It's cold. So cold that the kids keep asking me to turn on the heat. I am refusing to do so for the same reason that they refuse to put on jeans. It is June, and you shouldn't have to turn on your heat in June, nor wear jeans. So, we will continue to be cold.
I still run everyday. I no longer hate it. I can't say I actually like it. I just don't hate it. I just do it. I waver on my feelings about the hills. Some days I say to myself, "Bring it!" Other days I look at the hills and say, "You win."
Washington grows tall people. Jess's and Ry's track coach is 6'7". His brother is 6'10". The women around here are tall too. I told the kids they might have had a chance had they been born here.
It has been almost two years since we moved here. Chad went back to Oklahoma a week and a half ago. He came back got in the van and immediately turned off the air conditioning. The rest of us were dying from the heat. I know, sounds odd considering my first random thought, but when the sun comes out even though it is sixty degrees it is warm. No sun, no warmth. For the past several days we have had no sun.
I had to purchase a new washing machine. When I spoke to the salesman at a local dealer he showed me a washing machine that will text or email you when it is done. I wanted that machine more than my next breath. Apparently, my next breath won out. One because I am still breathing. Two because I ended up with one that doesn't text or email. I should have pushed Chad harder. I can't hear the jingle when it is done. It doesn't buzz like my old one. The kids can hear it, especially Noah. It must be one of those tones that only kids can hear, like ringers on the cells phones that kids use in school so their teachers won't hear it. Noah has made it his job to inform me when the wash is done. I appreciate the consideration. I get sidetracked too easily to keep checking up on it. Other than the jingle that I can't hear, I like my washing machine.
When Chad was back in Oklahoma he went to our church. He brought me back a bulletin. Almost two years of living in Washington and our church still has us on their weekly prayer list. I love those people.
Chad says that I have become a hippy since we moved here. I tell him that can't be because I still wear a bra. He has that belief because I no longer wear store bought deodorant. I make my own. Yes, it really works. I was surprised. The first day I wore it I went around asking the kids and Chad to smell my arm pits because of how well it works. I think Chad was the only one who took me up on the offer. He is also the only other one who uses my homemade deodorant. I also no longer brush my teeth with toothpaste. I use something called Earthpaste, or a tooth soap. Say what you want. My teeth are cleaner now. Jess uses a soap as well. Our teeth needed the least amount of cleaning done when we went to the dentist. I have also made my own laundry detergent. I still am not sure if I like it or not. Nor do I wash my hair with what I call "Death Shampoo". I use a shampoo bar or an organic shampoo. I prefer the bar, but they are not cheap. I also do not use "death soap" I use a castile soap. I want to make my own. That sounds fun and I know the chemicals that are in it. Yes, I have become one of those people. Hey, I still wear a bra.
We have also changed our eating habits lately. I try not to eat white stuff: white bread, white rice, white potatoes. I call it "death food". Today we had "death pancakes" Cody and Noah didn't want to eat them because I didn't have "death syrup" Yes, they called it "death syrup", at least they are learning. I use real grade B maple syrup. Grade B is supposed to be better for you than Grade A. B has more nutrients. Chad, Jess, and I usually have healthy pancakes with strawberries daily. They are super simple to make. The other three gripe because they aren't the "death" pancakes, but eat them because they don't want to take the time to make something else. Sometimes change doesn't come without a fight. I intend to win.
Jess and Ry went to local public school a couple of weeks ago. They "shadowed" two of the girls on their track team. One of the classes Jess had was yoga. Apparently it was an "off" day for yoga. I don't know why there is a class on yoga where you don't actually do yoga. Seems like a waste of time to me. Oh wait it was. Instead they read a book out loud about saying "no" to boys. According to Jess it was a bit more information than she wanted to read. She said she just started cracking up from the things that she read, which made the other girls crack up. The teacher had to get onto them. She also had guitar class and a history class (where the teacher spent half the class showing them his avatar for a game he plays). I asked Jess what she thought about going to the public school. She said it was fun and she would like to go back so she could play around with her friends. She also said that her homeschooling lessons had way more depth and information than what she saw there. I guess homeschooling it is.
People still make fun of us for saying "y'all" and "fix'n". We just stare at them like we don't understand what they saying.
I am going to try to keep the blog updated at least once a week. It may be a lot of random thoughts, but at least y'all will know what all is fix'n to happen.
