whew!

january is over
now
onto february,
which leads to march,
that ends in april,
which starts may,
and that means summer is just around the corner...

3 years ago

some little known facts about fussy...

came on his due date. even though i was walking around the walmart at 10 am that day, cursing under my breath, and happily telling everyone that it was my due date. he still decided to show up

was born on my mom's birthday

loves pickles

has a fear of spiders. or bugs. he screams like a girl when he sees one.

has an opinion on everything, from what pajamas he wants to wear, down to what juice is the best.

hates the bathtub with a passion

can sing the tune to "indiana jones"

really into airplanes

loves dollars
enjoys getting out of the house and going to stores, until we get there and then begs to go home

rode over 300 miles in the jogger last year

favorite thing to say "i'm sick, i need a vitamin..."

favorite meal is buh-buh-bar (aka granola bar)

acts shy around everyone, until he warms up. he can talk your ear off

loves staying up late

loves sleeping in late

doesn't love his own bed

hates the dog

happy birthday my big 3 year old

health care

i've been thinking about health care. big d and i are again doing some healthy challenges this year. and again, we are trying to eat much healthier, no sugar etc. fussy went to the dr. 2 days last month for fear of a broken arm. the boys seem to be doing better and not getting as sick...yet. so heath and health care is on my mind.

since i don't know anything, i really don't think i'm qualified to stick up my own option. i mean, i know everyone has their opinion about what they think will work. and a lot of those opinions don't include a government run program. or at least, the opinion that i hear most is very upset at the idea of "socialized" medicine.

i'm not a socialist. i'm not a republican. i don't know what i am. i do know that i get upset when people start complaining that they are going to do anything for anyone else. i find myself wondering where our responsibility lies when we complain about anything that helps out other people.

anyway, i found this chart, and i thought it was very enlightening.



the problem as i see it, too many people don't want to change. they see the way we've done it for years, and don't want to worry about how to make it different. we are comfortable with the way it works, even if that means our neighbors can't pay out of pocket for insurance, and thus suffer/die/go bankrupt.

we need to step out of our comfort zone, and look at the big problem. no, maybe what is being proposed isn't the best answer, but it sure beats what we have now. we need to stop listening to political rhetoric and propaganda, and start learning the facts. what needs to change, and what will change, and what we want to change don't always line up. wouldn't it be awesome if it did?

and that is all i'm going to say about that.

my thoughts on friends

i've been praying for a really long time for friends. good friends. like the kind of friends you have in high school. or the kind of friends i had in high school. the kind that call you up and you can talk to for hours. you can get together whenever, and still act silly. i miss having those friends. i have missed it for a long time.

then, one day, i stopped myself and looked around me. i do have those friends. i've just been so involved with my own life for so long. i've spent 11 years trying to get pregnant, having a new baby, or involved in sleep deprivation, that i haven't been able to see my hand in front of my face. sometimes, all you need is a wake up call.

i recently reconnected with one of my best friends from high school. i had lost her for 12 years, she was one of those people that really had an impact on me. she changed my life for the better, because of her example. she was real and wonderful. and i really missed her. thanks to facebook, she is back in my life. it feels good.

another best friend called me up, out of the blue. it was refreshing to remember growing up, having fun, being silly, and all that came with that. it was nice to know that she understands now what i've been going through. it was even more nice to hear her laugh and feel that kind of warmth.

i also have my sister. even though we don't always get along the best, i love hanging out with her. she is fun and she supports me in everything. she loves my kids. she understands a lot.

i can't forget my mom. she always knows when i need a phone call, or a hug. she can be at my house at the drop of a hat when i have an emergency, and she talks me down when i get upset. she offers advice based on love. sometimes i don't want to hear it, but it's always there for me

my sister in law is there for me in a different way. when i don't understand family things, she is right there with me. i don't know if she knows what it has meant to me to have someone that is understanding as she is. someone who is as forgiving as she is. she also reminds me of how i want to be, and how i want my future to be.

besides me family and "irl" friends, i have a multitude of angels who listen, offer advice, make me laugh, and keep me going throughout the day. i would be lost with them, and what they add to my life. our combined life experiences are invaluable.

for years, i've been looking for my friends, when really, they've always been there. i am so blessed to be able to have so many women who care about me. i am so thankful. i'm literally surrounded by friends, and it makes me happy.

thank you

christmas isn't fun without awesome food, lots of games and hanging out with family. it's not good without treats, lots of soda, ham, turkey, and chocolate, and mountains of home made goodies. with a special helping of playing with cousins and making fun of each other, all in good spirits. we had a good one this year.

my favorite aunty, my parents, my sister...you guys are the best. thank you for taking care of us and our kids, and making us all smile. thanks for the laughs, the hugs, the gifts, and the loads of love. we really are blessed to have you! you spoil us in every way possible.

there are days

yesterday was one of those days. i tweaked my back at church, overheard a new rumor about me, sat by myself, dealt with grumpy kids. i burned my favorite treat. i felt invisible, envious, childish, and sad.

days like that are the ones that make you want crawl into a hole, or start drinking.

today is a different day. even though my back is still bugging me, and my eyelids are droopy, and the sun is still not out, at least it's january. and the longest month of the year. we only have something like 12 more weeks of gross winter left. only 12. it could be worse, it could still be december.

i need some sunshine.

103 blog posts for 2009
1915 miles logged for 2009
3 children still living
10 dead fish
1 trip out of state
4th grade
1st grade
2 lost teeth
12 years married


goals for this year:
run more, run better, run faster
never ever ever get sick
eat healthy food always, cut out all refined sugars, dairy, and processed foods
be kind to everyone
do not covet
never yell at the kids
stop swearing
lose 50 pounds

there's always next year! because honestly, right now, i'm sicker than i've been in a while. big d is out right now running with my new garmin that i haven't even used yet. so i'm jealous. so i am swearing. and yelling at the kids. and eating junk food. happy 2010.

today, as we sat down to dinner, a knock came at the door. fussy jumped right up and yelled "SANTA CLAUS!!", and ran for the door.

fussy keeps asking me every day what santa is going to bring him. i have to answer with "what did you ask him for?" and he tells me "a little elephant". we have this exchange probably 3-4 times each day. almost as many times as the whole "what's your name momma?...."

every time fussy sees a christmas tree or any kind of christmas decoration, he yells "CHRISTMAS!" and begs me to look and see.

if i weren't such a scrooge myself, i would be having an awesome christmas time. really though, it's gonna be a fun. if we can last the rest of the week.

for the first time in weeks...

and lots of weeks, like 5 or so. maybe less, maybe more. anyway, for the first time in weeks, i actually feel good. and i had a run outside. yeah yeah, it was cold and cold and really cold and all that, but i was outside! and the sun would have been shining had not there been a layer of gunk in the air. but i was outside.

it was glorious, and wonderful, and i feel so much better than i have in a really long time. in fact, i can type faster, i can read better, i can sit still longer, eat more, drink less, lift small vans, clean the house, punish children, fix the paint, dry the carpets, wash my hair, jump high, fly, catch crooks, turn back time, beam myself from 2 places, do laundry, fix the car, defrost chicken, feed the chickens, make lunch, vacuum the floors. it's nice to feel like myself again....

being responsible sucks

i was talking with a good friend the other night, about how hard it is to be the responsible one.

we were both sharing stories about people in our lives, who made bad decisions. people who knowingly made wrong choices. and the consequences that came from the bad choices. not one consequence ever seemed to fit. in fact, most of the time, they ended up in a better spot. due to the fact that everyone else helped them out.

so what is the difference? how does one become irresponsible? i'd like to learn. i'd like to have people take care of me for once. to watch my kids, or buy them lessons. i'd like to understand how it all works out. maybe even being half-responsible would work?

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

random bits of life

i'm cold all the time, so i put flannel sheets on the bed. they have snowflakes and polar bears pictured on them. my question is, if the sheets are supposed to be so warm, why don't they have pictures of cacti and sand dunes and desert landscapes?

the other day, my sister said "hello gorgeous!" to fussy. he turned around and said "i'm not gorgeous, i'm batman"

the boys were talking about digging a deep hole in our backyard. harry mentioned that it would probably flood and be full of water. chilli said that it was okay, the dog could just drink out of it.

the boys have been sledding after school every day. they seem to have a tolerance for cold and snow only when they are speeding down the hill on what big d calls "suicide saucers"

fussy's had 2 favorite movies right now. "edward scissor hands" and "annie". he also loves that commercial for the gap, that features the girls doing a chear like thing about the boots.

chilli

gingerbread houses

the yearly tradition lives on!

it's been a rough week for harry. he is a genius. well, not really. but he's really really smart. he reads like crazy, writes like an author. the only problem he has is math. and it's not like he's not smart in it, just that it doesn't come easy.

he spent last week being defiant about his homework. he told his teacher he'd turn it in this week. he's spend the week on this weeks' homework, not doing either. he turns it in on friday.

so i sat down with him (he won't let me help unless he asks) and we toughed it out. we worked like crazy on long division. i went to my basketball game, harry came with me. when the other team didn't show up, we sat on the chairs and worked on long division more. page after page we worked. and you know what? it started to click with him.

i think i almost understand why teachers do the job they do. it was an awesome feeling when he looked at me, knowing how to do it. he went from "this is stupid and i hate it" to "hey, this is kinda fun" to "i totally rock at long division". it was a very rewarding experience for me, and i think harry felt a lot better about himself. plus, i think it helps us. you know, the whole, mom and son thing. i don't know how to explain it, just that, even though i was bored, tired, annoyed, by long division, it was totally worth it to see him "get" it. i am really proud of him for working so hard, and i'm a little bit proud of me for figuring it out too.

12 is

the number that was on the thermometer this morning.

the number of boys jeans i picked up this morning...either too small or too big, or have too many holes, or they are just dirty. between 3 boys, that is still a lot


the number of eggs i found in the chicken coop


the number of matchless socks i found lying around


the time of day it is


the number of miles i've run this week(so far, right? i could have a good day today)


the number of points my team made at the basketball game last night


the number of times i've smashed my nose. most recently at the basketball game last night



the number of times i've tried to get a run in on the treadmill today


+ a billion, the number of times we've watched the new star trek movie



the number of times i want to eat the chocolate i brought home from the candy store



the number of bids on ebay for the cool star trek toys, that i was outbid on,that i wanted to get for the boys for christmas



it must be the nexus of the universe. or maybe just the nexus of star trek.

funny fussy

foot art

my feet

big d's feet

fussy's feet

harry (the one who started it all)'s feet

chilli's feet (doesn't he look like a yellow submarine artist?)

and of course, it quickly progressed to mustaches and body art

yeah, that is chilli's version of body hair, tattoos and glasses

we had a jack sparrow show up

and the boys had fun decorating me. i look awesome.