An apology... and changes

Well, there is a bunch I need to apologize for.  For one thing, I have been way overwhelmed and have not been blogging.  I think it was the 3rd kid, moving yet again, hubbies hectic work schedule, N starting school and G just being 2. 

The people I need to really apologize to are my kids and hubby.  Sorry I didn't do something sooner.  (I also have to apologize to several people that I demonized that same medication to...)

You see I have ADHD.  Always have, but I have been unmediated for oh... 10+ years.  I was resistant to getting back on medication.  I saw it as a slap in the face that I wasn't good enough the way God made me, I disliked the transition time while it was taking effect but not quite there yet and the coming off of it, and I felt I could self medicate with coffee.  Well, the truth is NONE of us are "good" enough the way God made us or we wouldn't need salvation, I can live with the transitions for the good of my family, and coffee, though nice, wasn't really cutting it.  So now I am back on it.  It is amazing how much clarity I have.  I had forgotten.  I can actually not be distracted to the point of insanity, which means actually getting a load of dished done before the kids go to bed.

Now it isn't a bed of roses either.  I am reaping what I sowed before I was medicated, but those issues are easier to deal with now.

So like I said, sorry little ones and my loving and oh so patient hubby.  I should have done this a long time ago.

Crazyness.

Ok, first I would like to apologize to my contest winner.  I mailed it out... and it came back to me... don't know why, but I will be mailing it out again soon (like with x-mas gifts) so you will get it.  I have no clue what happened.  Weirdness?

The last month has been really busy.  Papa (my dad) came to for 2 weeks.  The kids see him as a big toy.  N loves him so much and keeps asking when she will see him again.  G didn't really know him before and wants to go on a plane ride with him (N got to visit this summer... he thinks it is his turn...).  J didn't know what to think of him.  He was just getting used to him when the 2 weeks were up and it was time to go.   

Now for the family update:
J is sitting and FINALLY gaining weight.  We got him on Zantac about 4 weeks ago and since then we know he has gained at least 2 pounds (that was 2 weeks after starting the meds).  That takes him as a 12.6 pound baby at 7 months to 14.8 + pounds now at 8 months.  Talk about major gains! 

G had a major face plant and almost lost 4 teeth.  Yea.  We had to have x-rays and other fun stuff but he was a trooper and only cried when I freaked out at the amount of blood (I was more scares over the fact that I couldn't FIND his teeth with the amount of blood he was loosing).  So he had no solid food for 7 or 8 days.  it was fine I just fed him what the baby was eating.  He is better now but his teeth are no longer straight. 

N is liking school.  She loves her teacher and chocolate milk.  She is really looking forward to x-mas and wants her grandpa to come back.  She has been kinda mopey since he left.

Contest winner.

Ok, so that kinda had a bad turn out.  I guess I was hoping for more than 2 people entering, but hey they had a great chance of winning.  So the Random number generator picked 1.  So off to email Amy.

Love and Respect Reveiw and Book Giveaway!

Ok, so long time no post.  Sorry, been busy and haven't really had the time.  But I did get a new book from Book Sneeze and need to review it.

This is a great little gift book.  It is cute and full of great Bible verses on love, respect and forgiveness in a marriage.   It would be a great gift for newlyweds or anyone married. 

Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs has some really great advice in it.  The manner the information is presented is very locical and straightforward.  It goes into how women don't always want a "fix" to a problem but rather want to be heard while men like to go do things as a way of feeling close. Dr. Eggerich uses biblical principals and verses to back up what he says in almost all instances.

So now the Giveaway!  Why yes, you can with this very book!  I know you want to!

You must be 18 years or older and have an United States mailing address.  Chances of winning based on how many people enter.  I will be selecting winners based on Random number generator at random.org.   EVERY comment must have your email address/contact info of some sort.  Those without contact info will be thrown out!   Contest ends on November 10th at midnight Hawaiian time.  Winner will be contacted within 48 hours and has 72 hours to claim the prize.  I reserve the right to hold a new contest or choose a new winner via random.org if they do not claim the prize.

Ways to enter:

* Comment on this post. (1 entry)
* Stumble, Digg, Twitter, facebook or some other social networking thing (1 entry per page on my blog that share... yes you can do multiple pages to get multiple entries, and you must comment for each entry)
* Blog on your own blog about this contest and link to my blog.  (1 entry and you must comment so I know you did it.)


 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Meal Plan

Ok, so I have been neglecting to plan my meals lately.  Mostly because I seem to have so many left overs frozen that I can't really make more meals.  Weird huh.

So we are just going to go and make meals 3 days a week and eat left overs every other day.  Seems fair right?  Hope it works.

So tonight:
left over soup with bread and salad

Saturday:
sausage and cabbage steamed

Sunday:
same as Sat?

Monday:
Rubens

Tuesday:
left overs

and then I go shopping for groceries.  fun stuff that!

that boring catch up post...

Well there is lots of news really. 

We are having fall break so N is home lots this month.  The teacher and I have been discussing her progress and it has pretty much been decided that she will be in kindergarten next year as well.  This is good, she is already "behind" because I guess kindergarteners are supposed to know simple addition and subtraction by the time they enter school... who knew.

G is being a total 2 year old and a total boy.  We are having potty training issues.  completely not willing to use that thing.  We have been working on it, on and off doe over 6 months... needless to say I am peeved that potty training hasn't panned out, but that is because I am tired of washing 2 kids diapers...

J is just being small and cuddly... way too cuddly...  We had a doctors appointment (and got shots... hence the cuddly I don't feel well baby...) on Monday and they think he has failure to thrive.  He is below the 1 percentile in weight and length.   They are going to a non invasive bone density test with x-rays to see what is up.  I am kinda freaked out about this because... well... I have never heard of this stuff before and with all the weird DNA related not fun stuff on my side of the family... well I might be jumping the gun...

As for me I am attempting to get a jewelry class started at Ben Franklin Crafts.   Might be able to get some money, which would be nice.

The Heavens Proclaim His Glory

Book sneeze sent me another book!   This one is just lovely too!  It has glorious full color pages of star scapes with Biblical and Christian minded quotes.  This is not a challenging book, it is instead a feel good book.

Personally I think the book is lovely.  It isn't one to push you into new thoughts or concepts and the pictures are so pretty.  It is perfect for a coffee table, so I would recommend it as a gift at a house warming.  It isn't bound by one doctrine or another, from what I can see, so it would be a good gift to many different denominations.  

(Oh and if you want to receive and review Christian books for free on your blog check Book Sneeze out!  I love the fact that they want you to be completely honest about what you think too!)

Gratituesday

I found this meme today and thought, why not?

I am thankful for so many things.  Healthy kids, for finding the time to get 2 knitted projects done this week (I know, I will be posting pictures!) and having a lovely hubby... just to name a few.

Check out Heavenly homemakers for more!

Menu planning

Ok, I am changing the menu plan start day.  Turns out that you can get money for your recycling at the store I frequent on Tuesdays.



Anyway, I didn't male ANYTHING on last weeks menu plan because I realized that I had a freezer full of frozen leftovers... yea... I need that space...

Tuesday: Aussie Chicken with rice

Wednesday: left overs (make noodles day! Thanks MIL for the birthday present of the noodle attachment for the kitchen aid)

Thursdays:  lasagna (with home made noodles!)

Friday: mac and cheese with tuna and peas (home made sauce and noodles)

Saturday: mexi wraps

Sunday: left overs

Monday: pot roast

And check out MPM for more great ideas!

Menu plan

Ok, last week I make a menu plan, but do to not having internet, I didn't post.

Good news I am saving money on this, even though I am not getting any circulars and only basing this on coupons.

Monday: Stuffed green peppers

Tuesday: 5 bean casserole topped with cheese

Wendsday: left overs

Thursday: Tuna, cheese and rice via crock pot (taking this recipe and just running with adding stuff to it!)

Friday: left over wraps

Saturday: Aussie Chicken (we have guests!)

Sunday: left overs

for more menu plans hit http://orgjunkie.com/

Meal plan Aug. 29th

Ok, so when making my meal plan last week I completely forgot I had an anniversary (love you hubby) that we needed to celebrate... So we kinda got sidetracked on the meals... they were all made, but in different orders... oh well.

Monday:
chicken wraps
veggies

Tuesday:
Beer-brats w/ sauerkraut

Wednesday:
Roast (crock pot)

Thursday:
left overs

Friday:
Stir Fry (beef) with rice

Saturday:
mac&cheese with tuna and peas (homemade noodles and sauce...)

Sunday:
left overs

For more meal plans hit Meal plan Monday

The things one learns in school...

Well, N is in Kindergarten.  That is right Hawaii takes kids as young as 4.5 years old and lets them go to kindergarten... whereas I was 6... but I digress. 

She is learning a lot there too.  Letters and letter sounds... writing her name... that  she wants black hair instead of blond.... Oh wait... that isn't good.  I can't blame her for thinking this last bit.  She is the ONLY blond in her class and 1 of the 2 students that is not Asian... in fact her teacher is Asian.  Now this isn't all bad either.  She is getting very well versed in animes that are for her age group.  And is with any hope falling out of the Disney Princess thing (has anyone noticed how all the princesses have dead or absent mothers?  Yea... not good...).

My 1st meal plan...

Ok, so it isn't my 1st really.  I did try this once before, about oh... 3 or 4 years ago.  And wow did I go over budget.  At the time we only had 50 dollars per person per month as the budget to run our household so that made 150 for a month.  I just could not do it, I did much better with my hodge podge way of just throwing something together from what we had on hand.

Now though I get 600 a month for food/household... well I feel rich get 150 dollars for my week!  (Of course we live in Hawaii now too and anyone can tell you it is expensive here!  And we have 5 mouths to feed too... still 120 per person per month just seems lavish!)

Anyway I think that now that I have more money I can experiment with this again... in fact I might save money... doubtful though... 


Monday:
Rubens (Crock pot)
Steamed veggies (seasonal)

Tuesday:
Shake and Bake Chicken
Mashed taters (hide 3 cups mashed taters)
steamed veggies (different than Mondays)

Wednesday:
Shepard's pie (use left over veggies and taters)

Thursday:
Left over day

Friday:
Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Saturday:
Lasagna (crock pot?)

Sunday:
left over day

For more Meal Plans go hit Meal Plan Mondays

The Portable Patriot

Normally I am not into historical documents.  I like history, and like to do reenactments but the actual studying of documents isn't all the appealing to me.  So why then did I request a book that is basically every document written by the founding fathers?  Well, truthfully I got it because I know my husband would like it and that it will be a wonderful resource for when my little darlings are ready to actually understand our founding fathers.  Did I expect I would like the book?  No.  Did I like the book? Yes actually.

This is a book that would be in my estimations understandable by a 7th grader or older.  Now would that 7th grader be interested in it?  Well it matters on the 7th grader.  Some would hate it, others would not put it down.  It really matters on the temperament of the child.

The book is very comprehensive and really shows how much the public schools omitted in my education about the founding fathers and America's history in regards to the faith they had in God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Ok, things are a bit calmer now

Well, now that things are calmer I am able to post again. 

Lets start with the house.  It is Japanese.  Yup, Shoji doors everywhere.  wood floors as well and unpainted wood walls.  It is so pretty!  We also have a WONDERFUL view of Honolulu and see rainbows every day!


N has been enrolled in school.  They call it Junior Kindergarten but since they don't have separate classes for "JK" and "K" here it really is just Kindergarten. 

We have lovely neighbors too.  JH is to our right and she has a 5 (boy), 3 (boy) and 6 month old (girl), so our kids kinda love playing all the time.  She has a great sense of style and, though she denies it, is a very good hostess.  She and I are sharing driving the kids to school.  She drives them to school and I pick them up.  It is so much easier than having to go 2 times a day.

Yarn wise I have got nothing done.  I am VERY behind on knitting.  I can't wait to get back to it.

Sorry too busy to write...

This month has been nuts!

Really fast update:
1. we are moving... yep, we found and signed on a house.  it is super nice.

2. N is getting ready for kindergarten.  Yup, my little girl is growing up so fast... strange thing though is that school starts Aug. 1st. 

3. I am now certified in Scuba via PADI.  Sure it is just the 1st level but oh so fun.

Ooooo a contest...

There is a contest on this blog... she sells her lovelies here...

Lots and lots of CRAZY!

This month has been nuts.  Plain nuts.  It all started with hubby and I going on a marriage retreat.  It was great, we had friends watching the kidlits (even the newest one!).  Next my mom came to visit for 2 full weeks.  It was fun, but mom was EXHAUSTED from the kids.  She flies back with N to the main land and keeps her there the following 2 weeks... G is not happy about this.  Not happy at all.  Wailing for N all over the house not happy.  Not eating not happy... Serious non happiness...  During this Hubby and I sell the van (FINALLY) and are now looking for a new one.  On top of that we are also looking for somewhere to move now too (hubby drives an average of 2 hours home each day... It would be nice for him if we lived closer...)

Anyway, now I am expecting N's return and my MIL's arrival.  MIL will be here a full month.  I am so EXCITED!!!!  She is lots of fun and helpful to boot! 

Why Knitting?

It kinda astounds me how few Christian knit.  For me knitting brings me to a still quiet place that allows me to hear God.  I often think: "God knit me in my Mothers womb".

If you are not a knitter you can't begin to understand that statement and how big that is.

As a knitter I discover the perfect yarn or pattern.  I study it, look over it... contemplate it and finally either reject or decide on it.  If it is a yarn I find first, I must now find a pattern.  The perfect pattern, the pattern that will show off how this yarn drapes in this way if it is wool, or stretch if it is cotton.  Then one must also think of how the colors will play with each other if it variegated.  If you find the pattern first, you must then locate the prefect yarn.  Alpaca?  Silk?  Linen? Each will make the finished garment wear differently.  Perfectly.

Then comes the knitting.  The hours of knitting, days on end.  And of course God is perfect, so no mistakes... oh no... no ripping (knitters term for unraveling) that garment because of a dropped stitch or a missed cable.

And then, it is finished.  Bound off, blocked and all the ends sewn in... lovely and made to just your size, the right weight and color that brings out your hair and eyes like no other color can and makes you feel like a million bucks...

I also think I can understand how sad God is with us as well.  A knitter doesn't make a sweater, or a shawl to be put into a box and never seen or worn... God doesn't give us things so we may hide them either.  A knitter may feel sad and angry if the gift that was given was something tossed aside and allowed to be moth eaten.  God wants us to see the things he gives as gifts.  Most knitters love when the recipient gushes over the gift, uses it proudly and proclaims who made it when compliments come.  God too wants us to use the gifts he has given us and wants us to tell the world who gave those gifts to you.

But most of all I think of the fall from Eden.  The stain on the garment that inevitably happens, the shrinking in the dryer or bleach in the wash after you told them how to care for it so painstakingly.  Something that you can't fix or repair, and how the recipient trys to hide it.  How when you ask "why don't you wear it anymore?" they hem and haw and finally tell you what you already knew in your heart.  And in some cases you know a trick, wash the stain out and the garment is as good as new, and sometimes you just have to forgive them and know the garment will have to live with the aftermath... because you know they didn't mean for it to happen.   God is like that too.  We ate the fruit and stained our soul and regardless of what we do we can't keep ourselves from sinning.  We hide in shame, for it but hiding doesn't fix it.  God can forgive us and sometimes he can fix it as good as new and sometimes he won't, but he can do more... better than a knitter he can transform us.  That is not to say he will restore us and make us into what we were before... no.  But you know, if you take that garment and cut here, sew here and add a button here... look!  Isn't this the cutest little tote!


edit to add: I am featured in this weeks Christian blog Carnival!

Parenting by The Book... by John Rosemond

The Book being the Bible.  Ok, I got this book via a Bible study at church.  We would read a chapter every weeks and then talk about it the next week.  It was very good and made me realize why I was having all the parenting issues I was having and how to fix them!  It has recommendations from ages newborn to out of the house and is more a philosophy than an actual step by step guide.  This would be a great gift to a parent that you know has had struggles with their child or is just getting to the terrible twos.  In fact I suggest grandparents read it because many first time parents go to mom/dad/mother in law/father in law for advice (at least I do!).

The book is an easy read and really gets into the "how" in the last 2 chapters.  All the rest of the book is a "why" with back ups from the Bible, just plain old common sense and history.  The author actually has all those fancy letters behind his name and is an expert in his field which is family psychology. 

So do like to write book reviews, or just have a book you love or hate and just want to tell the world?  How about you join my Blog-hop?

Pampers is dumb....

They have posted on Pampers a list of reasons why cloth diapering is "bad".  I cloth diaper.  I will continue to do so... in fact I have doctors notes stating I have to cloth diaper my kids and that they have an allergy to the absorbency stuff  in things like Pampers.

To read other peoples post on it click below as this is part of a blog hop of POed cloth diaperers.

So here are my list of myths on disposable vs cloth:

Myth: cloth diapering is "dirtier" and unhygienic. (from a "friendly" neighbor that later called Child Protective Services on me for cloth diapering, don't worry nothing came of it other than a POed cloth diaper and a pissy neighbor that my kids were not removed.)

My Fact:  They get washed!  You use soap on them!  Like your clothing!  In fact you can even Bleach them if you really want to, though I find boiling them better as bleach leaves enough chemicals for my kids to get burns.


Myth: Cloth diapers are better for my baby.

My Fact:  Consider the fact that disposables have similar chemicals as female pads...  not the same, but close.  Now consider the fact that when I changed to cloth pads I physically got healthier.  That is right, I had skin problems that I though were hormonal, but no, it was pad induced, I had cramping, again hormonal? no pad induced!, and then my fav.  my sex drive and sensitivity improved... I won't go into details... but come on!  Who doesn't want that improved!  And if a pads only worn for 1 week of the month do that to me (and who knows what to you!)... what are disposable diapers that are being worn 24/7 by your baby doing to them?  Are you so sure that your child has eczema?  I got some "eczema" while using pads but it would go away as soon as I stopped using the pads... I am not cloth padded and "eczema" free... and if pads gave me cramps, could that colic be caused by something? Perhaps... So yes, I would say cloth is better for my baby.


Myth: Disposable diapers are easier than cloth.


My Fact:  Ummm, NO.  I worked child care for 6 years prior to having children and can tell you that they are the SAME amount of work, just different work involved.  How can I say this?  Because it is true!


Now for my rant on Pampers and all diaper companies: WHY do you not put your ingerdents on the side of the package?  You have to with shampoo, cleaning supplies, food or anything else a child might eat so you can tell poison control just in case.  So why is it that something PUT on a childs body doesn't need that?  It is much more unlikely a child will get into shampoo and eat it than take off something they are ALWAYS wearing and eat part of that.  Are you telling me it is ok for a child to eat a whole diaper and that nothing would happen to them?  Please.  I don't beleive it.  I am sure those chemicals are not safe to eat. 

I have a theory as to WHY they won't tell you what is in there or make it easily found by consumers...  it is because if you google searched the ingredients you would get lots of links to cancer or mood swings or some other health/environmental issue.  I have found that companies like Pampers usually advertise what is good and will hide at all cost what is bad.  If they feel the need to hid what is in the diapers you know it can't be good... because if it were good it would be a marketing ploy...

If I could ask God anything...

This is a children book and I would think can range from ages of 3 to 12 mattering on how curious your child is (though I know some new Christians that would really benefit from this book too!).  It is a wonderful resource for all those questions that have big lofty answers but you need to explain to a child in a non threating or confusing way.

This book though geared for children, is not for children... it is for mom or dad or some other adult to read to a child or read and then explain to the child.   As such it is set up well, but no pictures to speak of.  The questions range from the mundane to the VERY deep but are all answered as if you are going to talk to a small child (I am sure my 4 1/2 year old would understand this whole book... even the answer to "If God loves people, Why do bad things happen?").  Though this book is geared to children I think it would be a great resource for people that are new Christians or often work with new Christians. 



I am a member of something called BooksSneeze and request books I think I will like, read them, and then get to write a review for them on what I think of them. I am not paid to do this, though I do get a free book.  I am also not told what to write so this review is only my reaction to the book.

Money... how we lived under the poverty line

Well, since Melanie commented that she would like to know how we saved money, I thought I would write on it.  Mind you that there is a reason that Christ is 1st in my list of things that keep me sane.  He and his Father really have a part to play in my daily life.  And a serious part at that.

Before I begin I would like to say we did (and still do) tithe every month.  It is amazing the things that happen when you tithe.  In fact, months we forgot to tithe (hubby was the one with the check book so I didn't even know we were not tithing) we were ALWAYS over budget.  Something would always happen.  Once we caught up... strangely we would not only be in the black but we had excess.  Logically it makes no sense, but God doesn't follow earthly logic.

On that note I am going to give my biggest money saving advice ever.  Ready?  I am sure you are not but here it goes anyway... Pray before you buy ANYTHING.  That is right.  Before you even make your list for the store, pray about what you should buy.  Ask God to help you save in your shopping and don't buy it unless you have peace about it.  If the Lord doesn't give you peace... well, don't buy it. This goes for food, clothing, shoes... or my main splurge... yarn.  You will get REALLY good at listening to God too.  I remember a time I was flat out told to go shopping for flour at Sam's Club.  So we did... and guess what, they were having a 50% off sale on flour that day only because they had gotten 1 flat of the wrong sized bags (100 pounders vs the normal 50 pounder) and were just selling them like they were 50 pound bags.  You know what... God delivered. 

The next thing we did was only use cash.  When you were as tight as we were, pennies mattered and going over was not an option.  You will find that you can feed yourself on very little if you need to.  If you feel the need to whittle down your food money go all cash.  No credit, or debit.  For some reason when the cash leaves your hands it feels... different... than swiping a card.  You spend less. 

Now some practical advise on how to get the food (or any category) budget lower.  You take your cash and then you take an envelope and put 25 to 50 dollars in the envelope.  Now go hide the envelope in the freezer, a shoe box, or anywhere where you will remember it.  Now go for the month and if you need to raid the money do so, but really try not to.  Do this for several months and you will find yourself raiding less and less.  When you can do this for about 3 month straight just take that amount out of the budget for that area of spending.  And start all over again.  Now this doesn't help you when you are in the hole already and have to make a quick buck this is more a lifestyle change and it happens slowly.

I hope anyone who reads this finds it useful.  If you have any questions just ask below.

Money I can do, Housework... not so much

Ok, for those that know me in real life, you know that money is not an issue for us.  Not that we are rich but that I am so thrifty that I can make pennies bleed.  We lived under the poverty line for 4 years with 2 kids and didn't take ANY government help.  We could have gotten foodstamps, WIC, and Medicaid, but we didn't.  In fact we paid off debt... and paid for a birth (if you prepaid the midwife it was under 5000 dollars for all the prenatal, birth and post stuff).  Anyway, I am going into this because we whipped our money into shape and controlled it, we didn't let it run us and our lives. 

On the other hand, my house.... yea, it runs me.  I have clutter EVERYWHERE.... really.  It is piled up next to this computer, in the corners of the rooms and basically anywhere we have a flat area... well had... and lets not even get into daily cleaning stuff either.  I am always behind on laundry, the floors always need to be swept and mopped, and the toilets... yea, lets not go there...  Now I would love to blame my parents for this saying "I was raised with a cluttered home and was never taught to keep house" and that would be true.  (I mean I had to have my roommate teach me to do my laundry when I went to college... no joke.)  But I need to just grow up and face the fact that I am an adult and just learn how to do this stuff. 

So here it is, I am a bad house keeper and don't know how to fix it.  I don't know where to start in my house so I am making a game plan.  I am looking up websites on how to declutter.  I figure that one I have the house uncluttered I will be better able to clean on a regular basis.  Wish me luck...

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am sick and am going back to bed now...

Who needs sleep when you have coffee?

Yes, I am sleep deprived... this is why I am presently living on coffee... as in 4 pots a day. i know, they say sleep when the baby sleeps but really, I have 2 other kids too, what do I do with them?! Throw them to the wolves?

Anyway, if you click this link you can enter to with a sleep deprived button. Go, you sleep deprived person!

Is this the month of everyone being sick?!

So this whole month it seems someone is sick... always. N had a fever, G then got one, J had one after that and I and hubby had one, and no one at the same time. Now G had pink eye. In both eyes.... yea. We think it is viral because no one else has it and it had been 3 days (drops would have worked on the 1st day if it was bacterial...). G is miserable and whiny. He wants hugs and cuddles. He keeps laying on the floor with his blanky and falling asleep throughout the house.

So I updated Flickr!

With the giving birth and all it has taken some time to get photos up on the computer...

But here are 2 projects I just finished!

This is the Pink Princess Blanket I made for N out of all the different types of pink yarns I had. She actually chose the order so I must say we have a little girl with very good tastes!

This is the blanket I made for baby J. I love bright colors and love babies in bright colors. This is for 2 reasons. One I don't like pastels... I just don't, not for me and if I have to carry baby it too close to me. I like bold colors. Second reason is that babies leak and stain things... pastels seem to show stains while bright colors do not as readily. Anyway, the blanket is felted and done! It looks so nice!

What!? I won?

Yep, over on The Devil Wears Docker, and it is surprise... Love surprises...

Anyway, yesterday I was sick again... fever of 102.3. yea, on hand FYI, it is unwise to knit while feverish... you will need to rip out all you have knitted...

What is this turning into?

A blog about contests I find?  Must be...

Because here is another contest.

On a clear day I like to let the kids run outside while mommy knits... really!

Thanks!

Oh Pretty!

So there is a giveaway that has some VERY pretty yarn... yes, very pretty....

Anyway, go check it out!

Phat Fiber Sample Box: NH Knitting Mama yarn giveaway!

Bones!

Ok, so there are few TV shows I watch.... few... Never seen Sex in the City, or Lost, or Friends.  In fact I think something like 99% of the TV service I watch are Sci-Fi in nature... Dead Like Me, FireFly, and then there are the fake Science ones like NCIS and all the CIS shows.  Bones is one of them and I haven't been able to watch it since I don't have cable.  So when I found out Netflix has Bones on instant play... well, it is time for some catch up...

WOOT!  Bones Marathon!

Nights

While the baby is WIP I seem to rack up a WHOLE bunch of WIP's in real life.  Then once the baby is born and a FO, I seem to finish things.  It is very odd. 

I notice I do this mostly when it is night time and the house is asleep.  The best is when hubby is gone at work because then I don't feel like I need to spend every second with him (When your love is working 80 hours a week then is actually gone more like 100 due to driving in rush hour, you too would feel the need to connect and talk with him in the few hours he is home and awake?)

So far I have knitted part of a sock, more of a blanket and have been caring for kids.  Mostly the kids... .

It is only 8:20am...

And already, I have a temp of 100.7, G has exploded a diaper with diarrhea, and I found all of N's peed on panties in her closet under a blanket, molding...

Today is shaping up to be one of those days....

I have a feeling that 1 pot of coffee isn't going to sustain me today!

Calling out to a giveaway!

A blog I follow is having a giveaway: Dropped Stitches: Super Delicious Giveaway!

Recycled yarn goodness! go and enter, it ends April 19th!

Well, that was unexpected! Well, kinda...

Sorry, I have been trying to post more often but I thrown for a loop this 1st half of the month. Seems baby came early (still term, so no health worries). We had our son, little J. He was 5 and a half pounds and 17 inches long. We are both doing great, and I only had 30 minutes of real labor (I know lucky me...). I am pretty sure we will have a 4th baby, possibly a 5th..., Hubby and I will need to talk about it.

Thank You!

Well, we have yet another visitor. A college friend/old roommate of my hubbies, SG. He is really nice and brought me hardware to get pictures off my camera and onto my computer... Yep. Thank you, SG!

God's Little Princess Bible

This is a wonderful Bible for little girls. I would say it is perfect for ages 4 to about 10. This is a devotional Bible and as such it has a page of Bible versus and then a few pages of about what it means and applying it to a little girls life. Lots is left out (like as in whole chapters!) but it hits the highlights.

My daughter loves this hard back devotional. She sleeps with it under pillow every night since we got it and considering the “love” it has gotten, it is in very good shape. The has me read it to her often (she is 4 so reading isn't something she can do yet). I think the layout is visually appealing and the colors are pretty (my daughter is VERY into pink... and there are plenty of pink pages!). They use lots of different fonts throughout the book which makes me think it might be hard for my daughter read when first learning but should be a short term problem.



I received this book for free via Booksneeze, so I could give a 100% truthful account of what I thought of this book.  They are my thoughts and not that of booksneeze or the author (well, at least they aren't to MY knowledge!).  You can join too and review books, just follow the link!

Easter Eggs hunt

The Assmebly of God Church in our area had a Easter Egg hunt today.  N and G had a blast.   G got about 6 eggs, while N got herself about 12. 

Knitting wise I am working on socks.  I have a design in the wings for one pair but promised hubby to get 2 projects fully completed before starting the designing process.  Don't think it will happen but I seem to have issues finishing items (like all those 95% completed projects on the side bar... yea... *stares at that for a second*... yea, still need to get photos and blocking figured out... blocking board needed...).  So we will see what happens.  Very likely I will start knitting them when the new baby is born in the hospital.  I will have 2 days child free so knitting time will be there to have!

this is just crazy!

ok, so last week my in laws (MIL, FIL, BIL and SIL) all came to visit and let just say, they are 4 VERY different personalities that all think a Hawaiian vacation is something different. My FIL is up before the sun and loves physical activity. Hiking, scuba, snorkeling and the like is just made for him! My MIL likes the beach and grand kids so anything they can come to is GREAT but she goes with the flow. My SIL likes to get up at the crack of noon... and well, she likes to shop... a lot. BIL just doesn't want to spend too much money and wants to go do stuff (like my hubby he seems to think vacation time is time to get things like car repairs caught up on... not that I am going to complain about him working on my car... I am VERY glad he checked my breaks!)

Next week one of our family friends is coming to visit for 3 days. And I am just getting the house under control.

On a better note I got my Blog all snazzed up. It looks pretty now!

Ok, so what have I been up to...

Well, alot actually....

Let me give the highlights:

Late Feb.: The hospital suspected me of preterm labor and admitted me overnight. It wasn't the case, so thank the Lord. Oh and G decides that he wants to start the terriable 2's early... as in that day... great! Well at least the new baby hasn't come yet so I have time to work on that!

The day following the my SIL, RA came to visit. She is a knitter so... well, we had fun... dyeing yarn, shopping for yarn.... and visiting the beach and the other fun things to do in Hawaii... I lover her!

We then get a week or so the "clean house" so to speak, before my MIL, FIL, BIL (R) and SIL (T) show up. It is going to VERY busy agian VERY soon. Not only that but I am only a mediocer house keeper while my MIL and SIL have SPOTLESS homes.... yea..., kinda feeling that..., but hey, I knit!

So that is about what has been going on! Wow, that took less time than I thought...

Linking out to a giveaway!

So there is an amazing giveaway that is giving extra points for linking to it. Check it out!

Life on Laffer: A Real Blogger (and a Giveaway!)

I need to just start posting agian...

Ok, so I kinda took an unscheduled hiatus from posting. I need to get back to it. I also now have hubby telling me I need to take photos... how bad is that?

Flickr

Well I got things uploaded to flickr... everything but the projects... for some reason none of them made it... I took photos of them so I am surprised that they somehow got deleted from the computer. Anyway. going to retake photos... soon. the light in the house isn't very good for it so it will have to wait.

Well, I *think* we got the phot thing figured out...

And if I did then hopefully I will get them up in the next few days (tonight? Please?)