Been Busy

Can you be busy and lazy at the same time? I don't know it seems like I'm always doing something and yet nothing is ever getting done. The house is always a mess and the pile of laundry to fold is taller than me. Of course that's not a hard feat with my stature.

Sapphire loves the snow and is always outside. Kenzie however takes after me and hates the cold and whines after about 10 minutes outside. Journey like to see the snow and be outside but doesn't like to touch it or walk in it. So I end up carrying him around.

There is a small mound of dirt around the side of the house from construction of the house. It's perfect for sledding with the little ones. It's only about 4 ft. tall and not very steep. So we got a few sleds. Theres a three person plastic one that I take Journey down the hill with me on. He loves it and says "weeee" the whole way down. However we had our first sledding accident today. Not serious but the plastic sled has kind of sharp side and Kenzie scraped some skin on his finger. It was awful for him though. He kept crying that this is the worst day ever. Of course once he had a bandage on he was running around playing as if nothing happened.

Update

So we've settled down in our new house. Well new to us at least. It feels so huge after being in that little trailer. In fact the master suite is about the same square footage as our whole trailer! I don't know how we are ever going to get back in the trailer when our lease runs out. It'll really feel tight after this.

The kids are loving thier own rooms, making a mess of them and we are constantly fight to keep them clean but they're kids so what's new. We had a great Christmas and New Years. Went down to visit with all the family and had a great time. I got my butt kicked playing a new card game but of course Randy won. So I lost my money but since Randy won the pot I got it back in a round-about way.

We had a quiet New Years with just the kids and us at home staying up late eating junk food and watching TV.

Sapphire is learning cursive, which she thinks is just stupid and squiggly lines. Still for all her arguing she's doing well. She's working on multiplication and division, she does really well with fact families but not so good with testing. But it's just something you have to memorize so she'll get it eventually.

Kenzie is off the wall as usual. We have a ton of snow but he hates getting cold so he's cooped up quite a bit. He's learning to write his letters and loves to read books.

Journey is talking up a storm. Speaking in full sentences and really letting you know what he wants. He suprises me all the time. I think the first full sentence he said was "I want candy" He cracks me up. He such a little comedian. He's always making silly faces or putting things on his head like hats.

We don't have internet service right now. Hope to have some by the end of the week. I'll update more later when I have the chance. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic New Year ahead of you.

Let it snow

I don't know how well I am going to adjust to this colder weather. I do not do well in the cold, my bones ache and I just get generally grumpy. But the kids love it. They are really looking forward to having a lot of snow. I am wishing that dh had gotten sent to Arizona. It was -2 the other night. Seriously, it's just barely November, not even techinically winter. Brrrr. I tried to get all three of them to just stay still and look at me long enough to take a picture. Ha what a joke. I have immense respect for portrait photographers now. It was just a little snow but
there were already several car accidents. And you should have seen the line at the tire place. The whole parking lot was filled with cars and then the net two blocks. Just outrageous. I don't think I'll be getting studded tires anytime soon.

On better news we will probably be moving next weekend. I can't wait to get into a real house, get to take a bath in a real tub, cook in a real oven, instead of one that's a step up from a doll house. I'll be sure to post some pics once we get moved in. It'll be pretty bare, we don't have much furniture stored so we'll have to shop around for somethings like a couch. I don't care if I have to sit on the floor, it'll be a real house. Yah!

Little Update

We are somewhat settled here in Central Oregon. We are looking for a house to rent. We'll be here for 6 months probably and I am getting really cramped. It's kind of hard to think that we've been doing this for a year. I remember when we first bought the trailer and started traveling that I wondered if it was going to work. I worried about there being room for Journey to learn to crawl and walk. I worried about the lack of privacy, can you believe that there weren't locks on any of the interior doors? Who doesn't have a lock on thier bathroom door? I was afraid of burning myself every time that I lit the stove, I must have jumped back a couple inches each time.

So now we are used to it and it feels like home. It's a distant memory living in a realy house. And I get my husband home every night. I think that this whole thing has brought us a lot closer together, and not just physically. We rarely fight anymore. It's odd that we'd spend so litle time together before and spend half of that bickering. I think that the financial strain of the rental and such being gone has helped a lot. At least as far as I am concerned. Of course we still argue about what a slob I am. But it seems that we are both getting back to basics in a sense and connecting more. Who would have thought that living in a travel trailer and moving every few months would be good for a family?

Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awarness

I'm lighting a candle for all the lost babies, including my own. We all have different ways of dealing with loss. I guess writing about it helps me. I was hard getting prenant after losing a child, each time was different. There was a certain guilt because it could have been prevented, just a little stitch and my baby would have lived. I guess I still live with that. I don't know if you believe in reincarnation but there was a feeling that my baby came back to me.

Happy Birthday Sapphire

Dark lashes spider walk across pale cheeks
Freckles dance between the webs
Spinning dreams behind eyelids.

Snuffling breath shallow in your chest
Whistling through your missing teeth
Giggling sighs under tangled sheets.

I cherish the moments of angelic serenity
That are missing in the daylight,
As I watch you while you sleep..

I can't believe it's been 9 years. I still remember the first time I saw you, all blue and purple over the sheet for the few moments before they wisked you off to the NICU. I was so scared and so in love with you. When I finally got to hold you I just stared, you were such a miracle. One that I wasn't expecting and didn't think I'd have. I count my blessings everyday. You are still my miracle. I love you.

A Last Look At Summer

The park that we are staying in has an outdoor pool. All summer long the kids have been swimming in it. It's great. You should see little Journey. The first time that I put him in the water he immediately started doggy paddling. He was litterally pushing himself out of my arms trying to swim around the pool. It was just instinctive. I call him my little water puppy.

Kenzie has started swimming without his lifejacket. He swims like a mermaid. Both legs together kinds of waving along. He only swims under water. He has yet to learn to bring his head up to breath and then go back under. So he'll swim to you or along the wall where he can touch.
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Now Sapphire is scared of the water. She's the only child that's had swimming lessons yet she won't swim where she can't touch. She will only doggy paddle and is completely resistant to me or dh trying to teach her any other way. We worked out the goal that if she swam all the way from one end of the pool to the other that she could have a pool party. Well the pool is now closed for the season and no party. I'm sad because I don't want her to miss out on things because of fear. Still she loves the water, she just can't really swim

My Grand Opening

Preview is up, Grand opening set for Sept. 23 at noon. There are two free raffles and free shipping on all items. Check it out.

http://www.hyenacart.com/cottagebabies/

Happy Birthday Mckenzie

I cannot believe that in a matter of days you are going to be four. Time has flown. The past year has certainly been exciting with potty training, learning to ride a bike and 911 calls and ambulance rides. I don't know if I'll live to see you grow up with as much stress as this past year had brought. Still you are my wild child, my little dude, a dreamer who dashes out without thinking. I admire you courage and loving heart. My little lover, to whom everyone is a friend. I'm sure over the years you will cause more than a few gray hairs for me. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Mckenzie

Nursing baby

I was surprised to say the least to hear about this. Breasts are made for nourishing your child. There is nothing offensive about nursing a baby. I do it every day, several times a day, in public too! I know, shocking! And you thought that I was such a nice girl. I think this woman addressed this so eloquently. I love nursing my son. It's the one time where he slows down and takes a moment to just be. He sits in my lap stroking my hair and occasionally smiling at me around my breast with milk drooling down. How can you think that is offensive? It's nothing but love.

Where we live

So this is where we live. It looks so huge stretched out behind my dh's work truck. Like someone took a regular trailer and pulled. The two windows stacked at the end is the kids bunk beds. The other end is our bedroom, it's an actual room, with a door. I know that sounds stupid but living in such a small space its wonderful to have some privacy. Just ignore the mess. With three kids it's hard to keep anything clean for long.

My family reunion

This year it was at Willamette Mission State Park. It's the first year I've been here. Last year we missed it because we were moving. As you drive in there are fields of corn and rows upon rows of berries. It's rather dry though. We didn't have a camp fire this year. It was still fun. One of my cousins had a son just under a month after Journey was born so he had a playmate. There was so much food. I swear I gained back the 15lbs that I lost. Yum, fresh made ice cream. Here's the kids all standing around waiting for the ice cream to be ready. The stood there for like 20 minutes waiting and then gave up and went to play. Of course it was only like ten more minutes before it was done but I admire their patience.

My New Endeavor

I've been looking for something that I can do from home to help supplement our income and give me some purpose. I need something to keep my hands busy. So I started sewing, a lot. I've already had two orders. Although do they count if it's your mom?
Isn't it just adorable? Makes me want another little one around the house. ((sigh)) Not that that is going to happen anytime soon as I am fixed. But such is life. I am also making bags, reversible. I've made so many of them already although I've only sold one. Not too good at this business thing. I really don't think that I have all the skills that I need to really get this off the ground but I'm working on it.

Crater Lake National Park

This past weekend dh and I took the kids to visit Crater Lake. I'd never been before. It is the deepest natural lake in the US. It's formed in the caldera of a volcano that exploded thousands of years ago. It's beautiful. It's so blue. The only thing that I didn't like was the lack of guardrails at most places. Not too child friendly. Huge drop off, no guardrails and a toddler with impulse control. Can we say stress? So after the first couple places we decided to do the driving tour. I will take the kids back sometime this week to go to the visitor center and museum.

Do you believe in ghosts?

A Little Lost

Well it's been at least a month since I've written anything. I've been feeling a little lost. It's like talking to my best friend, then she goes on vacation and I can't chat with her. I miss it. I know that the best way to remedy it is to just sit down and type but it's hard. I have trouble focusing and can't seem to stay on subject. I have about a 1/4 of a book written. I left my main character pregnant with twins and that's about it. I have a lot more planned for it and I just can't get to it. I also have about three other half written books. So what is the problem that I can't finish what I start? Short attention span? Maybe...maybe just too many kids not enough time.

Happy Anniversary

Not only did we celebrate our 6th anniversary the whole nation did. We always have a big party. That's what we get for getting married on the 4th of July. We went camping and had a wonderful time. The weather was warm and sunny. We spent time with both of our families. Then on the 4th enjoyed a huge fireworks display. I couldn't have asked for a nicer weekend. I hope that everyone else enjoyed thiers.

Balloon's over Bend

Dh's family came over this way to visit for the weekend. I think that we wore them out. On Saturday evening we went to the evening balloon light up. It was really cool. You could go out and tlak to the people as they were waiting to set up the balloons. There was live music, the kids danced themselves sleepy. Which was a good thing because then they were tired enough to sit still and watch them blow up the balloons. They just glowed in the evening dusk. It was a beautiful site. Next year if we are over this way we'll get up early to watch the balloons take off. They had 20-30 balloons take off in the way early morning that Saturday but we didn't want to wake up.

The next morning we got up and went to another balloon thing. they had three balloons set up in the high school field. They were giving free balloon rides. Not really rides. You got to go up into the air and then come back down. The balloons were still teathered. We got there a little too late though. We were in line waiting for a ride and the wind picked up and the balloons had to be taken down. But the kids and dh got to help take downt he balloon. Still Sapphire was crying int he car she was so dissappointed. Maybe next year. I take it though that they don't do that every year. They just did this year because the wind was too strong for them to take off.

Christmas Valley, Oregon - Camping

For Journey's birthday/ Memorial weekend we went camping in Christmas Valley, Oregon. Unlike what most people imagine when they think about Oregon it is not lush, green with lots of trees. There are few trees, mostly juniper, and those there are are short and rather stunted. The majority of plant life is sage brush. It's high desert. It gets really hot during the day and then very cold at night. Well generally in the summer months, but we happened to visit on an off weekend and we got rain and hail.
The kids had a blast. There were a lot of family and friends there. I think that the adults had more fun than the kids did, staying up until all hours drinking way too much. There were many hangovers the next day. The asprin bottle was passed around. I had a couple mixed drinks but I'm nursing still so I don't drink much. It was fun but I think that next year we'll go some place a little more quiet. The teenagers were really loud until all hours of the morning.