Why we live here…

After the third time of us putting on and checking and bathroom tripping with the kids, Mark looked at me and said, “Now do you realize that if we lived up North we’d have to do this every time we would go anywhere.”

This is how it went down to go out for the snow:

“Do you have your socks, gloves, hat, coat…no, not your jacket, it’s too cold for that.  You may want to put on another shirt…yes, I’ll help take the coat off.  Let me zip you up…zip you up and you and you.  Scarf anyone?  Where’s the matching glove?  Look for it…oh, nevermind, use these.  Hold Ceili Rain while I find her coat…no not that coat.  Where’s a hat?  Did you change her diaper?”

And then to undress:  “DON’T MOVE! Stand at the door.   Now hand me your shoes.  Are your socks wet?  Take your pants (covered in snow) off.  Lay them here.  Hand me your (sopping wet) coat, gloves, hats.”

It looked like we were laying clothes out for some kind of clothes giveaway.

Yeah, it was quite funny to watch!  And now, you can breathe, this is the last of my snow posts!

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What We’ve Been Up To…

Finally, on Monday, my body and brain decided to start functioning together (after a month of illnesses). I guess it realized that I was in the second trimester and had some energy!

So, after school was finished for the day I tackled a few projects…some of which included recovering our bench that stores the shoes by the door (I have a before picture but haven’t taken an after picture yet), cooking supper and making two homemade (and I do mean homemade) chicken potpies for this month…as well as these two projects!

I attended my first Uppercase Living show a few weeks ago.  While I found some cute things, my mind started racing coming up with my own ideas for designs to go on the walls.  However, Zoe attended with me and we picked out a cute pre-designed picture/saying to go in the girls room.  I have a friend who says I have a weird obsession with closets…and she’s probably right…however, if you want to save space in a room but need a changing table…half of a closet works great!  And so, the girls’ have an area niched out for the changing table (and the boys do to…since they had the nursery area most of the time).  Above is a picture of the girls’ space.  It’s pretty drab.  We had hung a mirror up for Ceili Rain to be entertained by but she mostly just pulled it off the wall. 

And here’s an after!  Simple, yet fun…and it goes great in the girls’ room!  Zoe jumped for joy when she saw it.  I must say that it was pleasantly hard to do and I had a few hiccups (and I’m thankful that the camera does not show the ladybug’s crooked leg or the s that is a little bunched up) but it’s a closet and if they don’t like it, it can be covered up.

I can’t wait to get the other Uppercase Living things I’ve ordered thanks to other friends having shows…speaking of which…I need someone to have another show by the end of March so I can get at least one more thing I’ve designed!  More about that later.

Next up was something Mark has requested I do.

He has asked that we put up Bible verses all over the house.  I’m coming up with my own creative ways of doing this.  I started basic with a digital scrapbook 8X11 page of the Deuteronomy 6 which is beside our door.
And then, I saw on etsy someone had created these pretty graphic canvases with Scripture on them.  Of course none of them had the Scripture verses that we have discussed (thus far).  And they were very expensive (over $50), so I tried my hand at it…

Cost breakdown:
Digital scrapbooking kit (that can be used again and again and again and is found here):  under $6
16X16 Rolled Canvas from uprinting:  $20 (free shipping…yippee)
Stretch Canvas frame:  under $6
Ribbon and hot glue to attach canvas to frame:  FREE!  I already had it.

Total cost:  $32!

Much better deal and way cheaper than trying to get it from a commercial photo company or etsy!
I thought the canvas was coming with a 2 inch border so I could wrap it around the frame.  But it didn’t.  So, I improvised and glued it to the frame.  Put raffia around the edge and white grossgrain ribbon around the outside of the frame and stapled the ribbon to hang it by.  I absolutely love it.  It’s in our kitchen and so every time I enter in the kitchen I see it and remember what I need to do and why!  I can’t wait to create more (and you can personalize the sizes to meet your needs at uprinting)…I’ve got another creative way to hang verses coming up…stay tuned.

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Again…

I apoligize for the absence…we’ve been dealing with RSV, sinus infections, a women’s retreat (that’s really not dealing with…more like relaxing), and now…a stomach bug…again.

Ceili Rain was sick for 24 hours on Sunday.  We thought it could be related to her antibiotic (she was the one with RSV).  However, I awoke this morning and paid a visit to the porcelain throne.  Twice.

I’m so done with these illnesses.  We have been sick for pretty much a whole month.  Please pray for our family and send some bleach over while you’re at it!  I’m thinking of dousing the house in it.

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The Sickness

Descended on our house yesterday morning.  Actually, it was Saturday and started with Liam…it’s a stomach bug.  We didn’t think much about it as we were all healthy on Sunday.  However, Monday rolled around and immediately after breakfast, I ran to the bathroom to remove my breakfast (gross, no?).  I thought that was weird that I threw up the entire breakfast for morning sickness but didn’t think much about it until I realized later in the morning that I was still feeling nauseous.  I called Mark to inform him that I might actually have a stomach bug and he said, “You’re feeling bad too huh?”  That confirmed it.  He trekked home after 12 and right about the time I started throwing up other things besides food.

Let me just say, it has not been a fun 24 hours.  I have never gotten this sick with a stomach bug.  I called the doctor yesterday and got some anti-nausea medicine by the evening which helped me sleep but did not help Mark.  Not that I could’ve helped Mark.  I was pretty weak, and still am.

Early evening, Zoe went down.  At bedtime, Ace went down. Liam had already had it so he’s been peachy the whole time.  Josiah waited until the morning to relieve his stomach contents and Ceili Rain did it twice during the night. 

However, morning dawned today with children all chipper and no one throwing up.  Like I said, I’m still very weak and can’t sit up long.  I’ve taken too many long naps but am keeping fluids and food down.  My main concern has been trying to keep fluids down.  Thankfully, I’ve been able to do that.

Mark, thankfully, has been able to be up and care for all of us pukers.  He’s been our strength even when he doesn’t feel good.  I’m so grateful to him for the way he’s been our “nurse” these past 24 hours!

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How to Be Like Me

**This is a sick update first**
Ace now has the fever.  Liam is still a bit feverish but that doesn’t seem to slow him down for long.

Now to the fun stuff:

This is for my blogging friends so if you don’t want to know about HTML, you might want to pass over this.

Frankly, I know nothing of HTML.  But I do know how to read.  I looked at a friend’s blog this past weekend and thought I’d click on her link to blogger backgrounds.  After doing that, I selected one, and then realized it wouldn’t work because of my header and it didn’t have a matching header.  So, I went to the link provided to look for the e-paper to make my own header but was unsuccessful.  Thus, having royally messed up my blog, I decided to design my own blogger template.

I found Blogger Buster website which details steps on how to do a basic header/background and went to work.  There are other great articles on this blogsite too.  However I used the one titled, “A cheat’s guide to customising blogger templates.

I already knew how to make a header using a basic publishing program (or you can use Photoshop or Gimp…the free version of photoshop…but I didn’t have time to play around with Gimp so I went with my already well known program).

I found an absolutely awesome digital scrapbook site called AhhhScrap, where I found a very cute kit, Bug a Boo, to use the papers/elements with.  Now, it’s important to note that I do not sell ads on my blog nor do I make any money on the blog, therefore, per the owner of the kit, I am using it for personal use.  These kits are made by different people and I’m guessing if you do sell stuff/make a blog profit, you could contact them to get permission to use and such.  After finding this website, I’m seriously considering going to all digital scrapbooks!  Any suggestions on where to get them printed after I finish them?

Anyway, I just followed the directions from the article and ta da…a new blog look.  I like it, although, I would like to put the bugs on the background but irfanview is being ornery about it.  Maybe later, as this little escapade took all morning to finish.

Next up, a blog button!  Wait for it…wait for it (it may be a while with all the sickies)

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High Maintenance & a New Poll

I was going to put “spoiled” as my title, but realized that I am not left alone to rot…so that wouldn’t work…High Maintenance fits.

This week has been looooonnng to say the least.  Mark left Monday afternoon to go on a business trip.  Before he left, we mused over who would be sick during his absence.  As, I don’t “do” night time parenting, that would be my lot.  We both came up with Ceili Rain and were right.  In all fairness, she was getting a bit stuffy.

So, Tuesday morning I called and got her an earlier “re-check on her ears appointment.”  A blessing came in that the appointment was in the afternoon and Papa and Grandmere were coming in for Grandmere to help me sew costumes.  They got here, we said hello, and I took Ceili Rain to the doctor.

Turns out, her left ear which was infected was clear but her right ear not so much.  Dr. R., who we had to see because Dr. B has been out for awhile with an injury (long painful story for her), was shocked when she saw the ear.  Back on antibiotics, and scheduled another re-check for a couple weeks later.

Wednesday, Grandmere and I hit the sewing machine whilst Papa entertained littles and taught Zoe and Ace (no small feat mind you).  My goal was to get Zoe’s & Josiah’s done.  Still not quite there with Josiah’s (it’s the little things) but I’m close…Since Grandmere worked on Zoe’s most complicated one and got the big stuff done, I put the finishing touches on it today.

Mark came back home yesterday morning and to say I was counting down the minutes is an understatement.  I’m so excited that he’s home again.  He had yesterday off (since he took the red-eye in) and today and then Saturday and Sunday.  Wooohoo!  And I get to get back to my pampered self.  I miss my team captain when he’s away and I miss all the help he provides.

Now on to wondering what the kids are going to be for “Halloween!”  I haven’t done a poll in a long time, so check out the side bar and vote for what you think their costumes are going to be!

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Catch Me if You Can!

So a few Fridays ago, we have a very busy day. Ceili Rain had a doctor’s appointment that lastest awhile which put us with just enough time to grab something to eat and then head to drop Zoe off at art (She’s taking art at a local Christian school.). I got her dropped off and since none of us were done eating, we just stayed put. It was a good thing we did.

About five minutes after Zoe went to class, we heard police sirens. I told the boys to look for the police car and so we waited. But, we didn’t see anything. Then they got louder and sounded like a lot more. All of a sudden we see a blue car, a Yaris, to be exact, fly down the road. I thought that was a little strange to see a small, cheap car driving so fast. Then, quickly, behind it, I saw one, two, three police cars and then two unmarked police cars. Hmmm, there must be a big wreck and that car must have just been trying to get out of the way.

A few more seconds pass and we probably see two or three more police cars go by…lights on, sirens on.

Then nothing.

Then I think that there was probably a really big wreck at the intersection up from the school. That’s a pretty busy intersection, so it was possible.

But about five to ten minutes later we hear the sirens again and the little blue Yaris appears again going a little bit faster (the cops said they didn’t go over 50 but I believe it was more like 60-70 mph)…and it was smoking! I saw the cop cars again. And there were lots more of them than before!

So, by the time I got home that afternoon, we looked it up on the internet, and low and behold, our wonderful Sheriff’s department had to chase down a man in a stolen Yaris.

This is just wrong on so many levels:

First, he stole a Yaris. Mark commented that they are fairly cheap as far as cars go.
Second, he tried to out run a Crown Victoria and other fast police vehicles. In a Yaris. Which probably explains why it was smoking.
Third, and I failed to mention this above, after he was chased for awhile, he decided to stop the car (near where we were) and run away on foot. I don’t think he rationalized (obviously since he stole a Yaris) that there were a lot of policemen pursuing him and they were physically fit…nor did he realize that our K-9 Unit was also out. Yep, the dog got him.
Fourth, can you imagine what it’s going to be like for that poor man in prison? When they discuss why they are in jail…what will the response be when he tells people he stole a Yaris and then tried to outrun police!?

That was pretty exciting for the boys to see. Ace thought it was really cool and talked about it all weekend. It also gave us a chance to talk about our choices and making good choices versus bad and why we need police officers, etc. They really got it too! Now, if they had seen the arrest, I think they would have gotten it even more.

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Friday Faves

I thought I’d share this since I love music. Another friend has been doing this fave, thing so I thought I’d chime in.

For today: Hymns and Modern Praise songs

My absolute favorite hymn (actually, I have many) is God of Grace and God of Glory. I love how it sounds and the words are amazing! I discovered this beauty when we first got our hymnals and were flipping through trying to find a hymn for the month. It seems so relevant to the day we live in.

God of grace and God of glory
On Thy people pour Thy power
Crown Thine ancient church’s story
Bring her bud to glorious flower
Grant us wisdom
Grant us courage
For the facing of this hour
For the facing of this hour

Lo! the hosts of evil round us
Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways!
Fears and doubts too long have bound us,
Free our hearts to work and praise
Grant us wisdom,
Grant us courage
For the living of these days
For the living of these days

Cure Thy children’s warring madness
Bend our pride to Thy control.
Shame our wanton, selfish gladness
Rich in things and poor in soul
Grant us wisdom,
Grant us courage,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal.

Set our feet on lofty places;
Gird our lives that they may be
Armored with all Christ-like graces
In the fight to set men free.
Grant us wisdom,
Grant us courage
That we fail not man nor Thee,
That we fail not man nor Thee!

And my favorite worship/praise song is “You Are” by Neal Cooper
I don’t have a way to get the lyrics without listening to the entire song…so you’ll just have to enjoy it via video (the sounds a little distorted but the words…amazing!).

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Antioxidants…Yumm!

Grow your own pomegranates!!

Our tree was getting a bit droopy and while most of the pomegranates still are not ripe, we needed to get some off the tree in hopes they’ll ripen off the vine and to get the others a chance to grow. This looks to be one of our best “crops” this year. As we’ve never really done much to cultivate or help them grow, I use the term “crop” loosely. We do cut back from around the tree and Mark prunes the branches back.

One is the loneliest number…

I’m thinking Josiah thought we were doing some sort of weird Easter egg hunt.
Pick pomegranates. Check.
Bury pomegranates to make more trees. Check.
Unfortunately, plastic buckets do not make fertile ground for pomegranate trees!

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