A day off

Since today was stake conference and we wouldn't want to end our 12 year streak of avoiding stake conference like the plague, we decided to go spend the night In a hotel. It was actually very nice to just walk (or hobble in my case) away from it all for a day.

We went out for a late lunch, swam, and ate junk food and watched endless cable t.v. 

Then this morning we had a yummy breakfast all ready for us. Watched more cable t.v. and paid someone to make the beds after us. It was so nice. (Other than the lack of sleep for all of us, darn sleep) For the first time in 6 weeks my foot wasn't swollen to double it's normal size at the end of the day. I didn't take a single picture. 

Last Monday I had my foot dr appointment. I was hoping for a small miracle and permission to wear regular shoes. But after an x-ray I was denied. The top half of the bone isn't coming along as well as the bottom half so I was given another week long sentence. I can't believe a week would make much difference but I've been trying to be really good and only walk with the boot on.
 

I have tried on a shoe and it felt heavenly but getting that bugger on was a trip. I had to completely remove the laces and go super slow. My toe hasn't bent in a long time an is going to have to go through a bit of therapy (of which I think just walking will do) I never realized just how much a toe has to bend to get a shoe on. Patience flew out the window weeks ago. This little night away helped pass the time though.
 

Tuesday will be shoe day. I can hardly wait but at the same time I'm worried it will hurt and I will accomplish even less. I've been trying to be careful about what I eat since exercise is difficult. I'm horrible at it. The stash of licorice and the cookies I keep making aren't helping a bit.
I have been doing a modified version of Tae Bo which consists mostly of planting my hurt foot in one spot and kicking and punching with my other three extremities. I'm sure I look fabulous in the process which is why I do it in the privacy of my basement. I would rather just go for a run but I think running is still months away so at least it's something. I have a date with my husband, a boat and my swimsuit in just over two months. YIKES!
 

Anyway. I've been wanting to write a little bit about each of the kids and I haven't sat in front of the computer long enough to accomplish it. One of these days.

But just to keep things interesting, here's a picture from sledding a few weeks ago. The kids had a blast trying out their new sleds. Climbing a snow covered hill in my boot was...impossible. Glad nobody else was there to witness my attempt and I'm pretty sure I set back my recovery by trying.

Gosh my kids are cute ;)

Eavesdropping

Listening to my kids conversations with each other is sometimes maddening. In fact, I will usually wait to eat my lunch in the summer until after the kids are done. One, because often I just end up eating what is left on their plates (I live a charmed life) but really it's mostly because I can't stand to listen to their banter and strange topics of conversation which usually include a little potty humor or words that don't exist. 

However, on occasion, I really enjoy listening to their conversations. Especially the ones where they don't know I am listening. 

Yesterday Shane and I heard a real gem and It made us giggle so I wanted to write it down before I forgot.

Marisa and Ezra were playing a computer game together and somehow their conversation got really serious. It went something like this:

Ezra: I hate wedgies. 

Marisa: me too! 

Ezra: have you ever had a wedgie? 

Marisa: Yes. I REALLY hate wet wedgies. 

Ezra: wet wedgies?

Marisa: yeah, when they get their finger wet and stick it in your ear.

Ezra: oh yeah, but a wedgie is also when someone pulls your underwear like this so it goes in your bottom. 

Marisa: oh. I don't like that either.

Ezra: nope. 

Glad they are helping each other with the most important topics in life.

Checking In

Just a quick note to tell you how things are going.

Foot is doing great. I think the boot comes off in 9 days. Not that I'm counting or anything. We'll see though. I'm not positive about that, but I'm sure hoping. All of my complaints revolve around the horrid thing. Healing seems to be going well. I really don't have much pain at all.

I still get really swollen  if my foot is down too much though. That includes sitting with my foot down so it makes getting all that stuff I normally do that much harder to get done. I CAN do it. I just pay for it in sausage toes so the bathroom is gross, the laundry has been sitting dormant in the dryer for three days and the dishes are my nemesis. I want to sew and I have been, but It's a little harder so I've been putting it off a bit. I also want to exercise but I would hate to prolong my recovery so I haven't done much.

The Christmas decorations are driving me crazy! I think I'm just going to suck it up and put them away this weekend. I think it will feel good to not have so much clutter.

I totally see now how a major impairment could make someone gain a lot of weight, become depressed and these other fun things I can feel creeping in the shadows of my life so I'm just really counting down the days until I can really work on getting my old routines back. Still, I know 9 more days won't mean I'm back to normal. I've heard the swelling can last 6 months. Oh my!

My last complaint has been sleep. It's really difficult to sleep with this blasted boot but I don't trust myself to sleep without it just yet. I've tried twice and twice put it back on. So I'm a bit of a zombie. It's like the newborn baby phase all over again. UGH!

On the plus side. I'm doing very well at driving with my left foot.

My foot aside, the kids are doing well and back in school. Roman is playing basketball and wow the improvement one year has made. He has made multiple baskets per game and even passes the ball now and then. Marisa is back in dance and is going through a phase that I hope is over soon. It reminds me too much of her first 18 months of life where crying was the only solution. Sigh! Ezra who we should have named oscar (after oscar the grouch) has been surprisingly happy the last week and is always making us laugh. He's starting gymnastics next week so he will have something of his own to do.

So... that's about it for the moment. I've got a few posts up my sleeve, but haven't gotten around to sitting at the computer long enough to do them.

Christmas 2013

I can't believe Christmas has already come and gone. Christmas was definitely different this year with my foot surgery but I actually liked it. Maybe just because it was different, but whatever the reason... it was good.

I was completely prepared so I didn't have to wrap any presents or go shopping so the week leading up to Christmas was spent in my bed mostly. It didn't bother me a bit. It was nice to just relax and read. Although the first few days there was no reading because the pain killer made focusing on the words impossible. But...after a week I was mostly off of the pain killer and the books came out.

The kids were happy to watch movies, and play games or play in the snow.

We did make a grocery shopping trip a couple days before Christmas and I got to fulfill a childhood dream of riding in the electric shopping carts. The only problem was that even though I couldn't shop without it, I still felt silly. The kids got a chance to ride and drive and they thought that was fun.

Christmas Eve was good. The kids and I went to the grocery store for some last minute treats.

Marisa and I made some cupcakes that she immediately made some cupcake toppers for. This girl loves creating stuff. Our house is filled with her art projects and creations.

We also put together our gingerbread kits. I'm telling you, other than having a house and a train to assemble and decorate, I really liked the kit. Next year we will be sure to stick to just a house though.

By the time we finished the kits my foot was really like it had been run over by a truck, so I spent the rest of the evening on the couch reading Christmas books to the kids.

The kids opened their Christmas PJ's and they were off to bed.

The next morning the kids were thrilled with their stockings and presents.

This may have been one of our smaller Christmases but I thought it was perfectly adequate. They each got some necessities, some fun things and socks. Wow, we needed socks and Santa brought us nearly $60 worth. We were literally walking on threads so we are all glad to have them.

Here are some of their favorites.

Marisa got a My Generation doll and I spent every weekend making some clothes for it. She didn't ask for it, But I already had the doll from my etsy shop days (she was my little model for skirts).  I knew she would like it and I was right. She thinks it's an American Girl Doll. She doesn't know the difference. Is it bad that I'm not telling her?

Roman didn't ask for much. He wanted a beyblade stadium and Santa was glad to grant his request. Along with a bunch of clothes. Poor kid is growing up.

Ezra wanted a bike, but since it's like an artic tundra outside, he wouldn't be able to use it for months so he got a Knex roller coaster.

He and I spent an hour and a half putting it together. It was a winner.

We spent the day playing some new games. Life (I never remember there being so many rules! Good Grief!), and Apples to Apples.

It was a good day.

We hope you all had a great Christmas as well.