Raspberries, where are you???

I took my husband first berry picking with Lauren when she was around 18 months old... (So June 2004).  We very easily decided to make it a tradition.  Go out as a family, pick berries (generally raspberries, but on occasion it has been strawberries and blackberries), make jam as a family and give out at Christmas. 

Raspberries are suppose to be out..... Early July, raspberries should be hangin so I can go-a pickin.  But they aren't.  There are some places that they are selling them, but due to the lack of harvest, they are not opening the u-pick fields yet.  This is sad.  I am ready to make my jam. 

For now, I will just have to think back to all the previous glorious memories we have obtained, while awaiting our this year tradition.

Lauren---18 months old

Joshua 1 year old

Lauren 3.5 years old

Joshua 2 years old

Good day---Bad day

The day started off so good.... up at 6am, went down and scanned somethings for Chris, got treated to Starbucks by my man, cleaned out the garage and filled up the truck for Chris to go on a dump run, fed kids, took a shower, got kids dressed, and conned convinced my husband to take the older kids out for the day and end up at Cars 2...... and then out of the house with Julia to shop Target and Grocery story-------all before 11am.

Then I got home.  Somehow I got some horrid heartburn and nausea----12 tums later, I was starting to feel better, then I started with some mild lower abdominal pain which very quickly evolved into stabbing pain that radiated to my lower back and I started having sweats/chills.  I have never been one who suffered much from bladder infections, but I know what they feel like, and other than the pain upon potty breaks, I had all the symptoms.....

I called my mom for sympathy (isn't that what Mommy's are for????) and started chugging the cranberry juice.  36 oz of cranberry juice in an hour....... and texting my husband to bring me back some more (along with pistachios :-))  I actually started getting a little concerned... Saturday evening, stabbing back pain, starting chills and hot flashes, it was going to either be 1) a long weekend, or 2) a very expensive "pee on a stick and draw some blood" ER visit.  Now, one thing I need to be ultra careful of is that since my WBC's are so low, a semi-benign bladder infection that I would previously try to self treat, could QUICKLY go very bad......

But after 4 hours, 48+ oz of cranberry juice, and lotsa of peeing, I am doing much better.  I hope it only continues to improve and this is not just a honeymoon period.

On a brighter note, on my Target shopping trip, I was able to obtain stuff for the 3 birthdays I have coming for peeps in my life---in the next 2ish weeks...... Now, all I have to do is assemble and give!  I love giving gifts, it makes me feel good, and gives me an excuse to shop ---WIN WIN!

Something that I have always questioned.........

The purpose of swim diapers.  Why do we use them?  You put the kid in water, they fill up with water, they pee and the pee just flows out the sides because the diaper can only hold "so much water".  And, if you are lucky enough to have your kid make "logs" then it can help with that, except "logs" start dissolving in water and.... well, they are swimming.  BUT, my baby doesn't make "logs", she makes "pudding".... so swim diapers?  Not helpful.

And that is all the pondering I have done today.

3 kids always equals a busy day!

The household woke up in a grump.  I didn't sleep well, and was grumpy....... Joshua didn't wake up on the right side of the bed, and was grumpy...... Lauren didn't want to do her hair, and was grumpy.... and Julia didn't sleep well last night either, and was grumpy.  Poor Chris, all he heard this morning before we jetted out was screaming, crying, yelling (mine)................but I was bound and determined to have a good day with my kids.

We HAD planned on going to the free movie at the theater today, but with Julia in a "mood", and even on her best days, movie theaters are an iffy place, so I decided to partake in the membership I recently bought, and take them to the Children's Museum.  Enjoy some pictures:

Wow, she is getting tall!

Pretty much what I saw of Joshua the whole time

Talking to Lauren who was upstairs in the tree house

Julia was on stage, watching herself in a TV screen----she is SUCH a ham.

Lauren was her fashion designer

The upper level outdoor play area

Julia buckling in for flight!

Then, when we were done, we did a fast food run and got the kids some food.... and I decided I wanted to tackle the mall--with 3 kids.  (Yes, I am insane).  The kids were actually really really good..... Julia got a Woody doll (Toy story which she is REALLY into right now), Joshua got a Cars 2 car, and Lauren (who stated she was growing up and needed a grown up item) went and got a brand new purple purse and a journal.

After 2 hours at the museum, and 2 hours at the mall, we headed home...... and after getting in and out of my car so many times today and seeing how dirty my car was, I decided to detail it.  I put Julia to bed, got the dog and put her on the leash to enjoy the grass and brought out my vacuum and my steam cleaner and went to town.  And all I have to say is THAT WAS GROSS.  But I love that I did it, and that my car is all sparkly ;-)

Now, I am exhausted.  I have a nerve in my hip that I agitated during my days goings on, so I am a little sore.  BUT, my goal was accomplished.  My kids had a great day, I had a great day, my husband didn't have to hear yelling all day, and a bonus of my car being clean!

YEAH!

Weekly Weightloss Wednesday

Wednesdays Stats:
Highest Weight "achieved": 11/09
To date weight loss: -64 lbs (-1 lb since June 22nd)
Goal weight: 81 more lbs to lose
Daily Average Caloric intake this week: 1200
Average Water intake this week: 72 oz

I have taken a hiatus from the gym for the summer..... for a few reasons.  #1) I was getting burned out and it was becoming a chore, which I don't want it to do---because I have never been one who relished doing my chores.  #2) I wanted to see if I could do it at home, be disciplined enough to incorporate exercise into my daily routine while enjoying the outdoors during the summer with my kids.  This past week I have actually done "ok".  Could I do better, yes.... but I have definitely been active, and I feel pretty good.

"Put the potty in the right place" week.

I have designated this week as potty training week... for Josie and Julia. 

Now, honestly, I don't think Julia is at all ready (she is 2yrs 4 months) but I am willing to give her a non-pushy trial to see how it goes.  Hey, you may never know---but considering she has been my most stubborn 2 year old yet, and really shows no signs of readiness, I am not holding my breath--but I DO hold skittles :-)

As for Josie, she is ready.  She actually has done pretty well on puppy pads with (I would estimate) about a 75-80% success rate, but in a small (porta crib size) area.  Today, I blocked off the openings to the kitchen and put down her pee pads in a large area, to see if she still was successful.  #2 she seemed to be 100% successful today, #1 only about 50%.... so she is a work in progress, but at least she gets more freedom and can run around safely.  With her being so small, we have had to be ultra careful and monitor her when she is "loose".  Julia loves her, and really wants to carry her around---by her neck.  So, we avoid any unsupervised interactions between the "little J's".

Anyway, today I had a bunch of energy to burn and motivation to boot, so I took the kids on a super long walk.  We walked to Target (while instilling and practicing our road/car safety with "extra safety alert" in parking lots and around cars).... then we walked to Burger King so the kids could have lunch/icees and play a bit.... then went to a store to get diapers for Julia (of which the neglectful mother in me didn't bring any) and then headed home.  I would "guess" our jaunt was about between 2-3 miles long, and with 3 kids and busy streets it was a daunting task.  The kids did really well, and we tried Julia on a "leash" (kid harness---of which before kids I vowed never to use, then I had 3 of them with the youngest being a non-listening runner).  She actually did really well and didn't complain too much at all.  Good to know for any upcoming D-land trips we may have ;-)

Also, at Target, Joshua spent his 25.00 gift card from Grandma Judy and got a new car track he "so wanted"

But, silly me, bought all of our stuff at the beginning of our walk, so we had to tote it everywhere..... We also had to buy all new toothbrushes because the "toothbrush fairy" (aka Julia) hid all of ours..... That girl LOVES her "toobus and uhpaste".

Overall it was a good day with good weather and lots of kid time.

Joshua's Birthday Party!

Today was Joshua's birthday party day, and it was such a beautiful day for such a party!  We had water balloons and a bounce house (mind you the "adult-kids" (aka Chris) had more fun with the balloons than the kids did... he was pegging them in the bounce house :-))

Then we had present time in which the boy got some cool stuff!  (My camera was having some issues, in that we fixed later, but these pics were from my phone)

Star Wars Car Track

Guitar and peanuts from Mimi and Papa (peanuts are an inside joke, and he is starting guitar lessons in September)

A Balloon Car racer from Grandma, Taylor, Auntie Tracey, and Grandpa.... he also got 20.00 I-tunes card from his ipod games!

A Target Gift Card from Grandma Judy and Grandpa Darrell, so he can go shopping :-)

Then we had cake.  Chris and I made this last night, took us a couple of hours, but he SO loved it!

Then after we lit candles and sang, we let him crash cars into it from the track---he was SO excited to crash into his cake---what 5 year old wouldn't?

Then to wash the kids off, we let them do this:

Overall, I think it was a great party, Joshua had SO much fun and will remember getting to crash cars into cakes forever, I am sure.  But, boy are we exhausted!  Super long day.

Oh, and just for fun, here is super cute Josie!