shellz

I forgot to remember...

2009-11-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

to be thankful for my kids! In all the chaos that my days are filled with lately, I have lost sight of how truly blessed I am! Seriously, it's like supernanny times 10 aroundhere at our zoo/circus! I haven't been able to blog until now for fear that I would go off on a complaining tangent. Pregnancy has been anything but enjoyable. I am in awe of a lady whose blog I just read. She found out at around 10 weeks pregnant that her baby was gonna die. The doctors thought she'd miscarry, but she ended up going to 35 weeks. The baby boy lived for about an hour and 40 minutes. She had a birth announcement picture and video from a memorial service. She sounded totally at peace. I was crying my eyes out and I don't even know her. That story and a blog I read about stopping yelling at my kids have been a wake-up call for me tonight! I often find myself resenting my kids because they require so much training, correction, discipline, energy, etc. But HELLO! That's what being a parent is all about! Please pray for me! And especially for that family who just lost their baby, the Perkins family.

I'm a new believer...

2009-08-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

in Shout stain spray! A sweet friend of mine, who feels sorry for me because I'm feeling too sick to get on the whole couponing bandwagon, picked up a bottle of it for me(for free w/ a coupon!) last week. For some reason I've never thought that stuff actually worked, but Nate busted his lip yesterday(for the 2nd day in a row!) and bled all over my children's ministry shirt. I quickly changed it, sprayed it, and let it sit over night. When I took it out of the washer just now, there was no sign of any blood! Woo Hoo! That makes me happy!

Decision Made

2009-08-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

One thing that my mom instilled in her daughters was that having a baby is a natural thing. Pregnancy is not an illness. Our bodies were created to be able to push out a baby,etc,etc. She was a childbirth educator, labor and delivery RN, and a Doula for most of my childhood years. I remember flipcharts of uteruses and vaginas set up in the livingroom for classes. I was probably a toddler when I saw my first birth film. When I was a teenager she started her own doula service and would often recount the awesome births she experienced where the woman gave birth naturally. Then my older sister had 3 kids before I got pregnant with my first. And she had them all naturally with the deliveries being just awesome. So when it was finally my chance to have my first baby, I had all these big plans. I wanted to at least labor in the water, possibly have a waterbirth. I arranged to rent a pool from a place in Oregon to be sent to me and then set up by us in the hospital when the time came. I was going to a midwife who delivered my sister's 3rd and who I just loved. Everything was going as planned and I was so excited until my prenatal appointment at 34 weeks. My bloodpressure was elevated and my midwife felt like we should have the doctor do an ultrasound. When he did, he was alarmed to see hardly any amniotic fluid. Then they sent me to the next room to do a nonstress test to check on the baby. Tears filled my eyes and I cried as I realized things weren't looking good. This was definetely NOT in my plans. I didn't want to believe what I was hearing when they told me I needed to be on strict bedrest, laying only on my sides. One week after being on bedrest, I woke up bleeding and 2 hours later my baby was born by c-section. I had placental abruption so it was basically an emergency. Lydia was a little miracle baby. She weighed only 4 lbs 7 3/4 oz, but she was perfectly healthy! I was able to come to terms with MY plans being drastically changed for the safety of my baby, but I was bothered by the fact that the c-section would forever be an obstacle for me if I was gonna have more babies, which I was. I was determined to not have any more c-sections. So when I got pregnant with my second, I was in search of a doctor who would deliver a VBAC(vaginal birth after cesarean). We found one and Micah was born beautifully and naturally! And then Nathan's birth was even smoother. Which brings me to our big decision finally made. I'm going to get to have a homebirth! We met with a midwife on Tuesday and got to meet her nurse who attends the births as well. Since then, we've been trying to figure out how much will be covered by insurance and if this is what is best for us. Today we made the decision to go for it and I made my first appointment for next week. I am so happy to have it settled in my mind. The appointments will be at the office and then when it's that time, the nurse and the midwife will come to our house for the delivery. This is like a dream for me. I wanted to tell the full story(sorry it was sooo long!) just to show where I'm coming from and how much this means to me!

My biggest baby...

2009-08-14T05:21:00.000-07:00

lost her first tooth on Wednesday! We realized it was loose just 1 week before that. She is still glowing! And she seems older now. Crazy!

Guess what...

2009-08-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

Walker # 4 is on his/her way! I've been sitting here at the computer for several minutes now, trying to think of what to blog about since it's been like a bazillion months since my last post. And then it came to me, I could just share some good news. Crazy news, but good news! Scary news, but good news!

It's kinda funny to see how God works in my life. Two days before finding out this good news, I was pleading with Jayce(my youngest and newly married sis) and her husband, Matt, to please not be in a hurry to have kids. Or maybe to just not even have any at all because it is sooo stinkin hard! This was all in the middle of one of those pulling-my -hair-out, Calgon Take Me Awaaaaaay kinda days. But to be honest, I've had quite a few of those lately! And then,BAAM! I discover this good news of a fourth baby! And I'm thinkin Huh? Me? Lord, do you really think this is a good idea? Deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Ok, I don't get it, but I accept it. Ok, so maybe I'm even feeling happy and excited. And I realize, this must be a God thing, because I am experiencing peace that I know I can't produce!

A Micah Funny

2009-03-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Lately Micah is full of questions. He's always asking if he'll get to do certain things when he gets "bigger and bigger". So today he asks " Mommy, when I get bigger and bigger can I spank yourself?"
I asked him if he meant will he be able to spank me and he goes, "yeah, and Daddy?"
So I said, "No, but when you're a Daddy one day you'll have to spank your kids when they don't obey."
And he continued, "With your spanker?"
And I said"No, you'll buy your own spanker."
And he goes "Mommy, will you take me to the store so I can buy my own little spanker?"
I guess he thinks he's ready for the job! I'm almost 30, with 3 kids, and I still don't feel like I'm ready!!!

update

2009-03-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

Sandy got to stop by this afternoon for a few minutes on her way to be dropped off. It was a short and sweet visit, but nice to see her and the kids(especially Lydi) were happy to see her.
She's now in a shelter temporarily til they find a placement for her. Please pray for safety, peace, and an unwillingness to give in to peer pressure.
Thanks!

On a lighter note...

2009-03-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

I played dress-up today. And got highlights. I bought the kit last week ,chickened out, and then decided to go for it if I could find someone to help me. I thought of Alexis, one of our few babysitters and a family friend. She came over today and a couple hours later, I had highlights! It was fun. Lydi is happy that I don't have "that brown hair" anymore, even if it isn't all blonde.

The girls were having fun posing w/ Natey. I think he was too.

So cute!

These picture are goofy and they really don't show the highlights well, but I figured I'd avoid the complaints and show the finished product.

My heart is...

2009-03-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

heavy right now! I think anyone who'd read this knows who Sandy is, but just in case, I'll give a brief explanation. She's a 16 year old girl who lived with us for about 9 months at the age of 10 and then for a short time about 2 years ago. We were gonna adopt her when she was 10, but it didn't work out. Now she's been in at least 20 homes since then. For the past several months, she's been w/ a couple who, once again, took her into their home with every intention of adopting her. Well, I just got off the phone with her and she was packing up her stuff. She's leaving tomorrow and has no idea where she's going. Yes, she played the main role in why she's leaving, but that doesn't mean it's easy for her. I can't even imagine being her. Going to bed(or not), having no idea where you'll be laying your head the next night.
I am so bummed because I thought this was the right place for her. I mean these people are great. But I know how she can push you til you just can't take no more.
I really don't know what else to say exept PLEASE pray for Sandy. I love her like she's my own daughter and this is just breaking my heart.
Thanks!

WE GOT BUNKBEDS!!!

2009-03-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple of weeks, so this is a late post, old news, but at least you're getting it. We actually bought the bed the first night Micah was sick with the flu. We didn't know he had the flu, but just that he had a fever and wasn't feeling good. The transition to a regular bed ended up being surprisingly smooth, probably partly because he was sick. The big night was a couple Fridays ago. I can't remember the date and I don't have a calendar nearby. And I am too lazy to get up and get one-sorry! Anyhow, the following Monday(a week ago yesterday), Micah's hands and feet turned purple so I took him to the doctor. By the time we saw her, he was not doing well. He had a high fever, double ear infection, tested positive for the flu, and wasn't breathing right. She thought he had pneumonia so she sent us over to the hospital for a chest xray and to be admitted. The xray was negative but his white bloodcells were abnormally low so she thinks the bacteria got into his blood. He had to have i.v. fluids and antibiotics the whole time we were there, which ended up being 2 nights. Because of the flu, we had this nice warning sign on our door telling people to cover themselves up as much as possible-gowns, gloves, mask. Micah didn't appreciate all that very much, but he got used to it and was a trooper. Even though I didn't want to be there, I was able to appreciate some cuddle time with my boy! I now have a teensy, tinsy, glimpse of what life has been like for my friend Elizabeth who's been in the hospital with her daughter for the past several months. I thought of her often while I was there.
Lydi ended up with the flu and then Bronchitis. Nate had the flu and an ear infection and was running a fever earlier this evening. They've all been on antibiotics so I just line them up every morning and every night. I don't have to worry about forgetting cuz Micah won't let me. He even reminds me to take my daily meds when he knows he hasn't seen me take them. Very cute.
Well, I am ready for everyone to be well in my house and I hope to never again take good health for granted, but I fear I'll renig on that one. So I'll just try to enjoy healthy times more than I have in the past!

I've been tryin to get caught up so I can just blog and I'm finally there!

To Celebrate Nate's Bday...

2009-03-05T07:13:00.000-08:00

We went to a farm!

Lydi and Micah on the hayride.

Nate watching his big sis and brother on the hayride.

Micah feeding the persistent llama who chased after us for hay. He was cracking us up!

Lydi milking a goat.

Micah's turn.

This is the kid that they all took turns feeding from a bottle.

Micah had fun feeding the turkeys and chickens some corn, even though they pecked his fingers.

After chasing the many cats with no success, Lydi found one sleeping that let her pet it.

Micah smiled for the whole ride on his pony!

Lydi wants to go back and do nothing but ride ponies!

Nathan's 1st year

2009-03-01T13:27:00.000-08:00

My sweet boy, Nate( a.k.a Naters, Naters taters, Nater tots),

just turned a year old on the 20th!

He has brought lots of joy into my life. He's full of smiles and
his curiosity increases with every day. I am so thankful for him!

(I was gonna limit myself to one picture for each month, but I just couldn't do it!
Enjoy!)

poo poo on that!

2009-02-18T18:41:00.000-08:00

We FINALLY got to drive over an hour to see the bunkbeds and, well, we drove home(over an hour) with no bunkbeds! But we did stop at Bruster's for yummy icecream!
Oh well...

obsessive?

2009-02-17T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well, most of my readers know this already, but I was out of state for a couple of weeks. You can read all about it and see lots of pictures at Tiffany's blog, www.hillsidehollow.blogspot.com. I have been having blogger's block for some time now, but I'm hoping it's passing!

I have this tendency where once I get an idea in my head, I cannot let it rest until it either comes to fruition or it's made clear that it ain't gonna happen. So, my latest thing is...
BUNKBEDS! We've decided to move Micah into Lydi's room so that we can let my poor, sweet boy Nate move out of our closet sometime soon. You can probably see where I'm goin w/ this. We'll need a bed for Micah, and Lydi's been sleeping on mattresses w/ no frame ever since one of her uncles sat on her bed and broke it for good. That was over a year ago. So we've(I've) been looking at bunkbeds on craigslist and I found this awesome deal on some. And I can't get them outta my head. I've been corresponding w/the seller by email but she hasn't been ready to show them! This probably sounds silly, but it's making me crazy! I just want to see the bed in person, decide if I want it, and buy it so I can move on already!
Ok, now that I got that out, I feel better.
I'll keep ya'll posted.

Pure cuteness and sweetness

2009-01-15T13:48:00.001-08:00

Tea Party

2009-01-15T13:36:00.001-08:00

We had a small tea party to celebrate Lydi's 5th birthday. I was going back and forth on whethter or not to do it but she so wanted to and I didn't want to let her down. It was very fun and girly, but I couldn't have pulled it off w/out help, lotsa help, from some extra awesome friends, an extra awesome mom, and an extra awesome sister!!!

1st trip to the ER

2009-01-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

Long story short, Micah and Lydi were running around the livingroom last night and Micah ran into the coffee table, gashed open his forehead, was an awesome trooper for 3 stiches at the ER, and is doing great! Praise God!

recently we ...

2008-12-18T19:35:00.001-08:00

Had my mother in law and niece, Bella, visit us from Minnesota. They were here for our annual Thanksgiving celebration at our house. I'll post more pics from that day(for Rizzo!) later because this post has gotten long enough and each picture is taking forever to upload and I am stinkin tired!

Lydi and Bella at the airport

This picture was actually taken Thanksgiving night. It's outta order,but oh well!

Poor Micah got in a wagon crash at the end of our Thanksgiving shindig.

Lydi was wounded as well!

put up our Christmas tree and took a couple weeks to decorate it. It's a prelit artificial tree so it made it easy to take our time cause it looked pretty as soon as we plugged it in. Anyhow, we decided to start a tradition of taking turns putting the star on top so we started with the oldest. Lydi tried so hard to get that star on but it was too high, even on her daddy's shoulders, and it needed some tweaking to get it to stay on.

went to the Christmas Walk and Jon so sweetly paid for the kids to have their faces painted. Lydi has stood in line for this , on more than one occasion, and then couldn't go thru w/it. So this was a big deal for her. She was so worried it would come off. She kept asking throughout the night if it was still there.

These 2 have been buddies lately, finally! Lydi calls Micah her sack of potatas. They're always walking around pretending to be different people and it is just too funny!

More pics

2008-11-19T11:28:00.001-08:00

Pics from Keri's vist

2008-11-19T11:15:00.001-08:00

What's up?

2008-11-03T12:52:00.001-08:00

Well, I can't believe it's been so long since my last post! I've been pretty busy. We went on vacation to Blue Ridge, GA. I'll try to post some pics. We had such a great time!
Keri visited from Chicago and I tried to soak up every minute of that week but it still wasn't long enough! We had a shower for her. She is so beautifully pregnant. It was a wonderful and sweet time.
Most of you already know this, but Marissa and Ben are pregnant w/their 5th AND they are moving to Virginia. I'm trying to be supportive but it's killin me! Just today I was driving down the road boo-hooing while talking to Jayce about it. And that wasn't the first time, nor will it be the last! I am entering a season(hopefully that's all it is!) where my sisters are gonna live far away and it just plain aches to think about it!Change ROTS!!!
My kids and Jon have been sick for over a week now. Nate was wheezing pretty bad this morning so my Mom came and watched the older ones while we visited the doctor. I had a yummy blueberry bagel and chai from DDs for lunch and shopped at Target while waiting for prescriptions to be filled. That was kinda nice but I do feel bad for my sweet boy. He's usually very happy but not so much right now.
My Mom fed Lydi and Micah lunch and unloaded and reloaded my dishwasher for me. Wow, do I feel spoiled!
Ok, I think that's all I have for now. Hope I didn't bore anyone!

Random List

2008-09-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna copy someone and do a list of updates, funnies, etc.

- We've been robbed and it's not the sock thief this time. Or at least I don't think it is.
This time it's the microwave food cover thief. Yep, my cracked plastic thingy that keeps food explosions in the microwave to a minimum, is GONE. I noticed yesterday that it wasn't in the microwave where wekeepit and thought that was strange. So I looked at the counters and dishdrain. Nope. Recycle bin? nope. And then I just figured JOn must've put it somewhere or that I 'd thrown it away or hidden it from myself, but I didn't feel like taking the time to search. When Jon got home I asked him about it and , after checking in the microwave for himself, he proceeded to look in every cabinet and drawer, some twice. It is nowhere to be found at this point. Weird!

- Micah has not climbed out of his bed or poop-painted in over a week! Woo Hoo!!!

- School is going well. Lydi is soaking everything up like a sponge. I'm amazed at what she is capable of learning and doing.

- Nate is so MOBILE. He's got his own version of crawling but he can get anywhere and fast! He's sitting up, waving, and smiling A LOT! I'm so thankful for his joy! What I'm not so thankful for, though, is his stinky poop! We've started feeding him some food and PEE UUUUUUUUUU! Sometimes I have to ask myself why I didn't wait for the solids. But it was inevitable, right?

- Yesterday was kind of lousy for me. I woke up later than planned which is never easy for me to get over. And then it really seemed like the kids were just on a mission to make me looney. So I was finally fixing myself some lunch and made some kind of grumbling noise at something Lydi had done or said. And Micah goes " Mommy, why you do dat? Why you make dat noise?" And I said " Because, you guys are making me very angry" And Lydi goes " We're just being kids." Ouch!!! She's so right. So why am I getting so bent outta shape when they're just being the kids that they are? The kidsGod trusted me to train up. This is my job. I'm like the restaurant worker who's annoyed that customers are coming in hungry, or the dish washer annoyed that dishes are being dirtied, or the lawn guy sick of the grass keeping on growing, you get my point.

- okay, I'll stop this insanity. I know there's more I wanted to write about, but I keep getting interrupted so I've lost it and this post is probably too long already.
P.S. What's up with nobody sharing their childhood memories? Am I a dork for asking? Guess I was just feeling sentimental...

a coloring night

2008-09-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

I only have a couple handfuls of fond childhood memories, but I clearly remember sporadically having coloring nights and I'm pretty sure they were always w/ Dad because my Mom worked most nights. Anywho, once it was declared a coloring night, the big ol empty gallon ice cream container full of crayons was brought out to the livingroom floor along with whatever coloring books we had and we just colored our little hearts out. I remember it was extra special to be on the floor, usually on our tummies, to color. I loved geting lost in coloring as a child and I still do. So what's my point? Well, it was just the kiddos and me on the homefront tonight and I declared a coloring night, minus the floor part. That's just not happenin at this stage of the game, but it was still great! Micah didn't eat the crayons, Nate happily rolled around eating toys, and Lydi was just thrilled because I was calling it "coloring night".
What's your favorite childhood memory?

One More Thing

2008-08-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't mentioned that I am planning on starting Kindergarten w/ Lydi next week. Yeah, yeah, I'm sure there are plenty of people thinking I'm silly but Jon and I decided a while ago that it would be a good thing so I'm gonna go for it and stop being double-minded about it. We've been doing "school" for the last almost 2 years so I'm not stressing about it. I've been more stressed worrying about what people would think of me for starting a little early than I have been about actually starting. Silly stuff it is! Worrying about what people think, I mean. I hate it. Working on that! I'll try to keep ya'll "posted" on how school goes, but don't expect it often. Computer time doesn't come easily these days!!! TTFN!

Where Have I Been?

2008-08-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

Good question! But the answer is hard to say. I've been in a funk and just having a hard time dealing with life. Every bit of it! But I am finding out that I really am not alone. Life is not easy and that's just the way it is! Thankfully, I have hope and grace from my Lord Jesus! Hope that one day I will be with Him in a perfect place(because this world ain't never gonna be perfect!!). And grace to live this life one day at a time, knowing that He will cover those areas where I am lacking. And there are LOTS of those! Boy oh boy has it been hard lately! Micah has tried me to the try on a daily basis lately and I have been so angry and LOUD! But I am pretty sure I didn't yell today. Hey, that's improvement! And coincidentally(or maybe not!), things went better with the kids. Like they were listening more and stuff. Hmmm...

I not-so-smartly drank a cup of regular coffee at 9:15 tonight, which should explain the post outpouring that you're about to see. Sorry it's nothing too exciting. It's my life,though, and by the way, I am purposing to stop focusing on poor me and my issues, although they do need to be addressed. I'm not the only one who's having a rough time. I have close friends going thru things like a husband losing his job and having a child w/ Autism, another whose husband has decided that he doesn't love her, another whose husband had a questionable relationship that she'll never know the full extent of, another whose 1 year old daughter has to wear a brace on her upper body for a long time, another whose 3 year old son will never walk w/out a walker, another whose husband has a brain tumor that cannot be completely removed surgically, and these are just a few. It really is true that when I take my eyes and focus off of myself, I can start to gain a new perspective. A clearer perspective. Is this making sense? I know I've said this before, but I am not good at expressing my thoughts in writing. Wait, I have a hard time speaking them too. Oh well...

Cute Kiddos

2008-08-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

A couple visits with Sandy

2008-08-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

Sandy came a few weeks ago to celebrate her 16th birthday and spent a couple of nights here. We had a little dinner and cake party and then she, Rachel, Rizzo, Granny, Jaycee, and I went to see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. She came again the following week and stayed for one night. It was so nice to get to spend time with her. I think she's really beginning to move in the right direction, so please keep her in your prayers!

Got Earwigs?

2008-08-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have no idea what an earwig is, they are this nasty little bug w/ pincher looking things on the end of them. I'm pretty sure the rain brings them because they're trying to escape the water. Anyway, they are seriously driving me nutty!!! I am smooshing at least 20 of them a day. No, I am not exaggerating! My kids love them and are very entertained by them. For a while, Lydi was catching them and calling them her kids. She got over that but still does not like to see me kill them. Micah was playing w/ one today and that's what these pictures are from. He put it on this toy and kept pushing the button to make it spin as he watched and laughed. I kept wondering if there was something wrong with me for allowing this, and then I decided to just take a picture of it.

Could This Be?

2008-07-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

Has our Poo Poo Picaso taken a turn for the best? I'm prayin so! No really, I am praying about this. It's written down and everything! He loves to poop on the potty. It is all him, just in case you were thinkin I'm some overachieving Mom, potty-training my 2 year old with a 5 month old in tow. I was prepared to sit back and just let it happen whenever, but he wants to be like his cool big sister. And that's ok! Not the easiest thing, but I too would rather just flush it and be done with it. Ok, sorry about all this poo poo talk. Is everyone allright? Not too traumatised I hope!

Finally got MY turn

2008-07-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Most of you readers know, but some may not, that our church has been meeting at the YMCA for the past 3 1/2 years. This has meant that a team( sometimes only a few people) of people had to set up church on Saturday and then tear it down on Sunday, every single week! But that will soon be a thing of the past, because our "new" building will be ready for us to move in really soon!

Lots of people have been working real hard doing things like tile, building the stage and soundbooth, and painting and I've been dying to get up there but haven't been able to, until last night. Rizzo, Nathan, and I put a couple hours in and it was so hard to leave. We could've stayed all night! I hope the colors show up on ya'll's screens cuz they look so great! I got to paint the baseboards in the happy yellow room! It was fun and very therapeutic to finish a task.

I Love My Man

2008-07-31T19:08:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Jon decided the kids had been cooped up(from being sick) too long and needed to burn up some energy. The problem was, we weren't feeling real great and they weren't either. So Jon's solution : wrestling match with Daddy. They love this and he loves it just as much!!!

Endorphins, Teeth, and Coffee Caramel Shakes

2008-07-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

If I had written a post yesterday, everyone would have been looking up numbers of various helplines and hotlines because CRAZY MAMA had showed up and it was. not. purdy.

But instead of following my irrational thoughts, I decided to ask Rizzo to go for a walk w/me so she could make sure I came home. See, we have been walking every Mon, Wed, and Fri for the last several weeks, but I caught the yucky bug from my kiddos last week, so we missed Wed and Fri of last week, and Yesterday morning. And I was missing those endorphins that REALLY DO HELP! Exercise(and definetely time w/ the Lord!) is so vital to my mental health. Anywho, we sweated and she let me vent to her about my day. I can be totally real with her and that is priceless. I'm gonna take a minute right here to toot my sister's horn a little. Everything(Almost) I need to know , I learned from Marissa(AKA Rizzo, Riss, Rissa, Rizzle). She taught me most of what I know about being a wife, Mother, and homemaker, because we didn't have those roles modeled for us in a Godly way. Thankfully, God blessed Marissa with all these wonderful abilities and instincts that enabled her to figure out where to start in all these areas of high calling. I truly, truly do not know how things would have gone if I didn't have Marissa to glean from. I could go on and on but I think I'll save that for a later date. Just know that I am so very grateful for my big sister!!

Next subject: my Dentist appointment today. I have a crown that had been loose for at least the past 6 months and I was just sure it was rotten and nasty under there by now. But it wasn't!!! Yeahhh!!! They just cemented it back on and sent me on my way w/ no new cavities or anything! I don't dance but I could do the happy dance right now!!!

My Mom was watching my darlings and her only request was a Coffee Caramel shake from Chick-Fil-A, so I got lunch and 2 of those shakes knowing Lydi and Micah would not mind helping drink one. I am so glad they have good taste and love coffee as much as I do!

So things are looking better today. I am no longer having to walk around with tissue stuck in my nose to prevent a snot flood. Finally got some exercise last night. My teeth aren't falling out - yet. And I drank a REALLY fatteningly yummola milkshake. Now I'm gonna sit back for a second and enjoy this moment of contentment!

YUCK

2008-07-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

This guy is living between some bushes in my backyard. Ughhh(with some heebie jeebie twitches)!!! Spiders freak me out! Click on the pic to see it clearer

Olivia emerged

2008-07-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

... yesterday! We bought a butterfly kit from the library a couple weeks ago when a butterfly garden lady came to talk about what they eat and how they eat it and stuff.

BTW, that ended up being a borderline disaster for us. The room was FULL of people and we were in the middle, so my kids couldn't hear what the lady was saying, and Nathan was tired, so we ended up looking at books til it was over.

Anywho, we came home with a caterpillar, which Lydi was thrilled about and gave the name Olivia. But I was skeptical. And then it pupated, so we followed the directions and discarded the food container, which meant dumping the cocoon into the cup and I hoped we were doing it right, but I was still skeptical. I would look at the cocoon occasionally but I forgot about it for couple of days until yesterday. I just happened to stop and take a look and there it was, A BUTTERFLY! Seriously, this was so exciting to me. I really didn't expect it to work. So I ran and told Lydi she had to come see something. She didn't know what was going on. I think my excitement freaked her out, but she got excited when she saw it too. We released it quickly cause I was afraid we'd waited too long or something because it seemed lethargic and there was red stuff in the cup that looked like blood. I hope we didn't let it go too soon!

It's been 10 days

2008-07-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

... since our Poo-Poo Picasso had an exibit on display!

Yes, I did say poo poo. I have somehow failed to mention that for the past couple months, we've had a budding artist in our house! I never know when I will be privileged to be the first to see one of his new paintings. And sometimes it's only on him and his crib(every.single.rail.), but for the last couple viewings, he decided to venture out and express his creativity on the wall, outlet cover, phone jack, and the floor as well. Super. Special.

But enough about all that cause I'm hoping he's over it and I'm ok w/ NEVER again seeing one of these "works of art".

cute pics

2008-07-22T19:22:00.001-07:00

Just some random pictures I want to share. The pool ones are from a couple days before Jon went to Kansas. We were having a staycation day at Ms Kelly's pool. She is so sweet and hospitable!

How many kids can fit on a baby playmat?

Yes, this is me in a swimsuit, but I just had to share this sweet moment that I'm so glad was captured. Lydi really wanted to sit by the pool, w/ her feet in, and drink lemonade with me. It was too cute! And it meant so much to her. She is a "stop and smell the flowers" kinda girl and God uses her to slow me down and appreciate the simple things, when I'll let Him!!!

Lydi and Micah having an indoor picnic(their idea!)

a vacation day

2008-07-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

We've had a bunch of sickies in our house for the last few days. It started w/ Lydi on Friday afternoon when out of nowhere she had a high fever. She and I slept on the couch to wait for Jon to get home from Kansas. He walked in the door at 12:30am and within a few minutes, Micah was crying and was burning up too. They were both miserable so we held them and all watched meercat manor til about 1:30. We finally got to bed around 2am and by 6:45am, the five of us were snuggled up in our bed. It was actually sweet. Saturday was spent holding fussy kids and I felt bad for them but I was beginning to feel tired. Sunday morning came and we knew it wouldn't be good to take the kids to church and Jon was scheduled to do sound so I was home w/ the kiddos til the afternoon. All this time of Lydi and Micah being really sick and out of it, I was feeling so thankful that Nathan hadn't gotten it. Lydi started feeling better Sunday night but not Micah. He just about drove me to the looney farm yesterday w/ his whining and clinginess. And then Nathan spiked a high fever last night and I seriously got only a few hours of broken-up sleep. So, I'm a bit embarassed to admit this, but when I woke up today and Micah started whining, and I knew Nathan was sick, and I didn't want to end up freaking out on my kids, I called Jon and asked him to come home. I really didn't expect him to be able to, but I was feeling desperate. He said he'd see what he could do and let me know. To my surprise, he called back and was on his way home! I wanted to tell him nevermind, I'm sorry for being so pitiful, but it was too late for all that. So I humbled myself and accepted his willingness to help me with everything. He told me to consider it my VACATION day and make the most of it. So I took a morning nap cause I so needed it! And this afternoon I organized my desk and a cabinet that were out of control w/ clutter! I am so blessed to have such an awesome husband!

BTW, last week was not too bad. There were a couple of CRAZY days, but what's new? Having my Mom here for the nights was a huge help! What a blessing it is to have her so close and so involved! Thank you to everyone who prayed for me cause I have never been as peaceful while Jon was away, as I was last week. God is so good and faithful, even when I'm not!

Blah Blah Blah

2008-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Ever have those moments in your day where you just FEEL like screaming "CALGON TAKE ME AWAY" while running out the door and not even looking back? Well, I've had several of those today. I'm sure I am not the only one. I'd love to hear what ya'll do to chill yourself out when you're on the edge.

pics from Micah's birthday, late

2008-07-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

avoiding bedtime

2008-07-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

I survived my first day of Jon being in Kansas. This is the first time he's gone out of town since Nathan was born. Thankfully, he doesn't have to do this much. He'll be back late Friday night. I'm hoping the week will go fast. My Mom is planning to spend the night here for the rest of the week so tonight is the only night I'll be alone, thankfully! I am avoiding going to bed but I know I'll regret it if I don't get some sleep. Please pray for me if you think about me this week! Thanks!!!

our 7.4.08

2008-07-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

Uncle Matt is tainting Nate w/sports-watching way too early!

sweet Nate w/ his Aunt Keri

the guys were shootin hoops

And Levi was just hangin out on top of their van!

Watermelon juice was a hit w/ the kiddos and Aunt Jaycee!

I was just chillin on a lounge chair and this was such a pretty view. Our Crepe Myrtle is doing well this year!

Jon working on his guitar that he went to a class to learn how to build. He's finished it now!

Lydi and Micah during the day on the 4th. They were painting w/ice.

I wanted to put more pictures on here but I messed up so maybe I can add them later.

This is a little late, but we had a fun fourth! Keri and Marc, Jayce and Matt(her fiancee), and my Mom stayed w/ us for the weekend. Friday night we all went to a fireworks celebration and Riss and her family came too. It took 2 vans to get the 16 of us there! Granny had promised all the kids she'd buy them cotton candy, so they were more concerned w/ that than they were excited about the fireworks. What a site we must've been pushing thru the crowds looking at every vendor for colored sugar on a paper cone. We finally found it after walking forever and even having to cross a main road. We just about bought them out w/ our order of 10 cotton candies! It was good and everyone had fun. I especially enjoyed running down the train tracks w/ my neice, Hannah. Her Dad told me I needed to be careful cause I am too old to be doing that. Whatever!

There was a lot of excitement in the air around here cause Keri is pregnant and Jayce is engaged to Keri's husband's best friend, Matt! So there was lots of baby and wedding talk going on. Very exciting!!!

Today

2008-06-24T18:44:00.000-07:00

This morning Nate had his 4 month ck up. I thought two would be easier for me, and since Micah and his cousin Abby have a sometimes unbearable love-hate relationship, I asked Aunt Rissy to keep Lydi.
Well, there are many words that might describe my morning, but easy is NOT one of them! Everything was just peachy for the first half hour or so of being at the doctor's office. But by the time the Dr finally came into the little closet they like to call an exam room, Micah's make-mama-crazy button had been pushed. He's the sweetest little guy, but he has a thrill-seekin,trouble-makin streak in him. Maybe it's just a boy thing, I don't know. Anyhow, while the doctor was in the room, he poured my water on the chair and floor. Then, after shots, while I was nursing Nate, which is hard enough cause he is so distractable, Micah thought it was funny to knock the trash can over. After the second time, I had to get us out of there. The receptionist tried to get me to make our next two appointments but I told her I'd have to call later for all that cause I was on the verge of CRAZY MAMA. She looked a little concerned and quickly ok'd that.
So we got in the van and I gave Micah a peanut butter granola bar to keep him busy while I tried to finish nursing. It wasn't long before he was spitting out the peanut butter granola bar all over himself and his seat. My "no's" and "stops" were met with evil giggles and more spitting. ERGGGHHH! I finally gave up trying to get him to stop. I didn't want to have to interrupt Nate nursing again, so I accepted the mess and tried to stay calm, which I actually, surprisingly was able to do! Not too long after that, I realized Nate had had a blow-out and would have to be changed after he ate and before I could clean Micah up. Well when I set him down to start the whole process, I realized I'd been pooped on as well! I'm not talkin about a little smudge either. A big, pancake-sized spot of poop was hangin out right in the front of my pants. And I was really wanting to stop at the store on my way home since two is easier. I cleaned us all up and we made it to the store, after I treated myself to a much-needed java chiller from Sonic that I'd been curious about and now felt justified in trying.
The rest of the day went smoother. I did something I've wanted to do for a while but haven't taken the time to do. I rearranged my livingroom furniture. I just left my non-refridgerated groceries on the counter in bags and started moving couches and stuff. And I'm liking what I did! I have some recent pictures but I'm gonna have to try to get them on here later cause they're still in my camera and I've gotta get to bed! So for those of you who hung in there reading this long post because you were hoping for some cute pictures, SORRY! Maybe tommorrow!

a couple of cute moments

2008-06-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

I just have to share these while they're fresh on my mind.
~Micah has been very politely saying "no , thank you" lately, which of course is something to be proud of. But yesterday morning on our way to church, I turned around and gave him a big smile and he, very grumpily, said "no thank you!"

~ Here's a sweeter one. Nate and I were picking up a few things at Publix tonight and I was holding one of his little hands while he was eating his other one and he just closed his eyes and fell asleep. No fussing or anything, just peacefully sleeping. Ahh, the sweet moments of mommyhood!

What's In My Head At The Moment

2008-06-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

My heart is heavy tonight and I'm battling to keep my thoughts in check.
One theme of my life seems to be "live and learn". I guess that's not a terribly bad thing, but being that I am a recovering perfectionist, I don't like it! My neighbor and friend is moving back to Massachussetts this week. Her main reason for moving is that she has no family here. She has been lonely ever since she moved here last year. I can't help but feel like I could have reached out to her more. Jon says it's not like she would have not wanted to go if we'd gotten to be best friends, and I realize that, but there is still a feeling of regret in me. I was so wrapped up in myself during my pregnancy last year cause I was so down and also overwhelmed with being a prego mom with two young kids. It was stinkin hard but would it have killed me to invite her over for coffee? This is not the first time I've dealt with this same kind of thing. Anywho, I'm gonna be ok. I am just gonna purpose in my heart to not let this happen again. And I want to encourage you to think about anyone you know who may need some extra attention right now. Even if you've made small attempts. Put yourself out there and reach out to others when you have the opportunity.
And then there's the subject of training my children in the way they should go. Talk about stinkin hard! And seeing junk in them that I am responsible for helping them work on! Me? Another opportunity to exercise FAITH cause I just don't FEEL qualified for this job. If anyone knows of a book or something that has some good , practical ideas for character training for 4-5 year olds, I would love to hear from you about it!
On a brighter note, I really do love my life. I was pondering this the other day as I was cleaning my kitchen floor. As a child and teen, I never had plans for my life, and from the age of about 12, I really didn't care to make it into my adult life. But I thank God that I am alive and I am thankful to have a feeling of thankfullness that I'm alive. Not in a clinging-to-the-world kind of way, but in a wow-I-can't-believe-all-that-I-would-have-missed-if-things-had-gone-MY-way kind of way. Don't know if any of this will make sense to anyone. I have a hard time articulating my thoughts but wanted to get them out anyway.

Keri

2008-05-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

It's been one week since my sister, Keri, moved to Chicago. She and her husband, Marc, came here last Thursday for one last hoorah. We celebrated Keri's birthday which is not til the 30th but she'll be a little too far for us to all get together then! We ended the night with a game of Apples To Apples. Fun!! We all(Marissa and her kids, Jayce, Mom, Keri and Marc, and my fam) had breakfast together at our house Friday and they were off. It was sooooooo sad to say good-bye! But I'm sooooooooo thankful to have lived within 2 hours of her for the last 8 years! What a blessing! And I am so impressed by her submission to her husband's call on his life to be a pastor! She is truly a Godly wife! Please keep them in your prayers as she'll be living up there without him for several weeks due to her needing to be there to start a job, and him having to keep working in Florida til the end of July. Right now she's staying w/ a couple from the church where she works. That's supposed to only be a 3 week thing so they're hoping to be able to move in to their rental early, but without having to pay 2 rents.

I had to post all of these cause I think it's funny to see the different things each kid is doing in each one! I love these kiddos!

Baby Nate

2008-05-23T06:27:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I laid him down for a nap on his belly, but I found him like this when he woke up. It was funny cause the same thing had happened when I got him to nurse at 4am yesterday too but since he didn't roll over during any tummy times throughout the day, I thought maybe I'd been seeing things.

He loves bath time!!!

Sweet boy!

We don't have to move now!!!

2008-05-05T06:39:00.000-07:00

We're back from Georgia. More on that later.
Lydi informed me the other day that we needed to find a new home. She said ours was not clean because of the big spider we had living on our ceiling in the living room. This was not the first time she'd expressed such concern. I'd been avoiding this subject. Not because of animal rights or anything. I really do not like spiders. But the thought of scaling the back of my couch in order to capture him was not at the top of my to-do list. You probably know where I'm going w/this.
Yes, the spider is dead now. It was a family effort-team work! I hoped Lydi would somehow be able to reach it w/ my dusting wand, but no. Once I was up on the couch, Jon decided to be the photographer. That was not in my plan, but it's so funny that I just had to share it! So here are pics of the big event from start to a smashing finish!

sad news and other stuff

2008-04-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

I was sad to see Brooke go on American Idol tonight. She was my fav and it was sad to see her sad. Anyways, I just had to get that out! I feel better now!
I am so tired but am having a hard time getting myself to the bed for some reason.
Today was ok but I totally threw off the schedule when I met a friend for a playdate and didn't come home til after naptime. Then my Dad visited for a while which was really nice cause we don't see him much. Micah was loving saying "Papa" over and over. He's so stinkin cute and is just talkin like crazy lately.
I think Lydi is finally detoxed from a weekend away from us(she was w/Granny for most of it) and we need to start preparing for another detox next week. My Mom will be staying w/ her and Micah this weekend while Jon, Nate, and I drive to Georgia for a wedding. One of my best friends from childhood is getting married. She is one of the "Fabulous Five", as we called ourselves back in the day. We've been friends since we were like 11 or 12. As of right now, this will be a Fab 5 reunion cause we're all planning to be there so I'm really excited! Please keep us in your prayers for the trip.( As for the whole detox I spoke of, I'm talking about attitude adjustments, authority reminders, all that. She just seems to lose her brainsy when she's away for any length of time!)
Good night and love to all!

Something New

2008-04-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

We're trying something new here. It's called a ...uhhm...SCHEDULE! I've never ever been a schedule-oriented person. Organization in my house is a must but my time has been far from it. Until now. And although Day 1 hasn't been perfect(didn't expect it to be,thankfully), I think it's gonna be really great for all of us to have more direction and a plan for our days. I'm even scheduling time w/ my husband, my most important relationship on this earth! I have been in prayer and much thought for the last couple of weeks as I have prepared for this and so I feel like it's gonna work. Computer time is almost up so I better go! TTFN!

Chai mix recipe!

2008-04-28T06:24:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup instant tea(can use decaf)
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup powdered coffee creamer
1/2 cup white or brown sugar
1 T instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground cardamom
1/8 t(or a little less) black pepper

mix it all up w/ a fork or whisk and store in a container with tight lid. Or mix it and store in a big ziplock. To prepare: combine 3 T w/ 1 cup boiling water, stir well, sip and enjoy!
a few notes: Cardamom is the key ingredient for authentic Indian flavor. It is not cheap but will last for SEVERAL batches. You can find it after scanning the spices for a few minutes(or longer) at Walmart. Also, I've experimented w/ adding either unsweetened cocoa or Quick powder and it makes the mix even yummier, I just don't have an exact measurement. I usually at least triple this recipe cause otherwise it doesn't last long. Hope you like it!

A joyful heart IS good medicine!

2008-04-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

Lydia's new thrill is finding snails. She and her cousins made them a cozy home w/grass, dirt, leaves, water, and a big rock inside a bowl. They are our pets. Fish and snails are the best pets for us right now!

Speaking of Lydia, I have to take a moment to toot her horn. Most people know that she has not been the easiest kid. Her strong, will-to-dominate personality has stretched me in ways that I didn't want to be stretched, but I'm seeing glimpses of the Lord's purpose in it. Anywho, I rarely share about her growth and awesomeness, but here's something I have to share. Wednesday, I was just about to put lunch on the table when Mr Grabbyhands(Micah) decided to pull my plate off the counter. As I watched my carefully made turkey wrap fall to the floor, I thought I was gonna blow, but tried hard to have some self control. Lydi asked me what I was gonna do and I told her I'd pick it up and try not to be mean(I was very hungry!).But before I could do anything, she had picked it up, put it all back together, and was getting the dustbuster to vaccuum what was left! I was telling Jon about it that night, all teary-eyed, and he so sweetly responded with "so maybe she's not the D-E-V-I-L?" I guess I haven't had the best attitude towards her but I'm gonna try to work on that cause she really is such a blessing!

Love to all!!!

Little Man Nate

2008-04-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

Our littlest guy is 2 months old!

His check-up yesterday went well.

He weighed 11 lbs and 7 oz! Still in

the 50th percentile so he's good.

I am just about over feeling like

he needs to be the biggest baby

on the block. Is that every mom's

struggle? Who even uses the word percentile

unless they're talking about baby weight

and height graphs? Ok, I'm done w/that.

more pictures

2008-04-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Tummy time-hard work!

Micah and cousin Abby

This is our crazy fish, Stella.

Nate talking

Today has been quite eventful!

I ventured to the grocery store w/ the kids-by myself!

Well, not completely cause my Mom met me there, but

I was already almost finished when she got there so I did

some of it w/ no help. Like getting us all in the store! I carried Nate in his

carseat and Lydi held my hand w/ Micah holding her other hand. They were so cute

and GOOD!!! A nice little boost to make me see that I can do this!

Also, Jon finally sold his MG today! We have wanted that car gone since we moved here 8 years ago! Woo Hoo! So now Jon will begin rebuilding his motorcycle. I think I'll spend Sunday afternoon(after the guy picks up the MG) in my garage, enjoying the extra space, cause it'll be full of parts very soon!

Anywho, tonight we're having a sleepover! One of my bosom friends is doing a garage sale w/me tomorrow and we need to set up early so she and her fam are gonna stay the night to make it easier. Very exciting! Guess I better go get ready!

Lotsa love to all! Sorry this is formatted so weird. I don't know what's up!

contentment and other hard stuff

2008-04-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

Someone recently shared w/ me about being content and enjoying where God has us right now. I'm really trying to, but find myself wishing my kids were out of this extremely physically dependent and constantly- in- need -of -training stage!!! Just when I think I've seen a breakthrough in Lydi, we have a day like today has been so far. From her waking up whining to her screaming "you're a rude Mommy" at me as I pulled her on her bike back home for a "tune-up" before we could finally get started on our morning walk! We've actually had a decent week ,where I've seen growth in her and that is encouraging. But I have such a hard time being ok w/ the ups and downs of the day w/ the kids, mainly Lydi. I have a hard time accepting that the perfect day of parenting is not coming. And I think, I know, that that's exactly what I need to do. I can admit that I mess up on a daily basis but I fail to be gracious when my child does. Being a Mom really brings so many of my heart issues to the surface! I just want to hurry up and be done w/ them, but that's not gonna happen either!!

cute pictures, try to write soon

2008-04-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

Kids at play!

2008-04-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

giving it a try

2008-04-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

After many weeks of being a "lurker", I've decided I just have to give blogging a try.
I'm not sure how this will fit in to my new life as momof3, so we'll see.