Just A Sunday Afternoon

Yesterday we were invited to a friend's house for dinner after church. We got there and ate, it was fantastic. Our kids went down to the basement to play with their daughter, one of the girls who babysits for us. Shortly thereafter I heard a dire screaming. It was Issac. Travis went running down to see what was going on. I knew right away it was an injury from the screaming. Travis came up sort of holding his mouth and I thought he had bit his tongue or bonked his lip and it was bleeding.

But no, that was only to mute the crying, because instead he showed me a bleeding foot through the sock. Luckily for us, our friend is an emergency room nurse. We took off the sock, and his big toenail was ripped almost completely off, not quite. We rinsed it, neosporined it, and bandaged it up with a camo bandage. He refused to take Motrin despite shaking from the pain even when being held and not crying. Opting instead to "go to bed" in his car seat. Which of course made me nervous, our friend nervous, you know CPS and all. So after a few minutes we ended our stay and went home.

In the car his toe continued to bleed through the bandage. Getting home we added a second. Still more blood. Then a cotton ball and paper towel. By night time we redid most of it because of the blood. Leaving the base bandaids intact for clotting sake and Issac's mental stability. Man, who knew those suckers bled so much. As for today I have a cripple two almost three year old who refuses to walk, opting intead for calling his mom to carry him from bed to the breakfast table, from there to the couch, etc...Pictures allude us because it makes Issac finicky to get close to his boo boo. But in a day or two I'll be excited to post them and what hopefully is a toe sans toenail. Because despite being wrapped in quite a bit of bandaging last night, he cried out tons in the middle of the night each time he moved it.

And That Is When I Knew

I woke up this morning headed down to the kitchen with the kids in tow. We decided we were having hot chocolate and toast for breakfast. We needed hot chocolate from the basement and in my head I had been keeping a running tally of things to bring up of nonimportance next time I went down.

As I headed down the steps it was with a heavy foot because I was still feeling particulary fatigued despite it being a little after nine. I head to the back part of our basement to the food storage area and out of the corner of my eye I catch movement. I look down at the ground and there appears to be grass or something to the untrained eye. But my eye knows better.

So I watched waiting, trying to figure out what creepy crawling creature was doing a grass clump impersonation. To my utter surprise and amazement after waiting a second a spider unfurled. And literally because apparently my hulk walking had scared it into rearing up halfway into an upright position. I had never seen this and was so horrified that a spider would rear up at me.

And that is when I knew that this spider had to die with a vengence. I wasn't going to kill it like I would kill any other creature half sad that it was so fated to die merely because it had stepped in my house. The audacity of this spider bigger than your average spider, but not so huge that it's offensive position would scare me was killed with a force that unmatched any other insect death or arachnid as the case may be. I did this with the hope that this spider would come back from its grave to warn all other spiders that when in this position you would be better to hold still or scurry off, in a weak moment I may just let you live. Farewell bravado filled spider, your bravery did you no good here.

10 Reasons I Know I Love My Husband

This is an untraditional list. Readers beware! 1. He thinks it is funny to fart on me, yet I still snuggle with him on the couch night after night.
2. No matter where we are at or what we are doing he almost always answers his work cell phone.
3. Regardless of the infinite reminders he still forgets to take out the nightly trash and most times forgets the weekly trash for the trash man, so I do it for him.
4. At the last minute he loves to change his plans and I try to figure out a way to make it work.
5. He thinks camping in a potential tsunami with four kids sounds like a fun idea and I go along with it.
6. The day after I have a baby he is always back at work and I really don't mind.
7. He tells the kids that "yes, vegetables (fill in the blank food) are gross", usually it is under his breath or when they aren't listening, but still.
8. Regardless of the decade he thinks that Scorpion is a great band.
9. Given the oppurtunity he would still play video games by himself all night long.
10. He treats me better than anyone ever has and would do anything to make me happy.

Yeah he may have some annoying traits but in the end that tenth thing keeps me coming back time after time. Love you handsome man.

One Perfect Day After Another

Autumn is upon us. It is my favorite season for many reasons, if you need them enumerated go to my "100 things to be grateful for" blog. It lists some of the highlights. But I am sure that you can imagine them. The weather is magnificent with one low to mid seventy day after another. I look outside and all I see is the sun shining in every corner and nook of the rolling hills of central Pennsylvania. The humidity is low which is a rarity for these parts, but makes it even more appreciated when it happens. The wind blows slightly off and on the whole day through making open windows feel like a bit of heaven. And the scents that waft in are mostly pleasant as I smell my neighbors dryer vent blowing a clean laundry scent, fresh cut grass from a couple neighbors down, and what seems like a exotic flower scent – I don’t know where it is originating from, but I’ll take it. I love spring, summer, and winter, but autumn makes me physically smile at nothing at all.

Asian Kissing Fish Hit New York Via Pittsburgh

So this weekend we went to Pittsburgh to visit a friend from college. It is always a good time for the kids and lots of fun for me too. This weekends highlights include Guitar Hero competitions, Five Guys -yum-, and my very favorite activity Asian Kissing Fish. http://www.asiankissingfish.com

So lately I had been hearing this hype about these fish and a new pedicure idea. In the paper I read this whole article on these fish that suck dry and dead skin away as a new and superior exfoliating pedicure or manicure. As soon as I saw it I was stoked. I wanted to try it and I didn't have any reservations. So I tried calling some local spas and I couldn't find any who offered the service yet. I figured it must still just be a big city thing and that I would look into it more later.

When we went to Bedford Springs, a huge spa resort, I asked them about it. They said that they too didn't offer it and my massuese offered me reasons why she didn't think it would be good. I asked her if she knew anyone around who did and she did not. I was feeling frustrated again by another dead end. I had put it from my mind and two weeks later headed to Pittsburgh.

I get there to visit my friend and her brother is there on his way to New York City for a big Convention Center Show. What is he doing at the Show you ask, Asian Kissing Fish. Oh yeah the pedicure fish that I had been hearing all about. I was stoked at an oppurtunity to try. He was super generous and let me try despite the late hour and his leaving for New York early the next morning. Keeping in mind this was one tub of many he had so there weren't as many fish as you get in a pedicure treatment, and that the water had been treated with medicine to help the fishy travel across the country better.
It was the coolest sensation ever. My feet came out so much softer, my hands even more so. This despite the fewer fish and shorter time. It didn't hurt at all actually felt really good. It is still pretty new, and he is the third distributor in America. I was the first person in Pennsylvania to receive the treatment. I told him how much I loved it. And he taped some small segments to possibly use as a testimonial on his website. I am ridiculous so beware if you ever see it. Movies are not in my future.

Regardless it was the best thing ever. And I can't wait till his Asian Kissing Fish become way bigger so I can go have it done again, this time with hundreds of fish, relaxing music, and no kids in my lap and running around wildly. Things have a way of working themselves out after all.

Just One of Those Days

I'm seeing a whole lot of this today. I wake up this morning, and I'm feeling relatively good. The weather is working in my favor as it is cool and crisp and relatively low humidity. A rare thing here in PA. Autumn is well on its way and I couldn't be more thrilled. The baby is cooing so I bring him in to cuddle with me in bed.

After some lovey time with Kody we get the whole way up, get the boys dressed, and downstairs for breakfast and it seems like the winds have changed. Not so much outside, but inside my house. Breakfast is filled with tears as Kody doesn't want to sit in his high chair. Issac doesn't want to wear underwear this morning despite having worn them for the past two weeks everyday. We start eatting and Wyatt says his throat hurts. The baby is still crying in jags more so than not. He is sick with a runny nose and cough, one that would rival the worlds longest smoker but juicy sounding as the stuff rattles in his lungs. By the end of breakfast Wyatt is mellow and I know he is feeling it because he is just cuddled on the couch content to watch tv. Issac is needing extra love and Kody cries each time I give it to him. Sibling jealousy seems to exist from infancy a fact which preplexes and interests me greatly. So from this point on one is always crying whichever one is not receiving my affection.

I dope up Wyatt, I dope up Kody knowing full well that they are sick and the thought crosses my mind, do I dope up Issac because something is up. He is crying and there seems to be no problem, all he wants is to be held, very strange. I see no real sick symptons and he has yet to point out something specific, but a pre-emptive measure of sorts to save my sanity seems like an alluring option. So I pose the question to all: what say you on pre emptive medicating?

But I'm the Dad

So Travis is in Texas. Before he left he told the kids to be good and he told Wyatt that he was in charge and that because he was the oldest boy he had to be the Dad and help Mommy out, etc...

Anyway this morning Issac is flying a paper and string kite Bella made for him. And in his enthusiastic flying it starts to come apart. Wyatt comes and tells me. I say it is fine, and he shouts, "No, it is not." Where upon I tell him he can go to the corner for talking to me like that. He promptly does so and while standing in the corner says, but I'm the dad I can talk like that.

I stiffled my giggles, wondering where he learned something so silly. Because Travis next to never yells and it's even more rare that it is at me.

Build This

So this blog is typically all about the kids and me. Since that is who the bulk of my day is spent with, but because it is a family blog I thought I'd update you all on what Travis does. Most you know he is a builder. Here is his current project. It's called Sunset Terrace. It is a ton of apartments in 5 buildings I think. Don't quote me on that. There is a community center, a little playground, etc... Here is how it is starting to shape up.
Hopefully the project will be done the beginning of November. It really is quite nice. And never have I seen such spectacular landscaping. Nice job Benj.
Really my husband is quite amazing, because when you think about it he is the brain behind all of this. Everyday he amazes me.

Music Therapy

So today I was driving home from the Pediatrician's office. I was feeling sorry for myself for a slew of reasons, none important, and probably easily summed up in that I have my period and I am just generally feeling crappy right now. Man I am not used to this having always in the past been pregnant or breastfeeding and the likes. Anyway... I am feeling down and a song comes on. A song from my past. And all I want to do is dance. Like crazy dance. And so I do, because it'll make me feel good and who cares. So I swerve over to the side of the road because it's Lancaster County and no one is really behind me or likely to pass me because all roads are back roads and I blare the stereo and I get out of my car and dance. Yes crazy pulsating, gyrating, close to seizure having movements. I am more uncoordinated than ever, my body having betrayed me after childbirth with it's different proportions and feel. And with some of the extra weight I am carrying, a wild move tends to continue long after I have with my waves of fat floating to my extremeties. But all that aside I didn't feel self conscious. I felt great. I felt worry free. I felt like me again, spastic as ever, but always prone to enjoy life. Who knew? Someday I may just open my own music therapy clinic, because I can't imagine feeling any better than I did today.

Bedford Springs Resort

Total luxury. It was very fabulous. The hiking trails, spa treatments, outdoor fire pit, and absolute absence of responsibilities was amazing. The library. One of the coolest rooms in the resort in my opinion. It had real wood jigsaw puzzles, amazing book collections, checkers, etc... I loved the ambiance. There were tons of little rooms and nooks and cranies like this throughout the hotel.
This is just part of the hotel at night of course. I couldn't find any angle that could capture it all. It was amazing at night all lit up. The resort was built in 1796 so it has this amazing old time classic Americana feel with all the amenities of the 21st century. We got upgraded to a front room. So we had one of those balacony doors with an area for sitting.
Travis and I getting ready to leave. Thought we'd capture the gist of the weekend, laying in bed all weekend. Not really, but more than I ever do at home. The bed was quite fantastic.
People from Travis's company kept asking if there was a car show there? I tried to expain that "no, the people who come here just drive these cars." I know a hard concept to grasp when you are looking at 100,000 plus dollar Bentley's and Rolls Royce's. It really was awesome.

The Things Kids Say

While I was at my wonderful spa resort Bella had a conversation with Sarah. Here is the gist of it as far as I remember based on hearing it from Sarah.

Sarah: Bella, is your mom going to have any more babies?
Bella: No she keeps taking these vitamins so she won't.
Sarah: Do you want another little brother or sister?
Bella: Yes I want a sister soo bad. I keep telling her I want a sister. But she just keeps taking these vitamins everynight even though I want her to stop. She just keeps taking them.

Thanks Sarah and Jake you guys are the best and I owe you my life for babysitting.

Kody's First Birthday

So Kody's birthday was Monday and he turned one. My baby is one. It's bittersweet, mostly sweet though. Just like these delicious chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. I just don't do the cake thing for one year olds. Too much mess for my neurotic self.Kody opened cards first. Loved them. I am not sure why, but he did.
Next he opened his presents. Anti climatic really since he had picked it out earlier in the day at Wal-Mart. Played with it at home half the day before we wrapped it for him to unfurl in pictures. He still loved it though and the paper was fun. Look at those lips, I love to kiss 'em.
At first Kody was all shy with the cupcake. He would barely dip his finger in the frosting, lick, and repeat. Finally after I was about to put away the camera he started clawing at it and then this. Perfection.
Once he was all finished he kept saying, Mmm. Mmm.
Kody is the best baby ever. He is so mellow. Just so sweet and perfect. Parenting him is usually easy. He will cuddle when he is sleepy (as long as I am standing). When you greet him after naps and nightime he gives the best kisses. Sometimes when I am holding him he will start to pat and rub my back like he is soothing me or putting me to bed. And lastly my favorite little habit that he has taken too lately...when I take him in his room for nap and night time we do the cuddle thing and he will pull on my sleeve or collar of my shirt till it is stretched to his nose and he will rub it back and forth sniffing audibly. I am thinking of making a rag of my old clothes so he can have the scent of me without stretching sleeves and collars. I don't know though it does make me feel special to be sniffed so thoroughly and see how pleased he gets. Kody is pure perfection and it seems a perfect ending note to the baby years in our house. Love you buddy.

100th Post

The 100 things I am most grateful for (in no particular order and subject to change daily):

1.Travis – my best friend and biggest help
2.Isabella
3.Wyatt
4.Issac
5.Kody
6.Friends: the people I choose to share my craziness with
7.Being a two car family
8.Nana who through her generous gift made back to school shopping fun instead of a cost analysis
9.Wikipedia
10.Books
11.My King Size Bed
12.Autumn Time – with its burning leaves, many colors, and perfect weather
13.Beautiful Shoes
14.School: the place that gives me a break from my kids and teaches them the basics of what they know
15.JC Penny Portrait Studios
16.The beach
17.Central Air/Heat
18.Fresh Fruit
19.Naptime
20.A good thunder/lightning storm
21.Down Comforters
22.Unexpected flowers delivered to my house
23.Mapquest
24.Digital Camera
25.Service – the opportunity to forget about myself for a small time
26.Modern medicine
27.The smell of my new house
28.Public Libraries
29.The wind
30.Sports
31.Playdates
32.Irish Crème Brownies
33.Jigsaw Puzzles
34.Makeup
35.Birthdays, Anniversaries, Holidays, Presents
36.Potty trained children and disposable diapers for my kids who aren’t potty trained
37.The Savior
38.Watches, clocks, and people who are on time
39.Dumb people (it’s always nice to feel smart) plus they’re good for a laugh
40.Reality TV
41.Extended Weekends
42.Sleeping In
43.Take Out Food
44.The United States of America
45.A new and closer bus stop
46.Apple Pie
47.No Streetlights in my neighborhood
48.Vacuum Cleaners
49.Pearls
50.Trampolines
51.Flip Flops
52.Perfect blue skies and fresh cut grass
53.Girls’ Night
54.Pens – I hate writing with pencils
55.Pictures of my husband and me
56.Historic Parks and National Monuments
57.Guns – a hobby for my husband and protection for my family
58.Olympic Games – Competition at its best and worst, but always making me want to be in them
59.All things electronic/technology
60.A Loving Heavenly Father
61.My Flexibility – always a good party trick
62.Online Bill Pay
63.Journals
64.Starry Nights
65.Boardwalk Fries
66.Chapstick
67.Baby books
68.Athlete’s Foot Cream
69.Early morning scripture study
70.Swimming Pools and good diving boards
71.Leftovers
72.The color purple
73.People who push me to be better
74.Text Messaging/Cell Phones
75.A college education
76.Hidden Talents
77.DVR
78.Dreaming Big
79.Capitalism
80.Paid Vacation
81.Eye rolling (sometimes it is the best way to express yourself)
82.Travis's inventions
83.Paper Towels
84.Inside Jokes
85.Wal-Mart photo lab
86.Online Shopping
87.Four beautiful seasons that come at the perfect time
88.My very own piano
89.Well behaved children
90.A good workout
91.A nice tan
92.Learning something new
93.Music because it always sets a mood and because it is linked to so many memories
94.Home Videos
95.Tissues, toilet paper, and the likes
96.Adjustable height chairs – they’re fun to play on (I’m still a kid at heart)
97.Scratch N’ Sniff stickers
98.Food storage
99.Duct Tape
100.Laughing

Cabin Adventures for Labor Day

Hyner View: one of the best lookout locations up there. It is also where hang gliders take off from. The hang gliders were ready that day, but while we were there the air wasn't moving much so they waited.
The boys exploring nature. Playing barefoot in the grass despite the day before having to find a stick and throw a snake down the hill from where they were playing.
Later the whole family looking for salamanders. We found a couple. The kids loved them and asked all kinds of questions, like "Why are they so flat? Is it because they live under rocks and the rocks smoosh them?"
Travis giddy as only he can be about having shot three arrows at the same time quite well from Wyatt's little bow.
His and her toilets. The wave of the future in bathrooming needs. This is an outhouse. And our cabin outhouse has always been two seaters. I don't know why, maybe because as kids we were always terrified to go out there by ourselves. The solution: make room for two, the buddy system and all that.
The view from the cabin door. Nothingness just the way we like it. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful.

The front of the cabin. Rustic elegance at it's best.
Wyatt honing his gun skills.
Issac having the time of his life. He could not pull the trigger fast enough.
Bella is getting quite good with a gun. She strives for accuracy already. More than that she loves having "Daddy time".
It was such a good vacation and nice Labor Day. Labor Day this year was also Kody's birthday. More on that later though.