The Cottage on the Hill

This past weekend the entire family, plus a friend from church headed out for a mini-vaca. We stayed for two nights in a two bedroom suite with full kitchen in a favorite hotel. When we arrived home, I found that I missed that hotel suite. It was very relaxing there! I even told my mother on the phone that I wanted to go back to it! Why? I decided that it was the lack of clutter and only having what we needed with us. I didn't have extra gadgets, appliances, clothes, toys, etc etc etc. Sure, we were on vacation, so that is different from every day life, but it really made me think about all the stuff we have. Do we really need it? Really? It felt really good to be able to sit down and put my feet up because I didn't have a mess to clean up, something to organize, or stuff to put away! The dishwasher, extra bathroom, and maid service helped, too. ;b

My denomination in general does not observe Lent. Every year, though, Lent feels like something I should make a point of. This year, things are a bit discombobulated, so I'm settling for using the Lenten season to purge my home of excess STUFF. This past weekend, I went through my dressers and closet to purge and organize. I already feel better! I plan on repeating the purge with my children's clothing and toys, my kitchen cupboards, paperwork, catalogs and magazines, and excess baby gear. If I have time, I will tackle my sewing supplies.

Itchy belly, Braxton-Hicks contractions, navel pain....yep, baby and belly are going through a growth spurt! Only 16 (technically) weeks left to go! I can hardly believe it! I also found out today that my doctor has listed me as a high risk pregnancy. Now, I'm not sure what that means, as I don't really consider myself high risk. Someone stuck on bed rest with imminent preterm labor is high risk. Apparently, a placenta in a low location, 3 previous miscarriages, 3 previous preterm births, and some pretty nasty BH contractions qualifies me. I'm fairly confident things are ok and are going to be ok.

Upon the request of my lovely aunt, I started a blog for healthy living. If you are interested, check it out HERE .

My outdoor wood boiler after I filled it this morning before the sun rose.

Every Wednesday night when I can I set aside time to sit down, put my feet up, fire up my laptop and head on over to the Raising Homemakers Link Up . To me, it's like the best weekly women's magazine out there!

Wednesday, my children and I came down with a nasty 24 hour stomach bug. As soon as we recovered, I set to cleaning and disinfecting the house before hubby came home. He walked in the door Friday evening and wrinkled his face. He said that he could tell we've been sick. The house smells of sick. Now it is Sunday evening and hubby caught this illness. Once again, the house stinks of sick. If it wasn't 10 degrees outside, I'd sleep outside it's so stinky, or at least open the windows! How do you minimize or eliminate sick-smell odors in your house without resorting to dangerous chemicals and air fresheners. As a side note, don't even mention Febreeze to me. It gives hubby and I pounding headaches.

All 3 of my kiddos wear some form of diapering at night. My 5 year old still has accidents. He is the heaviest sleeper I know!! Thankfully, he's starting to grow out of it, so I've replaced his disposable pull ups with Antsy Pants. The Antsy Pants didn't work before. Even with the nighttime doubler for heavy wetters, he'd soak right through it all. He also complained that they hurt him. Now that he's older and wakes upon wetting them, it's not so bad, other than being summoned from bed and having to help him change. My 3 year old still wets at night, too. She's also a heavy wetter and I have yet to find a cloth solution for her, so she's in disposable pull ups. My 1 year old is also in disposable diapers at night. He, too is a heavy wetter, and sometimes soaks through his sposies. I have two problems with cloth diapering at night: 1. Not enough absorption for my heavy wetters. 2. They sleep for 12 hours. That's a long time to have urine-so...

One thing I'm finding with homeschooling my children is that it is so refreshingly stimulating! I love putting my mind to work organizing their lessons and planning their curriculum. I love coming up with creative projects to do. I love taking time to research their questions. Being so stimulated has also shown me just how mindless life can be for many. Mindless TV. Mindless Internet. Mindless Video Games. Mindless Movies. Mindless Magazines. Sure, we all need a little break from stimuli with a bit of mindlessness now and again, but mindlessness seems to have become the norm. Mindless day in and day out droning away. Where's the pursuit of a new hobby? Where's the pursuit of learning something new? That's what I love about homeschooling. It opens those doors, not only for my children, but myself!

Thanks to THIS RECIPE from Bulk Herb Store, I started making my own herbal smoothies at breakfast time. I am following the herbal blend portion, but not necessarily the smoothie portion of the recipe. Instead this is what I'm doing: banana frozen fruit homemade yogurt raw milk organic unrefined coconut oil acerola powder herbal blend Whirr away and enjoy! Yum yum yum! And filling! The herbs in this smoothie are all considered safe to consume during pregnancy, though if you're concerned, please contact your appropriate health care provider. The herbs are considered a great alternative to consuming synthetic vitamins. The neat thing, too, is that I didn't have my major afternoon crash like I usually do! That's a HUGE plus for me!