A few favorites from Galveston

Beauty on the beach


we got some strange lady on the beach to take this one

Chasing seagulls


Our sandcastle


Kissies!


Awww!


My guys


2 of me and my baby boy

HOTT mommas

If you read Brooksy's blog- her post about the budoir party- I'll just say "Yea, what she said."
If not, well..

It was the most amazing experience. I wanted to get a couple of cute, sexy pics for the hubby. Nothing too racy, ya know.
Well- after going- WOW! I feel beautiful, sexy, feminine, empowered. I cannot rave about it enough.
I get a hig just thinking about it. I was floating on a cloud during and after the thing.
Sexy make-up, fake eyelashes, and a photographer who actually knows how to work with a woman (and maybe more importantly- a woman's body)!
Kandi was AWESOME! I cannot wait to have her photograph me again. She is worth any price, and definitely didn't get her due for these shoots!

The poses, outfits, make-up, and the company were amazing!
I am so excited to see the finished product.

Also- I love my friends. I have always known they were smart and wonderful women. I have always considered them pretty, attractive girls.
I was wrong... they are SMOKIN! Michelle, with her pretty eyes and her "girl next door" looks. (Yea- right!) You looked amazing, girl. Seriously.
And Christine with her "airbrushed" ass. She looks like a 16 year old (are you sure you've had a kid? You make me sick). I just wanted to smack her tight little bottom all night. I'm glad I got to once before we went home. ;o) And to see her all "girly" was surreal, and awesome. Beautiful.

Mel and Tasha looked beautiful. Brittany was stunning (I don't think I told you- but you were!). I wish I would have gone in to see her shoot!

I'm so glad Rachel and Danielle came, even if they didn't play.

I love you girls! All of you! :kisses:

(there are so many more great (fully clothed!!!) pics, but of course- Blogger is not cooperating. I'll try to edit them in later!)

and we're back!

Galveston was AWESOME!
I always get mixed reviews from everyone about Galveston. Let me tell you- for a weekend away, with kids, where you don't spend a million- GO! It is great! I didn't want to come home!
3 days was definitely not long enough!

Granted- the first beach we tried was a little nasty. The sand was pretty dark, and there was a ton of sea weedy crap everywhere. But the next day we tried another one, and it was pretty good. And we didn't even venture out to Crystal Beach- so I am guessing it was even better.
The kids loved playing in the sand. They weren't too crazy about the waves hitting them, so we didn't do a lot of swimming.

Cotton and I loved driving up and down the seawall. We were just like "aaaah, ocean." So relaxing.

Moody Gardens was amazing. Worth every penny of the $39.95 admission! (eek!!!)
Of course, Jacob was 3 that day- $40 is a little steep to pay for HIM to get in.
The aquarium was awesome! The rainforest was really cool. The 4D IMAX was SO much fun, and the fact that they were showing SPONGEBOB was perfect!
The kids loved the "ship," aka the paddleboat. It was a ton of fun to cruise around the bay and drink pina coladas (which I don't even like, but THESE were YUM!)
Next trip- we'll get the 2 day pass to the gardens for the bargain price of $49.95.

We ate some good food.
The first night we went to this mexican place called Tortuga. YUMMY! They had a lady pushing around a guacamole cart. :drool: I think she just needs to follow me around every day!

We also went to the Rainforest Cafe. I wasn't overly impressed- but it is one opf those places you have to try at least once- especially if you have kids.
The food was *okay*, and the atmosphere was kind of disturbing for little guys. It was WAY too loud in there.
We visited their gift shop and loaded up on souveniers. Cotton got me a cute pink shell necklace, and Lucy a pink and white one to match me... awwwww!

Blogger is officially KILLING me! More pics to come... LOTS more...

In just 4 days

We are blowing this joint!
Packing the minivan, taking the pets to their assorted sitters, and going on our first family vacation!
We'll be spending 3 or 4 days in Galveston. No set itinerary yet- we're just gonna head down there and play it by ear.

In the meantime, I have a few hefty projects ahead of me.

I have to meet with all of the returning soccer parents, and get them to sign the roster, and pay me for the upcoming season.
Lets GO MIGHTY MUNCHKINS!!! :o)

I have to go shopping for a bathing suit that actually looks good on ME. Okay, so I'll settle for halfway decent...

I have the famous "budoir" party on Saturday- so I still have to find a costume, pick some poses, and buy my fake eyelashes. ;o)

Of course, I need to get the house clean and pack our stuff!

**********

Update on E-dog:
He can now sit, shake, lay down, and roll over! Yay, Emmitt!
He is incredibly smart, and eager to please. As soon as he gets out of his crate, he is sitting at my or Cotton's feet, with that paw in the air! :o)
He and Fiona are absolutely adorable together. They LOVE each other. They share a food bowl, and chase each other around all day long. When Emmitt goes outside to potty, Fiona sits at the window and cries for him.

**********

I finally wrote a letter to Aaron. That makes it 3 to me, and 1 to him. I am a terrible sister.
It's not from a lack of thinking about him, though.
I just don't have much to write about, or the time to make up anything interesting!

He seems to be really enjoying himself at boot camp, and doing really well. He said they haven't gotten much training done, because of the heat. It's *in the 90's* there. Oddly enough, my native TX bro doesn't think it's hot! Lol!

I am so proud of my 'little' brother!
We miss you, Bonk!

**********

And last but certainly not least-
HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY TO CHRISTINE!
I hope you have a wonderful day!

...and I still think Ryan needs a foot up his butt. Who throws their wife a surprise party, and doesn't invite her BFF? (or any of her other friends for that matter)
I hope he is satisfied that a dozen the women in Texas want to kick his butt.

**********

Oh, one more hting...
Check out Pooh's blog. I finally managed to get the rest of his pics uploaded. Time to set him loose with the camera again!

He starts pre-school in 3 weeks. I can't believe it!
He is actually excited about it, though. He doesn't seem all that nervous, which is GREAT!
I'll be the one shedding all the tears, I guess. :o( They grow up so darn fast!

Every so often

I'll get that PERFECT picture of my kids together. Both smiling, both looking at the camera, both clean and wearing something cute...


This is one of them!

Bad things happen when I shower

Brooksy hit the nail right on the head.
I decided to take a quick shower yesterday, before we headed out to her house.

When I got out, Lucy walked into the bedroom- covered in lipstick. She had my wedding ring around her finger, caked with lipstick.
Jacob was right behind her, with a huge wad of gum in his mouth.

Yep- they pretty much destroyed the entire contents of my purse.

My brand new, never been worn Estee Lauder lipstick- all over Lucy, my ring, the inside of my purse, my camera, THE CARPET, and everything else imaginable.
My litter that I had just written to Aarona nd sealed up- ripped to shreds.
My form to go to the mortgage company- torn to bits.
An entire pack of gum- everywhere. Some chewed, some not.
My cash- scattered to the wind. My gas card- missing.

I was so freaking MAD!!!
I yelled at jacob "Don't talk to mommy. I am very angry right now." And I sent Lucy to her room, because I just didn't want to look at her. I know she was the mastermind of the mischief. jacob just wanted some gum. Lol.

Fast forward to last night, a MIRACLE. Cotton got the lipstick up out of the carpet. Thank God.

Bad things happen when I shower... so if my body odor is ever slightly offensive, cut me some slack. ;o)

I'm not saying anything...

except: Tell me this little guy isn't a beautiful dog!
And no, he does not live with us. He only visits...

I wish photographing animals wasn't so HARD!
I couldn't do him justice. He looks like he has tiger stripes, and he has such pretty eyes.

His name is Emmitt, and he is about the sweetest little pup you'd ever want to snuggle with. :o)

American Staffordshire Terrior

and boy are they beautiful.
We are going to look at the litter today. We have 2 weeks to decide, but I think it's already done.
I held a couple last night, and they smelled so sweet, and one licked my face.... Aaaahh puppy love.

Jacob is already infatuated with "the black one."

We have been dog-lonely since Toby left. Even more so since we tried to get him back, but couldn't. :o(
Those stupid dog food commercials have me near tears...

A lab was just too much for us, or so we thought. But now we realize exactly how much work a dog is going to take. And we're okay with that. We really are. We'll be more careful selecting a breed... and we'll know that we've got a rough 2 years ahead of us.

So, that's the update. For now.

I am excited to take my kids to play with 9 puppies this evening. It will be heaven for them! :-D A definite Kodak moment!

And I'm sure I'll have photos of "the one" to post here... then the long 2 week wait begins!

Fun in the sun- with COUSINS!

We haven't gotten to play with sweet Abby and baby Kelsie for a while. Last night they came over for an evening of fun, fun, fun!

Kelsie- at the ripe old age of 9 months- is WALKING! Wow!


And isn't she beautiful?


Abby- as always, cute as a bug's ear. :o)


There's that tell-tale curl in the middle of her forehaead ;o)


Jacob driving one of his vehicles


And the other one- the boy's got plenty of wheels!


Even Miss Lucy decides to go for a spin, which is kind of rare...

It's only been a month

since I last blogged. Not so long, right?

Where to begin?

We finally FINALLY got our patio poured. Since it was free, you can't complain much, right?
Here are the wild monkey children trying it out




Aaron left for the Army. It was a very happy, and very sad day.
I'm so proud of him!



Lucy got a bicycle! No, she can't actually ride it- YET, but she wouldn't fit on a trike, so...



Jacob thought it was pretty cool that they were "bof da same!"



I've been doing some sewing- even making money at it!
Here is one of my creations-



My parents actually moved into their house! Right down the road!! 4 miles to be exact!!!
Cotton and I went on our first date in years- and it was pefect!
Here's hoping there are many more in our future!
I even bought myself a few *cute* outfits. Like feminine and sexy- because I might actually gt to wear them and not have a nose wiped across my shoulder, or sticky handprints down the side of my skirt!

Hmm... a few other random things...

I love chocolate yoplait. Yum! It's a new addiction, and a HEALTHY one!

We might actually go on a REAL vacation next month. Seriously! It is in the works.

Fiona is a total hellion. I love her anyway. :o)

I've reconnected with a few friends that I had lost touch with, by my choice. I hope that these friendships can be better than they were the last time.

I cleaned out and organized my oantry AND my linen closet- go me!

I'm over myspace. It was fun, for a while...

jacob is totally and completely obsessed with CARS. Like I've never seen him- since Thomas. Lol.

I still haven't ru-hung my pictures from when we painted. In March. But i plan to do it TOMORRW! I SWEAR!

And last, but not least, MY momma is blogging again. so go check her out- link below. :o)

What is wrong with DAM?

I don't like this at all! :o(

Beautiful

Had a little photo shoot with the very talented Nicole Eades today. "Happy" doesn't begin to describe how I feel about the outcome.

http://www.nicoleeades.com/clients/Cates/

My babies are so beautiful!

the funniest thing he's ever said

Jacob came into the bedroom the other night, as I was drying off from my shower.
He stood behind me chattering away about random stuff, then says "Momma, you like to eat so that your bottom will get bigger." I say, ummm... I guess so. Then he adds "and it iiis BIGGER!"

Of course, I immediately blamed Cotton. That had to be a set up. He claims he is innocent.
Other than that, I guess Jacob's logic is that he eats to make his muscles bigger. Of course they are quite big ;o). Mommy has a big bottom, so that must be where her food goes, right?
Smart kid.

Welcome, summer!

We've been waiting for you!
Today was the day that we got those new bathing suits wet for the first time. We loaded up and headed to our favorite sprinkler park.

Last year, Jacob was a little scared of the water. Wouldn't go anywhere near it. I wondered how it would go over today...

This has got to be one of my all-time favorite pics of him!


Yep- that is my son, UNDER the water!


CHEESE!



Miss Thang, on the other hand, was content to walk around just looking cute in her bikini, staying mostly dry.


"Maybe I'll just stick my hand in..."
(isn't her face priceless in this one? Lol!)


Oh, and she had to ride a "quack," naturally...



Breaktime. We love Sonic drinks! I thought it was so darn cute when they sat down back-to-back. :-D Almost like they love each other...



Lmbo! I just realized that Jacob is blowing his straw-paper in this shot! A little trick he picked up from yours truly! That's my boy!

Thanks for looking!

Stole it, love it

Sue me. People steal enough stuff from MY blog! :oP

You Know You're From Texas When...

You see more Texan flags than American flags.

You know someone who ate the 72 oz steak and got it for free.

You attend a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewelry, and your Cowboy Boots.

You can write a check at Dairy Queen for 2 Hungr-Busters and fries.

You prefer Whataburger to McDonalds.

You dress up to go shopping at the mall.

You've hung ornaments and tinsel on a tumbleweed and used it as a Christmas tree.

You're disappointed when a food doesn't come in spicy flavor.

You know from experience that rattlesnake meat tastes like chicken.

You can tell a rock from an armadillo at 300 yards.

You know what a 'Cowboy Cadillac' is.

You have both a dog and a brother-in-law named Bud

Your local grocery store sells cactus in the Fresh Produce department

You watch the movie Urban Cowboy and laugh at the phony Texan accents

You choose a brand of Mexican salsa with the same care that another might use to select a bottle of fine wine

You think that the 4 basic food groups are nachos, bar-b-que, fajitas, and Copenhagen.

You refer to the Dallas Cowboys as "God's favorite football team"

You know whether another Texan is from South, West, East, North, or Central Texas as soon as they open their mouth.

You don't consider people from Austin to be real Texans.

Your Pastor wears boots.

There is no such thing as a "secret" sin.

The Blue Book value on your truck goes up and down depending on how much gas it has in it.

You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Texas.

I'm going to be a mommy again!

I am so excited! I'm getting a new little girl!
It took a lot of convincing and pleading to get Cotton on board, but I finally won. :o)
Here she is, isn't she precious?

If all goes well, we'll bring her home Saturday.
Now I have to think of a name...

I have been a "cat person" my entire life. For the past several years, cats have been kind of out of the question. What with baby bottles and litter boxes and little tots toddling around...
Of course, we had Rascal for a month or 2, and that was okay. Until he ran off on us and broke Jacob's heart. :o(

I haven't told Jacob about the new kitty. I am scared something will happen and he will be devastated. I'll just let him be surprised when we pick her up. Yay! He wants a pet so badly, and he LOVED Rascal. This is going to be GREAT!

Happy Mother's Day

to my mom, and all of my friends that are awesome moms.
A few tearjerkers, so that we can sniffle together:

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom,
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom,
I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about
how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies,

Before I was a Mom
I didn’t worry about whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom
I had never been puked on
Pooped on
Spit on
Chewed on
Peed on
Or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom
I had complete control of my mind, my thoughts,
And my body.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I
Didn’t want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I
Couldn’t stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew that I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know the special bond between a mother and her child.
I didn’t know something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
Every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth
The joy
The love
The heartache
The wonderment
Or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much…
Before I was a Mom.

Real Mothers

Real mothers don’t eat quiche; they don’t have time to make it.
Real mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.
Real mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens, and happy kids.
Real mothers know that dried Playdough doesn’t come out of carpet.
Real mothers don’t know what the vacuum just sucked up.
Real mothers sometimes ask “why me?” and get their answer when little voice says, “because I love you best!”
Real mothers know that a child’s growth is not measured by height or years or grade. It is marked by the progression of Mama to Mommy to Mom.

Babies Don’t Keep

Cleaning and dusting can wait ‘til tomorrow
For babies grow up, so much to our sorrow
So quiet down laundry
Dust go to sleep
I’m nursing my baby, and babies don’t keep

If You Give A Mom A Muffin

> > If you give a mom a muffin,
> > She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
> > She'll pour herself some.
> > Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.
> > She'll wipe it up.
> > Wiping the floor, she'll find dirty socks.
> > She'll remember she has to do laundry.
> > When she puts the laundry in the washer,
> > She'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
> > Bumping into the freezer will remind her
> > she has to plan for supper.
> > She will get out a pound of hamburger.
> > She'll look for her cookbook
> > ("101 Things To Do With a Pound of Hamburger").
> > The cookbook is setting under a pile of mail.
> > She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
> > She will look for her checkbook.
> > The check book is in her purse
> > that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
> > She'll smell something funny.
> > She'll change the two-year-old's diaper.
> > While she is changing the diaper, the phone will ring.
> > Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
> > She'll remember she wants to phone a friend for coffee.
> > Thinking of coffee will remind her
> > that she was going to have a cup.
> > And chances are... If she has a cup of coffee,
> > Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.
> > ~author unknown

-----------------------------------------


And some of my favorie quotes:

“If your baby is ‘beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time,’ you’re the Grandma.”
-Theresa Bloomingdale

“If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?”
-Milton Berle

“Having a child is surely the most beautifully irrational act that two people in love can commit.”
-Bill Cosby

"A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank-account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the make of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a child."
-Author Unknown

"If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much."
-Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did like pie."
-Tenneva Jordan

--------------------------------------

Have a great day, moms! We deserve it!

A few random pics

My big 4 year old with one of his cakes:

Getting his first professional haircut- none too thrilled:

After- he looks so darn OLD:

Lucy and THE boots. Yes, she is wearing fur lined, suede boots in 90 degree weather. YOU tell her she can't! Lol!:


Thanks for looking! :o)

Forgive me

Remembering to blog is hard work sometimes!

Wellll...

the past week and a half have been pretty eventful...

I got to use my new fishing pole, and christened it with a not-too-shabby bass! (Thanks, Dad, btw. I absolutely LOVE it!)

We had our end of the season soccer party, and realized that people really do appreciate what we do. Go figure.

I went to a FABULOUSLY good mexican resteraunt, had a few delicious margaritas and some awesome food. All on the gift cert. our soccer parents got for us! Thanks guys!

I have been looking at houses with my mom. They really are trying to move really really close to me. How awesome would that be?

I tried on some gauchos, and I bought some gauchos. For Lucy. These thighs in those pants...? I don't think so. Her thighs are just as chubby, but in a cute way. :O)
She also got a bikini, because she is too chunky for a one piece. It just doesn't work that way for grown up girls, does it? Lol.

I got my office cleaned and organized, for the most part.
I made and hung my living room curtains. Theya re gorgeous.

I got fired from watching my nieces. On my voicemail. I am still tending those wounds... still pulling on that knife in my back.

We found a great new home for Toby. We are all sad, but I think he is happy. The kids will be happy once we water down this fertilizer and ant killer- and they get the yard all to themselves, all day every day!
We are not dog people, apparently.
Especially not 85lb of bouncing off the wall, eating anything in my reach, leaving mountains of poo DOG people.

Jacob's party is Sunday. It is going to be huge. If you have kids, and live withing 50 miles of us- you are on the guest list. Okay, maybe not.
But all of their friends. BOTH of the kids' friends, because I hate to leave people out, all of the family, and all of the soccer team (which are new friends) are coming. I am a little nervous, actually. I am a LOT glad it isn't at my house! I get to have all the fun, and then leave. Woohoo!
I really have to get cracking on planning that cake, though...

Hmm... that oughta catch you up. I have a camera full of pictures I could post. However, thanks to Aaron, I still have plenty of room on that memory stick. I don't have to download them yet, so I haven't.

HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE!

Jacob is 4!!!

Obviously, I didn't forget his birthday. I just forgot to blog about it.

So my firstborn is 4. He is no longer a baby. He is all tall and skinny, speaks in complete and conversational sentances, uses the potty with very minimal help.
What a great age! He is so much fun now! He has a sense of humor, he makes me sandwiches, he says sweet things and kisses me because he missed me while I was at the store. :-D He can kick a soccer goal, and catch a fish all by himself. He picks out a Spiderman swimsuit instead of an Elmo one. He is such a FUN little person to hang out with these days, and very little work!

Let's go back in time... to April 2002!
So tiny and precious!


Hello beautiful!


This is my all-time favorite picture. Cotton captured us, as we were many many times, absolutely zonked out together. Being a new mommy is freaking exhausting! They don't show this on TV! lol!


My sweet little guy!


After his first bath.


Happy birthday, my Jakey the Pooh Bear. I love you because you're mine. I love you more because of the person you are becoming. I am so glad I get to be your mom!

I'll never be 26 again

The 27th anniversary of my birth has come and gone.
It was a good day! Much love to those who made me feel so special:

My sweet baby boy- thank you for the bobbers! As soon as I get a sitter for your sister, I will go fishing with you so that we can use them!

Cotton- thank you for the new camera, for bringing me mexican food for lunch, and for planning a big surprise with your parents!

In-laws and Uncle Jamie- thank you so much for the gorgeous bookshelf. My office is looking amazing!
And a big thank you to my sweetheart of a FIL, for baking me a cake! I love that man!

Mom and Dad- thank you for dinner, and for the early present of my beautiful kitchen curtains and runner!

Aaron and Ashley- I can take over 300 pictures now! thanks for the memory stick! you guys rock!

Geri- thanks for the kitchen stuff! I love that you were so very thoughtful! Come over soon and we will put that salter and those margarita glasses to good use!

Tish- I am dancing in my car constantly, thanks to you! And thanks for the slide, I love it!

Micha Baby- thanks for the fajitas! Yummmmmm! You certainly know the way to my heart!

BFF- thanks for books! If that isn't the best gift ever, what is? I'll return your bag soon. ;oP

Thank you to all of my awesome friends for all of the attention and birthday wishes! I can't stop laughing at 4 freaking threads! This attention whore will never forget that!

At the end of my birthday, I am feeling sappy. I have so much love in my life. I have a great family, and I have 2 best friends that I never want to GO A MONTH WITHOUT SEEING again! I just cannot stop smiling tonight. I love you all!

My baby... Hmmmm

Isn't she pretty?



It's a funny thing, though.
I'm not sure exactly when I started referring to my mom as "Mom." I was probably in the area of 10-12 years old. I do know for sure that I was well beyond the tender age of 2!

My daughter, however, has become too cool for "Momma," or even the cutest little "Mommy" that she was trying out for a while. It's "mom." From my barely 2 year old. Sheesh.

Me: Eat your fish sticks, baby
Lucy: It's hot, Mom. (eye roll)I want yogurt!

Me: Stop playing in the sink (for the 100th time today), and come out of the bathroom, Sweetie
Her: I wanna potty, Mom. Shut the door.(defiantly stomps over and sits down)

You get the idea. She denies that she is a loving baby anymore. She has gone from 2 to 12 in a week!
Complete with eye rolling, back talking, and all.

Let me tell you- I am sooo looking forward to a REAL 12 year old Lucy. If she gains another ounce of attitude, I may throw myself off of a bridge.

Honestly, I love her strength. I love how determined she is, and how she doesn't take shit off of anyone. I love that she knows what she wants, and she goes for it without hesitation. These traits will get a young woman very far in a man's world. I wouldn't change her if I could.
But she's not in a man's world yet. She is still living in Elmo's World for a half an hour a day!

My little blessing, my joy, and my biggest challenge.
I think I'll keep her. ;o)

Headache

Not everyone knows this, but I get hellacious migraines. Not as often as I used to, thank god. I am down to 2 or 3 a month. For a while there, it was 4 or 5 a week.
Well... I think I have one coming on. It sucks.

I have a lot to do today- I need to stuff eggs for tomorrow, I need to touch up paint before Monday, I need to do laundry in a major way, I need to clean up my office, I need to steam clean my carpets. Ugh.
Bunko is here on Monday, and I would prefer it if the house looked presentable. Right now it looks as if a bunch of wild monkeys were camping out, along with their friends the pigs family.

Anyway- needless to say, I could do without the headache this weekend.
Not to mention, I have to see 60 of Cotton's extended family members tomorrw. Hang out outside with the sun and the smoke (2 of my major migraine triggers), and try to keep an eye on my children while they mingle with 30 other children. Woohoo~ Easter rules!
At least his cousin quit hitting on me. I think.

Okay... time to pop some pills.
Sorry to be a downer. :o(

Maybe I shouldn't have...

This is kind of a long story, but I'll keep it as brief as possible. I really need to get this off my chest, even if only a couple of you understand.

I was in an online mom's group, for over a year. It was the first playgroup I ever joined, and I gained SO much from it! For the first year or so it was awesome- lots of friends, lots of fun.

Then some of those friendships went South. I got my feelings hurt a few times. The overall "feel" of the group changed, and my inbox was filling up with crap that I deleted without reading.
After a month or three of just not vibing anymore, I removed myself from the group.

A few days later, I got 3 emails from people in the group. "Are you okay?" "I can;t believe you left!" etc...
Than last night I ran into another mom from the group. We chatted for a minute, but we both had places to be, and groceries to get home. When I left her, I felt this overwhelming sadness that I probably won't see her anymore, except for chance run-ins like last night. Then I felt even more bummed because there are several others that I won't see either. :o(

When I left the group, I felt good about it. The friendships that failed were "upper management" in the group, so to speak.
But I didn't really think about those who were quiet within the roup, but still hanging on. The ones that I had bonded with, and looked forward to seeing once a month or so.

I can't go back. I don't think I can. Even if I tried, I probably wouldn't be allowed. Not that I did anything wrong, just that *I* quit and not everyone misses me- including the one who possibly would have to let me back in. I wonder if she didn't have something celebratory to say when I removed myself, since that is her MO.

So... there it is. I miss you girls. If you are reading my blog, then obviously we are/were friends at least a little, and I don't want to lose you! Just because I'm not on the board doesn't mean I'm not around!

Supermom

That's me!
After yesterday, I think I can handle anything (kid related, that is!).
Brittany, my sister-in-law, is done with the stay at home gig. She has gone out and gotten herself employed, and that means she needed child care. She asked me to keep my darling nieces 3 days a week, and I accepted. Which brings 2 new acts to our little circus! 2 year old Abigail, and 6 month old Kelsie.


(^ note Lucy's new "CHEESE face")



Well, yesterday was day 2 of having the extra kiddos. We had no food in the house...
So, I did it. I took 4 kids to the grocery store. 2 of these being toddlers, and one infant. I survived!
After loading my cart full of kids and food, barely making it through the checkout, and loading a thousand punds of kids and crap into my van- I patted myself on the back!

We then ventured out to the park, for soccer practice. I had the dynamic duo in the double stroller, fighting the entire time, and the baby in the sling. Jacob was safely in the care of his soccer coach. that is, until he decided he had to go potty!
Luckily, right on cue, Brittany strolls up to collect her offspring before I had to trek across the park with all 4 of them in tow. Whew!

I :heart: Soccer

Well- we are 5 and 2. We only have one game left to play, and Coach and I are both sad! We have really come to love these little guys and gals, and we won't get all 11 of them back in the fall. :o(
Jacob has scored 3 goals. 2 on April 1, and 1 yesterday!
He is really catching on to this soccer stuff. He gets really irritable when he can't get his foot on the ball, and is starting to actually *sprint* across the field to get to the ball! He also got knocked down HARD yesterday, and he stood up, stuck out his lip for a second, and then took off running- not to me, but after the ball! YAY Jacob!
It is wierd to me to hear people all around yelling "Get it Jacob!" and more so to hear "Take it home, Jake!" (side rant: because JAKE isn't even on our team. They may as well call him Paul as far as I'm concerned. He is SO not Jake! Not that I am mad at them, yell away for my little man, but it just sounds really odd to me.)
I'm like "who is yelling at my kid?" I actually stop watching the game for a second and look around. I guess it is just one of those things you get used to. God knows I am yelling their kids' names just as much.

"Did it really go in there?"


So this isn't the mst attractive picture of me- but it's right after his first goal, and I was bawling!

Happy/Sad

My little brother joined the Army.

He has made a few bad choices in his young life, and gotten into some trouble. College isn't happening right now.
He has found himself a path and a future.
I am so proud of him for making a good decision, getting a plan, and stepping up to his life.

But of course, I am sad. I'm scared. I will miss him.
He's leaving in June, and will be in Missouri for the next year and a half. After that...?

I think I will look at things in a new light now, having a soldier in the family. This whole war will hit a lot closer to home.
I have always cried and worried about our troops, and wanted them home, but now..
I can't even imagine my baby brother being in Iraq. In a war that should have been over a long time ago.
Please let this chaos come to an end before he gets sent over there. :o(