Jen's Blog

Katie

2009-08-21T15:48:00.002-05:00

Katie was very worried that she would not make any friends and that she would hate 4th grade. I told her she had nothing to worry about and she would be fine. Guess what, I was right! :)

Katie was voted student council representative for her class. She is so excited. I am very proud of her for putting herself out there. She literally knew no one in her class.

She has decided that she wants to run for Vice President. We are going to make posters for her to put up around the school next week. She also has to write and give a speech. It will be video recorded and played all over the school during the morning announcements. She is not nervous at all.

I will update with election results when they are in!!

Pre-K update

2009-08-14T14:57:00.002-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know that Carter did NOT cry this morning when Marty and I dropped him off for Pre-K. My day was so much better.
We also found out why he was crying and not wanting to go to school. Naptime. He does not like laying down and taking a nap. He started taking puppy to school in his backpack for naptime. It seems to have done the trick...I hope.
I hope Monday goes as well as today! We shall see!

Carter and Pre-K

2009-08-12T21:48:00.002-05:00

Carter started Pre-K on Monday. Marty and I took him to school. We walked him to his classroom and told him goodbye. No tears...not from him anyway. (I cried after I left.) I picked him up at the end of the day and he was so excited about it. He said, "I get to go back tomorrow." He loved it and I thought it was going to be easy.
I thought wrong.
Tuesday morning, he started crying before we got him seat belted in the car. The teacher came to get him out of the car in the line and he started kicking and screaming. She looked at me and told me he would be just fine. Then she carried him inside. I started sobbing and drove away. I picked him up and he was fine. Carter told me that he had to go to "the green square for time out." He said that he pushed someone because they pushed him first.
This morning, it was more of the same. He started crying and telling us he didn't want to go before we even left the house. I called the teacher to not only tell her that he was having another rough morning but to find out what happened with time out. She said that she didn't see any pushing going on. She said that Carter would not sit down during circle time and she had to tell him multiple times to sit. That is why he went to time out. She assured me that he was fine once he got the classroom. She also said that they would call if it really was that bad. So, we left for school.
We pulled into the parking lot and got into the drop off line. He started crying harder. When the teacher opened the door to get him out, he was kicking and screaming again. "Mommy, don't leave me!" It was gut wrenching. I drove out of the lot sobbing and called Marty. Marty didn't know what to say. It is hard for him to hear too. I picked him up and he was fine. He told me all about his day and asked me if I heard the thunder. It was like this morning never happened.
I was ready for him to go to school or I thought I was. I miss him. I KNOW that it is good for him and I KNOW that he is OK but it is so hard to pull out of that lot. It breaks my heart. I guess it is better this is just Pre-K not kindergarten.
I am hopeful that each day it will get a little better.

News!!!

2009-07-31T21:17:00.003-05:00

Marty received a job offer today. The one that we have been waiting on for quite some time. He will be the Corporate Sales Director for 3GS. It is a company that owns several shredding companies in the country. He has to prove himself for the first 30 days by selling in the Atlanta area. I am so relieved and Marty seems really excited by this opportunity. He likes the selling side of business and he is very good at it. He starts Monday. Who goes for sales position and gets a position like this?!?!? He is REALLY good at what he does and he knows a lot about the shredding industry.
I officially enrolled the kids in school today. They go for a "meet and greet" Thursday and start next Friday.
Alex is starting middle school this year and I have been worried about it. My mind was put at ease today. Each grade of the school that he is attending has its own wing in the school. He will change classes but in a smaller area. He is excited about lockers and changing classes. I can't believe he is going to be in middle school.
Katie is excited too. She wants to start making friends. She likes to go to school also.
Carter has his open house on Tuesday. He starts a week from Monday. We have had to drive by his school a couple of times because he likes looking at it. It is very cute! I think that he will LOVE it.
I am still looking for work. Not sure what exactly that I am looking for, but I am applying in customer service and administrative support services. I have also thought about applying for some waitress positions.
I will keep everyone posted on how the first day goes for everyone.

Georgia

2009-07-29T21:36:00.002-05:00

We are almost completely unpacked. We have to finish the toy room and our bedroom. We have pictures on the wall and curtains hung. I can't believe that we have so much done.
I have been attempting to enroll Alex and Katie in school. It is a big hassle. The district requires a ridiculous amount of paperwork. They should be officially enrolled in school tomorrow. (Long story...too long to blog about.) School starts for them on August 7Th. Yes, a Friday. It makes no sense to me but it is what it is.
Carter will be going to Pre-K. He starts on August 10Th. He will go everyday from 7:45 to 2:30. It is free. We only have to pay $20 a week for lunches and snacks. The Georgia state lottery funds the program through school districts and daycare facilities. Carter will be going to a daycare facility. He is excited. Marty and I are a little nervous because it is so long and it is everyday. I know that he will love it.
Marty has been busy interviewing for jobs and helping hang things on the walls. I have been taking care of all the school registrations and such. I have also been unpacking. The kids are loving playing outside. We go swimming a lot. We have spent a lot of time with my family here.
It doesn't feel like home yet. It sort of feels like we are here on vacation or something. I think that is because we are all here, all day long. Once school and work starts, I think it will feel like home.

Where does it all come from?

2009-06-08T16:48:00.002-05:00

I have been packing for our move. I swear, we have more stuff than we did a year ago. Where does it all come from?
You never realize how much crap you have until you have to pack it so you can move.
I keep threatening to throw it all a way. It would be much easier to do that than to have to pack it all up and unpack it once we get settled.
Then again, it would cost a small fortune to replace a lot of this stuff.
I guess I will just pack it all and unpack it when we get there...UGH!

My mom visited.....FINALLY

2009-06-08T16:37:00.002-05:00

My mom finally came up to visit us. This was her last chance because we are moving. She flew in Saturday evening and left this afternoon. We didn't really do much. Just hung around our house and watched movies.
She stayed with Alex and Carter while Katie and I went to see Phantom of the Opera.
The play was WONDERFUL. Words can not do it justice. It was better than I could have ever imagined. We were in the 6Th row....thanks to Grandma Cheryl's birthday gift to Katie and Laura. The girls were also given a ticket for their "chaperon". I was lucky enough to be Katie's chaperon and Katherine was Laura's. Cheryl came and she had an extra ticket so Ron, my brother-in-law, came along as well. It was so good and I loved getting to see it with Katie. (Thanks again, Cheryl.)
My mom said it was nice to just sit and not have to do anything. I always wish she could stay longer but I know she has to get back so she can work.
It was a nice weekend!

Marty will be home today....WoooooHooooo!!!

I miss Marty!

2009-06-05T21:07:00.002-05:00

Marty has been in KC since we went down there on May 27Th. The kids and I came back on June 1st because they are still in school. I have been busy packing but I am not busy enough to not miss him.
He is bored out of his mind and has spent WAY too much time in the poker room at Harrah's casino!
He stayed in town for the Pride Festival. He has had to oversee the lay out of the tents for all the vendors. There have also been several events and meetings leading up to the festival that he has had to attend.
He will be back on Monday and I can't wait to see him!!

Packing and packing and packing.....

2009-06-03T22:35:00.002-05:00

I had been packing a little here and a little there since we found out we would have to move. Luckily, Marty never took all our empty boxes to the recycling center. They have been in our basement since we moved in. I guess some good came out of our procrastinating this time!
Today, I really started packing. It really upset Carter at first. He thought I was getting rid of all our stuff. When I told him that I had to do it to move our things to Georgia, he was all about it. He started bringing me random stuff from around the house to pack. A toy truck, a DVD, a towel, etc.... It was really cute. Of course, we had to pack a snack bag too.
I was able to get most of the kitchen done. I am going to start on the craft and game closet tomorrow and see what else I can do. I am also going to be packing up the pictures that Cheryl just hung on our walls. She just hung them up when she was here babysitting one night in April and now I have to take them all down.
Cheryl, do you want to come to Georgia and hang them there for us? :)

Recital Pics, Carter's Farewell Party, and the Oregon Trail

2009-05-22T10:05:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday, Katie and I had dance recital/class pictures. I am attaching a couple of Katie. This is the first year that she has costume changes.

On Wednesday, Marty and I went to Carter's Preschool Farewell Party. We stayed the whole day with him. He showed us how he spent his day at preschool. For snack, all the kids brought cookies so we could have a special treat. He LOVES school and is always ready to go when it is a school day. Carter loved having Marty and I there. He showed us all of his favorite activities. Marty and I really enjoyed the afternoon with him. It was fun.

Alex is going on the Oregon Trail today at school. They have been preparing for 3 weeks at school. The kids were all divided up into "families". Alex was voted the leader of his family. He tricked me into making a covered wagon for his family. He came home and asked if he could use Carter's wagon for his "family". I said yes and wrote a note to his teacher, letting her know it was OK. That afternoon, I received a note from her thanking me for volunteering to make a covered wagon. I was not very happy as Marty and I aren't the handiest people on the planet. But we worked it out and between the 3 of us, we came up with a pretty good covered wagon. When I dropped Alex off at school today with his wagon, I found that ours was actually pretty good. I don't have a picture of it yet but I will post later. He also had to dress the part and pack foods that they might have taken with them. It sounds like it will be a really fun day for him.
Have a nice 3 day weekend!!

Friday Family Night

2009-05-18T09:09:00.004-05:00

For several months, we have been having Friday Family night at our house. We have watched family movies, played the Wii, danced to music, or played a board game. It is fun and the kids are now asking what we will be doing on Friday nights.

Last Friday, we had a Wii bowling tournament. Marty made a trophy out of a back massage thingy and a mardi gras bead. It is silly looking but that is what we were going for.

We drew names to see who would bowl against whom and we played two rounds. Marty bowled left handed because he is so good at bowling and we couldn't come up with the best way to "handicap" the scores.

The only problem with this activity is Carter has a hard time playing the Wii. He didn't get to really bowl on his own. He did hold a unplugged controller and bowled behind Katie thinking he was helping her. (Very cute.) Also, his attention span is not very long. He doesn't stay interested in a game for more than a few minutes at a time. It worked out great because he could come and go as he pleased.

In the end, Alex walked away with the trophy. We plan on doing this once a month.

We are all wanting to practice to improve our game. And Carter wants to practice bowling on his own. (He is so cute about it.) He wants to be a big boy, just like Alex. :)

Quick Updates

2009-05-11T19:33:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since I have blogged. I wanted to catch everyone up on what we have been doing lately.

Katie had her birthday. She is 9 years old now. For her birthday, we had a sleep over with 8 of her little friends. (Her cousin, Laura, also came.) It was fun but CRAZY. They screamed, ate, and giggled...alot. There was minimal drama. All in all, it was a great time. The boys went to Grandma Cheryl's for the evening. I think they enjoyed that much more than listening to all those girls carry on until 3 a.m.

We also went to Kansas City for Easter. The Easter Bunny came to our house on Thursday morning before we left because Marty wasn't going to be able to join us. While we were in Kansas City for Easter, my aunt threw my uncle a surprise 50th birthday party. At the party, I got a surprise of my own. Marty drove down after he got off work and surprised me at the bar. He said that he knew I was bummed about us not being together on Easter. It was such a nice surprise.

Marty also surprised me with tickets to see Nickleback at the Target Center. Grandma Cheryl came to our house because it was on a week night. Marty and I went a little early and had a bite to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a great concert and we had a lot of fun.

I went to Atlanta, then on to New Orleans for my cousin's 30th birthday. I had a lot of fun. I would like to go back and spend some more time exploring the French Quarter. The food was FANTASTIC. I had the best oysters I have ever eaten.

Marty and I have been busy getting ready for the biggest concert of our season. It is called Rockfest and it is in KC. In years past, we have always just sold beads and other items. This year, we are coordinating all the merchandise vending. It has been challenging but a nice change. We have also been asked to coordinate the vending for the Kansas City Gay Pride Festival the following weekend. We are excited about these new opportunities.

The kid's school year is winding down. We went to Fine Arts Night last week to see the their artwork on display. Katie has field trips. Alex's class is doing the Oregon Trail and going to Valley Fair. Because he is on Safety Patrol, he also gets to go to the Mall of America amusement park for an afternoon. They have track and field day this Friday. Carter's class will be having a farewell party next week. Lots of activities going on to finish up their school year.

Sorry for the novel. I will try and be better at blogging in the future!

That's all for now!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T15:08:00.003-05:00

I saw a print at one of the shops in Key West while Marty and I were there a few years ago.
It said, "There are lives I can imagine without children but none of them have the same laughter and noise".
I love it and think of it often when I am having one of those days...the days when I just want to hide from my kids for a moment of peace. I remember this quote and my day is better.
My kids have added so much to my life!
I am truly blessed!
Happy Mother's Day to all mom's reading this!

You can view the print at: http://www.sweetheartgallery.com/bn_spp0068.html

News

2009-05-09T18:58:00.002-05:00

In case some of you have not heard, Marty lost his job. His boss says that the company will run out of money with in the year so they let him go now. I feel really awful for Marty because he put so much in to this and let him go in a really unfair way. (In my opinion.)
We are finalizing our plans as far as where we are going to be living and when we will be moving there.
I will keep everyone posted.
Scary times for us and lots of people across the country right now.

EXERCISING

2009-04-02T12:00:00.002-05:00

I have ALWAYS been able to eat what I want, when I want and not suffer any consequences. Not anymore. I had heard that when you turn 30 your metabolism slows down and you have to watch what you eat. I didn't listen. This year, I am paying for it.
This past winter, I became an emotional eater on top of thinking that I didn't have to watch what I ate or how much. I would eat all kinds of bad food at all hours of the day and not exercise one bit. When I was homesick, I would eat. When Marty and I are were arguing, I would eat. When I would get down or upset about anything, I would eat. A lot of times, it would be late at night. I am not talking about a bowl of cereal or anything like that. I am talking about tater tots with horseradish sauce for dipping or an extra value meal from McDonald's....daily!
It has caught up with me and I my clothes are not fitting. I look in the mirror and I am not happy with what I see...AT ALL.
I have had it with my bad habits. I have made up my mind to eat healthier and exercise at least 5 times a week. So far, so good. I HATE exercising with a passion. I don't feel good afterwards and I dread it. The only thing that gets me through it is knowing that my clothes will fit better when I am done.
And let's be honest, I am sure that my health will be better also. I know it will be. I know it is so bad for you to put all the crap into your body that I was...I just didn't care. I thought it would make me feel better. Truthfully, it did...while I was eating it. Then I was miserable afterwards.
I will keep you posted on my efforts and progress.

AWAKE

2009-03-25T10:14:00.002-05:00

I have always been a person who could sleep anywhere at anytime. For the past week, I can not fall asleep to save my life. I am so exhausted.
Last night, I worked out, watched a movie with Marty, and then went to bed at 11:00. I laid there until midnight and could not fall asleep. Heck, I think it was after midnight. I was talking to Marty so he couldn't fall asleep. I realized I needed to shut up so he could rest. I tried to lay there and relax. I could not do it. My mind was racing and I could not tell you what I was thinking about. I finally gave up and came downstairs to watch TV. I was sitting up, nodding off so I thought I was finally ready to sleep. I went back upstairs at 2:00 am and still could not sleep. The last time I remember looking at the clock was 3:13 am.
I can't function on no sleep. It makes me very grouchy. Sometimes, I take a nap with Carter. I feel better but I know it will make falling asleep at a decent hour almost impossible. It is a vicious circle. Nap, can't fall asleep at a decent hour, tired the next day, nap, can't fall asleep at a decent hour, tired the next day, etc.......
I have skipped the nap and gone to bed at 10:00 and I still can't sleep even though I am so worn out.
I don't know what to do. I do know, that I can't keep this up much longer. I am so tired!
Any suggestions?!?!?

Company

2009-03-24T11:53:00.004-05:00

Cassandra and her kids are coming this Friday for a long weekend visit. I am excited to see her and her kids. My kids are excited too. Marty seems to be looking forward to her visit as well. She has the best kids and he likes having them around.
Her two youngest boys are a hoot! Levi and Carter seem to be kindred spirits. They are so much a like in the behavior it is scary. And then there is Wyatt. Wyatt is 20 months old and is a little handful, the cutest little handful though. We have plans to take them to the Mall of America on Saturday evening. (Surprise to all the kids.)
Sunday, Marty has offered to keep ALL the kids, 7 of them, so Cassandra and I can go to lunch. They are leaving Monday morning.
I can't wait. I miss her and I miss getting to be around her kids. My kids miss her too. She is an awesome "Aunt Chachaundra".
I will post pics of their visit!

Liz's 30th

2009-03-18T09:59:00.004-05:00

My annual trip to Florida became a big mess and then ended up being canceled. Marty and I were talking about how disappointed I was because of not getting to spend time with my friends. He suggested that I go see my cousin instead. My cousin, Liz, in Atlanta is turning 30 at the end of April. I thought it was a wonderful idea and what better time than around her big 3-0!
She has decided that she wants to go to New Orleans for her birthday. So that means I am going to New Orleans too. Now, it is not the beach but it is New Orleans. It should be a blast. I am so EXCITED! There will be 4 of us going. One of them is her friend Joseph. I love Joseph!! Another one of her friends from work is going as well.
This may not be my annual girls trip to the beach but another type of girls trip to replace it. (Joseph is just one of the girls, if you know what I mean.) I know that we will have a lot of fun. I can't wait!
And how great is Marty to suggest I do something else and really mean it.

Sucked in

2009-03-13T10:41:00.003-05:00

Does it happen to anyone else?!?! I sit down at the computer with the intention of checking my email. 2 hours later, I am reading news stories in Kansas City. Why?!?!?! I shouldn't be wasting my time reading about current events in KC. But what the heck, I have already read CNN, AP, and the Tribune. I have checked Face book and My Space so what is left. I have even looked at dogs up for adoption today.
In my defense, I haven't been on craigslist or EBay because I know I will end up trying to buy something that I really don't need. If I get on those sites, the day is completely lost and wasted.
I should be doing my housework or something. (Carter is playing trains and has told me he wants to play by himself. I am not neglecting him.) I really think that I should get a life and stop wasting my time on the Internet. It is addictive, like some drug or something.
OK, I am going to stop now.
TGIF, everyone!

Swimming

2009-03-10T13:33:00.002-05:00

We took the kids to a hotel Saturday night that had an indoor pool. It was so much fun. Even though we were 10 minutes from our house, it felt like we were on a little vacation. Marty and I swam with the kids too. The pool was heated so the water felt really good. It was nice and warm. Alex and Katie love swimming very much. Carter, not so much. I will say that even though he looked absolutely ridiculous in this little swimming thing he had on, he had a good time too. He had a little water squirting toy and he got into the pool on the steps. He walked around the pool a couple of times and would sit on the side with his feet in, but he mainly stayed on the steps.

Marty and I played in the pool with Alex and Katie. They think that it is great when we get in the water. I love swimming. I always have and I am so glad that the kids like the water too. Carter is coming around. I hope he will get over his fears.

We also relaxed in hot tub. It was nice. I would love to have one of those at home. How do I do that?!?!?

My baby is 4!!

2009-02-24T17:05:00.005-06:00

Carter turned 4 on Sunday. We had his party at Chuck E. Cheese but he wanted a Thomas the Tank Engine theme. (He originally wanted to have his party in his bedroom...we were able to convince him otherwise.) We had a Thomas cake, party favors, and balloons. All he really wanted for his birthday was Thomas toys. Marty and I also got him a children's digital camera so he will leave mine alone. He loves to take pictures so we thought he would love it. He hasn't touched it. It is all about Thomas. Katherine and her family came along with Grandma Cheryl. It was fun. I can not believe that he is 4.

Disappointed

2009-02-23T17:59:00.002-06:00

I am very disappointed. My mom didn't come up here. I assumed that she wasn't when I didn't hear from her Friday night. And also when my brother didn't call to tell me her flight information.
So when she called me at 2:00 Saturday afternoon to tell me she wasn't coming, I wasn't surprised. Just because I wasn't surprised doesn't mean that I wasn't disappointed.
I miss being at home around my family and friends very much. I am very lonely here and really needed to see her. I know that her visit was about Carter's birthday but I needed her to be here for me.
I was hoping to blog today about our visit but that was not meant to be. I guess if I want to see her, I am going to have to go there.

My mom is coming

2009-02-19T15:18:00.003-06:00

HOORAY!!! My mother is finally coming for a visit. We moved here in June and she hasn't been to visit. I am excited and so are the kids. She is coming for Carter's birthday. She's going to fly in after she gets off work on Saturday. One of the advantages of having a son that works for an airline. She will be able to come to visit more often after Southwest starts flying to Minneapolis in March. So, no excuses on not being able to get a pass :)
I am not sure what we will do while she is here but I am sure we will come up with something. She has never been here and I know that she hasn't been to the Mall of America. Maybe we will do that. She is a very cold natured person so I am a little concerned on how she will handle the weather. (She is cold when it is 80 degrees outside. )
Yeah!! I miss her and can't wait to see her.

My cousin, Jesse

2009-02-18T17:39:00.003-06:00

Here is the latest on my cousin:
"Jesse is scheduled to have the abdominal mass removed on March 3. Depending on the pathology report, he may have chemo again. He may also have radiation to his neck where they removed the tumor. After all that they plan to do his esophagus reconstruction."

This is from an email that was forwarded to me from one of my uncles. It was written by Jesse's mother, my Aunt Linda.

Please pray him and his family. He is married with two young daughters and is very young himself.

What a week!

2009-02-13T10:13:00.006-06:00

This has been one crazy week for us. I am sure to some it sounds like nothing but I am worn out.
I think it has been the lice that have done it. I took Katie back to school Tuesday to have her checked out by the nurse. She said she didn't see live lice but she saw the eggs. Katie was allowed to stay. When Katie got home, I started digging through her hair to get the eggs I missed the first time around. Apparently, one hatched. We had to start all over again with the washing, vacuuming, and treating of her hair. She was home Wednesday. I checked her hair several times to remove any eggs that I missed. She went back Thursday. The nurse checked her again and reported that she is egg free!!! Hooray! (I am still checking her hair...just in case!)
All the kids had Valentine's parties this week. We had to work on getting their little cards filled out. Carter didn't understand the concept of giving them to his friends. He wanted to keep all of his Thomas cards. It was a rough morning and not an enjoyable experience. I felt bad for him because I couldn't explain it in a way he could understand. Once he got to school, he calmed down and enjoyed sharing his cards. He loved getting Valentine's from his little friends.
Katie and I both had dance Monday night.
On Monday, I also had Katie's school conference. She is doing really well. She receives top grades on everything. She is excelling in reading and writing. Her writing portfolio is full of stories and poems.
I had to make a casserole for the teachers on Monday night. The PTA provides dinner for the teachers on conference nights. I only had to bring things like chips and sour cream on the other nights. On Monday, I actually had to cook something.
I had to grocery shop on Monday too. I hadn't been in ages. I hate when I procrastinate going because it makes the shopping trip so long and much more work.
Alex had his second drum lesson last night. He actually started learning to read the music and played the snare a little bit. He seems to like it so far. His teacher also said that he thinks he will do well at it. Alex is going to have to practice. He has a hard time following through with things.
So, the kids are going to grandma's and Marty and I have no plans. I am sure we will have a nice dinner out and stop some where for drinks. That is our usual night out so I am sure that is what we will end up doing.
Well, I must get to work on the house work that didn't get done through the week. Having to wash every piece of bedding and soft surface due to lice has put me behind. The laundry hampers are overflowing and the clothes won't wash themselves.
Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

Katie and her question

2009-02-10T08:33:00.002-06:00

Sunday night, Katie and I were in the living room dancing around to the songs being performed on the Grammy's. Out of nowhere she asks me if I was ever hot. She didn't mean temperature, she meant attractive or pretty. I about fell over from humor and realization. I thought it was funny that my daughter was asking me if I was ever attractive to the opposite sex. And I realized that she is looking at me like I remember looking at my mom. Yikes!
I assured her that I not only was hot when I was younger and some boys liked me but that I am still hot today. My husband tells me all the time. :)
Katie stayed home from school yesterday because of the lice. I wanted to make sure they were all gone before sending her back. We were at the grocery store and I was having an issue with the self checkout kiosk. The man working them came over and he was flirting with me. Sometimes, I am not the quickest to catch on to the flirting...just ask Marty. Katie asked me why he was talking to me like that and that is when I realized what he was doing. So I said to her, " See, boys still like me and want to talk to me. He was flirting with me." She was offended. She said that I am married and shouldn't talk to men like that. She was embarrassed by it. I just laughed because she blamed me for it and not the guy.
This mom thing is starting to become scary on a whole new level.

itchy and scratchy

2009-02-08T00:17:00.002-06:00

Lice....AGHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Friday night, I noticed that Katie was digging at her head while she was playing on the computer. I went over and started looking in her hair. And I saw them. There was one actual lice and several eggs.
I FREAKED out. I never had lice and the kids had never had it before this.
It is gone. (I think.)
We have treated her hair, washed everything, and vacuumed everything. I keep checking and I don't see anymore eggs or "nits" or whatever.
Marty and Alex were a HUGE help in taking care of everything.
Kath and Cheryl were also a big help. I was so freaked out by the whole situation.
That is how our family spent our Friday night. What did you do?

Car Wash

2009-02-05T16:27:00.003-06:00

A funny thing happened at the car wash today. Carter and I got stuck in it. I called the phone number on the receipt that had my car wash code on it. A guy came out and told me to drive out. He said that I should get another code and try it again. Our SUV still had soap all over it.
I guess I should mention that this particular car wash has a track that pulls you through it. We got stuck during the rinsing.
The car wash guy met me outside and gave me another code so I didn't have to get Carter out of his car seat. We tried it again. AND WE GOT STUCK AGAIN IN THE VERY SAME SPOT!!!!!!!
The car wash guy was walking through the car wash with us. He said he didn't know what the problem was. There were other cars and SUVs going through just fine. He got out the hose, rinsed the soap off our SUV, and ran inside to get me a refund. He kept apologizing. I don't know what he was sorry about. I felt like an idiot. I am sure it had something to do with our vehicle.
The thing is, we use the car wash frequently. I don't know why we got stuck today. I felt so silly just sitting in the car wash.
Carter was cracking me up. He told me he could fix the problem if he only had his tools.
(He went from wanting to be the actual car wash to wanting to be the car wash repairman.)
Our SUV is clean. Mission accomplished.

Carter is running away

2009-02-05T12:07:00.004-06:00

Carter is mad at me for making him pick up his toys. He has decided to run a way from home. ( Just like "Little Bill". A show he likes to watch on Noggin.) He is still in his PJ's because he won't get dressed. I pointed that out to him but he said that is OK. He said he is going to wear his snow boots and coat over them.
He has packed a backpack with his trains and puppy. I asked him if he thought he should pack any food. He wants to pack some cookies and that is all.
I asked him where he is going and he yelled, "My grandma's in Minnesota, silly". Duh, I should have known that.
Oh wait, now he is staying home because it is too cold outside. He wants to know if I will take him to his grandma's in Minnesota instead.
Guess what, he is picking up his toys and wants to get dressed. :)
Too funny!!

Alex's conference

2009-02-03T22:05:00.002-06:00

I had Alex's mid-year conference. He is doing spectacular!!!! I am so relieved to hear it. They removed his IEP earlier this year and I worried that he would struggle or even fall behind. I could not have been so wrong. He is improving and is maturing and is just great. He is such a good kid.
I LOVE his teacher. I think she is one of the best teachers that either of the kids have had so far in their school careers. I will be sad when Alex no longer has her. She really has made an impact on Alex.
Alex starts middle school next year. That does not seem possible to me. Time goes by so fast. He will be 12 in June. Yikes!!! He will be a teenager before I know it. I don't know if I am ready for that. ( I guess I better get ready, huh?)

To fankick or not to fankick

2009-02-03T18:00:00.004-06:00

Last night I was at dance and the teacher was teaching us the next 8 count in our jazz routine. She says, "Ball change on 1-2, step left on 3, and fan kick with your right leg on 4-5". And I said, "Or not" to myself, I thought. I actually said it out loud and the rest of the class started laughing. They were all thinking the same thing but their thoughts stayed in their heads.
The teacher thought that I didn't know what a fan kick was so she came over to show me and help me. I let her know that I knew what they were and that I just didn't think I could do them anymore. She assured me that I could. (She has great confidence in all of our dancing abilities. Sometimes she has ALL the confidence. She is an awesome teacher. )
Heck, I ought to know what a fan kick is, I was on a kick line, for crying out loud. I just didn't think that my body was capable of fan kicking anymore. Apparently, it can and doing fan kicks makes walking painful the next day. Holy cow, am I sore today!!

A first

2009-01-30T12:23:00.002-06:00

I took egg salad sandwiches to Katie's class today. EWWW!!! Why, you might ask... they just finished reading "Because of Winn Dixie". They were having a party today and watching the movie. The teacher asked that the children bring food that they read about the characters eating in the book. One thing they ate happened to be egg salad sandwiches. (I can't stand hard boiled eggs...they gross me out.)
The school district has a policy that food brought in has to be store bought and not homemade. (Thank goodness!!) I went to the deli and bought the salad. I then spread it on the bread. Carter and I delivered them to Katie this morning.
I just wonder how many kids will actually eat them.

Enough already

2009-01-30T00:46:00.003-06:00

I officially have the winter "blahs". I am so sick of the cold and I am so sick of seeing snow. I told my mom the other day that I am sick of having to warm up my car that has been parked in the garage. It isn't even February and I am feeling like this. I have such a long way to go. I am going to Florida at the end of March with friends for a long weekend. That will be nice. I feel a little bad for the kids though. They hate it as much as I do. Katie told me she feels like a donkey because she has to carry so much to school with her everyday. (She is talking about her backpack, snow boots and snow pants. She doesn't quite get the wearing them would keep her from having to carry them.)
I have to honestly say that the beautiful summers here are so not worth the winters. I can't live here forever.

Nothing exciting...

2009-01-20T13:16:00.002-06:00

There is nothing really exciting to post about. The kids had a 3 day weekend. Marty took the boys to Monster Jam on Saturday night. Katie and I wondered around Wal-Mart and then went to Denny's.
Sunday and Monday were just spent laying around the house.
We are hoping to go to KC next weekend. The kids have Monday and Tuesday off for teacher in-service days. I am looking forward to going home. I am also looking forward to getting these Christmas gifts out of my living room!!!! I hope the weather holds up.
It is warmer here...Yes, I am calling temperatures in the teens and twenties warmer. It is supposed to be in the thirty's for two days this week. They are calling it a "January thaw". Alex has safety patrol this week so he is enjoying the warmer weather.
Like I said, nothing exciting going on here...

Artic Temps

2009-01-14T22:33:00.005-06:00

HOLY COW...it is cold! And to add ice (notice I didn't say icing) to the snow cake, our garage door opener broke and I can't park our truck in the garage tonight!
I can't begin to describe how cold it is. I have never experienced anything like this. I know I have blogged about the cold before. I remember blogging about being warned it would get worse. Those people weren't kidding. It is AWFUL!!!!
A lot of schools in the area have delayed starts tomorrow or they are closed. Not our district...at least not right now. I checked their website and it said that parents could choose to keep their kids home. Their absence will be excused. Guess what...Alex and Katie will not be going to school tomorrow. They don't know it yet. I don't want to get out in it. I don't want them out in it. I hate to think of Marty out running appointments in it.
Why again did we move here?!?!?

What I want to be when I grow up

2009-01-14T11:35:00.003-06:00

As a little girl, my grandma Donna taught me to tell people that I wanted to be an interpreter when I grew up. I had no idea what she was talking about but she told me that it made me sound smart. Silly, huh?!?
In high school, before I really discovered boys, I wanted to be in the military. I wanted to be in the Navy and I wanted to be a pilot. My plan was to go to Annapolis to attend the Naval Academy. I have a third cousin who is an Admiral and my other grandmother had friends in the local political scene that could help me get in. As soon as I figured out that boys were fun, that went by the wayside.
After my discovery of the opposite sex, I decided that I would follow in my Aunt Glenna's footsteps and become a teacher. I love kids and have always enjoyed being around them. I am/was also very good at math, so I thought I would be a secondary education math teacher.
The rest of that story is one that I won't go into right now. The short and sweet of it is, I made a few bad decisions and didn't ever finish college.
I went to work and became a mom. I loved my job at Sony but I hated all the office politics.
Along the way, I thought being a nurse would be a good job for me. I know that I would be good at it. I just don't think that I want to do that now. I will spare you all the descriptive reasons as to why ;)! I have thought about it a lot.
So, what to do....I don't want to be a housewife. In fact, I have NEVER wanted to be the stay at home mom. And I love being here for the kids but I really feel like I do nothing. (I know that my job is an important one.)
I know that I want to finish my degree. I don't think that it will be in nursing. I am leaning more towards a business degree. Maybe business management. I am a green belt in Six Sigma and I loved the training I attended and completing the project to gain my certification. I think I would like a job where I could use those skills OR event planning.
Two different ends of the spectrum, I know but I think I might like it.
I am sure that I will change my mind tomorrow...but those are the thoughts for today.

Tattoo

2009-01-13T10:26:00.005-06:00

I had my first official dance class last night. The first lesson I had was one on one with just the teacher. Last night, I had my first class with all the other women. It was fun. All the women were really sweet and very funny.
I let them know that I didn't really want to dance in the recital. I feel that it is more about Katie and not me. I am a grown women, for crying out loud. They showed me the recital costume and it was very flattering and age appropriate. It would be fun to wear sequins again :)... But the top would show the top of my tattoo.
After the class, I pulled the teacher aside and let her know about my tattoo. ( In my mind, giving me another reason not to be in the recital.) Well, she asked to see it and one of the other ladies asked if she could too. I showed her and the other woman. I couldn't really judge the other woman's reaction because she left...she had to get home.
The dance teacher was trying really hard to come up with ways to cover it. I could tell that it bothered her. I have seen enough people react to it, good and bad, to know that she didn't like it.
So, I don't want to be in the recital anyway, so why is she so worried about covering it?!? I am going to call her today so I can discuss this little issue with her. I started this class to meet other women, get some exercise, and to dance. I LOVE to dance and I miss it.
My concern now is that she thinks less of me as a person because of the tattoo. Why? I have tried really hard my entire life not to be judgemental of someone because of the way they looked or how they dressed. (This coming from growing up with a brother who is legally blind and having kids torment him because he was different. It really hurt him.) Why are people so judgemental of how someone looks? She seemed to think I was alright before she saw the tattoo. Suddenly, she couldn't come up with ways to cover it fast enough.
I don't know what to do about this. I am not dancing in the recital. Part of me doesn't even want to go back to the class.
I do not regret getting tattoo. I love it and I think it is beautiful. I knew getting it would cause various reactions from others...good and bad. Sometimes though, the bad are hard to handle.

Carter started preschool

2009-01-09T10:07:00.003-06:00

Carter started preschool on Monday. He LOVES it. I like his teachers. They are very nice. I also liked how most of the kids that have been in the class for a while came in and hugged their teachers first thing...and the teachers hugged back. I think that says a lot.
Marty met us at the school to take him to his first day. We walked into the class. His teacher showed him where to put his coat and backpack. She then told him to go play. Marty observed while I got all the information from the teacher. Then it was time to leave. Marty and I went over to him at the station he was playing at and told him goodbye. He started to whine a little bit. I asked what was wrong. He told me he didn't want us to leave in our car, he wanted us to stay out in the hall. I didn't laugh or smile like I wanted to. I assured him that we would be in another part of the building and looked at his teacher. She gave me a reassuring wink. He kissed us both goodbye and we left...the building. Marty went back to work and I came home. I felt a little sad. It is hard to let them grow up. He is not a baby anymore.
I went to pick him up. He marched out of class and loudly announced, "I had a great day at school, Mom". It was too cute. He told me all about his day and asked when he could go back.
I think he likes it. :)

Christmas

2008-12-31T00:29:00.002-06:00

We had such a nice Christmas.
Christmas Eve we stayed home. We were invited to Marty's sisters house but she has pets. Marty is allergic and getting worse with age. (I don't think that we will ever be able to get a dog. Bummer.) I cooked WAY too much food. We ate, played a game, watched a couple of Christmas movies. The kids were begging to go to bed at 6:30. So silly and fun, all at the same time. We were able to keep them up until 9:00. Then they would not fall asleep. It was after midnight before they fell asleep.
Christmas morning, we have a rule that we don't get up until 7:00. That is because one year, Alex was up at 5:30am...way too early. (I was up until 3:00 am that year getting ready.) We got up, did Santa and gifts. I fixed pancakes and sausage for breakfast. The kids played with all their new stuff. Then we went to Marty's mom's house. It was fun. Until it was time to leave. Marty's grandma drove her car off the drive way into the woods. She was not hurt. Getting out, she dropped her keys into the snow. Ron, my brother-in-law, found them after Marty and I had been looking for them for a while. (OK, not that long but it was cold and we were in the snow without the proper clothes...it seemed like a long time) Grandma kept insisting that she slid off the driveway. Her tire tracks, that were visible in the morning, showed otherwise. She misjudged; it is a hill with a little curve to it. She literally drove off the driveway.
So, that was it. It was nice.
We didn't make it to KC. That was somewhat of a bummer. But we are going to go in January. The kids have two long weekends and we will go down on one of them.

OMG, I almost forgot. My poor, poor sister-in-law, Katherine ended up in the ER Christmas night. She had not been feeling well during the afternoon. She said she felt achey, cold, and her head hurt. At the ER, they found out she had meningitis. SO SCARY!!! Turned out to be viral, thank goodness. But still not good. She got to go home on Sunday. I talked to her yesterday and she was feeling somewhat better. I felt so bad for her. So, feel better soon Kath!

The cold explained

2008-12-23T10:53:00.003-06:00

I know I already posted today but I wanted to share this. Cheryl, my very wise mother-in-law, sent this to me. It explains everything...or at least, everything about the winters here.........

BLESSED MINNESOTA

On the sixth day, God turned to the Archangel Gabriel, and said, "Today, I am going to create a land called Minnesota. It will be a land of outstanding natural beauty; a land of 10,000 beautiful lakes, each one full of fish. It shall have tall majestic pines, peacefully flowing rivers, landscapes full of buffalo, tall grasses, and eagles. I will be a land of beautiful blue skies, forests full of bear, elk and moose; and there will be rich farmland."

God continued, "I shall make the land rich in resources so as to make the inhabitants prosper and they shall be known as a most friendly people on earth, people who practice being 'Minnesota Nice' every day."

"But Lord," asked Gabriel, "don't you think you are being too generous to these Minnesotans?"

"Not really," replied God. "Just wait and see the winters I am going to give them."

.................. AND NOW YOU KNOW.

Now I get it :)

Birthdays

2008-12-23T10:26:00.002-06:00

I just don't get all the hype about birthday's. People expect special treatment and gifts and parties because it is their birthday. Big deal. On my birthday, I am not the center of attention, and I am not the only one opening presents, special desserts and meals are not made in my honor.
I was trying to explain all of this to Katie yesterday. On her birthday, she is treated like a princess. (More so than on normal days, that is.) She doesn't understand why I don't expect all the traditional birthday things.
It is because I was born on Christmas. I share my birthday with Jesus. Everyone is celebrating His birth, as they should be. Mine just gets lost in there somewhere and that is OK. It was an interesting conversation we were having. She kept saying, "I don't get it. It is your birthday". I don't think I ever got my point across to her and I don't know that I ever will. Bless her little heart though, she said she is going to tell Marty that I need a party with all the cake, decorations, and gifts. I told her that I didn't want all that but I know she will tell him at some point.
Please don't think I don't have good birthdays. When I was younger, my mom would have sleepovers and other parties for me on June 25Th. That way, other children could actually come to my parties. And one time, Santa brought me a cake. My friend, Cassie, has made my big birthdays special. She planned a great night for my 30Th...it was a really fun night...from what I remember ;)! We also try to go out to lunch or go shopping or something.
As I have gotten older, I see the benefit of having a Christmas birthday. It will be forgotten, like I want it to be. I don't want to remember that I am getting older :)

Busy night

2008-12-20T14:34:00.002-06:00

We saw Santa last night...HOORAY! We only had to wait about 45 minutes and that is all because of wonderful daddy!!! He went to the mall and stood there to hold a first place in line while Santa went to feed the reindeer. We made it about 30 minutes after her got there. Poor Marty waited for an hour and fifteen minutes total. All for less than 5 minutes with Santa..ugh. But I am happy to report that Carter sat on his lap this year and told Santa what he wanted...a train table. He wouldn't tell anyone but Santa. Katie told Santa what she wanted as well. Alex just posed for the picture. (He said he was too big and I TOTALLY agreed with him.) I will post a pic soon.

After Santa, Marty and Alex had to run to Marty's office to set the alarm. Katie, Carter and I came home. I cooked dinner. After we ate, the kids got busy cleaning their rooms and I left to finish up our shopping. It was after 11:00 when I got home. I am happy to report that other than a gift card to pick up on Monday, I AM DONE. I have been wrapping as I go so I don't have much wrapping left to do. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....and whew...I am so happy to be done.

Now it is on the baking and candy making.....

Santa

2008-12-19T09:59:00.004-06:00

Last night we tried to take the kids to see Santa. We got to the mall about 7:00. You have to get there and sign up on a waiting list. By the time we got there, it was full. I was so irritated. I can kind of see why they would do it this way but I think it is dumb. Marty thinks it is because they want people to be forced to walk around the mall and shop. He may be right...I don't know why they do it but I think it is stupid. It should be first come first serve. I know it is hard with little ones that is why you have one person stand in line while the other one walks around with the kids...or some other alternative plan. Did I mention that I think this waiting list thing is dumb?!?!?
The kids were so disappointed. I felt awful...I never wait this late in the year to take them. We usually go the week after Thanksgiving. I don't know why we just didn't do it then.
We are going to try again tonight right after school gets out. I hope we are able to see him.
Wish us luck!

Disappointed

2008-12-17T10:37:00.002-06:00

The nose ring is no more. I know I didn't blog about it but while we were in KC, I got my nose pierced. I always wanted to do it and Marty told me that he thought that it looked sexy on women, so I did it. And I LOVED it and so did he. I thought that it looked so good.
It was really sore yesterday and last night when I went to clean it, I found it to be infected. I won't go into the gross details. So, I had to take it out. I thought about trying to put it back in. It is too sore to try that.
Alex was bummed because he thought that it was cool. Katie was relieved;she didn't like it at all. Carter told me he was happy because earrings are for your ears. :) I think Marty was a little disappointed too but he understood.
So, now I want a new tattoo :)!!!

Friends

2008-12-16T18:08:00.002-06:00

A lot of people have friends. People they talk on the phone with, have dinner with, shop with, etc...
But I have been blessed with a friend who is more than just my friend. God didn't give me a real sister, but I believe with all my heart that He gave me her as a replacement.
We have been through lots together since we met in Driver's Ed class at Winnetonka High School. Teenage woes, marriages, babies, and grown up woes. We have had our share of fights and we tell each like it is whether the other wants to hear it or not. Some of the best times in my life have been with her. I honestly don't know how I would handle life without her. And with her friendship comes a friendship with her family. I love them too.
She has been with me through all of the lows in my life...and the highs too. But it is the lows that she was strong for me and was there whenever I needed her. Since we have moved she has had lots of things to deal with and it is so hard for me not to physically be there for her. But we talk a lot...ask Marty about my cell phone minutes.
You know, we say that we look forward to growing old with our significant other's. And that is true for me also. But I also look forward to growing old with her.
I thank God everyday for her. She is a blessing.

Remember what a gift friends and family are and remember what a gift God gave us on Christmas this season. Don't lose what Christmas is really all about!!

COLD

2008-12-15T11:44:00.002-06:00

I know that I live in Minnesota and cold is to be expected.
BUT - I have never experienced anything like this in my life. It was -10 when I took Alex to school this morning. (That is what are truck said.) The wind is blowing and I know the windchill is in the negative teens. It is miserable cold.
Before it got this cold, I told Marty that I felt like I couldn't get warm. Now, I am just freezing. I know that I will survive it but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. I am also keeping my mouth shut and not complaining about it. I will just suffer in silence. :)
I do have one question though...why do people chose to live here? I understand living here if you were born and raised here. This is what winter means to you, it is what you are used to. But why move here on purpose?!?!?! I guess I should be asking myself that, huh?!? We moved here on purpose. ;)
The summer here was awesome but it doesn't make up for this. Nothing could. This is awful and I hear that it gets worse.

Carter is in Preschool

2008-12-12T10:42:00.002-06:00

I got a call this morning from the school district preschool program. They have an opening in their Monday and Wednesday afternoon class starting after the Christmas break. Yeah...Carter will be in preschool. It is from 12:00 to 2:00.
We were hoping to get him the Friday program that I blogged about. But now, we don't have to worry about getting our application in early because he is in...HOORAY.
Carter is so excited...and I have to say that I am very excited too!!!

Report Cards

2008-12-11T17:56:00.005-06:00

Alex and Katie got there first report cards this week.
I was so pleased with both of their grades.
Alex had an IEP in place for reading and comprehension. He was tested by his new school this year. The IEP is no more. He tested average. He no longer receives assistance out of the classroom for his reading. I must say that he is thriving. Now, he is not perfect but he is doing really, really well. All S's and some S+'s. 5Th grade is tough with lots of book reports and other special projects along with the normal homework. Alex handles it very well...with some reminding by mom and Marty. :) His teacher is FABULOUS and I speak to her often. Yeah, Alex!!!
Katie is doing great also. When we first moved away from KC, I worried that she would have a hard time adjusting. Believe it or not, she was really shy at school in KC. That was not the case in Alabama and it is definitely not the case here. She is little miss social with lots of little friends. I went to each lunch with her one day and every girl in her class wanted to sit with her. It was a relief to see her fitting in.
We are going to try and get Carter into a reading readiness program on Fridays. They expect quite a few applicants and it is first come first serve. We are hoping we responded fast enough. He wants to go to school. I think that it will be so good for him. And for me...a few hours a week alone!!! Oh, how I hope he gets in. :)
I am so proud of my kids. I have been blessed with 3 beautiful, smart, and funny children. I am truly thankful for them.

Alex and the bat

2008-12-10T19:07:00.002-06:00

Most everyone has seen the movie "The Christmas Story", right? Well, my son was outside playing with the kids that live behind us. (Katie decided it was too cold for her and was inside.) Someone dared someone else to stick their tongue and lips to an aluminum baseball bat. And somehow, Alex ended up doing it. Just like in the movie when the boy got his tongue stuck to the flagpole, Alex got his tongue AND lips stuck to the bat. The dad of the boy that lives behind us helped Alex free himself and administered first aid because he was bleeding. The fire department (I am pretty sure it was the fire department that had to come remove the kid from the flagpole...correct me please, if I am wrong) didn't have to come remove him from the bat like in the movie. He said that they just pulled his tongue and lips free...OUCH!!! His lips are swollen and raw today.

All I had to say was "DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!". And then I turned around had a little laugh to myself. Not because he hurt himself but because he actually did it. I just couldn't believe that he actually did it. He has seen that movie and he dies laughing when the kid gets stuck to the flagpole. He swears that he did it on his own and no one dared him to do it. But I know that boys will be boys. I just hope he learned is lesson.

Update on my cousin

2008-12-08T17:36:00.002-06:00

I just spoke with my uncle Skip to get an update on my cousin. The doctors are trying to get him well enough to make the trip to Philidelphia. Jessie is still in the hospital in St. Louis. He did his first round of chemo yesterday. Skip wasn't sure how often he would be receiving the chemo treatments.
My grandma went to Buffalo, Missouri, where Jessie lives. She is staying with his oldest daughter and his wife's aunt is keeping his youngest.
Please keep praying for him.

Our Thanksgiving Weekend

2008-12-03T19:58:00.002-06:00

We actually had a relaxing trip to KC for the holiday. Yes, I said relaxing. Traveling home is usually stressful with trying to see everyone and staying with multiple people.
This year, we just stayed with my dad and step-mom. We made our itinerary before we left. It was just a nice trip. Although, I am sure that dad and Lisa were glad to have their house back once we left :).

Thursday, Alex and Katie went over to their grandpa's house. Marty, Carter and I went to my Grandma Betty's for all her yummy food. I ate WAY too much and ended up with a stomach ache.

Friday, I went shopping early with my mom. Not crazy early, but at 7:00. We missed most of the really good deals but we did find a few. Then Marty and I had a meeting with a radio station in town for a concert this summer. My mom kept Carter. Marty and I were able to go to lunch at one of our favorite Thai restaurants. It was nice to be just the two of us.
We had dinner with dad, Lisa, Patrick, and Cale. Alex and Katie were back with us. Marty and I also got to sneak a way and see a movie. That was fun because we hadn't done that in a long time. The last movie we saw in theaters was Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End.

Saturday, I got to visit with Cassie. I miss her!
Saturday night we had pizza with my mom's family. It was fun spending time with baby Cale too. Although, I think we over stimulated him with all the noise and being passed from grandma to auntie all night long.

We drove home in the snow on Sunday.

Marty made the comment while we were leaving that he actually didn't think about work at all. That is a first.
It was a good trip and I loved spending time with family and friends.

I did receive some awful news. My cousin Jessie is 22 years old and has been battling a rare form of cancer since the fall. The doctors told him that they thought they had removed all the tumors and he would go into remission. But when they went to try to reattach his esophagus to his stomach, they found more cancer. Then, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the doctors told him that it was terminal. He has two little girls and a wife. A cancer hospital in Philadelphia has agreed to try to treat him if he can get healthy enough to travel there.
Please pray for him and his family.

Gingerbread Houses

2008-11-24T17:27:00.002-06:00

We made gingerbread houses this weekend at Cheryl's. It was a lot of fun but after we were done, I was worn out. And we used kits...how sad is that :)

Alex, Katie, and Laura all had different ideas on how to decorate their houses. Each one of them turned out very cute. Carter didn't have any desire to participate until we were almost done. Then he wanted a "treasurebread house" to decorate.

After we left Cheryl's and had dinner, I ran into Target to get him a kit. We put his together in a 1/2 hour...it took us all day to do the kits at Cheryl's. Too funny!!!

I had actually thought about trying to bake the gingerbread from scratch but after Saturday, I think I will purchase the kits. They make it too easy.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T14:24:00.006-06:00

We are going to KC for Thanksgiving. We will be staying with my dad and step mom. We are going to spend the actual holiday with my Grandma Betty (my dad's mother). She is a FANTASTIC cook and I am so looking forward to the food. YUMMY!!! But more than that, I am looking forward to going home. I miss everyone so much. I haven't been home in a while. I think that we are going to get together with my mom's family on Saturday night for tacos...we wanted to do something out of the ordinary and we figured everyone would be getting a little tired of turkey by Saturday.

Lots of things have been going on down there since we have been up here. Things that I wished I could have been there for but the distance is still too much. Cassie was sick, I have a new nephew, and my mom has had a lot to deal with lately. (I am trying to be descriptive but vague at the same time...I hope I am successfully getting my point across.)

So, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Take a minute to remember all the wonderful things we have to be thankful for...even in the difficult times that some of us are facing. I love you all and I am thankful to have all of you in my life.

Oh, by the way...the title to my blog can be changed...now I need to think of a new name. I am working on it...look for it to change in the very near future.

Not the right title

2008-11-19T14:35:00.002-06:00

If anyone knows how to change the title on a blog, I would love to know how. I can't figure it out and I would like to change it. Why, you might ask?
Well, I should not have named my blog, "Blog about nothing". It is about something...it is about my life and the life of my family. While it may not be the most exciting, glamorous life, it is mine and ours. And it is very far from "nothing."
I will have to put some thought into a new name, but I do think that it needs to be changed...if it can be changed.

Who pulls Santa's Sleigh?

2008-11-18T20:12:00.002-06:00

I know I already posted today but I had to share this...it is too cute.
Marty asks, "Carter, who pulls Santa's sleigh?"
Carter replies, "Kangaroos."

So, you won't hear hooves on your rooftops this year. No, you will hearing the sound of hopping from 8 little kangaroos.
I didn't know they could fly.......

I made a friend!!!

2008-11-18T18:41:00.002-06:00

Pathetic, I know...but I did. I met her at Alex's football games. Her step-son played on Alex's team and her step-daughter is Katie's age. She has a little boy, Aedan, who is 3. Carter and Aedan always wanted to go to the games so they could play together. And not only did I get to watch Alex play, I got to visit with her. Since the season has ended, I miss talking to her.
Her name is Jamie...she is expecting her 2ND child in February. We are planning a play date for the boys and for us sometime in the next couple of weeks. I am so excited.
In Alabama, I was a "Northerner" and I didn't go to church every day of the week, so it was hard to meet anyone.
Here it has been easier. I talk to lots of moms but Jamie and I hit it off. So, YEAH!!! More adults to talk to face to face!!

Minor Fender Bender

2008-11-07T18:43:00.002-06:00

Marty was in a minor car accident on Friday. He was not hurt, thank goodness!!! I worried that he would wake up sore but so far, so good.

He was stopped, waiting for a couple of cars in front of him to make a left turn. A truck came over the hill and rear-ended him causing Marty to hit the car in front of him. There didn't appear to be any damage to the car in front of him. The woman said that it didn't even wake up her sleeping baby. Our CRV is minor damage but will need to be fixed. Marty said the truck that hit him suffered the most damage.

We were talking on the phone when it happened. I didn't hear a crash but the impact made the phone fly out of his hands. For a few minutes, all I could hear were some cuss words and silence. He finally found his phone, told me what happened, then called me back.
I am so glad that Marty or no one else involved was hurt.

Cleaning the garage

2008-11-06T20:51:00.003-06:00

I have wanted to clean the garage since we moved in. There were several bins full of our stuff, the yard tools, and the kids outside toys all over our 3 car garage. I think during the move, it became a dropping point for anything that the movers weren't sure what room the item belonged in. It was just one of things that we procrastinated. Well, it is going to get cold tonight and stay cold and we want to park our Expedition in the garage. The CRV has an auto start so we have decided it can stay outside.
Anyway, Alex and I got it done by ourselves. I am really lucky to have such a GREAT kid. He worked his little butt off helping me move things, sort things, and sweep. He didn't complain once. He just kept working asking what needed to be done next. When Marty got home, he couldn't believe that Alex and I had done it alone. So I feel really accomplished today and grateful for a good kid-o!

Carter had his eye doctor appointment today. Although the appointment was difficult, he does not need glasses. Hooray!!!

Carter's evaluation

2008-11-05T17:51:00.002-06:00

Carter had his early childhood development evaluation yesterday. It went pretty well. He was in a good mood. I worried that he would be difficult and not do what he was supposed to do. He surprised me. He is doing just fine and they don't have any concerns about his motor skills, speech, hearing, or mental development. His eyes were a different story. It is actually his left eye.
Tomorrow we are going to have an exam with an eye doctor. I hope that it is nothing and that he won't need glasses. I don't think that he will like to have to wear glasses very much and I can see it being a struggle to keep them on him. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Yesterday was an exciting day to be an American!! I hope everyone voted and let their voice be heard. Whether you supported Senator Obama or Senator McCain, we watched history in the making with an African-American man running and winning the highest office in the land. Our country may have its problems but we truly are blessed to live here. In my opinion :)!!

Yesterday was also Marty and I 's 2ND anniversary. Last year, I remember blogging about how I couldn't have imagined us moving to Alabama. I laugh about that now because look at where we are. In our short marriage, we have become quite the gypsies. I will say that I don't want to be moving anytime soon even though Minnesota isn't my first choice for a home. It will be interesting to see what our 3rd year has in store for us.

Katie' Question

2008-10-28T20:39:00.002-05:00

We recently let the kids read "Where did I come from". So we have been talking about the birds and the bees a lot at our house lately. Good talking with lots of good questions. I think that it has all been very positive.
We have talked about all kinds of things but I don't ever remember discussing hookers.
Tonight we were watching Dancing with the Stars. (Marty was working late so we had control of the TV) Missy Elliot and the Pussycat Dolls were performing. The Pussycat dolls start their little performance and Katie says, "Mommy, are they hookers?" I couldn't help laughing. My reply was that even though they are dressed like that, I didn't think that they were hookers. Then I had to explain what a hooker was.
Oh, the joys of parenting!

Should I dress up this year?!?!

2008-10-27T18:23:00.003-05:00

The kids always want me to dress up on Halloween and I never do. The last time that I did, I was pregnant with Katie. I have been thinking about it. I thought that it would be fun to be dressed up when I pick them up from school.
Then again, it is always chaos trying to get them all ready to go out trick-or-treating. I just don't think that I will want to mess with a costume for myself.
So, as always I am being wishy washy about a decision. I think that I am going to do something...I am just not sure what it will be yet.

Alex is going as a "zombie gladiator", Katie is going as Tinkerbell, and Carter is going as a "bad guy". (That is what he calls it...he is going to be a Storm Trooper from Star Wars.) He wanted to be "Yoya" (Yoda) but when he saw the "bad guy" costume, he changed his mind. I am sure that they will all be cute!
I will take lots of pics to share with everyone.

Gripe about Football

2008-10-20T21:09:00.004-05:00

Alex's team lost their first playoff game. We were under the impression that they were done. Oh no, this league has a consolation round for losing teams. WHAT?!?!? I thought that if you weren't good enough to be in the championship game, your season was over?!?!?

OK, here are my gripes...I think that our society is too soft. Boys and girls don't have to try out to be on teams when they get to this level and coaches let the kids run the team. The kids back talk and don't work hard when they are at practice. Heck, I have heard some of them back talking the coach during the game.

Coaches are not allowed to "discipline" kids on teams because parents get upset. I think that coaches should be allowed to yell and hand out physical punishments for disrespecting and not trying hard enough, but they don't. It is OK with other parents that their children are disrespectful to their coach AND they are OK with the coach doing nothing about it. And I think that kids should be called out for not trying hard enough. It can be done without really putting someone down. But they don't want to hurt the kids feelings. It drives me crazy!!!

I am sorry...but at Alex's age, I think that they should have to try out. If they are not good enough, they ride the bench. I don't think that we are teaching our kids any lessons at all about real life with the way things are now on most sports teams younger than high school. My son, who refuses to practice at home and learn his plays, still gets to play every game. He doesn't even practice as hard as he can, he just does enough to get by because there are no consequences. I don't think that this is teaching kids that they need to work hard for things that they want. In my opinion, this is just handing it to them.

Alex is a good football player...he could be GREAT...but he doesn't want to invest the time into it. So, I think if another kid who works harder and is better than Alex is available, he should get to play. Alex should have to sit out.

How is any of this teaching teamwork and doing your personal best???

People are afraid that it isn't fair to the kids. But whoever said that life was fair?!?! Kids are given trophies just for being on a team. Not for winning or working hard, just because their parents paid the fee. That is one reason Alex likes to play sports. He knows that no matter what, he will get to take home a trophy at the end of the season.

Please don't think I think ill of my son. Alex is the best kid on the planet and I am lucky to be his mother. He is just a awesome boy...he really is. But I hate watching him not work hard and still get to play. He only "half-asses" it and gets to play. As an adult, he can't "half-ass" it. He won't ever really get what he wants without hard work and dedication.

Ok, I will step down now.

Yummy Soup Recipe

2008-10-16T17:50:00.002-05:00

I got this recipe from one of my step mom's cook books. (Thank you very much, Lisa!!!) I made it the other night and it was AWESOME...all the kids are asking for it again. Marty too!
It is called "Macaroni and Cheese Soup". It is super easy and super yummy!!! Perfect for cold days!

Macaroni and Cheese Soup

1 Box Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese dinner (the kind with the cheese sauce/not the cheese powder)

1 cup cubed cooked ham

1 cup raw broccoli, chopped

1/2 cup raw onion, small dice

1 10 3/4 oz can of cheddar cheese soup

1 cup of water

2-3 cups of milk

1/2 tsp of garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Cook macaroni, drain, and set aside. Add cup of water to soup pot with broccoli and onion. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Do Not Drain. Reduce to heat to low. Add ham, cheddar cheese soup, cooked macaroni, packet of cheese from macaroni and cheese dinner, 2-3 cups* of milk (depending on how thick you want the soup), garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Return to boil and cook 10-15 minutes.

* I used the soup can as opposed to a cup. I used 3 so it wasn't as thick.

So good, so good. My mouth is watering just typing this.
I hope you try it. I also hope that you and yours love it as much as our family did.

Beautiful

2008-10-14T14:52:00.003-05:00

It is hard to believe that Minnesota could have ugly winter weather. I haven't loved living here but I have thoroughly loved the weather...so far. (I haven't lived here through the winter.) The summer was so nice. It was never too hot or humid. It was really lovely.
The fall has been just as nice. It was been very mild and sunny. We have had some cool nights and rain but nothing to really complain about. The leaves have all started to change and the colors are so pretty...really beautiful.
I know that winter is coming. Everyone keeps making comments about how cold it gets. I am trying not to think about it. I am sure that it will be here soon enough.
Right now, I am loving the fall. The sunshine, the colors and the temperature.

Minnesota Driver's License

2008-10-10T12:23:00.002-05:00

I have to go and get a Minnesota's driver's license to make sure that I can vote on election day. (I have already registered to vote and received my voter's registration card.)
I went online today to find a DMV office and to see what documentation that I will need to get a license. First of all, it is $43 just to get a license. That is so much money!! I can't believe how expensive it is. But that is not the kicker...oh no, there is more. I have to take the written part of the driver's examine. YIKES!!!! I studied for 6 months to get my permit when I was 15...and it costs $13.50 to take the test. I am dying here!! I don't want to take the test. What if I fail it? That would be funny and scary all at the same time. I have been driving since December 26, 1991...that is the day I took my one and only driver's test, passed and got my license. I have been driving for almost 17 years.
So, I am going to the DMV office to pick up the manual so I can study for the test.
Wish me luck!

Dance/Football

2008-10-07T16:44:00.000-05:00

Monday night was "watch night" at Katie's dance school! I love watching even though they don't get much done with all the mom's looking. :) I am happy to report that this dance school is SO much better than where she took in Alabama. I think that she will actually learn something this year. Her teacher is an amazing dancer with lots of experience. Katie loves dance. She is working hard on doing the splits. She scares me though because she just plops down in them. She doesn't stretch half the time and I am afraid she will pull something. She is almost there!! It is so cute to see her so determined.

Last night was Alex's last regular season football game. The playoffs start on Saturday. It rained all day yesterday. We honestly didn't think that they would get the game in, but they did. As the sun set, a mist rolled over the field. It was the coolest thing to see. One of the mom's said it looked like they turned on a fog machine. The game was tied 12-12 and after double overtime, they called the game an official tie. (I didn't see all of it. I had to leave the game early for Alex's school conference.) Marty said it was a looonnnggg game. :)
A couple more playoff games and football will be done for the year. Then it is off to drum lessons. (At least that will only be one night a week!!)

Carter is really going to miss football. He has made friends with a little boy named Aiden. Aiden's big brother plays on Alex's team. He loves to go to the football games to see Aiden. Aiden's mom and I are going to keep the boys in touch. They really have become good buddies.

Ticked

2008-10-06T10:48:00.000-05:00

I am ticked today. I don't really want to get into it to much on here but I am ticked. Fighting and Fussing have returned to my house.
Last week, I felt so good about everything. I really believed that a corner had been turned and the climb up the hill had begun. I was wrong and I am ticked. And I am disappointed. I think that the disappointment out weighs the anger.
I know that I am blessed with more than my fair share in this world as far as things go. And I am blessed with 3 healthy, wonderful kids, and family and friends. But just for a little while, I would like to have my marriage feel less like a job and more like something that I am choosing to do and the blessing that it is. I know they are supposed to be work, but are they supposed to be this hard...every single day?!?!?

Pictures of Cale

2008-10-01T11:41:00.001-05:00

Here are the pictures of Cale. Some our from our visit and other's are from Carson's blog. (I borrowed them.)

He is a cutie. I can see both his mommy and daddy in him.

Also, Carter is doing so good at potty training. He has had a total of 3 wet accidents and one poopy.

Today, so far so good. No accidents at all and he has wet and pooped on the pot!! Hooray! I expect by weeks end that we will be potty trained!!! Thank goodness!

Potty Training

2008-09-30T10:59:00.000-05:00

I have had it with changing diapers and I know that Carter is ready...he was just being really stubborn. Yesterday, we started potty training.
He cried for about 30 minutes because I put underwear on him. That was it. He tried to fight me when I took him in to use the potty the first time but when he went, that was the end of it.
Carter only had two accidents yesterday and they were wet accidents after Katie and Alex came home from school. He pooped on the pot which is amazing. Usually peeing is first followed by a struggle with pooping. But not Carter...he doesn't like to be dirty!
We are so proud of him! He isn't a baby anymore!! He is officially a big boy!
Yeah Carter!!!!!

New nephew

2008-09-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

It's a boy!!!

Patrick and Carson are new, proud parents of Patrick Cale. He was born 9/24, weighing 8 lbs, 1 oz and was 20 inches long.
I am going to see him this weekend!!!! I am so excited and happy for them!!!

I will post pics soon!!!

Fun Weekend

2008-09-22T21:36:00.000-05:00

I had one of the best weekends that I have had in a very long time.

Marty arranged for the kids to stay at Grandma's so we could go out for dinner. He took me to Fogo de Chao. It is a Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse. It was so good and so much food. The atmosphere was fun, loud and there were men moving around everywhere with meat on skewers. I can not do it justice by explaining it. Check out their website: http://www.fogodechao.com/. SO GOOD!!! After dinner, we went across the street to a rooftop bar,Seven, to have a drink with one of Marty's friends and his wife. It was a fun night.

Saturday, after Marty got off work, we drove to Grandma Cheryl's for the rest of the weekend. We fished Saturday evening with the kids, Kath, Laura, Lucy and Cheryl. Grandma Norma came over for a fish supper. Then I learned a new way to clean fish...new for me, anyway. We also had a bonfire and made s'mores.

Sunday, Ron came and cooked breakfast for all of us. He also brought his four wheeler. After breakfast, we took rides on the four wheeler. Marty and Ron watched the football game. Cheryl, Kath and I gathered wood. We fished a little.

It was just a fun, fun weekend. The weather was beautiful...not hot, not cold. I enjoyed being outside for most of it and being with family. I don't know what else to say. Other than I was pooped today :)!

What to do about our yard...

2008-09-19T12:56:00.000-05:00

We live in a rental house and the yard is in pretty bad shape. Lots of weeds and dry, dead spots. Some of the shrubs are dead too. It looks sad.
All of our neighbors have lush, green grass. Our house sticks out like a sore thumb.

I don't know what to do about it. Part of me feels like we should leave it the way that it is and another part of me feels like we should do something about it. We don't own this house but I hate looking at it.

Suggestions or opinions....I can easily be swayed!!!!

Visitors

2008-09-18T10:07:00.000-05:00

Alex and Katie's grandpa from Kansas City is coming for a visit in a couple of weeks. He is coming with their aunt, uncle and baby cousin to watch one Alex's games and to visit wit the kids. The kids are so excited for them to visit, especially Alex. He likes that Marty and I are at his games...but it is different when a grandparent or other family member comes.

It feels strange to me that they are coming for a visit. I guess because these people literally feel that Marty and I moved from Kansas City to hurt the kids dad and his family. We know that it is not the case, but our move has made the relationship between myself and their dad's family strained (to put it mildly).
I have always felt that my feelings are not what matters, it is my children. And I would like to think that I have done that when it comes to their dad. I also feel that they(kids dad and family) put their feelings ahead of the kids. It is hard to see how that affects Alex and Katie. They are getting old enough to notice.

So, anyway...it is going to be a strange visit for Marty and I but the kids are in heaven. I am happy for them that their grandpa and gang are coming. I think it is nice of them to travel up here to see them. I know the kids will have a good visit.

Wedding/Safety Patrol

2008-09-16T10:09:00.000-05:00

Kath was married Saturday in a beautiful ceremony at an apple orchard. The wedding was scheduled to be held outside but due to the rain, it was in the reception tent. I think that it was lovely. Kath looked BEAUTIFUL. Ron and Kath were very happy!!
Everyone had a great time just visiting, eating, dancing, making s'mores, playing on the train and haystack. It was just a great time!
CONGRATULATIONS TO RON AND KATH!! I wish them wonderful life together!!

Alex is so excited and very proud. He has been chosen for the safety patrol at his school. He will either lead children to school buses or be a crossing guard before and after school.
I am proud of him because he had to submit an application with reasons as to why he would be a good member and why he wanted to be part of the patrol. He filled it all by himself. I only helped with spelling.
Way to go, Al!!!

Babies

2008-09-15T11:45:00.000-05:00

I have been blessed with 3 beautiful, healthy children. And 3 is enough for me...and for Marty.
Why is it, every time I am around a baby, I think that one more might not be a bad idea?!?!?! I am going crazy. I do not miss the late night feedings or packing up the entire house to go to the grocery store or having 3 loads of baby laundry per day, etc.
But the innocence of babies and their smell and the way the feel in my arms...oh, I could do it agian...NO...I can't. I would go crazy. I do not want anymore. I am just going to get my baby fix off of any baby I can get my hands on.
So, little Lucy, I am sorry if I come across as a baby hog when you are near. I can't get enough of you. You are so precious and such a doll.
Look out Cale, Auntie Jen is going to spoil you rotten!!! (Like that is a bad thing.) I can't wait to get my hands on you!

I am sure these are feelings that all women experience at some point or another. I am perfectly happy with my 3 kids getting to be big kids and not babies anymore. It brings new and different experiences.
It is a little sad that they are not babies any longer, but they will all 3 always be my babies.
Always!

Missing my friends and family

2008-09-12T12:24:00.000-05:00

OK...it is pity party time for Jen. Please bear with me...this will pass.

I have been asked by Marty's youngest sister, Kath, to be in her wedding. I was surprised when she asked and very honored that she wants me to be part of such a special moment in her life. Of course, I accepted. The wedding is tomorrow.

Marty's other sister, Eleise, is in town from the Big Apple for the event. Last night we went out to celebrate...just us girls...the big step in Kath's life...and her last days of being a "bachelorette" :)!! One of Kath's friends joined us. She is also in the wedding party. We had a fabulous time at a piano bar in downtown Minneapolis. It was so much fun.

On the drive home, I got a little sad though. I miss my friends and family so much. It is hard to be in a new place again and it is hard trying to get to really know Marty's family. It sounds a little silly but I want them to like me for who I am and I sometimes find myself holding back around them. And in doing so, I say something stupid or weird...and it is hard.

My friends and family know that I am a nut. I am talkative, and silly, and crazy, and a little wild at times. I would do anything for someone that I care about. I am smart but I seem dumb sometimes. I am a little overprotective as a mother and sometimes my expectations of my kids are too high. I want to raise good, happy, people who know that I love them with all my heart. In the words of my bestest friend in whole world, I am a strong woman(stronger than I realize...she says). And I love my husband very much even though it is hard to sometimes. My ultimate goal in life is to live it...good, bad, happy, sad....And more than anything I want to experience it all with family and friends.

So, that is it. I miss them...but I am enjoying getting to know new people. But getting to know new people makes me miss the people that are not so close. Funny, huh?

Pity party over...thanks for coming!

No motivation

2008-09-10T10:08:00.000-05:00

I seriously don't know what my problem is but I have no motivation at all. I need to clean my house and work on laundry. Heck, I still have unpacking to do and I just can't make myself do it.
Usually I will have a few lazy days but I seem to be having a few lazy weeks. Actually, I think that it is turning into a lazy month. I just can't snap out of it.
I go to bed every night and tell myself that tomorrow I will get things done. Then the morning comes, and I just can't bring myself to do anything. I know that I am a lazy person by nature (Thank you Dayle) but I have never been this lazy.
If anyone has any suggestions on what to do to make me snap out of this, please let me know.

Correction

2008-09-04T21:43:00.000-05:00

Marty told me that I have the name for Alex's position on his football team wrong. I called it the nose tackle. The correct name is nose guard.

Sorry about that....I think I am excused a little because I am female. :)

3 year old sense of humor

2008-09-04T10:08:00.000-05:00

Carter is such a ham. He will do or say anything to make the rest of us laugh. He will also do things to irritate his sister. To him, that is really funny.
His big thing right now is singing his own version of Katie's new favorite song. She loves the song by Katie Perry..."I kissed a girl..." Not my favorite song at all but she doesn't get the true meaning. She thinks it is a joke/funny song. Anyway, Carter will sing along and say, "I kissed a skunk and I liked it". This ticks his sister off and cracks him up. It is really pretty funny. Especially with his raspy little voice and his lisp.
The other day, we were joking around in the car and I am not sure where it came from..but Carter says, "Alex is smoking Cocoa Puffs". And he dies laughing. It was so funny and we all cracked up. He has tried several times to repeat it but he laughs to hard to finish the sentence. It is soooo funny.
Who knows, he may abandon his dream to be a car wash (not the man at the car wash, but the car wash itself) and become a stand up comedian.

Football

2008-09-03T11:55:00.000-05:00

Last night was Alex's first football game. He is the nose tackle. (That is the middle position on the defensive line.) He could have never played this position in Alabama because of his size. Here, he is an average sized player.
He was fired up to play last night and it showed on the field. He loves to tackle and he played a great game. His team, the Ramsey Vikings, won 7-6. It was a game of defenses. He was so excited and had so much fun.
I am over being nervous when he is on the bottom of the pile. He has assured me over and over again that he is fine. "It doesn't hurt, Mom", is what he keeps telling me. Since he is willing to play in game after game and submit his body to the game, I now believe him.
I LOVE football...but I love watching my son have so much fun and enjoying himself even more.

Admiration for my children

2008-09-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day of school for Alex and Katie. I am SO proud of them. They have started ANOTHER new school this year in another new state for us. I think that I would be terrified. Instead, they couldn't sleep last night because they were excited...EXCITED!! I am so lucky to have such marvelous children who embrace adventures.
I only wish that I adapted as easily to change and new surroundings as they do.

Nothing

2008-08-28T15:39:00.000-05:00

OK, so I did the blog about Alabama. It was fun and I loved sharing all our experiences with our family and friends.

So, I love to blog but I don't have anything exciting or new...so I am just going to use this as a way to update everyone on our lives in the frozen tundra...and to complain, boast, ramble, etc....

Today, my niece is over for a play date. They are all getting along pretty well. Katie is just so DRAMATIC...I am sure we will being seeing her win an Oscar someday for best actress in a drama.

We have open house tonight at the kids new school. We will meet their teachers and tour the school. Then Alex's football team is being introduced at the Anoka High School football game tonight. He gets to stand out on the field before the game for the National Anthem. Then they are going to introduce all the youth teams. It will be fun.

My best friend and my very good friend (They happen to be twin sisters) are having a birthday party Friday night. We will be traveling to KC for that and my Uncle Billy's wedding on Saturday. I hope to spend some time with my dad and step mom too.

See, this is a really boring blog. Sorry but it is all I have for today.