BUSY, but productive!

The last two days have been really busy, but productive days. I am thrilled with the progress that hubby and I are making on all of our house projects! (I'm crossing off the items on the list here, if you want to check it out.)

Hubby has been a fantastic helper in all of this - he built the shelves in the furnace room and humored me when I wasn't sure I wanted them as wide as he had made them (he was right, by the way, they are fine!).

While he was busy working on the shelves, I sorted through all of the winter coats, boots and snow pants (among other miscellaneous toys and such that were scattered all over. We ended up with a nice bag to give to the church for their garage sale. I got the room totally picked up and organized - this was made much easier due to the fact that we gave the neighbors a swivel rocker and a recliner that was taking up space - plus, they took 4 out of our 5 bar-stools too! :)

Hubby and I also worked together on getting the old carpeting out of the den and he brought the new carpeting in. When the children got home from school, I asked them to come downstairs and help me install the new carpeting - they were great and didn't complain (much!) and we got the whole room put back together. It is now pristine and looks wonderful! We are all proud!

Since the shelves were finished I was able to get all of the "extra" foodstuffs on the shelves, instead of cluttering up other areas.

After all of this, I decided that I wanted to get the bookshelf picked up, organized and books that we don't read anymore (or have no interest in) taken off of the shelves to be donated. I ended up with the equivalent of two paper grocery bags full  of books! This area now looks fantastic also!

It was a busy day - as I also got in a walk and painted the barricade that hubby had made the day before for the basement window!!

Today - not as productive (house-wise) but I went and picked up gift cards (for graduation parties and for our vacations), stopped and got a bunch of free (Cottonelle wipes) and BOGO items (Lean Pockets - only $2/2 packages!!) and other items (pants for Zumba!!) and also stopped at Aldi's for some awesome fruit and veggie sales. Then I spent the afternoon visiting with my mom and niece and nephew.

So, all-in-all - a good couple of days!

Tomorrow my hubby goes on a field trip with the kids to the Twin Cities and I have a good friend coming over to visit - YAY - can't wait!! There is a LOT going on this weekend  - but I'll post about that AFTER it happens!

Summer "Stuff"

Personal Summer To-do List:
*file pictures
*make photo albums
*accomplish the Summer House To-Do List
*make a book list, read!!
*"Handmade" Christmas gifts made
*sewing projects
*craft projects
*make soap



Summer Bucket List:
*Library every Thursday
*Bowling at least once a week w/kids
*Wildwood Wildlife Park
*Paul Bunyans
*Water parks
*Mall of America
*Renaissance Festival
*Minnesota State Fair?
*Mfld Fair
*CC Fair
*Corn Fest
*EAA
*Children's Museum (EC or OK)
*LaCrosse - Overnight?
*Girl-scout camp
***Fire-time/cookouts w/family and friends***
***BEACH TIME***

Summertime To-do List

Just the house, for now....

Summertime (house) goals:

Outside:

• gate for deck
• stain deck???
• steps to playhouse fixed
• playhouse floor fixed
• playhouse re-painted (outside)
• girls: repaint inside, hang curtains, etc.
• new sand brought in for pool
• new sand for sand box
• plant garden
• tend strawberries
• tend chives
• transplant raspberries/build “cage” for them

Upstairs:

• girls' room – allow to re-paint.....or add decorations
• clean floor/under bed
• get bottom bunk ready for “baby” to move upstairs
• organize clothes
• organize closet
• organize clothes racks
• go through books/bookcase, donate to library

Main Level:

• new locks on doors 
• re-do floor in bedroom
• re-do floor in living room/dining room areas 
• new shelf in kitchen cabinet 
• clothes organized/washer & dryer area

Basement:

• clean and re-arrange the furnace room/shelf unit built and new carpeting installed
• window barricade made for furnace room window
• clean and re-arrange the den (get rid of two chairs)
• clean and re-arrange the toy room – paint???
• re-do bathroom (paint, re-do ceiling and new floor) 
• clean closet/sort clothes -- extra clothes to church garage sale
• arrange “extra” food items

May 2011 - already???

Wow - I haven't posted in awhile - but this is what seems to happen when life gets busy.

It's end of the year for both the kids and I. For me, this means papers and finals and registering for classes for next semester (I'm IN MY CORE classes next semester -YAY!!). For the kids this means lots of outside time - I LOVE living across the road from their playground as I get to watch them play and be outside for phy-ed, etc - and, of course: field trips!! They love them, we (hubby and I) love to go with them - they still LET us, lol! So....hubby is going up with the two oldest to St Paul later this month. They have a full day planned and will have lots of fun, I'm sure.

The Lord has been providing all of our wants and needs lately, as is the norm when we lay our trust in him.

First: Hubby made his way into the church this year!!! Now, we can all accept the Eucharist together - the kids were especially excited about this! Speaking of which, Little Miss L made her first communion the end of April too - she was just lovely!

Second: we decided NOT to have a third vehicle - and, we sold our van and bought my moms - her's was in better condition and ours was getting to be pretty rusty and the air conditioning needed to be fixed - and yes, I am a baby and HATED not having air!! The Lord saw fit to bless us with a buyer - and at $1000 at that! Considering we had the van for over 4 years and only paid $2500, we couldn't have asked for a better vehicle - it definitely did us no harm! We also get back another $200 or so from insurance because it was paid up for the year.

Third: we are still (kinda) unsure of how to get the boy-child to his new school next year - but in talking with the neighbor - who is a teacher there - he would be happy to help us if we don't/can't find another way.

Fourth: I got into my nursing classes - did I say this already?? Ok, so I'm a bit excited as this gets us one more step closer to fulfilling our family goals (I'll post about those another time!)

Fifth: I've been working out on a daily basis - due to my new unrelenting walking partner! My neighbor is just awesome - she has no children and motivation to get into shape - she comes over at the designated time and will wait while I get the toddler ready as well as walk the dogs with me - it's great having someone who holds me accountable!

Sixth: health-wise - all the kids as well as hubby and myself are all in good health and  we have had NO asthma attacks or flare-ups - life is good this way!

We been spending lots of time with my grandma and family - and a few of hubby's as well. Things aren't the best with him and his dad right now, so I pray that eventually things will get better there - I hate to see him hurting. A few of his siblings distance themselves, so we don't always get to see all of them - but that's their choice - anyone who knows us well knows we have an open-door policy - you can't please everyone all the time!

This weekend my granny, my neighbor and I are going to go to some city-wide garage sales - I CAN'T WAIT - these are my favorite and I tend to find LOTS of great stuff....can't wait!

Anyways, like I said: life is not exciting right now. A week and a half of school and then it's summer vacation - PRAISE THE LORD!!!

New Year's Goals - update!

• Lose a minimum of another 20 pounds (I did this last year, and would like to see more!) Only 15 more pounds to go!!!
  
• Get a full physical 
  
• Exercise 3 times a week (on the way....enrolled in Zumba already, wishing my SIL would too!) This is more and more consistent - not perfect, but getting there!
  
• Save $4000 - now that Hubby's job is stable, I would like to see at least this much in savings...after paying off our "bank of mom and dad" loans, lol!  We have exceeded this goal. Unfortunately, it is because of the car accident, but hey - we have a savings and its growing.....maybe I need to set a new goal here!
  
• Straight A's (again, this semester - and Dean's List too!) This is also, well on it's way - so far, only A's!!
  
• Attend one weekly Mass - we attend Mass on Sundays, no if's and's or butt's - so now I would like to attend a weekly Mass too - the kids go every Wed, but I would like to go as well and keep doing it through the summer. This is happening more often than not - YAY!!!
  
• Start a better prayer regimen - right now, this is a little sporadic and I would like it to be more consistent. This is more consistent too!
  
• More family time - even if it means JUST our family, sitting down and playing a game or watching a movie - the kids are growing too fast - next year "the baby boy" is starting Jr. High!! This is happening on a very regular basis - still, we will ALWAYS work on it, but we have already started planning summer schedules too, which always means more family time!
• More fresh fruits and veggies....we lag a little in this area and need to round it out Doing much better in this area - always need to keep an eye on this though! ;)
• Purge more often - I am a saver by nature, but would like to get a little more organized, which means a little more purging! Spring makes this easy - we are getting rid of LOTS of stuff all the time now - and I'm getting better at just getting rid of something instead of saving for a "just in case" moment!

Lots going on....

Well, things have been SUPER busy around here - more so than even normal!

Check out Moneyless Momma's to see why it's important to have an emergency fund (and car insurance, for that matter!). The good news is: hubby wasn't hurt! The bad news is: the car was totaled. Good news: We have the check in hand and it's $1000 MORE than what we bought the car for. We have felt the urge to save this money and not replace the car at this time. Not sure what the Lord is working on for us, but it seems that this is the right course of action for this moment in time.

Our 8 yr old daughter receives her first communion this year. Not only will we be passing down the dress from her older sister (as well as the veil and the gloves) but we also found an awesome pair of dressy white shoes for her to wear that were in our closet - YAY for not spending money!!

Our kindergartner shows such advancement in her reading skills that she is starting the accelerated reader program (AR books, the kids call them) this week - rather than waiting until the second semester of first grade, as is the "normal" time the kids start the "AR books." She is super excited (and proud!) to be starting! She also just lost her first tooth on Sunday - her howl of pain turned into complete and utter elation as she realized that I was holding her tooth in my hand - she's a funny one, for sure!

Hubby applied for an awesome position in his company. Yesterday was his first "official" day as an employee (before then, he was technically employed by the temp. service). However, this position was almost tailor made for him - he'd be working directly under the Manager of Safety for the company. Given his extensive background in the Army as one of the lead medic's, as well as having been a CPR instructor, a member of the local fire crew....etc - this position would be awesome for him! It also means a few levels higher on the pay scale (which wouldn't hurt AT ALL), so please pray that God's Will be done.

This week is spring break for me - my goal is to clean the basement toy-room. ARGH - what a mess! But tonight, there is a children's chair, a HUGE broken remote control car, shelf unit and an extra bag of "junk" at the curb, waiting for the morning garbage pick- up ---- ahhhh, so freeing!

I think in the next few days I'll try for another resolution update - results are happening!!

My heart hurts

Life is NOT always a bowl of cherries. Sometimes you get a pit (or two).

I have really turned my life around in the past year - focused on being a more positive person, trying not to participate in gossip or drama, etc.

Lots of hard situations have been popping up in extended family - a baby born at 24 weeks (still alive), another baby that possibly has Potter's syndrome and the death of my hubby's grandmother, just to name a few.

But this time, it's personal. We are waiting on testing results. We found out that I may be going through early menopause. While this may not be a big deal to some people, and maybe it shouldn't feel like such a big deal to me, it is.

We have been blessed with 5 "normal," "healthy" children and only one miscarriage. But we have always been able to conceive when we wanted to - and sometimes when we didn't plan too! So to me, personally, this news hit hard. It means that we have some decisions to make (do we want more children, if so, maybe we should try NOW, as we don't know if/how much longer we can have biological children).

Now, my pregnancies have not always been easy - compared to some people, yes! but compared to others, no! Three out of four of my girls have been breech - the first was almost a c-section  - but she decided to turn the night before it was scheduled! The last, I was plagued with a bunch of problems including severe hypertension which led to delivering her early (AND turning her into position in LDR). And let's not even talk about my veins!

I look at babies and I love them and I hold them.....ah, they are so sweet - but yet I feel that THAT stage in my life may be over. I don't know.

We've always left EVERY ASPECT of our lives to the Lord. It hurts me to think of all these people that claim to give their lives to God, but prevent him from giving to them (by using birth control). If you're going to completely trust in God, then why not trust ALL areas of your life to him? Why is it that so many "Christian's" feel that they'll ask God for help in other areas, but NOT in the children area??? I don't get it.

So anyway, we are praying - praying for God's will to be done - because right now, I'm pretty comfortable with the seven of us (and NOT feeding in the nights or changing diapers....etc). But, we ARE open, open to the path that the Lord has chosen for us and we trust in HIM to decide what is best for us - because looking around, HE has always amply provided for us and we have faith that he will continue to do so.

Thanks for letting me "vent!"