Begley Blessings

A New Week

2012-01-30T11:58:00.001-08:00

On Friday night, Leah complained that her tummy hurt. About 9pm, she woke up vomiting all over her bed. That continued about every 1.5 hrs all night. Saturday she was feverish and lethargic, and was still vomiting. On Saturday, Olivia had one Enormous throwing up session - in the van of course. At least she was in the carseat that is easy to take out and pull apart for washing.

Leah was still sick yesterday, but Hannah started vomiting last night. About every 1.5 hrs, all night. This morning, Leah has a mild fever, but is keeping food and water down. Hannah is refusing all food and is passed out on the couch. Nathan started throwing up around 10am, and he's on the other couch.

So I have 3 out of 4 with some sort of nasty intestinal problem. Please Lord, don't let me get it!

Life is sometimes tiring...

2012-01-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Today Nathan and Leah are not feeling well. Hannah and Olivia seem alright though. Olivia has a Dr appt this afternoon that I think I will cancel.

School is going okay. We need to do our history and our science still - maybe another hour or so.

The house is more or less tidy, and a fresh basket of clean laundry awaits folding. The ironing is mocking me however. I will probably have the time to do it today, but I'm not sure I have the stamina.

Today is one of those days where you lie to yourself to keep going. "I'll take a nap as soon as I finish the ironing." Yeah, right. That'll happen.

I figure that lying to yourself is not quite a sin - especially if you do it to benefit those around you. Right?

Thursdays

2012-01-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

Whew! Thursdays are busy, busy for us. We have piano lessons from 9:30 to 10:30, then home for lunch and squeezing in some school, then off to art class. Back home about 2:30 to finish up whatever core subjects didn't get done in the morning and whatever household chores need finishing up. Thursdays are normally the day I clean the bathrooms.

Today I also had to make a call to our attorney about probate - they dropped the ball again, so now we wait another 2 or 3 weeks to get a court date. I'm am so frustrated with this attorney I could just cry. If this wasn't the last of an endless amount of steps in the process, I'd give them a piece of my mind and find another attorney. Grrrr! We can't list the Eureka house until probate is done. I figure we now have to wait another month before we can list it.

Well, I'd better go wake up Olivia. She's slept too long already - it'll be a pain to get her to sleep tonight. I still have 2 bathrooms to clean and dinner to make.

Thursdays are tough.

Hanging in there...

2012-01-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

My two bigs are still pretty sick today. Nathan is hoarse and raspy, Hannah is constantly sniffling and is tired. We didn't do school again today, but otherwise, I was pretty productive.

Laundry is done, dishes are going, dinner in the crockpot. I was able to write up instructions for How To Do Laundry. In our home, the resident 10 year old is in charge of laundry (at least colored things, not whites - children and bleach make me nervous). But baby will be coming 6 weeks or so before Hannah turns 10, and I wanted to have the directions made up and ready to go in case I need her to cover laundry for a few days. With 6 people (almost 7), we need to do a load of laundry every day.

I'm not sure yet where I want to post the instructions. If I leave it in the laundry room area, she will forget to do the gathering of stuff upstairs. I don't think it's wise to expect her to carry the directions around with her though. Hmm...I'll have to ponder that a bit more.

I'm feeling well still, but unusually tired today. I think that sick bug is trying to get me. I think I'll settle into the recliner with my knitting and some coffee for awhile, while the children are happily occupied. I'm teaching myself to knit socks (with the help of YouTube)!

Coming soon: I have had some thoughts on a few random topics that I want to share. My grandmother died in August, and it prompted me to think about how I would want my own funeral/memorial/whatever you call it done. I also have been pondering deeply the role of women as Christians. I have some thoughts, but I know they will be controversial and I'm not sure if I'm quite brave enough to post them here. I will keep thinking and praying on this one.

Week 2 of the New Year

2012-01-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

This week is starting off pretty well, I suppose. My two big children are both sick with a nasty barky cough and sore throat. The two little girls are completely recovered from last weeks cold and are bouncing on the furniture. We might go over to Target to just wander around - everyone needs something new to look at today.

I did laundry, did dishes, paid a couple bills, organized a junk drawer, got some ideas on how to store all the recharging cords in my life, and found a few blogs that I've fallen in love with - see the side bar for new links!

Olivia is insisting on some snuggle time right this second, so I'm signing off. Have a great day!

How to do it?

2012-01-05T15:01:00.001-08:00

Hey folks! I need advice on how to creatively store all those recharging cords that are jumbling up a drawer. You know, my cell phone cord, his cell phone cord, the cord for the Bluetooth thingy, one for my camera, one for daughters camera, one for the video camera...

There has got to be a clever way to keep them organized and out of the way, but still handy. Any ideas?

Welcome to 2012!

2012-01-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

I love new beginnings! I'm a sucker for mornings - watching a new day dawn with all the possibilities awaiting us. A new year is even better! I always make a New Year's resolution. I rarely keep them, but making one and trying to better oneself is always a good thing, even if I miss the mark.

I wanted to make a resolution this year that would challenge me into a new habit. I didn't want something 'soft'. So my New Year's Resolution is that I will floss the children's teeth every day. I have 4 children (soon to be 5) and flossing them and myself usually gets done 2-3 times a week. Bad, bad mommy. We are going to fix a lazy habit and better the dental hygiene of 5 people. I've been successful so far, but it's only Jan 3rd!

I also like to make lists every January for the new year. Here's a few things I'd like to make lists for this month: Academic goals for each child, character goals for each child, chore mastering for each child, organizational challenges I'd like to overcome this year (how to store all those recharging cords!), Bible studies on various topics that I'd like to have a better handle on, ways to be a better wife, ways to be a better mom.

We spent the week between Christmas and New Years up in Eureka. This was the last 'work trip'. We've gotten everything done that needs to be completed to be able to sell the house without hitches from lenders. We need to make one more trip up there to get the pest inspection signed off (we got the work done, but ran out of time to have the guy come back out and sign off on everything) and to put up the for sale sign. Once the house sells, we will need to go back up for a quick trip to clear out all of our stuff (basic dishes, a chair, a table, some tools, etc). Our attorney assures us that probate will close this month, so we are hoping to have it on the market by the middle or end of January. Praise the Lord!

Have a great New Year everyone!!!

More random stuff...

2011-12-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

Today is Friday. Off to a poor start. I made Cabbage Rolls this morning to put in the crockpot for dinner. I love cabbage rolls, but I only make them a couple times a year. I forgot how tedious, boring and time consuming it is to peel off the leaves of cabbage without ripping and tearing them. It took more time than I mentally allowed, and I'm behind now.

Then Erin over at Embracing My Cup (see link at the side) posted this morning and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Now I'm behind and sad.

Someone please remind me that pregnancy hormones make everything bigger. Small annoyances become huge spikes of irritation. A lovely flower can stop you in your tracks and want to sing.

Okay - I need to gather myself for the push of getting to the park this morning. It's the only day of the week I can meet with friend and have adult conversation without being interrupted every 2.5 minutes. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Various things...

2011-12-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Michael has taken Hannah and Nathan off to church. I'm home with a sick Leah and a perky Olivia. Having 3 people out from underfoot makes me want to clean and organize things, but it's Sunday and we're supposed to be resting. I did shove all the PlayMobil into a tub and shoved it into a closet. Having 123,867 small pieces collected in one place and out of the way makes me rest much easier!

So, a new poll. Michael has narrowed it down to 2 names. Joel means 'Jehovah is God' and Caleb can mean either 'dog' or 'tenacious', depending on what baby name book you refer to. Again, the middle name will be Patrick. I have just under 3 months to go...

We have one more trip to Eureka after Christmas to finish up, and that will be done. I'm so glad. That house has been such a drain financially, emotionally, and physically. Michael must make a decision soon on whether to sell it or rent it out. He wrestles mightily. No progress so far on that front. Keep praying for him.

A Day

2011-12-08T14:57:00.000-08:00

Oh, has it been a day! Olivia is sick and is just grumpy, fussy, whiny. Sigh...

I've held her most of the day which means that very little else was done. I took the children to piano lessons, then ran to Target to return something and get more cold meds. Then home to sit and rock and comfort all day. I'm trying desperately not to notice the pile of junk on the counters, the half done Christmas project, and Thursday is my bathroom cleaning day. whimper...

I did manage to sweep up the copious amounts of glitter, throw a load of laundry in to wash, tidy the paint supplies, and put a clean cloth on the table. I forgot to take something out for dinner, so I hope that pound of ground beef will thaw enough to cook by a quarter to 5. Tacos are quick and easy.

Two and a half weeks to go!

2011-12-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hannah and Olivia have colds this morning. Nathan and Leah are sneezing like crazy, but both deny being sick. I only have a half-full bottle of children's cold meds in the pantry - guess I'll be going out today after all. A half full bottle will only last about a day with 4 children.

I'm glad this is happening now, instead of the week of Christmas. We'll have everyone sick and better before the holiday. Good, good! In the meantime, I need to check my antibacterial wipes and my Lysol supply.

December 1st

2011-12-01T08:48:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of December, and my fingers are itching to make something. I have a blanket on my large knitting needles, and a skirt on my small needles. If I'm diligent, I think I can finish them in about 2 weeks. I need to learn a new stitch to finish the blanket (adding on) and I need to find the pattern for the skirt - I had it 3 days ago, now it's missing. Grrrrr!

Oh, how I would love to do something cutesy like making matching jammies for the children. But I'm not the best seamstress, and making 4 sets of jammies would take at least a full week at the sewing maching. I'd have to put off school, housework and everything else. Sigh. Oh well. Perhaps another year.

We start our Advent family devotions this evening. I've been talking it up for days and the children are excited about their Bible time with Daddy tonight. We use Advent Foretold, by Gary & Wanda Sanseri. Each devotion has a picture (which I copy and the children color while Daddy reads) and a 1 page devotion.

I really like this book. It is divided into 2 parts: Prophecy and Fulfillment. The first 16 days talk about several prophecies that foretold Christ: The seed of a woman, would come from Jesse, Born of a virgin, a star would rise, etc. The rest of the month is dedicated to how the prophecies were fulfilled.

It also has a section of Christmas songs (words only), and a True/False test of 15 questions. Lovely!

Have a great day, everyone!

Early

2011-11-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Lord and I have been having ongoing discussions on whether I will or will not be an early riser. So far, I married a man who rises early, 3 out of 4 children are early risers. If that fails to get me up by 6am, my Lord sends cheerful little birds who sing loudly outside my window.

I think He is winning.

Whatnot

2011-11-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

It is a lovely day. Cool and crisp outside, bright and sunny. School flew by this morning! Laundry is done, the children are happily occupied downstairs, baby is asleep. Sigh...lovely.

Now for some long overdue updates:

We found the house of our dreams and put in an offer. It's a short sale, so the homeowner gets to pick which offer is sent to the bank. She picked us!!! She said she really wanted the house to go to a family. Plus Nathan dropped his car in the fish pond, and Olivia flirted with her! I knew those long eyelashes would come in handy someday! Anyway, the house: it's 2200sf on 1 acre in Auburn. Has a pool. The homeowner did some incredible, top of the line upgrades about 6 years ago. We are now waiting for the bank to get around to responding to us - we figure sometime end of Dec, beginning of Jan.

Eureka - we've been spending lots of time in Eureka this year upgrading that house. It now has new windows, new roof, new sliding glass door, and updated electrical system. We will be making another long trip up there this month to refinish a hardwood floor, replace the bathroom lino, hang a ceiling fan, and a few other misc things. We really wanted to replace the kitchen countertops, but I think it's going to be too ambitious. I think the plan is to finish all the small projects up this trip, then put the house on the market. I think. Maybe. We'll see...Michael acknowledges that this would be best financially, but it is his childhood home. He's such a sentimental softie!! I love that guy!

In preparation for hopefully moving sometime in February, I am beginning deep cleaning projects on our rental. I have been quietly purging small stupid toys (think McDonalds Happy Meal junk), stuffed animals (I swear, they reproduce!!), and anything that looks broken or is unidentifiable. Closets have been purged of unnecessary clothing as well, and seasonal things are packed and out of the way. I need to get out to the garage this week and find 2 specific boxes in the half-a-garage-full-of-boxes-stacked-floor-to-ceiling. I hate that garage.

I have also picked through baby boy clothes and set aside the 0-3 months stuff for easy access. While I was at it, I packaged each size into it's own bag/box. I just hope I can find them when I need them. I have lots of stuff for size 18 months and up, but just a few things for each size below that. Will certainly need a baby shower this time!

Well, I need to wrap this up for now. I want to clean the bathrooms real quick, then hopefully vacuum. Have a great day, everyone!!

Good day...

2011-11-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

All is well here in Begleyland. We'll be starting school here shortly, then lunch and a couple quick errands before coming home and chores.

Found a fantastic contest! http://www.wellplannedday.com/contest01.php

Have a great day!

Today

2011-10-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

It is 8:23am, and today is looking pretty good. Breakfast is done, kitchen is tidy with dishwasher going, Bible/journaling is done, and I'm just about ready to get 2 little girls out of the bathtub. I have a confirmation for a field trip that I've been trying to organize for 2 months (relief!!), and now I've updated my blog. Whew!

I've promised the children a visit to the thrift store if they can focus and get math, language and piano done without whining.

Preparing

2011-10-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

We are off to Eureka again on Wednesday, so today and tomorrow are full of preparing. Today was grocery shopping, housecleaning and making sure bills and such are taken care of. Tomorrow will be full of packing, a little packing, and probably some more packing.

Somehow, packing makes me need to organize stuff. Really...I mean it's like an itch that must be scratched. I have to shuffle stuff around in closets, re-org dresser drawers, clean out underneath bathrooms sinks, etc. I can't simply pack clothes in a suitcase and be done. Putting clothes in the suitcase reminds me that the drawer the clothes came out of needs re-doing, and don't forget that your shoes are a jumble in the bottom of the closet, and...and...and. I had a friend lovingly accuse me of being hyper-organized once. (shrug) I can't help it. God made me this way.

And I must admit, that knowing exactly where that extra tube of toothpaste is makes me feel a little...well, I suppose, proud. Ha! You just thought we were out of toothpaste, but I have another one up my sleeve!

Not sure how that happened...

2011-10-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

We have had an amazingly productive day. We have complete ALL schoolwork, plus did our devotions and piano practice this morning. And I popped out to go to the drug store for cold meds because half the family has colds (including me). And I also got a sizeable chunk of homeschool business done - filed my affadavit, made some phone calls regarding a field trip, emailed by local group about a couple items.

A very satisfying day indeed. Hope your day was great as well!

Autumn and Laundry

2011-09-29T13:56:00.001-07:00

New blog look - because it's autumn and because orange is my favorite color! I need to dig out the Autumn wreath for the front door...

Today is supposed to be the last day of hot weather around here, high of 96 degrees. Tomorrow is supposed to be 88, and we begin the Autumn Slide from there! Ahhh, I can't wait. I am sooo tired of being hot and sticky all the time. There's actually a rumor that it may rain on Tuesday!!!!

And so, about laundry. Sigh. We do a load of laundry every day around here. Sometimes two. My grandmother prefered to have a laundry day, but she was chained to her machines and piles of laundry for a whole day!!! So I do a load each day. I try to have it folded and ready for the children to put away by about 8:30am or so, but it's a lofty goal.

I do have an ironing day, usually Tuesday. I leave the board set up all day, and iron in 2-3 item increments. It seems to work for us.

Uh oh. Fighting downstairs, gotta go.

P. S. My girls are getting sick...

All is well

2011-09-28T14:50:00.000-07:00

This week I have purposed to be less stressed and more organized and less frustrated. To that end, I have severely limited out-of-house activities and focused on getting the 3 R's of school done by 11am. Also, I have put us on a schedule of up by 7am, breakfast along with Bible journaling at 7:30, morning chores from 8am - 8:30. School starts about 8:30 (9 at the latest) and goes until the 3 R's and piano practice are done for the two older ones - usually about 10:30 or 11. Then we take a break for lunch and clean up, and back to school stuff by 12:30. So far this week, we finish up school about 2pm. That's only because Daddy does science with them in the evenings!

So far this week (mind you, only 3 days now), I have succeeded in being more peaceful. With a firmly stuck to schedule, my stress level goes down quite a bit. I think it's working!

On a delightful note, we had a very intensive ultrasound on Tuesday afternoon (because I'm so old and because the blood test was funky). We are excited to share that we have a very healthy, very active baby boy in there!! Girls 3, boys 2! They're catching up! Michael and Nathan were so happy. I caught Nathan singing to himself something like "God has given me a blessing, our new baby is a boy!" Precious!

Have a great day folks!

Time...

2011-09-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

My days are slipping past me so quickly. Everyone up by 7am, breakfast at 7:30, then morning chores and settle down to 'school' by 8 - 8:15ish. Two hours of school, break for a snack and everyone does their 'household chore' for the day. Another hour of school, and break for lunch about 11:30 - 12. Run any errands that need doing, back home for another hour of school stuff. Then free time until late afternoon chores and dinner needs fixin'.

Busy days. We go merrily (and sometimes not so merrily) along through each season. We are really enjoying learning together. In my fourth month of pregnancy now, and expecting to feel great until January or so. There are so many things that I'd like to do...I need to finish knitting Nathan's blanket (maybe by Christmas?), then I'd love to start on one for our newest little one. It would be lovely to have one done by the time he or she arrives at the beginning of March. I've promised Hannah a knit 'thing' as well. And oh my, do the kitchen cabinets need to be scrubbed and oiled. Ah well. Each thing has it's season.

How are your lives bubbling along?

Thinking...

2011-08-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

I have come to realize that there are probably 1 whole people (person) out there who read my blog. I like blogging, but it takes time and a bit of effort. Hubby doesn't get why I bother. So maybe this is not the best use of my time right now. Thinking about shutting it down...

Anybody out there care?

Helen Lorene Maggie Neeley

2011-08-28T19:24:00.001-07:00

Nani Helen passed away yesterday about 9:45am. Too sad to type now...more later.

Contest!

2011-08-14T18:18:00.001-07:00

Go here to possibly win homeschooling T-shirts for your whole family!

www.wellplannedday/contest01.php

The original site is Great Products: www.shopgreatproducts.com

Enjoy!!

Winding up summer

2011-08-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

Nothing overly exciting today, my friends. It's just after noon. The children have all been fed and the eldest 3 are splashing and squealing in the new plastic kiddie pool I purchased this morning. Olivia Jewell was dipped, dried, and put down for her nap. The water was just too cold for an almost-18 month old princess.

I have ordered our new school curriculum. It arrived earlier in the week, but I know if I open the box I will be lost for several hours. I must wait until I have the time and brainpower to process, plan and enjoy. In the meantime, our summer 'school' consists of math, reading and a unit study of the state of California. The unit study should be done by the end of next week. I will then take a 2 full weeks 'off' of school, and start the new year on Sept 7th. That's the plan anyway.

Here is a picture of Olivia being a helper. Big sister sweeps the kitchen, and baby sister likes to 'help'. We have revamped our daily housework schedule, and each child has a chore or two assigned for each day (me too!). This seems to be working well. I don't feel like I have to do every little thing around here, and the children are learning housekeeping skills and responsibility. It also helps fill up their free time, which keeps them from bickering so much.

Ah, children bellow from poolside. I must go and tend to the complexities of who splashed whom and who did it first.

This and That

2011-07-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

Well the Eureka trip was mostly successful. We only managed to get the kitchen floor done, but it was a huge job. You would not believe the amounts of glue that someone used when putting down the original floor. It looked like they had just poured a bucket over it. And it all had to be scraped off or sanded down before we could lay new stuff. And someone at some point past had let water sit, and a chunk of the floor had dry rotted, so that had to be replaced too. Oh well. It looks great now!

I'm having trouble with Blogger and loading pictures, so the above 'after' shot is all you get.

In other news, all is well with our family. Being pregnant changes so much about our daily routine. It's very frustrating to...well, everyone, I guess. I'm forgetful like you wouldn't believe. I write things down so I don't forget, then forget to look at my list. Since I don't feel well, I move much slower and get less done. No cravings yet, but nothing sounds good either. I have a hard time deciding what to make for dinner because everything sounds blah. The thought of going to the grocery store or the library or wherever sounds so laborious. I had to psych myself up to Safeway yesterday, then forgot several important items.

Hmmm...that sounds very whiny. Okay, let's turn this around. This icky feeling should only last another 4 weeks (!!!) or so. Second trimester I usually have lots of energy. So for now, when I drop the ball, I just take the hit. Suck it up, keep going. One foot in front of the other. Do the next thing.

We can do this.

On the road again...

2011-07-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Off to Eureka for another fun filled trip of fencing and linoleum replacement! Have a great weekend everyone!

The Old Schoolhouse promotion...

2011-07-11T07:03:00.001-07:00

Hey folks, look what lovely thing appeared in my email this morning: The Old Schoolhouse magazine is having a Warehouse Wipeout! They are practically giving away at $107 package for $25!!! And free shipping! You must go there. Now!

http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/index/php?main_page=product_infor&products_id20110

Go!!

Here we go again...

2011-07-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

I was complaining to someone at church this past Sunday about how tired I've been the past few days and that I locked myself out of the house twice in one day.

She smiled and said "Are you expecting?"

Oh. Well, that would explain all the random little symptoms I've been having the past couple week. And that my belly is pouching out a bit, but I haven't gained any weight...

So I made Michael stop at CVS on the way home and picked up a test. Instant results: positive.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! Happy and excited in a wierd nervous sort of way. 5 kids! My estimated due date is 3/2/2012 (Michael's bday is 3/1 and Nathan's is 3/30. ) I'm always a week late, so I'm guessing about March 7th or so.

So Many Things...

2011-06-24T16:13:00.001-07:00

Well, the roof in Eureka is done. And we made another trip last week to replace some siding and cover all the outside vents. Another trip is needed to replace a small section of fence (15 feet), rip out 2 dead bushes, replace the front door, and replace 3 large windows in the living room. Hmmm...that sounds more like 2 trips. Sigh...

On an up note, I wanted to share a contest with you! Check out this link: http://www.wellplannedday.com/contest01.php

Loving this site and blog! Enjoy!!

Cast all thy cares upon Him...

2011-05-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

We are doing family devotion in the mornings from James. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we are far behind in the roof completion. Our reading today was James 5, and towards the end is the verse "Cast all thy cares upon Him, for He cares for you."

I asked the Lord to send some help.

About 11:30 this morning, Michael, John and I were up on the roof tearing off old wood shingles. We had about an eighth of the roof up. A neighbor stopped and offered advice on how to get them up quicker. Then he lent us his tool. Then he climbed the ladder and showed us the proper technique. Then he donated 2 hours of his time and blasted through the rest of the tear off. The front half of the roof is up, except for the garage. We have to pull up a ton of nails and do some reinforcing, but can probably get most of the plywood decking and tar paper done tomorrow.

Our Lord is so merciful. He indeed knows what we need before we ask. It is humbling that the omnipotent ruler of the universe would condescend to to help us with roofing.

It is supposed to rain here tomorrow afternoon. Please join us in asking the Lord for His mercies to hold off the rain until evening.

Underestimating...

2011-05-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

The roof has been all consuming. We thought we'd have it done in about 4 days and move on to sanding floors, put in a new window, go to the beach.

Not hardly.

When this house was first built, they used wood shakes, but with no tar paper underneath them. Then someone re-roofed over the top of the shakes, but again with no tar paper. So 60 years of rain and salt air have so deteriorated the shingles that they are horribly difficult to get up. And a goodly portion of the rafters of the roof have deteriorated enough to need shoring up. It is Saturday night, and we have officially completed half of the roof. Including the garage, this house is only about 1400 square feet.

We wake up and have breakfast, roof for 4 hours, have lunch, roof for 4 hours, have dinner, roof for 2 hours, snack, some light dialogue, go to bed. Do over. Every day, for 6 days so far.

We are all tired. Tomorrow is Sunday. We are going to only work 4 hours, then go to the beach, do some sightseeing, go to dinner. We'll roof on Monday and Tuesday, and plan to come home Wednesday. I can't imagine we'll have it done by then, but we'll evaluate the possibilities then.

For now, I'm going to bed. Good night.

A Working Vacation

2011-05-21T07:19:00.001-07:00

Off to Eureka for a week. The weather forecast shows upper 50's and partly sunny for most of the week.

To Do List:

re-roof house
sand and refinish hardwood floors in 2 bedrooms and the living room
replace lino in kitchen and bathroom
prep outside of house for painting
replace bathroom window
install a fan in bathroom
prepare all meals and tend to 4 adorable munchkins while doing all of above

Have a great week, everyone!

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

What a delightful Mother's Day we had here. My hubby and son planted eight 6-packs of pansies in the front planter box. Eight! And hubby has a bad back. He is so getting the Husband of the Year award!

We had a lovely family dinner for local family members. All told there were 12 people in attendance. A small gathering, true, but it seems the family is branching out in other directions. The cousins mostly all had their babies ages ago and those babies are all coming of age and doing things in other parts of the state. So the gatherings dwindle a bit each year.

But that's okay. In about 10-15 years, my little tribe will be branching out and those family gatherings will grow again. Exponentially! The thought gives me warm fuzzies.

So, now a few items for your reading pleasure:
1. I have decided to let my hair grow. Less work that way. Wash, towel dry, put up in a bun or braid, done. Someday when I have time again, I'll do the cut, style, dry, products, primp thing again.
2. The garden is planted. In pots. Romaine, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber and basil. Salad at the Begley's!
3. One small flowerbed in the backyard is almost cleared of rocks and weeks. About 2/3 done. The done part is planted with impatiens and lobelia. Perhaps the other 1/3 will happen this week. Who knew rocks could reproduce?!
4. Planning a trip to Eureka next week. The house needs new carpet, new linoleum, refinishing 2 hardwood floors, a fan in the bathroom, insulation, a new roof and one more window. And if that doesn't keep us busy, we'll prep the outside for painting. Anyone have a random orbit sander we can borrow?
5. We finish our unit study of Australia this week. Next week there will be no school for the Eureka trip. Or rather, school will consist of learning 'life skills' like sanding, hammering, stripping old lino, etc. Then 3 more weeks of school, for an estimated finish around June 10th. Summer studies will consist of Ancient Egypt, various animals, and how to entertain a 16 month old while Mommy bakes bread...

Girls!

2011-05-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

Busy week...

2011-05-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much. With homeschooling 2 children at 2 grade levels, combined with a toddler and a baby who just started walking this week...YIKES!!!!

It seems I always have 17 other things that need to be done. I was very frustrated today because I so desperately want to get my front flower bed weeded and the soil turned so I can plant some flowers. But that takes time, and all my time right now is sucked up with laundry, grocery shopping, school, diaper changing, potty accidents and trying to figure out what to do with 4 little ones while my van gets smogged. Don't forget that Mother's Day is in 4 days and I haven't even thought about what I am going to do for those special people. I did volunteer to host the dinner at my house, but that might be as much as I can do. I can't even promise to get the bathrooms clean by then.

Sigh...I know this season is fleeting, but it's exhausting while it lasts.

A good day?

2011-04-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

It's 8:10am. The bathrooms are clean, everyone is fed and dressed, and morning chores are under way. I need to go to the grocery store and Home Depot, then back home for school. This afternoon will be a re-organize Nathan's room project.

I think it's going to be a good day.

This and That

2011-04-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

Mighty Man's new haircut. He wanted me to shave his head, but Daddy said no.

My garden. The long box is romaine, the terra cotta pot is a geranium, and the big grey pot is a tomato plant. See the snow?

It's fluff from our cottonwood trees! We get 'fluffy snow' every spring.

And this apricot confection is a skirt. I'm knitting like a crazy woman trying to get it done for Leah's birthday on the 24th. If I knit an inch a day, I think I can do it...

Hannah Lorrine

2011-04-13T11:50:00.000-07:00

Today is Sissy's 9th birthday!!! I'm not sure how she got to be 9 so quickly. I'm sure I just brought her home from the hospital a few months ago...

This picture is of Hannie holding baby Warrick back in February. My girlie loves babies!

Nathan Michael

2011-03-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Today is Mighty Man's 6th birthday! Isn't he handsome?! I love my sweet boy to itty bitty pieces!!!

The above picture is Nathan dissecting a squid at the California Academy of Sciences.

Spring Is Coming!

2011-02-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

Spring is right around the corner. I'm so happy. Today is bright and sunny, 54 degrees. We did Bible, Geography and Math. Then I canceled school because of sun!

The big kids and I cleaned out the Toddler Playhouse on the patio. We marveled at how many different kinds of spiders, pill bugs and pincher bugs can all inhabit the same space (is that science?). There was a big black spider with odd spots in the telephone holder. Actually, he's still there. He's more ugly than I am brave. I just told the girls not to touch him.

Olivia and Leah spent some time in the little house playing with plastic dishes and plastic food. Leah was the Mommy and Olivia was the Baby. Then Hannah joined the fun and got to be the Big Sister. Nathan refused to participate. He was off banging on trees and fences with a Nerf sword.

Baby Olivia is sick. She's been fighting something for a few days, but it seems to catch her last night. She threw up all over me, cried for a half an hour, then fell asleep. Today she is snotty and has a low temp. Poor thing.

Leah and Nathan are also fighting colds. Nathan is on the upswing today, he'll probably be fine tomorrow. Leah has another couple days, I think.

We got the good news that Hannie gets her braces off March 15th.

Introducing Baby Warrick!

2011-02-09T10:06:00.000-08:00

My dear friends A & C had their baby on Monday. Another boy (3 total now). Warrick Bryson S.

Isn't he sweet? He looks exactly like his oldest brother, but with his mothers coloring. Mom says he has the other brothers disposition so far. He was 7.9lbs and 19" long. So tiny. My shortest baby was 19" long.

The delivery went well, baby and mom are just fine. They will come home from the hospital today or tomorrow.

I just love babies!

I Did It!

2011-01-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I began working towards 'losing the baby weight' in September 2010 (baby was 6 months old). I weighed 142. After 2 months of exercising whenever I could for about 20 minutes a pop, I had lost a total of 1 pound.

Yay.

I decided that something needed to change. I have 4 small children, and exercising for 20 minutes at a time whenever I could was not enough. So I kept the exersize part, and changed the diet.

I decided to eat only raw food from rising in the morning until dinner time. Then I would have a 'regular' dinner with the family (making a separate meal for me was too hard on the willpower). I eat fruit, raw nuts, veggie/fruit smoothies, and dried fruit for most of the day. I eat as much as I want, as often as I like. I have 2 rules: I must wait to eat until I am actually hungry, and and then it must be raw. I occasionally have a fried or boiled egg in the morning, maybe once a week.

My goal was to be 'pre-pregnancy weight' (132 lbs) by my birthday (1/14). On the morning of my birthday, I weighed 133. In 2 1/2 months, I lost 8 pounds. I lost that last pound this week. I weighed in at 132 this morning. Have you ever hefted a 10lb bag of potatoes? It's chunk of weight!

Yes, I did a little victory dance!

I think I'm going to keep it up. I'm not really looking to lose any more weight, but I feel good, the eating method is easy. I'm curious to see what my body will plateau at. At some point, the weight loss will stop, which is my body's way of saying 'This is what you're supposed to weigh. If you want to weigh less, you'll have to work a lot harder.'

And as you know, I don't like to work harder. So I figure I'll lose another 3-5 pounds before I hit that plateau. Being less than 130lbs will make me very happy.

Fun New Site

2011-01-12T09:52:00.001-08:00

Here's a link to a fun new site for all you organizational nuts!!

www.knockknock.biz

Have fun!

Our New House!!!

2010-12-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

We have an offer on this house. It's a short sale, but the homeowners have accepted our offer and have agreed to submit ONLY our offer to the bank. Banks can be fickle of course, but our agent and their agent feel our bid is fair and the bank should have no reason to refuse or counter it. So, here's to hoping!!

It's 2281 sq. ft, 4 bedroom, 3 car garage on just shy of a half acre. I'm having trouble moving pictures around, so here they are in no particular order...

Master Bedroom

Family Room & Kitchen

Entry/Living Room/Dining

Front of House - Oak Trees!

Kitchen - granite is black and white with flecks of a beigey sort of color

Back yard - they made a huge, elaborate patio

Giveaway!!!

2010-12-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

My hubby and I have been doing some reading and praying about family planning and the lordship of Christ. One of the books we're reading suggested asking people a question. If you leave a comment with your answer, I will enter you in a drawing for a lovely jar candle. It's deep purple and smells of plums and coziness. Okay, here it is:

If you had your choice between $10,000.00 and another baby, which would you chose?

Saturday Night

2010-11-20T19:43:00.000-08:00

It's raining. Pouring. I love to listen to rain. Everything is so warm and cozy. I am grateful to have a house to live in, food to eat, heat, good health.

God is good.

Cute Kid Story

2010-11-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

So, I'm in the shower when Bubba starts pounding on the door.

"Mom! I need you!"

"Bubba, can't it wait 5 minutes? I'm almost done."

"NO! It's important"

So I turn off the water and peek around the shower door. His eyes are wide and my heart rate picks up a bit as I imagine someone choking, or bleeding, or having left the house with a stranger. "Yes, Bubba? What is it?"

"Can I have some gum?"

Yawn....

2010-10-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

It's only 12:30, and I am so tired. The children have not been sleeping well lately.

One must still inform me when they must potty, even when it's 1:14am.

Another seems to be having bad dreams and needs to come sleep on the floor in my room around 3am.

Baby nurses once a night, somewhere between 1am and 4am.

The last child is kinda random. Sometimes they wake and wish to be tucked in, sometimes they just lay in bed and groan loudly until I get up and commence tucking.

Yawn...

Fun Stuff!

2010-10-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

September was a fun month for us! We've had lots of new stuff going on! Observe...

Olivia's new digs...

The neighborhood cat that has been hanging around. Hannah named her Silky...

The car show we went to...

Alexander McCall Smith

2010-09-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

"In such a way is freedom of thought lost," said Angus Lordie, who had been listening very attentively to Domenica. "By small cuts. By small acts of disapproval. By a thousand discouragements of spirit."

- 44 Scotland Street

What is the moral?

2010-09-24T10:00:00.001-07:00

A small firm calls a meeting of its leadership staff. The topic to be covered is leadership principles - how to be a leader, how to encourage leadership qualities in your staff, etc.

As the 4 staff members enter the small conference room and are seated, they see in the center of the table a pencil, a bell, and a small candy.

A man rings the bell, and is awarded his choice of the pencil or the candy as a prize for being 'such a leader' by the trainer. He picks the candy.

This irritates the woman next to him. She thought to ring the bell, but decided that hearing such a sharp tone in such a confined space might be annoying to the other people in the room. Does this mean she is not a leader?

She takes a multi-tool out of her purse (you know, the kind with 84 kinds of screwdrivers, hooks and such), dismantles the bell, and lays the parts in a nice, neat row up the middle of the table. She then takes the pencil, snaps it in half and gives one half to each of the two other managers in the room. She then sits back and waits to see what the trainers reaction is.

What is the moral of the story?

Alexander McCall Smith

2010-09-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

Domenica smiled. "It's very easy," she said. "It's very easy, isn't it?"

"What?"

"To increase the sum total of human happiness. By these little acts. Small things. A word of encouragement. A gesture of love. So easy."

-Love Over Scotland

Stuff

2010-09-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a very productive day for me so far. I've swept & mopped, unloaded the dishwasher, gave Nathan a bath, did a load of laundry, cleaned out the fridge, made breakfast & lunch & dinner (in the crockpot).

Now I'm tired and it's only 1pm.

School

2010-09-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

School is starting to settle into a pattern. We start school at about 8:30 by reading a chapter of the Bible, then journaling our thoughts about that chapter. The children re-tell me the story that the chapter spoke of (narration/comprehension). Then spelling words are taken directly from the text for Hannah.

After Bible/Writing/Spelling, Hannah goes off to do her piano practice while I work one-on-one with Nathan. Leah spends her time coloring, cutting and pasting paper, puzzles and the like.

After this we have a short break for potty, a quick chore, etc. Then back to the table for Geography and Science. Then Nathan is done for the day and goes to do his own thing while I do Math with Hannah.

When all the 'real' schoolwork is done, I do a read-aloud for everyone.

It's working...

Homeschool

2010-09-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

Today was a difficult day. It was the first day of school using the new curriculum for 3rd grade. We've been reviewing for a couple weeks, but today we were supposed to follow the outline of things to be completed for the day.

We got about 75% done. Between a two year old and an infant, and the other two needing hands-on help every two and a half minutes, we just couldn't get through it. Plus I had to go to the grocery and the bank.

This is going to be a hard year.

Baby Livy!

2010-09-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

Olivia is just getting cuter and cuter! Look at that crazy hair! She now stays upright when placed in a sitting position (most of the time) and has been doing 'push ups'!

Committment

2010-08-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

-Goethe

The Girls New Haircuts

2010-08-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

Aren't they adorable?!?! And here is a recent pic of Bubba. I have one of Baby somewhere, but will have to post it later.

Go here now!!!

2010-08-18T08:19:00.001-07:00

www.penelopeloveslists.com

!!!!!!!

Still searching...

2010-08-17T16:29:00.001-07:00

Well, we didn't get the house. And we didn't get the next one either. The search continues.

I think we are learning as we go along. And the market still seems to be dropping a bit.

The house situation

2010-07-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

We have an offer on this house, in Auburn. It's a short sale though, so we won't know for awhile (a couple weeks, a couple months?).

It's 2148 sq ft, on a third of an acre. Most everything is on the top floor, with a bonus room and laundry room and access to the garage downstairs.

The back yard is a mess. Lots of mature shade trees, but it's been allowed to grow wild. There are stickers everywhere. And it is an uphill slope, which is less than desirable, but it does have one largish flat area, and places on the hill where you could make some smaller flat areas. With some work and some vision, it could be lovely.

Same-old, same-old...

2010-07-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

Well, we didn't get the house. Ah well.

I'm making a chicken and rice casserole in the crockpot today. The recipe appears to be short of liquid, even though the author assures us that all is well. Hope it works...

On a fun note, we're going to Fort Bragg this weekend! Never been there. Decided to splurge and get a motel with a view of the beach! Fort Bragg has a Botanical Garden. Oh, I so want to go, but I'm the only person in my family who is interested in such things. And since they are coming on the trip with me, it would be poor manners to insist on the Garden. But I do so want to go...

There is also MacKerricher State Park, which I'm told has a cool whale exhibit at the entrance. That will probably be more to everyone's liking.

Well, off to run a couple errands before it gets too hot. Only supposed to be 97 degrees today!

Interesting Development

2010-07-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

Remember that house we didn't get? The people who did get it are trying to re-negotiate terms with the bank. The bank is less than enthused, so the listing agent told us to resubmit our bid.

We did, of course. Hoping to hear by Wednesday or so...

Bummer...

2010-06-28T20:42:00.001-07:00

Found out on Friday that we didn't get the house. Left Brain and I spent the greater part of the weekend in a funk.

Sigh...

Stuff

2010-06-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

1) New blog design. This one is very red, dontcha think?
2) We put a bid on a house this weekend. It's a big, rambling cabin sort of place on 3.8 acres. There are some very good things about it, and some not so great things about it. We are getting some estimates to see if the not so great things can be made better without zeroing out the bank.
3) My tooth hurts. I cracked a molar, and am in the midst of getting a crown. They've made the impression to make the crown and I get it on the 29th. In the meantime, it hurts.
4) Today is the first day of summer!

Nathan

2010-06-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

While meandering thru the backyard yesterday, Nathan tripped and fell against the shed. Ended up with a 1.5" scrape on his cheek. Then, while going for a walk as a family, he put a loooooong stick in his mouth. The stick got caught on the sidewalk, which then scraped up the roof of his mouth. Ouch!

Hopefully, he won't put sticks in his mouth anymore...

How do you know...

2010-05-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

I have been burdened lately on how does one know if they are truly saved. There are many who will cry "Lord, Lord!" How do we know we are not one of them?

A dear friend told me to read 1 John. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it comforted me and I want to share it with you.

The Practices of Those Who Are In Christ, according to 1 John

1 John 1:6-7 - walk in the light. By this I gather that if we claim to be Christian, but still practice sin, we lie.

vs. 8-9 - recognize we are sinful, and confess our sins

2:3-4 - Keep His commandments. If we claim to be Christian, but do not keep the laws and rules He gave us, we lie.

vs 6 - walk as He walked

vs 9-11 - do not hate your brother

vs 15-17 - do not love the world or the things in the world. We cannot be entertained by TV or music that depicts sin, and still claim to know Christ. Do not treat lightly that which He died to save you from.

vs 22-23 - understand that Jesus is the Christ

vs 29 - everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him

3:3-4 - purify yourself; do not continue in sinful habits

10-15 - love your brethren

vs 16 - be willing to lay down our lives for the brethren

vs 17-18 Share your goods with others
vs 23 - believe on the name of His son Jesus Christ, love one another
vs 24 - Keep His commandments
4:7-12 love one another
vs 15 confess that Jesus is the Son of God
5:21 keep yourselves from idols Whatever preempts the place in one's heart that belongs to God may be said to be a god (pleasures, self)

Wierd Things Parents Say...

2010-04-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

Here are a few things I've actually said in the last week or so...

Don't lick the wall!
Don't chew on the shoe!
No, you may not play with the razor blade.
Get your hand out of your pants!
Your underwear is on backwards.
Stop running in circles!
I just bought you 10 pairs of socks. Where did they all go?!

What are some goofy things you never imagined yourself saying?

It's all about Leah...

2010-04-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

HoneyBear turns 2 this Saturday! We're having a ladybug party. Each little person will paint their own rock black and red to take home with them. I'll post the details and cute pictures next week.

Little Bit 'O Nothin'!

2010-04-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Our Little Bit is still little, but gaining steadily. She's finally on the growth chart, topping out at 5%! Woohoo!! She gained 8.8 ounces in 10 days, then 4.6 ounces in 5 days. So not quite an ounce a day like 'normal', but doing just fine.

This picture is right after a bath. Can you see the curls? Alas, they don't stay once the hair dries, but it's fun fluffing them up when wet.

Little Bit

2010-03-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

Good grief, it it the 22nd of March already? When you have a new baby, time gets away from you Every Day.

We have been especially busy, because our Little Bit is not gaining much weight. The doctor is concerned, but I am not, which of course creates tension and stress. Babies are 'supposed' to gain about an ounce a day as newborns. Livy had only gained 2 ounces as of last Thursday.

The pediatritian questioned me on every little thing and wondered aloud if perhaps baby had some sort of slow growth syndrome. I Googled 'slow growth syndrome' and that is most certainly NOT what she has.

Our baby is gaining in head circumference, and in length. She eats well, sleeps well, pees and poos just fine. She is getting stronger and more alert as time goes by. She's holding her head up for a few seconds now and is awake for longer periods. Except for gaining weight 'properly', she is doing exactly what babies are supposed to be doing. And she has gained another 2 ounces since Thursday, according to my digital baby scale. My gut feeling as a mommy is that she is just small - hence the nickname Little Bit.

Unless some other symptom presents itself, I am not going to worry about the doctors opinion, and I will certainly not allow any genetic testing. I skipped this mornings appt, and the office called to make sure I was going to come in later. I may take her again tomorrow for a quick check in, but that's it.

Well, that's it really. Just needed to vent I guess. Have a great day!

Children

2010-03-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here are Bubba, Honey Bear and Sissy, all dressed up for church. Isn't Honey Bear's smile contagious?!

And here is Baby Olivia, whom we call either Livy, or Little Bit.

Wednesday was a lovely, spring-like day - sunny, clear, cool breeze blowing. A day difficult to dress for - short sleeves were too cold, long sleeves looked as if they would be too warm. We went with long sleeves and were glad because it turned out to be a VERY cool breeze.

Anyhoo, a bright sunny day, with a view of the mountains in the distance, a cool breeze. Well, they always seem to stir something inside of me. A wondering about the road less traveled. I don't regret choosing married, settled and children. But occasionally I wonder about what life could have looked like. Wandering around like a gypsy, going where ever I wish, seeing new things and interesting people. The wind in my hair, 27 bumper stickers, an old convertible.

The coming of spring seems to always reminds me of that small seed of selfishness I hide in the dark places of my heart. A cool, clear day always makes me take it out and look at it for a little while. But not too long. Exposing that seed to the sun and wind for too long makes it grow. Tendrils of discontent would sour and poison the road that was chosen. And I learned early not to make things more difficult than they have to be.

But I still sometimes wonder...

Try a thing...

2010-03-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

Try a thing you haven't done three times. Once, to get over your fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.

-Virgil Thompson
composer/critic

Family Reunion

2010-02-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

Introducing Olivia Jewell!

2010-02-26T18:02:00.000-08:00

This is about 10 minutes after birth. Isn't she lovely? Look at those lashes!

Well, I'm still really exhausted, so I'm going to give you the abreviated birth story, okay?

I recognized labor at 8:30ish am on Tuesday, the 23rd. I called Michael to come home at 9:15am, he got home about 10am. Contractions were about 15 minutes apart, and just mildly painful, mostly just annoying. My dear friend L came and got the children about 1pm. By then contractions were about 12 minutes apart, still just annoying.

We walked. We shopped. We went to dinner. We walked some more. Contractions were all over the place, from 3 minutes apart to 15 minutes apart - very random. We went to bed about 9pm. I woke up at 11:30 with an actually painful contraction. I waited until 1 am to wake Michael. Contractions were 5 minutes apart and hurting pretty good.

Got to the hospital, got checked in. I was only dialated to a ONE! Grrr! I had a LEEP procedure in 2008, and the scar tissue was preventing me from dialating. But since I was 6 days overdue, they checked me in and said we could labor away, or we could get some Pitocin to get things going. We chose to labor away.

More walking. Still no progress. The Dr wanted to do a procedure to break the scar tissue, but warned me that it would be very painful and recommended an epidural. We were trying so hard not to get any drugs, so we said we'd just labor some more and wait on that epidural a bit longer. After 24 hours total labor, we were not progressing, so I finally agreed on the epidural so they could break up that scar tissue.

Got my drugs, and the Dr examined me - I had dialated to a 4! Yay! Decided not to do the procedure, and just labor to see if the scar tissue would break on it's own. Labored another 6 hours. The epidural was not working very well on the right side. It was helping, but I could still feel pain. The Dr decided to go ahead and break the scar tissue. Called the anesthesiologst to adjust the epidural first. He adjusted, and just as he finished up, I felt something pop. There was a huge gush of fluid, and the contractions got really intense with no let up in between. After probably 5 contractions, I told the nurse about the pop and said I needed to push.

She checked me and I was fully dialated and baby was moving down as she checked. I didn't push long, only about 5 contractions that I remember. Baby Olivia was born at 1:51pm on Wednesday, February 24th, after 30 hours of labor. She was 8 pounds exactly, and 19.25 inches long. Lots of dark hair! I had a small tear from where I had an episiotomy before and got 5 stitches.

We came home on Thursday afternoon. I'm still exhausted - light headed and shaky from lack of sleep. Olivia's digestive tract is still figuring out what to do with itself, and she's getting lots of bubbles at night. The last 2 nights I got about 4 hours of sleep, but not consecutively, of course.

We're getting there. All is well. Michael has until Wednesday off of work.

There was a funny story about Nathan at the hospital, but I'll post it later.

Tuesday, 8:30am

2010-02-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

Well, my friends, today might be the day. Having some odd 'pressure' feelings. And the mucus plug is making an appearance (sorry if TMI). And I've been cleaning like crazy - kids are bathed, piano practice is done, emptied trash cans throughout the house, dishwasher turned on, laundry in the dryer, a couple things ironed, tidied the bedrooms, made sure Michael has a fresh pitcher of iced tea in the fridge, got tomorrows coffee ready and coffee pot pre-set. If this is it, I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

The German composer Handel was born on Feb 23rd. It's a good day to be born.

This is my 199th post on my blog. Wouldn't it be just appropriate to have post 200 be a birth announcement?!?!

Saturday afternoon

2010-02-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

Still here, no baby yet. I'm stuck somewhere between being impatient for her to arrive already, and knowing that it's really gonna hurt, so take your time...

Still haven't found my paperwork. But thankfully, a lender that I had faxed the stack to a couple months ago agreed to match the rate I got from someone else. So, we have a lender, I finished faxing him a couple random documents this morning. I feel like I've done everything I'm supposed to do. Now I just have to wait and see if my husband is going to buy the house. He says he'll decide by Monday.

Well, gotta get back to my ironing. Must have freshly pressed clothing for church tomorrow. Have a great day resting in God's faithfulness.

Thursday evening...

2010-02-18T19:18:00.000-08:00

No baby yet. Just wanted to get that out of the way...

As most of you know, we have been looking to buy a house for over a year now. As we have bid on various houses, most of them want pre-approvals with specific lenders. So I keep a big stack of paperwork with all our important documents - W2's, bank statements, check stubs, the note to grandma's house, etc. It makes faxing all the docs easier to whomever we have to send them to.

I lost the stack.

Spent a frantic afternoon near meltdown trying to find it. Ok, it was an actual meltdown. I spent 20 minutes or so sitting on the floor in my kitchen sobbing like a baby, rocking back and forth. I have checked every drawer, every cabinet, every closet, the bookshelves, the armoire, behind stuff, under furniture, my van, everywhere. I can't find it.

This is burdensome on several levels. One, I have important documents floating around somewhere. Two, I need these documents ASAP to get a loan funded for a house we bid on last week. Three, I am furious with myself that I managed to lose something so important. Four, my husband cannot understand how I managed to lose something so important. Five, I'm due to have a baby any second now and I do not have time for this. Six, the sense of powerlessness I feel is A Heavy Burden. What do you do when it simply cannot be found?

Most of the documents only have my husbands name on them, which means that I cannot request new stuff, he has to do it. He announced awhile ago that he's not making those phone calls, I'll just have to find my stack. Again, what do you do when it simply cannot be found?

Tuesday Afternoon

2010-02-16T13:40:00.000-08:00

Had my OB appt this morning. Baby Olivia is still head down (yay), but there is no progress otherwise (bummer). The Cervix of Steel strikes again.

Interestingly, they have my due date for tomorrow (the 17th). I've been thinking all along that it was the 14th. There was a miscommunication somewhere...anyhoo, there will be no talk about an induction until I am 10 days overdue. So, my Dr says she'll induce me on the 27th if I haven't delivered by then. Sigh...

So, if I'm really due tomorrow, then we have at least 3-4 days after that before I can realistically expect baby to come. So, I'm thinking this weekend sometime, probably Sunday or Monday. Ah well.

Well, off to get school done for the day. I've done well so far - paid some bills, did some ironing, laundry is in the dryer, dinner is planned, made a quick stop at the grocery this morning. Have a great day everyone!

Saturday Night

2010-02-13T18:48:00.000-08:00

Well, we got all our housework and schoolwork done Thursday. Everything is ready. The house is clean, the laundry is done, even the ironing is caught up. We're still waiting...

Still no sign of baby. Surely this can't go longer than a few more days. I'm trying not to complain. I actually like being pregnant, it's just that last week or two that is so uncomfortable and tiring. Sigh...

Thursday

2010-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

It's 11:30am. We're behind on school. My everything is sore and achey. The children can't keep from squabbling for more than 3 minutes. I'm tired. Laundry is well underway, but I haven't cleaned the bathrooms yet (Thursday is bathroom cleaning day).

Things left to do: spelling test, history, math game. Clean bathrooms, figure out what to do for dinner, unload dishwasher, put clean laundry away.

At least we have baths out of the way and piano is done. One thing at a time...keep going for 5 more minutes. 5 more, and 5 more and 5 more, and it will all get done eventually.

Wednesday

2010-02-10T07:49:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Wednesday and still no baby. No contractions, no nothing.

Today will be a moderately slow day. The girls are in the bathtub, then we'll do an hour or so of school, then off to soccer for Nathan. Drop off something to a friend, pick up something from another friend, then back home for lunch and more school. Hopefully the afternoon will see a few chores done.

I have no idea what we're having for dinner tonight. I have hamburger and some drumsticks in the freezer. We've already had spaghetti and BBQ chicken this week using those meats. Any ideas?

Perhaps I'll stop at the grocery while I'm out this morning. I have a coupon for a pork roast, and another I think for ham. Hmm...

Baby Olivia flips...

2010-02-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

I went in last night to have the external version done. Got there about 8:15, got checked in, got a room.

And then people started showing up.

It was such a strange sensation. With the last 3 babies, and with most other milestones in our life, Michael and I have felt like we just did it ourselves. There wasn't anyone available to hold our hands, so you just suck it up and get it done.

This time, I had multiple volunteers to watch my littles ones, phone calls and emails of encouragement, and two dear friends stayed at the hospital with us until after 11pm, when we were released. Wow.

Michael and I kept looking at each other and communicating silently. 'What are we supposed to do with these people?' I kept feeling like I was supposed to entertain them. My friend C had to tell me several times that they were all here to minister to us, and we just needed to relax and do whatever it was that God had for us. It was lovely.

But anyway, back to Baby Olivia...

My Dr started the procedure at 9:52pm. She finished and left the room by 10pm. She said it was the easiest version she has ever done. After two minutes of lifting and pushing, Baby O flipped right over and stayed put. May I just add that those 2 minutes were VERY painful? VERY. Red-faced, sweaty, death-grip on whatever I could reach kinda painful. Not quite as bad as labor, but certainly in the same category.

But it only lasted 2 minutes. Anyone can survive anything for 2 minutes. Anyhoo...they monitored me for an hour and fifteen minutes, then sent me home. Baby was fine, not even a blip in her heartbeat showed on the monitor. Of course, my heartrate was spiking all over the place.

So, after an hour, I started getting what my hubby calls 'feisty'. I was hungry! They hadn't let me eat for 11 hours at that point. I was tired, sore, starving and shaky from the muscle relaxer they gave me (and lack of food, and stress). They shut the monitors off, but didn't remove any of them. So, I started taking them off myself. By the time the nurse came back in, she just had to remove the IV.

Today I am pretty darn sore from the internal exam, and there is a small bruised feeling spot on the bottom of my tummy, but overall I'm feeling just tired. We got to sleep at 1pm, and Leah woke me up at 6:30 this morning.

All is well, God is good.

Michael is nesting...

2010-02-06T08:35:00.001-08:00

This morning at 7am, he swept and mopped the floors in the house, and threw in a load of laundry. Then he vacuumed. Then he took apart my vacuum and washed it. In the sink, with hot water and stuff. Then he made me pull all of my hair out of the sweeper brush. So now my vacuum is shiny clean.

It's only 8:30am, and he's making me tired. But my house is sure is clean!

Friday afternoon

2010-02-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

Well, at my Dr appt yesterday, we found out that baby is breech. I have an appt tomorrow night at the hospital to try and turn the baby, but this procedure has risks of it's own. Dr. R told me to come prepared to have a baby, probably by C-section.

If we can turn baby, great. Hope she stays that way. If they can't get her to turn & stay, or if the procedure causes my water to break or problems with the placenta, they will do a C-section.

I'm told the version (turn the baby procedure) is not fun. Getting nervous about that. Nervous about a C-section too - at least the recovery from it.

I'm tired.

Wednesday

2010-02-03T16:20:00.001-08:00

I have spent a frustrating afternoon trying to update our address and phone number with umpteen entities - retirement funds, banks, etc. I think I'm done now, but sheesh. What a hassle!

At least I had the foresight to put dinner in the crockpot this morning. A good hearty stew will make everything better.

Nathan started soccer today and loves it! We went to Target and got him some shin gaurds and cleats. He is so excited.

Well, gotta go get dinner together. I'll try to log on real quick and post if I go into labor!

Tuesday

2010-02-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I did manage to get school done yesterday and today. Well, technically, Hannah is still working on her geography and I need to do some read-aloud, but we're pretty much done. Nathan worked on letters Q, R, S & T. Hannah is still covering money in math. Leah took a nap.

I thought we might have a baby last night. I had a few contractions, but they dwindled when I sat down and tried to time them. Ah well. I have stuff to do this week.

I am about 4 pages away from finishing up Grandma Gladys' conservatorship accounting. I MUST finish it! I DO NOT want to deal with it after baby. After baby, I need to do our taxes - that will be challenge enough.

Well, better go 'challenge' Hannah to finish up her work. I can hear her downstairs chattering with Nathan.

Monday

2010-02-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

It is 1:25pm. Leah is downstairs screaming about something. Nathan is behind me making noise. Hannah is trying to figure out what is wrong with Leah. I have finally made it home from WalMart, the kiddie thrift shop, and Subway (for gift cards). The thank you notes for our move have been addressed, sealed and tossed into the mail. I paid a bill, listened to a voicemail and made a list of phone calls to do this afternoon. The handyman is coming in an hour or so to fix a handful of things around the house.

I'm tired. I made Hannah do her piano practice, but we haven't done any school yet today. We are supposed to review money today in math.

Only 2 weeks left until baby, assuming I don't go over. Which I probably will. I have a Dr appt Thurs am, so we'll see if anything is happening yet.

Bear with me. I'm thinking my postings are going to get real sporadic.

Stuff and Such

2010-01-27T14:20:00.001-08:00

The chicken enchilada chili was soooo good! Michael and I loved it, the kids wouldn't touch it. Michael's only comment as he scarfed it down was that it could use more veggies. Next time I'll add some bell peppers too. Here's the link:http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2010/01/enchilada-chicken-chili.html

Sorry to end so quickly, but Little Leah woke up crying. Gotta go!

2010-01-26T14:35:00.001-08:00

Well, as you can see, I've gotten bored with the look of my blog again. How do you like this template?

The children had their dental appt this morning. Hannah had a tooth pulled. The adult teeth came down in front of the baby tooth, so the baby tooth never got loose enough to fall out. A mildly traumatic experience for my girl - the sight of blood makes her a little freaked out. The dentist also says she has heavy lower crowding and needs braces. So we have a Ortho referral in March. She takes after her daddy, that one.

Someone came to look at the screens in our rental today. Most of the window screens have holes, and a couple are just missing. And the sliding glass door had the outer pane of glass broken out. So, the guy estimated the cost for fixing everything and we'll see what the homeowner is willing to fix. Tomorrow the blinds people come out - the blinds are gone in the master and 2 other windows the blinds will not stay up when you raise them.

Nathan starts soccer tomorrow, assuming the field is not too marshy. Hannah starts piano on Thursday. So a week of firsts, all the way around. I'm trying a new recipe tonight called Chicken Enchilada Chili in my crockpot. I love my crockpot. If this turns out, I'll post a link to where I got the recipe.

Only 3 more weeks until baby. Just got a call today about the church arranging a baby shower for us. Aside from a few odds and ends, we mostly just need diapers. A relief for the gal planning the shower - we'll go low key. A short devotional, no games, try to keep the guest list under 10 people. Baby shower games are annoying anyway.

And I think my Dear Darling Husband (DDH) has selected the name for baby. We are 85% sure we will call her Olivia Jewell. Olivia isn't technically a Bible name, but the Biblical reference is there. We kept thinking about the verse in Psalms where it talks about children around your table like olive trees. Naming her Olive was a little too Popeye, but Olivia is sweet. So, Olivia means olive, olive tree, peace, new beginning (remember Noah's dove?). We'll probably call her Livy for short. Because being able to say Livy Wivy Pivy is just too cute!

All Moved In

2010-01-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

We're in! We had lots of help from church, and we able to move in one day (Friday). Then on Saturday, dear friends from our homeschool group spent the greater part of the day with us getting all those random boxes in some sort of order, and getting the kitchen together.

Sunday was good - we were so tired from the move, we mostly just sat. Then on Monday evening, the water heater exploded. Well, not literally, but it began overflowing with water all over the garage. We noticed about 6pm, but don't know how long it had been pumping by then. There was debris in the line, so we couldn't even turn the water off. I paged the property mgt company three times over an hour before anyone responded.

The Lord protected us greatly. The water meandered between the legs of furniture, under the work bench, and pooled in a low spot in the center of the garage that just happened to be clear of stuff. The only boxes to get wet were full of random garage stuff like tarps and plastic bottles of cleansers and the like that weren't damaged by water.

By Tuesday afternoon, the new water heater was installed and all was well again.

Then hubs and I had a...um...conflict that afternoon and evening. Two people who could not see the others point of view At All. One of those people is an only child, and the other is VERY pregnant and hormonal. Hurtful words, cold silence, and now an unspoken agreement not to talk about it.

I spent a lot of time crying and reading 1 Peter in the wee hours of this morning. Then dawn came with torrents of rain and gusts of wind. The wind blows the wet sideways. The lights flicker occasionally. I'm tired and fragile today. I have to facilitate a homeschool meeting in a little over an hour. I hope I can find my happy place soon. Or at least my plastic smile.

The Last Day

2010-01-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of living and sleeping in our cozy little house. Today I'll be packing and organizing the last of the toys for easy transport. A box for each bathroom, so there are 'necessary' items instantly available. I'll probably pack the last of the dishes and pots and go with paper plates this evening.

I've got some salmon thawing in the sink. I'm going to crockpot dinner - Lemon and Dill Salmon. A bit of rice, a little broccoli - yum! Dinner will be easy tonight, and easier cleanup!

Tomorrow morning should see me stripping beds, last minute laundry and wondering where I put the diapers.

It's also my birthday today!

4 days to go...

2010-01-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

It's Monday. We are moving in on Friday to our rental. It's only a half a mile from our house now, so it shouldn't be too difficult. We also had a surprising number of people volunteer to help out.

I am now down to packing the hard stuff. Every item I pick up, I have to decide if I can live without it for the next week or so, or do I need to wait a couple more days.

I have lots of phone calls to make, so better get going!

Two weeks till the move...

2010-01-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are two weeks out. We have a rental lined up, but it's really, really, really small (1050 square feet). So we continue the hunt for a rental in hopes of finding one that is bigger. I don't mind small for short term, but since we really have no idea of how long we will need to rent, I would prefer something bigger. Hoping to find something at least 1200 square feet. Going to look at one tonight, and have calls in on 2 others.

Little Leah had her doctor appt this morning. All is well. She's 50% for head size and height, but only 5% for weight. Given that her older sister is super tall and super skinny, the Dr was not concerned. Leah is actually shorter than Hannah was. Hannie was usually 5 - 10% for weight and 80-90% for height.

Everyone is recovered from their colds over the past 2 weeks. Today we will do a reduced school day, and try to get the usual 2-3 boxes packed. Packing is getting a bit harder now. I have to give serious thought to what can be packed and what we are going to need. Convienence vs. economy.

Well, that's all for now. If anything exciting happens, I'll let you know here. Same Bat time, same Bat channel.

Stuff

2009-12-30T08:16:00.000-08:00

Today has been pretty productive so far. It's 8:18am, and I've got my second load of laundry going, the dishwasher going, everyone is fed and dressed, emptied the shredder and finished shredding some stuff, scrubbed down the kitchen barstools and looked up an address to mail off a picture for Hannah.

I still need to do school, go to the drugstore and the bank, reserve a storage unit and truck for this weekend, and I'm really, really hoping to sweep and mop today.

Still haven't heard anything on the new house, but we have been assigned our 'negotiator'. Of course, this is the holiday season and he is probably on vacation until next week.

We have 3 weeks left to move. Still no idea yet where we are going. The house is about halfway packed up. There has been lots of organizing and purging projects though. That part feels good.

We want to move all of the already packed stuff, the large yard toys (swingset, play structure) and the garage things into a storage locker this weekend. That will free up a lot of space in the house. Anybody have a teenage boy we can borrow on Saturday?

December 27th

2009-12-27T15:19:00.001-08:00

I stayed home from church with the girls today - they are both sick with moderate colds. Should be fine in a couple days. The boys (Daddy & Nathan) went to church together.

While they were gone, I gave the girls a bath, took a shower myself, took down and boxed up all the Christmas decorations, got dinner prepped and in the crockpot, then made lunch.

So now, Christmas is officially 'down' in my house. Since I've also been packing the last few weeks, everything looks quite barren. I took down the decorative items in my bedroom today as well and boxed those up. Most of the deco items in the house are packed now. A few things left in the girls room and kitchen - odd sized things that won't fit into normal boxes. Also need to figure out how to move/store the large decorative pictures.

On the upside, the living room looks huge!

Michael is taking a quick nap, and I've sent the children to their rooms for a little quiet time. Maybe I'll go put my feet up for a few mintues. I'm sure Michael will want to go for a walk before it gets dark. Walking in the brisk winter air works up an appetite, and makes little children go to bed early!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's been a lovely Christmas Day so far. The girls were quite sick last night and I was up several times with each of them. They slept in until about 7am this morning. Then we had breakfast, cleaned up, Michael took a shower, then we opened presents. (I just love that waiting until 10am to open gifts doesn't make my kids nutty!)

Leah got a push popper toy and loves it! Her second favorite item was the rubber chicken from Nani. Go figure! Hannah loved the pink scarf I knit her (at least she pretends to) but I think the Littlest Pet Shop was the hands down fave. Nathan got tools and a model car kit (that Michael has been putting together for him for about 3 hours now).

Auntie K gave the children a Hungry Hungry Hippos game and they are loving it!

It's been a very mellow day. I've prepped the sweet potatoes for dinner, did a load of laundry, took out several bags of wrapping paper/boxes/wire/etc, and even got in a shower. Sigh...all is well. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Two days to go...

2009-12-23T07:52:00.001-08:00

Only 2 days until Christmas. Today will be a flurried mix of school, house cleaning, finishing a sewing project, hopefully a quick trip out for that ONE LAST MINUTE GIFT, and some planning of the Christmas Dinner.

I have one sick baby, one Mighty Man starting to sneeze, and a Big Girl complaining of a sore throat. I don't think we're going to make it to the family gathering on Christmas day, so I need to plan a little something special for my own little Christmas dinner.

I have a small ham in the freezer, my dear friend L brought me yams yesterday (a little OJ and coconut will make that yummy), an interesting salad perhaps. Hmmmm...

Anybody have a good recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls?

Playing Together...

2009-12-21T11:37:00.001-08:00

Hannah and Nathan are playing together. Some sort of army man/Polly Pocket thing. Here's an exchange I heard this morning:

Hannah: Here a guy and he looks really mean!

Nathan: Kill him!!

Hannah: No, he's a bad guy, but he wants to be good.

Nathan: Kill him!

Hannah: No! You're supposed to say "Do you want to be a good guy?"

Nathan: BOOM!!!!! He's dead.

Hannah: I don't want to play with you anymore!