Last Day of the Decade

Told Dan I would post on here so he would know what we did today. He is a loyal reader.


Dan grouted the floor tile today. I suppose Saturday we will get the bathroom vanity and mirror. Getting closer.


Decided this morning we should make Alton Brown's coconut cake, which they have been bugging me to try. After announcing it, realized it needed several versions of coconut. We tried a local grocery but I knew I'd have to go over to Whole Foods, on the other side of the earth. We bought every coconut thing they had and came home and made it up. Funny thing is, my kids always stuck their noses up at coconut, until Alton Brown made it cool. It was very very good.


Made the roast, which turned out glorious. Best one I have every made. Just like a gorgeous prime rib at a steak place. But better. Lobster was perfect. Goooooood meal. And we will be eating beans the next month since we spent so much on that one meal. But what a meal.


The kids are so naive. I announced after dinner the kids all were coming with me to the grocery to get cream cheese for the cinnamon rolls tomorrow. When would I EVER bring all five of them to the grocery store when Dad is home? We got home and Dan handed out the Wii controls. That was our big gift for them. I went back and forth on whether we should get it or not. With all the squabbling and whining during the first 15 minutes, I was thinking it was a bad idea. They have bowling figured out now and they are all happy. Adam did complain there were no gutter guards.

Ok, now I had a chance to beat Dan up in boxing and got 229 in bowling. So, I am a Wii jock. Great.


Other than Lily being born, I did not love 2009. It was hard. I am tired. I look forward to 2010 being a much better year. Honestly, until a couple of days ago, it didn't dawn on me it was the end of a decade. Had three kids since 2000. Changed from a suburbanite to a country hick. Gained more weight than anyone ever should. Became a believer. Four of my kids became believers. Guess those are the major points of the decade.

In the next decade, I will probably have children leaving home. Will turn 50. Oh my. In January 2020, I will be 52 (the age my mother was when she died). Alec will be 24, Ian 21, Adam 18, Evan 16 and Miss Lil will be 10. Can't imagine.

Happy New Year.

Not Again!

My cell phone died. TRUST ME, you do not want the details. After the two phones I put through the washer earlier this year, I insured this one so it ONLY cost $50 for the one being delivered tomorrow. What a dork is I.

Dan grouted today--let Ian do part of it. Alec and Ad and I took a bunch of tarps to fortify the dog kennel that works as the goat pen. It is nice and warm and wind resistant for the two girls we have left. I am sure one is pregnant, the other one has to be. They spent months and months with bucks. They have to be. So hard to tell with goats. At some point we will build something permanent I suppose, but they are good for now.

Finally finished Dan's gift I will tell you about in a few days if you are interested. We are giving the kids the big gift tomorrow night and then we will open stuff Friday morning. I could use a few more days of 2009. I really hoped we'd be done with the house. Need to just get over it. We are close. Really close.

I think we will be ready to get back to school in a sane manner. I remember the first day back to school in January 2005. That was the morning I got Evan up and he collapsed on me. That was when we found out he was hypoglycemic. He hasn't had an issue for so long I can't even remember.

Tomorrow we will just clean up the upstairs and then have our big dinner celebration and big gift and I suppose these loonies will stay up until midnight.

Didn't I Just Wake Up?

Someone just asked me what is for dinner. Didn't I just get out of bed? Got up and cleaned up and then had to take off to go get Lily's shots. I broke them up so she doesn't get so many at once but that means she gets them every month. Goodness. She handled it well.

In the meantime, Dan and the boys went to the mall to buy me gifts. Love that. I took Lily to get our New Year's Eve roast and lobster. To make a long story short, the butcher told me it would cost $3 more per pound to get it cut to the large size I wanted. He wanted me to buy up several smaller ones. Told him I'd rather pay more and have what I wanted (right now Crazy Margie is not only gasping I was willing to pay three dollars more per pound for meat, she is shocked I would pay three dollars a pound for meat, period. Just kidding, Marg.) I have a huge roast in my freezer and two live lobsters. Going to try to make Yorkshire pudding to go with it and who knows what else. Alec is unwrapping the roast now, as we are going to try dry-aging it, like Alton Brown taught us to do.

Got home and decided to go down to Anderson to the Ulta store. They have those in Denver, but I haven't been in one is years. They sell make-up. Some high end and some low end. Lily was in love with the young little gal who helped me. She was so pretty, but she just had a TON of make-up on. Oh, to realize when you are that young and pretty, you don't need all that. Kind of sad.

THEN we went to the milk store. And home. And tired. And many hours later. Dan got all the wall tile done and will do the floor today. I have to grade school and, apparently, make dinner.

Just a note on cheese curds for FFN. I have found if you forget the milk on the stove and it gets twenty degrees hotter than it should, it still works well. I do that a lot. Also, I just tried again to make them with pasteurized milk. It failed again. I have made several successful batches with raw milk, and I am not sure if it is the pasteurized part or the homogenized part that messes it up.

Last Days

Of home remodeling. I hope. Dan is tiling the bathroom today. I am trying to wrap up some odds and ends. I am also working on Dan's New Year's gift down in the craft room. I biffed it up so badly yesterday I had to start over. Why did I bif? Because I was trying to do too many things at once. I am going to become the Anti-Multi-Tasker. I am so tired of having my mind stretched in so many directions. Dan does a lot of work around here, but it is so rare that he ever has to work AND look after Lily or work AND get dinner to the table on time. I am so used to getting interrupted while reading a book I have a hard time actually ready an entire chapter without stopping several times out of habit.

Anyhoo...I am also trying to help Lily poop. Hey, it's my blog and I'll talk about poop if I want to. Since starting solids last week, she is just popping out these hard, dry little things that look like goat or deer poop. And it is hard for her. I tried glycerin suppositories this morning. Wow, do those things ever work. She sure didn't like it, though. I gave her some pro-biotics in prune juice. Hopefully that will help. I have not dealt with this issue in a baby before. Help.

STILL have not actually canned the goat. Left it outside over night to let the fat rise and get solid. Now, I am boiling it and I need to wash the jars and then I can get it canned up.

Gettin' 'Er Done

Two goats have been put down. An old doe is simmering on the stove and will be canned eventually for stew. Oh my gracious sakes, it smells as good as life can ever smell right now. Wow. Hope it tastes that good.

Dan is putting a coat of paint on the bathroom walls and then they will finish the other three goats.

I have been working on the broth and working in our room. Do you own a million cords? This is a total pet peeve of mine--organization of all the little cords that every thing I own seems to come with. I have been putting them in baggies and writing what they are and then sticking them in a desk drawer. They drive me nuts but as soon as I toss one I end of needing it. Grrr.

Adam's mouth has been sore but he has been handling the turning of his expander well.

YO HO HO

No, that's what pirates say; Santa hohoho's. Got it.

MythBusters marathon is how we are spending most of our day. Super rainy and dreary down here.

Dan and I sat down and worked out the rest of our "vacation" days. I think we will start the New Year with a finished and clean house. Nobody else will care too much, but it will make my life happier.

Got Julia Child's autobiography. Actually, it is just about her time in France. I love a good biography. I honestly don't get the joy of fiction. I love to read about how people really live. Also got Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which all my people are enjoying. The kids are really into cooking lately so I am trying to pounce on the enthusiasm.

Twas the Day Before the Day We Don't Celebrate Anymore.

Took Ian to Lowe's this morning to get his a rug for his bedroom. The bed had been in the middle of the room but we moved stuff around so he has a big open space and it needed a rug. And 8 x 10 fit the open space perfectly. Got paint for the bathroom. Same color as the bedroom. This should be the last can of paint I have to buy. MAN! I bought a lot of paint for this house.

The shower is moving in our bathroom so Dan needed to drywall there and some other spots. There was this funny hole in the wall that went to the laundry room. It was really low and was hard to imagine it was a laundry chute type thing. There are several weird things in this house. Anyway, he closed that up on both sides. He thinks he will get the primer on tonight.

I am getting my haircut today. Found a new place in Clemson, which is considerably closer than the gal I used to go to in Greenville. She gave a good cut but she never talked to me! At all. She'd ask what I wanted and then do it in silence. As if!! No idea what I will have done to it today. Stay tuned.

It is 50 degrees here and sunny.

Something Ain't Right

For THREE days in a row, I have received NO cards in the mail. If none come tomorrow, I will need therapy. This is my favorite part of the month. I can't take it.

Turned Adam's expander today. Gave me the willies. He was fine. Said he could feel it but was ok.

Took Evan to walmart for his gift shopping. Convinced him to get everyone the same thing. The price was right. It wasn't busy at 9:30-ish this morning, thankfully. Did I tell you how Alec and I were there last week and they had four or five lanes open with many many people in each line. I was so irked at how few lanes were open, we just put our stuff down and left. I get irked fairly easily.

Watched Julie and Julia last night. I much prefer thinking of Julia Child with Meryl Streep's face--that Julia was not a looker. It wasn't a great movie, but it was cute. So few movie's I ever want to see.

The creme brulee was great--how could it not be? Sugar, cream, egg yolk and vanilla. Wow.

Lily is giving me the eye rub, which means she wants to nurse.

Life. Is. Complicated.

OK, first, within a month, my baby went from a stationary creature to one that rolls and crawls. Not really a classic crawl quite yet, but enough to get her wherever she wants. I was trying to wrap gifts today and she was into everything. Wow. And it will be this way until she is about four. See ya in 2013.

She hit five months today. I wanted to wait until she was six months to feed her, but I knew it was time so I gave her some bananas today. She liked it but pushed it all back out with her tongue instead of getting it in.

Took Adam to get his oral hardware this afternoon. I am assuming I have just been a flake but the three times we have gone in for this, I have told him one thing would be happening and then quite another thing took place. Today, he got the expander but they also put braces on his top four teeth. I really, really do not remember being told that. I have two metal mouths and a crawling, solid foot eating baby. That is a lot of life.

Ian is making Creme Brulee this afternoon. Quart of heavy cream. Yikes.

My Big Little Baby

Oh, my Alec finally got his debit card in his own name today. Took a few tries, but he got it. He got to order his brothers' gifts online and is quite excited. I am happy for him. I know he will handle this well. To me, it makes more sense to start this kind of life lesson sooner, when they have less money to muck up than when they have more.

Dan put up the drywall in the bathroom and built a new half wall. We moved furniture around in Ian's bedroom to give him more floor space. I am STILL dorking around in my craft room. It is so easy to do the big stuff but when it gets down to "where do I put this widgit I hardly ever use, but when I need it, I really need it?" kind of stuff, I struggle to keep on keepin' on.

Planning to watch Julie and Julia tonight. I think that is what it is called. First movie I have heard of in forever that sounds interesting.

Fine Day

This was a nice day. We went to our fourth waterfall. There are 31 of them in this area and we are going to hit every single one of them. Go over to facebook to see the pictures. It was 50 degrees and sunny. It was just a wonderful afternoon. There was a fishing pond close by. The guys fishing said they caught trout. The kids are excited to fish there sometime.

Dan is working on drywall in the bathroom and we are going to move Ian's room around tomorrow. We figured if we moved the book shelves and the bed he will have much more room. Need to get him an area rug.

Our two chicks are doing well. They are really cute. We decided we are only keeping the two nubian goats that we are pretty sure are pregnant. It is so hard to tell with goats because they get bloated really easy, which looks like being pregnant. Then we will be down to two dogs, two cats, two goats, two turkeys, seven chickens, a rooster and two chicks. So there.

Short Saturday Catch-Up

Off to look at bathroom tile.

Mama Kitty is back and I guess she was bleeding out her backside--the incision looks fine. I am relieved.

Miss Lil is really being a Mommy's girl. I don't like it. She will have a screaming fit like she is dying until she sees I am coming to pick her up. Then she is perfectly fine. We need to nip that in the bud. She has all these men fawning all over her--she doesn't know how lucky she is.

Wondering how the lab Christmas party went...

Owner of Tub

Didn't go tub shopping yesterday. Can't remember why we decided to wait until today, but we did. Bought the tub, found a round corner shower and bought faucets. Also, found the vanity. I think the only thing left to pick would be the tile and the light over the vanity. None that we saw were right.

Found drips of blood in the alcove this morning. Have not seen Mama Kitty. Hope she is ok. It is miserable out today. Raining and 34 degrees. They are all freaked it will snow down here. I don't have all the winter clothes for everyone, so I sure hope it doesn't. Snow pants are HARD to find down here.

Still working in the craft room. Started going through the family history bin. Decided to stop, as there is too much to do in there. I need to get that out on a table as an ongoing project. Not today, though.

Brought up a book shelf into the living room that I don't love. Needed a place to put the photo albums. They were down in my craft room and that is just lame. When they are out of sight, nobody looks at them. When they see them, they always want to look at them. But it was hard to find a spot for the book shelf.

Demolition had Begun

Took my last shower in the master-bathroom-of-yuckiness. He is disassembling as I type. Going to go buy the tub and whatever else will fit in the van this afternoon. Need to get it here because we have had too many experiences of going to buy something we assumed was in stock, only to find out it was, indeed, not in stock.

Had THREE accidents spilling coffee this morning. Goodness.

Went to Outback last night for dinner. Oh my, they had these little teeny lobster tails. They were heavenly. Eating good lobster once will encourage one to suffer bad lobster several times on the quest back to good lobster. Red Lobster lobster tails are always terrible.

I guess I am going down to slog though my craft room today. It had become the latest dumping ground. I am going to run out of dumping grounds soon.

I am Totally Sure it is Wednesday

And my laundry is almost done. And we went to the milk store. And we deposited the kids' savings in the bank. And I had a rant on Facebook about it being dumb to get upset when someone says Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.

And we got Aunt Marie's fudge in the mail, which is wonderful. AND the Baker's Creek Heirloom Seed catalog came. Man, can life get much better? Fudge and fancy seeds.

The little boys play a game of going up and down by Lily's crib while saying, "Uuuuuuppppppp and ddddooooowwwnnnnnn," until it drives me crazy. Lily likes it.

Over and Out.

Do YOU Know What Day it Is?

Poor Adam. He went to put his sheets in the washer, only to find I had already started a wash. I thought today was Wednesday and was bummed to have to do laundry. Turns out, in case you didn't know, it is only Tuesday and, thus, Adam's laundry day. My bad.

We could not find Mama Kitty last night. We need to keep her NPO after midnight, as she was to get spayed today. We left the door opened and put out some tuna, but she never came. Prayed about it and let it go. This morning Adam woke up to Mama purring in his bed. She slipped in at some point when we weren't looking. So, got her to the Humane Society and Dan will pick her up. All the dogs and cats are now altered. Look at me, all responsible and stuff.

Tried to find a bathtub for our bathroom last night. I will save you the whole long stupid story and just tell you we are going down to Anderson tomorrow night to get one that is supposed to be in stock at Home Depot.

Tonight is date night with Alec.

Working in my bedroom today.

The Streak Continues

No cavities

Resolutions?

I hate multi tasking. Have I already spoken of this? I am so tired of doing several things at once and allowing people to think whatever I am doing is so unimportant, they should be able to interrupt me to discuss whatever pops into their head or ask me to do something they could probably do themselves. Long sentence, but that is something I would love to change about my world.

Also, would love to become a not-terrible photographer. I have no eye for picture taking. I finally got to the point I remember to not stand behind everyone and take pictures of their backs. Seriously. I did that a lot.

Have had two facebook friends recently declare they are giving up caffeine. One actually already came back to it. It has me thinking about how we make up rules when our hearts are not right. We make diet rules because we can't just be moderate in our eating. Or TV time. Or computer time (!!). I am good at making up rules to guide myself but I stink at being moderate. I want to be moderate. Yesterday, we made many more sweets than needed and I ate many too many of them and then declared to myself I was never eating another one. That is so embarrassing in it's lameness.

Leaving for the dentist soon.

Over-Sugared

Wow. Made a ton. And dipped most of it in chocolate. Goodness, I can't believe all we made. Dan will take some to work and I guess we will eat some. I suppose we will think of someone to share it with. I am POOPED. Had much help with cooking and dishes.

Dentist for the four boys tomorrow. Will we keep the cavity-free streak? I suppose it will have to end some day. Hopefully, not tomorrow.

Took Adam shopping for his brothers. Came up with the best gift ever for Dan. Ever. I think. It is cracking me up. HeeHee.

Iron Chef

Making caramels. And fudge. And truffles. And toffee. And cheese curds. And bread. No, seriously. Oh, and made sherbet because someone gave me a neat recipe (Orange crush soda and sweetened condensed milk). Are you worried for my sanity? My waistline?? My dishwasher??? Oh my!!

Oh, Stop!

You know how there are compliments you get that are easy to accept and then there are ones that are hard to accept and then there are some ones you aren't sure if maybe they are a masked insult? And then there are the ones that you LOVE to hear. OK, my LOVE one is one I have gotten three times in the last month or so. Today, a third person told me I should write a book. And two other people who are friends on facebook agreed enthusiastically. Just saying, that is the compliment that I love to hear.

Lily did well while I scrapped. I was gone about seven hours. I felt just weird being away from her for so long.

No Fear

Went to bible study last night, which was great. Talked a lot about fear. Hate fear. Came home to find out Dan had to go into work. Also found out Lil had gone to bed at 6:30, which guaranteed me an early morning. Dan claims he is coming home early today--we'll see if that turns out.

Tomorrow, they are going squirrel hunting and then after they come home, I am going to scrapbook for awhile. I just need to do November's pages, so it shouldn't take too long. Not all together sure what we are working on this weekend. Dan works three days next week and then is off until January. My bathroom is finally going to get finished. Oh my. Nothing fancy--just going for a non-gross look.

Blooper Reel

Today belonged on the blooper reel. Evan decided to have his tooth pulled by the vinegar and baking soda rocket. Great--head out and can not get the rocket working well--those dumb things don't last long. After a while we gave up and just came in and I pulled it. First non-accident tooth loss for him. It is the same spot on the bottom that the accident hole is on the top, so he has a big space.

After that fiasco, we decided to try that hot chocolate on a stick. It wasn't anything like it was decribed and we had to work with it a lot to get it to work. Just tried some and it was good but totally not worth the effort. So that was the other major blooper. Went to the boys' rooms downstairs and just could not bring myself to do anything. I cleaned up in my room, which is the latest dumping room and took three trash bags and a diaper box full of stuff to Goodwill. Got rid of some things I was keeping because I liked the thought of using them more than I ever actually used them. I hate that I ever keep things like that. I felt so happy leaving with an empty van.

Life is still kicking my butt.

Please be a Better Day

Well, yesterday will not go down in history as one of my more favorite days ever. Slogged through it, though, and hoping today will be better. One can hope.

Today is Alec and Ian's rooms, which should be pretty easy. They keep their rooms clean. Especially Ian, which seems contrary to his personality.

I found this idea for Hot Chocolate on a stick yesterday. I think we will try making them today.

I have bible study tonight. Only one in December. I like the study. Esther.

Still have not figured out what fell this morning. We heard it but never found it.

Help!

I can NOT get it together today. I am just having one of those days. I want to hide in the closet and just be left alone. You know? One of THOSE days. But this is my month to get get the house done, so I trudge on.

Today is Addie's room. I had them bring everything out to the table and he is going through his stuff and tossing what can be tossed (not quite as much as I'd hoped he would) and bringing stuff back in. He is pretty organized so I am just overseeeing. I am putting some books and things aside to save for Lily. Both he and Evan are really done with kid books. Evan likes reading science books and Adam just started reading chapter books. So, I am sorting through those and redistributing. But, oh I don't feel like it. Man, some days are hard.

I really liked the gym I went to a few weeks back with my friend for a yoga class. Talked to Dan about joining. He checked with work and there are actually some gyms that 3M will reimburse you for going to. Something like $2 each time you go, up to the price of membership. Unfortunately, the only one close to me they will do that for is Curves. I used to go to Curves. Didn't mind the work out but never felt any benefit from it. Never felt stronger or had more stamina or lost weight. Went for almost a year, until I got pregnant with Evan and was too sick to go. So, now I have to decide if I should go to the free place or the place I want to go. Hmmm...

I wish I had someone who would just love to come over and help me trudge through the house. If it weren't the Christmas season, I would seriously consider flying Queen Bertha the Crafty down here to help me.

Rainy Days

Man, does it ever rain a lot down here. We are getting as much moisture as everyone else, just in the form of rain. Rained all day today. SO much fun getting in and out of the van with a baby in the rain.

Spent the morning working on meals for this mom on bedrest. Drove an hour to drop off the meals I made and then met our bowling friends from Florida for some play time. Alec and Ian are so good to not complain when we play with little kids. We went to the house they are having built. Adam asked if they wanted us to help with it but I explained they are having other people build it. He said we could at least help them clean up. Such a nice kid. Took them to our milk store, which is right by their new house and then home in time to stick dinner in the oven. And that, folks, was my day. Woo hoo. Nothing getting done on the house. Maybe I will try to finish Lily's closet tonight, even though she is in there napping.

Don't Quite Get It

Twice now I have told Adam what is going to happen at the orthodontist and been wrong. Told him today they were putting the bands on. Turns out, they put them on, then did a plaster cast and then took them off and put spacers back in. Let's just say that was not his favorite trip to a medical professional, although he handled it well. He goes back in two weeks for get this stupid thing put on. I am sure of it. Next Monday, they all go to the dentist. I am tired of appointments.

Today, I am putting away all the larger sized clothes for Lil. I really want to get them in her closet somehow. This is going to take a good hard think. Also planning to figure out a final position for her furniture. Woo-hoo, exciting days at my house. Not.

Weekend Wrap-up

We still don't have a church. We decided to wait until after Christmas to look because...ok, I don't want to get into that right now. Anyway, besides some home churching, suffice it to say we are not otherwise engaged on Sunday mornings.

The the thing about living down here is the stores are empty Sunday morning because almost everyone is in church. Alec and I took off early to shop at Walmart. It was awesome--nobody was there! I called it "shopping with the heathens." I did leave my mark when I spilled my coffee all over the vitamin aisle. Good Times.

Besides normal shopping, we shopped for candy making supplies and to make some meals for a pregnant mom I heard is on bedrest. Three kids under seven and on bedrest for ten weeks. Yikes. AND, apparently the baby has a heart problem and possibly Down's. I was telling Alec about her an he said, "Wow, most people would just kill the baby."

I had this plastic sheet that looked like rice paper that I have had forever, with the plan to put it on the hall bathroom window. Finally took it out last night and realized I didn't have enough. Good grief. Found something else that worked, decorated my chalkboards, and I am calling the bathroom good.

Finally got a door on the hall closet. For a whole year I have had to look at all the games we own every time I walk down the hall, but no more. Yeah.

So, to reiterate, The kitchen, living room, hall, hall bathroom and laundry room are done. Well, they will be before we go to bed tonight. I have to touch up some paint in the bathroom. Dan is touching up paint in the kitchen.

Next week are the childrens' bedrooms. All five children. Yup. Lily's room needs the most work. Then Ev's. Then Ian's--there is a hole in his wall from a plumbing emergency. Adam's and Alec's are in decent shape.

If Not Deer, Squirrel

Alec shot a squirrel in the yard with a BB gun today. They dressed it and it awaits my culinary touch. I am sooooooooo not looking forward to eating squirrel, but you do what you have to do. I am proud of him.

Finishing up the bajillion little things that need to be done to call this week's rooms done. Dan is hanging some pictures right now. Those chalkboard stickers were useless--need to take them back. Ended up getting chalkboard paint and painted some squares. All I was planning to do was write the kids' names on them. I am happy with my bathroom now. Next week will be all the boys' bedrooms.

I bought this book after seeing it on Mythbusters. It is the greatest bathroom book ever. Evan Alec, Evan and Dan have all been reading it--not in the bathroom.

Making some meals for a mom on bedrest next week--help me think of good freezer meals. Seems like they are all tomato based. I did learn that brown rice doesn't freeze great when I made freezer meals for myself. Neither do mashed potatoes, if you didn't know.

Energy

Wish I had the energy of a kid. Adam is just jumping like he has a pretend jump rope. I am sitting. Wish I felt like jumping for no good reason. Man, that makes me sad to think I have no desire at all to just jump.

Took the boys out to eat and to Target whilst Dan worked out the surprise. Can't tell you because you might forget it is a surprise and mention it on facebook and Alec is on over there and I would hate to have to kill you for ruining the surprise.

My hall bathroom has been driving me nuts. I bought the robot pictures for it probably a year ago and have since looked for something to go with the pictures to bring the room together. I failed! It just never meshed. I finally decided to give up on the robots and found some peel and stick chalkboard bubbles I am going to put up on the walls and draw pictures or the kids' names on or something. Bummed about my cool robot pics--don't really have somewhere to put them now.

Planning to open a checking account for Alec today. Did you hear about that annoyance? Our bank wouldn't open one for him because he wasn't 16. When we noted to them that they should because it wasn't a question of him being of age legally, they remembered they don't open checking accounts for people under 18, even with co-signers. The manager said she had never even heard of a bank doing so. Dan found three in our town that would and one would give him a debit card.

Red Chickens--My New Favorite Things

Too Much Life

Life just seems to be coming at me really really fast. I know everyone gets overwhlemed. I have been overwhlemed for a long time and I am determined to pull out of it, but life just keeps coming fast and furious. I feel like those videos of people walking slow motion while everyone around them is speeding.

Lily had a check up this morning and handled it all very well. Stopped at the grocery to get a few things and made several friends. Babies and puppies are great for that.

Made buttermilk biscuits that Dan requested to go with his honey. They are like bricks. Wow, I make bad biscuits. Tried some bread from the King Arthur blog. Didn't cook it quit long enough, but it is a good recipe. Will try again tomorrow with the rest of the batch. You are supposed to put a pan below the bread and put water in it as you put the bread in for a nice crust. Have you done this? It works and makes for the most awesome crust. I used a glass pan and thought I was so smart by boiling the water first so it would nto break from cold water hitting it. DIDN'T WORK. The glass exploded. Serious. Good greif. It is still in the oven.

Have to take the kids out tongiht because Dan has to work on a surprise for them that we need to be gone for him to do. Not sure what we are doing, besides buying a new 8 x 8 glass dish.

Kitchens Look Cleaner with Cabinet Doors

Dan is finishing putting the cabinet doors back on tonight. Wow, it is so much nicer to look at cabinet doors than all the stuff inside. I would never be one to have cabinet door with glass. I don't want to see all that stuff. I prefer doors even on bookshelves. Seeing stuff makes me think. Not seeing stuff makes me relaxed.

The little boys are working on trying to make their eyes cross. Evan has it but Adam just can not get it. Ad didn't believe he wasn't doing it so I had to take his picture to show him.

Had to laugh at all the typos of the morning post. I was so out of it. I need to go to bed. Lily has to be at the doc at 8:40 tomorrow. I can't believe I ever used to get to work by 8:00 in the morning with my hair done and make up on and wearing matching clothes.

Six Weeks Later

Ian gets an xray today to confirm his broken bone has healed. He hasn't worn his splint for about a week. He seems fine. Knocked heads with Adam yesterday and complained it hurt (this was pre-headache). He has had a concussion before, so I did the scenario in my head of explaining a concussion soon after a broken hand to some ER doctor.

Aren't some mornings just painful? Man, my head has not woken up fully yet. Despite coffee and a shower. I was walking to the fridge to turn down the cold and Adam asked me a question on the way. It was like he kicked the fridge thought out of my head with his question and I just stood there trying desperately to remember why I was going to the fridge. I HATE that.

Got a lot done yesterday with the house. Returned the mirror that didn't work and came home with several new things and the house is looking like people actually live here.

HaHa

So, I just posted about how I didn't want only family pictures up in the Living Room. After a trip to Hobby Lobby, it looks like that is about what is going to happen. All I could find that I liked for the walls were things that held pictures. Man, that place was packed. I have to return a mirror I bought--hope it isn't too busy tonight. I want to get it done.

I bought a little brick that says "grace" on it and the spouse has made several jokes about hitting him with "the brick of grace."

Ian has had his second or third headache of the week. They have watched more TV than normal. Not sure what else is different. I had bought a gallon of pasteurized milk the other day before I went to the milk store. I do see a dramatic drop in his headaches with raw milk.

I made peanut butter ice cream and chocolate cookies for ice cream sandwiches tonight. I made blueberry ice cream the other day and Dan noted if we put them together, we'd sort of have PB & J ice cream. I bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker. It is so awesome. I love, love it.

Speaking of yum, I made a soup last night with turkey stock from the Thanksgiving bird, diced tomatoes, kielbasa, tortellini, white beans and spinach. Good golly Miss Molly, it was awesome. Tonight was shrimp with a spicy orange sauce and couscous. Not all I dreamt it would be, but it was ok.

Clean Closets and Bad Attitudes

Two people of mine woke up with attitudes that required them to go back to their rooms for awhile this morning. Not a fun way to start the day.

Cleaning the hall closet, the cabinets in the laundry room and the hall bathroom closet. Yes, I know you are jealous about all the fun I have. By the end of this week, I want to have the kitchen, living room, hall, hall bathroom and laundry room DONE. Done and good. Done and organized. Done and functional. DONE.

Went out shopping for some decor items last night with Miss Lil--she sat in a shopping cart for the first time. My walls are pretty sparse. About all I have for walls is family pictures. I think they are great but it seems weird to me to have the kids live in a house COVERED with pictures of them, so I have trying to find some other things, too. Really, pictures are great, but too many is too many. Anyway, I didn't find anything for the living room. Since I don't even know what I want, it isn't going to be easy to find it.

Lily was so funny when we got home. She was SOOOO happy to be home. I had her laughing and laughing--what a joy. She rolls over now. She did it later than any of her brothers. For all the work a baby is, they sure bring a lot of joy into a home.