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!