New Year: Launching 2010 Part III

Resolution #2 ~ Continue my green journey. I love the outdoors, nature, animals, the planet. So it only makes sense that I should do my part to take care of it, and there are so many ways I can improve. As I mentioned before, I came up with a great system for collecting my recyclables last year. I hated the look of having a bunch of bins stacked up or beside each other to separately hold the recyclables, and putting them down in the basement would have been out of sight, but also too much hassle and therefore I probably would not have done it. My solution was to purchase an old dresser (from the Rescue Mission Thrift Store for only $15), take out all of the drawers, and cut out the drawer supports. Then I put 3 trash cans lined up inside it, and hung a simple, inexpensive curtain across the front, so it just looks like a piece of furniture. We keep it on the covered side porch (to eliminate any issues of odor inside), and I use the top of the dresser to decorate (changing the decor out with the seasons/holidays). Then we use a very large outdoor trash can for the plastics, since they usually take up the most space, and keep it next to our regular trash can. The only problem we have run into with this system is taking the recyclables to the recycling center when the cans are full. We did pretty good with it for about a minute, and then kept forgetting. And since the cans are full, we started throwing away things that should have been recycled. So for this year I am striving to do better with actually taking the recyclables to the center. Or actually, it will need to be Shane doing this since he has the appropriate vehicle.

Then I also want to start switching over my cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and other household necessities to those that are gentler on the environment. I had started doing this at one point in time several years ago, but found the eco-friendly options to be a bit pricey. I am hoping that they've come down in price, or maybe I could just switch some items but not all. I'll have to look into that. I'd also like to research some better ways to control fleas on the pets, rather than coating them in harmful pesticides once a month. We have some pretty hardy fleas around here, but I'm willing to at least try some more natural methods.

The last couple of years we have tried our hands at gardening, but have not had much success. We got the plants to grow, but they didn't produce since our yard is so shady. I think this year I want to experiment with some things that tolerate shade (I've read that leafy greens tolerate some shade), and I have a friend who has much better success with her garden and is willing to trade some of her produce for fresh eggs from my hens. I also have plans of starting a small compost pile at the back of our yard, and the chicken manure should come in quite handy for that!

New Year: Launching 2010 Part II

So I'm pondering my resolutions for 2010 but I'm having some trouble due to a killer sinus headache! Resolution #1 might have to be "Get over this rotten cold"! Seriously, though, my health is going back on the list for this year. I do seem to get a little better at that every year, so there's hope for this one!

I would like to get back into some yoga practice. Shane bought me a pretty new yoga mat for Christmas, and I can't wait to try it out! I have had some issues this year with sciatic pain (ouch!), and a kind friend showed me some feel-good moves for that. I have a couple of good yoga DVDs that are really designed to be "yoga goes cardio", but I think I might also want to branch out to some slower, stress-relief types of yoga as well. It's also time to broaden my horizons in the cardio arena. I love walking, but did kind of get in a rut with it earlier this year. I flirted with running, so maybe I'll try that again. And I would LOVE to get back into hiking, but I really need a hiking partner (it's just too dangerous to by myself any more!). Any takers?

I'll be seeing the doc later this month to get the tummy meds started back up, and she'll be happy to know that part of my health resolution will be to actually take my thyroid meds every day like I should. I often forget on the weekends, and then by Monday I feel like kaka. You'd think I wouldn't do that to myself!

You'll notice that diet and weight loss are not part of my health resolution. I took that part out years ago 'cause it was just too darn frustrating! Of course, if I can get the other parts of my resolution going strong, particularly the exercise, weight loss should be a pleasant side effect. And I just plain hate dieting! Since I don't eat anything with 4 legs, my diet naturally consists of a lot of fruits and veggies. And my tummy issues tend to keep from too much fried foods. I do have a weakness for the sweets, though! Perhaps I'll just try to drink a little more water and little less sweet tea?

New Year: Launching 2010 Part I

I love New Year's Day, and not because I like to party. I love the feeling of new beginnings and second (or third or fourth or fifth) chances. I know, I know. A new beginning could also begin on my birthday each year, or after the cleansing season of Lent, or Confederate Memorial Day, or any old Tuesday. But for me, the start of a new calendar year feels fresh and promising. Perhaps it's because I'm coming off the high of celebrating the greatest beginning ever - Jesus' birth.

So 2010 will be launching this Friday, and I am one of those annoying people who makes all kinds of resolutions about what I will do with my year. To revisit a few of last year's resolutions:

1. Volunteer more - I've done some in 2009, but could do more. I've helped out a few times at the local animal shelter, and I've taken on the volunteer position of Children's Ministries Leader at my church (which actually has turned into quite a time-consuming affair, so maybe I have fulfilled this resolution after all?).

2. Pay off my unsecured debt - Complete and total failure! With needing a new roof unexpectedly and having to have emergency surgery this summer, the debt has actually increased.

3. Be kinder to the environment - I've made some strides in this area, but still have a lot more work to do. I started a jam-up system for separating my recyclables, but, alas, they never seemed to make it to the recycling center. I now have 4 large cans full of plastics, aluminum cans, paper, and glass; and shamefully have had to throw out a lot more with the regular garbage because the recycling bins are full.

4. Become healthier - Did great the first half of the year with exercising most days of the week, but then fell flat after the surgery. Gotta' get back in the groove!

Not only am I one of those annoying people who make New Year's resolutions, but I also love hearing about others' resolutions! Sooooo..... What will your New Year's resolutions be?

The First Step

I admit I am powerless over coffee. I wake up smelling coffee every morning, even before the coffee pot is on. I consume copious amounts of coffee to wake me up in the morning, and then often return for more in the afternoon. I am not too picky - I drink alone at home; with friends at the local Starbucks, Joshua Cup, and Jittery Joe's; I even do it at work, and *gasp* in the car.

My addiction started when I was only 16, in the basement coffee bar, The Magic Bean. I started with sweet-tasting concoctions with fancy names, like Mochaccino, Caramel Macchiato, Mocha Frappe. As time went on I started drinking the foulest of brews, like regular old commercial black, straight from the pot.

My addiction affects every part of my life. I get headache-y and snappish if I don't have my morning cup. I have to constantly caution my kids, "Be careful! Mommy's got hot coffee in her hand!" Driving with one hand on the wheel, the other balancing my cup because my car's cupholder is too large, causing my cup to wobble and coffe to spill out. I am overly friendly with the bathrooms around town.

Excuse me, but I've just finished my first and need to refill my cup.....

A New Year's Resolution in the Making?

Eke!

I seem to have forgotten how to blog! Have I really not blogged since OCTOBER?! And so much fun, interesting things have happened in my life during November and December! So sorry to my loyal followers, who I think might only be my grandparents!

I PROMISE to do better!

Christmas Traditions

Tonight we embarked on our annual journey of light-gazing around town. Usually, we save this adventure for Christmas Eve night, but due to Christmas Pageant obligations at our church we decided to alter our tradition slightly this year and go on Christmas Eve Eve.

We started out with a couple of spectacular displays across the street from one another on Tucker Road, and after a slight detour to get gas we headed over to Glen Hill Court. As usual, almost every yard was filled with lights and inflatables! Of course, there were a lot of smaller displays on the roads in-between. Then we drove over for the grand finale at the Chick-A-Fla (as Emmy calls it), where they have a tunnel of lights over the drive-thru, set to dance along with Christmas music. Luckily, we had a nice long wait in the line to get our food. It was phenomenal!!

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so instead of pictures from the lights we saw, I'm posting a pic from Christmas past.... Now off to drink cider and watch Christmas movies with the kiddies...

Annual Pumpkin Carving Party

On Saturday we held our annual pumpkin-carving bash, complete with the usual chili, smores, and pumpkin-gut fun.

The day started with our traditional visit to the Forest Hills UMC Pumpkin Patch, this year with our good friends Cletia and Holden. Holden fell and got stuck between some pumpkins, and being the camera-crazy moms that we are we busily snapped away before helping him back up! Then Emmy took 30 minutes to pick out her pumpkin, and every time I suggested one she said she had to pick it herself. In the end, we chose 4 pumpkins, one of which is covered with warts, and Cletia and Holden left with two of their own.

Later, the party actually kicked off at 4pm. We ate yummy chili that had been simmering in the crock pots all day, and then proceeded outside to begin the fun with knives! We started by all going topless... our pumpkins, that is! And then we all played in the guts for a while. Then there was the scraping and carving. This was Cletia's first time carving, and she carved an elaborate monster design from a pattern book - how ambitious! Emmy chose a simple face, as did Issy, both of Issy's design. Bobbi, Michelle, and Keegan went with a skull pattern; Scott, Dana, and AJ carved a silly face; Denise and Aislynn started another monster, but gave up when their fingers got tired; and Carol and Kyrie went with a different skull as did Chyna. Steve, my father-in-law, kept the fire going on the back porch. Then we all ate some smores, and the kids played in the back yard and front yard of the house next door. A marvelously fun time was had by all, except Shane who missed all of the party as he was stuck doing inventory at work. Poor Shane!

A Letter to God

Dear God,

I am mad at You right now, and I think You need to know this. I don't understand why the worst suffering is placed on the shoulders of the best people. I know, I know... You have a plan, right? Well, I don't have to like it. And I'm not going to pretend to like it. I feel no need to kiss your holy hiney. And besides that, I think You and I have always had a relationship built more on honesty. Some can't handle the truth, but I think You can. Does this mean I will denounce You and take up some sort of bizarre worship of my dog's toenails? Though they are impressive, no. It just means I'm mad. It happens in families. Thanks for listening (or, reading).

Love,
Anneliese

Ode to Fall

pumpkins*warm fuzzy socks*hay bales*red, orange, and yellow leaves*hay rides*pumpkin pie*chili*Halloween*long sleeves*scarecrows*fall-colored mums*pumpkin patch*Mossy Creek Arts and Crafts festival in the woods*campfires*raking leaves*smores*gourds*boots*black-eyed peas and cornbread*jack o'lanterns*not having to run the heat or the AC*watching it "rain" leaves with each breeze*snuggling on the porch swing under a blanket*fall festivals*trick-or-treat*apples*baking*cinnamon brooms*Thanksgiving*apple pie*indian corn*costumes and candy*turkey*family and friends*early holiday shopping*handprint turkeys*candy corn*crunchy walks*shorter days*soup and gooey grilled cheese*apple cider

Yard Sale Treasures

I LOVE yard saling! Looking up the ads on Craigslist and in the paper on Friday, mapping out my route, getting up early on Saturday morning, heading out just before dawn when the grass is still wet and sticking to your flip-flopped feet, and finding as many treasures as possible on a budget of $20. So much fun! Even better if you have a buddy who is as enthusiastic as you are.

I went with my good friend, Joann, this past Saturday morning, for about 6 hours. Found tons of treasures - from hardcover children's books in perfect condition, to a cute framed folk art print, to several paperback novels and old cookbooks at $.25/each. My greatest treasure from this trip, though, was this beautiful solid pine desk:

I've always loved going to yard sales and flea markets, but now I have two more reasons to love it even more. First, I have been redecorating my house in a primitive/rustic country fashion, and you can find lots of old things when digging through other people's stuff. Second, the current economy has really been hurting us, and finding bargains is what I'm all about these days. I seem to always find something, whether it's things to give as gifts to other people or things for the house. Most Saturdays I only spend between $5 and $10, but when each item bought only costs $.50 or a dollar, that's a lot of stuff! Here are a few more of the treasures I have found in the last month or so on my Saturday morning jaunts:

Beautiful, old cast iron vessel!

Super fun wicker trivets from the 70s!

Cute folk art print!

Cool wood and wire cat sculpture!

Jim Shore for under $2? Steal!

Teeny tiny wooden sign!

Neat framed stitchery - only $1!

I also love having yard sales. I usually have one about once a year, because I am constantly cleaning out and purging (most people who know me know that I can't stand a lot of clutter and disorganization). I hope to be having one soon, maybe mid to late September? Already been cleaning out and squirreling away stuff in the back room of our house for it!

Growing Up

When did babies start going to middle school?! Because that is what I feel like. Issy started middle school last week, and it just doesn't seem right. Emmy has started 4K, too. My family is growing up!

I don't know if this ever happens to other parents out there, but I always think of my children as being much smaller and younger than they actually are. When I'm shopping for clothes, the first thing I do is look in the girls' department for Issy, and the infant/toddlers' section for Emmy. Only, Issy is actually in juniors' sizes now, and Emmy has crossed the aisle into the girls' department. But still, I always find myself initially heading toward the wrong side of the aisle. Then, when I remind myself that they are older and bigger and force myself to focus on the actual size I know they wear, I encounter another problem. Every time I hold up, say, a pair of jeans, for one of my girls, my initial thought is "These pants are way too big!" They are both growing up too fast!

Cockless

It's been a while since I have given an avian update. We are now down to four ladies, having given away the roosters to a nice older man and his wife who are starting a small farm. It was a strange call that I got while bowling with the church youth group. When I answered my cell, my husband simply stated "We are now cockless." Took me a minute to catch up with him on that one!

The ladies are getting big, and we think they should start laying around the end of August or early September. Fresh eggs - YUM! I may need to find a lot of egg recipes, though. If they each lay an egg a day, as we expect, that's 28 eggs each week! My neighbors may find some fresh eggs on their doorsteps...

Thin vs. Healthy

I often find myself torn between a strong desire to be thinner, but also wanting to portray a positive body image for my two daughters. I know that health should be my main motivation to exercise and eat nutritious food, and though my health is a big motivator, honestly it's not the biggest. I REALLY want to be a size 6 (or smaller!).

I recently read an article that clothing manufacturers are sizing clothes differently now than they used to even 20 years ago. Apparently a size 10 today used to be a size 14 back in the day. This does NOT make me feel better!

Once upon a time when I was a size 6, I was complaining about my stomach fat and some well-meaning friends said "but you've had a baby, you have an excuse". Um, no, I don't. Plenty of people have children AND flat stomaches. The question is: how?!

I feel bad for wanting to be thin, and I wonder how my dieting is affecting my girls. Sometimes I catch myself complaining about my weight, and I know I would not want to hear that kind of talk from Issy or Emmy. I shudder when I think about the diet pills I have been on, and the ones that are still in the cabinet leftover from my last prescription. I would hate it if my girls ever thought about doing that to themselves, and yet here I am doing it to myself.

Blast from the Past!

This weekend I did something I haven't done since I was a kid - I tie-dyed with the girls! We wound up with a shirt for each of us, and we each did a pair of socks. Much fun! And, my hands and feet wound up tie-dyed as well. Hands, you can probably understand. But feet, I bet you're wondering. I was sitting on the edge of the porch, squirting the dye onto the shirt, and when it dripped it splattered off the pavement onto my feet. Some of it is still there!

Milestone Birthdays

I'll be 30 in less than a week. I'm really not bothered by the number as some people are, but I have surprised myself by sort of taking stock of my life as it is now and thinking about where I want it to be in the next decade. I really don't know why I'm surprised, because I am one of those overly introspective people who actually look forward to making New Year's resolutions and generally just looking for any excuse to make a fresh start. Fresh starts always happen with each new year, but also my birthday, my anniversary, my kids' birthdays, Tuesdays, etc.

I've been thinking about all of the milestone birthdays. Turning 5 seemed like a big deal but I'm really not sure why, then 10 because I was finally in double digits and officially a "preteen". Then there was 13, obviously because I was officially a teenager. Next would have been 16 for being able to drive (legally), then 18 for officially being an adult (or so I thought!). 20 really wasn't a big deal, but 21 was for being able to drink alcohol (legally). Though, by that point I had really gotten all the wildness out and had been married with a child for three years. I think at 25 I felt a mild quarter life crisis. Now I'm staring in the face of 30, which I guess I feel is a milestone because it is 3 decades that I've been alive. Thinking about it, it seems that from here on out all milestone birthdays will likely be the decades. At least until retirement age, which seems to be made later and later every few years. Perhaps by the time I retire the retirement age will be 85? If I get to retire at all?

June Curse

Many of you probably don't know this about me, but I am cursed. I call it the June curse, because really bad stuff always happens to me (and my family) in June (sometimes May, but usually June) EVERY YEAR. I can trace it all back to 2002, when we had our horrific car accident where I was ejected out of the passenger side window. Most years since then I have had a car accident in May or June (thankfully more minor than that first one), and when there isn't a car accident it's something else. Let's see, last year was a car accident, the year before was when I ruptured my kidney (extremely painful, if you're wondering), the year before was another car accident. In other years we have had deaths in the family in May/June.

And now the curse continues! This year it's been my emergency appendectomy (May 29), and now Issy's cat is at the animal hospital in multiple organ failure. Dr. Caldwell is REALLY going above and beyond in an attempt to keep her alive, but it doesn't look promising at this point. If Delilah doesn't pull through, Issy will be extremely heartbroken. We've been a bit unlucky in the cat department lately. Issy had a black/white tuxedo cat, Sammy, for a long time, and then he just disappeared in November (he was neutered and only ever ventured into the neighbors' yards prior to this). That was a heartbroken Issy. Then we let her adopt a cat from a shelter in late December, and that cat had extreme anxiety issues and could not adjust to the dogs, our other cat (Fat Marley), and other activity in our house. We took him back to the shelter in late February after trying many expensive meds and "alternative" treatments. Of course, this broke Issy's heart. We decided to go with a kitten this time around so that it might adjust more easily to the other pets, but none of the shelters had any. After some searching, I discovered that an old friend I had lost touch with had a litter of kittens, and this is how we got Delilah. Issy adores this kitten - she sleeps with her every night, cleans her litter box every day (often without being asked), gave her a special pink bed and gave her a prayer shawl she was given when she broke her collar bone a few months back to use as a blanket. Issy makes homemade toys out of old socks, string, and paper for Delilah.

I am feeling incredibly guilty right now about Delilah's situation. After Sammy's disappearance, we decided any future cats would be inside-only, and because of this I decided I would just get Delilah's shots when I had her spayed, which I figured I'd do when she was about six months old (I like to fix 'em early, well before they have the chance to procreate!). I had done it this way with Fat Marley when she was a kitten, and she has always been fat and healthy from the beginning. I have always vaccinated my dogs from the very start, though, because they go in and out (dogs don't really take to a litter box, from what I understand!). Now I just keep thinking that if I had gotten her vaccinations, she might not be sick now. Of course, at this point we really don't know what is making her so suddenly sick, and the possibilities include congenital issues that I would have had no control over, but I'm the type of person who seems to like to beat herself up over everything.

Now, I love Delilah and I will be very sad if she doesn't make it through this, but what will upset me more than anything is the look of absolute heartbreak on Issy's face when I have to tell her. Any parents out there will know exactly what I'm going through with this, and will understand why I'm willing to do ANYTHING to keep this kitten alive. Am I worried about the vet bill? Of course. But if worse comes to worst, I will prostitute to keep this cat alive (just kidding, but I really am desperate not to break Issy's heart).

At this point, Dr. Caldwell is diligently keeping me updated, and all I've told Issy is that Delilah is very sick and that she needs to pray (I have not mentioned the dismal prognosis). If anyone reads this tonight, please PRAY!

Anonymous Flowers

Today I received some beautiful anonymous flowers! I walked outside and there they were, sitting on the porch. It really helped brighten my day since I have been sitting at home alone, recovering from my appendectomy. There was no note anywhere, and I really wondered who was so incredibly thoughtful.


Then this evening I found out who left them - it was a dear fellow church member who had heard about my surgery! She called to ask how I was doing and if I had found her gift. I am very blessed to have such thoughtful, caring people in my life!





A word on the surgery.... All is going well, I suppose. I have had much less pain today, though I still feel a lot of pulling at the incision sites when I try to stand straight. My appetite is slowly returning - I ate a biscuit, some peaches, and some macaroni and cheese today (which is much more than I ate yesterday). There's a lot that the docs don't tell you when you have surgery. And I think whoever decided it was a good idea to go in through a person's belly button with the camera must not have tested it out on himself (I say "him" because only a man would come up with something so harebrained!). If you take your finger and push it hard into your belly button, then you know the feeling I have constantly in that region right now. And it is bruised, to boot! The other two incision sites are longer, but don't bother me hardly at all, including the one that is is constantly rubbed by the band on my panties. I just can't wait until I can lay all the way down on my back again, and even better would be laying on my side. I tried it today, but it's still not such a good idea at this point.

I have had some incredibly supportive friends helping me (and the kids) through all of this, and I just wanted to take a moment to thank them properly. Thank you Carol (and family) for all your help with Issy and Emmy Friday night and Saturday. Thanks also to Kimberlyn for coming to the hospital and staying with me as I went into surgery. Thanks again for the flowers, Gladys. Thanks to everyone who has called, emailed, or stopped by to check on me ~ Mama Bear and Papa Bear, Bobbi, Steve, Scott, Dana, Steph, and all of my supportive FB friends. Thanks very much to everyone who prayed for me. Thanks to my sweet hubby for taking care of me and the kids and the pets and the house. Thanks to my beautiful girls, Issy and Emmy, for the beautiful artwork, handpicked gardenias, and careful hugs. If I've forgotten someone, please don't take offense! This is all coming off the top of my medicated brain! Thanks to everyone!

P.S. The lightning bugs are back!

Pity Party

So today was a Monday masquerading as a Tuesday, which is the problem with a three day weekend. It was a truly yucky day. First, it rained. And it has been raining here every day for over a week now. Not just popcorn thunderstorms in the afternoon, with the sun up until then. No, it has been cloudy and rainy all day, every day, for over a week. And since I am short and don't have any galoshes, my pants always wick the water up to my knees so I walk around with soggy, heavy pants all day. I really need some galoshes!

Another yuck thing about today was that I felt bad. I had a serious brain fart over this entire three day weekend, and did not take my thyroid meds all weekend. This left me feeling like I was coming down with the flu when I got up this morning. Body aches, cold/chills, headache, depressed and run-down. I took my meds this morning, and after tomorrow morning's dose I should start feeling better. This was my own stupidity.

I was also very tired today, not just because of forgetting my meds. Emmy, my four-year-old, all of a sudden decided last night that she is afraid of thunder. And it stormed a few times over night. So she slept in my bed most of the night, which meant that I did not sleep. Then Issy also had a bad night. Sometimes she cries really hard in her sleep, and no one can wake her up or comfort her. This happened last night.

To top it all off I just had a rotten day at work. Not that everything was bad, and there were actually a couple of good moments, but mostly it was drama that I did not feel up to dealing with since I already didn't feel good and had not slept. My coworkers were also really glum today, which didn't help. The computer system wasn't working properly, either. I really just felt like crying, but I kept it together.

So this has been my pity party, thanks for coming. Yes, I know plenty of others have it worse off than me. I know I am blessed to even have children, good medical care, and a job. Was this the worst day ever? Far from it. I've had worse days within the past two months alone. I have some yummy homemade apple crumble and vanilla ice cream in the freezer, which I think will help me bring my pity party to a close. I know I'll feel better after a good night's sleep, and I just hope that can actually happen tonight!

"Real" Money

I realized something funny today - I mean a real sign of the times. My four-year-old does not know what "real" money is! We were sitting on the side porch and she was riding her bike in circles in front of where I was sitting. As she passed in front of me, she stopped and asked for gas. I pretended to take a gas nozzle and pump gas into the side of her bike, then put the pretend pump back in its pretend holster. She started to ride off, and I stopped her and told her she hadn't paid for her gas. I held out my left hand for the pretend money she should give me. She immediately said, "Oh yeah! Okay!", and got off her bike. As I am holding out my left hand for the "money", she pretends to pull something out of her pocket and then swipes it along my right armpit, punches some imaginary keypad on my right upper arm, takes a pretend receipt out of my right shoulder, and gets back on her bike and leaves. All this time I am left still holding out my left hand....

My Three Dogs

So we watched the movie Marley & Me last night (I know, it's been out a while and I'm behind the times) and I bawled my eyes out at the end. But overall, it was a REALLY funny movie. It got me thinking about all the crazy stuff my dogs do, yet I still love them so much.

First there's Snowy, who is "Issy's dog" (we all know that it is really mom who takes care of her!), an Eskie. We've had Snowy for about five and a half years, and she is a funny little dog. When she gets nervous, she vomits. This goes for car rides, when people she doesn't know come around, or when our other dog, Sadie, gets snappy with her. She vomits... then she rolls in it. Oh yeah, she is one of those dogs that likes to roll in stinky stuff. So she often goes around smelling like vomit. Sometimes she smells like vomit mixed with whatever stinky thing she got into outside, like a dead bird that the cat left on the doorstep. Now that you are all feeling like you will vomit, I'll move on. Snowy also sometimes likes to forget that she is housebroken, and will poo on the floor. Luckily, she doesn't roll in that. She sheds more than any creature I have ever seen - huge clumps of white fluff everywhere. We joke that we could make another dog with the fur she sheds. Seriously, most of our friends probably think we never vacuum our house, even though we vacuum at least once a day. This is why I really want a Dyson! She also chews, and is particularly fond of items she finds in the bathroom trash (just use your imagination on this one). Despite all of this, we love her dearly. She adores Issy and is protective of both of the kids. She also likes to lick my feet, which for some reason I actually enjoy and let her do. I know - weird, gross, and too much information!

Next there's Sadie. We've had her for about four years and we adopted her as an older dog. We really don't know how old she is, but she's pretty white (where she should be brown). She is a bassett hound that is white with large bovine-like spots, and she is incredibly fat and lazy. She is "Emmy's dog" (see first paragraph). Now, while Snowy usually smells like vomit, Sadie smells like feet. Constantly. Remember your middle school locker room? That's the smell. She also sometimes forgets she is housebroken, or rather is too lazy to go out. Once we heard a sound like running water in the living room, and looked in there in time to catch her hanging her hiney off the chair to pee onto the floor. I guess she didn't feel like even really getting up that time! And if you're sitting in "her chair" (yes, the one she peed off of), she will sit in front of you and make you so uncomfortable with her unblinking stare that you move. Sadie is also one of the sweetest, most loving dogs you'll ever meet. She loves to sing (howl), and has a beautiful, soulful voice. She is also very maternal, and tries to mother everything (the kids, the kitten, the chicks). She lets Emmy sit, lay, and jump on her.

Last but not least, there's Brodie. Now he's my baby. He is a boxer that we have now had for almost three years. When we got him, he had a weak immune system, so I was told by the vet not to take him out until he was about eight months old and seemed to have gained some strength. Therefore he did not get early socialization and is terrified of everyone and everything. He has literally jumped at his own shadow on the pavement before. He cringes away from other animals (big or small), other people, big trucks, lawnmowers, weedeaters, bicycles...... Sorry, got off track there. Sometimes when he is scared, he pees - very embarrassing when we have company. He has a severe flea allergy, and living in the South means we battle with his skin conditions for about nine months out of the year. His hair comes out, he chews raw spots into himself, and often stays on antibiotics and steroids for at least part of the summer. And this is with monthly prescription flea treatments. By the way, he is sensitive to the steroids and they make him unable to control his urine at times. Seriously. He'll just be sitting there and it starts to come out, at which time he makes a run for the door and looks all embarrassed (unlike the other two, he generally remembers that he is housebroken). Brodie is also the absolute gassiest creature I have ever encountered (even worse than my husband!). And you can hear it. About every ten minutes. And the smell follows. He'll even look at his hind end after doing it like it offended him and leave the room! Brodie snores. And drools. And thinks he's a sixty pound lap dog. I love him so much! He has the most adorable underbite you will ever see, and the most liquid brown eyes. He always knows when I don't feel well or have had a bad day and lays his head in my lap. Really, he stays by my side constantly - even following me into the bathroom. Out of all of my pets, he is the most well-behaved and follows almost any command I give him. He also makes a great pillow when I'm sitting on the couch watching a movie (he doesn't have the same odor issues the other two do!).

So these are my four-legged babies, or at least the ones that bark. Despite all of their issues, we really could not imagine life without them. Well, maybe we'd spend less on air fresheners....

Lightning Bugs and Other Things I Miss

I love the outdoors. When the weather starts to warm up in the spring I come out of hibernation along with all the other critters. I often find myself sitting outside in the evenings on the porch swing or around the firebowl on the back porch, just enjoying the warmth of the sun on my skin, or feeling the cool night breezes on my neck. I sit and read, or watch squirrels and chipmunks in the back yard, or just listen to the birds in the trees. I daydream about things I want to do with my back yard - all of the gardens I want to create, the tree swing we hope to string from a tall branch later this summer, getting a new hammock between the two trees in the middle of the yard.

I even sit outside on rainy evenings, but then I stick to the swing on the covered side porch. The other night it was raining and as I sat on the swing reading my book a movement caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I stared hard at the dark, wet ground for a full minute before I saw it again. It was a small toad hopping across my little rock garden! At that moment I realized I had not seen any toads in the yard for a very long time. When we first moved into this home about five years ago there were tons of them, and you could watch them jumping around the front yard when it rained. They would hop all over the wet street, and even when it was not raining you could run water into a couple of holes in the front yard and they would come hopping out. In the past two to three years, I don't think I've seen any until this little guy crossed my path the other night. Maybe they just got tired of the kids chasing them out of their hidey holes with the water hose and moved to a more peaceful yard?

And just now my neighbor's daughter brought over a bottle full of maybe a hundred teeny tiny baby frogs that she had collected from the field where her older sister plays soccer. We just released them into the yard, so hopefully they'll thrive and I'll be able to enjoy even more of our amphibious friends!

Another thing I miss is lightning bugs. In previous years, the lightning bugs were so thick in the evenings that it looked angels had dumped glitter into our neighborhood. If we were returning from late errands the effect was truly magical as we rounded the curve onto our part of the street. We would show the kids how to catch them in their hands and peer in to watch them glow, and then let them go again. This year I have been looking every night, straining to see even one in our wooded back yard, but have been disappointed to find none. I hope that they will just be a little later than usual in coming this year.

Noticing the absence of these creatures only makes me more committed to doing what I can for the environment. I have been striving to live a little greener over the past couple of years, and I know my little bit helps but I wish I could do more. I wish every one were more conscious of how their actions affect our world. When God gave man dominion over the creatures of the world, I don't think he meant for man to dominate and do whatever we wanted. I think God intends for us to care for the rest of His creation - to understand it, to treasure it, and to respect it. I don't want my future grandchildren to grow up in a world without frogs and lightning bugs, never even knowing what they look like!

Guess what?! .... Chicken butt!!

You read that right - seven chicken butts to be exact! The chicks we adopted from the school are two weeks old today and appear to be going through some sort of gawky teenage stage. They still have fluff, but have a good bit of adult feathers sticking out, and they are all looking longer and more awkward.

From what I've been able to glean from the internet, I'm thinking we have four girls and three boys, though one of the boys is only here temporarily until his other family is ready for him. Really, I guess you could say the other two roosters are here temporarily, too, since we won't be keeping them. I love the sound of a rooster crowing, but I really don't think my neighbors share in that appreciation! We have named the girls Ginger, Purdy, Silvermist, and Fawn (the last two are courtesy of Emmy, who watches way too much Tinkerbell!); and the boys are TicToc, Luigi, and Omelet.

Right now we are keeping them inside in a big plastic bin lined with newspaper and paper towels - VERY STINKY!! But as soon as they are big enough that a snake won't have them for breakfast we plan on moving them outside to the chicken shanty we built in the backyard. Ginger has developed a new talent just today - she is the first one that can fly out of the bin! I came in from work this evening and, lo and behold, she was strutting around the room like she owned the place. Her siblings were all watching her through the clear plastic side of the bin. I think she's going to be the bad influence of the group!

Happy Mother's Day

Just wanted to wish all of my mommy friends a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Mother's Day always makes me reflect on what being a mom has meant for me, and so I thought I'd share a few things from the past year. Over the past year, being a mom has meant a lot of hugs/kisses/snuggles with my 4 year old, but not so many any more from my 11 year old. It has been embarrassing my 11 year old in carpool line by yelling out "I said 'I love you'" when she doesn't say it back as she gets out of the car. Being a mom this year has been driving back all the way across town to fetch the $400 retainer that was left under a friend's trampoline. It's also been trying to get over the fact that my oldest has hit puberty, wears my clothes and shoes, and reminds me daily that she is as tall as me (which really is not that big an accomplishment considering how incredibly short I am!). Mommyhood this year has been major bedtime battles, some of which I am ashamed to say I lost. Bubble baths (for the kids, not me!), sleepovers, lots of ketchup (what is up with kids and ketchup?!), about 4,000 loads of laundry (and that's just one week!), morning meltdowns when time is already crunched, bedtime stories, "alligator cereal", report cards, playing outside, adopting baby chicks from school, lots of Tinkerbell (I can quote the movie as well as my 4 year old can!), growth spurts and having to buy both children whole new wardrobes at the same time as a result (of course, right after I had already bought their winter clothes!). Being a mommy this year has been eating a lot of cold meals in restaurants because Emmy just has to go to the bathroom right before the food comes to the table - without fail, every time! It has also been sidewalk chalk, planting flowers, ice cream and cake for breakfast, princess parties, field trips where horses tried to steal my camera, Sparky and Peanut, bedroom makeovers, giggles, Tech Fair, Science Fair, Media Festival, and Issy's new kitten scratching my ankles from under the couch.

I'm also a mommy to several other creatures, including three dogs, two cats, and seven chicks. Sadly, over the past year we had to say goodbye to a pet rat (RIP Brisby) and a beloved cat, Memphis. As a mommy to all of these babies I have cleaned up a lot of pet accidents (puke, poop, pee, you know, all the 'p' words), built a chicken coop with my husband, scooped cat boxes, made a few vet trips, laughed at the chicks, laid on the dogs, taken some walks, lost a fish (literally, lost it, never found it), vacuumed (a lot!), battled a few fleas (and unlike the bedtime battles, I was victorious!), thanked the cats for the presents left on the doorstep (fellow kitty owners - you know what I'm talking about), and endless looks of love and admiration (at least from the dogs, the cats only care that I feed them!).

Really, I could go on and on.....

Being a mom is GREAT!

Here Goes....

Thanks for stopping by! This blog is something I have thought about doing for a while now, and reading some of my friends' blogs convinced me to take the plunge. So, here goes....

The blog title is courtesy of my oldest daughter (as is the picture), who for the sake of this blog we'll call Issy. When she was in first or second grade she made me a picture for Mother's Day at school, and as part of the assignment she had to describe me. She wrote that her mommy has purple hair (I really did - kind of reddish-purple), her mommy's favorite thing to do is laundry (probably because I do it all of the friggin' time!), and that her mommy likes puppies and salads.

I don't really have a plan for this blog - just random musings from me about family life, pets, friends, work, anything and everything. So enjoy!