Fat Lip

Not that this has never happened to us before . . . I do have two toddler boys, accidents, spills and full on tragedy happens frequently.  But today Tobias really hit the pavement hard.

Now, please have mercy.  The boys was eating a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips that melt before and during this photo session.  He was also avoiding eye contact, or camera/eye contact in this case. But look at that upper lip!! Yikaroo! I felt so bad and he cried so much.  Lucky though we didn’t lose any teeth and/or have serious damage . . . just a split, bleeding and, now, very very sore lip.

Trying to smile but still avoiding the old eye/camera contact thing. Yeah, see the bump on his forehead too . . . ouchy wawa!

Back to my job of making sure nothing else tragic happens today . . . one time a day is enough.

Whats with Me and Doors?

I took my pooch out potty the other day and the boys locked the door behind me . . . forcing me to go get the office staff to unlock it.  I had not a clue that they even knew how to work the deadbolt.  Lesson learned. Uh-huh.

Today Justin had to go up to Brook Firestation and do some pressure washing and some other stuff . . . its his job, work-study, fun fun.  I loaded the kiddos in the stroller at the same time he was getting into his car, to enjoy this happy happy warm weather we’re experiencing at the moment. We waved, Toby cried (always does when dad leaves), and we walked practically right next to him out of the drive . . . which just prolonged Tobias’ crying. Ugh.  Half way down the Salem Parkway Justin honks as he’s driving back toward the apartment.  We wave and my mind starts pondering what he might of forgotten.  And then something shiny caught my eye and I forgot about him.

We went for quite the walk and we’re coming up on our road that will lead us back to the apartment complex when it dawns on me that Justin is religious about locking the door.  I am not.  I did not bring my keys. So, of course I get agitated about it before we ever reach the apartment . . . in part because I had to use the restroom something awful.

Yes, the door was locked . . . but the sliding glass door, I found after I shimmied over  the 5 foot (ok, maybe 4 1/2 ft) enclosing wall, was not locked and we were inside in no time.

So the lesson here is, quite possibly, to carry my keys with me at all times. No matter if I’m the last one out and did not have a key in the first place to even lock the door . . . just carry the keys.

self pity

Not a way to start off the morning. I was feeling sorry for myself before ever pulling myself out of bed this morning.

I had plans to get myself up before 7am and get my jog/walk time in but didn’t . . . I blame the mild head cold that I have but it really isn’t a show stopper, so its not a legit excuse.

If I don’t go jogging (walk/jog) before J is getting ready to leave for school, I don’t get to go by myself . . . its a whole new type of event to load up my kids and make sure they’re cozy enough, fed, watered, etc . . . juice and snacks are provided on the trip. The solace of the outing is missing when the tots are present . . . instead whining persists . . . never enough snacks and juice. Why doesn’t my mother live closer!?! Poor me . . . I am always always serving and I just want time periodically or even spontaneously just to drop the boys off with my momma and breath for a bit

Ok, so the above paragraph are the negative statements floating around in my head as I’m making breakfast. I’m being relatively polite, despite the fact I hadn’t had my official cup of joe (our coffee pot is slow by the way) and I was deciding to wallow in the mire that is known as me and my friend selfish

Hubby, the dunce, had decided to hang around a bit this morning . . . not a good morning to do so. So the inevitable happened, the words I was allowing my brain and soul to digest instead of praying about them came out at him. He looks me in the eye and says “If you want to put the boys in daycare so you can pursue other things, we can . . . just let me know.” So matter-a-fact! My hackles raised . . . absolutely not. We’ve already built our lives around accommodating my staying home with them . . . what we decided was best . . . blah blah blah . . . I kept talking though it gets muttled in my brain as to what I actually said . . . I rant a bit sometimes.

But then it dawned on me . . . and, yes, I can be slow at times . . . that being home with my gorgeous boys is the only thing I want to do . . . its ok that I don’t have a built in babysitter (though I get envious occasionally with friends that do) and they aren’t this age forever, you know. It feels like it at times, but they aren’t. And, ultimately, if there’s less of me and my friend selfish, the more I can be full of someone else I admire more than anything or one in this world . . . Jesus. I’ve sucked it up lately, keeping my devotional time right, and I see it in my demeanor towards my hubby and my kids . . . time to set it right and keep it right. Thats my biggest prayer right now is to become steady in HIM, not just flip into grace, flip out of HIS covering, etc etc . . . kind of done being tossed by the waves of this life and my emotions . . .

Alright . . . so it hasn’t been the easiest time ever with Hubby in school and having two young toddlers . . . money can be tight tight at times and living in a new city has its major drawbacks (mostly away from family and friends) . . . but there is ONE whom I will never be separated, for eternity . . . and thats Jesus.

Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. -Psalm 27:14

diet thwarted

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 

clearing

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!

walk about

My main sources of exercise, prior to children, was jogging and hiking.  With pregnancy I slacked a lot! So I’m a bit out of shape but walking is still my favorite form of getting fresh air, whether it be on a wooded hillside, down a well known bike path or alongside a busy parkway; the latter is the option when walking from my current residence . . . not my favorite but it works and it keeps the boys’ attention due to the amount vehicles, big rigs, motorcycles, and anything else that rolls on wheels with an engine to mobilize it.  This is to Tobias’ great fascination and keeps the whining about sitting for so long to a minimum.  And by the way its situated, there is plenty of land between the busy road and our vulnerable pedestrian state and Byron is allowed to meander aimlessly on his extend-a-leash contraption due to no grumpy human lawns to poop on and the dodging of the multitudes.  If I could just block out the mass amounts of traffic whizzing by at 60 mph.

Tobias, always camera ready and Samuel . . . they’re hangin’ while mom gets a jaunt of exercise in.  Hard life, that! 

Byron loves these outings more than anyone else, and that’s saying something!  Thank goodness for person that invented the extend-a-leash!! They must’ve had a Jack Russell!

God Bless!!

ps, by God’s grace that I can do this . . . a good friend, (hint, friends that visited Saturday) gave me the double jogging stroller . . . I wouldn’t have one otherwise! Thank you, you know who you are!!!  I try not to idolize it, its hard sometimes . . . its my favorite material possession right now!