Grass!

i've resorted to bullets...

• I still need to try to get pictures up from the zoo and the week. For some reason though they don't turn out right on Slide.com. I'm tired of having issues with my blog and pictures!
• Yesterday was a gorgeous day. And our last Saturday alone before Daddy comes home! So we went to the beach for awhile! It was so hot! The kids were excited. Junior Squirrel came up to me and said something about how he got water in his mouth. I was like, 'So'. I guess he thought it was salt water and didn't know if he should spit it out! I had to explain to the kids that this wasn't the ocean and the water was fresh (and that there were no crabs to search for). The bottom was a big mucky but the kids sure had a good time.
• I also took them out for ice cream.
• We've been doing so much to keep busy. We rented Mall Cop the other night. I watched Seven Pounds one night after the kids went to bed. That was a good movie.
• We've been hanging out with the neighbors quite a bit. I love the warmer weather and it's nice to let the kids run around outside while chatting with neighbors. Although we have a few couples who aren't very friendly...
• Some nights Sweet Pea can fall asleep by herself. It's like she gets so tired she just wants to lay in bed and fall asleep. I love that! Last night she was pretty much asleep and sprawled out on me and kicking her leg. It was really funny.
• I got to see my friend Angie early, early this morning! She's driving from ND to MS and stopped by real quick on the way. It was about 3:30 am! I totally didn't mind getting a little less sleep for that reason! I got to meet her little baby and see how much her kids have grown! The kids all stayed in their car and she came in and peeked at my sleeping kiddos. Her baby and SP look a lot alike, although SP is quite a bit bigger and chubbier! It was a wonderful 1/2 hour of interrupted sleep (I thought I was dreaming)! Thanks for stopping real quick Ang!
• Sweet Pea isn't as interested in baby food as she is in ours. We had spaghetti the other night so I let her taste some of the sauce and she wanted more! Yesterday she was sucking on a strawberry. We'll see what foods she'll want to try today!

10

Today is our 10 year anniversary! It's crazy to believe it's been 10 years! I sure wish Zach were here so we could celebrate. Bummer of a way to spend such a milestone miles and miles apart. Oh well, I guess that's life. Maybe we'll do something special when he returns? Happy Anniversary Zach!

no wonder...

I now figured out why I keep us so busy running all over the place lately. First, we have no schedule now that school is pretty much done. Second, it seems when we stay home (like today) that the kids fight more, mess more and disobey more. So, life seems more pleasant when we run around doing things. Although I have to admit I'm quite disturbed about the thankfulness from my children. I feel like we've done so much and what thanks do I get? Nights of fighting them to fall asleep. They can't just go to sleep like normal kids on a normal night when dad's home. I guess we're all sinful but boy I sure have been getting irritated lately with the kid's behavior! I can't wait for Zach to get home and life to get back to normal. Of course that won't happen until August...oh boy I am in for a LONG summer!

busy week

Well, we had quite a busy week. Chatterbox completely finished school. Junior Squirrel doesn't have much left. Hopefully he'll be done before our trip to Michigan. Tuesday we went to the zoo with friends. I'll have to get a slideshow of the pictures up. Yesterday we went to the park for a park day I set up. We had a great time! With all of the fresh air today we're really tired! It's amazing how the fresh air can make a person so tired! This morning I brought our babysitter into Des Moines for a hair appointment and Booty Shaker fell asleep on the way! Everyone is just saying how tired they are. So the kids are plopped in front of the TV while I make us some lunch. I got us two movies for tonight- Seven Pounds for me and the Spongebob movie for the kids.

I was ecstatic with the American Idol results last night! I totally didn't think they would go the way they did, but how awesome that a Christian won!!! I really hoped Danny would've went all the way. Kris was just so quiet throughout it all that I guess you really didn't know much about him. Then I kept seeing things pop up in the past few weeks about him being a Christian and all (Danny was more vocal about it). I'm glad the show is over for the summer so that I won't feel like I need to be glued to the TV! That's really the only show I get addicted to or feel like I don't want to miss!

ANNOYANCE

well i have a post but it won't put the pictures with it. does anybody else have these issues i have? it is sooooo annoying. i can't believe i haven't blogged in so long. trying to finish a book so hopefully i'll be back soon (and figure out the picture thing). it tells me i have too many pictures stored so i deleted some from my online picasa albums but that didn't even help....ggrrrrrr

security

Security's been beefed up at our house, so if you intend to stop by BEWARE!

Jail

We got a tour of the new police station today.

I loved this old car.

Supposedly they were detectives, though they didn't have to find much. The policemen didn't give a whole lot of information like I thought they would either...

I think they enjoyed their cell a little too much. I wonder how they'd feel if they each had their own and the big metal door closed?

hmmm....looks like somebody tried to make himself at home...

With their treasures, they got a 'Youth Slueth' pin and first aid kit!

fun at the park

the many faces of sweet pea

See her bottom teeth...

Her face looks different here than up above...

Yet another look...

Ok I don't see much resemblence in these two these days...

enjoying the outdoors

Here are some pictures I took this week...

Too bad the weather wasn't as warm today. I'm freezing!

my finds...

This first picture is all the stuff I got for .25$- only paid $3 for it all!

This is the pile of everything...have I mentioned how much I love garage sales???

a quickie

I wonder if I can make this a quickie post? I doubt it...

• Yesterday Junior Squirrel finished his English. That normally took the longest for me to teach so now it seems like things will be a breeze to get done in a day! Yeah, more play time!
• Yesterday afternoon we went to the park with a friend. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. I really needed it as lately I've been feeling rather lonely and deprived of any adult interaction. It has been 4 weeks to the day that Zach's been gone. I thought before he'd left that I'd see my friends more often but life gets so busy that that just hasn't happened. I was feeling down for a few days there but now I feel better!
• This morning we hit the sales once again. I wasn't sure we would with the forecast being thunderstorms but there wasn't a clap of thunder all morning! It did rain right at the beginning and end of our morning but other than that it was just a bit chilly and very overcast. We didn't hit all the ones in the paper, just a few here and there and a big neighborhood sale near me. I hit the jackpot at one sale- everything was only a quarter and was name brands and in great shape! It was all stuff for Sweet Pea. She made out today. I got Booty Shaker some jeans as his are either too nasty or too small. He doesn't quite fit in 5s but his 4s are getting a bit short. I think the only other thing I found was a shirt for myself. I did take a picture but forgot the memory card downstairs so I could load it.
• We went out for Mexican tonight. I sure do miss the Mexican place we always went to in Mississippi. Kids meals came with rice and beans. My kids love those items! The kids meals at the place I went only had like 2 options of Mexican food and only one option was with rice and you couldn't substitute! How dumb is that!?!? So I gave Chatterbox my rice and JS my beans and everyone was happy. I also went to Shoe Carnival and got a new pair of sandals for CB and I. We were both in need of some. It was buy one get one 1/2 off and CB answered their trivia question right so we got another $2 off!
• Tonight the boys took all of their toys out of their room and we put them in the basement. I'm so tired of them not cleaning their room. Or better yet when they're supposed to be in bed sleeping they're up playing and messing! I have just had it with bedtime with those two! Tonight they still played for awhile but at least I didn't see a mess before I went to bed! They weren't necessarily too happy but oh well. So I then went through the toys in the basement and I'm getting rid of a bunch. We just have too much. And they never play with them. We'll see how long that area of the basement stays neat!
• Boy it all of a sudden got really, really windy out! What on earth! How weird!
• Oh, Sweet Pea can go from a sitting to laying position (without falling). She does it in like slow motion! It's so cute! She's such a content little baby, so happy most of the time. She doesn't like if I step very far away from her but other than that she's just so happy! I sure am blessed!
• I am reading the new Jodi Picoult book. I sure haven't had time to read like normal so hopefully I can finish it before its due. So, I'm off to indulge in my book!

YEAH Zach!!!

Zach made Master Sergeant!!!!! His line number is in the 5000s so he won't sew it on until probably next summer (my guess), but who cares- HE MADE IT!!!!! I am SO proud of him!!! It was only his second time testing and he's only been in for 10 years!!! Good job Zach!!!

Today

Well I got into the doctor and got some meds. Last night I went to bed at like 9:15! I was actually in bed after AI, at 8! I'm feeling not as flu-like but gosh my boob still hurts! I hope it gets better soon. What a pain! Thanks for checking in on me Amie!

Today was crazy. I had my appointment and took the girls because Chatterbox had to go to the dentist right afterward. I left the boys with the sitter with instructions that Junior Squirrel do X number of pages for school. After the dr. we ran by Walgreens to fulfill my prescription and then got gas and picked up some donuts. Back to Walgreens to pick up the meds, stop by the bank and to the dentist. I got home and JS did only 1 page of school! I was gone for like 2 to 2 1/2 hours!!! I was so mad!

I had planned a park day today but the weather was rainy this morning and I figured the park was wet. But I went by it to make sure nobody showed up. So that was a waste of time. I made JS do school ALL day. He'll actually be done with some of it tomorrow but still has a lot to go. I wish he wouldn't dawdle and would work. He did school until bedtime tonight! I feel bad but gosh I want it to be over just as bad! And don't think I'm so mean, he did have breaks in there. We ate dinner and then went and cleaned the play area in the basement.

It is amazing how when we all work together as a team the work gets done so much quicker. It was trashed down there but it took no time at all to clean it. Now to tackle my area...oh boy that is something I'm not looking forward to!

A funny thing that happened today...CB dropped the baby's pears on the floor accidentally. About a half an hour after the incident she asked me if my 'Aromatherapy Stress Reliever' soap I just got from Bath & Body Works works because I didn't yell at her when she dropped it! It was SO funny! I must admit I did yell when Booty Shaker spilled yogurt on the floor and carpet when he wasn't supposed to be into the stuff! So, I also mopped my floors tonight. Until I'm sure the next accident tomorrow.

I'm really sad that Danny got sent home on AI. I've loved him from the beginning. The fact that he's a Christian and his heart...his music brought tears to my eyes a few times. I figured he'd be gone bye-bye tonight but was still sad to see him go. I'm sure he'll still be successful but still...

Ok, I need to get some stuff done before bed. Good-night.

feeling like poo

I felt fine this morning. Then after lunch I took a shower. I was just enjoying the warmth of the shower and in there for quite awhile. Once I got out I felt a bit icky. Then I tried to lay Sweet Pea down for a nap and I just felt awful. I can't explain how, just kinda blah. I'm not sure if its the vitamins I took this morning or possibly a breast infection. The vitamins are my SuperMom vitamins. I haven't taken them in over a year probably. So who knows if they're still good...but there's a lot left and I'd hate to waste them. Or maybe my body is trying to adjust to them? Or the other day my one breast hurt. Yesterday it was much better but now today the other hurts. So then I wonder if maybe I have a breast infection/mastitis (I sure hope no guys are reading this...). I have no clue but boy do I feel yuck. When I was laying with SP I felt all dizzy and like I was spinning. So I just laid there for a good long time. Now I just feel cold and yuck. I know the cold is because I had the windows open...or so I thought until I just asked the kids if it were cold and they said no. Hmm....I really don't need to be sick right now!

Oh yeah we ended up refinancing after all. We so weren't going to but it all worked out and though our savings a month won't be spectacular it sure does help. It is nice to have that behind us and not to worry about that. And it is awesome that we'll get a refund from our current lender...we'll put that toward our fence. We've even talked of having a deck built. Sure would beat the two lousy back steps!

Thursday we find out if Zach makes Master Sargent. I sure hope he did!!! He won't sew it on for a year if so but still then he won't have to go through the whole rig-a-ma-roll next year. He works so hard, he really deserves it!

Well I better rest while I can. Maybe I should put that hamburger in the fridge and just order pizza or something...pooey.