Random Rantings and a Day Off!

It's been a week since I last blogged. I guess I am still a bloggy slacker... BUT I do have A LOT of excuses. *wink, wink*

1. Being pregnant is exhuasting.
2. Morning sickness
3. Second and third graders have a lot of homework.
4. My husband's "busy season" has begun.
5. Flag football every Thursday.
6. Our weekends have been jammed-packed!

Ok, well that's only six excuses, but they are all legitimate! =)

Next topic.

I've been having the crazy, vivid pregnancy dreams lately. Last night I dreamt I was a doctor and then delivered my own baby! Two nights ago I dreamt John & I bought a house with my stepson's mother and fiance and I kept getting stuck doing all the dishes.

I wonder what those dreams mean? If you analyze dreams, by all means let me know what these crazy dreams mean!

Next topic.

Have you ever had a close family member that totally crossed a line? I won't go into details, but a couple of weeks ago I had a close family member make some statements that truly offended my husband and me. I haven't talked to her since. Although she apologized to my husband she has not apologized to me. Maybe she doesn't realize how hurtful her statements were?

I'm sure over time I will just get over it. But this particular family member gets away with making hurtful remarks like that to various family members quite often and I am just tired of walking on eggshells around her. She's one of those people who can dish it, but can't take it. How do you handle situations like that? I'm not a very confrontational person unless I really have to be...

I have the day off today!!

Today is Columbus Day and one of the perks of being a state employee is having Columbus Day off. The reason this is so awesome is b/c the kiddos have school! That's right - I'm home and the kiddos are not here today! But it's not a totally free day for me. I do want to get some major cleaning done today - or at least some moderate cleaning...

I need to at least vacuum, but I really should run the carpet steam cleaner too... I need to straighten up the kitchen, but I really should do the hardwood floors and the stainless steel... I need to do some light dusting, but I really should do some heavy dusting...

What I really want to do? Nap. Nap and watch A Baby Story.

It's not quite noon and I have until three before the kiddos get home so I better get busy!

Bloggy Slacker

Yes, I've been a bloggy slacker. The last few weeks have just proven hard to find the time (or energy) to blog.  As most of you know, my husband and I are expecting a baby - after a whole year of battling secondary infertility. I am thrilled to be pregnant, but everything comes with a price.

Two weeks ago I was on bed rest due to something called subchrionic bleeding. Later, my doctor discovered two empty yolk sacks in my uterus. My understanding of that discovery is that there was originally 3 embryos, but only one implanted. Quite the revelation!

Pregnancy has also made me totally, utterly exhausted. Expected, I know. Still it has really thrown me for a loop. It's hard to work all day and then taxi around two 8 year old boys at night. And then homework, dinner, etc. By the time I get all the "must do" stuff completed, I am whooped! No energy to blog.

And, can you believe, I haven't been feeling the Twitter thing either lately?! That's just not normally like me. Maybe I'm in a funk? But I really don't feel like I am ... I am just tired. I am focusing every. single. stitch. of energy that I have on getting through me day.

Oh, and I thought I was going to avoid the morning sickness thing this time around - wrong! Still, it's not as bad as it was with my first pregnancy, but I am still having some nausea..

Last week, Khegan's grandfather passed away. I know I may have mentioned this to some of you before on Twitter. Khegan was very close to his Pappie. His mother lives/lived with her mom and dad so Khegan saw Pappie frequently. It was very tough on him (and still is). It's been an ordeal for our entire stepfamily. Emotionally exhausting.

Then, just last weekend one of my best friends got married. I was in the wedding of course. I had to juggle all the pre-wedding events with Khegan's grandfather's funeral events. It was challenging, but I managed. The wedding was beautiful and everyone had a great time.

I am going to try my bestest to get back on the bloggy train. There is no way I am going to be posting every day like I was for awhile. But, I am going to try to post 2 to 3 times a week. So please don't give up on me! =)

Scentsy Giveaway Winners!!

Hi Everyone! Sorry I'm a few days late on announcing the winners... (please refer to my Bloggy Slacker post for more details about where I've been). But I'm here now and ready to announce the winners to this FABULOUS giveaway sponsored by Independent Scentsy Consultant, Sandy Osterday. Thanks Sandy!

Grand Prize Winner of the Mid Size Enchanted Warmer and Two Scentsy Bars (your choice of scents) is lucky random #7 - Sarah from Overthinking Mama!

2nd Place Winner of a Scentsy Buddy (your choice) is random #85 Shel from Auntie Thesis!

3rd Place Winner of Sandy's Mystery Scentsy Package - A Variety of Scentsy Items for On-the-Go is random #121 Jessica!

Congratulations to all my winners! 

Sad you didn't win? Stop by Sandy's Scentsy Website to order today!

Guest Post by Jennifer from Family of Seven

As most of you probably know, this pregnancy is kicking my butt! I am tired all the time! After working all day, doing  homework with the boys, and getting dinner on the table; I do not have much energy left for blogging. That is why when Jennifer from the blog Family of Seven contacted me and offered to write a guest post, I jumped on the opportunity!

Jennifer has a houseful, with 5 children, 3 dogs, 2 puppies, 2 gerbils and a hamster. When you have a family  that size the expression, "When it rains, it pours!" does not even begin to describe the chaos that ensues when...

How about I just let Jennifer tell it?

A Typical (Stormy) Day

Recently we got hit with a bad tropical storm. Rain pelted our rooftop while the wind howled and screamed. Outside, tree limbs fell like leaves in the fall, and the wind was a visible entity. Inside, we may have been warm and dry but things were far from calm.

Usually, we take the dogs out as soon as we wake up. Well, on this particular morning, they stubbornly refused to go out. We opened the door, they both started out until they saw the lake that was steadily forming in our back yard, and the deluge of water falling from the sky. Our Doberman puppy, Izzy, and our old girl Tessa, spent the entire day curled up on the couch, not eating or drinking…just so they wouldn’t have to endure the rain.

In the meantime, I was trying to work while David was attempting to rein the kids in. Our five children, who are used to being able to run outside to release some pent up energy, were going stir crazy. This was not conducive to a good work environment, I can tell you.

Then, right after lunch, the worst thing happened. Or, at least it was the worst thing considering we had five stir-crazy children, 2 camels holding their bladders, 3 other dogs shaking water and mud everywhere, a frustrated Daddy and a Mommy trying desperately to get some work done!

Our power went out.

For the next 4-1/2 hours we tried in vain to keep the children occupied; however, this is not an easy feat with 5 diverse personalities. We brought out board games; they argued. We finally picked one for them and they started playing. The older children yelled at the younger children for not doing it right. We advised them to try teaching the younger ones how to play instead of yelling…and of course we had to reiterate this several times.
We consoled the younger children by telling them that they would play Monopoly Jr. next, but by the time they finished the first game, the older ones didn’t want to play it. To be fair, we told them that they had to play with the younger ones because they played their game first.

By this time, David and I were getting extremely frustrated. We sent the older 2 kids to bed, and played Monopoly Jr. with the younger 3, the entire time wondering when our salvation would arrive. When would our power be turned back on?!

Luckily, our power came back on in time for dinner. The rain eased up for a while, and we were finally able to take the camels…I mean dogs…outside to use the facilities. We were blessedly free from excitement until the middle of the night.

About 1 a.m., I was lying in bed listening to David snore and reading a book on my iPhone. The storm outside was again raging; this time the thunder boomed so loud it kept me from sleeping. Apparently I wasn’t the only one.

I heard a knock at the door. I knew this was coming…the thunder was so loud, it sounded like a train was rumbling through our back yard! I got up and answered the door. My 11 year old daughter stood there, crying.

“I’m scared.”

Inwardly sighing, I asked her if she wanted to sleep with us. When I got up to let her in, my 8 year old was also asking to sleep with us. Closing my eyes, I pictured my queen size bed overflowing with limbs…
“Yes, baby you can sleep with us.”

I slid over against David, and the two girls climbed in. We snuggled up, ready to weather the storm together. Unfortunately, we still couldn’t sleep. About an hour later, another little monkey jumped onto the bed…this time, the 3 year old.

I didn’t get any sleep that night…in fact; I was still awake when my alarm went off at 5 the next morning. The start of yet another uneventful day!

Read more about life in a large family at Family of Seven. 

Wordless Wednesday - Our Little Peanut

Here is our little peanut at our 6 week ultrasound!

See the little peanut-shaped blob? That's our baby!