HELP!

Bloggers, help me out.

I've been struggling the past few weeks with Blogger. When I upload pics it puts them all over the place. Then, when I try to put captions either above or below pics it shows on the sides and not matter what I do I can't seem to get it moved. Help???!!!

Facebookers, you'll probably want to skip this post as it is mostly a repeat of the pics I posted on there. Although, those kids are pretty cute...

Family pic time! We have so few. And, I love all the comments I've already gotten about my hair...I really do have it!! I just really, really, really, really, really like my visors and ball caps. Keeps the sun off my face (and allows me to not have to fix my hair!).

August 28th, 2010

This should've been yesterday but I didn't get online for almost 2 whole days...just for my boy.

Happy Birthday to my Luke!! You are 1 years old! I can hardly believe that 365 days have passed since your first sweet breath. We knew as soon as we met you that you had a sweet disposition. You've survived a lot this first year. A momma who might've been a wee bit nutty b/c she had to go house-hunting when you were 10 days old. Sleeping in the closet. Being drug all over creation. A big move. New house. Irregular schedule. People forgetting to feed you meals. An ER visit. Twin older brothers who love you a lot (heck, just that one is too much for one little person in itself!!). We certainly weren't expecting you, sweet thing, but oh how you've changed this house. You completed this family and we've loved every minute since you arrived. From your middle of the night cries to your own independent streak, you are a blessing!! We love you!

You don't care

I am quite certain by the end of this post, you will regret reading it as it will surely be a waste of time. But, Jereme is out of town until middle of the night tonight so I need to tell someone. I run down good ol' X street here in Small town, USA. X street runs just on the side of both the high school and middle school. It's a perfect start to my run. Bonner, our dog, is a bird dog and loves him some free roaming time. So, when I hit X street, I unleash him since the first 1/2 mile or so it is wheat field/stubble. Then, you hit the middle school and it sets back aways so there is a huge vacant lot. Across the street from the middle school/vacant lot are townhomes.

Sooooooooooo, where is all this going? There is the rudest, grumpiest old man ever that sits out on his lawn chair and yells at my dog. Now, Bonner is a runner and he may stray a little but he NEVER strays on that side of the street. He runs all over creation in that wheat field and vacant lot. The first few times, I thought, ok this guy doesn't realize that's my dog. So, the next time, I waved, smiled and said, oh, that's our dog; he sure loves to get off that leash for a bit. The guy said nothing. Now, mind you, he is outside whether I go at 6 am or 8 pm like I did tonight.

**Sidebar** I had a sitter with the kids so no need to document me for Child Protective Services (wink-wink!).

Again, tonight, running down X street and Bonner is whooping it up running all over IN THE VACANT LOT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET FROM THE TOWNHOMES when the guy gets out of his chair and yells, "Yaaaaaaaa, get out of here, you dog. Get your dog out of here!!!" Seriously?? Put a pillow over my head in my sleep, Jereme, and put me out of my misery should I ever get so miserable in life that I feel the need to yell at people's dogs running in a field across the street from my house. Ok? OK? Whew. Thank you.

Now, feel free to roll your eyes at this utter waste of time. By the way, baby boy turns one in less than 48 hours. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The heart of a true farm kid...

Convo with the boys on this cool morning outside.

Isaac: Momma, look a squirrel.
Me: Wow!
Jorden: Momma, remember when we saw that squirrel that a car ran over and smashed?
Me: Yes, I do. That was sad.
I: Look, here is a frog. He's dead.
J: Oooooooooh!! A dead frog.
I: Now he lives with Jesus.
J: So does that smashed squirrel.
I: Jesus needs to come by in His car and get this frog and take him so he can be fixed and live with Him.
J: Yes, Jesus' car came and got that smashed squirrel and took him and fixed him.
I: Momma, dead animals live with Jesus, right?
Me: Yes, honey, momma believes Jesus takes care of all of His creations, even after they die.
J: Am I going to live with Jesus?
Me: Yes!
J: Right now?
Me: No, baby, not right now, but someday. And someday momma and daddy will live with Jesus, too.
J: Will monsters live with Jesus?
Me: No.
I: And, what are we going to do in heaven?
Me: Well, what do you think we'll do in heaven?
J: I think we going to sing and dance.
Me: I do, too. I think we'll sing and dance and laugh and it is going to be so much fun.
Isaac: **Ponders all of this for a moment** Momma, will Jesus have combines and tractors and planters and grain wagons and DEKALB corn in heaven???
Me: I bet so, just especially for you and your daddy!

I love those boys! I have no idea why the boys think Jesus is coming by in cars to pick up the dead animals. But, perhaps that goes along with Isaac's comment to me the other day:
"Jesus tell us in the Bible to obey momma and daddy and Jesus say we need to get spankings if we don't obey."
Ok, so maybe we need to revisit that topic...
Or, maybe not?!

The fall??

I realize that by continually talking about how easy-going of a baby Luke is, I am just setting myself up for a harder fall. Who knows when that will kick in. Toddler-hood? Maybe. Puberty? Most likely. I don't know but really I am just trying to take great delight in this moment of time. For instance:
*Switch from formula into whole milk 6 weeks ago? Luke is actually thrilled.

*Wake up one morning and decide to chunk all the daytime bottles? No prob. He is quite ecstatic to drink out of his sippy cup.
*Make him start leaving his pacifier in his crib after waking up in the mornings and nap? Still smiling.
*Less than 90 minutes of sleep all day on Saturday? Still a giggler.
*Short catnap in the car on Sunday and then awoken from a deep sleep mid-afternoon to head to church? Happy boy all the way around.


He must take after his momma, don't you think? Ha!!


And, what did Jereme and I do on our Friday night of freedom (really, just having one child is considered freedom!!). Go out to a fancy dinner? Head to Manhattan for some fun times and shopping? Rent a good movie? Socialize with friends?

We were far more exciting than that. We hung pictures over the stairs. Jereme couldn't believe that's what we were doing. But, I kindly reminded him that if he didn't do now, whenever he did do it, most likely his "helpers" would be climbing up the ladder.

Interesting Thursday...

*Started off the morning with a text from my mom telling me to check my text from last night. She and dad wanted to know if the boys could come to their house for a couple nights. I had to reread that text a couple times before racing into the boys room to pack their bags. Kidding! (Kind of...) I already miss those stinkers.

*Talked with a sweet friend from college who is expecting a baby girl in the next few months. I had no idea that they had found out some news re: that sweet baby. They could sure use your prayers. Her attitude was awesome, though.

*Headed to the farm to meet the folks. Had several interesting (and crazy!) convos with the 3-year-olds including wondering if poppa and mimi were going to use bad words and if their cousin's daddy knew how to "drive a plane".

*Found the boys at the edge of the cattle lot partway under the culvert (as in under the road) with a magnifying glass.

*Got a text from my dad this evening wanting to clarify something as Isaac was ADAMANT to my folks that "his daddy told him it was okay to pee on spiders on the driveway". Of course, that was AFTER he had already accomplished that task.

*Headed out to a plot tour the hubby was participating in this evening with baby Luke. We parked a little ways down the road and were walking to where the group was in a corn field. There were trucks parked up and down the road. And, about 15 ft in front of me, what should saunter out from between two trucks and stop at the edge of the blacktop??? A bobcat. A dadgum BOBCAT. He turned my direction, spotted us and high-tailed it out of there. It's possible I wet myself just a little. I was attempting to remain ever the professional's wife out there amongst those people but I really wanted to scream my head off.

I shall leave you now with those incredibly exciting tidbits from my Thursday.

God bless you, Luke Rodger **And Update**

I thank God every day that my Luke is just about as easy going as they come. It is currently 12:40 and as I was setting his lunch on his high chair about 10 minutes ago, I realized I never fed him ANYTHING for breakfast. Has that child cried once since he got up? Nope. Did he take a 1.5 hour nap despite nothing in his stomach? Yes. Will I win Mother of the Year 2010? That would be a resounding NO. I love you, Luke-bean.

UPDATE: I just thought you all should be forewarned. I am up working on Luke's first year slideshow. And, most likely over the course of the next week or so, I shall probably become a blubbering mess. I am NOT ready for that baby-boy to be 1.

Family "vacation"

Aw, home sweet home. I could not be any happier to be at home. I slept all night last night. That was the first time since last Friday night. And, that's even with a confirmed, as of this morning, case of strep throat.

For those non-FBers, remember that little boy in my previous post that had a temp the night before we left. Well, it only took us 4 days of whiney kids, not being able to do a dadgum thing, the baby having a 103 temp for like 20 hours and tons of screaming to determine we needed to find a doctor in CO. Turns out all three boys had strep throat. So, we holed up until Thursday when we finally went out and did a few things. We left the next morning and by then, I, too, was running a temp and feeling slightly less than perky. It was the.longest.drive.ever. Twins did awesome. Baby boy was just still not feeling well and did a lot of screaming. But, he is almost as thrilled as his momma and daddy to be home.

But, my goal this year has been to try and find joy. Joy in every situation. And, here are a few things for which I am joyful:

*Setting the bar so low on this family vacay that it should be near impossible to have a worse one next time (I probably shouldn't have said that...totally jinxed it).

*Jereme laying down EVERY single day with his boys for a nap. He never gets to do those things and they loved every minute of it.

*AMOXICILLIAN

*Tylenol with codeine...hello, my new best friend!

*And, dang it, this my blog so I'll say it again...just being back home with my little family. Love them!

Here are pics from the trip. Needless to say, there are very few!

Staying overnight halfway to our destination
















Baby boy before the tears began in full-force...should've know then what was coming.















































































This is how the boys "fished" and played while sick...











































This is how an almost 3-hour hike ended. I'd have killer biceps again like I did in early twin-days if I did this a little more often!














































Getting ready for a little adventure with daddy...




















Just had to share this picture that my 3-year-old took. I would think he is a camera prodigy except I am not going to share the pictures that followed and quickly became not suitable for a "family" blog.

Would it surprise you...

*If I told you that we decided to leave a full day early on our vacation, er, excuse me TRIP?
*And, that I didn't have a single thing packed or prepared for that trip?
*Thus leaving me less than 20 hours to do it all?
*Then coming home to a child who had fallen asleep on the garage floor while his dad was cleaning out the truck?
*Then that same child went in and slept on the couch at 530 pm?
*Something finally clued in with his mother and father that this wasn't right and we took his temperature?
*That that temperature was 101.7?
*While all this was going on another child of ours was filling the pack-n-play set up in the garage that shall be the baby's sleeping headquarters (in theory) for the next week with inches upon inches of water?
*With all this we are still going to leave in like 14 hours?

I am guessing probably not. That's just how we roll. Whatever. I can't believe how uptight I used to be about being a parent. Anymore, I feel pretty dadgum proud of myself to just remember to get all three kids with me wherever I go. I figure we can buy whatever we've forgotten!

See you in a week!!!

Just when I think....

Just when I think I might be starting to get back in shape, I find out that I am sooooooooooooooo far from being in shape. I took the twins for a jog this morning (J was working from home so Luke stayed and slept). I.thought.I.was.going.to.die. Nothing like a little humility on a Friday morning when you think you are doing pretty good 1 mile into the run and all you hear from you "cheering" section is, "c'mon mooooo-ooooooooooo-oooooooom, this thing is going so slow" or "momma, I thought you said we were going to run" or "why are we stopping?" Which by the way, I WAS moving!

I am guessing it will take me most of the day and at least 2 Diet Dr. Peppers to recover from this experience. And, maybe a piece of chocolate. And, maybe a good stiff drink.

Vacation!! Trip!!

We are Colorado-bound sometime this weekend for our first family trip ever. Please notice use of the word trip. I've learned from some very wise people that trips include your kids and vacations do not. We are super excited and Jereme has vowed his Blackberry is being shut-off tomorrow afternoon and will remain off. I might be more excited about that than the news that follows this sentence. Seriously, can you imagine? I can't...one full week without that thing buzzing constantly with emails, phone calls and voice messages???

But, in other big news, Jereme just found out that he and I will be taking a VACATION! He earned Master Sales and that means 7 days in HAWAII in October. Bless you, Poppa and Mimi for agreeing to take our little stinkers for that time. There isn't a person that knows better than me what it means to have those kids for 7 straight days! They are a delight but they are also BOYS and TODDLERS!

I really don't know how I am going to kiss those sweet faces good-bye for that long. I am quite certain the food, drink, relaxation, beach, ocean, sleeping will somehow alleviate it. But, that's a long time to be away from your babies!! I've got a lot to do between now and then...tear myself away from baby Luke a little more will be a challenge but I am guessing the biggest challenge will be as my mom so eloquently put it, "getting swimsuit ready!!" Holy smokes, Batman, I better get going!!





Those sweet little faces and the progression of pictures with 3 boys in it!