so....

everything is going along about as well as we expected.  there are strange things happening in our relationship, distances growing and such, but so far, we are both handling them pretty well.  there has been an unusually large amount of external stresses lately (for about two weeks) that we have had to deal with.  however, nothing insurmountable has cropped up, so it is just a matter of endurance for us now.  the kids are astounding as usual.  jewel talked more during our last trip to the grocery store than i have ever heard from her in any other day.  she started talking to me when i was lifting her out of her seat and didn't stop until we were back at home.  i think that she only stopped then because her brothers interrupted her.  she described everything we passed and asked a million questions (both slight exaggerations).  i couldn't stop laughing at her.  trevor insists on running part of any run that he is a party to.  i try to run when trent is home so that i can finish, and sometimes just give in and run again later.  the best part is that i am getting back into shape faster, because of the kids.  even taylor has been participating by some running, some elliptical training, and especially push ups and sit ups with me.  he has gotten me to do them every night, which is appreciated.   trent is constantly bragging because he burns so many more calories on the elliptical than i do running, but when i get to do longer runs he doesn't beat me by much.  i am trying a program that will have me running a 5K in 12 weeks, but i am already ahead of the program, so... we'll see, maybe i will run farther.  i doubt it, i will have to find something that involves more strenuous strength training.  i am trying to get a stronger kick and punch now, and i have never tried to build strength in that way before, so i am not sure how i will proceed.  but, i know i will complete that program at the very least.  hopefully, i will be nearer my goal weight by the time i get there.  oh, and school is not going super duper, but it is still going good.  i am afraid that i may not be able to get an A in my math class.  i know i know how to do all of the math, but this teacher gives some tricky tests and (for a few reasons) i have not gotten my brain in line with that yet.  i am getting there, and we are starting the trig. stuff soon, maybe if i can get A's on all the tests and if i did better than i think i did on the last test,... i think it would, at this point, just be healthier if i force myself to let it go and convince myself that a b will be enough.  i mean, i can still get a's in my other classes, if i just relax about it.  deep breath, let it out slow, "a b will be just fine".  i don't think i will ever accept that!  anyway, everything is groovy and getting better. 

llife....

I am growing more and more disappointed with the blog.  Since the beginning of this semester, I haven't been capturing nearly as much of the chatter as I would like.  Jewel is talking so much, and although she still uses a lot more baby talk than the boys did at this age, the ideas that she is able to express are amazing.  This morning she said, "No, mom, the cereal is all gone."  She didn't want to eat cereal, she is so funny.  Now she is asking me to "Get the bee out of my nose, can you get the bee out of my nose..."  Her favorite thing to say is "I love that..." whatever it is ("my tinkerbell", "my pink/blue/purple/lellow/or whatever color, my baby, my ..." are the most common and she uses color to describe everything she can't name).  The boys are doing new things too.  Taylor remembered how to do a one leg takedown (3 years after his last lesson) and he completed two entire sections from the Algebra I review book (college algebra) by himself.  He is 25 lectures into the Astronomy course by Alex Fillipenko and completed the course on the Oddessey just out of curiosity.  Trevor is just hilarious 24/7, which is nothing new.  His lastest excuse for getting out of bed after bedtime was to ask Dad, "How does the little a go?"  Trent said, "A circle with a line down the side, now get back in bed."  The funny part is, Trevor said, "OK" and went back to bed.  He is constantly figuring out things that we are surprised by, but no examples come to mind right now.  Taylor is always amazed by the stories that Trevor makes up (about dragons, heroes, and robots, well everything really).  I tried to tell Taylor that he did the same thing at that age and that he was sometimes surrounded by adults who were listening to those stories in amazement, but he seemed doubtful.  Funny, because he writes stories constantly and invents games to go with those stories.  Tripp, Taylor's music teacher (for the last 7 years or so) has been playing a continuous game with Taylor for at least the last 5 years at the end of every lesson.  Trent just reminded me that we call Trevor, "Taylor junior" sometimes, because of the things he does.  So true, they are very similar, but still different.   So, that makes me feel a little better, now I have to get to work again.  :)

trash factory and the trouble with libraries...

our house became a trash factory this weekend.  i am still finding things that need to be recycled or chucked.  the guilt is very deep.  but, it is beginning to look more and more the way I imagined it when we moved in.  i will probably be working on it for another month at least.  i moved all of the bookshelves out of the library and into the classroom, so i had to move all of the furniture out of the classroom.  (trent had to work, of course) obviously that is a simplified summary of what went down, but all in all it was a little exercise and kind of fun.  aside from time, the only problem is that it was the library.  books are distracting to all of us, so moving them gets dragged out by our curiosity.  so, the redecorating is in progress, the superbowl is over (thankfully early, so trent could get some sleep), everyone is sleeping, and i am back to study land.  i am working ahead in all my classes now, and that makes me very happy.  i did get all the electronic "essentials" up and running again. i was also able to run a few times and even once with a weighted vest, and trent let me practice grappling with him, ha ha.  so, this weekend was very productive.  now, i will enjoy the quiet for a few hours and breathe deeply before my week begins.  (as if it ended...) 

alrighty then...

My best mile on my first run with a means of measuring time and distance was 10min25sec.  Not bad, I was never very fast when I ran.  And if you also consider that I was pushing 90 lbs of preschooler in the stroller and the tires needed more air, it's not so bad.  I suppose I have to "start" somewhere.  Besides having a way to track my running goals now, I have also gotten my homework/study situation resolved.  As long as I stay on top of it things should go smoothly and I should be able to stay ahead of it. Oh, I managed to squeak a B on the Spanish test, so I wasn't too upset.  I also have 3 of seven bookcases put together and two desks assembled, so I should have a considerable amount of the redecorating situation accomplished by the end of the weekend.  This is, technically, the furniture that is for my apartment one day.  I don't think Trent will need all the bookcases when I take all my books with me, ha ha.  He said something about a pool table....classic.  I will be over to use it, ha ha.  The kids are great, the little two ran about a half mile with me toward the end of my run, because they just couldn't sit the whole time.  Trevor said it was his turn to run!  Taylor learned some Brazilian beat (i forget the name) today on the drums, and was pretty proud of it.  Trent is, at this moment, finishing up in the rain, at the farm.  He has been working a lot, but did get a day or so of rain to take a break.  So, all is well, as usual.

Trevor.....

sunday, funny sunday....

This is how Jewel was watching TV...

This is how the glory of being captured on "film" must be shared...

And, this is how Taylor loves Mom, by saying, "You haven't been in a picture in a long time."

guitar lessons

Trevor is not quite ready for guitar lessons, but I think he thinks that Uncle John is supposed to provide those lessons.  In the van today, Life In the Fast Lane was playing and I was singing along.  Trevor was singing along too, but only on the title line.  I asked, "Trevor, what instrument is that?"  He said, "Ummm....guitar."  "Right, do you want to learn to play your white guitar from Taylor when we get home?"  "Uh, no, because that is a different kind of guitar."  "What do you mean?"  "That is a electric guitar, like I have at Aunt Jennifer's house, you know, the flame guitar, like bubba has."  Yeah, so, I am not sure how my brother-in-law will feel about knowing that Trevor has claimed his guitar, but I am sure that he has already started teaching Trevor to play. 

holy moly...

wow, that was bad.  my first spanish test (first test, actually) for this semester did not go well.  i will be lucky to get a b.  i feel like crapola.  i have so much to catch up on this weekend, because i didn't get enough finished last weekend.  i really shouldn't say that, because i have been doing a lot, just not enough of what i had to do was school related.  i will definitely have to push hard and get caught up this weekend at all costs.  of course, i could change the priority of the things that need to be done to focus on schoo; but there are some really (in my eyes) vital things that need attention, even more than school.  i am also getting a little cold and the kids are all not quite well yet, too.  so, everyone is tired including dad.  i have to admit, i have cried a few times this week just from the exhaustion, disappointment, and stress.  but, crying is nothing new in my life and i am sure that one good run or a nice workout will cure me of it.  hopefully we can get the mat to the school for the new MMA club.  some guys are trying to start it at my school, and we don't have mats yet.  there are several guys with enough experience to teach me things and the president is an instructor in several styles of fighting, so it looks to be super fun.  the club will allow me to combine my downtime at school with a workout, so i am really excited about that.  also, i am putting some effort into finding someone to grapple with trent.  i think he will really enjoy being able to get back at it with someone his own size.  the club is coming together, but not yet official with the school, so we will see.  so with the bad comes a little good.  other than spanish, my classes range from easy to super easy, so i should have no trouble recovering from this slow, disorganized start.  still, i am pretty disappointed that i didn't get it fixed before this test.  if it would have been a test in any of my other classes it would have been no problem, alas such is life.  so now, back to mine. 

just a little bummed...

I am trying to remind myself to look at the bright side, and in reality, my life is very bright.  But, there is some stress and sadness that leaks through some days.  We had a great time with friends last night, but for me, the knowledge that my relationship is changing so dramatically is bringing the pleasure down a notch.  And, combined with the stress of trying to finish homework, clean house, and play with my kids, all in the same, always too short weekend is turning out to be a bummer.  But, the kids keep me laughing (mostly) and I don't have a lot of homework (and none of it is difficult), and the house isn't too messy, so.... I will now shut my face, stop whining, and get back to it, and with a smile...

am i so beautiful?...