a moment to blog...

I've fallen off the face of blog earth! But that's okay. I've religiously made notes for each day for my December Daily, but have not physically done it...(sigh) But quite alright. Honestly, I don't really think it's the having a baby part that has been keeping me busy. She's the easy one (for the most part anyways : ) I think it's the running around for the other three kids--be it sports, other after school activities, baking for the open house at school, etc...and the fact it's the holidays. I think there's just alot going on this time of year, and attempting to see friends or blog or whatever gets vetoed by things like cleaning, decorating, and shopping. I haven't decorated much at all this year (other than the trees--one real, one 6ft fake for the kids, and 2 mini trees). And honestly I don't think I will bring out much more this year, other than the Nativity. It's already a week till Christmas, I can't believe it!! That means my lil' baby is almost 6 weeks old already!!

I've been trying so hard to futz with the new cam. And I'm trying to be patient. I wish it came easier to me. I'm not very technologically competent; not so much that I'm not at all, but I really have to learn things and go step by step to get it (much like anything I do involving the computer). I was so proud of myself tonight...I did take some pictures with a blurred background, yay me! But my pictures are looking kinda yellowish to me. Guess I haven't gotten to that part of the manual...

Well, because I haven't posted much of anything I will post a picture of the tree (from my point and shoot camera...haven't put the software on my computer yet for the new camera). We are figuring this tree is over 10 ft tall. And to see Mike cut it down and haul it to the truck by himself was quite a sight indeed. But he did it!! It's decorated now, but I haven't uploaded any of the pictures. Mike is off of work tomorrow so maybe I'll get some computer time in during the day : )

Merry Christmas!

a bit early...

while I have lots to post about (including our big tree, no mice for 48+ hours, etc...) I had to post my early present from *Santa* (aka, Mike). A DSLR Canon EOS Rebel T1i/500D. He also got a separate zoom lens (55-250mm). We really do not exchange presents for holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries. So it was a bit of a surprise that he bought it. (The driveway can wait ; ) He had told me my wedding rings were going to be my present for the rest of my life. Wow, what a jokester!

Now do I take a class to learn everything? Or just play around on my own?? I've been reading the manual all night, so much info...but I can't wait to play around with it!!

12 down...

????? to go.

12 mice that is. GROSS. Yes, Mike has already caught 12 mice. 10 since yesterday. Mike bought various types of traps yesterday morning and set them up right away. All of the mice have been found on the second floor (which we can't really figure out how they are getting up there without having a bunch on the first floor). And with each one I get more and more grossed out. How can there be that many? Where are they coming from? How many more are there? How didn't I come across one in the past month that I've heard them scampering about?? The kids don't know just how many have been caught...Cal is terrified. Maddie is relatively indifferent. Kaycey wants to keep them as pets. I hope this ends soon...more interesting posts to come, like about our enormous Christmas tree we went and cut down ourselves!!

Dec 4th

So after picking up Maddie from school today, I decided to make a run to Target (though after the fact, I thought to myself, why didn't I wait to do this till Mike came home??? Was it really necessary to get boots and snowpants while the kids were at school?? What was I thinking??) Anyhow, after the Target run, we came home and Maddie said she wanted to take a nap. Hallelujah!! She never takes naps anymore, so to bed we went. Too bad Sadie started fussing almost instantly. Maddie fell asleep instantly, though, even without having lunch. Sadie was sleeping, but would randomly cry out. So I debated...do I wake her up and make her eat and hope she falls asleep so I could try to take a quick cat nap before Maddie woke?? Or did I let Sadie keep squaking every few minutes until she decided to officially get up? Well, I took my chances with the first of the two options...and it worked like a charm. Sadie ate, and went right back to sleep. I went to bed and got to sleep until the older kids came home from school--almost a whole hour!! Which means Maddie took a two hour nap. Wow.

Cal was supposed to have his first basketball game tomorrow, which he was totally psyched up for. This coach is awesome; very positive with the philosophy of just trying your best is all that matters. Anyhow, the game is cancelled because somehow the game didn't get put on the other team's schedule (how would that happen, I don't know!!) So he does have practice in the morning, but we were all looking forward to watching his first game of the season. Guess it will wait till next week.

Still haven't brought out the Christmas stuff. Kinda hoping my sister will come over and pull some of it out for me (she did offer!!).

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.