Becoming a Hermit

Well, it was official Thursday morning. Jeff took at job in Hermitage, AR as the english, speech, and drama teacher. I'm sure all of you are saying "where is that," because that is what everyone else has said. I'd try to tell you, but most likely you won't know the small towns around it either. Its an hour south of Pine Bluff. Everyone wants to know how we feel about it, but I don't know. I'm a little apprehensive about moving so quickly, and to be honest, i've been so stressed trying to move in such a short time, I don't know. I kinda like moving. For those of you who have known me for a long time, you know, i've been trying to leave NWA for a long time. Didn't really intend to leave it for South Ark, but it'll be fun. We'll be together and Jeff will have a good job. Its a small quiet town, so that should be nice! I'll blog more before we actually head out. Well, Jeff is heading out tomorrow. Inservice starts monday, and the rest of us will follow in a few days! For now, I have major packing to do.

Special Aunt Shelly Edition

These are for Aunt Shelly. I'm sure she doesn't need an explanation, but for the rest of you, I'll clarify. Edana is wearing an outfit that Bailey practically lived in, in Kindergarten. Now, my baby fits in it. As for babies....Shelly bought the Strawberry Shortcake for Edana's first birthday, and Rileigh Cait is wearing it now at 5 months old! Crazy kid completely skipped 6-9mo clothes and went straight to 12mo! They sure are pretty girls though!

I think I embarrassed Edana a little in this picture. Oh well! Yes, by the way, the pants are supposed to be capris on Rileigh, it worked better on a walking, one year old!

Unemployed in Greenland

With one week until teachers go back to school, Jeff has a couple of potential jobs but no actual offers. The places currently showing intrest are places we'd have to move to in order for him to take the job. We knew that was a possibility when he started this venture, but I thought I'd have a little more time to make a move happen. We'd have to get on the ball too because Edana is starting kindergarten. Wow! I think it must be impossible for us to do anything the easy way. We really need everyone's prayers.

As far as other things go, we've had a fun summer. I'm a little sad to see it end. At least the end of summer means the start of football season! Its been a full summer with playdates, birthday parties, and of course company...aunt shelly, uncle shawn, and cousins!

Dec and Brayden had a great, messy time playing together. They are so cute together!This is Brock, him and his sister, Attalie, came for a play date. I think Brock would have taken Rileigh home with him. He loved holding her!Edana's best friend from church, Abigail, had a princess party. You can see in the picture, Edana didn't want to dress up like the rest of the girls. She made her own princess outfit.I finally got a picture of the boys with Aunt Shelly! Uncle Shawn's picture with Aidan is just what it looks like. He hosed him off after Shelly gave him a haircut.

Most of the summer, we just had fun around the house. We do have a great place out here! Rileigh Cait has hit a couple of milestones this last month as well! She rolled over from her back to her belly. She's doing it all the time now. She has started eating baby cereal! She does really well, too!Well, Dec is yelling to get out of his chair, not that he yells or anything! I better go help Jeff!

For your viewing entertainment.

As you can see, Declan has his own version of how animals sound. I only got a couple, but he is hillarious! Jeff says his frog is a bull frog and his immitation of a dog comes from watching Roxie.

Sick and Mourning

Perky title I know, but I'm not too perky today either. I have been running a fever since Monday evening. Tues Jeff made me go to the doctor, but when I got there the fever was gone and the Doc was more concerned with the stomach cramps i having every time I ate. He did some blood work and gave me some zantac until the results came back. By the time I left the pharmacy I was chilling again, and when I got home, I was on fire. We waited until Thursday, the fever persisted so Jeff took me back to the doctor. The triage nurse sent me straight to the lab for a urine analysis. I had a very severe UTI. I wasn't symptomatic at all. Shelly found that strange but mom said two of my aunts did that and ended up in the hospital it got so bad. Thank God, Jeff made me see the doc. I'm not very good about going, and I hate taking meds. Believe me, I'll take these despite the fact they are HUGE! I can't remember be so weak from just a fever, but I had to lay down after going to the bathroom and fixing a cup of coffee this morning. I can already feel myself getting better though!

On a happy note Jeff went to Orientation today and will have his classes in Van Buren. Please pray God makes a way for us to get another car. Jeff's little escort died, so one car when we'll be going two opposite directions could be tricky. We really just aren't wanting to go in debt for another vehicle when the van is almost payed off. I'd rather be debt free than drive something fancy. It just needs to be reliable.

The mourning part, well, one of my dearest friends married and orthodox priest this past weekend, so I doubt she'll be able to come around as much any more. They aren't moving, but they won't be at our church, obviously, and its a fact of ministry...she'll be busy, very busy.

And my sweet precious Sarah, and Mike too, moved away. I'm having a very hard time with that. We(Jeff, the kids, and I) have an extremely special relationship with Mike and Sarah. We've been blessed with so many friends since coming to NWA 4 1/2 yrs ago. Sadly it has dwindle one couple after another moving away. Now, out of the original crew there is us, the Clarks, and Angie. New friends have been added as well, like the Hickmans, and well...several more. Thankfully, they come back to visit, and Mike and Sarah moved to one the best/cheapest places to take kids on a vacation. Next Summer's vacation is already planned...Shelly's for a week, Sarah's for a week, and we'll see where Jason is before we can add him to the list. Although my parents bought a timeshare, so maybe the sibs can just meet in the middle, and have enough room for all eleven kids. Although a strange phenomenon seems to happen when we get together. All the kids end up getting sick when the get home. I've decided its homesickness for their cousins. (Not really) That many kids swapping germs, its bound to happen.

okay, for some perkier news....Rileigh Cait is now four months old, and weighs 14 lbs and is 4/5 of inch from 25 inches. Dr. Livingston just kept telling Jeff, "she's just so tall." She's big like Aidan was. I'm already praying that she won't be self-conscious about her size. Anyway. the chills are coming back, so I'm finishing. Sorry I didn't really explain the pictures above! Maybe I'll add to it when I feel better. Oh, and by the "weigh" I've lost 13 lbs and 2 clothes sizes! That is positive.

Should Be Working

Saturday was designated "finish moving day," but things didn't quite go as planned. Jeff's little car died on his way to get Brandon's truck and the rest of our big stuff. Mom and Dad haven't finished getting their stuff out of the trailer yet, so I gave up for a while. It was a lot more fun outside with the kiddos! The big kids played in the sprinkler. Dec was more interested in what Pawpaw was doing over by the shed. Caity was just having fun hanging out in her bouncy and feeling the breeze. She really is a laid back baby most of the time.

For my two or three faithful readers sorry its been a while. Here is what has kept us so busy in May......

Edana graduated from preschool...twice. And promoted from Rainbows to Daisies

Pamela's baby shower. Only about a month until Rileigh Cait's best friend will be born!

We bid farewell to the ranch with Jeff's last day...I'll blog more about that later. A very difficult bittersweet event. We may not be there, but our hearts could never fully leave. Especially our wonderful friends, that are more like family.

We finally got to a point where Mom and Dad started moving! Yippee!!!!!!!!

Rileigh is growing like crazy! Not quite four months and already starting to out grow her 3-6mo clothes. She is now sleeping in her baby bed in her room with Edana, and she can get hold of her toys and play!

Declan has improved his climbing ability. Now Rileigh isn't safe anywhere!

Aidan started school last week too!

My incredibly, amazingly intelligent husband got his praxis scores back. His scores were great of course, so hopefully he'll start getting called for interviews. Until then, he's playing Mr. Mom, staying home while I work for the summer. I took a job with a lady in our church, Debbie Eden. She has a cleaning business. Boy! I thought I cleaned hard at home. I should really loose weight working for her and doing exercise classes this summer. Maybe it won't be a month before I get to blog again! Until then!

April Showers...

I think this April has brought more "showers" than I want to remember. After the frost this morning, I've decided anyone who wants to believe in "Global Warming" must lack common sense! I'm ready for the 80 degree weather that made a brief appearance last week. I've got kids to darken up before swimming weather gets here! Believe me, my kids need all the "darkening up" they can handle. Rileigh Cait isn't too white. I think her skin has an olive tone to it. She should tan quite nicely. Aside from all the rain, its been a fun, busy month. I can't believe it ends tomorrow. April is birthday month for the Bailey clan (yes, we're too big to be a family...we're a clan!) There is fifteen birthdays in April, and three of them are on the 27th. That was my grandma's birthday too and Jeff's grandma's oddly enough. I don't mind sharing my birthday at all. Its kinda fun sometimes. I got exactly what I asked for from mom and aunt Linda sent me her traditional card with a little fun money in it. I'm sure I'll buy me and Jeff a coke with it! My new workout gear. A ball, weights and mat. Its all red! (although, I may have already gotten past 5lb weights) Guess I'll have to add to my collection!Mom made me dinner Sat. (Her one day back in town before she was gone again.) She didn't even have to ask what I wanted. Ribs and peach cobbler! My favorite!!Sunday, mom left, Jeff worked, and I was still hurting from my surgery on Thursday. Needless to say my actual birthday was kind of a drag. I decided I'd pep things up a bit and made my own birthday cake. Jeff made me dinner(in the microwave and served on paper plates) when he got home from work and then I got to take a long soak in the tub. Turned out the evening was rather nice!I wasn't the only one who went to the doctor last week. Rileigh Cait had her two month check up and her first round of shots. She is now 23in and 10lbs 13oz. She started out 19 1/4in and 7lb even! I'd say she's grown a little! 3 inches and 3(almost 4) pounds in two months! Jeff may have another basketball player on his hands! (have I ever mentioned I'm more into football and soccer) That's okay. I prayed my girls would be naturally tall and skinny. I just hope she doesn't out grow Declan. He's not short just average! I guess they'll be like Jake and Bailey.My littlest sooner!! I found this the other day after waking up from my post surgery nap. Jeff left the door open to be able to check on me. I had asked him to open the shade if I was going to be stuck in bed for a while, and I guess, Aidan thought I needed some company. Isn't it beautiful out the window! So green!

I'm never in pictures, so I had Jeff take some of me and the kids...can't tell who she belongs to can you! Getting one of the three older kids was a little hard to accomplish I had to catch Declan in order to get a picture with him. He was really too busy to stop. I love this picture! Aidan is always so serious when he has his picture taken. A little tickle was all it took! Rileigh decided to eat, so I just took one of her and Daddy! Poor Jeff was worn out after a couple of days of playing mommy.

Oh! they love each other...well...he loves her. She looks a little annoyed Yep, still annoyed My big kids! It seems like Edana should still be a baby and she's starting school this year! How did that happen? Aidan will finally get to go to preschool...we're both ready for that! He gets a little bored at home these days. I'm ready for him to have something to talk about besides superheros! This is Dec's new hang out. I think just because he can. Although, tonight I had to get him off the table you see in the back. He was trying to work on the lamp...

This is the result of mommy trying to lay on the couch instead of in my bed.He got his first ride on the lawn mower. He loved it! Now he really won't let dad go outside without him. I think he has pawpaw right where he wants him these days. Dec is at that fun stage where he is learning all kinds of words at once. I heard him in the dinning room this morning saying "smile" I came around the corner to see him trying to reach my camera. I got the camera and he grabbed Rileigh Cait's blanket and cheesed real big! I love my babies! They're a blast, but by the end of the day, I'm worn out! That said, I'm off to bed at 15min til 10:00! Goodnight!