Monday, February 27, 2006

We are All Healthy!?! (fingers crossed)

OK, so my goal this week is that everyone goes to school everyday this week and lasts the entire day. Last week Katie and Olivia seemed to take turns staying home sick. Katie, Seth and I still have a residual cough but otherwise are feeling good.

This is a busy week for me. Church meetings on Tuesday and Saturday morning. A Tastefully Simple show on Friday night and my niece Abbi's 3rd birthday party on Saturday afternoon.

I'm also a little stressed as I talked to my Mom yesterday and found out that my Dad is in the hospital. Apparently the heel on his right foot has really been bothering him. Of course, being a man, he refused to go to the doctor until it got so bad that it has now turned black. My father has been a diabetic for the last 20+ years and his not a good one. He's had laser surgery on both eyes, lost his left leg from the knee down and had a quintuple bypass because of the disease. The doctors are trying to save his right foot/leg but we will no for sure in a couple of days. So obviously this is all I can think about as I worry he's just not got the strength to go through another major surgery, recovery and learning to walk with two prosthetics. I'm hoping that thoughts of his grandchildren will keep him strong and optimistic. All prayers for him and my family would be much appreciated.

Haven't heard from Jonathon lately but am hoping to get a call this week. Seems like every 2 weeks we hear something. I'm hoping that now that he's passed the 3 week mark things are getting easier for him. Marc and I are looking forward to seeing him graduate and wondering how much he will have changed, if at all.

Well, Seth is bugging me as he's ready for lunch and wants leftover spaghetti from last night. Have a great day everyone!

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Wow, it's already been a week since I last posted. Partly because last Wednesday I came down with a horrible cold that just kicked my butt big time. I even missed scrapbooking so you know it was bad!

We left Friday and headed to by brother Bill's house for the long President's Day weekend. The kids were relatively good for the 5 hour drive and none of them napped at all which was amazing in itself. We did our normal stop at Sonic Drive-In in Springfield, IL for lunch. Marc loves that place and unfortunately it's the closest one to us. We had a great weekend and I enjoyed being with my two nieces (Chloe is 3 1/2 and Haley is 8 months)! Our visit was two-fold as my sister-in-law had a joint Tastefully Simple/Pampered Chef party and it went really well. She was worried no one would show up but she had 10 people there so that was good!

We came home yesterday and poor Seth was having tummy troubles. Luckily it was just stomach cramps and once I gave him some Pepto-Bismal when we got home he felt much better. Needless to say I am doing a lot of laundry today to try and catch up.

Heard from our son Jonathon who's doing his basic training with the Air Force. He's doing fine but is definitely a little homesick. I'm in the process of writing him a letter as I haven't sent one in a while.

I've been watching the Olympics and have convinced Marc to take the girls to Karate tonight so I can watch the women's skating tonight. I think it concludes Thursday and we have to be at church to get pictures taken for the new directory that night so I guess I'll have to set the VCR that night.

I've also got to get busy and make my cards for the card swap as they are due this week. As usual I've waited until the last minute. I'm going to try and do them tomorrow when Seth is at Parent's Day Out. Maybe I'll try and figure out a plan today so tomorrow I can just get it done!

Have a Great Day!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Happy Valentine's Day

Will wonders never cease?? Surprisingly, I awoke to find a dozen tulips in a vase along with a card on the breakfast counter this morning. My husband can be very sneaky and romantic when he wants to be. He came home late from basketball last night and I thought nothing of it. I was actually in the kitchen when he got home and he came in empty handed. Then a few minutes later he professed that he'd left his wallet in the car. When he came in from getting that (and the presents)..he decided he'd just go right downstairs to check on the girls. Unbeknownst to me he put the flowers in the sink in the laundry room and then snuck down there this morning to get them. I had no idea. I just figured it would be like most Valentine's day when I heard the same speech about how he doesn't need Hallmark to tell him when to be romantic, he'll bring me flowers whenever he feels like it. Which apparently is only our anniversary, mother's day and my birthday (if he remembers it)...LOL

Katie and Olivia left here this morning all decked out in red with their Valentine shirt and socks they got from Grandma. Olivia can't wait until their party and refused to believe that it wouldn't be until the end of the day. She just won't be able to wait that long as that will be the funnest part of the day and she's convinced herself that the party will most likely take place right after snack this morning. She was so cute addressing her cards this weekend, she sealed every last one with a kiss, except for Josh's which was sealed with two kisses. She LIKES him and when she told him that he told her to go soak her head in the lake!!! She doesn't seem deterred though, she probably thinks she can make him like her.

OK, so I've been feeling ambitious lately....I actually cooked full course meal on Saturday and again yesterday. Plus I baked an Almond Pound Cake, sliced it and used a heart shaped cookie cutter to make hearts which I then frosted with cool whip which I had added Red Red Raspberry mix too. I have a meeting a church this morning and those will be our treats. Next time I do this instead of making the pound cake in a loaf pan I'm going to make it in a cookie sheet (with edges). This way I will be able to get more heart shapes out of it, I hope! Then after my church meeting I plan on coming home and making strawberry cupcakes (as I've recently been accused of never making cupcakes) frosting them with pink frosting and topping them off with a jelly heart on top. I plan to have them sitting on the table when the girls get home from Karate tonight. Hopefully they will be happily surprised.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!

Friday, February 10, 2006

We Survived

We all managed to get through our dental appointment without incident. Unfortunately all of us have to return later as we all have cavities or areas of concern that need to be taken care of.

In case you are wondering about all the decisions I was pondering yesterday, here's what happened. I did not do laundry so I am in the process of doing it now. I still haven't decided what to do for my card swap. I did end up watching Days and didn't cry as much as I thought I would. And, Seth did not have mashed potatoes for lunch, instead he requested Macaroni & Cheese.

Tonight is the Father/Daughter Valentine Dance at our church. Katie and Olivia will be going with their Dad (who is Jewish)...I'm actually impressed that he agreed to take them as he will not know anyone there. The girls are all excited and spent all morning choosing the outfit and accessories they plan to wear. Of course I'll have to take pictures and scrap that memory for them.

Marc is home today as he has a school conference for Suzanne later. After that he plans on going to Menard's (his favorite place) to get the flooring for our living room. I can't wait to get rid of the UGLY carpeting it is going to replace. Unfortunately it will probably be a month or too before that happens. Right now he's sanding the walls he patched and hoping to paint them with primer later today. Then later tonight we plan on having a date night.....LOL....which will consist of going to Walmart as he needs new socks and picking up Subway for dinner. We are so romantic...NOT!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Decisions, Decisions

Well, last nights scrapbooking was a great time as usual!! It's always a bright spot in my week and one I look forward too!

Today it's back to the usual routine...drop kids at school, pick up house, etc. Later in the day we all go to the dentist. It's amazing how our dentist has to set aside an entire afternoon just to see all of us. He's the only dentist the 4 older kids have ever been too and when Marc and I got married my girls and I started going to him as well. I'm soooo glad that he's a great guy as I am one of those people who have a dentist phobia. If I go and I don't like you, I won't go again until there are problems which I know is not good. My youngest brother is a dentist but he lives near St. Louis so it's a little far for us to go....also I'm not sure he'd be as patient with us since we're family, LOL!!

OK, so I'm a huge Days of our Lives fan and today is the funeral of Hope & Bo's youngest son. According to http://www.theearlyedition.blogspot.com it's going to be quite the tearjerker. I'm not sure if I want to watch or not. I'm such a sap and it doesn't take much to make me cry so I know I'd be sobbing. Of course the decision might be taken out of my hands if Seth decides he wants to watch one of "his" shows.

My other big decisions of the day......drum roll.....

Do I do a load of laundry today or do I wait and just do two loads tomorrow?

What kind of cards do I want to make for the card swap I'm in? We have strict instructions that they have to be cards for HAPPY occasions. I just have to decide which happy occasion to chose.

Do I let Seth eat mashed potatoes for lunch for like the 4th time in a week or do I insist he eat something else?

Well, obviously I'm not getting much done so far today so I'd better get busy or my day will be over before I know it!!

Hope everyone has a good day!

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

YEAH, It's Wednesday

OK, so I'm so deep in thought trying to figure out what to post as my first entry, that when the UPS man just rang the doorbell I jumped. Needless to say I knew he was here as I heard the truck. Anyway, I LOVE Wednesdays as this is my night to join my sister-in-law Marnie and all our friends for a wonderful, wacky night of scrapbooking. We affectionately refer to this as therapy night!! We keep trying to convince our husbands that letting us go out once a week to scrapbook is cheaper than what therapy would cost. My husband is not so easily convinced as he knows I'm completely addicted and love to spend money on paper and supplies whether I need them or not!!

I'm not sure why I decided to start my own blog, I just enjoy reading Marnie's and I love the idea of keeping a daily journal. So, since I spend most of my time running around after kids and the any spare time I have on the computer I just decided it might be fun!

My husband, Marc and I have 7 children between the two of us. He has four and I had two from a previous marriage and then we have one together. Stephen is 20 and goes to Harper College and works part-time at Dinorex (think Chuck E. Cheese). Jonathon is 18 and just joined the Air Force last week and is currently in San Antonio for basic training. Matthew is 16, a junior in high school who also plans to join the military when he graduates. Suzanne is 13, an 8th grader who is both excited and nervous about going to high school next year. Katie is 9 and a 4th grader who loves to entertain anyone who will give her the chance, she's definitely our Drama Queen. Olivia is 6 and in 1st grade, she is a sweet, funny, loving little girl but she has a little of the Devil in her. And, finally Seth is 4 and loves anything Batman, Spiderman or super hero related.

Now, surely you can understand why I love Wednesdays!!