Can I have a time out?

It's so easy to get out of the habit.  Of recording memories, of describing days.  It's just a season. : )

My friend, Heidi, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and I've been sad for her.  She's on my mind daily.  Prayers are going up.  She started her third round of chemo today.  My mom was diagnosed with CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia), and she was very worried, but she's being brave now.  She needs a bone marrow aspiration, but she's putting it off.  My friend, Hawley, has breast cancer, and is starting her second round of chemo tomorrow.  There's a lot going on, and we're in prayer.  Prayer for healing and prayers for understanding.  God is a big God, and we know He's can see through to the other side.  We're all just walking in faith for now.

My sweet little baby is no longer a baby.  He's almost three.  Hard to believe.  He potty trained, and every now and then makes it through a nap dry.  He still doesn't want a big boy bed.  I already have a bed, bedding, and some new decor for his room (he likes stars right now and asks for the Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star song often), so I got him all stars.  I know he'll change, but it'll remind me of these days. ; )
 

They both entered a building contest at Legoland when we were there on Ethan's birthday.

Ethan is a big eight.  Tonight I got so angry at him.  He ran a huge tub of water (he's overflowed the tub before, often runs the hot water tank out of hot water-tough when there are other kids needing baths), and then let the water out..and sat and watched tv upstairs the entire time.  He never even got undressed, much less got in the tub.  I have to say I was mean.  I made him get a bath, clean up his room, brush his teeth, and go to bed.  I even sat in his desk chair while he read.  I just couldn't read to/with him.  (I sat and prayed the entire time for my anger to go away.  Boohoo.)  I did kiss him goodnight though.

I bet God gets mad at us like that sometimes too.  When I go through the motions and don't really hear people.  ..I really despise night time.  I hate making lunches and lunch notes, checking blood sugars, making basal changes, doing site changes, and staying on everyone to brush their teeth, take medicine, read, no ipads, do homework, it goes on and on.  I am so tired at the end of the day.  And I still have mommy stuff to do.  My job is never-ending, just like everyone else's.

I've had a good month of being super thankful for the normal, everyday routine.  Just thankful for the health to do it all.  In the midst of all the sickness, we've been healthy.  I can NOT take that for granted.  This is just a reminder for me to keep at it.  Keep plugging away.

She did her own bun and wanted a picture so she could see how it actually looked from behind.  Growing up.

Mary Claire has been taking a semi-private cheer class with three of her friends.  She's decided to try out for cheer at school this year.  She's been in and out of gymnastics and dance since she was eighteen months.  When she decided to quit, I let her.  Now she is so upset that I let her. (ha!)  She regrets the time she missed and how behind she got.  I hope even if she doesn't make the team that she'll stick with it.  It's been awesome for her blood sugars!  Her basals are down, and her numbers are still good/low.  Just that extra hour or so a day has allowed her a little more freedom in eating, and reduced level of insulin.  So healthy.

Clay actually won his age division building contest with his rattlesnake head that opened.  They sent him this huge Lego kit from the Lego Movie and four tickets to Legoland as his prize. : )  He was very excited since he said he'd never won anything in his life.

Clay is better.  He had some bad grades, and he's back up to all A's.  I've had to sit with him daily to make sure things are done, and his grades are posted online.  He admitted he just didn't want to do the homework.  He missed a couple days for high blood sugars and didn't get his make up work.  The teachers in junior high do NOT chase you down to give you homework..it's the student's job.  That's been hard for him. 

His face is better.  He was really plagued with pimples, and was picking his skin.  His pediatrician was rather alarmed at what damage he'd done.  He wanted his nails cut to the quick and filed every three days.  He sees a dermatologist and a psychologist, and we've all been on top of it..but it was a new wake-up call.  It was getting infected.  He's on a twice daily antibiotic now..and it's helped tremendously.

My goal has been to give Ches three tagged gifts a day..even little things like socks (You knock my socks off!) or an army man (I can't fight this feeling anymore!)..in our two weeks of Valentine's.  The kids are helping me..especially with the army men. ; )

I think just trying to keep so many things balanced for everyone else can be really difficult.  Of course I get overwhelmed and stressed.  I learned this great technique..when you are feeling sorry for yourself and your hard life, it helps to go find someone to serve.  A friend, child, neighbor, husband, whoever needs help.  It really takes my eyes off myself, and helps me refocus.  It's saved me a few times. : )  Maybe that's why I'm not so diabetes focused..

..and I just found out we missed Ethan's school conference today.  Another tally mark against the Mom-of-the-Year award.  We covered JDRF Mom's Lunch, play date, band sectionals, boy scouts, cheer and open gym..but missed a conference.  I just can't keep up.  I'm totally calling for a time out.  Can I do that?

In the multitude of anxieties within me, your comforts delight my soul. Psalm 94:19

Hugs, y'all!  Thinking of you and lifting up prayers daily.  We are in this together! : )

 

What will YOU personalize?

Ok, I told you about my Christmas break BFF, Food.  We had a great vacation together!

Now..I'm seriously crushing on this new toy Santa brought me.  It is a Silhouette Cameo machine.  A cross between a printer and a cutter.  You have software (totally free, try it out!), that you create things in, then send them out to the cutter to cut.  Kinda like a Cricut, but you can use all your own fonts (I have a million!), or you can buy designs on their website for 99 cents or under.  (instead of $50 for Cricut cartridges with only one font or four designs!)

You can cut cardstock (to make little boxes and gift card holders or scrapbook titles), fabric (to decoupage, make cards with, or sew around), regular paper or scrapbook paper (unlimited ideas!), or my personal favorite?  Vinyl!  You can get all colors of repositionable (knew spell check would catch that one!) vinyl for your walls or doors, to make a vinyl chalkboard for your pantry, etc.  You can also get the permanent outdoor vinyl to make signs for your windows, car, or even cups and bowls that can go through the dishwasher!  I haven't been brave enough to try the permanent..I have to practice before I can commit to permanent vinyl.  We're still dating, after all. ; )


So..want to see a picture to help visualize?  Here are some little mailboxes I got from Target for a dollar each (they have them before every Valentine's Day if you need one!):

And..I'm still s.l.o.w.l.y working on the baby's room.  I found new lamp shades for some lamps I already had, found a great mirror 50% off, and made a minky dot sheet to match the bedding I got online.  I'm also nearly finished with some birdhouses I am painting and decoupaging to hang on the 'branch'..that branch that will stand in for a mobile.  Totally unreachable by little hands..unless they try to climb.  Hmm..that would be bad.  Must add that to my list of things to worry about.
Here are some pix of the unfinished room:

I "updated" them by adding fancy new polka-dotted knobs.  Easy!

The lamp is going on an end table over by the chair...that's not in the room yet!  No, I won't let baby fall off the changing table. ; )  ..and I'm making a changing pad cover since I moved it to the dark changing table.  I am thinking pale turquoise and white plaid. ; )

The bedding!  And the sheet I made ; )

All the birdhouses lined up in a row..ready to be hung!

My first monogrammed thing for him-a real commitment to his name! ; )

How they ended up (and you can not force a birdhouse to turn the way you like, FYI)

This is a wrought iron thing I found in Missouri-kind of a memo board.  The kids painted and made him a welcome sign!

And we moved Ethan's furniture down (but we are still waiting on his new PB furniture to show up!!  They tell us Friday now..)

I saw my doctor again last Thursday for an appointment and my glucose tolerance test.  I even took one of Mary Claire's little pokey things, 33 gauge needles, and alcohol pads to poke myself, since they use those razor blade cutters to slice your finger.  But they didn't even check my fasting blood sugar, just drew blood an hour after the nauseating drink.  I was slightly disappointed I didn't get to wield my own weapon. : (  I haven't heard back, but I'm sure it's fine unless they call.  He also said I've made it to ViABiLiTy, so that is a huge milestone for us. : )  He said if I can make it another 10 weeks, there is no difference in the long term outcome of the child.  I can do 10 more weeks. ; )

I'm also having another ultrasound at my next appointment to check on that placenta that was covering my cervix.  I'm praying it's moved up! It was covering the spot where they cut for a c-section, so it's a little dicey.  I really want him to be able to cut in the same spot, you know since I'll be wearing a bikini this summer.  HA!!  Not.


I had a really strong contraction (ok, a HUGE pain a couple inches above my belly button and a hard tummy all over) yesterday, so I came home and pushed water and rested.  I was up a lot yesterday running errands, but I usually don't start to contract till 27 weeks.  I will say..it was scary.  I was grocery shopping with Ethan, and got a little panicky.  It kept hurting, but after rest, it was totally gone.  Little less movement last night (he's normally SO active from 4-5am!), but today seems totally normal.  So that slow stuff?  Yep, gonna keep going slow!  It is just too early.  Gotta get 10 more weeks in, minimum. ; )


Yes, I'll make you a sticky piece of vinyl to stick on something (on a picture frame? little tin pail? clipboard? door? your laptop? notebook? mirror?)!  I figure it's easier to mail the vinyl ready to stick than mail a mailbox or something to you!  I'm not a pro, so it'll be a little border and a simple word (like on the mailboxes), on vinyl transfer paper ready to stick on.  I only have black and silver vinyl so far.


So, here we go!  Limited to the first five people, unless I am squishy and feel that everyone deserves their name on something.  heehee ; )  Let me know what word/name you want, and black or silver.  Happy early Valentine's Day! or Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. day!

ps-You can send me your mailing address at busymom3370@yahoo.com if I don't already have it. ; )

Decorating for Christmas!

Hey ya'll!  I have been a little sick, but pulling through.  I finally got an antibiotic today (since I was starting to have pain in my sinuses!), so I'm hoping to be all better in a few days.  I've slept a lot (yay!), but still got some stuff done.

I have decorated a little (got at least one room done enough, even though I gave up on ornaments!).  Unboxing and unwrapping each individual ornament got tiring...so I did all the kids' ornaments and easy stuff! : )

Here are some pictures of the hearth room!:

This would be Mama Bear's chair..and Baby Bear's chair!

..and Oh, Oh, Oh!! I got my new ivory slipcovers on!  But..now the windows need drapes. ; )

Oh.  You can't see any Christmas decorations in the dark of the shelves.  haha, oh well! : )

Well, the bottom is heavily decorated..but the top got to be too much for me!  ..And I got a few presents wrapped tonight! ; )

I also got a new tree on Black Friday!  We had given two away last year (one Ches hated putting together-but it was full and gorgeous, and the other was a 12' prelit, but the upper lights didn't work!).  It was an unbelievable deal (7 foot prelit tree for $39 at JoAnn!), and it was crazy how I got it (they were sold out, but it was returned..so Ta-Da!).  But, we got it home, set it up..And.  I knew why they took it back.  It was a Charlie Brown tree.  The small box should have been a huge clue.  Here it is before:

(sorry for the dark..it was just too much with the lights on!) (umm..I mean too Charlie-Brown-see-through-the-branches-like!)

But after layering tons of berry garlands, feather garlands, and ornaments from the inside to outside..it filled out nicely!  I'll keep it. ; )  Ches really wanted a tree in the front window since we really don't do outside Christmas lights, so this fit the bill.  (This will be the baby room in the future!)

And the last bit of decorating I managed?  A new wreath!  I don't know what I'll do with the old ones-it seems our attic is running out of wreath storage (according to the Facility Manager anyway).  The new thing (well, here anyway) is big wide (almost 2 foot!) ribbon/netting stuff to use as ribbon.  In fact, some wreaths are ALL netted ribbon stuff.  But..I had a new wreath, so I just added to it.  A big sign, some big red jingle bells, balls, red poinsettias, and a red bird finished it off.  Easy peasy.  Here it is now:

I prefer the Happy Holly Days spelling, but I love that it sounds like my name. ; )  I *love* Merry Christmas, but love to hear my name too. : )

Ok, that's as far as I've gotten.  I'll keep working..there are still so many Christmas tubs sitting all around.  I have to finish so we can have our floor space back! ; )

ps-Are you getting ready for Christmas?  Have you shopped?  Don't forget to buy for someone you don't know : )  There are families that need help, and food pantries need to be filled up!  There should be drop off locations at your church, and even at radio or tv stations, grocery stores, and your local schools! ; )

pps-And..don't forget to leave a comment for another chance to win the monogrammed kitchen hand towel giveaway!  I'll announce the winner tomorrow night after 9pm!  : ) I want to give something to YOU! ; ) Hugs!

Christmas Treat for YOU!

Last week we went to see Christmas lights!  ..and I'm SO glad we chose last week when it was still relatively warm-it's supposed to be 17 degrees here tonight!  Brr...

The Fayetteville Square always does a wonderful job decorating and filling us up with holiday spirit-there are ponies to ride (although I hesitate to let the big kids ride anymore!), camels to ride, carriage rides, holiday music, warm cocoa and coffee...and funnel cakes!  Fried bread with sugar.  Yum.

We visit every year, and try to take pictures in the same place.  I can't believe that next year..we'll be Plus One! ; )

Here are some of our pictures:

Don't you just *love* the abundance of lights?  Nothing like overdoing it!

She was a camera lover tonight-rare. ; )

At least he was on the right side of the railing at this point.

They loved the dog that was under the miniature ponies' tent!

He was also loving the camera attention!  (Maybe they actually missed mom taking pictures?)

..and again!

It is super hard to get three to smile (and sit up!)

But we do our best! : )

Aww...just the girls ; )

And the sign was on an opposite corner this year.  (The boys had already run off!)

I've been monogramming some of the most adorable stuff..but I seriously have taken NO pictures!  Boo. : (  I made Mary Claire a cute little Reindeer Peace Sign (with antlers!) with her name, and a snowflake with an initial, a tie bib with an initial..and I have more shirts to do!  I asked Clay about wearing something I've sewn (I really thought he'd tell me he's too big!), but he said he wanted one to match Ethan's!  I love that he still likes to dress like his brother. ; )


Today was Clay's big eleventh birthday.  He is getting so big so fast.  I still remember the day he was born..I guess that's how everyone's mom feels!  Just amazing how in the moment it is slow going-but it just flies by.  He had a birthday cheesecake on Thanksgiving, and he chose not to have a party this year.  This morning we sang Happy Birthday to him over cheesecake and a candle, then he had some things to open (he already got his big gifts last Friday!), and his cards.  (Ethan wrote his entire card himself!  ..I mean, with me spelling the words!)  And we let him choose a restaurant for dinner.  He picked PF Chang's (it was such a hard decision for him!).  He had wanted sushi too, but they don't have any. : (  He settled, and it was still a good dinner and dessert. ; )  I'm thankful he had a good day-he was very cheerful, and I love to see a happy child!


I did find out tonight that he found a big Christmas present of Mary Claire's in our closet today. : (  ..and he told her.  ..before he told me.  : (  I'm not sure what to do.  Instinct says to take it back, but it's hard.  It would punish her more than him for sneaking around.  It can be awful hard to be a parent.


5.5 days till I know what this sweet baby is..I'm getting really impatient!  We have a Carter's store in town now, and on Black Friday they had an amazing 50% off the entire store..so we had to go!  I got three outfits..for each.  Just in case.  I don't ever get to baby clothes shop with the big kids, so I let them pick out some clothes.  Of course, Clay picked the boy clothes, and Mary Claire chose the girl clothes.  I guess I'll have some returning to do Monday afternoon..we just couldn't let a sale go by.  (And they are as excited as I am, and I'm soo thankful)  : )

ps-I think we need a contest! : )  It is almost Christmas!  How about a Christmas towel with your monogram?  I have a sweet new design:

It's an ornament!  Precious.  And I love the red/lime! : )  ..but yours could be any color ; )

I also got this adorable one I can't wait to try!  It's called Shabby Wreath! : )  It has your monogram letter in the center also.

and don't you need a treat for your kitchen?  I'm totally thinking I need one!  : )  Leave a comment, and if you don't have a blog, leave your email address! : )  Hugs!  (oops..I'll announce the winner on Sunday night, Dec. 4th after 9pm!)

Assist Me!

"Assist Me!"  That's Ethan's new Pool Game.  He yells, and he wants you to save him!  I told him he had to quit yelling "Help!" all the time to whomever is around.  And I told him we wouldn't believe him if he was really in trouble.  He wanted to play the game (You "Rescue" Me game), and asked me what to say.  I couldn't think of anything but Assist Me.  I wish I had thought this through more carefully.  I didn't realize I'd hear it every day, and for hours at a time.  Note to self: think before you speak.

I got all kinds of new flowers today!  We got Stella D'ora Daylilies, a new hydrangea bush and a pale pink peony bush (I think my sticks-in-the-dirt didn't work too well.  The hydrangea is starting to peek through, but I want flowers THIS year!), some rosey pink geraniums (they already moved tons to clearance!! Can you imagine?  They are full-sun flowers!), some colorful, full-sun lantana (will bloom ALL summer in the HEAT, even in Arkansas) a fern, and a big pot of hot pink flowers to go on the table under the pergola!


We are redoing a couple beds outside, and moving some stuff-little trees, shrubs, and monkey grass (liriope).  I think my husband may like to move plants more than me!  He looks for projects. ; )  I like the Set-Them-Out kind of plants.  If they come in a pretty pot, they can go home with me!  (or if I can cut them, and set them on my table)  Well, I don't mind planting, jut not in 95 degree temps!

We ended up staying out till after nine trimming trees and shrubs, and I pulled up PILES of ivy from a front bed.  I was afraid of it (snakes were in the forefront of my mind), so I'd just left it alone.  But, I conquered my fears.

This is the small pile.  Before I was halfway.  Ack-Ivy!

I cut, pulled, and I'm not done.  It looks better, and I can see bark out there now!  It looked like overgrown cottage, but the ivy was seriously choking out my azaleas.  We planted half the new plants, but have more to do.  We'll finish sometime tomorrow-I'm sure late when it cools off (since we aren't early morning people!).


Ok...so, Contest!  I am starting a new contest for a white kitchen towel!  It can be monogrammed:

excuse the shine on the letters-I took this with my phone : )

(three applique letters)

or you can have a big applique letter (where fabric makes up the letter with stitches all around), or have a picture applique (I have all sorts of pictures...a cross, easter egg, guitar, flip flop, goldfish, heart, mushroom, paw print, peace sign, pirate hook, snowflake, sunglasses, starfish, etc.) with your last name underneath:

Just make sure you are following my blog, so I can find you to tell you about winning!  Then leave a comment with your name down below.  I'll do the drawing with random.org and publish the winner on Wednesday, June 14th after 9pm! : )  (..You could make it red, white, and blue for Independence Day!)

Smells Good!

Mmmm...Laundry.  I'm just sure Tide and Downy were invented to make laundry enjoyable.  ("Hey-I have an idea!  If their clothes smell all fresh, and their endorphins are triggered with happy memories of these smells, they'll like laundry, and wash more often..and buy more detergent!")  Is there anything better than fresh, clean-smelling clothes? (I know it's perfume, not the shiny clean-ness making them smell so amazing-but ahhh...)  It does make me love pulling clean clothes out ten times more...and bear the folding and hanging up that must happen immediately, or I have to wash again (to get the smell action going again!)

I have the kids wear their jammies two times, to save on wear and tear, laundry (take that, Tide!), and so they have to practice folding every other morning (and because they aren't dirty after one night of a clean body in them!).  Totally personal choice, but anyway.  We are just phasing Ethan into twice-jammies (he's four and finally takes them off before breakfast!). (since I crave the way the tight jammies make him look like the baby I remember, plus he smells all sweet and clean laundry-ish)  Last night we were too lazy to go upstairs to get him clean jammies, so we pulled on Saturday night's jammies (still on the loveseat after getting him dressed for church downstairs!) since they aren't the tight ones and still looked great, and he put them on reluctantly, then told us, "they don't smell clean" (sadface).  (Umm..have I messed up somewhere?  Now he thinks clean smells like Tide/Downy)  Maybe that's why the kids push their jammies into the dirty clothes instead of folding them...


There was a funky-feet or rubbery smell in our coat closet last week (stale coats?), so I washed all the jackets/coats, and I'm just finishing up!  But the closet still doesn't smell amazing..and then I saw them-the snow boots.  I think I found the skeleton in the closet-eww!  But where do you keep them if not in the bottom of the coat closet? (and I have no mud room!)  Seriously?


-------------We have to commercial break between Downy commercials here. heehee : ) Yesterday was Mary Claire's bridging ceremony from Girl Scout Brownies to Juniors!  She was so excited.  We took Clay to baseball practice, and drove to Wilson Park.  I was so thankful so many people came-it was awesome! : )  The girls were all excited.  They should be-they are growing up!

Ethan chose to bring wear his Buzz getup.

And look what this can do!  It can shoot red sucker arrows!

Now..let's go save the galaxy!

Mary Claire's troop ready to bridge! : )

with her certificate and yummy cookie!

Check that thing out!  Beautiful! (recognize that sweet writing??)

On the bridge (obviously staged on the way back across!)

and then ice cream to celebrate-with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and sprinkles

!

I'm super thankful she wasn't too high to eat-we'd eaten out for lunch, but I checked her right before we left for the park-187.  Celebrations can throw her off-all the excitement and adrenaline.  This morning, Ches just brought up that she eats more sugar than she should with diabetes.  We all eat too much sugar.  We don't go out and get it exactly.  And I can't say no at an event, and make her different.  So, what do we do?  All I know to do is let her live her life (as normally as possible), and fight for a CURE.  I refuse to let it get me down.  I lived down there for two years, and I won't go back.  I didn't get mail there, and makeup didn't stay on my face, and it was awful.  I choose to live in Today.  With a pump. And a fight-back attitude.

----You are hereby notified that commercial is over.-----  You're welcome!  (and you didn't get to skip with a DVR!) hahaha!  : )

I've been doing load after load of laundry since yesterday since we moved Clay's room around, and bunked his beds again!  I washed all the bedding, including blankets and quilts, and those all have to be washed separately-so our house smelled good all day (excepting the coat closet).  And my son?  Thrilled to have a clean room and room for his O-gauge train set!!  He was up before seven this morning, and when I went up to tell him it was time to shower-he was running his train (little bro watching), with shower-wet hair, his clothes on, and his towel hung up.  Awesome kid! : )  I was so proud of him.  I think we do the same thing-don't you perform better in a clean, happy environment? (Or was it the overabundance of detergenty smell going to his head?)  (I love it either way!)

Love these kids-all Buzz'd, jammied, sugared, and clean-they are a blessing! : )

ps-here is the winning towel from Saturday:

Heidi, it's in the mail!

Don't forget to register for the next one to be given away tomorrow after 9pm!  Be sure you are following the blog, and leave your first name in a comment! : )
(You'll pick your towel color, fabric for letter, and thread color!)