Fun times

Addison loves to play Legos with her brothers. Her favorite room in the house is whatever room they are in. I am so glad she loves them so much and am thankful that they love being around her. I know there will come a time when they don't want their little sister anywhere near them. So, for now I will cherish these moments!

Just look how happy she is surrounded by Legos and her big brothers! What a lucky little girl!

Drew made homemade ice cream the other day. Bryson had to show off his ice cream mustache.

Addison had homemade ice cream, too, but she smeared it all over her face and arms. It's hard to tell from the picture, but let me tell you, it was ALL over her. She was so sticky. And this was AFTER her bath. She did smell really good, though~ sweet vanilla sugar!

While I was recovering on Wednesday Jackson wanted to play Little People in Addison's room. We got out ALL the little people and had a picnic with them. This picture was taken after the Little People princess came and took all the food away and destroyed the picnic. That was my part of the story line!

Since I had my camera out Addison decided that she wanted to take a picture of me and Jackson. (Try to ignore my "no make-up" face!) She doesn't know how to aim, so we had to guess when she was going to push the button and jump in front of the camera. She thought it was pretty funny.

Then Jackson wanted to take a picture.

Then Addison had to take another one.

Then it was Jackson's turn again.

Then it was Addison's turn.

There are MANY more, but I'll stop there!

Drew must not have slept very well last night because he woke up this morning and asked me if I wanted to go shopping in Allen at the outlet mall. Once I made sure he was feeling alright, I hurried and got dressed. I didn't even go to the gym. I thought if he had an hour to think about it while I was gone he would probably change his mind! :0) So, we got ready real fast, ate breakfast and away we went.

We stopped at the Nike store first. It was okay. I got a pair of black shoes, which I need, some t-shirts, a pair of shorts and a couple of capris. The prices weren't that much lower than the prices at Academy. I wasn't too impressed with the selection, either. The Nike store in Hillsboro is much better. We walked around to some other stores and ended up at the Columbia store. I really like the Columbia brand. The clothes are durable and comfortable. The shorts are cut big in the legs which, unfortunately, I need! They had REALLY good prices. Everything was at least 30% off the lowest tagged price and a lot of things were 50% off. Drew got himself four shirts (which in itself is a miracle) for less than $30. I found some khaki shorts that retail for $36 for $8.39. I also found some flip flops for $14.99. I have worn the same pair of khaki Columbia flip flops for 4 years and they still look and feel great. We found some t-shirt for the boys for less than $3 and one for Jackson for $1.50. Those are Drew's kind of prices!

The kids were pretty good while we were looking around. There was music playing and they decided to dance. Yes, even Bryson was dancing. That kept them busy long enough for us to look around and decide what to get.

After we were finished there we decided to go eat so we could get home in time for Addison to take a nap. We stopped at Macaroni Grill and had a great lunch. It was a great day and I am thankful that Drew will do something he really doesn't like to do because he knows I enjoy it.

On another note, I am really sad today is July 31st. Our summer is almost over. I have really enjoyed my time at home this summer with the kids. I will miss our carefree days when we have to go back to work in two short weeks.

Wordless Wednesday

I hope this helps

I debated blogging about this over and over, but finally decided that it might be of help to someone. I read personal blogs all the time about people's struggles with infertility, miscarriage and loss of babies and family members. Those blogs are so helpful to some readers. The people who find them too personal or offensive don't HAVE to read them. So, I decided to post about the procedure I had done yesterday and I will just try to keep it as clean and informative as possible. I also wanted to dispel some of the myths that I had some kind of cosmetic procedure performed! No, I didn't have anything lifted, tucked, sucked or enhanced! Although those are things I have DREAMED about doing, I don't think Drew would ever approve!

I have been wanting to have this procedure done for a while, but didn't know if I could. I haven't had any real problems so I didn't think I would qualify. I talked to my doctor when I went for my annual exam and she said she would see if my insurance would cover it. She said she would have to use the Thermachoice procedure since I had had the Essure procedure done after Addison was born. Her nurse called me the next day and said they would cover it, so we just needed to set a date. I wanted to get it done before school starts, so we found a time that worked for us.

It was a little tricky setting a date because the doctor has to do it between days 5 and 12 of your cycle and my doctor only performs them on Tuesdays. The particular day that would work (July 28th) was also the day that Drew was scheduled to attend a mandatory workshop. The next date that would work (August 25th) would be the second day of school. So, I chose July 28th and just decided to ask for help since Drew would be unavailable. He didn't really like the thought of him not being there, but he was okay with it once I said I would let people help me out. Drew's mom also had a workshop to go to that day, so I was really going to have to step out of my comfort zone and ask people I don't usually do. I just HATE to ask for help. I LOVE to help others out, but I don't like to ask for it. Why? I don't know. That's just the way I am. I asked my friend Laura (who was also Bryson's kindergarten teacher) if she would watch the kids for me. My sister-in-law Kelly said she would drive me there and back.

My papers came in the mail along with a prescription I needed to have filled. One of the prescriptions was for phenergen. I don't know about many things drug-related, but I do know that phenergen is for nausea. If you know me at all, you know that I HATE to throw up! I mean, no one LIKES to throw up, but I am literally AFRAID of throwing up! If I would have had any vomiting when I was pregnant with Bryson, he would have been an only child. I am serious. That is how much it scares me. I could tell you stories about ways I have avoided people who were sick, but I won't! Maybe that will be another blog for another time! I digress. There was also a prescription for hydrocodone and misoprostol. The instructions said I needed to start taking 800 mg of ibuprofen every 8 hours for 24 hours before the time of my procedure. I am a rule follower, so I followed my directions precisely.

The night before the procedure I started getting very nervous. I thought about how I am ELECTING to do this. I thought about how it seemed so final. I would NEVER be able to carry another baby~ ever. Not that we WANT any more. It just seemed so FINAL. I went back and forth about cancelling the procedure. (I second guess just about every decision I make anyway!) I was talking to Drew about this when my phone rang. It was the anesthesiologist. She walked me through the procedure and let me ask any questions I had. This was comforting to me and helped me confirm my original decision to have it done. I also told her about my fear of throwing up and she advised me to take a Dramanine an hour before the procedure. This was a comfort to me as well. Yes, I know I am weird!

The next morning Kelly came to get me, Laura arrived to watch the kids and off we went. Kelly went back to the room with me and we talked about very important things like hair styles and iphones until it was time to go. I went into the procedure room and the anesthesiologist started my iv. She gave me the "margarita" and then the medicine to make me sleep. That is the last thing I remember until I started waking up. I woke up rather quickly, it seemed, and they helped me into a wheelchair. I was taken back to the room Kelly was in and sat in the wheelchair until I could get dressed. This only took maybe 10-15 minutes. They wheeled me to the car and we left. I was starting to feel crampy, but it wasn't too bad. I told Kelly that when we got home I was going to go straight to bed. She planned to stay with me until Drew got home. Laura left and I went to bed.

The cramping got worse, but I didn't want to take the hydrocodone. I thought it would make me sick. I would rather be in pain than take the chance of throwing up! Crazy, I know. You don't have to tell me! :0) I took 800 mg of ibuprofen and thought that would work. Uh, no so much! I could not get comfortable. I was in PAIN. On a scale from 1-10 it was a 6-7. I tried so many different positions: I sat on the bed, sat on the floor, sat on my exercise ball, I lay in a fetal position, lay flat, put pillows on my stomach. Nothing worked. The minutes ticked by slowly, very slowly.

Finally, Drew go home. Just hearing him there was a comfort to me. He walked Kelly out and made sure the kids were okay then he came to check on me. He saw how much pain I was in and INSISTED I take one of the pain pills. I finally agreed. In about 30 minutes I had NO pain and wasn't nauseous. Was I stupid, or what??? I suffered for over TWO HOURS because I was afraid I MIGHT throw up! I have problems! Once I was comfortable I ate a little bit and even drank some Coke Zero. I have continued to take a hydrocodone every 6 hours since then. I haven't had any pain and have slept quite well. I feel good and should be back to normal by tomorrow.

Drew's mom and grandmother are here today to watch the kids for me. I think I would be fine, but I am going to let someone help me out. That is a real stretch for me, but I am going to do it.

I am so thankful I have people to call on when I need help. Thanks, Laura, Kelly, Cheryl and MeMe for stepping in to help me out! I really appreciate ALL of you and love you very much!

I hope this post will help someone out who is trying to decide whether or not to have an ablation. I will let you know if it worked. My hopes are high!

Not much to say!

I don't have a lot to say or a lot of time to say it in! I just wanted to post something so my grandparents wouldn't feel like they were checking my blog for nothing!

I am going to have a minor procedure performed at my doctor's office in the morning, so please keep me in your prayers. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but I don't like not being in control! (There, I admitted it!) My friend, Laura, is going to watch the kids for me and my sister-in-law, Kelly, is going to drive me there and back. Drew has a workshop all week that he has to attend, so they are stepping up to help me. I am grateful to them and thankful I have people to call on in times of need. Kelly is going to "Jana-sit" me until Drew gets home. Please pray for her sanity with my crazy kids! Wednesday I should be feeling better, but Drew's mom may come by and help me with the kids if I need it. I will try to post something in my down time.

I am really looking forward to resting, but I am not looking forward to not being able to workout. I will admit that I have become a little addicted to it. I don't think I have missed 10 days all summer. I have come to crave some kind of physical activity just about every day. I get anxious and almost depressed when I can't do something. Yes, I know this is not good, but I just feel so much better after a sweat session. I realized recently that I haven't taken a week off since Addison was born over two years ago. I stopped working out for 10 days after she was born and haven't taken a break since. I even worked out while on vacation. I don't know if that is good or bad, but I do know that I feel much better mentally and physically when I do exercise. I'll stop "talking" about it, because it just sounds a lot crazier than it actually is!

Anyway, I should be back to my normal routine in 2-3 days so I will just try to enjoy the little break.

Our week at the pond

Getting ready to go to the creek! You might be a redneck...

He HAD to have a mask and snorkle and didn't use them one bit.

Bryson

Jackson

Addison

Addison had fun playing in the "Fun Island."

Jackson at his "road."

Addison at her "road."

My grandparents rode one of the four-wheelers down to the creek one afternoon to watch us swim for a little while. They used to swim in the same creek when they were younger.

My cousins' daughter, Caitlin, and Addison. Caitlin was so good with her.

Bryson, Damon, Emily, Caitlin and Jackson walking/swimming in the creek.

Our bucket of crawdads. We had such a fun time finding them and catching them with nets.

My two country boys.

Addison on the four-wheeler. Her absolute most favorite thing to do is ride the four-wheeler.

I even caught a bass at the pond!

We just got back from visiting my grandparents in Oklahoma. I have said before, and I'll say it again, that this is my favorite place on this earth to be. I feel at home there and have so much fun visiting. I am so glad that my kids get to experience some of the things I did when I was there age. They even cry like we used to when it's time to leave. I hope they will always remember their time at "the pond" like I do. I have so many fond memories of fishing, playing games, climbing the "avalanche" and swimming in the creek. We spent so much time up there when I was growing up that it feels like home to me. I love that I can just go up there and be myself. I don't have to put on make-up, fix my hair or dress nicely. If I want to take a nap, go jogging, read a book, go fishing, I don't have to explain myself to anyone. Up there we are free to do whatever we want to do. There are no expectations. It is relaxing and refreshing. Drew loves it there, as well, and I am thankful to my grandparents for helping him feel just as at home as I do. I have so many more thoughts and feelings about "the pond," but I will have to save them for later. I don't want to dig that deeply into my feelings right now, so I will keep this post short and sweet! Hopefully, we will be able to make one more trip up there before school starts.

Wordless Wednesday

My granddad has named all the trails after his great-grandkids. Someone, I think some of my cousins, have made signs and put them up near each kids' trail. This is Bryson's. I am going to take Jackson's and Addison's picture by their sign when we go back up there later on this week.

We noticed one day that there were still some wild blackberries around. Bryson wanted to pick some to make a dessert. (He is always thinking of ways to eat something!) We spent about an hour one morning driving around on the four-wheeler looking for blackberries. After we dropped some of them I think we came away with a grand total of a 1/2 cup. My grandmother, being from the generation that can make something out of nothing, made some thickened blackberry juice for us to pour over biscuits. It was very good and Bryson kept saying, "This is the best thing I have ever tasted!"

The blackberries were deep in the thicket, so I would drive the four-wheeler in as far as I could. He would climb out onto the front of the four-wheeler to reach the berries.

Bryson got my camera out one day and started taking some pictures of himself!

My grandparents have/had two trailers on their property. This one burned down a couple of months ago. One of my cousins, Stacy, was up there recently and started trying to clean up the debris. We went down there a couple of day to clean it up, as well. Bryson is very good at destroying things, so this was right up his alley. He would tear something down and we would throw it in a pile. There is still so much to clear away, but we did make a small dent in it.

This is a view of the road leading to their house. I love to go running on the country roads. I ran a couple of days while we were there. It is so peaceful to get out and run and not have to worry about cars passing. It would have been even better if the temperature was not 100 degrees or more when I was running, though!

This is a view of their pond. The water is down. They could really use some rain.

This is the creek. We fish and swim in this creek. (The "swimming hole" is a little way up the creek and is about 6-8 feet deep.) When we were there in March, we could barely see the rocks. It is down that much. I hope they get some rain soon.

The last night we were there, Bryson and I went for one last ride on the four-wheeler. It was right at dusk and we could see so many fireflies.

This is Bryson's look of terror right after I pulled his tooth. He kept messing with it and would ask me to pull it only to change his mind before I even touched it. I finally got tired of hearing him talk about it, so I sat on him and ripped it out! He was mad at me for a little while, but quickly forgot about it when he realized the Tooth Fairy would be coming later on.





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Last week, Bryson and I ventured up to Oklahoma to check on my granddad and spend some time together~ just me and him. We decided to leave about 15 minutes before we actually walked out the door. We (by we, I mean Drew!) loaded up the car and left about 6:30 Wednesday evening. We (by we, I mean Drew, again!) put a cooler in the back of the car so we could stop and buy some groceries. We stopped in Bonham, TX at their Wal-Mart. This was around 8:15 or so. We had made a list of things we needed/wanted so we were prepared when we got there. We spent about 45 minutes and $180 in Wal-Mart! We loaded up the groceries and were on our way, again.

As I was driving, Bryson started asking a lot of questions. He asked what I was like as a little girl. Where I grew up. He asked about my sister, Jamie and about my mom. He asked me to tell him the story of each of their deaths. I answered the best I could and he accepted my answers. He enjoyed having me all to himself without interruptions. I enjoyed telling him about my past and wonder which things he will remember. There was a beautiful full moon that night and we talked about the moon, heaven, God and death.

He was a great driving companion and would check my speedometer each time we passed a speed limit sign. He made sure I went the speed limit. I think he and Drew must have talked about this at some point. I do speed more than Drew does, he is just the one who always gets caught!

We stopped in Broken Bow, OK and got some ice cream at Sonic. He was getting sleepy, I was hungry since I ate very little at dinner and I was trying to keep both of us awake. We pulled up at my grandparent's house a little after 11:30. I was so glad to be there safely and even more glad that we had a great time together.

We spent the week doing all kinds of things. We rode the four-wheeler, went fishing, walked and talked. We played games and played on the computer. Anything he wanted to do, we did. We left Sunday morning. It would have been fun to stay longer, but I really missed Drew, Addison and Jackson.

As soon as we got in the car to come home, the questions started all over again! He wanted me to tell him all the same stories, again. I changed the subject and diverted his attention to the sights around us. I just didn't want to talk about the same things. I tried to aske him what he remembers so far in his life and he said he couldn't remember anything. We quit talking for a little and he fell asleep for a couple of hours. During the silence, I sang along to The Eagles and had a great time by myself driving and looking at the country side.

When we got to McKinney, I missed the turn off for 380 and we ended up going about 30 miles out of our way. I won't tell you the details, it's too embarassing! Anyway, we made it home about 45 minutes later than I expected us to. We were greeted by Addison and Jackson running to us yelling and clapping because we were finally home! It is a great feeling to know we were missed so much!

Wordless Wednesday

Photo Shoot

Addie and I had a fun, relaxing morning this morning. I decided to skip the gym this morning instead of waking the kids up. (A rarity for me.) Addison slept late (until 9:00!), ate breakfast then we took a long, relaxing bath. Afterward, I blow-dried her hair and had a little photo shoot. I am not the best photographer, (I think I need a better camera~ hint, hint, Drew!) but her personality really shows through. Yes, even the ones where she has her finger in her nose! If you know Addison, you know she likes to perform the shocking, but funny, trick of sticking her finger in her nose and then in her mouth! Lovely, I know! She will have many boyfriends one day if she keeps it up! There are a lot of pictures, but I just couldn't leave any out!