Good morning

My back is a bit better.  In regards to my bed its only about 4 years old as we upgraded to a king just before Jeremiah was born.  I've wondered if it was the bed.  But what I think it is in the day my back aches and I move to a different position.  Sometimes this involves multiple movements, stretches whatever, but I do it and get on. 

At night my back aches and I sleep until it gets unbearable, and then its just too late to stretch it out.    At least that's my current working theory.  Basically I have a crappy back, but since my dad and mom both do though my dads is worse then my moms its hardly suprising.

Baton went well yesterday, and we've more tomorrow.  The kids recital is April 19th.  There are a lot of details to work out before then, and I have to admit the coach is driving me a wee bit batty in her relaxed attitude about costumes.   She is INSANELY picky about costumes, and know "just" what she wants, can't describe it, but expects us to find it, and won't answer yes or no to questions, except to say no she doesn't like such and so.  And for the last THREE weeks I've been trying to pin her down on two of the kids squads, and she keeps saying I don't know, I know what I want...and April keeps getting closer.

This wouldn't be an issue except most of the costumes come from online and we have to have shipping time, and time for the coach to say again....she doesn't like it. 

I love baton.  I think I hate the costumes.  *snicker*

And other then that...just moving along trying to clear my brain enough to function. hahahaha

My back is still sore.  I was up until 1:30-2 in the morning in extreme pain last night.

I'm achey tonight although not extreme yet.  The true test is tonight.

If your up late at night prayers are appreciated.

Its like I get in bed and WHAM.

Anyhow we did Costco and Walmart today.  Six kids in tow.

The kids had money to spend.  Zeria spent the least and she had the most to spend go figure.  Kaylin bought (another) small backpack with some girly stuff that went with it.  (read junk)  Sam bought another Darth Vadar.  If that kid had half of what he's had over the years he'd be worth something in the star wars collection.  Jeremiah bought a car.  Jamari wouldn't make up his mind, but then found a big stuffy dog with head phones in the clearance aisle.  Zeria thought it was cute so now we have two of them suckers.  Just what we needed another stuffy.  And Rainee bought craft stuff.   Its kinda funny I can almost predict what their gonna buy.  Zeria is currently in a saving mood, but normally her preferances are to $20 hand held video games and Polly Pockets.    Kaylin usually gets bags, and Sam usually gets star wars stuff, and Rainee always gets craft stuff or princess stuff the best of both worlds is disney princess craft stuff.  *snigger*  Oh and Jamari usually does horses, but we didn't find any today which is probably why we didn't come home with some more. 

They are already creatures of habit I swear.

Its been a long week.

Thursday my mom came over and spent the day.  As I hadn't spent quality time with her since Christmas that was fun.  She requested a campfire, so we spent the day burning up bits and pieces of the leftover maple tree.  I found myself laughing as I made sure there was a nice fire going before she got there so she wouldn't have to work...forgetting my mom is a pyro.

So about an hour into the visit she chose to make her own fire.

I giggled more when hers never did get going good.  I may have surpassed my teacher.  *snicker*

I giggled even more when my youngest sister also had to attempt to make a fire.

And then my mom laughed when I got down on my  hands and knees and tried to get her fire going using my bike pump.  She said, you should make the kids do that, and I smirked and said,  "I am my mothers daughter."

The reason for the laughter?  Jdai had just gone done saying that in regards to fire.

She raised a family of pyros!!

Anyhow in the evening was our last two basketball games.  Both teams one.  And Jamari made his first in-play hoop.  Which is all rather amazing considering he was the boy who started the season out cartwheeling and skipping.  The whole audience was amazed.    I was more amazed because Samuel had a clear shot at the hoop, and chose to pass it to Jamari...who then made the basket.  I think I might of praised Samuel for sharing more then I did Jamari for making the basket.  Its hard to share the ball, and the coach has worked so hard with the older kids on this, and he did it!

Anyhow...went home after that, went to bed early and woke up at 2:30 morning in EXTREME PAIN! 

I spent the rest of the morning/evening whatever alternating ice and hot showers and crying, and rocking, and moaning.  Rob came home at 6:15 to the sounds of me moaning like I was having contractions.  *sigh*  He worked on my back a bit, and when Kaylin woke up she walked on it, and between the two they got it down to manageable pain.  When the chiro opened at 1 Rob made an appointment for me.  She lives 2 hours away, but is the only one who helps.  I went in and she adjusted me, but of course that means I have several days of getting my muscles used to being where they should be.

So Saturday morning I woke up with a massive headache.  I think due to my new neck adjustment.  And my dad was coming.  It was not as good of a visit as it could have been cause I was just out of it.   While he was here he fell a tree for me, one he's been wanting to fall since the December wind storm. 

This 115 foot tall tree was all of 15 feet from my house.  And during the windstorm it bent and bent and bent over my house before the gust let it go.  If it had come down it would have landed all the way across.  And...it was rotten.  Though not as bad as it could have been still not good. 

So down it went.

 The growth rings in it were HUGE.  It was only 63 years old.  Spruce grows big around here man!

It will be hauled off to the mill sometime this week, and bring us in a wee bit of money. 

The campfire that I had built Thursday was still burning.  Rob and the kids had burned most of Friday while I babied my back, and attempted to catch on some of the sleep.   When we got back from the chiro the kids had restacked it, and as soon as the tree was down the kids again restacked it and got it started again.   It got a wee bit bigger then a campfire yesterday though.  *snicker*

Samuel enjoyed playing in the smoke it made a couple times. 

Mommy enjoyed playing with pictures of him playing.  LOL

Rainee enjoyed playing with daddy's chain saw tools.  When Rob saw this picture he said--so that's who had my chain saw bar.  Busted. 

I didn't spend as much time outside as I would have wanted, but after napping I did ditch my headache, and did mostly okay.

Darth Sam.  He loves that hat.  *snort*

I stayed home from church today cause I struggle sitting there at the best of times and I am just barely maintaining a good back at the moment.  One twisted moment and its all gone and I'm close to shrieking again.  I have to constantly remind my muscles where their supposed to live. 

So that was my weekend. 

In other news we saw this on the way to the chiro and enjoyed laughing at it.

Its your own original outdoor office.

And on the way home from the chiro the sky was just amazing.  I finally had Rob pull over and I snagged these.

And many others, but I will be good and only share two

And in more ancient news...here's my picture of the lunar eclipse.

I was quite happy with it considering my tri-pod was 45 minutes away when I took it.

And in other random ketchup news my dad dug these up for me.

I think spring may be coming!  It sure has felt like it all week.  Which is probably why I toasted my back overdoing it.  *snicker*  At least I got to enjoy the sun as much as I could.   

And hope you survived my random ketchup blog. 

I joined a new board this week.  They put up 6 or 8 pictures once a week, and then everybody edits them how they see fit and share the results.  Its going to be a fun challenge and a great way for me to learn photo editing stuff.  I found it via someone I've subscribed to since about 2 weeks after I found xanga.  LOL 

Anyhow I won't always share what I did...but I was quite proud of the end result of this.

I am still using my trial version of pspx2 which I love.  I will be purchasing it in March with my adoption money.  LOL 

So this is my valentines day gift.  It still desperately needs to be sanded and stained.  I bought the stain, but have no desire to do the sanding until we are all done hacking the last thing we need is more dust flying.

Rob did all of it including the scrapbook paper holder.  I found a magazine rack on ebay that was half the size, but of a similar design and he stared at the pictures quite awhile and built it.  It has all turned out so nicely.  I have room to work--aka see the pictures laid out, room for my scrapbook to lay open for the finished jobies, room to leave scrap papers I'm in process with, and stickers I'm in process with, as well as store all my ribbons, stamps, templates, etc, etc.  Scrapbooking aquires quite a bit of junk ya know.  *snicker*  And this is a 9 year collection of scrapbook stuff after all.   The plastic box under the desk is going I just haven't made it do so yet.  The exercise ball will stay under there its a good place for it as my kids can't use it and break it.  Its *mine*  LOL

The desk extends a teeny tiny bit to the left of the picture, but not much.   I can now look out my window and watch my kids play while on the computer.  All in all I'm in love.

It was a weekend are you suprised we went to a beach/  Huh? Huh?  *snicker*  Well we did.  And *gasp* it was sunny.  We don't often get to the beach when its sunny...especially in February.  Any how the tide was out quite a ways so we headed to Slip Point.  Not as far out as the very first time we explored the tide pools, never managed to get it that deep, but still far enough to enjoy.  So here were multi-colored star-fish. 

Jamari running across a mussle bed saying, eww, eww, eww, eww.  Don't ask me why I just report it. 

Samuel and Jamari running across the mussle bed saying eww eww eww.  *snicker*  Isn't that a massive mussle bed.  It impressed me, and I'm used to sea-life.  I understand why these tidal pools are considered world-class. 

Jamari showing me one of his urchin shells.  See the way he's holding his tongue.  He does that when he's really serious.  He especially does that when he's learning a new baton trick.  His coach is always teasing him about it. 

Many, Many purple sea urchins.

Samuel found a little shrimp in a tide pool---a first for all of us. 

I love this picture its a seagull fishing, and I caught him *just* right as he headed under. 

And just as he was heading under.  Look at those beautiful waves on the other side of the reef. 

This was a first for us as well.  I found this beautiful and gigantic green jade rock that I wanted.  Rob picked it up to carry it for me, and we found all these eels.  The kids came running over and spent the next 15 minutes rescuing them and putting them in deeper water. 

Jeremiah seriously contemplating a tidal pool.  He loved this particular pool and played in it a LONG time. 

The cliff part of Slip Point. 

Zeria helping Jeremiah across some slippery seaweed.  Isn't she a good big sister. 

Samuel carrying my big piece of green jade.  My beloved husband and son carried that thing almost a mile for me when all was said and done.    Its so pretty.  And no I don't have a close up of it silly huh?  Anyhow it will be an excellent addition to my rock collection. 

After exploring the tidal pools for a good hour we walked back to the pebble beach and sat and just enjoyed.  Looking towards Sekiu was just soo gorgeous, and getting sun didn't hurt either. 

All in all a good day. 

Good morning.

     Its been a long week with a lot of coughing, hacking, and respitory crap.  None of us are truely on the mend.  Rob was pointing out that you go through the day thinking "Oh I might be getting a bit better."  And suddenly you feel worse then you did two days ago.  Its a backwards forwards kind of bug. 

    Yesterday we took our bodies that were somewhat healthy into do an Awana function.  It went well, and fortunately I found someone to lead the singing at the last second cause my voice still hadn't recovered.  I actually felt fairly human too.  But I guess all the days of sleeping weird torched my back.  If its not one thing its another.   The function was a nursing home event.  I was praying I didn't share my cough.    The kids were a little weirded out, but its okay its a good experience for them.  I actually quite enjoyed myself.  I got kissed on the hand by one elderly gentlemen.    And had a nice conversation with another one.   And while we were singing (all patriotic songs)  One man with a lovely deep base voice joined us.  His timing was off a couple times so we could enjoy it.  I imagine he has enjoyed singing all of his long life.

       My desk is coming together quite nicely.  I haven't stained it, but I have mostly loaded it.  When I finish loading my scrapbook picture I will take a picture.   I will of course have to unload it when the time comes to stain it...but as I don't want to do that when I have a respitory bug it will have to wait.  Rob built shelves for me on Friday with directions of what I wanted and when I came out I was highly disappointed.  He'd used junk wood, and mismatched colors.  I told him it was okay, but didn't really mean it.   One of those save your husband's feelings moments.  I loaded stuff on the shelf, and was struggling to figure out what to do with half of it because it only had half the shelves I had asked for.  

     He went on to build the paper display thing which turned out awesome.  And I kept puttering trying to fill the shelves etc.  He ran out of wood for the paper display thing and said he'd have to get the rest tomorrow.   On the way to town yesterday he asked me again about the shelf.  I finally decided to bite the bullet and explain as gently as I could what I *had* wanted, but told him I was just gonna use it the way he'd done it.  He said "No, I want you to have what you do...I'll just buy new wood, and start over."  Part of me was thrilled and the other part of me felt really bad.   He asked me to explain again exactly what I wanted, and I suggested using a different kind of wood.  He bought nice 1x12's and came home and rebuilt my shelf in all of an hour, and its a sight to behold now and EXACTLY what I wanted.  And he was proud of it.

   The other neither of us were totally excited about, all though he said he was but being his wife I could here the hesitation in his voice.  This time the shelf are the right measurements.  One shelf of 14 inches tall, the rest at 6 inches tall.   LOTS of places to store my always growing scrapbook stuff, and look decorative at the same time.  He also finished the paper carrier, two extra shelves that he thought of himself, and my corner shelf.   Its all very cool

    I know you want pictures.   I will share them when I'm done loading my amazing scrapbook area. 

    On top of that--this was my valentines day pressy from him.  A rather Large pressy.  So I absolutely did not expect a thing more.  He had let it be known however he wanted to have a romantic kid free time in the bedroom Friday night (he worked thursday as well as us having basketball)  so I sent Zeria to her bedroom early, and headed in.  He had bought me a HUGE box of chocolates AND a lovely bouquet of carnations.  He *never* buys flowers for me, and I happen to love them.    I almost cried.  He fairly frequently flunks romance, and he did just fine this time. 

Kaylin's baton costume for under the sea came into the mail via my sister.   I found the pattern and material, and sent it to my sister who kindly made it up.   Its kinda complicated having someone make something up for you long distance.    But it worked, and is very cute.

We couldn't do actual mermaids as they needed to be able to be very fluid and moving.  So this is what we came up with.  Now to see what the coach thinks. 

I had to share this. It is so marvelous. And so comforting. I once a long time ago made an piano arrangement with the Be still song. This is so much better.

I'm so miserable today.  Rob is a day ahead of me and feeling much better, though still coughing etc.

This morning was spent in Rob helping the trucker get the eagle tree onto the truck.  Which was NOT as easy as was hoped.  The tree was just toooo big.

The trucker and I were joking when it was all done.  "So next time dad calls you to get trees from here your answers gonna be no isn't it?" 

It took him four hours.  Usually truck drivers load thing in about 30 minutes and are gone.

But then there not usually trying to load something that big.  Points.  It was actually so big he couldn't get his grapple around it, so instead wrapped a chain around it and was lifting the chain.  He got it leaning on the truck, and then moved the chain to get the bottom. 

He spent about fifteen minutes working on getting the other end up when all of a sudden...woosh and it was lying on the ground beside the truck.

I'm thinking crying at that point was a good option.  Or some naughty words.  What they finally ended up doing was cutting the tree smaller and leaving a big chunk in our yard.  *sigh*  Its sooooooooo ugly.  But a couple years and the moss will take it over.  He tried...and he absolutely made NO money today.  I mean he paid for his truck gas, but time...I'm thinking he lost out today. 

There's a picture of everything loaded about two minutes before he pulled out of our house.  The irony?  This wood is just USELESS.  Has very little value.  We'll be ecstatic if it pays the trucking.    The big chunk is what they finally cut it down to after spending 3 hours trying to get the bigger piece in the previous pictures on. 

Its going to be pulp--probably paper towels *snort*   It was prettier rightside up, but I guess everything has to die sometime.   And at least its getting recycled.