Random Blather

**I make no gaurantees that any of the following will make sense.



The Doctor Hubby left early Wednesday morning to ride a jet plane to NYC. The fact that he isn't really having "fun" sitting through whatever he's sitting through does not make me any less stabby; I'm ok with being angry that he gets to leave, talk to actual face-to-face grownups, and say that he's been to New York. No fair!!! The only adult I've actually spoken to in-the-flesh the last 2 days was the lady at the gas station. Awesome.



Hubs won't be back until sometime tonight. ugh. You know what the biggest problems with his being gone for several days/nights in a row really are? 1) I have the freedom to leave the tv on when I go to bed, thus staying up WAAAAY too late. duh. 2) We only have one bathtub right now. It is a corner jetted soaking tub. It's big. My belly is big. I can't give the ragamuffins a bath unless I get in it with them, and I am not a graceful enough hippo these days to attempt the getting in or out of the tub. So, they actually do resemble street urchins by the time Hubs gets home. Ew. 3) There is no one here to run out at 10 pm to get me a whatever. Chocolate shake, Sonic tea, whathaveyou. Bummer. 4) Seriously? There's nobody here to be "mad" at when I have to get up to pee for the 73rd time in 3 hours, or have heartburn AGAIN, or can't get comfortable in bed, no matter what. Yeah, yeah, poor me.



Tired doesn't even begin to describe what I am these days. I can DEFINITELY tell that I am closer to 35 than not this time around. Wow. 'Course, this time around there are also more children actually wearing me out, too. I'm almost positive that isn't doing me any favors. But still. The fact that, at 22 weeks, I am as big as I should be at about 28 weeks, is making the sleep thing rather difficult already. And dude likes to party it up in there round 'bouts 2 am (I see many 2 am feedings in my future), and apparently has the strength of Hercules - he's actually woken me up several times.

Gotta go to The Big Guy's school today for registration and enrollment. 3rd grade. Wow. Then tomorrow, the dreaded back-to-school shopping. Because, of course, the dude spent the summer growing about 3 inches. Taller, not rounder. Such a scrawny thing. Unfortunately, The Middle Guy needs clothes, too; apparently those two banded together on this, decided it would be funny to both outgrow everything all at once. Brats. ;) We do, however, get to get all the "supplies," too, so I'll suffer through clothes/shoe shopping with all of 'em. I love the smell of fresh notebooks in the summer!!!

So, now it's time to get these heathens some lunch before they start gnawing on each other. Or me. Or the furniture. Only 10 hours til the relief pitcher gets home. Can I make it???

Look at What I'm Drippin' With...

...well, it ain't little girls!

It became official (to us) a few weeks ago. This little one kicking away in my belly is another BOY!!

Lord, please help me. ;)

But, look, he's so cute sucking his thumb... awww! Darn it! He's already got me...

Drippin' with little boys ~

Denise

Excuses are like brains and alibis - not everybody has a good one.

So, I'm supposed to post things on the blog? Nobody told me that when I signed up!!!!
Huh. Well... Here's the latest - briefly, while I try to find the energy, and time, to figure out how to post regularly.

1. Oops, we did it again! And we don't need no stinkin' fertility drugs, man!! Baby #5 is on the way - due late November/early December 2010. Yikes.

2. Buying houses... not for the weak, or the poor.

3. Selling houses... not for the weak, or the poor. Or those who like their sanity.

4. Moving - with 3 little boys and MY husband. Bye Bye sanity!! It was nice knowin' ya!

5. Moving companies. Ugh, geez, and WHAT?!?! Almost more trouble than it was worth, 'cept we didn't have to pay for it. But, man, that hospital totally got ripped off!!

6. 4 little birthdays, all in a row. Not counting The Hubs & I, we are standing at 3 down, one to go. phew.

7. Having the nerve to think you might actually get ahead. Dumb. Instead, just ask for the trouble. At least you'll be expecting it. Crazy how fast all the little things pile up.

8. The Hubs starting his "Fer reals, I'm a Big Kid, now!!!" job. Those paychecks sounded glorious; and I'm sure the people getting all that money will think so!

9. How does summer do a sprint and a marathon at the same time???

10. School, beautiful school, I love ya, wonderful schoo-ool, you're only a month a-waaaaaaay!! High school, 3rd grade, and pre-school -- here they come!!



And, that quickly wraps up the goings-on in our slice of the world lately. Just a few of the many little ways God's been getting his daily giggles at our expense. ;)

Peace!
Denise

Home Is Where the Heart Is...

We did it!! We closed on our new house in Osage Beach! We are now the proud owners of a gorgeous, 1/2-finished house!! HA!

On Thursday the 15th, we headed down to the lake area to spend the night. Our final walk-through was at 8:30 Friday morning - no way we were going to make that 3 hour drive on Friday. Closing started at the bank at 9:15, and took FOREVER! That is a truly unpleasant experience made worse by the presence of 3 little boys with zero patience for boring. And writing that check? ouch.
Once the bank was finally finished with us, we headed to the title company, and again did a lot of waiting... we had to wait for the sellers to get there - give us the KEYS!! garage door openers, house plans and whatnot. But, in the end, it was so worth it. When we drove back over to OUR house, I felt the first shock at the place we will be calling home for many years to come. Stunned at how lucky (blessed) we were that we just happened upon this house that wasn't even technically for sale at the time. Stunned at how lovely the surroundings of the neighborhood are. Stunned that we are actually going to have to get the ENTIRE basement finished. Stunned that John and I have had fewer than normal arguments about all the stuff that we want done!! Mostly, though, I think I am having a hard time believing that all of this med school/residency crap will really be over in such a short time. It's hard to believe that we will soon be able to make real, grown-up plans for our life. It's hard to imagine all the possibilities that lie in front of us now...

Now comes the fun, stress, fighting, and paying for all the finishing, decorating, and enjoying of this home!!! We have to get the "remodeling" loan, still waiting on the estimate from the contractor, and eventually we'll be purchasing at least half the adjacent lot to have a bit of flat yard for the boys. John's going to need a new vehicle someday soon (I really hate that crappy thing he drives, and it's gonna die a painful death soon, anyway); Miss M will be learning to drive and "needing" a vehicle way too soon; the boys are going to start growing up on us...
And I'm sure my husband will try to talk me into all sorts of toys and completely unnecessary things in the next year - things like boats, 4-wheelers, in-home movie theaters, and giant pool tables come to mind. ;)

We're also still hoping and praying for a quick sale here in Kirksville... we've had an Open House, and there is someone coming to look this afternoon. Everything I can possibly cross is crossed!!! Would love to just have the weight of this house off our shoulders. Besides the house, we have to figure out what to do with all the stuff in it that we do not want to move or have in our new house. And trust me when I say, there's a lot that won't be coming with us!!! Not just small "junk" either - we're talking sofas and china cabinets here, people! We'll finally be able to afford to have stuff that is actually to our taste, and I don't even want all these old things entering the house :) Fresh start!! But, you know, old sofas don't just disappear...

Anyway, our move is now just about 5 weeks away. The excitement is building! As is the nervousness that always accompanies a move to somewhere new. Ack!

Hope you all have a wonderful place you call HOME...
Denise

Lots of Hurry Up & Wait...

Sigh. I hate this feeling of hurry, hurry, hurry, get all this stuff done, then wait, wait, wait. It's so hard, sometimes, "knowing" exactly what the near future holds, knowing all the things that will be happening soon, but not soon enough...

We close on our NEW HOUSE (!!!) this Friday, and we'll be going over plans for finishing the basement with a contractor following closing. We officially got our house in Kirksville on the market this week - there's a sign in the yard, and everything! - and the first Open House is this Saturday.

**I must take this opportunity to mention that if you are a smart person, you would not try to live in a house you're trying to sell when you have 3 young boys! Many, many headaches will follow if you do...

We got a near confirmation of some pretty big, pretty life-changing, news this afternoon - I am not quite free to expound on this yet, but it shouldn't be too much longer. :)

Soon, my daughter, my oldest child, will be "graduating" from middle and will officially become a high schooler. Not too long after that, D will turn 8, then M will turn 14, then N will turn 4, then J will turn 2. N will be starting preschool in August, when M is starting 9th grade, and D is starting 3rd. When did all this time pass?

Soon we will actually live within about an hour's drive of Miss M, 2 of my sisters (and their kids), and my Dad. We will finally be able to have family come visit us more than once every 4 years, and be able to visit family without having to stay with one of them and be totally stressed out the whole time. Finally, we will have a house big enough for my brother, sisters, and their families, to congregate at and celebrate our Mom's Christmas.

Soon, I won't have to go 2-3 months between visits with my daughter.

All of this soon, yet still so far away!

And not so far away?? The cleaning... Man, that stuff never makes ya wait, ya know?

Hurrying Up & Waiting ~
Denise

My New Love...

So, the last post mentions an exciting reason for that last-minute trip, and since I've been busy (and lazy), I've not gotten around to revealing any info. Though, by this point, most people who might read this blog already know what the big to-do is... Anyhoo, I GOT A NEW VEHICLE!!!! And I'm totally in love with it. The for reals kind, not a crush. loveloveloveLOVE it. I haven't decided whether my new love is of the male or female persuasion, but that will be figured out when I come upon the perfect name for it. THE perfect name. This naming process has been more agonizing than naming any of the kids. But I'm working it out.


He/She is a Slate Blue 2007 Yukon Denali XL.
Brings tears to my eyes, talking about him/her, thinkging about him/her, heck, looking at him/her.

Big enough to haul all the heathens and all their junk, big enough that I don't feel claustrophobic driving, and pretty... oh, so pretty! Yes, at first it kinda felt like I was driving a very pretty bus, but I'm totally cool with how it drives and handles now, and I almost don't really want the kids (or the hubby) to ride in it. I'm kidding. Well, no, I'm not... Haha, I am. A little.


As soon as I get a lovely (non-covered in dirt/road salt/other grime) picture, and figure out how to get it on here, I'll show off some more. :)

I really do need to work on that whole picture thing...

Happy Drivin,
Denise

We are going to be making a semi-last-minute trip down to southwest MO this weekend. The reason is totally exciting, and if all goes well, I'll be able to share soon. But, that's beside the point. The point is, we're making a semi-last-minute trip this weekend. A four hour one way trip. Last. Minute. And what, you might be thinking, is noteworthy about that? Well, laundry that isn't done and needs to be. Then, of course, clothes that need to be packed. Getting 4* people packed for the weekend wouldn't seem to be such a big deal, you know, it's only 2 1/2 days, but when one still needs pull-ups for bedtime (and "emergency" undies & outfits), one will only wear a few choice shirts, one is still in diapers (thus wipes, ointment, extra thick nighttime diapers...) and was diagnosed yesterday with the most bizarre ear infection** I've ever heard of and has antibiotics that need to be refrigerated (plus the obligatory Motrin & Tylenol), and so on and so forth, well, last-minute is hard for me. And obviously I'm really on top of it, what with sitting here typing and all. But, it's cool. I'll drag out the suitcase in a few, throw some stuff in, and it will be fine!! (cuz that's how I am, duh. I don't take anything too seriously, and I certainly have no problem with not having a perfectly packed and organized suitcase. really.) Hey, maybe I'll be able to relieve the almost guaranteed stress-and-OCD-induced headache, shaking, hyperventilation, and PSYCHO with a little knitting in the van. Got lots of fast, easy, and portable things that I want to get done (you know, to avoid the crazy that I turned into trying to get all the Christmas knitting done, otherwise known as That Which Will NOT Be Mentioned), and I'm sure Hubs will want to drive. His driving may or may not contribute to the above symptoms, thus increasing the need for knitting. :)


*I pack for myself and the boys. All other persons are on their own. That includes anyone over the age of 10 (physically - some, who will remain unnamed, are still not emotionally or mentally over the age of 10).

**Sweet Baby J has bullous myringitis, a bacterial ear infection caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae, a little bugger that can cause atypical pneumonia, and that has produced a large, painful blister on the poor dude's ear drum. He's now on erythromicin, as no pharmacy in town had what was originally prescribed...

I'm sad that we will be in Bolivar but won't get to spend time with, or see, Miss M. She already had plans for this weekend, and obviously what she's going to be doing is way more fun/cool/exciting than being stuck with Mom, step-dad, and 3 little brothers. *huff* I'm probably gonna be done pouting about it by the time we leave here this afternoon...

Well, apparently those jeans aren't going to get themselves out of the dryer, or fold themselves. Which, I suppose means that they aren't going to get the stuff out of the washer and put it in the dryer, either. Or start another load. Man! I always have to do EVERYTHING around here!!

We'll be enjoying a whole weekend with no work, no real solid plans, no have-to's, no need-to's, just want-to's!! And, (fingers crossed!!) hopefully, no one will have to be offed, sold to the highest bidder, or left on the side of the road! It's good to have dreams and aspirations, I always say.
Have a great one, everybody =)

I Am Resolute? I Am Resolved? I Am Resolutionized?

The start of a new year always brings about a time of reflection and thoughts of the future for me. I reflect on the year that's passed; I ponder what is to come in the year ahead. In the past, I have made resolutions, but that never works out very well: the list gets lost, I change my mind, the list gets lost, circumstances require a new outlook, the list gets lost... So this year, I've decided that instead of "resolving" myself to certain, probably unattainable, actions, I would figure out some reasonable, and necessary, things to focus on, and ways to ensure that I do. So far, I have figured out what my objects of focus for this new year will be, but the actual act of focusing? Not quite there yet. hmmm. Obviously, I need to get that figured out, like, soon. But until I do, I think that to keep myself semi-accountable, I'm going to get the list down here. And maybe inspire some others to look inward at what they need to take the time to focus on in this fresh, blank year. And so...


*Focus on Health ~ Physical & Mental: encompassing better food choices, exercise, weight loss and maintenance, and daily "meditation" (to include knitting, blogging, and other me activities)...

*Focus on Health ~ Spiritual: encompassing prayer & time with God, and finding my church "home..."

*Focus on Health ~ Financial: encompassing The Hubs & I reading and working through The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, finding a system of organization that works for the entire family, finalizing Christmas budget before the 1st of November (and sticking to it), setting up estate, investment, and retirement plans, and figuring out a definitive working budget...

*Focus on Health ~ Relationships: encompassing marriage & kids, and communication...

So there you have it. What I will be doing in all my spare time these next 11 3/4 months. There may be profound failure in all or some places, but I am resolute in my resolve (yeah, how ya like that!) to at least give all areas effort. Now, this list does seem very detailed, but I realize that I am generally a great multi-tasker, and that several things will be combined as they are accomplished. I also need the details out in the open, or they will be overlooked. And it should be noted that I actually have a hand-written list that includes cross-references, but thought I would spare any and all readers that pain!! If you'd like to see my complete, nerdy diagram, just let me know... ;)

Happy, Blessed New Year to Everyone!

Killing Me Softly Slowly & Painfully...

So, the New Year is officially a week old.

Have I done anything fun? Nope.

Have I done anything exciting? Not even close.

Have I even gotten out of the bloody house? NO!!!

The weather outside is frightful, no doubt about it. I hear rumors that we should expect to be out of sub-zero and single digit temps next week, but still not warm (haha - warm, what a joke!) enough to get rid of all this blinking snow. I think by now, even people who have never met nor heard of me must know how much I, well, dislike winter. I don't do well in extreme temps, I seriously hate being wet AND cold, and I just wanna scream when it comes to the dressing to go outside - the layers, the snow pants, the coats, the hats, the gloves, the scarves, the boots, the blahblahblahblahblah. Go through all that to hear 5 minutes later, "I gotta pee!!" argh.

We went "back to school" this week, but missed Thursday & Friday due to the snow and freakish temperatures. Yeah. Snow days. The bain of my existence! Don't get me wrong, I truly love my kids, but I have come to the realization that I am just not one of those moms who can spend infinite amounts of time with the hooligans and remain sane, or still like them. And they couldn't go outside. You know, since global warming has turned NEMO into part of the Arctic Circle. And we couldn't go anywhere, since the van doesn't have 4-wheel drive, and probably isn't equipped to deal with the 3-foot snow drift on my side of the driveway. To add to the fun, The Hubs is on call this weekend, so there's just no telling if he'll be home at all or not. And even if he is home, I can't go anywhere without assistants, which at this point kind of defeats the purpose of getting the heck outta the house. Mother Nature is totally not going to be invited to my birthday party this year!!!

Soon I will get some pics posted here - general blog pics, recent photos of the heathens, that sorta thing. I'm not too quick with the tech stuff... :) And updates on the "weather is making everyone crazy with cabin fever" situation as necessary!!