Blog - Round Trois

Here I am determined yet again to do my blog. I love the idea, and am forever thinking to myself "I need to blog this or that", but it just hasn't been happening. I was given crap for that the other day, and life is calming down a bit again, so for the sake of recording life's moments and for the enjoyment of my two followers (estimates rounded up to the next whole number), I am back.
A list of things I need to catch up on:
Key Largo
Curacao
Ethan's basketball and baseball seasons
OMG Did we really bid on a house?
Cub scouts
New house
Jordan mission trip
Jordan tennis
Tour of Warm Springs Ranch
Fishin'
Pool ownership
Loose horses
PA Board
Summer visitors
Skunk!
Shamelessly enjoying neighbors' expensive firework shows
Lainey is 5 years old
Wednesday's with Eliza
Reverting to slow internet
That Lake House feeling
Learners' Permit
Gator
Trail ride
House selling fun
Bill's fun with pool skimmers

Right now I am sending a couple photos to a friend. I began that project a bit before 10AM. It is now 11:30. Still "sending mail". Yeah right. Happily if I don't add photos to this blog I should be able to post things in a reasonable time frame. Besides the photo uploading (don't expect a ton of stuff on Flickr anytime soon) it's not so bad and certainly limits any unneccessary web use. Except for Jordan who still manages to enjoy 6 hours or more per day online. Teen priorities!

This weekend is a fun little whirlwind. Yesterday we cleaned and prepped for a swim/fish party for Ethan's baseball team. From 4-6:30 all was as planned. Luckily we held off eating and had set up food indoors because about then a huge storm rolled up and we all rushed in just in time to eat and watch the storm. So instead of lawn games and a bonfire with marshmallows, the kids played Wii for a bit then when Wii gave way to battles in the basement (fun ones with toy swords and helmets) Bill and Coach took them to the barn for some basketball contests. It turned out beautifully and ended up lasting until about 9:30. A stringer of fish were taken home including the new record Cat of 26 inches. Coach hooked it but handed it off to Danny (Lightning) Nichols who reeled it in and claimed the prize for Biggest Fish.

Next I ran Jordan to town. She, Kahlea and Mikayla had planned to spend the night together at Kahlea's house before leaving at 6:30 this morning for their mission trip. The plan, like last year, was to dress all in black and sneakily decorate the four vans last night. The rain spoiled that plan, but after a quick stop at Wal-Mart for last minute items, Jordan drove me from Wal-Mart to Kahlea's house (significant driving in town, in rain, in dark even if a short way) and the girls had their slumber party and compared snacks and other fun stuff they had packed.

Today we will freshen up the house in preparation for a 3:00 pool party. Lainey's birthday was the 10th but this was our best bet for a party with friends. We have a kitty theme, with donations to the local Humane Society instead of gifts. Kitty cupcakes, goldfish crackers, Swedish fish, and goody bags that I sewed (yes the machine was coated in dust and the bags look like a second year 4-H project) and we filled with kitty themed crap. Kids will decorate little pet picture frames if time permits. Hoping the sun stays and no more pop-up thunderstorms today! This has been the rainiest July ever.

Must go prepare!

Quotables

Today, Ethan had fillings done at the dentist. While under the influence of nitrous, he said he could feel something hurting. Dr. Stevens stopped and offered to numb the tooth. Ethan said he didn't want a shot because "the only thing worser than shots is Barbies". Dr. Stevens wants to put that one up on his wall. Also under nitrous, "this nose thing smells so good, I want to take it home".
Tonight, Alaina was dancing around at Jordan's riding lesson in her Mizzou cheerleader shirt, leftover from a dress-up day at school. The instructor asked her if she would be a cheerleader one day. Alaina said "No, I'm gonna be a teacher and a Mommy; I'm gonna have lots and lots of babies". How many babies will you have, the instructor asked. Alaina considered and announced "I'm gonna have ten babies!" Might be fun to quote her when she's about 25.

Happy Hallow-Post

Ok, that last post was a downer. So let's review Halloween. Alaina was dressed as a lovely Princess Ariel, Ethan was a Clone Trooper, but don't call him a Clone Trooper because he's actually Captain Rex all right? Cody was festive in a jester collar in Halloween print with tiny bells that when worn in the house quickly became too much.
Jordan decided that this was a good year to be too big for Halloween. Her friends invited her to walk around their neighborhoods but she just wasn't into it. Can't blame her at all. Something about ringing doorbells for candy when you're 5'8" is awkward.
We decided to take the little ones and Cody to Rocheport. We had never trick-or-treated there and this summer some friends told us it is a great time. And, officially, it is the kids' hometown! First we stopped by our neighbor Teresa's where we got wonderful fresh popcorn balls, then we hit the streets for about 1 1/2 hours. There were lots of kids out, and many fun decorations. Plus, the fact that most of the homes in Rocheport are from the 1850's or so added a spooky feel. With brimming buckets, we returned home to a huge pot of vegetable beef soup that I'd left warming on the stove.
Ethan's Favorite Stop: The house that gave out pop rocks
Alaina's Favorite Stop: The house that gave out bubble gum
Best Decor: House with lit decoration all over their big landscaped terrace and garage, a bonfire, spooky music and resident ghoul handing out treats.
Most Unique Treat: Mexican candies-one made of dehydrated mango, one of tamarind pulp, both coated with red chili powder. Tart and zippy! I have inherited these and must say I'm gaining fondness for them.

Class Party Highlights: Ethan- Mummy wrapping contest, treats made of apple slices spread with peanut butter for lips with tiny marshmallows between for teeth, mask decorating.
Alaina - Making a scarecrow face with her own photo inserted, Freeze Dance, Cupcakes!!!

Now to run the scary luminaries downstairs and dig out the cornucopia!!

Anniversary of Second Chances

One year ago today, I was unaware. One year ago yesterday, I awoke to a beautiful day, and a couple of hours later life itself was uncertain. One year ago Saturday, my previous self went about the business of getting kids to school, putting on Halloween parties, and getting a bit of nutrition in the kids before going trick-or-treating. It's easy to get hung up on the uncertainty of life and to replay those days over and over again. It's not as easy to just move on, and not let the reality of our mortal existence creep into daily life.
Sometimes I get stuck on a train of thought that reviews what I'm not able to do, or can't do easily, or what difficulties will come as I age with stainless steel running through me. Being grateful is a noble endeavor, but I'm not always noble. And sometimes I'm angry, at the arrogant fool who took our lives in his hands, at the fate of bad timing, for lost time and for pain.
By way of recognizing this as a year of accomplishments rather than a year of lost opportunity, I listed milestones one night. It helped me to see how far I've come in a relatively short time and gives me hope that I will continue to gain strength and comfort, and be able to run alongside my kids, play soccer with them and show them the world in the active way I wish to.
Here goes:
Survived the crash
Stayed awake enough to talk to the girls and get necessary calls made
Kept my leg
Got off the ventilator
One little, two little, three little surgeries, four little......
Saw my babies again
Got off morphine
Sat up in bed
Pulled self up
Stood for 20 excrutiating seconds
Moved from University Hospital to Rusk Rehab
Shower with lots of help
Wore my own clothes again
Used bedside latrine
Used a wheelchair
Used toilet :-)
Used walker
Used crutches
Walked 50 feet, 100 feet, 150 feet on crutches
Shower with little help
Mostly dressed myself
Put on my shoes
Sat in wheelchair for a whole meal
Got in and out of bed alone
Stood at a table for 1 min, 2 min, 3 min...
Went up stairs with crutches
Got in and out of the car
Visited Home
Went home
Ate with my family
Drove
Showered alone
Cooked a meal
Went to mailbox
Took Ethan to the bus
Went upstairs
Put kids to bed
Carried Lainey
1 crutch
Walking
Stationery bike
Real bike
Wounds closed
Released from physical therapy
Swam
Went to the park
Rode a horse
Rode Bree (who is no ordinary horse)

So I've come a long way, and I can surely come a bit more.

Cannonballs, Horses and Butterflies

Tonight Alaina offered the following, un-solicited wisdom at the dinner table: Babysitting is like riding horses for Jordan. You go around and around doing loop-de-loops. And you do a cannonball over the poles and when you land you are riding the horse again...
This string of thought apparently stemmed from watching Jordan's riding lesson Tuesday night, and is either just goofy or a very deep insight on child-rearing. I'm truly not sure which.

We were outside tonight playing and my horse Bree started running around, carrying on because she couldn't see the other two horses. It is still very mucky out there from all the rain we've had and as she tried to gallop a sharp corner she lost all her four-hoof-drive and slammed flat on her side. She leaped up and started over again, but now with her entire side black with mud and a huge, smooth egg-shaped indent in the mud preceded by a skid mark of about 15 feet. Too funny, you rarely see a horse actually fall down.

Today was Ethan's class field trip to the Butterfly House in St. Louis. This caps off a big study unit on butterflies. It is a cool place and was a beautiful day for playing and picnicking in Faust Park.

Another big hit this year is Running Club. At first Ethan insisted he did not want to join, and would rather go home and play Lego's. I asked him to try one night and he came out so excited! They meet each Monday for five weeks in the fall, then again for five Mondays in spring. Some of Ethan's friends are in it too, and it is limited to 1st and 2nd graders. The coach makes it fun, and the kids are eager to go each time. Ethan has gone between .8 and 1.2 miles each time, which I think is great.

Back Again...

Quick update of current thoughts:

* We love the little kids' new school, and so do they. Ethan seems in his element and enjoys his new friends. Mr Hager, the lower school science teacher, is his favorite teacher. Alaina loves her class, teachers, being at a big kid school, her buddies, going to specialist classes like Spanish, Art and P.E. The toughest thing each day is prying Alaina out of her classroom to go home.

* Ethan is playing soccer on Saturdays this fall. He likes it a lot and is starting to be more assertive going for the ball. Bill and I are clueless as to the rules, or how to properly put Ethan's shin guards on for that matter, but are learning!

* Andrew is enjoying playing football back at Lewiston. He has had several catches so far, which was what he wanted most to do.

* Jordan loves her freshman year. Algebra is tough, as well as Physics and German II, but she is getting in the groove. She has lots of friends and has fun going to football games and other school functions.

* Alaina is very interested in learning her letters now, and also spends lots of time drawing pictures and singing spontaneously made-up songs. She is at a time of emotional maturing, with lots of ups and downs along the way. Generally though, she is a bright, shining spot of joy in our days.

* I am doing well but have hit a hurdle with trying to jog. Even a little bit makes me very sore for days after. Maybe if I get my overall fitness better, I will have better luck. Today I was sitting on a hard surface and when I moved back and forth I could hear creaking from my leg. Creepy!!!

* Bill is engrossed in Fantasy Football for the first time in years. I love that he is having fun with it, but it is frightening how much devotion it inspires. It reminds me of him and a bunch of goobers from his dorm crowded into his dorm room for the "draft" of their fantasy football league. His work schedule has improved a bit with the new pharmacists on staff, but I know the store still weighs on his mind all the time.

I'm Back

OK, it's been a while since I've posted. Soon I'll try to recap the past month or two. But not now. I can report, however, that Alaina has had a record-setting mishap evening. While I prepared dinner the kids were "sitting" at the table. I put quote on that as Alaina has had trouble for many, many moons actually sitting in her chair, and any number of remonstrations and falls have not cured her of this problem. I heard her cup flying, water spilling, and spun around just to see her falling backwards to the floor. Luckily, her elbows took the beating her head was heading for. We recovered from that, ate dinner, and as I cleaned up dishes, I heard a solid thud from the living room. Another of Alaina's poor habits has been fooling around on the couch and coffee table, again despite prior experience that could have taught a more timid child not to do this stuff. I ran over to see her holding her nose, which promptly began bleeding out of both barrels, and a bit of swelling is showing up. Watching and waiting to see the extent of the damage, but I think we have dodged the broken nose this time.
Meanwhile, Ethan and Bill have gone out to play catch. Ethan is in coach pitch baseball this year, and out of seven practices, I believe only three have worked out. The rest went down the drain with all the rain we've been getting. His first game is the 8th, and he is excited. Anyway, I finally got back to my dishes, glanced out at them playing and saw Ethan in his Mr. Incredible suit with big fake muscles, which is several inches too short, showing his St Patrick's Day bright green socks with gold leprechans, heaving the ball with painstaking form. It made me crack up.