Think Soda-Pop

50s day at school today...
absolutely adorable.
little girls in poodle skirts, loooove it.
mine are dressed like little greasers....
very funny,
and complete with candy cigarettes rolled up in their sleeve.
I didn't think they made them anymore, but they do!
Took a little trip to Sweetie Candy Co.
...and low and behold.... candy cigarettes!
fabulous find, because they also have....
mini moon pies!
Jack was as happy as...
well, as happy as a kid in a candy store.
Anyway...
I've been reading up on the 50s....
and daydreaming about what life was like then....
which is so funny because the dare this week is about documenting an era you love.
How cool is that???
I've always been such a big fan of the dares....
I just love the inspiration.
What else am I loving right about now....
the weather (FINALLY!)
Hint water (tasty)
Jack again on LOST (when he told Kate he loved her...wasn't liking him before that)
Scrap In Style (what a fun place, now I just need to post some work...err...yeah)
baseball season (my boys in the hats, with the gum in their mouths, and the tight pants....just about the cutest ever!, oh and the game is pretty cool too)
Thinking about Nisa, and her wedding....
and all the fun I'm missing (ok, NOT loving THAT part) but I know it's going to be stupendous...glorious...beautiful...and everything good. And I'm just SO happy for her.
and...
I'm VERY happy that my husband is coming home tonight...
after being in Utah all week.
He has informed me it's beautiful there...
which I most definitely believe...
BUT...
the fact he got to go here...and i didn't...is just not fair.
He is bringing back some housing guides though for me...
because with us,
you just never know....
so that's exciting...
Happy long weekend!

Is Fudge in dis one Momma?

I read to the little boys every night before bed...
Right now we are reading
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,
which is a switch from our Judy Blume marathon of Fudge books.
When I read each character has to have a very distinct voice.
I was pretty thrilled with this new book because there are no obnoxious toddler voices.
Last night I was reading...
one of the characters was using a "magic marker" to write with.

"What is a magic marker?" Jack
"It's just another way to say marker." me
"Why is it magic?"
"It's not Jack, it's just a marker."
"It's a magic marker."
"Right, but that just means marker."
"Do you have to write on special paper?"
"No, it's really just a marker."
"But...do you have to write on special paper?"
"No."
"Then how is it magic?"
"Jack, it's not magic...it's a regular marker."
"Why is it called a MAGIC marker then?"
"I am not sure...but it's just a marker."
"A magic marker."
"Right."
"Does it only write on special paper?"
....
I determined after this circular magic marker discussion that reading in silly voices is
MUCH easier....

For fun

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Found this little gem on Elsie's blog...
Try it...I want to see what you pick...just click "get your own visualDNA"...xe

Maturation information

So, part of being the parent of a preteen here is going to the introduction meeting for the maturation program that is being presented to the 6th graders.
Let me start by saying that I realized instantly I was not mature enough to attend said meeting when I walked in the room with the anatomically correct girls/boys/men/women posters,
and the man wearing the white lab coat
and I wanted to burst out in hysterical laughter.
Not so much because of the nudes, frankly I've taken my share of life drawing, and that doesn't phase me...it was the posters, the labman, and the very straight-laced parents attending....
It was just a Saturday Night Live skit waiting to happen....
I turned to my husband and pleaded with him to just not make eye contact with me.
I managed to hold it together despite the "uncooked hot dog" and "draining the dirty bathwater" analogies.
(Hello? They are in 6th grade)
I kept a straight face when he explained that he wanted the kids to know the correct terms, not the street terms, and so he is going to have them shout the words out and "high five their neighbor". Picturing the look on my son's face when he's told to yell out pubic hair while high fiving his buddy....yeah, that was kind of giggle worthy, but I refrained.
What almost did me in however were the parent questions.
I'm fairly confident that most 6th graders could come up with more intelligent questions for lab coat man.
Their main concern seemed to be that the instructor wasn't talking enough about sex.
I found this odd...but listened intently as the instructor explained that the program is designed to address body changes, not sex....only to have someone else raise their hand to ask a similar question about...sex.
My favorite being that the instructor was too vague on how the sperm might in fact make it to the uterus.
Seriously?

Jared was overjoyed we attended the meeting....
and REALLY was just loving my commentary afterwards.
I asked if he wanted me to sit in on the lecture next week.
He declined my offer.

Otherwise things are ok here in Ohio.
Now that the weather is warmer, I'm feeling less vitamin D deficient and anti-social.
I kid, I kid, but Sunlight...it's a good thing.
I really intended when we moved to update this daily, or close to it...
But I'm failing miserably.
I will work on that. xe

*Thank you too for all the sweet words about my last post. I'll update as things progress (or don't).

Anything but Standard

Here is what you should know.

The public school system in this country is NOT concerned about encouraging your child to succeed to the best of their abilities.

They do not care how brilliant your child may actually be.
They are not concerned about what he might know.
About what he is capable of becoming.

This is what you should know.

They do care about their set standards.
They are worried about meeting their goal of where ALL children should be.
The are concerned with their school's test scores.

You need to know.
That if your child has a learning disability that prevents them from processing the information they need in order to soar,
and learn
and grow....
IF they have a "disorder" that prevents them from processing the information in the exact way other children do...
IF your child learns in a different way...
IF they see the world in a slightly different eyes...

but IF your child is just about at that set state grade standard...
the standard that is not your child's,
the standard that the school system has deemed to be a high enough bar to reach for...
THAT standard...
well then,
you should know...

Your child will not be helped to rise to what is THEIR potential.
They will not be encouraged to soar.

Because they might just be a little too smart,
a little too able,
a little too standard.

And because they are smart enough to work with this world that doesn't make sense to them, because they have the ability to work and work at a problem that should hardly take thought at all, because they use ALL they have to figure it out..
and they do...
They will not be helped.

They will have to continue to struggle,
to work as hard as they can,
to exhaust themselves daily just to keep up.

They will get to the point where they don't enjoy school...
they don't want to learn...
they don't like it anymore.

They will get to the point where they feel inadequate,
they second guess themselves,
they
start
to
lose
their
confidence.

If SOMEONE would just help them find a way to figure it out faster...
to unlock the way they learn....
it would all be easier for them.
But it's not necessary, because you see...
they are at the grade level standard.

2nd meeting.

Nothing accomplished.

NOTHING to show for the meeting, except frustration.
Too many hoops to jump through...
So many tests here.

"Back home they just taught Colten the way that he needed to be taught in order to learn.
The first grade teacher talked with the second grade teacher, they worked it out. They wanted him to succeed. They saw his potential.
If you could just try this....
if you'd just explain it to him this way....
if you could just .....but..... I know that it works."

"We will continue testing.
He's just about at the standard for his grade level.
I'm not sure why we're even talking about this."

"His teacher is asking for help, she wants to know what to do. She sees how hard he works. She knows it shouldn't be so hard."

"We will continue testing him, we will meet again in a month."

"So are we content with children meeting state standards, or are we concerned with them achieving the standards they are capable of achieving?"

"We want children to be at the state standard"

"So my older son that is in the gifted program, once he was identified as gifted, he was encourage to rise and work up to a higher potential, but other children, all the other children, they are only encourage to work toward the same standard..the same exact level...is that right?"

"Yes".

From the Ohio Department of Education : These standards let teachers know what they are expected to teach and students know what they are expected to learn. Standards also help educators identify and measure what students know and can do.

To the teachers back home that identified Colten as dyslexic, that worked with him, encouraged him, gave him the ability to learn and showed him the joy that is associated with that accomplishment... that wanted what was best for him.
Thank you.
You never made him stand out in the classroom, you didn't circle all of his writing in red,
you got my child.

I appreciated them then,
I appreciate them now.....
I miss them like you would not believe.

I thought maybe it would be harder here.
But when you move into the "best school system in the state"...
you assume that your child's needs will be met.
NEVER assume.

Advocate for your child. Tell the school exactly what you want for your child.
And if they won't provide it.
Come up with other options.

I'm working on that now.

His second grade teacher in Greenville said to me one day when I was picking him up...

"I love your son!
He's going to be president one day you know, and I'm just going to be happy I knew him".


***btw...I'm sure you know, but I'll remind you....that glorious photo of my sweet boy is by Nisa.

Mad love

Jack has BIG love right now....
for this...
and this...



Thanks Aunt Gabby and Uncle Mike!
Oh, and Jack would really like to join the MoonPie of the month club....any chance we could set that up?!
North Carolina goodies make the small one veeeery happy.

HoHoHo...Merry Easter

So aside from the 30inches of snow we got last week...
Spring break and Easter were lots of fun.
I sort of need an extra week of sleeping in to recover however. (yawn)

Hell sNOw

Overheard.

"Do you think the Easter Bunny is real?" - Jack

"Ah, no not really" - Coley

"Hmm....Well who do you think brings you candy then?!?!? Saint NICK!?!?" - Jack

Good point Jack.

We've been here, in the great white north for a couple months.
I've been neglecting the blog...
the email...
and even the phone...
in an effort to adjust, and ok, ...to unpack.
Which for me is a challenge, and it takes a long...looooooooooooong time.
I'm not sure if I'm a little attention deficit, or what, but the task of organizing is just mind blowing....for me.
Gabby could have things alphabetically arranged and color coded, and I would still be making piles....and cursing.
I'm also still at that stage of not feeling like I really live here....like its my house....
It's like I'm visiting a messy cousin or something....
I kind of walk around going....well, someone really needs to fix THAT...whew...that's really in need of some work.....who in the hell put that there?
ooh, it's me.
I have to fix this....and that....
The joy of homeownership.
This is the most expensive house I've ever owned....and it's the oldest...and in need of the most work.
We were mildly (OK....completely) blown away by the housing situation here....
I think it's the town, but it's spendy....and we're not.
So it took FOREVER to even find this.

While looking we ended up spending 38days in the hotel.
I realized how little you really need, material wise....
I mean over a month we lived out of our suitcases, and I really couldn't think of anything that was packed away that i needed.
I had my boys, my photo albums and some clothes, books and games.
OF course fast forward to move in day...
and after living simply, having that big ol' truck pull up and start unloading box after box after box......
I was like STOP! I don't want all this STUFF!
But they unloaded it ALL...and I decided to hibernate in the clutter.

I thought I might like to emerge this past weekend....
when the weather warmed up and the windows were open....
I was a cleaning machine....
My little house smelled magnificent....
like bleach, and vanilla.....
80 degrees on Tuesday.
I woke up yesterday to a high in the 30s.
And today...to SNOW. Lots of it.

So as tempting as the idea of more self imposed hibernation is/was...
I knew it was out of the question...
Gabby is coming tomorrow! And Mike! And my parents!
So I threw my fuzzy jammies on this morning and came downstairs to my freshly cleaned kitchen....to make smoothies.....and admire the snow. *(it is pretty....just come on, not in April)
I threw the mango, pineapple and banana in the blender,
poured the orange and pineapple juice in.....and realized that there seemed to be a leak.....
yeah,
actually it was more like a flood.....
The bottom of the blender wasn't screwed together....
soooo I ended up w/ juice and fruit ALL OVER my kitchen, and me...and my rug.
I stood there for a moment, like surely this was all a joke...
but no, I was in fact drenched and sticky....my kitchen, equally drenched and sticky.
I handed Jack a box of CheeseIts, which honestly was his original request for breakfast, and decided healthy breakfasts are completely overrated.

We started watching bad reality tv in the hotel....
Including The Hills.
Colin and I were watching recently...
He's annoyed w/ Spencer and says....
and I quote...
"If I were a guy I would so kick his ass".....pause.....
"Ok, that came out wrong because I am a guy"....

I laughed for DAYS about that...."if I were a guy".....
Sorry babe I had to write it down, so I don't forget.

Happy Easter y'all.

Top 10

Things that are making me laugh...

1. My realtor saying "It is what it is" 350 times a day. (WTF?!?)

2. My boys playing "Jackpot" in the pool. Jack who clearly doesn't understand when his name is used in a word calls out "Jack-in-a-box" when he's suppose to yell "Jackpot", in an effort to enlighten their brother the older boys tried to explain the word....and so far we've gotten "Jack-in-a-pot" from the Jack.

3. My male housekeeper who is from Brazil, but has been learning English from Russians, now speaks English w/ a Russian accent. Adorable he is...

4. Jared who is notorious for saying bits of funny.... A few winters ago when he was cold and had to pee declared that he was "Dying of cold-ness, and pee-ness"....it's been soooo cold here we've all been saying that frequently and laughing each and every time we do....

5. Jack declaring it's "too cold here for humans" (true that)

6. The computer in the lobby gives me this message everytime I try to check Ashley's blog "Accordingly to our harmful content database SiteCoach does not allow you to visit this page!"
It displays a huge metal safe and big RED letters, and makes me feel like I'm surfing for porn....so Ash, I do not know WHAT you have on your blog...but I'm very very curious now ;)
It's the only blog I have on my sidebar it does this for....makes me laugh everytime.

7. Jack declaring he wants to move in w/ Uncle Mike so "he can play Guitar Heroes2 all da time!"

8. Jared asking if Aunt Gabby dvr'd a show he wanted to see. (because that might help us how?!? heehee)

9. The dry cleaner in town called "Fussy Cleaner", yeah, they need a new font...Colin did a bit of a double take on that one.

10. Jack refusing to get out of the truck to look at houses telling us he's "so over this house looking thing" (yeah, I am too buddy)

Just wanted to give a happy little update.
It is in fact painfully cold here but it is what it is...

We found the perfect house yesterday and made an offer,
we didn't get it because we wanted to close too quickly...
go figure.
We're off to see another one tonight though......sooooo I'm hopeful.
xe

Van-less in Ohio

Well...it didn't snow on Wednesday.

"Funny" story.
The van was suppose to go on the truck w/ all of the rest of my home....
It didn't fit.
The menfolk tried to make it fit...they sat and stared at the van, and the very large moving truck, and the belongings of mine that were spread all across my front lawn...
they stared for a loooong time.
and that didn't make the van fit in the large truck.

I said, hey guys...how about putting the van on a different truck?!?
(Duh)

So the van was to arrive on a different truck....
That my friends was suppose to be on Wednesday. (the day of no snow)
However....
they let us know on Monday the van wouldn't be able to be delivered until....
get this...
......
February 12th.

Kid you not.

This is only made worse because in all of our brilliance...
Colin and I decided that to make room for the boys in OUR truck for the trip here...we'd pack half our clothes in the van.

It's almost ridiculous....isn't it???
Yeah...
this is my life.
xe

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?

High : 23
Low: 20
SNOW

note to self : must buy coat.

Shhhh-hhh, don't tell Jared I'm posting this....

But it's really too funny NOT to post...

He handed it to me last week and said something along the lines of
"Here...you can scrap this...I don't even want to TOUCH it"
Very grossed out the Jared was by his lovenote.

The boys had friends over today, so I had six boys in my home...well, Colin included ...seven. No school...teacher workday.
Aside from the slurpee accident, which was Colin's fault....all went as well as can be expected w/ SIX boys.
whew...that's a lot.
(Jack got the slurpee machine for Christmas...crazy thing actually works! whoa...)

I've been circle journaling...
so the cjs I have can go postal, and not live in the hotel w/ me.
xe

YEAH..it's about time!

What the?!?
Friday December 22nd?!?
Was that my last post?!?!
What is wrong w/me?
I even have that sugarysweetxmas song still playing....
nice...

SO, just a few things going on here.

First off, can I say, one of the many things I hate about not being digital is that I just now got my Christmas photos developed...
like as in today.....
annoying...

so
I'll go back to Christmas...
here is the Christmas hawk...
kind of like the the holiday hawk...
but not really...
how funny was THAT commercial?!?

Colten is a little alarmed at the idea his new school might not allow a spiked up, full on, in color mohawk. (Santa brought gold and silver ice spiker) He said he's going to fight the power....
I don't doubt it.
He may drop out of 2nd grade if there is a wacked up dress code in Ohio.
(yes, we're moving to O-HI-O..more on that in a sec)

Back to Xmas.
Which seems like soooo long ago,
but it's just been one crazyass month.

This is how your seven year old calls out his artist mom,
with this note to Santa....

"Dera Santa htis is Colten draw me a pitchur of you. this is me.
draw you write here --->"

(Dear Santa, this is Colten, draw me a picture of you. This is me -stick figure of Coley w/ what appears to be a cone on his head, this is actually the way he draws his hair- Draw you right here---> followed by space for Santa to draw himself.)

Can you say unexpected Christmas Eve night panic for the mom! Man....
I mean, I'm careful...
I use special wrapping paper...
I dispose of said paper discretely...
I want the magic to last forever.
So this had me...
Draw Santa, and have him know it's me.
Not draw Santa, and have him think Santa is a jerk for not spending a few minutes to answer his note...
Had I had more time, I'm sure I would have come up w/ something better, but we went w/ Colin drawing Santa....
However I went to bed thinking Santa would NOT have been such a bad artist.
No way.
So I had to get up, and just "fix" a few things.
It was such the source of anxiety for me I tell you....
Colin thought it was a riot.
And of course it was such a Coley thing to do....he's very clever.
He seemed satisfied w/ the end result the next morning...

Christmas morning is just the best w/ kids....
You can not touch that moment...

Jared scored the coolest present this year....
a new cell phone.
(please disregard my previous post around his birthday where I might have mentioned how 6th graders do not need cell phones....it's not that I feel differently, I just am trying to ignore my lack of resolve on this particular issue)
It did make the boy quite happy.
(what's not to be happy about?!?)
Let's just ignore my hypocrasy, shall we.....

Moving along.
The littles got quite the haul, but of course, as expected, the favorite gift was one that I picked up....one that was not on the "list"...one of the most inexpensive gifts...
the tattoo pen.
If there is any ink left in that badboy, I would be shocked.
They were covered....both arms, back of the neck, I think Cole had some on his chest...
Fantastic toy that tattoo pen...and Jack was all serious about his role as tattoo artist.

Here are some random photos as I fast forward to...today.
So, the weekend after Christmas I hurt my neck.
thinking I just tweaked it,
and assuming it would feel better in a few days,
I tried VERY hard to ignore it.
Colin left on the 2nd for Kentucky to start his new job w/ the company he was with here....
By the following weekend my neck hurt so bad, I was basically past the point of being convinced Advil was ever going to help....
We went to Colten's wrestling tournament (where he got his first pin), and then we shot over to urgent care, which clearly uses the word urgent loosely, because they were closed.
I went home, and called my darling husband, who mentioned there was some oxycodone in the medicine cabinet from looooong ago.
Yes, it was expired...
yes, I know NOT to take expired medicine...
yes, I took the correct dosage,
but had a horrific reaction to that particular medicine. (which, yes, was prescribed to me)....and ended up so dizzy the room was literally flying around me.
Mind you...I'm home alone w/ 3 kids.
there is a lot more to this story...
but in the midst of it all Gabby calls (to say "hi")....
I mumble something eloquent like "I took some drug, can you come here...."
Gab, not knowing what the hell is going on....
says "Yes, I'm on my way!"
(that is love, she lives 2hours away)

And that would be an adventure I never want to experience again...
(Monday I went to the doctor btw, and got some fantastic drugs that not only didn't make me trip out, but helped my neck...which is almost better now.)

Colin, (who started the job in KY) was offered a job w/ Nestle on Thursday of last week.
(are you following this??? because it's very confusing..even for me)
He was home at 2am on Saturday...after being gone for 2weeks.
So, instead of moving to KY this Friday, we're moving to Ohio (hopefully) next Friday.
If you live in Ohio give me a heads up....
I'd love to hang out....and I promise I'm not bringing any oxycodone w/ me.

Colten's birthday is the 27th...
right smack in the middle of the upcoming move...
so we birthdayed early, and he now has a BMX bike...
thanks to contributions from all of his family members.
It's a MirraCo BMX...
which is pretty cool because we're really going to miss it here...
I don't think the boys quite realize yet,
that we probably won't run into Dave Mirra
at the Starbucks in Ohio....
the bike is also called SHORTY....
yeah...
that would be Coley's bike..
He's pretty happy (and cute)....

And if you've gotten this far you deserve a prize...
or at least a word of thanks.
THAT was long.

I promise to update more often....
except for possibly the month coming up...
because I'll be living in a hotel.

It's one of my NY's resolutions to blog more often....
so we'll see how it goes.
(one of many)
xxxxxxxxxxxe

WHAT? I can't hear you....my ears hurt....

I may just owe you a phone call or an email...
maybe a Christmas card even...
and it's coming...
but I've been sick all week.
I've barely had a voice.
Finally went to the doctor yesterday,
and I have a double ear infection.
Which makes me sound like a two year old.
No end of grief from the husband....
who thinks it's funny.
They hurt though...the ears.
It's no wonder babies scream all night when they have an ear infection....
they want to rip their freaking ears off....
(and they want some pain meds...
and a stiff drink)

So before becoming completely incapacitated,
and resigned to sleeping on the couch...
I spend Friday and Monday in the boy's classrooms
(please note this explains WHY I'm sick...
40 little germy people all hugging on me)
helping w/ Christmas parties and gingerbread house
building.
Colten made a 2 story gingerbread mansion.
The kids were so creative...I loved watching them,
and of course listening to a bazillion hysterically funny stories.
Kindergarteners and second graders, they still think moms are very cool.

Gabby, Mike, and the Max-dog came Saturday....bringing good cheer, and some styrofoam cones, buttons, and pins.
Gab and I made some button trees a la Tia....
we opened presents, and ate some food.
Good times...
And even though Jack remarked "OH, only clothes"...I think you can tell by the photo he actually really DID want the arsenal jersey... he really DOES like it....and he really didn't take it off for three days.

Speaking of clothes.
We went to the mall on Sunday to finish up some Christmas shopping.
Personally I try to avoid said mall at all costs, but it was necessary....
We get in American Eagle...and Jack
(who normally would rather hide in the clothes rack)
walks over to the hats,
picks one up, puts it on, and declares it "his" hat.
What the fascination was with that particular hat we have no idea....but he insisted. We didn't think it was necessary...but still he persisted..."it's the perfect hat, it's my hat, I'll wear it everyday"....So, we got the hat...he's worn it everyday.
And as Colin said....it does look like "his" hat.
Like it was made for the Jack.

Saturday before the Feks arrived,
Coley had his first ever wrestling tournament.
Let me rephrase that...his first ever meet/tournament rolled into one. He had been to all of 5 practices....
And they signed him up for a tournament. Whoa...
It sort of made me want to throw up....
He lost all four matches...
but he LOVED it.
And the coaches are the nicest (big, strong, tough guy wrestlers)
you'll ever meet. At the end of each match, they would lift Colten up on their shoulders, he was just beaming.
Beaming....
and
making me giggle in his singlet (unitard)
all 55 pounds of him.
Ahhh...what we do for our middle children....
so they feel they have their own niche.
heehee...

Ok, I'm going back to the couch now.
Thank God for Colin and Jared....my HUGE and wonderful helps.
I hope everyone has a VERY
Merry Merry Christmas.

xxe

On the roll of film I have yet to develop are the pictures of the red and green striped mohawk...
OMG...you'll love it...very festively rad.
Next post.

Ya Who?

a few weeks ago.

Jack: Knock knock
Aunt Gabby: Who's there?
Jack: Yohan...
Aunt Gabby: Yohan? Yohan who?
Jack: OH, no wait, that's wrong....it's suppose to be YA

last night.

Jack: Knock knock...
Me: Who's there?
Jack: Ya
Me: Ya who?
Jack: it's not that exciting mom, why you saying YAHOO?
Me: Knock knock
Jack: Who's there?
Me: Yohan...
Jack: Yohan...HEY...THAT is NOT funny!

Fra-gee-lay. That must be Italian...

2 out of 3 moving estimates were finished this morning...
"HOW-A-YOU-YaH....
HOW-A-YOU-YaH....
HOW-A-YOU-YaH...." as Jack would say.
(Hallelujah....darn funny when he sings it after having something go his way)
The company has to have three done, and then they pick one for us.
I suppose since they're paying and all.....but it's still a freaking waste of my morning.

My weekend--->
Saturday Colin and I hired a babysitter (Jared) and went Christmas shopping alone...like big people and everything. We even had lunch. Very exciting.
The most exciting part really was that the house was completely intact when we arrived home, and the children were all happy. They actually listened to their brother. Will wonders never cease?!
Dinner was this, and it was really good. The fries....oooh yum. RR, annoys the begesus out of me, but you can't hear her speak on the website, and the girl CAN cook. We did grill the burgers though....
Sunday--->
On the way home from church I got a bloody nose.
Checked the glove box no tissues, no napkins....
My purse, similar story....with the exception of one pad.
Yes I used a maxi pad.
And aside from the hysterical laughter coming from my husband and Jared,
I thought it was a brilliant solution....
Colin just wanted me to "put my head down" (so no one saw me)
Frankly I think Always may want to consider a new product line because aside from the sticky side....it was very helpful and worked wonders.

I think I'm going to be watching this tonight, which is going to be extremely painful. Although every time Jack says "Garfield A Tail of Two Kitties" because he refuses to just say Garfield....Colin says "It was the best of kitties and the worst of kitties" and EVERY time it makes me laugh. Lucky this movie is a week long rental....because I put it off all weekend.
I think Jack may call me on it tonight though.....
I am however super excited to go see THIS. I love Martin Short..... Ed Grimley. Does anyone else remember SNL back then?!? Good stuff...I must say.

And Rachel sent me this last week, because she is THAT sweet...and I am loving it. Grant it, I think I'm making a mockery of the stitches, and I still have no clue how I'm suppose to end things....but I'm doing my own thing...and having the best time. Felt ornaments, scrap-pages....
big fun I tell you.

More Nisa photos.
We never have any of the two of us.
I really like the one I'm making an "ewwwww" face when Col kissed me...that's so us.
After looking at the photos two things are clear though, I need to figure out where the nearest Jenny Craig is after we move....and I may have to pick up some Rogaine for Colin. Schweet....

More Christmas journal pages coming soon..............
really..............xxxe

Falalalala...lalalala.....

So....we "Christmased our house"...
(last year or maybe the year before Jack announced that we needed to "Christmas our house!" which I guess was small boy speak for "put some lights up outside peeps!" So that's what we all say now...time to "Christmas the house"...)
And I'm in love with my tree.
It's a mess....but every ornament reminds me of something special...and I love that.

That's really all...but I wanted to mention---
The crocheted flowers on my day one page below are from Poppy Ink (also known as the best kit club around).
Heather's mom actually made them all.....holy cow, eh?
Yes, I'd been hoarding them....

And the Christmas photo that is on my 3rd page is by Nisa ...it's also my banner...and will soon be made huge and will grace a wall in my living room...looove that shot of my boys.
If you ever have a chance to have Nisa take your photo...DO IT!
She's amazing. (and funny, and darn cute)
But I wanted to add that.....

I'll post some more Christmas journal shots this weekend...
xe

Angles and Angels

Story of the day:
Gabby got me a shirt that says "ANGEL" across the front.
The first time I wore it Colten asked "Why are you wearing a shirt that says angle?"
No buddy it says "angel" "ohhhhhhhhh..."
So yesterday I had on an AE hoodie that says "Eagle" across the front.
Coley said "Ahh, angel, because you are an ANGEL!" (Obviously he wanted something at that moment) "No buddy, this one says eagle" "ohhhhhh...well you're no eagle, so don't go getting any ideas and start spitting food in my mouth ok"
Ok....

So I'm working at my own pace on my Christmas journal, but loving it....
Christmas journal of the day (errr....a few days ago really):
Here is Day one (the manifesto....let's just say that word a few times....do you say it w/ an accent? me too)
- Day two (my feelings on snow, aka the weather in NC)
and Day three (Christmas cards, or lack there of, see previous post) ...
All done and scanned....
When Gabby is here I'll have her take some photos
of the lot of it....
because I am not a scanner fan (ner?)...
and the scanner is not a fan of me.
enuf said.
See if I were digital, you'd see that day 2 is 2 different size pages, but the back of day three is snowflake stamps...so it works out....
I could scan that...yes, that's true. but I didn't.
And page 2 of Day 3 is to clip the cards we receive, hence the lack of much going there.
(the little ribbon tree was going to be our card this year...cough cough....but now at least it's on something!)

I thought this journal would encourage me to blog more
...but clearly that's not going to happen. xxxe

Aunt Bethany, does your cat eat jello?

I can not believe tomorrow is December.
The last few weeks have flown.
It's been sort of like I've been on a
neverending episode of the surreal life,
but that's ok....
The weekend before Thanksgiving we left for Jared's weekend tournament and within the first 20minutes of the car trip, Colten had thrown up, and we blew a tire.
Not to be outdone by his brother Jack followed up Coley's w/ his own puke festival on thanksgiving night.
Nice.
Sort of ended the evening for all....
pumpkin pie for breakfast anyone?!
Jared decided to hold off until we started decorating the Christmas tree.

Where do you think you're going?
Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no.
We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here.
We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.

Ok, I'll stop making everyone gag....no more strepthroat speak.

I am NOT making Christmas cards this year.
There...I said it.
I know that whole bit about making myself accountable...
yeah, well...it didn't happen, I don't feel guilty,
and Martha Stewart cards were 50% off at KMart.
(definitely, definitely KMart...could she not have gone with Target?!?.....sheeesh)

Jack has taken to singing "Smack THAT"....
which while comical hopefully isn't taking place at school.
I so do not need to try to act like an adult while being reprimanded by the principal. (she kind of scares me)

My favorite thing from the boys Christmas lists (so far):
Jack after listing various toys, games and a slushy maker...."$20,000, infinity money, and beer that I can have"...HUH?!?!? Later that was edited to add "root" in front of the beer....in an effort to not upset Santa I believe.

Our tree is up (I said that already)....
I wanted to make sure we got it up before Colin had the chance to say "Merry Christmas, we're moving Monday"....
Now we have to stay until at least December 26th....right?!!?

Signed up for the christmasjournal... Can not wait for tomorrow....totally needed a little creative fun just for me. Here I'm suppose to make my intentions known....
and err...this will NOT be like the Christmas cards...nope.

Manifesto: Noun. A declaration of one's intentions.

Starting December first, I will keep a Christmas journal. In it, I will write something every day to reflect on the holidays of my past, enjoy the holidays of the present and dream about the holidays of my future. To some, this will be a stack of papers and trivial scribbles, but not to me. I am taking back my Christmas, I am letting it be something I relish and, most importantly, I am giving at least fifteen minutes every day to myself no matter how crazy this season becomes. I hope you will share, encourage and understand as I make something with my own hands, my own words and my own memories.

I may post some or all of my entries here. Other artists are doing this with me, and you can see their work here. Or you may join us.

Above all: enjoy the season. I will.

and with THAT, I leave you w/some random Christmas photos and outtakes to go w/ my random post...because you HAVE to have photos...and looking back, some of these are just funny...(look at baby jack w/ NO hair!) xxxe