WPF

Random Pictures

2009-01-23T08:37:00.004-05:00

Just some random pictures from the past couple of months since I haven't updated in quite some time. School has been super busy and it just seems like there's no time to do this extra stuff.

I took this picture because I found it very funny that my daughter set up her baby doll in her booster seat at the kitchen table with 2 very tiny pieces of cake.

Hunter making his gingerbread Christmas tree

Stella posing with her gingerbread house.

This is another one that I have to explain. You see my dog, at the time this picture was taken was escaping on a regular basis. She would do this by digging holes under the fence. So we were in the process of burying barbed wire so she could easily dig and crawl under. well since we have a bid yard and burying the wire is time consuming I had her attached to that chair by her leash. That way when she dug under she was stuck because she wasn't able to dig a hole big enough for the chair too! I did come home a couple of times to find her just chillin' out on the outside of the fence, with the chair on the inside of the fence. LOL

This is some of my family at Thanksgiving. My grandmother, sister, niece, 3 cousins, my kids and me.

I just love her pigtails and dimples!!!!

My niece and me.

Bathing suits and the beach only in Florida on December 30th.

The kids just chillin'!

Halloween and Stuff

2008-11-01T07:49:00.007-04:00

Last weekend we went to a Halloween party at my friend Heather's house . It was for the little kids, so she had jumbo the clown come to the party to entertain the kiddos. Some of the kids were scared of him but eventually warmed up. He made balloon animals or hats for everyone.

Stella and Jillian were dressed as cheerleaders at this party. They changed for each Halloween event! This was still at Heather's party.

Shannon even got Jumbo to make her a hat. I have a similar picture from 6 years ago at Heather's party with jumbo the clown. I would post it but that was pre-digital camera and I don't have a scanner. You'll just have to trust me on that one!

Jumbo doing his show. Not much different than 6 years ago. But the kids were all new kids ,mostly.

Hunter got in on his act.

Still part of the act. How cute!

We also got 'special' glasses in the goody bags. And glow in the dark vampire teeth!

Then during this past week at school we got to/had to mold the muscles of the face onto skulls with playdoh. It was a good learning tool to have to do that. I now know the muscles that I was assigned. Do you know where the corrigator muscle of the face is? I do! LOL

Every now and then we have to relax and just let loose. Playdoh can be fun!!

But sometimes we have to be serious and get down to the business. Those instruments are sharp, it would be dangerous to fool around with those things.

Halloween night was a blast. I made special treats for our get together. These are cake balls. Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

The eyeball ones were so cool. I was very proud of them. They were so yummy too!

The kids all dressed up and we walked around Shannon's neighborhood to trick-or-treat. Logan was a bear.

Hunter was an Ice Wolf Ninja. Minus the mask.

Stella was Dora the Explorer.

Jillian was Snow White.

Lucas was a dead guy. He was grossed out by his own costume. He doesn't like the blood and it made him queasy.

Hunter with his great big Bag'O Loot.

It was a fun week. Now I just have to figure out how to get rid of all that candy with out the kids realizing that I'm throwing it away.....

Halloween Past

2008-10-11T08:37:00.004-04:00

I couldn't find pictures from 2006.
I can't wait till this year.

Tagged

2008-10-11T08:25:00.003-04:00

I was tagged by my friend Andrea. I usually don't do these things and I don't know enough people to pass it to so if you read this that means your tagged!! LOL

Answer the following using only one word, then pass it on to 7 people.

1. Where is your cell phone? Kitchen
2. Where is your significant other? Working
3. Your hair color? Brown
4. Your mother? Florida
5. Your father? Home
6. Your favorite thing? Chocolate
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your dream/goal? school
9. The room you're in? playroom
10. Your hobby? none
11. Your fear? hurt
12. Where do you want to be in six years? vacation
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you’re not? perky
15. One of your wish list items? moneytree
16. Where you grew up? tampa
17. The last thing you did? ate
18. What are you wearing? pajamas
19. Your TV? cartoons
20. Your pet? sleeping
21. Your computer?busy
22. Your mood? tired
23. Missing someone? yes
24. Your car? working
25. Something you’re not wearing? Socks
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? Hot
28. Love someone? Yes
29. Your favorite color? Pink
30. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? yesterday

I need help

2008-10-04T10:56:00.002-04:00

I do need help. In more ways than one. But today I'm gonna stick to that fact the I need assistance in recruiting patients. I have to find 3 people that are willing to let me practice taking dental x-rays on them. If you are willing to help me out please contact me!!! The days that we have our patients are November 6th and 13th in the morning for about 1 and 1/2 hours for each patient. The patient will get to keep the films for FREE!! I will need to get paperwork filled out in advance so the sooner you could let me know the better!

So is there anyone who wants to help a girl out? and get free dental films? And help a girl out?

Please?!

New News

2008-10-03T11:57:00.003-04:00

I'd like to introduce my niece: Isobel Amira

She's so cute and tiny. She was born on October 1st at 8:57 am. She was 6lbs 1oz. and 19 inches long.

Grandma was there and so was Grandpa. I wasn't able to be there because of school but I hope they will come up here for Thanksgiving with us so we can meet the new addition.

Other news in this neck of the woods is that the tooth fairy came to see Hunter and left him $3.00 for his teeny tiny baby tooth. His new adult tooth was already coming in behind the baby one.

News at school is we lost a student. No, She didn't die. She just figured out that working in someones mouth was not for her. So we are down to 11 students in our class.

This picture was taken the first day that we worked in each others mouths. That's Nikki working on a student and Mrs. H our program director and instrumentation and anatomy instructor. I can't tell who she is working on. You know that color uniform has pretty much made us blind...... just kidding.... maybe.

My new family

2008-09-14T19:56:00.004-04:00

Meet my new family. Well, at least my family for the next 22 months. They are my class mates at school. There are only 12 of us and we pretty much travel in a pack where ever we go around the school. To the lunch room... big green pack, to the classroom.... big green pack, to the clinic.... big green pack. Do you get my drift??
So I'd like you to meet Eileen, Teresa, Hien, and Nikki (from left to right):

And Angela and Amy...
And Mirey (pronounced Me-ray) and Neeray (Raj for short)...
That is obviously not all twelve, but I don't have pictures of the rest as of yet. I have plenty of time to capture them all on film!

Below you can see me little darling working on her thesis...
And here she is taking a break from her tiring work on her thesis to enjoy the company of Joe (Boxer).
Just kidding on the thesis part.... just in case you weren't sure.

Next time I hope to have some pictures of us working in each others mouths for real, not just the dummy's we've been working on.

PIctures!

2008-09-05T10:28:00.004-04:00

Ok, so I got my camera and I know i haven't posted any pictures. So here are some that I've taken recently. I also have been playing with the settings on the camera that my old one didn't have. I now have a black and white setting:

And a sepia setting, I really like this coloring... but this picture isn't the best.

Alrighty, here are the real pictures of stuff that has been happening around these parts. This is Lucas getting his new DS for his birthday. He got it on his actual birthday but his party is not until tomorrow because his birthday falls right when school starts and he wanted a chance to invite friends from school.
Here is Luke's small package of presents. At his age they get smaller yet more expensive, LOL!!

And here are the boys on the actual first day of school.

Hunter is waiting for his teacher and looking about ready to cry in this picture. He did end up crying. It was a horrible morning. He makes me so sad that he is nervous about leaving me. Even now he has days where he cries getting on the bus, and everyday he says he doesn't want to go to school.
Hunter and Stella playing in an old box.

This is just some of my books, I think there are 3 books missing from this stack. That big one on the top and the big one on the bottom are for the same class! Some days my backpack is so full!!

Oh and Hunter is finally going to lose a tooth. I don't know when, but his permanent tooth is coming in behind his baby tooth. Technically it's his permanent mandibular left central incisor (tooth number24) that is erupting posterior to his deciduous mandibular central incisor (tooth number N) I can just barely make out some mamelons erupting through the gingiva. See how much I've learned so far... that's probably greek to some of you, I know it was greek to me about 2 weeks ago,LOL!!!
I am having fun at school. Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of info to learn, but still fun!!! I was chosen to be the student delegate at the Dental Hygiene symposium at the end of this month. I'm excited about that too! (Don't ask me what that is because I don't really know..)

Hi there!

2008-08-31T13:56:00.003-04:00

I'm here and alive, I really am!

I have a camera again!!! Yeah for me, thanks to my mom, Yeah for her too!! LOL

I do have some pictures to post but I'm still figuring out the camera right now.

Do you see that lady over there on the right side of my page? That's supposed to represent me. Yeah, I know, it's not exactly me but close enough...

Well, I have dressed her up in scrubs, just like I wear everyday to school. The color is pretty darn close to what we have to wear. there are 12 of us poor souls that have to wear that god awful ugly color for the next 2 years. We look like big highlighters walking through the campus. you can see us a mile away.

At least we won't get lost.....

First days of schools

2008-08-22T07:33:00.002-04:00

Ok. I know that sounds funny. But lots of us here in the house started school this week. Me included.

Lets start with...... Lucas.
He has 8 classes, but only goes to seven each day. the schedule is less confusing this year than last year when he also had eight classes but only went to 6 each day. So far no huge complaints, and no homework has been assigned...yet. So far so good!

Ok, now for Hunter.... Ummm lets see, where to begin? Should we start with the crying or the crying? The crying that he doesn't want to go or the crying that he wants to stay with me. Maybe we should start with how I have to shove him on the bus while the bus driver closes the door and I have to squeeze my arm back out of the door. (Sort of the way you quick close the door of an over-stuffed closet so the stuff doesn't fall out) Or how about on the first day of school when the teacher had to pull him off of me and practically drag him away.

Do you want to know the kicker.... do you? The kicker is that he comes home and tells me that he had a good day. There is no torturing or finger-nail pulling. No force feeding of worms. Not even getting a yellow (which is the first warning). Nothing significant happens that would cause the above to be the expected reaction. Nothing!

Ok, so me. I started school too! I had a good first day! the whole day was spent in my Radiology class. We learned how to take bitewing x-rays (aka BWX). We didn't actually do any because we don't have out dosimeters yet but we will next Thursday. A dosimeter measures the amount of radiation we are getting exposed to. (less is better in this case) I'm totally excited about next week. I happen to think that I'm one of the smarter ones (or at least I think I will have to study less than some others, I hope) Not to pat myself on the back or anything, but it remains to be seen, I'll let you know how I feel about that in a few months. Just remind me to post about that.

I have 8 classes in total, 4 lectures and 4 labs. It's a very busy schedule.

I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can.....

Oh yeah, no pictures because, remember that my camera is broke. I did borrow a camera but I don't have the cord to transfer the pics from it to my computer.

no more pictures

2008-08-16T09:15:00.002-04:00

at least for awhile. My camera is officially broken and will not take even one more photo. I'm very sad. I just keep thinking about all the things I won't be able to take pictures of.

On Monday I will miss the first day of school pictures :-(

On Thursday I will will my first day of class picture :-(

Then there is Lucas's birthday party, Jillian's party, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas....

I am now a poor college student with no means of getting a new camera until I'm done with school.... In two (yes 2) years. I will miss out on capturing all those memories for 2 years..

I'm very distraught over this,
very sad,
and frustrated,

I really want a new camera,
I guess I can always resort to stealing my daughters VTech camera, it doesn't take good pictures, usually very blurry and too bright, and no way to zoom in on the subject....

very sad...

Maybe the retailers will here my distraught voice and put out some really great fabulous deal on Black Friday at 5am and I can wait in a crazy long line and be one of the people to get a $500 camera for $10!! I can hope, right?

Cousin Bob

2008-08-13T10:34:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday i went to my cousin Bob's graduation ceremony. He graduated from University of Florida with a B.S.. I got a call from him 2 days ago telling me that he won't be seeing me or the kids for a long time. I ask him why what's going on?? He tells me that he just got a call from the University of Hawaii telling him that he has just been accepted to their college of pharmacy!!

I can't believe it! He had been wait listed at that University since May or so and just now gets the call. Classes start next week I think! In Hawaii!! He's so lucky!! I hope he does well and doesn't get too carried away surfing.

yeah for Bob!!!!!!

More pictures from Cape San Blas

2008-08-06T08:23:00.005-04:00

My camera stopped working about half way through the week so I started using my video camera to take stills but it's quality stinks. So I actually have quite a bit more to share but I don't know how to work the video camera yet.

Anyway....

Hunter after battling the waves...
Stella and Jillian their matching pj's...
Shannon and Jillian posing for the camera...
A special form of torture... Just kidding, they are playing Hulabaloo
One of the desserts that Barbara made for the kids. It like fondue. Hot fudge melted into waffle bowls with all sorts things to dip in them like marshmallows, cherries, bananas and graham crackers.
Hunter's creation, piled high with lots of cherries!
The lighthouse on Cape San Blas
Stella looking for shells down at the beach by the light house. We were told there was good shelling by the lighthouse. They were wrong. Only big giant clam shells that were all broken...
and fiddler crabs...
The sunset. I thought it look kinda neat with all the tree stumps on the beach.
These are only our foot prints, no one elses. You can't get a picture like that on Clearwater beach!!!
Stella flying the fairy kite...
Hunter flying the dragon kite...
Awwww, how cute is she?
There were a bunch of these interesting looking jellyfish. They kept getting the kids. The kids still wanted to play in the water anyway. This jelly is about the size of a quarter plus the tentacles.
There were lots more pictures, but I had to pick just a few to share. I'll post more if I can get pictures from Shannon's camera. She has pictures of the last half of the week when we went to the Florida caverns and Blue Springs rec area, and face painting and more!!!

I'm Back

2008-08-04T08:18:00.002-04:00

I'll post more later!!!

Vacation

2008-07-26T18:52:00.002-04:00

We leave tomorrow morning!!
The car is packed except for tooth brushes and tooth paste.

The garage sale today was good. I didn't make too much but I didn't really have that much stuff either. Between the 2 days that we did the garage sale I made about $80. Just enough to cover the booze for the trip..... Just kidding..... I don't really drink that much..... but I plan to start ....because I might need to after 7 hours in the car with 5 kids that vary in age from 6 months to almost 12 years old.

See you when we get back!!!!

I should have lots of pictures.

So much to do....

2008-07-24T16:54:00.003-04:00

I've been very busy today. I did my shopping for vacation and made a stop at the liquor store, although with the kids acting the way they have I might need to go back!! LOL I picked up my paycheck, cashed it, went by Gamestop so Hunter could get a new game by trading in old ones, and went to the pool store to get more chlorine.

I have also packed and done some laundry. I'm am currently waiting for some banana muffins to finish cooking in the oven and I'm about 1/2 cup short of flour for a last batch, so I guess I'm done with that. I need to prepare some chicken and freeze it. Shred some other chicken and freeze that too. I also need to clean out the van today. All this stuff has to get done today because tomorrow I will be going to my Orientation at school and it's says it's an all day thing. I hope not, but I'm prepared for it to be. On Saturday I will be getting up at the crack of dawn to try my hand at a garage on the other end of town. I'm hoping to make some last minute cash for the vacation (I need it for the booze!!!) Actually we were hoping to make it to a nearby water park up by the beach that we are going to, but we'll see how it works out.

We leave on Sunday!!! Only 3 days away!!!

I got good news from my sister on Wednesday that I forgot to share: The baby has caught up in weight!! So the bed rest that she is on is doing the trick and she has to remain on bed rest. If I'm right she is about 29 weeks and they are hoping to get her to 36 weeks. I'm so happy for her and so glad things are looking up again.

Weigh In

2008-07-22T12:25:00.002-04:00

Well, I was conspicuously absent in my weigh in last week. That was because I was up instead of down. So I'll tell you now because I am now down again.Yeah!! Two weeks ago I was 141.2, last week I was 142.0 (yes, I know only up less than a pound, but up none the less)
Today I was 139.0!!!!
Woo-Hoo!!!
Passed my original goal and only 4 lbs away from my newest goal. I am thrilled to say the least. I can now fit into and actually zip all of my pants even my Lucky jeans!!. The bad news is that my fav jeans are now too big, and because they sat so low on my hips before, now they just fall down... all the way down!!!LOL

I am ready for my beach vacation. I'm ready to be seen in a bikini again.

Ps. I want to post a picture of me but I have no recent ones. I'm always the one taking pictures.

Pictures from Stella's Party

2008-07-20T19:04:00.004-04:00

These are a sampling of the pictures from her big day! Most are self explanatory but the ones that aren't I don't really have an explanation for anyway!

Stella's Cake

2008-07-20T11:32:00.003-04:00

Well, I did it! I made her cake and was very happy with the results!!! She got everything she asked for: chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and butterflies and pink flowers.

and here is the result:

Feeling a little Krazy

2008-07-17T08:35:00.003-04:00

In the next 10 days or so I have a LOT of things to do and lots to remember to do. That's the hard part for me is the remembering. Stella's birthday is Saturday and I'm having a small get together. I'm planning on making THIS cake for her because she asked for butterflies and flowers on her cake. She also asked for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting... she is SO my kid!! So preparations for that cake will have to start Friday. Also on Friday I have a birthday party to take Hunter to and I will need to get a present for that birthday party. I need to go grocery shopping but I can't do that until payday (guess what day that is.... yeah, Friday). On Saturday before Stella's party I will be picking up my mom at the train station. She comes from the Fort Lauderdale area visiting my sister and is the best way to get from there to hear (cheaper and faster than renting a car!). I'd like to do a little decorating for the party like streamers and balloons but I don't know if I'll get that done or not. Then after that's all over with, my friend and I are planning to have another garage sale right before we leave on vacation. (We leave the following Sunday and the GS will be on that Saturday) I think I must be Krazy!! For vacation I will need to pack for a week for myself and 2 kids and food and toys and stuff for the looooong car ride. The car ride. Yep. 6.5 hours with no stops. we are driving with 5 (yes I said 5) kids in the van. I know I'm Krazy. So it'll probably take us about 7.5 to 8 hours to get there. But, once we get there I hope it to be very relaxing and an easy vacation..... I can hope, right?

Anyway, back to all the crap I need to get done. I can't do it now. I have to wait until closer to whatever it is to do it. I can't pack now... the kids'll still need their stuff. I can't make the cake now... it'll get stale. I can't have the garage sale now... it's Thursday and no one will come to buy my junk on a Thursday. I can't go grocery shopping... not till payday. I can't pick-up my mom... she won't be there yet.

But I could go tie up the kids and have a Drink. Something with an umbrella in it!

I kid, I kid!

Playing dress-up

2008-07-15T20:28:00.002-04:00

Stella's new love is playing dress up with Jillian. She is wearing a Disney's Sleeping Beauty ensemble, complete with sparkly shoes, magic wand and tiara. I think that she might just be getting some dress-up clothes for her birthday! Shhhh... don't tell her!!
She tells me they were being pirates.
They were trying to only have one eye covered.
It wasn't working too well.
But how funny is that!!!!LOL

You know it's bad when...

2008-07-13T19:38:00.003-04:00

Your soon to be three year old gets a spoon out when she's asking for cookies.

It's apparently the only way she's ever seen those eaten.....

Cookie dough, right out of the wrapper, on a spoon.....

ROTFLMAO!!!

Summer activities

2008-07-10T07:52:00.004-04:00

This summer is about half over and we haven't done quite as much as I had hoped to. The kids don't seem too upset though. They never seem to want to go anywhere but complain that they are bored?!? I don't get that part. So earlier in the summer Hunter went and spent a week with my dad. Just Hunter and his cousin Josh who he had never met before and is also about the same age. Apparently they had a blast and got along very well. I would love to have had more pictures but my dad is sometimes slow about those things. The picture below is the day we went to pick my boy up. He didn't want to leave. Either did Stella.

My dad had set up lots of fun things for the boys to do. One of those things was this super big slip and slide, made out of a large piece of plastic (not one sold for the purpose of slipping and sliding). Stella couldn't quite get the hang of the running and falling to slide so grandpa helped pull her along with a rope. She loved it too.

Anther activity that has been happening alot this summer is 'dress-up'. Stella has been raiding my closet and I can hear "clip-ity clip-ity clop clop" down the hall when she wears my heels.

Super-hero is the other dress-up of choice. Well really it's not a choice as much as the only other option. This girl really would love dress-up clothes for her birthday. (Anything pink would be loved by her, I'm sure)

Good or Evil??? I'm not sure!

Another activity that we have been making the most of this summer is going to Lithia Springs with some of our friends. We've been almost every week this summer. Sometimes more than once a week. The kids still love going and aren't tired of it yet. In this particular picture they are building a "Tadpole Resort". It's one of the few pictures I have with all of my kids and not too many other kids.

I can't believe there is only about 5 weeks left before school starts. I dreaded the summer but I know I'm gonna miss them when we are all in school and Stella is with a sitter. : (

Weigh In

2008-07-09T12:03:00.002-04:00

I don't normally weigh in on Wednesday but I missed it yesterday. So I did it today. I'm not down as much as I'd like this week but the 4th of July snacking and cupcakes and the assortment of other goodies that day did not help.

I am down another 1.2 lbs!!

So another 6.2 lbs to go, and only 18 days left till vacation. That's probably not going to happen. But I'm gonna try!!!

July 4th celebrations

2008-07-08T08:26:00.003-04:00

We had a blast on the 4th. We got up early and met a friend at the parade. The kids had fun catching the beads, candy and the flyers with free stuff, especially the free milkshake flyers! We were able to get a great spot in the shade towards the end of the route which was good because all the people in the parade passing out stuff were giving out handfuls to everyone because it was the end and they wanted to get rid of the stuff. The kids made out like bandits!

At the very end of the parade were the the fire trucks. The kids went to stand with some other kids on the other side of the road. Those other kids had water guns and ... well, the firefighter didn't like get sprayed so she took out her "watergun" and got the kids back for spraying her. The following is what the kids looked like when the firetruck moved and we could see what happened to them. LOL!!! They were SOAKED!!!!

After the parade we went back to our friends house and ate lunch and cupcakes and played with fireworks (the kind you can do in the day) until the sun went down (literally).

That yellow gun that Stella has is the kind that shots out confetti, like a champagne popper only in gun form.

This poor, poor mailbox.....

had some not friendly visitors....

Whoa!!! I wonder what the mailman would think about this?!

Just killin' time by playing around

The game was called "bounce the ball off Stella's head"

My mom might not like this but it's funny anyway

2008-07-01T12:44:00.003-04:00

So last night I was reading a dinosaur book to Hunter and the conversation went something like this:

H: So ... there aren't ANY dinosaurs alive?

Me: No, honey they are all extinct.

H:What does extinct mean?

Me: There aren't any left, they died millions of years ago.

H: You mean, like, before Grandma was born?!

Me: (laughing) Yes honey, way before Grandma was born!

I'll get there this time!!

2008-07-01T12:36:00.002-04:00

So After being invited to the beach I remembered that back in January I was on weight watchers. I never got to my goal weight. I did lose about 10lbs. And I stayed there for the last 4 months.

But in light of the up and coming beach vacation I feel that I would benefit from losing the remaining weight that I wanted to lose which was a grand total of 16.6 lbs. I am happy to announce that today when I weighed myself at work I am down 3 whole pounds from last Tuesday and down a total of 14.2 lbs (since January). I am now only 2.4 lbs away from my initial goal but now I have a new goal of reaching 135lbs.

I think I can lose 7.4 lbs in 3 1/2 weeks. Maybe. I just have to remember I'll be in my bathing suit for a week. Next to my friend who is a skinny mini.

I'm hungry!LOL!

bad mom in 3 seconds

2008-06-27T11:57:00.003-04:00

My sister called me today to tell me some not great news about her unborn baby girl. She has been put on modified bedrest until further notice. The baby is not growing as expected so they want her to take it easy so the energy does not get restricted from the baby. But at the end of the conversation she had the ability to make me feel like a bad mom in about 3 seconds.

How? you ask....

Well I shop at the Wal-mart because we, like so many others, are on a tight budget. I am not able to afford the organic everything and she made some comment about her kid was going to eat organic (and vegetarian) and her husband makes enough for her to do that. Ugh!! If I could afford to buy organic, I would. It makes me feel crappy that I can't do everything I want for my kids.

A few months ago she also made a comment about her kid not watching TV, well, mine watch TV, and probably too much TV sometimes but darn it, I'm sick and don't feel like doing arts and crafts today (or yesterday for that matter).

All right, I'm done whining for today. I'm gonna get the kids out from in front of the TV now and take them swimming while it's not raining.

Hardly ever

2008-06-27T09:25:00.002-04:00

I hardly ever get sick, but here I am with a full blown head cold. I feel like my head is just getting bigger and bigger and that any moment it will explode. On top of that my hubby has been either working late of had some obligation that kept him out past 8pm every night this week and this weekend he has his motorcycle safety class all day Saturday and Sunday. UGH!!!

The kids have been relatively good at keeping themselves entertained and letting me rest, but today I HAVE to go to the grocery store. I hate shopping on the weekends its so crazy busy.

Just venting about my sickness.

Just over 4 weeks until my beach vacation!!!!! Yeah!!

Totally Excited

2008-06-23T12:15:00.003-04:00

I'm going to the beach for a week!!!

I'm am totally excited about going. It's just me and the kids going with a friend. All I have to put in for is groceries. I can afford that right?!? I mean I would have to feed the kids at home too! We are going to Cape San Blas for a week. I just had to share because I'm excited.

That's all.

You can resume your regularly scheduled activities now......

New stuff going on

2008-06-23T11:25:00.003-04:00

I know I know it's been awhile.

Hello?

Is anyone still out there?

Oh , Okay there you are... now that I have you here again I will share some more pictures and tell you what's been going on.

I finally got the pictures my dad took of Sara's wedding and they are just as good as the photographer's. I think. These are my two beautiful children posing with their aunt Sara.

I just thought I'd share a whole picture of her dress. It was really pretty and complimented her figure well!

Right before Memorial day weekend we tried to put up Hunter's bed tent (that he got for Christmas) (no , we're not procrastinators, why would you think that?) Anyway..... I went up into the attic to figure out where the rafters were exactly so we could properly install said bed tent and what do know?.... I saw poop in the attic. A lot of poop. Little rat turds and big turds that could've been from a cat or possum or something else of that size that should not have been up in that attic. I was soooo grossed out that I made hubby go up there and clean it up and while we were up there I noticed just how bad the A/C duct system was leaking and that it had been munched on by those unwelcome creatures. So basically we have been cooling the attic as well as the inside of the house. So, we consulted my dad (a.k.a. The Professor) and he said from the sounds of it we should just replace that duct.

So 2 days in the attic and $800 later we have all new duct work and a much cooler house.

Oh and the picture that goes with my little story about the A/C duct work is that my hubby (Mr. accident prone) fell through the ceiling as I was typing away on the computer. He was OK and we got the popcorn off the ceiling and new texturing on the ceiling because of it. I was scared for him at first but then I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so naturally I craughed, standing there in the attic trying to help hubby out of the hole he had just created trying to also not fall through the ceiling.

So after the attic stuff was all done I decided that we needed some summer entertainment for the kids. So I got a pool. No backhoes involved, just one of those cheap-y above ground hope it lasts through the summer kind of pools. So here it is.

The plus side is that the kids do love it AND they have stopped asking to go to the neighbors house so much. yea!! Oh, and it's certainly and upgrade from this....

On the negative side, taking care of a pool is a lot of work.... who knew!

The trip: take 2

2008-05-11T15:40:00.005-04:00

On the day after the wedding, my mom took us over to Elk Park to have a picnic and walk the trail. The trail follows the river to the 30 foot waterfall. After that I don't know where it goes, we didn't make it any farther. It was beautiful and the hike there was just difficult enough to have to help the kids through parts of it. This picture is the top of the waterfall.

Here is the waterfall from the rocks around the pool at the bottom.

I asked my mom and Norman to sit up on the rock with the kids for a picture. I don't know if my mom was giving Hunter a wedgie or 'helping' him up? What do you think?

This is the after the wedgie, oh, ah, I mean 'helping' him up, picture....

There were butterflies all over the place and for some reason they gather in groups, or are they called flocks, on the sand. There must be something in the sand that they like. They were just watching them flutter on the sand. That yellow line on my mom's lower back is a yellow and black butterfly going to meet up with his buddies on the sand.

She'll huff and puff and blow that dandelion down. They were everywhere. White puffs everywhere you turned.

My auntie Cindi was helping Hunter to make a 'boat' to float down the river and over the falls. It didn't work too well. The leaves weren't firm enough here at the park. Earlier in the day we had floated 'boats' down the river that is nearer to my mom's place. The 'boats' consisted of large leaves with some flowers on top tied together with long pieces of grass.

The butterflies were really everywhere. This one eventually landed on my hand.

See! That's my hand with a butterfly on it.

The butterflies in their crazy meeting on the sand. This is what they were looking at in the earlier picture. You could just reach down and pick them up, they would then fly away, but you could just pick it up again. It was kinda weird.

These next set of pictures are what happens when you let your kids use the camera. Thankfully I only posted the face shots. Well, because all the others are picture of..... well, pictures of all the stuff at their eye level. Yes, I have a bunch of crotch shots from my kids using the camera. Just be glad I didn't post those, okay. Enjoy! (Oh, and that first picture is of my new brother-in-law)

Hubby's new toy

2008-05-11T15:38:00.004-04:00

That's hubby's new toy.
No, Hunter is not allowed to ride on it.
He just wanted to get on to see what it was like.
They were just sitting in the driveway.
In case you were wondering, it's a Honda Shadow 1100, black in color.

The trip

2008-05-10T15:19:00.005-04:00

So I have been a little too long in posting again, but this post will be picture heavy.
Consider your self warned!

Hunter and Stella are having fun on the plane and not even enjoying the view out the window. I was a bit ticked because I could spend the whole flight with my nosed pressed against the window. I am always in awe of the view from 31,000 feet!

Here is the view from 31,000 feet. Totally amazing!!

After landing and driving the 2 plus hour drive to my mom's place, my Auntie Cindi arrived shortly after and played checkers with Hunter in the backyard. I wonder who won?

Grandma Candy getting some love from Stella. Grandma was in heaven having all of her favorite girls there together at one time.

A picture of all the girls (except Stella). Me, Auntie Cindi, Sister Sara, Mom (aka. Grandma Candy)

The scenery in NC is so beautiful everywhere you look. All the mountains and rocks and hills. It's so different than Florida. This is a picture by Hunter, the view from the front window. You can see the grey gravel, that is the road that runs in front of the house.

While we were there Grandpa made a rope swing and put some boards in a tree so the kids could climb it. All the green stuff is Rhododendron (I think I spelled that right) and they were full of little buds. I imagine it'll be pretty when they all bloom.

Stella loves to pick flowers and nothing pink was safe. Especially those big tulips!

Hunter and Stella looked so cute all dressed up and ready to go.I think that they did really well. We had to kinda hang out while the pictures were being taken and then we had to be still and quiet for the ceremony and then we went to the dinner reception. Thankfully at dinner, my sister Sara had the forethought to have stuff for them to do. They had coloring books and some other goodies.

I didn't take pictures at the wedding because there were so many others taking pictures and I didn't think another flash going off would help things. Plus I can just get copies from my dad. This ONE picture is from Stella taking pictures and she happened to get a decent (for a 2 yr old) picture of the bride. Her dress was gorgeous.

I have more pictures from the day after the wedding that I will post another time.

Happy mother's Day to all the mom's out there!!!

Leeeeavin' on a jet plaaane

2008-05-02T08:13:00.003-04:00

Don't knoooow when I'll beeee back again.....

Sing it! It's fun. I have been singing it this morning because,.... well, I am leaving on a jet plane.

I think I am more excited than the kids. That's probably only because they have never flown before and don't know what they have been missing, LOL! I'm actually bummed that I will probably have to give up the window seat to one of the kids, and I will probably have to referee the arguing over who gets it, too.

My mom will pick us up from the airport and then we will have a BBQ tonight and I will meet my sister's fiance' for the first time and then tomorrow afternoon is the wedding (we're hoping for no rain) and then the reception afterwards. Then my mom has some activities planned for the kids on Sunday. Then Monday morning (bright and early, well actually dark and early) we'll leave to fly home.

Andrew will be on his own. I bought him some TV dinners so he won't starve to death. He's got a boys weekend planned with some guys from work, so I hope he'll be safe.

So the next post should be some pictures. See you soon!!

Ummm.... what to do?

2008-04-26T21:56:00.003-04:00

I, for the first time in weeks, have nothing I have to read, write or study. I don't know what to do with myself.

Well....
Actually I have an entire mental list of things that do need some attention,
such as the house,
and the yard,
and some posts that I've been tagged for that I haven't done yet (I will get to them soon),
and children that are in desperate need of some quality attention,
and books to read, I have several that have collected dust while waiting for me to pick them up,
and I have a new Nintendo DS that has not been played yet,
and I'm sure there are more, I just can't remember everything!

Tomorrow I am going to go look for a booster seat that I can bring with me to NC, I need something light weight yet safe enough for the hubby to use in his truck when needed, since I don't want to bring or move the Regent because even in all it's safety glorious-ness, is a PITA to move because it must weigh about 300 pounds!

My sister called me today. We haven't in the past talked very much. But she called me today to ask me a question and I had the resources and knowledge to answer because I JUST finished taking that nutrition class. She needed to know what vegi was high in potassium. (Being a vegetarian and preggers she is watching her diet VERY closely) Just so you all know, carrots, acorn squash and artichoke are the best sources per calorie. Broccoli is up there too and it's got LOTs of other great stuff for you too, like iron, which most women don't get enough of BTW.

OK, OK , I'm done.
Good night

OKay okay

2008-04-25T22:57:00.003-04:00

I'm here, and writing!

I just got home from a wonderful MNI with chocolate and conversation that didn't include me being asked to wipe someones butt.

I came home from MNI thinking that I was going to try to write my one last paper that is due in approximately 1 hour. But after reading the assignment and trying to sort out what exactly to write, I decided it wasn't worth the last minute stress and plus I really didn't understand the assignment. The assignment was writing about why the historical context of the sociologist was important in how it affected their work. Not my favorite subject nor is writing easy for me, so I did 95% of my work in that class and called it a day, well really a semester. I'm not happy with myself, but I should not have procrastinated so long and then I would have had time to ask the prof questions about what exactly he wanted in this last paper. Oh well. I got an A in my Nutrition class. Yea!! and will probably get a B in the other class, my first non-A in 5 years.

BTW, for those of you who were there tonight, I left MNI locale at 10:14 and arrived in my driveway at home at 10:38 and there was no speeding involved, I swear!! 24 minutes from driveway to driveway, so I would have had 1 hour and 22 minutes to work on the paper. But instead I'm writing in my blog since there were a few comments about my lack of posts. There will be more since I'm not so occupied with school for the summer and I might even join the book club!!!

On some other news, I'm flying to NC on Friday to my moms place for my sister's wedding. I'm just going with Hunter and Stella and I'm excited about flying. It's the kids first time flying too. We'll be home on Monday so not a long trip but we should have fun and I should have lots of pictures when I get back.

This is an old picture of Hunter, he was 3 and 1/2 here, it seems so long ago....

Oh boy!

2008-03-24T09:39:00.003-04:00

I'm having a really hard time sticking to weight watchers right now and for the last like 3-4 weeks. I think I've probably gained a pound or two back. My mom will be down in a week and I'm hoping that she will provide some inspiration. My will power left awhile ago.

On a plus side I have been working out. on Saturday I went to a body pump class and now it hurts to walk. I will go again on Wednesday to the same class and then try and make it 2 more times to just do cardio on the treadmill or one of those other machines.

On another subject, today is the last day of the 3rd grading period at school and Lucas might actually get straight A's!!! It'll be the first time in a while(maybe ever) that he's done this well and a big change from him having trouble earlier this year. So we told him if he gets all A's we would get him a small reward, probably a new game. I don't normally like to reward for grades but he really improved a lot from last quarter and I do think it's a big deal and hard to achieve with 8 classes total.

Me on the other hand, I'm still behind in my Sociology class. I'm heading down to the library here in a bit to get a copy of the book I've got to read then write a 1500 word paper on it. I still have 3 other smaller papers to write and one last quiz on the last 4 chapters in the text book (of which I still have 2.5 chapters to read) Shhh..... don't tell Luke I'm behind, LOL!!!!

Finally.... a new post

2008-03-23T14:44:00.002-04:00

I know , I know....
Anyway, here I am and I have a couple of pictures to share. First up is the second part of the one I posted a few post back of Hunter on his first bike... well this is one of him riding without training wheels for the first time!!! He has now graduated from that little one to one that is a bit larger and more size appropriate. I know the picture isn't the greatest but you get the point.

This was at my good friend Amy's son Ewan's birthday party. The kids all had fun and even were brave enough to pet the alligator. That's Hunter's hand reaching in from the side.

This is a picture of how Stella likes to check on the dogs. She likes to make sure they are doing OK and also likes to feed them cookies through their door. It's a perfect size and height for her little body. She will also use this way to talk or yell at Hunter if he's outside as opposed to opening the 'big' door.

This a cowboy Hunter at our friend Matthew's birthday party. He didn't smile until he got off. He was on serious business while upon that pony. He might've had some mail to deliver.....

Happy Easter!
The kids got baskets from the bunny and we've pretty much done nothing all day but laze around and relax.

Those darn apple dumplings!!

2008-03-11T11:44:00.002-04:00

I weighed in today and I am down another 1.2 lbs for a grand total of 11lbs lost. I probably would have done better if it weren't for these little beasts! I made them while I was 'off the wagon' and Andrew loved then so much that he has been making them and they are soooo hard to resist, impossible infact! Go ahead and make them, they are really easy. You'll be hooked too, I promise!

Chicken fat

2008-03-10T17:47:00.002-04:00

So this is how a conversation between myself and Hunter went:

Hunter: What is that yellow stuff your taking off?

Stacy: That's fat. I'm cutting the extra fat off the chicken.

Hunter: Why is there fat on it?

Stacy: That's how people and animals store extra energy. Like, if they eat more energy than the body needs it keeps it for later.

Hunter: Oh! .... Dad has lots of energy!

Stacy: {laughing} yup!

I don't know how

2008-03-04T12:36:00.002-05:00

but I'm down to 146.8 lbs! I ate awful this past week and had small gains the 2 weeks before that. So I am down a total of 9.8 lbs!!! I am back on the wagon and will be counting my points again. I hope to have another larger loss this week because I am losing momentum on this weight loss thing. I need gratification, instantly!

I have a ton of pictures I want to put up but I also have homework and that is more pressing right now whilst Stella naps I can actually get some done.

Ta Ta for now!!!

Yea, I know

2008-02-28T12:50:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted. I have been trying my hardest to get through this reading crap for my class. It's just sooo boring to me.

But in other news, we finally finished mulching the play area in the back yard. I hope it will cut down on the amount of dirt that was being tracked in by the dogs and kids. I really really hope it does!! Now I have to finish mulching the front flower bed or planter, since it happens to be lacking in flowers or any other wanted vegetation(ie. something other than weeds) right now.

I am also freezing right now but I refuse to turn on the heat. Silly, I know. But which part is silly? The part that I won't turn on the heat or the part where I won't turn on the heat because it's 71 in my house right now and I'm still freezing. I've even got socks on right now! LOL

I leave you with Hunter's first bike:

Getting there...

2008-02-20T08:49:00.002-05:00

on my papers. I have completed and submitted 2 of 6 papers. I got an 80% on the first one and a 100% on the second one. The next assignment seems a little more fun. I have a to pretend I won 100 million dollars and have to address a social problem like homeless, health care or gang violence.
Better than writing about some dead guy.

Other news is that I gained 0.6 pounds back. But it's not just me. Several of the girls in the group are gaining weight, albeit one of them is pregnant, but it still counts!LOL
I have to start exercising.
I have to start exercising.
I have to start exercising.
(tapping the heels of my sneakers together)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T08:08:00.005-05:00

My husband tries very hard. I know he does. He just doesn't get it. Not one little bit. I even told him what I wanted. That apparently didn't help. I did get a really nice card. It is beautiful and I think he actually read it before he bought it (or at least after he bought it). I did get a pink striped bag from Victoria's Secret. In that bag was a really nice perfume (good choice too, I really like it) and 6 (six) bottles of lotion, all different scents. Oh and a pink bag that they give you for donating to the charity that VS is backing right now (I don't know which one but probably some breast cancer one)

I now have NO excuse for smelling bad!!

Oh and in case your wondering what I did ask for it was a CHI flat iron like this or this

Slow

2008-02-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

My weight loss is going sooo slooow right now. In 2 weeks I have only lost another 1.6 lbs. I need to start exercising but Stella is hating the gym now. What to do? Scarlett didn't help by bring those delicious egg rolls to the group meeting the other day, LOL. I probably woulda lost more if I hadn't eaten 3 of them!! But they were sooo good. MMMMMmmmmm! The girl I usually work with is a good motivator and I think I will try to work out with her at least once a week.
I also need to start doing better on school work. This Sociology class with no deadlines is bad for me. I need deadlines for each assignment not just one deadline for all the assignments. I'm not good enough to make myself do it!! I need to write 3 more papers by the end of February. Call me on it, Please!!

Auntie Stacy

2008-02-08T11:05:00.000-05:00

I'm gonna be an Auntie!!! I'm very excited for my sister. She thought she couldn't get pregnant but she called last night to tell me the big news in person. I hope she decides that family is important to be close to, at least for her child. She's not very far along at all but I think her due date would be in early October or so.

Tagged Again

2008-02-08T10:59:00.001-05:00

So Julie tagged us all again to post what we would do if we were selfish and had 10 million dollars. Here's my list:

1. Laser Hair removal
2. New big house with guest house in back, pool and BIG yard (read: land)
3. Cleaning service
4. Vacations, yes several, cruises, over seas, grand canyon, hiking in the mountains, I have a list around here somewhere of all the things I want to go do/see.
5. new boobs!
6. personal trainer, (not named Hugo,lol)
7. some sort of electric/hybrid vehicle that is luxurious
8. Theme park passes (all theme parks, but especially Disney and then go to ALL the Disney parks)
9. get my pilots license
10. Invest

Short one

2008-01-29T13:07:00.000-05:00

Ok, because I have news and because I also have homework due today this'll be a short post.

Today I weighed in and I lost another 3.4 lbs for a total of 7.6 lbs !!! I'm down to 149.0 lbs. I'm super excited about it. But sad to lose that 1 point that WW makes you get rid of when you go down to the next level.

10 things

2008-01-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

My friend Julie has 'tagged' all her friends to do a list of 10 things that other people have likely NOT done. So I've been thinking about it for a little while and here is my list:

1. I have had over 25 different jobs.

2. (Don't read this one mom!) My friends and I used to jump off the roof into the pool.

3. I graduated high school early.

4. I've been enrolled in at least one college course for 11 years now.

5. I turned down an opportunity when I was 16 to go to the south of France for a month. :-(
(because I was too scared to go)

6. I have a Class A CDL drivers license. (which means I'm licensed to drive an 18 wheeler,lol)

I need to come up with 4 more and I'm having a hard time!!

7. I got a microwave as my high school graduation present.

8. I asked a guy to marry me and he said, "no"

9. I rode my bike 50 miles for charity (I was supposed to ride 50 miles back but my butt couldn't take it any more,lol)

Oh my, just 1 more,

10. I once paid $600 for and online dog grooming course, that I never finished. Don't Laugh, I know I was stupid!! The whole thing was stupid!!

Alright I'm done, you can stop laughing now........please!

Obviously Out

2008-01-24T12:30:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm out. Obviously! And much to Melodie's delight, I'm sure.

I had a fun weekend with my mom.

Saturday night Andrew and I went out. We went to Olive Garden and then to see National Treasure.

On Sunday, Andrew took Hunter Muddin' with some friends from his work. Here is Hunter grinning from ear to ear next to the filthy mud covered truck. My boy is definitely a country boy!

On Monday we went down to the Manatee Viewing Center. I'm the shadow in the middle carrying Stella and my mom is on the left of me. Oh and there were also about 75 manatees swimming around. You can see 7 clearly in this picture, although there were way more that you can't see lower in the water and in the shadows of the picture.

On Tuesday, My mom left in the morning and we won't see her again until Spring break-ish. Also Lucas welcomed his new baby brother, Logan Robert. Here is a picture of Lucas and Logan at about 4 hours old. He's got the same expression on his face as he did the last 3 babies he's welcomed in to the world, "What the heck am I gonna do with THIS!"

I love catching the kids reading. I really love catching them in the act and being able to snap a picture. She just plopped herself down in the middle of the busiest walkway in the house and enjoyed her book!

Temporary housekeeper

2008-01-18T21:48:00.000-05:00

My mom is here!!!

They have been here since this morning and already she has cleaned my kitchen, cooked dinner and clean up afterwards, bathed the kids, and put Stella to bed. She also had dinner waiting for me when I got home from work! (I picked up a shift for one of the other girls)

How great is all of that!! But I have to remember that's it is only temporary. It sure is nice to have someone help out that much!

1 Hr Later:Crisis nearly averted. The sleeping arrangement is not perfect with 2 additional in the house and a certain person is not the most patient with other certain littler people. Ugh! So now Stella is up and the one(s) who caused the commotion are now sleeping. I'm not sure what to do tomorrow night. Hopefully I will find a solution that will make everyone happy(er).

It's almost 11pm and I'm tired. So sorry for the short post, I will do better tomorrow.

MNO

2008-01-17T08:37:00.000-05:00

Hello, I know that most of you that read this know what MNO means, but for the rest of you it means Moms Night Out. (For future reference MNI means Moms Night In) So last night we went to The Melting Pot and had a total blast!
I hadn't laughed that much since I don't know when.
My night started out driving to Amy's to carpool to Julie's and on the way we picked up Jen. Once we got to Julie's we all got in the Escapade (Karlise's version of the Escalade, he he) and Scarlett drove all of us crazy girls to the Melting Pot over in Tampa. We all shared 3 cheeses and 3 chocolates, Mmmmmm, they were oh so good!!! I totally pigged out and finished my entire dessert plate. Mmmmmm!! I don't think I can eat the rest of the week. I'm pretty sure I used up all my WW points. Can I earn exercise points after the fact? I hope so!

I didn't get home until midnight and basically as soon as I walked in the door Stella woke up and needed to go potty and then was pretty much up from then on about every 30 minutes or so. I have no idea why and now I'm pretty tired.

My mom will be here tomorrow morning and the kids are pretty excited about it. They are bringing down belated Christmas presents for them which is part of the reason they are so excited. While they are here Andrew and I will go out (free babysitter, can't pass that up!!) and I want to go on Monday to see the manatees down at the TECO place. Other than that we have no plans. So my plans today include a little cleaning, a little laundry, a little nap and that'll pretty much be my day.
Oh I almost forgot, I have to go get a present for a girl's birthday. Lucas was invited to Katie's birthday, she's a girl from school. I'm interested to see how many kids she invited and what the mix of boys and girls is going to be. I don't know whether to stay or just drop him off or what. It's at the Family Fun Center and I know that the other 2 kids will want to play, so will see how it goes.
That's all for today, I'm off to do a little bit of all that stuff I mentioned above that I need to do.

Veggies and Hair

2008-01-16T12:43:00.001-05:00

Ok, I'm not trying to be a copy cat but Scarlett has some pretty darn good ideas. After she posted her picture of what she got from her produce club I had to go get me some. I had considered joining before but was not sure if it was really worth the drive and the cost. I was never really sure how much I would get in my basket of stuff. So after seeing the picture on Scarlett's blog of her basket and all it's goodies, and the fact that I just started WW (just like Scarlett) it would be good to have good, nutritious, low point food in the house. So here is a picture of my $15 basket from Parke Family HydroFarms.

And here is the basket all spread out so you can see what I got in it. I'll tick off the contents just because you can't really see it all: 3 bib letuces, 3 other lettuces (not sure the kind), 1 chinese cabbage, 4 cucumbers, 5 tomatoes, 3 zuchini, 3 yellow squash, 3 peppers, quart of strawberries, quart of spinach, quart of peas, bunch of carrots, bunch of white radish, and 2 containers of herbs (parsley and I don't know)

See how much that is. I have managed to use most of it so far. But I am still wondering what to do with those white radishes??

This is just a picture of Stella on the neighbors trampoline. It was causing major static in her hair. I just thought it was cute.

Blogging challenge

2008-01-15T13:08:00.000-05:00

This blogging challenge has not gone on too long before we had our first ones out. Amy was first and then Kandee, both missed a day posting. Well actually, Amy just missed posting by about 7 minutes but Kandee just didn't post. Then there is Julie who starting writing her post the day before and finished it on Monday. It was dated Sunday but obviously there were pictures from Monday so she will slide by with that one. This time anyway!LOL!

At work today I was able to weigh myself. Last time I weighed in was January 1st and I was 156.6lbs. Today I was 152.4lbs. For a total loss of 4.2lbs. Yeah me!! This is the first time I've actually made it a full week on a diet (ahem, lifestyle change) and not totally deviated from it. It's working though and I feel like I can keep it up. Congrats to Scarlett who has also lost some on her first week! Yeah you!!

Older pictures

2008-01-14T10:12:00.001-05:00

I was looking through some of the older pics on my computer and came across these wonders.
Stella must've been having a not good day. How sweetly pathetic, with that lip all thrown out there. LOL!!
Then on to this giggling girl...

Then to this toothy grin...

And this last one is from the first messy party we had out at my house. I'm almost positive that that is Alex throwing a handful of slimy spaghetti at Hunter. I you look close enough you can see that they are both also covered in flour. Which later on turned into a lovely glue like substance.

Weight Watchers

2008-01-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

Lately I have been neglecting myself totally and had put on a few more pounds than could reasonably fit into my currently owned pants. So my friend Scarlett inspired me to start a diet (PC: lifestyle change, LOL) Although I didn't weigh myself properly at the beginning, I do have an idea of where I was and I know where I was 1 week before I started. I was at 156.6 if you must know and I will weigh myself tomorrow at work to see where I am after one full week on my new lifestyle change.
I am actually wearing a pair of pants that I haven't been able to get on for a while. They are a bit snug still, but not cutting off any circulation, LOL!

Friends

2008-01-13T09:29:00.000-05:00

I went over to a friends house last night and we watched a movie. I had a really good time. It IS really necessary to get out now and then. I does my mind good. Friends are really great to have to. They can put things in perspective and give you ideas you hadn't thought of.

Friends can also open your eyes to things. Different things. Some of my friends have hobbies that border on obsessions. They have these contraptions they use that are just odd. Don't ask because I couldn't tell you what they are called. But it was interesting to say the least.

Love having friends!!

As Requested

2008-01-13T09:20:00.000-05:00

I have changed my page set up so people won't have to scroll down past my Meez to see whether I have posted today or not. As for the music, you'll just have to lean forward and turn your volume down. Or you could suggest something. Or you could put music on your blog that you like and then I would have to listen to that whilst reading you blog.

Bugs

2008-01-12T16:55:00.000-05:00

Today, actually just a minute ago, Stella wanted to go outside in the backyard with Hunter to play. She doesn't like bugs and insisted that she put on pants and I spray her down with bug spray to keep them away. It is too funny. A kid insisting on putting bug spray on. Normally kids run away when you want to put stuff on them. She's weird. She's also a door closer. If she walks by a door and it is open, she has to close it. Even if she's on the way to the potty and in a hurry she will stop to close a door. Weird!

On another note, this blogging challenge could go for quite a while. There are several people who have insisted that they will win. I'm waiting for them to forget just one day. I'm, at least, hoping that they forget the day before I do, LOL!! I have had to log in to check to make sure I blogged that day. That's how bad my memory is. Wish me luck.

Cheese with that Whine?

2008-01-11T16:56:00.000-05:00

Oh my gosh! Hunter is a man in training for sure. He was home sick today and did NOTHING but whine.
All Day.
If he was saying something he was whining.
I took him to the doctor and he gave us some stuff for his allergies/asthma.
But I can't pick it up from the pharmacy because he is whining so much we can't get out of the house.
And what is it with sick children, they just think you can sit with them ALL day long.
Hello?, I've got stuff to do and another kid to do stuff for.
I do feel bad for him, but making me miserable isn't helping him feel better.

He must really feel bad though. He has fallen asleep several times today. He never does that unless he's really sick.

Oh, and Andrew is going out with his buddies tonight on a boat to go 'fishing'.
I would have serious mommy guilt and wouldn't be able to go and enjoy myself, especially if Hunter begged me to come home soon, like he did to dad today.
Mommy guilt.....I've never heard of daddy guilt, but maybe that's because it doesn't exist.

Chocolate

2008-01-10T08:53:00.000-05:00

Conversation between myself and Stella:

Me: Would you like to go pick strawberries?

Stella: Yes!

Me: Ok, we'll go in a little bit.

Stella: Need chah-kit (chocolate)!

Me: For what?

Stella: For dip! (said in a 'duh', tone) (also motioning like she's dipping the strawberry into the chocolate)

Me: Oh! (also thinking, 'gee! that does sound good')

Crazy

2008-01-10T08:38:00.000-05:00

Crazy on so many levels.
Where to begin.....hmmmm
Well first I guess I will comment on my Meez. That is the crazy way my husband would tell you that I dance. I do dance better than that. I swear I do. Especially in my own head.

Next crazy would be that I can't figure out why my printer is not working and it's driving me crazy. It's plugged in and has power. The computer knows it's there. The computer is sending the job to it but nothing is happening! I just started classes people. I need the frickin' printer to work!!!

Another thing that makes me crazy are those people who insist that they are so important and must get to where they are going so quickly that they can't slow down for the 90 feet of school zone. So today I pulled out in front of one such person and slowed WAAAYYYY down to like barely over 5 mph. I could see her cursing me in the rear view mirror. That felt good. Crazy. I know. Julie posted about this same speeding through school zones thing the other day. So I'm not the only one irritated by this.

Another thing that makes me crazy is that no matter when I mop the floor or how often or how much I warn the kids or don't warn the kids, within 4 hours of cleaning it to a squeaky clean, someone spills.
And not just water, something horribly sticky like orange juice. Ugh!! I just mopped for goodness sake.

Andrew would just tell you that I am crazy. Things don't make you crazy you either are or not.

I guess I am.

Oh well!

Nintendo DS and papers

2008-01-09T15:17:00.000-05:00

I (or should I say 'we') want to get Hunter a Nintendo DS for his birthday that is in March. I am worrying about it now because I am worried about being able to find one. We have some gift cards to Best Buy so that's where I need to get it from, but unfortunately they don't have anything but pink ones(he wants the crimson one) on their website. I called all the stores in the area and they are all sold out. They also have no idea when they will be getting them. They are such a hot commodity that I am worried that they still won't be available in March except on ebay. I might be irrational but it's the one thing that my boy wanted for Christmas and was SO disappointed that he did not get it from Santa.

The papers part of this post is that my Sociology class requires that I write 6 papers in total. UGH!!!
I hate writing papers!
And, there aren't any due dates except that they are all due buy the end of the semester. I'm a major procrastinator!!
Put those two together and you've got a mom who will be VERY busy the last week of April frantically writing 6 papers with reference pages and the whole nine yards.
And again
UGH!!!!
I hate writing! (well formal writing, this blogging thing doesn't require references or a title page)

Random dessert

2008-01-08T18:18:00.000-05:00

So tonight after dinner the kids all asked for dessert. The problem was not that they wanted dessert but that they all wanted the same dessert and there was only one left. The desired dessert was a chocolate cookie ice cream cone thing. I also had some other desserts but only one of each of those. (a cookies and cream dippin' dots and a chocolate ice cream push up Scooby-doo thing)

So how does one decide who gets what??

They all wanted the same thing.

So I did a blind pick. I put each of the 3 items under 3 different bowls and they each had a chance to pick one. Stella then Luke then Hunter. In the order that they finished dinner. Stella got the dippin' dots, Lucas got the chocolate push up thing and Hunter got the sought after cone. He's a happy boy right now. He thought because he was picking last he would get the rotten one but he didn't.

The kids liked that whole blind pick thing. They said they want to do it again.

They are strange!

Bob's visit

2008-01-07T08:25:00.000-05:00

Well, I promised more about Bob. In preparation for him we made brownies.
Of course I had 'help'.
How did you know?
This is my help... and if you look closely you can see dad in the background 'helping' too. LOL!

We have added another member of the family fighting for time on our one computer. She has discovered that there are games for her age and she asks to play often.
Such concentration!

Now more about Bob. The visit was good once we figured out how to handle the dog situation. It took about 8 tries to get this picture of them. All the others had someone turned around or tongues hanging out or something wrong with it.

Uncle Bob 'playing' with the boys.
Guess who is upside down and loving every second of it?
As promised, a picture of the cutie-pie puppy, and Bob sleeping too! LOL

This last picture is at 1 o'clock in the morning after she woke up just yelling and crying. I finally got her settled down but she had this look on her face for about 30 minutes. Sad. Puffy lipped. Stare of death.

School starts

2008-01-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I start classes again. The break was nice but part of me is ready to get back to studying. In case anyone forgot or just didn't read it I am taking Nutrition and Sociology. I need to start the application process to the Dental Hygiene school and start looking at loans and grants and whatever other financial aid information I can get my eyes on. If anyone has any personal experience with this I would appreciate your help!!!

I always get whatever textbooks I can off of ebay and sell my old ones on ebay and this semester I actually sold my books for more than I bought them for. Even after the ebay fees and paypal fees I still made a few bucks!! (only $3-4, but that's better than going negative, right?)

Celeb matchup

2008-01-05T22:24:00.000-05:00

In reading some of the other blogs I read I decided to see who exactly would I be matched up with......
and the lucky guy is...

The Celebrity Matchmaker

My Result: George Clooney

That's right, a charming and gorgeous dreamboat like George Clooney is just what the doctor ordered.

Smart and sophisticated, you need a soulmate with a brain to match. Only someone with intelligence and beauty will create your perfect storm. Lucky for you, your celeb match has plenty of both to spare...and a villa in Italy to boot. From dinner dates in LA to chilling on Lake Como, you'll be sure to have a heavenly time. Good night and good luck!

Take this test >

I could handle that. And he's good friends with the Pitt-Jolie clan. That would be neat too!! LOL

Rewind 3

2008-01-05T16:11:00.001-05:00

So back to my rewind through the month of December. Christmas eve was spent making chocolate chip cookies for Santa and spreading the magic reindeer food of the front lawn.
Hunter loves the camera and does an exaggerated pose of throwing the magic food on the front lawn. Giant grin included!

Here are some pictures of the tree and all it's glorious presents prior to the kids ripping into the pile.

Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of the present opening. i was too busy videoing it and I have yet learned how to fully operate the downloading aspect of it. (Julie help please!!)

That's pretty much it as far as the rewind is concerned. The next event was NYE which I already posted about and I added pictures a few days later in case you didn't see.

F*cktard

2008-01-04T08:33:00.000-05:00

I'm just gonna use Julie's word. Do you want to know why??

My cousin Bob showed up last night at 8:45 when he said he would be here about the time the kids got home from school. So he finally gets here (after the kids are in bed) and the kids get back out of bed to say 'Hi' and just to see what all the noise is.

What noise you say... one should just come in have quiet conversation, maybe get something to eat.

Nope, that didn't happen.

What did happen you wonder...

Bob brought his 9 month old pit bull puppy named Zeus.

Well that's not so bad you say...

Georgia wets herself out of excitement and so does Zeus (after Bob tells me he doesn't pee)

So there's pee all over the floor.

And my male boxer, Joe, wants to KILL him.

Well just separate them.

Yeah.

Too cold to put one of them outside, so we had to listen to them whine and growl all night.

I wanted to ask him what the hell was he thinking??

You don't bring a dog unannounced to someones house,

I wanted to tell him to go home or stay at a hotel.

But he is my cousin and the kids were excited that he is here.

I know he just didn't even think about it.

Bob,

Think.

Please.

Related but unrelated, the puppy is so darn cute it's hard to be too mad.
Maybe I'll get a picture today and post it tomorrow.

Rewind 2

2008-01-03T12:21:00.000-05:00

As promised I am going back to all the things I neglected to post during the holidays. The first picture is of myself and Stella putting the finishing touches on the Christmas tree. We got a fake this year because of Andrew's and Hunter's allergies. I don't think it's too bad for a fake.

Hunter asked for weeks to do a gingerbread house and I finally caved in. It just seemed like a lot of work for something that the dogs were going to try to eat. Here is the first stage:

This is the completed house with it's two artist/decorators. This beautiful gingerbread house only lasted about 10 minutes. Then it came to pieces....lots of little pieces!!LOL It had help from two hungry decorators!!

The weekend before Christmas we went to my dad's house in Crystal River. My dad and stepmom had a few gifts for the kids. Hunter got two Webkins (which he loves), Stella got a Dora blanket and Lucas got a alarm clock/radio/docking station for the iPOD (which he loves).

Stella was just plum tuckered out by all the fun and running around on the property up there. She fell asleep on Grandma Jeannie's lap, all snuggled in her coat.

On the property next to my dad's they have 5 cows and 7-8 donkeys. So we hopped the fence and went over to check them out.

They decided to come check us out.

Especially our shoes...

Andrew's must've smelled really good or the cow was really hungry!

This one also tried to eat my shoe too. Talk about a shoe fetish!!

Andrew and Lucas camped out by the fire. Hunter wanted too but his asthma was acting up because of the chilly air and the smoke from the fire. He was pretty bummed about it but got over it quickly.

While we are up there we usually spend almost the whole day outside because it is so nice and quiet. Everybody also gets a ride on the big tractor. Here is one of Stella and dad taking a ride.

Tune in again tomorrow for another Rewind.

Rewind

2008-01-02T09:33:00.001-05:00

So I'm going back to the first part of December to bring all of you up to date...plus I needed something to post about for the challenge, LOL.

I know I had posted already about going to the Lakeland Christmas parade but I never posted a picture, so here's a picture of my clan and 2 of 3 of Jen's clan. Jen's family was wonderful and treated me like they had known me for years. It was very nice!! Thanks again , Jen!!
This picture doesn't need too many words only that he asked for me to do that to him and then promptly asked me to undo it!! He said he wanted a mohawk, but he wanted to spike it up like real tall.... well your hair has to be long enough to do that. His wasn't.

This is a picture of Lucas's Fall Band Concert at the Mulberry High school auditorium. You can't see him even if I zoomed in real close. He's behind a bunch of other kids. In case you didn't know, he plays the saxophone.

And this last one for your viewing pleasure is Lucas's end of season soccer party at Pizza Hut. They handed out trophies and ate lots of pizza. The kids had a good time seeing each other off the soccer field. Several of the kids did not show up, but the ones that were usually at the games and practices were there.

Stop back in tomorrow for some more Rewind from the past!!

Blogging challenge

2008-01-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

So some of the ladies in the mom's group are having a challenge to see who can blog EVERYDAY this month and maybe even next month too! So far, Julie hasn't posted today and AMY hasn't posted today either. I think she is going to be part of the contest. I mean she's been saving blog fodder( Can someone tell me where this word came from)? for like 3 MONTHS now. Her last picture is of Halloween!

Happy New Year to everyone!! We had a nice evening. Hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill, a fire and roasted marshmallows, fireworks and kids fireworks (poppers, champagne poppers, sparklers)Shannon and her boyfriend and Jillian came over to celebrate with us. We all had fun and I hope you did too!!!

Christmas Rush

2007-12-21T14:38:00.000-05:00

First of all, Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

I am enjoying the remaining few minutes until I begin the Christmas rush.
Tomorrow we are going to my dad's house in Crystal River. We will spend the night and come home some time Sunday. Then, Monday I have to work and I have a playdate scheduled for lunchtime. I have cookies to make for Santa and a few things to wrap because they are in hiding and/or too big to wrap (the kids will notice a big box if it's wrapped but a plain box blends into the garage mess,LOL)

I can't figure out how to get the stuff off the hard drive in my video camera. I really would like to video Christmas morning so I need to do that.

I have text books that I need to get up on ebay very soon (tonight preferably)

And on top of all that Stella saw a VERY cute Tinkerbell stocking, so I got it for her, BUT it's a felt one that you have to sew on all the pieces and some beads. So I MIGHT or might not get that all done before the big night (wish me luck since I'm a slow sew-er)

I hope to have some great pics of my stay at dad's house and Christmas for you all next time I post. Until then, have FUN!!!

YUP!!

2007-12-17T07:45:00.001-05:00

Yup, because I opened my big mouth.
She peed in her pants.
Not once.
Not twice.
But three times since I posted Saturday morning!

I said I was jinxing myself,
I knew I shouldn't of said it,
but I did anyway,
look what I got for it,
A big pile of pee-peed laundry to do!

No more diapers

2007-12-15T08:16:00.000-05:00

So I even hesitate to post this because I know it'll jinx me ......
buuuut........
I will anyway because I'm so excited for her! (and me!)

Stella is pretty much potty trained at 2 yrs and 5 months old. She only wears a pull up at night time, but only because I don't 100% trust her. She doesn't wake up wet and she has even woken me up at 2:30am to take her to the potty. I also keep a potty in the car for those times when no potty is available. So she has been wearing big girl panties and recently we haven't had any accidents except the one time Lucas was in the bathroom and dad was in the other one and she just couldn't wait any longer. She was mad about that one. I felt bad for her too.

Now if she could just get her pants back up all by herself. She still needs help with that part. I'm OK with that because I don't have to buy diapers anymore....

ever!!!!

Christmas lights

2007-12-14T21:29:00.000-05:00

I love to drive around and look at Christmas lights. Do you? I like to see how creative and festive other people are. One of my friends says that her neighbor rents a lift thingy to get his lights up in his trees and up to the top of his tall palm trees. I think that's a bit much, but it does look really nice. But there's no way I would do all that!!!

I've been secretly wrapping gifts while Stella naps during the day. I have just under half of them wrapped. I'm a slow wrapper. Plus, this year I want them to actually look good. In previous years I just didn't care about presentation. I mean they are just doing the 'grab and rip', right?

So this year I'm being a copy cat. I am going to make really pretty and big gift tags for all of Santa's gifts (That equals one gift to each kids so I'll be making 3 tags) I want to make them all super fancy and special and magical. Maybe it's something they will remember and do for their kids. I also want to do the secret elf thing (You know where the elf watches and if they are good they get a couple of pre-Christmas gifts in the weeks before that are just small but helps them to remember to be good) but funds were really tight this year. And funds will probably be that way for at least 2 more Christmases (I'll be a full time student= poor family) So for now I'll do fancy tags.
Really, it just makes me feel like I'm making Christmas a little more magical for them. Of course, they will grow up thinking that their crazy mom thought it was cool to make those dumb giant tags that she thought made us think it was really Santa bringing the presents when we have known since we were 7 that it was just her and dad.......

Did you follow that?

Nope.... Me neither!

Check out my Meez... and duck!!!!

Christmas break

2007-12-13T08:13:00.000-05:00

I finally got my grade for my Microbiology and I got A's in both the lecture and lab portion! (Did you think I wouldn't???LOL) I got a 94 on the lab final and an 82 on the lecture final which was cutting it really close for the A in the class. So now I have Christmas break until Jan 7th.

ba-zillions of cookies

2007-12-12T12:38:00.001-05:00

I feel like I am making ba-zillions of them, they are everywhere!! LOL We (my mom's group) are having a cookie exchange tonight and I, of course, have waited till the last possible hour to make them. I am making Andies Candies cookies. I hope and pray that they turn out good, I haven't made them before so I'm taking a huge chance.

Last year I made Chocolate Rum Balls. Most people said they were too boozy.... hello?? they are RUM balls, they are supposed to taste like rum!!! Oh well. At Least my good friend Julie liked them. She liked them so much that she posted that she is going to make some this year for her and family (or maybe just her).

OK, my timer is going off, I must go,
bake...
cookies...

I do hope they are good!!!

Christmas Parade

2007-12-10T13:35:00.000-05:00

For the first time since living in Lakeland, I took the kids to the Christmas Parade. It was fun. I would never have gone but I met a good friend down there and I hung out with her and her family (They were really nice to share their space with us!) You can go see pictures on Jen's blog. Sorry but I don't feel like down loading pics right now. I went without Andrew because he had to work. Thank goodness I did meet a friend down there because Stella is potty training and there were several times I had to just pick her up and practically run to the bathroom with her. She made it all night with no accidents !!! That wouldn't have happened if I would have had to gather up both boys every time she had to go. So THANK YOU JEN(and John)!!!

As for the rest of my weekend... it was miserable!! I came down with a head cold and felt terrible and I also had an abscess that was not draining and VERY painful. Hunter was very helpful with Stella since I pretty much spent the whole time on the couch. I feel much better today!! Head cold almost gone and the abscess is draining on its own, no surgery needed (whew!!)

I took one of my finals on Sunday for my Microbiology class and did well enough to get an A for the class!!! YEAH Now I just have the lab final to do by tomorrow night. Wish me luck!

One more thing, the girls in my Moms group want to have our very own little blog-a-thon for the month of January. Who ever post the most wins. Wins what? we're not sure yet, but sounds fun and it'll be nice to go read their blogs and have something new to read!

Finals

2007-12-05T13:44:00.000-05:00

Finals are this coming week. I'm looking forward to having it over with and being able to enjoy the holidays. I'm so anal about my classes that I have sat down and figured out what the lowest grade is that I can receive on the finals to still get an A in the class. In the lecture portion I have to get at least an 80% and in the lab a 67% or higher will do it. Send good grade vibes my way, please!!!

I am signed up to take 2 classes for the spring semester. I will tackle Human Nutrition and Sociology. Sounds like fun to me too!! J/K!

I have started to check out daycares in the area to prepare for me going to school full time next fall (August). I have not been too impressed so far. The only place that I like doesn't open early enough for me to get to school on time some mornings (some days classes start at 8 and other days at 9). My mom suggested that I put Stella in the daycare at the college but then on days I need to study and don't have school I'm outta luck unless I want to pay someone over and above daycare cost. I don't know if that's an option because the going rate for a babysitter is about $10/hr. Maybe a co-op with another mom would be an option. We'll see. I still haven't checked out the center at the college to know if I would even leave her there. I'm so nervous about putting the kids in daycare. I'm so nervous about going to school full time. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it. People do it all the time. There's no reason I can't. I'm just........stepping into new territory for me. I'm not one of those people that just jumps in to the pool, I wade in slowly.
very slowly....

new things everyday

2007-12-03T12:29:00.000-05:00

I do learn something new everyday. Ta Da! I now have music for you to listen to whilst reading my fabulous blog!!! LOL I will have to add more songs and change them for the seasons and/or moods.

The house is starting to look like the holidays are coming. I'm a little behind this year. Actually I'm right on track with all previous years of being the last to decorate. oh well! We have a tree up but not decorated yet. It's fake! I am tired of spending $100 for a tree that will die in 3 weeks and won't even be green on THE day. I mean really. So we got a fake, which is great for Hunter's and Andrew's allergies.

I'm pretty sure we are done X-mas shopping! whew! Now for the cards to be made out and mailed. And wrapping the gifts and keeping it all hidden.

Oh I almost forgot. I painted the front door finally and it looks great. BUT, Andrew thought it would be a good idea to replace the threshold that was sorta rotting and needed replacing. Which it would have been if it were not for the fact that in this house, NOTHING is that simple, nothing!!! Turns out the door frame is rotting at the bottom too. It had never been painted apparently. Paint protects wood from the water. WOOD + NO PAINT + WATER = ROTTEN WOOD. Thank goodness my dad is a skilled carpenter!! He's going to mill us a new door frame out of PT wood (pressure treated= more weather resistant) and come down and install it for us! I do wish we had the know how and tools to not have to rely on someone else. Anyways, so now the door is painted but not the frame because I'm waiting for the new piece that is not rotten.

Me

2007-11-28T08:46:00.000-05:00

So no one has commented about my Meez. You know that thing above that sorta resembles me. (At least what I wish I looked like, you know the whole make up and hair done and nice clothes) The props are cute and funny too. They even had glasses that resemble mine!LOL You can add one to your blog or myspace and it's free!! It was fun and easy to do.

Stella is currently playing with Playdoh. I hate that stuff. I know Amy loves it, that's the reason she had kids so she can sit around the house sniffing Playdoh, LOL! (You could post every now and then too, Amy, not just read others!!)

I am here typing this post because I told myself this morning that I would clean the house, or at least part of it. But here I am typing still. Procrastination is a big problem for me. The thought crossed my mind to go shopping for Christmas stuff today since I have no other plans (sinceI'm trying to forget that I WAS going to clean) What else needs to be done beside cleaning, hmmmmm, let me think.......

...............

...............

..........................

Ummmm.........

well...........

Ugh, I guess I have to clean!

Oh, yeah..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!

Oh, in case you are wondering, I'm 29!

he he he........

Christmas Shopping

2007-11-27T12:50:00.000-05:00

I haven't even started. I am one of those people who end up getting stuff last minute. I also usually don't have a list. But this year I do have a list. I know exactly what I'm buying the kids and how much it will cost. I have been working on my lists for them for a while to get it down to those things that I think will be hits and/or something they have asked for. Stella of course is the easiest of the three and then its Hunter. Hunter actually doesn't really ask for anything in particular just whatever toy looks cool on the TV. There are things though that I know he will like. Lucas on the other hand asks for a TON of really expensive things, like an iPhone and games that are $50-60 a piece. We are planning on getting him the iPod. We gave him a cheapy mp3 player last year and it started playing the songs at high speed so he thought he was stuck in the land of the chipmunks. So I think he would make use of the iPod enough to choke down the $150 price tag for the smallest one that has a screen. Andrew is definately NO help ... At all. He wants to get *cough* Lucas *cough* the Guitar Heros III with the guitar controller. Uh huh, sure, that's for Lucas. Lucas is like totally into all that like head banger hard rock from the like 80's and like 90's. If you believe that I got some land to sell you in south Florida that's high and dry and really cheap!!LOL

Anyways......... The Christmas tree thing is bothering me too. The frugal part of me, that I inherited from my mother, is having a REALLY hard time spending $100 on a tree that is going to die in 3 weeks. I would rather spend that money on my kids. But I also HATE fake trees. I thought about buying a live tree that we could plant in our yard after we are done with Christmas. Andrew thinks that idea stinks and thinks what is X-mas with no pine tree. ????

Oh well.....

On another note, my good friend Julie has been posting everyday this month, you can check it out here She is doing a great job remembering to post EVERYDAY!!! Way to go Julie!!!!!

Grandma is gone now

2007-11-21T12:44:00.000-05:00

Grandma's visit seemed so short. The kids are asking when will she be back. I think sometime in January so not too long in between visits this time. While she was here she took us to Novemberfest at Nativity Catholic Church. For those who don't know it is a mini fair, with the rides and food and games just like a state fair only on a smaller scale and no farm animals. The kids had a blast! I would post pictures but my camera's batteries were given to someone else. They were given to Hunter's preschool teacher who we saw at Hunter's elementary school for a 'parade'. Her batteries had run out and we were leaving so I kindly handed mine to her so she could take pictures of her child. I then promptly forgot that my camera didn't have it's batteries. So I couldn't take any pictures this time. Oh well! I did get some great pictures of Grandma playing with Hunter and Stella. The first 2 are in our backyard and the last one is from the Book Character parade at Hunter's school on Friday the 16th.

My camera is on it's last leg, I think. the button that changes the settings and steers around the menu only works to go left, well, to select all my options you have to go right. I also can't set my date and time stamp either. I need to set it because the batteries were out of it for a few days. As you can see the date is messed up. Just one more thing that needs to get done, or replaced, or fixed.

I don't get it

2007-11-14T15:50:00.000-05:00

So I'm in the parking lot of the gym, trying to find a space to park in. I'm not one of those people who will drive around to get the best spot. I find one and I park. So I notice all these people...circling ... and circling.... looking for a spot that is close to the door of the gym. So I'm wondering why don't they just find a spot, even way out in the boonies of the lot, and hoof it to the door?
I mean, they are there to exercise, right?

What's a little extra walking gonna hurt, yes?

I don't get it, are they afraid to wear themselves out just getting to the door?

That walk is so tough compared to the 30 minutes on the treadmill or that one hour long step class!

Hello!?!

Glasses: Take 2

2007-11-12T12:49:00.000-05:00

So my glasses ended up being too heavy and hurt my nose. I went back to the vision center and picked out a new pair, well actually pairs since I also got Rx sunglasses. I put a picture here but you can't see them too well. I just picked this picture because my eyes are closed and Stella is making such a goofy face, it made me laugh when I saw it. It is from yesterday when I dragged Andrew to the park that I just realized is there. It's pretty close to my house and I guess it is new. It's really nice, partially shaded and part sunny, lots of places for the moms (or dads) to sit and even some swinging benches. Oh, and no swings for the kids. Bad for them, good for moms who have to push the kids, LOL!

Report Cards

2007-11-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

The boys got their report cards on Tuesday and both did very well! Lucas got 2 A's (Band and PE) and 6 B's ( Lang Arts, Reading, Critical thinking, Earth science, Math, Geography) . Hunter's very first ever report card was excellent. They don't grade on the ABCDF scale but on an S and N, which stand for Satisfactory and Needs improvement. He got ALL S's!!! He also got an above average rating on the word recognition part and his letter recognition part. So they are both doing well.

I don't know if anyone has been watching my weight progress, or lack of, I just wanted to let you know that I haven't totally given up and I am still going to the gym (This last week I went 5 times!!) I haven't really lost any weight but my body fat % has dropped so there is movement, just not the scale. I had a slow few weeks there. I am back on. I am actually going to be putting an effort into it! As the Tortoise says "Slow and steady wins the race". It might take me 8 months at this rate but I'll get there one day, I swear I will!!!

School work & glasses

2007-11-05T16:55:00.000-05:00

I am very busy with school work and will continue to be busy. Right now I have 2 experiments in the works. First is a fermentation experiment making Kimchee and second is a decomposition experiment. The decomposition experiment is basically letting bread and fruit rot in a dark cool place somewhere in my house. UGH!! Kimchee is a Korean dish of fermented Chinese cabbage and green onion and other spices. I'm not sure if I will be able to eat it knowing that it has just been sitting on my counter for several days to a week. Everything tells to me to just throw it away like I should throw away moldy bread and mushy cucumbers. Know what I mean?
I also just finished boiling red cabbage to make pH paper for the Kimchee. That was neat. Testing all the stuff in the house to see how acidic or alkaline it is.
I also have due next week my two bacterial unknowns. (but that'll be easy since I have the book WITH the answers in the back, he he he) Then after I turn those in there will be only 2 more weeks of work then a week to study for the final. So I'll be done by the second week of December!!!

I think I need to go get lighter glasses. The ones I got are kinda bothering my nose. They leave red marks where the nose pieces sit. Walmart didn't have much else that I liked so I hope I can get the Rx and go somewhere else. Visionworks is running a 2 pair special for $99. Maybe I'll check them out later this week.

Blind, apparently

2007-11-03T15:21:00.000-04:00

Yea, so apparently I'm blind. Not as blind as a bat, but barely legal to drive a car with out corrective lenses. That does explain all the headaches and shoulder aches I've been having. I had my eyes examined on Thursday this past week and stood there looking for frames with 2 kids acting not the greatest. So picking out frames is not easy. I want something pretty and functional. I also need sunglasses. I would have preferred plastic frames because I don't really care for the nose pieces but then I would have needed a second pair of shades and the budget doesn't allow for that right now. So then I thought about transitions lenses but they won't work in the car because the windshield blocks the UV rays that make the lenses turn dark, so those wouldn't do either. So my last option are frames with the magnetic shades that clip on. So this is what I picked out:

I took the picture myself so that's the best I could get. You can't really tell from the pic but they are sort of a coppery color. So what do you think??

Grade and Work

2007-10-30T11:52:00.001-04:00

I just got the grade on my other mid term, the Microbiology Lab. I got a 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel so relieved to be doing well. I'm not normally this excited about it because usually I know that I'm doing well, but this class is really making me work for it. In the past I have not had to put in this much effort into the class to get good grades.

Because of work, I have realized that teenagers don't have a clue. About anything! There is one girl who is barely 16 and she thinks that she has it all figured out... if she only knew. I also realize that I was just like that. My mom is probably laughing at that and thinking: 'just wait until it's not co-workers but my own kids.'

I'm not looking forward to it. Just so you know.

Some Halloween festivities

2007-10-29T07:52:00.001-04:00

Here are the kids all dressed up in there costumes ready to go to my friend Heather's party. Hunter is an Ice Wolf Ninja and Stella is Dora the Explorer. (Really, did you think she would be something else??) If you're wondering where Lucas is, he was at his mom's for the weekend.

Here they are at Heather's house at Kolbie's party. There weren't too many people there and the house was pretty much busy being readied for the older kids party that night but Hunter had enough fun that he didn't want to leave, so a good party in my book.This was at Carter Rd Park by our house. It's where we have soccer practice. They had a Haunted hayride and bouncy things set up and carnival type booths and the fire rescue. Food was provided by a local school band booster and they also had 'Trick or treat village" so the kids did get some candy but not too much! We didn't go on the Haunted hayride, I was afraid that it might be too scary for Stella and Hunter, plus it was getting late so we turned in for the night.
We were waiting our turn on a bouncy thing.....
Here is Hunter and our neighbor friend, Duncan, in front of one of the fire trucks with the "jaws of Life" behind them.
and here are the fire rescue team using the "jaws of Life" to 'rescue' a woman from a mangled car. That was neat to watch them open a car up like that. They just peeled it apart like an orange!! Of course, they weren't too rushed because it was just a demo and the woman was fine the whole time. The picture is a little blurry so you can't see them using the Jaws but, they are.
So now we are just waiting for the real night. The kids are looking forward to it and the candy, of course.

I also picked up a few extra shifts at the gym this weekend. I worked Friday night and then Sunday afternoon.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.... I had been waiting for my midterm grade in my Microbiology class. I was hoping for anything above an 80% but do you want to know what I actually got??? Do Ya, Do Ya???
To my surprise I did amazingly well and got a 94%!!!!!!! I was so shocked to do that well. This class is VERY hard and the class average for the midterm is a 72.18%. So I'm doing very well in comparison. YEAH!!!

Not well...

2007-10-27T10:45:00.001-04:00

That's how this losing weight thing is going... not well! But it is moving along slllooowwwwlllllyyyy. very slowly. Well 'they' do say the slower it comes off the more likely it will stay off. My friend Melodie has put her weight loss on hold for the moment. I am still working out but certainly not the 4-5 times a week I was aiming for. I have a hard time going when I know that Stella doesn't like to be there without me or her brother. Last time I went with just her she cried and they had to come get me. I did go this morning and missed the Bodypump class I was going to take by like 5 minutes so I just did my own version of it. I am concentrating on my legs because that's the part I hate the most so I make sure I work them almost every time I go.

Next.....

My mom is coming down in about 2 and a half weeks. She is taking the Family to Novemberfest to play. Here are some pictures from the last time she was down.

I also don't think I posted a picture of Stella's blanket that my mom and I made last time she was here. It has Dora in pink on one side and Deigo in blue on the other.

Oh and some more news is that Lucas will be having another brother to add to his family. I just love that our taxes are paying the medicaid bill for that ultrasound because she won't get her dead ass of the couch and get herself a job. Her alcoholic boyfriend is just as bad. He has only been working a couple of days a week because of the rain. HELLOOOOO.... is anybody home??? You're getting ready to have a baby, GET ANOTHER JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He can't afford to support her and Jillian now and they are adding another baby!! What's wrong with people??? Heck, I found a job that I can take my kids with me. They can certainly find SOMETHING. They hire those mentally and physically handicapped people at Publix, that would be perfect because they already know that Publix hires the mentally challenged!!!!!!!!!!

Still Looking

2007-10-24T13:13:00.000-04:00

I'm still looking for some gainful employment. Yes, I'm still working at Lifestyles but that's not really helping to pay any bills. Everywhere I've gone has told me that my availability ( or lack there of) is why they won't hire me. I just can't justify putting the kids in daycare to make slightly above minimum wage. Any ideas are most certainly welcome!!

Dollar Dinner Night Garbage

2007-10-17T08:27:00.001-04:00

Last night was dollar dinner night at Hunter's school. They trick you into coming for a cheap dinner but then get you to spend money at the book fair. But in all fairness they did have a slice of pizza and a soda for $1 and afterwards they had a magic show. I didn't get any pictures of the magician (not that you would have seen the magic) but the kids seemed to enjoy it. So we walked into the library where they have the book fair set up and they have all that stuff that is NOT books set up right in front so the kids can see it ALL and BEG for it from their parents who are guilted into buying at least something because ya know that the profits all go back to the school. The teachers also have a wish list so those parents can buy them stuff too!!! How nice, right!! So we managed to get out of there just buying Stella a Dora book and Hunter a book called "Dictionary of Dangerous Creatures". Lucas bought his own slime making thingy (because I would have bought a book, but that's NOT a book to read, so he has to buy it). I had a good time all in all, but Andrew looked as if I was dragging him through burning coals and the nail bed was coming soon!!! LOL. Oh well.

The Garbage part of this post concerns, well, garbage of course, and the fact that the neighbors stupid dog keeps getting out of his yard and perusing the neighborhoods garbage. He does this by knocking over the can and spreading the garbage out over the lawn to properly see ALL the contents. Now my neighbor knows that his dog is doing this and does NOTHING!!!!! I know that I could just put the trash in the garage but I don't have room nor do I want it stinking up my garage. I went out and bought a 'locking' trash can. That did not work. Trash is still all over the yard! Did I tell you I HATE having to pick up the garbage, not once but twice! Once inside the house and again outside. So this past weekend I made Andrew show me how to use the circular saw and I proceeded to build an enclosure for the trash cans. See how nice it looks! There is a chain across the front so the dog can't pull the cans over. All my idea!!

Now the question is, do I take my neighbor the bill for $50+ for the materials that I had to purchase and the $30 trash can I bought to try to keep his dog out but didn't work because he can't keep his dog under control???

Fall T-ball

2007-10-02T18:18:00.000-04:00

Hunter has been signed up for T-ball since the last week in August. So far he has been to one practice. The organization had some problems and for some reason couldn't figure out how to get in contact with us. Apparently the whole different area code really throws these people for a loop. Well we finally got in touch with one of the higher up and he got in contact with the coach and the coach finally got in touch with us. Now mind you, the coach knew on a Tuesday how to contact us so we could be in the know about practice times and dates, but I didn't receive an e-mail or call until the following Monday morning. She called me Monday to let me know that practice was that night. (Thanks for the great heads up on that!!!) So they sat around on the phone number for like 6 days and didn't think that I might want some advance warning. Then tonight is the first game, which I don't know what time it is supposed to be at, why you ask?? because our coach doesn't seem to want to call or e-mail to let his team know anything... at all.... UGH!! I want to call and complain but what good is that gonna do, right?!? I think I will call that guy that is supposed to be in charge and ask for my money back. I'm just frustrated. This is about the kids but I can't even get a phone call to find out when stuff is at. I called her(the coach's wife and team mom) today and haven't gotten a call back yet either!!

I guess we'll try again in the spring, that's the busy baseball season anyway.

No Change

2007-09-29T15:47:00.000-04:00

I'm frustrated because there is no change! I didn't lose any weight this week. I'm exactly the same 157.0 that I was last week. Maybe I lost some fat and gained the same amount in muscle. I didn't have time to check my body fat this morning so I'm going with that answer!! I have been working out so that MUST be it, right?!?
On Wednesday I worked with the PT and she really made me work it! It hurt to sit down and stand up and move my arms, well,.... move anything really!LOL!! This morning I went back for some more punishment. I did a Bodypump class and that kicked my butt. I hurt now, but in a good way.
I'm picking up another day of actually working in the Kid's Club. I'll be working on Tuesdays and Fridays now. Not too happy about it but I felt like I couldn't say no, but I will tell her in a few weeks that I don't want to do 2 days anymore. There is another girl that wants to work there just to get the membership so I won't feel too bad about it.

Nothing else too exciting going on. I know I'm boring, but that also means nothing bad is happening either!!

Do they know people are waiting...

2007-09-26T08:28:00.000-04:00

Ah hem... do they know?? I have several friends who just seem to not like to update their blog too often. I click on the link and there it is the same old same old that's been there for what seems like MONTHS!! I'm waiting for something new and interesting to read about.

On a totally separate note, I went to talk to the program director of the college program that I want to enter next fall. My biggest concern was getting into the program and how competitive is it really. Well they only accept 12 students a year and last year they had 59 applicants. So that works out to be the top 20% or so. They base admission solely on GPA of the prerequisite courses and so far I have a 4.0 in those courses and I only have the one course I'm currently taking to add to that GPA. So I figure that even if I get as low as a B, I would still have a 3.83. She said the range of GPA's that were accepted this past fall was from 3.5 to 4.0 and there was only one 4.0. So the way i see it I'm pretty much in!!! My other concern was pay scale of a Dental Hygienist when they first get out of school. She said that this past summer she heard from her students and the lowest was $25/hr and the highest was $32/hr. So that would be a significant increase in our yearly income even if I only work part time. I mean at $28/hr (which is mid range) and working 32 hours a week (4 days) I would make about $46,000 a year, not bad for a part time gig I think! I'm excited about the prospect of it. But it does seem a long way a way........ Oh and paying for school will be a whole other issue. The majority of the cost are NOT tuition which I thought it was and was hoping it was because I have that part covered by the Fl Prepaid. I guess we will have to do student loans but I don't know if I can get enough to cover the cost at school and daycare for the kids. UGH, I'm so stressed about it. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

My Goals

2007-09-22T12:09:00.000-04:00

I have them, I really do!! My goal is to lose this extra weight that I've been carrying around since I had Hunter. About 20 extra pounds!! Since I work at the gym and have a membership I have gone twice. I know that's not much. To my defense I wasn't sure how Stella was going to do without me in there. She does great, in fact, she cries when we leave if you can believe that! On Friday I went and had an evaluation done which basically tells you what you weigh and what you should weigh and how to get there. So I weigh in at 157 with 24.6% body fat. Their nifty little computer model says that in 13 weeks of doing cardio and resistance training 4 days a week I should drop about 19 pounds as long as I'm following a sensible diet. Which I am 90% of the time because of Andrew being diabetic. So that means if I don't cheat, I can be a hot tamale by Christmas!!! (and I can wear my skinny clothes) So be prepared for me to post some before and after pictures by then. ( I won't horrify you with any before pics now)

PS. I was going to go to the gym this morning but the time got away from me and the kid's club is closed now and I can't leave them with Andrew because he just had surgery and is always on the verge of a medicated slumber! I definitely want to make it tomorrow!!

Employed

2007-09-12T13:41:00.001-04:00

I am happy to announce that I am now employed. I mean outside the home, LOL. I went on Monday and filled out applications at Books A Million and at Lifestyle Family Fitness. Well, today I got called backed from the woman at LFF and went for an interview and was hired!! It's not that it's a great job but it's only 3-4.5 hours a week and I can have Stella with me (or the others too, if there is no school) and I get a free membership at the gym, YEA!!! That was really the reason I applied there. I am also hoping that BAM will call me too and I can work there in the evening and make some extra money for the household.

Maybe I'll actually be able to get in better shape by my birthday at the end of November! My goal is to fit into the jeans I have hanging on my wall. They are Lucky brand size 28. I think I'll need to lose about 15lbs before I'll fit into them again. I was ALMOST into them when I got pregnant with Stella (3 yrs ago) I hope they are still stylish when I can wear them again, LOL. I think that between the new cooking regime (because of the diabetes thing) and a membership at the gym, that dropping the extra pounds won't be too hard. (I hope).