and now time for...

Time for another Good Idea, Bad Idea.

Good Idea: eating salmon for it's nutritious omega 3 fatty acids.

Bad Idea: eating salmon before a run in which you have acid reflux.

sheesh.

wal-mart:)

we went to the mankato wal-mart this past week (on madison ave.) There was a tent outside at one end of the parking lot and a pick-up/work truck of some sort. and rows & rows of carts. i thought, "hmm. looks like they're doing something with the carts." Yes! They were! Some wonderful person had employed & arranged some folks to come in, tighten & oil wheels, replace the decrepit wheels, swap out the mangled child belts & plastic seats with new CLEAN wal-mart ones. the cart didn't squeak and the wheels weren't squeaking and degraded. oh it was definitely a small thing, but a particular small thing that made me SO happy:)

woo!

that wind is something else! gusts of 32 mph i just saw on the news. after a mini- meltdown yesterday evening about my own self concept/self regard/self whatever, and my wonderful hubby pulling some therapy tricks on my, i felt so much better about life. so i didn't snack late last night or eat breakfast dessert this morning. I went to the trail with Carly, thinking i'd had her bundled enough and the trees would be blocking some/most of the wind. well i didn't think right. carly was cold and crying and she has this foot fetish where she will NOT wear shoes or socks...those came off with in the first few minutes of the run....so i tried to tuck her in with the blanket i brought along. to no avail. so after about a mile & a quarter into the run, i decided to turn around and head back. well that stunk for poor carly!! I ended up carrying her the last mile because she was cold and i took pity on her. I was just dreading meeting someone on the trail and having them comment to me on how stupid an idea it was to take a BABY out in this weather. well, honestly, if the wind hadn't been blowing like a banshee it would have been nice and i do plan on taking carly with me on many outside outings this winter. anyhoo, we came home and i put her down for a nap and i did pilates. that made me feel sort of chunky! i'm still carrying some pregnancy weight in my tummy and it is HARD to do all the folding with it there! So i'm improving the self talk again and i know if i keep this all up, the fats will decrease;)

that's all for now. carly's waking up and we need to keep going!

fall & marriage

well, we're pretty well moved in to my parent's basement. we've painted some and are attempting to make the "old basement" (ca. 1930-ish fieldstone) liveable...LOTS of de-cobwebbing & spider killing. ( I hate spiders. they give me the willies. but not as much as the webs do....) it's slow & go, but getting homier each day:)

one day last week, i definitely did NOT pray or even think about God until i found myself cornered by my feelings, emotions, & circumstances. so i got my head on straight & began praying. my mother-in-law, marty, has breast cancer. my husband is not taking it well, as is to be expected, being this far away. so we talked to marty during the week. she had surgery on Monday, thought all was good, but the cancer was in lymph nodes that they missed or something and now has to have surgery today. then chemo & radiation. andy had that plus a difficult week at work with a steep learning curve. all this to say that our marriage was taking a backseat to life and that was a HUGE mistake. I was a mess. Andy was a mess. After 3 long heart-to-hearts and some quality time at Wal-mart on Friday night ( :-) ) we were doing much better. so i'm going into this week more prepared and in better spirits.

halloween was fun! we carved pumpkins, decorated cookies (arranged by me...i love doing that stuff!) and went trick or treating with my sister & her girls. It was a really good time. we finished the night with grilled cheese sandwiches & ice cream.

i need to get my tukhus out & run today. feeling a little sluggish what with all of the weekend and all;) hopefully i can get that to happen....not dressed yet, but my teeth are brushed so there's hope.

cloudy, rainy, movey day.

i'm sitting down for a quick break from packing. it's humid & cool today, with intermittent downpours! maynard & nevaeh came over (they will be renting the house) and played with carly & we were all able to eat lunch. i love cool humid, rainy days. in fact, as i sit here i'm thinking i'm going to try to run tonight, but no pressure if it doesn't work out. i haven't gone in a few days now, and i know it's good to let a body have some heal time. but it's my mind that I'm most concerned about! the cleansing feeling of sweating, the gorgeous feeling of exertion, the wonderful refreshment from breathing deeply in the lungs. I just get sick of running in the sun, as odd as that sounds. It saps me of all energy. always has.

andy & i packed up the remainder of the kitchen today. well except the coffee pot and a few other things needed often:) every moment it seems renewed with anticipation, excitement, and the reality that i'm not going to be able to be "alone" in our little house anymore:( i'm really going to miss this place, as small and cramped and as busy a road as we live on. the generosity & adventure is not lost on me, believe you me! but i'm still going to miss cedar st.

well, gotta get back to packing. i'm going to try & do all my "special" stuff, like the crafty things, yarn, etc. while andy is out with his mom running errands...and while carly is napping. she really likes special stuff:)

T-4 days

good ness. i can't believe this is happening so soon. Andy had his last day at bashor on friday, mine was sunday at the church, so we have the week off. i use the word off loosely:) lots of last time get togethers, errand running, and tying up of loose ends. it's good, just a whirl of activity!

i have, disappointedly, not gotten in nearly as many runs as i'd like to. i really want to run on the pumpkine vine at LEAST one more time before we move, but i have been so blastedly tired at the end of the day (and i am not a morning runner right now. at all.) that all i can think of is heading to bed with my book to fall asleep. we'll see what the rest of the week brings. on a positive note, the last run i did was awesome on the Mill Race canal trail. i cut off 4:30 from my previous time. i ran that run in shoes because the gravel there is SHARP (i've actually tried barefoot there...not a grand idea.) but the weather was gorgeous, the time was perfect, and i felt like a million bucks!

tomorrow, andy & i are meeting aileac for lunch, then a pal is coming over to "play" with carly while we do something...pack? hahaha. i'll probably try to run! maybe around the neighborhood tomorrow.

packing has really gotten andy & i talking about what matters, how so much of life can be spent on stuff which moths & rust can destroy, and we can so easily lose our focus on what matters: family. relationships. memories. time spent. not stuff. fancy stuff, crappy stuff, cluttery stuff, etc. etc. so we've been trying to downsize & simplify. keep the things that are useful, functional, and of quality so they last. this is NOT easy! ufda. but paring down on our possessions has been oddly cathartic. painful at first, but it feels good to sit in a spacious living room because all the clutter has been taken out to the garage:) we'll see how it all continues to go (i was sort of resistant to it at first!)

and living in my parents basement, albeit generously portioned, is only 2-ish rooms big. it'll be fun tho:) positive attitude goes a long way!! and again, it's not about the stuff! it's the memories & relationships.

its happening!

Andy and i are moving to Minnesota! We're doing it. We'll move the 1st of October at the latest and into my parent's basement! The Lloyd house is going to be hopping again:) 2 exchange students, 3 kratzers, and 4 Lloyd's. (4 dogs too.) I'm excited for this next season in our lives. Andy and I had a sweet heart to heart and came up with a brainstorming list that's going to lead our family's mission statement. woo hoo! life is so exciting.

we went to st. joseph and saugatuk this past weekend with Pam, Koore, Ingerlynn, & stig Morten along with kim & jason and marty & abbey.

I have also been running a lot lately, now that the temps are a little more human. This is helpful in the no-migraine arena because dehydration triggers migraines in me and i just plain sweat a lot:)

necklace giveaway

newest giveaway from barefoot angie b!

sweet necklace:

http://barefoot-angieb.blogspot.com/2010/08/silver-maple-giveaway.html

a laundry list of changes

well, there's been quite a bit astir at the Kratzer's household these past few weeks. Hence, no new post in a while. without sounding eloquent, here's a list of changes (which also helps me as I process life!)

• Cancelled internet & cable. Actually, just cable to start. But then through confusion with Comcast & revisiting the conversation with Andy, both were cancelled. This is hard. I like the internet. I like blogging & reading blogs & recipes & googling things & facebook. se la vie.
• Andy is looking for work in Minnesota. This is due to:
• I had a positive pregnancy test. Then I got my period. Then i had blood tests at the Ob. i don't think i'm pregnant anymore (which is fine in this season of life!) but I guess the results will tell us tomorrow.
• So yes. Andy's looking for work in minnesota so we can be closer to my family during pregnancy #2 which is yet TBD. So we'll sell the house? Rent the house? ????
• Our computer crapped out. Big time. We bought a laptop & thusly entered the next decade. (old PC was from 2004=horribly outdated.)
• Carly crawls & pulls up. EVERYWHERE. I love it.
• TV out of the bedroom & into the living room. Old TV into the garage & maybe a friends house after today. (=gorgeous sleep for me! & pillow talk for the marriage:) )
• ps we still have 1 car.

In general, these changes have been wonderful. There have been a lot. But really, sometimes you need some change to really get refreshed. We have been praying so much too. I like it. Just getting used to it:)

projects looming...

I have such an itch to make things lately, and yet, the heat is keeping me out of the garage (my "shop") so they're just looming around on the horizon of my Creativity Center in my mind. And when I say looming, I mean bouncing around, making it hazy and me feel antsy! So i'm just going to write them down here and get some of the ideas out of my head...

1. apron.I cook enough that this will be a great use of time & resources & I'll use it and look hot:)

2. Baby Sling. I have a baby bjorn that I really like, but I think for baby #2 (whenever he/she comes) I'd like to try one of these babies. (haha.)

3. Mittens. I've been working on a pair that's taking me FOREVER. okay. that's a gross exaggeration. However, I've been going at them for a good 4 hours and I'm only half-way done with the ribbing. on ONE mitten. It's a cool pattern and awesome yarn, and i think i'm going to end up keeping this pair for myself:) that's usually how i do it with new patterns that i love:)

4. This sweet scarf. From Knitty.com, it looks awesome and i love their patterns. I would love to knit/crochet things to sell at my mom's shop. I have 4 pairs of mittens and 2 scarves, which is not much, but is relatively impressive considering i have an 8 month baby and work 30 hours a week. Not that it's that impressive compared to other people's feats, but I'm working on being kind to myself:)

Hummus day:)

it's hummus day at my house:) lately, once a week I've been making hummus to last me the remainder of the week. The best part about it is that I get to use my own green onions & parsley, and my own cucumbers & green beans to eat it! I seriously love summer vegetables.

<--vegetables & chick peas ready to go

<--Get blending!

and we have lunch.

Here's the recipe I've found that I like the best:

2-15 oz cans chick peas

1/2 c. tahini

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 t. grated lemon zest

2 cloves garlic

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 t. cumin

1/4 c. packed flat leaf parsley

1/4 c. chopped green onions

Salt & pepper to taste

Blend it all up in a food processor. Add water VERY slowly if it's too thick. I use the zest & juice of 1 lemon, more cumin, & it tastes AWESOME with sun dried tomatoes:)

oh the giveaways i haven't won...

i love reading the blogs about other moms and running. it REALLY makes me feel connected in such a non-running, not-runner friendly city/neighborhood. Seriously it's sad. Anyway, it makes me feel like there are more than just me out there! And they all get these super sweet products to giveaway! I can't even COUNT how many I've signed up for. But, alas, I haven't won any YET. I will continue to try, and by golly, one of these times it's going to be me:)

This dress is by far my favorite giveaway yet. (a close second to the running skirts folks get). The Nuu-Muu dress in Fleur is what I TOTALLY want and if I don't win it in Laura's giveaway at My Reason To Run I may just break down and buy one myself!

Carly Girl on the move

Look at that grin! That's the grin of a girl thrilled to be crawling around on the floor putting all KINDS of refuse into her mouth. I'd lie and say I try really hard to keep the house clean, but Dakota is an elk hound people. We furminate him regularly, and each time it looks as though we've skinned a rabbit. Anyway, i do what I can. Carly's thrilled about the mobility:)

It is one HUMID day today. I think I'm going to try to run anyway and hope it rains on me. Carly will chill in the jogging stroller, and I figure I'll just put her in her swim suit and we'll commit to being wet. That always makes it better for me! If i do into a run thinking i'm going to get wet, no big deal. I also may go to the Blueberry Ranch tonight with MIL Marty. I love that place:) but she's already expressed that if it's raining, she's not in. So we'll see....she'll be the transportation since we have the one vehicle now. (which is, by the way, a choice & lap of faith that's paying off in huge ways:) )

gluten free....ish

since i've been having such a bugger of a time with post partum depression, i've been doing some research. it seems that for some, a gluten allergy/intolerance affects their mood. Well sign me up. That along with all the reading i've been doing (because i can't STAND to have something wrong with me!) has me connecting some dots all around the sugar cravings, the carb cravings, the pleasure center to "comfort" my self in my brain, etc. So I'm giving gluten-free a whirl. But it's not so easy! I saw on the Today show and some other show--they sort of blur together--about "leaning in" to changing your eating habits. I have a tendency to go all in, 100% right away. Because that didn't work (we had 2 gallons of milk that I can't justify not using) I'm ending up leaning in. So yesterday, did great. No gluten as far as I know. Today I went to my pal Londa's house for a cookout. had a salad made with cabbage (good) and vinegar (has gluten). so what do you do. I wrote it off as a learning experience and ate dessert. oops. Well, now that I've eaten all my meals for the day and am pleasantly full, i'll start anew tomorrow. I read Barefoot Angie B.'s blog http://barefoot-angieb.blogspot.com/ and one of her tips that really stuck with me, when she was losing weight & starting a GFCF diet (http://www.gfcf.com/ ) was

The key to weight loss is making friends with being hungry. Not always hungry as in empty stomach but hungry in the mind too when you really want that ice cream and yet know that it will add more calories than you have burned. You make a choice. The key to weight loss and eating is to burn what you consume to stay at your weight and burn more than you consume to loose regardless of what it is you eat or when. I have found though that certain foods illicit a response to eat more and more of it instead of being satisfied with just a little. This seems to be the case with HFCS, sugar, and fried foods.

making friends with hungry. that was my thought for the day! I've committed to a week to see what I feel like, but in general, i'm doing a diet overhaul. Andy said the key for him to quit smoking the last time he did was to realize that HE could tell his brain what to think & what to feel. That the addiction couldn't really talk. So I shall try with sweets. I think i may addicted to sugar, but that is another topic altogether! Giving this a whirl may take care of all of it:)

love this girl

I follow a bunch of different blogs, and I LOVE the one called Barefoot Angie B. She's in DesMoines, has 4 boys, and began barefoot running after she had terrible shinsplints when returning to running...sound like me? (except not 4 boys. goodness.)

Well anyway, i love to read her blogs because she sounds like she'd be someone I'd hang out with were we in the same neighborhood. Angie is doing a giveaway for these workout dresses here http://barefoot-angieb.blogspot.com/2010/06/stunned-sometimes-and-nuu-muu-dress.html and you should go check it out. i'd LOVE one of these but they are pretty spendy...so a free one would be alright by me! Maybe some day when I'm driving to Minnesota i'll swing by des moines and we'll go for a barefoot run:)

hot summer days

I'm antsy right now. I want to go for a run today, which I didn't do the past 2 because of severe weather and really high humidity & temps, neither of which are good for little carly:) Anyway, I'm deliberating and thinking..."Hmm...I think i should go run today between storms." Why don't I just go out and run? I waste a lot of time thinking about things instead of doing them. Sometimes. I do better when I've given things thought and mentally prepare for it, whatever "it" may be. random, random, rabbit trails, digressions.....

So, i'm going to finish picking the rest of the almonds & bittersweet chips out of my teeth (so. good.) and get my running shoes on. Last time I ran, I went about 3 1/2 miles with shoes and maybe 1/5 mi without. I think I'll do the same today. Carly is getting used to the runs and I hope she likes them!

rainy running

Yesterday I squeezed in a run between church and all that is KidsWorld and heading to mother-in-laws house for pizza to celebrate Andy's Master's Degree. It had been raining all day, but couldn't decide between steady rain, downpour, and sprinkle. I set out during a sprinkle, and I think it hit steady rain at some point. It's hard to remember simply because I love running in the rain so much!:

1. People seem to inherently avoid the rain. I don't know why. Maybe they don't want to get wet--? I figure if I'm mentally prepared to be wet, it's wonderful, nay, fantastic.

2. Because people are avoiding the rain, I have the streets mainly to myself. Which is AWESOME. Few dogs barking at me, few hooligans on bikes to avoid, little to no awkward people passing by "do I or don't I try to say hi...". The only people out are fellow rain lovers:)

3. Sweating is great. It's swept away by the cool rain and one feels more refreshed than when one started.

4. People driving by look at you like you're a little crazy. Which is true. But is a good feeling nonetheless.

5. THE SMELL!!! Rain smells good. it makes everything else smell good. Lilacs, cherry trees, crab apples, apple trees, PINE TREES! wet pavement, grass, etc., etc...

In summary, I would run in 60 degree rainy weather any day, and I would choose it over a sunny day any time. The humidity is good for my lungs. And the soul!!

this isn't me, but look at how happy she is running:) and imagine what those pines smell like :D

grad school and errands

Andy finished with grad school last night:) graduation is May 11th, a Tuesday. We can't wait!! I haven't actually been in a relationship with him while he hasn't been in school, so this should be interesting. And fabulous:)

Getting consistent runs in is HARD!!! Carly had a few meltdowns yesterday. We started out in the stroller and got about 2 blocks away when the inconsolable cries began. People were looking at us from their yards. I tried to say witty things. But we just headed home. No run. Today? I hope for the best, but honestly I just want to ruN!!! I haven't figured out how to put Carly to bed earlier/help her stay asleep longer so I can sleep more and get up early and run. Hasn't happened yet and honestly I don't really WANT to. I hate getting up early. Anyway, I'm out now. Heading to the bank and maybe Mishawaka for a bit then for a run (**fingers crossed!)

Carly, Thai, Running, and DONE!

Well, Carly slept wonderfully last night. She woke up to nurse once, and about 8:00 this morning i was awakened to her cooing and babbling in her room. There's very little better than that! Shortly thereafter, she fell over while practicing sitting on the living room floor, and cried and cried, only to be consoled with nursing and falling asleep. It was morning nap time I guess.

Going to go get Thai with Londa (hopefully!) tonight. We've tried about 3 times now without success. But i hope tonight it is. We're going to Khun-Daeng in Mishawaka. Love their food. It's a hole in the wall place, but the cook speaks no English and the waitress is sassy. It's "neat."

Also doing better running. Went 46:38 yesterday. Felt really good! I have been looking for more races to run. Sunburst? Tecumseh Trail Marathon? Twin Cities? We'll see:)

Andy is done with wait did you read that?! DONE WITH his internship and grad school on THURSDAY!!!!! I haven't even known him NOT being in grad school. What a challenging season this has been. Grateful to God that our marriage withstood this first year and a half along WITH internships AND a new baby. That's a miracle in and of itself! I still have a deep seated love for the song "Two sets of Joneses" by Big Tent Revival....

This here's a song about two sets of Jones'
Rothchild, Evelyn, Rueben, and Sue
And just for discussion through random selection
We've chosen two couples who haven't a clue

Rothchild was lucky to marry so wealthy,
Evelyn bought him a house on the beach.
Rueben and Sue, they had nothing but Jesus
And at night they would pray that He'd care for them each

And the rain, came down,
And it blew the forewalls down
And the clouds they rolled away
And one set of Jones', was standing that day

Evelyn's daddy was proud of young Rothchild,
He worked the late hours to be number one
Just newlyweds and their marriage got rocky,
He's flying to Dallas, she's having a son.

Rueben was holding, a Giddeon's Bible,
And he screamed "it's a boy" so that everyone heard
And the guys at the factory took a collection,
And again God provided for bills they incurred

So what is the point of this story,
What am i trying to say
Is your life built on the rock of Christ Jesus
Or a sandy foundation you've managed to lay

Well needless to say Evelyn left her husband
N' sued him for every penny he had
I truly wish that those two would find Jesus
Before things get worse than they already have

There's two sets of jones'
Which ones will you be?

Sunday

I just woke up from a nap that had me dreaming within 5 minutes of lying down. I feel SO refreshed and rested! What a phenomenal feeling. I think I'm going to head out for a run. I need to keep up with running so I can sign up for a race. I was thinking Sunburst 1/2 marathon or 10K, but I need to be realistic if I can train consistently up until then--it's only 8 weeks away...we'll see! But my knees are feeling good, I'm building muscle in my legs again, and I'm more aerobically fit...it was a year since I'd run, and I'm amazed at how out of shape I became!

A woman at church had seen me using my nursing cover a while ago. I made it without a pattern, but I knew what I wanted and went for it. She asked me if I had a pattern (no) or if i bought it (no). So she asked me to write down the pattern. Hmm...never done that before. I did ask if she'd like me to make one...(hint!hint!) but she wants to make it, or one of her relatives wants to make it. so I'll give it a go.

Alright. after I chug some water, i'm off like a herd of turtles.

updates updates!

Wednesday night, Kenai went to live with Grandma Marty. Thank the Lord. Kenai is an alright dog. in small doses. alone. when he's been fed, ran, and is the CENTER of attention. This does not mix well with little Carly when Kenai believes he owns Andy and vies for his attention at all times. So marty's house it is. He can sleep on the bed there, guard her and her house, etc.

Carly is asleep. Finally for longer than 2 hours, which was last night! Poor dear. We aspirated her nasal passages a couple of times and she HATED it. but she had SO much snot pouring down her upper lip. (I don't do snot. Blood? Baby puke & poop? Spiders? fine. Snot? No.) (Puss either. No puss.)

So I had time to whip up a batch of nerd cookies. (oatmeal, almond butter, flax seed, raisins, choc. chips, whole wheat flour.) I don't know why, but I find it my mission in life to never follow the cookie recipe and always make my own additions. It drives Andy crazy. I love it:) constantly on the search for the perfect healthy and delicious cookie that I can make!

live like no one else...

and later you can live like no one else. Dave Ramsey said that during his "Financial Peace University" DVD classes. I've seen them 2 times now, once by choice, and once with kiddos from Bashor when they took an off-campus course. Well, I had a dream about Dave ramsey last night. He was handing out Financial Peace cloth grocery bags. odd. I told him I had student loans and a mortgage.

The jogging stroller came today! Andy is putting it together as I type:):) I am really happy. And we will be going out on a date tonight! YAY! Jason and Kimber are going to watch Carly. And I am trying to convince myself that taking those stinkin pills for my stomach/bacteria/cramps whatever are good for me, but it is really hard when all Carly wants to do is nurse, and all i want to do is nurse. 7 days. that's all.

back to an old passion. I hope!

Well, after all that research, Andy went ahead and ordered me a jogging stroller. He did it without even telling me. I was a little confused, not angry, because I thought "NOw, how would HE know what sort of stroller I want?" He went to consumer reports and read reviews, which is typical Andy:) It is an In Step, I believe. Ha! I don't even know what kind! Oh well. The main thing is that I can get out and run without having to wait on someone to come over and watch Carly. I am excited and nervous to get back in to running. Disheartened because NONE of my running shorts/skorts fit me anymore. So I'll be running in spandex capris until I can fit in the shorts.

blech. being "post baby" sort of stinks. Well, it's more that it is new and I don't know how to do it yet. I'll be sure to let everyone know when I do!

shop local. except for WIC.

I watched Oprah a few days ago. The one where she was talking with the folks about this documentary called "food, inc." http://www.foodincmovie.com/ well, needless to say Andy came home from work to see me sitting on the living room floor, mouth agape, brow furrowed, and saying, "We're never buying chicken from Kroger again." The next day found me at Kroger, buying chicken. We needed the meat and it was on sale. But!! I went to the farmer's market today because I really was shocked and completely horrified to see the footage of the animals on the farms...watch it because you'll then understand. I bought a free range chicken, whole, from an Amish Farmer at the Mill Race Farmer's Market, along with some grass-fed ground beef. The total came to $21.15. HOLY COWS!! Why is this food so much more expensive? Why is locally grown agriculture SO MUCH MORE MONEY? I really only want to buy local and support my local economy and friends. But good grief! When one qualifies for WIC, it's hard to buy what one WANTS. And why doesn't WIC join forces with some other government agencies and make it possible to reimburse farmers or SOMETHING with their funds instead of Wal-Mart? (who accepts wic.) So, I'll just bite the bullet, buy my canned beans with WIC, but dream of the day when I can raise my own free-range chickens, collect their eggs, milk my goats and make cheese, and have a phenomenal garden without dogs to run through it and poop in my cantalopes. (I don't think that disqualifies my food from being organic, right?)

spring weekend!

This has been a very rainy spring march weekend. I have bulbs about 5 inches tall outside the front step and under the rain gutters. Lots of rain, mud, worms and dirty dogs! I LOVE it! I have been starting to run again, better than earlier this winter. I still want a running stroller really badly, namely the BOB stroller strides fitness stroller. It's gorgeous. It's practical. It's expensive. $399. Maybe someday...

Friday night Andy and I went to the Ryan's Place Gala. I bought a new dress for the occasion and followed Stacy & Clinton's rules for my body type and event type. ( http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/whatnottowear/fashion_tips/)

I am so tired. I have not been sleeping well. Well, a squirming, half-asleep baby burrowing in your belly/chest on the reclining La-Z-Boy sofa doesn't help. I hate doing that, but at least I don't have to get up to get her at night after I've put her down 3-4 times already--Andy has to work at 5:20 am, so the crying really hurts his sleep. I have the hope of a nap most days...She's sleeping in her swing right now.

And now I am going to go make coffee, bake some gingersnaps that I mixed up yesterday, watch some Food Network and eventually go to sleep before running to and from Jazzercise. It's going to be a good day:)

Back at it.

Well, I realized I was posting things that should be on a blog on Facebook. Which was making for really long statuses. (statusi?) anyway, here we go again!

Dakota ran away today again. I came home from work and was going to let the dogs out in the front yard with a leash because it was raining. The back yard has been completely torn up thanks to the dogs, and becomes a mud slick when it rains. Hence, the dogs become DISGUSTING. I let Dakota out with one hand, Carly in my other arm. He pees. We come in. Leash up Kenai. Kenai walks out, Dakota slips by. So I've got Carly in my arm, Kenai watching Dakota, Dakota running around in the neighbor's yard across the street with his tail high and wagging, thrilled at the freedom. Neighbor starts banging on the window and I look exasperated and as if to say, "yes? what do you want me to do? I've got a dog and a baby. I'm in a skirt and heels." I leave Dakota to roam the neighborhood, and sit down to nurse Carly, debating if I should call Andy? The Police? The Humane society? No one? I don't. Just as I laid Carly down for her nap, I caught a movement of white out the window. The darn dog was 4 houses down, peeing on someone's fence. I yelled at him, he came BOLTING home, and now rests in the kennel. I wanted to kick him.

anyone want a dog?