Really?

Sometimes I just want to say to God, "Really?"  This is one of those times.  Today when we found out that Addison's x-rays had come back abnormal and indicative of the same basilar invagination that Hope has, I just wanted to question God.  I know better.  Really I do.  I know that all things work for the good of those who love him.  I know that there will be good that comes from this situation.  But right now, I'm not seeing it.  These precious angels have been so much in their short little lives, and now this?  Really?  Yes, I'm thankful that I have that stubborn streak that didn't allow me to give up finding answers.  Yes, I'm thankful that I asked if Addie was at risk due to the identical twin status.  I think I knew what the answer would be, even if it wasn't "typically" hereditary.  Ignorance was bliss for awhile.  Now reality sets in.  We are fortunate to have such amazing family & friends who I know would do anything to help.  Their love and support has already been phenomenal.  For that I am eternally grateful.  Now we have to face this head on, ask for help when we need it, and accept help when it's offered. 

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  Romans 12:12  This is my constant prayer...

Thanksgiving

December 1?  Really?  When did this happen?  And how is it possible that I have not purchased more than a handful of gifts, and none of those are anything grand?  I think it's time to get my rear in gear.  So in order to avoid the ridiculous stress that this fact is going to bring, I'll just go back to Thanksgiving...

We had a great time.  Here's the spread:

We had all the typical Thanksgiving-y stuff:  turkey, ham, mashed potatoes/gravy, sweet potatoes, dressing, corn, green beans, rolls, garlic salad, etc.  The list could go on nearly forever.  And that doesn’t even include the pies.  Too bad I didn’t bother taking a picture of those.  They were really, really good.  I think I’m still attempting to work off the calories I ingested that day. 

Thursday afternoon brought a new Zoe the dog holiday experience as well.  Jonathan & I went to his house to gather up the Wii and came home to a possum in the yard.  While we were questioning whether or not it was alive, we sent Zoe to check it out.  She stood nose to nose with the stupid thing for the longest time…until it tipped over.  I’ve never seen a possum make the decision to play dead.  It was such a gentle descent.  At that point, we told Zoe to get it, and she did.  Vigorously.  She’d obviously been through the drill before, because she’d shake it, then look at us to see if she was supposed to continue or not.  Eventually we had to chase her off of it so the family hunter could “take care of” the possum.  It’s always an adventure. 

We had a warmer day on Saturday to spend some time at the creek.  There was a lot of playing for the kiddos and some wood-cutting for the men.  We had a nice fire and were exhausted by the time we got home.  It was a good kind of tired.  At this particular family fun time, Zoe dug out and devoured a nest of field mice.  It was disgusting, but kind of fun to watch.  All us girls had a great time. 

Gary, on the other hand, missed out on all this fun.  He had a “Wild Hogs” type getaway with some of his friends.  Thank goodness they didn’t come home on motorcycles and wearing black leather (although I’m still not sure that couldn’t happen next time).  He came home maybe more obnoxious than when he left.  I didn’t think that was possible. :)  I know he had a great time and is looking forward to the next trip.  I hope all the other boys did too! :)

And now I try to prepare for the endless things going on between now and Christmas.  The list begins in earnest next Thursday and continues daily for several days.  When am I ever going to start/finish my Christmas shopping??? 

CMH

I was reminded yesterday, and then told Hope the stories, of some of our previous trips to CMH.  I remember Hope's first return visit to CMH for a check-up.  Papa drove us so I could sit in the back with Hope and her oxygen tank, etc.  She did great until we hit I-35/67th Street, at which point she began screaming.  That pretty much continued until we got to the hospital.  Addie, on the other hand, took a different approach on her many follow-up visits.  She was a fantastic traveller.  It was when we exited the parking garage elevators and entered into the lobby that she began screaming.  It happened every time we got there.  I still contend it was the familiar lighting.  I know that sounds odd, but I truly believe she associated the fluorescent lights with some unpleasant baby memories.  Now, for me, I never screamed on the way there. Well, not outwardly, anyway.  I will admit, however, that yesterday brought a fresh batch of memories back, most of which aren't great.  It was when we got to WDAF at the top of the hill (if you've been there, you know exactly where I mean) that my stomach started to cramp.  Nausea hit.  I wasn't sick, just heart-sick.  No matter how many times I visit CMH, I will always be left with the scary, gut-wrenching, heart-ripping memories. 

As for Hope, she's a mystery.  The neurologist admitted yesterday that she is going to have to do some research on what could be causing Hope's shoulder/neck muscle tightness.  She'll be having an x-ray and an MRI in the upcoming weeks which will then hopefully lead us in the right direction.  Prayers are definitely appreciated. 

Eight?

It's true.  Those teeny, tiny, puny, stubborn little babies of eight years ago have officially grown up into some pretty amazing young ladies.  I don't know how it happened.  Or when.  Have I aged eight years?  I think not.  Maybe I'm just improving with age...

Anyway.  We had a fantastically full birthday weekend for the girlies.  We spent Saturday afternoon (their actual birthday) at the 810 Zone in Leawood.  Who would've guessed that these three girly-girls would choose anywhere sporty as their birthday meal?  Not me.  And no, their dad hasn't rubbed off on them that much.  (Thank goodness!)  Somehow they just fell in love with the place, so that's where we went.  We took both sets of grandparents as well.  I'm pretty sure that was a new experience for them too.  We stopped at the Cheesecake Factory on our way home for some birthday cheesecake.  Yes, you read right.  I didn't have to make birthday cakes this year.  I did a happy dance.  They ended up spending the night with Meme & Papa that night, so that wasn't all bad either.

Sunday we took off for Manhattan...Kansas.  For whatever reason, and I have no idea what it is, Manhattan has become their new favorite place to visit.  They did get to spend time with Kerri, who made them dance for their birthday presents.  I like her style.  Every kid needs to do that.  On a side note, I very vividly remember putting on the elephant trunk masks and sniffing the baseboards in the basement for a Christmas gift.  Don't remember what the gift was, though...  Guess that says something about the process being better than the end result.  But I digress...  Sunday.  Manhattan.  We took in the K-State Marching Band's concert that evening.  That, by the way, was out of this world fun!  If you ever get the chance to hear them play inside, go.  Do it.  You might come out talking a little more loudly than usual, but it'll pass.  From there we went out to supper with some friends, who were brave enough to eat with the wild things.  Once, anyway.  We may never see them again now.  We spent the night in Manhattan and allowed the girls a day off of school the following day.  I'm thinking that should get us "Parents of the Year" honors, don't you?  I spent the ENTIRE morning in the Manhattan mall with the girls.  FYI, not my idea of a fun shopping trip.  Came home after a great lunch and dropped.

It was a fun weekend, and Hope tells me she wants to spend every birthday in Manhattan.  I'm just not sure about that.  Strange, though, that we're going to be spending my birthday next month in her favorite place.  How did this happen?  I have no idea...

Before I forget…

Yeah, I know.  Two blogs in one day?  Outrageous!  I just couldn’t resist sharing these get well cards that the girls created for Papa.  Hope’s is at the top.  Her picture is sweet.  Her sisters’ card, on the other hand, is slightly more disgusting.  I think I’ll just let you figure it out.  There are really some things that do not need to be described.  You’ll have to look very closely to read the speech bubbles, but it’s totally worth the trouble.  Obviously their mama does not do these kinds of drawings…but Papa can certainly appreciate it! :)

 

October? Wow!

I’m a poor excuse for a blogger.  Please forgive me…  I’ll do better.

Now that I have that out of the way, the fun can begin.  We’ve actually had a pretty good couple of months.  Gary has been to several KSU football games.  And yes, I’m expecting an impressive birthday gift for tolerating all this single-parenting! :)  I’ve even been taken to a couple of them, so I’m not totally left out!  The girlies have started their fall piano lessons again.  Monday they played their first “recital” for their piano teacher and me on the grand piano (I was jealous – I’d love to sit at that piano and play for hours!).  They did a great job and are going to play for their class at school next week.  They’re actually pretty excited about that, so I’m thrilled!  They’re surviving school, and even enjoying it to some degree (although they’d never admit it!). 

And now, the make-you-smile moment!  Hope came home yesterday and said, “Mama, there was a huge praying mammoth on the window at school today!”  I had her repeat herself just so I knew I heard her correctly.  I did.  Made me chuckle and left me with a fantastic mental image!  She and Addie also had a conversation last night as they tried to determine whether I was a girl or a woman.  Addie says I’m a woman, but not a granny.  (Thanks for that one, Add!)  Hope says I’m still a girl.  Clearly she’s the chosen one… :)

NOT Ready!

I’d like to say that I’m excited about the school year starting.  I can’t.  I’m doing a fine job of pretending to be excited so the little ladies won’t dread it, but I am so over it.  Summer has been so much fun.  They were healthy, and that alone is worth a happy dance.  And now begins the 9 months of the year when we can’t make weekend plans because somebody is ALWAYS sick.  The receptionists at the doctor’s office honestly expect to see us weekly.  I’m not even kidding here.  When I took Hope in yesterday, there was discussion about our need to have them on speed dial or just to have a standing appointment each week.  Do you think we spend a little time there the last couple years?!  There’s been way too much money spent on doctor bills & prescriptions…  So I’m not ready for this whole (un)fun time of year to begin again. 

Today, in honor of our last day of summer, we are making a trip to the Pomona Library and meeting their teacher this evening.  But the big event will take place this afternoon.  We’re having “Brownie Wars” – totally the girls’ idea!  We watched an episode of “Cupcake Wars” recently, so we’re going to split into teams and creatively decorate a couple pans of brownies.  They’re excited about it.  It should be fun!

Little Things

I consider myself very fortunate to have figured out, relatively early in life, the importance of the (supposedly) little things of life.  Some of my best memories of childhood are those little moments that weren’t notable for any particular reason.  I remember a fishing trip with my mom’s side of the family that wasn’t eventful, I don’t think, but I can still see everyone scattered around the pond.  I remember having puzzle races with Mom in the evenings.  I remember standing (yes, standing) in the seat of the pick-up next to Dad on our way to check cows while he sang “You Are My Sunshine,” “A Bushel & a Peck,” and, his original “She’s Daddy’s Little Cowgirl” from the house to the pastures.  I remember putting rocks in my metal sand bucket (I still remember it having a picture of a boy and a girl building sand castles on it) and walking across the pasture to gather up the cows.  I had seen Dad put rocks in his bucket to get the cows to come – they thought they were cubes and would come running – and I tried it.  I remember being in the middle of the pasture, in the middle of those cows and not being even slightly afraid.  I was two. 
My point is, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the big productions that make memories.  It’s the little stuff that happens in the day to day life that matters.  It’s laughing over an episode of America’s Funniest Home Videos.  It’s playing games of Guess Who.  It’s making cookie pizzas before the first day of school.   It’s doing the right thing, whether or not anyone else is watching.  It’s being kind to others, whether or not you stand to gain something from it.  It’s the person you really are, not the person you pretend to be.  It’s the little things.

Shopping Trips…

I am getting SO bad at this blogging thing.  There will, undoubtedly, be time very soon (after school starts) for me to get things up to date, but until then, you'll just have to put up with the disjointed blog updates.  Yes, we went to band camp the last week of July, but you're not going to hear about that just yet.  Someday...  And, oh, are there stories to tell...

The girlies have been having shopping trips into each others' rooms lately.  Tonight is just another grand opening event, with the advertisements of "Everything is a Penny!" being hurled around like water balloons.  Since both of the girly bedrooms have stores, Dad and I were the only ones truly eligible for the initial shopping trips.  While Dad shopped the Hannah store, I shopped the twinks' store.  I got a special treat, one for which I paid a few extra pennies, in this little beauty:

Now, for those of you who aren’t living amongst our chaos, this is a drawing of the movie “Up.”  If you are familiar with it, you can appreciate Dug (the dog), Kevin (the bird), Carl (the glasses-wearing man), and Russell (the boy with the many Wilderness badges).  Ahh…  The fun never ends! :)

One Time, At Band Camp...

It's official.  I'm back to the pre-kiddos summer staple of a week of band camp.  Well, for one year anyway.  I'll go to Pitt and chaperone, but I'm not going to Hays.  Not happening.  I've given the man in charge a year's notice, which means he'll be after me for the next year to go.  Anyway...  A week of 201 (preliminary total) high school kids.  A week of dorm life. A week of seeing midnight and 6 AM in the same day.  A week of dorm food.  Don't want to go with me yet?  Well, I will admit, it doesn't necessarily sound like fun yet.  But add to that the hilariously fun group of chaperones we have, the great kids we get to work with (who totally outnumber the ones who get in trouble for behavior/attitude problems - although I haven't forgotten about those...), and the day of the parade and pre-game/half-time performance, and it is a pretty amazing week.  I always end up in tears during the pre-game show.  It could be that I'm so utterly exhausted by Saturday evening, but by the end of the week they turn into a phenomenal band. 

So, if you happen to be in the Pittsburg area on July 31, check out the band.  Yeah, the Shrine Bowl is there too, but really,  the band is SO much better! :)

Ahhh...SUMMER!

By the looks of this blog, particularly the lack of new posts, we are enjoying our summer.  It's true.  We've had so much fun thus far and are not looking forward to the prospect of school starting soon.  It has been a busy summer with several "firsts" for all of us.  But I'll take the time to go through those in a later post.  For now, it's just the big picture. 

We have spent time in Branson, at the farm, shopping, taking piano lessons, attending meetings, and reading...lots and lots of reading.  It has been a great summer. 

So...Branson.  We had a great time.  Stayed in a condo and spent a LOT of time in the pool.  We surprised the girls on the Monday night that we were down there when we went to see The Duttons and had Meme & Papa standing inside waiting for us. The girls had no idea and were totally shocked.  We met  an old friend of Gary's (not old as in OLD, just old as in he knew Gary several years ago!) and his family and had supper with them.  Gary then took all day Monday and went golfing with Matt.  He had a great time, and the girls and I did as well.  We took out on our own and went to the fish hatchery, swam and did oodles and oodles of shopping.  We didn't buy a lot, but it was a fun day for all of us.  It was really nice to be able to get away for a couple days and just have fun. 

And the rest will just have to wait a little longer.  I have to get ready to go to piano lessons...

Happy Father’s Day!

I know, I know.  I haven't updated this blog in quite some time, but I will.  Really.  Next week.  Until then, I wanted to wish the men in my life a Happy Father's Day.  I sent

this card

to my dad and thought I'd share it here.  Crosscards.com is a fantastic site! :)

School’s Out!

I know there are many parents who view the last day of school with despair, but not me.  I am at least as excited as the girls, and maybe more, that school is out for the year.  I love having the chicklets home with all of the craziness they bring.  

They had field day Monday morning and enjoyed it in spite of the typical Kansas heat and humidity.  More than one person commented that we have some runners in the bunch.  I’ve told the twinks several times that they’d be great cross-country runners with those long thin legs and endless energy. 

Yesterday was their final day in first grade.  Their class was named “Class of the Year” in music due to their exceptional behavior, so they got to have a party of pop and Dilly Bars.  It went over well, as far as they were concerned!  They’re looking forward to trips to DQ, to say the least.  While unpacking their sacks yesterday afternoon we were looking through some of the papers their teacher had sent home for them to do over the summer.  We started talking about math and what they had learned this year.  Addie’s response?  “Well, I didn’t learn anything in math this year.  I already knew how to do it.”  She’s right.  She went into the school year last August knowing how to do two-digit addition problems, which they ended the year with last week.  I seized a teaching moment last summer when she wanted to add big numbers, and she picked it up immediately.  We don’t stop learning around here in the summer.  I want them to learn as much as they can while learning is still fun for them.  At a certain point, with the public school system so intent on testing them until they just don’t care anymore, kids lose the joy of learning.  I don’t like it.  I love that they love to learn things.  I want them to maintain that joy of learning throughout their lives.  I want the same thing for myself.

They’re going to take piano lessons this summer.  I am looking forward to it, and so are they.  I’m excited for them to get the same joy our of music that I do.  There’s always been lots of music and singing in our house, and it looks like there will be even more in the coming months.  It’s a happy sound!

True Force

Before I forget, I want to tell you how much I LOVE the new Avon fragrance True Force for men.  When I was in college I loved Fahrenheit, and this reminded me so much of that yesterday when I smelled it.  I'm trying to convince Gary that he'd wear cologne, and then I'll get him some of it.  How exactly do you go about convincing a man that smelling good goes beyond the basics of deodorant and after shave?!  I'll let you know if I figure it out! :)  When I do, you can be sure he'll be wearing True Force...

FOUR MORE DAYS!

We’re ready for school to be out.  I’d like to think the early mornings will take a hiatus for a little while, but the twinks probably won’t let that happen.  They are EARLY risers.  They are typically up around 6:00 and sometimes as late as 6:20.  I know.  What’s wrong with these two?  Hannah, on the other hand, is our little teenager.  She sleeps in during the summer – 8:30…9:00…9:30.  Who knows? 

We had their awards presentations yesterday afternoon at school.  They came home with several awards and were/are very proud.  They should be.  They work very hard (yes, I require that, but still…) and deserve to be recognized for that hard work.   I am a VERY proud mama!

We had a funny incident occur late yesterday afternoon.  When we got home from school, the Avon order had arrived and needed to be unpacked, sorted, invoiced and repackaged.  They “helped” me do that, then we delivered a few orders and came home.  After we got home, Hope decided to examine the few things that I had picked up for demos, specifically the roll-on deodorant.  She asked who needed deodorant and I replied that I just got it to have/show/use.  She then decided to put some on.  Now, I don’t remember the first time I ever applied deodorant, but I don’t think I’ll forget the first time she used it!  I had to give her a lesson in deodorant application on her left armpit, then she put it on the right armpit.  We were both laughing.  After she finished her application, she left her arm in the air and exclaimed, “Man, it is s-l-i-m-y in there!”  She eventually lowered her arm and got back to the business at hand, but I was on the floor laughing at both the comment and the image of her with one arm in the air that will be forever burned in my head. 

Super Sunday

We had an absolutely spectacular Sunday!  Gary had planned to go golfing, but due to the need for hip-waders in just the backyard, he had to reschedule.  It worked out fine, though, because they we were all able to go to church together.  Kathy had a fantastic sermon about being annoyed (I needed that, incidentally), I got to visit with friends, it was great.  We had then decided we’d go to KC to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch/supper, so we took off.  The girls were reading and talking all the way there, and it was so nice to hear them not grumble at each other! :)  I had Orange Chicken that Addie LOVED.  That’s okay – she needs it more than I do.  We also, of course, got cheesecake that we all brought home to eat for supper.   Words can’t even begin to explain how good that stuff was. We also had to make a stop at Barnes & Noble on the way home.  Apparently I’ve trained them well, as that is their favorite store.  Everybody was happy with their purchase (3 kids’ books, one Richard Simmons video for the mama).  The ride home was equally pleasant with no cross words at all.  It was amazing!

While we did have a little incident in the evening that left Hope with hurt feelings and playing computer games with me, it was a fun time as well.  The girls’ music teacher called and told me how impressed he has been with their music progress this spring, and that he thinks they would be perfect candidates for piano lessons that he offers in the summer.  I’m so excited!  I love to play the piano (but don’t get enough opportunities to do so), and I know they will do great with it as well.  Then, while I was still happy about that phone call, we found Dumb & Dumber on TV.  That, surprisingly, is our all-time favorite movie to watch.  It makes Hope cackle like no other! :)

The final fun of the day occurred as the girls were getting ready for bed.  Addie & Hannah had been buddies all evening and went into the bathroom together.  They were in there for a few minutes before Addie came out and headed to Dad’s bathroom.  She finished her business and went back in with Hannah who, apparently, was still sitting on her throne.  Addie (remember, she’s the quiet, shy, sweet one) told her, “I’m already done, and I went in Dad’s bathroom.  You’re still on the pot.  I think you fell in the toilet and it barfed you back up again!”  That’s one we want to remember! :)

Here She Is!

Well, sort of.  I don’t put pictures of the kiddos on the blog, but I’ll share a picture of her beautiful old-soul eyes with her brand spankin’ new glasses.  Now she can see with her eyes the way she sees with her heart – clearly and completely and amazingly accurately.  She is a beauty, both inside and out.

Whirlwind Week

Wow, Friday already…  It seems like this week has flown by, but it also seems like I have been busy for two weeks straight instead of just one. 

First off, I have successfully recovered from the very unattractive hives I had Sunday.  That’s a definite blessing, especially with all the places I was this week.  Tuesday night was the girls’ spring program at school.  Poor Dad wasn’t able to be there due to a work commitment, so I got them all gussied up and took them for their first ever school program (they’ve been sick for every other one).  They were super excited to get to wear their Easter dresses again.  I have to say that they looked like little angels Tuesday evening.  I asked them on the way to the school if they were nervous, fully expecting them to admit that they were.  They said they were a little nervous, but I couldn’t tell it when they got up there to sing.  Usually Addie is exceptionally quiet, but she (along with both of her sisters) sang her heart out that night.  It was so much fun to see them sing and dance like there was nobody in the room!  I’m so proud.  Lucky for us, their music teacher is producing and selling a DVD of the program (we’ll have it today, just in case you want to come watch…).  They can’t wait to show Dad, Kerri (who’s coming this weekend – yeah!) and Meme & Papa - who picked these 10 days to take their first (and last?!) bus trip. 

Today is another B-I-G day in our house.  Addie is getting her new glasses today.  We’ve been trying to make it be an exciting thing just to scare away any apprehensiveness that she might have.  I am so excited for her to see all the things that she’s been missing.  And, besides that, she looks darn cute in those little wire-rimmed glasses.  Her dad likes the fact that they’re lavender.  They’re close enough to purple that he thinks it’s a good sign. :)  It will be fun to watch her discover things again.  Her distance vision is very poor, so she’s missed out on a lot on our drives.  I am so excited for her!

Mother’s Day

We had an early Mother’s Day celebration yesterday with Gary’s parents.  The girls spent the entire day outside playing while I got things ready for an early supper.  It was a fun day for all of us. 

Today, however, is a slightly different story.  We already knew we’d be home today, and thank goodness, because I woke up looking like half of my face was double its normal size  .  I knew yesterday that I had a rash going on under the skin on my face, but today it erupted into swollen hives.  I guess the technical term, after researching it on the internet a little, is angioedema.  It stinks.  My left cheek is swollen enough that I can look down and see it.  Needless to say, I didn’t go to church and hope to avoid having anyone see me today!  I’m taking lots of Benadryl, which requires lots of naps.  Good thing this happened on a Sunday…

The girls didn’t care what I looked like this morning.  They were so excited to bring out the gifts.  They had gone to Yankee Candle (maybe my favorite place) and Bath & Body Works to get some goodies.  They did great!  They had also made me a frame with their picture in it and a magnet for the fridge at school.  Those are the kinds of things I truly love.  I am so lucky to have such a phenomenal family.

While it’s not exactly the way I had imagined spending Mother’s Day, it’ll be one I remember.  I should probably take a picture of myself…but I’m not. 

Mother’s Day Eve

I am already receiving homemade Mother’s Day cards, and I plan to scan them in and share them, but I just, minutes ago, had them revoked.  I’m not sure why.  I think there was probably a little more work to be done on it.  There is truly nothing I enjoy more than those homemade cards.  It’s not just the cards themselves, it’s the absolute joy I can see (and sometimes feel) emanating from the girls when they present them.  Hope was the one this morning who gave me an early card.  She could hardly contain her excitement when I looked at it and hugged me repeatedly.  Does it get any better?  That’s evidence that they hopefully remember that giving truly is better than receiving.  She put so much of herself into that piece of paper and couldn’t wait to give it away.  That is such pure love.   My love for them can’t even be described.  I thank God daily for giving me the opportunity to raise these three amazing souls.  I am blessed beyond measure.  Below is a song by Celine Dion that, although I’m not a big Celine Dion fan, I used in the first video I made of the girls’ pictures.  It still makes me cry, but it also puts into words the way I feel about them. 

Disappointing Day

I had really hoped and prayed that Addie’s weight check would reveal a nice, albeit modest, gain today.  It didn’t.  She has lost 2 pounds since December.  We’ll be making a trip up to Children’s soon to visit with a specialist.  I’m trying not to get down about it, but I just want to explode with, “WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO HAPPEN THIS WAY?  WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO HAPPEN TO HER?”  That’s it.  I can talk myself down from it, but not before the tears fall.  I realize that we are exceptionally fortunate that none of the girls have any life-threatening problems left over from their preemie days.  My head knows that.  My heart, on the other hand, has a problem with it.  I read the following quote today, and it was what I needed. 

If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable; think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.  ~ C.S. Lewis

I don’t know what the answer will be for her.  One way or another, we’re going to get this girl healthy.  Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Oh, and the picture up there is of Zoe.  This is what she looked like as we were loading up to come home from Meme & Papa’s last time.  Think she misses us when we’re gone?

The Golden Rule

I remember Miss Hodgden teaching us “The Golden Rule” in 4th grade, and it has always stuck with me.  Granted, sometimes it is exceptionally difficult to follow the principle, and I have failed more times than I can count, but at least I try.  It was included as one of our scriptures last night at M&M as we studied Abigail.  I think it bears repeating here.  I know it’s a scripture that I should probably have posted over every door of the house, but since I’m not doing that, I’ll just post it here.  The Golden Rule part of this is difficult enough, but throw in the preceding four verses, and it really gives us something for which to strive.  It’s easier said than done…  But I’m working on it. 

27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:27-31

Feeling a Little “Grouchy Smurf”

Do you ever have one of those days?  I’m having one of those days when I’m just on the verge of being a little grouchy, but instead of it sneaking up on me, I’m totally aware of my grumpy tendency today.  I don’t know what the cause is.  I can’t pinpoint anything that has made me lean toward the grumpy side.  Granted, we did have another of our arguing trips home from school.  Everybody’s fine when they get in the car, but in the 7 miles between school and home they get on each other’s nerves.  A little of that can go a L-O-N-G way.   As I’m typing, all three girls are (for the the first time today, seemingly) getting along.  The twins are playing on the keyboard and singing, which in itself is one of the most beautiful and happy sounds I could ever hear.  Add to it that Addie is currently in her pajamas with a fancy stocking cap on, and really, how could I be anything less than pleasant? 

I had a nice afternoon doing “Christoga” with my exercise buddies.  It was a slightly cheesy Christian yoga DVD that was really pretty fun.  I loved the “holy rollers” – yes, you had to be there…  I’d recommend it, but I suggest you keep your eyes closed.  It’s slightly less odd that way…

And, in light of my grumpy day today, I’m posting one of my favorite end of the day songs.  It’s a great one - “Red Sky” by Brandon Heath.  Listen to the words, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.  Here’s to “the promise of a better day to come.” 

Another Normal Week

You have to understand that a “normal” week around here means that the unexpected and unintended have occurred once again.  It’s frightening, just a little, when abnormal becomes normal.  So we have, indeed, had another “normal” week around here.

Addie started in with an earache (no other symptoms) Monday evening.  I took her to the doctor Tuesday and ended up having to get her both ear drops (which I’m now saving) and then Zithromax in order to clear up her lingering sinus infection.  I thought she was over it, but the doctor said her sinuses were a mess. Hopefully now we’re getting her back to normal. 

We also had the excitement of the girls’ first (they were sick last year) field trip on Friday.  They had been very excited about it, so when Friday finally arrived, we were ready go to.  I got to go with them, so I was a little less excited and a little more apprehensive, but their excitement was palpable.  When we pulled up to the school Friday morning, we noticed smoke coming from one of the windows of the old school/current museum.  We also noticed some of the district officials, so we knew it couldn’t be good.  Long story short, lightning struck the chimney and started a fire in the building.  By the time we left for our field trip (a little behind schedule), the parking lot was full of fire department vehicles.  We did, eventually, make it to Kansas City and had a great time at Hallmark & Kaleidoscope.  It was, as we decided on the way home, organized chaos, but not all that organized.  The kids seemed to have a great time, though, so that was the important thing. 

This week we will just plan to have another “normal” week.  I have to take Addie back to the doctor for a weight check on Thursday and will take all 3 girls with me so Addie & I can go to the eye doctor Friday.  Maybe if I plan on a chaotic “normal” week we’ll have a nice, quiet, perfectly abnormal week! :)

Breath Mints & Dog Treats

Yesterday was just not my day.  I had groceries to get for our house as well as the church pancake supper.  I had a lot of groceries to get.  I wasn’t really interested in loading and unloading them in the pouring rain, so my trip to town was postponed repeatedly.  I had decided to just go this morning when, at supper last night, Gary suggested we all go in together…after supper…when people (I’m not saying who) get grouchy.  Since he suggested it in front of the wild things, I couldn’t exactly say no.  Off we went.  I believe I mentioned at one point that we are NEVER doing that again, but that’s beside the point…

While wandering Wal-Mart with the three girls (Gary was in the car listening to the NFL draft), Hope smacked her lips and said, “Whew!  I really need a breath mint!”  Now, I can’t adequately convey her tone of voice, but it was hilarious.  She’s such a quick-witted little stinker and has the gift of funny. 

As we were standing in the check out line some 30 minutes later, Addie was examining all of the impulse items, particularly the honey-roasted cashews (she thinks those would be amazingly tasty) and the slim jims.  While I didn’t mention it to her at the time, I should have…  When she and Hope were learning to “eat” (I use quotes, because at the time they were not eating and swallowing anything) at around 8-10 months old, they gnawed on slim jims often.  It was one of their absolute favorite “chew toys,” for lack of a better term.  We have lots of pictures with them sitting in the floor gumming up slim jims.  This wouldn’t be quite so funny (odd, perhaps, but not funny), except last night she saw those in the individual packages and asked, in complete seriousness, if they were for dogs.  No.  Not quite.  If she only knew…  The do look like Pupperoni… 

Spring, Spring, Spring!

I am loving this beautiful weather!  Maybe it’s because the winter was so horrendous, but this spring weather is absolutely amazing.  Yesterday on my way home from taking the girls to school I saw (and hurried home to take pictures) a beautiful ring around the sun.  I felt like God was smiling on me! We have spent a lot of time outside lately.  We spent a couple afternoons at the lake playing, got the garden worked up and planted a few things, and have just generally played outside a lot. 

We went south for Easter and had a perfect weekend.  The girls had Friday and Monday off, so we made a 4-day weekend out of it.  We made a trip to the creek to play Sunday afternoon and had a ball!  The girls were in their rubber boots splashing through the creek and crossing the dam for no other reason than to do it.  Zoe (Meme & Papa’s dog) went with us and loved it as well.   Jonathan even convinced her to climb a tree.  It was a little unexpected!  She was a new addition to the family last summer and has become part of the gang.  She has a little trouble listening sometimes, but so do the kids! :) 

The Avon business continues to grow, slowly but surely.  I am thrilled to be able to try out some wonderful products and share them.  Every woman should feel beautiful, and sometimes it only takes some fantastic moisturizer and some fun new products to do just that.

We’re hoping to spend the weekend outside and will try out all the fun outdoorsy toys the girls got from the Easter Bunny.  We also plan to have a weenie roast and roast some leftover Peeps.  If you haven’t tried them roasted, you should do it, and soon!  But be careful, that caramelized sugar is hot, hot, hot!

Younger? Maybe…

I have started using the Anew Ultimate (Yes, it’s technically for women at a more advanced age than me, but I have wasted some time using just average moisturizers and need to catch up.) Night Cream as well as the Contouring Eye System.  I have used it for just under a week and am absolutely flabbergasted (yes, flabbergasted) at how much better my skin looks already.  Maybe by the end of the month I will look 10-15 years younger.  It could happen…

If you have been using some of the cheaper moisturizers (like I have been), there will be an opportunity in Campaign 10 (I believe, I’ll have to check) to purchase a four product trial of the Anew products for $9.99.  I encourage you to try it and see what results you see in a week’s time.  It might just surprise you!

Smart Kids!

Last week while we were down south, Kerri took the three girls to the Amish store.  On their way home, the girls started in with a conversation about the solar system.  They’ve been VERY into space lately, so we have gotten lots of library books about all aspects of the solar system.  I’m now absolutely certain that they have learned a lot!  They were discussing the dwarf planets as well as Ceres (which is the largest asteroid) and left Kerri feeling a little under-educated in the driver’s seat. 

As I type, they are all three dissecting the atlas we bought at Barnes & Noble a couple months ago.  (Yes, I realize that is not the typical kid-type purchase, but they have enjoyed it more than any other book in the house!)  They are discussing, with an incredible amount of emotion, the pros and cons of visiting various places on the planet.  Hope just informed her sisters that she does not want to visit Hawaii because they can have everything there:  earthquakes, volcanoes, and even TSUNAMIS!  Now they are discussing Chile and its climate.  It’s amazing how much they can learn about something when they’re really interested.  They are expert atlas readers! :)

Anew Ultimate

This stuff (the night cream and especially the contouring eye system) is my new best friend!  After three days of using it (I used it while we were at Mom’s), I decided I would buy it for myself.  I have had xanthelasmas (cholesterol deposits) on my lower eyelids since I lost weight and have never found anything (until now) to diminish them.  The Anew Ultimate Contouring Eye System has almost completely gotten rid of one xanthelasma and has significantly diminished the other one.  It’s phenomenal!  I have exceptionally sensitive skin and typically have a problem with burning when I use many skin creams, but I didn’t have any problems using this.  Granted, it’s considered to be in the 50+ skincare group, but I don’t care.  If I start using it now, at 35, I might just be able to hold off the wrinkles, right?! 

If you’re interested in trying some of this miracle cream, visit my website: www.youravon.com/dvan-cleave .   Free shipping is relatively easy to come by, so even if you’re not in my area I can still get it to you! :)

*Spring* Break?!

We spent a few days at the farm over the first part of spring break.  We were very thankful to get at least one nice day (Monday) when we could play outside, but the rest of our time there was cold.  We did end up shopping Chanute (mainly as an excuse to visit El Pueblito) and making a much anticipated trip to Ernesto’s to celebrate Jonathan’s birthday.  All in all, it was a fun time, but we really would have liked to have some warm weather.

We returned home Wednesday and had hoped for smooth sailing.  The twins went shopping in KC with me while Hannah stayed with Meme.  We had a fantastic time!  It was really, truly one of the most fun shopping trips I’ve ever had.  We only went to JCP on the mall (although we spent roughly 2 hours there) before going to eat, going to Lifeway, and finishing up at Walmart.  They were so much fun!  Hannah had spent the day outside and had broken out in hives by the time we returned, though, so the fun was just beginning.  By 9:00 I called the ER to make sure what I was doing (Benadryl, primarily) was the right thing to do.  It was, but when the phone rang at 12:15, I knew it wasn’t good news.  I ended up taking Hannah to the ER at 12:30 to get her pumped full of more Benadryl and steroids.  By 3:00 when we got home she was was no longer itching and was ready to sleep. 

We (the twins and I again) made a trip to Topeka to go to Grand Lodge for the banquet, but we all came back home that night when it started sleeting and snowing.  We’re glad we came home when we did.  We had, on the first day of Spring, no less, a pretty impressive snow storm.  Hopefully it will be short-lived.  I’m so over this whole snow thing.

Tomorrow they’ll be back in school for 9 days before having a couple days off around Easter.  Hopefully we’ve moved past the really nasty bugs and can soon enjoy a real taste of spring. 

A Few Recommendations

I tried out a few new Avon products (new to me, not necessarily to Avon) this week and wanted to spread the word on some new favorites.  Rest assured, if I didn’t like it, I would tell you.  I’m only going to give my seal of approval to things I really like. 

First up, the MagiX Face Perfector and Cashmere Finish Liquid Foundation.  They are, for me anyway, great!  The Face Perfector goes on after moisturizer and prior to foundation.  Here’s the official description from my Avon website:  

MagiX Face Perfector
A magical air-light gel-powder colorless formula* that makes all skin tones look flawless... invisible coverage; instant perfection. Banish shine up to 10 hours. Apply evenly before sun exposure or as needed. Targets pores: visibly minimizes pores with patent-pending Optix Light-Diffusing Technology. Banishes Shine: holds back shine for up to 10 hours. Smoothes Skin: reduces the look of fine lines...skin feels softer than ever.

It also has SPF 20 and does make my skin feel amazingly smooth.  I have been using it with the corresponding MagiX Cashmere Finish Liquid Foundation.  I love the combination of the two. 

Now my final seal of approval for the day/week/campaign goes to the Glimmersticks Diamonds Eye Liner.  I’ve never used Avon eye liner before, but I will never use anything else ever again.  It’s that good.  This particular eye liner has subtle sparkles as well, so that gives it just a little something extra. 

That’s it for this time.  As I try new things, I’ll give you my honest opinion of each product.  If you’re interested in more information, please let me know or check out my Avon website:  http://dvan-cleave.avonrepresentative.com/ . 

A Better Day?

So I took the girls back to the doctor on Monday, thank goodness.  All three were put on different antibiotics, which currently has its own set of problems, but that’s a whole other story.  The doctor said Addie’s sinuses and ears were “a reservoir of infection.”  That’s not exactly the phrase I wanted to hear about her.  On the plus side, because she has those beloved tubes in her ears, all that nastiness has been able to drain.  It hasn’t been pretty.  It’s been a little scary, since that’s the first time I’ve seen bloody gunk (for lack of a better word) drain from my child’s ears.  This is the child who never complains about anything, and she’s been complaining about her ears hurting.  I hope we’re on the right track now.  They’ve eased up on their draining considerably, so that’s positive.  Her doctor wanted to see her yesterday to check her out, so we went back.  She said that everything is looking better, and her eardrums and tubes are in good shape.  There is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. 

I’m currently trying to get everything ready so the girls & I can head to the farm for a few days over spring break.  I have to get my Avon orders delivered this afternoon and tomorrow morning, but that shouldn’t take too long.  Getting the house back in working condition before we leave is going to be the bigger task.  Sick kids do not a clean house make! :)  Wish us luck!

ANOTHER Trip to the Doctor

I give up!  I really thought that if I kept them in and required them to drink lots, get lots of rest, sneak out for some fresh warm air and take it easy they would, without a doubt, be healthy and back to school today.  Not so.  This HAS to be the last big illness of their first grade year.  The house may permanently smell like Vicks after this one.  We might never find all the cough drop trash and Kleenexes.  We had to buy our last bottles of hand sanitizer at Sam’s, for crying out loud!  Have you seen the size of those things??  I spent Saturday disinfecting anything and everything I could think of to disinfect.  The bathtub was full of toys soaking in a bleach and water solution.  Every doorknob, light switch, Wii accessory, remote, phone and other surface has been wiped down with Clorox wipes.  If there was just a way to disinfect the kiddos! 

We’re going back to the doctor today.  Addie’s ears are now draining and hurting – that can’t be good.  Something has got to change…and soon!

Will it End?

We have spent every day since last Saturday with somebody feeling crummy.  First it was me, then Gary, then the girls.  While we seem to have kicked the strep bug out of the house (hopefully forever), there seems to be a stubborn cold that has latched on where the strep left off.  It’s not a fun place.  I took Addie to the doctor yesterday to make sure there wasn’t something else going on that I was missing.  There wasn’t.  They’re still on antibiotics and Mucinex, and they have doctor’s orders to stay home for the rest of the week and keep something in their mouth (hard candy, cough drops, gum) continually until they’re better.  To say I’m a little weary would be accurate.  Thankfully, Meme came up Monday and has been keeping Hannah at her house.  She’s a life saver!

Suffice it to say, I am ready to be healthy, ready to have healthy kids, and ready to do something FUN!

Anew Reversalist Renewal Day Cream

The brand new Anew Reversalist Day Renewal Cream is, for the first time, now available in campaign 7.  It’s a fantastic moisturizer, and one I can personally recommend.  Here’s the official product description:

Visibly reverses wrinkles with Activinol Technology while helping to protect skin with SPF 25 UVA/UVB. Makes skin look and feel reborn all day.* Skin will look fresh, new and younger. In 3 days: begins to reduce the look of wrinkles.* In 2 weeks: improves discolorations by up to 25%.** Over time: dramatically reduces the look of wrinkles and discolorations. Skin looks dramatically tighter.* 1.7 fl. oz.
*In a consumer-perception study. **In a clinical study.

It is currently on sale along with the foaming cleanser, night cream, serum, and the new illuminating eye system (also brand new).

Last Day of Campaign 6

Just a quick note to remind you that if you had anything you wanted to order from Avon during this campaign, tomorrow is the final day to do so.  I'm just now trying to narrow down what I want to order this time around.   Who knew it would be so difficult?!

Another Anniversary

Today we celebrate the day we FINALLY became a family of five living in the same house.  Seven years ago today we brought Addie home after almost 4 months in the hospital.  We celebrated, sort of.  I guess it's more accurate to say that we acknowledged it.  It's been one of those days.  And there begins a story...

Saturday morning at 3:30 I woke up with a sore throat.  I don't have tonsils, so I don't even remember the last time I had a sore throat that wasn't accompanied by nasal stuff.  I trudged through Saturday fully and punctually medicated with Motrin & Tylenol to keep the pain away and thought there might even be some achiness.  I just kept going.  I slept on the floor Saturday night with the twins and woke up again at 3:00 and had to have more Motrin in the middle of the night.  I was awake for about three hours, and ended up getting one more hour of sleep before the girls woke up at 7:00.  I felt okay yesterday morning/early afternoon, but by evening I was near tears from feeling so awful.  The Motrin was no longer doing anything for the pain, and I knew today would be a doctor day.  The fever I had been unknowingly treating finally broke around 3:30 this morning, thank goodness.  I got in to the dr. this morning and got a whoppin' shot of penicillin for strep throat.  The girls and Gary also stayed home today because they woke up with crummy throats.  They are all now on ten days worth of meds to treat round two of this nasty strep.  The toothbrushes are discarded, and I'm already planning to thoroughly disinfect the house in the coming days.  Hopefully we can totally get rid of this stuff soon.  I will say, though, that the kiddos have handled all this better than the adults.  The mama can't get sick, or at least can't get sick and be the vegetable she'd like to be.  The dad, well, he's not used to being sick and therefore doesn't realize how bad it can be.  I'm keeping him on a rotating Motrin/Tylenol schedule just like I do the girls until his fever breaks.  It's just like adding one more kid to the mix...

Happy Olympics!

If you haven't yet read the previous blog entry, you might want to check it out first.  We've taken care of the problem of it not being the holiday season and have this little beauty to present.  Happy viewing! :)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Happy Holidays...Late or early, I'm not sure which.

So we've been playing on JibJab this afternoon, and the girls thought this was the funniest thing they'd ever seen.  And since we're still living in winter, it's not too far off base!  You might hear Hope cackling if you listen closely! :)  Word to the wise, though, you might want to click the pause button on the music player on the lower right of this blog page prior to hitting play.  It's a little hard to enjoy the video with the music on.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Terrific Thursday

Today is “Terrific Thursday” at school, which amounts to some different activities in the afternoon for the kiddos.  Maybe it’s just a way to make Thursday into something special.  I’m all for it, so I think it’s going to be “Terrific Thursday” at home too.  I’m not sure what that’s going to mean, but there’s time to decide.

I found something new on my website this morning and wanted to share it.  Check out the "Look Beautiful For Less" eBrochure, and you will find great sale items, in all areas of skincare, makeup, jewelry, etc.  (I’m always looking for a sale!)  To get there, go to my website, click on "eBrochure" in the top right corner and proceed to the Look Beautiful For Less brochure (This is the picture of it.). Might shop there myself...

http://www.youravon.com/dvan-cleave

I've now used the Anew Reversalist Night Renewal Cream for two nights in a row and am still amazed.  I don't know how it has done it, but it has made a significant difference in my expression lines...all of them.  I am one of those people who communicates in more nonverbal ways than verbal ways, most of which result in lines on my forehead as well as the rest of my face.  I say a lot without saying anything, so it takes a little more effort to get rid of those lines.  I'm impressed so far with the results I've had in two days.  At this point, if I can tell a difference in that amount of time, I'm sold!

We're all looking forward to the weekend for no other reason than it's the weekend.  We have no plans, but hopefully everybody will be healthy.  Maybe, although I'm not going to bet on it, the weather will even be normal (not recent normal, but normal normal).  A girl can dream!

Mama's Girl

Yesterday while we were getting ready to go to the dentist, Hope told me something big.  I knew she was a lot like me, but this cinched it.  She told me that her two favorite places to go are the library and Barnes & Noble.  It was one of those "Well I must be doing something right!" moments! :)  Those are probably my two favorite places too. 

Avon anyone?

As a child, I remember always being excited when Mom’s Avon lady showed up at our door.  Looking at that brochure/catalog was a little taste of the Christmas catalog every 2 weeks.  Granted, Mom’s Avon lady has always been older (much – or at least she always seemed that way to me).  To make a long story short, I am now an Avon Sales Representative.  So, if you are interested in seeing the current array of products, please visit my website:

http://www.youravon.com/dvan-cleave

Our current campaign ends on March 3, but there are really some great sale items.  SuperExtend Mascara is only $3.99 – I’ve tried it and it’s fantastic. The Ultra Color Rich Mega Impact Lipstick is also on sale at $4.99 and is one of my absolute favorite things as well.  My favorite lipstick has always been an Avon product, so maybe I’m a little biased.  I’ve also been given the opportunity to try the new Anew Reversalist (so new that the day cream will not be out until next campaign) and it is absolutely the most amazing thing I’ve ever used on my face.  After one night I literally woke up with my skin already feeling wonderful.  I had never used Anew before because my skin is so sensitive, but I had only good results with this product.  It’s exciting to get to try these products and even more exciting to be able to review them and share my thoughts.  If I don’t love it, you won’t hear me talk about it!  (Obviously…  Check out the cheapo recommendations on the cooking blog!) 

Ugly Weekend!

The outlook from our windows this morning is downright nasty.  We had a mixed bag of snow, sleet and freezing rain throughout the day yesterday and have apparently had freezing rain most of the night. It's just cold enough to freeze on the trees and just warm enough for it to be drippy.  I guess that's a good thing.  At least some of the ice is falling off the lines, so hopefully we'll keep our electricity for the day.  It's not pretty, though.  I'd take pictures, but I really don't want to until the muddy ugliness is covered in a blanket of white.  I took pictures of yesterday's snowball-sized snowflakes (I can hardly call them snowflakes, they were more snowclumps) but I just couldn't do them justice.  They were amazing!  I've never seen it snow like that before.  Today's not so pretty. If it gets prettier later in the day, I’ll probably take a few pictures.  Until then, however, it’s not happening. 

Gary & I had planned to go out to Lawrence or Topeka to eat last night while the girls were at Meme & Papa’s, but due to the weather, we settled on just going to eat Chinese food in Ottawa.  It was my cheat meal of the week and was really, really good.  We’ve already decided that we’ll go back again soon and take the girls.  I’m sure the twinkies will love it, and Hannah will inevitably find something she likes as well.  She’s really more of a meat & potatoes/gravy kind of girl, but I think she’d like some of the things we ate last night.  Obviously we didn’t tell them we were going last night, or we would’ve probably had two little tag-alongs.  I’m pretty sure we haven’t had a meal out by ourselves for roughly a year, so it was nice.  It’s much more exciting with the kiddos, though! :)

TGIF...sort of

I'd like to be excited about it being Friday, but it's just been one of THOSE days.  You know the kind I mean.  Nobody uses that phrase and means it as a good thing.  I don't either.  The girls were going to go to school today until two of them woke up with sore throats (again) which prompted me to look in Hannah's throat.  Good thing I did.  Her tonsils were ENORMOUS.  So we spent the greater part of the day at the doctor's office, getting medicine, picking up homework, etc.  The dr. suspects strep throat but said we didn't have to do a strep test unless I just wanted to (I didn't.  I know the joy of  having a super-size q-tip inserted into my throat far beyond the comfort zone and wouldn't choose that for anyone unnecessarily.) because she planned to treat her for it anyway.  With that in mind, she's also treating the other two little loveys.  They're all three on Zithromax (aka the diarrhea medicine in our house - I know, TMI), but only for 5 days, thank goodness.  If it's not one thing, it's another.   We're all looking forward to Meme & Papa being here this weekend.  We're all (myself included) getting a little tired of looking at each other, I think. 

We're also preparing for and grumbling about the snowstorm that is supposed to be on our doorstep Sunday sometime.  I used to like winter.  I don't anymore.  I don't like being stuck in the house for months on end.  I don't like the frigid temperatures that threaten to freeze off both sets of cheeks.  I am a Spring/Fall kind of girl.  I don't do extremes in either direction.  Okay, after some thinking, maybe I'm just a Fall kind of girl.  I don't like storms.  Is there anywhere I could live where it was just Fall year-round?  Probably not.  Until then, I guess I'll just roll with it...

A Lesson in Humility

Kids are so honest, often brutally so.  It's refreshing, though.  I think sometimes that it must be their job to make sure I realize just how ridiculously average I am.  There's a story on this one, trust me.  It took place last weekend.  I've been working out, eating healthy and making an effort to do things that are good, healthfully speaking.  It's finally started to show again, and I was feeling pretty good.  Notice I said was.  Now, I consider my stomach, in all of its stretch-marked glory, to be a badge of courage for carrying three babies...all at once.  That's not to say that I particularly like it, but it's mine.  I earned it.  I'm not going to fret about it.  It's getting tighter...you know, underneath.  I've got a ways to go until I see those 6 pack abs that are currently in hiding (and have been since birth, apparently), but I'm just not overly concerned about it.  Any progress is progress.  Addie, the innocent, sweet, caring, brutally honest child that she is, brought me back to earth quickly.  I was on the bed reading with her and Hope (well, I was reading, they were waiting rather impatiently for me to give up trying to have 5 minutes to myself) when she poked me in the stomach with her finger.  She wasn't being mean, just curious.  Her comment?  Wait for it...  




Get ready...






"Mama, I like your tummy.  It feels like squishy bread dough."   You can almost hear the thud, can't you?

Home Again

So I knew on Tuesday that we were fighting a cold in the house, but I sent them to school yesterday to tough it out.  That's totally not my nature.  Today, when the twins woke up looking glassy-eyed and complaining of crummy throats I had a change of heart.  They're all staying home today to drink hot tea, breathe moist air and hopefully get to feeling better.  I still think it's just a head cold, but let's face it, even a head cold can make you feel rough.  Did I mention how much I'm looking forward to spring?  With that in mind, and as a reminder of what things look like when they're not muddy or snow-covered, I think I'll throw in a few pictures that I took last spring.

I can almost feel the warm breezes blowing and hear the bees buzzing...

Work in Progress

I'm working on a new cooking addition to the blog and have a few kinks left to work out before I get moving on both of them.  The link is above, but you won't find much there yet. 

Ready for the day...maybe.

I am cautiously optimistic about this day. Granted, it's only 6:27 and only one of the girls is awake. Maybe it's more of a "If you build it, they will come" kind of thing. Whatever the case, I have been blessed with another day, and I intend to rejoice in it.

On another note, I've gotten back onto the exercise daily bandwagon and feel so much better! I'm also eating better, but I'll save that for another day. Anyway, in my internet travels yesterday I stumbled upon the Real Age site (http://www.realage.com/) again and found that they have workout videos online. So yesterday, in addition to my EA Active workout on the Wii and my 30 minutes of pilates (much needed as a stress-reliever), I did a resistance band workout and really liked it. My arms are sore today, so I figure that's the sign of a good workout! Here's the link, just in case you're interested: http://www.realage.com/videos/?bcpid=30402252001&bclid=5030523001&bctid=16660446001

New Look

I decided it was time to do a little revamping of the blog. I hope you enjoy the new look! I took the barn pictures at my grandparents' old farm last fall. There are many other pictures that might make an appearance on here, but these are a few of my favorites. There's just something about the colors and skies of fall that I love. At this point, I'm looking forward to any season that might bring warmer weather!

Again...

We'll just pretend that nothing notable has happened in the past couple months. I've avoided writing a blog lately because it had been so long since I updated. I was intimidated by the amount of information I'd have to update. So, to alleviate that stress, we're just going to assume that nothing at all happened.

However, two weeks ago the girls brought home a bug that left them (and me) with fever, congestion, cough, etc. It wasn't fun. They were almost to kick the leftover cough this weekend when Hannah's nose started running. I hoped that it was just because I hadn't given her Zyrtec for a couple days, but I was wrong. We've been invaded once again. I'm being optimistic on this one, though. I think it's just a head cold. I hope it's just a head cold. So they're home today drinking until they float! It's the rule of the house, you know. When they begin getting sick I enforce the drink anything, drink continually rule. Gary started it on me even before they were born. It wasn't pleasant for me, but I don't think I'm quite as hard-nosed about it as he is! :)

We celebrated Gary's birthday Saturday by giving him gifts in the morning, baking & decorating his chocolate chip cookie bars while he was reffing Saturday afternoon, and sharing those bars with him when he returned home Saturday evening. We also got to go out for lunch Sunday. We had planned to go shopping as well, but were interrupted by a short-lived Kansas blizzard. We decided we'd better head home before the roads got bad. Thankfully, the worst of the snow occurred while we were inside the restaurant. It was a memorable day!

We're counting down the days until warm weather finally arrives. This cold, snowy, miserable winter has been way too long. I'm ready for warm days, flowers and days spent playing outside. Spring break had better be nice! :)

Must be a Twin Thing

I promise there will be a better update on the blog soon, but I need to get this written before I forget it! The girls told me last night (and their teacher told me this afternoon) about the latest "twin thing" they've done. The class is currently working on a book describing what they're going to do/be when they grow up. It's important to note that Hope and Addie do not sit next to one another and had no idea what the other one wrote until last night before they took baths. Both of them wrote (almost identically, according to their teacher) that they are going to go to KU, be a vet, and live in Florida. Hannah, on the other hand, is the individual kid and plans to play basketball at KU and live in Lawrence. Needless to say, their dad is NOT thrilled about their ideas! :)