Dec 3rd, A creature was stirring...

yes, it was a mouse.

So for a month or so, I swore I heard little scampering around. Nibbling of papers. Noises in the vents. Noises in the wall. Mike told me I was crazy. Last night, the kids discovered a mouse in Cal's room at bedtime. I had just gone to bed, 8:15 or so, because of the extremely rough night the night before. All of a sudden, shrill screams echoed through the house. Mike ran upstairs, and what do you know, a mouse in Cal's closet. Conveniently, the baby woke up shortly thereafter, so I got back up to tend to her, while Mike attempted to catch the mouse. After a good 45+ minutes, and destroying Cal's room, Mike did get the mouse. The kids swear they saw another one this morning, which wouldn't surprise me. How the heck did one or any get upstairs, is what I would like to know. Anyhow, so Cal's room is still destroyed, and guess who will probably have to be the one to put it back together. The whole house is rather disheveled. I think I am going on strike. So eventually I got to bed, close to 10 o'clock, though. So another tired day for me. I was hoping for a nap after I took Maddie to school today, but Sadie has been up pretty much since we got home, and not particularly happy. Take a nap? When? WHile I am on the way to taking Maddie to gymnastics? Or perhaps when I took all 4 kids to the doctor yesterday afternoon for flu shots. Or maybe on the way to Walmart to look for boots (it snowed!), which they did not have any sizes I needed of course. So, alas, my kids went to school with no boots, Maddie was late to school, and I am deleriously tired.

Dec 2nd

Today Maddie, Sadie, and I stopped at the Scrapbook Store to make a quick visit. It was so nice to say "hi" and to see all that paper again : ) While there isn't much new stuff to look at, it doesn't matter. Just walking into that store inspires me!! We also took a trip to the mall. Maddie wanted to ride the train and eat lunch there. Unfortunately, my double stroller is stuck in the open position (it's been through alot...) and I couldn't get it in my car. I had to take the single stroller (which actually is also stuck open...I don't know how this happens) which was none to pleasing to a certain 4 year old that she would not have a seat while going through the mall. I had to make a couple stops in the mall (geez, to think I go to a mall and actually want to go into a store, and NOT just to ride the train!) but Maddie was "too tired" and was not very cooperative. Don't fear, it has nothing to do with the new baby. Maddie has done this as long as I can remember. Even when she would be sitting in the stroller in the past, she would conveniently be "too tired" to want to go into any of the stores. She perked up a little when we bought a Christmas dress from JCPenney's for her. We also bought something for Cal to wear for Christmas. Little Sadie is set for the holidays, as she has 4 different outfits--I just hope they fit her! Kaycey on the other hand...don't know what I'm going to do. She is not the frilly poofy fancy dress type. She is not the dress type period. If she had her way she would probably wear flight pants and a sweatshirt. Hey, what can I say, she likes to be comfortable--which is totally me these days! Any idea of where to shop for this girl would be greatly appreciated!!

Tonight we are going to church. I love this time of year in church; especially Wednesday night services, as we typically sing the traditional Christmas hymns.

Perhaps I will bring out some Christmas things tonight. I said last year I wasn't going to bring everything out, but I ended up bringing most of the things out anyways. This year I really don't feel like hauling everything out, but at the very least we'll have the trees (last year we had 4 trees!!) Now we just need a tad bit of snow to set the mood...

Dec 1st

Tonight the kids "picked" out names...since they aren't doing a gift exchange amongst cousins this year, my kids thought it would be fun to pick each other's names. I figure, there's four of them now, so why not. They are very excited to go shopping ALONE with Mom and pick something little out for the person they chose from a hat.

There was a car accident on the corner by our house in the middle of the night. I was up feeding Sadie. I don't know how I didn't hear the crash, but I heard the oodles of sirens. There were at least seven squads, a fire truck, and an ambulance that I saw. It even woke Mike up. From our porch, it looked to us like the police were at or in the neighbor's house. It turns out they were parked there, but the accident happened along the road, which is next to the neighbor's property. It appears the driver was speeding (just by the marks on the road and ditch it seems obvious) and the car flipped multiple times and crashed into a tree. The person in the back seat died, while the two in the front seat suffered some injuries, but will be okay. Cal and Kaycey were fascinated by the whole thing, and the fact that it was on the news. I know they are young, but they had alot of questions about why and how it happened, and so I am just trying to instill in them how important it is to be a responsible person and that some people make bad choices (it sounds like alcohol is a factor, as well as drugs). Kids grow up way too fast...

under the weather

Shouldn't there be some sort of law that a momma of a 2 week old can't get sick?? : (

After going to bed Thanksgiving night, somehow, Maddie and I are the only ones in the house to catch whatever short-lived bug we caught. But short-lived as it was, it was yucky. I know it wasn't the food, because Maddie was already feeling icky and she hadn't eaten anything at all most of Thansgiving Day. Thankfully, I have a nice guy who held down the fort while I was in bed with a bucket : ( And Sadie even slept from 12:30-6am that night!! Dang, too bad I was curled in a ball for hours during the night, praying for my stomach to feel better!! At least Mike got a good night's sleep so he could manage the next day without me. I don't know that I got off the couch all day once I got out of bed, other than to take a shower in hopes that would make me feel better. I'm doing better today, still haven't had an appetite really. Mike and the 3 older kids are gone for the day to his Dad's side of the family Thanksgiving gathering. Sadie and I are hanging out at home. She's been sleeping most of the time. Wish I felt up to doing something, anything--a trip to a store, laundry, finish my December Daily so it's ready by Tuesday to start it up! Time to wake up, baby Sadie!! Another 12:30-6 would be grand if I could be sleeping during that time : )

Life right now

Chaotic. Messy. Tiring.

Laundry everywhere, literally. Clean, dirty, folded, unfolded.

A baby who is a night owl.

Baby "stuff" adorning every room in the house. Clothes, diapers, wipes, bottles, bibs, blankets, and much more... galore.

No time for emailing, blog updates, or checking other blogs.

Toys, crayons, books are EVERYWHERE. (Mostly Maddie's doing)

Boxes of cereal left out on the counter. Crumbs on the floor.

Mad dashes to make the bus, or if it's anything like today, miss the bus, and Mom packs everyone up and drives to school, barely getting there before the bell rings.

Forgotten "show 'n tells". Mom drives back to school to drop it off.

Late nights, early mornings. Multiple times up in between.

Five minute showers. Zero makeup, totally undone hair, pajamas and slippers most of the day.

One pair of pants that fit, and only because I just bought them 3 days ago. (Comfy lounge-y pants. Need to go buy another pair or 2).

Doctor appointments and basketball practices.

Just not possible to sleep when the baby sleeps.

7 o'clock dinners. Often without Mom and/or Dad getting a chance to eat.

And still, I am thankful for this crazy life.

How sweet it is.