Lets Play Catch Up and Yes, I'm a Stella Stalker!

I have spent the last 2 hours visiting blogs and having the best time being back in blog land! I knew I missed all of you, but honestly, I didn't realize how much. I have cried from touching posts and laughed from funny ones this morning! Thanks to all of you for making my day wonderful! I can't wait to visit more of you today.

Over the last few weeks we are partially moved in to our new house. The weather has SUCKED! It is not cooperating at all. I absolutely love the house though. I never realized how depressing the old place was until we got out. Each room was on a different level and there was only one window in each room. It just didn't flow and there wasn't enough natural light. The new house has so many windows and the main part of the house is all on one level and all the bedrooms are on the second floor. It is bright in here and so cheery and not all cluttered.

I have been having the best time being in the kitchen. I hated the kitchen in the old place and avoided it at all costs. Here I can see into the living room and be a part of what everyone else is doing while I'm in the kitchen. The dishwasher is a nice addition too!! Oh, how I've missed having a dishwasher!! Anyway, the kids and I have been cooking and enjoying our time in the kitchen.

My craft room is amazing! I can go and sew and I have room to spread my things out and all of my supplies are easily accessible. It is truly a room sent from heaven!

The kids have been enjoying the house too. They have been running circles around the walls that separate the living room, dining room and kitchen. I know it's not the safest thing for them to be doing, but hearing them laugh and chase each around is so much fun! Since we are only a few blocks from Earls main job and right next door to his second job we are getting to see him a lot more. He can pop in and say hi and see what we are doing. Also my daughter, Alexis, is living with her boyfriend and his dad and they are only about 2 blocks away. It is so nice!!!

The plow guy for the Church next door made a big hill for the kids to go sledding on.

We had some of our stuff in a storage unit and I found so many treasures. When we first moved into public housing they told us to throw out any boxes that I hadn't opened in the last year. I'm so glad I didn't listened to them. I have had so much fun rediscovering lost treasures. The one I am most happy about and that I really thought I had lost is this wooden book that my Great Grandmother had given me. My Grandpa had made it for her out of wood and plexi glass as a thing to hold her embroidery thread. He was so smart, he came up with this idea before they were even out in the stores.

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. The first night sleeping over at the new house was Christmas Eve. It was sparse on furnishings but fun anyway. The kids have enjoyed being home and just having time together. We are having the older kids over on Saturday to have Christmas with them. I just didn't have time to get everything done before Christmas.

My little Rock Stars!

Lexie turned 18 on the 27th of December. She is such a wonderful young woman and a I love having her as my daughter!! Ezie turned 10 on Monday. He is growing up to be such a cutie pie! Lexie and Jake brought cupcakes over to celebrate and all the kids had fun with that!



Jace was diagnosed the week before Christmas as having Pervasive Developmental Disorder which is in the autistic spectrum. It really bothered me at first, but I and Jace's therapist think the dx was made mostly from Jace's past history. I'm just glad that I went with my gut feeling 15 months ago and had him tested for speech. He is excelling in most areas and has made so much progress. Even with the dx the Dr. doesn't want to see him back because Jace is making so many accomplishments that he thinks he'll be fine. Whew!!

This morning while visiting blogs I went to my friend Lindsay-ann's blog. Lindsay-ann lives in England and she made this wonderful little doll named Stella. Stella will be visiting different people around the world over the next year. On each visit Stella will get a new addition to her appearance and a nice vacation with the family she is visiting. To check out her adventures so far just click on the Linday-ann's, Lorrie's, April's or Daphine's name and you can see how much fun Stella is having. So far lucky Stella has visited England, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas. Where we her adventures take her next?? I don't know, but I'm having a blast reading about her and think that Lindsay-ann and Lorrie had a wonderful idea in creating Stella!!! I must admit I have become a Stella Stalker!

Okay, I have to go spend some time with the kids and get some housework done.

It's great to be back!!!


Sherry