TERRIBLE TONSILS

My big boy is, finally, minus his terrible tonsils and annoying adenoids that have caused him to be way too sick over the past few years. I was so tired of entire weeks of illness and chronic pain and countless medications that did not work anymore. i am not kidding when I say that there were times that my poor boy was sick for 3 weeks straight from these horrible tonsils. It has been going on for 4 years now... I don't know how he managed it, but even with all the days he was absent from being so darn sick, my little man still managed to get straight A's every year, for all four quarters!

Jax has been counting down the days to his surgery. He was so excited to finally be able to breathe normally and to not have to worry about getting strep throat or tonsillitis every month. That was, until last night. It finally dawned on him that surgery just might be a scary thing and he started to get the jitters.

I hardly slept at all last night and I know Jax only slept a few hours. I guess that worked out to his advantage in the beginning... but then the doctor was running about 2 hours behind schedule and my boy started to get hungry. That is always a huge ordeal with my big 9 year old baby boy.

At 10:30 a.m. they finally took my baby back for his surgery. I was fine until Tommy left me in the waiting room to run to Starbucks. It was then that I realized how agonizingly hard it must have been for my parents and Tommy and the rest of our family, when I had my wreck. I only had 34 minutes of waiting. They had 31 days. I was a basket case by the time the nurse walked us back to recovery.

In typical Jensen fashion, Jax had an adverse reaction to the anesthesia. He woke up swinging at the nurses and had to be sedated, twice. There is no denying he is mine and Tommy's boy!

The nurse's and doctor thought it odd that both Jax and I were eager to see the tonsils. Jax re-thought that one after his surgery, when he was so out of it he couldn't speak. The doctor told us that they were pretty large and it was good to get them out so Jax could get back to being a healthy soccer player.

I am just so glad he is home safe and sound. He was so sick on the way home that all he wanted to do was rest. Not even ice-cream could grab his attention for more than 5 minutes. Thankfully he should be back to his wonderful self in time for Sea World and the beach next month!

On another note... we finished the night off in typical crazy day Jensen chaos mode. Brinkley wanted desperately for her ginormous cat, Spike, to come and lay with us while we had movie night on the family room floor. Somehow she slipped, with her 30+ pound feline phenom, in her arms, and fell straight onto her back while tumbling down the stairs. So, to add to an already crazy busy day, Daddy finished it all up by adding the proverbial cherry to the sundae, by spending the last few hours of the night in the emergency room, with Binky, and her severely bruised little back!

~Another "BEST DAY" Ever~

At the rate we are going, according to Pudgie, we will never have a bad day, ever. It seems like every single day is somehow becoming the Best Day EVER, for him, and for the rest of our family, as well!!

Last week I was chatting with my neighbor about surprising the crumb-snatchers with a trip to Big Surf. We go every summer, but normally, it is for my birthday and our last big event of the summer before the munchies go back to school. They look forward to it all summer but this year was my year to change things up a little bit.

Jax is having surgery on Friday and I wanted to have a day of fun for him with enough days in between so that he is well rested. When I told the kids we were hitting Big Surf they were thrilled. Shocked, but thrilled. Kelly and the girls joined us, which is now a summer tradition for us, along with Ruth and Gregory. We had the most relaxing and fun day. Jessie took control of Pudgie for me and followed him from pool to pool so I could actually sit and have a conversation without someone tugging on my swimsuit until it nearly fell off. (that came more towards the end of the day) This year, was by far, the longest time we have spent at the water park. We were there for the opening of the gates and for the last wave of the afternoon. It was awesome. I even gave into my own fears about my scars and sported a bikini, without a long sleeved shirt on, to cover it right back up. Thank you Jax and Binky for telling me that Mommy looks tough with all her scars. (I think that is a round-a-bout-kind-of-sort-of compliment????)

It was definitely one of our best days ever. The only thing that would have made it absolutely perfect would have been for Daddy to be there with us!

WHIZZING BY.....

Suffice to say, our summer is whizzing by a little too fast for any of us to catch our breath. It seems like every single day we are going some where, exploring some thing, having some one over or visiting some place and it is never ending.

We have been doing so much in the past two weeks I have to lump it all together for the sake of my own sanity just to remember how fast my kids are growing up.

In the past few weeks both Tommy and I have noticed a huge change in Jax. He is taking responsibility for almost everything (even when he is not doing something wrong, he claims it, so Justice won't get into trouble), Brinkley is still our little spit fire but working hard at "owning it" as I remind her regularly to do, and Justice, well, Justice is our big baby and I can't help that I do just that..... baby him.

So, needless to say, in the past few weeks we have had tons of swimming time, unbelievably good dentist visits, an incredible tooth fairy visit, four days (which we learned quickly was one too many days) of cousin time at our house, girl time at the nail spa, girl time photo shoots, park fun, crossfitting in the park fun, too many nights of saying good-bye to daddy, Daddy's day breakfasts and dinners, random play time outside and finally, Pudgie learning how to cook shrimp and vegetables with, "real fire," as he calls it.

We are learning to enjoy every second of our summer because as my Pudgie man keeps saying, everyday, "THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!! EVAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"

And I have to agree!


I HAVE TO ADD... I OWE JAX A HUGE THANK YOU. THE PREVIOUS POST ABOUT HIM LEAVING OUR FREEZER DOOR OPEN WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. ONCE I HAD CLEANED IT AND SANITIZED IT WITH HIM, I LEFT THE DOOR SHUT FOR 5 DAYS, WITHOUT OPENING IT, JUST TO MAKE SURE IT WAS COLD ENOUGH TO START RE-PURCHASING FOOD. JAX IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE ALARM WOULD NOT GO OFF, EVEN AFTER THE 5 DAYS. NOW REMEMBER, TOMMY AND I WERE NEVER REALLY MAD ABOUT THE WHOLE THING, JUST MORE OR LESS FRUSTRATED AT THE FACT THAT WE KEEP TELLING OUR KIDS TO STAY OUT OF THE FREEZER UNLESS WE KNOW THEY ARE GETTING IN THERE....

ANYWAY, I CALLED OUT A SERVICE TECH WHO DIAGNOSED A LEAK AND BREAK IN THE COMPRESSOR. I COULD NOT FIND MY RECEIPT TO SAVE MY LIFE, THAT IS, UNTIL I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE PHONE WITH THE WARRANTY COMPANY WHO VERIFIED THAT I HAD A 4 YEAR WARRANTY ON THIS BABY AND... THAT IS THE BIG AND THEY WOULD BE REIMBURSING ME FOR MY DESTROYED FOOD. AFTER THE SECOND TECH CAME OUT, HE EXPLAINED THAT THE REPAIR COSTS WILL MOST LIKELY EXCEED 75% OF THE VALUE OF THE FREEZER SO I WILL ALSO BE GETTING A NEW FREEZER! THANK YOU JAX. YOU ARE THE BEST!

SPOT IT...

So, how well do you know me? This is my freezer in my garage. Isn't she beautiful? She was a gift!! (over a year and a half ago) She holds tons and tons of wonderful goodies for my wonderful little family. Salmon is a biggie in here, chicken breasts and of course the kids faves .... sorbets from Costco (ok...they are my fave but whatever)

We cleaned her today. Spic and Span... bleach and all.
Can anyone guess what is wrong with this picture?
*HINT* Most of you know I am a coupon sense freak and....if I could post my own head nearly exploding, I would!!!

My lovely garbage can is full and this has to still find a home...

because from top to bottom... this is what the garbage can looks like. WELCOME SUMMER... WITH NO POPSICLES, ICE CREAM SANDWICHES OR OTTER POPS NOW!

Now for anyone cringing at all the food that looks like it is being wasted. I thought of salvaging anything I could... The freezer door has been open at least 2 days and the raw meat liquid had seeped into everything.

And, I think I may start drinking now BECAUSE THERE IS REALLY NO USE CRYING OVER $1000.00+ WORTH OF DEFROSTED, RUINED FOOD ... RIGHT??

NOTE TO SELF: FROM NOW ON STORE MEATS AND FROZEN LIQUIDS ON BOTTOM OF FREEZER AND BREADS AND BOXES OF CRACKERS ON THE TOP..... AND LOCK THE FREEZER!!!! DADDY-TAKE A DEEP BREATH BEFORE YOU COME DOWNSTAIRS AND JUST KNOW THAT PUNSHMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN SET FOR THE CHILD THAT DID THIS. NO MORE YELLING OR HEAD EXPLODING TODAY. WE NEED AT LEAST ONE PARENT THAT IS NOT IN A STATE OF ROTTEN GARBAGE HAZE!!

RANDOM KARMA

I WAS LISTENING TO KISS FM THIS MORNING, ON THE WAY UP TO NORTH SCOTTSDALE TO DO AN ERRAND... AND THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION WAS.....

"RANDOM THOUGHTS. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING RIGHT AT THIS MINUTE?"

THE ANSWER THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION (BECAUSE IT WAS SOOO ME..) WAS A GUY THAT WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION (MOST LIKELY ONE-SIDED) WITH A GUY THAT WOULD NOT SHUT UP. THIS MAN WAS THINKING THE ENTIRE TIME...

"I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I JUST PUNCHED HIM IN THE FACE?"

I KNOW, VIOLENT, BUT SERIOUSLY, I THINK EVERYONE HAS FELT THIS AT TIMES WHETHER YOU WANT TO ADMIT IT OR NOT. I WAS LAUGHING SO HARD WHEN THIS GUY WAS EXPLAINING THIS FEELING BECAUSE IT TOOK ME BACK TO A TIME THAT I WAS ON A CALL WITH ONE OF THE GUYS TOMMY WENT TO THE ACADEMY WITH. I WAS LITERALLY GETTING THE RIOT ACT READ TO ME BY SOME LOW LIFE IN SOUTH SCOTTSDALE (I WAS BEING A GOOD LISTENER... NOT INTERRUPTING THIS PSYCHO WHO WAS IRATE FOR NO REAL REASON) WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THERE WAS A BREAK IN HIS SENTENCE AND MIKE SAYS, "WATER IS WET, GRASS IS GREEN, CONCRETE IS HARD." I LOOKED AT HIM IN A STUNNED SILENCE, BACK TO MY PSYCHO FRIEND WHO WAS IN A CONFUSED STATE OF SILENCE NOW, BACK TO MIKE, AND THEN THE FIGHT WAS ON. OUR FRIEND WAS OFFENDED. HE SLEPT IN A CELL THAT DAY. I WANTED TO PUNCH THAT MAN SO HARD, SINCE SHOOTING HIM WAS NOT SOMETHING EVEN I COULD JUSTIFY AT THAT POINT.

BACK TO THE PRESENT.

NOT 45 MINUTES PRIOR TO LISTENING TO THIS RADIO SHOW I HAD THE EXACT SAME FEELING AFTER LISTENING TO A PHONE CALL ON MY WAY TO THE GYM. THE PERSON I WOULD LOVE TO KNOCK THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF WAS NO WHERE CLOSE, AND WAS NOT ON THE PHONE WITH ME... BUT KARMA IS ALWAYS PRESENT AND I KNOW THAT IT WILL SEEP THROUGH THE CRACKS OF THIS SCUMBAG LOW LIFE'S LITTLE WORLD THEY HAVE CREATED AND EVEN THE, "PROVERBIAL," SCORE.

THIS TOTALLY MADE ME THINK BACK TO THE ONE THING MY MOM ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT HER MOTHER WOULD REPEAT.... OVER AND OVER TO HER, THROUGHOUT MY MOM'S LIFE.......

ONCE YOU LIE, THEN YOU CHEAT, THEN YOU STEAL, THEN YOU ARE WORTH NOTHING.

NOW I KNOW THAT GOES AGAINST WHAT GOD TEACHES US ABOUT ALL HIS CHILDREN BEING OF VALUE, PER SE... BUT SERIOUSLY, IF YOU ARE NOT TRUST-ABLE, YOU ARE NOT HONEST AND CAN'T HOLD TIGHT TO A COMMITMENT YOU MAKE AND THEN YOU TAKE THAT WHICH IS NOT YOURS....ISN'T KARMA GONNA BITE YOU IN THE ASS AND GET EVEN? KINDA LIKE EVENING THE SCORE? MAKING THE OLD SAYING, "YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE, IN THE END," SO MUCH MORE...SAY...WORTHWHILE, TO THOSE OF US THAT HAVE WATCHED CERTAIN BAD PEOPLE SKATE THROUGH LIFE? HMMMM..

I BELIEVE IN KARMA. KARMA IS GOOD. I THINK OF IT AS A CONSCIOUS FOR THOSE WITHOUT THEM. NO MATTER HOW BAD A PERSON IS, I BELIEVE THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE DEEP DARK MINUSCULE CORNERS OF THEIR PEA SIZED BRAIN THE LITTLE VOICE STILL QUESTIONS THEIR INTENTIONS AND PULLS AT THEIR SOUL, EVEN IF JUST A LITTLE BIT. AND IF YOUR CONSCIOUS DOESN'T GET YOU.....

AND IF KARMA DOESN'T GET YOU, IS IT SO BAD IF PEOPLE, LIKE ME, (THE GRUDGE MASTER THAT HAS AN EXTREMELY VINDICTIVE SIDE AND A LOT OF FRIENDS IN PLACES THAT COULD REALLY MAKE SOMEONES EVERY DAY LIFE MISERABLE) MAKES IT HER MISSION TO BE THE, "KARMA," THAT GETS THEM?

JUST MY RANDOM THOUGHT FOR THE DAY.....................

Tommy said I am a buzz kill because of this post. He said our blog was so happy about our awesome trip to Jerome and then I go and post this. I think posting about the good, the bad and the ugly is part of everyday life. REALITY BABY!!! And... if this is so bad, imagine what it could be like if I wasn't smiling all day long, having an exceptionally brilliant day... seeing as that I was not in the urgent care with Pudgie or the emergency room with Jax. (YEAH WE HAVE STARTED OUR SUMMER OFF KINDA YUCKY BUT IT ONLY IS GETTING BETTER!!! I was laughing and singing Taylor Swift songs at the top of my lungs with Brinkley all morning having a blast.... while Pudgie screamed uncontrollably about Thomas trains. OUR Perfect day... and this was just a random thought I posted Tommy. Be thankful I don't post the thoughts I text you at work! Man, I love you babe!

(ONE)

GHOSTS, TREASURES AND TRAINS

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that a trip to Jerome would get my kids so excited about history, ghost hunting and treasure. When we told the kids we were taking them on a weekend getaway to Jerome, (Tommy had the sense to start bringing up the history of the town and the Jerome Grand Hotel where we would be staying) they could barely contain themselves Thursday morning and then on the trip up.


Suffice to say that the Yarnell road up the backside of Jerome is not my children's favorite road trip. To put it bluntly, Pudgie hated it and made it known the whole way up. "Daddddddyy Pudgieeee is scared. STOP NOW 1, 2, 3!" (I think he figured his counting would make it sound serious and daddy might just pull over) Once we got into Jerome my kids were speechless. The old buildings, the mountains that had been stripped and the hotel were just amazing to look at.


Once we actually got up the hill and into the hotel, the kids immediately started reading how the hotel was once the town hospital and that it is haunted. It was amazing. We stayed in rooms 33 and 31, which we later found out, are the most common for seeing and hearing spirits. We heard bumps and bangs throughout the night but no one actually talked to us and we didn't see anything out of the ordinary, unfortunately.


We spent our time shopping in the fun little stores, hunting for treasures that everyone could not live without and enjoying the days up in this little town that lives at a slower pace than most. Jax fell in love with all the rocks and gems while Binky, she just likes to shop and Pudgie man will take anything you are willing to buy for him.


On Friday night we took the Verde Canyon Railway train trip up through the Verde canyon. It was the first sunset trip of the season and it was amazing. We rode first class for 4 hours with yummy treats for us to enjoy, an outside open air car for us to sit and enjoy all the scenery and then to grow sleepy from all the fresh air. It was awe inspiring to see bald eagles soaring above us, the rapids of the river below us and to listen to the rails of the train lull us along. This was a trip that I will undoubtedly recommend to everyone. Young and old will fall madly in love with it. I think everyone was beyond exhausted after this excursion.


Saturday we packed up to head home, but not without stopping to visit the old ghost town and mine. It is more adult friendly except for all the animals the kids can pet and chase. Tommy and I enjoyed looking at all the old trucks and cars that they store up there. If anyone says they are hurting for money in those parts... they just need to sell one of those old cars that I am sure Barrett Jackson would love to get their hands on!!!


It was an amazingly fun few days together. I am not a history person at all but I absolutely loved learning about the town and the things that have happened there. I loved spending all this time together. It was just amazing watching my kids drink in the history and fall in love with architecture and a way of life, that used to be.


Here's to more summer excursions together!!!

Pudgie's First...

And most likely... not his last!

We had our first ever visit to Urgent Care with Justice today. Thankfully his little foot is not broken. Unfortunately they really can't say what is wrong except that he possibly has strained tendons and muscles and a bruised arch in his little foot.

I was mad at first, ranting that, I paid $50.00 for a doctor to say it was "possibly a strained this or pulled that".......but then Tommy put it into perspective when he said, "we paid the $50.00 to make sure his foot was not broken." Hopefully Pudgie will be able to walk on it tomorrow because I feel really guilty that I thought it was a blister and just kept changing his shoes and refused to carry him everywhere today!