Quiet Mouse, Quiet House

Robert is gone to a movie, Jakeb and Zachary are staying with the neighbor kiddo, and Gavin is snoozing....and the pets too. So it's extra quiet here tonight just Gavin and me. Kinda nice only having one kid from time to time, it's weird. Even when we only had one kid we had other kids around so often it didn't seem that way. Of course now we have 3 and I think there are like 16 kids in the house all the time...many of which aren't ours! The other day Robert walked in and said "there are 3 kids in the living room and none of them are ours!" kinda funny but kinda um not. Now I am glad there are tons of kids here for them to play with though so I can't complain to much...they sure do have fun but I need a break from time to time so I am glad I was able to pawn my big two off on the neighbor for a change :) Her 12 year old begged for Gavin to stay and I know he would have but ugh that's a lot of kids and monkey man Gavin makes me nervous. Plus I was over there for 30 min and the kid got hurt twice!
He's still doing great with the P-Training. YAY!

The kids have a scrimmage game tomorrow...that should be interesting heehee. Zachary's got a nice shiner on his face courtesy of his mother. I misjudged my throw to him and conked the poor kid smack dab in the middle of his eyes. Bad Mommy!!

Hmm...I can't think of much else to say....I have been in a wee bit of fowl mood the past week or so...not sure why really. I think the busy-ness of things is getting to me and I decided this morning that I want a cleaning lady but only to come clean my bathrooms and the floors and the occasional extra stuff (like baseboards and windows)...everything else I can manage on my own...too bad I can't rationalize spending AT least $100 extra a month because I am lazy--and busy but mostly just not prioritizing. Having things out of sorts gets me grouchy pretty quickly so I am assuming the messy house is part of it? eh who knows this too shall pass. I suppose we all get in a funky mood from time to time....if you don't your lying LOL. Really no one is happy ALL the time. I will be glad to have everyone back into a routine and what not...we're getting there it's just slow going!

Well...sleep well!! I sure will!

Thursday Thirteen

I will put a spin on "Tuesday Twelve" hehe...actually I forgot to do T-12...so we are up for T-13.

1. I am LOVING the Wii fit, what a wickedly cool little invention! It seriously is a work out...some parts aren't but as you do more you open up more reps and more areas and it's VERY cool.

2. Our weeks are busy busy...ball practice on Tues/Fri and piano on Thurs. I am glad baseball is only thru October!

3. It's shameful to admit that watching my TWO sons at baseball is almost embarassing....ok it is. I admit it. They are just not good. Jakeb is the oldest kid on the team by quite a bit and he well how do I put this nicely LOL...he's um definitely not the best hehe. I am not sure why but the kid cannot throw a ball at all. Watching him throw is painful. And Zachary well Zachary's 4 and I think he may be the youngest on the team he's just slow but he at least seems to enjoy what he's doing!

4. Jakeb on the other hand is really enjoying piano! He loves it and I am glad that he loves going and practicing so much. It's great and I hope he can stick with music.

5. OMG I can't believe this wasn't #1..Gavin is making potty progress! He wore underwear all day yesterday...even out in public! He did have 2 accidents yesterday but nothing huge. And today the same thing but with only 1 accident this morning before we left other than that we were out from 10am-530 tonight and he stayed dry the whole time and at home. Go Gavin!

6. Oops!! I accidently just published it with #5. Sorry about that!

7. I have been on a Butterfinger candy bar kick this past week or so...I can't get enough!

8. And I think it's official I.AM.addicted.to.Dr.Pepper. No more denying it...I crave it everyday all day...but I still refuse to be buying soda for us to drink at home!

9. I think I have been in a rut lately with my photography...I haven't been doing much with it, I am trying to get back in a groove. The boys over the summer and now back to school has taken my attention away from it...like it should too but I am ready to get "back on the horse"

10. We are trying to crack down on Gavin about waking up at night but man is it hard! He gets up every single night and gets in our bed but many times i don't even wake up and when I do I don't have the energy to get up and drag him back up to his bed.

11. I am doing a women's photography workshop in a couple weeks that I am SUPER stoked about...and nervous! I will be quite intimidated I am sure!

12. Robert and I are trying to input a "cash" only budget and I know it's going to be great but at the same time be a HUGe transition for us big time debit card users.

13. Gavin counted to 10 last night...on his own like I walked in to him doing it. I was impressed. I think the other 2 did that a bit sooner but he hasn't had the "teaching time" that they had AT ALL. And he talked a bit later as well so it's cool seeing him pick these things up on his own like he is doing. It's really pretty amazing actually. To me...his totally unbiased mother LOL.

'tis it! Have a good night!!

Monday Madness

Whew what a day! I got up bright and early this morning to get Jakey Jake out the door for school and then hit up the grocery store. I actually like taking him to school it gets me up and out the door early and helps me get going. Getting out of the bed is H-A-R-D but once I get passed that hurdle I am good to go. After grabbing some food for the fam I headed home and got the boys ready (they were home with Daddy) for story time at Barnes and Noble we left a bit early to run a few other errands with our friend Hope. Story time was uh...interesting. Between Evan yelling DINOSAUR everytime she turned the page and Gavin just being Gavin ie BAD we I am sure we're quite a site LOL. But we made it thru, Zachary was good as gold and so was baby Lauren, and actually Evan was good to ..tsk tsk Gavin. We swung by our fav stand by Jason's Deli for lunch and then headed home. We had more errands to run which made me almost late for picking up the bus load of kids I needed to get. I had 5 kids to pick up today...which put 8 kids at our house when I got home YIKES! It was a mad house for a few hours here and now I/we are trying chill for a bit and get ready to watch a movie together.
We took the boys to the new Star Wars movie this weekend which they of course loved. Anything Star Wars or Transformers is a HUGE hit around here. Particularly for the 4 and up crowd.
Ooooh! I got a new toy last week, which I am totally digging! A wii fit! Sweet little gadget hehe. I feel like a doofus on the thing but if it works I am all for it! I am so NOT a video game girl but if it will shed the 15lbs or so I have gained I am on it like white on rice baby. Or at the very least tone some areas up and I will be a happy girl!
Well guess it's showtime...catch ya on the flip side!

So inlight of yesterday's post...

I should take a moment to brag about my kiddo's. Now Jakeb and Zachary were at school so I didn't have them as much today but still. Gavin and I went to the mall in Franklin to hit up Gap for some new blue jeans for his abnormally small waist (really it's tiny). Gap is the only place I know of that has the adjustable waist under size 2 and it's a must have for the peanut. AND they are buy one get one 50% really can't pass up that deal! So right he was really pretty good while we were there...I mean he didn't listen about 75% of the time BUT when I made him listen he didn't commence fit throwing. Plus the lady helping me out at gap just went on and on about how cute he was...she said he had such "an appealing look" about him LOL. The kid is a ham and kept going up to the big kids in the store trying to talk to them, walked up to a little boy about 5 or so and started telling him that the shirt on the table had Ironman on it. Goofball. Anyway he was good, he did start trying to push some kid who probably out weighed him by 25lbs in the play area but really the kid WAS in his space and Gavin is tiny so I give him some leeway if someone mess with him LOL. Bad I know but he needs to be able to put them in check right? No really I do stop him.
But at dinner tonight...We went to Moe's again (love that place!) and ate on the patio as usual. The kids were actually really good, nobody was throwing chips or paper and crushing up food all over the ground and we ate pretty quick and left. There was a group of women sitting a table over from us and as I left they stopped me and commented on how well behaved the boys were and how impressed they were with them. And how cute they were and Gavin's blonde hair. Just gushed about them :D :D And I am so glad they did, I realized yet again how lucky I am. Because no they don't listen all the time and yes they do get rowdy but all in all they really are GOOD healthy, handsome boys. And this is not the first time I have been complemented on them, I have problem had complements about a dozen times. (no joke) Yet every time I savor it because it really means a lot. And I sit back and look at my THREE adorable handsome little guys around me and am very thankful. I mean I am partial but not one of them is the least bit ugly LOL. I am just so proud of them.

On a sadder note, please say some prayers for my extended family. I found out today that my Uncle Victor passed away. He was only 56 and has 3 children. My Aunt (my dad's sister) and he divorced about 3 years ago but he's still my uncle in my mind even though we have lost touch. My cousin Daniel, who just graduated high school and is about to start his first semester at Lipscomb, is the one who found him at their home on the floor. They are suspecting a heart attack but from my understanding do not know just yet. He was a very succesful vet in Lewisburg and has been for decades at the Lewisburg Animal Clinic. I know he will be very very missed. He has 2 daughters and I believe 5 or 6 grandchildren (the daughters are from a previous marriage and I lost touch with them when I was younger). Please pray for all of them. It is a shock to me to hear and I know they must be just spinning. My poor poor cousin, I feel so horrible for him.

The Sassy, The Thrower, & The Tantrum

Can you see where I am going to go with this post? Right on to ranting about how awful the kids were today! Oh.my.god. First off can 2 year olds have rage problems? Is there a disorder that causes a 4 year old child to THROW every single thing he picks up into the air about 10 feet? And since when did a 6 year old know everything and not have to listen to anyone?
Gavin has been a raging lunatic today. Seriously. The child has had flipping out crazy fits...well crazy to me because up to this point my kids "do not do that stuff" LOL. Like slamming himself to the ground crying over the most assanine things. Or my favorite moments of today...him spinning his arms around so hard while throwing said fits and hitting himself or the one this afternoon where he was nearly beating on the back door in a fit of rage. Why? you may wonder. Well because I personally think the kid can be in underwear from time to time to start working towards using the potty. And I guess someones first response would be well obviously he's not ready. Yeah well the kid CAN use the potty...knows how to poop AND pee on it and was doing pretty well for a few days. And now will use it but flips out about the underwear issue apparently. So I stuck him in it anyway and he goes nuts...now the hitting himself was because I didn't put on the "red panssss" (red pants) yeah...um he doesn't HAVE red pants!!! The boy is stubborn to the max, but apparently he missed the memo...I will win LOL!!! I can out beat him on the stubborn contest. I will pick my battles but right now he's in kiddie bootcamp and I am standing my ground because he is "one of those" that if I don't he's going to walk all over me. He's only 28 months...aka turned 2 in May but he talks well and I can tell what he does and doesnt understand. Like he understands what no means and understand when i am telling him NOT to do something and he keeps on. He's not stupid. hehe. I mean he climbed over the baby gate tonight...and he climbed over it because I put it on there tighter so he couldn't push it off. I put it on his room hoping to deter him from ending up in my bed at 2am whining that he wants milk. I mean really he's 2 he doesn't need milk at 2am! Obviously today has been stressful particularly with Gavin. Zachary honestly was pretty good he had a few moments but overall he was a good boy today :) We still are battling the throwing problem he has though! And Mr. Jakeb has turned into mr attitude and thinks he can do what he wants and doesn't have to listen to anyone. Boy does he have a rude awakening LOL! Ok So I am petering out about ranting on the kids...really it was Gavin. He's so tiny and sweet looking you wouldn't think he would be so WILD but he is!

Jakeb's first day pics

Zachary's are below in the post I made earlier today...

School, School Days!

It's that time! Jakeb had his first full day of school yesterday and Zachary started back today! I am excited for both of them (and me hehe). Jakeb is now a 1st grader and Zachary started his last year of preschool. They both were quite excited. Which is surprising for Zachary! but he was ready to go! I am glad he was looking forward to going back. I drug my feet last year about whether or not I wanted to send Gavin. SO he missed going because by the time I asked there were no spots left. He IS first on the list though, so hopefully in the next couple months a spot will open up. Of course I go in today to double check what class Z is going to and to see if any spots had opened up Gavin and while I am standing there the kid is on the floor throwing a fit. UGH, he's been a pita lately and I am DONE with it. I have zero patience for fit throwing...ZERO. Especially when it's over absolutely nothing. Gavin is by far the worst about it. He's got too much going on in his little head. He thinks he has to keep up with his big brothers and sometimes he just can't. He's the moodiest child, one minute he's happy and playing and the next he's on the floor crying. Drives me nuts. Hopefully he will calm down but this morning I was like uh PLEASE tell me there is a spot for him! LOL.

We drove up to MTSU with our neighbor today so she could get her classes and things figured out. She asked if I would go with her because she didn't want to go alone. But being on campus again made me miss it! As we were walking thru Phillips Bookstore on campus I walked past a big ole' photog book and was bummed that I don't get to study it! It looked cool and I REALLY miss the photography program. It was a small program with just a few that actually went "all the way" with it and I wish I was one of them. I had a lot of fun in the dark room and just being there. It was relaxing and I miss it.

Well it's about time to start packing it up to get the kids! but before I go here's some pictures of the first days....ok well he's Zachary from this morning. I have apparently misplaced the card that has Jakeb's pictures on... not good.

Think Much?

So all my life I have been bit of a absent minded person. I know that, I admit it, I own it. But this week has probably taken the cake for stupidness on my part. Right so we know that Monday I forgot about Zman's open house...Wednesday I get up to take Gavin to the doctor am in a rush, frustrated with Jakeb (he was mad he had to come with us) and forgot that my dad's clunker (aka Robert's temp car) was in the driveway. In the driveway behind my van which was in the garage and freaking nailed the damn thing. Hard...like scooted it over in the driveway hard. I was near tears thinking the whole thing was dented in like happens when you hit the doors...which I know from experience *shameful*...thankfully it wasn't and the scratches on our car...the new Toyota Van...are slight. Either way I am so mad at myself for doing that!
Onto blunder #3. Thursday's Jakeb has piano lessons guess who forgot? The thing is is I talked about it at about 2 or so, said we have piano lesson's today...then got home got busy and forgot. Geesh!! I am out in left field quite a bit longer than usual this week.
Our wonderful piano teacher did reschedule with us that day though so that was great. Jakeb would have been not happy with me had we had to miss. He is really loving piano lessons...REALLY loving it. Like gets so super excited to go, it's very cute. Hopefully he's found something he can enjoy for a while. Robert and I both wish we had gotten some sort of music "training" when we were younger so I hope he sticks with it for a bit. Maybe all that classical music at bed time for him will pay off hehe.

Video #3...

on a roll tonight I guess....no Gavin tackled Jakeb during story time tonight and I guess was grabbing his neck which is Jakeb very most tickle spot. He looses it every time and his laugh is awesome!

and side bar...I just went to check on the kiddo's and Gavin is sleeping with the goggles on goofball!

Breakin' it Down toddler style...

Gavin had me cracking up doing this so I had to grab the camera! At first he was all shy and would stop as soon as I looked at him but soon ate up the attention! silly boy, sorry for the quality using the p&s for the video!

and I keep trying to upload another and the darn thing won't let me...they are both too funny so I can't choose eh well.

Dancin' Baby!

So this is the second video which appears to be posted first because I had started a post as a draft and forgot and then discovered I guess you can't add 2 videos to one post?? blah blah right.... Anyway he was just funny. I was trying to read them a story before bed as usual and he kept standing there dancing so I of course ran to grab the camera!

Child Labor

Rocks! Well not really but my kiddo's are fast approaching the age of "chores" and can you hear my rejoicing? Today I had decided I would clean....aka clean a bathroom if I am lucky. I did actually get the boys bathroom done so that's good! And while they ate lunch I whiped the kitchen counters down. They started getting a bit antsy so I thought I would give them something to do...so both Jakeb and Zachary got a handed a soapy wash cloth! Zachary was told to wipe down the tables in the living room and Jakeb was told to wipe down and straighten up the sink/counter in the hall bath. When Jakeb was done he said he wanted to help so more....and of course I want to give him what wants, so I showed him how to dust and he dusted his room upstairs. Zachary continued onto the "foyer" floor and the tile around the fireplace. Gavin also helped wipe the tables down. So yeah we are on the right track baby! I figure a half way clean floor is better than not at all, right?

We were at the Dr office this morning with Gavin because of his darn asthma again. Zachary got a cold last week that of course was passed to Gavin and within 12 hours he was wheezing and short of breath. So 4-5 days later I decided probably best to take him in...he was give yet another round of steroids. I talked to the doc about me pulling him off the pulmacort (I did that in June) and asked if there was something else we could try. So he's put him on Singulair we'll see how that does. At least it's not the darn nebulizer!

Jakeb has rediscovered his Ultimate Bumblebee transformer toy...actually Zachary did which lead to Jakeb playing with it. They have been pretty cute toting the big ole' thing all over the place...when a new song they haven't heard comes on they get all excited.

Posing with his "favorite toy" about 30 min ago LOL.

Tuesday 12+1

Ok gonna give this a whirl. My online friend Brianna does the "Tuesday Twelve" every week as well as a few other blogs I frequent and I always like the idear. So here we go!

1. Hmm...coming up with things individually like this is harder than I thought and I am only at #1!

2. Let's try again....Robert left for Ohio today...boo, the boys and I are really starting to have a hard time with him traveling so much. Jakeb especially lately hasn't wanted him to go. He really loves his job but hates leaving us so much.

3. Jakeb starts 1st grade on Friday! Holy.Smokes.I.have a first grader. Wow, shocking...because like I have said before I really think I am only 22 or so which is certainly not old enough to have a first grader! WOW.

4. I am really starting to get into my blogging more and more lately. I think about different things during the day to blog about...and of course forget. Shocking, right?

5. The Zman had a bit of a nap today so he's fighting going to sleep right now..came out a little bit ago and said "I need to tell you something..." which usually consists of him standing there going "ummm, I love you" so I stopped him before he said it and said I know you love me now get in bed....he of course did not and came up with something off the wall to tell me.

6. I ran to Wallyworld today to pick up some OLD film I had dropped off for my grandfather...and I kid you not I got "hit on" by 3 guys...I haven't showered today and thru my hair up in a ponytail with a head band. Of course one was oldish and pretty scuzzy haha...bleh.

7. The puppy girl is snoring behind me and it kinda freaked me out cause I didn't know what the noise was hehe.

8. I still feel like a big doodoo head for missing Zachary's Open House last night, I think his teach thought I was nuts for calling twice about it and making a big deal, oh well.

9. I am totally digging the clean office! I want to just sit in here forever. Seriously clutter makes me batty so having it so less cluttered is a big time destresser for me. I can't take the mess in the house all the time!

10. I am thinking about joining the MAC once the boys get back in school...I have a big ole box of cute shorts that I NEED to be back into. I have gained about 15lbs in the past 9 months or so and if I continue at that rate for the rest of ever I will be about 600lbs when I am 50.

11. I really need to kick my eating habits down a few notches...or up...either way they need to improve from BK and Chick Fila! UGH and the damn Dr. P's can we say addicted?

12. I am on a roll now...I am still trucking along with the 365's for the boys, just need to get them caught up in their folders on the computer. I am slacking about with my personal photo organization. I have everything broken into month and I need to pull the photos out for each of their 365 files. Over half way done with the Zman!

oh and I gotta add...13! When I ran some errands today I per normal esp when I don't have the kiddo's rolled the windows down (with the a/c on of course it's too dang hot today!) and listened to some tunes. I was in the mood for something "new" (aka old school--which trust me I have TONS of) so flipped thru the book and tossed the "Scream 2" soundtrack in...new--old favorite cd to listen to! It has a nice variation of music that covers just about every genre I enjoy from hip hop to alternative...me likey and I forgot how much I liked that cd.

Whew! easier than I thought!

Here's the Gbaby a few hours ago at Targe',

Darnit! Darnit! Darnit!

here I go slackerific again! Zachary had his Open house for his LAST year of preschool tonight. It's the Open House before they start so the kids can come see the school and meet the teacher etc, etc. And I FORGOT!!! Seriously we talked about it ALL day, talked about it all week, KNEW about it and then I started cooking dinner etc and completely forgot until about 45 min ago. I am been walking around griping about it and I just had to vent one more place. I am so darn mad at myself I can't stand it! Seriously I am SO good about going to and doing those types of things :( :( I am so upset with myself UGH!

Hold on to whatcha got...

Mama's been busy! So in light of my previous post I decided to get out of my chair and clean the office! With some motivation from the neighbor's 12 year old daughter LOL. Seriously she like drew plans out for me as to how to set the room up. Really all that was done was flip flopping the shelves and armoire. I bought a table/desk from my friend Hope a few weeks ago and finally got it down here and set up and it's great! I moved my computer from the armoire and onto the table and am now using the armoire for all the junk I don't want sitting out (neatly I promise!), an no more using the armoire as a foot stool haha. Grabbed a few extra bins/boxes on clearance at Office Max and am good to go! Friday Brooklyn and I rearranged the shelves and what not and then Robert got the table yesterday and I just finished setting it all up. Looks F-a-b-u-l-o-u-s in here esp compared to how it was...granted I don't' have all the furniture I would want in here BUT have totally made due and it works :)
Anyway blah blah blah...I don't really have any before pictures but trust me it wasn't pretty obviously I had desk(s) but they were piled with mail and junk--not horribly bad but bad enough to make me nutso-er. Right so here's the after---

From the door...those pics are the matted prints we had to turn in for our portfolio for my 2nd B/W class (which btw to brag on myself I got the highest grade in the class on thank you very much :D)
From the corner by the armoire...this is the "kids" computer...like the dog rug?from the corner by the 2 shelves.Yep yep...I know it's good I am shocked too. I can be productive when I need to be :D

Went out with my girls last night for some mexEcan food and margarita's...always good times to be had. We have such a blast chit chatting the night up, we even actually managed some serious convo's as well. It's nice to kick back and chill with the girls, I had a great time! Last night was also my 10 year reunion...which I obviously skipped out on, for reasons...well for many reasons. The biggest of which being that not a soul I was "pals" with in HS was going, at least that I know. I don't actually talk to anyone from HS (other than Taylor on myspace on occasion)sooo I have no clue really. But I know the turnout was pretty bleak it sounds, then again maybe that's how they always are?? Plus I really wasn't a big fan of HS, not sure why other than I cared too much what others thought and felt very much out of place my entire 4 years there, I think I was searching for myself way too hard or something...like manyy teenagers I am sure. Either way I never felt like I fit in, I am/was shy so I didn't just fall in like some people do. I think I had different friends every 6 months or something LOL. yeah yeah so anyway 10 years *POOF* gone. Crazy. Maybe I will go to the 20 year one???

I did head up to H'vegas today for some shopping with my ma, it's nuts how much that place has changed...minus the Burger King LOL, J&Z& I stopped there on the way home for dinner and the place is a DUMP, definitely time for some renovations. And why is it that when the place looks like a dump, the food is almost always crappy too? I mean it's BK the food should be pretty standard right? guess not. Anyway some things have changed a lot and then others not so much, like my mom's 'hood and the area where we lived hasn't to much. Heck the same guy works at the Stop N' Buy still...think his name is Hank?? Funny I stopped in there a few months back to grab a 6 pack of something and the guy totally acted like he knew/remembered me from 10+years ago...seriously he's old and there are tons of people in and out of there...I doubt he does. Probably just didn't feel like going thru the hassle of carding me hehe. Glad I am legal.

Well I guess it's time to hit the hay, I was up late and up early this morning sooo it's snoozin' time!