steph's stuff

Catching up

Well, this post won't be as good as Stef's catch-up post, but I'm scared of what Wendy might do to me if I don't post soon, so here goes.

Print deadline at work over the last week so that's what kept me away, by the way. :)

I'm still not very good at balancing everything and everyone's schedules with a full-time job, but I am getting better. We're at least getting into a routine. And that always helps.

But also, I have to keep a blog at work, too, so it's tricky keeping up with two of them. And, yes, some of the posts are darn similar. :p  Oh well. That one has to be updated. This one doesn't, so it gets the short end of the stick. Or just my repeats. :p

Anyway, we're still struggling horribly with the school decision for the kids. I'm still waffling about moving them and am even starting to consider separating them and keeping Em there while we move the other two. It's just so much harder than anything we've gone through. And we truly feel that this school is the best for them. Period. Money is overrated. :p But, for now, they know none of this and we are still enrolled at the new school.

I've really fallen back in love with paper scrapping again this month. Really looking forward to National Scrapbooking Day next weekend at ScrapSupply!!! We have so much fun stuff planned - totally can't wait for it!! And the May newsletter will be out the day or two before that, so it will be double the fun!!!

Some quick sneak peeks of the newsletter and an NSD project.

the earth shook ...

and we felt it.

Seriously.

We woke up to an earthquake at 5:38 a.m. in Indiana. Not exactly what you expect in the Midwest. It took us a minute to realize what it was. Tom and I were sound asleep and then, in an instant, we were wide awake and just laid there while the bed and the whole house shook. I could hear the parakeets screeching downstairs and when it stopped, Tom whispered, "The whole house is shaking." And I just whispered back, "I know." Just a really weird sensation.

And the kids are ticked that they slept right through it. Tee hee.

Here's a link to a local story with local comments: Earthquake felt in Indiana

off

Do you ever have one of those days when everything's just a bit off?

Today was one of those days. The minute the alarm went off, I realized that spring break was over and it was back to a crazy, early-morning rush. The next thought that ran through my head was sadness when I remembered that mom had left yesterday and I wouldn't see her again until July.

And it just continued. When I got dressed, I noticed that my pants were a bit snug. (Too much of Mom's yummy cooking, for sure!). When I dropped the kids off at school, I almost burst into tears at someone's reaction to us leaving the school next year. And then when I got to work, my van door broke and wouldn't stay closed. All of this before 8:20 a.m.

I won't bore you with the rest of the day, but it was the same way all day.

Everything was just a bit off. And it leaves me in a funk.

Here's to a better tomorrow, right? 

no longer a baby

My baby is no longer a baby.

He turned 5 last weekend and I think I'm still in denial. Kindergarten starts in the fall and I will officially not have any babies left at home. Kind of shocking to the system. It's enough to make me feel old. Even without the recent birthday I had. :p

But, he's a very happy boy to be 5! He's waited all year long for this day to come and is just thrilled. So thrilled that he now walks up to the neighbors and says, "Hi Mrs. S. Could you please tell me 'Happy Birfday' 'cause I'm 5 now?" and "Hiiiiiiiiii, Mr. C. Have you said 'Happy Birfday to me yet'? 'Cause I'm 5 now!"

I guess I need to teach him a few more manners before he's unleashed onto the world.

He has really changed our lives so much more than we had ever anticipated. He is so much more physical than his older sisters, so much more active, so much louder, so much jumpier, so much more of a climber, so much more worry is some ways, and yet his laughter and his love are so much more physical, too. I can't imagine a day without one of his hugs or hearing him say "I wuv you, Momma" or call me his girlfriend as he crushes his cheek into mine. And he barrels into Daddy the second Tom's foot hits the landing every evening. Everything about him is so much MORE.

And I couldn't imagine him any other way. I love you, my little man.

   

don't mind me

i'm so bored with this blog design, so i'm testing out a few different designs.

new yummies

The newest Scrapsupply newsletter is out and you can find it HERE - this month's newsletter was chock full of tutorials and gorgeous designs. I just love this team. :)

And............lots and lots of new yummies are in the store!!!

To see a list, go HERE and to go straight to shopping, go HERE. Basic Grey, Prima, American Crafts yumminess - just to name a few....

A peek at my layouts:

(this first one is page one in a calendar album i'm doing for the year)

according to the data...

emily totally cracks me up. and she has no idea why.

as i mentioned earlier, she has been doctoring all of us today. well, this morning, she was driving me crazy - killing me with comfort, you might say. so, i told her to please take a break and go do something else. she couldn't find anything else, so i jokingly said, "okay then. please make me a medicine and temp chart. elizabeth, andrew, and mommy are all feverish and all taking meds at different times, so make a chart so i don't forget who gets meds when."

and she did. and she has faithfully been filling in the chart all day. and reminding me every hour that temps need to be taken.

well, just now, elizabeth got off the couch for the first time today so i commented on it.

"wow, libby's off the couch for the first time today!"

and em replied in total seriousness, "mom, according to the data, she should still be quite lethargic."

totally freakin' cracks me up!

all-nighters ....

ain't what they used to be. :p

sigh. elizabeth and i spent all night in the ER because we couldn't get her fever below 104 and we were worried about it triggering seizures. we're home now, but her temp is only down to 103.8  and andrew is starting a temp. and my head and throat are killing me. sigh.

emily is doctoring all of us. and she's very good at it. while libby and i both slept for a couple of hours, she cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, and washed some other dishes by hand. let's hope she doesn't get this because i need her to run the house right now.

i can't believe that all-nighters used to be fun. and something to brag about.

now - it's just something to cry about.

earth hour

Did you participate in Earth Hour 2008? We did.

Last Saturday night, we turned off all the lights and unnecessary power for one hour - from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. We lit candles all around the house and had a great time. The kids are now asking to do it again. So, we may have our own earth hour every once in a while.

Some activities at our house during earth hour included:

Enjoying the candelight.

Giving Andrew and Elizabeth a bath by candlelight.

Emily practicing the violin by candlight. (Anyone recognize that t-shirt?)

And me holding vigil by the glow of the wireless router. Just waiting for the hour to be over. :D