Snips and Snails and Puppy dog tails

Day 9 Challenge

2012-02-09T23:12:00.000-08:00

'Similar'

His and Hers'

Open Frontier

2012-02-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

Save a horse ride a cowboy

For giggles :)

Day 8 Challenge

2012-02-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

'Crime'

Crime against nature'

Follow Up

2012-02-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

DISCLAIMER: This is about no one other than me or about my kid...so don't read too much into it!

I know I've been MIA of late of blogging something with a little more than a picture from my Photo Challenge, and there's a reason, many of them actually.

A few weeks ago I was asked about a post on my blog and this person was upset about what I wrote about my feelings on something. I'm frustrated because I'm not sure what the issue is since I didn't name anything or mention anyone by name. And if you knew me and you knew what I was talking about but if not it was a rant. Then I'm annoyed that I feel like I'm being stalked about what I write and about what I'm not writing. This is my blog and it's about me and what I'm going through. This is today's version of a diary, right!?! How can you tell someone what to write or not write about? I'm having a hard time letting this go, these feeling of frustration and anger, I am a work in progress and it will happen, in good time! These things take time right? Because after I deal with the issue at hand there are the other things that go along with it that I have to deal with, it's like a never ending, depressing circle!

Like I said before, divorce is ugly and I'm left holding pieces again, so while trying to deal with these issue I write. Something I learned in 3 or 4 years of counseling. And in this process come good things, small moments in my day where it dawns on me just why I am so angry about divorce and the one I'm having to deal with. Granted it's a bit easier after the holidays but like I mentioned before I felt like I was grieving for the loss of a person and a thing for several people, including me! Along with the grieving came anger and a lot of it, and through writing that post I figured out just why I am so angry. I'm angry because I feel like I and my family, were abandoned with out so much as a screw you and the horse you rode in on or a good bye. Nothing, Nada, zilch. All the sudden my insecurities of being abandoned were brought right back up to my face, now I know what I need to deal with. These issues of being abandoned come from a crappy childhood of many people not doing what they should have, and being abandoned by family and biological parents...who didn't do the things they should have done or needed to do to keep me, they abandoned me. Hence the anger when I feel like there was no goodbye or anything. Part of it is I don't know where the relationship is suppose to go or where I stand. I'm still confused...I feel like I'm 7 again.

So here I am wondering what the heck to do and where I stand and people are 'stalking' my page and then I'm asked about my blog...do you think any of those questions I asked were answered? Nope. You know what's even better? My 8 year old son the other day started asking questions about said divorce...before 8 in the fricken morning. Not the way I wanted to start my day.

His questions are what bring up more anger for me, I am mad I even have to address this issue with my 8 year old. Questions I never dreamt I would have to think long and hard on and answer so as to not sway him one way or the other, so that he'll form his own thoughts. My heart breaks in pieces when his chin quivers as he's asking me what IF I divorced his dad, where would I live? REALLY!?! He wants to know if this person whose left will ever come back. I had to say no, no they won't. They will still be around and you will probably see them from time to time but no. How do you tell them that they aren't, for a lack of a better word, part of our family anymore? That they are his cousins family but this person has no obligations to us anymore. No more camping trips, no more holidays, no more birthdays (to which he was shocked...gotta love kids)...this person is no more obligated to do anything unless they make a choice to? I said I knew it would be weird and I know how frustrating and that I knew how much he was hurting when you feel like they just left with out saying goodbye or why things are the way they are. He flat out and looked at me and said well mom, you haven't answered one of my questions. I asked what. He said well you haven't told me why they got divorced. I had to look at him yet again and tell him I didn't know, and if truth were told Lee it wasn't any of my business or anyone else's. It was between these two people, and as much as I hate to tell you this I can only guess at why, because lots of people get divorced. It's not a good thing and it gets ugly, people get divorced over things like money, betrayal, or they just don't love each other like husband and wife anymore. They love each other because they are someones mom and dad but that's it. I had to explain to him that there were other people already in these people's lives that for at least one of them who has an 'other' we (and we I do mean me, this is a really hard issue for me) are going to have to make a better effort than we've been making??? That was a crappy day and it all happened before 8 am in the morning...shitty! Yes I said it, sometimes those are the only words that can appropriately describe what a person is feeling. Sigh...I'm done with the tears (Lee's and mine), the quiver chins, and the inability for Lee to fully grasp and comprehend what is going on in his world, most of what he knows about love and marriage are shown by the adults in his life...these things have been rocked to the core in his world! These are the pieces of life I'm left holding...pieces of his innocence...

UGH! It just doesn't feel right! Not one bit of this feels right so how do you make the effort when all I want to do is just not? I don't want to put myself out there and try all over again, it's too hard and takes too much effort. Yes I'm Debbie Downer today, but this has been really bothering me, especially that other people get upset about what I'm writing about that I'm dealing with. Get your own blog and stalk other people! Honestly!

I am working on moving on, really I am. Now that I know a few pertinent details about myself I know what to work on, and I know the letting go will come with time and the anger may not go away but it will lessen. Really it's not my life and if this shows me anything, I need to focus on my marriage...apparently people are worried about that *drama*. Sigh...I've managed to put myself on more radar's than I'd like to be on.

Well I feel better 'ish...now to the moving on and getting me ok and better in my life, along with my kids! It's been almost a year since this all started so all our firsts are all almost over and hopefully we'll leave the crappy year we had behind and we'll work on a better year and I'll work on me being a good mom, good Auntie (you know it's my joy!), a good wife, and a good friend! No small feat but doable!

Day 7 Challenge

2012-02-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

"Partner"

Peanut Butter and Jelly---can't have one w/o the other...and when we are out of one we are in crisis mode at my house!!

Day 6 Challenge

2012-02-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

"Routine"

I despise with every cell in my body this routine I do with my oldest son over homework--the tears, the screaming, the fighting, the screaming and name calling...It's old and it's only the 1st kid and there are 3 more to go!! Ugh!!

Day 5 Challenge

2012-02-05T22:07:00.000-08:00

'Snap'

Appropriate for Super Bowl Sunday...a football snap

Day 4 Challenge

2012-02-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

'Meal'

This was part of my meal for the day, yummy!

This was my other fave, delicious grapes!

I thought this made a good picture however I thought the strawberries had a bland taste which was disappointing!

Day 2 Challenge

2012-02-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

'Toy'

This is my toy for reading

February Photo Challenge-Day 1

2012-02-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

'Scrap'

A pile of scrap paper

Sway

2012-01-31T22:31:00.000-08:00

Seriously, not like he wasn't super cute before but add his brother's borrowed IPOD and watching a 3 year old rock out to, lets say, Bruno Mars-Grenade. It's worth watching him sway his head back and the forth making the music work for his little body.

Can we just say... CUTE!

Rendezvous

2012-01-31T22:12:00.000-08:00

So I had a rendezvous with some girlfriends for some birthday drinks and some good times at The Rendezvous in town...a wine and dining place. Let me tell you I was so excited to go out it was like getting ready to go out with one of my best girls Tami from college! Really the only thing missing was body glitter!! Which I still have...hahahahha! I'm not nostalgic or anything!

I tried some wine I hadn't tried before and it was yummy, we had some cheese fondue and we had so much chocolate we were swimming in it! We ordered 3 chocolate fondues and a chocolate mousse....we, there were 5 of us, and we made a pretty good dent in it, it was impressive! Good job ladies!!!

We all have plans to go back again in March...Girls Night!

**just so we are clear I am having a hard time just enjoying my picture with out dissecting how I look**

Nasty self talk sometimes

Chainsaw

2012-01-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

Okay so during the storm we (and by we I mean the town of Enumclaw) lost a lot of trees. Across the street from where I live they had so many trees in the apartment complex go down. It really is amazing that there was no car damage or structural damage in a lot of places. God was really looking out for people!

Well all over town lots of people are dealing with debris and hiring landscapers and such to take care of trees and branches.

Which brings me to this gentleman...this whole thing made me nervous! High up, chain saw, old man (not knocking the old me but lets face it the older we get the less steady we get), did I mention the chainsaw? OH and a ladder...things I don't consider a good combo. I pretty much sat and watched through the window with my heart beating fast praying for this guy. To make it down the ladder in one piece and no chainsaw incident.

He adjusted his position several times to get the 'just right' spot. Can I say the chainsaw was up there with him too??? Notice it in his hands???

As of now, he's safe and down the tree...thank goodness because honestly I didn't want to have to put my emergency plan into action!

Information

2012-01-25T21:22:00.000-08:00

This is going to be short and to the point:

I was informed this evening that I will be 3 decades and 4 years tomorrow. Thanks Lee! Frank told them I'd be 48 tomorrow...Thanks Frank!

Told you it was short, sweet, and to the point.

Birthday Dump

2012-01-24T21:42:00.000-08:00

My guys at the hockey game. We found our seats, tried them out and then of course promptly got up to get Lee souvenirs and everyone a treat. We are a one tracked mind family here people...FOOD then fun!

Go Seattle Thunderbirds!! However they lost but it sure was fun being there!

The Zamboni...who doesn't love those! Especially when they are cute like that!

A Camloop Blazer getting smooshed up against the glass...always fun to see that or when they get into a fight close by. My boys were cracking me up though, a fight would start and they would be screaming FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! Even Eli...apparently they don't get out much.

The token cute picture...poor guy lost all his M&M's to the floor...but he had his soda so all was not lost!

Lee's birthday cake. We had to go to QFC to find it and generally I'm not a fan of their cakes and not much has changed, but they had a way better cake than Safeway did. The weird part about this cake was the frosting, tasted like marshmallows...SO not my thing! Would have preferred butter cream frosting, THAT would have tasted better! Oh well not my cake and Lee was happy with it.

He wanted this book SO bad! He even wrote to Santa about this book, it was his number 1 item on his list. It took a lot for Frank and I to talk him out of being upset if he didn't get this for Christmas, reminding him that he had a birthday less than a month after Christmas. His Grandma and Grandpa had this book for him since before Christmas...we knew he was getting it. He was so happy and I loved seeing him sit down and read it shortly after everyone left from the party. I have never read the book...I might have too after he's done!

Lee's birthday dinner. We finally talked him out of having yet another birthday dinner of spaghetti...ugh! So he managed to decide on ribs (although he says his Uncle Cheeson's ribs are way better than mine-I'll never win!), Homemade mac and cheese, strawberries, salad, and garlic bread (even if I did forget to warm it up and put it on the table). The only thing missing was collard greens! HAHAHA!

I just can't believe he's 8 now...I know I'll be saying that when he's 18 too, but it's still weird. Love you Lee, hope you had a birthday to remember!!

Angelic?

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

My Lee making a snow angel

His snow angel

He has his angelic moments...I love my boy!

Icicles

2012-01-23T21:17:00.000-08:00

Apple Popsicle anyone?

As damaging as this ice storm was, there were some really cool and amazing things to see! There was beauty in it!

I can't believe how thick the ice was!

I fiddled with this one but man it has to be one of the coolest shots I've taken in awhile I think. Yes that horn you here is my own horn tooting!

Stuntman

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Ian had a bright idea while we were all outside playing Wednesday. Actually for the 2 days before that they had been trying but hadn't gotten brave enough or figured out the logistics of it completely.

However, with his dad out there and I'd like to think me too, Ian got brave and went through with the plan. I'm still on the fence whether this really is a good idea. With that said, at least they had the snow to land on...fairly soft landing.

We had a good time out in the snow...lots of snowballs thrown at daddy and many snowball fights. I even got a sled ride from Frank! It was so fun, I felt like a kid again! Frank gave a ride to everyone...I love laughing like that...even if I did get tackled by Frank and got a white washing! I do love snow days like this when we are all together and can have some fun...I do love my routine and I'm now ready for it to be back!

Let the good times roll school is back in session!

Ice Ice Baby

2012-01-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

Thursday morning I woke up to some snap, crackle and popping. Frank called me early in the morning asking me what it was doing weather wise and so I went outside saying it looked fine. That is until I got past our gate and saw this! Our Cherry tree went and broke into pieces! What the heck! Anyway, the silver lining in all this is where the 2 branches broke off they fell into the driveway where my car normally sits. Frank took my car to work that morning and I'm pretty sure right after he left that the tree broke, otherwise there would be some damage to the family car. Thank goodness!

Where my car normally sits...and we were lucky that there wasn't damage to Frank's truck...so lucky. Once we got in there and started moving the branches we were really lucky there wasn't a widow out or something. Thank you Lord!

The fir tree across from us lost it's top sometime in the night or early morning...it has since lost a huge chunk from the side also.

Another tree across from us but down the road. The whole time we were outside we kept seeing and hearing the other tree branches on this tree crash to the ground in spectacular fashion. Not one of those cars were damaged as far as I could tell. Lots of damage to trees but from what I could see around town, not much if any to cars and houses...amazing!

Another look at our tree that broke...crazy looking!

Neighbors Lilac trees bent all the way over...today I was surprised to see a few branches actually bounced back...they are a hardy tree though.

My cherry tree in the back broke...I hope this one bounces back with one less branch.

The company we share the fence with, these are their trees'...they are mess with much to clean up for Frank and I. At least we'll have a full yard waste for awhile, got that going for us!

We had been talking about chopping the tree down for a few years now, the ice and broken branches just made it happen. That and every year Frank and I worry about that tree falling on our neighbors stuff...meaning trailer and cars. Not something I want to deal with and they are really good neighbors to us...they put up with my kids for pete's sakes! So Frank's brother came over and used his chainsaw and chopped it down for us...and he got most of the wood for his fireplace. So it worked out well! It looks SO different with out that tree right there!

All in all we were really lucky we came out with out some damage. I thought that we might have some when I first saw it, but we don't have any except to trees. And trees bounce back or you buy more. Thank you Lord!

8 Years

2012-01-22T15:44:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday was Lee's 8th birthday. Like a lot of other people we lost power and I was unable to post this. This kid is by far the one that tests me the most...everyday. 8 years ago we had a storm just like this one before I had Lee. I remember it well because Frank and I were concerned we'd actually have to drive in this weather across town to the hospital. Thankfully he came afterwards but not much. This kid came in with a bang and celebrated his 8th birthday in the same manner! This year is certainly a year he will not soon forget! Who else gets a week off for their birthday on account of snow and ice? Not many!

Lee Emerson Paulson

1/19/04

11:01PM

9lbs 9oz

21inches

14 1/2 head

15 inches chest

Nothing easy about this kid from day 1!

Camping baby 2004

First Halloween. Eeyore and this fit him better than anything. He is still like this but not as bad as he was as a baby. When he got his first set of tubes for his ears in at 18 months his personality changed a bit for the better.

October 2004

Burgundy Suit-love this suit! Thank you Nikki for letting all my boys wear this, has meant so much to me! That rocking chair that Eli is sitting in was Frank's when he was a kid...LOVE heirlooms!

Lee and Frank during swim lessons. I just love this picture, they are having a moment...a Father and son moment. Melts my heart

2005

2005 His first haircut in our blue leisure suit-again thank you Nikki :)

2005

2007

Birthday boys...50 years apart

Preschool 2008

2008

2009

Doesn't he look handsome!?!

Dungeness Spit 2011

He was into fishing last year and this year he's finally old enough to get on the charter boat for salmon fishing in Ilwaco.

2012

My baby is 8 now and it went by fast. This year Frank and I were able to really do something for his birthday. We took him and the rest of the family to see a hockey game. We saw the Seattle Thunderbirds vs Camloops Blazers. Sadly the Thunderbirds didn't win but man we were in the second row from the glass and it was action packed the whole time! Lee impressed me by sitting and really followed the whole game it seemed.

Happy birthday Lee-Lee!!

Snowed In

2012-01-20T10:30:00.001-08:00

Hahahahaha!

Sorry I just thought it was funny!

Sledding Trip

2012-01-17T22:29:00.000-08:00

Today I decided I would take the boys out on a walk around the neighborhood, while also getting a work out in as I drug the sled behind me. Genius I tell you! Here the boys are with Charlie right before we started. It was cold, windy and snowing like heck. I didn't think we'd actually last long with that wind. But at the very least we could get to a girlfriend's house and drop off some Carmel corn and a loaf of Applesauce bread (which is delish by the way!).

On our way out I told the boys we'd measure how much snow we got...4 inches...not bad! They got a snow day out of it (with a sneaking suspicion that there are no built in snow days in the calendar for 2011-2012...it would stink to be us!)

That's the 70lbs (maybe more...and I'm guessing at weight here) that I pulled for approximately 2 miles. they had fun it looks like. One way we walked against the wind which is why they look the way they do. By the way what is the deal with constantly eating snow? I dont' get it, then they have to pee all the time!

We were taking a rest because of Lee...it really was a sense of Deja Vu of Disneyland all over again with that kid. Not sure what he thought I was going to do a mile from home...certainly wasn't going to drag his butt on the sled all the way home!! I know that's what he was thinking!

They really didn't do to bad on the walk and Charlie was really a good boy! A good walker...which I love! Kids went to bed tonight wondering if they had school tomorrow...poor kids!

Have fun making the snow angels friends!

Stone Cold

2012-01-16T22:37:00.000-08:00

HA! A moment anyone should be proud of...a couple of swigs of Champagne right before you walk down the aisle...

Frank was so mad...cause he didn't have anything to drink before he had to be up front waiting for me. Poor guy was up there STONE COLD!

HAHAHA!

That White Stuff

2012-01-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

Well like most of you we had some of that white stuff fall at our house, much to the excitement of 4 boys and possibly one dog. I'm still unsure if Charlie likes the snow or not. When we left for church this morning there wasn't much and when we got home from church there was more but not much. As soon as we walked outside those boys were plotting and scheming about making forts and piling up snowballs. I kept telling them that I didn't think there was as much snow as they all thought there was there. They didn't believe me. I'm just mom you know and not any mom, the mom.

Ian was working on his fort here with the big snowball and Lee was pulling Eli around on the sled while they stopped occasionally to make snowballs and stock pile them. Eli loved having Lee pull him around (honestly who wouldn't right?).

I just really think Eli is cute and to be very honest I was surprised at how long he lasted outside. This is such a different version of him from last year. Last year he was being pulled in this very sled screaming and crying the whole time. He was not happy to be cold and wet in that white stuff! Look at him now!! He goes skiing and sledding!

Ian working hard on his snow fort...he managed to make at least 4 of those and they are all praying for more snow to work with tomorrow. I hope they get their wish...as much as I hate suiting them up and down and the consumption of time doing it, it wears them out and they love it. We get so little snow sometimes that snow is really a big deal. I do like snow...too a point.

Here's Lee...he's pushing everyone's buttons and they are on overload. The frustrating thing is his birthday is coming up this week and we are going to a hockey game for his birthday and all I want to do is shake him silly!!

I love him but he's going to put me in an early grave and the other boys are going to be a breeze...or I could have it ALL backwards...which is more likely.

Here is Dru in his green and orange shubby coat...sometimes that kid cracks me up with the way he talks. He had fun in the snow too...I hope to wear them out tomorrow in the snow too!

I made a double batch of Carmel popcorn today...pretty much spent all day doing that but it tastes so good it was worth it. As a matter of fact it's screaming my name as I sit here but my tongue is raw from eating it off and on while cooking it! It's a tough situation you know!

Well I hope you got the snow or storm your were wanting cause I'm pretty sure most of us didn't. However, I think the roads are going to be nasty in the morning so have a safe day tomorrow!

Grocery Shopping

2012-01-14T20:36:00.000-08:00

Lee in 2005...or there abouts.

So today I took Lee grocery shopping with me, mainly so that he could pick out his cake for his party. So we got there and I handed Lee my list (he's my list holder) and a pen to mark off what we got. So off we go to the Bakery section to look at cakes, as we are walking there Lee reads the list and stops mid-stride. He looks up and me and says "Mom...girl stuff?? Really? Girl stuff is on the list?" He was so disgusted with me. We continued on our way and got our stuff. We were good up until we went down that aisle. So we go down the aisle and I get him set up a ways down from where I need to be. But the whole time I'm trying to find and decide what I want (it takes me awhile, why I don't know) I'm hearing "are you done yet mom? Let's go mom!! Commmmeee OOOOnnnn Mom!!!" He could not get me out of aisle fast enough! It was hysterical...well I thought! The funnier part was when I told him he could mark it off the list, he all but scratched it out. All the other things on the list had one line through it, the 'girl stuff' was blacked out. Too funny! I did however think this was a bit young to be acting all weird about girls stuff, considering he hasn't the foggiest what that entails. As we were leaving the GIRL aisle he asked me why I didn't have 'boy stuff' written on my list, truly offended I didn't have it on there. I told him cause boys don't need 'stuff' like girls do. He just grunted at me...like yeah right lady.

Glow Stick

2012-01-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

Eli was playing with his glow stick and I thought these looked cool

Skiing

2012-01-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

We went up sking recently thanks to Frank's parents. They have so much fun and so do their grandkids...well we do to. However I think this year made it pretty clear that the kids out number the adults and I need to learn to ski.

I didn't get many pictures that day..hard to get some and run after kids.

Here is Frank and Dru waiting in line to get on the chair lift.

Tell me he's not cute!

After acclimating to the weather and getting used to the boots, he thought it might be OK to try the skis. So try them we did. Yes we are digging the butterflies on our boots!

Dru and Frank getting on the lift...Dru is the one they are helping on the chair. Better get my baby on the lift people!!

Eli with Grandma, he went by himself a few times. Not bad I thought!

Frank and Eli on the lift. He LOVED the lift and loved going down the hill with Frank. He was laughing the whole time. He loved it!

It was a good time, lots of goodies provided by Grandma and Grandpa. So thank you!

Momma's Boys

2012-01-11T15:35:00.000-08:00

Not great pictures since the boys helped me take the pictures but fun none the less!

Lee and I

Ian and I

Eli and I

Dru and I

They put up with me, wasn't that nice of them?

Young Jedi

2012-01-09T19:57:00.000-08:00

The Force is strong with this one!

(Merry Christmas to Frank from me!)

Silly String and Santa

2012-01-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

This year Santa thought it would be a 'fun' idea to put silly string in the stockings.

Mrs. Claus however, said no..bad idea. Such a mess, it's nasty, smells funny, and ruins clothes...

Don't let the small cuteness fool you for ONE second!!

Santa will be receiving a letter letting him know that under no uncertain terms will there be silly string allowed in THIS house. The mother of that house is STILL cleaning up the mess...all over the wall, front door (which you may think you got it until you see something that looks like snot on your door...wondering just how the hell it got that high, then you realize it was the silly string...gone bad!), the floor, the door jam...

Yeah no more, silly string in that house...Santa may come to town but he better watch out!

Mother's of Boys

2012-01-07T22:07:00.000-08:00

I saw this link on Facebook and this is the link (I didn't write this):
http://studerteam.blogspot.com/2011/11/25-rules-for-mothers-of-sons.html?m=1

I have been looking for something like this for a very long time. There are a million things out there for mother's and daughters and ones about making sure your girl find the right kind of man...you know things like "make sure the man you find treasures you and doesn't consider you a piece of property" BLAH BLAH BLAH! Come on! Where are the little posters out there for "make sure you find a woman who treasures you and doesn't consider you a piece of property"? Honestly, SO annoying and really raises my dander up!!

Anyway, here is what is on that link and I LOVE it! Enjoy!
25 Rules for Mothers of Sons

Inspired by a Pin I've recently seen about "rules for dads with daughters," I went searching for a similar list for moms with sons. This search was mostly fruitless, so I was inspired to write my own Rules for Moms with Sons. Granted, my list will not be conclusive and may not be entirely uncontroversial. So agree, or disagree, or take with a grain of salt - but I hope to inspire other moms who are loving, and struggling, and tired, and proud, and eager to support the boys in their lives. You are the most important woman in his life, his first teacher, and the one he will look to for permission for the rest of his life. From "Can I go play with them?" to "Should I ask her to marry me?" Its a big job, but as the mumma, we're up for it.

25 Rules for Moms with Sons

1. Teach him the words for how he feels.

Your son will scream out of frustration and hide out of embarrassment. He'll cry from fear and bite out of excitement. Let his body move by the emotion, but also explain to him what the emotion is and the appropriate response to that emotion for future reference. Point out other people who are feeling the same thing and compare how they are showing that emotion. Talk him through your emotions so that someday when he is grown, he will know the difference between angry and embarrassed; between disappointment and grief.

2. Be a cheerleader for his life

There is no doubt that you are the loudest person in the stands at his t-ball games. There is no doubt that he will tell you to "stop, mom" when you sing along to his garage band's lyrics. There is no doubt that he will get red-faced when you show his prom date his pictures from boy scouts. There is no doubt that he is not telling his prom date about your blog where you've been bragging about his life from his first time on the potty to the citizenship award he won in ninth grade. He will tell you to stop. He will say he's embarrassed. But he will know that there is at least one person that is always rooting for him.

3. Teach him how to do laundry

..and load the dishwasher, and iron a shirt. He may not always choose to do it. He may not ever have to do it. But someday his wife will thank you.

4. Read to him and read with him.

Emilie Buchwald said, "Children become readers on the laps of their parents." Offer your son the opportunity to learn new things, believe in pretend places, and imagine bigger possibilities through books. Let him see you reading...reading the paper, reading novels, reading magazine articles. Help him understand that writing words down is a way to be present forever. Writers are the transcribers of history and memories. They keep a record of how we lived at that time; what we thought was interesting; how we spoke to each other; what was important. And Readers help preserve and pass along those memories.

5. Encourage him to dance.

Dance, rhythm, and music are cultural universals. No matter where you go, no matter who you meet - they have some form of the three. It doesn't have to be good. Just encourage your son that when he feels it, it's perfectly fine to go ahead and bust a move.

6. Make sure he has examples of good men who are powerful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity.

The examples of men with big muscles and a uniform (like Batman and LaMarr Woodley) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he also knows about men who kick a$s because of their brains (Albert Einstein), and their pen (Mark Twain), and their words (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), and their determination (Team Hoyt), and their ideas (The Wright Brothers), and their integrity (Officer Frank Shankwitz), and fearlessness (Neil Armstrong), and their ability to keep their mouths closed when everyone else is screaming (Jackie Robinson).

7. Make sure he has examples of women who are beautiful because of their brains, their determination, and their integrity

The examples of traditionally beautiful women (like Daphne Blake, Princess Jasmine, and Britney Spears) will surround your son from birth. But make sure he knows about women who are beautiful from the inside out because of their brains (Madame Marie Curie), and their pen (Harper Lee), and their words (Eleanor Roosevelt), and their determination (Anne Sullivan), and their ideas (Oprah Winfrey), and their integrity (Miep Gies), and fearlessness (Ameila Earhart), and their ability to open their mouths and take a stand when everyone else is silent (Aung San Suu Kyi).

8. Be an example of a beautiful woman with brains, determination, and integrity.

You already are all of those things. If you ever fear that you are somehow incapable of doing anything - remember this: If you have done any of the following: a) grew life b) impossibly and inconceivably got it out of your body c) taken care of a newborn d) made a pain go away with a kiss e) taught someone to read f) taught a toddler to eat with a utensil g) cleaned up diarrhea without gagging h) loved a child enough to be willing to give your life for them (regardless if they are your own) or i) found a way to be strong when that child is suffering...you are a superhero. do not doubt yourself for one second. Seriously.

9. Teach him to have manners

because its nice. and it will make the world a little better of a place.

10. Give him something to believe in

Because someday he will be afraid, or nervous, or heartbroken, or lost, or just need you, and you won't be able to be there. Give him something to turn to when it feels like he is alone, so that he knows that he will never be alone; never, never, never.

11. Teach him that there are times when you need to be gentle

like with babies, and flowers, and animals, and other people's feelings.

12. Let him ruin his clothes

Resolve to be cool about dirty and ruined clothes. You'll be fighting a losing battle if you get upset every time he ruins another piece of clothing. Don't waste your energy being angry about something inevitable. Boys tend to learn by destroying, jumping, spilling, falling, and making impossible messes. Dirty, ruined clothes are just par for the course.

13. Learn how to throw a football

or how to use a hockey stick, or read music, or draw panda bears (or in my case alpacas), or the names of different train engines, or learn to speak Elvish, or recognize the difference between Gryffindor and Slytherin, or the lyrics to his favorite song. Be in his life, not as an observer but as an active participant.

14. Go outside with him

turn off the television, unplug the video games, put your cellphone on the charger, even put your camera away. Just go outside and follow him around. Watch his face, explore his world, and let him ask questions. It's like magic.

15. Let him lose

Losing sucks. Everybody isn't always a winner. Even if you want to say, "You're a winner because you tried," don't. He doesn't feel like a winner, he feels sad and crappy and disappointed. And that's a good thing, because sometimes life also sucks, no matter how hard (as moms) we try to make it not suck for our kids. This practice will do him good later when he loses again (and again, and again, and again, and again.....) Instead make sure he understands that - sometimes you win - sometimes you lose. But that doesn't mean you ever give up.

16. Give him opportunities to help others

There is a big difference in giving someone the opportunity to help and forcing someone to help. Giving the opportunity lights a flame in the heart and once the help is done the flame shines brighter and asks for more opportunities. Be an example of helping others in your own actions and the way your family helps each other and helps others together.

17. Remind him that practice makes perfect.

This doesn't just apply to performance-based activities (like sports and music) but also applies to everything in life. You become a better writer by writing. You become a better listener by listening. You become better speaker by speaking. Show your son this when he is just young enough to understand (that means from birth, folks - they are making sense of the world as soon as they arrive), practice trick-or-treating at your own front door before the real thing. Practice how you will walk through airport security before a trip. Practice how you order your own food from the fast food cashier. Practice, practice, practice.

18. Answer him when he asks, "Why?"

Answer him, or search for the answer together. Show him the places to look for the answers (like his dad, or grandparents, or his aunts/uncles, or his books, or valid internet searches). Pose the question to him so he can begin thinking about answers himself. Someday, when he needs to ask questions he's too embarrassed to ask you - he'll know where to go to find the right answers.

19. Always carry band-aids and wipes on you.

especially the wipes.

20. Let his dad teach him how to do things

...without interrupting about how to do it the 'right way.' If you let his dad show and teach and discover with your son while he is growing up, some day down the road (after a short period of your son believing his dad knows nothing), he will come to the realization that his dad knows everything. You will always be his mother, but in his grown-up man heart and mind, his dad will know the answers. And this will be how, when your son is too busy with life to call and chat with his mom, you will stay connected to what is happening in his life. Because he will call his dad for answers, and his dad will secretly come and ask you.

21. Give him something to release his energy

drums, a pen, a punching bag, wide open space, water, a dog. Give him something to go crazy with - or he will use your stuff. and then you'll be sorry.

22. Build him forts

Forts have the ability to make everyday normal stuff into magic. Throw the couch cushions, a couple blankets, and some clothespins and you can transform your living room into the cave of wonders. For the rest of his life, he'll be grateful to know that everyday normal stuff has the potential to be magical.

23. Take him to new places

Because it will make his brain and his heart open up wider, and the ideas and questions and memories will rush in.

24. Kiss him

Any mother of sons will tell you that little boys are so loving and sweet. They can be harsh and wild and destructive during most of the day. But there are these moments when they are so kind and sensitive and tender. So much so that it can cause you to look around at the inward, reserved grown men in your life and think, 'what happens in between that made you lose that?' Let's try to stop the cycle by kissing them when they're loving and kissing them even more when they're wild. Kissing them when they're 2 months and kissing them when they're 16 years old. You're the mom - you can go ahead and kiss him no matter how big he gets - and make sure he knows it. p.s. (this one is just as important for dad's too).

25. Be home base

You are home to him. When he learns to walk, he will wobble a few feet away from you and then come back, then wobble away a little farther and then come back. When he tries something new, he will look for your proud smile. When he learns to read, he will repeat the same book to you twenty times in a row, because you're the only one who will listen that many times. When he plays his sport, he will search for your face in the stands. When he is sick, he will call you. When he really messes up, he will call you. When he is grown and strong and tough and big and he feels like crying, he will come to you; because a man can cry in front of his mother without feeling self-conscious. Even when he grows up and has a new woman in his life and gets a new home, you are still his mother; home base, the ever constant, like the sun. Know that in your heart and everything else will fall into place.

Family

2012-01-02T21:37:00.000-08:00

Our first family photo of the year, minutes after the new year...Not great but it was past all our bedtimes and I may or may not have had too much to drink.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T21:54:00.000-08:00

So here are the boys coming out Christmas morning to see if Santa came and if they had made it on the Nice list! Thankfully as you know they made it.

It's always fun seeing their faces and hearing the excitement. Yeah! AND you get to hear how happy I am...hahahaha! Mean mom!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T22:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve and all was quiet, not even a creature was stirring...

OK that is a lie...Frank and I were up but we are allowed to be! HA! We watched our movie Christmas Vacation and waited for the boys to go to bed, OK fall asleep. We waited...and waited......and waited...and then waited some more. Checked and then waited some more...it was a game of waiting this year!

Here is our tree and Santa hasn't come yet...

Could it be? Nah! I didn't think the kids would have made the nice list...Seriously? OK, well Santa knows best right?

Charlie even made the list! Whew! He needed a new dog toy and a bed! Good job Charlie!

Santa left this for Eli...very cool!

Dru really wanted Santa to bring him a remote controlled Lightening McQueen...Dru must have been really good.

Ian was left Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2012 this year

Among other things that Lee asked for, he also asked for a bike and got a really cool one! Black and green with a new helmet! Way to go Lee!

The cookies (4) and a glass of Egg Nog and Chocolate milk...Santa had some help with the cookies but he was on his own with the dairy beverages.

PROOF!! Santa really came AND the reindeer food was GONE!

Awww the magic...sigh until the drama of it all next year!

Mickey and Minnie

2011-12-24T21:01:00.000-08:00

Eli and I have matching pj's so to speak and I thought it would be fun and cut to get our pictures taken together. He mostly put up with it...such a trooper!

Won't you please give mommy a kiss? Pretty please!?!

Oh thanks Eli! What a lover you are!

Our sorta matching pj's...that's as much as he put up with me. Still a cute picture

I hope you guys have a wonderfull and Merry Christmas!

(Isn't he too cute?)

Christmas Eve Tradition

2011-12-24T20:34:00.001-08:00

It's Pj time! Woohoo! Which really means that it's close to bed time AND that's a sign that Christmas is seriously around the corner! The boys are beside themselves with excitement and I'm ready for them to be in bed! Don't get me wrong I love them but man what a day! Normally we are somewhere for a few hours and this year we weren't...those few hours we are gone is a nice distraction for those boys (and the parents!).

Here Eli is showing what pj's he got from us...goofy boy!

Ian and Lee...one of the good ones!

Dru and Eli...could they possibly be any cuter?

Joy and laughter

Merry Christmas from Charlie and his boys

Ian. (he's not done growing...that's the scary part!)

Lee. He's not wearing lipstick...he keeps licking his lips and won't stop...But look at that genuine smile he gave me!

Dru. As I write this I have lost count how many times he has gotten up to go potty and to say Merry Christmas mom and dad...I have run out of fingers and toes. Again, he's lucky he sounds and looks cute...seriously though...it's getting terribly old!

Eli. He is SO excited this year! Frank and I both think this is the year he'll remember Christmas..his first Christmas memory. As Eli would say 'Merry Missmass'

Frank and his Christmas pj's. He picked out pj's this year and did a much better job than I did last year! I bass the baton on to you Frank! Handsome looking fellow!

Frank and the boys

Me and my boys

Me and my Christmas pj's. I really like these pj's..Christmas Minnie Mouse pj's. AND they have pink on them...they look so girlie and lovely! Frank did a good job.

Frank and I.

Vacation!!!

2011-12-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

Merry Last Day of School!

Charlie's Tree

2011-12-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

Charlie is hiding under my tree...he's so goofy! The funny thing is I've seen Chopper do the same thing, and they have both been under it. I'm trying to figure out why. What is so intriguing about it? It must be the Christmas lights. I have to say though, that Charlie has never done this before, totally new!

Charlie all snuggled up on the tree skirt and nestled with a head rest on a branch...

He made me smile today

Perspective

2011-12-19T21:49:00.000-08:00

I was going through my pictures looking for something that spoke to me. This picture did, well actually tonight flowers/landscape was were I was drawn. There is just something about this picture...pure...white...I don't know.

Enjoy

Nativity Scene

2011-12-18T20:51:00.000-08:00

Today was a big day in our house! We had the Sunday School Christmas pageant and 3 of my boys were in the play and I was so excited for it! Ian was a Narrator, Lee was a Shepard and Dru was a sheep.

Here is Ian with the other Narrator. Ian did a great job reading in front of everyone, I was so proud of him. When I was his age all I could do was blush an incredible red and look around with the 'deer in the headlight look'...it hasn't been until this year that I've worked on speaking in front of people...it's only slightly easier as an adult. Ian is amazing!

Lee was a great Shepard...he stood and sang well! Way to go Lee! Each year he gets better!

A little silliness is always in order from Lee!

The group of kids in the play. These guys worked so hard to learn the songs and lines, their work paid off in a big way and I hope they are all very proud of themselves.

The play was wonderful and written so good, it came from the hymn called 'The Friendly Beasts'. I had never heard of this song before until now...how could I have not ever heard of it?? It's so wonderful!

Here is the cherry on the top! Dru sang his solo and it was just as wonderful and magical as the first time! Enjoy his singing!!

These words are what Dru sang at his solo:

“I,” said the sheep with curly horn,

“I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm,

He wore my coat on Christmas morn;

I,” said the sheep with curly horn

Santa Came to Town!

2011-12-17T23:20:00.000-08:00

Every year we have a Paulson Christmas Party and every year Santa makes an appearance. This year would be no different. So as we all were finishing dinner guess who walked in!!

If you guessed Santa...well you would be correct! Oh the kids were atwitter with excitment (I think some of the parents were too...ok maybe just me)

Lee sat on Santa's lap AND I didn't ask him to or beg...he did it all by himself and he even gave a smile! Who IS this kid??? Christmas miracles DO happen!

Eli sat with Santa too!! I couldn't believe it...he just got right up there when his name was called...again whose kids are these??? Darn it he's cute!

Ian...I think this year he's looking for answers and he's unsure of what he thinks of this Santa business. With that being said...he certainly didn't waste ANY time getting to Santa's lap OR telling Santa what he would like for Christmas...please! HA! This kid...he's making my life rough right now! Grrr!

Dru and Santa...He couldn't be any cuter! Dru that is ;) HAHAHA!

Santa asked the kids to sing 'Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer' with him...and sing they did!

I love this picture...the Greats sat on Santa's lap tonight! You are NEVER too old for Santa...THERE is magic in Christmas!

I had a good time tonight and enjoyed visiting as much as I could...hard to really visit with children everywhere...time for that I suppose? Anyway...Merry Christmas!

Preschool

2011-12-17T21:38:00.000-08:00

The preschool my boys attend do a Christmas play every year, which I love. What's not to love about little kids doing a play?? Anyway, Dru had his play on Thursday and it was wonderful! He played the sheep and doesn't he look handsome!?!

He sang so well! The play is based off an old hymn called "The Friendly Beasts"...which I LOVE! I had never heard of it before until a friend and teacher at the preschool wrote a play around the song. Wonderful!!

Tomorrow all my boys are in the play through church (same play by the same friend/teacher), anyway on Friday they had practice. It went well. Now in this play Dru still plays the sheep and he has a solo and I have been encouraging and begging him to sing his solo and he promised he would on that day.
Let me just say, that yes I'm his mother and I'm biased, but that boy sang his heart out and it was beautiful! It made me cry...my baby sang for me! :)

So tomorrow Ian is a Narrator and Lee is a Shepard and Dru is playing a sheep with a solo...I hope he sings and doesn't freak out, which means I'm going to try and be as up front as I can! Since I have to be there so early it shouldn't be a problem. I'm also kinda excited because I'm in the Bell Choir so I'll be with Ian playing bells while the children walk in for the play. Ian is unsure about me being there as am I...I am NOT musically inclined...and I can butcher it pretty well!

Good luck to me tomorrow! OH and my boys ! h

hehehehe

Monday Night Football

2011-12-12T21:35:00.000-08:00

Seahawks did good tonight! Here are some fans from this morning :)

On another note, I discovered this afternoon a new way to kill myself. For whatever reason (well that's not true, I do know why however I'm not ready to reveal why...I'm still working myself up to saying it out loud to other people than the 2 trusted souls who I've told) I decided I would go run laps in my backyard. Never mind that it was cold, the ground was still covered in frost AND that my backyard is full of holes for a klutz to hurt herself with. Or that it was so slick out there it's a wonder I didn't slip and fall and sprain the tendon on my knee (that's another story from long ago). I'm the one who can find potholes and twist/roll my ankle to depths that would make me cry! (seriously...of 4 tendons in my ankle I've torn 3 of them...'special') I didn't find one of those today, what I did find was that I found a new way to smother myself. I managed 8 laps around my backyard before I decided I couldn't breathe! It was so cold out and my chest hurt...I'm sure there's an art form to this running that I'm unaware of. Bet is has something to do with breathing in through your nose and possibly out...

My chest is still recovering from today...although I only made 8 laps of running I did walk the rest of the way for 35 minutes...so maybe I'll make 9 laps tomorrow and walk the rest...everything crossed here!

Where's The Mistletoe?

2011-12-10T22:21:00.001-08:00

Well here we go. As I've said before it takes me a LONG time to get into this thing they call Christmas Spirit. Or it to find me. I don't like putting decorations up or the tree...mostly the kids won't leave it alone...so I suppose that's normal. So with the encouragment from Nikki...I just bit the bullet and together Frank and I got it done. We decided on a day and went for it...folks today was that day.

So I got the decorations and tree and went to work. Frank got home from work and it was just in time to turn the lights on and start the ornament hanging. Even for me there are some things we all have to be here for. So here they are waiting for me to figure out what goes on the tree and where all the ornaments are. Just for the record...my tree got put up about 12 days earlier than our normal...by my calculations. You just have no idea just how big of a dea that is for this house...okay, okay..just me.

Since Eli is still so little he doesn't have nearly as many ornaments as the rest of them. To be fair when it was Lee and Ian I tried to by them and us an new ornament a year...at some point when Lee was little that all stopped...very sad. So for now, here are Eli's ornaments...he loves these ones and he's constantly touching and moving them...he's gonna drive me crazy! And because my parents are coming to our house this year...my tree stays up a lot long than I had thought about. Christmas night or the day after Christmas is just SO appealing!

Well there she is, all done up and purrty! All the boys have their handmade ornaments up there and ones that were given to them. I also put up my ornaments up there from when I was a kid...those are WAY up top, away from little hands. As much as I love little hands...well you understand. I'm ready for a new tree topper, we've had that old girl for 11 years now and she's falling apart. I want another angel topper...

Ok, I'll give you that this is a good picture, even if Ian and Lee are milking the picture. That little one is pretty cute.

Some old couple...name and orgin unknown.

Kidding!

Frank and I...we are blocking the tree but you get the idea...Ho Ho Ho and Merry Christmas and where's the Mistletoe?

Traditions...every family or person has them...good ones, weird ones (to outsiders), ones that make you go hmmmm... Well we have a tradition (I know surprised right) of when we put our tree up we get pizza (we tried to change it up last year...sorta went ok...) and I make the kids hot chocolate and we watch the Polar Express. The kids watch it while Frank and I snooze...normally.

I know bad picture of Eli but there they are watching the Polar Express...job well done today boys!

*On a side note...ok well maybe two notes: 1. I only yelled once (that I heard myself yell) that I was cancelling Christmas all together and 2. I am ready to take the tree down already (that's in case you didn't figure that from earlier).

Next American Idol

2011-12-10T21:26:00.001-08:00

That's my handsome boy right there! He could be the NEXT American Idol....

Dru's preschool class went to one of the elderly homes (across the street from them) and sang some Christmas Carols to them. They have been doing this for as long as I can remember, well since Ian at least. I think here there were singing 'Christmas Star'...loving that blue glitter!

The elderly really love watching/hearing the kids sing (although they may have to turn the hearing aides up...lol) but the look on their faces is wonderful. The kids always crack me up, they start off singing all Gun-ho and loud...by the last verse they have the deer in the headlights look and are singing barely over a whisper.

Here my nephew and Dru are singing 'Away In A Manger'...with motions...I can't remember what part this is at, even though I've sang the first verse at least 2 times through!

Yeah they look all angelic and all but don't be fooled! Those two are plotting...what I have yet to figure out.

Here they 'Wish You A Merry Christmas'

The other fun part is watching them hand out small Candy canes to the people there...I was impressed...they didn't do to bad! And who doesn't like Candy canes?

Treadmill

2011-12-09T23:57:00.001-08:00

So this is one of my first posts I wrote when I started blogging. I started on Shutterfly and I really like this one and has me rolling everytime. And if you know me at all...you know this is ALL true. This was originally posted in February 2009.

Enjoy and have a good laugh!

Good evening all!!!

I want to share with you something flippen hysterical...but before I get to what happened today I need to give you all some background information. There are two things I know: First...working out is detrimental to MY health, Second...I'm a HUGE clutz. With that knowledge in hand here is the background you need to fully appreicate today.

Last year I signed up to join Curves, the place women go to work out. So I had been going for a number of months and was doing fantastic. Seeing results and enjoying it. Enjoying the fact that just women could go and that I didn't look like a total freak doing it. Enjoying this so much I got cocky one night and on that fateful night something happened. I decided I was going to step up my work out a notch, so I decided I would jog in place on the recovery mats there instead of marching in place. Now reading all that you are thinking, I'm sure ,what's the big deal? I'll tell you in a minute. But first I have to describe to you what a recovery mat looks like for you to fully understand. So this mat is flat on top with a gray rubber part on top that is smaller than the full sqare of the mat (if that doesn't make sense to you, just read it anyway and nod your head like you know what I'm talking about). So this gray rubber mat on the big square sticks out no bigger than your pinkie fingenail from being flush with the whole mat it'self (again if you don't understand just read). So as I'm jogging in place I manage to ROLL my ankle on the little bit of gray rubber that's on the recovery mat! Yes folks you read that right. I rolled my ankle so hard that the whole place heard a loud and omnious pop . And let me tell you it hurt!!! But after awhile the pain subsided so I figured it was like any other time I roll my ankles (It happens to me more than you think it would). So I get home and I take my shoe off and about an hour later my ankle starts hurting again. So I go to the doctor and he informs me I have torn 2 tendons in my ankle...Talent people! There are only 3 tendon's in your ankle and I tore two of them jogging in place and rolling it on a mat. Aren't you glad you know me? So now I'm destine to wear an ankle braces for my safety every time I work out. SO SPECIAL! But then again if you knew me, you'd already knew that.

Which brings me to today. I signed up at a gym with my birthday money. This place has everything I want and the price was right that even Frank could join. Which he did. After today I'm not sure he's going to want to be associated with me, but that's his problem not mine . So I signed up on the 31st and went for my first work out today. I was so excited! I had my Ipod shuffle full of great work out songs (some Old School Hip/Hop, 80's Dance mix, and some Power Rock ballads, yes you are reading this right). So I get there and I find a treadmill that isn't being used and isn't right next to anyone...thank goodness. Didn't want to look like a complete newbie and dork right off the bat. So I get on the mill, get my Ipod just so, and start to fiddle with the treadmill (I have never used one so technical).

So I get going and I'm walking at a good pace, I even got some incline going. Then all of the sudden out of no where the treadmill starts going really really fast and I panic and push the stop button. Apparently I was walking up a 'hill' and was coming down it, faster than I could walk! Here I was afraid of looking like a dork...sigh...the story gets better folks...keep reading.

So since I've stopped the treadmill I have to set it all up again minues the 'hill' part. We'll do that again when we aren't so new to the whole thing. So I've set it up again and I'm walking at a good pace and I'm bebopping to my music. Then all of the sudden out of no where there is this ear piercing shrieking, like something is stuck in a belt---foreshadowing here people!!! And I turn around and look to see what/where this noise is coming from. Low and behold it's me...WHO KNEW!?! I figure out (while the shrieking is still going on) that it was me...apparently my towel had fallen and gotten stuck. So at this point my belt on the treadmill has finally stopped because of the towel. As I turn around my belt finally becomes unstuck (picture it people) and the belt starts going again. At this very moment my feet fly out from underneath me and my big butt falls flat on the treadmill. The treadmill is still going at this point and so it rolls me and my big butt right on to the floor! (Are you picturing this folks?) So I get up, grab the towel in question. This isn't one of those incidents where I can just look around and HOPE that no one saw this...that's not my kind of luck. What I did do was hold my towel up (all the while I'm still listening to my Ipod) and went huh!?! And got right back on the treadmill and finished my 30minute work out.

Thankfully I have a sense of humor! And really if you can't laugh at yourself who/what can you laugh at? Right!?! This I ask you. So, for those of you wanting to know...I'm fine, my butts fine, and I'm still laughing at this...cause Gracefull I am NOT!

So I toast the treadmill! You got me once...you'll probably get me again! Or some other machine will no doubt!

Take care I hope you all had a good laugh over this cause I certainly have! Have a good night!

Putting an APB on the ToothFairy!

2011-12-09T23:23:00.001-08:00

Have you seen this person? She's wanted in an ongoing (and I do mean ongoing) investigation. Please let me know, I really need to talk to her! Thanks

Here's why I need to see her...Lee lost yet another tooth! This is getting to be a little silly. You see he's lost 4 teeth (I believe...at least 3 anyway) just this year! That's $1 a tooth! I want my money back!!

Every time I think we have a lull between these things we don't. I was just thinking that between Lee and Dru there should be quite some time before Dru starts losing his teeth. Don't worry, that thought didn't last long...right about the time I pulled his tooth out of his mouth was when it dawned on me. I'm in it for a good while....sigh...

I seriously think we (royal again) should keep track of all the money that goes to the Tooth Fairy...too bad I can't remember all of Ian's (who has still more to lose) and Lee's (he's got more too!). Maybe I'll just start with Dru and then times that by 3.

Whose placing bets he wakes up at 6:30 AM to tell me the Tooth Fairy came and can he please spend his $1 on SOMETHING!?!

Bad

2011-12-06T22:25:00.001-08:00

You know it's bad when your 5 year old has his ear phones in listening to his Ipog (not a typo) and he leans over and not so quietly says: "Mom, you know parents don't understand?"

I said you are right Dru...we don't understand...at all!

He was listening to the song by Will Smith, Parent's Just Don't Understand on the Ipog

A small fit of laughter was had

Also, if you want to have another chuckle...you'll need to come to my house and listen to Eli sing Jingle Bells. It goes something like this: Dingle Bells, Dingle Bells, Dingle all the way...aldkj;ljd;lkfjdlkjlkdja;d (bunch of garbled stuff )...Dingle Bells, Dingle Bells, Dingle all the way.

And you know...'they' do dingle all the way

Dear Diary

2011-12-05T22:31:00.001-08:00

It has been quite the last few weeks here in my house...or it could be with just me. I tend to think the latter. Actually it's been a rough several months.

First being that it's the holidays and I would really love to figure out why I hate the holidays. I can point to a few things but I truly would love to celebrate Eli's birthday and then skip right on to February...OK well we could celebrate Lee's birthday in January...hhhmmm wonder if he'd notice? Anyway...this time of year is really just down right annoying and depressing.

Second is dealing with divorce...many dear diary moments on this one. Not my divorce but the divorce of a brother and sister in law. This is probably what keeps me up most of the night and what I have cried myself to sleep over the most lately. I am grieving the loss of a marriage, the loss for 2 nephews, the loss for each of the adults and the loss for them. I am also grieving the loss of someone whom I've gotten to know over the last 10 years, who will no longer be in our family...I mean in our family. If that makes any sense...if not...well I don't know. My head can tell me they are happier apart I can see that, however my heart tells me different...WAY different! I am also extremely angry at the 2 of them for a lot of things...the divorce and making me deal with something like this. I have had divorce in my family before, however I've not had it in my face nor have I had to deal with it like I have to now. I am beyond angry that I recently had to tell my children about this divorce. My 2 big kids understood, Dru and Eli not a clue (so sad for them that they won't know different). I can't erase my Lee's devastated face out of my brain. It is seared there. He cried for a good while and then when asked why I said they didn't love each other anymore (hindsight being I should have said something else but I don't think quick on my feet), he started crying all over again and the look on his face over that...Oh man! THEN...THEN!!! My kids got worried about their mom and dad getting divorced (which I'm sure is a natural thought process, but still...because of these 2 people my sons questioned their parent's marriage!!!!!) so we assured them we were fine, we still love each other. They took a piece of my child's innocence that day, never to get back.
So between grieving and being beyond angry I now have to deal with them having either a boyfriend or girlfriend during said separation while getting a divorce...nice...thanks guys! I'm not ready to deal with that...see what I'm saying about the dear diary moments? Thanksgiving was a BLAST...not!

And just so we are clear...the people who are getting the divorce who tell people like me that the divorce changes nothing...well they are liars. Divorce changes everything!!!! Who fits where and in what picture? What is our relationship now? Where do people go from here? Here's my question...do the people who get divorces thing about the lasting effects this has on people outside their small circle? I mean REALLY think about it, weigh it? Because in the long path of a divorce I'm left behind holding the pieces to the wreckage they have caused. Enough of that depressing and on going issue for me...and this is just a condensed version.

Thirdly...putting my big girl or Super Woman panties today to stick up for myself (and any other day) has not been worth it. Just know that it's always my fault. I don't see it changing anytime soon.

Last but not least...when shopping on a budget for groceries...when buying toilet paper...it us just AS important to read all labels and such of the package closely. I bought last payday a package of TP from a brand I thought would be just fine, saved a few cents...important right? Not when you might as well be wiping with your hand instead of the toilet paper you just bought. Apparently the Scott toilet paper I bought is only 1ply...SERIOUSLY! To which Frank said when I noticed that (cause I didn't notice until the next day when I used it) we must be poor if we are down to 1ply...thanks for the dab (yes I went there) of humor Frank! You know though it breaks down much nicer than the 2 or 3 ply ...it says. So FYI...read the labels and such on everything!!! Next along that line, last week there was a run on jumper cables in my town...I think it's a conspiracy. Frank's truck got 'sick' last week and we had to fix it and jump the truck a few times until we got it home. I told Frank to buy a pair while he went to pick up the car part for the truck...they were out. OF COURSE THEY WERE! IT'S US!!

Welcome to my pity party...you can see yourself out or stay and comiserate...whatever... :)

New Posts

2011-12-01T21:18:00.001-08:00

Just an FYI I have 2 new posts up in November...the 19th and 21st...with more to come but you'll have to look in November. I'm trying to catch up on my Photo challenge...it's been a squitch difficult month for whatever reason!

Enjoy

Day 30 Challenge

2011-11-30T23:14:00.000-08:00

"Preperation"

*file photo but taken this month

My family in preperation of Thanksgiving the next day...EggNog and Chocolate milk (GAG)

Day 29 Challenge

2011-11-29T23:19:00.000-08:00

"Comfort"

I have taken comfort in each of these things since the 8th grade...much to Frank's frustration at times :)

Day 28 Challenge

2011-11-28T23:11:00.000-08:00

"Cardiac"

This word reminds me of red

Day 27 Challenge

2011-11-27T23:05:00.000-08:00

"Signs"

Smalls signs are showing up in my house that Christmas is coming...

Day 26 Challenge

2011-11-26T22:05:00.000-08:00

'Remote'

Apparently there is a need to have stickers for your remotes????

Day 25 Challenge

2011-11-25T22:01:00.000-08:00

'Display'

My Poppop's knick knacks are on display-I won't forget him (4 years tomorrow)

Day 24 Challenge

2011-11-24T21:52:00.000-08:00

'Family'

Almonds are in the nut family

Day 23 Challenge

2011-11-23T23:01:00.000-08:00

"Furry"

Chopper has stolen Charlie's bed...she does NOT fit!! I think when she does go home I think we'll just give her the bed.

Small Traditions

2011-11-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

The day before Thanksgiving my family has a small tradition...mostly it's for Frank and I but the kids play a small part in it. Not to be outdone those kids! Anyway, Frank and I (OK well mostly Frank) likes to drink Eggnog and watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles the night before Thanksgiving. Ian and Lee have figured out they like Eggnog so this is big for them too. I don't let them watch the movie (too much swearing for their small, absorbent ears).

So the chocolate milk is for the 2 little boys are not as keen on Eggnog as their dad and big brothers (and let's be honest here...that has to be the nastiest stuff EVER!) Makes me shiver when I think about it!

Here's the Eggnog! Now my mom likes this stuff and what she likes to do is mix half Eggnog and then have Coke Cola (just so we are clear...it looks as worse as it tastes in my opinion) I have also heard somewhere or someone said they like it with Sprite. GAG!

Ian getting his first taste of Eggnog of the year...he can't get enough! I'm sure we'll have a bunch for Christmas!

My Lee drinking his share and watching to make sure that Ian doesn't get more than he did...siblings!

My boys and my fella. All is right in their world with Eggnog and Chocolate milk...now if it were really that simple!!

Day 22 Challenge

2011-11-22T22:57:00.000-08:00

"Abandon"

At the end of the day I abandon my shoes

Day 21 Challenge

2011-11-21T22:52:00.000-08:00

"Rocks"

Getting my rocks off while everyone is asleep...talking people!

It's Gone...all GONE!! (and he's 3)

2011-11-21T20:02:00.000-08:00

You know Blogger is a pain in my you know what! Ugh! Well this post isn't turning out as lovely as I had in my mind so we are going to have to deal with it cause I'm not interested in starting over or fixing it. Lazy I know.

Today Eli turned 3 and it was a BIG day for his mom...OK maybe him too. I promised Frank awhile ago I would get Eli's hair cut by his 3rd birthday. I knew I'd be pushing it doing that but so help me I wasn't going to let Frank take him to a barber shop and get it done. Have we heard of tender loving care of the mother?? Honestly!

So today was THE day...and every time I thought about it my heart started beating faster and my chest would get incredibly tight. It made me so anxious and I didn't want it. so a girlfriend of mine cut his hair while we were at our steering meeting for MOPS. I had some support of mommies with me (less crying involved for me--really don't like crying). So cut his hair she did and she did a great job and I'm thankful for her doing it.

Since things are backwards we'll tell the picture story wonky. The first picture of Eli in his coat is me just taking yet another picture of him with his new cut...it's really hard to not just stare! The second picture is of Eli...but he TOTALLY looks like Dru in that picture. Eli is eating his dessert of a M&M McFlurry.

Here is the gift we got Eli for his birthday, Cars 2. We were going to take him to a movie in town, Happy Feet 2. He always says he wants to see it but Frank wasn't feeling great and so we just bailed on that idea and bought this. I'm really glad we didn't go to the movie because Eli didn't sit still to watch his movie Cars2!! So glad we didn't waste money, I would have been SO frustrated. Good call Frank :)

Happy Birthday dear Eli! He was so excited! The tradition in our family is you get to pick what you want to have for dinner on your birthday. Have you ever asked a picky 3 year old what he wants for dinner? So help me I was NOT eating another peanut butter and jelly sandwich...OK I would have but thankfully I had enough money to take everyone out to McDonald's...Thank you Lord! Not that, that is any better but at least I could get a salad! Any guesses as to what he had for his birthday dinner?

(in this picture I think he looks like my nephew Samuel and his dad-my brother...so weird but after his cut I saw lots of people every time I looked at him)

If you guessed Fries for dinner you would be correct! This was that child's dinner...wish I could get him to eat something else...so the battle continues!

The big boy gets to sit up on the stool and bar...very cool!

My boys

Lee, Eli, and Dru

OK, so here we are at the haircut pictures...bear with me!

This is the before picture...hair that has NEVER been cut in the back...virgin hair so to speak.

Before front view...he's had his bangs blended but that's it.

First ponytail cut off...it's almost gone

He is already changing!!!!

What will be the top pony...

It's gone...all gone...waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! The second pony has been cut. Sigh...Eli had 2 ponytails cut from his beautiful head...he is the only one who had hair as long as he did and had as much taken off. So traumatic for this momma!

He's a big boy now! He's the big 3, the change for him is complete. After his haircut he went back into his classroom where Dru was and Dru didn't recognize him and he had 2 buddies that when asked about playing with Dru and Eli said that Dru was there (in class) but Eli wasn't there today. Silly boys! Not an isolated event. When I got Lee from the bus he asked me (after about 5 minutes) who that kid was...I made him look again and he couldn't believe that it was Eli! Then of course Lee couldn't keep his hands off Eli and constantly touching his face and head. Poor Eli! I have ran into a few of my friends who didn't recognize Eli either and one of my nephews didn't know the picture he was being show was that of Eli. So he really did change...I know there are a few people out there who think I'm silly when it comes to cutting their hair but what can I say...it's a big dang deal! And for those of you who couldnt' wait for this day...well you have it now... To those of you who weren't ready...I have NO words..none

Day 20 Challenge

2011-11-20T21:40:00.001-08:00

'Color'

I ate a whole lot of green today

Day 19 Challenge

2011-11-19T21:58:00.000-08:00

'Fashion'

Eli has such a sense of fashion-gotta love it when 3 year olds dress themselves

Happy 3 Eli

2011-11-19T19:42:00.000-08:00

Well it was bound to happen and it did even if I threw a major fit! I do mean major...on the floor screaming, yelling, and crying with flailing arms and feet...it still came! UGH!

My baby turned 3...OK well he's not 3 yet here in this post but in 2 days he will be!

Here is his birthday cake he wanted that Grandma Paulson bought for him (she likes to buy the cakes for the grandkids...works for me!)

"Ickey and Innie Mouse"

Happy Birthday to me!

Opening some gifts...very exciting!

Thank you everyone! He says quite bashfully.

Some family to help celebrate...sorta looks like Grandpa was checking the score of the Huskie game that day...hhhmmmm Grandpa ;)

More family and my dad made it to the party! Very exciting! First time my children have EVER had both sets of Grandparents at a function at the same time. BIG DEAL! My oldest is almost 10 so it's a big deal, I'm glad he could come.

Grandpa and my boys

Me and my dad with the boys. Of course Lee made it difficult...*eye rolling* I would like just 1 picture where he can take a decent picture...ONE! Apparently it's too much to ask of an almost 8 year old!

Eli loved having his birthday party and having people come and be all about him. It couldnt' come fast enough we heard for months it was almost his birthday. It was hard to tell him not yet...LOL

Happy Birthday Eli!

11 Years and Counting

2011-11-18T22:24:00.000-08:00

It would figure that I can't find a wedding picture when I want...sigh...story of my life. Today we have been married for 11 years. Some years went fast and others went slow...but I still stop and ask if this is really my life...that I"m really married...never thought I'd see that day and here I am going on 11+...very cool and surreal!

Day 18 Challenge

2011-11-18T21:36:00.000-08:00

'Church'

My church--it's in a growing stage at the moment

Ponderings

2011-11-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

*How is it with 4 boys and a ton of hand me down clothes, that I can have one child who has maybe 3 full sets of pj's? Meaning a top and a bottom? Pj's pass down pretty easy and stay intact...it's not like they are walking on their knees on the cement outside...

*Yesterday Ian said he would have a cup of hot tea with me. That was weird to see...a 9 year old drinking hot tea.

*Although yesterday was the first day of half-days (due to school conferences) it was the longest day...just know I tried to be the fun mom for once...it backfired

*Hell is working on freezing over at the moment...I'll keep you posted!

*I'm trying to keep husband cooties at bay...he has a gnarly cough and it gives me the heebie jeebies(think bronchitis/pneumonia)...I love you babe! (although I don't think you read this anymore)...I sound like such a hypochondriac...I might have issues...jury is still out

*I am so excited for my children's part in the upcoming Christmas program at church but it is absolutely killing me playing Christmas music this early. Erin...have no fear I"m letting them and working on not grinding/gritting my teeth...they are having SO much fun

*For the first time in 4 years I'm actually not dreading and dragging my feet to go to a school conference for Ian. His report card was good, except of course his constant reading when he shouldn't be which is turn affecting him doing school work (which was marked down also). We have no figured out how to fix this one...it's been a problem for 3 years now...YEAH for reading but lets learn when the right time is...Ian doesn't care and we have to figure out how to make him to want to care, to figure out when the right time is. Ugh...sometimes this kid drives me up a wall!

*Is there really only 36 shopping days left until Christmas? BA HUMBUG!!! (and yes I really don't like holidays...I'm the girl verstion of Scrooge)

*Will my baby really be turning 3 in 3 days? This is not good!! I'm preparing myself for some changes...hard changes

*I have been married for 11 years today...WOW! I'd like to say that went fast...and I guess it sorta did but there were some years I thought the year would never end!

* I just want my dog and maybe a girl dog that's mine...kinda done with the one we are caring for...tired of kids meals getting eaten cause she's never (NOT) fed...it's getting old. I'm not sure why Ian and this dog don't get along better than they do already...so similar

*Ian has an attitude that has him WAY too big for his britches! How many chances would you give your child after giving them 3 already? Would you give them 4?

*I'm making a new recipe for Thanksgiving at my parents house...OK well it's brunch but I've heard these things are yummy but the recipe is weird!

* I really hate drama and I hate feeling like I'm the only 'normal' one around and I hate divorce and dealing with it

*Because of divorce, a little bit of my children's innocence was taken this week and for that I could physically lash out...I am SO angry over this that I can't even think of anything constructive to say...I have a child who is devestated over this news...the look on his face was something I can't get out of my mind/heart

*I hate being taken advantage of (and from my point of view) because I stay at home all the time...they don't see what my calendar looks like, they don't know what I'm involved in...in all reality they know NOTHING about me...in 9 years I could say that honestly (same goes for me with them...) they don't know WHO I am.

*Thank goodness, I know through this all I have 5 people who love me...ok well maybe not all at the same time...

*I love my friend Nikki

* I hate cancer...Auntie thinking of you and Uncle Brownie, Shannon your mom, Shelly your mom..., anyone else I have forgotten/don't know about...we are praying you through the journey

*I still want braces

*I am going to see Breaking Dawn pt. 1 tomorrow -I have seen more movies since school started than in the last few years...it's been fun!

*Aren't you glad you tuned into this post? LOL-sorry these thoughts and feelings had to go somewhere

Day 17 Challenge

2011-11-17T21:36:00.001-08:00

'Read'

I never have enough time to read like I want! I want a day/week/month/year just dedicated to reading....sigh

The Nature of Fall

2011-11-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

Just some picture I took. The day was beautiful and Mother Nature was speaking to me. Just was really struck by the beauty and color...enjoy!

Stopped to look at the little things with the little boys...

The movie 'A Bug's Life' is what pops into my head when I see Ladybugs.

Day 16 Challenge

2011-11-16T23:22:00.001-08:00

'Insect'

*File Photo-but it was taken this month

Ladybug

Cloud 9

2011-11-16T21:22:00.001-08:00

So it's been a roller coaster the last week plus some. Big stuff happening and little annoying things going on. Last Saturday Ian was invited to his first EVER sleep over. The rule at our house is you have to be at least 9yrs old to sleep over at a friend's house (family doesn't count)...we also get first right at 9 to decide whether they are ready (emotionally..blah blah blah). Anyway, Ian has made a new friend this year in his class and it was for this friends party. It couldn't get better than a sleep over right? WRONG! Not only was there a sleep over, but there was pizza, junk food, and....wait for it.....they got to see a movie, Puss 'n' Boots!! I think by this time he was on about cloud 7. It gets better folks! Not only are they doing ALL that but they also got to stay up late (10:30pm) but they watched so many other movies, played the Wii, and played with Legos. I want to be 9 again and be on cloud 9...really I do...seems airy and free.

This is Ian on our way to his first sleep over!

This picture of Ian took my breath away! I don't know when he got so tall and so big...this whole thing was making me verklempt and making me feel like I'm running out of time. Out of nowhere he is giving those half-sided hugs that guys give or preteen/teenagers boys give! When the heck did that happen!?! It's making me a little fretful...I really am going to have to chase him down and sit on him to get my hug and kiss! This is hard watching your kids grow up but really fun and exciting at the same time to see who they grow up to be and to see if you did a good job or not (that's a scary thought too!)

So that night, I went in to check on Lee and the other kids and this is what I found. Ian leaves for one night and Lee moves into Ian's bed! I guess when Frank put him to bed he climbed right up and looked at Frank waiting for him to say something...anything. I think he was shocked that he never did.

This was a big first for Ian and his mom, thankfully it all worked out. Not that I didn't think it would, Ian would have died before he called me if he needed me...lol. Remember this is the same kid I dropped off at preschool (days after I had Dru) who asked when I was leaving and he was fine I could go. He didn't need me (his words not mine)...he was going to be fine...the jury is still out on his mother though

Day 15 Challenge

2011-11-15T23:15:00.000-08:00

'Emotions'

Trying to get Eli to show me happy...if you look closely you might see a smile/smirk there :)

Day 14 Challenge

2011-11-14T23:09:00.000-08:00

'Vintage'

My vintage ice cream maker...a good memory from my childhood

(scored by a good friend of mine...friends ROCK!)

Day 13 Challenge

2011-11-13T22:45:00.000-08:00

'Architecture'

The architecture of my family is built on this...well we try anyway

Day 12 Challenge

2011-11-12T22:37:00.000-08:00

'Motion'

Dru in motin

Day 11 Challenge

2011-11-11T23:14:00.000-08:00

"Veteran"

Thank you many family members and friends

Day 10 Challenge

2011-11-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

'Kitchen Gadget'

So if I had money I'd spend all day in a kitchen store drooling over stuff, these are some of my faves.

Day 9 Challenge

2011-11-09T22:22:00.000-08:00

'Technology'

Electricity/telephone pole...either way they help provide technology

Day 8 Challenge

2011-11-08T21:16:00.000-08:00

'Vote'

He's too young to vote in the big leagues but at home his opinion counts :)

*Gotta love the way he puts his pants on...lol*

Day 7 Challenge

2011-11-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

'Home Town'

Here is my home, in the town I live in. I have moved so many times I don't really have a town I call home...I just know my home is where the 6 of us live together...where ever and whatever that looks like. :)

Day 6 Challenge

2011-11-06T22:48:00.000-08:00

'Inspiring'

Children with unresolved toothpaste issues are NOT inspiring me to clean the bathroom...down right depressing and useless!

Day 5 Challenge

2011-11-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

'Shadow'

Washington lives in the shadow of rain clouds

Day 4 Challenge

2011-11-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

'Occupation'

I volunteer my time as Co-cordinator at MOPS and I was on my way to our fundraiser, a Christmas bazaar.

Day 3 Challenge

2011-11-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

'Water'

These dishes are in need of a lot of water!

Day 2 Challenge

2011-11-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

'Flight'

Batman's helicopter must take flight when the Bat signal goes out! Watch out Gotham City!

Poppop

2011-11-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I lost my grandfather, we call him Poppop. We lost him November 26th, 2007. It's been 4 years now (ok well soon it will be). Today I went outside looking for photos for my November photo challenge. As I was walking outside this is what I found. This flower blooming from a Rhodie my grandfather gave me. One blossom, that's it.

One blossom...a sign from above? I'd like to think so...really it took my breath away today and I haven't stopped thinking of it. It normally blooms early/late spring....

Day 1 Challenge

2011-11-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

I am doing a photo challenge again, so sit back and enjoy!

November 1st~Autumn

A sign of Autumn is when the frost comes

Where's Mr. Smee?

2011-10-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

Well I'm jumping on the bandwagon and posting our adventures of the trick or treating season. Let's face it, I saw candy in the store for Halloween in August and heard rumors that Costco had Christmas stuff in their stores in August. I just won't even GO there on my soap box on that issue!

Finally to the happiness of 4 children it is finally time to dress up! Thank goodness! I was tired of being asked when Halloween was.

This first picture is of the boys going to our church's Harvest Party...we didn't want them to wear their costumes and wreck them so we found some past costumes and improvised and it worked out well. Lee is Batman, Dru is a Seahawk fan, Eli is a dinosaur and Ian is mustard. Pretty good I think.

So here we are on the actually Halloween night...

We have Mario, Capt. Hook, Capt. Jack Sparrow , and Optimus Prime

Eli had a much better time this year than last...WAY more into it...more than the other boys were at this age. That was fun to watch.

We are still looking for Luigi and keeping an eye out for Warrio and Waluigi...the arch enemies! It was funny just how perfect this costume really was for Lee...he really pulled it off

Captain Hook

He had such a blast this year, he was running everywhere, saying thank you...really just all around cute. I asked where Mr. Smee was and he pointed at his dad and said he was going to be Mr. Smee! Poor Frank...when his kids need side-kicks he gets picked. One year he was the Joker for Dru's Batman...and the whole time we were out trick or treating you could hear this small voice going "Joooookkkkkkkkeeeeerrrrr". Pretty funny and I'm sure if you aren't laughing you had to be there, but probably like you had to be there for the 'doofusses'...aka two fish.

Captain Jack Sparrow

Ian was SO excited and that doesn't even do justice to the level Ian was at this year. He finally had a cool costume in his eyes and he loved every minute of it wearing it. To be fair it was a pretty neat costume and he wears it well. This is a good picture of him.

Last but not least, Optimus Prime!

(I know you have the sound of when they transform going on in your head...cause I do every time)

Dru was so excited to be this guy...he just that he was so cool this year!

Every year for awhile we have gone to see the Greats on Halloween so the kids can trick or treat and the Greats can see the costumes. We all have so much fun and goodness sakes the Greats give them 2 BIG candy bars!! It's really fun for everyone

All in all it was a good year. I have to say this year was one of the best years I can remember for Halloween. I don't really like this holiday but I'm not big on any holidays to be honest. Well, that's not true...if they did birthdays like they do Halloween or Christmas I'd be on board. Anyway, I never got to celebrate Halloween so I find this particular one stressful, especially in some of the developments where there's a pack of 50 kids running around and running over kids and such and just the sheer lack of parents vs the ratio of kids...it literally stresses me out. This year however, my debate of going or not, well I went and I'm glad I did. We went much earlier this year than the last time I went and Eli is a bit bigger (last time big kids kept running Eli over and it was making me mad) and we left about the time it started getting hairy and the kids were out in swarms!

Eli really made it fun this year and for that I'm thankful

Happy Halloween everyone!!

*We can now move on to the next stressful holiday, Thanksgiving...BUT not before we celebrate Eli's 3rd birthday...that's a whole post in of itself and be prepared...Eli will be getting his hair cut and you all are going to have to bear with me on this traumatizing event and the posts leading up to it

Update

2011-10-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

So...I know it's been 10 days since I last posted...but I have been busy. Excuses I know!

But...here's an update on some things I've been doing, the family has been doing and just some general did you know information.

Today, the 29th is Mother-in-Law day...did anyone else get the memo cause I called my MIL and teasingly said I'm sorry I dropped the ball. How come Hallmark hasn't jumped on this? Inquiring minds would like to know.

We are potty training Eli. So YEAH for potty training and then UGH for potty training. Now don't get me wrong, we are glad to be potty training...but I quickly remembered ALL the things I hate about potty training. They touch the toilet (GAG!), for whatever reason TP is really fun to play with and unroll but to actually use it is foreign? Can some explain to me why it's OK to piddle on your clothes instead of using it?? We also visit EVERY bathroom where ever we are...it's getting old and it's only been 4 days. However, 4 days and only 2 accidents is NOT bad...so way to go Eli!

I'd love to type more but my husband is making my neck hurt trying to stay away and watch the Husky game through his eyelids. So I'm going to give up the computer so he can do his fantasy teams and go to bed...Poor Cinderella!

I'll update again soon as I can!

Field Trip

2011-10-19T21:51:00.000-07:00

October seems to be a slow month for pictures, so I'm sharing some pictures of when Dru's preschool went to the pumpkin patch. We had so much fun and we got to go on a hayride! I don't know why I like hayrides but I do. This pumpkin farm though is always enticing me with food and it drives me nuts!! Here's why...they only serve these things on the weekends! I'm NEVER there on the weekends! They have a donut machine and this year they had blooming apples. Makes you want to go right? Well I asked and it's an apple sliced open and drizzled with Carmel and whatever else...

Sigh...just sounds SO good right now!

Eli was so excited to be back again...he knew what to do and ran towards everything all at once.

Except THIS time they had the bubble table out. If I were a kid (outside of the saw horses to ride) this was the coolest thing there! Look at the concentration Eli has in blowing this bubble!! The wands are the coolest...I want a bubble table for at home!! If I didn't have to beat a kid down from a bubble wand I would have been there for awhile...love bubbles! What is so fun about watching bubbles float in the air?

Let's hope we don't see this a few years down the road!!! No Paulsons' in jail! It totally sounds like a total political campaign chant!

Not a great picture but my nephew's smile is precious!

Love my boy Dru...they go pumpkin picking he picks the biggest one that makes a hole in his bag. He kept asking me to carry it for him...I refused! He picked he can drag it around...ha! I'd like to say that'll show him...but every year it's the same!

At least Eli and my nephew had the decency to pick small ones! I was thankful for that when I carried all 3 while walking in the parking lot.

We had fun and I do love those field trips!

Awareness

2011-10-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

So, as with any month, October is a busy month. Many things happen in this month...one thing that takes place is awareness. This month I have several to show.

This is Domestic Violence-It's taken a personal context for me (not me...)

This is for Infant Loss. I don't like dealing with this. Johnathan you were a cutie and your momma misses you and we won't forget you! To all the other Loss Mommas out there...I'm sorry, we won't forget!

Apparently it's like a needle in a haystack looking for Pink ribbon pictures...so this is my take on it for Breast Cancer Awareness. It runs in my family...my grandmother and an Aunt who are survivors and of course I know friends/acquaintances who are survivors. Cancer is such and UGLY thing in any form!

This is also Down Syndrome awareness....I don't personally know someone with a child with Downs but I have a friend who does. And really just because I don't know anyone doesn't make it any less important.

LOOK!! I found a picture of pink ribbons!!! Sorry it's small...it won't let me make it bigger...and I found it under a google search of Army Awareness ribbons???? Really?? Again no one asked me!

So there's my little 2 bits worth for today...

Just be aware people!

Seeing It Through

2011-10-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

An opportunity presented itself this week and I jumped on it because I thought it was a great idea and something for my boys to learn and appreciate it. The Sunday School my children participate in were collecting offering money to make Care Kits. These kits include a towel, toothbrush, comb, clippers, and soap (later on they include toothpaste as we understand it). The children collected $67! What an achievement! They collected enough to make 20 kits, so 20 people adults or children will benefit from these kits made with love!

What I liked was that after collecting their offering money they were able to put together and make it, to see the project through as far as they could! What a way to get a hands on approach and make it real for them!

OK so Ian is in blue, Dru and Eli are in orange, and of course Lee is in green (cameo that is). Here they are laying the towels out because we will pack the kits together in the towel like a present.

Eli putting a little more extra love and care into his package...laying the love in! He really was thrilled to be there and doing something that the big kids were doing.

The kids going to get the next item (which was the comb) to put in their pile. And it was a race to see who could get there first AND who could get the said item in their favorite color if applicable.

I was helping Eli, his hands are clasped because we are blessing the comb that it might bless and help the person receiving it.

I believe we are blessing the clippers to bless the recipient in this picture.

Dru working on his care kit (the orange towels were gone before he could get to them...)!

Yes I do like supervising....bwahahahaha!

Eli and I getting our kit just right, done with lots of love and care! May it bless the person who gets it!

The children who helped put them together and the women who helped put it all together! Great group of kids!

**Funny story. When we came out for this picture we told the kids that the tall ones are in the back. So Eli stomped his little self to the back and planted his little feet and gave the air and look of "I dare you to tell me I'm not tall!!" It was a pretty funny site to see. As you can tell he's been put up front...someone called his bluff or his dare and he lost. Poor guy!

Praying over all the Care Kits...AMEN!

I'm proud of all those kids for the work and effort that went into it. They started something and then finished it, totally hands on!

Kumbaya

2011-10-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Ian had a recital with hand bells. Ian and several kids from church practice every Tuesday for an hour and last year they played Jesus Loves Me and it was beautiful! This year they are practicing hard and this was their first recital of the year. In a few Sundays they will be playing the hand bells with the church choir...I think they are a bit more nervous on that one. I heard tonight though they practiced a Christmas song...I bet that will sound BEAUTIFUL! Ian is wearing the gray, button shirt. He did great and I'm proud of him!

Just a few shots of Ian playing bells..these were the best ones

Dr. Dolittle and Friends

2011-10-09T21:31:00.000-07:00

OK at the pumpkin patch they have baby animals...there are a few videos of ones that were cracking me up!

These goats were fun to watch...I've never seen goats do this so close to me and with such loud children (like Eli) in the background! Pretty cool!

These pigs had me laughing so hard! Talking while they were eating...too funny! Then Dru jumps in and every once in awhile you can hear him making his own piggy noises.

This goat kinda creeps me out a bit...definitely stared ya down! Like you had something he wanted (what that was I have no idea...but it was something!)

The bunnies were so cute, as always! Looked like Oreo's to me! Poor things would shake every time Eli came to them (the loud part....and if you noticed in the video of the goats he kept trying to force feed them hay) Poor baby bunnies!

This little guy would be SO cute with those horrid orange earrings...they just didn't go with the ensemble! He/she sure did look awfully soft and cute though!

I should have a picture of the other human animals but I didn't.

Whose gearing up for the start of the crazed holiday season...you know Halloween, Turkey day, Black Friday, and then you have the month of December for Christmas...it all starts with in the next week or 2...

I'M DREADING IT!

You know people always ask me what my favorite holiday is....they always look at me like I have a 3rd eyeball when I say none...for LOTS of reason I don't have a fave...really just going through the motions (I will be honest and say it's gotten better but I don't have a fave)

So, with that said.....

Ready...Set................................................................................................ready.....set...................................................

Ready.........................................................................................................................................

Ready....Set..............................

GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carlos and Company

2011-10-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

Meet Carlos a.k.a. Dru

I'm sorry Jamie if you are reading this but the situation really is just too funny to not share/tell. My friend Jamie has 2 boys and each of them are about a year younger than Dru and Eli. They have played with each other before so they knew one another at the pumpkin patch. The young man younger than Dru is working on using people's names. Today when he was playing with Dru and trying to get his attention he kept saying "hey you", so his momma said the little boys name was Dru. He promptly told his mom that no his friend's name was Carlos. I literally (OK not literally) died laughing! I haven't laughed this hard since talking to Dru about 'doofusses' which we all know now to be 'two fishes'. So this young man has named Dru Carlos and we are going with it! He looks like he could be a Carlos right?

We thought so too.

This is Eli on a horse and cowboys go Yeehaw! His Grandma Lea would be proud of him...with a little help from Carlo's mom he got on the saddled horse correctly...he remembered!

Together Carlos and his friend Eli take a moment of much needed rest.

Together Carlos and Eli ride again into the sunset to herd the cattle.

Carlos made a stop at the corn pit...there are many things to do in this pit (besides bring it home in the nooks and crannies of your clothing!)

You can swim in the corn pit...just ask Eli, he did! I asked what he was doing and he said (while looking at me seriously) swimming to get to the other side...watching him walk in it was worth the giggle...pretty much took him out at the knees and he had a hard time walking...so we swam it...much like someone would the English Channel.

You can also jump in it...like a trampoline says Carlos (SO sad it's not a jumpoline anymore...sniff-picture is blurry but man doesn't he look like he's having fun?)

Eli also gave it a try. Pretty funny watching him get himself up and on top of the hay bale...worth every giggle at his expense!

Carlos going down the slide...I like this picture

Eli going around the maze...I crawled in after him...I need a new set of knees after that! I was so thankful to finally make it back onto the hay!

Carlos and Eli ended their day at the pumpkin patch...they had so much fun and enjoyed every bit of it...even the animals...which will come in a later posts...the goats and pigs were cracking me up!

I hope you enjoyed the adventure of Carlos and company...
Until we meet again in another adventure!

The EYE!!!

2011-10-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

Well the swelling has gone down, now we get to look at all the pretty colors. Today Lee also lost a tooth (I got done playing tooth fairy a few minutes back...that went off with out a hitch thank goodness) but the poor kid is falling apart at the seams it would seem. Man he really did a doozy on himself!

Genetics

2011-10-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

Yes...yes...genetics got the best of Lee last night. Sadly, Lee did this to himself last night.

How you ask? Well...he was getting into bed and on his way there he was getting his blanket. While getting his blanket he lost his balance at managed to hit himself on an inch of the bed frame showing...truly not much was there but he managed to do it JUST right! Poor kid...those genetics are gonna get the best of one of them...my bets on Ian but Lee pulls some good ones now and again.

Girls and Buffet's

2011-10-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

...and the things they say! Seriously the material these kids come up with is unreal sometimes. There are days I sit back and wonder to myself why no one told me certain things about kids. Or how no one talks about the weird conversations you have with your kids...death...cemeteries...heaven...; you get the picture. Or what about the things you never thought you'd be doing, like picking a pebble out of your child's nose OR picking/blowing out googlie eye (you know those weird eye things they use in kid crafts...the black part of the eye moves) out of their nose!! (really gives a whole new meaning of keeping an 'eye' on things!!) Anyway, there is a point to what I'm saying here.

    A few days ago we had to go to the Super Mall to return some clothing the boys got while shopping for school with their Grandma (and FYI...there is a reason they provide dressing rooms...I HATE wasting my time returning things cause nothing is tried on...and we do this EVERY year...it's OLD!). So off we go to return things and the store happen to have a good sale going on and we were able to get more than we went in for. Lee got more shirts and Ian got one more pair of jeans (YIPPEE!) Hey it was a red letter day because I even found a cute shirt and it was on sale along with another 30% off! Man I felt special!
    On the way home we passed a casino and Lee piped up and asked if for his next birthday if we could all go to the casino. Was he serious? Yes, yes he was. I could see the gears in that kids head working on overtime! Who doesn't want to go there right? They make it look like Disneyland and we drive by it all the time. I looked at Lee and said no, you can't go to the casino for your birthday. You have to be 21 years old (should have seen the crushed look on his little 7year old face!). It was brought to my attention by a wonderful friend (not where Lee could hear however) that we could take him to the buffet (which I had told Lee all he could go in there and do was eat...which wouldn't be so bad in his eyes!) I chuckled to myself and pondered what exactly that might look like. A $25 per person buffet and all my children there to eat until they have to roll themselves out. All you can eat desserts and drinks, and food. I would be there for a really, really long time. Paints a pretty picture though doesn't it?
      We keep on driving home and I'm laughing the whole time and just laughing at the stuff kids say and really it's the stuff Lee says. One time as a toddler (we are talking 2) he kept getting out of bed and coming out of his room. Finally he was told to go to bed and he said no, that he didn't have to. His dad said oh?  Lee said he didn't have to go to bed because his God told him he could get up and get a toy (you really have to imagine a 2 year old saying this and with that little bit of attitude and learning how to use it). It was hysterical! I thought Frank and I were gonna bust a gut. Frank of course who thinks well on his feet said well His (Frank's) God told him that a certain little boy better get in bed before he got his butt spanked. He went to bed but not with out a fight and a few words...so many more Lee'isms with so many more years to go....life continues to get interesting!
    Much to my humor we continued about our day at home. While the boys are eating lunch after we got home that day, we had the TV on to watch the Huskies kick some butt! (in case you were curious...Huskies won the game...wasn't pretty but they got it done) While they were eating (because for whatever reason my boys eat slow...or I eat too fast...hhhmmmm) I was moving laundry about. While I was doing my thing the boys were talking and I wasn't listening. Yes..yes you read that right...I tuned them out. They don't stop talking and I have TWO that chatter non-stop...there are days I want to bang my head against the wall.
     Not to get off track... They were talking and all the sudden mom instinct kicked in and I heard "is that girl hot Ian?" from Lee. It took awhile to register just what was said. Once it registered I asked "Lee??? Did I just hear you ask Ian if some girl was hot? Very bashful and embarrassed I heard a small ....yes???"
I just kinda giggled and thought to myself that I thought I had more time before they got to this point. Actually I'm really not ready for girls...well them liking girls in that way. So I continued with the laundry and stopped dead in my tracks and thought...Wait a minute!!! "Ian??? Yeah...what did you tell Lee about the girl? Was she hot?" A small squeak of a voice and a bashful and embarrassed voice said "Yeah...she was hot, it was the girl in the Dr. Pepper commercial, she was hot"
       There are days that I just can't stop laughing about my life! These are some of the things that help me make it through the day sometimes! I think God knew what he was doing when he made kids and parents...he knew we would need things like this to just make it to the next minute! I tend to forget it a lot but I do love being a parent and I love the blessings God gave me and the job of being a parent and all that I feel that job asks of me

***On a side note...we are thinking of taking Lee to the breakfast buffet to eat and see hot chicks****

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

*****For those of you who were wondering, I did tell my boys that perhaps we should use other words to describe girls/women. Because using words like hot and chic are disrespectful and not nice. I asked what words they could use were. Ian piped up with beautiful and I said that was a good one. Then Lee...my Lee-Lee...he piped up with skinny. I didn't even know what to say to that....she was skinny...****

   One thing at a time I suppose....

I hope you all enjoyed a good laugh...this happened last weekend and I'm still laughing over it!

Let's ring in October in a wonderful way!

Day 30 Challenge

2011-09-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

"Harvest"

The harvest of this squash has yet to come!