I'm still here!

The past week has been crazy! We have had to work on mailings for the election every evening, along with a lot of other things, so I am completely worn out! I think I could use a complete day of sleep when this election is over! I think Roger could use it, too!
I want to update more tonight, but I am so tired that I think it would be best for me to go to bed. Sorry!

I will hopefully post a big update tomorrow with pictures from our Fall Festival, info on the kids, and life, in general.

But for now...goodnight...

Rain, rain go away

Tonight was our last campaign rally before the election! We had a decent turn out, but the weather was quite uncooperative today. I have to praise God, though...we prayed and prayed that God would stop the rain, so people would come tonight...and...it stopped about an hour before the event, and did not storm or rain during the event. We were in a pavilion outside, on the river, so it is usually really windy, but tonight there was just enough of a breeze to keep us comfortable. I have to say this too...there was a 100% chance of rain today with thunderstorms this evening, so there is no doubt that God answered our prayer.

Only 11 more days until the election!!!

Do you want a mini-laptop???

Check this out! This family is raising funds to adopt and have decided to raffle off a Dell mini-laptop. Very cool! I'm going for it!

A little giggle...a lot of spunk

The other day I went downtown to run a few errands and buy my wife some jewelry. I went into the local Jewelry store. I was only there for about 5 minutes. When I came out, there was this cop writing out a parking ticket. I said to him, “Come on, man, how about giving a retired person a break?” He ignored me and continued writing the ticket. His insensitivity annoyed me, so I called him a Nazi. He glared at me and then wrote out another ticket for having worn tires. So I proceeded to call him a doughnut-eating Gestapo. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he wrote a third ticket when I called him a moron in blue. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more I talked back to him the more tickets he wrote. Personally, I didn't really care. I came downtown on the bus. The car that he was putting the tickets on had one of those bumper stickers that said, 'Obama in '08'. I try to have a little fun each day now that I'm retired. The doctor tells me that it's important to my health.

Franklin gets "the boot"

The doctor decided to put Franklin in a boot instead of a cast. This is a good thing! Franklin can put pressure on his foot, but he is supposed to stay off of it as much as possible...and no "running or jumping!" We'll have to keep reminding Franklin of this over the next few weeks as his foot feels better. :-)
After deciding to put him in a boot the nurse came in and told me our insurance would not pay for the boot through them. So, they gave me the name of another company our insurance would accept along with a phone number and contact person. I called as soon as we got out of the office and no one answered. I called a little while later and was told that we could get it in our town in two weeks. Two weeks??!! No, that's not going to work. So, I told the lady I would drive to Rockledge (30 minutes away), but she said the guy wouldn't be back to work until next Monday, and they don't have the boot in that size in stock, so he would order it. What??? So, I'll wait until next Monday, and then wait for him to order it, and then drive 30 minutes to pick it up when my doctor's office has one sitting in their closet, but my insurance won't pay for it? I don't have time for this! So, I drove back to the doctor's office, told them I would personally pay for the boot and work it out with my insurance company, they put it on Franklin's foot, and we were all happy...$131 later. Alright Health First...work with me here...you are going to pay, aren't you?

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The foot

Here's the broken foot! It is a little swollen, and bruising more and more each day. Franklin can't wait until Monday...he gets his cast!!! This is really exciting to him! Just wait until he has it on for three weeks...I don't think it will be so exciting anymore.

I'm excited for him to get the cast, too! Honestly, I am! I am so afraid someone is going to bump his foot, or accidentally step on it and hurt him worse. It's really painful if it is bumped. At least the cast will protect him.

As for church tomorrow...we're still going. Franklin will stay with Roger and I. He can go to Sunday school with us and we teach children's church (ages 6-11), so he'll enjoy going to class with us. I'm going to wrap his foot in a bandage for a little extra protection, and he can sit in a stroller until we go upstairs for children's church.

Another broken bone...or two, or three?

It isn't Miles this time...it's Franklin! And yes, he has three broken bones in his left foot! He jumped off the top of his slide last night, landed badly on his foot, and ...OUCH! I took him to the doctor this afternoon (our morning visitors had to leave early, so I could take him :-( , then on to the hospital for x-rays, and we were surprised to learn that he had three broken bones. He will be going to the Orthopedic doctor on Monday for a cast...they were already gone for the day, and they aren't open on weekends. He has strict instructions to stay off his foot, which won't be a problem because it is so painful, put ice on it, and stay on Motrin every 6 hours. We'll find out more on Monday!

A wonderful morning

We had a really fun morning! We had two little visitors that my kids absolutely adore. I think Lauren pretended she had a sister! ALL of the kids were so good! There was no fighting or disagreements, everyone got along very well, and everyone was extremely well-behaved. It was a really wonderful morning! These little ones can come over any time!!!

23 Weeks...17 to go!

I had another check-up with my OB today. Ian's heart rate was 146. Everything looks good! He moves around a lot...and I am enjoying every minute!

I'm getting more varicose veins, but the same batch are the main painful veins. I asked the doctor about it today and he said, "I'm really sorry. They're going to get a lot worse."
What?!?! OUCH! The cure: giving birth! So, after Ian gets here the varicose veins should go away...along with the pain they are causing.

Did you know that women gain 4 pounds of blood during pregnancy??? Sometimes the increased blood, along with a decrease in flow is what causes the varicose veins.

Getting in the groove

I am trying really hard to get into a good groove for keeping our family on a schedule. I think kids thrive on a schedule, and then it makes it fun to deviate every now and then for "fun" days. With four little ones, and now being pregnant again I am trying to get myself on a schedule as far as keeping the house clean. So, here is my plan:

Monday: Laundry
Tuesday: Wash sheets
Wednesday: Laundry and clean bathrooms
Thursday: Vacuum in the morning and mop after the kids go to bed at night
Friday: Laundry and Dust

Everyday: Dishes, sanitize kitchen counters, "quick cleans" throughout the day (everyone picks up toys, shoes, clothes), cook, whatever else needs to be done

Please pray

I urgently ask that you pray for a woman named, Naomi. She is pregnant. She has to take medication, but would have to go off the medication (or so I am told) during pregnancy, which would cause serious mental instability. She has been told that it is very possible her unborn baby has Down Syndrome. She made the decision to abort her last baby because of the consequences of going off the medication.

Please pray for the life of this precious baby. Please pray that God would sustain her without the medication, so she would have more strength to go through this pregnancy. Please pray that God would show her that there are families (like us!) who would love to adopt and love her baby. Please, please pray...

Very special visitors!

Wow! I was so blessed today! I found out a few days ago that my very dear friends, Lily and Dennis, were on vacation close by. They had been on my mind, so I couldn't believe it when I found out how close they were. Their daughter gave me Lily's cell phone number, I got in touch with her, they came to church this morning, and then spent the afternoon with us. Lily was my wedding coordinator, and has been a very special friend since I was a teenager. It felt so good to see them today! My kids fell in love with them quickly. Lauren and Franklin had Dennis piled under pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and newspapers at one point!!! Even Miles was happy to have them here. He is usually very apprehensive with visitors, but as you can see from the picture he really enjoyed being with them.

Thank you Lily and Dennis for making the drive over, and then for spending the afternoon with us! We love you! You are so special to us!

Miles LOVES baths!

We were having a fun family night Friday...special candlelight dinner, special trip to take muffins and pictures to a family from our church, and then a movie and play time. Everyone was enjoying their time together! We had all been in the living room, and hadn't noticed that Miles walked away until we heard the bath water running! Roger and I both jumped up!!! I ran to the bathroom and found Miles completely clothed, bath tub plugged, cold water running, and he was splashing and having a great time. When I walked in he smiled as big as he could.

This is why I always tell the kids to "keep the bathroom door shut!"

Someday my prince will come...maybe now???

My girlie girl isn't always a girlie girl! She caught a frog in the yard the other day and tried to play games with it. She tried to bring it in my house, too, but I stopped her before it was able to leap out of hands onto the floor. I told her I would take a picture of her and she decided she would kiss it to see if it would turn into a prince! Well, she was pretending to kiss it, but it sure was silly!

One very appreciative kid

Ari is a very special boy! He rarely has a bad attitude. He is easy to discipline. He is funny. He is kind to the other kids. He is also very thoughtful.

This morning at breakfast we had oatmeal. The kids get to choose what kind of oatmeal they want and Roger fixes it. It's the "add hot water" kind, so don't think we are super-chefs! Anyway, we were eating our breakfast and Ari always needs a little extra coaxing at breakfast. He got a big smile on his face and said, "Oh, I'll eat my oatmeal! Apples make me happy!" He has a smile that lights up a room, so Roger and I got a good laugh out of that one.

This afternoon I was cleaning the bathrooms while Miles was sleeping. Ari was right there with me every second. He was thanking me for cleaning the bath tub and the sink, and reminding me to clean the toilets. After I finished cleaning the toilet in his bathroom he said, "Wow, Mommy! That is so clean! Can I potty in it now?" He couldn't wait to potty on the bubbles from the toilet bowl cleaner. Of course, he pottied with a huge smile on his face!

Funny things kids say

Ari: "Mommy, don't let the baby come out of your belly button!" (As he is looking at my growing belly)

Miles: Me-"Miles, your baby brother is in there. Do you love baby Ian?"
Miles- "No, I not love him!"
Me- "But he's your baby brother, don't you love Ian?
Miles- "No, I not love Ian!"
Oh boy! I hope he loves him when he sees him. I know he had no idea what our conversation was really about tonight! Or did he???

Lauren: "Hey, mom...open your mouth really wide, so the baby can hear us talk to him." LOL!!!

I love my kids! They crack me up!

Campaign stuff

It seems like everywhere we go we hear, "Roger, people are saying..." If you hear what "people are saying" and it doesn't sound quite right then it is probably not right. There are so many lies and rumors out there, and if you question anything you hear than you should contact Roger, so he can fill you in on the truth.

So...
Is Roger going to cut 3% of jobs if he wins office?
The answer is no. He has never once in this entire campaign said he would cut jobs and "3%" has never been uttered. He will look at everything and see where cuts can be made, but cutting jobs means that families suffer and that is, of course, not his desire. I'm not saying that some jobs won't be cut, but it is not his intention.

Is Roger going to close all of the parks?
Again, the answer is no. Why would he close all of the parks? If you think about it you will realize that this is an absolutely ridiculous rumor. As Roger has said, "I have a family. We use the parks. We love the parks. We think they should be used more." But, he has also said this, "If the economy gets bad enough and it comes down to funds for public safety (fire and rescue, and police), or funds for parks, then he will have to go with public safety.

Is Roger one of Scott Ellis' puppets? Is he running because of Scott and will he do what Scott tells him to do?
Roger is Scott's friend, not his puppet. Roger had no influence from Scott to run for this election. Roger told me before we were even engaged (8.5 years ago) that he wanted to run for political office someday. Roger is his own man, and makes his own decisions. He is a leader, not a follower, and will therefore, make decisions he feels would best suit our county.

After hearing comments from church members on Sunday about what "people are saying" it became frustrating. I get tired of hearing the lies. I guess it showed on my face because someone made the comment to me (in a not very nice way), "Well, you had to expect this. You had to know this was coming." I could have kept my mouth shut, but I nicely said, "We expected people to lie and spread rumors, but you cannot possibly prepare yourself and know what people will say." It is especially hard when those lies and rumors are about my husband.

No matter where you live you need to make sure that what you are "hearing" about candidates is truth. You can easily find the candidates website, and email or call them. Don't believe everything you hear and read...it is often not true...I now know this from experience!

The sickness continues

Roger gave in and went to the doctor today. He has a sinus infection and bronchitis. He also feels like he has a fever with chills and body aches. Now we are wondering if it is actually the flu. Oh my!

The kids seem to be fine, but Lauren was coughing when she went to bed tonight. I hope we aren't getting another round of this already.

I finished my antibiotic on Saturday, but both of my ears were hurting today. No way!!! My left ear is clogged and hurting tonight. I hope it feels better in the morning.

Cravings

Before I had children I thought cravings were a farce. Well, now I know cravings are very real during pregnancy...and usually very strange. I craved lemons with Lauren. Roger would go to the store and buy me a bunch of lemons and lemon juice by the jar. I would peel the lemons and eat them like an orange, and sip on the lemon juice throughout the day. Now, I can't stand the thought of eating a lemon.

It has been different in every pregnancy, but this time around...are you ready for this? Fried chicken and jalapeños!!! I peel off the crunchy stuff and skin on the fried chicken and poor the jalapeño juice over the meat. I can hardly contain myself from making noise when I eat because it tastes soooooo good. I also love banana peppers, and cherry peppers right now. If it weren't so late I would eat some now! I had better go to bed now before I give in to my temptation and get really bad heartburn....man, I really want some though...

Is it Christmas???

It feels like Christmas!!! No, it's not cold here! Someone passed on numerous bags of clothes for my boys! Most of them are going to Miles, but Franklin and Ari received some much needed shorts! This was a wonderful gift! Thank you Tonya and Heuss family for thinking of us! You have truly blessed us!

Franklin and Ari really needed some new shorts. Their denim shorts were beyond ragged! I had looked around, but couldn't find any since all of the Fall clothes are out now. It stays so hot here that was wondering what I was going to do until shorts came back out next Spring. Well, I guess God made shorts unavailable because he knew someone was about to bless us with several pair! Thank you, Lord! He is just as good in the little things!

Another busy day and more to come tomorrow

We stayed home this morning and played and relaxed. Roger was out the door before we had breakfast, so I knew it would be a long day. When Ari and Miles woke up from their naps I got everyone dressed with their "Vote for my Daddy" t-shirts, nice shorts, and fixed hair and we were out the door to run a bunch of errands. I needed to drop off some clothes for Shelly's girls that were given to me, but too small for Lauren, then drop off a mandolin at Jennifer's house, then garage sale stuff at Meredith's house, then Target where I bought each of the kids a lunchable for dinner, then the bank to get some moolah, and then the Titusville Street Party where Roger was playing music with Homespun and had a table set up for the campaign. I got all of the kids in bed around 8:30, which is later than usual, and we have a busy day coming tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another campaign rally (hosted by us) in Port St. John. We hope for another big crowd. Once again, we will have face painting, a clown making balloon animals, and there is a small park right outside the building. We have an absolutely wonderful babysitter (Jean Marie) coming to help with the kids. I told her she was going to be my nanny until the campaign is over!!! We really appreciate her, and the kids LOVE her!

I have no idea when Roger will get home tonight, but I need to finish dishes and get to bed. My stomach hurts. I think I have been on my feet too long today. No, I'm not going into labor, but I do feel like I have overdone it a little. Yes, I know I need to take care of myself.

A date!!!

Roger asked me out on a date yesterday! We were given a coupon to Mimi's Cafe, so off we went for dinner and quiet conversation. We needed to drop off some campaign material at a friend's house, so we were able to visit for a few minutes, too! I hardly ever see my friend Jennifer, so it was so nice to see her face and talk without just reading words in an email! On the way home we stopped at Dunkin Donuts for a cup of coffee and a donut! It was a great evening! Thank you, Roger!

Miles first Chili experience...YUMMY!

Feeling better...but not great

A favorite pasttime ...watching the water run into the washer

"I'm NOT tired! I do NOT need a nap!"--Ari

Franklin, the builder

"Hey, Boys what are you doing?"

We're cookin'!!!