Pool Days

There's just something about swimsuits and the pool that makes me want to snap a 100 pictures! I think Leo especially is so cute in his suit, maybe it's all the chunk that makes me smile, but both my kids just LOVE being at the pool. Since I've been feeling better there's been no better way to beat the heat!

Up and About

Fake it til I make it...that is this week's motto.



In a wrap-up regarding my surgery I should just say that all the hype was true...getting your tonsils out as adult is the worst time of your life. I'm still in recovery mode and it's been 11 days. Prior to this surgery I would have said that I had a fairly high pain tolerance...but uh, now I'm not so sure. Yesterday was the first day that I took zero pain medication. I think that may be what made it so hard was the fact that it was in my mouth (some may argue the center of my existence) but that's sort of the focal point of my day, especially with two babies running around! My tongue, way in the back, hurt worse than my throat most days and I can only image it was because they had to crank down on it so hard to steer clear of it during surgery, but that was what caused most of my swallowing issues. In the end, I can only hope that it lives up to it's claim of keeping me more well, because it was hell, and that is no joke. Each day I wake up feeling a little bit better, today being the best by far. I hope that by early next week I'm back to my old self, and until then I'm just going to continue faking it until I make it, cuz that's what I have to do.




So here's a little of what we've been up to during my recovery days...it's a bit of a long journey, you might even say the long post to end all long posts, so read on my friends! :)

Last Monday, Jill brought the girls over for a mini play date, and to bring me some delicious ice cream, something I never turn down! It was a good way to ease back into reality. The girls had fun climbing on Sophia's bed, coloring, and playing ball. I can't believe the twins are almost 2!!! Wow!

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Everyone comes running when Bama reads a story, even Walter! ;)


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Emma celebrated her 6th birthday with an exclusive pool/ice cream party! It was a bit rainy so we played at the indoor pool and then headed back to Jodie's for make-your-own ice cream sundaes in waffle bowls...YUM! It was a super fun afternoon and a great way to wear some people out, including me!


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My friend, Julie, gave birth to beautiful baby Francesca! She is such a little doll and really is a spitting image of big brother, Massimo. Mom and baby came out of surgery very well and hopefully they will head home tomorrow!

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look at that monster jalapeno!

zucchini plants about to take over the world!

I finally was able to head out and check out our garden and it continues to amaze me how well it is thriving! We have a few jalapenos, and we're hoping that the banana and red peppers aren't far behind. There are two little tomatoes growing (by the way are 'green tomatoes' just tomatoes that aren't yet ripe? cuz I was thinking about making some friend green tomatoes but really wasn't sure!!) on the tomato plant that was a starter plant so I think the others that we grew from seed aren't far behind. The zucchini plants, as you can see, are wild and crazy! I think they killed the strawberry plants :( but are sure to produce quite a few fruits. There are a bunch of blossoms, so it's only a matter of time...send your tried and true zucchini recipes our way!

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In Walter news, he has been a bit under the weather himself lately. We're really not sure what's wrong with him actually and he's had to have a number of tests run. The latest, a round of x-rays, showed that his small intestines are actually pushed all the way back to the rear of his abdomen, which is what was probably causing his vomiting. The million dollar question, however, is why/how did it get there???? We'll probably have to take him to a specialist next week. His regular vet was out of town and hasn't yet seen the x-rays, so we're awaiting a call from her on Monday. Yes, we are those people that take our dog to a specialist, so don't judge! I'm really beginning to get a bit worried about him, so all of you dog people out there, say a little prayer for our fuzzy baby!

Independence Day

A rare photo-op with mommy

at least I could muster up the energy to wear a festive shirt! ;)

oh yea, I'm going up there

look at me!

inspired by Wipeout, Sophia and Leo play with the Big Red Ball

Charlie read me an article the other day that basically said a lot of Veterans were disgruntled by the fact that many people refer to said holiday as "the fourth of July", when it really has to do with independence, so from now on I will try and change my ways. ;)

Anywho...my darling husband packed up both festively clad children and took them to the lake for some fun in the sun (or clouds as it may have been). Luckily Shelby wanted to go too so that made things a tad easier for Charlie and I think she had a great time! I was just as happy to lay in bed and watch a Bridezilla marathon. Sadly, they left the camera in the car and didn't get any pics of the kids playing in the lake and enjoying the pig roast, but I know they did! Charlie said Sophia did a positively awesome job of swimming to the ladder (with her life jacket on) all by herself, climbing up and jumping in to start the whole process again. Leo floated in the hippo raft and I think Shelby got some energy out too with doing some swimming of her own. I was sad to have missed it, but they decided to forgo fireworks and come home a little early. The kids got to bed mostly on time and our neighborhood display got rained out anyway! I try and give both my kids lots of opportunities and fun activities, but fireworks has always been one of those things I just don't feel like doing with them. It's so late and so loud and she'll have many more years to appreciate that art form that now, I'm not in the mood to ruin her bedtime over it! Next year will most likely be Sophia's first year for them, and maybe Leo's too since it's not as easy to control the second one's schedule, but I'm happy to wait until then!

Hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day!

Glimpses

Oh, hi, Mommy!!!!...

...bye, bye, Mommy!

This post about captures how much I've seen my children this week! Mostly I am ever so thankful, more than words can express really, for their absence around my house, but I do miss them!!! Our family and friends have really stepped up this week and made things easy for both me and Charlie. The kids have been entertained and fed all week by gracious hosts and hostesses and it truly does help. When they're home, Charlie tries to keep them occupied, but it doesn't really work. Sophia has been fairly understanding of my recovery but still wants to snuggle, which is great, and for me to read to her, which is maybe not as great! They left again just a few minutes ago to have a sleepover with Grandma Sue and tomorrow Charlie is scheduled to take them to Neil's for his annual 4th of July at the Lake Extravaganza. I'm sad to be missing it, but I just don't think it's in the cards for me this year!

I'm beginning to think I should be coping better, but honestly, I'm in a lot of pain and I think I'm coping the best I can. I think the worst part is that the pain gets progressively worse, instead of better...that really plays a mind game on a girl! Plus, because it has to do with my mouth, it's that much more uncomfortable to talk, eat, drink, etc. At least with my c-sections, I could still eat!!! ;) Just for the record, I am hungry, I just can't eat anything. It's better to not eat than to try to choke it down, except for ice cream of course!

I know it's bad when I'm perfectly content to still be lying in bed. I've been in that bed around the clock since Tuesday afternoon. Yes, I do get dressed every day and I try and make at least 2 trips downstairs, but it just wears me out and back I go. It's really amazing how miserable two little tonsils have made my life so far this year! I'm hoping that by Tuesday I'll feel a lot better as the surgeon mentioned that days 5-7 were really the worst of it. Thank goodness I'm mostly alone tomorrow!

Oh, and sorry for 3 posts on this depressing subject, but not talking is hard enough, I can't be silenced from my computer too!!!

Just a Little Update

They really weren't kidding about this pain getting worse thing. Today is definitely worse than Tuesday or Wednesday. In fact yesterday I was starting to feel down right giddy about the prospect of coming out of this without much whining, but today, my tune has changed. I'm in pain. My whole face hurts. I try and chew gum, which they suggested to do to work out the muscle cramps, but it just hurts. Swallowing hurts, laughing hurts, and coughing is just awful. Talking isn't too bad, but I haven't done much of that either. I've downed at least 3 servings of ice cream today and that may just be about all I can handle. I did eat some soup, which was good, but I'm just hurting....like I said, my tune has definitely changed!



Anyway, I can only hope that the pain medicine continues to help me cope! Tomorrow I'm left to my own devices as Nurse Maid has to go back to work and thankfully, Stacy is watching the kiddos, because I don't think I could do it on my own! Feel free to call or text me to take my mind away from the pain! ;) I have some excellent reading material thanks to Jill, but due to pain medication fuzziness I haven't had the concentration level to get started yet! So, it's more Judge Judy, the View, and Family Feud in my future!

I Survived!

We all know I'm a worrier and this situation was no different! Things went smoothly this morning and I've been back home since 11am and doing my best to recover. In fact, I'm in less pain than I thought I would be and just finished a small bowl of mashed potatoes, the first food I've eaten all day. Drinking has been about all I can handle. The bad news, however, is that apparently the pain gets worse as the week goes on. Seems counter intuitive to me, but such is life. The nurse described it as a sort of charlie-horse in the back of your throat because the muscles that held the tonsils (and in my case they had a heavy load) try to hold them up but don't know they aren't there and that's was causes the pain. Just before surgery the doctor stopped by to talk to me and said to expect the worst to come between the 3rd-7th day. Super.


My mom is a rockstar and has had both kiddos there last night, all day today, tonight and tomorrow during the day as well. We are so incredibly thankful for her and everyone else who has been so willing to volunteer their time this week. The kids are going to get lots of family time, just maybe not with me! I miss them, but it's hard to talk and the thought of being climbed on right now doesn't make me feel too swell, and I'm still pretty hopped up on pain meds, so in the end, I think this is more enjoyable for all of us! ;)


I have to take liquid pain medication which is super icky, but at least it works fast. Charlie is being a good little nurse and has been bringing me drinks all day and cuddling me to sleep. I'm concentrating really hard, so hopefully this post shows no evidence of my drug-induced state, but it's about all I can handle, so I'm back off to my cocoon of pillows! Thanks for all the phone calls and positive thoughts! You all know me so well!

Blueberry Time Again!

This year's crowd...

Lisa, Isaac, Isabelle, Sophia, Jodie, Emma, me, Leo
I knew Leo wouldn't stand for these close quarters for long so I had to get to work!

Sophia's first blueberry experience...she was much more content to sit on my hip and pick than her brother was!

He was more into picking leaves off the bushes and trying to eat those. I tried to feed him blueberries and no, not so much into those!

Emma was a diligent picker this year!

Jenn and Trevor showed up to pick along with Cayden and a friend

okay, Mom, I'll pick 1 blueberry but I'm too sweaty to do more.

Lisa was hard at work while Isaac assisted

Sophia found this to be a much better use for her bucket

The girls insisted on cramming all in one car. Sophia was attempting a smile, although it doesn't look like it in this picture, she insisted on riding there!

Isaac was smart enough to wait for the next train and claim a car for himself!

Leo enjoyed playing in the grass and petting the farm dog

Sophia walked the balance beam and climbed the cargo rope before we left

Blueberry picking really wore me out this year! Sophia although excited before we got to the patch, quickly lost her interest in the heat. She basically refused to pick berries and I think maybe picked a few that she immediately ate and that was it. Leo was content, but he was pretty warm and just didn't want to stay on my side. He is FAR, far too busy for such things! He would have been happy crawling through the patches at his leisure, but I feared he would put too many things in his mouth to let him roam free.

Our crowd was a bit smaller this year than last year and mom wasn't able to make it, which makes a difference. I missed her but I also missed how great she is with all the kids! Last year, whenever someone would get tired she selflessly volunteered (okay, maybe she wasn't so into picking the berries either! ;) to play ring around the rosy and other favorite games. In the end, I still did get a good crop of berries to bring home, 3.3 lbs to be exact! Plus, all the kids really loved riding the train which they were too young to do last year and the Berry Patch makes delicious muffins that were also a hot commodity among the little ones. All in all, still a good trip and we'll definitely try again next year!

On a side note, I'm really not sure when I'm going to have time to process all those delicious berries into tasty treats as I'm going under the knife tomorrow! YIKES! I'm cleaning and freezing those berries for a later date! Although, I'm happy to leave out a few so that my darling husband can whip up some blueberry smoothies for my ailing throat! ;) Keep your fingers crossed! I know things will go fine, it's only tonsils for crying out loud, but I'm anxious to say the least! I'll keep everyone posted on my recovery!