Too Much Fun in the Sun

Today was a not so fun day. I had to have a significant portion of my low back dug out by my dermatologist! (Booooooo!) I had a biopsy of a spot that changed during my pregnancy, and that spot turned out to be "pre-melonoma." (Boooooooo!) She had to take out the entire spot and clear the margins around it. This is my second appointment with Dr. Roberts in two weeks, and I have 2 more to come. (Boooooo!)

So, what have I taken from all of this? Being a lifeguard for 6 years was not in my best interest! I spent so many years of my life trying to have the perfect tan, and now for the past few years I have been on the hunt for the perfect sunscreen to prevent it. I have never been able to find a daily moisturizer that also has sunscreen that doesn't make me smell like sunscreen....until now! Dr. Roberts has skin very similar to my own, and she too has been on the same hunt for years. She see's every new sunscreen, moisturizer, combo, etc out there, and she recommended Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer.

After using this the past few weeks, I am thrilled with it. No greasy residue, no breakouts, and I know that I am finally protected from the one thing that is impossible to hide from-the sun! Best of all, it is not insanely expensive, and you can buy it anywhere. So, for all of you that go outside at all-don't forget to put on your sunscreen!

Learning not to hit

After reading the title of this entry, one would think that it is about a little kid learning that hitting is not nice-but...it's not. It is about me learning not to hit. (Don't worry this is a funny story-not a bad one.)

I think that most kids go through a phase when they either hit or bite. Some kids hit, and some kids bite. I was a hitter. I have very vivid memories of being 3 years old being put in time out because I would hit to get whatever I was after. It was an effective way of getting the job done but not very nice.

Every year or so, Rob and I have some weird event involving me being half asleep doing something random. Two nights ago, Rob woke up with me sitting up in bed, and he thought I was awake. Then I turned toward him, and I hit him square on his back side and yelled-"Go Away!" I woke up as soon as I did it, and realized that I just hit my husband. I immediately appologized, and we both rolled back over and fell back asleep. Rob was to tired to say anything, and that was the end of it.

I woke up to Rob laughing the next morning after he remembered what I did. I thought it was a weird dream...but no-I hit my husband in the middle of the night. I always have dreams that someone is trying to get me when I am particularly stressed. (Work is insane right now, and Rob is having his gallbladder removed this Friday. I am a ticking time bomb right now with my stress level.)

A couple years back when we were still in Vegas, and my job was crazy stressful-I woke Rob up in the middle of the night telling him that someone was in the basement with a gun. He woke up in a hurry-jumped out of bed-and then realized that we did not have a basement, and I was sleep talking. Poor Rob was up half the night after that because of the amount of adrenaline he had running through his system. We still laugh about it to this day.

I think that I need to find a more constructive outlet for my stress. Waking up my husband in the middle of the night with physical abuse or mental stress is not a good way of dealing with it. He is a pretty good sport about it though.

On a happier note...While I was watering one of my flower beds I found a nest of baby bunnies! You could miss it easily with the naked eye, but when I got them with the water-they all started to cry. I originally thought it was a rat's nest (I know...gross), but after the pest man took one look-he let me know that fortunately they were cute little bunnies. The mom built quite an elaborate nest for them. If I can just figure out how to keep my dogs away from them. The girls know they are in there and are OBSESSING over them.

I even put down my petunias, which I have in hanging baskets because the bunnies always eat them. I will gladly sacrifice my petunia's for the bunnies mom, and they work as a barrier to keep the dogs out. You can see Sophie trying to scheme to get past it all.

You can see a close up of the babies ...The mom has done a good job camouflaging them in all of my rose clippings and the leaves.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

In case I have not told you, I am a medical device product rep for a company, and I spend a lot of my time traveling on the road. I am responsible of Fort Worth, West Texas, and half of New Mexico. (I know you are all envious of the geography I get to travel to. Some say it is the most beautiful in the country if you like tumble weed, cactus, oil wells, and wind.)

However, this morning I left my house early for a surgery about an hour away in a small town off the beaten path. I was driving as the sun was coming up enjoying my travel mug full of Caroline's Coffee (that's right-we have our coffee beans shipped from Grass Valley. It's cheaper than Starbucks-and I like to support small businesses), and I couldn't help but smile at what I was looking at.

BLUE BONNETS!

They are the official state flower of Texas, and are the most incredible sight to see when they literally cover the vast plains as far as the eye can see. When blue bonnets start to bloom they remind me of 2 things. First is how I plan to embarrass my own children in the way my parents did to me by pulling over on the side of a busy road to take pictures in the flowers. It was horrifying in junior high. Second, it means that I can officially start planting my own flower beds. When the pretty blue flowers show their little blue faces, it means that enough rain has fallen and the night time temperatures are warm enough to plant my beds.

In the same way that Andrea sometimes sits in bed at night thinking about her next creative project, I too sit awake at night planning out my next flower bed. Part of the reason we bought the house we are in is the massive back yard. It is a clean slate. Every year I add another bed, and one day it will be our own little oasis in this Texas heat. I already invested in a massive umbrella for E to play under while I did in the dirt for many hours. Hooray for Blue Bonnets!

ELMO!

Let's see if this works! Here is my little man grooving to Elmo. Who knew he would have such good moves?!?

Happy Birthday Rob!

Happy Birthday Rob! (This is no joke-he is an April Fools baby!) Today my husband of almost 7 years is turning 1 year older. This past year has proven to be one of constant change for us. While I have resisted some of the changes, he has yet again shown me how to push forward.

He lost his job this past year, and yet he is bravely pursuing a new career as a fire fighter. While it takes most people at least 2 years to do all of the Fire/EMT/Paramedic training and certifications, it will only take Rob 12 months. He diligently sits in our office every day studying on his own for hours on end. I could never do what he is doing. I don't have the discipline or the attention span to do it!

We added Everett to our family, and I have never had more fun with Rob. I took this picture when he didn't know he was being photographed. It is a great shot of Rob having a sweet moment with his little man. Who knew parenting would be so hilarious? Rob still dry heaves when E has a particularly smelly bum. While it grouses him out, I can't help but laugh. Everett makes Rob skeptical look-which I love. It especially cracks me up when they make the face at the same time with out even realizing it. One of these times, I will catch it on film.

I love Rob's sense of humor. He makes me laugh harder than anyone I know. My favorite time of the day is when we both crawl into bed at night and discuss the "happenings" of the day. He asks the right questions and listens intently. Inevitably, as I am fretting over something not important-Rob makes light of my situation, and I end up laughing until I cry-which is a great way to end any day.

I love you Rob! Thank you for moving forward even when I don't want too, and thank you for being such a great dad to our little E. You are the best!