It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 

 

 

 

A Poem. About Socks. By Me.

Ye widow socks galore,

Your sight I do abhor.

For trailing through my mind,

Each straggler I must find!

But lo the search is tough,

Cuz kids, they kick them off!

Sweet Babe in Matilda Jane (gift from Adria)

Thanksgiving!

We did not even plan for the girls to match so nicely!  Each dress had a turkey on the lower side! 

 Linc picked pecans by the basket!

On Grandpa's new dear stand.

Wendy made this!

For our 10th anniversary, Wendy created this all by herself!  She wrote it without help, and used the computer independently, too!  Wow!
I thought I had posted it already, but it looks like I hadn't, so here it is!  I just LOVE it!!!

Catching Up---Pics!

First, some PRAISES!  These blessings are foremost on my mind, y'all, because when God chooses to deliver us from things that are painful, it's just such a mercy.  First, I had some dental work done not long ago, and boy howdy, my teeth (underneath, it seemed) and jaw joints truly, truly hurt me for a long time following.  So much so that I returned to the dentist twice to get it checked out.  He thought maybe a tooth was cracked under the wedge of material involved in the restoration.  I mean, I tell ya, that was not a pleasant thought--next would be a more involved fix.  And I could not tell him WHICH tooth it was as my pain was all over!  Tylenol worked but would wear off, you know.  I waited and waited ---and prayed.  Now, it's been a nice long while with nada pain, and I'm over it, and I'm thankful for God's mercy. 

Second item was my high blood pressure.  It was super high after having Alice and my kidney stone surgery.  They'd ruled out renal hypertension and all that was left was the forced acceptance that this might be the new me.  Apparently, some women develop sudden onset hypertension after giving birth and never do get off the med.  I have been on Labetalol and have also been working hard to lose weight through eating clean and working out.  I have lost 10 lbs give or take.  With breastfeeding, I think it was harder to lose.  Anyway, I decided to stop taking the med to see if I still needed it, checking my bp with my home cuff.  I did see some highs but a LOT of lower numbers, too.  When I'd see a high combo, I'd sigh and take a pill.  But then one day, I noticed the fluctuation was wild.  I went to HEB to ask the pharmacist, since that's where my monitor came from, and while there, I checked it using their machine three times.  First reading was high but next two, after shopping, were considerably lower.  Anyway, pharmacist said swings are normal and due to lots of factors, but a first-thing in the am reading is a fair idea of what's going on.  Well, my am readings have been perfect!  And what's more, I'm seeing great bp throughout my days lately with NO highs in a while!  And this, OFF the med!  I think God may have delivered me from the bp now, and I'm so thankful!!!

Oh!  And James became a deacon officially this morning at church.  For that opportunity to serve, I am also thankful. 

 Chloe is one of my most cherished friends, and her daughter, one of Wendy's!  Here you can see that Alice is quite into her hair!

 Both James' and my parents came for the Renaissance Festival and even though it rained, we all still had a great time!

 After this first visit, Wendy had a field trip back!  I don't have pics from her school experience there, but she said she enjoyed it!  And then, below, James took me (and Alice, as she's breastfed) for my birthday!  This time, I got my first ever, very own costume!  It was special as I borrowed Aunt Karen's costume on the occasion of James' and my FIRST meeting--at the Renaissance Festival! 

 The art that I created in celebration of Fall holidays!  Featuring none other than the Tanneberger "triplets!"

 Halloween Night!

 Ummm...do not ask me what I was.  I don't know.  I was a mess of eyeliner, a spooky fascinator and some odd 80's style work out attire.  Why?!

 And at around the same time, Wendy dressed up as The Little Mermaid for her school's Book Character Day!

 Below, Reformation Night at our church.

 I talked Wendy into holding Jason's pet!!!

 Below are some portraits I've taken recently...

 And last but not least!  Nicole, Mary, Julie and I enjoyed our reunion in Fredericksburg!  Nicole got us two nights at Enchanted Porch and boy, was it nice!  I brought along Ally Boo and Julie brought along her much newer Scarlett. 

Silly Me

Obviously, I am not a blogger earning an A+ in blogging.  Sigh, looking back at old, old posts from years past, I realize, looking for specific things or events, that I've left out a LOT!  I can't find photos I know I took, that were certainly worthy of sharing on this blog.  So kids, when you grow up and you're reviewing your lives as presented here, just know that Mommy goofed up here and there and left out key moments in your lives!  Ah!  Blame it on the brain cells I've lost with each of my pregnancies, tee hee. 
Daddy has several external hard drives (several as back-ups), each containing literally THOUSANDS of pics from your daily lives as well as many highlights, I know, I know, some of which I've failed to post about in this sometimes meticulous blog. 
Life is just FULL, and for that, I am thankful to the One who blesses us so richly.  We get to enjoy things all of the time, around the clock, around the calendar.  We engage in fun activities, observe moments of meaning, learn, grow and love.  I love you all and am trying to maintain this blog.  I don't do Facebook.  I don't do other things, but I do blog!  And all because James and I moved to Oregon years ago, started our family with Wendy Woo Loo, and wanted out of state family to see her grow.  And so this blog is a treasure that I enjoy padding with new posts, here and there but no consistently as I've repeated throughout, ah me!  I hope it's a treasure for you, your spouses and your kids some day. 
I've wondered if a company prints and binds these blogs?  Hmmm...

New Joke -- by Wendy!

Just now, Wendy comes up to me and asks if I'd like to hear her new joke.  "What does the Language Arts teacher have for breakfast?" "Synonym toast!"  (I made cinnamon toast for their breakfast this morning, a very rare treat as James does not approve of breakfast without protein!)  I'm so proud of her! 
I may have blogged this before, but I'm not sure--Wendy came up with another joke quite a long time ago.  "What did the inchworm say when it fell off the play structure?" "I think I'm inch-ured!"  Pretty cute.  That was at least two years ago, I'd guess.
Love my girl.
And then Lincoln chimes in with HIS original joke!  "What did the eyeball say whenever it was scared?!" "Uh..what am I looking at?"

Hard Things Come In Threes!

First, I get a big, fat ticket for going 57 on the feeder.  He said it was 45, but just up ahead, it's 55.  Argh!  While taking the defensive driving class online takes it off my record and benefits us another way (which I can't remember, but James told me), it would still cost over $100 to take it, would take 8 hours to complete AND is a huge hassle with all of the paperwork, per James, who took it earlier this year for "speeding" in a construction zone on a Sunday when there were no workers.  So, about $245.00 later...
Second, the stomach flu from Hades.  I lost 7 lbs in pretty much one 24-hour period of time, which is great for the weight-loss challenge Chloe's leading!  But still, much of that was fluid loss, and James became sick the morning after my rough night, and watching all three kids together with an equally sick partner was not easy.
Third, James grandmother passed away the very night I was struck down with this virus.  It was a heavy reality to grasp in a moment of time, and I embraced James and we both sighed, but truthfully, she was blessed as she lived on her own up right up until her passing, at age 97.  She had her beloved dog and an amazing, supportive family.  She got out and got her hair done, banking done and grocery shopping done-- James' mother took her, along with Great Aunt Mildred, anywhere they wanted to go.  Her life was full.  But I pray for James and his family, who were so blessed to know her longer, and more closely than I did.  I know that for them, this is as it felt for me, when I lost my own beloved grandmother.  I still cry for her.
So, I am busy doing laundry and disinfecting and hoping that I can rebuild my strength, refill my breasts (poor Alice!), and get on with this life!  Side note--last night I could not feed Alice as I was too dehydrated etc, and I was feeling sick anew, so James, bless his heart, fed her mashed potatoes and water from a straw.  Did the trick.  Not ideal, but whatcha gonna do when baby food's all gone and mommy's a dry well?!  How'd they survive such trials in the pioneer days?  Creatively!

Costumes! Costumes!

Wendy's 3rd Grade Museum day!  She had the choice of dressing as an Egyptian or a cave girl.  She wanted to be glam, so we went with Egyptian! 

Went ahead and put together Ally Boo's first costume, prompted by an e-mail from Aunt Missy, pleading with me and Aunt Stephanie, for one of us at least, to do this!  It's so stinkin' cute, I obliged! 

Wendy Woo Loo Turns 8!!!!!!!!