Cheapest Pregnancy Test vs. Overpriced. Which One?

Kyle (10) and Juliet (1 1/2)

Wow, I am barely 4 weeks pregnant.  It's hard to believe I've known for a week that I've been pregnant.  Can you believe that it's always the cheapest pregnancy tests that show I'm pregnant the earliest?  I never throw down money on those expensive tests.  Walmart came out with a pregnancy test that cost only 88 cents.  I know, it's crazy.  So, I got 5 of those and 2 expensive pregnancy tests (just for fun).  Guess which ones showed positive and negative?  The cheaper ones right away showed I was positive.  The more expensive ones that tout it can detect early actually told me I was negative.  However, when I used another expensive test a few days later it finally showed positive.  The cheap tests all showed it immediately.  I think it's funny how there are actually $30 tests out there.  Crazy, crazy.  I might've fallen for that with my first pregnancy.  I can't remember.  Haha.

Anyway, baby is the size of a poppy seed at 4 weeks!  Whoa, so tiny!  They have to start somewhere though.  :D  The kids ask me soooo many questions about the baby.  Is it boy or girl?  I tell them, well it's already been decided but we just can't know for quite a bit.  It's a bit nerve wracking they pray for twins but I guess that's already been decided too.  Ha.  It's funny how every one of them it's excited and talks about it so much.  You'd think the older ones would be like "ehhhh....been through this before.  Yawn."  It's a good sign they love their large family life if they are so excited and don't feel burdened by another person in the house coming.  Makes me feel like I'm doing something right.  :D

 We ended up joining back with a gym that's only a mile away from us because they finally, finally lowered the age they are willing to watch kids in the childwatch.  It was soooo silly.  They would only watch kids from ages 2-6.  What was I supposed to do with the kids under 2 and kids older than 6?  I still couldn't work out.  Well, they at least put it from 6 months-6 years old.  I still can't work out because of the ages I have over 6 but under 12.  Only 12 year olds can go around unsupervised.  Well, it's better than nothing!  It's an amazing deal for us compared to our Lifetime membership that was 15 minutes away.  It's less than half the cost so we're saving a ton.  Back to indoor pool fun during the winter!!!  What I love about the place is that every person that joins there has to have a background check.  Any flags at all and they can't join.  Makes me feel a bit safer for me and my kids. :)

I'm No Supermom...Not by a Long Shot

I'm doing some research before I make a final decision about this upcoming school year. Basically, my kids are spoiled.  I think they are spoiled rotten at times.  Deprived you say?  Bwahaha!  My kids have memberships to the huge 3 story science center, a zoo membership, gym membership.  They don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn and they get to leasurely eat breakfast every morning.  While they lazily sip on their morning hot tea, they are either listening to a family bible study by me or watching an educational video.  School comes some time around 10am or maybe starts at 11am.  Depends on when mom's brain wakes up.  That only comes after a good dose of coffee.  They get done in a few hours, maybe only two if they really concentrate, and then they start their chores.  If they are lazy about it they finish in an hour.  When they are really good at it they are done in only a half hour.  Yeah, young ones have dissected and learned the insides of some animals before most kids ever get to.  It's weird having a five year old depressed because her older brother got to dissect a frog before she could.  Yeah, my kids have it amazingly good.  I don't have to worry about late nights at church and having to rush them to bed because of school in the morning.  We have such a good life. 

Do you think my kids would be at my feet thanking me for the good life they have?  Noooooo.... they think schooling takes too long and chores take to long.  They've completely forgotten their days of public school that they hated, hated, hated.  They hated the long days, hunger, and bullying. They hated getting lost in the system because the teacher had moved on before they were ready.  They hated the hurried lunches and the lame 5 minute recess.  Did you know they've cut recess waaaaaay down?  When I was a kid we had a good 20 minutes-30 minutes of recess.  I needed to get all that energy out.  I'm sure my teacher begged the principal to give me Benadryl each day.  Something to knock me out so she could peacefully teach the rest of the class.  A week ago I told them I wasn't sure about another year of homeschooling because they aren't appreciating it.  They all cried and hung on my leg.  Please noooooo!  I took a deep breath.  I thought about it while doing cardio at the gym, I thought about it while lifting weights.  I thought about it while swimming my midnight laps.  I thought about it while showering, eating, and just before dozing off.  I ran into a book that just made my heart leap for joy....

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Wow!  This is about 15 different families that are all in different situations and all homeschool differently.  I needed a way to keep the attention of my kids and it seems what I'm doing isn't working.  It's just not as exciting for them.  I've been devouring this book and can hardly put it down.  There are those perfect parents who seem like they have it all together and their three year old is learning calculus and then there are the ones.... like me.... that give so much to the kids that I'm just happy to shower that day.  Do you know why I go to workout at the gym after the kids are asleep?  Because that's when I have the time.  When I go it's usually 9:30pm-12:30am.  No, I don't sleep in all day.  Heck, I'm writing this at 2am because it's the only time I've had yet I still have to get up with the early risers.

I woke up to this the other day. Juliet trying to figure out how to get
out of her crib.  Okay, she's 12 months! Help!

I get excited when I find a book that just lifts my spirits when I'm lagging inside.  I don't have a homeschool co-op or a support group.  I wish I could have those cheer leaders on the sidelines but I don't.  I have to just keep my faith in God, relying on His strength, my mind in constant study, and my heart resting in God's grace.  That is the only way I can give sooooooooooo much of myself every day without cracking.  I'm no supermom.  Ha...  By a long shot.  I'm related to some but I'm not one.  I just have to work super hard.

 

Good news!  I'm down 10lbs!!!  Aaaaaagh!  NO CARBS and lots and lots of juicing and vegetables.  White meat more than red meat.  I'm learning to make really yummy food and I can eat LOTS of it!  I will share soon on a great Souperman food I now make. Get it?  It's a soup but man, oh man, is it packed of good stuff.  Superman himself might be knocking on my door soon for the recipe. 

Summer at the Zoo with My Family

I really love our zoo membership year around.  In the winter we spend more time looking at the animals but in the summer is when they turn the water on and we can sit in the shade and have a picnic.  

We pretty much just walk straight to where this is and let them play for awhile.  If the weather isn't too bad we might visit the petting zoo but in reality, most animals are hiding away from the heat.

We love to bring along Ryan's best friend Georgie.  He's a great kid and he gets along with everyone in the family.  Him and Ryan are the same age and both just as goofy.  Chaz is soooo sad that his best friend moved away and that happens to him a lot.  :(  He was crying to me about it last night.  I wish I could just steal his friend for a week since he lives about 2 hours away.  If our cars were reliable right now I would even drive up there to snatch him!  LOL.

Sigh.... I love that my husband is such a family man.  He enjoys hanging out with all of us.  Back in the day, like way, way back in the day... neither one of us would've been okay with hanging out with a ton of kids just for fun.  Ha..

Chaz likes to take our picture.  Sometimes I wonder if photo taking would be good therapy for Chaz because he's really good at it and can get lost in it.  By the way, I'll be getting an updated evaluation for Chaz but it takes awhile to set up the appointment and wait to finally get him seen.  Sigh... sometimes dealing with it is a lot to handle and a lot to think about.  I get overwhelmed and sad just wanting Chaz to enjoy life and not deal with all the bumps in the road that his brothers don't have to deal with. Especially rejection from other kids.  I wish I could protect him forever...

Ashley has pretty blue eyes and she's excited about turning 5 this year and "going to school."  She asks me how many days almost every day and wants me to rewash her new backpack for her Friday school.  Soooo cute....

Juliet is hiding in the back of the stroller so you can't see her but there we are with an extra kid in the middle!  I wish each kid could've brought their best friend but then we wouldn't all fit in our van.

Ivy is growing up fast and is actually a really good girl.  She gets her emotional moments but she's a sweetie pie.  Here we were in the gift store and she tried on some funny glasses.  

Ryan and the boys are trying to wrestle and get Chaz into the water. Chaz loves to wrestle but I've always warned the boys that once you wind Chaz up you are now responsible for winding him down.  He will wrestle you till the son goes down and beyond.  LOL.

Taking a Real Break Since Spring Break is Here

So this is the start of spring break for most kids and we decided to use the break too.  My husband has the week off also since he works for a school district.  Well, we want to explore!  How much exploring will we be able to do with our van not working?  Well, we'll find out.  :)   We started off by swimming at Nana's on Saturday.

Chaz 11

It's the first time we've swam since last summer so the kids were excited.  They had a pool that is heated and so it wasn't painful getting in the water.  However, as time went on it wasn't as hot outside and so getting out was hard.  The little bit of breeze made drying off seriously freezing.  :)  We had fun though!  My dad swam with us.  I really love my babies.  

This is the first time Caleb wanted to be in the water.  Caleb is 2 1/2 and he had soooo much fun splashing everyone and laughing.  That means it's time to get him a vest like we did the other kids.  Chaz, Ryan, and Kyle know how to swim so they don't wear theirs anymore.  Thankfully, it get passed on to the younger kids.  Ivy knows how to swim but I make her wear hers since there are so many of us in the pool and she's only 6.  Caleb needs one for his size so I'm gonna have to purchase it.  We only get the ones that are US Coastguard approved and they are very comfortable to wear.  It's even helped all my kids learn how to swim.

My dad is such a hard worker but truly a kid at heart and the kids love swimming with him.  The kids played chicken fighting in the pool. We matched up the kids according to weight.  My dad had one and Charles had one on their shoulders and you had to see who could wrestle each other off and make fall into the water. LOL.  

When we first showed up at the pool there were four people there drinking beer but respectful.  It was so nice, quiet, and peaceful for them.  Ahhhhh...... till we showed up. I showed up first with my dad and three kids.  They were totally cool with it till I warned them that this was just half my family. When the rest of everyone got there the people cleared out within five minutes and we had the pool to ourselves. I think for fun I'm gonna make some daycare shirts for the kids.  

How to Train for Less Sleep with Newborn

Yesterday I took Kyle and Ivy in to see if they needed glasses.  After waiting in the waiting area for an hour (whyyyyy?) they finally get called back.  Turns out they both need glasses.  Both have a hard time seeing their schoolwork in front of them.  However, Ivy's is much worse and she also has stigmatism.  What???  I asked, "are you serious?  Do you think that's why she's struggled so much focusing on her schoolwork?"  She said a BIG yes.  Well, Ivy went a full year of kindergarten not learning much of anything.  She just seemed to be in lala land most of the time.  She'll get her glasses next week and I'm SO CURIOUS to see if it's gonna help her to concentrate.  I really, really hope that has been the issue all this time.  

How to train for less sleep with newborn baby? Here is how.  I could hardly function most of yesterday because I haven't been sleeping well.  The night before I could sense the dog wanted to be let out to potty which means I might as well check on the kids.  I like to see if anyone looks cold, put them back in bed if they rolled off, get myself a drink, take those vitamins I forgot to take, use the restroom, let the dog back in, notice he has no water in his bowl, remember to turn down phone so it doesn't wake up kids in the morning, pick up a couple of things off the counter and put away on my way back to bed, check that the doors are all locked, remember that I forgot to transfer clothes from washer to drier before I laid down earlier, take some TUMS because of heartburn or acid is killing me, then finally make my way back to the bed.  By that time it'll take me some time to fall back asleep.  Then, I woke up every half hour because I was worried I wouldn't hear the alarm clock for the appointment the kids had. I sleep right through alarms or sometimes they don't go off.  Argh!  My sleeping is just crazy and this routine can happen at least a few times in one night.  Although, on a positive note, it is training for having a newborn wake up all night.  (Grin)  Okay, then it's worth it.

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The good news is my friend and I signed up for the homeschooling convention that's happening in the summer!  WHEW!  We are so excited and can't wait.  My favorite people of all time will be there.  The Boyers have 14 children and were some of the first to homeschool their kids in their area.  Talk about pioneers of homeschooling! They didn't have all the whistles and bells you can buy now.  I really admire what they have done and how they've stayed true to their faith, family, and raising their kids up in Christ. They didn't just talk about Godly values, they lived it.  Well, they are coming to the convention this summer and they are the first people I'm gonna look for.  I read this book back when I had maybe 3 kids.  They definitely were a big influence on helping to change our thinking about children and having a large family.  I read about this family before I knew anything about the Duggars.

Ashley playing ballerina

Here spring break is coming and my van is out of commission.  Whyyy?  My husband doesn't work all week and we've come up with all kinds of great ideas.  Swim at Nana's heated pool?  Visit the zoo and have a picnic since we have a membership?  Go to the mall during the day while all the teens at home are all sleeping in?  Visit a really neat museum?  Go the airstrip to watch planes land and take off?  Go to Christian skate night at the nearby skating rink?  We have tons of fun ideas.  Wellll, I guess we'll have to get creative and hang around at home.  Phooey.  :)

Who Forgets Their Own Children?

The oddest thing keeps happening to me.  I don't know whether it's because my memory is slipping or I just have too much to remember.  Yesterday we decided to take the kids to a small water park since they will all be closing soon.  I packed some sandwiches, Capri Suns, pickles, and chips.  Well, I made an assembly line for the kids and everything to have it all put together and then into the cooler.

We get to the park and later decide we are all hungry.  I pass out sandwiches and when I get to Ivy she has nothing.  NOTHING.  I had already scarfed mine down earlier.  I then asked who ate two.   Then it dawned on me that I had once again miscalculated the size of my family.  I made only 6 sandwiches which is short only one since baby Caleb was at my moms house.  But still!!!  I felt so bad because by the time I discovered this, everyone scarfed down their sandwiches.  

(Caleb had fun at my mom's house and got to visit with my dad when he got home from work.  It was a treat for Caleb.  When I brought him to the door and my mom opened it, Caleb opened his mouth and gasped he was so happy to see her.)

Later that night I thought it'd be a treat to break out the mini marshmallows and have hot cocoa.  Ivy even helped me to add the chocolate and I used my Keurig to fill them up with hot water quick.  When I started to pass them out I realized I was missing one cup of cocoa.  Yet again I had counted wrong.  We are not 7, we are 8!  What's wrong with me?  Poor kids.  Haha.  Caleb is almost 2 and I can't get this straight.  

CrAzY Deals and cRaZy Happenings

Pic taken at ER while waiting. I squeezed
Kyle so hard he looked like a chipmunk

CrRaZy, cRaZy weekend!  I'm telling you.  Phew!  I recently took my daughter to the ER but the doctor refused to give my daughter medicine for her ear infection because it was small.  Sure enough a day later she was crying in pain.  So I had to take her back in around midnight because the agony for her was so bad.

Since we had to wait in the middle of the night for her prescription, I looked around for some things I had coupons for.  I'm telling you, the savings is incredible.  I bought some really expensive make up for $2 total.  Yep.  CRAZY wonderful!  I needed it too because I was running out of a lot of stuff.  I saved 90% on my makeup by using a coupon on top of the sale.  

My mom took two of my boys out to McDonalds.  :)

Sunday night we got to watch fireworks in a town close to ours and let the kids swim.  Someone there got so rude with me I had to finally get up and leave with the kids crying behind me. They were so sad but I was being so humiliated I couldn't take it anymore.  My kids were enjoying swimming so I felt really, really bad about it but we just needed to go.  :(  The night ended bag but thankfully they get to swim at Grandma's tomorrow.

Hopefully this next week will be MUCH better.  So much has been going on but I can't share.  I just love my blogging friends!  :D

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