Under siege!

Do you ever feel like a little black rain cloud is following you around?
Having a professional musician as the bread winner in the family means that summers are slim around here. Students drop off for summer vacation, and the University rarely has a summer school enrollment for harpsichord 101. Every thing has to fall right into place to make it work. Well, the short story version is that things have not been in place. Not at all...


On our blissful drive back from the beach we noticed our speedometer seemed to be reading high. Maybe 20 mph high. Now, it is stuck on 120 mph all the time. I have no idea how fast I am going unless someone is driving close by. Cost for a new instrument panel??? $600

Two weeks ago, our dryer broke in the middle of two loads of towels. I had moldy towels for a week until my "I can fix anything" dad came over and saved us from buying a new dryer by rigging up a small fix. The real part would have to be ordered. If he weren't around...we'd be screwed. Our dryer is only 3 years old.

The day after, our garage door broke. (I'm not kidding about this). Dad came over and changed a small part and it was working again. But by this point I was asking the Duke what could possibly go wrong next? I should not have asked. Two kids got a nasty throat virus with fevers as high as 104F. It was a long miserable weekend...but I had clean towels...

...until the rigged part died and the dryer stopped working again. Thank goodness above mentioned part was in! Dryer worked again....things were good. I had no idea how fast I was driving, but life was good.

Then the Duke's car died. The alternator was bad. Replacement cost: $300. Dad fixed the car. Car ran well. I kept thinking this was over. I have no idea how fast I am going, but at least D's car is running again.

But tonight in the middle of driving to work the car died again....WITH it's new alternator. And when the D came inside he said the garage motor was sounding "funny" again.

I swear I feel like our last month has been right out of some sitcom...or a cartoon with a little black cloud over my house that follows me around. I'm ready for the storm to blow on through. Let's see a little bit of sun!

Where in the world is the DOI???

Hmmmmm,

I feel lately like I am being pulled in a million directions....
Let me 'splain in short detail since Army Wives is on and all God's children (at least the younger ones that reside here) are in bed. Not necessarily asleep, but in bed.

We went on our fabulous beach trip, and up until that point I had a mission and a wonderful commitment to changing my family to a positive, healthy, and active one. We are not an "inactive" folk per se, but I think we are so darn worn out after caring for 3 plus the two of us that we choose the easy way out. Like tonight....it was 7pm....didn't want to make dinner so I drove to Sonic. Bad bad bad choice. I even feel like a grease ball after eating it so much that I am making a stop at the shower before I watch AW.

Since we have been home my mission has imploded, my focus waned, my mind feels mushy and my thighs squishy again. I have not been to the gym since July 9th. Up until now....that was unheard of in my house unless a babe or I was sick. My grocery trips have been random spurts of "we need bread", "must get beer", and "our milk expired". It's like something has to be wrong for me to drag myself to that place. That horrible place. I HATE grocery shopping. I would rather iron for 3 hours than grocery shop. No kidding.

I also had a trip with a few friends that was planned for the week after we returned. No kids, no boys, just friends and shopping at outlet malls. Well, that feel through but something wonderful happened. I decided in it's place I would go on a mission trip for my church. I have never been on one before, and it seemed like the right call at the time. I am still very excited, but nervous about being away from the girls for 3 1/2 days. I have never been away from them for more than 21 hours at any given time. Yes it's time...but it is hard.

Which brings me to another point about where I have been. A friend (Tink's Godmother) just had a baby. She so much wanted a natural birth experience, but after nearly 24 hours of labor without progression and baby having decels, they ended up with a C/S. Every friend I have known who this has happened to (including your truly) had a really hard time with this and I feel the need to support her. It is her first baby, and she was having a difficult time with the weepiness. She has been told by many that it is completely normal, but it's nice to have someone to cry with. So, I sit with her and offer to hold baby so she can...fill-in-the-blank....whenever I have free time. By the way I would love to add here that as adorable as my friend's new babys are....holding them has affirmed my choice to end my childbearing years. Don't get me wrong...I love the smell and feel of a newborn...but thank GOD I can give them back when I am done.

Speaking of free time, the Duke and I were blessed by my parents who kept the girls overnight so we could get away for our 4th anniversary. What a treat. We stayed at a fancy hotel in the city and had yummy Italian food without anyone screaming, throwing food, spilling water, etc. The next day we had a couple's massage before picking the kids up. They had a really good time, but my parents looked exhausted. It's nice for them to re-visit this part of their lives so they can thank their lucky stars I grew up and moved out....twice!

I feel sort of like a Roomba. Have you seen these things? They quietly go about their business cleaning floors without any help from another. Once they are done with one room they go to the next and the next, only to come back and do it again. My housework is eating my lunch. I spent 2 hours in Drama's room today (at his request) to help him organize. I just went in to tuck him in and it is a disaster yet again. The upside is that he is quietly reading an enormous chapter book quietly to himself. What a change from the boy who wouldn't read just a year ago. He is now writing his own chapter books. How inspiring! Maybe he should start writing this blog....

The Duke is on a mission to become the best harpsichordist in the world, or something like that. So, he is now practicing 3-4 hours a day. He wants more. I feel that since this is his career, I should let him have the time and make it happen. If I had a salesman husband and he had to finish a presentation, there would be no questions. He would have to get it done. And in all honesty, him performing great recitals will help him make a name for himself. But it is so hard to give him the time. It takes away from my time (to get my housework done) and from our time (when the kids are in bed). So what do you do? He also has informed me he wants to put on a private recital in our home. Now that inspires me! We could have so much fun with that. But our house is small, and space is limited. What to serve? Who to invite? He is, by the way, sounding awesome!

The beauty of multiple children

Yesterday we moved Tinkerbel's crib into Sunshine's bedroom so we could reclaim our office. There's something about moving furniture around that gets me all gung ho about cleaning and organizing. We have family coming over for Tink's 1st Bday this weekend, so that may also have contributed to the craze.

Anywho, I had Drama place all of his "too young for me" toys in a box located in his bedroom. Since they were boy toys, I figured I wouldn't save any of them and we would take to CCA. However, Tink and SS found said toys and have been playing with Buzz Lightyear for about an hour now. I am pretty sick of hearing "to infinity and beyond", but they are peaceful, quiet, and happy. This is good after the horrific morning of temper tantrums!