Holy Mess Batman...

mondays I also regret my "no cleaning on the weekend" rule.

it always amazes me what kind of disaster the house can become in just two days.

If you're in need of dinner ideas for tonight, might I suggest Chili's?

Today is "The Big Day"at Chili's. Chili's will be donating all their profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

We've had it on the calendar all month, and the boys are super excited, because "we never get to eat at Chili's", so it's really a win/win situation.

very shady...

Jack spent Colten's game yesterday being hot.
(He played first)

"It's hot. I wish I had a little gray cloud over my head that would follow me around and give me shade."
"Oh, and a mini tv with all my favorite shows, and a snack machine that followed me around too. Then I promise I wouldn't be so whiny." -Jack

Poor Oley

I think this accurately sums up Colten's day today.

The soccer situation here is not so good.
Making for one very frustrated nine year old.

Hopefully tomorrows game is better...

it couldn't be any worse.

what are you smiling about there smiley pants?

remembered my coupons AND my bags today...
usually i manage to forget one or the other.
still spent $100. lately i can't leave the grocery store without spending $100.
get a little bit - $100
get a lot a bit - $100...
it's like the twilight zone. or groundhog day.
(the movie, not the actual day, that wouldn't make sense)

i read the blogs where people get $250 worth of food that they use every day for like $1.14.

ok, it's usually more than a dollar and fourteen cents,
but i swear...not by much.
i get really excited when i save like 20 bucks.
not sure where i've gone wrong ... i understand the concept, i think i just execute it poorly.
it's a whole sales, in store-savings, coupon combo thing.
yeah.
whatever.
$100.
every time. What have you got planned this weekend?
We've got soccer.
wait that sounds familar.....
See.
groundhog day.

Happy weekend.

"...she used to be a hamster, and now she's a guinea pig"
-stephanie pratt

Number 2 is the winner...

not the best start to my day.
couldn't get jared's new phone activated because we live here in the middle of nowhere.
so even though they said it could be manually activated,
yeah...no so much.
so i was trying to deal with that. and make lunches. and at 7:05 i wasn't done dealing with either.
the lack of phone,
because the old phone had been turned off
caused mass drama.
thankfully coley got himself ready and fed, and was waiting patiently by the door for his lunch.
1 out of 3....
because jack also woke up in a cranktastic mood.
I'm thinking we won't be going to any more of daddy's softball games....
late nights lead to rough mornings.....
and while I don't really drink that much I was cursing the dry county I live...
hello?!?...
momma needed something stronger than coffee this morning.

kidding.
sort of.
no really...kidding.

anyway. enough of that....
i bought the boys what I thought was a cute soccer t-shirt at oldnavy....
stars, a soccer ball? what is not to love about that?
yeah,
i've been informed unequivocally it is a "girl shirt",
and it will not be worn
ever.
ever.
ever.
it was $5. i'm not heartbroken. however, I still think it's a cute shirt.
so if anyone has a girl (or a boy w/o issues) that would like to wear it,
please email me, and I'll mail it to you.
it's a boys large, and i washed it prior to being informed it would never be worn.
otherwise it's going to goodwill. just thought i'd throw that out there.....

jack modeling the shirt this morning, because after his ugly "i-don't-want-to-get-up" behavior he owed me...oooh yes he did.
ok, maybe it's a little girly....
whatever.

anonymous noticed my isabel blooms.... (soccer balls are like rabbits in my house.....they seem to multiply and are everywhere)
to that i say...good eye.
isabel bloom.
mine were presents from friends after jack's birth(in oskaloosa, iowa).
i think if you live or have lived in iowa you have at least one piece, or know someone that does.
people either love them or hate them. (or think i'm crazy for having "garden sculptures" in my living room.)
i love them.
i think they're so sweet. and charming.
i have this one. and I guess my little one is retired?
i haven't looked at the website for so long, but i can't find it.
now of course i'm looking....and remembering the ones i've always wanted.
i love the angels,
and i have always wanted this one (or the smaller version of it)

that's all i have today.
oh,
except
the office.
tonight.

that just might make up for this morning.

"How hard is a luau? All you need are some grass skirts, pineapple, poi, tiki torches, suckling pig, some fire dancers. That's all you need." -Michael Scott

I should be cleaning....

The (not so morning) face of 14... glad to see some things don't change from 13 to 14.
presents were a big hit....
and as an aside can i just say as i was taking these i did comment to colin that since bringing "bob" inside, our living room is starting to look a little Vegas jungle roomish.
overall not so good.
i'm going to work on that....little less leopard print, little less palm action. meow kitten. so we speakth not of the living room...

I thinks it's extremely cool that Jared loves tea.
and was actually excited about the Tazo.

which was really just hiding the "secret present"....the secret present that is still on it's way.... new phones make for happy teenagers.

even teenagers that don't actually like talking on the phone...

just texting.

(exceptions were made for birthday wishes from family far away....)

unrelated to the big birthday celebration:

my husband emailed me with this today.
in an email with the subject : I need this...

EDDIE VEDDER'S SONG FOR THE CHICAGO CUBS AVAILABLE NOW
09.18.08
At the request of Ernie Banks, Eddie threw together a song for the Cubs ("All the Way"). He got a pretty good live version of it at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago this August. It's now being played on Chicago radio and at the Bleacher Bars around Wrigleyville. We have decided to make the song available for download - you can get it here. There's a chance we'll also make available some hard copy CDs and we're looking into souvenir 45 singles, as well. Check back here for the latest.
Go, Cubs, go!

Eddie Vedder AND the Cubs?!?
Oh dear. That makes for a happy husband.

"I would eat whipped cream on ANYTHING" Coley
"Chicken nuggets?" Jack
"Yeah, probably" Coley

September 23rd

This is the (morning) face of 14.
14 and enjoying his birthday cinamon rolls and smoothie. 14
Such a far cry from this little boy on his first birthday. As I looked through his baby photos this morning,
I wasn't sad.
Sure I miss those baby years.
And the little boy-ness.
I'm sad I only get him here in our house for five more years.
But I'm so proud of the man he's becoming,
it's hard to be anything but happy.
He's honestly one of my favorite people. ever.
I love his wicked sense of humor.... and how calm and easy-going he is. I really could go on and on about my son. He's just that cool.
He gave me my family. He made me a mom.
On this day fourteen years ago.
The moment they handed him to me in the hospital it was like
There you are.
I've known you forever, and now you're here.

Thou art my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
-Genesis 49:3

Happy Birthday Jared! We love you!

E2

The boys decided on the way to soccer yesterday that we should have another baby....
a girl.
with an "e" name.
to compliment the 2 "c"s and the 2 "j"s.

the boys came up with:
Electra
Exxon
and
Expedition.

I'm thinking maybe we're done.
but if anyone is brainstorming, I think Expedition is going to be really hot this year.

You cheated on me?...When I specifically asked you not to? (New Office...next week! YAY!)

"...Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the essence of being." - Albert Camus

Happy Friday.

What have you got planned this weekend?
We have soccer.

and I'm making a Halloween tree.

Colin doesn't know that part of the weekend plans yet.
He's going to be so excited.

(Halloween tree link...go to photo #11, pretty cool, huh?)

This must stop....

let this NEVER happen again.....

Of course I'll buy that...

It's the beginning of the school year, which means fundraisers.
I completely understand that they are a necessary evil. Schools need money.

However, seeing as how we are friendless here in our new town.
The buying of the raisers is on us. (and our families)

Jack came home last week with his catalog of wrapping paper, and chocolates,
and tales of the wonders of winning "top 20 sales in the school"....
an ice cream sundae party, sales prizes...pony rides and parades. (maybe not the last few)
He has looked over the prize list with such longing....like he's never had a toy
ever in his entire life....
light up, flying, spinning, furry, bits of magic.
Any and all of which can be his, if his parents buy 200 items from his catalog.
Why are you selling this Jack?
I'm not really sure momma....

Then Colten arrived home. A similar tale of a limo ride party, just for the top 20 kids....
Just buy cookie dough he explained. I want to ride in the limo.
And, he too had a prize list that was carefully and thoughtfully examined.
and reexamined.
and discussed among the brothers.

and then this week,
Jack came home and explained his class needed money.
Oh no I thought.
Seriously.
It must end.

Don't worry Jack said.
I'm using my own.
We're raising money for St. Jude's Hospital.
It helps sick kids he explained.
I never heard about the pizza party to the room that raised the most.
or the chance to get a gift card.
Just that he'd be giving $20 of his money he's saved.
because kids need it mom.
kids that are sick need it....

Kids are cool. They get it.
You don't have to bribe them with incentives, and prizes.
They are so much wiser than adults give them credit for.
Of course they all want the spinning pencils that light up and fly around the room if it's offered.
But even without it, they would collect money for their class. For their school.
Explain the need, explain the situation.
People fail to talk to kids like they understand.
They get it.

6:30am-4pm Yesterday

So for fun I decided yesterday to photograph a "day in our life"...
We move so much I would love to be able to look back and see what is the same and what is different about each place...hindsight, eh?
May as well start now.
No pictures of Colin yesterday, he was a work before I got up. That usually happens a few days a week.
I get up at 6:30, and get the bigs up.
They get ready, and eat breakfast. No pictures of them eating....they were thinking I'd lost my mind for photographing them so early...so I was easing them into paparazzi day....
Jared doing his hair...
Always amusing, no matter what state we live in....

While they eat I make lunches. Colten had his standby Cheerios with honey on it. (ewww) and Jared had hard-boiled eggs. Here is Coley giving me the evil eye....while playing soccer in the house.....
I can still see the soccer ball Cole, no soccer in the house....This is the first time Colten has ever taken the bus to school, and Jared and Colten take the same bus. (different schools, same bus)
Colten is ridiculously concerned about not being late. He makes Jared crazy.
So I think Jared takes even longer to get ready just to annoy him. (It works)
Shoe number one going on....
Coley muttering something under his breath about the camera and his brother taking an hour to put shoes on....Shoe number two going on....and Jared muttering something about how "you can't be early to the bus, it comes at the same time everyday" (This conversation takes place every morning)
prayers, and they're gone.
7:05am.When the bigs leave, I wake up the Jack....not the easiest part of my day.
He is not a fan of mornings.... He has breakfast, today it was oatmeal...and we talked about his Farrah Fawcett bangs...
I get ready, he watches tv.
7:50am prayers, and we leave.Jack asking me if I'm really going to keep taking pictures of "nothing"...
We get in the truck and there is a pumpkin spice latte waiting for me.
No I'm kidding, I wish though, wouldn't that be nice?
(Someone forgot to throw their trash away from yesterday)
Jack decides that taking photos of "nothing" is a great idea, and he takes over the camera....
His school is literally across the back field, and he should be walking. But he's my baby, and his brother is at a different school this year...so I indulge him, and drive him around the block.8am I'm home. and usually I zone in front of the computer for awhile. Return emails, blog, get sucked into the timesuck known as Facebook.....
Then I pick up.
How come the shoes in my house multiply? Please note the three piles I picked up, and the fact this was after the boys were gone to school. (and Colin to work)
Laundry and vacuuming, these things NEVER change, no matter where we live...
I think I could do laundry all day everyday.
Cleaned some more, and made the boys chocolate popcorn.Started some stuff for dinner, but unlike Pioneer Woman, I can hardly walk and chew gum at the same time. Cooking and taking photos, way too much for me.

Got some stuff out to work on a project for my friend amy,
and spend no less than 50mins looking for my circle cutters.
(one major annoyance of moving, ...especially when you know where they were in the old house)2:50.
The back gate in our yard... Jack's nemesis, the ditch....
No homework for Jack. But he did declare he'd learned something at school, so that was an improvement. (Normally he tells me he's learning things he knows). Predicates.

3:50. "You're still taking pictures Mom?!?"Having some popcorn, backpack still on....
4:00. Also not thrilled to see the camera again.
Backpack still on....but popcorn has been discovered. (I swear, I feed them)Gmail/Facebook, shoveling popcorn in his mouth. Talking to friends he just saw no less than an hour ago. He did tell me about his day prior to assuming this position.I'm going to pick up at 4pm tomorrow, because this seems long enough for now.
It's not an exciting life, but it's mine. and I love it.
I'm so thankful for my husband he works so hard so that I can stay home and take care of our home, and our children.
I am a lucky girl. I love you Colin!