Workout Clothes and Dates Don't Mix

I spent all my time tonight working on another background that I'm not thrilled with. Mostly I was adding the quote. I had cuter backgrounds, but couldn't get them to work properly after I added text. ?? So, now I have less time to post.

Interesting, Useless Fact:
We wash the kids' toothbrushes every time they use them (in the dishwasher). We also have tons of them, I am going to count them for you (there are 42 in the drawer plus 3 in the dishwasher from tonight = 45!).

I've noticed that the more I play the Wii Fit, the more likely I am to dress comfortably, knowing I'll work out later. You just can't properly yoga with jeans on. So my standard dress on an average day is yoga/workout pants, tee (could be short- or long-sleeved) and a matching jacket. Not so stylish, but my shirt, jacket, and shoes always coordinate! My newest Nikes are white with reddish pink. They are cool-if I wear red, they seem red, and if I wear pink, guess what? They look hot pink! They are magical. And they make me run faster!
If I am wearing all blue or something, sometimes I'll wear the next newest pair which have blue and pink. I can dig deep into the older ones for red, navy, or silver and baby blue. I am not a packrat, but I have a shoe purgatory. The newest ones serve me daily. The next oldest pair are backups, and maybe get to be worn once a month. The third pair are usually for work outside. The fourth are workers, like to clean the garage or do gross stuff, in case they must be trashed! The fourth are currently the lowest on the totem pole. I used to have piles in the garage that I would choose to work in, but it was too much! Now I've narrowed it down. If I get another pair, the oldest will go to Salvation Army. They are still nice, I promise. Especially since I don't do yard work but twice a year or so.

Do you notice that as you are married longer, your date-y places are a little less cool? We used to go to a restaurant, sometimes a club, go out with friends, go to the movies, go to other cities and go out on their town? Well, now we still travel, but when we pay a babysitter and go out ("real" date night) we go eat and go to a movie, sometimes go to church alone together. Then, if we have time in between those two or three, we go to Target, WM, Sam's, etc. When you pick up milk and dental floss, and get gas, is that still a date? Or have you taken a commercial break in the middle of your date? It just happens, you are still thinking about home when you're out!
It does help when we're out of town-but we still check out their Target and take back snacks to our hotel room! Maybe every couple is different. We just aren't partiers. We've taken in our share of cities and excitement...We just do better in our groove. What do you do when you date your spouse?

Just a sidenote: I'm currently enjoying Dale & Thomas Popcorn (Dark Chocolate Popsters). Just 12 of these are a serving! So, you have to have serious self-control. They are caramel covered mini popcorn balls (1 popcorn in the middle of each) thickly coated in dark chocolate. They should be criminal...But I'm in the few days before that time of the month...so I have serious cravings and need chocolate to function! It's like my blood requires more caffeine and chocolate. There isn't an i.v. for it, so I choose junky chocolate food that when looked at in two weeks will make me want to throw up it's so rich. But now, I'm living it up! And, I just had a bowl of *new* Cinnamon Honeycomb! It's really good! The color is lacking-it's the color and looks of Cheerios, but looks fail it. It's cinnamon-y, crunchy, and you can still taste the honey. See why I need the Wii Fit and workout clothes? I enjoy my food!
Yes, I had a pretty healthy dinner (garlic and pepper-crusted pork loin, mashed potatoes and gravy, and brown beans) and drank a full bottle of water during workout to avoid the carb and chocolate desire. I'm even eating almonds and walnuts to fill me up. I'll get there..
Gimme a week, and all will be welll! : )

Girl Scout Cookies, Heart Attack, and a Recipe-though not necessarily related

I've spent all my computer time (and cleaning time, and cooking time, and laundry time..) on my background research (heehee) to work on making new backgrounds. Finding them isn't just enough, but aquadots will do for a few days till I can spend a little more time on it. I made a cute faded dot with Pooh quote, but I kept getting the quote too big, then Firefox shut down on me. Yes, really. I only had 11 tabs open. It was just too much. So, I updated to version 3, and here I am!

Things I Never Thought I'd Say:
No! Don't get your blanket in your poop! (And worse: Then it'll take an hour to wash and dry it and you won't have it for nap!)

I survived yesterday's small crisis, and slept hard last night. I thought we weren't going to keep our puppy-Serious. I was upset, we were all upset, long story... So I was taking her over to Gigi's to let her spend the night, but then I stayed, calmed down, baked Pumpkin Spice Muffins (see yummy recipe below!) and decided to take her home. It was traumatic. I just wasn't sure the kids were ready-they've been rough with her, and I was thinking only of her. And, thinking of her, I didn't want her to have to get used to another home when this is what she knows. So, I decided to keep her with me even more.

Lexi is doing better-she's already made 3 pees, and 1 poop-on papers! Yay! I should just figure out how to make tally marks. : ) She's getting better, and I'm getting more attached. I was trying to leave me out of the equation yesterday, but maybe I can't!

We went to the Girl Scout Cookie Kickoff! So, today is the first official day we can sell cookies! (and I left the forms at Gigi's) We'll get right to work! If you want any, let me know. We also have service organizations to give the cookies to if you don't eat cookies (Our troop is sending them to Support the Troops-NWA and Shiloh Health and Rehab). You still buy them, but we give them away. They have a new baker-I think I mentioned it.. Anyway, they have the really old names: Caramel Delite is now Somoa, the Peanut Butter Sandwiches are now Do-Si-Do's, the old shortbreads are now Trefoils, the yummy peanut butter patty (with Chocolate) is now Tag-a-long. But good ol' Thin Mints get to keep the same name!

Do you ever wonder about your friend's health, but you can't say anything? It's a catch-22 (or 44!). If you notice them looking poorly, and ask them if anything's wrong-there are four things that could happen: One, there is something wrong, and they are so relieved you know them well enough to notice. Two, they don't know you well enough, and are offended you'd ask. Three, there is nothing wrong, and they are mad that you think they look "bad"! Fourth, and most rare, they don't think they're sick, but admit they should get more sleep, or have a physical. So, do you ask them about it, or wait-and-see, hoping they don't die? Seriously.

I was helping Clay's class with writing yesterday morning, and I was working with a sweet little girl. She was writing about her cat, Mouse. It was very funny-she showed me how Mouse runs on the wood floor when she chases her! And she wrote all about what she liked about Mouse and about her favorite paw. Isn't is precious how little kids can focus their thoughts on one tiny thing for a long time? I have trouble focusing without my mind jumping to the 18 things I could or should be doing at any one time. I think that's why I like to go-to focus my mind off myself for a little while. It's like Simpler Times.

Well, the other big thing that happened, is Nurse Patty probably had a Heart Attack! She couldn't get up, was in excrutiating pain-like a knife stabbing her!-when it happened, so she couldn't check Mary Claire (she checked herself, and was fine). The biggest shocker was that she didn't call 911-nor did anyone else! She stayed there, scheduled a dr's appt, and was planning to stay until Nurse Tracy got there! Was she MAD!? I came in about 11am, and she was STiLL there! I asked if she'd had any aspirin yet, and how did she feel? She said that the pain wasn't too bad-She's A Nurse! I ran to the gas station and got her some BC powder, which she took, and I made her leave. What's with women? Why do they have to care for everyone else and put themselves last??!! If you don't make it, you can't serve everyone anymore! Ok, so has anyone heard how Patty is? I'm so worried about her!

Lesson Learned: I left the school, went to WM (always WM-everyday for something), and got aspirin for the school, aspirin for home, and baby aspirins for me to take every day. My family has heart disease and high blood pressure, I'm not taking any chances! So, I had one of the little gems today. At first it's candy-like, and I could see why kids could OD, but then the bitterness kicked in. Nope, one a day is enough.

Please pray for Patty and her heart. And my beloved: take a baby aspirin every day. If only to live to serve others for another day.

Here's your recipe, that's not guaranteed not to cause heart palpitations!
Pumpkin Muffin Recipe:
Can Pumpkin
Box Spice Cake Mix (think Betty Crocker)
Bag MINI Chocolate Chips

Mix together pumpkin and cake mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Mixture will be thick like cookie dough! Put into mini muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Makes about 48. Yummy! : )

The Good, the Bad, and the Downright Strange

Let's see:

Bad Things today:
*We found a poop on the carpet.
*My favorite blog background website, the one that actually got me started-the very reason I started (I clicked on a button on someone else's site, and then it said on the other side to click to start a blog...), yeah, they are DoWn right now, and now they are charging for backgrounds now. Color me sad.
*I had to take poop to the animal hospital for them to recheck for Lexi's coccidia. I had to turn a Ziploc inside out, grab said poop, turn the baggie around, and put it in my very nice purse (Dooney and Burke large ivory leather Chiara bag)-it's very messy at the moment, but I love it. It has a story-I got it on a family trip to St. Louis-a birthday present. But, I digress...
*Mary Claire woke up very high-386-and I had to change her site immediately. She was 126 at 12:30am, and she skyrocketed after that. I guess she had air in her insulin pump tubing or something? She can be high, but over night is horrible. She requires so much more insulin in the morning already, and for a high, she was going to need tons! She couldn't eat breakfast or go to school, so I kept her with me till almost nine.
*I had a small child running around naked most of the morning. It keeps you on edge-like a grenade with the pin pulled!
*During our prayer this am, Clay rolled his eyes at what I was saying (aaahhhh!), and I asked God to help my kids not roll their eyes at their Mom. He thought it was so funny, and got in a better mood. Hey-God answered our prayer, and blessed my family! Sometimes you just gotta say what's on your mind!
*Ches played with my blog after I asked him not to touch it.
*Lexi destroyed lots of paper products today-napkins, newsprint, magazines, tag on a blanket, tissue... Ethan and Mary Claire took pictures. I'll have to have a look at the camera and see if any of them are good enough to post!

Good Things today:
*I remembered what Mom said, and I got around before I got the kids up this morning-and it helped! Sometimes (missing some sleep) and investing a tiny bit in yourself does really help. You don't feel so neglected, or third-rate.
*Lexi made five pees and two poops in the right place!
*I found new blog backgrounds after much stress and googling!
*My fave show is on-Grey's Anatomy! : ) and it's NoT a rerun!
*Lexi's coccida (poop protozoa) is gone now! She doesn't have to take any more meds-but she'd just gotten to liking it.
*I got to have some time alone with Mary Claire this morning, and she got to have her breakfast (Mini-Wheats) in the car.
*Ethan decided to work on potty training again. He took off his pants, and made two pees in the potty chair! I cheered for him, but didn't really push him. I did go to WM (of course) while Mary Claire was in gymnastics and buy him underwear-9 pairs (with Cars, rockets, and the thick training kind)! I've never had Pull-ups work for a child-and this is my third to potty train. They just pee and take them off. Underwear gives them that cold, dripping, wet, I've just made a mistake feeling. They always work better! I do like Pull-ups to use at night for a few months. They are essentially diapers. They absorb whatever doesn't wake them up, and they pull up like diapers. But hopefully we won't be driving up the Huggies stock much longer.
*My girl has strong arms, and is awesome on bars! She did so well at gymnastics! I had to shower her with praise-she certainly deserved it. It's always been a strength of hers-since she was 20 months-yes, really (Mommy and Me class).
*This morning during prayer on the way to school, the kids wanted to pray for Ethan like they always do-I'm so thankful they love and care about him!
*Ches helped me to find other blog backgrounds and found some HTML code to help me. I was in Deep Distress. Yes, we can still say OC.
*I got Mary Claire some new pump supplies ordered today. The Medtronic sales rep was Really Nice and understood that I was driving and couldn't write stuff down (and had a pup, her poop in my purse, daughter who was high and was insistent she was StArViNg!, and had a toddler watching a video) since I was a little busy. He said I could wait to verify my insurance info line by line aloud-his words- (when I told him it was all still the same) the next time I called-Bless Him.
*I was driving way under the limit (60 in a 70mph) when I passed a state trooper (I think I was on the phone concentrating too hard).
*Lexi ate a lot of food today, maybe she'll gain a few ounces!!
*Nurse Tracy came out to get Mary Claire (and to see Lexi) when I dropped Mary Claire off at the school since I had a jammied-barefooted(he pulls them off!)-boy, and a pup in the van. She's precious. She signed my sweetie in and everything. Lord, bless her too.
*Who else to bless? Well, Christy-the Pottery Barn Queen, Susan-ready-ing a party for two- and three-year-olds!, Mom-the-listener, Poop-investigating Vet and the Very Sweet Girls at the front desk, the precious, intelligent girls who've gone before me and figured out how to make blog backgrounds and are willing to help me!, and Christina and Meredith-they just have to make up!

Strange Things today:
*When Ethan woke up, and I opened his diaper to change it, he had a car (black corvette) down in his diaper-to the left of his manhood. There was a red place on his skin-apparently it'd been there all night. Weirder-didn't it bother him, and why didn't he take it out? I could not make up stuff like this if I TRiEd!

ps-my dryer mysteriously worked today! Yay, Whirlpool! (not quite a Maytag, but I'll take it!)

Stress, Psalms, and Dryers

Crazy day. Mom sent me a very good Psalm for today:
Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143

1 O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.

2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.

3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

4 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.

5 I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.

6 I spread out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Selah

7 Answer me quickly, O LORD;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD,
for I hide myself in you.

10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.

11 For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.

12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.

Ok, so I was a little stressed when I talked to her this morning...until after noon. Well almost that long. My house is crazy-Lexi peed on the carpet again, Ethan was being a normal two-year-old, there were messes everywhere, and I don't do messes well. I just cleaned the bathrooms and vacuumed, and had to do it all again today. Along with laundry, cleaning the kitchen, washing the sheets, etc. I just get tired of it, and it all builds up. If I throw on one more thing at any given time, my meter just goes off the charts, and I can't breathe (seriously, can't breathe oxygen)!
I'm fine now, the house is clean, and I feel more in control. I've got the forgiven pup on my lap, and now I get to care for me. Ethan is taking a nap, and I've got to catch a shower when the opportunity arises. My floors need to be mopped, but maybe they can wait till after I get cleaned. And, I don't want to wake up Ethan! I want him to be up when the kids get home so they can be kids. : )
They have p.r.e. (think Sunday School) tonight, so they'll have to have their baths right after school and before dinner to get to bed after they come home! I think next year we'll opt for pre on Sunday mornings again. We thought this would free up our Sundays, but now we have Girl Scouts Sunday evenings anyway, and one more thing in the week is overthrowing us! (And Ches is taking Clay to cub scouts on Thursday night to see if he wants to join. Yes, we needed ONE more thing!)
Inhale, Exhale, Inhale, Exhale. (It helps me remember.) Can you tell I haven't been doing my yoga/Wii for a couple days? I thought I'd lay off the exercise while I've been sick, but I'm MiSSinG it! BTW, I am feeling better! No more congestion, and I think I'm well!! yay!
If you see a fire my direction, it might be my dryer. It's not working so well. When I turn the dial to Normal setting, it displays the light dot by Heavy Duty, and doesn't want to come on. Then I hear random beeping during the cycle (only when I'm out of the room-it senses me) even when it is on silent. Mom says it's electrical, and I should probably replace it. Maybe I'll just use it till it dies, but watch it in the meantime-for fire. I should probably recharge my fire extinguisher. You know, the dryer's only three years old, you'd think it'd have a longer life expectancy than a can of green beans.
Thanks for the Psalm, Mom. You know, I needed one! : ) And now the baby cries out, as I haven't made it to the shower yet. I ReaLLy need it now!
ps: for mom, BTW-By the way