We are Moving!

After renting a wonderful home for a little over a year, Todd and I finally found the perfect house for us to buy. We decided to start looking a little while back and didn’t find a thing that seemed right. Then in less than 24 hours, a house came on the market, we saw it, made an offer, and had the offer accepted! Now we only have three weeks until we close on the new house! Time to pack our boxes!

It sure seems like we love moving too. Todd and I have been married six years and this will be our fifth place together! The longest we have lived in one place is two years. Just about the time I start feeling settled, I move again! I really hope that we can stay in this home for a LONG time. I have enjoyed living in all the places we have lived. And I have discovered that there are nice people everywhere. I am particularly grateful for the friends we have made here while renting. Sometimes it is hard for people to want to invest in someone that they know won’t be there for long, but I didn’t feel that way. Everyone has been true friends to me.

Five places in six years . . . yeah, I just hope that in the next six years the number of places never changes!

Spring Cleaning Early

This week, I have thrown away four giant trash bags full of junk.

This week, I gave away an entire trunk load of things we don't use anymore to charity.

This week, even though it isn't spring yet, I am pretending that it is.

And boy, does it ever feel good!

Our Valentine's Day

Holidays are a big deal to me. I make them that way, because I like to. I think it makes life more fun. It also gives me a reason to be creative, which I also enjoy. We have a tradition in February to make Valentine Pockets for each person in the family. For the last two weeks, they have hung on the counter. Everyday, we make a valentine or two for someone else. Ethan loved this activity most of all. He thoroughly enjoyed making and receiving valentines.

On Saturday, Todd brought me these beautiful flowers. Todd knows that I can't have Valentine's day without a flower or two! I've been lucky enough to get a flower on Valentine's Day every year since I was 16 (and no, they weren't always from a significant other! Though the last 8 years have been from Todd). I just love getting flowers. It makes the day seem special!

Setting the table for dinner made it fun for the kids too.

Another picture of my sweet little valentine girl:

And of course, here are the three reasons I like Valentine's Day the most:

I love you three so very much!

My Little Valentine

I’m a Medical Mystery

I’ve been seeing a Rheumatologist this month. I’ve always had joint problems, in all my joints, and daily discomfort. But the last few months have gotten worse. I always wake up in the night from the pain and can’t go back to sleep. But so far, all that my Rheumatologist can tell me is what I don’t have.

I don’t have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I don’t have Lupus. I don’t have Fibromyalgia. And I don’t have Ankylosing Spondylitis. Don’t worry, I don’t know how to pronounce it either. It’s a spinal arthritis. I had X-rays done and my spine is perfect. That’s good news, despite no diagnosis still. And all my blood tests came back normal too. I’m currently taking a second drug to see if my pain will respond to it. Sometimes no diagnosis can be found, but meds still help. It’s too early to tell if it’s actually helping yet, but the first “test” medication I tried did nothing.

Too bad Dr. House isn’t real. He would surely be able to figure out what I have, especially after testing my house for toxins. Of course, if I were a patient to Dr. House, I’d probably have to almost die at least twice before he figured it out and that doesn’t sound too fun. Because one thing I do know is that whatever I have won’t kill me. And let's be honest, I'm really glad about that!

Making Valentines

Ethan was very excited to get to go to his Preschool Valentine Party today. We spent the day yesterday making these fun Valentines for his class:

He wrote the names of his classmates and teachers as well as his name to glue on the back of each Valentine. He also drew the smiles on each one, and glued on the eyes and the Popsicle sticks all by himself!
He really had fun making them.
The idea came from some blog . . . I am so bad! I can't remember where I saw them. If you know, please comment where you saw them because I did NOT think of these on my own and someone deserves credit for being creative!

And here is Ethan after his party . . . with all his cute Valentines and treats. He said it sure was a lot of fun!

Boy Water

This morning, Madeline was very pleased when I let her use Ethan's cup that she had chosen for water. I filled it up and handed it to her and then she replied with a smile:

"Today I get boy water. Yay!"