Off to Virginia

I love making spur of the moment decisions, but I don't normally make big ones like this. Today my sister called and we were talking about when the next time I would be able to go to Virginia to visit our dad and family. I was suppose to go next week, but I got the job I was talking about in a previous post, so now I will be orientating next week. She said we could go tomorrow, because she is off for the next six days. I said...sure let's go! I called the family and they were happy to have us come this weekend (well at least they pretended to be happy that we were all coming in one day's notice). We are headed out at 7am in the morning. I am anxiously excited. I have lots to do to get ready, so that is a little overwhelming! I am also leaving Radlee and Jeff at home, so I feel sad about that. Radlee has had pneumonia, so he is going to stay at home with daddy.....he is doing better now though. He also probably wouldn't do very well with such a short few days there and long drive. I would have to say that this tops all of the fly by the seat of my pants decisions I have made. Can you believe this was actually Ashley's idea? I don't think she was expecting me to say yes!!! I guess I surprised her. :) We don't get to see them very much, so I jump on any opportunity to visit them!

Ok....I know you are dying to know about this job situation. ha ha I like to fool myself into believing there are tons of readers just dying to know what I am up to!!! I am going to start working in the emergency room at a local hospital. I will be working as a secretary/tech. They are going to train me to be a tech, so I can work either position. I am sooooooooo excited. My cousin works there, so she was such a big help in getting me this position!!! Thank you Stacy! It will be such a great opportunity to gain so much more knowledge about the medical field in general. I was telling a friend today that normally I pay my school to learn this type of stuff, but now I am going to get paid to learn. I am fascinated with the medical field in general, and I am sure working in the ER will be so exciting. I am nervous, but I know that once I get over the initial "new & unfamiliar", it will be great. Jeff's business has been pretty slow lately, so the extra money will also be great. I was able to combine all of my classes on Tues/Thurs this upcoming semester, so I have a little more free time. I hope to mainly work the night shift, so I won't miss out on the kid's activities! This may sound dorky to most, but I think one of the things I am the most excited about is wearing scrubs. :) I know I am a dork.

Well I am off to pack and do about 10 loads of laundry...I may not be going to bed at all tonight. Oh well, I guess it will be some practice getting me ready to work the night shift!!

Pray for our safe travels and for Radlee to continue to get over his sickness!!

The poodles Christmas haircuts

Ok...I know the toes are a bit much, but hey it is a special occasion! They also had Christmas scarves on, but that didn't last very long. Cher has red bows in her hair, but you can't see them in this picture! Granny....Buddy needs to meet them!

Finally an update!

Sorry for the lack of updating lately. We have been pretty busy, but I have started to write a few posts and then never finished them. I am not sure why, but my mind has been all over the place since I finished this last semester. I have lots of tasks looming before me to get all of my application information submitted for the hygiene program, so that is consuming me. Jeff hasn't been working very much because of the lack of work and bad weather, so that has been adding a little stress. Also, I might have a job possibility that I am very excited about, but I will save that for another post since I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch! :) My head is spinning in so many different directions that it is hard for me to even sit and write anything....but most of you already know it doesn't take much to overwhelm me! :)

Christmas was a lot of fun this year. We tried really hard to simplify. Financially, we were forced to simplify. One of the most memorable times this year was on Christmas morning, we created several clues that the kids had to answer in order to find their present. Britt helped with this since she is older. The final clue (which was in the ice maker) led Maddie and Radlee down to the garage to find their trampoline. (it was in the garage because Jeff had to work on it in there because of all of the rain) Oh and don't worry...it has the big net around it. I think Maddie had more fun reading all of the clues than actually getting the trampoline, so we will definitely do some more stuff like that in the future. Another great surprise was for Brittany. We got her a new cell phone, and had her phone activated on Christmas Eve. She had no idea why her current phone wasn't working! She was so frustrated, which I did sort of feel bad about, but I just told her we would have to go the day after Christmas and check on getting her phone fixed. On Christmas morning, after all of the kids opened their gifts, Jeff secretly called the phone and it started ringing from a gift bag under the tree. (I saw this on a commercial and decided to try it) I think she still had no idea what was going on, but was pretty excited to find it. I am not sure whether she was thrilled to have a new phone, or thrilled to just have a phone back. Radlee changed his mind on Christmas Eve about what he wanted from Santa, and was telling everyone Santa was bringing him a remote control helicopter. This was news to Mr. and Mrs. Claus, so they had to go and visit their elves at the toy store (also known as Target) and pick up his only requested item!

Mimi and Grandaddy came over on Christmas Eve and then my mom and sister came over on Christmas day. We had a really good time. I really enjoy having everyone come to our house. We have started a tradition the past few years of having brunch at our house on Christmas morning. It is always so yummy! Of course I always love spending time with everyone, but also wish I could see all of our family in KY and VA. :(

I will probably post some pictures later!

Strep invasion!

Somehow these little bacteria invaded our body over the past weekend. Radlee was the first to wake up sick on Friday morning, Maddie went on Friday afternon, followed by Jeff on Friday night, and I started feeling horrible yesterday. We all have been sick with strep. After Radlee was diagnosed on Friday morning, we took Maddie to get tested at the minute clinic on Friday afternoon. The np said she probably had it too, but she definitely had a sinus infection, so she just went ahead and treated her. Jeff went to the minute clinic yesterday and tested + for strep too.....he hasn't had strep since he was a little boy! I just decided to diagnose myself, and start taking some antibiotics we already had here at the house. (Yeah...i know that is not the best idea, but I am sure I probably had the same thing) Britt is the only one who hasn't had it in our house, and hopefully she won't. Thank goodness she didn't because she had to help take care of the kids yesterday afternoon. Yesterday morning, Maddie fed her and Radlee breakfast and lunch while Britt was at church. Maddie fixed them cocoa puffs and COKE for breakfast, and cheeze whiz and crackers for lunch. I bet she enjoyed the opportunity to eat whatever she wanted!!! :) We are starting to feel much better now. I guess it is just that time of year!

Recently, we were privileged enough create a snow family. To our great surprise, they came to life just like their Great Grandfather Frosty the Snowman. Their time was brief, but they brought so much joy into our lives. Seeing them play for the first time was amazing. It was so hard to watch them slowly melt away. We will never forget this little snow family. If anyone out there ever has a chance to create their own snow family, don't let the opportunity pass you by!

Let it snow!

Maddie in the middle

Maddie has been home for the past two days with some sort of virus...fever, sore throat, cough, and aches. She has been extra sensitive....remember she is already the most sensitive to begin with. I think it has some to do with the fact that she is the middle child, but also because she is my clone. She is exactly like me in so many ways. She even reminds me of how I acted as a child. (I am hoping she doesn't act like I did as a teenager). Today, she was sitting in her room listening to her radio. A few minutes later, she came out of her room just crying. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she was thinking about when she gets older and gets married and she doesn't want to leave me. Isn't that so precious that she already thinks about these sorts of things? I reminded her that she had a very long time to think about that (well we hope anyway..maybe she won't follow my footsteps in that area) and that she will always be able to see me. She is precious.....most of the time! :)