Good Credit

What is it good for? ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN'!

The Hole in the Wall

Have you seen this hilarious show? My boys think it's funny to watch and I enjoy it also, but for a much different reason.

How can you NOT laugh when the host says "It's time to face the hole!" Crack.my.ass.up

BUT WAIT - It gets even better! At the end of the game, the host says "It's now time to face your final hole!" OMG - rolling on the floor laughing my ass off!!!!!! I think this line should be required by all persons performing wedding ceremonies!

Sorry - I have a sick, twisted sense of humor!

Out of the Abyss....

We have all been down and out this week - sick as dogs. Luckily Jamie didn't get it (thank God we had someone to take care of us!) but all 3 boys and me - sick, sick, sick. AND it's viral - so basically, suck it up and get over it. ugh.

On top of that the poor baby has an ear infection and a tooth coming in.. a mess.

A Man and his Mama!

A Woman's Poem

He didn't like the casserole
And he didn't like my cake.
He said my biscuits were too hard...
Not like his mother used to make.

didn't perk the coffee right
He didn't like the stew,
I didn't mend his socks
The way his mother used to do.

I pondered for an answer,
I was looking for a clue.
Then I turned around and smacked the shit out of him...
Like his mother used to do.

The Circus - Overrated

So we took the boys to the circus today with my mom and dad (on mom's dime too - :) Anywho - why do we keep going back? The ticket price is outrageous, $60 for 4 adults and 2 children. BUT that was because we bought tickets from the Shriners, at the box office it would have been $80 dollars - just.to.get.in.the.door.

The acts were mediocre at best. Okay, okay - I know I can not balance on a tightrope, but really neither could they - one guy barely saved himself by catching the wire at the last minute when he fell. Also, the guys who walks on the inside and outside of this rotating circle thing - yeah, he almost fell too. My heart was testing by the cost of admission, but was sent into overdrive when those guys were almost dead.

But the highlight of the evening. The man who trained cats! Nooooo, I'm not talking about lions, and tigers (and bears OH MY!) I am talking about MEOW-MEOW kitty cats!

For real.

Cats.

They climbed a post - came down the post. Climbed a post - jumped off the post. I bet that trainers mother is sooooooo proud, really.

There was one act that totally impressed me! This lady was a contortionist! A TRUE CONTORTIONIST! Even Jamie commented on how he had no idea how the back of her head could touch her back while she balanced on her neck. It was the freakiest thing I have ever seen (in real life anyway! The internet is a whole 'nother story!)

So, some of you are probably thinking - she sure is complaining enough about something she didnt' even have to pay for... Well, that is true - but the torture of the circus is much worse than the hit to the pocketbook I would have taken!

So, anyway - whining, or as I like to say, honestly evaluating, is over. Here are a few pics from the circus.

Something Awesome!

Here is the before picture again:

And the AFTER!

I totally made those letters on my cricut too! I am the awesome-est awesome person!

The only thing that stinks is that our tub used to leak a little bit (I can not grout good for the life of me!) and so there are stains on the wall above my new do-hickey sign. Ah well, I don't have anymore of that AWESOME mint green paint they used so it is what it is.

I Rule!

Find out tommorrow how I turned this (where the previous owners painted AROUND a shelf on the wall in the laundry room:















Into something awesome!

A Simple Solution!

Jamie has been working me like a dog around this house to get it ready to sell (THANKS HUN!) He should have been a drill sergeant, seriously. BUT - it's a good thing - no a GREAT thing because he is my motivation. Honestly, we wouldn't get anything done without him.

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Anywho, on the the momentary subject. I want to show you how these:

Helped me with this:

WAH-LAH!

A FREE and EASY solution to my hat/glove/winter stuff issue! I have been using that hideous dollar store yellow/blue flower box since we moved here in 2005 - time.to.go. I was going to buy some baskets - but then I has an epiphany when saw the diaper box and wipe box! It was super easy. It took a few pages of scrapbook paper - my beloved Cricut - and some glue! BAM! Instant and CUTE storage solution! I actually have another wipes box that I might scrapbook up to balance it out up there :)

Who would buy this?

But Wait! Not only can you now make toast with your computer - you can also do this!

Print images on your toast! It would be fun to play with a few times - but would get old. I bet if I worked everyday, this would be fun hooked to my computer!

There are also other wacky USB powered things. Such as missle launcher, which would be great at work!

and this, which any co-worker would love!


















And who could live without the mini-fridge! Probably a pop would be more appropriate for at work though!

-8

Yeah, that's the ACTUAL temp right now.

A Fat Girl's Dream

So I was laying on the couch last night eating some Twizzlers - Well, exactly 9 Twizzlers to be exact - yes I counted! So I was laying on the couch and they were laying on my boobage-area and I was eating them while watching "How I Met Your Mother" (that was hilarious, by the way) and anyway I had eaten them all - and after I sulked for a few minutes (hey! They are like crack!) I was just laying there watching TV and when I went to change the channel my hand bumped into 2 more Twizzlers! Those little buggers had somehow rolled away trying to escape me.

But the funny/embarrassing? part is - when I found them I squealed like a kid on Christmas morning. seriously. Then, when I realized I did that I started cracking up to the point of making myself snort. It was a sight to see I'm sure.

I think I have issues.

No, I know I have issues.

Cold & Snow

Just wanted to update everyone on how *GREAT* Michigan is right now. High's of single digits this week - wahoooooooooooooo.... ick.

Lawd Help Me....

Kitchen Pictures!!

So today we did the ENTIRE kitchen. From clean-up, sanding, washing walls, taping off, plastic down and painting - we did everything. (I use we loosely - I mean Jamie did do all the sanding, for which I am VERY THANKFUL - but I did everything else.He was a huge help though because he wrangled the mini-football team we have created while I worked all day - so it was a teamwork type of day!)

I even pulled out the fridge and cleaned back there and painted. You do NOT want to know how nasty it was back there.... omg.



Anyway, here are some pictures. Nothing too thrilling, because all I did was paint - but trust me, it looks better! We did stop about 1/2 way thru thinking that it was more purple than blue - but we decided it looked well enough to use :)

This pictures doesn't show the walls/ceiling as much as the counters and sink area. Just wanted you to get a feel of the whole room :)

Ok - the question of the day - curtain or no curtain? or different curtain? I'm still not sold! But I'm not gonna patch and fix the holes - so it's this or something else!

Dining Room - TA-DA!

Whew! Finally! It turned out great! The light fixture replaced a ceriling fan circa 1980 and it is beautiful. Best part is that Jamie's mom gave it to us so it was f~r~e~e! We also got new curtains and curtain rods.

Dining table, new light fixture, new curtains, and one plant i am desperately trying not to kill!

Side table (with phone and catch-all basket)

Close up of gorgeous light fixture!

Another view of room .

I can't tell you how upset I am at myself for waiting so long to get it done. That door you see in the third picture has been unfinished since we moved in, almost 4 years ago! Sad really.

This make-over was totally budget friendly too!

Paint & supplies -$25.00
Light Fixture - $4.00 (for hardware to install it)
Window Treatments - $19.00
2 placemats - $5.00
Plant & Planter - $15.00

Total: $69.00 and a little bit of sweat equity!

Crawling - oh no!

Colt is starting to army crawl across the room...it's only a matter of time before I need to put the baby gate back up :( :( :( :(

Dining Room Update - #2

So I finished all the touch ups (I think so anyway) and handmopped every square inch of the floor (boy, did it need it!) So next is to try to get Jamie to install the light fixture and theeeeeeeeeeeen put the room back together! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Dining Room Update - #1

So, I just finished all the trim/cutting in work. WHEW! That is so much more work than rolling! Tommorrow (in the daylight) I will look for touch-ups - then it is a thorough cleaning for the floor, putting the room back together and installing the new light fixture... YAHOO!

Hopefully by next weekend I can show you pics of the COMPLETED dining room.

Then we start on the kitchen!

Now these are cards I would buy!

The New "Say What You Feel" Line of Hallmark

My tire was thumping.
I thought it was flat
When I looked at the tire...
I noticed your cat. Sorry!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heard your wife left you,
How upset you must be.
But don't fret about it...
She moved in with me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking back over the years
that we've been together,
I can't help but wonder...
"What the hell was I thinking?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations on your wedding day!
Too bad no one likes your husband. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How could two people as beautiful as you
Have such an ugly baby?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've always wanted to have
someone to hold,
someone to love.
After having met you ..
I've changed my mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must admit, you brought Religion into my life.
I never believed in Hell until I met you.
(This one reminds me of Erick and one special girl from his past)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the days go by, I think of how lucky I am...
That you're not here to ruin it for me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations on your promotion.
Before you go...
Would you like to take this knife out of my back?
You'll probably need it again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Birthday, Uncle Dad!
(Available only in Alabama , Kentucky & West Virginia)
^I don't know why I think this is funny since it is about Kentucky and all!
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Happy birthday! You look great for your age.
Almost Lifelike!
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When we were together,
you always said you'd die for me.
Now that we've broken up
think it's time you kept your promise
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We have been friends for a very long time ..
let's say we stop?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm so miserable without you
it's almost like you're here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.
Did you ever find out who the father was?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your friends and I wanted to do
something special for your birthday.
So we're having you put sleep
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So your daughter's a hooker,
and it spoiled your day.
Look at the bright side,
it's really good pay.

Dining Room - In progress...

Remember back in, oh October, when I started talking about home improvements? Wellllllll, I am back at it. I don't know why it took a hiatus - I'm sure it was pure laziness on my part ;)

Anyway - we finally finished prepping the dining room (started in October!) and I got all the walls painted and now today I need to do the trim work. It looks freakin' awesome! I love it. It it is the palest shade of yellow, almost an off-white BUT it makes the room feel so warm!

When we bought this house, there was no door to the garage from the house. THE ATTACHED GARAGE HAD NO ACCESS. It was the stupidest thing I had ever seen. So, one of the first things we did was hire a contractor to install a door from the house to the garage and the only room that was possible was the dining room. SO since we have lived here, that door has been unfinished (3 years) and I also painted that yesterday and it is sooooooooo awesome looking already. It makes me almost want to stay....... naw, not really.

Jamie drugged our baby!!!

I know he did! Colt has NEVER slept all night, never EVER EVER! But Jamie gave him a bottle around 10:15 or so (laced with something, I'm sure) and then he slept until ---- 7AM! WAHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOO! It would have been even that much better if I had went to bed before 3:15am, but that's another story. :)

Either way, laced or not laced, Jamie is now the official bottle maker/giver for the evening feeding because he sure did something right!

A Reflection

2008

Hmmm, this year was a rollercoaster of a year for sure.

First and foremost, we completed our family in May with the addition of Colt, our 3rd and last son. It's a wierd feeling to feel "complete" as a mother, but I totally do. Jamie and I had talked about Dane being our last baby, but even within hours of delivering him I just knew I wasn't done. It was wierd, usually the LAST thing a woman thinks about just after delivery is NOT giving birth again.

We also were faced with the reality that Colt's kidney issues that were noticed in utero were not going to resolve itself and we have spent many a hour at Children's Hospital of Detroit with him and will likely spend many, many more in the years to come. To refresh your memory, his right kidney did not develop normally and therefore only a small portion (20-25%) of it works at all, and on top of that - the kidney has grade V reflux (the worst there can be) and hydronephrosis. All around, it's almost useless. NOW TO THE GOOD NEWS - We are fortunate that he has not had any complications resulting from all those issues. It is common for children with reflux to get numerous bladder infections and Colt has not had one at all. He actually has been my healthiest baby ever as far as illness/fever/colds go, go figure.

Colt is just over 7 months now and starting to try to crawl. He does this thing that is not quite an army crawl, but it's more like a push one leg up stiff, and then throw his body forward. Whatever works - he is becoming too mobile for my likings. He has started to wave hi and bye and has a killer smile. He has been by far the happiest baby I have had and loves to play on the floor with his toys for long periods of time. Watch out though, when he's done - he's done and he has the cutest, fakest screechy cry when he thinks you might not be picking him up. It can be cute, but only sometimes.

Hunter started school this year. *sniff sniff* It's hard to see him becoming such a big boy. (Almost as hard as it is to drag the other 2 kids to the bus stop 2 times a day, but that's for another not so positive post!) He is actually in young 5's because he just was not ready for kindergarten. It has proved to be a blessing, he is gaining skills he will need for kindergarten next year and his teacher is beyond amazing with him. We are so fortunate to have such a adorable, loving boy.

Dane, oh Dane. 2008 has proved to be a trying year for you, and therefore Jamie and I :) The addition of Colt was difficult for Dane. Oh, he loves Colt to death - but he was super jealous and resorted back to becoming quite dependent (which is crazy b/c he was SUPER independent) and even peeing his pants again. He is starting to get better now. As I noticed with Hunter, three's are much harder than two's and it proved to be true with Dane as well. I never realized life was so hard for kids :) He is amazingly adorable though, and I just love his shaggy hair and his *big lip* kisses that I get all day long.

Jamie has had quite a few changes this year. He has had a few job transitions, with the most recent one being this week. Hopefully he can find happiness and peace inside of a job he truly loves. I can not express in words how awesome of a father he is (he can be a pretty snazzy hubby too if he tries :) He is never too busy for a wrestling match or a quick video game with his boys. He doesn't care if they only play in the snow for 10 minutes - he will certainly take the 20 minutes it takes to get them all bundled up. AND, he often gets up with the kids so that I can sleep in. He rocks, seriously. I love him to death (didn't I pledge that somewhere???) He even went and had the big *V* this year to ensure our family was complete. He was scared to death, but thoughtful enough of a man to know how much easier it is for men to take care of than woman. I only wish everyone could have someone as great as he is. (oh, but he is absent-minded like a mug. Do NOT ask him to tell someone something or bring something home from the store - not-gonna-happen) :)

My mom is starting to feel better again (well, most days anyway) and we are all blessed to have her as a part of our lives. It was scary there for a while and we were all immensly worried about her. I think 2009 is going to bring her even more prosperity and health EVEN if she doesn't think so :)

This year also brought the closing of my dad's plant; a place where he worked many, many years. It was a hard thing to hear for him, but fortunately he is such an amazing worker and so extremely good at what he does, a buddy of his who is working in Kentucky called and offered dad a job the day after he learned of the plant closing. Even though it seemed a world away, it was the only prospect for him. Unfortunately, the economy in our area is so horribly bad, EVERY industry is hurting. So, currently dad is working in Kentucky, coming home when he can and doing the best he can. The funny thing is - I am probably closer to him than I have been in years b/c we talk much more. It's wierd what you take for granted when it is right in front of your face.

AND - since dad has been displaced, Jamie and I are hoping to make the move to Kentucky this year (even if we have to drag mom kicking and screaming!) Jamie has wanted to move south for a looooooong time, and I was dragging my heels because of my parents being here. Well, now they will be there - so Kentucky here we come! Of course a few things need to fall into place - me securing a teaching position, finding reasonable housing and of course trying to sell this "investment" YEAH RIGHT of a house. We know the chance of it selling is so freaking slim, but we have to try.

So, knowing what I know about 2008 - I have a feeling that 2009 is going to bring even more change and challenges for us but we are super excited at the prospects of it.

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OH - I forgot about me! That is something that is easy to do when you are a mom. Anyway, this year was the last year I will ever hold my own newborn in my hands and have to overwhelming feeling of love for a new little man that I have been carrying for so long. I really do feel complete as a family, but those moments are sooooooooo special it's hard to think you will never have another.

I had every intention of losing weight, but actually ended the year at more than I began the year - I suck at exercise committment. I did give up pop for the most part, rarely buying for the house - but that made no difference. The secret to my fatness is lazyness. I know it - I just can't seem to motivate myself to change it. It sucks.

As far as career goes, I like the job I have now, but I want, no need, more. I really want to get back into education and that is never going to happen in Michigan because of the crappy job market in education. That is why the prospect of moving to Kentucky is all the more exciting for me. I love my boys and spending a lot of time with them, but I miss summers off and I think a teacher's schedule is a great schedule for family.


Ok, I think that is all for now - whew! I am seriously sweating after typing all that up. I didn't really think it would take that much to reflect on 2008!

Christmas Pictures

Yeah, about those. I would GLADY upload our Chirstmas pictures to share with you all EXCEPT being the forgetful mother that I am, I did not buy batteries for the games/toys on xmas morning - so immediately after opening presents my camera batteries were transferred to Dane's new domino train thing-a-ma-jig and I can't upload without the batteries. I will get to it sometime soon :)

Ha!

Welcome to 2009