Inertia

The nice thing about having my family coming this Saturday is it stretches out the holiday a bit, the bad thing is that I need to think of something to serve and then go buy it. I need to do it today so that I can take E on her Christmas shopping trip on Friday. It has to be Friday because that is when her friend can come. I should never have started this dumb tradition. Six years ago who knew we'd still be going to spend her Christmas $$$. It has evolved from just us to her and a friend shopping while I sit at Starbucks sipping a coffee and receiving phone calls reassuring her that another shirt is just what she needs. I'll have Ad with me this year. Here's hoping I don't have to ceaselessly walk her around. And lets just say her nursing habits are not conducive to quiet. The kids positively slurps. Anyway....back to the subject at hand. We 're planning on having a buffet of stuff to pick at all night. SIL always brings a veggie tray (because she is healthy and virtuous unlike me), step-mom will bring mac&cheese. She just always does so, I'm thinking a meat tray with rolls, cheeses with nice crackers, nacho dip (yes, this is cheese heavy but dh requested it), lots of cookies and a fruit bowl. Of course beer for dh and brother, wine for SIL and I and coffee for dad. Oh, and pop for the kids. Of course I will forget something, I always do. Oh well. I finally got the other adults on board for skipping gifts so it'll just be stuff for the kids. Three of mine and my nephew will probably get money or cards so it'll look like a depressing amount of stuff even though lots of dollars will pass hands. I always feel guilty anyway because our seven sort of out number their one. I stress about trying to keep it roughly equal, etc. Oh well, the important thing is I have a new deck of cards waiting to be separated into a euchre deck. Cards, liquor and cheese! Sounds like a holiday to me.

Easy Christmas

I found these tips somewhat useful. I do the battery and twist tie thing. As for the wrapping paper, the idea of 8 kinds of wrapping paper boggles the mind.
I am a huge believer in making Christmas easy, though I'm convinced some people like rushing, stressing and feeding obnoxious relatives. Our Christmas goes something like this:
1) Be awakened at an unmentionable hour.
2) Let kids indulge in a free for all.
3) Console child whose gift was opened by a sibling.
4) Since the coffee is done by now, begin drinking mimosas and let the kids have stocking candy for breakfast.
5) Continue above until a late lunch, consisting of foods my children will actually eat. This year our extremely non-Martha menu includes:
turkey roll-pressed, processed meat being a favorite of my children over actual turkey
crescent rolls-ditto
broccoli
sweet potatoes
cookies, cookies, cookies
sprite -in a wine glass, they love a wine glass
6) Pray the rest of the day sees no more toy breakage
7) Sit bleary eyed, sipping a bourbon, wonder where the day went and quite unoriginally say a prayer of thanks that this particular family is mine. What more could I really want?


Merry Christmas from our family to yours

Yule

Today is the winter solstice. I like to make a cake because, well, I like cake, and I can understand why ancient peoples were straining at this point for some warmth, sunlight and jocularity. Try this site for some winter solstice info. Now, because I always like the feeling this poem gives me and it mentions the shortest day of the year.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.

Christmas Wrapping Hell

I want to hire some elves and sip margaritas instead.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Hmm, what since I posted last? L and Ad were Mary and baby Jesus in a Christmas cantata. A mama's gotta love that. Oh, and F was a shepherd. A twitchy, fidgety, restless shepherd.
On Wednesday we celebrated C's birthday. He was 12 on 12/12. Gotta love that symmetry.

On Friday I attended one of those obligatory school productions. What would have been annoying on a stage was even more so in a gym where you can't see or hear. Made L happy though
Friday night I wrestled the tree into submission and let the kids decorate. It actually turned out pretty well.

Sunday and Monday we were pretty much snowed/iced in. Church was cancelled and then school. I sent the children out regularly but today I am more than ready not to mop of snow every 20 minutes, endlessly dry the snowsuits, settle arguments, guard the cookies or explain that I am not the cruise director and am not responsible for anyone's boredom but my own. Now if I could just motivate myself to wrap some presents.

Baby It's Cold Outside

I know it was 3 degrees the other morning, but I didn't expect their lips to actually turn blue.

Aloha

My intent is obvious ( I want a tropical holiday) even if my location isn't in line with that.

3 Letters

Three little letters F-L-U followed by three more M-O-M. The rules of the universe dictate that when mom is sick the whole family domicile and dynamic will fall apart. 'Nuff said.

On To Christmas

A Little Christmas Elf




Thanksgiving was very nice. We went to my dad and step mom's for dinner. My brother, SIL and nephew were there also. The adult men all sacked out after eating. The kids went outside in the cold and played quite awhile, then came in and we had a rousing round of Trivial Pursuit and Apples to Apples. We came home about 5 and watched Evan Almighty and Ocean's 13. A nice relaxing day and we weren't even unusually disfunctional.

Obviously I've waited too long for some of the children, and all Ad wants is breatsmilk. She doesn't even have a strict regimen.

So

Thanksgiving is upon us and I have no idea what I'll be taking. My kids suggestions have been interesting-chocolate chip cookies, milk shakes, crescent rolls--that would make for an interesting feast.
In other news, the hot water heater died Sunday night. I concluded it was dead by wading onto the back porch. New one is in now and the back has dried out. So much for that little extra put back for Christmas. Which I wouldn't need 'til mid-December anyway since I hate Christmas (and most other) shopping. I see Kohl's is opening at 4am on Friday. Is it really worth getting up at 2am to get a $3 sweater?????

November?

The weather was lovely today. Fifty five degrees and sunny. Some horticutural fluke still has many of the trees covered in colorful leaves. Is this November in Indiana? Not that I mind of course. I put A in her sling and took Mel and we went walking to the library. At one point Mel stopped and looked up through the intensely yellow leaves at the slices of very blue sky. She said "It looks like lemons and water." I love the way four year olds think. And I took one of those mental snapshots. I have a collection. Moments I remember where nothing earth shattering happened but it just felt good. Walking with my two littlest girlies felt good today.

It's a small town when

A name listed on the ballot says: Ronald "Big Ron" B----. No sr., no jr, just Big Ron.

The local crime on the front page of the weekly newspaper is that someone's mailbox got knocked down by a combine and they didn't stop! Any info appreciated.

People call with advice on mouse traps. People you don't really know. They talked to their neighbor, who talked to their sister-in-law who talked to the clerk at the Dollar General who sold you some mouse traps.

Hmmm

Not much to blog about. Well, stuff, but very day to day stuff. It is cold this morning, How's that for a sexy topic. The kids are fine. S,C,L and F are obsessed with Battlequest. It is some game, with battles. That is what I have gleaned by passing through the room while they glue themselves to MY computer. Oh the wails when I announce time's up. The boys went camping with the scouts, E is working hard at school and preparing for her first debate meet this weekend. Addie is wonderful, but growing too fast. And that pretty much concludes the excitement here in Mayberry. You can scoot back from the edge of your seat now.

Halloween Haul

The kids made out like bandits. Soooo much candy. Some of it will be disappearing while they are out. We made it through 1.5 hours of walking without any melt downs. I was sure the baby or Mel would cry but they were good. Mel made up for it by waking up three separate times crying. I'm not sure if it was her routine being off or nightmares from some of the scary outfits. She wouldn't go get candy if the person passing it out was dressed up. She was fine with little monsters but not BIG ones. It was, of course, nearly impossible to get them to quit jumping around and get a picture. This is the best I could do. The baby's face is covered and the older boys left on their masks but, oh well.

Halloween

Stuff going on but seems I'm too busy to post. How about some pictures, always a good fall back position.

Our two month old punkin'. She was 24" and 11-7 at her check up yesterday.


Creating a holiday house, with the few pieces of candy not eaten by F.


The princess and her fairy godsister.

Birthdays and Baptisms

We have entered our week of celebrations. Mel's birthday was Oct. 20, my dad's is Oct 22 and my SIL's is Oct. 23. October 25th is our anniversary. We had Addie baptized on Sunday so everyone came for church and lunch. It was nice, but frankly by 4:30 I was ready to have everyone go home, LOL.

The Family-not a good pic, but the best of the bunch. Not one decent photographer in the family.



The Birthday Diva

Better Than Me

I'm notorious for ignoring my MD's advice to take prenatals and iron. Yuck, just can't do it, so imagine my awe at what some people will take .

Fickle

So, it was hot, really hot. We went swimming last Sunday hot. And now I'm freezing. Why do I live in Indiana? This summer when I was pregnant and stuck at (insert your favorite) the baseball game, the 4-H fair, the soccer field, the beach... I thought I'd never be cool again. Of course I was wrong. Just like the way I thought I would never miss being pregnant. How lovely it would be not to ooph when I stood up or waddle when I walked. Who could miss that? But I do. Not the four night time bathroom trips though!

I should...

My blog has been relegated to the long list of things I think about and should get to but don't seem to find the time. Therefore you just get pictures today. This is how we spent Saturday, after the 4 hours at the soccer field, in the 90 degree heat I might add.

Fighting over what song to download.


Sleeping off the morning.


The playstation/testosterone zone.


Preparing for a 'trip'.

Depressingly Behind

I had really good intentions to blog regularly. Ooops! I also can't seem keep up on the housework, the laundry, or where the kids need to be when. You'd think by #7 I'd be more efficient. The truth is Ad is an unbelievably poky nurser, so all I seem to get done is sit with her. That isn't a bad thing, but it doesn't lend itself to me getting too much else done, or at least what I want to get done.
This weekend was pretty much the norm. Friday night was the high school homecoming parade. Both E (student council) and S (middle school band) were in it so I had to go pick them up. S's friend came to spend the night. They stayed up all night, and at 2am decided it would be a great time to build a fire and have hot dogs and marshmallows. Oh, to have the energy of a 13yo. You'll notice I was awake then, but not filled with energy. Saturday was 3 soccer games and pictures. I love being at the soccer field at 8am. Dh worked that afternoon so I finally got the kids to help me pick up the backyard of pools, noodles, etc. Sunday was quiet. Church and a trip to the park. Dh asked if I wanted to go out and I couldn't even work up any enthusiasm. Nope, nodding off during the Colts game was enough excitement for me. How depressing.

Don't Think So

I've been contemplating trying to update the bathroom. Not doing anything concrete of course. How about this

OK, maybe I'll just settle for a doorframe not covered in Dora toothpaste and dry towels.

A Newer Pic

Now that I've got my digital camera photos in my 'puter, here is one of Adeline today.

I'm trying to think of all the other stuff I've missed boring you with.
C gets braces next month.
F got glasses. It turns out he is legally blind in his right eye. Did he ever once mention in 6.5 years that he couldn't see out of that eye. Argh!! Hopefully with glasses and patching we can improve it to something at least usable.
Mel started preschool.
L,F andC are playing soccer.
E has been ungodly busy with high school stuff. Blech!
S needs to save $$$ for the 8th grade Washington DC trip. He would rather buy an xbox.

SORRY! My computer died. I'm back with a little extra bundle.


Adeline Clare made her appearance on 8/30/07 at 5:17pm.
She weighed 9pounds 1 ounce and was 21.5 inches long.

More later! I've gotta play with the new 'puter! With DSL! I'm so easily excited.

First Day of School

A pic of the four who left on the second trip. The 15yo sophomore wouldn't want her pic posted anyway.


Boy Scout Court of Honor last night. My newly minted Tenderfoot and First Class Scout. They got a bunch of merit badges too, but I don't remember what. Gopher taming or something.

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot

It's been that traditional hot and so humid you need gills weather. Yuck! Last night at 11:00 o'clock it was still 83 and 80% humidity. Needless to say most of my activity has been conducted inside. E is learning to drive, this is quickly adding grey hairs to my head. I'm trying not to be my mother, but that imaginary brake on the floor she used is looking inviting. The kids go back to school next Wednesday, so I've spent a small fortune in paper, notebooks, etc. Remember when you could show up with a pad of paper and a pencil and you were good? Yes I know, that was shortly after we quit using clay tablets. Just a couple pictures

Me at 36 weeks. It's very scary how huge I am.


C and L when I picked them up from church camp.

Again

Everything is fine, just not inspired to post. It must be the hazy, crazy, lazy daze of summer thing. It is hot, which sucks my ambition.

L and C are at church camp this week. It always amazes me how having some gone changes the dynamic of the house.

Dh's car finally got so old the adhesive holding the glass to the rear view mirror gave way. He is searching for some special adhesive. I say a little gorilla glue would work fine. Obviously we approach the world differently.

An amusing ending-CTTS- I was angry the other day, huffing and puffing at the computer. F comes over, pats my back and say. "Calm down, take deep breaths, stop the madness." LOL, gotta love the way their minds work.

Congratulations!

Go see kmom's newest addition and say congrats!
Musing,Rambling and All Around Blathering

Not much, you?

Nothing wrong here, just busy, tired and uninspired. So, here's some pics.

Just Being Cute


L's Team won the coach's pitch championship


Whose kid dumped the cooler on the coach, why mine of course

Savoring Summer

The weather has been most un-Hoosier like, warm and sunny but not God-awful humid. I'm enjoying it because I know we'll be paying for it at some point. The non 98 degree/95% humidity has been wonderful for my pregnant self. I admit to being quite apathetic about physical exertion when it has been hot. I am also missing my boys, especially as I lugged in groceries including the 25lb bag of puppy food. It's bittersweet they are growing up, but damned handy when you want something heavy lugged around. (E offerred to help. I suggested undoing thousands of dollars of surgery would not be cost effective.) Tonight I'm taking the kids to the fireworks. Dh is working tonight and tomorrow, which is a bummer, but much better than Christmas or Thanksgiving. I'm also enjoying listening to E and L discussing tatoos right now. I'm not sure I want my 8yo thinking about tatoos. They've decided it would look tacky if you become a lawyer or when you get "really old like 40 and all wrinkly." It appears they're both going for a belly ring though. I think I'll just slink my old, wrinkly over 40 body off to the kitchen for some lemonade.

Whew!

A jam packed weekend. I forgot (of course) to take my camera to the parade where F looked adorable on his t-ball float. They all had red, white and blue Cat in the Hat hats. They looked like 4th of July elves. I also forgot to take it to the games and the pedal tractor pull where F actually won a trophy for 2nd place in his weight class.
On Sunday I took S and C for a week at Boy Scout camp. I am trying to ignore the fact they will be using sharp implements, starting things on fire, shooting weapons and generally enjoying The Dangerous Life for Boys. Actually they looked quite manly carrying all their gear and setting up their campsite. They could be turning out much worse.

Here in Hooterville

OK , our small town isn't quite Hooterville and my phone is not up a pole (and if you're too young to understand these references, they are not to a restaurant with well-endowed waitresses. Let me send you my DVD's of Green Acres) but it is time for our annual festival. It is so Norman Rockwell it almost makes your teeth ache. I was just uptown. Everyone has left their lawn chairs laying on the curb to secure their place for tonight's parade. As far as I know, no one has ever had a chair stolen. We'll have a parade full of antique tractors, firetrucks, baseball teams and church floats. There will be tons of mingling and the eating of elephant ears and breaded tenderloins (a Hoosier thing). People who haven't lived here in 40 years come back for this festival. Tomorrow has kiddie games, local talent, tractor pulls, pedal tractor pulls, basketball tournaments, etc. Like I said, so wholesome your teeth ache. I admit, a steady diet of this conviviality would wear thin, but for one weekend a year, it's fun.

A Pre-Cap

or re-cap, or list of things because I no longer have two working brain cells to create an actual post.

*It's hot. I know you knew that, and maybe it isn't the heat, maybe it's the shadeless baseball seating, or the hard and splintery (shall we say vintage) bleachers, or the sweat and popsicle stained children who insist on climbing on me, nearly always kneeing my expansive belly. Whatever....

*Baseball tourney time is upon us.

*Next week is Boy Scout camp. I need to get them the stuff they need.

*They also have Friday sports physicals and an asthma check for S scheduled Friday.

*This weekend is our town's big festival. Each healthy kid seems to be in four events.

*Getting up at 2:00am with a newborn is much easier than getting up with a 15 year old. You can just feed the baby and take it back to bed. It doesn't require pain meds, it doesn't stare listlessly at the ceiling, and it doesn't do that lamaze- type breathing that lets you know it hurts while denying it.

Back

Back-the literal reason for the long abscence. E had her surgery on June 11. I'll try to give the synopsized version here. The surgery took about 7 hours. They inserted to titanium rods, pulled her spine as straight as possible(85 degrees to 20 degrees, evidently a very good correction), then chipped her spine so it will fuse. Her incision is about 18" long. Sounds fun doesn't it. On Tuesday her hemoglobing had dropped to 6.9 so she got 2 units of blood. On Wednesday they found her chest cavity had filled with blood (thus the missing hemoglobin), so a chest tube was put in. I got to be there for that at least. She remained in ICU until Friday when they moved her to med/surg. On Sunday evening I finally got to bring her home. This week I've played nurse. She is in alot of pain (though she is progressing). She is still feeling bad enough that she's not bored and isn't interested in her iPod or books. I'm almost looking forward to her whining. At least I'll know she feels better.
Anyway, I'm tired from running to the hospital and now helping her at home, plus getting everyone else to Brownie camp, ball games, birthday parties, etc. Today is finally not 95 degrees which should go a long way to making me feel more human.

Feed the Need

Sometimes you just gotta have what you're craving. Hey it's fruit, and chocolate has anti-oxidants, right? See, it's a health food.

Headlong Rush

Busy, busy weekend and past few days. Tomorrow is the last day of school. Yeah! That should help lower the stress level around here. Finals time is no fun. Over the weekend we crammed in lots of fun--minor league baseball game, backyard camping, shopping trip, Pirates, swimming at the beach. Yesterday was very busy with a ball game, band concert and fundraising dinner and Boy Scouts. Too many places to beeeeeee. Last night Lucky cried. He was really good the first few nights because L and F slept with him in the tent. Probably not too different from being in a pile with your puppy siblings. He does not like being alone nearly as much. I manhandled the pool and accoutrements into position today. I'll have to finish filling it up tomorrow. It takes forever. Then in 3 short months I have to wrestle it down again. Hmmm, bad timing-put it up at 27 weeks and probably take it down a week or two post partum. I should have thought about those dates a little better.

Introducing

Meet our newest family member, Lucky.

A Date

We finally have a date set for Emma's surgery. She'll be going in on June 11th. We had hoped for a week earlier, but I guess we'll take what we get. It is going to so ruin her summer. She'll be in ICU right after the surgery and in the hospital four or five days. She can't really do much then for 6 weeks and nothing 'physical' for six months. No diving, no rollercoasters, no sports. Boring! I feel like we should do something fun that first week of June, but I'll be darned if I know what that would be. She is past thinking a trip to the beach or an amusement park is a big deal. Oh the ennui of fifteen.

Baseball, and Soccer and Brownies-Oh My!

Lots of sports this weekend. Why even have a home. We could just set up tents at the various parks. Oh well, all kids were dirty and tired Friday and Saturday and this mama likes tired, quiet children. Yesterday was the end of year Brownie Ceremony. I as an idiot, I mean volunteer, helped get it all together. The girls did well and even put on a play without major glitches. E acted as Mistress of Ceremonies for us. Why wasn't I that self-possessed at fifteen? Dh had the camera, so I got one good picture from the whole day, which won't be good once I shrink it for the blog, but you get the idea.

Me, E and L

This~n~That

Yesterday I had four 'student led conferences.' How exciting. I know I should be all geared up, and I do want them to do well in school (which they do), but, I don't need to see a year long portfolio of their work. I see their work every day or on Friday or whenever they bring it home. The teachers don't have much to add that I don't know. I've seen their report cards. Ah well....
What else? I planted the garden just in time for more frost. ~sigh~ I've covered everything. My allergies are bugging me, expecially at the ball park. It it pretty much in a bowl surrounded by trees. A lovely place for the pollen to gather. Oh, and since I'm feeling productive I cleaned out the Hoosier cupboard that we use to stow most everything that doesn't have a real place. It's all clean and tidy and ready for us to shove more needlessly kept junk in it.

Paying the Price

So, yesterday I felt like a human being, a rare occurrence, and so I decided to do all the stuff that has been bugging me. I scraped and recaulked the tub, touched up the paint in that bathroom, washed everything in there and repainted part of the play house. Then I went to a baseball game. And today.... I feel like crap. Stuffed up head, achy, headache... cold, allergies, exhaustion? It is going to be hard to knock this place into shape if all I can manage is one good day of work. Ah well, off to soccer practice and souts. I plan on sitting in the air conditioned van and observing from afar, with my bottle of tylenol and tissues.

Happy Mother's Day

Because nothing says I love you like a dandelion in a shot glass.

Glazed

I feel like one of those glaze-eyed zombies. Same old story. Far too many places to be, usually at the exact same time and no other adult to drive. Luckily school will be out May 31st. Things are winding down, but all the end of the year programs, projects, and parties are happening. This week we did conclude pre-school (swimming party), track (county track meet, nothing like a 4hour track meet, yawn), band (incredibly boring concert, I'm just not into music I guess), and the last story time at the library. Cubs ends in two weeks and so does Brownies- Now I just need to get both those ceremonies organized, ha! Of course we have to fit in soccer games, baseball games, and way too many MD appointments yet. Thus, all this mind numbingly boring activitiy has made for poor blogging. Mea Culpa!

Sounds Easy

* Sort all winter and summer clothes for five kids.
* Clean house.
* Till mudhole, er yard, and sow grass seed.
* Till garden, select herbs and plant
* Clean the Black Hole of Calcutta, otherwise known as a garage, locate baby items from attic while still able to fit.

Sounds like that should not take 3 days doesn't it.

One Of Those Days

It was one of those days where you do alot and yet accomplish nothing. E was running a fever this morning, I thought she should stay home, she was obsessing about some info in her locker she needed. Nice mother that I am, I volunteered to drive to town and get it for her. I left the house to find one of the tires of the van low, I limped over to the local garage and had them plug the tire. I picked up a nail somewhere. THEN I drove to town and got her stuff. I stopped at some garage sales but scored nada. I figured I might as well pick up some milk while I was near Aldi's. That all took 2 1/2 hours. I thought I was done so drug out all the summer clothes for F and C (in case it ever gets nice). I got them all strung around when the kids got home and C announced he had broken his glasses. They made it two weeks, that's something right. I put him in the car and drove to Sears to get them fixed, then stopped at the drugstore to pick up some meds. Our insurance changed and I'd been waiting on a pre-authorization so I could have the priviledge of paying $20 more than I did last month for the same med. I still need to at least kick the boys' clothes out of the way in their room, but my heart just ain't in it. I hate days where you never sit down and accomplish nothing!

Name

So, lots of people have asked me "Are you changing the name of the blog?" I can't think of anything even vaguely amusing concerning the number 7. Do any of you have any thoughts? Got a name you think is funny, even if it has nothing to do with numbers? Otherwise, we're keeping the same boring name folks. Now as for the name of the baby-anybody got any ideas about that either?????

Think About It

Read this article. Now tell me it's not true of you. I do it all the time. I put myself at the bottom of every list. I'm gonna quit that.

Random Thoughts

* I'm finally, finally, finally feeling better.


* This means that the children are dropping like flies. We've had 4 fevers and one ear infection/burst ear drum.

* Our new insurance now requires $50 copay at urgent care. The old one (which just expired last week) only required a $15
copay. Note, no one was sick last week!

* The weather at least was lovely. It looked nice through the window, sigh.

* I had time to read two books this weekend. America's Cheapest Family and Not Buying It. The first makes me think that if
they are the cheapest we must be what, the stingiest? scroogiest? The second one had alot of interesting info on
consumer society. The author undertook it as an experiment and her goals were really more environmental than frugal. It
was still interesting though.

* I have too much to do this week, but you knew that.

* Neither the lawn mower nor the garden tiller will run. I guess we quickly pay for a repair or go for that natural prarie look.

* I had to replace three shingles on the garage roof. I don't even want to contemplate what I looked like on the roof.

* I am annoyed by little things this morning. I want to quit feeling nauseous and vomiting. I don't want to have heartburn. I
want to sleep, without eight hours of the strangest dreams/nightmares. If I didn't know better, I'd think Timothy Leery had
been doctoring my tea. I want to quit feeling whiny and be one of those positive people who glow through pregnancy,
whip up gourmet dinners, know how to repair lawnmowers and never snap at their children. Ain't gonna happen though.

Lung Removal

I'm still trying to remove my lungs through my esophagus. I've been so worn out I haven't posted in a week, oops! Hmm, what's been going on? The boys went camping last weekend. It snowed. Fun, fun. Everything they brought home was soaked. I went ice skating with the Brownies. I'm sure I cut quite a Kristi Yamaguchi-like figure, 20 weeks pregnant and coughing. Sooooo attractive. Sports are runnning full throttle. Last night (is Tuesday the only night of the week folks?) 2 soccer practices, 1 baseball practice and a boy scout meeting. I sent L with another family to soccer. I can only be so many places, right? They told me when they got home about what a delight she had been. She is not a delight here, WTF? I guess she went on and on about what a nice family they had and how it's great they do things together and like being together so much. Hello! Thus suggesting we are knuckle-dragging yokels who don't give our own kids love, attention and horizon expanding activities. And I will note, she has not been a delight here this week at all! It must be due to our apathetic child rearing.

Unwell

1) bronchitis. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
...Chronic or acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes. 2. A disease marked by this inflammation. bron·chitic (-kitik) -ADJECTIVE...

It doesn't sound so bad does it.... unless of course you are 20 weeks pregnant, and you cough so hard you pull muscles, and people keep avoiding you, and your family tells you to go to bed, you look really bad, and you fear a, shall we say, incontinent moment. On the other hand, a huge thank you to my SIL, who after talking to me, sent me a beautiful bouquet. I'm giving it until tomorrow, and if I'm not better, I might even have to go to the doctor. ~ Shudder~

Easter

Saturday was E's 15th birthday, so the day involved cherry turnovers and chocolate lava cake, then we had the Easter chocolate-a-thon. I wonder why the kids seemed keyed up.
Either a demented Easter bunny or training for a future career waiting tables at a cheap bar.

Five well dressed children

But where you ask is #6?

Time to cut that one back on sugar.

Easter Time

Inside it's Easter
Eggs

and bunnies

but outside, it's beginning to look alot like Christmas

Bah Humbug!

Good News

I got my amnio results back on Monday. It appears this baby is perfectly normal, at least physically. Considering the others, I'll take a rain check on how "normal" it ends up after 18 years of me and dh as parents. I'll admit, it was a relief to hear this. Now I can relax and let that worry fade away.

Yesterday I took my youngest five to the Indianapolis Children's Museum. It was a good time. Favorites were the water clock, the Indy car, the dinosphere and for Mel, the really cool kid sized potty and sink in the bathroom. Oh, the wonders of plumbing! S and I really liked this Chihuly glass sculpture. It is 43 feet tall. We sat in the revolving seat below it and it sort of reminded us of being in a kaleidoscope. Lest you think we became to 'artsy' while gone, we stopped on the way home at White Castle and bought a case of sliders.

Saturday Simperings

OK, I've never simpered in my life, but I like alliteration. This is really just one of those boring catch up posts. which could proabably be made wry and amusing, but that would take way more effort than I'm willing to put forth right now.

Spring Break officially began Friday at 3:35pm here. Everyone, including myself, is jubilant. It is so time for a break. The stretch from Christmas to Easter seems very long indeed. S and C have gone camping with the Boy Scouts for the weekend. It's C's first camping trip solo as a Boy Scout. I hope they have fun. It is raining today and they will be cutting and stacking wood as a service project. I think they'll still have fun though, because, well, they are boys and they will get to use sharp implements and get really dirty.

E, seizing on a time when the brothers would be gone, has friends over for her birthday. Her birthday is really next Saturday, but with Good Friday and Easter forming parentheses around that day, this weekend seemed better. I will be taking them shopping later. Let's hope I can find something to amuse the little three while they do it. I'm thinking a trip to the bookstore (always a good time), a judicious application of ice cream and Happy Feet on screen in the van. If it were nice I'd take them to a park, but standing in a cold drizzle while they become coated in mud just doesn't sound that fun.

I'm hopeful tomorrow will include nothing more taxing than a trip to church and a nap. I'm still pretty nauseous and I never know when it will hit me, more like possess me rendering me helpless. Nothing like being sick in your car, oh yeah, that's fun.

Six Years Ago

...I drove myself to the hospital (after ignoring their instructions not to drink coffee) at an ungodly hour for a c-section. Dh had to stay home to get the kids to school and daycare. An hour before the scheduled surgery I felt an unbelievable swish. The baby finally turned, when weeks of massaging, hand standing and pelvic elevating has done nothing. I knew then this little one would be a challenge. Since I was there, and had already lost my plug and had been walking around 3-4 cm dialated anyway I screamed....induce! I was afraid he'd flip back. Four hours after they started the pit he was here. Not too bad for an induction. I was right about F being different. He is a type B amid a type A household. He is busy, busy, busy, talks all the time but has nothing to say, has zero interest in books, writing letters or art but is fascinated by all the outdoors. Despite the fact he is an exhausting tornado of movement he is my most loving, cuddling child. He calls me his 'sweet muffin'. I don't know why, but what mom could argue.

Call A Priest

Mel, who is 3, has pink eye. She has never been sick or had medicine before in her whole life. For that I am thankful, because last night it took me and two teens to restrain her enough to put the eye drops (she keeps calling them raindrops) in her eyes. After a tense, sweaty interlude S said "I was waiting for her head to spin and green stuff to come out her mouth." He was right, even down to her constant refrain "It burns, it burns". Maybe we should try Holy Water?

Weekend in Pics

What I made:



Receiving his Arrow of Light


Sunday-Why play with toys if there's mud and worms?


If they won't let you play in the mud with them, get your big sissie to swing you!

I'm Back

Thanks to all those who e-mailed me wondering if I'm ok. I am, I'm just retaining my title as Queen of the Nauseated. After fitting the kids in around a day full of vomiting, blogging just really doesn't appeal. I've been doing the bare minimum here, so there really isn't too much to say anyway. Five or six consecutive entries of got sick, slept, sick, slept, ran to events, got sick, slept would wear thin. Tomorrow is the Cub Scout Blue & Gold Banquet so I should have some pics to post later.

Minds in the Gutter

A little background, my oldest dd is a vegetarian and has been for three years. Last night at dinner she had a salad, sweet potato, cauliflower and broccoli on her plate. This conversation ensued:

C-"Maybe we should change your name to Vegina."

S giggled, I laughed, E smirked.

C-"What?"

Me-"Um, C, Vegina sounds suspiciously like a female body part."

C-silence, then "Gross, you guys are so perverted."

So Fast

Just the other day he was a chubby toddler who held my hand, then he was a hyperactive kindergartner who could climb anything, an eight year old Evel Kneival, an eleven year old Cub Scout and now he's a gangly, gawky, 5'9" man child, who's arms, legs and feet have outgrown the rest of him. He has collarbones and ribs that would make Kate Moss jealous. When he hugs me (which only happens in private) my head only reaches his shoulder, and he is too cool to want to appear recognizable in his mother's blog. He finished 1st in the 100 free here.

I always poo-pooed that mother/son thing, but it is true. E getting older was just E getting older. S is becoming another species, and it tugs darn it.

Random Thoughts

So, what I thought was the stomach virus that wouldn't quit was our peanut butter. Why, on why, wasn't I a choosy mom?

Last Wednesday this time-No school-blizzard. This Wednesday-No school-fog, because now the air is warm and the snow isn't and the fog froze on everything. Stay tuned, next week drought! or locusts!

It's Ash Wednesday today and I drove by a house with it's Christmas lights on last night. Huh?

Everyone send labor vibes to my friend . Let's get that little boy here soon.

CTTS

Filing this under Cute Things They Say. Last night (after dragging myself home from a 5th grade basketball game followed by a middle school swim meet. Nothing like 4 1/2 hrs of sports) F and A wanted me to take them to bed. I wasn't real excited but trudged upstairs. A wanted me to tuck her in first. From F's bunk I hear "Hey, what about my needs!" LOL Where did he hear that?

For the record, C's team lost, but he did get to play point guard. S got a 2nd in the 50 Free and his relay team came in 3rd. Not bad for a kid who is only in his second meet ever. If he could just turn better he'd be even faster. We'll see if he sticks with it, and if I don't kill him first for arguing over Algebra homework.

Pics

C last evening. There was no point in shoveling since it continued to snow, but he wanted to do it.



Snow fort city




Valentine Cookie Love


My Pink Cheeked Snuggle Muffin