A New Year....

Well, it's New Years Day. Sure doesn't feel any different. Turned the page on the calendar before going to bed last night. Took down the Christmas Decorations while watching lame NYE music video shows on time delay..... woke up late to sounds of "mooooom, were hungry!". Did anything change? I don't think so.
So, everyone is supposed to make at least one New Years resolution, right? I think this year I'm going to resolve not to make a resolution. How's that grab ya universe??? Huh? I mean, who is actually keeping us accountable to what we say anyways? Ourselves? I can convince myself not to care pretty easily....

I thought of all the things I WISH I could achieve this year.... but I know myself well enough to know right now it ain't gonna happen, so why bother? But, in case you are looking for inspiration on your own resolution, here is my list of things I would resolve to do if I knew for certain they would be accomplished and with little to no extra effort by me:
~not to yell at my kids. ever. (for those of you that have not had the, er, pleasure of meeting me or my kids, this would require the surgical removal of my voicebox)
~to cook a gourmet, healthy, allergy free, kid appealing meal and have it on the dinner table by 5pm 7 days a week. (this would require a small army of personal chefs and a much larger kitchen)
~not to worry about the surgery the Bug is going through for the next 3-6 months. ya. right. I AM a parent afterall.
~to be a better friend. I might actually try to work on that one....
~to watch TV less and sew more
~to get my Snugs website up and running and actually try to prosper at a home business.
~to spend some time ALONE with my HUSBAND.... this would be easier done if we had family or friends to help us, but we are fairly limited in our options =(
~not to complain about the weather or our house. both make me miserable but can't be changed reasonably.
~RELY on GOD MORE and figure things out for MYSELF LESS.

I'm sure that list could be longer, but I've got kids to chase and a house to clean and laundry to do and....
Have good 2011 everyone, whatever it brings. Don't let fear stop you.... you'll regret it later =)

And So It Begins

When our first born arrived on earth (not so cooperatively) she looked a bit... different than we were expecting. She had a large birthmark covering her entire back and a bunch of 'spots' everywhere else. We loved her just the way God made her and thanked Him for her. When faced with the option that many Nevus families take to have surgery for removal of giant birthmarks we thought, God made her this way, we will leave her that way unless something goes wrong and if she wants to remove it when she's old enough to decide to, we will support that too. At 6 months old a little lump appeared in her giant Nevus. It was biopsied, found to be benign and left alone until it grew too big to hide and was removed at 15 months old. That was 5 years ago. She has been fine and has made friends with her rare condition. 3 months ago she came home from school with a blood soaked shirt. Her skin had just ripped on it's own after she bumped gently into a doorway. No biggie, got it checked by the ped. derm. and went on with life. Last week it happened again. She fell off something in gym and another tear, more blood. When we had our regular derm. checkup she found a spot that concerned her.... probably scar tissue from the first injury but also looks a bit like Melanoma so a biopsy was ordered. Met with the plastic surgeon today to discuss the biopsy. We also discussed placing a skin expander in the front of the left shoulder, of which the back of is the area tearing. The surgeon agreed to do the biopsy and place the expander. So the family that said it would never get on the expander and removal train appears to be on it now. And the Bug is not the least bit scared! She is excited that it will mean taking away the area that keeps bleeding. It will be a long process. it may at times be a painful process. She may have moments that scare her. And there is the risk of things going wrong. It may get infected. It may rip through her skin causing a big mess and stopping the process. It may go perfectly smoothly and result in better than expected results. Our prayers are for her best interest and a smooth process. And we are so thankful to our friends that feel like family over at www.nevus.org that we can turn to for support during the whole process.

Boys will be boys...

I am getting used to the fact that The Boy who is 19 months old has a constant bruise SOMEWHERE on his body. Usually the face but not always. Tonight is the first time he has split his forehead open though.... blood, yes, purple bruise surrounding said gash, instant, screaming, loud. And 'tis the season for family photos, won't that little piece of white medical tape holding his skin together look festive! Sigh. At least I was home for this one to fix it properly using all the medical supplies left over form the surgeries and Nevus related injuries The Bug has had. Last time a forehead was split open I had to hear it happen on the phone when I was a 4 hour flight way :-(
Life goes on, but this being a Mommy stuff is sometimes so heart wrenching it hurts.

ReArranging

We decided to move Daddy's office out of the main floor den and turn that room into a playroom for the kids. It has been a lot of work and is still in progress but I hope it will help. Gives them somewhere to be that is not to far away (like the basement was) but can stay contained. We are more frustrated with the poor layout of this house every day. Also still waiting to hear back from the prospective employer that talked with the Hubby two weeks ago.... wish they would tell us something... silence is deafening! Feel like the kids and the house have way more control over every day of my life than I do which is depressing. Sigh. I guess this is what I signed up for when I became a mom.... The Boy is sick too, so no Gymboree tomorrow which I think I will miss more than him! And it is just so hard to see your kids sick! Now the Bug and me both have sore throats 'starting' and I really don't want to be sick right now! On a positive note, since the craft room was one of those rearranged, I managed to complete 3 little projects that have been sitting in the drawer today! So many more to do, but it felt good to have a start. Will try to work on more things tomorrow, finding starting with the little jobs (repairs mostly) encouraging but also can't wait to complete a big project and show it off =)

Music for the soul

The radio seems to know what I need to hear lately... in the last month or so all these songs have really touched me, said what I needed to say when I didn't even know I needed to say it.

Dancing In The Minefields
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmWc4BZ8e-U
Faith is Living
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1d6ejJ1ULQ
God Gave Me You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI2JJ1OCz8U
Here Goes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S97O9395rgc
Lead Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAKBXBXz1fo

Maybe one will lift your spirits or say what you need to, too =)
Have a wonderful day!

Overwhelmed

I feel like I have so many things I want to accomplish, and so many things that need doing!
This week we are starting a Life Group which is a small study group of couples who want to build their marriages while building relationships with other couples.
I have a big order of Snugs items for Made By Moms to get made and shipped, a private order form a neighbor who saw my stuff at a yard sale, the craft room to finish organizing in order to make the orders easier to fill. I've also been asked to blog about dealing with food allergies for Made By Moms website. And of course, looking to set up a Snugs website still. Phew!
My girls are busy this week too.... The Bug (oldest) had a Sparks thing the whole family had to go to tonight, and she has Thursday and Friday off school this week, The Goob and The Bug both have the dentist tomorrow and the life group starts tomorrow and the Goob has Gymnastics on Thursday. Poor baby boy gets dragged everywhere!
I know most of this stuff is weekly but somehow this week I feel like there is more to do than there is week to do it in.... but, you eat an elephant one bite at a time so here we go >>>>>>

Back on Track

Pretty sure no one reads this, but here I am. I figure with all I'm trying to figure out with My oldest daughter's GCN and food allergies, the little one doing an elimination diet and looking wheat allergic or gluten intolerant at this point and the one in the middle looking at speech therapy I have stuff to get off my chest. And then there is trying to really root a WAHM business.
If anyone ever needs a baby gift, please let me know... I craft lovely cuddly fleece things perfect for the whole family to snuggle.
The to-do list is LOOOONG this week. And the little sewing projects that are in the Que still sit due to the disorganized craft room. But I'm working on it. And it WILL get done. And everyone will get what they ordered. I promise. So many of the things are for my kids and I hate making them wait, but paying customers have to come first.... it's hard, but I WANT to do this. AND to succeed.
I guess this is it for now..... see you next time!