Guts?

There are so many things that I've wanted to write about here. I would love to use this space and my (small) invisible audience to vent some things that roll around in my mind endlessly, giving me very few moments of real peace. I'm not quite sure I'm ready to do that.

Honestly, I'm pretty distracted these days. We have a lot going on, and the day-to-day with the kids keeps me really busy. That helps keep me from dwelling on anything that's bothering me, anything that's raw, anything that brings up yucky feelings. The truth, though, is that when things quiet down, when the wheels stop spinning, all those things come rushing to the front of my mind sometimes, and it's pretty overwhelming.

One thing I've been trying to do, when the thoughts start to take over, is to shift my focus to something that would help or benefit someone else. It could be something simple, like saying a prayer for someone, or it could be a bigger project. Between that and my usual daily duties, my brain stays pretty occupied. For the past few days, I've been working on cleaning and organizing the girls' room and closet. Boy, talk about a JOB! Whew! That would be enough to drive a sane person totally nuts! Anyway...it kept me busy, for sure!

(I may or may not have threatened their lives if they ever junked it up like that again...)

I need to be better about writing here and just getting some things unloaded. I'll try! Also, more pictures and updates on family stuff. It's all coming...promise.

Kids are strange...

I'm sure this applies to all children, but since I'm repeatedly exposed to mine, maybe it just seems more obvious with them? I don't know. All I'm sure of is that my children are a particular breed of, well, "special."

To illustrate my point:

Ethan decided that the spiked look was perfect for him.

The joys of having sisters.

Zoe and Anna wrapped Matt like a burrito and left him on the floor.

Anna walked around like this for thirty minutes until I agreed to take her picture.

At first glance, this seems like a sweet photo. Brothers, roasting things over a fire together...
Yeah, they're cooking a pickle.

I really have no idea what was going on here.

Anna didn't have anyone else to play Old Maid with, so Olaf decided to oblige.

(She's grinning because he has the Old Maid, but I think he ultimately won the game.)

Thank you, Grammy, for providing an abundant supply of nasty, fake teeth.

I looked in my rearview mirror in the midst of Austin traffic, and I saw this.

Nightmares, man.

(Note: I did not take this photo while driving. We did a dramatic reenactment upon returning home.)

Weird little buggers, aren't they?