It is summertime!  The kids are out of school, and we are enjoying our days at home.  Shane is always up early, between 7 and 8am...and playing with his cars or watching transformers on youtube.  Kirsten usually crawls out of bed between 9-10am, and happily joins Shane in whatever he is doing.  Miss Heidi, well, she is a teenager now, and we seldom see her before noon, and then she really isn't in a good mood until 1pm!  LOL.  I remember those days a couple decades ago! 

Leigh is working hard at Coke.  They are changing the routes around and so he had new stores, and different areas he is delivering to.  It makes it pretty stressful for him.  So, he comes home from work even more exhausted than normal!

We got a metal framed pool for the kids.  We set it up on Monday, and the kids were in it while it was filling up!  Crazy!  The well water is COLD!  They have been in it every day since, rain or shine, warm or cold.  They don't care.  Today it is supposed to warm up nicely, so maybe I'll join them this afternoon.

I am 12 weeks preggo now.  This week I have had a little bit more energy than before.  I still tire easily, and get short of breath.  My body is increasing the blood supply and all that new hemoglobin wants oxygen!  It annoys me!  I still fight nausea, although it is improving.  I'm focusing on eating fresh fruits and veggies, and healthy protein.  It really seems to help stabilize my blood sugar and ward off the nausea.  I don't have diabetes, or blood sugar issues, but I have read that the more consistent you can keep your blood sugar the better it is for morning sickness.  I'm looking forward to going back to see the midwife in a couple weeks.  Can't wait to hear the heartbeat and find out how things are going.  I know it is "too early", but I have felt some strange sensations a few times, and I think it is feeling the baby move!  That sure is what it reminds me of!  I get all excited when it happens!

Excitement!!

Well, the past couple months have been hard....'cause I've been wantin' to spill the beans!  We discovered that we are expecting another little baby!  Oh, we are so excited.  Heidi and Kirsten both cried with joy when we told them.  Shane is so excited because "he always wanted to be a big brother!"  So we are due in December 2012.  We can hardly believe our blessed we are!

So, I've been feeling pretty exhausted.  Some nausea, a little vomiting, but mostly just like I want to sleep all day long!  I felt this way when I was expecting Shane, too, and it passed eventually.  So, I am just enduring it for now.

So... we'll keep you posted as things go along!

Karma

So, I am inclined to believe that karma has come to bite me for some reason. This week I got pneumonia. How? I have no idea, but it hit me like a ton of bricks! I then become dehydrated, and earned myself a hospital stay. Now, my fluids are built back up and I am feeling much better! Still have pneumonia, but atleast I am hydrated! So, I am in the hospital overnight, hoping to be discharged tomorrow. So... hopefully Karma is done with me now! I am ready to be back to my life already!!

Springy Spirits!

Well, not sure if Spring has sprung or if this is just a teaser before winter comes back for one last hurrah. Hey, either way... I'll take it. Temps in the 70s and the kids outside loving it! Makes me want to clean out the house, and do some landscaping! LOVE IT!!

I am recovering well. Incisions have healed nicely. I still have to wear this ugly walking boot. Shhh... I cheat. I don't ALWAYS wear it. But, I do always wear it when I am going outside. Uneven ground is very difficult, as are stairs. So...2 more weeks of this loverly thing, and then I get to wear normal shoes again! I am anxious to get out walking again, and dare I say, starting to run again? I am feeling like a slug these days. Also, can't wait to get back to work. That's my life...my kids and work. end of subject.

Surgery

Since I know there are some of you who blog but don't facebook, I thought I would write a bit here to keep you updated on my surgery saga.

Monday, Feb 20th, I went in for outpatient surgery to correct my left ankle. I originally twisted it about 15 years ago, when Leigh and I were dating. I have had issues with it ever since, and more recently, the issues have become more frequent. Something would "slip" in my ankle and it would immediately become immobile, painful, and swollen. This would last from a couple hours to 3 weeks. There was no rhyme or reason for why it would slip in or out. Well, I finally got in to see a very smart surgeon on January. She couldn't not really tell what it was because the MRIs were so pathetic, but she said there was definetly something going on.

So, she did arthroscopy and removed a piece of cartiladge the size of a fingernail, that had been 'floating' in and out of the joint at whim. Where it came from, I have no idea. There was also some excess synovial fluid and damage with in the joint capsule that she fixed up. Finally, she did an open incision to repair some ligaments that were also torn.

So, I am recovering at home. I did not think it would be as painful as it has been. They did a popliteal nerve block that wore off about 24 hours later. The pain skyrocketted in that 18-30 hr post op range. I started taking the norco which was prescribed for pain. I know it helped the pain, but it also made me woozy, nauseus and light headed. Not a good combination when you are trying to manage crutches to get to the bathroom. So, today is my first day without taking the norco. I am still resting alot, but not sleeping the day away like I did Tues-Thurs. I have eaten more today, which is better since I was getting pretty weak. The pain is constant, and I am taking 1000 mg of Tylenol every 4 hours, which is keeping it bearable. Hopefully every day is an improvement.

So, the long range plan. This Tuesday I go to the dr for a dressing change, and to get a look at what scars I'm gonna have. A plaster splint will be reapplied. A week with that one, and then I am supposed to get a 'walking' boot. I will not be allowed to walk on it for a total of 3 weeks. Then, I will start walking on it slowly, as it allows me. Physical Therapy is to start at the 6 week mark, as is going back to work.

I am so missing work! I miss my co workers... I miss getting out of the house and doing my thing! I miss the patients. So... I hope this recovery goes faster than anticipated so I can get back to work, soon!!!

February 2012

So, this one a month thing is kinda funny. For some reason, I am just not very good about thinking about blogging! I love to read other people's blogs who update frequently!

This sure has been a mild winter. We have had snow, but not much at any one time, and then it melts quickly. The kids haven't gotten in my sledriding/snowboarding.

Actually, by the time the kids get off the bus, they are usually too tired to do much playing. They usually hang out reading books or watching a movie or something. So, fun time is usually Saturdays. They are all doing well in school. Crazy kids and their brains. They are all smarter than their parents. Seriously, I am not just saying that because Heidi is on the brink of teenagedom and really thinks that sometimes!

I am enjoying my schooling. I am attending Phoenix online. The first class I took was more like a 3 week orientation to online schooling. I thought is needed to be about 2 days. It was more than excessive in my humble opinion. This class is a bit more intriguing. I have gotten to play around with designing powerpoint presentations and working with a team on projects. Our discussion in the forum have been dynamic and at times enlightening. I got to study the lives of 2 nurses, Clara Barton and Sharon Ann Lane. They were both 'war' nurses. Sharon was in the Vietnam War, and it was interesting to me. My dad was a medic in Vietnam and was there during the same time she was. Anyway, learning about their drive and dedication to nursing and helping wounded soldiers is inspiring. I only have 2 weeks left of this class, so it is winding down. Wonder what the next one will be like?

Next Monday is D day for me... I am going to have surgery on my ankle. I have had problems with it for over 15 years. I guess it is time to get it taken care of. I am not really anxious about surgery. But I AM anxious about recovery. The doctor is scoping it first to figure out what the issues are, and then she will be cutting in and fixing all the problems. It sounds like there are several issues to be dealt with. So, I really don't know what surgery will be, or what the recovery will be. I am hoping it is a quick and easy fix! HA! So, you'll have to been thinking about my poor family as they put up with me and my grouchiness for the next month or so! I do not deal well with this type of thing. I like to be on the move and getting things done! Not sitting around resting!

I miss my peeps at work! I haven't been able to work for over a month. Walking through the grocery store causes pain, that brings me to tears. So... working for an 4-8 hr shift is simply unthinkable. So... I am missing everyone! We have such a good time picking on each other! And from what I hear, there has been some staff turnover, too. So, there will be new faces to meet when I get back there!

Hope all is well with you guys!

January 2012

Whoa, wait a minute. How did 2012 get here so fast? And, while we are on the subject, where did 2011 go??

We had a very busy holiday season with lots of visitors and travels to see family! We made very special memories!

And now January. What will the new year bring. For me, it brought college. Yep, I am back in school. This time it is all online as I pursue my BSN and subsequently my MSN in Nursing. I am very excited at what oppurtunities I can appreciate in 3 short years. I am loving it so far. I love to learn new things, and meet new people.

The kids are back to school. Shane has been trying to convince his 1st grade teacher that he needs more challenging work. He keeps telling us that he is bored. Last week he crumpled his spelling list into a tiny ball. Leigh found him smoothing it all out with his hands. When asked what he was doing, he said with such disgust in his voice, "these words are only 3-4 letters each!!!" It made hime made enough he had balled the whole paper up!! crazy kid. Finally, this week she sent home a short "chapter" book for him to read, saying he should read 1-2 chapters a night, and hand it in on Friday. Well, crazy kid had it completely read before supper the first night. so, now he is digusted that she won't send a new chapter book home every night. He devours everything he can read.

Miss Kirsten is enjoying 4th grade. She has an awesome teacher. Mr. E gave glowing report of her at the last PT conference that we had. She is enjoying playing the clarinet and piano lessons. She is little miss socialite and spends a good part of her evenings chatting on the phone with her friends. Most weekends she has an invitation to spend it at one of her friends houses. She doesn't always get to go, which causes some highly emotional breakdowns! Being on the brink of puberty is not easy!!

Miss Heidi. oh yes. teenagedom is looming. Momma is not ready. Somedays she is so wonderfully helpful and mature. And then there are the other days. I doubt I need to say anything more than that. Most evenings she is in her room, and we hear the distant music of her practicing her flute. She is doing well, and hoping to be able to try the piccolo next year. She continues to do well in school. Where oh where did my children get their brains? It surely must have skipped a generation, 'cause their parents don't have them!

Speaking of their parents.... we keep plodding along. Leigh is working ridiculous hours for coke, and comes home exhausted. Once he sits in his lazyboy...it's all over for the day. His latest project is preparing some barnboards to put on the walls of our stairwell. They are going to be beautiful! He went and tore them off the barn, brought them home, cleaned them, sealed them, and now he is getting ready to put them on the wall! I can't wait! It is something he wanted to do from the time we moved in!

15 years ago, I badly sprained my ankle. Over the years I have had issues with it at different times. Well, the past 6 months is has gotten increasingly worse. There seems to be a tendon or ligament that slips out of place spontaneously and causes my ankle to become mostly immobile. This makes walking a chore, if I can walk at all. Currently I am not walking on it, and hobbling around on crutches. NOT FUN. I have an MRI schedules for this afternoon and I got to see Ortho next week. Gotta get some answers!

On that note, I have been amazed the last few days at how much my family is able to do around the house! The girls and Leigh are learning to cook! Leigh is seeing things that need done, and doing them without being asked. I honestly thought that trait was not in his DNA. All jokes and sarcasm aside, I appreciate their help beyond words. With my guidance from the couch/lazyboy or wherever I am sitting, they are doing very well. Love my family!!

November 2011

Does anyone still read this? I sincerely doubt it. Anyone who reads blogs probably checks them more than twice a year. It seems the my updating has only happened twice a year! And believe me, it isn't because nothing is happening! LOL.

Our Dear Kirsten just turned 10! Where in the world does time go! She had some friends from school come for the evening, and Gramma and Grampa Grady came for the weekend. Gramma and Grampa Purcell came to join in the fun, too! It was a whirlwind of a weekend.

Actually, most weekends are a whirlwind here.

Our old doublewide home was moved out the last couple of weekends. So, now we have a big empty concrete pad! Oh, what to do with that?? Lots of ideas are in all our heads. Should it be a garage, a tennis court, a basketball court, a quilt shop, a skating rink... oh the possibilities are endless!

I had the wonderful experience of spending a few days at a quilting retreat with my momma. what wonderful laughs we had! And we saw some beautiful quilts, too! What inspiration!!

It seems like other details of our summer are alluding me....

May 2011

Winter is over. I think. I hope. It better be. If I see snow anytime in the next 6 months or so.... I'm moving to the equator. It was a long, very snowy winter, followed by a very wet month of April. The creeks are going down, and the mud is drying out. We have lots of yardwork to do in the next couple of months. I planted a few trees over this past week... trying to start some landscaping. There are probably 20 or so more to plant.

12 years ago today, was probably the biggest, most life changing day of my life. It is the day I became a mom for the first time. In reality, I became a mom about 8.5 months prior when I found out that we would be having a baby. I had a fairly uneventful pregnancy, except for the braxton-hicks contractions that started at 18 weeks and continued until 5/2/99. We made a few trips to the hospital when they got worse, thinking that baby was ready. Nope....got sent home again. When the time came, we were surprisingly relaxed, drove the speedlimit etc. We arrived at the hospital at around 7pm, and she was born at 9:47pm. 8#2oz of rollypolly baby girl....which surprised us all.... after the 3 boys in my family in and 5 in Leigh's, who woulda thunk we would have a GIRL?? So, we had a Heidi instead of a Trevor.

It is so hard to believe how much she has grown. This past weekend we went to see her in a concert. She sings alto in choir. In meeting, she is learning high tenor, or whatever else her mom tries to sing. She has a beautiful voice. Of course she has her preteen struggles, but most of the time, she amazes me. Now, she is on the brink of teenagedom. Soon, it will be "real" boyfriends, and driving, and looking in to colleges. It is hard to believe that her years at home are probably over half over. And this coming year.. high school. oh dear... I am really starting to feel like I am the older generation, not a young parent anymore!

All the sentimental jibberish aside....

the house is coming along. We still are working upstairs. Leigh is still working on the bathroom...but it is closing in on completion. Then we will lay the flooring upstairs...and we will be DONE inside. woohoo! We have sold the old doublewide, so we will need to get it cleaned out and make any repairs necessary. Then I am sure the dreaming/planning will start about what to do with the concrete pad left behind. It will be a shop of some sort for Leigh.... he has all sorts of ideas...

Now... I am off to grocery shop. I HATE grocery shopping and I am delaying it. But... the fam will be home in a few hours and want 'something' to eat...

January 2011

Well, the end of January is close! What month it has been!

We spent Xmas with the Grady family... what a great weekend! So much fun to be with everyone, lots of music, laughter, and ofcourse FOOD! We also got to meet our new little nephew Jared, who was only a few weeks old at the time! Since Christmas, we have been working like crazy to get our new home ready for move in day! This meant LOTS of painting for me! Leigh worked on drywall and plumbing. We both got very weary of all of this. Last weekend, we moved our furniture into the new house. So, we are IN, but not necessarily OUT of the old one yet. Each day, I got to the old house with the 4wheeler and trailer, and bring a load or two to the new house to put away. The laundry is still in the old house...so many trips are made back and forth for that! It won't be long, though, until we are completely settled. In the meantime, I am enjoying my clutterfree new home, and getting back into cooking and cleaning schedules! We can't wait for life to be calmer again.

Our dear friends, Darren and Rebecca have not been far from our thoughts, either. Their darling little boy was born with some seizure like activity in his brain. The doctors struggled for 3 months to control this, but the medicines were not enough. God called baby Logan home this past week. His short life was such a blessing to us!

The snow has been crazy this year. In the past we have had lots of snow, but it seems this year that every couple of days we get just enough to make the roads nasty to travel on again! Often, it seems, I go to work and the sun is shining and the roads are dry, and 8 hours later they are covered with 3 inches of slippery snow over ice! I have had too many trecherous drives home the past couple of weeks.

I am still enjoying my perdiem work. There have been LOTS of hours until recently. It has slowed down some the past week or so, and will continue to be slower for awhile. I have so much to do at home, so it doesn't bother me. But, I will be anxious to pick up more time again in a month or so!

Leigh works fulltime at Coke. He sure has been busy, it doesn't seem like it has slowed down yet, as it does in the winter at times. He has a new boss, which has been a REAL adjustment!

The kiddoes are all doing well in school. They have their moments ofcourse, but overall, they all do well. I don't know where they get their brains....it sure isn't from me!! Shane is in Kindergarten, and loves to read and tell jokes to his teacher. He has interesting insights to things, too! He keeps us laughing most of the time. Kirsten, 3rd grade, does well. She is always so helpful and kind to everyone. We never hear a complaint about her. Heidi, ah, middle school. Need I say more? Such a hard time of transition for kids. She does well academically, but this year has been tough for her in the friendship dept. It seems they are all changing, and friendships are changing. Some are ready for it, others are not. And, good grief, how do you find GOOD friends? Thankfully, she has found a couple new friends, who are good kids to be around.

I am home with Kirsten this morning. She is not feeling well. Leigh, Heidi and Shane all got to go to meeting. I sure do miss it when I can't go! I just realized the time... they will be home soon and HUNGRY, so I better start some lunch!

Novemeber 2010

The house is in place, as of 10-18-10. We have been working nearly every waking minute on finishing it up. The upstairs was completely unfinished. We started by laying the subfloor. Then came framing and insulating walls, running plumbing and electrical lines. Ofcourse this was not done in any particular order, and most of the time was done simultaneously. So many decisions, so little time. How to do it right the first time!!? Stress, Stress, Stress. Currently, we have nearly all the drywall hung. Now to get it taped and finished. Once that is done we will be closing in on movein day!! How long will that take? Who knows? We had originally told people we hoped to move by Thanksgiving. Will that happen? doubt it. We will be lucky to move in ON Thanksgiving. So people ask if we will be in by Christmas. I just say, I hope to be in by Christmas 2011. I am 99% sure that will happen! Ha. Ha.

I would love to move in on Thanksgiving day. We moved in to our old house on Tgiving day 1998. It seems fitting to move out exactly 12 years later. I think I am just a sentimental fool.

Otherwise, things are just floating along here. I can not manage 2 houses, so the old house is getting minimal attention. The kids are doing well, excelling at school, thank goodness. I know that somedays the stress of all of this gets to them, too.

Kirsten will be going in for surgery in December. She will be having her Tonsils and Adenoids removed. I am sure she will feel better after that is healed up! She does not complain, but I know it affects her more than she says.

Well, I am off to the grocery store. The cupboards are BARE....and the family has been complaining about it.

September 2010

Well, it has been a long time coming. Years ago, we outgrew our little doublewide. As our family grew, the house got smaller, I think! We have been working for over a year to get everything lined up and ready for a new home! We've weighed lots of options.... buying, building, moving... what to do? Several times we have started in a certain direction, only to be stopped short by something. It just didn't seem it was going to work out.

Well, this time it is. We are so excited to share with everyone! We are building a new home. Well, we are having a modular built for us! All the papers are signed, Ts crossed Is dotted. They are building it right now!!! It is planned that the home will arrive on our property on October 11/12, 2010! Whew! What a lot to do in the next 4 weeks or so!

This weekend, Leigh will be digging the foundation. Will Wood, a local concrete mason will be coming next week to pour our basement! It will be so wonderful to see it going up!! There will be some work in the basement to get done in preparation for the home being set on the foundation. The set will take place about the 18th of October.

Anyway, I wanted to share a tidbit of the inside...

This is something like what our kitchen cabinets will look like. We will have an island in the middle with pendant lights over it. The layout will be different than this example, and the cabinets will be light maple with nickle nobs.

This would be my kitchen countertop. It does not have the white across it...that is from a flash. Unfortunately I don't have a good picture of the kitchen flooring.

So, this is the plan. We are getting the L shaped steps. It will have a full basement, so we will have plenty of room for company! We made some minor changes to the above plan, but the layout is still pretty much the same.

I will update you all more as the project progresses!!

August 2010

It has been over a year since I posted to my blog. What has happened? More like, what hasn't happened!

The route that Leigh has been waiting 6 years for, opened up at work. We made the hard decision for me to back off to perdiem, and for Leigh to go back fulltime. It has been a blessing, and I have loved it ever since! Leigh is enjoying working fulltime, and having that structure in his life again.

I work perdiem, 20-36 hours per week. I get to pick the shifts I want, and not feel guilty about the shifts that I don't want. It is wonderful to be able to have several days off to spend with family, etc. I am less stressed and have been able to go off that stupid rotten blood pressure pill that I had to start! Glad to be feeling better that way, too! I am planning on going back to school for my bachelors and then my masters in Nursing. I am planning to be a Nursing Instructor several years from now!

Heidi will be entering 6th grade this fall. That's right! 6th! How/When did that happen? She is at the awkward stage of tweenhood. She isn't sure if she is a little girl, or a grownup. It amuses me to see her toggle the two.

Kirsten is entering the 3rd grade. She is growing right up. She will soon be taller than her big sister...I'm thinking her and her dad will be in contest for height! She is still a sweet little girl though...loves her dolls and any little kid that she comes across.

Shane will be starting Kindergarten. He can't wait. I have mixed feelings. I am ready to have some hours to myself, but also, I can't believe my baby will be going to school! Time sure has flown! He is a smart little whippersnapper, too...so his poor teacher will have her challenges!!

The biggest news is that we are building a new house this fall. We outgrew our poor lil doublewide years ago. Leigh and I have worked very hard the past years to get to this point. So, it is wonderful to see the dream coming true. It will be a Cape Cod, 4 bedroom 2 bath home. We are so excited to have a home big enough for not only our family...but for company!! Can't wait to have you visit!!!

July 2009

Well, another month of summer as flown by. Atleast, it is the month that is usually thought of as summer. It has been rainy and chilly! We haven't gone swimming yet this year! What is up with that?

School let out the middle of June, so now we have 3 munchkins at home all the time! It is nice, though, that the girls help to take care of Shane. We now have a little kitten named Adventures, Addy, for short. She is keeping us all entertained with her antics! I forgot what it was like to have a baby animal around! Speaking of animals... our pigs are huge! They could be butchered now! leigh sure knows how to grow them!

The kiddoes went and spent a week at my parents. Leigh and I thought we would enjoy a week alone..but we both worked and hardly saw each other! He worked day shift, I worked nights...you do the math! But it was nice that the house didn't get trashed while we were working so hard! ha. ha. Leigh is remarking about how messy it gets, now that they are home again!

We went to my parents for the 4th of July. We got to see my brother Todd in a bike race again! He is so inspiring. I need to train! It seems like my days go by too fast, and I realize I haven't done anything about that! We watched the parade in the town that I went to school in....nothing has changed. Everyone is still drunk and walking the streets like they are the most important people in the world. It made me appreciate where I live now! :D

We are in the process of making some big decisions about our housing situation. At some point in the near future we are going to be building a new house. Just got to get everything lined up! What a process! It overwhelms me if I think about it for too long at a time.

I am looking forward to a milestone birthday coming up! finally, I will be 30 years old! It seems like it is about time! Married 12 years, 3 kids,a minivan, a house, a career... I SHOULD be 30 already!! I have felt this old for a couple of years! :d people ask if I feel old. MY age doesn't make me feel old. My oldest daughter's age makes me feel old. If she has kids when I did... I'll be a gramma in 9 years! EEEK! THAT makes me feel old. Or seeing these kids that should be still riding in strollers, but are now buying their first cars and going to college. THAT makes me feel old.

I guess that is enough of an update for now... I'll post more info about our house, as I know it!

June 2009

Another month has passed. It has been eventful as usual. The end of the school year is fast approaching. This Friday is the actual last day. So, the month before hand is a full schedule of parties and programs, especially for Heidi. She will be leaving the Elementary school this year. She starts 5th grade in the middle school this fall! I am looking forward to being able to sleep in on those days that I used to have to get the kids up for school! I usually look forward to summer vacation, but then in August, I can' wait for school to start back up again!

Leigh has boughten some equipment, tractors etc. So he is spending his quality time with them, hopefully getting them fixed so he can sell them again.

Not much has changed for me. I did have strep throat a couple weeks ago... I thought it would kill me! ha! I found out that my blood pressure is way too high. So, I decided it is time to get my cardiovascular system healthier. I was inspired by seeing my brother Todd run/bike in a duathlon a week ago. So, I started a couch to 5K program. Day 1 wasn't bad... Day 2 was AWFUL. Hopefully tomorrow I will fit in Day 3. We'll see if I survive it! My parents came to visit this past weekend, and brought along my old 10 speed bicycle. It needs alot of attention, so off I went today to get some tires, cables etc for it. I am hoping to fix it up, and start road biking. It sure would be fun to do a duathlon someday.... probably a couple years from now.

We have been working on some landscaping projects. D. Watkins came and built us a gorgeous rock wall for a flower bed near the road. We moved some of our perennials up there. I want to get a pretty flowering tree to put in there, too. We are ripping out a bunch of flower beds in the front of the house. We have been talking for several months about adding a basement and an addition to our house. It seems we have been talking forever, and precious little is getting done about it. I have basically given up hope that it will ever get done. So... I am trying to find other things to sink my energies into! So, we'll get these flower beds out.... atleast that part of the project will be done.

One of my next projects is to go through clothes. A family of 5 has LOTS of clothes. It is time to go thru my clothes and get rid of what I do not wear. I keep up pretty good with the kids out grown clothes, piling them in the corner. But, I need to get them out so they can bless other children!!

I best head to bed now. Tomorrow is the last day that I have to get the kids up for this school year! I can't wait!! happy Summer!!

4Ever!

Well, as is the usual complaint with us part-time bloggers...it has been awhile since I have told you all that I am still alive. Atleast I think I am. Life has been crazy still since February. I'll just give some tidbits...

Leigh turned 32 in February. He celebrated with LOTS of home-improvement tools! He enjoyed making a pigpen with them....now to get him to work on the pig-pen that WE live in!!!

Then we got pigs. The girls have named them precious and bubbles. I have no idea why. I wanted to name them porkchop and bacon, but I was drastically outvoted! bummer.

Summer arrived a couple weeks ago. We had temps in the 90s, dreams of a new swimming pool, and thoughts of an airconditioner installation. But then, in some quirk of nature, spring came. ???? So, now we have cooler temps, and rain. But, now April is over...so we should start into summer again, soon. hopefully anyway.

We have a new nephew. Lane Justus Purcell was born to my SIL and BIL. He has an older brother Clayton.

Otherwise, our days are just busy normalcy. Here is how our schedule works, usually.

Sunday: Meeting in the morning, lunch with someone special, and afternoon enjoying the day with friends.

Monday: Leigh works at Coke. The girls go to school. Shane and I are home....cleaning, laundry, relaxing, me being a mom at home.

Tuesday: Same as Monday until the afternoon when I try to catch a nap. At 3, go pick up the girls and take them to the High School for Heidi to participate in band. Shane, Kirsten and I usually take the oppurtunity to visit the dollar store and stock up on paper products and cleaners. Then back home for a bite for supper, then I am off to work until the morning.

Wednesday: Leigh is home, puts the girls on the bus. Usually he and Shane find some buddy of his to go work for. Lots of engines to fix, landscaping to do, etc etc. And besides it is more fun to work for someone else. I get home in the morning about 8:30-9:00. I eat something before heading to bed. I usually sleep until about 3:30 when the girls get off the bus. Then, it is homework, supper, and I am out the door to work again. Leigh and the kiddoes go to Wednesday night meeting.

Thursday: Basically a repeat of Wednesday except there isn't Wednesday night meeting.

Friday: I get home around 9AM. This is sort of a strange day. I am excited for the weekend, but still need to sleep at some point. It usually consists of a 3-4 hour nap at some point during the day. Friday night is usally fun night...out with friends, or in at home, enjoying in the evening. If we are home, it is usually me yelling and being generally grumpy. Being overtired doesn't work well for me.

Saturday: Either family fun day...or Mom's Housework day. Usually this means that I am cleaning up the messes that were made since Tuesday when I went to work! So much fun doing dishes that are 4 days old....and finding laundry stashed in every corner of the house!

I must not complain, but let me say this. Leigh is a good father, the kids are all still breathing when I make it back home. And they are usually well behaved. But he isn't a mom. Dinner is anything that can be put into the mouth: leftover halloween candy, ice cream sundays, chips and dip. Thankfully Heidi is learning to cook, and can make dinner, and does very well. Laundry consists of washing only the clothes needed for tomorrow. Refill the washer? nah, we'll leave that for mom to do on Friday/Saturday. Cleaning consists of throwing everything in the trash, regardless of worth to the owner. And, by the way, this only happens when company is coming. If it is too big to throw away, then you stash it in the master bedroom...even though it has a rightful place in another area of the house. I just laugh hysterically when people tell me that someday, I will miss these days, and that the house is a mess because I have young children. I am afraid this is not going away, even when the kids move away! :-)

But, yet, I still love him. Glad that I didn't fall in love with him for his housekeeping abilities! But, I did for his sense of humor...which makes me laugh most days...makes me roll my eyes and groan on others. I love his work ethic... he is not afraid to put in a long days work, and actually gets upset when he is supposed to relax. I love how much he cares for his parents. He will do anything for them. I love that I do not have to worry much about our vehicles. I love that he worries about me driving to and from work, especially when he knows how tired I am. The list goes on and on....

I supposes this is enough for another few months.... ;-)

So, I've been tagged. This is the deal... got to the picture file.... 4th album, 4th picture. Then explain it.

This was on our trip to South Carolina to see Uncle Loren and Aunt Amber. The kids were pulled out of bed in their pajamas and plopped into carseats. Not far down the road the DVD player was turned on, and the kids didn't look out the windows for a long time! Here there are looking at it, totally spellbound, while it balances on top of the cooler full of snacks. Crazy kids.

Another week.

This past week has seemed to be eventful enough for several weeks. Everything just seemed to be unorganized. My schedule was different than normal since I was covering the Saturday night shift for another nurse. She worked my Tuesday night for me. So I felt like I had no idea when I was supposed to sleep. Missing every other nights sleep kinda wears on the body!

We are trying to decide our next step in our lives. We are trying to decide whether to buy a house, or to build one. We are looking at houseplans. This is almost as hard as deciding what to name a baby! Leigh and I both bringing our opinions to the table...and trying to compromise. And trying not to allow it to blow up in a battle of wills. Leigh and I both have strong tempers...so this is a struggle for both of us!! We are closing in on a houseplan, then to see how much it would cost to build. Thankfully, alot of it Leigh can do with some help from good friends. Lots of things to figure out though, before we decide this is what we want to do.

The hardest thing I have ever dealt with happened yesterday at work. It made my day seem like weeks long. Ever had one of those experiences. You think life will never be the same again? I am not a liberty to tell the story on a public forum, but I am thankful for what I am learning about the experience. I am learning to value everyday. to value every person. We never know when this moment is going to be our last one!!

blur

The last couple of weeks have just blown by! Amazing! Lots going on! I've been picking up some overtime hours. One of my co-workers is off on medical leave, so we are all trying to pick up the OT. Unfortunately, everyone is starting to get burned out! Our patient accuity is higher than normal. They are needier, some whinier, some love to visit...all which take extra time. So we find ourselves needing breaks we don't have time to take, and exhausted at the end of the shift. Good thing, we love what we do!

Leigh has been picking up more days at Coke. He has added Saturday mornings to his workweek. He is done by 10am on Saturday. This is nice, it lets the kids and I sleep in, but yet we still have time to do something that day.

The girls and I enjoyed going ice skating last week. We have a couple rinks closeby. This was Kirsten's first year on single blades. The unfortunate thing about taking them skating, is that I don't get much skating done! I kinda shuffle around beside them, which isn't very enjoyable. But, I keep reminding myself that someday they will be able spin about the rink, too.

A couple years ago on Valentine's day, my dad had surgery for a cervical herniated disc. It was a pretty scary recovery for awhile. We are all glad he is back to normal with no deficiencies. Mom gave us a bit of a scare this Valentine's day. She had a spell of extreme dizziness. She got a ride in the ambulance and an overnight stay at the hospital. Diagnosed with Vertigo and sent home with some meds, and ordered rest time. I think mom and dad should abort Valentine's day! :D

Heidi is doing very well in band. I sat in on the practice session a couple weeks ago. The band instructor is now on a pedestal in my eyes. How can she take 25 4th graders, give them VERY LOUD toys, and make music? When 4th graders get excited and get the urge to toot their horn...well it doesn't really matter too much what anyone else is doing. It was a pretty comical 10 minutes or so for me! They will have a concert in May. I am really looking forward to hearing how they all have come together.

Our dear dog, Pookie. He is 11 years old now. Last summer/fall we had a stray dog that was coming around. They got along very well, playing together. Sad to say it was like a teenager playing with an 80 year old man. Pookie is now paying for those fun romps in the sun. His left rear leg has arthritis, I think, and possibly some paralysis. He has now become our "inside" dog. He is loving it! The kids are loving it! I am not so sure. My pity and sympathy won me over, but not sure I like having to babysit a dog in the house. Thankfully he is very well behaved, and is mature enough to know to do his duties outside. He has never been housetrained. He's just a smart dog.

Leigh turns 32 this week. Wonder when he will start acting it? My guess is that he will act 32 when he is about 70.

We drove up to Buffalo Ny last week. Leigh has been a petitioner at Coke to vote out the union who has misrepresented the employees. This all started nearly a year and a half ago. It has been a legal nightmare, as the National Labor Relations Board investigates all the insignificant charges the union has filed, all to delay the transition. Leigh has read so much testimony in legal jargon that he even understands it now! Anyway, the employees had voted to get rid/keep the union several months ago. Because of the charges against Coke by the union, and the investigations, the votes were sealed in a box. These votes would be opened when the investigations were complete. Well, this past Friday, the box of votes was opened in Buffalo. Democracy spoke loud and clear. 30-2 to get rid of the union! And because the union had lots of issues with Leigh, his vote wasn't counted. So it was really 31-2. Anyway, it was a celebratory day. Leigh's boss, the HR representative, and the plant manager all went up to the opening, too. The we all went out for lunch to celebrate. It was a great time.

Afterwards, since we were only 20 minutes away, Leigh and I went up to take a peek at Niagara Falls. We didn't have a lot of time, so we didn't see very much. Just walked along and took lots of pictures.

So that brings us up to the current. Leigh is working today. The girls are in school. Shane and I are going to enjoy a quiet day at home. I don't have to go anywhere until I go to work at 7p! YAY!!!

It's been nearly a month...

What is up with that? How could I not have been blogging for a month?? Well....

We went to SC for a week. That was fun. It was great to see all those folks around Sumter. Wish we would have had more time to go around and see other folks....my aunt in Greenville, my cousins in GA, MI. My cousins in TN. I think maybe someday we should just take a year off to visit people.

We have been trying to finish our kitchen. We started putting hardware on the cabinets last night.... so we are getting close. I think another good day should finish it all up. Believe me, I will be posting pictures when it is finally done! The next project will be the living room. I am dreading it.

The kids are back to school after the holidays. Heidi is now in band. They had lessons at the school all fall. Now we take her to Troy to be with all the other kids for the Elementary School Band. She plays the flute, and does really well. I am impressed, since my musical abilities are very limited.

Mr. Shane just turned 4. What??!?!!! When did that happen? hard to believe. He is all boy. tractors, trucks, trains. and work..... wants to help daddy.

Well, I have spent enough time on the computer. We need to get some dreaded housework done today. Kirsten requested that we play a game while doing it. We have done this a couple times. I put little chores on slips of paper in a bowl. These are 1-5 minute chores. We all have to pull out a slip of paper. No complaining, no whining, no trading...you have to do that job. When it is done... get another one. It is amazing how things get tidied up. So, I need to make up the slips of paper. We are going to town later. If they all help without groans.... they get a little something fun in town. Bribery works, I don't care what Dr. Spock says. :D