Breakin it in

We've been breaking in the house in the few weeks we've lived here. So far Colette and Adrienne have both had bloody noses and Colette, Adrienne, and I all have had sickness that involve throwing up. I'll spare the details of other messes involving bodily functions. But things clean up well and we're all hanging in there. Mike and Edward have been sick too, but different symptoms. I took Edward to the doctor yesterday because I thought he had an ear infection, but it was just a lot of wax build-up causing pressure that was making him swat and pull at his ear.

Thanks to my mom and dad that came to our rescue Tuesday night to take care of the kids while I was sick and Mike was delivering papers for me (thanks to him too for that). And also to my parents for jumping in today when Adrienne fell ill while they happened to be stopping by! We are so blessed to have both sets of our parents living close-by.

Happy Easter

Another short post. I had hoped to have time to put up a longer post this weekend with more pictures than I managed below, but we are still just too busy. Edward rolled over today...twice! From his back to his tummy. He might have rolled over a long time ago, but he hasn't been getting as much time on the floor as he probably should.

These pictures are from Tuesday when the trailer and shed were demolished. Just a small part of all the many things that have been going on around here that I haven't had time to write about! My own version of "Where's Waldo"...can you find Mike in this picture?


A hint to the question of where's Mike in that last picture. This picture was taken from his perspective. After the trailer and shed were thoroughly munched:


So all that rubble is gone and were are left with quite a large space for a yard! Which is exciting, but one more thing on the very long list of things to do now that we're "done" with the house!

We're In!......kinda, sorta

This will be quick for now because I need to get to work. We were going to move in Monday or Tuesday after getting stuff moved out of the trailer and into the house. Well yesterday we decided it would be easier to move into the house and then move the stuff out. It was hard trying to pack and move stuff while trying to keep the things we use on a daily basis accessible.

So last night was our first night in the new house! I'll write more later.

Oh no...

Feels like trouble. I am so tired and my body wants to sleep. But my mind will not turn off.

The compressor I mentioned in the last post that sounded so awful was getting progressively louder and more awful sounding all night. Finally a little while ago it was so loud I went out to check it out. The air outside smelled like burnt rubber and the shed was full of smoke. I freaked out because the wall behind the compressor was all black right by where the motor would be.

I couldn't get through to Mike on his cell at PSNS. I tried a landline from when I was about to have Edward, but their landlines change often so it didn't go to his code anymore. The man I talked to said he'd try to go find him. In the meantime I was freaking out and so I called my poor dad to come help me (I couldn't find a plug or on/off switch). While my dad was on the way Mike called me back and told me how to turn it off at the breaker outside. Then when my dad got here he found the off switch.

A belt had seized up and it finally fell off. There was rubber dust all over on and around the compressor. The funny thing is that black I saw on the outside wall of the shed was just paint, so it wasn't the emergency I thought it was. Still glad to have it turned off, I'm just sorry I woke my dad up over it!

So, that's all about that....I thought I'd put up the Lemon Jello Cake recipe. I need to put it on my cooking blog too, but I thought I'd put it here since I've mentioned it a few times recently.

Lemon Jello Cake

From Mom’s 8th Grade Home Ec. Class

This is the ORIGINAL recipe... Mom sometimes changed it to reduce the oil and sugar content.

1 package Lemon Velvet cake mix
(or similar... and yellow will work also)
1 small pkg lemon Jello
Zest of 2 lemons
4 eggs
3/4 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup liquid-half milk, half water

Mix all together with electric mixer or beat for 3 minutes. Bake in 13 1/2 X 9 1/2” pan (which has been greased and floured) at 350˚ for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting: Make a very thin frosting of 2 cups powdered sugar and juice of 2 lemons. With a fork, gently prick the cake half way down, all over the top. Spread frosting on cake. Most will seep down through the cake and will then leave a very thin glaze on top. Cut into squares to serve.

(P.S. "Mom" in this recipe is my mother-in-law Kathy. P.S.S. My own tip for this recipe is to strain the pulp of the lemon juice before making the frosting)

The Difference Between Boys and Girls

Before I had kids my friend Linae had told me a story about when her oldest daughter was a baby that I always remembered. Her daughter Aleeya had been crying and she had checked everything - changed diaper, burped, fed, etc., but she still kept crying. Finally she found one of her hairs wrapped around Aleeya's toe and cutting off circulation.

So when I had kids I would always be checking their fingers and toes to make sure there wasn't any hair stuck in them. The other day with Edward it was the same thing...he was fussing for over an hour and I couldn't get him to calm down. He'd settle down for about 30 seconds and then start crying all over again. He was really tired too so I couldn't understand why he wouldn't just go to sleep. The one thing I hadn't checked was his diaper because he had just had his diaper changed before all of this started. So I decided to check that since it was the last thing on the checklist. He seemed to be happier with his diaper off so I let him lay there all exposed for a minute. Just by some fluke I noticed something funny looking about his boy part...upon closer inspection there was a hair wrapped around it! I took it off and he was happy as a clam and fell fast asleep.