Just in case I do not post tomorrow I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be busy in the delivery room with my friend.
She called at 7:00 saying that she was leaking and she knew it was from the baby. She’s been calling me with her contractions to let me know how she feels.
So….this baby may come 3 weeks early! I guess I’ll know more tomorrow!

WE HAVE SUCCESS! (so far that is!!) I took your advice and started potty training Hula Boy!!! WOOHOO!! I’m not saying he’s trained through the nights or anything but in the last 5 days he has had one accident!! He’s doing his business on the potty!! Granted I have to ask every 30 minutes and put him on BUT he goes!! We have a ways to go BUT I am positive this is a good start!!
HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE!! It would be so wonderful if we didn’t have to buy diapers!! *APPLAUSE CLAP ..CLAP..CLAP!! (this is for CC Jellybeans benefit!! LOL!!)

So I weighed in yesterday and it’s been two weeks since I had gone. I have lost a total of 5.5 pounds in almost 2 months! It is so discouraging. I know that I can do better. It just seems like my body is working against me. I have worked out diligently 3 days a week. Granted may be the work outs needed to be stronger but I thought that I probably should start out light and get hard. It’s still 30 minutes cardio and 20 minutes on weights.
I guess I’ll just keep plugging along.

This weekend was a flurry of activity! We went to Nebraska to see my grandparent’s farm. Basically we went there to see what remains after the large hail they experienced. The farmhouse has all of the windows knocked out and the crops in the field are ruined. Thank heavens for insurance that’s all I have to say!
Hula Girl found so many “treasures” she did not know what to do with herself. Se loved the farmhouse because of all of its little places to get in and explore. I was the same way as a child so I guess she comes by it naturally. She got to ride on a four wheeler which was a blast. I didn’t want to tell her that at her age I was driving one. I wanted to give her no ideas! She enjoyed seeing all of the fields. She told me that basically it gave her a peek into my childhood through my eyes. She ran around like a carefree child digging in the dirt and hunting up treasures! There were many treasures to be found.
After digging through the many hat boxes and trying things on we stumbled upon my great aunt’s death certificate. With it was a birth certificate of a nameless child. There has always been a question as to why Aunt Ida died. All of my grandfather’s sisters and brothers had spinal meningitis
but she was the only one that died. (he had 6 brothers and sisters) We may have found our answer this weekend.
We found her diary. My great grandfather was not a kind and compassionate person. He was abusive both physically and mentally. He ruled with an iron fist. I hate to say that about him but it’s the truth.
When Ida was around 10 her diary stated that all she wanted to do was to get married, move away and have children. When she was 16 she met someone. It didn’t say who he was but from the description it sounded like a neighbor boy. From what we can tell she got pregnant. She kept her secret for a good 7 months. Then her father found out. She was beaten from what we can understand and taken to a parish in Lincoln, Nebraska where he insisted that she give up her child and not come home until she had done so. She tried to reason with him and tried to contact her boyfriend but from what she wrote I think that my great grandfather took care of him if you know what I mean.
She had a baby. It didn’t say whether it was a boy or a girl. My guess is that she did not know because it was common practice to whisk the baby away after birth.
After she went back home, her writing was emotional and suicidal. She wanted to run away but did not have any will left in her.
What I also found interesting is that none of my grandfather’s sisters got married. They all were spinsters and free spirits. They left around age 20 except Ida. She died when she was 27 a bitter and broken young lady. Her dream to be a mother and a wife crushed by her controlling and abusive father.
Anyway I tell you all of this because in showing my daughter the fabulous childhood I had there was an overshadowing feeling of abuse. I never experienced that. When we started talking about these things my father started to open up about his experiences as a child. The abuse he suffered by my grandfather who had in turn been abused by his own father was passed down. My grandfather not knowing any different planted the seed.
I looked at him shocked while he was telling me of how my grandfather would control them with horrible beatings. I never felt this way. My father told me there was a reason for that. After I was born he knew that I would be his difficult child. So when it came to discipline he made the choice to let my mother handle everything. He wanted the cycle of abuse to stop. He loved us that much. I was overwhelmed by his love.
So in the understanding of my past and my family history I have understood much more. I understand the person I could have been by looking at my Aunt’s life through her diary. I understand how blessed I am that my parents chose to stop the cycle and instead chose love!

I get the lovely privilege to go to Nebraska tomorrow and visit the fields! No really I am going to take my daughter and son to my grandparents farm. Even though my grandparents have been dead for years, the farm is still fully operation with my father and uncles running it.
The interesting part is that we are going to an opening of a museum. My cousin was a writer in Nebraska. Marie Sandoz was her name. She was ahead of her time. Another rebel!!! We are going to the museum in her honor! They opened it last year and did the grand opening ceremony, but our relatives from Switzerland were not able to attend. This year they are!
Have a wonderful weekend! Don’t get too crazy!

http://www.csc.edu/foundation/sandoz.asp

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH the first day of school pictures may be lost on my camera. NO NO NO! This is almost as bad as when Lee’s camera went nuts when his wife gave birth. Ok may be not but to me it ranks right up there!!!I might have saved one but I don’t know yet. So today I’m sulking a little. I hope I have at least one. I had ones of Hula Girl plus Genuine Niece. How do you beg a camera to yield its treasures? How do you reason with it. *pout

I didn’t even look at my blog this morning before I posted and much to my elation Joelle moxified my site!!
This was a nice gift to me and I love it.
So go on now and give Joelle some love! Thank you so much Joelle for bringing out the sexy Doula in me!!! *snicker!

Sorry I haven’t written yet this morning! I was helping my friend who is 36 weeks along work through contractions. She is the one with the unexpected pregnancy. (her husband had the big V and did all of his checks, three years later here’s a baby!) Anyway she was having contractions this morning that were pretty hard so I spent the morning there. I got her laid down, glass of water, backrubs, and took her children. Her contractions have stopped. She’s 36 weeks so she really doesn’t want to have the baby yet.
I will post first day at school pictures tomorrow! I can’t promise because of laboring friend but I will try!
Have a wonderful day and hopefully soon I will have another labor and delivery story to tell!

WHO IS THAT MASKED DEFENDER IN THE NEMO SWIMMING PANTS? THE RESCUER OF BUGS FROM SURE DEATH. HE LEAPS IN AND OUT OF THE 2 - 3 FOOT “DEEP END” IN A HIKE OF HIS LITTLE LEGS (not inherited from his mother!!) HE DOESN’T LET FAME GO TO HIS HEAD…HIS GLASSES ARE TOO TIGHT FOR THAT!
IT’S GOGGLE BOY! *snort This just made me laugh! Typical boy!

I must admit that sometimes I am not as disciplined as I need to be. Especially when it comes to housework. I’ll share a little secret…it’s been easier!
I started a new program about 2 weeks ago and it has helped!!!
The secret that came to my rescue is Flylady It is a home organizing system that has helped so much.
I’m still in the beginning stages but it has freed me up to do other things! I tend to ignore my home to play with the kids. This has allowed me freedom to do both! It also has helpful hints for homeschooling and school as well!
Check it out if you get a chance. If you are curious hit the join button and then they give you a ton of information! It’s wonderful!
I am enjoying a clean home and my children to boot while building good skills in them.
I’m off to put my shoes on ladies and gents!