and baby makes 6!

It has come to my attention that our President has decided to rescind a law called the Conscience Clause. 
The Conscience clause, originally called the Church Amendment, was put into effect shortly after the Roe vs Wade case, and is supported by both political parties. It allows for medical personnel to refuse to participate in an abortion if [...]

***edited to add a link to the Laura Recovery Center’s list of those reported missing from Hurricane Ike. I believe this list is updated daily.
_____________________________
I am posting this list of names copied from the KHOU website and I ask if you would please pray that they are found safe and sound very soon. [...]

The good news is, all of our family members are safe and sound.  Aunt C arrived here last night, tired, but well.  We are so blessed, as Billy’s cousin (Aunt C’s daughter) decided to ride the storm out in her house…….the house that is just a few blocks behind the Seawall.  They were lucky and the [...]

It is Friday, and things have been very tense here.  Tides are up, and the entire coast will be getting slammed with winds up to 100 mph.  We have been anxiously waiting for word from all of our family members in Galveston.  As most of you know, that is our home town, and most of our relatives live [...]

We are feeling the pull of summer here. The days are consistently warm now, and in spite of old man winter trying one last time to lay his hand on us at the coast, the sun is out and bathing suits, baggies and tanks have taken over our town.
With the warmth and gorgeous weather [...]

What makes me amazed about this picture is the fact that I took it while on a boat, in 20mph winds, with the boat swinging in a wide arch at anchor, and without a tripod. I used the 70-300 lens with Vibration Reduction, and I have decided I want to marry this lens and [...]

“In sailing , heaving to (also heave to) is a way of slowing the boat’s forward progress, fixing the helm and foresail position so that the boat doesn’t have to be actively steered, thereby allowing the crew to attend other tasks. It is commonly used for a “break” while waiting out a storm, or by [...]

I mean, paleeeease.  I do believe he showed more interest in the top of his Fresca can than all the sunshine, blue water, white sails against a gorgeous sky and dolphins……..we are killing him. Right?  Mean, mean parents.

  The toddler years are officially over at our house.

Somebody is turning 4 very, very soon.  She is growing up, and as much as that pains me, it also makes me feel so much joy that it squeezes my heart and has me dazzled.  It is like living with an actual fairy.

If I did not have an SLR camera, this whirlwind child would rarely be caught “on film” for me to ponder some years in the future. I want to remember everything about him. How long his eyelashes are. The sand dollar necklace that he wears with love swinging from his small neck. [...]

She was taking a little break from the sun.

Swim, swam, swum.

The temp is supposed to reach the upper 70’s today, edging its way into the 80’s tomorrow, and climaxing on Saturday with sunny skies and a temp approaching 90.
The last part of that sentence made me feel all hyper and giddy.
Water temps are hovering around 65 degrees. Still chilly, but maybe with temps near 90 [...]

She loves her fans. Really, she does. But it is hammock time folks, and she and her Ponies have embraced la buena vida.

In another effort to grasp the endless summer, changes are going on here at And Baby Makes 6! The most obvious being appearance. I am not one to like things to stay the same for very long. All you have to do is count how many homes we have owned in the [...]

Bill and I were sitting in our room yesterday, talking randomly, and I said. “You know what I can’t wait for?”
And he replied “A warm beach” without missing a beat. Those were the exact words floating in my head.
Sometimes it is a bit spooky how much we know each other.
There seems to be [...]

When I first walked through the den, all the My Little Ponies were standing upright, my daughter making wee little Pony voices for them. They seemed happy and as colorful, bulky and awkward as ever.
The next time I walked through, I found this:

Hmm. What happened in Ponyland???
Did they:
a. ride one too many [...]

It is strange sometimes to see how animals slide into our lives, bringing love into it that is just nothing short of magical.
Our little dingo like creature has stolen everyones hearts, including my husbands.

She is the first one to great him when he comes home, and his stance on “Animals must be outside at all [...]

I’ll walk in the rain by your side
I’ll cling to the warmth of your tiny hand
I’ll do anything to help you understand
And i’ll love you more than anybody can
And the wind will whisper your name to me
Little birds will sing along in time
Leaves will bow down when you walk by
And morning bells will chime

I love [...]

Do you like this photo?

Or this one?

I am learning how to do photo enhancements etc, but have to wonder if sometimes just the raw photo is best. Is it cheating to enhance your pictures?
What do you think?

I imagine this has other names, but this is the concoction that we came up with one day when we were out of rum (gasp! Never run out of rum at the coast).
-Frozen Bacardi Real lime Mixer (or frozen lemonade)
-gin
-ice
-lime seltzer water (or lemon)
-lime sugar (or lemon…I am sure you got that by now)
Fill blender [...]

I am trying very hard to turn loose of my frustrations and not allow them to jack with my life. But, damn, Thursday was rough.
Nothing in particular happened. That is the absolute beauty of hormones. Nothing has to happen to make me feel like this. It just comes out of [...]

Just a quick update before the weekend on the status of Miss Mimi Smartiepants and her arm.
In answer to a couple of questions….she is doing great and yes, she did break it jumping on the couch. Thank you for asking in comments and via e-mail.
All I can say is, ugh.
She was flinging herself around the [...]

The teacher with her students.

Class dismissed!!!

I love pelicans. They are so strange and prehistoric looking.
I enjoy photographing them in all their ancient weirdness.

Look at the feathers on these white pelicans, all fluffy and white. Can you see each feather…each strand of down?
Oh, you can’t see them that well. Here, let me help….

Your old eyes still need [...]

Photography just got more interesting for me.
I have discovered the world of “no flash required”…..anywhere or anytime.

Ignore the food on her face, and the bug bite on her lip….focus instead on counting her eyebrow hairs….or her freckles…or possibly her skin cells.
This was taken using a new Nikon 50mm 1:1.8 D lens, fresh from [...]

If you have not already, you really need to make this adorable meal for your kiddos. We made this for the kids Valentines Day meal, and they loved it. Easy to prepare and so fun. I followed the recipe, save for the baking part. I just added the cheese and milk while [...]

In case you were wondering, the Heineken was for me.

Getting old is hell on the body. I experienced another birthday a few weeks ago, and with it a new resolve to get fit this spring.
I have lots of incentive……a long boat trip in which I had better have some upper body strength in which to haul and trim sails with.
And beach [...]

Thursday night has a new tradition……invented by mom and dad.

They get to plan, shop for and prepare the family meal on Thursday nights.
Last week they made Pad Thai.

Even the little ones contributed by squeezing some fresh lime.

They even get the honor of washing all the dishes while mom and dad kick back.
Frying up [...]

When should you REALLY give up coffee?
When you make the perfect cup of cappa, sit down to browse the net, and knock the perfect cappa over onto your new laptop.
How do you know that you have your priorities in order and money means nothing to you?
When, instead of rushing to remove the keyboard [...]

Mia: I want something to eat.
Me: Please.
Mia: Get me something to eat! Please.
Me: Do you want an orange or an apple?
Mia: No! I want you to get me something to eat.
Me: Well, I need you to tell me what you want?
Mia: I want that thing that we [...]

Watch out, these are so sweet they will make your teeth hurt.

When the screaming, whining and overall noise level in your house reaches a point in which you are quite certain dead people would be begging for Valium, enter your husband…home from work early, with a fresh, creative mind that has enough sense to know that mom is about to blow, and moves the chaos to [...]

I have had a cooking bug lately. It must be the coming of spring that is bringing it on.
Or the fact that my friend Pam sent me The Mediterranean Light cookbook for my birthday just a couple weeks ago. Pam is a real life friend who I have known my whole life. [...]

There are times in life where something significant happens, and you do not recognize it until hours later when you are in bed, pondering the event.
Much talk has been going on via the internet about purging and letting go of all the “stuff” in our lives. I am a big fan of this idea, as [...]

We went, we saw, we did..and it was cold.
I think that the next time we go to the beach and work with plaster of paris, I will wait until it is a more comfortable 98 degrees outside….or 100.
Apparently the cooler it is outside, the slower plaster dries. We found this out…this little fact……and spent [...]

We did a craft this morning. It involved paint and glue guns, and lots of paper towels. And patience, which surprisingly I had even after 2 espressos (my sin is out….I am back on the beans).
Can you guess what it was.

Yes, we actually cut that square piece of felt…and also glued felt to [...]

Hey guys, Mary from Owlhaven is holding a blanket party on her site today. She is raising money to purchase blankets for newborns in Ethiopia.
Just imagine not having a blanket to wrap your newborn in. Just so very humbling.
Please head on over and help her reach her goal of $500!!

Quinn and I have been having a battle of wills when it comes to sitting down and doing his school work. Everything is much more interesting to him…playing tag with the dog, his gecko, the sun shining outside…..it was getting to the point that instead of being fun like I had hoped, it was [...]

My son took this photo of me. It is a rare instance when I am in a picture, as I am always the one behind the lens. Bill doesn’t like to take photos.
He lives in the moment, as it should be.

Me? I like to document things. I [...]

In a mad rush we loaded the car, as we do every weekday morning, to drop off the big kids at school.
Mia was still in her pink satin nightgown, no shoes, wrapped in a warm blanket.
Honey was in the front seat, enjoying “Bye, Bye”….no collar, harness or leash. She was “naked” as the boys [...]

This is the time of year that brings fog to the coast regularly.
The water is cool, and the air tries to heat up, and all hell breaks loose.
It usually burns off midday, but the chill that it brings in the morning just makes your bones rattle.
Trying to find inspiration to lug my camera [...]

The little Diva fishing.

Love the mouth action here as Bill tries to set a hook.

You would think he landed a shark or somthing.
The poor, transparent, nervous bait.

And guess who caught the best fish of the day???

As soon as she figured out she had a fish on her Disney Princess’ fishing pole, she dropped it and [...]

20 minutes on one of these is just brutal.
Brutal and addicting.

We went on a “field trip” today.Cuando un jugador de everest poker diferente del mano de o tome naipes por error, la jugada se mantendra en el caso de que ya se haya pronunciado, y en la jugada siguiente se pasaran los naipes al jugador de baccarat al que correspondan.
Can you guess where?

I swear [...]

We are simply devouring books here at our house.
I cannot recommend Sonlight high enough. We are doing Core 1&2, and it is a blast. I am learning as much as my kids!
We are using Saxon Math 2 (which has a bunch of review, so we are working fast through the first half [...]

We’ll call this PE, s’ok?

This morning I tried to call my husband on his cell phone, only to discover that he had left it on his bedside table along with his pager. I called him at work and asked if he needed me to bring them to him, and the answer was “no, I will be home early [...]

Did you miss me?
I’m back from freezing my tail end off in Ft. Worth for a week. Sheesh, how do you northern people do it? I mean, the temps were in the 20’s-30’s for most of the trip, and my kids were simply going ape from being cooped up inside. It was [...]

Mia and Cody are playing together and Cody drops something.
Cody: “Oops”
Mia: “I don’t say ‘Oops’. I say ‘dang it’ because I am big now.

You know, Christmas was so great.
It was so nice to make a Christmas memory in our new town, so I really think the kids feel at home here now.
We all had such a wonderful time, and it is one of those things that I don’t want to talk about. I [...]

Christmas Eve would not be complete without a gorgeous platter full of these fresh, raw babies.

Scallops with Key lime sauce, crab claws, shrimp, steamed Little Neck Clams with anchovy sauce, fish in foil, and raw oysters.

Making sugar cookies with Great-Grandma’s cookie cutters.

So, I look forward to a Christmas party and guess what happens.
I get a cell phone call from my 10yo and he tells me that Quinn woke up from a nap feeling ill….apparently sick to his stomach….and head…and “by God just get thee home because he is sick”. I ask if they have reported [...]

Moments before we got back into the car and she barfed all over the seat from drinking too much sea water.

That cold front that Chris sent down to us got here, and mama it was cold…..for at least 12 hours. Sunday morning it was some God awful temperature, like 38 degrees.
The palm trees were all “what’s up with this?”

Bill decided that, of all days, he was needing to get outside or he would go [...]

Dear Mia,
This afternoon we did something that I have been longing to do most of my adult life. Something that I had once thought would never happen.
It is funny how things turn out.
You see, I can admit it now. The pain has abated. The sadness and anxiety from the miscarriages [...]

I have been less chatty here lately, letting the pictures speak for themselves. I know, lazy. Dull.
I hope the new format is working well for you guys. I am trying my hand at hosting my own pictures. You may have noticed that my archives photos all disappeared one [...]

Lots of wind and enjoying things from a different angle.

Is it a dog, or a deer?

Kicking off the holidays on the coast involves boat parades

Seaside games, such as finding pirate treasure in the sand

and loads of yummy, fresh seafood such as raw oysters, shrimp and flounder.
Tonight we will be making ornaments for our tree. Seashells, starfish, and red coral garland will deck our halls, and many of [...]

First you must find them.

Bill says “No” to most everything I ask for.
This is not because he is mean or evil. It is because he is cheap and practical.
I don’t say that to be ugly. I love my husband, and even he admits those particular characteristics.
So, over the years I have learned that [...]

There is illness in our house.
Fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches. Bill has had it, Mia, and now Cory. I am exhausted.
Bill has been sleeping in Mia’s room because he is so miserable. His stroke symptoms come back with glee when he is ill, so he feels double rotten.
Last night I awoke [...]

Last night, I let my 2 oldest sons watch Saving Private Ryan.
I heard that…….that collective **gasp** from the internets.
“Why would she let her 10yo see such a movie?”
“What kind of mother are you?”
Well, I am the kind of mother who has 3 sons who like to play war.
Unfortunately, we live in a society that [...]

A little too early.

She is jazzed. Mom, not so much. She is carrying her tooth fairy box around and will not put it down. That and the dollar Quinn gave her and the dollar the tooth fairy actually remembered to leave.
I will miss her little, crooked front tooth. The tooth that I [...]

We have been talking about it.
We have argued back and forth.
I was for it.
He was against it.
I gave up and realized that what he was afraid of was the unknown.
Homeschooling.
So I ordered the curriculum to do after school. I was excited about diving into the adventrue with them, even if [...]

Last year, when I was in the middle of full-time working hell, I went to see a doctor. See, I was having some chest pain when I inhaled, and it had gotten quite bad.
This doctor wanted to do some serious testing. Thalium stress test and cardiac echo. Bill and I both agreed [...]

Least ye think all is perfect and wonderful at Chez andbabymakes6…..
Yes, it is good, but….
My kids scream at each other.
They hit each other.
They lock each other out of the bedrooms.
Bill and I bicker about stupid stuff.
I get bad PMS.
Mia spends most of her free time screaming and whining.
I tell my kids “No” and they do [...]

When I first started sailing with Bill many many moons ago, I read a book that absolutley captivated me. It was Maiden Voyage, by Tania Aebi.
I have since read her second book and was thinking “Man, after sailing solo around the globe, how could she return to everyday life and not [...]

I stood staring at the broken glass and the explosion of red, Valentino hot sauce all over my pantry floor. The jar had fallen off the shelf, and was now dripping off the walls and soaking into the tile grout. It was 6:15 a.m. and I was still in my nightgown.
I [...]

When 4 kids on a boat seems a bit crowded, well, throw them overboard.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sunday we took the boat out for the first time since the move. It was a fabulous day, and dolphins were everywhere. They came right up to the boat where the boys were swimming and [...]

We are alive. We are well.
We have landed and I am busy building a new nest for my family.
The house is amazing. Bill, the kids and I are all happy and healthy.
We closed on our old house yesterday, so thankfully we only own one home as of today.
More [...]

Cory took off on his bike with my old c8080 camera and headed down the road to photograph the gator. I think he did a pretty amazing job, don’t you? I also think he got a little too close for my comfort. He swears it was the zoom lens.

Cruising gator

Approaching [...]

Tonight my son went fishing and caught this:

………….right down the road from where we are living. Yes, that is an alligator.
He said he decided not to catch it with his bare hands because it might be too dangerous. I nodded agreement, and then he added:
“What I really needed was a [...]

We had the boat hauled a few weeks ago….dry docked and they sanded down the bottom and repainted it.
The above picture is right after the first sanding. The bottom is rough and raw.
That is how I am feeling.
Raw.
I can’t cry anymore because my eyes are so swollen, the tears [...]

After spending 6 hours….yes, I said 6 HOURS….with the house inspector the people buying our home hired, I was thinking things could only get better from there.
They didn’t.
We went to a friends house for a birthday party, and at about 7p.m. Quinn fell from the jungle gym and hurt himself. After questioning him, and [...]

We lived through TS Erin. Rain, wind…. and the trailer? It was a rockin’ with the wind….among other things.
There were many relatives agitated with our decision, but come on, it was a tropical storm for Pete’s sake! I have no intention of leaving the semi-tropics for a whimpy tropical storm. [...]

Head thee north, dudes

Prayers and positive thoughts for safe travel for the Hell’s Half Acre family as they dodge Dean.

……sailor take warning.

We went home to get the house ready for sale this weekend.
Have I ever told you how much I hate to pack? well, I do. It is a suckie job, but has to be done.
We cleaned and cleaned and I signed a listing agreement with our local real estate agent on [...]

We are doing it. In less than 30 days we will be coasties again.
This morning we made the final decision…the decision to move to the coast.
It was agonizing, as you all know. After all, you have been dragged along during the process, and at times probably wanted to strangle me.
We [...]

I switched the colors around for fonts and background. Is this easier to read?
And added more posts per page.
I aim to please.
On the house front, we are in the middle of finding a lender who will not charge us $8700 in closing costs. Someone quoted us that and I swear [...]

We found a house.
Photos and details to come.
I know, boooooring. Pfft. Tease. And all that.
But!
Right now I am busy watching “Barbie: Magic of the Rainbow” and eating popcorn in bed while my sweet daughter puts every clip she owns in my hair. I am going to go bald [...]

Today my husband and 2 oldest are bringing Das Boot along the ICW (Intra-coastal Waterway) to it’s new home in….another harbour. It is a long trip, and I totally regret my decision not to go. It would have been a beautiful sail. The dog….she must pee during the day, and I [...]

And they are very large snags.
A. It seems that with lots of rain, the main road that my husband must take part of to get to work, well, it gets a bit wet. Like in real wet. Like, buried in wet. Non-passable wet.
B. We have to move the boat [...]

Dude, I have such a cool story to tell.
It’s all about synchronicity.
We went flip flop shopping, and ended up in a remote surf shop here. After shopping, the kids were starving, so we decided to walk to the diner across the street.
There were pictures of children on a sail boat all over the walls [...]

….because everyone knows Mia needs more shoes. (cough)

I am sorry. I know. No updates. Just a song post. What good am I?
The fact is, I am diving head first into life here, and just have not had much time to post.
I made some changes to the site, and will continue to tweek and mess with themes [...]

So many nights I just dream of the ocean…
God, I wish I was sailin’ again.
Oh, yesterday’s over my shoulder,
So I can’t look back for too long.
There’s just too much to see waiting in front of me,
And I know that I just can’t go wrong.

Sailing was awesome today. The wind was just perfect. It wasn’t too hot. Animals of all kinds were out, and we had dolphin escort us home.
I took a ton of photos…….too many to post here, so head on over to Flickr if you would like to see the rest.
Surfing the [...]

Hey guys. I have changed the URL to my site, and it is now: www.andbabymakes6.com
You can still have access to the blog via the old URL (www.jody2ms.com) because it is being automatically redirected, but if you could update your blogrolls with the new addy, that would be great. (Also updating your [...]

I have been on a mini-weekend with some friends……on another bay along the Texas coast.
I do believe that the sun, in all of its vain glory, puts on a show for us when it tucks itself in behind the bay.
What do you think?

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

To say my kids are sheltered is an understatement.
The town we are from is as Norman Rockwell as it can get. Not just in its picturesque setting, but the whole attitude and lifestyle. There is almost no crime, and on the rare occasion that you have to call the police, they are [...]

Yah! The internet. It is back. And now I can post about the bug man, and the child hater next door to us.
The guy that fogs for mosquitos came to our little park today. He took us by surprise, and proceeded to drive by, spraying the mass amounts of bug fog [...]

This is a blow and go post. Internet connection is down, and I have to haul the ‘puter down to the bayfront (poor me) to get a connection. It is hard with 4 kids to do that, so instead I am lazy and completing the withdrawls from 3 days without connection. I [...]

We are having a good time.
How good of a time you might ask?
Well, a good enough time to say that we might be, very likely, most certainly, maybe, (oh my God are we talking about this????) probably that we might live here……….in the trailer for now……………..Kathy, please, pinch me…………could this be the most selfish [...]

Could there be a more enjoyable thing than laughing with your family?
We attempted to go out to eat at a restaurant last night. I have been jonesing for this one place, and Bill finally agreed. We requested to sit outside on the deck, and the hostess said something like “Sure, go ahead”. [...]

Yesterday was my father’s birthday. He would have been 80 this year……if cancer had not killed him.
I started to write a letter to him yesterday, but I just could not do it. Even after almost 13 years, his loss is still so fresh for me. Like a wound that keeps breaking open. [...]

Here I sit, with my ice cold Tecate, and the whirrrrr of the vacuumm cleaner is filling the house.
No, Bill isn’t home. The kids are cleaning the house today, and I am recovering from the nightmare of trying to get all the paperwork to the finance company for the boat closing next [...]

I totally want one! For myself!
Speaking of beer. I have bought a couple of 12 packs, and have loaded them into the trailer. Limes are in the fridge, and today I have to do some grocery to stock the cabinets, fridge and such. There is so much to do, and I [...]

During the summer, I get really lax about baths etc.
When we go swimming, I count that as a bath. Hey! They get submerged. The dirt gets washed off. At our pool, because of the amount of chlorine added, my kids even come out nice and bleached. Here [...]

Just a quick note to give you a great tip.
When making your evening, frozen lime daiquiri (limeade, rum and ice, blended smooth), substitute Cruzan coconut rum for the Bacardi.
Pour into a glass, and sprinkle with fresh coconut.
That is where we are tonight. It’s a boat party of sorts.
Todo bueno!!

Knowing that I love a good travel blog, Kathy offered up a few with a new twist…..sailing travel blogs.
Really Kathy, like I am not slacking on my domestic duties enough, now you have Bill and I obsessively reading sailing travel blogs. Evil, I tell you.
What? You want links?
Fine. But don’t blame me if [...]

Miss Mimi is prepped and ready for some sand. She got her own mini pedicure and manicure, after I got mine. It was priceless watching her face as the lady painted the flowers on her toes.
When I told Bill, the first thing out of his mouth was “How much did THAT cost?”**
I [...]

What good are you people if I can’t show you my cool toe art!!

Next time, I think some sand dollars or shells are in order, no?

I am completely confident that I was born in the correct era. I never would have survived living in a log cabin, in Texas, with no central air conditioning. I would have sucked at being a prairie mom. My kids would have starved due to my lack of gardening skills. Or, [...]

There comes a time in life when the parents must get away.
We did that this past weekend. We loaded up into Bill’s truck and took off with nary a kid in sight. They were in good hands, which made it a bit easier for me to leave Mia with someone other [...]

After 96 hours on in the ER, nothing says welcome home like a broken air conditioner…..in Texas.
Good thing the blender is working without any kinks. The margaritas are flowing tonight, baby!

Linkin Park – What I’ve Done
Wow. This is a powerful video. Watch it.

I am working my way through the list in my last post, crossing things off as they are done.
I may not have accomplished much on paper, but there was one thing I did today that outweighed anything else. I turned off the computer! and took my daughter to an orchard to pick peaches [...]

I have too much that needs to be done. I must:
-make plane reservations for 2 trips
*Blogher (I swear Chris, I am doing it this morning)
*California, Disney etc
-make hotel reservations for Bill and I for our escape
-I need to [...]

We celebrated a day early by heading down to the coast to spend the day with Bill. A wonderful lunch, some fishing, and more love than I ever dreamed possible.
Happy Mothers Day to everyone.
**more photos here on Flickr.

On Tueday Bill, Mia and I hit the road after dropping the boys off at school. The destination was Kemah, Texas and we had a list of boats to check out.
It turned out to be a gorgeous day, but very hot and humid.
We crawled around on several gorgeous boats, and we were [...]

The large, pretty snake we found the other day was gratefully released into the wilds….not until she made it known that humans sucked, and she was not going to put up with out bullroar for one more minute. Cory got nabbed, and she drew blood. He came in LAUGHING after the smelly snake [...]

Picking dewberries is wonderful.
a>
Eating them warm, straight off the vine is pure heaven.

While sitting on the Strand in Galveston last weekend, Bill and I watched a mighty load of interesting folks while enjoying a couple of beers.
In the course of an afternoon, we watched a woman stand up from her meal and start whacking her male companion repeatedly over the head and across the face. [...]

Taking the road less traveled…..it has always been his way.

He would rather be doing this than anything else in the whole world.

Cory is 4′8″

Dingos think snakes are wacky and interesting, as long as someone is holding it.

Her coloring is just fabulous! The minute Cory saw her he said it was a Texas Rat snake, confirmed by a herp dude [...]

My kids got out early today from school. I remembered this fact 2 minutes prior to needing to be there. I really do need to take some memory enhancing vitamins.
When we returned home, we found the dog barking hysterically at the bushes off our back porch. Upon further investigation, we found a [...]

Way back at the beginning of the year, I can’t even remember when, my Vibiemme got sick. She decided that it was too dang much effort to signal her boiler to heat up the water required for espresso, and that was that. I was devastated.
After months of putting it off due [...]

See my little linkies to the Blogger Choice awards….down there on the bottom right. Black Belt Mama nominated me for Best Parenting and Best Photography blog. If you haven’t voted, would you be so kind as to cast a vote for me? That is, if you like me. Or think I [...]

As usual, I could see Bill ahead of me, his legs moving smoothly and strongly. We were on a bike ride and it was a beautiful day. Not a bright,sunny, blue skies burning kind of beautiful. It was actually cloudy, hot and muggy. Texas coast muggy. The beauty was [...]

Hanging with that ER dude, so will a picture story work today? I hope so, because here it is:
Air show….and why saving for an SLR is a must. Speeding jet at a distance…..taken in “action mode” while tracking the very fast jet.

Same picture magnified.

Another shot at a distance.

Magnified

Nothing [...]

I really hesitate these days to post on my down days. I am not sure if it is that I don’t want to document my fears and have to read about them in the future, or that I just simply am afraid to verbalize them. Maybe it is that I want to keep things [...]

The weather was a bit to be desired this weekend…cloudy and windy, windy, windy.
So, what do we do?

While on a bike ride together…
me: I am so loving this!
Bill: Loving what?
me: This being together stuff.
Bill: Oh
me: So, is this like, more important to me than you?
Bill: What do you mean? How would I gauge that?
me: Well, okay, then I will re-phrase…How important to you is it [...]

A bluebonnet for Lammyann

Pure white

Down the lane

Texas hills

Natures paintbrush

Along the fence

Cows

Sunset

Bright pink

Bill

Sleeping cats are fair game to itchy fingers that want to play with their new toys while the rest of the house sleeps. Is that a run-on sentence?
I am the proud owner of a Nikon D80 with 18-135mm lens, purchased almost in full with my ad revenue, which makes it all [...]

We wake early at our house. It doesn’t matter if it is a school day or not, we rarely sleep past 6:30. When we do, we feel hung over and funky all day long.
The kids are up, dressed, fed and ready for school by 7:15, and because Bill’s motto is “If you are [...]

I tortured myself today and took the kids on a wildflower photo shoot.
After todays session, I know that I will go to heaven, because I have already served my time in hell.
Eh, it wasn’t that bad, but it was frustrating. I did get a handfull of nice shots, but not with all [...]

Not that kind of screwdriver…getcha mind outa the gutta and read on.
My whole life I have been very independant. Fiercly so at that. I did everything myself, and even though my brother was 5 years older than myself, I went everywhere with him. It drove my mother up the wall. All [...]

Today we went to Easter service and the annual egg hunt our church hosts.
Mia was decked out in a dress of such princess splender, well, it was splendid.
The boys wore blue jeans and a dress shirt. Hey, there were no holes in the knees and I am quite certain Jesus was not concerned [...]

How cool! I received an award!
Lammy Ann awarded my post Scrubs for the Thinking Blogger Award. Thanks so much!
I, in turn, must nominate 5 Bloggers with this honor. Hmm. Let’s see…..
1. Amalah and her post “On having a boy”, because, yes, boys are fabulous! By the time Mia [...]

They say that it comes in threes.
We are re-defining that little phrase, and I can only pray that it stops…as of yesterday evening. Please, already, STOP!
In 9 days time:
-Bill locked his keys in his truck while he was at work and spent hours fishing them out with a coat hanger because the police in town [...]

Tonight, I have discussed the topic of Blogher with my husband.
The vote was: GO!!
Things that must be considered in the future:
-how to bring a blender in my suit case during post 9-11 lockdown
-since Chris is highly allergic to bananas, and we are sharing a room, do we go with lime, or strawberry [...]

Quinn, upon seeing Mia’s pictures in my last post:
“She is smiling because of a washrag? She is weird.”

Yes. She always looks at him like that.

Mia turned 3 yesterday. She told me when she was 3yo she would be a big girl and would not drink boobies anymore. It has been a week now since she last nursed, so it looks like that phase of our life together is over. I have asked her if she wants [...]

Do you want to see what I won??? I really, actually won something, which never happens to me!
I won a pair of Vincent Shoes for my daughter! I was browsing at the wonderful Boutique Cafe, and I saw this post. I left a comment, and I won!
Next thing I knew, I [...]

Bill and I are not touristy type people. We prefer our hikes to be in secluded areas and to be more like survival marches. We have a history of pushing things to the very limits of our endurance. Like sailing in a sailboat race during a hurricane, because, God knows how fast [...]

Sometimes I feel like I am writing into a void. Sort of like that old saying, if a tree fell in the woods and no one was there to hear it, did it make a sound? Why take time away from my family, home and such to keep up my site? What [...]

For everyone with snow, I must apologize in advance. There will be references to temps in the 90’s, sun, blue skies etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.
We are in the midst of Spring Break, and the kids have been liberated from the nuns and priests (not your typical nuns and priests. The nuns are [...]

Bill and I would like to share our new favorite drink with you. After drinking it, in the future, 5pm will not come soon enough. :*)
Gin Freeze
-1/2 blender full of ice
-4 oz Gin
-3 Tablespoons Frozen Bacardi Real Lime Mixer
Blend until very smooth. Coat rim of rocks glass with lime flavored sugar (or plain sugar), [...]

My son had a friend come spend the night, and having discussed between themselves what they wanted to do while here, I was informed a visit to the creek was in my future. Complete with toddler in tow.
It was sunny, warm and a perfect afternoon for a hike! I grabbed the backpack, the [...]

HALLO! How are ya?
I feel alot like I have had a gag in my mouth this week, computer wise.  Real life has been like, I don’t know, maybe a bit on the side of fanflippintastic, if not a bit weird.
I mean, Bill and I wake up together, get the kids off to school as usual, then he [...]

Life through the wardrobe is every freakin’ thing it was cracked up to be.
The smile on his face says it all. 
 
We had a day together today.  Alone.  Just he and I.
It was simply radical.

Love is, a day at the beach with your friends.
 
The laundry can always wait, ya know.

But life, it just breezes by so fast.
 
So, make bad choices….
But only if they involve views like this
 
and this
 
Love you girls.  The day was the best. 

…..is directly related to how bright, cloudless and caribbean blue the sky is today.
 
Running, listening to music, and feeling good.  A rare self portrait for you all on this amazing, 80 degree day.

At noon on the 23rd, my husband will come home from an 8-5, M-F job, and on Monday morning, will still be home.  It is his last week of work, and as he closes that door behind him, another one has opened in front of him.  A door leading to a good job, with great [...]

In an effort to try my hand at homeschooling, this semester I started doing some supplimental science projects with my kids.  I ordered a dissection kit and each week we are tackling one marine creature.
This week it was the squid.
My background is in marine biology, so I was jazzed when the big box came…..several weeks ago.  [...]

Bill gave me a lovely Valentine card.  It was very sweet and thoughtful.  Sort of mushy and such.
It was how he signed it that made me LOL and have the strong urge to bottle him and sell him to those less fortunate.
Happy Valentines Day!
Thanks for being such
an Awesome Good wife
and mother!
Love, Billy
Obviously, we have a catch-phrase to [...]

Cody, one year of age.
 
His fingers, toes, those rolls of fat everywhere….and those giant cheeks!  That child was scrumptious.  Like a big, giant popover muffin. Smothered in strawberry jam.  And butter.
I can still remember how he felt in my arms.  Like a 20lb butterball.  Like a piece of a puzzle.  Perfect.
**We call him Teeter, because when [...]

I put Pig tails in my daughters hair.  Bows too.  I thought that she looked adorable.

So, what did my daughter do?  She cried.  Alot.
And she said “Mom, I don’t want these curly things in my hair. They are awesome dumb”.
Add bows to the list of “things that must never touch my daughter or she will shriek [...]

He looks so young and wonderful.  I want to climb into that hammock with him and run my hands through his hair….or nibble his neck.
I promise I will get back to posting very soon, but my family broke or something.  It is like Pharaoh still won’t freakin’ let His people go and the plague has [...]

Dude, you are mine!
 

My oldest had the flu all weekend…..then he missed 3 days of school because he was so ill.
Then the middle one got fever, sore throat.  Aches.
Now I sit here with Quinn sleeping on the floor of the bathroom so he can make it to the toilet in time to barf. The school called and [...]

Awesome. Amazing.  Beautiful.
Go see for yourselves.  Bring a tissue.
 

The day I learned that I really could lay down my life for another human being

Teenage Bill, surfing in Hawaii
 
And I wonder why my kids are so naturally thin.

I have another kiddo down with the flu and he is feeling pretty bad, so photos will work, right?
We really enjoyed our weekend away.  It was a delayed b-day celebration for me, having been sick last week.
Kemah/Clear Lake was the destination.  Having fun and looking at boats was the goal.  We scored on both levels.
Top [...]

In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
This weekend will mark the first official weekend that Bill and I actively begin the quest for the perfect sailboat. This is also where the problem begins.
See, my idea of what a sailboat should be and his [...]

Thank you for the shoes Chris!

Mrs. Viera I am sure has never seen a Tea Party birthday quite like this.
We have a woderful place here that is an antique shop, art shop and a bar all rolled into one.  The owner has it set up with wonderful little tables everywhere, and intimate little groupings of furniture.  You can grab a foreign [...]

Bill’s last official day at his old job is slated for February 23rd. Just a bit more than 3 weeks away! 
That date holds so much promise for me.  Promise of more time together.  The ability to chase the sun along the coast.  Lazy days in the trailer.  Surfing, surfing and more surfing.  Walking down the beach [...]

In a world full of people placing importance on some of the most ridiculous things, I find is so heartening and such a blessing to see how many people came and left a post for a worthy cause.  I sat here this evening and watched the comments reach 109.  I am floored. 
I have to thank [...]

So, we are up to 27 awesome comments!  You guys are wonderful.  But you know me.  So hard to satisfy.  Would you like to help me reach my private goal?  I would like to see 100 comments. Because, you know, that would be 300 smackeroos that will go to the foundation, not to mention all the [...]

That is where I wanted to go on Thursday when I found myself smack dab in the middle of the influenza virus.  The real McCoy, and I ought to know, as I am a real McCoy via my grandmother.
Mia was at her Nannies, Bill was at work and the boys were at school.  At one point in [...]

Importance of a 5-Point Harness Carseat
I have posted about Kyle before, and Chris has as well. I just can’t tell you how much his story has touched me.
Since I last posted his video, the Miller family has started a non-profit foundation in honor and memory of Kyle. The webpage is: http://www.kyledavidmiller.org
Their mission is to keep [...]

My newest post is up over at Larger Families.  The topic is “cabin fever”, and boy did we have it bad last week. 
So, if you have a sec, go read, leave a comment and tell us about how you deal with cabin fever….or how you don’t deal with it. 
And watch for flying tricycles. :*() 

When Bill had his stroke, our life was turned upside down for a bit. Illness does that, and it just can’t be helped.
It changed how we look at things…things such as time, quality of that time, and family. Our focus on God remained strong..we realize that we could take the situation and make [...]

Yes, here is proof that Hell froze over this weekend.

For someone who hates the computer with the zeal of a Viking, it sure came in handy while looking for sailboats. Yes, you heard me. A sailboat. He now wants a sailboat.
Not long after I had Mia, I had a dream that all [...]

It is cold here. The temperature gauge outside my window is hovering at around 35 degrees. Tonight will be a hard freeze, which means I will probably sleep in the trailer so that the heat can run all night and protect the pipes etc.. This is not a problem for me, for, as [...]

I had the most surreal moment. I was sitting at the computer, IM’ing with a friend when I hear a song drifting out of the den where my daughter was watching TV. It was the Wonder Pets singing a song about a puppy that was trapped indoors and needed to get outside to [...]

When my daughter was much younger, I loved dressing her.  Girl clothes are just adorable and I was satisfying years of pent-up “pink lacy, twirly things” yearning.  To put it bluntly, I bought up the entire internet of girlie stuff, and pretty much cleaned out the Quicksilver outlet of all things Teenie Wahine.  I single [...]

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Dingo’s love lounging in the sun, originally uploaded by jody2ms.

She’s out of jail and loving it.

Last night we watched the movie “How To Eat Fried Worms”.  Great movie, by the way. 
Having a husband who is fun can be dangerous to your health.  After the movie, Quinn said “What’s the big deal, worms are not so bad.  I would eat one!”
Remember, we have many pet amphibians in our house…..who eat earthworms.  [...]

Spiders On Drugs
I would be the caffeine spider.
Found via John at www.foryourentertainment.com

2006 was a year filled with challenges. Big ones, small ones, heartbreak, and hearts filled with joy.
I don’t want to re-live 2006 by writing it here. I have done that already, and you can browse the archives if you would like to.
What I do want to say is:
-there are things in life [...]

Hey you.  Wanna see 8 kids play at a place called Goose Island, even though I haven’t seen one goose yet?  Mom placed a clicky thing here.
Umm, by the way, what’s a goose?

Can you guess which one Mia made?
 

It is 8pm, and our bellies are full.  We made it through 5 of the fishes, and were too full for 6 and 7!  The scallops and shrimp will have to wait until Tuesday night.
I loved this day.  I started cooking at around 2pm and we nibbled antipasto until around 7pm.  The food was very [...]

Climbing the walls in a small town

 
Yes….I finally took the kids Christmas pictures.  Tonight.  As in this evening. 
Do you think this counts as late? Whatevah!
If I print, address and mail them tomorrow, they might get there by the 12th day of Christmas.
It’s all good.
Christmascardapalooza 2006 is up at Flickr.  Enjoy!  I know I did…..

I want to share a couple of pics with you.  They are not spectacular in their quality.  But the subject matter makes me feel like we just might be doing something right with these kids.
The photo is blurry, but Quinn has his arm around Mia, and she has her head resting on him as they [...]

I made it through the office parties.  Large crowds of people that I do not know always make me feel anxious.  Especially since I do not like to dress up. 
After combing through my closet and determining that I could not dress up the glittery Roxy shirt no matter how hard I tried, I finally came [...]

Hard to get
 
Demure
 
I’m yours
 
Just wait until my leg is better, Chuck baby. 
Great shirt, Dooce.

-Have your credit card in your hot little hand.
-Call the online store that has the exact guitar your son found in Fredericksburg, but only $100 cheaper.**
-Ask a few questions about the guitar.
-Listen in disbelief as the salesman is a cranky ass, who obviously does not care that I am about to spend $200 at his [...]

Kitchen renovation continues at the jody2ms house, and is nearing completion.  We actually have a backsplash!  And textured walls!  And it only took us…5 years!

Loving the zoom lens
 
Before
 
After

 
Things that remain to be completed, but it might take a bit since it is my part of the job:
-sanding, staining and putting polyurethane on the trim and moulding.  Loads [...]

Learning to love chocolate even though her mother does not.
 
 

Chris wrote a fun piece about Holiday Traditions of her blog In The Trenches Of Motherhood and invited everyone to share their traditions as well.
Our family is such a melting pot of traditions. 
Being of Italian descent, one of our traditions is a large Christmas Eve dinner.  My grandmother used to make a “pizza” with anchovies and [...]

We are in the kitchen. Dinner is cooking on the stove.
The kids are wild. In 1 more day St. Nick will come and fill their stockings.
They are running through the house, sliding on the floors and laughing. Running ’round and ’round the kitchen.
Bill is sitting in a chair at the table, thumbing through [...]

I have a bunch of friends here.  People I love very much.  People who are so good to me that it hurts.  It hurts because I feel lost in their midst.  The flurry of lunches and teas and shopping and trips to get your hair done.  Girlie things.
They are wonderful, beautiful people that I am so grateful for [...]

Mia spilled an entire carton of blue cheese crumbles on the kitchen floor.  The 76 or so year old kitchen floor with the gaps between the floor boards wide enough to lose a small child in.
As I was cleaning the mess up, the crumbly, smooshed mess that required a knife to scrap the cracks out, I stupidly [...]

Satanic pin out, feeling better, but still jailed. 

It is going to be a long 4 weeks for the dingo dog.
 

Honey thinks she is a cat. 
She curls up on the sofa with us in our laps.
She leans up against our legs all the time.  When I am standing at the sink washing dishes, watering the yard or taking her for a walk. 
She also gets on the window ledge outside the kitchen.  This ledge extends from [...]

 
Moving on to red and green soon. 
 

We have made a few blenders of these
 
and some fish tacos to munch on.
Friday night is so damn fine.

We spent the weekend with Bill’s folks in “The Hills” of Texas.  Our little retreat that they have prepared up there for their family members is really wonderful.  Yes, it is very isolating.  Yes, there are bugs. Yes, once on the land, you must go through 3 gates to get to the house.  It is [...]

In Texas, we boil our Turkeys in oil.
 
Doesn’t everyone?
It is a fascinating process….especially when the turkey has a bit of ice on it.  Oil heated to 350 degrees reacts stronly to water.  ‘Nuff said.
 
Passing the bird carving honor down to the next generation. 
 
Even cousins come Texas sized.
 
And yes, they are all surfers.  Can’tcha tell?
Happy Thanksgiving [...]

I grew up in a neighborhood full of children. Most of the families had 1 or 2 kids, what one would consider a small family. The two large families consisted of mine, with 3 children, and the family at the top of the hill with 4 children, all boys. It was a lively neighborhood, and [...]

I will never ever claim to be a writer. I may write a thing here and there, but, a writer? Naw.  I have neither the talent nor the time.
Last year I started the NanoWrite thing.  50,000 words in a month. 
I, um, did not get anywhere near the 50,000, but I did actually finish a short [...]

I spent 2 years trying to carry a pregnancy to term.  I endured 4 miscarriages, progesterone shots, patches, medicine that made me have PMS every day of the month, and mood swings that make me surprised that anyone would still want to have me in their life.
My daughters birth was considered a miracle by her [...]

We had a FABULOUS weekend.  We crammed so much into it, and had a blast every step of the way.
Where to start?  How ’bout some photos.
Making pasta
 

 
 
Making fire, (and learning about magnifying glasses)

 
Making our own fun at the park
 
 
 
Kathy, not sure if you are planning to pass through our town, but thought you might like [...]

Today was day 10 of rabies quarantine. 
Honey is not foaming at the mouth. 
She loves water.
And the effects of the dip are long gone and Honey is delightful! 
No rabies shots for Mia. 
:*)
___________
We were supposed to get the hell out of Dodge today for a weekend away in the Little House, but it was not meant to [...]

Clipping in and hittin’ the road for a bike ride.
 
De-stressing never felt so fine.
*you can see more cool shoes here!

The Kitten
 

I am drawing a complete blank.  My mind, it seems like, has gone completely to “white out”.  I will try to put something here, but it will not be a “Perfect Post” or one of those posts that gets gushing reviews on other blogs.  The words are swirling in my head like a Picasso painting.  I [...]

Let’s see…..where to begin.
I’ll just jump right on in! The dog nipped my daughter in the face this morning.  It is minor, and it was not an aggressive nip.  But, you know, we don’t know Honey from Adam.  As the day wore on I started to think about it and worked myself into a foaming [...]

We had Buddy for over a year, and things were just not working out with him.
He grew by leaps and bounds, and was just huge.  The kids could not go in their own backyard without Buddy knocking them down in his innocent attempt to shower them with love.
Buddy is a wonderful dog.  He has never, [...]

You know that you have dropped one of the balls (or several) that you have been juggling high in the air when: 
1)  After doing 6 full assessments on the medical surgical floor, you admit 2 OB patients, labor one of them, deliver her, move to next room, assist delivery again, sit down to chart in a sea of paperwork, glance [...]

Looking out
 
Looking in
 

On Friday we had to pick up the kids early from school so we could head on down to G-town for our cousins funeral. 
When Cory got in the car, Bill noticed that he had a scratch and bruise on his face, so he asked him how he got it.
Cory replied “T tackled me, then his [...]

My husband was home for 2 weeks prior to starting his new job.  He took over all home responsibilities, including laundry, cooking, cleaning and nurturing.  In addition to the usual, he painted the walls, rearranged furniture, carted the kids to here and there, and in general was fanflippintastic as a stay-at-home dad. 
And Mia fell in [...]

If I can get the kitchen walls painted today, we might be able to hang the beadboard this weekend.
So far, the ugly paneling in the kitchen is GONE!! Whoo hooo!
In the photo below, the beadboard will go behind the shelves, and the backsplash.
 
 
The backsplash will be painted beadboard.
 
What you see above is the primed, textured walls.  [...]

Guesstimation works for me!

We found this clock on the Strand in Galveston after having sampled a few imported beers.  It is sooo me.  The beers were delicious, and we were LOAO over this clock……it was one of those “you had to be there” moments.  We both spied it at the same time and started rolling. 
It [...]

My job, that thing that has been eating me alive, is finally becoming what I had hoped it would be. 
For the past few months, I have been running my ass off on the medical surgical floor, going back and forth between it and OB, and trying to remember things that I have done in the past, [...]

This has to be the smallest snake I have ever seen.  It is obviously a baby, but dayum. 
 
I am thinking it is a very, very newborn garter snake. 
For everyone out there who officially has the heebie jeebies and will NEVAH enter my house….it was actually found in the front yard.  Yah!! for not finding it [...]

Larger Families is in the news!!  It is on Fox news, MSNBC, etc. etc. via the Associated Press. 
My latest post is up over there as well. Late, but finally up. 
The site has had over 3300 hits this morning.  Whew! 
So, now I suppose I need to get something up here????
I hear the makings of a bullet list!

Pumpkins and spice….so nice!
 
 
 
And a little smooch from Mama Mia
 

You wanna know what I need?
I need a weekend away with my family in the trailer.
I feel like I cannot breathe.
I feel like hiding.
I need some space……………….yes, the trailer gives me space. 
When I am in it, I can breathe again.
I find myself wandering out to it daily. 
I sit, and listen to the quiet.
I play with [...]

Mia is prepared for the ice age.  She has her UGGS now, and is ready for global warming to reveal itself.
 
I am confident that we will be waiting for a long while here in South Texas.  We are prepared though, and we know Mia’s feet will be safe and warm.

“Hey, you! Don’t even think about trying [...]

Horses have made their way into our home.
 
What is it with little girls and horses? 
We now play “barn” several times a day.  I love watching her move the horses around, and feed them.  I want to gobble her up in one big gulp.

Can your heart explode from watching too much cuteness?  If so, I am in [...]

My guess now is, never.
I started keeping a journal about my dream here.  I was bad about updating it.  But you get the jest.  I felt like I had my mouth taped shut.  I wanted so badly to tell everyone about our plans, but I couldn’t. 
As soon as we have some time to travel again, [...]

My newest post is up over at Larger Families.  The topic is “chaos”. Come take a peek.
Do I need to add that I am totally kidding in the post?  Well, sort of.  ;*)

I have so much to write about, and so very little time. 
Work continues to suck the life out of me, and my time at home goes 100% to my family.  On my days off, I take some time in the morning to read blogs, chat with a friend (the UGGS got here….they are to die [...]

At work today, I had the honor of being present while someone, who has walked this earth for more than 7 decades, took their last breath.
I am so very humbled. 

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She can go from this:
 
 
To this:

Henna Feets, originally uploaded by nirakara.

Yesterday at work, I cared for a boy much the same age as my son Cody. He had to have emergency surgery, and while caring for him post op, all I could think about was my son. I pictured him in the same situation, and so I tried to care for him as if he were my [...]

I am very saddened my this news.
My kids are so sad.  We watched his shows religiously.
What a freak, freak thing to happen.

In honor of our 16th anniversary, and the 3 weeks after in which Bill and I rode mountain bikes all over hells half acre, I will be writing some entries about our life together before kids.
Here is a post that I wrote many moons ago, and I am resurrecting it for those who are not [...]

Never Die Young
James Taylor
We were ring-around-the-rosy children
They were circles around the sun
Never give up, never slow down
Never grow old, never ever die young
 
Synchronized with the rising moon
Even with the evening star
They were true love written in stone
They were never alone, they were never that far apart
 
And we who couldn’t bear to believe they might make [...]

I feel so scattered and out of control.  Like I can’t do one thing right. 
I want to be a wonderful mother, loving wife, and a competent RN…. an angel of mercy.
Instead I find myself yelling at my kids, feeling annoyed at my husband, and inadequate as a nurse.
And then there is this blog.  I am amazed when I [...]

Do you know how very fragile life is?  The miracle of how a human body forms, takes its firt breath, cries and begins the process of being alive is so damn unreal.
I could attend one million births and it will never cease to amaze me how miraculous it all is.
As humans, we just will never [...]

That’s what little boys bring home to my house.
Colorful snakes
 
(No, not a coral.  Remember….Red on yellow, kill a fellow, red on black, venom lack.)
Isn’t my life interesting?

I made it until 2pm, and couldn’t stand to wait another second.  I had to call Bill and see how the morning went with me gone.  Mia had had a rough night, and had acted like her throat was hurting, so heading off to my first day of work was stressful.
Me:  Hi hon.  I just [...]

We took a day trip to Port A on Sunday.  It was a gorgeous day, complete with some little waves. 
Heading to the beach
 
Sunkissed face
 
My middle man
 
My little man
 
Skimming for fish
 
My man, heading for the water. He was not posing….he was looking up the beach and was pissed at something Cory was doing to his brother. Lean, mean surfing machine!  LOL!
 
Now, go [...]

Dear Captain Morgan,
We love you blended with ice and Bacardi Real Lime Mixer………..even if you aren’t a real Captain. 
Love,
Bill and Jody

Yesterday was the first day of school.  On August 10th. The peak of summer, and my kids were going to school.  I think that should be against the law.  Heck, it didn’t even feel like back to school.  No fall colors.  No leaves on the ground.  Only a temperature of 98 and cicadas screeching in [...]

I just don’t get it. This article states that 25% of all BabyTalk readers were offended by the cover picture of a boob and a baby nursing on it. It is called “BabyTalk” for crying out loud. What the hell do you think is going to be on the cover? Strategic missiles? [...]

I heard crying and my daughter came running in.
She said “I fell down. Whhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”
I hugged her and kissed her, and she stopped crying.
I wiped the tears from her eyes and she said in an adorable, pouty voice, with an expression that brought to mind pink frosted, angel food cake: “Mommy, [...]

Since I have been a menstruating adult, I have had to go to the salon, turn over my husbands paycheck and our firstborn child, to get the blond that I so desire.
Yes, the summer sun would give it a glimmer here, and a glimmer there, but nothing substantial. I always had to [...]

Last year, for Cody’s 8th birthday, one of his best friends found the perfect gift to give to him. He had caught, at his house, a green tree frog, and was totally jazzed about presenting it to Cody. He knew that Cody was a tree frog fanatic. Talk about the gift [...]

Father, daughter
Born by the water

Surf’s up, sun’s down
Life in a beach town

Shells sink,
Dreams float
Life’s good on our boat

*Delaney Talks To Statues by Jimmy Buffett

Several people have e-mailed about our forays to the beach, wondering how our days are, and what we do. “Do you ever get tired of going to the beach?” “How do you keep the kids from getting too much sun?” “How do you afford it so often?”
The beach, for Bill and I, is [...]

Home from a long trip.
Tired.
More later!

I have decided that the only relationships I am interesting in having anymore are with my husband and kids.
Anything else is too draining.
I just have to wonder if anyone in this world is genuine anymore? I try to be. What you see is what you get. It may not be [...]

My daughter….the one that I have longed for all of my life. The one that I went through miscarriage hell for. The one that I love with all of my heart and soul.
She is driving me up the ever loving wall.
Do ALL female children talk this much?
After coming from [...]

We are blowin’ and goin’, so I am sorry if my posts are short, boring and non-existant for a bit. I am reading your blogs in between outings, as I can’t bear to get too far behind on your lives! Addiction at its best.
We were at the in-laws this weekend, and [...]

Yesterday evening, we got a babysitter and went for a bike ride. This was the first time I have ridden since the end of April. I don’t feel out of shape, as we have been surfing so much, but I asked Bill to be kind to me none-the-less. He has been [...]

So, today at the pool I saw a friend that lives down the street. She came over and said, “I have a story to tell you about your son”. Apparently, her husband volunteered a day and night at Boy Scout camp, where Cory is this week. When he came home, this [...]

Pizza Rustica
Dough:
2 packages dry active yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups ubleached white flour
2 cups hot water (120-130 degrees F)
6 tablespoons olive oil
Ground rock salt to taste
In a large bowl, combine yeast and 1 cup of each of the flours. Stir in hot water and olive oil. Allow to sit for a few minutes [...]

I announced in the afternoon that I would be making pizza for dinner. It was met with cheers, hugs and general excitement.
Until they saw the pizza.
“That isn’t pizza!”
“Where is the cheese?”
“It has broccoli on it”
“Is that spinach?”
“Why is the crust brown?”
In an effort to reduce Bills genetically and dangerously high lipid levels, in addition [...]

Is this a girl thing? I mean, I did nawthing. She potty trained herself. The boys? They were sawmthing else altogether.
I brought down the little wooden potty from the attic, and turned her loose on it.
Oh, and I popped this tape into the video player

And now she uses [...]

This would be a paternal trait.

Bill usually obsessively vacuums with his clothes on, though.

The other docs were off all weekend, so Bill was stuck working. We soooo wanted to head to the coast in the Little House, but it just didn’t work out that way.
So, we got up super early Tuesday morning and drove to the coast to spend the day.
There was a storm system [...]

I have squealed, clapped, gawked in wonder at, and praised more turds in the last 2 weeks, many more times than I would like to admit.
The wonder of the poop! Potty training at its finest!
Go Mama Mia!
Cheer song to come……complete with Rah! Rahs!

…………for the crabs, that is.
1/2 of the Alaskan King Crab leftovers:

There was a different kind of parade that went down Main Street this afternoon.
There were no crowds lining the street to watch.
There were no drums.
No trumpets.
No music of any kind.
Cars slowed, looked at the participants, then drove on.
A few people came out onto their porches to watch as the group passed.
There were [...]

They pass with our hands on our hearts

The long parade

Curls and floats

It is going to be one hot day

My kids love the movie King Kong. The only problem with it, aside from half the cast being killed by giant insects and dinosaurs, is the part where the characters encounter the natives on Kong’s island. It is very creepy and scary.
So, in parental fashion, we fast forward through the native [...]

I love listening to good music. Be it anything from Pachabel to Green Day, if it inspires me or brings out emotion, I have it in my CD player.
Sometimes I listen to a song, and the words are so perfect, they fit my feelings to a tee. I wish so much that I [...]

First off, my new post is up over at Larger Families, and this week the topic is “Siblings”. What? You haven’t been there yet? Well, what are you waiting for? There are tons of fun posts to read by some amazing writers. So, go on, get. Go read. [...]

Laughing, goofiness, Root Beer, Bourbon and 7 for the adults and a good time had by all:

The family that plays together, stays together. So durn true!!!!

Mayan moon was burnin’
We saw visions
Of the past returnin’
On the shore
The band was playin’
We all heard
What the moon was sayin’
The world keeps closin’ in
It has before
It will again
A voice beyond the wind
Says we must go
Beyond the end
So follow
Beyond the end
A sea of friends are singin’
Vaya con dios [Go with God]
Mis amigos [My friends]
We [...]

King Mackerel were running in the shipping channel. We loaded up the truck and took off for the jetty.
Bill and Cory threw in their lines,

and not much later Bill hooked this beautiful fish

Within minutes, Cory was fighting one as well.

He brought it in all by himself, with proud Bill looking on.
[...]

A perfect beginning to a perfect vacation

We are taking off today to go here

to do this

with this

in this

It will be a nice, long, much needed break for us. The house has a sitter, the animals will not be lonely, and we are not looking back.
Internet access continues to dodge me at the beach, so [...]

I said yes to something today and it is going to change our lives somewhat. Some for the better, some for the worse.
I was offered an amazing job opportunity and after discussing it with Bill, we decided I should take it.
I will be working as an RN, full time, at a hospital [...]

Mia, as she pulled out the Swiffer from the closet: “Mommy, I want to clean!!!”
Knock yourself out, baby. Oh, and don’t forget behind the doors.

It’s alive.

Date night was great. Date night was fine. Date night was fulfilling and satisfying.
We saw the movie “RV” and folks, if you want to LYAO, go see it. We both laughed so hard we were crying.
Then we went on to Chili’s and had a beer at the bar. Bill was unusually [...]

I have a date with my husband in 30 minutes.
No children will be in our presence all day and evening.
How weird is that?
I wonder if we can survive without this for a day..

Okay, it is official. I miss them.
(sniff)

Remember the oldest children we have? The 11, 8 and 5 year old?
They stayed behind for A WEEK….OR MORE!
Bill and I are on our own with Mia.
The silence is deafening, but much welcome. We sooooo needed some quiet time.
Now come closer and I will tell you a secret………………….that’s it……………just a bit more…………………
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I [...]

Peek

a-boo

Then she gazed off at the never ending view

This is a photo story on how we spent Memorial weekend.
This was where we enjoyed our morning coffee

This was our view

And this

And this

This is the new house on the hill that is so amazing, words can not do it justice. Ceiling beams that are 150 years old, stained cement floors, [...]

I look forward to Thursdays. My husband gets off work at 4pm.

I feel like I am in high school, waiting for the bell to ring, anticipating seeing and brushing past him in the halls between classes.
Or watching the clock, eager for him to come pick me up for our first date.
I [...]

Because I am a baby shoe whore, I ordered Mia some more Pedoodles
They shipped out and were in my mailbox in 2 days….free shipping.
I bought her Frank the Fish in First Steps, Flower Power, Pink Runners, and Ruby Janes in the Next Step Collection (The Ruby Janes are to die for. [...]

Because Oshee asked, here is my life before kids. I trained Dolphins, Sea Lions and exotic birds. Photos curtosy of my Dad and fellow trainers.
Dolphins playing basketball

Fish jump….yes, that is me with a herring in my mouth.

Swimming with Connie.

Ring toss with Sammy the sea lion

Playing detective with Sam

Waving [...]

Crack me up! I did a Google search on Sea Arama and found this web site. I am in several of the pictures. LOL!! The faces were blurred to protect the innocent????
Go to Photos, and click on “Dolphins” (page 2, Dolphin Trainers pose with Hastings-I am the first one on [...]

Okay, recipe time. In an effort to help Bill’s Crestor be all that it can be, we are all about fish, chicken and pork (the other white meat) at our house these days.
Last night I made fish tacos, and they were incredible! I substituted Mahi Mahi for the fish and [...]

This is how my boys used to sleep.

In my mind, I will always remember them little like this, all curled up together.

I am beat. Do you mind some bullet points?
Bill finally allowed me to get him to a specialist for a second opinion. He had no choice. It was either go to the doctor, or die from the brain trauma that I was inflicting on him with my constant crying and pleading. [...]

I mentioned last week that my kids have a unique doctors kit. It is a combo of Bob the Builder tools and play doctors instruments.
Being from medical parents, my kids also have actual medical instruments to enhance their play. Included in this wide array of tools is a tenaculum, real reflex [...]

Driving home in the van after picking up Quinn from school:
Quinn: “Is Daddy home?”
Me: “He will be in a few minutes.”
Quinn: “I miss him when he is at work.”
Me: “I know. You really love him, huh?”
Quinn: “Yeah, I love him the most.”
Me: “Me too, honey.”
Quinn: [...]

Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there, hair!
Shoulder length, longer (hair!)
Here baby, there mama, Everywhere daddy daddy
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaair!
Flow it,

Show it,

Looooong as God can grow it,

My Hair!

My boys had a run in with a father armed with electric clippers. They lost.

Because I am still fatigued from my illness, and just too durn lazy, I am cutting and pasting something I wrote in an e-mail to a friend. Things are good.
“Bill went to a neurologist on Tuesday, and to make a long story short, it was a waste of time. He told Bill [...]

In the last 48 hours, I have:
~my husband is averse to second opinions.
~realized that 104 degrees is not just a temperature in Texas.
~when my daughter has a fever, she has a major appetite for breast milk
~My boobs can only tolerate so much
~mastitis is debilitating
~mastitis is not for the weak
~I am the weak
~I hallucinate with a [...]

Bill had a visit to the cardiologist on Thursday. He had an echocariogram, a stress test, and this morning a doppler of his carotid arteries……all of which where normal. Officially.
At this moment, he is seeing a neurologist. I was supposed to go to this appointment….instead, here I sit, with Mia in my [...]

“Yum, can I have some more spinach? This is really good!”
“Please pass the squash.”
“Mom, will you get me some tomatoes?”
“You didn’t make enough chicken.”
“Can I put some more basalmic vinegar on my spinach?”
Then the heavens opened wide, and a chorus of angels sang a never ending hymn of gladness. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh haaaaallelujah… haaaaallelujah…hallelujah, hallelujah, hallleeeeelu-jah”
And the [...]

7:00am
Me: How do you feel honey?”
Bill: “Buwa bu, na gee ni”.
9:00am
Call to Bill at office:
Me: “You feeling okay?”
Bill: “Well, I am not dead yet.”
11:00am
Me: “How are you feeling?”
Bill: “How are you feeling?”
12:30pm
Calling from the car
after picking up his MRI films in another town.
Me: “How are you feeling? I got your MRI [...]

I think I am officially depressed.
Yesterday was franitc and crazy. Today I just feel blah.
This morning I asked Bill if he was having any other symptoms, other than the tingling, and he replied “Just a very, very slight headache above my right eye”. I look at him and see a [...]

Warning: You will not be getting funny today from me. If you want funny, you must go here. Be sure and wear a Depends.
What I know that I didn’t know last night:
-the stroke is in the white matter of his brain
-my 48yo husband has 36% chance of having a major stroke [...]

It is not MS………………my husband had a stroke.
And I quote the radiologist:
“There is a subcentimeter lacunar infarct in the lateral posterior portion of the right centrum semiovale.”
I don’t know enough to elaborate on it. I had literally 2 minutes with my husband before he had to wisk one of the boys off to Cub [...]

Wishfully spoken
“maybe nothing”
Wish granted
Prayer answered.
Thank God. The last 24 hours have literally killed me. As you read, Bill approached me Monday and told me his symptoms and how concerned he was about them. He got right in that morning with Dr. R, and an MRI was ordered. The problem was that [...]

Weekend away
Aging mother
Sweet
Priceless
Return home
Husband greeting
Wonderful evening
Morning comes
Cappucino steaming
Across the table
Glasses off
Bomb dropped
Eyes locked
Sinking stomach
Soft touch
Symptoms given
Tingling skin
Hemiparesthesia
Face
Arm
Torso
Leg
Doctor visit
Waiting waiting
Phone ringing
Sweet voice
in my ear
Lunch time
Curled up
Mouse-like
Strong lap
So soft
More words
Aneurysm
Tumor
TIA
Multiple Sclerosis
Wishfully spoken
“maybe nothing”
We sit,
We wait
Freaking orders
To be given
MD
Not done.
How hard?
Mutter 3 letters
GET! IT! DONE!
I’ll shout them
MRI

It appears there will not have to be a drawing in the “Digging for Dollars in Poop” contest.
Jana is the only one who guessed correctly!!!
As much as I hate to disappoint Jodi, yes, I dug the money out of the poop, cleaned it and placed it in Bill’s change tray. What [...]

I would like to ask each of you to do something for me. It is simple and only good can come from it.
Tell your husband you love him, right now.
Call him on the phone, drive up to his office and have lunch with him, seek him out and specifically tell him how much he [...]

How do you know that you are a total and complete cawfee addict…..a freak of giganticus proportions?
When your 2yo daughter does not immitate you cleaning, but knows the sequence one must follow in order to produce the perfect cup of macchiato because she has seen it more times than she has seen you clean the [...]

You know, the photo montage down below that I posted a few days ago……..there is a little snip in the middle with some video of a little skateboarder. It seems slightly out of place with the photos. Well, that was Quinn. The significance of it is that he was using his [...]

He did not get them from me.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun it is to be with my husband. He is such a good time. Surfing, swimming, soaking up the warmth and laughing ’til our faces hurt.

I feel lucky to still be so damn deep in love with my husband [...]

Now you know where Mia and Cory get their aqua eyes.

Another turning point
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist,
directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test
and don’t ask why.
Its not a question
But a lesson learned in time.
It’s something unpredictable,
but in the end its right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
The Time of our Lives
Thank you all [...]

Okay, so! If you answered “C”, you may move on to Part II! As much as I would like to say that my daughter did not play in her poop, you can only imagine my relief that she did not eat change. She had raided the boys piggy banks and there [...]

“Don’t worry Mom, we climb down this way every time. Just watch for snakes.” said to me by my oldest as I peered down into the vine and brush filled slant toward the creek.

After sliding down the leaf strewn hill, this old chick and her 2 boys climbed along the ground under a [...]

Our Easter was simply mawvelous, dahling. Simply mawvelous.

How about yours?

Please turn the volume up on your computer and visit this site.
May your Easter weekend be filled with the love of Christ.
Much love to you all,
Jody, Bill, Cory, Cody, Quintin and Amelia

This will be a 2 part question. I will post Part 1 today. Part II will be posted after everyone has had a chance to guess at Part I.
You must answer correctly the multiple choice question below to move on to Part 2.
My daughter came into the room while I was writing an e-mail [...]

I have been tagged by Black Belt Mama for the Weird Meme.
Meme’s are new to me. I used to make fun of them, but this one was fun to read from others, so I did it…..I’ve actually completed it before, but can easily find 6 more weird things about myself, so here [...]

It is not our anniversary. Nor is it his birthday. Nothing special. I am just thinking about him.

He is my heart and soul. I love him more than I will ever be able to show.
I wait with excitement for him to come home.
I catch myself staring at him.

I WANT [...]

It was time. Time to hit the stores and venture down the Easter section at Target, Walmart and Walgreens. I had avoided it long enough. If I waited any longer, my kids would be getting the combed over remnants, which included sugar free chocolate rabbits (the horror) and Peeps (gagamaggot, this years [...]

Our water heater started leaking……..actually, it has been leaking drop, by drop for at least a month. The boards were wet under it, and it was slimy and icky. Bill extracted the heater yesterday afternoon, bought a new one and installed it. It leaked too. Then he had to go into [...]

You want to do something fun for your kids this week that does not involve paint, scissors or glue?
Make some playdough with this recipe. This will make 4 good size balls of dough*:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
6 tsp cream of tarter
3 cups of water
3 tablespoons oil ( vegetable is [...]

I am picking up, picking up, picking up, picking up, picking up all of the adorable kitchen play stuff that Mia got for her birthday. I find it all over the house, and by the time I finish, and head back to the kitchen, it is everywhere again.
Today was especially bad. The boys [...]

I told you that this weekend I talked to my 2 older sons about the birds and the bees. This isn’t something new. I have talked to them before about the differences between girls and boys etc, but never in such….depth…as we did on Sunday. The questions were flowing from the 8yo, [...]

Or you will gobble her up whole.

I have seen Dooce, Jana, Heather, Chris and tons of other blogs using YouTube, so I thought I would try it too.

When you drop your laptop, use anything to make sure it does not hit the floor. Even if that means sticking your leg out and catching it with the top of your foot.
It will hurt like hell for over an hour. It will cause you to curse and limp, but the alternative is [...]

I am having a love affair with some baby shoes. Adorable baby shoes that are well made and soooo worth the $.
Mama Mia has a few (snark) pairs of these and has had them for almost a year and is just now outgrowing them! So, time to order new ones. Specifically [...]

In my freaking HOUSE people!!!
Internet, meet the freaky, blind, pink snake that was found swishing its body side to side doing its best, tiny, little Ray Charles impression on my BATHROOM FLOOR.

See its little blind, beady eyes????

It is about 2 inches long.

The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American [...]

I have kept a secret from everyone. I have sooooo wanted to tell you all, but it is not something I could blurt out over the internet. We are mulling some plans over. Nothing is written in stone, but serious consideration is taking place.
Discontent has settled in. I don’t know why [...]

Another wonderful weekend under our belts. The trailer has proved, yet again, as our best idea to date.
The hiking was magnificent. The kids did REALLY well. Saturday, we all did a 4 mile loop, baby included. She actually walked a great deal of it, spending very little time [...]

Yesterday my baby turned 2. As hard as it is to see her grow up, I am entranced with each stage she is going through and looking forward to the next!
She just has all of us under her spell. The boys, who would not be caught dead with a doll, suddenly find themselves [...]

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Modeling her pretty, pretty dress, originally uploaded by jody2ms.

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Birthday girl, originally uploaded by jody2ms.

Happy Birthday sweet, sweet girl. You bring all of us so much joy and happiness. Celebrating your birthday with you was such a blessing.
We love you!

Bill surfing, Port Aransas

The perspective is kind of off in this picture. He was at the top of the wave, charging down, and there was a wave in front, so you can’t see the wave much. If you look in the back, left of the photo you can see the size of the [...]

Silver light
Sunrise sea,
Dancing, prancing
Look at me.
Waves cresting
Tidal flow
Splashing, laughing
All aglow
Bright dazzle
Start of day
Jumping, leaping
Sprites at play

Cory, using Dad’s board and liking it!

The kid can rip.
Yes, we are home. Tanned, tired and totally happy with our trip. I could not find a signal while there, so having no computer for 10 days was like going off of crack cold turkey. Now that I am [...]

In just a few more hours we are off to the beach with the Little House……for 10 days. WHOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Bill is carting it down as I type this (to snag a spot) and the kids and I will follow after I pick them up from school. The kids and I are staying for [...]

The large family topic yesterday was about comments people make to those of us with larger families.
Mine include, but are not limited to:
- Like Carmen, I have been told that “since you got your girl, you can now keep your legs closed”. This was said to me by my cousin, who [...]

For all my wonderful computer friends who left sweet messages about Mia’s boo boo….thank you, thank you, thank you.
The swelling seems to be going down a bit. You can see in the photo above the swelling and mottling in her left cheek. The angle of the picture makes it look [...]

When she is hormonal and her children are falling apart left and right like little, fragile ice statues that someone is taking giant toothbrushes to, well, that’ll do it. Yessiree Bob. But…….
Do you really want to know what else can makes a grown woman cry?
HTML
The new four letter word.

It is not a good practice to allow your children to run through the house with a toothbrush. Especially with said toothbrush in their mouth. The child could fall and jam it into her cheek, cut it badly, and cause a hematoma the size of large walmut. Bacteria could enter the cut [...]

Sandy, you may be the only reader who will like this as much as I did:
El Salvador
Don’t those waves look fun?!!

A package arrived via UPS this morning. Can you guess what is inside?
No, it isn’t the disgustingly expensive dress for Princess Mia of Quite Alot. I am still tapping my foot about that one. By the time it gets here, Mia might be old enough to make her own.
Here is [...]

Sunday the sun came out. The REAL sun. The one that makes everything all bright and toasty warm. Including the amphibians.
It was not a day to be spent indoors, so the 2 oldest boys and I took off for the creek to go herp’ing (looking for amphibians and reptiles). The “I” [...]

Yum! This sounds so wonderfully yummy..Trinidadian Rum Punch. It is the real deal, not Hawaiin Punch with a splash of rum. Thanks for a hint of the tropics Karen!
I am totally making it. Will try and use some Jarabe in place of making the sugar water. I know, [...]

…..live…..in my kitchen…..twirling girlies in their pretty nighties.

I watched a friends 3yo little girl the other night, and she and Mia had a blast together. After baths, I put one of Mia’s bigger nightgowns on her, and she and Mia twirled and danced in the kitchen like “Derella” (Cinderella). [...]

On the one hand, a girl can never have enough clothes.
On the other, it is expensive and indulgent.

She would have it on for, like, 3 minutes and the tulle would be ripped.
But it is so adorable…..and her second birthday is a month away. Photographic opportunities to the left and right.
What’s an [...]

…I am making this. Scrool down to Feb 3rd, “Boiled bread”.
I hope mine turns out as pretty.
And if you haven’t, dive in and get hooked on Logcabinlog. Addicting. She and Travelogue have me obsessively clicking throughout the day, waiting for their next post. Go, read, and be an armchair traveler…..or maybe [...]

I define that as the time between when the kids come home from school and 6pm. It is a bear.
If I were to tell you one time that I can feel the stress of having 4 kids, it would be the afternoon. I am not sure why it is like this, and I [...]

That is when I will write a post about the “Witching Hour”. You know, that time between when the kids get home from school and dinner. It is an explosion of arms and legs everywhere, wide open screaming mouth. Crying. Whining……and that is just me.
House of [...]

My children were born into bondage. They swear that noone else at school has to do the things they do. It sucks to be them, you know?
Todays large family topic is chores. I am so not organized, so I don’t have a chore chart or anything, but from a very early age, [...]

We are in the process of devouring a Halipaska’s chocolate, heart shaped cake….with gobs of yummy flowers and such. It is HEAVEN, and I am not that fond of chocolate….might just have to change my mind about that! Mmmmmm
I am surrounded by love today. My husband, my 3 beautiful boys and my [...]

There is a certain degree of gross that is encountered when there are 4 males living under one roof. I am not talking about the sweaty boy smell, or that their room smells of dirty socks. I am talking about THE grossness factor. The measure by which one rates disgusting acts or [...]

I love it that my husband has a 1/2 day off every other Friday. I anticipate it and get all giddy as noon approaches on those days. I see his truck drive up and I tell the kids “Daddy’s home!” and Quinn and Mia race outside to great him.
Yesterday, Cody and [...]

Sleep is todays Wednesday large families topic!
All of my friends here in town whose kids go to bed at a certain time, and sleep straight through the night without a wimper, all think we are crazy at the Jody2ms house.
We do have a routine….and the school age kids have a bedtime. This [...]

If you were a wingless fruitfly, that somehow managed to escape the jaws of death, and climbed out of the newts aquarium, then up the wall (because you can’t fly, being wingless and all) here are some of the things you would have heard this week at or house. I live with a [...]

This is me, I think in 1996, when Cory was around 18 mo. It is the only picture I have of myself surfing. It was such a fun day and the waves were so perfect…about waist high, or a tad bit higher. I was getting some great bottom turns and having a [...]

When I see this picture Shelley, I want to cry and laugh at the same time. I can still remember what her voice sounded like, you know. Isn’t this a great picture (where were we going?):

I want to grab these girls and tell them “Your lives are going to be so amazing, [...]

See! Lots and lots of blond curly hair!

I love this picture. He just looks so young!!

Is it Cory, or Bill?

Gentleness, sobriety
are rare in this society
An inner candle’s
brighter than the sun.
Sting
I Love you Bill!

Wow. Last Thursday was the Chicken Noodle Soup Supper and annual Talent Show at the Catholic School. In hindsight, I can now tell this story without getting a headache and feel the need to throw up……..no, the talent show wasn’t that bad. But the happenings made me glad that God invented wine. [...]

A Lecture screamed to me tearfully by 5yo Quinn this afternoon after a fun filled, exhausting time at the park:
“Why do you make me do EVERYTHING around here. I mean, you make me shut the door on my side of the car when I get out. ”

” You make me close the [...]

Last night was a better night. This morning was rough, with albuterol and Tylenol needed. I think we hit the peak of the RSV, though, because this afternoon it seems she has made it ’round the bend.

This weeks topic on larger family living at Chris’s and Carmen’s blogs is “Organization”. I must steal the line “Oranized Chaos” from Jodi. That just about describes how organized things are at Chez Jody2ms. We are incredible clean people, and everything is neatly tucked away. But, “organized” belongs to someone else. [...]

Or the flu. That is the verdict. She is still wheezing and retracting, so the doc put her on Albuterol elixir. A jittery 22 month old…That should be fun. But, thank God for albuterol. Now she can breath better.
Hopefully it will run its course and [...]

Have you ever seen someone lose their mind? Well, if not, and you are curious, come on over to our house.
Mia is sick. Like really sick. Like wheezing, retracting, breathing treatments and fever.
I am a kook when it comes to my daughter being sick. Add to that that [...]

When I said you could have some graham crackers, I did not mean that you could use a scissor to cut them into shapes. I do feel that I must thank you for filling in the cracks between the wood floor planks under your chair with the crumbs. Very creative! [...]

We do not exist in this world anymore. We exist in the world of the perpetual vacation.
We hustle on Friday to pack the Little House, pick up the kids from school and get the hell out of Dodge. We have spasmotic convulsions about 20 miles from home as the toxins of [...]

Okay, so I am giving this a go. Here is my new home!
hang in with me while I wet my feet with Wordpress

We took off again in the Little House and enjoyed the beauty of Goose Island State Park. Oh, it was….well, a picture says a thousand words so, here ya go:
The pier that went on forever:

The Great Egret:

Camp site. We woke up to the most beautiful sunrise over the bay:

The water [...]

October, 2004

Chris and Carmen have teamed up to do posts on “The day in the life of a larger than average family” each Wednesday. Today’s topic is The Morning Routine, and everyone is invited to post their routine, then link to it in the comment section of Chris’ blog. Carmen starts her day at [...]

How does God answer prayers?
In His time,
so they say.
Just one look at her
and you must admit,
It was time spent perfecting her smile.

Quinn was overheard singing a special song this morning. Notice the ad libbing of the 2nd and 4th verses.
La cucaracha, la cucaracha,
Eeny meanie miney mo;
La cucaracha, la cucaracha,
Eeny meanie miney mo;
Can the cuteness get much better than this?

Can you inject Dawn into your arteries? I need some de-greasing.
I cooked 2 pounds of bacon yesterday morning…………it is gone.
After having consumed , oh, say 6 pieces of bacon yesterday morning, in the chaos of my day I failed to eat anything else until around 6:30 pm. At that moment, I [...]

Why, oh why do we have to have real life, with jobs, bills, cat litter, school, etc. Coming home from our little trip this weekend was about as enjoyable as having all of my eye lashes removed with a tweezer.
I really love my house, so this is saying a great deal about how [...]

Ponies on vacation, Aransas Pass, Texas

If you go to my Flickr page, be prepared to be assaulted with a kazillion newly loaded photos. It is bad….real bad. Worse than the home movies of your great, great Aunties trip to Maui.
When I moved my site here from Typepad, I couldn’t believe how easy the transition was. Well, guess [...]

How my daughter signals that she is finished eating:

Who are you people?? I need to know! I have had almost 50,000 hits since I moved to this domain, so I know you are there, lurking and such. I want to know who you are! I want to visit your sites!
So this is the week that Sheryl at [...]

Me: “Do you want to watch Animals?”
Mia: “Yesh, Amnimals”
So, I place “Amazing Animals” into the video recorder.
Mia explodes into a screaming, stomping mess. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”
Me: “What, I thought you wanted Animals on…okay, out they go” and I pop out the tape.
Mia explodes into a screaming, stomping mess. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Me: “What, you want [...]

I have been tagged by Jennifer! This is the first Meme I have ever done.
Five weird habits of yourself:
“The first player of this game starts with the topic ‘five weird habits of yourself,’ and people who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state [...]

1. Memory foam will not only remember a comfortable position you placed your body in, it will also remember the breast feeding contortionist position in which your spine was shaped like a section of Dead Mans Curve……it will mold around this and lull one into thinking they are in comfort, only to find inthe [...]

And I thought the truck was big…………..

The very long 5′er arrived in Shiner at midnight last night. 3 very tired and excited boys woke me up to show me what they dragged home from the Almost Great North ;*) They pulled me out of my warm bed and onto the back porch [...]

My son and daughter love to get the foot lotion out and play with it. One perk for me is I am the recipient of copious amounts of lotion lathered all over my legs and feet. I present to you “A Poor Man’s Pedicure”:

Just got word from Bill that they have picked up the 5′er and are on their way home! He said that the truck pulls it without any problems! Big relief to me!
He said the RV is beautiful. The furniture and cabinets in it are wonderful, much better than any of [...]

It has been a frenzy of planning here. We decided on the Ameri-camp, got financing, then insurance etc. Then had to find a 5 day window in which to drive to Indiana and pick it up.* That 5 day window fell over the New Years holiday weekend.
So, Bill and our 2 [...]

After months of trying to decide, we finally bought the 5th wheel yesterday!! Whoohoo!
We got a brand new one identical to this, just a different interior color scheme, and ours is a 2005! The dealer is over 1000 miles away, but one of the guys that works there is coming to Texas [...]

Get the kids for this one!

It is official. I have taken the pledge and have joned the “I Hate Buddy” club.
To become a member you must:
1. hate running down the road in barefeet chasing a deranged dog.
2. hate walking through the yard with a shovel and plastic bag picking up 15 lbs of dog poop every day.
3. [...]

While standing in the longest line in the history of Christmas, to see Santa at the park, I overheard Bill having a converstion with a man that we know remotely. It went something like this:
Bill: “Wow, the line sure is long”
Man: “Yeah, that’s because all of your kids are in it. Ha, ha, [...]

Good ole St. Nicholas came in the night and left some goodies for the kids. They had hung their stockings up last night, and were so excited they couldn’t sleep. They were not disappointed! St. Nicholas left candy pops, nuts, an orange, Life Saver Storybooks, and a toy for each. [...]

You know, they say that salt water is good for healing wounds, and I have to tell you that I have first hand proof that this is so true.
We hit the beach on Sunday (go see Flickr), and it was soooooo much fun. We found all kinds of wonderful creatures on the beach and [...]

Things have been, well, busy here.
Tomorrow Quinn gets his cast off and we will get to see his improved foot. I am a bit nervous, but I am sure it will be fantastic. We are planning on making a day of it, maybe take in some RV shopping and go see [...]

Oh dear Lord, how we love our Mama Mia

Originally uploaded by jody2ms.

My brain is so full of stuff related to RV’s and new trucks that not a witty, coherant post can squeeze out. But I did manage to load some pics to Flickr.
Mama Mia was the belle of the ball in her fall [...]

We might have a few too many ponies, ya think?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!!!!
Well, maybe not everyone.

Okay, so this is what we have decided….we will be purchasing this tomorrow. (What do you think Kathy?) It is a used one,but it is in IMMACULATE condition. It was cleaner and in better condition than any of the RV’s we saw new at the dealership. It is loaded too. [...]

Here is one trailer we are looking at. We are hoping to get the F321QBS. The price is really high, but we are hoping to find a dealer that can get it for much cheaper than the quotes we have had, or maybe find it used.
That is basically what [...]

I hate to even say it….but, okay, here goes….we are so BUUUUUUSY here! So cliche.
So much going on, and not much time to post and read blogs.
I can say that one of the things we are BUSY with, is researching and deciding which travel trailer we are buying. Yeah! Going [...]

First off, if you don’t read Dooce, todays post is worth catching.
Okay, so Wednesday 3:
1. How many times have you yelled by 10 am? 2
2. How many Brown Recluse spiders have you killed in your bathtub, the very one your kids bathe in, this week? 2
3. How many [...]

A cold front has finally made its way here. The wind is blowing and it is grey and overcast. Pecans and leaves are falling from the trees. I have the air conditioner off and the doors open for the first time in weeks.
Soup is on the menu for tonight, [...]

Cory came home from the creek with this creature yesterday:

After reading this article, it will be having a very short stay at Casa del reptil y anfibio.
Exotics are out numbering the people in this house. Must……..learn……..to say…….NO!
Last night found us all huddled in pitch dark around the Red Eyed frogs habitat watching their [...]

So, we made it through the surgery and Quinn did so great. Thursday night at the hotel, he spiked a low grade fever of 101.2 and, well, you can just imagine how bad I was flipping out. His urticaria had returned a bit on his trunk, and FEVER dammit. His fever lasted [...]

We are home, and trying to get settled in. Quinn is great. Sore, but great. He did not have any complications at all.
As for the surgery and was it successful?…. yes and no. The doc was pleased about some things, and disappointed about others. I will get [...]

The Benadryl worked. It has faded to almost nothing. We are off.
If you would, send up some prayers for Quinn tomorrow morning!

I’ll check back in as soon as I can.
C’ya.

It is almost 1pm. Quinn’s surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning. He was on the list for somewhere between 11-11:30, but one of the kids ahead of him got cancelled, so now we are scheduled for 9-9:30. Quinn is a cranky boy in the morning until he gets some food in his [...]

Oh yes.

Quinn said, “It looks weird. I’m fluffy.”
Fluffy just about says it all.

So, if it is cold, snowy or wet where you live, you might want to skip this.
It was so beautiful at the beach yesterday. It was in the 80’s, water was in the 80’s, and the sun was shining bright. I even wore my triathlon bikini! Not that I looked too [...]

Mia is talking more and more these days. We have little exchanges that are so adorable it just makes me want to eat her up whole.
Todays went like this:
Mia: (tugging on my shirt) Boobie, pleeeeeze.
Me: Okay, but which one. This one or this one?
Mia: ‘Dis one, pleeeeeze
Me: This one?
Mia: Jess, ‘dis one, [...]

No, not a trip to the zoo. We have our own here, thankyouverymuch.
Today it is “clean all the animal cages” day. Our zoo now consists of:
-2 Red Eyed Tree frogs
2-Red Efts
1-Green tree frog
1- container of stinky, nasty crickets to feed the above
1-fish tank
1-cat
1-dog
and 1 monkey, baby
I love animals and it looks [...]

My husband and I argue about the laundry. We don’t have conflict about money, or jealousy. Our disagreements are about cleaning and laundry.
How many of you can say that the following has happened in your house. Raise your hand if you can relate: I walk into the room where my husband is [...]

BOO!

Originally uploaded by jody2ms.

We had such a great time yesterday. Lots of candy eaten, cookies devoured, haunted houses explored and a nice cold front to top off the evening.
As much fun as we had, I have to say that the beginning was rocky….the kids got home from school and were so hyped up it [...]

….with surfing. And the beach. Checking surf reports daily. Driving for hours to catch a wave.
We went to Port A. again on Sunday, and it looks like we will be hitting the beach every other weekend if the surf is up and the weather is good for beach combing.
We had [...]

Well, the fever is gone. No more headache, crying or aching legs and stomach ache. Quinn woke up this morning, his usual self, and went to school. We are beyond baffled. He had fever anywhere between 101-103 yesterday afternoon, I gave him some Motrin, called the surgeon, he cancelled the [...]

Fun with Tupperware (a bit blurry):

She really has branched out with her curiosity. I can’t turn my back for a moment, as the kitchen chairs get dragged all over the house by her, allowing for some extra, special fun at Mom’s expense. Antics such as “feeding” the fish, and pouring [...]

Okay, this one is for Jen

Many hugs to you, Jen!

We are back, and it was heaven on earth.
It was a rocky start:

But who could feel bad with this to greet their morning:

And witnessing moments like this:

this:

and this priceless moment snapped of Bill watching his son catch a wave:

Quinn left a note in the sand, that pretty much [...]

My brilliant, loving, amazing husband decided that what I needed was a trip to the beach to combat my worries and take my mind off of things. So, we are packing up and heading for some surf. A front blew in, so the waves should be great. We got a sitter for [...]

Mia’s shadow

Originally uploaded by jody2ms.

I love this picture.

From The Rime of the Acient Mariner
The moving Moon went up the sky.
And nowhere did abide;
Softly she was going up,
And a star or two beside-
By Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

Last night while lying on the bed talking with Quinn about nothing in general, he blurted out: “Mom, are they going to cut my foot off?”
Will someone PLEASE pass the vodka?????

Fall is here. I go out into my backyard and swish, swish through the leaves that have vacated their place among the branches of the enormous pecan trees in the yard. My kids will grab buckets and start the search for pecans hiding in the grass. We will crack and eat as [...]

When asked what I was doing crawling on the ground with the camera, I responded: “Photographing ants.”
“Why?”, asked the curious one.
I answered: “Because I can.”

**these are fire ants. Teeny, tiny fire ants.

Come up to me at a baseball game and ask:
“Mom, can I have some money. I need it for a snow cone at the confession stand”.

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, your sins are forgiven………now here’s your snow cone.

Oh, I think this will do just fine, doncha?

La, la, la, it is here!!! Battery is charging, and I am devouring the instruction manual.
While I wait for the battery to fully charge, I have a public service message. If anyone wants to keep me on their blogroll, you might want to change the link, if you have not already [...]

I sit. Waiting. For Federal Express. Much like watching a plant grow.
Somewhere, on the road in my home town, the Fed-ex man has my new c-8080 on his truck.
I wonder if it would be nuts to drive around town looking for the truck and see if he will [...]

Words just are not coming to me as of late. I just have so much on my mind. Sandy’s baby, and now Kathy’s dad…………
Quinn is scheduled for surgery at the end of this month. October 28th to be exact. I have to have him tested for Von Willibrands this week [...]

Yes, Fall is here, finally, and with it came the Pumpkin Patch. We had so much fun picking out a pumpkin and the kids got their faces painted.
It really made it feel like Fall.
Here’s one of my little pumpkins:

Okay, so I know this is a pain, but to comment, you must register to the site. Go down the column at right until you come to the “Meta” category, then click on register. It will ask for a username and e-mail address. Type those in and send. You will [...]

I am having fun with this site. There is so much to learn, so I am still playing around with things a bit.
If you are having trouble commenting, let me know, as I am really not sure how it all works yet, and if I am doing it properly. [...]

One of the things that I like most about my mother is that she is incredibly innocent.  She calls sleeping with someone before marriage an "affair", one glass of wine makes her laugh and laugh, she sings "Dance with the Dollies" to my daughter, and calls Quinn her little vagabond.
As difficult as my relationship [...]

Vocabulary words and phrases for the week.
Gravity.  It was bound to happen sooner or later.  Every rider experiences it eventually.  They dread it, but gravity will have its way. 
Road rash.  Not the kind you get in your bike tights.  I am talking about the kind of road rash that leaves you on the side [...]

Today I had to stay home all day while I waited on Fed Ex to deliver a vial of fruit flies.  Yes, I said I wasted an entire day waiting for a fruit fly delivery.  Such is my life with boys.
This was because the last one delivered was left sitting on my front porch and [...]

Moms night out can really hit the spot.  There is nothing like sampling foreign beers, eating take out pizza, laughing your ass off with good friends and enjoying the unique ambiance at a local pub called Antiques, Art and Beer.  We affectionately call it Beer, Bait and Ammo, because, hell, it is easier to say [...]

This is a drive by post.  I am at my moms with the kids, and the barf virus is rotating through one of us every 48 hours.  I got it the night of opening ceremonies at the Games of Texas which was a real downer.  I hobbled through watching Cody swim in his events.  Thankfully [...]

On the day my daughter was born, the OR had never seen such a crew.  The usual suspects were present, but I had recruited my own OR team on top of them.
Let’s see, there were two OB docs, a Anesthesiologist, a nurse anesthesis, and a PA.  I wanted to make DAMN sure there was [...]

My house is chaotic.  4yo has diarrhea, is crying at the drop of a hat, and I discovered this morning that he DOES NOT LIKE TOAST.  He liked it just fine last week.  Funny how that happens.
My 10yo has a friend over, and I overheard him call my son an idiot because Cory lost a [...]

Proud To Be An American…….because, well, I am. 
I’m proud to be an Americanwhere at least I know I’m free,And I won’t forget the men who diedwho gave that right to me,And I gladly stand up next to youand defend her still today,‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this landGod Bless the U.S.A.

Someone came to my site while searching "automatic toilet flushes a kid" from what appeared to be a French search engine.  Désolé, excusez-moi?  Hmmm.  Please tell me that no one actually believes this could possibly happen.  "Kid flushes automatic toilet" works around here.  Maybe my kids just have big heads.
We spent the 4th weekend [...]

I can’t think straight to type a coherent post, so I plan to cheat.  Here are some thoughts floating around in my head, in order of importance:
*my mom was diagnosed with Von Willebrand Disease today, in addition to the essential thrombocythemia.  It is hereditary, and I will have to be tested as well as my [...]

This comment follows me wherever I go.  There are many variations of it, my least favorite being "Had to keep trying ’til you got that girl".
These words are mostly uttered by strangers.  People who see me out with my 4 kids.  Naturally, when they see a girl at the end of 3 boys, they [...]

We had a great weekend, and the start of the week has been wonderful!  I had a wonderful surprise that absolutely made my day yesterday evening.  (It was so amazing to hear your voice and talk IRL, my friend!!!!)  I had been having a rough day, and was walking on cloud nine afterward.   
On Sunday [...]

Our Saturday was spent at the coast.  The first part of it was at a swim meet, where my 10yo and 7yo ripped the pool up!  Cory(10) placed 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 3nd in his events.  Cody(7) placed 5th and 6th. 

It was HOT, but worth every drop of sweat.
We then [...]

1.  Tell your husband you want to go out to dinner with the kids.
2.  Tell him it must be some place that has margaritas.
3.  Agree to walking across the street to the only restaurant in town that sells margaritas, because it is the only restaurant in town, period.
4.  Down the first one, while your husband [...]

I need to make this short, as my stress level is over the top today….
I spent some time at the hospital this morning having and abdominal ultrasound of my kidneys, liver, spleen, pancreas and gall bladder.  I won’t know the results until Monday.  The test was ordered because I am having some intense pain around [...]

My husband frequently tells me that my showers last too long.  When I tell him I am going to head into the bathroom for a "quick shower" he smirks and says "Yeah, right".  He says tells me that I am obsessive compulsive about cleanliness, and that it is not a shower to me, it is [...]

Well, Mia didn’t quite make it to her bed last night.  She was just so cozy and warm all snuggled next to me while I read and when Bill came in and saw her, he told me not to move her. 
I think this came from the fact that we both noticed a huge, bruised [...]

No, sorry, not a sex post.  It is actually a post about sleeping with my husband, literally.
A while back I posted about the size of our bed.   Yes, it is a full, and my many pleas to Bill for a bigger bed have been met with "We don’t need a bigger bed, we need less [...]

They are home from Star Wars, and as they walked in I asked my oldest, "Well, was it violent" 
He replied casually, "Only when Annikan caught on fire".

Okay, if you want a great read, you must go here.  This family is living my dream. 
We have talked about doing something like this for years.  We almost moved to Guam in 1998.  Bill had a job lined up and everything, but after talking with a family that lived there, decided it would not [...]

…………..back.  HUGE pain.  Large cyst.  Enormous cyst.  Right…in…the…middle…of…my…back.  Between my shoulder blades….on my freaking spine.
Pain.  Hot, burning pain. 
Swelling.  Immense cyst that resembles another head trying to grow out of my spine.  Imagine birth, without a vagina to pass through.  No hole in which to exit.  That is my friend the cyst.
Did I mention pain?
So, [...]

I have blocks, dolls of every shape and size, pretend keys and phones, stuffed animals, a little doll house full of furniture, books and more books, several shape sorters and tons of puzzles.
So what does my daughter play with this afternoon?  Monkey Mia dumped all the contents of the bathroom trash can into the toilet…….then [...]

We did that THING again……3 more times. 
The competition is fun. After one ride this weekend, Bill came up behind me as I washed dishes, wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear "You will never beat my time, because, even though you are getting faster, I am too."  Then he kissed me [...]

We did someTHING great this weekend.  It was so satisfying, and left me exhausted.
No, it wasn’t sex, although we might have done that too…..not that that is any secret, given I chart and the entire internet is privy to that info.
No, that THING we did made me feel like jody2ms again. 
But, I must give [...]

Nature is great.  I encourage my kids to get outside and explore, and they in turn, love it.
One of the things the younger kids like is finding snails and playing with them.  They have snail races, make homes for them, and compare collections.
Today Quinn and a friend found the mother load of snails.  Lots of [...]

I am an RN.  I do labor and delivery.  I also do med surg.  I have done a few shifts in the ER.  I see some really gross and disgusting things. 
Hand me a finger in a cup on some ice that needs to be sewed back on?  No problemo.  Clean the laceration that involves [...]

Spring is officially here!  Yeah!!!
One of my favorite things about this house is the big row of windows that look out into our backyard.  We have 6 huge pecan trees, and when I left last Thursday to go to see my mom in Ft Worth, they were just barely sprouting their leaves.  When I returned [...]

Today is re-lapse day in regards to barfing.  Mia did not puke all day yesterday.  She even ate a bit of broccoli for dinner.  What the heck was I thinking, giving the kid broccoli!! 
She lost the broccoli in bed around 3am.  Then again at 8.  Then again at 9. 
Oh, and breast milk/broccoli diarrhea [...]

DH redeemed himself last night after our 4yo let loose his stomach contents in his bed…..on the top bunk…..with all his stuffed animals gathered ’round to watch. Bill gave said 4yo a bath, washed the sheets, pillows and observant stuffed animals, made a little bed for him on the floor of the bathroom, and [...]

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, more completely primitive than a 12 month old with the vomit virus.  They do not understand toilets, trash cans, or bowls. 
I feel like Rambo in the mountains, covered in gunk, oblivious to the smell and how hideous I look. 
It has been one hell of a night and day.  [...]

I have this thing I do every evening. 
I go to the outside refrigerator, get a nice cold beer and bring it upstairs. 
Then I open the freezer and get out my frozen mug. 
It is not just any old frozen mug, but a bright blue, miniature kid mug with water in a section surrounding [...]

Eat a huge piece of birthday cake.  Run around the house like you were just infused with epinephrine.&nb