let's celebrate

so ... our household has been fever free for over 3 days. yay. i will no longer say that we have had an easier winter than usual. i think we have now had our fair share of illness. at least i got hammered, that's for sure. i am done my antibiotics now, but am told that i will still test positive for my infection for the next 6-8 weeks, so i am really trying to continue to rest each day. as i am starting to feel better, my energy is s.l.o.w.l.y. returning, but i must be intentional about resting...i do not want this again. that is for sure. makes it hard...all i really want to do is paint my kitchen and get some new flooring, so we can make fun use of this new space. all in time i suppose. :) again, thanks for all the extra help. the meals. your continued prayers. everything. we have appreciated it, and are looking forward to brighter days ahead. 

these are pictures of my new picture wall in the basement that i kept promising to post.  i am still not completely sold on the look, but i cannot put my finger on what i need to change. :( so...we'll keep looking at it, and see what i come up with. :)

i cannot take much credit for anything here...it is a collaboration from various magazine pictures, and pinterest sites i like to visit for "inspiration" or copying if you would rather. :) i do love the 7. we are 7 now. it sounds like such a big family to me. especially if you compare it to a family of 4. :)

i spray painted the turquoise frame, which i got for $1. at a yard sale in the summer. i love it. i also  spray painted the red one, and got the f.a.m.i.l.y. letters at walmart, and spray painted those as well.
the "7" frame is also a favorite i got at a yard sale this summer..for a $1 steal as well.

of course i made the banner and felt hearts for valentine's day...i guess i should do something more st. patrick's day now, hugh? no promises. :) i am a pink girl, so i don't mind if it stays. :)

a quick update.

so i woke up with the flu and a migraine headache yesterday.  it was NOT a good day. the medication i am on made it very tricky to take other meds, and i found out i have to eat A LOT with my c. diff medication, or i will be quite sick in the belly. :( it's hard to eat when you don't feel good. :( i did find out i could nurse karolina, with some time restrictions, as to when i take my medication, but that was huge. she was not taking formula from a bottle for days, so i am very thankful to be nursing again, as is she, because she is still not feeling so well herself. my midwife maribeth totally ROCKS! and my doctors, well. they just don't rock at all. that's all i have to say about that.

thank you all for your prayers, meals, texts, phone calls, even flowers....i have great support. thank you so much. i must say i spent the WHOLE day  on the couch yesterday, and will much of the day today. my house does look like a small tornado went through, but that's okay. i made up my mind. :) thank you. thank you. thank you.

it has been over a month since i have been having health  issues. i am grateful these are temporary issues, and nothing i have to struggle with long term, like so many people do. thank you again. missy.

a low key kinda day.

today is going to be a low key kinda day.

matt's mom took calli and campbell.

kaden and kaycee are at school.

matt is at the office. for now.

dry waller is supposed to come finish kitchen area.

and my little Karolina is not feeling so good.

fever. clingy. snotty.  lots of sleepy, kinda cranky time.

which means...i am the one who gets to hold her.

and soothe her, and beg her to drink.

she has refused the bottle for the last 5 feedings, :(

but luckily is liking her sippy.

which also means lots of resting for me.

amidst some laundry. and light cleaning. ha. :)

i am even fitting some reading in. love that.

happy tuesday.

hope your households are healthy.

style.

what more can i say...

when ya got it, ya got it?



lookin' for a house?

so this has been the latest time investment...well...and money too, i might add...

my husband has taken on.

awhile ago actually, but it is now at a place where it is getting ready to

"be done".  :)

~by the way...can you people slow down your consumption of organic chicken.

i mean. r.e.a.l.l.y.

chickens left early monday morning and are coming back on friday morning.

YIKES.

(we are supposed to get 2 weeks off between flocks...)

they tell us the demand is just too high.

my hubs is so very busy right now.

it makes me more tired than i already am.

yikes again. :) ~

anyway, back to task here...

these pictures will soon be outdated,

as new siding and shutters are soon to be added...

the interior has now been completly painted,

and carpet is coming this week.

a lot of the house actually has hardwood floors.

yay.

a great lot with mature trees and shrubbery...

and a huge garage...a great place for some sort of contractor to call home.

i must say i love being matt's wife.  ;)

for a million reasons, but

one reason being:

he gets me into all kind of things i would never get into otherwise.

like things like this. :)

so, if you are looking for a promising house and property

in a quiet town in southeastern PA...

let me know. :)

i love.love.love this front door...one of my favorite parts of the house.

but there are many.

it is going to be a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.

i am excited for whomever gets to call it *home*



c.diff

so some of you knew that i had gotton sick about 3 weeks ago.

so sick that i laid on the floor for 2 days, and finally went to the doctor.

i was given antibiotics, and after 8 days stopped taking them,

because on day 3 i got violently ill.

2 weeks later i was still sick, so i called the doctor.

some cultures were taken.

friday i found out that i have a serious intestinal infection

better known as c. diff. (it has a huge long name, but most people know it as c.diff).

all i knew about this infection is that it has always spread like wild fire in

the nursing homes and hospitals i had worked at...

so. great. i.got.it.

apparently anyone has a chance of getting c.diff with any antibiotic.

there are, however, certain antibiotics that are known to cause a c. diff infection more than others.

my antibiotic was not one of them.

but...i got it anyway.

it spreads easily where people have lower immune systems, and in places like

that, contact precautions are taken.

for around here, i am just trying to keep things *clean* and do lots of hand washing...

but generally speaking, it is usually only contagious amoung sick people...

we are finding a new normal around here.

i am not allowed to nurse while on this medication.

while some think this is no big deal

 (and maybe it really isn't in the whole big scheme of things)

it is a big deal to me.

i was pretty devestated.

karolina has had 3 feedings with a bottle.

she already likes to hold it herself.

yay.

but that's what i was afraid of.  :)

for now, i pump, and try not to cry as i dump it all down the sink.

this will happen for 10 days.

one day down. nine to go. :)

i must say it's kind of nice to have some helpers.

the kids are fighting over who gets to give Karolina her bottle. :)
campbell said to me today, " mom. i will take care of karolina and milk her.
you can go take a nap. i know you are tired."  :)

so for now...just trying to manage...and rest.

the meds make me feel a teeny bit miserable if i let them...

i am trying mind over matter. :)

bloom

(please...pause my music at the bottom of the screen before watching this...)

i have followed kelle hampton's blog ever since she had her second baby. i don't know how i stumbled upon it? but i love her realness. her unashamed way of letting people know her true feelings. we all have feelings. we all are ashamed of the way we feel sometimes. i loved this trailer so much for her book, i thought i would share it here...i can't wait to read it. maybe from the library. :)

*kitchen demo*

hmmm. i am going to have to go digging, and see if i can find some "before" kitchen pictures.

this is the last 2 1/2 days of progress...

for this first picture...i am standing in what used to be our "old" office looking into the kitchen...since we remodeled our office last year...this room, was not really anything, just an in between room, it didn't serve a purpose. that making this decision all the more easy to make...we like having a purpose around here. :)

now i am standing in our kitchen looking into our "old" office...

now i am standing in our old office looking into our kitchen...

today they did a lot of work...

this was a weight bearing wall they took out.

so...with the wall coming out, a steel beam went up.

and now looking into our old office again, from the kitchen.

i am really loving it already.



dry waller is coming monday to do his thing.

and then we will have to rip up that carpet, and see what the floor looks like underneath...

could be interesting...as it feels like you will fall thru the floor in several spots in that room. :)

i am dreaming.

i was telling my sister in law this week that it is so fun to dream.

but it is even more fun when your husband is handy, and knows how to make dreams a reality.

having someone who knows what can happen, and what can't is awesome.

so...thinking about flooring. painting. an island. a new kitchen table.

all fun thoughts.

:)

we are having a sleep over with my neice, reese.
it sounds like i might go need to settle some little peeps.

karolina. 6 months old.

i always said that if i got a *good* camera that i wouldn't need to spend money

getting my kids pictures taken, because i could do it.
eeekkkk. now i have to try. :)

karolina grace @ 6 months old.

did you say cabbage?

so i learned way back in novembe or december that i needed to make a cabbage

costume for kaycee for her 1st grade school play...which was tonight.

the production was called, " how does your garden groove"

and it was very, very cute.

thanks jane for the sites you sent me.

they were a huge help...i copied a lot, and tweaked as well. :)



i must say i was a lot skeptical about how many kids were going to have veggie costumes.

it's not like you can go to the store and buy them...

eggplants, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, corn, spinach, french fried potatoes, green beans, peas, etc.

(okay...my good friend from high school did just correct me...her son got to be french fries, and
she did find a slammin' french fry costume for him to wear. he was rockin' it. :)  )

but the costumes were pretty much out of this world.

fabulous. so fabulous the principal said there will be more of this in the future...

i said, "oh no", and the dad sitting beside me said,

"yeah...it looks like you have one of every vegetable sitting beside you...you better get busy for next

year awhile."  :)

(kaycee's friend Lydia, and Francesca)

i do think the kids who didn't have costumes just didn't show up, which is kind of sad. :(

they didn't have costumes last year for kaden's 1st grade play...

so, we'll tuck this puppy in the attic, just in case campbell gets to be a cabbage in 2 years. :)
it was also helpful to have signs on the front of their costumes, which told you what they were...
otherwise, this is looking a little "lettucey". :)
i might have a couple more pics to add tomorrow, but they are on my other camera...

hope to post some pics tomorrow of our new renovation project.

it is going to ROCK.

i am very excited.

my kitchen is getting b.i.g.g.e.r. by the day. :)

i made *these* today.

wow. so sickness has struck. but it has been short lived i hope. a little girl from our church was throwing up on sat. night...and our kids had been with her on fri. night.  i told matt last night that it will be a miracle if our kids dont' get sick...and literally 5 minutes later, kaden was standing before my eyes, and barfed all over the place. ugh.

calli then decided to follow suit over night. but all are well today. thank you Lord! i did a lot of praying last night. a.lot. hopefully we are free and clear. kaden did hang out at home today, but i think he would have been okay to go...anyway...

i made 2 different kinds of cookies today... both recipes were found on blogs i stumbled upon. and these were so good, i thought i would share. oh.my.word. they are good!


Enjoy.



Ingredients:



1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Nutella for stuffing

White sugar for rolling



Cream together butter and peanut butter. Add both sugars and beat together until fluffy. Add in egg, milk, vanilla and mix until smooth. Sift together flour, baking powder and soda, then add slowly to wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Place in fridge for thirty minutes.



When dough is chilled, using a cookie scoop, roll each ball of dough in white sugar before placing on a cookie sheet.
Press your thumb into each cookie making space for the Nutella.

A big  spoonful of Nutella.

Space the cookies out pretty far as well.
Next, take an additional sugar rolled, cookie scooped ball of dough, flatten it out slightly between your hands, then press it on top of the Nutella mountain. Smash down the lot of them.



Bake at 350º for 11-14 minutes. (My oven runs an exact 13 minutes.)

They won't look totally done. Take them out anyway. Trust me on this one. You want them to be soft and chewy. Let them chill out on the cookie sheet for five minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

Makes 18 big, beautiful, magical, willpower destroying, cookies.

thanks to Joys Hope for sharing the recipe...fabulous. ~mk.

*******************************************************

the others are kind of like molasses cookies, and then i melted white chocolate chips, and made a heart on the top of each cookie. they were *cute*. 

********************************************************

my mom came and folded some more laundry. thank you  mom. and she didn't even take any cookies. :(     

i am still not feeling so good, and read that an extremely rare condition can happen when taking the medicine i was on. i am that extremely rare condition person, i guess. i am still waiting to hear back from the doctor...i hope there is somethign they can do for me. :)

*********************************************************

i got half of my first floor cleaned...by that i mean, dusted, windows washed, vacumed, and organized. yay me. matt was supposed to have a realtor meeting in our office...and then when he came in, he told me it had been moved to his quarryville office. i guess he tells me things like that so i really get things done...mean, i know. :) but now it's clean, that's for sure. :)

happy monday. ~mk.

*my little lovees.*

phew. what a day.

not even that i did that much.

however...

can i tell you that i was *up* and *out of bed*

EIGHT

times in the wee hours this morning between 2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.

(if you can't do the math, that's like every 15 minutes...and i absolutely

fell asleep after i crawled back into bed each time. :) )

with

EVERY

child...except one.

ya all wonder why i am exhausted all the time.

granted it was not a normal night.

but can i get an amen sista? :)

(doesn't karolina's hair look RED in this picture? totally wild...)

and we finally finished our ~valentine's~ for this year.

i found this awesome idea on pinterest @
http://www.dandee-designs.com/2012/01/friendship-bracelet-valentines-update.html


 
(so our's don't look quite as professional, but we took a good shot at it) :)

 we decided we'd do them for...

 kaden's 2nd grade class, kaycee's 1st grade class,

and campbell's preschool class...

kaden and kaycee had a blast...

i did campbell's bracelets for her...was just a bit too tricky for her to do...

(which was actually a trip down memory lane for me,

as i used to make these as a kid...)

so much fun.

and all the creative color combinations... :)

the kids are into doing these little dance shows for us *every* night.

it's kind of hilarious.

i don't know what's up...

kaycee and calli are both wearing headbands of karolina's,

and left her little bald head with nothin' on. :)

i also re-did my picture wall down in the basement.

i can't decide if i like it or not?

i liked it on the picture i copied from :)

will show you another day.

nighty-night.

jump start.

i got this out of one of my favorite little devotional magazines i pulled off my shelf last night...it's from renew: a devotional magazine for women. and i love it.

i don't know why quiet time has to be so hard for me...well, nix that. i do know why quiet time is so hard for me: a) i can't get out of bed early enough, and b) if i don't get out of bed early enough, then there is really no quiet time in my house, or quality quiet time, until the kids go to bed at night, and by then i am too tired to pull out my bible, and let's just admit it, c) it's not a priority...because if it was, i would *get it done*. what is wrong with me?

why can't i make this a priority in my ~everyday~ life? and well...i guess it's not quiet time i really struggle with. i am quiet before the Lord a lot thru my day, i pray a lot thru my day, it's the sitting down, and resting, being quiet before the Lord i struggle with. the opening of his word, that i struggle with...probably because i have to ~sit down~ to do that part. :( regardless of what i struggle with, and what you may struggle with, i thought there were some really good thoughts in this segment. what do you think??

jump-start your quiet time

enough with the excuses. here are ten ways to revitalize your time with God:

1. begin a prayer journal. a simple spiral notebook will do. keep track of your prayer requests and praises. better yet, write out your prayers to God.

2. study psalm 119 for a month. read six verses each day and write down the blessings and benefits of knowing God's Word.

3. ask a friend to be your study buddy. study the same book of the Bible and meet regularly to discuss what God is teaching you.

4. make a list of everything you are thankful for, from sunshine to God's gift of salvation. refer to this list often, especially when you're frustrated or discouraged.

5. pray scripture for yourself, your family or friends. for example, for salvation, read: isaiah 45:3, 2

Timothy 2:10, for purity: psalm 51:10; for joy: 1 Thessalonians 1:6; for love of God's Word: psalm 19:9-10.

6. incorporate christian music into your quiet time. read or sing the words of a favorite hymn or listen to a praise CD. contemplate how the lyrics draw you closer to God.

7. read your favorite psalm, then write your own paraphrase of it, personalizing the psalm to fit your circumstances.

8. vary your setting. if you normally have your quiet time indoors, try praying while you walk through your woods, or bring your Bible and meditate by a quiet stream.

9. establish a family quiet time. read a Bible passage together and discuss it. share prayer requests and take turns praying for one another. encourage your children to act out one of their favorite Bible stories, complete with costumes and props.

10. listen to God. ask him to free you from distractions, then sit quietly and allow him to speak with you.

so...i continue to try to learn scripture with my kids. there is ~nothing~ i love more than someone praying scripture out-loud. i want to be that person...it is just not there...yet. :) i am also a journal-er. always have been. i don't as much anymore, because this helps with that, but i still try to write on paper, my thoughts...and not just on the bad days, which is sometimes my tendency...but then i think, "what in the world are my kids going to think of me, when i am gone, and they find all these journals, filled with my struggles and ugly thoughts", ha.ha.ha. and that helps me remember to write my good thoughts and blessings in there as well. what motivation. eigh? :) i think i want to try the psalm 119 thing for a month. what a challenge that will be for me.

 my neice, piper, at the zoo. the difference in these 2 kids is wild.

piper is only 3 wks older, but seriously. she is crawling. :) and throwing herself

out of her crib. eeeekkkkk. she is ~not~ going to miss a beat. that is for sure.

and this is little lovee...all snugglee, and didn't move the entire time we were at the zoo.

she hardly sits up. let alone crawls. i'll take it. :)

anyway. hope this inspires you, like it has inspired me... happy Super bowl weekend. Go Patriots. they are in it right? :) just kidding. i really don't give a rip who wins. :)

and...most friends i have make fun of me because i am waaaaayyy to young to listen to wdac, or 94.5, but it is on in my house, pretty much all day long. i wonder what is going to happen when the spiritual super giants, like dobson, and kay arthor, etc. are going to pass away. do we have spiritual giants to take over? hmmm. anyway, today and yesterdays programs were AWESOME...carol kent spoke. if you haven't read her books. DO SO. if you haven't heard these programs. DO SO. i am sure they are on focus on the family's website, or it will air again tonight at 8:30 p.m. she shares candidly, honestly and openly about her ONLY son who will spend life in prison, for killing a man. it is a real story about a christian mother who hurts everyday. who did everything she knew how to do to raise her son in a christian home, with christian influences...and wow. what a testimony for all the hurting people in the world. check it out. ~mk.

it's been *awhile*

so i guess this will just be a hodge podge post.

since i have last written, pink eye has returned in kaden, so we are treating him *again*, i had to visit the doctor as well, so i was down for the count, for a good 2 days, but some rest and antibiotics has done this mommy wonders. some snow. some 60 degree temps. 100th day of school project. karolina feeding herself *puffs* but refusing cheerios, i guess because they are cheaper. :) bible study started again...a study of david. good news club to start at the end of this month, so lots of recruiting, anyone want to help? :) and organizing for things to run smoothly again this semester. and then throw in some laundry, baking, cooking, cleaning, and fun perhaps, and call it a week.

how do you like karolina's headband? i think it totally rocks.

however, it does clash with her bib. :(



karolina is now trying to throw herself out of the bumbo.

so, being that i accidentally let campbell throw herself out of it, onto the floor,

when she was about this age, (eeeekkkk)

i decided it was time for a high chair.

baby girl is growing up. she is 6 months old now.  :(

 did a teeny bit of re-organizing.

each kid has their own basket now. labeled basket.

for their own hats, gloves, shoes...

this is supposed to make my life easier. :)

in the past, i only had one basket, so everytime they were looking for their "other" shoe,

everyone's shoes were tossed all over the floor.

and of course they forgot to pick them up. :)

so far. this is a great invention. a great idea. found somewhere on pinterest. :)

these 2 are kind of 2 peas in a pod right now. calli loves karolina.

loves her so much, she wakes her. wakes her in the morning. and wakes her at naps...

gotta keep your eye on calli. plain. and simple.

they were helping me with laundry this day. :)

calli is a rock star at speech.

she loves it. and is really speaking much. much. more clearly.

it's amazing.

kaycee wanted me to take a picture of her 100 day bead project.

nice. :)

(canvas by: aimee weaver)

and one of my good friends had this canvas done for karolina's room.

i. am. in. love. with. it.

i wish her nursery wasn't ugly brown paneling. it would look much cuter...

someday. :)

kaden has had some rough spells. some crying and fit throwing because he is the *only* boy and can never have any fun. more than by yourself. boy fun. oh.my.word. it is so old already. so, we had one of his little friends over and they were outside the whole time, trying to kill some things and had target practice... :)

 my sister and i squeezed in another trip to the Philly zoo this week. my pass will expire in april, so trying to fit some more visits in before that happens. :) GREAT investment in my opinion, even though matt has politely refused each of our zoo trips.

(love their blue feet protectors, right? i have no idea what they do...they were only on some of the flamingoes, and some of the penguins...wierd?)

how can one ~not~ believe in God. like how in the world did these flamingo's come into fashion

in ~any~ other way. they are like the strangest. beautiful.  how in the world can they

possibly be comfy sleeping on one leg? for real?

campbell and nephew jaiden...he only goes to kindergarten every other day. we caught him on an "other" day...lucky for him. :)

and campbell and calli with my neice, reese...

and an update on matt. would be. his knee does not feel great. he is doing another month of therapy, and then will most likely be released from care. his strength is good, but not great...he did get kicked by a cow a couple weeks ago...that surely did not help. :( but he has been a trooper, and fairly good about doing his therapy...however, i am glad he is seeing someone else for that. it does surely help with his follow thru. :) at this point they are saying no surgery is indicated. which has been an answer to prayer, but he is still not happy because he doesn't feel normal. understood.

i guess that's all for now. i had to laugh. some ladies from my prayer group were busting on facebooker's the other week. for posting about what they do in a day. hmmmmm. it's totally okay. i just kept my mouth shut. one would assume they don't read my blog. good thing. :)

and i apologize...it seems most of my pictures are always of karolina.

one...i think because i am determined that we will not have less pictures of her, being that she's the youngest, and that's what everyone always says happens...and two...they just change so quickly. it's crazy. so...all that to say happy thursday to ya. off to get calli to speech.