let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Somehow, for kid4, these shoes seemed appropriate for the weather. I asked her and she said that they were high enough to keep out of the snow… so….? okay, whatever… I let her wear them because she was SO cute in them and heck who cares what you wear into the snow when you only have snow once a year! Sparkly shoes- YES PLEASE!

She also felt it was appropriate to wear a long sleeved night gown into the snow filled day because it was "SOOO warm". She danced and played and sang and hopped in the snow. I don't think she ever got cold. She loved every minute of it and I loved watching her frolic in a winter wonderland….

My snow angel had quite a morning in the snow… a time I'm sure she won't soon forget. Snow days are memorable, they are lovely and good. I love you my little snow bird!

the last goodbye

A friend of our family took a few pics the minute before Mr. B. left for the first leg of his deployment. I love last and first pictures… they capture moments that people often forget to capture. Look at my kids- oh my how they have grown…!

Look at my beautiful girl and her sad smile. She is always smiling but I can see the agony behind that smile. She will miss her Daddy. She already does. Her Daddy was smitten by pink and girly things the minute she was born. They have a deep respect and understanding for one another.

Kid4 wanted a picture of Daddy kissing her to remember him by. I thought this one turned out perfectly. This Daddy daughter pair is so lovely. I have loved watching them together from the minute she was born, he adored her.

This is the last self portrait of Mr B. and I right before he shipped off on to his new adventure… Don't worry Mr. B. we're keeping things all picked up and taken care of around here… We love you and miss you! See you SOON! (but not soon enough)

stress with a little side of spinal tap- YAY me!

(me ready for the spinal)

So I have a weird illness- when I get REALLY stressed out, I get a high pressure in my head. It's a spinal fluid thing. It's weird and it's terrible. I get a low grade headache that lasts for months until it gets unbearable and then Bat Girl drags me to a neurologist…

This time it was a little different, I had my routine eye exam and the eye Dr. was a nervous wreck, stopped the eye exam and sent me straight to a neurologist… it all happened very fast. I didn't leave with the cute glasses I wanted, I didn't leave with contacts… I left with a huge nervous feeling knowing it was back.

(The actual procedure)

So today I had a spinal tap… I did indeed have a high pressure and I am home recovering. Bat Girl is taking great care of me and the kids are taking care of themselves with Bat Girls assistance of course! What would I do without her you ask? I have no idea!

(This is the fluid they pulled off my spine)

So apparently the stress of the deployment, and possibly a mouse sent me straight over the edge… Im better now. Ready to move on without a headache and face this deployment head on!

the sun has set on the murderous muck...

We had a visitor.

He was cute.

He was small.

He was soft (or he looked soft, I didn't touch him)

but

I had to plan his demise.

I felt sad about it, but THIS particular visitor just isn't safe to have around.

SO the plotting began.

Kid2 went to the store to buy the murderous materials…

(I CANNOT bear to glue something to a glue trap so a glue trap was out)

(I CANNOT bear the smell of rotting tissue so poison was out)

(I CANNOT bear to snap the head off of a little mouse… but…..)

meanwhile…..

Kid1 planned out the murder…

and we waited…

and waited….

Yesterday morning the murder of a small and probably sweet hearted mouse was carried out. I felt sad, but I don't like mouse germs. I keep telling myself that THIS particular murder was necessary… and thankful that there are not human sized mouse traps because I have certainly been a pesky rodent to a friend or two… what if they set a trap for me?

beauty...

The beauty in something simple is well…. simple.

What is beautiful to you?

I think beautiful is a baby's laugh, an uncomplicated pure giggle, a silently swaying tree on a breezy day, a hard rain on a quiet afternoon… beauty is honestly in the eye of the beholder. I think to some beauty is a new car or a diamond ring. I think to some beauty is just simply being able to be free and to others beauty is the heartbeat of their sick or dying loved one.

I see beauty in so many things. Daily my world is filled with beauty. The sounds of my children are (mostly) beautiful to my ears. The messes they make can be beautiful to me because it's a sign that they are healthy normal children. The terrifying fact that they are driving IS beautiful, no matter what I say, because it means that they are normal developing teens. I get the honor of hearing the beautiful laugh of the most beautiful baby girl every day. I am graced with the presence of the most amazing friend in the world, and she is beautiful. I am filled with a love that can only be described as the most beautiful feeling I have ever had. Thank you for being so beautiful inside and out!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder my friends… find the beauty around you and embrace it.

*note to self- take my own advice*

family pics

nothing much to report…

we got family pictures before Mr. B. left.

These were taken two days before he left.

Little Kid4 is taking it the hardest, but we knew she would.

He comes back in 10 days for 4 days, and then is off again.

I think it might be harder for her to see him for such a short time… we'll see.

I still need to write a post about having my Kid3 back…

SO GLAD TO HAVE HIM!

This year is going to be an exciting year… YOU won't even believe it!

poor kid

Poor Kid4.

She rushed down the stairs this morning.

Threw the door open to our bathroom.

And said…

(in a very sad and disappointed voice)

"OH….. I was gonna tell Daddy Good morning…. I forgot he was gone…."

I said "well….. you can tell ME good morning honey…."

She said with her back turned towards me….

"yeah, okay…. good morning"

EEEEEK!

Well he's gone.

Let the deployment start...

So in the first 6 hours I heard a REALLY LOUD noise in the basement….

I saw TWO spiders.

AND THEN

a mouse

jumped out of a drawer

RAN

down my shirt

AND hopped onto the floor

AND

all along I screamed like a 6 year old girl.

I jumped up and down like a baby throwing a fit

and shouted NO NO NO!

(because you know how mice respond to the word "NO")

I finally was able to actually move while jumping and screaming

and

Kid4 figured she probably should be scared too.

SO

we both jumped into the chair in the living room.

She said "let me guess…...A spider?"

I struggled for words… I squeaked out "yeah" (I mean- WHY scare the kid?)

she said "OH WOW, gimme your shoe and I'll take care of it"

I laughed because she is SO

CUTE

HELPFUL

PROTECTIVE

and

WONDERFUL.

I put on shoes, I finished making dinner, I checked out the basement ALL by myself and then I finished what I started… because after all… Mr. B. is gone now and I have to be able to take care of everything… errrrr…. most things….

but can I just say that we have NEVER had a mouse in this house? WHY WHY WHY did he decide to move in now?

It's today...

Well Mr. B leaves today.

He will be gone for 2 weeks, then home for a few days

THEN GONE FOR LONG…

Dear Mr. B,

I wish you the best of luck. I love you dearly. You are a good life partner, daddy, and friend. I promise we will keep the kitchen clean and the floors vacuumed! Please take good care of you, call when you can and don't ever forget how much we love you.

I already miss you,

Love, me

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I rang in the new year with my Mr. B. and the girls!

We got family pictures yesterday, the last day of the year.

AND I can't wait to see them!

I forgot to watch the ball drop….

Like I totally forgot there was even a celebration….

Im so fun :/

Happy New Year friends!

I love you!