I can blog!

All I Need

2006-05-31T09:03:00.000-07:00

Slow down. Hold still.
It's not as if it's a matter of will.
Someone's circling. Someone's moving
a little lower than the angels.
And it's got nothing to do with me.
The wind blows through the trees,
but if I look for it, it won't come.
I tense up. My mind goes numb.
There's nothing harder than learning how to receive.

Calm down. Be still.
We've got plenty of time to kill.
No hand writing on the wall:
just the voice that's in us all.
And you're whispering to me,
time to get up off my hands and knees,
'cause if I beg for it, it won't come.
I find nothing but table crumbs.
My hands are empty. God I've been naive.

Slow down. Hold still.
It's not as if it's a matter of will.
Someone's circling. Someone's moving
a little lower than the angels.
This voice calling me to you:
it's just barely coming through.
Still, I clearly hear my name.
I've been fingering the flame
like tomorrow's martyr.
It gets harder to believe.

All I need is everything.
Inside, outside, feel new skin.
All I need is everything.
Feel the slip and the grip of grace again.

So from now till kingdom come,
taste the words on the tip of my tongue.
'Cause we can't run truth out of town,
only force it underground.
The roots grow deeper
in ways we can't conceive.

All I need is everything.
Inside, outside feel new skin.
All I need is everything.
Feel the slip and the grip of grace again.

OTR....
All I need is all I need.

Longing is stirred

2006-04-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

I have been drowning myself in Over the Rhine lately. I just love this group. Their songs are beautifully written and leave me with such a longing in my heart
for something more meaningful and real in my own life. I must admit, I haven't
felt those feeling in a really long time. I am just so unsatisfied with my life right now and it's something within that is unsettling. It's nothing that a new house or more money is going to satiate. I know that but to surrender to what I know what will fulfill that is so painful for me. So I find myself lingering between longing and fear and the fruit is discontent. Why am I so stubborn?

taken from Etc. Whatever.....OTR

So come on now,
I can almost see
that place
on a distant shore.
And courage is a weapon we must use
to find some life you can't refuse.

Marriage

2006-03-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

As Loren and I get ready to celebrate our 9th anniversary this summer, I have been thinking alot about our marriage. I can't believe that this fall it will be 13 years that we have known each other. Sometimes I look at him and can't remember a time without him. Othertimes I look at him and wonder how in the world our paths ever crossed. I kind of feel like we have hit our groove lately....we seem to be getting along ok. We are able to talk problems out pretty rationally and we are both willing to concede if we need to. I must say that if anything, marrige is really been a sharpening tool in a way for me personally. Loren challenges me alot to be a better person, not that he says "you need to be a better person", but just through our interaction with one another I feel challenged to become more self confident and to not give up when something gets too hard. He never makes me feel stupid, even when it's really evident that I don't know what the HECK I am talking about. In the 13 years that I have known him, not ONCE has he EVER called me a mean name. THAT, to me, is AMAZING! I just love this guy. Not to say that all is perfect, because it isn't. But he is such a solid strong person and I feel SO safe with him and for that I am SO THANKFUL that I married him. I probably could of married someone who let me do whatever I wanted and let me be in control all the time. And sometimes that is really appealing to me to be honest. But I wouldn't trade what I have for anything. I hope that Loren knows that.

I'M BACK!

2006-03-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

After months of not posting I have resolved to start writing again. Maybe our of my extreme GUILT over not writing down any major milestones in Naomi's life for the last 15 months. Poor girl! We are gearing up for the busy season in the house. It all starts on the 20th with Sam's 6th birthday! It is going to be a Fairly Oddparents bday party I am told. I think I will order the cake from somewhere as that was a HUGE weight off my shoulders last year. I am totally at a lose of party games for 6 year old boys. I wonder if you can rent a tent where they can all go in it and scream till their hearts are content. April 5th is Loren's big 30th bday! I am contemplating what to do for him. We had said we would celebrate our bdays together, but I am thinking of doing something special for him. April 16th is Tommy's 4th bday. Spiderman is on the agenda. This is the first year he has wanted a bday party. I am excited for him. My 30th bday ends the festivities on the 30th! My golden! We are going to party with some friends in the city, or those are the plans thus far.

Our house is going up for sale in April and I couldn't be more stressed about it. There is still so much work to be done. I have alot of painting yet. I am excited about moving. We are planning on moving to Kalamazoo MI by the end of the summer. Loren MAY NOT be moving with us immediately. If he gets a new position at work, he may have to stay until Nov. We will just deal with that when the time comes. I can't think that far ahead at this point.

So, lots to do and so little gets done every day. I guess that is life with a toddler. She is getting into something at every minute...hard to keep track of her. Good thing she is a DOLL!

WEll, it's almost 1 a.m and morning comes TOO SOON around here!

life happens

2005-10-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

I feel lately that life has just been happening to me regardless of me actually participating in it or not. I cannot believe that Nov starts next week. I feel like I have been in a state of suspended animation for the last year. Things that have happened since I last blogged....summer came and went. VERY HOT, actually TERRIBLE HOT. I would rather forget it. I spent most of it indoors racking up a quiet large electric bill. I broke my left foot mid August while trying to get all the kids in the car. I had a cast on for 6 weeks or which I probably complained 5 1/2 weeks of. Lucky Loren! Naomi turned from a sweet little girl who never made a peep to a little hell on wheels girl who will destroy my house in 5 seconds if I take my eyes of her. She is cute alright, but this girl may be our strongest willed one yet! Sam has learned to read simple words and is surprising me every day with stuff he's learned. Tommy has started school and has developed a huge vocabulary. Loren and I plug away, sometimes wondering what it's all about and why we live up in Chicago instead of moving "home", whatever that may mean.

One of the little boys in Sam's sunday school class, his mom is probably going to die this week of cancer. It's really been a hard one for me to deal with. Just thinking of the brevity of life and her leaving her kids to be raised without her. Overall I just feel a deep sense of sadness over the whole thing and it's really helped me look at my life and not take for granted what I have. Sure, I have let life just happen to me lately but I think that needs to change. I think I want to be an active participant in it again seeing that we never know when it's our time to go. Morbid? maybe...

Been a LONG time!

2005-06-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

I have no excuses. I just haven't wanted to post for a while. We are all doing well though. Naomi turned 6 months a few weeks ago and has been crawling now for about 6 weeks. She does this army crawl that is quite comical to watch. She is one active little girl. I was told that girls were calmer than boys, but I'm wondering. She is very determined and when Loren told her "NO" for the first time yesterday she looked at him and started bawling. OH BOY....it all starts!

Tommy has a traumatic experience last week. He had to go have a colonoscopy because he has been having blood in his stool for the last year. He had to be admitted over night and had to have a tube up his nose to deliver all that stuff to clean him out. It was VERY scarey for him and terrible for me as a mom to watch. He also had to have an IV in his hand. Thankfully, there were no polyps and they found the source of the bleeding and it's something very easy to treat. I thought that he would be traumatized for a while, but as soon as we got home that next day he was fine!

Sam finished preschool a few weeks ago and is SO excited to start Kindergarten in the fall. I can't believe he is that old already. He is getting so tall and sometimes says the most mature things. It blows my mind that this is my baby!

I have been faithfully posting pictures EVERY DAY on my picture site www.mamabaird.smugmug.com. You can go there to see them.

Sara

I think I'm getting the hang of this....

2005-03-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

I think I can safely say that things have gotten back to normal (?) around here! I am FINALLY feeling like I'm getting the hang of this mom business. I guess alot of it I can contribute to Naomi being the best baby ever born. This little girls eats, sleeps and sits and watches everyone. I have a feeling some day I will have problems with her, but for now I'm enjoying every minute. She is sleeping beautifully through the night, from 6 pm to 6 am! Hard to believe.

Spring break is approaching and I am trying to figure out what to do with all the kids next week. I know Sam would love to go down to the Children's Museum and see the Magic School Bus exhibit. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to go it alone. My sister, her two boys and my mom may come up and we will go to a children's museum in Barrington to check out the "grossology" exhibit. I think it focuses on bodily functions which the boys will LOVE.

Tommy is literally potty training himself. He woke up one day and decided to tell me when he needed to go etc. It's great, except he always has to go when I sit down to feed Naomi. He hasn't had any accidents today at all and I am so proud of him.

The big exciting thing was that Sam turned 5 last Sunday. We had a big party with a spongebob pinata and cake. It was alot of fun. We have about 8 kids in all and it wasn't too bad. I was exhausted when everyone left though ;) You can check out picks of that at www.mamabaird.smugmug.com I posted all his pictures there.

Tonight is Girls Night Out with our church group. I better go get ready.

Sara

It's March already??

2005-03-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

Wow, I did not realize that it is March already until I went to the bank. I haven't posted for over a month! You are all probably waiting with baited breath too aren't you? Well, things really haven't changed a whole lot as far as our routine. Naomi has changed alot though! She has turned into quite the good baby for me. I was a little worried there for a while, because for about 4 weeks she did nothing but cry when she was up. I thought, oh no, what have I done? However, she woke up one morning and I guess decided she had enough of the crying. She has been falling into good napping patterns and nighttime sleep patterns. She is sleeping about 9 hours at night for me, which is great!

Sam is reminding everyone that his birthday "starts March 20". He says is as though it is equivelant too the lenten season or something. I'm not sure that he realizes it also "ends" on March 20th. He is so excited. He keeps waffling on what kind of party he wants. I'm pushing for the Justice League, but he keeps bringing up "Shark Tales" a movie which he has never seen before. Tommy's bday is coming up in April (He will be 3 and Sam will be 5). Tommy wants a Dora party. I think I'm ok with this. I may emphasize the boy characters of Dora though. I may attempt to make a Boots cake (boots is the monkey on Dora). Loren and I also have bdays coming up in April. Loren is the 5th and I'm the 30th. We will both be 29. I don't feel like I should be that old...didn't I just graduate from high school a year ago?

Well, my responsibilities are calling to me....literally....

Sara

Chaos is normal

2005-01-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

I thought that my life with two boys was always a little chaotic. It can't even be compared to how chaotic my life is with two boys and an infant. The noise level alone is deafening at best.

Our little cherub is 7 weeks today. She is such a cutie pie. When I had her at the Dr today, she (the Dr) kept saying, "she is SO beautiful"! I thought it was something she says to everyone, but she just kept saying it, which of course filled me with great pride mixed with anxiety. I try not to let my mind go to when she is thought to be beautiful by boys.....Loren and I fret about that enough :)

A lady from church called today and said that she owed me some child care and could she come watch my kids for me tomorrow while I went out for coffee. I told her I would not stop her from doing that. Wow, what a nice offer for a mom who hasn't been outside for enjoyment purposes in over 4 weeks! Thank you Jesus! I think I may go to the mall and walk around by myself. Sounds marvelous!

I'll post a few pictures here from my smug mug site.

Sara

Out of the fog...

2005-01-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

Well, I feel like I'm finally emerging from the fog I have been in for 6 weeks. 6 weeks! Can you believe Naomi is that old already? It's been a pretty good 6 weeks too, except for about 1 1/2 weeks of it. That's all because 2 of the kids got sick over Christmas. Yes, in true fashion we spent yet another holiday with sick children. On the way to my parents on the day before Christmas eve, Sam started coughing and by the time we arrived I think he had a temp. He seemed to fight it off pretty good and was feeling much better by Christmas day. Tommy however, got sick Christmas day. It just manifested itself as being very sluggish and actually asking me if he could go to bed around 6 pm when all his cousins were still at mom and dad's. I knew something was wrong. By Monday, he was running a temp and I knew that he probably had an ear infection so we decided to go home.

The next day he seemed fine until he woke up from his nap burning up. 104 temp! That evening Naomi also started to show signs of getting sick. Lots and lots of snot and coughing. When I say lots of snot....I mean obscene amounts. It was ridiculous. By Wednesday her and Tommy were in bad shape and I took them in. Tommy got diagnosed with pneumonia and I was told to take Naomi to the outpatient center to get a chest xray. They both got nebulizer treatments at the office. The xrays came back that her lungs were clear. That night however, she was showing signs of having trouble breathing so we took her to the ER where they did a test and told us she had RSV ( a lung virus dangerous for infants). GREAT! Nothing they can do for it either, except let it run it's course. Her Oxygen levels looked good so they sent us home.

1 1/2 weeks later, everyone is doing MUCH better. Coughing is minimal and at the last Dr's visit everyone was given two thumbs up. I'm scared to death to take the baby anywhere now. I told Loren that I will probably just hibernate until spring. I got alot of fabric and have been keeping myself busy sewing a crib set for Naomi. It's going to be the most beautiful thing in the world...I can't wait to finish it.

On a happier note, we got rid of our cat. Poor Talulah is finally in an abuse free home. She went to live with a girl named Kristy from Loren's work. She has a new sister too....Ray Ray. I hope that they get along. The boys don't even talk about her anymore and I am so thankful not to smell that litter box anymore. Yay!

I posted a few new pics on my smug mug: www.mamabaird.smugmug.com if anyone wants to see the kids.

Until later,
Sara

Naomi Isabella Arrives!

2004-12-13T07:13:00.000-08:00

Well, she finally has arrived! After a really awful pregnancy our little girl made her way into the world on Dec. 2nd. I couldn't be happier to have a girl and to also be done being pregnant! I was induced a week early just due to the fact that I have large babies. Weren't we surprised (and pleasantly so) that she was ONLY 8lbs 1 oz!

We arrived at the hospital on the 2nd at 5:30 am. I was SO tired because of course I didn't sleep at all the night before. The Dr. started me on pitocin (a drug that helps you start contractions) about 6:30 and we waited and waited and waited for something to happen. I was having just mild contractions all morning. It was all very boring. Luckily I had Loren and my sister-in-law Cheri there to keep me company (grandmas were in the waiting room doing crossword puzzles the whole time). The Dr finally came back in around 1:50 and broke my water. He hadn't done that until then because the baby was still high and he didn't want to risk a prolapsed cord. I finally started having some real contractions right after he broke my water. 1 hour and 20 minutes later Naomi was born.

She has been the most even tempered of all my babies so far. She just sleeps, eats, looks around etc. She loves to cuddle and is happy to be held all the time. Loren is totally smitten by her. It's rather funny to watch. The boys like her but don't pay a whole lot of attention to her. They forget her name half the time and just call her baby. I have a feeling that she is going to be really spoiled.

I have a bunch of pictures on smug mug of her. Our address there is www.mamabaird.smugmug.com I have been updated it alot.

That's all for now....more to come

2004-11-29T16:16:00.000-08:00

Tommy asleep at dinner.

Sick Children

2004-11-29T16:06:00.000-08:00

This past week has been, well, a challenge at best. I had two boys with pink eye Tuesday. Tommy came down with a double ear infection on Wednesday night. Sam woke up with a cough Friday. You can only imagine that I am about to pull my hair out! This baby is due any day and the whole house is sick! I guess the best thing that has come out of this is that I got a really cute picture of Tommy tonight. He fell asleep at the table while eating his eggs. He has been completely wiped out by this ear infection.

Say a prayer for us if you think about it! I would hate to bring a baby home to all this coughing!

Sara

I'm still here!

2004-11-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

I noticed I haven't posted a entry for a while and some of you may be wondering where I have been. Nowhere exciting! I have been desperately trying to get this house in order before the baby arrives. I'm not achieving much though. I start off with good intentions and then end up napping most of the day with Tommy.

Loren and I hosted our 8th annual pre Thanksgiving gala last Saturday. It was a small group this year, only 8 of us. I didn't have the time or energy to host more. It was a fun group though. We always try and get together people who we are friends with who don't necessarily know each other well. We figure if they like us they will like each other....haha. It's usually true. I made the turkey, dressing, potatoes and cheesecake and everybody brought a dish. YUM! I love having these dinners. It reminds me of when Loren and I were first married and would cram 15 college students into our tiny apartment for turkey and potatoes. It's a fun tradition for us to keep.

Sam has been watching a Baby Story with me on TLC and is totally fascinated. Loren called the other day and asked what we were doing and I told him we were watching a C section on TLC. He was like, "WHAT? you are letting our 4 year old watch a major surgical operation?". Sam wasn't traumatized or anything. He was completely enthralled. He was asking me questions and I got to explain about how some mommies have to have their baby's taken out of their belly this way for different reasons. Later that night, he told Loren, "I think I want to have a baby sister now because I was watching a Baby Story and the lady had a baby girl and she was so cute". WOW, that's a big switch for him.

We have finally agreed on names, but aren't telling anyone in case we change our minds again! You will just have to wait.

That's enough for now....Until later!
Sara

2004-11-07T20:41:00.000-08:00

Big and Pregnant!

Quick Post

2004-11-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

I went to the Dr. thursday for my weekly visit. I am already starting to dilate :) Yay! I am 35 weeks and 4days. The Dr said that if I were to go into labor at this point that they wouldn't stop me. She said again that this baby is HUGE! Already they are guessing that it's about 7-8 lbs. She also emphasized to me that early induction might not be a bad idea. As I have stated before, I'm all for it assuming my body is ready. So, unless I go into labor before hand we are probably looking at a December 1st induction. I can't wait! This is only 3 1/2 weeks away!!!! To have my body back....the things you miss! The other good news is that Jason, Loren's friend that has been living in the baby's nursery for the last 2 1/2 months, gets married tomorrow. Next week I will be able to paint (don't worry, someone is doing it for me) and get the crib up. I want to get the crib filled with balloons because I heard that is a good way to keep your cat out of it. Oh yes, we still have our cat. It didn't pan our for that family to take her. She has gotten alot better actually. I found out that alot of her bad behavior was due to her being depressed. Now don't laugh. Nobody was playing with her at all. I finally broke down and got her this toy and I play with her ever night. It's like a fishing pole thing with a feather on the end. She loves it! She has been so much nicer to us since we started doing this. Now the only problem I have is that she carries this big pole and feather thing all around the house. This morning at 4 am she jumps into bed and puts the toy right on my face. It's better than her biting me I guess.

I am having Loren take a picture of me TODAY. I got my hair all done and and make up on (because we are going to the rehearsal dinner tonight). I look nice and will have him take as good of a picture as he is capable of ;)

Say a prayer for us these next few weeks that delivery will go smoothly and that the baby will be healthy. I take for granted the fact that I have had two relatively easy labors and two very healthy boys.

Sara

2004-11-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

Me and my sister Jackie's boys in costume. From left to right: Ethan, Eli, baby Owen, Sam & Tommy.

Halloween

2004-11-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

Well, we managed to survive another Halloween. It gets more and more fun each year I think. The boys were really into the trick or treating and dressing up this year. Plus, they got SO MUCH candy!

We went down Friday evening to Morton. This was a fiasco. Traffic was backed up from 53 south all the way until we got to 55 south. OH MY! It was so miserable because Tommy was crying most of the time because his "nose was bothering him" and Sam was screaming at Tommy to be quiet. It was one of the most miserable trips I can remember taking down to Morton. Thinking about it makes me cringe.

Saturday we had a birthday part for Eli, Anna and Rachael (my nephew and 2 nieces). It was so much fun. All the neices and nephews were there (all 13) and it was loud and crazy and just a blast. I love big get togethers with everyone. I think Loren, after being married for 7 1/2 years, is finally starting to enjoy the "loudness" of these events. Now that the kids are a bit older, they all play in the basement at mom's and we don't have to hear all the screaming.

Sunday we went trick or treating around mom and dad's neighborhood and then went in town to go see Grandma Sharron. Sam has never been door to door trick or treating before. He loved it! However, when he would ring people's doorbells he would proceed to try and open their door! Loren and I were screaming from the sidewalk, "you can't open their door Sam!" Oh well, most of the houses we went to knew us. I forgot to mention on Friday that we went to Loren's work to trick or treat. I kid you not, we scored about 10lbs of candy at Hewitt that day. There aren't alot of people with kids that work on his floor, so when my kids come around they let them have HANDFULS of candy. Sam and Tommy both filled up their buckets twice!

Almost 4 weeks until baby! Loren now has decided to rethink our girls name too. I am throwing in the towel. I told him that we should just name it, "the baby formally known as ________" Kind of like how Prince changed his name. We will just come up with a symbol instead of a name...haha. Of course I am joking. I am not even discussing the name thing with him until the baby is born. It can just be without a name for a few days.

Well, screams are coming from upstairs and I hear my name being called. I'm sure somebody threw a car at somebody else yada yada yada.....when will they ever get along?

Sara

Get this baby out!

2004-10-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like a gigantic whale lately. And the fact that I had people coming up to me in church saying, "I didn't even know you were pregnant" doesn't make me feel much better. Did I always look this fat or are they just terribly unobservant? I thought I was doing really well not gaining too much weight until I went to the Dr last week and gained 4 lbs in 2 weeks! And here I thought I was eating so healthy for the last two weeks. Good grief. If I'm going to gain 4 lbs when I think I'm eating healthy there is really no hope for me.

I tried to get Loren to take a picture and what did he do? He takes a picture of me from the chest up? I can't quite figure out why, but maybe the cold he has been battling has been messing with his common sense ;) Anyway, I will try and get a picture SOON, because I look absolutely hilarious and don't want any of you to miss it. You can't even tell I'm pregnant from the back, I just have this huge beach ball out in front of me.

Loren and I are stuck on boys names for the time being. Actually, I know what I want, but he hasn't said yay or nay to it yet. Girl names are a dime a dozen....we have had it picked out for a while except for the middle name. That will be decided in the hospital probably. Any suggestions on boys names would be appreciated!

The boys can't wait to go trick or treating this weekend. Sam got his costume in the mail yesterday and thinks he is the coolest thing in the world. He is going as Flash from the Justice League. Tommy is going to be the cutest little spider you have ever seen. He thinks he is so scarey and it's so funny to watch him walk around the house with his hands over his heard roaring. I didn't know that spiders roared!

For those of your who feel so inclined, please pray that we would be able to find a house this coming spring. For reasons I really don't want to elaborate on (because my blog would become WAY to long) we really feel we should move. So, all I can say is pray that something affordable would open up in this area for us in the next 8 months or so!

I'm off to watch Veggie Tales with the boys.....
Sara

2004-10-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

Tommy coloring....what was supposed to be a picture.

On the move...

2004-10-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

Wow, this baby is on the move. Last night while watching TV I could actually feel the little legs and feet moving across my belly. It was the weirdest thing. I have always had active babies, but I have never been able to actually define what it was that I was feeling. I could feel the knee and calf and little toes. It was really cool. Loren came over and felt it moving and was amazed. Funny how only a layer of skin and muscle seperates us from holding our new baby. I am really looking forward to holding him/her soon. Only 7 1/2 more weeks! The Dr. said that since the baby is looking "gi-normous" that if I want he will induce me at 39 weeks (assuming my body is ready). I am giving this good consideration. I am measuring a week larger than I was with Sam and the prospect of naturally delivering a baby bigger than Sam (he was 10lbs 3 oz) scares me to death. Good bye bladder control!

I think Tommy knows that something is going to be happening soon. He has been extremely clingy lately and constantly wanting to be on my lap. He even told me yesterday that he was a baby. This should be interesting. Sam has informed me that nothing other than a boy is acceptable to him. If we have a girl I will need all the prayer I can get!!!!!!!! Sam does "not like girls, and the only girl I do like is Mommy!"

We are off to run errands today. I finished all my blanket orders yesterday and put my embroidery machine up in the closet. It feels SO good to be done. I am going to start on my kitchen curtains this afternoon. I can't wait!

Here's a picture of Tommy, especially for you Shayna. It's the "I'm trouble look" I get from him all the time!

Sara

Got to think about that one

2004-10-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

It's been brought to my attention that some of you want to see a picture of me pregnant. Hmmm....I have got to think more about that one. I do not pretend to be the most beautiful pregnant woman out there. This would mean I would actually have to do my hair and put on some make up etc. Then I have to get Loren to take my picture and....well let's just say he isn't a world class photographer. I will consider it though, so you can keep hoping.

Today when we went to go to the bus, the lawn guys had raked all of our leaves and left a huge pile by the end of the driveway. Well, I hope they didn't plan on that pile staying there for long. Sam took one look at it and when running down the driveway and FLUNG himself into the pile. (glad there wasn't a sharp stick pointing up). He was so excited. Tommy being a little more deliberate went and poked around before committing to the jump. I had to go get my camera because it was so cute. And like usual, getting a picture of Tommy proved almost futile. Sam was posing for me and everything, I couldn't believe it. Rarely do the boys ever try and look nice for pictures.

I am flying with the flylady again. For those of you who don't know, it's a system of cleaning that gives you small chunks to do each day so you don't feel overwhelmed. The only thing that overwhelms me is the amount of email I get from the. I delete most of it. My house is picking up and Loren has noticed a big difference. It's still very cluttered, but it's not dirty. I guess that is the key. I have been getting up before the boys in the morning and actually having time to myself to shower and eat. It's hard because I have to force myself to go to bed early (which means 1030 or 1100). I guess it's all good in the end. The website is: www.flylady.com for those of you who want to join me in attacking the chaos in your home.

The boys are really looking forward to Halloween. Tommy is going to be this spider type thing that I bought on clearance at Gymboree last year. He has been wearing it around the house for the last month now. He thinks that he is really scarey and we all play into it. Sam keeps going back and forth on what he wants to be. I'm sure it will be a super hero, just not sure which one. He is really into "Flash" from the Justice League lately. I found a costume, but am not willing to pay $30 for it. I did see some spiderman material at Joann. Maybe I will make him a Spiderman costume. Pictures will be posted the end of the month.

Well, better get back to my flying....

Sara

2004-10-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Fall has arrived and so has nightly "tick"checks!

2004-10-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sam feeding the baby camel.

2004-10-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

Tommy trying to climb in with the chicks.

2004-10-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

Sam's Class from Conyers Learning Academy

2004-10-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Tommy feeding the giraffes

Day at the Pumpkin Farm

2004-10-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Well the boys and I spent the better part of yesterday over at Goebberts Pumpkin farm in Barrington. It was all a part of a field trip with Sam's class from Conyers. It was alot of fun. I have never been there before and was surprised at how much there was to do. We went on a hay rack ride, visited the petting zoo and got to pick out pumpkins and gourds to bring home. The boys had a ton of fun feeding the different animals. They don't just have your typical goats and pigs. No, they have very unique animals like giraffes, llamas, camels, all sorts of rare birds and farm animals. The boys particularly liked feeding the giraffe. Tommy has been talking about it since. Sam just keeps mentioning the cookie I bought him when the whole thing was through. Over all, it was a good day for us.

I am going to post some pictures of the feeding frenzy :)

Thanks Shayna

2004-10-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hey, this isn't so hard. The hardest part was just figuring out what to use as my user name. Thanks Shayna for teaching me how to blog!

We have approximately 9 weeks until baby #3 arrives. I find myself having temporary moments of thinking that I'm totally insane for doing this to myself. The boys are at a stage where they can do alot by themselves and now I am going to have to start all over. I think if we have anymore than this I just want to get pregnant right away.

Loren and I have started "talks" about maybe moving next summer down to Morton. Alot would have to fall into place, but we think that perhaps it is the right thing to do at the right time. I told him last night though that I am scared to even hope because I don't want to be disappointed. We have talked about moving for SO LONG that it's easier for me to think it will never happen then to have a hope of doing so. It sure would be nice though if we could move by next summer. Sam will be starting Kindergarten in the fall and he could get settled in the school he will be in for his whole "grade school experience". I really don't like the idea of moving him while he's in grade school. It can be hard to fit in.

I think we may have found a home for our cat Talulah. The little brat might be going to live with my sister Becky's in-laws. I really do think that she would be a better cat if she didn't have two boys who were constantly torturing her...and I really mean that they torture her. They are going to get back with me soon about it and if it all works out she will be out of here by the end of October. Loren is acting all sad about it, but it's for the better. That way I won't have to worry about the cat/new baby thing. It just makes me nervous her being around a baby.

Not much else to write about. I am terribly behind in orders and really have to make myself work during the afternoon. I have been battling a headache already today and can't find my migraine meds anywhere. I called Loren and he thinks they might be in the car. If I can find them, then I have promised myself that I will sew a little today. If not, it's nap time! I can't wait to have this baby simply for the fact that these headaches would go away. At least I hope that they go away. What if they stay? That would be terrible.

Well, until next time....
Sara