The last few months have been insane! There has hardly been no time to even look at the computer let alone get on it-trying to work get Sissykitty to cheer practice; cheer pictures and the kids at school stuff---just wears a person out. Then Speedracer had some issues at school and I had to go and talk to the teach and deal with that; and that very same day I found out that my mother was in trouble. Then the next I started college. Trying to get my mom all squared away with what she has to deal with and running her everywhere and dealing with college + husband and kids; has been exhausting. I had my first test in college on Tuesday and bombed--I got a D-first D of my life! I told hubby after that; I just can't run my mom everywhere and run places and errands that he wants me to either---I have to study! My grants and me getting into the nursing program depends on my grades and I cannot have anything like this anymore. He understood and has been a bit more forgiving and my mom has also. Hubby really has stepped up since I started college. He helps out with housework and the kids homework and makes sure they have good meals on the nights I'm not here. Having his support has helped make this much easier. I just pray that I get through this. I feel so ancient.
With college and Sissykitty doing cheerleading; it seems like that last few months has been a blur. It seems as all I have done is take tests and I am so out of practice I study and study; feel pretty confident I know what I just read; I get to the test---and I turn blank. I totally forget everything I had studied and I end up bombing the test. I feel so inept to do this 10 years has definitely been way too long to wait. So much is riding on this--I HAVE to get at least a C in all courses to keep my grant and also to keep in the nursing program. I don't know what I'm going to do--except for maybe try and study more but I don't know how that will help me from freezing up at test time.Also, we've had to move Speedracer back to the first grade. Last year he had some behavior problems, wanted to talk all the time, socialize instead of doing school work-that this year, when he has grown, he didn't learn all he should have last year-so that has put him behind. So instead of seeing him struggle all year and possibly fail, we went ahead and moved him back. Looking at it now, we shouldn't have started him until he was 6--he was a very immature 5 year old. Hindsight is always 20/20. **sigh**Doodles has figured out how to pull herself up to her knees. As soon as she figures out how to pull herself up on her feet, I feel she will be unstoppable She is growing so fast :(
We are dissecting a cat in Biology right now and I know it sounds gross—but it has turned out to be really cool! We just cut open the abdomen and could see the intestines, gall bladder—it was awesome! I can’t wait until next quarter when we really get to ‘dig in’. Doodles is now pulling herself up and walking around furniture. She is also trying to climb out of her walker and climb up the couch. She has taken a step here and there; but nothing to really consider it a big first step. She is just growing too fast-she is only 8 months old and doing all this already. Hubby and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary last weekend. We didn’t have a lot of money to spend; so we went to a sportman’s extravaganza—not exactly what I pictured for our 10 year; but at least we got to spend some much needed time alone and that’s all that really matters.
Doodles had her first run with sickness this weekend. Speedracer had the flu-bug on Wednesday; stayed home from school with it-I thought I had kept him and her separated good enough; but Doodles got sick about 6pm on Saturday night. I felt so sorry for her--she threw up so much between 6p and midnight and she would get this terrified look on her face right before she would get sick; then after she would look up at me and then place her head on my shoulder. I felt so bad for her I called the nurses line and they said it was a good thing I was still bf-that is lighter on their stomach than formula. I think I will start her back on solids today-just bland things; bananas, rice cereal type stuff. Hubby went to the store Saturday night and bought her pedialyte-but all they had was the flavored kind and she would touch it at all-so yesterday I bought her unflavored and I think I maybe got 2 oz in her. She doesn't really like it much; but I figure some is better than none. She was the happiest sick baby I have ever seen. She never cried, fussed-nothing. She was just as happy as ever-just took little breaks to get sick. Speedracer felt so bad--he felt this was his fault that she got sick. We just tried to explain that all kids get sick and it was nobody's fault. I hope he understood.

Zucchini Bread

I made zucchini bread for the first time this past weekend and the kids ate it us like it's going out of style! I'm so glad they loved it! I made another batch yesterday and it is already half gone. The kids are so funny! I have made fried zucchini before and Suncerae ate it really well and Dakota didn't eat it at all, so he was really leary of trying the bread. He took a bite of it and said, "Mommy, this is so good. It doesn't taste like zucchini at all! I love it! Don't ever make any kind of zucchini other than this, okay?" He makes me smile so :)

I would like to make some of that Amish friendship bread. My mother-in-law used to have a start for it; but of course we ate it so much that we got tired of it---But I would like to have it again. I wonder if I could find the recipe on the internet somewhere??? i think I'm going to check it out!

Gettin' ready for the fair

Saturday my kids had a 4-H cookout and they had a mock goat show. That was awesome! All the kids taking goats in the club are 'first-timers' and have had no experience at showing or what they need to do. This was so helpful! I think things clicked for Sissykitty. She learned how to set up her goat and what to expect from the judges. So, I am really excited to see how she does Sunday night(Showmanship) and Monday morning(goat show). So this past Monday, I spent the day catching up on housework that I missed with us running all weekend; and then yesterday I worked. Oh! On a very happy note; I was able to pick up the pictures that I had taken of the kids 2 weeks ago. I love the pictures!!!! They turned out so wonderful!!!!!!!! I have been so anxiously waiting getting them back. All 3 kids smiled so wonderfully! It just warms my heart to see them.

So, today, I am getting ready for the fair. I'm pretty excited about the fair-this will be our family vacation this year. We're going to have a pretty jam-packed week, though. Saturday night is goat weigh in, then Sunday evening is goat showmanship; Monday is goat show then Monday night is the Phil Dirt and the Dozers concert; Tuesday night is Junior Fair night where Sissykitty is the rider in the Outhouse race; Wednesday hubby has a doctor appointment and Friday evening is the goat sale; Saturday is the antique tractor pulls and Sunday we're all done. Whew! What a week this will be! Hubby is taking off work Monday and Friday and that is SOOOO AWESOME! I love it when we get to spend more time together. I'm hoping Doodles will do well this week. If the forecast is right, we will be in the hottest heat wave we've had all summer. :( That's the one thing I hate about the fair; it's always the hottest week of the summer.

Whew!

My goodness! Where does time go? Saturday hubby had to work and I had a few errands to run; got the kiddos picture taken Saturday. First time I've had their picture taken all together. They were all in their Ohio State gear and looked so cute! Doodles done so well and smiled so good when they wanted her too. The lady that took their picture kind of made me mad; when she went to review the pictures with me so I could pick out which ones I wanted to purchase. She was of course talking up the big, expensive packages; but I do not have $199 or even the low package of $79 to spend just on pictures-so I picked 2 poses and spent $25 and she just kept acting 'put off' and upset that I didn't go 'whole hog' over pictures and buy them all. But at any rate; I got the two poses I wanted and they will be in next Thursday. I cannot wait! Then Saturday evening and Sunday was a blur. We did not do anything really special; just hung around the house and 'piddled'; but like time always does on the weekend; it flew. :( Then on Monday I ended up going in and working to help make up time I missed last week, then yesterday I worked also. It seems as though I never get anything accomplished here at the house on the days I have to work. I feel so guilty about leaving I usually spend the biggest part of the day cuddling with the kiddos. But they are only little once and they are going to outgrow the cuddling part so I take as much as I can when I can :) That's the greatest thing about being a mom :) :)

Mommy did they have?

Well, last evening, Sissykitty and I were sitting in the living room watching TV (some old re-run of some sort) but at any rate they were talking about mail boxes. Sissykitty looked up at me and said, "Mommy, did they have mailboxes back when you were nine?" Back when I was nine??? Now grant you I'm no spring chicken; but it hasn't been that many years since I was nine! I mean that was only 18 (!) years ago---Wow, 18 years ago! Okay, maybe she's got a point.

Gotta love kids and their honesty (gulp).

Intro ;)

Hello, all.

My name is Bethany and this is an intro to me. I am a mom of 3 beautiful children(Sissykitty 9, Speedracer 7, and Doodles 5 months), currently working as a billing specialist; getting ready to go back to school for my associates in nursing in the Fall. Very nervous about that one--a lot of worries and anxieties, especially with a newborn; but-I'm very optimistic that this will work out. Time will tell, right? ;) My hubby works as a construction worker and is the sexiest, most wonderful husband in the world. He has a very good heart, a wonderful sense of humor, and dotes on his family. We currently live in Southern Ohio (GO BUCKS!!!!!) where we have 1 horse, 2 goats (one is Sissykitty's 4-H project) 2 dogs (1 outside yard barker, and 1 beautiful golden retriever that lives with us inside) and 5 outside cats (a momma and her 4 babies). It's like our own little petting zoo here ;)
Like I said, Sissykitty is in 4-H and she will be taking a market goat. We are stressing about this goat making weight. We have been pouring the feed to it all summer long and it's just inching at gaining weight. She has a doe and we've heard that does don't pack it on as good as males, so maybe next year we'll try a male so we're not stressing like we are now. The goat's name is Angel and will follow Sissykitty anywhere. I'm afraid it will be very hard for her to sell it in August. :( She is even trying to get Speedracer to buy it for her so it doesn't have to go! Kids are so funny!
Speedracer is 7 and ALL BOY! He is so rough and tumble and full of mischief; sometimes I don't know whether to laugh at him or hang him up by his toes ;) (just kidding) He enjoys being outside with Daddy and 'tinkering'; playing cowboys; and playing with his hot wheel cars and tonka trucks. He's into watching NASCAR racing with us and Spiderman. 5 months ago, he became a big brother. He was very upset when we first broke the news of the upcoming arrival; but once he found out the Doodles was a girl; he started telling my belly how much he loved her and couldn't wait to meet her--now he just dotes on her and constantly wants to do things for her and telling her how much he loves her. It warms my heart so :)
Doodles just turned 5 months old. She is the most pleasant baby I have ever seen in my life! She is always smiling; never cries except when she wants fed or changed. She has been such a joy to our life. She is so content just laying on the floor playing-or sitting up in her boppy or in her walker. She is the most alert and nosey baby--she doesn't miss a beat. She can be nursing, almost asleep, and if our dog gets us and shakes and it makes her collar make a noise; Doodles just about breaks her neck to see what that was! She is so funny!

Well, this is a brief intro to me and my family--check back soon for more updates!

Thanks for stopping :)