I have a grown up living room

It seems that we finally got this place in some sort of shape. There is still A LOT to do, on the organization of closets and our room side of things, but it is, at least now, getting done. We painted this weekend. The living room, hall and kitchen all got a nice warm coat of lovely paint on them. We decided that the other rooms were going to have to wait. Especially since the other rooms were junky holding things from the rooms that we were painting. I really felt like setting such a lofty goal would set us up for bad moods and things being left undone or half done also. I didn't want to go there. We accomplished our goal, I am happy about that. I was even able to hang pictures, paint the trim and baseboards, stain Kaine's table and chairs, buy and hang curtains too. It feels so nice to walk into a room that actually looks like you live in it!

I must say here, that I got a STEAL on the curtains too! They are Martha Stewart and if you know anything about Ms. Martha Stewart you know she doesn't do "cheap". Which, I must say, is mostly to here credit. These are BY FAR the nicest curtains/fabric I have ever owned. Oh yes my friends, I have felt and longed for fabric like this my whole life! It is pure luxury. The way that I got them, you ask? If you don't know, most of Ms. Stewart's things are super expensive. With no exception to curtain panels. These particular panels happened to be marked for clearance at the local Home Depot for (rounding up) $12 a panel. Pretty reasonable, in my book (especially if you count the extra nice fabric!). So, I bought them. Here is a wonderful picture and price tag for you to look at to see how much of a deal these were! Pretty nice, right? So, my living room actually looks like a room I did on purpose, instead of a room that a college dorm dumpster or thrift store threw up in. Yeah, it's pretty nice.

Fun times are coming

I have decided not to be depressed anymore. I know, shocking! It is so easy for me to get depressed and wallow. I have decided to focus on the positive parts of my life and how much I AM blessed. Like the fact that I have one fabulous child and KNOW we got it right the first time, no matter what happens. And, yes, I mean no matter what. Plus, I really do have one kick-butt husband that would literally lay down and die for me, if only I would ask. So, THERE....lol.

Anyway, we are still trying to get settled in. I had a wonderful weekend. We all needed a break from each other! I was able to spend daylight hours on Saturday completely by myself! I really don't have a clue when the last time that was!?? It was so nice. I was able to renew my spirit, do whatever I want and get some stuff done! It was glorious. I made some curtains and ironed the fabric in front of the TV while watching Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie on TV Land. Best day ever! Plus, I totally got two bonus dates over the weekend with my husband! That NEVER EVER happens. Two kid free dinners AND two movies! Much needed. BTW, Kaine was with Nanny and Poppa (Matt's Parents).

I am still trying to get this place in order, like I said. I am having issues with organization because, truthfully, there just isn't enough "places" to put things. Yes, I have been throwing things out too. But, here in weird Gainesville where you have to pay the city for your trash cans and for them to pick them up (way to much if you ask me!) we only have one tiny outside trash can and don't even bother putting more out that will fit in it! They won't even blink an eye at it! Not to mention that they are the most lazy garbage people I have ever seen. I mean, really!, you can't pick up the trash can yourself? Or! Bags on the ground?? WOW! Is all I have to say to that. Guess their union really is "working" for them! lol Lame. Anyway, sorry about THAT tangent! My point is, I can't get things done in a timely manner, it seems, because there are weird and unforeseen circumstances standing in my way. But, really, where am I suppose to put this stuff???

Kaine is doing well. Growing bigger than any child I have ever seen at this stage. I believe he is very close, if not already, at the four foot mark and weighs 47#, at two and a half. That's big! However, we always knew that at least one of our kids were (was? are?) going to pass us by. He loves school now too, which is a relief. No more tears! Except he does say most days, "Mommy you came back!" LOL. I think most of that is from the book "Llama, Llama, Misses Momma" where at the end that is the phrase that is uttered when his Momma comes to get him from school. It really is cute.  I am actually starting to worry about summer, I need to find us an activity - he gets so bored! But, that is for another day.

New Places

We have moved into Gainesville. I was hesitant to like it, at first. I wanted to see how it was going to play out. It turns out it is very good. We are saving a boat load on money, for gas, anyway. Actually we aren't doing to bad on money either way you look at it, which of course, is nice. I have been working on fixing it up. I am also trying to work on my house wife-ness by keeping it clean and organized more than one day a month! It is coming along and, if I do say so myself, I am doing pretty well in my house duties. (I am also enjoying it, surprise of the century to me!) The backyard is my next project. I just really started to work on it yesterday, thanks to Mom. It was horribly over-grown and Matt had gone out there and chopped a bunch of it down. I wasn't sure where to start in cleaning it up but, when Mom came over yesterday - I was showing her the place- and she said I would just have to pile up the stuff and pull out all of the dead overgrowth. She helped me clean a small patch. It was encouraging and it inspired me to spend about an hour outside today piling things up so I would be able to see what I needed to pull up. It should be a wonderful space once it is all clean! Kaine, I am sure, will benefit the most. I haven't decided if we are going to do a garden this year or not. I guess I will have to see how it comes out and if Matt wants to do one.

On personal issues, I have not resumed bleeding, Thank GOD!! I have gotten three positive ovulation test in a row over the weekend. We have been using the time that Matt has been home as baby making time! I am hoping, beyond hope, that pregnancy is right around the corner. I must say, having all of this in my life right now, has truly renewed my spirit! I so can't wait to wake up and get things going. I feel so renewed! I just wish it was spring, so I could celebrate with the earth! How wonderful a feeling it is to feel renewed when the world is coming back to life, there really is no better feeling! So, for now, it is Spring in my heart! Oh, the places we shall go!

Mostly Updates

I haven't been posting, obviously. I have been really busy lately. Not really stressed out (although, I am starting to feel that way about some things) -just busy. We  moved back into Gainesville and have been trying to put the house together. It has been a real ordeal. We have had to fix a lot of unexpected things and there are still MANY things to do.

I have also been potty training Kaine. It was more of a suggestion of his school, with everybody starting to train now. I was afraid to start it. Especially based on the last times I have tried. None went very far. This time around has been MUCH better! I started by reading books to him and getting him a video from the library about potty training. He really likes the video and asks to watch it. It is about a little boy learning and his sister is the one that talks about what to do. So, it is really cute and from a kids perspective, which helps, I think. We are still having issues with night time, especially since he still isn't sleeping through the night. Which I think is causing him to get up and pee. I am not sure how to remedy this, I am just hoping he grows out of it. We are not using pull-ups though, we are using little boy under ware and plastic pants, so he feels wet and so I don't have to change the sheets every day! We are just taking it one day at a time.

As for me, bleeding is still an issue. I have tried to use all of the tinctures I can find that are suppose to stop a hemorrhage within minutes. I have tried to use teas, tonics and whatever else I can think of too! NOTHING is working! I am not convinced that tinctures even work for me. I tried to use them to induce labor, along with Castor oil, and NOTHING happened then either. NOTHING, no cramping, no increase in discomfort, I just felt exhausted because of the mental drainage. That is pretty much where I am now. I am FED UP!!! I want to stop bleeding! It is SERIOUSLY RIDICULOUS at this point!! I am willing to try anything, short of hormones and surgery! I just hope it stops soon.

Some concerns that I have: the bleeding is number one, of course. Along those same lines would be the fact that I have been bleeding so long now that I am afraid that if I get pregnant that I will not be able to even sustain a pregnancy because I am so deficient in vitamins or minerals or something. What if there is something really wrong that is going to make caring a baby hard or, God forbid, impossible?? I don't know. I am just worried that things are not going to work out the way that I want them to and that I truly don't have any idea what I am doing! I am hoping this is just a trial in faith that will bless me with a mess of babies down the road! Wouldn't that be lovely??

Moving and Blood Issues

We found a place in Gainesville that we are going to start renting. I am not sure if the neighborhood is such a great place or not but, it is a 3/1 for $700/month, so I guess we can't complain too much. I am not really looking forward to being there, only because I don't like not knowing how things are going to turn out. I am also pretty sad about moving, which surprises me. I am hoping that once we are officially in this new place that I will start to feel better about it all.

On the bleeding front, the crazy blood flow is back. I have been bleeding now, for almost, ummm, a month or so. The only good thing is that is has not been as heavy as the last 3 month bleed was. I am really hoping that this is not going to become something normal especially since we are trying to get pregnant. I also know, however, that my body is trying to tell me something. I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and actually have someone look at me. Or at least give me some idea of what I should do. I just don't know where to go or what to really ask. Plus, I have no insurance and don't want to end up spending a crap ton of money on something that can very possibly come out to this sort of diagnosis: "We don't know." "You are just going to have to live with it." "It is a hormone problem, take some birth control." "You have fibroids." "You need major surgery." Blah, more uterus trouble than I really want to deal with at the moment. I am at the point that I just really want to know what I am looking at. I want to be able to have something that I can work toward fixing and not have to worry about worrying about anymore, if that made sense. I think I will start at the Birth Center and go from there...

Life, as of late

My computer has stopped working for a while. The battery has decided to crap out on us. I don't know when, or if we will even fix it. Although, since I am using it now, maybe my husband has already solved that problem?? Don't know. Just glad to be back online, at least for a few minutes.

Today I am doing some more Christmas shopping. Because I am crazy. And because I didn't get as much done earlier as I thought. BOO! But it is mostly for the older boys in the family (brother-in-laws, brothers, uncles, etc.). So, although we don't have a ton of money (really running way to low this month!) I want everyone to get a gift just to let them know we were thinking of them and so they don't feel left out. I just don't think it is right that you know people are coming for Christmas and there won't be anything under the tree for them. It's just not right in my book. ***I also want to state here that I DO NOT believe that gifts should be the focus of Christmas but the thought of doing good for others, is my whole point!***

Anyway. We went camping last weekend, just Matt and I. It was really nice and we had a wonderful weekend. We saw a ton of animals, even 7 deer at the same time! It was really nice and we really needed to get away. I really wish we could do this all the time!! LOL

My car is also not yet done. It still needs to be painted, as of yesterday morning. But that is all good. I really didn't think, with the holidays and what not, that it would be completed by the 13th. So, it's all good. I am hoping to get it back sometime early next week.

I have also been searching for a place to rent in Gainesville, to get our credit score up. I think I might have found one. I am going to go and look at it today. So, wish me luck!

Hopefully, I will be back on here before the end of the year but, if not, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Updates:

Not pregnant.
Making an Advent Calendar.
Not approved for a house loan by one point.
Looking for a rental house in Gainesville to earn our one point.
Going to be taking it easy on the pregnancy front and just see how it goes.
Not looking for anything on the pregnancy front until January.
Tried to potty train Kaine - didn't work.
Two week Christmas break is coming up, we are going to try the potty again.