Failing at Boating

Since I, insanely, brought my parents boat home while the cabin was being remodeled, we have had the pleasure of being able to enjoy puttering around on our small lake out in Minitare.  Last fall we used it several times, but since we have had such a LONG winter we still hadn't been able to use the boat by mid-May.  I looked at a calender and realized with dance and baptism coming up we only had 1 weekend left to use the great "banana" boat before I headed back up to Canada and left the boat.  Only one problem: we couldn't get the boat to actually start.

Eric thought he had it all figured out.  We bought a battery charger, charged said battery, and headed up to the lake to enjoy...

 playing in the boat while Eric tried to get the still not running boat to work.

 Eventually I left to go get a new fuse for the motor while everyone stayed at the shore.  The fuse ended up needing to be replaced, but still didn't fix the problem.  Throwing our hands up in despair we decided to just enjoy the rest of the day from the shore.

 Livi made sandcastles, destroyed them, then reformed them from the rubble.

 She also loved the game of "throw the ball in any direction but at daddy so he has to run through the water to get it before it floats away." Always a classic.

Ella and Ethan kept trying to get as far away from shore as possible before we would notice.  When I showed up I shuddered thinking how far they had actually gotten before Eric noticed, since I seemed to be yelling at them to come back when they were up to their chins (this is why they have a mom and a dad).

 It was a pretty hot afternoon and even Tonks ended up voluntarily going in the water just to cool off...

Although once the clouds came she did get a little shivery.

Luckily Livi was more than happy to cuddle (squeeze) Tonks the whole way home.  When my dad came out the next weekend he figured out it was a totally different fuse that also needed to be changed.  At least the boat worked when I finally got it back up to it's home.

Upping The Ante, or COME VISIT US!!!

It was so great to have my mom here, but it was definitely over too quickly. Eric had his Young Professionals Academy of Lawyers Who Want to Do Other Things Good Too (or whatever it is really called) in Omaha so Mom offered to come out so I could go along. I jumped at the chance since he has gone every month since...well...it seems like forever, but I was sick of being left alone for 3 days every month with the kids. Only problem is that when your mom comes out for one week and you are gone for 3 of those days, the rest of the time you have with her goes by too quickly.

I didn't take any pictures in Omaha (although Eric took one of a guy he thinks looks like Ben from Parks and Rec, but I didn't think it was relevant to our trip so - executive decision - it's not going on the blog).

I did get a few pics from the time with my mom.
First off right as we were leaving, the moment we were headed out the door, I reached into the pantry just to grab a bag of chips to take to the school and knocked down our giant, brand new, container of gum balls. It was so horrible to watch all the sugary goodness run all over the floor and down my stairs, while the dog scurried everywhere trying to get them before I could sweep them up.

Ella threw up all over her room the first night Mom stayed with us. "Welcome to our home. Think James and Jes had the best trip ever? We'll see about that!!!" We were up until way past midnight trying to clean up the Exorcist looking mess, using a steam cleaner and a spot remover which were about as noisy as a lawn mower. Somehow Mom slept through it all, though.

The next morning Ella felt fine, but I could not in good conscience let her go to school a few hours after she had thrown up, so we did what every good mother does and took her and Livi down to Fort Collins to go shopping (mother-of-the-year here I come!!!)!

We also took a 1.5 hour long walk along the North Platte River which was beautiful, and the perfect temperature, but about 20 minutes too long. Our legs hurt, but we rejoiced and ate a doughnut to celebrate.

The night before Mom left she gave the lesson for Home Evening that she had brought with her. It was a wonderful lesson about love at home which the kids loved, but promptly forgot when we played Disney Trivial Pursuit and they screamed and argued the whole way through (on the bright side the girls are still undefeated).

Failing At Almost Everything

I made it one week with my New Years Resolution to not drink soda anymore, but then we had pizza. How can you eat pizza without root beer? You can't. So a big fail there.

I wanted to buy either a X-box with a kinnect sensor or an elliptical to get more exercise, but it turns out our dryer died so it's good I didn't rush into buying one of those. A big fail on that.

I wanted to get dressed every day. I know this sounds stupid, but when the only places I ever go are to drop off the kids at school and Walmart it is hard to get motivated to put on a blouse. On Thursday I put on a really cute dress with jeggings underneath because I was helping in Ella's class. The second I got home I took it all off and put on my "comfy" clothes (ie a t-shirt and velor sweat pants, because I'm just that fancy). It is pretty sad when you think jeggings are too restrictive that you have to take them off the second you get home.

I wanted to feel like I was accomplishing something, but I've been sick all but 4 days of the new year. Hard to feel like you are doing anything when mostly you sit on the couch, trying to breathe, drinking hot chocolate all day.

I wanted to be a more positive person, so here it goes. I am going to try to not fail on this last resolution:

Eric has to give up soda and basically everything yummy, plus exercise more, in order to lower some levels to qualify for our health insurance. On the bright side I should probably re-give up soda and exercise more with him. We can all work together to be healthier. (I may still have root beer with pizza, though. I'm not crazy!)

I bought a dance game for the Wii and we've had a lot of fun sweating and dancing as a family. The weather may warm up in the next couple of months and we can start walking more and riding bikes.

I did get dressed to go to Ella's class. I still get gussied up for Church. When I go out to places (and even Walmart sometimes) I try not to look like the pajama people. So on this bright side I'm still trying. Maybe next week I'll try a whole day with no sweats!

Today is actually one of the few days I feel ok. I danced with Ella and Eric. I'm going to work on the Tudor Home for my Christmas village, I'm posting on the blog. Maybe I'll go see a movie by myself. I WILL make dinner if it kills me. I will feel like I did something worthwhile. And if I don't...well on the bright side, there is always tomorrow.

And now for something to brighten your day. Ethan found "Darth Maul Yourself" on the Star Wars website and I thought these two turned out particularly well (Livi's was cute too but she cries every time she sees it).

It Can Only Get Better, Right? Or Failing, Nicole Style

The result of Livi "helping" me clean up dishes. I feel like it pretty much summed up this honestly, true story of my adventures yesterday.

Yesterday was one of those days. You know the kind, the kind where you sit back and watch it all happen and think "is this really happening?" Just one bad thing after another until you are sitting on a pile of "stuff" surveying the wreckage around you.

The day started off just right. I weighed myself on the scale and had gained 5 pounds in two days even though I have been watching what I eat. Nothing says "Good morning sunshine!" like 5 extra pounds you thought you had got rid of!

I then managed to drop my kids off late to school, the first time EVER. They made it in time for morning meeting but had to run to meet up with their lines that were already going in. Ella, being VERY conscientious of time, left the car with a screech and a moan.

Ella's wails and curses upon my head weighing heavily in my ears and the knowledge that I can't even diet correctly left me a little vulnerable. So when Livi declared from the back seat that she needed a doughnut I heartily agreed. We ran to the co-op, bought the biggest cream filled doughnut we could and I proceeded to stuff my face. Way to fail hard, Nicole.

Deciding to run some errands I went to Walmart to get deodorant (which I had run out of that morning, of course) and to see if Walmart had the USB device that is essential to make my brand new blue ray player work, but was not included in the package. It turns out that no, my Walmart does not carry it, and Oh, it's only $80 to get one online. Looking more closely, the blue ray player with built in wi-fi was only $50 more than the one I bought. Feeling a little dejected that I failed so miserably at purchasing a blue ray player that my husband had warned me we didn't need right now (yeah right, he should stay home with kids for 4 days with no spouse and no DVD player!), I left the check-out feeling like a miserable failure. Eric would never say "I told you so." but he does have a silence that seems to provoke the same emotion in me.
As I was leaving I noticed the Walmart greeter had set up the carts in a row, nicely waiting for people to grab one. I thought "Oh, I can be helpful and nice. I will put my cart in the row to help them out! Yea me!" Right as I placed the cart the greeter made a huffy noise and ran over to correct my cart placement.
Knowing I had failed to even put the cart back in its position correctly, which even elderly and special needs Walmart workers can manage, I left the store crying. Yes, actually crying. Which made me cry more, knowing I was crying for a ridiculous reason.

Putting my seat belt on, my phone rang, normally not a good thing that early in the morning. It turns out I had forgotten I had made a visiting teaching appointment and I needed to be there in all my splendid, snotty, glory in 20 minutes. Running home to let the dog out for a quick potty break I finally made it to the house 10 minutes late. Livi proceeded to literally jump off the furniture and yell at me about seating arrangements. Near the end of the visit I was left feeling a failure again since I do not have family prayer and scripture study 2 times a day like the two other ladies there.

Eric called right as I was leaving to ask if I wanted to go out to lunch at Culvers since he will be gone to Lincoln for 4 days, which was nice of him. I showed up in the worst mood possible after my wonderful morning, and proceeded to order a giant cheeseburger, large fry, and caffeinated drink, just to show my body I didn't care that it hated me.

The day followed the same vein with me not finding the shoes Ella wanted online, shortened nap times, doggy "presents" all over my carpet, missing ballet bags, alienating every living being I came into contact with, and me stuffing myself with sugary goodness until I was spent with crying, in pain with a stomach ache the likes of which I haven't had since the day after Halloween 21 years ago, and a killer headache. I finally decided to try and sleep because, heck, the next day couldn't be any worse, right?

Wish me luck!