what's going on

It's been crazy lately. The kids were on spring break last week and we got 16 inches of snow on Thursday. They had a good time playing in that. Clay has been sick, hacking away, so he had to stay in. I have barely sat down to read blogs let alone right on my own. Not sure why. I guess I've been trying to rest instead.




It feels like I have just been in survival mode lately. Trying to get some sleep, waiting for the next payday, keeping the kids entertained and off each other's backs. Suddenly a week ago it hit me that I am working a LOT. I added one extra night one week and that put me to 40 hours for the week. I realized that is really a full time load. I don't know why the jump from 32 to 40 hours suddenly made me realize it, but it did. I do get a few hours of sleep while I am working, but not always. Sometimes I will only really get 2 hours. Last week I came home and slept each morning since the kids were all home and could watch the younger ones, but normally I have to wait to get a nap after lunch. I often will take a nap after dinner too, but then I miss hanging out with my family, too.

So it's been survival of sorts. I really feel like I need to get more organized, too. Like mop on Mondays, bake bread on Saturdays and Wednesdays. That kind of thing. I'll keep you posted on how that goes!

chick pics

baby chicks

We got 8 new babies yesterday! They were born on Monday...the day I turned 39, btw!

So now I will have even less time to blog! LOL

The chicks are just adorable right now. The kids could watch them for hours I swear, keeping me updated on who is pushing who, who is pecking who, who has pooped in the last 30 seconds. Just what I need. More tattling! :o)

I will do another post with their little picture.

enjoying my hippiness

Is that a word?

Yesterday we were at a brew party with a bunch of new friends. It was great to get to know these people, but also to realize that I really am enjoying being the weird one who makes kombucha and kefir. Not to mention yogurt. I didn't tell them I make laundry detergent too! lol

And D is always so very much in his element when he is brewing beer and teaching others about the process.

the moodiness!

And I'm not just talking about me!!!

My oldest daughter turned 13 in January. The oldest boy will be 12 in May. Both in middle school...and both unpredictable when it comes to moods.

Middle son turned 10 in January. (Half my kids are now in double digits!) Middle girl will be 8 in April. I can't blame anything for their mood swings. Well, the boy is starting to get to the age where he starts getting "those" moods. Any my middle daughter? She's been a spitfire since baby hood. I remember talking to hubby on my cell while driving in the car and he couldn't hear me over her yelling. She was the only one in the car with me and wanted. my. ATTENTION.

My 2 littles are crazy. They aren't so moody as just constantly needing something. I forget how draining the constant conversation can be.

And yet, part of me is so profoundly sad that next year I will send 2 out the door at 7:30 for middle school and then put 3 kids on the bus at 8:10. I will have one lonely boy home with me every morning. I haven't had that...well, ever! Oldest 2 kiddos are only 15 months, 9 days apart so it seems we've always had at least 2 kids around. And having the 3rd the day after the oldest turned 3 really put us into group mentality quickly.

No wonder the baby is so "babied". He's the only one to have this life experience. I hope people will be able to tolerate being around him when he's grown!

headaches

I used to have headaches all the time. Just your basic run of the mill headache. Migraine types were rarer, but it wasn't even uncommon for me to wake up with a headache, especially when I was overtired and run down.

Since we have changed the way we are trying to eat by following much of the information in Nourishing Traditions, my headaches have really disappeared. I'm not sure if it was white sugar that was bringing them on, or really what it was, but they have been gone. Even as I have gone back to work a couple of weeks ago (4 nights/week), I have been tired but no headaches. I have virtually given up my beloved diet Coke even and really not had any headaches. (I have been drinking black iced tea, so I am still getting some caffeine.)

Last night we went to dinner with some friends. It was really fun. It was an upscale place that was participating in restaurant week. Nice night out, and still in bed by 9:30.

But this morning I woke up with a headache. My head is killing me...not sure where the connection lies since I don't know all the ingredients in what we ate but I can't help but think it has something to do with it.

Our dinner:
appetizer of fried calamari
salad with vinaigrette, few tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese
small slice of sourdough bread with butter
citrus glazed baked salmon
parmesan truffle fries
dessert of ice cream with a little chocolate fudge sauce and mini biscotti

Maybe fried food? Maybe refined sugar in dessert? I dunno but I feel like CRAP today. And I didn't even have any of the wine...just water all night.

I've got a SCOBY!

My last infrequent post was about my new favorite drink kombucha. It's a fermented sweet black tea drink. The first sip has a bit of a vinegary taste, but it is really yummy. To ferment the tea you need a SCOBY, or a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. That goes into the tea and ferments it to the desired tartness. But it's not tart like sour. It's pleasingly tart, like lemonade, but most of the sugar is consumed during the fermentation.

It's hard to explain. I've got my SCOBY now and I'll be brewing the tea to make my own 'booch tomorrow!

kombucha

Where has this stuff been all my life? Seriously...I have a little hiding in a jar in the cupboard right now trying to grow a SCOBY so I can make more. LOTS more!

Bob Greene and Oprah

Just read this article.

Really incredible. If you're not sure you want to read it all, here's the first paragraph.

"The scene is comic: Bob Greene sitting next to Oprah on her TV show, kicking off the New Year, as Oprah tries to explain to her viewing audience why she gained forty pounds – again. Not once did she turn to Greene and say, “Bob, I guess your program is just a bit too hard to follow, something must be wrong with it.”

Isn't that the issue with most diet plans? If they are really worked then there would be no huge diet industry like there is now. The idea of eating fake foods, processed foods, chemically altered foods...it's just not right. How about feeding ourselves natural and nourishing foods? traditional foods? Real food!

I survived!

Yesterday I woke up to discover that my internet wasn't working. I could tell from the airport station downstairs that something was unplugged. I don't know where it all goes so I just let it be knowing that D would fix it when he got home.

Since I had no email, no blogs, no facebook...I actually cleaned my house. Well, I cleaned a lot and did laundry. I was productive! I decided to try to get all my list done today and THEN have computer time. And I had another productive day. Who knew?! lol

I have been cutting back on my blogs in my google reader. It's just too much. I love keeping up with everyone, but it takes too much time. And I have a lot of friends on FB that I haven't seen for years and I love to chat with them and look at their pictures, but I need to do better at my "job" around here.

I will try to post tomorrow about all the fun stuff that has happened around here this week. But first I have 2 bathrooms to clean!

quick post

I've been trying to get life back in order now that the kids are back in school. I tend to let things got for a while and then it's REALLY bad around here. So the past few days are about getting back on track. I'll post more soon, promise.

chocolate giveaway

This is no ordinary chocolate. It's fair trade, from single origin beans, and is relatively good for you.

Check out the giveaway here. And if you win, you have to give me a nibble!

back to school

It feels strange to only have my 2 littles home today. The big kids went to school today. And the morning was relatively drama free!

Emma did say, "I can't" when I told her it was time t get up for school. Then she claimed she needed help getting dressed. But she did manage just fine. Even ate a decent breakfast and I packed her a lunch. (The kids qualify for free lunches so we try to take advantage of that as much as possible!)

The only drama came from Trey. He hadn't practiced his trumpet at all during break and suddenly realized it may affect his grade. That has been the hard part of middle school for him this year. His first semester grades reflect the fact that he was still getting used to be responsible for his own stuff. In some ways I feel badly because if there were fewer kiddos in this house or if I didn't work nights on occasion, then I would be able to micro-manage the kids and their school stuff better. But then they would learn these lessons later in life anyway. I think I would rather have Trey struggle in 6th grade than fail his first semester of college. And Aleena did the same thing last year, and this year she has all A's and 1 B. I know he will get there, but this morning he was feeling it.

This is also Trey's laundry day, but since he didn't start anything this morning before he left (he was finishing up make up work from when he was sick in December), I am going to get a little laundry done this morning. And some meal planning. and a grocery list. Better get started...just going to up date my other blogs quickly!

New Year!

It's a new year, huh? Crazy how it feels so much the same as yesterday. I have a list of things that I want to blog about. I've been writing them down when I think of them since I can never think of anything when I actually have the moment to blog. But my little notebook is in the truck. And I am inside.

So for now, just a Happy New Year to you all. And by all I think I mean my mom and Kathy. lol

Sunday night

It's Sunday night and everyone is down for the count. Or at least they've been told to go to bed! lol I still have another week with the kids home from school. They are enjoying their time off. I can tell that Aleena is nearly 13. She used to be up early every day, but she's been taking advantage of the opportunity to sleep in. Not Trey! This morning at 7 he was ready to play Wii. I sent him downstairs to the basement for a while. I just wanted to sit in peace for a little while.

I thought maybe I'd knit or something but it was COLD in here. Someone had turned the heat completely off yesterday sometime. It was 55 when I got up. We aren't heat freaks by any means, but I'm used to it being about 65 when I wake up. So I sat under my blanket and just watched the news.

It is supposed to be a lot warmer this week. The past couple weeks have been in the teens and 20's. It's supposed to be almost 60 tomorrow. Too bad it's all so wet or I would take the kids to the park. It would be good for the little ones to run off some energy. Maybe Jack E can ride his new big wheel around the cul de sac at least.

I have been knitting a lot the past month. Most of it has been the same basic hat pattern, but I am getting so much more comfortable with it. I have been able to actually pick up dropped stitches and even rip back a little and not make a mess of the whole thing. I really want to make a pair of these, but they scare me. I may end up making these instead. I still feel more comfortable as a crocheter than as a knitter. If only Kathy were really my neighbor. *sigh*

Just wanted to chcek in here again this week. I've missed so many of my favorite bloggers since we all seem to be taking a bit of a hiatus during the holiday season.

More soon....

12 days' of Christmas wrap up

Sorry I didn't post on the 23rd or 24th. I think the only reader who was even checking in at that point was my mom. I know I haven't opened my google reader in days...and I usually check it every few hours!

The night of the 23rd we were invited to a home for dinner. It was cold and I had a feeling our big white German shepherd (who is about 9 and has bad hips) would decide he wanted a better place to lay down. I was right. He had pushed open the back gate (the latch is ineffective against a 125 pound dog) and was lying on the front porch when we got home after 10. Apparently he had also been there we our surprise arrived because it was on top of Duane's car that was parked in the driveway. We received 11 churros. They were huge and looked so yummy! (The kids had them for breakfast the next morning.) There was also a note that said "churro" is another word for pipe. Again we were thrilled to have an edible treat! There was also a clue that our admirer would be coming by the next night to reveal their identity.

So Christmas eve we kept waiting and waiting for what Emma was calling our "carolers". Finally we heard a knock on the door and singing. Outside was a family from the church Duane will be working with beginning in January. The woman is on the search committee and hoped this would be a great way to welcome us. We were glad to be able to thank them in person and talk a little about how much fun we had all had with this.

They gave us a black tin that had been decorated to look like a drum. It held some homemade treats and crackers and a cheese ball and summer sausage and goldfish crackers for the kids. It was great!

So our 12 days of Christmas is over and it was a little disappointing sitting at Christmas dinner last night and realizing that we wouldn't be getting another package in the evening. For any of you that want to do this next year, it is really great to be on the receiving end. And I have a feeling our family will be doing this next year for someone else!

On the tenth day of Christmas

I knew this would be a hard one. Especially if our true love stuck to the edible trend. Tonight on our doorstep we found

"Lords-a-Leaping Libation" (4 Breckenridge brewery Christmas ales) and

"Lords-a-Leaping Root Beer" (6 Stewart's Root Beer)

The kids were excited but we convinced them to save their sodas for Christmas eve. That will be great. Hopped up on soda and waiting for Santa!

What will the pipers bring tomorrow I wonder?

On the ninth day of Christmas

Sorry I didn't post last night. It was a crazy weekend trying to prepare for the holiday. The stress of it all is hitting I think.

We found a pretty little tray with 9 angel cookies on it on the front step last night. Emma kept saying she didn't see how they were dancing, but they were decorated beautifully. Some were blonde, some were brunette. Some had long hair, some had shorter hair. They were really beautiful.

And tasty!

On the eighth day of Christmas...

I didn't post last night since I was trying to get out the door with my friends' 3 littles to get them home while mama is at the hospital laboring (or not, really).

At nearly 9 we had a a knock on the door. Trey opened quickly and saw 3 teens (he thinks) dressed all in black making a hasty escape. They left a box on the front step that said "All Maid with Milk". The contents?

2 gallons of milk
2 cartons of ice cream
1 half gallon of chocolate milk
1 carton of whoppers
1 carton of milk duds
1 can of whipped cream

Can't wait to see the 9 ladies dancing!

expecting

My friend called earlier tonight. Wife's water just broke, bringing their older kids over. So happy and excited for them. Just talked with the mama earlier this week. She said she'd really love to have this baby by the weekend so she could be home by Monday and have their Christmas week at home without having to wonder when the baby would come. I love how God knows even those little desires of our hearts and grants them.

Peaceful labor thoughts, my friend.

Oh, we're still waiting for the eight maids a milking as well. I'll keep you posted on that, too!