{Ahh..the little things}

I'm getting somewhere :)

Here is my scrap table now, and down below you can see the spot where I was folding laundry :)   I find if I fold it on the floor, I will not leave it there like I do on the couch.

Which reminds me of where I am headed next...to CLEAN OFF my loveseat!

Where do I start?

The last two weeks have been horrible. 

The beginning of last week, I started to get better, then got worse all over again!  And then...Yesterday I woke up to NO headache! OMGoodness...no HEADACHE  :)  It felt wonderful.  I am still not back to being myself 100% but I can function once again.  I have a mouth full of fever blisters to remind me how bad it got (like I can forget that anytime soon).  Nice.

And now I have SOOOOO many things to catch up on.  The house is a disaster, it has barely been picked up, let alone CLEANED.  It is such a mess.  And the laundry.  Oh, the laundry is piled high.  On the couch, in the basement, and some even folded on the floor.  It is crazy how much laundry there is when you do not keep up on it *sigh*

Today is the day I get to get back into my real life  :)

What I really want to do is be creative.  I want to clean up my craft table & do something FUN instead of all of the work I have ahead of me today.  I just might do it too.  I can still do laundry in between, right?  I was inspired last week to get my space cleaned up by Minnesota Momma, who participated in Tackle it Tuesday.  Obviously, I never did tackle mine yet...

I know you are probably wondering how I can create anything here, right?  Well, the truth is ~ right now I can't.  It has become a catch all in the last few weeks, and a place where I can use my laptop, and nothing else.  So, today, I'd like to clean it up & maybe even get creative.  I want to finish another card or two to send to Lois, as today is the deadline.  I'll keep you posted. 

The kids are busy for now -------->   so I need to get busy too.

I am thinking I should re-name this post now that I've shared the MESS that is my house right now  :)

Oh well, Have a happy Monday!  I know it will be a busy one for me here...

*after seeing the picture of the kids, I see the mess on the desk too...UGH!  I've been gathering books for paperback swap.com and that is the nice stack of books you see there in front of Ava :)  Goodness, my poor house is OUT OF CONTROL!!

just in case..

You are feeling like me, I'll point you in the direction of PBN's blog blast. 

Normally, I'd try to play along, but not today, I'm just not feeling like it.  However, I am still up for some reading & I think it is a fun topic to read about this week  :)

Tell the truth :  There’s a lot about motherhood you wish you’d known before becoming a mom.  Write about it anytime between now and Sunday, then send a link to your post to PBN.  It’s this week’s Blog Blast, sponsored by Discovery Health and their new series “Deliver Me”.  What is it about pregnancy, parenting, and motherhood in general that only a girlfriend will tell you?

on the upswing

I am feeling a little better, and I mean VERY little.  My throat is a little less sore.  My nose is now running, which should be a good thing, but it is still not giving my ears much relief.  The Dr said my ears did not even look bad, just one ear drum was bulging due to the infection in my sinuses which can irritate so many other things. 

I've heard before that a true sinus infection is very painful...and now I agree.

Enough about the sick.  I am sick of being sick, sick of talking about being sick, sick of answering the phone (if/when I have) to hear people say "OH MY...what is wrong with YOU???"  to which of course, I have to answer with a complaint.  UGH!  It stops here and now.

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The sun is shining today & the high is supposed to be 55  :)  Any other day, I would already have 1,000 plans on ways to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE with the kids.  Today, I am going to try to suck it up and at least go for a walk or something.  We all need it.  That is one of the main reasons I went to get some meds.  The kids are on Spring Break and I was literally lying on the couch all day long, for nearly a week.  That was not fair to them, they wanted to do fun things while they were off school, not sit around the house & listen to me complain at every little noise.

So, this morning, we threw together some monkey bread just for fun (and a yummy snack).  I took some cute pictures, I'll have to post them later since I've not uploaded any this morning.  My house smells wonderfully cinnamon-y at the moment...YUM  :) 

I have 2 new books that I could very EASILY dig into today, but like I said, I am trying to be much more present for the rest of the week.  Maybe this afternoon, after we are back from our adventures, and while Ava naps, I may get the chance.  One book was sent to me by my Grandparents after someone mentioned it in church.  I am really enjoying it so far because it is a book of short stories, so you can read it little by little.  I also like the entire point of the book, and of Story Corps Project, which is putting the importance on everyday stories.  That is exactly what I love about reading blogs, enjoying the everday.  The other is another by Jodi Picoult, and I have not had a chance to start it yet, but am looking forward to it, as always!

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OKay, I've got to get myself into the shower, but wanted to share a few things I overheard yesterday while Zander played Superheros so I will not soon forget them...

Watch out, or I will extroy you!

Save me!  This mean butt-tooth horse got me!

I am using my disd-appear power!

And this has nothing to do with superheros, but he calls a Snickers candy bar = Sneakers!

This little guy makes me smile. every. single. day.  :)

agree to disagree

I'll post more on this topic later, but the basics are my hubby thought I should ride out the sickness (his family is Chiropractic & believes in all things natural), yet I knew I was not beating this one alone. 

I can not remember the last time that I was sick for a week, especially this sick.  My fever spiked again last night to 102, and this morning it had broken, but I still was not feeling better.

I finally went to the Dr today.

A nasty sinus infection and a prescription for Zithromax.  I've filled it, but not been back to pick it up yet, so I'll be heading there soon.  I am hoping that it will kick this in the behind & I will awake a new Momma tomorrow :)

Check back to see... 

it's up!

My first post at Midwest Parents is up  :)

I wish that it was a better one, as I am feeling sick STILL (stuffy head, sore throat, & my ears hurt) so I am not sure I was thinking clearly while posting, LOL! 

I think I am going to break down & go to the Dr today, which is very unlike me, but battling this for a week now without relief is not much like me either.

Happy Easter

Sunday 3/23/2008 (taken from my daily e-mail from KLove)
He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

Matthew 28:6, NLT
View in context

I wish I could say that is the focus at our house this morning, I really do. 

Instead it has been the Easter Bunny and hidden eggs and who got what toy, and who is sharing (or shall I say NOT sharing), and how much candy can I eat before I throw up. 

And we can't forget that half the house is still sick so there will be no church this morning either. 

Instead?  Daddy gave them an overview of the story (which our kids already know well), while I plan on getting out the Kid's Bible and reading it directly later. 

Not the Easter Sunday I had planned, but I've learned as the years go by to just go with the flow.  You just have to some days.

Ellie is already in her dress anyway (she is such a girly girl) with hopes that Grandma & Grandpa will still want us to visit this afternoon in spite of the sickies we might bring along.  We were looking forward to another egg hunt and a nice dinner there.

                        

Below is the kiddos when we visited the mall yesterday to see the Easter Bunny, ride the train, and have some lunch.  It was a fun afternoon, which ended in no pictures with the bunny  :)  They do not let you use your own camera, and they ran out of printer paper just as we walked up.  We waited (very patiently too!) while they tried to refill it.  After what felt like 10-15 minutes, the people started lining up behind us, and we decided that we would come back later.  When we did, there was a HUGE line so we decided to skip it. 

I took the kids around the back of the set up and tried to get a picture before Ava ran off, LOL!  Obviously, it is not the best picture, but it was fun getting out of the house together for a few hours.  With us being sick, we've not been doing much, as I am a little over worried about them getting sicker when their immune systems are already down *sigh*               

                     

Happy Easter  :)  Have a wonderful day!

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I just heard this cute prayer on K Love & thought I'd share it here too...very cute :)

Red is for the blood He gave.
Green is for the grass he made.
Yellow is for the sun so bright.
Orange is for the edge of night.

Black is for the sins we made.
White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for His hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.

A bag full of colors, So colorful and true.
Is a prayer, is a promise, from Jesus to you!
©1997 Charlene Dickerson

If I could have just one wish

Four years ago, we spent our Spring Break and Easter in Florida, and stopped for a couple more days (we tend to always extend our vacations) in Gatlinburg, TN on the way back home.  While we were in FL, we stopped in Daytona Beach for a couple of days, then we traveled to Orlando where we visited Disney, Sea World, Wet & Wild Water Park, and Universal Studios.  It was such a wonderful, wonderful week.  I wish we were going again this year. 

Oh, I desperately wish we were.

If I could have just one wish right now it would be that we would magically have the money to pack our bags today and be off.  The kids are off school all next week, Harry has no work lined up...our schedule is free from any commitments.  I'd leave tonight.

We have had a rough winter financially.  Harry is a self-employed construction contractor that has had little to no work this winter.  No one has the money to buy houses right now or even work on the ones they already have.  Things usually start to pick up in the spring, but as of now, we are not seeing it just yet.

I think everyone knows how finances can put a strain on you.  I wish it was not that way, but it is.  We get stressed out and seem to take it out on each other.  We need a break.  NOT a break from each other, just a break from the situation.  He needs to land that next big job so that he can feel accomplished again, so he feels that he is the strong, supportive man of the house.

For me, the perfect break right now would be just like the one we had in Florida four years ago.  All of us together, away from the everyday.  Somewhere warm & beautiful, enjoying each other and our kids. We need it, and I WANT it even more I think.

That is my one wish at the moment, the extra money to take a vacation this week. 

What about you?  Do you have just one wish?

 

just in time

I am feeling a little better, and I NEED to be.

Tomorrow is the first day of the kid's Spring Break, and I have not a THING ready for Easter, not a single thing. 

I mean not even the cute little matching dresses that I bought waaay in advance last year being the first year I had TWO girls  :)  This year, nothing.  I do have plenty of dresses to chose from for Ava because I have saved all of Ellie's things, but part of me would like to continue the matching dresses as long as I can get away with it.  We'll see.  The boys both have khakis, but are in need of nice shirts too.

And that is only the half of it.  I also have no 'Easter Bunny" supplies, or egg coloring kits, or things planned to keep the kids busy next week while we are all home together.

Today, I am hoping I can muster up the energy to go to Walmart and get it all taken care of in one trip. Maybe if I am lucky the Easter Bunny will be nice enough to think of me, and bring the kids artsy/crafty/busy type things  :)   It looks as if we will most likely be spending alot of time inside next week due to rain, so I will need things planned if I want to remain sane.  Without some fun things to do, the kids will run wild and scream and fight and make me want to run away.  And Kaden will beg me every single second of every single day to be on the computer *sigh*

One thing I remember from last year is that they will hide & seek eggs for hours, so I am hoping that they love it just as much this year.  We also have MOPS planned, but I am wondering if they will cancel it because of there being no school.  We already had a problem with childcare, so I am sure that there will not be enough if you consider the older kids that are out of school.

I think one day it would be fun to plan a party day.  Maybe a Welcome Spring theme... we could plant some seeds, make/eat some cupcakes, find/make some creative games, just have a good time together. 

I just went to family fun (my favorite site for ideas) and saw that there are alot of bug themed things, which would go perfectly with the spring idea.  The cute little plant stakes to the right are one of the many cute craft ideas.  And you know the kids would LOVE to make these cupcakes  :)   I remember that Ellie made me one of these in preschool, but this looks more like Kaden's style!  Now I am getting excited just planning it.  I hope that my enthusiasm sticks through the week ahead.

So, what are your Spring Break plans?  Let's share ideas!

rough

I've had a rough couple of days.

Sunday morning I was sick all morning due to the night before (no, I am not a drinker...and I drank alot).  I slept the day away thanks to my sweet husband taking the kids out for the day.

Monday, my friends dog got under my feet, causing me to fall.  I was holding Ava, so I was desperately trying not to fall or drop her.  I held tight to her, but ended up falling and landed mostly on my elbow in the street.  It is badly bruised and scraped up.  It is SOO sore, and seems to get more sore each day instead of better.

Yesterday I woke up with a headache, which slowly became worse.  Then I started getting a sore throat & that achy feeling in my neck and shoulders that means I am getting sick...ugh! By last night I had a fever of 102, and was miserable. 

This morning, the fever is gone, but my throat is still very sore.  My ears and head feel "full" and I have little to no energy.  With all of this and my sore elbow, I just feel like lying on the couch all day long.   

Doesn't it sound wonderful around here?