Good morning.

And well its raining.

Real rain.

Torrential Downpour, has been since about 9:30 last night.

Our power blinked on and off about 5x.  The 3x we just headed to bed.  It was obvious tv wasn't happening, and we were exhausted.

We went and picked up a sailboard from a freecycle member yesterday.  It will be a lot of fun for the kids to play on the river next summer.  I know cause we played on one at our beloved Lake Lael.

We also did Walmart, FashionBug, and Goodwill.   It was a full day and my feet throbbed by the time we were done.  Ahh well, it was mostly fun.

My dad was here in the morning as well for what is rapidly becoming a traditional Saturday morning.  As an added bonus he fell a danger tree that was by the back of the house.  I had asked him to look at them the week before.  And one of the two was EXTREMELY rotten.  After it was down on the ground a whole bunch of ants were quite unhappy we'd disturbed their home.   As they had been living in over half of the butt of the tree.  NOT good.

Dad had to use wedges to get the tree to fall in the right direction as it was sooooo rotten on the bottom.  I do not know why it survived last winter.  And the irony is that we had a huge wind storm along with the rain last night so it was impeccable timing to remove it!

The really funny irony is even though the butt of the tree was HUGE it was only 25 years old.  We grow spruce big around here.  LOL 

All of the dark brown is rott across the base of the tree.  Which means a good third of it was rotten.  The third that was closest to the house go figure.

And to get an idea of how big the butt is.....

Yeah kinda big.

And how long?  It would have landed across the kids bedrooms AND our kitchen. 

So very good to have it gone.  The good news is its a tree we couldn't see from our house except our backdoor, and it wasn't particularly beautiful or one of my favorites, so I wasn't sad to see it go...just relieved.

I'm standing at the tip.  My dad is standing a third of the way down.  And the tree was about ten feet from the back of the house.  Just all a little too close in my opinion.

I have 6 reasons to fight through this bout of sickness.

No 7.

I have been so sick this week.  Last weekend was my monthly reason to be sick.  And trust me I was.  It felt like having contractions.  I literally rocked and rolled in pain crying owie, owie, owie.

Seven reasons to fight, not go give up.  To accept that this too shall pass.

Tuesday and Wednesday were jampacked as per usual.  Homeschooling, and then baton and and then Awana.  Just crazy busy.  And Thursday night I woke up sick with asthma, cough, sore throat.  Coughed so hard I threw up.  *joy*

Today I was recovering from yesterday, and just miserable.  I got an exasperating email from someone and just started bawling.  I was ready to have a humongous pity party, and Rob was ready to let me.

And Jeremiah came in demanding attention.  We gave it to him, and the pity party went away.  And life slowly began regrouping.  I got a second email tonight and the issue was resolved.  And I had a relaxing afternoon, and the sore throat and asthma are gone.  And I am reminded to keep fighting.

Highlights of the week?

Zeria;

I went to brush her hair Tuesday night and realized it was horribly, horribly matted.  She had not been taking care of it.  I realized we were looking at at least an hour of torture in order to undo the terrible snarls.  And I knew I wasn't up to it.  I asked her if I could please cut some of it.  And she just turned and said yes.  In the past she's been adament that she wanted long hair.

But now we both love her new doo, and she can run her fingers through her hair!!  AAnd she can take care of it herself.  The bangs are still quite long, though you can't tell in this picture, and it makes her look soooo grown-up.

Samuel has been struggling.  Most of his pictures I've taken lately he's so grumpy.  But this week he finally got to begin baton.  He loved it and he made friends with a cute little redheaded girl his age.  She wasn't scared of him in any way.  In fact they even had an impromptu sword fight with their batons.  (cringes).  Its all good.  We keep loving him, talking to him, and someday he'll learn to stop being a bully.  hahahahahaha  Their is good news.  He has learned he hates to be ostracized.    He HATES it.  And if he bully's the kids walk away from him.  He's starting to recognize that, now we just need to teach him how to keep his hands to himself.  Hahahahaha

Kaylin finally lost her second tooth.  She is a LATE tooth looser man.   And we are sooooooo glad to see that one go as it had a cavity in it, but their was no point in fixing it as it was due to come out.  Finally a clean white smile again!!  Yeah!   And she has mastered two long complicated baton routines in only two weeks, while the other girls in her new team had known then for months.  And she surpassed them, and was the only kid to do one section perfect.    Even though they had known it for forever.

Jamari.  Oh man that kid loves baton.  I mean loves it.  He has his baton out and practicing with it for over two hours a day.  First thing in the morning, til last thing at night.  Practicing his dance steps, practicing his twirls.  He was made for this I swear.  I have spent HOURS looking for a baton costume for him, and this came in the mail today.

He LOVEs it.   Samuel thinks its girly.  Mommy's a bit hesitant about it, but think's it going to have to do for the particular routine he's wearing it in.  Rob thought it was a bit revealing.

You know I never expected to have to look for dance costume for guys.  But my guys love it.  So we'll learn.  And don't worry Samuel your costume will be more "boyish."  The problem with Jamari's is the routine is fairys.  So it had to be softer colors, but still boy like.  Tell me if I succeeded kay?  It was HARD work finding anything for a boy!!!!

Rainee is still Rainee.  Still loves to craft.  Got in big trouble this evening for playing with mommy's very spensive scrapbook markers.  She found a Disney Princess stamping book at the rummage store for a whole twenty-five cents today, and played with it the REST of the day.  I think she probably slept with it.  LOL

Crafting with Rainee is SERIOUS business.

And Jeremiah, the loveable demanding baby who has started commanding me to take pictures.  "Look at the sunset mommy, take a picture!  Let me see the picture mommy.  Show  me the picture of such & so."     Definitely demanding.  But when he hugs me I melt, and when he smiles I could give him the world.

This picture isn't nearly as clear as I like.  But I LOVED the smile on it, and he demanded I take it of him this evening, so I did.  But I had the flash off so it got a bit fuzzy.  Darn it. 

So 6 reasons to continue on, to fight the good fight.

But no. 7

My heart.  My companion in crime.  The one who understands why there are days I want to scream and scream and scream.  The one who lets me, and doesn't judge.  The one who crawled out of bed and watched the kids for an hour after I threw up even though he needed to sleep for work that night.  And when I got up he took one look at me, and sent me back to bed for another hour.  

His poetry may suck.  His singing is not so hot.  He doesn't buy great gifts a lot of the time.  But today he went to a garage sale with me, and talked me into getting the coolest antique cabinent.  Something he normally hates.  And he spent two hours pulling up linoleum in my bathroom, when he would have rather be anywhere else.  HE does laundry to spare my back, and loves me.

He thinks I'm beautiful...when I know what I look like and how much I weigh.

So 7 reasons.

Seven precious reasons to be thankful to God, and to Fight the good fight.

I'm still just barely alive.  I skipped church today cause I feel like crap.  Last night I found a small burst of energy and we went for a drive.  We ended up at Hobuck beach on the Makah Indian Reservation.  The kids quite enjoyed it.   We would have stayed longer but of course they ended up soaking wet.  So we headed home when the first kid started crying from being cold.  Silly kids.

Neah Bay has been spending MAJOR federal dollars in improving their roads for touristing etc.  It was long overdue in my opinion, as they have some incredible beaches that need to be enjoyed.

But I must say that when WSDOT put up their new signs...um they need to hire a proof reader.  Cause well this just explains it.

I'm wondering if ANYBODY besides me sees the problem?????

If you don't here's hint.

I think they need to rehire Zvanzivou.  *snicker*

I heard my kids screaming like banshee's outside.  But it was happy screams.  I had to go investigate.  And this is what I found--after I went back for my camera.  The leaves on two of our big maple trees are coming down.   And they had a great game going. 

It was a Par-tay. 

What crazy kids.

I know my blogging has been scarce.  And my writing non-existent else where. Its been a long week, and I've been sick.  If its not one thing its another. 

Kaylin found a very cute caterpillar Friday.  She asked if she could keep it.  I set up a mason jar and lid with air holes.  She put leaves in it, put it in the sunroom and forgot about it.

Yesterday when there was finally time she checked on it--and found a cocoon!!  She was so excited.  Hey we all are.  I was able to do that once when I was a kiddo, so it should be fun to watch.

Zeria is now trying her luck with a different one.  Speaking of which I should remind her to go check on it.

School is back to going well after last weeks crazy schedule. 

Samuel has taken a HUMONGOUS step forward in reading and Rob and I are both ecstatic!  He is reading words like elected without being prompted or coached. 

Although the word transmitting today through him for a loop.  Which quite frankly suprised me it was in his book.  But hey we got through it. 

Jeremiah was babbling away down at the river on Friday.  "What did you say?"  I asked him at one point.  "I'm just talking."  He responded.  *sniggers*  He likes the sound of his own voice!

Eyecitement.  The weekend was full as per usual.  Saturday was set aside for a retirement party for two or Rob's coworkers.  We *gasp* slept in and I had to wake Rob at 10 to 8 as we had potluck food and breaky to make.  Ten minutes later my dad was knocking on the door.  *groan*  So instead of scurrying around we were required to be polite to a guest.

Actually we ended up taking turns scurrying around while one of us visited.  We had no choice in order to get it all done.  Dad eventually took the hint and departed, and we quickly dressed and headed to Sequim.

The retirement party went well, and we were back on the road about 3 o'clock.  About 30 minutes from home Samuel had been goofing off beside Jeremiah, and Jeremiah starts screaming and rubbing his eye.  "Boys, knock it off."  I observe somewhat calmly.  (this is unfortunately a fairly normal thing. )  Jeremiah says.  "He hurt my eye."   I tell him I'm sorry, and we keep driving.

Jeremiah is a very tough cookie, and rarely cries for more then a minute or two.  After five minutes of him crying and rubbing his eye I request.  "Jeremiah show me your eye."  (25 minutes from home now )  I see blood IN his eye.

Rob pull over.  We unbuckle the bud and check him out.  His white part of the eye has obviously been punctured a bit.  We discuss what to do, and finally decide because it was the eye we need to go to the ER.

*sigh*

I rock and hold Jeremiah in a back seat and soothe him until he is talked back into his carseat.  Instead of turning to go five minutes home when the time comes, we turn the other way and head for the 30 minute drive to the ER.

The Forks ER has been marvelous to us in the past.  We never spend much time waiting, so we were escorted right in.  (phew).   The doctor puts drops, and dye in Jeremiah's eye and examines it.  Its missed the cornea.  (phew)  A teddy bear from the nurse to make it all better, A trip to the pharmacy for antibiotic eyedrops to avoid infection and we're back home.

OF course by this time its two hours past dinner, and we know we have to get ready for a picnic at OUR house the next day, so we're kinda frantic.     But Jeremiah knew how to handle it.

And in reality that's what we ended up doing we ate, watched a buck Rodgers episode on DVD and went to bed at 9.  We figured we'd do our prep early the next morning. 

God had a sense of the franticness we were in however and caused it to rain.  Which meant as prearranged the potluck moved to the church.  We still had food to make, but no yard cleaning, etc.  It made yesterday MUCH more relaxed. 

And us we're just very very thankful that the centimeter between Jer's cornea and white of his eye went the right way when Sam got him.  Oh yes, what did he get punctured with?  You know the white cap on the top of a water bottle?  Samuel took it off bent it in half and was teasing Jeremiah with it, and got too close to his eye.  What an intensely freak accident.

This weeks photo Challenge is Textures.  The first is seaweed and a fossil Kaylin found last weekend

A mossy maple branch.  I just want to pet it it looks so soft.

The first of the fall leaves on the grass.  Can't you feel the crunchy dry amongst the soft weeds? 

Slimy seaweed

Moss on some beach rocks.  We grow moss well here. 

Silence is Golden.  Duct Tape is Silver.

Rob saw that on a bumper sticker last night.  One we are both now coveting.

So there's the big boy with the loss of most of his curls.  I suppose it was time.  Ever since he gave himself a haircut several months ago his hair has just been rather wild.  It finally grew out long enough that I could straighten it up into something that looked normal.  And it wasn't as traumatizing as Rob and I thought it would be.  (for us--not him)  Its kinda hard loosing the baby look ya know. 

The GQ look is in.  I picked up that little shirt at the rummage store and it just looks so sharp on him. 

And him showing of his Cubbie book.  Getting to go to Cubbies is VERY serious business. He wanted a picture he even "posed" for it.  But there was going to be NO smiling.  One should not smile when they get to be a big kid.  *snicker*

Anyhow it feels so good to be sitting at 9:43 still in my pj's.  MMM HMM.  So nice to be lazy. I even had the time to find the top of my desk again.  It breeds paperwork ya know.

Rob backed into a coworkers bumper this morning.  *sigh*  So our insurance is gonna go up a bit.  Such is life. 

My sis' birthday pressie came.  Its very cool.  I probably should take a picture later.  But for now...I'm gonna read fanfiction, drink my pop, and play referee when the kids come in and tell me Samuel's latest "mean-thing." 

The problem with someone being the pillar of the church is too much weight is placed on them and inevitably they crumble. 

Awana started tonight.  At my old church.  The church my parents went to for 20 years.

It was an intresting night.

Mostly good.

I shared for quite awhile with a friend who happens to be my mom's age.  She knew rumors, but not the details.  She didn't want to know, but I shared anyhow, and I don't know the weight came off a little bit in some ways.  And in other ways its kind of like an infected fingernail.  You have to lance it to get the puss out, but its gonna hurt like heck while your doing it.

Eww too much?

Jeremiah is officially enrolled in Cubbies.  My last cubbie.  To honor the day I gave him his first big boy haircut.  I have pictures of the finished result I will share later. 

Tomorrow is an at home day.  Its been awhile since I had one of those.  I'm not sure I know how to.  LOL  I need to sleep, but its been ellusive the last few nights.