tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79087843817616642752024-03-14T09:44:21.258-07:00Flip Flop RiderA day in the life of me. Jeans, tee-shirts, horses, flip-flops and all! Pictures of anything and everything, recipes from breakfast to dessert, and occasionally the amusing story.Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.comBlogger258125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-46584798869756926252014-01-25T09:18:00.001-08:002014-01-25T09:18:51.008-08:00Silly SaturdayFunny from today:<br />
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Setting: Daisy is in her high chair eating a doughnut while I'm doing her hair and we're watching Duck Dynasty. Jep comes on the screen.<br /><br />Daisy: That's Santa Claus!Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-60800792371539275542014-01-24T19:11:00.000-08:002014-01-24T19:11:17.449-08:00Funny FridayFunny things heard in our house tonight:<br />
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Setting: I'm singing All Aboard the Choo Choo Train (thank you Disney Jr) and Daisy is jumping up and down.<br />
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Daisy: I can't (unintelligible)<br />
Me: What?<br />
Daisy: I can't fly!<br />
Me: No. You can't. You don't have wings.<br />
Daisy: I know!<br />
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Setting: Daisy is running around with one of her babies in the stroller and a play phone in her hand. She runs past her toy chest and sees a small piece of cloth (she calls it a towel). She grabs it and moves to the floor.<br />
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Me: What are you cleaning?<br />
Daisy moves and reveals she has covered her phone with the cloth.<br />
Daisy: Phone is sleeping!<br />
<br />Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-31497377529354828392014-01-06T18:35:00.001-08:002014-01-06T18:35:55.283-08:00NYR: Ride My HorseDaisy's new year's resolution (NYR) to ride her horse. The first day of the new year we took Daisy riding on Yuma. Every single day since then she has asked to wear her boots and at least once or 100 times during the day asked, "Ride horses?" Apparently she's a fan. We've now ridden 3 out of the 6 days of the year, that's half the current year!<br />
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That way Mama, that way!</div>
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Mama: Are you having fun? Daisy: Yes!</div>
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This is what she does when we tell her to hold on. If she won't hold on to the saddle then the reins will have to do.</div>
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How are your new year's resolutions working out?</div>
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- FFR</div>
Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-82414823994511228102014-01-02T20:34:00.001-08:002014-01-02T20:34:26.783-08:00New Year's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is how we spent our New Year's Day. First day of 2014 and Daisy got to use her saddle for the first time. To say she loved it was an understatement. G-Ma and Roy came out to ride with us. G-Ma has a broken foot but she didn't let that stop her. In spite of all our reminders, Daisy really wanted to let go of the saddle and twist around at every opportunity. My little dare devil she is.</div>
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Her little legs don't reach the stirrups, even as high as possible so we pulled out an old trail guide trick and used the inner part of the stirrups to create stirrups.</div>
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Daisy is on Yuma, a third generation horse. He was my mom's then he became mine when I was a kid and now he's Daisy's. He probably won't be around for too much longer but he is around just long enough to give her a good positive start.</div>
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Apparently, Rocky is a very gentle horse when it comes to feeding This is good for our two-year old. She didn't much like the slimy lips though. Hopefully when she's older, Rocky will be Daisy's horse.<br />
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This picture makes me think she's going to fly off the bales in a karate type move.<br />
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Little feet, little boots, little girl. Way more than I ever dreamed.</div>
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- FFR</div>
Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-47830473565532269262013-10-26T23:00:00.000-07:002013-10-26T23:00:38.483-07:00There Will Be A DayWith the ups and downs of the last year, the struggles we've faced with Working Man's MS, the many visits in and out of the hospital or the emergency room, we've found it difficult to find hope and hold onto it. It's lead to a great many fights, arguments, and frustrations. Every once in awhile, this song comes on and it reminds me that things won't be this way forever. In words better than I could ever come up with, Jeremy Camp summarizes the only hope we can hold onto.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">I try to hold on to this world with everything I have </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth, </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">That there will be a place with no more suffering </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">But until that day, we'll hold on to you always </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">I know the journey seems so long </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">You feel you're walking on your own </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">But there has never been a step </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Where you've walked out all alone </span><br /><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Troubled soul don't lose your heart </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Cause joy and peace he brings </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">And the beauty that's in store </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Outweighs the hurt of life's sting </span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">I can't wait until that day where the very one I've lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I've faced</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery this is why this is why I sing</span></span><br />
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So until we reach this day, I play this to remind myself of what our future really holds. Not what short-sighted view I have from today.<br />
- FFRFlip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-71039420489703947322013-10-20T20:31:00.000-07:002013-10-20T20:31:39.384-07:00Mom's Third EyeEvery child of a decent parent believes their mom has an eye (or six) in the back of her head. Now that I've been a mom for almost two years and I've been the mom of a toddler for a year, I've had the chance to learn the truth behind the secret. My mother didn't have an extra pair of eyes in the back of her head, no mother does, as evidenced by the fact that I didn't suddenly grow an extra couple of eyes after giving birth. Instead, moms know that when things get quiet, their toddler is up to something.<br />
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When things get quiet, I know Daisy is into something. Based on where we are, I can also guess <i style="font-weight: bold;">what</i> she is into. It's understandable that when she gets older and I holler at her for getting into something when I'm in another room and haven't even looked, that she too will fall into the belief that her mom has eyes in the back of her head. At least, I hope that she does. It will mean I'm doing something right.<br />
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- FFRFlip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-38862731649320660042013-10-18T18:04:00.002-07:002013-10-18T18:04:41.512-07:00Roller CoasterYou know the feeling. Your heart speeds up, your extremities get cold, you have that feeling of dread/excitement in your gut as you start to wonder why on earth you've decided to do this. Then you reach the top, have the last moment of utter fear and you tumble down, around the curves, clicking and clacking all the way. Instead of happiness, though, it's adrenaline, fear, and a lot of questions. Thought I was talking about a real roller coaster? Rather, talking about the roller coaster that MS has been.<br />
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There's really only three options when dealing with a family member with multiple sclerosis.<br />
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1) Blind hope and denial. I find it hard to believe this is an option but it can be for some I suppose. Ignore that the disease exists and feel utter surprise (and not in a good way) every time a symptom rears its ugly head.<br />
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2) Believe the worst, always. This is a pretty crummy way to live. It sounds appealing because you're never surprised. You always wait for the other shoe to drop. If you think about it, disappointment is the result of hope not met. In this strategy, you would always be ready for something to happen. Thus, no surprise. Seems perfect right? Well, maybe in some ways but the reality behind living this way is that you are never ever pleasantly surprised because even when something good happens, you are going to be waiting for something bad. I lived this way for a long time. I found it very unpleasant. The loss of hope leads to despair and depression.<br />
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3) Live in the present, plan for the future. It's true that you will never know what's coming but you're not waiting with bated breath for something bad to happen. You are prepared with the knowledge of what's likely to happen or what may happen, but you're not pre-depressed with what might happen.<br />
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By no means is it easy to live with MS or be the family member of someone with MS. There's a certain sound of resignation I've heard in the voices of Working Man's parents and friends when I tell them he's in the hospital again. They're always worried about him, of course, but it's not the same level of panic as when it happened the first few times. Usually they wait for the explanation and the information about when he'll get to go home again. A few days here, a week or two there. The hospital is familiar and almost homely at this point. We recognize the nursing staff, ER doctors, and even the laboratory technicians.<br />
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We went awhile without being in the ER or the hospital and when I walked back in there this week, a lot of memories rushed back and I felt...relieved. The staff has him in great hands. Now if I could just keep the house from falling apart and the dogs from escaping the yard, I'll be in good standing too.Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-76768086427579004452013-10-13T07:44:00.000-07:002013-10-13T07:51:51.332-07:00Potty TrainingYesterday our little girl became a bigger little girl. At swim class she blew bubbles. She just decided she was going to. She also jumped, actually jumped, off Harry the Hippo (he floats in the pool and the kids walk/crawl from one end to the other and wait for the ok from mom or dad before jumping in to them). Not to mention she very clearly said, "bless you" when I sneezed in the car. Where is my baby?<br />
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When she woke from her morning nap she had a diaper that leaked. I decided that it was time to get serious about the potty. She kept apologizing and saying sorry and I felt bad. It's not her fault that we haven't taught her! So we decided to use the tactic Neti uses at day care with her kids. We take her to the potty every half hour whether she says something or not. If she says something then of course we take her sooner.<br />
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We knew it would be a rough day because we were at the Harley Dealership all afternoon but I set an alarm on my phone and we just made do. We had interrupted lunches and conversations but you know what? She peed in the potty twice! Then after we got home, she did it again just before bed. She got lots of praise each time and she seemed to like going. We're hoping it will continue this way but for now, at least we have a plan.<br />
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This morning she asked to go to the potty and she peed just a little. The fact that she asked is a big deal. Remaining time on the clock? One minute 50 seconds. Good job. High fives are her reward and she seems to love it!<br />
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Yesterday we went to Neti and Gary's house for pumpkin fun with their grand kids. Daisy had a blast with the other kids (they're all a few years older than her) and when the older kids finished bobbing for apples, she ate them. She got to roast her first marshmallow and eat her first s'more. She was more interested in the second half of her apple than the s'more. I'm a little proud of that.<br />
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22 months brings a lot of changes and growing up. It has brought plenty of independence and learning on all our parts to find the balance between what she wants to do and what is feasible for where we are and what we're doing. She's definitely very interested in feeding herself and that can be our biggest struggle. Some foods are just difficult for her to manage but others are simple. We went out to eat and she drank all of my miso soup from the bowl. Now that's an easy food!Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-44059227137499803182013-10-01T22:38:00.001-07:002013-10-01T22:38:12.387-07:00An Island I Am...NotA sales rep at work asked me a question that got me thinking. "How do you do it all?" She was referring to the two jobs I'm doing at work; not all the other little roles I have there, being a mother and wife, and going to school. I gave a simple answer. Sometimes it just works. But that's hardly the whole story.<br />
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Doing so much doesn't just "work". It doesn't fall into place, it's hard. So how do I do it? First and foremost is my husband of course for the emotional support. I couldn't ask for someone more supportive of everything I'm doing (or attempting).<br />
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When it comes to the "doing" all. The. Time. That would have to go to my in-laws. Forget the conjured images from Monster In Law or the hilarious yet embarrassing situations from Meet The Parents, my in-laws do more than anything I've ever expected.<br />
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They watch Duck when I'm at work or school. They also watch her while I'm trying to study or when I'm going to visit Working Man in the hospital. It doesn't get any more helpful than that. They hold the world outside of work together.<br />
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At work it's my boss who watches out. She knows when I've got too much, even when I don't know it.<br />
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So the reality is, "I" don't do it all. In the same way that no (wo)man is an island, I do not do it all. I have enormous amounts of help. While it's hard to take it sometimes, we all must be willing to accept help when it's needed and even more, we must be willing to ask.<br />
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-FFRFlip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-66433036106061397582013-09-29T21:01:00.001-07:002013-09-29T21:01:43.121-07:00One A MonthLet's get some pictures yes?<br />
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Born! (December 11)</div>
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1 Month (January 12)</div>
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2 Months (February 12)</div>
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3 Months (March 12)</div>
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4 Months (April 12)</div>
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5 Months (May 12)</div>
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6 Months (June 12)</div>
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7 Months (July 12)</div>
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8 Months (August 12)</div>
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9 Months (September 12)</div>
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10 Months (October 12)</div>
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11 Months (November 12)</div>
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12 Months (December 12)</div>
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13 Months (January 13)</div>
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14 Months (February 13)</div>
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15 Months (March 13)</div>
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16 Months (April 13)</div>
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17 Months (May 13)</div>
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18 Months (June 13)</div>
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19 Months (July 13)</div>
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20 Months (August 13)</div>
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21 Months (September 13)</div>
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What a difference nearly two years can make!</div>
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- FFR</div>
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Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-3650352298258854812013-09-16T11:51:00.000-07:002013-09-16T11:51:02.947-07:00Pluviophile<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">I can hardly believe it's the middle of September already. Where does the time go?! I am beginning to look for Christmas and birthday gifts for Daisy and am finding it difficult. What do you get the girl who has so much? It's time to clean out her toy buckets again. She accumulates toys at a faster rate than we can remove them. It's getting out of control. She wants for nothing that's for sure.</span><br />
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This year I want to start a new tradition. Working Man and his family always have appetizers for Christmas Eve dinner, opened all their present that night, and had prime rib for Christmas dinner. After Daisy was born I called for a change in tradition. I love the appetizers for dinner but wanted her to open only one present on Christmas Eve. This year I want to add something else. On Pinterest I had seen a pin of someone who did Christmas Eve baskets and in each were Christmas morning pajamas, a Christmas movie, and a move snack. The pinner stated everyone would change into their Christmas pjs, watch the movie and eat their snack. This just sounds like a great way to spend Christmas Eve.</div>
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I so look forward to Christmas because it means that it's cold and cloudy, my favorite. I found a word for this on Facebook, pluviophile. A person who loves rainy dreary days. Bring on the rain!</div>
Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-86944688075479923082013-09-07T23:01:00.000-07:002013-09-07T23:01:00.437-07:00Gone Too Soon<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Yesterday we laid a wonderful man to rest. I hardly knew Harold by comparison but I knew he was a good and dear friend to my husband. That's all I needed to know. When I heard he passed last Saturday I was sad for my husband but, otherwise, at peace. Walking into the church on Friday and seeing him there was my undoing. It only got harder as friends, family, co-workers and his church family spoke of the great man the world lost. Harold, we will see you on the other side. No doubt there. You're probably lighting up heaven with your wonderful humor.</span>Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-86564634373429608302013-09-02T20:47:00.002-07:002013-09-02T20:47:58.748-07:00Long Overdue<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">I can't believe the last time I wrote it was December. Time sure does fly. January improved over December but my husband still spent time in and out of the hospital and in the infusion clinics receiving steroids to help with his symptoms. Two different medications later, we've found one that works. Unfortunately, he still suffers from some symptoms that are not likely to go away.</span><br />
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Since Daisy's one year she has changed so much! She runs and talks in sentences. She makes herself very clear. She loves to be helpful and goes out to feed the animals every day, cleans up her toys, and tries to clean her tray after eating. She's not always the most successful but she tries.</div>
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This week, she's learned to use possessive terms. She identifies what is "Mama's", "Dada's", and the like. We also caught her singing. The first song she "sang" with was Shakira's "Loba". She has also become a fan of attempting to dress herself. She's good with shirts but not as good with pants. </div>
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Daisy still swims every week in her swim class and she's getting really good at it. We've added gymnastics to the mix and she's getting very good at that too. It's teaching her to be flexible, coordinated, and, most importantly, to be patient. Like Mama, not one of her strong suits. She's an ace at the trampoline (we got one for her a couple months ago at home$ much better than kids older than her. She's good at the bars and has a strong grip and each week she improves her balance on the beam. Her favorite, though, is the floor where she gets to climb and tumble. She will climb on anything!</div>
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As for me, I took Microbiology in spring and got an A by the skin of my teeth. I had the summer off and am just starting physiology now. Cross your fingers, my first quiz is this week. Work is great, very busy but fulfilling. I've had to fill in some Saturdays for lack of a manager but we'll have a new one soon. That's all I can think to update for now. I'll try to write again soon but no guarantees of course.</div>
Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-72647328365704022692013-01-03T21:04:00.002-08:002013-01-03T21:04:57.766-08:00But can't we wait until midnight?!I'm about to write everything that happened in December. None of this is made up but it would be tempting to think that it is. There's a saying that "God never gives you more than you can handle" and while I hold to this truth, I also wondered, many times, if I hadn't reached my limit.<div>
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It started early in December. I got a cold. At finals time. The worst possible time to be foggy-minded and I was. Through coughing and blowing my nose, I made it through my finals. I even pulled off an A in my hardest class, anatomy. However, I got a B in one of my other classes (Point one for December). While I survived the cold and moved on, we began working on baby number 2. 7 days later, I picked up a stomach bug. Vomiting all night long (along with my father-in-law), I worried about dehydration. So my husband and I packed up and went to the ER. They pumped me full of fluids and gave me magical anti-nausea pills. They also said initial results showed we weren't pregnant (we held out hope because it was very early yet). Later that day, my husband got a positive diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. (Points 2 & 3 for December) We scheduled a time to meet with a nurse on the following Wednesday to show him how to administer his medications.</div>
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On Thursday, I received a phone call from my grandfather. He was not well. So I contacted my family closer to him and they took things from there. Either way, he wasn't going to be coming up to visit for Daisy's birthday or Christmas as we had discussed two days earlier. (Point 4) On Friday, I got information that my grandfather's MRI was clean but we weren't sure what was causing the issues he was having. Saturday, he calls us from a few hours away (around halfway through his trip to come see us) to tell us he is coming. We rush to get things together to find that our RV doesn't want to run or charge (Point 5).</div>
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We cleaned our camping trailer and prepared it for their stay. Things weren't right from the start with them and Christmas night, December won point 6. The day after Christmas, December won point 7 as we rushed my grandfather to the hospital and point 8 when, surprise, I was definitely not pregnant.</div>
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December won point 9 when I went in for a baseline ultrasound for the next cycle and found I had a cyst, I would not be able to do anything this cycle.</div>
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We got my grandfather out of the hospital and on his way home on the 30th. That day, December won point 10 when we had to take Matt to the hospital. There he was diagnosed with pneumonia.</div>
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I went to work the next day but December scored point 11 later that afternoon. While I was getting a nice New Year's Eve dinner for us in the hospital, my husband became incapable of breathing. They rushed in a code team and got him breathing. I came to the hospital just an hour after that episode (I don't know why I wasn't called...) I have to mention here that at this time, the Lord's Prospects were there keeping Matt company. This is important later.</div>
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A CT scan showed two pulmonary emboli, one in each lung (blood clots) and completely unrelated from the pneumonia. He was asked to move to his chair from the gurney because they wanted him sitting up. While he sat there, he had trouble breathing again. They got him on high flow oxygen and put him back in bed. They got a respiratory specialist and put him on a Bipap machine.</div>
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They contemplated moving him to ICU and decided it would be for the best so he could be more closely monitored. We got him moved and they asked me to wait in the waiting room while they got his information passed from one team to the next. Points 12 & 13 were given to December when the doctor came in and said they needed to intubate him and give him a drug that *could* kill him, but shouldn't. He asked to see me. I got to see him for just a minute while they prepped then they asked me to leave.</div>
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At this time, the Lord's Prospects returned. They had only been gone maybe 45 minutes from their last visit but they had gotten the news that the CT scan wasn't good and dropped their plans to come sit with me. This is where I lost it. All of December had been so rotten, so awful. Everything had gone so horribly wrong. My simple thought was, "What if he dies?" And I burst into tears. I have never been so afraid in all my life. The Lord's Prospects were so good, so reassuring, so comforting. They didn't know what would happen but they kept telling me that Matt was a fighter. Still, I was terrified. It was still December, several hours away from the promise of relief of January. I had a very real fear that December would kill my husband.</div>
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It didn't. But it was a long wait. December finally finished and my husband, still in the hospital, is slowly on the mend. December won, it kicked my ass, but I'm still standing. By the strength of God, I am still standing.</div>
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I hope to never have such a terrible month again. But if I do, maybe just maybe I'll remember this month and remember that we made it. In one piece.</div>
Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-33319032825538172812012-11-10T20:53:00.001-08:002012-11-10T20:53:23.501-08:00Secret Santa!Before Daisy's birth I belonged to a community of women who were all due around the time I was. After birth, far from disbanding, we became a very tight knit group of women (and a few brave men who tolerate our very personal and detailed discussions) who have been a support for one another for over a year now. These Rainbow Puffs have been invaluable in my time as a new mom and I look forward to passing on the knowledge I have gained with Daisy to the new moms and expecting moms that have become a part of our group.<br />
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At any rate, this group decided to do secret Santa for the holiday season and the person who drew me was: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/beaniebird">http://www.etsy.com/shop/beaniebird</a><br />
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She makes the most amazing knit hats including this one which is our unofficial team hat:<br />
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Plus, very appropriately, sent Daisy a few ducks and a Daisy Duck Pez Dispenser. All of those are in her stocking until Christmas so shh....don't tell Daisy.</div>
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In other news...isn't my daughter's face just a-dor-able!? She's learned how to fake smile but I think this might be a real one. As soon as you put the camera in her face...she pops a smile for you. I love it! I don't want her to grow up. Please keep her small!</div>
Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-41257010512054135842012-10-19T20:11:00.000-07:002012-10-19T20:11:09.503-07:00Daisy and the Halloween PumpkinThe first Halloween. According to my mom, I was just baby with pumpkins. I'm actually pretty thankful Daisy was born towards the end of the year, as a result, this holiday season is fun because she's mobile, alert, and smiley. It makes it so much easier to enjoy the holidays with her. She'll almost be a year old for Christmas and she'll get to rip open her present and play with the paper and ignore the gifts...gooooood times.<br />
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So here's my pumpkin girl, playing with her Puff friends and practicing for Halloween<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104306855/" title="IMG_8446-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8446-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8104306855_76409cf1d4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Because the saddles and horses at home are just not good enough...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104306569/" title="IMG_8499-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8499-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8194/8104306569_7cd0e830d3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Daisy and two of her friends.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104321056/" title="IMG_8513-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8513-2" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8104321056_b8097a5acb.jpg" width="307" /></a><br />
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Again, the hat at home is just not good enough.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104320882/" title="IMG_8550-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8550-2" height="364" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8046/8104320882_0417d3fdfc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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This...love that she's old enough to ride on our shoulders.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104305863/" title="IMG_8596-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8596-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8044/8104305863_beb1ff925c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Small enough to sit on a pumpkin.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104320494/" title="IMG_8607-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8607-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8053/8104320494_5106758652.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Big enough to stand at it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104320326/" title="IMG_8640-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8640-2" height="422" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8187/8104320326_b918e62be9.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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She really wanted to eat the pumpkin plants.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104320174/" title="IMG_8739-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8739-2" height="418" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8471/8104320174_065ec1de9e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Daisy and her friends...practice run!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104305115/" title="IMG_8756-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8756-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8104305115_10ecc34a09.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104305039/" title="IMG_8787-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8787-2" height="439" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8328/8104305039_10ddd1961b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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She was so good for this.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104304957/" title="IMG_8816-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8816-2" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8184/8104304957_ce0c0f4994.jpg" width="490" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/8104304887/" title="IMG_8826-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8826-2" height="364" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8104304887_1d35e4f319.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Will have to post some after Halloween is over of all of us dressed up.Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-85975174393007145612012-10-17T20:48:00.001-07:002012-10-17T20:48:43.535-07:00Like a Lion...<div style="text-align: left;">
Let me preface this with, I'm aware Daisy is just 9 1/2 months old. I'm also aware that she has no clue what she was doing. But I know that this was a God touch that was desperately needed.</div>
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On the way home from swim class, Daisy and I were listening to the radio and God's Not Dead (Like A Lion) came on. As soon as it finished, Daisy roared like a little lion cub. It was just something I needed to remind me that I'm a lioness and I can keep going and I will keep going. Overwhelmed, or not.</div>
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<img src="http://www.nouvellesimages.com/img_Lioness-and-Cub--Kenya_Michel-DENIS-HUOT_ref~110.001563.00_mode~zoom.jpg" /></div>
Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-10088913440648555502012-09-28T17:14:00.000-07:002012-09-28T17:14:13.814-07:009 months?!My dearest darling Daisy, you're 9 months old today. How on earth did that happen? What happened to the little baby who was just a few days old. I feel like that was just yesterday but I know every mom says that. Time flies when you're having fun and we are definitely having fun.<br />
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You've learned some new things these last few weeks. You've learned to clap, your newest and favorite trick right now, and you've learned to high-five. You've learned to wave but you get it confused with clapping sometimes. You've learned to stand, but not walk, not yet. You've also learned to play peek-a-boo with us. You hide yourself behind anything, a bit of cloth, your bib, a towel...then we say, "Peek-a-boo Daisy!" Then you reward us by pulling down whatever was covering your face and giving us a great big smile and a squeal. This is one of mommy's favorite games with you.<br />
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We also found out that you enjoy being held and swung upside down. This makes you laugh. While you're a very happy baby, you don't laugh very often. Mostly squeal and smile at us. To get a real laugh, we have to do something really silly. Like put an e-collar on Lucy's head. This made you laugh right away.<br />
<br />We took you to your first concert, by mistake. We went to Pluto's in Davis after swim class last Wednesday and Band-Uh came through and did their own flash mob type thing. We have a video.<br />
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Let's see, you had your 9 month appointment today. You weigh 16 pounds, 5 ounces (11th percentile) and are 27 1/4 inches (40th percentile) in length. You had to get a flu shot and, as always, you yelled. But you got over it pretty quickly. The nurse started playing peek-a-boo with you and that made you happy. The doctor says you're doing great! This weekend you have a play date with three other babies from our mommy group. You've seen Chandler and Sarah before but Ry is a new one. They'll be fabulous, they always are! I'll take your 9 month pictures this weekend I think. Right now you're napping and I wonder if you're actually going to wake before your actual bed time at 7:30.<br />
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Oh yes, you have 5 teeth now by the way.<br />
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Picture catch up!<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8319/8034214012_96861248c0.jpg" />
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At the state fair, July 21, 2012<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/8034213930_01538fc55e.jpg" />
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Gotta teach this girl right!<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8317/8034214051_b66fa83186.jpg" />
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Always determined to get to me. This was August 15th<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/8034213997_2b66cbc036.jpg" />
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If you can't have me, the dog will do. Honey doesn't look thrilled with this idea though.<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8176/8034216614_3dd7bd2f5a.jpg" />
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8 Month pictures. September 2, 2012 - On our way to the beach!<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8036/8034215879_892a0331cd.jpg" />
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She loves her daddy!<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8176/8034215759_d04487e24a.jpg" />
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Sometimes she just puts up with me :P<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8460/8034215711_d5be28e312.jpg" />
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First day at the beach! It was chilly even though it's the middle of summer!<br />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8177/8034216296_0bc4cf92e4.jpg" />
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<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8171/8034216242_ac4b162907.jpg" />
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And we had to get a picture on your very own swing set. Too small or not!<br />
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Until next time baby girl!Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-39897049547818803992012-08-04T20:42:00.002-07:002012-08-04T20:42:54.130-07:00Picture Catch Up:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6941511637/" title="IMG_1218.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1218.jpg" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6941511637_ef0db9bf13.jpg" width="314" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6941512723/" title="IMG_1229.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1229.jpg" height="340" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7037/6941512723_12f373e4d5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714482340/" title="IMG_1381-3 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1381-3" height="443" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8290/7714482340_cb7a4981e4.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714481862/" title="IMG_1394-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1394-2" height="383" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8421/7714481862_da4fe7ecfc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
2 Months!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714477410/" title="IMG_1929 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1929" height="411" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/7714477410_a61746ab66.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Getting a horsey introduction!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714473448/" title="IMG_2174-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_2174-2" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7107/7714473448_b82fc8cb3a.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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3 Months!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714472318/" title="IMG_2511-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_2511-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8432/7714472318_4dd83480fc.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714471866/" title="IMG_2963-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_2963-2" height="381" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7714471866_306f79db53.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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4 Months and swimming class! She loves the water!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714470566/" title="IMG_3626-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3626-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8285/7714470566_5e4f2a9438.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714469482/" title="IMG_3658-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3658-2" height="378" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7714469482_349654e33a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714467172/" title="IMG_3861-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3861-2" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7132/7714467172_8bb6428f6b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
5 Months and Memorial Day!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714466464/" title="IMG_3946-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3946-2" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7118/7714466464_1f12a09b17.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
So the crawling begins, just a few days past 5 months. Yikes!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714463552/" title="IMG_5291-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5291-2" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7280/7714463552_4089774ef0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
6 Months!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714462772/" title="IMG_5355-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5355-2" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7714462772_f5278599cc.jpg" width="439" /></a><br />
First two teeth, just a few days over 6 months. The first one came out a week or so before the second one. We still only have two at 7 months but it's coming. I can tell!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714461040/" title="IMG_5451-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5451-2" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8428/7714461040_6e558fb278.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
4th of July, she absolutely LOVED the fireworks! It was the first time since 5 months that she stayed up past bedtime at 7:30!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714460516/" title="IMG_5872-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5872-2" height="450" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7714460516_3645826053.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714459916/" title="IMG_5896-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5896-2" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8284/7714459916_80741c9eba.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
The first time on swings 6 1/2 months! They were a hit!<br />
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I haven't done her 7 month photos yet. Have to find the outfit and the scenery for it. Looking forward to it. It's going to be harder than ever before because she is soooooo mobile! She's going to be walking in no time flat!<br />
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Until then,<br />
FFRFlip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-48197176538949367642012-08-04T20:27:00.002-07:002012-08-04T20:27:33.504-07:00So basically...I suck. Well, not really. The thing is, babies take a lot of time and energy. Something I don't have much to spare of. Daisy has established her own routine and, with it, determined mine. Last time I wrote, she was 7 weeks. She's 7 months now (I know, I really suck). She's changed a lot since then. She's still tiny and petite and every day we get people who ask and are surprised at how old she is!<br />
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Every single day I realize a little more just how much joy my little girl brings into this world. I know every mom says their baby is the cutest and sometimes, they really are cute. Other times...even I have to agree not always. Let's take this picture for example:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6615304199/" title="Here Comes Daisy! 237.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Here Comes Daisy! 237.jpg" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6615304199_81f65e7114.jpg" width="433" /></a>
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This is not a cute baby. This is my baby but she was not cute here (Sorry Daisy, you're not. I love you though!). Anyway, we've established that not all babies are cute. And not all cute babies are cute all the time.<br />
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The other day we walk into a room with a few other babies and everyone stops and smiles at Daisy and talks to and about her. Everyone, adult and child and baby alike is drawn to this enigma that is Daisy. She illicits smiles from everyone she meets. She makes friends everywhere we go. It doesn't matter where, she makes a friend. Everyone wants to talk to Daisy or hold her or feed her.<br />
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Before Daisy was born, we had a prophetic word that she would be the joy of heaven. That she is. The way she brings joy to our lives is undeniable, the joy she brings out of people who know her is enormous, and the joy she brings to anyone she even meets is incredible. God has truly given her a gift of joy and the ability to bring joy out of others. I wonder what she will do with it. I wonder more how we can foster this beautiful attitude she was gifted with.<br />
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We look forward to raising this little girl<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/7714460114/" title="IMG_5884-2 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5884-2" height="404" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8294/7714460114_d849df5efd.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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into being a beautiful woman of God. It won't be a simple task but it's a challenge we're up for!<br />
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Until we meet again,<br />
FFRFlip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-36404219807338277302012-06-19T21:42:00.000-07:002012-06-19T21:42:26.380-07:00RawOn my way home from work today I had a raw, real moment. Something that, unfortunately, has been a rarity. What started it? I don't know exactly. I was pondering something and it lead to me thinking this thought, "How do I ask forgiveness for something I am not yet sorry for?" How does anyone? If we are not sorry, we cannot ask forgiveness. Can we ask for the ability to feel sorry? To truly feel the depravity of what we have done?<br />
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After this thought came the rawest moment. I listened to "Keep Your Eyes Open" by Needtobreathe and I was suddenly in Heathrow, waiting for my flight to Africa. It has been a long time since I have REALLY thought about Africa. It's a painful thought. Not because it was at all bad in any way. But because I simply don't know how to handle life as I know it and incorporate the time I spent there.
As I listened to Francesca Batistelli belt out "Beautiful Beautiful" I nearly burst into tears.<br />
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Why am I so relunctant? Why can't I face it, work with everything that happened there and somehow try to make sense of it all? I struggled there in the car for just moments. Feeling the refreshing waters of Life rush over me.It had been so long.I can't even explain the feeling. Not at all. Words fail me.
I should stop here. I can't even try to comprehend everything at this point. I'll have to try again later...Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-38730297850343749702012-02-16T16:57:00.000-08:002012-02-16T16:57:43.212-08:00More Daisy PicturesOur little bug is 7 weeks old. So here's a few more pictures for you.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6889020767/" title="Daisy on a Pillow 008.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Daisy on a Pillow 008.jpg" height="278" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/6889020767_91f9bab9be.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
And no, I didn't leave her.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6889020347/" title="Daisy on a Pillow 007.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Daisy on a Pillow 007.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6889020347_1265f5ee1c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
She was too cute to leave.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6889019357/" title="Daisy on a Pillow 006.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Daisy on a Pillow 006.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6889019357_0af0c3676c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
I'm glad she didn't wake while I took the pictures.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6889018823/" title="Daisy on a Pillow 004.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Daisy on a Pillow 004.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7208/6889018823_b5b7dc9a6d.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Until I have more adorable pictures,</div>
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FFR</div>
</div>Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-7996134181180975972012-02-13T13:39:00.000-08:002012-02-13T13:40:52.077-08:00So much for relaxing...Yesterday was a big ride out to Auburn and I told Working Man he could ride this ride and I would go ahead and stay home with Miss Daisy. I knew that trying to be a chase car in what was likely to be a huge ride would be more work than it was worth. I figured it would be a good day to get some homework done while Daisy slept and maybe a little laundry. You know, catch up on stuff. Who was I kidding?<br />
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If you had to guess, you would say Daisy was the reason I got nothing, and I mean NOTHING, done. You would be wrong. On Saturday night, one of our sheep had twins. Oh so cute. The alpacas were going after them so FIL D chased them into the pasture and closed off the gate. Then everyone left for the ride. I sat down, had some breakfast, and hung out with Daisy for a bit. I figured she could use a bath so I did so. While I was, I noticed one of our donkeys, Frankie, was going after the twins. I quickly gathered Daisy up, saying not so nice words in the process. Quickly is a funny word because with an infant, nothing happens quickly, even when you want it to.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6871460841/" title="New Lambs 005.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="New Lambs 005.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/6871460841_7fefe67d16.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Things One and Two (both girls)
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I had to finish rinsing her off, dry her off, dress her in something decently warm, put her carrier on me and put her in it. Then I had to grab some shoes for myself and head out to chase the donkeys. I pulled some hay out of the barn and enticed them to come into a pen, all the while trying to convince the sheep they wanted to stay out. Easier said than done. I figured while I was out, I would feed the horses lunch. As I finished tossing them their food, I heard the dogs going crazy and the alpacas screaming (which they do when they fight). I figured I'd go over there and yell at them a couple times to see if they'd stop.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6871462607/" title="New Lambs 007.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="New Lambs 007.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6871462607_f40ba55cc6.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Well what did I see? Another sheep had crawled under the gate and given birth out in the field...with the alpacas...who now wanted her baby. Begin phase two.<br />
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I ran into the barn and found a rope to chase them with. I got the gate to the other half of the pasture open and started chasing the alpacas. Mama decided she was going to go too so it got a little hairy (or wooly...haha) there for a minute. Finally got her separated but the little boy wanted to follow the alpacas. I knew then I would need to separate all the moms and babies away from everyone else.<br />
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I knew I couldn't chase sheep by myself so I called Daisy's godmother, Dorothy, and her husband Jim. Gratefully they were willing to come right over to help. I changed my shoes (I was wearing my usual flip flops) and went back out. I gave the donkeys water, locked big ol' Henry in the round pen so he wouldn't run into the barn, and put a water bucket in the barn to be filled.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6871466307/" title="New Lambs 026.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="New Lambs 026.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7038/6871466307_6c5ff3cf8a.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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This one I'm calling "Son"</div>
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Poor Jim and Dorothy. I don't know if they understood what they were getting into. They did great, really what I needed was road blocks and that's what we had. We gathered the babies, easier to catch than the moms, and encouraged them to yell for mom so they'd run into the barn. I don't know how long it took but we finally got them locked up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6871467679/" title="New Lambs 029.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="New Lambs 029.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6871467679_c8ce22d952.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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He's got little snowy patches on his back. Adorable!</div>
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Then I heaved a sigh of relief. And put my flip flops back on. And wanted a nap. I never did get to homework or laundry or anything else. Maybe next time I'll just take the ride and Working Man can chase the sheep.<br />
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-FFR<br />
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Oh yeah, I left the hoses running in both of the water buckets and flooded the donkey pen and part of the barn. I do know that Daisy's not allergic to hay. By the time I was done throwing it around, she was covered.Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-82699904197566655682012-02-08T17:35:00.000-08:002012-02-08T17:35:02.441-08:00Smile for the camera!So...Daisy smiled...for the camera. Ok, not really. She smiled for me and I happened to have the camera in my hand at the time. So lucky. Ok, not really. I had been carrying the camera around in my hand and now I think I've sprained my wrist from holding it in one hand and pointing it at her face for that one perfect shot. I got it. It was worth it.<br />
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Today my little girl is six weeks old. I can't believe it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843830601/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 034.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 034.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6843830601_7a48c419d5.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843826323/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 033.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 033.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6843826323_5fd4047b41.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843821915/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 032.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 032.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7062/6843821915_6008615dd5.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Of course, I can't stop there. I have to post more pictures.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843807207/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 002.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 002.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6843807207_78831c0c7f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Watching the Praise Baby DVD Mama Deane sent to her.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843807983/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 004.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 004.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6843807983_dace530a6c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Watching herself in the mirror.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843808585/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 009.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 009.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6843808585_f71804dbd7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Me watching her in the mirror.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843809547/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 012.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 012.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6843809547_6a9ace1511.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Tummy time!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843810521/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 015.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 015.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6843810521_6256f5f10e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Not quite sure what to do.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843811373/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 021.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 021.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6843811373_681fc547f7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843816401/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 023.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 023.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6843816401_4940cece49.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Mmmm, tasty.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843821091/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 028.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 028.jpg" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6843821091_5ff29c57fc.jpg" width="474" /></a><br />
I finally got her sneeze on film!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6843831181/" title="Smiles, Tummy Time 039.jpg by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiles, Tummy Time 039.jpg" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6843831181_a3349dd795.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
And more of those baby blues!
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</div>Flip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7908784381761664275.post-7987199752749314302012-02-05T21:56:00.000-08:002012-02-05T21:56:56.381-08:00What do YOU do on a Thursday night?This groundhog's day, Working Man and I were, well, working. We might be both off of work but the work around here never stops. So while he was off, Working Man used his time to finish some work around the ranch. And what did we do on Thursday? We got the truck, our big 4-wheel drive with mud tires truck stuck in the mud. FIL D had to pull us out with the tractor. Then when that was accomplished, he and FIL D worked on getting the railroad ties out of the truck. One was dropped on Working Man's foot. It's very black and blue now.<br />
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Then while putting the posts in to the ground, Working Man got his head hit by the bucket of the tractor. While I was helping turn some of the posts, his finger got crushed. Poor guy did not have a good day.<br />
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So...here I am out on the tractor trying to help get to posts in the right place and hauling around cement for him. As it gets later and later, my normally happy toes in flip-flops got colder and colder. But it was a pretty sunset. See?<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipfloprider/6827881341/" title="2012-02-02_17-01-06_273 by Flip Flop Rider, on Flickr"><img alt="2012-02-02_17-01-06_273" height="282" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6827881341_e125861c01.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Oddly enough, it got warmer once the sun was actually down. Like my body was finally convinced that it was cold outside and that it would finally assist me in staying warm. We barely finished before dark but we did get the posts in.<br />
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Miss Daisy is doing well. She's 5 weeks and 4 days old now. 2 days ago she was all smiles in the morning and it was not gas. That puts her almost a week ahead of the normal 6-week social smile.<br />
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I'll get more pictures up soon.<br />
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-FFRFlip Flop Riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08663282008050764716noreply@blogger.com0