Where did the time go?

Wow! Time really slipped away from me! I just looked at my Journal and realized that it has been 2 weeks since my last post! I thought it was just last week. LOL

So, I am here at work absolutely bored out of my mind! It is very frustrating because there is so much I could be doing outside of work, but I am stuck here! The rest of the week will be better because I have small things to do at work and something fun to do each day that will make the day go by faster. But yesterday and today have been painfully boring! You can only try to look busy for so long! Luckily, Stinky Pete isn’t here! He is in a meeting in Chicago and then on vacation, so I don’t have to deal with him…which is heavenly. But still bored!

I can’t believe that Christmas is almost here! I have lots to do still…it seems. But I am not really stressing about it because what I don’t get done, I just don’t get done. I am trying to just enjoy the time because I always get so sad after it is over!

Things are going to be a bit different this year because some of my Dad’s family from Oklahoma are coming in for the week of Christmas. I am excited to see them all, but also a bit sad because it may mean that we don’t get to spend New Year’s with my Mom’s side of the family – which has been a tradition! Scott isn’t too happy about it because he doesn’t know my Dad’s side of the family hardly at all. He hasn’t been around them much because we haven’t been around them much. So, we are still un-decided on what to do about that. I just hope that I can make everyone happy….that is always my dilemma! LOL

And Scott’s mom is going out of town on Christmas day with her boyfriend (to his hometown to see his family)…so we have invited his sister’s over to spend the day with us since they really have no one else and the thought of them being alone on Christmas Day upsets me! So, they are going to hang out with us….that should be fun, but different. My family usually comes over for breakfast too, but since the Oklahoma crew is coming, I probably won’t see them at all on Christmas Day. So…not bad, just different.

Umm…the kids are so excited for Christmas to get here. We had Christmas with Scott’s extended family on Sunday. That was fun and the kids had a blast playing with all their cousins. There was a WII there and Isaac loved it. He was breaking a sweat while they were playing tennis and bowling. Maybe next year we will find one of those for him! I hate that they are so hard to come by….that is the bad thing about Ebay! Everyone gets them to make money and the people that really want one for their kids can’t get one! Oh well…

Anyways, I need to get the rest of my presents that are at my parents’ house and get those wrapped up so I can see what I have for each kid. Isaac is at the age where I am sure he will be counting presents to make sure he isn’t jipped! But it has just been so much easier to buy for Faith Anne this year. We (actually Santa) is getting Isaac a basketball hoop – so that isn’t cheap. But how do you explain to a kid that Santa tries to spend the same amount of money on each kid and that the Santa presents also cost Mommy and Daddy money! I tried to tell him that as he gets older, the toys he asks for are more expensive…so he will probably get less than his sisters. Well, he said, “But Mommy, the toys I get from Santa are expensive. You can still buy me some too!” LOL So funny!

Faith Anne had a “Breakfast with Santa” at her school last week where we had breakfast and then each class sang a song on stage….very cute. Then they got to have a class and an individual picture with Santa. She did very good with that! She has told Santa that she would like a Family of Bears…that is 5 Teddy Bears. As if we need more stuffed animals at our house! She says the cutest thing….she said: “Mommy, I am brrrring….” Meaning, she is cold. So, I asked her if she was brrring the other day and she said no but asked me if I was brrring….too cute!

And the other day, Isaac got up on Saturday and came right to me and said that he needed to call his Mimi Ohio and “remember her something”. She had told him she would take him bowling sometime…so he had to “remember her” about that. I know I should correct them when they say these things, but they are so cute and this age will only last so long! LOL Thank goodness for that on some days!

Gracie is just cruising all over the place and getting into every last thing! She has left the tree and presents alone for the most part. She is such a cute little thing…I just wish she slept better. She technically sleeps through the night…but wakes up sometime between 4:00 and 6:00 to have a bottle. We need to stop that, but it is so much easier to get her back to sleep with it. I know, Bad Mommy!!!!

The kid’s program at church was great…they were all so cute. Our cantata at church went well…I forgot the words to my song, of course. But I – actually God – made up for it. He really helped me come up with some new ones that fit! I hate that I get nervous and forget words…I should’ve used my book! But even on Sunday when we sang it again, I had my words and still messed them up! LOL Oh well. It is over – thank goodness!

I am doing pretty good on WW. I have lost about 18 pounds since I started…so that is okay. I wish I was doing better, but I can already tell in my clothes. Kelli gave me some pants that were a smaller size then I had been wearing and I can wear those. Just not gaining the normal “holiday weight” is a big plus for me! We are starting a Wednesday night study at church in January that is called “Lose it for Life”…so I am looking forward to that! That should help…and I am anxious to start a Bible Study again. We haven’t been to small group in over a year and it is just so hard to get involved in stuff…I won’t go into everything…but anyways….that is cool!

Umm..what else? My life is pretty boring, so I don’t have a lot to post about! I mean, we are always busy….but who wants to hear about the everyday stuff of life with three kids and two parents that work full-time out of the home? Suffice it to say that it is chaos. Faith Anne is starting a dance class at the Rec center in January and Isaac is starting swimming lessons. I need to get them both involved in something. Isaac’s classes are Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Faith Anne’s is Saturday mornings. So, it shouldn’t be that bad. I think Faith Anne will really like the dance class – it is called Dance for the Very Young and just teaches the basics of tap, jazz and ballet. She loves to shake her booty, so it should be interesting! At the party on Sunday, she put on quite a show with her dancing! I think she gets that from my mom! She is always playing music and dancing with the girls. Gracie can get her groove on too! Isaac is like his Daddy – not the best dancer! LOL

Well, I guess I have bored you enough for one day! Talk to you all soon! Love you all! And post more often so I won’t be as bored at work!!!!

Exciting Times!!!

We had a BIG NIGHT last night! My Faith Anne overcame two of her big fears last night! We have been trying to talk her into getting her hair cut for a long time now! As you know, she has a whole head-full of hair….my mom has trimmed it several times – probably taken nearly 6 inches off herself. Well, we wanted to get it cut to make it more manageable because it is just so hard to deal with…and she hates to have it fixed. So, she has been so scared and determined to not get it cut for the past few months. We have even stopped in at Sweet and Sassy – a very girly salon – a few times to check it out and she has FREAKED out every time. For some reason, I asked her if she wanted to get her hair cut on Monday and she said yes! So, I made her an appointment for Tuesday – not really thinking she would go through with it…but we got there and she did GREAT! They really do a cute job there…wearing a Princess cape, watching a movie, then when she is done they spray their hair with Glitter and then something that smells like cotton candy and they put a star on their face. It was very cute…and I LOVE her new do! They cut off about 3 – 4 inches (maybe more) and layered it! She looks so adorable and it should be easier to manage now! I was so proud of her!!!

So, since we were at the Greene and Isaac was anxious, we went to see Santa! Faith Anne has been telling me that he is not going to sit on his lap…that she would just yell at him what she wanted and he could throw her some candy. So, we walked in to the little house and there were some kids on his lap having a grand-old time. I asked her if getting her hair cut hurt and she said no…so I told her that this wouldn’t hurt either. So, when it was our turn, she was a bit shy…but then she just walked right up to him and gave him 5 and then let him put his arm around her for a picture. Then, when we were paying for it, we turned around and she was sitting on his lap talking to him!!! WOW! I was so proud of her! She had a BIG NIGHT! Hopefully she is out-growing her fear of EVERYTHING. Isaac is hoping she is out-growing her fear of dogs because he really wants one…I am not sold yet!

So! It was an exciting night for us! Well, actually…it started out even more exciting – only in a worse way! Gracie got into the bathroom while I was taking care of a fight between Isaac and Faith Anne…and she got toilet bowl cleaner everywhere. I panicked, thinking she had eaten some of it….so I debated on taking her to the ER, but I talked to Mandie (my cousin’s wife who is a RN) and she told me to call the poison control number and that I probably wouldn’t need to take her to the hospital. It had bleach in it, so she said that the good thing about that is the taste is horrible, so if Gracie ingested any of it, it wasn’t enough to hurt her. Even so, I felt horrible and Gracie slept with us last night because I was so worried. Bad Mommy….I win the Worst Mommy of the Year award – that is for sure! I am telling you – neither of the other two kids EVER, EVER, EVER got into stuff like this. So…that was the excitement of our evening!

All of that stuff aside, things are going good! I love this time of the year! I actually love the anticipation of Christmas more than Christmas itself, if that makes sense. Anyways, Thanksgiving was wonderful! We had a great time with Jodi and Jim and Mom and Dad in Kentucky. Too much food, but we had fun! Then we went shopping on Friday, which was fun, and to see Fred Claus – also fun! We just had a great visit and enjoyed ourselves. The kids did NOT want to leave their house….they have so much fun there.

We are doing an Advent Bible study each night – “we” means me and Isaac and sometimes Faith Anne. I am really trying to make sure they know the real meaning of Christmas. Last night at the Greene, after we sat on Santa’s lap, we stopped at the Nativity Scene and they sang a Christmas carol to us…the kids enjoyed that. I wish we could go Christmas caroling – that is one of my favorite memories from when I was a kid – going Christmas caroling in Port William. I guess we live in a bigger community now, so it might not be as easy to do…but that was such a good time!

I am not done with my shopping yet…still have quite a bit to get, actually. I also have a lot of wrapping to do. A lot of my presents are over at my parent’s house, so I need to get those over to my house so I can get them wrapped! I don’t want to put anything under the tree yet because I am sure that Gracie will get into it! She has left the tree alone, but we put it up so she can’t really reach it easily.

We have our first snow day today! I don’t know how much snow we have out there, but it sure looks pretty! It was slow getting to work today, but not too bad. The main thing is the crazy people who think they are invincible…their driving makes it bad for everybody else. Isaac was disappointed because his class was going to the Secret Santa shop today to pick out gifts for his family, but he gets to spend the day with my Aunt and his cousins instead, so I am sure they will have fun. We just bought the kids new snow boots over the weekend, so that was perfect timing!

Yeah, Scott and I had a date night on Friday! That was nice! We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner – YUM – and then we did some Christmas shopping. We had a great night together! It was the first time we had left the kids with a babysitter instead of our parents….so that was fun! I had the best thing at CF…I don’t remember what it was called, but it was grilled chicken with asparagus and mushrooms and some sort of wine sauce and mashed potatoes! And then we split a piece of cheesecake for dessert….it was DIVINE! I have been back on weight watchers for a few weeks….but I did really good at dinner because I only ate half – actually less then half of my dinner – and we split the dessert. So, it wasn’t that bad! I have to lose some weight – for many reasons – but one of them is that Kelli and I are planning a beach get-away next year for her 40th Birthday. So….that is good motivation!

Umm..I feel like I am rambling and kinda all over the place. I guess that is what happens when it is so long between posts. I really do read everyone’s journals regularly, I just don’t comment very often or post very often. No good excuse, I guess.

My dad’s family is coming in town from Oklahoma for the holidays….that will be fun, but also different because we are always with my mom’s family. So, hopefully it all goes well. His family can bring drama sometimes, so hopefully this time is different! Then my parents leave for the month of January to go to Florida and on a cruise. That will be an expensive child-care month for us! But I am excited for them! This is what they have worked so hard for!

Well, I have to get back to work! December and January are very busy times for us! Everyone have a great day and love to all!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Wow! Can you believe that it is just about Thanksgiving? I cannot! Where, oh where has the time gone? I hate to say it, but our parents are right! The older you get the faster, it seems, that time goes by! But….I LOVE this time of the year! I just love it!

So, it has been a while….just lots going on, I guess! Not that I can think of what that is right now, but there must be something! Everyone in our household is doing good…but with a family of five, there isn’t a lot of downtime! It is still hard to believe that I am the mother of 3 kids sometimes…but then I look in the mirror at how tired I look and how I am aging, and it is obvious! LOL

Let’s see…Scott is doing great at work. He is working more hours now that he doesn’t have to rush home for football – which means more money! So, that is a good thing! He just had a birthday yesterday – that was nice. I didn’t get him anything yesterday because I had bought him tickets to a Brown’s game a few weeks ago as his early present. But we had his family over last night and I cooked meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans – his favorite dinner – so that was nice. We had a very good visit with his Mom and her boyfriend. So, it was a nice evening. I think that is like our Thanksgiving with them….since we are going to Kentucky (YEAH) for Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to getting away and having a nice visit with my family! It seems like it has been forever since we saw Jodi and Jimmie, so I am looking forward to it very much. But, I digressed…Scott is doing fine! LOL

Isaac is still doing great at school. He is really growing up, which makes me sad and excited at the same time. It is exciting to see him go through all the changes, but also reminds me that my little boy is growing up! Yesterday, I picked him up from school and then we were home for a bit before we went to get the girls. He talked my ear off. But it is amazing to see how his mind works. He is really putting the pieces of stuff that he is learning together. He loves to sit and write books and illustrate them…or copy a book onto paper. Again, just amazing to see how he is growing up so fast! I am thinking about signing him up for swimming lessons in January. I think he needs to do something and that is something he would really enjoy…and we can do that on a month-by-month basis. So, we’ll see….but I am thinking about it. It is two nights a week, so not as daunting as football. Oh…and he got a trophy for football (all the kids do) but when the coach presented it to him he said Isaac was the “Most Improved” and he had the best attitude. I am so proud of him - especially about the attitude! Football was fun, but we are glad it is over for this year!!!

Faith Anne – what can I say about little Miss Faith Anne? She is doing fine at school – I guess. I don’t get much interaction with her teacher since I don’t pick her up or drop her off for school, but she always tells my parents that Faith Anne is good. So, they have conferences in like January or February, so I am anxious to hear what she has to say. Faith Anne has been sounding things out and telling me the beginning sound to the word. She has also been playing this little Barbie Laptop that has her identify the letter and she is getting better at it. Isaac is jealous that she is going to preschool since we didn’t send him. They are having Breakfast with Santa at her school on December 13….I am not sure if we are going to take her or not because she is so deathly afraid of Santa – well, just about anything actually. It is ridiculous how scared she gets over things. We were at a parade the other night and she was terrified of the horses – who were attached to a carriage and no where near where she was. She was scared of the people dressed up in costumes and the nativity scene people and the band and….yep, everything. We went to a pet store and got a few puppies out to play with and she was screaming and shaking she was so scared. And the puppies were LITTLE. One was a Yorkie Poo and only weighed probably 3 – 5 pounds. It was only the second time that puppy had been out to play with people and the puppy was shaking like a leaf and then just laid on me and Faith Anne was terrified. Then we got a Shih Tzu out and played with it and again, she wigged out. That one played with me for a bit but then literally laid in my lap, but she was still scared. Looks like we won’t be getting a dog soon! The people at the pet store told us to come back as often as we want to. So, we will probably try to do that once a week or so to try to help her get over at least that fear. It is very odd. My MIL suggested we talk to the doctor about it, but what can they do for her? LOL I don’t want to medicate her just because she is scared of stuff. So, anyways, she is a trip. I can’t believe she is scared of anything as mean as she is! She is just very feisty! But I sure love that feisty little thing – she keeps me humble, that is for sure!

Gracie is walking all over the place! She started one week and by the next she was cruising all over the place! And she is into EVERYTHING. A few times at my parent’s house she has actually gotten into the bathroom (they aren’t as good at keeping the door closed as we have become accustomed to) and gotten toilet paper and put it in the toilet…..along with her hand! She knows where it goes, at least! LOL So, she is into everything and has already started getting time-outs! But she is such a sweet baby too. She doesn’t sleep really good – so hopefully that will come eventually. But she is fun and I can’t wait to see how she does with Christmas this year. We have our tree up – and I mean up! We actually put it up on the coffee table so she can’t reach the ornaments. She hasn’t bothered it too much yet…I think it will be fun to watch her open presents and all that fun stuff!
So, that is us in a nutshell, I guess. I did have a GREAT Girls’ Weekend last weekend – well, the one before the last one. Anyhow, we had a great, great time in Louisville, even though Jodi didn’t join us – it would’ve been more fun if she had, but I understand. We went shopping and we went bowling and we went to Church Hill Downs and we went to Howl at the Moon and Hard Rock Café – we just had a great, great time! It was nice to get away with some friends and just be a girl – with no kids and no hubby to take care of! We met a professional baseball player! This table of men (mostly married men…so it was just friendly) started talking to us as soon as we got to Howl and one of them was a baseball player. Well, that is what they told us. Of course, I didn’t believe them. I was sending Scott a text message to ask him if he had heard of him, but it was late and Scott didn’t answer me. I ended up getting his picture and his autograph – still not really believing that he was for real…but when I got home, I googled him and he is for real! He was called up from the minor leagues this year and only played in the majors for part of the season – but how cool is that? And another cool thing…the Extreme Home Make-Over show was in town and the cast was all staying at the same hotel as us! So, when we got back to our room that night, there was a “Call Sheet” left under our door. They must’ve had us confused with some of the people associated with the show…but it was very cool! It had all the numbers and locations and times where they were going to be. Unfortunately, Ty didn’t get in until Sunday night and we left Sunday afternoon. But it was still neat! We saw several people with the t-shirts on, but none of the stars! So, we had a great weekend!

Uhh…like I said, we are headed to Kentucky for Thanksgiving! I am not sure when we are leaving, either tomorrow and staying at a hotel with an indoor pool in Florence so the kids can have some fun, or Thursday morning. I would rather just leave Thursday morning, but Scott wants to leave tomorrow night, so we will see! Either way, I am looking forward to a great Thanksgiving with my family and then some fun shopping on Friday! My Dad, Jimmie (maybe) and I are planning on getting up very early to go shopping! We got some great deals last year, so hopefully that will work out again this year! I am not really looking for anything specific this year, I guess. I really need to get a game plan!

So…I guess that is about it for today! I need to get some work done since I am off until next week after today! That is a blessing!!!
Have a great Thanksgiving!!! Love you all….and I am very thankful for my Journal Buddies!

TGIF!!!!

Happy Friday! I love Fridays! The day just seems more bearable than the rest of the week….yeah! So, can you tell that I am bored at work lately? I think this is my third post this week…yeah, that is how bored I am!

So, I am going to attach a cutie picture of Faith Anne – it is her Preschool Picture. So cute! I wish that I would’ve bought more of those. And I am going to attach on of Isaac in his football stuff and one of Scott and Gracie from our vacation. I just love that picture. I may have posted it before…but I love it! I wish we were at the beach again!

Tonight we have a surprise birthday party for MIL. It is at 5:30…isn’t that a weird time to have a party? I am stressing because I usually don’t get home from picking up the kids until 5:00 or after – especially since I haven’t seen my parents for 3 weeks! I can’t just walk in and take my kids and leave…ya know? And we still have to make the appetizers that we are to take. I am taking beer bread (which I haven’t made yet) and spinach dip (that is made!) and then that cheesy/salsa/sausage dip. Scott is supposed to throw that together today, so hopefully he gets that done. I doubt we will stay at the party long…I am imagining that there will be a lot of their friends there….and not the best place for our kids to be. So, we’ll see. I don’t think she has any idea that we are doing this…the funny part is that I think the reason Rob (her BF) is doing this is because FIL threw her a surprise party before they split. Yep…6 years ago. I am rambling about nonsense…next topic.

The kids (meaning Isaac and Faith Anne) absolutely infuriated me yesterday. I was picking Isaac up from After-Care at school and trying to get all three of them into the truck….well, one of my neighbors was parked next to me and she was getting in her car so we were talking. Well, we were trying to have a conversation and my kids were acting like complete wild Indians….they were horrible! They were fighting and crying and screaming…I was so embarrassed….absolutely embarrassed. I made them go straight to their rooms when we got home. I don’t know why they do that sometimes! They fight about who is the first one in and then who is the first to get their seat belt on and then who is the blah…blah…blah…. It is never-ending!

Little Miss Gracie is walking all over the place! My Aunt had to take my Grandma to the doctor yesterday and she had my girls with her so Grandma got to see Gracie walking and that juts made her day. She gets so excited when she starts to get close to something and she starts squealing. She is just so stinking cute! However, she is into EVERYTHING. And if you tell her no….she just throws a fit and puts her hands on her hips. What a little attitude already!!!! I don’t know where she gets that from! LOL

The big football game is tomorrow morning! If we win tomorrow, we play again on Sunday. And if they win on Sunday, they play again next Saturday. So….go team, but I won’t be heartbroken if they lose. I don’t really think that Isaac will be either, at this point. He doesn’t want to turn in his uniform. He keeps saying that he is going to hide his jersey so that he doesn’t have to turn it in. I know he will be sad, but at the same time….the break will be nice! They have been scrimmaging the 3rd grade team this week because we are the only Bantam (K-2) team left. He has had fun with that…but he has been sore every night! So, root us on for tomorrow….but if we win tomorrow…then we don’t want to win on Sunday! LOL I need my Girls’ Weekend next weekend!

Yeah, so four of us that work together, we have been doing an annual Girls’ Weekend for the past few years. This year, we are going to Louisville and staying in a neat hotel in downtown right across from 4th Street Live – shopping/food/night-clubs. It should be a really good time. We are planning on going to Howl at the Moon Saloon on Saturday night…and hopefully Jodi is going to come down and meet us! I am sure it will be a fun time!

Well, we are getting our van back – AGAIN – today. Hopefully they get it right this time! If not, I will for sure be writing a nasty letter….or maybe I will do it anyways. We’ll see.

That is about it for today! You all have a great day and a great weekend! Kelley – I visited Franklin’s my-space last night and LOVED hearing his songs. I haven’t bought the cd yet…but I will! If for no other reason….to hear “Get in the Game” again! We were just laughing about that at the Women’s Retreat….how it sticks in your head!

Love ya all!

Halloween Pictures!!!

Oh My Gosh! We had so much fun last night! I am exhausted today, but it was a ton of fun! The kids had fun at Trunk-or-Treat and then we walked for what felt like miles around our neighborhood with Isaac, Faith Anne, Stacey and Brayden (he rode in a wagon). So we had fun, fun, fun! The kids had never done the door-to-door Trick-or-Treating so they thought it was so cool how much candy they got and they LOVED IT! Faith Anne was so cute the way she would kinda sing "Trick-or-Treat" and she would say Thank You too! Once, she must've forgotten to say thank you because she was coming back to me and then said "Mommy, I have to tell them thank you!" and ran all the way back up to their door to tell them thank you. So stinking cute!

Gracie stayed at the church with Daddy and Mimi....she enjoyed sitting in her stroller and watching everyone. Next year, she will be a terror, I am sure. And Faith Anne was only scared of the people with full masks on, and we didn't see that many of them. She did great.

We had to have our van jumped afterwards....it died. We are taking it back (AGAIN) to the place that charged us $1800 for a new transmission....the check engine light has been on and it has been having trouble starting every since they "fixed" it. This will be the 3rd time we have taken it back to them. I am going to be writing a nasty letter to the owner. He banks with us and because of what I do....I have seen many a nasty letter from him to us, so I am going to re-pay the favor! LOL

Anyways...it was a very fun night! The kids loved it...we have a ton of candy to get rid of because it will not be in my house for too long! Isaac has his party today, so I am leaving at 11:30 to go do that!

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween! Those that I saw last night were adorable!
(The pictures...if they all show up...are of my three kids, my nephew Brayden, Faith Anne, Faith Anne and Mandy's Abbey this past weekend and Gracie and Brayden - Kissing Cousins at her 1st Birthday Party - talk about bribery photos!!!)

Love you all!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Hello Everyone! Can you believe it is almost November?!? This year has really flown by! I can’t believe that we are on the edge of the Holiday season once again! Yikers! I guess that time really does go by faster as you get older – at least it seems that way to me!

Did I ever tell you guys about my hospital experience? Just a funny story…if I told you before, I am sorry. But when I was really sick a few weeks ago and ended up having some sort of infection in my stomach – when we were in the ER, I looked down at my bracelet that they gave me and I told Scott that they had made a mistake on my age on it. He asked me what it said and I told him 31….and he reminded me that I am, indeed, 31. WOW! When did that happen? I am not sure that I like being “in” my 30’s….but I guess it beats the alternative! LOL

So, we are still in Football Season! Isaac had his last regular season game two weeks ago and then this past Saturday was their first tournament game. Now, I am a bad Mommy because I was secretly hoping they would lose. It is a “one and done” tournament…so if they lose, it is over…if they win, they keep playing until they lose. So, the game was really good and a nail-biter. I hope they don’t have any more like that! But we scored first…then they scored….then we scored and it looked like we were going to win. With 5 seconds left in the game, they scored again to tie it up. So, since it was a tournament game, we went into overtime. In OT, both teams get a chance to score. So, we went first and we scored! Then it was their turn and they almost scored, but we held them back! I am telling you…when the game was over, I was wore out! You would’ve thought that I played the game! When I saw Isaac afterwards he just gave me a big hug and you could tell he was fighting back tears. It was very exciting! Their entire team played well together…we were very excited!!! So, he plays again this Saturday. Again, I am being a bad Mommy and hoping that they lose. I am just ready for the season to be over with! Plus, if they win they play the following weekend and I am supposed to be going down to Louisville for my annual “Girls’ Weekend” with my girlfriends from work. If they win and play on that day….I am either going to miss the whole weekend or have to drive down by myself to hook up with them later in the day. So…..we will see! It was pretty exciting to see them win, though. But that means that we have something going on again every night this week….oh well! I am not complaining! The joy of having kids!

Side-note….Abbey (Mandy’s Abbey) came to the game on Saturday with my Uncle. She and Faith Anne had so much fun playing together. I got a very cute picture of them hugging – I will have to post it. I have a ton of pictures I need to get off my camera! Faith Anne pitched a fit when Abbey had to leave…it was very cute.

The big news at our house….Gracie is walking!!!! Now, she isn’t walking a marathon yet – and she doesn’t do it when you want her to…but she is walking without holding onto anything occasionally! She usually does it when we aren’t really watching for her to do it. I haven’t been successful at catching it on video yet…like I said, she doesn’t do it when you want her to do it. It is so cute because Isaac and Faith Anne get so excited when they see her doing it. They startle her with their cheers and she almost always falls down….but it is very cute! She has certainly developed a little attitude and a temper! If you take something away from her, she gets very mad and she lets you know about it! She has actually hit Faith Anne a few times when she takes toys away from her! I wonder where she learned that?!?!? LOL She is so stinking adorable! I can’t wait to see her in her pumpkin costume tonight. I will really try to post pictures of all three of them in their costumes. Dawn’s were so stinking cute!

I am stressing out about tonight and tomorrow….it is times like this when I hate being a working mom! It just seems like there is too much to do and not enough time to do it in. Last night I was scurrying around trying to get as much done for tonight as I could and trying to get Faith Anne’s costume all ready for Scott to put on her this morning – her Preschool party is today. And then getting a change of clothes in her bag for the afternoon at my Aunt’s house. And then getting Isaac’s wig painted….and getting his homework done and everything in his school bag for today….and then getting Faith Anne’s preschool bill paid….and then getting the clothes out of the dryer and put away and getting Gracie’s outfit ready for today and then getting the candy ready for tonight and getting the kids “bags” ready to collect their loot tonight and then blah, blah, blah. I feel like Scott has so much to handle in the morning that I try to get as much done in the evening to help his mornings go smoothly – but I am POOPED by the time that I get everything done! The kicker is…here I sit at work and there is like nothing going on here. It is painful for me because there is so much that needs to get gone at home, but I am stuck here! So…all of that to say, it is times like this that I hate being a working mom! Oh well! It will all get done and the kids will enjoy it even if everything isn’t “perfect”.

Well, I guess that is about it for today! You all have a great day and a fun Trick-or-Treat night! We are going to be at the Trunk-or-Treat but I am also going to walk the kids around our neighborhood….as long as Faith Anne doesn’t freak out on me too much tonight. We might end up back home for the evening if she gets too scared!

Happy Halloween!!!!

Ramblings....

I am really getting bad at updating this blog! I still check everyone else’s journals every day – not commenting often, but reading daily. But I just don’t seem to get the time to get around and update! Oh well. I am here now, right? That is what matters…LOL

Well, little miss Gracie turned one since I last posted! Isn’t that hard to believe?!? The year has really flown by. She is doing better with sleeping (some nights) and she is finally holding her own bottle – well, sometimes! Seriously, the first time she held her own bottle for me was on the day of her first birthday party. We got home from church and I was rushing around doing stuff to get ready for the party and trying to get her to take a nap. Well, she needed a bottle but I didn’t have time to sit and feed her a bottle. So, I laid her in her crib and gave her the bottle and walked out of the room. When I came back, she was asleep and the bottle was empty! So, she either drank it or spilled it all over the bed. LOL So, since then…that is pretty much how we have been putting her down for naps and bed. Not the right thing to do, but it is working…so whatever! She isn’t walking yet, but I don’t think it will be long before she is! She is starting to get braver and letting go. The other day, she let go of the table and stood by herself for a few seconds. And when I went to pick her up from the nursery on Sunday Night, Chelsea told me that she took 3 steps by herself! Of course she did! Not sure that I am really ready for her to be walking….but ready or not, she is gonna do it soon! Her first birthday party was fun. I made the mistake (lol) of sending Scott to get the little cake for her and he came home with a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. So, she was a mess! I will have to download the pictures and post one on here. It was very fun! We also celebrated my Grandma’s birthday on the same day because Gracie was born on my Grandma’s birthday! That was nice….I know my Grandma loved it because she always calls Gracie her “Birthday Baby”. Anyways…there were some “argh” moments at the party, but it went well and she got a lot of nice gifts. Of course her Aunt YaYa bought her her very first Vera Bradley purse. Gotta start them young!

Faith Anne seems to be having fun at Preschool. Every day when I ask her what she learned she always says the same thing….how to cut. I hope they are learning more than that, but it is cute to hear her tell me the same thing over and over. We went to the Open House at her school this past weekend and her teacher actually said she is well-behaved and follows instructions. WOW! I was amazed at that! Funny thing….she said that we need to work on cutting with her at home! Faith Anne goes back and forth between her left and her right hand, so neither of them are very strong. I guess we need to pick a hand and try to make her stick with it. Poor girl….she has just grown so fast that we didn’t have any clothes that fit her! So, we went out last week and bought her quite a few things at Kohls (thanks for the tip on their good sale, Dawn!). We got her some good stuff.. Anyways, she is doing good. Just as ornery as ever! Her new thing lately has been to tell Daddy how handsome he is and me how pretty I am….so sweet. Then she says that Isaac and all of his friends at school are handsome and that Gracie is pretty and on and on and on. She is a trip. I seriously do not know what we are going to do with her on Halloween because she is just so scared of everything. We were at one of Isaac’s football games and there were kids (like 5th/6th graders) dressed up as a Firebird (eagle) and a Wildcat and she totally freaked out. I mean, they even took their heads off so she could see it was a kid with a costume on and she absolutely flipped out. There was no consoling her and she was tearing at me to get up on my lap and hide. So….I may end up at home with her on Halloween if she doesn’t get any better! She is going to be Little Red Riding Hood….we have this cape that my mom made for us when we were little. She is going to wear that and just a red dress under it. Pretty cheap costume! Good thing, she might be in the van or at home that night anyways! LOL

Isaac is going to be a “Bengal’s Clown” for Halloween. My mom made us a clown costume when we were younger and our school colors were orange and black, so that is what color the costume is. So, Isaac decided that it is a Bengal’s clown outfit! It is a bit long on him, but looks very cute. So, he is going to wear that and we are going to paint his face orange and black and then I bought him a big black afro wig that I am going to paint half orange and he will wear that. He will be very cute. So, another cheap costume. And Gracie is going to be a pumpkin – what Faith Anne wore last year. We were cheap this year!

Football is almost over for Isaac. His last regular season game was this past Saturday. Tournaments start this weekend, but they are single elimination, so I think we will only have one game – which is fine by me! Actually, the team they are playing hasn’t won a game this year, so we might win! I am ready for the break! We were going to get him in basketball or wrestling for the winter, but I am just ready for a break! So, I think we are going to do that instead! He has really had fun with football – and so have we! Two Fridays ago, we went with some of the families from his team to Tom’s Corn Maze. That was a blast! I have never done anything like that….basically go into a cornfield maze and find clues to find your way back out. We left the girls with my parents and just Scott and I went with Isaac. We had so much fun. It was a little freaky at times….but very fun. Then we had a bonfire in the woods afterwards and roasted marshmallows and had fun with the kids. I really spent a lot of time talking to one of the single moms on the team and it was very eye-opening to me. I respect her so much. I mean, we all have to sacrifice for our kids, but this woman has sacrificed so much. It was a great time and I just wish we had done stuff like that earlier in the season because I got to know some of the moms so much better!

School is going great for Isaac! I went to the parent/teacher conference two weeks ago and I was pretty nervous. If you remember, last year at his conference the teacher basically told me that he was struggling and we should start thinking about holding him back. So, I was nervous, but based on the stuff he brings home, it looked like he was doing well. Mrs. Codispoti (his teacher), just spoke so highly of him! She said that he is doing great! He does tend to sound out every word when he should just read some of them (lightening words), but she said that he is amazing at sounding words out and it really helps some of the other kids in the class. I think he gets that from Mrs. Stuve at church…she works so well with them in Sunday School. But anyways, we have to work on just reading the words he knows instead of sounding them all out – and part of that, I think, is boosting his confidence. When we started talking about his writing, she got really excited and told me that she was so excited to share with me his journal because he has the best handwriting in the class! She said that he does such a great job of keeping his writing neat and even when he is writing words that he doesn’t know how to spell correctly, he does such a good job of spelling them phonetically that you know what he is saying – more so than the others in the class! Get this….here was his journal entry that she shared with me (tell me who it sounds like)…”I like the Bengals, but they are not going to win a game. I wish they would. I like their Quarterback Carson Palmer and I like Chad Johnson.” Now, the words weren’t all spelled correctly, but you could absolutely understand what he was trying to say. Too cute. So, anyways…she said he is doing great and he is right where he should be. I hope that continues! I don’t want him to struggle in school!

Umm…everything else is just plugging right along. I have started my Christmas Shopping – actually have three people DONE. I probably have more than that done when I pull out all the Vera stuff I bought at the Trunk Show. But I actually have 3 people’s presents bought and wrapped already (the Vera store wrapped them for me)! And I was in Lane Bryant last night and they were playing Christmas music. Now, that is a bit extreme. I think I would DIE if I had to listen to it at work all the time already. I do listen to our Christmas cantata at work occasionally, but that is a bit different. Anyways, so hard to believe that it is almost that time of the year again. Scott said he was at a customer’s house last week and she already had her tree up and presents underneath it. What? Now, even I am not ready to do that yet!!! At least wait until after Halloween, if not Thanksgiving. Wait, I usually don’t wait until after Thanksgiving! LOL I am going to try really hard to this year, though.

We had a great time at our Women’s Retreat this past weekend. I had to leave early on Saturday – just when the speaker was really getting started, but we had so much fun goofing off on Friday night! We sat around the campfire and sang for about 2 hours! It was just fun and very up-lifting! I have another Girl’s Weekend coming up soon! My 3 close friends at work and I are going to go to Louisville for a short trip. We go away every year for a weekend in the fall – for like the past 3 or 4 years. I am looking forward to that fun time away. Hopefully my parents will be able to help watch the kids – I haven’t asked them yet because they are on a cruise this week! They called from Puerto Rico the other night….they are really enjoying retirement! I am so happy for them!!!

Well, I guess that you are probably bored now and I should really get to work! Speaking of work, it has been crazy the past few weeks and this week is boring – go figure. It is really either feast or famine. I have never heard about the Audit position that I interviewed for. Crazy! They were supposed to let me know last week and I haven’t heard the first thing. I am sick of calling them. At this point, I am sure that I didn’t get it…and even if I did, I would probably not accept it because of the way they have handled it. But it would still be nice to have some closure to it. Oh well….must not have been meant to be!

Take care!!!! Love you all!

Umm...Hello?

Hi! Don’t know if you all remember me or not, but I just thought I would stop by and give a quick update! Life has happened to us and I have been lurking daily, mostly waiting to see if Josy is EVER going to have that little baby….so I have kept up with those of you that post regularly….but just haven’t done a good job of commenting or posting myself! Oh well! So goes life!

I really should be working right now, but there is too much to do that I don’t even know where to start….so I decided to not start! LOL How is that for procrastination?!?! Let me start with work….so, there is still no word on the Audit position that I applied for. I heard from the hiring manager yesterday and they are looking at October 15th before there will be any decisions made. They have really made this a long-drawn-out process. Part of the problem is that there have been a lot of vacations, but also they are doing their budget planning for 2008 and so that has taken top priority. So, whatever. I will continue to wait. I am not feeling really confident about the job, but I still would like some closure to the issue. Time will tell. In the meantime, my job has been busy lately. Just a lot of stuff going on as we enter the 4th Quarter. My boss is the same – nothing has changed there. Oh well, eventually he will get moved out of here.

I was very sick last week – for a week! It was horrible. I thought I just had the stomach bug that Scott had….but it kept lingering and I was in a ton of pain. So, I finally went to the ER and they treated me as if I had e coli. I am not sure if that is what I had or if I had a stomach virus that sat so long in my stomach that it turned into an infection, but either way….after morphine, vicodine and then two doses of the anti-biotics, I finally started to feel better! It was really bad. Not a lot of vomiting or the other stuff, but just immense pain in my abdomen. It was seriously worse than labor pain! And it would not go away for a week. But, I am all better now and so far, none of the kids have gotten it! That is the most important thing!!! But, it did kick-start my losing weight…I lost 14.5 pounds in a week! Not eating will do that to you. Problem is…my appetite is back with a vengeance this week!!! But I have been going to the gym. I am really struggling with this…..depressing. But, you all have heard this before, so why bore you? LOL

Let me give you an update on the kiddos:
Isaac is doing really great. He seems to be doing great in first grade….we have the first Parent/Teacher conference next week. All of his work that he brings home have been all E’s with one S. His spelling tests are all E’s…his math tests are too. So, he just seems to be doing great in school. Football is still going strong. They have only won one game, but he just has a good time with it. This past weekend, my sister Janice and her whole family came to his game. That was a shocker! We go to a lot of my nephew’s games, but they had never been to one of Isaac’s. We had a really good time and it was nice to be able to talk to my sister some. We actually got to talk a lot at my nephew’s game on Saturday night…so I saw a lot of them this weekend. Anyways, back to Isaac….he is such a good little Team Player – always cheering his team on and staying up-beat even when they aren’t winning. He has said that football is a lot more work then he thought it was going to be, but he still seems to enjoy it. Scott has started helping out with coaching at the practices and on the sidelines at the game. He does really good with the kids.

Faith Anne is well, Faith Anne! She has such a strong spirit – a nice way of saying she is a stubborn brat! LOL I guess that preschool is going well. I never pick her up or drop her off, so I haven’t heard any problems. My mom said that she is rarely sitting down like all the other kids are when she picks her up, so I am sure we will be hearing from Mrs. Baker soon. She really seems to like going to school two days a week. She keeps us in stitches at home because you just never know what that little girl is going to say or do. She marches to the beat of her own drum. Yesterday, she wanted to talk while Isaac was talking, so she took the bowl that she had just eaten her snack out of and whopped him on the face with it. She can just be mean as a pistol – but also sweet as candy when she wants to be. So, she is going to be a challenge!!!

Gracie – she is going to be one next week! I cannot believe it! This year has just flown by! She is just a sweet little baby who is into absolutely everything at our house! She did sleep through the night for the past two nights…so we will see! We moved Faith Anne out of their room and put her in with Isaac until Gracie learns to sleep better. That has just meant that Faith Anne ends up in our bed. So, not sure how this is all going to end up! But Gracie is doing better with sleeping lately. It won’t be long until she is walking. She walks around stuff while holding on and will occasionally let go and just stand by herself. So, I am sure she will be walking soon. I don’t know that I am really ready for that, but what can you do? She makes all kinds of noises and definitely her first word has been Mama…which is great because the other two said Dada first. She is just such a cutie batootie! We are having her party on Sunday and I am anxious to see how she will do. She doesn’t seem to really like crowds very much. At Isaac’s party she was fussy until everyone left and then she perked right up! I can’t wait to see her dive into her cake! This is FOR SURE the last time I am planning a one-year old’s party!!! FOR SURE!!!

Scott is doing well. He is still a leader at work and liking his job. Every company has things that irk you, but he is doing really well. His job has been such a blessing to our family. Obviously the money is great….but more than that the flexibility that he has…it has just made our lives so much easier. I still feel like every day is a marathon….but it is so much easier since he can be around to help so much. I get aggravated at him sometimes (don’t we all get that way with our hubbies?), but he does so much with the house and the kids. He was just wonderful when I was so sick. Between him and my parents, I couldn’t have made it without them!

So, that is the quick and dirty (well, not really) on what has been going on with us. I know there are so many things that have happened…it’s been so long, but it would take forever to recap all of it! Hopefully Josy will have that little baby girl soon! Take care and love you all!!!

Weekly Update...

Hello Journal Pals! Jeesh – it’s been a crazy week! Has it only been a week?!? It feels like it has been a month! Who knows how long it has been….but it has been crazy! That much, I do know for sure!!!

Let me recap with the highlights:

Thursday (last week)
The best part about last Thursday is that we had a wonderful cool front come through and I had the pleasure of taking Isaac to football practice. I say “pleasure” because my parents kept the girls, so I was able to just sit and watch Isaac…and the weather was perfect football weather! It was such a nice night! I am ready for that weather!!!!

Friday
After work, the whole family decided to go to the high school football game. Let me just sum it up by saying….Scott’s Dad is a complete and utter jerk. I know that….I know that….I know that. However, he never ceases to amaze me!!! He was there and started pouting because my kids don’t like him. Not my fault…..he snipped at Faith Anne about something…I just let it go. When the girls were DONE, I told Scott that I was just going to take them to the van and we would wait for him. He told me to go ahead and go home and that his Dad would bring him and Isaac home. At that point, I am not sure what happened, but his Dad just FLIPPED out and started a fight with Scott. Basically, his Dad just went on and on about how horrible I am and how I run Scott’s life and blah, blah, blah. They talked it out – whatever that means. I really despise that man. I really, really, really despise that man. The night ended with Scott and I having an argument about it, but then I realized that by doing that….we are letting Steve win! So, I am not going to fight with Scott about it anymore. Well, I am going to try not to. Bottom line is…we both know that his dad is a jerk and stupid. So, that being said, we will go through the motions of having him in our lives, but that is it. Anybody want a father-in-law? LOL

Saturday
Isaac had a football game at 8:00! Yes, that is in the morning! They lost, but he had fun and we had fun watching it! They now have a CD to play to announce their names at the start – so cute. It starts with that “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” announcer guy and then since his name is first…it is adorable! Isaac “Bruiser” (insert our last name here). LOVE that!!!! We left the game and got him cleaned up and then headed to Kentucky for our family reunion! It was a very eventful trip down. First, we were barely 20 minutes down the road – Mom and Dad were in front of us with Isaac and Faith Anne – and their hazard lights come on. I tried to call Mom’s cell phone and it went straight to her voicemail….so we pulled over. Apparently, my Mom accidentally pushed the hazard button. LOL That was funny. Then, as we were heading up the big hill that you go up when you cross over into Kentucky, our van messes up. The “Check Transmission” light came on and the “OD On/Off” light kept flashing and it was shimmying a little bit. NICE!!! We pulled over for lunch anyways and talked about all the options. We got back in and drove around to a couple of places to see if someone could look at it….and it was acting fine and no lights came on. ODD….except for the fact that I had been praying non-stop since it happened – nothing had changed. So, we decided to chance it and headed on to Kentucky. We got down there and checked into our room and then headed off (me, Scott and Gracie) to see Scott’s grandparents. They live near where our family reunion is and their health is not good. Scott’s grandpa has prostate cancer. He has 3 chemo treatments left….he definitely doesn’t look the same as the last time we saw him, but I think he looked pretty good. We stayed and visited with them for a bit and then headed back to be with my family.

Sunday
Family reunion was fun, fun, fun! We didn’t have our normal “cousin game time” on Saturday night, but that was fine because the extra sleep was very, very nice! I don’t get much of that these days! Of course all the food was great…and so was the company! The music was wonderful! I could just sit and sing with my family all day long! There was one really “not-fun” moment in the day. Faith Anne decided that she did not want to use the out-house (can you blame her?) and so she sat in Gracie’s play-pen and pooped all over herself! I got her out and was doing alright with getting her cleaned up….although I was hot and mad and grossed out…I was handling it. UNTIL….a big stray dog came up and Faith Anne WIGGED out. For some reason, she is TERRIFIED of dogs. So, here she is STARK NAKED, poop on her, and now going crazy because a dog is coming near her (he was attracted to the poop, of course). At this point, I am pushed over the edge! I yelled for Jodi to get someone to help me because I was FRAZZLED!!! Because I freaked out, I had a cast of thousands offering their help! That girl, I am telling you….she is going to be the death of me! So, besides that….it was a great day! We had a lot of fun and the kids had a ton of fun and it was nice to be with my family! We left there and drove home. We usually stay the night again, but we needed to get home….it was actually nice! There was no traffic…the kids slept the whole way home….and then we got to sleep in our own beds!

Monday – Labor Day
We got up early because Isaac had to be at the parade location at 8:30. So, Scott took him and dropped him off and then came back and got me and the girls. We got to the parade spot and it was packed! We had put our chairs out the night before (on our way home from KY) and wondered why most of the chairs were on one side of the street….well, we found out! We had put our chairs on the side that was facing the sun! Luckily, Kelli and her family had set up on the right side of the street and there was enough room for us to squeeze in with them in the shade! That was more fun for me anyways because I got to hang out with her! Isaac did great in the parade, but he was one hot and tired pup when it was over. We DVR’d it on the TV at home and he was excited to see himself on TV! When we got home, we didn’t do much the rest of the day…which was very nice! We did go out to dinner and use some gift certificates we had to Outback Steakhouse. That was yummy!!!

Tuesday
Back to school for Isaac and off to Preschool Orientation for Faith Anne! We got Isaac off to school and then I finished getting ready and then headed off with the girls to Faith Anne’s Preschool Orientation! She loved it and didn’t want to leave! I had to bribe her when it was time to go. We had to go to Walmart and get her a back-pack. I didn’t think she really needed one for Preschool, but she did. So, we got that and a few other things and then went home. I was supposed to be off work, but ended up working from home all day because of a fire-drill thing that came up. We picked up Isaac from school and then the girls both took naps. Scott took Isaac to football, so I had a nice evening home with the girls. Again, I worked pretty much all evening too!

Wednesday
So, I had to lie to my work this week. I had an interview for that other position that was scheduled in Columbus (1.5 hours away) on Wednesday at 2:00. So….there was no way I could do that and be at work at the same time. So, I told them that I had sitter problems (I did, kinda) and that I was going to take the day off….especially since I didn’t get to be “off” on Tuesday. I hated that…but you gotta do what you gotta do, I guess. So, I got up on Wednesday and got Isaac off to school and got myself ready and took the girls to my Aunt’s house and then picked up Kelli and headed to Columbus. Isn’t she a great friend? She switched her days off this week so that she could go with me to the interview. We got to Columbus and had lunch at Cheeseburgers in Paradise….yummy! We prepped for my interview and then she dropped me off for that and she went shopping. The interviews went very well. I had one interview with someone who would be a colleague on the Team I am posting for and one interview with the person who would be my manager. I think they both went well and after talking to the Recruiter, he confirmed that it went well for me. Now, I just have to wait. Apparently, the next step is to do a phone interview with the next level boss. She is out of town until September 17th…so I have to wait until then! That is killing me! I just want to get this over and done with – either way it goes. So, we came home after the interview. Scott took Isaac to football again – he is going to start helping them with coaching on Tuesday & Wednesday evenings. So, the girls and I had a nice quiet evening at home, again. I got some cleaning done…which was nice!

Thursday
Back to work….boo-hiss! Oh well, the day went by really fast because I had a lot of stuff going on. I love productive days like that! Oh…I did have a rough day though because I felt like the winner of “The Worst Mommy of the Year” award. It was Faith Anne’s first day of Preschool and I was at work. But I just couldn’t justify anymore time off. Scott sent me a picture of her at school…that made me get teary. Then, when it was time for him to pick her up…I had been watching the clock all morning and waiting until it was time so I could call him and talk to her….he called me. Well, it was a few minutes before school was supposed to be out, so I just thought they got out early. NOPE! He had been pulled over for speeding on his way to get her! Yep….they “clocked him” at 57 in a 35. OUCH! He doesn’t think he was going that fast, but what good is arguing going to do? At this point, you could tell that he was waiting for me to yell at him, but instead I just started crying because I am panicking that my BABY is waiting for someone to pick her up from her first day or Preschool!!! At least the officer gave him the ticket fast so he could go get her and she wasn’t the last one there. I really think that Scott thought I was going to yell at him, but I didn’t. I speed too…..I just haven’t gotten a ticket (yes, I am knocking on wood). So, those things happen. He is mad at himself…what good does it do for me to yell at him? But, $145 later…..oh well. So, anyways…after work I dashed off to get the girls, then to after-care to get Isaac….we got home and got him ready for football and took off. The girls did very well at football….and it was much cooler than it has been this week. So, that was actually a nice evening. Scott came there before it was over so I left and got the girls home and bathed and in bed. I watched Big Brother and was very bummed that Eric and Jess were kicked out. I think it would be so hilarious if Zach ends up winning….he played them all by acting dumb! I just don’t want ED or Danielle to win! Oh well…it is just a show, afterall.

So, that brings us to today! I am looking forward to the weekend…even though I have only been at work 2 days this week! Isaac has a football game tomorrow and then we have a family picnic. Actually, we are going to be very late to the family picnic, but hopefully we can go for a bit. Michael will probably be there and I would love to see him! He sent us his testimony…I will have to post it sometime – so sweet!!!

Our van is still in the shop. We took it on Tuesday night. It is going to cost us at least $345. If it is the transmission, they said it can cost anywhere from $200 - $2000. Uh, can I have the $200 model, please? So, we will see! Not money that we have to spend right now….just like we didn’t have $145 to spend on Scott’s ticket. Oh well….this time of the year is always rough for us financially it seems. I need to figure that out and budget better! So, in the meantime, thank goodness that my parents have an extra vehicle! We started out the week with the truck – which I LOVE! But, I didn’t want to drive that to Columbus and I can’t fit it into our parking garage at work. So, I have been driving their Mustang since Tuesday night. It is fun to tool around in that….but how sporty does it look with two car-seats in the back? The other night I was driving it with the girls in the back and they were both raising their hands and dancing to the music…too cute!

So, I guess that is about it for now! Isaac is doing great in school, now Faith Anne is in school…Gracie will be 11 months old on Sunday…TIME FLIES!!!!!

Milestones...

Well, my baby is officially in the First Grade! It truly just seems like yesterday that we found out we were pregnant with him…and then that we brought him home from the hospital…and then that we were celebrating his first birthday….man, time flies by! Where has the time gone? He had a great first day of school and was making plans for a play-date on his walk out of the school building – my little social butterfly! I video-taped the morning yesterday…but he woke up before I went in to wake him up, so we had to pretend that Faith Anne and I were going in to wake him up – he did a good job of acting! LOL We all walked him to school – although he didn’t really want to walk with us…and we got him situated in his class. I had to pull Scott out of the room – I think he had a harder time with it then I did! Some of the other parents were having a hard time and saying that this was worse than Kindergarten because they are there all day and the whole lunch thing….I guess it wasn’t for us since he was there all day last year too. At any rate, he likes his teacher and has some friends in his class from last year. It was a good first day!

So…besides that major life-event….things have been going pretty good – just busy. It seems that we always have something going on! Isaac had his first sleep-over on Friday night. He was so excited about that. He asked Jacob to spend the night. Scott took the boys to a football game and then they came home and played games…..the girls and I were already in bed. Then on Saturday, I had the Women’s Gathering, so Scott was home with 4 kids by himself! The boys played well together…but Faith Anne wouldn’t leave them alone – surprise, surprise. She is a pill! He was ready for me to take them all when I got home….so I did! I took them all with me to drop Jacob off at his house and then we came home and got ready to go! We went to see my nephew’s football game – we had a good time…but it did rain on us! Oh well….that was fun to watch him play. I am hoping to go to many of his games. It was nice to see my sister and my nieces too. I hadn’t seen them for a very long time! My sister is such a funny character….she was sharing with me that a guy we went to high school with is a junior high teacher at my niece’s school – that is so weird! I told her that we were getting old!!! Well, she is…this is her 15 year reunion year. I doubt she will go, but 15 years! That means that Scott’s 15 year reunion is next year….old, old, old! Anyways, we had fun there. My girls just adore their cousins….and Isaac does too, but he isn’t as open about it. He did think it was pretty cool to see Darnell (my nephew) play…and wear the same number as he does! We went out to dinner with Mom and Dad afterwards….at this big, beautiful hotel/complex thingy that was not there when I was a kid….oh, the game was at my old high school. Anyways, talk about memories. Where we ate used to just be a cornfield! That was a little weird. Then we took the scenic route home and I was telling the kids (only Isaac really listened) stories about all the places we were passing. I have some great memories of my childhood!

Sunday…Isaac had his first official game of the season. We lost…but it he had fun and that is all that really matters….that is what I keep telling him! He did great…..he didn’t get knocked down once….he landed on the ground once, but that was because he threw himself on top of a pile of kids already down there! I guess he wanted a piece of the action…LOL. Anyways, he did great and even though they lost, they had fun. The kids and I went out to breakfast with Mom and Dad afterwards…..we have been eating out too much!!! Then we came home….Scott went to some draft party at the church….so, the kids and I got home and I got cleaned up and took them over to my parents house so I could go to a viewing. A lady that I worked with passed away from breast cancer. She was only 45….and had only been diagnosed 3 years ago. It was very sad to see her family there….her husband and her parents…just so very sad. They weren’t Christians either….and I honestly do not know how you make it through something like that without Christ in your life – seriously! So…that was about it for Sunday, I guess. Nothing else exciting happened…at least not that I remember!

Monday….work was work…I haven’t heard anything about that other job yet. The lady just got back from vacation this week. I think the interviews start next week…so keep praying! Kelli did talk to the lady who I would report to and she told her (Kelli told her) that I was the best person for the job…LOL. The lady – her name is Jean – told her that she had heard that from several people now. So, hopefully all of that will work in my favor! I am anxious…..but trying to be patient! But if you know me…you know that patience is not a virtue that I possess! Anyways…work was work. I got to start my new “flex-time” schedule and leave at 2:00 – LOVE that! So, I left and got the kids from my Aunt’s house….took the girls to my parent’s house…. ran home and changed clothes and grabbed Isaac’s school supplies and took him to meet his teacher and drop off his supplies. We went and saw his Kindergarten teacher while we were there – she is such a nice person! Then I took him to the Greene and bought him some new t-shirts and took him to dinner as my special time with him before school starts. He is such a funny kid….we had a great time together. Football practice ended up being cancelled, so we had a nice quiet evening at home and I tried to get him in bed early.

So….other GREAT news…Michael got to go home yesterday! Yep, he is out of the hospital! He still has to go back every day for rehab therapy….but he is HOME! Please continue to pray. They need prayers badly….it is going to be a HUGE transition for everyone and his parents are really struggling. They both have very different opinions on what is best for Michael….so please pray for that family. I am sure that my Dad is going to be helping as much as he can with getting Michael back and forth to his therapy….so, just please pray for that situation. I think that he is giving his testimony this Sunday at the church where the incident occurred. He has been working on it at the hospital and really wants to give it. So, it would be nice if it wasn’t this weekend since we will be out of town this weekend, but he is anxious!!!

Yeah…this weekend is our family reunion in Somerset, Kentucky! I am excited now that it is getting closer! Things have been so busy lately that I just haven’t really had much time to think about it! Isaac has a football game at 8:00 am on Saturday – yes, you read that right – and then we will probably leave soon after that to head down there. We are only staying one night this year and going to head home late on Sunday night…..Isaac is in a parade on Monday…so we want to be home for that. Plus, everyone else is leaving from there to go on vacation in Gatlinburg, so we will be jealous of that and ready to head back! LOL But we have a big week here next week because Faith Anne starts Pre-School! I don’t know how in the world we are going to work out our schedule for next week….my parent’s are going to be on vacation – but we will have to figure it all out! It is like putting together a puzzle with a million pieces! LOL

So, I guess that is about it! Praying for all of you…and especially for Josy to keep that baby Claire “cooking” a while longer!!! And for Angela as her baby starts Kindergarten! Big stuff! Love ya!!!

LONG Update!!!

Hello Everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Things here are going pretty good – can’t complain too much, and what good would it do anyways? LOL…but seriously, things are going pretty good! Where did I leave off?!?!

Well, an update on Michael. He is doing great! Since last week, he did have a spell over the weekend where he was hallucinating pretty badly. My Dad went to see him and Michael told him that his parents and his sister and his niece were there and had been for over an hour, and they weren’t really there. He had a rough weekend. I think the biggest factor, though, is that he has a deep desire to go home. But he is really where he needs to be. So, anyways….he came out of that spell and is doing really great again. My Dad said that yesterday he was as “clear” and as “normal” as he had seen him in the past month. So, hopefully this stage will last a long time! He also shared that three of Michael’s buddies had spent an entire week fasting and praying for Michael – the week when he was so bad. Now that is some great friends! I told Dad last night that I pray that Isaac will find some great friends like that. Also, there was a prayer service for Michael at the high school that he graduated from on Saturday night. The youth minister of the church that he was playing basketball at when this whole thing started led it and it was very nice. Michael was itching to be there with us, but they couldn’t allow him out of the hospital for that. It was neat to see so many people gather to pray for him. They plan on holding more of those for him…because he obviously has a long road ahead of him. But things are looking up. And it is neat to see how he has touched so many lives during this ordeal.

So, Jodi was in town this past weekend…..and we had a nice visit! She got up here early on Friday and so I was having a hard time being at work knowing that she was already here! They went garage sale-ing and fun stuff like that! I had an appointment at the Pre-school that we have signed Faith Anne up for, so I just decided to call it a day after that. So, let me get back to our weekend in a minute….

We have decided to enroll Faith Anne in preschool. I just feel like she needs the extra discipline and attention – being the middle child! So, she is going to Green-Oak preschool – it is in a church – on Tuesday & Thursday mornings. She is excited – well, as excited as she can be since she doesn’t really know what it is yet. But I visited it on Friday and it is really neat! I am excited for her! And they do some fun things for the family throughout the year too. So, my mom is going to help with that – getting her back and forth and stuff. I had to work out with my mom and my aunt “the school schedule”….having kids is a lot of shuffling – especially when both parents work 40+ hours a week!!! The school schedule is this:

* Scott will get Isaac off to school each morning – actually a group of kids from the neighborhood all walk together, so he has to get him up and ready and out the door every day….no fun for him since he is not a morning person, but I am at work by 7:00 – so it falls on him!
* On Mondays & Wednesdays, I leave work early to get Isaac picked up from school. I take him home with me and he does homework/plays with friends while I “work from home” until 5:00…then we go get the girls from my Aunt’s house
* On Tuesdays & Thursdays, not only does Scott have to get Isaac up and ready for school, but he also has to get Faith Anne up and ready for school and drop her off there at 9:00 and then drop Gracie off at my parent’s house. My mom will pick Faith Anne up at 11:30 and then pick up Isaac at 2:30….I will get them all from my parent’s house in the afternoon
* On Fridays….either my Mom will get Isaac from school or Scott or after-care and either my Mom or my Aunt will watch the girls….

So, talk about craziness!!! It is going to be wild! But what can you do?!?! I was talking to my neighbor the other day and he has 3 girls and their ages are pretty spread out. He was saying that it took them 15 years to get all 3 of their kids in school for a full day. That will help….but it will take us a long, long time to get there! Oh well. It keeps us young…or busy…or just crazy! Why did we want kids….and 3 of them to boot?!?! Just kidding…I love them!!!

Okay…so back to my weekend! So, after I visited the preschool, I went to my parent’s house and they were just getting the kids down for a nap…and we were all ready for a nap too! Jodi had gotten up pretty early to get there. So….I left the girls to nap with them and Isaac and I headed home for naps of our own and then he had football. It was a nice nap…but I wish it could’ve been longer! I think I could’ve slept for days! Oh well! Scott came home and took Isaac to football and I went back over to my parent’s house. We decided to go to a little carnival in Bellbrook…that was fun. My Dad saw lots of people he knew….some cousins of his and also some people he grew up with. Scott and Isaac met us there after football and the kids had a great time. They rode rides…Jodi and I rode the ferris wheel with them….that was not as much fun as I remember it being as a kid! A little scary, actually! But it was a fun evening and gorgeous weather! Faith Anne told my Dad on the way home that she had a “wonderful time”. She can be so cute sometimes!

Saturday….I got up and did a little house-cleaning – man, my house needs some attention! I did as much as I could fit into the morning. Then Mom, Dad and Jodi came over and we all had lunch and then headed to Isaac’s first football game. I was all nerves….but it was very cool! I am so proud of Isaac! He got to run through the sign – they announce his name first since he is Number 2…so he gets to run on the field first. Talk about a proud Mama…I was for sure. He played pretty much the entire game! He plays on the Offensive and Defensive lines….and he did great….not that you can see much during the game, but we did watch it later – we taped it, duh! He has watched it about 4 or 5 times! He got a good tackle…and so he got a “game ball” at their practice last night. He seemed to enjoy it, so we will see! Oh, they didn’t win…they got beat 31 – 13, but the other team had a very fast little guy that just got away from them every time. Jodi and I were saying that I bet his parents are proud of him! So, after the game….the team did their huddle with the cheerleaders and then the cheerleaders gave the football players a goodie bag. It was very cute. So, of course, Faith Anne proceeds to throw a fit because she wants snack too…well, in t-ball, the mom’s always brought enough for the siblings…not the case in football. So, I was explaining to Faith Anne that the snacks/goodies are for the football players and she was calming down. Well, then…out of the huddle comes my big football player and he walks up to Faith Anne with his helmet and says…”Look Faith Anne…Bubby got you something too. Pick out what you want.” He had stuff in his helmet…I just started crying! All the nerves of the first game and then to see him be so tender-hearted…..just made me cry with pride!!! Jodi made fun of me, of course…but it was just one of those moments! I wish I could bottle those moments up!!! Moments like that are worth more than all the money in the world.

So, it was a good first game! I was worried how he would do with winning/losing….this is the first sport he has played where they keep score…but he did fine with it! I am looking forward to his next game!!!

After that, the girls and I took Jodi to my parent’s house and then we came home. I tried to get them down for a nap, but I wasn’t very successful! I got cleaned up and left Scott with the kids and went to my parent’s house. We went to the prayer service for Michael and then another church service and just had a fun evening with no kids!!!! We even went to Friendly’s for ice-cream! It was a good time!!!

Sunday was church…I was in the nursery both hours and so I didn’t get to talk to or really see anyone! This is my last Sunday of doing that….next month I start teaching pre-school during worship hour on one Sunday a month. I am not sure about that….but I am kinda ready to do something different than just the nursery. I have been in that nursery for about 8 or 9 years now…ever since I started coming to BCC. So, teaching is NOT my strength, but we will see! I told Joy I would try it! After church, Scott went to work….Miami University had a big move-in this weekend and he made lots and lots of sales there!!! The kids and I headed to my parent’s house for lunch with Jodi and Jimmie before they headed back to KY. I think we (meaning my kids and me) were all over-tired. The kids were mis-behaving quite a bit and I was just so tired! I went home and we all went down for naps right away! Gracie didn’t sleep much, but I did get a bit of a Sunday nap in!!!

So, that was our weekend re-cap! It was fun to spend some good time with Jodi! I am secretly (well, it isn’t a secret anymore) jealous that she and Jimmie and Mandy and Chelle and the Parent’s are all going on vacation to Gatlinburg the week of Labor Day…but I guess I had my vacation time in July! Bummer that the kids have school…that is a great time to vacation! Oh well…I am sure they won’t have fun without me…LOL!!!

Isaac starts First Grade next Tuesday! We went shopping on Monday night (in all the rain, football was cancelled) and got all of his school supplies. We had to go to Wal-Mart and Target…it was a mess! But we got them all and I have labeled everything (I mean – EVERYTHING) with my labeler! Yep, all 48 of his crayons have his name on them. I can’t believe my baby is in 1st Grade!!! Time flies! Gracie will be one in less than 2 months! WOW!!!!

A little plug….reminder to our Ladies that we have our Ladies Gathering on Saturday! We practiced for the music last night….it was a long practice, but fun! If you can make it, I am sure it will be fun….and refreshing! I know that I need a spiritual boost! So, come on Saturday if you can make it!!!
Well, this has gotten to be a very long journal, but there is one more thing I want to tell you about and ask for your prayers about. I know that I mentioned the Recruiter Job in a previous post…well, I decided not to even apply for that position because there is just NO WAY those hours would work for us right now. So….I put that thought out of my mind entirely. Well, yesterday, Kelli called me and told me about a job that I knew was out there, but hadn’t really thought twice about it because the girl who left the position was part-time…so I assumed it would be posted as part-time and probably not here – meaning I thought it would be in Columbus. Well, the job was posted as full-time and the location can be wherever the person lives. It is in our Audit department – so a totally different line of business than what I work in now, but Retail (what I work in now) experience would be a huge plus in this Audit job. It is an Audit Officer position….and I would be creating reports (I do that now), analyzing data, creating new procedures…stuff like that. So, different from what I do now, yet not that different. The really cool thing is that it is 100% flex-time….meaning that I would be 40 hours, but I would pretty much have complete flexibility to set my schedule. There are conference calls and such that I would have to be available for…but much, much, much more flexible than what I have now. Plus, I can work from home…from a branch…or wherever. So, that means that I wouldn’t have to see Stinky Pete and I wouldn’t have to work downtown and pay $90 a month in parking. SO! I have applied for the job….actually the reason Kelli thought of me was she was having dinner with the boss of the person that is hiring this position. So, if I got the job, she was the boss of my new boss. She suggested I apply for it. SO…..please pray for me!!! I applied for it yesterday – the hiring manager is on vacation until Monday….but please pray for this. I am excited about the thought of doing something different – been doing this job for 6 years now….but also a bit nervous about the learning curve. So, please pray!!!!

Alright…seriously, if you made it this far, you are either bored, or you just love me a lot!!! Love ya!!!

Weekly Ramblings...

Hello Everyone! Do I have some good news to share?!?! I wanted to update you all on Michael! It seems that Friday night when we were at the hospital, that was a sort of break-through for Michael. From that moment on, he has continued to get better and better! I went and saw him on my lunch hour on Monday and I was just amazed! He was up and walking around by himself – still doing things slowly – but it was so much better than Friday. I went and saw him again yesterday and again, just amazing! He was tired from a full day of therapy and very anxious to go home, but doing great. He actually has all of his stuff ready to go and thinks he is getting released today. But he isn’t really. So, that is the next challenge. It is likely that if he continues to do as well as he is doing now all week that he might go home next week, but that is still to be decided. So, thank you for your prayers. It is a miracle. He is doing so well. His friends have coordinated a candle/prayer vigil for him in front of his high school for Saturday night. That is very cool – and a testament to how much that kid is loved. Seriously, yesterday…it was like I was just talking to him on a regular family event. He was asking about my job and the kids and just your normal everyday stuff. God is so good…and it is so neat to see HIM in Michael.

We did have another cousin – this one is actually very removed…like his Mom was (she passed away about 10 years ago) the daughter of my Mom’s cousin. So, a very removed cousin…but family just the same. Anyways, he is only 17 and was in a bad ATV nearly two weeks ago and they had to amputate his leg just above his knee. He is in the same hospital as Michael, so my Dad and I went to visit him on Monday. So very sad….but lucky to be alive! That is another family that just seems to have bad things happen one right after the other. His name is Curtis, so I know that he could use our prayers as he is getting released from the hospital this week and beginning a whole new version of life. I can’t imagine.

So, besides all that kind of stuff…things are going good – just very busy! Tuesday night I was telling my mom that I was going to go see Michael on my lunch and she suggested that I might need to take a nap on my lunch. Guess it is pretty bad if it is obvious! Actually, Gracie is sleeping much better – although I hate to say that and jinx it. But she did sleep through the night last night and the night before! YEAH! But I am just running so much that I am pooped! This football stuff is going to kick my butt. I really need to stop complaining about it because part of being a parent is sacrificing for your kids….so I am going to try to stop complaining…but it is kicking my butt! My house is a mess, but I am starting to just accept that straightened might be as good as it gets for a while. At least until I have time on the weekend to clean.

Speaking of football…Isaac is doing much better. He is getting a handle on the whole tackling thing. I thought it would be hard to watch him play because I would be so nervous, but I am actually more nervous for the kids he is playing against! His first game is Saturday afternoon. That should be funny…I mean good. He is looking forward to it. I think we are gonna have a cast of thousands there because Scott’s whole family and my family are going to be there. See, Scott’s family likes to come to stuff like that and look like they are involved in our lives. I shouldn’t say that…but there is truth to that statement.

Let me vent for just a second. Last weekend was Brayden’s first birthday party – which was very fun. Scott told me before it happened that his Aunt Vickie was going to be there. That rubbed me the wrong way. She has never once been to one of our kids parties, even though we have always invited her. See, she is his millionaire aunt. So, she got there on Sunday and of course bought him a very expensive bike and a really nice toy chest for Stacey. Fine….but hello…I have 3 kids. And really…I know that sounds shallow, but it is just yet another example of how Scott is treated so poorly by his family. His grandparents sent Stacey like $100 for Brayden’s birthday – my kids have never gotten a card from them. It is just horrible. I get upset about it because it hurts Scott – and of course because it appears that they are “dissing” my kids. It just doesn’t make any kind of sense. I didn’t say anything about it to Scott until he brought it up the next day. I told him that I guess since Stacey is a single parent, she gets everything handed to her (by his family), but because we are married and making ends meet on our own – our kids don’t deserve the special treatment. I guess that Scott has had this kind of conversation with his mom before about his dad and how he treats all of us…she thinks that his dad is jealous of Scott. Now, if that isn’t the worst thing that a parent can be of their kids, I don’t know what is. She thinks that he is jealous because Scott has so much (not that we are rich) but so much more than they had at our age. Uh….why not be proud of your son and happy for him and his family? Just a thought. So…needless to say….I LOVE spending a day with his family! LOL It was also funny because some of MIL’s brothers were there and this was the first time they had seen Steve since he left MIL (which was almost 6 years ago) and they were very rude to him. That was funny. I did have fun talking to Sara and Scott’s sisters. I wish his family weren’t so dysfunctional.

Work has been work. Boring. Not much to say. A neat position came open – Recruiter – and several people have told me how great I would be at that…and I secretly REALLY want to do it, but I just don’t think I can. The hours would be more late evenings and some travel….so I am not sure we can swing that right now. Isaac starts school in 2 weeks and I think we are putting Faith Anne in preschool….so too many things coming up that I would hate to miss because of work. I work to live…I don’t live to work. So, that is a bummer. I wish I could figure out a way to do it.

Oh! My mom did cut a few inches off of Faith Anne’s hair! I wanted to take her to this cool salon – Sweet and Sassy – but she was petrified. So, yesterday my mom cut about 2 or 3 inches off. I think she still needs more cut off…and she says she will go to the salon now, so we will see. I might take her there and have them cut off a bit more. I just think she would love it once she tried it! And I think we are going to cut Gracie’s hair too so that it looks thicker. It is just so wild – and although it is long, it just looks crazy. So, I think we are going to do that soon. Isaac wants a Mohawk, but I don’t think that is going to happen! A few of the kid son his team have one…but I don’t think he really wants one, I think he just tells us that for shock factor. He is a trip.

Well, I guess that is about it for now! I am excited because Jodi is coming up tomorrow! We have a busy weekend planned, but it will be fun! It has been over a month since I saw her last! She was sending me emails yesterday to make plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years…can you believe that it won’t be too much longer until we are talking about that again?!?!?

Have a great day! Love ya!!!