February 8

So I woke up in the middle of the night last night with some awful acid reflux.  Straight out of deep sleep into full on panic mode.  I felt it come up into my esophagus.  Disgusting, I know.  It burned my throat so bad and I couldn't make it stop.  Meanwhile, I'm freaking out because I have never had anything like this happen before.  I drank a ton of water and took pepto and tums and propped myself up with pillows and finally went back to sleep.  It was possibly one of the weirdest things I have ever had happen in my life.  I suspect it was due to the fact that I ate poorly yesterday and took ibuprofen, tylenol, and aleve for my headache (not all at the same time....I'm not completely irresponsible!)  So-needless to say-thanks to my adventure at 3am I slept later than I normally do.  I woke up at about 8:30 and showered.  I came downstairs to find that mom had made pancakes and Hayden was already eating.  He is such a sweet boy and when he woke up and I was still asleep, he wanted to make a special day for me.  So he helped mom take out the recycling, empty the dishwasher, and make breakfast all before I woke up and showered.  What a terrific kid. He also got 100% on his spelling trial test which means that he didn't have homework tonight and he doesn't have to take his test tomorrow.  He is super excited.
Cebelle got up and ate breakfast with me.  She is having a bit of a blonde day today.  She goes through these phases periodically.  Today she walked up to me with her earphones on, ipod in hand, and very upset.  She said, "Mom!  I can't hear my ipod and I don't even have it paused!"  And she was near tears.  I looked at her, picked up the end of the earphones, and plugged them into the ipod.  And then I said, "That usually helps."  She giggled and then walked away.  It was so funny.  She did things like that all day.  It certainly makes for an interesting day because she is very prone to drama.  And for her-everything is dramatic.
The weatherman predicted another 4-6 inches of snow for us last night into today.  It started snowing late last night and it wasn't too terrible.  But by 1pm-we had about 6 inches and the snow was still coming down at our house.  The kids went out and helped shovel and played in it for a while.  It was supposed to stop by 11am.  It finally quit here about 6pm.  We ended up with probably a total of 12.

Its just so pretty.  I think we are due for more at the end of the week.  At this point, when I step into the parts that aren't shoveled, the snow comes up over my hips.  Almost to my waist.  I'm not looking forward to mud season.

I've been working on several projects lately and I thought I would post some pictures of them.

This is a group of handbags I have been working on.  They are not quite finished.  The black and beige one need sewn together and then all three will need linings and snaps.

This is a counted cross stitch.  The completed pattern is about 16 x 18 inches.  It is for Christmas.  I'm hoping to have it finished by then.  The part that is completed took me about 14 hours of work so far.  

These I am SUPER excited about because these are for me!  They are cabled wristers.  They are like really long gloves without fingers.  They are made of a gorgeous variegated yarn that is silk/wool/bamboo.  Its super soft and I adore the colors.

I'm heading to put the kids to bed.  Jeff is in rehearsal until 9 tonight so I'm going to settle down and finish my wristers.  I told the kids that they could do a calm quiet activity until I was ready to take them upstairs.

This is what they are doing right now.  My sweet little angels.  I am so happy that they love each other and like to spend time together.  Sweet dreams!

February 7

Well, I didn't do this post at the end of the day like I usually do.  There is a good reason for that.  I was completely, totally, utterly exhausted.  My day began at 5:40am.  I got up and made a pot of coffee and started welcoming my daycare kids.  This day was a little bigger than normal.  I usually only have two kids on this day, but because I have an appointment with an allergist this week, I had to shift a couple of days.  So I had three children aged 3 and under all day and another 8 year old who I got off the bus after school.  The small kids all arrived between 6:30 and 7:30.  And unfortunately for me, I had awoke with a killer sinus headache.  The real kicker is that since I have an allergist appointment this week, I cannot take any antihistamines.  So-I have a sinus headache that tylenol and ibuprofen won't touch, my two kids who need to do school, and three kids under the age of 4 who need diaper changes, feeding, bottles, and help in social skills because at that age it's still appropriate in their mind to beat the crap out of someone and then take whatever they want.  By 8am-I was thinking that I must have been out of my mind for agreeing to this.  By 9am I was seriously re-thinking my ideal of 4-6 kids.  And by 10am I was ready to tie my tubes single handedly with a butter knife.  Lets backtrack now....the kids were really awesome.  The goings on were normal for three year olds and one year olds.  I really enjoyed having them here and I adore them all.  But, I was running around like crazy.  I couldn't go to the bathroom because every time I would step three feet away, someone would push someone else and take their toys, or the baby would be trying to jump down the two stairs of our sunken living room.  (Which incidentally, I saved him from about a dozen times.  And then his sister head butted him by accident.  So I ended up sending him home injured anyhow.)  All I had to eat was three bites of waffle off of Cebelle's plate that she didn't finish and three cups of coffee that I had poured for myself had gone cold before I drank them.  Add all of that up with my awesome headache, and it's fair to say that I contemplated hiding in a corner and crying at least once.  But amazingly, I got through the day without raising my voice to anyone, without my head exploding, and with my reproductive organs still completely intact.  God does perform miracles after all.....
And I must reiterate that I LOVE those kids.  They are sweet and precious and wonderful gifts.  And I managed through all of it to keep everyone fed and clean and even managed to finish school work with both of my kids.  So by the end of the day, even with my massive headache still intact, I was starting to think of myself as supermom/super daycare provider.  Which isn't really true, either.  Heck, I'm just lucky I made it through the day.  But its days like this that I actually love the most....as crazy as that sounds.  Because even though I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and my massive headache and all I had to get done...there were these small moments where kids wanted to sit in my lap and snuggle me, or someone just came up and kissed me, or brought me a book to read them a story, or needed me to hug them because they were sad....these moments that make me remember what life is all about and that help me to remember that these moments need to be cherished because they are fleeting.  And if you are so focused on trivial things (like a headache...) you just might miss those small moments and all the joy and happiness and love that they can bring to your life.  Look for your moments....and enjoy your adventure along the way!

Weekend!

Here's how my weekend went....
On Saturday, we got up and cleaned some house.  I read some and then baked some lasagna.  My mom made brownies and cherry cobbler.  It started snowing here at about 2:45.  Big, fat, beautiful flakes that looked so awesome!  I tried to upload a video, but it didn't work.  Maybe I will figure it out at some point.  Anyway, my sister, Roni, her husband, Jim, and their friend, Alicia came over to spend the evening with us.  We ate, played a game, and had a really nice visit.  Hayden and Cebelle sat at the table with us and told jokes.  We laughed so hard that my sides hurt.  Not really because the jokes were so funny, but because the kids were.  Life gets busy for all of us, and we don't get to see them very often, so it's really nice when we get to spend time with them!  As we were all sitting here, there was lightning and thunder from the snow storm.  Really beautiful, but kind of scary!  It only snowed part of the night, but we ended up with over 6 inches of new snow at our house.  There was some sleet mixed in, so it was all kind of slushy.  This is what it looked like this morning:

This morning we got up early to go to church.  I got up, showered, put on make-up, fixed my hair, fixed everyone breakfast......I knew at this point that our driveway wasn't plowed, but I figured that we wouldn't have any problems getting out.  The road was completely clear.  So we piled in the car and took off up the driveway.  And then we got stuck.  Back and forth and in and out and shoveling and digging......20 minutes later we were late for church and STILL stuck in our driveway.  We got out and changed into our snow clothes and implemented our new Sunday plan-shovel and play. 

I was really bummed about not making it to church, but we had a really good time.  The snow is now up to my hips.  I was tossing snow balls to the dogs this afternoon while standing in it.  I heard the kids and went to turn around, but my legs were stuck so I fell straight on my back.  Suffice to say, Jeff had a really good laugh out of it because he was standing beside me.  

We don't really watch football....but we are watching the Superbowl to see the half time show and all the commercials.  I used to follow football pretty closely, but quit after the kids were born.  I just never really got back into it, though it's one of the few sports I enjoy watching.  I guess it's leftover from being in the marching band and being on the stands and field every Friday night.  Those are some pretty awesome memories for me.  

I would say this weekend also chalks up some pretty terrific memories for me, too!  Once again, it wasn't really what I had planned....but that doesn't make it any less wonderful or any less adventurous!

February 4

I had a great Friday!  I had a daycare kid who I always have tons of fun with today.  The kids got up and ate good breakfasts and did their school work with no complaints.  I was able to read some books and knit some.  Jeff got to come home right after school.  And then we listened to a bunch of 80's and 90's music.  So much fun.  It's funny how so many of those songs bring back so many memories of friends and good times.
It's also really funny how much both of our kids love that music!  They were both sitting in here shouting, "put that on my ipod!" while we were listening to stuff.  It's really hysterical.  Hayden was doing his math today and listening to his ipod.  All of a sudden, he is singing "U Can't Touch This" word for word.  I was snickering and giggling.  Then he started dancing in his seat and I literally almost fell out of my chair.  I love that my kids love music.  It has always been such a huge part of my life and I hope it will be in theirs too.  I'd say they are already off to a pretty good start.
I spent a lot of today reading on my NOOKcolor.  I adore it.  I don't think that anything will ever replace a real book in my hand.  I know its weird, but I love books.  We have hundreds of them.  Our kids have hundreds more.  I love the way they look, they way they feel, the way they smell.  I think books are really special.  I LOVE my NOOKcolor because I can keep thousands of books in it if I want.  (Right now there are 60 books-most were free- and I think I have about the same amount of knitting/crochet patterns on it)  I read really quickly.  I can read a 300 page book in a little over an hour on most days.  Sometimes it will take me closer to two, but rarely.  I'm not trying to brag....I'm just trying to explain why a NOOKcolor is a really good solution for me.  I have plenty of things to read and lots of choices.  I even have a copy of the Bible in mine.  The ESV or English Standard Version.  I think that my NOOKcolor is awesome, even though I don't think I will ever be able to completely replace books.
The kids are in bed and I'm getting ready to settle down for the evening.  I wish all of you many terrific weekend adventures!

February 3

Today was a pretty normal Thursday for us!  Schoolwork was first on our priority list as always.  Our Thursday school load is pretty light except for every 6th Thursday when we have Chemistry labs.  I got some reading done.  I am re-reading the entire In Death series by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts).  There are 32 books in the series and I own the first 27.  I intended to purchase the last 5 sometime in the next few weeks so I decided to read them all again up to that point.  I love this series because its mystery, sci-fi, and a little bit of romance....mostly I love Nora Roberts as a writer because she writes very compelling character driven stories.  I won't deny...some of her romance novels are a bit schmaltzy, but the characters are amazing.  I am also reading a few books on my NOOKcolor.
I also worked a bit on a baby blanket today.  I have several pieces of it finished and I really think its going to be beautiful.  I'm getting ready to start some wristers and a hat for myself made from this gorgeous silk/bamboo/wool mix yarn.  I hardly ever make stuff for myself.
The kids spent their day listening to their ipods mostly.  I'm glad that I don't have to hear Alvin and the Chipmunks fifty times a day with the CD player.  I do have to constantly remind them to turn them down, but they are pretty good about not listening too loudly.  They are cracking me up with their eclectic taste in music.  Hayden has been grooving to "Another One Bites the Dust", "Mission Impossible Theme", "Eye of the Tiger", and "Imma Be".  He sings the lyrics out loud to most of them.  It's completely hysterical.  He has now decided that someone needs to put "Toxic" on his ipod.  I told him that I firmly believe that ipods should be Britney Spears free zones, but he said, "But I really like that song!"  So I will probably cave and let him have it.  Heck, I like the song too.  But it gets stuck in my head.  Right now, I'm humming the chorus.  Crap.  There goes my night.
Cebelle is still grooving on Taylor Swift.  She also loves Lady Gaga.  She doesn't really like any "boy" songs.  I suspect this is because they are out of her extreme high soprano that only dogs can hear range.  I love it when she sings out loud with her earphones on too.  I asked her earlier what she was listening to and she said, "Mom!  I'm shuffling songs and I don't know all my letter sounds yet!  How am I supposed to know what song this is?"  Fair enough.  She has a point.  She's also a diva, so I keep the arguing with her to a minimum.  You can't argue with divas.  Even if you win, you lose.
The kids also spent some time outside this morning shoveling the walkway.  We got another four inches or so after we shoveled yesterday.  It was really too cold to spend too long outside.
All in all, we had a pretty terrific day.  I'm getting ready to go wash my face and tuck the kids in.  Jeff and I will probably watch a couple of shows before we head off to bed.
Thanks for sharing the adventure with me!

February 2

Snow Day!  Today was an awesome day!  We slept a little past 8 and the kids came and got in bed with Jeff and I.  I love starting the day with lots of snuggles and hugs and kisses from my kids.  They are sweet and giggly and precious when they first wake up.  We ate some biscuits and gravy for breakfast and then did our school work.  I don't know how others who homeschool do it, but we normally have school on snow days.  It just helps us stick to our schedule.  And since we have scheduled breaks, it's easier to not miss a day that you have to make up later!  After our school work was done, we bundled up and went outside where we played and shoveled.  We had about a foot when we shoveled and it's still coming down right now....but here are some pictures of our fun:

This is our house viewed from the driveway.

That's the kids playing in front of the shoveled up snow and sledding down it since we don't really have much of a hill at our house.   (In case you are wondering, Hayden is 4'2".  And yes, that snow is over his head.  Most of it is hip/thigh high depending on how tall you are.  It's a pretty normal VT winter.)

That's Jeff shoveling and him and mom chatting while mom rests on the snow bank.  She actually got stuck and I had to pull her out.  I told her if she fell down I was taking a picture and posting it before she got up!
Then we came in and I baked some cinnamon rolls and made hot cocoa.  We cleaned up and thanks to Netflix, watched Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.  It was really pretty cute.  It had some really funny jokes and play on words.  The kids cracked up.
I made some homemade chili for dinner and got the kids put down for bed.  Now mom and dad and Jeff and I are getting ready to watch Grown-Ups.  All in all, a pretty great snow day!  It's still snowing outside, but the road looks pretty clear.  I don't know if they will cancel school tomorrow.  It might be delayed.  I don't know how bad it is in the rest of our area.  It was a really fun day.  I always love the times we get to spend together as a family, laughing and playing.  It makes for some awesome memories and some really big adventures!

February 1

Wow.  What a day.  My horoscope said that I would experience family issues today.  That was the understatement of the century.  Don't get your hopes up, my friends.  I'm not dishing dirt on myself or the people that I love the most in this world.  I will say this about today:  When you love as deeply as we do in our family, it's easy to get your heart broken and your feelings bruised.  Little things become big for no reason at all except that someone was hurt by someone else's carelessness or thoughtlessness.  But the flip side of that is that small things can also bring great joy.  And little acts of kindness become big because of someone's willing heart and acceptance.  The best part about today, even though it was tumultuous, is that when you love deeply, you also forgive completely.  We are all human.  And we all make mistakes.  I own up to my part of that in this instance and in every other.  I am far from perfect.  But that's the way that God made me, so in some ways, that makes me perfect.
I have been working on a couple of baby blankets and a cross-stitch project.  But I had a headache again today.  (Thank you, storm front, for the 3 feet of snow we are going to get PLUS the sinus headache)  So I didn't really work on anything and couldn't get motivated to start anything new.
The kids are doing awesome in school.  Cebelle flew through her work this morning with flying colors.  Hayden missed several on his spelling trial test, but he is learning that it is a consequence of not studying.  He keeps thinking he can figure out a shortcut where he doesn't actually have to study the words.  I'm letting him experiment with it to prove my point.  My luck, he will prove me completely wrong tomorrow and ace the test and it will all blow up in my face.
I'm hoping to sleep in tomorrow because Jeff doesn't have to go to school, but I'm also betting that the kids will wake up at 7:30 because I don't have to get up early.  That's what usually happens.
I'm looking forward to a big snow.  We have plenty of food and lots to do and I think that snow is so beautiful.  I will post some pictures tomorrow!  Since everyone else is getting lots of snow too, I'm expecting to see lots more pictures!  I hope you all have a safe and adventurous snowy day!