Bedtime Conversation with Rylee

Last night I was tucking in Rylee.  she has been stalling at bedtime and nap-times and not wanting to go to sleep. I thought that's where this conversation was headed, but it wasn't.

Rylee:  I want a pitcher.
Me:  A what?

Rylee: I want a pitcher!
Me:  A picture?

Rylee: Yeah!  A pitcher!
Me: Are you going to sleep with it?

Rylee:  No, I want to look at it and put it back.

Me: What picture do you want?

Rylee: I want a picture of Jesus.

Summer Fun

It is yucky here.  Yucky hot.  Yucky rain.  Yucky to be outside.  Yucky if the sun is shining, yucky if the sun isn't shining.  Mostly lately, it isn't.  Mostly we've gotten rain.  Lots and lots of rain.  Sadly, the rain is usually accompanied by some spectacular thunder and lightning, so the pools tend to close when the rain comes along.  The problem is that the pool is about the only outdoor activity you can do here in swampland.  Fortunately we have found a few things to do to keep the kids occupied this summer.  I am very very grateful to be able to go to the big library, even though we are not in that parish.  They have a marvelous story time, and there was a special program this week.

The library also has this awesome light table.  The kids LOVE it! 

These 2 even played fairly nicely with it which is an astounding feat. 

And then there was the program.  Behind Rylee you can see the 2 ladies.  They had cockroach hand puppets and read a very fun book about cockroaches and beignets.   I confess that I was laughing more than the children.  They were that good.

And then we finally got around to making beignets.  I have never had one before, but we found a good recipe at ourbestbites and Delaney helped me out. It was fairly easy to make.

The finished product.  It looks a lot like the "scones" my mom made us when we were kids.  Somehow, they were not as yummy as I had imagined.  I was in the minority.  A minority of one.

Rylee thought they were very good.  Or maybe it was just the powdered sugar.  I found several beignets with the tops eaten off at her place later. 

Marian proclaimed them really really good!

Best way to Start your Day

I have decided that I like having a dog.  I like taking him out in the morning for a walk, and I enjoy our evening strolls, laughing at his antics when he tries to chase the toads and tree frogs.  I make the kids take him out during the day, but I have rather claimed the first and last walk of the day.

However, a serene walk is definitely ruined when you are half a block from home and realize your daughter is dashing after you in her pajamas, carrying the "puke bowl", shouting that she has just thrown up the tylenol you gave her.

Mommy, can I take a picture?

Callie asked if she could take some pictures.  Since I have been a colossal failure in that department, I said yes.  I didn't realize she interpreted that to be "Yes, you can take the camera and take pictures whenever you feel like it."  I got the camera out to download pictures from our activities and this is what I found:

Levi in a floaty, all ready for the pool! 

Marian and Levi, but mostly just Levi. 

 One tired out little puppy.

One VERY good natured little puppy. 

Callie's self-portrait of her tonsils. 

Callie's shot of her big brother, who is  long-suffering as well. 

Rylee in her adorable striped footie jammies. 

A fantastic self-portrait of Callie! 

So now I know what happens when I busy in the other room.  Callie steals the camera and takes lots of pictures!  (There were another 36 shots, mostly of the dog!)

Totally Random Stuff

I ate nothing healthy today.  Nothing at all.  I got in the car at 7:06 this morning to drive 2 hours to the temple and realized I hadn't eaten breakfast.  No problem, Burger King makes tasty crissanwiches.  So I had one for breakfast.  After my temple session, I headed home.  And hey, there was another Burger King!  Whopper Jr for lunch.  I got home and sampled some of the tasty chocolate cookies Joshua made last night (with help).  And as the kids started snacking at 4pm I refused to make them dinner.  But I told them we could go out for "Snowballs".  That's what they call Snow Cones here in the south.  Maybe because they serve them in cups, not cute cone-cups.  I took all 5 kids out to the Dairy Dip- best roadside stand ever!  And I realized it was 5:15 and I hadn't had any dinner.  That's because all the good leftovers were gone.  So I ordered 5 snowballs, a corn dog and the best dang onion rings ever.  Oh, yes. I am a disgusting pig.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have been running.  I did it the whole time we were gone, and have done it this week.  I even took our sweet puppy with me.  Levi did great.  He trotted along next to me, rarely stirring himself to break into a lope.  We did 2.5 miles the first time, since I was worried about him, but he cranked out 3 miles yesterday and was still ready to play when we got home.  Such a great dog!

As for me, I think my friend Tanya may have found the missing link.  I've been struggling with headaches after I run.  Not right after, but an hour or 2, sometimes so debilitating, that I can't function and spend the rest of the day laying down or wishing I was.  I had started doing everything suggested- protein before running?  Check.  I eat 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and either fruit or juice.  Water? Double Check!  I usually guzzle 20 oz with an electrolyte replacement before running, and another 20 ounces of the same thing after.  And I regularly drink 80-100 oz every day.    Tanya suggested its a vascular issue and I go from being overheated to cooled off too fast.  So I have been working on completely cooling down before I come inside.  This seems to be working.  No big headaches this week!  Joyariffic!

I need a new jogging stroller.  I have one.  But it did not weather the trip to Arkansas and back very well and is falling apart.  I am really sad and cross.  I'm down to the last kid.  I do not want to have to get another jogging stroller!  I don't want to buy a new one, but I'm tired of buying used and having them not last either.  Sigh.  I have gone through 3 double strollers in 7 years, and I'm so happy to be down to a single, but I'm not happy about buying a new one.  Any suggestions?  I don't like the plastic inexpensive ones, but should I just do it?  I only need it till Rylee starts kindergarten.  Hmmm... that's in 2-3 years.  Maybe I do need a new one.

The weather here is awful.  It has rained every single day this week.  EVERY SINGLE DAY!  We managed to get to the pool one morning before it rained, but that was all. The rain sucks my will to move.   Fortunately it isn't a steady downpour all day long.  It comes in fits and spurts and I have been able to coordinate dog walking with light drizzle or no rain, but it is still leaving everything wet and muddy.  And the mosquitoes.... oh, the nasty mosquitoes! They are like ravening wolves and they are out in droves.  I hate them. But there are permanent places of standing water and they are breeding like crazy.  I may spend all summer away next year!

I know, you were hoping for something better.  Sorry.  I have not taken a single picture all week.  I'm pretty sure I have done nothing productive either.  And now, I am off to bed.