I had too good of a holiday season, Ristau. My "holiday hangover" is about two inches (over my waistband ;), so I need to get out there in the garden and work it off! I've got a few tomatoes and peppers up. Started some artichoke seeds and one's poking it's head up, too. As soon as I get my warming table set up (using a soil warming cable for the first time this year), I'll be starting a whole bunch more tomatoes, along with peppers, tomatillos and some flowers. Vegetable gardens feed your body ~ flower gardens feed your soul. Don't know who originally said that, but I always liked that quote. I bought a soil thermometer this year, too, and am trying to use it to more accurately get things sown. Soil should be about the right temp for lettuce and snow peas next week.

Ok I have been trying to read all of these and see what works great for us. We talked to the realtor today and told him that we are open to having an hour notice at the least but it may not be feasible to leave the home but we will try if possible. We also decided to block of the hours of 2-4 for DD naptime and DH also gets ready for work from around 3:30-4- so this worked best. I called and ordered, yuck, 4 birthday cakes today. We switched the crates and found a smaller one for our shih tzus- so the ginormus cage is outside under a shade tree for Kaiser (he can be confined during showings), the large cage is in the house for him to use during his naps and at nite, and the smaller one is easy to pickup and move to the van if need be. So there, eliminated my cake issues and worked out the doggie situation. Also gave duct tape on the diaper a whirl and DD was unable to go on a crap flinging fest, wahoo! I do most of the other things such as dishes, laundry, cleaning at nite, but it is the unexpected things that throw me off. You know a sipee cup dumped on my freshly waxed floor, just the little things that I don't like happening right before someone walks in. We had another showing call in 2 hrs prior to this afternoon and I said go for it, whew. We've been told the house shows well and haven't had any negative feedback. If I get a chance tomorrow I will post our listing (with some help please :) and see what advice you guys can offer. I think i'm too paranoid about messes in the house and that people will reflect that in their decision, guess I need to let go of that one. I've heard of some people being the see it now buy it now, but others that set appointments (thats us) We really are motivated to sell so we are working to figure out what will work best and hopefully what we did today will be the best. Thanks everyone for your help, I really appreciate it!

Well the open house was a huge success despite the weather. Normally its low 60s for temp this time of year -yesterday we had a snow storm. It was pretty funny that one group of people coming to the open house sang a christmas carol when I opened the door. Its all good becuase my house shows really well in cold weather with its warmth (I had the fireplace going and everything). There were a few people that cancelled becuase they were afraid of driving but not too many. The downside is that all this time and money I spent on the yard getting new plants etc didn't matter as it was all buried in snow. I hope the new plants are OK! The candle centerpeice actually got lots of compliments (and also some jokes about my masculinity when they found out I picked them and arranged them - I just passed the buck onto all you GWers. My DW was egging them on when she told them how much time I have spent on window treatments. Thankfully my sister-in-law chewed them all out and told them that most women would love it if their man cared about the curtains - all the teasing stopped right away after that LOL). The previous owners and their kids (now grown up) came and that was great fun hearing all the stories about the house over time since it was built and, thankfully, they loved what we'd done to the place (lots of the wife saying "I told you we should have done that" to the husband was worth lots of laughs) Anyway we went through something like a dozen bottles of wine (of which I had to try some of most) and the "7-11pm" event ended up going till 2:30am. Needless to say I am a little out of it. Sorry I only have a couple pictures of the event before it started. Once it got going I was so busy talking (millions of questions), socializing, greeting and saying goodbye etc that before I knew it, it was over and I didn't take any pictures. I could have taken some after photos but no one likes party aftermath (well you might have had fun checking out the empty wine bottles). Right now my computer is not hooked up and I am using my DW's so later tonight I will get the before party pics up.

I've been following your threads because I know you and your hubby are wonderful, loving people. You are on quite an adventure and those three little girls are blessed to have come into your lives. Advice from a Grandma: (my 4 were spread out over 9 yrs.) When the infant/baby/toddler is napping, YOU NAP! (I'd tell my older kids that I was gonna nap & they should answer the phone & wake me when the baby woke up.) Laundry, picking up toys, etc., is a hassle when the kids are up, BUT, YOU NAP when they do! Son & DDIL had a 4 & 1/2 yr. old, an almost 2 yr. old & were blessed with premie twins. CHAOS! I lived 900 miles away, but came for a couple of wks. at a time to help. When the little ones napped, DDIL would put on a movie for the eldest and she & I would PASS OUT until a little one woke up. Maybe dinner would be late, or the laundry wasn't done, but we both could function better for the rest of the day with a nap. You said that you don't have family near to help, but can you get someone to come & schedule a "break" in 3-4 mos. when you & DH can just get away? The other Grandma called me when the twins were 4 mos. & told me our children were "burning out" and needed a break (no sleep, 3 in diapers, 3 needing to be fed.) She and I took over & kicked our kids out for 3 days. They went to a motel and said they mostly slept! You both need time together away from the chaos. Something else that no one mentioned. . . .You WILL have to go to the ER for stitches, x-rays (maybe casts), dentist for busted teeth, etc. --it happens, no matter how careful a parent you are. Head/face wounds bleed A LOT but can usually be taken care of with OTC skin glue you get at a drug store (A now 7 yr. old twin got a head wound glued last week on vacation.) If a face wound is severe enough to require stitches, you can request, in the ER, to have plastic surgeon do the stitches (eldest grandson had a plastic surgeon for face wounds 3 time before he was 8!) You sound like a natural at being a MOM, but there are things us Moms learn along the way that can "head you off at the pass." Like others have said about ground rules. And you've been doing that (with the "naughty chair'!) It sound like from your postings that you're being an awesome Mom! Many blessings for all 5 of you! Pat