A New Beginning

So, I'm a little behind on this blog of mine. I have a whole trip to Florida to post on, as well as the start of first grade and Pre-K for Ben and Charlie, respectively. I will get to that, I swear.

My new beginning here is not on updating, although I do need to do that. That will be part of my new beginning. I have decided a few things I need to get better on and I figure this blog would be a good way to keep tabs on myself. You could say I got a little inspiration from watching "Julie/Julia" yesterday. Which, by the way, if you have not seen, you really should. Pretty good little flick.

So here are where I am going to start new, and it won't be going through Julia Child cookbook.
1. Exercising! I started working the other week at the gym here, Rochester Athletic Club, fondly referred to as "The RAC" here in Rah Rah Rochester. Great place to work and work out. As a benefit of employment (even my 11.5 hrs a week) I get a free membership, woohoo! So my goal, seeing as I have not only gained weight lately, but my clothes are tight and that won't work when it gets super chilly and I have to put my long underwear under my jeans. Then they really won't fit.
2. Staying update on pictures, kids stuff.I am more behind on the boys pictures and albums than the worst procrastinator could imagine. I am spotty at best when posting to FB. Printing is just about non-existent.
3. Cooking. So I cook dinner most nights of the week, but I use the term "cook" very loosely. While I am a pretty healthy cook for the most part, pasta, with or without, is a meal for me. I do chicken and other stuff, but very few "recipes". I'm more of a throw in a pot what I see and looks good as well as somewhat balanced by food groups, kind of cook.

So here is where I am posting my goals for both me and you, if anyone decides to read this, to make sure I'm measuring up.
1. I will exercise at least 4x a week. I think, based on what I weighed at the gym today and what I weighed at my last doctors appointment in Florida, when I was teaching and fitting in my clothes, yes other a year ago, I want to lose about 12-15 lbs. Not crazy, but definitely reasonable, and it will save money seeing as I won't have to then buy new clothes.
2. I will empty out my camera of everything that needs to be downloaded, including the most recent boy camping trip, and actually save things to disk and start printing stuff. As time and sanity allow, I will put said pictures into albums.
3. Cooking, I will start by using a recipe to cook at least one meal a week, with a recipe. I'm going to try to use new recipes most of the time, but that will be budget and pantry dependent, seeing as I will need to get back to shopping after having planned my menu for the week (or at least one meal).

Ok, those are my goals. Please try to hold me to task. I have started the week off well, at least at the gym. I work tonight so the meal with be baked frozen fish, potatoes and some assorted frozen veggie for the boys until I get home.

All my love!

Heat Stroke Anyone?

The boys and I are in Florida for a couple weeks this August. I know, Florida in August, why? I am saying the same thing. It just worked out this way this time, but I will not be doing this again if I can do anything to help it. It is so hot!
I know I grew up here and lived in Florida until only six months ago, but now having lived somewhere else I just don't get the point of Florida summers. It's so hot and difficult being outside for even short amounts of time.
I will say though, it's been nice going in the pool and not being cold, that is awesome. And the beach is awful fun too. I'm just thinking my next visit needs to be in October or March. Heck, to get a break from Minnesota winter, even without the beach and pool, we can head down for January.

I love seeing friends and family though, so I'll take the Florida heat for that.

I'll have to update more with pictures when we get home. I brought the camera, but not the camera cord to download.

Lost Teeth

Well, Ben has now lost both of his front teeth. I'll need to get a video of him singing that song, first I'll have to teach it to him.
The first front tooth took a bit, was wiggly, but he finally got it. The second took longer. Thank heaven's for his appointment to have his six-year old molars sealed. First, he had a cleaning earlier this summer. During the cleaning they took x-rays where we were really able to see his grown-up front teeth pushing down. That gave him the extra oomf to start wiggly more. After that first front tooth came out he stopped a bit for the second. We tried to help him, may have caused a few tears, but we did our best. This last few days that tooth was sure loose, but Ben wasn't ready to yank it the last bit. Today, we had an appointment to get sealant put on teeth we had no idea came in. That in and of itself amazes me after all we went through when they were babies and toddlers and had teeth coming in. While we were there I had them look at his tooth to try and help it out. After the sealant was done, the dentist went in, gave it a little novacaine, and pulled it out. A little gauze on the way home, a very cute little tooth treasure box, and one less tooth. Yeah! So we will have a full toothless grim for our trip to Florida in 8 days!

This was a very unorganized thought. House is too busy this morning. I'll have to edit and think through this a bit more for the next post.

An Electrocution Like No Other

So, this past weekend I was working on trimming the shrubs. I forgot the name of what kind they are. Minnesota plants. After a bit of trimming I hear this awful howl from Duncan. Turns out he was a bit behind me, quietly chewing on the extension cord. Not a good idea. When I turned around, Duncan was twitching, rolling around, going nuts, overall crazy electrocuted motions. Horrible noises and all. I ran inside to get the phone and the emergency vets number (handy they give out those magnets). I start calling on my way back outside to check on him. Dan's flailing less, but in a not good way, foaming mouth and everything. I swear his eyes were rolling back in his head. I tell the vet he just electrocuted himself, they ask how quickly we can get there.

Of course this is a 70 pound (I thought) lab, that was going nuts again from having eaten electricity. I have no idea if I can get him in the car without being bitten or actually being able to lift him. I yell to the kids we have to go, convince them they are not going in to look for video games to play at the vet, get Max put away. Thankfully, during this 30 seconds, Duncan calms down a bit. I call him and he starts running over to the car and jumps in the back of the van himself. We head out so quickly to the vet, poor neighbor kids I don't think realized what all was going on.

Of course, the whole way to the emergency vet, the electrocuted idiot (aka Duncan) in the back thinks we are going to the dog park and is all excited and happy in the back. I think to myself, wasn't he the one with a couple hundred volts going through him a bit ago?

Once we get there I realize I ran out so quickly I forgot the leash. In the process of running in the vet to get a leash and out again the boys have gotten into a fit arguing about going out each others doors (when will they outgrow this?). Hook Duncan up, excited idiot runs in like it's his birthday. They run him to the back for the vet to check him out while I start paperwork and settle the lounge TV for the boys. And then get this, they come out to ask if I was sure I saw the cord.

Yes, they want to make sure he bite the cord, as they see no marks in his mouth and he seems fine. Lungs sound fine, although panting, and heart sounds fine. Of course we end up going through the asking about a radiograph and staying or observation. I decline both. Emergency is expensive enough and if they say he is acting fine, no marks, problems, I can watch him myself for free.

The rest of the day he was fine. Took him to the dog park the next two days, nothing. Just as idiotic as ever. So much excitement and worry in such a short period it was ridiculous. Although I will say, whether it was any reaction from that or just having worn him out at the dog park each day, he didn't try to get the vacuum cord since "the incident".

And for the update on size, Duncan, now seven months old, is seventy six pounds. Yikes!

Summer with boys

So, I remember summer days on break from school. Playing with friends, going to Dr. Jean's pool, watching cartoons, and who knows what else. It's amazing, eighteen years of summer breaks and I really have no idea what we did most of the time. I think we had about three or four family reunions, and a lot of trips to Disney (loved those 80's Florida resident discounts). All in all, that really only accounts for about two months of time, maybe three. Point is, eighteen times three, that's fifty four months and I can only really account for maybe three. So I have fifty one months of goofing-off, driving my brother and parents nuts.

For that I have to say, sorry.

After just going through now my second summer with the boys full-time, I have no idea how everyone does it. I don't want to be totally pessimistic here. We certainly have a fun time most of the time. In between chores we have spent a great deal of time playing games, going to the park, playing with friends. I do miss my beach and pool days back in Florida. That certainly wore the kids out and was a nice time with friends and family. Certainly wore the boys out too. I think here in Minnesota with the cooler days we have traded time at the pool and beach for playing at the park and not dying of heat stroke mid-day.

Thank heaven's for neighborhood kids, the park and our upcoming trip to Florida (my girl's trip with friends and grandparent help with Ben and Charlie).

Picture was May, camping with the boys and hubby. I seriously need to add some more pictures of the boys here. Especially our cool summer where I have wore jeans a ton, and not just for the dirt at the dog park.

New Book I'm Reading

So, I'm reading this new book, The Dugger 20, or something like that. I'm not good at exact titles. Well, you may have seen the show about this family on TLC or Discovery, they are a family with 18 kids of their own. No debt, no government assistance, home school, very religious, well anyway. I decided to get their book just read up on some of the things they do as a family. I mean I see this show and the mom has ubber (this is not spelled right, but I'm hoping you know what I mean) patience, doesn't yell, yet teaches all 18 kids, the whole 9 yards. I figured I could definitely use some of what they have.

After 2 days with this book, I have read at least 3/4 of it (quite a feat for me if you know how slowly I typically read). The book is a great read. Written both by the mom and dad, they go back and forth talking about their life, where they started from as a couple, married, their business and family life, etc. It is such a great read because they are so honest about starting out, their mistakes in business, how they used to have issues getting angry, and all sorts of normal stuff. They just worked it out using their religion and now they are where they are. The book explains it all much better than I did right there, but hey, I'm done with school and getting graded on book reports:)

Anyway, pretty interesting read, very insightful and a fun fast book to go through. I'm thinking I may just jot a few notes down though and post them around the house and car and use them as a cheater guide through my day.

By the way, I saved the book picture as clip art, don't try to link there. The Duggars web page is: http://www.duggarfamily.com/index.html

Do Over

I'm calling for a Do Over of the week. I started the week off schedule and just never could get back into the swing of things. Then I fell yesterday, or shall i say was knocked over, by my dog Duncan at the dog park. He went running through and I couldn't figure out whether to duck right or left fast enough and he wailed into me and back I went. Landed on the asphalt on my butt. Yesterday my hip was more sore, today one side of my neck is ridiculous. So, that's it, Do Over!

Already did the dishes, dog park, soccer, kids park, and vacuum. I will try to get something thawed for dinner for Jamie to grill, and finish moving the laundry so it doesn't mildew, but the rest goes for next week. I am calling the week over. Nothing this weekend but laundry room dumping!