Sick in PA

Stomach Flu 2007 has visited us and our PA family. I think I'm dying...I'll let you know if I survive! I'm expecting to be miraculously healed by midnight -if I can make it-since I have named this disease 2007...NOT 2008!
The girls are the ones who got sick so far...except Cassie-Tim's sister and her two girls, his mom and me. We drove home from PA yesterday with me stopping every few miles for an emergency exit from the vehicle...I don't think I've felt more miserable! Cassie was fussy and there wasn't much I could do for her because I was so weak. Thankfully, we both slept for the last 45 minutes so Tim was able to make good time without his girls complaining. Once home we slept all afternoon and evening...Cassie is still asleep now at 6:30 am! Tim's been an ideal chauffeur and doctor too-very considerate and caring.

We had a lovely time in PA before the bug invaded our serenity. Tim and Cassie got lots of toys (radio controlled helicopter for Tim, Fisher Price little people for Cassie) and I got my favorite gift of all-money to go shopping with! Granma watched Cassie so I could check out the Outlet stores all by myself-wow, I forgot how nice it is to just run into a store without having to grab a baby, stroller, diaper bag, etc. It was a really nice visit...Cassie got to snuggle with Tim's parents in their King size sleep number bed (wonder what her sleep number is?) and Tim got to watch the PA bowl game with his Dad.
Now we're home and I have to find some way to convince my doctor Tim that he needs to transform himself into housekeeper Tim! Our home is a wreck and now we have even more stuff from Christmas! Our favorite? The new cracker barrel rocking chair for Cassie! She loves it already and rocks herself in time to music!
I'm officially out of energy now. Doctor/housekeeper Tim needs to wake up so he can do his duties! I'm crawling back into bed!
Kay Hoffman
sent wirelessly using my
AT&T 8525

Breakfast with Granma!

Granma is making french toast...Cassie is eagerly awaiting her piece!

Kay Hoffman
sent wirelessly using my
AT&T 8525

Cassie's NEW Morning Routine

Cassie usually wakes us pretty 'wet' in the mornings so she gets a bath first thing. Lately, we've noticed that she has left a little puddle while waiting to get in the tub so I've started putting her on the potty while the water runs. I snapped these pictures with my cell phone...she looks pitiful, I know...but I promise she was okay. She sat on the potty for 6 or 7 minutes...not productive but content. It's the beginning of the end to diaper-wearing...certainly not potty training officially...but just getting her used to a more grown up morning routine! (you Moms who have older babies must be chuckling over my potty-training optimism!)

Proclaimy Posts

Hello Happy Blog-friends,
'Tis I,... um...yeah, no more of that.

Anyway, we're doing well this Friday before Christmas. I've had a great baby-free morning which means I have time to update the blog without little fingers constantly attempting to help me type. I actually had a phone conversation this morning (Hi Christy!) without a baby endlessly reaching for the phone! I've been working on telling Cassie "no" about these two things but I have not been enormously sucessful. For the computer, when I tell her 'no' she responds, 'no' and slaps at the keys and makes the computer do crazy things (how she can 'slap' and discover the ctrl/alt/delete button is beyond me!). She is so persistant and she LOVES talking on the phone so much that I haven't been consistent in keeping her away. She takes the phone from me and then starts walking around and around, talking to whoever is on the other end (usually, my parents, sister or Tim). She'll go on and on forever if I don't stop her...just talking away, pausing for responses and everything! I'll have to get some video of it next time she's on the phone.

I've been REALLY loving my new online Bible study. After my Beth Moore class ended a few weeks ago, I waffled around for a bit wondering what I should do to bridge the Christmas gap. I asked God what he'd have for me to do...but, no-he didn't respond verbally. "Coincidentally" I recalled a online ministry called, "Setting Captives Free" that had a course designed to help Christians who struggle with food-related issues. (Okay, so it's not so pretty to talk about sin-issues in this family-related blog, but I'm all about honesty and openness so when you check this blog to see what's happening with Cassie's mom-what you see is what's REALLY going on in this home. I do apologize (ha) for not being more 'whitewashed' but I value the real stuff more. Hmmm...that leads me to a good question--is this blog solely meant to record Cassie's adventures? do you prefer reading posts about what Cassie is learning, exploring, accomplishing over posts about what her mother is learning, exploring, accomplishing? If so, better skip today's post because I am feeling rather "proclaimy"--What does PROCLAIMY mean? You don't think it's a word!? Well, it is now because that's how I feel! I want to proclaim what God's been doing in my life lately sooooo I feel PROCLAIMY!

Back to the online course...so I go to the website to check it out www.settingcapitvesfree.com and BEHOLD, they have a new course designed specifically for my 'issues'. The ultra cool part came in when I found out my online mentor for the course is none other than the co-author! What a neat-o Christmas gift! I feel as if God really did answer my prayer about what to study after the Beth Moore class-hooray for God! See what I mean-Proclaimy! Each day as I complete a lesson, my responses are emailed to my mentor and she's sends back her comments--it's been so encouraging!

uh-oh...my baby free morning just ended because my parents have arrived with Cassie! Back to being a mommy...

Cassie sleepin'

Our Cassie had a great day at Grammie and Poppie's house. Tim and I had a White house west wing tour with my sis (she works there) so Cassie hung out with the grandparents. As you can see in this photo...she's tuckered out!

Kay Hoffman
sent wirelessly using my
AT&T 8525

Happy Friday Smiles

Clean House, Happy Heart!!!

My new favorite person is Nelly from Andrea's Cleaning (if you want her number, let me know!)!!!! Our neighbors recommended her so I called yesterday to get a price estimate and they said they could come the very next day! My home is so lovely and smells CLEAN now! They disinfected and wiped every surface--I haven't been able to find a spot they neglected. I'm full of gratitude...I see this as a huge gift-just what I needed to get a winter boost!

I'm not a very good stay at home Mommy, I confess. Don't get me wrong-I love Cassie and being with her all day, but I never seem to have the energy to get all the detailed housework done. I do the big stuff like laundry and clutter control but not the "hands and knees scrubbing" that I know I "should" do. Hooray for Nelly (and for my tutoring money that helped to pay for this luxury!)! I think I should include a housecleaning service on my list of essentials for maintaining a sane home (and Mommy)!

The B-I-B-L-E song and Hey You

I'm beginning to notice a trend...whenever I pull out the camera to record Cassie in the midst of a precious moment, I end up being the one performing for the camera. I promise you, Cassie WAS singing, "The BIBLE" song. I barely got her to do "B-I-B" but she does say "Hey You, Hey You, Hey You" pretty clearly. Maybe we should tell her grass is cheaper (VERY bad joke).

Messy House, Happy Heart?

Hi Friends-
My house is a wreck. I have been out shopping and preparing for Christmas but now my home is in chaos! I have to find the motivation to clean and organize....but it's hard to do with a 15 month old who is getting into everything. Right now, she's going through bills. Hopefully, they're already paid because I think I hear paper tearing. Ugh! Oh, good...she just transitioned to pushing around the laundry basket...the dogs are scattering to get out of her way!

You may have noticed that I said, "dogs"-that's right, we're a two dog family this week. My parents are out of town so their dog Bumbi has joined us. I'm not tutoring until Friday (when they return and can watch Cassie for me)-only three more sessions before my student moves to New Jersey. I'm going to miss tutoring...it's been such a welcome change from the day to day baby-care!

Well, clearly this is not a good time to update my blog. Cassie is adding to the destruction of our home, so I need to close this and stop her little rampage! Hope all is well with all of you! :)

Early Christmas for Cassie

Look what Mr. Riggins sent Cassie! I'm so excited I can hardly type! Woo hoo for doll houses! I'm so glad I have a baby girl!

Kay Hoffman
sent wirelessly using my
AT&T 8525

Birthdays and Doctors

Hi All-
I suppose if you're reading this, you've seen that I've made a switch over to blogger. I like the mobile update features so I thought I'd give this a try! Please leave a comment to let me know you visited!

The picture below is one I snapped of Cassie with my cell phone while we were at the doctor's. We've been dealing with her breathing issues and found out recently that these difficulties may be suggesting she'll have asthma down the road. I'm not going to worry about that now...I just want her feeling better now.

We also celebrated Tim's birthday this past weekend. Tim's family and my family all congregated at our house for an "Open House" party. Beka and Matt transferred all of Tim's college volleyball games from VHS to DVD. We watched several games and then had pizza, apple cake (Tim's favorite from his Mom) and rice crispy squares (my humble offering). On Tim's actual birthday (Monday, Dec. 3) we had dinner out and enjoyed a "baby-free" evening since Cassie spent the night with my parents. Sadly, my old man husband fell asleep around 8:30! Actually, he just wasn't feeling well. I had a virus over the weekend and I think I "shared" my germs with him! In spite of his illness, he worked a full day and went out with me afterwards. What an unselfish sweetie...or a cruel madman because he just spread the germs all over his office/the restaurant!

At the doctor's