Running on Empty

So hard to believe that it's been about 5 months since the last post. What in the world have I been doing? OH yeah, homeschooling. Juggling church, Awana, choir, library meetings, Mt St Laundry, soccer, life.
But my newest experiment in the life of me has been doing something I never, ever thought I would do. Interesting, isn't it? How many times have the lives of the unsuspecting taken a 90 degree turn from these experiments?

It all started out with a friend. The more activities we do, the more moms I meet. Some moms are really neat, the kind that you wish you could be when you grow up. The kind that have it all together, or at least brush their hair every day and wear shoes that match. Some moms are the crazy overbearing, scary kind. Some are so discombobulated they make me feel like I should be getting some kind of trophy for remembering my kids' names. And a select few are Friend Material. For me, finding moms made of this special fabric are few and far between. I think I have 2 or 3 right now, to be honest. Maybe a few more than that if I actually spent some real time with some moms at church.

One of these moms, however, was into all sorts of stuff that filled me with awe. She homeschooled her son, then 5. She was into all this organic and 'crunchy' stuff and didn't feed her kids refined anything. No sugar, white flour, etc. And her kids drank water. Without crying or being promised video game time afterwards. Wow! And she was completely unfazed by my kids' food allergies and even made them special brownies out of almond flour. They didn't exactly turn out, but we laughed our heads off at the treacle-like glue sticking our teeth together. I was too overjoyed at the taste of actual chocolate to complain.

Since then, this dear friend has moved to another state, but praise the Lord for technology. We email some and Facebook often. And when I decided to amp up my workouts a bit, she paved the way down the road of running by doing a half-marathon.
She fussed about her short, stubby legs and her slow run time, but the woman has a 13.1 sticker on her car. She RAN 13.1 miles in miserably cold, rainy weather. Even when I scoffed at running, a year or so ago, she was encouraging. She loved it. She felt great. There were endorphins. She was addicted to feeling this good. Try it. You'll love it.

Run?! Me? WHY?!!!

I am not an athletic type of girl. Believe me. It has always been thus. This is why I like books. I was in band. I had a disastrous middle school basketball career and I still have no idea how to play the game. Really. But the uniform was...uh, not neat. It was polyester and the girls on the other teams (and my own team) were scary. It only took me 20 years or so to figure out that I liked the practices and the drills, but not the game.

So I got on my treadmill and tried to run. *The first 2 and a half months were, let's face it, not fun. Constant interruptions (kids, dog, phone calls), I can't run fast and read at the same time, there was nothing good on tv, etc. There was no way I could run outside and leave my kids to wreak havoc on the house and each other. Treadmill it is. So my friend encouraged me to try a 5k. It's only 3 miles, she said. You can do it! You'll love it so much you'll be running them all the time. You'll want to run more and do longer races.

Ok then, I thought. I can be like those weight loss stories where the lady loses 50 pounds and runs this impressive feats of athletic prowess (a short-lived fantasy). So I ran every other day or so. (*see above)

There was a 5k in my town, a little podunk town, for our annual Loyalty Day (Loyalty to what? I always wanted to know.). It was sometime in May. Hm. I could do that. Tell me again why someone needs to pay someone to run? I have to pay $15 for registration to kill myself running on a badly paved road and all I get is this t-shirt? Okay. All right. Fine. But after that, that's it. I'm done. I'll tell everyone I tried it and that will be it, because I hate running! It's why God invented bicycles and rollerblades and cars!

Later on, I was at a gardening meeting and got into a conversation about running (because misery loves company?) and someone mentioned a run in town (the actual Town where we go grocery shopping, not the one I live in). "So-and-so is a runner. I used to run with her all the time. She's in our homeschool group, do you know her?" I did know her; she goes to my church and is in the choir with me. I had never really spoken to her. She is tall and thin and beautiful and looks like a runner. She sings beautifully and uses mushroom compost in her garden. Sigh. Wow.

So the next choir practice, I screwed up my courage and mentioned that her name had come up in a conversation with (insert name of previous running partner). Later in the conversation, she mentioned the run in town and that she wanted to run in it. "You should do it," she said. "It's weekend after next." Uh. That was the weekend before my town's run. How in the world was I supposed to be ready a week early?!
I signed up for it anyway. I also signed my family up for something called a Family Fun Run.
So I ran my first 5k and it was miserable! By the time I got to the turnaround I was ready to sock the measurer in the eye, because whoever measured this race was a liar. It wasn't this far on the treadmill! The second half was long and hot and the kid in front of me started throwing up repeatedly and shriek/sobbing noisily. I remember thinking "too late to change your mind." Yuck!

Granted, there was some pretty scenery and a scary bridge made of mostly mesh metal where you could see the water below you (urp). Not to mention the inclines (looking back, those weren't really hills, though they felt like it at the time). I rolled over the finish line ready to give up the ghost, sweaty, nasty and chafing.


I also loved the look on my husband's face when he saw me and gave me a hug. "We weren't expecting you for another 5 or 10 minutes!" Oh, balm to my winded, heaving soul. He changed his tune when he realized I hadn't been joking about the Family Fun Run and he actually had to run a mile with our 3 year old. (They ended up walking, with the kid on his shoulders while I actually ran with my oldest.)

The next weekend was the race in my town. I got up at dawn's early light (okay, fine it was 7:30, but everyone else was sleeping) and walked a couple of streets to where our run started. It was another interesting run. I felt like I did better this time, but on a flat country road with nothing but pasture on either side, your mind plays tricks. Wavy heat coming up from the pavement can make the end of the road seem like you're never going to get there. I tripped in a pot hole. I got busy watching horses running in a meadow and almost ran off the road. I counted the phone poles I had to pass to get to the end of the road. And then I got there and had to turn the corner and run still more before I got to the finish line.

I got a really good deal on this one. Due to the smallness of my town and the race, there weren't that many people there. So even though I finished almost 10 minutes after the first person, I was the first female to cross the finish line, so I got a plaque and a medal (for my age group) and some prize money that paid for my 2 races and the one I wanted to do the next week. The look on my husband's face when I waltzed through the door with all that loot was very satisfying. Oh yeah. More balm to my soul.


The next weekend was a Wellness Festival and my husband and youngest opted out of the Family Fun Run. This run was the worst by far. It was cold and windy and I ended up wearing a pair of cotton house-capris because I don't own any cold weather running gear except a fleece pullover. Because I run on a treadmill, that's why. And this run had HILLS. The kind where you look up at the top and the runners above/ahead of you are tiny and you can hear yourself wheezing. I also found out that all those running articles on Running Downhill weren't a joke. I could picture myself tripping and rolling to the bottom so clearly.
This was another race that Would Never End. The last length was uphill. Whose idea was that? My husband texted me "take off your sweater and put it around waist." HUH? Well, one of those great things about having running tights or yoga pants to wear is they don't show sweat like gray cotton. I feel bad for the people running behind ME! Having to stare at someone's sweaty butt-crack could be an incentive for passing someone, but not much encouragement if you can't. Oh, mortification. There will be no picture for this one. We can say it was too cold.
Then I decided to take a break from runs. It was expensive to keep running and I had accomplished my goal. I had run not one, but 3 5k's and even accomplished my secret wish to medal in my age group. I had improved my time to a respectable 28 minutes and change. And I was sore! My knee was hurting and I had a sore heel.
I waited a week and when I felt better, I got back on the treadmill. I realized I felt better when I was doing some sort of exercise. Then one day I wondered how I would feel if I ran 5 miles. What was 10k? Oh, add 2 5ks together. Okay. Well, I got a phone call after I hit the 5 mile mark and had to walk the last 1.2 miles of my 10k, but I still did it.
My friend from out of state congratulated me on Facebook. She said she'd be in Tulsa in October running a 15k (about 10 miles). "You should do it with me!" she said. "You did 10k, so what's another 5?" Uh...so I looked online for a training schedule for a 15k and it doesn't look so bad. Now my 'easy' run is 3 miles. Yes, this is me. When did 5k get to be the easy run? I'll let you know how it goes in October. Either way, I'm kind of amazed that I am still running. Why would ANYONE want to run 10 miles, much less 13.1? OH yeah, the t-shirt, the ball cap, the sticker. Because anyone who puts themselves through all this, physically and mentally, deserves something tangible. Especially if they never got their endorphins.

My Lonely Bad Self

My HC is gone again, this time within driving distance. This is week 1 of Investigator school. What's the big deal about Investigator School? From what I gather, "it guarantees you'll never be put on night shift again." Which is a big deal to someone who spent the first 3 years of his law enforcement career in the dark. There were vampire jokes long before Twilight movies ever came on scene.
So here at the homestead, I am strangely getting a lot of stuff done. I'm not sure it's because I need to console myself because my HC is gone, or because his not being here frees up a lot of time...uh, I may just stop there. Either way, the house is pretty clean. Sort of. At least until Curious George is over and Erin starts up again.
Yesterday was our 6 month checkup at the allergist. It went very well. I can start weaning the kids from some meds and our next checkup is in a year. Yay! This is very good news. Our elimination diet (not eating the foods we are allergic to) and our rotation diet (testing our tolerance of foods we are allergic to once every 4 days) are working very well. We still have our meds for the odd flare up of symptoms (sometimes foods get cross contaminated or we have an oops moment), but I am very optimistic and pleased about the whole thing.
Ian was not happy about having to go back to school after our appointment, but he went back anyway for the last 2 hours. This is the last full week of school and I guess things are getting a little funner, because Ian hasn't been moaning or complaining half as much. No homework may have something to do with that. Hm...
Yesterday after school I decided to break out my new workout DVDs and try it out. Ian was gung ho to do it with me. We decided to do the kickboxing one. I pulled on the weighted gloves and committed myself to 10 minutes. Ian stayed for about 90 seconds and left me, the punk. Erin participated by riding her tricycle in front of the tv during kicks and lunges and imitating me (har har) behind while I was trying to do back kicks. It was very hazardous. I'm not sure if I'm sore from doing exercises improperly while trying to avoid my kidlets or because of the actual workout. I decided to finish out the DVD. By the last part, the ab workout, I was getting pretty frustrated with Erin. Ian had abandoned both of us for Lego Indiana Jones and Erin was convinced I was doing this to amuse her. The ab workout involved lying on the floor on a towel and contorting yourself into interesting positions to work your abs. There were a lot of chuckles behind me on the couch. No comment. Then Erin decided to improve my form/spot me by sitting on my stomach and hopping up and down. No comment again.
But I finished! Is there anyone close enough to give me a massage?!
Today is Track and Field day for Ian. He'll be in the gym doing 'real' exercises and tearing around vigorously. He has his running shoes, his 'fast' shorts on and his water bottle. I can't wait to hear about this one.
We finally finished Double Fudge. Now we are reading Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great. And while I was typing this, Erin decided to beautify herself with my makeup bag. She needs to go easy on the cover-up next time. Thank the Lord my lipstick is in my purse! Last time, it ended up in several lines all over the walls.

An Interesting Week

This week has been interesting. Really interesting. It seems as if I've won some kind of sweepstakes through Redbook Magazine. It is my "grown-up" magazine that I get, though I am suspicious that my HC also reads it when he's bored. You didn't hear that from me. April was it's Sweepstakes Every Day month or something and I entered everything. I guess I was bored. Well, I got an email saying that I won April's Work It Out sweepstakes and I cannot for anything remember which one that was. I remember there was one for workout videos and one for athletic shoes and a few more that has something to do with 'Working It Out'. I guess I'll find out when it gets here in 3-6 months, like the email said.
Another interesting thing that happened. We opted out of Ebay and decided on CraigsList for selling our Xbox stuff and for the Kelty Kids Child Carrier (which we only used once for Hiking Devil's Den and then my HC was so sore from toting Erin around he vowed never to use it again! And we didn't.) Yesterday we got an email about the xbox stuff. Then came a flurry of texts resulting in a sale last night! It only lasted 8 hours before it was sold and we are very pleased. Now we are waiting to hear about the Carrier. Please, Lord let it sell!
These things, of course, will go into our Florida Fund. We are hoping to make a vacation-type trip sometime this summer. And my HC will be coming this time, too. Woo hoo! It was so bleak without him in January. Everything is always funner with Daddy around, as the kids will attest. And Mommy is a little more fun with Daddy around, too.
There are 26 days of school left and Ian is becoming increasingly difficult to get out of bed and to school in the morning. Sigh. At least we have the weekend to look forward to. Relief! Another Friday is almost over.
I am watching Gosford Park right now and finding it hard to do with Erin crawling over me like I am her personal tree/trampoline.
Everyone is almost better, just some lingering coughs.
The garden is doing very well. Some peas showed up, as well as a couple of watermelon and cucumber. The morning glories are sprouting up as well. Now we'll see if they get big enough to actually climb the fence. We'll see.

Fried Ears

The weekend was an incredibly busy one for us. Do you ever get those [incredibly rare] days when you just feel energized and actually get a whole list of stuff done? Then you spend the rest of the week wondering why you can't feel like that all the time and have a Donna Reed-esque life? Well, last weekend was incredible. We put our entire garden in, ironically the biggest one to date. We had said that we weren't going to do a garden this year, but we are forgoing the weed mat (waah!) and got the seeds very cheap at the local farm store. We did spring for chicken wire to put a barrier between the yard and the garden, to signal the dog to stop (it doesn't exactly keep her out).
We also changed our garden menu a bit. We are not doing corn this year, since it has been set upon by Japanese beetles every year and we only get a 1/2 gallon baggie of shucked corn total after they've finished with it. And we didn't plant anything that we didn't like this year. In the past, we've always planted okra since we love pickled okra. But there was never enough ready at the same time to pickle. And this year I am not making cucumber pickles because we have approximately 27 jars from last year that no one will touch. I am trying, but there was that one mushy jar....yuck. And I have discovered, by a majority vote, that no one else likes zucchini. And no one wants to eat any more zucchini bread or muffins. Ever.
So that saves me a bundle of work right there. So I get a break from pickling, harvesting gigantic okra that is inedible and shredding pounds of zucchini to freeze that no one will eat. I feel better already. Am I REALLY the only one that likes zucchini?! Really?!
I was outvoted again when I suggested opting out of the tomatoes. Phooey.
So this year's garden menu is: (drum roll)
Early Alaska Green Peas [along the whole back fence]
Maxi Beans (green beans) [3 short rows, bush style]
Carrots [a short double row]
Tomatoes (100 and Rutgers) [5 plants total]
Strawberries (Quinalt) [2 plants]
Crookneck Squash (yellow) [3 hills]
Cucumbers (burpless) [3 hills]
Cantaloupe [a short row]
Watermelon [4 hills, with 3 plantings in each hill]

Keep in mind that half of our garden is watermelon, since they need a lot of space.
We are hoping that the peas will shoot up and cover the whole 6 foot back fence, since the lot behind has been turned into a gravel parking lot...whee.
Personally, since we are not doing weed mat this year (bigger garden = more weed mat= too expensive...), I am hoping that a mulch truck will stop at our house and ask us if we need a ton or 2. In the meantime, we'll be out weeding....

So we spent all weekend outside, with the kids going in and out, depending on how many flies they wanted to let in. My HC got fried around his tank top and then burnt weird the next day, so from the back it looks like he was wearing a sports bra. It's a really good thing he can't see himself from the back. Try to smother a laugh or he will find you.
So all my lotion has been used up for the Greater Good (translation: HC). Erin's little pigtail part got red and she has a nice farmer's tan. Ian's nose is a bit red and my ears are fried to fire engine-like proportions. And I am sore all over from raking and shoveling and hoeing. My HC only had to do the rotor tiller, don't know what he has to be sore about. (I am only pouting a bit; watching him till with that thing was enough for me.) Erin also loved a few earthworms to death and pulled one apart ("Mommy! Wum boke!")

In addition to the garden success, my HC mowed and weed eated the front and back yard. We scrubbed all the winter muck off of the siding (as high as I could reach with the scrub pole), cleaned out the yucky corner of the house/yard, cleaned out the tupperware cabinet, cleaned out the shed, cleaned up some stuff to sell on Ebay, did all the laundry, etc. Still can't believe we did all that. Boo yah!

So you'll have to forgive me if I don't have any pictures, because I left my phone inside while I was performing all that manual labor. There's not much to see now except for dirt and hills, anyway.

But as with soreness, the after-effects remain. Now I have garden fingers, because my left hand is all scraped and rough from planting and there's dirt stuck in my nails that will just have to wear off. But I got me a garden, man!

A little Wii Before Bedtime

Yesterday was a pretty busy day. I got an entire pile of quilt squares finished, so there's a pat on the back for me. Ian had his class Easter party yesterday, since it's supposed to storm today. He is so finished with school it's not funny. He's just not interested in school or homework or the mean kids in his class. But he is interested in the class trip to Fun City on April 30. It's sort of like Chuck E Cheese, but not quite so crowded and a bigger playplace. I am still working through the logistics of substituting their pizza for him. Hopefully it won't be so bad and he won't feel so bad about having to have homemade with a tiny scrape of cheese on it. Hopefully he'll be excited about playing and not worry about the food so much.
We played outside a lot yesterday after school. The only way to bribe Erin back inside was with a popsicle. Boy are we glad that it's warm enough for popsicles! It was pretty windy yesterday too, so we had a definite need for conditioner at bathtime, not to mention finding half of a green fruit snack tangled in someone's hair (no, it wasn't mine, thanks). Also got the sandbox sand out of the back of the Jeep and set up the sandbox for the season. The kids were ecstatic. Unfortunately, none of the sandbox toys from last year survived rough play and/or Lily through to this year. So that's on the list. but from the looks of the sink, they didn't have any problems at all. You can always tell when the kids have a good time; there's always evidence left for me to clean up.
















And you didn't even get to see the tub. But you can imagine. Then my HC and Ian had a bowling competition with the Wii. And as you can see, Ian paid Erin in Easter candy to distract Daddy long enough for him to win. Let me tell you, the kid can Wii bowl. But he is very encouraging to everyone else too, especially if they get a gutter ball. But he doesn't look very sympathetic, not with that oh-boy-I'm-going-to-win twinkle in his eye. Stinker. But that's ok, because after he went to bed, I got to bowl and I beat Daddy too. ;)

Flars and Aigs

This past weekend was pretty busy for us. The town had its annual easter egg hunt at the park on Saturday. Of course, it was over in about 5 minutes. But we didn't see the Five o'clock shadow guy with a warrant in the Easter bunny costume, so I guess that was good. Then the fun trip to walmart (on a saturday! aaah!). Sunday, we went to another Easter egg hunt in Siloam Springs. Caught that hunt and then went back to Walmart to get the finishing touches for our flower bed. And then, since our Xbox 360 was broken, we took the plunge and got a Wii. More kid games, more active, cheaper games, etc. Anyway, we spent the rest of last night doing the flower bed and sending the kids to bed so we could play bowling (I won), golf (got creamed by my HC for some reason) and boxing (worked up a serious sweat). So now I'm sore from working out a bit (and playing a video game?!).
So if you wanna come and challenge me to a round or two of boxing, just remember, I have 2 KO's under my belt. Oh yeah.

(and in case you're wondering, that's Valerie Bertinelli on the tv behind Erin)

Spring Snowstorm

After a week of gorgeous spring weather, where it actually approached 70 a couple of times (but didn't quite get there), we were hit with a surprise sneak storm. So we celebrated the first day of Spring by dragging out our boots and heavy coats again, finding gloves and then just watching all the mess fall outside. This is the most snow I've ever seen at one time here. Pretty crazy. So we popped popcorn, pigged out on whatever we could forage and just stayed home. The power was fine, but it was a challenge to get the dog to do her business instead of leap around like a crazed rabbit and eat snow, especially in the middle of the night. But Erin got a huge kick out of Lily's antics from the warmth of her room, watching from the window. Ian's favorite parts were making a really strange snow pinnacle (not really a snowman) and the snow fort they figured out this afternoon. He said it was really warm in there, out of the wind. He and the inventive HC got Lily in there too. cute. Erin opted to stay inside for the second round and washed all of her play dishes in the sink with some soap bubbles. But you can see for yourself. ;) Of course, it's supposed to be all melted by tomorrow or Tuesday and spring temperatures will come back. We'll just have to wait and see on that one, because we're not taking anyone's word for it.

Muddling Through

For big, happy announcements, Saturday was Anniversary Day for me and my HC. 6 Years! Crazy! On Friday we had an appointment to have the kids' pictures taken, for a Child Abuse Task Force fundraiser. Antiquities: Unique Portrait Fundraiser. They dressed the kids up and had the neatest props. Got some really sweet pictures. For our $10 donation, we get the sitting and a free 10x12 of the kids posed together. Then for an extra couple hundred dollars, you can get all the poses and a few pictures. But they are really wonderful pictures; just wish we could justify the expense! I'll be going back on the 30th for our "portrait selection appointment."
Since we were in town for the portrait sitting (my HC met us there in his unit), we decided to have our night on the town a day early and save some gas (Tahlequah is a 45 wind-y, long drive from home). So we went out for Chinese! Woo hoo! It's been a Looooong time. It was a little tricky with the kids' allergies, but Ian loves boiled shrimp and fruit and rice, so that what he loaded up on. I couldn't peel shrimp fast enough for him. Erin was not hungry, having enjoyed her Burger King french fries from earlier that afternoon. Ian was too busy on the playplace and the slides and tunnels to think about eating, so he was ravenous for dinner. (We can't go to Tahlequah unless we stop at the BK play place; it's a Rule. There will be mutiny otherwise and who can pass up a chance to expend all that energy?)
So we had our chinese....mmmm.....culinary delight. My HC took cranky Erin out, so he didn't get his seconds, but it was good enough (and inexpensive enough) that we have plans to return. High praise indeed from the selective HC. I love chinese food....sesame chicken. Mmmmm. And the dumplings with spicy sauce.
Then I got to pick out my anniversary present: a new sewing machine! Woo hoo!



Had an old one, but with bobbin case difficulties. Ended up being unrepairable. So I've been diddling with my new machine. HC got a new drill, so the loose siding is fixed on the house and some other odds and ends on The List are taken care of. Who knew all we needed was a drill to complete these onerous tasks?
Meanwhile, we are proceeding with our homeschooling plans for next year. We've checked the state laws (surprisingly lax, compared with Florida), perused curriculum, and will start homeschooling this summer (lightly, don't worry) when kindergarten is finally over. I am optimistic and confident about our educational future.
My HC is also looking at pursuing a degree as well. We are currently talking to admissions, etc, trying to see if it's something that's realistic for us right now (or should I say, him, since he'll be doing all the work). We are grateful that he has an employer that is excited and very encouraging about further education and is willing to work with his employee/students. HC was very impressed with a coworker in his 50s who just completed his Bachelor's degree.
My HC is taking it slow. No commitments yet, but we're just checking it all out.
Prayers would be great, especially about finances. I am hoping for a bunch of student aid, since he's working full-time and we's po'!
Still waiting for house to sell, though there is genuine interest from people moving due to road construction and widening. The gov't is buying their houses to tear down for new lanes and they are relocating, hopefully to our house! But first they are waiting on state to pay before they can buy. Who knows how long that could take? But it's good enough to keep our hope alive!
That's about it. We are pottytraining at our house. Having graduated the dog, we are working on the ErinNoodle.

How Does My Garden Grow?

With blister, sunburn and aching muscles. And there's not even a guarantee that it will. But at least there's one unpleasant thing that I will be avoiding. This year, there is an abundance of WeedMat. Yay. There almost wasn't, due to the 30 mph wind gusts that kept ripping through the yard. And there might be some missing pieces tomorrow, due to the 30 mph wind gusts that will be ripping through tomorrow, but please Lord, let them stay!
Our garden this year is twice the size that it was last year, and that's not counting the hills on the other side of the yard for pumpkins, watermelons and canteloupes. Now comes the hard part....waiting for results.

We have all recovered from our illness and for those wondering, my HC never got sick. He didn't get sick the last time the stomach bug roared through either. He says he has an iron stomach. I say he's ingested so many toxins from all the soda and junk food that nothing can survive in his bloodstream. We agreed to disagree.

Yesterday was the first day of the year that it was 80 and sunny. We were tilling the garden and shovelling out rows. We all got sunburnt. Erin is fine, she just got a wee bit of red under her eyes. Ian came home with burnt arms and neck and nose. And his little lips were all chapped and cracked this morning when he woke up. I keep chasing him with Herpecin, a medicated lip balm. He doesn't mind, but he likes the other stuff better, that tastes like mint. We don't have that kind anymore. Erin ate it.
Today my HC and I got even more burnt. Tomorrow we will rest. And then it's supposed to rain for 5 or so days, so I guess it doesn't matter that much.
But in the meantime, my garden plot looks goooooooooood!

Le Pew!

Today was interesting (and it's not over yet). Chris got called out to what he thought was a dog check, where he takes Berry out to sniff a suspicious vehicle. It turned out to be a search warrant with the Drug Task Force, so he was not even dressed all the way, though he did have his vest on. This is the kind of search warrant where all the guys jump out of the cars before they stop and burst through the doors shouting and waving firearms to catch the drug-selling scum before they escape out the back door (where Chris was waiting; Berry never got out of the car; he was there 'just in case'). So by the time Chris got back, it was 45 minutes before his normal start of shift and we were at the park with Girric and 25 other kids whose families were all having a giant cookout at the park. Brian (Girric's dad) and I got to be the Park Police today. Brian happens to be the mayor, so he was yelling at all the teenagers who stuffed themselves into the toddler toys to get off. I was the referee for all the little boys who played too rough and pushed and called names. I really expected to get an offended parent come yell in my face, but I guess I'm the only one who actually watches their kids on the playground, because I never even saw the other parents within 50 feet of the playground at all. And the boys all listened and quit shoving each other onto their faces, so we managed to get along. Somewhat.

But then Chris came and we went home to watch him run around the house and get dressed for work. Erin had a great time in the stroller with her little shades on. She is just too cute and loves being in the sunshine and watching her big brother play.

Later, while I was making our chicken fried rice for supper, Ian came running into the kitchen. "There's a skunk, Mommy!" he shrilled. What?! There's a WHAT?! I followed him, running to the back sliding glass doors and peered through. "Where's a skunk?" I asked. "By the neighbor's house!" Ian insisted. Well, it wasn't a skunk. It was a cat. Thank the Lord, it was just a cat. The last skunk we saw was smeared on the road 200 feet from our house and stunk for a solid week. I told Ian it was a cat, but he didn't believe me. I guess it waved its tail funny or something. Then again, he's seen Looney Tunes. He knows what Pepe LePew (sp?) looks and acts like and that cat was just pretending. Poor deluded Mommy.

Erin has been fretful of late, I think she's teething some more. She's been steadily getting her appetite back though, which is a great thing. Chris is just convinced that she doesn't like vegetables. He thinks her appetite is fine, she just hates peas. Well, she just about licked her carrot baby food container clean today before she fell asleep sitting up, so I'm not sure it's all vegetables! All that sunshine just wore her plum out.

But we were in the tub and she leaned too far forward and took a header into the water. So bath time ended prematurely. She was ready to get out after her dunking.

A fellow officer's sister got tired of her pet rat, so the officer offered to get rid of it for her. I wonder if he told her that he was going to feed it to our snake? Oh well, it's too late now. Chris brought the rat + cage home on his 10-45 (meal break) and fed it to Sir Hiss. It's being digested as we speak. There was some kind of cotton batting/bedding in with the rat and since the rat bit the previous owner several times, Chris didn't want to handle it. So he turned the cage sideways and dumped the thing into the snake cage. Well, the cotton wadding went in with it and our either really hungry or not quite bright snake got a mouthful of fluffy cotton stuck in its mouth. It tried to throw it up, but it was all caught on its teeth. So Chris got most of the bedding out but had to get most of it out of the snake's mouth with my kitchen tongs. He got enough to where the snake was able to quit heaving and eat the rat, so I'm hoping the rest of the cotton will come up with the fur, etc when it is expelled after Hiss's supper.

And randomly, we have purchased and eaten pears this week. I can't even remember the last time I ate a pear that wasn't in syrup and mixed with peaches. But we bought Bartlett pears from Harp's and Ian, Erin and I have been eating them! Shocker! And they're really "tasty and dewishus" as Ian puts it. Gotta love Sesame Street! Without Ian's fruit requests I don't think I would have even considered them. Erin loves them in her mesh bag. She had some fresh corn I cut off the cob (I love spring!) and put in there today. She is getting a lot more than Ian did when it was his turn. I guess that's the luck of not being firstborn. There are pros and cons all around.

And if you get a chance, go to JD's blog. For today's post, he has a link to another guy, who talks about the sex scandal of that Governor, you know the one that got busted for prostitution. I haven't paid much attention to the news articles, because that sort of thing doesn't really interest me, but I like JD's blog, so I read it. It's really interesting. Let me know what you think. I will just sit here and eat pears and wait for the snake to hack up that last wad of cotton. :)