Creative Fun...

One of the great ways that we have found to be nice to one another is through this DOLLAR mailbox that we picked up at Target last weekend. Fiona carried it around the store and then came home to decorate it with the help of her siblings. It immediately became a permanent part of the kitchen counter and is used on a daily basis now.

Our first round of letters that came out of the box...from Stuart!

Myles and Fiona finally got to have some fun with the coloring toy that he received from Grandma and Granpa for Christmas. We put the large paper to color on away in the closet, and I just found it the other day. These things are a hit and are very washable!

the MASTERPIECE....

Macy and Stuart have also added to this beauty since I took these pictures.

Luck...

Well, I have to say that I believe our luck is changing. We had a terrible past week (5 visits to the Clinic tops that list), but things are looking great for this one thus far. To name a few:

* I won a giveaway on Monday...remember the one that I linked to? Yup...I won it!

* Stuart got both of his staples out today. The wait was very short and it was painless!

* We woke up to 2 degrees above zero.....Grady sent me a text from Basin......32 degrees BELOW zero.

* I have ordered some fabric to make a table runner for the sidetable in the living room and I wanted some pillows to match...and found some on sale for $2.50 each! I've actually found quite a few bargains lately and am making this house a home.....just to list it and move....but, hey, I'll have the goods to get the other one in tip top shape immediately!

* Painting is coming along and looking great thanks to my awesome husband!

* I've had someone intererested in our dining set. I really do not want to move it again, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they love it and buy it!

* We will be making a very quick trip to Worland on Saturday night (after Macy attends her bestest friend's birthday party) and back on Sunday afternoon....more to come on that one later.

So, yes, I am a believer that prayers are answered when they are supposed to be. Our little Myles had improved tons...although not 100% yet, he is back to the busy bee we're used to. Stuart and Macy made it through an afternoon yesterday with love and fun and NO FIGHTING, and Fiona is still just her sweet self with the occasional meltdown. My wonderful husband is in Wyoming for the night, so we're stopping at Costco on the way home from school to pick up a pizza and have a nice evening in this warm house and out of the cold blowing snow. Have a great day everyone!

Giveaway!

Here's a link to another giveaway. This comes from my friend, Sandy, and I want it....so enter at your own risk....if you win I may be sneeking into your house to get it! MemoryWorks just started up their own blog, and each of the "special ladies" got a link to their own creative piece of the blogger world. Sandy started her creative blog the same day and has already shared some fun ideas. Without further blabber from me, go check it out!

While I was signing in to post this, the doorbell rang. This is what arrived today:

Stuart wanted a suit, so for his birthday Nana and Popi got it for him. He's on cloud nine! We tried it on so that I could take a picture to send to them, but had to share it here too.

Don't Run In the House....

Stuart learned the very hard and painful way why we keep repeating to them to stop running in the house:

Lots of tears and three staples later he was off to school....and only 15 minutes late! This kid is TUFF STUFF! He held it together great and kept himself calm while I prepared the younger two for the trip to the clinic. There are only two staples in his noggin, but the first one went into the completely wrong spot and had to be removed.....nice that they can shoot a staple an inch away from where it belongs. This must be the Lord's way of telling me that he completely balanced my family with equal girls and boys on purpose. I always brag about my boys being easier....but I am now believing that I have other things coming!

Advice from Myles

This past weekend has been shorts and t-shirt weather around here! Well, maybe not quite, but close enough that we all had to take advantage of it. I took a picture of the car thermometer yesterday while we were heading to pick up the older two from school.....and it was cooler than the two days prior!

Are we going to have a freezing snowstorm in July?

Myles wanted me to tell all of you country folk to keep your John Deere Gators out of the city and off of our driveway. He said that he wants you to learn from his mistake.

It makes for a pretty good laugh when your momma sees your head swelling up like this though..
Kinda smarts and the headache seems to last forever.....
I'll keep up with my cute sMyles and am pretty sure farming is not for me. I really don't think that the tractors like me at all. Right now I'm really checking into the medical field....it'll save me and my insurance lots of money if I can get my MD!

Finally some Pictures for you!

Since the Immodium has helped some in Myles' department, I have a bit to share pictures. We managed to get some sleep last night and had NO dirty diapers to change all night....just back at it today! Yippie!

Here's the Party Goers...

Stu got his own package of gum....and the amazing part of that is he STILL has some left!

Getting ready for the cheesecake. We had 3 of the kids turn it down....but it is what Stuart wanted, so it is what he had....and I wasn't upset that there were 3 extra for ME!

Friday was Awards day at Macy's school. I didn't want to post these pictures then since it was All About Stuart Day here! She received two awards....one for perfect attendance second quarter and one for excellence in reading! She received her report cards and will now be bringing home additional (and more challenging) reading assignements with her usual Wednesday books.

Eddy the Eagle is the school mascot, so it was a great treat for him to hand out these to all of the kids!

We also have some additional news that I think is safe to share now. It looks as though we will be moving to Basin sometime later this year. I want to wait for school to finish here before we leave, and we have tons of painting to finish on this house before we can even list it and pray for a sale. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will see a turn in the market for this and that something changes in the Basin market, or we may be living out of our camper! It is another one of those things are are both exciting and sad. We have finally made a home here and will be leaving some great people and a terrific school. But, we will be closer to our family and the help and support that we need with this many small children running lose!

Another Update...

Things have been crazy, dirty, and smelly around here. I have pictures to share of Stuart's birthday party, but have not had time to download them from the camera. We were back at the clinic with Myles on Saturday morning after having 10 icky diapers all night Friday. They drew blood and have sent some off to the Mayo Clinic for testing. Results should be in later this week. After going through a total of 43 diapers since the start of the "RUSH" on Friday, I had to take him back in for check ups on hydration. He's doing great in that department and has almost gained back all of what he'd lost Saturday morning. The diapers are still coming and the only saving Grace for his bum right now are those lovely baking soda bathes! We are putting him back on infant formula in hopes of having some more nutrients absorbed before the clean out. (Everything he eats comes out immediately right now.) He is also still taking the Culturelle and is off of the lactose and plain water. We need him to have as many electrolyes as possible right now, so he's on a very yummy drink diet that is making several other babies a bit jealous. That's the update from here, I've gotta go check dinner. Have a great week.

Happy 5th Birthday Stuart!

Today marks the exact day that our first baby boy entered this world FIVE years ago! I can not believe that I now have two kids over the age of 5! When Myles was born, I had no kids at the age of 5. Stuart and I sat down for a few minutes this morning to peek at some old pictures. We uploaded a few from his early days for you to enjoy. The dates are on the pictures, so enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR STUART!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Myles Update...

1:04 p.m. Update: We are still awaiting the lab results from the samples. The pediatrician is sure that he caught the Norovirus and that what we are now battling are some side effects of it. The lining has been damaged and that is why we are still having nasty diapers. It has also caused a lactose intolerance in him. This could last as long as a month before he will be able to manage milk again....so we bought a case of soy at Costco today. This poor boy has been begging at the refrigerator door for milk. We also had to pick up some type of live culture "good bacteria" pills to be split and given to him twice a day. Thanks for all of your thoughts!

Today is officially DAY 14 of nasty diapers for Mr. Myles. I took him into the clinic last night after he screamed for over an hour. He had messed his pants, and his bum was sore, so I placed him in the tub with some baking soda. That helped several times before. He crawled around in that tub crying and screaming, so I called Grady and told him I was going. I loaded up the other three (Grady was coming home from Wyoming...2 hours away) kids and left. Luckily my neighbor was pulling in and said that they could stay with her.

After seeing that the wait wasn't long, I was relieved that this would be a quick exam. Well, two hours and 3 x-rays (it took 5 to get those three!) later we left the building with a brown bag full of this stuff...

Sample time!

I was given strict instructions to line the diaper with plasic wrap and get samples (8 of them) to take into the pediatrician today. We made this appointment yesterday prior to the quick trip. We're heading there in an hour, so I will update you all with those results then.

The x-rays last night were for his chest (he sounded raspy and she wanted to check for pneumonia...he's okay) and a few of this tummy. Nothing alarming there, but he radiologist still needs to check it. He is full of gas and she was pretty concerned with that.

I'm hoping that we will get to the bottom of this for the poor guy and he can start feeling better.

I'd like to Introduce to You.......

Elysian School's STUDENT OF THE MONTH!

Last Friday we received a call from Ms. Koch, the principal/superintendent of Macy's school. She was chosen at the Student of the Month, and was to receive her honors at the Board Meeting last night. We were to keep it a secret from her so that everyone could enjoy the look on her face. Macy was nominated by her teacher and was chosen out of the entire K-2 classes. There were two other kids given the award (3-5; and 6-8) also.

She received the letter from her teacher, a notecard from her teacher, a pin and note from the principal and the certificate. Macy walked out of that place smiling from ear to ear....well, after she got over the fact that we were NOT going to stay for the board meeting part.

Macy also received this HUGE vase of flowers and a monkey from Nana, Popi and Auntie Carly. They could not make it to the meeting, so they had these sent to her at school yesterday. When I went to pick her up, she came screaming out of the school with her friend about them. They actually delivered it to the class, so she was quite Miss Popularity since no one had received flowers in her class before!

It was such a neat thing for her. She really does try hard everywhere, but it is often overlooked by myself. I need to slow down with the other kids and give her the credit that she deserves.

WAY TO GO MACY....

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND AM VERY PROUD OF YOU!

Bath Time Fun!

Nana & Popi gave each of the kids a fun towel for Christmas. We have used them quite a bit and these past few times they have enjoyed tons of play with those towels after the tub time was over. Daddy gave the boys a bath before he left for Cub Scouts tonight, and then I gave the girls one. They all "dressed" back up with them after we put on the pjs and brushed hair. They are playing in Fiona's small tent up in the living room calling each other super heros. How they get that out of two fairy princesses, one butterfly (Nana thought it was a dragon...so we call him the flutterbee), and the fire chief (he IS a hero) is beyond me, but they are having fun together...so that is all that matters!

Macy is back in school and having to readjust to it. We've had several struggles after school...one ending in a late afternoon nap with no dinner and then a very VERY late night while Daddy was working in Wyoming. She slept in until 7 today, so hopefully she's a quick learner.

Fiona is doing a great job of sleeping at night in panties (this is me knocking on wood!) and not getting up at all. She's usually one of the first ones out of bed in the morning but has been so happy when she wakes up it is wonderful! She helped me today at the post office (Deana and Sandy you now have packages to expect!) and then with the Costco shopping. She even remembered what we bought and told her daddy tonight at dinner!

Stuart jumped back into school with tons of excitement. He gets this dreamy look in his face when we drop big sister off, so I know that next year will be a blast for them. He made several wood working projects at school today. One piece he sawed in half (he said it took a lot of his energy to do that) and then he used a hammer, nails and some wood to make an AIRPLANE with wheels! He was so excited to show them to me today when I picked him up.

Myles is battling another bug. He started last Friday with the pukies and has had off and on again gucky diapers since. I hope that we can get him well enough for long enough that we can take him in for a well baby. He's not had one since his staph episode.

Grady continues to work like crazy with some very long days (a few nights too) and I have been trekking along behind him with keeping up on things here. The dogs are still taking their trips to who knows where and I keep hoping that they don't return....I've even told them to stay gone if they jump that fence, but they keep coming back to this house of chaos! Other than that, not much else going on here.

Our weather is amazing. We have enjoyed two beautiful days of warmth....think 50s! (YES, DEANA AND MONICA....BE JEALOUS!) and now we have a street full of slush to freeze and mix with snow tonight. I'm not looking forward to taking Macy to school tomorrow. Hopefully the weatherman will be off and it will stay warm enough to keep it from freezing for one more day!

I better go get these babies some popcorn and a story or two before bed. Good night!

Stocking up the shop...

I have been busy making more crafts for the Etsy shop. I really do not enjoy going outdoors in this cold wintery weather that we have and the roads are terribly slippery so we are trying to avoid them at all costs. Here is the largest project that I just completed today:

It is a WELCOME shelf sitter with 12 different shapes to go in place of the "O". I made one thing for each of the months. The original idea came from Jasey...she had her father make her a HOME with different inserts. I hope that it is okay to "woodlift" that idea. Here's some closer images of the pieces:

September, October, November and December

May, June, July and August

January, February, March and April

..and what the month of January would look like. I am actually really pleased with the way that these turned out. I only wish that I could make them up faster. I have other shorter words that I made up and will try to get them posted in the shop soon. I have to worry about lunch and getting something out for dinner right now.

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to say Happy 2009 to all of my readers.

We spent last night boxing like mad on the Wii and listening to the fireworks all around town. The kids went to bed as usual, and I didn't quite make it to see the year change either. I think that I was only about 15 minutes away, but man-o-man was I tired. I'm sure that I was completely out before those few minutes were up.