View from the Kitchen Window: cloudy sky
Listen in: ds4 growling at Baby Girl
Supper Plans: Spaghetti, salad, corn on the cob (we had BLTs last night)
What I Plan to Do Today: Go to the library with ds4 and Baby Girl
Beauty in the Common Things: sleeping with the windows open

My Oldest Daughter

We seem to have lost a child around here somewhere. The good thing is, she has been replaced with a new, improved model! Yes, I am talking about my oldest daughter. For the past week and a half, I have been giving her my vitamins, Double X. She takes 1/2 the dosage of adults.

The difference in her is unbelievable. I had no idea that she would change so drastically, I just thought it would be nice to have her taking a very good quality vitamin and that it would help her not get sick as much, feel better, etc. Well, we now call these vitamins "Happy Pills." She is a delight to be around, she is more responsible, she is doing things like cleaning her room without being asked to, getting her homework done promptly when she gets home from school, not fighting with me and dh, smiling more, laughing more, etc. These may not seem like big improvements to those of you who have happy children, but if you know my daughter, you will know why we are so excited about these improvements.

Her change in attitude really is incredible!

(I get them for about $25 cheaper then the price listed on the above link)

Leo

My dad called last night to tell us that Leo, our family horse, had died. We got Leo when I was 2 years old. He was 2 years old at the time, according to Dad. So that means he would have been 30 on his upcoming birthday in March. (My sisters have also written about Leo on their blogs and I think we all have a different age for him)
Leo was a part of our family. That may sound strange to some of you, because he was "just a horse." But he was so special to all of us. I don't remember not having him. Leo is a piece of my childhood that is now gone. I feel so sad about this and I miss him. He was just always there. All of the grandchildren have ridden him except Baby Girl. I have pictures of my two oldest children riding Leo when they were 3 months old! They were riding with Papa, of course. :)

If we happened to be at Mom and Dad's on Leo's birthday, we made him a carrot cake and gave it to him. Ha! Isn't that funny? We just loved this horse so much. My friends in junior high and high school will even remember him, because they rode him, too. I remember one summer day when 2 guy friends stopped by. They decided they were going to play cowboys. They ran out to the pasture and jumped on Leo bareback. Of course, they thought he would take off running and it would be this wild adventure. He just stood there! I think he may have even started munching grass! It was so funny, because he was like, "Boring." I love that memory.

I have so many memories of Leo. He was part of my life from 2 to 30. Another funny memory is when my friend Candy and I wanted to ride him in our front yard. We were probably 7 years old at the time. I rode in the front and she rode in the back. Well, she didn't know that if you put your feet in the horse's flank (I think that's what it's called- basically it's the tender spot between the tummy and the hip) the horse will buck! That's how rodeo horses buck so much, they put a strap around the horse's flank. Anyway, Candy put her feet there and dug in tight to hang on. Well, Leo started hopping! It was like he was just hopping around the yard. We both fell off and were laughing so hard we couldn't stand up. I'm sure it was hilarious to watch.

Ds8 didn't know the word "horse" until he was about 4. Every horse was a "Leo." He still loves horses, but he no longer calls them all Leo. :)

I haven't told my kids that he died. They are going to be so sad. Just a couple of days ago ds6#2 said, "Mommy, can we go to Mom and Papa's on Leo's birthday and make him another carrot cake?" I really don't know of another horse who got cake on his birthday. Not every birthday, but a few. :)

I have lots of pictures of Leo and the kids, but I don't think they are digital pictures. My scanner is broken so I can't scan them in. I'll look for a digital picture of him and put it on my blog if I find one.

Goodbye, Leo.

View from the kitchen window: sunshine and wind blowing
Listen in: It's A Big World
What I plan to do today: restock diaper bag, eat lunch with ds6#1, grocery store, cancel cleaning lady who was supposed to come on 3/2 (I found a better one)
Supper plans: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad
Beauty in the common things: sunshine

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. ~Phyllis Diller

View from the kitchen window: the wind blowing my butterfly flag
Today I plan to: restock diaper bag, make beauty appointments for April and also a hair appointment for next week, grocery shopping, take books back to library, cleaning lady coming to give price
Supper plans: BLTs
Listen in: Baby Girl playing in the dog crate
Beauty in the Common Things: kindergarten teachers

May your walls know joy; may every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility. ~Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey

What American Accent Do You Have?

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland   "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
The South
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

My Pity Party

I am having a pity party this morning. I feel sorry for myself today. Baby Girl and ds4 woke up with pink eye, again. We had plans today to see some friends who moved to Georgia who we haven't seen since last July. Now we can't go, unless of couse, Leslie wants her twin 3 year old boys to get pink eye and take it back to Georgia to spread around. I'm thinking she won't want that.

I have had sick children since early November. This is not an exageration. I have literally had at least one sick child in my home since early November. The only exception was the week of Christmas.

Also, I have had no extra money since early November. I know a lot of people live paycheck to paycheck all the time and I can now empathize with them.

I am tired. I am weepy. I am irritable. I bit dh's head off this morning because he wasn't feeling as sorry for me as I was feeling for myself. How dare him not feel sorry for me? Another reason for my pity party is that I haven't been to church since my birthday, in December, because every Sunday there is someone sick who needs me to stay home with them. Dh helps in the children's ministry at church and they really need him there, so I won't ask him to stay home so I can go. Also, I have no church clothes right now. I have shopped for maternity dressy clothes, but have found nothing. Thus, another reason to feel sorry for poor little (big, actually) me.

Of course, I know that I shouldn't feel sorry for myself and pity parties are nonproductive. I know that my kids may be sick, but the illnesses they have are normal childhood illnesses, nothing life-threatening or chronic. I know that we will have extra money again soon (tax refund and dh's bonus will pay off a lot of debt and will free up some money). I know that I should not bite dh's head off at all, ever. I know that if I really wanted to go to church, I could go to a church here on Sunday night or Wednesday night and ask dh to stay home with the children. It is a comfort zone thing and I need to get over it.

I know all of these things. But I still feel sorry for myself today.
Aren't y'all glad you came over to my blog today so you can feel sorry for me, too?

This is what my daffodils look like this morning. The funny thing is, they do not smell at all. No scent whatsoever. I am very disappointed, because their scent is my favorite thing about them. They are beautiful to look at though!

Today is a busy day for us. The little ones and I have quite a bit to do~ take clothes to seamstress, take clothes to cleaners, continue trying to find a babysitter for tomorrow (midwife appt.), put away Christmas decorations that are still hiding here and there, stock an emergency bag and put it in the van, and look for a book in the garage (I know the general vicinity of the box). Then I need to call my friend who is in town from Georgia and arrange to see her. Tonight dd12 has Girl Scouts at 6 and ds8 has a music performance at 7. Whew!

Yesterday I found someone to clean my house every other week. I arranged for her to start March 2nd and come every other Friday after that. Dh did not like this plan. So, he asked me to make him a list of things I want cleaned, things that the cleaning lady would do, and he would do those things on Saturdays. He asked me to cancel the cleaning lady's appointment on March 2nd.

He gave me a job to do while he is deep cleaning. My job is to keep the kids occupied and to fix the meals.

This is very sweet of him and I appreciate him offering to do this for me. The thing is, I am going to feel bad letting him do all of the cleaning while I watch the kids. Well, I am not going to feel bad right now, because it is getting physically harder for me to do deep cleaning chores. But after a few months, I am going to be able to do those things again, and the Saturday deep cleaning is probably going to get passed off to me. Maybe that will be no big deal.

But I kinda wanted to cleaning lady to keep coming forever!! ;) I think it would be so nice to have some help with cleaning on a consistent basis.

I know most people clean their own houses, so this is not a huge issue. I just feel like I could use some help right now and especially during the summer when I have a newborn and 6 kids home all day. It seems like the deep cleaning chores never get done. We'll see how long dh wants to keep cleaning on Saturdays. He may be begging me to call the cleaning lady after a few weeks of this. I love him, I really do.

This morning I walked out onto my front porch and I saw our first daffodil of Spring. It is so pretty! By noon there were 3 others bloomed. I love daffodils~ they are beautiful to look at and to smell. They remind me of Christina, because they are her birth flower. She was born in March. What's your birth flower? See this website to find out.

The website actually says that jonquils are the March flower. Are jonquils and daffodils the same flower? According to this Master Gardener, they are from the same family, but they are not the same flower. Well, daffodils still remind me of Christina, even if they are not truly her birth flower!

It is beautiful here today! The weather is gorgeous, 69 degrees right now, and there is a slight breeze. I have the windows open and it smells like Spring.

Tag...I'm it!

The theme is three things we're thankful for and Annie has tagged me!

I am thankful for so many things. Today I was listening to a song by Watermark called Grateful People. It really expresses how I feel toward God for blessing me, His daughter.

1) I am thankful for salvation! This may seem like an obvious one, but I think about it a lot and I truly am grateful for this gift.

2)I am thankful for my husband and children. My wonderful husband is a gift from God, truly. Anyone who knows our story knows that my husband was sent to me directly from God. With a little help from Annie, of course. ; )
He loves me so muchand I completely trust him and his decisions. We are best friends, we enjoy spending time together, we laugh together, and I am very thankful that he is my sweetheart.

I have 6 beautiful children. I am blessed to be their Mommy. Each one of my kids has a unique personality, even my twins, which surprised me for some reason. I guess I thought twins would be the same in every way. My kids are funny, sweet, annoying at times, loving, smart, and beautiful! I am so very thankful for each one of them, and for the one we are expecting in April.

3) I am thankful for my friends. I have many friends that God has blessed me with. I have Annie, whom I have known for 13 years. She carried me through tough times and we are like sisters. I have my sisters, Christina and Natalie, who are very close to me, especially since we have become adults. I know I can always count on them and I know they love me. We have so much fun together. They are 2 of my best friends.
I have friends from Mission, where we lived from 1999-2000. God put people in my life there to help me grow and change into the woman He wants me to become. Siobhan, Lora, and Holly are 3 friends I am still close to. I have friends who I met when we moved to RHCC about 6 years ago. We were all homeschooling at the time and we grew very close. Jill, Tracy, Lana, Micala...to name a few.
Leslie, who was my neighbor is Euless, is a great friend whom I am thankful for. We lived next door to each other for about a year and a half and got to be very good friends. We both moved last summer. She now lives in Georgia, so far away!
And then there's Cheerful! We have only known each other for alittle over a year, but feel like we have known each other forever. Cheerful is as unique as her name, she is fun, and I know God put us in each other's lives. We talk everyday, we are very close, and I am thankful for her!

There you have it, three things I am thankful for.

Okay, Cheerful, Nat and Christina, tag...you're it!

Baby's Layette and Other Things to Buy

What exactly is a layette? According to the American Heritage Dictionary it is a set of clothing and bedding for a newborn child.

I found this list of things to buy for baby:

Baby Needs: Clothing and Layette
5-10 onesies or rompers, depending on how often you want to do laundry
5-7 baby sleepers or nightgowns
5-7 pairs of baby socks
1-2 newborn hats, depending on climate
Baby Needs: Diapers and Bath Items
2 packs of disposable diapers
1 pack of disposable wipes
Waterproof pad for diaper changes
3-5 baby washcloths
1-2 hooded towels, if desired.
1 bottle of gentle baby wash
Baby nail clippers
Digital thermometer
Baby Needs: Bedding and Feeding
3-4 fitted sheets for crib
5-7 lightweight blankets
1-2 heavier blankets, depending on climate
10 burp cloths
5-8 bottles, if you're bottle feeding
Breastfeeding pillow, if desired

Then I found a very extensive list here.


Right now I am overwhelmed by so much to do. I feel like I need to get organized and "get it all together" before the baby's birth. But do I really think I will ever "get it all together"? No, I do not. I am more organized than I was with my first and second children. Thank goodness. But I still have such a long way to go to reach efficiency. Today has been another tired day without much accomplished. I did get our taxes done. That was a big weight off my shoulders.

Enough complaining for now. Hopefully this won't turn into Gigi's Gripey Blog in the next few weeks. : )

Birth Plan- Don't Read This Unless You Want to Know Graphic Details of Our Birth Wishes! : )

( I took off the personal information at the beginning- our names, due date, hospital, and midwives' names)


Special Notes
My blood type is O negative.

General Comments
As we prepare for the birth of our seventh child, we have a few requests. We want to be very clear about our expectations for the hospital staff and our midwives, as well as what we plan to do for ourselves.
We would like all staff to discuss all procedures with us before they are performed.

Environment
We would like to the environment during labor to be calm and quiet.
I would like to be able to wear my own choice of clothes during labor.
I would like the lights to be dimmed, if possible, especially in the bathroom while I am in the bathtub.

During Labor
I would like vaginal exams to be kept to a minimum. I want only my midwives to perform the exams.
I want to avoid an IV unless it is absolutely necessary.
I would prefer to avoid electronic fetal monitoring. I would prefer instead for my midwife or nurse to use a Doppler to check the baby’s heart rate periodically.

**When I first arrive at the hospital I am usually monitored in the observation room and then monitored again when I am moved to the birthing suite. I want to be monitored at one place or the other, not both, if that is possible. It is almost impossible to relax and use natural techniques for pain relief while hooked up to the electronic fetal monitoring machine. **

I would like to deliver in whatever position is comfortable for me.

**I would like to try the squat/birth bar. If that doesn’t feel right, I would like to try lying on my left side during the pushing stage. I do not want to deliver our baby in the semi-reclining, legs-pushed-back position. **

· I want to push only when I feel the urge to do so. I would prefer not to be told to push simply because I am dilated to a 10.

Pain Relief
· I would like to give birth naturally and without medication.
· I want to be in a warm bath as soon as possible and as much as possible.
· I would like to try the shower if the warm bath loses its effectiveness.
· I am going to bring my own birthing ball to use for comfort.

Induction
· We would like to avoid an induction unless the baby shows distress.
· In the event that the pregnancy goes past 42 weeks, I would like to be induced using pitocin, with an epidural for pain relief.

Delivery of the Placenta
· I would like to deliver the placenta naturally, with no pulling on the umbilical cord.

After the Birth
· We would like the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it is cut.
· We want Dad to cut the cord.
· I want to be given ibuprofen as soon after the baby is delivered as possible.

Feeding
· I will be breastfeeding our baby.
· Please do not give our baby bottles, supplements, or pacifiers without our consent.

If Our Baby is Sick
· I would like to breastfeed when possible
· We would like to have unlimited visits with our baby
· We would like to hold our baby as much as possible
· In the event that the baby has to be transferred to another facility, we would like to follow as soon as possible

Circumcision
· No circumcision is to be performed in the hospital. Our family’s pediatrician will perform the circumcision at a later date.

Eye Care
· We would like to delay eye care until after we have bonded with our baby.
· We would prefer erythromycin eye treatment to silver nitrate for our baby.

Vitamin K
· We would like vitamin K to be given to our baby.
· We would prefer that oral vitamin K be administered, if possible.

We realize that not every birth goes as planned and that unexpected events happen. We also know that we are in good hands and that you, our midwives and nurses, will try to follow this birth plan as closely as possible. We are excited about our baby’s birth and we are glad you are going to share this special event with us.

Super Woman Has Left the Building

Remember my "Things To Do Before Baby is Born" list from January? I have revised it. I took off the things I have gotten done and added a few more things that I want to get done before she/he is born.

1. Go through kids’ wardrobes- get rid of extra clothes and shoes that don’t fit or they don’t wear
2. Totally baby proof the house (so that Baby Girl doesn't get into as much mischief)
3. Clean out the van- clutter, vacuum, Armor All, tires, outside of van
4. Have my garage sale
5. Send dh and kids out of town for a weekend so I can clean and declutter entire house
6. Arrange for house cleaning in last months before baby and few months after baby
7. Cook and freeze lots of meals for month after baby is born
8. Buy new infant car seat
9. Stock up on diapers (newborn, sz1, sz2)
10. Bottles (3 or 4)
11. Plan and stock an “emergency bag” for the car- snacks, water, extra clothes, extra diapers and wipes, toys, blanket, money, etc.
12. Make appointments for hair cut, highlight, wax, manicure, and pedicure for April
13. Plan birth announcements- shop for them
14. Buy birthing/exercise ball
15. Buy/choose 2 books to read after baby is born
16. Finish birth plan
17. Agree with dh on a girl name and a boy name
18. Clean up and organize my desk

Yesterday at noon I got dd12 from school because she had a fever. This morning we went to the dr. and she has...the flu! Plus, an ear infection and a sinus infection. Taking her to the dr. and all that was involved (carrying sleeping Baby Girl for part of the time, then wrestling her in the exam room) and then going to Wal Mart in the freezing cold wind to drop off prescriptions completely wore me out. I came home and crashed on the couch for 2 hours. Of course, I didn't get to sleep much, but I got to rest. That was good. I am just so tired today. A lot of my new to do list will probably get delegated. : )

Today

I walked out of the living room to go make my bed, and when I walked back through the house, I found these 2 little rascals in my kitchen! Ds4 was fascinated by the balloons and Baby Girl was just trying to find some candy!

I have another list today. It is a short, easy one. My lists are getting shorter and easier as time goes by. I am tired today and I want to sleep.

Things To Do Today:
1. Catch up on laundry (fold and put away all clean laundry, wash wet sheets and blankets from bedwetters last night)

2. Get sheets back on beds

3. Take a nap with ds4 and Baby Girl

4. Clean up my bedroom for 15 minutes

5. Clean up my bathroom for 15 minutes

6. Chick fil A for lunch

7. Make a plan for my days Baby Girl and ds4 are driving me crazy and they need more structure

**I made the plan**

Here it is:

8:00 Breakfast and kitchen cleanup (we get back from taking kids to school right at 8)
8:30 Make bed, switch laundry, kids play inside while I fold and put away one load of laundry, put dinner in crockpot (if I'm using the crockpot that day)
9:00 Read 1 story to kids, then play with them inside or talk a walk around the block or run errands
10:00 Give kids their baths, then computer time for Mommy while they watch a cartoon
11:00 Kids watch Sesame Street while Mommy listens to Revive Our Hearts
11:30 Lunch
12:00 Naptime
2:00 Snack, then go get kids from school

To My Husband

Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear
I will be here
If in the dark, we lose sight of love
Hold my hand, and have no fear
'Cause I will be here
I will be here
When you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind, I will listen
And I will be here
When the laughter turns to crying
Through the winning, losing and trying
We'll be together
I will be here

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I will be here
Just as sure as seasons were made for change
Our lifetimes were made for years
So I will be here
I will be here
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me

--Steven Curtis Chapman

Happy Valentine's Day!



















We are having a great day! Dh is here and we are enjoying spending some time with him before he flies out to St. Louis this evening. We took the kids' lunches to school (I had to pack special Valentine's Day goodies in their lunchboxes and it took a while, so we took their lunches to them at 11), then we went to lunch at Chili's. After that, we went to the twins' school parties. When we got home and checked the mail there was a letter from ds6#2. It was a Valentine's card he made at school and mailed to us. So cute!

I have decorated the kitchen with red streamers and pink balloons. I thought it would be fun to have a special Valentine's dinner for the kiddos. They LOVE balloons and, in their opinions, if there are balloons, it is a party!! I tied two balloons on the front porch post also. Of course, my neighbors will think we've had the baby early and it's a girl. Until they see me waddling out to the van, that is.

This morning when I got back from taking the kids to school there was a piece of paper stuck in the handle of the glass door. It was a love letter from my sweetheart. It is the sweetest letter I have gotten in a very long time.

My Love Letter

"To my Valentine, Julie. My wife forever. My love forever. I love you as much as chicken pot pie. I love you as much as ice cream. I love you as much as chocolate. I love you as much as looking on realtor.com. I love you more than you even know.

I just wanted to stop and write you a note, on this LOVE day, to tell you how much I love you. For all that you've been, for all that you are, and all that you will be- I love all of you.

You're a gift from God, who has helped me make decisions that are heavenly sound. You're special to me and I thank God that he chose you for me. I love you more than you can imagine.

My prayer for us on this special day:
God, thank you for my wonderful friend, partner, and lover. You have blessed me in a way that I can't thank you enough. Thank you for my wife, thank you for all that she adds to my life. Please protect her when I'm not around, keep her safe, and help her to always know that I love her- no matter what.

I love you."

My Ultrasound Today

The ultrasound went great. Baby is healthy and just the perfect size for my due date of April 29th. She weighs 3 pounds. Everything is fine!

I saw Baby sticking her tongue out and opening her little mouth. We got a really great profile picture. It was a fun ultrasound! I even got to see little wrinkles on her forehead. So cute!

BTW, I am saying "her" because I hate to say "it" when referring to Baby. So, I am choosing to say "her" even though I do not know if the baby is a girl or boy.

: )

School Lunches

I need ideas for school lunches to pack for my kids. They take sandwiches almost every day, and sometimes they take a hot dog. I usually give them a piece of fruit or applesauce, and cookies or some kind of candy. Sometimes I send yogurt and occasionally string cheese. Dd12 takes leftovers usually and sometimes a sandwich. She has a microwave so she can heat up her food. What are some other ideas for school lunches? What do you send with your kids?

TV Shows

There are a couple of TV shows that I do not like. I can't figure out why so many people love these shows. One of these is Gray's Anatomy. I do think Patrick Dempsey (is that his name?) is adorable, but I don't like the show AT ALL. I have tried to watch it and it is too much for me. I also don't care for Desperate Housewives. We watched it last night and when it was over I thought, "Why did I waste my time watching that?"

There are a few shows I really like. One of them is Super Nanny. I love her! She is so great and I really like watching the bratty kids. Tonight Super Nanny is going to deal with a rebellious teen. We're watching it!
Lots of times I think the kids just need a good old fashioned spanking, but I have read Super Nanny's book and she basically says that nannies can't spank so she had to come up with other ways to deal with kids' misbehavior.

Another show I like this season is American Idol. I have never watched it before or gotten into it at all. I know, I am a little behind. But this season, for some reason, I really like the show. I still think the judges are mean, I feel so sorry for the guys and gals who are good but not good enough, and Paula looks drugged sometimes, but overall it is a fun show to watch.

And there's always Oprah! I really like watching her show most of the time. My SIL warned me that Oprah is a feminist and I shouldn't watch her show or read her magazine, but I think I am a big girl and can decide who and what to watch and read. Lots of times I turn it off because the topic doesn't relate to my life, but sometimes she has really good stuff on her show. She usually has good celebrities as guests. I have specially enjoyed watching her interviews with Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and Jennifer Anniston.

Update

I got the garage cleaned out last week. I can't remember what day that was. I cleaned for about 12 hours, with an hour break in there to get the kids from school. I got a lot accomplished, but I didn't find the box of clothes! I think I have already given the clothes to SIL because I remember her baby wearing one of Baby Girl's outfits at Christmas. And I think it was a 6-9 months size outfit.

I went to my midwives Friday. They ordered an ultrasound for this coming Tuesday because they are concerned about the baby's size. I am measuring small and I have only gained 5 or 6 pounds. We're confident that our baby is healthy and everything is fine. I will update you on that Tuesday afternoon.

Baby Girl came down with the flu Friday morning. She already had double ear infections, a sinus infection, and a respiratory infection. She has been on amoxicillin for about a week, so there is not concern that the flu will turn into pneumonia or any other bacterial infection.

This evening we (dh, me, and kids) made Valentine boxes for the kids' school parties. We made ds4 one also, so he wouldn't feel left out. Baby Girl and Daddy made Valentine hearts and glued them onto paper. Everyone's Love Tank is full now. : ) Dd12's box has a picture of Zac Efron on it, of course.

I have a busy week ahead: ultrasound, Valentine parties, dh out of town Wednesday afternoon thru Friday night, plus the normal daily challenges of living with and taking care of 7 other people. It is going to be a great week though and I am looking forward to the fun we're going to have and the memories we're going to make.

Cleaning Out the Garage Tomorrow

Tomorrow I am going to clean out our garage. This is a BIG deal because right now it is impossible to walk through our garage without getting hurt. I do not really want to clean out the garage all in one day, tomorrow, but I am being forced to do it. My SIL wants a box of clothes for her baby and the box is lost in my garage. I located the box of clothes in early December but then it disappeared again. It is a box of 6-12 month baby girl clothes. Some of the clothes are her girls' clothes that I borrowed and some of the clothes are Baby Girl's clothes that SIL is going to borrow. SIL wants the box back and is asking if she can come to our house this weekend and get it.

Anyhoo, my plan is to lay out working clothes tonight and get to bed by 9. I am going to get up early and get everything done that I normally do after taking the kids to school (empty dishwasher, make bed, start laundry). Then tomorrow when I get back from taking the kids to school I will attack the garage. My goal is to be able to park in the garage by my due date. I am having a garage sale on March 31st or sooner, depending on how much stuff I decide to sell when I am cleaning tomorrow.

I have found that if I take my vitamins at night I have lots of energy in the morning when I wake up. If I take my vitamins in the morning, I have lots of energy until noon. I can't figure out how to have energy from noon until bedtime. But at least I can work on the garage until noon. Hopefully Baby Girl and ds4 will cooperate and play nicely while Mommy works. We'll see. :)

Filling Up Freezer and Planting Pansies

Filling Up Freezer

I want to fill up my extra freezer with food for after our new baby is born. My original thought was that I would cook double portions of meals and freeze the extra portion. But, I am spending every bit of my food money already and I don't really have any extra money to buy more ingredients. I am not good at planning my menus around sales and coupons. I have tried it and it doesn't work for me. One time I made me menus based on the sales ads, went to 4 different grocery store, spent 4 hours shopping, and spent $60 less than I normally spent. It was great at the time, but I can't get excited about that kind of work just to save $60. I guess $60 is quite a bit of money, especially when your food budget for 2 weeks is $200. Another problem is that there are only 2 grocery stores in this town. Ha! That would present a problem, now wouldn't it?

I think I will try fixing one cheap meal a week (beans and cornbread, eggs and toast, etc.) and buy double ingredients for one of my other meals that week.

Like last night we had Sticky Chicken and Cheddar Biscuits (I didn't have time to make sourdough bread). I could have bought 2 chickens and made 2 batches of biscuits, or just frozen half of the biscuits. The recipe made 20 biscuits. Tonight we are using the leftover chicken to make Chicken and Pasta with Vegetables. I could have frozen another meal tonight if I had bought 2 chickens and cooked them both yesterday.

Questions for my loyal readers:
*What are some other cheap meals?
*Do you have any other ideas for filling up my freezer without spending too much extra money on food?

Planting Pansies

Today dd12 is out of school and we are going to plant pansies. When I pick up the boys from school in a few minutes we are all going to go outside, the boys and Baby Girl are going to play, and dd12 and I are going to plant pansies in the front flower beds.
I also bought 3 pots of daffodil bulbs that have been started for me. I have never seen pots of daffodil bulbs, but at Wal Mart yesterday (yes, I took Baby Girl to Wal Mart again) I saw lots of pots of planted tulip bulbs and daffodil bulbs. You just leave them in the pot and they bloom there. Perfect! I'll post pictures of my flowers when they get planted and when the daffodils bloom.

Note To Self

"You are pregnant. 28 weeks pregnant, to be exact. Hauling a 20- month old around Wal Mart for 2 hours wearing high heeled boots is not smart. Your feet will scream at you after this adventure and your back will ache. Then you will want to come home and rest but you can't do that because dh has the flu now. Next time, don't take 20-month old to Wal Mart. Don't do 2-hour shopping trips anymore. And DO NOT wear the high heeled boots anymore. Ever."

Beyond Survival

Kim over at Large Family Logistics has invited her loyal readers to join her in her "Beyond Survival" series. Basically, she knows there are times when things fall apart at home because of too many activities, illnesses, a new baby, husband travelling, etc. She is helping those of us who are at that point get it back together. The first post she wrote was about Morning Routines. I'm going to post everything we work on in my sidebar, just for my own personal satisfaction. I really like to see my routines; I like to see what I want to accomplish.

You can go to her blog (listed in my links) and check out her Beyond Survival posts.