Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

After having six kids with doctors in hospitals, I feel ready for a change. I just can't stand the thought of repeating the same old run again. This time I am going to hire a midwife. I have been looking into midwifery since I was pregnant with number six, but I just wasn't ready to make the jump then. I'm ready now. The goal is to have a certified nurse-midwife deliver my baby in a hospital. I really want to have a home birth, but I feel like that maybe to far of a jump. Baby steps...Hopefully if this goes well the next time could be at home (and yes we would be willing to have more). I have my first appointment with a midwife this Friday. I am starting with a medical group that has 3 obgyns and 4 midwives on staff. That way if I needed a Dr, one would be available. I am really hoping it goes well and I like them.

Lucky Number Seven...

So last week I discovered that I am expecting baby #7! This is of course very exciting news in our house, and Eddie and Katie are already speculating on whether it will be a boy, girl, or twins (you have to think of twins once you've had a pair).
Eddie likes the idea of adding another girl, due to the boy-girl pattern (he really likes patterns and systems).
Yesterday, per Katie's request, she and I looked at a baby name book together for about 5 minutes (I think the quantity of names available was a little overwhelming).
Jon thinks we should name the baby "Jeep Cracklelarry". Yeah, not quite what I had in mind.
And so far the only response I have gotten from the twins is Ellie looking at my tummy and Maggie saying "no" when they were told that there was a baby in mommy's tummy.
Sammy just smiled, although that might have been because it tickled when I whispered it in his ear.
Looks like it's going to be a very busy 8 months, and another November baby!

To Tell The Truth...

Tonight at dinner Ellie complained of a pain in her cheek, and Maggie started chanting, "Mommy did it, Mommy did it, Mommy did it". So Daddy asked Ellie if she hurt her cheek, and Ellie replied "Maggie did it". To which Maggie chanted louder, "Mommy did it, Mommy did it, Mommy did it" and pointed to Mommy.

Mommy was on the other side of the table. Maggie however was sitting right next to Ellie.


So who was telling the truth...Ellie or Maggie?

All I can tell you is that there were two older and wiser adults having a really hard time stifling giggles.

Learning To Live Below Our Means...

Trying to become debt-free, is not easy. I just don't see myself as one who spends much on extras.

But being the one in charge of the finances, I have to make the money go as far as possible. That being said, stopping the use of credit cards is hard. I have been in the habit the last few years of using, then paying off my two credit cards. The end result though, is that I start the year without any debt on the cards but little by little I spend more than I can pay. So any tax return money or bonus money have to go to clearing the cards. So this year I have put the plastic down. I am going to try to live within our means, and hopefully end up living below our means. I see food as the first front. With six kids and a husband to feed in addition to myself, about a third or fourth of our monthly budget goes to food. That's too much. I tried coupons, but we just don't eat most of what they are for. So now I am trying bulk meat cooking. The idea is to buy sale, cheap meat in huge quantities and then to cook it all up right away and freeze it. Then you only have to defrost and reheat. So far (I've been doing this since January) I don't know if it's saved me any money, but it sure has saved me time! I am also trying to do a better job gardening. We have had a really great broccoli harvest and I hope to get lettuce and carrots too.

So we will see...

Busy, With a Side of Quiet...

This morning Katie and I made gluten-free, dairy-free peanut-butter cookies. This of course took up an hour of school time.
It can make me feel a little stressed when I think about the things we're not getting done, but perhaps the moments spent as mother and daughter are worth the loss of a little productive book learning and house cleaning.

So I guess I need to stop and smell the cookies...