So many things

Easter Pictures. I can't believe I didn't have someone take a picture of the family with me in it. We all matched nicely. Bummer!!

Crazy hair day at the school and Maggie turned 7.


It seems ages since I've written and when I checked, it has been. November was my last post. Where has time gone? I realized that it's about the time I got L at my house. Having a baby around really throws off my schedule. But I'm loving having him here. Now he's almost 8mths and moves around like crazy. I've also got a 3 mth old now B and her older brothers who I had before for a while. It keeps me hopping.

The only major drawback of babysitting is the lack of being able to participate w/ my own kids classes. But Darrell has stepped up a bit to volunteer for field trips and that takes the edge of guilt off a bit.

So what's currently going on in my life besides the 7 kids (8 if you include Darrell) I'm watching? Well, our MOPS group is really doing well. We're going into our 5th full year. I stepped down from Coordinator (and am more than happy to do so!) and will now assume the Care Team leader. All that's required is know what is going on with all our members and see if anyone needs anything. Perfect! I was told I do that naturally already. Which is probably true since I seem to know more in 4 yrs about these women than some know after a lifetime. What can I say? I'm NOSEY! I got an e-mail from corporate and was asked to do a book review in a few weeks about a new book called Momology A Moms Guide to Shaping Great Kids. I can't wait. I think it will be a great read.

I'm also still going crazy with the knitting! Hats, baby blankets, washcloths, leg warmers, arm guards for bow hunting...you name it, I'm gonna try it!


The sunhats I made Maggie and myself
The sweater I was making. I'll have to get a picture of me wearing it finished. I love it! I'm going to make myself another one.

Arlington is turning 9!!!!! tomorrow. I can't believe it. It's a sure sign I'm getting old!

Favorite Gabe and the Surgery Quote

I totally forgot my favorite thing about this whole surgery and Gabe.

So we'd all been talking to Gabe about what was going to be happening during the surgery and what he needed to expect. I told him he'd go to sleep after breathing in medicine and then they'd just pull out the tonsils and take out the adenoids and he'd feel a little cruddy for a bit and everything would be better. He talked to his preschool teachers about it and must have asked how they'd get 'em out and they said they go in through his mouth.

So Gabe comes home and asks me "How are they gonna get that small??" He thought the Drs would shrink. Which of course makes me think of Willy Wonka's TV machine. LOL. Gabe told me after the surgery that little mice crawled in and got it all out.

really? Am I that bad?

So it seems I didn't let ANYONE know about Gabe's surgery. Maybe I am a chicken w/ my head cut off. I swear if it wasn't attached I'd loose my head. I've been so disorganized lately and I'm just keeping my head low and plugging along.

Gabe has had long standing issues w/ hearing and liquid behind his ear drums which caused a lack of vibrations in his ear drums. So after years of trying to figure it out w/ hearing tests, allergy tests, etc. we visited and ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) specialist and they said his tonsils were awful and his adenoids most likely so swollen that his ears couldn't drain like they're supposed to. So the surgery was scheduled this July or August and yesterday we had it.

I had heard it would be 4 hrs before surgery of pre-prep work, 45 mins for the surgery and then 4 hrs in recovery. We'll we woke up at 5:30 and Gabe wanted to know why we were getting up at night for his surgery when I told him it was a morning surgery. LOL. Mom came and picked me up at 6 and we were at the hospital at 7. They filled out some charts and he was taken in around 8:15 for the anesthesiologist to do her thing. He was in surgery by 9 am and we left before 11:30. It was nutty. He did great! He wasn't nervous. He asked everyone if he could keep his scrubs but the answer was always no. He did get to keep his cap and slippers. He also got a blood pressure cuff that works! It's so cool. He got his mask that helped him "fall asleep". He got his wrap that they covered his IV needle. I felt like we took home a mini hospital!

Today he's doing amazingly well. He's wanting to eat and move about. He's just taking tylenol and antibiotics. He's pretty chipper too. A little pale, but I can't imagine not being after your body's been through that much. Here are some pics of the event.

Modeling the yellow cap, slippers and scrubs. Loading into the chair to head for the anesthesiologist.



Waking up was kind of difficult. He was exhausted. But got to sit on my lap in the 2nd recovery room. He had to stay in the bed in the first recovery room.


Eating the popsicles. We were almost ready to go by this time. You can see much more color in his face and pep in his eyes can't you.



Arlington is going in for an evaluation on Friday. We know his tonsils are fine, but his adenoids could possibly be part of the issues with his asthma and snoring. We'll see. I might have some pics soon of Arlington after surgery.

my non-existent life

So I feel like I haven't been connecting for a long time and I'm gonna apologize for that. But fact of the matter is I've not been very good at keeping this thing up except in the beginning. I'm so envious of my friends who are regulars at maintaining their blogs. You rock!

So, instead I'll post a few pics and try to keep you hanging. ;)

These are the only pics I took from the 1st day of school. I didn't take any of the kids I babysit. That would have been nice of me. But I don't think the 5th grader would have cooperated. For Gabe's first day of school, I forgot my camera. Thankfully Miss Sheila let me take pics w/ her camera. She printed this one out for me.

Here is the chalkboard that Darrell's grandfather had made. It was originally green, but the surface needed a lot of care. So I got a can of chalkboard spray paint and took care of that. Then I wanted a new wipe board that had 2-3 months instead of just one. So I pulled out a white metal surface sheet I had and put that in the frame. Darrell cut the vinyl for the board to include 2 months and the daily job chart for a week. He also cut the phrase above so it looks nice.

We've been busy with lots of little nothings.

I know that I've been terrible maintaining my blog for a long while. But my life feels so monotonous and I just can't see people caring about any of this. But now that we've done so many little nothings...I feel I can share a little again.

So we've been busy with ball games. Maggie and Gabe have finished their t-ball games.

They both really enjoyed themselves. And I can't find any of the pictures I took this year. What a mom huh? So here's one a friend of mine took.

Arlington is still playing for the next two weeks. I'll be glad when his season is done.

He's been doing pretty well hitting. I still think he's not going to be our athlete. There just is a lack of enthusiasm for it. But he seems to enjoy going at least.

Maggie and Arlington are in a play this summer. It's called "How to Eat Like a Child...And Other Lessons In Not Being a Grown-up." It is based on a book by the same name. I really can't wait to see it. This is where Arlington's talents should really excel!

We are preparing for our annual 4th of July party and part of that prep included t-shirts. So the kids got to make their own this year.

We've also had the summer reading program at the library. We go every Wednesday and they hear a story, sing and dance, do some sort of craft and have a snack. They have to turn in points for every minute read and after 600, get a free ticket to the Peoria Chiefs game. We have gone 2 (maybe 3) times now and just love it. It's such a great time and since it's library night, they always have the kids walk around the field before the game and fireworks after. Its a great time!

(Gabe's in the yellow shirt w/plaid shorts on the left, Arlington on the right in camo, and Mags is on the right w/ a pink hat and pink Talk, Talk, Talk shirt.)

Darrell and I have been busy trying to get our yard in decent shape and we had tons to do before he left this morning for WI for the next 3 days working. We planted lots in front of our house, he got the gate built for our fence and we weeded our garden (it was in a sad state of affairs!!) The kids spent most of the time in the pool while we worked, but when we were done, they played in the front getting fireflies. Gabe was at Grammy's this particular weekend, so he's not in the photos.

Lastly, here's a few pics we let the kids take just before going to catch the fireflies.