Friends Are Friends...

...forever...


Ok so who remembers Glamour shots??? I know you are out there...I know you know what I'm talking about.  Weeellll...I don't think they are in business anymore. 

Well I decided it would be fun to get our pictures done and I asked if Nikki would be game.  Thankfully she was...She's the other half to this duo and w/o her well it would just be me and how boring is that right?

So the gal that did our family photos was who I jingled up and asked if she'd take our pictures.  Thankfully she agreed to go out on a limb and take our pictures...taking friend pictures was a new venture.  I think she knocked it out of the park, especially since I went in with no expectations.

Here are a few of the pictures I liked bestest (yes that IS  real word!)

                                    I like this one and it's Dru's favorite...well really I like them all!

                         Just so we are clear...I am hysterical...now if I could remember what it was that was so funny!!!

 

Pictures by My Beloved Photography

 

 

Uh I would seriously print these all off and the other ones that I have...but where would I put them?? Wonder what Frank would say to these pictures plastered all over the house? 

 

Sound of Water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you hear the trickle of water from this waterfall?




(I have to pee now)

Our House

What can I say about our house...it was a very, very fine house... when we moved in. 

Our house was wonderful when we moved in...it was move in ready for a small family like we were.  They had painted already, put in A/C (Lord have mercy is that heaven!), everything was so nice and clean and open and airy.

.....then we moved in and things have gone to pot since.  In a good way though...like we welcomed Dru into our family.  He was born in our bedroom right on my bed.  What a special moment!  Unfortunately as soon as we had Dru we outgrew our house by leaps and bounds, just in one day!  WOW! Seriously though, babies have a lot of junk and crap (literally) that come with them.  This house is also the first place we have lived the longest in...1 place.  I'm pretty sure we moved just about every year of our marriage it seemed up until 2006.  It's nice to just be in one place you know.  Of course we brought Eli home here too...another great thing since we've lived here. 

If you lost count of how many children that is, it's 4.  Four boys and that much destruction!  I think they are destroying this house faster than Frank and I can even humanly keep up with it!!  It's really depressing!  We always talk about finding our forever house, but like today and the last few months, I have caught myself wondering if I just need to face reality.  The reality being this IS my forever house and let your dreams go!  I don't want a HUGE house (Lord knows someone has to clean it), but I want it big enough that we can be comfortable.  and even then it's not that we aren't comfortable it's a want really not a need.  I want the boys to have their own rooms, there is something to be said about it being quieter and them just going to bed!  Instead of it being a giggle fest...and yes people boys giggle just like girls at a sleepover.  Trust me!

Now some people might consider my next statement as a want and not a need...I would challenge that.  I NEED...and I just can't stress enough just how much I NEED another bathroom.  Right now there are 6 of us sharing 1...count them 1 bathroom!!!!! I NEED at least 2 bathrooms...at least!  Honestly I would take 3...One for me, one for Frank and one for the boys.  And in my dream the one for the boys would be a urinal.  One wall just urinals and it would have a drain in the middle of the room and a hose that would be in there or be able to reach so I can just spray the nastiness down the drain!  Because boys be nasty people! 

In my bathroom I will have a plaque for all to see and it will say "If you stand to pee you may not enter"-I stole that from my friend...she'll understand I'm sure. Of course this all dreaming but in reality I want at least 2 bathrooms, 1 is NOT enough for all 6 of us.  Just saying.

In the midst of all this daydreaming we are trying to keep up with repairs to the house and surrounding areas. We don't have an old house by my standards.  I mean there are houses in town that are from the 1900's...we have a house from '87. The kids are like termites...moving faster than us old farts can move.  We have a fence that needs to be replaced, a yard that needs some serious help (would help if the dogs and kids would quit what they are doing), house that needs to be painted, new appliances (some of that is want and some is need-how wouldn't want a convection oven right? Am I right?), new carpet, new flooring...some of this is to make the house sell-able...IF we ever get there!

Is anyone else overwhelmed by or this or thinking the thought I had this afternoon?  Do I give up the dream of finding a forever house and make this my forever house?  Cause I'm honestly thinking we should just burn it to the ground and just start over again.  (I'm KIDDING!...cause you know someone out there is thinking 'is she for real?') I am not saying I will burn my house down...but I'm saying starting over sounds like it has it's perks.

Anyway, I had to rant because I'm feeling so overwhelmed by this situation but at the same time excited by some remodeling that needs to happen and that we are working hard to make happen.  It's just a matter of where to start.  Do you start from the outside and work your way in OR do you start from the inside and work your way out?  Hell if I know!  And then what do you do with those boys!?! Stick them in a bubble and let'em run w/o wrecking my house?  I'm taking suggestions.

Living

 

 

 

What would life be like with out these guys?

 

 

March Snow!!

 

 

 

I found this really funny!  Eleven years ago we had Ian and there was a snow storm the week we had him.  It was snowing pretty good the day we brought him home, which was 3 days later. 

 

 

We are really bummed though, we just wanted one good dump of snow and then Spring could come!  We got this...wasn't enough to anything in.  The kids were so excited and then had to go to school! 
However, on a side note...I think for the first time since my oldest has been in school, we'll actually get out of school on time.  There won't be any snow make up days...AND they will actually get the Friday off before Memorial weekend.  We are setting a precedence here people!

Things could get interesting!

Ian's Animal

 

 

 

 

 

I picture I took when we were at the Point Defiance Zoo...all the times we had been there he had NEVER been this close!  It was so cool! I also fooled around on my photo shop program as you can tell.

 

 

 

Before

Ian The Birthday Boy!

 

Today at 3:42am Ian turned 11 years old! Don't ask me where the time went because I can't really tell you or account for it!

 

In no particular order here is Ian.

 

 

Ian Alan

8lbs 12oz

3:42am

                                                       Ian being held by a dear boy Lane...talk about little!!

 Ian at his birthday LAST year! 2012

 Ian as Bob the Builder

 Ian 2004

 Christmas 2005. This really is one of my all time faves of him.

 We all have to have one of these pictures right?  Taking care of business and getting our water intake in! 

 Ian today on his birthday...I still see my baby thank goodness but man it's crazy to see how much he's changed and really how little he hasn't.  If that makes any sense.  I can't believe he's really 11 and going into Middle school next year.  I'm just not really sure what to do or make of all that.

 BIRTHDAY SPANKINGS!!! 55 and 2 extras to grow on!

 DO YOU SEE HOW TALL HE IS!!!!
Anyway, Frank and Ian

 DO YOU SEE HOW TALL HE IS!!!
Ian and I.  We were laughing because I told him it was OK to put your arm around your mom's waist.  I grabbed his arm and then held on to it...then I did a total mom thing and leaned and rested my head on him.  AWWWW!!  Poor kid has a goofy mom who's still trying to figure out how to smile less dork like with braces on.  I can see this is going to be a journey!

Happy birthday my dear Ian! I love you!