A Proud Mommy Moment

Yesterday Tessa's preschool teacher was all apologetic over a snack mixup in which somebody else got Tessa's veggie booty, and she got their fruit snacks. Miss Cindy was worried that Tessa was on some junk food free diet, based on her typical lunch selections.


I assured her that no Tessa has her fair share of junk food, but secretly smiled to myself as she commended Tessa's healthy lunch bag and good eating habits. She said Tessa's lunch was always the healthiest, and my heart swelled with joy!

I may be an overweight Mom who appreciates the occasional chicken strip and glass of wine (not usually at the same time), but don't let the appearance fool you into thinking we run an unhealthy household.


My goal was always to have kids with a healthy well balanced appetite, and when they grew older not afraid to try new things. Partially because I want healthy kids, and more so because Jeremy and I enjoy all kinds of cuisine and would like our kids to join us in that. Meaning...we're not giving up sushi for Applebees without a fight!

I think the trick is to start them with a variety of foods as young as possible.


And encourage them to learn about food and cooking


We also let them try all sorts of things if they want to, operating under the rule that there is no such thing as 'kid food'.

And they know that what they get is what they get, like it or not. Of course they are kids so there are somethings they don't like. For instance throwing some peas into the Tessa's mac and cheese did NOT go over well....she couldn't get over the fact that there was something fundamentally wrong with her Kraft dinner (Charley on the other hand, loved it)

When we went in for Tessa's 3 year well check on Friday I didn't even realize that we had her there only once in her second year of life and it was for her busted toenail. She's had a few colds but nothing doctor worthy, even following the start of preschool. Of course I can't say for sure that good food is what makes her healthy, but I think it certainly helps.

So when Miss Cindy compliments me on Tessa's healthy habits, my cold heart can't help but grow three sizes. That's my girl!

Why the Garbage Men Hate Us

Y'all know we've got a lot of plants, flowers, trees and veggies. You name it, we've got some somewhere in the yard. So during gardening season (and especially in spring and fall trimming times), this kinda thing happens to our trash can like every other week.

Seriously I wonder if the neighbors sit and wait to see what kind of yard waste we're going to stuff in there.....this week, the better part of a dead tree. Jeremy says that's what they get for not offering an occasional large yard waste day.

I Continue to Fall Apart

We all know my teeth are falling apart, and now my spine appears to be too. The fall down the stairs appears to have been a blessing in disguise (or as I like to think- the holy spirit giving me a good heave ho).

Yesterday I got chiropractic xrays and this morning had my first consult and adjustment with my chiropractor who I like very very much. He is my new best friend (sorry Erin).

Needless to say there's alot wrong with me and he says many of my back injuries are very old. He asked if my lower back and neck always hurt and I said yes of course....but I'm fat and carry around two kids all day, is it not supposed to hurt? Apparently not.

So here's the highlight reel

--between L5 and S1 (doc words, basically my lower back) I have 60% cartilage loss. He said had I not gotten into see him I would be looking at back surgery at age 40. How did this happen? Old injuries from a million years ago left untreated.
--I have 4 subluxations which means the discs are mis-aligned but can be fixed
--My spine curves to the right and is not straight
--I have a deep curve in my neck and two of those vertebrae are also touching
-- My duck feet don't directly hurt my back but I should look into orthodic shoes. Really?...Granny shoes at age 30. But I love flip flops. I dunno, that's going to be a hard one for me.

I'm going see him for adjustments 3x per week for a month just to treat the pain, and then once a week for a while after that. Thankfully all covered by insurance. I also need to buy one of these bad boys
Yes that's right, I will hang upside down for 10 minutes every day in order to correct that cartilage loss and avoid back surgery. Sounds crazy but apparently it really works.

And lastly, he has ordered me to stop training for the Indy 500 mini-marathon and not complete it. I'm causing more harm than good at this point. Damnit! Argh!!! Sonofabiscuit!

He said with the inversion table and a year's worth of back care he can have me running the mini next year and then I just laughed. Me, run, haha. He says I will also feel better and have more energy and vitality and all that good stuff. Maybe lose weight?...God I hope so!

He said he was surprised I hadn't come in for pain relief even before the fall and marveled that I could make it through my pregnancies. But my back and neck have always hurt, so maybe I just don't pay attention to it.

I don't know. I just know getting old sucks!

My Lulla Playlist

Since Charley has stopped nursing he requires a little extra attention at bedtime. Sticking a boob in his mouth and watching Jeopardy just doesn't cut it anymore. Alot of parents read books at bedtime but you know me, I sing. Jeremy can't remember enough lyrics to sing, but reading books has become a special thing for him and Tessa. She's become especially fond of Goodnight Moon.

I remember when Tessa was having gas pains as an infant and I used singing to sooth her. But I drew a blank...what songs do I sing? I thought I should sing something lullaby like. But what, that rocka-bye song where the baby falls out of the tree?...no thanks.

So I drew from my inner playlist on soft soothing songs that I happened to know all the words to. It's random and unique but totally ours. To this day I still rely on a handful of songs at bedtime.

Probably the one I sing the most. Tessa knows it as her special baby song


I love how old this video is but the only one I could find. Indigo Girls songs just make me happy.


Another favorite with a great storyline




I can't leave out musical soundtracks. Your Eyes from Rent makes a great lullaby. Am I nerd that even all these years later, this clip gives me little goosebumps? On this clip the song doesn't actually start until 2:14.




Churchgoers will know this contemporary version of Amazing Grace.



And I don't have any problems singing Christmas music year round. Christmas songs make the best lullabies, and our combined years singing in the PMO Christmas show have given Jer and I both an impressive knowledge of lyrics.

As much as I LOVE (and I do mean passionately) Christmas music, O Holy Night remains my favorite. I just love the dramatic lyrics of the second verse. There go the goosebumps again!

Ain't Nothing Gonna Break-a My Stride

About 10 days ago I fell down some of our stairs and bruised my tailbone. Unfortunately there's not much to be done for a bruised tailbone aside from avoiding hard seats and taking ibuprofen. No butt casts I guess.

After the birthday party I was in alot of pain, from stupidly moving picnic tables myself and then climbing on top of them to hang balloons and sitting on the hard seats to rest. It was this same kind of clumsy naive spirit that got me hurt on the job two times...once leaving a permanent scar on my hand and the other giving me a contusion on the top of my foot. Yeah, worker's comp loves me.

Anyway, come Sunday I had all but given up on the idea of walking the Indy 500 half-marathon, which is in 3 WEEKS! I could barely move.

I guess some prayer, ibuprofen and wine must have cured me since then because I'm doing so much better. I still can't sit at the kitchen table for very long but I did complete a 4 mile walk this morning. I've gone this far on the treadmill but today was the first time to go that far with both kids in the double stroller. It took about 1 hr 45 min but they hung with me. I brought snacks and toys and had to engage Tessa in lots of conversations about the trees and dogs we saw, but we did it!

Now this weekend our goal is to get someone to watch the kids so Jer and I can do that same route two times. 8 miles without dying?...I'm not sure but we'll try. I just have to remember not to move any furniture before then.

Hold On For a Picture Overload!

Yesterday afternoon we had Tessa's 3rd birthday party at a local park. Given our recent 80 degree temps we were all a little surprised at how chilly and windy it was. So windy that the balloons kept popping...but perfect weather for kids running around and playing.

Tessa was so excited all day. We started the day with a special breakfast at Sophia's, then Jeremy took Charley to baby gym while Tessa and I picked up our bug cupcakes. She was so excited at the 'cupcake store', I thought she might pee her pants.

After everyone got a good nap, we headed to the park!

Tessa wanted a Sid the Science Kid party, hence the bug cupcakes

Eventually I gave up on the balloons after the wind popped like 6 of them

Tessa got a special Sid shirt to wear and I got her matching hairbows on Ebay. See me torturing her by doing her hair. Beauty is pain sister!

Tessa practiced making three fingers




The kids loved being outside on the playground

and Charley loved the balloons!


Tessa got a bike from us. We don't have a trike so I wasn't sure she'd know what to do, but she hopped right on with confidence and took off!


She kept saying "look guys, watch dis!"



Some our favorite people came to celebrate






I hid a bunch of toys around the shelter and the kids did a Sid scavenger hunt for science-like things...toy magnifying glasses, dinosaurs and bubbles. They got to keep their loot as their party favor.



Tessa picked a spider cupcake


it was so windy that the flame only held for like 3 seconds




the cupcakes were a hit, money well spent!

What kind of silly Mommy chooses the green icing to give the baby, instead of white? Oops.




thanks for all the wonderful gifts!
Mommy's first thought is reorganizing and purging some old toys to make more room. I'm a little OCD like that.


When we got home I thought she would want to ride her bike up the street but she was too tired. She did play with her new Little Mermaid bubble machine for a long time though.


Rachel tried pop rocks and couldn't get enough!




Mamaw and two of her great grandkids


A perfect day was had by all!