Big Blue Blob

First of all, let me start by saying that I love having a garage sale. With the end of the mad dash to sell junk from around our house, we ended up having a nice chunk of change. Now, originally the idea of the garage sale was to de-clutter our house prior to moving. Seeing as how that has been officially shot out of the sky like a duck with a gimpy wing, we are partially clutter free and have a handy zip-lock baggie with the label "Summer Fun Money" on it. Last year we used our money to get a puppy (see picture here). Due to allergies and asthma, that turned out to be an epic fail moment...naturally. So this year we have been saving our pennies (literally) to get something new and fun for the kids to play with outside. The original plan was to get a trampoline. In the blistering summer sun, the big, black matted trampoline might be a bit of a stretch for frequent use, so I offered a second option to the kiddos to get a bigger pool to play in every day. Up until now, they've used one of those hard plastic 'baby' pools from Wal-Mart. Fun, yes. But after swimming lessons, they became increasingly crazy in the water and it was apparent to me that more room was needed to stop the constant near-death duels between Alex and Abby. Naturally, the idea of a big pool was the ultimate winner.

So, off we went to buy an inexpensive larger pool. We opted for one of those quick-set pools that requires no major installation. It's a whopping 12 feet diameter and 30 inches deep, but I tell you those kids are in L-O-V-E! Three times a day they are out in it and I'm getting some reading done while I sit in the shade. I should be writing the sequel to my book or at the very least editing my other one, but I have a slight fear of my laptop getting wet outside with all the mad-crazy splashing. Oh. And if you're wondering if the pool is a horrific eye sore then then answer is ultimately going to be yes. Most horrific, actually. It's actually quite fitting for our neighborhood as we have a lovely apartment complex behind us now filled to the brim with white trash. Wait. Is that rude? Perhaps. But as the days are spent watching naked toddlers running through the parking lot and couches being left for dead in the alley, I'll run with it. So back to the pool. I've lovingly named it the Big Blue Blob. It's fitting if you'll note from the video. It moves quite eerily like a blob when they are playing in it. The video is right after we got it so trust me when I say the kid's crazy level has far exceeded what you're witnessing. So in the end, I'll lose a giant 12 foot spot of grass and our water bill will be higher, but it is totally worth it.

Garage sale family fun money: Win.

Pool, glorious pool!

Letting Go the Dream

Three months into the grand attempt to sell our wee little house and we have officially failed. The realtor we signed with hasn't called us even one measly time to schedule a showing. I'm not entirely sure if it the result of a poorly timed sale or a poorly chosen realtor. I will say that our realtor was die hard positive that she would, (and I quote) "easily have our house sold in two weeks." She even mentioned investors for property that would love it. She told us that we needed to remove half of the stuff from our house into storage and keep our eyes peeled for the house we wanted to buy because it was going to happen fast. Boy howdy, was she wrong. Not only has it not sold, but it hasn't even been looked at or called about.

We've spent the past three months without a good majority of our belongings. I wiped our walls clean of family photos and art, cleared our refridgerator of every magnet, bought drapes, painted, cleaned, cleaned, and cleaned some more, and even kept the house clean and clutter free. We signed a contract with Miss Realtor and it was for a year. The only grace was that we are only obligated to use her to sell our house for 90 days and then anything that happens after that won't be penalized with money into her pocket if we actually sold with someone else. It was a bit of a mess and next time we attempt this, I've learned to do my research.

So what does this all mean? Why am I saying we officially failed? Simple. As of next week, we will be officially taking it back off of the market. We talked it over and feel like this is where we are meant to be...at least for now. If we sold the house now, we'd be in a pickle as we have no where to live, no prospects for a new home, and Josh's employment is back to a low point so that can only hinder things further. As much as I was excited about a bigger home with two toilets and possibly the quiet of the country life, I'm graciously accepting the verdict. God has something planned for us. Just not right now.

Right now, the new plan involves ripping up our living room/dining room carpet and replacing it with our favorite vinyl wood flooring that is in the kitchen and kid's room. Then we shall be re-carpeting our bedroom shortly thereafter. It won't be the cheapest of project, but we won't be needing that saved up down payment for a house anymore, now will we? On the bright side, our flea problem will be drastically reduced and our new little babe will get the joy of growing up in our tiny house just like Alex and Abby have. I will also get to walk Alex to kindergarten everyday as it is only 2 1/2 blocks away so a bit of peace of mind will be attached to this new plan. For now, we're blessed to have a roof over our head after all the troubles we've dealt with financially and job-related over the last three years. So we'll just run with that.

Until next year dream...until next year.

Happy 4th of July 2012!

Love the effects of the camera at night.

Fact: Holidays are so much more fun with kids. Honestly, before kids it just seemed like holidays kind of floated by in a daze with quasi-bland memories that didn't stick. And now? Now it's hard not to remember these days. I suppose that's why I remember my holidays as a kid growing up with all my brothers. It was always fun no matter what. I grew up and all of a sudden, fireworks were boring and the Christmas tree lights just didn't seem to get plugged in every day.

Today, as I lit fireworks and watched the big ones go off in the town display, I realized that everything is beautiful and fun when you get to live it through the eyes of your children. I can guarantee you that I won't forget watching the lights on Alex and Abby's faces when they held their sparklers for the first time ever. They were finally old enough this year and it was magical to them. Every time a firework was finished exploding, Alex ran over to the hose and yelled, "Fire!! I'll put it out!" then doused the glowing embers like a miniature firefighter (which was what I'm sure he felt like the entire time). We had a wonderful day today. It was probably the best 4th of July I've experienced since I was a kid myself.

Oh, and it turns out that during the craziness of the day, I discovered the key to getting my kids to fall asleep in less than two minutes. Simply let them eat mounds of cupcakes, marshmallows and whatever else they can find with sugar in it. Then let them down multiple bottles of high fructose laden beverages. In between all of this (and lots of hot dogs), swim all day long. Finish the day by staying up way, way too late watching and shooting fireworks, then watch them as they yawn twice and all but pass out within moments. It. Was. Awesome. And it also works on husbands apparently. Because Josh fell asleep in approximately 14 seconds just a few shy minutes later than the kids. What does the pregnant lady do? I stay up and blog about it.   

At the firework show. Alex was in quite good spirits and loving the day.

Josh lighting some big booms in tiny packages. Turns out you can't stand close or you get showered with bits of exploding material. Lesson learned.

My patriotic kiddos.

Look how big my kids are getting!

Firefighter Alex - on the job!

Abby's first sparkler at 4 years old.

Alex's first sparkler at 5 years old. He loved this!

Shooting fireworks at Grandma and Grandpa's house is awesome. My dad was on his way back from Missouri so he wasn't there this year.

So I hope that you're Independence Day was as fulfilling and joyous as our was. I truly am one thankful gal today. God bless America and God bless our freedom to enjoy days just like this with our families.

Little Fish

I finally broke down, or perhaps the term should be grew a spine, and got my kids enrolled in swim lessons. Last year I took them to the local pool and we basically ended up sitting in the wade pool the entire time. It was fun for the kids, but I was a nervous mama watching two kids in the water. I am not exactly the best swimmer. I can stay afloat so therefore am capable of not dying if dropped in the ocean. But I'm no Olympian, that's for sure. Josh, on the other hand, is a fish in water. Apparently he and his brother were very much water kids growing up so Josh is always telling me that our kids will be good swimmers. So after much deliberation on where and when to sign up for swim lessons, I ended up deciding that the swim lesson program at the YMCA was our best option. And boy howdy! Am I ever glad I did this!

Alex and Abby ended up in the same class. It was a two week course where they go four days a week for 45 minutes. Each instructor got 4 or 5 kids and it was off to the deep end they went. The first day I was fairly nervous. I walked them over to the teacher at the deeper end of the pool (four feet or so...no feet touching the bottom) and she told them both to hop on in. They spent the first couple of days clinging on to the side of the pool for dear life but slowly they began to trust their water instincts more and more. By the end of week one, they were both putting their heads under water (Alex more so than Abby). Abby may have been a little leery of the full under water dunk but she took to the doggy-paddle like a little pro! The teacher was super nice and really awesome with the kids and she was even surprised at how fast miss Abby could go in the water. She sped right past her brother.

By the end of the second week it was all the instructor could do to keep the their heads above water...in a good way. Not the drowning type of way. Two weeks of swim lessons and lo and behold! I have two little fish. They are by no means drown-proof as they still need more instruction. But they can float on  their backs, go under water for good chunks of time, doggie paddle fairly well without flotation and really well with flotation, and have a great deal more respect for water (and also are somewhat scarily fearless of it now). The teacher talked to me at the end and said that Abby and Alex were easily the most improved in the class so I'm a proud mama. We then joked about how her class was the craziest and how out of four kids, there was usually only one head above water at a time. So I'm not going to be dunking them in the deep end without an adult and they still need floatation stuff for safety, but I couldn't be more proud of the little ones. Turns out Josh was right. They're gonna be fish in the water.

Here is a video of what the kids are like post-swimming lessons. They are begging me for a bigger pool. The water was too cold so Abby didn't want to go under. 

 

 

Getting ready to jump in at swim lessons.

Alex lovin' the deep end.

Abby also lovin' the deep end.

Alex's normal position in the small pool.

By the end of the second week it was all the instructor could do to keep the their heads above water...in a good way. Not the drowning type of way. Two weeks of swim lessons and lo and behold! I have two little fish. They are by no means drown-proof as they still need more instruction. But they can float on  their backs, go under water for good chunks of time, doggie paddle fairly well without flotation and really well with flotation, and have a great deal more respect for water (and also are somewhat scarily fearless of it now). The teacher talked to me at the end and said that Abby and Alex were easily the most improved in the class so I'm a proud mama. We then joked about how her class was the craziest and how out of four kids, there was usually only one head above water at a time. So I'm not going to be dunking them in the deep end without an adult and they still need floatation stuff for safety, but I couldn't be more proud of the little ones. Turns out Josh was right. They're gonna be fish in the water.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

I've always wanted to donate my hair to Locks of Love. It's such a good cause to give to kids who have no hair because of cancer or other things. Well, I'm 33 years old so I figured that it's about time I follow through with this constant life 'goal'. I've been growing my hair out for 1 1/2 years now in hopes of getting the required 10 inches to donate. The last time I went to get my hair cut, they said I needed about two more inches so I've been waiting patiently for it to grow, grow, grow! My pony tail was finally measuring up (according to Josh's measurements) and so I was ready for my big trip the hair salon.

Just so you know, I've been growing it so that it would still be shoulder-length when it was cut off. I live off pony-tails so it's a must for my sanity. I'm not exactly the 'let your locks flow in the wind' kind of gal, ya know? So Mandy and I went off to get our hair cut to a place that participates in the Locks of Love program. It was exciting! Chopping all my hair off and sending it away to make wigs for those that need them most. How cool is that? I took in a few pictures of what I wanted my hair to look like when it was all finished and the lady was more than willing to oblige. Turns out that she was a bit...flighty? Is that the word? She measured me up and told me that it's free to donate. Turns out that this means you get your hair washed, conditioned, cut and styled for free if you donate. Who knew? Can't sneer at the price, that's for sure. She had it ready to cut in the braid, I asked her over and over if she was absolutely sure that it would be down to my shoulders and pony-tail worthy. She guaranteed me this was true. I said I wanted to donate 10". She chopped it off with the clippers. She held out my giant braid to me and said, "There you go. A 14" donation!" As my hair (or what was left of it) fell around my face, I said to myself with jaw agape, "That is not shoulder length!" I went out looking like a drowned rat (as most people do right after a wash and cut). My wavy hair started to dry and get even shorter and I started to think about strange it was to see myself in the mirror. But it's just hair and it will grow back. I'm still excited that I got to donate. I think I'll do this a few more times in my life. It leaves you feeling like you actually contributed to something worthy. It's a good feeling. Click on the picture so you can see a better view of it.

Holy crusted hairballs, Batman! That's some short hair!

So, the shock has officially worn off and I'm growing accustomed to my new do, but I still can't believe how little hair I have or how little shampoo I have to use now. I've never had hair this short before, but it's all good. I actually kind of like it. I feel like I lost 2 pounds off of my head and I'm a lot cooler outside now. I miss the pony-tail but who knows. Maybe I'll stick with short for awhile. We'll see how it 'grows' on me. (Pun intended.)

Pickles the Tailless Wonder

Every evening around 7:00, we take the kiddos outside to expel one last burst of their never ending energy. On Monday evening we did the same thing. I told Josh to shoo the kids outside and that I'd meet him out there after I run to the bathroom (pregnancy bladder ya know). I had just got into the bathroom when I hear Josh screaming madly at something outside. I ran out there to find Josh yelling at a big white shepard-mix dog running wildly and quite scarily in our backyard. He yelled to get the kids inside. The dog was pretty scared, but scared dogs, when backed into a corner, can become angry biting dogs very quickly. I was naturally just worried initially about the kids, but the moment they were safely in the house, I ran back out with one major concern in my panicked mind. Our rabbits.

It's pretty warm out these days and Pickles and Nacho have burrows they've made underground in their outside ground pen. Two years now, without a single event worth worrying about and it all went to pot in a few moments of dog terror. The dog was going nuts trying to escape our fenced yard and I hollered at Josh if it got to our rabbits. He said he couldn't find one of them but the other one was out in the back of the yard scared out of its mind. The fence was torn up and there was evidence of their burrows being dug out by the dog. Though, I was sure Nacho would bolt the second I walked up to her, she was nothing but grateful for me picking her up and rescuing her. I put her in her cage and went back to search for Pickles (a.k.a the nice one). No sign of her...except her tail. I was certain she was dead. I mean, you see an entire tail on the ground with fur all around and you know it's gonna be bad, right? Pickles, that lucky bunny, had somehow escaped certain death and made it back to her burrow. Thank the good Lord those bunnies are great diggers because if that burrow wasn't so deep, she'd be dog fodder.

While I'm trying to get poor frightened Pickles out of her hole, the stupid neighbor dog went through the fence and ran back across the street. Through the fence...as in not the gate, but through the actual fencing. I have no idea how it did it, but Josh said it was gone so I concentrated on Pickles. I got her out and she was making some pretty awful noises from the pain she was in. That blasted dog had ripped her tail clean off of her leaving naught but a gaping 2" circular hole where it used to be. No bone. No fur. Just a hole. I was pretty mad because this dog is notorious for getting out and it's not the friendly type. So, I called the non-emergency police line to report the attack and damage. The police got there at the same time that the owner walked up and found her dog out. It was a huge mess and I felt bad for calling the cops on her, but seriously...control your dogs people! You lose a rabbit in the country and you expect it. It's a violation to have dogs running free in the city so the owner was cited for that. After we wrote our police reports and the officer took pictures of the 'crime scene', I rushed Pickles to the emergency vet so she wouldn't die of infection or shock.

I'm happy to say that Pickles is safely back at home and sewed back up properly. She has no tail now, but at least she didn't bite the big one. One extremely large vet bill later, I'm still trying to contact the chick with the stupid dog so she can pay me back for the bill. If I don't reach her by tonight then it's off to court I go. *sigh* The court date is on July 10th unless I drop charges, but $300 for a rabbit vet bill is insane and it was definitely not our fault. The charges are already against her for reimbursement, but here's hoping for an easy fix and for her cooperation. For the next 10 days Pickles is an indoor bunny until her stitches are out and her meds are gone. I hope that 10 days goes fast because her sister, Nacho, misses the company. Here's to our newly remodeled bunny: Pickles the Tailless Wonder. (Poor Pickles.)

That's Pickles new tailless look. about 8 large stitches and zero fluffy bunny tail.

Indoor Pickles is getting lots of attention right now.

I'm happy to say that Pickles is safely back at home and sewed back up properly. She has no tail now, but at least she didn't bite the big one. One extremely large vet bill later, I'm still trying to contact the chick with the stupid dog so she can pay me back for the bill. If I don't reach her by tonight then it's off to court I go. *sigh* The court date is on July 10th unless I drop charges, but $300 for a rabbit vet bill is insane and it was definitely not our fault. The charges are already against her for reimbursement, but here's hoping for an easy fix and for her cooperation. For the next 10 days Pickles is an indoor bunny until her stitches are out and her meds are gone. I hope that 10 days goes fast because her sister, Nacho, misses the company. Here's to our newly remodeled bunny: Pickles the Tailless Wonder. (Poor Pickles.)

Our Annual Zoo Visit

Every year around this time, we take a fun trip to the zoo. There was a brief period in my life where I wondered if zoos were an acceptable form of entertainment due to the fact that wild animals are caged. But as soon as I had kids, the possibility of that notion disappeared instantly. It's fun and educational and a downright good time to spend with the kids. My kids love, love, love to go every year and right around March or April, I get to hear them begging me constantly to go. They have their favorite animals each year that they simply can't miss out on seeing. Of course, every year they seem to change for Alex, but Abby is consistent thus far in her desire to see the big animals like the giraffes and elephants. This year was even more fun because the load of stuff I had to drag along was significantly decreased. No wagon or giant bag of items I might possibly need. I've learned to just wing it when it comes to certain things. Like second sets of clothes 'just in case'. I figure we'll survive one way or the other. Granted, next year it will be back to stroller and baby with me, but I think I've got a method now so I'll be great. I'm really happy that I have two kids who are excited about things like this. My poor friend Mandy has two kids who are not exactly at their happiest when it comes to the annual zoo trip. I feel bad for her as I know that we both are excited to go ourselves and used to go together annually pre-kid phase. Nevertheless, it was super fun and I was glad that Alex and Abby had a great time. They already want to go again. Maybe in the fall when it's not starting to reach the high 90's.

 

Abby Milking the fake cow...with a strangely devious look on her face.

I shall call this picture: Ironic (ya know...because he's allergic to milk. Get it?)

Make a silly face! wait a second...I'm the only one with the silly face.

The rainforest at the zoo. Fun stuff!

Family photo op time.