{Ahh..the little things}

summer "break" ??

It sure does not feel like a "break" when you are a stay at home Momma of four...

Nor can we seem to catch a "break" lately...

But, I am FINISHED complaining - it never helps anything.  Well, it may make mefeel better for a minute (haha) but afterward, the problem(s) is/are still there anyway, right?

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Summer break also means lots of pool time, hanging out down at the creek, playing outside, little day trips, heading to the lake & camping...all of which we have been busy doing so far this summer.  We are also quickly approaching Zander's birthday - he will be FIVE next Friday, which I just can not seem to believe.

Next week is also our  VBA at church, and I am helping with the 4 yr old group (I always do Zander's age) which will be fun/crazy/exhausting, but I keep doing it each year, so I really do enjoy it :)

Ava has become all that "terrible two" could possibly mean.  She is such a handful, and she makes (huge/strange) messes everywhere she goes.  She LOVES to dump things, and seems to do it at least once a day with something full that makes a huge mess.  I have never met another child like her, the girl seems to just hop from place to place leaving a trail of destruction - ugh!

The rest of the kids are doing well, just growing up way too quickly.  I miss the days of having a house full of preschoolers, doing crafts, lounging together reading books or watching tv.  Now my days are already full of phone calls & requests for friends to sleepover.  They want to have friends over or go to friend's houses everyday.  Oh, how I want my little kids BACK!

Time just flies right by though -  Kaden just informed me the other day that he will graduate in 8 more years...do you know how fast that will be here?  Before I know it, I am sure...

Something's got to give

I wish I could say that I have not posted because we are busy enjoying our summer break, which I guess in part, is true.  But the main reason is because we no longer have internet at home :(  and as most of you know (assuming that my few blogging friends are still dropping by) that is a BIG deal.  I've spent quite a lot of time on line since 2004 when I joined babycenter's July 04 message board (and met quite a few of you), and to be honest - I miss it terribly.

Like most families, we are being affected by the economy.  Harry does not have alot of work, and the income he does make is just not enough right now.  Something had to go.  Unfortunately, it was what I loved the most - internet/cable.  I am praying every day that things turn around for our family, and quickly.  SUmmer break is just not the same without the escape of computer & tv - not just for me, but for the kids as well.  We've been keeping busy, and I have been reading ALOT, but I feel so disconneccted.  I used the computer for so much more than I realized - checking the weather is a big thing I did not even realize that I did nearly everyday.  Looking up directions is something else I still run to the computer for, only to realize that it is not going to work...

Keep us in your prayers - pray for work for Harry, pray for peace through these hard times, pray for my sanity as I stay so "disconnected" from what is such a big part of my daily life.

fun days

Most times, rainy days & sick days are not the most FUN days, but this week has proved to be quite the opposite around here.

The kids have been playing very well this week - I took these pictures one day as they played ZOO.  Here they are on the way to the zoo...in the "van" (notice it even has doors)   :)

 

 

They had animals ALL over the house that they would walk around and visit - I wish I would have taken pictures, they were having a great time!  While they played, I stayed "busy" reading or crafting - both of which I really enjoyed.  I'm reading the final Twilight series book - Breaking Dawn right now, and the crafting was making thank you gifts for the people who care for our children during our MOPS meetings.  Here are the fun little things I made...

Bookmarks ( I also made some of these for my Bible study group because today was our last meeting)

 

 

 

Aren't they so cute?  I saw the idea on flickr & fell in love with them!

And some of my other "normal" craft things - popcorn wraps & candy wraps.  This time I wrapped little M&M bags, and I think they are a great size for a little gift.  We had 20 helpers, so I had to try to keep the cost down, and these things were perfect...the candy comes 8 for $1  :)

 

 

 

 

And in case you noticed in the first pictures (which either my Mom or Nanny always do)...yes, Zander is wearing glasses.  No - he did not get  real glasses like his big siblings, but he found some old glasses that he wanted to wear.  I popped out the old lenses & he has been wearing these with no lenses for the last few days. 

Like I said - fun days around here this week :)

a break?

Maybe I need to take a break from blogging? 

Each time I sit down to type lately, I feel like I have already said what I am about to post.  I have been blogging for almost4 years now, and I guess when I think of my day to day life - it is pretty repetitive. 

Hi, it is spring again and we are outside playing...

Hi - today we went to the Zoo...

Hi, today someone is sick...again!

Today my life feels so BUSY...

I know someone out there is smiling right now, because you have read all of these things here before (and more than once!)   :)  And yes, all of the above are true for this past week/weekend as well. 

We are enjoying the record high temps, playing outside, planting veggies (this might make a worthwhile new post), playing in the sandbox, picnicking, cooking out on the grill, digging for worms (just Zander on this one), visiting the park & the zoo, and the list goes on. 

But, today I am inside and taking care of my Ellie - she has a high fever and sore throat.  She's been napping off & on and has just asked for some food which is a good sign!  We will be seeing the Dr tomorrow to amke sure she does not have strep, and if she does we will get meds to kick it before her music program Tueday.  My guess is she still will not feel much like singing - poor girl - and she has been looking forward to this for quite some time.

Oops!  Between getting lost in my archives, dinner, getting the kids bathed & to bed, and Desperate Housewives - I forgot I left this post unfinished.  Now I am off to bed to read, I finally am getting into the 4th Twilight book...

getting BIG

My kids are growing up, and I can not stop them...

Zander is quickly approaching his #5 birthday, and that is BIG! 

Ellie asked me to cut her hair short like Ava's in the last week or so & she looks SO tall, I can hardly believe it.  She had art in the school art show this past weekend and she was very proud of herself  :)

 

She & Kaden are getting so tall and thin, they are not "little" kids anymore.  There is no "baby" left in them at all.  I can not believe that it is going by so fast.  I can not believe that next year Kaden will move up to an Intermediate school, and leave Elementary behind.  I can not believe that they are ready to shower ALONE, and no longer bathe with their little siblings (although Ellie has been playing with Zander in the bath a few times lately).  I can not believe that I let Kaden ride his bike to school one day last week, or that Harry had a "talk" with him last week (which, for the record, was not discussed with me first, and I burst into tears after finding out).

Yes, my kids are getting big & I want them to STOP!

my busy day

This post is mostly for my Mom & Val  :) 

 Here is what I have been up to today.  My new living room...

Before:

 

After:

 

Another corner...

 

Here is another picture I took with the lamp on (before pictures were hung up) - it looks much more yellow, but oh so pretty :)

clothes, clothes, and more clothes

As I start weeding through the kids clothes - trying to get rid of some winter & add in some spring - I realize (again!) that theyall have too many clothes.  I save alot of what the bigger kids have to hand down to the little ones, and we get ALOT of hand-me-downs from friends.  It seems I rarely even need to shop unless I am looking for something specific (which is not often - I am lucky that my kids are not very picky) or they are in need of new shoes.

But, as blessed as we are to have so many (cheap/free) clothes - I am tired of the mess.  The kids get into their things and clothes end up all over their rooms.  I wash clothesthat are not even dirty, because this is the new way for the bigger kids to "clean" their rooms - throw it in the dirty!  I have threatened on more than one occasion to get rid of everything, leaving them exactly a weeks worth of clothes.  Seven-ten outfits, period.  It seems it would be so liberating :)  I have at least three loads of clean clothes in the basement in baskets, as well as a few dirty...and their closets/dressers are already full.  It is ridiculous.

Am I the only one?  What do you do to keep the clothes in your house under control?  I feel like I am CONSTANTLY getting rid of things, but it is not enough.  A friend of mine told me she always has a "goodwill basket" near where she folds and she throws things in there all of the time, if even just to get rid of things she is tired of seeing (LOL).  Do you do the same?  Do you have too much of something, or am I just showing my pack-rat tendencies? 

Help me....the clothes are taking over our house!!

lost post

I lost a (really big catch-up) post this morning, so instead of re-posting the whole thing, I am doing the quick version = pictures :)

 

 

The sad excuse I have for an Easter picture...

 

As you can tell, the sun was shining in their faces & they were just beyond excited to stop on the way out of church to have their picture taken.  I think Ava is protesting :)

She did give me a big cheesy grin later in the day though...

 

And I am no stranger to bad Easter photos - remember these? 

inspired

Yesterday I chatted with an old MOPS friend that I had not talked to in quite a while.  We pass every day in the school car line, and I had noticed she looked "different" to me.  Was it her hair?  It is longer.  But, no. She just looks so different. And then yesterday, I saw her out of her car, and without her coat.  She is thinner - much thinner.  30 lbs thinner, and she was not a big girl.  To me, she was an average woman that had back to back (to back ...) pregnancies, I would have never guessed that she had 30+ pounds to lose, but she has.  And she looks GREAT and is wearing a size 10.  I was inspired.

She told me she has been counting calories & exercising 3-4 times a week since January and that she is the LAST person to think she ever would have stuck with a program to lost weight.  She said she feels great, and is doing fine with her "diet" (which has now just become her normal eating habit). I was SOO inspired.

Yes, I know I said this a month ago.  No, I have not started exercising. 

BUT, I also have been more tired than EVER this month and could not put my finger on it.  Well, it seems I have been slammed with all kinds of hits to my immune system for some reason.  Yesterday, 1 week after a root canal (after dealing with a tooth ache for WAY too long...) and a few days after visiting the ER for a fever of 103 and a severe stomach flu...my mouth is showing the evidence of my body being run down.  It is covered in fever blisters now- UGH!  My body is telling me to slow down & take care of myself...so I will. 

But, while I am resting up, I am planning :)

Last night I started reading more about the Couch to 5K program.  I am not planning on becoming a runner, but I do like the scheduled days of walking/running.  I also like that it is a 6 week program that would put me in better shape in time for summer.  I've counted calories before & it was easy enough to do too, so I may try that again too.  I know that "diets" do not work, but changing the way you eat can.  You want cake?  Eat half the slice.  You want pop?  Skip the sweet stuff later.  It can work.  I also tend to drink alot of my calories, so I am going to slowly add more water in.  Today, I am going to try to fill my glass every other time with water & see how that goes.  I am not much for water bottles as I like my water iced & COLD, so I will do most of my water drinking at home.  Maybe I need to get a good insulated water bottle to take on the go - especially for all of the walking (and maybe running) that I will be doing!

OKay, there it is.  Hopefully this will help keep me accountable.  I want to be held accountable.  I want to stay inspired.  I want to lose weight AND feel great AND be healthy.... AND look great in my swimsuit ;)

hi again

I am not sure if any of you are still out there reading, and if you are I apologize for my time gone missing.  I have no good excuse as to why I've not posted, just like the last time I popped in - life has been the normal busy life - with a little of this or that thrown in for good measure. 

I've just been in a blogging funk.

I have not been checking many blogs at all either (sorry blog friends), and when I do get on line, it seems that I just check in on my facebook account or fight my husband to play bejeweled  :)  Heis so good at the game, it is sickening really (just ask any of my facebook friends as he plays under my account).  I think since he has not been working much though, we have just been spending quality time together - and it has been great.  We even broke out some of our old favorite games lately - Rack-O & Phase 10 dice and have been playing them more often.

What else is new?

I started Bible Study again this session (2 weeks ago) and  I am really enjoying it.  The kids are all doing great, they love being able to play outside now (and I love the quiet/break that gives me too).  Ava still loves her Mickey, and to talk my ears off all day long  :)  Harry went back to work today, and has a job a couple of hoursaway from home, so he may have to stay away a night or two in the next week.  That will be strange after having him home so much, but we are trying to be thankful that he has work, not worry about the logistics of it all.  Plus, we will all be fine - I know that.  I think he is having the hardest time with it because the rest of us will still  be together, it is him that will be gone!

Jeff is doing GREAT!  He has 2 weeks left in the nursing home/assisted living place he is staying in for his therapy and then he will be able to go home.  His family will also be moving to a new apartment on the first floor to better accommodate him. Heis able to walk, but climbing stairs still requires alot of hard work for him, and they were not happy with the other apartment anyway & figured this was a good excuse to find another place.  So, in two more weeks he will be HOME!  He is able to leave where he is now, so he does go places with people every now & then and rides in a wheelchair as not to tire himself out too much.  It is amazing how far he has come.

Hopefully I will be back soon, but no promises like last month...you see how well that turned out ;)