The yard situation is improving.

The yard situation is improving. A lot of the trenches were filled in today. Not all of them, but hopefully that'll be done tomorrow so the yard will finally not be dangerous for Bear. I'm so ready, despite how much I've enjoyed watching this dog get carried around. 😂

(I promise he is walking plenty. We let him walk as long as he's ONLY walking and not trying to jump or play. Sedatives are barely working anymore and he's got ENERGY.)

Cub, of course, enjoys himself no matter what. 😊❤️

For the last few weeks I've had a favorite strand of hair on my head.

For the last few weeks I've had a favorite strand of hair on my head.

I have a silver streak in the front just like my MaMaw did. I've been growing that since I was in my 20s. Nothing new there.

But a few weeks ago I discovered on the back right side of my head possibly my first actual "gray" hair. It is SUPER TEXTURED unlike the rest of my hair and I love running it between my fingers. I can find it without a lot of effort among the rest of my hairs due to the texture. It's also a different gray than my silver streak gray and sparkly. 😍

I'm gonna be sad when it falls out. I might have to trim it and put it somewhere safe so I can touch it when I want to.

All y'all parents are about to relate to what just happened to me...

All y'all parents are about to relate to what just happened to me... Well, at least part of it.

You know how when your kids are toddlers and they have something in their mouth they don't want and they spit it in your hand?

Bear just did that to me. 😂😂😂

I gave him and Cub some pieces of turkey for a treat, but I guess Bear's was too much and he spit half of it into my hand right after I gave it to him. I guess the difference between Bear and a toddler is that he wanted it back after he finished eating the first half. 😂

It was so pure and gross and innocent. 😂 He knew if he dropped it Cub would gobble it down, so he gave it to me for safekeeping. 😂❤️

Today has been a little weird.

Today has been a little weird. I woke up not feeling super great. A bit headache-y. Not good in the stomach.  It kind of felt like my weeks of drinking soda had caught up to me. I have Dr. Pepper in the house. I haven't bought soda for my house ever. Like not once since I left home at 19, unless it was for a party or something. But I just didn't want it today.

I laid in bed and tried really hard to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. I don't know how I did it, but I psyched myself up to get up and tackle my to-do list. It had, like, 15 things on it. And I did all except for the couple I did yesterday and the one I didn't today. I feel a lot better. So many small things had piled up and were occupying my brain space. I felt better just having the list, but lots better with most of it done.

Of course, I was pretty awful until I got to that point. 😂 I didn't want anyone talking to me or getting in my way or slowing me down while I had motivation. Shaun hung out with Bear, who is a whole handful despite the sedatives, so he did plenty today. He (Shaun) seems to also feel a bit better, too. So that's nice.

Anyway, I'm heading to bed. I'm TIRED!

Kira made homemade whipped cream and homemade cream cheese dip...

Kira made homemade whipped cream and homemade cream cheese dip and this shit is 💯. Just slice some strawberries and put it all on a graham cracker and it hits the spot without being heavy.

I don't know why she's so into making her own whipped cream and spreads, but I am NOT complaining. ❤️

Freshly awake from a nap...

Freshly awake from a nap and discovered the ceiling fan.

I don't know if he's convinced that it's ok.

😂😂😂

Despite the rude awakening last night...

Despite the rude awakening last night, I feel pretty good-ish today.

I say good-ish because my skeleton isn't super happy. Ever since I had a Dr. Pepper the other day, I've had one almost every day and my psoriatic arthritis isn't a fan. But this is how I'm emotionally coping with the state of the yard and the Bear stress. This is 100% why I can't try a drug harder than caffeine. Addiction runs in my family and I can tell by my reaction to a fucking soda that it's not safe for me to try anything else. It's just not.

I can keep my psoriasis and arthritis to a manageable level without medication if I carefully watch my diet. I have a sweet tooth, though, so it's hard. Sugar is bad for my skin and bones. And these creamy, custom-mixed coconut Dr. Peppers are just so damn good right now. I have given in and accepted that I'm on these at least for the next month. I've quit soda and caffeine before. I can do it again when I feel like I don't need a crutch.

I know this probably sounds so lame. But since starting this drink, revisiting a game I used to play on my phone, making some lists, and finally starting to get some good sleep again, I feel mentally better than I have in a few weeks. All 4 of those things have given me boosts that I really, really needed.

I'm watching Bear nap right now. I'm gonna mess around on my laptop and check a few things off my to-do list while he sleeps. Shaun is currently napping. He really needs it. He hasn't felt well lately. I think that spending so much time outside in the dust with Bear has messed with his sinuses and he's congested.

On top of that, Bear's sedatives seem to be doing less and less to keep him chill, so Shaun's been chasing after him all week while I work. We're basically just propping each other up for the next 4 weeks (until Bear is cleared for normal activity and the yard is less fucked). We've got this. We've definitely been through worse. We'll be ok. We're just not currently having a great time. But that's life, I guess.