take a little time, but for $5 what did I expect?

I expected the stickers to actually stick. But this was not the case. There was no stickiness to these whatsoever. The glue had dried or something and they were just brittle. But, being that Chris had already decided that we should not take it back to the store for a refund, and also because I refuse to let this silly game get the better of me, I decided to use some of my abundant supply of scrapbooking adhesive and stick them on anyway. Take that, greedy corporate Disney marketers! Here's a peek at my process (again, the Scotch Tape was just for size reference):

It took a while, but I didn't really mind as I did it while we watched the season premiere of Chuck. Then I came to the end of the stickers. But I still had a pile of un-decorated dominoes. What the? I read the instruction sheet, and sure enough, there are only 100 stickers for 140 dominoes. I figure that they just don't want to swallow the cost to either include another 100-count sticker page or to create a separate page with just 40. So why not just pretend it was done this way on purpose?

At any rate, the dominoes are ready to play with. I did forget to mention that the aforementioned cool bridge was broken in two places.

Ah, yes, there it is. See how part of Mickey's head is missing? Fresh out of the box like that. I guess you get what you pay for. But we are going to play with this thing and have lots of fun, by golly!

If you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed my complaint.

Retro Post - 30 Days of Thanks: A Compilation

2010-01-08T13:11:00.002-05:00

I meant to post this in the first part of December, but somehow I either forgot or got too distracted to do it. I figured it would be a good way to start off 2010 - to once again reflect on so many things that I am thankful for. I borrowed an idea from a few Facebook friends and decided to post a status about what I was thankful for every day for 30 days leading up to Thanksgiving. It was a great exercise in intentional gratitude, and I thought it would be nice to have it on the blog for posterity (and for those who may not have seen it yet). So here is the list of some of the things I am thankful for, big and small.

30 Days of Thanks - Facebook Statuses

is planning to give thanks through status updates for the next 30 days (today through Thanksgiving) - thanks for the passing on the idea Heather. Anyone else want to join in?
Day 1: I am thankful for Fall leaves. The colors are breathtaking, you can get exercise by raking them, and the kids have a blast jumping in them!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 2: I am thankful for humor. Chris and I watched Ice Age 3 last night, and laughed all the way through. It was great! It's nice to have a good laugh.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 3: I am thankful for coffee (even if it IS half-caf). I love the smell of it, the taste of it, hot or iced...I love making it at home and going out to coffee shops. Many good conversations have been had, good books read, and thoughts pondered while sipping a cup of joe.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 5: I am thankful that God doesn't care what I wear or how my hair looks when I go to church. I am thankful that my children are not yet familiar with the worldly/popular culture idea of beauty. And I am super thankful that my husband loves me as I am, and would love me even if I never lost another pound (though I'd like to lose MANY!).

30 Days of Thanks, Day 6: I am thankful for living out in the country. I am a burbs girl at heart, but there are so many things that I have enjoyed about country living (and it is just AWESOME for the boys). For example, not 10 minutes ago, George pointed out 3 beautiful white-tailed deer just up the hill past our property, and we could see them all from our front door! It was a neat moment. God is definitely changing my mind about living rurally (is that even a word?).

30 Days of Thanks, Day 7: I am thankful for my parents. They have been an unending fountain of support, unconditional love, generosity, faithfulness, forgiveness, grace and so much more to me and my family. I had a wonderful childhood with tons of great memories. They are amazing grandparents to my children. I thank God for their presence in my life. And best of all, they are coming TODAY!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 8: I am thankful for the sunshine. Chris keeps telling me how he would love to live in Washington State again, but I just don't think I'd like the lack of sunshine. Sunshine gives us Vitamin D, warms us up, and provides so much beauty (especially here, now, with all of the Fall colors and all of the trees). Today is a sunny day!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 9: I am thankful for my good health. It is not perfect, but when I think of all I CAN do, I am humbled and grateful. I hope never to take feeling good for granted. When you get headaches a lot, it is really nice to have days when they are completely absent.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 10: I am thankful for my children. God has blessed us with sweet, funny, thoughtful, beautiful little boys. They light up our lives, teach us lessons, and amaze us every day. They are such blessings.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 11: I am extremely thankful for nights where I get uninterrupted sleep. Last night was such a night. Woo-hoo!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 12: I am thankful for being blessed with a string of awesome churches to attend and the church families therein. Our current church streams the services live, which is super nice for when people are sick. I am also thankful for living in a country where we have the freedom to worship God.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 13: I am very thankful for Chris' job. It allows him to work from home instead of having to go to an office all day every day. Having been apart for 5 months, it is that much sweeter that we get to spend more time with him than before. We are cherishing this phase, as there is a chance he will be doing a lot of travel in the future. But for now, this is what we need and we are very blessed.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 14: I am thankful for my whole family of in-laws. They have embraced me and loved me from the get-go. They are a lot of fun to be around, and they have truly blessed my life. I am also thankful that Facebook has allowed me to connect with many of them much more frequently, as we are all spread out over the country. I love you guys!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 15: I am so grateful to the men and women who serve/d our country so selflessly and sacrificially to protect our freedoms. I am thankful for the families who support them, miss them, and care for them. Happy Veteran's Day!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 16: I am thankful for the internet. I love paying bills online, staying in touch with family and friends, researching various things, shopping without having to go anywhere (and saving money doing it!), and so much more!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 17: I am thankful for moments of inspiration and/or motivation. It feels good to seize those moments.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 18: I am thankful for the budding independence of my older children. Even though it saddens me that they are growing up so fast, it sure is nice that they can get dressed by themselves, go to the bathroom alone, feed themselves, and do certain creative activities without my involvement. I am so proud and amazed by my awesome kids. ♥

30 Days of Thanks, Day 19: I am thankful for the wonderful farm we get our milk and eggs from. It is a gorgeous drive, the farm itself is beautiful, colorful, and full of life, and the products are superb!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 20: I am thankful for water and electricity. Having been without both since moving, I realize how much those simple but crucial things are easily overlooked on a day-to-day basis. I love not having to lug buckets somewhere to collect water, or scrub my laundry in the stream. Electric kitchen appliances alone are so helpful. So many reasons to be thankful for these basic necessities.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 21: I am thankful for the gift that is my husband. I love sharing life with him. I love that God has blessed our marriage in so many ways. I love having him as a helpful, considerate, loyal, loving partner. I am eternally grateful beyond words to be married to my incredible man.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 22: I am thankful for eBay and craigslist. It is nice having ways to bring in a little extra money without having to revise the resume, prep for interviews, go into an office, or figure out childcare. On the flip side, it is also great to use those places for getting great deals too!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 23: I am thankful that we will be in Indiana tonight and that we will get to spend time with family for an early Thanksgiving celebration. I am thankful that we get to take part in a traditional Thanksgiving feast, the likes of which many people never seen. We are abundantly blessed.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 24: I am thankful for the sweet, innocent, simple prayers of my little boys. They melt my heart (and I'm sure God enjoys them too).

30 Days of Thanks, Day 25: I am thankful for getting to spend time with my best friend. Now that I am short on friends to hang out with from moving, it makes the time with her that much sweeter. I love you, Melanie!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 26: I am thankful we were able to attend ECC and see so many friends. I miss you all, and it was wonderful to be able to say Hi!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 27: I am thankful for the time we got to spend in Indiana, but I am also thankful to be able to sleep in my own bed tonight. I am also thankful that the sugar overload is done for a while. Time to detox!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 28: I am thankful that I don't have to cook a huge Thanksgiving meal, and that I was already able to enjoy one.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 29: I am thankful for my chiropractor.

30 Days of Thanks, Day 30: 30 days of intentional thanksgiving is a great reminder that I have something to be thankful for every single day. I am most thankful for a great big God who provides every reason to be thankful. His grace, mercy, love, and provision are more than enough. Happy Thanksgiving!

Christmas Magic

2009-12-10T23:46:00.003-05:00

It is unfathomable that Christmas is only 3 weeks away! We still have much to do to prepare: gifts to make/wrap/shop for, treats to make, decorations to put up, getting the house ready for guests, and packing for our trip to Florida. Ack!

Having said that, I will admit that what we have done so far has been magical for our children. This year, more than ever, they are mesmerized by the lights. They are loving the Christmas cookies. They have loved helping make presents and can't wait to help wrap them. They are soaking in the atmosphere and music. We talk about Santa and Jesus, and what Christmas means.

We haven't found some of our Christmas decor, so the Advent calendar is absent this year unfortunately (along with our Veggie Tales nativity, boo-hoo). But we made paper chains, and each day they tear off a link and know that it is one day closer. I made videos for them from Santa (Portable North Pole - VERY cool), and we will probably have them watch them this weekend. I am so excited to see their faces when they open presents this year. And I am overjoyed at being able to spend Christmas with family members we don't get to spend enough time with (especially Chris' parents!).

We already had snow once, and they were so happy because they thought it was Christmas that day! I hope we will be blessed with some more whiteness soon.

It really is amazing, seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child again. Only this time, it is even sweeter. It is truly magical.

What Are You Thankful For?

2009-11-18T01:08:00.003-05:00

We were sitting at breakfast yesterday, drinking our green smoothies, and I starting talking about what Thanksgiving was all about (George wanted to dress up as a vampire, Josh wants to get presents - I needed to clarify). So I started telling them what I was thankful for that day: the sunshine, that our family is together and healthy, etc. So we went around the table so that everyone could say what they were thankful for. When I said to Blake, "And what are you thankful for, Blake?" Without missing a beat, he immediately responded, "Boothie!" (Smoothie)

Pumpkin Patch 2009

2009-11-02T00:03:00.005-05:00

We debated about going to the pumpkin patch many times this season. We needed pumpkins, after all, and the experience of actually going to a patch is so much fun for the kids (okay, and the adults too). But when our craft at MOPS was painting pumpkins, which we got to take home with us, we decided it was not necessary to get anymore pumpkins. And when we ran out of money, we also decided it was not frugal or wise. And the boys were aware that we decided not to go to the pumpkin patch, as we already had pumpkins. They seemed accepting of that, especially since we said we'd for sure go next year.

But then during bedtime prayers on Thursday night before we went, George prayed that we wouldn't be too late to go to the pumpkin patch and get a pumpkin and carve it and eat the seeds. Talk about being stabbed in the heart! How could we refuse such an earnest, sweet prayer?! We decided we'd go, and do the most frugal option - ONE pumpkin for the whole family (put to a vote), plus the hayride for us all (kids were free, and we were $2 each). Total cost? $9.00

The enjoyment and quality time we had as a family? Priceless. See for yourself....

If you are on Facebook, you've seen these already. This is something new I'm trying - linking my Facebook pictures in the blog. That way I don't have to duplicate efforts. But I will be posting different stuff in each place, so if you want it all, then read the blog and be friends with me on Facebook! Let me know if you like the link to Facebook pics or not. Please leave comments! I'm feeling like nobody cares...

Blake at 20 Months

2009-10-16T23:14:00.005-04:00

How can it be that my baby is on the downward slope to 2 years old? Time is going by so fast, and I have not documented his babyhood nearly well enough. I guess I can pass a little more grace on to my parents, who only took about a handful of pictures of me as a baby/toddler (in all fairness to them, their camera broke during that time). Maybe I should get started on the baby books, although at this point I'll probably have to make some stuff up. Perhaps I'll just use this blog as a way to remember stuff (though I haven't been consistent with that, either).

So I'll try to summarize what Blake is like right now, at 20 months old:

He is a dynamo! Full of energy, he does not like to be confined (or to be held for long). He gets right in the thick of the action, regardless of the personal risk he assumes by doing so.
He is a ham. He totally has a great sense of humor already, and likes to get attention with it. He knows he's funny, which makes it even funnier.
He is very verbal. He is using sentences now! He will say things like "I don't know," or "Pacis are for night-night," or "Hugs and kisses from George and Josh." And he repeats everything we say. He amazes us with his verbal ability!
He is sweet. He will sometimes come up and just grab onto our legs and bury his face into them as a hug. He HAS to give hugs and kisses to EVERYONE before he will lay down for bedtime. And he will say "Night-night, I love you." He is sometimes willing to share his stuff, and he also has empathy (when we fake cry, he starts to get upset).
He is all boy. He loves dirt, rocks, vehicles (especially trains), bugs, dinosaurs...all of the things that many little boys naturally gravitate towards.
He is growing up way too fast. He has started to do things that make him seem even older than he is. He has peed on the potty once already! He puts his own clothes in the hamper (by request, of course). He is really good at doing simple commands of all sorts, actually. And he is losing some of his babyish look. *sigh*

We are so very blessed to have this little man in our lives. He brings joy, laughter, and chaos to our home, and we love him to pieces. He is SO cute (which is partly why he gets his way so much), bright, and fun. We thank God for adding him to our family!

New Dad

2009-09-24T00:53:00.003-04:00

Recently Joshua has really gotten into storytelling. Most of his stories of late are about his "New Dad." I'm not exactly sure, but I think it all started after we had some friends stay over one night on their way down to Florida. They also have 3 kids, and once they left, Josh would weave tales about how he had twin boys named "Eden and Meden" (Eden is their baby girl's name). Or he and George would tell stories and use their kids' names throughout. It was quite entertaining.

From there it started becoming "My New Mom" and "My New Dad." His new mom's name was Bennie (for a while). So he would tell stories about about his new parents and all of the things they had or did. He kind of dropped the new mom a while back, and now tells the most creative and outlandish stories about his "New Dad." For example, his new dad is a HUGE black widow spider who lives on Mars and drives a monster truck/rocket ship/plane. And anytime there is something he wants that we don't have...that's AOK, because his new dad has it! He has even offered to let me borrow stuff that his new dad has that I don't have. So this has been going on for a little while.

Imagine the weirdness when Chris and I watched the movie Coraline last night. If you haven't seen it, there is this whole thing about Coraline having a "other mother" (and father). We weren't exactly freaked out, but it was a very strange coincidence!

First Flag Football Game

2009-09-16T22:36:00.016-04:00

The boys' first football game was last Saturday, and it was a lot of fun watching them play. Of course the little cheerleaders were adorable too. It's funny to see how many adults are out on the field with a bunch of 4-year-olds. Both boys got to run the ball, and of course I couldn't get the camera switched over to movie mode in time, which Chris was none too pleased about. So we'll be taking the camcorder AND the camera to future games. It's not exactly the easiest thing to try and pay attention while keeping a (at this particular game, tired and cranky) toddler happy and entertained, but we managed fairly well. I believe having LOTS of snacks handy was key. Here are some of pics of the big event:

Both teams gathered on the field before the game.

George's Team - The Bulls (Daa Bullss).

Josh's Team - The Comets.

The super cute little cheerleaders.

Here's the kind of thing that makes 4-year-old football a hoot.

Here's a typical scene: Josh is just standing out there zoning out, a couple of kids are getting individual instruction, and the kid on the far left looks like he's ready for a nap.

Another common scenario with the 4's: In this particular instance it is George being physically moved to his designated spot.

One of the fleeting moments where Blake was relaxed and calm on Daddy's lap.

I'm including this picture just because both of the boys are on the field at the same time (George, far left, #4 jersey. Josh, second from right.).

George on the sidelines. The kid to his left is the tallest kid of all in this age group.

This is a picture taken just after George's almost touchdown. He did get a touchdown, but then a flag was thrown because one of his flags was missing from his belt (but not because someone had pulled it). At least I captured a shot of him holding the ball. That counts for something, right? He's on the left, in purple, holding the ball. Oh, and there's Josh too, on the far right!

Josh and teammates (and a coach) running to the sidelines.

Josh on defense. That's a pretty decent stance, I think.

George hamming it up. You can tell it's getting to be close to the end - the kids are all kind of losing interest in the game.

Josh running the ball, and George on defense. Brother against brother. Clash of the Titans. Peyton vs. Eli.

What I've dubbed as "The Good Sportsmen Lineup."

Just click on a pic to see a bigger version of it. Enjoy!

A Better Chocolate Milk

2009-09-01T03:02:00.012-04:00

My boys have never really gotten into plain milk. When the twins were weaning, I asked the doctor what she suggested since they weren't really drinking it. She recommended flavoring the milk. Oh, if only I had known then what I know now. As I continue on this journey to transition our family to a whole foods lifestyle, I have done quite a bit of research, and from that I have decided to switch from commercially processed (i.e. pasteurized and homogenized) milk to fresh, raw milk. We are currently drinking raw milk from a small local organic farm (for more information on why to choose raw milk, check out this website), and it is fantastic. But I digress.

Not only was I giving my kids potentially damaging milk, I was also loading it up with sugar and chemicals. I tried just about every flavor of milk mix I could find, and was delighted when there was a sugar-free version that they liked (this is a topic for another post, but I have also given up artificial sweeteners and white sugar). Needless to say, once I did a little bit of research on natural, nourishing, whole foods (and what foods are NOT of that variety), I realized that chocolate (or other flavored) milk might not be an option for my kids anymore.

Once we made the switch to raw milk, I once again tried (unsuccessfully) to get the boys to drink plain milk. I knew I wanted them to get the good stuff that raw milk has to offer, without forcing it on them or making them feel deprived. My goal is to make the transition as seamless as possible for my family. So I decided to make my own chocolate milk mix.

During my search for a wholesome, natural sweetener (that tastes really good and is also versatile), I came across coconut sugar (otherwise known as palm sugar). You can get this in various forms: block, paste, or crystals. I have tried all of these, and I have found the crystals to be the easiest and most versatile. This sugar is all natural, has a low glycemic index, and is relatively low in calories (15 calories per serving). And it tastes AWESOME. I have tried many other sweeteners, and this is my favorite by far. You can find different varieties on Amazon.com, but it is pretty expensive. The last time I got it I bought 5 lbs. in bulk from Azure Standard. A better option would be to hit up your local Asian market (I have yet to go to ours, but it's on my to-do list). You should be able to find a few varieties there and for much cheaper. But this comprises the bulk of the chocolate milk mix.

The second ingredient is the chocolate. I have switched from Hershey's brand to Navitas Naturals Raw Cacao Powder. I think you can get it for a decent price at iHerb or LuckyVitamin. Or try your local health food store.

So here are my supplies for the mix:

I am using a sample sized formula can for the acutal mix, and I use a quart sized mason jar for the chocolate milk itself. The ratio for the mix is (roughly) one heaping teaspoon of the raw chocolate powder to three tablespoons of coconut sugar. Once you've filled your container, you can either shake it or use a handy-dandy mini whisk like mine.

See? Isn't it cute? And it does a really good job. I use it for lots of things. But if you do not own a mini whisk, you could use a spoon, or fork, or whatever you choose to mix it.

You will also want to label it. You could use a Sharpie. Or, if you're a geek like me, you'll want to use your label maker. I LOVE mine. See? There it is.

And just in case you couldn't read it from the above picture, here is a close-up of my spiffy little label.

So once it's all mixed up and you're ready to make the chocolate milk, you'll need to add a heaping spoonful of mix per cup of milk (more or less, to taste). It does not just dissolve by stirring it in. You can blend this in a blender (fastest), or if you're not in a hurry, you can use the shake method. I usually shake it up and stick it in the fridge. Then every time I open the fridge, I give it a good shake. It takes several times before the mix gets all dissolved, but it happens eventually. Now pour and enjoy, like so:

It is truly delicious, and also much more nutritious than the chemical-laden, sugar-filled store bought syrups and powders. We love it!

Arts & Crafts

2009-08-26T01:00:00.008-04:00

George has been asking frequently and repeatedly to do crafts. Poor kid, we haven't been to a MOPS meeting in ages, and we've missed a lot of church over the last few weeks...they've been totally deprived. And as our house is still a work in progress as far as getting situated, the craft supplies are still packed away. So I had to come up with something else. I settled on an activity rather than an actual craft, as I had everything necessary on hand. So we did shaving cream art. I know it looks like a glorified mess, but in actuality it was a lot more. We started off with just a pile of shaving cream in a dish. Then we added some blue food coloring and swirled it around in one area. In another area we added some yellow. And when we swirled them together, ta-DA! We got green. So it was an exercise in color mixing.

The fact that they were encouraged to play around was fun for them, though that is much more up Joshua's alley than George's. Joshua played a LOT longer in the shaving cream. He is much more tactile oriented, and he got really creative with it (like seeing shapes in clouds). It made me realize how I need to make more of an effort in planning activities for them - it was simple and quick, and they really enjoyed it. And I need to pay attention to how each of them learns - definitely two learning styles here. I have a lot of ideas of what we will do in our pre-schooling sessions, but I NEED to get the space in order before I can focus on that. Yes, we're starting "school" late this year, but I guess that's one of the benefits of doing it from home (especially pre-school).

Josh loving the sensation of squishy shaving cream.

I definitely gave the plastic mat to the right kid. I couldn't find my vinyl tablecloth, and only had one of these, so we went with it.

Ripley's Aquarium

2009-08-16T23:09:00.014-04:00

Well, I'm not doing very well with keeping up on the blog! It's been almost a month since I last posted. I'll try to do better. Really, I will. But for those of you who are dying to see more of the kids more often, you can also befriend me on Facebook and see the pics/video clips I post there.

So the boys and I tagged along on a work call with Chris a couple of weeks ago, and on the way back we drove through Smoky Mountain National Park (awesome scenery) and then stopped in Gatlinburg to visit Ripley's Aquarium. The kids really enjoyed it, and it was a very nice family attraction. Here's a bit of what we saw:

This giant catfish was bigger than Josh!

The boys and me, taken quickly so we could get out of the way.

Teeny, neon-colored Poison Dart Frogs.

In the shark tunnel. The flash made its eyes glow - doesn't it look super fierce that way?

It's hard to tell by the poor quality of this photo, but there are no less than 5 sharks right there.

This was a lazy Sawfish, lying on top of the clear tunnel ceiling.

Shark TEETH. Scary.

All of the boys in the shark tunnel.

A mean-looking Green Moray Eel.

George & Joshua enjoying the inner view of this tank of puffer fish.

Touching Horseshoe Crabs.

I love Sea Horses.

But have you ever seen Sea Dragons?

A crazy-looking Dragon Eel.

Blake making friends with a Giant Spider Crab (I wanted to dip those legs in some butter, y'all).

A Jellyfish. And my camera flash.

Deep sea diver, George.

Deep sea diver, Josh.

Mesmerized by the big Sting Rays.

All in all, Ripley's Aquarium was definitely worth going to. Kids (and adults) of all ages can enjoy it. It is entertaining, educational, exciting, and beautifully displayed. They did a great job making this a family-friendly place. You can spend a few hours there (like we did) and feel like you got to see everything without missing out. But you could also stay longer and watch the feedings, see shows, and hit every little learning station. I recommend it!

Wheat Bug

2009-07-20T23:41:00.003-04:00

We had a good week last week. My parents visited for several days, and we were able to get some stuff done, go see a movie (a real date!), and then we took them to a marriage conference led by none other than Kirk Cameron. It was my mom's birthday present from us. Of course they had to make the trip down here, but I think she thought it was worth it. And I suppose that spending time with the grandbabies didn't hurt, either.

So for the first time ever, we had all 3 kids watched by someone other than my parents. And for the first time ever, we had to pay a babysitter. I was wondering how we were going to find quality care for a decent price with such short notice. The preschool director at our new church gave us a few names and numbers, and after the first person turned out to be unavailable, we found Miss Ashlyn. She is 18 years old, has 4 younger siblings, and has been babysitting for a LONG time. She was available, willing, and only charges $5 per hour. TOTAL. She was able to come out and visit us on Thursday evening so we could all meet her ahead of time, and I felt confident that she would be great with the boys. And they were very excited to get to play with her.

I only thought about calling her maybe 10 times that evening, since she was going to have to do dinner AND bedtime. But I restrained myself, and figured she'd call if she needed us. And as it turned out, everything went swell and the boys had a blast. They went to bed early, even (8:30)! She is a lovely girl, and homeschooled as well. So we talked a bit about that once we got home, because it is something Chris and I are considering. She told us that when she was putting George & Josh to bed, she sang Jesus Loves Me (that's the song we sing every night), and they were telling her that she wasn't singing the right words. Josh informed her that she needed to say "wheat bug." She was confused, and kept asking what he meant, and he made her go through the song again so he could tell her where. So instead of "they are weak but he is strong," they wanted her to sing "they are wheat bug he is strong." So she had to sing it again all the way through, including "wheat bug."

Now I'm pretty sure that they know the correct words to this song, as we've sung it hundreds of times (and we even do a few motions on occasion). Either they were just changing the words up for fun, or they were playing with her since she was someone new to mess with. Or perhaps they've always thought that the lyrics included wheat bug. Whatever the case, it was a pretty funny story.

Needless to say, we will be using Miss Ashlyn again. Soon, and probably often. She also has a 16-year-old sister who is similarly experienced. So we have a couple of quality babysitters already! Praise God for providing for us in this way.

One Thing About Trenches...

2009-07-11T01:30:00.004-04:00

They sure can be mucky. Take, for example, the fact that my adorable baby boy pooped in the pool the other day. Yes, he had a swim diaper on. And swim trunks (just because they are cute). And thank goodness for those two layers. Chris brought him to the door so I could get him and clean him up - oh.my.goodness. The entire inside of his swim shorts was soiled. I suggested to Chris that maybe we should drain the pool (he had wanted to from the get-go) and then sanitize it (I love using peroxide and vinegar sprays - check out this article for more information - it's cheap and totally non-toxic! Just make sure to use two separate spray bottles.).

So today we re-filled the pool and all went well. Until bath time. When Blake did his business in the tub. With the other two in there with him. And the toys. Mega-ICK (I won't go into details). So I drained the tub, got the naked kids out, sprayed all of the toys and the tub and the tub mat, scrubbed the tub, and started over. *sigh* And not 2 minutes after I got them out to clean up, Blake peed on the floor.

Did I mention it was 7:00pm and we hadn't even had dinner yet?

Some days are just like that. At least now that it's over I can laugh about it.

Random Update

2009-07-05T20:56:00.006-04:00

Good grief, it's been a long time since I posted last. This cannot continue - I must update with some regularity! I am so behind with all of the updates. I still need to post about the boys' 4th birthday, and Blake's last checkup, and many other things.

I'll try to get to that, but for now I'll try to briefly highlight our goings on as of the last week or two:

*We think we found a new home church, right here in Corryton! We feel very good about it, and we think maybe God led us here so we could become a part of this very special church.

*My parents visited this week, from Tuesday afternoon until Friday morning (they left before we got up - boohoo!). They came here as part of a trip they were already taking to Virginia for a family reunion (which was today, and we missed it for a few different reasons).

*With extra hands and help, we got some more boxes unpacked, a couple of rooms worked on, and most of our garden is planted! Yes, we started VERY late in the growing season, but warm weather lasts longer down here, so we should get something out of it, anyway.

*We celebrated the 4th by buying and setting off our own fireworks. We did one batch when my parents were here, and then another one last night (Blake missed the first one entirely). The big boys are in LOVE with fireworks (who can blame them?). And the baby? Not so much. He lasted about 15 minutes, and then was crying and asking to go night-night. Maybe next year.

I haven't been very good about taking pictures lately, shame on me. I need to get back into that habit. I do have some that I need to post, and hopefully soon I'll get to a regular routine.

We've been spending our time still trying to get the house organized and finish unpacking - it's going painstakingly slow since most of our time is spent caring for the little ones and just doing the daily stuff. Not to mention all of the other projects we have to do (like putting up the shed, which is going to be a doozy!). On top of that, we need to find (and go to) a dentist, doctor, pediatrician, dermatologist...all of that good stuff.

Our first month here was a good one, despite the generous amounts of rain, mass quantities of bugs, and the poison ivy that Chris and I accidentally discovered was growing on the edges of our property. We have wild blackberries (and a few of my personal favorite - black raspberries) all around here; we see wildlife and farm animals all the time, the scenery is awesome, the people are really friendly, and we love our house. God has truly blessed us by bringing us here. Yes, we miss our families, but we feel this is the right place for us for as long as God intends.

Tennessee Showers Bring Big Puddles

2009-06-19T23:49:00.011-04:00

We've been having a LOT of severe weather this week. In fact, today is the only day that hasn't seen at least some rain. Yesterday there was a severe storm (which we had to drive through, of course) which included high winds, pretty sizable hail, rain so hard we couldn't see, and lightning every couple of seconds. There was a tree down at one point, so we had to turn around and go a different way. Luckily we had the GPS to re-route us (I heart my TomTom). Then we saw a power line down, which was pretty freaky. And, of course, our power was out when we arrived home. This makes the second time in the two weeks we've lived here. Only yesterday it was out for about 5 hours (the first time was only an hour or so). I was starting to get worried that all of our newly purchased grocery items would spoil. But they didn't, and we managed fine.

Chris was working for most of the day (except for when we had to pick up our van from the shop and return the rental car, which was when we went through the storm), and once he dropped us off the storm cleared and it started getting sunny out. And hot.

Our front section of property slopes down, and the bottom part kind of serves as a retention pond. As such, it had collected quite a bit of rain water, and the boys saw it and asked if they could play in it after lunch. So when the baby went down for his nap, I took the big boys out to frolic in our new redneck pool. Observe:

And then the baby got up from his nap...

So I have concluded that the boys' new favorite toys are: sticks, rocks, dirt, mud puddles, and bugs. Good thing we have plenty of all of them!

The Dinner Table

2009-06-10T23:22:00.003-04:00

It is so great being a family again. Having us all in close proximity much of the time is so bonding and...familial. I think my favorite thing now is having all of our meals together at the table. Granted, we need a bigger table (or at least a couple more chairs - our table does have a leaf). But it is so awesome just dialoguing with the kids at every meal. They are learning patience, manners, good eating habits, and we just laugh a lot at the silliness.

My wonderful husband always makes sure to thank me for preparing the meal and makes sure the boys thank me too - what a wonderful display of affection and consideration for my efforts! He has also starting requiring that the big boys ask (nicely) to be excused from the table when they are finished. They ask a lot, and it gives us teaching opportunities when we explain why sometimes they must remain at the table. Blake has started trying (and eating, in some cases) different foods, because he sees the rest of us eating them with relish.

Tonight we had dinner by candlelight, because we had a storm pass through and it blew a transformer nearby. It was actually fun - the boys loved all of the candles (they had baths by candlelight too), and we talked about all of the things we could not do with the power out (like COOK - we had turkey sandwiches). The interaction we have been having this past week has been sorely missed. I can't even tell you how many times George has said - "I'm so glad to be back with you. We were apart for a long, LONG time." It melts my heart. And to see the boys with their daddy again...it is worth more than gold.

So I need to get on the ball now and start taking pictures. That is one area in which I have severely slacked! But I know how fast the time goes, and I need to be diligent about documenting as much as I can, because my brain is just not reliable about remembering. So check back soon and often, and hopefully you will get to see something fun soon. Now back to the many boxes, bags, and tubs waiting for me...

Digging a New Trench

2009-05-31T22:50:00.003-04:00

So things have not gone exactly as planned for this move. There have been hurdles on both sides. There have been times when we've wondered if it was going to happen at all. Here's how things have gone for me for the past few days:

I was scheduled to depart from Indiana on Thursday in the late morning. Wednesday was spent loading up the second U-Haul (yes, you read that right) by me, my dad, and two of my nephews helped for an hour or so. During the packing process, I got a call from Chris, who demanded my undivided attention. He proceeded to tell me that the appraisal for the Tennessee house had not been submitted yet. And we were to close on Friday morning. Huh? The last thing I had heard from the mortgage company was that they had everything they needed and we were good to go.

Apparently the appraiser had called to ask for directions to the house the Friday before Memorial Day, but failed to follow through. We found out later that the appraiser is an older gentleman who does not know how to use his computer software, so he had to wait for his assistant to return from vacation before the appraisal could be sent. And once said assistant had returned, there was an issue with their system crashing. After many frantic phone calls escalating the issue, we found out that as long as it was in by Thursday morning we should be able to close on time. Whew! Or so we thought.

Thursday morning came and we had no news. We had calls in to the appraiser, our realtor, the processing manager, etc., and yet we could not get a firm answer out of anyone. I decided I would continue as planned, but wait to leave until I heard for sure whether or not we would be closing. There was still quite a bit of packing to do at my parents' house, so I was just working away, waiting to hear. My plan was to take the pets with me if the closing was still going to happen, so that my parents could just bring the kids.

Thursday afternoon, we found out that the appraisal was finally submitted. A few hours later, we found out that the appraiser could not find a specific document detailing the maintenance of the private road that leads up to our driveway. Amazingly, someone from the title company found the elusive document and sent it to our realtor. Whew? Not yet.

The underwriter who was handling our case had an issue with the way that this particular document was worded, but could not get a manager's assistance because all of the managers had already gone home for the evening. Since the prospect of closing on Friday was still up in the air, I decided to go ahead and go on down to TN with the U-Haul, and my parents offered to bring the kids AND the pets with them, driving both of our minivans down.

So I left at 7:00pm for Tennessee. I arrived at 2:00am on Friday (which was, incidentally, my brithday). I pretty much collapsed into bed right after I got there. Chris got called into work at 4:3oam (which is VERY rare), and didn't get back until 10:30am. At that point there was still some question about the document regarding the private road. Our realtor called his lawyer to look it over. The agony of waiting! Once the lawyer sent a letter stating that this document is valid and complete, we discovered that there might be an issue with getting the funding on time.

Around 1:30pm, we found out that all of the paperwork got pushed through (after many hours of many people working very hard to accomplish it all). Hallelujah! We were overjoyed that we were going to get our house after all. But then...after trying everything he knew how, our realtor had to break the news that there was no one available from the title company to perform the closing for us. After everything! The closing had to be postponed until Monday afternoon. Chris had already made the changes for the refrigerator delivery, the U-Haul, and the moving guys. But the utilities went through as planned. At least there is still water and electricity!

I decided to go ahead and drive back up to Lafayette in a rental car so I could be there to help out with the kids. I would drive my parents' van with the pets on Sunday, and they would come on Monday. But we found out that the rental car prices were through the roof ($117 per day!), so that plan was tossed aside.

So I've been here in Tennessee, living in Chris' room. It has been so strange not having a million things to do and not having my kids around. I am usually begging for a break from them, and yet when I found out that I was going to be without them until Tuesday, I was not prepared. I have missed them terribly! I truly cannot imagine how hard it has been for Chris, being away from his babies for so very, very long. We have taken advantage of being unfettered though - we have enjoyed leisurely shopping trips, meals out without worrying about time limitations or picky palates, and I have been able to nap when I felt like it. And we even went to the movies last night!

Despite all of the kid-less fun, I am ready for them to be here (but not nearly as much as Chris is!). Tomorrow, God willing, we will be closing on our new home. The rest of the day will be devoted to loading and unloading trucks and getting as much stuff done as humanly possible before we pass out from exhaustion. Oh, and that is when Chris is not working, of course. He already has a morning call, and a trip to Chattanooga scheduled for tomorrow evening (one of the reasons we thought it would be best for the kids' arrival to be delayed). He has been working a ton since I've been here - I think he had the busiest work weekend he's seen since moving here.

So that is the latest. Hopefully more interesting posts will be arriving soon - including fun things such as pictures, videos, and entertaining topics.

Recent Events

2009-05-23T00:01:00.002-04:00

As it would take far too long to compose the message that I have swirling around in my brain, I thought I would at least take a moment to highlight the recent happenings in our crazy life. In the last week, we had:

Packing frenzy
Septic failure
House closing at risk
Mad scramble to work things out
Sleep deprivation
Buyer's lender forcing postponement of closing
Major decision making
Basement flooding
Basement clean-up
Insurance claim filed
Line was drawn
Mutual release of housing contract
Birthday party
Stuff hauled off to Tennessee (along with Chris)
2-Day garage sale
Sick kids

Whew! And there's more craziness to come this week, because we have:

Birthday party/cake decorating
Tie up loose ends
Finish packing
Rent ANOTHER U-Haul truck (I know!)
Leave for TN on Thursday
Kids to come with my parents on Friday
Closing Friday morning
Move in to our new house on my birthday!

I am very much looking forward to starting a new way of life. And hopefully I will be blogging regularly soon (well, once we replace the flooded computer, that is). But for now, this will probably be it for at least another week. I hope I will be able to get all caught up with everything I've been wanting to post about (not likely).

It's Not Easy Being Green

2009-04-28T23:53:00.002-04:00

Something that has captured my interest over the last several years (much more intensely since I've had my kids, I'll admit) is the whole "natural living" movement. Our MOPS presentation today was about "Creation Care," which is the concept of taking good care of what God has given us. I have noticed that many of the things that are important to me are connected, and that it is well worth the time and energy to seek out ways to conserve energy, reduce waste, eliminate toxins, save money, and focus on healthy habits.

Is this an easy thing to achieve? Well, I suppose that depends on what your goals are, what your current lifestyle is like, your level of interest, and if you are willing to rethink your budget a bit. For me, it has been a back-and-forth cycling between a more natural approach and a convenience-based approach. I think there is a happy medium, and the more research I do, the more I see that I can achieve my goals of natural living without sacrificing everything that makes life comfortable and easy.

I am working through the process of outlining how to achieve my goal of really living naturally, and the first step is figuring out what is most important to me and why. I know off the top of my head that my big areas of focus are:

Good Health
Stewardship/Saving Money
Organization (read: getting rid of the clutter!!!)

Natural living is an obvious choice for me when considering these issues. I know that to have good health I need to eat good foods and try to limit the amount of toxins I am exposed to. I can save a LOT of money if I cut down or eliminate the pre-packaged, pre-processed foods and the multiple types of paper products I use, make a few adjustments to help conserve energy, and stick to a budget. And I could certainly be more organized if I got rid of unnecessary items and make sure that the things I keep meet certain criteria.

So where do I start? This could really be an overwhelming transition process. Not to mention how expensive organic and natural products are - there's no way I could switch everything at once! I need to list out everything that will require transitioning, and prioritize from there. So I have come up with some specific goals for myself:

I would like to transition ALL household cleaners to be all natural, earth-friendly, and either chemical-free or nontoxic.
I would like to have an organic garden on our property to save money on buying produce and fresh herbs.
I would like to eliminate (or severely reduce) the use of paper towels, paper napkins, paper plates, and plastic storage bags.
I would like to reuse glass containers for food storage rather than using plastic, unless the plastic is BPA free.
I would like to do mostly scratch cooking: making my own flours, breads, yogurt, butter, etc.
I would like to transition all personal care and beauty products to be all natural and chemical-free.
I would like to get back to using cloth diapers (except for travel and outings) for the remainder of time until Blake is potty trained.

That is not the total list, but it's a pretty darn good start. And as you can see, many of these items will require some real work. But I am getting there, little by little. I bought a steam mop so that I could clean the kitchen and bathroom floors sans chemicals (plus it's quick and easy!), and I'm considering a handheld steam cleaner for other jobs. I've decided to start making my own laundry detergent once I run out (which will probably be like a year or more since my mom gave me like 10 bottles of liquid detergent since she has to now use the HE kind).

I definitely have a long way to go, and I know that certain aspects of this process will be a struggle for me (I really love paper products!). But I know that once I have good habits in place, it won't be a big deal to maintain them. Plus my kids might gain more of an appreciation for our world if they are investing in its care from early on.

I hope to keep up with posting about my process to "go green." I am looking forward to sharing my progress.

A Good Day

2009-04-24T00:06:00.003-04:00

Today we put an offer on a house in Tennessee. I think this was the fifth house that we have bid on since we knew our house was going to sell. The first house that we lost was a real heartbreaker for me. The second one was not quite as bad, but it was still very disappointing. Then I decided that my attitude needed to change. I would allow God to open or close the doors as He saw fit, and I would accept (and be grateful for, and even enjoy) whatever house He provided.

And then we found out a couple of hours after we put in the offer that the owners were willing to negotiate. They countered with a very acceptable offer, and we agreed and were totally elated! This house is a wee bit rural (but not too far out), on an acre of land, and is very new (I think less than 3 years old). And the interior is GORGEOUS. It is 2280 sq.ft., with well-done, fresh looking paint, 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms! We will have to do NO work on this house. We will be able to move right in. We will need to get a shed soon, as there is no garage or shed currently, and we'll need to figure out a landscaping plan (garden, fence, etc.). There is great closet space, an actual pantry, an office that is connected to the Master Bedroom...it is far more indulgent than we would have ever chosen on purpose. But we will love this space. We will enjoy all of the little upgrades, and we'll get lots of use out of the whirlpool tub. We will take nothing for granted.

Now we just need to trust that the timing will all work out the way we hope. We will be getting a VA loan, and we've been told that those can take some time to process. If it does take more time than we anticipate, we have a workable plan B. But if it goes through quickly, then we may be able to coordinate everything so that the day we close on the house here in Indiana, we will drive our filled U-Haul down to our new home and begin our new life there. Today was a really good day. But THAT would be an incredible day.

Attitude Adjustment

2009-04-12T22:07:00.003-04:00

Nothing like reflecting on what Christ did for us on the cross to cause a shift in perspective. Several times today I have had words from songs or hymns pop into my head, and each time I paused to thank God for giving up His son so that I might live. Here are a few of my favorites:

He's alive! He's alive! He's alive and I'm forgiven; heaven's gates are open wide. He's alive!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, he holds the future. And life is worth the living, just because He lives.

Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er His foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering. Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King. But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me. Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.

So today I have been reflecting on what Christ did for me and how blessed I am. It is so easy to to pull out the "poor me" card and get bogged down in daily stresses and complain about how tough life is. But the truth of the matter, in my case anyway, is that life is GOOD. God is GREAT. And I have been blessed beyond measure.

Sure, I am away from my husband. But we are still together after 12 years (today is our anniversary, in fact), and I would say that our marriage gets better and better all the time. We have had some amazing experiences together. We have had our share of struggles and doubts, but God has done a mighty work in our hearts and lives, and we recognize that without him we would not have stayed together anywhere near this long.

Yes, I have 3 kids to care for without having their daddy around. But we are living with my parents, and that has allowed me to work on the house to get it ready to sell, and it STAYS clean. They go above and beyond EVERY SINGLE DAY to help me out. They let me sleep in most mornings, and they watch the kids so I can run errands or make it to various appointments. They have essentially allowed us to take over their lives so that we could have a smoother process. Without them I would be a wreck! And so would the house, and the kids...I shudder to think.

We have yet to find a home in Tennessee. But I believe that God is trying to teach us something through this piece of the journey. And I was reminded the other day that God is more interested in our character than in our comfort. He is more interested in knowing that I am trusting in Him to provide for our needs (not necessarily our wants) than He is in making things easy or quick. When he closes a door to something that I REALLY think that I want/need, He is interested in how I'm going to respond. Will I still praise Him and trust in Him? The answer is, yes. Well, if I'm being entirely honest, the answer is, I'm coming around. He is giving me peace that He will provide. Are there obstacles? Sure. But because He lives, I can face tomorrow, and all fear is gone. He knows the future, and life is good because He lives.

Thank you, Lord, for constantly showing me grace, mercy and love. Thank you for forgiving me, even though I make some mistakes again and again. Help me to focus on you consistently and continually. Thank you for blessing me with this life, and for suffering and dying on the cross so that I may be forgiven.

Early Talker

2009-04-09T01:04:00.002-04:00

So I got my weekly BabyCenter e-mail and I have decided that Blake is an early talker. BabyCenter says that some early talking babies at this age (14 months) have as many as 20 words in their vocabulary, though it would seem that most have a mere handful. So let's see. Here are the words Blake can say (and understand their meaning):

1. Mommy
2. Daddy
3. Mamaw
4. Papaw
5. George
6. Josh
7. Doggy
8. Kitty
9. Ball
10. Bubble
11. Choo-choo
12. Bye-bye
13. Brush
14. Eat
15. Drink
16. Up
17. Cheese
18. Cracker
19. Thank You
20. No
21. Fish
22. Turtle
23. Bath
24. Bottle
25. Hi
26. Uh-oh
27. Hello
28. Baby
29. Gucky
30. Nummy
31. Go
32. Keys
33. Poo-poo
34. Teeth
35. Night-night
36. Book

Well, that's not the end of the list, but you get the picture. I believe he qualifies. This kid is scary smart. He picks up on things instantly! He also signs several words that he does not yet speak (light, fan, more, all done, please). We haven't been as diligent about signing with him, but it's probably because he's talking so much already. I was hoping he would ease us into some of these phases of babyhood (mobility, speaking, climbing, getting into things, etc.), but he has decided to take the accelerated route instead. Lord have mercy - we are really in for it with this one.

God's Perfect Timing

2009-03-30T23:41:00.003-04:00

Imagine my delight when I showed up at my house today and beheld this fantastic view (and let me put in a plug for my fantastic realtor - she is amazing and I was introduced to her at a chance meeting through a friend at my MOPS table - totally God!) :

It still takes my breath away. We have accepted an offer on our house! After only being on the market for two short weeks, and the day before the Open House was scheduled to take place, we got the offer. We countered, and they accepted, and the Open House was cancelled! Brilliant. If all goes well, we will be closing by no later than May 15th - just two days before Josh & George turn 4! We'll have to have a birthday party before we move.

It's been difficult, having our family separated these past few months. But God has blessed us so immensely, and I am once again reminded how much I need to trust Him in all things.

Now I am tasked with packing everything up (and purging as much as possible), while Chris is focusing on getting a new house lined up for us. We think he may have found just the right place (again, by God's grace and perfect timing) for our family, and we are going to be putting an offer on it tomorrow. Hopefully it will all work out as well. God's timing is always the best, and it never ceases to amaze me when he displays his power and control so directly in my life. It is humbling and overwhelming, to be sure.

So I'm still here, but still busy. I look forward to when I am able to do more regular posting - there are many interesting things going on with the kids and I've already lost SO much by not documenting it all. But I will strive to do better. And soon I will have all kinds of new stuff to post about (and I will HAVE to post more because we'll be away from all of our family then).

A Quick Update

2009-03-09T23:18:00.003-04:00

As I wrap things up for tonight, I thought I'd pop on here and post a brief message since it's been SO long.

I have been working like crazy trying to prep my house to be market worthy. There have been MANY obstacles that have cropped up during this ever-so-long process. We all just got over the stomach flu, for instance. But now I am close. I am so close I can taste it!

Tomorrow: Finish up cleaning and move furniture for carpet cleaners.
Wednesday: Carpet cleaners come in the morning, and in the afternoon, arrange furniture and do any touch up cleaning. Also apply carpet protector to major walkways (the self-adhesive stuff that looks like Saran Wrap).
Thursday: House goes on the market!!!!

Please pray that God has the perfect buyer(s) in mind and that they will be shown quickly and decide quickly that this house will perfectly meet their needs, and that it is a great deal! That's not too much to ask, is it?

I have discovered through this laborious journey that I am quite handy. I knew I wasn't half bad with DIY stuff, but I have done several things that I have never tried before. Now I am excited to use my newfound confidence with tools in our next home. I have project ideas swirling in my brain - and with Chris being a consummate handyman, there's no limit to what we can accomplish! Well, except there is the issue of money. And time. Well, and opportunity. It's fun to dream anyway, that someday I will install a beautiful tile backsplash in my kitchen.

So much more I would love to share, but I need to head back over to Mom & Dad's house and get some much needed sleep. Tomorrow is another big day. One step closer to our family being together again!

Blake in the Snow

2009-02-12T23:06:00.006-05:00

Blake was napping during the big boys' snow frolic, but once he got up I decided he needed to experience the snow as well. It took 15 minutes to bundle him up for 10 minutes of being outside, but it was worth it, even if just for the pictures.

I know his getup is crazy. Nothing matches here, but at least he's warm! The boots are like 4 sizes too big, but it was the best we could do at the time.

Not sure what to think about all this.

I guess it's not so bad!

What's this? You can eat it too?

I think I'll have some more.

And here's my "gog." This must be good!

Ahh...I think I like this.

Back to Snow

2009-02-12T22:00:00.013-05:00

I'd rather have a foot of snow than an all-day rain. Even if it is much warmer than normal February weather should be. I just hate rain in the winter. It's winter. Let it snow! We had a few days of Spring-like weather, which was wonderful - the boys actually got to play outside two days in a row! But then this rain. Ick. At least today was sunny and not rainy. But here are some pictures from when we had snow and got to play out in it. Enjoy!

The first time on the snowy playset.

Down the snowy slide.

Making mounds of snow to jump in.

George licking the snow.

Josh taking his taste.

George attempting a snow angel, while his boot is falling off.

Josh catching his breath after running over to the tree.

Cheese! (George was too busy to join us, though I tried).

On the shaky bridge - so happy to be outside!

The spoils after playing hard in the snow: hot chocolate!

Josh with his happy chocolate grin.

George makes sure to get every bit of the delicious chocolate.

Blake Turns One

2009-01-30T18:25:00.010-05:00

I really can't believe my baby is a year old. So much so that I forgot his one-year doctor appointment yesterday - oops. I'll have to post his one year stats after his rescheduled appointment next week. His birthday party was fantastic. Mainly because his daddy got to come home for it! But also because there was chocolate cake, which I am a big fan of. And speaking of cake, I did manage to make the cakes myself, and was pleased with how they turned out. Plus I didn't spend a ton of time doing them, which will please my lovely sister-in-law (only 2 this time, Kjersten!). Here are some pictures of the grand event:

Uncle Tim is a fan of Blake's, and vice versa.

Blake and Daddy - such a joyous reunion!

Loving the thrill of Daddy's toss.

The cakes: the big one was from a cake pan my mom found at a garage sale, and the little on I made based on a picture we liked.

Before his first ever taste of cake (and chocolate!).

I think he likes it...

Yep, definitely need more...

This is yummy!

Celebrating his demolished cake. He's clapping for himself. So proud!

And VERY thirsty.

Feeling generous now. Here Daddy, have a bite!

See how good this is, Mommy?

Mamaw! You try!

All of my guys. I'm in such love!

Blake and Melanie bonding over the zipper on her top.

This one is worth adding because George took it.

Blake enjoyed the balloons immensely as well.

Showing Daddy how he can ride the horsey.

*sigh* My little baby is getting more boyish every day. And having two big brothers to keep up with makes his growth seem even more accelerated. I thank God for this blessing in our lives. He is truly a joy.

Notes From the Quarantine

2009-01-20T08:29:00.006-05:00

8:30am
I really have no idea what caused me to wake from my dead sleep. But looking at the clock, I felt compelled to follow doctor's orders, so I got up. My body feels like lead, eyelids included. A dose of penicillin. A warm salt water gargle. Some Tylenol. It occurs to me that I forgot my Chloraseptic at my parents' house. Shucks. I let the dog out. I decide to eat a bit of soggy (on purpose) Life cereal just in case my stomach protests meds on an empty stomach, though I am not in the least hungry. A quick once over with a bare toothbrush (too lazy for paste), another gargle to use up the rest of the salt water, a quick post here, and I'm off to resume slumber in approximately 3...2...1............

Noonish
Awake again, but still groggy. Very thirsty, and I'm thinking hungry too. So dehydrated. Today's goals are to wash all of the sheets and disinfect the whole house. We'll see how far I get. Perhaps I'll just blog from my bed all day. Though that would require some mental energy. I'll probably watch some of the inaugural coverage. First order of business - scrambled eggs and toast (so heavily buttered it's soft).

5:30pm
Could it be this late already? I've done nothing productive thus far. I did manage to paint my nails - I guess that didn't take as much energy as laundry. Food is going down a bit easier, on the throat anyway. But pretty much every time I eat, I feel slightly queasy afterward. And I'm starting to feel the crushing fatigue again. I think it's time for a nap.

1:45pm Wednesday
Another day where I've been in bed all day so far. Trying to rouse myself enough to make coffee and get ready to go see the kids. Feeling very guilty that I did not accomplish a single thing while I was home, but I guess taking care of myself counts for something. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel like doing something productive? I hope so. Chris will be home tomorrow night (late) - he's coming for Blake's first birthday, which I'm not ready for in the least. Bad timing, illness! At least the quarantine is over. I just wish I felt better than I do. But I'm definitely better than I was. The great news (so far) is that it seems no one else in my family has contracted my germs. Praise God!

I'm Going to Feel Really Stupid if...

2009-01-19T22:10:00.002-05:00

this turns out to be just another cold, I had told the Urgent Care doctor before he examined me. I had also gone into the Urgent Care clinic on December 1st, complaining of my sore throat and wanting them to test me for strep. Negative. I was thankful, but feeling a bit bitter for spending the money for them to tell me that it just had to run its course. So last week when I woke up in the middle of the night to retrieve Josh's pillow and found that my throat was suddenly sore, I just figured it was another bad cold. The past several days I have been taking OTC medicines around the clock, trying to put out the flames in my throat and keep my headaches at bay. I have been so wiped out that I've stayed in bed for pretty much the past 3 days. Thank God for my parents, who have so willingly stepped in to care for my children (once again) as I have been completely non-functional.

They convinced me to go to the doctor today. I decided it would be better to pay the money and have peace of mind rather than have it be something bad and let it continue to get worse. And as it was 4:30pm before I got up from my most recent nap, I knew it would be too late to go to the regular doc. So I headed to Urgent Care again, feeling a bit sheepish. So when the doc first came in, he looked at my file and said that even though I had been here December 1st and it was negative for strep, I was still right to come in with the symptoms I had. He took one brief glance at my throat and made a serious wincing face - "Oooh, this looks like strep. And if it's not strep, we'll test for mono, because that's the only other thing that it could be." And then he looked up my nose and made another disgusted face and informed me that I have a sinus infection as well, and that I would be leaving here with something (drugs) not matter what. Ha! I didn't come here for nothing! Wait. I didn't come here for nothing. Aw, crap.

The 15 minute speed swab test (which went all too fast thanks to my audio book) came back positive for strep. Doc said I needed to try and keep away from my kids for at least 24 hours after treatment. My heart sank. Had I already exposed them? Luckily I have my house to go to, and the kids are staying with Mamaw & Papaw. I'm praying that they all stay healthy. I brought Jaz home with me to keep me and Tigra company - at least I'm not completely alone. So now I'm to eat bland foods, take my medicines as directed, and of course I'm going to sleep as much as possible (since I am totally exhausted still). I should be feeling better in a couple of days, according to the doc. My main concern now is how I'm going to plan for the baby's birthday party (which is supposed to be Saturday). I guess I'll worry about that once I'm feeling better. Poor kid - he totally gets the short end of the stick. Watch me go out and buy him a cupcake or something (when I've gone to great lengths to make all of J & G's cakes). And I'm not sure he'll be getting any presents from us either. I'm thinking of wrapping something we already have so he'll have something to open. I'm too sick to care right now. That's my excuse anyway.

Blake at 10 Months

2009-01-15T23:17:00.005-05:00

I am well aware that Blake's first birthday is imminent. All too imminent, in my opinion. Where did the past year go? How is it possible that my baby is almost out of the "infant" category? I am sad and in denial. So in keeping with that, here's Blake at 10 months:

Blake is full of personality. He knows what he wants and is fiercely determined to get it. He is also joyous and excitable - full of mischief, and smart as the dickens. He does not want to be held back or contained, and he has a knack for finding the one thing he can't have in a room full of otherwise baby-friendly items. He is silly and playful, and loves his big brothers. They adore him to pieces, and are relentless about being near him (I am constantly asking them to give him some space). It's obvious that they want to really play with him.

He is playing with bigger toys now. He has figured out that he can put a small item into a bigger item, he can almost stack things up, and he catches on fast when you show him something.

His main objective in life is to GO. He pulls up on everything. He can walk with his push toys, or holding onto fingers, and squeals with delight anytime he gets going. And he is a super fast crawler now too, so I have to be careful because if I turn my head, he'll zip away into a no-no zone. So we have been using the SuperYard to contain him when necessary, and he's getting to where he does not like that one bit.

What a coincidence that I take all of the kids' pictures right before bed.....OK, I'll admit it. I keep them in jammies a LOT. Moving on. Blake knows 6 signs now, has 6 teeth, and is close to outgrowing his 12-month clothes. He is a lot pickier about food than the big boys ever were, which makes things a bit challenging, but he still eats pretty good for the most part.

*Sigh* He is such a joy in our lives. I just wish he would slow down a bit. It's hard to savor the moments when they go by at the speed of light.

An Unexpected End to Christmas

2008-12-26T01:10:00.004-05:00

After spending a lovely Christmas with my parents (with the exception of missing my husband), the boys (minus Blake) and I drove around and looked at Christmas lights for a while before we came home. When we got home, it was probably somewhere between 8:30-9:00pm - time for the boys to be in bed. I got them unloaded and we came in the house.

It hit me immediately. Something was wrong. I was talking on the phone with Chris as we walked in the door from the garage, and he heard me when I gasped "Oh my God! The back door is open. It's open!" It was about 3 or 4 inches agape. I stood there for a moment, then Chris said "Take the boys and get out of the house." So we turned around and went back out. I put them in the van, locked the doors and started back towards the house. Chris and I discussed what I should do next. I asked where the gun was (he has a shot gun for hunting, and I was hoping it was in the garage), and he told me it was in the bedroom closet. Not helpful. I thought about getting the bug spray and something heavy to hit with or maybe a shovel to use as a shield. I ended up going back in with nothing. Chris had me look around, and I went as far in as to turn on the hall light. Then we both got freaked out and decided I should call the police.

I went back outside, and right at that moment the van alarm started blaring. Leave it to 3-year-old boys to mess around with all of the buttons and switches they can get their little hands on when Mommy is not there and they are not buckled in their car seats. I had grabbed the home phone before going back out, and I called 911. They said they would send a police officer right over.

I got back into the van with the boys, and chatted with Chris while we waited for the police. At this point, my thoughts were that there had not been a break-in. From the brief time that I was inside, I noticed that my dog was still alive and that he did not seem to be freaking out at all. I'm thinking if someone had really intended to burgle us, then they would not let a dog stop them. And I really don't know how much of a threat Jaz really is, but he would at least bark his head off at a stranger, especially if Chris and I were not around. I would think an ill-intentioned intruder would put a stop to that. Secondly, the stuff that I would think would be desirable (and easy!) to lift quickly was still in place and intact (TV, laptop, etc.). I thought of the possibility that perhaps someone maybe had intended on breaking in, but only got the door open so far before the barking dog scared him (I'm not trying to be sexist here - it's just easier) off. The last scenario that we entertained was that perhaps the wind blew it open a bit (even though there is a storm door on the outside of it that closes towards the house, AND it wasn't really windy today).

We had concluded that I must have left the door unlocked. I sometimes do this, and Chris has (repeatedly) requested that I lock it EVERY TIME I let the dog back inside, even if we are there. Just to get in the habit, he says. Well, I do try to remember, I honestly do. But my brain is not all that reliable anymore. And it is really frustrating! But I have left it unlocked before when we've gone somewhere, and I've received more than one lecture about not doing that. So I was feeling really guilty about it, and Chris was giving me a quite stern lecture about how this is why he says to lock it every time, yadda yadda yadda.

I saw the patrol car come slowly down our road. I knew it was the police because the lights were almost off, and then they turned them off completely and turned into a drive or something a couple of houses down. Chris informed me that this was standard protocol, and that they would most likely approach our house on foot. I kept talking with him and was looking down the road, and then I turned my head to see a face right outside the van window. Talk about an adrenaline rush - that about scared me half to death. It was the police officer. Whew. I tried to apologize for startling and he put his finger up to his lips for me to be quiet. I was impressed with (and intimidated by) his serious demeanor. He meant business. He was going to serve and protect us, and I was in awe.

The officer had me come with him so he could ask me a few questions. Had I gone in? Were there any dogs in the house? Would the dog try to bite? Was there anyone else in there? Those kinds of things. I asked if I should try to get the dog out of the house, and he said yes. I was still on my cell phone with Chris, and I tried to call the dog out (after he had his initial bark at the officer who was standing between the dog and me). I was asking Chris where a collar or leash was, and I must have been taking too long because the officer then said to me, "Hang up the phone and pick up the dog." Yes sir! I complied immediately, and realized then that my dog is really overweight. I mean, I already knew that, but sheesh he's heavy.

The boys were having a grand old time in the van, and were pleased as punch to see the dog join the party. I watched the officer begin his search, gun outstretched, like they do in the movies. I was relieved, scared, thrilled, and really grateful all at the same time. It gave me a chance to think about how serious police officers train for their jobs, and how hard they work to be prepared for scary situations. And I felt very confident that this officer was good at his job. He made me feel safe and secure from the get-go.

I saw another officer appear from the darkness and enter the house through the garage. And a few minutes after that, another one. There were 3 police officers in my home! Making sure we were going to be safe from harm. And all I could think at that point was - oh man, they are inside my disaster area of a house. The clutter! The mess! Can they even walk around in there? I joked with Chris about this (we needed some levity, OK?), saying "I'm sorry miss, but we could not locate any perpetrators underneath all of the clutter. We're going to have to excavate immediately." He chuckled. Meanwhile the boys were happily eating a snack of pancakes (I had brought some leftovers home from my parents' house), not concerned in the least.

A woman officer showed up outside the van (that made 4! 4 police officers at my house!) and told me that I needed to go inside and inspect the place to see if anything looked amiss. She said she would watch the kids and the dog. They were delighted to talk with her. I went inside, and the first police officer said that there was no sign of forced entry or tampering with anything, but that the door was unlocked. I admitted that it was probably my fault, and he told me how important it is that I always lock the doors when I leave (where have I heard that before?). I was pretty convinced that there had not been an intruder, as I looked over and saw some Christmas cash lying out in plain view that had gone untouched. I inspected the rest of the house, and everything seemed to be completely normal. As I looked inside the nursery, I was SOOO thankful that I didn't have the baby with me (he would have not been patient or happy at all). Once I was finished, the officers gave me the all-clear to get my kids out of the van and go inside. I thanked them and wished them a Merry Christmas.

I still felt uneasy about it all. I am by myself, after all, with two little kids under my care. I let the dog out. He barked (as he usually does - we have cats who sometimes get into our yard), and I wondered - is he barking at a lurking stranger intending to do us harm? I tried to put those thoughts out of my head.

I got the boys to bed and decided to call my parents to let them know what had happened, and to ask for some extra prayers for safety and protection (besides the lecture, Chris made it very clear that he was not comfortable with us living on our own - he's such a great protector!). My dad answered, and I told him of our excitement. He stopped me before I got very far and said, "Um...I think maybe I left the door open." What? Oh yeah. I had totally forgotten that he came to my place today to grab some stuff, and while he was here he let the dog out. Then he must have gotten distracted (he did fix a hinge on the door leading to the garage) and didn't close the door all the way. He apologized profusely for putting us through that, and I was like - are you kidding? I am so thankful it was you and not some intruder! I did have to ask if he remembered whether or not he had to unlock the door when he let the dog out. He said he did remember, and that he did have to unlock it. Which means I did lock it in the first place! Hooray! I did make sure to let Chris know when I called him back.

When I put the boys to bed, I hugged them extra tight. And during prayers, I thanked God for those police officers and our dog. And you know what? I was not even irritated in the least by my dad's blunder. I just kept thinking of how grateful I was (am!) that I had an answer for what had happened. And I was so glad that I called my dad, even though I thought maybe I shouldn't since it was 10:00pm and everything was fine. I am just glad that I can take a sigh of relief and feel safe in my home once more. And besides that, it was kind of an adventure. It was a thrill to see those police officers in action. For my sake. They put their lives in danger and answer the call of duty daily to make this world a better place. And it made me think of the true meaning of Christmas once again. Not such a bad way to end Christmas, after all.

Some of My Favorite Christmas Movies

2008-12-22T16:11:00.023-05:00

As I've been contemplating Christmas, there are lists of favorites that come to my mind: favorite foods, movies, gifts, decorations, traditions, and the like. I recently came across this in a friend's blog, and thought I would attempt to compile a list of some of my favorite Christmas movies. There are SO MANY Christmas movies that I LOVE (ask my husband - I can do Christmas movie marathons for weeks, and sometimes in the summer), so I won't even try to list them all. The list is too long, and I like different movies for different reasons. Plus I'm not sure I could name my very favorite. So I'm going to focus on the Christmas movies I loved as a child.

I loved watching the Christmas specials on TV as a child. When I was a kid, when a show came on, you had to watch it THEN or else you didn't get to see it. I remember those special times we got to eat dinner on TV trays and watch special programming as a family - what a treat that was! We eventually got a VCR, and my dad would tape shows for repeat viewing. A few years back I came across a tape with Christmas shows on it, and was flooded with nostalgia. Here are a few that I remember watching with great fondness (and these are in no particular order):

The Year Without a Santa Claus:
This continues to be one of my all-time favorites. I love Jangle the Elf, Snow Miser, and Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus. There's not really a Rankin/Bass video that I haven't liked, but this one is at the top.

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear:
Another Mickey Rooney classic. Kind of has the feel of It's a Wonderful Life, but with (what was then, back in 1984) a modern twist.

Jim Henson's Muppets: The Christmas Toy:
If I didn't know better (and really, I don't), I would say that Disney's Toy Story idea came directly from this 1986 Muppet special. It's super cute and clever, and done in true Muppet style. Plus I like watching it now (from my dad's old tape) because the old commercials really crack me up.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!:
Good ol' Dr. Seuss. His whimsical, rhyming storytelling genius really shines in this animated classic. Heartwarming and clever, it is on my must-see list every year.

Mickey's Christmas Carol:
I love the story from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. And I love Mickey Mouse. So it stands to reason that I would love this version of the classic Christmas tale. And I do.

The Night They Saved Christmas:
I thought the storyline of this movie was different enough to make it interesting. It stars Scott Grimes, who was the cute boy from Who's the Boss (Sam's boyfriend), who was also in It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, and who incidentally ended up as an adult actor (he's now on E.R.). But that was enough to keep my attention, back then. I should watch it again and see if I still like it.

Frosty the Snowman:
When I watch this video with my kids now, I admit I get a little annoyed at obvious plot flaws and hoakie-ness. But I loved it as a child, and my boys love it now. So I will continue to watch it and just gloss over the fact that Frosty is smart enough to speak full sentences upon first wake but for some reason says "Happy Birthday."

A Christmas Story:
Ok, so I said I couldn't name my favorite, but this could be it. It's for sure in the top 3, at least. I love so much about this movie: the fact that they use Peter and the Wolf music, and that it's set in Indiana of all places (where I grew up! and live now!). And here's a little fact that some of you may not know: the main character (Ralphie) shows up in another great Christmas movie as an adult - the movie Elf starring Will Ferrell (he's a head elf).

Santa Claus is Coming to Town:
Another great Rankin/Bass production. This one is great because you get to see the story of how Santa Clause becomes Santa Clause (I'm a sucker for backstory). And again, Mickey Rooney is definitely the best Rankin/Bass Santa Claus in my book. Plus he can sing!

Santa Claus - The Movie:
I love Dudley Moore in this film. He is an endearing elf who just wants to share goodness with the world and find favor with Santa Claus. Plus John Lithgow is great as the villain. I like the backstory in this one too, and I really really wanted one of those puce lollipops.

I know there are several more that are worth mentioning, but I'll leave it at ten. I do have other Christmas-y things to do, you know. I hope you get to see some Christmas specials this year that bring back warm memories for you, as these do for me.

Life is a Series of Tradeoffs

2008-12-20T10:16:00.005-05:00

You know, this could be a really, really long post. But I'm going to try and focus on one particular topic here. Be forewarned, this is going to contain very personal information (men, feel free to skip this one). If you are not interested in "female stuff," I suggest you stop here and check back later for more entertaining material.

I came to the end of a journey. A long, painful, exhausting, and difficult (but worthwhile) journey. I am officially done pumping. If you haven't read why I was pumping exclusively for the past 10 months (minus the last few weeks), you can catch up here. I had intended to post about my experiences with exclusive pumping along the way, but for some reason I never got around to it. I will now attempt to recap some of the more interesting facts about it:

Most of the time pumping was a multi-tasking experience. Usually it was pumping while on the computer and eating a meal. My hope (fantasy) was to be able to carry my pump in a tote or backpack and do my household tasks while pumping. And I actually did do this a few times, until the battery pack option failed (of course). I was able to do some cooking and kitchen duties while pumping, which was nice (though cumbersome). My favorite memory of using this method though, would have to be when I was decorating cakes for the boys' birthday while pumping. Another extreme multi-tasking memory was when I was standing in the Atlanta airport, waiting for a flight connection - pumping, talking on my cell phone, and putting my contacts in at the same time.
I pumped in some very interesting places. Many times I would pump in the car on the way to a destination. I had to pump in bathrooms, other people's houses, airports (as previously mentioned), the office (when I worked), at church...you get the picture. I had to take my pump everywhere.
I pretty much had to swallow my pride and give up modesty and dignity while pumping. I had to pump in front of strangers, friends, family...it was horrifying to me in many cases. I did my best to be discreet. I covered myself up with blankets, tried to use clothing that would make it more modest, but it was very difficult to pull off the process without flashing boob at some point. To say it was embarassing would be an understatement of extreme proportions.

So now I'm done. I am free of the milk machine. I can look forward to getting over being so self-conscious about how big my chest is and how nice it will be when shirts start to fit better. I don't have to stay up extra late to make sure there's milk for when the baby wakes up in the middle of the night. I don't have to lug my pump everywhere with me just in case we're gone longer than expected. I'm free!

Sounds pretty good, right? Well, there are a few things I had forgotten about along the way. Like the fact that as I am shrinking back down to a normal bra size, I am finding myself without a single bra that fits properly. And any investment in a good-fitting bra would just be a waste, as it will be a while before I get to my new normal.

And then there is the (major) issue of returning to the woman's monthly cycle. I had totally forgotten all that this process entails. I was going on a 3-day migraine when I discovered that I am once again at the mercy of the monthly visitor. I should be grateful that I am one of those women who don't have this issue while lactating. But I forgot about the severe and persistent migraines due to hormonal surges, the lower back pain, the bloating, the horrible cramps, and the irritability and moodiness...not to mention having to once again add "feminine products" to the budget. I cried looking at Christmas cards. What? Oh yeah, hormones. I've been snapping at the boys for stupid things. I need to get this all under control so I'm not Mommy Monster for a good part of every month. I will probably be trying a variety of things: supplements, exercise, more rest...whatever it takes.

So I am trading one womanly experience for another. And to celebrate the end of one journey and the beginning of a new/old one (that I have no choice about and will have to deal with every single month for the next, oh 15 years or so - but that I'm in no way bitter about), I think I will bake lots of Christmas cookies and eat myself into a sugar stupor.

Pillow Talk

2008-12-12T10:34:00.009-05:00

Oh come on, people. This is a family friendly blog. But it sure got your attention, didn't it?

Josh loves his pillow. Ever since we had to prop him up on multiple pillows when he was in his cast, he has insisted on using it. Towards the end, he would drag his pillow down the hall with his teeth while scooting along in his cast. It was quite the sight, and I'm bummed I never got any pictures of that. But here is one of him post-dragging:

Now he just drags it down the hall like this:

And once he gets it where he wants it to be, he usually ends up like this:

Of course all we have now are regular, adult-sized pillows, but I would like for him to have a kid-sized pillow (I have read that having your head too high can hurt your neck/alignment). A friend and fellow mom of twins recommended these - she uses them with her boys and loves them. I was on the verge of ordering them, when I had a brilliant (or possibly delusional) idea. I'm going to make them! I thought it would be a good way for me to brush up on my sewing skills while also exercising my desire to be frugal. We bought a couple of extra pillows during the cast phase, so my idea is to cut one in half, take out some of the stuffing to make them flatter, then sew them back up. Voila! Two pillows! And my mom and I are going to find some cute (inexpensive) fabric to make pillow cases (should be simple). I'm excited for all the things I'll be able to do once I'm back into the swing of sewing! Oh, the projects (drool). And moving to a new house, I'm sure I'll have lots of opportunities to use my sewing machine (curtains, anyone?). I will be sure to document/blog the pillow-making process.

Updated Use What You Have - Pink Eye Solution

2008-12-11T01:59:00.006-05:00

We've just gone through pink eye, as I recently mentioned on here, and I thought I would post a couple of suggestions that I received as alternatives to using the regular pink eye drops.

1. Breastmilk - Obviously this option would only work for those of us who have immediate access to this particular liquid. But this idea came to me from an online friend (who also happens to be a La Leche League leader, and knows all kinds of interesting uses for breastmilk!). I tried it in the boys' eyes, and it seemed to do just as well as the store-bought drops.

2. Tea - I was talking to my friend Lisa today, and she shared this idea. Someone she knows said to make some strong hot tea (my assumption is that you would of course let it cool off first, and I'm not sure if it matters what kind - I'll have to update that information if I find out), dip a cotton swab in it and dab it on the eye. The tea is supposed to have soothing and antibacterial properties that clear it up fast! She said she tried it with her girls and it worked in like 2 days.

I'm always interested in frugal/natural/homemade recipes and alternatives, so if you have anything to share, please let me know!

*Update* So just regular black tea (like Lipton's) should do the trick.

Nancy's Product Reviews (NPR) - Tom's of Maine Deodorant

2008-12-05T22:24:00.004-05:00

NPR - Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? Not to be confused with National Public Radio, of course.

I thought I would start a series of posts where I review new products that I am trying out (and possibly products that I can't live without). No, I am not getting paid for this (but I should be!). Nobody asked me to do this. But I appreciate people's opinions on stuff, and when someone actually takes the time to write a review, then that helps me make my consumer decisions. So I figure if it helps me to know why someone likes or dislikes something, then perhaps other people will find my reviews helpful.

I am currently in the process of putting together a more natural living plan. I've been doing some research, and many of the products I currently use I am hoping to start making myself. Deodorant is one such product. However, I have tried some Tom's of Maine products, and thought I'd give their deodorant a try as well, since it is a non-aluminum containing product.
Here's a little info about the product:

Natural Long-Lasting Care Deodorant Stick
Size: 2.25 oz
Fragrance: Apricot, Lavender, Lemongrass, Unscented

Our Long-Lasting Care Deodorant Stick fights odor three ways to keep you feeling fresh, naturally, all day:

Hops inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria. The antimicrobial action of hops inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria while reducing the possibility of skin irritation.
Zinc ricinoleate binds up odor molecules. Sourced from castor beans, zinc ricinoleate traps and absorbs bad smells
Natural fragrance blocks odor. Encapsulating natural fragrance oils with silica shells makes them last longer.

Sounds good, right?

I took one whiff of the apricot and knew that was the one for me. I have a sensitive nose, so I have to be careful about the products I buy. But this smells wonderful. And since it touts the ability to last 12 hours, I was pretty excited about smelling fantastically fruity for that long. Now, as it happens, I am someone who does not perspire much unless I am exercising vigorously or in a very hot and humid environment. So the need for deodorant, for me, is not as much to keep me from stinking or sweating as it is to make me feel smooth and fresh. I like to use deodorant. It is part of my daily routine. But I don't really notice its absence unless I start to feel sticky under the arms.

With Tom's of Maine, I could tell after the very first application that this is probably not the deodorant for me. Though the scent is delightful and not overpowering at all, I think this deodorant actually made me feel stickier than not having any on at all. As for lasting 12 hours, I couldn't really say. I just know that I can only go for maybe 3-4 hours wearing Tom's of Maine before I feel like I need to put a different deodorant on to feel fresh. So there you have it. For me, it is not worth the extra money or the "natural" ingredients to buy Tom's of Maine. My overall plan is to go more frugal, anyway. I just wanted to try it once and see what I thought. I will be using it (don't want to be wasteful!), but I will not be buying it again.

Anyone else tried Tom's of Maine Deodorant and like it? I'd love to hear other people's reviews. Let's make this more of an interactive blog!

Sign of the Times

2008-12-03T02:33:00.004-05:00

Blake has started signing! I can't believe my baby has begun to really communicate. But the gears are clicking and the wheels are turning and you can just see it happening - it is amazing! When the big boys were about 10 months we started signing with them too, and it was a wonderful experience. They were able to communicate their needs without frustration and we had a lot of fun with it too. We use Signing Smart, and I highly recommend it. The big boys still remember some of their signs, and still love to watch their signing DVD. I think they will have a lot of fun helping us to teach Blake how to sign.

So he can use two signs so far: "light" and "more." He knows "milk" too, but hasn't actually used the sign yet. He definitely recognizes it, though. He's so smart! Don't believe me? Here he is signing light:

It's not perfect, but it's his way of doing it. And I love it.

Bite o' Toe

2008-11-30T16:30:00.006-05:00

My mom loves to play a game with her grandkids where she has them give her a "bite o' toe." And of course they all love it. Now Blake is at an age where he understands it and plays along, and it is too cute. Observe:

Mamaw says, "Gimme a bite 'o toe!"

Blake lifts his foot up in response. Mamaw bites the toes.

He also loves to play along with Peek-a-boo, Patty Cake, Horsey...and he mimics us sometimes (dadada, mamama, etc.). His brain is really starting to make connections. That makes me proud. And sad.

Double Vision

2008-11-29T00:35:00.003-05:00

Josh and George have pink eye. Josh contracted it yesterday (Happy Thanksgiving!). It came on fast and furious - I had no idea goop could accumulate so fast in an eyeball! Eww. We promptly got the special drops and began using them last night. And we launched an all-out assault against the potential spreading of this nasty virus. We are washing hands every 5 seconds, it seems (and those little hands are chapped - so now we're trying to manage that problem as well), trying to disinfect as we go, and really trying to make sure nobody touches anyone else's face or hands or stuff. It is not easy.

And this morning, George's left eye appeared to have a sty on it. And later on, the other eye started getting a bit of goop.

Now with regards to administering the drops, I have to use two totally different approaches. With Joshua, I have to tell him that he cannot have any more drops right now, but that he will get more another time (he begs for them). With George, we have to cajole, plead, bribe, threaten and finally hold him down by force (which it takes both of us to do) to get one drop in. And he freaks out the whole time. So it ends up being a process that takes a very long time.

God knew which kid would be able to handle a broken leg and all that that entailed. We call Josh our "good little patient." George on the other hand? Not so much.

Monday Musings

2008-11-24T21:21:00.014-05:00

Blake said his first word today. And not just any word, either. The word was "agog." Isn't he a genius?! I learned that word in vocabulary class in high school, so when he said it I of course had this mental dialogue going on: He just said his first word! What a brilliant baby. Most adults probably don't know that word. And so on. He even used it in the proper context! Okay, so he really didn't mean for it to be a real word, but it was still too cute.

For those of you who are not familiar with this term, please allow me to enlighten you - compliments of Webster's Dictionary online:

Main Entry:
agog
Pronunciation:
\ə-ˈgäg\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle French en gogues in mirth
Date:
1559
: full of intense interest or excitement : eager [kids agog over new toys]

Now here's the other part of this scenario. Yesterday we witnessed him pull up for the first time (it was not actually THE first time, as he fell out of his crib a couple of days before that, indicating he did in fact possess that ability prior to our knowledge of it - but that is another post). He was trying to get into a box of toys that I was getting ready to take down to the basement. He got onto his hands and knees, reached up and grabbed the box with one hand, then steadied himself and grabbed with the other, then scooched up with his little knees until he was close enough to balance well and then he stood up! It was a bittersweet moment. I am so not ready for him to be standing/walking! He's moving too fast. It's all slipping away, this sweet babyhood of his.

So. Back to the brilliant baby story. Tonight (as he was refusing to sleep and since the vultures were in bed), we played on the floor for a while. And he was just so happy to be given some freedom to roam (this kid is dying to get MOVING) - that's when he said "agog." So you can imagine my amusement and delight (word nerd that I am - and hey! that rhymed!) with the whole thing. I guess it's the kind of story that perhaps only English teachers can truly appreciate (and if any of you readers are English teachers, please overlook my grammar missteps - this is blogspeak here, not research paper worthy writing, obviously). Mrs. English would be so proud. Yes, my English/Vocab teacher's name was Mrs. English. How utterly apropo (another word learned in her class).

So what if he followed it up with "gagagagagaga." He has learned a new skill. AND said a new word (even if only in Mommy's mind). And about these things, I am agog.

A New Trench

2008-11-18T01:51:00.002-05:00

A new chapter is about to begin. Chris got offered a job in Knoxville, Tennessee, and he accepted. We will be relocating there. His job will start December 15th, which means he is going to go down alone while the boys and I stay here to sell the house. Most likely, the kids and I will move in with my parents so that the house can be clean and ready to show at all times. Chris is looking to rent a room or apartment (or if we can find someone who knows someone who would be willing to open their home to him, that would be fantastic), and we will be apart for a while.

God is orchestrating the details of this process. We are trusting in Him to work it out (otherwise I would be a mental case - even more of one, that is). And coming off of the Women's Retreat, I definitely feel that I have come closer to Him and can lean on Him more. So it will be an interesting few weeks, months, and beyond, as we move down South - away from my family - and start a new life there. But God has a plan, and there is peace in that.

Joshua's Gems

2008-11-17T15:17:00.003-05:00

So Josh was sitting on the potty the other day, and I was in his room picking out clothes or something. George was somewhere else, and I hear Josh call from the bathroom in a little sing-song voice (think of the commercial for Ricola cough drops) "George-ua....George-ua!" Chris and I will sometimes call Josh like that - Josh-ua - so we just cracked up hysterically. So of course then he kept doing it since he knew we thought it was so funny. And when I went in to check on him he said "I'm silly. Right, Mommy?"

3..2..1..Cast Off!

2008-11-12T17:10:00.020-05:00

OK, so I know that was cheesy, but I don't care! It's gone! Here's the story (from a Facebook note I wrote).

***

Hallelujah! It's gone! And my son finally smells good. I need to post the pics and video clips that I took to document the process. Maybe soon. Anyway...

We went in this morning, and the x-rays showed that he had a lot of new bone growth (yay!), so he got the OK to get the cast off. The doc told us that even though Josh might be excited to get the cast off, he would probably get angry once it was actually coming off (it seems that many children scream during the entire removal process). He also said that he would be really scared to use his leg(s) - probably wouldn't even want to try for 2-3 days. And that it would take about 4 weeks before he was able to use his legs normally (and might still be walking with a limp even then). So I won't be calling to have them come pick up the wheelchair tomorrow or anything.

So the nurse (tech?) comes in and shows Josh the cast cutter, and you could tell he was really nervous. Once she started cutting, he cried for just a minute. But once he realized it really didn't hurt at all (and actually kind of tickled), he watched, fascinated. He had a few moments of concern (when she was cutting close to the diaper area), but overall he did really awesome. The nurse was really impressed with how calm he was - she said the last kid she cut a cast off of screamed the whole time. My Joshy, such the good little patient. There was another kid who came into the room next to us as we were getting Josh ready to go, and he started screaming from the get-go.

When we got home, he sat on the couch for a while. Then Chris gave him a hair cut and my overachieving, energetic child decided to try and walk (with Daddy's help). He had already been moving his leg some in the car on the way home as well. He took a nice long bath, and after that he was scooting around on the floor for a bit (like when he was in the cast). At one point he ended up rolling over and getting up on his knees, but that hurt him pretty good. I was afraid he'd try to do too much. He took a long nap, and enjoyed the evening sans cast. He still wants to sleep on his back and have extra pillows in the bed (he usually is a tummy sleeper), so we're just trying to make him as comfortable as possible with getting him back on his feet.

Thanks to all who have prayed us through this - God is good!

***

And now for pictures:

Today's the day!

If only I'd known he could fit in his little chair a few weeks ago...

He was determined to get around - by the last couple of days he was trying to walk (with assistance, of course. Well, mostly.)

The last time having to wear the cast in the car seat.

Wheeling him in...

He wanted to play on the floor of the Dr.'s office immediately.

The X-Ray:

Feeling really nervous now...

The tech demonstrating the blade to show it won't hurt.

He cried at first...

But once he realized it didn't hurt, he was fine! It actually tickled him.

Now he's watching intently. Plus she just cut off the dowel rod, which he got to keep as a souvenir.

Now for the pliers.

And step two - cutting through the cotton.

Look Mommy! It's my foot!

Ewwww.

The remains. We could have taken it all home with us, but I thought a picture was enough. And the souvenir rod.

The lollipop reward.

The result of 6 weeks worth of no lotion:

Here's a better look.

Daddy gave him a hair cut post cast removal and pre-bath. Isn't he cute? He even tried to stand up and take a few steps. Already!

Can't get enough of the walking - so he used Mamaw as his walker to get him to the bathroom.

Just look at that face.

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-04T17:21:00.007-05:00

So a MOPS friend of mine has a U-Pick Pumpkin patch that she and her husband run, so we went there a couple of weeks ago. There's just something special about picking out a pumpkin from its home on the ground rather than a store shelf. The boys had a great time, and we ended up with a nice family of pumpkins.

The pumpkin stand (so cute!):

The hayride that took us out to the patch:
Can you believe I forgot to bring jackets? I had only one (Josh's), so my mom used it to cover the baby's ears. He was perfectly content in the carrier because he loves chewing on the strap.

George really wanted to pick up a big pumpkin, but it proved to be more difficult than he thought.

What do you think of this one?

The wagon pulls double duty.
Despite the lack of pumpkin picking ability, Josh was delighted to find that there was something he liked even better.

Couldn't see it? It was this. A bug. What could be better?
A family photo op. And the boys with their pumpkins, back at home.
My pumpkin carving prowess on display (don't be too impressed - I actually messed up on it and a couple of days after carving we had an evening with strong winds and the face fell out of it. Oops!)

We enjoyed some toasted pumpkin seeds from this pumpkin as well. I would show you the other pumpkins, but we did not end up carving them as planned (Chris' was going to be Larry the Cucumber and the boys' would have been the French Peas - hadn't figured out Blake's yet). Maybe next year we'll do a better job of planning the pumpkin carving activities.

My Latest PlayDoh Creations

2008-11-03T01:14:00.004-05:00

9 Months Already?!

2008-10-27T23:29:00.004-04:00

Time is flying! How can Blake be 9 months old? On a side note, they say give yourself 9 months to get the baby weight off, since it took you 9 months to put it on. I'm still carrying 15 pounds of baby weight, so I need to get my tush in gear. Back to the baby talk.

Stats:
Weight: 20 lbs (exactly!)
Height: 28 3/8 inches
50th Percentile across the board

My darling little baby is mobile (God help us!). He's not crawling, per se, but he is doing army maneuvers like he's on a serious mission. Which he usually is. His MO is to get to any possible item that is not baby friendly. Oh, is that something I could choke on? I must have it! Could I be electrocuted? I must put it in my mouth! Will I bonk myself in the head with it? Then I must hold it and swing it around! He is really close to full-on hands and knees crawling. He gets up on all fours and rocks a lot now. And close behind that will be the pulling up. He's already shown interest in that activity. What do I have to say about this? SLOW DOWN! You don't need to do it all at once, sweetheart. Take your time and just slowly master one thing at a time. Hmm. I don't think I'll get my way on this one. He is determined to be in the action.

I have set up the Superyard in the livingroom as a means of limited freedom. He can move around in there with a variety of baby safe toys. And at first, that was acceptable to him. But now, when I place him in "his" space, he gets a bit irked with me about it. And big brothers only want to be in there with him (or throw their toys over the top to him, since he likes them so much). Today I took a 2-minute potty break and came back in the livingroom to find both of them in there with him. Keep in mind, there is no opening in this pen. So I asked how they had gotten in there. George had slid over the top off of the couch arm, and Joshua had scooted in there underneath the bottom (while someone held it up for him). So there were 3 kids, an exersaucer, and various toys in this tiny little space. It was hilarious, and had I been thinking I would have snapped a photo. And in my mind I projected myself forward a few years and could only shudder at the idea of the kinds of mischief that will be carried out so stealthily and swiftly by my curious and ingenious offspring.

Blake seems to like most foods at this point. I try to get 3 solid meals a day in him, but it usually ends up being 2. He has only just been introduced to finger foods, and delights in doing it himself (go figure). I need to step up my game in the feeding department - I would like for him to get the same standard of nutrition that I gave his brothers during their first year. But it is really tough.

Blake is a spitfire, but he is also delightful, silly, smart, fiercely curious, independent, sweet, and so cute I can hardly stand it. He is a little blonde-haired, blue-eyed blessing. We are so grateful to have him in our lives (even though he has made things significantly more challenging!). Babyhood is racing by at an alarming rate. I'm trying to cherish the moments and hold on to the memories (and document them, though I have failed miserably to make note of his milestones - oh, the guilt!), but all too soon he will be racing around here trying to keep up with his big brothers. *sigh*

Gleeful Gimp

2008-10-21T23:51:00.006-04:00

Despite his limitations, Joshua has astounded me with his attitude (mostly). He is happy now as long as he gets to scoot around on the floor and be part of the action. I was so worried that he was going to be super whiny and demanding, but he has been a trooper and been quite pleasant! God is good, and has extended us a tremendous amount of grace through this experience. Here are a few pictures of things Josh has been able to enjoy even in a body cast:

Josh taking a picture of Blake.

Using his bar to help him get up.My personal favorite - he can swing! This was taken just today.
Before mobility - relaxing in a bean bag chair.The first wheel chair they sent us - an adult-sized monstrosity. That reminds me, I need to take some pictures of his pediatric one. It's MUCH better.
Petting the doggy.
Taking matters into his own hands (too bad it's just plastic).
An activity book we received in the mail from a friend was the perfect diversion early on.

I love that he is delighting in the simple things. He is still the same curious, giggly, silly boy underneath all of that fiberglass.

Go Fish

2008-10-19T23:30:00.003-04:00

So I MUST plug our new favorite music group: Go Fish. This is a trio of cool Christian guys who make kids music that parents can enjoy too. You'll see a new feature on the right side of the page - scroll down until you reach the purple box and click to hear one of our favorite songs by them (a couple of our very favs were not available to link to). Chris and I love when the boys request them because we love to listen to them too! It is now THE music we listen to in the car. In fact, when the boys hear any music other than Go Fish, they will say "No, I want to hear MUSIC!" So Go Fish IS music to them right now.

How did I hear of them, you might wonder? Well, they played at MOPS convention (it was AWESOME) a couple of weeks ago in Dallas (and last year at MOPS they kicked off the first meeting with one of their songs, so that was my true first introduction). Only at one of their concerts will you find thousands of people screaming and rockin' out to "If You're Happy and You Know It." They had a special deal for us MOPS leaders, and I ended up with 4 of their CD's. I don't regret it a bit! I'm really looking forward to listening to the Christmas CD (resisting for now).

Check them out: http://www.gofishguys.com/

I HIGHLY recommend this music. It is fun, upbeat, varied, dance-able, hilarious, cool, and uplifting!

Josh's New Found (Limited) Freedom

2008-10-17T19:33:00.002-04:00

Look what Josh can do! (Please overlook the bad lighting - our ceiling light is currently on the fritz).

Up until Tuesday, Josh had not shown any desire to try and move around. I was not about to push him to do it - he had been complaining of pain still. But at MOPS on Tuesday, they called me over to take him to the potty. When I had him on the floor, after I had put his diaper back on, he started scooting a little bit. The other kids were all on the floor playing, and I asked him if he wanted to scoot over and play with them. He said yes, and proceeded to scoot over like he'd been doing it all along.

Since then he's been a whirling dervish! He can roll over now, and scoot wherever he wants to go...and he is SOOO much happier.

It's not all sunshine and roses, though. He is experiencing a bit more pain from all of the extra exercise. He is definitely more demanding (Can you put me on the couch? Can you put me on the floor? Mommy! I need you! Come over here!). And he's starting to get itchy. REAL itchy. Poor kid. I scratch as far up under the edges of his cast as I can, and I can feel the horribly dry, scaly skin under there. I can only imagine having that kind of itchiness and not being able to scratch it. And still 3 weeks to go (not even!).

I think he likes his new ability to get around despite the cast. So much so that he has said a few times in the last couple of days, "Don't take my cast off." I think he'll still be happy to get it off, especially once he gets into the bathtub for the first time.

The Most Fun/Most Awful Day: Part 2 - Most Awful

2008-10-11T22:14:00.010-04:00

Oh, the day at the zoo was a blast. And after we got home and had the boys fed, bathed, and ready for bed (at 7:30pm, no less - they had no nap and we knew they would go to sleep after all of the excitement of the day) - Joshua asked for something else to eat. I sometimes acquiese, but usually the answer is no because their teeth are brushed and it's bedtime (sometimes they ask just to try and stay up, which I think this was a ploy to do just that - the grandparents were here, after all!). But this time I decided to go ahead and give them a bowl of cereal since they hadn't really eaten a whole lot that day.

And about 5 minutes after I made that decision - a freak accident occured. Josh slipped on a bouncy ball and broke his leg. His left femur, to be exact. Here are the details (if you are my friend on Facebook you have most likely seen this story):

When it happened, Chris heard a "pop." He told me that, and I figured it was a joint popping out of place or something. But Josh continued to cry, and could not walk, and so Chris and his dad (it just so happens his parents are visiting from Colorado) took him to Urgent Care. They sent him to the hospital. My mother-in-law and I stayed home with the other two kiddos (and I really didn't think it was going to be anything too bad, honestly). We found out around 9:00pm that he did in fact break his leg. When Chris called to tell me that they were keeping him overnight, I decided to go. They finally got a room around 11:30pm, and I got there around midnight.

They were not able to set the leg right away due to the risk of swelling in the cast. Because of this, he was in extreme pain. They had him on morphine, but it didn't seem to be helping much. Every couple of minutes, his leg muscle would spasm, he would jerk awake and scream out in pain and then cry for a bit. I cannot explain the absolute toture it was to watch my child go through so much agony. Finally around 3:30am they decided to give him valium to help with the spasms. Even that didn't seem to help much. Chris and I took turns holding his hand and trying to calm him with each outburst. It was beyond horrible.

Finally our pediatrician came in around 7:00am, and we told her what he had gone through all night. She promptly upped his morphine dosage (God bless her), plus at 8:00am he had another dose of valium, so he finally was able to sleep for a couple of hours. We had also seen the orthropedic surgeon around 7:30am, and he informed us that he would be doing surgery at 12:30pm (are you kidding me?! 5 MORE HOURS?!). He also told us he was going to be putting Josh in a hip spica cast, which is a cast that starts at the waist, goes down his entire left leg (to the toes), and down his right leg to the knee. Completely immobile (do you realize the energy level of this child?).

We went to pre-op with him, and right before they were going to take him for surgery, he vomited several times in a row and emptied the entire contents of his stomach. We helplessly sent him off for surgery, which took about an hour, and they reported back to us that all was successful. We had to wait an extrodinarily long time to see Josh again, because he was having a tough time waking up in the recovery area (plus he got sick again one more time). It took forever to get discharged, but we finally left the hospital at 10:00pm on Thursday. We were really glad that we forced the nurse to give him one more dose of pain medication before we left, since we had to stop by an all-night pharmacy to get his prescriptions filled.

So what had started out to be a super fun special day ended up turning into a how-could-this-happen nightmare. And pretty much killed the fun for the remainding 2+ days of my in-laws' vacation (but what a memorable one it will always be!). And now for the pictures (again - these will be familiar to Facebook friends):

Daddy feeding him ice chips - his first nourishment for over 24 hours.

Right before we put him in the car to take him home - poor little guy.

But thankfully he fits in the car seat, and the morphine kicked in so he could sleep.

His set up on the loveseat.

He can still use the potty - thank you God!

Getting kisses from the baby - he missed his brother!

Josh returns the love.

He had been begging us to sleep on his belly - and this was his first belly nap - on Daddy's belly.

We hooked him up in the wagon so he could go outside.

And of course he had to be next to the baby.

Melanie came to visit, bearing Get Well gifts. We love Melanie!

So the zoo and a broken leg, all in one day. Can't say it's boring around here!

And, once again the formatting of text-to-picture is all weird, and I cannot seem to fix it. Hopefully you can figure out how they match up. If not, my apologies.

The Most Fun/Most Awful Day: Part 1 - Most Fun

2008-09-29T14:18:00.019-04:00

We had a wonderful time with "Grandpa and Grandma from Colorado." We miss them so much already! One of the highlights of the visit was a trip to the Indianapolis Zoo (otherwise known as "the big zoo"). Both sets of grandparents went, making it very nice for us - every set of extra hands helps! The weather was beautiful - warm and sunny. We got to see almost everything - there were a few exhibits that were closed for maintenance (lions, tigers, AND bears - oh my!), and some rides that were not running, but it was still a fantastic time.

One of my favorite things of the day was having the boys feed the giraffes. They were SO excited. Here's George giving the giraffe a tasty snack:

And then it was Joshua's turn:

And now for some photos:

The last two pictures were of the boys signing "Rhino." Aren't they smart? There were a LOT more pictures - it was tough to choose which ones to post. We had such a blast that day, and then that night, tragedy struck. Stay tuned for part two. And for some reason I can't figure out why this formatting is so weird. I've spent over an hour trying to arrange things properly to no avail. So I'm leaving it as is and going to bed. At least I posted!

Blogging Backlog

2008-09-18T08:47:00.003-04:00

Where do I begin after such an extended absence (at least in blogging terms)? There are so many things I want to blog about, but it will take some time to get caught up. And as this was supposed to be meant as a do-it-as-I-go kind of thing, I will likely never get to everything I *had* wanted to post about.

Having said that, I realize that I need to put more substance up that reflects the true purpose of this blog - life with the kiddos. I will still muse about various topics here and there, but hopefully with a more thought-out plan rather than just rambling (but I'm prone to rambling, so I'm sure a fair amount of that is unavoidable - and I am now proving my point). As I'm sitting here, George & Joshua are playing with their (second-hand, which we love) Tinker Toys, building lots of creative structures (like rocket ships). The baby is in the swing, and he just said "ma-ma." I know he wasn't referring to me, but it was still really nice to hear those particular babbling consonants.

These boys are starting to require a lot more stimulation and energy (from me), so I will be setting some goals for myself and them: regular exercise, back to more wholesome nutrition, and starting pre-school (at home). It is becoming increasingly obvious that the time I have left to really be the primary influence is going to be gone in a flash. The first 3 years have flown, and exponentially so since adding Blake. He will be 8 months old in a week!

I am hoping to also include some regular picture posting on here for those who need their fix. Now to finish my tea with coconut oil (something new I'm trying out, and hopefully an explanation will follow at some point) and interact with my brood. I am blessed.

Are You Adventurous?

2008-09-09T13:09:00.003-04:00

As I am zooming through my own adventure, I have to make this quick. But it was on my mind, and since I have been SOOO absent from posting lately, I just had to jot something down.

We kicked off our MOPS year this morning, and I am really excited about it. I am serving on the Steering Team (heading up Publicity), and I get to see a lot of behind the scenes stuff that I was blissfully unaware of last year as "just a mom." It is a LOT of work!

Our theme this year is "Adventures in Mothering," and one of our discussion questions this morning was "What Makes Something Adventurous?" My answer sounded good (I'm good at discussions, but questionable at applying what I say - I'm a good-on-paper kind of person sometimes), but after I dropped the kids off I had a chance to reflect a bit more on the discussion.

How would you answer that question? Is it the fun places you go? Is it the exciting things you plan to do?

I believe that it is the attitude we have when things come our way that we aren't prepared for. Our response could be to get stressed out about the situation, or we could accept it and go with the flow. Or we could even see it as an adventure (which is not usually my response, I'll admit). How we respond to life's challenges speaks volumes to our children. Are we teaching them to keep moving forward and see life as an adventure?

I know this is not fun updates of the kids, or pictures or videos (which I will put up here soon, I promise!), but thanks for reading anyway. Sometimes I like to expound on my thoughts. This is why I have a blog, right?

I Hope I'm Not Jinxing Myself For Saying This...

2008-08-26T12:34:00.002-04:00

But I think the boys are BOTH completely potty trained now! I know! How did that happen and I didn't say anything until now? Well, I have been working. And watching Olympics. That's my best excuse.

What really sealed it for me in my mind was when we went to Sam's Club on Saturday and they both used the restroom there FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. They have both gone at my parents' house, and church, but never in another public place. So this was the moment it dawned on me. Josh has been in underwear going on 2 weeks now (George for quite a bit longer). I think something must have clicked, because now he's telling us when he has to go. And they both stay dry overnight and everything. It's a wonderful thing. I even took back a whole un-opened box of training pants. I'm so proud.

In other news, Blake turned 7 months old yesterday with no fanfare whatsoever. Poor baby. He is changing more and more every day. He has started rocking when he's in a sitting position - it's SOO cute. Josh used to do that a lot as a baby too. He has more hair than both of his big brothers did combined at this age. And it's BLONDE. Not a bit red. Not right now, at least. It's harder to tell in pictures, as sometimes the lighting makes it look reddish tinted. But it's not. He's a blondie.

He's babbling a ton, and he's recently started hugging us - which melts our hearts entirely. He is loving his ExerSaucer, and eating new foods, and he is just a happy little guy.

I have so many things to write about, and I need to post some pictures and videos, but all of that takes time, you see. I am trying to get ready for a garage sale and a visit from Chris' parents. Plus I have MOPS deadlines. So my blogging has been put on the backburner for now.

Coming soon...my crunchy plan, homeschool preschool, Qigong, and much more. Oh, and pictures and videos. Stay tuned.

Musings of Annoyance

2008-08-19T22:40:00.002-04:00

I remember all of the unsolicited comments, questions and advice I received during my pregnancies. And most of the time I feel that I handled it pretty well, though at times I was annoyed (of course that happens much easier during pregnancy anyway). I didn't realize that once I became pregnant I would suddenly become part of a club where people would tell me their stories about pregnancy, babies, and the like. And it's not all bad, of course. But it just strikes me as funny how when you are noticably pregnant, complete strangers feel comfortable asking you personal questions.

So it struck me today that I have become one of those people. I am the annoying person asking questions like "Are you hoping for a girl this time?" And I feel compelled to tell stories about my pregnancy and my babies, even if the person hearing the information does not care or is in a hurry to get out of the conversation.

So I think to myself now - perhaps I should not be so quick to judge people as annoying. There is something that bonds people together in that common thread of parenting. And it is comforting to have people understand what you're going through because they've been there before. Even if it you have to endure the same question about 50 times.

Let the Games Begin (or continue, as it were)

2008-08-11T15:25:00.004-04:00

I love the Olympics! It's making it very hard to accomplish anything in the evenings. I have so much to do, but I hate to miss anything. Last night, I was changing the baby, and happened to miss the much anticipated and wildly exciting Men's swimming relay where the U.S. shattered the World record and came back to win the gold by a hair. I heard Chris out in the livingroom (and it was of course the very end of the race), so I rushed out just in time to have missed the entire thing. I was a bit irked, to say the least, that Chris did NOT come get me to watch it, since he knows how much I love the games and knows I was interested in watching this event. I suppose I'll forgive him, and it didn't hurt that I got to watch parts of it about 3o times in a row immediately.

Chris and I wonder at times if our boys will be athletes. They have athleticism on both sides of the family, they are likely to be tall, and their parents love sports, so it stands to reason that we could end up with some kids gifted in that way. That is our hope, but even if they do not like sports AT ALL, we will love and support them. God has a plan and purpose for them no matter what.

But oh, to be the proud parents of an Olympic athlete. I bet many parents think about that in their daydreams. For now, we will watch with enthusiasm. And maybe when they come to Chicago we will try to attend some events live (if at all possible).

Looking forward to tonight's viewing...