The Great Flood of 2010

I have officially declared 2010 the year of water! At least for our household. Late last night I heard a horrible sound and thought someone had either kicked in my front door or shot at my house. Oh I couldn't be that lucky! It seems that my water pipes were bursting instead!

Pretty much every room with carpet in my house has been damaged. My sisters bedroom and Hulks bedroom were completly saturated. That includes carpet, trim, and half way up the walls. That also includes their closets which I foolishly had things crammed into. Note to self never put things on the floor of closets!

My bedroom closet and half of my room were saturated including walls and trim. The hallway was completely soaked as were both closets in the hallway. And a small portion of the living room was soaked. That leaves the kitchen and dining room and bathrooms undamaged. Those are also the areas of the house that don't have carpet!

My insurance will cover the expenses minus my deductible. So a flood restoration team and I spent the day cleaning up. There are now about 10 fans and 3 huge dehumidifiers in my house. I feel like I'm living in a wet wind tunnel! Everything other than big furniture that was put on blocks had to be removed from the rooms. So I have half my house full of all the stuff that used to be in my whole house. And I'm feeling a little anxious and claustrophobic about that.

Since it's not really very good living conditions here Hulk is spending the weekend out of town having a blast with my sister and her best friend. While he is gone I will continue to sort through soaked things, clean up, and take lots of anti anxiety meds! And I am going to bed in a moment and not setting an alarm and I'm hoping I can sleep in.

Let's hope that tomorrow is a better day!

Spring Fever

Last night Hulk and I spent the evening playing in the yard. We kicked a ball around for a long time, played on the swing set, and of course spent time weeding the flower beds. After he went to bed I spent another hour outside bagging leaves and weeds and cleaning the patio.

The weather really makes me want to plant flowers and a garden. I've always had lots of flowers and I so want to go get some and pretty things up around here. But I'm undecided. I hate to spend the money on flowers when money is so tight. I also hate to go through all the effort of planting flowers or a garden and then have the house sell. It would basically be a lot of work for nothing. So I can't decide what to do. I may end up breaking down and just getting a few flowers for the window boxes....

Double Duty (Kansas Photographer)

Last weekend my Spring Photo event could have easily been promoted as a twin event. I had two sets of twins to photograph in one day. I loved it! I have always been intrigued by twins. And then my best friend had these beautiful twins and now it seems like I find twins everywhere. I have been photographing twins quite a bit and while it's double duty it is double the fun!

 

Not only are these twins delicious and wonderful and marvelous in every way. And no I'm not biased one bit! They are a photographers dream! Those blue eyes that shimmer and shine and their fine fair skin. Oh mercy! They make my camera and my heart oh so very happy!

 

I think we ended up with some beautiful images of them. The green grass just seemed to make their eyes pop even more! I just adore them and I'm so grateful that I get to photograph them often. Oh and that I get to kiss and cuddle on them too. Yeah that's pretty awesome! I'm one lucky girl!

 

Not Me Monday!

This weekend I hosted an all day Spring photo session for families. It was a blast! And since my child and my best friend Darby's children are so adorable and wellbehaved at all times we of course photographed them. We wanted a picture my guy and her twins together. So we stuck them in a wagon. Since my child is so gentle there is NO way he threw Darby's little boy out of the wagon head first! And there is NO way I captured the moment right before the quick exit out of the wagon. My child would NEVER laugh and smile right before throwing an unsuspecting baby onto the ground! NOT MY CHILD!!!

 

And trust me there is NO way that I screamed Oh God at the top of my lungs as I watched that precious little boy fly thru the air to the ground. There is NO way I would have over reacted like that. NOT ME!

Failing

I'm failing miserably at keeping this blog updated. Life is just busy right now. I wish I could say it was busy with lots of fun. But it's just busy life stuff. Lots of work right now which is a good thing cause mama needs the money. But it means I'm spending a ton of time working and editing. Which means less time for things I want to do like blogging for example and things I need to do like fold the laundry that has been sitting in the laundry basket for 3 days.

So while we are busy and away from the computer a lot lately we are doing okay. Hulk is well and so am I. We hope you all are too!

Ordinary Beauty

Sometimes life gets really complicated. I think we all know that. The bills get bigger, our babies get sick, work is tough or non existant, maybe our relationships are a mess. Life is just a complicated sticky mess sometimes. And when that happens I know for myself I often feel overwhelmed and unsure of everything. I doubt even the most basic things. And I crave consistency. Oh how I love consistency and predictability when times are tough.

 

And I find it in the oddest places. Places like laundromats. Laundromats! Are you kidding me? I know you think I'm crazy but hold on and stick with me for this ride. I'll explain it I swear!

 

Places like laundromats never seem to change. I took a bunch of girls to a laundromat last weekend for a trash the dress photo shoot. And when I walked in the doors my blood pressure dropped and I felt a sense of calm. And the reason why is because any laundromat you walk into now is exactly the same as any laundromat I went into when I was 4 or 8 or 12!

 

While my life at times feels like a complicated sticky mess it is in the ordinary beauty of an old dingy laundromat that I find peace. Regardless of how the world changes or time passes those soap dispensers still stick. And for a brief moment I feel like I've drifted back to a slower calmer sillier time in my life.

 

What can I say other than I think that is beautiful and I am so very grateful!

Not Me Monday!

This week I did NOT go out to eat with my family at my favorite Mexican restaurant. Even though the staff said numerous times "This plate is hot" I did NOT lean forward and have my stomach bump the plate. Today I do NOT have a burn mark on my stomach from said hot plate!

I did NOT take my child on a four hour car trip and consider dropping him off somewhere along the route just to be free of the nonstop yelling, screaming, fit throwing. He did NOT act a fool for 3 1/2 hours of the 4 hours in the car. I did NOT turn up the radio and sing loudly to try and ignore the antics occurring in the backseat!

What did you NOT do this week?

Have Camera... Will Travel...

This weekend I packed up my camera and my kid and we hit the road! We haven't left town since Thanksgiving! That is a long time for us to be stuck in this little town. Tulsa was calling us and we were more than happy to hit the road.

 

We had a wonderful time on our weekend getaway. Hulk spent the day with my cousin, his wife, and their children on Saturday. And I took my camera out and about for a day of photo sessions. I had some adorable subjects and had a wonderful time finding fun locations in Tulsa to shoot at.

 

Since it rained the whole weekend we had to get creative and find some fun indoor locations. Luckily we found a little laundromat. Most of the time I would think that was crazy. But the light was amazing! And the kids got the biggest kick out of the huge washers and dryers. I never would have guessed that the best location would be a dingy little laudromat. Go figure.

 

The rain couldn't stop the smiles and didn't put a damper on the day. In fact I think it really forced us to try some things I wouldn't usually do. And that is never a bad thing. I still have TONS of pics to edit but I'm having a blast sorting them out.

 

But the most important part is we got to spend some time with family. We had so much fun and it was just really nice to get away for a bit. The car ride with a crabby two year old was not so fun but everything in between was fabulous!

How was your weekend?

Many Faces

 

Can you say personality! This kid kills me! So many faces, so much silliness and so much energy! He makes my day better heck he makes my life better. It's been a rough week yet as soon as I see one of those many faces things get a little bit better. It's amazing how a look can melt your heart or make you laugh out loud!

We have been having so much fun in this lovely weather. To get outside every evening has been great. The mowing of the yard and pulling of weeds has not been great. I really dislike mowing. I really dislike pulling weeds. And I really miss having a yard boy. But the outside stuff like swinging and playing in water and kicking a ball around the yard. Now that stuff I love! Thank goodness Mr. Personality does too!

Not Me... Tuesday???

There is NO way that I forgot it was Monday! I would NOT miss a Monday and then have to post Not me Monday on a Not Me Tuesday. That's crazy!

So where to even begin this week. This has NOT been a crazy weird week for me. I did NOT spend half of my day at work being professional and responsible. I did NOT give a presentation and attend a court hearing. After completing these tasks I was NOT stopped by a professional man who asked me if my child got stickers for Christmas. When I answered yes he did NOT say that it appeared my child had stuck said stickers to my butt!!!! I did NOT have 5 easter bunny stickers on my butt for half of a work day and look like a fool!!!

As if that wouldn't be enough I did NOT take my child with me grocery shopping. We did NOT spend almost an hour in the store going up and down every aisle. When finished I did NOT notice when placing the child in the car that one of his shoes was missing!!! Therefore I did NOT spend another hour looking for said shoe.

What did you NOT do this week?

What Were They Thinking

Not that long ago I wrote this post about illegal adoptions. I was angry that anyone would attempt to damage the international adoption process. People probably think I'm crazy for getting so wrapped up in this but it's an issue that means more to me than anyone could probably know. Adoption is a serious topic for me! So unfortunately you get to hear another rant from mama bear!

Friday a family from the United States put their 7 year old child on an airplane with a note and sent him back to Russia. According to the family he was violent and threatening to kill the family. So they sent him back!?! There are so many things wrong with this situation that I could scream. So let's just dive in.

1. The child probably was having violent behaviors and difficulties adjusting. When you adopt older children your agency educates you on the possibility of this occurring. Older children have often been abused or neglected while waiting for their forever family. They have often experienced treatment worse than we could imagine. So psychological problems should be expected and their should be a plan in place to address them.

2. If a family wants an adoption dissolved it is not something to be taken lightly. I'm not saying this family took that decision lightly it just appears that they did not follow the proper channels to make that occur. They should have been in contact with their home agency. Through that agency they could have accessed mental health support, respite care, and even found another adoptive family if all attempts to save their family failed.

3. Who the hell puts a 7 year old on an international flight ALONE! The family has said that a stewardess was watching him and that they paid someone $200 to transport him when they got to Russia. Seriously!?! Okay a stewardess can't watch a child all the time. And paying someone to transport him that you found over the internet is so unsafe. What if it was a predator or the person you actually paid to drive the child sold him into child slavery (yes this is happening all the time!).

4. Making poor choices like this can bring ALL international adoptions to a halt. This one family put their emotions and desires ahead of thousands of other families and children. When you adopt a child you are automatically in the "adoption club". It doesn't mean you have to be a perfect parent but it means you have to be responsible and represent the adoption process well. That one very poor choice could have incredibly damaging affects on so many families and that makes me very very angry!

So to summarize. If you adopt an older child they could have problems, if you can't handle the problems get some help, if that doesn't work follow the appropriate channels for getting your child help or a new family. At no point in time should you put your child on a plane alone with a note and send them back to Russia or any other country. If you do some you will be branded by me the DUMBEST ADOPTIVE FAMILY EVER!!!!

Got it?

My Biker Boy!

 

I have always liked motorcycles. What can I say I'm just a sucker for a nice Harley. I'm even more of a sucker for a cute guy on a Harley. In the past this could have gotten me into a lot of trouble. Wait now that I think about it it did get me into a lot of trouble. But not anymore.

 

The only reason it doesn't get me into trouble now is because the cute boy on the Harley happens to be my adorable Hulk! Monte got a new to him Harley a couple weeks back and Hulk loves it! He loves to sit on the bike. But only if it's running! He loves the power too I guess. He quickly figured out how to operate the horn and where to turn it on.

 

He had a grin from ear to ear the whole time he was on the bike. He was just thrilled and amazed by it. I think I have a future biker on my hands. While not as exciting as my days working at a biker bar and riding too fast down streets on the back of a big Harley watching him take in the Harley for the first time was pretty awesome.

That works for me! I'm pretty happy with this cute biker boy anyways.

The Truth

Oh honestly I'm exhausted. There has been so much going on lately that I'm just having a hard time keeping up. And when push comes to shove and something has to give it seems to be blogging. It used to be sleep but now it's blogging. So let's just go rapid fire here!

Sleep Challenge

Okay the sleep challenge was awesome. So awesome in fact that it is no longer a challenge it is just a wonderful habit. Since starting the sleep challenge I feel calmer and more in control of my emotions. I also have lost 15 pounds. That isn't all because of the sleeping but I think it is a huge help! Since I'm getting adequate sleep now I have the energy to exercise and get outside more. Also when I'm not so tired I tend to make better food choices. Also when you go to bed at a decent time you don't tend to snack late at night. Also a plus. So sleeping rocks!!!

Weight Loss

I mentioned above that since the sleep challenge I had lost 15 pounds. That is great but I did the math the other day and since this time last year I have lost 34 pounds. That is thrilling to me. In fact the other day I had to go buy a pair of Capri's because my other ones didn't fit anymore. And I bought a size 18! I was so happy I screamed then cried. I haven't been an 18 since I was in college. So I'm making progress. Chasing a toddler and being to broke to eat out has made a huge impact!!!

Broke

Yep I'm still broke. In fact I'm in worse shape now than I was a month ago. It seems the IRS is keeping my tax return because they are saying I still owe them $10,000. So not only do I owe them money but I have no tax return and a huge stack of bills. I should be in a panic but honestly I don't even care anymore! I'm not crying over money anymore. Every month I somehow figure out how to keep us in our house and car and food and I'll keep doing that. Someday I'll get out of debt but I'm not planning on it getting any better anytime soon. Unless of course the house sells. That would kick ass. But again I'm not counting on that either.

Hulk



Goodness I love that child! He is turning into such an awesome buddy to have around. He is funny and sarcastic and wild and wonderful. He exhausts me in every way imaginable yet also manages to make my cup overflow. Life with him is amazing! My sister said the other day "Doesn't he just make our lives better." Yes he does! Everyday with him is a blessing. Granted some days it is a screaming pull your hair out kind of blessing. But a blessing none the less.

So that is the long and short of it!

Big Eyes!

My best friend happens to have beautiful big eyed babies! And I am lucky enough to snuggle them and love on them and take pictures of them whenever I want!

 

Those big beautiful blue eyes steal my heart! They are just delicious little babies! The way they laugh now and look at me makes me think I want another baby at my house.

 

Their funny faces make me laugh and make my heart pretty happy. Oh how I love them! I just can't get enough of their big blue eyes!

 

Happy Easter!

We have had a wonderful Easter and I hope you all have too! The weather is beautiful, the baskets were bountiful and our Lord is risen! We started the day off at church bright and early. Then we had brunch with Darby's family and an Easter Egg hunt for the little kids. And we finished off the day with my Grandparents and Aunt. So we crammed a lot of activity into one day. Hulk didn't get a nap and turned into a huge crab by 4 and was in bed at 5:30.

All the activity this weekend has worn me out too. I'm calling it an early night and getting to bed very early tonight. Busy week ahead!!!