The Great Barf-Fest of 2008

Just tryin' to keep it real...it's not been pleasant around here!

Let me back track a little--Christmas Eve--My fantabulous mom and step-dad came over for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. While I was in the kitchen cleaning up, Gracie came up to me, looking quite pale, and told me she was cold. Indeed she was. Goosebumps all over! I leaned in to feel her sweet little head--HOT! So, I break out the thermometer and it gives me a nasty reading of 104.3 and climbing. As I saw the number register on the thermometer, it also registered with me that Gracie had 2 'accidents' that day--and I distinctly remember her pee smelling a little 'off'. I also remember her telling me her back hurt. All of a sudden, it hit me that she was probably ill with another kidney infection. But, before I panicked, I reasoned that she could be ill from the 4 shots she had gotten the day before at her 5 year well-child appointment. I called the pediatricians nurse triage line to run off her symptoms and to see if the shots could be the culprit. Nope. The nurse said no way would the immunizations cause such a high fever, and given her other symptoms, I should take her right into the E.R. I did, they confirmed that she had pyelonephritis(kidney infection) and pumped her full of fluids and antibiotics. We watched the clock pass midnight--Merry Christmas! Thankfully, hubby had stuffed one of her presents into my purse...just in case. She spent a good portion of Christmas day as well at the hospital, as she would not eat, drink or pee. Fun times, I'll tell you, fun times...

So as not to give too much information (because it's yucky) I'll just say that Christmas night gave way to 2 children struck down with vomiting and diarrhea. Lord have mercy, I hate the stomach-flu! It's the worst!! My washing machine ran from 2am until late the next night washing stomach contents from sheets, pillows and blankets. << shudder >>

Little Sam is still ill, and I am thinking he's got the dreaded Rota virus. If your child has ever had that, and all of mine have, it's something you don't forget. The smell of the diaper contents gives it away. Here's to hoping he's all better soon and that nobody else gets sick...

Is Spring coming soon?

All is Calm, All is Bright...

Well, not exactly calm, but bright(er) anyway. The last month has been tough. Emotionally, physically, spiritually. I've been in survival mode just to get through the days. But, I've plowed through and am still here and mostly in one piece!

My last post back in November, I mentioned that I was going for some tests. I did have the ultrasound, wasn't able to have the MRI, and finally had the biopsy. I expected just a simple little 'bite' of tissue, but instead ended up in the operating room with a 2 inch incision and 8 stitches. Ouch! I did have trouble with pre-term contractions during and after my surgery, and ended up in Labor and Delivery for the night with contractions between 1-3 minutes apart, BUT my biopsy came back with "no evidence of malignancy". I did get another diagnosis, but it's one I can live with. All water under the bridge. (and my baby girl is handling everything beautifully!)

Our family has been blessed by many and much this season...we are very thankful!

Signing off...I am frazzled. 2 kids in the pediatricians office today. 5 shots, 1 finger poke and a cranky toddler. I need a nap.

Merry Christmas!

For those of you ( you know who you are!) that have been wondering if I fell off the face of the earth since I haven't blogged in a while, rest assured I have not. I'm here. I'm alive. I'm just tired.

Eli was home over the weekend. He was supposed to be discharged from treatment today, BUT his visit home didn't go well as we had hoped, so he's been given a new discharge date of December 10th. A couple more weeks to work on his stuff while we get our stuff together here as well. Beginning next week, we will be starting a program called "Family Preservation". That will entail a 'professional' coming into our home 3 days a week for 3 months to help us with the behaviors that are flying every direction around here.

I've got some worries tumbling around in my head as well. Let me just say that GOOGLE is not always your friend. But, that being said, (long story short) I am scheduled to have an ultrasound (not of the baby) tomorrow morning...then I'm off to a surgeon next Monday for a biopsy. Ugh-my head is spinning. It's nothing, right? Tell me it's nothing.

I hate worry.

Signing off...(and to you know who you are, don't be offended if I don't answer the phone--it's been off--sorry!)

This is What FIVE Looks Like!

Let me just say that I cannot BELIEVE that my little girl is 5 years old. Today!

I remember so vividly the day that I found out that finally, after 3 boys, we had a little girl on the way. I was ecstatic, although still in disbelief.

I love having a princess. LOVE it!

Happy 5th birthday to my sweet little girl...Mama loves you dearly :)

Update on Eli:
I spoke with him last night. He sounded just terrible. Awful. He could hardly speak as he was bravely holding back tears. I was ready to jump into the van to go and get him...my heart just broke hearing my son so upset, so desperate to come home.

I also spoke at length with the staff psychiatrist and he is still devising a plan for Eli's treatment. (to medicate or not, that is the question)

The plan tomorrow is to go up to the treatment center for a family meeting. (Just hubby, Eli and I--with the therapist, of course)

I can't stand the thought of leaving him there just one more day, much less countless days.

I love you Eli...tons and bunches. Forever and always. No matter what.

1 Day Down...

If it was ever possible to become dehydrated from shedding tears, I think I'm pretty much to that point. Honestly, I feel like I am grieving. I know I haven't lost my son to death, or even lost him at all, but I feel a huge void.

I sit and think about what he must be feeling and experiencing...wondering if he feels abandoned by me. I wonder if he feels like I am a traitor. I wonder if he thinks I don't love him. Oh God...I DO love him. I do!

I do blame myself for a lot of why Eli is there. Everyone says "It's not your fault", but how could it not be my fault? I have been with him since the day he was formed. I am the one that has been a major influence in his life. Me.

How can I not blame myself?

If I could wave a magic wand and take all of his pain away, I would do it in the blink of an eye. I would even carry his pain myself.

God how I miss him. It's not like he's never been away before. There's been summer camp and weekend sleepovers...but this, this is different. My heart hurts for him.

I love you Eli...I'll see you soon.

Ouch, My Heart....it Hurts!

Today I did what I think will qualify as in fact the hardest thing I've ever done. Ever.

Harder than birthing my children. Harder than, well, I don't know what because there is nothing harder that I've ever done.

Today I took my son up into the mountains and left him there. Now before you go thinking I am some horrible mom that just dumps her kid off, hear me out...

After agonizing for weeks over 'should we do it, or should we not', the decision was made to do it. For his sake.

My little boy, who is all of 12, has been admitted to a residential treatment facility for the next 30 days. 30 long and hard days. 30 days I will never get back with him. But, they are 30 very important and very necessary days. My boy is lost in his anger and emotions and I need to help him find himself again.

My heart feels like it's literally bleeding...one drop at a time...and my tears are falling in streams.

Leaving my red-cheeked, scared and nervous little boy there was the ABSOLUTE hardest thing I have ever done.

I love you my sweet Eli...and I will always love you. I will miss you fiercely and my heart will ache until you are safe at home again. I will vigilantly pray blessings over you. I will think of you constantly, and I will await your return home. I love you, I love you, I love you...

and I always will.

The Power of a Quiet Moment

While I don't get many quiet moments, when I do get them they don't last but a literal moment anyway. Sometimes though, I like to sit and think about the day and it's many memories. Some good, some bad, but memories nonetheless.

I've realized, especially lately that I more often than not neglect to take that quiet time. The pureness of an uninterrupted moment. I'm sure if I took the time, it would feed my soul and make my worries fade, if only for a short time.

Tomorrow always brings with it a multitude of stimuli and activity...brimming with noise and chaos from sun up until well after sun down, but I will try to 'stop and smell the roses' or curl up with a little one and a book because life's too short not to recharge and discover the power of a quiet moment.

I am relishing in a quiet moment right now as all of the kids are piled on the couch in the basement watching a movie with their Grandpa. Yay me!

Bubbles, Bubbles...Everywhere!

You can't see it, but there are even bubbles on the wall...


And what I wouldn't give to have a soak in that tub tonight!

I know I am a week behind in blogging again. Bear with me...I'm struggling with balancing all of the hats I wear as a Mom, wife and employee these days. Plus, I've been totally sick and had to spend a day in the hospital strapped to an IV. Home health care is on the horizon if I can't keep up with my fluids. I'm working on it valiantly!

While I was hospitalized, I got the privilege of having a full blown ultrasound. What an amazing sight to see my little one kicking around and waving tiny fists. AND, 'unofficially' I was told that the baby has "nothing between the legs". (aka-GIRL!) We'll see about that though. After having had 4 boys and just one girl, my skepticism is heavy on that one :)

A huge decision was made today and without saying too much, I am weighed down with guilt and at the same time filled with relief. I'll explain more later...

Gotta run---seems bath time has turned to battle.

Trick or Treat!

The cutest dinosaur and kitty cat I've ever seen :)

The older boys ran off before I could snap their picture, but they painted their faces in various ways. None of which were really explainable. Boys!

Loads of candy later...

Monday Montage

Yes, I know that I haven't blogged since last Monday. And yes, I know that I said last Monday that I would be doing 'Not Me' Mondays. Well, this week I'm not. Deal with it. Blame it on the hormones. Or not.

Instead, since I finally unearthed my computer/photo card reader, I thought I'd innundate this blog with pictures. Some are waaaay dated--just a fair warning.

Moving Day

Josh hangin' out. Where else would he be?


The New House (and cute little Sam)


Our Cello Player


Sam's First Haircut


A bit traumatized, you think?

Yup, I think so!

Feeling a little better about things...and looking SO handsome!

A Little Silliness From Gracie

How'd she DO that, anyway?

Little Bug-Eyed Cuteness

Happy 8th Birthday Josh!

What a Look!

Ummm, There Are No Words for This One
Poor, poor Abbey...

Okay, a little blogging out of my system and a few pictures off of my memory card.

I'm turning in...the pregnancy stuff is tiring!

G'night!

Who Me?

I've decided to jump on the 'Not Me Monday' bandwagon. A fabulous blogger over at www.mycharmingkids.net has shared her idea and asked her readers to join in too.

Jumpin' in!

Oh, but where, oh where, do I begin? There are SO many things that I have NOT done. For example, I did not let my 12 year old have a cookie for breakfast this morning because he lost all self control over the --gasp--store brand waffles that were on the table. I also did not let him have a cup of coffee on the way to school.

Speaking of school, I did NOT utter out loud THANK YOU GOD(!) when I pulled away after dropping all the boys off at school. They have NOT been out of school the last two weeks on Fall Break.

Yesterday, I did not lay down on Gracie's bed for a long time while the littles played around me. I did not fall asleep either. I was not tired after not throwing up in the kitchen sink and not scaring all the kids in the room.

I most certainly did not stress out for nearly 15 minutes while trying to find the baby's heartbeat on my doppler. I also did not lock my bedroom and bathroom doors to prevent any little people from barging in while I soaked in my tub. Oh, and I did not eat miniature chocolate bars while in the tub either. Nope, no way!

Okay, enough Not Me's for today.

I'm not tired. (okay, one more!)

Can You Hear Me Now?

Ongoing saga with Eli's hearing. Not good news from the specialist. Eli's latest hearing test shows that he has some nerve damage, called a 'Sensorineural' hearing loss. That pretty much means that the loss is permanent and he needs a hearing aid in his left ear. Bummer :(

Anyway, just as I thought I was beginning to feel partially human again, some relentless nausea has resurfaced and I found myself losing my lunch. Ewww. And something else really weird is I seem to have come down with a some affliction termed 'Horribly-Terribly-Cranky-For-No-Apparent-Reason-itis'. I've Googled it, looked it up in my pregnancy books and have almost called the OB about it. Believe me, it's no fun. Hopefully, with the ringing in of my second trimester, that will go away, along with the nausea.

I haven't updated on my boss lately. He's doing incredible! He was taken off the ventilator quite a while ago and he's now up and walking around the Rehab-Unit of the hospital. He's expected to be there through this next week, and then discharged HOME! Wow. Granted, he's got a long way to go in terms of recovery from his TBI (traumatic brain injury) but things are looking up...especially considering his accident was just three weeks ago.

I'm going to run and make myself a decaf-sugar free mocha latte...I need to kick my puffy ankles up and watch some tv.

Later!

Foot Loose and Fancy Free

Thanks to some daring wonderful friends, hubby and I were afforded 15 whole hours alone this past Saturday night. At first, even just thinking about it, I was pretty nervous. I mean, anyone that knows us, knows that we've had our share of struggles and troubles over the last few years. We're still in deep with some of those struggles now.

I had visions of sitting across the table from hubby totally not knowing what to say to him, nor him to me. An uncomfortable silence, if you will.

Thankfully, as we shared tortilla chips and ranchero sauce, we found plenty to talk about. And I think we even enjoyed it.

And let me tell you how AWESOME it was to be able to sleep through the night(without counting my hourly trips to the bathroom) without having a little one knock on the door wanting to climb into bed. I felt a twinge of guilt when I walked by the kids bedrooms seeing their empty beds, but it passed quickly. Really. And for the record, the kids had a great time away from us too.

The kids are all still home on Fall Break. 6 more days and counting...

Signing off to hit the hay. Even though I am heading into my second trimester, I am still fighting major fatigue.

Later!

Passage from Baby to Boyhood

As much as I have fought it for the longest time, I caved today and took Sam for a haircut. His very first haircut. Yes, I know he's almost 3.

Sam has beautiful, curly hair and I have not wanted to cut it because I was afraid all of his curls would be cut off. However, since he's starting to look a bit like Bozo the Clown on the sides of his head, I gave in.

As I sat and watched some of his golden curls fall to the floor, I serioulsy had to hold back tears. I mean, I didn't want the poor girl cutting his hair to think I was some kind of a weirdo or anything. It probably wouldn't have been a good idea to add my tears to Sam's already flowing ones either. That would've just been bad.

Now that it's all said and done, thankfully, he still has MANY curls. And I kept one of the cut ones in an envelope for myself.

My baby boy is growing up on me. (as soon as I find my camera cord, I'll post pics as proof)


Not too much news on the horizon with my boss, although he did have his arterial line removed today, and he is being looked at to begin weaning off of the ventilator, with the possibility of a trach being placed instead. Keep the prayers coming!

Hubby took the older three boys to the movies tonight, leaving me with just the little ones. That's okay, because having all 5 of them home all day was a wee bit trying on my patience today.

I'm going to go and run my fingers through Sam's hair and smell his baby head :)

Such a Sore Spot

My princess is still under the weather. It's strange, as her fever comes and goes. She feels fine one moment, and is shaking with the chills the next. She's not eating much because she's complaining that it 'hurts to eat'. I pried open her mouth and found that it's covered in sores...under her tongue and on her bottom inner lip. Weird. My first thought was the dreaded 'Hand Foot and Mouth' disease (which funny enough, none of my kids has ever had, I've only read about) but she doesn't have any blisters or sores on her hands or feet, just in her mouth.

I think a trip to the pediatrician is in order for tomorrow if she's still punky.

Thankfully, my boss is still holding his own. He is getting 'sedation vacations' more frequently and he is responsive to those around him while he's awake. He is still breathing with the help of a ventilator because the swelling is still so much that it's too difficult for him to breathe on his own. He is however, improving day by day. His wife said "It's a marathon, not a sprint" in terms of his recovery. Thank you for praying for him and his family.

Hubby, Caleb and Josh are down at the 'old' house today taking apart the trampoline so they can bring it to the 'new' house finally. I keep trying to get the kids to go and play outside in our 1/2 acre backyard, but they are waiting for their beloved trampoline. Go figure.

Not much else noteworthy today...signing off to make my grocery list for the week.

Later!

Burning Down the House

As soon as I saw the glossy eyes and the rosy flushed cheeks, I knew it...sickness in the house! My little Gracie is all aglow with fever. I'm not sure how high her temperature is as my thermometer is still in a box somewhere, but just by the touch she is sizzling. She's not complaining of any other symptoms, but when she gets a fever I worry that her kidney is infected again. Please, tell me this time it's just a quick passing virus. You'd better bet that if she exibits any signs of a uti or pylenephritis again, we'll be burning rubber to the ER.

I worked a half day today and then rushed up to school for parent-teacher conferences. Seems the kids are all doing quite well, with each having an issue or two, but for the most part, I'm happy with their reports.

We hung out at 'Auntie's' house tonight. It was nice to catch up and let the kids play with their cousins. We ate way too much pizza and strawberry pie. Mmmmm mmmmm good.

Not much to report on my boss, but he is finally having his sedation reduced, so he is able to open his eyes and look around. Still on a ventilator, but things are looking positive for him!

Anyway, we're officially on Fall break. Help me, Lord.

Signing off to watch 'Made of Honor' if I can stay awake for longer than the first 5 minutes.

Later!

Short Update

I'm too tired to be long winded, so I just wanted to give a quick update. My boss is still in critical condition--not much change unfortunately. The fact that he has survived this far is great news I think though.

My ultrasound went well...I don't have the full report from the doctor, but I do know that I saw a wiggling baby kicking little legs and waving little arms. I'm satisfied with that!

Signing off now...I'm hosting breakfast for 7 moms and a gaggle of kids in the morning.

Later!

In An Instant

Life as one knows it can change in the blink of an eye. I've witnessed it before in the death of my brother. I've witnessed it in the near death of my newborn son. These snippets of tragedy seem to fray the fibers of what makes us whole.

Today, I visited my boss in the Critical Care Unit. Yes, he is a doctor, but this time, he's the patient not the healer. This dear, sweet man's life was changed yesterday when he was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident. He was thrown from his motorcycle when somehow he lost control of it. He wasn't wearing a helmet. His face and head took the brunt of the impact. Seeing him today lying in a hospital bed was very surreal. He's the one that heals people with his superb surgical skills. He's the one that brings comfort to the sickest of patients. Now, he's the one that needs healing. Please pray for him...for his wife and 4 children...for his healing and recovery. His name is Bruce, and he is very special to so many people. Things look dismal now, but I know that God can heal and bring wholeness to him again. I know that. And I have hope that he will.

On a different note, my weekend away was great. It was so much fun to hang out with my girlfriends without any children needing anything. It was awesome to have 3 meals a day prepared, served and cleaned up without my having to lift a finger. I didn't really walk away with having had any 'spiritual revelations', but I did walk away refreshed for sure.

I'm having my level II ultrasound at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon. I am nervous and excited all the same. My mom is coming along for moral support. Thanks mom!

I am swamped with laundry to put away and a mountain of Legos on the floor...gotta run!

I'll update tomorrow.

Listen up!

Alright my dear readers...I need a break and I'm taking one. I'm heading up into the mountains for one of those 'Women's Retreats' for the weekend.

I do have some news regarding my pregnancy though. I had a midwife appointment today--it went pretty well, until I had the ultrasound. Something funky is going on in my uterus--the baby was fine and all, but there is an 'extra' sac of some sort next to the baby's amniotic sac. The midwife grabbed the doc to take a look, and from what they could surmise, it is either a miscarried twin gestational sac or something called a 'chorion-amnion separation'. In light of this news, I am off to have a level II ultrasound at an imaging center on Tuesday. I also have to go and have my glucose tolerance test next week. Ewwww.

I'm a bit nervous about the ultrasound, but hopeful that all is well.

Anyway, I'm signing off until at least Sunday night. Try not to miss me too much.

Later!

Mentally Dull

I have to admit, stupidness has become a huge pregnancy symptom for me. Okay, maybe not stupid so much as just mentally challenged. Slow. Not as on top of things as normal. I especially feel the challenge around 1:00 in the afternoon while I'm at work. Things start to look fuzzy, my mind wanders--mostly thinking about catching a catnap--and I do believe even my speech and response time slow down. I try to catch a second wind when I leave work and head home, because I know that I have endless responsibilities there. And I really don't want to crab out at everyone. (even though I do tend to do that anyway)

This pregnancy has proven to be quite the challenge in stamina for me. And the funny (or NOT so funny) thing is, that even as tired as I am, I find myself struggling to actually sleep at night. Weird, I know.

We're in quite the rough patch around here at the moment. Eli is causing us troubles galore with his lack of self-control, hubby is feeling very out of whack and he's begun having panic attacks again, Gracie has been tantruming like tantrums are going out of style...and so on, I'll spare you the details. I'm tired. I'm frustrated. I'm worried. And honestly? I'm heartsick.

With all of that, I think I'll sign off and put my puffy feet up. A drink sounds nice right about now...(don't worry, I'm into ice water these days!)

G'night!

Life Rushing By...

Time flies, doesn't it? It's hard to grasp how fast most days go by, although there are some days that feel like an eternity.

The kids are home from school until Wednesday, so naturally, these days feel like an eternity :) Our school is finally moving into our new building. We've been situated in a small, country church with the kids in outbuildings. I am so excited to start school Wednesday in a brand-spanking new up to date beautiful building. Plus, it's only a few miles up the road from our new house!

I am feeling more and more pregnant by the day. My energy is looooong gone and I am struggling with nausea quite frequently. My OB called me in a prescription for a wonder drug called Zofran. It's good stuff. Seeing as that it costs $23.50 per pill, it had better darn well be good stuff. I had two peeks at the baby this last week. No matter how many times I see this baby on ultrasound, I still totally stand in awe every time. Baby's heart was beating at a strong 180 beats per minute. So totally amazing. I could have 10 kids and still be amazed at the miracle of pregnancy. (but don't worry, 6 kids IS it, hubby is getting snipped) That being said, I held a newborn baby boy at a friends house today...it made me so thankful for this new baby on the way for us. I couldn't get enough of cuddling him up and smelling his newborn baby smell. There is nothing better in my book.

Anyway, flopping subjects here...

Eli has started to play in the orchestra. He's learning to play the cello and is really loving it. Caleb will be starting this week too, but he'll be playing the viola. I sure hope they want to stick with it because I think that learning to play a musical intstrument is so important. I love the sounds that comes from a cello and viola. Even when there are a few squeaky moments.

We're settling in slowly to the new house...very slowly still. I will be working 3 days a week now which will put hubby being home only 2 evenings per week ( plus the weekends) so time is short to get a lot done. And with school and orchestra practice 4 times a week, time is very short. Almost non existant really. But, it'll happen. I just look at it as less to pick up around the house for now!

Signing off...I'm fading fast. And I need to drink a bucket of water just so I can pee all night. (slight sarcasm there...I pee at least 3 times a night without regard to how much I drink before bed)

New Territory

We're pretty much moved in to the new house. I guess it depends on how you look at it. All of the big stuff (except for our 15' trampoline) is out of the 'old' house, just odds and ends remain. Great as that is, the garage here is filled to the brim with boxes. The unpacking is going very slowly. I'm too tired to move a muscle. I've been working this week, and now I'm sick with a sore throat, so I've not been up to much. Oh well, it'll still be there this weekend.

Thankfully, we've already met some great neighbors. (one of them even brought us a freshly baked cake!) The house behind us has 6 kids. The house across the street has 3. And the house up the street has 10. (ten?) Must be in the water. Big families are in style here.

I had another peek at the baby on Monday. AMAZING the difference from last week. I could totally see the arm and leg buds and the flash of the beating heart. I even got to hear that beautiful galloping sound of the heartbeat on the doppler. So awesome. I'm still struggling with nausea, but my main complaint has to be that I can't shake the mind-numbing tiredness. And my ankles are swelling already. Only 32weeks to go!

I'd post some pictures of the goings on here as of late, but the flash drive thing is packed away in a box. Somewhere.

Signing off to catch some zzzzzzzzz's.
G'night.

It's Almost Here!

Moving day that is. That being said, I am SO unprepared. My house is in total disarray and there are still millions of boxes to be packed. To be honest, I have been lazy. Granted, pregnant and nauseated, but lazy still. I've caught myself more than once in one of those wrinkles-on-the-face-from-the-sheet-and-drool-down-the-chin periods of deep sleep lately. I seriously sometimes don't even remember closing my eyes, but then I am so rudely awakened by the bouncing of bored/hungry/in need of a diaper change child on my bed/couch.

Enough complaining...just wanted to let my readers know (all 5 of you) that I will be offline for a few days. The computer is ready to be unplugged and boxed up until sometime in the (hopefully) very near future. I can't live for long without my hook up to the cyber world.

I'll update later!

Green Haze

I'm on a ginger ale kick. It's not working. I am still green around the gills. I'm supposed to be eating a mere 9 times a day to keep my insulin levels stable, but it's hard for me to just eek down 3 squares. I was hoping that the slightly annoying nausea I had just a week ago would be it. Nope. It's getting worse each day. I think I'll put a call into my OB to beg see if she can give me something medicinal. I've tried the non-medicinal route and it's not cutting it. I have to function better than this. I won't go into any of the gory details, just believe me when I say it ain't pretty.

I think the stress of getting ready to move has compounded the ickiness some as well. We've made a huge dent in moving stuff to the new house though. A loaner truck, hubby, a few of the kids and I...we make a good team. (sometimes)


I know that I'm a fluffy girl and all, but I am really surprised at how my belly runneth over. I feel like a stuffed sausage in pants. I've been eyeing my maternity jeans, but they are ridiculously huge. Instead, I've just been wearing my most forgiving clothes or sucking it in. Funny, I've lost almost 3 pounds in this last week, but I sure don't feel like it!

I'll probably not be around much this week...busy times here. Busy times. I will try to update after my ultrasound on Tuesday though!

Until next time!

Lost in a Sea of Cardboard

My living room is filled with cardboard boxes. The garage is bursting at the seams with more boxes. And here I was worried that I wouldn't have enough...I don't know, I still might not have enough, but it sure looks like I do!

I've been taking 'loads' (read: whatever I can fit in the trunk of my van) to the new house when I can. It's not really making a dent in anything, but at least it makes me feel like I'm getting somewhere. When I happen to get a wave of energy minus the nausea, I start filling boxes as fast as I can. This will definitely not be the most organized move in the history of moves, but at least it's getting done. Hubby seems to be of the mindset that we'll do a move-ala-procrastination however...but, that is par for the course for him. He works better under pressure I suppose. Maybe I'll sneak him a few extra doses of his Ritalin in his corn flakes or something. (totally kidding...sort of)

I started monitoring my blood sugars today. Ouch! Those lancets HURT! I suppose I'll get used to it sooner than later, but man, my fingers are sore. I'm supposed to be able to take a sample from my forearm or palm, but I didn't have much luck with that. It was like squeezing blood from a turnip. So, finger pokes it is. Thankfully, ALL of my 'numbers' have been in the acceptable range so far.

It's hard to believe that we've got almost 4 weeks of school under our belts already. Makes me worry that this school year is going to fly by and summer vacation will be here again in the blink of my tired eyes. Most of my days are filled with busyness (is that a word?) with home schooling Gracie, work, MOPS and hanging out with my girlfriends, so chances are the time will fly. I am excited to meet this baby, but I also want to enjoy my pregnancy. I LOVE being pregnant. Not the very early months so much, but I love the middle months. I feel pretty good between months 4 and 8...then the I'm-as-big-as-a-whale-and-I-can't-see-my-feet-or-fit-into-anything-I-own sets in and I get antsy to deliver. Point being, I want the time to go at a normal, non rushed pace. Just so long as it's not a snails pace.

Well, Sam is in rare form tonight thanks to a late nap, so I'm going to sign off so I can wrangle him into some pj's for the night.

Later :)

Flicker, Flicker, Flicker

Just a quick update...I had an impromptu ultrasound at work this morning. (I work for a doctor,remember?) Guess what? There's a baby! With a heartbeat flickering away! It was amazing to see the miracle of life--even so early in this pregnancy. The wonderful, sweet gal doing the ultrasound did kinda freak me out when she said she saw two sacs though. However, after more poking around, she's fairly confident that it's just one baby in there. I had a few hundred palpitations on the scan table, for sure.

As tired as I am, I walked on air all day long.

Same time next week, I'll get another scan. Cool perk of working where I do :)

Also some other news...since I had to go off of my Metformin (I'm a 'pre-diabetic') I have to start checking my blood sugars several times a day and really cracking down on my diet. The doctor wants me to eat nine times a day (what pregnant woman wouldn't enjoy that??) but concentrating on complex carbs (whole grain stuff) and lots of protein to keep my blood sugars close to normal and to hopefully avoid going on insulin.

That's it for the daily report. I have to hit the hay now. I've got a very busy rest of the week ahead.

Until next time!

Running on Empty

I am seriously dragging my feet today. I. Am. So. Tired. But, like always, I know that will get better with the passing of weeks into the second trimester. Only 6 more weeks to go until I can hold my eyelids open again.

We went and did a walk-through of the new house today and let the kids pick out which bedroom they'd like. Eli and Caleb will have their own rooms. Josh and Sam will share. Gracie will have her own room too, until the baby comes, then she'll share. Believe me, she was thrilled with that. (really!) It was so cute too, the previous tenants in the house had three children and they left books for my kids hidden all over the house. The kids had a hay day roaming from room to room finding literary treasures. How cool was that?

I had to have my Dad look at my van today. On Saturday, (at my bosses house for the bbq) we had to park on a hill so hubby engaged the parking brake. Well, on the way home from the bbq, we smelled that oh so pleasant smell of burning brakes. By the time we got home, we realized that the parking brake had been on the entire time. Ooops. My Dad said that the brake fluid literally boiled. Big ooops. Thankfully, it was an easy fix of draining the brake lines of the scorched fluid. And even more, my Dad kept Eli, Caleb and Josh with him for a few hours to give me a break. Thanks Dad!

Not much on the agenda today other than getting ready for the week ahead. Maybe pack a few boxes. (big maybe) I'd rather just crawl into bed and stay there til morning.

Signing off to deal with my queasiness.

Later!

A Thing of Beauty

Hubby took Caleb and Josh to see the annual lift off of the hot air balloons this morning. I had planned to go to, but I still had 3 sleepy heads that didn't want to rise before the crack of dawn. It's okay though, I was a sleepy head too. My newly pregnant body is rebelling getting less than 23 hours of sleep a day.

I've been drinking buckets of green tea today. I can't seem to stomach plain water, but thankfully, the tea hits the spot. (yes, it's caffeine free) I didn't eat much at all though. Nothing looks good. I went on my weekly shopping trip with Caleb and I seriously saw nothing that was appetizing. Except my mainstay of apples with natural peanut butter. Ugh...

We went to my bosses house yesterday for a bbq. Luckily, I still have my job. I was really worried the kids would terrorize the place and I'd be asked to resign on the spot. The kids actually behaved very well. Thanks in most part to all of the fun stuff they had to play with in the basement. Whew!

Hubby is working tonight which is not usual for him. He's making up some time for being out sick 2 days last week. I can't wait until he recovers completely and gets his voice back. (or on the other hand, maybe it's nice he doesn't have a voice. No voice=no yelling!)

Well, the kids are fighting on the trampoline...I need to intervene. (I just want to scream EEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLIII!--you know, because he's the cause of the troubles right now)

Later.

And so it begins...

Actually, it began last week, but like I said, I thought I had the flu.

'Morning' sickness set in pretty quickly this time. Normally I don't begin to feel ill until 6-7 weeks into my pregnancies, but I was feeling punky even before I found out this go around. It's not horrible by any means, just annoying. I'll take annoying so long as it doesn't get debilitating! And wow, I can't believe how tight my pants are already...it's scary. I mean, the baby is only the size of a sesame seed and I have a pooch the size of a 2 ton watermelon. I suppose that this being the 6th baby could have something to do with that?

I worked almost 10 hours today, and by the time I left I was so tired I could hardly see straight. By 2:00 this afternoon, I was ready for a snooze! I totally forgot just how utterly exhausted pregnancy makes you. It's okay, I have enough to keep me busy (and awake) in my life.

Hubby's been sick with a nasty flu bug--he was running a 102* fever and feeling just miserable--and he was making all of us miserable too. Since he was feeling somewhat better tonight, I threw $20 bucks at him and told him to go out and get a break. Believe me, we all needed it. Men are SUCH babies when they are sick.

I know this was a totally boring post. Sorry for that. I'm beyond tired.

Update later!

What do You Mean it's NOT the Flu?

I'll just let this speak for itself:

and as if that one weren't positive looking enough: (it was + before I even finished peeing on it)


You can pick yourselves up off the floor now. I was absolutely insanely shocked surprised too.

Vasectomy anyone? (so not kidding, but I am already in love with this baby :)

Due date of April 30, 2009. A nice 40th birthday present for hubby who is still unable to speak after getting the news...okay, he spoke but he probably shouldn't have.

And I just thought I was coming down with the flu.

Dominoes in The Dryer

I gasped when I heard the clank, clunk, clankity, clunk sound when I turned on my fully loaded dryer. I mean, this is the dryer that I just got a while back to replace the other dryer that went out. For a moment, I had visions of pulling out sopping wet clothing to hang dry upon every available surface in the house...just like I had done before. But, before panic and dread sat in, I opened up the dryer door to see if I could find what was causing such a racket.

Yup, dominoes in the dryer. Whew. But, seriously? How did I miss that?

Speaking of objects being where they shouldn't be, Eli had quite a fall last night. He has Heelys...you know, the goofy-to-parents-but-cool-to-kids shoes with a skate wheel built into the heel. Anyway, he was cruising down the sidewalk, on his way home from a friend's house when he hit a rock and went down. He ripped up his knee and managed to embed a few rocks in his skin at the same time. Ouch.
Many tears and much drama later, the rocks were removed and his knee was bandaged. By me. Not the ER he begged me to take him to.

Point being, don't buy your kids Heelys no matter how much they beg, unless of course you want rocks in their knees.

Well, domesticity calls and I have to run. Until next time!


Daily Tantrum Count: 2 (but thankfully, they were small and better controlled)

Just Having Some Fun

This is me...in 1966. (if I had actually been born then and was like 18 years old)

No, my chin does not really look that bad...it's just bad editing. Really.

Okay, now me in 1974. (the year I was born--bad chin editing here too)

(Hey Mom, I really do look like you!!)

Just bear with me and my silliness...I've had a really rough morning with Gracie and her tantrums. She lost it while I was on the phone company trying to change over our services for when we move. The poor guy helping me on the other end will probably NEVER have children. (yes, it was that bad! Gracie scored a 10 on that tantrum--Gold Medal quality there.)

I Love Mondays

You know why I love Mondays, so I'll just leave it at that. Enough said!

Sunday however, is my traditional grocery shopping day. I look forward to it. I either go by myself or with just Caleb. (he's a fantastic helper!) Well, yesterday I finished up my list, put on my shoes and hollered to Caleb that it was time to head out--then hubby pipes up that he wants to come too. Oh joy. Because you know that with hubby coming along, that means more kids have to come along too. I asked hubby if he was sure he wanted to come. Really sure? He was.

We didn't even make it all the way inside the store before things went bad. At the entrance to the store, there is a "Red Box" movie rental kiosk. We had movies to return from the weekend. Sam just about went ballistic when he couldn't put the movies in the return slot "all by himself". At the same time, Gracie was writhing around on the floor crying about her leg hurting. (she jumped out of the cart) I shot hubby the evil eye and mumbled to him that THIS is why I choose to NOT bring them to the store. I grabbed Caleb and sent hubby and the rest of the kids to the other side of the store to find clothes hangers. Then, I quickly spun my wheels to get the shopping done. Thankfully, the chaos pretty much ended there and the rest of the trip was mostly peaceful.

I think I'll sign off and get some work done while things are calm here. Sam and Gracie are busy watching PBS and munching on roasted edamame...gotta work while I can!

And while I have the energy :)

Just A Few Words...

I am way too tired to type a lengthy or even coherent post...too many tantrums today have me running ragged.

Daily Tantrum Count: 10,359 (okay, really only about 8...I lost count a long time ago)

I'll post more later when I can hear myself think again. Gracie is standing at the bathroom sink, toothbrush in hand, screaming her heart out about not wanting to brush her teeth because she's "so tired". Wonder why she's so tired?

Friday...Finally

Not that it really makes a difference to me when Friday rolls around...the weekend isn't much less busy for us. Granted, I love sleeping in past 6am,(I get to sleep until at least 6:15!) but with the weekend comes interrupted routines and mass chaos.

We've got 2 full weeks of school under our belts. Already! And already I have sick kids. Started with Caleb, then Sam, now Gracie. Just colds, nothing major thankfully. Hopefully, this isn't a sign of a tough year with sicknesses galore.

On a separate note, since I have to be a working (outside the home) Mom, how lucky am I to have landed a perfect job? It's nothing spectacular, but I LOVE it. My coworkers are great, (and how awesome to have my mom as a coworker too) my boss(es) are great as well. I feel lucky indeed.

I packed up a few boxes today. Mostly books, nicknacks and odds and ends. As excited as I am about moving, I felt a little sad while packing things up. We've lived in this house for almost 6 years. Gracie and Sam have never lived anywhere else. We have history in the walls here. Not all good history, but history nonetheless. And memories. Lot's of them. I want to make even better memories in our new home, that's for sure.

Enough sappiness...signing off.

Later!

Daily Tantrum Count: Just 1! (for me anyway, not sure how many for hubby while I was at work)

Go Figure

So much for assuming that since the kids went back to school that I would have extra time for blogging. I must have forgotten that I still have a toddler and a home schooled kindergartner at home with me. I must have forgotten that I have a job. And I surely must have forgotten that I have housework to do. How did it happen that when I had all 5 kids home over the summer, I got a blog in nearly everyday?

Go figure.

Eli is off camping. He left yesterday, actually. Every year, our school takes the middle school set up into the mountains for 3 days of 'Outward Bound' style camping. Don't ask me what that means because I seriously have no clue. I do know that it's meant as sort of a bonding time between the teachers and kids, which I think is pretty cool. I just hope Eli comes home in one piece...without an attitude.

Since we are on the cusp of moving to our new home, I have been going around the house 'purging' things we don't need/use/like. I have piles for a yard sale and piles for Goodwill. Man oh man...this is going to be so much work. And since hubby is really only home on the weekends, most of it falls on me. I'll tell you what...a family of 7 can collect some serious amounts of stuff.

Well, it's time for the homework/dinner/bath rush. I'm gonna run...

Later!

Daily Tantrum Count:2
Don't worry though, Sam is picking up the slack and threw 4 of his own tantrums today. My eardrums are still quivering.

The Cutest Prayer Ever Said

Well, the cutest in our house anyway...

With hands folded and head bowed, Sam prayed over his dinner with this:

Dear Jesus God,

Thank you for Eli, and Mama, and Daddy...and thank you for um, Joshie and Caleb. And Gracie. Dear Jesus God, thank you for torteweenie (tortellini).

Jesus Name is Amen.


I have the cutest kid ever. But, I'll admit, I am a little bit biased :)

Long day today...but so far so good, and it's already 6:00! (knocking on wood since it's still hours til bedtime)

I think I will do a whole lot of nothing tonight. There is so much to do, that I don't want to do anything! I suppose I should start packing some since we'll be moving in less than a month though. Nah...I'll just do the dishes, bathe the kids, pack the lunches and call it a night.

Until next time!

Daily Tantrum Count: ZERO (but like I said, it's still hours til bedtime!)
UPDATED: 1

Messy Weekend Fun

Sometimes it doesn't take much to entertain the kids...and that's a very good thing.
While I was at Michael's Craft Store yesterday,(and again today) I picked up some wooden model kits. I got a birdhouse, tank, fighter jet, biplane, train, covered wagon, and truck. (hey, they were only $1!) The kids spent literally hours putting them together with model glue and then painting them. I have to say, they did a darn good job! I would show you a picture of them, but the kids ran off to their rooms with their projects. I will show you what I did this weekend though...(for the kiddos walls)





Yes, I think they turned out pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.

News on the homefront for our far away family and friends: We found a house! We'll be moving on September 15th and we are very excited. The way things worked out for us getting this house gives me back a little bit of my faith in good things. I was beginning to wonder just when something would go right for us. Our new address will be:

Yeah right, do you really think I would post that here? Just check your email :)

Well, it's late and I have layers of paint to scrape off the kitchen table and dishes to do.

Until next time.

Daily Tantrum Count: 4!

Wanted: Vacation

I need a vacation. To somewhere far, far away. Someplace nice and sunny where nobody knows my name. Where there are no toddlers, no preschoolers, no 7 year olds and no tweens. And to make it fair, no husbands.

This last week was a whirlwind and I can't seem to catch my breath. The ushering in of pencils, books and lunchboxes was really exciting, but during the time after school, the kids all seem to be running on crack! Don't get me wrong though, I LOVE school. LOVE it. Loooooovvve it.

I worked the majority of the day today, but I returned home to hyper kids and a mess of a house. I was bombarded with requests/demands from Eli to go to Blockbuster and to Michael's Craft Store. I gave in and went to avoid the crashing down of the walls had I said no. So, off to BB, then to Michael's...and then I braved the shoe store. I had no choice really. I was reminded of the big hole in the bottom of Josh's shoe when he started squealing about the water from the rain puddles seeping in through the hole. I won't go into any details about the shoe store. I'm still a little traumatized by it. And I think the clerk there might be traumatized too. At least we ran walked out with two new pairs of shoes.

Well, upon returning to the van to finally go home, Eli realized that he got the WRONG movie and somehow tried to make it out to be all my fault. Well, of course it was my fault that he accidentally picked up the wrong movie, seeing as how I stayed in the van while he went into BB alone. I can totally see how I was at fault, can't you?

Signing off to wrangle some kids to the sink to brush their teeth. And then I think I'll pour myself a second bottle glass of wine.

G'night!

6:02am. Very strange sound coming from the back yard. Josh, jumping on the trampoline. The wet from the rain trampoline. Did I mention it was only 6:02am? If I only had just a quarter of the energy he has, I'd be running marathons.

Another day of school under the kid's belts. All went well according to them. I can't believe it, but Eli actually seems to LIKE school. At least when I asked him how his day was he told me that it went by too fast. (and in his own way, that means he liked it) I'll take it.

Not much else to speak of today...other than the fact that I was offered a permanent position working for a vascular surgeon. (I've been temping there since April) I'd be a fool to turn it down, so I didn't! I guess that's definatley worthy of mentioning, huh?

I'm tired and I have way too much on the agenda tonight, so I'll sign off and leave you with this...


Home schooling, at its finest :)

Tantrum Count: 1 (but, it was gigantic, trust me)

And They're Off!

It's officially here. The 2008-2009 school year!

I was thankful the kids actually posed for me this morning. And even Eli was smiling (sort of) instead of frowning. He won't admit it, but I think he's actually excited to be starting middle school. That being said, I can't believe he's in middle school. I just can't believe it.

Caleb and Josh were up before the crack of dawn. When my sleepy head finally made it downstairs at 6:10am, they were already showered, dressed and ready to eat. I think they are a little excited, no?

So far today, I've done a whole lot of nothing. Unless you count changing bed sheets, doing laundry, cleaning the bathroom and picking up countless messes something. I figure if I keep up the laundry for the most part and don't get too far behind on the other stuff, there won't be so much to be overwhelmed by when I get home on the days that I work. Sounds like a great plan to me...but, I think it's one of those things that's easier said than done.

During one of Gracie's tantrums this morning, as I was trying to tune out the shrill screams and pounding of limbs on the floor, I came up with the brilliant idea to keep a daily Tantrum Count.I figure it'll help me come the day I write my memoirs of being a mom.

I'll be heading out to pick up the boys from school soon...I'm sure the feeding frenzy will begin in earnest immediately upon crashing through the door, just after the dropping of the backpacks and lunchboxes onto the floor.

Can't wait.

Daily Tantrum Count (so far) at: 1
UPDATED: 2

Days 77-79: On The Eve of *Some* Sanity

Tomorrow is the day. School starts. The backpacks are loaded up. The lunches are packed. The clothes are already paired up for the entire week. I. Am. So. Tired.

You'd think I'd be jumping for joy right about now, but seriously, I think that will have to wait until tomorrow. I have worn myself out preparing for this day for sure. I've spent over $200 on school supplies and I *still* don't have all that was on the lists. I'm so over going from store to store to store to try and find everything. The teachers will have to hunt me down when they realize that my kid doesn't have all their stuff. Ah well. I'll deal.

I know that even though 3 of the kids will be in school, my sanity is not guaranteed. I do still have Miss Tantrum/Drama Queen Gracie and Sam-The-Great at home. I don't know how it's even possible, but Gracie has upped the intensity and duration of her tantrums. They are long and hard. For all of us. Especially her. I really wish she could go to school, but seems there is some pesky rule that she has to be 5 years old by October 1st. Seeing as her birthday is November 12th, we lose. I'll be delving into home schooling her this year so she can fulfill her desire to learn. She's got the ability for sure! (sorry, braggy mom moment here)

I'm going to sign off to finish up lots of odds and ends and head off to bed myself.

In the meantime, you can imagine me doing the happy dance tomorrow when I drop the kids off at 7:45am!

Day 76: A Taste of Heaven

Does it make me a horrible mom to enjoy having time away from my kids so much? Even just having 2 of them away from home makes a remarkable difference! Eli and Caleb are safely tucked away at the local fire station (wow, that sounds weird, doesn't it?) for the day and let me tell you how much I am enjoying it...A lot. A lot. A lot.

Right now, there is actually silence at my house. Silence. Oh sweet silence. How I love you silence...whatever, just shut me up so I can move on in telling you how much I am basking in this silence. Josh and Gracie are 2 floors below me watching a movie and NOT fighting. Sam is trying to recover from his crankiness by napping in the next room. Even Abby, the dog, is quietly sleeping on the stairs. (yes, she's weird)

I know this bliss will come crashing down at 4:15, but I am SO enjoying it while I can. I just ate a huge plate of organic spring mix salad with avocado and garlic lemon chicken (from the grill last night)...I didn't have to share one bite because my lovely and gracious friend fed my kids lunch at her house earlier. I think I'm a little delirious from it all. I'm not used to this quiet stuff. Makes me look forward to, you know, do I even need to speak it? MONDAY!

I finally went last night (all by myself!) to get school supplies. As I flipped back and forth between the 3 pages of needed supplies, I got a little woozy and felt like I might be in need of a frappucino from Starbucks...but it all ended well, even without my beloved frozen coffee. I wasn't able to get everything though, because the shelves at Target were a little picked thin--so I'll be making another trip to another store to finish up the list. I got out of Target with only spending $102 though. Not too shabby--especially since that included a box of diapers, 4 bags of Quakes, Crystal light, and a t-shirt.

Think I'll sign off for now so I can wash dishes and fold underwear in peace.

Until next time! ( Oh yeah, T-minus three days!)

Day 75: The Countdown is at T-Minus 4 days!

I am not obsessing over how many (or how few) days are left until school starts, really. Actually, I've not even done the school supply shopping yet.

Anyway, I went to the hospital for my follow up thyroid ultrasound this afternoon. It was maddening great fun. Especially toting the kids with me. A year ago I had this same ultrasound with abnormal results (a questionable nodule was found) so I had to go back and have it done again to make sure nothing even more questionable is going on. The techs eyes didn't bug out of her head, nor did she run from the room to call my doctor, so I'll just assume all is okay. Two or three days from now I'll know for sure.

Eli and Caleb will be going to CAMP tomorrow. No, it's not a week long or even an overnight thing, just one day. It's called Emergency Skills Camp. They'll learn CPR/first aid, take a field trip to our local emergency dispatch center and more. It is free and ALL day. Enough said.

I will be heading to a girlfriend's house for coffee and conversation while the boys are at camp. I love that. Can't get enough of it. I don't think I've ever had such good friends as I've made in this last year. I love it. Up until this last year, I really felt like a loner. Out of place, really. The friends I've made lately are the ones that I've waited all my adult life for. Love you guys :)

Well, the grill is sizzling hot, just waiting for me too add the Garlic Lemon Chicken that has been marinating all day. Yummmm...can't wait! I'm getting out of the house tonight (sans CHILDREN!) for a brainstorming meeting with the gal that I will be a hospitality co-coordinator with this year for MOPS. Yay me...I can't wait to cut loose for a while.

Later!

Days 73 and 74

What I wouldn't give to take a nice, hot bubble bath right about now...Sam is one lucky duck. I could really use some relaxation like that.

I know I'm behind as usual lately, but not by much at least. My computer has been down and out since Monday morning when Hubby decided to move it from the basement to our bedroom.

Anyway, I am totally psyched that the first day of school is just days away. ( 5 more days of vacation, if you're counting, because I am totally not) After an 'incident' involving Josh, a bubble necklace and Eli's eye, Eli gets to go to school sporting this:


Lucky for him, he's already made up a fantabulous story about how it happened so as not to let on that he got nailed by his little brother. (and never mind the blueberry in his teeth. I told you he hates to brush)

Gracie is sporting a black eye herself today. Josh (see a pattern here?) slammed the backdoor and the doorknob cracked her in the eye. Oh my oh my....what next? I'm afraid to ask that question too loudly. Most of the time around these parts, bad things happen in 3's. (or in 5's if you remember anything about our summer...Sam's eye poke, Eli's leg needing 10 stitches, Josh's head lac, Gracie's hospitalization and lastly, Sam's fractured wrist)

I have a screaming/whining child in my lap right now, and that doesn't make typing any easier, so I think I'll check out and go to bed.


G'night!

Days 71 and 72: Picture Overload

The missing card reader has been found...so, I will inundate this post with pictures to save my tired self from too much typing--hey, it's darn hot here!

Gracie and Sam in a rare moment of getting along

Eli and his friends are very excited about Eli turning 12!

The blowing out of 12 candles

Present time!

The girls have had enough of the boys...they formed their own team. Go girls!

Okay, moving on. The next pictures are of our little road trip to the Florissant Fossil Beds to dig up some fun.

Getting some instruction on fossil hunting

Eli chiseling away while Josh whines because he wants the hammer

Caleb deep in thought

Sam digging in!

Gracie and Daddy working as a team


Josh actually sat still in this same spot for almost an hour!

Sam looking through his magnifying glasses

Higgins, the guard dog

We've had a busy and eventful week...and another one coming up. And, ONE WEEK til school starts!!!!

Day 70

Wait a minute! What is that? Oh wait, I know....it's the light at the end of a very long tunnel! The end of summer vacation is so near I can almost taste it. Yes, it is bittersweet, but I am so ready. And honestly, I think the kids are ready too--although they'd never admit it.

We'll be off to Target this next week to purchase school supplies. It's crazy how much stuff there is to buy. The list that I have for each kid is almost a mile long! I'll practically have to kiss my entire paycheck away. Highlighters. Sharpies. Post-it's. Pencils. Protractors. Page protectors. Hand sanitizer. Baby wipes. Paper towels. Ziploc bags. And on and on...and on. Seriously? Whatever happened to just pencils and paper? Crayons and pink pearl erasers? Yes, I have to buy those too.

I think I'll cut out of this very boring post and hit the hay. Just wanted to mark day 70. Sounds like a milestone to me.

Some day my kids will thank me. Endlessly.

Days 68 and 69

My boys...they are acting like the Cripps and Bloods. Cane and Able. The fighting, it's driving me batty! It's mostly Eli and Caleb, but sometimes Josh gets thrown in the mix as well. I can't figure out where exactly to draw the line. I do not allow blood shed, of course, but I can't seem to stop them from anything else. Jabbing. Punching. Kicking. Not to mention the verbal barrage. And wow, don't even get me started on Josh's hyperactivity level. He has been literally bouncing off the walls every waking moment. He shrieks at insane decibels at random moments. He seems to not think anything through before he goes ahead full speed. I worry about this one...really I do. I think I have a future extreme sportsman on my hands.

Ten more days...ten more days...just ten more days.

Sure thing is though, that even when the kids do start back up at school, I'll still have something to complain about. Packing lunches. Getting up earlier. Homework battles. I have to frequently remind myself that this is life...roll with the punches and carry on will ya Steph?? I really hate that I've become such a complainer.

I'll sign off and spare you any more complaints.

Later!

Days 67 and 68

I just love it when Sam wants to help me around the house. Take today for instance, he helped me by throwing all of the folded laundry back into the dryer when I went to answer the phone. And he helped me by giving the dog some water, only he missed her bowl. And he tried to help me make flatbread pizza for dinner, but almost toppled the entire plate of shredded cheese onto the floor. I'm sure I have other examples of all the wonderful things he's done to help, but I think I'll leave the rest to your imagination. But hey, who doesn't love a 2 year old that will do anything to make his Mama happy?


I feel a little bit gray today. The weather, it affects me. Most of the day it was sunny and bright, but then the clouds rolled in and the sky darkened a bit. I think that's when my mood took a dive as well. Now I feel tired and lazy. Luckily, the kids have all been fed (except Gracie because she's running around with the neighbor girl) and most of the laundry is done, because now I just want to sit and veg. I don't want to do the dishes or give baths. Or put away 3 baskets of clothes. Or match up 50 million pairs of socks. I just want to pour myself a huge margarita glass of iced tea, kick my feet up and close my eyes. Or read a book. A book besides 'How Does A Dinosaur Go to Sleep'.

Yeah. Moving right along.

We just had a lovely dinner of like I said, flatbread pizza...and kiwi slices. Topped it off with chocolate cupcakes and icy cold milk. Having pizza and chocolate means Sam and Gracie will need baths, of course. We have nothing else besides hanging out on the agenda tonight.

Well, that and the dishes.

Days 65 and 66

I used to be good at keeping up with this blog, but honestly, I am in quite a funk right now. Funkiness seems to come and go in cycles, kinda like PMS, but not as often. Guess I'm just caught up in it now.

I know I said I'd post picture of Eli's birthday party, but somebody swiped my card reader and I can't download the pictures onto the computer. I will be searching for it today...I can't stand not knowing where it is!

The first day of school is creeping closer and closer. Just two looooooong weeks from now I'll be breathing a sigh of relief and enjoying less stress and fighting amongst the kids. Granted, I will still have Super-Sam and Tantrum Girl home, but 5-3=2 and 2 are easier to entertain than 5. I *so* wish Gracie could begin school this year, but darn it, she misses the cut-off by a measly 6 weeks. She already knows all of her letters and sounds by sight and she can write them all, and she's even able to sound out words and 'read', but by golly, the school is a stickler on rules I suppose. Her pre-k teacher last year said Gracie is doing what she should be doing as a second semester kindergartner. Hmmmpppph...guess I'll be home schooling her this year because I think she'll be bored to tears to just run and around and do nothing.

Gotta run...I'm being whined at.

Days 63 and 64: There's a Birthday in the House!

In just one year from now, I'll be entering uncharted waters....I'll be the parent of a teenager. Would some one please tell me how it happened that my baby turned 12 years old today? How is it that his feet are bigger than mine and he's only 8 inches shorter than me? It is amazing (and I'll admit a little scary) to me how my 8lb 2 oz little boy is growing into a young man, right before my eyes.

Thankfully, Eli is still oblivious to girls (ewwwww, ick!) and bathing is repulsive to him. He doesn't care to comb his hair or change his clothes...and for now, that's okay, because it means he's still my little boy.

Happy Birthday to you Eli! You are a wonderfully made young man and I love you from the bottom of my heart. No matter how tall you grow, or how big your feet get, you will always be my little one...you are what first made me a mother, and I am so proud of you.

Don't grow up on me too fast, okay?


(Birthday picures to come! Party at my house tomorrow!)

Day 61 & 62

Believe me when I say that I got lost in the basement today. No, I didn't get lost in online shopping or on message boards-- I got lost in a mess. O.M.G. the mess!
Toys, shoes, hats, gloves, playing cards, Nerds candy, popcorn seeds, Legos, Lincoln Logs, books, socks, clothes, vhs movies, couch cushions, blankets, crayons, toothbrushes (toothbrushes?)...I could go on and on! I'm not sure what possesses my children to make such messes, but if ever there were a pill for that, you'd bet I'd have them on it.(and darn straight my hubby too!) Thankfully, most of the stuff is now put in it's proper place. For the next ten minutes anyway.

I did most of my cleaning before Sam went down for his nap...you'd think I'd like to clean while he was sleeping and not underfoot, but I take nap times very seriously. It's the only time of day that I don't have to share my strawberry iced tea and Pirate's Booty. That with a white chocolate chip/cranberry scone, as was the case today.

We tried letting the boys have a fire in the fire pit the other night. It turned out disastrous. No, the house didn't burn down and no body was hurt badly, but bestowing such a thing on rambunctious and somewhat air-headed boys was not the smartest thing to do. For some reason, they thought that hiding pop cans under the wood before starting the fire was super funny...until one (hot!) can rolled out onto the foot of their sister. The rest of the night was ruined. Enough said. And NO more fire pit nights are in their near future.

I do have my limits.

Guess I'd better hop off the computer as Sam is threatening to empty out toy bins and trash bags to un-do what I spent the better part of this day doing. No way, Jose! BUT, before I go, I'll leave you with this----and seriously, what kid doesn't play his Gameboy while sitting on the toilet? (he was sitting in the dark and really startled me when I turned on the light!)

Day 60, Yes SIXTY!

If we're on day 60 of summer vacation, that means the end is near right?? I think Caleb told me yesterday that there was 21 days left. 3 weeks from today I'll be driving like hell shuttling my little angels off to school!

Eli spent the day grounded today. He cussed at me yesterday and really ticked me off. Granted, he s-p-e-l-l-e-d the cuss word, but I took it the same. Some days I think though, that grounding the kid is more punishment for me than for him. But, the day is nearing a close, and tomorrow is a new day, right?

Since hubby had a meeting at work yesterday (that actually turned into a 7.5 hour stint) I wasn't able to go grocery shopping. So, because the cupboards were bare and the kids were resorting to eating the cardboard cereal boxes and the packing popcorn in the garage, I decided to brave the store today. With kids. I'll just say, that just minutes into the store, I very clearly remembered why I hate to go shopping with my children. Need I say more?

I have to run....piles of laundry, dishes and toys are awaiting my undivided attention.

Later!

Days 55,56,57,58 & 59

To all that emailed and left comments to make sure I didn't drop off the face of the earth, rest well...I didn't. Sometimes, life just gets in my way and I get caught up in the day to day hurry scurry and I get behind. Sorry for the worry!

Anyway, it's been a whirlwind of a week...fun times, not so fun times and some seriously crazy times thrown in there as well.

Park Day!

Sam cruising his way up the hill to the park


Eli and Chase behind bars...hopefully not a sign of real bars in their future


Gracie and Sam flying out of the twisty slide (I guess Gracie lost her head!)


Uh, Eli? Let him down nicely please!


My swinging beauty


Nap time!


Help! My crown has fallen!

For those of you that know Gracie's extreme shyness, here's proof that she actually smiles!



Gracie's friend 'Big' Sydney posing in her 3-D glasses


Uh oh, I've been caught!


One of my 'best-est' friends in the world! Teri loosening up after a few bottles glasses of wine


Here's Teri looking not so crazy (yes I know it's black and white, I was messing around with the camera)


Another good friend, Robyn, on our way up to Cripple Creek to the casinos!
(I'll tell you the story on this one later, tune in!)

So, as you can see, it's been a crazy-busy week...between hanging with friends and the three days I worked, it's a wonder I made it at all :)

Gotta run...hubby is making a big Sunday breakfast! (seriously?)