Things around here have been hopping to say the least. we finished up our Classical Conversations year on the 17th with a fun Super Hero review game and a park play date that afternoon. We had a library day Wednesday and the kids' dentist check ups as well as my 28 week sonogram and check up that Thursday. I passed my glucose test and baby looks as healthy as can be with an estimated weight over 3 lbs. I did however measure as having quite a bit of extra fluid around baby so the doctor put me on a low carb diet. This was devastating news as I was having a food aversion and no pasta or bread limited my menu options even further. Despite wanting to give up then and there, I pressed on. I've been struggling with hormones and being sad quite a lot, but I keep having to look at the light at the end of the tunnel when my body will (hopefully) normalize again. Thursday was rough. I've been being surprisingly good about the new diet, and everyone else had not been impacted. so I'll call that a win. This kid has been kick up a storm, much to the delight of his siblings. Hoping that means that the find is going down to normal levels. We'll see.
Francis has been working tirelessly on his dissertation, but has still managed to be home in the evenings to spend time with the kids. We've resumed our evening walks, which is a double edged sword. They help me stay healthy and get my exercise in, but I have braxton hicks contractions and ligament pain afterward. I'll keep at it as long as my body will let me though. It's worth it to have that family time.
Monday after the grocery store and lunch, we went to the George Bush Library Museum to sign the book honoring Mrs. Barbara Bush. It was nice for the kids to learn about her life (she was buried on site two days before) and they also had a cool exhibit about Da Vinci's inventions that the kids loved. We got some unexpected news while there that Christian had probably gone into labor with her second set of twins. To make matters worse, Chad had had surgery of his own that morning and wasn't supposed to be up or walking, my mom was in Austin, my dad was watching the older twins and Dani and her husband we at work. I hurried home and packed for myself and the kids in about 10 minutes and after a dinner engagement, the kids and I headed straight to Dallas. We arrived just before midnight. Fortunately my Dani and Kevin were able to get the older twins from my dad who got to the hospital about the same time as someone drove Chad there also. Chad made it in time for Christian to have a C-section, and my mom made it back from Austin in time to see the twins shortly after they were born. The were 5lbs 15 oz(Gideon) and 6lbs 15 oz (Timothy). Not bad for being a month early! Anyway, the older twins were already asleep when we got to my parents so I relieved Dani and Kevin (my father had also just arrived) so they could get some sleep. For the next three days I had five kids I was in charge of (with valuable help here and there as it could be spared). Five car seats fit in my car (thank goodness!) which made us able to visit the hospital two days, go get food and visit a place called KidMania where they could run around. All the kids loved meeting the new siblings/cousins, but my kids were especially enthralled. They all three wanted to be holding a baby at all times while we visited. The oohed and ahhed and are so in love (as am I!). Thursday Christian was discharged, so my dad took the older twins home so they could see mom, dad and Sweetie. It was a wild week, but I'm so glad I could be there. Taking care of 5 kids (3 of which are 2 years old) is exhausting, and my body felt it keenly. My neck has been swelling up on and off since December and 6 or so doctors have told me that it is my lymph node. Well Thursday during the day it began to swell even while I was on antibiotics (which is what normally would cure it), so I had to go to urgent care that evening when my dad got home. They changed me to a different antibiotic, which still did no good, and so the kids an I headed home Friday morning back home to College Station.
Saturday I was miserable, being unable to eat as my neck was so swollen, my jaw would barely open. Sunday was the same and I cried when I even thought about food. The only highlight of Sunday was seeing William and Robert get their AWANA awards at their end of year ceremony. I'm so proud of them.
Monday morning I couldn't take it anymore and after much anguish, prayer and tears, I called the doctor nearest to my house, which happened to be an ENT. I just hoped he could give me a different answer than everyone else was giving. They said they could see me in 20 minutes (thank you Jesus!). I rushed over with the kids in tow (thankfully the office was super kid friendly and even had a toy/play room!). The doctor listened attentively and checked me out. "It's not your lymph node," he told me. "You have salivary stones. They are kind of like kidney stones but calcium deposits in your salivary glands." He got his tools and performed a procedure where he dilated the gland and cleared out the fluid. He said it would take a couple of days to go down fully but, I felt near instant relief! I got home and was actually able to eat lunch and I cried tears of joy. I'm happy to report that the gland has gone down more and at least one large stone has passed. I'm doing all I can to help the process along, and I'm hoping to prevent another occurrence. The ENT did agree that it could be pregnancy related due to the timing of the first flare up. I'm hoping this is the case and that this problem will end once I deliver. We shall see. I've gotten much of my energy back (the doctor was shocked at how long I had endured the pain), and I've been able to do things the past couple of days that I have been in far too much pain to do for months.
The kids are doing well. We started Kindergarten for Robert and 2nd Grade for William on Monday. I'm hoping to get as many days in as I can before baby comes and the boys are super excited at present to be in new grades. Hoping the magic keeps up as long as possible. Hannah is currently sitting in my lap telling me what I should be writing. She is a little lady who knows her mind. I love them all!
Dinner is calling. Till next time!
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Monday, April 16, 2018
April 16, 2017
Things around here continue to be busy. Weekend before last we had about a dozen things we could have done, but we narrowed it down to about half that, haha. First we went to Home Depot and made bird houses. The kids liked constructing the houses, but I was hesitant to put them out because if a bird were to move in, it might need to be relocated if/when we move. Then we went to the Physics and Engineering Festival at A&M where Hannah found her new best friend (a hissing cockroach) and the boys got to enjoy a lightning throwing Tesla coil. Robert said it was too loud, but the lightning was cool. Next we had lunch at Chick-fil-a, yum! The kids ran off some energy (I don't know how they had any left) on the playground there. After that we played some Pokémon Go as a family. Finally the boys dropped off Hannah and I at the mall to pick out her dress for the upcoming father-daughter dance at church. She loved her first time trying on clothes in a dressing room. She hamed it up big time by smiling and blowing kisses at herself. I have no idea where she get it from, but it's adorable. We ended the evening with pizza and family movie night. What a day!
Last week we met up with half of the Brower family at the park on Monday. It was so fun and great to catch up! Tuesday was our second to last CC for the year (the last one is tomorrow!) and Wednesday we made our usual trip to the library. Thursday we ended up at veteran's park to play on the playground. We pass it all the time on the way to and from church and the kids always beg to go so this was extra fun. Friday we went to play group at The Children's Museum. We also managed on Friday to finish the year's school work. That's right; I officially have a first grade and preK graduate. They were so excited! I took the boys out to sonic that evening to celebrate. They could pick whatever dessert they wanted and then we watched Pokemon while we ate it. They said it was the best day ever. Francis and Hannah had other plans. They had the daddy-daughter dance. I helped Hannah get all dressed up complete with pretty pink dress and purple toenail polish. Francis put on his suit, and presented her with a small corsage of pink and purple flowers. I'm pretty sure I saw Hannah's heart leap out of her chest from joy! When they got back I heard all about the photo booth, dancing, ice cream bar and candy table. They had a great time!
Saturday we tried to check a bunch of things off our list. We were somewhat successful. We washed and cleaned out the van, cleaned out the boys' room (partially) and bunked the boys' beds. The room looks huge now! It was no easy task, but I'm glad we did it.
Sunday we got ready for church early and we all matched (It's a miracle!) so I had the bright idea of heading up to church to take pictures before church started by the pond. It actually turned out better than expected even though it was cold and windy. We also got to tour our brand new children's building after church. It is huge and the kids particularly liked the new indoor playground. They can't wait until the officla move in this coming Sunday!
Everyone is doing well. Hannah is becoming more independent getting dressed and taking herself to the potty (instead of coming to find me before going). Robert is learning what it means to not let others have control of your emotions. He is starting to realize that just because William imagines something doesn't make it true and that he can imagine something different of even play a different game (gasp!) if he so chooses. William had an epiphany this week. He is starting to realize how much I do for him and that I do it because I love him. This has brought about a change in the amount he helps me, even without being asked. Instead of "why haven't you..." he asks, "How can I help you?". His siblings have started to copy him on this and it is a magnificent sight to behold. I only hope it lasts!
That's it for now!
Last week we met up with half of the Brower family at the park on Monday. It was so fun and great to catch up! Tuesday was our second to last CC for the year (the last one is tomorrow!) and Wednesday we made our usual trip to the library. Thursday we ended up at veteran's park to play on the playground. We pass it all the time on the way to and from church and the kids always beg to go so this was extra fun. Friday we went to play group at The Children's Museum. We also managed on Friday to finish the year's school work. That's right; I officially have a first grade and preK graduate. They were so excited! I took the boys out to sonic that evening to celebrate. They could pick whatever dessert they wanted and then we watched Pokemon while we ate it. They said it was the best day ever. Francis and Hannah had other plans. They had the daddy-daughter dance. I helped Hannah get all dressed up complete with pretty pink dress and purple toenail polish. Francis put on his suit, and presented her with a small corsage of pink and purple flowers. I'm pretty sure I saw Hannah's heart leap out of her chest from joy! When they got back I heard all about the photo booth, dancing, ice cream bar and candy table. They had a great time!
Saturday we tried to check a bunch of things off our list. We were somewhat successful. We washed and cleaned out the van, cleaned out the boys' room (partially) and bunked the boys' beds. The room looks huge now! It was no easy task, but I'm glad we did it.
Sunday we got ready for church early and we all matched (It's a miracle!) so I had the bright idea of heading up to church to take pictures before church started by the pond. It actually turned out better than expected even though it was cold and windy. We also got to tour our brand new children's building after church. It is huge and the kids particularly liked the new indoor playground. They can't wait until the officla move in this coming Sunday!
Everyone is doing well. Hannah is becoming more independent getting dressed and taking herself to the potty (instead of coming to find me before going). Robert is learning what it means to not let others have control of your emotions. He is starting to realize that just because William imagines something doesn't make it true and that he can imagine something different of even play a different game (gasp!) if he so chooses. William had an epiphany this week. He is starting to realize how much I do for him and that I do it because I love him. This has brought about a change in the amount he helps me, even without being asked. Instead of "why haven't you..." he asks, "How can I help you?". His siblings have started to copy him on this and it is a magnificent sight to behold. I only hope it lasts!
That's it for now!
Friday, April 6, 2018
April 6, 2018
We went camping last weekend for Easter. We go every year with my parents' Sunday school class and this year was no exception. We drove up with a loaded van on Thursday evening, setting up camp in the dark. It was a bit of a struggle to get everything put together, but we managed and the kid eventually fell asleep. Friday morning was beautiful, with a soft layer of fog sitting on the lake as the sun rose. The kids were anxious to get into all things camping, so after breakfast my dad took the boys fishing and my mother and I took Hannah out in a canoe. The boys fished on and off most of the day, anxious to try to catch something. They even went out in the canoe with Francis to try to fish from it, but had no luck. After a hot dog lunch, I set up the kids' play tent and Hannah was quick to make some friends and invite them over. A guy I grew up with (whose dad teaches my parent's class) has two girls around Hannah's age, and the three of them had a delightful time with balls, hammocks, the tent, and even a ride in the "carriage" behind Francis's bike. They played and laughed for hours until dinner time. But dinner was worth it. We had steak. It's always good and this steak was amazing! The kids all ate up and the adults did too. We had Good Friday service on the lake with about 75 people. William asked what reconciliation was which kinda threw Mr. Schultz, but otherwise thing went smoothly. It was great to see people with whom I grew up now have their spouses and children there. It's a tradition that means even more since we gather to celebrate the Savior Jesus. Friday evening we had s'mores around the fire (though Kevin wanted peanut butter on his for some reason). Robert started complaining about his ear. It was the precursor to a very rough night of him screaming and crying about the pain. In the morning Francis and I took him to urgent care while my parents, Danielle and Kevin watched Hannah and William. Turns out poor Robert had a double ear infection brought on by his allergies. We got him some medicine and saw near immediate improvement. Robert really liked having all of my and Francis's undivided attention. We will have to take him out again sometime when he's not sick! Burgers for lunch came before an afternoon of playground time and fishing. We also managed an Easter egg hunt where the kids had a blast. Most of the group went to Mercado's (Mexican food) for dinner where we were able to chat with even more friends about times past and present. My not-at-all-tired kids managed one more evening around the fire before finally passing out and not stirring all night. Sunday we had morning service which included the Lord's supper. We then packed up, had lunch nearby with the family, and then headed home. It was a great weekend, and the kids loved time with their Papa, Sweetie, Aunt Dani and Uncle Kevin.
This week has been slow and fast all at the same time. I can tell my body is trying to decide whether or not it wants to be sick again, so I've had to take a few naps to keep up. We only have about a week left of the kids school work, so I'm hoping once that is off my plate I can focus on the upcoming months before I get too huge to be of any good. Here's hoping!
Till next time!
This week has been slow and fast all at the same time. I can tell my body is trying to decide whether or not it wants to be sick again, so I've had to take a few naps to keep up. We only have about a week left of the kids school work, so I'm hoping once that is off my plate I can focus on the upcoming months before I get too huge to be of any good. Here's hoping!
Till next time!
Thursday, March 22, 2018
March 22, 2018
Two weeks ago we went to CC Tuesday and then left for Dallas to celebrate Spring Break. Francis was in Denver for a conference, and so the kids and I made it to my in-laws' house late afternoon. After dinner with Frankie's mom and the kids, all of us went over to BJs restaurant for my mother's election watch party. I am happy to announce that she won the primary and is now an official candidate for state representative in November. Go mom!
Wednesday the kids and I met up with Christian and the cousins for some play time at the playground at Prestonwood. We had lunch at chick-fil-a with them and then parted ways, with my crew heading over to my parents' house. The kids played in the yard (the third playground that day!) and spent time with Japapa, my mom, and my dad. It was a very pleasant afternoon and by that afternoon my kids had run around happily nearly the entire day. That's how you do Spring Break! They should have been exhausted but instead insisted on an evening swim in the hot tub at my parent's house. Even after that they made it back to my in-laws' house awake. I wish I had that energy! Thursday the kids and I met Japapa, my mom and the cousins at Grapevine Mills mall to play at the huge playground inside the bowling alley (playground doesn't do it justice...it's almost a mini theme park) and have lunch. My mom had to run Japapa to the airport, so I got to watch all 5 kids for around 30 minutes. Aside from Issac finding the most obscure places to hide, it was smooth sailing. I'll take that as a win! We went back with my mom and spent another afternoon in the sun before meeting up with my dad, mother-in-law, Danielle and Kevin for dinner. It was so fun!
And now we come to the part where my kids and I part ways. Friday morning I headed to Denver and the kids got three glorious days with Nana and Grandad. They went to Legoland, the aquarium, and the zoo. They built cardboard castles, played video games and had a blast. They even celebrated Robert's half birthday with cake and singing on Saturday. I, on the other hand, caught the early flight to Denver where Francis picked me up Friday morning. We had breakfast and then went and toured the Botanical Gardens there. After walking 16th Street Mall, we had lunch and caught a movie (Black Panther) before heading out to Evergreen, CO to our hotel. There was a little bit of snow here and there, but also the promise of spring. The lake near our cottage was frozen over and people were ice fishing, but the next lake over was half thawed. It was interesting to see. Our cottage was amazing. It had a bedroom, sitting room, porch, and a huge bathroom. We had a delicious steak dinner at a place down the road and then I asked Francis if I could take an hour nap around 7pm before we did anything else (I'd been up since 3am). I woke up at 6 am the next morning. Oops! Saturday we wandered by car through the mountains finding beautiful overlooks, Buffalo Bill's grave and Red Rocks park, with the only natural acoustically perfect outdoor amphitheater. We walked up and down the whole theater (no easy task at that elevation) and then headed back to town for lunch. The pizza for lunch was top notch and the fudge we bought from the little store across the street afterward was addictive. and it snowed on us as we headed back to the car! Francis missed the snow at home earlier this year so it was icing on the cake for him. We went back to the room to take a nap and then visited the Hiwan Homestead Museum down the road from our cabin. The lady docent was so happy to see us and showed us around while telling us every little piece of history of the 27 room cabin, the families that lived there and the area as a whole. It was fun because I really love that stuff. We had dinner on the lake watching the sunset. Back at the room, we settled in to watch a movie, but met with a very different evening. The carbon monoxide detector went off, tell us to evacuate immediately. So we did, out into the cold night air. Due to a series of events which was understandable, it took us quite some time to get a hold of management. When the owner finally contacted us, she was beside herself with worry about us. She moved us to their nicest suite, gave us a discount for the night and even brought an amazing breakfast up to our suite in the morning. The room had a huge living room, full dining room full kitchen, two bathrooms, a large bedroom, two walk in closets, and a hot tub (which I unfortunately couldn't use). While the night was overall unsettling, it had a super wonderful ending. Breakfast in our room the next morning was beyond delicious, and after we checked out we headed back into Denver. We visited the Denver Art Museum, capitol, another historic home and had lunch. Before long, it was time to drop off the car to begin the journey home. Francis grossly underestimated the walk from the car rental place to the train, and so when we finally arrive at Union Station, I was spent. Thankfully the train went right up to the airport or I might not have made it. We go through security quickly and had one last leisurely meal before the flight home. Overall it was a wonderful weekend for the kids and us both, but we were glad to be reunited early Monday morning.
Last week was spent playing a lot of catch up. Getting home Monday meant that I had to shift everything a day and still squeeze in the missing one. I did so successfully with some effort and we even managed a trip to the Children's museum to play in their new helicopter play set. Tuesday we had no CC which was good, because when I got home from the grocery store, water was gushing from our lawn and flooding the street. Turns out our water main broke. If that were not enough, the A/c guy came less than a week later to tell us the coil in our attic was busted and the repair of such would require bringing part of the A/c up to current code. So we've been bleeding money it feels like, but we are hopeful that everything is now fixed. Also Francis left for Washington, DC today for a job interview tomorrow, so being praying for a him.
I had my 24 week appointment today. Baby is doing great, but my lymph nodes have yet to return completely to normal. I've had quite a few visits to doctors as of late and none of them seem to have an answer to the mystery of what it going on in my body. My OBGYN has referred me to an infectious disease doctor. She is confident that this man will be able to provide me with some answers. Here's hoping!
We are nearly done with our school year. I can't believe we've been homeschooling for almost 2 full years now. It's amazing to see how much the kids have learned and that is what gets me through the tough days. William is an avid reader and Robert is beginning to sound out words (he just turned 4 1/2!). Hannah is increasingly more articulate and is counting and singing her ABCs when inspired. She has a lot of spunk, that girl! William has again begun riding without training wheels. Last time around he had the balance but not the attention to detail needed and would look away while biking. This time it only took him a few tried before he looked like a pro. He's ridden up and down the street and to the park and back a couple times now. This has inspired Francis to air up his own bike. He also got out the bike trailer which Hannah has christened her "carriage". She rides in it by herself or with Robert (who is her "prince") and has the most delightful time. It's pretty adorable. I've been walking while they ride around. We have been loving the wonderful weather!
That's it for now!
Wednesday the kids and I met up with Christian and the cousins for some play time at the playground at Prestonwood. We had lunch at chick-fil-a with them and then parted ways, with my crew heading over to my parents' house. The kids played in the yard (the third playground that day!) and spent time with Japapa, my mom, and my dad. It was a very pleasant afternoon and by that afternoon my kids had run around happily nearly the entire day. That's how you do Spring Break! They should have been exhausted but instead insisted on an evening swim in the hot tub at my parent's house. Even after that they made it back to my in-laws' house awake. I wish I had that energy! Thursday the kids and I met Japapa, my mom and the cousins at Grapevine Mills mall to play at the huge playground inside the bowling alley (playground doesn't do it justice...it's almost a mini theme park) and have lunch. My mom had to run Japapa to the airport, so I got to watch all 5 kids for around 30 minutes. Aside from Issac finding the most obscure places to hide, it was smooth sailing. I'll take that as a win! We went back with my mom and spent another afternoon in the sun before meeting up with my dad, mother-in-law, Danielle and Kevin for dinner. It was so fun!
And now we come to the part where my kids and I part ways. Friday morning I headed to Denver and the kids got three glorious days with Nana and Grandad. They went to Legoland, the aquarium, and the zoo. They built cardboard castles, played video games and had a blast. They even celebrated Robert's half birthday with cake and singing on Saturday. I, on the other hand, caught the early flight to Denver where Francis picked me up Friday morning. We had breakfast and then went and toured the Botanical Gardens there. After walking 16th Street Mall, we had lunch and caught a movie (Black Panther) before heading out to Evergreen, CO to our hotel. There was a little bit of snow here and there, but also the promise of spring. The lake near our cottage was frozen over and people were ice fishing, but the next lake over was half thawed. It was interesting to see. Our cottage was amazing. It had a bedroom, sitting room, porch, and a huge bathroom. We had a delicious steak dinner at a place down the road and then I asked Francis if I could take an hour nap around 7pm before we did anything else (I'd been up since 3am). I woke up at 6 am the next morning. Oops! Saturday we wandered by car through the mountains finding beautiful overlooks, Buffalo Bill's grave and Red Rocks park, with the only natural acoustically perfect outdoor amphitheater. We walked up and down the whole theater (no easy task at that elevation) and then headed back to town for lunch. The pizza for lunch was top notch and the fudge we bought from the little store across the street afterward was addictive. and it snowed on us as we headed back to the car! Francis missed the snow at home earlier this year so it was icing on the cake for him. We went back to the room to take a nap and then visited the Hiwan Homestead Museum down the road from our cabin. The lady docent was so happy to see us and showed us around while telling us every little piece of history of the 27 room cabin, the families that lived there and the area as a whole. It was fun because I really love that stuff. We had dinner on the lake watching the sunset. Back at the room, we settled in to watch a movie, but met with a very different evening. The carbon monoxide detector went off, tell us to evacuate immediately. So we did, out into the cold night air. Due to a series of events which was understandable, it took us quite some time to get a hold of management. When the owner finally contacted us, she was beside herself with worry about us. She moved us to their nicest suite, gave us a discount for the night and even brought an amazing breakfast up to our suite in the morning. The room had a huge living room, full dining room full kitchen, two bathrooms, a large bedroom, two walk in closets, and a hot tub (which I unfortunately couldn't use). While the night was overall unsettling, it had a super wonderful ending. Breakfast in our room the next morning was beyond delicious, and after we checked out we headed back into Denver. We visited the Denver Art Museum, capitol, another historic home and had lunch. Before long, it was time to drop off the car to begin the journey home. Francis grossly underestimated the walk from the car rental place to the train, and so when we finally arrive at Union Station, I was spent. Thankfully the train went right up to the airport or I might not have made it. We go through security quickly and had one last leisurely meal before the flight home. Overall it was a wonderful weekend for the kids and us both, but we were glad to be reunited early Monday morning.
Last week was spent playing a lot of catch up. Getting home Monday meant that I had to shift everything a day and still squeeze in the missing one. I did so successfully with some effort and we even managed a trip to the Children's museum to play in their new helicopter play set. Tuesday we had no CC which was good, because when I got home from the grocery store, water was gushing from our lawn and flooding the street. Turns out our water main broke. If that were not enough, the A/c guy came less than a week later to tell us the coil in our attic was busted and the repair of such would require bringing part of the A/c up to current code. So we've been bleeding money it feels like, but we are hopeful that everything is now fixed. Also Francis left for Washington, DC today for a job interview tomorrow, so being praying for a him.
I had my 24 week appointment today. Baby is doing great, but my lymph nodes have yet to return completely to normal. I've had quite a few visits to doctors as of late and none of them seem to have an answer to the mystery of what it going on in my body. My OBGYN has referred me to an infectious disease doctor. She is confident that this man will be able to provide me with some answers. Here's hoping!
We are nearly done with our school year. I can't believe we've been homeschooling for almost 2 full years now. It's amazing to see how much the kids have learned and that is what gets me through the tough days. William is an avid reader and Robert is beginning to sound out words (he just turned 4 1/2!). Hannah is increasingly more articulate and is counting and singing her ABCs when inspired. She has a lot of spunk, that girl! William has again begun riding without training wheels. Last time around he had the balance but not the attention to detail needed and would look away while biking. This time it only took him a few tried before he looked like a pro. He's ridden up and down the street and to the park and back a couple times now. This has inspired Francis to air up his own bike. He also got out the bike trailer which Hannah has christened her "carriage". She rides in it by herself or with Robert (who is her "prince") and has the most delightful time. It's pretty adorable. I've been walking while they ride around. We have been loving the wonderful weather!
That's it for now!
Sunday, March 4, 2018
March 4, 2018
It's a boy! Baby Phillips #4 is a boy! We are so blessed and can't wait to meet this sweet baby boy come July. He's healthy and growing like crazy. I feel him more every day and Francis actually felt him for the first time on Friday. Baby started kicking like crazy and I quickly grabbed Francis's hand and put it on the spot. Francis smiled and I knew he had felt it. It was a special moment. Something about someone else feeling the baby makes it seem so much more real.
Saturday morning we went to Home Depot for their monthly kids project and then took Francis to lunch at Layne's Chicken. He got to choose his last meal in Texas for the next week and that was it. The kids and I then drove him to the rental car drop off and said goodbye, but not before slipping some handmade special notes from us in his bag. He will be in Denver until next Sunday for a conference, and we miss him already. Silver lining is that I get to join him on Friday for a weekend "Baby Moon"! Thanks in advance to Nana and Grandad for watching the kids!
The boys both passed their skating lessons class so William can go into a free practice hockey time and Robert can move up to snowplow 3. Hannah really wants to take lessons, but you have to be 3 or older. Your time will come soon big girl!
We will be celebrating our spring break this week and will be slightly out of pocket, so I wanted to get in a quick update about baby boy and what is going on. Till next time!
Saturday morning we went to Home Depot for their monthly kids project and then took Francis to lunch at Layne's Chicken. He got to choose his last meal in Texas for the next week and that was it. The kids and I then drove him to the rental car drop off and said goodbye, but not before slipping some handmade special notes from us in his bag. He will be in Denver until next Sunday for a conference, and we miss him already. Silver lining is that I get to join him on Friday for a weekend "Baby Moon"! Thanks in advance to Nana and Grandad for watching the kids!
The boys both passed their skating lessons class so William can go into a free practice hockey time and Robert can move up to snowplow 3. Hannah really wants to take lessons, but you have to be 3 or older. Your time will come soon big girl!
We will be celebrating our spring break this week and will be slightly out of pocket, so I wanted to get in a quick update about baby boy and what is going on. Till next time!
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
February 28, 2018
It;s been a crazy couple of weeks. Last Thursday we had my 20 week appointment. Baby was healthy, kicking up a storm and talking to us (opening and closing mouth) the whole sonogram. The sonographer said she hadn't seen anything like it. The kids came with us and loved seeing their new baby live and semi-in person. Francis was able to come too, which made the whole thing just perfect. We did find out what we are having, and as soon as I get the sonograms all scanned in, we will be letting the world know.
We had Abby's party in Houston last Saturday. We went and had lunch at Cyndy and Chris's house before the official party at a trampoline park. The kid had fun and got to spend a couple of hours expending energy. We had dinner at a Mexican restraunt and celebrated Chris's birthday before heading home. It was a good day!
I managed to stay well for a few days last week before I started getting sore under my arms. I knew it was my lymph nodes and that an infection was likely coming. Sure enough, Tuesday morning I could feel my neck lymph node (left side) swelling up again. It had newly wired my jaw shut by dinner, but Francis made an appointment for this morning for me with a new doctor. This doctor thinks the infection never fully went away last time and was simply hiding while I had the flu and cold in between flair ups. She gave me a new prescription that she thinks will do the trick. I'm tired of months of being sick. It's time for a healthy season.
Baby has been kicking away and even though most of them are blocked by my placenta, I am starting to feel them more and more often. The kids are ready to start feeling kicks, so hopefully that time will come soon. Hannah is all ready to change diapers and feed this baby. We'll see how that goes come July. The boys are still super excited too.
We will be busy for the next little bit as Francis has a conference in Denver next week and the kids and I will be celebrating Spring break. We really only have a few more weeks of school before we finish all our curriculum, so this will be a nice break before the home stretch. William has already finished 2nd grade math, so that has lightened our daily load a bit.
Well, that's all I've got the ability to write right now. I'm tired, and the kids are all in need of help with different tasks. Till next time!
We had Abby's party in Houston last Saturday. We went and had lunch at Cyndy and Chris's house before the official party at a trampoline park. The kid had fun and got to spend a couple of hours expending energy. We had dinner at a Mexican restraunt and celebrated Chris's birthday before heading home. It was a good day!
I managed to stay well for a few days last week before I started getting sore under my arms. I knew it was my lymph nodes and that an infection was likely coming. Sure enough, Tuesday morning I could feel my neck lymph node (left side) swelling up again. It had newly wired my jaw shut by dinner, but Francis made an appointment for this morning for me with a new doctor. This doctor thinks the infection never fully went away last time and was simply hiding while I had the flu and cold in between flair ups. She gave me a new prescription that she thinks will do the trick. I'm tired of months of being sick. It's time for a healthy season.
Baby has been kicking away and even though most of them are blocked by my placenta, I am starting to feel them more and more often. The kids are ready to start feeling kicks, so hopefully that time will come soon. Hannah is all ready to change diapers and feed this baby. We'll see how that goes come July. The boys are still super excited too.
We will be busy for the next little bit as Francis has a conference in Denver next week and the kids and I will be celebrating Spring break. We really only have a few more weeks of school before we finish all our curriculum, so this will be a nice break before the home stretch. William has already finished 2nd grade math, so that has lightened our daily load a bit.
Well, that's all I've got the ability to write right now. I'm tired, and the kids are all in need of help with different tasks. Till next time!
Friday, February 16, 2018
February 16, 2016
It's been a long couple of weeks. Some of it great and some of it less than stellar. Two Fridays ago was the last Junction (Parents' Night Out ) of the school year at church. Francis and I decided to have our Valentine's celebration that evening. We went to a swanky steak place in town (The Republic) and had delicious food and even better company. the kids had a great time at church too so it was a win for all. Saturday my in-laws, Abby and Cyndy came up and we played, ate and hung out. William and Abby both really like Uno, Robert loved puzzles and Hannah loves her princess toys, so everyone was very busy.
That week was our week off from CC which meant I was able to work on the next couple of weeks of tutoring. I'm glad I did it early because after coming home fro the library on Wednesday morning, I knew something wasn't right. I kept shrugging it off until late afternoon when it hit me like a freight train. I had a miserable night with a sore throat and was just sure it was strep. I went to the urgent care and while I tested negative for strep, I tested positive for Flu B. Ugh. So the rest of the week into Sunday evening was spent in isolation from Francis and the kids. Thankfully Francis was able to take a break from his studies and watch the kids or I don't know what we would have done. Sunday evening we celebrate William's half birthday with cake and singing. I was super weak but so glad I was able to see my kiddos again. the confinement paid off because it's been nearly a week and everyone else has so far remained healthy!
I can't say the same for our TV. Monday around lunch William threw a hanger into the TV while pretending it was a boomerang (we have a rule not to throw things in our house, sigh). The TV immediately broke beyond repair. It was slightly devastating to see. Our only consolation was that it was starting to get color lines on it and we would have to replace it anyway. We did manage to get a new TV for a good price, so Francis and I got a bonus Valentine's Day gift. William know he will likely be hearing about this for a while.
This Tuesday at CC we had our Valentine's parties and even played a fun Valentine's review game. The kids all exchanged Valentine's and it was s very enjoyable Tuesday. Wednesday was Valentine's Day. The kids woke up to small gifts, cards and candy waiting for them at the kitchen table. We had "cookies for breakfast" (Cookie Crisp cereal) and then made our weekly trip to the library. I made cheese fondue and BBQ meatballs for dinner (to appease every appetite) and then we had Creme Brulee for dessert. I got Francis ramekins and a culinary torch for Valentine's Day so he was super excited to get to use it right off the bat. My guy loves fire and cooking, so it was a prefect match. Overall a very good Valentines!
We've been watching all the Olympic games here. The kids are fascinated by all the different sports and are finding creative ways to recreate them. My favorite is watching them try to do the skating tricks/jumps while moving around on the tile in socks. It's pretty cute. The boys are loving the luge and skeleton in particular, as well as snowboarding. Hannah likes all the pretty skating costumes and kept yelling, "There's mommy and daddy!" through out the pairs skating. I'm glad she thinks I'm so coordinated.
William taught himself negative numbers this week. While sitting at the table he asked Robert "What is 8 minus 80?" Robert responded with "1 minus 1 is ZERO!" William nodded thoughtfully, "Good job Robert and I just realized eight minus eighty is negative seventy two." I nearly choked on my dinner. I asked him where he had heard of negative numbers and he responded with that he had heard about it fro daddy once. Francis doesn't recall this. Robert is also a math whiz. He's been doing single digit addition and subtraction in his head. He's not even 4 and a half, yet when asked 7-2 he doesn't hardly even hesitate before proudly yelling, "5!". Hannah is becoming increasingly articulate and complex in her expression. She's starting to sound much less like a toddler and much more like a little human. I was wearing a necklace yesterday. "Mommy, I like your necklace. Is it brand new?" I told her it was. "It is beautiful. May I touch it?" She's in love with jewelry and I can tell in the near future she will try to start borrowing mine.
Things here are getting back to normal. It took a few days to put back the house the way it was pre-sickness and I still have a ways to go. My strength is slowly returning, but even standing for a while at the children's museum made me weak and winded. Fortunately the kids have been very good for the most part. Hannah and Robert are becoming thick as thieves, finding new and creative ways to make messes. William joins them often too, but his love of reading sometimes calls him away from the play. I love how they all love each other and I can't wait to see how baby # 4 fits into this crazy mess. I'll be 20 weeks on Sunday. That went by fast!
Till next time!
That week was our week off from CC which meant I was able to work on the next couple of weeks of tutoring. I'm glad I did it early because after coming home fro the library on Wednesday morning, I knew something wasn't right. I kept shrugging it off until late afternoon when it hit me like a freight train. I had a miserable night with a sore throat and was just sure it was strep. I went to the urgent care and while I tested negative for strep, I tested positive for Flu B. Ugh. So the rest of the week into Sunday evening was spent in isolation from Francis and the kids. Thankfully Francis was able to take a break from his studies and watch the kids or I don't know what we would have done. Sunday evening we celebrate William's half birthday with cake and singing. I was super weak but so glad I was able to see my kiddos again. the confinement paid off because it's been nearly a week and everyone else has so far remained healthy!
I can't say the same for our TV. Monday around lunch William threw a hanger into the TV while pretending it was a boomerang (we have a rule not to throw things in our house, sigh). The TV immediately broke beyond repair. It was slightly devastating to see. Our only consolation was that it was starting to get color lines on it and we would have to replace it anyway. We did manage to get a new TV for a good price, so Francis and I got a bonus Valentine's Day gift. William know he will likely be hearing about this for a while.
This Tuesday at CC we had our Valentine's parties and even played a fun Valentine's review game. The kids all exchanged Valentine's and it was s very enjoyable Tuesday. Wednesday was Valentine's Day. The kids woke up to small gifts, cards and candy waiting for them at the kitchen table. We had "cookies for breakfast" (Cookie Crisp cereal) and then made our weekly trip to the library. I made cheese fondue and BBQ meatballs for dinner (to appease every appetite) and then we had Creme Brulee for dessert. I got Francis ramekins and a culinary torch for Valentine's Day so he was super excited to get to use it right off the bat. My guy loves fire and cooking, so it was a prefect match. Overall a very good Valentines!
We've been watching all the Olympic games here. The kids are fascinated by all the different sports and are finding creative ways to recreate them. My favorite is watching them try to do the skating tricks/jumps while moving around on the tile in socks. It's pretty cute. The boys are loving the luge and skeleton in particular, as well as snowboarding. Hannah likes all the pretty skating costumes and kept yelling, "There's mommy and daddy!" through out the pairs skating. I'm glad she thinks I'm so coordinated.
William taught himself negative numbers this week. While sitting at the table he asked Robert "What is 8 minus 80?" Robert responded with "1 minus 1 is ZERO!" William nodded thoughtfully, "Good job Robert and I just realized eight minus eighty is negative seventy two." I nearly choked on my dinner. I asked him where he had heard of negative numbers and he responded with that he had heard about it fro daddy once. Francis doesn't recall this. Robert is also a math whiz. He's been doing single digit addition and subtraction in his head. He's not even 4 and a half, yet when asked 7-2 he doesn't hardly even hesitate before proudly yelling, "5!". Hannah is becoming increasingly articulate and complex in her expression. She's starting to sound much less like a toddler and much more like a little human. I was wearing a necklace yesterday. "Mommy, I like your necklace. Is it brand new?" I told her it was. "It is beautiful. May I touch it?" She's in love with jewelry and I can tell in the near future she will try to start borrowing mine.
Things here are getting back to normal. It took a few days to put back the house the way it was pre-sickness and I still have a ways to go. My strength is slowly returning, but even standing for a while at the children's museum made me weak and winded. Fortunately the kids have been very good for the most part. Hannah and Robert are becoming thick as thieves, finding new and creative ways to make messes. William joins them often too, but his love of reading sometimes calls him away from the play. I love how they all love each other and I can't wait to see how baby # 4 fits into this crazy mess. I'll be 20 weeks on Sunday. That went by fast!
Till next time!
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