Someone get the Lysol

I want to scream!!! Cover your ears!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH. We just got all the sickie germs out of the house and alas they are back. I got a call from the boys school today. Reynaldo was throwing up. Not again. This is one major disadvantage to having 4 kids. Now I am on a mission to keep them away from each other so they don't share. Yes dear children I like when you share but not this time.
I did something exciting. I bought plane tickets to go back to my parents next month. I am taking the butterfly and sweet potato. Daddy is gonna keep the boys. We will all head out there this summer for a week or two. The price of tickets was amazing. The whole thing was my DH's idea. It will give Ki and me a chance to maybe work on our relationship.

I've Been Tagged

I have been tagged by my wonderful buddy Sarah who is new to the blogging world. She has amazed me with her new found abilities to link and use the word meme. I have been blogging for a year and never new what that term meant nor did I master linking. This is the very reason that it has taken me so long to respond to this tagging. I needed time to look up how to link to Blogs so this is my first attempt.
Here are the rules to the Meme.
1) Link to the person who tagged you. 2) Post the rules on your blog. 3) Share 6 non-important things ,habits, quirks about yourself. 4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blog. 5) Let the random people know that they have been tagged by leaving comments on their blogs.
Ok Now for the List of Quirky Things about me. Are you sure that you are ready for this??

1) I can pick up quarters with my toes. I am ashamed to admit that this talent was discovered during my Wild Drinking Days. After a quarter bouncing, shotglass filling and then slamming down of alcohol night I discovered this easy feat with my feet. Who would have know I could have such a talent with my pretty pedicured toes. Oh to have those youthfull pretty tootsies again. Honey if you are reading this I am in need of a day of pampering. This wonderful talent did come in handy when I was very pregnant and couldn't bend over to pick things up.

2) I have a love for Fresh 350 or higher threadcount sheets. There is nothing finer and more soothing then sleeping into bed with these luxurious sheets. I can't stand cheap sheets. Call me a sheet snob if you must. I have acquired this from my mother dearest. I especially love when you go to a nice hotel and they have the whole upscale bedline. You want to leave there and purchase the whole $2000.00 dollar line.

3) I am petrified of mice. I have nightmares about them either. Have since I was little. It can even be a fake one and I will be lifting my feet and screaming my head off. When I was younger I had gone out to the garage to get the bag of grass seed for my dad and one of those evil critters jumped out of the bag and ran over my hand and landed on my barefoot. I screamed.

4) I love kid movies. Shhhh don't let this get out and please don't tell my kids. Mary Poppins, Summer Magic, High School Musical, even Teenage Mutant Turtles. Coawabunga Dude. Of course I make the kids think I don't like what they are watching but secretly I am "helping" them decide on a movie based on what I want to see. I even enjoy Gracie's Baby Einstein movies. We just borrowed a great movie from my neighbor called The Praise Baby Collection. It is so soothing.

5) I hate socks and shoes. I love to have naked tootsies. I would run around barefoot all the time if I could. I especially hate wearing socks to bed and kick them off immediately if I wear them to bed. I do love shoes and pretty socks but naked feet is my first choice. I have been wearing shoes and socks lately though because it has been so cold and could it have anything to do with the fact that I need a pedicure? See number 1

6) I am a horrible front seat passenger driver. I am surprised I haven't put a hole in the floor board where my imaginery brake pedal is. I know that I drive my DH crazy but....... Hey, he scares me sometime.

So there you have it. The real Jenn..... Can't wait to read yours. I tag

Lori
Desiree
Julie

Gracie Smiles

Well actually, She has before but I haven't been able to capture it on camera because I usually need the flash and it makes her close her eyes. Her eyes actually twinkle when she smiles.

Thrilling Thursday

Let's start off the post with a sweet picture I took the other day.

Aren't they cuties? Today is filled with cleaning the house, listing on ebay and paying bills. FUn FUn FUn.

Kiarrah is doing a little better with Gracie. We have been working on that relationship and my relationship with Kiarrah. It was headed down the toliet but we are trying. She is one of the most stuborrn children I have ever met and I have met my match so to speak. My DH feels we are a lot alike. I just don't see it. I have been trying to spend some one on one time with her and we went and ran errands on Saturday. Just her and I. She bought Gracie a cute little pink elephant for her collection. It is for Valentine's Day so Shhhhh don't tell Gracie.

I finally found some products that work in KiKi's hair. The first one I found works great but is too expensive but we are having really good luck with Infusium 23. She had taken scissors to her hair twice now and I finally have it looking good. I can get a wide tooth comb throough it with ease. Hopefully it will keep it hydrated.

Look at me

Gracie girl thinks she is big stuff when she is propped up to sit. Well, she had her Dr.'s appointment and weighed 12 lbs 4 oz. She is just gonna be a tiny little thing. She is a little behind on some things but she was also 5 weeks early. She got three of her shots and ran a low grade fever. Yesterday and today she is fighting a bug. I have it too but not full force yet. You know when you hurt so much even your hairs on your head hurt? That is what I am starting to feel like. Jim was an angel today and helped me so much this morning. I am so incredibly blessed to have him.
The other three are good. Kiarrah has been up to her usual antics. She managed to get her hands on some scissors again and cut her hair. It is such a mess. We had a babysitter Saturday night so that we could go to a dinner for married couples at our Pastor's house. She was great with the kids and did Kiarrahs hair into a beautiful little style that will work until her hair grows in some more.
We are trying to figure out what to do with her next school year. We have a close friend that has offered to homeschool her with her child. She is a wonderful woman of God and has the patience on a Saint. She also truly "gets" Kiarrah. Not many people do but Kiarrah listens to her also. We are going to do some research on it and check on books and such. She wants to use the Abeka program with her. Any of you have experience with it?
What is really nice about this option is that they can work at their own pace and advance if need be. Please keep this in prayer along with us. I just feel if I send Ki to the public school it is going to be hell. She will eat them alive and become the class bully/trouble maker. The FASD has affected her so much and I am seeing it more and more.

6 Months old Already???

My baby girl is 6 months old today. Where has the time gone? I have been trying to cherish every moment but it still is flying by. We are going to the Dr. today for her check up and shots. I hate the shots part. She actually does pretty well with them. She is loving eathing solids. She has now had applesauce, pears, peaches, green beans, peas and sweet potatoes. She has also had squash but it caused her to break out on her face so we need to wait on that and try again later. Last week when she went to the Dr. she weighed 12 pounds so hopefully she gained alittle more. She is staying steady at the 3 precentile.

On another note, the butterfly had the 24 hour bug yesterday. Nothing knocks her down though. She is fine today thank goodness.

Pruning

Did you ever notice that it hurts when God Prunes us? This has been on my mind a lot this morning. Gracie got the dreaded stomach bug. Started throwing up last night a little after ten. I feel so bad for her. We are taking it easy today and she is sleeping. Just trying to keep the other little monsters quiet so she can sleep.

Baby Food

Have any of you made your own baby food? I would really like to do this for Gracie but need some help and input. What kind of fruit could I make? I know that it would be more economical to make it myself. Gracie is loving food. I tried to make her green beans and she wouldn't eat them. She loves the jar kind.

Nanny Days

Boy am I exhausted today. I worked as a nanny for a friend and it wiped me out. It is hard to believe that I did this as a profession for 15 years. I do have to remind myself that I am a lot older and I have 4 children now and I actually took care of my 5 month old today too. It is so different when it is your own child. I did really enjoy it but know that I couldn't do this on a everyday basis. The girls are a month apart and wasn't much different from when I took care of the twins for 8 years.

FFF a day Early :)

Thursday Update

I thought I would give you all a little update. Took Gracie to the Dr. today. She now weighs 11.8. Luckily she is staying in that 3 percentile curve and not losing. We have moved her to solids and she screams for more. She loves to eat. We started with carrots and she has since also had green beans(which she loved), applesauce and peaches. I decided to make her some fresh green beans today and she actually did not like them at all. It might have been the butter in them. They were left over from dinner. Tomorrow I think I am gonna try her on sweet potato.
Dominic is sick with a double ear infection and his throat and nose are bothering him.
Reynaldo wishes he didn't have to go to school. He tried playing the sick card on Wednesday when they had to go back after the holidays. I wish they would have just given them the rest of the week off.
Jim has been off this week. Today we kept Kiarrah home so she could have some mommy and daddy time. She lives for that. We had a nice Day.
Tomorrow I am going to work as a fill in nanny. I will also do it next week and possibly the week after that. I am gonna see how it goes first before I take on that second week. The family has three children but I will just be taking care of their 4 month old daughter. Gracie will have a little play date.
Not much else going on here.

Here is my FFF

Dumb Mommy forgot to give Allergy medicine before going to Grandpa Ed and Grandma Jane's House and had to give Dominic benadryl for his allergies. Poor Kiddo fell fast asleep.

Ok as Requested More pictures

I took Gracie girl to get her ears pierced this weekend. KiKi thinks it is so cool that Gracie copied her and got hers done. She is such a hoot. I can't believe that my baby girl is going to be 5 months old tomorrow. She has got quite the personality on her. She was being really crabby this evening and Dom wanted to cuddle with her and they fell asleep together. I love those tenders moments between brother and sister. It has been so funny lately because everytime Rey has held her lately she bombs on him. He is always like it's ok!!Baby girl you can spit up on me.Somebody sure is teething.

Bishop Family 2007

Icey Joisey

It has been a busy week. Is everyone done with Christmas shopping? I still have a few more items to get. We have been busy with Christmas shopping, decorating and Dr. appointments. Tomorrow we are going to try and get our pictures done again. I would really like a family photo.

The kiddos are doing good. Rey is just getting over the croup. Kiarrah is extremely excited about Christmas. She thinks that if it snows it is Christmas and Baby Jesus' birthday. I have to explain to her that it is on the 25th. Of course to her I am wrong. Dominic is getting bored with school and going through a little bit of a difficult time. He seems to be very rigid in his thinking and not handling all the hustle and bustle very well.

Gracie is doing good. We went to the specialist on Monday and she weighed 11 pounds and was 24 inches long. We are continuing the Neosure formula and hoping for more weight gain. She is also still on prevacid and regalin. I have to keep a food diary for her and take in some stool samples. They are looking to see if she has any blood present that would point towards a milk protein sensitivity. She is very very alert and smiley. She loves to look at the Christmas tree.

I am getting ready to do some Christmas cookie baking this weekend. We are going to my father in laws for Christmas Eve and we are going to stay home Christmas Day.

On a side note, please keep my baby sister in your prayers. She is going through a really difficult time right now and really needs to prayers.

My Celebrity Look Alikes

Look ALike meter

I took this test 3 times and the first two times it said Gracie looked 11% more like me, her mommy. Thsi test says equal. Everyone is always saying Gracie looks just like her daddy. I guess she has a lot of me too. SO there :P

Natural Highs

1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).
12. A bubble bath.
13. Giggling.
14. A good conversation.
15 The beach
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you
19 Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS
25. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
26. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
27. Kisses and Hugs
28. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
29. Playing with a new puppy.
30. Having someone play with your hair.
31. Sweet dreams.
32. Hot chocolate.
33. Road trips with friends or family
34. Swinging on swings.
35. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
36. Making chocolate chip cookies.
37. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
38 Holding hands with someone you care about.
39 Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
40. Watching the _expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
41. Watching the sunrise.
42. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
43. Knowing that somebody misses you.
44' Snuggling with a freshly bathes baby.
44. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
45. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.


Aww these make me feel all warm and cuddly inside. Do you have any to add? Please feel free to comment.

Gloomy Thursday

You know, I should already be in bed sleeping but my mind is restless and I can't seem to relax today. I have a lot on my plate for this next week and as crazy as it may seem, I welcome it. It helps keep my mind off of the fact that I am not going to Indiana for Christmas. I am really bummed that we will be here in Joisey this year. Going home last month has unfortunately caused my homesickness to overflow. We luckily will go down to my in laws for Christmas Eve. It is just hard because I am so used to our family traditions and when they are different I have a hard time. I really wanted to start new traditions with the kids this year. I had wanted to start doing St. Nicholas Day but that was actually for last night. I guess there is always next year.
We have some simple traditions like everyone gets a new ornament and I bake cookies. What is it will Urban people. Few like to bake or have never made homemade cookies. How am I supposed to start a tradition of a cookie exchange if I have no one to exchange with? Do I need to teach people how to bake? I am open to it :)
Does this post sound gloomy? I guess I am a little down today. Just a lot on my mind and missing family.