An Award!

I've been nominated for the Sugar Doll award by the lovey Arley! Now I am to share ten things about myself....hmmmm...

1. I play the cello, flute, and bassoon. I wish I could play the cello like Jacqueline DuPre.

2. I used to be a nanny in a suburb of Chicago. I was there for a year but before that I had babysat for them and the rest of their family whenever they came up to their cabin in a small town about 15 minutes from here. On the night before I was suppose to leave the mother accused me of having an affair with her husband thus ruining a close relationship of more than three years. And no, we did NOT have an affair.

4. I'm married with three children, which is pretty obvious if you've looked at this blog.

5. None of my children were planned and were in fact a HUGE surprise. Each one more of a surprise than the last, which is funny because we should have known after then first one how babies were made!

6. After the birth of my first child I had a nasty time with post-partum depression. Thankfully my husband forced me to the doctor's office and she immediately started me on a treatment. With my next two pregnancies she has been right on top of the problem and although I have had some rough days I've not had a repeat like the first. My doctor and my husband saved my life.

7. I love to knit. My grandma taught me the basic garter stitch when I was very young. Knitting is a stress reliever for me, plus I love to make things for people. My next big step in knitting is going to be socks. Socks are made with 3 to 5 needles depending on the pattern. I am determined to master those darn socks!

8. I love to read. I recently found books written by the Yarn Harlot. She writes about knitting. So now I have a way to combine my two favorite things! I am also reading 3 books about women interned in Japanese internment camps during World War 2.

9. I also love Tudor history. Love to read any books on the subject and will argue my case for Anne Boleyn and why she is not the evil women that everyone made her out to be.

10. This may make me absolutely crazy (literally) but I wouldn't mind having a fourth child. Keep in mind that Gavin is 5 months old and DOES NOT sleep through the night. One more...and then I am done. DONE!
I hope you enjoyed those 10 little things about me. I nominate everyone one of the lovely people with fantastic blogs that I follow. I can't wait to hear about you! And Arley, thank you for nominating me and writing such nice things. I am so happy to have you in my life even if it is just in Facebook every day! You amaze me with your strength!

Irene's First Hair-Cut and Other Tales

Irene got her very first hair cut the other day. Yes, she is just two and a half months away from her third birthday but my baby girl has never gotten her hair cut. Her hair has always been very sparse and only a couple of times have I just trimmed her bangs to keep them out of her eyes. We were shopping at Wal-Mart and stopped at the salon. Irene was afraid of the cape and refused to wear it. Other than that she was very good. The picture above is of Irene the day we had to drive to Traverse City for Gavin's doctor appointment. She looked adorable in her skirt and with her hair braided. During the car ride she decided that she did not like her tights and proceeded to rip a hole in them. Then she took out the braids in her hair. I was not happy. I had to take her into the doctor's office looking like that!
Before we left for Traverse City, Henry and Irene had been playing upstairs in Irene's room. At one point Henry came downstairs and told Mark that they had opened a window. Mark didn't think much of it at the time. We live in an old house with old windows. And the windows should have been locked.
As we started to get the kids seat belted in the car Mark glanced at the side yard and noticed toys in the yard. Apparently the kids really did get the window opened and had been tossing toys and papers out of it. That night Mark checked out the windows. The kids are no longer able to get them opened.

My pretty girl with her new hair cut!
Gavin weighs 14 pounds now!
Our MOPS group is selling chocolate crosses for Easter. It raises money send members of our group to retreats.

Well...I've been sitting here not writing. My birthday is Thursday and as a gift my mom gave me seasons 1 and 2 on DVD of Life On Mars. Life On Mars the good UK version not the joke American version. I've been watching the first episode with my husband, he has never seen it before! So I must end now. Cheers!

Wow...

My husband surprised the heck outta me tonight in a very good way. We had a rough day with the kids. They were beyond crazy. After finally getting them in bed my husband turned on a song he found on YouTube. He said that he had been looking for it for days and that every time he hears it on the radio he thinks of me. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever?! We had a rough six months and yet there is no one I'd rather go through it all with than Mark. Granted there are days that I could happily run him over and nights that I put up the "cootie pillow" between us in bed, but he is my rock. Always.

Here is the song...


I've been feeling so yucky from this cold and having him say this to me was probably the greatest thing ever.

I love you, Marky! And you're still my one.