Mardi Gras

Just a quick update before going to bed and bidding adieu for 40 days...
Went to our parish Mardi Gras party with some other homeschool friends and had a good time. Boiled crawfish "nawlins-style" and "memphis style" were both offered (spicy vs. bbq)! Potatoes, corn, red beans and rice, toast, coleslaw, moon pies and king cake...oh, I am so stuffed! They gave out beads, dubloons, and "babies." and the kids also seemed to have a good time....although I made the mistake of going to the library right before, so the older five sat and read...such the party bunch they are!!! NOT.
They were all tired though and hit the sack the minute we walked in the door. I'm hoping to make this a productive Lent, as I've been feeling much like I've let stuff slide this year....EVERYTHING. We made a sacrifice jar today, the kids created their 10 Commandments "tablets" and posted them above their desks. We discussed mortification, self denial, temperance...all in all a good day. A friend of mine added, "learn new prayer a week" and I think that is a good goal as well, so we will probably add that as well.
Please keep in mind my m-i-l who is recovering from a broken femur and a neighbor friend, "Mr. John" who has come to the decision to remove his elderly bride from the ventillator...she was somewhat alert yesterday and told them to do it...it took him until this afternoon to finally agree. This will be hard on him as the doctor told him it could still be a week or two before she actually dies, so please remember this dear sweet man in your prayers! Thank you!

No computer for Lent

Warning those ahead of time...there will be no updates until Easter!
The tooth drama continues and is rather depressing, but hopefully will be remedied soon. Katherine was invited to compete for the State Choir "team" and will go to Jackson in March or April (I can't remember right now...not enough coffee). Megan and Kat both have district competitions this week...thankfully that means nothing to me, other than they miss a day of school and I have to give them $10 for lunch.
Oops...short one is up so I'd better finish this later....donuts sit unattended downstairs!

It's a....

Girl! I know there is just something wrong with posting her privates on here, but ya really can't tell anyway. Also the doctor officially moved my due date to July 5...mentally losing a week is great! She was 11 oz, but too big and wiggly to measure...the poor thing already has that cord wrapped around her head and leg...seems I remember catching a baby awhile back that did the same thing....;)

Drama in Shreveport!

3:44 a.m. My cell phone rings. As I blurily try to make out the time and phone number I think I should answer this as the area code indicates Shreveport....I should know this number right?
After a few moments I realize the hysterical person on the other line is our 84 year old neighbor who, not speaking very coherently, I might add, is calling to tell me that the tenants that JUST MOVED IN THAT WEEKEND have been hauled off to jail. She said they were all "drunker than goats" and firing off shotguns in the backyard. Now one might expect this in redneck country...but not in the middle of a middle class neighborhood filled with families...between two schools, a park and three churches!!!!!9:00 call and leave a message for the property manager.
11:30 home from church, find message from property manager promising to get to the bottom of this (sounding very upset about this whole ordeal).
11:45 Wrangle the computer from the kids and find email after email from neighbors in Shreveport telling us what happened and what excitement that neighborhood had! 7-9 police cars with lights flashing!
5pm Property manager calls again...cannot locate tenants...I suggest looking in jail.

Monday morning I am still trying to figure out what is going on and how we are going to handle this. I look up police reports and find only two tenants were arrested and both for interference with an officer's investigation...no felony charges for discharge of a weapon in city limits, gun-free zone violation, public endangerment, anything like that...so I wonder, can we evict?

Megan's rebellion

Well, several posts ago I mention the time we are having with Megan, well, here is her latest rebellion...don't let mom pick my clothes!!!!!!

Watch out WWF!

So I'm thinking, grab a hot cup of tea and sit down and read more of my current favorite book, "Letters to Luke..." All of a sudden Lauren and Kimberly emerge from behind the couch, wrestling...just had to catch this on video...