Vegetarian

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I am going back to eating a completely plant based diet.  I am so excited!  I can’t wait to hit the farmer’s market down the road.  This time Wandering Aengus said he was willing to give it a trial run with me.  So I have one week of it to try to convince him that he won’t feel like he is eating only side dishes.  But whether he sticks it out or not, I will be.  I just feel so much better, healthier, more energy, and less stomach issues when I eat this way and with our financial situation since we moved, there is no reason for me to avoid cooking two meals every day if that is what it takes.  I would love to hear any ideas you may have to help me out, any family favorites would be wonderful!

Laundry Room Etiquette

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

What do you do when you are in the laundry room ready to put your clothes in the dryer and someone else has their clothes left in there, probably all night.  I took them out lay them on top of the dryer and put mine in, but then I have visions of going into the laundry room of our apartment building and being met with some crazy angry lady who is screaming at me waving a laundry basket and a roll of quarters in my face.  There were other dryers, but this is the good one and I have been the only one in the laundry room all morning, the clothes were ice cold, so I really feel this stuff was left there all night to reserve the dryer for today.  What would you do?

Baby Thoughts.

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

When I was pregnant with my two younger girls, it was after I had a lost a baby.  I was scared.  I had troubles connecting the fact that the wonderful feelings of movement inside me were of an actual baby, instead it was like little promises of a baby still to come.  But this time around, it is all more real.  I am less scared.  And every time this little guy kicks (which is hard and a lot) I can picture him in my head.  I see my little boy in there moving and kicking and he is REAL to me.  (even if by some strange turn of events HE turned into a SHE, it wouldn’t matter).  I am holding my baby inside of me and when he kicks it is like he is talking to me.  It is hard to explain but it truly is different.  I am feeling my baby now instead of the promise of a baby to come in a few months.

Still

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I am still barely functioning with this headache.  It is truly beginning to get the best of me.  My biggest fear is that they will continue after the baby is born.  I want to enjoy my little boy.  I want to be completely in the moment, not struggling to function through a haze of pain.

OUCH!

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

Quiet day today.  I have BOOMING headache.  I woke up not feeling well but I did manage to get a few things done before the pain in my  head got overwhelming.  I did manage to make bread, tidy up, clean the floor, unpack a few boxes , do some laundry and make supper.  But by that point the pain in my head knocked me off my feet.  So, there is not much left in me for blogging today.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Happy Birthday to my 10 year old Girl

Today my Lilly hit the double digits. It is hard to believe that 10 years ago today I became a mom. She is such a great kid, so helpful with her sisters, so loving and such a fun person to be around. The Autism doesn’t really come in to play at all most of the time since we brought her home to homeschool, and truth be told, if she was in school all day, I would miss her.

Making steps.

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I am in the process of trying to get in contact with the local homeschoolers. I am really looking forward to having some contacts here in town. My full participation may be a bit light until after the baby is born, but at least I will be here and be meeting a few other mothers who homeschool.

Leftover Rice Pudding

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I had leftover rice in the fridge and I thought it would be nice to come up with some kind of rice pudding for breakfast for the girls.  So I kind of winged it a bit and here is what I came up with:

Leftover Rice Pudding

Measurements are Approximate:
4 cups of rice
2 cups of milk (soy milk, almond milk, or other milks would work here as well)
2 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp brown sugar
cinnamon to taste
raisins and dried cranberries
2 eggs

I cooked it on the stove until it got thick and lovely and then put it in the fridge to cool just a little for the girls to enjoy. I put a little syrup on it for them before serving and it was a really yummy!

Little Miss Grouchy-Pants

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I have been put on medication for my Gestational diabetes.  This medication is making me GROUCHY!  It does other stuff too, like make me really really really tired, both my stomach and give me headaches.  But the worst part is my lack of patience.  I feel bad for my girls.  They don’t deserve for me to be so short on patience with them.  I try to fight it and put on a happy face, but sometimes, I know I am not patient as I usually am.  I honestly hope that I just get put back on insulin again like my previous pregnancies instead of this darned old medication making me and my whole family miserable.

Quite a Boon!

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I love poking through used book stores.  I love looking for old books or learning books to add to the girls homeschool collection.  Well, today I hit a boon.  I was wandering around looking at books and I couldn’t see a price, so I picked out three that I liked and went up to pay for them.  When I got there the cashier says, “You know I still have to charge you a dollar even if you got three instead of ten, right?”  In my head I was thinking, “What! What! What! They are only 10 for a $1! wow!”  Out loud I just said, “Hold on, I will pick out some more.” So I picked out 7 more books and came home.  Lilly has been curled up reading them ever since and Wandering Aengus is right there beside her reading some of them too!  I love how much she loves educational books, she learns so much and I all I have to do is have them available to her.

Pancakes

I made pancakes for breakfast this morning.  It was a simple recipe that the girls like.  I like that it is easy to keep the ingredients on hand.  I sprinkled a little icing sugar and some syrup on top and the pancakes were a HUGE hit!
 
Pancakes
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups water
cinnamon to taste
1 tablespoon oil

Directions
Sift the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the water and oil together in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet. Stir just until blended; mixture will be lumpy.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Last night I made a simple macaroni and cheese from scratch to which I added ground beef seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder, cayenne, and a little hot pepper sauce.  It was extremely popular with everyone, even Rose had seconds and wanted THIRDS!!!

Back to homeschool

We had a wonderful start to our day. I included Rose in our schooling and she loved it. We did our morning songs, sang the alphabet and then Rose learned about the letter A, coloring pictures and talking about the letter A. Lilly learned about light refraction and reflection, medieval foods, prepositions and 3 digit subtraction. Even Lotus sat at the table and colored on paper quietly.
For our special day, I made the following recipe, except I added some raisins and some dried cranberries to add a little something special!

Oatmeal Pancakes
Ingredients
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup oatmeal (quick oats)
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 – 1 cup water
oil for frying

Steps
Mix the dry ingredients together. Heat up the oil on a fry pan over med heat. Add the water to the dry ingredients and beat well. Pour the oatmeal pancake mixture into the fry pan. Fry for a couple of mins until bubbles are forming on the pancake. Flip it, cook another couple of minutes. Enjoy!

Funny note: Lilly said to me, “Mommy, I thought you said that it would suck here for the first few weeks we were here before it got better.” I guess I over-prepared her for being broke first after our move. I answered, “I meant that we wouldn’t have any money to go anywhere or do anything for a while.” She replied, “Well, yeah but it has been great here.” Glad to know it.

So Happy

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I found a lot of our homeschooling  supplies.  I am so glad.  I even have ink cartridges too, so we will be starting back at homeschooling tomorrow.  I think I will even print off some coloring pages for Rose so that she can sit at the table with us and feel involved.

Being Nice Makes a Difference

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

It pays to be nice to your neighbours.  Twice in the last couple of days being nice to our neighbours made all the difference in the world to our day.  Firstly, I made nice conversation with someone in the laundry room.  It turns out she lives across the hall from me and showed me a washer and dryer that will do my laundry for 1/3 of the regular price!!!  She went out of her way to go down and show me which ones to use!

Now I don’t know if I have mentioned but I live on the third floor.  The THIRD FLOOR with a 2-year-old, a 3-year-old, a nine-year-old and a baby on the way.  I try to keep them quiet, but I know they are used to a house and they run across the floor rather loudly sometimes.  Yesterday when they were playing quiet loudly, I heard a THUMP THUMP THUMP from downstairs.  I felt awful.  Wandering Aengus and I discussed it.  We worried whether we would be able to keep the kids quiet enough on this floor.  We worried whether this apartment would work out for us and I won’t lie, I DON’T WANT TO MOVE AGAIN!  So I decided that we would make nice with the neighbour.  I sent Aengus down to talk to her, to explain our situation, to apologize, to tell them we would do our best to try to keep it down and to find out if there was a particular time of day when it bothered them the most so that I could try to especially hard to keep the kids quiet that time of day. Well, he went down and she was really nice!!!  She said that yesterday a picture had fallen off the wall and she was hammering in a nail NOT knocking on the ceiling at us.  She said that she could hear us, but she could also hear our neighbours on both sides too.  She said she understood about kids and that it only bothered her early in the mornings.  She appreciated us coming down.  Being nice made a difference.  So, I don’t have to stress about it, I will do my best, I WILL NOT move, and I will keep them quiet in the mornings.  I feel so much better now.

On a side note, three-year-old Rose is learning to walk quietly.  She looks so cute when she is concentrating on walking nicely, kind of like she is walking on bubble wrap.  LOL
I also have to admit that I don’t get irritated at all when I hear other people’s music, televisions, children, conversations, etc in the building.  I just feel better that I am not the only one whose sounds carry outside the apartment.

A Few Pics

Here are some pics from out trip. At our first big bus stop on the way, we got out and let the kids play in the playyard. They had a grand time and by the time we left, the static had all their hair standing on end. I got some pics of them all sleeping on the ferry as well, including Lilly sleeping with her head hanging between her knees.

Good things

One thing that I am happy about is that since we have been here, I have been concentrating on cooking more real food.  I have made bread every day for the last couple of days.  I am  making oatmeal or eggs or some other good breakfast every day and I am making a chicken pot pie from scratch for supper.  Before we moved, we were so rushed I felt like there were too many convenience junk foods in our house. But I have been doing so much better since we got here.

Here is my list of new curriculum choices:

- (Language) Progressive Phonics (advanced level) – http://www.progressivephonics.com/~suzettew/
- (Language) – Scott Foreman’s Grammar and Writing Handbook – http://www.sfreading.com/resources/ghb.html
- (Math) – BMO Smartsteps for Parents Canadian Money – http://community.bmo.com/smartstepsforparents/zone
- (Math) – Life of Fred – http://lifeoffredmath.com/lof2.php
- (Canadian Geography) – Canada, My Country – http://www.canadianhomeeducation.com/products/34805-canada-my-country.aspx
- (Canadian History) – Canada’s Natives Long Ago – http://www.canadianhomeeducation.com/products/34806-canadas-natives-long-ago.aspx
- (Canadian History) – Courage and Conquest – http://www.canadianhomeeducation.com/products/34804-courage-and-conquest-revised.aspx
- (Science) – Classic Science:  Elementary Life Science – http://www.eequalsmcq.com/ClassicScienceLife.htm
- (Science) – Jason Curriculum – http://www.jason.org/public/whatis/curr.aspx

And I will add in some extras to break it up from the following:
- Unit Studies – Grade five and Six – Free – http://www.mce.k12tn.net/units/units.htm
- Extra Free worksheets – http://www.theheadoftheclass.com/Activities/ActivityFilter.aspx?filterBy=GradeLevel
So while I am a little stressed about having everything ready for the baby when he arrives, there are things I feel like I am doing okay with.

Homeschooling and other updates

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

The bread I made yesterday was okay, but it was a little heavy.  I am going to play with it some more to get it right.  I would love any recipes that you may have for me to try.

There are so many things that I am anxious to get at.  These things play on my mind and I feel like I am so behind on them all.

In regards to homeschooling, I am anxious to get back to it.  I don’t want to wait to get things unpacked.  We were supposed to get ink today so I that I could print off some things from the computer for us to work on, but the person I requested it from forgot it.

I have at least one book that I am looking to get from the library.  I would love to hear any websites and printables and unit studies that you enjoyed for Grade Four.

I am anxious as well to get started on preschool homeschooling 3-year-old Rose.  She is so smart and knows so much already I know she will enjoy the process and being involved.

I want to get a couch or arm chairs or a love seat or something to replace the couch that was ruined in our move.  I am tired of having no furniture in the living room.

And last of all, I am anxious to get the rest of the boxes unpacked and to get baby Reed’s room ready.  He is coming in April and I need to be ready for him.

Bread recipe

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I am making bread in my bread machine tonight.  I am trying a new basic recipe.  Here is the one I am trying (I do have to split it in half to fit my machine.:

Basic White Bread
Ingredients:
1-1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Preparation:
Place ingredients in bread pan in order listed or according to manufacturer’s directions. When adding the yeast last, make a small well with your finger to place the yeast. This will insure the proper timing of the yeast reaction. Use basic (standard), rapid, timed cycles or according to manufacturer’s directions. Makes a 2 pound loaf.

Homeschooling thoughts

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I have been concentrating a lot on the unpacking and organizing of our place but lately my thoughts have been turning to homeschooling.  I realized that I didn’t enjoy the direction we had gone and while I like the idea of a curriculum in a box to make sure I get everything I need to, I really don’t think it suits either of us.  I enjoy the flexibility of planning our days.  I like doing themes for fun sometimes.  I like to do research and plan for her day and she enjoys the things I come up with.  So, I have a list of topics she is supposed to learn and I am going to cover that.  Next year, I will probably bring in Life of Fred for math and some other books to supplement but I like the eclectic approach much better than the year in a box approach.  So as soon as I get some ink for our printer, that is the direction we will be going.  Actually we may even make a trip to the library to get us started sooner.

I was reading and I saw the following on a blog I recently discovered which inspired me to think about living math and how to include more in Lilly’s day.

This year I want to focus more on living math.  We will do a calendar every day where he can write the day of the month, weather, temperature (inside and out) etc.  We are getting analog clocks and him a watch since he is currently building clocks out of every pencil, popsicle stick and straw he can find and asking me what time it makes.  Also, we will build the clock the way Math U See teaches – which is pretty cool.  I want to get more measuring devices for him to play with – rulers, yard stick, a balance, stop watch and such to allow for free play.  And a calculator for him to play around with and perhaps aid in grocery shopping.

Benefit

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

One of the things I love about the girls all sharing a room is how close they become.  Instead of fighting, I find them playing together. I wake up in the morning to sounds of them rattling through their toybox together playing and enjoying each other.  I love to sit with my early morning coffee and listen to the sounds of the girls waking up and playing in their room before they decide they are starving and need their “brektest” right now!

The Apartment

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I will admit that this apartment wasn’t all I had hoped it would be when I got here.  There were quite a few repairs that needed to be done.  I walked into the kitchen and it HAD NO FAUCET!!!  There no fuses, the bathroom HAD NO DOOR!!! and most of the doors had no knobs, to name a few of the problems.  Well, we were here, our stuff was in the rooms and so we made a list of all the repairs and brought it to the super.  Surprisingly, within 24 hours all of the repairs were done.  Well, I think we are still waiting on the arrival of one doorknob and a light fixture is being repaired, but other than that, the place is all fixed.  As quick as that.  The place is MUCH bigger than our old place.  The closets are bigger, the rooms are bigger, there is a storage room and a walk-in linen closet.  There is so much potential in this place and I am free to fix it how I want to.  You take your chances when you rent a place from 1400 miles away so that you can’t actually see it.  So rather than focus on the negatives, I focused on the positives.  They are quick to make repairs, the apartment is huge and I really like the location.  I think that if you come back a fe months from now, you would be shocked to see just how fabulous this place is going to be.  (If you get over the fact that you have to lug your groceries up THREE flights of stairs. LOL)

On a sidenote, poor little 3 year old Rose keeps asking when we are going home.  She likes the largeness of the new place, but she just doesn’t feel like this is her home yet.

Sweetness

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed
There was a sweet moment today when Wandering Aengus picked up his guitar and started playing it in the living room.  For a little while all the girls were dancing in their own unique ways to the music.  Lilly danced pretending to be on a horse, Rose declared it cowboy music and did a dance where she galloped, and Lotus stood in the middle and swayed quietly.  It was lovely.

Digging ourselves out of the boxes

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

Well, we have been working hard to dig through stuff and pull the place together.  The kids are adjusting well to the new place and I am liking the extra space.  I still have so much to unpack but it is good to be getting things done as much as I have done so far.  I will have pics soon, I promise.

I am surprised at how easily the girls have adjusted to all sharing a room together.  They seem to enjoy it which is so nice.

Arrived

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

We are here, finally.  I am so glad to be back in town.  It was an adventurous move and I am glad it is over.  Right now we are hip deep in boxes trying to get organized.  I will update more later.

Last Day in Town

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

So today was my last day in town.  It was a crazy busy day and I am leaving early  in the morning.  It will probably be a week before I can update again.  I am a little worried about leaving Wandering Aengus to deal with the movers alone, but that is how this has to go.  Wish us LUCK!  I will see you again on the other side of this whole fiasco.

So Soon Now

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

Wow, almost time to go. I put my camera in my purse so I can try to remember to take pics while I am on my way.  Tomorrow is my last day in town and then I will be away from the computer about a week I think.  I am busy running around doing last minute stuff.  I am tired and my budget is stretched far beyond what I thought it would be, but I am getting a little excited to be on our way.  We have wanted this move for SO LONG, I am a little stunned that it is finally arriving.

Appointment.

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I saw my OB here in town for the last time today.  I have a new OB for after I move.  She is really close to my place too so that is nice.  Honestly though, I am more than a little sad that this OB won’t be delivering my baby.  I really like him and I even really really like his receptionist.  His office had a wonderful atmosphere where the patients visited together while waiting for the doctor.  Like today, he was late because he was delivering a baby and we all sat around waiting and chatting.  One husband even brought back coffee for some of us.  It is a nice place.  I hope my OB is at least a comfortable place to be.  I looked her up on a website that reviews Doctors and she seems to be popular so I guess I will just have to keep my fingers crossed.

mover

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

Well, my mover called AGAIN.  He had a death in his family and our move has been postponed two days.  It really isn’t so bad.  I get a couple of more days to finish the last few things around the house.  I would just like to get this done and be on the other end of it all.  Every day my belly gets more and more sore.  I have things to do and it is hard on a 40 year old who is six months pregnant to be doing this stuff now.  I am tired and will be glad when it is over.  The good thing is, I only have a few odds and ends left.  I will get a little break on the way, as we are stopping over at my in-laws for a rest along the way, so while it seems endless, the end is actually in site.

Preparations

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I got a lot accomplished today.  But I feeling very pregnant and sore tonight.  I wish I had more energy and didn’t feel quite so broken tonight.  The good thing is that I am feeling confident that if I work my butt off for the next two days, I can have everything done that needs to be done.  The movers will be here in three days, I will leave for my in-laws that morning.  We will stay there for a day or two until the movers are ready to deliver our stuff, then we will make the trip across the water to our new home.  I am feeling more or less organized and about as ready as I can be.  I will just be glad when this is all over.

On a side note, I love to feel how active Reed is, the more he moves, the more real this little baby is.  The more I love him and the more I look forward to holding him, loving him, and seeing him interact with our girls.

Good Start to the New Year

For about 6 months, I posted on another blog.  This a post that was copied from that blog.  I used different names for the family.  Just so you know the names were as follows:

Prince Charming - Wandering Aengus
Princess Belle - Lilly
Princess Magpie - Rose
Princess Snifflefritz - Lotus
Little Prince - Reed

I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year and started the year off on a happy note.  I started mine off sleeping.  LOL.  That’s what a party animal this pregnant lady has become.  But I did get a lot of packing done today.  I am feeling a lot better about things.  I am feeling pretty confident that we will get everything done.

Wandering Aengus stayed up to welcome in the 2012.  At Midnight, when all the fireworks was going off, he peeked in at the girls to see if they were awake.  Nine year old Lilly was sound asleep, but 3 year old Rose was awake in her bed, so he tiptoed in and took her to the window to see the fireworks.  And as they stood there together, she kept exclaiming over the “butiful stars!”  It was very sweet.

I have been thinking about my goals for the year to come.  I know I will probably think of more but here are some things I would like to work on for this year:

• concentrate on being healthy and losing weight after the baby is born.
• get more creative in Lilly’s homeschooling.  She loves the creative things the best.
• include field trips for the girls.  They are such learning experiences and the girls love them.
• start some preschool with Rose.  She is such a smart little one, and she already tries and succeeds in learning so much.
• get Rose completely potty trained, but don’t stress over it.  She is three but I know that she isn’t comfortable on the potty, so I need to work on this.  (I want this one done before Reed is born)
• try to include the girls in Reed’s life when he is born so that they feel included.  I know that Rose is already sensitive and sometimes needs extra loving, and it is possible that Lotus will feel this way when she is no longer the youngest, so I want to be aware of this.
• Concentrate on making sure that my girls are getting more healthy foods in their diet, including healthier snacks and lunches.
• Get more natural foods from farmers and making more of my own stuff like bread.
• Get everything unpacked as soon as possible after we arrive so that we can be settled before the end of this pregnancy.
• Make sure Wandering Aengus knows how much I appreciate him and the way he is always there for me.