the party was a lot of fun.   Even if it did rain.

Samuel scored big, and thoroughly enjoyed his friends.

I have pictures--my sis took, but I have no idea what they look like I'll have to sort through em later.

and its raining outside.

Remember I put in a order for sunshine. 

*shrugs*

They don't melt do they?

I should probably sweep one last time, but I'm rebelling.  All the kiddos are just gonna track in more grass after all. 

Can I go to bed and cancel the party?  It just sounds like work.  Thats the depressed side of me speaking, puts gag over mouth.  Sam is SOOO looking forward to this!

 

 

Pictures!

The not-so-fancy tree house.   My kids love it, that is all that matters.    It will grow as time goes on, but for now here we are.  And yes...its that high up.    

When building this I just really didn't anticipate Rainee wanting to use it.....man was I silly.  And talk about scarey watching her do it.  You'd never guess she has health issues would ya.    This picture btw was taken at her "command".  "Mom take a picture of me comin '  down."  Yes ma'am.   And when your in highschool can I use it as blackmail???

And Sam climbing up the rope to get to the tree.   Its a jungle swing, and a mountain-climbing rope. 

Oh Dee...bet ya didn't think of the bag being used this way. 

         

Rob thought it was quite handy.........

 

 

 

 

Good afternoon

Been a day. 

Kids actually did quite well in reading today.  And Zeria didn't cop a 'tude.  Which made me VERY happy.  

I let them do another scrapbook page.   They LOVE doing them.   Their not super fancy, mostly just the pictures glued to bright paper, and then what the pictures are written down.   The two oldest are doing their own writing, I'm doing the youngest three.

I think next time I'll let them get a *bit* fancier.  But first I need to sit down and sort out their pictures a bit more.   Currently the three oldest are scrapping our 2001 Yellowstone trip.  Which I don't think any of them actually remember.  *snicker*  Kaylin is all of 15 months old in the pictures.  

I'm actually more current then that in their albums, but that was a roll of film that got rather lost and refound about a year ago.  (oops)   I'm putting year and or month on all the album pages and then when their done we'll sort them into a better chronological order.

Their not the fancy albums I wanted to do...but the kids love it...so I'll let it go and let them have fun.     

I'm snagging certain pictures out and I think I'm going to do a album for myself out of their leftovers.  I can't afford to get more copies of everything, so I'll just divide them more...which is what I'm going to be doing tonight when every one is in bed not bugging.

So far our schedule is working well.  Its freeing, not dragging down.   And things are staying caught up.   *grin*

Tomorrow we're having Samuels birthday party.   My kids get "real" parties on their odd years.   So as Samuel's seven its his turn.  He's soooooooo looking forward to it.  

I have a couple tidy'ing things I'd love to do in the yard, but we shall see.  And man I hope its nice tomorrow.  All the games are planned for outside. 

Other then that...life moves on.  Rob is of course working...but its time and a half so this is good.

 

I was taggedddddd

1) Total number of books I own? HMMM's a lot.   Three HUGE book shelves worth.   I'd guess 1500.   And I probably got rid of that many in the last year and a half--paring down to favorites. 
2)The last book I bought? Loving the Lord your God with all your mind
3) The last book I read?    reread White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey for the bazillionth time. 
4) 5 books that mean a lot to me?    Little Women,  Louisa May Alcott.   Anne of Green Gables series.  L.M. Montgomery   Little House on the Prairie series.   I know I'm cheating using series.  *snicker*  Tales of the Kingdom by Karen Burton Mains.   Sophies Choice by Lori Wick
5) Tag 5 people and have them fill this out in their blogs

Most of the people who I know have already been tagged.  Thinks hard

Wommie

ReEducator Tracie isn't that your most recent user name.

Daylesmilk

Kensjo

craktpot...only thats not your user name anymore.    

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And its gorgeous and sunny today.   Cheers.

And Samuel is 7 today.

Didn't I just bring him home as a 3 month old baby.  My first baby, along with his big sister Zeria at 13 months.   Wasn't that just yesterday?   

good evening

HOT today.  HOT.  Extremely unusual hot for this time of the year.

Its wonderful.

And we had our first trip to the lake.  *grin*  Its of course too early.  But that didn't stop Zeria & Sam from jumping off the diving board...of course they only did it once.    *snicker*

Need to take my own lawn chair though cause the chairs up their just absolutely TOASTED my back.  *sigh*   So being very careful  tonight.

Other then that I got to run away this morning.  Picked up 4 hanging baskets for only $8.99 a pop.  There beautiful.   I have 2 at my front door, one on my bridge, and one hanging on my outhouse.   The one Rob got me for Mothers Day is hanging above my French Doors, so all in all things are a bit more cheerful.  *grin*

I will be using them to decorate Baccalaureate with, so they are serving dual purposes. 

We're hoping tomorrow will also be hot.  And the theory is we're gonna finally start working on the kids tree house.

We shall see if it happens.  The problem is, I will be as helpful as a headache thanks to my back.  *shrugs*  But we would really like to do this for Sam's birthday which is Saturday.

Its not gonna be one of those fancy designer tree houses you see in magazines.  Its gonna be a *real* kid tree house.   a Floor to start.  *snicker*  This will give the little kids a "roof" to play under...and the big kids a place to plan their grand adventures.   Oh I hope we can do it.  Just using scrap wood that we have, and possibly going and picking up 4 long 2x4s.  

Mr. Mert has said we can have mill-ends from his mill.  So I believe has grandpa & grandma.  Unfortunately they are in Mexico 'til Saturday...so we won't be able to collect on that yet.     

Other then that just quiet. 

Boards are pretty close to dead.    *shrugs*  Its okay I have a lovely real life I'm thoroughly enjoying.  I peek in.  Write a post or two at Dragon INn and move on.  Although my new story that I'm leading is starting to todder along, so that makes me quite excited.  *grin*

Hmmmmm's

Didn't keep exactly to the schedule, but it is definitely working.

Glad I didn't keep to it though.  *grin*

Called my aunt who is currently house-sitting my teen-age sisters while my parents are in Mexico and we met at the beach.    It was sunny for the first time in three weeks.   My other sister came with her three munchies too, and we had kiddos running allllllllllllllllllll over.

I gave my camera to my 15 year old sister and she shot a TON of pictures.  She is *just* discovering photography, and has only been able to play with disposable cameras.   So, I think she had fun.

Have to load them up and see what we have. 

It was a fun day.  A little hard on my back, hunched on the beach like that, but a bit of ibuprofen and some stretches and it went away.   Ibuprofens been out of my system for hours and I don't feel any residual effects, so this is a GOOD thing.

Jeremiah and my aunt had a lovely time getting to know each other.     It was fun to watch.

All in all a fun day.   It was good to get moving again.

Oh yes, and for two days in a row my kids have done good school, and cleaned their rooms.   That makes the schedule worth its weight in gold!!!

Change.

I've been contemplating a MAJOR change that quite frankly terrified me beyond all belief.   Reasons following in a bit.  Any ways the change is in regards to schedule.  I've been thinking it was time to sit down and write down what NEEDS to be done in our day, and WHEN its going to be done.

It has been a major UGH.

I don't do schedules/goals well.   I see inability to reach said goal/schedule as complete failure.  Capital F FAILURE.

Background for this.  I went to a Christian school from K-8th grade....with one little year blurp in their at a PS.   At said Christian schools we worked on a self-education program.   We were required each day to set goals a minimum of 16 pages.   Which equaled about 4 pages in each workbook.  If we didn't complete our goals we brought home the work to do at home.  It HAD to be done in that day...PERIOD end of subject.

We wrote these goals a week at a time. 

These goals were set by ourselves from the age of seven on.  Yes, seven.

Seven year olds...don't handle this too well.  Well a lot did.  I didn't.

On top of these goals--being the entirely too over-eager beaver.  I set goals of how many books I wanted done by such & such a time.  Those goals oh my word were just over the top.

By half way through the first year I had to do this, I quite literally had a nervous break-down.   I had stomache aches, colds, you name it all so I could call my mom and go home.   And they were NOT faked. 

My extremely wise mom recognized something was wrong.   My extremely wise principal had dealt with this over-doing-it syndrome before.   For the rest of the year I went home at noon.    And baked cookies and was allowed to be a little kid.

Fast-forward.  Different Christian school.   Half way through 4th grade.  Same issues.  Colds, Stomache aches, and "Mom can I come home?"

Same terrible problem.

Finally to solve it...the Principal (diffy one) and my mom made a new rule...just for me.  (lucky old me).   I was NOT allowed to set more then ten pages of goals.  I was NOT allowed to.  ROFL.

And man did it urk me.   But I stopped being sick, and school became relatively enjoyable from then on out.

When we moved to a new area my mom h/s and she set my goals...it was just easier that way.  *snicker*

I've always set for my self UNATAINABLE, UnACHIEVEABLE goals...and shot myself and made myself sick when I didn't reach them.

Soooooooo schedules/goals scare the bejeebers out of me.  Its easier not to set them.

But if you DON'T set any goals...you don't accomplish any.

So...I'm back on a band-wagon.  *snigger*

And its a baby-step one.   I believe this schedule is doable.   And I'm saying over & over in my head it is MEANT to be flexible.

Maybe this time at 33 I'll believe them, and not live in the true terror I'll have homework.  (sarcasm read here)

Wanta see it?

8:30-9:00 Wake up/nurse babies

9:00  My computer time while daddys home.

10:00   P.E. Combined with Math 

10:30  Individual reading with each child.  (older ones reading to me, me reading to little ones)

11:00   Lunch

11:30  ALL watch Scrapbooking on DYI  (my kids love this)

12:00 Household chores which ALL participate in.

12:30-2:00  Free time do NOT bug mom--entertain YOURSELF

2:00 Craft time--Scrapbooking, beading, etc.

3:00  Hike or Bike together

3:30   Dinner Prep

4:00  Dinner

4:30 Call Daddy watch Food Network (The secret life of ...)

5:00  Clean bedrooms get pjs on.

5:30   Mom reads "big" story aka Little Princess or something.  (Currently its Karen Burton Mains book Tales of the Kingdom)

6:00   Bedtime...which umm takes an hour and a half.      They wind down slowly.... 

And then...mommy does a happy dance!!!!

Today I modified schedule...as its allowed to be.   And did it.  It worked extremely well.  *grin*

The kids were eager, and thoroughly enjoyed all the mommy time.  Actually they were quit MIFFED when that whole FREE TIME thing came up.    *snicker*

Just as I was thinking Man I'm exhausted I realized I'd hit free time, and regained all the energy....and before free time was over found myself restless and looking forward to tackling the next project.

May this work.

If it doesn't....I refuse to get stomache aches, and or colds due to stress.

Of course...just the thought of writing it down last week cause me an anxiety attack--and 2 hours later I was flat in bed for a week with extreme back pain.    I've wondered all week if it was my old stress thing coming back, or...guess we'll never know the answer to that. 

All I know is I sat in morning Service praying and felt called to write this schedule.  I wrote it on my kids notebook...and peace absolutely flooded through me.

And...my back hurt less then it had all week.   The pain lingers mildly, and its a good reminder to do my back stretches, plus some new ones.   But....hmmm I think this might work.

 

hello

shaky, weak, and drugged.

I have been flat for a week.  i haven't had the mental energy to stand most of the time.

Tuesday Rob stayed home from work after listening to my cry off and on all night.   We couldn't get into my regular pcp, but got into a ok cp at the same clinic.  She gave me flexeril & told me I could use ibuprofen 800.  I was already.     i was too dopey to tell her.   Went home, took flexeril made me loopy, still in pain.

Called the dr.  got diffy one.  He prescribed vicadin.  Rob went and got it.  It helped some, but still major pain.

*sigh*

Wednesday back to first pcp (not my regular one) and got a demeral shot.  Still didn't remove all the pain--its apparently my life.   But did enable me to sleep. 

My 15 year old sister came and spent the night so as to snoopervise the babies so Rob could go to work.  I somehow managed to keep Jeremiah happy.   Drug induced haze.

Thursday feeling some-better, but get fever.  Still don't know why.  No kidney infection, pain in wrong place.   No calling of doctors, just slowly coming out of pain during day.  Relapse towards night.  Rob ended up calling in sick last minute 'cause it was obvious I wasn't gonna make it.

And we scheduled the soonest chiropractor apointment we could.  

Friday vicadin is actually covering the pain.  Woo!   Of course I'm drug induced stooper, but at least the pain is gone.    My blood pressure has been high all week.  NObody's ultra concerned about that...the pain is probably the reason.

It makes me intensely shaky.  Plus the mild fever that sort-of-leaves.     Friday afternoon new chiropractor.  I haven't been in 4.5 years.  Been managing my pain on my own that long.   Been doing mostly ok at it too.   Learned to accept pain as life...but this new pain...just awful.

She was extremely thorough, and did massage as well as manipulation.   Last night I was achey, but not sore.  I know that doesn't make sense.  But it did to me.  I nursed JEremiah off and on all night as per usual, and still felt pretty good.   Towards morning about 6 am'ish I opted for ibuprofen.  It worked.   Amazing I'm downsizing drugs.  *snort*

I slept from 6-11.   HARD.  Actually real sleep, with dreams.  Haven't dreamed all week, just been so out of it. 

Just about a half a hour ago the pain remerged rather victoriously.   I panicked.   But took a couple deep breathes, moved positions, walked, breathed, and stuffed some more ibuprofen down my gullet.  I feel pretty good at the moment.   I'm coming of the shakes of pain, and breathing.

Its been a extremely rough week.

This pain is under in my right shoulder.  I'm coming to realize that due to my lower back pain which is chronic and never ending I've been compensating by over using my right shoulder.  I.E. to support my weight while dressing, climbing into our super tall van, etc.  

The chirporactor yesterday asked me if I used it to push anything.  And I said no.   And then I started watching.  I use it for everything....even when its in this much pain.  Time to rebalance my body, so it doesn't scream at me this loudly ever again.

But in the midst of all of this.  I can truely say I have rejoiced.

I never got angry at Rob, or my kids, or God.  A major first.   Instead I found myself thanking God for the pain.  Which I know non-Christians will think is highly weird.   But is says  "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God."   And wow I got a vacation this week...

No laundry,

no dishes,

no kid care

Of course I was drugged beyond all reasoning.  *snicker*

But it was still a vacation.

Have I mentioned my husband is a saint?  He is trust me on this. 

Currently he's in the laundry room talking to Jeremiah whose semi-happy in the bouncy seat while folding laundry.  He's a saint.

And I can't even reward him yet...

will remedy that as soon as I can.  TMI I know. 

Thanks for the prayers.  Its been a rough week. 

The computer is where the pain began last week.  So it may be I'm scarce for the next week.  I"m sorry.  Pain takes precedence.

If you pray...would you do me a favor.

My back hurts.   I'm at a 8 on the pain scale, and have been off and on for hours.   I seriously considered the ER at 3:00.  I NEVER have considered that before.  

I've done this before at night, but never for this long.

The good news is my kids are in bed now, so its just me I have to take care of.  But ugh.   Prayers are so appreciated.