Pumpkin Lapbook

I've been dealing with mastitis this week.  Being sick can be a very productive time for me and this time is not any different.  While I did spend a lot of time sleeping while the kids played outside in the tents they dragged down from the attic, I also did a little internet surfing.  Once they come back in from playing, the babes are usually grouchy and tired, so sleeping is over for me.  ;-)  Last week, I printed out an insect lapbook to begin with Henry, Sophia and Grace.  Well.  Not very good timing on my part considering it's getting cold outside and the insects are hiding!  So we are going to put that one aside until spring.  I'm brilliant.
Anyway...today I printed out, cut and organized needed supplies for a Pumpkin Lapbook that we will begin tomorrow.  I feel mostly better and am tired of laying around and not being with my kids.  I so love being with them. 

Here's a link to the lapbook if you're interested.  Interesting lapbooks written and compiled by Melissa Telling.

Useful House

Yesterday Darin filled the house with dust as he sanded down some spots he is repairing on our walls.  Really, it's overwhelming when we start to look around at the various spots on the walls that need repair.  There are a couple of places where a lacrosse ball has left it's mark, then there's the time when Darin repaired Henry's bike tire in the house.  Henry was so excited he rode it up and down the hallway when it was fixed - then ran into the wall with the handlebars.  Ouch!  Rollerblading, hockey, chasing the dog, basketball...our entryway and hallway just calls for these activities.

The last few weeks, I've been overwhelmed as I've been trying to juggle all our stuff around.  We are gearing up for a renovation of our entire downstairs.  New floors, kitchen cabinets, paint, and floorplan.  Our growing family no longer fits in the plan that we have.  With all the books, school things, toys, and clothes, I am almost at my wits end at making a place for everything.  If only we didn't need beds - think of all the bookshelves we could put where the beds are.  Every inch of our house is being used.  This irritated me at first because I was frustrated.  I felt as if I were standing in the middle of a room with my arms full of stuff and no where to take it.  Then I thought about all the houses with the kids and parents that are gone all day, the rooms that are unused and yet filled with furniture that never gets sat on.  There is not one room or chair or bed that doesn't get full use in our house every day and in the end, I can't help but think what a blessing that is.