Old Mother Hubbard

As the kids get older, I sometimes feel like Old Mother Hubbard.  You know...she went to the cupboard and it was bare.  I get that feeling sometimes around here.  The kids are getting bigger, so logically they eat more.  Now, all of them are competitive swimmers.  Therefore, they eat more.

Back in the good old days, I used to be so proud of myself when I could fix lunch for a dollar.  A 25 cent box of macaroni and cheese and an apple could feed my two younger.  Sometimes, I would add chicken nuggets.  Or 1 can of soup and some cheese toast. Maybe a Tostino's party pizza and some fruit.  Cheap lunches, people.   Gone are those days.  Prices have gone up dramatically, but they obviously eat more than that.  Jake can eat an entire large frozen pizza himself.  The girls eat a whole box of pasta salad.  Then throw in two apples or cucumbers.  That's alot of food.  I just eat the leftovers. :)

Back in the good old days, I also used to be so proud that I could only go the grocery store once a month, then make quick trips for more perishables.  It would take two carts and about two hours, but it was lovely.  I hate going to the store, so this was just heavenly.  Especially, if I could hit it early on a Saturday morning.  I would have the whole store to myself.  Now, they eat  more, so what would last me two meals, gets me one and only if I'm lucky there are leftovers.  So, I'm getting twice as much food. Therefore, one big trip like that a month would kill me.

Back in the good old days, I used to be able to think better.  That's what age and three kids and a dog will do to you.  It seems that no matter how much I plan my menus, I am always out of one certain thing too soon.  Like, sometimes my trip to the store will constitute mostly breakfast things - orange juice, chocolate milk, biscuits, eggs, etc.  Then, a few days after that I will be low on quick lunch things.  You'd think I could get that together.  But, nope.  I can't.  Alot of that, (okay most of that) is mental, but some of that is the fact I am buying more food, so therefore I don't have enough space for a month's worth of food anymore. 

So, now, I am (old) mother Pritchard.  Whose cupboards get bare, of some thing or another, quite frequently.  But that means I have a full house of growing kids.  And that is a good thing.

Yet another Birthday

Birthday season is winding down around here.  Today it's Sara Beth's day!!  Finally.  It's torture to watch the other two have birthdays and have hers come "last".  But it's finally here!

Now, for the "season" story.  Last night at dinner, we were reminiscing about what David and I were doing 14 years ago that night.  We actually were out celebrating the turning in of his thesis paper for his masters degree.  Yippee!  We were so thankful that it had been completed before the baby came.  Even better, we had almost two weeks before the baby was due.  Such freedom we were looking forward to!

In our excitement, after dinner, we went home and decided to go ahead and get down the Christmas decorations.  David pulled them from the attic and stacked them in the nursery, in front of the crib.  That was about as far was we got and we went to bed.

Then, in the middle of the night, I woke up and surprise, I was in labor.  On Dec 2, right at the beginning of muzzleloading season.  (See God does have a sense of humor).

 After a relatively short labor, Sara Beth entered the world.  Screaming.  And stubborn.  The girl wouldn't sleep all day.  She fought it so badly. She didn't want to miss anything.  Hmm, some things never change.

I do have to add the significance of the day she was born and how it was only by Divine Intervention that it happened in that way.  Sara Beth is named in honor of David's older sister, who died at 7 months due to spina bifida and other complications.  David and I always loved the name and then put it together about his sister, and decided it was perfect.  It is also after David's two grandmothers, so even more significance.

Well, her day came and all day we were a little surprised at the emotions of David's mom.  She was a little teary all day.  We thought it was because first grandchild and most importantly the name, which may have been bringing up some memories.  Well, it did bring up some memories that we didn't know about.  December 2 was the day that David's sister, Sara Elizabeth, was buried.  She was buried at 10:00 in the morning.  Our Sara Beth was born at 9:00.  What a great story to bring in family and memories.  Only God could have done that.  Then to top it off,  Dec 2 is also the birthday of the grandmother Sara.  Way cool if you ask us!

Sara Beth came into the world with a wonderful story.  We are so blessed to have the privledge of raising her and can't wait to see what God will do in her life.

Happy Birthday!!