Life and Times of the Reynolds

Christmas Highlights

2009-01-18T08:08:00.003-06:00

Mom got a Cricut. I think she liked it because she almost started crying. She had mentioned wanting it a few years ago, but it was an unexpected gift this year. It is pretty cool - if only the accessories weren't so expensive. Btw, Cricut is for scrapbookers and crafty people (not me). It cuts out shapes and letters and such.

We got to hang out with some of our favorite people at Enchanted Castle while we were in the Chicago area. Dave and Jen and their little girl Averie met us there. Josh got to ride the go carts and could not stand getting off. He sobbed and sobbed. Although Averie and Josh are almost the same in age the fact that she is a girl and he is a boy is very obvious. It is actually very interesting to observe the differences. I have put in my order for a little girl (a sweet one!) if the Lord blesses us with another child.

Josh and his Grandma Chris in Chicago land.

Exausted on Christmas day. This is a very rare picture. Josh NEVER falls asleep anywhere but his bed. He has only fallen asleep laying with someone else a handful of times in the last few years. The mark on his face is from a box incident. We don't beat him. :o)

Fun with the cousin Jessie in a big box. Yes this is the box that the accident occurred in that caused the face mark.

Get With the Program

2009-01-09T10:00:00.002-06:00

So my desk is hidden under piles of paper, my car is so dirty it is embarrassed to be seen with me, the laundry I did a few days ago is sitting in a basket patiently waiting to be put away and the clean out the closet project I started never got past the sorting stage. Flylady would ashamed, I'm sure. Should I go to work today and get ahead for the month or should I just stay home and clean? Mike is coming home early since he just has an inservice today and the weather is supposed to be beautiful. So I really wouldn't get much done if I stayed home today anyway. Guess I better get off my duff and out the door. I would like to have people over tomorrow evening to hang out. Guess I'll have to work in turbo gear at some point in the next 24 hours.

Mocha Bootie

2009-01-07T15:19:00.002-06:00

Mocha bootie is a song Josh likes to sing. Mocha is the dog at the babysitter and bootie is well.. you know. That's all there is to the song "Mocha bootie." It's quite catchy and you'll find yourself dancing to it before you know it. Speaking of bootie. I am going for my first workout of 2009. I have tried to get Mike to go with me to class today since he promised me long ago he would attend a class with me. I tried shaming him, begging him, telling him it would be practically empty, calling him names and flapping my arms like a chicken. I still don't think he is going to class with me. He is going to use the treadmill and do all the same boring stuff he always does.

My workouts progressively dwindled as 2008 ended. Now I'm determined to get back in gear, huffing and puffing as I go. Well it's time to get going. If only I could watch a workout on tv instead of doing the real thing...

A Personal Trainer for Me Personally

2008-09-05T14:38:00.002-05:00

So I guess I'm living the rich life now huh? I started with a personal trainer today for the first time ever in my life. This pesky weight has become more and more pesky as the months tick by. So I'm using part of the money my very generous mother-in-law gave me for my birthday to get a personal trainer for a month. The trainer is a friend of a good friend of mine, and I think my trainer, Emily, will be a friend of mine after a bit too.

Why I think Emily will work out well as my trainer. She is a 28 year old mom with three kids who understands life is usually less than perfect. Emily has a great body, but not a pencil thin bulging muscle type. I told her today I really wanted her to push me (so I may in fact hate her when this is over). I need some accountability and I think she'll be good at that too.

I'm pretty excited. We'll see where this goes!

Too Much Information?

2008-08-07T16:17:00.003-05:00

Perhaps this is too much information, but I've been doing a colon cleanse for the last 3+ weeks. It feels as if I have been doing it forever and I'm so tired of it. First you must take 4 pills when you wake up. Wait 15 minutes and take a wretched scoop of fiber powder. Mixing it with juice makes it tolerable and it still needs a chaser ounce or two of juice to get the grit out of my mouth. Then take 4 pills before lunch or dinner and three more pills with lunch or dinner. Before bed there are two more pills and a tea to brew and drink. Can you believe that? Now do you know why I'm tired of it? They recommend you do the cleanse for 3 months. Unless I got amazing results you would have to pay ME to do it that long.

If you look online you see all kinds of crazy things produced from the bowels of people willing to post their toilet leavings for everyone to see. I haven't really noticed anything crazy. I felt pretty low on energy when first starting the cleanse. There have also been more breakouts on my skin the past few weeks. My friend who did the cleanse started sweating yellow grease and got little bumps on her forehead and chest.

I have suffered from constipation for much of my life, but since I started eating the fresh made whole grain foods I really believe my colon is much better. I still have problems when we travel. Low fiber food, less exercise and less water makes for a bad combo. The bran in the whole grain flour really does lessen the transit time, softens the stool and bulks up the stool. I'm really not embarrassed to talk about this because as a dietitian I've talked about bathroom stuff with so many people and I know it is a problem for many, many people. Got to go get Joshy. More on this subject later. :o)

These Are a Few of my Favorite Things

2008-08-06T21:29:00.009-05:00

These are all things that I enjoy immensley and use frequently. Just in case you wondered!

1. Burts Bee's Lip Balm - I'm addicted and use it every morning and every night.

2. Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner - Fabulous stuff. A bit tricky to apply, but stays on better than any other eyeliner I have found.

3. The stereo in my kitchen that has XM satellite radio. I LOVE channel 164, which is old time radio. My favorite shows are the detective shows like Dragnet and the westerns like Gunsmoke and The Lone Ranger. I also enjoy the comedy shows, mostly from the 40's and 50's. Something about them is so appealing - the comedy is true clever comedy, the bad guy always confesses, there is always a tricky ending.

4. My oversized toaster oven. It keeps me from having to turn on the oven so much in the summer. Tonight I made quiche in it. It has a convection bake setting as well as regular baking and toasting. I wouldn't trade it. 5. Origins A Perfect World Lotion. This is hands down the best face lotion I have ever used. My skin did not flake and feel dry this past winter at all. Though a bit pricey, every Origins product I've tried is fantastic - microdermabrasion, hand lotion, serum, etc.

6. Pureology voluminizing conditioner and also the power dressing hair goo stuff. It is expensive, but it only takes a dab for my fine hair. It is organic and works wonderfully.7. Southern Living magazine. I am not ga-ga over it, but I really do enjoy it. My favorite was the recent issue with their idea houses. I would do flips to have the North Carolina floor plan with its huge rounded porch, open living spaces and library retreat area on the second floor. See it at www.southernliving.com/ideahouse. Check out Davidson Gap.

8. My Nutrimill grain mill. It works fabulously, self cleans and gives me fresh ground flour whenever I want.

Roaring River

2008-08-06T11:49:00.002-05:00

It was so pretty here. I just drank in the beauty of God's creation.

Here is the mouth of the river. 20+ million gallons of water flow out of here daily. Amazing.

Roaring River State Park

2008-08-06T10:42:00.002-05:00

On Mom's birthday yesterday I surprised mom by taking Josh down to meet her and my niece and nephew, Jessie and Britain, at Roaring River state park. We had SUCH a good time. We had a picnic in the shade.
Mr. Cracky wading in the water. It was absolutely beautiful scenery there. I remember having my 8 or 9 year old birthday there.
Three sweeties by the water.
Nana and Britain holding down the chairs.
Mom and her grandchildren by the fish hatchery. After we left we went to Sonic and everyone got to get a treat/drink of their choosing. Mom - lemonberry slush (a medium because of her birthday - live wild mom), Britain - Butterfinger blast (a medium because it was Nana's birthday), Me - a creamslush (because I didn't want to be boring and always order the same thing), Josh - an apple juice slush (because he didn't know what to order for himself), Jessie - a hot fudge sundae.

Anne of Green Gables

2008-08-04T20:35:00.003-05:00

So after several months of reading books on gardening, farming and self sustainment I'm reading the book Anne of Green Gables for the first time. The movie is my favorite movie for sure. I like to watch it while I iron in the bedroom in the evening (when the ironing pile gets too big to ignore). A few weeks ago I got a biography on L.M. Montgomery at the library. It was so dry I only got through about half of it before it was due back at the library. I have read other L.M. Montgomery books many years ago, but somehow I never read the Anne books.

I have enjoyed reading this book so much. I think what I love the most about the book is her way with words. When someone can use words cleverly I'm all theirs - even if it's just a physician on tv, something explaining with a good vocabulary or telling an interesting tale. Anne is quite a dreamer and comes up with the funniest ideas and tells them so passionately.

Countdown to my Birthday

2008-08-04T13:18:00.003-05:00

So it's officially almost my 30th birthday. Next Friday, the 15th, to be exact. Btw, is there a way to lose 20 pounds in a that many days? If there is you just let me know! I don't know why, but this particular birthday has me in a sort of tailspin. As long as it's not a downward spiral I'll be okay. It is not as if something magically changes when you turn one day older. 30 just sounds so...uncool. Not that I was Miss Cool in my 20's, mind you, but I did have potential.

Mike has planned a party for me here at the house on my birthday. I don't know but what that there will be elephants in the backyard offering rides to all. He's asked me what I want to have to eat and I gave him a few suggestions, but I end up being too practical. Nothing special for me, I say (but I'm secretly thrilled he's having a party for me because I honestly don't know that I've ever asked for something all about me in my whole adult life).

The party is pretty much a mystery in that I don't know the plans. Michael is in charge of it all and I'm a bit terrified that there will be something major missing - like silverware or ice. I asked to stay and help set up everything that day, but Mike has ordered me to go away for the day to shop and relax. I will only be allowed to return an hour before the party to get ready. It kills me. The controlling side of me NEEDS to be there to make sure all is well and in place.

I did suggest my dear husband ask my friend Julie to be the party consultant. She has assured me he has everything under control, and I DO trust her.

Certifiable Crick in the Neck

2008-08-03T20:18:00.002-05:00

So I woke up a few days ago with a typical crick in my neck, annoying but something I get every few months. Then yesterday the muscle spasms began, so painful that I couldn't move for several seconds until it subsided. My head was at a peculiar angle and couldn't seem to straighten up on my neck. What a pain - literally. Mike called the chiropractor I saw four years ago and who I ended up serving with on the Fountain of Youth Daycare board of directors a few years ago. Dr. Jarnigan was thankfully in and could see me. He is the best guy, seems to be a really good chiropractor and has A+ customer service. He takes such good care of you that you want to go back just to feel pampered.

Although he couldn't do a major adjustment on the worst part of my neck the spasms stopped after the appointment. I've still felt out of whack, but am improving. I told Michael that perhaps since I am getting on in years I can no longer bounce back as easily. :o) Incidentally, Dr. Jarnigan told me my neck problem might have been caused by sleeping under a fan in the hot weather. Interesting.

The chiropractor also told me they had been searching for his first patient he ever had in that clinic. The day before I came in they figured out I had been his FIRST patient. He was surprised to see me on Saturday after hearing my name on Friday. I hadn't even seen him in 2+ years! Anyway, he gave me a certificate for a free 1 hour massage - something I've been saying I'll get for a long time.

Michael's Favorite Holiday

2008-08-03T10:51:00.002-05:00

We spent July 4th at my brother and sister-in-law's house in Missouri. It was SUCH a fun day between the trampoline, 4 wheelers, fireworks in the backyard and all the kids running around.

My mother may not appreciate this photo too much. Sorry mom, I didn't realize you had this expression until I saw it here.

Me oh my Josh what could be better to a 2 year old boy than a 4 wheeler?

Here you see my city guy and wild guy. Josh was afraid/ecstatic and not about to get off when he got to go for a ride. Mike couldn't resist getting in on the action and ended up having a ball riding around David's land. This picture was such a good memory that I framed and put it in the living room. Josh admires it regularly. My nephew (8) also has a 4 wheeler which he's had since he was 5. It almost gave me heart failure to see the him ride, but I guess he knows what he's doing at this point.

Nana and Josh looking smoking hot in their helmets. And dear Peanut the dog, God rest your soul. If only you had the doggie sense not to chase cars so passionately you would not have expired before your time.

More Vacation Shots

2008-08-03T10:38:00.002-05:00

This is Averie, our friends Dave and Jen's little girl. She and Josh are only 3 months apart in age so it's fun to see them together. Averie is definitely taller than Josh and so sweetly shy it melts my heart. I have let God know that when he blesses us with a girl I have put an order in for a sweet girly girl.

Did you know you were going to be on my blog Jen? Jen and I spent a lot of time talking about our fresh milled grain breads, recipes and such. Jen got a mill not too long ago and has been baking away. It was really fun to make a batch of bread together, though I felt out of my element with different equipment. Hopefully the bread was okay!

I have a feeling this will be pretty funny to these kids some day.

Great Grandma Betty and Joshua at her condo.

Fun at Grandma Chris's House

2008-08-03T10:16:00.003-05:00

Mike' s mom gets Josh a TON of toys when he visits her or she visits us. He was thrilled beyond words to have a "whimming" pool and with a slide no less. It was never quite warm enough to make the water enjoyable, but Josh loved it, blue lips and all.

Grandma also got him a new tricycle.

Every few minutes an airplane going to or coming from O'Hare Airport would fly by. It was fascinating - if you're a little boy.

Does this face show how excited Josh was to swim? Cloud 9 describes it adequately.

Taste of Chicago

2008-07-31T10:51:00.002-05:00

On our vacation to Chicago this summer Mike and I went into the city one day (Mike's mom kept Josh) to experience the annual Taste of Chicago festival and see a White Sox game. We had a simply wonderful day eating, walking, seeing the city and being together. Mike wanted me to blog what we had to eat at the Taste. Thankfully most of the portions weren't that big so although we ate PLENTY it wasn't as insane as the list most likely appears! And we did walk 10+ miles according to my pedometer that day.

Bolat African Cuisine - Grilled plantain with spicy peanut sauce - good but tiny and expensive (as was everything).

Dominick's - Roasted ultra sweet corn on the cob - fantastic. Perhaps the best corn on the cob I've had since the Wisconsin state fair.

Harry Caray's - Toasted cheese ravioli - not fantastic, but good. We were trying to find something with exactly the amount of tickets we needed to use before leaving.

Las Tablas - Empanada - good

Mazzone's Italian Ice - Italian ice duo - strawberry and lemon. Leave the blue raspberry for the kids!

Robinson's No. 1 Ribs - Boneless rib sandwich - yummy sauce.

Suparossa Pizza - Stuffed sausage pizza - really good sausage, but needed to cook a bit more to melt the cheese inside

Vermillion Latin- Indian Cuisine - Mango cumin-dusted fries with chutney - the only thing we truly didn't like. The cumin was way too strong and way too weird.

Tavern on the Grill - Chicken with tomato and mozzarella salad - I was a big fan of this.

Tavern on the Grill - Salad with rock shrimp, hearts of palm, guacamole and balsamic vinaigrette - Mike liked this a lot. He is a big salad fan and shrimp is definitely a favorite food. I found the lettuce a little wilty and the guacamole a little frozen.

Harry Caray's - fried dough - We thought this would be a savory thing to dip in marinara like we had at a restaurant one time. However it was covered in powdered sugar and melt in your mouth delicious. My mouth is watering thinking of it right now.

Eli's Cheesecake - Frozen chocolate chip toffee crunch cheesecake on a stick. Mike LOVES Eli's cheesecake. For someone who isn't a big sweet eater he certainly liked this.

We laughed at all the transportation we took that day - train to the city, trolley, the "L" in the city, taxi and also our truck. I told Michael we should have taken a boat ride to complete it all that day.

What Lies in the Depths of Your Couch?

2008-06-01T21:50:00.003-05:00

You can see our little naked boy covering his daddy with all the couch pillows. It's always something - hiding, jumping, giggling. There were amazing discoveries to be made in the couch - 4 or more pens, clippers, a toothpick, a screw, lots of crumbs and various other unappetizing things (nasty or "na-tees" as Josh says).

Little Girls Are Soooo Cute

2008-06-01T08:32:00.002-05:00

This is our friend's daughter, Lily. We saw her when we went to drop off Josh so they could watch him and I snapped this picture. She is a super-sweet little girl and makes me want a daughter of my own!

Swimming?!?

2008-05-31T22:46:00.002-05:00

Joshua got to try swimming for the first time this season. We never could convince him to stay in the water last summer. Today he would only step on the first step for the longest time. Then when we were about ready to go he got the courage up to move to the second step. We could tell he was having a great time but just needed to get used to it all. The water was cold - which didn't help! His favorite thing was splashing his daddy.

Grandpa Visits

2008-05-31T22:37:00.001-05:00

Mike's dad, Lyle, came from Denver this weekend to visit us. It's nice to see him!

Suckers Are Sticky

2008-05-31T22:12:00.001-05:00

Do these pictures really need any explanation?

I Want a Garden

2008-05-22T15:46:00.002-05:00

So I've decided I want a garden and I think I want chickens and cows too. I can't fully explain it in words, but it's growing to be something I'm quite passionate about. Our friends Juli and Heath have talked about buying land and sharing some acres with two other couples so we can have fruits/vegetables and some animals. That way we could all share in the responsibility and the harvest.

Here are the pros to having this available:
1. Fresh food doesn't hold a candle nutritionally to what you can buy at the store, picked green and shipped from who knows where.
2. If we grow it we know what has been done to it.
3. As I get older I guess I want roots. Growing things from beginning to end appeals to me.
4. We want to be healthy and eat whole foods God made to eat.
5. It's cheaper!
6. It's still available in times of disaster.
7. I want my children to appreciate the outdoors, to run and play and climb trees.

Here are the cons or things I see as road blocks:
1. I sure don't know much about gardening or raising animals, although I do have many senior citizens I work with as resources!
2. Mike is not passionate about it like I am. It just is not HIS passion. It is mine. I told him the other day I wanted a garden and a mini van. He asked if I could just get a "virtual garden" and laughed. I told him he was sports cars and condos and I am gardens and mini vans. He denied the condo part but would like to have a lawn service. :o)
3. We have a perfectly fine house in town. I like our house and we have not grown out of it.
4. We do not own the land where I could have much of a garden or animals at this time.
5. It's NICE to be within walking distance of Walmart. We like it.
6. I'm busy. Do I have time to take on something new?
7. What if I did not like it once I got it? I may not like all the outdoor work, or all the work period. Gardens and animals do not grow themselves without help.

To be continued....some day some year.

Our First Trip to the Emergency Room

2008-05-19T21:47:00.002-05:00

Oh me, oh my. The Thursday before Josh's 2nd birthday he fell and hit the corner of a wall - with his head no less. It was gaping open and clearly needed medical attention. So off we went to the emergency room - for 6 1/2 hours! Josh wasn't in pain, but it was increasingly difficult to manage a toddler in a germ infested room. It wasn't even that busy, but apparently it was the night for lacerations and "we only have one sewing room." The longer we were there the more Josh said, "Home. Home. Done."

When it came time for the stitches they kicked Michael out of the room, covered Josh's eyes and held him down. He, of course, screamed bloody murder and then some. It is a horrific thing to have my child afraid and screaming "Mommy!! Daddy!!! Daddy!!!" It was all I could do not to break down and weep, and it was all Michael could do not to burst in the room and rescue Joshua. But as a parent sometimes we have to choose the adult thing, the right thing.

We got home at midnight that evening, completely exhausted. I mean wiped out. What a day.

On a good note: before we went to the doctor to have the stitches removed I prayed that Josh would be calm, that the right people would work with him and that angels would surround him during the experience. They had three nurses in the room, expecting to have to restrain him. Josh got up on the table, and lay perfectly still the whole time - not making a peep. He was happy as a lark and thrilled to get a sucker. How gracious is a God that hears the prayers of a mother for her little child. We are thankful for answered prayer!

My Pretty Girl, Josh-a-weena

2008-05-19T21:41:00.003-05:00

Looks like a ballerina, but I think it was in reality basketball.
Oh his tippy toes like Daddy!
Studying an engineering book.

We had some clothes someone gave us that included cute little girl things. Josh insisted on putting on this dress one evening when Michael was away. We had a good time playing. Some day I'll get me a little girl!

Misc. Josh

2008-05-19T21:31:00.003-05:00

He still likes making a mess!
Josh loves the cat, Tuffy, at his grandparent's house. She doesn't love him nearly as much as he loves her.
One of my favorite flowers - daffodils.

Are they hoodlums?

Hail, Hail, Hail

2008-05-19T16:50:00.004-05:00

We had a ridculously bad hail storm one evening. Michael was gone to a work dinner and actually got caught in the blast. It was like nothing we've ever seen before - golf ball size hail. Some even reported baseball size hail. Right now everyone in our neighborhood seems to be getting a new roof! We had one broken window and some other damage. The worst was Michael's truck. His windshield was destroyed and the truck is pock marked all over. We are just thankful to God that the windshield did not cave in on him. Many people had windows completely broken out.

Guitar Man

2008-05-19T16:26:00.002-05:00

Josh is obsessed with guitars and motorcycles. He thinks Michael's Guitar Hero is a real guitar and that Michael is pretty cool because he can play the guitar. We're hoping he gets all his wildness out before he gets to the teenage years. :o)

Going pretend "night-night" on the guest bed. I
Making bread with Nana.
Cheese!

The Blog is Back!

2008-05-19T15:54:00.003-05:00

Looking out the window at a train going by at Nana and Granddad's house in Missouri.
Mike's mom sent an Easter basket for Josh with chcoclate marshmallow bunnies, Peeps (ick) and a remote control car. The car is posessed. Every time we flip the channel on the tv or adjust the volume or even turn on a light in a room the car makes a sound.

Easter at my Aunt Carol and Uncle Bill's house close to Nevada, MO. Since I was a little girl we've been going to their house for Easter Sunday. My cousin Kim and I used to ride our bikes to church (uncle Bill is the pastor) sometimes and I got mud on my new dress more than once.

After a long time of not blogging - 2 months - I'm back. Life happens so quickly. I'm thrilled summer is here, or almost here. We've been wearing shorts, playing outside and eating more salads.

2008-03-18T13:26:00.003-05:00

This weekend was busy since I was gone all day Saturday and we were busy on Sunday. I stopped at a mall on my way home Saturday and think I have finally found some shoes I like. I don't know what's happened to me over the past few years, but I've stopped buying shoes (except tennis shoes). Now I'm pretty desperate to have some new black work shoes. I bought some Earth shoes - have you heard of them?- a few weeks ago and ended up taking them back. They are really cool becasuse they are at a decline toward the heel. It helps you have better posture and are rated very well. But after bringing them home they hurt my arch and honestly, they were a little ugly. What I ended up with on Saturday was some Merrell Relay Tour shoes. They aren't black, but I'll use them this summer during sandal season. They aren't cheap buy I decided I was going to need to spend some money to get some good comfy shoes.

Sunday Mike had a meeting after church. They served pizza and cookies. It was really good to have pizza. I haven't had pizza in a long time, and Papa John's is our favorite. Then we had pizza and cookies at our small group on Sunday evening. So we ate it again and for some reason it didn't set very well with us. It felt like lead and Michael had a bellyache on Monday. Ick. I think it was too much pizza syndrome.

Michael left for Chicago last night. I just hate it when he leaves. He's just a part of me now and when he's gone part of me is gone. But he hasn't been home since the summer and his grandma's 85th birthday is today. We are excited he gets to celebrate with her.

Today is the darkest and rainiest day. Josh and I have been at home. Maybe tomorrow will be nicer.

Old Friends

2008-03-15T08:29:00.003-05:00

Well today I'm off to see some old friends from college. Now they are not literally old, mind you. They are my age (I'm the only one still in my 30's though!). Sonja was my dorm roommate for two years. We were randomly put together as freshman, but it we became good friends and still email regularly. Sonja has had two kids in the past two years and also has two step sons. I'm sure they have a busy house! Beth was my suitemate for two years and then my roommate during my senior year. She is a teacher and always a lot of fun to be around. Bethie is getting married this summer and we're all taking her a little gift today to celebrate. Amy was my suitemate for a couple of years. (Suitemate means our room was connected by a bathroom, which we all four shared). Amy lives with her husband in Kansas. Should be a fun time!

I better get going. I have to drive a good two hours and I haven't gotten Beth her gift yet!

Go Horsey!

2008-03-12T09:56:00.002-05:00

Go Daddy go!
Tackling Daddy - a game Josh loves to play.
Get up and do it again Daddy.
My little monkey, quiet at last. Sometimes he's subdued after a bath. I usually use these opportunities to sneak in a snuggle. We cherish these moments since Josh isn't a real snuggler.

Clean, Clean, Clean

2008-03-12T09:50:00.002-05:00

Josh played at the sink last week when I was desperate to have him entertained for a while. He loved it, of course. It was quite a mess on the floor, and he kept putting my clean dishes in the water again. His clothes were soaked. As is Josh's fashion, he didn't want the water at a trickle. He would climb up there so he could turn it full blast. I had to keep an eye on the sink to make sure it didn't overflow!

Bob the Builder

2008-03-12T09:42:00.002-05:00

Josh has a new found love. It's Bob the Builder. He would never watch tv before, and doen't sit still to watch much now. But he does love Bob the Builder and asks to watch his Bob video. He notices him everywhere we go. Here is a picture of him with Scoop (Bob's right hand piece of equipment). And there's a silly pic of me and Joshy.

Things I've Forgotten

2008-02-23T22:15:00.004-06:00

This weekend there was a women's retreat in Northwest Arkansas put on by the women of our church. So Thursday I brought Josh to Mom and Dad's house in southwest Missouri so they could watch him while I went to the retreat and so Michael could have a peaceful and productive weekend. Sometimes I'm struck how much I've forgotten about being at my parents' house. Here are some of them:

1. It's a small house. You hear everything. I remember growing up being able to determine who was coming in the door just by the way their footsteps sound and how they shut the door.

2. They like to open the shades every day to let the light in. We have a pretty light house in Arkansas and I often forget to open the shades. It's a nice thing - to let the light in and enjoy the day.

3. My mom works so hard. When I was growing up I NEVER appreciated how much physical labor it took for her to work full time, cook, clean, take care of kids, do laundry, etc. She is such a hard worker, and never complains about all she has to do.

4. I dislike clutter. The older mom and dad get the more they collect. If you look at older pictures of our house there was not much clutter. But somehow it's grown over the years (especially after retirement), and with a small house it's a constant struggle to find somewhere to put something. Although my house may look more bare, I like it that way.

5. My parent's take Josh more in stride than I do. They have always welcomed him into their home and life. Rather than stop everything they are doing they incorporate him into what they do (when possible). Josh is a HUGE fan of my dad and loves to be around him all the time.

6. Mom and dad keep a well-stocked pantry. While it does make more food to store it's nice not to have to go to the store to make a meal. They can always find something to fix.

7. While this is the only house I ever knew growing up, it's no longer home to me. I don't know when that happened. Maybe in college? Maybe when I got married? At some point it became strange to spend long periods of time here. Not because I didn't feel welcome, but because I was used to being on my own and had my own place. Now, with a family I am really settled into our home and so thankful for it.

8. I liked growning up in a small town. The majority of the people I graduated with in my class of 33 were people I started kindergarten with. It was a good experience, and I wouldn't trade it. But I certainly wouldn't choose to live in a small town now without a decent-sized town close by. The closest mall from here is an hour away. At least there was Walmart 15 minutes away when I grew up, but not much else.

Buried in Shirts

2008-02-20T21:10:00.001-06:00

I had a pile of Michael's shirts waiting to got the dry cleaners

yesterday. Josh decided that he would cover himself up with them. Why not?

Icky Sicky

2008-02-20T16:25:00.002-06:00

Josh has been really sick starting on Valentine's Day and progressively getting worse. We finally took him to the doctor on Saturday. He had eye infections and an ear infection along with a terrible cough and stopped up nose. So our sick-saga never seems to end.

You can see in the pictures how gross Josh looked. This really does nothing to show how nasty his goopy eyes were, how red they got or how crusty his nose was. I canNOT stand to have stuff on his face like that (Mike does not care), but Josh would throw a fit when I tried to get him cleaned up. Maybe his nose was sore.

Anyway, we had about three ROUGH nights without much sleep. There were several breakdowns on my part after the tiredness set in, but we are all on the mend now, praise God!

My Sweetheart is SO Sweet

2008-02-20T16:19:00.004-06:00

Michael had flowers sent to me for Valentine's Day. They arrived on Wednesday (a day early). I was feeling emotional for a number of reasons (girls are entitled to that, right?) so when they came I just cried and cried. He is so sweet. Josh was a little concerned about my crying, but I assured him they were happy tears (because I'm sure he knows the difference). :o) Anyway, I have enjoyed my flowers so much over the past week. They sure say "I love you!"

Tulips are my favorite, and they are the first flowers Michael ever bought me. It was our first "real" date in Febuary of 2001. He even made me a chocolate cake (never has done it again) and made the frosting. Unfortunately he slipped on the icy porch of my apartment steps in Indiana and fell. The plate with the cake broke in two pieces. We did salvage the cake, but Mike was terribly embarassed!

Mikey in the News

2008-02-20T16:17:00.002-06:00

Michael was the "expert" featured on a story the other night on the local news. He still hasn't watched it! He says he knows what he said and doesn't need to watch it. Here is the link. I'm not sure how long the link will be active.

http://www.4029tv.com/video/15331016/index.html

Bubba's Boo-boo

2008-02-20T16:13:00.002-06:00

Joshy got his first real boo-boo a few weeks ago. After I told him not to do it he still reached over and touched the burner on the hot stove. (His favorite word is hot). He cried and cried. He didn't know quite what to do with the pain so he ripped the blister off of the finger burned the worst. Of course that made it hurt more.

As it healed he was quite obsessed with having a bandaid on one or two fingers. Now that it's better he still wants a bandaid on his finger. Unfortunately they end up falling off quite often.

We Have A Climber!

2008-02-20T16:11:00.002-06:00

Josh climbs onto and into everything he can think of. We have to really watch him. Lately he has been dumping out the clothes from the hamper, turning it upside down and then climbing onto it. Then into the dryer he goes. It's quite unsafe because the hamper is not too stable.

I Have Nothing To Say

2008-02-12T21:40:00.002-06:00

Here is a day when I have nothing to say but want to say something. I talked to my mom today and really couldn't think of a single interesting thing to say. I've just been cooped up in the house for so long I'm desperate for intereaction with someone that is older than 1 year of age. Help! I need to not be followed to the bathroom and have to announce "Mama has to go potty." I need to not read and re-read the line "Roses are red and Elmo is too. There are so many red things and so much to do." I need to not hunt down a binky every 10 minutes.

I called my friend Julie today and asked if I could stop by to chat for a minute and bring her a loaf of bread. I didn't have anything interesting to say to her either. But I needed a girlfriend to make me feel human again. She did. She's very real and funny and engaging. And there is always a new development to tell me with her friend who is having a terrible torrid secret affair. (The latest is that she's dumped him). It's quite disturbing.

All in all. I just need a break every now and then. Being sick has kept me at home for so long. I need to breathe! I think I'm going to get my hair highlighted on Thursday. It looks quite skanky and is overdue. Maybe that will be the pick-me-up I need. I told Michael tonight I'm just not feeling Valentine's Day this year. Maybe on Thursday I will.

Snow (barely)

2008-02-10T21:39:00.000-06:00

Not a big fan of the snow in his hair or eyelashes.

We recently got some snow here in Arkansas. It wasn't even enough to cover the grass, but that's all we ever seem to get! It's not even pretty except when it falls. Josh was quite fascinated with the snow and kept asking about it the next day. It sounds more like "no" than snow, but I know what he is asking. In fact he still asks about it and notices it on tv when it's on.

I miss the snow, but it was awfully nice to go out on this Sunday afternoon in February without jackets and play in the backyard.

A Symbol of Our Love

2008-02-10T21:35:00.000-06:00

For our recent date night Michael brought me a flower. Here is a flower a week or so later. Michael always tells me when I admire whatever flower he has brought me to hear it say, "I love you! I love you!" If I listen closely I can hear it tell me just that. But after it dies I like to tell Michael that the flower is just a symbol of our love. Ha!

Curtains - finally!

2008-02-10T21:18:00.000-06:00

My parents came a month or so ago for a visit. While they were here my dad and Michael got my window treatments put up in the kitchen. The story behind these can still make my blood boil if I think about it too hard. The lady at the store who made them said it would be 8 weeks before I got them. Well, it was 5.5 months before I got them. It was ridiculous!

Then they were kind of crazy to hang so they sat in our hall closet for a long time until Michael could get some help to hang them. When they went to hang them they found one was too long over the sink where the fabric is mashed up against the cabinet. Also the board over the big window is BOWED! Is is off by about 1". My dad urged me to have the people make it right, but after all I had been through with them I never wanted to talk to the lady again. Anyway, they are now up and unless you look the problems are not too obvious.

I'm so glad to have window treatments after living here 4 years!!! You can see in the picture that Josh was worse than a puppy dog trying to "help." He has to be right in the middle of everything.

The Flu

2008-02-09T13:09:00.000-06:00

It has felt like life will never return to normal. Michael came home with the flu last Thursday, absolutely miserable. He spent at least three hours sitting in the bathroom thinking he was going to throw up. Then he just sat there because he felt so crummy with a fever close to 104 degrees. After a few days I then got the illness. It has just zapped me. Even after I felt better I would just get so sleepy I could hardly go. This is day seven and I finally feel close to normal. Praise God!

During this whole time we were praying Josh would not get it. Well Thursday his voice sounded a little bad so we kept him home from the babysitter just to be EXTRA cautious. We didn't want another house to suffer like we had. He ran a slight fever on Thursday evening but has never had much besides that. We are so thankful!

We did feel like dorks having to cancel our Super Bowl party on Sunday. Then I was supposed to talk for a bit at the women's meeting at church Tuesday. I had to cancel that as well. We've just chalked it up to life. It happens.

We are so looking forward to a "normal" week of feeling good and getting stuff done.

Josh Being Josh

2008-01-16T14:15:00.000-06:00

My what big eyes you have!

The banana had to go for a ride in the train, of course. He's always coming up with something!

Josh likes to throw the blankets out of the armoire and climb inside. Daddy doesn't like it so much, but Mommy thinks it's harmless fun.

Silver Dollar City video

2008-01-16T14:05:00.000-06:00

Here's a short video from Silver Dollar City.

2008-01-16T13:44:00.000-06:00

The nightly parade that goes down main street. I love it!

This was our visit to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri the day after Christmas. They have an ABSOLUTELY beautiful park at Christmas. The amount of lights is unbelievable. Unfortunatly it was cold AND rainy, making it a little miserable. The bad weather did keep the crowds away. Our group consisted of my aunt Carol and uncle Bill, my cousin Kim and their friend Ashley, my mom and brother Matt and me and Joshua.

I was worried about how Josh might act, but he was so fascinated with everything that he was an angel. He even sat through the Live Nativity show and The Dicken's Christmas Carol. Josh was more bundled up than he's ever been before and refused to wear his hat.

Here's the Silver Dollar City website: http://www.bransonsilverdollarcity.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=55

Christmas at Nana and Grandad's

2008-01-16T13:25:00.000-06:00

Available in 2008! The Joshua doll. Isn't it cute?

We had a great time having Christmas at my mom and dad's house in Missouri. Michael came home after Christmas but Josh and I stayed the rest of the week and had a lot of fun.

Christmas at Home

2008-01-16T13:13:00.000-06:00

We had Christmas at home on December 23 before leaving town. Josh had a good time opening presents. He didn't really get the stocking idea, but I'm sure he will next year!

2008 Goals

2008-01-01T14:27:00.000-06:00

Here are my goals for 2008. There are 12, but several of them are connected.

1. Eat out less. It's bad for us and our pocketbook.

2. Eat more naturally. Less sugar and white flour. My friend and I committed to no sugar in January. Every time we mess up it will cost us $10.

3. Do more with whole grains. I love them and want to learn more about them.

4. Start a whole grain recipe file.

5. Be hot for my 30th birthday. I'm not talking leather pants and stilettos. I'm talking thinner and perhaps some new hair and trendier clothes.

6. Do Flylady routines. They help the house run much more smoothly - clean and organized.

7. Fast at least 1 meal per week.

8. Run a 5K race.

9. Become more flexible.

10. Memorize scripture. The goal is 1 verse a week and 1 chapter a month.

11. Go to bed earlier.

12. Spend less money.

2008!!!!!

2008-01-01T13:37:00.001-06:00

I'm pretty excited that 2008 is here. It seems fresh and new and like a starting-over. Although there is nothing significant about the changing of a Monday to a Tuesday or one month to the next, it just feels like a page has turned and there are different things to come. I wonder how God is going to use me in the coming year. What miracles are we going to see? How is God at work in those around us?

Last night on New Year's Eve my friend Juli was saying she thought this year was going to be one of restoration. I'm claiming that for my parents and brother. There needs to be restoration of what the enemy (Satan) has stolen. You might think I'm talking gibberish, but the bible says that Satan comes to "steal, kill and destroy." He has stolen much from my family and left bitterness, insecurities, fear and depression. There needs to be victory, and in a bad way.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). We are carrying a burden for a couple in our young married group to have children. They have been trying for 5+ years now and have spent a lot of time and money to have children. May God show mercy to them and bless them with fruit (children) in their family. Hopefully I can update you soon with good news about them.

My desire is to learn how to have more sense of community and connectedness among our friends. We have talked about it several times and they desire it too, but are unsure how to make it happen. Somehow our generation is so independent and busy that we have lost the know-how of having people involved in our lives. For me, I think I must put aside my perfectionism about having a perfect house and meal and energy before having people over. We like to have company over, but the weeks just go by so fast that it rarely happens without lots of planning. I'm going to do better at this in 2008! I'm also going to call people just to say hello. So there!

Michael's Annual Nosebleed

2007-12-23T14:40:00.000-06:00

Well Michael started his annual nosebleed yesterday. The dry air always seems to bring it on. When he was in college at Marquette he finally had to go have his nose cauterized to stop the frequent nosebleeds. Mike said they asked over and over if he did cocaine. (it was downtown Milwaukee after all). He finally decided to go to the doctor today to stop a particularly bad nosebleed.

So off we went after church, at a time already past Josh's nap time, to the walk-in clinic. Thankfully since he was bleeding they worked Mike in faster, but it still took an hour. Josh got pretty antsy while we were waiting - occasionally breaking free to run away and laughing uproariously, finding a used napkin on the floor, trying to get a bottle of bubbles left on the windowsill. The more tired he got the wilder he became.

The doctor said Michael had a pretty good clot and didn't think it needed packed or cauterized. It was good to get his opinion. Hopefully it will now start to heal and stop bleeding. We've got the humidifier going in our bedroom to help with dry air.

I need to go pack stuff for our holiday trip. The house is in dire need of attention. Somehow it will all get done before the day ends. Can you sense it? I'm tired.

Christmas Menu

2007-12-22T14:52:00.001-06:00

My parents always have a BIG dinner on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The last few years I've been encouraging them to cut back and make life more simple. Although the food is great it is a lot of work to prepare it and clean up. My dad's mom was a great cook and we said she always had to have at least 10 dishes when we came over for Sunday lunch. I'm not joking. She knew how to put out a big spread. Food seemed to be her way to show she loved us. Look at my waistline and you'll see I still confuse food and love!

So anyway, her tradition continues. To the best of my recollection here is the menu:

Ham (I wanted bone in, but I think a boneless has been purchased).

Sweet Potatoes - my dad makes wonderful sweet potatoes. The goo at the bottom tastes like candy. Our sweet potatoes must have toasted marshmallows on top.

Corn Pudding - This is a recipe my Ma-maw (mom's mom) used to make all the time. It is a tradition we must continue. We even have the dish she baked it in. I am particularly fond of it.

Cranberry Salad -Mom adores this salad. I could do without it, but I firmly believe that if there is dish someone likes for the holidays they should get it.

Cheese Grits - Yummy! These grits are baked with garlic and cheese. Michael even likes them. They may be a bit strange to people from the north. I think there is a funny story of my cousin's husband sneaking his to the dog and getting caught.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad - It has bacon, sunflower seeds and a sweet and sour dressing (and broccoli and cauliflower too, of course!).

Green Beans - Because there has to be something green.

Hot Rolls - If I have time I'm going to make some fresh ground wheat rolls. If not, we will have store bought rolls.

Stuffed Celery - My grandma (dad's mom) used to have this on her holiday tables. This is in rememberance of her. If possible, I steal some stuffed celery before the meal.

Carrot Cake - Mom makes a mean carrot cake - rich and moist. Of course I always say dirt would taste good with enough cream cheese frosting.

A Trifle - Michael has donned my sister-in-law, Shari, the Queen of Trifles. She didn't bring one to Thanksgiving (throwing Michael off) and promised one for Christmas.

I think Mississippi Mud Cake has been scratched off the menu since Shari is bringing a trifle. We once calculated the calories in an entire cake. It was beyond ridiculous. You might as well unbutton your pants before you start eating it. It is not for the faint of heart.

There may be some things I've forgotten. You know in some countries this amount of food is unheard of. I am so thankful for the abundance we have. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways, and I don't say that in an "oh isn't that nice" sort of way. God is really good to us and we should live our lives in thankfulness and worship of Him. I am so looking forward to spending Christmas with my family. Although we have our problems, they are my family and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Am I the Only Tired Mommy?

2007-12-22T14:23:00.000-06:00

Why am I tired? Well yesterday I got all of our Christmas cards mailed (yes it's way late to mail them), finished up the last bit of shopping with the crazy drivers out there, picked up Michael from work since his truck was being worked on, made dinner, dealt with a very cranky Joshua, wrapped presents for 1 1/2 hours+, and then got up with Joshua at 4:30am-ish for a strange middle of the night rendezvous.

Josh refused to go back to bed and wailed and boo-hoo'ed until I came back. After try #2 Michael went in. Josh was having none of that, and ran into our bedroom to find me. (Keep in mind this has NEVER happened before. If Josh wakes up he ALWAYS goes back to bed, and I'm super strict about goofing off at night. It is forbidden!). Joshua might have been allowed to stay in our bed but he put his head on my pillow and his feet in Michael's face! (He never sleeps in our bed). Then he sat up and was generally disruptive. At this point it was nearly 6am. I gave up and brought him to the living room where he played and I layed down on the couch. He finally got up onto the recliner and we finally slept until 9am. He's as cheerful as can be this morning. Me, not so much. Even after my morning coffee I feel "off."

What got into that boy I do not know. Perhaps gas? Perhaps teething? We get so tired of supposing what might be wrong with him, but never knowing. We look forward to him being able to tell us his problems so we can better handle them. Michael's mom said he came to her once and to tell her that his hair hurt. Some days my hair hurts too.

My Silly Boy

2007-12-16T14:51:00.001-06:00

Josh LOVES kitchen appliances. You'll see him here with a few of his dear friends - the crock pot and the stand mixer. We even visit the appliance aisle at Walmart more than the toys! This morning he had the small crock pot stuffed with his animals, stirring them with a spoon and saying "hot." He is so funny.

Grandma's Here!

2007-12-16T14:35:00.000-06:00

Mike's mom was able to come for a weekend to visit. It was so good to have her. We had and early Christmas with her. Joshua opened his first present ever. You can see the car his Grandma got him. He saw it before he was supposed to and threw a screaming, throw-himself-down fit when Michael tried to take it away. Josh was a big fan of Grandma and followed her around the house whenever he could. She quickly learned that you have to lock a door to keep him out!

Thanksgiving

2007-12-16T14:17:00.000-06:00

Yes, I'm backtracking, but I wanted to post some pictures from Thanksgiving. You will see the sad pumpkin pie picture. On the LONG two hour trip to mom and dad's Josh at one point escaped from his carseat. When Michael pulled over so we could get him settled in again he fell into the floor - and in to my pumpkin pie! I was not happy at the time (an understatement) but have since found a bit of humor in the incident. Michael even wiped the pie from Josh's foot and fed it to him! Josh loves pumpkin pie.

You'll also see in these pictures my niece Jessie and my nephew Britain, my mom "Nana" reading to Josh, my brother Matt and my Dad deep in prayer (or could it be sleep?) after the Thanksgiving meal.

Annual Cookie Exchange

2007-12-12T22:03:00.000-06:00

Pic 1 - Some of the girls from our young married group (Amy, Juli, MaryBeth, Christina, Ashley and Me). Aren't they so cute? Perhaps some of their beauty and fashion sense will rub off on me some day.

Pic 2 - My girl Jennifer. A beautiful girl, inside and out.

Pic 3 - Some of the MANY cookies for the exchange. Connie has a giant dining room table. It was overflowing.

Pic 4 - Norma, Carol and Connie (the hostess). Connie has been so gracious to host many events at her lovely new home.

Here are a few pictures from our annual cookie exchange with the women at our church. There were 40+ of us in attendance. All sorts of interesting cookies were on display, some beautiful and some more plain-jane. My favorite cookie was a cranberry and pistachio cookie. I made frosted sugar cookies. Never Again! Josh played with my rolling pin the night before (Michael's doings) and although I searched for it for at least 30 mintues it was no where to be found in the entire house. I rolled out my cookies with a non-stick cooking spray can!

After the cookie exchange we have an ornament exchange. I tell you, the women at this church find the most gorgeous ornaments. Of course we play "dirty Santa" style and your ornament can be stolen by another. There is always a lot of laughter and upset at the crazy luck of some women.

Some Verse Favs From 07

2007-12-11T13:41:00.000-06:00

Here are some of my favorite verses from the past few months.

"But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything." Mark 4:34

"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6:31

Obviously the Lord has been speaking to me about finding time to be with Him. Since Josh has become a part of our lives it seems the days and weeks just fly by. Most days I'm overwhelmed with my to do list and the lack of time to complete it. I so long to rest in the Lord. I so long to find peace in His arms. But most often I turn to my own strengths and try to be self sufficient. It is when I try so hard to be everything and do everything on my own that I crash and burn (cry and generally lose it).

Having Joshua has forced me to be much more disciplined in my life and routines. This is the first year I've EVER been able to get up and have a quiet time in the morning. It's been a desire for a long time, but something at which I always felt a failure. I could never seem to get up earlier or go to bed earlier. But these growing pains of self discipline (and they were painful) have brought good things from the Lord.

I long to spend more time with the Lord. So often I read scripture and then find an hour later I've forgotten what I read. I want to somehow meditate on the truths until they become a part of me and my life. I want to understand how God thinks and moves. What is he doing in the world around me? How can I influence others for His sake? Obviously I still have a lot to learn.

"They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42

-The Apostles Teaching
-Fellowship
-Breaking of Bread
-Prayer

"...for I, the Lord, am your healer." Exodus 15:26

The Lord has taught me more this year about healing and His mighty touch. He has shown me this to the point where I believe it, really believe it, and really believe it more. He is all powerful and able to touch us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually (and in any other area we might need healing!). I don't understand why some are healed and some are not, but I am certainly convinced that he is able and DOES heal today.

I'm reading a book now that has enthralled me more than any book in a long time. It's called The Kiss of God by Vail Carruth. The book is about her deep journey into Transcendental Meditation and other religions and then into complete freedom and truth in Christ. She lived at Berkeley during the hippie movement. Her story has kept me wide-eyed with fascination as I read each night. She actually goes to my church. I have spoken to her husband Joe many times, but not Vail. I'm so excited to talk to her sometime and get to know her. It's obvious from her book that she is a brilliant, deeply perceptive woman.

Wart Home Remedy

2007-12-03T16:05:00.001-06:00

After having two warts for 2+ years and putting off going to the doctor to have them painfully burned off (it pretty much hurt like the devil the last time I had it done) I found a home remedy. Here's the solution. Pull the cotton off the end of a q-tip and soak it in apple cider vinegar. Then tape the cotton onto your wart using whatever sort of tape you have on hand. I had tape they gave me after surgery that worked great. I did the treatment only at night since one wart was on my big toe, but you can do it during the day. The cotton needs to be refreshed as it dries.

The warts got black streaks in them and then started breaking off. If you google wart home remedy you can find more information. I was so excited when the big wart on my toe started going away. I hated it! How wonderful to find such a simple solution. I'd tried vitamin E (which did shrink them) and some over the counter remedies (which don't really work).

Anyway, just thought you should know. Since warts are so not-sexy it would be great if you could keep this our little secret. :o) I don't want my hundreds of high profile friends to find out.

Me a Runner?

2007-11-20T15:47:00.000-06:00

Ha ha ha ha! Yeah right. I wouldn't call myself a runner, but I'm slowly trying to become that. My physical condition is strong as far as muscles go. I take some fairly rigorous aerobics classes and have improved tremendously over the past few years. However, my heart and lungs are in need of some conditioning. Why running? Well, I'm not too sure about that myself. It's just a desire I have - to be able to run.

The Plan
I'm on Week 2 of the 5K training program on www.coolrunning.com. Last week was devoid of workouts of any sort because of our illnesses. It's amazing how quickly one can transition to not working out and losing all desire to be active. Yesterday I made myself get back out and run (it's really jogging and walking - so you know the reality of the situation). This week I am jogging 90 seconds and walking 2 mintues in repeating intervals for 20 mintues. For you fitness buffs out there I'm sure that sounds like a weiner level of running. It is. But I'm working my way up. I could already see an improvement of my time in the first week.

The Inspiration
1. It's been 1 1/2 years since I birthed a child. Unfortunately my pants are still way tighter than the should be at this point. My battle with the scale has been long and brutal (usually with the scales victorious). I'll talk about my weight and how it's affected me some other time.
2. My friend Jen (Michael's buddy Dave's wife) recently started running and completed a 5K race. She so inspired me because she started from nothing and worked up to a 5K in 6 weeks. How cool is that.
3. I want to be healthy and live well. I want to be strong and capable of doing the activities I want and need to do. With my back surgery 3 years ago I don't take it for granted that I can bend over and pick up Joshua without pain or worry.
4. Running makes me feel energized and confidant.

The Plan
My goal is to run a 5K race in February. That's 3.1 miles. Can I do it? We'll see!

My Worries
Michael and I are concerned that my body just can't handle running. Several months ago I attempted to jog 1/2 mile and my back was out for a good week. The weird thing was that I felt the Lord wanted me to start running then. I was so disappointed when my back couldn't take it. This time it seems to be doing well. Praise God! My knees were a little sore yesterday, but otherwise I'm surviving.

Top 10 of M.C. Rendog

2007-11-18T14:42:00.000-06:00

Here are the top 10 reasons Michael is a wonderful husband:

1. He is kind and tender toward me - never mean, harsh or ugly.

2. He is patient and has patiently loved this imperfect girl for 5 years.

3. He has proven himself trustworthy and dependable.

4. He is generous with me is always willing to spend money on something that will make my life easier or more peaceful.

5. He's a good Daddy to Joshua and helps share the load of parenting.

6. He is a wise and Godly man who leads our family well.

7. He is my bestest friend in the whole world - there for me in the best and worst times, a good listener and someone who always knows an interesting bit of something to talk about.

8. He will say I'm sorry (even when I'm wrong and he isn't).

9. He is ambitious and hard-working.

10. He makes me laugh, even with his goofy humor.

My first blog

2007-11-17T23:58:00.000-06:00

Tonight I told Michael I wanted a blog for Christmas. Santa must have come early because here I am 30 minutes later - blogging! How simple. Michael is so nice to me. If I would have known how easy it was I would have done it long ago.

Now I'm asking myself what one actually says on a blog. Apparently anything one wants! I can tell you it has been a rough week for the Reynolds's family. Josh has barfed at least seven times (and that means Michael and I cleaned up at least seven barfs) over the period of a week. Our carpet may not recover. Michael called in sick to work for the first time ever due to illness (also barfing). And although I never toss my cookies (22 years and counting) I felt pretty rotten too.

This time change has been killing me. Josh has been getting up an hour early - time I used to have to have a quiet time and get ready. Michael says we need blackout curtains. I tried to tell Josh it was the weekend and to let Mommy sleep. Ha! Forget it. He got even earlier today. So sleepy Mommy tried to get Joshua to watch a cartoon and lay on the couch. Ha! Forget that too. It lasted about 10 seconds. He's busy from the time he gets up until the time he goes to bed. So I gave up on TV and fixed us some breakfast. Josh kept licking the jelly off his toast and asking for more.