Last day before school

Ah, the last day before school starts. Thought I'd share some pics of my kiddos that I've enjoyed this summer.

A few days ago, Zoe was our little cowgirl in her PJ's--how sweet is that?

Zachary loves his new exersaucer and chews on everything he can reach.

"What? Who doesn't like to chew?"

Last night's supper of baby food carrots--looks pretty satisfied, eh?

This morning, after he ate about 5:30 am, he slept in until almost 10 am, bottom up in the air, hands under him, mouth hanging open--now that's asleep!

Our morning project--the girls and I made jewelry from some of the several kits Meg got for her birthday. Meg took this pic of me with the earrings and necklace she made for me. She was very proud of them.

We also made cookies together today and I let them play outside while I mowed around my blueberry bushes. The weeds were about to overtake them. I pulled up the rest of the weeds and now it looks good around there. Now that I've cooled off, have Zach down for a nap and the girls settled with some video games, I'm hitting the shower.

Random post

Tomorrow, we head to BG to meet my in-laws and pick up our girls, who've been visiting them in Adair Co. all week. I've enjoyed a quiet week with my Zachaboo, but I miss my baby girls. Zach has missed them too, and has cried for attention a lot. I think he's so used to the noise and chaos of having them around.

I've been able to get a few things done around here, like cleaning the fridge and tidying up the girls' room. Most of the week I've been concentrating on decluttering and pickup, but today, I actually cleaned. It felt good and feels good to walk around a clean house. After tomorrow, it won't be that way *sigh* But I'll still be glad to have them back.

Zachary is going to be 5 months old next week. I can't believe how fast he's growing. He's approaching 17 pounds. He started cereal a couple weeks ago, and started carrots this week. He's liking both. Of course, now his poop is orange :) He is loving his new exersaucer his Nana found for him and knows how to play with all the toys on it. He's starting to squeal now too when he's having fun. It's so cute.

We went to Meg's open house at school last night and met her new first grade teacher. She seems really nice. We took her school supplies to leave there and pre-paid for her lunches. I think I'll take her the first day so I can make sure she gets to the right place at the right time.

Zoe starts preschool on the 11th. I can't believe my baby girl is ready for this step. It wasn't that long ago that she was in the baby swing like Zach is now, sleeping away with those little fat baby cheeks and fuzzy head.

Well, this was a very random post. Next week, school starts again, and so does a whole new schedule. I hope we all adjust well.

Celebrate with me!

Today is a momentous day.

I have cleaned the basement refrigerator.

"Uh-huh," you say. People, this is a big thing. I don't think I've ever cleaned this fridge in the six years we've lived here, except for maybe right after we moved in. Today, I cleaned it, and it took me about 2 hours. It was filthy. There was sticky stuff in the bottom of the freezer and fridge and mildew around the door seals. And all kinds of loose debris that took forever to get out.

I used my usual mopbucket filled with hot water and baking soda, along with some help from spray bleach cleaner and a toothbrush with toothpaste.

Did you know you can use some toothpaste with a toothbrush to safely remove mildew from your rubber door seals? If you're a slob like me and let your fridge get that dirty, try it. I learned that little trick from BBC America's "How Clean is Your House?". I love BBC America. I swear I'm a British girl trapped in a Kentucky girl's body.

By the way, did you all like my new blog header?

More O'bama e-mail

The latest one claims that O'bama shunned soldiers and only posed for publicity photos on his recent trip to Afghanistan. Like the other "We should hate O'bama because he did ___" e-mails, this one is inaccurate as well. Here's the Snopes article for your reading pleasure:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/afghanistan.asp

I'm not sure how the political smear e-mails have gotten their fuel. Is it a racial thing? Is it because of Senator O'bama's last name or background? Is it fear of Democratic liberal government?

As it stands, I'm neither a Democrat or Republican. I'm an Independent, because I vote for who I feel is the best candidate, not by which party they're affiliated with. Therefore, I am not a defender of Barack O'bama over any other candidate. However, I hate to keep seeing these e-mails circulating out of whatever ignorance, fear, or hate that spawns them. I'd like to see some e-mails about the issues that the candidates are discussing, and what changes they want to make in our country. Then we can have some straight-forward opinions. Strangely, I never see those...

My new favorite cleaning gadget

I have bought many cleaning gadgets over the years, hoping for some relief from the drudgery of housework. Many of them are living lonely lives in my cleaning closet, just cluttering it up. I've often found they actually don't make things any easier, but add work instead.

This time, h0wever, I think I've found THE gadget! The Swiffer Sweep n' Vac. I bought one at Wal-Mart the other day, using a $5 off coupon you can get here.

I charged it up for 24 hours, put a swiffer cloth on it and went to work in my dining room. Oh, the joy! I hate cleaning the dining room floor. Those little piggies I call daughters are so messy--crumbs everywhere. I usually either use the broom/dustpan, followed by a Swiffer, or use the Swiffer itself, followed by the broom/dustpan or the Dustbuster. Now, just a few minutes of running the Swiffer vac over it, and all done--all the crumbs, dust, hair, and all. Doesn't get the stuck on stuff, so I'll still need to mop that. I was able to do the dining room floor and a really thorough kitchen sweep (Meg wanted to use it too) before the battery even started to get low.

Hopefully it'll be my new best cleaning friend!

32 years ago today....

Here came trouble! Yep, it's my birthday. I've had a busy but good one so far. I saw a magic show with the girls at the summer reading program finale this morning. Then we had lunch with hubby, had ice cream at DQ, then headed back home for some naps. Now, getting ready for swim lessons with the girls at 5. Not too bad, I guess, since birthdays get less exciting as I get older :)

Just for kicks and giggles, here are some nostalgic pics of me in the seventies. Enjoy!








My mom Linda and me, May 1977








My granny Kessie and me, April 1977










My granny Kessie, bro Marty, and me, May 1977

Me at 2, circa 1978

A re-post from last year

I've gotten a few comments now on this old post about "Feature Films for Families" and how I was solicited over the phone by a pushy salesman. I thought I'd re-link it here since they're apparently still being pushy with people over the phone.

http://desperatehousewifesortof.blogspot.com/2006/08/feature-films-for-families.html

Yes, Mr. Pit?

Mr. Pit is calling me again. You might know him. He's the Pit of self-doubt, depression, and self-pity. If you've been around him, you know how ugly he makes you feel. I've spent many hours in his presence over the years, feeling mighty bad and low about myself, shutting out people and activities to bask in his lowness.

But you know what? I think I'll let the answering machine pick up the call this time, because I just don't feel like talking to him today. I'm enjoying being wife, mom, friend, and child of God too much right now. I might speak to him briefly from time to time, but I'll tell him I'm just too busy to visit right now. He'll have to call back later :)

Help Wanted

Some dear mom friends have started up a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group at our church. I have signed on to direct Creative Activities. Hopefully I haven't bitten off more than I can chew :) I got rather nervous a little while after I took on that role, because I remembered that I've got experience with crafts and activities...but for toddlers :) Not sure the moms would enjoy pasting together popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners. I have actually found a few good ideas and we're having a planning "retreat" day soon, where we can plan out activities for the first semester starting in August.

Now, ladies, we would still like some volunteers. You can be any age and have kids of any age (or no kids even). We're planning on every other Wed. morning from 9:30 to 11:00 right now. More info will be announced in church and in the community as well. If you'd like to help or just join up, let me know and I'll pass it on to Stacey (our director), who can fill you in further.

Hello smelly poos

We started Zachary on baby cereal yesterday. He took it quite well. Didn't spit out much of it. He got tired of it toward the end, though, and just wanted his mommy milk....NOW!! (as usual) So now we must be prepared for the beginning of smelly baby poop again.

Last night was the beginning of this year's VBS. We are doing a Hawaiian theme this year. I'm helping with preschool crafts, but not directing this year. It's so fun to help the little ones make their little things and see how proud they are to complete them. Zachary did very well in the nursery all night. He slept for a while, then had fun watching the other kids.

Tonight, Bible school again. Right now, I've finished my exercise and am enjoying my coffee, while making the girls pick up all the toys they scattered when some friends were here on Saturday. Making them pick up sometimes is more of a chore than just doing it myself, but Bryan keeps reminding me that I have to get them in a habit of doing it or they never will. So, every five minutes I'm yelling, "Pick up!" and reminding them what things go where, etc.

Hawaii's looking better all the time...

Things you may not have known about Me Tag

Theresa, that crazy woman friend of mine :), just tagged me today with one of those get to know me things. Well, I'm too tired to do anything else right now, so what the hey?

10 years ago I was:
Taking a summer course on molecular techniques at UofL, had been married a year, was working at Signature Inn in Louisville as a front desk clerk, and lived in a one bedroom apartment in not-so-good a neighborhood with my hubby, who was also working and going to college.

Five things to do today:
1. Pick blueberries before all the Japanese beetles get them. (check)
2. Vacuum carpets (check)
3. Get girls to pick up their room (took several hours, but check)
4. Look up unknown terms for veggies, herbs, and supplements from my "You Are What You Eat Cookbook" by Gillian McKeith from the BBC America show. Did you know another name for zucchini is courgette? (check)
5. Finish up laundry and hard floors....but don't know if that'll happen or not today...energy low.

Snack I enjoy:
Gracious, if I had my way, it would be chocolate of some form, especially brownies or cookies, but right now, I usually opt for a Fiber One bar and a few almonds.

Things I would do if a Millionaire:
Leave for Hawaii, never to return? No, really, I'd pay off all our debts, and all our family's debts, give a generous amount to our church and maybe a few other charities, and maybe open up a restaurant or bakery. I'd also make sure all my kids had enough for college and that we had enough to retire to a nice condo in Ft. Myers, FL :)

Places I have lived:
Grew up in Russell Springs, KY; Lexington, KY for college; Louisville, KY for more college and married life; Mt. Washington, KY for our first house; Central City, KY for a couple months when we first moved here; and Greenville, KY since we bought our house in April, 2002.

The four people I'm going to tag are Stacey, Joni, Rosi, and Susan. Have at it!

Good food Friday

If any of you local church members are wondering what to do with that 4 pound bag of chicken thighs from the June Angel Food Ministry, give this recipe a try:

Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings

It's definitely not health food, but boy, is it some good southern comfort food. The house smelled so good when I made it yesterday. I've made this recipe several times before, using a whole cut-up chicken, but the bag of thighs worked great. It would work with any chicken pieces (3-4 lbs) of your choice. I cooked up some of my neighbor's garden green beans along with it, adding some baby bella mushrooms and spinach to my own serving of beans. I ate only a modest portion of the dumplings, though I could have eaten half the batch :) It's my all-time favorite comfort food!

You can save the leftover stock for other cooking, like rice, soups, stews, etc.

This morning, I got creative and made me a 2 egg omelet with onion, green pepper, baby bella mushrooms, a little bit of cheddar/jack cheese and some spinach. Delish! I'm enjoying seeing what I can do with the fresh veggies I have.

How have you been creative with fresh summer veggies? Or with your Angel Food orders?

Completely unmotivated today

On a good note....I've been eating my veggies really well this week. Apart from some blueberry pancakes this morning, I've been really good in my eating.

Other than that, I feel very unmotivated and lethargic today. Zachary didn't sleep very well last night. He had a little fever after his shots and I think his legs hurt. I don't know if it's that or what, but I just don't feel like moving around much at all. I've got lots to do, so hoping after I finish this cup of coffee, I'll at least get a few things done.

Maybe just get one thing done, move on to another, one at a time and maybe I'll get somewhere.

Gotta kick up the exercise too. Not doing good this week with that.

How are you all doing? Are you eating your veggies? Exercising? Maybe you can inspire me :)

Ready for a nap

Today was Zachary's 4 month checkup. He's 15 pounds now and 25 inches. He's grown 2 inches in 2 months :) He had 2 shots and one oral vaccine. I hate to see him get his shots. He just cries so hard, but he's fell asleep right afterward each time now.

"Maggie" was gracious enough to watch the girls so I could take Zachary and look after him in peace. She also made us the most delicious lunch, with lots of her fresh garden veggies. I totally have a craving for growing a garden...it's just gonna have to wait a while until the youngins are a bit older.

So, Zachary's sound asleep now in his CRIB (yes, I finally cleaned out his room yesterday so he can actually sleep in there). The girls are supposed to be going to sleep, though I still hear some chatting and sure I'll have to go remind them to be quiet. And I am going to get re-acquainted with my couch. Ahhh...

Four months old

Little precious boy, you are four months old today! There is nothing that warms my heart more than that little toothless smile of yours. Every day I thank God that we were granted the privelege of being your mommy and daddy. Your sisters are crazy about you. You charm everyone you meet.

Some days, when mommy gets grumpy and tired from taking care of our family of five, all I have to do is see your smile, hear you coo, or cuddle you up close, and it makes it all worthwhile.

I can't believe how fast you've already grown and how soon you won't be a baby anymore. I'm going to cherish every chubby baby slobbery kiss from you before you grow up to be a young man. Then, someday, I hope to enjoy slobbery baby kisses from your babies too! Until then, Happy Four Months, baby boy--we love you!!

Why I'm in a bad mood

1. The holiday weekend is over too soon.
2. Which means I had to come home and face all the piles of chores that I never can get done.
3. And no aunts, nanas, or grandpas to change diapers and watch the youngins for a while--they spoil me when we're there.
4. I ate way too much over the weekend and I really need to be good this week to make up for it.
5. I've got head/neck/shoulder pain after my chiropractor visit this morning, and he doesn't want me to strain anything while I'm exercising, so I decided to let it go today and that just means one more day behind on exercise.
6. Money's tight, but we've still got mouths to feed and the bills keep on coming--never a holiday on those, huh?
7. I hate whining, which makes me even madder at myself for doing it now *grrr*

Tomorrow--hope to get back to some sense of a routine.

Travelin again

But this time to see family for the 4th of July weekend. My youngest niece is also turning 6 today, so we'll be celebrating tomorrow with her. Bryan's off today, so we're heading out around noon to see the folks.

In other news, we found out yesterday that the Days Inn that we stayed at last weekend has lost it's franchise from the chain as of June 12th. However, they have a grace period of 60 days to keep up the sign and remain on the website. So, complaining to the Days Inn customer service was useless. I highly doubt the manager would even care, seeing as how the whole staff acted there, so I guess we'll just close that chapter and learn from experience. I'm just glad I never put the baby in the pool!

Theresa says I need to start scrapbooking, after seeing my zoo pics ;) I actually have scrapbooked off and on for a year or so, but haven't done any for quite a while. Life just gets in the way and I can't focus on it. I love digital scrapbooking, and still have Scrapbook Flair and Creating Keepsakes on my computer. Maybe I'll spend some time the rest of the hot summer days before school starts getting some pages done.

A big project I need to tackle is getting our pictures under control. I've got package after package of pictures that need a home. The ones in the frames are really outdated, and I need me some albums to put the rest in. Anyone know of good places to buy cheap albums?

Our mini-vacation pics

We made it back Sunday afternoon from our mini-vacation in Louisville. For future reference, DO NOT stay at the Days Inn off of Hurstborne Lane in Louisville. Terrible hotel. We swam in the pool Thursday and Saturday morning woke up to discover it had been closed by the health department. I will not list all the other bad things wrong with this place, but we're planning on contacting customer service to see about a refund. Other than the hotel, we enjoyed the zoo, shopping, and visiting some old friends.

I met a friend whom I just HAD to kiss.

I didn't remember seeing these monkeys on the zoo map...

This orangutan is very curious about the human animals.

"Ready, Zoe? Let's go!" Meg and Zoe loved the splash park at the zoo.

Zach's first zoo train ride--doesn't he look excited? ;)

We ate dinner with our friends at Mark's Feed Store (good BBQ place) Saturday night. Their girls are the same ages as ours. It was good to see them all again.

A-traveling we go...

The amount of preparation involved in taking 3 kids along on a 3 day trip is just mind-boggling. We're taking a little mini-vacation tomorrow to Louisville to stay in a hotel with a pool, see the zoo, do some shopping, and visit friends.

For a little more sanity, I've made a list of stuff to not forget, plus I've printed out hotel, zoo, restaurant, mall and movie info to save some time when we arrive at these locations. Packing 2 bags for the girls, 2 for the baby, and 2 for us, plus a pool bag and miscellaneous bag with snacks, extra shoes, etc. And we have to bring the Pack-n-Play for Zach to sleep in.

I've been spending all day catching up laundry, dishes, and packing us up. I can see why some folks with young kids don't get out much--it's just so much work!

I did manage to get in a shower, then a 15 min segment of Pilates, 8 min abs and 8 min arms, and 8 min stretching. The girls did some of the exercises with me. It's entertaining just watching them.

Looking forward to a few days with the family, hoping we'll have a fairly relaxing, smooth trip. See you all next week!

Wellness mantra 3

"Fruits and vegetables are our friends."

None of us are eating enough fresh fruits and veggies, especially my girls. Well, fruits they like, but you'd think I was serving them p**p on a plate if I put broccoli in front of them. McDonald's french fries are NOT a vegetable, children!

Therefore, I've made a veggie chart for them with pictures of 7 different veggies to try, and each time they try one, they get a sticker. Whoever gets 5 stickers, gets a $5 gift at the Dollar Store. So far, Megan has 4 and Zoe has 2. Hopefully this will continue to inspire more veggie eating.

I am also eating the veggies right along with them--larger servings of course. I have a goal of eating at least one fruit or veggie with each meal, and increase that as I can. We can't rely on just multi-vitamins for our nutrients. We should strive to get most of what we need from our diet, then supplement that with vitamins.

I want us to re-familiarize ourselves with our produce departments, farmers' markets, or fruit stands. Get out there and get some fresh produce and eat away! Keep it as close to natural state as you can--steamed, blanched, raw, gently roasted. You can fill your plate with broccoli and it won't make you fat--promise! As long as you don't smother it with cheese :)

What are some of your favorite fruits and veggies?

Temptations and other thoughts

Over the weekend, on a semi-business trip to Evansville, we were given a big gift basket full of sweet goodies from the Great Harves Bread Company. It's sitting on my dining room table, tempting me. So far, I've had 1/2 a brownie, 1/2 a giant snickerdoodle, a small piece of strawberry shortcake bread, and some Groovy Granola. I've decided I'll stick only with the Groovy Granola, because it seems the healthiest choice, since it has oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, raisins, craisins, and other healthy stuff. When you sprinkle it on a single scoop of ice cream, it's really good...also good plain as well.

My blueberry muffins have been tempting me. I'm the only muffin eater here apparently, so it's hard to see yummy muffins go to waste. I'm limiting myself to one in the morning and one in the afternoon with some green tea for a snack.

Portion control is another thing I'm working on. Eating most everything on a smaller plate, making sure to dish it out in the kitchen and take it away to eat it, so I'm not tempted with seconds.

Eating slowly and thoughtfully is helpful, chewing each bite well and savoring flavors and textures. Allows time for my stomach to signal to my brain that I'm satisfied before I'm over-filled.

Sodas--I've been drinking almost exclusively diet sodas (mostly Diet Rite in recent years), but I had gotten a habit of drinking 2 cans a day. Cutting that back to one can, and even no cans on some days, replacing the soda with some skim milk.

Trying to shoot for a goal of not eating past 7:00 or 7:30 pm, unless I'm just really hungry. Brushing my teeth in the evenings after dinner may help with that.

Need to prioritize the exercise, preferably in the mornings, before kids are stirring too much. Need to stop procrastinating as I sit in front of the computer and drink coffee. Maybe make the coffee wait until after I exercise. Would be a reward of sorts, maybe.

Thinking I need to work on my backside and thighs--too much jiggling and gravity going on there. Going to check out my Pilates DVD to see if there are targeting exercises tomorrow.

Wellness mantra 2

"Get in gear and move your rear!"

I've never been athletic and don't even like to sweat. Yet, I know that moving my body will make it stronger and give me more energy. Apart from chasing my kiddos (which is a kind of exercise in itself), I'm not much into routine exercise. Plus, it's difficult to get out and head to a gym or health club, etc, so I have to be creative and exercise at home.

So, I'm trying to fit that into my day. I have a new beginner Pilates DVD and tried that this morning, along with 8 min arms and abs. Not good at the pilates yet. I did the first 8 minute beginners' segment. I'm going to have to practice a lot to develop the range of movement needed to be successful at that :)

I don't want to get bored and burned out, so my goal is to move my rear most days of the week, and vary it up with walking, treadmill, videos, and even just playing with the girls. From the little I've done the past few weeks, I can already tell a small difference in tightness and energy.

Alright now, ladies, the goal is not supermodel or bodybuilder bodies here, just more energy, strength and flexibility. Tell me how you move your rear!

Blueberry muffins

The great things about growing your own blueberries: super yummy, super nutritious.

The not-so-great things: I've got tons of berries, which means I'm making tons of...um...not so nutritious treats out of them :)

This morning, it was blueberry muffins. I've tried many recipes, and like a lot of things I've tried before, leave it to Alton Brown, celebrity chef of Food Network, to come up with THE recipe that finally worked! I'll share the link with you. The pic, by the way, isn't from this recipe, just one I found online. The actual muffins looked even better than these.

Here's the link. Alton Brown's Blueberry Muffins

If you're lucky, since I have quite the abundance of blueberries this year, I may show up at random people's houses with a batch of these :) To avoid eating too many (I did have only one, plus one bite of Meg's), I'd say you could freeze them, and take them out to warm as needed. Would be a great weekend guest recipe.

P.S.--Get yourself a kitchen scale if you haven't got one already to use for the flour measuring. Scales are great for many recipes.

First evaluation

To try to stay on track and hold myself accountable, I'm going to evaluate my progress (or lack thereof) here fairly often.

Yesterday:

Breakfast--One cinnamon roll, coffee, orange juice

Lunch-- mixed fajitas at the local Mexican place, along with Diet Coke and only a couple bites of the beans and rice on the side.

Snack--High fiber granola bar

Dinner--2 small slices frozen supreme pizza, spoonful of pasta salad, slice of fluffy lemon pie for dessert.

Here's the recipe for the pie. It's a light dessert from Simple and Delicious magazine:

Fluffy Lemon Pie

Ingredients:
1 package (1 ounce) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon sugar-free lemonade soft drink mix
1 cup cold fat-free milk
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat Cool Whip® whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust (8 inches)

Directions: Combine pudding mix and soft drink mix. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixture for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes (pudding will be stiff). Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread into crust. Top with remaining whipped topping. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours or until set.

I'm not planning on posting everything I eat, just evaluate when I think I need to and share recipes with you, etc. Nobody needs to post their weight! Women don't want to be reminded about how old they are or how much they weigh. So just post progress and updates as you'd like.

This morning, I've had a bowl of Kashi Go-Lean and OJ, but I've also made blueberry muffins that have just came out of the oven--let's see if I can limit myself to one :)

Wellness mantra 1

"Just because you CAN eat it, doesn't mean you SHOULD"

I've gotten tired of being "fluffy" and out of shape since being pregnant and having my last child. I've decided to begin changing the direction of my lifestyle to reach a destination of "wellness". I don't want to diet and fail. I want to begin from the inside, changing my attitude and reaching small goals that develop into routine. I want to be fit and healthy enough to hang around until I'm 100 and having everyone say, "Wow, I can't believe she's still alive".

It's not a fear of death or anything like that. I just think I owe it to my Creator to take care of this one body He's given me so I can do the work He wants me to do for as long as I can. Our years here are only a drop in the bucket compared to eternity, so best make them count--you can't do that as effectively if you're in lousy shape.

Hence, my new mantras. This first one--oh, don't we all struggle with that one? Junk food is yummy--full of sugar, salt, carbs and fats that just seem so good going down. But that's where they stay--right down on our bellies and hips.

I want to teach myself (part of this I learned in past Weight Watcher's meetings) to make better choices. Is that cheeseburger or candy bar really worth it? Why am I wanting to eat this and why now? Am I really hungry or just bored, depressed, etc? The first goal: evaluate how much and what I'm eating before I begin, so that I consciously make better choices instead of regretting it later.

Care to join me?

Wednesday Thoughts

Babies are so genuine when it comes to bodily functions. They can be smiling and cooing at you, and out pops a burp or poot, and right back to smiling and cooing. There's no embarrassment or shame. They're just so natural.

Now, kids Megan's age (6 and up)...to them, every bodily function, especially the loud ones are hilarious! Entertainment at the dinner table often involves Meg trying to burp the alphabet.

Never a dull moment around here people....I'll be here all week! (literally)

One more thought: this morning I made blueberry waffles. I can't cook anything that these girls will devour like pancakes and waffles. I think they both had 5 at least. I lost count. Why can't they devour broccoli or green beans like that? *sigh*

Summer is "wild kingdom" around here

Remember the snake last summer? Well, last week, a little bird got caught up in my bird netting that's over my blueberry bushes. I had to cut him out to rescue him. Today, it was a possum.

After we came home from picking up some Mc'D's for lunch, Megan spotted him in the front yard, next to one of our trees. He was acting strangely, circling around and falling over. I called the KY Dept of Fish and Wildlife, and finally, after much calling back and forth to get our location (it's such a confusing area to give directions for), they came out and got him. They said they'll take him back and see what's wrong with him. I was afraid of rabies, since he was acting so wierd and didn't want any of us touching him. I appreciate the guys who came out--they do a great job!

Don't ya love spit bubbles?

Time's Flyin

Try to overlook my lack of photographic genius, and enjoy the pics of changing times!




Our "toothless wonder" just lost her third tooth. I love to hear her "thpeak" now :)

Bryan worked very hard to finish up Phase 2 of our "around the trees" playground (I helped!). We got the slide platform ready the day the girls left for a week with Bryan's parents. They're lovin it now!

"Wheeeee!"

Zachary is 3 months old now and is a fat, chubby, happy thing. He knows what he wants when he wants it, and lets us know about it....NOW!!!

As long as he's fed, comfy, well-rested, and talked to on a regular basis, he's smiling and cooing at us non-stop.

Zachary's favorite toy--his little "Twinkle, twinkle" turtle. He's now learned to flip from tummy to back on the floor.

Blueberries anyone?

Susan asked me if blueberries are difficult to grow. I e-mailed her with some information and after I re-read it, I thought I would share it with you. With prices for everything going up these days, any thing we can grow ourselves is beneficial! So if you like blueberries:



"Blueberry bushes are surprisingly low maintenance. The only requirement they need is acidic soil, around pH 4.5-5.5. You can amend that pretty easily with aluminum sulfate and sphagnum peat mulch. I have 9 bushes now, and it's good to plant them in the fall. It's good to have more than one variety so they cross-pollinate and produce better. You have to prune them every year after the first couple years, but it's not hard to do. You just cut off dead parts and non-producing canes. Also, the first year, you don't let them make berries--you pick off the blooms, so they will concentrate on growing and establishing good roots. They are really resilient to pests. I've had a few aphids and Japanese beetles on them, but they never damage them badly. The only problem I've had with them is when we had that freeze last spring--it froze off all the blooms and I had NO berries at all last year. This year, I've got a ton of berries on the oldest ones, and they're just now getting ripe.

I bought mine online from Nourse Farms. They're a family owned company and are really nice about answering any questions you may have. Go to www.noursefarms.com to check them out!

I don't have the time or patience to mess with high-maintenance gardening right now, so that's why I like blueberries...and they're one of my favorite fruits too :)"

Mmmmmm....

I am finally getting ripe blueberries on my bushes. The girls and I picked enough to make the first blueberry pancakes of the season this morning. Let me tell you, nothing better than sleeping in, getting up and fixing blueberry pancakes for a late breakfast. Megan ate 4, Zoe had 3, and I think I had 5 :) Now some fresh coffee, and plans to play in the girls' new sprinkler outside in a little while.

I did have to wake up at 4 am when Zoe threw up a little and Zachary had to eat at the same time. Bryan handled Zoe, so I could nurse Zachary. But then I was able to sleep in til almost 8 today.

Now I just need some direction for the day. So far, I've been running in and out the last two days this week, so I've not exercised. Hoping to pick it back up soon, but I'm really so unmotivated and distracted with the "three". Trying to give myself grace and be patient with the process.

Kids are so funny!

This was taped on Zachary's bedroom door after we saw "Kung-Fu Panda" at the Sunday matinee this afternoon :D

Where did the quiet go??

My girls are back....*sigh* :) I'm really glad to have them home, but it was nice to have a quiet week with just Bryan and Zachary. We even went out last night to see "Don't Mess with the Zohan"--Zachary's first movie. He did really well. I put him in his sling and he slept most of the time and I nursed him in there when he got fussy. Good place to nurse in the dark :)

The septic guys finished up this afternoon. Bryan re-spliced the wires and gas line that was cut and now everything's covered back up. We have a lot of grass re-sowing to do now. But I'm so glad it's fixed. No more pumping smelly water into our backyard. No more worrying about it coming back up into the basement.

Bryan's folks were kind enough to bring the girls all the way back here so we could hang around until it got finished today. We grilled out for them and we all ate and visited a while, and now it's back to normal life.

I'm sleepy.

Lemonade and Septic Work

Those two things would not appear to go together, nor should they!

However, after months and months of having to pump out nasty water from our septic system into our backyard because our drainage lines are really old and have collapsed...well, the repair man finally came today! He had to wait until the ground dried out enough.

I was happy to see him arrive, but not 1/2 hour after he began digging with his backhoe, he came to the door to tell me he had dug up electrical and gas lines that ran to the garage. My hubby had just redone those a couple years ago to rewire old wiring and add the gas line.

*SIGH* Ok, so call Bryan (which I have to end up doing every time something's fixed around here--I don't know if it's myself or the repair people who are the most incompetent). Got the gas and electric turned off per his instructions.

Now, he's on his way home to assist in the situation.

I feel aggravated and helpless, so what to do? Oh, make fresh lemonade, of course! I had found this recipe online: http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1091/how-to-make-homemade-lemonade.asp I had already bought a bag of lemons and decided now's the time to mix it up. Looking back, I'm not sure $5 for the bag of lemons was a great deal for only getting one pitcher, but hey--it's GOOD!

I'll drink it while I'm watching men tear up my backyard.

Ow!

When you haven't officially exercised in over a year, it's really ouchy! I've made it three days in a row now...10 min on treadmill, 8 min arms, 8 min abs. My abs are so sore! And my pectoral muscles. I'm wondering if I should do the abs every other day to give the muscles a rest until they're not so sore?



I'm hoping I can continue some routine exercise once the girls are back home next week. We'll see!

Be prepared to laugh your butt off

Why did that chicken cross the road?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! That chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure - right from Day One! - that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side.' That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

It's gonna be a quiet week

Let me set up the scenario:

Bryan's sister and her hubby just happened to take their anniversary vacation over the weekend at the Land Between the Lakes, which is somewhat close to our area. They also just happened to have to pass by here to get there and back.

Now, I had been wondering when the girls could come for a visit with Nana and Papa, who just happened to be on vacation this week. Uncle Bradley and Aunt Cheryl were also on vacation this week, so it just happened that we decided to pack the girls some suitcases and send them home with said Aunt and Uncle as they passed by here on the way home from Land Between the Lakes.

So, it's just me, Bryan, and Zachaboo for the week. We already went to Red Lobster last night to celebrate Bryan's birthday (his birthday was last Wed, but he had to work crazy hours last week). Zachary was so good. Didn't even cry. We even went to Cold Stone Creamery for some ice cream after dinner. Great night out.

Today, I officially exercised for the first time since Zachary was born. 10 min on the treadmill, 8 minute arms and 8 minute abs. Hoping I can do it all week and keep doing it. I'm tired of being "fluffy". Need to get rid of about 20 pounds of winter and pregnancy coat :)

But looking forward to a quiet week here with my little man and my big man when he's home.

Playtime

I met up with my friend Melissa and her two kiddos yesterday. They're the ones we do the babysitting exchange with. Anywho, we took the kids to the church playground and brought little picnic lunches and let the kids have some fun.

I'm thinking we might try to do that once a week just to get out and enjoy a change of scenery and enjoy some adult conversation. I think I will start posting each week about it and see if anyone wants to meet there. I like the city park, but there are no good bathrooms around and no fences. The church playground is nicely fenced, quiet, and you can use the bathrooms in the church.

The only thing I did badly yesterday was not putting sunscreen on Zachary. I kept him in the sling most of the time and thought I had him in the shade enough, but he ended up with a little burn on his face. I felt bad, but it didn't seem to bother him. I'll just have to be more vigilant, since I'm planning on hitting the kiddie pool at the city park next week, plus more playground time :)

Wierd Sunday

I can now empathize with all the single moms and moms with husbands who work swing shifts, who diligently get their kids up every Sunday morning and get them to church. I woke up at almost 8 AM, running a bit late, jumped in the shower, yelling at the girls to get their dresses on, then had to get everyone fed, combed, shoed, and out the door so we could get to Sunday school at 9:45. Luckily, it was running behind because we were too :)

Poor hubby had to work from 9pm last night until after 11am this morning. He went with us to the Mexican restaurant for lunch (I drove of course), and now he's sleeping soundly.

Actually he AND the girls are sleeping soundly. I was GOING to be sleeping soundly, but Zachary decided he wanted to munch on mommy milk all afternoon, so has not slept much at all. I've fed him here at the computer, drinking my green tea, and surfing blogs. At least it's quiet time.

On another note...Zachary is now officially a tummy sleeper. The chiropractic adjustments did relax him a bit, but he still does not like sleeping on his back. I broke out the Angel Care monitor and he slept with it Friday night. He slept soundly for 6 hours straight, then ate and slept again a few more hours. He slept fairly well last night too, so I feel slightly less like a zombie now.

I've also been reflecting a bit about church ministry. New summer ministries are starting up and the need is great. My needs here at home are greater though, this year, so I have to step back, but I felt a strong desire to rejoin some ministries and activities. I think next year, I'll jump back in. I can hear Team Kid, Bible School, The Great Banquet, and other great ministries calling to me. Something to look forward to.

It's Friday...*woo*

Since I'm about to fall asleep as I sit here, I'll keep it rather short and sweet.

Zachary and I have seen our chiropractor twice now this week. He claims to be able to fix my sinus/neck/back issues and to help Zachary sleep more comfortably on his back. He thought that Zachary tended to favor turning his head to his left and that the birth probably got his spine and neck out of alignment, so he wasn't comfortable lying with his head tilted back in the bed. Haven't noticed any significant changes yet, but my sinus drainage is better. If he doesn't sleep well tonight, I'm breaking open the Angel Care monitor I received and we're putting him back on his tummy. Hopefully I haven't spoiled him already by putting him by me in bed when he's been fussy. We'll see.

This weekend, a long holiday weekend. Usually spent out of town with the family. Not this year. I'm without a husband this time around. Anybody want to loan me theirs? ;) Bryan has been working very hard, long hours on the scheduled spring outage at the power plant to fix maintenance/programming issues before the big summer demand starts. As the plant engineer, he's got to be there all weekend long to do the debugging as they start back up. I do mean all weekend too. I may see him a few hours when he comes home to sleep a bit, but other than that, just me and the kiddos. I rebelled and bought burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, drinks, ice cream and snacks because I'm going to grill out whether he's here or not. I can't make it through a Memorial Day without some grilled food. Really, though, pray for his and his crew's safety, especially travelling safety as they'll be really tired when they do come home.

And the sad thing....I watched Megan get on the bus this morning for her last day as a Kindergartener. She's very excited. I'm sad to see it over so soon. It seems like she's growing up way too fast.

A load of laundry and a nap awaits me. Hope you all have a great weekend!

And now, a poem for your reading pleasure

From my sis-in-law Cheryl, who's been witness to this craziness for all 16 years of it (including dating time) :) Enjoy!

Bryan and Misty’s Poem


Bryan and Misty
Was a lovely pair
they mumble in words no one understands
but they don’t care

their eyes twinkle for one another
misty couldn’t be a better mother

their love has grown for many years
they have had blood sweat and tears

they have 3 kids
their wild little monkeys
but they wouldn’t give them back for a month of Sundays

Oh yes, they may be tired and they may be weak
But the future is bright and doesn’t look bleak

Misty works at home
Bryan works away
When he gets home they hit the hay

Now I tell the love they have it’s one of a kind
If you can’t see it then you might be blind

So here is my little poem I wrote for you
Stay together, hold each other tight, and love will see you through

THE END!!!

Whee!

*Edit--I forgot to add that Zachary slept the entire time he was there in his carseat, the little booger. I had pumped about 10 oz of milk for him and brought his bottle, warmer, and all that and didn't even need it. :) The milk is now in the freezer for future use.

Thanks to my dear friend "Maggie" and her fabulous family, we were able to catch a Sunday matinee showing of Iron Man for our 11th anniversary outing. Awesome movie. I ate so much popcorn, that some of the kernels cut my mouth and drank so much soda I couldn't blink for a while, but boy, was it nice to see an uninterrupted movie. Well, except for the couple making out in clear view of everyone (get a room--sheesh!), it was really great. Gearing up for the new Batman sequel later in the summer.

It's such a blessing to have friends nearby willing to watch our kiddos when we're so far from our family to easily have date nights. We have a couple in our church with the same situation as ourselves that we do babysitting exchanges with. That's really handy too when your family is far away, or even if they're close by, but not always available. I think we're finally ready to start babysitting for them again too.

Still waiting on my Angelcare monitoring system, so hopefully more sleep will be in my near future, and hopefully after that, more exercise! I'm ready to firm up this flabby mama body.

Confessions of a not-so-perfect mom

Zachary likes to sleep on his tummy. He hates sleeping on his back. I know all about the putting babies down on their backs thing to help prevent SIDS. His doc expressed concern at his 2 month checkup last week when I told her he was a tummy sleeper. So, since then, we've been laying him down on his back. And since then, I've been a walking zombie.

Last night he did a bit better, sleeping from 10 to 1:30, then he got restless and I put him in bed beside me and he slept until 4:30. I guess I should amend that first paragraph to say he hates sleeping on his back in his bed, but with me, lying beside me on my body pillow--that he's fine with :) I'm not so fine with it, but it's the only way I can get any sleep sometimes.

Anyway, we have ordered an "Angelcare" monitoring system that goes under his bassinet pad and detects movement and has an alarm if nothing is detected for 20 seconds. So, if he doesn't adjust to the back-sleeping thing by the time it gets here, we're going to let him tummy-sleep with that thing so I won't feel quite as worried about it. It may sound selfish, but y'all, I just got to have some sleep. I'm afraid I'm going to drop the baby or something if I don't.

And we've tried swaddling, propping, rocking, feeding him to sleep, etc. He just doesn't like the back thing. Hope you don't think I'm a bad mama, but with two other kids to raise, sleep is precious around here.

In other news, looks like we'll be going out for our anniversary on Sunday afternoon. Hopefully we'll catch a matinee.

11 years and counting

Saturday, May 17 will mark 11 years of marriage to my soul mate, Bryan. The first couple years we spent working hard and going to college. The last 6 years we've spent working and very tiredly raising 3 kids. We've braved the journey together and I want to brave it for another few decades :) I love you babe!

Now, we have to figure out how to get out Saturday night. Thinking dinner and the Iron Man movie. I'm going to try to pump enough milk for Zachary if we can get some volunteers to babysit. Since we have three now, we may have to split them up if they're too much to handle. Ok, any takers?

What to do, what to do...

Have you ever had so much to do that you didn't know where to start first? I have that issue all the time. I could literally stay busy with housework 24/7. My problem is that I have so much that needs to be done, I tend to shut down and not do anything for a few days, so it just builds up and gets worse. I'd rather stare at the computer or go to the grocery than look at the mess.

So, here's my present goal:

Pick a room. Start in one area. Get that area cleared out/cleaned. Move on to other areas in the room, cleaning each one, until the room is clean. Go on to another room. Take breaks when I get overwhelmed. Feed the baby, Zoe, and me when needed. Do laundry and dishes in the meantime as well.

I could fill up most of my day just doing laundry and dishes. The house gets very neglected. It's time it had a little more attention.

Sounds good. Let's see if it works. After my coffee...

My NOT mother's day weekend

Yesterday was not Mother's Day. Well, that's what hubby says. He had to work most of the day, apart from having Zachary's baby dedication at church (forgot to take pics) and eating lunch afterward. So, he says next Sunday is Mother's Day for me. Next Saturday is also our 11th wedding anniversary, so it will be an interesting weekend. Hopefully we can squeeze a date in there. Hubby is dying to see Iron Man in the theater.

This past Saturday, Bryan's sister, Cheryl graduated from Lindsey Wilson College. We were able to come in late Friday night and make it to the ceremony, then left Saturday evening. We're very proud of her. She worked at the college while taking classes there too. Not an easy thing to do (I remember!) but she did it and we're happy for her. Now, no excuses on making us a new niece or nephew soon :)




Aunt Cheryl with our youngins. No, they don't substitute for kids of your own, so get busy ;)

Meg tries on the graduate hat. I'll see that again on her in too short a time. *sigh*

Zoe not really interested but obligingly tried it on. She was too busy thinking about plucking up the flowers from the landscaping.

Zachary had had enough of the bright sun and people hootin and hollerin.

My niece (17) and nephew (14) from Tennessee. He's grown a foot, I swear, since the last time I saw him. They're putting Miracle Gro in his food, I think. My niece will be graduating from high school next year *sniff*

Thoughts from a morning grump

Would someone please tell the baby not to fill his diaper between the hours of 12-5 am? Not fun.

Birds chirping much too happily just outside my bedroom window at 5:30 am when I've been up with the baby twice is not cute.

Waking up with a sinus headache after taking two naproxen the night before can't be a good sign.

Do you ever...

Have envy?

I sure do. Sometimes it crops up more than others.

I envy those local families who have family nearby so their kids can easily stay with grandparents for a night out. I envy being able to just drop in at "mom's" house for dinner or family get-togethers without having to drive 2 1/2 hours.

I envy just having a normal family. Bryan's side of the family is more like the Cleavers (well, some of you are kinda crazy ;) ) but mine...more like the Addams family. I see blog posts or hear about great family get-togethers, with all the siblings being so close, parents and grandparents who've been married for a gazillion years and I can't help but give a little *sigh*.

I suppose envy hits us all at times, yet I think the Holy Spirit reminds me each time it starts that I'm so lucky and blessed to have this little family that I have. A family of 5 now. Sounds funny when we go to restaurants. I love them so much and I almost bet there might be someone who would envy what I have too. I really am a lucky girl.

Zachary's first bottle

This morning, I pumped a little over 4 ounces from my left side. I was quite proud of just doing that! I decided to try a Dr. Brown's bottle this time. It's supposed to work more like real nursing, with positive pressure to reduce colic. Whatever. Anyway, he loved it. Drank like an old pro and finished the whole thing tonight. Bryan enjoyed feeding him too. I'm glad he liked it. Zoe never would take a bottle and Megan didn't care for them much. By the way, I'm not planning on stopping nursing, just getting him accustomed to the occasional bottle so we can be able to leave him with someone else eventually.

Zoe and Zachary this afternoon, after naps.

Zachary the other day, trying to catch some of his chubby-cheeked smiles.