Hey all,

 I'm still here -- just been really busy making jewelry for the Valentine's Day gift table I'm doing with my friend.  Thought I would post some pics!

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Hope I'm able to sell these!  Otherwise, I'll have to buy a lot of new outfits to go with all my new jewelry : )

Hey folks, sorry I've been AWOL.   I've been sick.  My parents were in town for a visit, etc. etc.  But, alas, here I am.

We had a wonderful birthday party for all four of the kids this past weekend.  All their friends from Lifegroup came and we hosted it at a local "inflatables" place.  They all climbed, jumped, slid, screamed etc.  (Myself included)  It was a blast.  Instead of gifts, we did a book exchange.  I know that buying four gifts all at once would totally stink, so that's how we handled it.  I just tell the kids that the party is their gift and their friends are coming to celebrate them and that's plenty.  Amen?

Besides, the new books they get are always so cool.  And the friends get to go home with new books as well.  We had so much fun planning the goodie bags, too.  The kids learned how to budget as we shopped (at dollar tree) and we ended up spending only $1.00 per guest.  Amazing.

Now that the grandparents have left, we are back to school as normal.  It was a tough day getting back into the swing of things.  Tough for me too.  AND...I travelled across town for my daughter's dance class only to realize it had been cancelled due to the holiday.  We ended up at a local indoor kids' playland for about an hour so they could unwind for a bit.

I am in utter disbelief that I'm about to have a 3, 5, 9 and 11 year old.  It does go fast.  (Sometimes, I wish it would go just a BIT faster)  However, during church this past Sunday, I jotted down some goals for my almost 9 year old.  I am going to write her a letter for her ninth birthday and share my "vision" with her -- of course she can feel free to add -- but I just want her to know that I see wonderful things for her future.  I told her that we are winding down her childhood as she moves from this place into her "tween" years and there are some things she needs to work on and accomplish as we go forward this next year.  For whatever reason, that jargon really works with her.  She wanted to know if she could hang the list on her wall to remind her of the areas she needs to work on.  That's my girl!

Allright, I'm toast yet again.  One day this pace will slow down.  Oh, I forgot to mention that I will be selling my jewelry creations at a booth on Valentine's day.  Much of my attention and free time has been on this endeavor, which is another reason for my blog-neglect.  I will post pics soon.

Later.

Just thought you guys might get a kick out of this particular Ebay listing.  Stay tuned for MORE Mother-In-Law items -- I'm cleanin' house!

The Ugly Purse My Mother-In-Law Gave Me

Enjoy!

There, I've gone and looked up the spelling!  And, to soothe the curious mind, I offer the following tidbit:

Definition of God bless you

God bless you:  Interjection used especially when someone has sneezed. In this situation, "God bless you" is more or less equivalent to saying "Gesundheit."  In German "Gesundheit" means "health" (and "sanity"). Wishing "good health" was once thought to hold off the illness that might follow a sneeze.  "God bless you" came into usage to prevent the escape of the soul from the body, which was thought to occur with a sneeze. (Soullessness was believed to cause ill health.)

Now, pupils, close your books and take out a sheet of paper.  Just kidding.  So, has anyone seen my SOUL?  I seem to have misplaced it.  Ha Ha.  Next subject.

My entire family has gone to lifegroup this evening and I am home "resting."  Maybe tomorrow I'll be back to my old self.  Next subject.

You know, I really love oxygen.  In fact, I'm a big fan of breathing.  It's my #1 favorite pastime.  You don't really know what you've got til it's gone.  I thought of a new invention one night while waking up, gasping for breath.  I would like to take two drinking straws and shove one up each nostril, past the septum and well into my sinus cavities.  Make it a neon, bendy straw.  Forget the breathe right strips, vaporizer, menthol, saline, steroids and pseudoephedrine.  That's for wimps.  Let's get some O2 into this girl, STAT!

Having said ALL that, now you know that I will let nothing stand in the way of my favorite activity.  Honestly, the only ONLY thing that works when I get a cold is sudafed and lots of it.  Which is GREAT for breathing but leaves me drooling, growling and snarling at anything that passes.  What REALLY cracks me up is when I have to go buy more.  BOY -- do they have that stuff on lockdown or what?  I mean I sorta feel like I'm pulling my car up to the corner and rolling down the window.  Looking both ways for cops, etc.  The problem is I usually have all my kids with me so it's worse -- I'm like the CRACK mama bringing all her babies to score some.  Of course it doesn't help that I have bloodshot eyes, dry cracked skin, red runny nose, no makeup AAAAHHH.  Next subject.

Just so you all know, the one day when all my kids behaved in public was a total fluke.  The following day was crazy.  ALTHOUGH, I just remembered that they did really well when we took Ava in for her 3 year appointment.  We're going to have her hearing tested and then possibly a speech evaluation to help determine if there is an issue.  She's still very very frustrated when trying to communicate.  I was a little down about that, but I'd rather get her whatever she needs so she can be the fabulous grownup she will become someday.  She'll probably be involved in public speaking or something with a twist. : )  Aahh!  Now there's my sunny disposition.  I wondered where it was.    (gosh, I really like the winky guy the best.  I just realized that I never use any other emot-icons)  Next subject.

OK, I'm bummed that my husband's bowl didn't sell -- but we had 55 visitors which made him feel good and one question and even one watcher.  OOHH a watcher!  My hunny is SO talented with the bowl making.  It's amazing, really.  He likes to point out all the flaws and I always turn and say "Hun, this used to be a TREE and now it's a BOWL!"  He has some of his stuff on display around town, but I know it would make his day to sell them consistently.  We may try a 35-45 price range on some of his small pieces and see what the interest would be. 

Oh man, I better go lay down.  This wore me out! (seriously, don't give me that look!)

Later.

You ever seen that Seinfeld episode when the gang decides to skip the traditional "God Bless You" or the German alternative that I cannot spell in favor of what they think is the greatest blessing of all "YOU ARE SOOOOO GOOD-LOOKING!"?  Well, go ahead and tell me because I've got a COLD! 

"WHY LORD, WHYYYYY?????" (Snap out of it ,Jennifer -----ssssmack)

OK, I'm better.

I'm not allowed to dust.  Which creates an interesting problem for me.  If I clean a ceiling fan, I get pneumonia.  End of story.  If I empty a vacuum cleaner, I have to be careful.  Unfortunately, I wasn't careful and I knew this was coming before it ever got here.  Achoo.  I'm trying to figure out a way to clean my house without getting sick.  I would LOVE to hire a cleaning person but I guess I would have to sell my house to afford one.  There's some irony for ya.

So, I'm sitting here jacked up on Sudafed, trying to think of something to write. 

The nicest thing happened yesterday.  Twice.  After we finished our school work...oh let me back up.  Here's our current school schedule (because I'm not motivated):

Breakfast

Morning Chores

Clean Kitchen

Story Hour & Art

Bible (independently now)

Math

Language

Lunch

Finish up

They both have "vacationitis" so bad that math takes FORever.  So, Silent Reading has become just another work time so they can finish their assignments.

So yesterday, after we finished our work, we ran errands.  Dropped off about 7 or 8 renegade SUPERLATEGOTSHOVEDUNDERMYBED library books.  We probably need to take out a loan to pay our late fees.  Then -- here's the nice part -- we waited in line to mail out a package to my Grandmother.  (I crocheted a supersoft blanket for her and put in a few homemade oatmeal cookies and letters from the kids.)  My children were perfect angels (one of those rare moments) and we waited in line for a good ten minutes.  As we got to the front, the lady asked if they were all mine.  "Yes," I smiled.  She said "You've been truly blessed."  "You've been TRULY blessed."  She was very timid and spoke it under her breath but it did something to me.  It "got in".    I was walking on a cloud as we moved slowly (picture the children of Israel) out of the lobby past all the other patrons waiting in line.  I prompted Ava (3) to tell the lady goodbye and she did so at rockstar decibel levels and proceeded to do her queenly wave and goodbye to all the people she passed.  Each person lit up as we walked by.  It was such a sweet moment, there in my podunk post office. 

As if that were not enough to make my day, we traipsed over to Walgreens to pick up a pack of training pants (it's been about 3 weeks since my last purchase hurray for Ava!)  The checkout lady said "Your kids are so good!  You should see some of the kids that come through here."  She proceeded to tell me a horror story or two.  We laughed.   Again, I was floating on air.  My sweet sweet little angels.  (HA)

Well, the phone's ringing, dogs barking (I don't have a dog) and baby's crying so I better run.  Actually, the little ones are fighting over Ella's (5) project -- a crown suncatcher.  Ahh, there's nothing like a suncatcher.  The toxic smell of melting plastic coming from the oven.  That's what brings MY family together.

Achoo.  I am SOOOO good looking.