Phone conversation

Amanda: Either someone just fell or the tree fell over.

Amanda and Lura simultaneously: I hope someone fell.

My new house key!

Inside the house...

The house...

Hey, it's Lura posting for Amanda. They started moving into the new house on Saturday. She is stressed (as expected), but doing well. I'm sure she would covet your prayers during this time!

Our new home...

has a shed out back.

Thankful

I am thankful for so much. It is impossible to write it all down. A lot is private, a lot may seem silly - I truly feel so blessed. I know so many look at my life and wonder how I could call our situation, pretty much my life a blessing. I look at my life and wonder how anyone couldn't call it one! Sure there is a lot I wish would never have happened, things I wish I could change. I often wonder what it would be like if I wasn't so clumsy or scatterbrained, but that makes me me and that makes me wonderful! I sounded full of myself, didn't I? I don't mean to, I am just thrilled to be me. All my flaws - and I have many!!!- all my unique habits, my good qualities it makes me who I am. Sure, I would love to have a supermodel's figure. I would love to have perfect health, well behaved children and great grace and luck. But what fun would that be? I mean really. Life would get predictable and boring. I love that everyday is a mystery to be solved. You never know what is going to happen when you get up in the morning. You could have your day scheduled from morning til night and I guarantee it won't happen that way. What a gift that is! Some of my favorite moments have happened during the spontaneous surprise moments my days throw at me. God has blessed me with so much. He has given me fantastic opportunities, experiences, adventures... He has given me the greatest husband and children and wonderful friends and family. I had every intention of making a list of what I am thankful for, but decided to ramble instead. I guess that was a spontaneous decision too! I am thankful for that!

I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and look at whatever the day may bring you as a chance for a new experience. Each day is an adventure. Sometimes the road may be full of speed bumps, pot holes and road kill, but there are also the unexpected pleasant surprises that await you around the bend.

Happy Thanksgiving! I love you all!! Thank you all for being unexpected surprises.

Weekend Highlights Part Deux:

How could I forget the most traumatic part of my weekend????
On Saturday the kids went outside to play. My mom has Koi Pond that is in the shape of a kidney. It is maybe 15-18 feet long and 4 1/2 feet at its widest points. It comes right to the tops of my knees, so it is not too deep. Well the kids know to stay away from it....they are continuously told. I sent them out and was checking every few minutes out the window. All of a sudden I heard Luke wailing. Sean ran outside and discovered a sopping wet Luke standing next to the pond. I ran up and ran a warm bath and we stripped him and put him in the water. It turned cold almost immediately! He was shaken up for not even 5 minutes before he was talking about the whole thing like it was some great adventure. I was not happy. Apparantly the kids were checking to see if the pond was frozen solid. Girls, I was so scared! Caitlin is proud to announce that she is the only one who has not fallen in, but all the other times have been in the summer! I thanked God over and over for keeping Luke safe. Even though the water is not deep, it was deep enough and ice cold!

Well, at least we haven't burned down the house...

So, today I was building a fire - in the fireplace, of course. I know you are all wondering why on earth would anyone let me do that.... Sean was cold enough and desperate enough. It took me a good half and hour to get it started. Don't laugh...the other day it took Sean an hour and a half -no lie! It wasn't a roaring blaze, but it was respectable enough. After awhile Sean went out to the kitchen and smelled smoke. He looked into my mom's basement and it was pretty hazy looking. So he yelled for me and we went down. The stench was horrendous and the haze (some may call it smoke) hurt my eyes. We couldn't find anything on fire and the smoke alarms, which were all in working order, were not going off, so we went back upstairs and turned on ceiling fans and opened windows. My mom got home about an hour later and walked in and gagged. I didn't think it was that bad anymore. Turns out that I somehow managed to get it so smokey in the fireplace that it was coming out into the basement. Oh yeah, I forgot to open the damper thingy for about an hour too. Apparantly that is not good. Luckily my mom had some stuff from the fire department, from the time SHE melted the tupperware containers in her oven, and set it in dishes around the house to absorb the odor. It smells a lot better now.
Yesterday the kids managed to knkock over a large planter that hit some antique dishes and broke one. I was mortified, as I thought that it was from the Belfry, but it was the same pattern that my mom found at a garage sale. Turns out my cousin Sue had the Belfry china on a shelf in her china hutch that inexplicably collapsed one day and shattered all the dishes. Thank God that wasn't our fault!!! So my mom wasn't that upset about the dish. The plant that fell over had come unpotted and Sean, not seeing that it was full of huge thorns, grabbed to put back in and got his hand all pricked up. He recovered. So did my ears! Tonight I was cross stitching and was holding the needle between my lips so I could clip the floss. Somehow I managed to bump the needle and it drove the point right into my gum between my two front teeth. It hurt incredibly for about a minute and then the pain disappeared and the bleeding stopped. Sean seemed to think it was funny.
So this has been what I can remember of our weekend. I am sure more happened, but these were the highlights. I hope that you all have a great Monday!

Please Pray....

I only have sketchy details, but my cousin Karen let me know that she has lost a baby for the second time this year and tomorrow morning they have to do some sort of chromosome testing and then surgery. I am not quite sure what the surgery is for, but I imagine it is not good. Please say a prayer if you can. She could use the uplift. Thanks.

Nothing I could tell you could be nearly as entertaining as Crystal's post and the "Lewis blew us away!" comment! My stomach hurts from laughing so much today!

Hope you all have a good night

We are official house renters.

We signed our lease this morning. We move in December 1st. I am really excited for that. Too bad it is a Monday, but anyone in the area who wants to come on the following Saturday to help Sean and I avoid divorce court and move big stuff is welcome. Somehow I always manage to make moving big furniture an unpleasant experience for Sean. I can't imagine why.....
Kevin, if you are reading this, I am sorry about the horrible fixture related injury you sustained recently. I am also sorry for laughing so hard I cried, but the first explanation was a riot! I even have to admit to chuckling at the real reason. I hope that you are feeling better and that the scarring will be minimal and not in the shape of a toilet paper holder!
I have to go do homework, but I wanted to say hi and give you all my wishes for a tremendous day!!!

Passion Pants

Sean and I listen to the Elvis Duran morning show after we drop off the kids. It is always good for a laugh - today was no exception. On stupid news they told of a women in England who was hospitalized because she wore her vibrating passion pants to the store and became so aroused that she fell and hit her head and knocked herself unconcious. How embarassing is that?!
I have never heard of passion pants, but I can only imagine!
Have a good one!

WE GOT THE HOUSE!!!!!!

Maybe some good news to share....

Thanks to Victoria we got a lead on a house. We went and looked at it and are putting in our application this afternoon. It turns out the renter knows both our families and said it would be a pleasure to rent to us! They are waiving the application fee as well. It has a huge yard and a paved!!!! driveway that is the longest I have seen. It wraps around the house and there are two entrances. I am excited, I think we have a good chance of getting it. We would try to move in around the first of December if we get it. Oh, it has 3 bedrooms so Caity-Grace would get her princess room! I am going to put it all in God's hands, after all he knows what is best for us. Oh, one other exciting thing is that it has coathooks!!!! In two places, none the less! We didn't have any at the house. And it has a large laundry room....I could go on. I don't want to get too excited until we know for sure, but I can't help it. It will be a real bummer if we don't get it, but I am going to remain positive!
Love you guys!
Crystal....I hope that you aren't feeling funky today. You are an amazing person. I love you dearly!!!! May today be a great day for you.
Carrie....I hope that you can read this! I hope that your eye is better and you are feeling very comfortable. EYE think about you often and EYE hope that you are feeling "SPEC"tacular today!!!! Love you too!

Nutsy!!!

That is how I feel today. Completely nutsy!
Sean and I had to run to Lowe's this morning and since we were all the way over there we stopped in at Target. The dollar section at the front was filled with Cars, HSM, Camp Rock, Hello Kitty and Disney Princess things. We got some stocking stuffers for the kids.
Last night was the triplets school night at Burger King. It was a horrendous experience and I have banned anymore. The kids were rotten! Gabe complained about everything and I could do nothing right! I thought it was supposed to get better when he hit ten... Caitlin threw a tantrum when we tried to leave and laid on the floor in the crowded restaurant. The boys behavior was awful, although Luke did not throw ketchup at me this time.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???? AM I REALLY THAT HORRIBLE AT PARENTING????

I am being more consistent than ever, I am doing everything that I know to do and it is only getting worse. I am so frustrated right now that I am ready to give up. I never will though, I love my kids too much to do that.

Dropping the triplets off this morning was terrible and the boys turned off the alarm clock so we had half an hour to get everyone dressed and off to school. No one got breakfast this morning because there was no time. Luke blamed us, he said if we didn't want them to turn off the clock then we shouldn't have one. WHAT?????

Thanks, I just needed a minute to vent.

Have a good day.

Thursday...

Hi ya guys!
Happy Thursday. Well Carrie should be out of surgery by now. My thoughts and prayers are with you! I can't wait to hear how everything went. You are doing "spec"tacular I am sure! I am sure that you are going to be so relieved to have this all done and over with.
Luke went into school with out incident this morning. What a relief. He also had a green day yesterday, that means he behaved well! Yay Luke!!!!
Gabe had night terrors last night. He hasn't had them for a while. I don't know what was bothering him yesterday. It was really strange and he did a lot of yelling in his sleep and sleepwalking too. I hate when that happens. It is scary. He doesn't remember it happening which is good.
Luke didn't sleep well last night, he wanted to chat a lot. Jonathan threw up twice and Caitlin had a stomach ache. I slept on the floor in the living room with 2 and 2 slept on the couch. If anyone wants filled in on what happened on Nick at Nite just let me know. I saw almost all of it!!!
Gabe had a good birthday yesterday. He got sang to 3 different times and was the center of attention a lot. He enjoyed that!
I managed to de-install two programs yesterday and install Microsoft Office by myself! Well, Lura was on the phone to be my troubleshooter, but no one was here with me! It was a feel good accomplishment. I am almost done with my section on Word, then I move on to Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint. I am back on track with my schoolwork and am so looking forward to getting a job!
I hope that you all have a fantastic day!

Double Digits at last!!!!

Today Gabe turned 10!!!! My baby is a big boy. Ok, so according to Lura, he hasn't been a baby for years. He has had a good few days of celebrating. I just can't believe it has been so long. If I could I would post pictures of the day he was born. Lura was the back up coach. When I can post pictures again I will do a post about his birth. It was quite an adventure!

This morning we let Gabe pick out what he wanted for breakfast. He chose donuts. Okayed by all but Luke. Luke chose to have a temper tantrum instead. From 8 oclock until almost nine he screamed and threw his shoes at me in the van. What a child. When we got to school to drop them off Caitlin and Johnny got out okay, Luke laid in the parking lot kicking and screaming at the top of his lungs. Everyone outside was staring at us. Sean took the other two in and put Luke back in the van so we could take him with us to drop Gabe off. He screamed across town while we dropped Gabe off. When we were pulling into Gabe's school the cell phone rang. It was Amy telling me that my niece Scarlett had wet her pants and could I PLEASE bring her some clothes. So we ran to my mom's, down the street, and grabbed clean clothes, ran back to school so I could run Scarlett's clothes in - Luke was screaming the entire time. We got Scarlett taken care of and had to go back across town to take Luke, now tardy and screaming to school. We finally got him settled down and Sean took him in. When they got to the classroom his teacher came out in the hall to talk to Sean. (She is aware of our discipline troubles) and when she asked Luke to come out he wouldn't. So she went back in and took his hand to walk him out and he dropped to the floor. So the teacher half carried, half dragged Luke who had started screaming again out into the hall to talk with her. When Sean left he had finally calmed down and stayed on green all day.
That was how my day started. Fun, huh?!
Have a good night.

Live Your Life

I am sure many of you question my taste in music. I am one of those people who love a little from every category out there. Showtunes, rap, country, heavy metal, Christian, pop, rock, you name it - I listen to it. This song is by TI and Rhianna. He wrote it while on house arrest. I know, sounds like a winner, huh? I really like it. I hope you listen to at least a little of it....get past the yodeling sounding part, although I admit to liking that as well!
Hope you all have a great day~

We had a really neat weekend. I wish I could post pictures, but can't on my mom's. Maybe I will haul my junk over to Vic's and see if I can connect there and post some.
Saturday we took Gabe out for a mom, dad and Gabe day. He chose that over a party for his 10th birthday which is Wednesday the 12th. We went to Dave and Buster's for lunch and played games. He ended up with 1613 tickets, so he got to enjoy choosing lots of fun stuff. Then we were going to see a movie, but he wanted to go to Toys r Us instead and spend some birthday cash from Old Grandma and Old Grandpa. He chose a collector's tin of Pokemon cards. The deal was he could pick whatever he wanted and I had to keep my mouth shut about it. Then we went and got sickening sundaes at Dairy Queen - we were going to do a dessert with them singing at D& B's but he didn't want any, too excited to play! On our way home we went to Jamie's flea Market and found 2 vendors that sold yu gi oh and pokemon cards so he bought 126 more. whoopee! We came back to town, grabbed dinner and spent some more time with just us. He had a ball being the only child for the day and the center of attention. Sunday we had church, Gabe's birthday lunch here with my family and then went to Chuck E Cheese for Tanis's birthday party. That was quite an experience. The kids had a ball and it was good to see them all having fun together. I have pictures from that too.
I am so sleepy, so I am going to end this. Maybe I will have a more exciting post tomorrow! Hope that you all had wonderful weekends and a great Monday. Love you!

Well....

I am still not caught up in blog world. Hopefully tomorrow I can read everyone's. I love you all and hope that you are all wonderful and having a good night!

Ps. I didn't break the display at the store when I walked into the shelf of glass knick-knacks and floral arrangements, just scraped up my arm! It was the sneezing guy who didn't cover his mouth that steered me off course. If I had broken anything would it have been my responsibility or the unhygenic guys?

Hey guys-
I haven't had a chance to read any blogs so I don't know how any of you are. I hope that all is well and that you are happy and healthy! If not, cheer up and feel better! I feel so disconnected from everyone and everything right now. I just had therapy too - can't tell, huh?! I think it is just the situation. At home I could get online whenever, post pictures, easily check blogs and mail....here it is an ordeal. Oh well, it is temporary and what good will complaining do?!
Are any of you as disappointed in the election results as I am? I am trying to remember what I told Sean...God knew who was going to win long before yesterday. This result is all a part of His plan. I am not thrilled with the idea of a president who doesn't oppose partial birth abortions as well as several other areas I feel strongly about, but God knows what He is doing and we just need to have faith and trust in Him.
We have not broken anything major - with the exception of 2 shovels and a sledgehammer - lately. I think maybe we are in a streak of good fortune?! The kids are doing well, staying relatively healthy and getting decent marks in school. They are driving me bananas, but that is to be expected, right?!
Hope that you all are having a good day.
Love you guys!

Anyone looking for Demolition Assistance?

I have decided to hire my family out, neices included. We are a one family wrecking crew. Nothing is safe around us. I am wondering how much longer until my mom kicks us out and friends (i.e. Kellie and Brian) stop inviting us over.
So far: Sean has broken one of my mom's tea cups in her collection,
Caitlin broke a never been used serving dish,
Caitlin colored in permanent marker on the fridge,
Luke spills at least a cup of liquid a day, I walked by the toilet and knocked the new, not yet read Reader's Digest into it, the dryer is not working quite right, the microwave is not working quite right, the kids have sunk several frisbees in the pond and while trying to get one with a butterfly net Gabe managed to disconnect the waterfall and turn a fountain on high, Luke has dug up several plants in the yard, Jonathan has terrorized the pets and thrown up on the bed several times.... these are just the few I can come up with without much thought. Oh, how could I forget....my mom's dog has taken to humping the monkey chair! She has never done that before. Now she is a humping maniac. Of course that could be typical pet behavior in this house as one of the cats humped a woman's leg during Stitch and Bitch a few years ago....
Sunday we went to Kellie's and within the first five minutes my neice, Scarlett, managed to tear one of the shelving units out of the wall.

WHAT IS IT WITH US?????

My mom is out at yet another meeting and has entrusted the house to my care along with a fire burning in the fireplace. PRAY FOR ME!!!!

I hope that you are all having a great night.

Carrie, the song that is playing is by Nickleback, or Nuckleback Ho's.

Merci Beacoup!

If you were the 2 private school girls we over heard on the bus in Washington D.C. in 1985, you would say it: Murky Buck Up.

I always remember the most useful information....

A big THANK YOU to my blog designer, the renowned Luranda Ramstead for the amazing graphics she posted at the top of the page. I am thankful to see a picture of a person with worse luck than me!

Have a good weekend!

Ouch!

Well, I saw the doctor yesterday. She mentioned the bubBLE IDEA. wHAT IS IT WITH PEOPLE??!!! I am just a tad on the accident prone side. My mom pointed out that my Sean and the kids are too. Geesh. Forgive my typing errors, with a bum wrist it is hard to do! :(
So basically, I have a ganglian cyst, I messed up the median nerve, I blew several things in the wrist and am swollen and bruised. Dr. J. said that this injury is painful and slow to heal. It averages about 1 milimeter of healing per day. Woo-hoo. I hope you all learn from my experience and take great care in pulling up a 5 year old's pants. How embarrassing. I am going with an intruder broke in and tried to make off with the picture Jamie gave me of Alan Alda and while wrestling him (or her - you know you all want it!) to the ground I sustained injury to the left wrist and hand. I think that sounds much better. And a bit heroic!
When she asked about the kids and I told her about Luke's troubles at school, we discussed ADHD/ADD and she agrees that it is very likely that Luke has that as I know how Gabe was at that age. She also questions whether or not I had it as a kid - maybe still do. I KNOW YOU ARE LAUGHING KELLIE!!!!!! My mom would lay money that I did/do, but the diagnosis wasn't there when we were growing up. We also chatted a bit about the house and all. She was very supportive and encouraging. Then at LOGOS a wonderful lady from the church came up to me and offered encouragement. They had just heard of our situation and wanted to know if there was anything they could do. I said "just pray!" and she told me that our family has been wrapped in prayers for so long. It was wonderful just to hear that and to get that encouragement. God takes care of us, doesn't He!
We are preparing for a busy weekend. On Saturday we have the final soccer games of the season and then are going to slime fest with Tanis. On Sunday the kids sing at the 8:30 service and then we have Scott's birthday dinner. After that we are going to Kellie's (and bringing the girls) to trick or treat with Tanis. The kids are so excited! They also want to stay and play a bit if Kellie doesn't mind. Do you?!
On top of that we have to find time to finish moving out the big pieces of furniture.
I am so in need of a girl's night, so all you local girls figure out a time. I don't care what we do. Maybe we can go and toilet paper Lura's parents for old times! I think they would love that!!!! I hope they don't read this......
This morning Luke was changing his big boy panties and as soon as he kicked off the dirty ones, Maddie (mom's dog) grabbed them and took off running. I have searched and have yet to find them! She is a crazy dog!
I have begun working on Christmas presents. I am cross stitching my heart out! I have 3 definate projects and hope to have a few more to do. I am trying to be "centsible" this year and am well stocked with supplies. I also have a friend that will mat all my pictures for free. She has all the materials to make them.
I guess I am rambling. I just miss you all. Let's definately plan a blogfest 2009. My kids still ask me when we are going to Cheryl's and if it will be too cold to swim now. I feel like we really let them down as they were counting on a trip to see them! Too many things came up!!!! We will come next year. That is a promise....or a threat. However you take it!!!
I hope that you all have a fantastic day. I love you all and am so thankful for each and every one of you. God Bless you and keep you.

Amanda
Queen of Clutter

Tuesday Schmoosday

Well I had my conference with Luke's teacher yesterday. We both, the teacher and I, cried. Is that a bad thing?! It was 40 minutes long and I left feeling very encouraged. She approached everything with a positive attitude and spoke about "we" not "you" so I did not feel like I was to blame. Yesterday Luke came home with a good note and stayed on green all day! That means he behaved in class. Yay! All three were on green. :) I filled a basket with items from the dollar tree for rewards and they all - Gabe too, he got a 100% on his reading test and a 90% on spelling, chose punching balloons. My mom's pets were thrilled!
I guess I should share my latest bad luck with you all. I had my first trip to the ER in several months the other night. That was impressive for me! I am in a heavy black splint with a thumb spike on my left arm and hand now. And boy do I hurt! My troublesome wrist snapped about 2 weeks ago when I was getting Johnny dressed. I saw the dr. and there was no fracture. good. Well it keeps giving out on me. Sunday night I was coming up the basement stairs carrying as laundry basket and it gave out and I slammed my wrist, palm side up, on the cement wall. Ouch, but no biggie. As the night went on I lost feeling in my hand and after 4 hours a bump formed. When it grew to the size of a large marble and was agony to touch I decided maybe it was time to get it looked at. So I have a cyst that is laying on the underside of my wrist that ius beautifully colored for fall, and apparantly my tendons are herniated and swelling. So I am going to have to probably see an orthapedic surgeon. I consider this good news, maybe he can make my wrist stop giving out. I doubt there will be a need for surgery, I am guessing physical therapy if anything. Just another mark in the clutzy journal! Oh, this morning Jonathan insisted on shutting my car door, slammed it and hit my funny bone soooo hard. It wasn't the least bit funny!
We are still looking for some place to live. I have used all the big boxes for packing, so as of right now the cardboard box home is not a doable option. My mom says we can stay here as long as we'd like, I just would like to be out by Thanksgiving.
My mom's house is like a museum, full of herilooms and expensive antiques. Not a good mix with 4 kids, a large dog and 2 dopey cats. Plus an accident prone Amanda! We have already had a few minor mishaps that have resulted in broken glass.
So I hope you all have a good day. I hope that Carrie can see, Cheryl and Charity feel better, Crys has an awesome week, Sonya gets school straightened around, Debby finds who broke in and ate bites of her burrito, Lura stops sounding like Bea Arthur, Kellerie Land has a fabulous week of teaching, Victoria doesn't have morning (all day) sickness, Kelly enjoys her Janet Evanovich books (I am reading her right now! Love her!, Mel has a restful week and that I stay broken bone free! Did I miss anyone? Love you guys!

Open House Thursday

So, taking 6 kids to a taco fundraiser at Gabe's school sounds like a good idea. Right???
I swear it wasn't my idea. It was my mom and sister's and I went along with it. I managed to not spill the tray carrying 8 tacos, 4 nacos and salsas, 6 drinks, and 6 cookies. Also I had utensils and napkins for 6. They ate neater than I have seen, but the meal ended with my mother crawling around on the floor on her hands and knees cleaning up tacos with a ratty napkin! I tried to tell her that they have custodians for that....just ask Sean! Then we went to Gabe's room and the triplets decided it was play time. I almost wet my pants when Caitlin started spinning the globe as fast as she could, Luke put his hands all over the computer doing the slide show, and Jonathan was playing hide and seek. Thankfully Gabe's teacher is someone I have known a long time and is one of the most patient people in the world. I then had to go to Carmen and Scarlett's rooms to see their open house stuff. We ran home, my mom lives right down the street from Gabe's school, and I hopped in the car to go to the triplet's school across town. I went to Caitlin's classroom first and got a good report, then I did Johnny's and got another good report, then onto Luke's and got a conference scheduled for Monday morning at 8. Can you tell who the troublemaker is? I just wanted to melt into the floor! His teacher said that she has exhausted all dicipline techniques and nothing is working and she doesn't know what to do anymore. Wow. It is only the second month of school. That is not good news. So we will see what Monday holds.
Thursday was funky hat day at the trio's school. Caitlin did not participate because "girl's do not wear hats!", Luke wore a pilgrim's hat and Johnny wore a purple and red sequined baseball cap. Sean was thrilled. At least he is a knight for Halloween and not a princess!
Friday Gabe got to sing the National Anthem at the football game with the 4th grades from all three elementaries. He did awesome. I was so proud of him. It was neat to see all the band geeks and I did feel a bit of longing when they marched onto the field. There were only 4 girls on the dance squad and a ton of cheerleaders. I guess it isn't cool to be a truckerette anymore! I was surprised.
Today we had soccer games and Luke actually played, a lot! I was so happy. During Gabe's game Caitlin started out onto the field to join in the game, twice. Tonight is the Fall Festival at the trio's school. Should be fun. Sean has been at work since 11 this morning, so hopefully he will get home in time to go.

Hi!
So much has been going on here and yet so little. We are still homeless, I know though that the right place will turn up. We are close to being done at our old house. I think I may just take a huge super sucker in and suck up all the rest. I have been mailing out cards to stay connected, hope that you are all getting them.
We had open houses tonight. That is a whole other post. I am too tired to do much typing right now.
You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Love you guys.

It's almost wednesday again!

Hey- I am still around. I don't have the time to be online right now, but maybe tonight. I love you guys and miss you!
Happy belated anniversary Carrie!

Catching up and a book review

hAPPY wEDNESDAY.
Not much new news here. We are still searching for a new place and packing up the old. Lura is coming over Friday and hopefully that will be the end of the junk. She is a good motivator!
I am getting ready to put the trio to bed, Gabe is staying at Amy's. The kids were up late last night so I am hoping that they go to bed easily tonight.
I finished the smoke jumper....excellent book! I am now reading Sandra Brown's "Fat Tuesday" no opinion on it yet. Here is a review for the Smoke Jumper:

The fire that was to change so many lives so utterly started with a single shaft of lightning. It struck a mountain ridge on a still and moonless night and nestled like a pupa of death in the desiccated heart of an ancient pine. There were witnesses no doubt to this sudden splintering of air and wood, but none that was human. The woman, camped nearby with her group of troubled teenagers, slept on and heard nothing.
She has brought them here by court order on a youth program to help them find themselves. But one among them will be lost forever. For soon the cocoon of fire will hatch to engulf the entire mountain and exact its deadly toll. And into this inferno will come ... The Smoke Jumper.
His name is Connor Ford and he falls like an angel of mercy from the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but knows he cannot have. For Julia Bishop is the partner of his closest friend, Ed Tully, an ambitious young musician. Julia loves them both but the tragedy on Snake Mountain forces her to choose between them and burns a brand on all their hearts.
With his blond, blue-eyed looks and laconic cowboy charm, Connor is the only child of a Montana rancher and a rodeo queen. Until that fateful day, he has been happy to spend his winters nurturing a career as a photographer and his summer vacations with Ed, "smoke jumping" — being dropped by parachute to fight remote forest fires.
In the wake of the fire, he embarks on a journey to the dark heart of human suffering, traveling the world's worst wars and disasters to take photographs that find him fame but never happiness. Reckless of a life he no longer wants, again and again he dares death to take him, until another fateful day on another continent, he must walk through fire once more....

This books gets pretty deep and is hard to read at times, but I heartily recommend it for anyone who likes good stories. I would read this again!
I hope that you all have a great night.

Temper Tantrums and Smoke Jumpers

Hey you guys!!! Did anyone else think of the electric company? Remember that show?
My morning started off with a horrid temper tantrum from Luke. He spilled his milk and then played in it and soaked his pj's. I made him strip in the kitchen and throw his clothes into the laundry so he could go upstairs and get cleaned up. He was not keen on that idea and threw a HUGE tantrum! It was so awful it was funny. He eventually settled down and got ready for school and was back to my sweet boy. My mom made the kids waffles and sausage this morning. That is a bonus to living there! Last night we had roast pork, potatoes and carrots and rosy apple rings. Yum.
I hope that my mom survives us. The other day I walked into the living room and Jonathan had taken blue painter's tape and taped himself into an antique kid's rocking chair. Thankfully it was painters tape so it didn't really stick. Gabe played on her computer and somehow froze everything and messed up the internet there. They dumped over two plants last night and tracked dirt everywhere, the dog and cats are not themselves either! I think Maddie, the dog, is going to have anxiety issues! Maybe I should slip her some ativan! :)
I am reading a great book right now called The Smoke Jumper. It is by Nicholas Evans. It is really good, the language is questionable, but the story line is excellent.
Tonight is the Make and Bake Auction for my Mom's garden club. Usually Lura and I go every year, but she is unable to this time. Don't worry Lura, I will not let anybody sit next to me! I will save your seat still. :) I usually get to pick out something fun that my mom buys and puts away for my birthday. This is the 9th year I have gone and it gets fancier each year.
Well ladies, and any gents that read this, I have to go and eat lunch and get to my mom's so I can shower and do something with my greasy hair. I am such a vision right now!
Have a great day!

When I feel useless, I am useful to God.
That was the message I took from church yesterday morning. I can't tell you how many times, especially lately, that I have felt useless. I was really inspired by what Doc had to say. That doesn't happen too often! It gave me a desire to get more involved in my church and start feeling as useful as God sees me.

We are back here to pack and purge some more. I hate coming here and hope we can get done soon! I could have been done a week ago if I had just thrown everything into boxes, but I want to get rid of as much crap as possible. It is freezing cold - 58 degrees inside. Yesterday it was only 55, so we must have had a minor heat wave!

Hope that you all have a great day!

Earth Shattering News!

I have not worn the grey sweater for 2 whole days!
AND....it is short sleeved, so it will be retired for the colder weather. Maybe I can find a long sleeved one!

I know that you will all sleep better knowing this. :)

We are still moving. Lura came over yesterday and we got a lot done. We took several boxes to the Goodwill and got several trash bags filled. I am really purging. Not the vomiting kind, the cleaning kind. I have a lot to do still, but I am feeling better about things. We are moving all the big stuff this weekend - appliances and stuff. I hope to be completely done by Sunday.

Last night was LOGOS. I am a table parent, which means I go and eat dinner with kids - none of them are mine - and supervise the table. They had pizza last night and one of the boys at my table ate 15 pieces!!!!! I felt terrible, if he threw up last night his mother probably hates me. They were square pieces, not the triangles, so they weren't as big. He told me he had pizza for dinner the night before and pizza that day at lunch. They had freezer burnt rocket popsicles for dessert. yum.

I finished Janet Evanovich's book Plum Lucky the other night, then I read ManHunt and now I am working on Smitten. I need to get my books over there so I can read them and then get Kellie's books back to her! Here are my "borrowed" reviews for those two books:

PLUM LUCKY:

Stephanie Plum has a way of attracting danger, lunatics, oddballs, bad luck... and mystery men. And no one is more mysterious than the unmentionable Diesel. He's back and hot on the trail of a little man in green pants who's lost a giant bag of money. Problem is the money isn't exactly lost. Stephanie's Grandma Mazur has found it, and like any good Jersey senior citizen she's high-tailed it in a Winnebago to Atlantic City and hit the slots. With Lula and Connie in tow, Stephanie attempts to bring Grandma home. But the luck of the Irish is rubbing off on everyone. Lula's found a job modeling plus size lingerie. Connie's found a guy. Diesel's found Stephanie. And Stephanie has found herself in over her head with a caper involving thrice stolen money, a racehorse, a car chase and a bad case of hives. PLUM LUCKY is an all-you-can-eat buffet of thrills, chills, shrimp cocktail, plus-size underwear and scorching hot men.

This book is hilarious. Grandma is a nutcase, The little man in green pants thinks he is a leprechaun, and the mob guy goes crazy. I loved this book!!!

MANHUNT:

A woman with a talent for numbers, Alexandra Scott wanted to escape the rat race and go someplace where the men outnumber the women. Trading in her Wall Street job and fancy condo for a rundown cabin in the woods. She's now Alaskan Wilderness Woman. It isn't long before she finds exactly what she's looking for: one sexy pilot named Michael Casey. But this confirmed bachelor has no intentions of getting caught in any woman's crosshairs—especially a hunter as appealing as Alex. It'll take skill, determination, and a little romantic persuasion for this big-game hunter to bag her prey.

This was a reprint of an early 1980's book. There isn't a great plot, but it was a fun, light, no - brainer read. I like the action of her newer books. This kind of reminded me of a Harlequin without any real sleaze in it. I'd definately recommend Plum Lucky over this one.

Have a great day. Carrie - tell Olivia I loved my email! I cracked up when I read it. She is so funny!!! :)

What A Babe!!!!!

FYI

I wore the grey sweater yesterday!

How Tacky!!!!

So, I don't know if any of you have noticed, but it seems like every picture I post of myself I am in the same grey sweater. I don't even particularly like the thing either! Lura and I were joking about it the other day when I noticed it. I guess it is because I have limited choices in my wardrobe - I worry more about Sean and the kids having clothes and figure when I get a job then I will need them! I just laugh now everytime I see a picture of me in the sweater. How Tacky!

Luke and Sean are at the ped. for Luke's physical. I take Caitlin at 4 today for her's and then Johnny goes at 4 tomorrow. They get their kindergarten shots...whooppee!

We are sleeping tonight at my mom's and then I will come back to the house each day to do more packing. We hope to be completely out by the weekend. I just want it to be done! We have so much ueless crap in here that it is taking forever!!!!

That's all for now, I need to go get ready to go and meet my nieces. Maybe I will wear the gray sweater! ha!

Our Attempt at a Picture.

Psychosomatic

I have no idea if that is spelled right or even the word I am looking for. After all the snot talk I have developed the runniest nose!
We are packing and moving. Sean and Vic's husband Tim are taking a load of furniture right now. We are very thankful for his help! I tend to get in the way and get yelled at and then I cry. So Sean prefers man help and not aMANda help!
Hope you are all having a great day!!!
:)

Retraction

What I hinted about Cheryl in the post below is completely untrue!
She was very quick to respond to my address request. I apologize.
I hope you don't sue me for slander or libel....whichever I did.
You could if you wanted a falling down house!

Buzzzz......

I finished The Secret Lies of Bees last night and now I am working on Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich. I would have started the Friday Night.... but I ended up having to stay at my mom's last night. Luke woke up screaming and he did not settle down well. Everytime I thought he was asleep he would start in again. I think he is just having a hard time adjusting. He woke up Johnny, thankfully Caitlin slept through. I had to sleep in my clothes because I had nothing there and I didn't think Caitlin's princess pj's would fit me! We are slumber partying here tonight, so hopefully it will be a better night for Luke. The good news is that they went into school easier today. I wonder if any of them are spending recess in time out. Gabe has been staying with my sister, so I see him for just a few minutes a day. It sucks! Hopefully he will be here tonight. I miss him! Night Terrors and all!

So the bee book was really good. It is set in the civil rights movement time, right when Black Americans are given the right to vote. It is a very moving story. The language is a bit surprising, but remember the time period of the book. The use of the "n" word and reading negro instead of African-American or Black was strange. I would read this book again in a heartbeat.
"Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina - a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna."
Thank you Wikipedia for a review almost as disappointing as mine would have been.
Anyways, I reccommend this book to all.
I need to go work on packing. Thank you to those who sent me your addresses and birthdates and anniversaries. YOU WILL ALL BE GETTING CARDS! I won't mention the names of those who didn't, but I don't think that Cheryl wants any mail!

Oh, by the way, my absolute doll of a husband brought me home a bouquet of roses today. He thought that I deserved them for all we have been going through. Sean is not a flower kind of guy, he writes me little ditties or brings me my favorite trashy magazine. I was touched by his thoughtfulness. So even though you don't read this - I LOVE YOU SEAN!

Have a great day!

To quote the great Dr. Sidney Friedman "Ladies and Gentleman take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice."

Anyone know where that's from?

Aww Crap....

Read my title lke you are from Minnesota. It cracks me up everytime!
Maybe it's just me. Lint tends to crack me up sometimes. Oh well...
My morning is going splendidly. I just picked up a million and one ants
that found animal crackers that the triplets smooshed under the princess
tent. Then I put my hand in sticky goo, still not sure what it is, and
I am having a sneezing fit! Luke went into school this morning very
well, I was so proud, Caitlin sobbed her head off and they had to drag
her in, Jonathan was so so. Yesterday Luke and Caitlin had to spend second
recess in time out. They were both there for talking in class. To get "On the
Wall" you have to ignore a few warnings, so I was not pleased. I found out about
the time outs from Jonathan. He couldn't wait to tell me! Sean is at the
laundromat washing socks. I couldn't find any for the boys - luckily my mom had bought them some at Target. Only they were black and red Darth Vader socks!
So my boys are in Tan and blue shorts outfits with Black and Red Darth Vader socks.
F.Y.I.- Target has Star Wars, Disney, and cool Halloween socks for a dollar
a pair. I am reading another good book. I will write another stellar review when
I am done. This one is called "The Secret Lives of Bees" I think that is the
title at least. My mom has the best book collection! Maybe I will find an online
review and post it here, mine tend to be a bit confusing. I tried to explain how the M.H.Clark book ended to Lura and I think I confused both of us!
I still need to finish the Friday Night Knitting Club and get it back to Kellie, so that one is going to my mom's with me and will be my next one.
I am anxious to get out of here. I think that I will be able to hook up my laptop in my old bedroom as there is a cable outlet. Does anyone know if I can just plug into that and be connected into my mom's roadrunner? I don't want to use her computer as I always break it! Plus I need to use mine for studying.
Gotta Run! Have a super day!

Wed*nes*day

The kids have LOGOS today so I get to spend a couple of extra hours trying to pack. Boy did I ever become a pack rat over the past 8 years! I never realized how much junk I held onto. I did recycle the 3 page bill from the vet when we had our cat euthanized several years ago. I don't know why I held onto that, well I do, sentimental reasons! Our cats name was Beelzebub (again, we didn't name him) so it was funny to see "Beelzebub euthanized" on the bill.
I did finish my book. It is called "Where are you now?" by Mary Higgins Clark. I am normally not a fan of hers, but this book was awesome. There are too many names to keep straight so I won't use them, but here is a very short, kind of pathetic review:
It is about this guy who vanished 10 years ago and would call home every mother's day with a short "I'm okay" message. The parents and younger sister tried looking for him, then the father is killed on Sept. 11 in one of the towers. Th mother and sister still get the call every Mother's day. The 10th year he calls, the sister yells into the phone that she is determined she is going to find him. A note mysteriously turns up in the offering basket at her uncle's church during mass that says something to the effect of "Whatever you do don't look for me!" Of course that adds fuel to her desire to find him. Another girl goes missing and leaves a message for her father and brother saying she will call on Mother's Day. So, they figure it's tied into the disappearance of the other guy and think he has now staged his mysterious vanishing and kidnapped her. The police tie him into the disappearance of 3 other girls during the 10 years he has been missing. The sister sets out to clear her brother or prove his insanity as well as find him.
So many things happen along the way and many characters are introduced, but it is an excellent read. I recommend it for any one who likes a good mystery. I loved it!
So that's about all that is going on in Amandaland. I hope that you all have a great day!

We are mOving

No, we didn't find a place. We are moving in with my mom.
I hope and pray that this will work out. It isn't the solution that
I wanted, but it is only temporary and hopefully we will find somewhere soon.
I will still be able to have internet access, which is good, I don't know what I would do without you guys! We are going to try and be in her house and out of here by the weekend. I told Crystal earlier that if we didn't have kids in school I'd move to Cincinnati in a heartbeat. There are places to rent there!!! And I here that there are some nice people in the area! :)
Hope that you all have a good night. Think of me, I am packing. Oh and I am also reading a book that I am going to review. It is sooo good! That is one great thing. My mom is the book queen! She loves to read and so did my dad. There are overflowing bookshelves and piles of books all over the house!!! I won't have to worry about the fact that Sean still has my library card confiscated!
I am thinking of you all and hope that things are going well for all of you!

We are meant to be box dwellers!

I am so frustrated! The box is gone to change the text color!!!! That is not why I am frustrated, I just happened to notice that. We looked at a place today that was decent, nothing great - but liveable. They don't want to rent to us because there are too many of us! Then I find out that renting through a complex or realtor requires you to have a credit check done. We have to pay for it AND we filed bankrupcy and are being foreclosed on. We don't have credit right now! What in the world are we supposed to do?
To top off my afternoon the kids and I ran to Wal Mart to get some groceries. We went through a lane that was right next to the self check out. Luke kept going over and pushing the HELP button so it would call the lady over. Then he kept changing the language to Spanish so you would hear this lady talking in Spanish. Then he noticed the baby ahead of us so he stood there loudly going "WAA WAA" so he could upset the poor little baby. I am trying to wrangle him and the other 3, unload the cart, reload the cart and get my check ready. So the couple in front of us was a hispanic man, white woman and their baby. We were behind them on the way out of the store and Luke kept yelling "Spanish" over and over. The couple kept looking at us and I was mortified. He was just repeating the register not referring to them, but they didn't know that. And wouldn't you know it, they were parked right next to us!!! When we got in the car I let Luke know how rude he was and that I didn't like his behavior. He kicked me out of his band club. Seriously, that is his response. "Fine Mom, you are out of my band club!!!" I didn't even know he had one!
He got no dessert and spent time in the corner. I don't think that affected him at all.
I hope that you all have a pleasant night. I hope we do at this house!!!
Thank all of you who so nicely gave me your addresses. I appreciate it. Now I can mail Cheryl's card that has been sitting here so long all the news is outdated!!!!

A Favor

For about the 12th time this year I have lost my address book.
Could you all please e-mail me your addresses as well as birthdays, anniversaries and any other dates you think I would send a card for!

Hope you are all having a good day. I have some junk to post about, but I will have to do it later.

I DID IT! WOO-HOO!

I added a playlist, all by myself, no help, I am a genius!
Okay, maybe I wouldn't go that far, but for someone so computer illiterate, this is a huge deal! I do suggest that if lyrics offend you you not listen to Sublime or Seven Mary Three. The song I'll Cover You is one I have sung to my kids ever since they were little ones. Low is kind of our Family Song right now....no reason in particular, we all just like the beat. The Great Divide is a good, inspirational one as well as Prayer by Petra. Honestly some of these songs are from my past that just make me remember happy times. You can always mute them if they offend you! Sweetest Girl is a good one too!

Noplacetoliverrea

That title's for you, Charity!
I definately have it!

In my Senior Year of High School, we got memory books. I wanted to share my What I see myself doing in 10 years. We can see if I was anywhere near close.

Self-Description- a thin, sucessful psychologist working in a major hospital. Long hair. NOPE!
Employed- an abnormal behavior psychologist. NOPE!
Salary- medium to high income. NOPE!
Residing in- a nice comfortable house. NOPE!
Marital Status- married or at least engaged (hopefully!) GOT ONE!
Children- one or planning on one to start with. WELL, I HAVE 4!
Vacationing at- a small, secluded beach, The Carribean, Australia, Europe, a horse park. WHAT'S A VACATION?

Well, I accomplished 2 out if the 7! That is better than none! There was also a spot to list the senior class friends you think you will still be in contact with. Lura was the top of that list. I think I got that one right too!
My favorite t.v programs were Home Improvement, Who's the Boss, Golden Girls, MASH, MTV, ER, Blossom and Shop Til You Drop. Mash, somethings never change!
In 1992:
Gas - $1.11 gallon
Jeans - $35.00
Album/Tape - $14.99/$8.99
Favorite Snack - $2.75 fig newtons
Favorite Magazine - Stare (free)
Candy Bar - $.45
Burger - McDonald's cheeseburger $.69
Domino's Lg. Cheese Pizza - $8.95

I would love to pay $1.11 for a gallon of gas!!!
Have a great day!

I've been hacked....and I know who the culprit is...

If you notice the info under my picture, someone put some lies!!! I don't life to eat chips off the bowling alley floor - I prefer pretzels. And I don't like dancing in my underwear - I prefer, well let's just leave it at that!
I feel just like Sarah Palin, we were both hacked this week!
Things here are going okay. We still have not found a place which means that we will most likely be moving in with my mom for a bit until we do. I hope that we can find something very soon!!!!!
At least we can save up a little more money. It just stinks.
I have nothing really exciting to say, I hope that everyone has power back...I am sorry that it has been so long for you guys!

No Go

The mobile home is a no go. The guy was a real jerk on the phone. I don't think that is the kind of person we want to rent from. He was cruel to Sean. God's intervention?
We continue our hunt.
Hopefully tomorrow.
Have a great night. I hope that you are all back in lights and water - just not at the same time! That would be really bad!
Love you guys!

Hey

Sean is talking to somebody right now. Please keep your fingers crossed and prayers going that it may turn out well for us. It is a mobile home in a lot. Not my first choice, but would be an answer for us!

Gosh, my problems seem so little right now compared to what everyone else is experiencing. We did not sustain any damage from the storm, no limbs down - although a few trees blew down on our street, none near us. Our waterlessness is not due to the storm and while we have no heat, the temperature is nice so we don't need it.
I am so sorry for all of you who are experiencing loss of power and water. It is a huge inconvience and I pray that it is restored soon. I am so thankful that you all in southern Ohio (and those here too!) are safe and unharmed.

We are still looking for a place. We called about a few this morning, but only got machines. I assume that I will hear back this evening. I hope I do! We will be losing water for good very soon!
I packed up some dishes today and am working on misc. things as well. It is hard to pack up 8 years of 'living' - I don't know what else to call it. And it is so emotionally taxing and overwhelming. I feel lost and like everything is so out of control. I think that once we have a place to go I will feel much better.
My mom is taking us out to dinner tonight and the kids are staying with her, they stayed here last night and Luke was up with screaming fits. I woke up with him in bed next to me with his arms wrapped around my neck sound asleep. I think this is disrupting them so much, reguardless of how much we are trying to keep things 'normal.' Johnny would not go into school this morning and Sean had to walk him to his classroom. Caitlin cries for me at school and at my mom's. Gabe is acting out a little more than usual as well.It is so hard as a mom to watch my kids be upset.
It is only temporary, I know and things will be better than ever!
Have a good day.

No luck today. I am kind of discouraged - it is hard. I know that my rainbow is coming...maybe the leprechaun with the pot of gold is holding it up!
More packing tomorrow...the Goodwill has got to love me. I am the donation queen!

I am getting ready to wake up Sean so we can start our day. We are going to look some more for a new place to live. It would be a lot easier if there weren't 6 of us as most places are two bedrooms, but I know that God has the perfect place for us out there. Pray that we find it today!
The kids stayed the night at Amy's and my mom's again last night. I hate splitting up the family, but I know it is only for a short time.
Thanks for all your support.

@#$% !!!!!

Well, I am sure it could still get worse here. The house could actually come alive and eat us.
To make this quick, Sean and I are starting to pack the house up. While digging Sean hit the gas line. The fire dept. and gas company came. They can't find the shut off valve so we are waiting for another team to come and shut it off. While all this was going on, the gas guy goes into our basement to check things out and finds that we have had a gas leak, probably since we moved in here & nothing is up to code. He said all these are things that our home inspector should have caught - he has 25 years experience. Why didn't he? So they are shutting off the gas until things are brought up to code. The minimum that we are looking at to bring things to code is aroun ten thousand dollars. Wow.
So, we are leaving. I don't know where we are going, when, or how. I am scared but I am trusting in the Lord. He is good and He will provide.
My rainbow is out there somewhere.
Please pray for my family.
I guess Caitlin will have to wait for her new room a few weeks, but she will get it as soon as we move!
I love you guys. Thank you for your support.

UGH

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS...LITERALLY!

DUE TO THE RAIN, THE WATER GUYS CANNOT DO OUR WORK TOMORROW. SEAN IS OUTSIDE TALKING TO THEM RIGHT NOW. I AM HEARING IT THROUGH THE WINDOWS. THEY WOULD NEED TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK. WE CAN'T FIX THE SEWER WITHOUT THE WATER. NOW WE HAVE TO TRY AND FIND SOMEONE BETWEEN NOW AND TOMORROW, OR WAIT ANOTHER WEEK. OUR NEIGHBOR, WHO'S WATER WE ARE TAPPED INTO, HAS TO REPLACE HIS BOILER WHICH MEANS HIS WATER IS BEING SHUT OFF. WHAT ON EARTH ARE WE GOING TO DO? I HAVE A BASEMENT FULL OF CRAP, A FOUNDATION THAT IS BREAKING, AND NOW WATER GUYS THAT CAN'T WORK!!!!

THERE IS A RAINBOW HERE SOMEWHERE. MAYBE IT IS THAT SEAN GOT TO TAKE TODAY OFF OF WORK AND I GET TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM. MAYBE IT IS GOD TELLING US WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MODERN DAY CONVIENIENCES-I.E. PLUMBING, I DON'T KNOW.

I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW WHEN I DISCOVER THE RAINBOW! IT WILL BE FOUND, THAT I CAN GUARANTEE!!!!

oh no

I am trying my best to find the positive in this. Please pray for us. Sean went down to the basement and found that the sewer line is definately broke and the sewage is backing up into our basement. The foundation is cracking and everything is falling apart. It will cost thousands and thousands of dollars to repair on top of the couple thousand that the water will cost. We don't know what we are going to do.
Well, Sean and I always said that our lives were a bit shitty, I guess now they really are!!!! ha ha

We are so blessed!

Maddie, Grandma and the 6 grandkids in a water balloon fight
Johnny and his pink balloon
Old Grandpa and Luke
Jonathan, Luke and Caitlin giving each other kisses

Caitlin and Scarlett
Caitlin, Maddie, Johnny and Grandma
Gabe launching a waterballoon at Grandma while Caitlin ducks!
Maddie, Carmen, Caitlin and Scarlett getting ready to be soaked by Grandma's balloon!
Luke,Maddie, Grandma and Carmen

Too often I think I don't take enough time to really count my blessings.

Today I have spent some time thinking about how truly blessed myself and my family are. I would like to share just a few, in no particular order:

-I have wonderful friends!

-I have a husband who is magnificent in every way

-While we have health problems, none are very serious

-God has shown how he provides many times over, a perfect example being the tardiness of the banks to file our foreclosure (there is still no action taken against us! We were supposed to be long gone by now.)

-Our wonderful neighbors who are connected to us by garden hose to allow us to have water to bathe and go potty!

-A wonderful mother who is doing our laundry for us so we don't have to pay at a laundromat. She is doing the laundry!! (I think she secretly fears I will break her machine given my history!)

-Loving families

-Sean's sister called him to apologize for something that had caused great tension in the family.

-My kids are adjusting to the school year.

-Gabe's night terrors have drastically lessened!!!

-Jonathan's pulse ox level has risen enough to keep him unhospitalized

-I have reconnected with old friends who have always been a great source of love and support

-I have my tremendous blog buddies who I love dearly and can't imagine not having in my life!

-God is taking care of Carrie's eyes!

-My grandmother's health is improving

-Victoria is having a smooth pregnancy for the most part

I could go on and on and on! It is so easy to see the good things when you look at life with a positive attitude.

Stuff

Am I crazy or did all the print on blogger get much bigger?
Dropping off the kids this morning did not go all that smoothly. Luke refused to get out of the van, he screamed "Mom, Mom" over and over at the top of his lungs and everytime Sean got him a few feet away from the van he would run back sobbing. I couldn't get out and take him in because I looked, as Sean so nicely put it, like the bag lady from hell. So Sean, who was getting very frustrated, picked him up and carried the screaming kid across the parking lot and inside. It was late enough that he could take him to his room, where he eventually settled down. I got a progress note from Caitlin's teacher saying that she is doing great academically and everyday at 1:30 she cries for Mom. I thought it was supposed to get better each day! It would be much easier for Sean and I if they would get out in the carline each morning so we didn't have to park and walk them in, but Luke refuses to. Jonathan is excited to get to go back to school tomorrow. Hopefully he will go in without a problem!
Gabe just got home, I need to go and greet him and get his snack.
Oh Lura, you would be irrate if you saw what the kids have done to the house!!! I work on it a little each night, but boy oh boy......

Jonathan is better, 94% pulse ox. level, and he will go back to school tomorrow. We will have to give him breathing treatments while he is there, so that will be tricky.
I am getting ready to study. Yay me! Sean and Jonathan went to the store, and then I am going to continue some scrapbooking and cleaning. Fun sounding day, huh?! I hope that you all have a fabulous day.

I just read Charity's blog and I wish I was more educated on politics as I am sure there is a great debate there! I am impressed with how well you voiced your opinions, Char. I agree with Cheryl that it does make me want to find out more.
Jonathan was home from school today and will be tomorrow. His asthma has flared up quite badly - he is only unhospitalized because the dr. says Sean and I are good parents. What a pat on the back for us! He gets breathing treatments every 3 hours and is on steroids. So tonight around 8 I should be sobbing as his steroid rages should start! Ugh. We go back to the ped. again tomorrow morning - pray for a higher oxygen level, he is at 93 and if he drops he will be in the hospital. He is mad because he doesn't want to miss school!
Tomorrow night we have the ice cream social for the start of LOGOS. All my kids will be in it this year. They are stoked! (It is an afterschool church youth program.)
I can't wait until Saturday....I am looking forward to showering with water that doesn't come through a garden hose! I shouldn't complain, at least I have water now! I am grateful for that.

Have a great day!

Have you heard?

I read in Time magazine today that JK Rowling is putting out new Harry Potter-ish books. The picture of the book they showed had Harry Potter written at the top. Has anyone else read about this?

A Scavanger Hunt at the Arboretum

Grandma and the trio looking for fish. Caitlin in charge of the map.
Grandma and Luke finding Goldenrod.
Sitting on a less nerve wracking part of the terrace.

Weenies Eating Weenie Hut weiners.

Today the triplets and my mom and I went to a local college's aboretum for a small event. It was put on by the metro parks and was a lot of fun. We did a scavanger hunt along the path around the lake - through butterfly and hummingbird gardens, over a bridge, on a nerve wracking terrace over the lake... It was fun. There were several local artists around the path painting and you could stop and watch them. We had to search for plant and tree names, dates, pine needles - all kid friendly and Amanda friendly.

Afterwards we stopped at the Weenie Hut vendor that was there and got the kids huge hot dogs. They enjoyed it and Sean and I are going to go over to walk after we drop the kids off this week. It is supposed to be gorgeous in the spring as there are tons of flowering crab apple trees. We didn't see any hummingbirds, but we saw butterflies and geese, a swan and fish as well as several different kinds of plants, trees, and grasses. We passed a ginko biloba tree - I didn't know it was a tree- and I thought about licking the bark to see if it would make me healthy. My mom said she didn't think it worked that way.

Update on our H20

The city came yesterday again to check things out. Sean had tried to dig out some but it will take him a week to dig to the street. The water line is buried approx. 4 feet deep and is incredibly close to the gas line. It was decided that this cannot be done by Sean, so there are 2 guys from the water dept. that do this on the side and have over 50 years combined experience who will be doing this - next weekend. They are cheaper than the local companies and being with the city, can shut off everything themselves and we will avoid delays. The bad news is that it is still going to cost several thousand dollars. We don't have credit cards and due to the bankrupcy cannot get a loan, so Sean's dad is going to take out a small loan for us. See, God will provide. In the meantime, my mom will do our laundry and we are trying to get ahold of our neighbor to hook up to their water meter for enough water to shower and potty. The city will disconnect their meter so they will not be charged. Hopefully the neighbors will agree!
I am feeling very frustrated today, but I know that God will take care of us.

Our lives must have been too easy again....

Sickness must have been to easy for us to handle in this house.
Yesterday I noticed a sick-o smell in the kitchen and couldn't trace it so I just ignored it.
Around 10:30 last night Sean went out to the kitchen, smelled the stink and checked the basement. Turns out the water line from the house to the street broke and the sewer line did as well. So the street dept. came and said it was the old cast iron pipe from the house to the street - Sean has to dig that up and replace it. Then the sewer has ruptured underneath the basement concrete floor. So we have to break up the concrete and redo that. We are pretty much at a loss this morning as to what to do. Financially we cannot afford to do it, physically and mentally it will be a challenge. It is so frustrating. Thankfully we have parents who can most likely help us out on the finance end of it, and I have a therapist to help me out on the mental end of it, and God will take care of it all.
I am so glad to have my sense of humor!
Oh, and I went to empty the trash in the upstairs bathroom and a grey mouse ran out! We have never had a mouse upstairs and it scared the crud out of me! It ran back into the access panel under the tub. Sean thinks it came up from the basement, probably driven up by the sewer stench!
Then we had 3 huge brown spiders and a wasp. Talking to Lura this morning we decided that we must be going through the seven plagues - spiders, wasps, mice, sewer, water, sickness...I am going to hate to see the last one! Lura suggested that it would be everything I touched turns to cotton candy, but I would eat my family that way! yuck. I am hoping maybe it is something to do with chocolate, and not everything I touch turning to it either!

So my friends - I am asking for your prayers. Please pray that God provides a resolution for all these issues. Maybe he will send the Orken man and a retired plumber who wants to work for free. Oh, and a girl scout with cases of left over cookies that they want to donate to families facing plagues!

Have a super day, I know we will aim for that at this house. Something great is bound to happen. I just know it!

I really have nothing major to post about today so I thought I would ramble. Sean is sick in bed, we can't seem to shake it at this house. He has been throwing up all morning. I am avoiding him - not because I think he's gross (which, well, he kind of is today...), but I don't want to get whatever he has. I am starting to think that our house was built on the grounds of an old leprasy colony or sanitarium or something. All the sick ghosts are invading us. Great, now I freaked myself out. I am sure glad it is not dark out! I am armed with Lysol and a vacuum, so today is my cleaning day. Hopefully I can get rid of some of the pesky germs!
Last night Lura and the boys stopped over after their meeting. It was late, so my kids were in bed and didn't get to see their friends, but it was nice to see them for a brief moment. We were both sorry to have missed stitch and bitch at Vic's, but hopefully next time we will be there.
I made 8 more cards this morning. I am trying to use up my scraps and clear out one of my craft bins. They are nothing fancy, but I like them. I also took a bag of kid's books to the Goodwill and cleaned a section of the playroom. I figure on tackling the rest of it after a bit. I need to set aside some time to study this afternoon as well.
I am going to go ahead and paint Caitlin's room next weekend when Sean gets paid. Now she has decided on sparkly blue, like Cinderella's dress. I don't think I can find sparkly blue. I am hoping she will settle on pink with some blue accents.
Dropping the kids off did not go smoothly this morning. Caitlin cried in the parking lot, Johnny and Luke did inside. I said my goodbyes and walked away and Luke ran after me sobbing. I felt so bad leaving them there. I know it will get easier, it is just hard leaving them like that. I think they are all getting some separation issues. They do it more for me because I am with them all the time.
We are still at a wait and see to see if the teachers here are going to go on strike. They are not going to any of the meet the teacher open houses, Gabe's is tonight, but I am not going. It is for parent's only and if the teacher's are not there, who are we going to meet??? I don't know what is going to happen if they do strike. Do I send the kids or keep them at home? I guess having a sister who is a teacher, my parents both were and Sean works for the schools will help in making that decision. I hope it doesn't come down to that though.
I have really rambled about nothing, so I am going to go clean some more.
Have a good day!

Everyone went back to school and work today. I have a housefull of laundry and sick germs and kid messes to clean up. It seems like the sicker they are, they more destructive they are! I probably have a trash bag worth of garbage flung all over the house! Oh well, small price to pay for happy, healthier kids!
Sean and I did a monster shopping trip this morning. I should have enough groceries to last me for probably just a week! We had to get lots of lunchbox items, and I am trying a healthier menu for dinners this week. Tomorrow Sean and I get marinated steak salads. yum! I promised the kids we would make cookies tonight too. I think we are making gingersnaps.
Caitlin had a rough night last night. She has been crying a lot about going to school. She likes it just fine but she says she misses me too much. She won't go to sleep unless I hold her hand and stay with her. I feel really bad as she is the one that always was my good sleeper! I think it is probably just some separation anxiety. I got her puzzle done this morning. I will take a picture of it and post it later. It was a bear!
Do you guys think I am silly for painting her room knowing that we will not be staying here? She really wants a girl room. Right now it is bright blue with trucks and trains and planes. Actually the remnants of them, the trio started ripping the wallies off! If we are here until next year, she could enjoy it for awhile. She is such a girly girl and keeps talking about her princess room. I don't want to spoil her, and I am working on wall art for the boys as well, so it is not just her, but they don't need their room repainted.
I have an hour left of free time before I go and get the kids. I am going to leave early and get a paper and diet coke and relax in the car line!
Have a great day!

Tuesday

Well, I am at home with sickos. I took Jonathan to the dr.'s this morning after he threw up all night and had an asthma attack yesterday. He has a virus as do Luke, Caitlin and Sean. I am still running a temp and feeling poorly, but being mommy I have to forge on. Ooh, I sounded like a pioneer. Did I even spell it right? Did pioneers forage? Yet I digress.
Can you tell I am suffering from severe lack of sleep?! :)
I hope that you all had a fantastic labor day weekend. Due to the physical state of my family, we didn't do much - other than a picnic at my mom's yesterday. We took around 70 water balloons for the 6 kids to do after lunch. The 6 and my mom raced around the yard pelting each other with the balloons. I will post pictures as soon as I download them. It was fun to watch.
I bought a Disney puzzle this morning for Caitlin's room. It has cutout edges and a pic. of Sleeping Beauty on it. It is a pain in my butt!!! We are going to mod podge it and put it on her wall. She is so excited! I hope to find more, they didn't have much of a selection. I am going to paint her walls pink and we are going to find more princess things to hang up. She loves her princesses!
I have to go and take care of the kids and Sean. Have a great day!

Down on the farm....

Gabe looking on as Matthew shows Scarlett the finer points in goat milking!
My bro-in-law Bryan nicely offering us a ride - in a wagon full of manure!
Gabe's first attempt at pig hearding.
F.P.F.A.??? Future pig farmer of america

Caitlin, Johnny, Carmen and Luke. The only proof the trio went! They were terrified of the animals.

Gabe, Carmen and Matt with the 4 day old calf.
I guess the calf mistook Scarlett's butt for an udder!
Carmen and Matt watching Scarlett unsuccessfully pick up a goat.
Carmen and the goat.
Me milking a goat! It was harder than I thought it would be.

We are going out to spend next Saturday on my Bro and Sis in laws farm, so I thought I would share the pics from our last trip before I get new ones. It will be interesting to see how the triplets react this time. They were not thrilled at all by the animals last time!! In another month it will be time for the annual bonfire/hayride night. It is always fun. My father in law hops onto the wagon with all the kids and rides through the cornfields shreiking along with them. The older kids(now in the military, so they won't be there... :( ) would hide and jump out and scare everyone. That is one thing I won't miss!

Friday's mom is congested....

According to Charity's research I have 3 gay kids and one with a long way to go. I am not sure I like that poem!!!
Well, I am not feeling any better. I still am running a temp. and I can barely breathe, so Sean made me a dr.'s appt. for this afternoon. Hopefully he can give me a miracle antibiotic and I will wake up perfect! I have lost 3 pounds, you can tell by the way I am typing I'm sure! If this hangs around maybe I will lose enough to fit into last year's fall wardrobe! How depressing!

Hope you all have a good day. I'm thinking of each and everyone of you!

Thursday child is something,something.....

Anyone remember that rhyme? I think it starts out Monday's child is full of grace... I definately am NOT a Monday's child! ha
I don't feel any better today, but am aiming for tomorrow. This has just knocked me down so hard! Ugh. I think Crystal's elephant found its way to my nose. I promise not to be so pathetic and pity myself today. I just needed a little sympathy and support yesterday, as my kids were not giving it to me!!! Maybe that's what Luke was trying to do with the fire hose....
The trio did not want to go to school today. They said they would miss me too much! I think that they will be fantastic once they get into their classroom routines. Jonathan didn't eat his lunch on Tuesday. He opened it first thing when he got into the car after school. Little stinker! As of this morning he still doesn't get that you are supposed to eat it at school! I am not sure what he is thinking.
Gabe had a great day yesterday and did not miss the bus! He came home with his nose in a book reading away and Did his homework first thing without arguing. I was so pleased! Maybe he is starting to really mature. Must be the man hair!
Sean is surviving the hectic first week up at school. He is exhausted as there is constant running around for him. He loves seeing the kids - especially the MH kids! They are so much fun and he is their special friend. Sean was sad to see the one student move on. Every time Sean would go into their classroom the boy would look sideways at him, say "What are you doing?" and when Sean answered the boy would tell him "You're fired!!!" He would lose his job several times a week!
One of the many things I love about my husband is that he has such a huge heart! He loves people and can talk to pretty much anybody. Some of my girlfriends can agree as he has sat in on fertility and period conversations! Must come from growing up with all sisters! He is supercity!
I am going to go and work on filling out my calendar for the Fall. I am determined to be organized this year! We will see if that happens!
Have a great day.
See you in the soapy farts crys!

So you all know that I do look gross and nasty....

Note the hair plastered to my head by sweat. I am the epitome of sexiness.

There should be a law that kids have to listen to you when you are sick. I was trying to relax and looked into see Luke wearing his fireman gear and using his hose/air tank that is also a squirt gun squirting the dining room table, the treadmill and me when I tried to stop him! I took it, opened the back door and threw it outside.

Here's hoping tomorrow is a better day!

I'm sick, I feel lousy and I am grumpy!!!!

This picture from last Christmas shows exactly how I feel!

First Day of School Photos...

It was impossible to get everyone to look at the camera and/or smile at the same time!