Happy Halloweeeeennnn!

Hope you get all the candy and tricks you hope for! We have been running around all morning and are now home to rest up for the night! THE man will be home in a bit (YAY) from Cali, my mom will be here around 5ish and we are hitting the streets for some treats with the kiddo's. They are unbelievably excited and Boy2 would live in his costume if I would let him, that child is so great about things and makes it so fun with his enthusiasm! Boy1 and Boy3 are also excited so it will be a fun time! After our tot'ing we are rushing home to toss the boys in bed and THE man and I are going out on the town....decked out baby. I will post pics afterward because I am sure it's going to be worth laughing over...had I planned more I would have come up with some cute little couple costume for us to wear but no time. After 30 min at Target and 45 min debating at Party City it has been decided...but I will keep you in suspense hehe. I still need to piece a few more things together but I am super stoked about going out with THE man and some friends!
Happy Halloween, Ya'll!

So NOT cool

As previously mentioned I allowed Boy1 to "skip" school today as they only have a 2 hour day. Well I seriously thought we would all sleep in til at least 7. Typically I am dragging Boy1 out of the bed at 6:30 to get dressed and eat and leave by 7. However today when no one had school, no one had to leave at 7 to get to school by 7:15....Boy3 woke up at 6:10 and Boy1 and Boy2 were up at 6:20 trying to quietly play in Boy1's room in THE DARK!? It's dark for crying out loud there is a rule somewhere that says children are not allowed to wake up before the sun is showing....I am positive of this. I come stomping up stairs and point them both back into bed and remind them that it's still dark (my argument for not getting up) and that he is staying home from school so I (er...we) get to sleep in...Boy1 says to me "well I just wanted to stay home so I could spend time with you" ugh he had to go and be sweet darn kid. I still didn't buy it and told him to get in bed and that PART of the reason he was staying home was so that *we* could sleep in. Geesh!?

Blasted computer

I shouldn't even complain about the thing because 1- I didn't pay for it and 2- I can't pay for a new one right now and 3- if it were to break I would be s-c-r-e-w-e-d BIG time as my work depends on it. But it is not made for this type of stuff...large picture files and large peices of software. So it's slow, slow sloooowwww. It's driving me nuts. Now I should say it's not sluggish all the time but after a days work it starts getting a wee bit sleepy.

And brrr is it cold outside! Seriously on Monday when we bummed around town being out and about I had no clue it was going to be SO cold and I am not sure that it's warmed up, it seems down right freezing out there! I am just shivering even thinking about it. I am totally ready for the cooler weather though so bring it on....well not ALL of it because I really actually can't stand COLD weather but I can handle cool :)

Boy1 is skipping school tomorrow....and his teacher knows this so it's all good. They have like a 2 1/2 hour day or some thing ridiculous. And really I do not feel like getting up at the ass crack of dawn just to get up him haul him to school just to have him sit there for 2 hours and then come home. SO we are opting to stay home and sleep in all the way to 6:30, we're such rebels, I tell ya.

Sweetness

from Cuteness. When Boy3 was born for some reason I always called him cuteness...ie "hi cuteness" etc. Not sure why it didn't last...maybe cus his tude' ain't so cute. But gosh darn it if his tude isn't ubber cute sometimes. Some cute things from him for today.
When I picked him up from "school" today he grinned huge and ran to me as always but when I picked him up the first thing he said was "I MISS youuu!" in his little sing songy voice he has. not a big surprise really because he's been saying that every time I (or THE man) come back from anywhere, usually when I walk in the door I get a "MOMMY! We MISS you!!!" It's mighty cute, and makes me giggle every time he says it.
Tonight after a phone call he kept picking up the phone off my desk and telling me "I need call somebody" really who does a 2 year old need to call? Silly.
The way he talks and enunciates certain words with his itty bitty little voice is just too darn cute, really it is.

Just to clarify...

I just happened to skim a post I made a couple weeks back...our van did not COST us 40K, it has 40K miles on it not 40k dollars...not that it really matters but when I reread it a few times I was like geesh that sounds snotty. So yeah not any sort of big deal but....yeah

Busy Bee

So I really wanted to just post all about our new little golf family we created today full with pictures and all BUT because I have like a bazillion pictures to load of 1-personal stuff and 2-sessions that's just not going to happen because I am beyond behind SOOO instead just invision. 1 T-tiny little golf set for Boy2 that is so flippin adorable it's just not even explainable...like a fo real set for ages 2-5 FLIPPIN.CUTE! Trust me. 1 tiny little set for Boy1 also flippin' adorable but not as small so not quite as cute but darn cute still! And 1 rockin' sweet set for yours truly. My dad has decided that we are all the next Tiger Woods' and has outfitted all 3 of us with golf equipment. Boy2 in the past has expressed lots of interest in playing golf, I have mentioned this to grandpa who must have heard "Boy2 wants to go pro" and has even go so far as to calling around at courses, cute really. So Boy2 got clubs, Boy1 got clubs so he's not left out and moi got clubs so I can join in on the fun. Needless to say my swing ain't a pretty sight and it's been deemed necessary for me to take lesson's. Interesting that will be I am sure. I haven't voiced much interest in golf but whatever I guess I can have a new hobby or sumpin...besides my new purply clubs sure are going to be cute with me swinging them...and of course the semi cute golf shoes I get to sport. Wooooo-weeee I am going to look sharp out there at least right? I mean I did get under par a few times on the Wii it can't be too hard....

On another good note, I posted on my "work" (for some reason it's still hard for me to call it that) blog about my special for fall back in September and it's seriously picked up quite a bit of business which is awesome! I don't know that I was completely prepared though and am feeling a bit swamped...things are getting done ahead though so that's good, which also means I must have been more prepared than I realized. And I am super stoked to see things pick up so much it's seriously awesome to see things fall into place even more that they already have. After years of talking about it and not doing, it's awesome to be finally getting closer to where I want to be with it.

Silent-ish Saturday

make it a weekend thing? a recap from the previous week? (well at least what I have had time to load and "review") Works for me. Let's rock and roll...

After piano lessons...

goofing off while waiting during piano lessons...(and I have to mention that we do take care of Boy2 so please excuse the scrapes, bruises, ketchup, and the chipped tooth...remember it's Boy2 it's pretty typical)

going to vote!

Cough, hack, gag...Repeat.

That's apparently what we are listening to all weekend...potentially ALL.WINTER.LONG. Joy...of course not to dismiss the person who is actually having to do the coughing, hacking, and gagging because he (boy3 and boy2 at the moment) I am sure is much more miserable than we are just listening to it. I took them to the mall play area today, I think parents were sanitizing their kids hands double time after we left, shame on me taking my asthmatic child out in public to cough on everyone. Just in case any strangers are reading this and know who boy3 is HE IS NOT SICK and he will NOT make your child sick so stop shooting me (and him) dirty looks. He just can't breath when he gets hot and he needs to cough, get some water, cool down and of course repeat. And boy2 tends to get the same way he however has a little sniffle so he MIGHT get your child sick but I am thinking not...that darn cough will last him a few good weeks at least, but you should be safe from him. Maybe... then again Maybe Not.
We had the boys baseball party tonight....our team was great this season. I loved the parents they loved us...we all loved each other :) Really we did, I wish we could keep them forever and have the same team forever and ever. But alas we will have to break in a new team in next year, Boo. We had our party at CiCi's Pizza, they weren't completely prepared for all of us despite my giving them a warning call 2 weeks ago (ie I booked a "space" for us) but they got everything set up quickly and we had a grand ole time. The boys got trophy's courtesy of L&K Trophy they did a great job again this year and the kids loved them! I will miss our Mets...I am telling you it's just as much for the parents this Tee Ball thing....possibly MORE fun.
Hope everyone has a great weekend, we have a busy one as usual...I am sure you will hear from me at some point, it seems I can't stay away for too long these days.

What a bummer..

Thought I would start a new post for this because it's bugged me all darn day long but I didn't want to cloud my other proud post....as this one makes me not so proud.
I am volunteering at boy1's school on Thursday's and help the teacher with the kids vocab tests. I am so happy to be able to go up there and do something helpful and just be a person there...anyway right back to the point. So I am sitting there with 2 more kids to call up to my little table for their test and on comes the intercom "We have a code red lock down" I immediatly remember the email and phone call I recieved this week letting us parents know that they would be doing drills this week so I don't panic....that is until I realize I have 5 min before I HAVE to leave for my 10am session. "lock down" as in I can't leave!? crap send a little tm to THE man with my 10's number just to let her know I would be late. So ok problem "solved" but as I am sitting there it occurs to me that my sweet little boy is laying there on the floor practicing a code red drill, practicing what he and his other sweet little classmates would do if a gunman were to come into the school. A GUNMAN!? His teacher starts going over with them what they should do if they are not in the classroom when the alarm goes off, and they are to go into the bathroom and sit on the potty with their feet up so the "badman" can't see them. Seriously my 6 year old would have to hover over a potty scared to death alone. I am so NOT ok with that, that is all sorts of wrong. Why the hell are we letting this stuff happen?! I wasn't sure if I was going to cry or scream after I left. I understand that they have to practice this...but what pisses me off is that things have happend making them have to practice what they would do if someone was going to come into their elementary school to start shooting children. Seriously what the hell people. I don't know how to fix it but it's very sad to know that my... OUR children are growing up having "gunmen drills". What in the world is it going to be like when they have kids? It's scary and it's disturbing watching them practice that drill, it's disturbing to know that these sweet innocent little kids have to learn so young these things. I don't fault our school system or the county for teaching them that, I guess I am "glad" they are trying to be prepared. I hate HATE it, I hate that other innocent children have had to really face something so terrifying. I don't care what other people believe about gun laws, something has to change about it...despite people saying it's not the laws and that it's people that don't know gun safety blah blah blah is all I hear...I honestly don't give a rat's ass who is at fault I just want it fixed. I want our kids to be able to go to school and not be worried they are going to be shot. I don't think that's too much to ask.

I voted!

Have you!? Mark this in my baby book "first time to vote--October 23, 2008". I felt like a grown up or sumpin. Yay me and my girl move today :)

Tuesday Twelve

Lots to say tonight I am feeling hopefully I can keep it down...to a minimum, no promises.
Rolling...
1. I just got off the phone with my dad....let's just say my head hurts. I love him but he stresses himself out beyond belief, which in turn stresses me out and everyone else.

2. Boy3 has cried on and off today for THE man...poor little guy misses his daddy.

3. I like my little label system, not exactly clever but it entertains me every darn time I type it. Boy1, Boy2, Boy3, THE man. Cute and again it entertains me at least. :-D

4. I have been so graciously blessed with you know who today...stupid witch. Really I am beginning to feel like Gavin is going to remain the baby forever. Which on one hand I am ok with and on the other I am not. The biggest issue I am having is the whole living in "limbo" thing. I am not comfortable there.

5. I am stopping everyone few numbers to pick back up editing after my batch finishes up so I hope I don't trail off too much because I am distracted...have I mentioned that while I LOVE taking pictures that my least favorite part is editing/proofing. Bleh I a slow and I am guessing not as photoshop educated as I should be. I do ok and I know enough to get by but I imagining that my method can be streamlined much more as I am ridiculously SLOOOOW with it which is just torture for me!

6. The boys are slowly turning in to video game junkies...I am not crazy about this. I am glad it entertains them but I would much rather them be outside playing!

7. That said I believe we are getting boy1 THIS for Christmas. I have played with it a few times at Target and it looks pretty cool.

8. I am trying to figure out about Xmas this year a bit earlier than normal for me...I don't have tons of ideas for them like I normally do but I typically do a bigger thing and then some small stuff. So far Boy1's big is the above, Boy2 a bike, and Boy3 maybe THIS?? Each thing is under a hundred bucks so that's good and the 4 or 5 small things are under 20 (some are under 10) so we should keep it decently moderate this year and limit the ridiculous amounts of JUNK we end up with.

9. I have a friend who can't stand sentences that end in prepositions...consequently I think about it every time I do it but am too lazy to figure out a better wording...lazy ass?

10. I promise one day I will recap the 365's...I am still truckin' along with them, still lots of sleeping pics but some other really good ones too.

11. Almost done with the wedding photos!! (that's what I am working on now...I said 2 weeks and I am about out of time with that deadline!)

12. Tomorrow is my clean day...I hope I can do that our bathrooms really could use a once over.

Ok....I will shut it :) Enjoy your Tuesday evening!

7 Years

Now would be the time for me to dig up some old photos from our wedding...but the lazy part of me just really cannot bring my self to truck downstairs, drag out the album, pick out a few picks, scan them, make them look right, and then post them here. I could do that but instead I will let you visualize it all by yourself :)
Trust me it was a perfect day. It was a beautiful fall day, sunny not too hot, not too cold. It was p-e-r-f-e-c-t. As I have previously said we got married at my grandparents farm (Lilac Hill). They got things all spiffied up for us and rented chairs, tables, a tent etc just for us. We got more compliments on our wedding, it was decently sized for a "back yard" wedding. We had about 100-125 guests, it was simple and really it was exactly what I wanted...it really was. It seems like everyone pitched in to help make it happen and to help make it perfect. A friend of THE man's mother did our cake for us (which I was told was fab...I never actually got a chance to try it past us cutting it) a friend of mine worked for a food company and helped us get most of the food. My mom and I picked out my flowers and my bridesmaids and I made them the night before (fresh flowers thank you :) ) It was all planned in less than 4 months, and it was perfect. I was nervous and THE man cried, which made me cry and my mom thought I was going to skip out on the vows...but I just needed a moment to catch my breath so I wouldn't start sobbing hehe. Anyway I could go on and on all day about the little things I remember from the day but I won't. I really can't believe it's been 7 years...I really am a lucky girl. We have something good here, we really do.

Stuck

Boy3 is stuck between being a baby and a "big boy". He's not sure where he stands on the matter. One day he's perfectly content doing many things on his own, the next he is absolutely not capable of doing all the things he previously did just fine. His new thing is getting up...funny thing is that he learned to sit him self up around 8 or 9 months. Now he insists he flat out cannot do it. He has called (er cried) me into his room 4 times now tonight...I stomp in to hear him go "cuuupppp" with his little arm stretched out trying to reach his sippy cup. You would think he's paralyzed as the cup is just sitting 6 inches from his hand on his bookshelf by his bed, surely something is wrong was to why he CANNOT reach that cup. But nope he's just 2 and he's confused. Poor kid is also sick yet again. Someone recently told me her son had a similar type of thing when he was little... sick a lot asthma etc etc, til they got rid of their pets. We got the cats when he was 6 weeks old...I am hoping it's not them but something is and I have got to figure it out. But I am not sure how to go about that. Looking like a trip to walk-ins is in store for us in the morning so I will talk to the doc about it then. He's not feverish or any of that in fact **knock on wood** he never is, it's always the same...slight runny nose, cough, wheezing. Wheezing hasn't started just yet too bad but his cough and poor little voice sound awful.
THE man left for TX today...our Anniversary. Yeah we suck at those, hence me not starting this post about it. Darnit. Right he left for TX and boy3 is NOT happy about this at all, he's been crying for Daddy on and off since he left. :(

Silent Saturday

Major Brag

On my Boy2 (one of the ones deemed not smart smart in a previous post because he didn't ride a big bike til he was 3). He has redeemed his ranking in the "really smart, smart" category that I have established to instill lots of ruthless competition and fighting between my children. Ok well not really....not really at all....it happens just not here.
Right onto the real reason of this post...to brag on Boy2. He is seriously trying to catch up and keep up with Boy1 in the reading/learning category. So he's mastered all the letters and their sounds...I mean for real has it down pat. So today on the way home from taking Boy1 to school he asks me if I will sit in his room with him and help him learn to read, I said well yes I would love to but before we can do that he needs to learn a little bit more about words. So I start popping a few off to him for him to sound out and spell. We start with bus...he has had the beginning sound thing down for a few months now....and off he goes B-U-S. Wow! So I toss out a few more....nails every last flipping one. Even a few harder ones like pen (spell it phoenetically it's a bit tricky with that e in there) and hop (again long "o"). Then I toss a 4 letter word at him-- Stop, and he nailed it too! I am thinking genius? Ok so not really but still he's only 4 and he's having zero problem with this AND I have NOT been quizzing him on this at all...like seriously it's been weeks since we have talked about this. I am stoked that he is getting it so easily AND so eagerly.

The Scary Voice

Gosh darnit....the kids just envoked the scary voice. Seriously I really wish they wouldn't have done that because I really feel like crud afterward and then have to sulk back and apologize but add in why I totally lost it. Which tonight was because Boy1 was shoving Boy2's head under water and Boy2 was trying to hit Boy1 (which is why Boy1 was trying to douse him), so they got it an almost then. Instead they got immediatly out and were told to brush teeth...so what did they think was a good idea? To use the tooth brush as a sword and the bed knobs from Boy1's bed as something to punch with. SERIOUSLY, wth were they thinking!? Either way I hate the scary voice, fortunately it stays in check most of the time.

Multi-Tasking

I joke that I am a great multi-tasker, but honestly I am um, not. What I do instead is start one thing, while doing that one thing suddenly think of another thing...stop the first thing just for a sec to move to the next....while doing the 2nd thing think of another thing I need to do, go do it....and on it goes until I stop throw my hands up occasionally yell "what am I doing!?" and march myself back to the original task. Consequently we have many half cleaned rooms here, half done dishes, half folded clothes. And just for giggles toss the kids in umpteen times just to ask for a drink or to talk to me. Needless to say it's a constant battle of trying to "multi-task" For example right now....I am supposed to be responding to emails, while looking at emails I saw a few comment emails so I thought "Oh I will blog...it's quiet I could always spout off some thoughts", also have photoshop open for some pic work, and of course here. Really have you read the books..."If you give a pig a Party"? I think I am noticing a trend here....

Something...

I just feel the need to post SOMETHING. Yet I am not exactly sure what. Usually I am just a plethora of ramblings so I am sure that momentarily it will start....just so you are warned.
I have been relatively productive today. The house smells delish, thanks to pumkiny candles via Target. I got the oil changed, verified that the breaks on my 40k 6 month old (to us) van do indeed need to be changed, got the lugnuts loosened so that THE man can do it...mind you all this was BEFORE 8am before Target opened which was exactly why it was done just to kill time until 8am. And apparently after 12 years of driving I am just now convinced that I am too "hard on the brakes" ok got it, I promise to be softer. My bad. yes I just said "my bad".
Boy1 says he had a great, GREAT day at school today but couldn't tell me a single thing that made it great. Oh wait he did say one reason was because he had music class today. So I suggested since he loved music so much maybe he could practice his piano, he didn't think that was a good idea. Boy2 got beat up on the "new" trampoline we have been gifted, just what he needs yet another way for him to get hurt. Great idea Mom and Dad. However seriously it keeps them very entertained. Boy3 had no accidents today, poor kid is just too darn small to take himself to potty on his own so I think that is where the problems are with it. He also is ridiculously cute on his "new" "big" bike, I mean really it's ridiculous how tiny and cute he is up on that thing. It's a real deal bike like the two wheels and training wheels type thing, not a tricycle. AND the kid actually knows how to use the brakes, as in when he goes down hills he applies the brakes (yes softly) to keep himself from speeding up. (I do NOT believe he has learned that from me, hehe). I am really thinking he's extra smart or sumpin'. Boy1 and Boy2 where totally at least 3 1/2 before they even got the concept of riding the "big bike" much less the brake thing...and I think they are extra smart too, so maybe Boy3 is really extra smart? Of course that makes it sound like I think the other 2 are not....hmm...maybe it's a big brother thing that helps him along?
So yeah toldya I would find something to ramble on about...I could continue but really I am probably getting carried away and lost many people several should be paragraphs ago.

Hmm...

So yeah sorry for the OMG vent post below....well ok not true I am not sorry. But sorry if it offended anyone and sorry if it left you sitting there rolling your eyes. I just had read the story and pleas of the little boys grandfather and just got so frustrated that people just shrug me off all the time. When it's so serious. But yeah anyway listen or don't it's always your choice but just be educated about the decision you make for their safety. My goal isn't to judge or disapprove it's just to help.

Right so yeah....it's hot in here. My thermostat says 81 degrees. If I sit still and the breeze comes thru it feels great. Too much moving around or angers rising and I am feeling it! It's mid October dangit...where is my cool fall air!!

Car Seats

I am really surprised that I have yet to post about this stuff, but anyone that knows me knows that I am slightly obsessed with car seats. Most people tease me and give me grief but seriously it's not the CAR SEATS it's SAFETY. I know that most people think oh that won't happen, but seriously what if it did. What if it did and you knew better? And I do. How could I forgive myself if something happened to my child because he wasn't properly restrained. I really don't think I could.
And since I know better I feel like it's selfish of me to not help others to know better. Our states do not educate people as they should about proper car seat usage. All the things we learn about germs and drugs and things to keep us safe yet parents are not taught proper car seat usage. Think about how dangerous cars are...the fact that the highest cause of death for children is from a car accident. It's true...from HERE. "Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. But many of these deaths can be prevented. Placing children in age- and size-appropriate car seats and booster seats reduces serious and fatal injuries by more than half." Ok so that got your attention do you want to make sure you got it right? I know many people shrug me off but I am serious here and I want to help, imagine how you would feel. That's all I am saying.

Ok so here we go...the basics...
The biggest things to consider...
***Rear-facing past the minimum which for TN that minimum is 1 year AND 20lbs. The new recommendation from the APA is 2 years and 30lbs. I know the argument for many is it will break their legs, you choose...legs or necks. Watch THESE videos to see what I mean.
***Keeping child in 5-pt Harness car seat (NOT booster) past the minimum which for TN that minimumis 4 years AND 40lbs. It's just safe for them to be harnessed safely, snuggly in a harness rather than just the seat belt. Watch


Since that video was made there have been several other seats introduced that will harness much longer, as well as prices coming down on them.

Other things to know.
Chest clips should be at arm-pit level.
Seats should not move more than 1inch from the belt path.
Straps should be snug not loose or twisted.
Shoulder straps should be ABOVE or AT the shoulder if child is forward facing.
Shoulder straps should be BELOW or AT the shoulder if child is rear facing.
High back boosters are better than the low backs and children in TN must be 4'9" and 9 to be out of any type of belt positioning booster.

A car seat does very little good if it's used improperly, which I see 80% of the time. Rarely do I see cars next to me with children strapped in properly. I saw an infant the other day in her rear facing only seat sitting forward, I see children with straps so loose that even in a slight collision they would fly right out of the seat, seats so loose that they would sling the kid all over the car. It's just scary to think what could happen. And since this is one of the few things we can help to prevent, a way we can help keep our children safer for as long as possible why not take a few minutes to make sure it's correct. To make sure we know?

What started this post? I just read a story about an 18month old who was severely injured in a car accident, that injury would have been COMPLETELY avoided if he was rear facing. So his grandfather has posted pleas every place he knows trying to educate and teach others. If you would like to read that you can find that HERE. It's not a myspace hoax. and it's not the only story like that I have read.

Ok PLEASE ask me if you have any questions, want car seat advice or recs. Or just want someone to show you how to do it, how to make sure it's installed right and that it's being done right. I want to help keep those babies and kiddo's safe!!

And I am not trying to scare people but if scaring people gets them to understand how I feel. It's scared me enough to be so passionate about it.

Home again, Home again Jiggety Jig

Yes, yes we are home. We had a mighty fine time down south in Alabama. The boys did well and had a relatively decent time...I think. I am not quite sure really because the entire time we were somewhere they would ask when we are leaving or whine about some ailment or another. Of course after us griping (which is grown-up whining) at them to stop complaining they did change their tunes, but I am not exactly sure of their true feelings, however I am not exactly sure they are either.
Today we rode on over to Grant, Alabama to check out the Cathedral Caverns. Which was a pretty darn neato schmeato site to see. If you have the chance it's worth seeing...now the guided tour was another story. OMG, now I know we all know that most of good ole AL is pretty well red (as in redneck) no offense to any Alabama natives out there but being that I am in a southern state, I can call people rednecks and know what I am talking about. Right so the tour...our tour guide well had NO front teeth, I kid you not. He had a tan line right across the middle of his forehead that left his buzzed head not tan...from what? Well his hat of course. You could see his ass crack thru his tucked in shirt and he mentioned something about "coon huntin'". And said things like "that there" and "I seen" (which for the record is a pet peeve...please use this word correctly most people from what I can tell do not it may be better to just not use it at all but just in case you must it is "I HAVE seen" not "I seen" or "we seen" or I'm gonna seen"). Now our tour guide was nice and friendly and really did a decent job but it was the longest tour ever because he just drug it on and on and many times was just hard to understand. But yes check out the place it really is worth it...I promise.
The boys did enjoy the hotel pool...Gavin enjoyed it the most and felt relaxed enough to relieve himself in the hot tub, lovely of him. It was gross and we skippy'ed right on out of there and buzzed in with an anonymous call to the front desk.
I think the Space Center was everyone favorite. We watched a 3-D movie--very cool, looked at rockets, freaked out Jakeb on a ride, and got Robert sick on one hehe. But no really it was fun and we all had a great time there.
Thank god we didn't go camping omgtherain we would have been soaked and miserable as I am sure that $50 Walmart tent isn't that water proof. So that's on the agenda for 2 weekends from now...but we'll see.
Fall break is almost over now :( I am one of the freaks who actually likes the breaks...it means I don't have to get up at 6am, I don't have a to fix a lunch, or help with homework, or do anything on a schedule. Yes I.get.to.be.lazy. Well it feels lazy-ish anyway.

Picture of the year...

Is it terribly cruel to laugh at your child's terrified expense? I mean really is it? Because how can you look at this and just not....my poor son is going to need extensive therapy after this and to make it worse not only will the story haunt him so will the photos.
Going up! And bouncing down...notice his baby brothers grinning from ear to ear next to him...
Sorry for the blur they were "bouncing"....the "daredevils" hehe. And as for why I am posting while we are on our "mini-vaca"...well my lovely husband thought that getting on the G-Force spin thing at the Space Center was a grand idea and is currently laying on the bed feeling quite sick. Hehe, old man. Plus really I needed to see those pictures bigger, and in my defense I didn't realize he was freaking out when I took that picture...once I did I stopped to comfort him. Poor Jake can't handle movements like that but saw his brothers laughing and giggling away on it and thought it was a good idea...needless to say he did NOT get on it again.

Blasted Rain

So Camping is O-U-T. Goshdarnittohell. Seriously I am NOT a happy camper...hardy har, right? So scratch camping and hello hotel. We are gonna head out for Huntsville, Alabamer in a bit. My first thought was Huntsville?, uh no thank you...but the space center is there and there are a few state parks around the area plus the boys are just happy with the hotel pool...and of course the dry comfy bed is a nice selling point. We'll be back Thursday at some point.

Fanfreakingtabulous

It's raining...our I should say drizzling either way wetness is falling from the sky and this is NOT good.

Do you know...

That I have been telling Robert for nearly 7 years that I want to go camping with the kids and that tomorrow we will be leaving to do just that and that on Wednesday (day 2 of camping) there is a 70% chance of RAIN. Needless to say I am not happy about this at all. The only days this week that it is supposed to rain are of course Wednesday and Thursday...of course.
The boys are excited...I am excited....except for the rain part.
We hit up the zoo today with some "new" neighborhood friends...we have been trying to get together for a few weeks now and it was nice to finally get to. The kids were cute and well behaved and are now being read to by Bert...who was gifted that duty tonight...I am beat!
Fingers crossed we can manage to get all the things done needed to get out of here tomorrow and hopefully enjoy some of the rain free weather we are promised for tomorrow. We may end up packing up and heading for home in the middle of the night but I hope not. Hopefully our citified bodies can rough-it in the cheapy walmart tent without freezing our rears off or getting drenched. We'll see how it goes. Wish us well.

My little studs..

Took these this past week at the farm...and I suppose I am slightly partial...but these are some damn cute kids.

Sunday Sixteen

A bit of whack for the numbers but whatever...I can't think of a good topic or story to tell yet feel like doing a bit of rambling...soooo off we go with 16 random thoughts from yours truly.

1. I can't think of anything...

2. I discovered today that there is a chance Zachary CAN actually take golf lessons which he has asked about several times now.

3. The boys are on fall break this week...I am SO happy not to have to get up and be "on the ball" at 6:15 every day.

4. Robert is also off!!!

5. We are going camping at Fall Creek Falls Tues/Wed.

6. There is a 50% chance of rain for Wednesday...fan-freaking-tabulous

7. 5 Captain Morgans girly drinks DOES give me a good little buzz...Yet another reason why I am glad it's fall break and I don't have to get up in the morning...

8. We hung out with the neighbors tonight around the "fire pit" letting the kids ride their bikes and play until 10pm *gasp*....

9. They are now bathed and passed out happily in their beds.

10. Robert thought to record Desperate Housewives tonight and I am so glad for that because I totally would have forgotten....which is why I suck at TV watching!

11. This is some seriously randomness...sorry for that see #7....

12. Next weekend I am shooting a wedding all by myself for the very first time...I am not too nervous, I know I can do it just fine, I am finally starting to find some confidence in my photography...at least a little bit anyway.

13. I cannot believe Zachary will be starting Kindergarten next year, seriously he's almost 5, that's nuts.

14. Gavin started riding a "big" bike this weekend, like the big one with training wheels and brakes. It's so damn cute I cannot hardly stand it.

15. I really dig our 'hood. And it's a good thing since our house price has dropped nearly 10 GRAND since we bought it...lovely.

16. 'tis all she wrote. We are going to the zoo tomorrow with some new friends from our neighborhood....Jakeb's "girlfriend". I am curious to see how he and her are tomorrow hehehe. Plus it will be nice to hang out with them again!

Off to watch my recording!!

Nanny Wii and Uncle TV

Have been spending a lot of quality time with the kids lately. It's so nice of them to come over and entertain them for so many, many hours while I pretend I am doing very important emailing and photo editing, or by some freak chance actual productive house work. In fact Nanny Wii, decided to stay a little longer tonight than normal becuase she knows that I really am just not feeling like doing the bedtime/clean up routine just yet. What's really neat is that they are now able to occupy Gbabes for longer periods of time, heck almost the entire day! I think he just might be bilingual by the end of this month. Really they offer such nice services yet the Mommy Guilt for using them so frequently is hovering around here somewhere.

**I will note that Nanny Wii and/or Uncle TV do not ever watch them overnight and they never watch them unsupervised ie I don't leave them home alone with them. I just don't think I can trust either one of the two very well. And I will say we do, some weeks try to limit the amount of time our rugrats spend with the ever so gracious family members...this week, er month just hasn't been one of them.

Houston... She has a problem

In light of the cool weather we have had for the past 3 days I thought it was a good time to unpack and wash the boys clothes for the winter. Most of Jakeb's is all new stuff and a few things fit from last year...he still "could use" a few more pairs of pants or something but really...well really, not really. Zachary is set and has tons of pants/jeans and I still need to dig out the jeans Jakeb had last year because well because Zachary is bigger and needs the size up. Gavin is also set but while I was going thru the box deemed "2T winter" I realized the magnitude of clothing actually in this BIG box, I just figured I needed the bigger box because it had coats and sweaters in it and maybe even 2T winter AND summer...but no. Instead it's all one size for one season...and yes I counted because I couldn't believe it, he has 37 pairs of long pants for the winter, technically 39 if I count the overalls. Um, yeah not sure how that happened. Some I do remember getting from Gap for Jakeb at ungodly high prices but in my defense he is my oldest, now we shop SALE at Gap. Some I bought for Zachary and then now of course I have bought a few things for Gavin, a couple have come from Hope. Now I will say that he is way too thin to wear about 1/4 of it but still...and I keep finding more and the number has creeped up. Really it's shamefull. Guess how many pairs of jeans *I* have...3 oh wait if I count the fraying ones that are slightly snug, I have 4. I am not sure how we ended up with THAT many pairs of jeans/sweats/cords/khaki's...I mean really, I am not. The thing is I haven't bought him hardly anything...in fact 2 pairs of Jeans and that's it. Sad. is what it is. I am a sucker for kids clothes...well or just a sucker for buying. I think it got worse when Jakeb started school and that winter they kept commenting on his clothes and how cute he always was...and then I just had to keep it up. And don't even ask about the shoes.