Jenny Leigh, Where Are Thee?

I have been duly reprimanded for disappearing and I could give you lots of excuses, like the fact that Webkinz has taken over every available computer in the house, but that would just be annoying. Instead, I will just tell you what I have been up to.

Thanksgiving was quiet, but enjoyable. Mike's parents headed to North Carolina to see Mike's brother, Andy. Andy and his wife and two kids are headed to Sudan with Wycliffe. While Sudan has been in the news a lot lately, and not all good (don't google it - it will keep you up at night!), Andy assures us that where they are they will be quite safe. Mom and Dad spent the night on both ends of there trip as cross-country flights to and from Billings require early mornings and late nights! The kids were thrilled to have some time with Grandma and Grandpa, though. As were we.

We had some friends that were also familyless over for dinner in the evening and the kids played wonderfully. I'd love to show you pictures, but I only have one that Muffy took and she was trying to take it of herself. Really it's just a picture of her nostril.

That picture is not really all that gross. Her nostrils are quite clear when you compare them to some of my other children.

Thursday I took Morgan back to the doctor for an ear check. She had an ear infection and I just did not think it had cleared up. Gooky nose, low grade fever, and pulling at the ear just said so. I took Jarrett along with, because his eczema seemed to be acting up. Lo and behold, turns out that Jarrett joins Judson and Jeffrey in having pneumonia and Morgan's ear infection could turn into that if we let it go.

Five down three to go. Let's hope and pray not. I thought for a moment I could blame Mike on some bad genes for the boys to all come down with pneumonia, but I was quickly reminded that I was the one that started it all.

However, while I was in bed feeling like death warmed over...wait, where did that saying come from? My mother says it, my grandmother used to say it, but really what does it mean? I felt like death, but I wasn't really dead cold yet? Dead cold, that's another morbid saying.

Anyway, my children, despite having pneumonia seems to maintain a decent level of energy. Really a two year old should sleep, but mine was hyper! Really the fever, cough and lack of appetite were our only indications. I didn't mind the lack of appetite...mine caused me to lose and entire dress size. However as I type I am enjoying hot apple cider and thin mints. If I don't close the package soon, I may eat the whole sleeve and then I'll be back in my original, post-two babies in 14 months weight.

Just in case you are wondering, 4 Thin Mint cookies = 150 calories. There are 18 per sleeve. That's math I'm not going to do!!!

But that's another thing we have been up to...delivering Girl Scout Cookies! But ours are out and done and now my freezer is stocked for the year. It really is quite a sight!

I would show you pictures of my Girl Scout - the one wearing size 7 1/2 ladies shoes and developing more curves than her daddy is ready to accept, but again, no pictures. Even if I had pictures I couldn't upload them right now, because I am on my laptop.

This is Mike's three laptops ago laptop! It has no card reader and I really had to check to see if it even had a USB port. It does, but I don't have the capability to use that with my camera. Besides my camera is in the kitchen and I am in the bathroom.

What??? No, I am sitting with my feet in the bathtub - my pink bathtub - getting ready to give myself a mini pedicure. I'm sure there are many rules being broken here. Namely the fact that my laptop is on my lap, over top of the tub and is plugged in. The biggest rule being broken is the pink tub, though!

The other question to ask is why am I giving myself a mini-pedicure? It is December, no one will see my toes. They are forever hidden behind cute socks and my Fuggs. (Fake Uggs according to Chris' fashionable sister!) Why wouldn't I show off my cute toes? Maybe because there are six inches of show on the ground and it is still snowing. Not to mention it is only 4 degrees out there tonight.

That's right all you Texas people I said 4! And those of you in Indiana - watch out - it's coming your way. Although since it has been snowing off and on for three days, I'm pretty sure it has stalled over top of my house.

This is the point where I would make sure each and every one of you knew that I really disliked winter. I think the snow is pretty, I just detest going out in it, driving in it, or getting my children ready to go out in it. And 4 degrees is really too cold for the kids to play outside, so it also means finding things for the kids to do inside. (Thus the reason every computer in my house had been occupied!)

Today we went out for a little while and it took 30 minutes for us to get ready and pull out of the driveway. Gloves, hats, boots, coats, carseats that need to be readjusted for coats, poopy diaper that needed to be changed after the coat, gloves, hat and boots, drinks, chap stick, and sunglasses! Too much!

However worth it because we were going to paint at our new church offices! I have mixed emotions about Mike being gone during the day now. I'm glad he will be able to focus better and it's nice to focus on myself and my work instead of feeling like I should be spending time with him just because he is home. However it also means he's more difficult to get a hold of (no more calling his cell in the basement), and he can't come running to help me with something, and I can't leave sleeping children to go get kids from school or run to the grocery store. Now I have to bundle them up! (see previous paragraph if you have forgotten what a chore that is!)

The offices will also hold our preschool that will start in January. Please pray for an awesome enrollment! Meredith is extremely excited about going. Although she'll only get one semester as she will start kindergarten next Fall. That seems unbelievable, but I'm still excited. Four down, two to go!

However, I must add that trying to paint the church office with six children in tow and a husband that is trying to study was not an enjoyable event. I think I'll head back some evening this week and get a lot more done!!

So now that I've caught you up my water is getting cold. Maybe next post will be nothing but pictures!

UPDATE: A salt scrub feels wonderful on your feet but not on your hands when the skin on your fingers is splitting because it is cold and dry. We usually have very low humidity and this time of year you really need to dip yourself in a vat of moisturizer every morning and evening. I just checked the weather and it is now 1 degree, feels like -12 degrees, and 68% humidity. How can it be 68% and be snowing? Is that like when we lived in Texas and it was 99 degrees and 100% humidity, but not raining?