LONG TIME NO BLOG!!!

WOW!!!

Has is really been almost a whole year since I've blogged?! WOWZER! Where do I even begin? Its been a crazy new year. And I missed about a week of it since I was in a coma. Yup. Pretty stinking crazy. I got epiglottitis of all things. Never heard of it? Don't worry, I hadn't either until it was killing me.

But we survived THANK GOODNESS! And mostly because of great friends and family!

Other than that what have I been up to? Well, you know me, busy collecting hobbies. This year I have been learning to can (yikes!), making everything from scratch including all our cleaning products and spices/condiments, think taco or cajun seasoning, and honey mustard dressing (YUM!) and crocheting. I've started selling some of my patterns on etsy, mostly toys and I've been so busy that I've even started faltering there. You can check them out at mycrochetivity.etsy.com I've started day-caring a few new 2yo boys in our home and having 3-4 2yo boys under one roof is quite the adventure. Spending most of my time with my 4 little ones and finally getting back into running.

Matt's still busy being a cop x3 with all 3 jobs. We miss him but still so proud. Our state has lost a lot of officers this year, one of whom was a very close friend, and its making me ever more stressed (if possible). He has developed a new talent in woodworking and has constructed me the COOLEST food storage/craft station out of the garage! I am SOO happy he's all mine :)

We've also painted the garage floor so it's more like an extra room than a garage but let's call it "THE MAN CAVE" to appease Matthew.

So pardon the mess on the floor and shelves,

I'm getting ready to do some more canning so there's an abundance of extra fruit but, you g

et the idea. My craft/food storage central and Matthew's workshop. I'm super proud of him!

My sweet angel Hailey, 5 years old!! This year her and Luke had a joint jungle themed water birthday party. We all had a total blast! Due to numerous melt downs last year during dance, we decided to go with a new sport this year and tried soccer. Hailey is having a BLAST! She absolutely LOVES it!

She has also started Kindergarten and we are not quite sure how that's working out yet. We are a little frustrated because she is just not getting everything she needs. We are gonna keep working and take one day at a time. I am afterschooling her, so after she gets home from school I still do circle time and some pencil work and we read a chapter book almost every night. She is SO amazing! She reads Ronald Dahl's "Fantastic Fox" and "Charlotte's Web" Over and OVER! She's staying busy and getting in lots of trouble at church but we are working at it. We still struggle trying to keep up with her food allergy, but we are getting

better.

My boys crack me up. "Picture me!" LOL

Luke is growing up. He's my little social butterfly and my super helper. He's always trying to help Daddy and Mommy with our projects. He's so excited to be going to school 4 days a week now. He is still going to Con Amore but now to Miss Penny's class. He has so much fun and loves bringing home and hanging up his work. He's a little jealous he can't play soccer too and actually cried the whole first week we took Hailey to a different school,

but finally got the hang of it and is doing great. He's learned how to spell his name and is now excited about learning how to spell other words too.

Hunter is maturing like crazy! He speaks entire conversations that are entirely understandable! He's got all his colors, shapes, letters and numbers down and can't wait to go to school. I hate to tell him he still has 3 years! He LOVES sitting in when I'm working with Hailey and just soaks it all up. My little sponge! He's also my little boss. Always pointing the others the things THEY should be doing, even if he's not. He was struggling with biting for awhile but I'm pretty sure, KNOCK on wood, that he's finally over that stage.

My sweet Baby BELLA is still our little peanut. At only 16lbs at 17mo you wouldn't believe this girl can pound 3 waffles or 4 pancakes for breakfast and is STILL hungry at 10am. I'm not even exaggerating! She's decided she's done with diapers and is trying to potty train herself. I have been trying to get with it, but I've been so busy she pushes me more than I her. She's starting to talk to, now saying the word to go with the sign. She says "more, help, please, thank you, yes, no (of course), shoe, potty, poop, eye, seep (sleep), up and out (for outside) and of course Mommy and Daddy". She wants and tries to do everything the big kids do and if she was any taller she'd be out of that crib and into Hailey's bed because that's where she wants to be! Because she is so little the big kids love carrying her around even though she's not very fond of it.

That's kind of the basics, for now. Will try to keep updated a little more often. :)