Update on Us...

Things around here have been a little hectic lately. I was slowly getting my classroom ready for the school year to start and feeling pretty good about having everything under control. That was a short lived feeling. The weekend before school started Gail was in a horse accident with a barb-wire fence. It was pretty disturbing to watch. The horse got spooked and took off along the fence. Gail got tipped to the side of the saddle where he was up against the fence unable to fall off until the horse moved away. He finally hit a steel post (the severely cut open his arm pit) and fell off. He was taken to the Kirksville hospital by ambulance where a surgeon stitched him up. He has been off work ever since and I've been playing nurse every night with the help of his mother. Currently the stitches are out, he is still off work, and goes to a physical therapist evaluation and occupational evaluation this coming week to see if he needs therapy and what limitations he will have when he does return to work.

Lydia is doing good at the sitters. She loves going there. However, she is has been letting her temper show. She had her first "time out" this past week. Apparently she got upset because the sitter put her down with her bottle so she could go and feed the baby that goes there. Lydia laid on the floor and kicked and screamed for like 20 minutes. Tina finally got her up and put her in the play pen for a few minutes until she calmed down. I totally blame this on myself. I always hold Lydia when she takes her bottle. I guess I'm going to have to change how I do things she it will be easier on Lydia at the sitters.

We also got our cows moved home today. They have been at some pasture ground that we rented this year. It was an ordeal getting them home. Since Gail can't really use his arm we have to rely on our family to help us. My dad and brother-in-law came over Wednesday to set up coral gates. Today it took my brother, sister-in-law, Gail's two brothers, Gail, and myself to get the cows drove into the coral and 4 trips in the stock trailer to get them all home. Then Gail's brothers, Gail, and I went back over and took down the coral gates, loaded them into the stock trailer, brought ours home, and took my dad's back to his house. When we took dad's back I noticed an air leak in one of the trailer tires. So on top of all of the I had to help Gail change the tire because, of course, he can't use his arm very well.

Oh, and today my neighbor who has all sorts of pets (dog kennel, cattle, reindeer, elk, buffalo, and camels) had an elk on the loose. I was a little afraid I was going to have a run in with the large animal.

Until next time...

3 Days Down...

I have officially survived the first three days of school. So far I feel that I have a REALLY good class. Yeah for me.

Until next time...

I Blame Nichole, Nicole, and Missy...

Background: A few days ago three good friends of mine (listed above) had a play/work avoiding date at the park. We sat around and visited, played with our children, and spent some time in the wading pool. It was a very relaxing and fun day. One of the topics of conversation that day was vomiting and spitting up as babies. I had said that Lydia usually spit up a little, but has only had two projectile vomiting experiences. One was when she has a really bad cold with a lot of drainage. Went all over me. Number two was over my spring break from work. She had diarrhea all week and vomited once. Again, all over me. I am convinced that that conversation jinked me.

Fast forward to last night: I had fixed tuna noodle casserole for supper last night for the first time and Lydia loved it. She ate, had a bath, played, has her night bottle, and was in bed by 8:00. This has been our routine almost since she was born. Last night I headed to be at 10:15 after checking on Lydia. She was half awake so I gave her her pacifier and tucked her in again. No more had my butt hit the bed when Lydia coughed. For some reason I ran into her room to find her laying in tuna noodle casserole and milk - YUCK!! I had Gail come in and help me. She was pale and shaking (temp was 100). We cleaned her up and he took her to bed with him while I cleaned up her bed. After finishing, I went in to get her to put her back to bed, but I just couldn't' do it. She looked terrible. So for the first time ever, she slept with us all night. I now remember why I never wanted to start that habit. Gail slept, she slept on me, and my back cramped unable to move without waking her up. She slept for a little while and then got sick again. Slept, sick, slept, sick. FOUR TIMES!!! I was a long sleepless night.

This morning she seems like she is feeling better. She still had a temp of 99.4. Hopefully we won't have any repeats of last night.

Until next time...

When is it Going to Happen Already?

Knock on wood - things seem to be going well for me. Therefore I know that the chaos is right around the corner. First off, returning to school this year has been like no other. The school decided to replace the carpet in several classrooms (including mine) this summer. Although having to move EVERYTHING out of the classrooms and then move EVERYTHING back in, it hasn't been too bad. I grabbed a couple of high school football players to help move furniture back into the classroom and my sister went in for a few hours one day and really helped me get some things done. I've only been in to school three days, but I feel more ready that normal. It could be one of three things.

1. I'm really fooling myself and things are no where near ready.
2. I'm just really that good.
3. I've had such as great summer with Lydia that I could care less if it gets ready or not.

Or maybe a combination of all three. I guess I'll find out when the kids come back.

On the home front things are good. Lydia and I have had so much fun the past month and I have really seen some changes in her. She is much better at coming down steps. Not a single fall so far this week. She is also saying several new words. I can't believe how much she has grown and how funny she is. I've gotten back into my cleaning routine. I had a cleaning schedule that I started after Lydia was born because I felt like I couldn't keep my house as clean as before. A friend of mine told me about flylady.com - a cleaning schedule website. I looked it over, changed my schedule a little bit, and now I almost constantly have a clean house. I even clean my outlet covers. Sad isn't it. However, I have anxiety about a dirty cluttered house. I can't relax or sleep unless my house is in order.

Now I'm just counting down the days until I have to return to school and get my bubble burst about how ready I am for it. I'll keep you updated.

Until next time...

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things...

I honestly have to say that this has been the BEST summer of my life. I have gotten to spend everyday all day with my little girl. I never knew life could be this wonderful. Some days we would spend all day in our jammies (shh, don't tell anyone). We danced, played, swam, colored, cooked, sang, and just sat around and talked to each other. We also made Lydia's first trip to the library.

It makes me sad that I will soon have to get back to work. I have really dreaded going back to work for several reasons. First of all, having to leave Lydia at the sitters again breaks my heart. The sitter is great and Lydia really likes her, but I just enjoy spending all day with her. Second, all the crap that goes with getting a classroom ready for the school year. The cleaning and unpacking is 100 times worse this year because our classrooms got new carpet. (Which is wonderful by the way.) However, everything we had to do to get ready for the carpet and put back afterwards really stinks. Third, I have to get up and actually get dressed in the mornings. I love comfy clothing and really hate to give up lounging around all day. I guess that is part of being a grown up.

Until next time...

First Place!!!

We entered Lydia in the Queen City Pioneer Days baby contest last night. I was really worried because it was REALLY hot. Apparently other people were worried also because Lydia was the only girl in the 9-12 month category. That means we were the only ones up there and she got FIRST PLACE!!! I'm a dork and really proud that she did win even though she was the only one. I tell everyone that they other little girls saw her standing in line and how cute she was and begged their mom's to not make them to do. Ha, Ha! It makes for a good story anyway. My camera wasn't working so I had someone else take pictures. I'll try to post some later along with other pics from the summer since I haven't done it.

Until next time...