Finally...an update....and why I trust in God!

So- the reason I really haven't been blogging lately is because my mind has been consumed with one single thought.  I am pregnant.  I had not been feeling well for a few days before we were supposed to leave to Maine with my parents, so I took a test the night before.  Just because I had one in the cabinet.  Really for no other reason...I honestly don't know what made me do it.  I was just really, really tired and had completely lost my appetite.  It was very unlike me.  So I peed on a stick.  Only I peed way too much on the stick.  So when it dried out and said positive....I was positive that it was incorrect because I bungled the test.  Just in case, I started taking vitamins and cut out caffeine and anything else that might be bad for me and I went to Maine!  While in Maine, I was ill every morning and starving constantly.  I was also completely exhausted.  So when we got home later in the week and ran to the store to pick up some other stuff, I grabbed another test.  I did not think I could be pregnant.  After having Cebelle, I had two miscarriages.  I had an IUD put in and after two years, it lodged in my uterus and I had to have it surgically removed.  A year later, I was hospitilized for a cyst on my ovary and had to endure several visits and various testing.  The doctor said my chances of becoming pregnant again were very small.  I had been praying to God for the past year.  I didn't want to have babies past the age of 35, but I wanted more babies.  I prayed that God would make me content with the beautiful children I have and not long for more.  Because I knew in my heart that my dream of having four children was quickly coming to an end.  Jeff and I had talked about adopting, and it was always an option.  But it can be very expensive, no matter how you go about it, and we knew in our hearts that it would just never be a reality for us.  So I prayed and I thanked God for all the blessings He gives me every day and I asked for peace.  Because I knew that once I turned 35, I did not want to attempt more children.  With my past medical history and issues, it just didn't seem like a good idea.  It wasn't safe for me or for any baby that I might carry.
So I took that second test.  Believing that even if it was positive, there was nothing to be excited about.  Because with my history, I fully expected to not carry any pregnancy past the sixth week.  When the test was positive, I called and got into the doctor as soon as they could get me in, which wasn't until what would be my 7th week of pregnancy.  I didn't ever expect to go to that appointment.  I prayed and I tried to have faith that God had a plan for me, but letting go of all that worry was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do.  I asked the ladies in my church group to pray for me.  Not that everything would be well, because I didn't really believe that was in God's plan.  I asked them to pray that I would have the strength and the courage to deal with whatever came.  So when the day for my early ultrasound arrived, I was sick with anticipation and worry.  At that point, I just wanted to know what was happening.  I just wanted a plan of action.  Was I having a baby? Or was I going to prepare for a miscarriage again?  I knew that the ultrasound would show a heartbeat at this point if my pregnancy was viable and everything was okay.  So I honestly held my breath.  And got the biggest surprise of my life when she found not one, but two healthy babies with perfect baby heartbeats.  They dated me at almost 7 weeks, told me that the twins were fraternal which is the best possible scenario but that it was still early and chances were good that I would lose one of the babies , and scheduled me for another ultrasound in four weeks.  I prayed and every time I have been tired or sick, I have praised God because I knew that it was a sign that things were well.  I just went back for that ultrasound yesterday and got to see two very active beautiful, perfect, tiny babies with heartbeats at 170 and 175.  And I know in my heart that everything is going to be okay.  God has given me a beautiful miracle that I never expected.  He blesses me every day in ways that I could never be worthy of.  I am still nervous about the health of my babies, but what mother isn't?  Every time I feel doubt creeping in, I take it to God in prayer.  And I ask Him for the strength and courage to trust in His plan, and to believe that I am worthy of receiving this beautiful gift.  And you see, the real miracle is this:  I will be 35 on April 9, 2012.  I have been praying for the past few years that God would let me make peace with the fact that I wouldn't have any more babies after that date.  My babies are due on April 9, 2012.  God is so amazing.  He knows our hearts and He has a plan for us.  I think that sometimes we make our own plans and forget to ask for guidance.  When we let go and let God work in our lives, wonderful things happen!  That's not to say that bad things never happen to those who believe in God and serve Him.  That was never promised to us.  The promise is that when those bad things happen, we don't have to face them alone.  We face them knowing that God will hold us and heal us and lead us in the right direction.  I trust God because in all my life, though I have failed Him many times, He has never failed me.

(Sort of) Exteme Couponing and Some Great Ideas

Lately, I have been on a constant quest to save money.  In this day and age, who isn't?  I watched the TLC show Extreme Couponing a few times and thought, "I could do that..." but after some research and finding that circulars in our area were really difficult to come by, I somewhat gave up on the idea.  Then I decided to dig in and figure out a way.  I started researching on the web and found some really great sites.  I started printing coupons that were available for products that we have used in the past, products that we always use, or products we would be willing to use.  I printed everything available for any of those.  I signed up for all kinds of company emails (if you are thinking about this, I recommend you open a dedicated account for these emails so that they don't clutter up your personal email) and promotions.  I cut out hundreds of coupons and organized them.  Then I started combing the sale flyers.  Every week I thoroughly look through the flyers, find items on sale, match them up with coupons, and make a plan.  Then I go shopping. Last time I had a goal of spending $100 and saving at least that much.  I ended up spending $95 and saving $130.  I don't think I will ever be able to rack up a bill of almost $1000 and spend only $5...our stores around here don't generally have specials that great and the coupon policies are fairly strict especially now that none of them will double any coupon over $1.  With that being said, I will still spend 3-4 hours a week clipping coupons and combing ads because saving half on a grocery bill (which I do with regularity right now) is pretty amazing.  It frees up money for lots of other things.  But if you don't have time for all of that, I have a few suggestions to save you money in the long run:

1.  When your favorite items go on sale, STOCK UP!  Most canned and boxed goods will last a really long time.  Frozen goods will keep for forever if they haven't been opened.  Some fresh goods can be frozen for a longer shelf life.  If you normally pay $1.69 for a box of macaroni and your store has them on sale for $1 a box and you normally use 3 boxes a week-it will save you $8.28 in a month if you stock up while they are cheap.  Stores cycle through sale items so pay attention to your store and buy stuff that will keep even if you don't need it immediately.

2.  If you have a small family and a warehouse club membership, join up and split the cost of bulk goods with a couple other families.  You can split the membership costs and the shopping responsibilities and break up the larger packages into more manageable sizes for your families.  Some things are cheaper when bought in bulk.

3.  Sign up for online deals!  There are tons of websites out there just giving stuff away!  Search your favorite products and see what you can find!

4.  Enlist your family members!  If you don't have time to cut coupons and really need or want to save money, enlist the help of a friend or family member with the promise that you will do the shopping and save them money as well!

5.  The most important tip....be smart about what you buy!  Ten jars of mustard for 35 cents each isn't really a deal if nobody in your family likes mustard.  It's a waste of $3.50 and a waste of your most valuable asset...your time!

I hope these suggestions will help those of you who have been sending me messages out.  I love saving money and I'm always happy to share anything I know with you!  God bless!

The Hull Family Vacation 2011

Okay, so I have pretty much slacked off when it comes to blogging.  But in all fairness, I have been really busy finishing up school with my kids and then we immediately headed off on our vacation.  Then we got back and I was kind of ill, but there was the 4th of July holiday and a visit from my sister, and other obligations....Suffice to say, I have been quite busy.  But here is the rundown of our vacation!
Jeff, Hayden, Cebelle, and I took off early Friday June 17th.  We drove to Dover, DE to spend the night because it left us about four hours to drive to get to VA beach the next morning.  We stretched our legs in a mall and ate some dinner at Sonic...and then got upgraded to a king suite with a two person jacuzzi when we returned to our hotel because the lady in the room beside us was extremely loud.  Jeff went down and told the manager that she and the others in her room were really loud and we didn't want to be rude and ask her to tone it down, so could they please just move our room.  She felt bad and upgraded us from a double full bed suite.  The kids thought it was awesome because they could swim in the bathtub.
We took off early the next morning and after much excitement driving over-under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, arrived in VA Beach at about 11:30.

We were picking up Carol and Gina at the bus stop there, so we walked down to the boardwalk and grabbed some lunch while we waited for them.  When we met up with them and got everything packed up in the car.  We got to Sandbridge where our rental was, and found out that the entire rest of our family was stuck in a traffic jam and were not moving.  So we stopped off at the rental agency and picked up the keys and got our stuff unpacked while we waited for them.

The kids waited somewhat patiently for everyone to arrive and get mostly unpacked...and then they were in the pool...

I won't bore you with every single detail...but we did lots of awesome things!  We spent lots of time at the beach (we even watched the sunrise over the ocean the day before we left), spent lots of time at the pool, rode GoKarts, watched street performers, went to the Virginia Aquarium, walked on the boardwalk, went to Norfolk, ate some great seafood, and most importantly...spent time with our really terrific family who we love so much! Here are some highlights:

We checked out of our beach house on Saturday the 25th and then headed to Washington D.C. with Carol and Gina.  We checked in at the Radisson and then headed to the National Air and Space Museum.  Hayden loved it!  We went to a show at the planetarium and both the kids were in awe!

We also stepped outside to the National Mall to show the kids what it looked like.  They haven't really studied American History yet.  That's something they start this year.  So hopefully next time we return to DC we will be able to tour monuments as well!

On Sunday, we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo.  It was amazing.  We walked all day long!  But the kids were such troopers and we saw so many cool animals.  There was a whole bird house that was huge and then an outdoor aviary which made Cebelle about the happiest kid in the whole wide world.  

Since Jeff and I had purchased a new camera for this trip, we were also excited to try our hands at some nature photography.  Here are a couple of my attempts:

And here are a couple of Jeff's attempts:

I was really proud of the both of us!  I thought it was pretty awesome for a first attempt on both our parts!  

We left D.C. Monday morning the 27th and we were home by 6pm that night.  We were so exhausted and happy to be home.  The awesome thing is the memories that we all carry with us of this wonderful time!  We had so much fun together and experienced so many things that our kids had never experienced before.  I love that so much!  Seeing the excitement in Hayden's eyes when he drove his first GoKart or ride on the boogie board on the waves on his own and seeing Cebelle watch the sunrise on the ocean and pet a duck for the first time are those moments are completely priceless.  I'm so thrilled to have spent time with our wonderful family and make wonderful memories with all of them!  I wish the same for all of you...even if you don't step foot outside your house all summer long!  God bless!

"Relaxing means a full datebook?"

I've been really busy since I last blogged!  School is almost finished!  The everyday stuff is complete for both the kids.  We just have a few loose ends to tie up and I need to do their portfolios.  However, since I won't receive their books for next year until the end of July, I'm putting that off until I have those.  Then I can sit down and finish all of it at once.  

Last week, we had a fabulous visit with my sisters!  We got to spend the entire three day weekend with them and my brother-in-law.  We ate, played games, shopped, went to the movies, and just hung out together.  It's awesome that in addition to being related to me, they are also my best friends!

We have planted our vegetable garden and put in one huge flower bed and one small flower bed.  Things have gone pretty much non-stop!  I literally have every single day filled up in my date book up until we leave for Virginia Beach next Friday!  I'm filling up the spaces in between everything going on with crafting, cleaning, and catching up on my reading.  

I have been reading "The Vampire Academy" series by Richelle Mead and the "Pretty Little Liars" series by Sara Sheperd.  I really am enjoying both writers!  I have gotten to the point that I really prefer authors who write books for young adults.  I like the stories and the fact that there isn't all kinds of useless profanity or sexual situations that seem to have no bearing on the story.  I really prefer books with really complex characters, and these two writers do a terrific job of that!

I am also working on several crafting projects....a couple of summer scarves with embellishments, a couple of baby blankets, a sweater, and an afghan.  I'm also working on my cross-stitch project here and there.  I'm not so sure its going to be completed by Christmas.  Staring at hundreds of little x's for more than an hour gives me a headache.

I have also decided to start cleaning houses!  I don't have a full daycare any longer and the kids that I have are all mostly in school.  So I can do the cleaning in the morning and have the kids in the afternoon.  I'm really actually looking forward to it...cleaning in quite calming.  At least for me!  I find it very therapeutic!  Also, doing something that's this flexible allows me to keep staying home with my kids and homeschool them.  I'm also building up some inventory so that I can open a shop on Etsy.  I'm hoping to get all of that completed by this fall.  I actually have a really good idea for a specialty item that I designed!  I'm going to make a bunch of them and see how it goes!

Jeff and I were in the church nursery this last Sunday.  I have so much fun playing with all the little munchkins!  It's a lot of fun to hang out with them and watch all the funny stuff they do!

Jeff and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary yesterday.  We didn't really do anything...he had to work and the kids have not been feeling great.  So, we just stayed at home yesterday evening.  I grilled some steaks and potatoes for dinner and we all sat out on the deck and enjoyed the sunshine.  

I have a lot of things to get prepared for our vacation next week!  We will leave on Friday, spend the night in Delaware and then head on to Virginia.  We are actually staying in Sandbridge.  We are really looking forward to the week that we get to spend with Jeff's family!  After we check out of the beach house, we made reservations for a hotel in D.C.  We are spending a couple of nights there and plan to go to the zoo and the Smithsonian.  I can barely contain my excitement!  It's a good thing that I'm pretty busy from now until then!  I hope your summer starts out as wonderfully as mine!  Until next time, God bless!

"A Busy Weekend, The Last Days {of School}, and Changing for the Better!"

We are counting down the days!  Eight more days of homeschool left!  Which, honestly, is a really good thing because the likelihood of me throttling one of my children increases about tenfold on a daily basis.  This is due to the fact that we are at the end of the school year and both of them are bouncing off the walls crazy from the time they wake up until I put them to bed.  Thankfully, I am mostly a very patient person and I understand how they feel.  We have experienced a lot of staying inside time because the weather hasn't been so terrific.  We have only had a couple of sunny days in the last couple of weeks, so it makes it even harder to keep them contained.  All they want to do is go outside and run around all day, and that has been mostly impossible.  Poor little monkeys.  They are just stir crazy!  And I totally get it.  Which is why neither of them have been throttled.  Yet.

We had a really great weekend.  Friday evening, we went to see the musical production of BIG, by Rutland Youth Theatre.  It was really well done.  Jeff's friend Saskia is the director and I admire the fact that she can get fifty kids ages 18 and under to put on a musical.  I'm not even sure I could get fifty kids that age to listen to me for five minutes....  On Saturday, we hit the $1 flip-flop sale at Old Navy.  Then we had a few essentials to pick up at KMart, Wal-Mart, and Hannaford's.  Unfortunately, by the time we got to Hannaford's, the kids were pretty much done and I spent so much time trying to get them to chill that I forgot a bunch of stuff that was on my list.  When we got home that afternoon, it was really nice so the kids went outside to play while Jeff mowed.  Jeff got the mowing and weed whacking done and then he and the kids were raking up the grass clippings when it started to rain again.  I stayed inside and cleaned house and baked cookies.  We all showered and then sat down and watched "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring".  I've seen that movie tons of times, and I still cry.  Sunday morning was a great church service and then we went to a friend's house for a combination birthday party/ barbecue.  It was a really nice day, so all the kids ran and played and got disgustingly filthy.  Then we had to make another trip to the grocery store to pick up all the stuff I forgot on Saturday!  It was a really great weekend!

I decided last week that I was going to start clipping coupons and saving money.  I have been watching "Extreme Couponing" on TLC and getting lots of hints and tips.  I have a whole strategy planned and have been clipping coupons and watching ads and getting ready for this weekend's shopping trip.  Then I had a major snag in my plan!  The coupon printer that I downloaded (which worked for my shopping trip last weekend) no longer works.  I have all these awesome coupons, which combined with store sales will save me a ton of money.....and I can't print them.  It's unbelievably frustrating.  I'm going to keep trying it because maybe it will start working again.  I'm also going to try to figure out why it isn't working.  I have all the correct system requirements and it says that it's downloaded, but I can't find the download anywhere on my computer.  It just keeps disappearing.  If anyone out there is a computer genius....I would appreciate some tips or suggestions.
I actually have picked up my knitting needles again this week.  I'm behind on a few things.  I have several gifts to make, but all the rainy weather made me too lethargic to craft.  I would seriously sit there and fall asleep mid-row while rocking in my glider.  So I tried switching to the couch.  I just fell asleep there, too.  Only I was way more comfortable there...and heaven only knows what the kids got up to while I was catnapping for 10 minutes here and there.  I just felt it was probably better that I not be dozing, so I put down the needles.  Now that I have started back in on a couple of projects, the weather is once again leaning toward rainy and icky.  Honestly, it's a bit obnoxious.
Now, for my weekly deep thoughts...My thoughts so far this week have been sparked by our church service Sunday which centered on the book of Acts.  The thing that stuck with me was this phrase, "What do you want your home to be?"  And I can think of a million things I want my home to be for those who come here.  Peaceful, kind, understanding, loving, hospitable, generous, non-judgemental.....are just a few I can think of off the top of my head.  But then it occurs to me that because of how things are on a daily basis here, my home rarely gets to be any of those things for those of us who live here.  So how do you change a home?  You have to change the people who live in it, of course.  Or at least the thoughts and actions the people living in it.  Since I can only really be responsible for changing my thoughts and actions, I'm working on those things for myself.  Honestly, I didn't realize how hard it would be.  Children learn by example.  So changing my thoughts and actions and encouraging my children to do the same has been my priority.  Change, however, does not come easily.   And I find that when I'm dealing with people who always expect one thing from me are not pleased when they get something different.  It really makes me understand how addicts can fall into dangerous patterns.  You keep doing something not necessarily because you want to or because you're proud of your choices, but after a certain point, it's the behavior that everyone expects from you.  It's the easiest knee-jerk response.  Sometimes, it's easier not to rock the boat.  To give in to what everyone expects.  At my home, I'm the pushover.  Everyone knows that I really dislike conflict.  Therefore, when there are disagreements, I get stomped like a weed.  And often, even if whatever conflict happens is not my fault, I'm the one left apologizing to everyone.  After Sunday, I realized that I did not want that.  I don't want my kids to think that it's okay to let other people have whatever makes them happy (even if it makes you unhappy) to avoid conflict.  So, I am changing my actions.  Please don't take this the wrong way....it's not as if I am currently having disagreements with anyone or anything like that.  My family is not awful to me or abusive in any way.  It's just a pattern that I notice.  I even notice myself giving in to my kids because I desire to have peace with them.  That's not really what I think is best for them.  I want them to be at peace.  I desire to be at peace.  However, I have come to the realization that I might have to fight for my peace.  So I'm ready and willing to do that.  I want my home to be whatever the people I love need it to be.  I'm willing to work hard for it, even if it means rocking the boat a little.  It will eventually settle....I hope that your homes are all that you want them to be!  Until next time, God bless!

"Stressful Shopping, Inconsiderate Gabbers, and The End of the World {again}"

We are finishing up our last few weeks of homeschool and enjoying the winding down.  If only everything else us was winding down as well!  It seems like once one part of our life calms down, the rest of it goes crazy.  I'm not one to love to run around constantly...I'm really a homebody.  I like snuggling up on my couch with a good book, my kids, and my dogs and just hanging out.  Don't get me wrong...I also love running around outside, puttering in my garden, and lots of other stuff....but nothing makes me happier than being all cozied up with all my kids (biological and furry!)

With our Virginia Beach vacation approaching quickly, we took some time this last weekend to shop for swimsuits and some summer clothes.  Cebelle adores shopping and she tried on like 15 swimsuits.  Since her one from last year still fits, we only let her get one more. She would love to wear a different one everyday, but I don't really think it's necessary.  Hayden picked out two swim trunks that he liked and then tried on two different sizes to see how they fit.  Then he picked one.  It took him about five minutes.  Cebelle's swimsuit shopping was almost a two hour ordeal.  Jeff and I were going to spend a sizable chunk and get them swimsuits from Lands End, but they grow so fast it seemed crazy to spend $40 on something that they might not even be able to wear all summer.  I tried on a couple of swimsuits, which made me remember why I hate swimsuits.  I ended up trying on a few just to check sizing and then ordering mine online.  It will be here in a few days.  I'm hoping that it all works out because I really hate trying them on and wearing them at all.  I discovered in this process that internet shopping is just as stressful as regular shopping for me.  According to sizing charts, I should be wearing three sizes larger than I currently wear.  If I hadn't tried on different sizes in the store, I probably would have experienced a complete panic attack.  As it is, I'm worried that the suit and the clothes that I ordered won't fit anyway.  And while we are on this subject...can we talk about how I wear like six different sizes?  It's crazy!  I can buy a shirt in one size at Old Navy and then need two sizes larger at a different store, or two sizes smaller somewhere else!  Pants aren't much better.  I currently have four different sizes of jeans in my closet that are cut mostly the same way but from different companies.  I don't understand why women's clothing can't be a universal size.  It's ridiculous.  Thanks to all the pencil thin perfect girls we feel bad enough about ourselves as it is.  We don't need four inches in variation that take us from a size 18 one day to a size 26 the next.....it's crazy!

And while I'm complaining....can I just continue about people who talk behind your back?  It really irritates me when it gets back to me that people are talking about me behind my back.  And I know that I shouldn't care what other people think, and the truth is I really don't.  What I care about is when people run around behind my back, saying things about me to others that aren't true or are taken completely out of context.  I am not perfect by any means, but I don't say anything behind someone's back that I would not say to their face.  If I can't think of something nice to say,  you probably won't hear a word from me.  And I sure as heck don't run around gossiping about family, friends, or acquaintances. I don't appreciate it when it's happening to me.  Say what you want about me, but say it to my face before you go around telling other people about my life and my business.  I'm pretty much an open book.  I will gladly tell you almost anything.  It's not as if I'm parading around and pretending to have a perfect life.  Guess what?!?!  I struggle with life: I fight and argue with my husband, my sisters, my parents, my friends; I make HUGE mistakes, I make small mistakes, I annoy myself most of the time so I can only assume that I annoy plenty of people, my children are not perfect, my life is not perfect.  But it's MY life.  And I wake up everyday trying my best to do right by myself and everyone around me.  I work hard to be the kind of person that my kids can look up to and the kind of friend, sister, wife, and daughter that would do anything for anyone who asks.  I try to look for the good in people and overlook their bad moments, because those moments don't define us.  How we handle ourselves in EVERY moment of our lives is what defines who we are.  So give me the benefit of the doubt.  I'm doing the same for you.  And pass it on to everyone else.  We all deserve as many chances as God will give us.  And, Praise the Lord, His love and patience is infinite.
I have been reading so much lately!  We have had rainy weather for about a week and I have finished almost two books a day.  Since I can read almost a whole 300-400 page book in about an hour, it's not as if I'm spending every waking moment with my NOOKcolor in hand.  I'm just stealing a couple of hours while my kids are playing or the daycare kids are napping.  And with almost 200 books on my NOOKcolor right now, I still have plenty of hours that can be filled!  I am thankful for my awesome husband and wonderful sister for giving me this awesome gift that was a late Christmas/early birthday & anniversary present.  I have used it everyday.  Now my NOOKcolor is updated and it has apps!  Not that I really ever use them...but it's nice to know they are there!
Our new basset hound, Copper,  is fitting in remarkably well!  It's like he has always been here!  He is a very sweet little guy!  Lately he has decided to start chewing on shoes...so we are working on it.  So far, the only casualty has been one of Hayden's Mickey Mouse crocs that he got at DisneyWorld.  It's really sad because he loves those shoes.  They aren't completely destroyed...but they definitely are not wearable!
I read a story online about the world ending on Saturday the 21st.  Apparently, people have sold their homes, quit their jobs, and have been traveling around telling others to prepare.  Here's my thought on that.....if the world is really going to end, how the heck do you prepare for that?  It fascinates me that these people have given up everything for what they believe.  In a way, I admire that.  It takes great courage and strength.  On the other hand, what happens of you do all of that and it turns out you're not right?  What happens the day after when you realize that you have quit your job, sold all of your possessions, and given up everything....and then it's Sunday?  And who knows?  They could be right.  Someone has to be right about the world ending at some point..
But the thing that resonates to me through all of these things is this:  Regardless of what others say or do, I will continue to spend every day trying my best to be the kind of person that God wants me to be.  I will NEVER be perfect, but by His grace I will live out my days at peace with whatever comes.  I wish the same for you!  God bless!

"Copper, Television, and {Improbable} Signs of the End Times..."

This has been another week of mostly the same stuff for the Hull family...with the exception of a few very exciting things!

The first of which is that we added a new furry family member to our brood!  He is an eight month old basset hound and we re-named him Copper.  

Isn't he absolutely adorable?  He has the best personality and is a very snuggly little guy.  He has fit in beautifully with us and we are so excited to have him!  

Another exciting thing was that Jeff and I actually got to go out Saturday night!  We picked up our friends and went to see the movie Thor!  Got off to a bit of a rocky start when we accidentally backed into someone (who was parked mostly in the middle of the road...but oh, well...) but what's the point in dwelling... It was an accident.  Nobody was injured.  We have good insurance.  It's already taken care of.  

The movie was pretty good.  Getting out and getting to spend some time with grown-ups was even better!  It's really nice to have friends who have similar interests and who are very loving and kind and terrific people that you enjoy spending time with!  In all fairness, I don't get to spend time with adults very much....I might have talked their ears off.  I spend so much time dealing with small people who always want something from me...it's a little difficult to transition sometimes.  Thank God that I didn't speak about myself in the third person.  I would have been mortified.  

I have been reading books like crazy.  Books that I bought for my birthday... books on my NOOKcolor...I need to get my priorities straight as I have now not crafted for like two weeks.  *gasp*  I know I just caused several people who know me to pass out with that sentence.  Me...not crafting....?!?!  It is sure to be a sign of the end times.....Honestly, I have just been really busy.  And if I only have 20 minutes or so, I won't pick something up because then I won't put it down and get done what needs to get done.  I promise after this week is done, I am not so crazy busy and I will post some pictures of the things that I have been working on.

We have also been spending as much time as we can outside!  It's been a bit difficult lately, and I would like to complain about the rain, but it's making our flowers bloom so beautifully!

The kids and I only have three weeks of homeschool left after this week.  Maybe another week to finish up some projects, but we are nearing the end.  Hayden has earned himself some summer school this year with Math because he is really slacking off.  He hasn't dropped below a B grade...he is still doing well.  But he is definitely not applying himself or doing his best.  Cebelle will be practicing her reading all summer.  She is reading some pretty big words now!  I'm very proud of her!  I am very proud of both of them for working so hard this year and accomplishing all that they have!  But, as their teacher, I am also very definitely looking forward to some downtime!  

I had to call and make eye doctor appointments for both of the kids.  There has been a lot of squinting going on here.  I am guessing that Hayden needs a better prescription for his glasses and I will be very surprised if Cebelle doesn't end up with glasses.  I had hoped that they would be spared that, but I guess they didn't have very good odds considering that everyone in the family has glasses!

Jeff and I have been using the evenings after the kids are in bed to try and catch up on our shows.  We have this new policy where we record almost an entire season of a show and then wait to see if the show is renewed before we watch it and get involved.  I know...its awful...but I would rather not waste my time watching something if it's only going to last for a few episodes and never a finished story.  I find that unbelievably obnoxious!  I can't tell you how many times we would watch a show and love it and then the show would get cancelled.  I hate that.  And it's a waste of time to watch something that goes nowhere.  So there really aren't many things that we watch on TV now.  (One of the exceptions is a show on ABC called "Better With You".  It stars one of Jeff's former students, Jake Lacy, who we have always loved and adored.  I hope his show stays on the air because Jake deserves to be really successful!)  And we are watching Stargate: SG1 from the beginning on Netflix.  

Jeff's last play will be opening on the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend.  I love what he does and love that he is able to offer so many kids the awesome opportunity to do work in theatre....but I am definitely looking forward to having him home with us for a couple of months!

Well, that's about all the excitement that has been happening here!  Not actually exciting by nearly any standards...Just a normal, everyday life filled with lots of ups and downs.  But by the grace of God, the downs never last long and they teach me valuable lessons.  I wish the same for you!  God bless!