Yesterday at the Nature Center...

We went to the Nature Center Yesterday, it was a BEAUTIFUL day and we had a great time!

We did have a bit of sad news though, Jenna, the old gray wolf passed away. She was the oldest living wolf in captivity. This is a photo of her from 2 weeks ago:


Here are a few shots that I took yesterday:

This is Trooper the BaBa Black Sheep. He took a liking to Rory and didn't want Rory to stop petting him!






Here are a few Rory took with Carl's Camera: I think I might have a budding photographer on my hands! (Grammy there are 2 snakes.)






Here are a few Arden took with the kid camera:
A black snake

A corn snake:

Trying to catch Olive swimming, not bad, he got the feet... She was moving fast!

The Sickies are still here... and 25 random things about me...

Ok, so I thought we were all on the mend, but NO. Last night I found out otherwise. Arden and Canyon puked, a bunch... niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. It made for a long night!

Since I don't feel like taking photos today (I *might* get around to editing the nature center photos from yesterday)... I figured that I would post 25 random things about me that I posted on facebook as a chain letter kind of thing.

1. I often wake in the morning craving beer... and will have one sometimes. (I think it might be the lack of bread products that I miss).

2. I'm seriously considering becoming a vegan, or pretty close to one.

3. My placenta from Canyon is sitting on my counter in a jar... (dried and powdered)

4. I hate folding laundry... I don't mind washing, but the folding/putting away kills me. I constantly have 2 CLEAN loads of laundry on my floor in my room.

5. I miss kayaking and wish I got to do it more.

6. A few days ago I had a hard time cooking some trout Carl caught b/c I felt bad for the fish.

7. I think my kids might be the funniest people alive...

8. There are times that I wonder if my younger sister needs to be committed. Seriously.

9. The "Cheese" stands alone. (Only a few of you will get that.)

10. My honest-to-god 10 year goal is to build a self sufficient home back in WV. (see what I did there? #10, 10 year?)

11. I'm a dork, and I know it.

12. I enjoy childbirth. And honestly it is not "painful" to me.

13. We have 3 dogs. Mike, Charc, and Cosmo.

14. I am done having children. 3 is the limit on sanity for me.

15. I'm lucky to be alive because of more than a few stupid situations. I could have easily been a statistic.

16. My dreads have nothing to do with religion, I just like them and like my own standard of beauty, one that no one else has to understand.

17. I haven't shaved in 2 years, although I have used the clippers on my legs...

18. I miss snow, we don't get any here in NC... yet I keep buying my kids skis, snowboards and sleds... (I think I might be going a little loco).

19. I like old-fashioned Gospel Music.

20. I might just have the world's coolest Mother-in-Law (actually all of the ILs). Not many people can say that.

21. My husband is 12 years older than me!!

22. I have kayaked less since meeting Carl than anytime since I started boating... and he is an avid kayaker. (I think it might have something to do with having been breastfeeding and pregnant for over 5 years now though...)

23. I am afraid of cold water. I almost drowned on the Slippery Rock in PA in Feb. of '01 while swimming with the ice chunks (a kayaking incident).

24. I make more of a mess when I start cleaning...

25. I kind of like being a home-body... but I miss hanging out with people late into the night.

Anyone Have an easy knitting pattern for...

A Dread Sock or cap? I don't know that I could do a Tam...

Arden's Hat

I finished Arden's hat! He loves it and so do I!

After 3.5 Years...

I finally decided to try to use my convection oven. Yup you heard me right, I have never used the convection oven feature on my oven... not with cookies, not with meat, not with anything. It has intimidated me horribly, and I am not sure why I decided today was the day to try it out.

I made a whole chicken, with potatoes, celery, and stuffing. It came out delicious! The skillet-stuffing was crispy on top and nice and soft on the inside... not burnt at all, and not overly crunchy.


And the chicken... oh the chicken was perfect. Moist all the way through, browned and flavored skin, and just pulled right off the bone.

I decided to go with the minimum on seasonings this time, and it worked out! I washed the chicken and patted it dry, and rubbed vegan butter, pepper, salt and garlic on the chicken before putting it in the oven. I sat the chicken on top of the potatoes so that the air would circulate under and all the way around the chicken. It worked out perfectly.

Here is what it looked like before we dug in:

So, maybe Walmart does have good Customer Service?

I'm not really a fan of Walmart, but you have to do what you have to do...

We went to Walmart on Thursday to get groceries and while we were in the very back looking for eggs, Arden told me that he had to go potty. So I grabbed my eggs, and rushed to the front of the store. Mind you this is a LARGE super Walmart and it took a few minutes to get back up to the front.

When we got to the restroom, the door was blocked by a cleaning supply cart, and we couldn't get it. So I turned to the front end manager who was standing there, and asked if we could please go in, that I had a potty training toddler with me.

He pointed back to the rest room and said "You will have to ask him". "Him" was the janitor standing at the cart getting out some paper towels.

I asked him if I could please let my 2 YO go to the restroom and was told "No, it will be 10 more minutes, I have to refill the paper-towels and toilette paper."

I asked again and the manager standing there shrugged at me, to which I replied that Arden didn't have on a diaper and there was no way that he could wait that long. He pointed to the back of the store and told me there was a small restroom back there. He was extremely rude, it was odd, it wasn't what he said, but his obvious disdain for me and my children. It was as if I was a bother to him and not worth his time.

Well needless to say, we almost made it to the potty, only a little "came out" before we got on the potty, but it really upset me and Arden. Even Rory asked me why the man was so mean to us.

I didn't get a manager while I was standing there. I was too upset. We grabbed the final few things that I needed and left. I was almost in tears about the incident b/c it upset Arden so much and I was in disbelief that someone with a FULL cart of food, a customer, would be treated that way by an employee who is supposed to be in charge of customer service.

I understand that there are some reasons that we couldn't go into the rest room for, but the employee was almost done and there was no danger...

I called WalMart Corporate headquarters that afternoon after I had calmed down, and they contacted our local Walmart.

I got a call this evening and an apology. They are supposed to have allowed us to use the restroom. They also are going to address the issue and do training on it. The manager who called was extremely nice and kept asking what else they could do to fix the situation, I think that had I asked I would have gotten gift cards! But I told her that really all I wanted was for someone to be aware of how I was treated and to make sure it didn't happen to others. I have to say that I don't feel like I was being patronized or passed off. I think they were sincerely sorry and will be addressing the issue. She knew exactly who it was when I described the employees.

So maybe WalMart does care? Or at lease some people who work there take pride in their reputations and jobs...

I might Jinx myself here...

But I think potty training for Arden is complete! We are now diaper-less at all times except in bed. We have only had 1 accident in a few weeks (other than being sick) and he wants to use the potty.

The only hold up we have hit is pooping in a "big person" potty when we are out. I think he is afraid of falling in, and I don't blame him, lol. Some of those potties are as tall as he is!

So CONGRATULATIONS to Arden for becoming a big boy! WHOO HOO!

Just a little taste...

Of snow...


I wish it had been more. But at least there was enough for the boys to see it and feel it. We still might have a chance to get some this winter...

Making hats just in time...

for the decent little snow we are getting! It is pretty out right now, I will have to see if I can get a photo of the falling snow in a little while...

In the meantime, here is a shot of the hat I am working on. The ribbing around the bottom inch was a bit hard, but after I figured it out, it went quicker. I'm not sure if it will fit Arden or not, I think my gauge is smaller than my pattern. I hope to make this a stocking cap with earflaps, but we will see. This is the same yarn Rory's is made out of... but few stitches made the yarn come together totally differently!

I finished the hat...

But it is now Rory's and not for Carl, lol. I was able to use a crochet hook to weave in the ends and didn't have to have a needle.

Here it is with the finished tassel. (The photos of Rory in it were before I got the tassel done, he had to go to bed before I finished.)





Not bad for my first knitting project! I am making Arden one now with a ribbed rim on it instead of the rim I did for Rory's. It is more difficult, so we will see how it goes. :)

Tired of getting pushed down.

Among other things, I'm tired. Tired of being pushed down. Tired of nothing going right. Tired of the crap. Tired of being broke. Just plain tired. I just want to sit and cry.

Van died today. I could have told you last night it was going to. (Actually I did mention it to Carl.) While we were driving, the lights were flickering, the engine was surging, and it wasn't acting right.

I needed to go to Walmart for diapers, deodorant, and a few grocery items b/c we are running low, we didn't go last night b/c it was just too cold and the kids needed to go to bed. So this morning, I went out to the car, had the baby all bundled up, was leaving the other 2 boys with Carl (b/c I needed an hour "break") and started the car... well... tried to start the car... Nice, it was dead... again.

Carl leaves today to go to the Bahamas. I'm out of diapers (literally on the last disposable, and cloth isn't fitting right now, leaks everywhere), Carl is taking the only tube of deodorant, and the list goes on. The only "frivolous" thing I needed was a needle to finish the hat I am knitting.

Now the kicker is that I was heading to Walmart, not the local store b/c I'm broke, and I have a Walmart giftcard.

I just so tired of us never pulling ahead. I applied for 7 jobs this week. Didn't get them. I can't even get hired at the YMCA for $6 an hour. It is freaking depressing. Day care for 3 kids is not do-able financially, even if I was working...

I desperately want a YMCA membership so that we can get out of the house and do something healthy while Carl is working, and something that will allow me to exercise and get a few minutes away from my children (whom I dearly love, I'm just loved out at the moment).

I feel guilty for wasting money to go out to dinner with some friends last night, that would probably be a new battery (although I am clueless on how much one costs?).

Ugh, I am just so done feeling this way and dealing with the constant worry and crap. So done.

Sorry for the vent, I know that most of you read this to catch up on the kids and what we are up to, and to see cute photos. I just needed to "vocalize" for a few minutes.

Oh the Drama!!!

I wouldn't let him have a bowl of oatmeal or cereal 10 minutes before lunch time! Poor Arden, he has the world's meanest mom! ;)

It is Cold Outside...

Like ridiculously cold outside.

So cold in fact, that our well is frozen.

No, not the pipes under the house, or even the line to the house (or at least we don't think that one is frozen too) but the actual well line its self. Carl has been outside with a heat gun trying to thaw for the better part of an hour. It isn't working so far.

I'm hoping that the well is OK and that this didn't burn up the pump. Seriously, this is like the last thing we need right now.

ETA: Looks like everything is ok now (noonish) must have been ice!

First Knitting Project...

So this is my first knitting project. I am about half way done the hat :) Rory picked it out, (the yarn that is) but Carl has fallen for the colors and the way it has come out, so it looks like Carl is getting my first project!

Still Sick...

Yup, A-man is sick. Still pukey and poopie.

I hope the rest of us stay healthy...

And I decided that I really like FaceBook.

NC House Committee Recommends Licensing Midwives

WHOO HOO

COPIED AND PASTED FROM SONYA:

Be sure to visit the AshVegas blog to leave some comments on this story.

CONTACT: Russ Fawcett, (910) 471-5187, spigget@aol.com
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, January 12, 2009

NC HOUSE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS LICENSING MIDWIVES
Legislation Would Let NC Join 24 Other States in Advancing Healthcare Options

RALEIGH, NC — The NC House Select Committee on Licensing Midwives released a report last week calling on the state to license and regulate Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs), who are trained as specialists in out-of-hospital maternity care. The Committee recommended that North Carolina join the growing number of states that have enacted laws to provide families who choose out-of-hospital delivery with access to highly-trained and legally-recognized maternity care providers.

“Each year, more North Carolina families choose out-of-hospital birth for religious, cultural, philosophical or financial reasons,” said Russ Fawcett, Legislative Chair for North Carolina Friends of Midwives. “CPMs also care for a disproportionate number of rural, low-income and uninsured families. All families deserve safe and affordable maternity care, and the midwives who provide it deserve legal recognition. We applaud the Committee for recommending a much-needed and long-overdue reform in current law and policy.”

Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), who practice primarily in hospital settings, are licensed in all 50 states. Currently, there are no laws in North Carolina to regulate CPMs, who deliver babies in private homes and freestanding birth centers. Studies show that low-risk women who plan home births under the care of CPMs have outcomes equal to low-risk women who deliver in the hospital, but with far fewer costly and preventable interventions. A study commissioned by the Washington legislature found that during the last five years alone, the state’s licensed midwives saved taxpayers and private insurers more than $10 million.

Rep. Ty Harrell serves on the Committee that is chaired by Rep. Bob England. “We’ve heard testimony from dozens of public health and policy experts. The facts are clear – it is time to license North Carolina’s midwives.”

Asheville Area Birth Network Founder and Director, Sonya Stone, was one birth professional and consumer advocate that spoke before the Committee.

“From both a cost and a safety standpoint, licensing midwives is an important public health issue,” said Henry Dorn, MD, a board certified OBGYN who practices in High Point. “The Certified Professional Midwife credential is the gold standard for midwives who specialize in out-of-hospital birth, and it is critical that we do all we can to ensure that women in our state have access to the safest care possible, including collaborative care with other providers when it becomes necessary.”

A positive recommendation from the House study committee paves the way for the full General Assembly to develop and enact legislation in the 2009 session that provides for the licensure and regulation CPMs.

North Carolina Friends of Midwives is a grassroots organization of midwifery advocates dedicated to promoting, supporting, and protecting midwifery in North Carolina. We advocate for the preservation of midwife-attended births, in accordance with the Midwives Model of Care™ including those at home and in freestanding birth centers.

North Carolina is a priority of The Big Push for Midwives Campaign a nationally coordinated campaign to advocate for regulation and licensure of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and to push back against the attempts of the American Medical Association Scope of Practice Partnership to deny American families access to legal midwifery care. Through its work with state-level advocates, the Big Push is helping to build a new model of U.S. maternity care built on expanding access to out-of-hospital maternity care and CPMs, who provide affordable, quality, community-based care that is proven to reduce costly and preventable interventions as well as the rate of low-birth weight and premature births.

The Big Push Campaign Manager Katie Prown says, “The demand for safe and less-costly maternity care has been steadily increasing in recent years, as more people realize that we can no longer afford a system that produces inferior results at premium costs.”

Media inquiries about North Carolina Friends of Midwives should be directed to Russ Fawcett at (910) 471-5187, spigget@aol.com . Media inquiries about The Big Push for Midwives Campaign should be directed to Steff Hedenkamp at (816) 506-4630, Steff@TheBigPushForMidwives.org.

Harry Potter, in my home?!

Yup. He is here!! Today he watched himself on TV for hours...


Be careful, he might actually know a spell or two!

Obviously he is without his cloak. I will have to try to sneak a photo of that tomorrow.

Rory has become infatuated with 4 things this year... ok maybe more than four, but the top four are:

Pirates
Dinosaurs
Mechanics/Cars
Harry Potter

He loves Harry Potter, and as soon as he opened his birthday gift from Grammy and DadDad Gittings, we had to go straight to the movie store (in our Harry Potter Costume) to rent 2 of the movies in the series. The glasses and wand arrived today, and he just took them off to go to bed! It was the perfect gift! Thank you Grammy and DadDad! We will take more photos tomorrow!

For those concerned about Arden, the sickies seemed to have passed, all I am left with is a tired and somewhat cranky little boy who is in need of lots of hugs.

Poor Little A-man

He has been sick today, but it is seaming to pass. I gave him some chicken soup for dinner, and it stayed down, and the fever seems to have passed.

We HAVE to rent a carpet cleaner now though. Ugh.

Nothing.

That is what we did today... yet I am so tired that I am ready to go to bed and it is only 5pm. Geeeeeeze.

Back To Nature...

We went to the nature center again today, the boys really like it and there is a lot going on. New habitats are being built and one of the animals has escaped recently! (Not anything dangerous, just one of the birds of prey)

So Rory, Arden and I have a game going... we are going to go to the nature center and get the names and photographs of each animal when we see them. Unfortunately mom keeps forgetting paper when we go, so half the names we learn, I forget. And some of the animals have been elusive b/c of the cold.

Here is what we have so far, some we don't have the names of:

3 Gray Wolves, but only 2 names
(Unknown)


Cody

Shaliman

1 Otter


Olive

1 Coyote

Chelsea

2 Red Foxes


Elvira and Toby

2 Gray Foxes


(unknown)

1 Cougar


Val

Using the potty...

Arden is doing great with potty training! Yesterday (or was it the day before?) Arden made it to and from Walmart in undies, and even had a nap! Today we actually went to Target and back without any accidents!

WHOO HOO! One less butt to wipe coming up! Man I can't wait for all three kids to be able to handle their own bodily functions...

Holiday Foamies

We made some wicked cool foamies this year for some friends... and even had our first international order! (By we, of course I mean Carl made them and I am taking the credit...)

Here is a foamie mobile! It hangs from the ceiling, and you can remove the foamies to take kayaking!



We also made a few girly ones for the Stone Girls, I will post those later!

ETA: the Stone Girl's Lil' Huckers foamie kayaks:

Bye Bye Christmas Tree, Hello Pirates!

So today I finished putting away the Christmas decorations (with the exception of the nativity that can stay up a bit longer...)



It is kind of sad to put it all away and to see our tree go out to the fire pit...


On a completely unrelated note, was anyone else invaded by pirates today? We were... does anyone know where they come from or what to do with them? Can I feed them warm beer and bread?



And on a very pirate related note, is this not the BEST breastfeeding shirt ever?!

We got a late start today...

We didn't quite make it to church this morning. But we did get to have an awesome day together as a family!

When we realized that we were running too late to make church, we decided to see what the weather was going to do.

It turned out to be a magnificent day! Sunny, about 70 degrees, perfect for a picnic and fishing!

We didn't catch anything... but we realize every time that we go, that taking 3 kids to go fishing only lasts a few minutes, lol. I think Carl and I might have gotten to cast about 5 times each before the boys were done! Needless to say, we didn't catch much, but we did get to spend a beautiful day together.

I might take the boys to the nature center tomorrow...

Happy Birthday!

Happy 4th B-Day Girl!

We all went to the Brew-N-View to have pizza and birthday fun with the Stones, it was a blast seeing all the other Asheville mamas and papas and kiddos! I hope to do it again soon.

Did I mention how beautiful Sonya looks pregnant?

The Nature Center

We took our first trip of the year to the Nature Center today, it was a great time. Even Carl got the time to go with us!


However, before going we did learn that Oscar the Otter (who we saw just last week) passed away. Rory took it pretty hard and felt very bad for Olive. It was a hard conversation to have.

Here are some of the animals we met today on our adventure:

A Gray Wolf:


A Bob Cat:


Olive the Otter:


A Squirrel:


A Goat:



A Donkey:


And here is the one Rory liked the most...


Do you want to know why? Her name is...



Val :O)

Grammy, he thinks that is the coolest!

Val is an 18 year old (very old) cougar who was rescued after being an illegal pet. Isn't she pretty?

Ringing in the New Year

We had a wonderful night ringing in the new year with friends and family... and celebrating Rory's birthday.

When midnight rolled around, it was only Rory, Carl, and I with sparkling grape juice in the bed watching, Arden and Canyon had fallen asleep hours before, and our friends had wandered off long before then. BUT the day was filled with love and it was wonderful to have everyone drop in to celebrate...

We got to see Sara, Asher, Isiah, Makena, Shaun, Deb, Vince, Barbra, Sonya, Sacred, Savanna, Rhett, Payton, Mary, Patrick, and his girlfriend; they all came by at one time or another to wish a Happy Birthday to Rory and a Happy New Year to the rest of us. It was great!

Kind of neat, Rory's birthday is 12-31, Payton's is 1-1, and Rhett's is 1-2. And we can't forget Dad Dad's on 1-1 too! What a week!

So the New Year means new wishes, new hopes, new promises... What are your resolutions? I have been thinking of mine.

I have the normal weight loss, go to church more, exercise more types of resolutions that never work out, but I have a few others that I really want to have work out.

#1.) To make more time for me and not forgo what I need just because someone else needs something.
#2.) To let more things go and not hold onto the resentment and bad karma associated with it.
#3.) To have more patience with the boys.
#4.) To make more time for Rory's schooling.
#5.) To make time for me and my husband without children.

My life revolves around these 3 little people, and over the last few months I have found that I am not getting the time and space that I need in order to continue to give them what they need. Every waking (and sleeping) minute that I have is consumed by the children in one form or another. I have begun to realize that I don't have the patience and energy that I need for the boys.

I love attachment parenting, and I feel that I have 3 well behaved and nice boys, but I need to be able to continue to raise them into nice men. I am not getting 15-20 minutes a day to myself right now, and I need to. So that is my #1 resolution. I believe that following through with that little thing will allow me to follow through with the rest of my resolutions.

So what is planned for all of you this year?

Enough of my rambling and seriousness. Let me end the old year and open the new one by saying "Happy New Year! I hope 2009 is more prosperous for all of us than 2008 was. We love you all."