The Iron Exploded, and other musings...

We survived the first wave of the plague, now it looks like we will be hit again. It is starting with a bad cough - hoping to get it contained on Monday at the doctors for the twins. They are very sickly, especially this time of the year.

Tonight I was ironing clothes (a very rare occurrence at our house) and just as I finished, sparks came out of the iron cord. YIKES! I screamed and Clay came running. We determined that Mr. Miagi (aka Stupid dog) chewed on the cord and it is now a distant memory! Oh well, I want a better iron anyway, even if we don't use it that much.

Christmas is almost here - it has come very quickly this year. I haven't wrapped a single present (besides the teacher gifts). I really need to get up and do this tonight. I hate wrapping a pile of presents, even though we scaled back this year, 4 kids times 4 gifts is 16. Then, add in spoiled Clay's presents and I have a lot! Don't want to do it, but I must...can't give them the gifts in grocery sacks, just not as magical!

I did finish the baking and gave plates to the neighbors for goodwill and Clay's home teaching families. We hardly ate any of them! This is a good thing...don't need the calories of fudge, gingerbread guys, choc chip cookies, candy cane cookies, peanut butter blossoms, etc. laying around for our consumption!

I still have to get stocking stuffers, which I am totally dreading because it is crazy shopping now. All the last minute shoppers are driving like maniacs to get good parking spots. Add in the rainy weather that we have been experiencing lately, and you have a lethal combination. At least I am done with the main shopping. Oh, note to self: Don't forget to buy a bone and a toy for the darn dog and cat, so they don't look jealous on Christmas. Does anyone else have animals that think they are people?

Hmmm....I am rambling now, probably so I don't have to go wrap the presents, huh? Clay is up - maybe I can intrude upon his generous soul (watching the BYU bowl game right now, so ha ha on that) and use his very limited wrapping skills to my benefit. He can wrap Alyssa's - she doesn't care what they look like anyway- :)

Signing off now...hopefully to go and do what I should have done weeks ago!

Another one bites the dust...

So, I took Zach to the doctor this afternoon...even though he really doesn't seem sick...

You guessed it! The boy has strep. We are at 100% now! I am glad that we got him on antibiotics before everyone else was done, he could have re-infected the entire family...

This too shall pass...

Strep, Bronchitis, and knocked out teeth...

It's been a rough week again medically for the Turner clan...Alyssa started out the week with a mouth injury and an earache. We took her to the doctor and she also had a nice case of strep throat...On the way to the doctor, I noticed Reagan had a funky rash all over his face, so I begged another appointment and sure enough, he has strep too.

The same day, both Clay and I were prescribed z-pacs for nasty coughs and sore throats - poor Clay has a bad case of bronchitis, I was heading that way.

On Thursday night, Alyssa re-bumped her little mouth and broke one of her front teeth off :(
That one about broke my heart...poor little thing won't have another one grow in until she is at least 5 or 6.

So, today Clay took Emma to the pediatrician because she has a barking cough, and I went the other way the ER with Alyssa to check out her teeth (on the advice of the peds office). Turns out that Emma ALSO has strep throat. I GIVE UP! The co-pays we've paid this month for medical totally goes over the budget that we had for Christmas. Talk about depressing...

Now, we have to take Zach back to the doctor on Monday to see if HE has strep...then we will be a whole happy family on antibiotics. Isn't this time of year a blast?

Responding to a "tag"...

Well, Rilla tagged me to post pictures that aren't "all that" and wouldn't make it in my blog otherwise...I have a ton, I'm sure. But, I'll just post a few! I will also tag Kristen, Becky, and Norma to do the same, if you dare!

Poor Alyssa got a bit of a butt shot here!

Zach looks a little bit drunk! He was really sick last Christmas and had a high fever - this is our only pic of him smiling - it looks like it hurts to even smile, doesn't it?

Alyssa fell asleep in her Bumbo, wedged against her activity tray. OUCH!
Zach clocked Emma in the head and gave her a bad bruise - we recorded it for posterity!
Reagan just didn't want to have his pic taken that day!
My hair was too short in this one, sideways stripes are just wrong, and I hadn't lost all my baby weight yet...Nuff said!!!

So Thankful...

I am so thankful for so many things in my life.

1. The opportunity to be a mother. It took so many years for this wish to be fulfilled. I have been blessed with four great kids, all different personalities, each very special in their own way.

2. Zach is my thinker. He is clever and mischievous, can make some little doodad out of any little bit of garbage that he finds. He is very artistic and can have a sweet, thoughtful disposition at times.

3. Reagan is my charmer. He is also very clever, can remember movie scenes and act them out for us. A little stubborn, but very loving. He is my kids that still gives spontaneous hugs and kisses when I need them the most.

4. Emma is my sweet girl. She loves to do things with me and be like me. She is quick to give hugs and likes to cuddle still. Going through a bit of an attitude right now, but the sweet girl still shines through. Emma is learning so many things and loves to draw, practice writing, and play with playdoh. She is very happy when she can do things independently.

5. Alyssa is my sassy girl. She is really developing a cute personality at a fast pace! She climbs everything, gets into everything else, and is so darn smart! She points at things and says "What's Dat?", looks for me when I am gone and comes running when she sees M&M's!

6. Clay is a wonderful husband and father. He supports me, even when I am wrong at times. He loves our kids and treats them so well. He honestly enjoys being with his kids and caring for them (most of the time). He is my quiet voice in a constant storm. His calm personality compliments my fiery temper, most of the time. I am very lucky to have him as my eternal mate.

7. We are living in a nice home that is ours! We were so excited to be able to buy this home this year.

8. We are blessed to live in a time with medical advances. Many of us in our family would not be here right now if it wasn't for advanced medical science and for doctors who are educated to know how to heal and help us.

9. I am thankful for a supportive family. We might not always get along, but when the chips are down, we have each other's backs.

10. I am glad that I have hobbies and interests that keep me busy and my mind sharp.

11. I am thankful for the abilities that we have been given to help each other and ourselves to better our communities and families.

12. I am blessed to be a member of a strong church with leadership that is wise and loving.

13. I am grateful that the God I know is not a vengeful God, but a merciful and loving God.

14. I am so happy that my kids love to attend church and learn about our Savior.

15. I am very blessed to have my parents who have been married for 34 years and have shown me that it is possible to stay married and raise kids for a really long time - and still love each other.

16. I am thankful for good friends who lift me up when I need lifting, listen to me when I need to vent, and still answer their phones! Thank you, Stacy.

17. I am thankful for Christmas, not for the presents, but for the wonderful time of year that it is and the renewal of my faith that occurs each Christmas season.

18. I am thankful that my husband is not a complete sports fanatic and still talks to me during football season (even if he does watch a game here and there).

19. I am thankful for a ton of nephews that make me smile when I see them, or laugh when I hear about their crazy antics!

20. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to get to know my fellow RS sisters better.

21. I am thankful for chocolate - sometimes I wouldn't get through the day without a couple of M&M's to keep my equilibrium up! I heart chocolate!

22. I am so glad that we were given the capacity in our hearts to love more and more, each new person that leaves a footprint doesn't make the space grow smaller, it just grows bigger (like the Grinch).

23. I am thankful for General Tso's chicken...because it tastes so darn good sometimes - even if you can't taste anything afterward!

24. I am thankful for modern technology that helps us keep in touch with our loved ones and learn new things everyday. What would I do without the internet?

25. I am thankful for experiences that have been tough to get through but have given me insight and true empathy for other people in the same or similar situations. Thank you, Jackson.

Happy Thanksgiving to all...we had a great day, I hope you have too.

A sort of diagnosis...

Emma came home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. She is still feeling pretty puny, not eating much, etc. but doing okay. Today we went to her already scheduled GI specialist visit. The doctor thinks that she has a condition called "Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome". This is a condition where kids just get sick for no apparent reason several times a month. It can take hours or days to improve. She has prescribed some medication to help us hold it off when we see the first signs of it coming. We are also having an ultrasound on her abdomen on Monday, just to rule out any other abnormalities.

Hmmm...Another day, another challenge! Oh well, at least Alyssa is pretty healthy...One out of four!

Sick little girl...

Emma has always been very sickly, but lately it has gotten worse. Every few weeks, she will get a fever or be vomiting for several days in a row. She is extremely lethargic and pale. We have been watching her closely, trying to see what triggers her "attacks" since it doesn't seem to be a flu bug or anything.

Last Sunday, she started out the same old pattern - lethargic, pale, throwing up by 10 pm. She has been like this for most of the week - with a fever here and there (for extra fun)...She was in the ER on Monday night (they didn't do anything), the doctor Tuesday morning, and has been out of school all but one day this week.

Sooo - this morning, I decided that I'd better get her into the on call doctor and try to get her some help (we suspected that she was dehydrated). They did bloodwork, urinalysis, and an x-ray - gave us sips of water that she had to keep down before leaving, then sent us on our way. An hour later, she was puking in the parking lot at Panera bread - all water that she had just had at the doctor's office. Called the on call nurse again...the worthless bag of rocks that she is - and tried to get the doctor to call us back (he said that he would admit her if she had thrown up at his office, gave her a phenergan, and told us that she was definitely dehydrated, so we thought he would go ahead and admit her). The nurse REFUSED to get the doctor for us - told us to go to the ER instead, that the doctor didn't need to call us back, that they were just on call, not actually available. ???????? WHAT? I am so confused as to why the heck they are even called "on call" if you can't reach them on the weekend?

Anyway, Emma looked like a walking cadaver by this point, so Dad and Adam gave her a blessing in the Sam's Club parking lot, and off I went - back to the ER. This time, we got a doctor who listened to me - tried to get in touch with the on call pediatrician for us - and put her on an IV because she was obviously dehydrated. Mom and Dad stopped by to give us some moral support (Thanks, Mom and Dad - and Happy 34th Anniversary! Sorry you had to spend several hours with us in the hospital, but glad you were there!).

They decided to admit her to hydrate her overnight, so I am now sitting on an Oh, so comfortable cot with my laptop (thank heavens for laptops). Emma is already looking so much better - her little face is filling out again, her eyes aren't all sunken in, and she is resting comfortably.

We will most likely be released tomorrow if all goes well - and then we will see a GI specialist next week, hopefully to find the cause of her frequent tummy maladies.

I am so tired - I could sleep for a week...and I miss my other kids - spent all of today doing the doctor thing...

Happy 5th Birthday, Emma Elizabeth!

Same day, different birthday!!! That is the way it is with twins, everything all lumped together in one...I try to make it a bit individual for them, by making them their own cakes - no shared presents, etc. But, it can be an expensive undertaking for parents of multiples!!! We also have 4 birthdays within a month and a half of each other, so that doesn't help!

Emma Elizabeth has always been my little buddy...she loves girly things, to my great joy! She is a little princess, was the 1st grand-daughter, and is a little (okay, a lot) spoiled! She is also a sweet girl, most of the time!

Emma has grown up a lot in the past year - she is now going to pre-k and loves it! She is pretty social and it has been good for her to be at school, instead of stagnating at home with mom! There are many Emma-ism's that she hasn't quite grown out of, so she isn't quite as big as she thinks she is! The other day, she asked me if she could sit in the front seat...she probably won't be able to sit in the front seat in college if she continues with her current growth pattern...most five year olds weigh a lot more than 28 lbs.!

Emma loves princesses, purses, makeup, jewelry, dolls...you name it - she loves it! She also has a tomboy side (with 2 brothers and a gazillion boy cousins, how could she not?) so she also doesn't mind getting a bit dirty.

Emma also has a good little heart, she is compassionate when someone is hurt - and she still calls Reagan "my best friend".

I made Emma's Tinkerbell cake (quite an undertaking - I had to create a garden swing for the fairy to sit on) and she got a Princess scooter, clothes, a book, fairies, and a Princess nightlight. She loves everything- and is itching to ride her scooter when she gets home from school!

Happy Birthday, sweet Emma! We love you so much and are enjoying watching you grow each day!

Happy 5th Birthday, Reagan Michael!

Today is Reagan's 5th birthday! I can't believe that my twins are already 5 years old! Where has the time gone?

Reagan is a special little boy...he has his "brat" moments, as all kids do (especially kids with autism), but he has a good little heart...He is my only "big" kid who still gives me spontaneous kisses, without wanting anything in return! I am his champion, have worked and pushed to get him to where he is through early intervention, speech studies, surgeries, etc. He calls me "Money" kind of with a little British inflection!

Reagan loves all boy things - spiderman, transformers, Indiana Jones, Star Wars...he also loves electronics and music. He has the best rhythm out of all of my kids - he gets the groove on!

We celebrated the twins birthday yesterday with a family party...I made the Indiana Jones cake - he went nuts over it! He loves all of his presents...got a Harley Davidson scooter, a game, Indiana Jones figures, a Spiderman nightlight, and a Batman book. Today, he has been very occupied playing with his new treasures. He slept with the book and the figures, and would have taken the scooter to bed if we had let him!

Happy Birthday, Reagan! We love you so much...and can't imagine our lives without the joy you have brought us!

Twins Birth Story...

Today is the twins birthday...I want to blog about their birth, then I will also blog about each of them...you will hear from me a lot today!

Here is a brief birth summary, for posterity's sake...

On November 2, 2003, I was 36 weeks pregnant with twins and extremely high risk. My BP had been up, so I was having NST's 2-3 times per week. (A lot of fun with a 2 1/2 year old Zach by my side!) Mom had just flown to CA to be with me until the birth the day before...she was pretty worried about me - I was very, very swollen. My feet had grown an entire size they were so big. It was a Sunday, and I had had it. I wanted them out - was extremely scared that something was going to happen at this point, since we had a stillborn baby (at 18 weeks) in 2002. Felt like we were on borrowed time at this point. We called my visiting teacher's husband over for a priesthood blessing - was told that the doctors would do what needed to be done for the safety of me and the babies.

Fast forward to the next day...I went in for my NST - hooked up to monitors, etc. for an hour. My BP was really high and the babies weren't moving much. They sent me over to L&D to be evaluated. I was stressed out, because I had a doctor's appointment and he had promised to schedule the birth that day. They sent me to L&D instead. I was crying, because I figured they would just send me home again, and I would miss my appointment. A young doctor actually read my chart and saw how high risk I was. By this time, my BP had soared to 205/190. They decided to do an emergency c-section based on that and my past history.

At 4:41 pm, Reagan Michael was born. He was twin A, so the first to make his entrance. He was not crying. We thought that they would be so healthy, since I had made it to almost 37 weeks, considered full-term for twins. He only weighed 3 lbs, 6 oz. and was 15 inches long. So small and scary. We were in shock that he was so little. There was no way that we were off on the due date since these were fertility babies, so there were definite complications with the pregnancy because of my pregnancy induced hypertension.

At 4:43 pm, Emma Elizabeth was born. Twin B - my fiesty little girl! She was crying very weakly. We were asking why they weren't crying much, and all we heard was a flurry of medical personnel checking them over. Emma weighed 4 lbs, 7 oz and was 17 inches long, so she was a little bit bigger, but not much.

I felt a lot of pressure at this point and remember asking if there was another one! Thank heavens, the answer was "no"!

They weighed and measured them, whisked them over for me to see - then took them to the special care nursery. I was sewn up and put in a hospital room on Mag sulfate (nasty stuff) until my BP went down a few days later. I was not allowed to see them except for when a sweet nurse took pity on me and brought them to me on the sly.

I felt bad that they were so small, but the doctor that delivered them said that she knew we had made the right decision because their weights were so different, it was obvious that they were in trouble. We are so thankful that our doctors made the decision to take them that day.

I was released from the hospital 5 days later, Emma came home at 10 days old and Reagan joined us at 3 weeks old. On to the joys of having twins!

The last yard sale...

For the past year and a half, my sisters and mom and I have been purging our houses of things that we don't need. From what I can remember, we have had 4 yard sales (we call them Moving sales, because someone is always moving)...maybe 5 - it is all fuzzy right now!

Anyway, with Kristen moving this week, we decided to give it another go - and get rid of more things. I dug up a bunch of things that I am sick of dealing with (toys, clothes, baby furniture, etc.), Mom found some things, and Kristen got rid of as much as she could so that she doesn't have to move/pack it.

We began at 5 am, with Kristen and I setting things up at her house...she lives on a very busy street - great for sale traffic. She also has a gigantic driveway, so there is plenty of room. We are so good at setting things up now, it didn't take very long. We now know where the electronic section, clothes section, large item section, etc. goes in order to have the best layout.

This is a bittersweet sale, because it will be Kristen's last time with us...so - I commemorated the event with pictures! (I normally don't give a darn about pics at garage sales, but was feeling nostalgic, I guess!) My best pictures were of little Kade. While he was sitting in his stroller, I gave him several toys that I was selling. Someone let him out and he went and got his little red wagon. He put his new treasures into the wagon, then pulled it behind him as he shopped for more items in the boxes! It was the cutest thing! I am really going to miss this little guy...

We made over 300.00 total at this sale - so, not too shabby, considering we just had another sale a few months ago. I think that I am finally to the point that I won't have to purge anymore - we fit into our house now! More importantly, my van finally fits into our garage! Clay was motivated and organized the garage (with my expert supervision) this weekend. While we still have things to put away, it is all organized now - so it shouldn't be too difficult. Quite a productive weekend!

Halloween is over...

It is amazing to me how fast the rest of the year goes once Halloween is gone. We chose to be more low-key this year, didn't do the church Trunk-or-Treat (just didn't feel like dealing with a crowd of people - and Reagan's autism at the same time). Zach was an army guy, Reagan was the Incredible Hulk, Emma was a witch at school, and a Southern Belle, and Alyssa was Minnie Mouse...they were pretty cute!

We went to Bar-B-Cutie for dinner because they had free meals for the kids, if they dressed up, with the purchase of adult dinners. This was a most excellent choice (in the spirit of Bill and Ted)...Yummy, Yummy food! We met Kristen and Chad and Chad's dad and grandpa there - got a huge table and filled up!

Next, we decided to go to Mom and Dad's house, so they could see the kids in costume - we also went TOT at their next door neighbor's house.We got a family pic, but it was impossible to get everyone looking at the camera! We finally gave up and went with this one - because we actually look good in it! There is also a picture here with my sweet little nephew, Campbell - my sister Karen's baby (3 months old). He was a tiger for Halloween...so cute!

Finally, we headed to Kristen's neighborhood and the kids went to 10 houses or so...plenty of candy and they walked a few blocks in the chilly night air, so they were done!

We went home and as they were getting out of the car, Zach tripped over Emma (poor little Emma was asleep in her seat and he fell on her face) he gave her a bloody nose - blood everywhere! It was a little bit grisly all over her Southern Belle costume. We cleaned her up, then put them all to bed - Halloween was over!

The rest of the night, Clay and I loaded up my van with stuff for our garage sale that we were going to have on Saturday.

Clever Little Orphan Kids...

Just came across these pictures and I had to post them...

The weekend before my brothers wedding last month, we were all out at Mom and Dad's property getting ready for the reception. Karen, Kristen and I were working on stringing lights in the trees, and the kids were all running around like heathens! We had just mowed down the garden, as it was an eyesore, and they were playing in the empty space. A while later, we looked over and saw that they were all munching on watermelon. They found a watermelon that was left over, used a garden shovel, and cut it open themselves...each of them had a big hunk of watermelon and they had huge grins - they were so pleased with themselves!

When I went over to get some pictures, I noticed that they had a little tray with some green tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and peppers all lined up. They explained that we didn't have to worry about feeding them dinner (they were hungry, I think - since we were pretty busy and neglecting them!) that they were just going to cut up these raw (bleck) vegetables and that would be fine! I assured them that we were planning on feeding them, so they probably shouldn't eat the dirty, raw veggies!

What funny kiddos we have! In the pictures are my 3 older kids, Zach, Reagan, and Emma and Kristen's two older kids, Blake and Trevor.

And now....the rest of the story...

Clay went to work yesterday and told them about our experience with the intruder in the field this weekend...they are all a bunch of country boys, and educated him on what the neighbor was almost certainly doing.

Apparently, here in Tennessee, people grow their own pot on other people's land - so they don't get into trouble if it is found (what about the poor folks that have it growing on their land, though?).
People grow it right by a fenceline because it can't be seen - it is not out in the open, so it isn't noticeable. In the summer, when there are weeds and greenery on the fence, it blends right in. But, in the winter, the greenery on the fence turns brown, so the marijuana is easily spotted - people go in and cut their stash back, so that it isn't found.

It makes perfect sense, unfortunately...It also explains why our neighbors had a four million watt light installed on the power line right above our yards - he doesn't have to use a flashlight at all, that darn thing is so bright!

Sooooo - welcome to the neighborhood! We live next door to a very industrious entrepreneur! YIKES!

So, I will close this by saying Paul Harvey's infamous words..."And now, you know....the rest of the story!"

The days are passing so quickly...

This year has flown by...I can hardly believe that it is already almost November. My twins will be FIVE next week! Crazy that it has gone so fast...I look at them and they seem so big (yet still so small, since they are tiny)! Zach is almost eight already - he will be baptized next year. How can that be? I remember when he was just a little dude, running around with a medal around his neck in a Wiggles shirt!

My heart has been heavy for a few weeks now...my sister and her family are moving away. They came here 2 1/2 years ago for Chad to finish school, and now they are going back into the real world! At this point, we have no idea where it will be - there are three possibilities, and they are all way too far for us to visit very often...It is sad that our kids won't grow up together - they all adore each other! But, life moves on - that is the way it is...you have to support your family, even if it isn't in your parent's backyard!

I got a lot of things done today (for a Monday) and am waiting to get the paperwork so that I can close a few loans tonight...should be working on something - but I am being lazy and playing with my computer...I heart my computer!

Dinner is in the fridge - along with another copy of dinner in the freezer for another week...So, Clay should be able to handle everything. I also patched the master bathtub today and now we can use it! I have been itching for a nice bubble bath in my garden tub!

Lately, in order to feel productive, I have to write a list...I put EVERYTHING on my list that I have done that day, and need to do. At the end of the day, I look at my list and see what I have accomplished - makes me feel a lot better!

Creepy Prowler

Tonight, while seeing Mom and Dad out the door (they babysat), I noticed a man in a white hoodie skulking around in the field across the street. When I looked his way, he ducked down behind the fence, but he was watching us from his vantage point.

It was extremely creepy. At ten o'clock at night, no one has any business hanging out by themselves in a field with a few cows. We sent Mom and Dad on their way, and got inside. Then, we hustled up to our bonus room and watched. The man came out of the field, and walked along the ditch for a minute - looking each way as he went. He went into the brush that covered the fence and came out with a large black garbage bag. Then he crossed the street and disappeared out of our view.

By this time, I was on the phone with the Sheriff's office, describing the man and his behavior. They sent an officer out - he searched the field with a flashlight for a while and looked around (after talking to us).

The weird thing is, we think it might be our strange neighbor. If it was - it probably scared the heck out of him that we called the police. Any ideas on what he could have been doing in a field with the garbage bag? Clay thinks he might have been collecting cans from the field - but how many cows do you know that drink soda or beer?

Hmmmmmmmm.....

Happy Birthday Clay!

Yesterday, Clay celebrated his thirty-fourth birthday...(Shhh, don't let him know that I printed that)! We didn't do much yesterday, but tonight - I took him out. We went with Kristen and Chad (Sis & BIL) and Mom and Dad watched all SEVEN kids!!! (enter the bugeyes smiley)

We went to Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner - that is always a great place to go...Then, we went over to MTSU to see Suessical the Musical. Ooops! They don't take cards there, only cash or check (how archaic is that system, anyway?) We decided to leave and find something else to do...

All the movies were lame, and started at 9:45, so that was out...thought about going to get Chad a new suit, but decided to do something a little different. Sooo, we went bowling. Yes, bowling - haven't done that since we were dating a million years ago.

It was actually quite a bit of fun - we all stink, big time - even Chad, who is usually pretty good at sports-like activities...Our final scores were Chad - 87, Me - 80 (this was a total fluke, I was losing big time until the end), Kristen - 75, and poor Clay - 66.

After bowling, we went to Cracker Barrel and got dessert. All in all, a pretty nice night - without kids. Which doesn't happen very often, so we had to make it count!

The House...Projects that will never end...

We have lived here almost three months and I still have so many projects. Starting out, I was gung ho to paint so that I could hang my pictures. Now, I am starting to hang the darn pictures so that I can get rid of boxes. So tired of living out of boxes! The painting will come, and the pictures will go right back up after I do each room, one by one. Sometimes I bite off a bit more than I can chew. Must be the type A personality that seems to run in my family!

Things that I HAVE done so far:

1. Painted laundry room.
2. Painted walls and ceiling of bonus room - hung blinds, organized bonus room.
3. Hung pictures in master bdrm - the paint in this room is okay right now, it can wait for a while.
4. Hung pictures in kitchen - couldn't stand it anymore, even if it does have to be painted.
5. Almost finished with MY part of organizing the garage - the stuff that actually belongs in the house - Clay's part is the garage stuff. Good luck with that happening anytime soon, right?!!?

Things that are REALLY starting to bug me:

1. The orangey (terracotta, really) color in the hallways - this must go soon...Christmas decorations are really going to clash with this one~
2. The living room - really need to paint this before Christmas, too.
3. Bathroom floors - need to re-do these when I can, I hate the vinyl - it looks dirty no matter how much I scrub.
4. Toy organization and purge - we have too many...my search for the perfect toy has been in vain - there isn't one. Kids were made to drive us crazy, that is just the way it is!
5. Finish my part of the garage - this is going to be done pretty soon - I want the van IN the garage when it is cold.

There are many other "projects" that are going to keep us busy until our kids graduate from medical school (not that that is going to happen, so you get the point). The yard is a totally different ballgame - we basically have no bushes/trees/plants at all. I really like foilage in the yard, so that is a project that we are planning on tackling in the spring. Also hoping to put a fence up.

Enough of the ramblings of a crazy insomniac - I'd better get to bed - morning comes early here!

So, today I flagged down the bus...

Zach is on some medication that helps him to survive his days at school. Okay, let's be honest, it helps the school survive the day with him! This year, I have been so good about getting him his morning meds (and not forgetting).

This morning, I was tired from a night up with Emma (who had an earache), the kids were crazy, and I was trying to get ready to go to Franklin. Of course, Zach doesn't remind me to give him his meds, he could care less. So, I sent him on his way and went on getting ready. 5 minutes after he left, I walked into the kitchen - what do I see? A medicine box on the counter. Enter the mental scream AAARRRRGGGHHH! I didn't have time to go to his school and give him the meds. But, I also knew he wouldn't get far without them. What to do?

It hit me then that his bus comes back by the house on the way back to school. I grabbed his dose and dashed out the door. Standing by the curb, I waited for the bus to come again. When I saw it, I started waving my arms and started to go into the road a bit. (The driver probably thought I was nuts at this point). When she stopped, I said "Are you the bus that picked up my kid this morning?" "Yes." "I forgot his medication, is it okay if I give them to him?" She grinned at me and said it was fine. I dashed up the stairs and boarded the bus. Looking around, no Zach popped up. I had to yell his name (probably his worst nightmare, Mom on the bus!). He came forward and dry swallowed the meds. Whew! Mission accomplished. I saved the school from an unmedicated Zach!

Then, I went on my way and proceeded to barely get Emma to Eagleville School in time for the tardy bell.

Happy Birthday Alyssa Claire!

It seems like just yesterday when our baby was 6 lbs,7oz. Now she is almost 20 lbs and in a big carseat! Alyssa is a mellow, sweet baby. We enjoy watching her antics, such as ladder climbing, stair climbing, dollhouse climbing (do you see a theme here?)...Definitely a little monkey!

We celebrated on her actual birthday, Friday night (the 19th) by having family over for a party. We served chicken quesadillas (yum) and two types of cake (german chocolate and funfetti). It was a fun night, full of the chatter of so many kids in our house!

This little girl hauled in some cool presents! She got a new carseat and clothes from Grandma Turner; ride on pony, little people, an outfit and new fuzzy blanket from Mom and Dad; a cute corduroy jumper from Grandma Cyndi and Grandpa Mike, a my first purse set from Aunt Kristen's family, and a puppet and stylin' outfit from Aunt Karen and Uncle Adam.

The cake was a hit - she enjoyed every minute of the mess - and went straight to the tub afterward!

I can't believe my baby is already ONE! It goes by so darn fast - feel like I closed my eyes and she grew up!