Picture Catch-up

With a raging case of mastitis going I have a little more computer time than anticipated. Feeling a little miserable and a little brain dead at this point so I'll stick with pics. 

Sooo.....maybe some little kids....or big kids.....left the brand new, long anticipated camera outside overnight....in the 2nd torrential downpour we've experienced here in this eastern state. So we're here now...back to square one with a camera....and limited to amazing quality phone pics. But, it is undoubtedly better than being completely without a camera. 

Baby snapping turtle Grayson caught in his net.

Bright and early. He woke up thirsty. 

Sometimes what it just comes down to for mischievous Baby A. 

One of the many treasures discovered when you live in the trees.

 Sweet, sweet boys. And no....that is not mold behind them though I am quite certain the level of nasty on the gross factor scale measures the equivalent. But...the boys sure are cute!

Parmesan cheese....fresh from the frig...for lunch.

How much my heart loves this boy. It absolutely melts at the sight and sounds of him. Happy, content, sweet, wiggly, talkative boy of mine.

Our new couch. I really just love free stuff. 

Not only does it serve the purpose of seating people....it's multi functional. 

Life with boys...lots of them.

East coast rain

One more reason not to have carpet. But hey...at least Ivye knows her A's!

My view after getting out of the shower and unlocking the door. I finally told them to take numbers.

Off the beaten trails....

The vines are works of art all unto themselves...

Climbing boys

They have an entire playground and this is where they end up.

Attending jiu jitsuing husband's 1st tournament in which he took 2nd place! Undoubtedly the first of many tournaments to come. I love being married to a man that has the ability to kick some butt and kids that possess the ability to kick butt too.

Watching them roll....

Daddy's fan club and cheering section.

Park days and more hiking...while avoiding poison ivy at all cost.

New trails 

Sporting his new shiner. Earned while riding tricycle down hill at illegal boy speeds. Handlebar to eye socket never bodes well.

I'm thinkin there's room for at least 10 more.

It's always more fun when there's two of you.

When there's just a skeleton crew of kids. Looks and feels a little strange. Older girls were at neighbors swimming and all babies in bed for the night. 

Opening my eyes to this and a 4 year old voice telling me I'm the most beautiful girl he's ever seen and the smartest girl he knows. That beats Folgers anyday.

The love of hydrangeas! All of the kids are mesmerized by them. We have bouquets filling cabinets and table. And yep....they picked 'em. Big blue gigantic puff balls of flowers. They're amazing.

 Cartoons with the early morning risers.

Ivye's a little happy to be holding him. Chubby growing boy. 3 months old today.

Apparently they were hungry for oatmeal.

Guess he wanted a bath too.

30 Days of Insanity

Not that I'm not there already. But, in a workout related manner.....it has begun. It's a little late in coming due to the small fact that I started last Monday. I joined a challenge group that is daily accountability for each of us. Paleo eating plan is in full swing. Insanity is actually a 60 day workout program but the challenge is to get through the first 30 days. We'll reassess then and do the next 30. And honestly....I'm kinda not liking Insanity all that much. It's intense...to say the least....but I liked P90X better. So, did a little research and will be transitioning over into a P90X/Insanity hybrid 90 day routine today. I'll still get all the benefits from Insanity's truly, crazily insane cardio but the fun and love of P90. I may get brave enough to post the before pics before the 30 days are up. Still working on the courage to do that part. They're not that bad...they're just not that good either. Maybe if I post them it'll keep me accountable and give the added motivation to push past the discomfort of it all....including the need to rise at the ungodly hour of 5:30 am to knock it out. Sunrise through the trees is pretty awe inspiring. It's almost as amazing as watching it rise over the rural plains of Texas. When paired with sunrise glory and cups of coffee, rising to workout wins over the sleepy fog that momentarily stifles the brain and screams to stay put under covers.

So it is that I push past all discomfort. I push past feelings that I just might breathe myself to death. I push past fear of thudding a hole through 2nd floor home to 1st floor basement. I overcome feeling as though I rival hippopotic weight as I do the 30,000th jump squat of the day. And I go into week two of the 30 day challenge. I do it because I'm still in love with the power that comes with physical strength. I continue on because it clears both head and heart and I finish as a better wife to my husband and mother to my children....and because I love myself when I am done. Because there is not a day when I finish that I ever take for granted the fact that I CAN do this...I have legs growing strong, powerful and capable. I have two arms that can develop muscle definition and lift what others cannot. I do it because I love the self discipline that comes with it all...knowing that if I can do this I can withstand whatever is thrown at us within our life because mind and body have been trained to submit and they've been taught to overcome. I have been trained to rise above discomfort of self to conquer whatever lies ahead. I am a conqueror. I am victorious. I am powerful. It courses through the veins, blood red as it flows. Heart and body grow stronger in every sense. As I cry out to Him to keep going I know that I can do anything because He is faithful to never allow anything in life that I cannot handle. I have conquered my weight. I have conquered two years without a husband present as he commuted 250 miles. I have conquered what no parent in life should ever have to conquer. I have conquered the 2nd  trimester loss of one of our boys. I have conquered giving up absolutely everything we had, leaving behind every family member and friend, and entering a new world far away from all that we have ever known. I have overcome no income, tick infestations, tiny houses, floods, less than optimal landlords, crazy stupid people, psychotic kids, personal attacks, mice, and poison ivy. And because of it all we have reaped the rewards and our lives have been so exponentially expanded. Our depth and knowledge of God grown to depths we have never known, our longing for more heightened to an insatiable hunger for Him. We have seen Him work in ways most people will never in a lifetime allow themselves to see. We have seen the power of a living, breathing God that does exist...and He still listens and hears in the midst of all the pain, the hurt, the transition, the discomfort. And He still moves and works miracles. 

And so I have every confidence that if I have pushed past that in life than I can conquer 60 minutes of discomfort in my day. On the other side lies the reward and benefits that far outweigh the few minutes of pushing past it all. And I grow strong both in mind and body. Self discipline, strength, power, love of self that enables one to find the joy in loving others. 30 days of Insanity. It's an amazing thing to accomplish.

Fight. for. it.