I'm so frustrated...

I have tried numerous times to post, but I am having problems w/ my internet connection. I have typed up the entry only to get knocked offline when I try to publish it. I'm ready to pull my hair out! Mike told me to disconnect the internet, but we use it so much (when we can get online) that I hate to be without it. Guess I need to be checking into sattelite since dsl isn't offered out here in the sticks.
JJ has been full of fun this week. Monday or Tuesday morning, I had to go to the bathroom, so I went into the kids' bathroom. Since there was no one else on that end of the house and I only had to pee, I didn't turn on the light or shut the door. Well... here comes JJ. He told me that I needed to turn on the light (which he did). Then he proceeded to tell me, "When you are done, call somebody so they can wipe your crack." LOL Laura was on her way to her room by that time and heard the conversation. We got a good laugh out of that.
Then it finally happened! Halfway through Andrew and Laura's soccer practice Tuesday night, one of the little girls from church walked up to Mike to inform him that JJ had dropped his pants on the playground. At home or at Grandma Jean's house, he pees in the yard if he has to go. Well, he finally done it in public. I was just praying that it wouldn't happen, but it did... AT CHURCH of all places. The boy is going to be the death of me.
Everyone else has been pretty calm this week. JJ has offered enough entertainment to cover everyone.
Speaking of JJ, he is quiet....

And the running continues....

I don't think this week will ever be over. It seems like I have lived in an automobile all week. Tuesday, I took the little ones to the doctor and the older two to soccer practice. Then, we had supper at my parents' house. Wednesday, Mike and I went to Statesboro in search of grape tomato plants. We found them at Walmart. We ran a few more errands while over there and even had a meal ALONE!!!! I think I did manage to stay home yesterday. Today, I have already been to Excelsior to pick strawberries. I need them to make pies for the Dessert Auction at church Sunday night. Now, I am about to leave to go to Statesboro to take Luke to the doctor. I'm not sure what is going on with him, but he isn't feeling well. Oh, he has slept in his OWN bed for 4 nights! YAY!!! I have my bed back. Tomorrow is soccer games in the AM, then a b-day party after lunch. My head is spinning.

What a day!

I knew that I would be in the doctor's office sometime this week with sick little ones. JJ and Bekah have ear infections in both ears. Emi has some major sinus drainage that has her throat raw. **sighs** Some days I just want to crawl back in bed and pull the covers over my head. Luke is still CRANKY. He is taking his sweet time w/ this teething gig. He has been the worst so far. I did manage to get to sleep in his own bed last night, but only b/c Mike was at work. I let him cry it out. I know, I know... sounds cruel but the kid had to learn somehow that my bed is MY BED. Mike is working again tonight, so we will repeat the process again. Hopefully tomorrow night will be better, or Mike may have to camp out on the couch if he doesn't want to hear him cry.
We had supper with my parents tonight. I think this is the first time we have been here since Adam was home. Mama called Laura to say she was making a roast and that is all she needed to say. Laura started begging to come over. JJ has been asleep on the couch most of the time we have been here. Maybe the antibiotics will kick in, and he will be back to himself tomorrow. Then again...

Update on the "Hillions"

Yes, we are all still breathing. It has been another busy weekend. Friday morning we got up and went to pick strawberries at Old South Produce in Excelsior. The kids and I picked 8 gallons of berries. Needless to say, Laura and I spent that evening working with them. I made a pie that night, but no one touched it. We were all sick of seeing them.
Saturday morning, we got up and went to the church for the season's first soccer games. I was stressing b/c Bekah wouldn't eat breakfast before we left home. She gets carsick very easy, so I was worried we would be changing her clothes when we got to the church. God is so good, and Bekah didn't get sick. Luke slept through Emi's 10am. Andrew and Laura didn't play until noon, so we walked around to watch the other games going on. I couldn't have asked for the little ones to be any better. They didn't try to run off, and they weren't whining. One of Andrew's friends played football with Emi and JJ while I watched the older two play. I can definitely tell that the kids have several years soccer experience now. All of our "kids" from the church are playing well. I was happy that Laura finally decided to play, b/c she has a great time out there. After the games, we ran into town to get a quick lunch before going back to the church for a friend's birthday party. We were all wiped out by the time we got home. When Mike got home from work, he and Andrew went to help Papa plant some of his veggie plants at his house. We visited with Grandma for a few minutes.
Sunday, we didn't go to church. By the time JJ went to bed Saturday night, he could barely talk. Both he and Emily were coughing and stuffy from two days of spending most of the time outside. They both had low grade temps. Gotta love this time of year! By 11am, I was glad I hadn't gone to church. I was SICK! I made breakfast for everyone and went back to bed for about an hour. This morning sickness is about to get me. Last night before I put Luke to bed, I noticed he had cut his first tooth. It was there yesterday morning. This has been such a SLOW process with him.
I had an OB checkup this morning. Everything looks good. The bleed is starting to shrink. Hopefully it will be gone by my next visit. I am almost 11 weeks, so hopefully the yucks will be gone soon. I hope to be able to find out the sex of the baby next month. My gut feeling is a girl.

Meet Leo the turtle!

I finally took the time to take a few pics of Leo yesterday afternoon. We have had him a week now. Mike bought him some pet turtle food last Monday, but he would not eat it. While I was waiting to see the doctor this morning, Mike went to the pet store and bought him something different. He loved it! The kids are still loving him. They are constantly standing at the aquarium watching him swim around.

Where do I begin?

After not posting for a week, I have no clue where to start. Friday morning, our phone line died. We were without a home phone until yesterday morning. I will try to think of the past week's happenings.JJ informed me one morning that he was not getting married b/c it was boring. When I asked who told him that, he said Uncle Abba told him. For those that don't know, Uncle Abba is my brother Adam. Andrew couldn't say Adam when he started talking, so he called him Abba and the name stuck. I'm sure Aunt Kara will be happy to hear of the "wisdom" that Uncle Abba shared with JJ. LOLThe kids started soccer practice last Tuesday. Andrew, Laura, and Emily are playing. Their games start this Saturday. Andrew and Laura are on the same team, so that works out perfectly. Andrew is coaching Emily's team, so that should be fun. I never thought I would be a "soccer mom."Easter Sunday was EXTREMELY exhausting. We went to church that morning. Then off to have lunch with Mike's family at his brother's house. It was wonderful to see all the extended family. I wish Mike could have been there, but it was his weekend to work. After lunch, it was time to run to an egg hunt w/ Mama's side of the family. I didn't think we were ever going to finish finding the eggs. I think Aunt Kathi had fixed 268 prize eggs... bubbles, rings, bracelets, cars, etc. We had supper w/ Daddy's family that night. I would have loved to have went home and taken a nap, but everyone thinks that we should be able to run from house to house on holidays. That is something Mike and I are going to think about. I can't do it all and make everyone happy, so we're going to have to make a choice as to where we go each holiday. Mike says just tell them all no and stay home to relax. Don't ya just love a man's solution to a problem?! We now have a new member of the family.... Leo the turtle. Leo is short for Leonardo, one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He was floating around the edge of Aunt Debby's pond, soaking up the sun. Aunt Kathi waded in the water to get him for the kids. He is about the size of a half dollar coin. I will have to post pics later.Well, I'm off to do laundry. Maybe this post will actually make it to the blog. I tried posting yesterday, but it disappeared into cyberspace.

I have an announcement to make....

We will be welcoming our 7th blessing into our house in November. I'm due November 10. I found out while we were in Iowa. What a nice thing to learn while on vacation! I think I'm still in shock that I'm this far into the pregnancy (9 weeks tomorrow.) I took two tests last months and both were negative. But, the ultrasound I had Thursday confirmed that I was 8 weeks, 1 day then. We told my family Sunday night while at my parents' house. I told them around 8:30pm or a few minutes after. I know I called Grandma Jean at 8:49pm. By 9:04pm, there was a message left on my Facebook page. Talk about news traveling fast! I slept in Monday morning b/c I was exhausted from our crazy weekend, but called Melissa as soon as I got up... praying that she had NOT looked at Facebook yet. If so, I'm sorry Lissa!!!! I figured you were asleep by the time I left Daddy and Mama's and didn't want to wake you up. I think Mike and I have caused quiet a stir in the gossip ring now.
I'm queasy this morning. This is the part of pregnancy that I don't look forward to at all.

It's so good to be home!

As nice as it is to go away on vacation, it is soooo much nicer to be back home. My heart is definitely here. We had a great time visiting Grandma Marge in Iowa. We did get to go to the zoos in Kansas City, MO, and Des Moines, IA. We had a wonderful time. We DID get snow on Saturday... 3-5 inches! I'm definitely not cut out for living in that part of the country.

The first full day we were at Grandma's, Emily made a funny. I cooked bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast. B/c Aunt Charity does a lot of things old fashioned, I poured the bacon grease in a jar, but left the bacon drippings to season the eggs. Emi asked how I cooked eggs. I told her that I cracked the eggs and stirred them up. Her reply was, "And then you burn them?" LOL Does wonders for the confidence in my cooking skills!

Jacob bought a pack of plastic frogs at the Kansas City Zoo. That night Emi had a brilliant idea... "Hey Jacob, how 'bout we share these frogs?" JJ's reply, "How 'bout you put them down and I will get them. How 'bout that?!" Oh my goodness, we all had a good laugh at that one. He is such a stinker.

Luke now thinks that he should sleep w/ me and Mike each night. Thank you Mike! Daddy doesn't think he should cry himself to sleep. Hmmmm.... didn't seem to bother him w/ the others. I am determined to reclaim my bed!

Hope you enjoy these pics. It is just a sample of the pics we took.