I keep meaning to do a blog post but just can never seem to find the time.  I, the notorious insomniac-by-choice-no-sleep-necessary-just-call-me-a-Cullen, has been going to bed at 9:00pm and sleeping until 7:00am for the past three or four days, which totally cuts into my blog time.  But wow, it feels good to sleep!  Who woulda thought?

So here’s a quick update on me and mine:

1)  Rich is off work for about 2 weeks — yay!  We are going to enjoy a lot of family time, especially over the Thanksgiving holiday.  I see some motorhome time in our very near future!

2)  Aria is into “spelling” lately.  She will get a piece of paper out, with her pencil or crayon in her hand, and will “write” on the paper and say letters.  She says, “I….R…A….I….”  and then hands the paper to me and says, “Here, Mommy.  I write your name!”  She’s so funny! And right now her favorite book is “If You Give a Pig a Party”  Oh my gosh, does she love that book.  She asks for it at least 3 times a day, by saying, “Mommy…you read gibpigpardee to me?”  She says is like it’s all one word: gibpigpardee

3)  I’m reading for the second time  “The Shack”…and I’m getting much more out of it this time around.

4)  I have some kind of lump/bump under my left eye on the lower lid…you can’t really see because it’s under the skin, but I feel it each time I put on my eye cream.  Hmmmm…wonder what it can be?  It doesn’t hurt and is not sore in anyway,  so it’s not a stye.  So what can it be?  It’s been there for about 3 weeks….I need to get it checked but I keep forgetting to make an appointment.  Now, see, if it was my kid who had this, I’d have them to the doctor yesterday.  But for myself?  I neglect myself sometimes.  Everyone always comes before me.  I know, that’s not a good thing.

5)  Avery decided to take violin as her 4th grade music study.  I’m thrilled!  At first she was going to do general music but then at the last minute changed her mind.  So now both she and Alex are taking violin in school and private piano lessons here at home.

6)  Rich took a course study with WOWGREEN to sell commercial accounts.  He needs to test and get his certificate…and then he can go out and work some accounts!  We are very excited for this.  There’s lots of opportunity for commercial accounts.

7)  We officially have ZERO Halloween candy left in our house.  It took longer than I was hoping because the big kids were hoarding.

8)  We dismantled the crib and put it into storage the other week.  I admit it hurt my heart to do it, but the fact is it became an eyesore in our bedroom–just became a place where we put clothes and clutter.  Aria hadn’t slept in it for months (she sleeps in our bed) and there is no baby on the way,  so I told Rich to just take it down and put it up in the garage rafters.  So he did.  And I sat there watching, with a sad face.  That crib has been up and in our room since 1999.  I hated to see it taken down. Rich said, “Awww…don’t feel too sad.  Now that I’ve gone through the trouble of putting it away, watch–you’ll turn up pregnant!”  

9)  Yesterday I made a killer 16 bean soup.  I got the idea from my mom last Sunday when she had us over and served it.   I’m not much of a cook but this is done in the crockpot and for the most part it was easy!  And it came out good.  Most of my kids loved it (I have about 3 picky eaters, which is why I also made grilled cheese sandwiches to go along with the soup)  and Rich loved it. So I guess this meal will go on the short list of my regular meals, right in there with bean & cheese burritos and Mac & Cheese with hot dogs.

10)  Audriana and Aria are the best of buddies lately.  Ari loves when Audriana comes home from high school.  She runs up to her and says, “Aw wa….you watch Lion King wit me?”  and Audriana will say, “Sure, I’ll watch it with you!”   Audriana sets up her laptop with the movie The Lion King and she and Aria will sit on the couch and watch it together.  They’ve seen it together now about 27 times.  No exaggeration.  I love that my oldest daughter and my youngest daughter are developing such a great bond.  It warms my heart