November 13, 2009

We got an early jump on the day and headed out to pick up our deer tags. I've always wanted to stop and take a few pictures at the dam, but I either don't have time, or the kids are with me. Dave was driving today, so I asked him to pull over so I could snag a few photos . . .

I must be breaking him in good. He doesn't even bother asking me why I want him to pull over any more.

And he even stopped so I could grab a few photos of this huge leaf. Bless his little heart.

Of course I couldn't just leave it there by the roadside . . .

so I picked it and brought it home for Bayleigh to see. Little things like this seem to fascinate the kids. As you can see, Eli played with the leaf all the way home . . . not his truck. I do believe there is a lesson to be learned here.

November 12, 2009

I'd completely forgotten about my 12 of 12 this morning, so I got a little bit of a late start. Today starts week #2 of my Get Great Photos with Any Camera class, over at BPS.


For day one's assignment, I actually used Elvis the cat, since he was much more cooperative than my fit throwing 3 year old. At least Elvis sits still for close ups, which was our assignment for day one.


Thankfully the fit throwing didn't last too long and around 3:15 he finally laid down for his nap.

Which was great timing, since sissy gets off the bus a short time after that.

Today's kitty greeter of the day was Purr Face. The cats must have a built in clock. As soon as it's time for the bus to come, one or more of them are waiting eagerly to be roughed.

And since Eli was still napping, I decided to do all the outside chores. I took Ike his daily meds . . .

Fed both the dogs . . .

and while Bayleigh gathered eggs,

I fed and watered her chickens.

Next I filled the stove . . .

and I noticed these frisky little felines out in the garden while I was carrying wood back and forth from the back of the truck. Apparently they've found a nice warm hiding place to abide outside.

The garden is officially done for the year. Or at least I'm calling it done. No more bean hulling, tomato picking, or canning. Ahhhh. Just another reason why this is my favorite time of the year.

After we got in from choring, Bayleigh commandeered the remote . . .

fixed a PB & J sandwich,

and shortly thereafter, passed out. I almost didn't know what to do with myself! Two sleeping kids? At the same time?

So I decided to bring my dining room rug back in from airing out. This is the one that Elvis is dearly in love with. However, he also likes to potty on it, so I aired it out, (left it out in the rain several days), and then brought it in to clean. It will be going upstairs behind closed doors. It's got to be something to do with the sisal . . . wish I'd have know that BEFORE I bought it.

The kids slept for quite a while and finally woke up just before Dave got home.

I'm still hoping to get caught up on some of that sleep I've been missing out on. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

November 11, 2009

Had to make a trip into town this morning to pay a bill, so I thought I'd just load up a few of the things I've been bagging up to get rid of, as I do my Fall cleaning. NINE bags later, and Eli and I were ready to go! We paid bills, and ran to the local women's shelter to drop off all these little goodie bags.

I'm sad to say that these bags mostly contained toys. I think that really reflects badly on how much we spoil our kids. (*Note to self: Get more practical things for the kids. Like shelving and storage for what they DO have. Not buy more junk for them to pile around all over the place, and for me to have to pick up.)

I spent a little time outside with my camera, while Eli took a nap this afternoon. (I probably should have taken a nap too, but the sunlight was calling . . .)

Our garden is hanging on to the bitter end.

Some things are still producing blooms! And it's the middle of November!

I even scrounged around and found a few more grape tomatoes. These little things are super tasty and remind me of the warm, lazy, days of summer.

The past few days have been a little cooler, so I've made sure that I keep wood in the stove for the chilly evenings. I really love our outside wood stove. I just wish hubby was around to fill it. Some of the logs he cuts up for it, take two men and a small boy to load into the stove . . . and I don't believe I qualify on either count.

Still running on low fuel, but managed to finish sorting and putting away Eli's toys. I've just resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to finish my Fall cleaning per my initial schedule, but it will still get done. One little step at a time. I believe I'm going to start penciling in a daily nap, if this sleeping disruption keeps up at night.

November 10, 2009

My energy is waning. Getting 4 hours of sleep each night isn't conductive to productivity. It's been going on over a month now and Bayleigh still can't seem to sleep through the night without waking up and being scared. I've talked, and talked and talked to her, but can't seem to find out what the underlying problem is. I'm hoping this is just a short stage she's going through and that it will end soon.

I did manage to clean up a good portion of my last pile in the living room, while Eli played with my decorative scissors. He made me a "peacock", which I thought was very inventive.


Dave got home a little early from clinicals and took both kids out to the woods with him to hang deer stands. While they were gone, I finished uploading photos for my pre-class assignment, in Elisha Snow's photography class at BPS, and I dusted Eli's headboard and bookshelf. At least I'm making a little forward progress, even if it's not at the speed I would like.




Supper was a quick and easy spaghetti and meatballs, and I'm bushed! Hoping to get the kids to bed a little early tonight. And I apologize if this post is a little incoherent. Lack of sleep seems to do that to me.

November 9, 2009

Today I was thankful for a glint of sunlight. This was about all I got . . .

before the droves descended upon me. The neighbor dropped his kids off this morning to get on the bus, and my sister-in-law dropped my niece off, too. So I had five rambunctious kids running around for about a half hour. I'm glad I got up early for my "me" time, because I really needed it before tackling this wild bunch.

Later, as I was cleaning, I looked over and happened to notice how Eli had organized his blocks by color . . .

I thought it was very cute.

I hit the wall of exhaustion around 1:00 and just couldn't do anything more than grab my camera for this shot, before laying Eli on top of me and going to sleep. Bayleigh has GOT to start sleeping better. Getting up several times a night to reassure her that the shadows aren't going to hurt her, is just about to do me in.

And after we woke up, I couldn't help but snap a few pics of my sweet little man. I'm hoping that the two scrapes on his head, won't leave scars . . .

The black birds were just full of antics today and I captured quite of few of them. Here they are, flying out of the milo field after having a snack . . .

I caught them right before the bus came to drop Bayleigh off . . .

And when Dave got home, he spent some time rough-housing with the kids. They REALLY needed this. They miss him so much when he's away all the time.

Oh yeah . . . this is all I managed to get accomplished on my cleaning for the day . . .

The area around the piano and a few odds and ends. I'm hoping to have a little more energy tomorrow, so I can finish things off. Only time will tell . . .

November 8,2009

I got up early so I could actually shave my legs in peace. Unfortunately my little guy had other plans. I'd just finished up with leg number one, when Eli came in to the bathroom crying . . . with a VERY messy diaper. I guess he's on the mend from yesterday's vomiting bug, and we've moved on to the diarrhea stage. LOVELY. So I put him in the bathtub with me, finished shaving standing up, and then fixed toast and eggs for us all.


After church, I started detail cleaning Eli's room. I really didn't have this on my list today, but I ALMOST got it all done. Walls, ceilings and fixtures are clean, the floor has been mopped, and all that's left is dusting off the bookshelf, nightstand, and train table. Oh yeah . . . and washing his window. I'll try to squeeze it all in tomorrow, amongst all the laundry.




Freckle's kittens have moved up on the deck now and are making themselves . . .

quite at home. What a mixture we have. My favorite is the one above. It's all furry and cute, but I have yet to give any of them names.

While I cleaned, Eli sat on his bed with his "Cars" blocks . . .

and he built this little thing, which he called the YAK. I guess in some convoluted way, it COULD look like a yak . . .

if you really use your imagination. And Bayleigh made me this . . .

She can be so sweet. Right now she goes from not wanting to speak to me anymore, to this. *sigh* I don't know if I can take all the melodrama. Unfortunately I've heard that it gets much worse. I guess that's why they came up with Advil.

November 7, 2009

The sunrise was particularly stunning this morning. Probably because I could actually SEE out of my newly cleaned windows.



And that disaster area of a room that I (ashamedly) posted yesterday . . . I'm happy to say that I waded through the majority of the mess.

I ended up having company come over (for two hours) right in the middle of my cleaning spree, and didn't get the little area next to the piano finished up, but it shouldn't take me more than an hour. I may just finish it up tomorrow afternoon.

There are so many little unfinished items being put down on my growing "to be completed" list, but I know they will have to wait until next Summer when Dave gets out of school . . . SOME DAY, this home remodel will be complete. And then I'll have to repaint or re-carpet. *sigh* It's never ending.