Planning another party

Yes, March is Carleigh's month she declares! We are planning a "Tangled" theme for our princess Carleigh's 6th birthday party! We saw the movie today and it was ADORABLE! Even Cody and Matt actually liked the movie! I highly recommend it! Our birthday girl can hardly wait for two weeks when her party and birthday arrives!

It's cute because she has given us numerous ideas so her presents will be easy. Gotta love an easy birthday!

Children's Museum with the Kindergarteners

I was in charge of these ADORABLE kiddos about a week ago! We had so much fun and it was my first time there! I have been to Union Terminal for many Imax films, natural history museum and many dates, but not to the Children's Museum. Carleigh loved it all! Her favorite area was the ball "cage" where balls are all over the place! I have been trying to post pics for awhile but Blogger does not like my pics for some reason!

Look closely....

Look very closely at the trees in the picture....what do you notice? Who do you suppose threw them up there? Any guesses?

Who would guess?

Who would guess that BOTH kiddos would break their glasses within a week of each other? Mr. Codeman broke his glasses a week ago and his spectacles are awaiting repairs. Miss Carleigh broke her glasses before arriving in the classroom this morning. And wouldn't you know it that she goes to the eye doctor tomorrow? I am so very thankful for vision insurance!!

After 24 hours....

our water line was fixed and our street had running water! I will never take having running water for granted! A few things I learned over the last 24 hours:

*It takes 3 gallons of water to fully flush a toilet

* Water heaters can hiss and whistle when water is not in it

*I would rather go without electricity than not having a working toilet

*I will not let laundry pile up

I was very thankful to my parents who let many of us use her shower and bathroom yesterday when we desperately needed a shower and toilet facilities. The kids and I were going to spend the night there if the water was not turned on.

I am so very glad that the ordeal is over!

As if we didn't have ENOUGH drama these days...

I get a phone call from my husband asking me if I knew what was going on near our next door neighbor's house. Of course I was shopping and had no clue. He tells us that water is shooting out of the ground like a geyser and is flooding our backyard and front yard. Some water seeped onto the carpet on our front screen porch. So, we raced back to see this spectacle. When we arrived, there was a policewoman blocking it with her car. Firetrucks, two different cities' utilities people were there because they were not sure which had jurisdiction. (We are on the border of two cities AND a township!)

From this picture taken by my brother-in-law Jerry, you can see quite a beautiful rainbow. Cody LOVED seeing the rainbow by the way! Rocks were thrown onto our neighbor's roof and several hit her garage window breaking the window. It is a REAL mess and has left a HUGE hole in her front yard near her mailbox. We looked at it and it looked like a well.

This is not the first time this has happened. About 8 or 9 years ago, we had another geyser like this, but it happened in the middle of the road near the same house. I must say it was quite exciting to see all the emergency personnel on our quiet street and it was cool that we could see this sight from the hill of Tuley. However, I am not liking the lack of water we have right now. I feel like I am "camping." No baths for the kiddos tonight and having to put water in the toilet to flush is NOT fun. I am praying they come back tomorrow to fix this problem. I can deal without a shower, but I need a toilet!!!

Remembering my loss

I rcally debated over posting what I am getting ready to share, but as I have realized, I have lost something very special. This is something I want to post for healing purposes as well. I also want to make others aware that they do not need to suffer in silence.

With that said, last week, I was told that I was pregnant. Yep, PREGNANT. To those of you do not know me well, this has NEVER happened! I had been facing a health issue and called my specialist who ordered bloodwork and wanted to throw in a pregnancy test (I laughed of course). I went to her office after school and had the bloodwork done.

On Wednesday, I received a cell phone call in the middle of math class (nice). It was the nurse who told me that I was in fact pregnant. I was totally shocked. After numerous, extensive fertility treatments over the course of 8 years, I was fairly certain that I would never get pregnant.

Then, she told me that my HcG was only an 8 and due to my health "issue," I was probably miscarrying. The doctor ordered another test to be done at the same time on Thursday. Fast forward to Friday around noon, I got the final call that my HcG was 0. So, yes, I had miscarried. It was very hard to say the least. I had an awful Friday night and Saturday morning. But, through God's grace and only through His strength, I am starting to become human again.

Miscarriage is really an awful, painful, and very emotional experience. Then throw in infertility, and you have a HUGE painful experience. Every experience that I have faced in this life, I have learned that I have become more sensitive to others who have faced the same thing. Most women do not share their miscarriages, however, I don't think women should have to suffer in silence. I am very thankful for my sweet friends who have supported me over the past week with hugs, prayer and "talks."

I know that God had a reason for this. Even though it has caused me intense pain, I also have been given the gift of HOPE.

Trips to the Dentist

Do you have a place that you absolutely DREAD taking your kids or yourself to? Well, the dentist is the place I absolutely DREAD taking my kids! I am so very glad that we have to do this only twice a year! It takes my my mom and I to tag team dental visits. First of all, Cody absolutely HATES anyone getting near his mouth (It's like wrestling an alligator to get meds in!) so he gets very scared and panicky when the nice hygienist wants to clean his teeth. I usually have to hold him in a death grip so the dentist and look at his pearly whites. Thanks goodness his teeth are usually healthy (other than his "Bugs Bunny" front teeth....poor guy)!

Carleigh does a good job usually. She doesn't like to listen to her hygienist. (Really?!!) And she has a tooth that is "under watch" that might be a cavity. So, we are so hoping today that it is not!

So, yes, one of the worst appointments of the year is happening today and I would rather do it myself instead of them!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Requesting Prayer

Without going through all the specifics, I am requesting prayer for myself. This week I was dealt with an amazing miracle and then a couple of days later, it all came crashing down. Physically and mentally, I am very drained and heartbroken. Please keep my family and I in your prayers.

This takes the "chocolate!"

I have had a lot of things on my mind this week and thought it would be a good idea to put Carleigh's valentines in her bag a day before she needed to bring them in. WRONG IDEA! Why you say?? Well, as I was looking through her backpack today, I discovered valentines and chocolate wrappers! I had taped a heart shaped chocolate on each of her 19 valentines for her classmates. She ate them on the bus or ate them at the babysitter's house!

How can anyone at 19 peanut butter hearts? Ewwww....ick! So one would think she would have a bellyache or not be hungry for dinner? NOPE! She ate most of her dinner. Whoa!!! No doubt she will be on a sugar high for the rest of the evening ( how nice for mommy)!!!

This takes the cake or should I say "chocolate." This girl will do about anything that comes into her mind. And yes, that is very scary to say the least!

We are rooting for....

Tonight, we are watching the Super Bowl with our friends, which has been a tradition
for many years now. Our hometown team is obviously not in it so we are rooting for Green Bay. I am very anti-Steelers so we would root for any team that would face them. (Shhhh...don't tell my student whose dad played for the Steelers!)

Take me out to the ballgame.....

My family and I journeyed IN THE SNOW to register our kiddos for baseball. Carleigh is so excited to be playing this year! The volunteers and coaches are so very friendly and do a great job with the league. Several boys recognized Cody as an Angel player. Hopefully they will be on the Angels team, if not, we are sure that they will be on the same team! I cannot wait for May to get here so I can be a baseball mom once a again!

Ice Day!

We had another day off school today! I have made the most of the situation by cleaning, doing laundry, and playing with my kiddos. It was nice to have this day off because this month is FILLED with events, appointments, field trip, and about everything possible.

I am also very appreciative about having power. Power outages have been happening and after the Windstorm a couple of years ago when we did not have power for 4 days, I am always fearful of losing power. Those days off school due to no power were challenging.....figuring out meals, cold baths, and lack of entertainment in the evenings and of course having the strangest birthday dinner thrown in the middle of it. Ahhh....old memories that I hope will never happen again!