9/30/2014--day 40--So the freezer went out

 knew our freezer was having problems cause it was full of freezer burn.

Not that I am complaining because I crave the taste/texture of freezer burned ice, but alas all things come to an end.

Today I went to go get a big cup of Sonic ice (did you know you can buy a bag of sonic ice for about $2.50?)---and when I opened the freezer-the top two shelves were totally defrosted and huge chunks of ice were built up on the third shelf down that I couldn't even close the freezer door all the way.

Still not sure how that happened, but it was a good thing it did.  So I moved all our still frozen/good food to the deep freeze in the garage--which is really a better place for it.  I didn't organize anything I just threw it all in there (right on top of my Bro-in-laws prized fish that has been in there for maybe 5 years). So that is another project I am not looking forward to, but at least I have stuff in there now to help it run better.

BUT as I was loading the freezer I looked at the corn, the green beans, and more green beans (seriously I have like 35 quart sized freezer bags FULL of green beans), and I  am kicking myself a little for not canning them.

I am sure I have said it before, but I am not sure HOW to use a pressure cooker, so I don't.  I have a new one--never been used--owned it for at least 2 years now! Anyway, I did have to throw a few bags of corn and one bag of apple pie filling away, not only because I had no idea how long they had been thawed (seriously, not even cold to the touch), but because they were really old anyway.

One more reason to can food.  Canned food stays good even in power outages, and I find it much easier to pull out a can of food and have it ready in 5 minutes, then think about pulling out a freezer bag, thawing it, and then making sure you have enough time to let it boil to get soft enough to chew.

One last note.  I am pretty sure this is my last blog post of canning--Let the cheering begin!

9/29/2014--Day 41-- Hot flashes and The bump

Yesterday at church I made a comment in a class and immediately my temperature raised about 20 degrees.
Why does it do that?  Also on Saturday night we had a special church meeting for the woman to attend and the room was so hot I HAD to leave and sit in a cooler area.

I am most comfortable at about 50 degrees right now!!  It is so frustrating, but I am so thankful my last two months will be in cooler months cause I seriously avoid going outside between the hours of 10am and 4pm because it is SO hot still (yes 75-85 are SO hot to me right now).

I have to plan what I wear because I sweat like crazy cause I am so hot!  I have a few really cute shirts, but I only wear them at my house cause with in 10 minutes of putting them on I have sweated through them--such a lovely visual I am sure.

It is crazy how your body changes when having a baby.

Like this big ol' bump I carry around with me!

Yet my doctor tells me I am measuring where I am suppose to be.  Sometime I look in the mirror and think--how does the body achieve this!? Very strange.

My dear Sis-in-law told me--'you only look big this time cause you lost so much weight before you got pregnant.'  It was awesome to hear---and I was comparing myself to another girl once (she starts out at a size 0 before pregnancy--yes I know comparing is stupid!), but I told Lucas--she doesn't even look pregnant (this was about 3 months ago) and the kind lady behind me said "You pop out and she gets wide.  Don't worry about, you just carry babies differently.'  That also was a big help to hear.

I have wanted to get maternity pictures taken, but I feel like my belly is so big!  I have people tell me all the time how big I am--'are you sure there aren't two?' 'Wow you are really low!' 'HOW much longer do you have?!'

Seriously people--I own mirrors!  I know I am big...just lie to me and tell me how great I look!  :)

One thing I do love is watching my belly move.  It is totally uncomfortable with this baby, but it looks so crazy.  You feel detached from your belly most of the time cause it is so foreign, but watching that bump jump, move, or bounce is just fun.

9/28/2014--Day 42 -- the first step

I am often petrified by doing the first step of anything.

For example.  I picked apples last week, but I have never made apple sauce (I watched/helped a girl do it once), and so the apples sit on my counter slowly getting softer and softer.

Why---because getting the nerve up to just do it is really hard for me.

Some things I dive right in and try it --moving to Korea, face painting, writing a book (but never getting anything published), -- more 'creative' things are easier for me.

One thing else I have noticed.  When I finally do the thing I have been dreading or putting off I figure out that really isn't as hard as I have built it up to be.  Especially with canning stuff--it isn't hard, just time consuming.

Do you ever get stuck at the first step?  How do you find the motivation, will, or calmness to just do it?

Sorry such a short post today, but that is the way it goes.

PS: I have the apple sauce maker all set up, the jars almost ready to sanitize, and yet I am wasting time on the internet--one more way to postpone that first step of just making the apple sauce already!!

9/27/2014--Day 43 -- Random Blogs

Since starting this new blog I have been blog surfing.  See that little link at the top that says "next blog"?  Yep I push it and let the internet just take me along for a ride.

Most of the time I find VERY little that I find interesting--and I am sure those people would pass right over my blog too.  I did find one blog I really like about an ER doctor and some his experiences.  I may or may not have read his WHOLE blog in 24 hours--Thanks to pregnancy induced insomnia!

Sometimes you get into a loop of a specific subject, how that happens I don't know.

I just finally got out of loop of blogs focused 100% on the TV show Lost.  Or link after link devoted to IT work, or anime, or cooking! I am THANKFUL that blogger has an warning for 'mature' sights and I can choose to click them open or skip right over them.  I don't think I would like to be exposed (ha ha ha) to stuff that I personally don't want to see- so thank you for giving me the choice to skip right over that junk.

A few things I noticed

1. If you do a family blog you are most likely Christian or homosexual (or both).
2.  Most blogs ended in 2010-2012.  Do 'empty blogs' get deleted after a while or do they just stay there forever and in 3012 we will be reading some persons random life history from 1000 years ago?
3.  Very very few blogs say why they are ending. Most just end.
4. Maybe I am not very smart, but there are blogs out there that I just think WHY? Why would you feel the need to write/share that.  Like the one who only posted one word posts and they were all random and non connecting.  Or the one who ONLY posted bad words, or the one whose poems were so disjointed I couldn't help but think they are mentally ill.
5. I just don't 'get' about 10% of the blogs I see.  10% are of people trying to be 'artsy' and 'deep'.10% are in foreign languages, 5% are about cooking and food, 10% are just not interesting to ME, and 10% are really interesting and the rest fall somewhere in those spectrum.

So what do YOU think makes for an interesting blog?

9/26/2014 -- Day 44 --City Girl VS. Country Girl

If someone in high school would have told me I would live in a small town, own chickens, not only raise a garden, but freeze and can the harvest for the better part of 3 weeks, and live as a country girl I would have laughed and figured they had the wrong person.

I was all about the theater.  I kind of wanted to do sports, but that interfered with acting (plus I don't think I was good enough to actually make any team) and at my large school only the very best were able to do both.

I dreamed of the spotlight, New York, and took every acting and singing class I could.

I was so unaccustomed to 'country life' that I didn't know a single country song (maybe Friends in Low Places, but who doesn't know that song), and I had NO CLUE was 4H was.  I still am a little confused by it all.  When my hubby pulled up to his house on the 'farm' I was very confused--it didn't have the white picket fence, or the bard where the animals each had their own stalls.  I saw a horse, some cows, a couple geese, and a dog or two.

I think I even asked him "Where are all the animals?"  He was confused and I said "You know, like Charlotte's Web, the movie.  They live on a farm."  His family still laughs about it to this day.

But boy did I learn.

I live in a town where the mail man won't deliever mail to our house because we live to close to the post office.  My address is actually XXXX Main Street, Small Town, CO.  The mayor is also a mechanic, the UPS man is also the judge, the cop works part time, and I know almost all school board members by their first name.  It is a wonderful slice straight out of Mayberry.

I married that country boy.  He was the closest thing to a cowboy I had ever known.  We had 'cowboys' at my high school, but none of them actually owned horses, or cows, or rode horse, or even knew HOW to ride horses.  He kept telling me he wasn't a cowboy, but in his senior class picture he is wearing a cowboy hat--and he graduated with a TOTAL of 18 students.  TOTAL!  I had never heard of that before!

I learned quickly that redneck and white trash are very different.  I learned that not everyone is missing teeth, wears overalls, drinks beer, or lives in single wide trailers.  I also learned that people who DO live in trailers are normal people cause I was one of those people for about a year.

So fast forward some years forward--and I am as far from the spotlight as possible.  The only acting I have available to me is the Summer reading program and the VERY few times a year I get to face paint.

Would I trade my life? Nope.  But I have to say that I would like to see what my life would have been like if I had gone to that acting school in New York, or if I had pursued the theater more.  Like in the movie Sliding Doors.  While the movie was OK, the idea of seeing how different our life could be because of one simple choice is totally intriguing to me.

Anyway--back to being a country girl.  I guess I still have a lot to learn. I can never remember what all the different pieces of farm machinery do (they aren't all tractors--who knew?).  And I keep wondering when I will FEEL like a country girl.  Maybe if I learn to drive a tractor.  Maybe when we own a cow, a horse, and a pig.  Maybe when I can kill, or butcher, a dying chicken or rooster by myself.

Until then I am SO happy that I got to live both lives and wish everyone had that opportunity.

9/25/2014 - Day 45 -- The big Two and computer time

Dishes and Laundry.

The big two.

My mom told me once if you can stay on top of those two things the rest of the house is easy.  I totally agree (expect bathrooms-those always get me, and the kitchen floor, and...ok so really I am a mess)!

So today--I am drying my last load of laundry and the dishes are all done and it is only 3:00!  IF I would have actually started doing laundry and dishes when I woke up I would have been done around 10:00, but dang computer time gets in the way.

The real reason I cleaned my kitchen is so I can make it a mess again.  I am on to the last apple tree (we only have 4 and only 2 produced apples so really I can't complain!)-- plus I have some squash I need to freeze, and a zucchini to make bread with, and a stinky fridge I need to clean out!

Hope your laundry is done and your dishes are CLEAN!!

ps: What was a 'wasting' my time on the computer with?  I follow facebook, pinterest, and a facepaint group every day (well 3 times a day, at least), but today I added in looking for birthday gifts for my firecracker and my amazing hubby--which leads to ebay and craigslist--which leads to about 4 hours later figuring out I am not any closer to getting a gift, but I might have some ideas.  Plus I am getting ready to do a Once-a-month cooking thing so I was comparing prices and all that fun stuff!

9/24/2014 -- Day 46 -- Fairy Hour

In Colorado we have beautiful sunsets.  I know everywhere has them, but I really love the glowing orange and pink colors the sky turns with the beautiful bluish purple mountains under it all.

I think this is a painting, but honestly this is what the sky looked like tonight.
The kids and I were out moving the wood pile closer to the house and then picked some of our apples (which there are hundreds of them!  Applesauce, apple juice, apple jelly/jam, dried apples, apple pie filling, any other suggestions on what to do with Apples?).

The girls and I call this 'fairy hour'.  There is something magical about this time of the day.  It gives me a boost of energy and when everything kind of glows nature calls to me (not in the bathroom kind of way), but that I need to be out in it and experience the special feeling this short time holds.

BUT, fairy hour seems to happen at the same time dinner hour happens.  I need to work on having dinner a little earlier so we can take a walk as a family in this magical time and enjoy it.

9/23/2014 - Day 47 --Bucket List

Ever write a bucket list and want to add things on it that you have already accomplished so it doesn't look so sad?



Here are some of my bucket list items 


See a lantern festival 
Reach my goal weight (after my last baby)
Write a book and get it published
Go on a short cruise where you never leave sight of the shore (open water is a fear of mine)
Own a pair of killer high heels and actually walk in them!

Try Greek Food (it always smells so good but very tried it!)
Go to the Mayan ruins
Go to Italy
Learn Italian
Climb all the way to the top of a 14er
Perform on broadway (my wildness most non attainable goal)
visit New York (the original goal was to live there--but things change)
See the statue of liberty
Learn Swing Dancing again really well
Blow ice bubbles (blowing bubbles when it is freezing outside)
Pay off student loans!
Pay off my house early!
Run a 5K
Run a half marathon
Run a marathon
Go to a fancy masquerade ball
Visit all 50 states (I have 17 under my belt)
Visit Maine (and surrounding states) in the fall
Build a treehouse or cute playhouse
Take my family to Disneyland
See Lightening bugs again
Get over my fear of rock climbing (use to be great, had a panic attack once and have never gone back!)
Play piano well
play guitar well
Learn to make flaky break perfectly!
Get a physic reading (even if I don't believe in this stuff)
Dye my hair purple
Make a time capsule and open it 10 years later



What are some of your bucket list items?

9/22/2014 -- Day 48 -- My BRAIN book Part 1

While it sounds creepy and spooky a brain book is a day planner.

I have always been a little scatterbrained...and it is only getting worse with age and time.

SO years ago I started a brain book (a planner) and it has stuck with me, but recently I stumbled across Filofax information.

Filofax is a TYPE of planner you can buy, but I am cheap, so I have made my own.

I didn't take steps on HOW to make one, but I will lead you quickly through my brain book and maybe it is something you have always needed/wanted.

It starts with a hardback, or soft back folder/book/planner of somekind.

Mine use to be a large 3 ring notebook, but I got tired of carrying it around. It didn't fit in my purse, and it wasn't convenient to carry into places (like a grocery store) so it got left at home or in the car where it did me NO good.

So I was looking at my recipe books and saw that one of the hard cover books was exactly the size I could use for my brain book.

Since it said "FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPES" or something equally cheesy on the cover. I went to the dollar store and bought some duck tape (not DUCT tape).  It covered it, but the quality is kind of crappy, so I bought the real deal and will cover it soon.  As of now my folder is now covered in purple duck tape.

Inside I have many things.

Since I really don't want all my personal information all over this blog, I only took a few pictures of the 'non important' pages, but I will walk you through the whole thing.


So you open my planner and the first thing is a pencil case.  I really wish I could find a little smaller one.  IN the pencil case is a -hole punch -many colored pens -post-it notes -a check book -and at this exact moment a box cutter knife (small) that I just used to remove my yard sale signs and haven't put away.   Sometime I will have a pair of scissors, but that depends on my schedule.  I try to keep it on the lighter side.

Next page...
My index.  I kept trying to find certain pages and couldn't because I wasn't use to my book yet, so at the top of the page I put my yearly focus words-the middle is the order of my brain book--and the end is the theme I chose for this year "To everything there is a season"

Here is the order my Brain Book goes in.  Actually this isn't a specific order and when I do next years I will put more thought into this.

1. Family information
2. Calendar
     -events and birthdays by month
     -a weekly calendar
     -a Monthly calendar
3. Menu
4. Church
5. Prepare
6. Money
7. Body/Health
8. Crafts
9. Phone Lists
10. Amy Personal
11. Kids Lessons
12. The Good Lief
13. Christmas

Under each section is subsections.  Which I will get into

1. Family information:
 Just as it sounds.  It tells each family members name and birthday, allergies, blood type, and currant clothing and shoe size.
 I also have an contact information page here too--where they can return my brain book (my address) and my phone number.

2. Calendar:

  In this section I have a section that is about 4 pages that tells family and friend birthday and major life events by month.
 Next is a weekly calendar where I write down my lovely to do lists and weekly events
 I also have my monthly calendar here too--but I don't use a monthly calendar as often.
 I have started putting a blank page with a post-it note sticking out in the week I am on so I can quickly turn to the week and jot down things to do (not on my daily to do list) and things to remember-phone numbers--etc.

3. Menu:
 This section is a work in progress.
 I have a little section for once a month cooking
 I have a section for my grocery list
 I have a section for meal ideas (with food I normally have stocked)
 I have snack ideas for after school--
 and that is about it for now.  Like I said it is a work in progress!

4. Church
  This is easy.
I lead the music at my church (which includes choosing the songs)--so
I keep a list of all the songs we sing in church so I don't repeat them to much.
and a list of the ladies I visit teach with their schedules, phone numbers, and important information I should know about them or their family.
(IF we had home teachers, or I had visiting teachers I would add that in here too--but since they are MIA I guess those pages will have to wait)

5. Prepare
 This is were I keep a list of the stuff I have in food storage, what we still need, and where it is all stored.
  One day I will do the same for my 72 hour kits too--but since we use to use our 72 kits for backpacking I wasn't as worried about them being up to date.

6.Money
 This is another big section.
 I would love to use the Dave Ramsey envelope system, but I haven't had the discipline yet--Maybe October?
  So I have three envelopes in the front of this section--House, Coupons, and Groceries,
  I can never remember my house payment slip and it takes WAY longer to pay my house bill without it so I put those in one envelope.
  Next my coupons. I am not a big couponer at this time so I only stash away coupons on things I really need or want in there.
  Grocery--like I said I need to get that together and put grocery money for October in there.

 I also have a page where I have my money bills and I add a sticker each month I pay them so I can see at a glance if they are paid or not.

 I have a list of my debt (which is very small and I LOVE--the list not the amounts!)

I have a list of big purchases I want (over $50)


So the time has come for me to post this and I am about half way---I won't continue it right away....

9/21/2014 Day 49 -- "camping", filofax, and leading the music

I love camping! Just not when I am 100 months pregnant!  

so lucky for me my extended family helps me get my fill of camping in short bursts that doesn't actually require any work on my part!

The lady folk--snapping peas and hanging out. 



My extended family is wonderful!  My bro-in-law and wife (and 4 kids) have an RV that they are ready to take to the mountains at anytime and have a picnic and just hang out!  It is really nice to have a bathroom and running water cause my immediate family does a lot of backpacking (or did backpacking) where bathrooms are not so fancy (interpretation--a hole dug in the ground)

So the other night we went out--My sister-in-law and her hubby were visiting so it was a fun little outing.

The men folk relaxing!

While sitting around enjoying nature I have been working on my filofax, or as I like to call it "brain book".  It is a glorified day planner.  I am sure I will do a post on it soon. 

But here are the weeks in September I did.  They are VERY simple compared to others I have seen, but it totally fits my needs.

Right now the whole thing has pretty much been done in hand and none printed cause I can't get my blasted printer to work!  As you can see we went to the mountains towards the first part of September, or I hadn't crossed the days out yet--not sure which one!  

I lead the music at church for the congregation. 

I think the people in charge like to ask the most pregnant ladies in the congregation to lead the music.  The last time I led the music, totally pregnant, the last 3 ladies to lead the music--totally pregnant.

Anyway....

 I often get lost while leading (I am SO good at what I do!)  So for the different verse numbers I hold up that many fingers.  1st Verse-1 Finger, 2nd verse-2 fingers and so on.

I had someone ask the other day why I lead the music with the Boy Scout finger symbol.

Funny, they must have only been watching me during the third verse. 

9/20/2014---Day 50

I totally missed yesterday and I have no excuses.  I just plain forgot!

Today has been wonderful and very tiring. 

Started with cleaning the kitchen up, harvesting the garden, and starting the garden clean up.  It felt so good to pull all the spinach, the sweet peas, some of the corn that was done, and lots of other item that had gone to seed.

This is AFTER we harvested the garden and while our garden was blanching the girls (and Little Man) went out and helped move the wood pile closer!  My family is AMAZING!

The rest of the day was spent in the kitchen canning and freezing items.  We have a crabapple tree that gave us four boxes of apples and whoa that is a job!  It isn't hard, but time consuming. Sometime I really wonder if it is worth it.  I think as I am doing it--I could just spend $20 on buying canned juice (not as yummy, but easier) and be done with it!

Same with the rest of the garden.  Some items aren't that hard--carrots for one, but corn--it is messy and takes lots of space, and the time it takes to shuck it, blanch it, cut it off the cob, and freezer pack it---seriously I can buy cans of it for super cheap!

I know it is the knowledge that is important--so I keep at it, plus there is a certain pride in looking in your cupboard/freezer knowing you did all that--but it isn't worth it if you don't use it and that is where another one of my problems comes in!  

This is the kitchen in the middle of canning!  The dishwasher is holding the sterile jars, the jars to the very left are apple juice---carrots and ?? are on the table--the water jug is to fill the bottom of the canning juicer as seen on the stove!  It is a messy process to can apple juice, carrots, rutabaga, turnips, peppers, and corn all at once!

Another problem was during my last waterbath the larger burner stopped working! I have another large burner on the stove, but the cupboard is too low; I can't get my canning pot under it.  So now my last two waterbaths are happening on the small burner--which takes FOREVER to heat up!

The girls were an amazing help and Little Man did so good staying out of the way and doing a little here and there. 

On a totally different note!! The girls had homecoming this week, so every day was a different dress up day.  Monday: PJ Day  Tuesday: Twin Day (dress the same as a friend)  Wednesaday: Hippy Day  Thursday: Throwback Day (dress in any era, but was later told the girls needed to come as their grandparents (they went as great grandparents)) Friday: Green & White day (school colors) and then they brought a change of clothes to the superhero that their class decided one.  

Squirts class was Green Lantern and Firecracker was Underdog.  '

The authentic costumes the girls got to wear. They changed for lunch and recess into their play clothes they had on under them so they would stay clean. The costumes were in the costume closet when we moved into the house--I am guessing they are from the last 40's.

It was a short, but cute parade.  

Pictures to be added later!  :) 

9/18/2014--Day 52 The dreaded TO DO list

Ever feel like you just never get your 'to do' list any shorter?

I have tried lots of things--

-Only write down the most important 6 things to do that day
-Make a list and categorize them by ---important and urgent--urgent but not important--important but not urgent--and not important and not urgent.
-categorize by subject--phone calls to make, people see, places to go...
-make one big master list
and so on and so on.


So on those days when I feel like I have a TON to do--I do write a master list, and choose which 6 are most important to me.  From there I try to get that list done, but I also write down everything I did get done.  Even if it wasn't on the list.  I might cross off 3-6 things a day, but I seem to add 6-10 new things!

My husband thinks it is so funny that I put WAKE UP at the top of my to do list (when I write it for the next day).  I think that at least I am starting the day with getting one thing on my to do thing accomplished (I hope anyway!).

Crossing off my to do list is very rewarding to me, but it must not be the MOST rewarding because I rarely cross off my whole list and if it was so important to me I would do everything I can to cross off that list.

So what is my to do list for tomorrow?  (Ye be warned--my last blogs have ALL been bogged down by my famous to do (or my 'have accomplished' lists)

1. Grocery Shopping                 8:15
1.5. Make salad for a funeral dinner  (deliver it by 3:00)
2. Help the kids school do a banner for homecoming parade     9:30
3. Turn my crabapples into juice
4. Freeze my corn on the cob
5. Go to the homecoming Parade and film it for the hubby     1:00
6. Call the hospital about my upcoming baby
7. Clean up house so it is clean for the weekend

Anyway--

how to you keep up with your TO DO list?
what seems to ALWAYS be on there? (for me -- ALWAYS 'clean the kitchen')
how do you prioritize?

9/17/2014- Day 53: Baby weight

This morning I woke up to an old friend I haven't seen in a while.

My double chin.

I can't say I have missed it, but this time around it seem to come early. 

With my other pregnancies, it seemed to show up in the last couple weeks, along with my pop out belly button (my belly button popped out at about 3 months)!

But this hasn't been like my other pregnancies.  It has been much harder.

I really can't complain. I don't have morning sickness and I am a really healthy person, but man! This one is kicking my bum!

This was two weeks after having Squirt.  I gained weight in the hospital, even after having an almost 7 pound baby, cause of the IV fluid and the c-section. How many people can say they GAIN weight after having a baby! Sheesh! 

1.  I am older.  I had Squirt 9 years ago.  I think a 20 something body handles stuff better then a 30 something body (how do older woman handle having babies?)

After having Firecracker.  I hold on to my baby weight till after I am done breast feeding.  So for a year I only loose about 5 pounds--then when I wean it starts to SLOWLY come off.

2. This is my 4th.  My body ain't what it use to be!  Seriously the week I found out I was pregnant my body went from looking 'normal' to looking about 3 months pregnant (even though I was only 3 weeks!)  I think that your body says "Oh yeah, I remember this" and accelerates the process of looking pregnant, which doesn't help the mom cause she just feels/looks further along then she is. 

After my dad's accident and when he passed away I lost weight.  I did have a few other personal issues with some other friends I was dealing with too.  It was because of the stress I lost it.   In this picture I weighed less then I had in about 10 years. (2009)

3.  I have had a lot going on since about month 4 of this pregnancy.  I left a job, moved a family of 5 internationally, I have had company on and off since arriving home (at least 3 weeks I have had family staying with us), I have cleaned my house thoroughly, I have been going through all our stuff in storage, I have had a yard sale, my oldest got baptized, tending a garden-canned peaches, pears, frozen green beans and corn, dealt with a yard about an acre large, got about 15 chickens,and I have been sick on and off since I got home.  This last head cold-now sinus infection- has really hit hard.  

This was hours after having Little Man.  I felt great and he was so big (over 9 pounds) I knew I was going to loose weight quickly--right? WRONG!  YUG!  I even joined a Zumba class a few weeks after Little Man was born--I worked out 5 times a week (3 days Zumba-2 days circut strength training) for 6 weeks --  I lost a whooping 3 pounds.  I told you my body just holds the weight until after I wean!

The photographer did a great job of hiding my double chin, but after 2 weeks I had a bigger double chin then before!   It takes me about 2 years to get back to 'goal weight'.  It seems like when I almost get there I end up preggo again!  

Maybe one day I will take an actual current picture of myself--(which I should have been researching video cameras/still camera's instead taking so much time doing this blog post--oh well!) 

I tell people "this must be Heavenly Fathers way of telling me to stop having kids. He makes it so miserable that you never want to do it again!"  I KNOW that is NOT TRUE, but some days if feels like it!

The best thing about this pregnancy-I have older kids who can get themselves ready for school, a totally helpful husband, a super helpful family close by, and the miracle of being pregnant.  

Even if this little guy already kicks and punches so hard it causes me to yelp a little, I know this is a blessing/miracle and I am grateful for it! 

9/16/2014 --Day??

The last two days I have done what I needed and slept when I can.

I have a major sinus infection and being pregnant hasn't helped.

I have a great sister in law who helped me so much today --- she took a TON of boxes to our local thrift store and picked up the tires we had replaced that wouldn't fit in my 4-runner the other day!

THANK YOU PAM!

Alright that is all--I hope after a good night sleep I will better and actually do a real post.

56th day-Sept 13th

OOPS forgot to post this yesterday!




I feel like I just kind of skipped over September 11st.  So I wanted to go back to that day.

Everyone has a story of what they were doing or where they were.  I was at my in-laws house getting ready for my brother in laws wedding reception--or it was the day after their reception, I can't remember now.

I remember watching it on the news and then waking my husband up to tell him what was happening.

He told me "Our lives won't change that much."  I remember thinking how wrong he was and this was the start of a huge world war and our lives were never going to be the same.

I guess we were both right.  Overall our lives haven't changed that much, but I feel like the Nation changed that day.

The last time America was bombed (Pearl Harbor) my father hadn't even been born yet, so we didn't know as a Nation how that felt to be attacked, but after Sept 11th, we knew.

I felt for a while we were kinder to strangers, we reached out to help more, and we just became stronger.  BUT I felt like the younger generation just doesn't understand that feeling so we are become detached again (along with media, but that is another post!).

I really like the country song "Where were you?"

Every time I hear it it pulls me back to that morning -- in a house full of people watching the news and then traveling from Colorado to Arizona.  Everyone seemed shocked and at gas stations it was eerily quiet and people seemed withdrawn (but not unfriendly, just sad).

So--where were YOU when the world stopped turning?

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"
Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?

Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out with pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?

[Chorus:]
I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell
You the difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Or go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns?

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Did you stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?

[Chorus x2]

And the greatest is love.
And the greatest is love.

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?

September 14th--day 55

SO weekends are a little hard for me.  This weekend (Saturday) we had a great yard sale and got rid of stuff!  We still had WAY to many boxes left over, but we were giving away stuff--and it felt great to see it disappear!!

We had a another yard sale before we left for Korea and at the end this lady wanted some flowers (silk) that I had,  she wouldn't pay the price I wanted and instead of thinking--"OK I will get a dollar for this" I donated it for free!

This was NOT smart thinking!  Why not get a dollar instead of giving something away for free?

Yes my logic was not in tact that day--BUT I learned and I put that knowledge to use at this yard sale.

People couldn't believe when I would tell them---"EVERYTHING on this table and those boxes are free"  or they would load up a big box and I would say "how about $2.00"

I was not in this to make money, but to have thing go away!  I was very happy when I double the amount I expected to make (which was not very much in the first place).

So that is a short story of my yard sale!

57th day--September 12th, 2014

So I think counting down might be confusing---so sorry about that, but it helps keep me on track!  AND once again the pictures are random from random years because my camera right now is on the brink of not working and so I don't take very many pictures---so Enjoy!

After a really fun ATV ride!  Me and Mr. Lucky-2010

Yesterday I had a big doctor appointment.  Because I conceived in Korea I went to two Dr. appointments in Korea--where they pretty much just listen for a heartbeat and do an ultrasound.  I was about 12 weeks and 16 weeks at those appointments.

Fast Forward to me at almost 29 weeks and I remember I have an RH factor (which in my oh so technical brain) I understand it means that I could be 'allergic' to my babies blood.  I have negative blood and if my baby has positive blood it could cause major problems--like death!

 I remember that I am suppose to get a shot so we made a quick decision on health care (which is why I waited so long after coming back to the USA to go to the DR.) and I scheduled an appointment.

Firecracker decorating a gingerbread house in 2010?

Lots of information was given and lots of blood was drawn and I was scheduled a week later to come back in and do more tests and get the shots I need.

Squirt for school pictures- 2010 obviously!

Yesterday I had a blood sugar test, an ultra sound, and just a normal appointment.  Really didn't take as long as I thought it would--but I totally insulted my nurse (on accident).

 Last time some random lady/nurse drew my blood--no pain, nice and easy, no bruising (which I have literally had bruises over 1/3 of my arm after having blood drawn before!)--this time MY nurse drew blood--I felt the stinging,pinching, and I have a small bruise.  She told me I might bruise and I said
"It wasn't as good as the last lady, but I guess it is fine."  I didn't say it rudely but as soon as I said it I figure out that SHE was the nurse that drew blood this time!  Oh man--I say small stupid things like that all the time--SORRY nurse lady!  

Little Man the day he was born with his family May 2011

In Korea they told me I was due on Nov. 7th--the internet and the doctors here said  I was due on the 14th, but my kids come a week late--so I am planning on the 21st--SO anytime in November I could have a baby!  Please pray that it is closer!  Again today the midwife (who is AMAZING and the woman I have gone to for all of my kids) said the date should be about the 7th, but I am measuring (and ultrasound is showing) about the 14th---but once again I am planning on the 21st....*sign*

Now very exciting, but there you go!

58th Day-- the death of Cluck the Chicken

I am born and raised city, but transplanted to country when I married a good ol' country boy.  Man did I ever learn A LOT.

I love having knowledge from both sides of living--city vs. country life is an on going battle, but really both are amazing and both are terrible!

I have tons of stories of myself learning to be a country girl, but this one was a new one for me.

My husband loves chickens.  He was called "Hot Wings" in high school by a friends mom cause he use to win Chicken Trophies for his chickens at the State Fair through 4H. I didn't even know what 4H was until I was in college!

so naturally he has wanted chickens the whole time we have been married and we have had them on and off---right now it is ON again.

He spent a good long while building a dog proof chicken coop.  We moved the 8 chickens and 2 roosters we had (still really young, but not chicks) into the coop and they were happy!  A friend called up and asked if we wanted his 6 chickens and 1 rooster that his daughter was suppose to take care of, but didn't--did we want them?

Sure--the more the merrier!  Did you know that if you bring new chickens in with established chickens one gang of the chickens will beat up the other chickens, but if you put the new chickens in at night the chickens aren't smart enough to figure out that there are new chickens and they don't bug each other and live peacefully.

On Labor Day they brought over their chickens and we put them in a smaller cage until night came.  Well night came and went and I forgot to put them in the coop.  Next morning one is dead!

this is NOT the chicken that died.

Later that afternoon my daughter checked them again and dang! Another one dead!

We made SURE that we put them in the coop that night, except the rooster.  

We moved the rooster cage close to the big cage so the other roosters can kind of get to know it.  

Fast forward two days and I am changing little man's diaper and I hear Squirt yelling my mom in a frantic voice.  I thought something happened to Firecracker so I jump up and run to her.

'A dog is in Clucks cage and he is dead!"

"The dog or the rooster?"

"The rooster is dead, but the dog is still in the cage."

She is on the verge of tears.  I look over at the cage and sure enough a dog that has been roaming town  is in the cage with the rooster. 

I am frustrated so I call the non-emergency number for the cop.  Squirt runs back up to me and is now crying.  

"Mom, Cluck is still alive, I can see it breathing!"

Oh man!  I sure hope the cop they have come out knows how to kill a chicken, cause I have no clue!

While waiting for the Officer I call my Sister-in-law and ask what I should do.  She suggests getting the dog out of the coop and keep it tied up on a rope until the cop gets there.  OK--good idea.  

Dog is super nice so I just put a leash on its collar (Yes, collar, but no tags)

Cop comes out and isn't very helpful. Doesn't know how to kill a chicken.  When I ask him, he says no and then he asks my 9 year old Squirt if she is in charge of butchering the chickens.

HELLO! She is 9!  So the poor rooster has to suffer a little longer.

 He says he will be back and will try to track down whose dog it is.

Mean while I call my other friend who has many chickens and she and her family happen to be coming through town (She lives outside of town) and her son will shoot it for me.  Oh good!  I hate to think of that poor rooster suffering. 

They pull up and he goes over to shoot it and the Officer pulls up a few seconds before the gun goes off.   The cop says something like "I would prefer if you didn't kill it that way."

I just look at him and say "I don't know what else to do.  How else do you kill it?"  The cop makes a stabbing motion like I should kill it with a knife!  I just look at him like "Are you crazy!?"

So anyway--The Cop can't find the owner and about 2 hours later I let the dog go, only to have the cop call me 20 minutes after letting the dog go and asking me if I could keep it chained up for a little while longer---sorry!

My super helpful friend (the same ones who shot it) came and picked it up -- he will dispose of it himself.  THANK GOODNESS!

So happy for awesome friends who help!

59th day of posts

Day 59....

It might be short and sweet or long and ranting, but I am going to do it!

BUT I might cheat!

Christmas 2009

I have learned that there is a really cool feature that lets you plan when you can post things, so when I know I have a busy day I can write two blogs in one day and post one for the next day!!

Cheating?  Yeah, a little, but that is the way I roll.  My  family always laughs at me when I use 'gangter terms', but I have mad skillz like that...ok that was a little far!

Anyway...welcome to my 59th day.

Hiking 2013

Today will be a short one!   I have corn on the stove waiting to blanch, and a box of pears and at least 4 boxes of apples still waiting for me to do something with them---

So nothing special today yet!  Tune in tomorrow!

Another NEW BLOG!

Welcome to yet another Larson Family Blog!

I have three family blogs because...

1. My fathers accident took over my first one...(as soon as I learn how to put links in I will link to that blog)

2. Our life in Korea ended and somehow a friend's email is now the main email attached to that blog (I have no idea how!)--again the whole link to another page will happen (maybe) one day

3. And now this one!

I actually have at least 3 other blogs, but those are all stuck like my #2 blog--one day I will try to transfer them over to an actual usable blog...

For the next 60 days I will post one post a day---normally I will try to add in a picture that deals with the subject at hand, but seeing as I am not a good photographer, nor do I have the camera or program to make my pictures look great, I will post most likely a random picture for you to enjoy.

Why 60 days? Well, not only is that a good number, but it is also the # of days until I leave to have a baby.  Why do I leave to have a baby?  That is a good post for another day!

So welcome!  Sit back and enjoy because this isn't a blog that will make you feel inadequate about your life or make you feel that you aren't doing enough, this is a real life (flaws and all) blog.  My pictures aren't professional, my marriage, my kids, and my house keeping skills all need work, but join us along the way.