For the Boy.

He wanted to know why I had to take a picture.  We had just run (well he ran, I walked) home from the park.  He was hot.  And thirsty.  I answer because.  I want to.  And he paused long enough for me to get one picture.  Well two.  One of them his eyes were closed.   Then he ran inside.  Lucky ducky me. I got a picture that makes me laugh.  It was exactly what I needed.  

That one day.

Once upon a time we had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

Gwen fell down and broke her crown.

 

And then Mommy found out she (me) had some whacked out blood work.

LONGISH VERSION
Gwen really fell down.  Had a concussion.  Was unresponsive when the paramedics showed up.  Rode in an ambulance to the hospital.  The CT Scan showed a possible crack.  The Dr didn't know if it was the way her plates were growing, or a crack.  Said we could do more tests.  I said no thank you.  And we were sent home.  (of course once we knew everything was okay).  I was told no bonking her head for six weeks.  Let me tell you.  The hardest thing to do with a one year old who has only been walking for two months.  She was acting like herself when we got home.  Just needed a nap and she was good to go.  The next few days she was pretty attached to her binki.  Who wouldn't be?  She is one tough cookie, that girl.

On to me.  Yuck.  I hate talking about me.  Sometimes.  Joking.  I really don't like talking about myself.  Especially when I have such beautiful children to talk about.  I have been absent from my blog.  I have been tired.  So tired.  Then other weird symptoms started showing up.

Excuse the non flattering-y-ness of these pictures.  Out-takes if you will.  They show one of my odd symptoms.  Kind of.  I should take a real picture someday.  Maybe.

Notice my hair.  It's wavy.  I have had bone straight hair my entire life people.  Bone straight.  One day I woke up and I had a curl.  I thought it was from sleeping on it funny.  Then each day more and more got curly.  Well wavy.  But it is straight up curly compared to what I am used to.  My hair has always been straight.  As in I had perms and the next day the would fall out.  I could curl my hair and use an entire can of hair spray and 10  minutes later straight.  Thank you hormones.  For letting me enjoy a short period of bombshell beach waves.

Other symptoms - I have had problems with my weight.  My skin looks like I am 14.  Extreme fatigue.  Out of control mood swings.  Jittery.  Sweating (sick).  And then these bruises started showing up.  Little bruises up and down my arms and legs.  The first time I saw them I had 22 on one arm.  Freaked me out.  And that's putting it mildly.

Okay get to the point Brooke.  I got my blood work back a few weeks ago.  It was all over the place.  My white blood counts are way too low.  My other blood count "stuff" is extremely high and low.  All over the place.  I have to see a hematologist.  Blood clotting disorder.  Next my hormone levels were all over the place.  I have a hyper thyroid.  I laughed when my doctor told me.  I said hyper is the skinny people disease.  Why am I fat and can't loose weight.  And wouldn't you know.  A few people have the same weight problem as me.  Not fair I tell you.  If I have the skinny people disease at least I want to be skinny.  {cue - End of rant}. I will be seeing an endocrinologist for my thyroid.  The Dr.  Threw out words for my blood disorder like lupus.  And for my thyroid graves disease.  The specialists will have better answers.  If I can ever get in.  I won't start the how hard it is to be seen by specialists (their wait lists months out) rant.  Not today anyway.

There you have the biggest reasons why I have been slacking.  I am tired.  And I am chasing around a baby to make sure she does no more bonking.  Which adds to being tired.  Vicious circle I tell you.

The other reasons are.  Swimming.  Park playing.  Friend and Family playing.  Lots and lots of it.   One of these days I should bust out my camera and show you how well my brand new fishies are swimming.  And belly flopping.  It's awesome.

iheart beautiful eyes.

^^Check out more beautiful eyes^^

June.

Talk about whirlwind of a month.

We went to the Ft Worth rodeo.  Rode a bull.

Looked super cute watching the cowboys.

Chased a sheep. 

 Isaac was the first child to get up to the sheep.  But was unsure of what to do next.  So another child took advantage of the cornered sheep and grabbed the key around it's neck.  

Isaac didn't care though.  He just thought it was cool that he got to chase the sheep.  And was the "fastest" kid out there.  I agree {wink}. 

 

 

Then some little girl was totally lost and ran back to the middle of the arena.  Oh wait that was my little girl.  It was hilarious.  She thought the kids were going to "race" the other direction.  She was in the lead.  Turned her head around (while booking it) and no one was following.  She just stood there.  Trying to figure out what was going on.  I am dying.  It was so funny.   Like roll around in the manure  dirt kind of funny.

Then Ains spotted her brother.  She ran those little legs as fast as they could go to catch up.  At that same moment her brother noticed she wasn't among the group kids leaving.  Scanning the arena he found her.  And then that sweet boy waited for his little sister to catch up.  And they walked out of the gate hand in hand.  Stop it now.  Makes me cry just thinking about it.

A few days later we packed our bags (and entire house).  And said goodbye to our house in Texas, and started our drive to Arizona. 

Our first stop was San Antonio.  We spent a day at sea world.  I didn't bring a camera.  On purpose.  Gasp.  We saw every single show.  Fed the dolphins.  Sat in the splash zone at the shamu show.  We got soaked.  Take of your shoes and dump out the water, wring out your clothes kind of wet.  Gwen thought it was amusing.  Or she was just too startled by those three big whales that kept slapping their tails in the water, to say anything.  Isaac and Ainsley, not so much amused.  It was a good day.

Our next stop was the caverns of sonora. It was fun.  Overpriced.  Hot.  Humid.  But fun.  We panned for gold.  Cracked open some geodes.  And of course hiked.  Gwen didn't last long.  But the other two kids (with Mike) did the entire two hour tour of the caverns.

We did peter piper pizza in las cruces.  So this stop not noteworthy for most.  But I hate places like this.  Hello germs everywhere.  But we had fun.  I survived.  Although I don't have plans on doing it again any time too soon.  {insert heebie jeebie shivers}.

We got to our temporary house in Arizona sunday evening.  A few hours later my sister and her children came to my house.  They stayed with us for just over a week.  We went to the circus.  Went swimming everyday.  And had lots of cousin fun.  We may have done a little shopping too {wink} Once again no pictures.  Shame shame.  Everyone knows my name.

Fourth of July weekend the rest of my family came and stayed with us.  We ate, swam and did lots of fireworks.

And then it was over.  Everyone left.  I cried.  My kids cried.  Which made me cry harder.

Now we start our new life in Arizona.  Closer to family.  Lots and lots of cousin fun in our future.  And that makes all the difference!

I rambled.  Sorry.  I am tired.  I have sick kids.  And I am tired.  'nuff said.

Wheels of Training.

This was yesterday.


Isn't he one handsome dude.


He has the most killer dimples.



He's hilarious. Like have me rolling on the ground funny.



This was today.



I didn't really think he would do it. He has been kind of attached to his training wheels.


He was a little discouraged his first try. Some neighbor boys were riding. He mumbled "they make it look so easy". So we waited for them to leave. And he was ready to try again.



He was laughing so hard he could barely stay upright.
(you will want to click on these two pictures and see them bigger. I promise.)



There were moments Mike could barely keep up.



Isaac was the one who made it look so easy.

*I know he isn't wearing shoes. I was so surprised he wanted to go for it, we didn't run inside to break the mood. He also was wearing a helmet the first time. We all just got a little too excited. For the record he is totally my safety conscious boy. Like seriously won't ride his scooter or bike without a helmet. Won't swim without sunscreen...That's how stoked he was that he was doing it! Tomorrow we will be safer...m'kay.

Short and Sassy.

Yesterday, spur of the moment I took Ainsley down the street for a new 'do.  I asked for just above the shoulder bob.  Let's just say she got a little more than that.

It was bad.  Apparently just above the shoulder means chin length.  And stacked in the back.  Well that's what I assume she was trying to do.  It was choppy, uneven.  The girl was so excited with her work.  And I had no idea how to say it wasn't what I asked for.  At all.  I paid.  Walked home.  Made a phone call.

My neighbor is a hairstylist.  She said she would take a look and try to fix it up for me.  I don't know why I didn't take her there first.  The other place is cheap and quick.  You get what you pay for.  I got cheap and quick.

Her hair had to be cut a little shorter.  But let me tell you, that Amy, she's a miracle worker.

Ainsley goes back and forth.  She will cry because it's short.  Then "whip her hair back and forth.  Back and forth".  I think it kind of fits her though.  Short and Sassy.

* the pictures don't show very well the length. The back is cut at the base of her skull. The front just barely above her chin.

Storms Blow On.

Tornadoes popping up directly to the south.



And just to the north.

Here's us.  Right in between the storms.

 

*We actually had a severe thunderstorm warning.  A tornado warning.  But only got a lot of rain and quite a bit of lightening in our little neighborhood. Prayers to all those who have been in the direct path of the raging storms.  So many these past few weeks.  Prayers as they rebuild their homes and their lives.