Every day life

UGH! I just wrote the best blog post and something happened and it was eaten in cyberworld!

I thought with school being in session that I would find oodles of time to scrapbook, putter around the house, and have time to get caught up. But, since school started I have joined the PTA, been asked to serve as chairman on the scout committee, joined a Women's Bible Study group, then throw in the day to days of soccer, dance, dentist appontments, house projects, potty training, and some nasty colds, I feel like I've barely had a chance to breath.

A few things worth noting. We found a cute little snapping turtle in our driveway. He was brand new, had just dug himself out. In fact, his eyes aren't even opened. I watched him for a few hours but he seemed pretty lethargic. I didn't want the kids to bug him when they got home from school so I put him in a container of water where he soon went wild and crazy and a while later Lacey and I released him down at the pond. She wanted so badly to hold him but got too nervous anytime he got close to her fingers.

Potty Training-Last Tuesday I put on Face*book, "I wonder how much it would cost to hire a potty trainer?" Tessa challenged me to just do it and that she'd do it with same as well. We put Lacey in unders for a few hours that night with only one accident. Wednesday she wore them all day long with only two accidents, and that was even with a three hour car ride to go get our dishwasher and back home again. Thursday we mixed in a little grocery shopping, and although it took FOR-EV-ER, and we had to stop and potty on the side of the road and use the store potty three times, we still made it all day without any accidnts and by Friday, she was telling us when she needed to go. Saturday, we even used the Port-a-potty three times at soccer practice (EWW!) and she has remained dry ever since!!! Woohooo!

(Since she's potty trained she should be able to paint her own nails... RIGHT?)

FIELDTRIPS- Jujus first! To the apple orchard. She picked some oh so yummy apples too! Julia is LOVING school. She goes three days a week, plus her and Lacey get to go to Bible Preschool on Thursdays. While I am in my class, they get to go to their own for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Last week Lacey bawled, this week they both walked in and had a great time. Julia is also loving dance, and although the parents aren't allowed in, I do peek in the door every week and she is really starting to remember her dance. She will get to do two performances in June! She's pretty excited.

Bible Study- A gal in my neighborhood invited me to join this nondenominational biblle study with her. It's about 30 minutes from my house and there are 12 different churches represented there. We are studying the book of Genesis, we are pretty much going chapter by chapter as we will be studying it for 30 weeks. Last week we learned about the creation and I feel as though this week, I noticed so many more things. Yesterday morning I was up before the sun and had to pull over and take this picture of the sun rising and the fog lifting. It was a great time to think about a review the things I already knew and had been learning.  this week in our class one of the ladys asked, "Why did God give us a devil?" The lady leadring our group said that we don't know, it's one of those mysteries. She explained that God could not have just started with creation but that there must have been something going on before then. Then She said, "But if anyone comes up with an answer, I'd love to hear it." I raised my hand and told about the war in heaven (Revelations 12)I told about how Satan wanted to come to the earth and tell us what to do and not give us any agency and that Jesus Christ wanted us to come to the earth and he wanted to be our Savior, he wanted us to choose what we wanted to do. I then told about Satan being cast out along with his followers and explained that the reason we are here on the earth today is because we chose to follow Jesus Christ long ago. It has been testimony strengthening for me to share the things I know to be true and to learn new things I had never even thought of. It has made my personal scripture study so exciting and inviting. I've loved it.

House Projects- Last weekend we resurfaced our Black top driveway. It looks so nice... but now I long to stain the deck. It made it look even worse! Isn't it funny how that happens. We also started thinning out our woods yesterday. Not completely, but we wanted to be able to see out into them. There was so much undergrowth that it just looked like a wall of trees. This is one portion that is finished. We have a long ways to go, but it was so much work hauling all of the trees out. Tomorrow, I'll take some befores and afters. I told Cody if he'll go out and cut the trees, then for the next week or so I'll spend an hour or two out hauling wood instead of exercising every morning. TWO BIRDS, ONE STONE! 

Speaking of Cody, he shimmied up this tree yesterday. He would not let me video it and stole my phone right after I took this picture. He is a busy bee as usual. Working hard!! He has had some neat experiences with Harley. Last week he was able to help a customer  that was in the area on a bike tour. He was originally from North Carolina. Cody was able to fix his clutch and get him back on the road very quickly. He also took their group out to lunch and made some good friends. Yesterday Cody received an email that was also sent to the CEO of Harley with a nice letter from this man praising Cody for his hard work, friendly personality, and thanking him for going out of his way to help someone else. Cody's boss told Cody he should make a "Scrapbook, better yet, a portfolio to keep track of all of these great things." It's been so nice for him to have a boss that helps him to grow in his job. He's really loving it and so am I!

Elena, keeps right on growing. She turned the big 1/2 year yesterday. It is mind blowing for me. I also witnessed her push up onto her hands and knees yesterday. I do believe crawling is in her near future. At six months Elena eats like a machine. She can suck down a container of food in about a minute. If we try to eat in front of her, her arms start flailing and she turns frantic. She has had, oatmeal, rice cereal, beans, prunes, sweet potatos, and carrots. Carrots were the hardest for her to get down. She only ate a bit before deciding that was enough. But the second time I brought them out she devoured them. I'm guessing she just had to get used to the flavor. She has had more table food than any of my kids at this age. She just NEEDS to be eating all of the time. She doesn't love her bottle anymore. She'd rather eat the real stuff. The other day she was so fussy and tired and everytime I gave her the bottle she would arch her back and scream. I put her in her car seat and fed her beans, just as I put the last scoop in her mouth she swallowed, turned her head and closed her eyes and she was fast asleep. She is an awful sleeper... She's still getting up three times at night. Last night, (please dont jinx me) she went to bed at 9 and only got up once! I felt like a new woman this morning!!!

COLDS- These darn colds. We have all been hit, except Cody. (don't jinx him!!!) 

Elena is finally getting better, but she had it for a good ten days, and Kevin went through an awful night of not being able to breath. I feel so bad for the poor boy. It scares him so bad and he sounds awful. I am so thankful for the nebulizer. He ended up sleeping with us on this particular night, which I am so not fond of. I told Cody that if he heard the baby he'd have to get up because I was going to make my way down stairs if I was being kicked at all. Well, I woke up nice and refreshed in the morning, Cody was a bit sore because he and Kevin were cuddled up on about 1/3 of the bed the entire night. And NO, I wasn't hogging the bed, Kevin just snuggled right up to Cody and fell asleep. His breathing is tons better, but sadly the cold hasn't lifted yet. Soon, I'm hoping soon. 

And lastly, Kevin is loving school, but SO exhausted all the time. It's been hard on him to be going, going, going all day long. He's very good about getting up and getting his chores done before school so that he can come in and have a snack and then play with the neighbor kids until dinner and then again after dinner. It has been so nice!! They are never bored and the kids get along so well. We will be so sad when they move next year. I'm praying for more kids to move in. Kevin also spends a good hour each day playing with his legos. He LOVES them and he and julia build all kinds of neat things. (If you're looking for a birthday or Christmas idea, there you have it! He asks me daily if he can buy some more!) 

And there you have it people! Until next time....

We are blessed and we know it!!!