She Walks!

Leah is finally starting to take some of her first few steps with confidence! I am so ecstatic! It is so cute! She walks with her legs slightly spread apart, very slowly, not more than 5 steps at once, but she is getting there. Beau thinks it is so funny, he just laughs at her, saying "Mom, 'ook! E-yah walkin'!" Unfortunately, this is just one more sad reminder of how quickly they grow. No more babies for me. I will miss it for sure. Sleepless nights and all. I just love my babies!

Smokin'...Broken!

Last week my son, whom I sincerely adore, happened to push the CLEAN button on my oven just before we went outside to play. I did not realize this until an hour later when I smelled some terrible burning smell as I approached the back sliding door. Now, I realize not everyone does this, and I will not any longer, but I had 3 pots and pans in the oven. We have small cupboards, little storage space. Needless to say, they burned up! Two of them were new to me for Christmas last year too! I had to turn off the fuse to the oven just so it would cool down enough for me to open the door and remove the pans to take them outside. The handles were all cracked and flaking off, ash was all over the inside of the oven...it was a nightmare!

And...to top it off, tonight, that Boy was so anxious to get a sucker from our cookie jar, (which WAS, my treasured Tinkerbell, Pouting Pixie, cookie jar I purchase on clearance over a year ago from disneystore.com) that he dropped the top and completely busted off both of her wings! It is broken! FOREVER! Why MY stuff? Why my Tinkerbell????? WHY? I guess it is just a material object, and I should not really care. But, I right quick looked on Ebay to see if I can even ever replace it, but, not for less than a good $50.00!!! I only paid $19.99 in 2004! How insane is that?! I did let him know that he must not touch 'mommies pretties', and without hesitation, he said 'I sorry mommy' . I just melted. Screw the damn cookie jar! Who really needs one anyway?

Dummy Mommy!

Yesterday I had my Fitball Core class and it had been of for a couple weeks, so I had not been going to it. It was great! We did power abs, hamstrings, triceps, and biceps. I really felt the workout. And, BOY, do I feel it today too! I am so sore, I can hardly walk, my arms are barely holding up so I can type! And, oh, MY BACK! I gotta keep on top of this workout stuff. Jack is at work, so how on earth am I gonna deal with my little Leala? (monkey on my hip!)

It was also SO hot yesterday that I just decided to throw modesty to wind, and jump in the pool with the girls in my FAT swim suit. I was also stupid enough to stay out there WAY too long sunning, and now have a terribly red upper back and face! My back in burning, just a slight brush of my shirt and it starts to sting like mad! I must be CrAzY! I have just been thinking back, watching my oldest daughter turn into a brownie, 'gosh, I can get tanner than her!" Atleast, I did at her age. Well, now I just burn. BURN, BURN, BURN! And it is miserable! No more sunning for me for awhile. Dummy!

Drew's First Fish!

Drew caught her first fish this past week in Montana! Wow! It was a 19 inch Rainbow trout. She doesn't look proud or anything does she?

Happy Birthday Miss Grace!

Monkey cupcakes for the Monkey girl!

Grace with her prize Monkey! Hee-hee!

Leala enjoying one of Sissy's cupcakes!

Striking a Pose!

My Gracie is just growing up so fast, so beautiful! I can't believe it when I look at her sometimes, she is so big now. Where did the past 11 years go?

Happy Birthday Gracie Mae!

Leala loyal one

"Teasure huntin' "

Today we got up and out of the house to do a little garage saling with a friend of mine, or treasure hunting as I have explained to my boy. At one of the first sales we came upon, they were selling baby bunnies, and chicks. He noticed this right away! Without hesitation, he held each and every bunny, AND chick. We had to pull him away screaming! Then, he found a 'vintage' tonka digger truck that he could not live without, regardless of it's rusty old paint job, and he won't let it go! I figure, maybe, I could do some paint repair, but then, it's probably gonna be splashed through mud puddles, run through the gravel, and pushed through dog poop, so why bother? He likes it just the way it is anyway... I also came across a very old version of The Wizard of Oz, it's a huge hardback book, great condition, for a whole quarter! WoW! My find of the day. Got a few other small items, but nothing too amazing. It was fun, though. I think the boy is hooked on "teasure huntin' " now! My little garage sale buddy!

Pretty Precious

Yep, it's a boy alright!

My Husband recently went fishing with one of his buddies and brought home his catch for the boy to see before he fillet'd it. Quite opposite of any of the girls, he quick put on his rubber boots, and ran outside to see that fish, and just reached right down there to touch it's head, and all! EW! GROSS! My first instinct was to tell him to "STOP!" But, then, what else is a curious little boy to do?

Too add to his "boy-ness", everytime Daddy gets out the lawnmower, or even mentions mowing the lawn, Beau gets out his 'mow the lawn' play lawn mower and takes off for the rubber boots following Daddy outside and right behind Daddy and the lawnmower, which I have to pull him back from, screaming!

Oh, and the other evening we were all out back in the yard, Boy, again, 'mowing the lawn', but Daddy was at work, so he was on his own mowing around the outer edges of the yard, and I saw him stop at one of the trees, then he yelled, "MOM, A SNAKE!" I ran over to him so he could show me, and the boy reached right down there to pick it up!!! Scared the u-no-what outta me! Again, I said, "NO, STOP!" To which he responded so appropriately, "WHY?"

She's Growing Up Too Fast!

Last night, Grace went to her first dance. It was at our local Boys and Girls Club, and chaperoned by what I was told to be many parents, one of which was a police officer. Well, let me tell you, I have no respect for any so-called, 'police officer /parent' after hearing what went on in front of thier eyes!
Grace was so excited about this dance, wore the dress we had gotten for her 5th Grade recognition, and went with about 4 other friends. But, she came home completely disgusted with what she saw AND experienced. She said, and I quote, "OH MY GOSH MOM, there was so much innappropriateness there. There were gays, lesbians, perverts, humpers...it was so gross. Boy's were coming up to me and humping on me, and I was getting so freaked out, I tried to run and get away, but they followed me and Kam everywhere we went, and OH, those chaperones did nothing, they just acted like nothing was wrong. It was NOT a dance, it was just a wild party!! I do not want to go ever again."
I was so upset hearing all this from her. Ofcourse I protested her going in the first place, but I also know that she needs to experience things in order to understand why I say no. And, I was assured by the Mom taking them that there would a police officer/parent chaperoning which was the only reason why she agreed to let HER daughter go, so I gave in. I hate this growing up stuff!!! GO WITH YOUR INSTINCT, ALWAYS! A great book to demonstrate this is, "PROTECTING THE GIFT" by Gavin DeBecker. I read it years ago, and still think of it each time I question the safety of my children.

Best Web Code Website Ever!

Moms, you must check this site out! They have amazing web codes for The Childrens Place, 15-25% off, etc...Have fun shopping!

http://www.clevermoms.com/coupons/Childrens-Place/Id/84

I MADE THE MERMAID!!!

Well, another birthday party down, one more to go for the year. Drew is a whopping 6 years old now! We celebrated her birthday this past saturday, she wanted to have a pool party. We were recently given a 13ft. trampoline by a close neighbor, and so the girls swam, and jumped non-stop. It was a chore just to coax them out of the pool to have cake!
She had a blast! Made out on the gifts, AND birthday money, a few cards with $6.00 in them.
I had gotten up at 5:30am the morning of the party to get a head start without the babies at my feet while I baked the cakes. By cakes I mean, 1-11x9, 1-8 inch round, and about 18 cupcakes. I was determined to make my version of the Family Fun Mermaid Cake. And, I did! About 5 hours later, it was done. (give or take a few interruptions once the babies woke). It ended up being almost as long as the picnic table! It was surely a site to see! And, all those little girls loved it! Amazingly enough, not a bite of cake made it past party time. It was devoured by all!
Now I can say, "I made the Mermaid Cake, you know, the one on the family fun website?" Hee-hee. I'm sure Drew will remember it forever. I know I will...I've never spent that much time on any cake!

VOTE FOR TAYLOR!

Git R Done!

I am so proud of myself! I was just in such a slump yesterday, strange mood, unsure of what was going on with me...then Jack said, "Why don't you just go pull some weeds, or something?" And, so I did. I got all of the weeds pulled along the driveway side of the house, and then started thinking...'gosh, the house is really dirty'...(we have vinyl siding), so...I grabbed the car wash brush with the big LONG handle, a bucket, the hose, and some soap, and went to work! Until dark I scrubbed windows, screens, siding, gutters and now the house is *sparkling clean*! I am so glad I got this done, I have been thinking about how much it needed done all month. Especially since it's that time again for backyard birthday parties. Even at dark, I continued working outside, and reshaped/trimmed the mini-tree's we have in front of our house, against the house, and they look, may I brag? AMAZING! I feel like the Super Woman. I think we are all done now for outdoor chores. What a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulders!

Pleasures of Parenting

The past few days have been a real whirlwind! The girls have been out of school a few days due to conferencing, and so we have been on the go. We have now visited 4 different parks in 3 days! The girls tackel the tallest slide while Beau takes off running like a wild man, and Leah clings like a monkey at my hip. We've had a few bee scares, but no stings (YET!) Seen choo choo's, played tag, spent what seems like forever swinging, climbed a few trees, rolled down a grassy hill, and ate ice cold ice cream on a cone! All with beautiful, radiant skies, the sun making us all glow! I love it! Carefree play days, no worry about dishes, just lay them aside for later, eat lunch outside (share a little with the dog...) Does it get any better than this?

Sunny Day Photo Play

Where shall I go today?

This is one of the best inventions ever!

These gas prices are so outrageous!

Would you like regular or unleaded today Ma'm?

That'll be $50.00, cash or credit?

Funny Boy

This evening we all went out to play in the backyard, and Beau was running all around kicking balls, and suddenly, he stopped, and said, "MOM! Airplane?" He was trying to see the airplane that he thought he heard flying by, but it was actually a close neighbor tilling his garden, so I said, (Beau repeating after me) "No, it's a tiller a tiller, the man is tilling his garden garden. He is going to make a garden like Daddy, and grow tomatoes tomatoes...and corn corn...and cucumbers cumbers...and eggs!" he suddenly added! I laughed, and said, "NO! Eggs come from chickens, silly boy!" He said, "oh." What an adorable, and innocent idea he had! I just love this age of 2!

My Sweet Handsome

Soon 2 B a New Me?!

I recently joined a women's gym/workout center called Go Figure! The ladies there are amazing, and the workout is just my speed, and it's already making a difference. I also started taking Trim Spa, yeah, I was swayed by Anna Nicole's ad's, but hey, it's really good stuff. You have to drink alot of water with it, so that in and of itself is helping me lose the weight, no more pepsi's, white velvet mocha's, cinnamon dolce latte's...etc...I feel so much less 'yucky'! And, I feel motivated! I feel like I have more energy, and a better overall mood. I have already lost 3lbs in less than a week. After 4 kids, I am so excited to make this wild attempt at getting back to a pre-mommy me! My goal is to be a THIN THIRTY next January! By thin, I mean, 125- 130lbs. It will be my greatest feat yet! Pray for me ladies!

Woo Hoo Drew!

Drew was an animal today on the soccer field! She scored 4 goals, and 2 of them were straight shots just about from the middle of the field! She did amazing! And, won another 4 "golden" dollars from Papa!

Good Job Drew Marie!