Nasty Tick Bite - Warning: Gross Photos!

Okay, so we all get ticks pretty often, and really it's usually no big deal. Both boys have already had at least one in the last few weeks. Well, Adam's bite from about a week ago did not go as well. At first it was a little spot, then each day it grew and eventually it turned into this disgusting site. The bite itself got big and oozy and since it was at his hairline it was making the hair around it all crusty and nasty. Then, we noticed a lump in his skin a little ways further down his neck under the bite, and little pussy bumps started forming all around it. Time to go to the doctor! Joe took Adam to the doctor yesterday, and the RN looked at it. She said it is badly infected (ya think?!) and that him scratching at it has made the infection worse. She didn't think it was Lyme disease, but was uneasy enough about it that she went ahead and prescribed antibiotics as well as a topical antibiotic cream. Lets hope that between those two things that it clears this up quick, because it is SO nasty to look at. (See pics below if you aren't grossed out easily). The first pic isn't as gross, but shows the lump further below too near the bottom of the pic (which is just a swollen lymph node from the infection draining down). The 2nd pic is nasty, and in person is even worse. Poor little guy :(

What We've Been Up To

Late last week while I was reading books to the boys in bed, Brendan lost another tooth. This makes 3 teeth lost so far (the first two were last summer). He was excited, but later said he wished it had waited until he got to school to come out, so that he could get his name on the "lost tooth board".

Friday night we dropped the boys off at a new program, where kids can come one Friday of each month for crafts, games, snack and movie from 6-9:30pm, and meanwhile the parents get to go out on a date, or run errands, or whatever they want. Parents have fun, kids have fun. Brendan and Adam had a blast, they didn't want to leave at the end. Joe and I were able to go meet up with some of his co-workers and hang out without worrying about the kids for a couple hours.

This Saturday several of us walked in the MS Walk. This year, Joe and the boys even walked with us too. The boys did a great job for having such little legs :)

Here's "Memaw" (my mom) with the boys...

During the walk...

After the walk, we enjoyed visiting with the boys great-grandparents for a little while, and my mom, my sister and one of her sons too :)

That night we were supposed to go to a free activity where they set up some high-powered telescopes for people to look at the stars through. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, they were saying it was too cloudy to see anything. So, we went back home.

Sunday we took the boys to the free showing of the Veggie Tales movie "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" at the movie theater. It was cute, and the boys seemed to enjoy it.

Oh, and swimming lessons are over for now. Brendan passed Level 3 and moved up to Level 4. Adam will re-take Level 1 again, to get more comfortable in the water before moving on. The next round starts in June.

In a nutshell, that's what we've been up to!

Crabby & Uninspired

I'm tired.

I have no energy.

It's rainy.

I injured my toe and it still hurts to wear any shoes except tennis shoes.

I have a ton to do today at work and home.

I have to go on work-related errands in the rain.

We have to take the boys to swimming lessons and miss our favorite shows tonight.

I am crabby.

Blah.

“Small” Living

So, I was reading this article http://realestate.msn.com/buying/Article2.aspx?cp-documentid=6803386&GT1=35000 online this morning, and I found it interesting, because we are one of those families of 4 living in a 1,000 sq. foot home. It is a house, not an apartment, but there are times I’ve definitely felt like even an apartment these days would be bigger than our house. I like to read about what others do in a small space for storage and organization because this is something I really struggle with. What to do with everything when there just isn’t anymore space. (and I feel like I’m constantly getting rid of stuff too, but apparently not enough).

Another thing I find interesting in this article is that they mention that the reason most people choose to live in a small house or apartment is because it’s worth it to be in a good neighborhood, or near a good school, or close to transportation, close to things etc. So, I guess they are focusing on small living in a city or suburban type setting. We are the opposite. We are living in a small house because we wanted land, and to GET AWAY FROM neighborhoods, stores, traffic, etc. lol And as a bonus, we have cheaper monthly house payments too than most people. Sure, it can be annoying sometimes having all of the kids’ activities be 20 minutes away, or suddenly running out of milk and having to decide which is worse, driving in to get some milk or listen to your milk-loving 3-yr-old ask a million times for milk when there is none. But overall we really enjoy where we are.

I love our setting, being on 10 wooded acres is just awesome. I wish we had a little more room in the house, but I would not want to live in a city to get that. (And we are pretty good at "making do" in many areas of our lives).

I love it that our boys can go outside to play and have a lot of room to run around and explore, without worrying about neighbors or busy streets.
I love it that I don’t have to worry about nosy neighbors or other people’s kids in my yard/on the street/etc.
I love it that we see more deer and birds and frogs and turtles than we do cars or streetlights.
I love it that if we’re in the mood to play in the creek or walk on a trail, we can just go in our yard, walk on our trail through our woods to our part of the creek.
I love it that we can have bonfires, roast hotdogs, make smores, sit around the fire and drink beer, or whatever else we want in our own yard.

Well, I could go on and on, but you get the point. I do have complaints about our house itself, but I love our setting. Anyone else out there live in a small house like us, or am I the only cramped one? lol Would love to hear any tips on organization and storage for small living if you have any.

Can it be?!

Wow, 5 weeks from today will be Brendan's last day of school already! Can that be?! Seems like the school year just started. Then just a little over 4 weeks after that is our vacation! Yikes! I'm excited for the vacation, but this is a vacation that I will pretty much be in a swimsuit 24/7, due to the indoor and outdoor water parks at our resort. Now, I know I am now back to a healthy weight for my height, but man do I have some toning to do before I will feel good in a swimsuit again. I better get busy, that time will fly, I know! So, keep on me about getting my body toned back up, or I will be depressed on my vacation if I don't look fabulous in a swimsuit. LOL (Okay, so I know I won't look fabulous, but even "good" would work okay I suppose.)

Crazy Hair Fun

So, after the boys had their baths and got jammies on Sunday night, we somehow got into a crazy hair night. The boys had fun with us putting their wet hair into various crazy styles. They were giggling and I got out the camera :)

Adam sporting the "fauxhawk"

Brendan ready for the Whoville council

It's Back

Yes, it's that time again, swimming lessons are back. Both boys started back up Tuesday night.

Brendan is in level 3 again, we thought he could use the review since it's been several months since he's been swimming.

Adam is just starting on his own in Level 1. He took a parent-child class last summer, but now he is old enough to start Level 1. (he's the one the instructor is helping in the pic).

Lessons were almost over and they suddenly blew the whistle really loud and had everyone get out fast. Turns out some kid had puked in the pool. So, they had to end early. But it is a GOOD thing that happened, because as soon as we walked into the family changing room and into the stall, Brendan threw up too! Thank goodness there was a toilet right there and he made it in it. So, I guess he caught what Adam had Sunday. And since another kid threw up in the pool, I'm assuming this must be going around.

But, now both boys are fine, they both feel better, and both went back to school today. We have swimming lessons again tonight...hopefully they will be less eventful this time!

I also got Brendan signed up for most of his summer camps yesterday. Over $700, ouch! And that doesn't include Boy Scout camp or Campfire USA camp yet either. Or our family vacation in June. Yikes!

Happy 92nd Birthday!

Is it really April 1st? Wow! No April Fools pranks from me, so no worries there. Adam has actually been sick the last couple days :( He threw up Sunday night, and I had a migraine so I wasn't feeling well either and stayed home with him. He seemed to be completely better, but then last night he had other issues, I'll spare the details. So, Joe is staying home w/ him for part of today, and then I will have to take off a little early and go take over so he can go into work for a little while too.

That aside, we've actually been pretty good. I cannot tell you how NICE it was last week to not have all of Brendan's activities every night of the week. This week, however, swimming lessons start up again for both boys, and Brendan has a scout meeting. Still not too bad, at least a couple of the other activities have ended.

Mario & Luigi (the kittens) are doing fine, they really can't be called "kittens" anymore, they are getting too big.

Last night, we got together at my sister's house with her family, my dad & his wife, and my grandma (we call her Granny) for cake & ice cream. Granny is turning 92 yrs old this Saturday, April 5th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANNY!!!!

Pictured from L to R: Joe, Me, Granny, Jill (my sis), and Tim (her hubby)

Granny with great-grandsons