Contentment

So after a whole day of trying to set up a facebook account and track all the comments and friend requests... I am so grateful for myspace. I like that most people on facebook are current, but it is just so much easier to navigate myspace. Ahhh... I need to blog more often. I need to manage my time better. I need to enjoy my children more instead of manage them. urrggg so much to learn. So little time. How does that all work out that way? Oh well. I hope you are having a wonderful day.

Adoption Status

So we finally had our first interview/homestudy with the adoption social worker on Monday. (the last one was with the foster care social worker) She was here for 3 hours. (I did not expect that) I was just really glad that it was nap time. She was asking REALLY personal questions. I cannot imagine having had to answer them in while children interrupted and eves dropped.... Anyway... She had two main concerns... One- the bathroom in the back bedroom (the one that is now our toy room) is too "sterrile" Which from her discription I can only assume means too white... (It was a rental before us so everything is white). We need to decorate. She mentioned the HG channel which I have never heard of so then she mentioned magazines... At what point does wanting to give children a loving and safe home become trendy?!!!??? I was irritated.
Anyway, Two- there were two rooms that are really cluttered. They need to be kid ready. I told her that i could do that in a matter of days if someone would kindly tell me when it needs to be done. At this point we have been "preparing" for kids for MONTHS. and still no sign of when they are to arrive. So yes, the "spare" rooms are being used in the mean time. For instance one of them is called rhe junk room. It has things in it that either need to get taken up to the attic, or given away and I just havent found someone to take it.... So Christmas stuff, outgrown clothes and shoes, books that we don't need, things like that end up in there because it is a big empty room.... That will not cut it for licencing... And the other room is my bedroom where everything gets put... Clothes that need mending, all the stuff that needs to be labeled for JBF (the consignment sale that comes around twice a year) Wrapping paper..... on and on...
Well, yes those rooms need to get cleaned... no big deal. I know that and am SLOWLY working on it. But in the mean time, I still live here. I have 4 kids who live here. There are other things that get done cause they are on the top of the agenda... Bathing, laundry, homeschooling, food, dishes, vacuumeing, so on and so forth...
So I ask her if she can give me a honey do list so I can be working on it until the next time we meet so things can look better from her point of view. She says those rooms and the bathroom that I mentioned is really it, but I will look over the other list (that the first homestudy lady gave us) and try to update it for you. What has been done and what still need to get done.
So yesterday I got an email from her that says that the first homestudy list looks good and she wouldnt change it. (though more than half of that stuff is done and it NEVER mentioned the bathroom) So I should pull it back out agian and work from it. THEN... I got a second email from her stating that she had spoken with her supervisor and the homestudy will be discontinued until we can make the house more sutible for adopting.
I was SO irritated!!!  when she was here things looked good to have kids soon. Now we are not even on their radar anymore.... I don't get it.
Anyway, It sounds like I am a few boxes from the attic and a few coats of pait away from kids... But who knows what will change by the next time we meet with them...
Sorry to vent, but I seem to get irritated when I talk on this subject. Go figure. I love ya all and hope to hear from you soon...
Me

gift giving at an early age...

So I went to yard sale of a good friend a few months ago and there was another yard sale across the street. While my husband and girls were at my friends, my sons and I strolled across the street. This is how he was able to keep it a surprise from his sisters....
Steven has a heart for his sisters!

He saw these dolls (and several others) at a yard sale and BEGGED me to lend him the money to buy them for his sisters.
Out of 15 or so dolls, he chose this one specifically for Rebekah

And this one especially for Heather

Of all of the dolls on that table, I would have chosen the same dolls for the same girls. My little boy loves his sisters.

and that helps them love him more too....
(by the way, just in case you were wondering how much money I let a 3 year old spend on his sisters, the dolls were only $4 a piece)

Christmas Jammies

So if you remember... My goal for Christmas was to make my family jammies to sleep in on Christmas eve...
I didn't quite do what I had intended to, but as I have heard from SEVERAL friends.... I realized that this goal was a bit too much of an undertaking for someone who has not sewn before....
However, I DID make us all jammie bottoms for Christmas morning. So here is a picture of our hommade jammies...

each of my kids got a baby... Steven got a boy baby and he just loves it....


And I won't post a picture, but he quickley decided to grab on of the shirts that he got as a gift and "match" his baby. So he was wearing his blue jammie bottoms and them added a nice red button up shirt to his attire so he coudl be a good "daddy".
The kids also all got new blankies.... they are so love-y. They each loved on them as soon as they figured out what they were...




 They have a soft side and a silky side... very comfy...
Well..... I will talk to you all soon...

Chiropractor anyone?

So after we did school work today, we cleaned up the living room and I started making lunch... I looked back to see what the kids were up to and found out that my son Steven wants to be a chiropractor when he gets big. But until then, he will just practice on his sister.
He is very comforting... reassuring... "you will hear a little bit of popcorn but do not be afraid"

Here he is measuring which leg his patient can lift higher in order to establish where the problem is... Notice that his arms are not long enough to measure... He figured it didn't really matter anyway ;-)
"Lift your leg as high as you can without bending the knee... Ok, good, now the other..."
You would think he has been once or twice wouldn't you?

the girls are making dinner

So tonight, the girls are making dinner.... Heather is making Pizza and Rebekah is making Pasta Salad. Then, they are both making brownies... No help from mommy or daddy. Right now they are trying to figure out the pampered chef can opener (no cut fingers) so they can put olives on their food. Oopp Rebekah is done with the can opener and is on to the pampered chef food chopper. This whole kids cooking thing would not be nearly as care free without pampered chef's cool gadgets. They cannot hurt themselves unless they really try. And if they want to get hurt that bad, I think they deserve it... ;-P
Ok, so Bekah really likes the chopper. Hitting things with permission is so much fun. Heather figured out the can opener without help... good for her. My mom can non even do that.
Bekah is stirring the noodles. She is doing a good job. Heather just put a TON of olives on a mushroom pizza. yummy.
Ok, Pizza is in the oven (she asked mommy for help) and they are on to the brownies... Heather reads and Rebekah is learning to follow directions from her sister. This should be good.
Oh look, now Rebekah is teaching Heather how to use the chopper. This is really cute.
I should take pictures... BRB...

Hahahha Heather is not tall enough to reach the top shelf to get a serving bowl out of the cupboard so she pushed the stool over and climbed on the counter and got it.... She is so resourceful. I will not mention that she learns best by example...

Ok, now we have olives in the pasta salad and itallian dressing too.
Eeww.. Bekah just snuck a heaping spoonful of pasta into her mouth to "test it" I think we will just not broadcast that.
ok, salad is in the fridge and they are on to the brownies. They have the brownie mix...
the eggs..
the water...........
Uh oh... we have a 1/4 cup and need 1/2 cup... what do we do? What do we do?!
Wow! I have some smart kids. They figured out the dreaded fractions.

On to the mixers... oh they really enjoy cooking. Especially when they get to lick the beaters. Oh look and mommy gets the bowl. Awesome! That is the way to spoil ones dinner... (like I said before... they learn best by example... I don't know WHERE they get this stuff ;-P )
Ok, I am going to lick my bowl. Talk to ya later.

Freckles... a sign of maturity

So my little boy is quite precious. Randomly throughout the week, he will get my attention and be VERY excited!!!
"Mommy, Mommy, look!"

"What Steven?"
"Look, mommy, I am getting a little spot on my arm, just like you and daddy!"
"Let me see this baby" (of course I had no idea what he was talking about the first time he did this)
"What spot baby? I don't see anything"

"The ones like you and daddy... Look like these ones" and he points to the freckles on my arm...
I had never realized that kids didn't come with freckles. ;-) Steven is quite excited that he is growing up and getting spots...