Signs?

First of all, I want to say that Alli is going into the hospital Tuesday night (guess that is today since it is after midnight), with the intent of being induced on Wednesday.  She has to go Tuesday so they can give her something to dilate her cervix over night.  Labor will be induced on Wednesday morning, so Lily will likely be born on May 11, 2011.  I guess there is a small chance labor could last until Thursday, but I hope not!

Jeff is in Columbus finishing up a job, and Alli was at Jon's house, so it was just Conor and me tonight.  We were in the living room - chatting and watching cartoons - and our electricity went out.  It was 8:40PM.  I called my mom to see if hers was out as well (she lives 4 houses away) - to make sure it wasn't just us.  I couldn't find a flashlight to check the breaker, so I figured calling her would just be easier.  Hers was out too, and my Grandma's - 3 houses away.  So, it was the whole street. 

Having not gotten much sleep over the weekend (cumulative 14 hours from Friday morning til Monday morning), I took it as a sign I should just go to bed and get a good nights sleep. In trying to get laundry done - all laundry, including sheets, comforters, all blankets, pillow cases, anything that is able to go in the washing machine! - and Mother's Day activities, I sacrificed a bit of sleep over the weekend. 

So, tonight, I was exhausted.  I didn't feel like doing much of anything. I wasn't doing much when the electric went out and since it was close to 9, Conor and I decided to go to bed after having a conversation about how we were not going to go to his friend Ethan's house just because we didn't have electricity.  And about how his day wasn't "bad" because he fell and hurt his knee and the electric went out. 

I managed to squeeze into my bed - it seems the dogs have claimed it as their own and they aren't much into giving away space - I got comfortable and was on the verge of sleep when I got a text message at 9:16PM.  I know, I know, maybe I shouldn't take my phone to bed with me, right?  Well, with no electric, I needed it for an alarm clock.  Who knew when the electric would come back on?  As long as I had water to brush my teeth and wash my face, we could still get ready for work and school without electricity.  I think anyway. 

Anyway, the message was from Alli, asking why the power went out.  I had sent a post to facebook to say I was going to bed because the power was out, so my mistake.   I responded and put the phone back and started to fall back asleep. 

Then the phone rang (9:19PM) and it was my mom telling me the power company said the electric should be back on by midnight.  I told her I didn't mind because Conor and I had just gone to bed.  I didn't even ask why it had gone out - I realized that after I had hung up and I didn't want to call her back. 

I fell asleep. 

Then I was awoken by the dogs - they both stood up and began barking.  It seems someone was at the door.  I tripped and ran into things in the darkness trying to get to the door.  It was about 9:40 at that point - I didn't look, but know due to other factors.  It was my aunt, bringing me a cool little lantern so I could have light.  :)  She apologized over and over for waking me up, which of course was not her fault - I never go to bed that early, so there is no way she could have known and she was just bringing me a source of light.  So, I was able to see my way back to bed and climbed in and turned the lantern off and put it beside my bed. 

About 3 minutes later, the electric was back on and lights came back on along with the TV.  I hadn't thought to turn the other lights out, and I really thought I had turned the one off in the bedroom, but apparently I turned it on. 

I got up to turn everything off and set the clocks (stove and microwave) and when I went back to bed I couldn't sleep.  So here I am, writing a post at midnight, not the least bit tired!  So now - instead of a sign that I should get some sleep, I think there is a conspiracy to deprive me of it!  ;)  just kidding.  I guess I just got a power 20 min nap accumulated there somewhere and it did the trick for a little bit.

I am starting to nod off writing this - goodness, I bore myself to sleep and I'm still going to post it?  Yep.  I am. 

*disclaimer* I am not, nor was I at any point tonight, upset with anyone who disturbed my sleep.  I did not have to respond to texts, or answer the phone, or go to the door. I have family who think and care about me, and I am thankful for all of them - sleep or no sleep.  I just thought it was a funny story so I thought I would share.  Now I'm going back to bed.

I tried...

I wanted to try a new way to post tonight - a video of pictures with me vocally walking you through them.  However - I kept trying and kept getting interrupted.  Conor until he went to bed, then Allie decided to come out and lay on the couch for a while.  Then I got engrossed in a show.  So, maybe tomorrow!  :) 

A Quick Note

I don't think I ever "announced" that Alli is pregnant on here - but most people who read my blog already know that.  Yes, I'm gonna be a grandma.  :)  I'm trying to make it a point to post more, and I didn't want to promise anything on here but I've made myself a promise to do it. 

Today was a little unexpected.  Alli has been having some problems with her pregnancy - she has had to go to the dr every week for the last 2-3 months due to high blood pressure and other signs of preeclampsia.  Today they sent her to the maternity ward from her weekly dr. appointment to monitor her for a few hours.  She came home, but has been put on bed rest.  We are not sure if it is until she delivers or if she will be able to return to school for a little while longer.  Her official due date is May 18th.  She has to go back to the doctor in 24-48 hours to see if the bed rest is helping and we will know more then.  Lily Mae could be here a little sooner than we thought. 

Going back in time... Easter 2011

The Saturday before Easter, Ceara, Conor, and Gage colored eggs.  Molly doesn't like to do them, so she sent Gage to our house to do it - she said it is our Easter tradition that I color eggs with the kids.

They each did 6 eggs - Ceara liked decorating hers as well as coloring them.  The boys didn't care so much about the stickers and decorations. 

The Easter Bunny left baskets for each of the kids - remembering that Ceara doesn't like milk chocolate (I think Jeff kept all of those genes), she got a white chocolate bunny.  And yes, she did get a razor as well - she asked for it!

Conor got some toys along with his candy.

And Alli got a couple of books. 

Then it was off to Grandma's for the once-a-year breakfast that I love and Easter egg hunting. 

One of these years the adults are going to let the kids just hunt instead of helping them... OK, probably not, but it would be interesting. 

It was rainy so the eggs were hidden near the driveway so as not to get so muddy. 

We may well be there for hours if we relied on the kids to find them themselves. 

They can't seem to see the colorful eggs even when they are right in front of them. 

 We could see the pink egg from where we were standing, yet Conor could not.  He eventually found it though. 

All of the eggs were found eventually.

Then it was time to go inside and count the money inside. 

The eggs at Grandma's house always have money in them.  It's a tradition.  ;) 

After the egg hunt at Grandma's, we go to Mimi's (my mom's) where they have a scavenger hunt. 

They have to fine a certain amount of eggs of each color.

Once you have the designated colors and amounts, you were done and could help the others. 

 Then you got to check out the contents - candy and a couple of them have dollars. 

That evening Jeff, Conor, and I went out to the mancave and listened to an iTunes story that Jeff had found to teach Conor what the real meaning of Easter is - the ressurection of Christ.  It lasted about 25-30 minutes and Conor listened intently.  When it was over, he asked many questions and we sat and talked for almost an hour. 

I must say, he is a very intelligent boy.  Yes, I know he is mine and I'm biased, but he surprised me.  He does now know that the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus are both roles played by his parents, but he also knows why.  Because he asked.  Those aren't the only questions he asked - he asked about Jesus, religion, and a lot of other things that an 8 year old wouldn't normally ask about.  We were honest with him, and I was very grateful for Jeff. 

Despite my ability to take a test online and score a higher IQ number than Jeff, he knows a lot more than I do.  He retains things better than I do - I don't remember movie lines, I don't remember plots half the time, and I certainly don't remember everything I read!  I still get to say I'm smarter though - because I did get a higher IQ score than he did!  Turns out all that knowlege he has isn't on the test.  HA!   

Weekend Work

By Katie - yes I do still exist.  ;)

Jeff, Conor, and Ceara went shopping this weekend while I stayed home and did the housework.  They came home with a lot of flowers, soil, mulch, and a work wagon. 

We dug out the circle in the front for the strawberries.  By "we" I mean mostly Jeff, although we all took a turn with the shovel - even though it only lasted a dig or two. 

 Flowers were planted in the front flower bed because we do have some in the back, but Duke has taken to digging them up.  So we figured we would play it safe and not plant them where he could get to them. 

 With one exception - the lava rock.  Jeff had planted yellow flowers there last year, and this year he expanded on the colors by adding orange and red. 

 The Tiki torches are still there too - our own little Hawaiian area.  He loved going there so much last year that he wanted a small reminder. 

 Look, here's the work wagon Ceara and I put together.  Jeff started it, but we finished it while he dug out the circle:

There will be another picture on down of Ceara with some of the hardware - during the building of it - but Blogger "improved" the uploading of pictures and I have yet to be able to figure out how to move the darn things around once they are uploaded.  Not much of an improvement if you ask me! 

I took some closeups of the flowers before they were planted - I love the way they turned out. 

 The colors are so pretty!

These were all picked by Jeff, Conor, and Ceara and I think they did a wonderful job!

Conor especially likes the Violets - he saw them in the store and Jeff said he wanted them.

 Ceara picked the Bleeding Hearts - I love them as well. 

 With the clay dirt around our house, the digging of the holes proved to be a little harder than usual, but we managed. 

I hope they last a while and don't just bloom for a week or two!

It will look better once we have new mulch down, but it still looks pretty good. 

 I hope the strawberry patch produces a lot of strawberries, as everyone here loves them!

Everyone worked very hard getting it done. 

The pictures below were all taken by Jeff on his Blackberry, and I would have incorporated them into my pictures at the appropriate place, but as I said before, Blogger isn't cooperating with me. 

The Black Raspberry bush we planed on the side by itself - hopefully it will produce many berries, too!

 Ceara on the porch with the hardware for the wagon - it wasn't easy to put together, either.  The flat-head screws were hard to hold while tightening the nut.

Conor helped out with the mowing, so Jeff didn't have to do it all.

 It helps to have a self propelled mower - so he doesn't have to push, just guide.  The flower lineup before planting:

 Jeff's favorite:

 Conor picked this one out, I could go look up the name outside but... if I do, I might not finish the post!

Violets:

Fuzzy pink flowers: 

A little friend showed up after we were done and cleaning up - Conor wanted to catch him and keep him as a pet.  I told him if he picked it up, he could.  Guess he didn't want it that badly.  :)  I did get him to touch it - only after I touched it first though. 

Snakes don't bother me - but spiders freak me out!  Yes, I am aware that is strange, but spiders have 8 legs and beady little eyes... *shudder*.