Chickenpox? Maybe?

Mr.S came down with a headache and fever mid-week.  By the next day he had spots, nice round bumps. Where we dealing with chickenpox?  Could it be?  While no one wants to see their child sick I was not upset to be getting this over with.  The poor guy was feeling awful though.  A couple of oatmeal baths and several naps helped him through the day.

The next morning he seemed to be feeling quite a bit better.  He was still covered in spots, but they didn't look like chickenpox anymore.  More like the hives he is prone to when he has had a virus.  It seems we have something other than the chickenpox in the house.

Today poor Mr. K has the bug (though no spots).  We are resting and taking it easy around here; helping my little guys recover and wondering how many more victims this bug with have.

teething buddies

These two are both teething.  Mr K is working on his first two teeth, while Miss E is working on her 12 year molars.

Don't let those smiles fool you.  Both have lodged complaints of pain.  Both have had a hard time sleeping at times.  Only one of them is having drool issues though. ;)

Baby rattle

This old fashioned rustic looking baby rattle was found in my Papa's desk after he passed away.  It had been made by my dad 30 something years earlier to announce to my Gram and Papa that I was on the way.  They would be grandparents!

I love the creativity and excitement that it shows on my Dad's part.  I love that my Papa kept it in  his desk through all of those years.  What a sweet treasure this little rattle is!

Starbucks, Chuck E. Cheese....

....A wedding and the apple store.  That was how Miss J wanted to spend her birthday.  She's had it planned out for months.  We just could not disappoint her.

After a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and sausage Rob took her to Starbucks while the rest of us cleaned up and got ready to go out for the day.

We were the first to get to Chuck E. Cheese which is just how we like it, nice an "quiet"  Miss J had a great time playing games, eating pizza, eating her cupcake and getting her prizes.

 

 

*Miss J requested Cinderella cupcakes.  These were so easy to make!

We couldn't quite figure out the wedding part of her plan though she insisted that we could "Just ask the pastor and he can set one up."  The best we could come up with was going into a bridal shop and looking at some wedding dresses.  She even got to try on a tiara!

Daddy was so proud of his little girl listing the apple store in her list of things to do for her birthday, and he was happy to take her.  She went right to the back and sat down at one of the kid computers, while the rest of the kids stayed near the front to play on iphones and ipads.

 

We came home for dinner and a movie.  Miss J loves princesses and Cinderella is her favorite (for now) even though she had never seen the movie.  We gave her the DVD for her birthday and we all enjoyed a family movie night together watching it.

***Miss J was wanting a new bathrobe, a princess one was preferred.  Nana made this one for her, and she loves it.

Hunting rabbit

Mr. M has been delighted that Daddy has been letting him use the pellet gun lately.  Since he would love to be able to go out hunting and provide his family with food someday; we have been encouraging him to work on his marksmanship skills.  They seem to be improving greatly.  In this past week he managed to get two doves and a rabbit.

The rabbit was the big score.  On Sunday morning I was getting myself, Mr. K and the little girls ready for church.  Outside my bedroom I could hear talk of a rabbit and rabbit stew.  A little while later Rob came in to tell me that Mr. M had got a rabbit!

With only about 30 minutes left before we needed to leave for church they scrambled to figure out what could be done to keep as much of the rabbit as possible.  Miss E ended up skinning it, she did a great job for the first time!  At church Rob and Mr. M were able to get advice from some of the men on what to do with the skin, and how to better handle it next time.

Way to go Mr. M!  You're well on your way to being able to hunt and provide for your family!

Remembering Grandpa

At my Dad's memorial we had cards available for those attending to write memories and thoughts of him on.  The plan is to put these all together in a book, and that we could each have a copy of the book as a special remembrance.  I wanted my kids to be included in that so tonight we helped the kids make up their cards.

It was fun to hear the special things they remember from their times with my dad.  I loved that they each wanted to write about something different even though most of them shared each of those experiences all together.  As their personalities are all so different, so are the experiences they remember and treasure the most.  I'll type up what I said at his memorial too so that it can be included in the book as well.

 The last couple of days have been harder, doing this was good for us as a family.  I do very well in "crisis mode" I generally do not panic, but instead just move forward doing what needs to be done.  Later I deal with the emotions.  Well, later has come.  I knew losing my dad was a big loss, but the enormity of this loss is hitting me now.  Knowing that I can't call him to tell him something I know he would want to hear.  Knowing he can't be there for me if I need him.  Knowing he can't come visit and teach the kids the many things I know he was looking forward to teaching them through all sorts of fun experiences he was hoping to have with them....  I'm sad and I can feel the weight of that sadness on me at all times even when I am enjoying a good time with my family or friends.

I'm so thankful for a wonderful husband,sweet children, dear friends and family, and a great great God to get me through this time!  I'm blessed by HIS peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).  I'm so thankful to know that HE has a plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11) and knows the number of our days (Job 14:5).  God is in control and I can rest in that knowledge, this did not take HIM by surprise, and nothing else will either.

Cupcakes!

I saw this cupcake calendar at the mall this week and thought it would be fun in the kitchen.  I had already told the kids I'd be trying to make some fun cupcakes every month for the monthly church potluck.

Here is the first set for the year.

These were the January ones from the calendar.  I'll also be using my Hello, Cupcake! and What's New, Cupcake? books for ideas this year.  I'm excited to have a good excuse to try out some new cupcakes, and also glad that my kids will not be the only ones eating them (sorry moms at church, I'll try to do some that are not so loaded with candy.)

I'm linking to Raising Homemakers.

Mommy please pray...

Tonight when I went in to say goodnight to my girls Miss J asked me to "Please pray that I would be cute."

No, I did not burst out laughing.  It took nearly all of my strength to keep a straight face as I said  "How about I pray that God would make you cute on the inside, and that your inner beauty would shine through making you beautiful on the outside as well?"  She thought that was great and so I prayed that ALL of my girls would have inner beauty from God and that they would glorify Him in all they do.