A Day in the Life of......

Resuming Normal

Once again, given my current state of mind and body, I'm not exactly feeling the dreamy, creative, humorous side of life right now. So, this is just a boring, stick to the facts kind of update. I'm sure at some point in life this'll be entirely funny...but right now it still kinda hurts too bad to be funny.

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I will start with the fact that food poisoning is about one of the most not so entirely pleasant, unfun things in life one can experience. I think that is about the most miserable I have been for the shortest amount of time ever as far as sicknesses go....course when you feel as though you 're dying it doesn't exactly seem so short. Overall it was really only 6 days...4 of which were really obnoxiously horrid. At some point in there it seemed to be an entire system failure and I told attentive, entirely sympathetic husband my body needed a reset button. If ever one thing led to another to another this was it. Dehydration led to migraine. And then due to the fact I couldn't move for two days I nursed on my side which led to a clogged duct since I never changed positions. But since I was already on antibiotics for bronchitis it never turned into mastitis....not that I really would've noticed at that point. And then I was told I absolutely had to start eating again at some point or this whole process would just be a vicious cycle the lack of food became a detriment rather than an asset to the whole thing. When it went from being just a stomach virus on steroids to blood entering the picture we both knew at that point something was really just kind of wrong. I lost my appetite Monday night and attempted food for the first time again Saturday...and that was 3 pieces of toast, some probiotic yogurt with probiotic supplements and some gatorade...food of which I have never in my life been so proud to say I ingested. I was actually a bit excited about getting on the scale. I figured that'd be about the fastest weight loss ever known to mankind and I'd see some 10 lb 6 day drop. But, much to my dismay, I weighed the exact same crapped out thing I did when I started the whole thing. Still not so sure how that one worked out. Everybody has their starvation mode theories but common sense just screams that if you don't eat you're just going to lose weight. You can't go without food for days on end and maintain cattle scale status....but somehow I managed to accomplish that feat. Brad is quite adamant that it's due to all of the IV fluid I've had going but that theory doesn't exactly pan out either due to the fact I dehydrate again in a mere 24 hours, if not less. And when I say dehydrate...it's not exactly the "I'm thirsty" kind. It's the "I can have 2-3 bags of fluid and not pee afterwards for 24 hours" kind. I can safely say after this experience that I don't ever wish to experience this one again.

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I couldn't have asked for more in a husband than what I had throughout it all. He continues to amaze me. Just when I think I certainly could not have it any better he rises to the task at hand, lays himself down, meets every need he knows I will have before I ever have them and loves me in ways that only true fairytale love could. Husband turned bedside nurse told me over and again how absolutely beautiful I was throughout it all. He stated that I was by far and most definitely the prettiest sick patient he'd ever attended to. That is some serious true love there. It did, however, make me feel a bit Audrey Hepburnish. If food poisoning could ever be romantic it'd be the deathly ill girl with the long flowing hair swirled all over the pillow melodramatically with the fever flushed cheeks and the chapsticked lips with the desperately in love man standing by her side meeting every need she ever had....minus the 2 smiley babies and naked two year old with the wild crazy hair piled up in bed with the sick girl. With the load he was carrying of both children and running water plant I refrained from saying anything or eluding to how bad I felt but after this many years of marriage I didn't have to say anything for him to know....and I love that about him. Of course, when you can't get out of bed for 2 entire days it becomes a bit apparent....especially around here. How very grateful I am for older children who can keep a house running even when I cannot. Kitchen stayed clean, laundry was done and floor stayed picked up. And while Brad was traveling with Grayson, Garrison and Grant Evye was able to manage everything astoundingly well. She and Aubrey managed the little ones that were home, made meals, brought babies to me to nurse, changed diapers, gave bottles and managed to keep the house running and presentable. Pretty impressive.

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The only downside to having a husband that runs your entirely rural tiny town water plant would be that if he doesn't show up to run it you...and the other 220 people in town.....drink contaminated river water for the day. So, while I was laying under 22 layers of covers shivering so violently my teeth chattered and drifting in and out of sleep he was running back and forth between plant and bedside meeting my every need. His patience with me is one of the sweetest gifts in life. And while he had to work and leave throughout it all I respected him for it and he continued to return home for me, checking in every spare moment he had.

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Despite the many bags of IV fluid my body still does not really want to stay hydrated. So, I have until tomorrow to do it on my own and keep it within or we'll do yet more IV's until I'm actually back up and running. Still kinda hard to want to eat or drink anything and keep it within once I do...but everything that was causing blood to show up in places blood should never in a lifetime be finally quit.....so, we're on the right track!

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And I worked out Monday even when I didn't feel good but by Tues things were going downhill pretty swiftly so I lost an entire week. That was pretty irritating.....or really, a lot irritating. I've been told not to work out again until I'm back to eating normally and everything has returned to normal as far as body goes. Not sure how long that'll be at the rate I'm going...seems a bit slow right now....but maybe by Tuesday. Kind of frustrating.

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But, it could've been much worse. And really it could've been a lot longer. When I was 10 I had pneumonia, typhoid fever and petroleum disease (not called that anymore but I can't remember what they renamed it) from swimming in a green slimy pool at Bible camp. It lasted 3 months, I was hospitalized for some of it and had to have blood drawn daily for 3 weeks and then every other day for another 6 weeks. I was seriously sick. Then the miscarriage was awful in and of itself and that lasted 13 weeks. So, this definitely rates in the top 3 worst sicknesses ever but it was by far the shortest of them all...and for that, I am entirely grateful in every regard. I like short.

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Thanks to the OLIVE GARDEN our date night was remembered long after it was enjoyed. Really makes you reconsider ever eating out again. But then I know me and I love eating out way too much to let one episode alter the rest of life. Recouping is slow going but on to health and wellness and life again!

Survey Says

...it has been determined that I have food poisoning. Since I already had bronchitis my immune was compromised ...which did not bode well for anything that came along after the fact. Stomach bleeding and all kinds of fun stuff. More bags of IV fluid. I'll be back to blogging when I feel alive again.

And I have no clue what this is but it seemed like a pretty good depiction of what I imagine food poisoning to be.

Sick

Fever of 103.1 for 2 days that won't break, sinus infection, bronchitis, stomach virus, have not eaten anything in 3 days, 2 bags of fluid but cannot get ahead of the dehydration curve between body trying to make milk, fever and puking, cannot even begin to stomach the thought of any food yet tons of meds on an empty stomach results in stomach revolt. Brad took 3 of the boys to Greenville, a 12 hour drive round trip, for a day trip for something that could not be postponed. If it's not better by tonight when he returns he said he's taking me to the ER. I don't want to be gripy.....but this is really, really, really kinda miserable.

Growing Babies

I'm not feeling very creative at this point and words seem to elude me. A sinus infection has turned into bronchitis and sinus pressure has resulted in a 3 day, unrelenting headache that refuses to go away, which seems to alter brain function a little.





Baby boys are now sleeping through the night consistently. Such an amazing milestone...especially when two are involved. They go down at 10 pm and wake at 8 am. But, now on a schedule and sleeping through the night means they need more quiet than our bedroom provides and so the bittersweet transition has taken place. They have now graduated to the nursery. I've never missed a baby booted out of our bedroom before but I really miss these guys in there with us. Not sure exactly why. Paramedic husband is adamantly opposed to babies sharing the bed with us due to the many calls he has run of cobedding infants that have ended in utter, preventable tragedy. The "it'll never happen to me"actually happens to alot of unsuspecting people. Sad, sad stuff. So, we cosleep in the same room but not the same bed until they sleep through the night. Then they graduate! And at 4 1/2 months these little guys have graduated. I'm grateful for the uninterrupted sleep but missing my little sleeping buddies. Teeth, jabbering, sleeping through the night babies...they're not so tiny anymore. How much I love this stage. They are entirely, amazingly, delightful in every way. I don't think I've ever held my heart in my hands like I do when I hold one of my children. To truly know these boys now and their personalities...to make them smile and laugh....is absolutely one of the most amazing things to ever experience in life...even the 9th and 10th time around. Sweet, sweet growing boys. How truly blessed we have been....ten times over. I am so desperately in love with my sweet boys. Twins the 2nd time is just as sweet and just as amazing as the first time around.





With Grayson actively apprenticing and learning his beloved skill and trade and Evye swiftly coming up on his heels with her own desires we have been praying for direction. It would take a miracle to bring it together for her, just as it did with Grayson. And since we serve a God that loves to work miracles..but in His time and not exactly our's....Evye is now the proud owner of a horse named Champ. One of the best horse trainers in the region is a 20 year old girl. She and Evye bonded immediately. So, through no small miracle Evye is now the proud owner of a massively expensive horse that we were given for a fraction of what he is worth and she is being trained and groomed to barrel race in the rodeos by one of the best trainers around. Once we acquire a trailer we'll start attending playdays until she gets good enough for the rodeo scene. Just as we rely on the Lord to provide for us...because the salary of one of the lowest paid fire depts in the state of Texas surely doesn't provide for us...so we rely on Him to meet each of our children's interests and life pursuits. And over and again He has proven Himself faithful in every way. He has been faithful to give us these chidren and over and again He proves Himself faithful in providing for each of them in every way.

The broken swing on the right that is now fixed! Beautiful days of playing outside.

Waiting for his head to pop out. It never did. Smart turtle.



The epitome of nasty disgustingness.

Happy, sleepy boy....and lookin' a little bit like daddy.

Juicing

I really love the BB's right in the middle of it all. Adds a nice touch.

Champ and Evye

She rides him from sun up to sun down...after school and chores are done..which she completes in record time now.

Sweet twin pics

My new view from the backdoor. Pretty awesome.

Rowdy boys

Early morning bed buddy

This became our after workout fun. 22 total mounds that were like running on sand hills. Definitely did the legs some good. Children and I did this for half an hour 4 days in a row until they finally came and spread them out all over the road. It was definitely fun while it lasted! My favorite is the familiar little 6 year old standing proudly

claiming king of the mound in the 1st pic.

Weekly Weigh-in - the post partum twin journey down - week 2

Week 2

The routine:

Weight Watchers

P90X

Running 3 x's a week

cut out all refined sugar

juicing daily w/ Breville juicer

I have kept immaculate track of everything that has gone in my mouth the last two weeks and counted Weight Watcher points with great fervor.

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So....drum roll please.....I lost another 3 lbs. A total of 18 lbs now. 10 lbs before I started tracking on here. 5.6 last week and 3 this week. Over half way there!

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I fully expect my body to plateau a little after the sudden drop in weight and won't be surprised or disappointed next week if I just maintain. I would welcome anything that is getting closer to the goal but I've done this enough times to know that a week is coming, probably sooner rather than later, that the scale maintains before it begins it's move south again. I just figure that as long as the mirror is showing results I'm a happy girl. And the way my body feels right now I am quite assured P90X and running is going to indeed get some results in addition to better eating habits.

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When determination strikes I have the ability to walk away from most anything and everything....and so it goes with food. My role of Bessie has suffered a little this week due to the fact that on stress days I don't eat or drink much of anything at all and milk production is greatly affected by that little change in diet. Given the amount of physical energy exerted in the anaerobic activity of running and some days of P90X and the other days of lifting weights the little water I did have on board has been used up there. So, I need to drastically work on water intake this week in order to continue feeding babies. But, that said, how very amazingly grateful I am that they take bottles and will drink supplements. I vividly remember being unknowingly pregnant with Gavin and my milk suddenly and unexpectedly drying up for him at only 4 months. He cried for days as he refused bottles and went hungry and how desperate and exasperated I was over milk supply having taken an unexpected southward dive. We discovered 15 wks later I was pregnant with baby #7, thus the reason my milk dried up at a mere 4 months with #6. I usually exclusively nurse until I am pregnant again. For whatever reason my milk dries up in very early pregnancy. I was able to exclusively nurse G&G1 for 9 months before becoming pregnant again. I exclusively nursed Garrett for a mere 4 months before becoming pregnant with Gavin. He was 5 months exclusively nursing when Ivye's pregnancy popped up. She was 7 months when I showed up pregnant with sweet baby boy. Since that pregnancy lasted into the 2nd trimester my milk had long dried up and she was on solids by the time it was all over.

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Which brings me to a completely unrelated weight topic since we're already on it. I find it odd and a bit funny that people assume we do not exclusively nurse due to the fact I get pregnant so quickly after a baby. There are some serious misconceptions in the world that breastfeeding is like birth control and you will more than likely not get pregnant while nursing. While that is true...the more than likely part is entirely true also. We fall into the few that prove that theory wrong in a massive way.

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But....these boys are not exclusively nursed and how thankful I am for that. Sounds funny, I know.....but true, none the less. The ease of being able to get out of the house with all 10 is huge. And with babies taking bottles it helps this cause out dramatically. Since working husband is very rarely with us on outings anymore getting out the door on time is huge. And I'm a bit fanatical about being on time since it's an issue of respect for other people and their time. I don't exactly think it's entirely right and considerate to cause others to be inconvenienced or have to wait on you due to the fact you can't handle you're own life well and have personal time management issues. Another topic for another day.

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So, bunny trails there. Back to the topic at hand. I actually do love bottles and formula. And though the boys do nurse for the most part it takes the pressure off of being their soul source of nourishment and them potentially lagging behind in growth due to low milk supply issues. So, I actually embrace bottles with these little guys. And after I nurse them if they are still hungry they can actually have full stomachs because they actually take bottles. This is a huge milestone for me. Another area in life where I no longer feel I have to live up to the belief or expectation that you are an awful parent if you supplement. FREEDOM. It is amazing.

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So, anyway.......juicing has occurred daily and I'm on my 19th day of no refined sugar at all and still going strong. Determination and focus. It's a beautiful thing.

When You're a Little Outnumbered

There are days that go exceedingly well....most days, in fact. But then there are the days that don't go so exceedingly well....and yesterday was one of those days....of the not so entirely splendid sort. With working husband only appearing for 5 minutes every morning, enough time to come in from shift work to say hello and leave again, or waking up and parting.....and then coming home in time for dinner while he showers and I do the whole bedtime routine alone it very much feels like I am doing this whole thing alone sometimes....probably cause I pretty much am. And no...that is not a pity party, it's just the nature of the beast at this point. And how entirely grateful I am for the God given opportuntity to work this much and free ourselves from the chains of debt. We both are working our butts off to make this happen and we both are in agreement to the commitment required on both of our parts. And we both know it's a long hard haul until we get there. We are an amazing team and we can do this. We've successfully accomplished so many things in life together and this is certainly no different. God has blessed us with the ability to work this much and get out of debt and we will step up to the plate and do what it takes to make it happen. So...this is no pity party......though by mid morning yesterday it had kinda shaped up into one.



There are days...albeit not many of them...that just don't go according to plan at all....apparent to the world at large by the naked kid chopping down a tree in the front yard, the 4 boys simultaneously peeing on said tree together, way too many kids sliding down the sloping angle of our roof line onto the less angled, rather flat front porch roof and the naked little girl feeding cats out front, or a ton of kids creating the world's largest mud puddle via outside water spout and then covering themselves in mud to play "crawl through the grass army guys". And, honestly, I don't entirely mind the crawl through the grass army guy game unless it's 30 below. But...when town members call to tell you your kids are wasting water in the front yard it gets a little irritating.

And, the last few days have gone a little something like that. Never here neighbors showed up this past weekend, in which neighborly husband took Garrison over there to explain why exactly they have a new pane in their glass door. They seemed amiable enough....at least the husband did. His lovely wife....with which we share the driveway with....was still in the surly, cantankerous, kid hating mood she seems to stomp through life with and spent the entire weekend yelling at our children to get off of the swing that hangs from a tree bordering their property and claiming half of the driveway as their's as she mandated all children stay on our side. To say that my patience and virtues were tried a little doesn't even come close to painting an accurate picture of our weekend. We cooked out Friday night and by Sat morning all children were out playing again. Usually the fire pit is watered down after each use but exhausted husband grilled and we put children to bed and retired ourselves, with no more thought given to it. Grant, being Grant, pulled the grid off the pit Sat morning and it was only a matter of time before Gavin had fallen in. He walked away with only deep 1st degree burns on his lower back and one 2nd degree burn but once again my patience with life was tried. It could've been so much worse.

So....by yesterday morning life was looking up and we began our day. Though given our recent weekend experiences it was a little more sober than usual. With Grayson and Evye carrying out their morning responsibilities a little unwillingly and all little guys outside playing in backyard the doorbell rings. Getting ready to shower from having been baby puked on twice I throw on mismatched clothes trying to hurry to door. I catch bits of words to Evye that had already greeted doorbell ringing person..."Little girl....naked....down street." Person climbs back in car about the time I make it to door. She sees me, points west and laughs as the other 2 occupying her vehicle just wave laughingly. I look westward and, to my horror, am met with the sight of a little tiny familiar girl with wild crazy morning hair running farther and farther away from her domain in nothing....absolutely nothing....but mismatched socks and flower boots. With her already out of ear shot, no shoes on of my own and piercing goat heads lying around like landmines I intelligently holler to Evye.....who was already half way to her.....to go get her. As if couldn't get much worse, a good natured town acquaintance pulls up in his big ole truck and asks if we're missing some kids. I assure him we probably are. He continued on to inform me that we have "a ton of kids and dogs down there" pointing in the general direction in which naked kid was running for. I look closer and see way too may little red shirted figures scattered from here to California chasing after the swiftly disappearing into the horizon dogs. In total exasperation I call water plant working husband to go round up our family while I put shoes on. As Evye walks naked girl home Evye completely bends over and covers her naked little self everytime a car drove by...which was making it take ten times longer to get her home. With all of patience dissipated at this point I make my way to them snapping..."Evye! Why in the world are you covering her up???!!! She just streaked through town butt naked and put herself on public display for the world!!! I don't think 4 cars are really going to matter at this point!" So, lifted into Evye's arms with front plastered to her chest and feeble attempts to cover her bare naked butt with a small ten year old hand, she was taken home and I jumped in truck to round up the rest of our merry little brood now scattered over a 20 mile radius.

I was seething a little at this point. All walking 8 were given a much deserved sermon by husband and requests were made for me to man my domain a little better as to avoid CPS being called on us. Then his truck faded away once more and I was left again for the 143rd day in a row...alone....to do it all. And the self inflicted pity party started along with the mounting anger of having been asked to maintain my responsibilities a little better. Walking back in the house I was met with quarreling older children and I'd had it. I'd had it with bad attitudes, fighting, streaking kids, loose dogs, bad tempered neighbors, dishonest people, fault finding extended family members, the broken swing that never gets fixed, an absent husband that is only seen for an hour a day, cooking, cleaning a house that is never clean, 100% responsibility for absolutely everything that takes place within the four walls of our home, a messy carport, a teenage boy trying to find his hormonal balance, hot fire pits, horses freed from pastures by 3 year old boys, tick infested dogs, internally bleeding chewed up cats, Sudafed eating 2 year olds and so on. Soooo.....I kinda proceeded to scream and yell and jump up and down and cry and predict that all of life is coming to an end. The ten little mini me's that stood and sat around watched in total silence as I, quite literally, threw the biggest fit ever known to mankind.

And then I slammed a door...the most unpardonable sin in the house.


Nice, huh? I think I just won the award for Proverbs 31 woman of the year.


I promptly barked orders for oldest son to grab 30 foot ladder and triumphantly proclaimed that the swing, broken for months now, was going to be fixed today. There are things that never home husband prefers me not to fix but, generally, when I get on a roll these are the go to things that get fixed. In my home repair repertoire I have plumbed, painted, hung crap up, put furniture together, trimmed lofty trees, moved storage sheds, hauled stuff up to the attic that more than one person probably should've moved together, and torn out entire built-in entertainment centers. With a quiet, "Umm...mom? Daddy's not home. Are you going to call him home to fix it?" I managed to bark out "Nope" and kept walking. At that point everyone knew better than to question any activity taking place. So, in 20 mph winds gusting up to 30 I hauled 30 foot ladder to 80 foot tree. And we continued to therapeutically wrestle and then wrestle some more with wind and ladder. After forever and a day ladder was propped into place 20 feet into the air ...despite the fact it was facing backwards.....and I marched to the top of it...only to discover that prevailing winds mandated the bottom of it be held in place. So, I climbed right back down, held base of ladder while 13 year old now climbed to top only to discover new link for chain was way too big. Now on a life mission, measures were taken to ensure the too big link was indeed fitting in holes, and pliers were located. Existing links were forcefully and determinedly bent to accommodate new one. After about 45 minutes swing was fixed and I moved on to work off the rest of my bad attitude.

With Plyometrics being the P90X of the day I determinedly pushed play. Which only resulted in yet more frustration due to the fact I have been at this now for 2 weeks, muscles still scream, and I still cannot keep up. After half an hour, being near death, gawking children stood around. "Mom? You're not doing it like them." I puffed back, "If it's not going to encourage don't open your mouth! And STOP staring!" The goal was to just complete the first half hour given the quality of the day. But, having zero tolerance for quitters and whiners, that plan didn't work out so well either. So when the pause button was hit so was my frustration button. Determinedly I unpaused and finished it out with children now effortlessly and quite breathlessly carrying it out with me to encourage to the end. Is there even such thing as encouragement when when you're half dead as children laugh and complete every exercise you're feebly attempting to do as legs no longer even offer support and muscle fatigue occurred about 82 squats ago???? So, they jumped and bounced and hopped on one foot and squatted while I struggled to stay out of the coffin and complete the 379th jump squat of the day.

Between fighting with the ladder for an hour and working out for an hour any and all energy required to maintain a bad attitude was pretty depleted so I headed back indoors to simmer down a little and get a new perspective. I took one glance at the house that seemed to have puked up in a mere hour every toy, dirty dish and laundry article it had ever held within and I turned around and walked right back out the door I had just entered. Strapping babies in Ergos I set off with every kid we ever thought about having to the park down the street where they could wear their butts out....having every intention of bedding them down at 5:00 pm.

Eventually we did come home. With Brad having some amount of pity on my bad tempered self he fixed dinner. Sap covered, tree climbing, dirt eating children were bathed and showered and put to bed...at 7:30...not exactly the 5:00 I had envisioned. And I took my cranky butt to bed and woke up with a new lease on life and ready to do it all over again....with a better attitude.

So, that sums up the last few days of my life. Just being honest and keeping it real, my friends. This is real life...the good, the bad and the ugly.

Weekly Weigh-in - the post partum twin journey down

After 2 weeks I am down 10.6 official lbs per Weight Watchers and working out...with only 20 lbs more to go. I'm almost half way there. I have successfully used WW each and every time after having babies and it proves to be no different this time. P90X is coming along well though there is no denying that it challenges body, mind and soul. After having completed a hardcore, 4 month bootcamp routine 3 months after baby #3 I can safely say this ranks right up there with it. It feels good! I love the feeling of growing strength and the ability to conquer all. If I can do it...anybody with determination can.


Adoring husband has proven to be quite in love no matter what shape I am. But, reality is....I happen to be much more in love with my own self when I know I am doing something about it and actually feel sexy. My days are better, my attitude's better and it breaks the blues of feeling like I have done nothing but school, nurse babies and stay in sweat pants all day going in circles cleaning house. And, as a husband, he loves more than anything in life when I feel good for him. So, with him feeling quite in the mood to celebrate sexy he's arranged for a date night tonight. And I go in a size smaller with some muscle definition beginning to take shape! Feelin' pretty good.

Randomness

I know this is getting completely mundane and boring but there are days when I do not sit at all except to nurse...and it is entirely difficult to type an entire blog post one handed. So, these little snippets of life will have to suffice for now. My emotions long to write but my life dictates differently most days during this season of life

Since the simple woman's daybook is temporarily taking a break and there's nowhere to link I'll continue just cause I think it's fun....and once again reiterate that it's an easy filler until I can sit and type something with more than one hand.

Ouside my window.....windows open, barking dogs, laughing trampoline jumping kids and a world bathed in sunlight

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I am thinking....that people who alter signed, legal contracts are dishonest, should be shot in the butt with a .22 and made aware that it is a federal offense punishable by law.

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I am thankful for.....clean, big towels when I get out of the shower. This should never be taken for granted by anyone...as drying off with hand towels is so entirely unpleasant. One of life's smallest yet greatest, most enjoyable gifts. Clean big bath towels.

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I am wearing.....running shorts and a t-shirt. And yes....I have changed clothes since the last time I documented what I was wearing on this thing. And it feels good. Scale numbers are headed south and inches are falling away.

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I am hearing....Felt Good on my Lips by Tim McGraw, a 4 year old's incessant talking, a screamy 2 year old, the soft crinkle of two tiny boys playing happily with their crinkly elephants, and a ton of laughing, trampoline jumping kids with a ton of barking dogs at their heels...though we already clarified that point.

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I am remembering......that I have not done much wash in the last day and a half and the utility room currently looks like an F-5 went through it. It's a very scary place right now and I have no desire to enter it.....but I should.

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I am reading......One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp....yes, still.

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I am hoping.....that my layered hair will all grow back in quickly cause I just really have discovered I dislike layers in every way. Stringy, tangled witch hair...and we don't do witches around here...but somehow my hair seems to qualify at the present moment.

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On my mind.....that it's taken me 26 hours to write this one post.

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Noticing that.......that the world at large should really be aware that electric garage doors without electricity do not lower anything like a normal garage door...but, in fact, have the ability to shoot themselves down at rocket force speeds somewhere around 100 miles an hour with about 30,000 lbs of pressure. And when one is unaware of this little bit of information and one's lower left leg and foot is under said door the foot will not fit properly into shoes for weeks...and, in fact, hurts to run or P90X at all...and both leg and foot will remain largely swollen and strange, foreboding, onminous colors for weeks.

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Pondering these words....Garrett:

"That guy's poop stinks cause he's a bad guy."

"Oh really?? And your poop doesn't stink cause you're a good guy???"

"Well....my poop stinks but not as bad as that guys cause his REALLY stinks....cause he's a bad guy. And all bad guys have super stinky poop."

Who knew?

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From the kitchen.....juiced celery, broccoli, carrots, tomato, cucumber and apple

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Around the house.....the kids that are back home from fishing with all the turtles they caught still in hand

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One of my favorite things....beautiful spring night, stars by the millions, windows rolled down with heater turned on high

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From my picture journal....

The extra spare freezer and life with many boys

2 teeth at a mere 16 weeks!

The Count to a thousand

#26 - yellowy lights of homesteads dotting rural highway

27# - huge shiny fire trucks sitting in bay

#28 - weight of baby sleeping soundly on my chest

#29 - dark night breeze.....soft on skin like silk

#30 - big red newly washed truck alone to self in the night...hair unleashed, windows down and music

#31 - smell of baby all shampooed and washed and lotioned

#32 - little boys holding turtles...gleeful, laughing with eyes bright

#33 - scale numbers that continue their downward fall, inches falling away...feeling of unsurpassed inner strength, growing physical strength and the power of knowing I can accomplish anything in life