IT'S A BOY!!!!

I found out on Wednesday that I am having a baby boy! I didn't know how to explain to my son that our baby was going to be a girl, if it was. He threatened to run away and move in with his neighbor buddy. Wouldn't you feel the same, already having THREE sisters? I honestly didn't care but I didn't want to have my son's heart broken. He was so happy when I told him. He has asked,"But what if it comes out a girl?" I felt so good being able to PROMISE it would be a boy. It was way too obvious that it was a boy. As soon as the tech got on there, he showed himself.

We are set with the name William Robert. That way we can call him Billy Bob. LOL I am totally just kidding. I went through all my baby clothes and receiving blankets last night. I didn't find many boy clothes, no surprise, but I found a lot of blankets for my little man. Once we get our taxes in, we are having a hay day! All I really need is a bedding set, mattress, stoller/car seat combo, swing, and a rocking chair. I plan on getting the real chair style so that I can use it after baby gets older.

Off to do some more laundry. I need to finish washing the baby clothes and putting them in his dresser. I am getting excited!!

Too many kids!

Emily had her birthday party/sleep over this weekend. Wow.....We had them all over, four to sleep over, and then we had the neighbor kids over: Emily and Michael's best friends and their adopted brother and sister from Africa. They had pizza and then cake. After they left, it was a girl fest. We all ended up staying up until 2:30 am. They did their thing and we watched Talladega Nights. HA! Too funny. I had to get up and get one girl off to church at 10 am and the rest were gone around 1 or 2. I ended up taking a nap, that is after scrubbing a few walls (they were already dirty) mopping, dishes and vaccuuming out the fireplace. OH, I forgot. We made s'mores with the fireplace that night. MMMM! I could only do one.........too sweet. All and all, it was great fun!

I am all better if you couldn't tell. I didn't get anything done until Thursday, I think. Most of this week is a blur. I was so doped up with pain meds that days drooled into the other. I did get the rest of the kids' presents except for a book Lizzie wants. I could NOT find it. I told her I would find it, even if it took me all year to! I even squeezed in Emily's birhtday presents on Friday. I got her a complete bedding set at Target (Full size comforter, two pillow cases, two shams, and sheets), a butterfly rubbermaid bin I filled with nail polish and make up, a shirt and a large hard copy of Charlotte's Web. That was her favorite.

Back to my health...I am feeling so much better. I also lost some weight so I am three pounds under my start weight for this pregnancy. I have been feeling my little guy moving and bumping me. It has become more regular and consistant. I get to find out what s/he is on Wednesday. I am 75% sure it is a boy. We will see. I just want this pregnancy to go smoothly the rest of my time in it! LOL I will be half way done as of Wednesday too!! 20 weeks and 20 to go!!!!!

Ode to my kidney stones

Yes, I have been battling kidney stones since THURSDAY. It started around noon. I took some Tylenol with Codeine and slept. They hit later that night again. Of course, dh had duty. Isn't that how it always happens? I was in total, utter pain. I was throwing up so I didn't take more meds. Once off if work, we went in to the ER. I was given something I am too doped up to remember what it was with some no puke medicine. Morphine, my bad. I am on Lor-tab right now. Last night, we went to the neighbors and played Texas hold em. They got a big kick out of my giggle fits and total lack of expression or comprehension of anything. I did win a lot at least! Well, I am hoping this passes soon. I have to be off of it to drive and do my everyday stuff. I hurt too much to do anything around here. WATER~WATER~WATER~WATER~WATER~WATER~

We're Back!! Fun in Myrtle Beach.....

Yup, it was awesome fun in Myrtle! First off, the reason we went up was for a baseball tournament. My dh is the assistant coach and my son in the bat boy for an AAU 12 and under team. We headed up Friday, even took the kids out early so we could shoot up there. We dropped off our stuff at the hotel and then went out to eat. Our hotel was awesome by the way. It had two queens in the first room, full kitchen in the middle with brand new stainless steel appliances, and then the living room with a murphy bed and pull out couch. We had a plasma with built in DVD player in our room and the kids had a huge TV with a DVD player in theres. Our balcony faced the ocean which was wonderful to wake up to.

Anyway, we went right out to eat after that. We made reservations for all of us, including all the boys from the team at Margaritaville. That was pretty awesome! Right before our meal, a 'hurricane' hit with the ceiling breaking out in thunder and lightning. There is a spinning hurricane in the middle that had a bottle of margarita mix (tequila? I don't drink so I don't know what goes in it)Anywho, it came down and started pouring into a huge blender. The kids thought it was neat. There was also a woman on stilts that went around making balloon animals, hats and swords for the kids.

After dinner, we all headed down to the pool. They have a huge indoor pool, hot tub and lazy river. Emma and I had great fun floating around the river! We went swimming in the pool. I even got in some laps while Lizzie sat with her on the steps. The hot tub felt good on my legs and feet, seeing as that was as far in as I could go. Last year, it was like a big bathtub, just warm not hot. It was HOT this year.

The first place we hit on Saturday was the NASCAR race track. Michael baby was in HEAVEN! They had simulators that he dug. Emily and he drove these smaller gocarts. They both did awesome. Michael did a lot better than his older sister. It has to be all the driving he does in his GraveDigger powerwheels.

After skee ball and Michael coming away with some cars, we ate at the NASCAR cafe. I thought it would be expensive, crappy food. WRONG! It was $50 for all of us and it was GOOD FOOD. I can just imagine what he is telling his teacher and classmates right now!

After lunch, we headed over to the field. After a LONG warm up because of an hour game delay and a two hour game that ended in a loss, I brought the kids back to the hotel. It was cold and Emma needed a nap. She slept in the car and I took a nap while they watched Monster House. (I guess it does pay to have a 6 disc DVD player in the car. YOu always have movies with you!)

There second game that night they won! We all met over at CiCi's pizza. I LOVE CiCi's! We had them in VA. We have two in our area but one is on the ghetto side and the other is kinda far for cheap pizza. It is good and feeds us all for around $30 AND it is all you can eat! We went swimming some more with the boys afterwards.

It was COLD AND RAINY the next day. We sat in the car for the game. The boys lost bad but can you blame them? It was 53 and rained the entire two hours. They called the second set of games. Fourth place is what they ended up in with their points. We shot over to Fuddruckers for our final meal. MMMMMMMMM!

Though all of this, Emma did not have any accidents. We had a pull up on her on the way there, a diaper the first night and a diaper on the way home. She never used any of them. I am going to ask my sil if she wants the diapers we have left. I have too many to toss and too big for the next baby. I know I will find a home for them. I am just so tickled I am done with diapers.............for like five more months! Then back to the drawing board!

BIG VENT!!!!!

Yeah, this one is a doozy. No, it isn't hormones at all this time. It started like two weeks ago. My coleader insisted that I agreed to charge the parents another $20 fee in January which I only agreed to a POSSIBLE fee. I put it to a vote with the parents and it was voted down, paying as we go for trips. She has been a total B*TCH to me since then. I mean the whole enchilada: snipping at me, snide comments on my remarks, you name it. Tuesday was it for me. We were locked out of our building for our Tuesday meeting. The way it works is I go to the new youth center a block away and pick the keys up at 4. Our meeting is at 4:30. The keys have to be back by 8 am the next day. No biggie because I drive the kids to school then and just drop them off on my way home. (Use of the building is free too!) We the dumb *ss that used the keys the day before never brought the keys back! I am the most absentminded person you will ever meet but I make sure that those keys are there by 8 am. Last week the kids didn't even have school yet my butt was in the car driving them up in time.

Anyway, the guy doesn't get them there so I run over to the building to meet the girls there. Well, Nida shows up in one of her huffy moods so I run up and borrow the lady who runs the place's keys. I have to lock, prop the doors and bring them back. On my way back to drop them, I try and tell her I am dropping them off, don't shut the door or they will lock. She flat out ignores me! She then procedes to be a b*tch to the girls. In the end, we had two go home in tears and a mom in tears. The girls because she told them they had to eat soup even though they didn't want it at our camp out which is NOT going to happen. The mom proceded to get mad and fire back at her. The mom that was in tears wanted to go on our camp out but was told no whereas another mom got to.

Later that day, the mom that was going came to pick up some stuff for a badge she was running at camp. She told me she didn't even volonteer and wouldn't have known how to tell Nida no if she couldn't or didn't want to go. She also had noticed how mean Nida was and how her daughter sometimes dreads going to our meetings.

I wrote her this email:
On a personal note:
Is there something going on at home? I know you all went though or are still going through some financial difficulties. The reason I ask is you have been very snippy and mean with myself and the girls. C***** brought it up when she picked the stuff up and wondered what was wrong yesterday at our meeting. You didn't even respond when I let you know that we could not close the doors on my way back with the keys. I felt very disrespected and have for the past two weeks. L**** was in tears yesterday at our meeting because you refused to let her go camping with us. She has been at every meeting and stays the entire time, even making our snacks and making sure that part is taken care of. She feels passed over even though she is there until the last girl leaves.
I don't mean to be callous but the whole reason for our troop is to help grow young women and teach them how to be well rounded adults. By being short with them and sometimes down right mean, all it does is turn them off to the program. I know you have a lot going on at home but please don't take it out on us. I don't want the girls to dread going to their meetings or on our outings.
The two girls I am afraid to lose are the ******* girls. They don't have anything other than this and can be pushed very easily, especially C******. We can work around their financial difficulties, even if we have to roll their start up fees back until January or February. I will be calling ********* and making some type of arrangement.
I apologize if I seem to harsh but there is no other way. Anything I say seems to be too much and is taken as an offense to you. I am not a very confrontational person but when it comes to these girls, someone has to speak for them. Also, I have to speak up for myself, which I rarely do.

I tried not to be disrespectful but I didn't want these girls walked on. I can handle being disrespected but the girls cannot and WILL NOT. She tried calling me like 5 times today, like one message wasn't enough, but I had a lot to do before our trip this weekend. (Go Myrtle Beach!) I also spoke with some of our parents that were involved and they are ticked off. I finally got a chance to call her after I picked up the kids. It was like debating with a wall. She didn't listen to a frigging word I said. If there is a third incident, I am going to ask her to step down. I have already talked to her about this during our J.J. prep. Three strikes, you're out.

OOH, She also had the audacity to accuse me of being mad that I had nothing to do with the camp out. I am not the one with the power trip. Everything that has to do with this troop is for the girls, not me. I let the girls have the power as it should at this level. If she wants total control, move back to Brownies!

Ok, I am done venting. I tell ya, I love to work with these girls, really. They are all wonderful young ladies! Nida actually makes me dread going to meetings sometimes.........

Potty trained in a day!

Yes, I am proud to say it took my Emma one day to potty train herself. Of course she is over 3 years old but guess who didn't have to deal with accidents a gazzilion times. She has tried underwear here and there, just to get the idea. She pooed in them twice before and was totally grossed out by it. Well, after spending Thanksgiving over at a friend's house, that was it for her. There was a little girl there, about her size but in 1st grade and they are very good friends. Emma went in the restroom with her and saw what she was doing. Yesterday, she decided she wanted to wear underwear. She has been in them ever since! She has surprised us by going in, not even asked and using the potty chair. Today she did her poo twice! That was the one thing the just had a hard time with. She even complained her bottom hurt and needed a diaper. With coaxing, she did it once and then the second time on her own!

Emma now has her own room now! Emily decided she wanted back in the FROG but to share with Lizzie. (The FROG is our Finished Room Over Garage. It is like 15x20. HUGE and PINK) After talking extensively with all the kids and Mike about it, we decided to run with it. Now Emma has her own room! It is lavender which totally matches her Dora stuff. I just need to go and buy her curtains! She got the bigger of the two other rooms. One: Michael is a slob and we can keep in in one room Two: She has the bigger closet and dresser for her baby brother or sister's clothes. By the time the baby needs to be moved out of our room, we will be moving either to WA or VA.

Off to make dinner! What a good holiday it has been!

New due date!

I went in to see my OB on Thursday. What an event that was! HA! First off, Mike has special lib, the day off, so he could come to the appointment. I was asking for it just by having him come. He is embarrassing. Entertaining, true, but even more true is he is embarrassing! LOL We were waiting to be seen and the Tyra Banks Show was on. She was giving exMeth heads makeovers. HA! You can just imagine the crap he was saying. It was funny and getting giggles but come on! These women worked hard to get where they are. Then again, why screw with that stuff to begin with?

When we got put in the room, I passed gas. Yup, I farted. It is a fact of a pregnant woman's life. Well, he let it be known what I did. Anyone in the hall could hear him. He threatened to say it out loud in the waiting room. He didn't but man, why torture me? LOL We did get to hear the HB. It was in the 150's. I LOVE my OB. He is a younger man, late 30's which doesn't bother me. He was nice and really wanted to know my well being. You know when they are sincere and faking. The reasoning? He has FOUR sisters. Large family child! I know my son will grow up to be like this man. VERY compassionate.

My due date will be kept with my cycle rather than my ultrasound. My due date is now May 9th rather than May 3rd. I told him it really didn't matter because I am always a week late. Four times now, late by a week. He said that he could induce me at 39 if I would like. I am tickled! Then again, I would like my body to take its time and go on its own. This is my last, no need to rush. I have a feeling that I will go a bit quicker, on my own anyway. We have two BIG camping trips planned two weekends in a row, three weeks before my due date. I won't miss out on them, for my girls' sake. I have 13 girls depending on me. Plus, this will push my body into labor a bit earlier. I am so much more active than I was with any of my others, minus Michael.

I got my hair cut!! It looks AWESOME. After my doctor's appointment, we headed to the mall where one of our friends is the manager of Regis. She has been doing this for way over a decade. She is good! She dyed my hair this past Spring. Well, I told her to cut it all off as long as it didn't make me look fatter than I already am or make it look like I am wearing a wig. (I had it cut short when Michael was a baby and it looked like a wig) She not only cut it awesome, but did it up again like at the Khaki ball. (she did my hair in the previous pic) It looked great when we went out for lunch at the Olive Garden. Very appreciative! It turned into a beautiful day.

I had better get to my laundry. It has been calling me all weekend. At least the kids only have two days of school this week. Thanksgiving is going to be great this year. We are having it at a friends, the one who did my hair, this year. We bring a roasted turkey, ham and real potatoes. They are frying one and making a lot of pies plus some more sides. Then her Michael, my Michael, her daughter and my #2 daughter can have some great fun!! Our dear husbands can have some beer and watch football. Maybe get a little Karaoke in there? ;)

BLAAAAAAHHHH!

DUDE!! I need an escape from the BLAHS!! A nap? OOOooohhh! Sounds delish! Man, I get out of the doldrums and into the blahs. I don't think I can win at all!! I do have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. That should make me a bit more upbeat. Getting to hear the heartbeat is always refreshing. I bet you a hundred bucks Emma asks if it is time for them to take the baby out. LOL Everytime we have gone in there, she asks. She was naughty yesterday. I left her with Daddy during G.S. and she dumped a half empty bottle of Robitussin on my carpet and got into my shaving cream. NOT TO MENTION, some of my bathroom stuff like bug itch spray and any other thing that is under my sink. And he b*tches when she gets into stuff when I am watching her! SUGA' PLEASE!

Well, we have had a small issue come up in G.S. that has totally stumped me and pissed me off. We had a start up fee in the beginning of $20. Council suggests a start up fee of $40 but we had like $700 in the account when we started. Well, that $20 went toward a $24 photo album. DUMB! Why could I have not said anything! A lot of the parents are pissed off that we spent that much on an album and think my co leader is cashing in on our money. I would have to lean that way. I just got pressured into it. "I don't like confrontations!" -Rex, Toy Story

My co leader is insisting on ANOTHER $20 from the parents, saying that I agreed to it in our first newsletter. I THOUGHT it said we MIGHT ask for it. I really don't feel comfortable asking and let the parents in on this one. I think we should pay as we go until we can touch cookie money, around March. There are only a few events and they would end up paying for it anyway. That way, if a girl could not attend an event, she does not have to go. Her argument is that if a girl can't afford it, this helps the girl out. SHE STILL HAS TO PAY THE $20!! Please....either way, the parent is going to pay. This way, they are not obligated to pay if they can't or don't want to attend.

CAN I SAY ITCHY *SS? Yes, I am pregnant but she jumped down my thoat about this issue, on my friggin' birthday! Even if it wasn't my b-day, I had just walked in the door when she called on Thursday and starts in on me. I told her I was against it and she got really itchy *ss with me about it, being a total b*tch about the whole thing. It seems like it is just a control thing. Either way, I am going to do what is best for the girls, even if she can't seem to see past it.

We have another family in our troop that frustrates the crap out of me. They have two girls in our troop, sisters, that have a hard time paying for anything we do. They live on base so there is no expense for any utilities other than cable and phone. They don't have cable anymore and have one cell phone line. Why are they broke all the time? I really don't get it. She has no kids at home. Why not just go work at Target or Walmart for some extra cash? The thing is, I LOVE her girls! They really love Girl Scouts and NEED it. Out of all of our girls, they really could use the program. I don't want to lose them because of some hardship that their parents are obviously going through. I think their mom is angry with our first $20 fee let alone a second! She was really mad about the album that we used because of the price. Especially when you see the size of it! What if we need to get a second? I know the parents will NOT agree to pay for another if it isn't a Walmart special. How do I tell my co leader without totally pissing her off? Either way, it will, no matter how I put it and I cannot ask the parents to pay for it or the girls, AGAIN.

Much better!!

I am feeling much better today! I am a bit tired still but that is from waking at 4 in the morning having to go wee and a growling stomach. I had to go down and eat a jello which really didn't work as well as I thought it would. Then I couldn't fall asleep, woke up to the cat in my face trying to steal my glass of water, and my stomach growling again! Lame!! Anyway, I did get my preggo snoogle pillow in the mail yesterday. IT ROCKS! I am still adjusting to it but it really makes me more comfortable at night. It is SO much easier to fall asleep also. I am really going to enjoy every second of the pregnancy, relish every part of it, MINUS the ill feeling times. I am so glad I don't have to do this again! I will just enjoy my neices and nephews AND grandbabies~~!

Today, I am feeling well enough to go walking. I have felt icky for too long and know that walking will make me feel so much better. It will set everything back in place and give me energy again. At least my depression has faded. THANK GOD! I usually have it for a day or two but this one was a bit longer. I plan on bringing it up at my appointment next Thursday. Mike will get to go to this one which is great. I was just glad that he was able to be there for the ultrasound. I think Emma is the one that got the biggest kick out of that. I hope she can go to my big ultrasound! That one is coming next MONTH! I really hope my little man/woman cooperate and let us know what s/he is!!

TIRED!

I am so tired today. The reason? My lovely husband. See, he likes to stay up a bit later than me, which does not bother me. Well, my son likes to fall asleep with me or just lay with me until Daddy goes to bed, even if it is for five minutes. Mike usually moves him into his own bed when he goes to bed. Last night, he not only didn't move him but he turned the HEAT on. One of our vents lands right one me! (I like having the vent there for the AC) It stays cool upstairs but not cold. He set Emily into cough fits with the heat. She too can't sleep well when it is warm. I moved Michael and tried for hours to try to sleep. Yeah, all I did was fart all night. LOL That is what happens when you stick a jalapeno burger in a pregnant woman!


I am so tired and kinda hurt today. I have a pinched something or other in my back, probably from tossing and turning last night. I am hanging on by a frigging thread!! I am going to force Emma down for a nap with me. If she doesn't nap, I can't nap. What in the hell am I going to do when I get farther along? MAN!! I will have to work in naps for her from now on. NIGHTY NIGHT!

Four BLAH day in a row

I have had the most melancholy this week. I mean it is really bringing me down! I need a nap or something I guess. I will bring it up at my next drs appointment. If it continues, I need to look at the possiblity that my depression is creeping back up on me. I will not allow it to ruin my pregnancy like it did with #2 and 4. I don't know how people can just suffer with it without getting medical help with it. There is this one chic on here that moans and groans about suffering from depression yet doesn't do a damn thing about it. What's worse is I KNOW that her kids are suffering for it. I will not let it catch hold of me. It would not be fair to my family OR to myself. I know if I got my *ss out to the track and walked, I would get better. It just seems like the minute I clean the house, the kids go and trash it. I worked hard on the livingroom yesterday and Emma trashed the place. I found a cool web site with chore charts on it. I am going to work in that after I get this laundry set up. Dude! I hate laundry!!! The kids are totally slacking on their end of that. I had to go dig through their rooms for their clothes. Emily has not cleaned the cat box in almost a week. I am going to start deducting money from her fee if she doesn't do something soon! They are going to have to be grounded until they get what they need DONE! NO going outside until this is fixed.

Anyway, I have to go back to work. I need some coffee...........

Feeling better!

I just sat in my huge garden tub for about 45 minutes, candles aglow, kids off watching a movie..............I feel so much better! It is aMAZING what a bubble bath can do for you. Now I can sit relaxed and watch my show, go to sleep and have a wonderful new day tomorrow!!!

yuck day

Today was a total YUCK day. I got sucked on the computer playing solitare and spider solitare while I watched my TiVo'ed shows from the night before. It brought me down and into the realm of "dead *ss". I didn't want to do anything, was weepy over some cutsy moments on TV. You know, the typical mood swinging pregnant woman. Then, after picking up the kids, I prompted them to wash the car with me. I had about an inch of mud caked on it from Saturday. (We had a G.S. event out at the camp and it had rained extensively most of last week. To get to camp, you have to drive up a three mile dirt road. I fishtailed the whole way up, giving the girls a good laugh. My car was so gross afterwards) Well, I got ichy *ss with them about little things. Again, go hormones. Next time, I am bringing it up to the hand wash place and pay the $30 to have it washed, detailed and waxed.


I am feeling much better now that I have vented a bit. The hormones are driving me nuts! It is the only thing that makes me feel pregnant. I have not been ill at all lately. I just get a bit tired or testy. In my mind, I can think and ease myself about everything............"this is my last!" LOL I have never been more at peace about the decision. I have waited for this feeling for a while. Plus, I can't afford to pay for college for anymore!!

Soap box time:

I have gone over this subject many times. I CANNOT stress it enough: IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD YOUR KIDS, DON'T HAVE MORE!!! I see it all too many times. "I want a baby. We can afford another BABY." Yeah, most people can afford a babies. Well, some can't even do that and still have more. Guess what happens when they get older....they cost more! They require clothes, school supplies (even home schooled kids need clothes and school supplies) High school hits and they want nicer clothes. Unless you are totally insensitive to a teenager as my parents were, you have to provide a bit more in the clothing department. Then there is college. Hardly anyone I come across thinks,"I have a realistic plan for college for my kids."
It is great that people have these 'large' families nowadays. I think it is super................if you can honestly pay for all of these kids, 4, 5, 6+ kids throughout their ENTIRE life.

OK, off my soap box. You can totally tell I am hormonal. It HAS to be another girl. ha!

I have a more serious issue that has come upon me. My sister has come up pregnant this past week. I find it hard to be happy for her because of their circumstances. Mind you I love her dearly and will totally love this child when s/he comes. Here is the story: The month that we concieved this baby, we had decided to quit trying because of drama in the family. (SIL had some issues. I vented about it on here) Well, we had one of those,"We forgot" Two seconds too late. HONESTLY! We always joked that we had given up on conceiving Emma and she was kind of an oops. She was a "wore a condom once and didn't after that" kind of thing. She was planned. Anyway, we had our oops (because was had been used to trying for the past three months.) and figured why not after that. She claimed that SAME month, the same thing happened to them. Then the following month, the same thing. THIS month, she told me about two weeks ago about them forgetting again. We then went into why they keep oopsing and why she wasn't on birth control. Mind you she was claiming up and down they were NOT trying and wanted to wait until their current child was 3. Her excuse for no BC was because she couldn't get into a dr until January. I find that a load of bull. I am so sorry. There are many dr offices in the area and even planned parenting that can hook you up if you really don't want to try. Well, she calls me up saying she is two weeks late and has a test. She then tells me a story of the condom breaking. A totally different story. What makes me irritated about all of this is that they were clearly trying. Why not just come out with it? The only reasoning is that she knows it is such a lousy time for them. Guilt over it? I mean come on! Ya think they would have learned from us about stupid times to conceive, our second as an example! We were moving, our car was broken and we were low on money. Hmmmm. They borrow money from his mom all the time just to eat, they have very little money, they are moving and don't fully know how it will all work out when they move, specifically health insurance, etc. Plus, she was on bed rest through most of her pregnancy, having to be hospitalized for the end of it and having the baby come 6 weeks early. I she saw how hard it was for us and we had a SOLID job with consistant health insurance. Why try and do it like us? I just hope that his family will be as active for them as she expects them to be. I will be too pregnant to help her and will not be there for her for the birth, even if it is to watch my niece. I pray that things work out ok for them. Especially for their dd that will pay in the end if it doesn't.

Well, I am off to get dinner ready. Got "heroes" on tonight. Woo Hoo! Love that show. I have to go over bills, budget for Christmas and plan to get my G.S and home projects in order. Ooh, and I have to get the kids scheduled in for their dental work. Yeah, can wait to pay from Emily's braces. HEY! IF the need them, you are required as a parent to provide.

It's been a while

I have been very busy! Between Girl Scouts and the house, I have no real time. We took the girls to a Scientist for a Day event. What fun that was, seriously! We learned about oyster reefs and how they are building more to help the environment. We actually started our own starters. We also pulled up some old ones and had the girls pick out some sea creatures: grass shrimp, crab, sea squirts....even a fish! The girls also learned about water Ph and we measured the saltiness of the sea AND of the brackish water the ships were in. (They have a carrier, submarine, destroyer and a coast guard cutter) After our event, we had a picnic and toured the ship and the boats. After seven hours of fun, I was spent.

We also had a friend and his mom visit us for dinner from WA state. They had to eat and run because of their schedule but it was awesome to see them again! We ate at the Crab House featured on A&E that got "flipped". That was last night. This weekend I go camping............JUST ADULTS!! WOO HOO! I love to get away, even if it is just for a weekend. The following weekend, we have a G.S. event AND a party to go to. I can't wait for November to get here! We will get a break from events and take a breather. I will hopefully be able to start feeling a little from my Mcnugget by then.

ANYWAY....I will begin walking again. I am feeling a bit more energized. I am so thankful that I didn't get morning sickness this time. I was able to keep up with things minus keeping my house clean. I did get it clean in time for my friend and his mom to come visit us at least. I am going to start up a project list now that I am getting things back to normal. I need to get some painting done and things of that nature before I get too big to get up on a ladder. I have until about January before I start to really show. We will see how that all goes.

Well, until I have more time...... ciao

BIG CAMP OUT!

First off, the Kkaki Ball was AWESOME. My hair was totally fab. Thank you Loni for doing my hair. It didn't budge at all. I actually slept on it and wore it during the day the next day. It is just too bad I won't be going next year. I will have a nursling to take care of.


Well, it has been a hard week and weekend. It starts on Friday. I, being the biggest preggo air head right now, scheduled my prenatal class (first visit before first ob) with Lizzie's doctor's appointment. MORON! Well, I had gotten kind of sick the night before and felt like I had swallowed thumb tacks that morning. I gutted throught two hours of my class with Emma and Liz in tow and then headed down the hall of the hospital to the pediatric office. Lizzie is offically going through puberty. Yippee... She was also put back on Adderal for her ADHD. I am really tickled with that. Lizzie is happy too. She knows she is struggling with it all. Well, after waiting in the pharmacy for about 15 minutes (worth not paying a dime for our meds) and going back to the OB to schedule my first appointment (I had to leave the class a little early for Lizzie's appointment. OH first ultrasound is on THURSDAY!), I really felt rank. I passed one of my girls' parents at the hospital and didn't even recognize him. I came home and thought I was going to die. I ate, picked up the other kids from school and took a nap. I went to bed sick, praying that I was better by morning for our Junior Jam prep. Lo and behold, God blessed me with being better! I still had a slight stomach ache but wasn't feeling sick or had to sit on the toilet for hours.

Our camp trip went great. The whole point of the weekend was to learn camping skills to go toward our Junior Jam this Spring. ( I will be 2 weeks away from my due date when we go) We learned to cook, use a compass, pitch tents, lash, tie knots and make fire. Posted is a pic of Lizzie with her fire she made all by herself! We also got to see a snake up close. No gators this weekend. Too cold I think. We also did a night hike to the DOLL HOUSE. The doll house is a small play house that has antique dolls inside. They are all really creepy looking. There are stories of the dolls moving and a little girl bleeding to death inside. All not true.

The one issue I had with the girls was with our tents. We have two HUGE tents. One is an eight man tent. We had seven girls in that tent. In our bigger tent, a cabin tent with a changing room, we had five girls. We all agreed that we would keep everyones gear in the changing room. Well, one specific girl didn't like it. She was our main trouble maker. The girls in the first tent claim that she went in their tent, messed everything up and took out a necklace from another girl from her bag and placed it neatly on the outside. It was all hearsay but I think there was some facts behind it. The girl with the necklace got yelled at for not putting it up when she did and didn't tell anyone about it. My co leader has rubbed a lot of the girls the wrong way. Two sisters tend to respond with disrespect toward her because they are not shown any respect from her, in their eyes. I tried to explain to them that she is just hard on the outside and good inside but the more she is hard on these girls, the more disrespectful they get. I spoke with the older girl about it but my co leader pushes too hard.

This one girl that was our trouble child happens to be the co leader's daughter. This girl was just an animal all weekend. She got worse and worse. My the time this morning rolled around, it was too much. She took up the changing room so the others couldn't get in, she ran around naked and declaring it to the world in the changing room and ultimately kept our girls from being on time. Of course Lizzie was last and was hollered at to get out in her jammies, a T-shirt and shorts. It was in the 60's. I stomped that one fast. OH! The worst was she was 'not feeling good' and wanted to go to bed. She threw a big fit, put on her jammies which are long (we just learned NOT to wear anything like this around the fire) to make smores after her mom said no matter what, she wouldn't get any. She whined the next day and after I said I was having my kids wash my car, she whined and pitched a fit when her mom told her she wasn't going to wash their car. I need to talk with my co leader and have a discussion about the behavior I saw this weekend. Between the catty gossip and our drama queen, we just need to gut through it and get us past it. I need to get a hard nose, tell my co leader how they feel and myself and get us back on track!

Well, other than our drama it went well. We had a first timer out there that kind of freaked when it got dark. She was going to sleep with us in our cabin and at the last minute decided to sleep in the tent. Midnight exactly, she was at our door. It was so frigging cold!!! I had to get up and move my stuff off the cot at my head and then walk down to the bathroom on the other side of camp. THANK YOU GOD for giving me a sweet sleeping bag. I bought it 3 years ago, $45 Eddie Bauer 30 degree sleeping bag, and actually got hot in the morning. Too cold to uncover but too hot to stay all zipped up. It was awesome! My van was so packed...can't wait for my 'Burban next year~!

Khaki ball tonight

Tonight is the khaki ball. Yeah, I have to dress up.....I am not feeling good so maybe I can get out of it! LOL I know I will have a blast but I really don't want to go. I need to get new shoes and haven't even bothered to get some. I know my shoes will end up off my feet anyway......I just don't dig wearing a dress!! Wearing a pant suit just looks weird at these events. Not really but I would feel out of place. I don't know if I can last too long there. He would like to stay until 10. I am ready for bed at like 8! Go baby right? I am officially 8 weeks tomorrow!! Too funny right? I am still a little in shock over being pregnant but I am getting over it. I still have not gotten too sick minus feeling a bit sick here and there. Usually a nap takes care of it. Well, I have to go clean. We have family coming in town tomorrow. I have my neice and nephew for the weekend. PLUS, the baseball team is coming over to our house after their morning game. OFF TO GET THE HOUSE TOGETHER!!!!

Definitely pregnant!

I went to the doctor yesterday to confirm my pregnancy and get a referral to the OB. I am definitely pregant! I don't know if I really didn't think I was or what. Maybe it is the fact that I have not gotten sick yet. ~knock on wood~ I just thought that we would be like,"Sorry, you aren't pregnant. You should get a visit from TOM soon." Not the case! I don't get why I have not gotten ill yet. I did get a bad case of gut rot yesterday but that really isn't the same. I also found out that I might have to go to an outside ob/gyn. There is limited space at the Naval Hospital so they refer you out. Either way, you don't even give birth at their hospital. They don't have a labor and delivery. I would give birth at a private hospital. I hope I get a private doctor that is closer. The Naval hospital is such a drive! If I get the Naval Hospital though I would be able to bring Emma with to my doctor's appointments.

I have a lot of work today. First off, we have a flag ceremony for the Red Hat Society tonight. Just five of our girls, two being mine. I also have to do bills, email parents on our next event, start inventorying my camp stuff for our campout at the end of the month, cleaning, laundry, etc. A LOT! I have kind of been worthless ALL WEEK. I have been so tired. That and I had two discs from the 4400 season 2 here and could not NOT watch the whole thing. LOL It is REALLY GOOD! Yeah, Zoltane! I am a dork....LOL My next set will be Veronica Mars season 2. I missed all of them and need to catch up! I think she is very cute, the actress that is. Some actresses really bother me and I cannot stand them!

In other news, I have 3 points out of 100 for my brand new Suburban! This is a game my dh and I have set up. I am so not telling the rules that we have come up with. Either way, I WILL get one. It comes down to the size of our current vehicle. I imagine how great trips would be going anywhere with the three older kids squished in the back. Lizzie is only a head shorter than me. She is also going through her 'changes' and needs her space. It would be bloody death hearing them argue all the way to Georgia and back. (my sister is moving there this Christmas) Even the fifteen minute drive to school would suck for them. Well, it just so happens that the same month I give birth will be when he finds out if he made it or not. If he makes it ~chances are he will~ we get one. New rank with more money.......yes. Even if he doesn't make it, he gets a pay raise. He hits his 12 year mark the following month so there will be a pay raise either way. Plus, EVERYONE seems to own a Caravan nowadays. I have had one since 2001: I had a 2000 first and then bought a 2005 almost two years ago. Don't get me wrong! I love my van! It has power everything, including power opening doors on both sides AND power hatch. I have a sunroof and six disc DVD player built in. It also has the stow and go feature that started the year I bought it. I couldn't imagine NOT having the stow and go now that I have had it for so long now. More storage in the Suburban would be worth it. Plus, have you seen the new redesign? I LOVE IT!
He is up for Senior Chief, as I have posted before. He is getting a letter of recommendation from his CO because of his performance with Day of Caring. He is also going to a Senior Enlisted school or something like it when he makes it so that he can become CMC somewhere when he makes Master Chief. He works so hard and it is paying off for him. He really enjoys the Navy and works hard at what he does.

Ok, enough rambling about stupid stuff, minus the rank thing, I need to go and finish laundry, clean, email, pay bills, etc, etc, etc........................

Knock on wood....

I am still not ill. I have been tired but not ill.........yet. I looked in an old baby diary of mine and I was sick with both Michael and Emma by now. I believe I was with Lizzie and Emily too. I have had some wicked hot/cold flashes too. I am wearing a coat right now actually. LOL I think because I have had my activity level higher than with all of my other pregnancies, it has helped. I get up at 6:30 and stay up. I don't do the lazy way of taking a nap during the day. Weekends though are MINE. Well, not really. This weekend, we have a clean up to do for G.S. We go camping the last weekend of the month.

I am really looking forward to this event! This is our prep for Junior Jam and it is with our Service Branch. We will learn how to tie knots, lash, make fires, etc. I don't know how to lash or tie knots but all the other stuff, I am a pro. I am going to try to get the dent in my van taken care of over that weekend so I can get a truck for my rental car. We have to bring our tents, a cooler, etc. It would help out a lot.

I would really like Mike to get a truck when he makes rank again. That or get a Suburban. He has a 99% chance of making it this coming year which will add about $400 more a month to our finances. He will also go back out to sea again next year, towards the end. That will raise us another $600 at least. We will just have to see what God has planned for us!

FIFTEEN KIDS!

I had fifteen kids in my house yesterday! We had a little get together yesterday with some new chief selects. Just a good ol' fashion barbque. One of the little girls there was born on the same day IN THE SAME HOSPITAL as my Emma! I kid you not! Neat, huh? The funniest part was one of the guys sat and played PS2 with them! That is the pic I have posted.

We also had my nephew over for the weekend. It was awesome seeing him again! He had a good ol' time. We went to a birthday party on Saturday and took him with. Lisa, the mom, rented a jump castle. She also gave out water guns that the kids brought home and had fun with! I really wish that his mom didn't have all her issues.....

Well, off to run some errands! I have my onion rings to munch on and paperwork to do!

scrapbooking....

Well, I went to my first scrapbooking party. I absolutely love it! It can get pretty expensive but if you do it right, it is managable. Once I get my current photos done, it should really fall into place. I have a LOT of pictures in a rubbermaid container PLUS a lot on my computer. It really wasn't that hard. I think that once I really get into it, it will get better and better. I am saving my wedding photos until I get really good at it. I don't want to screw them up. I looked at my friend's wedding album.....it really does make a difference.

Our schedule for G.S. is starting to get hectic already. We have a clean up this coming weekend and the following weekend we are doing a flag ceremony for the Red Hat society. We have our first camp out the end of September and two events in October. Plus, our fall sale starts this month. I know if I keep active, my pregnancy will pass quickly. I do NOT want it to slow me down. I will NOT let it. Unless I have a medical condition, which I have never had ~KNOCK ON WOOD~ I plan to keep up with Everything.

I have to go feed seven kids. Fun right? LOL Pizza and deep fried mushrooms...MMMMM