Body-work , Bi-dahs, and Battery-eating

What a busy week I have had! I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say that this is the first chance I've had to actually stay home this week. And I won't even be staying home all day today. Tonight I have a city council meeting and I have to take Will to and from football practice. Paul was growling last night when he got in the van for the first time this week and saw that the fuel gauge was almost on empty. He had just filled up Sunday. That's the way it goes. I have been living in that van all week long!



So some of that is why I have decided not to drive up to Waterloo this weekend to attend a friend's wedding. I need to slow down. And I don't want to spend the extra gas money. But it would have been nice to go. However, she's getting married in her backyard on day that is supposed to exceed the 100 degree mark on the heat index - that alone is reason enough to stay home in my nice air-conditioned house and just send a card!



We went camping last weekend in the Webster City area. It was ok. The weather was great. We didn't even need our air conditioner. Sunday it did warm up. Paul wanted to go explore some nearby waterfalls and wading pools. They were very pretty, but the rocks were very painful! The bottom of my left foot is still purple from the bruises. And Sam fell and scraped his side. So then we went over to the beach part of the lake. I was not about to get into that water, although the boys weren't so picky. So I laid down on my towel and read my book. The only thing better would have been to have been inside, in air conditioning, an ice-cold Coke in my hand, chocolate at my side, reading my book!



Sat. afternoon Will and Paul went golfing. The campsite is right next to a golf course. It was Paul's first ever time to golf, but he beat Will! Ben and David were bored silly so we ended up driving into Webster City. We found the sole movie theater in town with its lone offering - "Transformers 2." I had a few reservations about this movie, but I had recently talked to the Christian nurse where Ben gets his allergy shots and she had assured me that it was wonderful and she had taken her 6 year old to see it. The last 2/3 of the movie is fine - lots of robots, lots of action, dirt, noise, etc. But the first third ruined it. It was full of sensuality and language. I was very disappointed in it and angered at how this movie is marketed to children. Now I'm in a bit of a quandary because Will wants to see it badly and I'm even more concerned about how that first third could affect him than I am the younger boys.



On our way home we drove a little out of our way and had a nice supper in Boondocks, Iowa, at their diner. The last time I was at that restaurant was 31 years ago. I remember that we had gone to Adventureland with my parents and grandparents and we ate there, coming home. It was the same as I remembered - macrame plant hangers and all! The date Sunday was Aug. 2 and that was the 5 year anniversary of Paul's fist day in his new career as a heating/air technician and he wanted to observe it somehow.



Oh, speaking of Adventureland, we were given tickets for that this week. Normally, Loziers offers employees their choice of either Adventureland or State Fair tickets. We didn't know if that would be done this year, though, because of the economy. Loziers has held off on pay raises because of that so we kind of half-thought that the tickets might be gone, too. But they came through with them. The thing is, we have to use them Aug. 15-24th. But during those weeks Paul is first on back-up call and then on first call. That generally means extra hours. So, we hate to give up any of that by taking a day off for the park! But I think we're going to do that in two weeks on a weekday when he's just on back-up. It will be nice to have that family time. The boys are excited!



I saw a new dr. this Monday. I'm hopeful that she's going to be able to help me. She was certainly an interesting person! She had so much going on, clothing and accessory-wise, I just didn't know where to look first! She topped it all off with glossy fuchsia lipstick. I sat there the whole time, just wanting to blot her lips! I had taken the time to write out my complaints and when I did so the first thing I thought was, "This is hormonal!" and when I gave the list to the dr, the first thing she said was, "this is hormonal!" I'm starting to think that this feeling of all-over lousiness I've been experiencing has less to do with the fact that I had a stroke and more to do with having some hormonal changes going on. I am pushing 40, so I guess it's not inconceivable that my hormones and female stuff are starting to get whacky. I'm going in on the 19th for a full physical and labs. I'm also going to see their chiropractor that day.



I went to the dentist on Tues. They had some young guy instead of the old dentist that saw me last time. It makes me wonder if he's retired or if they just assign patients to whatever dr. is free. Two cavities, which is not the end of the world. But, this new dentist and his assistant are trying to talk me into having one my crowns re-done, because it has a jagged edge and food could become trapped down there. I'm not really inclined to do that until it's a problem. I just had that crown put on two years ago and it took me another year to pay for it!



Sam went in for his 21 month well-baby check up yesterday. Now I remember why I didn't do well-baby checks with Ben and David. They are a waste of time! But he's my last and it's covered by insurance, so... anyway, he has gained an inch now in the past 3 months. He's exactly 36" tall. But he only put on a half pound, weighing in at 28 1/2 lbs now. That puts him at the 98th percentile for height and the 50th for weight. The dr. said he is going to be very, very tall, probably even taller than his brothers. How can he determine that? I laughed and said well, I guessed we know if that were true in about 20 years. He said we'd know before then. He may be right. I have a feeling that Will is not going to be super tall - probably maxing out around 6', like his dad. He's getting thick and bulking out, also like Paul. Ben, of course, will always be skinny. I'm not sure about David. He's thinner than Will was at this age, but I have noticed lately, that he, too, is getting a little thicker in his arms and legs. One thing is for certain - they'll all be taller than me!



Sam has taken to calling his blanket his "bi-dah." It's kind of cute, so that's what we all call it now. Only, I have noticed within the last couple of days that he is also referring to his penis as his "bi-dah." Is it just me, or is this mildly disturbing?!



Sam has also developed a taste for AA batteries. We have tons of those things lying around here because of all the boys' electronic games and stuff. Sam likes to stuff those in his mouth, two at a time, and then come to me so I can see. He knows I get all excited and I'm sure that's why he does it. But gee whiz, what else am I going to do? I can just see one slipping down his throat and getting lodged in there! Not to mention, I'm fairly certain it's bad for the digestive system to suck on battery juices!



I'm going to be without a computer for the next few days. My brother is going to take mine and work on it. It's working fine, but there's a couple things that could work better. The main irritant is that I can't copy and paste and I sure miss that. I have some essays from FaithWriters that I would like to plug into my blog pages. So I will be going through some withdrawal pains. But the bright side is that I might actually get something done around here! When I told Will we would be without the computer, he wailed, "No-o-o! I have to harvest my wheat at 2:30 on Friday!" He's involved in some Facebook game where he has a virtual farm. Paul says he has way too much time on his hands -I don't doubt that!



So, until next week, I guess!