April continues! As it does.

It's been a good week; I have been working for one full week now, and it is going well, at least in my opinion. I've made a few mistakes, thankfully nothing major (even one that was major but turned out to not be my fault) and I am looking forward to more. The only problem is that I can log in any time and do 'just a little' and I really need to be doing other things in the house.

For example, I finished up the flooring in the new master bedroom and we moved all our furniture in; it's wonderful. I've loved this room since we first saw the house, and it just feels right. I'm still working on clearing out the old room, which will be a guest room/baby's room/office, depending. I'm sure it will evolve. Either way, I need to empty it of the detritus from the past 6 months and lay flooring in there too. Then it's on to the boy's room. We've been buying the flooring for each room on separate trips to Ikea; it works out well so far, as we really don't have a place to store more than what we need for one project at a time. Plus I love Ikea, and Asher loves Smaland, so it's quite nice.

I'm still filling boxes with stuff to give away; I think we need to make a donation run this week. I also need to remember to send out some seeds I promised to a friend, and donate all the rest to the community garden.

Our own garden is looking pretty pitiful, but there are living things in there! The last windstorm blew down my makeshift coldframe, which shocked about half the seedlings too far to recover, but the rest are doing ok. I just need to figure out some way to keep the squirrels from eating everything.

Pesach is going well; the seders were ok; it can really only improve from here, and they weren't bad, it was just a stark contrast from the big, involved Chabad seders to me reading the haggadah myself and prompting responses from the boys. I'm thinking of organising a second night seder next year with a group of friends; I think it would be a lot of fun, a good mix of ages, and a nice, comfortable span of observance levels. The oat shmurah matzoh we got was FOUL though; I am either making my own or buying Lakewood next year. yeesh. It made the regular shmurah matzah seem tasty.

Since the boys are finally asking to go to bed (I have reached the pregnancy point that I really can't chase them around anymore) it's time to wrap this up.

happily,
-nava

April!

I don't even know what to write. There is just so much, and every time I sit to write I get distracted, so I play sudoku instead, or surf pinterest, or stare out the window for a while. My brain just needs the space, I suppose.

-Officially passed the 5 month mark in this pregnancy; everything looks good. Baby is active, randomly, although I can usually get a response immediately after laying down, but wandering around Ikea got a lot of action too, so I never know. Talked with one of my midwives about diabetes testing (no, unless there is a good reason) and the post-dates ultrasound (yes to stress tests, no to ultrasound unless stress tests or something else cause concern)so I ma feeling pretty secure there.

-roommate moved out. amen.

-Got flooring at Ikea and I am in the process of putting it into the recently vacated room, which will be our room shortly. Then have to do the other rooms. One step at a time.

-Getting ready for Pesach; pretty set, just need to finish cleaning.

-Started my New Job! yay! Today was the first training day; it went well, I learned a lot, and I am ready for tomorrow. Only concern is the scheduling, and taking care of the boys. We'll just see how it all works out.

-Garden is doing ok; about half the seedlings died, thanks to crazy weather, but it s early enough in the year that I am just going to plant everything I have left (with the exception of a few seeds I am saving for next year) and it should all turn out.

-Went and bought a playhouse for the boys. It is waiting, boxed, in the garage until we clear the space for it in the yard. This involves some major pruning, raking, smoothing, laying sand, and then building the house, but I honestly believe it is about one day's worth of steady work.

-I've been working on some minor crafty things; flannel boards and shapes, some flannel people are in progress, alef-bet cards in a tin, sorting all the boy's toys into keep, toss, and educational, put all the 'school' things in one closet and all their toys in another, with the really messy stuff up where they can't reach, refurbishing a dollhouse I got at the thrift store, and painting up some peg people to live in it. Adin loves them. It's all very nice.

That's it for now; back to work on the flooring now. I plan to finish it tonight :)

happily,
-nava