Busy Bee

I cannot believe that I am finally tired!  After the day I had today, it is about time the back of my eyelids get some special care.

I woke up at 4 something in the morning to use the bathroom (yes, the joys of getting old) and realized Bill was wide awake.  He was awoken around 3 AM and couldn't go back to sleep, poor guy.  Unlike him, I fell right back to sleep.  I think he finally passed back out at 5 AM just to have the alarm go off at 8 AM.  He jumped out of bed, got ready, and left to go to Vegas.  He was going to get the boys at the airport.  Every summer the boys spend their summers in Maryland at their mom's house.  Bill missed the boys immensely and couldn't wait to see them.

I tried to sleep in.  I got to about 9 AM and that was all my body would sleep.  I got up, ate some breakfast, checked my email, then went outside to do some yard work.  If any of you have seen my yard this summer, it was in some serious need of tending.  I mowed the lawn and remembered why I used to wear gloves when I mowed; the several blisters now remind me.  Then I did some weed-whacking.  I LOVE using a weed whacker.  Something about it is so cathartic for me.  It could be the sense of destruction or the simple fact of the power to chop down the darn things I can't pull out of the ground.

After a couple hours in the hot sun, I came inside and ate lunch.  I still had not thought to put on sunblock.  After another hour of yard work (and visiting with a lady in my ward)  I was ready to clean up.  I was afraid to shower because I knew I was going to the gym and would stink myself up anyway.  So I just changed my clothes and ate a small bowl of cereal while waiting for the Schwans guy to come so I could place an order.

While I waited, I played on the computer for awhile, did the dishes and picked up the house (and worked on some laundry).  After the Schwans guy left, I went to the gym and had a killer workout!  I love seeing my improvements in fitness!  Now I just wish the fat on my body decided to leave.

After a sweat busting workout, I came home and the boys were there!! I can't believe that Justin is almost as tall as me!  He is about 5'1 1/2" and before I know it, he will be towering over me.  Nate got taller too, but he outgrew my height last year.  I gave them both big hugs.

I showered, then headed back out the door to get dinner.  I know how much the boys love Domino's pizza, so that was on our menu.  I am happy to have the boys back.  The house feels full and complete - less food in the house but that is to be expected with two teenage boys!  I forgot how much milk we go through when the kids are all together.  We go through about 6-7 gallons a week.  I am half tempted to buy each person their own gallon, have the mark their name on it and then they can do what they wish with their own milk - and when it is gone, it's gone.  Of course, I do NOT like going without milk so it is a good thing I am only one who really likes skim milk.  Granted, I love all milk in its fatty variations.

Happy Eight Day!!

It is August!  The last few days I have not been sleeping well.  I have fidgets (aka: Restless Leg Syndrome) and they have been bad.  Plus I have had lots going on.

Friday evening we had breakfast for dinner over at the Gerber's.  I was making lots of syrups and one in particular I ended up dropping and the hot sugary mixtures all over my floor, counter top, front of stove, outside of the cupboard doors, and on the clean dishes I had sitting out.  I just stared at it not knowing what to do.  I ended up sending Bill and the girls to the Gerber's without me so I could stay and clean.  That was an adventure and I am sure I will still find sugar cement in places I didn't notice as I clean the kitchen over the next few days.

After leaving the Gerber's, I had a lot on my mind and went to the gym to run.  It was 2 AM (so technically Saturday morning) and it helped clear my head.  I love how I can go to the gym at any time of day.  At Snap I have a key card and can get in no matter what time.  I ended up being all alone and that was good.  I think I would have freaked out had someone came in.

Yesterday my cousin's daughter got baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It was nice to visit with family that I don't get to see often.

That night we went over to the Orton's for games.  We stayed there until just past 2 AM!  I tried to sleep in the next morning but couldn't.  After church I took a nap and I am still exhausted.  I don't want to get sick from lack of sleep.

Speaking of getting sick and with it being the 8th month, I immediately thought of the comedian, Brian Regan, and his bit on the ER.  So I have added it here for your to enjoy!!!

"HAPPY EIGHT DAY!!!"

My Day

Wow, I had a very productive day!

I wanted to go back to bed after the kids got on the bus but I didn't. I pulled on my running shoes and went jogging. I finally was able to jog a whole mile without having to walk! I was so proud of myself! Then I jogged another 1.2 miles but walked part of the way. Eventually I will be able to jog all 2.2 miles without having to walk! And by then, it will probably be snowy here...

While I was jogging, Bill went and helped out a friend who needed a ride and then gave them two of our little kid bikes that our kids have outgrown. That is to save their two youngest from fighting over the one bike they had their size. (Last night we were at their house and it was quite a funny scene watching a 2 and 4 year old fighting over a bike - maybe I am glad my youngest is almost 9.)

After the run, I had some fresh pineapple and sat at the computer for a bit. I felt a tickle on the back of my neck so I reached back there and grabbed what I thought was hair. I brought my hands forward and saw that I had grabbed and killed some sort of bug! Ew, I shuddered just now when I typed that. It was gross and I don't know what it was.

After my body was no longer angry at me for putting it through some tortuous running, I then worked in the girls' room trying to dejunk it. I still have a long way to go, but I put a nice chunk into it.

Then Bill and I had lunch and then ran to Wal-Mart to get a few things to fix dinner with. We wanted to try some new recipes today that we found online (I'll post the links in a minute). Plus, the kids' bathroom has been having problems in the bathtub - the faucet was leaking all the time and the handle for the hot was broken off and they had to use pliers to turn it off and on. Yes, we are redneck. :-) (it was almost like a scene from this website)

Wal-Mart did not have the right plumbing **insert joke about Wal-Mart of check out this site** so we went to Home Depot and Bill spoke to one of the workers who has been a plumber for the past 20+ years and told Bill that he needed to remove the faucet stuff and bring it back in so we could get the correct stuff. Gee, why didn't we think of that before?

When we got home, we had 15 minutes to turn off the water, take the faucet stuff off, get the kids together, and run out the door to make it to Nathan's Parent-Teacher Conference. He is doing fantastically well in school! He has almost all A's and two B's! I am so proud of him!

Then we took the whole bunch of kids (plus one I was babysittting) into Home Depot. Have you ever tried to keep 5 kids occupied in a store where there really isn't much for them to do there? Well, I have. Nathan pretty much just sat there but he did help Bill pick out the new faucet. :-) Justin had fun for just a bit until he found a coloring book and crayons. It left us girls to our own devices. Just take a look here.

We finally survived Home Depot without being kicked out. Then I run to Wal-Mart, yet again, for something we forgot for dinner: tortillas. It is kind of hard to make quesadillas without tortillas. Oh and cheese - another staple for quesadillas. :-)

I drove to Laurie's house, got Kyle (another kid I was to babysit) and headed home. The first thing out of Kyle's mouth when he walked through our door was, "Train tracks!" He always plays with our wooden train tracks and LOVES them. He cracks me up.

I made two pot pies to freeze for later this week. Then Bill and I got cracking on dinner.... oh, that is after he so wonderfully fixed the bathtub's faucet. Yay!

For dinner, we made our own version of this recipe. Instead of steak, we had a pot roast that we cooked in the crockpot for over 24 hours. It was soooo tender. And instead of goat cheese we used pepperjack and cheddar. I am telling you, these things were delish! Nathan fell in love with his and snarfed it down fast. Well, he didn't have the corn relish on top.... but I didn't expect him to. Then, we wanted to try this corn on the cob recipe. I never though I would like it, but OHMIGOSH! It was divine! And for dessert we had these delicious cookie pies. Wow, we are so going to make them again really soon!

Now I am off to watch "Heroes" with my awesome hubby. Then off to bed...