Our Reward

Shortly after we moved here, I finally discovered what the Big Deal is about Spring. A month or two later, I then realized there is a price to be paid. We call it Summer. But, we've survived the hot 'n sticky - and this year with surprisingly less grousing (although, admittedly, I did not blog much, so really, you'll just have to take me at my word on that), and now, we reap the reward -- Gorgeous Weather from now until next May!

Friday, our wee Den (and ALL the siblings) went hiking at Hurricane Creek. It was a fantastic day, with a fantastic group, and a fantastic outing. We did get into a nest of yellowjackets at the end, which was a bit rough on those of us who got stung, but that was the only downside to the trek. (Side note: in spite of having been stung three times, John carried Jase half a mile uphill, of his own volition. Jase had been stung twice, once in the inner thigh, and walking at all just hurt like all get out. I carried him a bit, but the yellowjackets were still following us, and I needed to help the others move more quickly. John has enjoyed serious Super Hero status for the past few days.)

Jase was a little scared the first 200 yards of the trail (which are pretty much straight down - there are steps, but they're Park Service steps - so plenty of railroad stakes and old rocks). Once he found his balance, though, he kept announcing, "And I'm not scared at all! This is FUN! It's not even a little scary!" I'm glad for that. For a while, there, I was sweating the end result, and having to explain to Zorak just how'd I'd scarred our smallest child so terribly. But, no. All is well.


My favorite spot of the day was the picnic area. The water is *right there*, so the kids sort of inhaled just enough food and water to get their second winds and then they dispersed to play in the creek. Thankfully, this was our last stop before climbing back up the mountain side, so we weren't wet for the whole day.

I hope we get back there again soon. It's just a stunning place to enjoy being out and about. You can hike, mountain bike, rock climb, or curl up on a sunny rock and enjoy the peace.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Happy Birthday, Jake Rabbit!

Jacob turns 8 today. Wow. We celebrated a little early, thinking Zorak would be on the road to pick up a friend today. So when he got home, he brought a bike with him. Jacob's been using John's old bike. We got it for John's 4th Birthday, so not only has Jacob looked like a Shriner on the 4th of July for most of the Summer, but this new bike seemed HUGE to him.

(The capes and hat are part of their costumes - they were Porthos and Athos at the time.) He ditched the cape (according to our stringent No Capes On Bikes rule, or something like that) and off he went. It's nice to be able to keep up with your big brothers. He can hardly wait to take his bike to Tannehill with him this fall.

We had his birthday dinner and cake last night, too, and we called it a day.

This morning, he got the rest of his presents (a couple of books I hadn't ordered in time - oops). His brothers did the wrapping, and they couldn't resist the bag-in-a-bag-in-a-bag-in-a-bag trick. Then we took his Cub Scout Den to Dairy Queen after today's meeting (which was an awesome hike to Hurricane Creek). He said it was a pretty darn great way to turn eight.






Ah, but he makes it so easy, with his laid back, happy nature and his willingness to find happiness in everyday things. Really, how could we not want to celebrate *him*?

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Back to School - 3rd Grade

HOW is he in third grade? Sheesh, that happened quickly. Ah, well, that seems to be what they do.

So, Jacob's 3rd Grade year is shaping up thusly:

Math - MUS Gamma. I kind of hate this one, but it won't last forever. (Seriously, it's good. It's thorough, but it also seems to be the only one that causes stress and angst in my children. I don't get it, but I suspect it's a housekeeping issue with respect to multiple digit work. So far, though, we're three for three on that point. :sigh:)

Greek - Year One, Elementary Greek. He's rocking this.

Reading - (this list develops as we go)
Huckleberry Finn, The Doll People, Twenty-One Balloons, Calendar Quest. He reads a lot on his own - he's read a good many of the Boxcar Children, is re-reading the Harry Potter books, and informed me the other day the he really prefers mystery, fantasy, and action genres. Funny kiddo.

Writing - Imitations in Writing, Aesop.

History - Story of the World, Vol. 4 (Modern History)

Science - nature jourals, taking things apart, building things, setting things on fire - general curiosity, coupled with plenty of discussion and engagement, goes so far at this age.

Music - he'll start piano in January

Typing - Typing Instructor Deluxe

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Back to School - 6th Grade

John's sixth grade year is shaping up like this...

Math - Math-U-See Epsilon. He went a little slowly through Delta, in order to master it. We'll all be glad he did when he hits the higher level math!

Latin - Latin Prep 2, from Galore Park. He still doesn't *love* Latin, but he learned so much more with Latin Prep than he did with anything else, so when he completed the first level, it seemed a no-brainer to stick with what works. While we've been waiting for his books to arrive, he's been working through Visual Latin. I think we'll keep using both throughout the year. Although I come down fairly strongly on the side of grammar-based approaches to learning foreign languages, we are enjoying the synthesis and multi-sensory approach of Visual Latin.

Language Arts - Michael Clay Thompson's Voyage series. The material is about dead-on for a rigorous language arts program for an 11yo boy. Truly great material, presented in an engaging manner, at a level that expects you will strive to do well. *Love it!* This series covers Grammar, Poetics, and Writing.

Greek - he's also halfway through Year One in Elementary Greek.

Science - normally, I leave them be to do nature studies, build and break things, and read biographies for science. That's worked well. This year, however, I thought I'd try something new. He's using Galore Park's So You Really Want To Learn Science. He said the book looks lame, and he's not terribly thrilled about it. Honestly, from perusing the table of contents, it does seem he knows most of the material. (Score one for biographies and hands-on learning, at least!) But we have the book - we'll use it to filter out any gaps, and go on. I'll know more about the program after we've used it a bit.

Typing - Typing Instructor Deluxe. He's already doubled his typing speed. Yay!

History - finishing up Modern History (I try to keep everyone somewhat together with history, adding in additional material for the older children). He'll begin Ancients with us, though not with Omnibus, this time around.

Music - piano and guitar. He just started a new book for guitar - it's pretty amazing to Zorak and I, to sit and listen to them play. Wow.

I think that's it. That sounds about right. But he has a question... so I'm going to sign off!

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Back to School - 8th Grade

We've been back to school for a while. Sometimes, the school year blends together. Sometimes we have a delineated break. We tried a longer break this summer, but it just about killed us. So, we started back and worked through the hotter part of the year. Today's high is 58, and we're finding it hard to stay motivated when all we really want to do is play in the rain, then curl up in bed with hot tea and good stories.

James' material this year is pretty exciting (he says that's fairly subjective, but he smiles when he says that, so I don't think he's complaining too loudly).

Math - MUS Geometry, which he's finishing up this month. I'm torn on moving him into Algebra II/Trig right away, or giving him some other material to play with for a while so he will go deeper with it. It's hard to tell with him, sometimes.

Language Arts - we've picked up Michael Clay Thompson's language arts program. It includes Grammar, Poetics, and Writing. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. James and John are both working through the Voyage series. James could probably move into Magic Lens, but I don't honestly think he's missing out on anything by working through this series in the fall. His writing is fantastic, and this program is helping him organize his thoughts and develop some structure.

Science - Physical Science with Derek Owens. Wow. James is so happy. I am so happy. This is a great program. I'm thankful to the friend who recommended Mr. Owens' courses.

Greek - we're about halfway through Year One of Elementary Greek. It's coming along nicely. James said the hard part was mastering the characters, which are so different from English and Latin. The grammar, however, is fairly similar, so now we're into familiar territory and making good time.

Latin - he's very nearly done with Latin Book One. It's taken SO long to finish, but he's learned so very much that I cannot complain. We'll start with Henle after the Christmas break. I'm not sure where we'll pick up in Henle, though. I need to find a placement test of sorts, or go through the tables of contents to find a good transition point.

History - we're mid-year-ish on History. We are wrapping up our study of Modern History, preparing to go back into Ancients. I'm planning to use Omnibus I, starting this fall. This is exciting for me, and a bit overwhelming for James. But he's promised to do his best, and I've promised not to be a total slave-driver. I think we'll make a good go of it, between the two of us.

Reading - He's reading The Last of the Mohicans this month, as well as some collections of Poe, and beginning the Hornblower series. He spent the summer on a Gothic Horror and Michael Crichton kick. It's been a good year for reading.

Music - still playing piano and guitar. The house is filled with music.

Typing - I finally bought Typing Instructor Deluxe. The kids love it, and their typing has improved. Goal met! Chocolate chip cookies, all around! James' goal with this is to complete the program so that he can take some online coding courses. He's working on designing a web page for his Boy Scout Troop as part of a project. Good stuff.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

A Day Out

It was hot today, but under 100, so I guess if you grade on a curve, it wasn't bad. We made it to the Battle for Decatur, and had a truly lovely time talking with the participants. The displays are always interesting - from the weaponry to the furnishings and food, the participants go the extra mile to make it as authentic and realistic and educational as possible. Some of them came from quite a distance, and all of them were absolutely delightful. The Union Army won today's skirmish -- here they are, returning to camp.

The boys took their earnings and bought birch beer and cream soda to soothe the effects of the heat. There were kegs of various beverages - root beer, cream soda, birch beer, cherry lemonade, and the like - you could purchase the bottle for a sum, then refills were significantly less expensive. The bottles were all different, and the set up was unique. Jase particularly enjoyed the cream soda from the bottle that's as big as he is.

We walked and walked, talked and visited. Eventually, the littles began asking if we can go home. History is great, but there is much to be said for the modern conveniences of HVAC systems, glass windows, and bagged ice in the freezer. I asked them to give me a wave for the camera on the way - not sure what Em's doing, but it was fun, nonetheless.

We had a thousand and one other things to get done today, but they will hold until tomorrow. It is worth the wait to have had the day with the whole family together.

Kiss those babies!

~Dy

That's Done

I saw the doc today, to have him check out this cough that's not going completely away. He said it's normal to have a residual cough for up to six weeks after having pneumonia. I guess I looked a little queasy at that thought, because he was kind enough to assure me that's the outer edge of normal. (Then he not-so-encouragingly added that after about 12 weeks, it shifts from "acute" to "chronic" and then you have to start looking for other things.) I put in my vote for residual and acute, grabbed my prescription for more prednisone, thanked him profusely for his time, and got out of Dodge before he could think of anything else to share.

Then I came home and mopped the floors. Something had to give. If we ever win the lottery, I'm going to go hog wild and do crazy things, like hire contractors to finish the work I'm just too tired to spool up on, and pay someone Very, Very Well to come mop the floors once a week.

We missed the homeschool skate today - because I'm not the only person who holds off on seeing the doctor all week, then, when things don't clear up by Friday, decides it's better to go in *now* than risk an ER run at some point during the weekend. Bless the doctors who are open on Fridays, and deal with the backlog so gracefully. But the kids who lose out are also appreciated, and we'll try to catch the public skate tomorrow, after the Battle for Decatur. It's a Civil War display, and looks to be very interesting. I love historic re-enactments, regardless of the era. But I could never participate in them because of the attire. These things are always hosted in the dead-on heat of summer, and have you ever noticed the clothing for the dead-on heat of summer is *the exact same clothing* they'd wear - comfortably - in the stark, cold middle of winter. The kids love the presentations and lectures. I miss out on them, though, because of the monologue running through my head...

"You are so, incredibly, unbelievably tough... My word, but you've got to be dying in that thing... how many layers is that? Wow... I wonder if they've experienced spontaneous combustion at one of these things?"

And so on. Until I'm ready to go steal a Squishee machine and haul it to the field. FREE SQUISHEES FOR EVERYONE IN COSTUME!!!

The ice skating rink will be a lovely reprieve after that. The kids will love it! Maybe I'll try to steal a few of the participants, too, and buy them Squishees at the concession stand. They had Squishees in the 1800's, right? ;-)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Suddenly September!

And here we are, 2014... no? Not yet? Well, give it time. It'll be here before you know it. Or at least Autumn will be. Zorak and I sat out on the balcony tonight, cooking supper, looked at one another and said, "It's too hot for this." Soon, though. Soon, it will be gorgeous enough to spend all day out there! I'm ready. So very ready.

In the meantime, this entry hit me upside the head. (I know, Mrs. Voskamp's aim isn't necessarily to advocate assault or battery, but sometimes that's just how it all comes together. As a friend said today, "a God smackdown". Ayup.) Perfectionism is an illness, and it's one that robs us of our ability to give praise, to be joyful, to enjoy all the delicious blessings we have in our days. It's the kind of thing that betrays our best efforts, sincerely given, and leaves us feeling bitter, resentful, and filled with failure instead of love. I've had a downright paralyzing case of it lately -- evidenced clearly in my refusal to blog until I could get a picture "and do it properly", and my consequent stress and frustration at not being able to find my camera. Really? Because crappy pictures of stressed out kids is what it's all about, I'm sure. (Can you feel the self-deprecating eye rolls from there?)

And the thing is, it hasn't been perfect lately. The kitchen floor looks like I'm sneaking livestock in during the hours Zorak is at work. The laundry... oh, yes, the laundry. Yep. The projects that aren't getting done, the repairs that keep cropping up... that stoopid "check engine light" that comes on right after I've paid all the bills. (What IS that, anyway?) And the dishes? I've been on the verge of carving everyone *one* bowl and *one* cup (maybe, if they're good) that will hold their own personal utensils and just take the rest out to the shooting range. Dinner plates would make fun skeet, I'm sure.

But it's been good. So good. We can pay the bills. We can have the lessons. We can laugh and talk and work together. We are so blessed with the children and their funny, wonderful ways. James will be 13 this month, and you know - we still enjoy him so. For that, alone, I should be wallowing in joy and thankfulness every waking moment. This is better than whatever image of "perfect" creeps in with that illness.

I still really do need to mop that floor. But first, I'm going to kiss my babies and read to them. And, I'm glad I wrote. Even if (though) it isn't perfect.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Summer fun

This summer has been surprisingly fun. I think the water-park-in-lieu-of-baseball deal helped with that. Two kids have improved their swimming tremendously, two kids have learned to swim at all, and the small one no longer shrieks to high heaven if he's in water over his ankles. The paler among us have muscled through the initial vague yellowing that usually qualifies as "tan" in our home, and we all have pretty stellar Vitamin D levels. Not a bad gig, at all.

Sadly, the water park closes down during the weekdays, starting right about the time we can no longer pretend Summer isn't going to last forever. (Oh, we "know" it won't, but that's hard to believe halfway through August.) The park will close for the season after Labor Day, and then we will mark our calendars for next year's season pass sale, and begin looking forward to Autumn. This is the first year we haven't started looking forward to Autumn shortly after Mother's Day, though, so I can't be too sad.

The Cubs had their Awards Night tonight. It was a busy summer for all the boys, and they'd earned a ton of awards. This was my first Awards night since ending up as the Awards coordinator, but I thought it went well. We got almost everyone to use ScoutTrack, and we're cleaning up from an eight-month record-keeping limbo. I think it went very well, though, as we did not forget any boy or botch any awards. Yay! Our Cubmaster's wife is a bit of a Type A with a grand vision of where to take the Pack, and a panic-stricken horror of how to get there from here -- and she's stuck with me as the Awards Coordinator. If she drank, I'd buy her a flask. As it is, I'm just trying to learn how to use my soothing voice and not make any rapid movements. I think we'll eventually find a good groove, though. We've got good parents, wonderful boys, and plenty of room for everyone who wants to be involved. This is a great thing, and it's going to be a fantastic year.

And that's about all we've been doing this summer - Scouts, sickness, and the Water Park. I hope to have something more interesting to share here in a bit. Until now, though, that's pretty much it. Good stuff, though, in the big picture. We've thoroughly enjoyed the kids, in all their various stages and places. For that, I am thankful.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

PSYCH!

I do love that show. But no, really, I thought we were well. We were well. Except, I had a cough that would not go away. At all. Finally, when sleeping upright in five minute spurts lost its novelty, I went in. Ha - pneumonia. Part of me was glad the doc didn't just tell me it's a virus and there's nothing he can do. (That's a typical Mom Fear, there. You hate to go in for a virus, knowing you could come home with Staph or Malaria or something and just have to go back later.) A (much larger) part of me was SO thankful it wasn't something Really Big And Scary (that would require biopsies and blood). And then a wee, small part of me had to roll its eyes and say, "Really, Dy? Way to go, there, dork." So, a short course of steroids and two weeks of antibiotics later, and we are back in business for real. And all the parts said, "WOOHOO!"

Fingers crossed, and all that.

We had Scouts today. The Bears made bird houses. BSA regulations limit Bears to using only hand tools, but they made the most of it and the houses turned out fantastically!

Our Webelos made the most amazing bat box. (He gets to use the power tools. He did a wonderful job.) He also did some research and taught the rest of us quite a bit about bats. Then Zorak filled us in on more neat things about bats and bat boxes. Now I want a bat box.

The siblings made pine cone bird feeders. The basement smells like the Chipmonk's cafeteria -- all cedar shavings and food.

We have a hike and a spelunking expedition planned for next month. I can hardly wait! There's been more, too, but the laundry calls and for some reason this dinner won't cook itself, so for now --

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Back to Business

Zorak fell to the crud this morning. The alarm went off, and I heard through the darkness, "My throat... oh god, I need sleep." Yep. That's pretty much it. Thankfully (sorry, Love), he didn't give in to it until this morning, which left him free last night to finish configuring the ventilation on the washer/dryer unit and put it back into place! If we were younger, or not sick, there would have been much fist bumping and booyah-ing. We settled for a test load of whites and satisfied nods. I'm still somewhat surprised that it doesn't feel as dull as it sounds.

Meanwhile, everyone else is healthy and mobile again. As much as I hate it when we catch a virus, I do so appreciate that they're short-lived and not life-threatening. SO thankful.

I had a follow-up with the periodontist today. Had all the body parts crossed, and set a few things on fire in the hope of getting good news. I told the hygienist I felt like a kid at exams, hoping to pass. Something worked -- I got the green light to see my regular, everyday dentist next week to get started on the very last leg of this whole process. (Then I squealed at the hygienist, "I passed!" She laughed. My very sweet, very proper perio only looked between us and muttered something along the lines of, "ok, then." I think he just knows intuitively it wouldn't be funny, even if we explained it.)

And really, I have no clue what else happened today. Been floating on the cloud of relief, hearing the sweet mantra of "almost done!" in my head. Good, good stuff. James gave me a mental high five for getting done just in time for him to start with the orthodontist. AAahhhhh!

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

The Weekend That Wasn't

It's five in the morning. Monday morning, I believe. The last time I was relatively coherent was, um, Friday afternoon sometime. We had a night hike for Jacob's Pack that night. I'd even reminded Zorak that we had that "hike thing... somewhere". That should have been our first clue that the brain-body connection was going South. By the time one of the parents called to see if we were coming, I had to focus very hard on *who* she was, and *why* she was calling. I was on my way to bed with a box of tissues, some Mucinex, and the Kindle. I'm not really ready to face the week, but it's time. So here we are. On the upside, I love having a Kindle. When you fall asleep reading, it just bookmarks your spot and shuts itself down. *LOVE*

I'm pretty sure it's viral. EmBaby and John weren't feeling well last weekend - fever, sore throat, cough. James and Jacob gave in to it Thursday. Jase went down Friday. I'm not entirely sure Z will be at work today. We'll see.

The tile is IN the laundry closet, all grouted and done. It's so pretty. There's a drain, and a combing, and... no washer. Z figured this would be a good time to reconfigure the ventilation. I'm okay with that. Mostly. The timing isn't that great, to be honest. If it weren't near 100 every day, I wouldn't mind as much. If I were willing to deal with higher temps inside the house, I wouldn't mind as much. As it stands, though, the house is uncomfortably muggy and warm, and the electric bill is still going to be sky high. Timing. And presentation. Two very important things.

I don't know if we'll have full-on lessons today or not. Depends on who is sick and how sick they are. For now, though, I'm going to enjoy the relative cool of the morning and a cup of coffee.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Small Town Fun

Every summer, our little town hosts Concerts on the Courthouse Lawn. Granted, it's hotter than hades, and we live in the South. So it's like Hell, if Hell were humid. Obviously, we don't go very often. But we should. We have such a nice time every time we go.

The guy on the mandolin is the *son* of the guy on the far right. That blew us away. I don't know if it's clean living, or the mixed blessing of humid air that goes easier on the skin. But, wow. They were pretty good, and fun. They enjoyed being there and we enjoyed hearing them play. The guy on the upright bass (is that what it's called?) made it look Very Cool to play that thing. :-)

The Bigs enjoyed hanging out, chit-chatting, and listening to the music. They're cool to spend time with. I'm thankful for that.

The Littles had a harder time sitting still. I'm sure that's why they host it on the lawn, where there is plenty of room to run and dance without disturbing everyone who wants to hear. It's a nice family outing, and one of the many things we love about living in a small town.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Sweet Babies and Projects!

We got to kiss a baby today. All day! His Mama was off having a little sister, so he stayed with us today and tonight. Oh, so sweet. Oh my goodness so sweet. Also, I am old. I am old and slow. But he is so very sweet! And the picture of his baby sister? Oh, she's PRECIOUS! I can't wait to love on her in person, too!

John got to Scouts tonight, ready once again to sit his board of review. Third (fourth? fifth?) time's a charm, right? Well, not so much. The boys in the Troop have become very active lately, which is wonderful and awesome and all kinds of great. Unfortunately, that's put a bit of a pinch in the schedule for Scoutmaster conferences and boards of review. He's been "first on the list next time" every week since they got back from camp, the first week of June. For the most part, I limit my role in Boy Scouts to making sure they are there on time, have access to what they need to accomplish their goals, and general reminders to grab book/kerchief/shoes on the way out the door. The rest is up to them. Tonight, though, when it happened again, I had to point out that he keeps getting punted on this, and considering they've scheduled a Court of Honor for next Monday, I trust they'll make a point of arriving early so he can have his board *then* and not miss out on the Court of Honor due to no fault of his own. (Yes, he could/should/oughta say something on his own. He's young, and he's a little bit shy, and he's way too polite to tell an adult, "Really? You're doing this to me AGAIN?" Particularly when he knows it's not intentional. He'll get the hang of it, but tonight, he was just small. And disappointed. And I don't have those hangups. So, there you go.) We do have great guys leading the Troop, and one of them, whose son is sitting for his Eagle board tomorrow, volunteered to stay a bit longer so that they'd have enough adults and John could finally get this done. He's earned his Tenderfoot rank! He came out of that review absolutely beaming from head to toe, too.

The mailbox has been replaced. The boys helped with the design and the welding, and it's awesome! The mail lady also brought the mail with her today, so it's a good thing we got it up. I'll go in tomorrow and take the official hold off our mail.

James' bed is fixed and happy and he remembered to pull it out far enough that we don't have to stand on it to kiss Jacob goodnight in his bed.

Still doing the wash on the front porch, but I don't mind, as we've got thinset curing in the laundry closet! It'll have a tiled basin with a nice combing and a drain to address any future leaks and protect the floor. That's quite exciting, and completely worth a little Adventurous Laundry here and there.

Oh, and Zorak fixed the blades on the mower, so we mowed the front yard and upper meadow. We're feeling downright genteel at the moment. (Well, except for the porch thing, but like I said, that's not permanent. Please don't let it be permanent...)

In all, it's been a great weekend!

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Well, there you have it...

Sometime Monday, folks got bored in the boonies and set out to play a little mailbox baseball. It was about time, truthfully. We've had this box for nearly two whole years, now. @@ Zorak won't let me rig the new one with paint capsules that coat the perpetrators in hot pink shame upon impact, though. James and I thought that would be kind of worth having to put up with replacing the box.

Meanwhile, we can't get our mail because our fruit loop of a mail lady keeps taking our mail on her route. She's not about to do anything ridiculous, like bring it to the door (she won't even do that when we have packages). The manager has told her to leave it because we'll be picking it up while we are hammering out the plan for the new box. They've had meetings about leaving it. Still, she takes it. No one can figure out why.

We broke a blade on the lawn mower. This isn't a big deal - you can only hammer those things straight so many times before they break - but the mower is parked in the un-mowed front yard at the moment. This comes into play here in a bit.

The boys' bunk bed broke on the trundle. Again. That trundle takes a lot more abuse than it was designed to take. We still love it, but we're getting adept at repairing it.

The drawer front on the bread box of the Hoosier came off. Just plumb came off! :blink:

Then the parts for the dryer came in this morning. WooHoo! It was the work of ten minutes to replace the broken bits and vacuum the insides thoroughly. We got the unit back into place, hooked it up, and started a load -- only to find the washer is leaking! There's no room to maneuver in the hallway, so we moved the whole thing out onto the front porch for troubleshooting. But then we had to head out. James needed to go into town to finish a project. I had made plans to meet friends with the rest of the crew. So the washer sat there...

With the mower.

And the mailbox post.

Amidst the tall, unkempt grass.

And that's when we remembered the rep from Window World was due out today! Ahhhhh. Naturally. Heh.

On the upside, we can do the wash on the porch, Buddy didn't get out again, and the inside of the house was picked up (gah, thankfully!)

Kind of anxious about what tomorrow's going to look like, though...

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Well that was a wild day!

Buddy has mastered the art of escape. He greeted us on the front porch early this morning with news that he only needs a cape and a gorgeous assistant and he'll be able to make his way in the world. Or he could have been wanting breakfast. It's hard to tell, really. In the meantime, however, we went on full alert trying to figure out his secret. He can't be getting out of the back yard at will, like that! Between the strays that loiter in the neighborhood and the cars that do 60 in a 45, it's just not safe to free range it out here. It took us about an hour, and four escapes, but we finally tracked it down. He watched us from the balcony, totally clueless about our intentions, as the boys and I hauled fencing around to bolster the area and get it blocked off. Then we stationed people in all the windows to watch and see if that was it. I let him off the balcony and he made a beeline for the one spot, then the other. Then, being utterly thwarted, he went to the back porch to hang out. *whew* Dodged that one.

Meanwhile, we were hanging clothes today, singing the praises of the clothes line and the sunshine. The dryer, however, was getting some hairy eyeball from at least two of us. It died last night sometime, leaving us with two loads of wet clothes and no warning. Zorak did the troubleshooting tonight while I took the Bigs to Scouts, and it looks like the problem is a $22 replacement part from Repair Clinic.com (love that place!) And then, because he loves me, he also chipped in for a new washer start knob (ours has been stripped for two years), and a new belt (because while you're in there, you know you might as well replace anything that wears out like that). It'll ship tomorrow, and should be in our hot little hands by Wednesday! Repair Clinic for the WIN! Boo-yah!

We hit the water park, then came home to prepare for the evening. John nailed the quarter mile improvement, which was all he had left to complete his Tenderfoot requirements, so he had his Scoutmaster conference tonight and will sit the board of review next week. It looks like we'll be having a Court of Honor in a couple of weeks, too! Very exciting to see the activity level ramping up in this Troop.

Man, I'm loving the water park. The kids sleep so deeply after a day there. And they're all improving on their water skills - far more than I thought they would, really. Jase is no longer afraid of water deeper than his ankles. Emily's not afraid of anything (kind of wish she was...) but she's comfortable putting her face in the water now (added bonus of making bath time significantly easier). Jacob can SWIM, now. Under water even! And James and John are both getting to be stronger, more confident swimmers all around. I just can't say enough how glad I am they have this opportunity. Good, good stuff.

However, the downside is that I'm about done, too. Still much to do, but this lady is going to finish yet another glass of water and hit the hay. They want to do it again tomorrow, and I'd like to be up for it! ;-)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

I'm too old for that!

Well, that was fun, but here it is, Monday morning, and I'm almost caught up on my sleep! WOW. I didn't think I was getting old. Well, no, I knew I was getting old - things have been giving out regularly for the last three years. But I thought... yeah. Moving on.

We went to Lacon Trade Day on Saturday to get chickens. Everyone says it's *the* place to get chickens. And lemonade. We got chicharrones and some cheap dodads. The weather's been too hot for the roosters to take care of business, so there were no chicks to be had. We missed the lemonade, entirely, but had a lovely time just roaming the place with the kids. Our kids are cool. I appreciate that. They were fun and funny and stayed close enough for us not to panic, and nobody came home with weird livestock. I really appreciate them.

Sunday, we made it to church (though not to Sunday School - that just seems to be a time hurdle we haven't managed to clear yet), then spent the rest of the day at the water park. That deal (skipping baseball and using the money on season passes to the water park) has turned out to be one of the best things we could have done. Everyone's having fun. Nobody has to sit in the hot stands. Nobody has to keep the littles from playing in the cigarette butts and sunflower seed spittle. There's none of that ridiculousness that goes along with Type-A parents trying to relive their own youths through yelling at their children. And we've eaten well all Spring and Summer. It's delightful, really.

Today, the dryer stopped squeaking. Actually, it stopped last night. I was so relieved it didn't dawn on me to check and see if something *else* had gone wrong. I should have checked. The wash this morning was still quite wet. The tub won't turn - not regularly, not even manually. It's completely seized up. I'm so thankful we have the line to fall back on. Aside from trying to time it around the thunderstorms, it's only a minor inconvenience, and at least it's not January! We'll take it apart tonight and hope for Something Minor to be the problem.

A friend of ours from Maryland is in town this week, so we're looking forward to seeing him while he's here. And, it looks like it's another week in the high 80's, low 90's, which is a beautiful reprieve and we plan to make the most of it! (Yeah, can't believe I'm saying that.)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Milestone Fun

Last night we joined approximately half the population of Northern Alabama in attending the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. This was big for us, as we usually only see one movie in a theater in any given year. But added to that was that this was the first time Jacob had seen one of the Harry Potter movies in the theaters (he read all seven books in the last year, and then started over, just so he wouldn't forget anything important). And the first time any of us had gone to an opening showing of the HP movies. It was really great. For them, it was probably great for different reasons than it was for me. I so enjoyed spending time with them, doing something we can all enjoy together (so, not Victorian literature *or* video games). JK Rowling, for the win! Thanks!

We made wands at the last minute, thanks to an instructable a friend linked. You can find it here. And these are the wands they came up with:

From left to right: mine, James', John's, Jacob's, Emily's, Jason's. (The bigs helped design Em's and Jase's. The Littles picked their own colors.) Not bad for 40 minutes' work! Go teamwork!

The boys all created their own costume ideas and we managed to cobble them together without stressing out much. James, with his blonde hair, fair skin, and thin build, is just a natural to go as Draco Malfoy.

Jacob rounded up the much-used, much-loved Harry robe and accoutrements from the basement to reprise another round of Harry. His longer, wild hair was perfect for it this time. Zorak chipped in with an old pair of glasses (minus the lenses) when we couldn't find any in the thrift stores (and I'd bought what Z informed me were "not cool round Harry glasses", but were in fact, "thick nerd glasses". Huge difference. Funny, coming from the man who reads in a Ben Stein monotone, just to get out of ever having to read Harry Potter books at all. But when it really matters, he can nail it.)

John was going to go as Ron Weasley. We had this maroon sweater and had planned to switch out the 'G' for an 'R', a'la Mrs. Weasley's Christmas Sweater. One afternoon, John commented off-hand that it's too bad we couldn't do the ear or he could go as George. I remembered then that one of our friends does the special effects makeup for the haunted houses every year, and thought if anyone could do it, she could. So I got with her and asked if she could do it. She graciously said yes, and she. was. AMAZING! In less than fifteen minutes of work, she took off a good portion of John's ear.

We drove home from her place in a raging thunderstorm, and all I could think was man, if we're in a wreck I hope this ear doesn't cause any problem getting him diagnosed and treated! We made it home without incident. (Yay!)

Because of the last minute wand making, we were a couple of hours behind our planned schedule, but still set to be there early enough to get in line and have a shot at good seats. The storm set us back an additional hour, though, and we arrived at the theater only an hour before showtime. So our seats were not *great*, but that didn't dampen the experience.

The place was full of great costumes, happy people, high energy, and a fun mood. Some of the costumes were really fantastic. I wish I'd thought to take pictures. Luna in her roaring Lion's head, Mrs. Sprout, a snitch (he made several laps through the theater while people waited), Cho Chang, Voldemort, Neville... it was so much fun to see the creativity that went into people's costumes.

And the movie. Ah. Well, yeah. This is the first time I'm not the last person I know who sees the movie. I'll return the graciousness of those who just smiled and said, "Oh, you'll have to see it and then let me know so we can talk."

So. You'll have to see it, and then let me know so we can talk about it. ;-)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Summer electives

This week, in Science for Summer...

Spiders: some things really make you appreciate glass


Hormones & Bacteria: what they can do to you, why you should care, and what you can do about it. (It's accelerated course.)


Heat & Humidity: why you really don't want to do your Physical Fitness badge in the middle of summer. in the South. Let's just play in the sprinklers. Please.

Art: Hey! The basement stays cool! Let's play there!

Getting ready for the Harry Potter premier tonight! See you later.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Heat Advisory

What do you do when it's too hot to be outside? Yeah, this is about it... Thrilling stuff.

Both of the bathroom sinks look lovely underneath, now, though. And still, the heat advisory continues. Today, they've added an "excessive heat warning". So, my goal for today is NOT to have to test the boys' skills at dealing with heat exhaustion or stroke. Better living through lower standards!

But we've been keeping busy, in spite of the heat. We've begun back to schooling and will continue to hit it hard for July, August and September. Probably most of October, as well. That gives us the leeway to kick back and enjoy the holidays without much stress or strain. Or fear of falling so far off the grid that we have to make up a whole new plan.

We finally (finally, FINALLY!) cobbled together enough adults for James to sit his board of review. He's now officially a 2nd Class Scout. And I think he's enjoying the feeling of accomplishment that goes along with it. It's a fight to get squirrels to run in a straight line, you know. But it's worth it. So very worth it. The only hurdle he has to clear to attain 1st Class is the 10-outing requirement. This Troop hasn't offered ten outings in the two and a half years he's been a Scout. :\ We're going to work on that. Later, when the weather stops with the hell-hound impressions.

And now, to tackle the day - water? check! books? check! children? Uh... gotta go round those up.

Kiss those babies~
~Dy

The End of June, and Independence Day

We found a neat little spot to play in the river and enjoy the summer days with friends. It's not as POSH as some might like, and it's certainly no Destin, FL, but the kids had a blast, the picnic area is clean, and it's close enough to go regularly, so I'm going to call that a Win.

The rest of the week we've been trying to fix the back yard fence, which Buddy managed to find a way over (I think that's done), preparing for the Fourth of July Festivities (which went off without too many hitches), and gearing back up for Scout activity.

The Cubs made new neckerchief slides, and the siblings made patriotic necklaces, bracelets, and random dangly things. I love not having to worry about whether the balcony stays clean -- the kids had a wonderful time, and the other Moms are just fantastic! John really earned his stripes, too, helping with the littlest siblings as they painted with watercolors and made their crafts. He spearheaded the whole operation, stayed with them, handled the cutting and cleaning. Wow. I'm impressed, and proud of the work he did last week.

Today, the boys pulled a two-hour shift at the Spirit of America Festival. It was hot. It wasn't as hot as last year, and this year there was the faintest hint of a breeze, which was delicious. But it was still *hot*. The Suburban thermometer registered 108 there in the parking lot. ~ack~ Kids are tough, though, and we had to herd them back homeward long before they were ready. I have to admit, I'm kind of looking forward to the time Zorak and I can go do something else (read: indoors and air conditioned) while the kids go enjoy the sights and sounds and then meet us back home for a cookout in the afternoon! It's not that I wouldn't love to spend the day with the kids - it's that the kids are far more resilient than I am, these days.

Our next projects are a hike for the Boy Scouts, an outing for the Cub Scouts, and - God willing - another push on the house, to tidy up those little details that never quite got finished in the first place, so we can enjoy them before everything starts needing to be touched up again. I do wish we had these nice, long daylight-filled days in the fall or the spring, when it wasn't so hot outside (yes, I realize I'm wishing we could completely alter the laws of physics - short of being able to have a summer home in Nova Scotia, though, this is the closest pipe dream I can muster).

Happy Independence Day!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Scout Stuff

The 4th of July celebrations bring us another opportunity for community involvement this year at the Spirit of America Festival at Point Mallard. The park opens the area to community organizations and vendors, and the whole celebration is a delight for all who come. Last year, the heat was oppressive, and yet it was still a wonderful time -- I can hardly wait for this year's events.

In preparation, our Den will be making new neckerchief slides to wear with their uniforms. I've been researching ideas all week, and while I don't feel like I'm any closer to being ready for Friday's meeting, I have learned a lot. One of my favorite pages so far is Scouting With A Neckerchief, a little pamphlet printed in 1927, that tells the 60-some-odd uses for a neckerchief, as well as some of the history behind the easily recognized symbol. Very cool reading, indeed. I can't wait to share this with the boys.

And one gentleman put his carving skills to delightful use making slides for his grandson. Aren't they darling? I might have a hard time turning the boys loose with those ("Wouldn't they look better in Mommy's safe? No, really. Give it here before you lose it!"), but I'll bet that little boy was *thrilled* with his.

And this site - Scout Mom (but I *love-love-LOVE* the url - fakinit. That just makes me smile and nod like a bobblehead.) Well, I didn't find what I was looking for, but I had fun doing it! She's getting bookmarked for future Scout-related sanity breaks.

Meanwhile, I finally got my hands on some Blue Cards. I'd begun to think they were myth. Or legend. Either way, I was starting to think I'd have better odds getting hold of a Luck Dragon than some of these. Tomorrow, the Bigs will pick the merit badges they'd like to work on this summer, then sometime later in the week we can get the green light and start things rolling with those.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

More Water Fun

A pool in the summer in the just the ultimate luxury. We don't have one, but we have friends who do, and they invited us Saturday to enjoy some play time and a cookout. Yes, food is good. We have awesome friends. The kids had a complete blast, playing with their friends, enjoying the out-of-doors, and wearing themselves out.

Z and I were a little worn at the end of the day, too... (kids get heavy when you heft 'em out of the water!)

And then, it seems, the kids ran off with the camera after we got home.

I love digital photography. We don't have to pay for developing pictures of the children's eyeballs, nostrils, and the inside of the wood stove. But they can wallow in the fun of taking pictures, and we can enjoy a glimpse of the world through the children's eyes, and keep a few gems from the discovery. (I now also have a good idea of which areas of the house I need to de-clutter. Not posting those, though.)

Did you have a great weekend? Are you enjoying your little ones (or not so little ones) this summer?

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Saturday Adventures

"Because Mom knows how much fun migrant farm work is," Zorak replied to the children's queries. Yes, we're going berry picking, which sounded significantly more fun in my head than it did when Zorak explained it. Thankfully, he lives with his tongue mainly in his cheek, and it was fun.

The farm also grows muscadines, which of course I referred to as "grapes". And was sorted out right quick on the difference. (I know the difference. I just fail to have a significant level of awareness to remember to differentiate. Six years, you'd think I'd have developed some sensitivity to Southerners and their agricultural affections. I'm trying. I really am. But in my defense, I have yet to find anyone who makes muscadine wine - which might help cement the image in my head - and, let's be honest, they do look an awful lot like grapes.)

James had a blast narrowing down all the minutiae of the ripest, sweetest, best berries for picking. This kid loves things on a level most of us don't even know exists. He will never mistakenly refer to muscadines as mere grapes. He is awesome. He also picked the best berries, and we will all enjoy the benefits of his attention to detail, tomorrow afternoon, in a pie.

Since it's neither healthy nor interesting to be too focused on any one thing, the kids found all kinds of interesting creatures: spiders, ants, and a caterpillar or two. There's one on the fence. Honest. Although I do love John's caption idea: "Is this thing electric?"

Thanks to serendipitous timing, we had a full bucket right about the time we realized we're all dehydrated and it's only getting hotter. The kids were still in high spirits, so we decided it's best to bail before the crew decides to mutiny. We checked out, bought some wonderful local clover honey, and came home to enjoy the a/c and blueberry pancakes.

And that was this morning's adventure. My timer just beeped, and now I must move on to the next adventure of the day -- time to clean. The rest of the crew knows it's better to run errands with Dad than to stay home and clean with Mom, so I've got the house to myself. True, this means I have no help, but it also means I can crank my music without any external mockery to hamper the enjoyment. ;-)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

This week...

This week, we had the wonderful Aunt B with us. I have pictures, but Blogger won't recognize my phone texts, and none of us remembers where we put the camera upload cord. (It's a recurring theme with us, but this time it's a fairly legitimate loss, as we only recently found the camera battery charger, which had gone MIA back in March. I'm sure we've cleaned the school room at least once since then, so there's no telling where we stuck the random-at-the-time cable.)

We took her to Burritt on the Mountain one morning. Lovely, lovely time of day to go. Pretty little place, too. I was very tempted to climb under Dr. Burritt's dining table and refuse to leave, but settled instead for taking pictures so I could show them to Zorak and whisper, "Do you see those *ceilings*???" Some people might crane their necks up to the ceilings and think they just wouldn't want to clean them. I look up there and think, meh, I don't clean the ceilings I can reach by standing on my toes - at least these are high enough you'd have to squint to see the cobwebs instead of walking right into them. And the windows? And the straw-bale walls, reminiscent of old-school adobe construction. Gah. Gorgeous.

We rented a pontoon boat and spent the day on the river. That was John's birthday, too, so we brought some friends along. There is something absolutely magical about swimming in a river on a hot summer's day. Even moreso when there are no venomous snakes or alligators along for the fun. (And there weren't, so it was one of those Great Memory days.)

We met Zorak for lunch in town, and hit the little-bitty farmer's market in town, and made s'mores on the balcony. It was a really lovely visit, and we're so glad she came. I wish it hadn't been so blasted hot, but then we had rain for two days, and that's always a treat to someone from the desert. (We've been here six years and we still geek out when it rains over a quarter of an inch at a time.) So pretty!

Today, we knew the letdown would come. So we rolled with it. The boys played Monopoly. Em and Jase watched Wonder Pets until we couldn't stand it anymore. I did all the little, boring chores that needed doing, but didn't rate doing while company was here. It was a quiet, restful day, and it was good.

Tomorrow starts our Summer of FUN. Full title and everything. Should be interesting, if nothing else...

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Well, that's better. Kind of.

We needed a change of scenery! Or a tall caramel mocha double something turbo latte. But today isn't an in-town day, so this will have to do. I don't love it, but I don't hate it (I just hate change. Change is hard and awkward. And it highlights the myriad skills I don't have - like web page layout and design. *aherm*)

Back later for some blogging. Right now, I have to make sure the children have not broken into the pantry stores down there in the basement. They're playing a game of Monopoly that makes me want to hire a medium to contact my own mother and apologize (repeatedly) for the summers I spent yelling out, "MOM, it's your turn AGAIN! MOM, where'd you GO, Mom?"

Now, I know.

She was a good woman.

Kiss those babies,
~Dy

Family Fun

What an amazing week this was! Jacob bridged up in Cub Scouts. He's a Bear now. (Coincidentally, I finally completed the rest of my training. I get a nifty patch on my shirt, come payday, too!)

We had our first Bear Den meeting today, and it was amazing! We had a new boy (which, in our Den, means we had "a new boy and all of his siblings"), and everyone melded in beautifully. The other moms indicated that there is enough interest that we may be able to stand up an entire line of daytime dens in our Pack, which would be great for the Pack, and great for the boys who haven't had access to Scouting so far because of the evening meeting requirement. At any rate, we made newspaper seed pots and planted some things in them - we're hoping to have a Harvest Party when they come ripe later toward the Fall. But no matter how the crops turn out, the day was fun. We'll do Day Camp, and then break for the rest of June since everybody will be gone at least one week, most for two, in June. (I'm thankful, as this gives me time to figure out what I'm doing! Yay!)

On the nights the Bigs have Boy Scouts, the Littles and I try to come up with something fun. This week we made volcanoes out of modeling clay. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but there were three official types of volcanoes, and of course, casualties. I think the squid fared the worst, but the pink clay man took a pretty hard hit, too.

And we're still enjoying the plow disc cooking as often as possible. As long as it's nicer to cook outside, we will. Plus, I think Zorak enjoys the time he gets with whichever child helps cook. It's not often anybody gets to have an uninterrupted conversation around here. Aside from the paparazzi, these two seemed to have a good time. (But they were so sweet while I stalked them with the camera, trying to figure out how to get a decent nighttime shot on the phone.)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

And then, out of nowhere.

Surgery! Again!

Good heck, but we've been put under too often as of late. (Although in reading up on this procedure, I see that it's sometimes done under local anesthesia, and I've got to say, WOW. Um, I... don't want to be awake for that. No complaints, here.) I had a sore spot over the weekend that wasn't responding to salt water rinses or tea tree oil, so I called my dentist on Tuesday. He suspected it was related to the implants and suggested I go through the periodontist, just in case.

Come to find out, it was an old problem resurfacing - a narrow, twisty root that had been a problem when I'd had a root canal done a few years back. The endodontist had cautioned at the time that it might need an apioectomy at some point. So this was not unexpected, precisely, but since we hadn't had problems with it in the previous two years, we'd all sort of figured it was put to bed. Turns out, not so much.

Yesterday morning I took the Cub Scouts to the Cultural Event at the Oakdale Indian Mounds (it was a fantastic outing!), and that afternoon I went in for surgery. The periodontist took care of the problem, bolstered the area up with yet more bone (I'm starting to feel like Wolverine), as it was adjacent to one of the implants, and sent me home with all the things a girl might need to get some rest. Well, almost all. Zorak did stop somewhere along the way and get me a milkshake. (Two, it turned out - I drank his, also. I was HUNGRY.)

Zorak took the kids to a friend's house that evening and they played and had supper together while I slept. Today, Zorak took the kids back to the Mounds to enjoy a few of the displays and activities we hadn't had time to get to Friday, and then to a birthday party at the ice rink. I slept some more. Now he's exhausted from cat herding all day, and I'm thankful beyond belief. But wow, where'd the week go?

On the up side, the Most Amazing Dr. said that the work he did February had healed up well enough that he was able to uncover the implants and install the abutments! So as soon as this latest development is healed up, I can go in for the crowns. Two months ahead of schedule, even! This endeavor has been long, expensive, and not a little scary, but we're nearing the payoff, and I am so glad for that.

And my sweet, sweet children brought me a little bag of candies specially selected from their stash, for me to enjoy as soon as I'm well again. With that kind of care and thoughtfulness, I feel like I could conquer Mt. Everest!

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

The Whole 30

I'd mentioned the Whole 30 in my previous post. We are down to the last couple of days on this. It seems deceptively simple: avoid grains of all kinds, added sugars, alcohol, dairy, legumes and white potatoes (admittedly arbitrary, but they are carb-heavy and nutrient-light) for 30 days and see the difference for yourself. In all actuality, it is simple. The hardest part is, honestly, getting enough calories in without feeling like a total and complete glutton.

Before I get into the results and experience, I should ante up on the caveats and errata from the peanut gallery:

Intentional Alterations, based on philosophy:

* We eat sausage and other preserved meats that have nitrites in them. That's a personal decision. Neither Zorak nor I are convinced either of the claims of harm, nor of the levels of concern. Even when we make our own sausage at home, we use cure with nitrite. I'm not out to evangelize anyone to that particular point of view, nor am I open to being evangelized against them. I'm just being upfront about how our plan differed from that suggested by the Whole 30 plan.

* Raw milk. I kept that as an option for the occasional treat. Again, a personal decision. While I am convinced of the detriments of homogenization, and would forgo dairy completely were that the only alternative available, I've seen no evidence that suggests raw dairy is in any way inflammatory or detrimental to the gut. The Paleo crowd does seem to blow off dairy on the argument that Grok wouldn't have had it, and so neither should we. However, the science and the history both bear out that raw and fermented dairy have been staples of the human diet for as far back as the domestication of livestock, with fantastic results. So. The raw milk stayed, for us. As did the fresh butter, although that was reserved only for the things that really must be sauteed in butter. Arbitrary, perhaps. But tasty and, as I said, it was a non-negotiable for me.

(Note, if we were battling a degenerative disease, or if there were a life-threatening situation which caused us to seek this detox, I will admit that we may have been more strict with regard to the dairy. I probably won't know unless I'm faced with that choice. Your mileage may vary.)

Two Supremely Unjustifiable Errors:

* Alcohol. Gah. This one is entirely on me. I'd signed up for a Wine 101 class that I've been trying to get into since the beginning of February. I finally got in, although I got the slot before we started the Whole 30. The evening was slated for about 3/4 of the way through our 30. The stars aligned, and I had the opportunity for a date night with my honey. I hung my head in shame for a moment, then grabbed my coat and went. We probably consumed half a glass of wine, total. Still, it was all-carby, with zero nutritional value. The evening spent with my husband and the wonderful folks at the class, however, was fantastic. Again, had we been doing this for a high-stakes situation, we'd have passed. But I can't even really justify it or claim it didn't have an impact on the results. I'm fairly sure it did.

* A s'more. We went camping. James picked up toasted coconut marshmallows and a caramel bar for his s'mores. I wanted one. I had it. About the only good thing with regard to this is that I decided days ahead that I would do it, not feel guilty about it, and not decide that I'd fallen off the horse forever because of it. I was able to have that one and enjoy it and move on. No justification, but I did want to be honest.

And, that's it. Other than those exceptions, we've eaten "clean" for a month. This included a week without power, and a Mother's Day campout.

What we noticed:

* Improved rest at night. Less flailing (the elbow of death has not hit me once during the night), deeper sleep, and more rejuvenating sleep.

* Improved digestion and less bloating.

* For the girly folk, the various female issues were much decreased during this cycle.

* No mid-day slump. This has been my *favorite* perk. Absolute, hands-down, favorite. It feels SO good to be functional all day long. Zorak also reported that he's been more alert and had a steady stream of energy at work, without the 2PM slump that always hit him in the past.

* Clearer complexion. This one's probably a close second. I hate having acne in the wrinkles. Nobody warned me about that. Now, I just have the wrinkles. The acne has cleared significantly, and overall skin tone seems improved.

* Tone - overall body tone. We did not add in additional exercises - Zorak, because he hadn't received the all-clear from the surgeon yet, and I, because I'm essentially lazy and didn't want to. However, we've both seen a visible, measurable, tangible, no-kidding improvement in body tone.

* Weight stability. In our cases, it was loss, but from what I've read, I suspect that someone who needed to gain weight would do so on this plan. The body seems to seek out its own balance when we're not busy tweaking our bodies with insulin spikes and crashes.

If you are considering this at all, my advice would be to do it. Just jump in and run with it. It's only 30 days. There is support, and there are resources available. The results you'll see - and I am firmly convinced you will see them - are worth it. There are so many Whole 30 friendly recipes out there. It takes a bit of planning, to have something on hand when you get ready to eat. But not much more than it takes to keep a household fed, anyway. It's not hard, but it is worth it.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Taking it Outside

I love our balcony. If I'd known how much we would use it and love it, I might have foregone finishing the bedrooms or some other project in lieu of building the balcony our first year here. It's like having an entire extra room for the house. There's room to play, room to read, room to sprawl out and relax. It's high enough off the ground that mosquitoes aren't much of a problem (although James has a citronella plant in a pot that he hauls to wherever we'll be eating, just in case). The view is gorgeous, and thanks to the zealous over-engineering of my awesome crew, this thing could hold up a three-ring circus without fear of giving out. Or, you know, a family. (It's a fine line...)

As soon as the evenings or mornings lose their bitter winter bite, we start meandering out there for meals. For some reason, it's as much fun as a picnic, without the traditional picnic drawbacks. Plenty of fun.

On a side-note, we're on day 24 of the Whole 30, a 30-day food challenge. It's been fun. It's been fantastic, actually. I can write more about it, if anyone is interested (although there are far better, more diligent bloggers out there who have documented every single day of it - we had a week without power, and a Mother's Day campout thrown in there during our project, both of which shot the blogging to pieces.) And I can attest that we've experienced definite improvement in many areas because of it. But anyway, this is an example of how we've been eating, and it's. been. delightful.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Easter.

Huh. I'd posted a couple days ago about the recovery process here in Northern Alabama. But it's... gone. Ah, I guess Blogger was doing something while I was posting, perhaps? Ah, okay. I'll have to write that one up again, later. Right now, I'm geared up to get these Easter pictures up.

Easter was lovely. We have such a fun mix of ages. James "hunted" eggs by walking with the littles and making casual remarks like, "Oh, that tree would be a lovely place to hide an egg!" and "I wonder if the Easter Bunny likes horseshoes?" Emily and Jase would squeal with delight as they discovered their treasure after acting upon these "subtle hints". We had so much fun watching him at work.

Emily helped Jase, too. And Jase just had a wonderful time. I think he still checks the yard when he goes outside to play.

Jacob is at that wonderful age where he's able to find, able to help, and still young enough to be really excited by his own discoveries. Every year, I think this is it - I couldn't possibly enjoy these kids more. And every year, they surprise me with their joy and their depth. This is a really cool gig.

Sharon generously took about a bazillion shots of all of us together. I need a super editor that can paste the heads from other shots onto the one that's the best of most of us. Until then, this was a relatively decent family photo. The last one of the year, most likely. Next time, Jase won't need to be restrained and James will probably be taller than I. Wow, where does it all go? I could have sworn I was right here for all of it!

We hope your Easter was just as blessed as ours. There is, truly, so much to celebrate.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

storm update in previous post's comments