Being sick while you are pregnant

This goes out to everyone. Does anyone have a good idea on how to take care of a nasty cold while you are pregnant? I'm sure there are some herbal somethings or another. Or just some weird thing that works that I don't know about. I'm sick and I'm tired of being sick. I have the Vicks tissues and I'm drinking lots of water and taking my vitamins. What am I missing?

HELP!

Christmas 08

Christmas Eve with new PJ's and cousin Parker





The tree and some bounty.

















My favorite picture of my kids and the least favorite when I was a teenager. But you have to have the waiting to go downstairs picture.

We had a great Christmas. Eldon got a LeCreuset pan. I got a Photography class and some UGG slippers, and the boys were covered in Thomas and Star Wars. It was a wonderful day and season. Jack finally gets it and Max is right in the middle of all the bliss.

What's up with us

So this week, Eldon is traveling. What does this mean? We had popcorn for dinner last night at Target. The boys and mom get more TV in, and I go to bed when the boys do. It's my favorite thing.

I am trying to get ready for the little baby girl coming our way. Eldon has grand plans for the nursery so I haven't done much there, but slowly I am accumulating things I think I may need. I have hit a few wonderful sales for her next winter wardrobe, but am going to wait until the spring collection goes on sale for 0-6 months.

Thoughts about having a girl. I have always been a tom boy. Anything feminine I do or have has been completely because of Eldon. My poor mom had to wait for my sister to live out all of her little girl dreams. It's just not in me. I would darn straight rather watch a war movie, ball game, or crime drama than a chick flick anytime. I hate dresses. I endure jewelry. I don't mind wearing it once it's on, it is just the shopping for it and remembering to wear it that is a problem. I try to not be emotional, but I can't get rid of all the female genes. So the thought of a little girl is a little frightening.

I am so excited don't get me wrong. I guess I just look at how close my mom and I are and I am really excited to have that with a daughter. I don't know how to do hair, so I don't want her to be a freak. I hate giggling and drama. I promise I won't be a pagent mom. I wouldn't even know where to look it up online to read about it. I used to light Barbies on fire, so I will have to get over that. I might have to admit that lightsabers aren't the only cool toy and possibly learn something about fairies, princesses, and stuff. Not nearly as cool as the whole Star Wars/Harry Potter movement, but I guess I will survive. So, with all that being said, I'm sure this is really good for me.

Eldon and I swear that Max and Jack got the absolute best things we have to offer genes wise and we just hope that there are a few left. We both have many undesirable traits in us and in our families that we hope get passed by again. So for the next few months, I will be processing all of this, but I'm sure once I hold her, I will be just fine with a girl.

Retrieving the Tree

Every year we go to the Cackler Farms in Delaware Ohio to
get our Christmas Tree. The reason why we continue to go
is because of the sled we pull the kids in. I have pictures every
year of this and you can really see how the kids have grown.
This was such a cold day. We didn't spend that much time
looking but we found our favorite tree. Jackson looks like
the little brother in "A Christmas Story". We were very
happy to get in the warm car and feel ourselves thaw out.

The Boy, Dog, and Insensitive Mom

Now when you look at this, you may say, look at how much this boy loves this dog. What amazing friends they must be. What a fulfilled life the two will have together. Then you learn that this is not his dog, it's a cousin's dog. This boy's mom has no intention of providing this type of relationship for him anytime soon. Is this cruel, or just an understanding that his mom is not a dog lover and having a new baby in 4 months?

It's the latter I promise. I keep telling Eldon that we need to enclose the fence in the back yard, and the boys need to be able to help. Yeah that's a few years away. Jack really did love this dog. He has named every other stuffed animal dog after her and will someday have a fantastic relationship with one. I just can't think about it right now.

Catch up

One of the problems of having a 4GB card for your camera, is that you don't have to download the pictures to your computer ever. So I am not prepared to post Christmas memories at this time, but I have had some thoughts I can share. Pictures are to come.

I'll start with the most recent experience since I can remember it. Yesterday. Eldon and I are preparing to move to one income. While I have been working we have never had to really be concerned about what we have spent. So to avoid the shock and change in a few months, we are trying to wittle down what we spend on food. It's a start. On Sunday, we planned our menu for the week and I made a grocery list. I went to Walmart yesterday and it only cost me $58!!!! I about fell over. We have meals for every night of the week and food for breakfast. Since we both work, we still eat out for lunch most days, but this is a tremendous start. I even bought a few things not on the list for food storage. I was so energized when I left. I actually felt like we can make this work. Now I know that every week isn't going to end up being $58, but hey here's to the first one!

Second thought. During the "holidays" to be politically correct, I met with my boss to tell him of my plans. It was SO HARD!! I have always known this was going to be a challenge for me. I love what I do. I love earning money. I love interacting with different people everyday. I love learning about the technology. I came home kind of annoyed or more of a brat really. It's going to be a trial. But then I spent the next week with my kids at home. I saw the groove we got into. I saw how much I noticed about them that I have been missing that will be critical to their development. I was enveloped by the spirit helping me to be ok with this. I am excited and sad at the same time. I have been SO grateful for all the help people have given me to make this work. I have a fantastic babysitting set up that was more ideal than could have ever been imagined. I have had people carting my kids around for me to various places all the time. So many have stepped up to help make my working work. I have been so blessed. I am really excited to just be able to drive my kids to where they need to go.

The biggest thing I will miss about working full time is I will have to let my cleaning lady go. It has been pure bliss and I aspire to have her again someday. Who knows, maybe I can save up for a six month spring cleaning time twice a year. So here goes extra faith, courage, and prayers to making it happen this time.