Confessions of a sleep deprived mom!

You aren't my friend anymore!

2012-02-07T16:43:00.001-05:00

Well it has happened. I got 'the call' today. If you are a parent you know exactly what I am talking about. The call from another parent complaining about your child!! I think we have all been there at some point and ,if not, you soon will be sometime between... oh..... birth and 30 years! It is the bestest part of parenting other than maybe potty training and midnight puke sessions!

So I got my 1st call today from one of Delaneys classmates moms. She wanted to let me know that Delaney was being kinda mean to her daughter. Ok.....I will give her that.....Delaney CAN be bossy at times so I ask her what happened and prepare myself expecting to hear some awful, mean deed. Mom tells me Delaney said "If you don't sit with me on the bus, you can't come to my birthday party"........

*sigh*

Seriously!?

I was expecting something like "Your a stupid dumb kid and I don't like you!". Kids this age say "If you don't do this or that I won't be your friend" all the time!! But the mom says her daughter got off the bus crying over this and so I felt I had to have the talk with Delaney. What I came away with I do NOT understand no matter how I tried to wrap my mind around it.

The girls do not sit near each other on the bus. They have assigned seats. Delaney sits in the back with a girl named Kari (whom BTW she is completely happy sitting with!) and the other girl sits at the front in her assigned seat. So I am thinking maybe it happened in school. Why a child would get off the bus "crying" for something like that, that happened in school hours earlier is beyond me but ok.....so I change gears and head that direction thinking there was a miscommunication.

Nope.

The girls already sit next to each other in school! So why would Delaney have to say that if they sit next to each other? So took it as a loss and I just had the general chat about being nice to her friends and that she needs to say sorry to her friend tomorrow and I BETTER not get that phone call again etc etc etc

On the other hand I don't think I would ever call another parent to complain about this! I just think kids need to learn how to deal with things like this on their own. They are friends today, enemies tomorrow and BFFs again at lunch! If we step in on simple matters, then they never learn how to deal with relationships and issues on their own. How do they work conflicts out if they are always 'crying' to mom and dad and expecting them to make it all better?

Now one could say "Well you can say that cause it wasn't your child crying". But I HAVE been on both sides. I have had two aggressive and bossy kids and one very quiet and gentle child. I have also been working with young children a good 25 plus years! And I would still hold to letting them work it out to anyone who would ask me.

Parents years ago didn't step in like they do today. Kids got into fights and disagreements. They worked it out on the playground and baseball fields and lunchroom. They became friends in Sept, enemies in Jan and friends again in June. It is all about testing the waters and learning who your real friends are.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think any child should come off the bus crying no matter how trivial I think it was. Which is why Delaney still got the finger shaking-mom is not happy-talk. But .......

..........at what point do we learn to let our children go and grow on their own?

The love of my life!!

2012-02-02T12:33:00.001-05:00

I have met someone new. I finally must admit to it. He is handy and talented and very neat and , in my eyes, just about the best thing to happen to me in a long time. I rather find him even more attractive than my own husband and not so sure I can live without him!

Oh don't get so excited!

I would love to say he is tall dark and handsome.....and maybe a little rich... but in truth he is skinny and pale and doesn't do much but lay around. His name is called Mr. Reynolds Parchment Paper!!! And I am sooooooooooo in love with him!

Around the holidays I had a ton of cookies to do and found this in the isle at Walmart. My nonstick trays are getting kinda old and majorly used so I picked it up on a whim. It was then the love affair began! I LOVE this stuff! I rip out a sheet, bake, throw it out and don't even have to clean a tray! Nothing sticks. Nothing burns. I am more excited over this than a Jim Dandy at Friendlys! And that is saying a lot!

Other than my new found friend....
Nothing else is happening much. Winter is here and all is quiet. There is no soccer or events. School and work and that about covers our weeks.

Ryan just started college. You are right! He IS still in highschool. But he has no need to classes until graduation and so he has started college early. I am so proud of him cause if you know him at all, this is a HUGE step! For those who dont know, Ryans has a learning disability and so far this beginning has been rocky. He doesn't test well and so did poorly on his ACT and college placement exam. This means that he has to start at lowest of low classes and work up. Taking longer to get to the end. BUT he has a chance to test out of each of these classes and has done so each time!

He began in basic math, tested out of that, and is in 100 Algebra which is just below college level. And he began in reading and just tested out of that and is in English Comp now. It is a pain. A bit of 2 steps forward and three back and 4 forward but we are on our way! I am not sure what this journey will mean for him but he is making it and I could not be more proud.

The girls are just doing their everyday thing! Winter and summer is my fav. There is little to do but lay around and enjoy life. Although, I would much prefer 90 degrees and a beach but I will take it all the same!

And so that ends my little update. My cookie bell just went off and I must have a meet up with my love!!!!!!!!!! ;)

(a few yummy cookies don't hurt either!)

O-M-G!

2012-01-29T18:40:00.000-05:00

Megan headed off last weekend to a youth retreat with her church. After she left and the quiet of the house over took me, I was walking around picking up this and that and came across this in her room.............

I would like to say this was just from packing to go but in truth....it has been like this for a while. Just slowly and steadily growing! Her 18 year old brother....a boy!.....is nothing compared to her. But Megan has always been like this. Refusing to pick up after herself even at a young age. The rule of 'either you clean it up or I will get out the trash bag' always fell on silent young ears! She could have cared less if her toys were put in a trash bag and never seen again! She didn't have to pick it up in the end and it was a few less toys to worry about the next time I took out the bag!! But as she ventures into teenage world, it is getting worse.

And unacceptable! When she returned, there was a note on her door that said "Clean this up by next weekend or I WILL DO IT FOR YOU". The meaning silent but very clear. At age 5 she didn't care if another barbie made it into that black trash bag. Now? I think she would not like 1/2 her clothes and make up and music and shoes missing. I am sure the loss of her cell phone, cause it was on the floor, would be the end of the world! When I mentioned it to her about her room looking like that, her comment to me was "Ryan takes after you. I take after Dad!!". And boy does THAT not speak volumes!? If this is the lessons we teach our kids, we might need to learn a few ourselves. But that is going into a whole other post and a whole set of new pics!

Now the suspenceful question is....did she pick up her room? Where are the new pics of her shiney and lovely teenage space? Well, she did spend all day yesterday cleanging up that room. And I do mean ALLLLLLLLL day. So what was the outcome? Well, lets just say.........

She has off school tomorrow and guess what she will be doing with her free time?

Lesson learned from THIS parent? No one is happy till momma is happy!

Allergy Moms, pick up your arms and attack!

2012-01-19T10:05:00.000-05:00

That was the call that came in my email this morning. A call to arms from all the allergy sites I am signed up with and all the personal emails coming from leaders of the sites. This in response to a young 7 yr old in Richmond, Va who died from a peanut. There was anger. There was outrage. And honestly....I had no clue what this story was about and began looking up what happened.

Allergy parents all over want to attack the school! Attack the teacher! Attack the nurse! It was their fault they let a child die this way! How dare they! And they want me to stand beside them and shout with anger too because I am one of them but I have to say that I am not sure who I am more upset with....

#1 This child was in 2nd grade. A 7yr old turning 8. I have dealt with food allergies for 18 long years. All three of my children have had or have them at one point in time or the other. And ALL of them by 7yrs old knew their allergy. They knew what they were allergic to. They knew to ask if food was safe. They knew what to do should they feel a reaction. By 4yrs old, Megan was able to give you a list of allergies from food to a break down of environmental, her reactions to each and what to do. And yet this child, peanut allergic, ate a peanut on the playground given to her by a friend. Not a hidden peanut in something like a cookie. ATE AN ACTUAL PEANUT. This tells me the parents did not prepare this child. When we send our food allergic child out in the world, even at age 7, we have to not only prepare the adults who care for them but give responsibility to the child as well. Not all adults will pick up on things. Not all adults are food allergy aware. A child must know what their allergy is and that is a fact and a fact of survival.....even at age 7! An actual peanut could not be any more obvious.

#2 The school does not openly talk about the situation but has given statements along the way like "Execution of the plan is dependent on the parent's ability to inform the school of needs and to provide appropriate resources," Smith said in a statement to msnbc.com. " And that the school sent home forms for the parents to fill out and it is their responsibility to fill it out and bring in the needed medications. This is in reports. In the news. In interviews. This tells me the parent must have not done something. Either she didn't fill out the form or updated it. We know she didn't have the medications there. She says she brought in an epipen and the school refused her but other parents from the same school say they have had no issues with the school and their medical plans. She said she gave them permission to give Benedryl but there was none provided at the school. Allergy moms are furious cause they know there was Benedryl and epipens there for other students and the school should have used them to save her life.

Here is the reality....schools will NOT....WILL NOT use a medication meant for another child no matter how ill your child is. They WILL NOT....WILL NOT use an epipen meant for another child. You can write it is ok to give your child XYZ but without a letter of consent, a dr note AND the medication, that letter will of parent permission will mean little in an emergency. That is the reality of it. And expecting a school to take an epipen from another student and use it is illegal. And I am furious that I am expected to stand beside these moms and shout in outrage because, quiet frankly, they are being stupid!

So who is to blame? The child who didn't know her own allergies and ate the peanut? Her friend who had a peanut in her pocket on the playground and gave it to her friend? The parent who didn't follow school rules on preparing for an allergic reaction? The school/teacher/nurse who stood by and let the child die and did nothing more than call 911?

This is what I do know.....
My children had or have food allergies. I do not ever expect another person to be 100% reliable for them and assume EVER that the caregiver will know how to deal with my children's allergies. I don't assume a waitress will check to see there are no carrots in the salad. I do not assume that the Sunday school teacher will check to make sure there is no wheat in the item she is handing out. I do not assume that my child's friends mother will look at labels when they go over for dinner.

I DO assume that my children know their allergies or at least pretty darn well. Allergies to foods. Allergies to environmental. Allergies to medications. I do know that my children know to ask if something is safe before eating it and if unsure they look themselves or not eat it at all. I do know that when in doubt, I provide the replacement items so my child can eat safe. I do know my children know what to do if they have a reaction.

One of the things that angers me the most with allergy moms (and I only speak for some, not all) is that they assume the world owes them to keep their child safe. We have peanut free schools but I seriously doubt they would go egg free or wheat free or dairy free even if a child were anaphylactic to them. Yet parents of food allergy children feel that a school with 100 or even 1000 should conform to their child's needs. And this greatly angers me which is why I post very little on the food allergy sites for parents. The world owes us nothing!

Delaney was wheat, barley and oat allergic. The 1st three years of her life she was on a gluten free diet. Certianly too young to even say she can't have a cookie provided unknowingly by someone. Did I expect social gatherings to become gluten free for my child? No. I provided my own food for her. Notified teachers and caregivers and friends. Even went so far as to put stickers on her in large gatherings that said "Do no feed me. I am food allergic" simply because she was too young to say it herself.

Megan is apples, carrots and tree nuts. Do I expect the school to clear out the veggie and fruit bins and shut down the school if there is a tree nut? No. I provide safe foods when needed. She avoids when uncertain. Knows not to even touch a plate or table if they are there. And knows what to do with that epipen in an emergency.

Food allergies are a life sentence. They deal with them, most times, forever. They must know their allergies, reactions and what to do. They must learn to fight for their life and conform to their environment. Not the environment conform to them. It is not their teachers responsibility or their friends or the Sunday school teacher or the waitress. It is theirs. They have lived like this all their lives. It IS their lives. It is a part of them.

So what is the solution to a very sad and tragic thing like this? Well after reading, I do rather like that epipens are being pushed to be available in schools. To be used in an emergency like cpr would be done or a defibrillator would be used and not given permission for if your child suddenly collapsed. As all allergy moms know, new foods strike up attack at any moment and can take us by surprise. Wouldn't it be nice to know that safety net is there? There for the children who know of food allergies and for those who don't know and are suddenly hit.

I do think that schools, teachers and the food industry should be better informed on allergies. Nothing angers me more than sitting in a restaurant and pointing out something on a plate that we requested not be there and the waitress just removes it and hands back the plate! This is ignorance and should not be happening. People who work with food and care for children should be better trained. Knowledge will save a life. Ignorance can kill.

But, overall, the most important thing that can be done is lets take some responsibility for our kids and ourselves too and not assume the world around them will do it for us!

In this moment of tragedy, we shouldn't be shouting with anger at any one person. There was not one single person to blame in the Richmond, VA incident. Everyone was to blame. All of us. A child lost a life because somewhere, somehow she fell through the crack. Instead of shouting and taking up arms and pointing fingers, wouldn't it be better for all our children to learn and grow from this? Her 7yr old life was worth so much more! The question really is.....where do we go from here?

Breaking up is hard to do!

2012-01-11T19:08:00.000-05:00

Well it happened. My baby boy had his heart broken tonight. And even though he is taller than me, I wanted to pick him up, hold him in my lap and rock him in the chair like all those years ago and make the world go away in my arms.

Ryan was the one who broke up. But it was not easy. He still loves the girl. Just the relationship was not working and so he did what he felt was the best thing for them both. Right now I am sure he doesn't feel that way. Right now he is crying. Right now he is in pain. Right now he isn't sure what he did was right and what the future holds. He is upset not because he broke up with his girlfriend but that he broke her heart. That she is upset. And he feels bad. And that is my little boy in a nut shell......Always sensitive to the end.

His heart told him one thing but it still wasn't easy to do. I don't think it ever is. And this might be his 1st heartbreak but it is only the beginning. Someday the right girl will come into his life and he will know. And she will be the one to wrap her arms around him and make the world go away. But for now.....

For now, I will guide him. I will listen to him talk. I will pray it will be easier soon for them both. And I will wrap my arms around him and make it all go away. Even for a little while.............

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

2012-01-02T17:47:00.001-05:00

Mini-New Years Eve Vacation 2011!!

Place:Ocean City NJ

Temp:62 degrees!

Girls vs...........

The boys! (somehow I think they had the easier ride!)

Megan ditched!

Playing games....

Mini golfing till midnight!

HAPPY 2012!!!!

Decorating Daddys truck!

Polar Bear plunge. Notice how far away we are and that none of us were in there!? 62 or not....not in that water!

Salt water taffy making!!

MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE BLESSED!

2011-12-29T12:27:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-29T07:03:00.000-05:00

Are not these faces priceless?

Christmas YUM!

2011-12-24T08:48:00.002-05:00

2011-12-08T10:58:00.000-05:00

Where is that rabbit foot?

2011-12-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

How much can a person have in the bad luck area at one time? I was sitting and drinking hot chocolate while looking at my Christmas tree and thinking about all the things that have happened over the last several months. Maybe I broke a mirror somewhere over the year and didn't realize it or a black cat crossed my path on the way to a soccer game. How does that statement go? If something can happen, it will? Bad things happen in threes? Or something like that. Either would work.

Let's start at vacation. I won't even do the full year. I will condense it..............
August 11th- During vacation we get a call saying the town is flooding. Our house sitter is bailing out water from the bilco doors (which is nothing new with the doors! They leak like an old row boat!) But neighbors are flooding and roads are closed. It is bad. What can we do? We are all the way in TN! It pretty much rains the whole time we are gone. The house sitter is dealing with rags and mops but gets it under control.

August 27th- Hurricane Irene. *sigh* Ah yes. Lovely Irene who came to visit completely uninvited. Brought with her Miss Rain, Mr. Wind and Mrs. Flooding. Our basement that usually only floods from around the bilcos looks like an indoor swimming pool. It is days of ripping out wood flooring and weeks of moping and appraising and calling insurance companies and wringing out items and moving around fans. It was not pretty! FEMA came to the rescue and we thought it was over. (BTW we are still finishing up things down there on that! Trim work. Painting. Packing away. Little things)

September/October- School starts in the mist of Irene upheaval and life goes on with buses and soccer games and back to school nights that are redirected around closed roads blown out bridges.

Then............Todds car dies.

November- Ryan totals my van! Oh yes he did. Smashed it dead in to the backside of a white cross-over with two elderly people....who smash into the black 2 door in front of them.....who smashes into the black truck in front of them hauling a trailer....who is stopped for a school bus. We have been and still are working with the insurance company over this one!

The insurance company want to low ball the replacement value. They have pulled the rental on the last day in hopes for us to take their settlement in which my checking account has been attacked and had to pay for and now we have to fight with the insurance co for our money!

I am behind in bills over all this. My Christmas money has gone toward rentals and dealerships and loans and garage people etc etc etc.

And just when I thought it might finally be coming to an end.....the insurance company puts the van mileage in the wrong spot on my title and voids the deal! I now have to run to the DMV and pay $60 for a new title and....yes you guessed it....it put a hold on my settlement check!

I have a van sitting in my drive that I haven't made a payment on cause my insurance check is not here, another payment I really don't want and stress I could do without!

And to top all this off......

I am sick. Megan was sick. Delaney has an ear infection.

We had three funerals in two weeks. One of which was a brother of a friend who shot himself for unknown reasons. We has a father of two and married with a lovely home and wife. And another was an old friend who was sick with what he thought was a cold. He had a dr appointment on Monday and Sunday night, went downstairs to watch TV and lay on the sofa so his coughing would not wake his wife and she found him gone in the morning getting the kids on the bus. Both such full and wonderful lives, quickly taken away in the blink of an eye.

I know that others are in worse places than us. We have a roof over our head. Family around us. I can sit and contemplate my issues in life sitting in a warm living room, drinking hot chocolate and looking at my Christmas tree. I should feel blessed for all I have instead of looking at what I do not have. But it still doesn't take away the sting fully.

Maybe for Christmas, Santa will bring the kids their greatest wishes, me an insurance check ........and a little luck for the Chapman household overall.

How to Embarrass Your Friends!

2011-11-10T08:27:00.000-05:00

#1 You go to a child friendly restaurant and bring along your two youngest children.

#2 You get seated at the table with the cutest waiter in the joint and start talking about how really cute his eyes are and how nice his smile is and how he is probably the same age as said friend. This will draw her attention and get her interest.

#3 Wait until the totally cute waiter is there to take your order and you now have HIS interest too.

#4 Once scene is set and everyone is in place, give the youngest child a straw....with paper on it and have the scene unfold below...........

Delaney: *blows the paper at friend and just misses sending it down her shirt!* Delaney giggles and whispers to me "I almost got it down her boobies!"

The Friend: (this is a lesson to be learned) Interested in what we are giggling about says to Delaney, "What did you say?" (you know what is coming right?!)

Me: "Don't tell her now Delaney. Wait until we order."

Delaney: *still giggling* Announcing very loudly, "I ALMOST GOT THE PAPER DOWN YOUR BOOBIES!!!" and breaks out in laughter

Megan: *rolls on the seat laughing*

The Friend: *laughs and turns the brightest shade of red*

The Cute Waiter: *laughs and is turning an even brighter red*

Now....somewhere in this hysterical laughter, place a very loud laughing SNORT from someone! And you now have the loudest table in the restaurant laughing so hard they cannot stop and getting dirty looks from the older couple sitting nearby.

The end result......pee'd pants on my part, a very embarrassed friend, a waiter who cannot walk by without turning red and laughing, two little girls who think this night was the funniest thing they ever saw and...........no future date to be had by said friend!

Halloween Fun!

2011-11-01T08:04:00.000-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2011-10-31T11:31:00.002-04:00

Think she will grow up to be a photographer one day?

2011-10-31T11:30:00.002-04:00

Homecoming 2011!

2011-10-21T08:36:00.000-04:00

Caught Between

2011-10-21T08:32:00.000-04:00

I went yesterday to Ryans senior class meeting. It covered things like senior trip, pictures, college enrollment, gown fittings, etc etc etc. I walked in and saw the other parents I have spent the last 13 years with and felt a little sad. These were the faces at room parent meetings and PTA fundraisers. Parents who went from crying on the steps along side me the 1st day of kindergarten to soccer games and school dances and now senior meetings. It seems so much like yesterday since I stood on that kindergarten step and waved goodbye. And here stands my son, head and shoulders above me....at a senior class meeting. Where did this time go? It was so fast.

As I sat there listening to them drone on and on and on about college enrollment and how to repay student loans, I glanced around me. Everyone seemed....well....so OLD! Their faces were familar. Their wrinkles were not. It was a hit of reality that I was one of them! I don't feel old. Perhaps because I have a 6 year old coming up behind. I sat there thinking about how those parents of other 6yr olds must think I am OLD!

It dawned on me that I am rather stuck between two worlds. (actually three if you think about it) I have one graduating highschool, one graduating middle school and one starting school. As I sat there thinking how much we had all aged since that 1st day of kindergarten, it occured to me that when Delaney graduates and I am sitting in those same seats listening to HER senior class meeting I will be in my 50s!!! Old enough to be a GRANDMOTHER!!! If that doesn't bring you into reality, nothing will!

I like to think I will be one hip old mom/grandmom by the time Delaney graduates. (The fact that I used the word HIP should tell you much!) I hope that I will be taking my kids to Disney and the beach and playing in the park and still wearing jeans and ...........going to a senior class meeting without having to take a double dose of Advil to make it there!

I would not take back the age spread of my children. I was blessed with the children I have and when I was given them. They have filled my life in ways I never thought possible. The challenges and the laughter and the love. The fact is, we never like the fact that we are getting old. And we all are feeling like that at a senior class meeting no matter our age. No matter if it is our 1st going through or our last. 13 years is so little time and yet so much!

As I venture on this new journey with my son I can only pray that we will continue to be blessed.....and that I can still bend to say the prayer of thanks without that double dose of Advil!

In the box!

2011-10-05T16:53:00.000-04:00

Our little goalie!

Updates!

2011-09-27T10:13:00.001-04:00

Well my downstairs is still is disrepair. But we are in the process of having someone come in to measure and install. It looks like life will be getting back in some sort of order within the next few weeks! Which is good because I am starting to hyperventilate over the mess and such. Having to climb over Ryans things in Delaneys room is driving me nuts! And having no place to really move or play isnt' working well for my business either. When it happened, we dealt with it and push on. Now? I want my house back in order!

Megans arm is still healing. She just went yesterday for a followup and still has to keep the brace on for another two weeks. Then another follow up. The swelling has gone down but the bruising is still there!

And she ended up with an ulcerated wound from having a wart removed. I am not sure what happened but I suspect that negligence falls into place somewhere along here. I don't think the dr treated her correctly. I think the wrong medications was used. I think they over froze her skin. And we are currently dealing with that right now. If it effecting her school and her soccer and the medications she is on is effecting her stomach too. But we are trying to push through because I think the wound on her leg is far more important to take care of and worry about than a upset stomach.

Delaney is not liking school. She is begging me to stay home and homeschool. Tells me in the most dramatic way that a 6yr old can do that it is sooooooooooooooo BORING! *sigh* I am not sure if it is just an adjustment thing or that she truly is bored. I guess I will give it some more time and then have a chat with the teacher. I don't think she is very happy right now.

And that pretty much completes the biggest, most boring update for now.

Slowly.....one day at a time..................that is all we can do.

Vacation (part 3)

2011-09-14T10:19:00.000-04:00

And this brings us to almost the end.

Friday we headed back to Dollywood.............

Saturday we began the travel back home.
Sunday we found ourselves back on the Washington beltway.......lost again. When we ran out of highway and looked to our right and saw the White House, I kinda figured we had made the wrong turn again! I think I still have nightmares about that beltway!!

We finally made it home on Sunday evening to unpack and begin the reality back to life.......

THE END!

Vacation (continued)

2011-09-14T10:13:00.000-04:00

(Monday to Thursday)
Monday found us in Dollywood in the afternoon and The Comedy Barn in the evening for a family fun show!

Now this is where pics are rare..... Wet area and no camera.....
Tuesday was our rafting day. I do have pictures but have to find out how to upload them from the CD. All 19 of us went!!

Wednesday was our tubing day. Now THAT was an adventure and I am shocked that none of us came out of that without a visit to the local ER! Water level was low and so they sent us to the upper level of the river. We had never been on the upper level as that is usually full of rapids and with Delaney we usually opted for the lower, slower lazy river ride but since the water was so low, that was our option. How bad could it be? Bad enough. If you weren't getting your butt stuck on a rock and having to try and figure out how to get off of it in the middle of a rapid because water was too low, you were smashing against the rocks on your way down! Delaney was terrified. And I don't believe a single person came off that adventure without a bump, scrape, cut up knee, bruised butt or busted tube! Lesson learned....low water+ upper river trip= find something else to do that day!

This took us to dinner out and a night of fun and games...........

Thursday was spent in Bryson City, NC walking in the Smoky Mountains.......

VACATION 2011

2011-09-14T09:50:00.000-04:00

(Days Thurs to Sunday)

Let us begin with an intro of the characters involved in this story......

Traveling in our van is Ryan, Megan, Delaney, Ryans girlfriend, Rachel and Todd and I.

And a fairly good number of bags I might add!

The story opens with car troubles! Nothing like a little spice to start off a vacation. We had some troubles with the van during the week and decided to give it a check up before leaving. I was working a 1/2 day and we were scheduled to leave at 1pm. By noon the van was still sitting in the drive, dead. There was issues with the alternater and battery and we were having a problem finding a replacement for the alternater. Bags were piled in the livingroom and we sat and waiting. And waited. And waited. To the point that we were talking about either canceling the vacation or heading out a day later and running to get a new van!

FINALLY, 3 1/2 hours later than planned we pushed off!

As we headed to the Washington beltway during rush hour (did I hear a gasp from all my northeastern viewers?? Yeah. You know what that means don't you?!), we found out that we did not even have the correct direction from mapquest! So there we were, in rush hour trying to survive in the never ending pile of cars and construction with no directions. Only a map as our guide and our memory of how we went in the past! Which, I might add, did little to help since there was detours and changes all over the place!

We finally made it around and through and decided to stop for dinner. Which was pretty much about the time we were supposed to be stopping at our 1st hotel which was easily a good 5 hours away yet! We did not get to the hotel until 12:30am!!! We were slap happy and tired! We took the kids in, left the bags in the van and fell on the 1st bed our body came too and slept in our clothes!

We still had to make it to the next hotel in Cherokee, NC and so we woke, grabbed clothes and headed out the next morning on schedule.

FINALLY THERE......

Here we are at the Unto These Hills show and a visit to the Oconaluftee Indian Village

Crossing over the Smoky Mountains and heading to our final stop in Pigeon Forge, TN

And a stop to meet a new friend......

Ride 'em cowgirl!

Our trip horseback riding. I will share the pics with you but will say that I found out that riding and taking pictures at the same time is a bit hard so excuse any blurry ones that pop up!

The Crew.......

This ones for you baby......

2011-09-13T21:57:00.002-04:00

.....and you and you and you! And all the others who have complained about me not posting my vacation pictures or updating my blog! Geesh people.....don't you have a life other than peeking into mine! LOL!

Things have simply been crazy since our return. We came home to work 1st thing in the morning and unpacking and cleaning up and soccer practices and dr appointments. We went from relaxing to a full marathon run with not much time to stop and pause!

Add in a surprise earth quake, a hurricane, a few floods along the way and the start of school and it has just been SOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN around these parts of the woods!

So....backing up and trying to cover everything in one post.........
1. The earthquake. Unexpected and FREAKY! I sat at my computer typing an email and thought I was getting dizzy. Next thing I knew the house was shaking and swaying and it was enough for me to say "I shall never be living in CA!" Thank you!

2.Hurricane. Well now. As stated below, things did not go over well in the area of Irene. But as an update.... we flooded for three whole days. That means we pumped so much water that I am sure had we stopped pumping we surely would have had a new indoor pool by the end of the week! And all my mind kept going to was "we do not have flood insurance, we do not have flood insurance" which is pretty much what kept me standing and pumping after 12 long hours straight each day! AND I still was working. Nothing like multitasking! I learned real quick how to prop the pump handle on a chair and run to change a diaper and come back to empty the water just in time! It was so much fun!

We tore the flooring out of the basement. Yanked the trim work off the walls. Drilled holes in the walls in hopes of saving the dry wall. And have been running fans and dehumidifiers 24/7 for the last two weeks.

Ryan is living in Delaneys room. (which I am so sure he loves the butterflies and puppy dogs on the walls! Lets just say that he hasn't invited most of his friends over lately) And Delaney is sharing a bed and room with her Daddy and I. And my daycare is crunched up in every nook and cranny I can find. It is working. For now.

FEMA came to the rescue and gave us a grant and we are off to the local HomeDepot as soon as our schedule allows to get everything we need to get life back to some sort of normal! The next few weeks promises to be very active.

Before.......

And after.......

3. Flooding. As if the visit from Irene wasn't enough, Lee came to visit too. Must have heard about the indoor pool we were starting in the basement and decided he wanted to play too! The sump pump has gotten its money worth!

And that brings us to vacation.......

Which you shall have to come back and see cause I still have to upload them on the blog. But I PROMISE I shall do it tomorrow. Grab a bowl of popcorn and come back to same bat time and bat channel!

1st Day Of School!

2011-09-08T09:56:00.000-04:00

Mean Irene!

2011-08-28T10:27:00.003-04:00

I know I should have been on posting about vacation but things have been busy since our return and crazy too with NJs 1st earth quake that I could ever remember! And now......Irene!

We survived.

We had gotten supplies by Thur and buckled down for a ride in the middle of the night. Flashlights were on the counter. Candles at the ready. Charged cell phones for us and charged DVD player for the girls. Baked items in case we had no way to cook. Cars moved to the road. Outside things tied down. We were ready......

Irenes outer bands began hitting us some time around 1pm. By 8pm it was getting bad. She was not to make landfall until 2am!! The rain and winds were batting the house and windows and I tried to remain calm as I sat in the livingroom watching the news and folding clothes and praying we had no major issues. I knew if the electric went out, things would get bad. By 9pm we went into tornado watch. Let me add that we NEVER get tornados in NJ. Nothing really. Ever if you ask me. But it was really dark. Really windy. And I was getting really stressed out from the reports, wind and rain. I decided that it was time to move a tv downstairs and blow up air beds and move the girls downstairs to ride it out.

I had no sooner finished getting everything in place and the tv screen began screaming. A tornado had already touched down in the town right next to us, one was on its way to our house and one just below us. We ran the kids and dog downstairs and watched with anticipation. A good hour later we headed back up to get things we needed to spend the night camping. We were in a tornado watch until 5am!

A tired, scared and miss-placed little girl

And her scared little friend....

CHICKEN DOG!

We finally all fell asleep sometime after 11pm to quiet (from being the basement) and the sound of the news mans continued voice reporting. All was peace until around 1am. The sound of the sump pump woke me. I had never heard it run so much but thinking it was doing its job in the middle of a hurricane, I rolled back over and fell asleep. Then the call came around 3am.......

My neighbor was flooding. "Check your basement" was the message. I was IN the basement! We never get water except near the bilco door some but figured I would give it a check. Got up and turned on lights. Fine. Went to the pantry area. Some water but it wasn't near the bilco. It was coming from under my flooring! I run to the east side of the house, hearing squishing as I run and open the storage area.......FLOODING. And it is literally making my floating floor float! Going right under and into other areas! I went and woke Ryan, whos room is right next door. His room is beginning to flood. Wake Todd and the fun begins!!!

Some time a good hour later we realized we simply could do nothing. No shop vac or a truck load of towels was going to help. As fast as we cleaned it up, it came back in. We finally gave up and realized we were not going to win this fight. We picked up everything we could. Rolled up carpets. Picked up toys. Cleaned out closets. Packed up Ryan and then woke the girls. Just in time as the water was heading toward them.
By morning we had..........
A miss placed bunch of girls......again..... and Ryan too!

AND I don't think insurance will cover this. Tornado coverage we have. But it is my understanding that they will fight us and tell us it is flooding. We sit and wait for a case person to show along with a clean up crew and with each minute that passes the floors fill more and buckle, the water comes in more and soon will be going up the walls! I am not sure what we will do with Ryan who now has no room. What I will do with my business that cannot open tomorrow. Or how we will repair it all should insurance say flooding instead of tornado.

On a positive-there-is-always-a-silver-lining-point-of-view......
*The electric didn't go out so we didn't lose frozen things. We have water and stove and ways to eat. And the sump pump is able to work otherwise the water would be knee high!

*We had cable so we knew to run to the basement and to stay there.

*We have an awesome neighbor who didn't have issues calling me at 3am so we weren't doing the back stroke in the basement on our inflatable bed/raft!

*Our house is still standing along with every tree and shingle in place.

*We are safe. Family is safe.

Water goes away. Things get repaired (some how). We cannot sit and cry over what was. We can only rejoice on what is......and move on.

May all our friends and family be just as blessed as the sun comes up today........

Moving on up!

2011-08-25T15:10:00.000-04:00

Congratulations my sweet baby girl! I cannot believe you are moving onto 'big' girl school!
Good luck on your 1st day of first grade!!

The Gremlin in my house!

2011-08-08T09:20:00.000-04:00

I don't know if it is all about luck, or lack thereof, or fate or some little mean spirited gremlin lurking around the corner but it defiantly has been an interesting week. Whenever I thought that things were calm, all heck broke loose.

Oh it wasn't like my house caught fire or someone lost their job or got sick. But stressful all the same!

Monday began with us taking our van to get the breaks checked before we left for vacation. And a simple, no biggie turned into repairing the breaks and a broken shock in the rear. Then about two hours later I get a call from Ryan (who was picking up Megan at the soccer field) saying he was having issues starting his car. I hop in the van and drive in a horrible thunderstorm with torrents of rain and lightening....only to pass them on the road. The car was fine and they were on their way! I turn around and proceed to drive back and as soon as I get to my drive, everything stops. The radio goes out like someone turned it off and the lights dim. I pull in and shut the van off and try to restart.........nothing. I make the mad dash to the house through the storm to tell Todd that the van was dead! The living room tv is out. The computer is running like an old man trying to run up a hill and I can't shut it off. We are thinking that lightening struck nearby.

To make a long story short that spanned a good three days with no van.....it turned out that the alternator was fried and the battery too. The computer was able to be saved by me climbing under and pulling the plug and rebooting everything. The tv ....I am not sure what happened there but I think it had something to do with a husband who was playing with the cable and not having a clue what he was doing and the cable company not being too much better! But tv....van....and computer are up and running. Several days and lots and lots of money later!

Then Todd breaks a tooth. Like not a chip but down to the gum. Then his car breaks down in the middle of an intersection. Just died like my van. Rewind up above to the lightening theory. Megan is complaining about a tooth bothering her. I have a lost pair of Delaney sandles that can't possibly have just disappeared. AND to make it all come together...Ryans computer is now out too.

I just want to add that we are heading on vacation this week. So not only am I completely stressed over all the things going crazy but the shrinking size of my savings account too!

I would love to say that I sooooooooooooooooooooooo need a vacation! But that, along with all this, just adds to my stress over all. Remember my comment about relaxing once I hit the bridge? Yeah well, it might take me until the Washington beltway at this rate!

I would like to end with "nothing else can possibly happen at this point" but that will only jinx us more I fear!!

If anyone knows how to take out a gremlin let me know!

On a sweet note:
The other day I am out at the soccer field with the girls. Megan is in practice and Delaney is running around kicking a ball on her own while I am sitting and reading a book. All of a sudden Delaney comes running with excitement and screaming "Jesus is coming.....JESUS IS COMING!" I had no clue what the child was talking about and asked her. She points her little finger up to the sky behind me where the sun was setting and forming a stream of light through a cloud in the sky down toward the earth. "Oh Mommy....look!" she says with a blissful sigh, "Jesus is coming down from the sky!"

Now if that doesn't bring a smile to your face and fill your heart with love when there are gremlins in your life, nothing else will!

Rainy day summer fun!

2011-08-04T12:13:00.002-04:00

2011-07-29T17:06:00.000-04:00

Getting unplugged!?

2011-07-29T12:12:00.000-04:00

I was just reading tips (online of course) about how to unplug during your vacation. As in no electrically functions objects. At 1st I kinda spewed out a huff as if to say "yeah right". Like my family would survive without their computers and texts! After all, how would Ryan do without a day of Xbox or Megan finding out who loves whom! Even Todd would get upset for not being able to go online and do his Weight Watchers!! *snort* They would never last a week! They would never last a DAY!

I do say THEY because, no matter what my family might think, I can survive without electric and battery powered objects. Oh I love my tv. And I go online and do research and talk to friends daily. But if the electric were to go out, I would simply shrug my shoulders and open a book. The phone not ringing does not bother me in the least! I like doing things that involve using my mind and hands. I consider myself rather creative actually. I enjoy baking. I used to paint and draw. I like making things and can even hand sew! Give me something to read and I will be hooked until I get to the end! I just don't seem to have the time anymore to really do much of these things. (probably because I am online or watching Americas Got Talent!)

So the thought of becoming unplugged sounded rather.....intriguing. Maybe we should try it. After all we are heading to the mountains. Our days will be filled with hiking and tubing and rafting. Nature is completely calling us. And leaving our phone at the cabin is a complete possibility. Now I know we won't make it a whole week without turning on the phone to see what is going on in teenage land and will likely turn on the tv to check the weather in the mornings at some point but I can certainly see us having a totally disconnected vacation.... Ok....close to it... and I am rather excited! It will be nice to be able to sit and talk with my kids about life and what we are doing without the phone ringing or someone staring at a video game! It makes the vacation sound even more exciting!

I will have to get back to you on how we do....on the computer......to blog.....when we return to reality in two weeks! Maybe...................

Joy and saddness all mixed up in one tight little wrapper!

2011-07-21T10:56:00.001-04:00

I can't believe that we are heading into mid summer already.

I also can't believe that I have only been in the pool twice. Ok. Maybe three if I am generous. Summer did not exactly start out in a bang this year. It was many many days of rain and cool weather right up to mid June. To be exact, I didn't even pack away the long sleeves until my kids got out of school this year and, for us, that is late!!! I do not stick my big toe in the pool if it has not been 98.5 degrees for a minimum of 7 days, 5 hours and 2 sec! It is waaaaaaay too cold for me. The kids will jump in and yell 'it's nice mom'! But I know the truth. I can see their lips turn blue and the little shiver as the water passes their belly button. They can't fool me none!

So as this week we have finally hit a heatwave and I have been in my glory! Not that I have been in the pool much yet. It hasn't been exactly 7days, 5 hours and 2sec yet. But it is getting there. I am thinking after the next two days of hitting 103 plus, it should be good to go!

I also can't believe that I only have about two and 1/2 weeks to go until vacation! I have begun buying tickets and making packing lists. Soon I will dig out the bags and start throwing things inside and that is when the excitement will hit. And the guilt. I take a vacation every year and every year I feel guilty for taking one. Guilty for spending the money. Guilty for taking time off from my work. Guilty for leaving my dog home. I will spend hours awake thinking on if I paid a certain bills and who is watching the dog on what days and did I remember to buy XYZ. And then, of course, I have the one daycare parent who will make me feel like a complete heel for taking this time even though I work year round, hardly ever close, am open 5 days a week for over 10 hours each. It won't be until I hit the bridge that I will be glad for my little break from reality and the guilt will be left behind.

Megan is missing this week too. She is off visiting her grandparents. I miss her terribly. Not that I would tell her or make a big thing out of it. When one of my kids are missing it is like a piece of my life is missing. ( I won't even go into the experience I had when Ryan went to Aussie land for three weeks!!!) I am glad she feels like spreading her wings and enjoying life outside of our little reality. It does make me wonder how life will be for ME when Delaney leaves the nest as the last child. Will I be happy for what we have produced and they go off into life to experience it? Or will I be an old lady, sitting on my front porch and missing them all with every once I have in my body? Probably the last. I'll try to do it at places like cruises, a sandy beach or Disney.....but I will still feel the loss.

And so, we come close to ending another week of the summer which brings us another week closer to, dare I say it, SCHOOL! That ever mixed feeling of joy that they are off again and missing them as they get on the bus. I have already begun my school shopping spree. Picking up things here and there. I love the excitement and the shopping and, I will admit it, perhaps the smell of the markers and glue helps too! There is nothing like the feel of a brand new notebook! (Stop judging me! We all have our little 'things'!)

You spend time picking up things and packing up and getting them ready to go. There is the morning of and the alarms go off and it becomes the mad rush for the door! Then there is the quiet that follows. After 2 1/2 months of them being home, there is nothing but quiet.
And this year will be a little more sad as Delaney heads off to school too. Actually two more of my daycare children head off as well. I will be sending 5 children off on those buses in the morning. Even though my house will be still full of daycare children, it won't be the same without those missing pieces here.

I guess I should go to enjoy the time I do have with them here.
I am off to get my swimsuit on. Not to be confused with the fact that I might actually jump in the pool. But just in case...........

Happy Birthday to me!

2011-07-07T07:10:00.000-04:00

It was actually yesterday. And I had a nice slow day at work and dinner out with my family and cake with friends. Who could ask for more!?

But I was thinking this morning how different life....and birthdays...are once you turn a certain age. When you are a teenager you dream of being 20 something. To be an adult and allowed to do anything. To date guys and drive a cool car and not have to be told to clean your room!

Then you turn 20 something and you can't wait to turn 30 something. To be more mature. To start a family and be in the mist of your career. To be more settled in the direction you are going in life.

Then you turn 30 something....and something....and something....and you head toward 40. Few I think dream of turning 40. It is the 1/2 way mark in your life. Where you once dreamed of looking forward, you now begin to start looking back and thinking how STUPID you were when you dreamed you wanted to be 20 something! Life was good back then! Not that life isn't good at 40 something. Some tend to think it is a wonderful step in life. That you are mature and have direction. That you come more into yourself and begin to focus more on the wonderful things of life. And some see the future ahead and want to be 20 again! I am not sure where I am in this. I am blessed to be where I am in life and yet the thought of another year does not seem to please me.

As a child you expect your parents to remember your birthday. They are the ones who remind your family and friends by sending party invites and making the cake. Then you become an adult and you can't wait for your birthday to come so you can celebrate finally being that adult, drink and have fun with friends! But when you hit 40 something. I, personally, kinda am mixed between wanting to forget it and having that secret need of a child to want to be remembered.

By the time I hit 40 I began writing my age on the calendar cause it wasn't something I focused on any longer and I didn't want to turn 50 and thought that year I was really 51! It becomes another day. One that I could wake and move on with no need for anyone to notice that I grew another year on the calendar.
And yet, how depressing to have others forget at the same time! I guess it is more the need for ME to forget and the need to have others remember.

My bestest funny birthday memories yesterday?
My girlfriend who called and left me a message that said I survived to see another year! I wasn't sure how I felt about that actually. That it was a blessing or that I should be happy cause I am getting old and should be grateful my name wasn't in the obits!

And my lovely, sweet teenage daughter who told one of my daycare clients I was turning 50! And his reply? Shock and "You look darn good for 50!". Problem was.....I am NOT 50! Not even close, thank you! Should I take it that I simply look darn good overall or that he actually believed my daughter and thought I was 50!
She spent the rest of the day thinking she hit pay dirt on that comment and told the rest of the world I was 50 for the remainder of the day! Just full of herself and giggles! But it will come back Megan. It will come back!

In the end I guess I should thank everyone for a perfect birthday. Thank you to those who remembered and filled my day with cards and cake! And thank you to those who forgot and made me eternally another year younger! My personal inner conflict was met on both ends!

And the best part was.....I lived another year to not see my name in the obits and I look damn good for 50! Who could ever ask for a better birthday!?

Who needs fireworks when you can enjoy 8 hours of singing?!

2011-07-06T15:53:00.002-04:00

Well we are all back to reality after a lovely holiday weekend. I would love to say that my weekend was full of excitement and thrills. But really, it wasn't at all and that can be a good thing. After a year of school, soccer and being a non-professional bus driver to most local events, I am rather proud to say....I didn't do much at all this weekend!

Saturday was spent....sleeping in. And, wait for it, I actually DID sleep in. Past 8am! For me that is amazing! Then we ran to the church to measure for the background for my upcoming VBS and back home for lunch and a GLEE-a-thon. Yeah. You heard me right. I sat on my butt for a good 8 hours watching the 1st year of Glee! We didn't make it though. I think we still have about 3 more epis to view but we came oh so close!

Sunday was spent...........sleeping in! Oh yeah! Again! I didn't go to church. *gasp* I didn't go to the store *gasp* I didn't even do a load of laundry *GASP*. I know! I know. Did you ever think the day would come. What is sad is that I really can't remember what else I did that day. As I am struggling to picture in my mind the moments from waking till bed, I can't say much stands out. I am either brain fried from sleeping in past 6am or from watching too many shows of Sue and her vicious antics on ruining Glee club!

Monday was spent......sleeping in! That is why it is going to rain today. Three days of not hearing an alarm! And after, I sat in my jammies and watched more Glee. Oh stop it! It is addicting! Makes me wanna burst out in some musical review and dig out my dance shoes again! And for my lazy effort, I spent the afternoon running around like a chicken without a head cleaning up the house before my mother in law came over for a picnic! I didn't make it. As she walked in, I was running the vacuum and I felt like she knew my laziness and secret addiction to Glee and was shaking a mental finger at me!

After, we ate a bar-b-que and sat around while the kids swam. They swam so much they wouldn't get out of the pool for fireworks. Although, Delaney popped her head out sometime around 8:40 to announce she was ready to see fireworks but I sadly told her we simple would not make it in time at that point. She stood there, dripping wet, looking at me with her mouth open to determine if I was joking, shrugged her shoulders, put her goggles back on and swam away into the sun set. And I sat and chatted while bugs ate me alive.

But it beat working. It beat doing laundry or busing kids or going to soccer or doing errands.....so I shall take it. Over all it was a lovely, quiet weekend full of good food, friends, family, complete laziness and song! I believe that is what our forefathers intended!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

Who needs a water park when you have a big brother?

2011-07-05T16:00:00.000-04:00

My Judy Moody

2011-06-30T09:15:00.001-04:00

We went this weekend to see the movie "Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer". I had gotten free tickets and free is always awesome! So I loaded the girls up, got some popcorn and went to see the movies. It was C-U-T-E! It was nice to sit and watch something that was family friendly. Not a cuss word or implied action on the whole movie. Amazing!
As I was watching the movie I thought of Delaney. The messy hair. The excitement on making plans for the most awesome activities. The challenge of a race and her need to be 1st. The trouble she got into. Perhaps I laughed a little more because I could relate.

Delaney is sooooooooo my Judy Moody!

I realized the movie was based around this adventerous, excited, bossy, busy, throw on the nearest tee shirt and run out the door type of girl and that was sooooooooooooooooo Delaney!

Course, if the movie is the tell-all of her furture, I might be in trouble. But right now I found it cute and got a little extra chuckle out of it. I could see her falling into the pond or making hats to put on the library statues or having a poo picnic....

......ok I am not giving that one away. You will just have to watch the movie!

I know my Moody chick said it rocks!

Childrens Day at church

2011-06-17T10:06:00.000-04:00

What does a teenager do on her last day of school?

2011-06-17T09:44:00.000-04:00

I'm STILL not so sure!

Why is it when she was 3 I had to force her to take a nap but at 13 she will sleep the whole day?

A day to be free!

2011-06-16T10:22:00.000-04:00

Goals, relays and a little HALLELUJAH!

2011-06-07T07:45:00.004-04:00

I know I am in denial. And reality is going to hit me straight in the face just when I do not need it the most!
Like when a homework assignment is due or I have to run off something for VBS and then I will probably explode and have no one else to blame but myself.

I am talking about my computer.

I got a virus on it about a month or two ago and it has had some quirks since. My hard drive doesn't work right and you have to baby it. Like when I try to upload pictures. I cannot seem to do it through the cord and camera now. It will take all day and about 10 tries and maybe a few cuss words before it does it. By then my camera battery is low! And I am angry. So I decided to go though my scanner/copier. That seemed to work. Still took forever but maybe about 1/2 of the forever had I gone through the cord. And with no cuss words cause I could walk away and come back later to see it was done.

HOWEVER, this weekends pictures took TWO days. You heard me right. TWO DAYS! All day yesterday and most of this morning along with two reboots and.......maybe a few cuss words.

Fact remains, I need to suck it up and spend the money on a new computer. But the frugal side of me says "But it still works! Don't throw out something that still works. You just have to give it a little more TLC!" And the side that does the pictures says "Girl, just do IT! This is for the dogs! HECK even the dogs wouldn't want your computer!". I should listen to the picture side but..........the frugal side is sooooo strong. In the end, I FINALLY uploaded and here is the weekend story.......

Ryan went to his Relay for Life Friday night and into Saturday morning. I didn't go cause I didn't have time to walk a track. Instead I got to walk the aisles of Walmart grocery shopping. But they look like they had fun! Probably much more than I! And thank you to all who donated!
(If you notice though, there really isn't any pictures of anyone walking! But who am I to judge? I was fighting a grocery cart with a bent wheel between stacks of inventory in the middle of the grocery isle!)

Then it was off to our last soccer game! Simply put, we were creamed. Not that the kids seemed to notice cause I think they were 1/2 asleep during the game! They didn't seem to mind what was going on. Myself, I just shook my head. "All in the fun.......all in the fun....." (maybe if I keep saying it, it won't hurt so much)

This is my favorite picture. Just look at those ninja like movements. That determination on her face. The flow of the arms. And the tongue out the mouth always adds a little spunk to a good kick! I even blew it up so you could get the whole effect!

After, was the end of the season picnic and awards! GREAT JOB TEAM! (well maybe except for that last game! Sorry but I had to throw in that last whine of the season!)

The team is thinking on maybe going to travel. They are going to test the waters at the Fathers Day tournament. This should be interesting. Maybe a little Red Bull wouldn't hurt? (you didn't hear me say that!)

Then it was off for Megan's confirmation on Sunday. 1st let me say THANK YOU to Mimi and Rachel for the extra hands in helping to set up! Otherwise I probably would still be doing it myself....and going insane in the process!

I am very proud of Megan! Congratulations sweetheart on your journey!

The End!

Praise the Lord! One VERY busy weekend down! Now....to get ready for VBS! And a soccer tourni!

Where IS that Red Bull!?

I'll get that wabbit if it's the wast thing I do!

2011-05-31T17:57:00.000-04:00

I spent hours this weekend in the humidity and heat cleaning and making everything perfect. All it takes a few minutes, a shovel and a child to make it alllllll go away!

I had just washed off the last of the patio today and put everything in it's place and then left Delaney to play outside while I made lunch. I went out to call her in to eat and all over the patio, chairs and picnic table was dirt. Lots and lots of DIRT! Shovels, sand buckets and LOTS OF DIRT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not positive but I think I was somewhere close to a mental breakdown! I am not 100% sure cause I think I lost time somewhere between the ringing in my ears and when the shaking started!

I asked her why did she do that and she tells me she didn't.

"So who did then?", I asked.

"I dunno" was her innocent reply. Now I am getting a bit mad to say the least and asked her again "WHO did it Delaney?" and she looked up at me with all seriousness and said.....

"The bunny in the yard did it!!!!!!"

What did we do Memorial Day weekend?

2011-05-31T11:22:00.001-04:00

We weeded and mulched and planted and did errands and scrubbed and cleaned and hosed things off and dug things out and put things away. We de-winterized and prepped for summer! Away went the snow shovels and out came the flowers and lawn chairs! AND we opened the pool! And for our efforts we got to jump into cold water and eat hamburgers on our nice new patio!

I wish I had a ton of lovely and exciting pictures to show you but I was so busy myself that this is all we got!

And when all was said and done.............we passed out!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

14 more days and then.....what?

2011-05-26T14:04:00.000-04:00

End of the school is officially on the count down. We have exactly 14 more days left. I guess this means Delaney too since I seriously doubt I am going to get much work done with her when her siblings and friends are here. 14 more days of peace. 14 more days to get everything done I had hoped to accomplish before this. 14 more days of quiet nap time. 14 more days of Delaney homeschooling together with me.

And so the summer begins!

I am just not sure if I am happy because all activities will come to a halt and the most important thing will be how long we can stay in the pool. OR if I am not happy because I will have two teenagers around whining and complaining about how bored they are while the 6 year old begs them to take her for walks and bike rides and swimming, etc etc etc. (they should just follow the 6 year old instead of her following them. I doubt they will complain they are bored after a couple hours with her!)

And what does a 6 year old do on a lovely warm morning?? Why catch frogs of course! Nothing like running around screaming and laughing while chasing down 8 little poor frogs who are intended to be her closest friends for the next few days!

One day....just one day and they will NEVER complain they're bored!

Ok let me clarify.......

2011-05-26T09:49:00.000-04:00

It has come to my attention that I might just be sitting on my tush watching Todd and Delaney put floors down in my house! As much as that sounds rather lovely watching my husband work and child labor, maybe even a secret dream come true, I just want to correct that thought.

(1st let me stop laughing and wipe my funny tears away cause you just crack me up Doreen!)

So, just in case someone else happens to be thinking the same thoughts, let's talk about how a typical floor laying weekend goes...........

I work till 5:30pm. But Delaney and Todd have soccer that starts at 6pm. So,while I am still working, I help Todd move everything out of a room. Which is REALLY a fun job having to climb over things like a king sized mattress to answer a door for pick up time in the daycare. I do many headcounts to make sure no little person gets lost under a pile of clothes or stuck behind a dresser!

They go out to soccer and I (usually Michele too cause she made the mistake to stopping by the house at the wrong time) pull the carpet and padding up. If I am lucky Todd might get the carpet cut and pulled up before he leaves for soccer. Then Michele and I spend the soccer time pulling thousands of little stables up out of the floor and sweeping up piles of sawdust that a bunch of carpenters decided to leave under the rugs before they layed it down! Oh yes, then there is the fun task of prying up the carpet tacks along the walls! Todd usually returns in the middle of this task. Which is good cause I am beginning to hate carpet tacks at the moment! Esp when the contractors place the wall 1/2 way on top of the strip and you have to figure out how to dig it out! Always a fun job! I believe that this part is the WORSE part of the whole job and completely dread it!!!

Then we place down the floor covering. I help do this too! This doesn't take too long....unless you don't calculate it right or assume you have enough and then have to run to the store at 9pm to grab another roll! Then it means a midnight completion!

We roll into bed and don't move positions till the next morning!

Saturday is a soccer game and back home to finish the job! Todd doesn't have much patience and likes to do things to the floor like call it names and throw a hammer at it so, after a hard lesson learned, we have a system going. I lay the floor and hook the pieces together and Todd cuts the ends and works the hard spots like doorways and closets. If we are lucky we have the floor done by dinner. If we aren't, due to kids, activities, trips to the store or painting....we might get done by 11pm!

We roll into bed and don't move positions till the next morning!

Sunday we head to church (if we are working on time) or skip church (if we are running completely on Europe time!!) Todd finishes the trim while I sweep and clean behind him. We paint as needed. Then we roll everything back into place.

And so completes a typical weekend. Everything in between soccer, dinner, trips the store, running so and so to a friends house, etc etc etc. If I did not do this beside Todd, he would still be sitting on the sofa wishing the flooring in and nothing would be completed OR there would be holes in the floor from the hammer and cuss words written in marker along the wall! There is no sitting my tush taking cute pics of the them doing the work for me while I sip iced tea and post on my blog! I AM the one with the camera and it makes it a little hard to take a pic of myself doing things but....for you Doreen I shall try it next time!

Let it be officially known Kim does not, in any way, get to sit and observe at any point during this fun and exciting time! Although, it might be a nice idea and I could try it. I shall just tell Todd, " BUT DOREEN TOLD ME TO!"

Well dang it!

2011-05-23T10:29:00.000-04:00

I survived the Rapture!

Now that can mean one of two things....
1. I was totally left behind! OR...
2. Jesus had other plans and decided he didn't feel like visiting on Saturday.

Either way, here I sit at the start of another new week!
Clean underwear and all!

BUT I did go to the soccer game. (We kicked some major butt!) And I did lay another floor.
Here is my best helper! Sad to say that the 6 year old did more than the 18 and 13 year old! But she did an awesome job!
She was the water girl.....

She picked staples out of the floor!

And had a TON of fun pulling up everything!

This helper I had to just throw in cause...well....need I say much more? How could I pass up this shot?

And, wa-laaaaa, the finished product!

Just in time for the world to end!

Oh the Rapture!

2011-05-20T06:37:00.001-04:00

Yeah. I have to bring it up. I cannot pass it by. More so after the conversations yesterday. It was just too good to pass up!

My afternoon was spent with my BIL who brought up the topic 1st. Lonnie said he was keeping his family home tomorrow (aka today) . I asked why and he seemed to look at me like I had three heads. Didn't I know the end of the world was TOMORROW!? I had to tell him he has his calendar marked wrong. It was Saturday. He looked disappointed but said he was still not taking any chances and would keep them home anyway. I asked him why again and he said that he didnt' want to have to drive to two schools to pick up his kids and his wifes work to get her if the world was going to split in 1/2! This brought to mind two huge things.....#1 if the world was going to split in 1/2, did it make a difference if he were driving to a school or sitting at home watching tv? #2 I believe he had the idea wrong on the end of the world. It wasn't about the earth splitting. It was about the coming of Christ. And if you believe, then it would make little difference on if you are driving to pick up your kids or at home watching tv cause.....well....HELLO .....CHRIST! Rapture! Tribulations! Need I say more? It really doesn't make a difference!

Then my girl friend and I were talking about it last night. She wanted to know why her neighbor had a sign in front that said "May 21, 2011. Beg for Mercy!" (Lonnie must not have passed that sign!) And yet this neighbor was putting new stucco on the side of his house all day yesterday! Did he think that it would impress Jesus? Cause, if you believed the end of the world was coming, why would you go through all that effort to repair the house!? She wanted to know if he thought this would bring Jesus to his door and he would say "What a great job! Can you come up and work on my Pearly Gates?" Good question!

She went home and talked about this with her father and he told her about the end of the world. Her comment......
"I just got a new job damn it!!!!"
Her dads comment....
"Well you won't have to worry about missing it if you keep saying Damn it!"

I rather liked this quote in a pamplet I have:
"The May 21st End of the World prediction only applies to those who will be saved on Judgment Day 2011 in the Rapture. Those who aren’t saved in the May 21 Rapture will suffer a different fate, and an End of the World date 5 months after May 21st."
October 21st? My comment? Well that can be good news! I can at least enjoy summer, my vacation AND I don't have to try and figure out what to get Todd for his birthday on the 30th!

So there we are laughing and talking about it all. I said that I had known about it for a year and my feeling is that I wasn't going to stop living. If Jesus shows tomorrow, I shall fall on the ground and praise Him. And if not....well, let's just say that I am not packing my bags and sending out farewell emails today. Her comment back to me was "Now why would you have to pack a bag? You think you will be needing a change of underwear??"

Ok....we got a good laugh out of it. Not that I am putting down anyones belief. The bible clearly says we will not know the day or the time so why stress over it?! Why a bunch of people feel they can peg not only the date but the exact time too is beyond me. The bible says,
"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." Matthew 24

So...I am not going to worry about it. If Jesus comes I will rejoice. Till then, I have a soccer game to go to and a new floor in my house to lay down!

Now in regard to packing the underwear Michele....ya just never know. Ya just never, never know!

Where did my rock go?

2011-05-19T10:05:00.001-04:00

I have not been having a good spring. Normally it is my most fav time of the year. A time full of flowers and trees and sun after a very long and depressing winter. New life is everywhere and you can smell it in the air!

Well, you can smell it if you don't have allergies!

All the things I love the most, almost kills me. Yes, I might be a little dramatic there but it does very closely explain how I feel. And THIS year? It has had to be the worst spring I have had in a good 8 years!

Eight years ago I lived in the next town over. And the property, more so a lot, was filled mainly with two gorgeous and huge maple trees. One in the front and one in the back. They were so big they filled up most of the yard. They bloomed beautiful in the spring, gave shade in the summer and was full of the most beautiful colors you have ever seen in the fall. I loved those trees. They just didn't love me. Each spring I would almost die (yeah, there is that drama again). My life was filled with tissues and allergy meds for the next three months. Eight years ago we moved to here and it was so grande I could almost breathe! My allergies didn't completely go away. But they got better. Life was good.

Till spring of 2011.

I am pretty sure I might be keeping the tissue companies afloat so much they are currently planning huge, expensive vacations on my tissue money alone! And..............I could just about die!
It is really that bad.

I have been taking Allergra-D around the clock. I am so dry I could probably spit cotton. Forget about cotton! I could probably spit out the finest sweater at this moment! But it doesn't take away the allergies. Just makes life somewhat livable for about 8 hours out of a day. That is if you believe sitting with your mouth hanging open, brain dead, drugged up, with tissues stuffed in every pocket and shirt sleeve you have on you....living!

Here is an example of my morning:
May 19, 2011. 5:25am. My alarm goes off, I stretch, roll over and......sneeze. And sneeze. And sneeze. And by the time I made it to the shower, I was one huge snot bag with a sinus headache. On a plus side, I only have three kids today for work and two of them are sleeping. Good thing considering that I am currently brain dead, highly medicated and not functioning much beyond 20%.

If I could grab a tissue box, stuff some cotton balls up each nostril and hide under a rock, I probably would attempt it. Everything on my body aches and itches. And this time I cannot blame some poor, innocent maple tree cause there is none really here. I think their friends might be ganging up on me though. And to think, grass hasn't even kicked in fully yet according to the pollen guide on the morning news. Joy of joys! Cause when the grass does, you will have to come look for me under that rock!

It takes so very little!

2011-05-16T15:22:00.001-04:00

All it takes is a 30 second commercial to get me rolling! I LOVE these.......
(turn off music)

And this one I could soooooooooo see me doing!! Has me rolling every time!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that!

2011-05-13T14:39:00.001-04:00

1. The other day my BIL was here working and came in to ask me if he could use my bathroom. I told him "Sure, just leave a quarter when you are done!" And this is what I found later in the day on the sink!
Funny Lonnie!

2. We are almost done the patio cover! Yippie!

3. I was getting ready in the morning and looked out the window and noticed that my bush that came from my Grandparents house is full of flowers. They gave us three bushes before they passed and this is the only one to survive. It bearly held two bunches of flowers each year since we planted it. But this year it is in full bloom! I am taking that as a good sign!

4. I have a TON of these to plant! The rain is on its way and I am not sure when I will be doing this planting but......

5. And we have a ton of these too that have to go back up on the wall. Right now it is looking kinda naked!

6. Megan went on a school camping trip this year for three days. I was looking at her pictures and two things come to mind when I viewed them.......

WHAT is the deal with her and all her friends making this face in about 3/4 of the pics?

And who the heck is this dude who had his arm around my daughter and is in the other 1/3 of the pics?

What makes it worse......he is really cute! She could have picked some wall flower or something to make Mommy's heart feel better. You know. The one who is AFRAID to put his arm around my really pretty 13 year old daughter! This guy? Well, I envision me locking her in her room under key and bolt when he comes over!

And finally..........

7. Hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful weekend! Mine will be spent getting ready for the church's bell choir concert this weekend. So while you are basking in the sun or taking your kids to the park, think of me in some dark school ringing my bells!

All for the Lord! All for the Lord!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

Yeah! Now we're talkin!

2011-05-11T08:35:00.003-04:00

Delaney started soccer for another season!

Now I know you have heard me talk about the 'new rules' for playing soccer but just in case you missed my exciting point of view......... They aren't anything like they were when Ryan and Megan began. Both pretty much started around 5 years old. But they both played GAMES. As in goalies and scores and parents cheering on each ball shot in the net! Oh no. Not today. Today it is all about 'everyone wins' and 'it isn't about the score, it is about the fun!'.

Blah, blah, blah.

To me this was set up by some physco therapist who felt that a child under the age of 8, who lost, just might have some mental issue later on in life that could involve major issues in adulthood. OR...it could be done by some parent who got tired of seeing their childs team whooped. Myself, I rather favor the last opinion cause....well.....it is more likely the truth!

I believe that competition is a good thing. One cannot learn to improve if they think they should always win and be perfect and wonderful. In the real world, there are winners and there are losers. Your boss doesn't come and pat you on the back and say 'nice try Timmy!' and give you a gatorade and granola bar after you lost an important client! If you want, better you have to fail sometimes. That is what gives us the drive to improve and prefect and make ourselves greater. To push the limit and suceed.

BUT.....that is not the outlook for Delaneys age group. They put four kids on one side and four kids on the other. The team coaches pat the kids on the back as they run past, while the coach holds a cup of coffee and yawns the morning sleep away. "Nice try Timmy!"

My pep talks with Delaney are not geared to that thinking. I want her to win. I want her to improve. I want her to score. I want her to be the best she can be. And if that means she is whooping some childs butt while they stand and pick dandilions, then so be it!

And that pretty much is what happened last Saturday. For some reason, the soccer board put the team ages together from 4-6 year olds. Delaney is the size of an 8 year old!! Our team is mainly 6 year olds. The team we played was mainly 4 and 5 yr olds. Needless to say, Delaney was a good head and shoulders above most of the other team. I would like to say I told my daughter to pull back but....well.....I didn't. What I said was something along the lines of "don't let their size fool you. You go for it and take that ball!" And I am proud to say she did exactly that!

Now don't get all teary eyed on me and shake your head thinking I am 'one of those moms' cause, even though their team was younger and smaller, they held their own! And then some! Quite a lot of their balls made it into the net! So I didn't feel too bad when Delaney raced across the entire field, overtook the short little dude, stole his ball and ran it home! Several times! Or that she ran ahead and blocked the goal. Or that she learned how to guide the opposing team member to the side line using her body and cause them to not score. Or that she learned how to pass and help make a score with her team.

Now, who knows what the score was cause they didn't keep one. But I know Delaney did awesome and I am rather proud of her. She is going to be one great player........once they can say they are actually PLAYING a game! And when they do.....watch out little dudes!

#7 is gonna get cha!

He cracks me up so much... I could just slap him!

2011-05-10T09:13:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Todd went to pick up my rental while my van was being checked out. He called me from the rental place and asked me what I wanted. I told him anything that sat a lot of people and wouldn't cost me over $100 to fill each week! Todd arrives home and tells me to come out and check out the car so he can show me where everything is.

As I walk out I see....

A Ford Explorer!

We used to have one (of course much older than this!) and I know it can cost me a 1/2 a tank just going from my house to the next town over's Walmart! So I ask him what possessed him to get an Explorer??

He tells me that it was for a very good reason and that I should sit in the car and he will show me everything. It is one of those no key starts with electronic everything and it looks all new to me. Takes me a while to play with things and figure out how to even start it! Then he tells me to put it in reverse and up pops this where my radio was......

Note guide lines and the writing in the window too! ( "Please check surroundings for safety")

He figured it might come in handy with ME driving!

Ha ha Todd!

Ha ha!

Monkey Business!

2011-05-09T20:45:00.000-04:00

One of our projects in the making.......

Happy Mothers Day to me......

2011-05-08T21:57:00.002-04:00

In my perfect world, I would have slept in this morning and been woken up to the hugs and laughter of my children as they brought in my breakfast of homemade waffles, butter and fresh fruit. Then I would receive my handmade cards and we would sit on the bed together and talk and tickle each other and laugh the world away.

But in reality, Mothers Day this year was so completely the opposite that it was almost on another planet!

We are still doing home repairs. My BIL came to help put a patio cover in and we attacked yet another room with flooring. The family room got done and........another one bites the dust! And, yes, (just in case you were sitting on the edge of your seat and wondering) it went far faster this time cause we were prepared for it!

You know how you start a project that seems simple and as you go along, hour by hour, it grows and grows and grows into this HUGE and MAJOR project that far exceeds your greatest expectations?! Yep...that is our flooring project. We went to the store and picked up flooring and matting and said "No big deal!". Till we began. Then what should have been an easy project turned into our worse nightmare! We tore up the carpet only to find vinyl flooring under the carpet and about enough staples to make it look like the contractors were in some WWIII scene with air supported staple guns! Then we get the flooring down and find that the trim was cut to the contractors mistakes. As we put the 1st rows up, we notice that they were NOT going to work and had to run and get new trim. And the trim work around the doors did not meet the floor. And the new trim work we got for the doors did not match the old trim work. And when you put the new trim work on it was lower than the old trim work which meant having to paint again and.....................

Oh yeah. It is soooooooooooooooooooooo fun! Ya just never know what exciting puzzle you are going to run into when you start a new room! Oh the challenge and excitement of it all (are you picking up on the total sarcasm here yet?)!!

Anyway.............to get back on track.........

We decided that we had way too much on our plates this year to worry about going out for our traditional Mothers Day brunch. Now I would like to think that just meant no eating out. Ok. I was fine with that. I understood and , in the end, I was getting new floors. But I guess Todd also took that to mean no need for cards, flowers, cake, gift......or breakfast in bed too! Not even a poptart thrown in my direction as he headed out to work on the patio cover! I guess I shouldn't have expected it!

Then to add hurt to injury (oh yes there is a pun here), I rammed my van tail end into my BILs truck!
The tail end of THIS............

Had a blind date with THIS..........

And the result was THIS.........

In my defense, I couldn't see the truck it was parked in my blind spot! And that bully of a truck didn't even get a scratch!

My window is gone as if it never was. My tail light is history. My trunk door opens no more.

Tomorrow I have to call my insurance company. I feel like a little girl having to go to the principals office and tell him what bad, bad thing I did! I suspect it is not going to be a pat on the back or a finger wag!

I am, however, proud to say that this is my 1st accident in some 25 years. And if I had to hit something, I am glad it was that bully of a truck and not something else.

I have a feeling my insurance agent is so not going to be giving me any Mothers Day card tomorrow either!

What HAVE we been up to?

2011-05-03T09:39:00.001-04:00

I mean besides the usual running around of soccer games, dr appointments, bell choir practices, school, work, track meets.........etc etc etc. Well...........

Easter Sunday found Ryan off to work. I have to say I missed him. A lot! It was strange not having him here to open Easter baskets and take Easter Sunday pictures. I doubt he minded but for me it was like missing a major piece of the puzzle. He didn't exactly get away from getting a picture though!

Then the Easter bunny hopped into our house and left us some lovely gifts!

The 6 year old was excited!

The teenager....not so much!

Then it was off to church.....

We sang joyous songs of the holiday....

And rang some chimes to celebrate.

Then we were off to the egg hunt race!

After Easter we began laying down the new flooring in the house. Too bad the Easter Bunny didn't think to leave us a gift of done floors!
The before.......

So talented at multitasking!

We even had a helper!

And a few more hands were put to work.

While some slept! (Yeah that didn't go over well)

And, wa-la, a finished floor! Ok. Not so finished yet. We still have trim to put back on. And the project ended up growing as the weekend went on. And the thought of completing another 4 rooms and a hallway makes me wanna hide under that purple blanket with Megan! But, it is lovely all the same!

A little humming is all it takes

2011-04-22T06:56:00.000-04:00

Funny how a song will stop you in your tracks and bring back memories. For some it might be a sight or a smell. For me, music fills my day. I always have it on. In the house and in the car. Often times I don't think I am even paying attention to it. So when I hear a song that stops me in my tracks it often brings a smile to my face or a laugh or just a moment to reflect on a time long gone.

The other day my alarm clock was still playing music while I was getting ready for the day. It was early morning and the sun was just thinking about waking. On the radio came Rod Stewart's "Your in my heart" and it made me pause. I remember early mornings just like that day, laying in bed just before the sun came up, my Grandmom in the bathroom with her radio on and that song playing. It reminded me of a time of comfort and peace. A time of being a kid and waiting for my day to begin. I would lay there, snuggled in my warm blankets in the dark and listening to the music while she hummed and got ready for work. I can hear the sound of the makeup on the counter and the swish of the hairspray like it was yesterday when that song came on. Shortly after, she would come in and wake me to start my day. And there I was in the bathroom getting ready for my day and in my bed was my daughter. As if one could ever flip a memory!

It made me pause and remember with a smile on my face. How we forget something so simple as waking in the morning as a child. There was nothing big about those moments. Nothing overly special to make it stand out. But when that song came on, it brought it back to life like it was yesterday.

Sometimes it only takes a little love song to remember 'your in my heart, your in my soul' and to start your day happy!

Conspiracy theory

2011-04-14T09:37:00.003-04:00

1st Let me apologize for the HUGE run on sentence of my postings. I have no clue why the site is doing it but I cannot seem to find the problem and how to stop it. I do not tend to normally just write in one huge paragraph and am breaking up the sentences as I type. So let it be known that this is Blogspots issue and want to say worry for it anyway cause I find it annoying. I am going to try and fix it so hang in there with me!

As you know, I am a WAHM. I spend my day running outside with kids, playing in finger paint and singing fun kiddie songs. That would be the perfect world view of it.

In truth my day is more like me chasing a 1/2 naked child who removed their clothes for the 10th time today, trying to scrub out the 'washable' finger paint out of a white teeshirt that really isn't washable at all and singing "The wheels on the bus" for the millionth time while the kids are busy.......painting each other and stripping!

One of my biggest pet peeves is picking up. I think it is more noticeable for me lately simply because I have been dealing with a bad back for several months now. The thought of having to bend to pick up a plastic Barbie shoe is just not at the top of my list lately! And I swear that I think my kids are all out to get me for it too!

I cannot tell you how many times a day I pick something up. I pick up for my children. I pick up for other peoples children. I pick up for my 40 something year old husband (who should so know better but that is going into a totally different post!). I pick up laundry baskets. I pick up toys and socks and shoes and throw blankets and paci's. Gee....I wonder why I have a bad back!

The other day I spent my day walking from room to room picking things up. Refusing to leave a room till everything was in order and then moving on to another room. I started in my room at the farthest part of the house and made a turn into the family room and on into the kitchen. I was on a roll. I had just picked up the livingroom and was heading into the girls rooms when the doorbell rang and my girl friend arrived. I spent a simple few minutes opening the door and saying a greeting and walked back into the kitchen area...................... And there before me was EVERYTHING I HAD JUST PICKED UP! The toys were out, the throw blankets on the floor, my bed was messed up, paper was on the table............

Explain to me how children, who can take 2 hours to get their coats on and get out the door can make a house explode in 2 seconds? I am starting to think that it is some evil conspiracy plan to drive me insane!

I cannot understand why people in my house cannot understand the rule of 'you take it out, you pick up and put it away before moving on'. And out of all my kids, Delaney is one of my worst! Actually, my son was the best at picking up. You couldn't tell that by how he keeps his current bathroom and teenage bedroom but he really was a wonderful picker-upper. In my neurotic attempts of a place for all things and all things in their place, my son went right along with it and everything always went back in the labeled boxed. Delaneys attempt at picking up is more like shoving it under the bed and in the toy closets behind the empty labeled boxes! If anything she could have done that would drive me mad, not putting things back in their boxes might just be it.

Ok.....maybe pulling everything out behind me and leaving it there just might rank slightly above that!

Spring is in the air!

2011-04-14T09:32:00.007-04:00

Congratulations my little fishie!

2011-04-04T18:18:00.005-04:00

Delaney has graduated in her swim classes....up TWO classes! We were told we could have done a third but we were concerned it might be too big a leap. So we are off to guppy land and should she swim do well......we will move up again. Congrats Delaney! Mommy is so proud of you!!

With great anticipation

2011-04-04T14:51:00.004-04:00

Well it is officially the 1st week of April! And God is good cause we not only hit 75 today but also got some sun! A much needed and welcomed sight! I just got done marking my calendar and now we sit and wait. There is a TON of things coming our way and this just might be the last week of anything compared to normal. Easter Cantatas are in preparation along with a bell choir concert shortly after. Mix it in with a run to get the bells a check up, Easter itself and, dare I say it, soccer....we will be running none stop and trying to fit things in from now on out. My calendar is filling up with pen marks galore and soon there will be no peace for another month or two! And for those that asked, you will also have to wait in great anticipation on the grade I....um....I mean WE.....I mean......Megan scored on her science project. Haven't heard a word yet. The never of that teacher! And we are awaiting Megan neuro dr visit on Wed. for her migraines and hope to get an answer there soon too. So....break out the popcorn and sit back and relax with me while I have the chance to breath.....before all hell breaks out!

This and that!

2011-03-30T12:04:00.001-04:00

My lovely daughter, Megan, tells me Monday night that she has to make a 3-D plant cell replica out of household items. In her defense, she actually told me over the weekend. But I took it as a statement rather than what it actually was.......a call for help. And what 'help' translates to is..... 'mom, do it WITH me!". What I didn't tell you is that it is due Thur but she had the information two weeks ago! She actually got huffy over the fact that the teacher gave her ONLY two weeks to do it. Not mindful over the fact that SHE only gave me four days!!! Now WHO should be getting huffy? In truth, we only had Monday to complete it cause the rest of the week was full. It was due Thur and there was no other day to work on it. So, Monday it was. I guess it wasn't too bad cause my sister was doing her daughters during her work time! (and for those that are judging us for completely our child's science projects..........wait till YOU are informed at 7pm that a science project is due the next day then cast the 1st stone!) I was supposed to be at a church meeting begging for money for VBS on Monday night. Instead I was digging through my kitchen cabinets and trying to decide what to make a chloroplast and golgi body out of! Course, I guess, painting dry pasta and gluing on pipe cleaners was a much more fun activity than begging for money from a church that hasn't budgeted in VBS funds! But come 9pm, the meeting was starting to look good! Still...it took us over 2 1/2 hours to complete and by the next morning I handed her the cell and told her do not bring it back! This is my bestest picture of the Super Moon from the other night. It was beautiful but I simply cannot seem to get the best shots of something like this on my camera. I shall blame the camera, which it probably is, and will not point out that it just might be my inexperienced hands! In reality, it truly might have something to do with a 6 yr old and a 13 yr old who keep taking my camera and all the damage that goes along with it. BUT...here is my best shot! Now I know you are wondering what in the heck is that! We had rainbow colored day in the daycare last week and this was our version of rainbow cupcakes. I know they might not look like the best seller at your local bakery but they turned out really cool! Delaney doesn't like icing (makes ya wonder who's DNA she really has!) so we opted to go icing'less! They were really yummy! And here is Delaney helping Daddy cut the lawn! I think she did a wonderful job! (not that we really have much growing grass yet)

Kissies

2011-03-23T07:59:00.003-04:00

Yesterday Delaney was rubbing our dog, Cherokees, belly. Cherokee was in heaven and on her back accepting each and every rub as the true gift of love it was. Delaneys friends were gathered around them and one asked Delaney what that area was between Cherokees legs. Delaney informs him that it is where she goes poopy (wrong I know) and pee. Then giggles and says....."It is her kissie!"

It took me a moment and then I realised she was comparing that area to a Hershey kiss! So now....Cherokees private area is hense forth known as her KISSIE!

I don't think I will ever pop a Hershey kiss again without giggling!

Oh the woes of the world!

2011-03-15T12:07:00.005-04:00

What a sad and scary time we are living in today. The earthquake in Japan that has torn the lives of people apart, has also torn my heart with sadness. I cannot imagine the suffering of those that live there. How scared and broken they must seem and yet the images of them are one of peace and acceptance. Not that they are happy with their circumstances but more rather that they know it is what it is and it is now all about surviving and moving on. They find loved ones and rebuild.

You saw it in the the Sawyer/Good Morning America interview where she was walking the streets of the towns and they came to her to offer what little food and water they had. After all, it was more than they needed right then and they wanted to share their wonderful bounty.

It seems lately that the world is buzzing with something. Countries at war or on the brink. People fighting among themselves. One country threatening their neighbor with bombings.

And here is one elderly man in the mist of rubble and devastation offering food. Simply because he could. He had so much.

And it says so much!

I pray for all the lost souls over there. All the ones on the brink of war. I pray for peace among a world vibrating at the moment. May God lay His healing hand on them and know they are not alone.

That said....

it is almost St. Patricks day. A small thing in an exploding world to be happy about. I know it is almost St. Patty's Day cause Delaney has been announcing it in her Dolly song that she has been singing for the last week. Nothing melts the troubles of the world like a little 6yr old singing.........

" We have a lot of troubles
But we have a lot of soul
We'll drink a pint of Guiness
And forget about our woes
Ei-ee-ei, ei-ee-ei, we Irish are the best "

I am not sure which is cuter. The fact that she sings the song and it sounds so simple on her young lips. Or that a 6 yr old is singing about putting her troubles into a pint of Guiness!

Either way...it brings a smile on MY face.

HAPPY ST.PATRICKS DAY!

U-oh!

2011-03-11T11:00:00.001-05:00

I am thinking someone has not been very happy with her little sister!

And a fun one to throw in.........

I was a very naughty girl!

2011-03-09T19:08:00.002-05:00

I had a rather not so good day. Not that anything surprising, exciting or historic happened. I was just not in a good mood. I ended the day with a slight headache which was just the cherry to my attitude.

To all who came within 2 feet of me on this lovely Wednesday, I great apologize for anything I might have said, done or thought while in your presence.

I cleaned up, popped some Advils and ran out the door for my chiropractic appointment which was the grand finale of my day.

On my way home I decided I was going to be a bad bad girl. After all I deserved something to pick me up! I stopped at McDonalds, ordered a large order of fries and a chocolate milkshake. I happily turned up my country music, hummed to some song or another about girlfriends, trucks and beer.....and ate the most wonderful, greasy, fat filled fries I ever tasted in my life while driving home. Then I washed it down with the bestest chocolate milk shake that ever hit my lips (ok...not ever but ever in a very long time!)

I am home now. My house is quiet and child free. My tummy is filled with happy memories. And I am off to find my jammies and listen to the quiet with a smile on my face.

Life is grand!

More sickos and a little humming

2011-03-03T12:53:00.002-05:00

I have been dealing with some real sickos around here lately! Add to my previous post another fever ridden daycare child and Megan.

Megan has been knocked on her butt with a migraine for the last week. I wish I knew what her triggers were and why the poor kid has to be dealing with it. Childhood at this age should be about trying out for the sports team, friends birthday parties, how to wear her hair today and who likes her the most but won't tell her. Not about which medication is working or not and being in pain so bad she can't leave her bed. After a dr visit, medications and laying around for a week, I am hoping I can get her off to school tomorrow. For one day! But better than nothing.

For one who does not deal with major headaches, it is hard for me to understand and help her. My headaches consist of an minor irritation that is helped by a pop of Advil and a large Pepsi. Preferably together but not necessarily in that order.

I rather think that her most recent discovery is what knocked her on her butt. Her teenage brain probably could not deal with the conversation we had the other day..........
*Picture Megan on the computer and me walking through the kitchen*

Megan- "How did you know that!?" *whipping her head around to glare at me*

Me- "Know what?", I absently ask.

Megan- "That song!" *she stares at me opened mouthed* "I just turned it on and you finished the song! How do you know it!"

Me- *I notice a popular song on the youtube and shrug my shoulders*
"Dunno. I have heard it on the radio and tv or something. "

Megan- *continues to stare at me in awe*

Me- "Oh come on! Surely you didn't think I lived under a rock listening to music from 1950!"

I think the realization that I just might not be some boring old MOM must have caused her brain to malfunction and go into shock sending electrodes to blast off in the wrong part of her brain or something!

(I won't tell her that Glee club might have helped too!)

Viruses

2011-03-01T07:56:00.006-05:00

I just drug myself from the sofa and decided I needed to come on here and chat before I fell back to sleep. It has been a long night as Delaney is sick. She fell asleep yesterday during naptime, which in itself is a miracle and should have been an alert that something was wrong.

She woke at 3:30 with a slight fever. It was her 1st new class for swim and I knew she wanted to go. I took the temp and it was 99.7. Well she was wrapped in the sleeping bag she had picked to curl up in and it was 68 degrees that day so maybe she was just warm. Took it again about an hour later and she was up to 100.4. Well that kicked out swimclass for the night no matter how many excuses I tried to come up with.

She has had a sniffy nose which began over the weekend and it is allergy season so I was holding on all hope that was all it was. Allergy season for Delaney means ear infections when we can't get the runny nose in control. But, if you read my previous post, you also know there has been some germies deposited in the house and we had no real clue what we were dealing with.

As with all my little ones who are sick, Delaney slept in our bed. Four o'clock she rolls over and hacks in my face! Enough to wake me with a start. And I layed there, frozen, with my mind racing.....should I run to the bathroom in horror and scrub my face with scalding water and soap till my face becomes red or give in to the simple fact that it was just too late. It was 4am. I was tired. And I envisioned those germies having a party in my nose already and decided...it just wasn't worth the effort. I surrendered and rolled back over. Delaney on the other hand had other ideas....

She, the little one who took an afternoon nap, decided it was time to chat. "Why did you get a new alarm clock?" "What did you do with the old one?" "Where is Daddy? How come he works in the night?" "I hope we can do something fun in the morning" "Why didn't you let me have the alarm clock cause I loved that alarm clock" "I love MY alarm clock. It has Pooh on it and I love pooh"...................etc........etc.......etc

After a bit I pretended to fall asleep and so she decided it was time to do so too. However, 30 min later that new alarm clock was waking me again!

And speaking of viruses, my computer is sick. I have a nasty habit of going online and googling things for learning material. Go figure! And someone thinks it is funny to link viruses to those educational sites. My computer sputtered and floundered about two weeks ago as I tried to print off a number line for Delaney and I SOS'd my neighbor who worked to bring it back to life. The only issue I have is that my hard drive isn't working normal. It won't open CD's. It gives me a fight to upload pictures. I can't easily RIP music and it would seem that the idea of burning anything if I was able to RIP would be laughable. Sad to say, I think it is going down for the count.

So I am struggling with having to give in and spend money on a new one and letting this one continue to go till it passes out on me and dies for the last time. The trouble is that I need that hard drive for my VBS planning and it makes it very hard to do things like upload pictures, clipart, music or even open the CD I need as director to RUN it! It is inevitable. I know this. But it works ...sort of....and I have issues with spending money when it still lives.

*sigh*

And so I am off to take a little girls temp and maybe say a prayer for my beloved emachine.

Maybe one for myself that those germies dancing in my nose find somewhere else to party too!

Happy 6th Birthday Delaney and more.....

2011-02-23T12:41:00.008-05:00

Pin the hat on the Polar Bear

A very blurry but happy Delaney!

Making snowflake frames

The snowman game....before...

On the right we have Contestant #1

On the left is Contestant #2

During.....

And after!

Lovely teenagers !

A game of hot potato

Happy 13th Birthday Chey!

Happy 18th Birthday Ryan!

Riding her new bike

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DELANEY!

Wonderful is totally a open term

2011-02-21T15:24:00.006-05:00

My last post I said stay tuned for wonderful party to come. I saw that and about laughed my head off.

Now, when planning this party, we had snow storms hitting us twice a week! There was so much snow we didn't know what to do with ourselves! I decided not to fight Mother Nature and went with the flow and picked a Winter Wonderland theme. Snowflakes and snowmen galore! Then the thaw came. Ok.....we redirected and ordered a bouncer. We still went with the snow theme but planned to throw them outside cold or not!

It certainly turned out to be a NOT! In more ways than....well......NOT!

Let me fill you in on our party day.....

We woke in the morning to cold weather again as stated. Ok. We knew the cold was coming back in. What we didn't know was that it brought wind with it. High wind. As in blow you on your ass wind! It was bad. Very bad. I laid in bed and heard the gusts and knew we were in trouble. Bouncer dude would not be coming that day!

I raked my mind and decided we would just go with the flow and get bubbles and such and kick the kids out anyway. We were going to fill the trampoline with 'snow ball' balloons and send them on their happy way.

We ran to the store and picked up items and ran back home. Put the bags down, unzipped my coat and stood in awe as the trampoline took flight like something from a Wizard of Oz scene! We ran to rescue the trampoline but not without damage.

Rethinking.........again..........what to do, what to do.........

I send Todd to get out own small bouncer. That would keep them busy! Except we couldn't find something that worked to blow it up. Two hours later, three men and two air compressors, we finally had a bouncer. Except....the party was now over.

By three o'clock our activities had come to an end and we were scrambling for things to do with 12 little kiddies! God bless my step mom! Mimi you did an awesome and looooong assed game of Simon Says!

One would think that would be the end of this fun and exciting story. Not!
Let us not forget my nephew throwing up from a stomach virus all over the bathroom. AND I just found out that another went home with her own personal version of a stomach virus too! No she did not deposit her gift here but the germies I am sure were having a blast with all the kiddies in attendance!

Thanks everyone for the lovely, non-returnable gift of viruses and puke! We lay in anticipation to see who gets it next! Next time a gift receipt would be nice!

Delaney, however, had the best party and loved it. She loved her friends there and the gifts and attention and her Mimi and Papa. Overall, in her book, it was the bestest 6th birthday party ever!

Mimi, Mommy and Aunt Michele on the other hand are thinking a very large jug of wine might have been a much appreciated end come that evening!

Happy Birthday sweet Delaney! I cannot believe you are a big 6 year old! Where has my little girl gone!? May your year be full of TONS of excitment, love and laughter!

Snow and bouncers

2011-02-16T09:37:00.006-05:00

I would love to say that my life has been so busy that I simply have not had time to blog.

But in truth, I think I am totally dealing with a bad case of winter blues.

We have had no place to really go. Well, other than the typical things like school, work and dr appointments! But they don't count really in my book! And due to cold beyond anything my body has ever felt (for at least a year anyway), we have been housebound.

I have been restless.

Now I know you are thinking that this would be a good time to come on and chat about it all but in truth, I haven't known what to say. You can only chat so much about how you are going stir crazy while your toes are so cold they are about to fall off! An interesting topic to be sure but boring after about the third time mentioning it.

We are currently in a brief respite with a warm up of between 50 to almost 70 degrees and my fingers have thawed out enough to come on and chat! Come Friday we are to hit 68 degrees and I can assure you that I shall be laying spread eagle on my deck by noon praising the Lord for all his glory in making the sun!

Now Sat. it will drop back down to 45. But it is still better than the 6 degrees we were hitting a week or so ago and I will not complain!! Course, the kiddies at Delaney's party might but I am sure that between the sugar and the bouncer coming, they won't complain TOO much!

I am gearing up for Sat. The cupcakes and cookies still need to be made. But the balloons are ordered and the gift bags, plates and decorations sit in wait.

Stay tuned for a wonderful party day to come............

2011-02-14T13:21:00.002-05:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Lordy, give me strength or direction to the nearest ladies room!

2011-02-01T14:02:00.002-05:00

I don't seem to have learned my lesson last year!

Right around this same time, my old Pastor glanced at me from across the room and made a bee line in my direction, never dropping my glance. I knew something was up and had the instinct to run for cover but was nice and stood my ground with a smile. Then he asked me to take over as VBS director......I swore then that the next time he glanced my way and pinned me with his eyes, that I would make a run for the nearest ladies room and hide!

I seem to have forgotten that lesson. Or maybe it is because I was thrown off by the fact we now have a new Pastor and totally forgot my promise to run for the bathroom since, well, he was new!!

Last night at the church meeting our eyes met. He held my gaze and started walking my way. I will admit that the sudden need to find the ladies room came to mind slightly but I figured I was already claimed by VBS and that was why he was coming over to chat. You know, to talk about dates and what kind of snacks I needed, etc etc etc.

NOT!

Where I thought I was already taken....he thought I looked bored. And asked me to be.... Sunday School Superintendent!

When the words came out of his mouth I thought,"Stupid! I TOLD you go run for the bathroom! You did not listen you idiot!" And I crumbled.

Not that I accepted. Yet.

Don't get me wrong. I am currently fighting with my heart that says our church is in turmoil and needs people to step up and my brain that says going to the beach on Sunday, August the 7th is so much more important!!! Or sleeping in on May 22nd after a full week of soccer, PTA and dr appointments. Or simply that my plate is too full and my brain is saying "ARE...... YOU............ INSANE!?"

Probably.

Ok. More likely than probably.

But I will listen to all sides and take it to heart. #1 I truly believe that the younger people need to step up within the church. (Not that I am younger but I am compared to most in positions at the church!) And I cannot whine about how people need to step up if I am not one of those people! #2 I am one major marshmallow! And I do believe it is written on my forehead somewhere too! So I will weight the options before I say my answer so that I can honestly say I thought about it.

The other issue I have is that Todd thought it was funny to tell the Pastor my theory on making a run the next time for the bathroom. He now knows my strategy and plans to cut off my line of direction....or find me when I am furthest from the ladies room!

I am now a sitting duck....

Or should I say.....MARSHMALLOW!?

2011-01-28T10:12:00.001-05:00

Here we go again!

2011-01-27T07:07:00.002-05:00

Pretty Princess....

2011-01-22T14:18:00.001-05:00

Off to a birthday party!

Here we go again!

2011-01-19T11:05:00.008-05:00

It is that time of the year for BIRTHDAY PARTIES!!!!

I am in the planning stage of Delaney's next party. Now one would think that planning a soon to be 6 year olds party is easy. Throw some cake on the table with a glop of ice cream and you are d-o-n-e. But if you think that I would take that easy route, you know me little friend!

It would not be a child's birthday in my house without me stressing over the plates being the wrong color or the cake decorations keeping me up till 3am the morning of! I am a perfectionist and I know it. They say it is the 1st step to recovery admitting it but I am not finding it so!

My intention was to look for someplace outside of the house now that she is older. You know...a place I can just pay and they do all the work and I get to go home and not clean up coolaide spills on my carpet for the rest of the night! But Delaney asked for another home party and so here we are.

Usually I complain about what to do this time of the year. Having a winter baby is NOT easy coming up with party themes. There is only so much one can do when you risk bad weather, a small venue and snow!

This year I decided not to try and go against what simply is. So we are doing a winter themed party. Snowmen and all! We have snowflake table clothes, plates and decor. A snowman centerpiece. Gift bags full of goodies like snowball cookies, snowflake stickers, snow bubbles and snow cotton candy.

We have a pin the hat on the polar bear game and a snowball toss along with make your own sundaes. And if I dare to be risky and can get a good deal , I am thinking about a bouncer. Tell the kids to come dressed for the outside and just go for it....snow or not! What the heck! Might as well just go with the flow! I never thought I would say this but maybe we might be lucky and get some snow right before the party!

I am also on the hunt for the bestest cake around. I found cupcake holers with snowflakes but I am not sure what to do with the actual cupcake. And so began the google for ideas.....

Our 1st selection are these lovely blue creations!

Then this simple but cute snowman face. Which should be my pick as it looks to be the easiest.

Then there are these cute and lovable snowmen which I think I like the best.

I am probably going to try a dry run of them all to see which I like the best cause a cupcake that looks like a mom made it in her kitchen would not work! It must be perfect or it will ensue a night of wakefulness on how I CAN make it work!

I envision myself sitting at the kitchen table with jimmies and icing up to my elbows while I cuss out the cupcakes for making my life miserable and trying to push that chocolate chip over a hair with a tooth pick!

But I will I do this with love.

(Perfection has nothing what so ever to do with it! Nope....not at all!)

I am so getting old!

2011-01-18T07:31:00.004-05:00

Yes....another "I am getting old" post! I can't help myself. Perhaps it is a mild midlife crisis. Or simply that I am desperately trying to ignore what is really before and am in shock when I actually SEE it!

This morning I was taking my birth control pill with some soda. (Yeah yeah, I know. I should be using water. But that is an entirely different post and issue) The soda was frozen somewhat from us keeping it outside to keep cold. I pop the pill in and drink and absently watch the news. Then a few seconds later I am crunching something. I pull out a little bit of white and get in a panic that I broke a tooth on the ice. After a few seconds of sweat breaking out I realize .....it was just my pill. Now I am not sure which is worse. The fact that I am taking my pill with soda at 7am in the morning. Or the fact that I forgot in that short amount of time that I took it!!!

Oh a plus note....I still have the need of a birth control pill! There is always a silver lining on this old train!

And this weekend, I finally went to the dr and chiropractor for my back. I have been having issues for about a good 4 months. I tried ignoring it and hoping it would go away. I did the heating pad and Advil thing. Nothing worked and I finally gave in and went. Turns out I might have a slipped disk AND was told I have a degenerated disk. Can life get any better?? The google queen that I am, came home and looked up the prognosis of degenerated disk disease. It sounds really, really bad. But I guess really isn't so much as it is common. On a good outlook, by the time I am 60 and 70, I won't have much pain anymore as older people rarely do from it. Which is probably a good thing since I will most defiantly be thinking my pain meds are my teeth falling out of my head but then!

I am showing a lot of promise!

Knock, knock...anyone home?

2011-01-17T09:51:00.006-05:00

Yes, yes. I am here!

The holidays kept me busy. We finally took our tree down. It was a sad, sad event. It was completely dead by the time we got to it. Once we removed the decorations and lights, it looked worse than Charlie Browns!! After Todd dragged out the sticks of what was the tree, we were left with the leftovers of sweet holiday memories.

And so, officially, ended our holidays!

Then it was back to school and our keep you busy activities that our bodies had gotten used to not doing over the lazy two weeks off. It took a while to get back in the groove. The snow storms didn't help matters. Throw in a couple of snow shovel days and time off of school and we have been rather busy.

Oh the joys of child labor........

And then, just as life was beginning to become dull, I went online to run some school work off the Internet and opened a virus which set my computer into a dance of survival! Bless my neighbor who got yet another call for help to come and save what he calls my dinosaur computer. Dinosaur or not it keeps me online and I shall not complain about the old girl! So off it went to ICU at the neighbors house and I was offline for a while. It is running now and life is good! The old girl is still kickin!

What else has been happening???

Well my dishwasher got repaired as the front of the door started to come off and the connections were breaking and making the thing not work altogether!! This issue is probably thanks to my kids who open the door and let it fall down with a BANG! At some point it would make sense that the door would say enough and just come completely off with their encouraging hands!!!!

Then we noticed the house water pressure was not strong. Heaven forbid someone would flush a toilet or take a shower at the same time you were in there! You would have to step into the trickle of water for the next 2 min and then got a blast in the face once the pressure kicked back in! So we called a plumber friend in and had a switch fixed and it would seem we still have to call in someone for the water treatment system! Currently we are bypassing that which is a no no living in the country. (Does it ever end??)

Delaney is doing well homeschooling. We have been a little slow getting back to work but the snow days and older kids home here and there doesn't help matters much! She is officially doing 1st grade work. The kindergarten work was simply....to simple. The thought of picking up more kindergarten curriculum for her to redo what she already knows was silly. So after hunting and searching we went with Total Math and Total Reading and for 1st grade along with a science program too. That, mixed in with her computer and hands on work will complete the rest of the school year. Reading is still not her most fav thing. BUT we are reading and that is wonderful!

The older kids are doing well and finishing off their marking period soon!

We are on winter schedule with them and things are quiet right now.

And that brings us to today. Another holiday off! The older kids are home and promises to be a quiet day!!!

Oh the joys of the holidays!

2011-01-03T22:36:00.003-05:00

Well the holidays are officially over.
I am mixed between happiness and being sad. There is some joy in being over the holidays stress and moving back into some normality. On the other hand, life is pretty bland without mistletoe and White Christmas singing in the background!

The best part of the holidays was Christmas morning when Delaney woke and came out to see the gifts. She stood there with her mouth open and saying over and over "Mommy I was good! I was good Mommy! Santa told me to clean up and I did and I was GOOD!" The moment will forever be in my heart!

I also won't forget after holiday shopping!
#1 NOTHING beats a sale! I mean NOTHING! Ok....maybe the chocolate burritos we made for New Years Eve. But nothing else beats a good sale! I went to Boscovs and kicked out teachers, choirs, friends, a few family, etc etc etc. I won't even tell you what I got or how GREAT I did for fear you happen to be one of those listed. But, OMG, it was GREAT!

#2 The memory of the gentleman next to me while I sweater shopped will probably stick in my mind for a while too!
I was trying on some sweaters and had on a tee and a hoodie. I didn't feel like going to the dressing room so I just pulled off the hoodie, tried on the sweater, decided I hated it, removed it and put the hoodie back on. This went on for about 20 min when I tired on the last one I found. Took it off and put the hoodie back on..........backwards. The hood over my face. I actually stood there for a minute trying to figure out why I had something over my face before I laughed and realized what I had done. I removed the hoodie and looked in the mirror as my hair stood on end from the static. I laughed some more and turned my head only to find a gentleman looking at me and quickly look away while pretending to not notice me there! Ok...so the dude went home thinking I was some nutso woman.

And had he been next to me while I rung out my sale items (all the while giggling with joy) he probably was confirmed on that.

All in all it was a lovely holiday! And now back to the grind of work, dr appointments and afterschool activities.

All in a year!

2010-12-28T10:04:00.003-05:00

A year at a glace!
Each picture is a moment in time that is forever safe in my heart. Every smile. Every family and friend is a touch in our lifes and we are truely blessed.

Happy 2011!

The finale of 2010

2010-12-27T17:00:00.008-05:00

We woke today to a belated White Christmas. I have to say that after last year, I was none too pleased. I had seen enough snow in one winter to last me for the rest of my life! But the kids were happy and we had no place to go so....it is what it is. And if it is what it is only once this winter, I will not complain and be very very happy!

Our last blizzard of 2010!

I woke this morning to this at my back door! The picture isn't really good a the angle I took it at but it came easily almost up to my tush!

At least SOMEONE likes the snow!

And maybe someone doesn't! (although it was probably more me and my want of a picture that put that puss on her face! Gotta love the teenage years!)

And at the end of the day, for all our hard work and effort, we were graced with this!

Ho ho ho!

2010-12-25T20:23:00.005-05:00

Just some quick pics of yesterday and today. Presents are opened, family on their way home, tummies are full and my jammies are calling my name...........

Delaney and Todd making the last final batch of Delaney sugar cookies yesterday!

Heading off to Grandmoms house on Christmas Eve (aren't they just a happy bunch? Almost gives me goosebumps with all the excitment they are showing!)

Opening gifts.....

Christmas morning......

On that note.....Christmas jammie and cookies.....here I come!

Hope your day was full of love, laughter, turkey and lots of Ho ho ho!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T08:55:00.001-05:00

Hope your day is full of all the love and laughter of family and friends!

Cookies and carols

2010-12-21T10:46:00.009-05:00

1st Snow

2010-12-16T15:20:00.000-05:00

The lessons my kids learn

2010-12-15T09:24:00.005-05:00

Megan was in one of her chatty moods yesterday. That can range from what someone was wearing to who likes whom in school to some fight that broke out in the hallway to what was for lunch. And usually all in one sentence! After the 1st 5 minutes of her chatter, one tends to zone off while saying absently "um hummm" now and then. Usually I am thinking of my grocery list or what to do on tomorrows lessons or how long it will be before we are home and I can find my jammies or when the end of the story will come! I love the girl but there are times she should not be within 5 feet of sugar!

As she was going on and on about....well....honestly I lost track of what exactly brought up this chatter.....she mentioned something that caught me ear. I paused her and brought her back a few steps! She was casually mentioning something about what one of her friends was doing during 'lock down drills'. I asked her what lock down drills were.

Our expressions were similar. Me, confused and not understanding exactly what this was and her, confused and not understanding how I could NOT understand what it was. This obviously was part of her normal day and I should know that. I didn't.

She goes on to tell me that it is a drill in case someone should break the outside barrier of their security and get into the school. *seriously!?*

They are to cover the classroom door window with paper and hide in an assigned spot in the classroom quietly together with desks surrounding them until they announce it over. Each door in the school is to be checked and no one can move till they are.

I asked how they thought the person would not know they were in there if the door was locked on the inside. She said all the doors are locked on the inside. That you can exit but not enter. Every...single...door in the school is locked. The lunchroom. The learning rooms. The gym. And this was normal for her! She honestly could not understand why I would think otherwise.

So my kids are going to school on complete lock down and do drills that leave them sitting on the floor in silence for an hour but they don't have the time to teach cursive writing or how to properly take notes! She might not know how to sign her checks to pay bills but she will certainly know how to survive a gunman! A skill every parent hopes for their kids!

I wonder how far that will get her on her resume!?

Add in that I am currently in phone meetings over a book she is studying in her language arts class.....The Hunger Games. This is the clip they showed my 13 year old daughter.......

They show clips like this in a 7th grade english class and then wonder why they have to have lock downs!

THIS is what public schools are coming too?

Oh the fun!

2010-12-14T15:29:00.005-05:00

Ok is this not cool!?

This was Delaney's science project today. I think I got more excited than she did. I am still here playing and she is watching Sponge Bob!

Just an FYI, cause I know you are dying to know what it is.....The color tabs are kind of like those fizzy tabs you use for eggs at Easter. And you put them in room temp milk. Once they settle you dip a q-tip in dish soap and hold it in the milk/color mix. It just explodes with color. Ok...I just spent a good 15 min "ooooooooo"ing over a kindergartners science experiment.

But it was FUN!

And I obviously need a life!

And speaking of needing a life, my son called home yesterday to ask if Dad could come pick him up at school. He was calling in the bathroom and the phone was breaking up but basically it came down to him wanting to get picked up....because he wanted to get picked up. He wasn't sick. He just wanted to come home. Upon digging more I find out that his girlfriend had missed the bus and was home too.

So. My silly thinking-with-his-wrong-head-teenage-son called his mother to ask me to call his Dad to get out of work, drive across town and pick him up at school so he could come home and go over his girlfriends house and "hang".

*insert dead silence cricket sound effect here*

I shall leave it up in the air on what came out of that phone call!

To cap off, I am on the run to clean up, change diapers, finish work, start dinner and maybe bake another round of Christmas cookies before heading off to bell choir practise.

OR....I might play with the fizzy tab milk experiment some more. We shall see which one is calling me harder............

Angels among us

2010-12-08T09:36:00.005-05:00

With the upcoming holiday, I have to say I haven't felt much like posting. I am not sure what to say which is totally unusual since I pretty much put down what I would say to myself and you all know I talk to myself all the time! I guess I have not been having such wonderful personal conversations with myself much lately. At least not good enough to write about!

I think this holiday is hitting home more than last year. The loss of my grandparents has left me feeling alone. Last holiday it didn't seem to bother me so much. I am not sure what makes this one more so.

I hear a song and remember it being played while decorating the Christmas tree. I smell cookies and remember making sugar cookies with Grams. I remember watching Charlie Browns Christmas with my brother while in our Christmas jammies. I see a picture and it makes me sad instead of making me smile. Usually I tend to push on and remember the good times in everything I do. We cannot control was was or is. We can only hold the memories to our hearts and move ahead. Sitting and feeling sad will not get one anywhere. Life is too full of possibilities to sit and sulk over something we cannot control.

This year seems to have me thinking of my own future. I think Todd being in the hospital last month really opened these doors. I had no one to rely on. Reality was here that those who I took for granted were no longer there for me. I was alone and had to make decisions that I was not used to making. There is no family here. Had it not been for a friend of mine, I would have had to handle that completely alone. I reached out to those I thought would be there and they were not. It made me be an adult that I guess did not want to be. Although no adult, even, should feel alone in the world. Decisions is one thing. Decisions alone is another.

It made me realise that my grandparents not only relied on me to be their life. But I relied on them too. Over the last few years we have lost several of Todd's family too and it saddens me that the table becomes smaller each year. Gone are the days when we had to add tables to have enough room. Now we take away chairs.

My father in law died shortly after my grandfather and I find I miss him probably just as much. He was a good man. Full of laughter and my companion in a family full of crazy people! He was my partner in crime! Todd's uncle followed shortly after along with another aunt. These were the people sitting at my Christmas table. And now their memory is all we have.

Well enough of me feeling sorry for what cannot be. We will make our own family holiday memories. We will enjoy those that fill the table this year and bask in the glory of their laughter and love. For we know not what will come tomorrow and today is the best blessing we can have.

Merry Christmas and God bless to those in our lives who are missing. May we know their spirits are with us all! And may we enjoy those that are still there to make our lives wonderful!

Finding her way

2010-12-06T06:37:00.020-05:00

Lately, I have noticed that Megan is going through some issues with her friends. Her texting is more limited and sleepovers not as many. It concerned me that I did not have a houseful of giggly girls this summer. NOT that I was complaining but it was certainly noticeable. I had, at one point, sat down and chatted with Megan about this. I was becoming concerned. Was there problems? Was she depressed? What was going on?

Megan tells me that her friends are getting on her nerves and mentioned a few issues. Basically it narrowed down to what will be change. Megan and her friends are 13 and in 7th grade. I remember that time like yesterday. It is around this age that they are all trying to find their way. They are struggling with peers and values and hormones and wants. This was the time in their lives where change was going to happen and they would soon be choosing their group of friends that would carry them into high school. Gone were the days where they all were friends and laughed over Barbies, tag and bodily function noises. Now it was about picking friends and interests and which group they would find themselves in.

You know what I am talking about. In my time there were the druggies, the jocks, the nerds, the 'in' group, the troublemakers, the class clowns, etc etc etc. Now the groups branch off with different names but they are still pretty much the same. Earlier years you had your bestest friends but you went to school with all your classmates. You got invited to all your classmates parties and sometimes played with a classmate that wasn't your bestest friend. But come 13, they are choosing groups. Their interests and family values will come into play now. One will not happen to see a band member hanging with a cheerleader. Or the sports girl hanging with the artist. And it is about now this is coming to pass.

Megan's issues with her friends point this out to me and we talked about this. I am a bit concerned as Megan tends to be a follower. She is not the type to easily break away from the stream and do her own thing. If she gets into the wrong group of friends, it will not make for easy high school years to come! I can only pray that our lessons and values will guide her like they did Ryan.

In truth, I don't like many of Megan's friends either. I find most to be rude, spiteful and mean. To others and to even those within their group. They are allowed to do things that we do not allow Megan to do and I suspect that has a lot to do with why there is less sleepovers here. I began to wonder about my own judgement in parenting and was I too strict? And I prepared myself for what I thought was just the current way of teenage girls today! But this weekend was a reality for me...........

Megan found on facebook an old friend from preschool. They had chatted some over the years as her mother is a teacher in our district and the girl would sometimes visit the school. But she goes to a school about two towns over. They had been chatting online for a few weeks and decided to get together this weekend. Todd and I both thought this was a good thing as we felt that finding a friend that is not friends with her friends (did you stay with that) would be a good thing right now. And because they were from a different district there would be no influence from her friends on this girl. They were free to just.......be.

This weekend began with the mother requiring us to contact her to confirm details on the weekend. Something unheard of with Megan's friends! They arrived on Saturday and mom came in to chat which was nice as it had been some time since I had seen them too. The girl arrived with cell AND a computer which had internet access. But they were never taken out! Another thing unheard off with Megan's friends! If Megan's friends are not on the cells, they are on the computer chatting. So much so that it becomes rude! And access to the internet would never be allowed in Megan's room! These two laughed and played outside and were up to 4am. She sat at our table and easily chatted over dinner which told me she was used to family meals at her home. She goes to church and is honor roll and sings in the choir. I went to bed and knew that the girls were ok and I didn't have to sit up and watch to make sure they weren't trying to do something that they shouldn't! It was like night and day! A refreshing weekend!

When morning arrived, I began to think on the weekend. What made this girl different? Obviously my previous thoughts that all teenage girls today were the same was wrong. Then it hit me. This girl was different because this girl would never be part of Megan's current group of friends. She was overweight. Had some acne. Didn't have makeup on and nails painted. This girl would more likely than not become part of the music group in high school. Even, dare I say it, band! Megan's group of current school friends were going to branch off into one of two groups.....the troublemakers and the 'in' group. And there Megan sits between the two! She does not like the 'in' group. There is no future cheerleader in her at all nor does she want to be a 'mean' girl and greatly protests at the very thought! And she struggles with the rudeness of the rest of the group. She understands that these girls are going to get into trouble. And she does not like the rudeness they portray. And so Megan is struggling to find her way in a group of friends that will most likely not be her BFFs to come.

And I feel and understand her issues. Megan, is by nature, shy. Finding friends will not come easy for her. She is very much like me. So turning away friends whom you grew up with since childhood and going off to make new ones will be no easy task for her. I pray that this weekend was a light for her too and that a good friendship will continue to grow. No, this girl does not go to Megan's school but this friendship can open up possibilities of others around her. Teach her to look outside of her group and that there are good kids out there whom she can call friend. And I pray this friendship continues to grow as I feel it would be a very good thing.

If nothing else, this weekend shined a new light of what can be and maybe even help Megan find her way!

Don't roll your eyes at ME like that!

2010-12-03T21:33:00.003-05:00

We had just come back from grocery shopping and I was busy putting things away while Delaney is sitting on the floor and chatting with me.

I mentioned to her that we were going some place special tomorrow.....Dairy Queen (which has an awesome indoor play area) for lunch. AND we were going to pick up her friend Alyssa to take with us whom she hasn't seen allllllllllllll week long!

Delaney yells and jumps around the kitchen and then stops and asks seriously if they can anything they want to get. I tell her that it is her fun day and she can get anything she wants. So she says she wants to get a tattoo and a bouncy ball from the machines there and "you can't roll your eyes like that" (as she shakes her finger at me and demonstrates how I must roll my eyes at her when she asks for the 1000000000.1 time for ANOTHER bouncy ball)

The whole attitude and eye roll made me bust up laughing. Which in turn makes her do it again and again.

After the laughter dies down she says to me, "Mom, ain't I really cute!?"

Yes, Delaney you really are. And you KNOW it!

Say What!?

2010-11-30T14:58:00.016-05:00

So Sunday morning, after overstuffing ourselves on turkey and pumpkin pie for several days, we waddled off to church. We headed off not only because there surely must be some sin in over indulging in thanksgiving fare but mainly because Megan was playing in chimes choir and we could not hit the snooze button and roll over with the covers over our heads. Which was totally our want. But I do believe that somewhere that just might be a sin. So we dragged our lazy, tired, turkey filled bodies off to fill a pew Sunday morning.

As we sat there trying to look remotely aware of our surroundings, I noticed that the adult choir was up on the alter with smiles on their faces. I passingly assumed I missed some funny joke from the pastor and tried to stay focused better. Delaney was sitting up in the front row with Megan and the chimes choir and Ryan was not there at all as he was sleeping over a friends house. Todd was up in the choir on the alter. So that left me, alone, to sit in the pew and listen. It was no easy task. I was dreaming of turkey left overs and pumpkin pie!! But the smiles on the choirs face kept my attention.

In our church, during the middle hymn, the younger children head downstairs for their choir rehearsal and some Sunday school time. I got up and went up to the front pew to get Delaney and noticed that she had made herself totally at home. There she laid, in a dress mind you, on her back with her head propped on her toy bag, a book in her hand, one leg crossed over the other and reading to herself.

(Let's be honest...she was only doing what we WISH we could do!)

So I grabbed up her things, packed them away, gave everyone a 'Gee I am so sorry' smile and ushered her off to choir.

Later I mentioned to Todd about how she was totally relaxing during service and figured that was what had the smiles on the choirs faces.

I only wish it were that.

It seems that Delaney, having seen some street dancers in Philadelphia on Friday, decided to break out into doing the worm in front of the alter! I couldn't see her and had no clue. She not only decided to practice her new worm dancing talent but thought that a few Russian leg rolls and upside down head spin attempts might be worth a try too!! In a dress. In front of the church.....choir....and Pastor! Totally and completely in her own little world and oblivious to the others watching her.

....Well....... if nothing else, she kept most of the turkey filled parishioners awake!

Science

2010-11-30T14:37:00.002-05:00

A holiday in pictures...

2010-11-29T11:25:00.021-05:00

We actually began with Mimi and Papa's arrival on Tuesday and then had Thanksgiving Day together. But since I didn't think to be courteous enough to remember to take out my camera to document those important moments we shall begin with Black Friday!

Lunch at the Hardrock Cafe...

( watching tv...can you believe it!?)

Macy's window displays.......

The 2nd floor where the Declaration was signed....

The original Liberty Bell location currently under construction.....

Horse rides through town....

The Liberty Bell...

Dickens Christmas Carol....

(doesn't it look like the turkey has arms?)

(Speaking of turkeys...)

Wanamaker's original organ....

The Macy's at Wanamaker's light show........

Watching the show......

View of the people below watching....

Picking up our Christmas tree.........

Aunt Michele joins in the fun.....

Yes, that IS the tree skirt!

And a few you-don't-really-want-to-ask pictures.....

Guess what show they are watching....guess....guess!!!!

Hope you gobbled till you wobbled!