Cousins

 Here are some more Sephia poses of my kiddos and their cousins.  My sister's girls...Kaylyn, Jenna and Lauren.  Beautiful! :D

 

*Check out Grace's face in the all girls pose (top right)  She looks like a drunk zombie!! LOL

Brothers & Sisters

The art of "Multi-tasking"

I want to start a bullet list for the things us mothers get accomplished through "multi-tasking"
Feel free to add your accomplishments in the comments and I will add them to the list. (That is if anyone reads my blog anymore :D )

• You know you have successfully mastered the art of multi-tasking when you can nurse your infant and clip your toddlers fingernails and toenails at the same time.~Momblogs
• When you can take care of your all your children while 3/4 of them are sick with the stomach flu and throwing up, without getting a single drop of puke on the floor, all the while feeling nauseous yourself.~Momblogs
• Managing to cook dinner (chopping or stirring something), hold a crying or nursing baby and talk on the phone (say to make an appointment). ~Princess Ruby
• Holding a conversation with a doctor, talking to one child, and getting the other child out of trouble? ~Princess Ruby
• Nurse while cleaning up a puking kid. ~Choppzs
• Nurse while grocery shopping. ~Choppzs
• Nursing a baby while cutting out a pattern. ~Amie

I know I have more, I'll have to think about it and update later.

Happy Birthday to the man I love!

Today is my honey's birthday and since I don't have a photo to post of him (he will never allow his picture to be taken alone without his hand covering his face) I thought I would list 28 reasons why I love this man.

1. His love of and devotion to our Heavenly Father.
2. He has given me four beautiful children.
3. His strength, both physical and mental.
4. His lips.
5. His hands.
6. His smile.
7. His eyes.
8. The way he talks.
9. His sense of humor. (he makes me laugh all the time and I love to laugh)
10. His intelligence.
11. His God given ability at problem solving. (he is amazing at this)
12. The way he is with the kids. (they adore him)
13. Because he loves me even though I can be a nerd (through song and dance :D ) sometimes.
14. His ideas about our future and how he is taking care of us.
15. His ability at making decisions
16. He is compassionate when he needs to be.
17. The way he suprises me with things on my birthday and other special occasions.
18. The way he listens to me.
19. How he keeps me focused.
20. He is my best friend.
21. He does a lot of things that remind me of my dad and I love that. (my dad died 7 yrs ago)
22. He works in a way that allows me to be a SAHM.
23. He is wonderful as the head of our house.
24. He is great at encouraging me and the kids.
25. He knows how to have fun.
26. He's an excellent gardner :D (I'll have to post an updated picture of our garden)
27. He knows how to cook a good meal.
28. For all the little things he does for me to let me know he loves me.

Those are just a few of the reasons why I love him and want to wish him a happy 28th birthday!

I love you Dan, Happy Birthday Baby!!

Family Photo

I haven't had much time to blog recently with all the construction/remodeling we are doing on our house trying to get it ready to sell. Today, however, I did get a chance to sneak away from all the painting I've been doing, but just long enough to post this family picture. This was taking on July 4th this year at my mom's house. It is hard to get everyone together to take a family picture so they are few and far between. I will cherish this photo until the next time I have to beg dear hubby to sit long enough for a picture :D
Hopefully I will get another chance to update my blog soon, but until then you can enjoy my family picture as much as I am.

Water or Coke?

Eye Opening Information! (This was an email from my FIL)

This is really an eye opener... Water or Coke? We all know that water is important but I've never seen it written down like this before.

WATER
1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

And now for the properties of Coke:
1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.
8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
9. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For Your Info:
1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 ! years!

Now the question is... Would you like a Coke or a glass of water?

All I can say is a glass of ice cold water sounds so refreshing now! This has made me think differently about coke or any soda/pop for sure.

Happy Father's Day (two days late)

Happy Father's day to my wonderful husband, who is the greatest father in the world. Of course I am a little biased, but only a little. Below is an email my husband recieved from his father and thought it was funny so I decided to share.

Men Are Just Happier People

What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put.The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolateis just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. Youcan wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a waterpark. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You neverhave to drive to another gas station rest room because this one is just tooicky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on abolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tuxrental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. New shoes don'tcut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time.Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff abouttanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open allyour own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act ofthoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still beyour friend.Your underwear is $8.95 for a three pack. Three pairs of shoes are morethan enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unableto see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its originalcolor. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have toshave your face and neck.You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big!hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nailswith a pocket knife. You have the freedom of choice concerning growing amustache.You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25minutes.No wonder men are happier.

Happy Birthday!

 My oldest, Sarah, turned 7 on Father's Day this year, June 18th.  I can't believe my baby is this old already.  Happy Birthday Sarah Bear!!

Tootie has teeth!

Gracie face sporting her two teeth she got just last month.

(Oh and Tootie is just one of her many nicknames)

Fun Outside

Wow! The weather sure has been nice around here. I thought I would share some updated pictures of my cutie pies. Sarah is almost done with school and summer break is fast approaching. Can't wait to get to the beach and enjoy the break before school starts again. This fall Adam will be joining Sarah at school, he in kindergarten and she in 2nd grade. I can't believe how my babies are growing up so fast. Next year will just be me, Jack and Grace during school hours. *sigh* Empty nest sydrome is already swallowing me up!

Sunday Best

Our trip to Chicago

We had a great time! We Rode the double decker bus and toured the city, we rode the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier, went up the Sears Tower aka Serious Tower (as pronounced by Adam) or Serious Trouble (as pronounced by Jack),  went to the Shedd Aquarium, and ate at some pretty cool places. We did a lot and I mean a lot of walking and nobody got sun burned.  Hooray! :D

Congrats!

To my sister Tanya and her husband on the birth of their third daughter, Lauren Elizabeth. She was born at 6:48 am weighing 8 lbs 11 oz and she was 20 1/2 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great. Lauren is beautiful and has lots of hair. Hopefully I can post some pictures of her soon.

Judge Roy Moore

Some of you may be wondering what Judge Roy Moore has been doing since he was removed from the bench for refusing to remove the 10 Commandments from his courtroom wall. Please read the poem he wrote below.

Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are attempting to strip his right to practice law in the state of Alabama.

The following is a poem written by Judge Moore:

America the Beautiful, or so you used to be. Land of the Pilgrims' pride; I'm glad they'll never see. Babies piled in dumpsters, Abortion on demand, Oh, sweet land of liberty; your house is on the sand. Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine, Choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain. >From sea to shining sea, our Nation turns away> From the teaching of God's love and a need to always pray. We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown. When earth is but His footstool, and Heaven is His throne. We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core, Appointing Godless Judges who throw reason out the door, Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb, But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb. You think that God's not angry, that our land's a moral slum? How much longer will He wait before His judgment comes? How are we to face our God, from Whom we cannot hide? What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide? If we who are His children, will humbly turn and pray; Seek His holy face and mend our evil way: Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins, He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within. But, America the Beautiful, if you don't - then you will see, A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from Thee. ~Judge Roy Moore

Happy Birthday Amie!

Just returning the favor :D

Happy Mother's Day!

One Flaw In Women (this was an email forward from a friend)
Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. T hey smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR OWN WORTH.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there!

Happy 5th Birthday Adam!

  I can't believe it has already been 5 years since he was born.  Happy birthday Mr. Steven!!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Well today is Dan and my 9th wedding anniversary! It is amazing how time flies. Dan took the day off of work, plus it's raining so he can't work, but we will be busy remodeling our house then church youth group tonight so no dinner/date plans for us. Which is fine by me since I am anxious to get the living room finished :D. Next year though it will be special number 10 and we will have to do something then.

Who is Todd?

Apparently Todd is my youngest son Jack! You're all probably just as confused as I was when I first heard "Todd" being yelled out. I was blow drying my hair and heard a bunch of commotion so I stopped to investigate. Sarah and Adam were running around calling for Todd and trying to find him yelling, "Todd, Todd, hurry, come here, the building has collapsed!" and all of the sudden in runs Jack to the rescue. It seemed that the "collapsed building" aka the big cardboard box had indeed caved in while they were playing in it. So in came "Todd" to the rescue and they all helped fix the "building" again. Later that day while driving to town I asked the kids who Todd was and Jack's head popped up in the back seat saying, "It's me!" and they all agreed that Todd was really Jack.
Once again the imagination of children...it's a beautiful or in this case a funny thing!

The gang

Luke and Grace

Don't they make a cute couple? Just kidding Jonah or should I say Sammy ;)

Best Compliment

The best compliment you can get from a stranger besides "You're very attractive" is " You're a wonderful mother" the latter of which I received today at the Grocery store. Normally I get, "Wow you have your hands full" which to me really isn't something negative but sometimes it isn't meant to be positive either. So today when I heard that I was a wonderful mother from a total stranger, I must confess it really made my day. I only had three of my four children with me since Sarah was at school and at times I felt overwhelmed going down a few of the aisles (these were the aisles with elderly folk trying to decide which cheese to purchase) sometimes the older people don't appreciate young children squeaking between carts and will rudely tell you about it. Needless to say when I was complimented all the overwhelming feelings just washed away and I was proud. Proud to be a mother!

Spring Break...

The thing I was looking forward to most about Spring Break was being able to sleep in past 7:00 am since I wouldn't have to get Sarah up for school. But can you guess what happened? That's right, just the opposite! The kids were waking up no later then 6:30 am everyday, Hooray!! So school starts on Monday and it looks like I will get to sleep in, for 30 minutes at least! UGH! I can't wait for summer break :D

Happy Birthday....

to me. Well, today is my birthday. I am 27. Wow I can't believe I am almost 30! LOL

Parent Job Description

I got this from a friend in an email and thought I would share...

PARENT - Job Description This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way when we were young, none of us would have wanted the position!!!!

POSITION : Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa

JOB DESCRIPTION : Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES : The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have the ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION : None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE : None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION : Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS : While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life

Sarah took these...

pictures of Grace.  I thought she did pretty good with the camera.  Grace is already 4 mos old!

Whoo Hoo...

I went to get Sarah at the bus stop today. It was so stink'n nice outside that I almost did a cartwheel. :D I never knew 47 degrees could feel this good. I guess I am just itching to get outside.

Love Story (kind of)

Last week was parent/teacher conference and Sarah's her teacher gave me lots of stuff that Sarah has been working on in a folder to take home. Here is a story she wrote on Feb. 6, 2006. It's really cute. I will keep the spelling the same so you can get the full affect.

One day on Satreday Grace and Jonay(Jonah). I think they love echothre(each other). It is silly very very silly. They lookde at echothre and I laphde(laughed) very very much. They are babys. Grace is my sistre. She is 3 mons old. Jonay has three brothrs and Grace has 2 brothrs and 1 sistre. The babys are two little two play in the snow. But I can play in the snow Adam and Jack and mom and dad can too.

In case you didn't know Jonay is Amie's Jonah. Anyway, I just thought I would share her story because I thought it was so cute that she would choose to write about it at school. :D

Grieving...

For the loss of a wonderful mother and wife...Although I never knew her I read of others who knew her and appreciated her. Please pray for those left behind, her husband and now five children. She never awakened from the c-section of her fifth child on March 1st. My heart aches as I mourn with her friends and family. She passed away from this life and onto life everlasting with our Heavenly Father.

In memory of Missey

Lent...your thoughts requested

Okay so I am confused. I have been watching the news today and the reporters have been reading email from people who have given something up for Lent. One person said they are
"giving up telling people what they want to hear and instead being brutally honest with them". This is where I get confused. I mean isn't Lent about giving up something that stands in the way of your focus on God. To eliminate distractions and reflect on our Lord and Savior. These people seem to be giving things up that sound more like New Years Resolutions. I know you shouldn't always just tell someone something they want to hear, but isn't being brutally honest a bit harsh. I mean that is the whole reason the term "brutally" proceeds honest. What do you all think? Could deciding to be brutally honest with someone help with your reflections on God?

Grandpa Hands...

Definition: (as told by Jack) What your hands look like after staying in the bathtub for awhile. AKA: raisin or prune hands. :D

It was too cute. Adam and Jack were dressing after their bath the other day and Jack said to Adam, "Look I have grandpa hands".

No offense to grandpa's of course! I am sure his definition will bring a smile to Grandpa Clark's face. :D

Old Fashioned

We made beef stew over our woodburning stove. It was so much fun. It felt like we were living in old times. We all sat by the fire keeping warm while the stew was simmering. It tasted yummy too. Just thought I would share our old fashioned story with you all. It did save us a little bit of money too since we didn't need to use the gas stove in the kitchen and with the rising costs of gas any little bit helps. :D

As promised....

 Updated pictures of my kiddos...

Grace Face

Some recent pictures of Grace who is now 3 months old. The last picture is another "a wink and a smile" shot. You might remember this other "wink and smile". She is getting big!

Grrr.....

That is the new sound that is coming from our little Gracie girlfriend. It is so cute. She has been making all kinds of cooing noises just like she should be at her age and then today I noticed that she is growling too. She will even occasionally growl back when growled at. The rest of us are getting a real kick out of it. Sarah, Adam and Jack have been growling at her all day trying to get her to growl back. What a little darling. She is getting so big now too. I 'll post some new pictures of all my kiddos soon. Grrr...

Strawberry Shortcake

No cheating. If all of the desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose? Pick your dessert, and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you! (Sorry you can only pick one.)

a) Angel Food Cake
b) Brownies
c) Lemon Meringue
d) Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Icing
e) Strawberry Short Cake
f) Chocolate on Chocolate
g) Ice Cream
h) Carrot Cake

NOW, you cannot change your mind once you scroll down! So, think carefully what your choice will be! Now that you have made your choice, scroll down to see what research says about you!









ANGEL FOOD CAKE... Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times!

BROWNIES... You are adventurous, love new ideas, are a champion of under-dogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up, you whip out your saber. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.

LEMON MERINGUE... Smooth, sexy, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, but you have many friends.

VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING... Fun-loving,sassy, humorous. Not very grounded in life; very indecisive and lack motivation. Everyone enjoys being around you, but you are a practical joker.Others should be cautious in making you mad. However,you are a friend for life.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE... Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people and can be counted on in a pinch. You tend to melt! You can be overly emotional and annoying at times.

CHOCOLATE ON CHOCOLATE... Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious,and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside. Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

ICE CREAM... You like sports, whether it be baseball,football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

CARROT CAKE... You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm-hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends.

Zits...

Sarah has a sore under her lower lip that kinda looks like a cold sore. I was putting some lotion on it when she asked me what I thought it was. I told her it might be a cold sore but I wasn't completely sure. Then she said, "I think it is one of those things that you and Dad have." I said "What?, Zits!" "Yep" Very embarrassing but funny at the same time.

Eating Glue

You know your child is hungry when he starts to eat his older sister school work project. Sarah made this putty stuff comparable to silly putty out of glue and "this blue stuff"(her words) at school. It was pretty cool and Jack thought it was yummy too. Adam informed me that Jack was chowing down on the glue stuff that was stuck to the stir stick. YUCK! Always Jack eating things he isn't supposed too, like laundry detergent, Imodium, Tums,...all of which required calls to the poison Control Center.

Happy Birthday Jack!

 Today is Jack's 3rd Birthday! Happy birthday little man. 

It's going to be a long winter

It seems like I have been sick a lot lately. Let's see... first I got Bronchitis right before Grace was born, then I got Strep throat and a bladder infection right after she was born which was during Thanksgiving. Then during Christmas I had Mastitis really bad and had to switch antibiotics because the Walk-in-Clinic doctor knowingly wrote me a prescription for a drug that is not safe while nursing so my children's pediatrician had to write me a new script which thankfully worked wonders and was safe for Grace. So now it's the New Year and I have some kind of upper respiratory infection and have almost completely lost my voice. I have had to deal with the reinfestation of lice in Sarah's hair a few weeks ago due to classmates or cousins passing it back and forth, but I think I have finally cured us all from the lice hopefully to never see them again. I ordered a product online that has seemed to really help. And now here I am this morning trying to talk through a squeaky voice and to top it all off Jack has been up since two 0'clock this morning throwing up every 15-25 minutes. I have to give him small amounts of water every 15 minutes to keep him from getting dehydrated. And as you can probably imagine with four kids I have loads of laundry to get to today especially with this mornings vomit sheets piling up. So I must carry on with my motherly duties while following Jack around with a puke bucket. Hopefully he will be feeling better tomorrow because it is his 3rd birthday. Oh yeah and I also had a mole removed from my back a few days ago. This was actually something I was very happy about, although seeing my mole lying on the table next to me after they cut it out turned my stomach, but at least there were no visual abnormalities and so the tests should come back normal. Anyhoo, better get back to my family.... :D

A Meme...

Amie tagged me for this:

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Babysitter
2. Secretary/Payroll/Biller for a Psychologist office
3. Answered phones for a Bank
4. Scheduler/Biller for an Orthopedic Center

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. Luther
3. Jane Eyre
4. Any 80's comedy/romance

Four places you have lived:
1. Palmdale, CA
2. Columbia, TN
3. Suttons Bay, MI
4. Traverse City, MI (Beulah, MI too)

Four TV shows you love to watch :
1. Lost
2. Biggest Loser
3. Scrubs
4. King of Queens

Four places you have been on vacation: (all of these were on our 3 wk vacation Out West)
1. Texas
2. New Mexico
3. Arizona
4. California

Four websites you visit daily:
1. Amie's blog
2. Our bank's site
3. A Message Board I am a member of
4. Another Message Board I am am member of

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Seafood
2. Mushrooms
3. Homemade chicken noodle soup
4. Chinese

Four places you would rather be right now:
1. At the beach
2. Sitting down at a restaurant eating good food
3. In California visiting my family
4. On vacation in another country

2005: A Look back through my eyes

Amie tagged me for this reflection of the year 2005.

What did you do in 2005 that you've never done before? Take four kids to the grocery store ;)

Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next year? I did not have a New Years resolutions in 2005. I do however have one this year and intend to keep it.

Did anyone close to you give birth? Absolutely; Amie, Andrea, Kori, Chandra, just to name a few...

Did anyone close to you die? Kinda (he was a family friend)

What countries did you visit? None

What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
All our debts paid

What date from 2005 will remain etched in your memory and why?
Giving birth. Because I always remember those special memories.

What was your biggest achievement of the year? Making friends with a total stranger (usually I am too shy to do this)

What was your biggest failure? Allowing my daughter to get head lice. (Even though it probably really isn't my fault, I still feel like I failed)

Did you suffer illness or injury? Let's see...Bronchitis, Strep throat, bladder infection, and Mastitis

What was the best thing you bought? My patio furniture

Where did most of your money go? Electric and gas bills

What did you get really, really, really excited about? I agree with Amie here. When my sister got pregnant again after a stressful time.

What scripture is a theme of 2005? Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:25-27

Compared to this time last year are you:
a. Happier or sadder? Happier
b. Thinner or fatter? Fatter
c. Richer or poorer? About the same

What do you wish you'd done more of? Reading the Bible with the kids

What do you wish you'd done less of? Complaining

How did you spend Christmas? With family

Did you fall in love in 2005? Yes, Grace was born in '05, but I fall more in love with all my family year after year

What was your favorite TV show? Lost

What was the best book you read? Francine Rivers; Mark of the Lion Series

What was your greatest musical discovery of 2005? Huh?

What did you want and get? New comforter for my bedroom

What did you want and not get? A million dollars

What was your favorite film this year? Can't recall

What did you do on your birthday? Went out to dinner and bought maternity clothes

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Taking the kids to Disney World

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? Simple. Jeans and tee shirts

What kept you sane? My wonderful husband

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? No comment

What political issue stirred you the most? When people blamed President Bush for the Hurricane !?! (retarded)

Who did you miss? My daddy who passed away 6 years ago

Who was the best new person you met? N/A

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005. I learned to treat head lice with Licex (available online), and a vinegar wrap (to loosen the nits). And to check my kids hair everyday.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. You gotta have faith... (even though I don't like this song, it sums up my year.

Words from Adam and Jack

Last week Adam said, "Mom, may I please have some juice in my cup, cause I'm drinky".

The other day while eating dinner and responding to Dan, Jack said, "It's not a Cabby Patty Daddy (Krabby Patty from Spongebob), It's a Sloppy Jones (Sloppy Joe)".

A wink and a smile

A first time for everything

I nursed Grace in an unusual location today. She was hungry and wasn't content with my just holding her so....I sat right down on the floor in the book isle at Meijer and fed her. :D At first I felt kinda awkward, but soon relaxed since this isle is usually empty. Only a few people walked by, but I don't think they noticed a thing. It did work out great that my sister and two nieces were there. I had my cart blocking me on one side while the her girls sat by me on the other side blocking that view. Of course I had a blanket that concealed the whole thing. It was a new experience for me. I have fed my babies while sitting down at a restaurant before, but the whole sitting down on the grocery store floor thing was a whole new ball game, but I figured you gotta do what you gotta do, right? :D Grace was happy!

Lice

Yep, you read right. We had a case of lice in our family. Poor Sarah, she had them crawling all over. It was a horrible experience. Very embarrassing!! I have always thought that lice are only found on dirty children. Well...we are not dirty people. I didn't know anything about lice and so it was very overwhelming and I hadn't even begun to comb out the nits. First we had to shampoo her hair and kill all the live lice, called louse. As soon as the shampoo hit her hair they started falling out, dead. But that was only the beginning. I had to shampoo her hair two more times just to make sure we killed everything. Then came the worst part, combing out the nits. These are all the eggs, some hatched some not(yuck). The mother louse lays her eggs on the hair follicles and applies a glue like substance to attach the eggs. This glue makes it impossible to just comb out. I tried a vinegar mixture, loads of conditioner and several hours of my time trying to get these buggers out. Poor Sarah, she had to sit there for several hours a night while I combed, teased and tried to rip these disgusting things out of her hair. Finally a week later I am almost done getting the nits out. A form letter went home to every student in Sarah's class to check for lice, no one knew it was because of her though, but I was still so embarrassed. The school secretary was very nice and told me there was nothing to be embarrassed about. She said that they find cases of lice almost every winter. I remember last year when Sarah was in kindergarten I received a letter to check for lice because a case was found in the classroom. I was mortified and felt disgusted. I thought, yuck, what dirty kid came to school with lice in their hair. Well, this year it seems that my kid was the "dirty kid" with the lice, but since I know that we are not dirty, I had to rethink the way I felt about other kids with lice. I now know that all kids with lice are NOT dirty. I can totally relate to the embarrassment of thinking that other people think you are dirty. So if there is anyone out there with a case of lice I just want you to know that I know you are not dirty. Hopefully these lice don't decide to reappear and that this never happens to any of our kids ever again.

Seven Sevens

Amie tagged me so hear I go...

Seven things I hope to do before I die:
1. Get my house out of the construction/remodeling phase. *smiling*
2. Learn to cook like a chef.
3. Watch my children grow up.
4. Play with my grandchildren.
5. Live on a farm with farm animals.
6. Travel to another country besides Canada.
7. Read the Bible from cover to cover. (this should actually be further up on my list)

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Keep my floors clean for longer than an hour.
2. Keep my bedroom clean for longer than a day.
3. Sing (this is a copy from Amie's. I wish I could sing).
4. Go to long without eating or I'll have a hypoglycemia attack.
5. Anything life threatening like skydiving, etc...
6. Fit into my size 4 jeans (probably never will again)
7. Talk in front of a group of people without blushing. I'm probably turning red just thinking about it. (this one is exactly the same as Amie's)

Seven things that attract me to my spouse:
1. His lips.
2. His sense of humor.
3. The way he talks.
4. The way he loves me and the children.
5. The way he plays with the kids.
6. His strengths, both physical and mental.
7. His consistency.

Seven things I say often: (the first 5 are copies of Amie's) So true!
1. Stop that!
2. Hang on...
3. Is that how we ask?
4. Get out of the fridge!
5. I can only do one thing at a time.
6. Be quiet!
7. You're not really thirsty if you can't drink water.

Seven books or book series I love:
1. Francine Rivers - The Mark of the Lion Series
2. Francine Rivers- The Last Sin Eater
3. Francine Rivers- Redeeming Love
4. Francine Rivers- Leota's Garden
5. Charlotte Bronte- Jane Eyre
6. Little House on the prairie series - Laura Ingalls Wilder
7. Love Comes Softly/ Canadian West Series' - Janette Oak

Seven movies I would watch over and over again:
1. Jane Eyre
2. Luther
3. Peter Pan
4. Phantom of the Opera
5. The Princess Bride
6. Stand by Me
7. Pretty much any 80's comedy/romance

Seven people I want to join in this Seven Sevens meme
I don't know seven people who read my blogs often so, anyone wanting to do it go on ahead :D

Happy Holidays!

Clark's Thanksgiving 2005

Well, we were supposed to have Thanksgiving with extended family like we usually do for every Thanksgiving, and this year was going to be at Dan's aunt's house, but...I got SICK! That's right, just before Thanksgiving. Here's a quick version of the story: Monday I started feeling sick right before I picked Sarah up from the bus stop. My throat was hurting, and my neck and head. I just felt like crap. Then Tuesday was WAY worse. I tried to sleep all day but my whole body just felt horrible. I felt like I was moving around with a bubble for a head. Then Wednesday was the even WORSE. I couldn't even talk. Sarah didn't have school which was wonderful because I could barely get out of bed. Sometime mid-morning I decided to look down my throat and sure enough I saw white blisters all over, then I checked my temperature and found I had a fever, so I decided to go to the doctors where they told me I had Strep-throat. YAY! Thankfully the medicine they put me on starting clearing the infection up just in time for the day after Thanksgiving sales!! Which by the way I went to for the first time ever, and all by myself, and I will NEVER to it again (that is another story). Oh yeah I forgot to mention I had a bladder infection also (which is another story), but the antibiotic for the strep cleared that up as well. I feel pretty good now, but not 100% better. Now Jack is sick with a fever, runny nose, and crusty eyes. Poor guy! I hope this illness clears out before Christmas and doesn't return for a loooonnnggg time. The upside to that story is that we had our own little Thanksgiving, just the six of us with turkey and everything. It was wonderful!

Well, that was how our Thanksgiving went. Hope everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving all!!

20 Random Things...

Amie tagged me so here's my list:

1. Having four kids is as natural to me as having two. (I love it!)
2. My newborn daughter smiled at me during her first week of life. (I chose not to believe it was gas)
3. I make chicken tacos for dinner atleast once every week.
4. Sometimes the boys stay in there pj's all day because I am too lazy to get them dressed.
5. I drive my oldest daughter to the bus stop that is only 1 block away because I am too lazy to walk her there. (plus it's getting too cold now)
6. I get excited when I can fit all the days dirty dishes in the dishwasher at once.
7. I look forward to getting mail even if it is junk mail.
8. I get even more excited when I get emails.
9. I, like Amie, breastfeed one handed while typing on the computer.
10. I hate grocery shopping.
11. I don't really like to cook, but wish I was a chef.
12. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I get all the laundry done in one day. (I have to start the first load early in the morning in order for this to happen)
13. Sometimes I don't take a shower every day, when I am lazy.
14. I can't decide if I want to get my hair cut again or let it grow out. (this has been an ongoing decision for years now)
15. I suffer from migraines (this is a self diagnosis, but I am pretty sure it is a correct one)
16. I have recently discovered that caffiene is one trigger for my migraines. (this sucks because I love COKE, which leads me to #17)
17. I prefer Coke to Pepsi.
18. I am one that people honk at during the winter because I drive really slow.
19. I feel like my newborn is not so new anymore and she is not even two weeks old yet.
20. I am so happy with my family and wouldn't mind growing some more. (maybe in a year though) :D

Wow, that list was easier than I thought. I could even add more, but won't for now. Anyway, I don't know who to tag...let me see, I don't know who else reads my blogs so I tag Beth and Heather.

My four beauties...

Introducing...

Grace Anne was born Friday, November 4, 2005 @ 11:03 am. She weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and was 20 inches long. Thank you Amie for posting an announcement for me the day Grace was born. Click this link for more pictures of Grace and the rest of the gang. I will get my birth story posted soon. :D

Update

Nothing too big to post but here goes, I am now...ta da....2 cm dilated (up 1/2 cm from two weeks ago) BIG DEAL! 90% effaced and +1 station, which again was the same as two weeks ago. The midwife stripped my membranes and pulled my cervix forward (this was very painful) in hopes to get things started. Usually if it is going to work however it will work within 24 hours. I had the same thing done when I was pregnant with Sarah and it didn't work, so I am not holding my breath this time. The only difference is that I am overdue this time and wasn't with Sarah so maybe it will work. I will just have to wait and see. I am cramping and have a little "show" since the exam which is what she wanted to happen but we will see if things progress or not. I am going in tomorrow evening for a Non-stress test and we will decide then about an induction unless I have changed some then she will break my water right there and admit me to L&D. She did also say that if I am contracting tonight even at 10 minutes apart to come in and she will check me again and if I have made any progress then she will break my water tonight. So pray that my little peanut is ready to come out. Also, I gained 2 pounds, so that puts my weight gain up to 17 pounds, which is hopefully not due to the increase in the baby's weight, I am really starting to get nervous about having a baby bigger than Jack. Hopefully my next post will be a birth announcement. :D

**Sigh**

Still here! Just a quick update for anyone checking up on me. Nothing happening yet, but hopefully soon! I am now 40 wks 2 days. Which I can't complain too much since I have friends who have gone way over that mark. We shall see! :D I have started holding my breath already though!!

40 weeks, still here!

Well, today is my offical due date, but of course I am here blogging that I am still here. I know, I know, I still have the rest of the day, but after last night with some contractions every 10 minutes, I started to get excited and thought maybe I would have her in my arms in the morning. Well it's the morning and she's not in my arms, in fact she is still comfortable in my belly kicking the crap out of me. I was going to try and stick to my "not going to hold my breath until after saturday" statement but I just don't think I can do that anymore. After being up for several hours last night and finally calling the midwife to ask a couple of questions we decided that I should wait until my contractions were five minutes apart to come in and get checked. So what happens? The contractions never make it to five minutes and I fall asleep. I figured as much since the contractions I was having were probably just strong Braxton Hicks at best. I mean, I know they were contractions but they weren't the real shocker ones I am use to that tell me that I am really in labor. So I will sit here holding my breath until she arrives. Hopefully I won't have to wait that long I don't think I can handle it. I am getting really excited for her to be born and I just can't help it! :D

Disappointed

Well, I was supposed to have an appointment today to check and see if I really had dilated this time, maybe to a 1-3/4 or maybe more...(wishful thinking), but my appointment was cancelled. My mid-wife is delivering a baby today and since she likes to be with her patients the entire time, not knowing how long that would be, she had to cancel her appointments for the day. Now this I totally understand because if I have my baby during the week then a few other women will have their appointments cancelled as well. What makes me so disappointed is that I am not going to have an appointment at all this week and I am due on Saturday. I was really hoping to find out some good news today, but now I must wait until past my due date for my next appointment. By then I will be four days overdue. I know, I know, I could end up having this baby before then, which I really hope happens, but I really wanted one more appointment if just to hear the heart beat. Oh well, what can you do. She could see me on Friday evening since that is when all her patients from today have been rescheduled, but it was late in the evening and she isn't feeling really well (according to the secretary) and has been in the hospital every day since Saturday delivering babies. I for one think she needs a little break so I opted not to take the latest appointment on Friday and wait until next Wednesday. Afterall, I do want her on top of her game when I go in to have my baby :D I just can't help but feel like I am going to end up seeing her next Wednesday and that makes me disappointed, but maybe by then we can schedule an induction and I will have an end in sight. Well, that is it for now. That is my little depressing vent...but I am still not holding by breath until I past Saturday (my due date).

10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

5 days until my due date. Nothing new to post. I have an appointment this Wednesday to get checked again, probably to find myself at 1 -3/4 cm dilated. Teehee! Still not holding my breath until I pass Saturday which is my due date. Better start thinking about rubbing that big toe of mine! :D

Climbing a tree on the grass?

The boys were outside today riding their bikes, enjoying the few nice days we have left before the snow falls, when Jack decided to go off roading, So he spun the wheels of his tractor on the grass and took off. I watched them while enjoying the fresh air. Anyway, to the point, Jack jumped off his tractor onto the grass and said, "Momma, I climbing a tree". Of course I was confused and didn't really think I would get a straight answer from him since he is only 2 1/2. Humoring him I asked, "What do you mean?" So he showed me. He bent over and began crawling on his hands and feet, it really looked like he was acting the part of climbing, then he sat down cross-legged and smiled at me. I was searching around for answers when I realized that he was sitting right on the shadow of the tree in our back yard. He really did climb that tree! He actually climbed the shadow of the tree trunk and then sat down in the shadow of the leaves. Sometimes I under estimate the power of a child's mind. Imagination...it's a beautiful thing. :D

"The New Pledge of Allegiance"

I got this in an email from my uncle and thought I would share:

Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer are not allowed in most public schools anymore Because the word "God" is mentioned.... A kid in Arizona wrote the attached NEW School prayer. I liked it....

Now I sit me down in school Where praying is against the rule For this great nation under God Finds mention of Him very odd. If Scripture now the class recites, It violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow Becomes a Federal matter now. Our hair can be purple, orange or green, That's no offense; it's a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice. For praying in a public hall Might offend someone with no faith at all. In silence alone we must meditate, God's name is prohibited by the state. We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks. They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible. To quote the Good Book makes me liable. We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King. It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong, We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong. We can get our condoms and birth controls, Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles. But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, No word of God must reach this crowd. It's scary here I must confess, When chaos reigns the school's a mess. So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; My soul please take! Amen If you aren't ashamed to do this, please pass this on. Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father."

Very True :D

Dilation?

Not exactly. Today was another weekly prenatal exam and I had the mid-wife do another exam to see if I had changed any from last week. Last week I was closed tight, but had some softening of my cervix. Today, well today was confusing. She said "Well, you do feel different...but...I am gonna say a one." So in my mind there isn't much change. I mean she couldn't even say "one" without hesitation. So I sit here with a lousy "one". At least I am not due until the end of the month so I still have time to dilate. I won't hold my breath until then. She is still measuring small and no weight gain again. I am excited to hopefully be having a small baby this time. The mid-wife also said she thinks this one is facing up which means back labor for me unless she turns around. So hopefully she turns around and comes on or before her due date weighing no more than 8 lbs. I might be dreaming!! :D

Weekly Appointments!

Yay! I am now down to my weekly mid-wife appointments, and today was the beginning of those. I had my Strep-B test done and was checked for dilation. But all I can say about this appointment is that I am glad I went in thinking nothing has happened because... nothing has happened. I have dropped so that is good and baby's head is way, way down there. (This is how I carried all my kids in the last trimester). The mid-wife was very shocked to find the baby's head so far down, but my cervix was closed tight. I have also slightly thinned out which is probably cause for the pain I've been having the past couple of weeks, but my cervix is not ready to give way just yet. I am 36 wks 4 days today and I measured at 35 centimeters. And, like my appointment two weeks ago, I didn't gain any weight again. Which makes sense since I am sick and my appetite is almost non-existent. The mid-wife thinks the baby is about 6 pounds and that I may end up having a small baby afterall, Yipee! I do have 3 1/2 wks until my due date, so there's plenty of time for baby to grow more, but I am hoping that she stays small. It would be so much fun to have a little baby for a change. So until next weeks appointment I will be trying to get over this yucky cough and maybe do some walking and try to get my cervix to dilate, but I will definitely not hold my breath.

UGH!

I just got back from the doctor's. No, I'm not in labor, however I would trade this for that. For the past couple of weeks the entire household has been sick, mainly coughing, but some running noses as well. I started taking Robitussin DM to help break up the mucus in my lungs since my cough was just hanging around. Well, last night I coughed so much I think I pulled a muscle in my tummy. OUCH! Then this morning I woke up with crap in both eyes and they were red, just like pink eye. So fed up I decided to head to the doc's where he diagnosed me with Acute Bronchitis (viral not bacterial), mild conjunctivitis (pink-eye), and something I haven't had since I was a baby, Otitis Media with Effusion (middle ear-infection). All this from a simple virus that started three weeks ago. UGH! what is wrong with me. I only have four weeks until my due date and instead of being excited about the upcoming birth of our fourth child and having fun setting up baby things and doing last minute stuff for her arrival, I am run down on the couch feeling like crap. And to top it all off ,since I am pregnant, I am limited to which medications I can take. So he prescribed Amoxicillin and advised the continued use of the Robitussin DM, use of a humidifier, rest and plenty of fluids. And since the Bronchitis is viral there is not much they can do but let the virus run it's course (that and the Robitussin), and the conjunctivitis is only mild so no eye drops, it should clear on it's own soon. So the Amoxicillin is for my ear infection which is what concerned him most. It's funny too because my ear never hurt, nor does it now. I do feel some drainage so my ears are itchy, but no pain. Anyway, I hope I can kick this thing in the butt soon so I can finish getting things ready for the baby. I hate feeling like this. URRGGH!!

36 wks aka 9 months

According to Adam part 2

Last night Adam had some growing pains so I sat on his bed with him and rubbed his legs. We starting talking about life. It was so cute. I was telling him why he gets these growing pains and he was fascinated with the growing process. However he was confused about one thing regarding his growth for I had just cut his hair the day before. Now you may not understand this fully, but if I can explain it like he explained it to me you will see the point. So here goes...Adam: But mom, how can I have growing pains when you cut my hair? Me: What do you mean? Adam: I can't grow bigger cause you cut my hair and that makes me shorter. (Explanation) According to Adam getting your hair cut stunts your growth. :D Teehee! I explained to him that getting your hair cut does not stop you from growing and that his hair will quickly grow back, and that we will continue to cut it and he will continue to grow. Once again kids can be so silly and cute!

Five weeks and counting!

Today I am 35 weeks pregnant, which leaves only 5 remaining weeks until our little peanut is born. Well, hopefully only 5 weeks. At my last mid-wife appointment she guessed her weight to be about 5 lbs so if I go over I will probably have a big baby again. NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT! Right now going the way things are I should have a nice 8 lb baby, according to the mid-wife. An 8 lb baby is fine by me, I know it sounds kinda big still, but not compared to 10 lbs. Although 7 lbs would be even better, but that probably won't happen, so we will just have to wait and see. So far I have gained 15 lbs., which is already close to the weight I gained with Sarah and she turned out to be 7 lb 14 oz. I gained a total of 18 lbs with Sarah, so with 5 weeks remaining I am likely to go over that weight gain, putting me in the range an 8 lb baby, hopefully! With Adam I gained 20 lbs (he was born 8 lb 2 oz) and with Jack it was 26 lbs (he was born 9 lb 13 oz) so I am getting close to those weight gains as well. If I pork out these last 5 weeks I can probably expect another 10 lb baby, but hopefully not anymore then 10 lbs. It would be so nice to have a small baby this time but what can you do as long as she is healthy. Now I am just waiting for the nesting to kick in so I can get all my stuff reading before she arrives, I have loads of stuff to do and with the recent shower I had I have more awesome stuff to get organized. Yipee, the fun begins...

Chipped tooth

Man oh man, if it's not one thing it's another around here. It seems like this is the year of injuries surrounding the Clark Clan. This time the injured would be Sarah. Yesterday was Football Sunday and Dan has the NFL Sunday ticket so sometimes we have company over after church to watch the games. This means friends for the kids to play with. I was down stairs visiting with the adults and the kids are upstairs in the playroom or so I thought. Instead they were in the room next to the office that our treadmill is in. Luckily they didn't turn the thing on or things might have been worse. I heard her cries and felt compelled to run instead of walk which is what I usually do since their injuries are usually not as bad as they think. I knew by her cries that this time was different. Apparently, her cousin,a friend and her were on the treadmill and her cousin started walking. Even though the machine is electric and wasn't plugged in you can still turn the belt with your feet which is what happened only Sarah was unaware at the time and her legs were forced out from under her. She fell face first into something I am not sure what and skinned her chin, bit through both sides of her tongue and you guessed it... chipped her tooth. Thankfully the chipped tooth turned out to be a baby tooth that she will soon loose anyway. Her tongue is a little swollen so she was talking funny this morning while getting ready for school, but she'll live. She had me put a band-aid on her chin to hide the scrape. The frustrating part now is this all happened just in time for school pictures. Isn't that the way it always goes though, the kids get scraped up just when you are wanted to get pictures done. Hopefully by Thursday "Picture Day" things will look a little better, she just has to remember not to smile too big, lest we get a good shot of her chipped tooth. :D It really isn't that bad though, poor thing, she will be rid of it soon enough.

Finished a series...

By my favorite author, Francine Rivers. It was the Mark of the Lion Series: A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, and As Sure as the Dawn. I loved, loved, loved the series. She is by far my favorite writer. This series has made my count now up to five completed novels by her. I highly recommend her books to anyone. Great stories of God love and wonderful romances. Now I can't wait or decide for that matter which book I am going to start reading next. I guess I will make a trip to the library and see which one is in. :D

He did it!

Well, Jack is finally potty trained. It has taken quite a bit longer then it did with Sarah and Adam, and he is older too, but at least he is done. Just in time before the new baby arrives too. Now I know that an accident may be waiting around the corner, but for the most part I consider him fully potty trained. He has slept through the night for almost a week now without wetting the bed. I haven't bought pull-ups for a month now, so he has been keeping his undies dry. Yeah for Jack! I am still working on getting him to tell me that he needs to go to the bathroom, for now I am watching him closely for signs and signals when it is time to go. He grabs his front for potty time and his butt for poop time. :D At least I don't have to clean up anymore messy underware. What a big boy. Way to go Jack!!

A day of firsts...

Well, yesterday was Sarah's first day of first grade. She was very excited about that. She can't wait to get assigned homework! Can you believe that? After a few more years in school she will regret she ever said that. :D Yesterday was a first for Adam as well, for it was the first time he or any of my children for that matter was stung by a bee. Rotten bees are taking over my back yard. It is bad enough they chase me around the yard while mowing the lawn. I have on several occasions abandoned the lawn mower to escape the aggressive buggers. Now they have the nerve to sting my kids! Thankfully he died at the heel of a friend who came to Adam's aid. I tried the old mud pack trick that my dad tried on me after being bitten by an ant, I swore at the time it really worked, but I think it is really a placebo pack. :D Adam eventually discovered the mud was not working properly anymore, and so I cleaned it with a bee sting wipe I found in our first aid kit, slapped a band-aid on it and it was good to go. Needless to say, Adam is not allergic to bee stings and Sarah is not so afraid of them anymore since she witnessed first hand that Adam did not die from being stung. Thus ending our day of firsts.

*Quick update on Jack: His doctor appointment revealed a definite abnormality in his x-ray but no definite diagnosis as of yet. They wish to see him in a month to recheck with new x-rays. They could neither confirm nor deny the presence of a fracture or greenstick fracture, which is what they are assuming that it is. However, they chose to remove his splint and not re-cast it since children get muscle atrophy quickly and she wanted him to try and walk on it until his next appointment. He still favors his foot and when he over-does it he will sit down and scoot on his butt to get around. His foot is still a little swollen, but not as bad as before. So I am still confused as to the cause and diagnosis of his injury. So until next month I shall remain with unanswered questions.

The Greenstick Fracture

Well, it seems that our little Jack loves taking trips to the emergency room. This time it wasn't the ER, but an Urgent Care Clinic affiliated with the local hospital. It all started yesterday afternoon while I was mowing the lawn. I stopped to come in for a drink of water and heard Jack crying. I knew by the way he cried that he was really hurt, it wasn't the usual "kiss my booboo mommy, it hurts" or the "Ouch, I need a band-aid" cry, it was the "I am seriously hurt" cry. I found him curled up in a ball in the corner of Sarah's room. There were Sarah and Adam just coloring away next to him. I said "Why didn't somebody come and get me?" Sarah said, "I don't know" I guess since I told the kids that unless it was an emergency not to interrupt me while mowing the lawn so I could finish faster. She apparently thought Jack's cries were of the usual reasons stated above. When I asked what happened, both Sarah's and Adam's stories were pretty consistent, but very vague. I thought to wait it out because our kids are always hurting themselves and within an hour or two if not seriously injured they would forget that got hurt in the first place. So he exhausted himself from crying and fell asleep on the couch while I massaged the foot that he pointed out to me that hurt. A few hours later and a completely mowed lawn I came back in and Jack was just waking up so I watched him to see if he would still favor that leg. He did, he tried to crawl off the couch and the moment he touched his foot on the floor he cried out in pain. I took him back on the couch again and examined his foot, this time it started to look swollen so I decided to take him to the doctor, afterall, better to be safe then sorry right? So I thought they would tell me that it was bruised pretty bad, but he would be fine. Instead after 3 x-rays all of which looked normal, the doctor informed me it might possibly be fractured. I was confused, I mean how could he think it might be fractured if the x-rays revealed nothing. That is when he told me about the Greenstick Fracture. He showed me an area on the x-ray that concerned him and that area was consistent with the area of swelling and tenderness of Jack's foot. So now he must see a specialist to confirm the diagnosis and treatment. For now Jack is in a splint made up of a partial cast and ace bandages. Dan with his brilliant mind got his garage chair on wheels out and strapped Jack down since he can not walk on his cast and now I won't have to carry him around all day.

I DID IT!

I past my 3 hour Gestational Diabetes test. Yipee for me! It was the most horrible experience (well, maybe not most horrible, but pretty darn bad). I didn't realize that I had to get my blood drawn right when I got there, then drink the really strong "orange pop" then get my blood drawn every hour after that for three hours. So I got poked four times and since they couldn't find a good vein in my left arm they drew everything from my right which left me with four holes. I did get some good reading done and it really helped pass the time. It left me kinda drained, but at least I past. There's one less thing to worry about this pregnancy. Oh! and my mid-wife said my sugar levels were so low, she was shocked. It makes me wonder why I didn't pass the 1 hour. Oh well, it's all over now. *sigh* :D

Offically in the two weeks...

Well, as the title stated I am offically in the two weeks portion of my pregnancy. I just had my last monthly appointment with my mid-wife yesterday and all checked out great. Now I start the appointments every two weeks, then down to once a week up until the baby is born. I just can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone. I mean I still have a ways to wait yet and I am no where near the "count down", but I am already 7 months pregnant! It seems like yesterday I was squinting to see a big fat positive test result. We still haven't decided on a name yet and so the saga continues...But like I mentioned before everything checked out great at my appointment yesterday. I am growing like I should and the doctor was suprised at how well she could make out babies parts. She showed me where she felt the head and arms and legs. It was incredible even though every part I felt, felt exactly the same. So I guess since baby seems to be healthy at this point in time as far as we can tell, we shall worry about the name later. I am sure it will come to us and we will finally agree like we did with the other three. Another hurdle I must face comes tomorrow morning in the form of a 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test. Since I didn't pass my 1 hour with flying colors I must subject my health to the 3 hour nightmare. It isn't so much drinking the "orange pop" in five minutes part that bothers me. It's the waiting to have your blood drawn part. I was bored out of my mind with the 1 hour and now I must return to sit in the waiting area for 3 hours and get my blood drawn every hour. But since I don't want to push out a 15 pound baby, that would most definetly be the case if I had Gestational Diabetes and left it untreated, I will grin a bare it. I've got my Voice in the Wind book by Francine Rivers to bring tomorrow to help pass the time. So I'm off...

ER scare...

Last night I woke up to the cries of my youngest, Jack. He was calling me crying and I could tell his breathing was labored. I ran in a grabed his clamy body and ran back to Dan. I called 911 because he was having so much trouble breathing I was flipping out. I hung up though before they answered because Dan said he would drive him to ER since it is less then 3 minutes from our house. I would have had to stay since our other two kids were sleeping. Well, once you finish dialing that last "1" the operator will call you back to make sure all is fine. So I told him what was going on and since the Fire Department is two blocks away they arrived in about 30 sec. His blood oxygen level wasn't looking to good and he had a terrible "barking-seal-like" cough. They all agreed he had "CROUPE" and said he should probably be taking to ER for a breathing treatment since his breathing was so labored. So I took him while Dan stayed with the kids. They did chest x-rays, two breathing treatments, and an oral steroid medicine to open his airways. I was there about 2 hours and they sent us home with an RX for the steroid for the next 3 days. So he was offically diagnosed with croupe which sounds scarier then it is. He blood oxygen level increased by the time we left so they were happy about that. My nerves were on edge the rest of the night and I checked on him every hour as he sleep. He is feeling better this morning so I am relieved. Last time I had to call 911 was for my oldest when she was 10 months old and had a febrile seizure due to a severe urinary tract infection. Scary, scary, scary to have to call 911. I am sure some of you have been there before. I never want to go there again, but I am glad that I live so close to the hospital in cases like these.

A child's prayer

I overheard this prayer from our daughter Sarah before bed:

Dear God,
Thank you for the ups and downs, the lefts and rights, and the straights and backwards...Amen

Now if only we as adults could be so thankful. I often times only thank God for the good in life, forgetting about the hard times that I should be grateful for as well, since it is through these hard times that we grow stronger. So with that, I second my daughters prayer. Thank you God for the ups and downs the lefts and rights and the straights and backwards! AMEN!

Grown-up words

Yesterday Adam said, "By the way...", but before he could continue his thought, Sarah interrupted with, "Hey Adam, did you know that 'by the way...' is what grown ups say? So you're gonna be a daddy soon!" It was so cute, I just had to laugh, apparently this phrase is only to be used by grown-ups and in order for Adam to be a grown-up he has to be a daddy. Kids....gotta love 'em.

Finished another Novel...

by Francine Rivers, entitled Redeeming Love, Wow! What an amazing love story. This is a must read in my opinion. It is based on the book of Hosea from the Bible. It is a beautiful portrayal of God's redeeming love. Not to mention the love the characters share in this novel. WOW! that is pretty much all I can say. It has given me a stronger love pull for my dear hubby, if you know what I mean, but maybe it is because he has been gone for a week to a youth summer camp from church. Whatever ever the case, I can't wait for him to get home, I miss him sooo much, as do the kids! He comes home today, I am counting down the hours until I pick him up at church, and share this romance novel with him. :D

Embarrassing moment

Last weekend we had a grill out with some friends at our house. Adam disappeared for awhile so I knew he must be in the bathroom taking care of business. After several minutes he popped his head out the back door and called at me to come over. I refused because I was talking at the moment and told him I would be there in a sec... Well, apparently he didn't have a sec to wait so he opened the door and came hobbling out with his pants and underwear down around his ankles. He told me he had an accident in his underwear and proceeded to show me the mess. I was so embarrassed for him and rushed him into the house. Everyone was laughing and thought it was so cute. Dan ran into to help him and make sure he wasn't embarrassed and make him understand that he can't just walk out of the house half naked. Our friends who have 3 girls and are expecting their first boy, just two days before our baby girl arrives, said "Well, at least now we know what to expect from boys". I said "Yep, that's a boy for ya!" :D

No Imagination

Yesterday I was at my monthly pre-natal office visit and the mid-wife was letting my kids hear the new baby's heartbeat. They all just stood there and stared at the doppler machine in amazement, so the mid-wife says "What do you guys think?" They just stared in silence. So she asks, "Does it sound like a horse gallopping?" Their heads shake "No", "Does it sound like a washing machine?" Again their heads shake "No", "Does it sound like a helicopter?" Still they shake their heads "No", Finally she asks with a friendly smile, "Well, what does it sound like?" and Adam pipes up "A heartbeat" saying it was such knowledge. I burst into laughter and said, "Sorry, my kids don't have an imagination" and we both had a good chuckle about it. :D

By the way, the rest of my appointment went great and everything is growing properly. I was 24wks 4days the day of the appointment and I measured at 25 so I am right on target for my due date still. The mid-wife was alittle upset that I only gained 2 lbs. since my last appointment cause she wanted me to gain 10?!? Whatever, I think I am doing fine. This weight gain has brought me up to 12 1/2 lbs. which I think is excellent, but since I lost 5 1/2 lbs in the beginning (throwing up) she thinks of it only as a 7 lb weight gain, which again I think is just fine. I say the more weight you gain, the more you have to loose after you give birth. Besides, I am doing nothing to keep any weight off, I eat when I should (which is whenever I am hungery, which is all the time) and the only exercise that I have been getting is mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, cleaning house, and chasing my kids around. So I think I am doing just fine. She (my mid-wife) did say I look like a million bucks, just not a plumb million bucks I guess :D

Our growing Garden, My growing Belly

This is me at 24wks 4days

You can tell I was taking my own picture using my reflexion in the mirror, a very dirty mirror I might add. :D

I think I know a thing or two about kids!

While working in the church nursery this past Sunday, I was reminded by a teen helper that I might want to get some water for the kids since eating graham crackers makes kids very thirsty. They're kinda dry you know. Something inside of me wanted to scream and say "Ya, I think I know a thing or two about kids since I will soon have 4 of them", but I just bit my tongue and smiled. This is not the first time I have heard little reminders about what kids like, what they need, how to do this and that. It comes from all different people too. I have to step back and wonder if they know I have kids or just think I am stupid. Ah well, I guess these things will happen all my life so I just have to get used to them or think of a really smart remark to say back :D

What does pink smell like?

Well according to Adam, pink smells like eraser. :D He found one of Sarah's big pink school erasers in her closet today, smelled it and determined, that since it is pink and has a unique smell, that it must be the way that pink smells. I tell ya, I could sit here all day and just watch my kids play, smiling inside at how cute they are. It seems like something new is made up and floats from their minds out of their mouths all the time. It is so darn cute!

Why is it that...

Whenever we go out to eat with the kids grandma and her husband, the waiter always thinks they are the parents, and not Dan and I? Can somebody please tell me why this happens? I am sitting there next to Dan (with my pregnant belly I might add) surrounded by my kids looking at the kids menu trying to decide what to get them, when the waiter comes up and asks grandma what she would like to order the kiddies! I never get angry about it, it just strikes me awkward. This always happens though. I mean, I know we may look young and of course grandma and her husband look young too, definitely not like "old grandma" look, but when will I look old enough to have almost four kids now. I'm 26 years old, how old do they think I am? I can't look 16 or something, and Dan sure doesn't look any younger then he is, in my opinion. So why? Of course this is the highest complement for grandma and her husband because it reaffirms their "youthfulness" :D so cool beans for them, but what about me! The only time this doesn't happen is if it's just us with the kids eating out. I guess then we are the only obvious choice!! Does this happen to anybody else or are we the lucky ones? :D