"Bellies in Bloom" and a Giveaway

My cousin Hannah created an amazing blog, "Bellies in Bloom" that focuses on holistic health care, pregnancy, and natural childbirth. Recently she posted a series chronicling her personal, heartbreaking experience with an ectopic pregnancy. She's been a massage therapist for several years and recently became a doula. (She lives in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area if you are interested these services!)

Right now she has a great giveaway on her blog for some cute cute handmade baby shoes or some beautiful earrings. Go check it out and leave her a comment to enter! You have until tomorrow...









(Stephanie -- if I get lucky in the drawing your new baby girl will have some adorable new shoes coming her way!)

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful 4th of July! The kids and I have celebrated (so far) at the Americana Festival in our little old downtown suburbia. John stayed home to work on his Master's class (he did not catch up during his recovery from surgery like he thought he would) (go figure) (I mean, would you?) so he stayed home. Boo.

So Peter cried the whole time.Okay, so it wasn't the whole time. And he was actually crying about his hat balloon with the dog on top. "I wanted a blue one!"

Waa-waa. Here's a quarter, go call someone who cares.

Just kidding. I really, truly didn't say that. And he really, truly got over it. Eventually. I mean, if his sister likes to wear the hat, it can't be all bad, eh?












And he discovered a wonderful new use for it as well. (Video's 26 seconds long.)

Really, could he be any more boy?

Conner was with us, too. Just not nearly so ready to pose for the camera. Gee, how strange for a 13yo to not want to pose for the camera.

He cheered up when he saw how large the sno cones were. And found out that he didn't have to pay for his.And now we're off to a BBQ with some friends. And we're late because I'm blogging. Aren't you so blessed. (Sorry, Tina!)

The lilies are a blooming.

Of course, Olivia was the first one to discover them. I was impressed that she only picked one.

I am itching to get outside, lay down more mulch and pick some weeds that have had their way with my yard. The temperatures have plummeted and it is downright (relatively) chilly out there. Excellent coffee-drinking weather, excellent getting-stuff-done-around-the-house weather.

Except I have an assignment that urgently needs editing, and finishing. Well, finishing, really. Because you can't edit what you haven't written. Although at this point I'm just ready to send it in and let the red ink have at it already.

What was I thinking signing up for a writing course? I'll say one thing: it's been good for the blogging. You're reading procrastination in action, right here in black and white.

And all those other colors on the page. You know what I mean.

In other news, John is doing much better. Having nose surgery wasn't enough for him so he decided to go ahead and get a cold to go with it. But he went in for his follow-up today and got acquainted with some much-needed relief when the doc pulled out the, um, oh blech I will spare you the details. Let's just say it reminded me of a House episode when this little kid keeps coming in because he sticks little toys up his nose? And just when you think there can't possibly be any more up there Dr. House pulls out something else? Yea. Kind of like that. Only not so fun.

On a sort of related note, John is in the process of changing offices. He actually exited his last office right before his surgery over a week ago, dumped his stuff off in a corner of his new place down the hall (and up a floor or two) because they didn't even have a desk ready for him yet, and hasn't been back since. And no one seems to have missed him, or to be at all concerned when he might next show up.

So we're thinking... What if he didn't? What if he just never went back? When would they finally notice? (If they ever did?)

"It looks like you've been missing a lot of work lately..."
"I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob."

Go ahead, name that movie. I'll give you a hint: it has "Office" in the title.

Models and Masters and a Nose Job, too.

John spent months and months weeks and weeks building a model airplane for a guy's retirement at the base. Have I ever mentioned that John can be a bit, er, um, meticulous? Heh-heh. You have no idea. Model building suits him perfectly.

And he's very good at it. Not that I have any idea what I'm talking about. But you don't have to take my word for it -- take a look for yourself.The recipient could not believe his good fortune, thanking him profusely, telling him it's the best going-away gift he's ever gotten, and my personal favorite -- even told him to thank his wife, he wants to bring me flowers.Because he totally gets the amount of time and effort that goes into creating these models with such perfect detail. I truly was a Model Widow for quite some time.

Immediately after finishing the model, John segued into working on his Master's again. He's officially decided to pursue his advanced degree in Military History -- right up his alley. He already knows everything there is to know about WWII anyway; might as well get a piece of paper to prove it.

I hadn't become a Master's Widow for very long, though, before it was time for John's surgery: his long-overdue rhinoplasty. Poor guy.If he thought he couldn't breath before, he's really suffering now. Of course, we're banking on this all being worth it. I've officially been a Nose Job Widow for three days now, but I certainly wouldn't claim I don't have the better end of the deal.

He was making me hot just looking at him.

So I finally cut his hair.Admit it. When you read the title, this little guy wasn't exactly the picture you had in mind, was he?
But speaking of hot daddy's, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, HONEY!

Don't expect this little I-just-need-one-more-thing Night Owl to get up and make you breakfast in bed anytime soon. Sleepy bum. (She comes by it honestly, eh?)
(But she's always good for a card.)