Random

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I’m a little bit of a wanderer.  I start to get antsy if I live in one place for too long. I need to try new things, see new places, and keep life interesting.  I’m already tired of Sanford, though I’m not sure that has anything to do with me being a wanderer – more to do with the fact that there is no place to shop, eat, or well, anything, here.  (Also, there’s no beach in Sanford, and I’ve decided I need one.) 

With all of my gypsy tendencies, however, some things just never get old.  Here’s a list (because you knew this was going to end up in a list, right?)…

in no particular order:

  • sunshine (is it spring yet?!)
  • talking to Andrew (my best friend)
  • hugs and kisses from my little ones
  • Dwight Yoakam (I get tired of a lot of music, but never Dwight)
  • cookies
  • being organized (it’s driving me crazy that I’m not organized right now!)
  • reading God’s Word (I find new things in there all the time – so cool)
  • going to the movie theater
  • the beach (even though I haven’t been to one in two years, I know in my heart that I still love it)
  • this song:

 

I thought I’d blog more while Andrew was deployed, but so far, most of my online time has been spent chatting with him on the instant messenger.  It’s been really nice that we have been able to chat every day!

If only I could post on here by osmosis.  I think of posts all the time, especially when I’m falling asleep (those are the best ones, even though I rarely remember to actually ever post them), but I can’t be bothered to log on and type what I’m thinking most of the time.  Sorry.  :)   One day I will blog interesting things again.  One day.  For now, you’re stuck with my mundane update lists, which I add for posterity’s sake. 

  • The pregnancy is going well.  I’m not nearly as sick as the last time I posted, but have gotten glutened twice and caught a cold from a couple of the kiddos.  I’m starting to feel human again, though, and my nausea is down to a wave here and there throughout the day instead of constant 24/7.  Thank the Lord, because that was really starting to get old. 
  • Justice finished the basketball season, and Jarvis’ first spring soccer game is this Sunday afternoon. 
  • Paige just keeps getting cuter!  She repeats so much of what the other kids do (which they think is awesome), and she is talking more and more.  Her little voice and the way she says things is adorable.  And her outlook on life is hilarious.  She gets so serious sometimes and so silly at other times.  She’s cuddling more, which we LOVE, and she still thinks drawing is the best thing ever – on paper, on her legs, on the walls – anywhere… she’s not picky. 
  • Brittany and I tried Z Pizza yesterday, in Cary.  It was good – I loved that most of their ingredients are organic.  I did not love the price, but gluten-free pizza is never cheap.  Best of all – it did not make me sick!  Score!
  • We should, according to the IRS, have our tax refund a week from tomorrow.  Looking forward to paying some things, buying some things, and of course, looking forward to the shopping that goes along with “buying some things”.  I love to shop, but alas, with six children, most of my shopping usually consists of trying to find affordable shoes for them or trying to keep our pantry stocked.  It’s so fun when we get a chance to do a little ‘extra’.  :)
  • Not sure if I mentioned it here or not, but we finally seem to have figured out Darby’s digestion issues.  The culprit is dairy.  She seems to be able to handle small amounts in baked goods, but too much milk or cheese and she’s in major pain and having all sorts of stomach issues.  I’m glad for her sake it isn’t gluten – I think dairy is a little easier to avoid. 
  • The jury is still out on Paige… I think she has some food issues, unfortunately, but I’m not sure yet what they are.  She doesn’t eat gluten very often because I can’t have her contaminating me with her messy gluteny hands and face, but when she does have it, that’s not really when I notice any issues.  I may just have to wait until she is older.  She has some digestion problems sometimes, but not all the time like Jacob did when he was little, and she has some ‘patchy’ dry skin issues (which is almost always food related, though it could be environmental, but I use very pure detergents, etc., so probably some sort of food bothering her). 
  • Speaking of issues – I have read and heard in multiple locations that pregnancy is supposed to ease the symptoms of celiac disease, however, I seem to be MORE sensitive when pregnant.  Also, I have heard that fibromyalgia symptoms are supposed to ease up while pregnant as well – um, no – mine are MUCH worse.  Of course, my masseuse is in Iraq, so that might have a little to do with the fibro symptoms being worse.  Still… I really do hate the head fogs, and I’ve had a lot of them lately, whereas before the pregnancy, I was really having them less and less.  And the pain… don’t even get me started. 
  • Not to sound like a complainer – I really am very blessed, and so far, have not had to be on bed rest for this pregnancy.  With Jacob and Paige, I had to do some bed rest during the first trimesters for bleeding.  I did have some spotting last week, but I laid down for a full day and a half, and then everything was fine again with no issues since!  I’m hoping and praying that I won’t have to be on bed rest for the third trimester, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.  I try not to think about the third trimester too much, because it hasn’t been long enough for me to forget about the third trimester with Paige, which was absolutely the most brutal thing ever – well, aside from her delivery, but I’m pretty sure this baby can’t top that one!  At least I hope not!!  ;)   Too bad I can’t go back in time and appreciate my first four pregnancies more than I did – and I thought I had things to complain about THEN – ha!! haaaahhhaaaaahahahaaa!!!!!  :)
  • Speaking of trimesters, I’ve got about 5 days left of the first trimester.  I’m already starting to have a bit more energy – ya know, when I’m not glutened or down with a bad cold.  I’m hoping to get some projects around here done – hoping!  :)
  • We plan on taking a trip to Atlanta in a month or so.  Can’t wait to see everyone, and to do some shopping with Andrea at H&M Maternity and Buy Buy Baby! :)
  • I get to see my friend Ali tomorrow in Raleigh!  She’s coming to town for a wedding, so we’re going to meet up for lunch before the festivities start.  Can’t wait!  I wish we lived closer!
  • Then, we’re (me and the kiddos) going to hang out in Raleigh and let Jarvis pick the activity, since tomorrow is also his 12th birthday!
  • And I’ve zoned out – time for some netflix and snacks! :)

I’m not even going to bother you with my excuses this time, though there are plenty.  I’ve just become a bad blogger.

A quick list…

  • We have had a couple of rounds of illness here, which takes a bit of time when it’s going through eight people.  We are all on the mend, however, and are getting into the Christmas spirit.
  • We’re having our Sunday School class Christmas party at our house tonight.  It should be fun.  Yay.
  • We are getting closer and closer to Andrew’s deployment, but we’re not letting it get us down.  God will take care of us and make us stronger through it.
  • We are really looking forward to celebrating Christmas with various relatives this year!  Should be a blast! :)
  • When one moves around a lot, making close friends is kind of difficult – one tends to become a little distant.  But, I am making some great friends here, and it’s a good thing (channeling Martha Stewart there).  I forgot how much I enjoy having an active social life. 
  • I’ve decided to embrace my gray hair (as I get more and more of them).  For now anyways.  I’m not sure how I’ll feel when they are super noticeable. 
  • The kittens are absolutely adorable!  As of yesterday (I haven’t looked today), two of them had their eyes open finally, and the third was trying.  They are starting to become playful, and there is pretty much nothing cuter than a tiny kitten lying on it’s back showing me it’s tiny furry belly while batting my fingers around playfully and chewing on my hand. 
  • I need to take some photos of the aforementioned kittens.
  • Paige is becoming a major Daddy’s girl!  She hollers his name all the time, or sings it.  So adorable.  I hope we are able to do some video-chatting while he is gone.  She’s really going to miss him (well, we all will, but the younger the child, the harder it is for them to understand… obviously). 
  • Britta and I started watching Bones season 5 on Netflix yesterday, and of course it’s awesome.  We finished season 4 several months ago.  It’s fun to have a TV show to keep up with. 

Speaking of TV shows, here’s a random list of TV shows I’ve loved in the past (by ‘loved’ I mean, I didn’t like missing an episode.  I am not obsessed with TV or anything – though maybe I have been slightly in the past *cough ‘Friends’ cough* – and I really could stop watching any of these shows at any time and be fine with it.  But they are fun and entertaining – something to do when I’m not feeling well, or if I need to rest for a bit.)  So, without further ado…

The 80′s and early 90′s, in no particular order (and I’m sure I’m  missing some because this is just off the top of my head; I watched a lot of TV in those days)

  • The Facts of Life (“you take the good, you take the bad, you take ‘em both and there you have…” sing it with me now… )
  • Family Ties (Mallory was my hero, and Alex was so cool)
  • Growing Pains (Oh Kirk Cameron.  How far you’ve come. lol)
  • E.R. (not the popular one with Goose from Top Gun [what's his real name? it eludes me at the moment], but the lesser known sitcom called E.R., which,ironically, also starred George Clooney… I thought that show was fantastic, but it didn’t last very long)
  • Sisters (I couldn’t wait for this show each week, starring Swoozie Kurtz and, again, George Clooney – though he wasn’t a main character – and a bunch of other people.  I wonder if it’s on DVD.  I wonder if it stood the test of time.  Probably not.)
  • Just the Ten of Us (sheltered Catholic sisters who snuck out to sing at a ‘wild’ diner each weekend… what could be better? lol)
  • Full House (I loved Jesse, and yes, I had a poster on my wall *insert eye roll at self here*)
  • Who’s the Boss? (I wanted to be Samantha? Yes, I admit it.)
  • The Nanny (ah, whining Fran.  And the butler was hilarious.  “she was there to sell makeup, but father saw more…” <—genius show tune lyrics!)

The mid to late 90′s…

  • Friends (I remembered Courtney Cox from Family Ties (she was Alex’s girlfriend for a while) and I liked her, so I watched Friends from the first episode to the last.  All ten years.  I was a devoted fan.)
  • Seinfeld (Hilarious. Classic. So quotable.)
  • Golden Girls reruns (“Thank you for being a friend…”)
  • Late Night with David Letterman (because Dave is Dave.  And so much funnier than Jay.  Speaking of, are any of you Jay Leno fans?  Please stop reading if you are.  Because he’s not funny.  He’s annoying.  I’m just saying.  I’m kidding about the not reading part, but still.  Jay was never funny.)

Late 90′s and 00′s…

  • Gilmore Girls (I recently watched the whole thing on DVD again.  I guess I shouldn’t put which characters remind me of which family members, but those of you who already know, you know.) :)
  • -more- Friends (it was still on in this time frame, and I’m pretty sure I watched all the seasons on DVD a few times before finally selling them on ebay about 5 years ago)
  • Arrested Development (inappropriate at times, yes, but absolutely hilarious… I wouldn’t watch it over and over because there’s just too much crudeness to overlook.  And we recently started trying to watch it again and were like “was it this inappropriate last time we saw it?” —- oh well.)
  • Extreme Home Makeover (awesome show)
  • Heroes (“Hiro from Heroes is a hero” —Dwight Schrute)
  • Lost (I was another fan who was disappointed the last season [or three], but still, I really enjoyed this show – all the way through)
  • The Office (I probably wouldn’t be a huge fan if it wasn’t for others in my family who love this show, but they got me hooked.  And it is funny.)
  • Alias (I had to edit and add this one when Karyn brought it up, because Alias was 700 kinds of AWESOME! I didn’t start watching it until it had been out a few years, but between Hollywood Video and Netflix – I watched every episode when I was on bed rest with Jacob.)

Recent and current…

  • Pushing Daisies (so colorful and fun, even though it involves dead people.  Mystery and intrigue and pie = perfect combo)
  • Wonderfalls (I can’t believe there was only one season!)
  • Bones (Andy is not a fan.  He thinks it’s WAY too unrealistic.  But I’m okay with that.  It seems real enough to me. lol)
  • Community (lighthearted and brainless – fun to zone out to)
  • Parenthood (Lauren Graham reeled me in)
  • 30 Rock (disclaimer: this show can be really funny, but also can be very stupid and/or crude)
  • Parks and Recreation

If I could choose only two TV shows on DVD to watch over and over again, it would be Seinfeld and Gilmore Girls.  Tell me your favorite shows!

Didn’t I used to be witty and funny?  Didn’t I used to have a lot to say?  I think having this last kid or two has destroyed those parts of my brain.  Maybe it’ll come back as they get older?  We can only hope.  I know you miss the entertaining blog posts.  Or maybe you don’t.  Whatever.  Well, since I mostly keep a blog as sort of an online journal for my kiddos, I’ll just keep posting these boring updates until I have something super interesting to tell you.  You’ll just have to bear with me.  Or not. Whatever.  ;)

  • Brittany returned from her NYC mission trip on Sunday evening.  We’re so glad to have her back and have really enjoyed hearing her stories.  She plans to share those on her blog (one day) though, so I won’t spoil it all here.  :)
  • It’s been SO nice having contacts again.  Now my glasses are back to where they belong – only being worn around the house at night and/or on days I don’t feel good! 
  • I bought a new flavor of coconut ice-cream and will be trying it tonight.  Exciting, right?  I know.
  • Homeschooling is going well.  I really cannot WAIT until we have the basement (where the school room will be) done though.  Everything will be easier (and cleaner and more organized!).
  • I decided to learn how to play the guitar.  I got a guitar from Andrew for Christmas many moons ago and started learning then, but being pregnant with Jarvis got in the way, and I never got back to it.  Yes, he’s almost 12.  I picked my guitar back up in Washington a couple of years ago, and yeah – I accidentally broke it.  But then my brother Matt gave Brittany a guitar when we were down there a couple of months ago (and yes, she is already pretty good with it! She’s so talented!), so I figured “hey – I can learn too!” 
  • I know this photo is dark and blurry, but it shows how tall Justice is getting:
  • I am pretty sure there’s more to report, but I’m boring myself.  And I don’t bore easily.  I think it might be time to veg out and watch TV. 

Another round of  ”what I find when I upload pics from my camera”…  the kids were at it again!

I found this photo of Jacob making a crazy face! And yeah, his hair has been cut since this... lol

There were about 10 very blurry photos of Paige, but this one was too cute... did Jacob take these? Who knows!

Following this and a few other silly photos of Jarvis (in our now-lavender guest bathroom, even though it looks pink in this photo - it's a pale lavender), were several close-ups of his hair? I don't know.

And then after he got whomever (Brittany?) to take the previous photos, there were some self-portraits in the mirror.

I do recall Darby being INCREDIBLY dirty a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't take this crazy-looking photo. lol!

Paige as a 'who' (as in 'horton hears a...'). And Jarvis in the background.

Cuteness all around!

Too much cuteness!

Paige playing with the Wii Fit. And wearing Jacob's shirt. Where was I? Who knows?!

Paige loves remotes! She points them at whatever she's trying to control and gets really giddy whenever something actually happens!

Britta doing Wii Yoga. I'm guessing Jarvis took this photo. lol

I got out of the shower one day to find Risk pieces EVERYWHERE! *sigh*

When I saw THIS photo, I knew why they were everywhere!!!!

What evidence will the kids leave for me next time???

FAQ’s that begin with “why”…

Q: Why do you have so many children?
A: Because they rock! Being a mom is the best experience ever. I believe it’s one of the highest callings a woman has, and I try to do the best job I can.  The rewards are incomparable, and I wouldn’t change my job of raising children for all the money in the world.

Q: Why are you obsessed with working out/getting in shape?
A: Well, I’m not obsessed, but my reasons for working out are threefold:
     1. working out makes me feel good
     II. working out gives me energy (though not always immediately; in the long run)
     c. once I get in shape, I’ll have more strength and endurance – two things I strongly desire

Q: Why did you use a number, a roman numeral, and a letter on the three points in the previous post?
A: It’s good therapy for my OCD.

Q: What’s your most embarrassing moment?
A: I’ve been asked this multiple times, and I never really have an answer.  I don’t really get embarrassed very easily, and if I do get embarrassed, I tend to make sarcastic jokes until the moment is no longer embarrassing.  For instance, last night’s blog post about my two fails at soccer practice —> not embarrassing at all (even though a woman was watching me get in the wrong car).  I just thought of it as fodder for the blog.  Stuff happens, you know?  No use crying about it.  I suppose if I thought hard, though, I could probably come up with some stories that should have embarrassed me, but offhand?  I got nothin’.

Q: How do you have such an awesome marriage?
A: God.
Seriously.  Andrew and I, after a few VERY rocky years, gave our hearts, lives, and our marriage to God, committed to Him and to each other, and our marriage has done nothing but get better in the 6 1/2 years since.  All the glory goes to Him!

Q: Why do you freak out so dramatically whenever flying or jumping bugs and/or reptiles come near you?
A: I can’t be sure of the exact psychological reasons, but I know they are vast.  I played with bugs, dug up worms, and pushed the antennae into the heads of snails at the age of five and six.  When I was four, I remember collecting multitudes of caterpillars and letting them crawl all over my arms, and catching crickets with Timberly in the church and bringing them outside (during cricket season in Texas).  So obviously, I wasn’t born this way (unlike Jacob – who we are trying to teach that small creatures aren’t scary – lol).  Things that possibly contributed to my fears…
1. From age 7 to 9 1/2, we lived in a log stick cabin that we built ourselves.  It came complete with a plastic roof, a dirt floor, and gaps in the walls.  Bugs were everywhere.  As far as I know, at least 50% of my siblings have the same irrational fear of bugs as I do.
2. When I was 12 to 14, we lived in a townhouse in Knoxville.  One year, there was a plague of caterpillars.  They were EVERYWHERE.  You couldn’t walk outside without stepping on  them. 
3. Another year at the same house, there was a similar plague, only this time it was earthworms.  *shudder shudder* I accidentally touched one that had come in through the back door – which is where my bedroom was – when I was lying on my floor talking on the phone.  (I’m not sure who I was talking to when that happened, but I’m sorry if I damaged your ear drums with my screams.)

Any more ‘why’ questions?  Ask them in the comments and I’ll answer. 

Overheard.

As I was sitting in my car with the windows down at soccer practice tonight (after the previously mentioned ‘fails’ [see below post]), I overheard another mom on the phone…

“…okay, I’ll talk to her if you need me to… {firm, almost yelling voice}… QUIT giving your daddy a hard time! Get upstairs and do what he says. If you sass him again, I’ll tear your butt up when I get home… (pause)… well, Madeline is not your parent… daddy and I are the parents… well, that’s why WE are the parents and YOU are the child… okay, well after you get washed up, you can ask daddy for something to eat and tell him mommy said it was okay…”

Wow!

I cannot IMAGINE Andrew calling ME to deal with the kids because they weren’t listening to him when I wasn’t there.  Or him waiting until I got home to discipline them because he was somehow incapable.  The only excuse I can come up with that makes this woman’s conversation okay in any way, shape, or form is if “daddy” is paralyzed in a wheelchair and truly cannot deal with the kids himself.  If that’s not the case?  This is one dysfunctional home.  I’m just saying.

Fail.

I failed at life not once, but twice, tonight at soccer practice…

1. I almost lost my shorts while running around the track.  That’s not a euphemism for anything… my shorts are apparently too big and were literally falling down as I ran past a group of bystanders.  I grabbed them just in time.  Note to self: You’re thinner than you were the last time you tried to get in shape. Buy new clothes to work out in!

2. After running (which turned into more of a fast walk after the shorts debacle), I went back to my car for water and started to get in the wrong SUV.  I had parked on the end but apparently three more vehicles had shown up while I was on the track. I didn’t realize this and just walked to the end of the row and opened the driver door.  While the vehicle looked similar to my Honda Pilot… it was, in fact, a different color.  Fail, Petra… Fail.

Another random list… cause that’s how I roll…

  • Justice has a job!  He is helping with the filming of the local high school football games.  This was his 2nd week, and he loves it!
  • Speaking of Justice, he’ll be 15 in 5 days. Crazy town!
  • I finally caught up with my bcf, the Kendster! We chatted for 2 1/2 hours the other day and could have gone on for another 12!  That’s what happens when we only talk once every six months.  We really need to chat more often, but between my 6 kids and her 10 kids – finding time to chat on the phone is challenging. :)
  • I need help. I Timothy 2:15 says “Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” (NKJV) and I can’t figure out what it means. I’ve read three commentaries, and they all said different things, and they were all pure conjecture. I’ve worn out my concordance.  I have a couple of ideas of what it might mean, but I’m not satisfied yet.  So please, if you have insight to offer, please do. I need to move on. lol (I won’t share what I think it might mean with you yet, so it doesn’t cloud your opinions on the verse.)
  • We are on day 2 of a 10 day field exercise wherein the hubster can’t even call.  *sad face*
  • I forgot to get laundry detergent the last two times I went to the store, and now I’m completely out.  I’ve been out for two days. Which means I have an ever-growing pile of laundry.  Must go to the store tomorrow!  (I don’t think I’ve ever actually run out before – it’s so unlike me.)
  • Paige’s eye teeth need to just hurry up and cut through the gums.  She was sleeping so well, but the last couple of nights she’s been up fussing.  She usually gets a runny nose and a fever when she’s teething, but this time she has diarrhea which means diaper rash (which we are keeping under control, but still – it’s no fun)… and this has gone on for nearly two weeks.  I just don’t function properly on interrupted sleep!  Here’s hoping she sleeps all night tonight!!  I gave her Tylenol before bed, but she usually wakes up around the time it wears off, and even if I give her more, she is up for a while – last night? from 1 am to after 3 am… *sigh* (eta 9/4/10: Paige slept from 7:30 last night until 9:20 this morning!! Hallelujah!!) :)
  • Paige has been talking more – it’s SO cute. I LOVE this age. (aside from the teething – ha!) She’s so playful and giggles when we tickle her or chase her. She gives the sweetest little hugs and kisses (and I can’t get enough of those).  Now she says “eat” as she does the sign for it.  She’s walking a little bit.  She’s still nervous about it though. 
  • Jarvis is loving his soccer team – games start pretty soon.
  • Jacob went on his first “friend” outing without any of us.  He went with a friend’s family to the children’s museum in Raleigh on Wednesday.  He left at 8:00 am and came home in the early afternoon. He had a BLAST and has been talking about it ever since.  :)
  • Brittany has been researching colleges and has a list pretty narrowed down.  She wants to major in Anthropology (and possibly minor or double major in Art or Linguistics).  She’s all signed up to take her SAT’s in October, and I need to get her signed up for the ACT’s.  All the fun ‘senior’ stuff. :)
  • Darby doesn’t really have much going on lately – just being busy being 9.  I’d like to get her in a gymnastics class or something of the sort so she has an extracurricular activity.  I missed the fall sign-ups (no funding was available – lol), but the winter classes start in November, so hopefully she’ll be able to do those.
  • I think I’m going to start doing crossfit again.  I want to get in shape and walking and yoga are great, but I want results FAST!  I’ll let you know how it goes. 

That’s all I got for now…

Lists are our friends.

  1. Andy’s parents and sister came for a visit this week, and we had a blast. I definitely hit the jackpot when it comes to in-laws. And I’m not just saying that because they read my blog. I really, truly mean it. Love them!

    It was more difficult than it should have been to take this photo - lol.

    I had to use the flash to get a semi-decent shot. Ideally, I'd have taken this photo during daylight when everyone was all fixed up (note the freshly bathed, pajama'd three in front), but alas, I forgot to even touch my camera during their whole visit until the last possible second).

  2. Darby got baptized on Sunday morning (and Andy’s family was here to see – so cool)!  So proud of her that she genuinely wants to follow Jesus.  :)

    Darby was too short to see much during the actual baptism, but I managed to take her photo just after. :)

    Getting her baptism certificate (I was using Andy's point&shoot camera and I have no idea how to work that thing - lol)

  3. Jarvis had his first (soccer) scrimmage with another team last night and he did great. Looking forward to his games, which start in about three weeks.
  4. Have I mentioned our school plans on my blog? If not, fyi (and for prosperity’s sake), we are homeschooling all the kids this year. That’ll be 5 kids. Homeschooled. Grades K, 4, 7, 9, and 12.  Once we start, if you don’t hear from me for a while, check in and make sure I’m still alive and sane, would you? ;)   Seriously though - I’m looking forward to it. We aren’t ‘officially’ starting for a couple more weeks-ish, but are doing some things to prepare such as diagnostic testing (starting today). 
  5. I went to Darby and Jarvis’ old schools yesterday to withdraw them (school started today — what? you don’t wait until the last possible minute to do things? whatever.), and my decision was just completely confirmed.  Ahhhh… feels good to be doing the right thing for your family. 
  6. And please don’t take that last sentence to mean that I think everyone should homeschool. I definitely do not feel that way.  But I do know that this is the right thing for OUR family right now. 
  7. I caught the Dojo Sensei in Mousehunt a few days ago. Exciting, right?
  8. As you know, my iPhone got wet.  So sad.  I did manage to get it working again, but the LCD screen is all smeared and ruined. I can only barely see 1/2 the screen, and when I try to turn it on, I can’t slide the bar to get to the main menu.  So it’s useless to me.  It’s okay, you can cry too.
  9. Since I don’t have a few hundred dollars set aside for replacing phones, Andrew found his 5 year old Motorola Razr L7.  We charged it, and lo and behold it works. So, I have a phone now, which is nice.  The downside is that I have to pay the iPhone $30 monthly fee until April, when my contract ends, and it’ll probably be April before I can afford another iPhone.  Oh well.  At least I can check my yahoo mail on the Razr, and set alarms on the calendar.  I’m just happy to be able to talk and text again – not that I talk/text often, but it’s nice to have the option.
  10. Note to self: record Brittany playing the piano and post it. She totally rocks.
  11. (disclaimer: this point includes the words ‘breast’ and ‘mastitis’… move on to the next point if you aren’t interested)… A few weeks ago, I cut down on the amount of times per day that Paige nursed, thinking that I’d wean her by 18 months.  She got down to nursing 3 or 4 times a day (at bed time, nap time, sometimes in the morning, and sometimes if she woke up in the middle of the night).  Well, then she started teething again (and no, those eye teeth haven’t poked through yet), and she wanted to nurse ALL THE TIME.  So I accomodated her since it seemed to comfort her, and my milk supply went up again.  Then, one day, about a week and a half ago, she refused to nurse.  Ever again.  She went from getting my milk supply WAY up to absolutely nothing.  With no warning whatsoever.  It was so weird. Anyway, so that led to mastitis in BOTH breasts (fun for me), which I quickly nipped in the bud with garlic, but because of the process of going cold turkey on the breastfeeding, it was kind of a long week or so.  I did pump a few times for relief, but I’ve never had much luck with pumping (and I hate doing it).  I’m finally feeling ‘normal’ and my energy is starting to return.  Thankfully.
  12. I made some barbecue chicken when Andy’s family was here that turned out really great, if I do say so myself.  I’ve been struggling trying to find a barbecue sauce that we all like that is 1. gluten-free, 2. chemical-free, and 3. corn-free. Corn-free is nearly impossible to find.  The last barbecue chicken I had made was kind of gross – dry and the sauce not tasty (an organic Annie’s sauce – I do not recommend).  And of course, we had company when I made it (so sorry Pastor Josh and Trisha! I’ll make a better main course next time!  Not that you read my blog, but just in case… I really can make chicken taste good. lol).  Anyway… the homemade barbecue sauce had rave reviews, it cooked well with the chicken, which came out really moist and wonderful, and of course, I have no idea how I made it.  I did write down all the ingredients I used, but amounts?  Who knows?  I just threw stuff in there until it smelled right.  If I can replicate it, I’ll share the recipe. 
  13. Speaking of corn-free… have you seen King Corn?  We watched that the other day.  Other food documentaries I’ve watched lately are Food, Inc. and The Beautiful Truth.  I recommend them all (and they can all be found on netflix’s instant play list).  Watch them, make changes, and stop killing yourself by ingesting poison.  When we’re all old and I am clear-headed and healthy (because hopefully I made my changes before it was too late – my health is slowly but surely improving), and when you have Alzheimer’s because you thought I was nuts for eating organic and not using harsh chemicals in my home?  I’ll say “I told you so!” and you won’t have a clue what I’m talking about because the dementia will be so bad, but I’ll say it anyway and you’ll say “who are you again?” and the nurse will come wipe your drool and wheel you away and I’ll go for a jog.
  14. Yes, the correct spelling of ‘BBQ’ or ‘barbeque’ is actually ‘barbecue’.  In case you are judging my spelling of the word in point number 12.  Not that I’m ever very aware of grammar on my blog, but misspelled words is a pet peeve of mine.  Fragments and run-on sentences are okay though.  Unless I’m writing a book – in that case, I’d be more careful with my grammar.  Believe it or not, I do understand proper grammar.  I really am qualified to teach it to my children.  :)
  15. That last point was FULL of terrible grammar.
  16. Did I blog about Josh’s visit last week?  I think I just posted a few photos from our trip to the capitol (in the things-I-love post).  Well, Josh visited last week and we had a great visit.  Jacob thinks Uncle Josh hung the moon and gets a little hyper excited when Josh is around.  What can you do?  He’s four.

    Britta and Josh imitating Justice on the bench. lol

  17. Darby and Paige wore matching dresses to church on Sunday – and of course, these were the only two photos that I got.  I’ll have to make them wear them again and take some real photos. Darby was the one that picked out their clothes, so don’t be all “why are you forcing your children to match” on me – it was HER idea! ;)  (dresses are complements of our good friend Robyn who passes her girls’ clothes down to my girls). :)

    Paige is tugging at her face in the one on the right, which explains why her eye looks all wonky. lol

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