Delaware

We finally did it!!! After several long years and many thousands and thousands of miles. We have found Delaware! It started on our very first trip up to Idaho, the license plate game. We actually found Rhode Island, Hawaii and Alaska within the first couple of trips, ahh but Delaware eluded us for years. Yesterday driving home from Maliea's Dr appointment on the 101 headed into Scottsdale there it was, a Dark blue plate with yellow markings, what a beauty. Second runner up was Conneticut. We are now debating on whether to start anew or find a different challenge.

I want this!!!!

Okay you guys this is an absolute must have !!!! But it doesn't come with the option to record your own voice. YET.....click here for details
better yet wouldn't it be fun to have a wall where you could push the button and learn about
lots of people's remains.
Guess how much sleep I've had.
I sooooo want this!

lydia mom thayne dad chaiya maliea quayde
happy family
This is Lydia's typing, she loves to write everyone's name and type and sign. She is becoming quite a character. Someone will say I Love You and her reply will be I love you MORE! What a joy she is , okay there are some who think she is a little rotten but we think she is an angel.

Happy Birthday Quayde

Ten years ago , I had a little boy. Okay so he wasn't so little either at 9lbs 60z. My world completely changed. How different could a little boy be? Well....... after two girls he was quite the shock. Now I have a double digit son who is kind and loving. Who makes me smile every single day. Who still has his childhood wonder and innocence intact. I have a boy who is the joy of my life. It has been a long hard ten years and he has survived with a noble heart. Happy Birthday Quayde. Thank you for letting me be your mom!
His question today was.."Do you think I will make it to a triple digit birthday?" I hope he does and lives every minute of it.

QOTD

On the back of a package of VELCRO sticky back brand fasteners, "Not recommended for ...dashboards, flexible vinyl or underwear use."
hmmmmm!

average day

New feature of our home.
Gently trickling waterfall flowing down the rocks of what is usually the front of the fireplace. Quite soothing as the water comes down.
Unfortunately it means there is a hole in the roof where the snow has piled then melted.
Today the worker men came a gave our UFO a ride with a backhoe. They so generously chained it up and moved it so the road can now be less than 30 ft from the front shrubs. They've been working all this morning which means the front yard is not safe anymore.
Note to homeschool group, I'll call Thursday about weather and the front yard, we might need to meet else where.
I might have a wedding in New Mexico in May. While I never intended on traveling with my business...the family is restless and it looks like it is going to be a lot of fun exploring ruins and a wilderness refuge. Spent an hour on the phone with the young lady and will find out about the contract on Friday.
Going to work some more with my website, it needs a little tweaking.
Just an average day.

Pets

We have recently added two additions to our family. One was planned and expected , one was a spontaneous addition. Quayde received a hermit crab tank for Christmas and went to choose one from the pet store. Starry is a medium size hermit crab and is very impressive. We gave him a bath this afternoon and had a great deal of fun "exercising" him on the dining room table. He will be able to eat out of our hands within a couple of weeks. The unexpected addition was when Maliea went shopping and decided to bring home another bird. Diamond was just calling to her at the pet store. We were not sure how Sapphire would do with a new bird in his territory and for a few hours we thought it might not work. This afternoon how ever they are preening each other and have fallen in love. As long as Chaiya doesn't bring home a pet elephant this might be okay. I did have a chat with Maliea about bring home live animals without prior permission though. So this brings the total to 1 fish, 1 crab and 2 birds... I guess it could be worse.

the moon and mornings

I hate mornings! Most days as the sun is slowly creeping up, as the rays of light brilliantly strike the window it is just a reminder of how little sleep I have obtained. Although I have some crisp memories of early morning drives taking Maliea to seminary as the moon in the east was full on a clear cloudless jewel blue sky. Where the world felt perfect and everything was in place. I need to get back to that point.

QOTD

"The trouble with you, Sancho," Don Quixote replied,"is that you don't know a real adventure when you see one." - Cervantes

I am beginning to hate weekends! Lydia was well all night long. I on the other hand was sick, believe me green chilies are not something anyone wants to throw up! Thayne was running a fever all night long but seemed fine this morning. So I had to teach Lydia's class at church on 45 mins of sleep. I do think those 5 year old won't forget how to choose the right after I made them play follow the leader for 25 minutes and how we only have rules to keep us safe and mothers without sleep are a little loupy trying to teach 7 five year olds. So I curled my hair cause I didn't have time to wash it this morning and Lydia and I looked liked we belonged together today. I am not sure its a look that I can maintain though. The stuck my finger in a light socket look only seems to look great on Lydia.
Monday is looking better and better!

just stuff

Sometimes best laid plans get set aside for sick children. It is hard to remember that it is winter when it is 65+ degrees outside. Lydia's body however seems to remember just fine. This is only her second winter that she hasn't had to be on oxygen all the time. Nights have been horrible though. I haven't slept in about a week, Michael is a sweetie and trys to let me get a few hours after everyone is awake in the mornings but I bet it will take years to recoup in the future.
This afternoon Michael and Chaiya worked on some new types of appetizers, vegan ones. Not bad at all but after they set for awhile the garlic got a little stronger. Chaiya made an incredible chocolate rose, promptly ate it then made a special one for Kristi.
My husband is so cool but watch out in the grocery store he loves to shop for unique food items. We could spend hours and hours looking at different things. Right now he is on a cheese kick. Thank you to everyone who is supporting his habit , makes him a very happy man!
I am drink hot cocoa at the moment that is quite tasty (I know...the sign on the fridge)and listening to an annoying game of bop-it. All thanks to my best friend. :)
I have tons of church stuff to complete...no where near done and I have to turn in the report on Sunday.
Yesterday we went on a field trip for our AZ history requirement for the older girls. Montezuma Castle , which isn't a castle and Montezuma never was there. Quayde really surprised me by being very interested in the plants and all the uses that the natives employed for each one. He said he wanted to try out the plant with the poisonous berries for stupefying fish and washing soap. It was really a nice little trip
Well I am trying to multi task too much here so I uess that's it for now folks!

Dr. Shindell visit

I was sick over the weekend, hence the lack of posts. Happy New Year to everyone!
Today we had a visit with Dr. Shindell, who emphatically declared ,"It doesn't mean it's getting better!" after measuring Lydia's spine. Then he lied about what he had measured it on the last visit. He doesn't know I have a visual memory and can see exactly what the last x-ray was in my head.
So ladies and gentlemen....drum roll.....Lydia's spine after 1 full month of alternative stuff has decreased in severity from 87% to 81% . That's a big deal right now.
So Lydia looks at him and says ,"I have a straight and healthy spine" to which he didn't understand. But I explained what we were doing much to his utter confusion. To which he promptly replied that we should choose a date for her surgery. I stated not once but three times..."so we will see you in three months then". Poor man. He then said as he was walking out of the room, "I think you are 'waffling' concerning the surgery" to which I promptly replied "You are darn right I am waffling" Does anyone know what waffling means?
So I am contacting 2 separate docs back east about her spine this month to get second opinions. We will see if he still chose to have us as clients. Michael observed that Dr Shindell doesn't quite know how to deal with me.
It was a fun day!
ps. my spell check says I should change the word "Shindell" with swindle hummmmm