Rain, Rain, go away!

It beginning to feel like the rain will never end! It's been raining for 4 months straight now and it's really hard sometimes. Last week we had a few sunny days, but they were cold, cold so I didn't really go outside. I love living in Portland most of the time, but constant rain makes a mess:
1. The floors are always dirty and muddy.
2. The leather couch is always dirty from the dog's dirty paws.
3. The dog jumps on us after being outside and we get muddy.
4. The cars are filthy from muddy shoes.
5. Our shoes are all muddy and cannot ever be worn in a house. When we go to home group, everyone takes off their shoes upon entering.
6. The worst problem is that the tub is filled with a couple inches of dirt because BB is bathing the dog's feet daily!

BB and I know Portland wouldn't be as beautiful without 8 months of rain so we put up with it, but I am already counting the weeks until the dry season starts (around 17-19 weeks).
P.S.- My dad is not doing very well. He is still in the ICU. Please keep him in your prayers.

Reason to Sing

On Monday morning, my dad had exploratory heart surgery and it didn't go well. He coded on the table and they found 3 blockages close to his heart. I immediately looked into airline tickets, but a flight to Cedar Rapids would cost me $1000 and I wouldn't arrive until after midnight! I wouldn't be able to see me dad and be out $1000. So my two sisters drove up there to see him before his triple by-pass surgery this morning. We were all very worried and my step-mom made me feel like a heel for not coming. But BB and I decided I would only fly up if the surgery today went badly.

Praise the Lord, it went well. I just found out he came through his surgery fine. He is going to have to make some lifestyle changes and take 4-6 weeks off work to keep being well though.

So this brought up a touchy subject with BB and I. I think he should watch what he eats a little better, but then he points out that I eat healthy and exercise everyday and I am more sickly than he is. It's true. I wish I could say that my healthy living helps me, but is genetics overruling the good I do for my body??? I hope not. Because BB has better immune system and genes, can he live anyway he wants and not end up like my dad at 67?? I hope so. I guess there is no clear cut formula for living a healthy long life, is there??

The Ugly Floor

BB finally got rid of what he called "the ugliest floor in the world". We paid a local contractor to put in a laminate floor in our living room and hallway. I must say it looks nicer and it's cleaner, and BB isn't complaining about how ugly it is anymore, but it's not perfect. The dog is having trouble finding places to lay down. And when we lay on the floor with the kids and roughhouse, it's not very comfortable. It's quite noisy too. I am waking up in the night when the dog walks around. I am disturbing BB in the mornings when I am doing my exercises so I now have to go out into the miserable cold, rain to exercise at 4:30 am.

So am I happy with the new floor, yes! Do I miss the old floor, a little!

New Years Resolution

I usually don't make resolutions. Most people don't ever keep them. They usually have to do with a lack of willpower in some aspect of your life. But I think it's a good idea to try to change one thing for the better. So I decided that I wasn't going to let the kids watch TV at night after work anymore. I just feel so guilty that they watch so much already. It's so easy to just turn it on, easy for me and it's what they want. But I feel like a horrible mom. BB says I shouldn't be so hung up on it, but I am.

So I have made it my New Years Resolution. They only thing I can't control is if BB comes home and watches Simpsons. But other than that, no TV. Then last night we had to go pick up a package from my sister at the post office. It was christmas presents for the kids. And guess what they both received?? Videos! So I felt like they should be able to watch them, since they were new presents. They would have cried forever if I didn't. I think that's a record for me though. I've never broken a new years resolution within 2 days before. I must get more backbone.