My Birthday Treat

Wow..it has been busy!!!!! The weekend was so long overdue that it seemed to speed by and we all came home craving more..hehe..selfish aren't we?? Dennis, Trina's hubby, said that we either should not have gone at all or we should have stayed longer...if we are voting I choose the second!! But we did come home from our fairy tale land of Starbucks runs, mall shopping, hotel sleeping, adult conversations, alone time with hubby, eating whenever and whatever and finally having a ride in a vehicle where the main focus wasn't trying to make a cranky baby happy.
Our Friday started off great. Both families battled sickness with the kids all week so leading up to the big event definitely had its ups and downs. So the fact that we actually departed on the day that we planned to was a small victory for us. We arrived at Seattle about 2:00pm and I was informed that we were right on schedule for the night festivities. As we guided our way through traffic some of the secret was being divulged to me and I was ohhh so pumped. We stayed in downtown Seattle at The Weston. It was so nice and our rooms were so neat, they were in a circular layout that was pleasantly surprising. Here are a couple pics of the the view from my room, don't ask me why but I didn't get any shots of the inside of the room. I must of been giddy from anticipation that my mind wasn't working ..hehe



This was the view looking strait down...I told Rusty that the cranes and trucks looked like the boys' Tonka Toys and match box cars


This was the view looking toward the right..so cool huh?


This was a ferry coming in and I thought it was so neat that we got such a great view from our room!! Dennis said he played the "Birthday card" and I gotta say..Way to go Den!! Loved our view. I wish I could have got some pics of the night when all of Seattle was lit up and we could see the shine that went on forever.....
So we got all fancied up and left the hotel to begin my first official night out as a 30yr old woman..hehe We ate at an amazing restaurant and by the prices I'm a thinking they knew how amazing they were as well. Seriously we are talking a far cry from the normal evening out at Taco Bell..not even close to The Outback and we don't even go THERE very often. However as we kept reminding our selves and each other the rest of the night that it was a "once in a blue moon thing." Seriously we needed that reassurance all night long..hehe
Next was the theatre...Fire On the Mountain.. It was a great musical. The story line was told in such a unique way and the songs and the artists were really amazing. We had a blast and here are a couple of pics of us at the theatre.....


Here is me and my hubby posing before we walked into the play....Isn't he a cutie!!!!



I was just giving him a little kiss for all the hard work he put into planning this big night!
We did have some pics of Trina and me and Trina and Den...but they didn't turn out....hmmmm :-)

After the "planned" part of the night was over we decided to take in a little of the scenery and dabble a little in some of the night life. We traveled by taxi all night long and boy was that an experience. Trina being the caution girl she is actually asked me one time if we were supposed to be wearing our seat belts. I didn't have a clue, but the way this cab drivers were accelerating their speed I was ready to search for one...hehe
And as the night came to an end I was feeling tired and so happy that my great friends had taking time out of their life to spend this special day with me and my hubby. Friends like that are such a rare find and we cherish them.
And as for my hubby....well he is the sweetest, most hard working, lovable, loyal man that I know. He is truly my best friend. The fact that he planned this all for ME made me feel so special. He definitely made me feel like a princess. I mean what can I say but I Love Him!!!
The next couple of days flew by and we did lots of shopping and I found some amazing deals. Sunday night rolled around and even though I loved my time away I was starting to miss my babies and when we went to pick them up I was so happy to see them. There is just nothing like when you walk into a room and your baby's eye light up and she comes running and snuggles into your arms. Pure Joy.
So after all the hype and build up, which it definitely lived up to, sadly the weekend is over. However I am not bothered by this because I have memories that will last me a life time..so I say BRING ON the 30's!! :-)

SOOOO Tired!!!!

Okay so for all you out there who are just LOST without my daily posts I will let you know that I am still alive!! However I am so tired from the B-Day weekend, along with the B-day party for Jarred, in which I will be posting on each, but NOT tonight..hehehe I know, I know everyone is moaning and groaning with all the suspense, but you will just have to wait like good little children..LOL
Seriously.... I am going to get back into the swing of things, but we didn't get home until late last night and then today it was crazy cleaning for the big shin-dig and then now tonight I find myself READY for bed. Some of you might be thinking I that you just read this very same post at The Martins blog..hehe. Nope this baby is all mine, it is crazy, it was like she was reading my mind..and I remember smiling as I read her post, only in place of her coffee filled veins was my lovely Dr. Pepper addiction.
So tomorrow I will be back at it cuz I have LOTS to share about my amazing hubby and wonderful friends and the fun, fun time we had. Plus my little guy had his 5th birthday party and I also have pics from that. So stay tuned and I'll catch ya up tomorrow.

P.S. Trina's Internet was down today, but it might be back up running by Tues. cuz I definitely know everyone is going through Trina withdrawals..hehe

Juice Anyone??

Well it's official..We have sickness in the house!! We some how manged to steer clear of all the yucky viruses that has been going around for awhile, but of course I knew it would eventually catch up to us..and it did. With perfect timing, ya know, my birthday getaway coming up this weekend and all. Sigh...Oh well what do you do ..just weather the storm and see where it places you right??
So Jake being 7 yrs old and all, this unfortunately is not the first time in his young life that illness has come his way, I'm not that good of a mom..hehe. Anyway, every time he gets sick my hubby and I try to be the responsible parents that we should be and attempt to cram all the fruits and veggies down his little tummy that it can possibly stand. This of course includes JUICE. I emphasize this word because that is not a very popular word for Jake and as a matter of fact he would probably rather drink just about anything else in its place. However this to my husband is CRAZY TALK and the child MUST have at least 1 glass a day when he is feeling under the weather. And the battle now begins.....
So my hubby runs to the store for this house bound mommy and picks up all the necessities that one might need to regain a healthy child. He of course is SURE that he has now found the perfect brand and flavor of juice that is gonna send our little man into blissful joy and that he might even consume the whole container in one sitting. I, of course, try to stay positive and attempt to sell this oh so yummy drink to my not so interested son. Jake being the obedient child that he is, is willing to give it a try and may even be sold on the amazing pitch that his daddy and I just gave him on how this juice was great and different than any other before. I mean we have even gone so far as to enhance some stories on how we as kids adored this flavor as well and yada, yada, yada...not lie just enhance..hehe. We pour this tasty liquid into his glass and together we march into his room for the big presentation..quite funny when I think about it...and I hand this precious cup to Jake as his Daddy and I watch eagerly as he takes a sip. He nods, agreeing that THIS WAS a great idea and he could possibly learn to love this drink. With smiles on our faces we both leave the room feeling content with the mission....
About 15 mins later I walk back in to check on Jake and I find the sippy still filled to the brim and my people pleasing son admitting that it wasn't very good and he really doesn't want any more.

I however, am not surprised by this confession because it happens every time!!! Seriously every time. So, I go break the news to my hubby and he is always a little shocked at this outcome and then decides to open the OTHER bottle of juice that he picked up for him... and so the saga continues. So by the end of the day all I have is a little boy who is still sick and will only drink Sprite or 7up, and a hubby that is confused as to why our child doesn't like juice and this:

6 bottles of juice!! The amount of money we spend on juice gets pretty crazy sometimes!

You will notice that some of the containers do seem like they are missing quite a bit of juice and that is just because we have dispensed it to the other children or we attempted to crack the barrier and tried 2 rounds of that type with Jake. As you can see we have the never fail 7 up on hand so the child at least has 1 thing to drink that he likes.
Most of you are probably thinking that the time to introduce something new to your child is not when they are sick in bed and I agree...however, we have tried that route as well and it is also a no go.

Conclusion... Jake just does not like juice...the quicker we accept that as parents, the better off and cheaper it will be...I have come around to that idea, my hubby on the other hand, well that might take some work...LOL

Doggie Drama

So any of you who have read my previous posts know that animals, or "critters" as I so fondly refer to them, and I don't really mesh well. HOWEVER, if there was ever an animal that I could have feelings toward it would be this guy right here..Joey. We got this chocolate lab when he was a puppy and believe me we have the torn up backyard to prove it. Well it is now 2 1/2 years later and he has definitely grown on me.

This weekend we had quite the drama going down in our little backyard and not by the neighbor kids as one would think but a knock down, all out, crazy dog fight!!

Let me set the scene....This year for Christmas "Santa" got the kids a trampoline and oh boy has it brought them and the neighborhood MUCH joy. However every time the kids go in the back to jump we have to tie Joey up on his chain because he has figured out how to jump up on the trampoline, and well we figure that these contraptions are dangerous enough without a 100 lb. dog making the ride more interesting. So in order for the kids to jump he has to go on a chain. Of course he is just as excited about all the hub-bub going on and then too decides to voice his opinion in the only way he knows how...barking...ALOT!! So yep you guessed it after several complaints from the neighbor and a couple of threats of police getting involved and talk of fines my hubby and I decided that some sort of muzzle was the only way the kids could go enjoy their new toy and we not have to pay a fortune every time for this pleasure.

I know some of you are probably just thinking that we should use a barking dog collar, but they don't really work plus I I didn't like the idea of shocking him every time he makes a sound...so the homemade muzzle was invented.

Now I try to stay on top of the situation and he normally only has it on when the kids are on the trampoline and then they or I take it off pretty quickly after so it really isn't that big of a deal.

Now back to the drama....so Sat. afternoon the kids were in the backyard and Joey was sitting watching them jump. It was so pretty outside that day that Hailey heard the kids and wanted to go and play. I quickly got her shoes on and off we went to have some fun in the sun...Well when I walked out the back door and looked over in the direction of Joey I noticed another dog in our backyard. Now I don't know dog types very well, but he was decent size and looked kinda mean. There were 2 neighbor kids also there who came to jump so I figured the dog must be one of theirs. I immediately said,"Whose dog is that...You need to take him home." Well about the time I said that, the other dog started growling at Joey and as quick as a blink he jumped at him.

Well it was on then. The two dogs were up on hind legs going at it like crazy. Now I've seem a lot of dog fights but this one sounded different. Which at first made me think that maybe my eyes were deceiving me and they weren't actually seeing who could cause the most damage, but no that wasn't it because there was no doubt this was quite a brawl.....Ohhhh Well Hello..Joey's mouth was sealed shut!! I was only hearing 1 dog make all the scary sounds that accompany a fight like this and that also meant that MY dog was at a major disadvantage...chained up and unable to use his mouth.

I picked up a big stick to try and get between the two angry dogs and of course was yelling for Joey to back off the whole time. I kept telling the boy to call his dog, but he quickly informed me it wasn't his dog...Great...some stray dog has just attacked MY dog in MY backyard in front of MY kids and here I was gonna stop it with a mere stick?? I didn't even have any shoes on to try and step between them...not that, that would have been the right thing to do, but seriously it was all going so quickly. All I could think about was the safety of my kids and the fact that this wild dog was hurting my poor Joey. The way this dogs mouth was all over Joey I had no doubt that he was gonna be hurt bad.

Finally I got them broken up and the other dog scurried off out of our yard. Immediately I went to Joey to see the damage. Much to my surprise he wasn't bleeding ANYWHERE and didn't seem to be hurt either...Miracle! I quickly released his mouth and soothed and calmed him down. Other than the fact that his breathing was heavy he seemed to be Okay. I petted him and talked softly to him for quite awhile and when everything seemed okay..I looked up and the other dog was back and stalking the border of our fence. I told the neighbor boy, who then realized where this dog belonged to, to take him home and tell the owners that if I saw him around here again I was gonna call the pound. Now I'm not a fan of the pound but I can't have this aggressive dog looming around my house and the moment Joey is vulnerable again decide to get another whack at him. So the rest of he day I was on Doggie patrol and yes I released Joey from his chain and fed him some treats for his effort. And poof..I had a realization.. I guess I my feelings run deeper for this silly dog than I thought!!

The Happy Dance

There is nothing in this world (maybe except when Daddy comes home) that will get my little girl to come a running like the theme song to Dora the Explorer. It is actually quite comical really. She could be very content playing any where in the house and as soon as she hears that little jingle she drops whatever she is doing and makes a bee line for the T.V. It is kind of weird almost like a dog whistle or something. She will then continue to stand ever so close to the tube and do her little clumsy dance along with several claps and squeals. And maybe every now and then sing the last word of a line..oh yeah she is that good..hehe At first this was very exciting to me because I thought she was maybe getting to the stage where she might actually sit down through a program and I could get some things done without my little shadow, but no. Basically as soon as the theme song is done..so is she. Oh sure she will tease me every once in a while and ACT like she is interested only to chase after me as soon as I leave the room.
Her dancing is quite the sight as well. I tried to capture it on camera, but my her movements kept making the picture blurry. So let me describe it to you if I can. It reminds my hubby and I of Elaine, you know off Seinfeld. It's that one episode where she dances on the sidewalk to that street guitar player. Yep that is definitely what she looks like. One main difference is instead of the thumbs sticking out Hailey uses her index finger. But the same chicken wing flapping, foot stomping, finger pointing, neck bobbing out of rhythm jig is what my baby is performing . She must get that from her Daddy..hehe
This of course makes me smile because I am reminded of Trina's post a couple of days back when she talked about the things that babies can get away with and us being adults, well it would be just plain wrong.
I mean can you imagine when one of my favorite shows came on like ..Friends (yes I know it is only in reruns, but they still make me laugh), I stop loading the dishwasher, run into the living room blocking the T.V and begin jumping up and down, clapping and squealing with delight. Only to continue to dance until the intro is done??? I mean if I managed not to hurt myself the looks I would receive from my little family would still be of great concern. The children would stop dead in their tracks and Rusty probably would encourage me to get out of the house more. UMMMM..on second thought, maybe I'll give that a try!!

What Do Ya'll Think???

Okay everyone..I decided to take a page from some of my fellow bloggers' book and here is the new look!! I personally love it and I'm sure all of you can guess who the master designer of this baby was....Lindsay at Splat Designs
She so rocks!! I am so excited. She was so great and really worked quickly even though her baby was under the weather. Thanks Lindsay!!
Well I'm gonna post later but I just couldn't let my "New Face" go with out a few words.
Let me know what you think.......

Wordless Wednesday..kinda

I Love my hubby!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!!!

Remodeling Newbie Style....

As least I didn't go as far as this lady..hehe

So where is Bob Vila when you need him?? Or maybe Marthe Stewart?? Anyone, anyone??
So here is the deal. My hubby is gone on business and I got the wild hair to redo my bedroom while he was gone. You know have it all done when he gets back and be like,
"Surprise!" Okay so the one that is surprised is ME with all the work I have to do to get this thing accomplished.
We have been planning on redoing our bedroom, or should I say I have, but he has known about so it is not like I'm out spending tons of dough without his knowledge, but I was hoping that I could be resourceful and impress him.
However when he walks trough that door tomorrow impressed will not be the emotion he fills, probably more like confused and a little irritated.

I started out the day picking up some things for my walls and and selecting the perfect window treatment. Got home all excited to knock this task out and then maybe have some free time to kill. Naive aren't I?
We had a border that previously matched our old bedroom decor and that DEFINITELY had to go. No problem , I'll just peel that baby off and slap a coat of paint on and by morning all will be dry and right with the world. I know I'm sure many of you experienced decorators are laughing your heads off right now, but I seriously thought I had this under control.
Well I stared on the border and sprayed it with water as my good friend told me to. Went to scrap the paper and it wasn't coming up so easy. puzzling.. Okay no problem, I just need a better scrapper, I guess my FINGERNAILS won't do the trick...yes that is what I was using. More water applied, and got some sort of thin spatula like object that I was sure was going to do the trick..nope. Not much better. I quickly IMed Trina for some advice and she informed me that, "Yes it was gonna be some work" ..Greattttt, so I get back at it and work for about another 30-45 min and barely make a dent. Could I get carpal tunnel syndrome from this?? Cuz this was some crazy straining on my fingers. My wall was now drenched and streaks of water running down everywhere. I would wipe them away but you could still see it later. Was my paint wiping off as well?? How many can of worms did I open here?? I thought surely there is some else out there who has invented something to make this job easier..I mean it is 2007 and borders have been going up and coming off for years. Yes, I found it..you can buy something call DIF and it will do the trick. Well that doesn't help me right now plus I am anxious and on a time schedule, so I get the brilliant idea to research homemade removers.
Fabric softener and hot water apply with sponge or paint roller wait for 25 minutes and remove. Oh yeah, I got this now. Sad really how confident I am at times only to be knocked down a peg or two so quickly. So up on my wall goes 2/3 hot water and 1/3 fabric softener. Downy sure has a powerful smell when it is dripping down your shirt sleeve, past your armpit, and out the bottom of your shirt. GOOD TIMES. Of course the mixture is crazy thin and runs everywhere and I now trying to protect all my new wall hangings and carpet and new bed set with my slimy fabric soft fingers. GRRRRR... So now my room smells like a laundry mat, and not good like one but STRONG like one. 25 min later nothing happens. No peeling right off like what was promised, but more carpal tunnel injuries. So I am thinking that waiting on this DIF isn't such a bad idea after all. I mean a little patience never hurt anybody right??

On the Go!

Well it is 10:38 and I am finally sitting down to post for the day. Ever have one of those days where you feel like you woke up and hit the ground running?? Well that is how my day started and ended, with a little lull patch in between..it feels like I started this day ages ago.
Got Jake up and off to school then I spent a little time on the computer commenting on my ever so funny blogging buddies and then I had to get going cuz today was pre-school day for Jarred. Woke him and Hailey up, going against my number 1 rule never wake a sleeping baby, and dressed and off to school. My hubby called me to inform me that he was leaving soon.. business trip, gone for a couple of days:-( .... and did I have his stuff ready? NO....went home and sorted through the previous clothes mound that was left and had not yet been put away from our earlier trip. Ironed his shirts, definitely not a fan of ironing, and then packed his things up in a nice tidy little suitcase. Then off Hailey and I went to get Jarred from school. Ran a couple of errands and picked my brother and niece up from their apartment so he could make some phone calls, then took them home shortly after. Fed the kids some lunch and changed laundry over..again. Whew...I needed a break. Hailey was cranky from all the running and I was ready for some lazy time. I put her down and vegged out in front of the T.V. for a short spell.
Then it was back at it cuz Jake got home from school and was hungry and Jarred wanted milk and Hailey was waking up and my "me time" was over...I guess I should just be thankful that I got that..huh?
Basically from there it was finishing up laundry, finish unpacking, make dinner, bathing kids, cleaning up kitchen, reading a bedtime story and off to sweet dreams these little ones would go. My house looks like a few closets exploded and my floors look like I don't even own a vacuum cleaner. Didn't I just pick up this toy? Didn't I just wash this shirt? Who am I kidding, cleaning.. it is a vicious never ending cycle. Sigh. Wow being a single parent is definitely something I do not envy..no fun. I still have 2 more days and nights of this....Good Gravy!

Our Weekend

Home at last...Funny didn't I just start out the previous post with the exciting chant that we were out of here and how the trip was gonna be glorious and many memories were sure to be made?? Isn't it funny how when want something bad enough ( this case an excuse to get away for the weekend) you can make anything seem fantastic in your mind. Kinda the dreamy stary, eyed look until you are in the middle of it and you look at your hubby and say "Ohhh.Yeahhh. I remember now....."



Let me go back for a moment and start out by saying I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my kids...seriously love them.

Now, with that being said... I now know why the good Lord gave man the idea to build multi-room houses..parental sanity, and for that I am thankful. 4 kids ( We had our niece with us) who are 7 and under with 2 adults in 1 room, for 2 days 2 nights, with shopping ( no stroller) at the mall included...need I say more? I am sure you all can do the math. I not even gonna mention the lovely 2 hr car ride over and back.

Now I think my kids are pretty well behaved and really it wasn't so bad. We stayed in some pretty nice hotels ( thank you priceline..thank you Dennis) and they weren't running crazy screaming through the halls terrorizing the elderly or anything. Hehe..nothing even close to that. But once the doors were closed all the energy that was pent up was released and boy there was a lot going on. Jake and Jarred of course were all pumped up from watching their favorite "big boys" wrestle and so they thought they could do those very same moves on each other ..surely they could right?? So, yep you guessed it, our lovely made hotel beds now became 6x6 wrestling mats, except when they went out of bounds..they made a louder thud. Hailey and Jackie found all sorts of exciting things to do with toilet paper, seriously I didn't know it had so many functions. I think I probably set some sort of record for repeat phrases such as.."stop that..I said no..go to sleep...leave you brother alone...keep your hands to yourself.." Oh the joys of having active children. The diving from bed to bed thing was kinda new and it got very interesting when it became nap time and we had to keep 3 little voices quiet while the other was 6 feet away trying to drift off into a peaceful sleep... Fun, Fun.

The tourney was great..the boys did awesome and we were so proud. My nephew will be an alternate along with Isaish. River barely missed out on going. They all wrestled hard and after some questionable calls( but I might be bias..hehe) it was over. Good times were had and they all will be forces to reckon with next year.

I did get some good shopping in with my dear Trina and we did have some great times. We found some cute dresses for my special B-bay getaway and I picked up a few accessories to match..can't live with out accessories. Little side note here.. I love the mall...it makes me happy. Trina and I were just saying that people who live in big towns are so lucky to have that kind of access. Very unfair to us country folk..hehe ok my sob story is done.

So we are home now..feeling pretty tired from all the hub-bub and actually looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and the children in their own beds. The weekend is over and now I have to say it was fun...BUSY but fun. Am I ready to do it all again tomorrow?? Uhhh..no.
Will I be just excited about it the next time?? Definitely..what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger..hehe

So I took a couple of pics of the little monkeys during a slow patch..however once the modeling session over it some how rejuvenated them and it was back to action on the mats!!

Sorry about the quality of the pics but I forgot my camera and we can only expect so much from a camera phone....


Here they are all posing like good little children .......

Of course every time any camera comes out the boys love to strike a pose



Little Hailey Ann playing with her toes.....



My hubby having a little computer time amongst the madness..hehe



Our home-aide refrigerator...are we redneck or what?? Never know when your gonna need a Dr. Pepper in the middle of the night..Isn't that crazy that the Doubletree didn't have a fridge?? I mean even Motel 6 has one don't they?

Okay that was our weekend...how was yours??

Gone for the Weekend!!

We are out of here. This weekend Rusty and I are taking the kids to the big regional wrestling tournament. It is a bout a 2 hr. drive so we will be spending the night as well. It is smack dab next to a big city where the shopping there is definitely calling my name. We are going to watch and cheer like crazy for our nephew, Zach, and our "adoptive nephews", River and Isaiah. (Not really but we will claim them though.) It will be a true test for these fellas cuz The cream of the crop is starting to rise. However never fear these boys are amazing and even though they are all new to this experience, they'll do great. And if they don't advance well them, no worries, we are still so proud of them.
So excited about the family getaway. A little shopping, watching some good competition, some pool time for the kiddies, and ohh the possibilities. So anyway I'm gone for the weekend and I 'll be back on Monday to tell of my tales of the "Big City".
My hubby will be here in about an hour and I still haven't packed, showered, bathed the kids, or even picked up the house. Oh my I gotta GO!!!!!

The Angry Chickens

A dear friend of mine posted yesterday about her temporary country life and that she really wasn't cut out for that kind of living. Can I just say HILARIOUS post...Anyway, it sparked some not so fond memories of my really one and only encounter with those wild and dangerous..chickens. Yes that is what I said, chickens. They can be very scary you know..yes very scary.

So about 4 years or so ago Trina ( yes, another Trina story..hehe) and her family went on a little vacation. They had some chickens and a few ducks and they asked Rusty and I to tend to them while they are away. Sure..no problem is what my hubby told them and really it wasn't..until I had my first face off with these wile little creatures. Now for the most part Rusty would go up and check on them by himself, or we would go up together. It was summertime and so we would go up often to make sure they had enough water...No dehydrated chickens our my watch...hehe

Anyway, one day Rusty called me to let me know that I needed to go check on the "birds" by myself because he was gonna be home late. Now Jake was about 3 or so and Jarred was just a baby. I said no problem and the kids and I charged up the mountain to do this little task. I mean after all I'd seen it done 10 times before..piece of cake.

We reached their house and the chicken Coop was around back. I drove around so I could be close enough for Jake, my worrier, to be able to see me. It was windy that day and as I walked up I heard the chickens making quite the ruckus...Got to be honest here, freaking me out a little. However my little boy was watching intensely and I knew this mommy had to step up and be a good country girl that my hubby could be proud of. Many thoughts raced through my mind as I walked up to their little wooden building. Were they all gonna come flying out of this house and I would have to spend the next 3 hrs chasing and TOUCHING these little beasts? Or worse maybe they would like attack me, and I was gonna have to fend them off with any means necessary as my little one watched in horror. Seriously these were my thoughts because the noise that was coming from their little home sounded angry, like maybe they were potentially on the verge of being crazy. I mean can farm chickens carry rabies??

Okay..Deep Breathe ..Get in and Get out is what I kept chanting to myself. I pulled hard on the door hoping that the swift opening would I don't know maybe surprise them and I could catch them off guard. However much to my dismay..they were not surprised by me, as a matter of fact the only reaction I got was louder and more frightening chatter like the start of a riot. I stepped inside still nervous that one might get out and then they all started to gather around my legs. Frozen with fear I looked down at them as their large wings were starting to beat and their razor sharp beaks looked like they could possibly peck right through my skin.. basically it was mayhem. The door behind me slammed shut and with the adrenaline rush I was experiencing from the noisy, and what seemed like angry hens, caused a screamed what is to only be called a blood curdling scream. One in which I am even turning a little red in the face now remembering that moment. Now you can imagine how my little 3 yr. old nervous joe, Jake, was taking the screaming that his mommy was continuously producing. I just couldn't stop myself. He then also started screaming my name and crying hysterically. However I was caught up in my own nightmare having to fend off these little monsters so I could get the right food in the right place and the "scratch" in the right place. I emerged from the small building feeling beaten and a little shaky. Knowing that I still had to go back to that violent scene to WATER these little critters did not make me happy.

I finally got Jake and Jarred ( who was also upset from all the yelling his mommy and big bubba were doing) calmed down only to hear Jake's pleas for me NOT TO GO BACK IN!! I said it was gonna be Okay, that the door just scared me when it slammed. Really who was I kidding though.. I continued to scream the whole time I was in there, the door was only a tiny part of my trauma. He knew it, I knew it, but I still had to make it sound good right? My job wasn't done, I went back in, watered the little pests and called it a day. The car ride home was silent as Jake and I both came to grips with the fact that we both stared danger in the eye and lived to tell about it. At least that was what I was thinking.......

Come Give Momma A Kiss

A few months ago some teenage boys from our church were at our house visiting with Rusty and me. Somehow we got on the subject of when the last time they told their mom they loved them. To my shock and horror most of them started confessing that they couldn't even remember the last time they said those 3 little words, much less gave them a small kiss on the check. (However, I'm sure their moms remember.) I admittedly had mixed emotions about this because now that I was a mommy I would hate to think that my little guys are ever gonna get to the stage where they are TOO COOL to show some affection to their momma.
However it did take me down memory lane as I too remember the times when I would cringe at the thought of my parents even acting like they knew me much less crossed the room to speak to me. And as for hugs, my poor parents, not really an option. Sorry Mom, Sorry Dad. Now let me take this opportunity to clarify that it was not My Actual parents that was the problem. It was the fact that I was a typical, extremely bored, eyes rolling, teenager when it came to my parents. Over the top Definitely, but to me at that present time I was just being normal and they just didn't get me...hehe Oh how times have changed.
So today I was able to have a little lunch date with Jake at his school. Every year each grade has a designated day that lets the parents come eat with their kids, and today was the 2nd graders day. Jake of course has been reminding me everyday since late last week that today was the day. (He is a bit of a worrier and I guess thinks his mommy is very absent minded..hehe) So, Jarred, Hailey and I ran through McDonald's ( cuz this is one gal that won't eat cafeteria food if I can avoid it..been there, done that) and we headed to the school.
My concerned little Jake was waiting anxiously at he door for us and I wasn't even late. We went on in and ate a nice little lunch, but before we left he wanted to show me his locker which had a sign displaying his goal of reaching winter benchmark. After he showed us the "locker of fame" I told him we better go and I could see that he was just as anxious to get to recess. Now I forgot to mention that the hall was busy with some hub-bub. You know..nothing crazy but there were some classes going to the cafeteria, some students walking to the bathroom and etc. Anyway I said, "Okay give me a kiss bye." This being a normal and very reasonable request I'm thinking. However the hesitation is what stumped me. He looked both ways as if to see if anybody would notice him give his MOTHER a kiss. He decided it was safe and with a quick hug and kiss he was off to make some noise on the playground.
Now I know he loves his momma and he still lets me hug and kiss around on him all the time at home. But, are we getting to that faze where I'M the uncool parent in public?? Surely not. Right?? Sigh. Well if so I guess I will just take what I can get. Maybe every now and then get a little extra squeeze and smooch in... on my own turf.

Just 101 things....

I was in the kitchen this morning fixing Jake's lunch for school when he walked up behind me and nervously asked me a question. "Mom, I know I'm gonna be in trouble but, do we have 101 things that I can put into a bag and take to school?" You can imagine my surprise by this question as I looked at the clock that showed he had 20 mins. before school started. My reaction was, "UHHH...no what do you need it for? And why are you asking me this question when you are about ready to walk out the door??" He of course was looking very guilty and explained he forgot and that it was for the celebration of 101 days of school. The little look on his face soften me and so I said, "Okay so what are we talking about here?" He eagerly told me just small things and was quickly trying to pacify this irritated mommy. So I went to town. Rushing around the house in a sprint trying to accumulate 101 things in now 17 minutes.
He of course was still looking nervous as I would ask him if certain objects were okay.He would always nod in agreement, but I could sense that he was not feeling the objects. The thing that finally broke the silence was when I picked up an arm off some poor action figure that had obvious seen better days and asked if he could use it...hehe..I know but i was desperate.. That is when he then decided to break the news that it had to be similar items and maybe even along the lines of the food group. Like beans or macaroni. He kept referring to them as I would show him paper clips, batteries, wire ties, and all sorts of junk that was in an obvious "catch all" basket. I would think okay I'll put a bean and a piece of macaroni in, but my tight lipped son was worried that the more he turned down, the hotter the water he was gonna be in for springing this project on me last minute.
So, I had mercy and we counted out 101 black beans and put them in a Ziploc bag. He mumbled something under his breath as he put his back pack on, so I asked him what he said. He said "Oh nothing I was just thinking that it could have been something I could actually have eaten, but I know we are running late." My words back, "Don't push it." Message received. And off he and his little black beans went to be educated.

This Cinderella needs a Tan

Okay so the big 3 0 is coming up and I can sense that something is in the works. Are my senses that keen, you ask?? Well...no, actually I have dropped several subtle and not so subtle hints letting my hubby know not to drop the ball on this one. And like the wonderful husband that he is he picked up on the clues and is running away with it. I believe that he has enlisted the help of our dear friends, Dennis and Trina, and something is definitely going down. So everything is very hush-hush, which I love. I can't tell you how special they make me feel by going to all this work just to make this day great. I love them!!

So, anyway, the small bits and pieces that I been able to gather is that we are going somewhere and I need a dress for the occasion. Well this got my imagination going and I am so excited. I mean was it gonna be like Cinderella with out the whole mean, ugly step-family thing?? I could go down every fairytale in the book, but only time will tell right?

I mentioned to my hubby that if I was gonna get all dressed up for this day maybe I should tan for the occasion as well. He agreed to the idea so I was set...a tanning I will go. One small problem, finding the actually tanning bed. Now there are a couple of hair salons around that have A tanning bed, I just need to find one that would fit my time frame and budget. So, out I go this afternoon to burn my skin for the good cause of my birthday and looking great in my dress. I pulled up to the little salon and ....dark. Closed. Grrrrreat. No problem I was still motivated, my spirits were still up. On to the next place I thought. Again closed. Sigh. I had one more place to try....

Now this place was special. You see, I mentioned before that I live in a tiny town, you know.. the one with 1 blinking stoplight, so I should be tickled pink that there are at least 2 tanning places available. But I did have one more option left. I drove over to the little building and ...oh, did I say building, I meant HOUSE. Yes, that is right, my last option was out of some one's house. Now to be fair she is also running a hair salon out of it as well, but I'm sure by appointment only. I just couldn't bring myself to just walk up to this lady's door and ask if I could tan in her back room. Just didn't feel right, ya know?? I mean what if I got my info wrong and she was like .."UHHH..What are you talking about??" No I definitely need to remove myself from that potential embarrassing moment. So, feeling bummed, I decided that it simply was not in the cards for me to tan TODAY. But, tomorrow I will again give it my best effort to track down a place that will help this possible Cinderella get a golden tan.

Reaching Benchmark

Last year, at the end of the school year I went to my son, Jake's school assembly. The principal was up and he was encouraging us parents to be all we could be and participate actively in our child's learning process. (This is the part that I was actually listening to.) Anyway, he told us a static that was a little alarming and hopeful untrue. He told us that if we didn't continue to have our children read over the summer then they could go DOWN 1-2 grade levels in this area!! Well, Jake was only in 1st grade and so what.... he was gonna totally gonna forget how to read...not possible.
Well the summer came and went and good times were had by all, and nobody was ready for the school year to begin again. I did however remember this little assembly briefing and I honestly often considered getting some books out and having Jake read them now and then. But I didn't. Now I'm not saying he didn't read all summer, but it definitely was not on a routine bases or even close to that.
At the beginning of the year the kids are all tested to see where their reading level is at. Our school has what is called "benchmark." This is the reading level that the child should be at according to his grade. It is determined by how many words they are able to read correctly in a minute. Now I am a little confused on who actually decided the level and how they know that EVERY CHILD in that grade should be there and at that speed, but who am I??
Well we got a letter about the 3rd or 4th week of school informing us that Jake did not reach benchmark. Now, Jake is a pretty smart little boy, so this news was of course unsettling to me and my husband. However I do claim most of the responsibility for this drop because of the lack of effort on my part throughout the summer. I was pretty upset with myself because after all I am the parent and I should have encouraged more reading time. I really wasn't out to test the Principal's theory or challenge that little stat that he quoted last year, the summer just got away from us. I know... I must seem like the worst mom ever.
Anyway, the letter informed us that they would test the children again in Jan. and see if they reached the next benchmark. So that was our new goal, we had some ground to cover, but I had confidence in him that we could get him there. Well as the date for the next test got closer and closer, I personally was feeling a little nervous. Not really sure why, but it was definitely there. I mean what was gonna happen??? Nothing. I mean he is only in second grade..right?
At the beginning of each week they would test his reading speed. Now it would frustrate me because the material that they would bring home was alittle ramble some, and actually was pretty boring. Jake would not do so great at the first read, which he was just given and asked to read immediately, so his cold time was not very good. But by the end of the week his hot time was amazing and he would almost double this score. However when the next week rolled around and a new passage was handed out he would drop back down. VERY FRUSTRATING!! Now is this just the momma bear in me coming out to protect my bear cub?? Maybe. But the whole grading scale is waka-doo, if you ask me. I mean why the element of surprise here??
Well, Jake came home from school Friday very excited because he had done it...he reached benchmark!! I was so pumped for him and the look of pride and accomplishment on his little face was wonderful. He did great and Rusty and I are so proud of him. Not just because he reached this goal, but because he also learned by hard work and dedication you can achieve alot.
As for the whole "benchmark" thing, I'm not convinced that it is the right way to judge a child's reading level and their skills surrounding that, and if speed reading is really a necessity for 2nd graders. But this summer we will definitely have some quiet time with a book in our hands. Lesson learned.
BTW...Sorry about the crazy long post.:-)

MY Wal-Mart Experience

Okay, so my fast typing friend beat me to the punch...AGAIN!! Like she said living in this "One horse town"...there isn't much blogging material outside the walls of your own house. So, when alittle something comes along you snatch it...but I'm just a little slow..hehe.

In case the small number of you who have found your way to my blog without checking Trina's first I am referring to her post this morning.....So here is my take on the night's adventure in case your interested..heheh..

So knowing that the weekend was shaping up to be a crazy, on the go one I know I needed to get some things in the fridge and pantry to satisfy the troops. I wrangled my friend Trina into going to " Wally World" with me and we could have a little girl time...I mean all work and no play?? No way, not this girl..hehe. I know it IS sad that this is are only option, but what do you do?? We take what we can get. Luckily the hubby's can sense when we need a break and scoot us on our way when we mention these opportunities. Side note, we have WONDERFUL husbands. I know we are super blessed.

So we get all gussied up, sweatshirts and slicker pants..no make up on my part and maybe a little lip gloss on hers, and off we go to tackle the world of grocery shopping. Of course we make time for a quick bite to eat...Yummy, and continue the task at hand. After way to long at Wal-Mart, I soon fill the cart to complete capacity and we venture off to the checkout.

Being the independent girls that we are we, she decided to experience the self check stand and get a real feel for the cashier life. I was willing to give it a shot ..you never know when you need to rush through the check out stand because you forgot the baby wipes or some other important thing that was forgotten on the list. The self check place would be handy for these such occasions. She went first with her mere 5 items and, smooth as silk....However my 76 items posed us more of a challenge.

I had something to return and so knowing that she was enjoying the whole checking fantasy I left her to continue while I did the exchange. Of course that seemed to take forever cuz you know it is Wal-Mart and it is about 10:45 at night. I get back to my friend who is caught up in her world of scanning cans of green beans and diapers and I attempt to take over. Now that is where the hold up occurs. I scan something twice and after it is finally overrided ( is that a word?) I resume again. I then scan some apples and I guess they must have thought I was paying the for the labor, the gas, assembly line, and whatever else it took to get the bag of apples to the store cuz it was a small fortune. It rang up wrong and to correct that we again had to call for help. After more waiting and punching in a series of number by a worker, finally we are back to the checking of my last few items. I then go to pay with a check and they acted think I needed clearance with the CIA. I think a total of 5 or 6 workers came over and of course none of them knew what to do when this crazy thing called a check was being used. Finally the had to call in the "Big Dog" and she was able to master the payment task and we were finally done with this place. So in the freezing cold we walked or should I say half ran to the suburban, tossed the groceries in and headed home. I took her up her curvy little mountain and headed home to see my man.

When I got home he graciously helped my unload the handfuls of sack and we settle into the kitchen as we unpacked them. I was chattering away about my evening and divulging only bits and pieces of my girl time..hehehe..and he all of a sudden said,

"Man....What's the deal?" I looked up and he then said, "There is like no rhyme or reason on how they packed these sacks?"

Shaking his head in almost disgust, like somebody should maybe loose their job over this, I busted out laughing....He looked at me like I was crazy and then I explained to him the the incompetent "sacker" at Wal-Mart was his lovely wife and our dear friend Trina!!

So there you have it...a couple of lessons here:

1. Don't go to costumer service at 10:45 at night unless waiting at the counter forever is on the agenda.

2. Don't pay with a check at the "self check" lines unless a lady is posted at her station ready for service.

3. Trina and I did not miss our calling on being the all-american sack girls like maybe we thought we did.

4. Last but not least...I love spending time with Trina, no matter what the adventure we always have a blast!!!!!!!!!!!

Trina's Challenge

So I went to check out my friend, Trina's, blog today and she presented us with a little challenge. She prompted us into showing our little "hidden treasure troves" I think is how she put it. So everyone knows I love to play games..any games, and I'm always up for embarrassing myself so here goes....
Now of course I'm not showing you the worst little nukes and crannies of my home..I don't want to reveal all my secrets. My little pics are of things in plain site..You know the things I wake up to and I'm surprised I have to clean the same spot again TODAY. Clutter..Clutter


This of course is my entry way and the "Catch All" of the house. Appropriate place don't you think?? Right when company walks in. And of course the fallen pictures on the bottom are due to my little darling trying to get a better veiw of her loved ones...So innocent right?


This is the spot where my children decide to pile their shoes and coats. I guess I need to put a lower hook on that coat rack. Again, this is in the corner of my living room for all to see.




This is the infamous junk drawer. Most of the time it is left half way open because it is too heavy for my little men to shut after they have gotten some "tool" they think they needed. As you can see Hailey is peering over the edge checking out the view. She is all too familiar with this little spot. This is her mini in-door playground. All sorts of fun dangerous gadgets to cause trouble with....

So there you have it...Anybody else brave enough for this test???