The huswife's guide to

We have twins due May 31st putting me over 13 weeks pregnant at the time of this post. For the past 8 weeks or so I have been dead to the world, barely able to get out of bed let alone function as a normal human. I'm suffering from a pregnancy condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum - often describe as acute morning sickness. Yes the one that the princess has.

This is my fourth time being sick during pregnancy. Vomiting daily was to be expected but in the past I had always been able to pick up and keep going - no debilitating nausea weighing me down. I took medication in only one of my three previous pregnancies. It sucked but I continued to work, cook, clean, and care for my family. The sickness improved around 14 weeks and was gone by 20.

Now I throw up multiples times a day with no relief. If I miss a dose of medicine I can't even eat. In the past month I lost weight and am still just hovering around what I weighed at my last doctors appointment. I force myself to eat and do everything in my power to hold down what I do. This would be considered a mild case of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Many woman spend weeks in the hospital and eat nothing for months.

I have managed to stay out of the hospital, although there have been a few times where I should have gone in and didn't.

The worst part isn't the unbearable nausea, the vomiting, the dehydration, the soreness, or the headaches - it's the guilt. I've been completely useless to my family, can't spend any time with my children, and my husband has to make up for everything I'm unable to do. I spend a lot of my day laying on the couch or in bed. Movement will most often lead to vomiting.

I'm just ready to eat, to feel normal again. I know it can't last forever which helps but I  don't know how to tell people that I've been sick. They think I'm dramatic or just have morning sickness. This is also why the blog updates abruptly stopped.

Now excuse me while I go lose my lunch.

We spent two hours on the weekend getting absolutely lost in a corn maze. The one we went to also featured a tower of hay to climb and a petting zoo. Souvenirs included farm fresh cucumbers and of course - SWEET CORN!

We ended up bailing half way through the maze - after an hour of wandering the kids were definitely done. Even still, it was a perfect activity for a chilly fall day. Maybe we'll come back when it's all decked out spooky for Halloween - maybe.

With three kids we have gone through a lot of beach toys. Everything from cheap dollar store shovels to expensive licensed character sets have been thrown in the garbage broken and useless. Until now it has been a fact of life that every year we need to pick up new sand toys then I discovered Sandig at Ikea. These toys are strong and don't break after heavy use. They are also very affordable and give a variety of play options.

I am trying to put my house in recovery from it's awful binge and purge cycle. It fills up with stuff - from garage sales, birthdays, and god knows where else until it drives me so mad that I have to get rid of stuff. Get rid I do - I'm still working on my most recent purge where I have a dozen large bags and boxes stacked in the garage to sell. It's my goal to stay on top of the clutter and end the cycle but right now it's time the purge.

When it comes to purging you need to really think about what you want out of life. Purge as much as you can while still being able to function. If you run the dishwasher daily and have one kid you don't need 30 plastic cups.

Here are places I cut clutter:

Clothes and Shoes. I ended up cutting out about half of everyone's wardrobe without anything being missed. Start with what doesn't fit or is no longer wearable and then work on keeping pieces you truly need or love.
Kids toys. I took out so many kids toys about a month ago and no one has even noticed. Since then they've been playing more and making less messes so it's a win-win!

It's been winter FOREVER this year and if you're reasonably far north you've probably spent most of it surrounded by the polar vortex. We've had double the normal amount of days below -30 this year and woke up to -48 with the wind chill on Saturday, MARCH 1ST! Nerves are taxed and spirits are running pretty low right now. Here's 30 ways to brighten your mood when it's too cold to go outside with little or no prep work. These can be done with or without kids.

1. Bake. Anything you like! Do it with the kids! Eat it all yourself or give it away.
2. Dance. Stick on some upbeat music and get moving. The exercise will lift your spirits and warm you up.
3. Watch a Movie. Snuggle up and put on something with a motivational or feel-good plotline to help cheer you up.
4. Declutter. When spring hits you'll want to be outside so why not start the cleaning now while you're trapped indoors?
5. Plan your summer vacation. Even if it's only something small take a look at where you're going to go and what you might be doing. So what if plans change, it will be nice to have something to look forward to.
6. Read books from your childhood or classics. 
7. Make something. Knit, crochet, sew, build, scrapbook, kid's crafts, whatever!
8. Learn something new. A language. Quantum physics. How to cross stitch. Or teach something new to the kids that you're passionate about.
9. Put out (or make) spring decorations. Show winter who's boss by covering your house with pastels, it will lift your mood and make everything feel more spring like.
10. Rearrange the furniture. Change is good.
11. Try out a new recipe. Get the kids involved or spend the day creating something elaborate.
12. Sing. There's something about singing that lifts the spirits. If you play an instrument do that.
13. Connect with a friend. You may not have seen them in forever but hop on to Skype or Facebook or pick up the phone and dial someone who's voice makes you happy. 
14. Try on all your summer clothes. Purge what you don't want anymore. This is a good reminder that summer exists.
15. Clean your house. The act is not fun but sitting in a nice clean space is definitely mood lifting.
16. Eat healthy. When fruits and vegetables are not in season it's tempting to go for processed foods over fresh but it has a negative effect on our moods, so when possible reach for a healthy snack and add lots of veggies to your meals.
17. Sip a warm beverage. Take your time, relax, and enjoy the moment.
18. Have a beach day. Turn up the heat, put on summer clothes, and relax in the living room. Have a picnic and maybe take a dip in the bathtub, bathing suit and all.
19. Plan your garden. Even if you don't have a huge space you can still plant stuff indoors or on a patio. Do you want flowers? Herbs? Veggies? If you order seeds online now's the time.
20. Load up on positivity. Look up inspirational quotes and write them down or display them. I like "May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live."
21. Play social games. Board games, video games, online games - whatever, as long as you're doing it with other people and having fun.
22. Entertain. Invite guests for dinner or a play date. Nothing fancy needed but being around other people will help.
23. Make a summer bucket list. List all the things you want to do this summer with friends, family, or kids. Try something new!
24. Get out. Even though it's too cold to be outside try and go for dinner, to a museum, or take the kids somewhere for indoor fun.
25. Check the long range forecast. Knowing we only have another two weeks before the weather starts going into the positives (and some snow melts!) is really inspiring.
26. Soak up the sun. On a sunny but cold day sit by the window and enjoy the warm rays, like a cat.
27. Think about the good in your life. It can be easy to lose sight of what's important when you're depressed and stuck inside. Thinking about what you have to be happy about and thankful for can lift your spirits, at least enough to keep going.
28. Do some indoor exercise. Even if you don't have fancy equipment you can still do body weight stuff or yoga.
29. Cheer someone else up. Talking to and helping others with their problems can help give you perspective on what's upsetting you.
30. Take time out to do something you love. Make some time for your interests and passions and don't let them slip away into the winter blues.

Last night I was up with the baby for 2 1/2 hours. It felt like forever. I tried everything to get her to go back to sleep, including just letting her cry... A decision I later regretted when I had all three kids up instead of just one.

Sharing a room with my 4 1/2 year old son means that he was the one up first and longest. He also wet his bed so I put the (cranky) baby down in her crib to change it. He started talking to her to keep her from crying.

For some reason my younger two have a very close bond. The oldest and middle child are only 22 months apart, and the middle and baby are 3 1/2 years apart. It's surprising.

Anyway, there we were, 3am, and he says "I love you baby, I love you forever."

He just adores her and lavishes on the affection. It's so comforting to know that she'll always have a big brother to look after her and it absolutely melts my heart.