HOLIDAY SEASON

Well Christmas has come and gone! I must say I am already missing the Christmas music on the radio! It is my favorite and I could sing every song! Yes my children do get sick of hearing me sing, especially after a month of it! Ashton says it gives him a headache!

Our travels started on Friday before Christmas. We traveled all night to end at my in laws home. There we had a small Christmas. We don't exchange gifts anymore. His parents basically hand out $100 bills to the 5 teens and my children got a trampoline this year. His mother still wanted to have them open something so she got them each a new Webkinz. Water animals so they could have a water room! We had a non traditional dinner, but for us it has been tradition to have Mexican food for dinner. It was yummy! Then early the next morning (Sunday) we headed to see my family! At my mother's where my brother and his new baby, my Dad, Sister and a few other extras were there! We had a great time opening presents and eating a prime rib dinner! I had Lonnie take a few pictures of my sibs and my mom and dad. FYI my parents are no longer married but are still really great friends and consider each other family! It is amazing how well they get along!

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Here is me, my bro and sis. I am the oldest then my bro, CHAD and my sis KERI. Go figure they got the short names! I got the long one! Even though, I still love my unique name!

Here is my bro, his new son Jackson and his wife Sarah. My brother is soo bad at pics. he blinked like 5 times! I gave up! this is to show you Jackson!(he is 9 wks old)

Then around 7 pm it was time to head back to KC. Then on the way Lonnie informed me that he was coming down with something! As of today he is still sick and has lost 18 lbs since that night. It was the last full solid meal he had! I do believe he is on his way to recovery...he did break down and get a really strong antibiotic! I can now only pray that it will help heal is body and get rid of this infection!

Come Christmas eve. I realized that my kids had not been to see Santa yet. Nathan has never got to go tell Santa what he wants. So we took off in the early afternoon to see him at Basspro shop! Which was awesome! If you want to see the picture go to www.basspro.com/santaphotos and the pass code is batch#B636 Photo#55 386. Later that day I took the kids to 4pm church service. There they told the story of Jesus' birth. To my surprise Ashton sat thru the entire thing! I was impressed. Nathan was a little wiggly, as it was the wiggle service! That evening we had a lovely dinner and the kids got to open their Christmas PJS!!

By Christmas morning I was exhausted. Since Lonnie had been sick I had to do EVERYTHING by my self! Please no pity! So I told the kids I would not get out of bed until the coffee was made. I don't know who ended up making it, but it was done when I came down!

I wanted a White Christmas and I got it! It had snowed just a bit the day before! So really to me that was a gift!

I didn't get much pictures of the boys because...well you know they can't stay still for one photo!

This would be Ashton posing with his Lincoln Logs! Way too excited!

At least here you can see who he is!

Yes, I had my shopvac ready to go!

Nathan was a little better, but then I realized my lens needed cleaned!

The Girls showing off there new "bags" ! Every girl loves a new bag! Right? I know I do, so that is what I got a new Vera Bradley bag and wallet! It was between that or a new pair of Keen boots! I guess the boots will have to wait until my birthday coming up in January! yay!

As well that ends well! Now that the Christmas season is over it becomes birthday marathon for our family! It is Raegan and Lonnie's on Dec 31, Ashton's is January 30 and mine in January also! WHOA!! Now I am gearing up for a slumber party for eight 8-9 year old girls! Please pray for me! LOL!

I am looking forward to a new year! I am wishing all of you Good Karma, Good Health, Good friendships, Joy, Happiness, Peace and Love!

Until next time,

G

Snow Day...well kind of...

Today we had a snow day, well...kind of. Funny story. I was in bed this morning with a migraine...Lonnie was getting the girls up for school as usual. It looks like this outside. He assumes there is no school. One of the news stations reported that "Shawnee" didn't have school... well we are a totally different district with a weird number to it. So I am thinking all day, and remember I am doped up on meds with a migraine...that school is cancelled....until the school nurse calls to see "why" my girls are not in school!! I asked her if "she was serious" She probably thought I was little nutty, which I was. I AM. So her is what it looks like out my front window... Does that look like two little inches of snow? Heck no, you can't even tell where the street is...so whatever!

So being the totally awesome mom that I am....I let the kids do Gingerbread "graham cracker" houses!! What a blast! I even whipped up some royal icing to put them together!! Lonnie picked up all the candy for us and brought it over. Got stuck in the snow one time, but made it safely to and from!

Below is Nathan's house... He did not waste anytime decorating it.. Next we have Raegan's! She made some wonderful snowman Santa's for hers!

This one is Sydney's... she likes the more is better approach!

Now we have Ashton's...He went for the less is more minimalist approach. Which is unusual for him because he is such in indecisive thinker!

I was sooo proud of them all. It is a great tradition that I have started with my kids. Something that I hope they will carry with them forever and continue with their children! And now they are all displayed on our new "Vintage or Antique Player Piano" I have bought several Christmas Songs to play on it. Since NO ONE in our house can play yet! It is so wonderful to hear. It reminds me of the days my Granny would play for us at Christmas! One day I hope to carry on that tradition.

(This is a picture of it still in the garage of the people we bought it from)

And now for the Most Grand item in our house... We got a REAL Christmas Tree this year!! Here is a view from my balcony from upstairs! We did red, white and blue lights and the kids made all sorts of ornaments, which you can't see from this view. It is amazing and smells great. Until Next time.... Have a Merry Christmas and may all your families be blessed in so many ways!

Gretchen

Random Weirdness, Updates and A Question

I thought a few random funnies would be worth it today....

1. When I open my coffee maker to pour water in it...I think I'm looking at Darth Vader! What do you think? Do you see it??

2. The kids got a Trampoline as an early Christmas Gift from Lonnie's parents. We got around the middle of October. They love it. Yes, we have had some injuries, which would be the reason it has been pondered for so long. I took this picture from Ashton's bedroom window, which is just above the kitchen and the patio outside. ( see why I don't lock him in his room when he is having a tantrum... he would go out the window)

But, if you look closely in the gutter on the left... you will see a shoe. A shoe I have been looking for! One of Sydney's shoes. Lonnie said he threw shoes out of the trampoline, but then could find the other one and just could not figure out where it had gone. Well, NOW WE KNOW!!

3. The other day the kids were making craft "people". Their idea was to have a person made for each person that would be coming for Thanksgiving. Ashton showed us one and said that it was his cousin Bailey. Here's what it looks like.
Now, are you wondering what is that red thing in the middle? Us too! So we ask

"Ashton, What is this?"

His reply "It is Bailey's laser" then made laser shooting sounds! Okay, cool!!

but here's the profile: I almost peed my pants!

So, now that you have stopped laughing and cleaned up yourself......

here are some updates...

Sydney has her first loose tooth. We are soo excited for her. She is almost 6 1/2, so it is about time. All of her friends will be getting teeth for Christmas!

Raegan is playing 5 on 5 full court basketball! She really loves it! I think it will be her forte!

Ashton must be going through a growth spurt, he is eating constantly and is cranky. Isn't that what happens...esp the crankiness??

Nathan is three! nuf said!

QUESTION: There is a little girl the same age as Sydney. She is in the same grade but not in the same class. She lives about three houses down from us. She comes over at least 3-4 times a week after school (as if I don't already have enough children). She had her birthday and party on Saturday and did not invite Sydney!

Do you think that is totally rude??

Here is my thought...if my kid was over at some other kids house almost every freakin day I would almost feel obligated to invite that kid!

Yes, I get that maybe she was limited on how many she could invite, but wouldn't you think that Sydney would have priority?

A Blast From the Past

When I met Tori, I told her about this "mullet" 80's picture I had of myself.....So here it is....

My mom let me wear a little bit of make up. I would never let Raegan wear make up in one year! NO WAY!

Total 80's shirt & my moms earrings!

And now here is a photo of me when I was about..three years old. Now I get all the time that my boys look just like Lonnie... you be the judge!

Me almost 4 yrs old

Ashton last year at almost 4!

So take that!!

MY Blog IDOL!!

Yes.................it is TORI !


As you know she came into town to see the NKOTB! I sent Tara, her sister a message and she said that some other bloggers were coming to meet her! Tori didn't know she was a HUGE Celebrity around here! I joked that Tara was her agent!! LOL





I almost felt "star struck" when I meet her! I immediately gave her a hug! (I hope that was cool?) I'm a hugger! ( I secretly pulled out some of her hair to add to my Tori Shrine!)





If you have not meet Tori in person, she is super cute and just as funny in person. I only wished I had more time to spend with her today!





(Tori, you will have to come and hang with us cool people in KC this summer!)

SuPeR hErOeS !

HALLOWEEN 2008

Clark Kent-Dad, Spiderman-Nathan, Incredible Hulk-Ashton, Bat woman-Raegan, Super Girl-Sydney....

AS you can see we were Super Heroes! O my Gosh it was hilarious! When Lonnie first saw me all dressed up he laughed so hard he cried!!

Of course Lonnie being the super conservative!, his costume is too!

Wonder Woman- of course ME!!

Checking out the loot!

Seriously! Ashton looks like he already had too much!

I must say that this year we had AWESOME weather! I wore my costume without freezing! My kids were actually getting HOT! We were so grateful!

Next year we are already thinking of doing the Peanuts Gang!

REALLY??!!! Is that all you have?

The best thing "they" can come up with is an issue about her clothes???? If I were her I would not have even wasted my time even discussing it!
How does he even have the ballz to say something like that when he has been linked to a National Terrorist!!! COME ON!!!

SERIOUSLY!! ??

He makes me want to puke!!

It must be flu season?

Nathan came down with "something" three weeks ago and it has come and gone day by day. Then Monday night when I put him to bed he had a raging fever! I held him all day Tuesday! Literally he would not let me put him down! By Wednesday he felt better but was tired. No fever. Then Wednesday after school both girls came home saying they had headaches and both had fevers! They both fell asleep on the couch and slept all night until the morning, occasionally waking up for a bathroom break and a drink of water.
Thursday- both girls felt much better with no fever. Nathan felt better also. So I allowed Raegan to go to a birthday party of a good friend at Great Wolfe Lodge! After the party she had another good friend stay the night! BIG mistake! She woke up this morning had a 103.5 fever!!!! So did Sydney!! Her friend went home and she went back to bed! She has not moved for at least 10 hours!
Back to Nathan! He tossed and turned from 2 am til 4:30 am with a 102 fever! We slept until 9:10 am this morning! When I came downstairs Ashton and Sydney were asleep on the couch! His play date was coming at 9:45!!
He is feeling better today, hopefully tonight will go better!

It has been a crazy crazy day!

Then Lonnie sends me a text letting me know that he too is sick!! Great!? I will never get a shower!!

All I am left with is being grateful that I am not sick! At least they all have someone to care for them!!

Another funny note! We have two 1/2 rolls of TP and Ashton has "diarrhea"!! Is that Murpheys Law or MOMS law? What should we call it?
(so thank you Liz for the TP!!)

Super cute dude!

Nathan is three. He says the most adorable things! Today we were driving to the airport and saw a very old classic "Ranch Wagon". It seriously was probably the first station wagon/suburban type car! We could not tell what make of car it was it just said "Ranch Wagon"!
We are checking it out and Lonnie was saying what a "classic" and Nathan corrected him and said " NO, Daddy, it is an old fashioned car"

Indeed it was!

Where he pulled this out from I will never know! First of all you can barely understand what he says. That made it even more adorable! Lonnie can NEVER understand anything he says, I always have to interpret!

Please check out my earlier posting!

Back wards Thinking

Now that the election is just a few weeks away.... We are getting really nervous!!
Why?? The back ward's thinking of the liberals on the economy and taxes!!

What gives? I don't get it! Of course a lot of my middle income families like this idea of making the people who make more than $250grand pay more taxes!! It isn't going to affect their incomes!

It makes more sense to cut taxes across the board... OB*** wants to keep jobs from going to China??? Hello! Then don't tax the s**t out of big business so they HAVE to move their companies for cheaper labor! Instead he wants to tax them more. So I have no idea how the heck he is going to get all those companies back.

Here is how this directly affects my family! WE are self business owners! Small business! Our business makes just right around $250grand a year! That is NOT what we get to bring home for our own personal use! We have overhead! paying rent, bills, business loans, employees, maintenance, et c.!!! We paid almost $20,000 in taxes last year!! Let me repeat that $20,000!!!! That was after we filed we had to come up with that amount and pay! Not what they took out all year!
I heard some "bob" guy on American Newsroom this morning say that people in this income bracket could "afford" to pay a little more in taxes!! Why doesn't he come on over to my house and lets talk about how that tax affects my Personal income. The more we have to pay the less I get to bring home that year.....in turn affecting the economy! I have to pinch pennies for groceries, clothes and for all the necessities. I buy less gas and try not to drive anywhere! Plus my mortgage went up an extra $200 a month, Why? Because of TAXES!!!!!!

Our solution: either make less money and make major cutbacks, therefore affecting the economy(and not in a good way)
OR work our aces off to make up for the taxes. ( that would mean we would NEVER EVER see my husband!) Then it affects the relationships of our family! gezzzz!!''
See why I'm scared!

So, to all the liberal "thinkers" ! You have it backwards! Tax less! So that EVERYONE benefits! Tax the big business less so that you can keep your employees and they can have their jobs and feed their families! IT IS a trickle! That works! It does not make sense to have all of these people loose jobs and get "assistance"??! How does that help the economy! Fund all the programs for handouts!! Put all these people on a "fixed" income! Yea! That really works?!!!

Instead let's PUNISH those who work hard for their money! He says to share the wealth!! Yes, that doesn't mean that we should hand out to every person who "chooses" to live off of the government! I do my share of charity and contributions! We pay our tithes, give to charity, WE GIVE to those less fortunate! But not to the point where it is going to put us on the streets ...all "for working hard".

He acts like every American that makes enough money to support their family and then some! Should "share the wealth"...and that means to be taxed to death and that money goes to funding for ...I don't even need to say it!


I AM JOE PLUMBER!!!

Curious Kat

Ashton is a very curious little kid and is on the "go" constantly! He NEVER stops! He has been this way since the day he was born! When he was in is cars eat he would literally try to lift himself out! He looked like one of those toys that you pull the string and the legs and harms go up and down!! He was the only one of my children that started walking before a year old, at 9 months! I knew then I was in for a wild ride!

He is curious about EVERYTHING! He wants to know everything about everything. How things work, how they are made, why they make them that way et c..

Examples of what he would ask: "what is that building made of?, Why do they make it out of that?, How do they do that?

Where does water come from? How does it get to our bathtub?

He is constantly thinking and asking questions.

He is also intrigued with FIRE. I think naturally all kids are. So my beloved husband bought a lighter for him to "play" with(of course with supervision) Yeah! right!

I told him that Ashton would set the house on fire just to "see what it looked like"! Seriously!

Here is where I have a problem. Every chance he gets he will leave our house go across the street two houses down and ring their doorbell! This woman works at home and all of her kids are in school!

I live in constant anxiety thanks to his percosiousness! By the time I have realized he is not in the house and is somewhere else, he has made it back from his adventure and is in the yard. Leaving me to believe that he was "just" in the yard! UNTIL........

I email the "mom" and she informs me that Ashton has been interrupting her day occasionally and their dinner time!! She must think that I have absolutely NO control over this kid!! I can't imagine...I don't want to imagine what she thinks of us as parents!!! I am also afraid he will get hit by one of the many "text driving teens" flying down the hill! (this I pray of not happening everyday!)

Boundaries do not apply to him!! I at times, well most of the time do not have enough physical energy to keep up with is. Same for the spiritual energy. But I know he has chosen me as his mother and is here to teach me many life lessons!

The young mind!

Sydney: "Mom, What does blogging mean?"
Me: Where did you hear that word from?
Sydney: "TV"
ME: "oh" "well okay, you know where Mommy tells stories and puts pictures on the computer?
Sydney" Yes"
ME: That's blogging!

It seriously scared me when she asked!

You know you're a mom of boys when....

* you hear girls giggle at the sight of your 3 yr old boy going pee at the soccer field!

* Your son is carrying his dad shoe headed to the bathroom to dump out the pee that he just put in IT!! (I've told him numerous times that pee and poo go in the toilet, I guess HOW it gets there doesn't matter, Yeah, had to rephrase that one!)

*the bathroom is flooded because they shoved TP down the sink and turned on the water!

* body slams are a daily necessity!!

*You are subjected to watching StarWars movies at 7am!

QUESTION: Is Star Wars innate? My boys have never ever seen StarWars(until this week)and are totally obsessed! it must be!

Life as I know it....

(do they still look asleep??)

will change today!  I officially have a 3rd and 1st grader!!  I will be here with the boys 8-3 everyday!!  Then starting Sept 3rd, 3 days a week for three hrs, just me and Naty boy!!  I seriously hope I get things done around here!  Yeah, with boys!  Doubt it!!  Boys like to destroy things!!  

This is a picture of the girls' first day of school, last Thursday.  They had two half days and today is the first day of full day.  I worry about Syd!  She can be very shy and very stubborn!  She asked this morning if it was going to be "really long day?"  YES!!

Last Thursday was also Naty boy's birthday!  I have tons of pics to share and I also have a post on obnoxious people at Walm@rt!

No Sugar Added, vintage ROCK!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Notice my Nephew! Totally, NOT getting into it!
Seriously, no sugar!!! They act like total fools when they are around cousins!! We were just driving back from eating dinner!!
Yes, my kid unbuckles the top buckle in his car seat! IF he doesn't he acts like he his being choked!
Also, notice when ASH and Nate "rock" simultaneously!!

Yes, I Lost my mind!

I wonder what the person in the truck thought of me???

Grab bag catch up!

*I don't know about all of you, but this summer has really gone fast!! Is it my age that makes it seem to go by sooo fast? Or, is it the unusual amount of RAINY days? It is late July and we are on our third day of rain!! It has been and very wet summer! I can't count the number of days we have had to stay indoors because of it raining!

*My kids start school in exactly 15 days!! I personally think it is way to early! It always gets HOT that week. They would rather be at the pool, not school!

*This year, both girls will be in all day! So it will be just me and the boyz! I am contemplating whether or not to uput Ashy in preschool! He is enrolled, but I would like to keep him home. It is is last year to be at home! Then he goes to all day K !!

*Me and the kidos will be packing up today to take a trip down to Oklahoma! The summer has gone so fast that we have not had the time to go visit a few days with my mother, sister and her kidos! We usually go every year for about 3 days! The kids play hard from morning til late at night! Me, my mom and sis all love to thrift!! I am always excited to see what the get! When we go I always find something great! There is just something about thrifting in another town! This year I will be looking for area rugs to put down on the wood floors!! :>)

*While we are gone, Lon is supposed to replace the floors in the family room! We have been living on the gross staple infested plywood for almost a week! I am also hoping that he gets the room painted! I have all the paint colors picked out and he needs to do it before I change my mind!

*I am really really wanting to get our house organized! I have been living in this chaos for way to long! It really gets to me! I NEED organizations or I just don't function and end up have a two yr old fit!! Everything from basement to garage is totally out of control! We just need places to put things and everything needs to have an assigned place and everyone NEEDS to follow it! So then when the kids need their shoes or bike helmets, they know exactly where to go!! And then I don't have to waste 10-15 minutes sifting thru junk!!

So this brings me to a point!! "I really really really want an IKEA, here in Kansas!!!" I hope they hear me! Yes, Tori!! I am soo jealous of you! You have one really close! We drove right past it on our way home from SA! Have you people seen their stuff! It is awesome!!

We did finally finish putting the poly in the DR and LVR floors! They look great!!

I just wanted to catch up a bit and let you know that I have been extremely busy! I did the spirit wear again for my Daughters' school! They are soooo RAD!!

Blogyalater!

G

WE are Back!

We are back in town... I am happy to report that I am sleeping in a comfortable bed! MY bed!! YES!!!

We overall had a wonderful time at Sea World! I would say San Antonio, but this year we didn't even go to the River Market area!! It was all about SW! I do have a ton of pix, at this point I am still too lazy to upload all of them on to One true media, but I will soon!

What was so amazing..is that no one threw up! Not from a ride, not from the car, not from a virus! (it is usually me and Sydney) WE were both very thankful! And no major injuries to report!!

We did stop by the American Girl doll store in Dallas! The girls loved it. Surprisingly the boys did too! Ashton says they need an American Boy doll, with stories just like the girls!! I totally agree!

PlZZZ see my side bar for some new pics of the kidos, one pic of all of us waiting for Shamu!! Of course Ashy doesn't have enough patience for the picture to take!!!

And did you notice the change in my layout??? and I have finally come up with a good name for my blog! "Pickles for Breakfast". I think this totally fits my family! My kids LOVE pickles! it is like a disease!! They would eat them for breakfast, no joke!

Well I wanted to touch base with all of you. I know it is kind of boring around here, but thanks for stopping by!!

San Antonio! Mini part 1

Yes we are here! One day down at Sea World 4 days to go! I will have lots and lots of photos to share!
Yesterday we: feed the dolphins, rode the Atlantis, watched a ski show....

Tune in later for more updates!!

UPDATES!!

Sorry it has been forever...again!! But here goes.

Updates on Raegan: She got a cute little hair cut for summer, 7 inches off. She said she just could not do Locks of love again. She couldn't take the hair on her anymore. I'll add pics later!
*She had one of her bottom perm. teeth knocked loose, chipped and cracked in half. A ER trip to the Dentist!! and she was just able to eat an apple. NOT now!!
* she had a mild concussion this week, On Monday. She shut a door and it flung back open and she ran into it. It gave her a huge goose egg and a partial black eye!!

SYDNEY: Not much to report, no major injuries. Same ol' stubbornness and lack of cooperation!
We still love her very much. When she wants to be sweet she is very sweet!
* she will be moving on to First grade. I hope she matures a little more this summer or she will have a rude awakening come August. I just hope she doesn't get in there and then the teacher decides she isn't ready for 1st grade.
She could go either way, her birthday is in July and will only be 6 this year.
She is enjoying summer vacation and is enjoying Raegan being home all day! And she is already 20 shades darker than the rest of us!!

ASHTON: TWO MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO REPORT FOR THE BOYS
* Ashton is only 4 1/2. I am really starting to "get" just how different boys are from girls. Three of my friends (before I had boys) all had boys! It was hard for me to understand some of the things that they would do, because those things would not even cross Raegan's mind!! One of them use to say "just wait!!"
So back to my point. ...there is this little boy who rides his bike all over the neighborhood. It just drives Ashton crazy to see him and know that he can't do it!!
So he asked us to take off his training wheels on his bike. (which fyi I got at a garage sale for $10 after his big wheel disappeared)
He practiced for days. Then last night he got on his bike, I thought to myself "what is he doing, there are no training wheels" He asked if he could ride in the street. I agreed with caution.
Of of a sudden HE TAKES OFF!! ON TWO WHEELS!!! I was sooooooo excited!! It was amazing. I have a cute little video that I will add later.... At one point he fell and said "I wont give up!!" So cute.
Ashton has had this kind of attitude since birth!! He has always been determined to do anything!! IF he sees it he will find a way to get it or make it happen!! There is no changing his mind, EVER!!

*NATHAN: Well, well well, We all know that Naty boy is at the Im almost three so I am going to be the biggest brat in the world!! (add his evil laugh!!) He can get into something so quickly it amazes me. I can walk out of the kitchen and for two seconds and he has dumped something out or added something to what I'm cooking!!
His thing lately has been squeezing out shampoo or lotion, of course those things are mine or the girls'!! This behavior will soon pass!! He also likes to call all of us "doink" (?????)
Now for the second accomplishment: Yesterday he peed and then went p**p at different times! We were sooo proud of him. He was excited to get a few MM's! But today is a different story. He peed(sp?) and I put underwear on him and he went outside.....you know the rest. dad called on me to clean it up!!
Over all he is happy all of the time. He is Tigger!! Bouncy Bouncy fun fun fun fun fun!!!!

They all with the exception of Nathan attended VBS! They all had a great time and loved it!!

There are no real important updates for me. The only thing I could say is.... I had planned on doing the 1/2 Kansas City marathon in Oct. along with Tara and a few other friends. I have not committed to it yet. I did start running this week and did better than I thought. (4 miles since Wed. I plan on doing 2 more today) So give me a few more weeks and then maybe I will make a commitment!!

14 days til Family VACATION!!!

cRAZY bUZY!

Yes, it has been crazy busy around here!! All the kids have had end of the year activities! Today and tomorrow are the last days for Sydney and Raegan. I have to be at the school today for Sydney, They are having a Hat Parade to celebrate the last day of Kindergarten!! I made her the cutest hat. It reads....1st Grade QUEEN to be!! So cute!! Ill have pics later of the parade and hat.

Lately, my brain just has not been working correctly. It took me over a minute just to think of the work "activity". Is it MOM brain or WHAT!!

I am totally excited to have all of my kids home all day and have no worries of rushing anywhere. Even though it will happen. They will be lazy!!

This summer I am not allowing them to be lazy. they are all old enough to have some sort of JOB!! (around the house of course) Nathan is almost 3, he could do something??? right??? I will be making a job chart soon for each child.

They also each have "summer packets" to do. The summer does seem to go fast. I usually let them hang out for the whole month of JUNE then we go on vacation and before I know it there is only 4 weeks till school!!! Goes sooo fast..

We changed our vacation: We were going to go to Chicago.....I wasn't too excited about it.. but then I found out that they put an "AMERICAN GIRL" doll place in Dallas!! So we are going to head to Dallas for a day (Tori, maybe I can stop by for a photo, it will be June 29, 30) Then off to San Antonio!! YEA!!!! I love San Antonio!! We will be going to SEA WORLD!! YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!
Yes, we did go two summers ago. WE all love it! I wish it was closer to us!! We always get the season pass so that we can go for 4 or 5 days.

We were also going to go to the Schillertbaun there, but we found out that Sea World added two more water rides!!!
BTW: For those who don't know: We are getting a Schillertbaun!! here by the Speedway!! (maybe next year we should vacation here!! ) It will open next summer! (I should get a summer job there)

I just wanted to post since it had been 4 evah!! Let you know, I am still alive! Just cRAZY bUZY!
See you soon!

Out the the old, In with the New

Lonnie and I have been going back and forth for awhile about our floors. We have the lowest of the lowest grade of carpet in the house. Even if we had it professionally cleaned it would still look and smell like crap!! So I had to light a fire under Lonnie to come up with an idea that would work for all of us. He did a little research on the Internet and found a few. Here is what we came up with. Hardwood floors made of 4 x 8 1/2 inch plywood cut into 2 x 2 squares. Screwed into the floor and stained the color we like. We still have to polyurethane the entire floor, but here is what they look like now !! I love them, they are unique. Those who know me.....well you know me!

We plan on replacing all of the carpet with these floors, even in the bedrooms!! I will definitely show you pics of everything completed!!



*On, another note, I am soooooo freakin happy that 'dreadlocks" is out of the competition!! He totally got on my nerves. I wish Brooke wouldn't have lost her confidence. There were a few songs I really wanted to hear her sing!



**Another note: I really wish I could wear things like this. I love this, I always do, but then when I try things on like this I look like a total weirdo!! Isn't this cute though?? It is from Anne Taylor Loft . Seri, you totally know what I mean!!! It's in the genes!! But who knows I might try to pull this off!

Psycho Soccer mom!

I have encountered another psycho mom!
Sydney had a make up soccer game. She is 5!!!! Some of the players are 5 or 6, no older.

A mom from the opposing team catches my ear. She is complaining about one of our players #9 "swinging arms". She is a little more aggressive than some of our other players and that is good. Apparently she pushed down two of their players by being way to aggressive. The coaches and the referees took care of it. However, this was obviously not good enough for this mom.
When #9 went over to the other "mini" field ...this mom got out of her chair and told the ref. to watch out for #9's arms!!
First of all this is against the league rules! Our ref.s are 12 & 13 yr old boys or girls!!
Second, she would NOT keep her mouth shut!!
It seriously took all I had to shut it for her.
Well then, #9 tried to get the ball away from a shooter and it went in their goal off her foot!
This is were soccer mom goes psycho. She was about 7 feet away from our #9 and had her attention and said to her "yeah!! you kicked that in for us!! way to go!" #9 was like "what" and psycho mom repeated herself and then looked at her "friend" and said "Now, that's what I call an assist!!!"
You can imagine my fury!! I wanted to go and knock her out of her chair, but then I realized that I was there alone with 3 kids!! So I decided to get even.
I pulled her coach aside after the game and pointed her out and told her exactly what she had done. Let's just say the coach was not happy and really upset that she said that to a
FIVE YR OLD!!!!
Okay, so now I ponder what I would have done if she had said that to my daughter???
I really don't think I would have been able to hold myself back. They would have had to call an ambulance for her and the police to get me off of her!!! SERIOUSLY!
I do have every right to turn her into the league. The consequence to that would be: she would be banned from attending any games??
What do you think I should do? Leave it to the coaches or turn her in???

Another Grab BAG

So I have a number of things to rant about:


First of all: You all remember the "big wheels" that Ash rode furiously to the porta potty??? Yea, well absent minded professor left it at the soccer fields 2 Sat. ago. We didn't even notice that it was missing until on Sunday I went to empty out the back of the van to make room for groceries and was like "did you guys leave the Big Wheel"????? "uuHHHH, I guess we did." Well you can imagine just how irate I was esp. after arguing with MR. Professor that we did NOT need to take it because we already have too many things to remember!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So I contacted the league field manager and he said he didn't see it when he swept the fields! GREAT. So then I have had them email every single parent in the league for any information on it. My guess is that someone was like "they shouldn't have left it"


I will keep you updated on my son's broken heart!!



SECOND: We live in a middle class neighborhood with a home association created eons ago!! Well the Prez's wife called me and said "someone has complained about your yard." I knew what it was about before I even answered. My husband is not a man who is obsessive about his yard. This is what he told me to tell anyone who complained. "You just let them know that I am supporting the local honey farms, just look at all those BEES!!!!"
Here is a picture to get an idea of where our house sits on the street. We are at a junction and we are the first turn when you come in the "hood. Every person in the neighborhood has to see our pitiful yard!! Notice my neighbor's yards. They're perfect!!








Now notice the view they get!! LOVELY!!







So,I checked on the city code for weeds. This is what it says. Basically, in a nut shell, they can't stop you from having weeds, (hello, they can't make you have perfect landscaping) As long as the weeds do not exceed 12 inches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you kidding? 12 inches!! And if you do then they will come out and mow them down and send you the work fee and then if you don't pay that they will add it to your taxes!!

I'm really scared!!

I did break down and spray my yard with weed killer. (plus the H. A. told me to) It still looks like crap!!

THIRD:
My son is in the habit of NOT wanting to go to school. I honestly do not think that it is challenging enough for him. He is bored. It is basically an all girl class with him and one other boy, who hardly talks. But him and him are buds!! He only has like days left! I know he has fun. It is an extremly positive environment, probably better than home!

IF I can trick him to getting in the car and in the building......It is a huge fit when he gets there.

Lately he has had major "anger" issues. Here's a pick of him letting me know that he hated me and wanted to kill me! (o Yea, we had a serious conversation about that!!)

He looks possessed by something! He was probably in a serious need of a NAP!

Well that is all I can rant about now!

Dawg Days....here we come

I am sooo ready for summer. More so than my kids, I think! Even though it means I will have all of them here alllllll day long. It also means we do not have to be so scheduled.

My current status of a Mom Taxi is MWF-pickup at 11 and 3:10, TTH- pickup 11 drop off at 12:00, pick up at 3:00(I have to get in the line early to get out of there) pick up at 3:10!!!!! Throw in a couple of soccer practices and games!
At least in the summer I do not have this rigid drop off and pick up schedule.

We will be able to go to the pool at any time. Go to the zoo, farm, library, etc!!!
AND NO HOMEWORK!!! Yes, it is just as stressful for me.

So here is our current plan.
Week 1 SLEEP IN
Week 2 Vacation Bible School 9-12
Week 3 A visit to relatives in OK. ( yes, me, myself and 4 kids, alone) That is if gas isn't $4/gal
Week 4 POOL and library time
Week 5 VACATION to Chicago ( American Girl Doll Store for girls)
Week 6 Recovery week
Week 7 Sydney's birthday week and it will be too hot to go anywhere
Week 8, 9 , 10 Hopefully making it to the pool, library, and hopefully a few cultural arts!
By week 11 it it Back to School!!

All this time I will hopefully be training for a 1/2 Marathon, creating next years spirit wear and Sydney will have 1 -2 days of tutoring.
It doesn't sound like much, but trust me I will run out of resources and energy keeping the kids cool and happy! It is all worth it not having to comply with a rigid schedule!

IF I can't eat rice, then what?? MY ranting on food prices!!

So now that all "they" want us to use our natural resources for gasoline, we have no food to eat!!
Instead of farmers selling their produce on the side of the road or at the local market they now are competing to have their corn made into Ethanol. Did you know that it takes about 400lbs of corn to make 25 gallons of Ethanol. Enough, corn to sustain one human for about a year! Who cares about the already starving humans in the world?????!!!! Obviously NOT Al G*re!! (mr I fly my jet all around the world and use more gas on one trip than any other one humans lifetime) FRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKK!

Can't we do other changes? Of course! But, Fear gets in the way!

Globally, when there isn't any food to eat, people settle for rice! It is cheap, it taste good, it is versatile, it fills your tummy! Now that every thing is being turned into Bio fuel, we will have nothing!! Instead of getting a bag of apples for $5 it will be one apple for $5!! INSANE!!

When gas prices go up, I have other options. I will not drive around going to garage sales, walk to pick up my children from school, and try to do errands all in one spot! I can make it work. When food prices go up my family has to go without! Which is hard. I like to eat fresh veggies and fruit. It is getting harder to meal plan, because I am always thinking "what can we do with out, is this really necessary to live( you know, will my child live if she doesn't get here mango smoothie this week?)?"!

Overall, every basic food necessity is out of my price range!

Not only does this make me rethink my food choices, but also my other store choices. I can go with out paper plates and use that $4 a week on milk, etc..??? and run the dishwasher 3 times a day? But then how much will the water bill go up?? Which one hurts the most to pay?? High priced grocery bill or a water bill??? RIGHT??!!!!!

Good thing I bought about 6 lbs of rice two weeks ago!! HA HA HA HA HA!!

Maybe I can sell it on E bay!

ON the lighter side:
Lonnie said this morning " I am thankful that we have a house and that we can buy food. A lot of people don't have either and we have both and I feel blessed"

RIGHT ON!!

A little Bon Jovi

Sorry the videos are so choppy. I recorded them with my digital cam.

The concert was awesome! That is all I can say at this moment! it is almost 2 am and I need a shower and a bed!!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

BON JOVI ROCKS MY HEART!

Bon Jovi with Daughtry in Kansas City!

I "heart" Bon Jovi !

Chris Daughtry opened the show. He was going to sit on my lap and sing a song to me, but Lonnie told him to "back off" of his HAWT wife!!

THE BEST SHOW EVAH!!.

Here is a pic of Tara, me and my friend Christy! This is us after the show!

Jovi just started rockin' the house!! Can you tell??

The four sexiest people alive!!

Stayed tuned, I will have video!!

Grab Bag

* First thing, the answer to the puzzle is..............Yes it is my windshield, with a chunk of glass taken out.
On Wednesday, Ashton was told to get in the van and in your seat! NO! He freaking hangs on the rear view mirror!! It took a piece of glass with it. So now there is a chunk taken out from the inside. It isn't a complete hole, but it is paper thin!!! IRRITATING!! So now not only is my van missing a mirror, I have broke both of the side mirrors backing out of the garage!, the driver side window doesn't go down, the horn doesn't work or the cruise control!! What can I say it is old, but it was cheap with less than 60,000 miles!! I am grateful to have something that runs!!

*The 2 1/2 yr old tantrums are beating me down!!! On Wednesday after soccer practice, we had to cross the street. I had to hold Nathan's hand plus carry a ton of stuff. He decides to have a break down in the middle of the street!! I'm thinking that the cars are not going to see us. You never now what they might be doing: texting, talking, in a sugar coma....yada yada..... SO I drag him by his arm. It totally looked like child abuse, but I got him across! Now rewind about 6 mins.......

Ashton had to go #2 and I had told him to hold it!! Yeah right! So he holds it for a few minutes. Then he comes to me again, "MOM!!! I can't hold it anymore" I'm like OH, S***!! So I take him behind the school... He says "But Mom, there isn't any T.P." He wouldn't go.
Then we cross the street.
Picture this. He is on his Big Wheel. HE freakin' high tails it down to the porta potty!! He was like going 30 mph! He doesn't let anyone get in is way! HE was on a MISSION! BIG TIME!

* Did you know that Saturday night is Ladies pickup night at W*lmart!! O yes. Seriously, this kills me, I am in my old jeans, sweatshirt, no makup....This guy totally was trying to pick me up. First of all, he could hardly speak English, At first, I thought he was going to grab my purse and I continued to be "aware" that he was there. I guess this "awareness" was a "sign" to him that I was interested in him. I was trying to pick out a watch for one of Syd's friends. I looking at them trying to decide and he keeps talking to me. I usually would be a total smart A and tell him. "to get lost and find another place other than WM to pick up Moms shopping for their FAMILY!" But when I am by myself, I am nice and try to stay cordial to freaks! I finally just said that I was "shopping for my family" and gave him the "get away" look. He did leave. I was pretty freaked out and shaking!!
I said something to the jewelry clerk! Just in case!!
But then I see the guy across the isle as I was in the girls dept. At this point I'm thinking that he is following me. Then I lost him in the grocery isles!

I was freaked out the entire time I was in there. By the time I was finished, it was dark. So then I had to put my groceries in the van in the dark! I was sooo jumpy, a guy was walking to his car and I screamed at him. HE was totally FREAKED out!! Then I had to apologize to him and I told him what happened in WM. He said, "I wish my wife was that aware"

Seriously, I was soooo sick I almost puked in my van! I got home and was sooo sick! It took until the next morning to calm down!!

In retrospect, I should have left immediately after he approached me!! SCARY!!

*At Rae and Syd's school they had a book fair. Neither Lonnie or I had any cash to send with the girls to buy a book. Lonnie told the girls they would have to use some of their "savings" Raegan asked him "why?" He said because we had to pay taxes!
Raegan then says: "I hate TAXES!!"

ME TOO!! It totally sucks being a self business owner! You get taxed a TON!!!
Liberals and their "great" ideas. I have to pay a ton of taxes and I can't afford groceries! It really, makes sense!