Mother Tucker

Since the purchase of our pooch, Byron, 3 years ago, dog parks have been an active part of our weekly . . . if not . . . daily lives.   He is, as you probably are already aware, a Parson Russell Terrier . . . also known as a Jack Russell (I’m not sure if “Russell” is spelled with 2 L’s or not, who cares).  Jacks are notoriously high energy, they were bred that way for fox hunting purposes.  We are the idiots that bought a high energy breed of dog but now he has wormed his spring-like self into the center of our hearts . . . so he’s stuck with us.

Since the big move to Salemland we had yet to find a loverly dog park to take our exercise deprived animal, to wear out him adequately.  No amount of walks or jogs can squelch the amazing resilience of his Jack energy. But dog parks take a little bit of it out of him, thankfully.

3 weeks ago we found one.  A dog park.  25 acres of leash-less abound! So many dogs, so many acres of green grass to romp, pee, and poop . . . but mostly romp.  And it is so spread out that I don’t mind the kiddos walking on the bark paths with us, instead of squashed in the stroller to watch the going ons.  So, in a fashion, its a dog and kid park.

And, thankfully, summer is slowing taking over, so the weather has been oh so nice!

Here are some pictures of the outing yesterday, late afternoon.  We’ve been multiple times but I managed to remember my camera . . . and I managed to remember to take pictures once we arrived.

Setting out for a walk around 25 acres of off-leash glory!!

Byron, Tobias and Samuel . . . in the lush scenery.

Tobias, growing up . . . so good looking. I’m not biased in any way though.

Samuel at the dog park. Didn’t have time to edit this one before the real live Samuel woke up from naptime.  And now that he’s sitting on me, fresh from a nap, I’m going. He’s good looking too, by the way.

. . . from Tuckerville.

Justin pulled shift yesterday and is still at school attending classes.  He is suppose to be home around 4-ish . . . but tired he is and I’m sure he’ll crash, hopefully reaching, either, the bed or the couch prior to passing out.

Kiddos have a mild cold but I’m not complaining.  It seems its been a rough winter for folks with kids this year . . . all the illness and stuff.

I’m enjoying being able to leave my sliding glass door open for the fresh air to come in my house.  Thats one of the top reasons I dislike cold weather, it gets so stuffy with closed windows and heaters running.

My plants outside . . . the very few that I have . . . are blooming. I love spring! Hopefully I can get some seeds started here very very soon. I think some vines would be nice, considering they are residing on a lattice railing, it would look nice growing down perhaps. Any ideas of a good vine with pretty flowers . . . majority sun-worshiping . . . let me know!!

I have some good coffee in my possession at this moment . . . thanks to some dear friends of ours that know me a little too well. Mmm mmm, good stuff!! I think I’ve had like 6 cups today . . . hee hee.

Well, here’s some pics cuz I’m outta words for now. I love flowers. If you ever think of me . . . get me flowers. haa haa.

Oh, so tiny white flowers.  Not so much in focus, but I don’t care . . . captures the subtle beauty just fine! And the sun!

Played with the effects on this one quite a bit but its fun and bright.

Nope, not an old country fence (you would see sky if that was the case) just my downstairs patio railing . . . note the ceiling above. But how quaint a flower! Love it! Good thing I love it . . . I might be the only one. hee hee

Light makes a photo . . . thats my personal, have no idea what I’m talking about, opinion . . . caught this one just right, in my naive opinion.

Hey, just a slight celebration of spring in Tuckerville! I hope you all had a great weekend and your week has started off positively grand.

God Bless!!

I’m a bit of house-hermit but this weekend some good friends of ours invited us over . . . an overnighter, folks. I don’t think I’ve done that since I was in my early 20’s and definitely before chitlins. That doesn’t include my Momma’s house. I was a tad nervous of how the kids would do . . . Sam hadn’t traveled for an overnight trip since he was 3 or 4 months old. But, as usual, things went better than I expected . . . actually they went really really well. And, on top of that, we spent some well-needed and overdue time with some very good friends! I enjoyed myself immensely and found myself even more grateful and blessed (and humbled) to have such people as these on my short list of friends.

Then last night we went to church.  I cried (literally) for the time lost at my “home” . . . where I feel most at home . . . and I cried cuz the presence of God was so thick in the place.  The message edifying and convicting all at once. And I can’t wait to get back.  It was excellent to see all of my friends as well! If you didn’t know, my church (Life Bible), is over an hours drive right now; living in Salem while J does his school thing.  And with finances being so slim, getting down there but once every couple of months is a miracle the last 6 months or so.  But I just choose to trust God, even though I don’t completely understand why He has us in this season.

Here’s some pics, hopefully its cool with my friends if they are posted on me blog.

Mixture of families, since there was a birthday party going on for Chad and Ezra.  My hubby is on your far right. hot!

At the table after some awesome burritos, courtesy of Sarah and Linda. Again, mixture of families and my hubby is on your far right.

Playing with our dog, Byron.  It was still relatively warm out at 8pm. My husband is on your far right . . . I’m seeing a pattern forming.

Enjoying cake and ice cream.  Ezra wanted a pink cake . . . so the frosting was, indeed, pink. Very cute! He turned 3 years old.

I didn’t mean for that last post to sound self righteous.  I have my many faults and do not live up to, even, my own standards most of the time . . . much less that of a faultless God. I am so very grateful for the grace God has chosen to show me in this life and lean completely and utterly on that . . . truth is something I’ve been convicted about gaining more of, through the Word, to balance out my daily walk with Jesus.

Nothing new to really update anyone on.  I do want to give honor to God for the place we call home right now.  A misunderstanding of a letter we received insinuated that we weren’t eligible to live here but it was ironed out quickly and we are no worse for wear.  God just keeps providing and keeps giving us favor where its obviously HIM.

And, again, finances just keep coming through! We are blessed with much more than money, but the finances are a necessity.

So, Justin tested for an officer position this past week; interview, written test, peer and teacher reviews . . . all 36 people left in the program did.  He should hear back next week.  Lieutenant or Captain (I believe) are one of the two he could be placed in . . . several people will be.  This is for the fire program and he will be over the first year students come Summer term.  Just the current update. So school is going good! He’s got a much more laid back term than last term . . . he’s home more frequently and he’s able to get to work study more often.

Samuel started going down the slide, at the playground, by himself.  For the past 3 months or so, he would climb the stairs just fine but then wait at the top for me to come set him on his rump and help him slide.  I kinda got busy talking to someone while they were playing and recognized he was at the top of the slide . . .  apparently I took too long; before I knew he was  squealing with delight as he came to the base of the slide. Tobias was on the slide next to him, so I’m sure he was watching and receiving coaching from his elder brother . . . but since then he has it figured out.  So very cute!! He’ll be 20 months May 12th and that means he nearing the 2 year mark! Crazy how life gets away from me . . .

Tobias, in the past couple of months has picked up singing. Mostly with his favorite movies and cd’s and sometimes to the radio with a random song. He mimics the sound and the words aren’t so clear but that does not keep the laughter at bay from mom and dad . . . or to keep us from joining him.  So far he’s been my hippety hopper (quite the moves that boy has!!) and now my crooner.  His dramatic nature just makes it so fun! I love it when he fake falls to the floor or dramatically fakes it as he runs into the wall and to the floor. I’m not sure where he picked that up but he’s obviously acting it out. And we really really have to keep an eye on what he watches cuz he mimics and acts out the stories and words with his toys, words and hands.

I have 15 pounds to go before I’m where I want to be physically.  Doesn’t seem like much but the last bit is so stubborn and motivation wanes with each passing pound. Thanks to Kacy I’ve revved it up with Billy Blanks’ Taebo videos.  I get so sore and keep saying “darn you, Billy Blanks, darn you,” whilst shaking my fist at the sky.  Justin keeps telling me that thats a really creepy thing to do and to knock it off.  hee hee. You know that just eggs me on. haa haa He’s not amused.

Well, geez . . . there’s an earful for ya . . . or eyeful, whatever.

We are in Harrisburg this fine weekend.  We are to be visiting and spending the night at some dear friends of ours, house.  An overnighter . . . thats a first in a long time, minus my parent’s house.  A bit nervous I am but so at ease when I remember how much we are loved and accepted by these cool people we call friends.

Welp . . . God bless!  I hope all of your weekends are fabulously full of family, friends and good times!!

mmm mmm . . . hotness! My hubby . . . don’t tell him I posted this, it would embarrass him.

Alright . . . some good friends of ours gave me a bag of popcorn kernels . . . is that what you call them before they’re popped? How old am I? Why don’t I know the answer to that?

Anyway . . . I have never popped popcorn outside of a prepackaged microwavable bag . . . careful opening it, its hot!

Ok, so I had a bit of the munchies (no I don’t smoke pot) yesterday and decided that that would be a healthier munchy than, say, cookies or candy . . . the two that were also on the mind’s list of yummy edibles.

If you weren’t aware I’m working on losing the next 20 lbs of flab that has stuck itself to my ribs (thighs, arms, fingers, butt, etc) and so healthy was gnawing at the back of my mind.

I read the directions (crazy!!) and decided it sounded easy peasy.  And it was easy peasy! And oh so good!!

If you choose to follow my diet ideas . . . be aware that tiny 1/3 cup of kernels pops a gigantic bowl of popcorn . . . the popcorn you then must drizzle with olive oil and salt it until tastes as though it came from the sea.

Yes, my friends . . . not so healthy after I mutilated it.  And I had one bowl (or barrel, whatever) . . . I did share with my boys, but how much can a 3 year old and 1 1/2 year old actually eat?

Then hubby came home and we were hanging out after the chitlins had drifted to sleep and I was going on and on about how good the “real” popcorn turned out, compared to crappy microwave popcorn.  I went on so much that he asked me to make some, that it sounded good.

Um . . . so I did.  And then I proceeded to eat over half the bowl (barrel) of popcorn cuz apparently he wasn’t as impressed or something.

So, diet didn’t go so well yesterday.

But, on a brighter note . . . I have started jogging outdoors in the wee morning hours, before the house wakes to the chaotic. I have found such solace in my time out . . . I take my crazy Jack, Byron, and we hit the pavement. I’m able to get home, take a shower, get dressed (for the day!!) and have breakfast on its way before the boys start screeching and talking from their cribs.

Mind you, its been COLD here . . . in the 35 or so when I start up at 6:45am . . . but I warm quickly the jostling of jogging and its been tolerable . . . though I’ve decided I still hate the rain.

So, one of my friends, K, and I are planning on a 5k in the fall . . small goal but not so small at the same time.  Maybe I’ll actually be in shape for it. weird

Ok, I’m going now.  Hubby is back to school and shift today . . . so I’m on my own . . . though I was pretty much ready for a day to myself, so thats cool . . . ask me in a week . . . I’ll be ready for him to be on break again.

God Bless!!

Upclose Byron . . . my crazy and obnoxious Jack Russell 

Anybody keeping track of me and mine . . . we’re doing good . . . relatively speaking. It’ll be nice, when J finishes school, to have a regular income once again.  I need a outlet pretty bad, since my church is so far away and I don’t get down there much anymore . . . actually not at all.  But I come secondary, right now, to my boys and J . . . won’t always be that way, but for now it is.  So when we have 5$ for gas and he needs to get to school for the next week . . . guess what comes in second . . . my wanting to drive an hour, one way, to church . . . or even across town.  Same goes for keeping the electric on and phone/internet on.  And, no, I’m not the sole reason we have internet . . . J needs to have access when he’s home from school to be online.

Most days are great . . . flow easily within our schedule . . . and there are some days that are so long I want to poke my eyes out with a sharp stick . . .  gotta rely pretty heavily on the grace of God right now . . . as always.  I’m kidding about the poking my eyes out bit . . . thats gross.

So, today is a great day . . . I actually got in my running . . . which I mentioned earlier last week . . . “I’m going to run everyday, blah blah blah”. Very next day, it poured down rain, and continued to pour down rain for several days. The first clear day, I was out with my dog . . . felt great . . . got in over a mile.  Don’t laugh, its the first time I’ve jogged for reals in several years . . .  Today was my second run of the week and went about 3/4 of a mile . . . but I was pushing upwards of 70 lbs in a jogging stroller and had the crazy Jack on a leash. So I get bonus points for that, right? hee hee.  Total with walking the other day was about 3 1/2 miles . . . today was 2 miles total.  I still walk a lot. But I was reminded why I enjoyed the running bit so much . . .  it feels awesome; empowering in a way. I’ll keep with it . . . I think I’m falling in love with running once again.  And its challenging . . . gotta mention that.

Alright, I’m taking my dorky, tired self to bed now.  I’ve spent the last 3 hours . . . 3 HOURS . . . unthreading and literally picking these stinking letters off J’s practice turnout coat . . . my fingernails hurt. ugh. Now my legs, butt, sides, stomach muscles, toes, shoulders and fingernails hurt . . . all from jogging, except the fingernails.

God Bless and have a great rest of the week!!

ps, we get to go out for our anniversary!! A good friend offered to take our boys for us and I’m mighty mighty excited!! You know who you are  . . . THANK YOU, from the bottom of our pea pickin’ hearts!!

I do love coffee . . . good, bad and the ugly tasting. I’ve had it all and still carry a pretty strong affection for the naturally caffeinated beverage. But I normally limit myself to coffee in the morning and the last cup by lunch time. Otherwise sleep eludes me to the point that I get annoyed at night.

Tonight shall be a rare exception. I just downed the last drop of my cup of joe . . .

I’m doing some minor work for my sister’s rotary club and I managed to start it out wrong so I got to go back and fix what I did wrong and continue on my merry way with it. Not realizing until 10pm that I was currently on page 2 and there were 10 pages of things to be added to the presentation. Um, I’m not going to finish tonight, like I had hoped. I sit on my cushioned bench, created to rest at the foot of my bed, but its been recruited as a fancy looking computer chair . . . with no back support. Ugh! And I have decently strong back . . . still very uncomfortable after several hours. And I was sleepy by 9pm, so I heated up the last remaining dregs left in the cold coffee pot from this morning. It helped ok . . . I’m still awake and functioning to some degree . . . now taking a break and contemplating going to bed while I write this.

So, I believe, after reading one of my good friend’s blog posts about her running a 10K . . . I have been encouraged, in a round about way to start jogging again. I’m so hard on myself. Before Tobias was born I had whittled my body down from well over 200 lbs to under 165 . . . which is good for my 5′10″ frame . . . all by running approximately 20 miles a week. Thats not a lot but its a heck of a lot more than I’m doing right now!

I got big and chubby during the 3 prego years but have managed to lose all but 20 lbs of it, mostly by eating properly and exercising with my crazy kickboxing lady dvd’s in the house. Kids sure complicate things . . . or I use them as an excuse, that could be, at times. But now the weather is getting nice and we (I mostly, the kids are comfortably sitting in the stroller) casually jog/walk (mostly walk) nearly everyday, I think its time to jump-start the old jogging routine . . . build back up to my 3 - 4 miles stints a day. Considering a mile is not in the picture at this point . . . I’ve got a ways to go . . . but I’ll share my joys, sorrows and victories with the three people that read this goofy blog . . . no worries. I have problem with not spilling my guts anyway.

So, all is good with the world of Mother Tucker. I’m going to take pics . . . every morning that I jog . . . that’ll be a good motivator to get out and do it. You don’t even have to pretend interested . . . how about that?!

Thats me at the thought of goal-setting . . . always disappointment to be had along the way . . . its how you deal with the disappointment and move forward as to whether or not you will attain your goal.

Its clearing!! Oh, thank you Jesus!  I was dreading doing the workout videos today . . . they do get old, especially the same 8 or so that I use consistently.  The boys will enjoy the jaunt as well as I’m sure . . . the short bursts of time outside don’t seem to squelch their amazing energy levels. Now the sun is shining!! Yippeee for me!

Energy levels I wish they would share with me today since my coffee canister is empty as empty can be.  I didn’t realize J had to be at school right away this morning so I figured I could just go out pick some up before he left . . . . oh no! Nope, he had to be there, pretty much, right after he woke up.  He’s getting groceries tonight, which I appreciate, but I will have to wait until tomorrow for my loving and addictive cup of joe.  This has happened too many times in the last couple of months . . . one should not have to endure such hardships as this more than once every few years! Catastrophe, there’s a word for it . . .

Ah well . . . hey, my dad is doing really good.  They have a park about 15 minutes (walk) from their house and he’s been trekking that twice a day.  The doc said do if he can and he has. I’m so thankful to God for the surgery going good and a quick recovery! I won’t be going down until later in the summer. Finances are always playing a part, aren’t they?! Ugh!

Well, I’m getting off this thang . . . sure sucks the life-blood right out of you . . . kind of like watching tv. 

God Bless and have a great rest of the week!

My sexy sweet man came home at 3:30 yesterday afternoon . . . surprising us all.  Midnight is more likely the time that I see him come in. And as tired and beat down as he felt, he showered, got dressed  . . . while I was slapping on makeup and dressing the kiddos . . . and we headed out.  We got mexican food and ate way too much . . . hung at the park with the kids and, as the sun set, we headed to DQ for icecream magical goodness.  After the boys went to sleep we just hung out laughing at random crap on You Tube and fell asleep peacefully around 11 or so . . . I really don’t keep a timeline on my day . . . I’m mostly guessing.

I enjoyed it thoroughly . . . thanks, partially, to this awesome spring time sunshine we’ve been getting! And warm, nice!!

My plants have started to sprout, the ones left from last year. The ones I thought were goners for sure . . . but lo and behold they liveth!

Ah, thats it folks . . . I write too much here . . . but its all good, right?  Remember that saying . . . I’ve always always thought it obnoxious  “Its all good.” And you have to say it with an southern accent. Special. So many special things coming from my generation.

Mums alive!! 

Prior to moving to Salem we lived in a house on a good sized lot, fenced, manicured lawn . . . nice little place. Tobias loved playing outside in the yard and the dog enjoyed being off leash; both able to move about freely. We decided Justin had hit the dead-end part of a dead end job; mill work was not his favorite either. The school here in Salem has one of the best fire suppression and EMT programs in the area, so here we are. To get through this time of financial lack we are renting an apartment. This has been a change for all involved, obviously and God’s grace is sufficient . . . just so thats clear.

Our apartment has a patio. It is good sized, I suppose; I haven’t really lived in too many apartments, and none with patios. But its outside and its paved and it has wall of lattice so the monsters can’t escape. And to their great enjoyment, we house our 3 ice chests out there, which make great climbing obstacles and tables to play.

As the weather warms I’m more and more grateful for our little patio. I leave the sliding glass door open for fresh air to enter and the boys run in and out . . . leaving trails of dirt (not sure where the dirt comes from since I sweep the patio daily) for mom to vacuum.

But the patio experience also makes me miss my yard, my great big yard with my flower beds and green grass. MY yard, not sharing the grassy slopes with anyone else. Selfish thought for the day . . . or for the minute, whatever. But I also remind myself that because of what the fam endures today, tomorrow we will actually OWN our own yard and house (God willing) and to just lay low, that it will pay off in the end.

Sam in front of the sliding glass door . . . T is heading outside . . . again.

Samuel, on top of his mountain . . . it was quite the feat, that climbing bit. He’s not on the tall side for his age. Oh, and ignore the bare patio . . . many plants to come . . . and slowly more toys are finding a home out there as well.