A new look!!!!

Wow!  Doesn't my blog look AWESOME?!  Let's all give Lissa a big ole THANK YOU!!!  I love it.  I had no idea that our page was being updated, but I love it!  I signed in, and actually walked away to help one of the little ones with some school work.  I glanced over to make sure the page had loaded, but it didn't registered that it looked different until Andrew said, "Hey Aunt Lissa changed it!"  I think they get as excited as I do about the blog... even Mike.  When something happens around here, he will even ask, "Did you blog about that yet?"  LoL  I also see that I have a new signature at the bottom.  Yay!  I'm lovin' my Lissa bunches!
We are still passing around the sniffles and sneezes.  I have it now, along w/ Jonathan.  I couldn't outrun it this time.  Mike has also been having problems with kidney stones.  He was having some discomfort from them for a couple of days during the middle of the week.  By mid-morning Friday, he was in PAIN!!  We spent a couple hours in the e.r.  It took 3 shots of pain meds to get it under control.  He had a CT scan done.  He has a 6mm stone in the tube between his kidney and bladder on the left side and a 2mm stone in his right kidney.  He goes to the doctor tomorrow afternoon to see what they are going to do about it.  He was "in labor" (as I like to refer to it) off and on all weekend.  I can't wait until the delivery b/c I don't like seeing him in so much pain.  Of course, you know I had to have a little fun with it.  I told him next time, he needs to schedule his labor and delivery a couple months in advance like I do. :o)  I also told him that I have pain meds free labors.  Okay, okay... I know that is mean, but you know how he likes to pick on me especially during labor.  He tells me each time that if I wouldn't cram 20 years of work into 20 minutes, my labors wouldn't hurt so bad.  LOL  Gotta love him!
Well, I'm off to do some laundry.  Love ya bunches! 

Aaahhhhhh.... peace and quiet

The oldest 6 kids are in bed.  Yep!  Even Andrew and Laura!  I was sick of the crabby attitudes, so I sent them off to bed.  I thought that it was better for them to go to bed than for me to start yelling.  I really don't care that they didn't get to finish watching the movie Up! that came today from Netflix.  I was tired of speaking to them about their attitudes with no positive results.  It wasn't doing much for my attitude either.  Maybe they will all be in better moods when they wake up in the morning.  Lord, please change my attitude so that I can be a positive example for my family.  I know my attitude sets to tone for the home.  I want my home to be relaxing and loving... with Your love surrounding us.
Mike still isn't feeling well.  He has a kidney stone moving about ever so slightly.  I don't like it when my man isn't feeling well.  He says he is going to work tomorrow.  I pray that the day will pass quickly, and he can come home to rest for the weekend.  His cold/sinus infection still isn't completely better.  Lord touch his body and give him strength.  Help him to sleep well tonight.
Jonathan is getting the same junk that everyone else has been sick with for a week and a half.  He starts gagging when he tries to eat.  I slept sitting up on the couch for several hours holding him.  My arms ache.  He is 13 lbs now.  I have used the saline nose drops.  I have sat in a steamy bathroom.  He doesn't have fever, so I'm just trying to wait it out.  Lord, touch his little body.  Help him to sleep peacefully through the night. 
Love ya bunches!

Thank you God...

After the past week and a half, all I can say is Thank You God!  Thank you that I didn't pull my hair out, b/c everyone, even me, was cranky beyond words.  Thank you for OTC meds are available to treat colds, b/c Mike and a few of the little ones were sick.  Thank you that Luke did NOT need stitches after falling off the dining room chair because he wanted to be at the table w/ everyone else.  Thank you for our emergency fund b/c we had been in the doctor's office every week since the beginning of the year for one child or another, even if some visits were for nothing more than a well child checkups.  Thank you for your forgiveness and love even when I lost my cool and said something I shouldn't have said.  Thank you for my friends that pray for me daily, b/c I sure do need it.  Thank you for two very responsible teenagers who will pick up my slack when I collapse in the bed all afternoon b/c I feel so bad.  Thank you for a husband that works so hard to provide for our family even when he is sick.  Thank you for our turtle Leo, even when his tank is such a pain to clean, b/c he brings so much joy to our children.  Thank you for take-out, especially when I've spent an hour and half in the doctor's office with a sick little one and feel too bad to cook lunch.  Thank you for so many clothes even when Mt. Washmore begins to appear to high to conquer, b/c it means we haven't had to go naked YET.  And Thank you God for helping me to realize that THIS TOO SHALL PASS.
Love ya bunches!

Just a few ramblings..

Yesterday was a so-so day.  It wasn't the best, but I have had MUCH worse.  JJ wasn't coughing as much during the day, but when I checked him, he had a low grade temp.  Last night, he tried every excuse to stay up.  He was going to sleep on the couch again.  I slept on the big couch (if you can call it sleeping), so I would hear him if he was sick during the night.  After 11pm, he still wasn't asleep and even tried to get the little sweeper.  He said he was going to vacuum for a little while.  I made him get back on the couch, and I turned out the lights.  He finally went to sleep.
Mike called me yesterday afternoon wanting to know my plans for the evening.  He said he hadn't spent much time w/ Andrew lately, so he thought they would go riding around for about hour or so after work.  They went riding alright... right to Lowe's!  They bought me a new Weber grill.  I'm sure you are thinking... "She is excited about a grill?!"  Yes I am!!  I love to grill.  They tried to surprise me, but I heard them drive up and caught them trying to put it together.  I will be grilling some chicken tonight!
Melissa has been working on pics that she took at Bekah's party on Saturday.  They look awesome!  Looking at them makes me realize my babies are growing up.  Andrew and Laura look so grown up.
Well time to get busy.  Love ya bunches!

Bekah's party and the new "jumpoline"

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We celebrated Bekah's 3rd birthday yesterday.  Even though there weren't many people attending, we had a blast.  Of course, Aunt Lissa was there snapping pictures.  Love you Lissa!  Thank you so much!  My camera was acting crazy.  I'm thinking the shutter wasn't closing fast enough.  I will cry if it doesn't start working right.  I guess I can't complain though, b/c I have had it since Emi was a baby.  Bekah loved her Tinkerbell candle.  She got a set of Tinkerbell walkie talkies that she took with her to Honey & Granny's house last night.  hehehehe  Uncle Tracy, Aunt Lissa, and Matt Matt bought her a new tutu set, which she put on as soon as we got home.  We took two cute pics that didn't turn out b/c of the shutter malfunction.  I was so upset when I downloaded the pics and realized what had happened.
When we got home from the party, Mike and Andrew decided to put the "jumpoline" together.  The box had been sitting outside under a tarp for a week and a half waiting for the weather to be decent and Mike to have some free time.  I was the first to jump on it thanks to Mike. :o)  It was almost dark when they got it finished but we let the kids jump anyway.  They were excited beyond words.  Thank you Uncle Todd and Aunt Kathi.  I think it is going to be a lifesaver this spring when the kids are full of energy. 
Jacob had us hopping in the middle of the night.  The poor little guy was coughing so much and so hard that it made him sick.  He had a low grade temp when he went to bed.  I'm praying it isn't his ears again.  If so, I think I'm going to mention tubes.  I made him a bed on the loveseat and I slept on the couch so I could hear him if he got sick again.  He coughed all night.  Mike sounded the same way when he got up at 2am to go to work.  I just hope they keep it to themselves.
Well, my littlest man is hungry and I'm the only one that can help him.  Enjoy the slideshow.  Love ya bunches! 

Life...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A visit with family

Last night, we invited Tracy, Lissa, and Matthew over for supper.  I was going to cook a meal, but then decided to just go get pizza so we could enjoy the visit.  I didn't want to be in the kitchen cooking and then cleaning up the entire time they were here.  We had a great time.  Of course, JJ was so happy to see Matthew.  Let's just say that the house was NOT quiet.... especially with the new foam swords Uncle Tracy brought for JJ and Luke.  Oh my goodness!  Uncle Tracy also brought Andrew a treat... a little remote control helicopter.  Now JJ can actually play with his helicopter that they gave him for Christmas.  Emily just loved the puppy huggable massager that Lissa brought them.  Oh my... it was the source of a LOT of laughs last night.  Of course, what is a visit from "MyLissa" without books!  She brought more books and Bekah made her read two of them.  Two of the books included cds, so they will be able to listen to them when I can't sit down to read.  YAY!
Today, I'm hoping to get the first coat of actual paint on the boys' bedroom walls.  Each time I have tried to get in there to get it done, something else has come up.  I really want their room finished this week.  Mike has the trim to put up after I'm done with my part.  I'm ready to get the bunkbeds out of the schoolroom floor and get my house back in order.  As soon as I finish the boys' room, then I have to paint the kids' bathroom.  After the bathroom, I have to finish painting the little girls' room.  After that room, I have to paint Laura's room.  Then, I will paint my bedroom.  Looks like my projects list is taller than I am.
Going to be productive.  Love ya bunches!