It is finally 7pm!!

I actually had a really good day today but the last hour or 2 have gone by soooo slow! I have had a headache all day, even though I took some meds. That is nothing unusual because as Brad would say "you always have a headache." Yes, yes I do. Wish there was something I could do about it. I have come to get used to it but I have noticed that as I am waiting for the day to end, it usually gets worse. Anyways, so the weather was great today. Ryan and I took our daily walk this morning. He always rides his big wheel thing. He has been learning to use the pedals and not just push himself along with his feet. He goes faster that way but he is learning that you are supposed to use those pedals. So we did that and blew some bubbles. I figured out how to use the pump we bought to get water out of the ditch by our house so the yard will be usable this summer. Brad has been working late so he hasn't been able to do it so I did today! Just in time for it to rain again tonight and fill back up! But atleast the dogs won't be wading in the water where they normally do their business! Then we went and got Hannah and went next door to Brad's g-ma's house while Ryan napped and went on another bike ride when he woke up so Hannah could go this time. Then it was time for dinner, bath clean up an bed. I have been really frustrated with Hannah lately. At some point in the day, every day, we clean up in the livingroom where everything seems to gather. Whenever I tell her to put her shoes away, I specifically tell her to put them in the closet and where they belong, which is in the shoe holder that hangs over the door. Well, she always just throws them in the floor of the closet! It is very irritating. You'd think she would do it right just so I would be quiet about it because even I get tired of hearing myself repeat the same thing to her!! But every day I have to spank her bottom for not doing it! She does that with everything. When I tell her to put her toys away, she opens her door and throws them on the floor! When I tell her to take her dirty clothes to the laundry room, she opens the door and throws them on the floor! And it doesn't go unpunished. Sometimes she goes to bed without a book, sometimes she goes to bed early, sometimes she gets her bottom smacked. Will it ever end?! Anyways, I have a headache. I think I just figured out why!=) So I am going to eat a bowl of cereal and go to bed. Hopefully the rain will pass us by tonight and it will be another beautiful day tomorrow.

I'm back!!

It's been a few days since I wrote last. We went to Cols over the weekend and had a great time, like always. On Fri we just hung out around my sister's apartment, playing outside and then playing some board games with the kids. We took the kids to a place called Magic Mountain on Sat. It is like Chuck E Cheese with all the games. It also has this huge jungle gym thing like you see at McDonald's with all the tunnels, only better and bigger. Jessica and I knew we would pay for playing in there with the kids! We were the only people there and it was a lot of fun! Killer on the knees and wrists, though! Then we ate at Skyline. Whenever we are in Cols or Cincy we make it a point to go there. We all love it! I actually talked to the cashier at walmart about it today because I bought a couple of the canned skyline (it's just not the same). Anyways, then we went to the Y where they have a membership and we went swimming. That was a lot of fun too. Ryan is so good in the water already. He jumps in, goes under, swims around, he doesn't care. He had the little floaty things on that go on your upper arms. Hannah is just the opposite. She is getting some better but she has always been afraid to go off the steps, even with a floating device, unless she is glued to your side! This time she had a ring around her middle and was going off by herself, which is a big improvement! There was also a slide and a rock climbing wall at the pool. Nothing big and fancy but still fun. The rock wall was killer too! I almost made it to the top, with a little help from Terry. But I had to just let go and fall back into the water from the top b/c there was no way I could climb back down! It is a lot harder than it looks. Ryan was dying to go down the slide but it was off the deep end so they wouldn't let anyone on it if they couldn't swim. Anyways, so that was about all we did really but it was fun just being together. Then Hannah went back to school today. This week is supposed to be spirit week (they don't call it that but that is what we called it in school) where they wear weird things on the different days. Today was favorite color day but I forgot all about it! Tomorrow is inside out shirt day. Hopefully I will remember the rest of the week! Ryan and I did our usual Monday grocery shopping today. I dread it but am glad to have it done. I am going to start buying a sunday paper to clip coupons. There has got to be some way to save money while grocery shopping, we just haven't figured it out yet. So I'm going to work on that. Ryan ended up sleeping in the car on the way home so we skipped nap time but he has been grouchy this afternoon. It was warm enough for the kids to outside so we jumped on the trampoline, went on a walk with the bikes, played on the dirt pile. They have fun just being able to be outside and I like just being able to follow them around and not have to yell at them constantly. Now they are in the bathtub and bedtime is not far behind that. We might go on one more quick walk. Brad is working late this week. I think maybe 4-10 hr days. The top dog owner was coming in today and Brad's boss pulled him aside and said he might show up on the job and want to talk to Brad about what he wants to do in the future with the company. They have talked to him about that before but I don't think Brad wants all that responsibility and I don't blame him. So we'll see what he says when he gets home tonight. Just pray for him. I know he has some tough decisions to make about what he wants to do and he is having a hard time knowing what is best. I think he has some doubts about it. Well, the kids are ready to get out of the tub so I better go. Then they are going to help me clean up the living room!

can't wait for this weekend!

Today has been yet another great day. I think it has finally stopped raining for awile. I got a lot of work done while Hannah was at school. Ryan was content to follow me around and help whenever I would let him. If he wasn't at my side he was playing with playdoh, or watching tv. So that was helpful. He went down for a nap easily too. Hannah's room was a disaster area so we cleaned it up. I got out some of her summer clothes to try on and see what will fit her now. She picked one dress that she loves and wanted to keep it on to play "mom". Tomorrow we are going to Columbus. Brad is going on his annual fishing trip to the mountains with his friends so I called Jess to see what they would be up to. I've been trying to get the house straight so I don't have to do much tomorrow. Well, I hear Ryan sneezing so I better go get him up now. See ya in a few days!

It's a great day!

Today has been a fabulous day. No one was overly grouchy, the kids played well together, we played outside a lot, I managed to get a few things done (couldn't tell it now if you came to my house!), dinner was good, daddy got home a little early, I got the dreaded grocery shopping for the week out of the way, had a meaningful conversation with an old friend, and I think I could go on forever. Thank the Lord for great days. It makes all the not-so-great ones okay. The weather is supposed to be even better tomorrow. You know what I just realized....mom and dad left for Florida today and I didn't even call to say bye, be careful, I love you or anything. I totally forgot! Oops. I'll have to call her after I get this done. Brad is taking his annual fishing trip to the mountains this weekend so the kids and I are going to Columbus to see my sister. I hate being around the house all weekend when I know Brad won't be home. The weekend is when we do all the fun stuff so when he won't be home, I don't want to be home because it will be boring! I wish I could see my sister more. I am always trying to talk her into moving here and she is always trying to talk us into moving up there! I love her dearly. Anyways, I better go call mom before I forget again.

takin' a break

I am feeling a little better today. At least I am not sneezing my head off and blowing my nose like crazy. My ears and head in general still aches. I found a lymph node on my head that I didn't even know existed! I think everyone knows about the ones right under your jaw, on your neck. That one was swollen too but the one I didn't know existed is right in front of my ear, almost right above where you jaw bone connects to your head under your ear. I also learned during one of Ryan's illnesses that we have them on the back of our head too! Amazing, I tell ya! Anyways, they are a good indication that you are sick and fighting something. I love medical stuff. I have been trying to get caught up on a few things around the house but I have to take breaks frequently because I just feel so tired and my back starts to hurt. The dr was telling Ryan yesterday that mommy needs to go home and rest for a few days and not do too much. I was thinking yeah right. That will never happen! I am thinking about seeing if Brad's mom wants to keep the kids tonight since Hannah doesn't have school tomorrow. I almost drank a whole carton of orange juice all by myself too. That is very strange for me because I never drink OJ. Maybe it is alright this time because I can't really taste it! I have really learned just how much I use my nose to smell things too. I couldn't smell that Ryan had pooped in his diaper yesterday. I didn't even know until he came and told me. There's no telling how long it was dirty! I also can't smell what I am cooking to know if it is burning. I just plain can't smell a thing. Well, suddenly I don't know what else to say!! That's all folks.

all I want is to take a nap!

I do not feel like writing today but I am trying to past the last 20 minutes before going to get Hannah from school. All I want to do is take a nap. But there is no resting for mom! I have an eye dr appt this afternoon so we are going to go to the park for awhile so I don't have to be cooped up in the house with Hannah begging me to play barbies with her. I went to the dr this morning and got some abx for my URI. These things are killer! (the pills and the infection!) I wish I felt like enjoying the weather. Today has turned out to be beautiful. It is supposed to 20 degrees cooler tomorrow and rainy. Ughhhh. That will be a good day for a nap! I am amazed at how fast the house can fall apart when I am sick. It looks like a tornado came thru here and I have only been sick for 1 whole day! Oh well, better get up and get ready to go get Hannah from school and take my box of tissues!!

mommy got run over by a train!!

I woke up this morning feeling like a train had run over my head during the night! My throat was so sore, my ears and head were throbbing, and my neck was aching. In the past that has meant one of 2 things--ear infection or sinus infection. I immediately took some ibuprofen before even getting in the shower because I know how long the day can be if I am sick and here alone with Ryan! After that kicked in, I have been feeling pretty good besides the sneezing (although not as bad as yesterday) and the runny nose. I have been sure not to let the meds wear off! Ryan and I even went outside and played and took a walk, which I knew pretty much guaranteed a nap for him! That was successful, like I thought, he is sleeping now. Hannah and I are going to go outside after I am done here. I am just so thankful that with all the sickness we have had around here this winter, everyone is very healthy. No one had anything that hasn't been curable with medicine. Thank the Lord for that. I am looking forward to the 70 degree weather we are supposed to have tomorrow, although I think it is supposed to be in the 50's the next day. I have been dying to move all the summer clothes that I bought last fall to the front of the closet and be done with the winter clothes!! It is like Christmas in March (or April, whenever it gets warm for good)!! There is just something about new clothes that I love. I'm sure you other ladies know what I am saying!=) Well, better go so Hannah and I can go outside!

what a day

My day has been kinda ughhh all day long. Ryan had another restless night last night, waking up several times throughout the night. And I really need my sleep so if I don't get it, I am just not right all day. If he does it again tonight I am going to take him to the dr. I am beginning to loose faith in drs. I feel like most of my trips there are pointless. Then, it rained most of the day so my hair has been a total wreck!! Ryan and I had to go grocery shopping this morning, which I dislike with a passion! I don't know what it is about cooking and food in general. I hate having to plan the meals for the week and go grocery shopping. I wish we didn't have to eat to live. I'd like that a lot. I feel like I fix the same meals over and over and it is so boring. Anyways, so my hair was messed up from the get-go. Just to make matters worse, I have been sneezing and blowing my nose all day. I think it is allergies but Brad thinks otherwise. He says there is no pollen out right now. But I took some cold meds and it didn't help a lick. I have this constant tingly feeling in my nose and it is forever running. I wish I knew where all the snot came from because I'd try to find a way to stop it!! I did actually get a few things done around here today and I made time to play with Hannah while Ryan was napping. Actually, he didn't nap but he was in his room for a couple hours! I don't know what's up with that these days. Brad and I played a game of Battleship tonight. Then he went out to burn a big pile of brush after it got dark. I heard this loud boom that shook the whole house! My first thought was that Hannah fell out of her loft bed because that was too loud a sound for Ryan but I never heard anyone cry so then I thought, Oh no, I bet Brad did something. So I ran back to our bedroom where I could see the burn pile from our window. I was glad to see BRad still up walking around!! I opened the window to ask what he had done and he said he almost blew himself up!! The fire wouldn't start so he poured some gas on it! That was the boom i heard and felt!!! It was an explosion! It was pretty loud. I'm glad I decided not to go out there with him! So now here I am. I think I am about ready for bed. Debating on whether to try some different meds for my crazy nose issues.

Today I've been thinking.......

.....a lot about how our love for our children has to change as they grow and change. I remember when both mine were newborns and all they needed was to be held and loved and fed and changed. If I put them down, even for a second, they would scream like crazy and I would rush back over to pick them back up. But as they grew and became mobile, they weren't so innocent anymore. My love had to change. Not only did they not want to be held and loved on constantly, but they needed to get down and explore and make mistakes. They began needing guidance. I miss those days when all I had to do was love them. Or I guess I should say miss the days when I only had to hold them. I think that is part of why I want another baby. To have that back. You can't just love and hug your kids forever. You have to love them thru discipline and correction and chores when they are older. It would be so easy just to let Hannah stay home from school whenever she whined or just didn't feel like going but how would that help her in life? Obviously, it wouldn't! I would love to not make her clean her room or get all her junk out of the livingroom every day but how would that help her? She has gotten really bad about asking me to do everything for her. From putting her socks on to getting her drink that is 1 ft away from her! Sometimes I feel bad to say "no, you have to get it yourself" or "you have to learn to do it on your own". But I know that I am only helping her. I just wish she knew that. So, hope that made sense to everyone. Life is so weird. Every day I find myself doing things that I said I would never do to my kids. I feel like I am learning so much everyday. God is good. I wish i didn't love this life so much because I know it could end any minute. I would love for the rapture to happen right now so I would know both my kids would go to heaven but I also want to be able to see them grow up. I want to be a grandma. I want to grow old with Brad and have a house to ourselves when the kids have moved out. I want to experience life in general. But I don't want my kids to ever have hard times. I don't ever want them to be sad. This is getting too depressing so I think I will stop now.

I don't have a title today

Well, this is going to be a quick one. I am waiting on dinner to be done and waiting for Brad to get home. Hannah stayed home from school today. Wanna guess why?..............................You guessed it, a fever! So I called her dr first thing but of course she is off today so the nurse had to get a hold of her and call me back. She had already told me she wouldn't be there today but she didn't say she wouldn't be there tomorrow either. So finally the nurse called backat 4:30 to say the dr wanted Hannah checked out again. I just hope they do something this time. She acted a little more lively for awhile. I did get a few things done first thing this morning and during nap time but other than that......no workin' around here. Well, I think I hear my potatoes bakin' pretty good in the oven os I better go check them!

To hear the birds chirp.....

.....is one of the best things I can ask for when the day is about over--besides my DQ blizzard that awaits me!! After a long day of yelling coming from me and from the kids, it is nice to just sit on the porch when they are in bed and listen to the birds, neighborhood dogs, rustling of the branches, and the smell of air. To feel the wind, see the sun setting, and the blue sky filled with clouds. I could go on forever. I love nature and the outdoors so much. It is so relaxing. I feel so blessed that God has allowed me to see, feel, touch, smell and hear his wonderful creations. Have you ever really listened and tried to differentiate all the different bird chirps? It is amazing how many different sounds there are. They are each so unique and beautiful. I have had a long day but I am feeling really happy right now. Just since I stepped outside a few minutes ago. I would recommend stepping outside alone in the evenings to everyone who has had a long day and just pay attention to your surroundings it can change your whole attitude. Yes, I have been outside a lot today because it is so nice out but now I am really enjoying it! Ryan and I took a walk this morning. He loves doing that. Just walking around the back roads. He knows all the houses that have dogs outside. He fills his pockets with rocks. Which reminds me that I need to make sure I check his pockets from now on before washing his clothes!! The bottom of the washer had about 5 rocks in it the other day! I knew from him. Then we poop scooped the yard(I need to do that alone from now on b/c he can't keep his hands, feet or sticks away from it!!), then we went down to the dollar general just to waste time until lunch! The day goes by pretty fast after lunch! He refused to take a nap. It seems funny to me that a 2 yr old can refuse to take a nap. I always tell him he better not get out of bed and he always manages to get the things very close to his bed in with him anyways. He must stretch out and reach them! I'll have to move everything from now on. I'm sure he would have slept had I left in in there longer but after 2 hours I decided I didn't want him to go to sleep and that I would like it better if he went to bed early! So Brad came home with DQ around 6:30 and was here just long enough to kiss everyone and get his dinner heated up before getting called out. He got a new work truck today. They have been promising him one since the new company took over over a year ago! He finally got it! So now he is gone and it is almost time for the biggest loser. I'll eat my DQ then. I know, I know, bad show to be watching while eating ice cream but I don't care. When I put Hannah in bed she asked me if it was going to get dark. I remember many a time going to bed when it was still day light out. Life is so funny. Well, I am going to wrap this up and go back inside.

Another week begins....

Well, I was not ready for Monday but I am feeling good about a new week. We had a great weekend, especially Sat at the state parks with my parents. I can't wait to do that more often this summer. Brad and I even went outside and jumped on the trampoline alone last night after the kids went to bed. It was a lot of fun just acting goofy with him. We don't get to do stuff like that often but I think we will now that it is getting warm. I didn't feel so bad about eating that bowl of cereal either because I jumped it all off!! I took Hannah to the dr this morning because she had a fever again and was crying because her stomach hurt. Of course, while there, she said nothing hurt and didn't show anything to them. Except that she just didn't feel good. They did a flu test because it is going around bad but it was neg and they wanted a urine sample. Of course, she couldn't go. We sat there forever and she never did anything so I made her go get a drink and we went back to the room to wait for the flu test results and then we went back to the bathroom. She did finally go the second time after sitting there for about 5 minutes. It was all normal too. So she said she is probably just having a hard time getting back to normal from the stomach virus and caught something else that gave her the fever for several days but that she should be better within a few days. If not they might do some x rays or something on her stomach. I could get used to the new, tired Hannah! It seems like forever since she has been normal. Well, I should get up and do more work while the kids are sleeping because when they get up we are heading outside. uhhh.......more laundry and just picking up in general. I already mentioned once that I never get past the daily chores to do the things that you don't have to do very often. I don't even know what those other chores are!

Blah, blah

I just can not say enough about this weather. All I know is that if it gets cold again, I might seriously die!! The dogs are constantly begging to go out, which is very different because when it is cold they don't want to go out at all. But then when I let them out, Sammy barks almost the entire time like a retard. So I have to keep going back and forth yelling at her or bringing them in. Since we got a pump and can keep our yard decent this year, we are going to try to get the invisible fence installed that we bought several years ago. That pump is going to be one of the best investments we have ever made! No more mosquito swarms, no more dogs muddy up to their knees, no more frogs and tadpoles and crawdads everywhere (okay, so I will miss that one a little). I enjoyed Hannah watching tadpoles turn into frogs last year. We will actually be able to play in the yard now!! Anyways, I got off track already! Sammy is barking again so hold on........okay. We went down to the park for a few minutes after we picked Hannah up from school. They had just come in from the playground so she wasn't that excited. We only stayed for about 20 minutes because she slid through the hole in the tire swing but held on and didn't even touch the ground until I stopped it and that scared her. Ryan was mad that we had to leave so soon but it was also his nap time too so we needed to leave. Brad just came in the door. That is amazing....it's only 3!! Yay!!! Tomorrow we are going to be spending most of the day at Hawk's Nest. Mom and dad are going to be up that way to preach at Bro. Grigsby's chuch in Haico (sp?) so we are going to go there and have a picnic lunch and walk on some trails. I am excited. I have been telling the kids tomorrow is a special day but I haven't told them why. Hannah saw the picnic basket out and guessed that part but not anything else. Brad just told me I should check her temp because she feels warm. He says that a lot so I don't normally get concerned but I checked it with one in her mouth and it was 102 degrees. This can not be happening again. I can tell her cheeks are flushed now. Earlier she was crying because her nose hurt but she said she didn't get hit at school or anything. And she kept saying that she smelled something gross and it was making her nose hurt but I can't smell anything. Weird....I hope she doesn't get the flu now. I guess it has been a week, time for her to get something else!! Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Well, I better go. I need to check my clothes that are hanging outside and hang more out there. Say a prayer for Hannah.

Ahhhhhh, the sun.....

I am so glad to see the sun today. And I don't ever remember being so happy with 40 degree temperatures!! I didn't let the kids go out and play but having the natural sunlight in the house has been amazing! I didn't do too much cleaning today. Just the usual dishes, laundry, clean our bathtub and sweep the rug. I never can get past the usual stuff to do other things that you don't have to do every day. Oh, I did move out the couch (sectional) and clean under there. Ughhh, I should really try to do that more often. I could have made a coat out of the dog hair under there! I know, that is gross but I promise, the rest of the house doesn't look like that. I also found about 10 crayons and discovered why Sammy always has her nose shoved under the couch--there was some cereal under there!! I brought the potty chair out here so Ryan could just go to whenever he wanted to and put big boy undies on him. That worked for awhile. He kept going on it every few minutes! So that got old quick. Brad came home early from work today. I guess he feels pretty rough. We all hid from him when we saw him coming but he didn't even want to play our games!! When Hannah came home from school she showed me how her neck pops every time she looks down and then back up. She asked me if I could hear it but I couldn't so I put my hand on the back of her neck and put my ear real close and then she did it again. It gave me chills! SO weird!! I told her I didn't know if that was normal or not and when she saw that I didn't think it was as cool as she did, she acted a little nervous about it! I might mention it to the dr the next time we are there. I have been talking to Nat on facebook today, writing back and forth. That has been fun for a change. He has really grown up lately. His style is still a little weird but I don't think that will ever change. Him and Cheryl are hopefully going to be able to move back up here this summer. They really miss it. I hope they live closer than Cross Lanes this time. Anyways, Hannah is saying she is hungry so I think I will start dinner now and then it is time for the mad rush to church!

Why do I feel like this week is never going to end?!

The cold weather has really got me down. I could never be more ready for HOT weather. I can't wait to spend all day outside with the kids. Jumping on the trampoline, watching then drive the power wheels jeep, going to the park, riding bikes, swimming! I told Brad the house was going to suffer and he said no way! Anyways, Hannah didn't want to go to school again today. She was acting fine until right as we were walking out the door. Then she started crying saying she didn't want to go to school because she didn't want to make anyone sick. And I said but you aren't sick anymore. And she said but my stomach still hurts. SHe has been saying that ever since she was sick over the weekend. But I made her go anyways. Her appetite is still not back to normal and she still spends most of the day laying on her little couch in front of the tv. I tried to spend most of the day playing with Ryan since I had been so busy taking care of Hannah for the past several days that he was being pushed to the side. He is learning a lot these days. He is pretty good at counting but he always starts with 2, not 1! He is getting better with his colors. I try to add learning into every activity we do. I am kinda worried that he won't be able to go to preschool until he is almost 5. I am probably going to put him in a private preschool the year before that, which is 2 school years away. It is going to take him longer to learn how he has to act in school, I have a feeling. One of the ladies at school said she thinks it is better for boys especially to start school later. I guess I understand that. Well, the kids are ready to get out of the bathtub now so I better go. I quit letting Hannah take showers by herself because there was always big globs of conditioner left in her hair and I don't think she washed her body off thoroughly enough. Well, better go.

no more complaining

I think I have been using this blog to complain too much. I am going to try not to do that anymore. I just like writing about my day and letting other people read about it! Today was Hannah's kindergarten registration. She did the tests fine this year. Last year she cried and didn't want to do the hearing screening. I am excited and nervous about her going to kindergarten. I miss the little girl who used to run around in diapers. But I also can't wait to see what the future holds for her. I want only the best for her but I know that she will go through bad times just like the rest of us. That is what I have been thinking about a lot lately. My kids are growing up and there is nothing I can do about it but enjoy it while it lasts. Hannah didn't go to school today. Her stomach is still a little messed up and she is still regaining her strength. There are a lot of kids sick at the school. So we haven't done much again today. Tomorrow is another picture day at school. They just had them done at the beginning of the year. This time it is a class picture and you can do individual ones if you want. I don't know if I am going to order any of them or not. Oh what am I saying, I will more than likely order them!! We have already been practicing her pose and talking about what she is going to wear and how I am going to do her hair. Anyways, I hope I get to go to the ladies meeting tonight even though I have a headache. I am ready to get out! We usually don't do much around here (we are homebodies) but it has been especially hard this week with the sick kids. So I better go check my pork chops and mashed potatoes.