in the last two months (or so)...

-We've listed our house in Nebraska, and had an offer within a week. We're praying it closes with no problems early next month.

-We been enjoying watching the momma deer and her two babies eat and play around in the yard.

-We traveled back to Nebraska to pick up the rest of our tools, and almost had a breakdown with the trailer. Luckily, I have a good man who knows what to look for, and how to fix the problem with minimal tools.

-The kids did really well during the repair. They had a little picnic snack of Chester's Puffcorn
and pretzels in the parking lot of Tractor Supply. #dontjudge

-We lost all 5 of our chickens to raccoons one weekend while we were away. This semi-country life is rough.

-We have 4 new chickens, and an improved, (hopefully) secure coop. The new girls should start laying in a month or two.

-I've been slowly purchasing Christmas gifts for this year. Little items, like signed books from the author from an adoption auction, a clearance board game, etc.

-We lost another cat for 3 days. The large one that never goes outside. Where in the world did she go for 3 days? Now, she wants outside every time we open a door. Crazy cat!

-A certain little boy must have been playing with my sewing machine, because I'm missing a screw to the pressure foot. I didn't realize I was missing the screw, and found one on the playroom floor and just threw it in the trash a week ago. Yes, I often find random screws in the house from this certain little boy who carries them in his pockets. Sigh....

We have a weekend of more organizing, and a possible trip to the water park before it gets too cold to go.

Happy weekend friends,

Tonya

in the last week

In the last week:

-the kids hunted eggs. Only 10 each; we didn't go all out this year.

-Sophie was napping while the egg hunting took place. With church and dinner, we weren't able to get the egg hunting in before her nap. Next year she'll be out there with the big kids.

-Yes, some of the kids used their cleaning buckets for eggs. Somehow we were short on baskets.

-I did 10,000 loads of laundry.

-I filled nail holes in the floor.

-little sister hasn't been eating real well for me. She is one picky toddler this week. Monday she would eat chicken. Tuesday she would not. She won't eat ground beef at all. I think it must a combination of the texture and her open palate. **Elise spit the words right out of my mouth here: "I realize it's all a stage and this is a phase, but man, the feeding part stresses me out. What she will and won't eat, how much she will and won't eat, how bizarre it is that just yesterday she could not get enough of something she now despises...it drives me up a wall."

-Amy, the chicken, has been healing well since Joe had to cut off her comb from an injury. She's one tough bird!

-we have exactly 4 weeks until we move. Eek!!

-B has first communion next weekend.

-J's birthday is coming up also. I think she's picked out 2 of her 3 presents.

-I've went to bed every night this week later than 10:00 pm. I want to get back on the routine of getting up early again. It's a never-ending cycle though. I stay up late one night, then wake up later the next morning, and then the vicious cycle has begun.

-We had snow in April. Yesterday morning we woke up to a little snow on the ground. It snowed all morning until around noontime.

-Joe and I have another busy weekend of working on house projects. Oh joy.

Happy weekend friends,
tonya

in the last week

We managed to get 7 1/2" of snow Tuesday, and the school district cancelled school the next day. Now, that is a small miracle around here! Of course it didn't affect the bigs---Mom was a meanie and made them have school that day anyways. We have lots to catch up from not doing school while in China.

The kids didn't ask to go out in it once. Being the bad momma that I am, I also didn't mention it to them. Do you know how long it takes to get 4 kids bundled up to play in the snow? Too, too long. Then to have to deal with the mess of it afterwards. I just didn't want to deal with it that day. They were content staying inside, so I just let them be.

They did decide to play outdoors 2 days later when the snow was a melting mess. A win for me. I didn't have to mess with snow pants nor boots.

My plants don't seem to be doing well.  Joe says they know what's coming for them at the end of April. Haha....he's funny. Every time we move, I lose all my plants. I'm determined to have at least one alive, and thriving in the new house. More would be great, but they're not looking so hot.

Speaking of plants, I have the urge to buy more, but I'm waiting until we're settled again.

I managed to do about 5 loads of laundry. We won't talk about the pile that's still standing.

Owen still manages to make into our bed every night. We've also noticed he's been snoring, so it looks like we'll be making a visit to the ENT soon. We're guessing this is why he's waking up every evening and coming into our room.

I managed to start and finish reading two non-fiction books. Hmm....I'm thinking this could be a reason why I still have a laundry pile.

Happy weekend friends!!

in the last week

I picked up 8 library books to read this month; 7 non-fiction, 1 fiction.

I spilt some liquid on my computer keyboard, and now the spacebar gets stuck.

Little sister is starting to eat some food with more texture.

I did 10+ loads of dishes that was just from our normal meals. Now I see why some larger families use paper products.

Packed up a collection of rocks and a fish gill to move to the next house. Yes, Joe got the job. The company actually packs and moves us, but I like to pack up some things in preparation to clear out the house a little bit for the realtor and house showings.

We had a couple of days with a high of 68 degrees or higher in January!

The ladies blessed us with 38 eggs this week.

Happy weekend friends!!

in the last week

We ordered and received little sister's car seat.

5 of us had eye appointments this week. That was one long afternoon.

I blogged a total of two times, including this post.

I've stayed up way too late several nights trying to get stuff done on that never-ending to do list.

I've apologized to the kids more times than I can count this week.

I requested 4 books from the library this week. Why you ask? I don't know; I'm guessing I think I'll have lots of time to read in the car, plane, and train this month.

We've frozen our bums off in the early mornings and late evenings because we took out the old heater system in the first floor. Our replacement heater will be installed soon. (We still have heat in the upper level so if we get too cold, we just stay upstairs.)

I made an Elsa costume and 2 spooky ghost costumes at the very-last-minute.

My sewing machine decided to give me fits and say it was done at the very-last-minute.

Happy Halloween friends!!

in the last week

{Yes, I took this picture!!}

I packed baby bottles and size 2 diapers in the suitcase. Size 2!

We bought the two older kids their winter coats. On sale, of course.

I've thought about starting to sew Joci's Halloween costume.

We've taken R to speech therapy 3 times, and we have been using those 30 minute waiting times to do some schoolwork (mainly read alouds).

If stacked all together in a small 12" square, our dirty laundry would be taller than myself. #workingonthatthisweekend

Out of the mouth of babes this week: "Me have a wiener. Mommy have a wiener too?"

Joe applied for a position in Kansas with the same company. Thus, moving closer to family is expected to be in our future-sometime.

Rylan & Owen both have ended up in our bed at least 4 times. Rylan always says "I had a bad dream." When asked about it in the morning, he tells us it was about a bear.

Joe painted the garage with a little help from the kids. He also tore/cut out all the pipes to the old heater system, tore out a closet to access the crawl space under the house, and cut down the boards from the closet to build a new garden fence.  #hardworker #proudwife


Happy Friday friends!!

xoxo,
Tonya

in the last week

We booked our plane tickets to China! Now we just have to book our tickets for travel inside China (flying/train traveling from province to province).

Joe and I had a date day. It had been way too long since our last one. (Two or three months ago)

We had a very sick chicken. Tried nursing it back to health, but she didn't make it. Joci was one upset little girl.

Joci no longer eats chicken. This has been going on in the past month or so. Thus, her only meat-eating involves fish sticks and hot dogs occasionally.

Owen has been saying, "I wuv's you."

I've blogged four times in the past week. That's a miracle in itself.

We picked out paint color for the garage. Gray was the winner.

We, meaning Joe, pulled the air conditioners out of the house. I turned on the heater for those cold mornings and late evenings.

~This picture may look like nothing to everyone else, but it is one of my favorites. Joci loves talking to her chickens, and this is exactly what she was doing as she took a break from picking the last of the tomatoes before the frost.

Happy Friday friends!!

xoxo,
Tonya