Waterlogged

I know the people in Texas are going to hate this post. If you are from the Lone Star State, please discontinue reading. If you are from anywhere else, prepare to feel sorry for us.

It has been raining. For a month. There have been bits of sunshine here and there. Enough to make it muggy and disgusting. Everything in the lovely state of Virginia smells like mildew.

From the hurricane, to the tropical storms, to regular storms....we are saturated. I'm about to build an ark and start collecting the animals! It never hurts to be prepared :)



This is when Jay and Jack got so bored inside during hurricane Irene that they decided to walk down to the ice cream shop. I know what you are thinking. Who lets their kid go out in a hurricane? Well, this was before it really started blowing, and quite frankly we missed the worst of it.

Our neighbors car on the other hand did not fare so well. Sadly, there is a Porsche under that tree.

Jay has spent countless hours on the phone making sure everyone in the ward has made it through each storm safely. He has been helping people take ruined carpet out of their basements and he has moved numerous couches to higher ground. I have been grocery shopping in the downpours trying to get my groceries in the car while the water swirls around my ankles. I have been running in the rain...dodging downed trees and trying not to slip in the mud. We even had a refugee at our house. (Not really, but a guy in our ward couldn't get home one night because the roads were closed so he came here for a few hours :)

I'm over it.

Over labor day we made a trip down to Yorktown beach with Jami and Scott. We were in the water for literally 4 minutes before it started pouring.


Needless to say, I did not get a tan.



Luke totally loved his first beach trip.


Until his bully of a big brother stole his toy.


And since it has been rainy, we have been home-bound. But, the boys find ways to entertain themselves.


I realize we haven't suffered nearly as much as others, so for that I am grateful. But, I would be even more grateful for some sun :)

Family Pictures

We got pictures done a little while ago down in Richmond. They were taken at the University of Richmond which was an absolutely gorgeous campus. They turned out great which is a miracle considering none of us are photogenic :) You can find our photographer's website here.

My Attempt to Become Famous

So, I really have little desire to be famous. Rich? Definitely. I have no qualms about that. I have had my eyes on a pink Corvette ever since Barbie put the idea out there. Since my talents are painfully limited, I decided to try to become a contributor to another blog. They took the bait. Shhhh...don't tell them that my funny runs out after a while! So, look for me at www.pearshapedthoughts.com on Mondays. Heck, read it the whole week. The other girls are a hoot! You will also see my friend Jami on it! She is hilarious and the one that threw me the bone for this. Hope you love it because I REALLY want that pink corvette.

Frankenstein

On Wednesday Luke finally got his third eye removed! Wahoo! Actually, the tumor did not contain an eye, just some hair. I can't decide which would have been worse. Both are pretty gross. We got to see the tumor. Jay wanted to keep it for Luke but they said it had to go to the lab for a biopsy. No souvenir for him. Guess the hospital bracelet will have to suffice.


He stayed pretty happy the whole time. They gave him a sweet little teddy bear and a cute little gown to wear.


They had a playroom for him which was a nice distraction since he had been fasting for a while. A hungry baby is never very fun.


They marked his face so they got the right eye. It took forever to come off.


I got to go into the OR and hold his hand while they put him under. He didn't cry even one bit! Wish I could say the same for me. I lost it the minute I walked out the door and had to leave him. Haha!

This picture is really making me rethink my dream to be a surgeon.

After they were done (about 20-25 minutes) they came and got us and I got to hold him while he woke up. He was a little out of it and disoriented, but he drank his bottle and cuddled me. I kind of liked him that calm. I wonder if they had some of that I could take home for Jack? :)



At last we got to leave. He slept all the way home, most of the day and then 13 hours that night. He woke up the next day as happy as could be! He is such a great little guy! He has 6 stitches and looks like a little Frankenstein. We are lucky we didn't get another earthquake or he could have had a few more :) Ha! His incision is healing and now he will have a cool scar to impress the ladies. Although, we may have to think of a better story than just a tumor....like maybe a wolverine attack or something :)

Dazed and Confused

I have never smoked pot, so I guess it's true what they say about losing brain cells when you have babies. Or maybe it is all the helium I sucked as a child (let's be honest, as an adult, too). My brain power was bad after Jack, but I had no idea it could get worse after the second baby.

Scenario #1: Jay and I were eating out and they brought out my salad. I looked down at a red circular thing and asked Jay what it was. He replied that it was a beet. I said, "Oh. Is that what they make cranberry sauce out of?" He replied (with a snort and water coming out of his nose) "Nope. They make cranberry sauce out of cranberries." Oy. Beets look alarmingly like canned cranberry sauce. Go look.

Scenario #2: A few months ago I took the boys to the park. When it was time to leave, I got them loaded in, got in the car and started to drive away from the park. From the back seat I hear Jack say, "Um, mom? You forgot to strap me in!" I slam on the brakes to look back at him and he is holding on for dear life to his car seat straps frantically trying to buckle them.

Scenario #3: Once again at the park. Jack was walking and Luke was strapped into the front carrier. I stepped up onto the sidewalk, grossly misjudging the height, and fell straight forward. I did a slow-motion-Jackie Chan roll so I didn't land on the baby, ripped my jeans, tore up my toe, and lost a lot of dignity. Luke remained unscathed. Good thing I said my prayers that morning.

Scenario #4: Today I took the boys for a walk. We went to see the horses, played on the swings, and I had a nice jog. I loaded them into the car, (making sure to buckle them in properly) then I got in and started to back up. Suddenly two women come running at me waving their arms. I stopped, rolled down the window and they told me that the stroller was still behind my car. I forgot to put it in. Sheesh. At least the kids weren't still in it, right?

So, that is enough proof of my stupidity for one day. I am amazed that my own mom can say her ABC's after 8 kids. I'm worried that I will stop functioning if I even think about having another baby.

Maybe brain cells grow back? Please tell me they grow back.

Replaced

There comes a time in all of our lives when we must let go of something we love. This time, it was our loveseat. I bought it before I met Jay. It moved with us three times. It was where we spent many a movie night snuggling. It was where I learned to nurse my babies. It was where I spent 2 and 1/2 months on bed rest watching movies and eating snacks with my sweet Jack. I truly loved it. But, as a family of four, it had fulfilled it's purpose. So, with much sadness in our (my) hearts, we gave it to another family to love.

I have never seen Jay happier to get rid of something.

Now we are the proud owners of a couch monstrosity. It is huge. It is comfortable. It has won over my family. Jay loves it.

I love it too. But, I miss my sweet little couch that forced us to sit too close together. It was the perfect size for Jay to reach my feet and give me nightly foot rubs. My feet miss the love seat. Now we each have our own section to sit on. Everyone seems so far away! I guess we will just have to have more children to fill in the gaps.

Ha!! Please.

I don't miss the love seat that much.



Jack found his Halloween costume that he wore at 6 months. Sadly, it still fits his waist. Could the kid get any skinnier?


Oh my precious. Can he possibly get cuter? I'm sure he has hit his peak, right?

Lastly, this is the reason I will no longer have time (or energy) to update our blog. See you in 18 years.

Besties

Two weeks ago my dad came to visit! He is absolutely Jack's best friend. When we moved to Virginia, that was the hardest part. Watching them say goodbye. So, we were so excited to spend the weekend with him, and to have him here for Father's Day!


Luke really loved him, too :) We were glad to have you here, dad!


Jack decided it was too hot out so he stuck his head in a memorial fountain. And then Jay did it, too. Sorry person that the memorial was for.


Apparently we have lived in the ghetto for too long because Jack will only wear his hats like this. So we taught him some gang signs just in case.


This month Jay's company changed ownership and brought in all of their own people. So, once again, Jay is on the job hunt. It has been so nice having him home! We have had a ton of fun as a family and Jay has loved getting to know Luke a little bit more. If only he never had to work again :) Hopefully it won't take too long to find a job, but we will live it up while he is home!

Our insurance company couldn't get their act together in time for Luke's surgery so we had to reschedule it once again. So, Luke is still tumorific until the end of August. Good thing he is so cute, tumor and all :)