Paige and Hattie

She is such a good baby, eats and sleeps and rarely fusses. But doesn't like her poopy diapers changed.

3 ggrrls

They are happy to have a new little sister. And so helpful!

Miss Hattie

Too adorable for words. Plus she sleeps good, waking up every 3-4 hours during the night to eat, and then going right back to sleep. During the day she is up a little more, but is mostly happy and contented.

Paige is feeling great also. She will start exc next week.

Cat nap time

Life is rough when you're only hours old. But it is hard work for baby, also, to be born. Still, I manage to look adorable!

Did the Tooth Fairy come?

Stella finally lost one of her loose, wiggly teeth. She put her tooth under the pillow. She told me the Tooth Fairy did come! Luckily she comes even when Mom and Dad have to leave and go to the hospital in the middle of the night for the arrival of baby Hattie.

Hmmmm

Chris and Alyona. What does that look mean? Is it total gladness to have such a wonderful, beautiful young woman giving him a kiss on the cheek?

Hattie Genevieve Upstill

Hattie arrived on Aug 15 at 6:30 am (or so). She weighed 6lb 9oz and is 19 inches long. I can't wait to get there and hold her littleness!!

And now three beautiful little ggrrls. So happy to have all of them.

Yikes, fire ants

Our garbage can smelled really bad, so after the pickup yesterday I washed it out and set it in the sun to dry and desmell. I left a little of the water in with the cleaning to help the desmelling along. Then last night I dumped it out on the lawn and was going to move it back into the garage. I felt something biting my ankles and toes - yikes, covered with fire ants! I quickly washed them off and went into the house.

As I was walking in, I noticed that my feet felt like they were on fire. The pain and hurt was getting quite bad. Soaked them in epsom salts and aloe. Soaked in apple cider vinegar. Put on lavendar oil. Covered them with an aspirin paste. The pain, which can only be described as a fire, was quite bad.

This morning I got up, after hardly sleeping, washed the sheets, and went to Walgreens to get some hydrocortisone and benadryl. The fire/pain has calmed a little, but they still hurt. I counted between 25-30 bites. My feet are red and swollen, with all these little pustules where they bit.

We had fire ants in NC also and treated for them, but hadn't treated for them here. Rick has some poison just for the little buggers and will put in on tonight. Bing told me they are so named because of the fire-like hurt their bites cause and because they are mean, aggressive little things. And they are little. The smaller the meaner I guess.

Jason said, well at least you don't notice the ear ringing quite so much. True, too true.

Feet are made for walkin'

Last night I slept horribly, not sure why. I didn't have any caffeine, didn't overeat, which are my 2 usuals. Finally I went to sleep around 2, got up at 7, stumbled around the house, didn't feel like walking, but got out the door anyway at 7:35.

I called everybody in my usual repertoire that I can call at that time of the morning, which isn't many. Sis Cheryl in AZ, she is two hours behind us, so it was 5:45 her time when I tried calling and she didn't answer. She gets up at 5 am so I knew she was good. Jason didn't answer so I left him a message about being out walking seeing turkeys. I didn't actually see any turkeys this time, I was hoping to. Called Chris, it was after 7 his time (I think), he answered, been awake 10 min and didn't feel like talking.

It was sure pretty out, even without turkeys, so I took another pic. Pics never do justice to how incredibly awesome nature can look. Jason called on his lunch break and asked me about the turkeys, of which I had to confess I didn't actually see any this time, and he accused me of lying. I told him I was just following in the footsteps of some "great" politicians, like Clinton and Weiner, and meant I saw some turkeys in the sense that I have seen turkeys on that walk.

This is an old pic that I have already posted and now have to use because I wanted a pic of the landscape, but for some reason the new pic won't post. See that little symbol just below??? I have tried deleting it and it won't delete. Won't post and won't delete. Onery little thing.

No more pots

I have been buying lots of pots and plants for the house and outside. I like how they look, but I'm reaching the point of too many. I have 3 outside now that I either bought new pots and have new plants in them, or a plant died and I have planted a new one. When Rick finishes mowing the lawn, he will help me bring them in.

I do like plants.
Unfortunately I do not have a green thumb, so many die on me. I think I'm overwatering.

Why do I always get bitten or stung...

...is it because I'm so sweet?
Yesterday I moved my knock out rose to the front yard, and planted the agave cactus to my cactus garden. Holes are really hard to dig here because the rocks are just below the surface and quite extensive. That's why it's seldom to see a basement - too expensive to dig.

Anyways, as I was digging and working, I feel something bite my toe, I look down to see this tiny ant. I squished him, but my toe already was starting to hurt. I was transplanting and doing a lot of stuff, so an hour later I went into the house to shower and take care of my toe with purification oil. TWO bites! Itching like crazy, hurting, and swelling.

Why do they love me?

Walking the Hill

The back entrance to our subdivision, which is the way I aways come, is a long windy hill (curvey, not to be confused with wind blowing). When I moved here I noticed that lots of bikers, joggers, runners, walkers like to go up and down. It looked too hard to me, but finally I decided to use it as my outside exc. Going down is easy, coming back up - not so much. The more I walk it, tho, the easier it becomes. It is .7 miles each way, and .3 to walk to the mailbox.

I have included in my morning swim exc this hill and the mailbox, so I'm walking 2 miles.

I keep my eyes out for snakes in the grass, and coyotes coming from their dens in the hills. I have my Mace with me. Maybe I should bring a stick also.

I took this pic which has a wild turkey in it, but you can't see the turkey. When I saw the turkey moving, I actually thought it was a coyote at first, but then I could tell it was moving too slowly and I could see its turkeyness.

Rick's idea of an appetizer to take to a church event

The RS is sponsoring a bunco night for adults on Fri - bring a dessert or appetizer to share. Last night I asked him for suggestions of something to bring; I wanted it to be savory.

• meatballs in teriyaki sauce
• wings in bbq sauce
• little weinies in bbq

I can't remember the others, but they were equally as yummy. (Sarcasm detector on.) (Those things are yummy but not for this event.)