where is spring

Boy I wish spring would get here! I would love that. However, I think we may have to wait until May here to see that. It is supposed to be in the mid 40's this week which is swimsuit weather for us, but we still have a white landscape which is depressing to me. I guess I am asking a lot when I live in MN. ha!

I am back to watching kids as of last week. I have 4 during the day now. Reyce 3, Quinn 3 months and then our 2 Mercedes 2, and Madelyn 4 months. I stay quite busy with them needless to say. Those babies keep me on my feet all the time. The older girls play well together so that helps. I can't wait for some warmer weather so we can get out for some walks and play outside. I know the girls will love that.

Ben is about to leave for Basic. Well, that is what he keeps telling us. He has told us that since January, but now everything is done. There is a good possibility that he will go this month. We aren't sure that he will be as successful as he could've been in January now that we will be heading into spring. He will be going to a warmer climate too so not sure how his feet will do. Only time will tell!

I have a baby to feed! Hope you all have a great day!

Madelyn Grace

My good buddy Tiffany tagged me...and I thought this would be fun.So, here's what you do:

1. Go to your 4th folder where you store your photos.
2. Select the 4th photo (no exceptions).
3. Post the picture with an explanation.
4. Tag 4 people to do the same.
5. I tagged Mary, Krysta, Sarah, Martha

This was a picture of Madelyn the first day she was born ...October 27, 2008. She was all wrapped up. You can see she isn't crying at all....she is still like that to this day. Such a great baby! She is so precious! She is laid back and just goes with the flow. Momma just loves that.

Changes

It has been awhile since I updated this it seems. I guess I have been on Facebook too much lately and not on here, but I realize there are others not on FB that would like an update too.

Jason and I have taken a vow to change our lifestyle and commit to healthy habits for our body and minds this year...and from then on. I am in a contest with my sister-in-law where we are competing to lose the most body fat percentage of weight. There are about 100 people in the competition. I am doing really well so far for myself (not in the competition...but that is alright). I am thrilled to say I am down 14lbs and Jason is down 10. We are committed to exercising, eating the right foods, and showing our kids how to eat right too. It will be a long road, but one I am more than willing to go down. I have finally learned that I deserve to be happy and healthy. I am worth it!

The kids are good. Madelyn just went in for her 2 month check up today, but she is 3 months old (yes, a little late). She was in the 99th percentile for height and weight. We always have been blessed with such healthy babies! I am so thankful for that! She is smiling a lot now and trying to pull up. Crazy baby doesn't need to grow up yet! Mercedes is so much fun right now. She just brings me so much joy! She has such a spunky, fun-loving personality! She is so sweet, but yet can be such a little monster all at the same time. I am loving watching her grow. Madison is going through a strong-willed phase right now. It is hard seeing what used to be this sweet, obedient child that now can turn so rebellious. We are taking baby steps and trying to teach her to make the right choices though. Harley is enjoying basketball. He is gone nearly every night till 7pm and still loves it! Ben is preparing to go Basic Training. He will be heading out within the next few weeks. He has had some delays already, but we feel pretty confident it will be by mid February. Jason is about to start back with school online. He has about 2.5 years left so he is anxiously trying to get done! We all can't wait for that.

Well, I need to go watch my Biggest Loser show. Have a great night!

Tough MN --Only 20 below zero

So, we finally found out what it takes for the kids to get out of school here...-20 below zero did it! Isn't that absolutely crazy? I was talking to Jason about not even allowing the kids to go because I thought it was too dangerously cold. I guess the schools finally agreed with me.

The girls are playing nice. They are having a picnic in the LR and talking to Madelyn. I just finished a great workout and shower.. Feels good! The boys are hiding out in their room as usual. Harley was bummed he missed his game tonight, but there will be other games. Unfortunately, Jason had to go to work and deal with the frozen tundra. Now, you can understand why Minnesotans can be such driven, stubborn people....you have to be living here. Well, maybe that is just me!?! ha!

Have a great day!

That Birdy...is...so...frustrating!!!

Madelyn is trying to get the bird to move on her jungle gym and when it tweets and moves she gets so excited and coo's like crazy. However, when it doesn't move with her arms waving and legs kicking then she gets exasperated. Poor baby! It is like she is saying, "Birdy please move. You are so cute. I love you birdy! Move for me!" Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating a bit! Ha! I guess I can read minds!

Have a great day!

Getting more excited

Hello all-

I am getting more and more excited for our move to GA. Not that we are happy to leave friends and family here. That part makes us sad. However, we are excited to be back on track financially. We are so happy to be able to provide better for our children/family. We feel in years to come that this could be such a blessing of what we will be able to do for our kids. We can't do anything like what we envision for the future now or here. It just feels good to know that you can provide a really good life for your family.

That leads to me to be so very thankful for my education and my career possibiliites. I am just so glad that I went to college. I am glad that I earned the degrees that I have. I feel it allows me a job security that so many lack in our nation today. Well, living in MN I don't feel job security, but I know that in other parts of this country I can find a job. That is nice. there are a lot of people that don't even have that. That is so much of what to be thankful for!

I need to go get my workout in while kids are behaving! Have a great day!

Harley's b-day and more sickies

Harley had his 13th birthday yesterday. We didn't do a whole lot since Madelyn is still sick. She just can't rid her little body of the virus. Poor thing sounds horrible. I hate it for her! Anyway, we stayed in our pajamas almost all day (some did all day) and just played games. Harley had fun. We had his chosen dinner of spaghetti bake and Better than anything cake. It was yummy! Each of our children gets a bike on their 13th birthday, but since we are in the frozen tundra and he can't ride it anyway he asked to get it more toward summer. So, then we suggested to wait until our move to GA. He was fine with that. He said he hates having Christmas and his birthday all at once and then gets nothing the rest of the year so this year will be a bit different for him.

Now Madison is sick. She woke up crying last night with an earache. I took her temp and she is up to 101.1 also. Poor thing. She looks pathethic! She is laying on the couch now feeling miserable. We just can't shake the sickies from our house. Jason is working today too so it is mom taking care of all the sick kids. oh well!

Our New Year's Eve

The IV they had to put in Madelyn to check to see if she had RSV or the flu.

Our sweet little Madelyn was very sick on New Years Eve. She had a temp of 100.8 at its peak and the doctors told us they have to check for everything when they are that little and haven't had any immunizations. Poor thing was poked repeatedly!

She cried a fair amount so you can see her eyes are all puffy and sad!

Yesterday Madelyn woke up with congestion and sounded as though she was rattling in her chest. Well, as the day progressed she got worse and worse. I had checked her temp in the morning and it as only 99.2, but by around 4ish it was up to 100.8. I called the nurse to see what to do and they said to bring in to the ER because she was so small with a temp that high. She hasn't had her shots yet either. So, we got there around 6:30 and left around 12:30. That was a different way for us to spend our New Years! I hadn't ever done that before. :) After all the testing they did on her she came back healthy, but that she has a virus of some sort. So, we need to watch her to make sure her temp doesn't go up again, use the humidifier in her room, suction our junk out of her nose, and give her lots of cuddle time. I like the cuddle time prescription!

So, how was your New years? I hope this year turns out to be better than last year for many people. I look forward to being able to stay home with my girls for 8 more months. What a blessing it is! I also look forward to finding a teaching job in GA so we can move back there come this summer. I look forward to our family having financial security once again. I look forward to watching my children grow. Our kids will turn 1, 3, 7, 13 (Harley tomorrow) and 18 this year. Wow! Those numbers amaze me. I look forward to all the great memories we will create in 2009. It will be another blessed year for us. I hope it is for you all too!

Happy New Year~!!!!