Friday, April 25

I forgot to tell you that on Tuesday Skylar and Dylan were out back picking flowers and Skylar got attacked on her foot by some fire ants. I treated them like I normally do and sprayed her toes with after bite it helps stop the itch. I didn't really think anything of it until later when she got her bath she was still complaining that her toe was sore to the touch and was still itchy.
The next morning I checked out her toe and it was red and swollen and it appeared to be spreading on top of her foot. So I went ahead and called her new pediatrician and made an appointment, we got in that afternoon (wednesday) and the doctor went ahead and gave her an oral steroid to help with the swelling and itching and went ahead and prescribed her an antibiotic just in case. By Thursday morning the swelling had gone done considerably so I did not see the need for her to take the antibiotic.
Thursday Bob was off and we went to McCalls in Clayton, they just reopened after 7 m0nths ( an airplane crashed through the front of their building), it is buffet style and I have to say that I enjoyed it more than going to the Golden Corall. We also went to Lowe's were we picked up the rest of our guttering supplies and then went home and finally finished the job. I also dug a trench behind our bushes and routed the water from the gutter out to our side yard so it would not flood my flower beds anymore. It has been so nice outside the last couple of days that I haven't spent much time cleaning the inside of my house, but soon the weather will change and so then I will focus on the inside apperance of the house. I hate being in when it is so nice and it is definately not fair to the kids for me to keep them in when it is so nice. I know at some point I wont have to pick up after them so much, but for now it is a duty that I regretfully accept.

Wednesday, April 23

Well we almost got the gutter completely up on the front porch on Sunday and then it started to pour down rain. At least we know that it does work we only need one more piece to attach the downspout and it will be complete. I am so excited now I can actually work on my flower garden and not have to worry that it will be drowned by the next rain shower. Nothing much else really going on here, Dylan has a cold and it has been cloudy and rainy so far this week. Tomorrow it is suppossed to be sunny and warm and Bob is taking the day off so we should be able to get a few things done. There is a strawberry festival here on Saturday but we are not going to go to it, I don't think they have anything really special not like the Strawberry Festival in Newark, OH. I really liked going to that when we lived there. I don't know why but I feel more at home when I am in Ohio than I do when I am in NC. Maybe it is because I worked when I lived there and I actually did more on my own than I do here or maybe it is because I have 2 more kids and it is just easier to have someone else with me to help.
Anyways enough of my sob story ...
Blog ya later

Saturday, April 19

O.K. Today had to be one of the most boring days in a while. It was so beautiful outside it just made you want to climb into a hammock and take a nap. If only I had a hammock. Instead I spent most of the day chasing around Skylar and Dylan back and forth between our trampoline and swingset to the neighbors trampoline and swingset. Also collecting those furry caterpillars have kept us going, Skylar now has two in a mason jar that have now spun their cocoons so we are waiting for the big day. I think they say a couple of weeks before they come out of the cocoon so we wont know for a while if they survived Skylar and Dylan's pet caterpillar training. I will keep you updated on our progress as we find out more. I am pretty sure these are Eastern Tent Caterpillars if anyone is interested and they are very abundant here so don't think we are destroying the eco-system, we might even actually be saving some trees.
Speaking of trees we found an evergreen growing out back where we used to have pine trees so I am going to try and transplant it out front so it wont be disturbed while we renovate our backyard. Hopefully that will go smoothly. We are also going to be trying to install gutters on the front of our house, since none of the houses out here came with them, and I am also trying to plant a flower garden out front but that will have to wait until we figure out the guttering system. I will try and take some pictures so you can see the before and after.

Thursday, April 17

I hope that last blog satisfied those of you who seem to be hungry for more of the trials and tribulations of the culver clan. I have actually been busy since we got back from our vacation. You don't know how messy a clean house gets when you come back from out of town especially when you have 6 people to clean up after. I think I am finally all caught up on laundry and the kids are finally getting back to their normal bedtime routines, and thankfully so am I.
Dakota got his report card the other day and is doing excellent which doesn't fit the behavior that he exhibits when he is at home dealing with me and his homework. Obviously he knows what buttons to push with me and how far he can push them. Although this week he has been doing very well with coming home and getting his homework done so he can go out and play, until tonight. We were off routine, when Dakota got home I had the kids outside with me and we were digging in the dirt and putting in new soil so we can plant flowers out front and I wasn't focused on Dakota so of course he was doing everything but homework. Then around 5 I cleaned up my mess and brought the kids in so I could start making dinner because we had to leave by 5:45 to go to a kindergarten info from 6-7pm and as usual it was just me VS. 3 kids. I think I won but that was only thanks to the teachers at the school that volunteered to keep everyones kids entertained so the adults could have some adult time. Although one of the teachers read us a story that the kids would be learning in kindergarten and I didn't feel like it was adult time anymore. None the less it was nice not having the kids interupting every few minutes for something to keep them happy.
Bob went and worked out tonight at Peak Fitness he is friends with a guy that is a personal trainer there and is helping him out. I think its great Bob seems to be getting into great shape and is eating healthier than I have ever seen. On the other hand he still likes to bring home fattening snacks for "the kids" which I feel that since they are here need to be eatin. (my personal philosophy) And you would think that as much as I run around chasing after the kids and am up and down the stairs answering every beckon call that I would be in better shape but NO, no such luck. I think right now I actually weigh more than my husband and that is not good.

Well I feel like I have gotten enough of my chest for one night. I promise I will start blogging every night for those of you who can't seem to get enough of my stressful life. I love you all and to all a good night.,

Wed., March 26

Been kinda busy lately... We left NC Saturday evening after several delays we finally got on the road around 7:15pm. We ran into some sleet and snow around Beckley, WV. Bob tried to run us out of gas 30 min. from Parkersburg, WV ... it was after 1am and we were running on fumes but we made it to a gas station just in time. We arrived at my parents house (Heath, OH) around 2:30am and Skylar and Dylan decided that they wanted to eat and be up after sleeping so much in the truck. GREAT! So Bob ran up to White Castle and got them some mozerella cheese sticks and also ran to Wal-mart as we did not pick up the kids Easter baskets before we left NC. So once he got back and the kids ate they seemed to settle down pretty quick and soon fNoell fast asleep. Got up around 9am, slowly got everyone else up, got the kids a bath and dressed and got ready for Easter. Grandma of course had an egg hunt prepared and gifts for the kids. Dad went and picked up Aunt Nancy and Aunt Susan and Uncle Bill showed up later. Rebekah was sick so Gavin came alone and we all crammed in around Mom's famous dining room table. I can't wait until we move closer so we can have everyone over and they can all cram in around my dining room table. Went to Tollie's later and had dinner with the Culver's not much else happened that night.
Monday Bob went and spent some time with Jessica and Laynie alone, and when I asked him how it felt to be a grandpa and he said it felt great, and I could tell that he was tearful as it was an overwelling experience for him. The kids and I got to go over later and visit but since Laynie was sick they couldn't touch her. I was shocked that they actually listened and were very good, not making alot of noise and running around like they normally do. I was very proud of them and made sure they knew how good they were being. Just normal visiting the rest of the time that we were there. Went out to Joe's Crab Shack with my sister in law Tollie and her boyfriend Brian one night. Nothing much else exciting happened, everyone working while we are on vacation, it is hard to try and plan vacations and visits with family unless you live close I suppose but unfortunately this is not something I am used to but am hoping that within the next two years I will be able to plan birthdays and weekend visits and all sorts of things with my family.

You know growing up all those years not having my family around you would think that it doesn't affect me as much as it does. But it does I guess especially now that I have my own family and knowing the kind of things that myself and my sister missed out on. Having your cousins around you all the time being able to spend more time with your grandparents and aunts and uncles. I know just because you live near your family or atleast in the same state doesn't mean that you will get to do these things on a regular basis but I am guessing that it would be more than once a year. Gavin don't get upset cause I didn't mention you but you did get to move to Ohio when you were still young I know it is not the same as living there your whole life but I still think you benefitted more than Heather and I. I love you Bro and miss you more and more every day. Just remember that and be good otherwise I'll hunt you down and kick your a**. LOL (on my moped no doubt)

Wed., March 18

I was reading my comments the other day and realized that I didn't list favorite soap opera All My Children. I have corrected this oversight. Thanks Rebekah.
Not much has been going on lately just getting ready to go on our trip, which I guess we will be leaving on Saturday now since things kind of got mixed. I can't wait till I get to see everyone especially my grandaughter Laynie. We are hoping to see some snow when we go there too. But you can never tell what the weather is going to be like, we just know that it will be alot colder than it is here. Today we are expected to get to 76.

Monday, March 17

First - Happy St. Patricks Day.
Sorry I haven't been on all week, I have come down with a severe sinus infection and have been trying everything and anything to get rid of the pain and pressure. I even went online looking for home remedies and let me tell you an apple cider vinegar/ water steam is not worth trying. My eyes are still burning days later. But after days of suffering Bobbi (my stepdaughter) brought me some Mucinex nasal spray and OMG that was the first time I felt relief and was able to sleep.
Saturday I took Skylar and Dylan to a birthday party for a little girl down the street, she just turned five and will be going to kindergarten with Skylar. She had her party at Morgan's Gymnastics and the kids had a blast. I think this summer I will put Skylar and Dylan in gymnastics, on the other hand Dakota wants to get into tennis. So this summer will be busy which I am glad of that since last summer we more or less felt like prisoners in our own home. I am so happy that this will all be over soon, I can't tell you how good it will feel to not have this to think about every single day.

Tuesday, March 11

Haven't done much today but clean, I need to get the house ready for us to leave on vacation next Fri. I am suppossed to take pictures of the house for those less fortunate who can not come and see the house for themselves. It is always so hard when we go to Ohio, everyone wants to see us and spend time with us but we also want a little time to relax. It will be nice when we finally move back and then when we take a vacation it will actually be a vacation.

Monday, March 10

Today I met my best friend Becky at Lake Benson Park in Garner, she has 2 little girls age 4 and 2. We had a picnic lunch then we let the kids play on the playground, played soccer, swung the kids and then we took a nice long walk around the whole park. I'm not sure fow far it was but it felt like it was atleast 3 miles. It was a beautiful day to be outside, I sure am glad that we went. Tomorrow we might go to the library even though there is no story time. Wednesday Dakota has early release so we probably wont go anywhere that day. I think it is suppossed to be around 70 that day so that will be good I will be able to get all the kids outside.
It's weird with the weather being so nice here and at my mom's house they got like 20 inches of snow this past weekend. I miss the snow I can't wait till we go up there for Easter, I hope there will still be snow on the ground. I know the kids are hoping that there will be snow when we go there, but if not we might just take them to the mountains again and go tubing. We had such a fun time the last time we went there.

Thursday, March 6

I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel like Dakota is spinning out of control and there is nothing I can do to help. We have no insurance right now since Bob changed jobs at the beginning of the year and really no extra money to take him to the doctor. I think he may be ADD and I don't know what to do and with me in what feels like a constant state of inner turmoil over this whole thing with Skylar and "him" moving and still able to be getting on with his life.
Oh yea I talked to the Asst. Dist Att today and she said that he wants to plead to 3 charges of indescent liberties with a minor child which is a misdemeanor and only wants to serve one sentence (which is about 13-18 months per count) and have the rest of the time as probation. I THINK NOT!! So as of today we are set for a June 9th Trial as long as the newly appointed prosecutor doesn't have any scheduling conflicts.
Ok back to Dakota he just wont listen to me no matter what I do or say or take away. I have tried to talk to him and mostly it seems that he wants more attention from me. When I do give it to him most of the time he just pushes me away, and sometimes it gets physical. I try not to push back because I don't want him to think that violence is the answer but I have to defend myself when he gets to far and I feel that I have to restrain him before he hurts himself or someone else.