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! :)