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.