I started my kiddo book!

Yesterday I was able to talk to one of my teachers from a previous semester, and she was the one that I told about my idea for a series of books to help kiddos learn about those with different abilities.  She loved the idea, but I've been so crazy busy that I hadn't sat down and written it out!  So, as I walked to my car I got it restarted in my head and started writing as soon as I got the kids from school.  I now have all the text out, I just have to draw out the pictures.  Which I LOVE to do, so after Cub Scouts, I'll probably work on that!  Either way, I'm glad something good came out of having to miss my little girls, although I'm still working up the nerve to call people to ask for help watching them for me, so I can keep them here!  It's really just Tuesday and Thursday that I have to have help for the day!  Monday and Wednesday are for only an hour.  I miss my little girls!  It doesn't help when I hear Cecilia scream and Scott tell me that she's bleeding.  Aaaahhhh!!!  My baby!

Time Out with Kira

Well, first I was excited to get a ton of clothes for Joshua and Cecilia for only $30!  What a nice lady!  She even let me pick what I wanted!  So, I'm feeling more prepared (which I LOVE)!  Then we had lunch and I took Kira with me to Wichita.  I had no idea how crazy expensive the tolls were!  $4 each way!  Yikes!  So, that plus the half a tank of gas, plus being hungry, so we had to eat, added up to an expensive outing, but SO worth it!  Kira and I got to meet Ally Carter (author of the Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls books)!  We had her autograph all of our books, my sister's and bought one for my friend who wasn't able to come.  Kira thought it was the coolest thing ever and really wanted me to let her have a book.  Nothing doing, she's seven!  But, we had fun together!  We got to talk a lot, which was nice! 

Waiting in line

Kira and Ally Carter with the book she had just signed

Ally Carter and our HUGE stack of books.  She was really nice though, and didn't mind at all!

This was a super cool bookstore.  It was small, but has author signings weekly!  The Pioneer Woman Cook is coming too!  Although I won't be making that trip again anytime soon! 

We made it home past El Dorado Lake (which Kira says looks like Dr. Seuss did it).  I dropped Kira off to pick up all three of my little girls.  I was going to just take Emma, but nothing doing.  They all wanted to go (Except Kira and Ben).  They had to go to the bathroom, of course.  Usually when we're about halfway through the store.  Oh well!

I was exhausted, so my house is a wreck.  None of my children are doing chores, because someone destroyed the chore chart.  Gggrrrr!  So, I really need to make a new one to help my children remember this is everyone's house. 

Today Leah made it through the morning and all of church with panties on.  After church she had an accident.  In her shoes.  Fun times. 

The great news is that the roast turned out fantastic, as did the rolls!  I tried using cook time and it worked!  The roast was cooling as we got home and the hosue smelled awesome!  I am definitely a meat and potatoes girl!  Especially when I'm pregnant with boys!

I was falling asleep writing this, so I took a nap.  It took awhile, considering all of my children want to be with me.  And somehow I'm supposed to figure out how to get them cared for while I'm in school.  Until the end of the semester.  For free.  That's the hard part!

They're super cute though!  And they clean very nicely when helped!

Spring "Break"

We've had Spring Break this week, but it doesn't mean what it used to!  We were able to spend the week with my family which was lots of fun!  We drove by a couple of houses that we saw on the Internet and yikes!  Not that we can buy a house yet, but it's fun to look!  Anyway, there was a ton of rain, so we had to hang out inside.  Of course we went to the "Great" Mall.  The kids had a hard time going to sleep the night before, so we had them running around on the playgrounds and walking around in the halls. 

It seemed to work, because they went to sleep at a much better time!  We also drove up to Adam-ondi-Ahman and had a picnic there (it was sunny)!  It was fun to tell my kids that that was where Adam and Eve lived!  Emma wanted to know if they had a house there!  Kira thought we were staying the night there.  No thanks, nowhere to sleep!  I took lots of pictures (no surprise there)! 

 The grandkids (minus Zoe)

 Cecilia's "picnic"

Then we headed to Liberty to go to the bookstore. 
It started pouring and even turned to tiny hail before it started clearing up enough that we got into the bookstore!  Phew!  We headed back to the house and the GPS went nuts on me!  It desperately wanted me off of the highway, so I finally gave in after getting caught in some traffic.  It took us through Kansas City and Overland Park.  The long way.  It was not a happy time in our little car.  I had Kira, Emma and Cecilia.  Poor kiddos! 

So, I was pretty frazzled when we finally made it!  I am committed to not wanting a GPS, that's for sure!  Recalculating.  Uh huh.  Then I got to go with my Mom to the Airport to get my Dad.  So, I got to learn more about the airport and parking.  After we got him, we went to Ihop!  At midnight.  But, it was super yummy!  I ate every bit of my food, no leftovers!  I was a little tired this morning, that was for sure!  But my mom and dad were already up, so I went downstairs to be with my kiddos.  I did some laundry, started a little hat (they taught me how to make these super cute "knitted" hats using a loom, so I've already made six or seven), and got the kids ready to go.  We went to Danyelle's house for lunch with some of the other church ladies that I've missed!  Hurray for good friends!  I had lunch with two authors!  Yeah, my friends are super cool!  Our kids did pretty good too! 
We left to hang out at Grammy's house for a little bit, but it started to rain and the kids were playing outside, so we had to go.  They were pretty busy, so we didn't want to bother them.  We went back to my parents' house and I started getting things ready to go and tried to clean the Living Room and Dining Room.  The Westhoff Tornado had done its work of destruction!  Anyway, we were able to leave a little after dinner and get Scott.  Hurray, home again, home again! 
We needed gas as soon as we got to the gas station here in Emporia and got 10 cents off!  Woohoo!  It was already ten cents cheaper than Olathe, so I was glad we waited!  We got our house key from my friend who had fed the fish for us while we were gone and came HOME!  The kids were pretty excited to be home!  I know I am!  It's great to "vacation" and visit with family, but it's nice to be home and back to the familiar.  I'm still looking forward to the move, when I can see family and friends more often, but it's great to be back!  For my last day of Break, I'm driving to Wichita to go to an author signing-Ally Carter!  I'm super excited!  I've got all of my books, plus my sister's!  Hopefully, super cool pictures to be posted tomorrow!

Leah's Birthday Party

I was surprised to have both sides of the family come!  Awesome!  So, we had Leah's friend Violet, plus my family and Scott's mom, sister and her kids came!  So, Leah felt very loved!  It was hilarious when she was opening presents we would tell her who it was from and she would go to hand them the present!  No, Leah, it's for you!  Oh!  She would look so relieved, like she was afraid she was opening someone else's present!  She posed nicely with each present, was enthusiastic about each present, and even said Thank you very nicely as the end (with a prompt from me)!  Either way, I was proud of my "little" three-year-old!

Violet playing with the fake birthday cake

Eating pizza and breadsticks.  Yum!

One of her Strawberry Shortcake dolls!

One of her books from her Aunt Mandy

Her Furreal puppy!  She's been carrying it around in its little purse!

Her other Strawberry Shortcake doll!

Her baby doll (as Cecilia was trying to steal her pink ball)

Her pink pony from her Aunt Jenn!  She was so excited, because it came with two other ponies too!

Her present from Grammy!  She loves it too!

About to blow out the candle

Cecilia was just plain done!  Notice how Lexi can just ignore her?  Awesome!

Leah and Natalie played around after everyone else left the table.

Natalie's face cracks me up!

Hailey is so good at walking!

And Cliff is fantastic at posing and smiling!  He's obviously been well-trained!

Friday Night catchup

Speaking of which, I should probably throw out the french fries that weren't eaten for dinner.  Eeewww!
A lot has happened this week!  Scott got started on his studying for the licensing tests that he'll take next Tuesday.  I got my grade for the horrible midterm that took almost two hours!  I got an 105!  Yeah!  I totally took a picture on my cell to text to my husband!  I also taught half a kindergarten class about ladybugs!  Wow!  Now that was not what I expected and I had observed in the class to get an idea of their strengths, so I concentrated on movement, pictures and art.  They all seemed to like it, but paint did get a little on my laptop and I was SUPER thirsty when I was done!  Only one student told me that I looked like I was about to have a baby.  Yes, yes I do.  I feel like this baby is absolutely growing!  Which is great!  I won $100 gift certificate to Buttons, Bows and Baby Toes and so tonight I got to order 3 hats and only had to pay $8!  They are really cute hats too!  There will be pictures when they come in (in about a month)!  I really wish I was talented enough to make my own hats, but am thrilled when I get free ones!  I also got the first of the 12 owls I won and it came yesterday and was PINK!  So, Leah got it for her birthday today!  Look at the excitement on her face!

Seriously it is adorable!  Chenille, felt, fabric and black buttons on the front and minky fabric on the back!  Cecilia kept taking it, just to rub the minky fabric on her face!  So cute!  Leah loves it!
She also loves her other big birthday present.

I bought it at Target for $20 during the Black Friday Sale.  Everyone in the family has played with it today, so I'm thinking it was a good purchase!  Someone oh-so-kindly wrote Leah's name in Sharpie on the "front doors," so it has also been marked as hers.  Good news.
We had the opportunity to go to the kids' music classes today.  Ben's was almost when school started, so we just parked and walked down.  I felt bad, because all of the other kids were all dressed up for picture day, and my kids were not.  They knew it was picture day, which was why Ben was wearing the AWESOME shirt that he picked and the blue jeans that matched, because they are blue too (his words, not mine).  Kira just wanted to wear her new shorts.  I did get her to put a bow in her hair.  Here's hoping her clothes are well hidden in the Class Picture!  Anyway!  Ben did a pretty good job.  He didn't do the rhythm activity, sang the Water Cycle song (Science, YES!), and danced pretty well as the Gypsy Father.  You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVvSyqDUb8o&feature=youtu.be and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRc5I8rtkBQ&list=UUPFLgkfHXZ85r-XX5T-FBTw&index=4&feature=plcp
Here's Ben as he lined up to leave.

After lunch and a very short quiet time, we went back for Kira's Music Class.  They did a music story.  Leah and Emma got to sit with Kira and "helped" sometimes.
Here is her first one:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Bt5M6LO-I&list=UUPFLgkfHXZ85r-XX5T-FBTw&index=2&feature=plcp
and the second one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RAA_Vu8cdY&list=UUPFLgkfHXZ85r-XX5T-FBTw&index=1&feature=plcp
Here she is with a few of her friends in class.

Afterwards I took my girls and did a few pictures with the beautiful flowering trees.

Then when we came back to get the kids from school, we did their pictures too!

So, yes, we had a busy day with Leah's birthday and two music classes and LOTS of walking!  But, we made it through and tomorrow is Leah's birthday party!  Hurray!  Bring on the pink!
I just finished this awesome book, it's the 5th Gallagher Girls book and I had Sam read the first four while she was here (It was AWESOME having her here, so the kids were cared for at home) and she left yesterday, but the book came today.  I finished it (since it was fantastic) and still managed to clean and feed my children.  Plus talk to Scott on the phone for an hour and a half.  Can you tell we miss each other?  Here's my review:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10560331-out-of-sight-out-of-time
Seriously, fantastic!  And I am lucky enough to have a best friend in Olathe who is going to pick me up and bring me to the Book Signing!  Woohoo!  I am incredibly excited!  And now it's Spring Break!  I'm hoping to trash stuff, give it away, sell it or store it somewhere where it belongs!  And I get to see Scott for a whole day and a half!

Homework and such

I was talking to Scott about how my week is going to go and realized I have a TON of homework to get done, most by Tuesday!  I'm super glad that my first class is at two on Monday and my sister Samantha is coming to help me with my kids this week!  Awesome!  I'm very excited to have a sister to hang out with and know my kiddos can stay at home!  Emma was so excited on Thursday when I told her I didn't have school for three days!  She said: "You can watch us?  YAY!!!" 
On a side note, Ben's prayers crack me up!  Tonight he said: "Bless Daddy that he will get excellent pay in his job and not be fired too soon!"  Scott is just "training."  He has to pass all of the licensing tests, so he can sell insurance for Farmer's.  And he has to sell 40 policies, plus 4 life insurance policies fairly quickly to get "hired."  So, we'll see!  He has a plan to study certain days and work LaborReady the other days.  So, that way he can make money while he is "training."  He's such a great guy!  I'm glad I got to spend almost a whole day with him!  I made him take his time leaving, because I wanted as much time as possible!  We got to talk a lot about why I feel I'm so emotional.  It has been hard for me getting used to my husband not being here.  He's always been here.  For years!  We are hardly ever apart, and if so, it was just for a few days and maybe once every few years.  So, this is hard for me!  His mom is loving it though, and I certainly don't begrudge her that!  Whenever we talk on the phone, I can hear how happy she is!  She has been cooking like crazy for him, so he gained back all of the weight he just lost!  They are getting a lot of quality time and I really appreciate him having a place to stay while he's doing all of the training.  She has been a HUGE help!  I am grateful for awesome family!

Pregnancy emotions

I always forget the whole emotions going crazy when you're pregnant!  You'd think I wouldn't with the lack of time between pregnancies!  Either way, I'm completely emotional lately!  I have been stressed out with the whole Scott not having a job, but spending all week in Olathe for the past couple weeks, midterms at school and making sure my kids are where they need to be and picked up on time.  I've only cried twice this week though!  Now I have the weekend "off", but have to write an awesome lesson plan on ladybugs for 12 kindergarteners, plus the whole thematic unit on ladybugs!  I'll probably do it tomorrow night after the kids go to bed.  Tomorrow is going to be a catch up on more cleaning day, plus find more to sell (because we have WAY too much stuff), trash/give away stuff we haven't used, plus (if I'm lucky) making something creative.  I have to do something fun for me (besides read) at least once a week!  I read all of the time, it's more of a comfort item, like a nice warm blanket.  I'm hoping the books I won are all great!  Tristi Pinkston's book "Targets in Ties" was awesome!  I really wanted to read this to stay up with the series! Ida Mae sure gets into some doozies of situations! At first all I could think was: "The moral of the story is: Don't be nosy unless you're a detective!" I was certainly not expecting all of the twists and turns thrown at me, but I loved them! They go to Mexico after saving their money, so they can vacation on their way to pick up Ren. The excitement quickly changes when Ida Mae spots a thief from the news. She proceeds to agreeing to help prove his innocence, and things get crazy (as they always do). I love what happens at the end, but was super disappointed that it ended before Eden and Ren meet up! Bummer!
I got the other two books I won in the mail today, so we'll see how fast I get to them.  I'm glad I won some books, since I was almost out and being out of books is a crying shame! 
Either way, I am very much looking forward to the weekend and just one more week until spring break!  Aaahhhhhh....

The latest craziness

Scott spent a lot of time sleeping and while doing so had some deep thoughts (which are always good) and he realized he doesn't want to sell insurance.  It was nowhere on his long-term plan to get a job that required him to be away from family a ton and hardly make money for a significant amount of time.  So, now he's looking for a job that will provide well enough for us, that will last at least a year, so I can get a job and he can go back to being Mr. Mom as he does aquaponics and such to earn extra money. 
We'll see how it goes. 
In order to encourage the craziness that is the whole going back and forth to Olathe, I sold my Cricut and am in the process of selling all of the cartridges.  That way we can afford the gas, plus pay bills!  Hurray!  He has another interview on Monday and a job fair on Wednesday, so my prayers are that he'll find something!  He's awesome, so I'm sure someone is going to realize that and snap him up!  Then I'll have to figure out how to care for my girls while I'm at school.  Yeah, not looking forward to that at all!  In the meantime, I'm oh so grateful for the help we have!  My family and friends are the greatest!

My 200th Post

And it's a doozy! 
I found out that we're having a baby BOY!!!  Woohoo!  Happy Party at my house and up in Olathe (since that's where Scott and the little girls were)! 
I had my "big" Block 2 Interview today, and was so nervous for NO REASON!  Like a lot of Olathe Principals were going to drive down to interview us, what was I thinking?  There were three people there and they were super nice!  I'm pretty sure the guy that interviewed me is the same guy that Scott loved to work for when he was translating up there.  Small world and all!  Either way it went well! 
This has been a good week for me winning giveaways too!  I've won three church books (I am SUPER excited) and an owl a month for the next year!  They are super cute owls too!  I figured most will go to my kids and the rest will be decorations in my future classroom!  Or Photo props.  We'll see!
Scott has been interviewed like crazy and we're going for the Farmer's Insurance one.  We like what we've heard, so we're going for it!  It will probably be a month or so before he starts earning money which wouldn't be so bad if our last tax form would get here!  I need to go trough more stuff to sell!  I'm trying to dejunk/declutter before we move back to Olathe, because there's no reason to bring anything unnecessary!  So far I sent three huge totes of clothes to sell at the Children's Clothesline sale coming up and I have six small bags of clothes to go to the Thrift Store.  Fun times!
So, yeah, just a few of the HUGE happenings at our place (or Olathe, as the case may be)! 
As for small happenings, Kira had her musical program tonight!  Only Ben and I made it, which really disappointed her!  She sobbed before we came, for about ten minutes!  Then she kept watching the door.  I felt bad for her!  Then she started crying in the last song, because Ben was giving her the "boooo" sign!  Good grief!  I was working so hard to film everything to show Scott and his mom when they got here that I hadn't noticed!  Poor Kira!  She was already emotional!  She did a great job though!  It was eight songs, straight in a row, with no words!  I'm impressed!

 Look at that confident face!

 Waving!

 Doing great!

Crying after Ben booed her the second time!  The stinker!