Photo Catch Up

I take lots of pictures with my phone, but usually forget to upload them to my computer. (mostly because I hate using my droid with my mac. I want my iphone back.) 

Loving having a Papa!

Dean's parents gave Axel this Thomas the Train travel set for his birthday back in August. He loves it. He takes it out and very carefully spreads it out on the living room floor, then lines up all the trains just so. He puts the helicopter on the landing pad, then acts out all kinds of scenes. He does this most on Friday or Saturday nights when the little boys go to bed early and won't pester him. He plays with them for a coupe of hours, then when he is done he very carefully folds up the mat "just so", and puts all the pieces back in the box, exactly where they go. Then he puts it back in his hiding spot. I just took these pictures last night, and you can see how he's taken such good care of it all this time. He is like this with all his toy! 

The kids were playing in the sensory room with us watching on the camera. We couldn't find Asher in the room so we started panning. Asher found US! LOL

Abel's runner Laura sent him a gift. He loves it! 

Roman is always taking the small toys he can find around the house and dragging them into his kennel. Apparently this puppy was thirsty too. 

A bunch of busy elves on Christmas Eve.

Another girl outfit has found its way into the  house! I can't wait until J is here to wear it!

One day the little boys were being particularly rambunctious but I needed to make dinner so I brought the tunnel upstairs. Later when the went to bed it was folded up to be put away. Except Dudley discovered it and figured it must me for him.

Making complicated things easy

I have lots of little systems set up in the house to simplify things a bit when I'm not around and there are other caregivers here. Dean likes when I have things set up and easy for him, and we have PCA's (Personal Care Assistants) here periodically who need to be able to easily see what's going on. I try to make everything as visual as possible in case someone can't reach me if there is a question. Like, when I go out of the country to bring another Spring home!

One of the systems I have set up is for medication dispensing. Three of the kids take an assortment of medications and vitamins.

I know all the information, who gets what, and what dosages in my head. But for Dean, or other caregivers, opening this every morning can be a bit intimidating! (this is only 1/2 of the bottles!)

I have needed a way to dispense medications for a month at a time. When I went to Serbia to bring Axel home it was easy because Angela was the only kid here. With each trip to bring home a new child I have had to streamline things even more.

I've tried lots of different medication dispensers. First there was this one. The days click together so you can take just one day with your, or a full week, etc. (this is necessary for us.) But, noticed they are taped shut? Yeah they don't stay closed very well! Dispenser fail!

Here is a single dose dispenser. It works well enough, but 

they don't stack very well so they fall all over the place. 

This one stacks well enough, but you cannot
separate the days to take meds with you.

This has been my favorite. 

It is clear so I can easily see what meds

haven't been taken. 

Each day can be removed to take with you, or I can take an entire week and not have the individual cases falling out all over the place. 

It stacks well.

What I don't like is that the print the stickers rubs off after just a few weeks. When I first looked

the company didn't sell replacement stickers. Now I can't find this dispenser in stores anymore. Also, the sliding lids do need to be taped when I take individual days with me, otherwise they slide open, spilling pills everywhere. 

So, I'm looking to re-do my medication dispensing system. It needs to have the following features:

1) stacks easily without falling all over the place. This means it must be perfectly FLAT.
2) No rainbow colors. I need something that is solid color, but available in multiple colors. For example, I could have one set that is all green, one that is all blue, one that is all red, so each kid has their own color. Just clear is ok, because I can use nail polish or something to color code them.
3) the lids need to be secure so they can't accidentally open in my purse.
4) I need to be able to take a full week with me and the individual days  all stay together.

This is Snow

A couple weeks ago there was a day that both the little boys were home AND it was nice enough to play outside. (there hasn't been a warm enough day since!) 

Abel, I want to show you this stuff. 

This is "snow". See it? 

Here, hold out your hands.

Wait, there is more snow over here. 

This is better snow right here. Touch it Abel!

Here it comes!!

What the...Did you just throw that stuff at me?

This is weird stuff!

Want some more?

I'm gonna get you Asher!

Do this Abel! It's a snow angel.

There. I did it. Can we go in now? 

Mom. Really. I don't like this stuff. 

I give up. I refuse to like it. 

Its ok Abel. We'll try it again another day.

Just in case...

Since not all of my blog readers here are on my Facebook, and not all of you are subscribed to my other blog, I thought you might like to know we made an announcement on our other blog. 

Baby its cold outside!

We've had a great time but christmas break has come to an end. Or has it?  Axel started back to school on Thursday, the rest of the kids start tomorrow. Only there is a problem. It's so cold here that on Friday our state's Governor has ordered a statewide school closure for Monday, and left it to district discretion as to whether or not they will open on Tuesday.

On Friday I took the kids out of the house for the first time all week to stock up on some staples like milk, bread and chocolate. The entire population of our town was also at the grocery store and all their carts were full. It was like everyone was getting ready for the zombie apocalypse or something.

All weekend the temperatures have steadily dropped lower and lower. As I type it is -18 with a -30 wind chill. Check this out. There are so many negatives this image that they messed up the graphic!

Keeping the kids busy has been a challenge, that's for sure. Its one thing to get your kids coloring, or playing with legos, playdough or other busy things, but when your kids...my kids....aren't quite at that level yet, it can get interesting. 

One day I broke out the slime. Two of the kids were not thrilled. 

Another day Asher, Abel and I did a bunch of coloring. No pics because my hands were busy stopping the crayons and markers from flying across the room in protest.

We have watched Dad snow blow the driveway. (too cold for little boys to go out and play!)

and there has been lots of napping for everyone. 

We did lots of Just Dance 2014. 

Tonight, I was really desperate. I let Axel paint my nails. He thoroughly enjoyed this activity. Asher was quick to put his in place to be painted too. 

Now if we can just survive a few more days!!!!

Buff

Late last summer I listed my motorcycle and sidecar for sale. As much as we needed the cash, I secretly hoped nobody would be interested in my custom rig. As our finances improved I rationalized that I didn't need to sell this piece of myself that means so much to me. It's not just a motorcycle, its a chapter of my life. It was a step in my independence as a woman that had been huge for me. I let the ads for Nooner and Spank expire, feeling relieved they were here to stay awhile longer.

Now, months later, I am faced with the realization I need to release this part of my life for several reasons. I need to move on. Yesterday I re-listed them for sale on a couple of motorcycle and sidecar websites. Tonight I received a reply from someone local who is very interested and would like to come take a look.

I replied to the inquiry, then turned to Dean, "Someone wants to look at my bike."  I couldn't say anything more because suddenly a memory came flooding back to me.


When I was a little girl, about 8 years old, we had a Springer Spaniel named Jenny.

One day Jenny had a litter of puppies which were kept in a horse stall in our barn. Oh how I loved those puppies! Every day after school I would race to the barn to play with the puppies. There was one puppy who was my favorite. Her markings were slightly lighter than all the others. I adored her, and I knew she loved me. I carried her around with me all the time until my mom made me put her back. I named her Buff. My mom kept reminding me that eventually all the puppies would be sold. But Buff was mine. I loved her. She was mine.

Finally the day came when the puppies were old enough to leave the farm, so my parents ran an ad in the local paper. Every time a family arrived I would race ahead to the barn, let myself into the stall and sit quietly in the corner, holding Buff tightly in my lap. I avoided making eye contact with the visitors, making sure they couldn't get a look at my puppy.

This event was repeated several days in a row until eventually Buff was the only puppy left. Nobody came for her.

Buff followed me everywhere. In the mornings I would go to the bus stop and Buff would sit right next to me, waiting patiently with me until I got on the bus. She was such a good puppy! When I came home in the afternoon Buff would come racing to the bus stop as soon as she heard it coming. I could watch her running into the wind as fast as she could to get there before my feet touched the gravel driveway. She greeted me with puppy kisses, puppy breath and puppy wiggles. It was glorious! She was the first true companion I ever had and we were the best of friends.

One day, when Buff was about 14 weeks old, I got off the bus to an empty driveway. As the bus pulled away I called for her. "Buuuuuf!!! Buuuuf! C'mon girl!" Still, she didn't come. I was instantly worried, my internal alarms going off knowing something was wrong.

I ran past the house and straight to the barn, hoping maybe she was just locked in a stall and couldn't get to me. "Buff?" I called as I walked down the long isle of the barn. But the stall door was open, with no Buff inside.

I ran to the house, tears already streaming down my face in panic. Mom was sitting at the kitchen table and I knew before she said a word. "Where's Buff?" I cried?

"A new family came for her today. I told you we couldn't keep her Leah."

For weeks I cried about Buff. I felt betrayed. Oh how I missed Buff and I knew she was missing me.

Tomorrow someone is coming to look at my motorcycle. I guess I can't hide in the corner of the garage when I'm the one holding the key.

2014 Word for the Year

Welcome, 2014!

I've been waiting for you to get here. I've wanted to change some things in my life but didn't know where to start. Still, I knew that this year, 2014, was the year. I needed to get to a point in life where I was ready. And here we are!

release

That is it. That is my word for the year. I need to let go of some things. I need to let go of the opinions of others and do what is right for me, for us, for our family. I need to not be concerned with what people think of us, our children, our lifestyle, our choices. If Dean and I agree upon something, and feel it is where God wants us to go or what He wants us to do...well...then we need to do it. We need to let go and TRUST GOD!

Have you chosen a word for the year? Tell me about it!