This is what the French doors lead to--will it be a dining room or study?  Stay tuned...

We are going to move our "household" in two weeks, then return later in the month to move the garage, workshop, and outside items.  Somewhere in between, I have to schedule the painter, find someone to lay tile in the bathrooms, and replace the carpet. I am hoping we will have it on the market in early March.

Entry

Living

Kitchen

The rest of the house is bare and white--I will post before/after pics as I get everything situated!♥

• While driving around town, looking at Christmas lights:  "You know, baby Jesus and the manger scene never gets old!"
• "It's NOT Christmas!! It's Halloween!" (5-yr old is in denial about the quick change in holidays)
• "Mommy, you're my best mom!"
• "You're THIRTY-EIGHT?!"
• "Happy 83rd birthday, Mom!" (from my smarty-pants teenager)

I have some twitpics up--find me on Twitter: livingandloving

♥

...to use until I get mine back!  (Radio Shack is either fixing or replacing my camera--I'll find out in 10 days or less...)

protected post...

1.  I cannot sleep with any jewelry on, especially earrings.

2.  There are 9773 unread messages in my email account (spam has taken over!)

3.  My car smells like orange and clove pomanders.

4.  I am trying to figure out a way to live without cell phones.  I just don't think they are healthy!

5.  I am listening to the wind chimes on the back deck right now.

6.  Although I said that I would never read another vampire series, I did...I am on the last book of the Sookie Stackhouse series (but this is IT!).

7.  I shop too much on Etsy.

8.  I play an oldies AM station on my weather radio in the kitchen throughout the day.  Moon River plays at least once an hour--I ♥ it!

9.  Having an aversion to washing larger appliances (food processor, blender, KitchenAid) sometimes prevents me from making a certain recipe...(and it is ingrained in me that they must be handwashed!) 

10. We are going on two years without cable, and I really, really like it!  My children watch DVDs and videos~no commercials!

♥

I've been meaning to post some of these pictures.  We had a Chihuahua Wedding in March, "for the kids".    One of the homeschool dads, a pastor of a nearby church (although, they've moved since--we miss them!), performed the ceremony.

"Will you, Contessa Theresa Magdalena Benita ______ take Bubba Smith as your lawfully wedded husband?" 

"With this Paw, I thee wed!" (courtesy bethro78)

In July, Tess went into heat and they celebrated their honeymoon, LOL!  And 62 days later, she had four darling puppies.  I will try to upload their pictures at some point~they are on a disposable camera that I need to put on a disk.  The first three pups were born within 20 minutes of each other, and then we thought she was finished (this was between 2-3 a.m.).  She cleaned them up, laid down, and nursed them.  Around 5 a.m., I was afraid that maybe a placenta was stuck, and called an emergency vet.  The woman who manned their answering service told me to rub a little Karo syrup on her gums (Chihuahuas are susceptible to low blood sugar) and that would stimulate her to deliver the placenta.  I followed her directions (they never did call me back, by the way), and about five minutes later, Tess perked up and pushed out another puppy!  We were shocked!  At first I thought it was dead...well, I thought that about each puppy as they were born, lol.  But Tess was trying to break the sack open, and I trusted her instincts, so I started helping her (I actually helped her with each sack because she would start around their tummies, and I wanted their mouths/noses cleared first!), and the pup stretched her front legs and opened her mouth!  We were so happy!  And tired!!

I vowed that I would never do that again, but we have had so many friends/family ask for puppies, that I might change my mind...

♥

• start laundry
• hot lemon water 
• walk on treadmill
• blueberry kefir
• shower
• wake boys
• breakfast for boys
• boys dress/brush teeth & hair
• math lessons
• reading lesson for Sailor
• (Tinker Toys for little ones)
• Workbooks
• (Movie for little ones)
• Catechism
• Lunch
• (this would be outside play, but if it's raining, probably movie/toys combo for little ones)
• Rest
• Put away laundry
• Art/Craft for everyone
• Run errands/pay bills
• Prep dinner
• Play/read
• Dinner
• Clean up
• Baths
• Story/prayer
• Boys to sleep
• Computer for me
• Bed by 10:00!

♥

My blood pressure has been up the past couple of days--I think it is from lack of sleep.  My three youngest have passed around a little virus--it started last Friday.  It started with our 6-yr old, then on Sunday I was in an after-hours clinic with our 3-yr old~101 degree fever~, praying that he did not have swine flu (he didn't!), and then by Tuesday, our 5-yr old was suffering.  They have all taken turns keeping me awake during the early hours of the morning, and I am exhausted.

Last evening, I walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes, then locked myself in my bedroom to take a hot bath.  I realized that I haven't taken the time to take a bath in a while--it is truly relaxing!  I pulled out my lavender bath salts, poured a huge glass of red wine (good for BP, yes?!), lit a candle, and read a magazine until the water cooled.  Then I took an icy cold shower--amazing how it is breathtaking and fantastic at the same time, lol.  I felt tons better--I felt like I could finally take a deep breath.  (I don't know about y'all, but anxiety for me feels like I cannot catch my breath!).

It's bath season...

♥