Milestones, throwbacks and fresh air

Are you all still here? Do you even care what I have to say anymore even if it is far and few between??? I sure hope so, especially if I'm going to write it all out....

So, instead of trying to go way back, I'll just start here in the now and work backwards???

LH is almost 6! He is weeks away from first grade complete with 2 dozen glue sticks...yes, really, they required 24 flippin' glue sticks! I hope he has a lot of cool projects to bring home. They will probably dry up before he even gets to use them all.

He's been enjoying summer daycare. They go somewhere cool almost everyday! Swimming at a water park, lake or pool, bowling, museums, ice cream, Chuck E Cheese, a creamery, and so much more. He likes it but is excited he will be staying home after school with his daddy again this year! We are exited too because it saves a ton of money!!!

He's playing football!!! They have started practice - 3 times a week. At first I thought it was a bit much, but seems to be ok. Good thing is their games are only once a week and on Tuesdays!! No weekends yet! And, best part is Hubby is assistant coach so I don't have to take and pick up for practice!!! It is the little things in life!

M&M will be ONE in a couple of weeks. I'm not sad yet. She's just so sweet and still so tiny to me, that it isn't really getting to me. She is so much fun. She's still gabbing and smiling all the time. She hardly cries and I'm pretty sure she wants to walk. She's taking steps but then just sits down and crawls. LH is so good with her. He loves her to pieces.

She has two teeth on the bottom and isn't rushing to get anymore. I'm ok with that because she seems to be eating whatever we put in front of her just fine. And believe you me, she hasn't met a snack she doesn't like!

We are on our last can of formula!!!!!! Oh, what a great feeling that is. We've been mixing in whole milk with her bottles and giving her some in sippy cups and she loves it. I'm easing her into it so she isn't all gassed up!

We have been on tons of mini trips and are enjoying every minute of our summer. Just last weekend we went "camping". I can't really say we camped since we were in a cabin with A/C and a bathroom. I'm not a tent and toilet paper kind a girl! I will say it was one of our best family vacations and we can't wait to go back. It was at a Jellystone campground complete with Yogi, Boo Boo and Cindy Bear! They offer such great activities for all ages and the best part was it was super close to home so we had all day Sunday to relax instead of behind a windsheild.

I'm ready to stick a "For Sale" Sign in the yard and by an RV.

We have a great trip coming up this weekend too. We are going to Raleigh to see Journey, Foreigner, and Night Ranger. Throwback to the 80's. I'm seriously considering pegging my jeans, teasing my hair and wearing about 4 colors of scruncy socks. I can't wait!!! It is technically my birthday present (which is NEXT weekend).

I've got more...really, but I'm half asleep so instead of mistyping and writing really funny things (like my phone does when it autocorrects me), I'll just call it a night and visit you again tomorrow....hopefully!

Photos

Me and my honey

Last day of School Do'


Sunbathing beauty

My little Princess!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Catchin' up....

This could be lengthy...I want to catch up on what's been going on lately!

I think I'm starting to feel a little normal now. Things are slowing down and we are in a good routine. School is out and summer is here! Even though I work everyday, there is a calm that comes with warmer temperatures and more daylight.

Since it has been so long, I'll update in sections...

LH:

He had a great year in Kindergarten...he's officially a 1st grader! I'm having a harder time with that then him starting school in the first place.

He played Tball and did well. He's a hard hitter and throws well, but still needs some help in the "paying attention" area, but don't they all at this age!

Within 2 days of his last day of school, he took a trip to visit Hubby's brother,wife and son in KY. He spent 3 days playing hard and came home for one night before he was gone again. Gigi and Pop took him back to Atlanta for NINE days!!! He literally just walked in the door hours ago!

Swimming, bike riding, putt putt, a water park, movies, and just a lot of fun were where his energy was spent. I think mom would keep him if she could! I'm glad he had a great time and I am so thankful for parents that will take on such a busy kid, bur I'm so happy to have him back!!!

M&M:

Miss Priss has been busy the last couple of months. She will be 10 months on Friday! I can't believe it. She had a great 9 month old check up and is in 75th percentile of weight and 60th of height. Who knew we could make a small baby?

She's brave. She pulls up and sits down. She wants to walk, loves the water and I am pretty sure if I just let her go, she might swim!

She's cutting a tooth. NOT teeth! Yep, just one! I'll take it. She's still got her cheeks, laughs, and smiles all the time. She's eating real food - well, gumming it best she can. She's been saying dada for a while, but has expanded her vocabulary to 'uh-oh', 'bye bye' and her favorite 'dog dog'. She fianlly has uttered 'mama' but not very often and mostly when she's mad at me - screaming it repeatedly. As much as we missed her older brother, it was nice to spend some one on one time with her. She's so laid back and go with the flow, it's super easy.

Hubby:

Working hard and playing hard too! He's gotten me back to the gym (ok, well not this week) but you get my drift. We've been meeting after I get off work and have quality time pumping iron together. It's been nice and relaxing. We can chat about our days and things coming up instead of trying to remember everything we wanted to say and then running out of time to say it (b/c it usually is 15 minutes before he leaves for work). We've been on some weekend trips and are trying to have more date and Family nights

Me:

I'm still loving my job. I'm getting used to managing my time better working five days and only have 2 off. It's just like riding a bike - I did it before and I can do it again. It just took me a little longer to get back up!

I hired someone to clean my house once a month and that has been a wonderful relief. I'm figuring out how to get things done during the week and also spend as much time with family and friends as possible. We've been living poolside a lot on the weekends, but I'm ok with that!

I'm working on letting the little things go! We (I) are trying to relax more and just go with the flow! I seem to enjoy myself more when I do...and the working out is helping.

I'm joing weight watchers at work this week. I kind of fell off the wagon when I started this job. I will say that I've kept all my weight off and haven't gained, but I'm stuck.Hopefully this will be the beginning of a good thing!

US:

We are headed to the beach Friday when I get off work! I'm soooooooooooo ready for this trip. I am taking Tuesday the 5th off and will have 3 full days at the beach! And to boot, we just found out this morning we are staying with some of my in laws friends at their huge condo ON THE BEACH!!!! It will be so nice to be right there, no packing a car, driving to the beach and best of all, it will be good for naptime!

I'm going to post some recent pics of the kiddos soon!

Smarty pants

I know I've been MIA, but thanks to my new super duper smarty pants phone, I can post from there!!!!
I'm not making any big promises, but I will try my damndest to post more.
I miss you all! I miss catching up on your lives, stories and pictures! I miss sharing all of that with you. I have lots and lots.
Now, the phone is a lot smarter than me. I have managed to become obsessed with Angry Birds, so once I get over that, I'll come back to you all!

Floored

We have done home improvement projects here and there, but really haven't done anything major. The basement has been our biggest yet and it wasn't difficult per se, just time consuming. Also, ripping up carpet and painting isn't nearly as expensive as putting some down!

Well, we got schooled when we looked into new flooring for just the upstairs!!! Oh my, how we were sticker shocked.

We didn't go in with many expectations, but we were not expecting that! With carpet only and FREE labor it was still close to $5,000. Add another grand (or so) for some hardwoods mixed in. Even with a great financing offer we were skeptical. I am not one to make a decison first go around and espcially without checking the competition, so we decided to sleep on it. Well, because the guy has been in this business for 25 years, he sent us home with the sample to see if we liked it in our house. Well, it almost won, but I fought through it and we made our final decsion to wait it out. That sample looked sooooooo good compared to the ugly dark hunter green we have now. Nice and soft, fluffy, and a light bright neutral! It was hard to give that 2x3 rectangle back.

We just feel we can put our money and energy into projects that need our attention NOW, like landscaping! Also, a big reason is we really would like to put hardwoods in the main living area and hallway with carpet in the bedrooms.

I guess I'll just have to deal with the ugliness a little while longer...but on the bright side, we should have pretty flowers and plants to enhance our yard!!! I hope!

Up for Air!

Barely!!!

I love the new job and I'm adjusting to working all day five days a week! Honestly, that part isnt' hard as I have plenty to keep me busy. So busy in fact that I almost don't realize it's lunchtime or time to go home!! I prefer it that way!

Now, the rest of my life is a little, um, hectic, chaotic, and just plain crazy! I love it, but I'm utilizing my time more wisely! I have to. My drive home takes twice or thrice as long to get home than it did before, so more to do in less time!!

On top of all the regular day to day stuff to do with family, there is hardly any time to do the fun stuff (email, facebook, hot baths, catch up on dvr, etc), but I finally have been doing some of that this week.

I wouldn't be so out of touch if I were home last weekend, but we took a little trip to visit my college roomie and family in Raleigh! It was so much fun, but we left right after I got off work Friday then got home Sunday evening. Basically just enough time to get things ready for the week ahead!

This weekend we are home and I'm looking forward to some down time - hopefully! Mom and Dad are coming in for M&M's baptism on Sunday, but Saturday looks open!

New Beginnings

Well, I survived my first day at my new job. It was pretty much what I thought it would be. Lots of reading policies, company info, filling out tax forms, emergency contacts, and most importantly, my direct deposit forms. I did so not really knowing what I was getting paid. Yes, I know that seems odd, but I knew about what it was. Don't worry, I found out, and yes, it was close to what I expected. I am most excited about the benefits. I get paid vacation - a whole week THIS year and great medical insurance!!!! It will so much less than we pay now with Hubby's insurance. Now, I do have to pay for parking, but it is all worth it!

I had to be there this morning around 8:15. I signed in the front desk at 8:18, but getting there was half the battle. I was unsure how long it would take me in the morning, I didn't know how traffic would be and most importantly, I had to park (in the 5th floor of the garage) and walk to the office. When you put it all together, it is time consuming. I wanted to leave my house by 7:30, but 7:41 it was. I got stopped by a slow, coal train and have decided that maybe I'll try a different route tomorow!

I waited for almost 25 minutes to be taken upstairs but once I was up there, it went smoothly.

After lunch, I met with my department. I met a lot of nice people and I hope I remember everyone's names!!!

Well, I guess the good news is I'm going back tomorrow!!!

March out like a Lamb??? NOT

Really? They are calling for snow? Maybe not here but in places....I'm so over this weather! I want warm, sunny, and flip flops!!!!

My first day of "vacation" is rainy and its on one of the LAST few days of March!!! Ok, so it's not really a vacation. I really have tons to get done before I start my new job and mom is here, so I definitely want to hang out with her! I just wish I didn't have to skip over puddles to do it all!

Bittersweet GoodBye!

Yesterday was my last day! I can't believe it! I will surely miss these people! The past three years have been memorable!

Due to the nature of the business, not everyone could come to lunch (serve & protect right?) but here is a great picture of some of my work peeps!!!!

I love them!

Easter Sweetness

Black and white might not be typical for Easter, but after seeing the suit my parents got LH, this dress was just a must have!!! I will have to get him a different tie (yellow) to match the flower on her dress....

He will also wear this for her Baptism in April! I'm still looking for her dress for that!

Fashion aside, I'm so proud of LH for taking Lent seriously this year and giving up something just like I do. He gave up going to the Cafeteria to eat!!! This may sound wierd to some, but he really loves going there. He eats there at least weekly with grandparents and possibly more if he has the option! So, for 4o days, he's Cafeteria free!! So proud of him.

I gave up "out to eat" coffee and all sodas! I can't even get coffee from McDonald's!!! Thank goodness I can still make my own coffee and have tea!

Sweet!!!

This is what I got at work today!!!!!!!!!!From Hubby!! This is a rare occassion! I normally do not get flowers or the like from him. He just loves to surprise me though when I'm not expecting it!

It was just his way of saying how proud he is of me on my new job!!!

The strawberries were so big and sweet and the chocolate was heavenly!

I also got a huge new coffee mug, which is great because my new job doesn't provide cups in their effort to be more green!

Thanks Hubs for being you and being so thoughtful! Love you!

New

I got a job! A real, 40 hour a week with benefits J.O.B.

I'm terrified and excited. I needed this. We needed this for the family and just for more stability. Things couldn't stay the way they were forever. I wish I could have Fridays off every week until the cows come home, but it wasn't going to work!

My current job is delegated by the State and with budget cuts over the past few years, I'm lucky I still had a paycheck. There have been fears every July that I could be cut.

I'm going to miss all the people I've become friends with and I know they are going to have a hard time functioning without me! I hope my new coworkers will be able to handle all of this!!! Maybe I should ease my way in and not scare them with my big personality!!!!

And then there were FOUR

WIVES that is. I can't seem to stop watching the show Sister Wives. It's fascinating, disturbing and just addictive. I'm obsessed. I started watching it late last season and lucky for me there was a marathon on one weekend and I caught up on everything polygamy!

I'm currently in season 2 and if I wondered what other crazy curveballs they could throw into the mix, I didn't expect this one. So, long story short, all of them head to Wyoming (with a W not a Y) and visit grandparents. These are the dad's parents (Kody) and then all of a sudden, there is Janelle's (wife #2) mom. Um, ok, maybe she is there for a visit to help and see the kiddos. NOT, she's the second wife to the grandpa (Kody's dad)!

So, yes, if you followed, Kody and Janelle are married with children, and Kody's dad married Janelle's mom as well! I knew this lifestyle was qwerky, but really??? I mean, that just seems wrong on too many levels.

Wrong enough to not watch? Um, no.

On another note, the 4th wife, Robyn, is not my fave. I personally like Christine (wife #3) for whatever reason, but Robyn is different. She seems a tad immature and well, dense. I sound mean, but she just doesn't get it sometimes and I am not a big fan of him brining in a 4th when they seemed to have their crazy life pretty rock solid! Obviously, he didn't consult with me because I would have talked him out of it!

They all pulled over to take a picture on their road trip and tells them all to make a "Y" with their hands because they are in Yoming!!! Um, Mary (wife #1) totally called her out on the fact that it is actually spelled with a W!!!! Poor thing.

As weird as it all is, I am intringued by their relationships with their husband, each other and their kids. It is just so far fetched I can't help but stay tuned.

Frameable!!!

Took this with my phone and it is definitely a keeper!!! Had to email it to myself so I could post!

Chopped

I couldn't take it anymore. I got my hair chopped. Short! It has been a really long time since it has been this short.

Hubby was shocked! I mean, my face was still really pretty and all (see this) but just way shorter than he expected. He said he needed more warning! I gave him warning...I told him I was going to get a haircut! What more does he need???

Here is the finished product and I love that it can be worn funky or more "normal" depending on my mood! Who are we kidding, it really depends on how much time I have in the morning!

I love it! It takes hardly anytime to wash, dry and "style"!!!!

Six Months?

How did this happen? It is totally inappropriate that M&M is already half a year old! I'm in denial.

If you can see, she has a sore on her forehead....and it keeps getting worse! It must have started as a scratch or dry patch and she's just rubbed and scratched it even more and it looks horrible! We have been lathering it witn neosporin and vaseline to keep it from drying out, so hopefully soon it will get better! It obviously hasn't upset her in anyway. She's still all smiles!!!

We went for her checkup last Friday and she did fantabulous as I expected! I doped her up in the waiting room with motrin, so I wasn't worried! Shots? No problem!

I got her stats but I can't remember her height (they are in the diaper bag)! Oh well, you can get the rest:

Weight: 16 lbs 14 oz

Head: 16 1/4 inches

Height: ????

Overall, she's in the 75th percentile of both height and weight. It is a whole new experience seeing her stats "inside" the curve as LH was always well above it!!

She was in love with the baby in the mirror! She talked to it and tried to grab it! It was hilarious. I thought I was prepared for the shots with motrin, then realized as I was half dressing her that her paci was missing!!! I thought that I would have a fight on my hands after she was stuck, but I was wrong. She cried out for a minute then just stopped! She's fabulous!

She slept for over 3 hours that afternoon but then was good as gold!

Bacon

Is one of my most favorite things ever. I know, weird, but true! I love it. I would choose pork over chiken, seafood, or beef anyday!

LH is fascinated about what the animal is, not what the food is. I guess it makes sense because we call a shrimp a shrimp, a fish a fish, a duck a duck, a chicken a chicken, but there are many types of pig and cow! So, when I make dinner he always asks what we are having...pig, chicken, or cow! More times than not, there is pig in there somewhere! And Hubby always jokes that if I am cooking, its pig! He has a love of pork just like me, but I doubt it runs as deep!

I saw a food show that had a bacon of the month club. I seriously asked Hubby for it as a gift! There was also a segment aboout a bacon cupcake. Really? A cupcake AND bacon? Heaven is what I say!

I've had to change my eating habits a little based on my weight loss efforts, but not at the expense of losing all pork! I have tried to make the switch to turkey bacon, but its just not the same. I can sub keilbasa for the turkey variety and some sausage...but sometimes you just gotta have the real thing.

Living in Southwest VA gives me the opportunity to find fresh pork. I am actually looking for a half a pig. to stock my freezer!

Weird maybe, but that's what I like!

Workin' 9 to 5, just a trying to make a livin'

Ugggh, I'm a slacker!!! I know!

I am trying to redeem myself. I have today off so hopefully with one rugrat at school and one napping, I might be able to catch you up!

Hmmmm, where to start???

I guess with work...boring, but too much not to talk about!

I just looked for a picture of my old office....and note it was MINE! All my own, just me, one person, one desk, with a door, that actually locked! This is my new one!!! Can you tell the difference?

In recent weeks, there have a been a lot of changes. My boss, the other part time girl and I have been uprooted with all our baggage and moved accross the street. We now are in a room together with another person (a poor boy at that) and occassionaly another boy! The room seems big when you think about it, but when we moved our 3 desks, tons of file cabinets and all the other stuff we have in there along with the boys' stuff, it is quite cozy!!! It is completely weird! We are practically on top of each other. Personal space is non existant and concentrating is even harder! I think the original concept was well intended, but it isn't really what they had expected! Our "division" was split up when we were in one building and the other half in another, so the idea was for all of us to be together...One big happy family! Well, we can feel the love, let me tell ya!

Our new home came with a new bare bathroom with a gallon pump jug of antibacterial soap, bare walls, no silverware or dishes, and even the most fragrant fridge I've ever laid nostrils on!

If you couldn't tell, we moved in with all men! Well, don't worry, we girlified it in a matter of hours! New paint (a really deep plum color), shelf/cabinet in the bathroom, fruity smelling soap, dishes, and a good scrubbing of the fridge! Wow, it was nas-tay! It is in a room off from the kitchen, with a separate door! As soon as the door opened to the room, you were hit with the worst smell! Don't worry, 3 pairs of rubber gloves, and entire pack of paper towels and a bottle of cleaner later, I had it spic and span!

My fellow roomie cleaned the kitchenette!!!!! Just as gross!

Well, the best thing is we are all together and spend way less time running accross the office to meet and hardly anytime on the phone!!! Oh, and the poor boy has learned more than he ever wanted to know about women in just a short week!

Kiddin' Around

LH is the best big brother!!!! He has so much fun with M&M!!! How could you not? She's great!

New knee board from Uncle Chad for Christmas! Finally had an okay day to play outside!

And his other new toy. Yes, that truck really is that big!!!

LH is loving Kindergarten and doing great!

He can tie his shoes now!!!!!!

He has "two loose tooths"!

He helps me cook and does extra around the house and is trying really really really hard to stop sucking his thumb! Overall, he's amazing!!!!