I suck at blogging, part fifty-million.

Yeah, it's been more than a month since I updated. It's not that nothing has happened, it's just that I'm lazy. ("It's just the way God made me!" Gwenn and Melody will get that.)
We started school on August 24th. It's been going pretty well, for the most part. It's been a little difficult getting into the swing of things with three kids instead of 2, but they've been great. Abbie is learning to read (!) and is enjoying it a lot. Micah still struggles with writing. I don't think it's the writing, per se, that's hard for him, but the concentration. If I'm not right on top of him, he totally zones out. I'm going to have to find some more challenging ideas for Katie, too. I think she's getting bored.
We had our annual Bender Labor Day Bash again this year. It was great fun; we had nine folks from Creation staying with us (4 in the trailer, 5 inside) and 1 staying with Mom. We went to the beach, had 2 bridge-jumping expeditions (not me!), went shooting, ate lots of good food, and in general just had a great time visiting.
We've had a busy month so far. Katie is playing soccer again, and that's usually 3 times a week. Micah and Abbie are both in gymnastics, which is only once a week, but they're not in the same class anymore, so it's still two trips out there. I'm still with the worship team, of course, and the kids are enjoying Wee Worship (a worship dance group for kids) while I practice with the team.
We've had P.E. with our homeschool group, and we are taking a trip to Williamsburg, VA, this weekend for a fun/educational camping trip with the group. Next weekend, the kids and I are travelling with my dad to NJ for my cousin Johanna's wedding. I am very excited about this, not just because of the wedding, but because I just love seeing my family and letting the kids get to know them. Daddy and I are planning to take them to Three Bridges Church (where I grew up) on Sunday morning. Melody and her girls are coming out, too, so that should be a good time.
In other news, we finally got Abbie in to see an ear, nose and throat specialist yesterday about her tonsils. He confirmed what I suspected, which is that they are abnormally large and definitely are the cause of her snoring, sleep apnea and nasal quality to her voice. So they are coming out next month (October 12th). I've been told it's a pretty miserable recovery, so please pray for us!
Well, I've got to get ready for our trip, and I've got tons of laundry to fold, so that's it for now. I'll try to update more than once a millenium. (OK, month. I've been told I'm prone to hyperbole.)

The 10-minute challenge

My mother started using this method a few days ago, and blogged about it here. I decided what the heck, and I tried it yesterday. I LOVE IT. It is so rewarding. I stuck to the ten minutes (more or less), and got the entire house (more or less) presentable in less than 45 minutes. Today I did more. This is truly a great method for someone like me with an instant gratification problem and a short attention span. Also, working with a timer brings out my competitive streak. I think I will get a timer I can carry around with me; the only one I have is on my oven.
Anyway, thanks, Mommy!

The great clothing explosion

...also known as "my kids have too damn much clothing". Which kind of makes me sick, actually. And sad, when I stop to think about it. I realized that when all the laundry is clean at the same time (which, truthfully, is hardly ever), we literally cannot fit all their clothing in the drawers. So my goal was to purge whatever doesn't fit. I had kind of a grand idea that they could keep x number of tops, x number of pairs of shorts, but scrapped that idea. The revised goal (which worked since all my laundry was *gasp* clean at the same time) was "You can keep it if it fits in your drawer".
So today I have THREE kitchen-sized trash bags full of clothing to bring to Hotline (our local thrift store).
Next in line: the dreaded toy shelves *insert scary Jaws-like music here*. It's always drama, because something gets unearthed that literally hasn't been seen in six months, and I go to put it in the Hotline bag, and somehow some kid sees it and says, "noooooooo! that's my faaaaaavorite toy! I looooooove that toy and I play with it alllllll the tiiiiiiime!" Another annoying tendency my kids have is to always want to save cardboard boxes or random packing things because "I'm making a house for my guys" or what-have-you. Now, I'm all about creative play. And I love that they can make playthings out of recyclables. But come on, now! We're drowning in old shoe boxes! And no, I'm not saving every scrap of paper you ever took a pen to! (Side note: the pre-school that my kids went to, while great in almost every way, had the horrible habit of sending home at least 3-6 pieces of random "artwork" or "seatwork" EVERY. DAY. You can only keep so much, you know? Like, none.)
Anyway, if I think of it, I'll take before and after pictures. I definitely need to do some work before Baby comes in March. Otherwise we might lose him/her in the clutter.

Another kid funny...because my son is hilarious.

Yesterday afternoon, Abbie somehow closed the closet door on her foot. She was (ultimately) fine, but a lot of crying ensued. I gave her an ice pack to put on it. Micah came over and squatted down next to her, and said, "Abbie, can I see it?" Abbie tearfully lifted the ice pack and showed him the red line across her foot. Micah said, "Wow, Abbie, you are really brave. If that happened to ME, I'd be crying like a little schoolgirl."
I'm still laughing out loud about this.

Breaking my silence...

....I really just haven't had much to say lately. Well, I did have some news, but I don't think there are any people who read this blog who I'm not a) related to b) working with c) live in Manteo or d) Facebook friends with. But for the one of you that might exist....psssst.....the secret's out: I'm pregnant! :) Baby is due in March.
This week has been fun. The kids have had VBS at Mt. Olivet this week and have been having a blast. Melody came down from Pennsylvania with Evie and her brand-new baby, Cana. It's been really neat meeting Cana when she's so teeny...and she is TEENY! I can't get over how little she is; she's way littler than even Abbie was, and she was my smallest.
But my real reason for breaking my blog silence is to tell you that my niece, Evie, is just about the funniest thing ever. Melody and Chris have taught her all kinds of expressions that crack me up. For instance, she's not thirsty, she's "parched". If you say, "Question..." she will come right back with "Yes, Dwight?" Tonight, she was having trouble rolling out the PlayDoh I had taken out for her, and she whined, "I CAN'T DO IT! HELP ME!" I said, "Evie, how do we ask?" Without missing a beat, she said, "Please-most-wonderful-Auntie-Gretchen!"
Sigh. I love that kid.

If your dryer is ever broken.....

....as in, when you attempt to turn the switch to "START", it moans as if it wants to start but just doesn't have the energy (much as I feel most of the time), and you go for four days over the holiday to call your landlord and hang all your clothes including your work clothes out on your handy-dandy clothesline and then forget to take them in and it downpours and you're totally frustrated and fed-up and when you finally call your landlord he says his guy will come "tomorrow or the next day" and now it's the next NEXT day and you're about to scream because it's been a week now, get your husband to check and see if there's a DIME jammed in the door, causing it not to latch correctly.
Because that's probably what's wrong with it.

An auntie again!

My sister Melody and her husband Chris (and their daughter Evie) welcomed Cana Strayer tonight! 6 lbs. 5 oz. of perfect new yumminess.
Thanks for your prayers regarding her could-have-been-but-thanks-be-to-God-wasn't-very tumultuous entrance into this world.
Can't wait to meet you, sweet thing! I love you already!