Showers

A little late in posting this, but there are still a few days left to play along with this week's dare. Here's my layout for it...

"I LOVE this about Spring... The joy of splashing in the rain as it falls to the ground, renewing everything it touches."

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3-28-2011

We are moved in. We are still living out of boxes, to some extent... but we're making progress. We registered the kids for school today. They start tomorrow. I'll check back and keep you posted.

3-24-2011

Okay, I am too tired (and a bit too lazy) to post any pictures... but just imagine pictures of a big empty house. Yes, our house is empty. The movers got everything packed and loaded in two days. We spent the night in our big empty house last night, sleeping on blankets spread out on the rather hard floor. We had kept a teeny tiny television, so we had something to watch last night to keep the kids occupied. This morning we slept until we woke up (which was 6:45 for me... ????), got breakfast, and then took care of odds and ends - wiping down counters and sinks, sweeping the floor, loading the cooler with what little was left in our refrigerator, etc. We loaded up and pulled out of the driveway for our very last time at about 11:15 this morning. It was a rather non-ceremonious goodbye. I thought about taking one last family picture in the house or something noteworthy like that, but I figured it might just make us all teary-eyed. So we just went on our way, praying just before we left that the house would be a blessing to the next family just as it has been for us. Tonight we are crashing at Lucas' parents' house. We will head to Indiana in the morning to go buy our new house!! One more night on hard floors (Friday - although Lucas & I will most definitely be utilizing the blow-up mattress this time... the kids can have the floor). The movers will be at the house on Saturday to start unloading. ***** Yesterday was a tough day for me. It was hard to say goodbye to friends we've made. It was sad to know that I was dropping off / picking up from the last day of school. It was difficult to part from teachers who have invested so much of themselves in our children this year. Just an emotional day all around. Cool thing, though. Isaac's classmates each wrote him a letter, and his teacher bound them into a memory book. It was so moving to see not only how he has changed and grown through the year, but also how many little hearts and lives he has touched in doing so. What a total treasure! (Of course, I cried when I read their letters... I'm a bit sappy like that.) Isaac's dear friend Carrie also gave him a special gift - a little bunny figure. He has had it by his side since he got home from school yesterday, even taking it to eat with us and sleeping with it last night. Please be praying for him as we transition... he came home from school yesterday and just sat on my lap and cried for several long and heart-breaking minutes. I know that change is hard for him. He is so precious. We will not have internet until next Wednesday, so it may be a few days before I can post any more updates. But I'll be back soon to let you know how we're doing. **********

On Your Marks.....

The moving race is just around the corner, and it's almost GO time. This weekend was spent, among other things, prepping for the big day. I tried to pull together some of those things that I don't want them to pack. Lucas' parents came up to help out with some of the heavy lifting and so forth (and laundry... LOTS of laundry). All the curtains are down. All the shelves are off the walls. And the shed is disassembled and ready to go (which means the shed contents are crammed in one half of our garage. It feels weird to be living like this. It looks weird - so empty and impersonal. Soon this will be someone else's house, and not ours. Weird.

Meagan is SUPER crabby. Whining about almost EVERYTHING. She is just not herself.

And Isaac is a bit off too. He is snappy and sharp with his tongue... just touchy.

I can tell the activities and the prep - everything leading up to the impending move - are really wearing on them. It's hitting home for them. They are feeling like they have no control, and so they are trying to take control of whatever they can - which is not much - and it is leaving them lashing out in desperate attempts. Sad really. Hard to parent through. There's a fine line between letting it go and correcting it in situations like this.

At any rate, the move is coming, like it or not (although I confess that for the most part I am rather excited). Tomorrow is the last day I have to get prepared before the movers come on Tuesday with all their boxes and supplies to start tearing apart our cozy little world and shoving it in a truck.

I'll keep you posted.

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Spring Music Concert

Hooray for quick turn-arounds! By Thursday evening, Isaac was feeling well again, and he was begging to be able to sing at his Spring Concert. Since he had no fever, and since it was really his last big memory of his current school, I decided to let him.

We tried to find 'dressy' clothes for their performance, but it seems my kids have all hit a growth spurt, and none of their fancies fit them anymore. So, we made a quick trip to Gymboree, got some discount clothes that will double as Easter outfits (so be warned, you will be seeing these outfits in more pictures in the near future). We basically finished shopping just in time to grab dinner, get changed and get to the concert (with a FEW pictures thrown in).


New shoes were part of the gig. The boys NEEDED them, and Meagan got some just because she would have otherwise been the only one not getting shoes... She picked this pink hotties. She was pretty sure she was hot stuff in these. *insert eye roll here*
Isaac's... he's all about efficiency, and not having to tie shoes.

And Sebastian... he is definitely sporting the nerdy cool look here... so him!

We got there at 6:00... Meagan's performance started at 6:30, Isaac's at 7:00, and Sebastian's at 8:00... we didn't leave until well after 8:30. That is LATE for Meagan... she was melting by the time we left... especially since her new fancy shoes were cutting into her feet.

This is them being goofballs waiting for time to pass...

Meagan and her teacher...

Isaac and one of his most favorite people in the whole wide world - his friend Carrie.

And with his teacher... he is really going to miss her when we move. She has been a complete doll this year. I will miss her too.

And Sebastian with his teacher.

Really, each one of the kids was really blessed to have great teachers and really great teacher-student relationships. This has been a vastly different school year than last. I was glad to have had the chance to get a picture with each of the teachers before we have to say goodbye.

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ZAP

It's time for another Digi Dare!! This week is a super easy, super fun, and super flexible dare! Just scrap a photo that didn't turn out so well. We all have those lying around!

I scrapped this one that I took of the boys one Saturday morning. They were scooting around on their knees on the carpet building up static charge and then zapping me while I was sleeping! It was hysterical! My cell phone was on the headboard, so I grabbed it and snapped a picture. It didn't turn out very well at all, but I still love the story behind it!

"Hee Hee Hee Ha Ha Ha.... Let's Zap Mom while she's asleep.... If we scoot around on our knees, we'll get all static-y and we can shock her......
"One weekend morning when I could have slept in, I instead had the pleasure of waking up to my goofballs scooting around on my floor and cracking up when they zap me!"

(Click here to view full credits).

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Irish Art

A little Irish artwork for you to enjoy on this fine green holiday! Meagan made this leprechaun a few weeks ago. She cut him out, made a rainbow and a pot of gold, and then attached them all together. Unfortunately, she then proceeded to tie a string to her artwork and turn it into a kite, which she later dragged through the rain. So the marker colors were water stained and smudged... she deemed the leprechaun to be ruined. At least we captured a photo of Leppy (his name) before he melted.
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Happy Notre Dame Day!

Happy St. Patty's Day everyone!

What's going on around here today? Isaac is home from school with a low fever & sore throat... we have a doctor's appointment in about 45 minutes to get him checked out. He MUST get better because tomorrow is our One Last Time party with friends!

Meagan is cleaning her disaster of a room. She had every book and article of clothing and SEASHELL (thank you very much Grandma!!) out on her floor. It was like a bomb went off in there. She is none too happy with the fact that I will not help her. I told her it would be good for her to feel the pain of cleaning up her own mess all by herself for once. Her argument to that was, "Well I DID clean my room all by myself one time." One time. Well, here's to number two!

Lilly is sitting by the front door driving herself CRAZY watching all the birds. Once she actually jumped head-first into the glass screen that is there and then took off running because she freaked herself out. Good to know my glass window is that clean I guess. Poor kitty.

The kids have their music program tonight at school. I have not yet figured out how to work that, since Isaac is home from school today. Meagan is supposed to be there for hers at 6:00, then Isaac at 6:30, then Sebastian at 7:30. That's a 2-hour stretch by the time Sebastian is done performing. I don't know how that is all going to work quite yet. Normally I would just skip it, but this is the music program that Meagan has been looking forward to for easily a month & a half. She was SO worried we would miss it because of the move, but I promised her we wouldn't miss it & that I would be there. Seems life is never easy. I have SUCH a respect for single mom's. It is SO difficult to juggle the hiccups in life when there is no one at your side to help you out. (okay, stepping down from soap box now...)

Anyway, other than that, I am working on making lists and folding clothes and generally gathering things around for next week's move. This is like giant-sized packing... have I ever mentioned how much I don't like packing? Oh well, at least the sun is shining... that ought to help keep my mood bright while I pack. Wish me luck!

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Life Is Sweet

Some pictures from last summer's adventure to the Mudhens game...

"Ice cream in a Mudhens helmet dish makes the ball park much more doable in the middle of a hot summer day. Plenty of sprinkles and chocolate syrup."

(Click here to view full credits)

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Can you feel it??

Birds are sitting in my trees.

Bags of salt in gas station parking lots have been replaced with bags of mulch.

Kids are playing outside again.

Car windows are cracked open.

And we made our first trip to Mr. Freeze today.

I can feel Spring!!

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Snapshots from Grandma & Grandap's House

Every picture has a story. This is the story of our weekend with Grandma & Grandpa H.

Although this is not a great picture, it's significant for two reasons: 1) This vest was Lucas's when he was a little guy, and 2) Isaac adores it - with the vest on he transforms into Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon.
Grandpa's train table is filling up with so many fun details.

The kids - especially the boys - love to run the trains, make the whistles blow, and watch the steam bellow out of the engines. They are super excited about beginning construction on our own train table once we get moved and situated.

And then the tree climbing. Lots of tree climbing.

And with what little time was left over, almost as an afterthought, Sebastian remembered he had to do his homework. At least he got it done I guess.

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For the Love of all things Good

It started out as an ordinary afternoon... a bit rainy, but not unlike any other afternoon really. Meagan and I loaded up in the van and headed to the school to pick the boys up. (As a side note, I dropped off their withdrawal forms today... the office ladies told me we aren't allowed to leave... sigh) We got the boys, drove home, and unloaded book bags and papers and all other sorts of normal, ordinary things.

And then it happened. "Mom, guess what we talked about in school today.... puberty" (which, by the way, he pronounced 'poo-bert-ee'... clearly indicating he is still my baby and if he can't even pronounce it... well... anyway).

Stay calm. Think clearly. Act like this is no big deal. Totally normal to be talking about pubic hair, zits, and sperm for an after school chat, no? Aaaack! WHY do they have to have this talk when his father is out of town! Do they not know what they're doing to me!!! Aaaaack!

Okay. Resigned to the fact that it will have to be ME that has this talk, I sit down on the floor with him. Start out by asking him what all they talked about - real nonchalant like. He says, "About changes I'll go through. And how boys help girls make babies and stuff." Oh yeah, they threw down the big guns. "They told us we should go home and talk to our parents about it."

"Well," I say, "what did they tell you about how boys help girls make babies?"

"That boys have these things... I can't remember what they're called, but they look like light bulbs with tails..."

I fill in the blank for him. This just keeps getting better.

"And then the sperm mix with a girl's eggs.... but Mom, I didn't even know girls HAD eggs. I thought birds and reptiles and stuff had eggs."

Insert brief explanation about how mammals have eggs INSIDE and birds / reptiles / etc often lay eggs OUTSIDE.

Pause for consideration.... "Then how does the sperm get inside to get to the egg?"

OH FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS GOOD! Where is my husband!!!! *lol*

So I matter-of-factly explain the basic logistics, to which he promptly responds with a gigantic, "EEEEEEWWWWWWW. THAT'S GROSS" (Mind you, I went into almost NO detail, so he has filled in the blanks with the rest based on what is obvious.)

The conversation continued, including everything from washing his face with mild soap to prevent acne, to using deodorant, to hair and squeaky voices. Sigh.

After this blip, our afternoon pretty much returned to normal. We did snack. They started homework. I sorted through mail and papers. Normal.

While opening today's mail, I opened a card from Suzie & Keith that had a sheet of St. Patrick's Day stickers for each of the kids. Sebastian's face lit up with the excitement of receiving a sheet of stickers. And I lit up inside, relishing the fact that he still loves stickers. He still loves Pokemon. And he still thinks girls are gross.

How do I push pause. How do I keep him here? I am on the brink of watching my baby transition from childhood innocence into adolescent awareness. I do not know if I'm ready for this.

Why does life not have a pause button?

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This weekend we traveled. I took the kids out of school on Friday. We went to Indiana in the morning to see the new house and take care of inspection and builder walk-through stuff. Then we went to Lucas's parents' house to hang out and relax for the weekend.

The kids were thrilled to see their grandma and grandpa. "I haven't seen them in YEARS" Meagan said... since Christmas. Feels like years. But it's not.

Anyway, the weather was nice enough for the kids to play outside and climb trees. Plus we went out for Mexican one night and for a big family dinner with Lucas's brother and sister-in-law another night. It was good to hang out and be together for a bit. Nothing of any major excitement. Just togetherness and relaxation.

On our way home, we stopped by my parents' house for a quick hello as well. We ordered pizza. My mom and I sat on the couch and talked for a bit. The kids played. Then we went home. Meagan was super tired and fell asleep on the way home... and still went to bed fairly well at bed time. Very nice.

Also, Lucas surprised me with a Kindle for my birthday. My new favorite gadget, hands down. I have already read through my first book - Water for Elephants - and tonight downloaded a 5 -novel series for $8. That should last me for a while.

I am STILL struggling with feeling very tired all the time. I'm not running a fever any more. Just feeling very sleepy mid-day and very early in the evening. I've actually been tired for a few hours now, and should be in bed already as a result. So for tonight I am just going to head to bed. I will try to post house pictures, kid pictures, and other weekend goodness tomorrow if I get some time... seems to be something I'm a bit short on lately.

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One Fine Day

It's been a few days since we've seen the sunshine. But earlier this week the kids were able to play on the playground after school. I sat on a bench a little way away and used the zoom on my camera to take these pictures so they didn't realize I was taking them. Sometimes I think it's much better to be unobtrusive when I'm trying to capture candid play shots. I like how they turned out.

Today I am longing for sunshine and warm(ish) air. I am starting to feel rather impatient for Spring weather to roll in, and maybe the rain to roll out... at least for a bit.

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Lasts

I realized this morning that we are coming up on another set of Lasts in our lives... last day of school here... last meal we cook here... last load of laundry we wash here (yea!)... and so on. It's bittersweet really. I can't even begin to say how excited I am to be moving... to be with Lucas again every day... to be in the new house with new appliances and, well, new everything. So excited!

But still, it's sad to know that a chapter of life is closing and we are moving on. Sad to say good-bye to friends and people we see every day. The kids and I talked about it at dinner last night, and both boys said the thing they were most nervous about was leaving their friends and making new ones... but mostly just leaving the ones they know and love here. It breaks my heart to make them have to say goodbye.

We are going to try to have a little friend get-together the last weekend we are here. Just to let them hang out and enjoy each other one more time before we go. And we'll have to be sure to get addresses and email and all that good stuff so they can have what they need to be able to keep in touch. Strange to think that next week is their last full week of school here. Their last day will be the Wednesday after next. That will be here before we know it!

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week 8: 2011

And week 8...

19 - House hunting all day. We've seen all there is to see. Now we only have to make a decision.

20 - When the door closed on our first choice, we regrouped and decided to make an offer on this new build.

21 - No school for President's Day. Pancakes and playtime in the morning. And after watching Karate Kid, we decided to order Chinese for dinner.

22 - Snow day for school. The kids played zoo all day, sorting their stuffed animals into various exhibits.

23 - Sebastian missed school today with a fever and a headache.

24 - Yet another snow day. We ran a few quick errands and then made a Sonic stop for lunch.

25 - Would you believe they are home AGAIN! The kids worked on a snow fort for a while. We also made a trip to the doctor, as Sebastian was still running a bit of a fever. Turned out to be strep, so he's on an antibiotic.

* - Love the swarm of army men and tanks marching across the kitchen floor.

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week 7: 2011

Week 7 is done! This was the first week that I missed a few days of pictures. A few reasons I think.... first of all my memory stick was acting up, rendering my camera useless, and secondly we just had a LOT going on!
Journaling:
12 - We had 2 showings this afternoon, so the kids and I did McDonald's for lunch and then went to a movie.
13 - Church in the morning, and then an afternoon of snow play. The kids built snowmen until dusk.
14 - Valentines Day - no pictures because my camera was acting up for a few days... photos were hit & miss. The big excitement of the day was that it was party day at school!
15 - Meagan played outside while I cleaned for another showing to be held on the 16th.
16 - Showed the house once more - I passed my time in Pier 1. Great news... we got an offer on the house!
17 - Meagan and I went to the grocery. While we were there she tried on every pair of sunglasses she found. Also today we reached an agreement on the sale price of the house, and the kids & I went to the library.
18 - Again no pictures. But we packed up and headed to Indiana for another round of house hunting. Gotta find something because we have to be out of this one by the 31st of March.

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A Little Time

It's time for a new Digi Dare and this week it's my dare we're doing! Stop by the digi dare blog & check it out! Everyone gets a coupon just for participating, and then two lucky winners will get another great prize on top of that!

Journaling:

"What a Difference a Little Time can Make... or what God can do with a little time."

* Jan 2010: OI announced the Charlotte plant would be closing.
* March 2010: Lucas left for Ohio to start his new job. We stayed in MI until school was out.
* June 2010: We moved into our new home in *****
* December 2010: Lucas was offered a position at the Lapel plant.
* January 2011: Lucas left for Indiana while we stayed behind once again.
* March 2011: Saying goodbye to Ohio & moving into our brand new home in Indiana.

(Click here to view full credits)

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March BYOC

It's the first Friday of the month, and you know what that means.... The Lilypad's BYOC release! Everything in the BYOC collection is on sale 20% off this weekend. And there are extra savings available! Check it out! (Ad image is linked so you can browse the shop).

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Updated Photo a Day

So, I decided to revamp the format of my Project 365 pages. Simplify. Here are the redone pages for weeks 1-5 as well as my week 6 pages. (Click to view larger images)

Journaling for week 6:
05 - A weekend visit to Indiana and our first day of house hunting. We had breakfast at Cracker Barrel.
06 - A second day of house hunting, and a bit of relaxing in the hotel before heading back to Ohio.
07 - We listed our house today! The lock box makes it official!
08 - The boys obliged their little sister and played Barbies with her for a while.
09 - The joy of cleaning for a showing is found in details such as rainbows, unicorns, and polk-a-dots.
10 - Brrrr! Negative five degrees today.
11 - Our sign showed up today - good thing because we have a showing tomorrow!
* The eclectic feel of the Cracker Barrel shop makes me smile.


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