Choo-choo

my sweet mother drove back to visit us for the 4th time in two weeks. this time, it was not to help around the house while i recovered. it was to treat ethan to a day with thomas the train.

it was fun- ish.  ethan was in heaven.  but i won't do it again.

i called my mom today and said, "are you really tired or is it just me?" and she said "oh my gosh, i am so glad you said that. i thought it was just me."

i was beat down. so. tired.

faustino said, "isn't it just a train?"

no, no.  much more.   the petting zoo.  the blaring kids music.  the sandbox.  the corndogs.  the tent with train tables and toddlers fighting for train engines.  the kids running every which way wearing thomas t-shirts....  oh my.

but ethan really got a kick out of it... it was worth the effort.  and savannah enjoyed the train ride very much.



in this photo he first saw the train. pure delight. you can only imagine...




and the sandbox. my word. toddlers throwing sand. parents not stopping it. not enough toys. ethan loved every minute of it and we played here twice. twice. do notice the thomas tattoo. :)







i ask you, could i look any more tired? and this is the best of all 6 photos of me. thats not saying much.



we skipped the "real pictures" in front of the train? why you ask? time and money my friends.

would i recommend this day out with thomas to you? yes. ethan was so thrilled when he saw the train pull into the station right before we boarded that other people were laughing at his display of amusement. he's talked about it non-stop... and he had excellent behavior for the most part because he knew it was a special trip for him.

but am i still recovering...? well, yes. yes, i am.

Naptime Nightmare

why is getting to this --



so stinkin' hard???? both children resist naptime so strongly. i know it's the shared room, but geez. give a girl a break!



the crying just ended.  i'm going to try to sew.  i'll blog later :)

checking in...

hi there -

thank you for all your sweet words of encouragement.  i am feeling so much better.  it is amazing how quickly our bodies heal.  i've been thinking a lot about our bodies and our minds... they really amaze me.  it's because i am almost done with my "book of the month"  it's a good book to motivate you to get up and get better... the perfect read while you recover.

so, i did just that.  i got up, and gosh, i feel better.  just don't touch my nose.  it's tender.  and i am out of my pain pill stupor.  did last week really happen?  it is f u z z y...

this is a little from my time with savannah today while ethan napped.  i love this weather.  i am guessing that last week was like this too... bummer i didn't get to enjoy it.  i can't imagine living where there is still snow.  friends in cold places, how do you survive???

My life in a list...posting with my head elevated.

Bullet points for you...

:: nose and sinus surgery + dslr... Not a good combo. No photos in this post.

:: siting around looking at all the things {pretty gerber daisies! My kids!} I want to take a picture of = frustrating.

:: random gushes of blood from my nose are not fun

:: they scare Ethan

:: but all and all, I think I am okay-ish.

:: I don't know how I would have gotten through this week with out pain pills and my iPad.

:: speaking of my iPad, I had a monumental aha moment when I learned the "two finger" scroll.

:: I am in need of a good blogging app for the iPad.

:: I am getting hooked on pintrest...genius, I tell you.  My solution to disorganized bookmarking.  ahhh... bliss.

:: savannah said her first word on Tuesday... baby. I think ethan's was 'hot'. Kids sure are different, no?

:: My mom did all my ironing. Saint.

:: I am reading a new book... My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor. I'll update the post with a link, but it's too tricky, thus, I need an app for easier iPad blogging. I'm only 4 chapters in, but gee it is fascinating. It's been on my list for awhile now, so i'm glad to finally get to it.

:: I think i've lost all my muscle mass... I will really have to move it into high gear and workout when the nose bleeds subside. Losing weight from losing your muscle mass...well, there isn't so much sexy to that kind of skinny. :)

:: Ethan is saying he wants his mommy... Gotta go try to participate in life. What an interesting spring break.

Special Thanks + Weekend Tidbits

Hi there, me here.

I'm a little swollen. Have you ever seen rocky? Or do you know what the pigs look like if they are close to dying in angry birds? Anyway, that's enough about that.

I'm certainly not posting a picture.

Many thanks to all who have pitched in and helped me, thought kind thoughts, or lifted my spirits.

And special thanks to my mom and mother-in-law. what would I do without them?

And my husband. I'm grouchy when in pain. And he was pretty sweet to me. And he took Ethan to the movies and fishing this weekend so that the house would be a bit more peaceful. Both were "firsts" and I sadly do not have any photos...oh well. That's the price I pay for laying in bed...

Anyway, on to more interesting fare...

Savannah is doing that thing where she wants to "walk" around while you hold her up. Too cute.



My mother-in-law made the most delicious ham and sweet potatoes in the slow cooker last night... Why don't I use mine more often? I need to commit to one slow cooker meal a week...

And my mom brought us a lasagna... And friends sent us pizza...my sister stopped by with a milk shake, and ethan insisted on baking cookies last night. I might need to go on a diet once I'm back to normal!

On a healthier note, over the weekend my lettuce really took off, both in the planter and in the row





And my mint is finally coming back. Mojitos are on the horizon for sure!



Gee, a mojito sounds good right now... But, probably not good for healing... :)

Xoxo, s

checklist

taxes -  praise the lord for a second child to deduct.
laundry
floors
water garden
drop of drycleaning
ironing  {farmed job out to my mother.  yes!}
closet clean out for kiddos - switch seasons and label drawers
dusting
buy alphabet cookie cutters, cascade, saline spray {joann's and walgreens?}
change sheets {all three beds}
pick up eggs from a friend's house
take back moldy cheese to sprouts and demand refund {how irritating is that??}


seriously.  all this needs to be done by noon.  well, most of it anyway.  yikes.

one other thing  {purely for my own record keeping} -- savannah used a spoon to feed herself applesauce.  holy smokes!  she's so grown up!!  

The Garden & Some Randoms

this past weekend was a productive one.  {opposed to the several very lazy ones that i had in february}

so... the weekend recap:

first and foremost:  the house stayed clean-ish.  which means i was "on" all weekend, picking up and nagging.  the house can really turn into a pit if i'm "off" verses "on"  and then... monday is a beast.  recover the house from its pit-like state and do monday's chores... which should be the bulk of my house work so that i am freed up for other projects in the week.  BUT  i had a killer headache on sunday night, got next-to-no sleep, so monday was still a beast.  just a different kind of beast.  :) 

secondly:  we planted the garden.  now we just REALLY need some rain this spring.  almost all my seedlings were transplanted, and leftovers were sent to a friend who wants to plant green beans in her family garden.

the rest of the garden came from starter plants.





except the lettuce.  they are from seeds too.  i am trying some in a row, and some in a pot...



i also started our cucumber seeds. they don't have cucumber plants at the nursery yet...



my mother got me these copper markers - aren't they cool?  too bad they actually are taking me a chunk of time to write on... i thought it would go a bit quicker.  i want to ditch all the paper markers...






and now we wait.  and we pray that we don't get a freeze.  or else we will be starting over...

i have a little spot in the back of the yard that i don't know what to do with...  suggestions anyone?  fruit is pretty much out, seeing as how we practically live in the desert.

third:  ethan got a tee-ball set and a new fishing pole.  my husband used the excuse:  "when my son asked for a new fishing pole, how could i tell him no?"  and i said, "hmm... i'll remember that one.  it will come in handy."

***sarcastic side note, isn't it fun having an alley behind the house??***














and fourth:  we also made it to church.  that is a feat in and of itself.  and the kids continue to sit with us.  {hmm... that might be another blog post entirely.  i've become somewhat opinionated on that one.  i mean, how on earth do you teach kids how to behave in church if they are always in the nursery?}

i also made this chili.  saturday was a chili kind of day.

and i've debated on whether or not to blog this, but i am trying to be more transparent... and not just put all the easy stuff out here on the blog.  anyway, i am a ball of nerves this week... because i am having some work done on my sinuses on friday.  apparently it's no big deal, but i've never had surgery... so its a little scary.  and i might be out of commission for awhile.  my mom and mother-in-law are going to be filling in for me "at work" - dare i say it?  i'm taking "vacation"  hahaha!  it will be nice to breathe and not have chronic sinus pain though...  so maybe if you are the praying kind, will you say a little prayer?  thanks.

sounds like we'll have a blast on spring break... :)

and i leave you with a confession.  i bought a bag of cadbury mini eggs and put them in my closet.  i told no one.  i ate the entire bag by the end of the weekend, horder style.  they are my favorite... i didn't want to share!!  horrifying, no??

Seriously -

this is why i wear shoes at all times in my house.




nasty slugs.


i just went to our little bathroom, flipped the switch, and nearly had a heart attack.  i grabbed my camera to document him before his watery demise, and when i put the camera up, he had stretched out even longer.  easily 4.5 inches at that point.

n.a.s.t.y.

our house is crooked and cracked.  it becomes more-so everyday.  i thought about filling in all the bathroom cracks, but then read that slugs can squish through even the smallest of cracks.  so i didn't even bother.  would you?  spending all that time to fill the cracks, and then when they widen, it is useless.  nasty, nasty, nasty.  

i think i used 20 squares of charmin to pick him up to flush him.  i still have the heebyjeebies.  ewwww!

jealous?  you should be!!

i have lots to post about... but i had a killer headache last night and was worthless all day {as in, i didn't wear any makeup to drop ethan off at school, and then tried to nap when sister napped today.  i never "waste" a school day like that.  and, i think savannah is trying to get some new teeth and so she really gave me a run for my money today.  and i have to eat my words... maybe teething is a beast.} so my blogging time didn't really happen...

tomorrow, i will be back.  with a real post...

sorry to gross you out people.  but this is my life.... slugs and all :)

xoxo, stephanie

Well...

Ethan's good behavior lasted until he didn't get his way at the zoo today. It was bad. Like, nuclear meltdown bad. Such is life... But I just wanted to keep it real. Gotta go wash my hair...

Xoxo, s

Lately...

i've been busy... the weather is wonderful.

joe t's on the patio last night was wonderful.

savannah in sundresses.  wonderful.  the zoo, the museum.  even not having school because of teacher in-service was {shocker!} wonderful. {and i really like it when the kids have school...}

the little guy's behavior has been great.  {knock on wood.}  he has to have his big boy accessories, though.  every waking moment.  i think it's cute.  "i want my fishy.  i want my tape measure"




and i have been taking care of my babies.  we don't get much sun through the windows inside, so i move them around all day long.   it is shocking how quickly they grow...let's hope they do the same once they are in the ground, right?