Yesterday Josh was at the local HEB *plus* in the garden section when he turned around to find that Jacob was stuffing sunflower seeds down his pants. Now I know that my son enjoys stuffing things down his pants, but this is a new one. I think the only reason he didn’t come home with those seeds is that Daddy caught him. The most frustrating thing about the whole situation was that he wouldn’t tell me. He refused. He cried and rubbed his little eyes and became a big old swollen mess before he fell asleep- without ever telling me what happened. This saddens and scares me. I wish he felt like he could tell me when he has made mistakes. His punishment was not being able to go with Mrs. Ann to see Shrek the Third yesterday with a whole group of kiddos.

Emily talked me into a “practice bra” which she now loves. A little too much. She is constantly worried about if it has been washed, where is it? Blah, blah, blah! She is going to drive her daddy crazy about it. But the other problem that seems to go hand in hand with the purchase of this particular item, is that she suddenly thinks she is a grown up. For real. She needs to hurry up and get over herself, fast. Because she is not 16, she does not have a job and she is not as important as she thinks she is. Emily now believes she runs the household. Maybe I should start charging rent.

Gabby and Emily

I have been working on my 100 things, because Amy told me too. I am not quite finished, so I thought I would take a break from that and tell all three of you whats going on here.

I am ALMOST done with the last Harry Potter book. I have 3 chapters left. Gosh darn work getting in the way of reading. I am really enjoying it and I am going to read the books to the kids once I am finished with this one- which will be today.

Last night Emily had a sleepover with a little girl down the street, Gabby. I like Gabby. I think I may like Gabby more than the fabulous Chelsa and I know I love Gabby compared to the Double A’s. She is a year older than Emily, but she has younger siblings and is very nice and sweet and polite to me. And that is what is important. Plus, she and her 2 younger siblings have been hanging at our house a lot the last few weeks and I am really getting to like them. Emily had the time of her life. It was different than when Chelsa has spent the night. They played and ate fruit and cheese and crackers and stayed up later than I did. They watched the sunset outside and then watched Mean Girls. Emily was glowing, that a friend would come to her house and they would be able to play nicely and there was NO fighting, and I wish I could let them sleep over at each others house every day until school starts. Because no matter how much time there 2 girls spend together, they don’t seem to argue. Both Gabby and Emily compromise and just work together so nicely.

I hope it lasts.





Plus a very blurry picture of the two.

Boring life 101

What a week. I am SO glad it is Sat. I got my hair cut today, yeah for less hair. I am sitting for Amy right now, so I have 2 extra kids right now. But I am expecting 2 more kids to join us at any minute. So I should be having a fabulous good time with 6 kids, by myself. But I am handling it ok. They have swam already and now are having a snack break. They are in the middle of watching Sleeping Beauty. So fun is being had by all.

I am still looking for a teaching job. No luck yet, but I am hopeful. Friday was the drop date for all the teachers in Round Rock, so all the jobs should be posted next week. I am in Little Rock next week, so I will sit and apply and call and email to my hearts content while I am bored of my rocker in the afternoons.

Our trip to Kentucky was good. We had a fabulous time and I am SO glad we all got to go. I had forgotten how much I miss my grandparents. I enjoyed our time there and Josh is already trying to plan how to get back sooner than we might have originally planned to return.

So that is all that is going on in our boring life. The sun is finally out after a rainy morning (the kids swam in the cloudy, overcast-but dry time) and I think I am going to throw them outside while the gettings good.

Thank you

All I have to say is:

Thank you Amy.

You know what you did and I am able to move on now becasue of you and your fabulous wit, spin and rockin good times.

We are leaving tomorrow afternoon to go on our journey to Kentucky to spend the week with almost ALL of my family. Only 4 people shy of the entire group! And I saw those four in May- so it has been a busy year with the family.

I am super excited and can't wait to see my kids- it has been too long! I miss those kids!

I have ALOT to do this afternoon. I have a doctors appointment, a trip to the library, a trip to HEB, and that whole packing thing.

I am going to the library to get books on tape. Josh and I really enjoy long trips where we can listed to books on tape. We recently found that one of Emily's favorite book series comes on tape as well so we are going to pick that up as well. For once the DVDs are tiresome.

Woohoo Kentucky- here we come!!!

When I called my mom last night I was able to talk to Emily for a minute.

I asked her what she was doing. Her response was, “Watching the rain fall.”

I miss them.

Six Years

Six years ago yesterday I headed into the doctors office for my last bi-weekly appointments. I was going to start moving to weekly appointments the next week. The child was still right- side up which meant he was upside down. And they found something else was going on with him so they sent me straight from my appointment to the hospital. Thankfully I had left Emily with my Mother In Law and gone to the appointment alone.

I called all the appropriate people, Josh at the prison (that he worked at, not lived in) and I called his mother, as she was watching our first born and my parents. Josh freaked out, because it was 4 weeks early and while I was ready to not be pregnant, I really wasn’t ready. I checked into the hospital without my bag, without my husband and without any idea of what was to come. They of course out me on the fetal monitor and an IV and came in and did an extra ultra sound. I was able to almost see his face before he was born. They did an up close and personal picture of him that I got to keep. Not like the ultra sounds of today where you can actually see the faces. Then they turned him. While he was still inside. Because he was breech and wasn’t changing his mind anytime soon, they pushed and pulled on me and him like nobody’s business. And let me tell you. It was NOT comfortable. He was as stubborn as the doctors and nurses that were forcing him to change directions. They finally were able to get him upside down, right side up and let me rest. I was left to be and they gave me something to start the labor before I went to sleep that night. I really don’t remember to much about that night except I had to get up and go to the bathroom a million times because of the IV that was pumping fluids and every time I had to get up I had to call a nurse because I was hooked up to SO many things. The next day I was officially in labor and I of course asked for the epidural as soon as possible because I am a big pain weenie.

The epidural did not take. Lets just say that again. The epidural did not take.

So I am going along and I am tired and I am in pain and I am SO OVER this and I want to be done. It didn’t look like he was coming anytime soon, as it was going VERY slowly. I was not very dilated when they came to check me so everybody decided to leave and get some dinner. Josh’s mom was going to take Emily home because we weren’t sure the little man was going to join us before it was time for her to go to bed. Josh walked Emily and his mom out and to her car. And left me alone. I guess when I am left alone Jacob wants to join me. Because then it was PAIN. Goodness, pain like I had never felt before. I called Josh on his phone telling him to get back up to the room. NOW. When he got back he went and got the nurse. She was very reluctant to come and check me again because she just had checked me literally 15 minutes prior. But Josh insisted and she came and I was nearly ready.

So everyone goes into panic mode. Both sets of grandparents had just left. So Josh contacts everyone and they start making their way back to the hospital. His mother and Emily were getting stuck at every light possible. My mom and dad barely made it back in time.

Little Jacob joined us in the world at 5 pounds 12 ounces and was 18 ¾’s inches long. A little old thing.

He has always been little since then and he has been just as stubborn. He his a fantastic little boy who gives me heart ache and joy.

Happy Birthday, my baby Jaocb.



On July 4th, only 8 days old.


Taken in June- almost 6 years old.

Childless and it feels so......weird.

Josh and I have had quite a bit of quiet time since the children went off to New Mexico. We almost don’t know what to do with ourselves. We had a late dinner out on Monday, we didn’t even come home until after 8:30 (which is completely unheard of for us). We are actually getting to talk. Like real live grown-up talk. I almost don’t know what to think about all of it.

Sadly, I do not miss my children yet. I think it is because I am still working 8 hours a day and commuting forever everyday and have my mind on all this silly teacher stuff (which, on a side note, I officially put my application, copies of transcripts and a lovely little check to the agency in the mail this morning on the way to work. I will be officially accepted after they check and make sure I actually went to college and what-not). I think I will start missing them today. Josh is working and I get off at 4:30. I will have quite a bit of time alone. Which is nice in theory, but lonely at the same time. I will probably turn up the stereo and get to work in their rooms. I have stripped their beds and pulled all the laundry out of there, I just need to go ahead and get it good and clean while they are gone. Now is my opportunity to shed some of the junk they have collected. While I have to admit isn’t nearly as much junk as it was at one time. Plus, I would love to be able to surprise them with something new in their playroom- what? Who knows, but I gotta get it cleaned up before I can do anything.

But it is bizarre not having the kids. it is different this time. I mean, we did go for a week last summer without them, but it seemed like a rushed week and we didn’t get to spend any quality time together. This time- I feel like it will be forever until I see my kiddos again. I won’t see them for another 12 days! Not that I am counting or anything.

BOMB!

On Saturday I took Jacob and Emily to the airport to catch their plane to New Mexico to visit their grandparents. On the way to the airport I was discussing with the children about the security and the lines and what not that they would have to do once we arrived at the airport. Because in today’s world my kids never go upstairs through the security on a regular basis. I think Jacob has only done it once in his life ever. So I was explaining that they would have to allow their backpacks to go though the X-ray machine and they would have to take off their shoes and put them through as well. Jacob asked, “Why do I have to take my shoes off?” I responded with, “Well, one time a man put a bomb in his shoes and tried to get on the airplane. He was trying to hurt people, but they caught him, so now, you have to take your shoes off when you get on the plane to make sure you don’t have a bomb in your shoe.” I thought that would have answered any questions that either kid might have had, but then Jacob decided to say bomb about 14 times in the next 3 minutes.

“I don’t have a bomb in my shoes.”

“I don’t have a bomb in my bag.”

“I don’t have a bomb with me.”

“Bomb.”

“Bomb.”

“Bomb.”

Over and over again. I thought I might just die right there in the car driving to the airport. He would not stop saying bomb.

SO I calmly explained to him that he could NOT say that word once we got to the airport, or he wouldn’t be seeing MeMaw and PePaw today, because he could go to jail. Emily promptly told me he was too little to go to jail. I told her- Whatever- he could get into lots of trouble. So STOP IT!

Once we arrived he did not say bomb one time. I was so proud of him. However, while waiting in the line for security he saw all lighters and matches that had been discarded prior to going through the security line and we talked about how it wouldn’t be good for a fire to start on the plane to which he tells me, “Yeah, cuz it would go BOOM and then down.” With the little hand motions of a plane falling from the sky.



I just wanted to die once again. Hoping that nobody though we were planning to take over a plane. Because we SO were not. I just have a little boy who loves explosions and airplanes.

Emily waiting for the plane reading her new magazine.

Is our plane here yet?

It's here!!!

Silliness

The kids are nearly packed. I only have to add a shirt for Emily and a (1) sock for Jacob. And then pack their on the airplane backpacks. And there I only need to add the DVD players that are charging and split up the crayons and add a few chapter books to Emily’s bag. And they will be ready to go. This morning Emily asked me if it was Saturday yet. I said- Not yet, but tomorrow. They are ready to go. Mrs. Ann has quite a fantastic day planned of swimming at the Round Rock pool, Gattiland and a relaxing afternoon watching a movie. They will be pooped.

We went to Chuy’s last night for a fathers day celebration since the kiddos will be gone on Sunday. Josh loved the ipod shuffle and was walking around with it last night as we were packing and cleaning up. I am super happy that he likes it. We had a good time once Emily got out of her funk and we just had a fabulous time.




I am excited that my kids get to have their fabulous vacation, but I am ad and scared fro them at the same time. It is probably a good thing that we have our company picnic right after I drop the kids off at the airport. Otherwise I might be a basket case for the next two weeks.

The ball Emily caught

What a banner week for Emily it has been.

After she won the tickets to the baseball game she actually "caught" a ball during the game. And becasue the kids had been so well behaved during the game Josh and the kids waited after the game to get a few of the players to sign the ball. She could not have been more excited. Seriously. I have a picture of her and the ball, stuck on my camera becasue I have to find the cord.

The kids are super excited about flying to see the grandparents in a few days. It works out the Chelsa leaves on Friday and the kids leave Sat morning. No time to grieve her leaving, because we have our own fun to have.

We are celevrating Fathers Day tonight since the kids will be gone on Sunday. I think Josh will really like his present, it is after all what he asked for. So all should go well there.

Yesterday Emily won tickets to the Round Rock Express game from our new favorite pizza place, Papa Murphy’s. She always wants to fill out those little cards, and I remember letting her do it one day a few months ago. It was quite humorous when I went to pick them up, because they asked for and ID. I pointed to Emily and said, “She is Emily, she doesn’t have an ID. But here is mine, the address is the same.” I think they almost didn’t believe me. So the game is tonight and the kids are going with Josh while I am at my info session on teaching certificates.

We also purchased two brand new suitcases for the kids trip to New Mexico and then onto Kentucky. I had finally decided to just bite the bullet and buy the $25 kids ones I found on Sunday, but couldn’t bear to purchase, but after consultation with my mother and father and their preference to having two small ones instead of one big one, I figured I would just do it. Besides, my big one- has seen MUCH better days and is falling apart due to all of my travels. So we went to Target after I got home last night, but it was a different Target and they didn’t have the same luggage I had seen on Sunday. So, I looked around and decided on some MUCH cheaper small “adult” suitcases for $9.99 a piece- I said- that’s it, we will take it. I have another very small piece if we need to send three, but I think we should be ok with their backpacks and the small luggage. But I got out of Target with the two suitcases and a new swimsuit for Emily (which I now have to return today- ARGH!) for what one suitcase would have cost. So I am VERY happy about that. So tonight I am going to start pulling underwear and socks and dresses for them. Also, mom, don’t worry, I think I am simply going to mail Jacob’s present to Mamagrand this weekend. That way you don’t have to transport them.

The kids are brown from swimming and are antsy to see their MeMaw. FYI Mom, Emily is most excited about: seeing Shrek the Third, and watching the bunnies after dinner. And swimming.

Well-we offially opened the pool this weekend and fun ensued.

We ended up wth 8 kids before the day was over. We have the only pool (so far) this summer. Several had one last year, but we are the only house to have not disposed of the pool at the end of last year. We just emptied it and stored it in the garage until a few weeks ago. The kids had a great time for about 5 hours! Emily ended up starting a nasty sunburn and finishing it on Monday. I am out of town in Little Rock and she went running in spinklers on Monday and burnt to a crisp according to Josh.

And then today, Jacob got stung by a bee in out garage. Lovely. I can't wait to be home.

Happy Anniversary to me and Josh. It has been 9 years since we walked into this thing called marriage. We have had good and bad times, and we seem to be on an upswing right now. Hopefully it stays up for a while.

On another note- I have been looking into that whole teachers certificate thing again. I never did anything with it before, well because I am stupid. I could be teaching now, but I think I got scared and nervous about the whole idea. So I have been researching it quite a bit these last 2 days, after thinking about it for about a month. I have actually taken a step in the right direction as well. I have ordered my transcripts and started filling out the applications. So, progress is being made. After looking into it, I think that a Career and Technical Certification is going to be the best bet for me. I would focus on Family and Consumer Science. Funny if you think about it. I am going to an information session on June 12th. If once I apply and am accepted into this program I could actually be student teaching next spring, while going to school while I continue working at my current job.
I am going to go to the info session and find out more information and hopefully start this thing up for real this year.

Lubbock

We had a blast in Lubbock this weekend. It was great to see everybody again. It had been 9 years since we had all been together. We have added 3 kids to the family since then. Here are the "best" serious pose and my favorite: the crazy one.

Lauren, Uncle Tim, Uncle John, Josh, Me, Mom, Grandma, Dad, Grandpa, Lucas, Aunt Deb, Aunt Michelle, Trevor, jacob, Hannah and Emily.

Two boys and a tree

Last night when I got home Jacob was outside with his new little friend Cameron. They were playing with the pirates and having a grand time. I went inside and was talking with Josh when I heard the water come on outside. As you may or may not know my son loves to turn the hose on. I don’t know why, but the boy loves him some water. So I go outside and fuss in a fun, cool mother way. I grab my camera and take a few shots of the tow of them, thinking, oh, what a fun little fluffy blog this will be for tomorrow.




About an hour later we send Jacob home with Cameron to pick up Emily, who was hanging with Cameron’s older sister. Emily hits the door and says, “Do you know what those boys did?” We assume she means the mess in the garage- pirates and matchbox cars were everywhere. We tell her yes and tell her to get inside and get to eating her dinner. I certainly cannot even remember why Josh went outside, but I hear him yell “Susan!” and I jump up and run outside. This is what I found.





What possesses two 5 year olds to mangle a tree like that? Why? I just don’t understand why they did it. Jacob is in the biggest trouble of his life- he has lost his beloved pirates until school is out- which is only 2 days, but he was very ashamed. We had a chat about it, and I had to explain to Emily why I didn’t march over to Cameron’s house and tell on him. So all sorts of lessons were learned last night and out poor tree looks so, so sad.

We had a fantastic weekend. The best part was hanging out with Amy almost all afternoon on Saturday. Here is the "proof"

We had a great time, while Amy gave her dog a bath and the kids played with Legos and dirt- little friendships were forming.

On Sunday afternoon Emily did her own make up.



And then we had a little lesson on make-up.

Josh and I are prepairing for a trip to Lubbock this weekend. Lots of funt o ensue I am sure of it. The kids are excited to swim and I am excited to see family.

Bullets

Today is a day for bullets:

• I was called on Tuesday morning at 7:57am to pick up Jacob, he had been throwing up at school. We got to hang out and watch Scooby Doo all day together. He only threw up 2 more times that day.
• Emily was so wonderful this morning. She got up, got dressed, did her own hair, brushed her teeth and asked nicely for breakfast-all without having to be asked. I live for those moments.
• Josh got the dishwasher fixed yesterday! It has been 6 months, and he finally decided after I broke glass number 476 while washing dishes on Tuesday that he would call someone. Two pumpkin seeds. That is what was causing the problem. Almost as bad as when 2 pebbles caused the dryer to stop working. I think we need to work on cleaning things properly before loading them into the machines made to make our lives “easier.”
• Josh put up the pool yesterday. The kids are so excited they are about to pee themselves. It was all we could do yesterday to keep Jacob out of the water. Emily has already invited the entire neighborhood over for swimming after school today. Let’s just say this is one day I am happy to be at work.
• Our first free lawn mower finally died about a month ago. We had been borrowing random neighbors mowers until we could get our own. On Monday Josh and I decided with all the rain we have been getting we had to break down and buy a lawn mower. We had looked on-line and were going to look at Wal-Mart (the evil empire) this weekend for a refurbished one. But the wonderful, lovely Mrs. Ann gave us hers that afternoon! They are getting their lawn cared for professionally and have no use for a lawn mower anymore, so they gave us theirs! It was amazing the timing on the situation.
• School is almost out and the kids are READY! They are super excited that we are traveling so much this summer. And they are traveling more than Josh and I are. Emily is super duper excited about going to Lubbock to see all of her cousins that she didn’t even know she had and a few that she does know. Jacob is thrilled that he gets to have a “destination birthday”- even if the destination is Mayfield, Kentucky, population 10,000.
• However, I think my kids are most excited about hanging out with Amy this Saturday- seriously Amy, I hope it ok. It is all they have talked about this week. Jacob wanted to go over when he was sent home from school sick. He just wanted to share. What a mess. But we plan on being there this Saturday- be ready to play!
• Emily finally asked about taking dance lessons yesterday. I have been waiting for this moment since she went to the dance recital with Chelsa on Saturday. I am thinking about letting her do it. It might teach her some grace, focus and discipline . I need to look into it.

I guess that is it. We are boring but exciting. Yeah us!

Weekend Update-with pictures

Another full weekend at our house. On Saturday we had final games of Soccer and Volleyball and a Girl Scout meeting. Emily’s team lost and Jacobs team won. After Jacob’s game his team had a party at the YMCA which included pizza, cake and playtime in the huge play area.


After the Girl Scout meeting Emily went with Chelsa to her dance recital and Jacob and I got to hang out.

It was really, really fun just hanging out with Jacob. We needed to go to the Girl Scout shop and to HEB. And because I was thrilled to be hanging out with him alone we went to Dairy Queen to full ourselves for our long journey ahead of us. After the Girl Scout shop and before HEB we went to the Party Pig to search for Scooby Doo birthday stuff for his party. Since his birthday will take place while he is in Kentucky with ALL the grandparents and Mayfield, KY is a small town, I wasn’t sure we could find a Scooby Doo cake topper at the Wal-Mart or Dollar General so we went a hunting. While we were walking up to the store he asked what the name of the store was. I told him, “Party Pig”- well you would have thought I farted, burped and spit water out my nose he laughed so hard. He thought it was HILARIOUS! After finding what we needed and a few things we didn’t need at the Party Pig we headed to HEB for my prescription and then to Mrs. Amy’s mom and dad’s house.

We posed Jacob and Ian for a few cute Americana shots and then got a few more with Kenzie in them by chance.

Jacob had a great time- truth be told, I think because Emily wasn’t there they all got along better. I think she is turning into a bit of a bully and I am not sure how to stop it.

But the kids had a great time digging and playing in the dirt and I think Jacob asked about 12 times on Sunday if we could go over to their house again. I kept telling him, next Saturday, honey, next Saturday. (I hope that you have no plans Amy, because we will be there.)

Sunday was nice. I got some very sweet presents from the kids and they both melted down to hysterical tears at least 12 times each. It was a fabulous mothers day. I think the best part was when they went to play outside with their friends and I got to watch ER uninterrupted.

Over all a very good weekend. I am already ready for the next one.