jump up and down

up to lately

Hi there!  Perhaps the posting has been a bit sparse here lately and today I'm giving you eight reasons why.  In fact, some of these reasons were meant to be their own post at some point.   I'm hoping to find a new blogging groove soon - something a little more streamlined, but I don't think I've quite figured it out yet.  In the meantime, here's a glimpse into my life lately...

1) Exercising and eating better - I started doing old step aerobic videos with a couple of other women at church three times a week and then using my Wii (if you really want a workout, forget about Wii Fit and go right for Wii Active) two or three times a week.  Combine that with not eating half a dozen desserts everyday, and you just might have a chance to lose some weight.  I'm not going to publish any numbers here, but I will say that my weight is lower than it's been since Ned was born - even lower than when I finished the half marathon last year.  And I feel pretty good too - lots more energy and my clothes fit! 

2) Attending our first parent teacher conference...and Peter is doing so well!  I really think we made the right decision about moving here and putting him in school this year.  I love his teacher and his class is super small - I think there are only about 15 kids on the roll and there are usually only a dozen or so there each day.  Academically, he is soaking everything up like a sponge - counting to 100 already (he could count to just beyond 20 when he started and in September we set his IEP goal at 50), being one of the top readers in his class, and really improving his handwriting which I was worried was going to be a huge ordeal since he didn't even want to write during the summer.  There are a few concerns with following directions, but I think this is probably mostly related to his sensory issues and we'll just keep working on it.  He's playing at recess (he didn't want to leave his teacher when school first started), playing teacher at home with all of us being his students and even sometimes talking about what he's looking forward to at school.  Hooray for Peter!  

3) Writing a talk to give in church this Sunday (if you didn't know, we Mormons all take turns preaching to each other) based on this great talk.  I haven't given one in a long time so I'm a little nervous.

4) Making Thanksgiving plans.  My Grandpa's health is in poor shape, so we're making an effort for the entire family to get together for Thanksgiving this year...having it at the church because that's the only place we'll all fit and I'm in charge of decorations.  I have some things worked out but might need something else to use for table decor - anyone have any inexpensive and quick ideas?

5) Starting my new post as PTSA Treasurer tonight.  This might be what happens when you exercise three times a week with the PTSA President.  

6) Working on Stockings.  The are in the shop and I've sold a few already.  I took new pictures this year that I keep meaning to share with you...maybe next post.

7) Practicing the Organ.  I am determined to not scramble at the last minute to figure out what I will do for prelude music during December (like I do every year), so I ordered a new book and got right to practicing it.  I will be prepared this year!

8) Making one more preparation for winter by ordering some new boots.  They just arrived yesterday and I think I'm in love.  I got rid of the last pair of winter boots I had when we moved to California and have suffered with cold feet every winter since we moved to Idaho and especially since I had all of my vein surgeries done.  Bring on the snow!

What have you been up to?

playing catch up

 I got a really great deal on a kid camera the day after Thanksgiving, so we gave it to Peter for Christmas.  Peter has liked the camera, but not loved it and taken pictures intermittently over the months.  We kept telling him that we could put the pictures on the computer, but didn't download any of them until last night (right before our impromptu visit to the doctor - see below).  The camera doesn't take a great quality picture. There are lots of pictures of flooring.  We downloaded 306 photos and I've used some very inclusive standards to pare down to about 80, but there are actually some interesting ones in here. I'll share a few while I share what we've been up to lately.

Things have been crazy since we got back from vacation.  I got a sinus infection that was making vacation fairly unenjoyable and we wanted to get Ned in to see the pediatric opthamologist before he left on vacation for a couple of weeks, so we came home a day early.  The kind doctor confirmed our suspicions - Ned is cross-eyed and will most likely need surgery.  Ned had been squinting a lot and we will notice his eyes wander in, especially when he is tired.  That was Wednesday.  Then yesterday afternoon, I noticed a lump on Ned's back right under a spot where he got treated for molluscum a couple of weeks ago.  So, we took another trip to the doctor (remember - it takes an hour each way now, so it's definitely an event) last night and then got antibiotics for what the doctor thinks is an infection.  Luckily we caught it before it turned into an abcess, so there was no painful draining in the office. 

We are starting "homework" for Peter's occupational therapy which right now just consists of making him listen to his special headphones, which he claims are "too loud", so he doesn't resist them when he starts listening therapy next week. He does well if we use a timer so he can see when he'll be finished  and promise an immediate reward when he's done.  Peter also starts summer school next week.  In our old school district, they didn't offer summer school unless your child regressed during the summer months, so I wasn't really expecting it here.  Apparently, they are small enough here that they just offer it to all their special needs students.  Since he's had such a rough transition to life here (I didn't tell you that he just broke down in Primary at church two weeks ago and we had to go home for a nap - he's never done that), I think it will be good to get him used to going to school before kindergarten actually starts.  

I have been doing a fair amount of thrifting lately - found some great stuff while we were on vacation.  The living room is almost ready for a before and after too, so hopefully the blogging will become a  little more regular.  Going on vacation and coming back helped get me out of my "I just moved" mode, so that should speed things up around here too.  In the meantime, I hope you have a good weekend!

busy

The to do list just gets longer and longer here these days.  I'm just trying to keep my eye on the prize - a lazy summer.  But between the end of school tests and assignments, thinking about moving, stressing about getting everything packed, and everything else that is part of our everyday life, I have to admit that I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Part of it might be that I am absolutely obsessed with this rug.  I think I have figured out a decent technique to get it to lay fairly flat (more on that later).  Another part of it is that I haven't hardly packed anything - moving day is still more than a month away, but the last two times we have moved, I started packing two months ahead of time - just a few boxes everyday, but it really helps ease the stress of looking at all of your stuff and thinking about getting it to another place.  And another part is the literally dozens, possibly hundreds, of decorating and improvement ideas floating around in my head and not really having the time to get to them right now.   It's all going to be OK, right? 

And it might seem that I've been obsessively acquiring thrifted sheets (this is not even close to being all of the ones I've purchased in the last few weeks) - I can't seem to say no to them now that we are moving to a town without a thrift store.  We'll still be going into town at least weekly for Peter's speech therapy, but we'll have other errands to run then and I can't guarantee that I'll want to take the boys with me to the thrift store.  I also scored a few more embroidered pillowcases to add to the collection.  One of those ideas floating around in my head is a banner from them to hang in my sewing room.  I think this time I will actually get to it since I have a place to put it. 

Anyway...we are off to get Peter registered for Kindergarten today...something else that is totally stressing me out because I'm not sure how my little babe got old enough to go to kindergarten!

back in the saddle

  

We were up and at 'em again this morning...five more weeks until my school and one of Peter's schools are finished!  Spring break was not so springy, but still a lovely little break.  I had to wake the boys up this morning which was fine by me because it gives me hope that they might sleep in this summer, at least occasionally.  Even after I woke Ned up this morning, he just sat in bed for a minute and then told me he was still tired and laid back down.  I am thankful that I have been able to go to school for the last year, but I wasn't supposed to have to do it at 8 in the morning three days a week, so I'll be very glad when it's over.  And then I won't go to school again until after we move (out of the state that is - in a year or so when Ryan gets his next job) - I'm really in for a long break. 

Speaking of moving...we did decide that we will move to the ugly house at the end of May when Peter is finished with preschool.  I'll have to post some of my ideas about what I plan to do with the space.  I spent a large part of Friday online researching products and ideas to help me figure out how to make the space more pleasing to the eye without spending a ton of money.  It is going to take some money - I'm going to just think of it as our part in stimulating the economy.  We'll also have to buy a washer and dryer, but I figure that is something we will have to do eventually anyway.  And over the course of the year, we will still save money, have a small yard to play in and even grow a few things, and be within walking distance of Ryan's work and Peter's school.  I also got really excited about being there after seeing Penny's walk pictures - I bet there will be some cool photo ops in that small town.  I'm imagining lots of morning walks this summer with camera in hand.  I hope the boys cooperate - I might have to pull out the backpack for Ned.

I've been crocheting those little flowers all weekend for a spring project that I'm working out.  I even did some at our girl's night.  I could have done a lot more if I had stayed up talking with everyone until 4:30 in the morning, but for once in my life, I was the first one asleep at a sleepover.  Apparently, my friends have some serious stamina - one of them is even pregnant - go Mandy!  Thanks for the fun ladies!

And one more item of business...I don't think I'm going to make my giveaway this month, unless you want another pack of scraps...I've still got plenty of those (and I'm not sure I want to move them all)!  I do have a plan set for April though and I should be ready with the giveaway item soon...it's going to be good...I hope you'll like it!  Happy Monday everyone!  We are surviving it one step at a time...we woke up to cold and snow again this morning.

domestic day

After finding out that I did well on my first Anatomy and Physiology exam, I decided to treat myself to a domestic day yesterday.  The boys were cooperative and we had a good day

making jam...

baking bread...

starting a new project for the shop...

and staring at my new set of patterns (thanks Sandi!!)...

and if you ordered some, I'll be helping get them out to you this weekend.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!