Last day

Of the YEAR. New Years is one of my favorite holidays...ranks in at 3rd after Xmas and my birfday (yes that IS a holiday). We rarely do much exciting but I just love starting a new year just something about it I dunno....
We haven't done much today either. We went to playgroup for the better part of the day which was nice despite the bickering and fighting that commenced over one meesily little car...geesh. It's always nice to kick it with the other ma's while the kids trash someone elses house. And I know THEman enjoyed his day to himself.
This year we are actually having a few friends over to help us ring in the new year....the kids are going across the street with the sitter and we are staying here...it will be nice...I am sure of it. They are there we are here and no driving to get them...good times!
Hmm....what else to say...really this was just to help get me closer to 200....I shouldn't be sitting here doing this but should be picking up a few things and getting the boys dinner and a bath....buutttt yeah. I should do that now. Check ya in '09!

Just call me Martha...

So I have had this post thought out since um like 2 weeks ago when I made these little gifts up....but had too many other things I wanted to run off at the mouth about that I never actually got around to it.

Right anyway...I made teacher gifts this year...well I shouldn't say made persay...I purchased items and put it together. That's the extent of my creativity...which was actually stolen from a fellow blogger....so no Martha but it sounded nice right?

Here are some pics of my awesome conconcoction...

1 is wrapped in celophane...I hadn't done the others yet...each has a votive candle in a jar, 2 cookies, a biscotti, ornament and hot chocolate.

197 down 3 to go...

Until I hit my 200th post....maybe I can get it done before 2009 so we hit an even 200 for the new year. We shall see.

Boy1 just came in a few minutes ago crying and obviously having a night terror. He started having these aroung 2 and until I read up on it, they completely freaked me out. He would be crying and trembling and obviously very upset and scared about something...but wouldn't speak. He still does the same things and we know now what they are. He has pretty classic symptoms and I have just about with 97% confidence attributed it to getting over tired. Today just reaffirms my thinking on the cause...poor kid is EXHAUSTED. They have stayed up much too late and gotten up much too early many nights this week. His mood and attitude have been crap so we are hoping a good nights rest will do the trick. Again we shall see. I hope this isn't a taste of the next 12 years...I may go grey after all.

THEman and I have been on a cleaning and organizing frenzy the past few days. Many have heard me rant and rave and just overall bitch about the lack of storage space in our house. We have about 2200sq feet and NO closets other than the small ones in the bedrooms...no attic space...and a small 2 car garage. It's nuts....my office room doesn't even have a closet. Needless to say it's very frustrating like we don't even have a place to put our vaccuum, it's that bad. Whomever designed this house has obviously never lived in one...or wait what's the typical...was a MAN. A woman would never do this haha. So we have been on a mission to find the best ways to hide the junk...thank god for bins and boxes!

Boy2's 5th birthday is fast approaching....I actually called 2 places today about his birthday party. Every year after Christmas I realize how quick his birthday is and start scrambling around to figure it all out. This may be his last "big" birthday party so we need to come up with something fun for him! I am thinking about ditching the "big" party's at 5...it gets a bit nuts having so many so close together. (Feb 12, March 20, May 2)

Boy3 is on week 2 of no pull-ups at all- he's been just wearing them at night for several months now- I am super impressed with him. He had an accident 2 nights ago but I can handle that here and there, esp for a 2 1/2 year old...he's doing darn good. As I have been going thru toys and things I am realizing we are completely out of the baby stage. He's 2 but thinks he's 4--or 12 so all things baby he is all but offended by so they are out. It's a odd feeling really. Welcome but strange.

I am getting ready to go "jam" with THEman on Guitar Hero...um I am addicted yes. We stayed up til 2am last night playing LOL.

OH here are a few "Xmassy" photos...none from the day of because I haven't loaded those up yet sorry!

Ok this isn't Christmas just a warm day shot... THEman made a kickball "court" in the street and played ball with them...

Gingerbread house making...

Us with Santa...yes Boy2 is pissed I made him sit in his lap...

Where's waldo...Boy2 and Boy3 are in this shot as well as tons of balding and curly heads...Boy2 is 2nd row down yellow shirt and I think he's waving at me on the left. Boy3 and the lightbulb head in the navy striped sweater on the very end on the right. THey were cute trust me.

And you see boy1 in the middle...he should get a A in acting class for his rendition of "I am getting nothing for Christmas"...his pissed pouty face and crossed arms was spot on, for real it was.

Exhausted anyone?

Wow was that quick or what? Our tree is down and everything is put away...Christmas has come and gone so quickly that I am thinking maybe it didn't actually come this year, because it was a blur. The new toys and empty boxes prove otherwise but the damage was small this year so we aren't feeling the clutter maddness TOO terribly bad...or at least not as bad as it has been in the past. We managed to avoid going overboard this year and am quite proud of that...it's so easy to do that but we stayed level headed-ish and the kids got just the right amount. No breaking the bank and overly overly stimulated kids all is right.
Boy1 got his didj he's been talking about for months (his big gift), Boy2 got a new bike so he can hit the streets in style, and boy3 got a geotrax train set that he is quite infatuated with already. They were too cute this year...boy1 and 2 are completely into it and anxiously wait for Santa to come. Boy1 actually began asking when he could go to bed about 6pm on Christmas Eve so that Santa would come. Boy3 was super cute and shouted a couple "awesome!'s" when he opened gifts.
THEman and I of course did our gift exchanging with them...we never go too crazy for each other clothes and other little knick knacks the other wants. He did good this year with his selections too!
We are plum tuckered out today...I stayed up much too late again reading on Christmas night and we had to be up early to do Christmas with my mom. She was ever so kind and let the boys stay the night with her last night so THEman and I could go out with some friends. We had a blast...we went HERE and to see THEM.....very good. and then hit up some Guitar Hero World Tour with some peeps til the way too wee hours of the morning. Needless to say my eyes are puffy and my ears are ringing...does that mean I am getting old? When loud music starts effect me even after sleeping for a few hours? hehe.
The rugrats are out of school this next week and we may hit up Chat-town for a day or two this week or over the weekend. Or we may kick it home style for the week OR we may hit up some other nearby town with our awesomeness....the plan has yet to unfold...we shall see. I am hoping for a day or 2 away myself but I suppose that's not too surprising. My feet get antsy pretty quickly and I need a change of scenery pretty often. Plus the kids like the pool at the hotel hehe.

Christmas Eve Eve

The boys are seriously counting down the HOURS until the actual time they can rip into their presents. And while I am excited for them to get all these new fun goodies, I am a bit disappointed in their greediness...as to be expected I suppose as they are kids but dag seriously...selfish little monsters they are fo real. I can't hardly blame them if I knew that under the tree was oodles of funness just for me I would probably be just as greedy and selfish, I suppose that is human nature or something....but the other part of me (the less selfish part) realizes that it's not so nice. Either way I am stoked that we can put away the clutter of the season in just a few more days. And I am stoked for the boys to see all of the oodles of funness they will be receiving even if they are greedy little stink pots.
We have all been relatively quarantined to the house this week and I would like to say that it has NOT been much fun for one and all. It started with Boy2 LAST Saturday as previously mentioned...Boy1 on Wednesday...Boy3 on Friday...and Yours Truly on Sunday. However mine seems to have drug on much longer and kicked me hard. I have been down for the count, not a good time of year to be out of commission but whatcha gonna do? Thank God THEman has been here to take care of me....and he has. Just for the record he seriously rocks, like for real I am a lucky girl. And he is waiting for me downstairs to watch a movie togever....so I best get a move on.
In case I do actually keep myself away for the Holidays...have a good one!!

Sickety Sick

Can I just say that stomach virus's are the worst!

Christmas Memories

Every year I buy the boys (and THEman and I) a gingerbread house kit and we sit down and all do it together "as a family". The boys made of big deal about that tonight as we did it all together that we had to sit down and do it "as a family". So here we are happily doing our house...THEman and I trying not to shove the kids out of the way and take over the project and the kids trying to not eat the candy and goodies that come with the kit. Boy1 and Boy2 of course finished with their given candies to decorate the house with well before Boy3 so Boy2 reached over and snatched half of Boy3's candies....Boy3's reaction...he huff's and puff's, yells "HEEEEEYYYY, You took my balls!!" slams his hand on the table and quite irritatedly yells "DAMN IT!!!" This after I just tell my friend that he hasn't said it since she watched him last....nice. Needless to say we will have to tackle that another day because THEman and I didn't respond appropriately and instead of scolding....like 10 year olds sat there giggling and laughing at him.

Spring anyone?

Um it's 69 and sunny, after the dreary weeks we have had I am in heaven. We have been outside all morning...the doors, windows if it can open it's open....Lovely, lovely. We loaded the kids up and went for a bike ride a bit ago....can we say OUT.OF.SHAPE. Yikes. Gavin and I rode all over the neighborhood and omg am I spent.

Ahh...

Just gotta say I love the sun and I love the wind....today is a relatively sunny and very windy day. It's unordinarily warm for December (like 60's) and I have opened the windows. I just sat down to upload some photos from the trusty P&S (from like the past 2 months...oops) and a breeze just whipped thru here...and just Ahhhh. Love it. Winter has barely begun and I am already ready for Spring.

7 days

In 7 days time we will be busily wrapping gifts and setting up toys under the tree..I can't wait...and trust me the anticipation is MUCH worse for the rug rats. Everyday they tell me how they can't wait to open presents. Greedy little boogers. Not that I can blame I seriously thought I would die having to wait for.so.dang.long. when I was a kid...but alas I did not and they will survive as well. Provided I let them last that long...Boy2 has had a tummy bug this week and let me tell you that boy has stunk up the entire upstairs this evening. Poor kid whatever has ailed him this week is still lingering in his body and is slowly leaking out...peeeee--ew! He's been a trooper for sure about it though, not hardly a complaint out of his mouth...which is his style any time he's sick. He's going to be one of those men that never goes to the doctor and prefers to tough it out...lovely. hehe.
I have been busily trying to get things done around here...gifts bought, gifts wrapped, parties planned, orders placed, cards mailed, orders delivered etc etc. All of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. The boys gifts are bought--not as lightly as I had hoped but lighter at least so that's good. They have some much they could seriously care less about and that's all they need is more c-r-a-p. So hopefully we can keep it to a minimum this year. Either way I can't wait!
I took a crap ton of photos when it snowed because the kids were unbelievably cute on their ghetto sleds---seriously if you go to the beach and buy boogie boards KEEP THEM! The make great "sleds" in the winter...who knew? 2 for the price of 1...we discovered this last winter, good times. So with that said....here are a ton more photos...

Party, Party!!

FINALLY! The secret is out...I can now post what I have been wanting to post about for MONTHS. Saturday was the big event....my mom's 50th SURPRISE party. I have started to post about it many times but know she reads here from time to time soooo no could do. But it's done it's over with and it was a success! She had pretty much no clue...especially to the magnitude it was done. It was great! We all "hid" in a back area and waited for her to come in the door far enough and then all walked out singing of course, Happy Birthday. She was shocked to see me but I stepped out of the way and she saw my grandmother and lost it. It was f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s. We had about 40 guests and everyone was there like they said they would be...perfect. Friends she hadn't seen in forever, she was shocked about it all to say the least. And for anyone in the Hendersonville area doing a party seriously...call Anchor High Grill...they were beyond AWESOME. The place is quaint and cute and right on the water...literally. The service and what not was beyond perfect. It's not a fancy schmancy party spot but for a cute little shin dig it's perfect...and reasonably priced for sure. Anyway just a little plug for them because we have been raving about how great they were all weekend. It was also wonderful to get to visit with family for just a bit and the boys loved seeing everyone.
Poor Boy2 got sick on Saturday night while we were gone...seriously our babysitter is going to avoid us like the plague. Last weekend she came over and the power went out--and crappy chick that I am totally didn't even think to call her to let her know where she could find other sources of lighting for about an hour (I knew they were out from someone else). Nice huh? and then this weekend Boy2 throws up and she is stuck here dealing with it...with us an hour away. Joy. He got sick a time or 2 again yesterday early on but has been ok since although he seems to feel a little sluggish and looks a bit rough. Poor baby :(
9 more days guys....9 more days!

By George it's a snowin'!

It started snowing here about hmm...around 4:30 or so...by 5:30 we had a good covering on the ground. It's starting to melt now actually...and I thought it might so at 7:15ish the kids and I bundled up and headed outside for 30 min or so. We have good lights in the back so it lit up the back yard and we had a big time! Seriously this is the first time we have ever been able to build a snowman...the snow has always been too fluffy or something but this stuff is wet and just perfect--ok I take that back Boy1's first snow my friend and I made a snowman--a big snowman actually-- but um he was like 7 months old it doesn't count. They were so cute about it all! We came in freezing but had a good time so it's all good in the 'hood..

Here's some pics super quick....THE man is patiently waiting for me to watch a movie...so gotta be quick about this...it's more than a little...as usual

Snowball fight!!!

Finished Frosty!

How cute is he? Poor kid was frozen but would have stayed out all night I think!

Is this not hilarious! THE man not the ghetto trampoline in our back yard...

And this was yesterday...totally random with this post but too cute...I turned around and he had all his pups lined up while he ate his soup...sweet Boy2

Short n Sweet

I do not like cold rainy yucky days....
I'm just sayin'.

Got a pill, get a pill, give it to yo motha'

There seems to be a pill of some sort for every ailment or feeling of an ailment around...but do you think there is one to make my approach to parenting a bit less um...harsh? Is there a happy smiley mommy pill out there...or is it just a personality flaw I am stuck dealing with...or I should say my kids are? Will it make them better or stronger people because their mother is a wee bit snappy and dare we say distracted with them? Or will they hate me and turn out to be bums? I suppose it would happen either way huh...I could be too sweet and they could walk all over me...oh wait they do and I am not. THE man and I really trying to work on this slight defect we seem to have been struck with in the parenting department...anyone that knows me knows that patience is not a virtue I was blessed with...well not true in some areas (a sligth few) I have been known to become quite patient. However as of late (er always) with my children that is just the case. It's quite unfortunate really as now my poor vocal chords are getting a work out and my children might slowly be becoming deaf...it's a viscious cycle we have created...I say nicely do blah blah blah...they ignore...I repeat please do blah blah...the ignore even more....I now yell...they look at me dumbfounded and then ignore...I now have to really yell they slowly do what they were instructed. Maybe the defect is in them ya think? Or maybe they sadly have been conditioned to only respond when screaming has commenced...I am not quite sure. But the snappy bitchy mother is no fun...for me or them...or maybe it's that nasty Mommy Guilt that is the culprit and we are really doing just fine here in Casa de' beas...maybe? But I still want that pill....of course then you would feel guilty for that huh? What is it with that...why do we have to feel guilty....because we aren't like Perfect Mommy who does the homework and cooks dinner and has the spotless house and perfectly behaved children and seemingly perfect marriage...mmhmm that's why...it's because we have to give off this "perfect persona" at all times. Really I think one of the reasons I love...you love...reading all the blogs I frequent because it's yet another mother proving how imperfect she is...how she can't do it all...and has time to bitch about it! Hallelujah I am normal (well relatively...or something)! Of course then there's the ones that seem to be able to that I typically skip right on past because after all I need to feel better not inadequate! My house is not spotless...there are toys on the floor behind me...toys on the floor downstairs...toys in the hall...hell there's toys in the backyard. On a good day everything is organized and in it's place on a normal day it's not. We are clean...the pee spots on the toilets do get cleaned up..eventually. The dishes get done daily...the tubs get washed, the floors vacuumed but that's not to say my house is spotless...my back door is covered in muddy dog paw prints (thanks to the never ending mudd in my backyard)...suffice it to say as my MIL would say my house is strowed (wtf kinda word is that...I think she made it up) but it's relatively clean...perfect no? Liveable yes...absolutely. So go away nasty Mommy guilt...oh crap no I don't play with my kids like I should....like ever really. I read to them every night though so take that MG...I talk to them, I feed them, bathe them, teach them....Take that MG...but why is it that I have to play with their toys with them? Isn't that the point of them? For them to play and leave me alone? It is right? Isn't that why we spend bookoo's of money on toys....right?....So I don't have to do that...right? Mmmmhmmm that's what I thought MG so piss off....now where's that darn pill again...

So...um...

The bus was late today bringing Boy1 home. THE man was much more nervous about this than I was, as I knew that this happens and the friendly school people don't bother to contact parents to let them know (although I do know this would be a difficult task). A friend of mine recently waited an HOUR for her child only to discover the bus had broken down...thanks for the heads up. Seriously had that not happened to her...I would have been beside myself with worry. Anyhow...so it was 40min late...at the 30min late mark I look up the transportation number and we give them a call. We discover that yes the bus is on the side of the road, but no it's not broken down...it's waiting for the seat to be taken off the floor to get the CHILD out from under it. The child (who lives across the street actually) thought it would be a good idea to crawl underneath the seat and get himself stuck. Are.you.kidding.me? Way to go genius. So ok great some dingbat got stuck under the seat...so we ask if we can go get Boy1 off the bus, and I grab my keys to go grab him as he had to be at karate in 30 min. As I leave I see parents waiting and worrying...so I let them know what's going on and as I start to leave again up comes the bus. 40min late. And full of kids with a story to tell....I mean they had police men and an ambulance after all. Geesh.
For what it's worth I know the kid who got stuck...he's not a dingbat....he's actually a pretty sweet kid, but um seriously what in the world was he thinking? They did at least call his mother and see if she wanted him to be taken to the ER. To which she said uh is he hurt?...no...well then noooo. LOL.
Boy1 was barely phased...he seriously barely even spoke about it...instead he stomped off mad that I was making him go to karate when he "JUST GOT HOME!". Um sorry kid you insisted for months you want to do karate...we signed a big fat check just so you can so you are going.
So lesson of the day...tell your child that it's NOT a good idea to crawl under the seats on the bus. not.a.good.idea.at.all.