Yard Work - Alabama Style!

You may know that my sweet husband is not actually a Southerner.  Gasp!

Everyone knows that Florida isn't really part of the South...duh!  BUT I will give him lots of credit.  That beach-loving Florida boy is now a truck-driving, tree-climbing, deer-shooting Southern-wanna-be :)  

Well...over the summer we have been presented with a few yard related challenges including a broken mower and falling limbs from our giant oak tree.

First, our riding lawn mower refused to start.   After hours of analyzing the problem, attempting to solve the problem, and finally going all Fred Flintstone on that mower, we decided to give the lawn mower to my dad who has been fixing mowers for 25+ years.  But how do you get a broken riding lawn mower from Opelika, Alabama to Columbus, Georgia?  The answer is...very creatively :)  Here is Adam's journey:

Task = Think of creative way to get mower in the truck
Answer = Get the mower on level ground with the truck bed

Task = Figure out what "ground" is level with the truck bed
Answer = The front porch!

Task = Get mower on porch
Answer = Well, you should see this!

First, you attach come-a-long to the mower

Then, attach the come-a-long to the front door.  Sigh...he attached it to the inside of the door to "decrease the chance" that it would rip our door handle off!

Next, crank come-a-long to pull up the mower.


























Note, you may also have to do some heavy lifting to get it over taller stairs!

Next step, celebrate your victory!  but not for very long because you still have to DRAG it across the porch leaving tire tracks that your wife will have to scrub up.

Finally, put mower in truck and vow to stick with smaller mowers in the future!

Our second challenge has been falling limbs from our 100+ year old oak tree.  When I say limbs, I am not talking about small branches that you may put in a campfire.  No, I am talking about limbs longer than the length of our house!!!!!  Granted we don't live in the White House, but these limbs were pretty substantial.

The first limb almost took out Adam's truck because he was parked in the front yard.  Missed it by 2 feet.

The 2nd limb wiped out our lamp post!!!!!!

And the 3rd limb...yes, 3 limbs down over the course of the month...remained dangling!!!  Sigh...the extension agent thinks the tree was struck by lightening.

Well, how does an Alabamian get a limb down?  Strap that baby to your truck, of course!

Here goes the truck vs. the tree!  Guess who wins?  I'll give you a hint: it isnt the one with 4 wheel drive.  Ha.

Enjoy!

Adjustments to Life when You are 8 1/2 Months Pregnant

Lots of people have asked if I still love being pregnant.  The answer is a definitive YES! 

In a lot of ways pregnant women have it made...esp. when you have SUCH a great husband and wonderful friends like mine.

• No one judges the food you eat (unless you try to sneak in a soda, then they pounce you!)
• You get to wear pants with elastic waistbands...again without judgment
• You have an excuse for just about anything...being tired, wanting to sit down, having gas  :)

BUT if you were to ask if I am ready to have this baby, the answer would also be a definitive YESSSS! 

I have realized in the past few weeks that I have had to make several adjustments to everyday life.  Some big changes, some small changes....but all the changes have to do with the squirmy little lady and extra 23lbs. that gather around my mid-section. 

I made a quick list that I call: "You may be 8 1/2 months pregnant if..."

• You measure the exhaustion of your day by the size of your ankles.  Need I say more!
• You have to make a plan to bend over.  These days bending over to get something off the ground is often associated with sighs and groans.  After watching this show of painful bending for a few weeks, Adam (being the helpful husband he is) offered me a suggestion.  Instead of offering to pick up various items for me, he said, "Why dont you spread your legs wide before you bend over, so that your belly doesn't hit your legs when you bend?!"   HA!  Thanks sweetheart.  Don't tell him, but it was actually a great idea!
• You are proud of your "talon toes." Similar to the story above and my recent challenges with bending, I have come to realize that I have "talon toes."  Why bend when you can pick things up with your toes?  This may have been embarassing a few months ago, but these days I am really impressed with my faux ambidexterity.
• You have a debate with yourself if a certain food is worth the heartburn.  Oh, I LOVE hot sauce, pizza, tacos, oranges, hot wings....well, lets be honest I JUST LOVE FOOD!   These foods and most others taste so good, but spicy/acidic foods + a wiggle worm sitting on your stomach = heartburn.  Sigh.  So, these days I have to continually ask myself, "Is this worth heartburn?"  Most of the time the answer is YES :)  As a side note, this would be a great time to invest in Pepcid A/C.  I am keeping them in business!
• You check your purse for your keys, wallet, phone, and SNACKS before you leave the house.  I don't leave the house unless I have enough snacks to feed a small army.  Sudden "snack attacks" can hit you at anytime.  Don't forget the girl scout motto: be prepared! 
• You had to switch to "adult" cereal because eating Lucky Charms and Coco Pebbles in the morning made you shaky.  I did just realize that almost all of my life adjustments have to do with food.  Ba ha ha.  It is what it is, and for me mornings now consist of cheerios and strawberries.  Boring!

I guess life is about being adaptable.  Here's to adaptability (and creative solutions) through these next 6 weeks.   

Come on Adalyn!  Mom and dad are about ready for you :)  Then, we will face a string of new challenges and creative solutions I'm sure!