I Must Admit

How was your Thanksgiving? I was so quick to post about my Black Friday adventure I failed to see how my 5 readers Thanksgiving was:) Did I mention that my mom was sick, my inlaws bailed on me 48 hours before, and my sister and her family couldn't make it either? (I knew that well in advance) It was just my dad, my g'father and our family! It was kind of depressing actually! I had to figure out how to get all the food on the table, make gravy, etc. etc ALONE! The fact that my own MIL couldn't come actually hurt the most. My mom couldn't help be sick, my MIL decided to not come. Yes, I'm TRYING to not have any hard feelings but I'm struggling just a bit.

So moving on. I'm sure my title has you wondering. This is very hard for me to type and I'm not sure I even want to share but feel I must b/c I need an avenue to write out my fears.
BFF-E if you read this, sorry you are finding out this way but I'm sure you'll understand why I haven't called to share.
In addition the other reason to share is the 3, maybe 4, family members that DO read this (Megs, Kate, MJ) they know.

So here it goes..........I'm PREGNANT!!!!!

ok deep breath! That actually is the first time I've written that. Not sure how it feels. I'm @ 7 weeks as I type this. Therefore one of the reasons why I have NOT shared. We all know that miscarriages are quite common and that a rule of thumb is to wait till 3 months to share. I plan on trying to stick to that.

If you've followed my blog for the last year, or longer, you'll remember that exactly ONE YEAR ago, I was pregnant. That pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 8 weeks. That was VERY hard. I know, why wouldn't it? BUT for those just starting to follow, or have been following, know that infertility has left a wound on my heart that just can't seem to be healed. While it has healed  A LOT it's still there. Then a year ago another wound, the miscarriage.

Healthy baby and heartbeat one day and 48 hours later it was over. Wham bam, done. My emotions left on an exam table in an ER for me to pick up and move on. Why was the Lord doing this to me? Hadn't I been thru enough with infertility? I mean i have at LEAST 40+embroys waiting for me in heaven! Doesn't that count for pain? Or what about the years prior to IVF treatments where looking back, I'm quite certain I WAS pregnant. Just miscarried.

Then God came to us and lead us to adoption. He was not going to let us hurt for a family that we so desperately wanted. But wait, more hurt. Hurt? Really? How can I hurt when we're going to become a family? It was a different kind of hurt. Hurt for BM, for her family. Can YOU imagine giving birth to a child and handing him or her over to another family? That child is going to call ME MOM! My mom-G'ma! It was a time of such mixed emotions. Joy, hurt, happiness, pain, excitement, loss, I felt it all!!

Then of course was the surprise pregnancy of Miss A. No problems, text book pregnancy! WOW God, you seize to amaze me. But still my complete trust and faith, was not in him! It was there, but not there in away it should be. Of course you don't realize this till later in life.

That later in life DIDN'T come with the next pregnancy. I thought hmmm...God's really working in our lives. He is going to bless us with another child! My trust was not in him. He was not in control. Not because he didn't WANT to be, but because I didn't ALLOW him to be! The miscarriage happened and I started to feel bitterness towards God. It hurt especially as people around me, no one I knew personally, were pregnant. The one girl (fellow MOPS-Mom) was pregnant with twins and very very VERY sick. So sick she was put in a coma! I received endless emails from our MOPS group for prayers, food, etc Then there was a MOPS Christmas party where all the talk was about her. I lost it at that point. What about me? I was supposed to be pregnant right with her! The MOPS ladies I was with that night were very comforting.

I realized that night that there were other women within that room that also miscarried and would have had children the same age as there friend, cousin, fellow MOPS Mom, etc. I realized that while my hurt and pain WERE real to me, others had real pain too. (does that make sense?) I looked at it as I'm not the first to miscarry, and I'm not the LAST! I actually had that attitude the entire time, but yeah that feeling of why me would creep in a lot more often. I was very thankful that the miscarriage took care of itself on its own. I had the chance to do a D&C but didn't want to put my body thru anymore IF it could happen on it's own, and it did.

Now here I am! One year later. But I feel SO different! I am more calm and relaxed and I can attribute it to ONE thing! GOD!! In the last year, actually maybe only six months, my relationship with God has grown. Not in every way it should (Bible reading my BIG thing I don't do) but in prayer. I have been kneeling before the Lord every night for many many months now. I can honestly say, I have seen/feel such a difference in my life. I prayed that if his will be done as far as another child. Maybe it would be thru pregnancy? Maybe adoption? OR maybe he just wanted us to be content with the 2 miracles we have.

I honestly left it to him. Imagine my surprise when I took the pregnancy test! But rather then being elated, I stressed. I paniced. I thought not another miscarriage Lord, please. My heart can't take that again. But then a peace came over me. A peace that I was to put my trust and faith in GOD! I have been doing just that.  Easier said then done I know! It has been a challenge. But every time I get anxious I stop and just pray for God to calm me. I thank him every day that I was pregnant for one more day. In fact, I say a praise everytime I go to the bathroom and wipe and see NOTHING! Yeah yeah....TMI but if you've been thru infertility you know what it's like, the entire wiping thing.

Long long post. If you've stuck with me and read this ALL, KUDOS! I feel like the cat is out of the bag to my blogging friends. If you know me in real life, I ask that you please please PLEASE keep this mum. I have not told ANYONE, not even my mom (another post about that another time). I have told my Pastor for prayer support and our MOPS mentor mom from last year.

I go in Monday for an ultrasound and should be @ 7 1/2 weeks. If you are a happy clapper, would you mind lifting me and baby up in prayers??

Many many more posts to come about this as there are some interesting things that have happened leading up to this pregnancy!

Barnstorming For Governor-Pictures

Some pictures to follow up from the previous post

I LOVE these ladies. That's me in the red, sitting down. Being on the Central Committee is the BEST committee I've EVER been on. Everyone is just beyond encouraging and thankful for even the smallest of tasks you do. LOVE IT!! Told DH this is one committee I will NOT resign from!

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This would be the candidates opn our make shift stage of a hay rack.

See the 'seats' you could have?? And really this morton 'shed' is the most AMAZING shed i've EVER seen. It's cleaner then most houses. On the other side of this is where he keeps his equipment. The equipment (planter, semi, tractors) were as spotless as this floor was!! AMAZING!!

Black Friday Recap

I can not BELIEVE I went BF shopping. But I did! I couldn't help but be tempted by the deals. I figured if I wake up in time, I'll go. Considering for the last 2 weeks? I've been waking up @ 3 or 5 and NOT getting back to sleep I figured what the heck. AND my niece, Megs, decided to join me. (her dad dropped her off @ Target. Yeah she came all the way home from Florida to go BF shopping with her Aunt. LOL!!)
I was up and out the door by 415AM folks! YES 4!@ in the AM!! :) And what I saw was unbelievable. i should have brought my camera. The people were wrapped AROUND Target OUTSIDE, like a snake. I actually just stood by the blockade of carts waiting for the people to get in. I did ask one of the employees when they moved the carts. I mean i wasn't going to go find the end of the line and only to get there and see the removed the carts!! The man looked right at me and said 'as SOON as the last person IN LINE is inSIDE!!' I smiled and said, I see you've been asked that a couple times today:). I proceeded to the back, however they remove the carts before the last person was in line.

However, I did get what I wanted everywhere I went. It went something like this. Getting things at Target was just fine (sheets, 2 big wheels, and this totally annoying CARS toy that you shake and it makes the most ANNOYING sounds EVER!! I mean as in I was ready to throw is out the window annoying. We'd hit a bump and we'd hear 'hey buddy' or turn a corner and listen to the engine throttle for the next 3 min. all while we were wanting to scream explicits at it!) so back to Target. While i was there, Megs and her dad were at Walmart. She was able to grab a Radio Flyer Big Wheel which is MUCH nicer then the $29 plastic one I got at Target. I will return that one and keep Miss A's. BUT the check out process was HORENDOUS! I do think we picked the worse line. At one point there was a lady who appeared to be trying to budge. Shame her! Not going to happen with me, or the others around me. I nicely told her the back of the line was over by asile 15. She smiled sarcastically at me and said 'i know!' then proceeded to hit me, ok TAP me, with her playdough boxes. LOL!! I'm dramatatizing this!! At any rate she did eventually leave. But yeah checking out took at least 45 min!! BUT i had Megs there so it was fun. I looked for more things, went to the bathroom, the ONLY place there was not even a one person deep line!
Next was Younkers and Scheels. I dropped Megs off at Scheels where she grabbed .99 socks for DH. Reg. $5 and ones he LOVES! I proceeded to Younkers. I wanted a dog bed, sold out, and Melissa and Doug toys and a bed thing. I got both AND made it to Scheels where I picked up 5 pairs of socks, a couple other 'bargains' and joined Megs in line! That was a long line too! But totally doable. Proceeded to get some coffee @ Starbucks, my treat. Was that even good enough considering she's on vacation and drug out of bed @ 430AM!???
THEN we went to Kmart. By far, the best place we went. They had booster seats for the car, BOGO FREE!! I got 4!! Then we were heading towards electronics when we literally ran in to TV's. The same ones her and her dad tried to get @ Walmart! WOO HOOO SCORE!! In addition I got some work out balls and that was it! Lines were still long, but not as bad as Scheels or even close to Target. People were still getting 'deals' at 930AM!
We wrapped up the AM @ McDonalds to fill up on fat and grease. I was home @ 11. Then it was time to figure out a nap. Seriously Mr C'man could you have PLEASED taken a nap TODAY! Nope nor would Miss A go to sleep. Pooters not once but twice. By then the movie I put in for C'man was 1/2 over!! Grrr i did get some shut eye but not to easily.
That was my AM!! Did you go BF Shopping?? What did you get?? Was it worth it? Do you go every year?
Honestly, the best part of it all? The drive there at 415 AM. I really do love that time of day!!

I'm Back

Sorry for my absense. I guess I downloaded to many songs to my IPOD and as a result used almost more then we pay for in internet service. If we'd go over the overage is like .25 megabyte. So yeah. I pretty much checked facebook and email for well over 2 weeks.
During my time away not a lot has happened. Well actually something has but I can't quite share yet. I'm in full preperations for Thanksgiving like the rest of the country. It will be a small gathering this year. Just my parents, gpa, in laws and niece. That will be just fine too, I guess. Although my rule will be NO COMPLAINING about what's going on in your life. Only reflect on the positive. I look at my inlaws and see that they only see the negative. The doom, dispair, gloom, etc and while they, no the ENTIRE family, have been thru a lot the last 6 months, there still is much to be thankful for. The same goes for my parents. Seems like conversations revolve around the neck surgury my dad will be having and how mom will take care of him. Actually dad doesn't complain, or at least to me. So yeah, it goes both ways. I, generally, am not a complainer. OK so maybe DH may think otherwise. I may not reflect as often as I should in the good, thankful things, but generally speaking I'm by no means a doom and gloom, glass 1/2 empty kind of person.
That's our plans for the big day. How about you??

In closing, we attempted family pictures awhile back. They didn't go well at all. Miss A fell 5 min into shooting, the wind was horendous which meant my eyes watered non stop and my hair was everywhere. The only one that did excellent was Mr C'man. Below are some of the 'better' shots:

It's a Balloon Ol' Time

***************sorry for the absence. All is find ACCEPT that we have almost reached our maximum 'space' for our month. We only get so much and we're inching closer and closer. Therefore that means limited blogging. But here's a post I had written earlier.*******************

Remember the Barnstorming For Governor event we held?  The decorating was fabulous. There was hay bales of which boards were put on for people to sit on. The candidates 'stage' was a hay rack and there were balloons everywhere. We had them on the floor, bad idea they kept popping and I HATE popping balloons. I about wet myself every time one popped and while setting up Sunday there was lots of popping. At any rate, there was many helium balloons tied together to make like a column. Very neat!
So when operation clean up went in to effect after the event, i said I'd take home the balloons for my kids rather then popping them all. Another lady that i'm on our committee with, her husband was thrilled to get those balloons in to my van. When I re-thought my idea, i realized he might be easier to pop them. Not Virgil. He was going to get 'er done. I was just about rolling on the floor during the entire process.

Then we got them in my van. Shots of that:

Yes the bad part is they are hilium so they float to the top and the kids can't reach them. Needless to say I have balloons in EVERY ROOM OF MY HOUSE!! That's 6 rooms and not including the bathroom and laundry room which i'm sure there may be some in there by now. As I type this in the piano/computer room there are 10 floating on the ceiling and 5 tied to Miss A's stroller. The ceiling in my kitchen:

This is most of them together. They now are floating EVERYWHERE. BUT we are having fun. If I could figure out the video downloading I'd post a video of last night in which the kids would run around the island chasing one another. All you could see was the trail of balloons floating above them as they ran. Then they'd freak out when they ran in to one another. DH and I would then start batting at the balloons like cats batting a toy. OH MY GOSH speaking of 'batting' remember my post about the chickens?? One of them had a dead bat in there beak!!! They wouldn't let it go. It was running around with it in it's mouth with me chasing it as DH said they couldn't eat that! That was one of those moments I commented outloud to him, seriously...look at us. We're chasing a chicken with a BAT in it's mouth around the yard. How can you NOT laugh at this!.

OK back to my story. The balloons. We are having great fun with them:)

Spell Check

Well if you're big in to spelling errors you may not want to read my blog. I found out via doing a 'swagbuck' search that the new upgraded blogger does NOT have spell check. What the heck!? What a crazy idea. That being said, sorry folks but life is to busy for me to go back and re-read every post. Especially if they are long like political ones.

I've Fallen and Can't Get Up

Just another post about how life for us is never lacking excitement, i mean entertainment. We, (more at my pushing then DH's) decided to move the chicken house to the south side of the barn. Easier access in winter to water, heat for the water dish, and sheltered more from the north and east winds. Today was the day for that. In order to move it DH had to get the bucket off the tractor and put the forks?? on it, the look something like this.

Picture chickens running loose, 18 of them, a dog that is obsessed with them, and then us or rather ME helping. It had to be quite a sight to see. Hauling this dog fence across the yard that was taller then me and possibly heavier and then DH pushing it WAY to fast thru a pile of weeds. I had to chuckle b/c i was certain this was hilrious for those up above watching us.
Got the fence up and the house set and now it was time to get the chickens.(DH still needs to cut a door for them to go in and out from) I knew it was going to be quite a task. That is was. DH is trying to help and I have my bucket of mash trying to lure them to the house with it. DH decides to help to which he thinks he has them  coming and starts yelling 'go go GO' !!!  I GO GO GO all right, right in to the bucket! That's right i fell right over backwards in to it. Total slow motion. I was like don't hit my head, what's going to happen to my back and please don't let those chickens attack me, and my gosh don't spill the MASH!!
It felt like i laid there forever. You know when you fall so hard you could puke? that was me not to mention my arm! My arm was hurting. I heard DH say 'oh NO!' and he was standing there looking at me. Not sure what was all going to hurt, but at the moment  I needed to just take a breath of air. He thought he'd just lift me up. Couldn't do that cause my arm hurt. At which point we're trying to figure how i can get up, mind you my feet are still up in the air on the bucket. He comes over to help and the next thing i know there are chickens getting ready to peck at my crotch b/c i spilled all the mash. They are standing on my legs and my worse fear of being pecked to death could quite possibly become  a reality. OK not literally, but none the less. I wanted out. DH got me picked up and here I sit to tell the story. Not sure how my arm is going to look in the hours and days to come, but it hurts.
At last another story for the blog:) And here are pictures of course!!
The bucket I fell in to:

I went in the house, frustrated as all heck. DH I think knew better then to follow me in:) Here he is trying to round up chickens:

While I was finishing up this post DH started up the combine and chickens went everywhere. I went out and helped round them up. Here is some videos:) Please pardon our messy barn/outside. As soon as we have some $$ we will tin the barn and make it look 100 times better.

Oh lovely now I see I can't upload videos. I'll have to work on that.

Barnstorming For Governor

Our Central Committee, along with another counties, hosted an event last night called Barnstorming For Governor. I think rather then ME explain it all I'm going to post links to it:) I know easy way out but I'll share my thoughs of it all. Follow this link to read what a Sioux City Journal Blogger Bret Hayworth had to say about the event. Then another website given to me, The Iowa Republican posted our unofficial straw poll results. That's right we did a straw poll and I think it was a great idea. One I can not take credit for other then I made the ballots.
It was a fun evening and here are my observations. Keep in mind it was hard for me to fully concentrate and I wish I would have talked to my dad prior to the event. On the way home I talked to him and he had some good points that I should have listened to.

OK so moving on. Each candidate got a 10 min stump speach and here is my observation.

First candidate was Rod Roberts.

Nice looking chap if I must say so myself:) I also have to say I didn't start taking notes till after he spoke. I will say I liked how he used his 10 min to get down to business. Very pro marriage b/w a man and women, pro-life, he is a Christian and b/c I didn't take notes i'm having a hard time remembering what else he talked about. BAD ME!! I thought he had the best speaking ability.

Bob Vander Plaats was next up, again still hadn't gotten around to grabbing pen and paper (what a dork I am). He ran up the steps, and generally had a great excitement level. Like Roberts very strong marriage b/c a man and a women. He is pro-business and doing what Iowa can to keep business here in Iowa as well as keeping our college grads in the state, or at least to come back after college. To me he seemed to talk more about what he's done in his own professional life then what he would do as Governor for our state. This is when I wish I would have talked to my dad prior. He said that this sounded much like the stump speech he's been giving and feels he needs to changed it up from a rah rah speech to a what I will do as Governor. I'd have to agree.

Christopher Rants was next.

I now was taking notes. I must say he looked like he either wasn't feeling well (entirely possible we all know) or he just wasn't comfortable during the meet and greeting. But when he got on stage he was great. I loved his sense of humor. You see there was a democrat there taping all the speeches. Rants spoke directly to him a couple times saying 'take note Culver, dems, etc. ' and that got quite a reaction out of the audience. Rather then go in to detail please take a moment and read what he has to say about a grant that his city he is from is receiving. I was going to recap just parts of it but man that blog entry hits the nail right on the head. Please read it!! So I liked that he discussed a real thing that has happend with Culver and why it was such a bad idea. He used this example of taking money out of one pocket and putting in to another, as something we all could relate to. All this being said, again I know Rants from when I was working outside the home. I don't like how he ran 'business'. Or should I say who's payroll he was on to make things happen in Des Moines to his 'employer'. Does that make sense??

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Then last was Christian Fong

Doesn't he look like a teenager?? First thought was did you have a driver take you? He looks 16! Very professional and by far the best dressed. Very well educated and very very smart! He discussed illegal immigration which none of the other candidates did. Iowa is like a hot spot for them and something has GOT TO BE DONE!! I appreciated that and feel he would stand firm on addressing it. But aside from that, not much else. Let's face it you have a 10 min. stump speech and the first 3-5 min were about him growing up in Iowa. His dad is an immigrant, LEGAL immigrant, and he gave his child the 'Iowa dream'. I got lost about 3 minutes in to his long drawn out story. He may have the books smart but needs to work more on being a public speaker. Oh and I didn't catch all of work up, but I got the impression he's not a huge Ethanol supporter but would be b/c that's what/where we're at today. Not good to say amongst a room full of farmers while you're talking ON A FARM! But I may not have caught all of that as I was distracted at that moment.

My nutshell:

Roberts-liked him, good speaker, maybe a little to passive??

Vander Plaats-liked the excitement. But wondering how many times a person runs for office, looses, and runs again. Great name recognition on this side of the state and I feel, a good chance of winning over here. But once to the middle and eastern side of the state, I'm not to sure he has what it takes. He needs to work on his stump speech and discuss more what he would do and not what he has personally done.

Rants-Great sense of humor but it takes more then that to get you in the office. Has name recognition all across the state. HOWEVER, my dad asked me if he talked about marriage b/c a man and a women ONLY and I said, not to my knowledge. My Dad feels he's a little wishy washy on that! I need to research that!

Fong-Story to long and he's to young. He needs to get more political experience. Start off as a rep at the least. rather then shooting for the moon right out the shoot. He loves Iowa but just to young. He needed to tell me what he will do as Governor. Maybe in 10-15 years he'd have a chance.

They all seem to get along with one another however I did observe that Fong did not shake Rant's hand before taking the stage like all the others did when getting off and the next candidate getting on. A nice change to see no bashing of one another b/c that will be coming soon enough. It has to. How else does one find out the real truth. For instance i'm sure that Rants' stand on marriage will be brought to our attention in the months to come. Fong's inexperience I'm sure will be another one.

There you have. Sorry so long. Any guesses on who I voted for in the straw poll???

I went ahead with Vander Plaats. But Roberts was a contendor as was Rants after him.

May I Gloat?

I just have to say what a successful day I had! DH had to carry mail today so that meant NO TV. Things seem to go better when he isn't here (sorry but it's true) and I think it's b/c there is no tv on and they/kids have to play. C'man jumped right off his chair after breakfast and started playing. I knew then it was going to be a good day. By 730AM both kids were playing and I thought Hmmm maybe i'll paint Miss A's room today. And paint is what I did. It looks oh a little.........pink. Like a pepto bismal bottle spilled. I got 2 coats put on all 3 walls and one wall i have just one more coat left. I'm quite impressed I got it all done. 1/2 before nap time and 1/2 after. Now I didn't just paint non stop. There were the interruptions of the garbage/recycling truck, chicken chores, couple loads of laundry and I don't even know HOW many trips up and down the stairs. I swear I'd get upstairs and would need something which was usually downstairs in the laundry room (opposite floor and side of the house) If it wasn't trying to find my brush, it was the laundry.
Amazingly the kids were so good. BUT they are always exactly where I am. That meant that in Miss A's already small room, they HAD to be in there with me. Oh and how could i forget the 2 cats that thought they had to come in the house and then the kids haul them upstairs. It was interesting painting but it went good. i didn't loose my cool and no pink paint got on anyone other then me!
While Miss A napped C'man helped me get supper ready and then what was supposed to be an easy job of cleaning out a gutter turned in to me going upstairs, squeezing thru a window that was smaller then my hips, i climbed up on the roof and cleaned the rest of them out. Rather scary but I didn't try to imagine what I would look like if I fell from way of there, or worse yet, how I'd get C'man to call for help. I'm typing this, so all turned out ok!!
OH and how could I forget those dang little beetle bugs that were ALL over the garage. I shop vac'd them up too!! (yesterday I cleaned the garage). So yeah I'm feeling pretty good about all that i accomplished.
I even manage to get a 55 min workout with my ladies i work out with. However, i have eaten more Snickers then things I accomplished today. DON'T go back and count b/c i can tell you I bet I ate 7 or 9 of those dang things.
Tomorrow night is our big Political Event where people can meet the Govenor Candidates. I'm printing out our 'unofficial' Straw Poll as I type this! Woohoo there is one more thing accomplished. I'm looking forward to the evening and hope it's a HUGE success!!
Well, are you exhausted by this post?? It's such a great feeling to accomplish things isn't it?? Big or small, it feels good. Tomorrow I HAVE to finish painting the hallway. That is taking forever.
BTW can someone tell me where my spell check went??

Operation Christmas Child

How many of you have heard of Operation Christmas Child? This is the first year I have, and I'm excited about doing it. Will you take a moment and watch this brief video? It speaks more then I could ever put in to words. The website has so much information it's amazing. They have everything figured out for you. You want to do it in church? They have fliers, speaking ideas, even a prayer you could just read when you give the blessings on the boxes.

This year our MOPS group is going to participate. Maybe your MOPS group could do it? Or how about a group of you co-workers put some boxes together? If you don't belong to a church maybe you are on a committee, or how about a book club. The possibilities are endless and I'm sure if you watched the video you will see the joy on the faces of the children.

I plan on showing the video to the kids and talking about it. We are going to go shopping then for items. I think someone, maybe that should be plural, are going to have to get new shoes for the boxes of course:) I keep none of that and I can already hear DH saying 'see that's why we should keep boxes!'

So go shopping for a reason and buy items that can be sent over seas to children in need.

NEW UPDATE:) When time allows I draft up some posts for times when i don't have time:) This is one of those. Well the update is that we did NOT get to go shopping. Monday was our appt with the Family Therapist we're seeing. DH couldn't come b/c he had to work at the Post Office. So the kids and I went. Everything was going fairly well till Miss A was told, by me, that she couldn't get another game out till she put the other one away. WATCH OUT. What followed was an at least 30 min fit. Thank goodness we were there and Dori (therapist) was able to coach me thru it. Without going in to great depth Miss A said she had to go potty. Her ploy to get me to let her go. She ended up wetting herself and me. Not much, but just enough to let me know that she's still trying to call the shots. Needless to say after it was all done we had to go home. There was no reward for us. I felt the worse for C'man as he didn't understand why we couldn't go b/c after all he wasn't naughty. BUT I also think he was relieved to just get home. So home we came. What followed for me was disappointment, exhaustion and migraines. It was a LONG afternoon. Very long. More FIL issues arose that I had to help deal with and i could barely function myself. Thank Jesus that the kids were great. They played together and eventually ended upstairs rockin to 'Chicka Chicka Boom Boom' and I was able to rest on the couch.
So yeah, long hard day yesterday and I hope/PRAY I don't have one like that for a long time. I had had about all I could handle from every direction that day. But today is a new day. God is amazing and he's working in us/me all the time. Maybe we need days like that for us to the enjoy the good ones, or even the ok ones!
Take a look at the Operation Christmas Child and see how you can help, or even your family!

My Egg

Yes I have lost it. I'm going to blog about an egg!! And better yet, it's coming with a picture. Check this baby out:

Its going to be a double yoker for sure!

However, I watched a chicken lay an egg the other day. I was rather grossed out by the process. This egg came out of its butt!! Does that gross anyone else out? As with meat I'm going to try not to think about it. I said something to DH this AM about it being kind of gross, he rolled his eyes and was like seriously?? So I will push this image in the way back of my head and move on. Being thankful I have farm fresh eggs!

Today we're off to grab our fresh milk and then will probably just hang out. Tonight there is a Halloween Pumpkin Parade in a town nearby. I'd like to take the kids however C'man and I are still sick. He's been coughing pretty hard, especially at night. We're both off antibiotics too. I am quite certain we all had H1N1 and guess what?? We're still alive.

OK so I went from a post about eggs to being sick. Wow I'm way off track.

I must know, what are you? your kids? your dog? cat? are for Halloween?? C'man will be Thomas and Miss A was supposed to be Tinkerbell but she wants to be a lion. The pants are like shorts on her! Whatever I guess.

BTW where is my spell check?? I must have upgraded my blogger. Things are way different.

Sending My SOS

Oh dear what have I done to my blog?? Can someone please help me? I wanted to change by background. Do you see what I see when I first open my blog this pretty 'fall' background shows up. Then it switches to that pink background. I want that GONE! I like my layout as in the columns but I want to be able to change my background. I know that last time I changed the background I did it by inserting a html code.
I'd really appreciate any help someone can give me!!
Thanks so much!!

Christmas-Yes It IS Coming....

Yeah like I'm telling something you didn't know already. My mom is after us to get our lists made, EVERYTHING is up in the stores including sales already on ornaments, trees, etc. How sickening! But atlas, it is coming and I need to start organizing, getting ideas ready for the kids. This is what I have in mind for them:
Miss A is having an American Girl 'Bitty Baby' Christmas. I got a BUNCH of items during my recent trip to NJ and she'll be getting some of it for Christmas from us and g'parents. Oh and her Aunt and Uncle and Megs:) In addition this is what we/I/Her came up with.
She likes the animals by American Girl. Meet Sugar:

Sugar is $24 a great price range for someone within our families:) Then C'man can get her the accessories such as the pet carrier that he's quite certain she needs. Read, he will be certain to taunt her with by playing with it himself.

Next would be any of the other over priced accessories that AG offers. Probably some things on there my parents will get her.

Mom said she'd like to get them a karaoke machine. She said she'd get them each one. I suggested one karaoke with 2 mics. They'd only fight over the mics anyway:) Sorry no pics as I'm still researching that. I want it so we can play our own CD's on it and they can sing along. Any suggestions??

Then there is C'man who also has a b-day 2 weeks before. What fun is that? This will be b-day #5!! That means will have all the family over instead of just g'parents:) With the help of my dear friend Shannan this is what we're thinking (BTW-need gift ideas go over to your friends house and scoop out there toys. My friend Shannan has the BEST ideas for gifts!)
First on the list is finding someone to make him a barn. I get so frustrated b/c the ones I find are like $125. Seriously it's like plywood with hinges. I don't need anything fancy. If I trusted myself with a saw (is that what that cutter thing is called?) I'd make one myself. Darn I should have paid more attention in shop class instead of having someone do it for me when the teacher turned his back.
OK back to C'man. Bomgaars is are 'farm store' in the area. It will be where we should be able to get everything for our little farmer. But atlas I see you can not shop via the webpage they have. Guess I'll have to go there:) That also means I can't post pictures. Grrrr....

What ideas do you have for your kids? and yourself???

Butter

I'm becoming so domesticated even I don't know what to think! We are getting fresh milk once a week and this week it has lots of cream. I was told to make butter! OK I thought, I can try that. And try is what I did. I scraped the cream off the milk on Saturday and then last night, Monday, I let it sit out on the counter. This AM i made it. Lets just say it didn't go the pictures said it would. In fact it went quite opposite. I had cream going everywhere, I think at least 6 bowls out, and yeah, it just didn't go as planned.
Discouraged and frustrated that I now wasted good cream, I decided to try again. This time i ditched the cheese cloth thingy and used dish towels to drain the cream and then water off. Now we were talking. It worked! And it worked beautifully.
I now have fresh butter in the fridge of which I haven't tried b/c I'm to chicken. I'm thinking I'll make a loaf of homemade bread (love the bread machine) and will eat it with our supper tonight!
How about you. Have you ever made homemade butter? How about cheese? Or how about just good ol Chocolate Chip Cookies! I have an AWESOME, never go flat, could eat one doz in one sitting, recipe I should share! I have tried many many MANY recipes and this one is THE BEST!
So let me know what you've been up to? Baking anything good? Try anything new??

Fall Post

HEY a post about us NOT being sick!! Accept for this, prior to all this illness crap I just had to get some pictures of the colors of fall for you all. It's not the most beautiful Fall we've had, in fact, I can't remember when he had one where the leaves all changed instead of just falling off b/c of freezing temperatures, to dry of summer, etc but this year seems to be a little brighter. Even amidst the snow fall. The day after I took these, it snowed! So without further ado:




We we pulled up to this little area there were 2 deer (see shot below) that must have been getting a drink out of the river. This this all just 2 miles from us, if even that far.

This is the tree that inspired me to grab my camera. When I would drive C'man to school I admire it's beauty. Standing so little but so strong and so vibrant. BUT the picture didn't turn out as well as i'd like with the sun behind it, but b/c I was along a busy hwy this was as good as I could get. The next day I drove by? Leaves were GONE. As in not a single one left!

This was next part of our venture. We went about 7 miles from my house to this great park, Here is a shot of the road that we take every time we go in to town.

I love this old gas station. I think it looks like something out of Department 56 Snow Village!! I want it too:) Right across the street are old war planes!

Old railroad bridge. sorry had to really zoom in as i was on the hwy and there is no way to get any closer then to go thru the field. OR down the river in which you go right under it. BUT i wouldn't recommend that. Did a canoe trip down this river and I will NEVER look at it the same. Awful. One of the worst things I did. Of course I'm sure it had nothing to do that I was going in for retrieval on #2?? IVF and was bloated like a dead fish, it was hotter then hell, and the bugs were just awful. Remember, I'm not an out door/camping kind of person and this confirmed it for not only me, but the friends we were with. (I think our one friend wanted to throw me over board. Seriously I wanted to get out and hitch hike home. Or even walk. At one point I was only 1 mile from home BUT the corn was so tall and I'd have to walk that mile in a corn field!) SOOO this bridge looks much more beautiful to me from the distance! :)

And lastly, our house from the hwy.