I Promise ... (Burning Down the House)

... to try to do better about blogging and taking photos.

Let me just say that the last week - week and a half I've been in some "drug-induced stupor" related to sinus/allergies/funk and the ensuing antibiotics and STEROIDS.

If you don't have to take steroids ... don't. I am now so cranky I cannot stand myself -- and no one else can either. Joshua asked me today why my hands were shaking as badly as they were. Steroids. I'll be fine and then WHAM, I feel all jerky and jittery and feel like I haven't eaten in six months and that I will pass out unless I eat EVERY.SINGLE.THING in the house IMMEDIATELY. Then I feel nauseous, then weak, then angry ... blah, blah, blah.

Anyway...

Sunday the family went over to the Y to swim -- it was like a mini-"staycation". Ellie had a BLAST in the water this time. She talked about going "wimmin'" all during church. Josh had some "girl" friends who were there, and, while he says he wasn't, I'm nearly certain I saw some flirting going on. What happened to "Girls have cooties???" He has become a bit over protective of Ellie as well. As with any public environment where there are a lot of kids, many kids will run wild and crazy. Ellie tends to be a bit more quiet and laid back when she's in a new environment. So, surprise, some kids were a little too rough around her and one came off a froggy slide and knocked her down and kept going. I literally thought I was going to have to pull Joshua off. We literally had to send him to sit outside of the pool because he was so upset with this little kid. When we finally got him calmed down, he told us that we just "didn't do enough" to take care of her. Well, thanks, glad to get the memo there, son. We tried to explain to him that we were right there and that as parents we understand that sometimes kids have to learn to "fight their own battles" as it were. Ellie wasn't hurt and she needed to learn to get back up and keep going. I would never let anyone hurt her or run all over her, but part of life is learning that sometimes we get knocked down -- be it by accident or on purpose -- and we have to get back up and keep going. Part of being a parent is understanding when to let that happen. I love the fact that Josh loves her so much. He said, "But she's a GIRL". So caring, so sweet, but so overboard sometimes. I feel sorry for Ellie when she starts dating!

Dee'Anna is back and Ellie is back tearing things apart with her BFF Addie this week. They are so funny and cute together. Ellie waited patiently this morning for Addie to get up and then when she came in to the room, she went and got her toys, opened them up and shared them with Addie. Then she said, "Addie, RUN???"

Potty training went ... ok, I suppose. We are a long way from there, but I'm SO not in a hurry. We are reminding her, using pull-ups and taking her. She will learn, I'm sure of it.

Ellie has really begun talking ... A LOT ... lately. She is very determined to get what she wants by using her words now. " 'Mon, mama" seems to be one of her favorite phrases for C'mon mama. It is always said while pulling me somewhere. Her personality develops more every day and she is such a fun loving little girl who laughs a lot and loves every new thing! Today she told me she wanted, "DORA FLIP FLOPS MAMA" (everything is adamant with her). I said I didn't know where they were. She said, "TRUCK! GO! FLIP FLOPS! C'MON MAMA!!" When I (finally gave in because she wore me down) got them, she wore them for about two seconds and was on to something else. She has discovered an interest in baby dolls and her kitchen as of late. I'm so glad she's enjoying something "girlish" to play with instead of cars and balls. She's also discovered Josh's Toy Story and Toy Story 2 movies from when he was little. She'll say, "Story, mama!" I think she might just be able to sit through Toy Story 3 soon. She's very fond of these movies.

Josh is in the throes of FIREWORKS. I really hate this time of year. It's a never-ending battle for boys this age wanting to shoot fireworks from the day the places that sell them open until the day they close. Today, he and Braiden went through 288 bottle rockets in about two hours. I won't mention (yes, I will because I NEVER want to forget it and want to make sure I remind him of it when he has kids!!) the fact that as I was sitting at the kitchen table working, I saw a plume of smoke go floating down from the second story followed by a loud POP and then followed closely by my VACUUM CLEANER EXTENSION flying down onto the deck!!! Apparently, he thought it would make a good thing to shoot them out of and WOW, what fun to shoot it from the second story window. A long discussion ensued about how that was really not a good choice and how dangerous it could have been and how it could have burned our house down.

Funny ole' God (try Him to see if He doesn't have a sense of humor) showed me later that night when I did catch the pan in the oven on fire and couldn't remember what would put it out! I was cooking a London broil (my first, by the way) and the butter in the pan caught afire. I was NOT about to lose my dinner so I was blowing and puffing and opening and shutting the oven door. I finally called Kevin who said Baking Soda would put it out. WHO HAS BAKING SODA HANDY??? I just shut the door, turned off the oven and decided it could just burn out while I waited with my cell phone in case I had to call the fire department. I'm pleased to report the meat was NOT ruined, the house did NOT catch on fire and the pan was NOT even ruined. Too much excitement for one day, though. That steroid induced hunger was good for the family tonight though as I (not only cooked but cooked a lot) fixed London broil, squash casserole, mac and cheese, green beans, corn muffins and a blackberry cobbler. Josh's friend Braiden was over and all of us ate SO MUCH there were hardly any leftovers.

I'm sure there are a thousand other funny things I could report about the goings-on around here, but it's nearing midnight and little girls wake early these days so I need to get some shut-eye myself.

If you have a moment, pray for Kevin's job. We are SO SO thankful he has one, but the drive is wearing on him and he would so love to have a job where he doesn't have to drive three hours a day. I know God has our family in His hands and we are blessed beyond measure. It seems embarrassing to ask for more.

Have a great week!