PHEW!

I am sitting here slightly stiff and sore. It's been a busy few days although you wouldn't know it looking at my livingroom. Unless you realize that the mess is mostly baskets of folded laundry waiting to be put away. I'm pretty proud of myself since I managed to get 12 loads of laundry done yesterday even with a broken dryer (needs a new belt). It was mostly easy stuff to hang...4 loads of darks, 3 loads of bedding, 2 loads of towels, 2 loads of lights and a load of whites. I cheated and took the lights and whites to the laundromat to dry this morning. I HATE hanging up the socks and underwear! And the lights have a lot of little things in it too. Due to running around town I was only able to get 5 loads in as of now. Thanks to Eileen and Olivia cleaning their room I think I have at least 5 more loads waiting to be done. I may do a few more so they are ready to go on the line after the stuff out there dries. That's my problem...not enough clothes line. I admit I'm tempted to take another 2 loads of lights to the laundromat tomorrow morning. lol

I also managed to make the poncho for a girl at church. It's her birthday tomorrow! I'm pretty pleased with it. I used a bigger hook (went from an I hook to an N) and paid more attention to measurements and stitch count. (I'm learning! I'm learning!) It's not as bulky and a lot neater. Makes me feel almost guilty for what I gave my niece.

Picture of my niece's poncho


And just because Liz was being a snot while I was trying to take pictures of it....


I also managed to finish the hook case I had started last Friday. I had to laugh at myself though. I was altering the pattern...adding pockets, rings and such and I realized....I have NO idea what I'm doing!!! But it worked and it's not too shabby. I'm hoping to get a picture of it this weekend.

This weekend doesn't look like the momentum will be letting up anytime soon. Tomorrow Michelle has to be to work by 8:30am. Then there's 2 transmissions at church with time to eat lunch in between. The kids talked me into buying eggs at the dollar store. Well the fact they were half price is actually what convinced me to buy them. They're pretty happy that they can now color eggs, so we'll be doing that Saturday night. Sunday it's basket time and then church. The youth are having an egg hunt after the meeting and then everyone's having dinner together. Unfortunately the plans were made late and I had already committed to dinner at my parents' house. I'm not sure if I'd have picked the church dinner anyways since it would've meant I couldn't eat with my whole family and Tom would probably be here alone for dinner (it makes me want to cry really). So after the egg hunt we're running back home, picking up the rest of the people and going to my parents' for dinner. Maybe we can get some family pictures while we're all there and looking half way decent. :o) Oh Michelle and Val are planning on going an egg hunt for the kids at my parents' too. I guess they bought and have already filled 72 eggs. Yay!

Things are going well here for the most part. Most of us are dealing with a really bad cold and cough. Liz is dealing with daily headaches which prompted a visit to the dr's and treatment for migraines. Hopefully it'll do the trick.

I've managed to get through days without crying. Of course Billy is always in the my thoughts and I still expect him to come in the back door. I look outside to see whether he's coming up while I'm making coffee. I see his jeep and for a split second forget it's not his anymore. This morning I got thrown for a loop because a pair of sneaks were next to the back door. At first I didn't recognize them and thought...oh Billy must be in the bathroom. Oh no they can't be. I looked at them closer...they were Jake's. Carrie had a dream last night that was about Billy but didn't include Billy. Instead all of us were dying in tragic ways. :o( We were both crying before she finished telling it. It "bothers" her that Billy said good bye too her as he left the house for the last time that evening. Something he didn't normally do since he was in and out often.

Things seem to be turning in an upward direction for Pat. He's been struggling so long. His new job is going well and he may be in for a significant increase i n salary come June 1st! His girlfriend Alex also has a new job working at the hospital. right up her alley since she's going to school to be a doctor. In 6 months if she is put on permanent she'll then be a state employee with good pay and excellent benefits.

Well I've dozed off in the middle of typing this a few times so I'm going to BED! I f!eel like an old fart going to bed so early but oh well. I'm ending with a fun picture. The kids were having fun with a piece of glossy cardboard the other day. Here's Olivia...