"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!

"Math, America, and Why I Don't Love Bathing Suits..."

This week has been full of the same stuff as every other week!  I'm not complaining, I enjoy almost every minute of it!  But I would like to take this opportunity to get a few things off my chest.
1.  How the heck do you motivate an extremely intelligent 8 year old child to do school work that he dislikes?  Hayden really enjoys most of his school work, but he HATES math.  I understand that completely.  I was the same way.  I understood it very well, I could do it very well....I just hated actually doing it.  The difference between he and I is that I would do it really quickly to just get it over with while he takes the route of whining and complaining and taking an hour to do each problem.  And with a two page worksheet everyday...you can see how this is not fun for me in any way, shape, or form.  I love that kid with all my heart.  But there are days I want to whack that math textbook right upside his head.
2.  Why can't Americans just get along?  The wonderful thing about our country is how we have the opportunity to make anything that we desire of ourselves.  We can say what we want, live how we want, and decide who makes all the important decisions.  I think that some people forget that there are other human beings out there who are not so lucky.  Having lived in a third world country, I have a unique perspective on how terrific it is to be an American.  I wish people would stop taking it for granted.  I'm not saying my opinions are right and everyone else's are wrong, I am saying this:  you are lucky you get to form  your own opinions, America!  Stop using them to crush other people into the dirt.  I am sick of all the negativity and complaining.  I am sick of people abusing their rights and privileges.  I am sick of people thinking that their opinion is the only one that matters.  I am sick of people taking outright lies and spreading them as truth because they read it online, so it has to be true.  I am just generally annoyed at the American public right now.  I know that some people are in really bad situations and that it's easy to hand out blame to those making the laws.  And I absolutely do not agree with a lot that has been going on.  But-along with all of our freedom (which is provided because men and women like yourself and I are out laying down their lives everyday without question or complaint) comes responsibility.  People need to own up to it.
3.  My body is a temple.....but it doesn't work worth a crap.  I have been trying to lose weight.  I started keeping track of calories and on the advice of my doctor cut down my calories to 1700 a day.  I kept track of these calories.  Even without exercise, I should have been dropping about a pound a week.  I have lost and gained the same 3 pounds about eight times now.  It doesn't matter what I do.  It's not that I hate my body...I am perfectly happy with who I am.  But I would like to feel great in my clothes.  I would also like to walk around and not feel like people are looking at me and judging me for the way I look.  It's endlessly frustrating.
On the flip side of my ranting, I am also thrilled about several things that are going on!  I got my NOOKcolor updated and now it has apps.  Not that I will use a ton of them or do a lot with it...I got my NOOKcolor because I love reading, not because I wanted to play games.  But it's still pretty neat to be able to use it for something else.
Jeff and I are hoping to go to the movies this weekend.  We would really like to see Thor.  Hayden desperately wants to go, but I really don't want him to see it until we have screened it first.  I figure it's rated PG-13 for a good reason and I don't want to be surprised by something in the middle of the movie that I wish he hadn't seen.  Kids grow up way too fast as it is.
We got to spend this last Sunday outside for most of the day.  Jeff tilled our garden and Dad burned a huge brush pile that we had in our backyard.  Mom cleaned off our hillside and got rid of all the brush and salt from the plows this winter.  If it doesn't rain all weekend, I'm hoping to put in another flower bed out front and start a few plants for our vegetable garden.
We went to a book fair yesterday and purchased all the kids' school books for next year.  I know that some people homeschool without spending a dime, but we wanted books that would be similar to and better than what the kids would get in a public school, so our investment is pretty sizeable every year.  But we don't begrudge a cent of it.  It is for their future, after all.  We use Abeka books and this year decided to go with the entire grade package for each of the kids.  It cuts down on a considerable amount of lesson planning and book ordering for me, which is really nice.
We only have about four weeks of homeschool left after this week.  It will probably take one more week to finish up portfolios and tie up loose ends, but the kids are very excited to be done.  They are so excited about our trip to Virginia Beach that they talk about it almost constantly.  At least once a day it comes up.  I'm really looking forward to it as well.  Even if it does mean that I have to wear a bathing suit....
Still not a terribly exciting life, but it's mine and I love it!  Talk to you next week!

"Easter....and all the days around it in which I was a total slacker"

So much for my weekly blogging resolution.  In defense of myself, I have been really busy.  Not just a tiny bit busy.  We are talking "every day on the date planner filled in with stuff written in margins" busy. I would love to fill all of you in on every single detail of those weeks, but honestly, I was so busy that I forgot most of what happened.  Just kidding...I remember it.  I really just don't want to bore you with the minute details of my very un-exciting life.  So how about some highs and lows?
We will start with the highs:
1.  No homeschooling for the kids!  They had a week of spring break and then last week I cancelled classes because we were really super busy and none of us felt very well at all!
2.  Jeff, Hayden, and I had the opportunity to be in a production at our church on Good Friday.  We worked really hard on it.  I designed all the costumes and told my mom how I wanted them to look and she sewed them!  She is so amazing!  We got to work with some really talented and terrific people in our church that we absolutely love and adore and put on a production that touched a lot of people.  Jeff and I were very nervous about it because neither of us had actually been onstage in years!  But I am so proud of what came of it and I am very happy that we did it!
3.  Birthday $!  I was very blessed to have been sent birthday money and gift cards this year.  Which you will all be proud to know that I spent on books...and crafting supplies.  Mostly books!  I love to read so much and it is such a blessing to have a dozen new books that I  haven't read yet.  Because as most of you know...I re-read when I can't find anything new...so I'm feeling very loved right now!  Plus-I got some really cool crafting stuff...so expect some thank you cards that are way beyond awesome!
4.  Easter.  We went to church, which is always a blessing.  We love our church so much and all the wonderful people in it!  I was watching the other day as Hayden was going around and talking to some of the men in our church and noticing that they all would lean down to him and stop what they were doing to have a conversation with him and treat him with respect, kindness, and love.  That's not something that you find very often and I am so thankful that Hayden has such wonderful examples to look up to.  After church we came home and had a really nice dinner which Roni, Mom, and I prepared.  Roni made a ham and I made some homemade scalloped potatoes.  Mom made the rest of the sides and a couple of desserts.  I chipped in some dark chocolate gluten and sugar free cupcakes as well.  They were really delicious.  I will post the recipe on my recipes page!  Thanks to the weather, we got to spend a few hours outside hiding eggs, blowing bubbles, and having a Nerf gun war!  I always treasure time with my family!
5.  Testing.  I had numerous tests done from when I was in the emergency room last month and everything that came back was normal thus far.  I am still waiting on one more result, but the technician said that she didn't see anything to worry about.
-Those are not necessarily all the highs....most of the days have been really terrific!  Especially while Jeff was also on Spring Break and we got to spend time together as a family.  We don't really have to do anything or go anywhere.  We just love being together.
Now..onto the lows...
1.  Allergy shots.  Booooooooooooooo.......I know that they are helping my body.  But, honestly, they make me feel SO crappy!  I feel tired and flu-like.  The week before last, I barely had any itchiness and I thought, "Yay!  I am taking these so well!"  Talk about jinxing myself.  Last week, I had big, nasty, red itchy spots all the way down to my elbow and all around my upper arm.  Kind of like sleeves.  The itching comes from the inside, too.  So-there is no way to make it stop.  The worst part is that every week, just about the time I start to feel all better, it's time to go and get my shots again.  Please pray for me!  They make me so crabby!
2.  Sick kids.  Thanks to the weather and our stressful schedule that just finally let up, neither one of my kids have been feeling very terrific.  Snotty noses, headaches, general ickiness.  Poor little monkeys.  I guess I wouldn't say that they are actually sick...because it isn't that bad.  But they sure aren't their normal, cheery selves!  Please pray for them as well!
Hmmmmmmm.....I guess that is actually it for the lows!
As I said, mostly, my life is very un-exciting!  It's mostly filled with those small moments that I really try to imprint on my brain.  Like when Hayden hugs me for no reason or when I sit down and color in a coloring book with Cebelle.  Sitting around and having a great conversation with friends...or sitting around with friends and realizing that they have become family.  I am very blessed in my life with wonderful people whom I love and who love me.  There is no greater gift than that.  And on those days when the lows have got me really low, those people are the ones who pick me up and make me smile.  Which in its own way, makes the lows high.....
God bless you all, and may all of your lows also be highs!

"Spring break...but not actually a break.."

Time is flying by in the Hull household for yet another week!  Last week I celebrated my 34th birthday.  Which was really nice, considering that I was under the impression I was turning 35 this year.  During the week was the same old stuff!  Kids and I doing schoolwork and crafts, Hayden, Jeff and I going to rehearsal for the production that our church is doing on Good Friday, me exploring some new recipes for our new healthy way of eating, and appointments at the chiropractor and allergist.  The only real difference was that Jeff was gone both Friday and Saturday for the state drama festival, so most of the running around was just the kids and I (though my dad was sweet and drove me to my allergist appointment and mom kept the kids at home with her so I could have some quiet time!) I'm finding that when I get my shots, I start feeling like I have the flu for a couple of days.  I get sore and achy and really tired.  This week, I  had huge red bumps on my arms which were then surrounded by hives.  This started Friday evening after my shots and they finally were mostly gone by Wednesday.  It really stinks and it makes me feel crappy and miserable, but it will all help in the long run and be so worth it!  I have also spent a lot of the last week developing recipes and meals for our new way of healthy eating.  I have come up with some really terrific stuff, so I'm going to start an extra page on my blog for recipes!  I know that some of it sounds kind of far out- but my goal in this is to have my kids eating the things that they love and not know that those things are not filled with cane sugar or gluten or hormones or preservative or dyes.  So far, we have been very successful!  Nobody has complained about missing out on anything!
I was very fortunate on Sunday to be able to celebrate my birthday with several people that I love and adore!  It was a beautiful day and we spent over four hours sitting outside on the deck snacking and visiting.  It was a perfect celebration for me!
Jeff got back late Saturday night/early Sunday morning from the festival.  His students performed really well, but they were not one of the two schools to advance to the New England Festival.  He has been on Spring Break this week and the kids and I took the week off of school.  I still had daycare kids all day Monday and Wednesday.  And I had an ultrasound on my gallbladder on Tuesday morning.  The results from that are supposed to be in next week. The rest of the day Tuesday we cleaned the garage, cleaned outside, and played outside all day. Wednesday night we had rehearsal from 8-10 for our play and Jeff and mom and I are doing all the costumes so that will have to be worked on.  Today I got up and made some more cookies (check out the recipe page for this tasty treat) and a fruit and nut tart.  Jeff and I cleaned out Hayden and Cebelle's closets and pulled out their spring/summer clothes and tried all of them on to see how everything fit and to assess what they might still need for the summer.  This evening, we are going to watch the new Chronicles of Narnia movie, "Voyage of the Dawn Treader".  The kids are really excited.  We are having turkey burgers and fries for dinner and eating while we watch the movie.  It's a rare treat for us!  We have more busy days planned for the rest of the weekend as well.
Today was kind of our day to relax...and it has been more relaxing than most days.  But there are always things that need to be done!  We still need to get the kids showered and cleaned up and I still need to make dinner....well, the list goes on and on.  I'm just thankful that every busy day also includes some quality time with the people that I love.  My life is full of blessings and I thank God for them everyday!

"Rainy Days and Mondays...."

It's raining again today....and my family has been going non-stop for yet another week.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I like being busy and having things to do.  I think if more people had really full schedules and other people depending on them, it would mean that there would be fewer egocentric people who think that the entire world revolves around them and their self importance.  And I think we are all prone to that...we become so involved in the drama of our own lives that we fail to see the pain that others are suffering or the joy that others are feeling.  Life is meant to be celebrated and SHARED.  We all have this shared experience of birth, life, and death and I think it is a shame that we often become so self involved that we fail to take the time to share it.  Other peoples experiences not only mirror our own, they offer us opportunities to become better people.  We can learn from mistakes without making them, become more empathetic by experiencing grief that is not our own, and rejoice in accomplishments that we did not work for.   It makes me sad that people miss out on those things because they refuse to see that though they are unique and special...they aren't the only one.  God made all kinds of unique and special and loves us equally.  I think the least we can do is appreciate all kinds of unique and special and not get so caught up in our own version.
This has been a pretty normal week for us.  School, daycare kids, church, etc.  Jeff and Hayden and I had our first rehearsal for our church's Good Friday production last Wednesday. That was really fun.  I think it is really going to be great.  Cebelle is disappointed that she isn't involved, but I explained to her that she isn't quite old enough to read the lines and memorize them.  So she is content to stay home and play with Ninny and Papa while the three of us rehearse.
We had appointments on Friday, which has become the normal for us now.  The kids were at the chirpractor at 9.  They are doing wonderfully in their care there.  The difference in the both of them is just astonishing to me.  I feel so blessed to have met these wonderful people and to have the benefits of their wisdom and experience and to have options that don't involve our family taking tons of medications.  Our change is diet has gone off without a hitch.  I actually ate some gluten and sugar a few nights ago and it made me ill.  I thought I really wanted a piece of bread....but I doubt that I will be wishing for that again.  It also made me really lethargic, which I haven't been at all since we changed our diets.  And I love eating all the fresh veggies and fruits.  Tonight for dinner we are having a maple/mustard pork loin, sweet potato latkes, and homemade applesauce.  I don't feel like I have given anything up.  I'm working to completely get rid of soda.  Right now I have one about once a week.  And then my next step will be caffeine.  I will probably do a cleanse shortly after.
I also had my second round of venom immunotherapy on Friday.  The shots burned this time.  They felt like fire going into my arms all four times.  I also had my first reactions the day after.  My right arm was really itchy and feverish.  I also broke out in head to toe hives on Sunday after cleaning out my flower beds and being outside most of the afternoon.  That resulted in a mess of blood blisters covering my neck and chest.  Hopefully, that is completely unrelated to my injections.
Hayden and Cebelle have been doing amazingly well.  I am so proud of these two kids and all that they do.  Hayden has decided he might want to play baseball this year.  I will wait and see.  He did this last year and then when Jeff and I told him that if he signed up that he was responsible for being an active participant at every game and practice and that if he made the commitment there was no quitting, he changed his mind pretty quickly.  I think he just wants to go hang out with his friends....the fact that there is more physical exercise than I already make him do for PE is a serious drawback.  Also-he isn't really much of a team player.  I think he would do well in martial arts or gymnastics, but I haven't been able to find a program for him that fits into our schedule.
Cebelle has no interest in sports.  She just wants to craft.  She makes all kinds of cool projects and when I craft-she is usually right up in the middle of it!  She is very creative and inspired.  She is actually even learning to knit and crochet.  She does a knit cast on really well and she can do a small crochet chain.  I don't force it on her, I let her practice whenever she wants to.  We haven't moved on from that because she wants her cast on and chain to be perfect and even before she learns the next step.  Considering that I spent days practicing the perfect cast-on before I knit a single stitch, I can completely understand that.
I do wish that the rain would go away.  I love what it does for my flowers...but it always makes me so completely lethargic.  There is nothing I would love more than to curl up with a good book under my favorite quilt and a cup of tea.  And after finishing a chapter....to snuggle up and take a little nap.  But that's just dreaming on my part....I will at some point curl up with my NOOKcolor and read another book.  I read one this morning while Hayden was working on some schoolwork.  But right now I have kids to shower and dinner to start and a house to clean.  I plan on keeping busy.  If I don't keep busy, I will get really depressed that my birthday is on Saturday and that Jeff won't be here.  I'm extremely proud of him and his students for advancing to the state festival.  This group of kids is amazing and they completely deserve to be rewarded for their hard work.  I just wish that it meant that Jeff wouldn't be gone for two days on my birthday weekend.  And if they win and advance to the New England festival, which would not surprise me considering the amount of talent that is in that show, he will be gone for the other half of spring break next week.  So-this is my struggle to not be self-centered and self-important.  Those kids deserve his time and effort and I refuse to make him feel bad for doing something that is so terrific.  I am extremely proud of him and those kids.  And though I will be sad to not share my day with him, I will be glad that he gets to share that special moment of accomplishment with those kids who so richly deserve it.  And I will be thrilled to spend the following day with family and good friends and celebrate what is important in life.   (No, not my birthday....didn't we just discuss the downfalls of self-importance?!?!)  We will celebrate life and love and shared memories and the fact that God has blessed me with another year of those with the people I love and cherish.  In all the craziness that is our daily lives, don't forget to celebrate your life and share it with those you love.  You will never regret it.

"Another week of sheer craziness"

The Hull household has been pretty much going non-stop since I last blogged.  Hayden and Cebelle had chiropractic appointments on Wednesday and Friday last week.  We found out a lot about their spines and how several things have been impacted by the supplexations in them.  I knew that having misalignments certainly wasn't good for you, but when a friend said to me, "It's the way that your brain talks to the rest of your body.  If those nerves are hindered in any way, how can your brain send the correct signals to the rest of your body"  It was a like a total lightbulb moment for me.  And if I can get my kids healthy and off the medications that they are currently taking by keeping their spine aligned and feeding them a healthy diet, then I am all for it!  After our chiropractic recommendations on Wednesday, we have completely eliminated the following from our diets:  cane sugar, gluten, hormones, dyes, and preservatives.  I know that sounds crazy-but you wouldn't believe the difference in our children!  And I feel really good!  It's not as difficult as I thought it would be, either.  We are eating lots of fruits and veggies and lean proteins and also cheese and yogurt and mostly all organic.  The price for a box of cereal that is gluten free and sweetened with molasses and honey and not cane sugar is pretty much the same as the price of a box of crazy sugary cereal.  Bread was a little tricky, but we found a really good one that the kids love.  I'm very proud of them for not complaining.  They both have told me how much better they are feeling, so I know that it's the right decision.  (And don't worry-I consulted their pediatrician before I did any of these things and keep in touch with her constantly.  She also wants what's best for them!)  

Thursday was a pretty quiet day for the kids and I.  Jeff was at Castleton all afternoon and evening.  They had workshops and a production of "A Chorus Line" to try and recruit some students.  They all really enjoyed the show.  

Friday was a crazy trip.  The kids had chirpractic appointments early in the morning and then we had to take off to Burlington so that I could start my venom immunotherapy.  I was a total nervous wreck.  I got there and had to have two shots and wait 30 minutes and then have two more shots.  Which I guess is going to be the norm once a week for at least the next three months.  One hour and four shots.  Thankfully, I didn't have any adverse reactions.  After that, we went to Costco and the kids helped us pick out healthy snacks for themselves.  I was really proud.  They chose lots of fruits and veggies and hummus and beans and cashews and string cheese.  I tasted some dark chocolate covered acai berries at Costco.  They were SO YUMMY!  I wanted to get a bag of them, but they were $10 and I was afraid I would eat them constantly and totally defeat the purpose of a healthy snack....maybe next time!

Saturday we celebrated dad's birthday.  Roni and Jim joined us for lunch.  We had a surprise visit from our pastor and his wife.  They wanted Jeff and I to be in the play that our church does for Good Friday.  This year, the story is about Pilate and his role in the conviction and crucifixtion of Christ and how he deals with the aftermath of that within his personal life.  Jeff and I agreed and then Hayden later got roped in as well, so I guess we will be on stage!  I'm a little nervous about it because it's been years since I've acted in anything....but I'm sure it will all be fine!

Sunday we went to church and came home and cleaned house and did laundry.  Nothing terribly exciting.  

Monday I had a house full of daycare kids all day and Hayden and Cebelle had chiropractic appointments in the afternoon.  It was a bit of a crazy day.  Hayden and Cebelle are doing so terrific in their school work, despite our busy schedules and the fact that there are other kids here two days a week.  I'm very proud of them for maintaining their focus and working hard on their schoolwork.  

This morning, I had a follow-up appointment from my ER visit a couple of weeks ago. I went to and OB/GYN because the CT scan showed a large ovarian cyst. The doctor examined me and went over the causes and such of these cysts.  I have to have an ultrasound in the next few weeks or so to see if I need more follow-up.  AND-he thinks that the problem may not have only been a cyst, but also my gallbladder.  I'm still having pain (which I actually did not know until he poked at me...and then I sweared very inappropriately.  Thank God he thought it was humorous instead of being offended) and so I have to ALSO have an ultrasound on my gallbladder.  Which from my understanding...if that is the case...I will have to have my gall bladder removed.  Also-to add some more icing to my already scrumptious cake...the only way to keep my ovarian cysts from eventually causing issues is to have my tubes tied.  So-more dr appointments, more testing, probably more needles in my near future.  I knew things started going downhill at 30-I didn't realize that everything was going to go to complete crap by the time I turned 35...oh well, here I am, rolling with the punches....

The days from here on out look pretty much the same....appointments, rehearsals, daycare, homeschool....somewhere in all of that comes my 34th birthday.  (Honestly, until about two days ago, I thought it was my 35th...that's how much I care about these things...)  But-I am still extemely thankful for all I have been blessed with and I know that God will not give me something that I cannot handle.  I am in His hands and therefore I am not scared or worried.  I am too busy to be either of those things, anyhow!  But I love it and I wouldn't have it any other way!  Until next time.....God bless!

"Too many days to count...in 10 minutes or less."

When I started this blog, it was with these good intentions:
1.  For my kids to look at and know how much I love spending everyday with them
2.  For my Missouri family to read and get a look at our daily lives
3.  To remind myself of how special and unique everyday with kids is
I forgot to take into account the follwing:
1.  Everyday with kids, while special and unique, is also wild and crazy
2.  At the end of these days, I am so tired I forget what happened all day
3.  Finding time to sit at the computer, even for 10 minutes is very rare for me

There have been so many blog-worthy, crazy, wild happenings around here and I end up too tired and exhausted to sit down and tell the story.  So I'm going to try to sum up the highlights of the last 10 days or so.  I have realized that I don't have 10 minutes to sit down every day, so I'm going to aim for twice a week or so!
The last 10 days have gone somewhat like this:
For the first 2 or 3 days, I was highly medicated on pain pills.  I managed to teach school, go to our church marriage class, and do things around the house.  I did NOT drive, operate heavy machinery, or get out of my pajamas for most of those days.  Also, I'm pretty sure that more stuff happened then, but I don't remember it.
By Thursday morning of last week, I was finally out of my pain/medication haze and I was able to get a bunch of stuff in the house cleaned and organized.  Unfortunately, I remember most of that.  I went Thursday afternoon and picked up some donations for the regional drama festival and chatted with the head cook about the stuff I would need in the school kitchen to cater.
Friday was a round of appointments.  Hayden and Cebelle went to the chiropractor for the first time.  I'm very happy with how that turned out.  Turns out, both of them had some pretty severe misalignments and once they were adjusted, they both felt great!  We met mom and dad that day at McDonalds and had some lunch.  Jeff was busy with festival prep and he didn't get home until really late that evening.
Saturday morning was the start of the festival that Jeff was in charge of.  He woke up at 4:00am that morning and couldn't go back to sleep. Pretty rough, considering that we had to be at the school until almost 11 that night and he hadn't gone to bed until after 11pm Friday night.  We headed out around 7:30 am and he ran the festival and I catered the lunch and the dinner along with a host of some really terrific parent volunteers.  Jeff's students won which means they get to advance to the state competition which will take place over April 8 and 9.  Mom and Dad brought Hayden and Cebelle to eat dinner at the school so we could see them.  It was really fun to sit down and enjoy a meal with them.  Hayden was fascinated that I could cook dinner for that many people at once. (There were about 150)
Sunday morning, Jeff and I had nursery duty at the church.  We took care of 4 kids under the age of 2, which was tons of fun, but exhausting.  We came home and cleaned up our backyard some, cleaned up the driveway, fixed my van, cleaned house, and did the laundry.
Monday morning I had daycare kids start arriving at 6:30am and I had a house full of kids from 6:30 to about 5.  Hayden and Cebelle did all their schoolwork.  They have been running through all their schoolwork with ease and learning lots.  I am very proud of the both of them for all their hard work and dedication.  They both ended up having some major meltdowns Monday evening.  I expected it at some point because it has been such a crazy couple of weeks-and there doesn't look to be an end in sight as of yet.
So far today, we have finished our schoolwork.  I had a couple of daycare kids arrive at about 1.  They will be here until after dinner when we meet their parents at our church marriage class tonight.  Jeff will be home this afternoon early, so it shouldn't be too much trouble.  Hayden and Cebelle are wearing a little thin.  I think they could use naps, but they are refusing to take them.
Planned for the rest of this week:  chiropractic appointments Wed, Jeff taking a group of kids to Castleton and being gone until really late Thu, I have my first venom immunotherapy injection on Friday which requires me to take a trip to Burlington, birthday lunch for dad on Saturday, church on Sunday.  Possibly getting together with friends Friday evening.  And then Monday starts again with a house full of daycare kids.  Like I said, no end in sight!
That's a small summary of what I haven't blogged about lately.  There's been so much going on in our world as well and I don't really have the time to go into all of that!  I am, as every day, grateful for my family and wonderful friends,  thankful that I have another day on this earth,  hoping that people can change, and praying that they will.  God bless!

March 9 or "My very accomplished day"

Today I made about 15 phone calls that I had been putting off.  Made appointments that I had been putting off.  Cleaned out stuff that I had been putting off.  Went to the store...because I had been putting that off.  The problem with procrastination is that it eventually catches up with you and mostly in a big way.  I was supposed to have one of my three year olds today, but she may or may not have croupe and since Cebelle has asthma, I was hesistant to have her here.  Instead of sleeping in, I got up early and started getting stuff done.  I even had time to start a new book and exercise and teach school!

The kids did pretty great in their school work again.  Cebelle is experiencing some frustration with the letter x and remembering the /ks/ sound that it makes.  It makes her blending a little difficult, but she only learned that letter on Monday, so I'm sure she will get it.  It's the first letter she has had trouble with, so it's doubly frustrating for her.  Hayden had a spelling test today and he got a 91%.  Most of the mistakes that he makes are from getting in too much of a hurry.  He is learning in math how to turned mixed numbers into fractions to multiply them.  He has done very well with that concept so far.  School is still lasting about three hours a day for us, which I think is a good amount of time to be studying diligently.

One of my other main daily occupations is breaking up kid fights constantly.  My kids are constantly arguing about playing.  It all centers around the two of them playing what one wants to play and then refusing to play what the other wants to play.  Or agreeing to play with each other and then one of them deciding they don't want to.  It has gotten so ridiculous that by 4 pm today I was threatening to lock them in their rooms and forbid them to speak or look at each other except when it is necessary for school work.  Honestly, I have no idea what to do with the two of them.  I think they just like to argue.  I assume they must be getting some kind of fun out of it...otherwise, why the heck would they do it all the time?

The only thing I didn't manage to accomplish today was crafting.  I had planned to work on my cross-stitch and get a lot more of it done and complete some squares for a baby blanket, but that was the thing I ended up putting off today.  Which I suppose is fine.  Because now that I have all that other stuff that I had put off finished, I have more time to craft tomorrow. 

Hayden accidentally squeezed my hand in a manual can opener today.  I was handing it to him by placing it on my palm and reaching my hand over to him.  He grabbed both handles and squeezed them together.  A big chunk of my palm got squeezed in the part that actually opens the can and I started screaming and he panicked and squeezed harder.  Ouch. Painful.  It's a miracle that it didn't slice through my hand.  When he finally let go, I had tears running down my face and he was so upset.  I was grasping my hand and trying to reassure him that everything was okay.  Of course he didn't mean to do it!  He ran and got me a cold washcloth to hold against it and before too long, it wasn't so bad.  It didn't break the skin, but I am sporting one heck of a bruise just underneath my left hand ring finger.  Poor little guy.  I felt so awful for him.  He has been apologizing ever since and telling me how much he loves me.  He has so much empathy that it just broke his little heart to have hurt me. 

I am getting ready to tuck my sweet little monkeys in bed.  They got in bed late last night because of our marriage class and both of them got up early today.  I'm hoping to get them tucked in and get them some good rest tonight.  Maybe the result will be less fighting tomorrow.  Or maybe it won't....

Then I plan to curl up on the couch, catch up with my hubby, and watch a couple of shows before I head off to bed.  I plan on sleeping very well because my mind will not be filled with how much I need to accomplish tomorrow!  

March 3 or "Playdate mania"

Cebelle woke up at 7:20 this morning.  She was so excited about her playdate this afternoon that she had to get up and tell me how excited she was.  She got in bed with me and snuggled up and was almost back to sleep....when Hayden came in at 7:35.  Hayden is anything but quiet in the mornings.  He has this thing where he shouts.  Constantly.  Even if you are sitting right next to him.  Or even if your ear is right by his mouth.  I have had his hearing checked multiple times, but there is nothing wrong with him.  He only has one volume:  obnoxiously loud.  So of course Cebelle did not go back to sleep.  It was mostly impossible, considering that Hayden was shouting at her about the book that he is reading ("Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief") and that she can't read and then he proceeded to tell her about everything he had read thus far.  Cebelle was not thrilled.  She is very much like Jeff and she is NOT a morning person.  She said, "Hayden!  I don't care!  Stop shouting and trying to be smart and leave me alone!"  Which then caused a fight because Hayden felt the need to explain that he wasn't TRYING to be smart because he was IN FACT, smarter than most adults and he was DEFINITELY smarter than Cebelle because mommy said yesterday that age brings wisdom and he was almost two years older than Cebelle.  So, I diffused the fight and got into the shower, hoping to brighten my day a bit.  Turns out I had to shower with my eyes open while staring at the light/vent fan in the shower because a wasp was in there and trying to get out.  In case you have never tried it, showering while keeping eyes open and tilted upward is not an easy task.  You are, in fact, more prone to get shampoo, conditioner, and face wash in your eyeballs while showering this way.  Even when your head is tilted upwards.  I don't know how it's possible, I only know that it is.
So we had our breakfast and did our school work.  Cebelle had a phonics assessment and a math assessment, both which she scored perfect on.  Hayden had a Language Arts test, which he scored 87% on and a Penmanship test, which he scored a B+.  That's the first time he has gotten above a C on Penmanship and I'm very proud of him.
After lunch, I was able to work on my cross-stitch.  I actually finished 3 sections of it and started the next section up.  I was really excited.  Cebelle played "Eye of the Tiger" very loudly on the stereo and danced and sang.  My favorite part is when she sings the lyric "rising up to the challenge of our rival" because she says, "raisin up to the chillin of our rye-ho"  I have no idea what that even means, but I find it hysterical.
It was finally time at 2:30 to pick up Cebelle's friend from school.  The kids who are here during the week are all younger than Cebelle, except for the boy who is Hayden's age.  So, Cebelle ends up playing either tiny girl stuff or big boy stuff if she wants to play with someone.  She doesn't really have someone her age to play Barbie or Littlest Pet Shops or Zoobles with very often.  Of course, she was unbelievably excited to have her friend come over. They have been doing girly-girl stuff all afternoon.  And Hayden has been...complaining.  I tried to explain to him that Cebelle doesn't really like to play all that other stuff like LEGOS and Bakugan, she only does it so she has someone to play with.  He just doesn't really get it.  So I had him do homework and his reading for his book report while the girls played.
We are getting ready to have some pizza for dinner and then we are running our friend home.  Hopefully, I can get my kids in bed a bit early because they got up so early.  Jeff has been texting me all day that he isn't feeling very well, which is very unfortunate because he has parent/teacher conferences tonight until 8.  I hope that he isn't coming down with something.
Once I get the kids down, I will either watch some Netflix until Jeff gets home (probably "Secret Life") or I will read my book ("The Queen of Attolia").  I haven't really decided.  Not sure what I'm in the mood for.  Whatever it is, I will most likely be curled up on the couch with the dogs at my feet and enjoying the life that I have.  Despite the daily ups and downs, not a moment goes by that I am not thankful.

March 2 or "The day of the squalling...kids and snow!"

Today was one of my 5:30am wake up days.  I really don't mind getting up that early.  It's another chance to enjoy blissful quiet and a great time for reading.  I actually spent most of the morning watching Disney Junior, as that is what my daycare girl loves to watch.  She sings the theme songs from all the shows, which I find totally hysterical.  She cracks me up, especially when Special Agent Oso comes on and she sings, "He's Oh So Special!"
Hayden woke up at about 8, after a really restless night.  Jeff and I gave him Claritin last night because I think his sinuses have been bothering him.  Hayden isn't really terrific at pinpointing a problem when he doesn't feel well, so most of the time it's a guessing game.  But he was up three times last night after we put him to bed, so he didn't get a good night's sleep.  Cebelle finally got out of bed at about 9:15.  I really think she is in the middle of a growth spurt, so sleep is exactly what she needs!
Everybody had breakfast and we started schoolwork.  It's actually the first day this week that I haven't had to fight or argue with anyone about school.  And...it was the only thing that I didn't have to fight or argue with my children about today.
Lately, my children have been obsessed with a book that Hayden got two years ago for his birthday that shows you how to make all kinds of paper airplanes.  So, my house is filled with paper scraps, staples, tape, scissors, and rubber bands.  This book also teaches how to make slingshots out of paper and rubber bands.  So for the last three days, my kids have been folding, cutting, stapling, taping, flying, flinging, and running all over the house.  Normally, this would not bother me.  But the airplanes are getting bigger and more dangerous (we have already slammed several into the television and computer and glass cabinets in the kitchen and dining room), the supplies are a total mess everywhere (I stepped on a staple, caught a dog chewing on a rubber band, found a wad of paper in my bra because they had been aiming the slingshots at me, and ran out of tape when I needed it in school because it was used for the 300 various airplanes that are lying around my house), and the kids are fighting and whining constantly.  Over paper airplanes.  In addition, I have repeated the phrase, "No running in the house!" about five million times because they are barreling through the house at ninety to nothing with the stupid airplanes, thinking that it will make the airplanes go farther and fly faster.  We have had several near mishaps involving airplanes and cooking food in hot pans.  Needless to say, I am nearing the end of my patience with this latest fixation.  I threatened to throw all the airplanes away if Hayden and Cebelle didn't start listening better and they bawled and squalled and threw fits.  And now...Hayden is making some MORE airplanes.
The weather today wasn't very helpful, either.  We went from having a beautiful, sunny day to experiencing snow squalls on and off.  So it's not like I could bundle them up and send them outside to run it off.....though I was seriously considering it at one point, squalls or not.
I was able to finish a book today.  "The Thief" by Megan Whalen Turner.  Its the first in a series.  I started the second this afternoon while I was showering the kids.  It's called, "The Queen of Attolia".  I am really enjoying her writing.  I borrowed the ebooks from the library and I am waiting for the third one to be available.  Barnes & Noble has been offering some great NOOKbook deals. I got a couple of books I had been wanting to read for 99 cents.  They feature different authors every once in a while and make their books a little cheaper so people will read them.  This is one thing I love about my NOOKcolor.  I can always find something interesting to read!
I was also able to get some more of my cross-stitching finished today.  I have learned that I can only work on it during the daytime.  There is a lot of natural sunlight in our living room during the day, but we don't have a ton of lights in here for evening.  If I try to stitch all those tiny squares or read the pattern at night, it makes my eyes cross!  So, I work on it during the day and I work on knitting or crocheting in the evening while I am watching television with Jeff.
I put a pork roast in the over for dinner.  We are having that and some mashed sweet potatoes and salad. I didn't feel like making too much of an effort and mom and dad and I had big salads, baked potatoes, and garlic bread for lunch so I really am not very hungry still.  I thawed out some zucchini bread that I baked this summer with zucchini from our garden and had a slice of that with my coffee this afternoon.  I will probably have some with a cup of tea before bedtime tonight and I will very likely eat some for breakfast in the morning.  I went through several different recipes of it (our zucchini plants went wild this year!) and this one is definitely my favorite.  It's moist and delicious, and not overly sweet.
I am once again looking forward to putting my kids to bed.  I assume that all parents get to this point in the day.  I know that once my kids hit about 6pm-they are pretty much done for the day.  The listening doesn't work, they are crabby, they are just irritated by everyone and everything.  I have come to realize that it's probably genetic.  Jeff and I hit about 8pm and we are pretty much useless for the rest of the evening.  Sometimes I feel awful for being so glad that my kids are in bed and I can enjoy the peace and quiet with Jeff.  But on the other hand, it's probably not good trying to interact with them when they are done for the day and my patience is at its limit.  So I will put them to bed tonight and I will be glad that I made it through one more day without clotheslining someone for running in the house, or throwing someone outside in the middle of a snow squall, or burning that damn paper airplane book and all the stupid crap that goes along with it.  And I will go to bed tonight and get up tomorrow, ready to face all of  it again with a little more patience and able to appreciate my children's joy in something so simple before it starts to drive me crazy again.  After all, snow squalls don't last forever.  And paper airplanes will eventually be recycled.  And a child's life never stays simple for very long because they grow so awfully fast.

March 1 or "The day that tissues did their job"

Holy cow!  I slept until almost 9 this morning.  Even more amazing, Hayden slept until almost 9 this morning!  That hardly ever happens!  I woke up and the first thing that I noticed, much to my elation, was that the sinus headache that has been plagueing me for the past few weeks was gone!  No pressure, no pain, and no swollen eyes!  I should have known that with Hayden sleeping so late and then wanting to snuggle and the no sinus headache was not a signal of wonderful things to come...
I sent Hayden to get dressed for the day and hopped in the shower.  Literally, as soon as I stood, my nose started running.  I used tissues and hopped in the shower, thinking how glad I was that all that ickiness was finally leaving my body, thereby causing my head to not hurt.  Except ever since I stepped out of the shower, I have been reaching for one tissue after another in a constant stream.  I have gone through nearly two boxes.  Now, I am NOT complaining about all of this....even if that is what it seems.  I am happy to be feeling better, but I am completely grossed out by having to blow and wipe my nose all day.  It is just so nasty and unladylike!  Also, even though I have tissues with lotion, my poor nose and face are a sore, raw mess.  And my hands are cracked and bleeding from the constant washing and sanitizing because I do not want to spread my germs to everyone else.  I have been using all manner of lotions, creams, and ointments today....but still.....ouch.
As for Hayden, turns out he isn't feeling too great either.  I know this because he has been bouncing off the walls wild and crazy all day long.  Cebelle is also not feeling great.  I know this because she has been whiny and clingy all day long.
So of course, homeschool was a bit of a trial.  All three of us are a bit crabby and short with each other, and the smaller ones are having issues with their listening ears....But thank God, all the schoolwork was finished and all the lessons learned.
I tried to do some cross-stitching, but quit after about an hour.  I have no interest in reading or knitting, either, and that is very unusual for me.   I really hope that we aren't all coming down with something.  I don't feel badly, just very tired and worn down.  Hayden says that his head hurts and Cebelle said her ears are itchy, so I am thinking that some Claritin and an early bedtime tonight might do everyone some good!
I think I'm going to make some comfort food for dinner-Mickey Mouse chicken nuggets and some french fries.  I will probably eat my nuggets diced up over a salad....or on a sandwich.  I had some peaches and cottage cheese for a snack earlier, so I am not terribly hungry, but in order for early bedtime we are going to need an early dinner.
Today was trash day, and I forgot to take the trash out this morning.  I think that the garbage men must get completely annoyed with me.  Our company calls us if we forget to pull the trash out to the end of the driveway.  Honestly, they have to call me at least once a month.  I feel bad because it must be very frustrating for them.
I got my Schwan's home delivery today.  I got one of their frozen fruit blends that have pineapple, mango, strawberries, and peaches.  I thought that it would be really delicious stirred into my Stonyfield Farms French Vanilla Yogurt with my toffee almond granola.  I LOVE yogurt and granola for a snack.  It's filling and good for you and it satisfies a craving for sweet.  I sometimes get Bare Naked Granola in chocolate and Stonyfield Farms Chocolate Underground Yogurt and then strawberries....it's to die for.  So delicious!
People are generally surprised by how healthy we eat.  We don't generally have a ton of junk food around.  Dad loves potato chips and diet soda, so we always have those around.  I don't really care for potato chips.  I would much rather have tortilla chips with some great salsa or something like that...or some Wheat Thins or Triscuits.  I don't generally drink diet soda.  I find that if I drink one, it generally makes me crave some really unhealthy foods.  So if I want soda, I will drink a regular soda.  I allow myself one a day, though I don't always drink one everyday! Mostly I drink decaffeinated iced tea with a little bit of equal.  Cebelle is mostly a vegetarian (she will generally only eat chicken...occasionally, we can get her to try something else....but we are working on it!)  so we eat a lot of legumes...we love beans, lentils, hummus, etc.  We also eat salad with nearly every lunch and dinner.  My kids love most vegetables, fresh and cooked, so we usually have a salad plus two more cooked vegetables at dinnertime.   They usually don't eat much veggies for lunch except for olives, cucumbers, or carrots with dip.  That's not to say that we don't have a junky meal once or twice a week.  But, when we have that meal-I try to make sure it's the best that we can do.  Our Mickey Mouse chicken nuggets are breaded in whole grain...and the french fries that I get from Schwan's are actually pretty low in fat and calories compared to other brands.  Hopefully, I can teach them to eat well and keep making good choices so that they never have to struggle with weight like I do.
I am very much looking forward to Jeff getting home.  Mom and Dad took off for their casino trip today since the both of them were feeling much better, so I have been alone with the kids all day.  I very much need a quiet moment or two.  My kids have no sense of privacy, even though they made signs on their bedroom doors that say, "KEEP OUT!"  For some reason, they don't think that it applies to them.  They will even bust in while I am going to the bathroom, even if there are three other adults here to help them. The irony is that it is never anything very urgent.  They come busting in and will throw out something like, "Can I watch my favorite show in two hours when it comes on?" while all breathless from running. Since we have no locks on our bathrooms, the dogs are also able to open the bathroom doors.  If they can't manage it, the kids will help them out.  So often for me, a quick trip to the restroom ends up in a party with two dogs who stare and make me very uncomfortable and two kids who need to ask me an urgent question about something happening within the next six months.  So, quiet moments are hard to come by for me.  Having Jeff here to keep everyone out of the bathroom for five minutes is an awesome thing...even if it is very small!  Truth be told, I can't function without the madness, though.  I have to have a tv on to go to sleep because quiet weirds me out.  The day that I went to the allergist and spent over two hours in a quiet room by myself, I nearly had a panic attack.  So, while most of the time, I'm glad for the craziness (its where I'm happiest!), I need a break from it...even if it's just for a few seconds.
I hope your evening is spent in your happy place!

February 25

Ahhhh...another Friday, another snow day, another middle eastern country in turmoil, another Charlie Sheen debacle.  *sigh*  What is the world coming to?
In all seriousness, I think that the things going on in the middle east are something to be concerned about.  Not because I believe that the end of days is drawing near or anything like that....but because whenever something like that is happening, innocent people get caught in the middle of the turmoil and as human beings, we should all be concerned about that.  Just like Egypt, just like Somalia, just like the public workers in Wisconsin.  Things are happening in these peoples lives that they have no control over and they may very likely suffer for it.  Ignoring it because it doesn't touch our lives right now is foolish.  As for Charlie Sheen, well, he is on my list...(no, not that kind of list, people!).  This is my list of:
CELEBRITIES WHO NEED TO LEARN TO KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT BECAUSE WHEN THEY OPEN THEM STUPID IS THE ONLY THING THAT COMES OUT
1. Kanye West
2. Lindsay Lohan (disclaimer***this name includes anyone in the Lohan family)
3. Miley Cyrus
4. Jon & Kate Gosselin (disclaimer***these are not really celebrities!)
5. Michelle Bachman (yeah, I know...not really a celebrity, either.  But she certainly makes a public spectacle of herself often enough)
6. Camille Grammar
7. Charlie Sheen (the newest addition.....)
In all fairness, these are only the latest people on my list.  Which means that they are the ones annoying me lately.  This list is subject to change at any point during the day.  Especially if I have occasion to see clips from Fox News.
Jeff had a snow day this morning, so we got a call at 5:15.  I had daycare kids coming at 6:30 and I ended up not being able to go back to sleep.  The kids only stayed for half a day because the weather was getting bad, but Hayden and Cebelle had a blast playing with them.  I gave Hayden and Cebelle the day off school as well since their friends were here to play, with the understanding that we will make the day up next week.  We will probably spread it out over a couple of days so it's not so overwhelming.
I got so much accomplished in my cross stitch today.  I almost completely finished one whole section.  My shoulders and back are killing me now....but it looks awesome!
Hayden and Cebelle have been playing their video games since their friends left.  They are only allowed screen time on the weekends.  They have a total of  6 hours that can be used on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  We have beads in jars and they have to 'pay' me for every 15 minutes of screen time.  It's an attempt to teach them time management as well.  Apparently, we are going to need to think of a different tactic because they have used up 4 hours this evening.  But, it has only been a few weeks, so maybe they will figure it out.  Jeff has spent the majority of the day playing with his iPhone.  It's a good thing nobody limits his game time.....
Barnes & Noble gave two free NOOKbooks this Friday.  I love getting stuff for free!  I started reading "Gossip Girl" today.  I have never watched the series, but I'm almost finished with the first book and I am really enjoying it.  I always planned on watching the series when I get a chance.  Maybe over the summer sometime....
It is still snowing outside and we have a good amount.  If I had to guess I would say that there is probably half a  foot or so out there and as far as I know we are under a warning until midnight tonight.  I don't mind it....Roger will plow us out in the morning and we will play and shovel the sidewalks.  It's good exercise and always a lot of fun.
We just finished our dinner and are getting ready to settle in for the evening.  I'm looking forward to getting a decent nights rest tonight (fingers crossed...I did drink a lot of caffeine today!) and hopefully sleeping past 6 in the morning.  I hope all of you have peaceful dreams and a wonderful weekend!

February 23

Today has been an okay day.  The kids did a great job with their school work, as usual.  Cebelle is eating up a storm and she has been since yesterday.  She is also having some joint pain and she is sleepy and grumpy.  All those symptoms = growing.  At least I hope so.  Cebelle has had some problems with growth.  She dropped down to the fifth percentile after her first year.  Then when she was two and having horrible asthma problems, she plummetted down to the third percentile.  We have had numerous tests and visits to many specialists but everything always checks out just fine.  She doesn't eat nearly enough most days because she is extremely picky.  So, she has some trouble growing.  She still sees an endocrinologist every six months because they want to make sure all is well.  After everything they have put her through (blood tests, examinations, etc.) they have come to the conclusion that she is a mostly healthy child who does not consume enough calories.  In kids, calories=growth.  Let's face the facts, she is never going to be six feet tall.  Truthfully, with ALL the short women that are in Jeff's family and in my family, she will be lucky to top out at five feet when she is fully grown.  So anytime I suspect she is growing, I am thrilled.  We have been through discussions of putting her on appetite stimulants, using human growth hormone, and on a roller coaster ride of health concerns.   But at the end of the day, she is healthy and growing and has no issues that would say to us that anything is seriously wrong with her.  Her asthma symptoms are improving,  we have been able to lessen her medication and hope to wean her off of it soon.  I'm sure any parent out there knows the drama that I go through.  We all just want our kids to be happy and healthy and anytime there is something wrong with them it's very stressful.  And Jeff and I are generally very cautious about medicating our kids.  I don't hesitate to do it at all if I think they need it.  But giving her appetite stimulants to help her gain a few pounds when she is already a very healthy child? I question that and the reasoning behind it.  If she eats as much as she wants and is full, why would we start messing with her body's natural signals?  I mean, I have struggled with weight my entire life.  As I was growing up, I didn't know how to be healthy.  It wasn't something that people were really aware of at that time.  And now that I'm an adult and very overweight, I face tons of social stigma.  People look at me and automatically assume things like: I must be lazy.  I must eat junk food all the time.  I must not exercise.  I must not care about my appearance.  None of which are true.  I would like to be lazy and eat junk food all the time.  That would be nice.   The truth of the matter is:  my body doesn't work right.  Even if I drop my calorie count to 1200 calories a day and exercise an hour a day, it is still a struggle to lose weight.  My doctor and I have explored so many options, including gastric bypass.  I think it's a last resource option.  So you can see why I'm hesitant to mess with Cebelle's body telling her that she should stop eating.  I would never wish the issues that I have on anyone, especially my children.
On a brighter note, I was able to borrow two books that I had requested from the library and download them to my NOOKcolor today.  I got an email when they were available, which is just unbelievably awesome.  Anyone who knows me well knows that there isn't very much I love in life more than books and reading and the pursuit of knowledge.  So I'm sure those people can imagine my girly screech at 6am when those emails came through.  Unfortunately, I had other responsibilities to attend to before I could sit down and get lost in some books.  But I honestly relish every second of it.
Cebelle and I started dinner as Jeff should be home soon.  We decided on lemon-rosemary chicken breasts, garlic mashed potatoes, peas, and salad.  The chicken cooking right now smells absolutely amazing.  We've been eating a little bit later of an evening because Jeff doesn't get home until 6:30 or after.  One of the benefits of homeschooling is that I can adjust my kids schedule so they get to spend lots of time with their daddy!  If we were a traditional two working parent family with kids in public school, I don't think we would ever get to spend time together.  I thank God everyday for being able to be here with my kids and for them being able to spend so much time with their daddy.  I don't know how all my friends do what they do.  I have so much respect for the parents that work all day and then come home and squeeze in family time and kids activities and time with their spouses.  Honestly, I could do it if I had to.  But I would probably be an emotional wreck constantly.
There are a ton of other things on my mind, especially dealing with the state of our world and the state of affairs in our country and even our hometown.  But that would be a discussion that would take all night...and I have dinner almost ready and a husband due home any moment.  So we will save those adventures for another day!

February 22

So, today was a pretty great day!  Hayden got almost 100% on his spelling trial test.  He left the 'r' out of approximate so I gave him the chance to spell it orally and he got it correct.  Therefore, he does not have to take the test again tomorrow.  He also took a math quiz and got 100% on that.  He did extremely well today and was very excited and proud of himself.  Cebelle did wonderful, as always!  She is starting to read nearly everything!  She is doing really terrific!  I woke up this morning with a ridiculous headache.  Actually, I went to bed with it last night.  I figured I was just really tired and I would feel better once I rested so I didn't bother taking anything.  However, the stupid headache kept waking me up because it hurt so bad and at that point, it hurt too bad to get up and take medicine.  Then Cebelle had a bad dream and came and got in bed with us and I really didn't sleep well at all.  So I got up this morning and took medicine.  When I get headaches like this, they almost always turn into migraines.  And I have taken different migraine medications (including injections) and not really had any of them be successful.  I try as much as possible not to take very much medicine because I want it to work for my body when I really need it to.  But this is the combination of medications that will get rid of this kind of headache within an hour or so and not let it become a migraine:  400mg of ibuprofen, a decongesting nasal spray (like Afrin), 500mg of Tylenol, a saline nasal spray, and a dose of Sudafed.  I don't take them all together.  I take the ibuprofen and sudafed first with a dose of saline nasal spray and then about an hour later I take the rest.  About twenty minutes after that, I am headache free.  I have tried tons of other things and this is the only combination that works.  Any less of these medications, or skip out on one of them, and I'm still getting the migraine.  Thankfully, this doesn't happen very often.  My kids knew that I had a headache this morning, so they offered to rub my neck while we were all sitting on the couch this afternoon.  They are so sweet and thoughtful.  Cebelle offered to rub my head for me, but mostly she just ripped hair out of my head.  But  her heart was definitely in the right place.  Even if she did make my scalp bleed.
I worked on a baby blanket today and the cross-stitch that I've been working on for a while.  It's a slow process, but I really enjoy it.  I also read some of a book that I borrowed from the library on my NOOKcolor.  I am loving being able to get library books online and delivered right to my device.  It means I don't have to comb through shelves...or comb my hair for that matter....
The kids are winding down while Jeff sits in here and plays on his iPhone.  I swear the money that was spent on his iPhone and my NOOKcolor was the best money we ever spent.  We are like kids with the bestest toys ever!  We have tons of stuff to read and do (I have started storing knitting patterns on my NOOKcolor so I don't have to print them out) AND as a bonus, playing with either device will calm our children and make them forget whatever they were throwing a tantrum about.  Miracles......that's what they are.  Except now, both of the kids want iPhones and NOOKcolors of their own.  Thankfully, their birthdays aren't until September and October so we won't have to deal with any of that until the end of the year!  That was my adventurous day!  I'm going to end it by curling up on the couch with my hubby and watching some TV.  I will probably knit a little more of the baby blanket before I head to bed.  I hope you all have sweet dreams and a wonderfully adventurous day tomorrow!

February 16

So, I'm feeling much better today.  Much more calm and relaxed.  Daycare kids got here at 6:30 this morning.  I was able to start and finish a book that I borrowed from the library on my NOOKcolor  (I honestly cannot explain to you HOW excited I am about this newfound option)  It was called "Stange Angels" by Lili St. Crow.  It was a really good story.  Meant primarily for young adult readers, but as I have said before.....I enjoy reading those type of books because the writers have to be better to hold the readers attention!  I finished it and started another book called "Wildwood Dancing" by Juliet Marillier.  I'm on the fourth chapter and I'm really enjoying it as well.
We had a mostly laid back day today.  Hayden and Cebelle did their school work (and after a long talk with Hayden this morning...)  They both did a remarkable job.  I have decided that it's my goal to get Hayden to do his absolute best everyday.  The approach I am taking to this is not discipline of any kind or loss of privileges if his work isn't perfect.  The approach is about me reminding him how special he is and how right now he has the potential to be anything and everything he wants to be.  But if he starts thinking and acting like a loser (slacking off, not caring about his work, not being proud of how smart he is, complaining that he has to learn) that he will probably end up that way.  The flip side is if he starts thinking like the winner he is (doing his best everyday, being excited to learn new things, thinking that he is awesome for being so smart, taking pride in how well he can do work that is way above most kids his age) then he will always be a winner.  Clearly, my other tactics weren't working very well, so I thought it was a good idea to switch it up.  I started pressing those ideas on Cebelle today, too!  I want my kids to believe in their potential and to know how terrific they are.  This world knocks us down often enough-they don't need me to join in and beat them down.  It's my job to build them up.  So that's what I'm going to do.
Right now Hayden and Cebelle are watching Veggie Tales.  I love these shows.  First of all, they are completely hysterical.    Secondly, they are really terrific at explaining how important it is to be a good person so that kids get the message.  And third, the musical numbers are really great!
I am sitting here at the computer with the dogs underfoot and texting three people at the same time.  What can I say, I'm a multitasker.....
I will put the kids to bed when their movie is over and watch a couple of episodes of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager"  It's my newest guilty pleasure.  Jeff is at opening night of his show.  Mom and Dad should be home just about anytime now.  When Jeff gets home we plan to eat some cheesy breadsticks and watch "Glee".  Since I have been up since 5:40 am, I have consumed a Diet Mtn. Dew in order to prepare me for these extremely late evening plans.  Otherwise I will be dozing on the couch in about an hour.  
Today is our cousin Molly's birthday.  She turns 1 today!  She is such a beautiful little girl.  Since she and her family live in Missouri, we don't get to see them as often as we like!  But we are wishing her a very happy birthday and many more to come!  And we are so looking forward to spending some time with them in June!
Well, I think I'm going to go snuggle on the couch with my little monkeys.  The day is coming too soon when they will wipe away my kisses and be embarrassed by my hugs.  But right now they are my little snuggle bugs and they are freshly showered.  So I'm sneaking those kisses and hugs while I can.