It has been so long since I have posted on this blog. I guess Ill do some catching up!

Luke is now 6 and in school. He loves it and has lot's of friends. Some of those friends are girls. I am not ready for him to be telling me who he thinks is pretty but, that has begun. 

Lydia is 4 now and working her way through PreK. We enjoy the funny things she says and does on a daily basis.

I am still at home taking care of everyone! I enjoy my days so much. I try to stay on top of everything all the time. But, lets face it....that is not the case most of the time.

Mark has now graduated for college and CLEET (police school) and has been working at a local police department for the past year....until 2 months ago. He is now a correctional officer at a prison about an hour and a half from here. This has been hard on us as a family because he is staying with family for the time being until the school year is over and we can move up to be with him. He enjoys his job for the most part. It is not an easy job and I don't know how he does it.

That is pretty much all that has been happening. I will try to stay more up to date on the daily in and out of our little life :)

decorating a spica cast......

After Lydia came home from the hospital in her new cast, and was happy and well rested from not being in pain anymore. We had a little fun decorating Lydia's cast!

Luke went first, I'm not sure what he drew......but he was excited!

I drew some flowers and a butterfly. Above that, a broken bone.

not just any car seat for a spica cast......

A child in a spica cast can not fit in a normal car seat. I was told by a friend that the hospital that she had her cast put on had car seats for spica casts available for loan. I called and of course they only have two and they are both loaned out. They did have a harness, I am not a fan of the harness. I don't really see how it can be safe!

The top part straps around the child, the black straps go in between the legs. the little strap raps around the leg of the child, you then lay the child in the car long ways on the seat, and run the seat belt through the harness. It takes for ever to get the child in it! and Lydia hated it, cried the whole time she was in it!

I happen to have a really good friend in the medical field that called around and found a car seat for us to use in a different city! it has been a life saver!!!

Lydia + treadmill = broken leg

On the 27th of October, My sweet little girl broke her leg. Her femur bone on her left leg to be more specific.

She had a folded treadmill fall on her, I can not begin to explain what the last few weeks have been like, but I will try my best to give you a picture of what she has been through.

Oct. the 27th was a Thursday. That afternoon is when she was hurt. We rushed he to the hospital. The doctors in the ER did a CT of her whole body and an MRI of her head. That is when they discovered the broken femur. They were only able to rap it in a splint because she was so little I would have to take her to a bigger city to have it fixed ( not a good thing to hear) I was also told that this would not be able to happen till Monday.

The first night was horrible, every time she would start to fall asleep she would jolt herself awake and move her leg. needless to say we did not sleep much at all! I stayed by her side and we cried together and sang together all night.
The second night (Friday night) went the same way. We were both so tired and she was in so much pain, on Saturday I called the ER and the very nice doctor called in a new pain medicine for us to pick up at the drug store. It was so much better. she slept well and only cried it I changed her diaper. We moved her toddler bed into the living room so she would be more comfortable.

She was in pretty good spirits for the rest of the weekend. Its amazing what a little sleep and some good drugs will do for you!

Monday morning rolled around, Lydia and I headed off to the big city to meet with the doctor. We left home at 6:30.AM. We drove an hour and a half, waited an hour and a half at the office, only to find out that this doctor didn't think he could do it! He did tell me that they had a new specialist at the children's hospital and he thought that would be a good option for Lydia.

I called the specialist office as soon as I got back in the car. I was told that I needed to call my doctors office at home and get a referral to be able to see the specialist. So, I did. I even got all the info together for my doctors office so they would just have to call it in (not my job). I had everything in by 10:30 AM.

I didn't hear back from my doctors office till 4:30PM only to have her tell me that Lydia would not be able to see the specialist till the next Thursday! that would be 8 days from when she broke her leg!! 

I then took this bull by the horns and called the specialist office for myself, I left a message saying how I didn't think Lydia could wait that long, it had already been 5 days!

They called back the next morning and said that was no problem, they could fit Lydia in that day! (Tuesday).

We drove her back up to the big city, and she was finally put in a cast! 6 days after she broke her leg!! The cast is called a spica cast, it goes from above her belly button all the way down on both legs to both ankles!

 

Aw, young love....

My lil man is in pre-k this year. He loves getting to go to school. I enjoy that he gets to go learn new things. I was not ready though for his first "crush".

This morning, while I was getting ready to head out the door with him I said "Luke, its time to go to school" He said " Will Mrs. J be there?" (shes his teacher) " Yes, she will be there" He then said " oh mom, dreams do come true!"

WHAT? My son has a crush on his teacher.
Then He said "mom, I love you.....and I love Mrs. J"

Well at least he still loves me too!

Lydia's first trip to the ER

This trip was not near as bloody as Luke's trip to the ER but it was just as traumatic.
It was a quiet evening at our house, I was feeding Lydia dinner. As I was feeding her I noticed something shinny in her nose...this was very odd. I pulled her out of her highchair and laid her down on the table. To my horror, She had stuck a shinny little bead up her nose. All the way to the back. OH NO!!!

I had Mark come over and look, He being a man and way more of a go getter then I am decided we could get it out on our own. We took a booger sucker from the hospital and cut off the ball part of it and in true redneck form, ducked taped it to the end of our vacuum cleaner. Laid Lydia down on the table and tried to suck it out. no such luck. i now know that there is one thing that ducked tape can not fix!

So, off Lydia and I went to the ER. We got there and waited for our turn. When we got into the room I was not to sure if the doctor could help because when she saw it she said "huh, Ive never seen that before." Lydia had stuck it so far back that nothing could get it out. We tried everything, all the while my poor baby was screaming! finally the doctor called in some help. one of the helpers was a rather good looking male nurse. They all decided they would hold her down and I would blow in her mouth to push the bead out. The rather good looking male nurse stood by me, I blew with all my might, and out shot...SNOT! All over my cheek. I thought I would die! least cool moment ever!

They rigged something else up and finally sucked it out of her nose. it was so traumatic you would think she would have learned her lesson...oh no! she has tried it three more times. Oh how ready i am for her to be out of this stage!

mothers day

I love being a mommy!
I had a wonderful day yesterday. I am one blessed woman.
Mark took me and my mom out to lunch. It was fun but, my children who are very regular naptimers, were not so happy about lunch. they were so tired. bless their hearts. I told Mark that we should have left them at home with a babysitter, and went out for my mothers day lunch by ourselves! LOL. I guess that would defeat the purpose.

Got home. Put the kids down for nap promptly as soon as we walked in the door. They slept for three hours! that was a mothers day gift all on its own! Luke then woke up with a fever. poor boy! got that taken care of, ate dinner and then snuggled with him for a little while. Put them to bed and had Oreo pie :)

Such a simple day but so great! I told mark that morning that I just wanted not to clean or cook all day...I then said, soooo I guess just every other day I guess..lol

I hope all you mothers out there feel very loved!

raccoon and a long night!

Well, it is now 11:22 PM
at about 9:30 tonight, i heard Merlin barking outside. It was different from his normal bark. More, worried.
I went out on the back porch to see what was wrong. There stood a massive raccoon. This is the first time I have really seen one up close and personal. I, being the strong woman I am, turned and ran into the house! Merlin, my coon dog...ran behind me.

Mark and I have spent the last couple of hours chasing it around the yard, trying to get it to go away into someone else's yard. one that would not have a terrified basset hound barking at the backdoor trying to get in. Big baby!

Well,that didn't go well. And, just to let you know...If you need a animal control officer at night, he will not come! We called and they said call back in the morning. We got so tired of hearing Merlin freaking out that Mark went back out and tried to get him to go in his dog house. To Marks surprise, There was the raccoon, in the dog house!

We decided to put a cardboard box over the opening, bungee cord it in and take him down to the creek by our house. He is now in a happy home, away from our home!

wonderful hubby!!

I enjoy a clean house..I just dont enjoy cleaning it!
Over the last few years I have gotten good at keeping my livingroom and kitchen and dinningroom clean. I like to keep the kids rooms clean so that hasn't been a messy issue. My big down fall is our master bedroom. By the time I have cleaned all day two loads of dishes, three plus loads of laundry..Im pooped and all I want to do is climb into bed. Not up to cleaning our bedroom. No one see's it so who cares? My hubby cares so that should be more then enough to get me cleaning!

So, today I dove in. I first off made the bed. so I could fold the 15 loads of laundry on it. Mark walked in and said "oh, It looks so good in here." Bless his little heart! He is too good to me!!! I had stuff everywhere and he chose to focus on the one thing I had done right! Love that man!! And it really got me incouraged to clean the rest of our room. It now looks clean and wonderful!!

going for a walk.

Yesterday I took the kids on a walk. It was nice for about the first five seconds. I got halfway around the block and thought I was gonna die! If you know where my house is, you will know that it is halfway, in the middle of the block. lol
So really I got to the end of my driveway and thought I was gonna die. I was pushing a double stroller so I will use that as my excuse for being so tired. not the fact that I am totally out of shape.

I got this sudden burst of athletic energy from a comment I received a few days ago. I was asked for the second time in two months...by the same person both times if I was pregnant. yep, that was a low moment for me. I politely said no, the person then said that she couldn't tell because of my big tummy. HA! one must laugh to keep from crying. so...HAHAHA....HA
Yes, I have had two children so things around that area are...different. But not big or fat.
I have over the last few days been trying very hard to not take it to heart or personally. but,  its hard. so here is my venting about it. I can move on. :)

Ugh...the outdoors.

I am not the biggest outdoors person. I am a poser. I have my north face stuff and my chacos but that's about as far as it goes. I don't mind camping as long as there is a restroom withing walking distance. I would not mind the outdoors if it were not for bugs. I HATE BUGS!

I do however like to garden. well, that's not totally true, I like to plant flowers and water them. I don't like the work it takes to get the garden ready. I plant in barrels so I do not have to mess with...the ground.

We decided Sunday afternoon to plant some flowers. So to me this meant pulling out my barrels and putting flowers in them. This to Mark meant cleaning out the flower beds that had been neglected in the past and plant things in the dreaded ground...with my own two hands.

We, were outside for about three hours and as my husband got in there and got dirty and got it done. I happily checked on the kids while they were napping, used the restroom about 8 times and got about 4 glasses of tea. :) I must say, I make a wonderful "supervisor". After we were done, the ground looked wonderful. I am very proud of my flower beds and all the work "we" put into them!

Flow Masters=ear plugs

My husband bought himself a jeep cherokee about 3 weeks ago now. I am so happy that he enjoys it. He has so much fun planning what he is going to do to it. He has already done something pretty big to it. He has added flow masters. its a muffler...i guess?
All I know is that it is very loud. It is so loud that it scares big momma (my mini van). It sets my alarm off when it is running in the drive way. Poor big momma. She is to old to have the whipper snapper beside her...bless her autoheart!


Well, About a week ago, my cousin Alicia was in town. We decided we were going to meet at the local tea room for lunch. Mark said he would "watch" the kids (they were napping) :)
I decided I would dress up, I even curled my hair, and wore my pearls.

I had no idea that while Mark was out that morning, he had flow masters put on the jeep.

So, as I was headed out to big momma, Mark said I should drive the jeep, I could feel "young again". since when am I old? Anyway....
I said ok, He said to be prepared, I would turn heads by driving it. HA! so now I'm old AND need a jeep to turn heads!
back to the story...
I got into it, started it and almost had a heart attack! That thing is so loud!! I went on my way. I thought I might get pulled over by the police, because I was disturbing the peace! I parked as far from the restaurant as I could. flow masters and tea rooms do not mix! Had a wonderful lunch and then hopped back in the noisy beast to head home.

No one checked out the old woman in the jeep until I got to the last stop light. The 60ish year old man in the truck next to me smiled, his ever so sexy toothless smile at me.
I have never been so happy for a red light to turn green! I got home and got out, gave my boring old mini van a pat as I walked into the house.

I have not driven the noisy beast since. I can not handle the noise or the "attention" I get from driving it! :)

who would have thought my 3 year old would have plastic surgery before me?!

Tomorrow morning, Luke will be having surgery to fix his lip. It has healed ,but with a lump in it. It makes it hard for him to speak and it just really bothers him.

I had to give him a bath tonight with some pink soap they gave me at the hospital during his pre op
He thought it was so fun, I guess that's a good thing. He really has no idea what is about to come.
I'm so ready for it to be fixed and to have him happy again!

He has been eating anything he wants for the last few days. After tomorrow its back to soup for two weeks. ugh... He didn't find that fun the first time around so I'm thinking he will be just as bummed this time.

I am having to really put all my faith in my heavenly father. I am not a peaceful soul by nature, He is teaching me.
Please keep him and us in your prayers in the next couple of weeks.

yard sales...hobby or addiction?

I'm not sure about the answer to this, I am beginning to think it might be the latter I'm afraid.
I get up at 6:30 am. Get dressed and head out pocket full of change, to find amazing deals on others peoples well loved stuff.
 I have found some wonderful finds at yard sales. I can not think of any at the moment, but i have! I find lots for the kids.

I love pulling up to the yard and seeing everything laid out before me ( I do not dig in boxes..yuck)  I guess it is a addiction, I would totally be willing to knock someone out to get that item for 25cents! Just joking...maybe.


There are some yard sales though, that I must say, should not be had. I call these "drive by's"
you know the ones, they look nasty. Dishes that look like they have never been washed, clothes that lay in a pile on the ground. ugh....these are always the ones that we drive 15 miles outside of town for!


BUT, the draw will always be there for me. The hope that I will find something amazing...well at least to me.

Their little hiding Place...

Luke and Lydia now have a little hiding place, it is under Lydia's crib. They sneak snacks that I leave out on the counter, under the bed. If I cant find them, I will sneak in there and pull up the ruffle...
There they sit. snacking and giggling!


They have got to be the closest young sibling I have ever seen. They share everything and play so well. Luke "reads" to Lydia and Lydia sits and listens to Luke.If she is crying because she was told no, he will hold her and say..I know siser, I know.

If we are riding in the car and she is crying, he will hold her hand and make her laugh. I am so blessed!

Maybe they are the ones that are blessed. They have each other!

You crap me up!

Luke says the funniest things. Yesterday we were riding in the car and Lydia made him laugh, he looked at her and said "siser you crap me up!" This is one of those times that I know we should correct him, but its so funny! I get a kick out of it every time he says it!

He also has become a huge fan of saying "that isn't fair" or "its just not fair, mom" while shaking his head in dismay at me. He says it when I ask him to play with his sister, eat his food or clean his room. Really? These things are not fair?

But, after a week of not really being able to understand a word he said because his lip was three times its normal size....I will take, and listen to whatever he wants to say!

New mommy skills

I over the past few days have become nurse mom. I have been cleaning boo boos and getting up in the middle of the night to give pain meds. holding little hands at doctor appointments, calling doctors to make appointments. Stressing that I'm not doing something right.

Ugh... This makes a mommy very tired. I am learning a lot about what I can handle and what I will handle when it comes down to it. I am not good with blood, never have been. But I am having to buck up and deal with it. I am a worrier by nature, I am learning to let that go. I can not control everything. I have to give my son over to God and let His will be done.

I will have to continue to let go and let God for awhile yet. Luke has to have surgery in two weeks to fix the inside of his mouth. I'm not happy that my baby has to be in more pain, I am happy though that they will be fixing it. He is having a hard time speaking. that bothers him. hoping surgery will fix that.

Luke is acting like his old self! bouncing around and playing with his sister. I'm so happy about that. He has faith that we will make it all better , and that is all he needs to know. I need to learn to be that way with my Jesus. To trust that He will make everything ok.

Luke's first trip to the ER

We took the kids to Muskogee this afternoon. We were having a great time. We took the kids to the mall, they were playing in the big alligator slide when he fell off and hit his face on a bench in front of him. Mark went over, picked him up and turned around and said "we have to go, now!" I followed him,while carrying Lydia. I caught up to him at the costumer service desk. To my horror, my sweet baby's face had blood all over it!! He had bit through his lip.

The mall cops called the ambulance. They came and said he would need stitches. Luke and I got to ride in the ambulance, Luke thought it was cool that he didn't have to sit in a car seat.
We got to the hospital and after a closer look, they decided he needed stitches inside and out. I took Lydia out to the waiting room while my rock of a husband stayed with Luke to hold him down so they could work on him.

I could hear him screaming. I never want to hear him scream like that again! It was the most pained scream. I broke down, the nurse came up to me and said, not to worry...he was screaming more from fear then from pain. Yeah, I know she was trying to help. It didn't!

After three stitches on the inside and three on the outside we went home. He is doing ok for the most part. Mark and I are both drained! My baby has had his first big boo boo. I'm hoping its his last, I know that's not going to happen....but a mom can dream!

a burping button...really?

So, Burger King is back on my black list this week. They now have a burping button toy. Really? That is all I need in this house. Like my three year old son doesn't have enough yucky nasty noises all on his own?
He carries it around and pushes it again, again....and again!

But, when he does get tired of it on the rare moment, There is Lydia picking up the job, the "lets make mom crazy" job! She came in today and sat next to me, smiles and then pushed the ever so annoying little green button. ugh...
 So, To the person that picks out the toys that they put in big kids meals at Burger King,
I would just like you to know that I am not your biggest fan. I do not for one moment find this toy funny!
Now, my husband on the other hand would probably like to tell you how funny it is. And, thank you for making his life less stressful. He now can take more time playing with the kids and watching hot rod shows and less time worrying if his son is going to grow up knowing how to do manly things...like burping! Because you, have that covered!

Burger King

Today we took the kids to burger king on Mark's lunch break. Lydia is at the point, where she doesn't enjoy just playing at the bottom of the play thing. So I being a wonderful mommy, decided to climb up with her. Has anyone else noticed how tall I am? I thought I knew this already, but today proved it to me in a whole new way! I get her to the top! She ran around up there for awhile. Then we slid down the slide. I can honestly say that was the highlight of my day! She loved it! Giggled all the way down.

She decided that she wanted to go again, so up we went. This time she decided she wanted to head straight to the slide, to her mothers horror.
I took off through the tube after her as fast as I could. She is one fast kid! I probably sounded like a stampede of wild hippo's, crawling...and falling through those things! Yelling in a whisper, not to be quiet and lady like, but because I was out of breath! "Lydia STOP!" "Please wait for mommy!!"
Well also to my horror as I came up right behind her, I lost my grip and fell on my face THUD in the tube. Only to see her go face first down the slide! Giggling and chatting! I grabbed her foot with my ninja mommy reflexes! Pulled her from the clutches of death...well at least from a bumpy ride.

I pulled her back up. Sat her little bottom down beside me. Pulled myself into an upright position...for the most part. And down we went....


I will not soon forget this. Neither will my bones or my pride. I can also honestly say, Burger Kings play equipment is built very well! I have tested it out!!