This day 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 years ago....

I was looking back through old pics and came across these from around this date back to 2001 (the year we got a 1.2 megapixel still shot camera!) Kind of fun to see how we have grown....

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Another Fun Survey

1.Grab the book nearest you, turn to page 18, line 4? "An Angel spreads it's glittering wings over us, and we say things like, 'It was one of those days that made you feel good just to be alive,' or 'I had a hunch everything was going to turn out all right', or 'I don't know where I ever found the courage.'"
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch? A highlighter still in the package that Lisa gave me.
3. What's the last thing you watched on TV? College football!!!! HOORAY!! I LOVE fall!
4. Without looking, what time is it? I'm hoping 7:30 since I can still hear Nalnani on the monitor, talking. But I'll guess 9:27
5. What time is it actually?9:24
6. Except for the computer what can you hear? Nalani on the monitor now SINGING...very loudly...5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.
7. When did you last step outside and what were you doing? About 15 minutes ago to take the dog out to "go potty"
8. Before you started this survey what were you doing? Scratching Brigg's back.
9. What are you wearing? Brown sweats and a green sprite t-shirt
10. Did you dream last night? Yes, very weird dreams. They involved sand, big piles of it, dogs and Jody and Andy. Seriously strange stuff...
11. When did you last laugh? About 5 minutes ago. Just laughing at an email I sent.
12. What's on the walls in the room you're in?A calendar and a clock.
13. Seen anything weird? At work last week I looked out my window in my cubicle at this guy riding by on his bicycle and he pulled over and started barfing.
14. What do you think of this quiz? I like it.
15. Last film or video seen? High School Musical
16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight what's the first thing you'd do? Scream
17. Tell me something I don't know about yourself? I don't know. I'm a pretty open book. Maybe that I can say the alphabet backwards?
18. If you could change one thing about the world regardless of politics what would it be? (I'm stealing yours Jody) No child would go unloved.
19. Do you like to dance? Yep
20. What comment would you like to make to George Bush?None
21. Your first child is a girl what do you name her? Brigg was going to be Skylar Alma
22. Your first child is a boy what do you name him? Brigg Thomas
23. Would you ever consider living abroad? Yep!
24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates? You ROCKED girl!!
25. Five people you want to do this quiz? All my blogger friends...and Leah, Becky, Lisa and Erin.

Pity Party OVER!

"We'd all be much happier if we magnified our blessings rather than our disappointments." (Abraham Lincoln)
I have more blessings than I can begin to count. As of this morning, I am just happy with the fact that in a few weeks all of this leg pain will be GONE. I am focusing on that from now on! I'm thankful that there is a surgery that can take it away. A fews weeks of recovery is nothing in the grand scheme of things! So this is all a good thing!
There. I'm better! :)

It's a Go

Surgery on Tuesday afternoon to disect my herniated disc. That's all I got for now...

Proactive

Ok, I am starting to panic. I go in to see the neurosurgeon tomorrow afternoon. I've heard one too many stories of this Doctor saying, "It's bad enough that we need to do surgery tomorrow." What if this happens? What if in 48 hours I am totally laid up for the beginning of a very long couple of weeks? So since I got off work, I have been working...trying to be proactive on getting the house in order. Picking up, throwing out, vacuuming, laundry, sorting, FREAKING. Anyone who knows me at all will understand that the thought of "taking it easy" is foreign to me and about makes me sick to my stomach. So tonight....I'm praying for a miraculous overnight HEALING! I'll update my results from the surgeon tomorrow night.

The Weekend

It was dad's birthday and the whole family gathered. Nalani has always been in love with Bode, but the weekend Bode decided Lani might be ok, too. It was so cute!!


The kids played and Sean kind of babysat my kids all weekend while I sat on my butt and did nothing. Thanks Sean! Happy Birthday, Dad! 

Now we just need to break it in...

 

The almost final product

You know it was a tense afternoon when mom is down on her hands and knees in a very cute outfit, working on concrete. It was very very crazy.


See that board across the 2 retaining walls? At one point Paul was LAYING across it trying to smooth the concrete. I tried it, but lasted about 3 minutes. I did not get that on film because I truly thought if I tried to capture it, Paul would drown my in the wet concrete!! I all seriousness, it was an insane day. I have now had 3 hours and 45 minutes away from the project and I can say that in the end I think it will be worth it. I'm not sure if Paul would agree or not. I am so proud of him. It was a gigantic undertaking. So if you see it all finished, PLEASE do not critique it! We don't even care if you lie...consider it a favor to us!! :) 

The Moral of the Story...

Do not do this at home...with only 2 worker men and their wimpy wives. One of which gets a call from the radiologist mid-pour saying she has a "severely herniated disk that looks surgical". Seriously. Don't do it. 

It's Coming Right Now!

The concrete is being mixed as I type this. It is almost over! Paul tried to convince me that it was too late in the day to pour, but I won out. He may have to be late to the rib fest tonight, but he will survive!

It is now after noon....

12:46 PM.... Paul is almost finished up forming the sidewalk along the side of the garage.
Somehow, even with his weak leg, dad is digging in along the driveway. (he's really pitching in because I THINK it's a perfect day for golfing. The sooner he gets this done, the sooner he can golf! :))
This is what the stamp looks like that we'll be using along the outside edge of the patio.
And this is what our yard looks like right now. Lots of patio furniture....no patio.
Since I had the day off, I went ahead and had my MRI done at noon. Just finished that up and hope to have the results tomorrow. 

The beginning of the end?

We took the day off..both of us. I am not sure what I think I am going to be able to do to help other than continually bringing Paul more water, cheering him on, and documenting with photos, but I will be here to help in any way possible. We are HOPING to pour the final pour today. The concrete then sets for 2 weeks before we can seal it and truly be finished. Hoping this is the beginning of the end of this project. Paul swears this is his last project for a long, long time. He mentioned getting a canoe next summer to take the kids fishing in. That sounds like a project in and of itself to me.... 

4 Reasons I may reconsider staying home instead of working full time...

The kids are in bed...
I am wandering around the house wondering if it really is a good idea for me to return to being a stay-at-home mommy. Why, you ask. I give you four reasons... #1...Paint is still not cleaned up from our before dinner activity. (But the kids had a blast making this mess!)
#2....The clean clothes are not put away that I folded (those were folded at one time, Harley just ran across the pile this morning) last night...or maybe Sunday night, I don't remember. (But the kids had clean clothes to wear today!)
#3...The bathroom is not cleaned up after bathtime. (but my kids smelled SO good when I tucked them into bed!)
#4...Harley is chewing on a Thomas the Train Whistle. (But she hasn't had an accident in the house for over a week!)

Ok, so I may not be the best housewife, but I have a house trained puppy and my kids are entertained, fed, and smell good as I tuck them into bed in their clean pajamas. Isn't that goood enough??

Paul and I get 10 Minutes

Ok, we seriously connected for the first time in 36 hours and it was for about 10 minutes. 7 of those minutes we spent fighting over who paid our bill on Friday night at the show we went to and if it got paid twice. If it did, did it get paid twice by us? Or once by us and once by dad? Maybe it was once by us and once by Andy. Or possibly once by dad and once by Andy and we never paid at all! This is serious stuff! So as he is walking out the door to go out for wings he says "Oooo...I have a headache." I replied with a very sweet, "Well maybe you should just stay home with US." (throughout all of this, Lani is saying "Daddy, daddy, daddy....DAd-DEE...Daddy, Daddy?, Daddy!!) He replies with a very matter-of-fact, "I don't think so. You guys are the cause of my headache." He love us, he really does.

Our Sunday Adventure

It was a beautiful day on Sunday and we were trying to come up with something cheap & entertaining to do as a family. This was it...


 

Paul Got in a Fight with a Root

9 Tools
1 Hole
1 giant cedar tree root
3 hours
and
1 tired, dirty, frustrated man....

He is so ready for this project to be finished...... 

The Cut

Our last photo with Brigg's so cute, shaggy hair. (we DID mess it up so you could get the full effect....)
The first cut with the clippers....
At this point I was starting to freak out.
And the final product. I really tried hard to act like I liked it as much as he does. He LOVES it...me, I'm not too fond of it. It looks like he is joining the Marines and he is MUCH too young to be doing that.
Hoping it grows back by Christmas.... 

Am I Ready?

I can't get this out of my mind. Rich and Traci are mourning the loss of their daughter every minute of every day. I check their website daily to read about where they are at on this painful journey. So many things that they write touch me so deeply. Recently, I read this on their site and it really made me think:
"Remember this, God can call any of us home at any time. Are you ready? What is causing you to be 'too busy' to get your life straightened out and priorities in place? I know my motivation is to live my life as if I'm going to heaven tomorrow. The cares of this world are only temporary. I am forever changed into spending each of my days in light of eternity."
Am I? Am I ready? Or am I too busy with my worldly concerns? What ARE my priorities? What is my motivation? I haven't been able to get these questions out of my head. Our time on earth is only temporary, and I want to live in a way that is meaningful. I do not know the pain that Rich and Traci experience every time the beautiful smile pops in their head. I do not know anything about the hurt they feel in their hearts all day long....a hole that is permanantly placed there. But I do know that these 2 people are handling it with more grace and faith than I can begin to comprehend. With thoughts of Erika tonight and all that she has taught us....

Critter Gitter Tip #78

Stand at the highest point of your steep steep roof and cut wire mesh to cover your chimney and avoid bats.
I'm not so sure he thought Paul would be crazy enough to do it...