Catawampus

The other day I told Mary her hair was all catawampus and that's why it was taking me so long to comb it out.  She repeated it several times (cat-y-woompus) and that was that.  This morning I was combing her hair and she had this huge matted area so I asked her what had happened to her hair, she looked at me and said "its just cat-y-wooooooooompus today mom.  Oh, right!  lol.  Nothing like a 3 year old who can say catawampus!

lake froid

I dreamed last night that we were at lake munkamba with a group from national geographic and I decided to take them to lake froid (sp?) to see the clear waters and amazing fish.  We got there and it was much smaller than I remembered.  And the fish were all the same, big cartoonish looking things that came in yellow and orange.  AND if you flushed the toilet all the water left the lake.  Very strange.  I wonder how lake froid came into my mind last night.  Who knows.

mommy you only work Fridays!

Robert especially does not want me to go to work in the evenings.  So the last few days he's started barricading me in with his arms and legs in the doorway and proclaiming, "mommy, you can't go to work tonight, you can go to work Friday".  Sigh.  I thought we'd be over this by 5!

It's hard to be a working mom.

Mary on the other hand seems fine with it.  And today she proclaimed she was going to work.  She got her purse and packed some play food (lol!) in it, got in her pink car and drove to work.  Once there she "fixed some peoples legs that got stuck in doors".  Then she came home.  I love that when she pretends to go to work she gives me a kiss and says "bye, love you, see you in the morning!".  Mommies work nights in her mind!

isms

I keep meaning to blog the kids' words before I forget them:

Robert's:
wii-flixs-netflix on the wii
constructions-what lego sets come with

Mary's
Papioka (tapioca)-let me tell you she is in love with the stuff!
hibiscuits (hibiscus)-we gave them to the grandmother's for mother's day!

camping!

We had a great time camping at Lake Reidsville this past weekend!  I had a full 7 nights off (even though I only took 2 vacation days!) and it was bliss.  The weather was a little rainy but overall not bad and I was assertive and got to go running thurs/fri/sat-just 2 miles each time but it was great.  It was nice to have some "me" time in the mix.  Overall the kids were good.  Mary only napped one day but that was fine with me, she did nap some in the car here and there though.  I got some reading in here and there, mostly in the evenings after the kids were in bed and before I went to sleep. Wesley generally came back to camp long after I was asleep.  Robert found a friend and they rode bikes and played and then by the end of the weekend he learned to ride!  It was so awesome to see him riding on his own without training wheels or anything!  We picked up a tag reader for Robert while we were there (it is really awesome!) and a leapster for Mary so now they each have a tag reader (Mary has the tag jr) and a leapster (Mary has a leapster 2 but they use the same game cartridges).  We looked to buy him a bike but couldn't find just the right one so we'll have to look again now that we're back.  He's currently riding Mary's 12 or 14 inch bike, lol.

Watching Robert learn to ride was awe inspiring.  It was like watching his first steps, or the first time I heard pee tinkle in the potty.  That's my boy-my not so much of a baby-making another stride towards being a big boy.  He was SO proud of himself-his eyes were just glowing and his dimple was so deep.  And Mary was so  proud of him too.  She pulled her camping chair to the edge and claped and cheered for him.  But she was NOT interested in ridding herself, no ma'am.  "I'm too scared!".  I can't wait to see Robert learn to read, I guess that will be the next milestone around here!

This afternoon was actually sunny and we went out to check the garden.  Everything is up, and I thinned several plants and we picked both types of lettuce and spinach.  Oh and the broccoli!  Wow, fresh broccoli is awesome.  So tender and yummy!

mental blogs

I swear I blog in my head several times a week which really gets me nowhere since I don't get them on.. well whatever.  It's not paper.  e-ink?  If I had actually blogged this week I would have told:

-a crazy story of what I walked home into the other morning.  Mary and Robert were playing in the living room (Wesley was still in bed).  They had blankets out and the little folding couch.  They were taking turns playing "daddy" and "baby".  So first Robert was "daddy", Mary laid down on the folding couch and Robert tucked her in and she whimpered like a baby.  Then Robert laid down on the big couch pretending to sleep.  Then he decided it was time to switch roles so they did.  After that they got out a ton of play food and Mary had a bunch of fruits and veggies in the play collander and she was rinsing them under the faucet.

-how much fun wii zumba is.  I love it!  But the best part was being totally irresponsible and driving to walmart at 9:30 just to buy a game!  So much fun.

-The kids did nursery rhymes last week at school so they have their papers home-including a handprint spider from little miss muffet.  So Mary decides to act it out, she gets out a bowl and a spoon from the play kitchen and sits down at her little table and proceeds to recite this (she even started over for me so I could get all this on video!!).  When the spider comes out Robert got the spider and chased her all over the house with it.  Hilarious!

-Today after school we played outside in the remaining dirt pile.  So much fun.  Robert had his toy excavator and Mary had one of the big dump trucks.  We were moving dirt!

-I've been working really hard to eat better and exercise etc.  Lost 5 lbs in a week which was bizare.  Then I've gained one back somehow.  Sigh.  So I guess I'll see where I am at the end of this week.  My clothes fit much better so that is a good sign!  I've been doing 30 day shred again so I do that thurs-fri-sat-sun and that will complete level 1.  I've been running mon/wed and otherwise doing shred.  I've advanced running this week to hills and then today I did outdoor running/walking.  I think I'll try downloading one of the couch to 5K podcasts onto an MP3 player and use it.  I can do 30 min of straight running on a flat treadmill but not outside!  I had a hard time doing 3/4 mile without walking a minute!

Me

Ohy.  What to say.

work has been crazy.  Night after night I struggle to find enough appropriate beds for all the admissions.  Staffing issues compound the high census.  Last week went better but this week every night has left me with just 2-4 beds left in the whole hospital.  Sigh.

I've gained weight instead of loosing it.  I'm back on track today and hope I stay that way

The outside work is going well, and the gardens are moved and the small one is planted with spring crops-the strawberries are coming back nicely (and spread last summer!) and in the front I have lettuce (small plants), lettuce (seeds that I planted today), spinach (small plants), and broccoli (small plants) and then 2 squares of peas.  Yeah!

The clearing out/organizing work is going nowhere.  Well it's resulted in lots of fights and we got through some of it but its more than I can handle with all the b-day stuff and how stressfull work has been.  They should be done with the shed pad tomorrow and then we can have the shed delivered and start moving stuff out (once Wes works on the shelves or whatever).  Whoot.  The tax money will really be great!

Mary

So it is now officially your 3rd b-day.  I hope you are snuggled in tight in your bed under your new fleecy princess blankie.  I can't wait to give you your presents tomorrow!  I've had them since before Christmas-a bitty baby outfit and a matching one for you (!!!), a bitty baby camping outfit, and a princess sleeping bag.  I'd love to give you a box of pink legos but daddy said no.  So I'm trying to persuade you to spend A. Lalee's money on one!  But when I asked you you said "no, I'll just play with Robert's!". 

Little girl you are so special.  Ms Novella told me today that you are just one giant sponge-you soak up every song, rhyme and story.  You love your books, your baby dolls and most recently DORA.  Lol.  It's all about Dora recently.  You can count to 30, know the days of the week, all the nursery rhymes, colors, shapes, and well everything.  I'm never sure what is going to come out of your mouth next!  You love babies and can locate one a mile away.  To be sure I think Robert is equally smart-you just verbalize like crazy.  I'm afraid you got my talking genes :)  You love to snuggle with me in bed in the mornings, love to sit in my lap.  You have the cutest pigtails and smile.  You love dresses and dress up and pretties.  You love nursing stuff-I found you today with my (real) stethescope oscultating a chair, lol.  I hope it's doing OK!

And I am so thankful that your scars aren't any worse that they are.  Your arm that was still thick is thining out nicely and I think you'll outgrow it.  I sure hope so.  There isn't a day that I give you a bath that I don't still hurt for what you went through.  You don't seem to notice or think about it at all but I remember.  I'll never forget.  You'll understand someday when you have kids.  I should have been able to protect you but I couldn't. 

Miss Mary Strawberry, Mary Bug, Fuzzy... keep sweet, keep gentle.  Keep loving those babies (hey I want grandkids someday!).  Know that I love you so very much.  I pray that God will do amazing things in your life.  I'll always be here for you.  I love you!

Robert

My dear boy.  How I love you.  I can't believe you are 5.  Wasn't it just yesterday that I held you all night in the hospital after you were born while you cried and cried.  I stood by you those nights and I always will.  I want you to know that I will always be there for you, always there to listen, to play, to pray, to read. 

I took you to Kindergarten open house today and you are so excited to go to the big school.  "Can I go after one more sleep mom?".  No, not til August and when I started off with "this is March and next is.." you chimed in with "April, May, June, July, August".  Um yeah.  Exactly.  Ms Novella says you are making great strides in pre-K and I can see it in your school work and just in general.  You really are growing up!  You dress yourself well and without most of the fighting we were going through for a while, you can brush your teeth completely on your own-putting toothpaste on the brush and all!  You listen pretty well and are doing well at church with me.  It's been so nice having you both out with me in the service and teaching you what church really is.  I also loved seeing your eyes when you saw the science stuff in one of the K class rooms.  They had fosils, coral, a skull of something etc and some little magnifying glasses.  So cool and you were entranced. 

I love how innocent you still are.  You watch Dora with Mary, you play with toys instead of your leapster.  You love me to pretend to be the kissy monster.  You (both) and daddy have a great game of "cracked egg" in the bed (as well as banana, hide under the covers-whateve it is that you guys play!).  You love your legos and are building more and more with them.  You love me to play with you.  Today I was so sad-you wanted me to play with you but I had taken you both to the park to play and when we got home I had to finish Mary's cupcakes and make supper. 

Robert, I love you!  I'm so proud of you.  I pray that you will grow into the person that God wants you to be. 

birthday madness!

Something has got to give with birthday celebrations around here.  I feel like it is cake-cake-cake all the time from Feb through March!  So far I did cupcakes for school and for a birthday playdate for Robert, then the ultra cool mickey mouse clubhouse cake for their party.  Then this weekend it's a cake for Wesley (I'm trying a chocolate covered cherry cake from the cake mix doctor cookbook-1 box chocolate cake and a can of cherry pie filling and then a chocolate glaze.  Then the following Friday will be Mary's b-day and I'm doing strawberry cake with strawberry frosting (maybe in ice cream cones?).  And then NO MORE CAKE.  As it is I have put the rest of the cake in the fridge in a covered cake pan and I am going to stay out of it! 

But honestly their party went well and I could not be prouder of my little people.  We had such a good time at the party, the mix of kids was great, they played so well together and the moms/other guests were able to catch up and chat some since we didn't have to hover over the kids 24/7!  They got a great mix of toys/books and clothes which was nice-enough toys not to feel cheated but enough of the other stuff not to be snowed under in toys.  They got some activity books and stuff but also some bearnstain bears and little critters (mercer meyer) which are my 2 favorite types for this age-so we are enjoying them!  Mary also got some princess books which are great.  Bring on the pink!

M+R are growing up so fast and are turning into such interesting and cute kids!  They went for their well check ups on Thursday and the doctor was really impressed by them.  They are on track/above track for everything.  Robert wouldn't do the vision screen at all but the nurse wasn't worried-she says the school will screen him again and if he is here for another reason this summer we can try again.  He did fine for the hearing screen. 

perfect saturdays

cartoons
"tea party" pot of tea + bread/butter jelly
hanging out in PJ's with the kids while we read/watch tv/play
Robert has swim lessons later and then maybe we'll run some errands

snow days

So, I'm hanging out at work waiting for Wesley to pick me up 'cause I'm a wimp about driving in the snow.  It was a pretty steady night and I filled up every last bed in the hospital.  Now we're waiting for thaw and discharges.  I hope they'll be a bunch before I come back tonight!

I had a pretty lazy day yesterday.  Snow was threatening so I didn't go anywhere.  I made meatloves to freeze and chicken tetrazini.  Then jello salad (that hadn't gelled by supper) and bread.  And I napped and watched hoarders on netflix streaming.  What a fascinatingly depressing show.  Wow.  Those poor people.

yikes!

I think there are a lot of things I put off because it has been so long since I last did them. Today I did weights at the gym and according to my sheet I had last done weights 12/5!  So it had been about as long as blogging.  Its strange because I think about both and like both and just haven't known where to start again!  But I do like reading my old blog posts so I guess I need to keep writing about all the odds and ends of stuff. 

The biggest news is that Mary is out of her compression shirt!  Which is awesome.  We were still doing elta cream but I accidentally left it out one day and Daisy ate it.  It has made her shinier though so maybe she needed it!  Anyways I opted for a tube of fragrance free eucerin or something like that which is working well.  Her red spots (from rubbing) are almost gone and she seems much more comfortable.  So that was last monday and then this past monday I took her to the ped (and found out that our ped left the practice to be a stay at home mom-good for her and bad for me!) for what I suspected was a sinus infection.  She's been coughing since before Christmas and it was getting worse the last few days so I figured it was time.  She has been much better in about 24 hours so I guess antibiotics were needed!  The last time she had been for a sick visit was the previous Jan which is nice!

Otherwise around here it's been life as normal for the most part.  I made 2 new years resolutions-to loose the 12 lbs I gained last year and to clear out the house and get it finished.  I'd like to loose the weight by the Argus gathering in May and have the house done by Thanksgiving when Rob and Kavitha come again.  I've done a lot of work on both recently and Wesley has gotten the storage building that we've been discussing forever ordered and it should be ready in 3 or so weeks.  We finally agreed on the person to put in the pad and he will be making a parking area in our yard and a camper pad as well.  Wesley and I have cleared out our room pretty well and are slowly working on other areas as well.  The finished room upstairs is much better and last night we tackled the VHS and CD piles.  So the DVD area looks much better.  I've taken gobs of stuff to goodwill and continue to do so.  In terms of weight loss I'm down 2.5 lbs and did weights today as well as managed to run 20 min straight today!  I'm working my way back to being able to do a 5K this spring-I was signed up for one last new years eve but I was still in the hospital with Mary then...

The kids are doing well, listening better, getting dressed faster etc.  Robert has loved, loved, loved his space immaginext set.  He plays and plays and plays with it and wants more of the accessories for his b-day.  He is super duper excited about his b-day.  Mary is cooking and playing with her dolls non stop.  She had Amy all ready for Nanny night last night-diaper bag complete with baby food (I asked a friend from church for some of the plastic baby food containers), spoon and bib.  I was floored that she had it all together!  So Mary and Robert both sat up to the table in big kid chairs and Amy sat in the high chair and ate her applesauce.  Mary's babies eat pretty much exclusively applesauce and yogurt, lol.  No peas for them!  Caleb loves to help with Mary's doll and finished feeding her last night.  I was actually able to get baby Jacob to sleep (after failing miserably last week much to my chagrin!) which kept me out of the desert which was a good thing! 

Mary still wakes up crying some nights-she's having some nightmares these days.  I remember this with Robert as well.  She is generally able to go right back to sleep-even without me going in-but it is so sad.

Well I am gearing up for an unusually long shift tonight-14 hours.  As I told the coordinator who asked me to come in early (she wants to go to her daughter's science fair and get a login to be able to check grades online) I am planting so I will be able to reap later.  I'm sure my time will come when I'll want time off for stuff and I'm sure people will have to stay over for me/rearrange their schedule for me, so I'll take my turn now!  I have supper all made and in the fridge and my supper/night snack made and packed.  Sloppy joes, left over (homemade) mac n cheese from sat (yum!), cole slaw/broccoli salad, orange jello with fruit.  So I think that will go over well with Wes and the kids! 

December!

Where do months go?  I declare they go faster with each passing one.  Life is just crazy right now but I'm trying to hold on and enjoy the moments.  A family friend (Lisa) just lost her battle with cancer in her 40's this week.  I was the coordinator on and it was HARD.  I didn't know her so well but I knew her sister and wow.  I couldn't believe it when she died.  She had a 12 year old.  Death seems to be the theme around here lately.  Lots of deaths at work, Snoopy (who died the Wed before thanksgiving), Lisa... when I have a lot of deaths at work I go to the L+D floor and look at all the tiny babies and rejoice that there is a season to life.  A time to be born and a time to die... So I try to take more time for snuggles and books, more time for crafts and play, more time with Wesley.  Because you just never know. 

Loosing Snoopy was hard.  And the first weekend was hard.  It was great to have mom and dad here and the just general buisness of Thanksgiving.  I miss the dog she was, but not the dog she was at the end.  I honestly don't miss the puddles and the meds and the fighting between the dogs.  Daisy has not had an accident since the first couple days after Snoopy was gone.  I gather she was peeing over Snoopy spots/on areas where Snoopy would be.  I know Snoopy is happier and Daisy is happier too!  She's enjoying chewing bones, snuggling with us etc.  Robert said today that we need another dog but I really don't think we do!  When we donated the rest of Snoopy's antibiotics to the SPCA we went in to look at a dog that looked like Snoopy but was really a spastic crazy puppy that I didn't want anything to do with!  I'm so glad it turned out so completely wrong for us!  And glad that some other dog could use Snoopy's meds.  We had just refilled her other pills too and Costco took them back since they weren't opened so that was nice!  We continue to have 2 crates-one is her day crate and the other is her night crate, lol.

Now to Christmas!  I am so excited for Christmas this year.  I trust we will all be home and well.  I'm making felt food for Mary's kitchen and felt activity books for Robert and Logan.  We're doing the fisher price advent calendar and have gotten out the Christmas books and I got an advent one as well from CBD.  The playmobil nativity came today as well so we are playing, reading, singing Christmas!  The kids' play is this Sat and I'm excited to see it.  Their program at church didn't go too well but it was their first time in front of a group.  Mary def had the deer in the headlights look.  Robert said he just didn't want to sing, lol. 

The kids are enjoying the seasonal stuff-Christmas tree cakes, eggnog, and tonight fruitcake. I asked Robert how it was and he said "mmm, tastes like playdough".  Then he said "yummy".  We were rolling on the floor laughing!  Both kids ate their slices.  I gave the rest of my 1/2 slice to Mary.  I still do not like fruitcake.  Maybe it's because I don't like playdough either???

Well, I think that's all the news from here...

misc assorted stuff

When we were packing to move here I laughed at Wesley.  My boxes were all labeled with "spices", "books" etc.  And Wesley's were pretty much labeled "misc assorted stuff".  Poor guy.  But I have a sneaking sympathy for him tonight when I really have no idea what to label this blog post. 

Snoopy is still hanging in there.  Wesley took her last week to the vet in Waynesboro and he recommended putting her on 3 different antibiotics.  2 are twice a day and one is once a day. This is in addition to her 2 stomach pills and her cancer pill.  He also said we can increase her cancer med to twice a day and see how that does.  She isn't really wanting to eat, we're having to give her extra stuff in her dog food to make her eat.  I made a gravy out of supper leftovers and that went really well tonight.  She seems a little better than she did, so I guess we'll see how things go.

I've been having a blast making felt food for the kids for Christmas.  I'm working on a turkey tonight-too cute!  I think they'll really love it-I hope they will!  So far I've made fruit (orange, apple, kiwi, grapefruit, lemon, lime, pear), a 1/2 bread loaf and 2 slices of bread that fit into a hot pink bread pan, some Christmas cookies and now the turkey.  :) 

The kids are doing well.  We had a good weekend, they were relatively well behaved.  We've had to pull Robert and Logan out of nursery during worship due to a sudden influx of 7-12 month olds (we had 4 the other week!).  They are technically too old to be back there so it was past time.  So this was Robert's first week in church with me for worship and he did well.  I took crayons/coloring book/space flashcards and he picked out a handful of cars/trucks.  That seemed to get him through worship, announcements etc OK.  Mary wasn't sure about being in nursery without Robert but I talked up helping take care of the babies and she went for it!   

Ms Sherry was telling me about the Christmas play practice today-Mary and whoever it is who will be Joesph-Jackson maybe? were up front and then they called for whoever is going to be an angel and reminded him to fly his arms.  Mary proceeded to try to fly her arms and hold the doll baby Jesus all at the same time, she said it was hilarious.  Robert's funny is that he calls egg nog "egg noggin".  It is too cute :)  He is playing more and more with his legos and with the dress up stuff.  I got a wicker hamper at the sunnyside sale last weekend and it is working great for the dress up clothes.  I have some more put away to give him for Christmas.  Mary spends all her time with her babies.  She takes such careful care of them.  It's so cute.  I've really been battling eczema with her this winter-it's getting really old.  I can't wait to have her out of her shirt! 

I had a dentist appointment today and they massacred my teeth so I've taken some ibuprofen and am chilling while Wesley give the kids a bath.  No cavities just lots of tarter.  I got the kids dressed and to school and picked them up and made supper so I figured I've earned a few minutes of down time.  Tomorrow I have tele class so my normally free/catch up on the laundry/house day will be gone doing that.  Sigh.  But I really don't think I could pass the test without re-taking the class!

I can't believe Thanksgiving is coming so soon and I know that before I know it it will be Christmas.  It's crazy.Working full time has really made the weeks fly for me.  Every time I turn around it's Friday.  I think it's because I work wed and thurs nights so I go to work Wed, sleep, back to work and wake up and it's friday evening, lol.

Life in these here parts...

is busy. I worked 42 hours last week, a combo of 3 nights, a class and a 4 hour day shift.  Blech.  I have had enjoyed the time that I've been able to spend with the kids though!  We've had some fun times after school and then Sat we went to walmart as a family and then Sun we went out for ice cream and to Ollies (discount store) and just hung out.  This week I just have my 3 12 hour night shifts so that will be good.  I'm fighting off a cough/sinus thing so I'm def trying to get extra rest and fluids.  I was just dragging last night at work but I made it though-even through the never ending to-do list that people called in.  3 transports for PACU, 10 IV/labs, 2 EKG's... there for a while it seemed like it would never end.  I'm glad to be home in the QUIET this afternoon.  I need to get the house picked up and work on laundry some here in a few min but I'm enjoying relaxing and watching trashy TV.  I'm not sure how I ended up watching Steve Wilkos but I guess I'll stick with it and see who is lying, lol.  It does give me some perspective on some of my patients...

The kids are doing well.  They are starting to play TOGETHER which is so cute to see.  Mary is obsessed with nursery rhymes recently, we have a clip on one of the kid DVD's and she wants to watch it over and over.  Robert is obsessed with dress up, we got some more costumes when they were 90% off at walmart.  I have some put away for Christmas, I think I'll put together a dress up trunk for him. 

I'm really worried about Snoopy.  She seems to get more tired day by day.  She has a lot of trouble peeing (although eventually she can get it out).  We're going to do a culture and then start another round of antibiotics and see what that does.  I just don't know.  I for some reason just lost it yesterday at the vet.  Couldn't strop crying.  I guess as a nurse I see so many people who are dying and something in me says that she is .  It just really hit me yesterday.  There was a lady in the waiting room who had a dog in a similar place and she was so nice and helpful.  Her advice was "when you are no longer having fun the dog is no longer having fun either".  It's just going to be so hard to decide when and how to say goodbye.  And then how to get through it with the kids.  Triple blech.

The good news is that they have finally hired someone to do 1 day/wk so that will help some.  I've gotten some days off before and after Christmas which will be nice.  I am going to be working some Sun nights though as well, some weeks I'll work sun instead of mon.

TAG

1) The best investment you ever made:
-college I guess but also when we made the walls thicker/heavier insulated in the house we built

2) If you could’ve written any book, directed any movie, and composed any song, which three would you pick:

Book: Little Women

Movie: Princess Bride
Song: no idea 3) Weirdest quirk:

I really hate to call people on the phone.  I'm much better about it than I was (since that is the hugest part of my job) but still...
4) One wish immediately granted:

The upstairs cleared out and finished

5) Most expensive hobby:

it was scrapbooking/staming.  I hate to think how much $ I have tied up in that I don't do now.  Now probably raising kids, lol.  They are expensive!

6) An inexhaustible gift-card at which store:

amazon!!!!!!!!!!!!

7) In another lifetime, you’d be:

a colonial person, preferably a midwife.  Complete with hoopskirts.  I've always wanted to wear a hoopskirt.

TAG:

Jodi!

Fall Pics

apple butter group shot

cousins playing

Robert working the apple corer/peeler

Mary and her scarecrow

Robert and his scarecrow

Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

all dressed up!

to infinity and beyond

afterwards...

Rapunzel

Pumpkin pancakes, fall cleaning and a Mary update :)

I know, it sounds long just by reading the title!

Last weekend was fabulous.  We took Caleb (our 3 year old nephew) with us to the pumpkin patch complete with fenced in play yard and we had such a great time.  It was very fun.  We packed a picnic, played, took a hayride, ate, picked pumpkins (we let each kid pick a tiny pumpkin-turns out they are only 50 c each!), and generally had a good time.  It was nice family time.  And nice to bond a little more with Caleb. 

So I made it through another week.  Work is still busy (crazy busy actually!) and I worked an extra 4 hours on Sun night for double pay.  Then came home and slept a few hours, got the kids off to school and sat down with my netbook and a cup of tea (I had a sore throat).  Dumped the tea all over the poor netbook :(  Somehow by the grace of God and the skill of Wesley it is fully functional.  For a day or so the R key didn't work but it's back!  Whew!  Wesley had just warned me the other day about that but I didn't listen.  So I had a 2 day time out (no netbook!) to teach me my lesson!

But the big news of the week was the birth of our second nephew, Jacob on Wed.. He is such a sweetie.  It's so nice to have a newborn in the family!  (and so nice that it isn't mine!).  I wondered if I would have baby lust when he was born but I think (OK know) that I am happy to be an adoring aunt to two cute boys!  And hopefully some more if Rob and Kavitha have kids!

I actually made it to the gym 3 days this week, and managed to keep the house picked up and meals (mostly) made.  They've been un-impressive to say the least.  And Thursday I had to be back at work at 5 pm and so I gave up entirely and told Wesley he could pick up BK or something.  I didn't manage to get the weekly housework done but somehow the kids were cooperative and I was able to get the basics PLUS a whole lot more done today. 

The kids' clothes are sorted out, the old stuff is out, the fall stuff is in (with plenty of short sleeve shirts for the interim weather), their room is cleaned up even more (it really wasn't bad).  The diapers are gone (all we have left is pull ups that they wear at night and I think we are almost done with them as well!)-RMH is doing a diaper drive for united way so they are in the car ready to be donated tomorrow when I work.  Wesley did a detailed vacuuming of the carpeted areas-even upstairs and the stairs.  I did a detailed sweeping/moping/dusting of the rest and then finished the bathrooms tonight.  Earlier in the week I had bought new storage containers for the toys so we could put them away easier.  One for matchobox cars and the car mat, one for pirate stuff, one for tractors and loader/dumpers etc, one for Thomas trains (take along) and its track, one for snap n style dolls.... It looks a lot better! 

I decorated last weekend so the house looks clean and cozy and decorated for fall.  Ahh.  The kids have been coming home with crafts galore recently, so the picture window is covered in leaves, acorns, pumpkins... and they even made toddler sized scarecrows this week.  They are soooooo cute.  If anyone is looking for a good preschool daycare, I recommend Kidzone!

The kids are so crazy together.  They really love each other and play together... and fight.  Moooooooom he took my stroller and my baby doll.  Moooooom, she has my space rocket.  But over all they love each other and that is cool!  Today they played dress up and trains and baby dolls and ball on the stairs (not sure what that was all about-Wesley was watching them while I made supper.  Ah yes, supper.  Pumpkin pancakes.  Wow, I am in love.  They were so delicious.  Especially with pure maple syrup.  Yum, yum, yum!  Here is the recipes I sort of followed.  Of course I used mixed spice for baking instead of measuring out all of those spices, lol

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pumpkin-pancakes/Detail.aspx

Now for the Mary update
Well for one thing, I'm calling her potty trained !!!!!!She has been dry day and night recently (as has Robert) so I'm hoping that I am seeing the end of diapers....that would be fabulous.

For another thing her scars are looking better and better every day.  I am so happy. Here is the latest pic, it had been a long time since we had done a chest shot and it blew me away...