tid bits.

Where to begin?

Jacob lost another tooth. He wants to spend his $5 now but I am trying to talk him into saving for a better toy later. I do not think he is buying my logic. Few do. He's out of school in 1 month. They are already talking about Castaway Cove. I wish we lived closer. I'd love to go more than once a year. Well...really, who's stopping me? He has also started T-Ball this last week. It's coach pitch which means it's a big free-for-all. The parents are allowed to be on the field with their kids and maybe 4 didn't even have a glove. Should make for a very LONG game. Gladly he keeps track of the ball count. "Ssstttrrrike TWO! One more and you're OUT!" Easy honey. Encourage not discourage your teammates...

Evann took a header on her scooter last Sunday and had 2 stitches. Fortunately we were in the hospital parking lot when it happened--during our walk to the park. Daddy took out the stitches last night and found a pebble embedded in her skin. Nice. She's been good about taking care of them. She's actually developing into a wonderful little helper. Her mommy instincts are coming out. She tries to take care of any younger child that will allow her the oportunity. The unsuspecting children are typically having a good ol' time when Evann sees their lack of parental guidance and promptly remedies the situation. "Mom, here. Ruben wants you." No he doesn't he was happy eating in his seat; and now he's crying. Thank you for helping but he was fine, honey. She cocks her head to the side and gives me a crooked smile as if to say, "Whatever, he's your problem now." She starts Pre-K this fall. We're happy about it, she's happy about it. It's all good stuff.

Isaac and Ruben are the same as always. Although Ruben can walk, he does it on his own terms. It's a little more often than a week ago but not like a typical 16 month old. Isaac is always keeping tabs on Ruben. That's not the best idea since there is a tad bit of jealousy there on both sides. I enjoy it when Isaac asks me questions and then repeats my answer: "Mom, do we like french fries?" Yes we love french fries. "Oh, we DO like french fries."

Back to the random thoughts I promised in my title:
I really like Jason Mraz. A lot. And I really like Michael Buble. And I feel that if you have the time to listen to music it should be 1 of 3 people:
Jason Mraz, Michael Buble, or Stevie Ray Vaughan. Enough said on that. Well, not so much because I really like a song by Flo Rida (the name is so silly-I think he's actually from Florida, I saw something about his name somewhere) Anyway, he has a remix of Dead or Alive's, You Spin Me...It makes me happy. I REALLY enjoy it and I typically do not appreciate remakes or remixes but this one really makes me want to dance. Good good good.

Okay, I am tired. I feel a little like complaning about things but will opt out of that behavior for the night. Besides, my heartburn is forcing me to call it quits and find the Tums.

I am so wordy. Eh, oh well. Deal with it, I guess. Buenas noches!

i'm fortuitous?

I was explaining to Susan this afternoon that it seems that most of my life tragedies leave me sitting fatter than the one before. For instance, my most recent vehicle drama.

I hit a deer in the Excursion. It hit squarely in the middle of the front end. The headlights were not even damaged. I couldn't see or hear anything leaking so I drove on. Got home, no leaks, there were a few problems with the gauges and shifting but overall it was fine.

Well, not so much. I drove it to Vernon to drop it off at the body shop and the engine quit. There was smoke, the smell of burnt oil and antifreeze. Not a good sign. Turns out I didn't blow the engine, exactly. I melted everything onto it. I drove roughly 60 miles without water or oil. The gauges were not working so I didn't know there was a problem.

The insurance company is covering the engine but Ford estimated $16,000 to replace the engine and all it's components. Naturally, they totaled the vehicle. I am upset but see the blessing in this little tragedy, with help from Jake. We will be able to buy another Excursion, exactly like this one, Jake already put the deposit down and bought a ticket for Robert to pick it up in Indiana; and have extra money to put on the red truck we recently acquired to make its payments manageable.

The red truck is what this is really all about. I was worried about the payment but now I don't need to. It seems things like this always happens to us. Just when I let go of its importance I am blessed with a much better situation. I feel very lucky and then I feel it's not fair. Jake & I seem to win all the time when others do not. I am very blessed. My husband rocks my world. He is a phenomenal man. My kids, although sick and draining, are everything to me. I don't know how my life could be any better.

On another note, Garrett and Julie (soon to be sister) drove the red truck to us this last weekend. They stayed a few days. It was such a pleasure having them. They are a sweet couple that I enjoy listening to. They remind me of Jake and I with their banter. They are planning their August 1st wedding. We took pictures in Wichita Falls for their invitations. It was fun for me but my batteries died just as we were getting into it. I was really bummed but we did get a few that may work.

my kids.

I seem to talk a lot about Jacob. I suppose that's because he does the most right now. We took some pictures today to put on his "Wild About Me" board that is due tomorrow. I love photographing him. He likes it too. He likes to look handsome and would like to wear this particular outfit everyday. He is settling for Sundays.

Evann is my glamorous tomboy. She loves to wear skirts and hates having her hair done for very long. Today is the first time that she was interested in taking pictures. I think she did good in this one. I think her daddy will love it!





Isaac is my comedy relief, well, most days. This day is not any different. He started feeling sick earlier in the day. He had been stuffing his mouth with his fingers and complaining about pain. He couldn't show me where just that it hurt. He had asked for a band-aid but I said I'm sorry son, I cannot put a banda-id in your mouth, it won't stick. I let it go because what can I do without evidence of pain? I went to the back room for some reason and when I returned to the kitchen he met me with a band-aid stretched across his lips as you see pictured. I laughed at this and thought, if there's a will, there's a way. He spent the next 2 hours with that band-aid over his lips except for the time he (through a muffled voice) asked me how he could get a drink because he was really thirsty. I simply say, move the band-aid from your lips. He nodded and ran off. Peeled the band-aid off but promptly replaced it once he was done. When asked if it he felt better he gave a nod with such conviction it nearly toppled him over. He is a sweet, sweet boy. Oh man, can he cause a ruckus in this house. He is my biggest instigator and I wouldn't change anything about him.

Ruben may turn out to be my little piano player. He loves to pound away whenever I am practicing. Really, you can find him at any point of the day tapping away. I like that. He won't walk for whatever the reason. He is standing on his own but he calls it quits there. There is not much to say about him right now.

Jake is stuck in Newport News. We miss him when he's gone. His sacrifice does not go unnoticed. I truly appreciate the life he's given me and our kids. We have so much to be thankful for.

The kids have been unattended for 20 minutes now. DANGER DANGER DANGER! They are not too quite so the mess won't be flour coating the floor...let's see what surprise lies ahead... night night!

that's it?

It is half way through January and I finally took down Christmas yesterday. I sit here happy knowing the daunting task of taking down a half decorated tree and 3 snowflakes is over. Yes, you read that right. That's all it was. I hardly decorated at all which is why I think it was so easy this time to leave it up for so long. At any rate, it is over and my house needs real life in it. That's the sad part (for me) about Christmas being over--the colors are so pretty during the holidays and when it's over I've got brown, green, and cream. Yeah. So lively. I think a few live plants, maybe a ficus tree. Something. I need life. Maybe I need A life. I dunno, you be the judge.

Jacob did lose his tooth while in California. The tooth fairy left him $5. Not sure if it was excessive but whatever. He promptly spent his lot on hot wheels and then asked if we could do it again the next day. He's doing well in school. Not straight A's but close 5 A's and a B for the last 3 six week periods. I'm good with that. I think he's going to play baseball this spring. Let's hope my nerves can handle it. It's tough to teach him things about baseball when his dad is showing him stuff about football. I think he's getting confused.

The rest of the kids have been suffering with one illness after another. Today everyone seems healthy. There isn't much more to say at the moment. Ruben is killing me with his curiosity. He has to fiddle with everything in my personal space. It's freaking me out. SO that's it. I give in to the little one and will leave you all to your own devices.

Late.

loose tooth.

Jacob has informed me that he has a loose tooth. Yeah! I am so excited for him. I say to my little man, "come here and let me see--let me yank on it some." He does and I feel a wave of emotion as I pull my finger out of his mouth. This is real. He's growing up. Oh my gosh, next it will be "boxers or briefs?" and soon after commando (I think every young man has tried it once ... maybe more ...)

I am so happy that he is so happy. Jake told him he would help get it out when he gets home. I smiled a confident smile--"Jacob, I won't let your father pull your tooth before it's ready." I paused, thought about what I just promised and with a nervous smile I tell him, "Honey, I will try my very best to talk your dad OUT of pulling your tooth before it's ready." I think we all know that when Jake has a mind to do something ... Anyway, he wants to tell everyone he knows but no one seems to answer the phone. (We haven't tried Kara yet since she has a crazy schedule and we have a fear of waking her.) So pretty soon the boy will be going through the awkward stage that no child should have to endure.

Oh, he also saw a picture of Brad Pitt before he became a douche bag with that absolute bitch of a "partner" Angelina (insert vomit spewing face) you know: Legends of the Fall Brad Pitt. Well, his shirt was off and he had a six-pack that is now the envy of Jacob's young mind. He said he wants one and is willing to do the work to get it. First thing this morning he did 23 push ups (whatever that means)and some number of sit ups. And then later when we went to the park he wanted to run around to work on his abs. Cute kid.

I am tired. It's late and I have church in the morning.