Tag (past due)

Okay, Jodi tagged me awhile ago and I thought I had better get this done: If you don't know the rules of this tag, you have to google the answer and choose an image on the first page of google images.


Favorite Vacation: Philmont

Favorite Color: Lavender

Age: 33

Favorite Treat: CHOCOLATE!!!

Favorite Food: Mexican Food

Where I want to travel: Greece

Where I Grew Up: Illinois

Where I Live: Decatur, IL (I know, it's so lovely)

Last Name: Maxey (I guess one of these guys is Lamar Maxey-whoever that is.)

Middle Name: Elizabeth - Elizabeth I

First Name: Amy (I cheated and picked the first one not dressed like a complete slut - Amy Adams)

Past Love: Camping (someday...)

Favorite Animal: Horse (hey Sean, can I have one???)
Okay, I guess I am supposed to tag some people...Brent, Jessie, Amber, and Annie Now...go!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I thought that maybe I would add one more post for the month of November. There isn't a lot to say, but I am sure I will find the words to say it. I can make a five minute explanation turn into an hour.

Thanksgiving was good. Sara and Sean and the kids came over and helped Mom with the cooking. I spent most of this lovely holiday weekend feeling terrible, so instead of helping, I just add more for Mom to do. Poor Mom. I think she suffers the most from this morning sickness (aside from me of course). Sean is wonderful and tries to do all that he can, but with him working nights and sleeping days, Mom ends up with the rotten end of the stick. And when I mean rotten, I mean Tori. Talk about rotten! That girl has been having real diaper issues. For the past two mornings I have gotten up at 6:30 with her and had to put her straight in the bathtub, clothes and all! Disgusting! Today she had three changes of clothing besides that. I did the baths, but Mom ends up with the diaper part a lot.

We did get our tree today. There was some problems with it once we got it home and had to do some trimming, but between Dad and I, we managed to save it. Dad enjoys telling people (when he remembers the right word) that our tree has a prosthetic limb. Now we need to decorate it. Let's save that for another day...

Nora and Olivia's school pictures should be in this week, so I will have to post those with the next blog. Work is getting difficult with this pregnancy thing. We are busy getting ready for Christmas and getting things for all 378 kids to take home to their parents and Christmas parties, and special programs and break-ins over at the main office... Yes! Break-ins! Turns out they are coming in the roof and we didn't learn from the last one a month or two ago and left most offices unlocked and a laptop in the conference area. So they took poor Jenny's big back of candy from her secret santa, and poor Brenda's 35 cents, and six of poor Michelle's hot chocolate packets. How evil! Okay, they did take the laptop too. But I was too sneaky for them this time. You can't steal my fruit bars if I don't have any! Ha ha!!

Sean did have an interview for the site manager position for Illinois Crane at the Decatur Caterpillar. The current one will be going north to Joliet or somewhere to work at the plant there. I guess we will know soon if they are willing to let him off the night shift or not. I shouldn't complain because it's a good job and he is really needed and wanted there, but I miss him!

Congratulations Jodi!!! I wish so much that I could come down for your graduation! I am so jealous of Tanya for getting to fly down to be there. Not so much of the others since I couldn't handle a road trip really well. But I sure am proud of you and your amazing hard work!! I sure do miss you and wish I could see you! Don't trip!

It's Time

I know, I know.... It's ridiculous! How can I go so long without adding anything? With five kids (and one on the way, by-the-way), you would think I would have plenty to write about! Oh, I do! But the time seems to fly away from me. I am at work all day sitting in front of a computer, not doing much because it is so slow right now, that when I get home and don't have to worry about quota time, I don't want to be on the computer. Oh well. Let's see...Olivia and Nora are enjoying school and their teachers are enjoying them (I guess they are sweet and obedient in class, who knew?). We just got their proofs back from the school photographer and should be getting the actual pictures back soon. Caleb and Isabelle and now both going to John's Hill and are also brown nosers, or so I hear. I can't believe that Caleb is in kindergarten already. Isabelle has moved up to the third floor, where the third - fifth grades are. I hate those stairs! Nora will be joining them next year and I just shake my head.

Sean still works nights as the shift supervisor and does well at it. His boss doesn't want to change that because no one else would take that job and not need hand holding. So I guess they love him at work. He has two guys that he works with and they all seem to work well together. It helps that one guy's wife and the other guy's girlfriend are sisters.

Tori is growing way too quickly. She will be 18 months in just 8 days! Yes, we are counting down! It will be so great to put her in nursery without feeling guilty that she is 2 weeks early. :) I have been so tempted to cut off her hair. It is driving me crazy! Besides the food in it at all times, she pulls out her hair pretties and it hangs in her face like cousin it. It's a bit amusing to watch her try to look up at you through that hair. She has graduated to the bottom bunk of the bunk bed she now shares with Caleb. She can definitely get down on her own. Saturday I went in to see if she was awake and I couldn't find her. I got a little panicked and checked the other bedrooms only to come back and search her room again. I finally found her UNDER the bed, sound asleep...That's my baby...

Okay, I guess that's enough for now. Maybe I will come back soon.? Who knows.

So Many Posts?

I posted on Sunday, and I noticed (at a nice early hour of 3:30am) this morning that there are a bunch of new posts from friends and family. How do you do it? I went two months! Well, here is twice in a week...:) How do people do it? I do enjoy reading them and hope you keep them coming!

Yesterday we had some sad news from the bridge behind our house. At about 1pm I heard a loud crash, like snapping or something and Belle said to Olivia, "Did that scare you?" I went to our room, which provides a great view of the bridge and there was a bit of hurried activity and a guy running to the road, like he was waiting for someone. Moments later came the firetrucks, ambulance, and police. They had quite a time getting down there and getting the guy out, but they managed. Unfortunately, the man didn't make it. I guess a cable snapped on the pile driving crane that was just putting in a huge steel beam. Here is the story. Here is the Newspaper's story. They have been investigating all night long and lights are still on out there. There was some of the trestle that broke, so they have to hurry and get that fixed before any trains can cross.

On a lighter note. Tori is really taking off. The most I have seen her go is about 7 steps without holding on. But she is so top heavy (:)) and gets so excited that she has a hard time keeping balanced. It's fun to watch.

The kids are doing the library program and enjoying getting read to, or in Belle's case - reading. She loves to read to the others. It is so cute to watch. They earn prizes if they meet the goal they made at the last library visit. So we have library books all over this big house and I know I won't be able to find them all. There's positive thinking for you.

We are all in our correct bedrooms now! Cribs and clothes have been moved. Office has been cleared out. Cots have moved. Etc... If any of you have seen Mom's office, you would be so amazed at how well she has done clearing it out. Dad has done a wonderful job making room for her too! Her office space looks so neat and organized! Blessing in disguise :) We need to get to the storage unit and bring over beds/bunk beds, couches, and other various things in order to really get moved in, but that might need to wait till Sean's next weekend off. And a fixed truck...


All the Maxey Grandkids

Sean and Livy waiting for the van to get fixed

And here is Devon's trick...

Moving on...

Well, we are alive. After much prodding from others, including Sean, I am giving a "brief" update of our lives. Here it goes...

We moved! We were renting our house and situations changed, so we needed to move out. We were staying at my parents while we were searching for a home that would fit us just right. It's not easy when you are looking for a place that takes 2 adults, 5 small kids, a dog, 3 guinea pigs, fish, frogs, and snails... Well, Mom had come home one evening after being gone all day (I blame it on short term memory - she had already forgotten the chaos of all of us being in her home) and said that we should just move in with them! After discussing it further with Sean and Dad (at different times), we decided it was the way to go. They have 5000+ square feet after all, which includes 3 1/2 baths, 5 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, tv room, play area, basement, office, etc...so, here we are. We can help with bills, and they can help with child care while we both work. It actually is working out well all around. Although we did get rid of the dog, a fish died and we have a tadpole. Philmont, one of the guinea pigs, had two babies, but they didn't make it. On a related note, I am not pregnant, for a change.

I am currently off for the summer. I have enjoyed being with the kids more. Being gone all day has made me appreciate the time I do have with them. Although the trip to Ohio was wearing me out. Especially since I was with my in-laws with out Sean most of the time. Since he had to work, he drove us over and came right back home so that he could get to work. He drove all day in order to get to work just in time - 12 hours later he was ready for sleep. He then drove over to get us. He had been working the weekend and after his Sunday shift he went home, took a shower, and then drove 7 1/2 hours to come get us. We did let him rest a little and didn't leave the very next day. But we left on Wednesday so that he could be to work that evening. Our water pump went out in Canal Winchester (just south of Columbus) and put us a couple of hours behind, but the auto mechanics were great (if you ever have car problems in that area, go to Hoffman's and they will fix you right up!) and we were on our way in enough time so that Sean could get to work on time. Speaking of his work...he was hired on as night supervisor of his shift for Illinois Crane at Caterpillar. They finally made him official June 1st. Yea!! He likes his job and we are kind of getting used to the schedule. I miss him though. I start back to work on the 21st of July and Nora and Olivia will be going to full day preschool soon after that.

Caleb is ready for kindergarten. He got rave reviews from his teachers and is surprising us with all that he knows. Belle finished 2nd grade with flying colors and is moving on to 3rd grade, but her teacher remains a mystery. I guess they might be getting a new one. Nora continues to be our klutz. She picked out a bike helmet and pad from a garage sale near Mamaw's (Ohio Grandma) and was wearing them and still managed to scrape her elbow with the elbow pad on! Only she can do that. She still won't leave Tori alone. It would be really sweet if Tori didn't scream every time Nora mauled her. Olivia isn't hearing well. She has a lot of fluid in her ears and we are going to have to take her to the Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor in July. She will most likely be getting tubes. She is quite rough and seems to hit a lot. I think she is our tom boy. It's hard to keep her clean. She really has a mind of her own. Tori is trying hard to walk. Or rather, we are trying hard to get Tori to walk. Caleb likes to do the "walking thing" which is trying to get Tori to walk back and forth between two people. The problem with that is that you need to have two people that she really wants to go to. Daddy, Mommy, or Grammy, but definitely not Nora! She is working on more teeth, since eight is not enough. She still eats everything! She got two big bites out of Mamaw's bar of soap before someone took it away. And then there's the garlic...

Long, Long Time

Sorry. I have a hard time sitting at the computer for any length of time these days. I am lucky to get to my email, let alone the blog. I quit taking some of my daily meds to see if they were causing the sleepiness, but have yet to determine that. It would help if I went to bed early too. I do have to share my Friday with you. I had a pretty good day at work. Michelle and Tammie and I laughed and giggled all day long. We got off early and I went home to a disaster. Poor Sean. You really need to have a long period of uninterrupted sleep in order to funtion, and he doesn't get it that often. Mom (and Sara and the kids) has been in Texas (I sure miss her and hope she is having a good time), which means that those long sleep periods only happen on weekends and evenings when he doesn't work.



He had been napping and Nora and Olivia got the vasoline out and put it in their hair and on the couch. They also got the hair spray down and emptied it in their hair. There was the individual chip bags all over and they were opened, so there was chips and crumbs everywhere too. Movies and cds had been pulled out of the cabinet and then out of their cases, with the crumbs all over them. Let's just say: It was bad. I immediately felt very over whelmed.



I called Melody and let out my frustration. Isabelle had spent the day over there (I guess that's why the house was that way it was). I called Mom next and while talking to her, I heard Tori crying. I went up to get her and found her on the rocking chair covered in cedar chips with the cedar all over the floor in the living room too. Olivia came down with them in her hair. I just started crying at that point. I had given Tori some animal crackers and the kids took the rest and spread them all over. I had it! Mom was feeling so bad that she couldn't do anything. Sean called while I was crying to mom, so I was talking to him and sobbing and he couldn't do anything since he was at work.



Well, Melody, Emma, and Isabelle came over and Mel saved me. While I was cleaning the mess in the Living Room, she tackled the kitchen. She helped the girls finish Belle's room (Caleb cleaned his room) and then bathed the three. Nora and Livy had their hair washed twice and still came out with crusty hair ( I have washed it four times since and we about have it out). After that, Mel scrubbed down the bathroom! She was amazing!



Saturday we went to the circus with Mel, Emma and Ella. I put Tori down for a nap since Sean was home sleeping. It left something to be desired, but it was fun getting out. We stopped at DQ for some ice cream and then headed home. I ended up cleaning the kitchen floor with the carpet cleaner and after the kids went to bed, I used it on the living room floors. I brought the rug back in and cleaned it, put oxy clean, biz bleach, and spray n wash on it. I scrubbed it with a bristle brush and then cleaned it again, and again, and again. I futured the kitchen floor and the main walk way in the living room and trapped myself in there, so I watched a little tv while I waited for it to dry. I ended up going to bed around 4:15am and was up by 7:30 for church. Sean helped the kids get ready and I was at church a little late, but made it by 9:30. My arm was killing me, but the house looked a whole lot better.

Next I will have to blog about Nora's hair...

It Once Was Lost, But Now It's Found

There is a great sense of satisfaction when you find something that has been pretty lost. Meaning - you have looked all over the dang house and even spent two days cleaning the playroom with out success, but there it is. Right in its spot. Sorry Amber. No keys or W-2 there.

This stinking camera was right where it was supposed to be. In the dirty diaper closet. No. There aren't dirty diapers in there, but there is diapers and the closet is dirty. It was even on the shelf it was supposed to be on. I think it's time to clean out the closet and call it the clean diaper closet for a day or two.

So here are some pictures for you...Caleb's birthday.....


Caleb's Cupcakes for school.

Waiting to enjoy the cupcake.


Nora joining in the party.

It Was a Dark and Storm Day

I still can't find my camera. It is really bothering me too. Yes Amber, when I find that black hole, I will check for your stuff too.

Yesterday Mom had us over for dinner. She made split pea soup, watergate salad, and green water. Mmmm. It was good. Nora is becoming quite a collector of other peoples' things. She picked up Dad's flashlight last night and it didn't phase her a bit when I made her go take it to him and tell him that she was sorry for taking it. She crammed some thin mints in her mouth later on because she knew she wasn't supposed to have anymore and ended up choking on them. I wasn't feeling too sorry for her at that point. She had to sit in time out until she was ready to apologize to Grammy. She wouldn't do it until she thought that we had all left her when we went to put stuff (and Tori) out in the van. I just don't know what to do with her.

There is a reason why I don't like toddler potties. Olivia has one out right now so that she can be encouraged to use it (which isn't being very encouraging, seeing as how she hasn't used it or anything). Tonight I went upstairs to put kids to bed and smelled something bad. I found that someone had used the potty. Not today either. I asked Caleb and Nora and Caleb admitted that he had done it, but he quickly added "but that was when I was four!" It didn't help him any. He still got a spank and sent to his room. Oh, should I admit that? I am a terrible mother. I spanked my son today.

I love my job. I never thought that I would say something like that. I never imagined myself working outside the home. And the idea of working would make me cringe. But here I am. Working and loving it. Does it have something to do with the fact that I have 5 kids under 8? Could be. Do I like getting away for a few hours? Perhaps. Is the extra income nice? Maybe. Is it all of the above? Absolutely. But I do have to say that the past two days have been soooo long! Mary C. and I went recruiting to Mt. Zion yesterday and today. If you don't know Mt. Zion, it's a very nice town just outside of Decatur, to the southeast. There are a lot of upscale homes and middle class homes there, and not many rougher places. If you know what I am getting at. Head Start is for the less privileged families. Like ours :) So we went and sat there at the pre-k screening from 8:45 - 2pm yesterday and 8:45 - 12 pm today doing nothing! No one was interested in putting their darlings into pre-school with the less fortunate. It's a little amusing to me to see this. Especially since I have two in the program. I have to say that I appreciate all that Nora and Caleb learn from school, including diversity and to see people for who they are on the inside. They don't see the color of skin or the clothes, but the personalities. Anyway, it was so boring! And even when we got back to the site, there wasn't anything to do. Here's hoping for crazy chaos tomorrow...but only at work, not at home.

Okay, I am off to bed. Sean is working again tonight, so I am going to go snuggle in bed and watch a little tv before going to sleep. Sorry again for my lack of pictures. My blog feels so naked!

Missing Camera

I know that I have a black hole in my house. It's not just this house. It moves with me. When Isabelle was just a baby, Sean's grandma, Bulah made her a Christmas stocking with her name on it to match ours. It was very special to us. Of course we got this just as we were moving to Ohio. We looked high and low for that thing. We looked in Illinois at our old place and in storage. We looked through boxes over and over. We never did find that. That's when it began. How do you explain to your child that Great-grandma loved her, but she doesn't have a stocking like Mom, Daddy and Caleb. (She passed away before the others came.)

Well, now it has taken my camera. Where in the world could it be??? I guess I do have five little sets of hands that love to take off with things. And Nora is becoming somewhat of a kleptomaniac... Well, thankfully we can always count on Sara to have hers.

And "Why am I sitting here typing at 2:45 in the am?" do you ask? Good question. Why? I was worried that the primary kids wouldn't know the words to Beautiful Savior next Sunday for their Sacrament Song, so I thought I should hunt up the visual display for it. That's why. And while I was at it, why not get the Articles of Faith Songs again, and hey, I am awake anyway, why not type a little on my blog! Twice in a week! Yea for me! Maybe I should go back to bed...

We (Belle, Caleb, Spencer, Nora and I) went to go see Suessical, the Dr. Suess musical yesterday. It was really cute and I would recommend it too young kids and their parents. Just a side note before I sign off. Sorry, no pictures of the birthday or the party...No camera!

Maxey Mahem Mixes with More Messes

Yeah, I don't know what that is supposes to mean. I just don't like coming up with a title. I have a wonderful friend who has this wonderful "journal" and the titles are completely random. I am just not funny. Funny things happen to me. I laugh at funny things (Sean isn't one of them, so don't ask). My kids are funny looking (ohhh, just kidding little thunder chunk...).
As I sit here and enjoy the peace and quiet I think, man, I am lucky. It's Friday night and Caleb isn't here to wake up the two little ones at 6:30 in the morning! I get to sleep in! It has been a long time since I could do that! Sean has been asleep all day and is still sleeping. I probably will go sleep on the couch so that I don't disturb him. Poor guy. He got food poisoning early this morning and ended up driving himself from work to the er and puking the whole way. He tells me there is some on the door, but I think I will just go with his word on this...
I was sick yesterday. It started with a migraine the night before and I guess I caught a 24hour bug to go with it, but it was not food poisoning! Mom and Sara took the two little ones shopping with them after I came home early from work. After they were done, Mom came over with the two and helped around the living room and kitchen, fixed dinner, and put kids to bed! She's amazing!
I know why I have a hard time sitting down and writing things. I write too much!
We kept Mom on the run today too. I got to come home early today because there was nothing at the office to do, so I cleaned out a fish tank (and somehow lost a frog in the process) and Mom made a transformer cake. Caleb is so excited for his party tomorrow night! It was nice to spend time with Mom and Sara today. It's been awhile.
Caleb turned 5 on Wednesday. Sean had to work, so we opened presents when I got home and before he left. Caleb asked for corn, beans, juice, and turkey for his birthday dinner. Today he informed us that he didn't like turkey. Saturday he just wants corn, beans, and juice. I will have to post more pictures later. I am falling asleep as I type.

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun (or something like that)

Well, I told myself that I would try to get in at least one post a week, and I have failed already! So sad. I haven't given up yet though.

There hasn't been any big or exciting new here, just that I seem to be on the run all the time. Tuesday was Blue and Gold Banquet for the Cub Scouts and the theme was Chinese New Year. I don't know about your areas, but here in Decatur, you just don't find much for that. I did get some material and started making runners. But Sean ended up finishing them and ironing them. What a guy! Thankfully, Teresa Cluff's husband works in Bloomington and found great stuff there. Rochelle and Bob Mooth talked about China and the things they learned there. It was wonderful. The people who did the food did a wonderful job!

Work has been good. I still enjoy going everyday and look forward to the next. I am getting the hang of things, which is nice. Michelle and then Tammie have come to work feeling miserable. We have heard too much about the staff that keeps taking off work for the littlest things, so it's hard for us to miss. I made Tammie go home on Friday after she got done with her monthly tracking (not that she was fighting me about it). I am worried that I am next, but luckily, I have been spared. We are working on the March parent meeting and the three of us are in charge of the monthly newsletter. Cozette makes sure that I have plenty to do so that I don't keep coming to her for more stuff. I realize (thanks to Sean) that I need to back off anyway, but she does know and so far I haven't made her too crazy.

Tori is pulling herself up these days. Which makes bedtime a little bit harder. But it's so cute to see her with that big grin that says "I did it!" She sure is growing up quickly! Those legs are soooo chunky! She is finally getting one of her top front teeth in and soon we can't call her a vampire.

Yesterday, Isabelle and I dressed alike, so Daddy got our picture. Belle got her Girl Scout Cookies in and I brought them to school on my lunch hour. She was so excited that I came and that we were dressed alike. Someday she will be so embarrassed of me, but for now, I will take what I can get.

It's good to have Sean home for the weekend. It goes by so slowly when he works and so quickly when he doesn't. I better go . Things to get ready for, stuff to buy, kids to play with, and rooms to clean.

Busy

I am tempted to do what my friend did and put my stuff in several different blogs, but it's 1:15 in the morning (thank you Tori!), so we'll do this the quicker way. I haven't even had time to sit down and do this earlier, so here I am, doing this now while most are asleep.

Sean had to work on Valentine's Night, but he sent me flowers at work (after my manager thought that some birthday flowers for Peggy were for me. I laughed at the idea of Sean sending me flowers, so she made sure that I gave him a hard time. He felt the pressure and thought he had better send them :) ). They were beautiful! Even if he felt compelled, I was still so excited that they actually came. And I think he put the compelled act on just for show :) Tammie talked to her husband and mentioned to him that my husband sent me flowers and he told her, "Tell her to give you one!"

Since Sean worked that night, Sara invited us over to Mom's for dinner (which she fixed). It was delicious! She made Saucy Hearts and broccoli and cheese, Mom made a pink jell-o salad, and we had rolls. After we let the food settle, we had pie and ice cream too! Mmmm good! Thanks Sara for the wonderful meal!

Friday I did home visits with Caleb's assistant teacher. Mrs. Sandy wasn't able to go and their FSW (Family Service Worker) was sick, so Cozette asked me to go. We tried 17 homes and made 9 visits. It was a real eye-opener. I am glad I got to experience that and hope that I don't have to do it next week. But Mrs. Bonnie is really great and I was so glad to get to know her better. She also did my home visit for Caleb while we had some extra time.

Friday night our kids went to the Sterling and Sean and I went on a date! It's been a while, so it was exciting. We went to the mall and voted on our favorite boo-boo quilt. There was a record 47 quilts there and they were so beautiful! We did a little shopping and then went over to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. We got there around 8:30 and still had to wait about 25 minutes. It was packed! But the food was wonderful (Sean wasn't as pleased, but still went away satisfied). We picked up Tori and then went home and went to bed! The other four camped out on the Sterlings family room floor in sleeping bags with their cousins. It was so cute.

I would have slept in, since most of the little people were gone, but Saturday was Make a Blanket Day at the mall. Dad took Mom and I over and we got there around 8:30 am to find a good spot and set up. There are more and more people every year, so we had to make sure we could get a good place. Sean and the kids stopped by to see the quilts (Isabelle wanted to see Mommy's quilt). I did have to give a disclaimer to everyone on all the girls hair. The all had quite the bed head. :)
When blanket day is at the mall, there is paper piecing to do. Mom and I enjoy putting the blocks together and we like getting a bunch and doing them all together. We didn't have enough plugs to plug in two sewing machines and Mom's travel iron, so one person sewed while the other ironed, lined up pieces and trimmed. It was a lot of fun. All together we made about 16 blocks. With each block that you do, you can try for a prize. They use a ping pong machine and if you get an orange ping pong, you get 10 extra tickets for the special prize drawings. If you get a yellow ping pong, you get to pick a prize off of the door prize table. If you get a white one, well, thanks for trying and here's another block :) Mom is really good at getting the colored balls, so I made her do most of it. She ended up with 2(?) door prize ping pongs and 6 or more special prize tickets ping pongs. She's amazing! She got the first one right away and picked up a kit to make a travel sewing bag with things to go in it. She happens to have one already and it also just so happens that I mentioned to her that I wanted one like that, so she got it for me :) She is so sweet! I got my name called first thing for a door prize and picked up a pair of snippers for rag quilt snipping. I was really excited about both! She also picked up a pair of snippers with her second ping pong ball prize. She got a snuggly scarf when her name was finally called for a door prize. The great thing about Project Linus and this chapter of it is that they are so good to their volunteers! Mary and Cheryl really know how to make these days so wonderful! We sat by our friend, Judy Brumaster. We got to know her at the November, 2006 Appreciation Breakfast and have enjoyed her ever since. She is a wonderful lady with an amazing memory. I saw her at the Feb. make a blanket day in 2007 and she asked when I was due. When I saw her in June, she said she had been keeping an eye out for our birth announcement in the paper and was excited to find it at the end of May. This picture of her is when she won one of the special drawings. We cheered loudly for her. We didn't win any of the special drawings, but the very last drawing that they did, was for a $900 Baby Lock Sewing Machine that was donated by Baby Lock and Stewarts. Those who pre-registered got to enter the drawing and when we put our names in, I told Mary that if Mom won, I got the machine. We all laughed and Mom explained that my machine just broke a few days earlier. I never win any of the big prizes, so I was busy sewing and not paying much attention. When they called my name I freaked out! Mom and I just kept hugging and we were almost crying. Mary had said that every time that they give a sewing machine away, it always seems to go to someone who really needs it, and this time it was no exception. Mom whispered to me, "Oh! I was hoping you would get it! I have been saying a little prayer all day that you would get it!" I love that woman! I am so grateful for my new machine! It truly is a blessing to me! I have already sewn my travel case with it and I love it!!
Mom and I were on the front page of the local section! And my name is at the very end of the article for winning the machine.

http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/02/18/news/local/1030159.txt


This is Mary Balagna. She is the Vice Pres. of the National Office for Project Linus and the President of our chapter. She is an amazing woman. I can't believe all that she manages to accomplish. Cheryl Hughes is the Vice Pres. and is wonderful at helping her. I guess that's how Mary does it. Between them and all the volunteers, each Project Linus event is amazing.

Lastly, my mother-in-law came Sunday afternoon. Sean and the four older kids went to Champaign and picked her up. They were so excited! It's always wonderful to have Mamaw here. She love to help and to spoil. I have a video of Livy and Mamaw playing and then I think I might be done. I am ready to go back to bed now that Tori is quiet. I hear Sean sleeping away and my eyes are getting heavy again. One more picture before I go... Nora won't leave Tori alone! Here, she doesn't seem to mind too much :) Yeah, I should have done this in several different blogs. Sorry it's so long!

Hobbies

I began thinking about hobbies today. I wonder what hobbies others enjoy. Some are obvious, such as Soni and quilting. Others may be guilty pleasures. I seem to have a collection of hobbies ranging from banjo playing to radio. At the former I am neither proficient or dedicated. Seems each time I pick up to play I break a string. Radio, however is both entertaining and educational.

I listen to short wave regularly. I love the variety from around the world available on such a simple medium. I also hold a ham radio license and talk on there occasionally. I have a hand held unit that is on most of the time. I have aspirations to pass the test for a General class license that will allow me to use a 10 meter radio I have and talk over even greater distances. There is something about this hobby that attracts me. I find myself learning more in a wide variety of fields studying radio than any other hobby I have been involved in. This makes me think it will be a long-lived interest.

I have several other "pasttimes" I enjoy, but few I would consider a hobby. What are some of the ways you relax and pass time for amusement. I have a few guesses at obvious answers, but try to surprise me with a good one.

73

Sean

Crazy

I am so glad that Monday is over! It was good. Don't get me wrong. But it wore me out. I went to work as usual and had my first not so good day. I don't like to be micromanaged and that is what my manager is. I made up a new phone list for the office with Head Starts addresses and phone numbers also and printed of copies for anyone who wanted it (everyone), but apparently, someone felt upset about this and Mary had to come tell me that I was not to copy ANYTHING until Cozette gave her initial to it. Oh brother! It's an extension list! Grrr

But I did get to go over to Site 2 (where Nora and Caleb are) and help in one of the classrooms. Cozette told me to just go home from there. I didn't need to come back to the office just for 1/2 an hour. So I got to pick up the little ones and go home.

Mom came over to watch the kids yesterday. I thought that Sean would probably need some sleep after all the work and lack of sleep this past weekend. She has been sewing the top of my boo boo quilt (so Sean designed it and Mom sewed it together - Sean said I was a good manager :)). She has been so helpful! She always is, but yesterday she was sick and still she was here caring for kids and sewing. I did add a picture of Tori. Mom fixed her hair after her nap and she looked so cute. Belle missed the bus (it wasn't her regular one I guess) so Dad was good enough to take her to school. He even walked her in. Cute. Wonder if it brought back any memories?

I babysat at the Lauper-Cook's last night. Those kids are so great. Jasper was born in October, so Julie needed someone with experience with babies. That is definitely me! Julie's grandfather passed away and she headed out this morning to go to the funeral. I took the three girls with me to the Daines' house where they were going to spend the next few days. After that, I stopped at mom's and picked up the blanket top that she took home to work on, and then headed over to Wal-mart for some groceries. I FINALLY got home around 10:30. Sean and I decided that after work tonight, I was staying home!

Isabelle was supposed to jump in the jump rope for heart thing, but her teacher forgot. She was so sad and I think she even cried. Mrs. Williams gave her a little "I'm Sorry!" present (it really was sweet). This was clear back in December. Well, I guess she came home with all kinds of prizes for the money that she did raise. She got a couple of t-shirts, a jump-rope, a radio, and some other stuff. She was pretty excited about that. The picture is her this morning, just after waking up. She was embarrassed that I was taking a picture of her looking like that. My little girl is growing up!