TTT: Season 3, Episode 23

1.       It’s been hot here for a while…ok, let’s face it, it never did get cold…but the real summer heat has officially set in. Like the walk-to-the-mail-box-and-come-back-soaking-wet kind of heat. I only wish I was exaggerating on that one. It’s really, really miserable. Luckily, this year we got pool passes for the thirteen different pools in The Woodlands. We skipped out last summer since I had just had a C-section and also had a non-pool friendly newborn. But this year, it was a must. And so far we’ve been three times in a little over one week. The boys love it. And I do too! It gives us something to do…something that burns energy. Sure, it’s kind of difficult with Grant. He’ll sit in his baby raft for about twenty minutes, let me lug him around the pool for another fifteen or so, and then he’s ready to be cut loose. So for at least the second half of our trip, I’m posted on the edge of the shallow end where I can quickly grab either of the bigger boys in the water and I can also monitor Grant crawling around by the spray ground. But hey, it keeps us cool, keeps us active, and keeps us happy! We attempted to go to the park on Tuesday. Bad idea. Never again. At least not until late September-ish.  The second bad decision on that one was taking the wagon. By the time we got home, I was drench from A) walking in the blazing, humid heat and B) pulling a good sixty plus pounds behind me. I was literally shaking after we walked in the door and stood in front of the fridge, doors open, for several minutes. If you’re looking for us this summer, it will either be at a pool or indoors. Sorry, nature. See you this fall.

2.       It’s been a long week. And do you know what makes a week long at our house? Mark’s work schedule. Man, it’s been ridiculous lately. Part of it was that he was on call this past weekend, which I must add is still way better than his old job, but it did mean that he had to go round on patients Saturday and Sunday mornings. And when they service something like six or seven hospitals and there are lots of patients at each, rounds take a long time. And then beyond that, he hasn’t been home by dinner a single night in the past week (other than Saturday and Sunday). I know that doesn’t mean much to some people, but eating together is important to us. It’s kind of like our family time. And heck, he hasn’t even made it home before the kids went to bed on a few of those nights. So I sound like I’m complaining. And I guess I am. I realize all weeks aren’t like this, and right now it’s just really busy. But man, oh man, are weeks like this hard on the both of us! He’s exhausted physically and mentally by the time he gets home, and I’m just completely spent on the whole childcare gig by the end of the night. I love taking care of my babies, but I’ll be the first to say that I have no desire to be a single mom of three babes, four and under!

3.       It’s nearly half way through the year so I thought I’d check in on my 2012 Bucket List.

(1)(2)- Drinking more water and trying new foods are still a work in progress. We still have not gone to get Thai food. But we’re planning to go to a Brazilian steak house for my birthday. A place that serves only meat? I’m in.

(3)- I’ll admit it…I’ve kind of fallen off on my daily devotionals. And I did well the first quarter of the year! I need to move them out to the family room so I don’t have the Mark-is-already-asleep-so-I-can’t-turn-on-the-light-excuse.

(5)(6)- I’ve definitely made at least one thing for our home each month, and I think I have the curtains covered too! Granted, I didn’t make the family room ones and have since decided that I don’t want any in the boys’ room (the new paint stands out plenty on its own); I’ve got the kitchen and game room down.

(8)- The house cleaning schedule…I posted about that a while back and have still been trying to maintain it. The only part I really don’t like is that, while everything is getting periodically cleaned, it’s never all clean at once. There’s something about having that totally clean feeling that’s nice. So may have tweak this one.

(9)- No trip with just Mark and me yet, but I did go to see him in San Antonio for one night!...with Grant…

(10)(11)(12)- Kolbe reading, Rudy letters/numbers, manageable discipline plan…I’d say we’re getting there on all of these! Kolbe is starting to sound out words and understand how the letters represent certain sounds. Rudy is golden on the letters and numbers. And it’s really something we haven’t had to work much on. He just “gets it.” No numbers past ten, but he can nail the letters every time…unless he’s being a turkey. And with our money jars, the boys’ behavior has really been pretty good lately. I can’t complain!

(13)(14)(20) are all suffering- Rosary? Not nearly enough. Volunteering with kids? Nope. Spa day? Uh, no. Maybe after summer when my feet are totally abused from wearing sandals non-stop.

(17) Donate items at least 6 times during there year- I’m excelling at this one. I’ve already been six times and it’s only June. It feels so great to get rid of “stuff” and have a more polished home while helping someone else in need.

(18) No little family trip yet, but we’re headed to Austin in October for my cousin’s wedding. Thinking we’ll make this it!

(4) The budget, (19) writing letters, (7) blogging, (15) actively listening, (16) less cell phone- are all somewhere in the going-well-trying-hard-doing-my-best-working-on-it-daily category. Hopefully by year’s end I’ll have legitimate results on these that I can be proud of.

(21) And last but not least, my shop. Oh, the shop. It’s almost humorous to read “meet my yearly business goal for my shop.” It’s only June and I’m on track to meet it by early August. Guess I should have aimed higher! We’ll talk more about that next week…I think I’m to the point that I need to take action.

A little light on the pictures this week! Didn't figured you'd want to see a shot of me standing in front of the fridge with the doors open or trying to break in to Mark's car because the boys locked the keys in there. :/

Waiting for adult swim to be over so they can jump back in!

Grant has been a champ at using a straw since around 8 months. Now he's even mastered the more tricky Camelbak straw!

The ill-fated trip to the park. Kolb got to ride with Grant on the way they're and then Rudy got to ride with him on the way home. Lucky me, I got the pull there and back.

Un-edited pic of Rudy upon returning home from the park. And he was the one riding in the wagon! Not pedaling the bike! It was ridiculous, I tell you. Call me a bahumbug who never leaves the house; I don't care. WAY too hot!