Wowzer!

We have been unable to take a vacation or to sell a vehicle this summer. Those two items are inter-related. Sigh.... But we have had some fun along the way and some crazy busy times.

T is working on the ugly boat and nearly has it running. He never ceases to amaze me. It's still ugly but it has a new floor and we are working on that ugly part. Carpet and vinyl will go a long way towards making it not ugly.

J is sort of back to school this morning. He's at "camp" today. He gets his schedule, finds his locker, gets help opening it, finds his classes, etc. He was pumped and ready to go at 6:15 this morning. High school is a big deal. I cut his hair last night and I'm always a little nervous doing that. He loves it and proclaims it the best haircut ever and says he looks like Will Smith. I said, "Will Smith probably gets $100 hair cuts." And J said, "I know where to get it for free!" What a goober! But I'm relieved that he likes it.

A rode back to CO with R and JT and flew back home on Monday by herself. She navigated the airports just fine. She hit the ground running yesterday morning at work.

R and JT and T got here last Monday with the horses. Everyone is doing well except Dante can't believe that we expect him to forage for his own food. He keeps waiting for someone to give him hay. He's such a city horse. We had a nice time with the kids and had a baby shower for them. It was so much fun to watch R's stomach move around with the babies. Amazing at 4 1/2 months to see that. Nephews baby is due today and we had "the girls" lined up together for a pic. M is not much bigger than R. Ha! I will post a pic when I can.

I had a CT scan on this crazy wrist and there's a bone spur that's causing problems now. I'm trying to decide what to do. Gotta be able to hold those grandbabies when they get here!

How about a thankful list. Let's see; I 'm thankful for the promise of new life growing inside R and M. I'm thankful that J is pumped about high school. I'm thankful for our pets (most of the time). I'm thankful for our jobs. I'm thankful for God, family and friends.

Life, or something like it

How can we be so busy and yet there's still so much to do? We still haven't sold the montero so if you're interested or know someone who is, please let us know.

My parents are having a really busy month. The head of the mission in Haiti that my dad helped start is here in the states. They are always busy when he is here.

T's parents stopped in for an overnight visit on their way back to Haiti. We had a short but nice visit with them.

T is working on the ugly boat. He has the boards cut and sealed for the new floor and ordered a new starter and has been working on the crazy wiring situation. He's flying out to CO the end of the week to help move R's horses back to TN. R will be at 18 weeks tomorrow with the twins. She has started referring to them as Thing 1 and Thing 2.

A is working and enjoying time off of school this summer. She's had a lot more free time this summer than last summer.

J is probably ready to go back to school. He always wants someone around or something to do. He'd at least like to get back to basketball practice.

It was very rainy for a while here. We had over 10 inches in just a few days. Now it's back to hot and humid.

I'm still working on schoolwork. I take plenty of breaks without needing to take a summer break. I'm glad that I can work on it at my own pace. Check these people out and see what a little "medika mamba" does for a kid; http://www.realhopeforhaiti.org/?p=10722 And now I really should get some schoolwork done.

Pics!

I do love a sunset. And horses and swimming pools.

The refrigerator is still her appliance of choice for staring purposes.

T saved a turtle from Cooper. J named him Bob. We let him run around the house and then we relocated him. Somewhere away from Cooper.

On Father's day we took our boat and dad's boat to the lake and went to the waterfall. There were 11 of us in two boats.

Our money situation and our boat overcrowding (and twin grandbabies on the way!) inspired us to sell this...

...and T dragged this home. Well, dad did actually but T paid for it. I think it could win an ugly boat contest but I also think it will suit our needs and growing family well. And the price wasn't bad. The trailer and motor are probably worth what we paid for the whole thing. Probably...we can't seem to get away from red Four Winns boats!

T took the seats out. They needed some cleaning up and some repair. Until Cooper was left unattended for about 15 minutes. Dumb dog! Now they need lots of work and repair.

The floor is shot in this thing. Well, the front and the corner of the back are shot. The middle isn't bad. This is T vacuuming water out of the hull through a hole in the floor. Yup. It's a fixer-upper.

The good part of the floor. Everyone uses a shovel to clean up their boat, don't they? I will post some "after" pics when we are finished.

Cats have an amazing ability to sleep anytime, anywhere.

She's happy that she strategically placed herself to cover up all but the word "cat". Or that's what R says.

No words needed.

So, we gave up on selling our van and just decided to sell the montero. We have a very nice '02 montero sport limited for sale if you or anyone you know is interested. No known issues and it's nice and clean. Leather seats. All power except the seats.

R had another ultrasound yesterday. They could tell that one of the babies is a boy. He was "loud and proud" in the docs words. He also thinks the other one is a boy but couldn't be sure. They were both very busy and all three of them are healthy except R has a cold. So, the babies aren't even born yet and they have been nicknamed "frogger" and "loud and proud". Me thinks we are in trouble!

Living with fibromyalgia

I hate fibro, yes I do. I hate fibro, how 'bout you? I was going through my favorites list on my computer and came across this site. http://members.tripod.com/~ms_stix/fibro.htm Wow! What great info! Have you ever wondered what it's like to live with fibro? Read this. Do you have it and want to be armed with good info? Read this.

I'm continuing to do pretty well. If I was on a deserted island and could only take one thing with me I would want my malic acid/magnesium supplement. It literally changed my life. I understand that it may not work for everyone but if you or someone you know has fibromyalgia, try it! I'm currently getting mine at a health food store.

I still struggle with occasional "fibro flu" where it feels like I'm coming down with something. Sore throat, aches and low-grade fever. I also have some sleep disturbances and difficulty finding the right word. My shoulder muscles are always hard as rocks and burn a lot. The outside of my upper arms and upper legs feel like they are bruised if they are barely touched.

But overall things are so much better since doxycycline and with using the malic acid/magnesium supplement. Look under "labels" and click on "fibromyalgia" to read about using those. Any posts where I wrote about fibro should come up. I need to exercise more but the wrist and foot continue to be problematic. That and time and probably laziness if I'm being honest. I need to get back on the exercise bike and work on building up my walking time again.

I hope whoever needed to see this post, sees it. I just was floored when I came across that site and read it again. I don't even remember reading it the first time. Ha! Fibro fog! Nearly every symptom I experience can be traced back to fibro. Heck, before I even had kids I had fatigue and sore throats and my bloodwork would look like my body was fighting a virus. That was 22+ years ago! Crazy. I read this info and say, that's me, that's me. So many of those things are true for me.

And now, I must go stretch and then write a paper for school.

Happy Father's Day and pics!!

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in my life. To my dad, you have been a great father, grandfather and soon you can try your hand at being a great-grandfather! What will they call you, Great Bampa? To T, the father of my children and soon-to-be grandfather. We don't always agree on this parenting gig but the children never call me when they have car or computer issues. You really are a good father and full of compassion. And to JT, the newest father-to-be on your first Father's day. I love the way you downloaded the baby app as soon as you found out you were going to be a daddy and when R has questions she can ask you what's going on. Ha! And to T's dad. And to all the other dads who might be reading this. Happy Father's Day!

 

I was able to get some pics from my phone on to the computer the other day when I took my phone apart for some reason. Here they are and I believe they are in a chronological order.

 

I love a sunset!

T and dad doing something on his boat.

Cooper, trying to be good and be part of whatever goes on in the house too.

View from the side of my parent's house. I love where we live.

We finally got down to the lake with dad's boat. Last year the water was so low that you had to jump down into the boat from the pier, which was high and dry then. Now the water's so high it's over the pier. J is checking it out.

This was the first time out. It ran about a 1/4 mile.

Both cats still think that I learn best through a process we've titled "catmosis". Every time I sit down to do some schoolwork one or both cats lay on top of what I'm reading or writing and absorb the info into their bodies. Then it passes to my brain. Or that's what they think. They're so helpful.

The gas tank in this boat is still "gunked up" so they bypassed it with a tank from a parts boat. It ran great this way and we had a nice afternoon at the lake.

Doesn't everyone have a cat sleeping on newspaper (soaking up knowledge for "catmosis"?) next to a headboard project in the music/exercise room/office?

T and I got to go to Atlanta for a couple days. We shopped at thrift stores, ate, spent time with Mrs. H and her family and got to see their church's 36th anniversary. There was a covered dish dinner afterwards. Ain't nothing like a church potluck in the south!

We met this cute dog. Is that her head or her tail?

Ta-da! It's her head!

Little miss G said I should take a pic of her eating.

Back home, my legs are too short to reach the pool. Sigh...

We still really need to sell this van. Please God, send us a buyer. It's an awesome van if you're interested.

Another dead mitsubishi. Poor T! And the way we are pronouncing mitsubishi right now is a bit more...colorful.

Some b-ball in the sunset.

Remember the whole dishwasher staring thing? Now she has graduated to the fridge. Yeah, we don't get it either.

Mr. Long Arms and Legs was sitting at the drums and trying to match rhythm with the keyboard. He just reached over with the stick and hit the fill buttons. Too funny.

Hmm....

I know I haven't been posting much but life is just so busy. And now I can't even figure out how to get my pics off my phone and on to my computer much less uploaded here. Sorry. And yes, T is a computer tech but he claims he can't figure out the droid stuff because he has an iphone. Whatever.

J has been very busy since school let out with his basketball career. You know, his freshman high school basketball "career". To hear him talk about it you would think it's a career. He is on his second basketball camp. Keeps us hopping and he's loving it. He certainly has the build for it. He eats constantly and there's not an ounce of fat on him. He just keeps growing. He has grown a foot in the not quite 4 years since he's been home.

A is enjoying her summer a bit more than last summer. She actually has time off to do some things.

T currently has all of the vehicles running, thank God. The truck, montero and A's car were all down for the count. Now he's working on the boat again. We are hoping to get it going for Father's day. We shall see. If he ever gets all the vehicles and boat running at the same time he has plans to make a "redneck theater seat" for when we go to the drive in. J calls it "a fe-ater seat".

I paid for milk, bread and eggs with coins from my last piggy bank today. Come on, payday! We NEED to sell a vehicle. I don't care if it's the van or the montero, we just need to sell something and try to dig out. So much for trying to simplify life. Ha! Men make plans and God laughs.

R and JT and the babies are doing okay. Little bumps in the road of life but they are healthy. They are keeping an eye on some fires near them.

Maybe I should do a thankful list. Let's see...I'm thankful for God, friends and family. T and I had a nice weekend near Atlanta a week and a half ago and I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for the beauty in the nature all around us.

Much ado about nothing

Wow, I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I posted. Life is crazy like that. So, what's been happening around here? Let's see...

T is getting ready for summer tech projects in the school system. He's also working on getting our boat to run. It's a slow process that he hasn't spent too much time on yet thankfully. We did get a nice ride in my dad's boat, after he started his barn on fire. It involved gasoline and a pump of some sort. He (my dad) said, "I found out something. I might be old but I can still move pretty fast when my foot is on fire!"

T and I are planning on heading to Atlanta this weekend. Sort of an anniversary trip since we didn't reallly do anything last month. 26 years is something to celebrate, yes?

My parents have discovered Duck Dynasty due to our discovering it on DVD. Dad keeps trying to go all Phil Robertson on us. But my mom won't eat squirrel brains yet. We are planning a DD party later this summer. The first great-grand for my parents should be here by then. He already has an outfit-a black onesie with a camo gator on it and a T-tiny camo hoodie. This is my nephew's and his wife's baby, due in July.

Speaking of babies, R and JT are doing well. They are settled in with the fact that they are having twins and R goes back to the doc today or tomorrow. She is at 12 weeks today. Keep praying for her.

A is working and enjoying life. She is happy to be out of school for the summer and spending time with friends and family.

J made the high school basketball team so we are at practices a lot. He's really excited about this.

I'm working and continuing schoolwork. I really like that I can work on it as I need/want to. The online thing is working well for me.

I guess that catches us up for now!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hmm. I have a lot of thoughts chasing each other around in my head. I don't really know how to get them all down on this blog. I think the best thing is to try and take it one thought at a time but I know I will loose track of some of the thoughts. Oh well. Welcome to life with fibromyalgia.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom. More than giving me birth, she gave me life. She taught me how to live. I love you, Mom, more than words can say. And to my mother-in-law who helped make my husband the man he is today. And to Mrs. H, my mother-figure/mentor/friend. Love you lots!

And I'm thinking of four people in this world who made me a mom. R, my first born. There is a special bond between moms and their first borns. You were always independent but our brains seem to be wired in a very similar way. We have an understanding of each other even when we don't understand each other. And now you are making me a Mimi! To twins! Oh bebe, the roller coaster has just begun for you (and us!).

A, my exciting second born. You make life incredibly interesting, my dear. You love deeply and fiercely and I love the person you are becoming. You amaze me with your zest for life and the way you keep our world vibrantly colored. I struggled to get you into the world but you are so worth it. Love you so much!

J! My youngest! Four years of waiting to bring you home. You told me once that you cried every day in Haiti waiting to come home. Break my heart! But you finally made it and we are so glad. I honor your first mother today too. She chose life for you and gave you birth. She broke her heart and turned you over to people she didn't know for the hope of a better life. Her attachment to you made you able to attach to us and we are thankful. We are so glad that God chose you to be our son.

JT, my son-in-law. You love our daughter fiercely and are the father to our grandbabies. We are proud of your accomplishments in your work and life.

To all my kids, walk after God. Seek Him in everything you do. Live well, love deeply.

Two!!

Last week R informed us that we were going to be grandparents! How cool is that?! We were ready. We don't like that we live so far away but we were happy to hear we were going to be grandparents. Well, this morning she informed us, not long after they were informed themselves, that there's two babies growing inside of her! Twins! We are getting a two-for. My response? Holy crap! Are you serious?! She is serious. Ultrasounds don't lie. There are clearly two babies, in their own sacs, with good strong heartbeats. We are doubly blessed.

Pics!!

Finally! Some pics. I'm always happy when I can figure out how to get pics off my phone and actually get them loaded on to the blog. Woot!

 

The new episode of 4x4 Nation is up on the website and it includes this bit about the Scout Resurrected. Look for all of us on there. www.4x4nationoffroad.com

 

This is the snow we had on the ground the Tuesday before we left for spring break in FL at my parents and T's aunt and uncle. We had some friends along with us and some of T's cousins were there too so we had lots of people to do things with. We had a great time. 

We went to Cowboy Church at Reality Ranch for Easter Sunday.

Where you can see the horses in the pasture behind the preacher.

Here we are getting ready to sift for fossils in the Peace River. We found lots of interesting things.

When the boys got tired of sifting for fossils they caught things with their net.

We went to the beach one day. I was just barely out of the boot so I didn't get to walk the beach but where we were sitting was gorgeous.

The boys were finding things in the rocks.

Then we went to Linger Lodge again. It's one of Al Rokers "Top 5 Weirdest Places to Eat in America." We had to take our friends to that! The boys all ate gator.

Taxidermist stuffed animals are everywhere.

And it's very whimsical.

And very pretty with the spanish moss hanging from the trees in the campground part.

My parent's place is deep in the heart of orange country. The orange blossoms smelled so good! I wanted to bottle it up and bring it home.

J spent some time working on his basketball skills.

I do love a pretty sunset.

When we got home I spotted "Herbie" in a parking lot.

And enjoyed the sunset in my own front yard.Yeah, we get to live here.

I mentioned in an earlier post how we were trying to downsize yet again but something always seems to happen when we try to improve our financial situation. Well, the vehicle we bought to replace the van blew the head gasket a week after we got it. T has had to take all kind of things apart on this engine and has found all kinds of things that were wrong on it. We finally have the right parts but he doesn't have the right tools for working on it the way he needs to. But he's struggling through. Here is a pic of some of the things he's had to take off. I have faith that T will get it all back together with minimal parts left over! I'm sure he has saved us thousands over the years by being able to work on our own vehicles. We are still waiting on a computer for the truck.

My foot is much better though I had a minor setback last week. I still take the boot with me most places just in case I need it. It really does feel better when I'm wearing the boot. This pic is titled "Have Boot, Will Travel" but I look forward to being able to go without it.

Yes, I really do love sunsets.

A couple nights later over the pool.

I started making cookies to sell for our adoption expenses 6 or 7 years ago. I never dreamed they would sell that well. I'm making them in the kitchen where I work as they have a cafe now. I just made 3 batches the other day but a lot of times I do 5 batches at a time. Good stuff!

Well, that's all the pics for now. I must get some schoolwork done.