Ramblings of a Stay At Home Mom

Aerobic Workout

2006-08-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

Yep, I bought myself one of those workout videos. I waited until everyone left this morning, put on my tennis shoes and popped the video in. It really wasn't that bad until it got to high impact or low impact. I started off doing the high impact but a big woman jumping up and down in a mobile home just ain't the way to go. I swear anybody outside would have thought EARTHQUAKE!!!!! I got tired of my boobs slapping on my chest and the entertainment center moving so I decided to go to the low impact which involves no jumping around,problem solved. I made it through the entire thing no worse for wear so lets see how long I can keep it up. As for the eating part, I'm trying to cut back on my portions and make healthier choices.

The Fat Lady

2006-08-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

I have come to a point in my life that needs to change. I am sick and tired of being a fat mommy,daughter and most of all wife. I have struggled with my weight since childhood and I have always conned myself into thinking I had time to do something about it later. Well, this is later and the time is now. I need help and I can't kid myself about it anymore. I am approaching a weight mark that I refuse to cross and clothing sizes that I am truly ashamed of. I can't blame it on the kids and my pregnancies anymore since I just sent my baby to 3 year old preschool. I also can't blame lack of time anymore either. It is time that mommy took some time for herself to try and loose some of this weight. I am tired of being tired and wore out. I need more energy and I also need to feel better about myself. Plus, what kind of example am I setting for my kids? I never want them to feel about themselves the way I feel about myself right now. I have been lazy and always taking the easy way out by eating exactly what I wanted. I turned 30 this year and I will have my 10th anniversary soon so this is a big year for me. I need and want a change and though I know it will not be easy, I have got to try. I started this morning by taking a short walk before I sent the kids to school. It was a short walk, only to the end of the street and back but it was a start and for me that little step was a big one. I need to make little changes at first so I don't get discouraged and I need to throw the scale in the garbage. It only makes things worse when I don't see the numbers dropping. A whole lifestyle change needs to happen and that doesn't happen overnight. I have got to start eating healthier and eating smaller portions as well as adding exercise. I also can't kid myself and never have another bite of cake,chocolate or ice cream but make myself realize that a little bite will do. Also, I need to write more in this journal, just for myself. I can't keep thinking about the people that will read this and just write for myself alone. I need something to keep me accountable and maybe writing in here will do just that. I won't write my starting weight because right now, I am just too ashamed to see the number in print so for now, I'll just write about the positive choices I have made for the day.

2006-08-15T14:19:00.001-07:00

Leah on her 1st day of 3 year old preschool

2006-08-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Adam on his 1st day of 4 year old preschool

2006-08-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

Paul- 1st day of 1st Grade

We're Home!!!

2006-06-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

With all 3 kids, a crap load of stuff we bought and enough dirty laundry to keep me busy for the next 3 days. All in all it was a great trip. The kids behaved themselves and nobody drove us crazy. I'm exhausted and have pretty much spent all day lazing around and washing a few clothes. I swear I don't want to get in another vehicle for any length of time for a LONG time. Thursday we drove 14 hours and by the time we got to our motel room in GA, I just about couldn't move. I'm glad to be home but sad at the same time because we really had a great time. I'll post more later with some pics.

2006-06-09T07:10:00.001-07:00

Am I cute or what?

2006-06-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Look out Modeling World, here I come!!!

2006-06-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Who are you Looking at?

2006-06-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

Paul and Adam Posing For A Picture

Maybe This Summer Thing Isn't So Bad

2006-06-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

Cause it is 9:00 and guess where my kids are? STILL IN THE BED!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! I'm sitting here in peace and quiet surfing the web just cause I can. This staying up past 10:00 is great. Why did I ever send them to bed at 8:30? I need to get my big ole butt up and finish the few things I have to do before we go on vacation. Like take the dogs to the clinic for boarding,get extra cat food and bunny chow, go to the bank. Ya know, all the little things that have to be done before a long trip. What an extremely long trip this is going to be. We did find something out yesterday, the kids don't make a peep when the DVD player is going. Thank God for modern technology! On the hour drive to and from Kenny's grandmas house last night, there was no hitting,pinching,yelling or screaming and they were sitting all squished up on the back seat together! Maybe, just maybe this trip is not going to be so bad. I'll let you know when I get back or maybe post in during the trip if I can con my hubby's laptop away from him. Yeah right. Ever heard that phrase "pry it out of my cold dead fingers"? He hates for me to even look at the thing and swears I mess it up every time I touch it. Well, in the words of some famous movie quotes, "Hasta la vista baby!" and "I'll be back" . Chow for now dudes!

Big Fat Meanie

2006-06-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

Or at least what my 6 year old thinks of me. Paul and I have had this love,hate relationship for the past few months. I love him but hate some of the things he says and does. Nothing I do for him is good enough. Here lately his favorite phrase is ,"You never let me do anything!". WHAT! This weekend he got mad at me and drew a picture of me with the words Big Fat Meanie underneath the drawing. Let me say that the drawing was not flattering at all. This is the same kid that I took swimming and played outside with but I never let him do anything. Go figure. He doesn't talk to his daddy this way or certainly not where he can hear him. Well, I hear the kids are up. Guess the Big Fat Meanie needs to go start breakfast.

To Spank Or Not To Spank

2006-06-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

I am usually the type of person to stay away from any conflict or confrontations. In a nutshell, I just don't like to get involved but something happened this weekend that really pissed me off and I never said a word because it was family and I never like to "rock the boat". I also don't know who reads this blog and after seeing some of the comments left on other peoples blogs, I am really reluctant to even write this but I feel like I've got to get it off my chest. I know my kids aren't perfect. I never profess them to be but dang it, they act a WHOLE lot better than some I have seen and I think I'm doing a heck of a job. I discipline them and yes, they do get an occasional spanking but this weekend a family member took it upon themselves to spank one of my children. I saw the whole thing and yes my child was doing something wrong but I had it under control and was getting onto him myself. This person swatted him and then yanked him down hard on his bottom. Maybe I am putting too much into this but it really peeved me. I would NEVER hit anyone else's child and I expect the same when it comes to my children. I mean, am I wrong here or being too touchy on the subject? Was it their right since my child was bothering them? Am I the one being a b*tch?

2006-05-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Adam at his Preschool Graduation

Is It Time for School To Start Back Yet?

2006-05-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

Oh YAY! School has been out for 2 days and I am already asking myself this question. I have so much to do in these next few weeks. We leave Saturday for a family reunion of which I have to pack everyones clothing including my own and make food to carry. Then I have to start getting things organized for our trip to Branson. I want to get excited about this trip because it is the first actual vacation we have taken in our almost 10 year marriage. It is the 9 plus hour trip with 3 kids in the car that is taking the joy out of it. We are going to stop half way in Memphis and spend the night plus take in the zoo and Mud Island but that is still a long way in the van. The longest trip we have taken was a spur of the moment trip to Cleveland,GA and the kids were great. Most of the time they travel well but here lately even a quick run to Walmart has become a PITA. Is it because they are getting older or is it me? Am I becoming the screaming,nervous breakdown, old fart mom that nobody likes? On top of all the planning and packing, the boys are still playing baseball so we have practices and games to go to. Then of course there is the baby that I keep everyday. Sometimes I think I have stretched myself too thin. I also have a dreaded ob/gyn appointment to go to on Friday, YUCK! I know, I know, I am rambling but hey, when I think it, I gotta type or I forget so geesh give me a break. Oh, here are the latest crawl under a rock comments from the kids. Paul told the mentally impaired neighbor boy, "My momma says your momma is a MANIAC." Where he got that from I have no idea because I don't even know the woman much less call her a maniac! Adam told Grandma last week as she was visiting," I have a brain, you have an OLD brain." Where in the world do they come up with this stuff? At least Grandma thought it was funny. Right now it sounds like they are tearing the house down around my ears. Gotta go see what they are up to and then toss them outside. I told Kenny that I was heading straight for the nuthouse and his comment to me was, "It"ll be a short trip". Ha Ha!

Scary

2006-05-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight at the ball park I was as scared as I have ever been in my life. I was absolutely hysterical and I NEVER want to feel that way again. We were sitting in the bleachers watching Paul's game when I realized Leah was not sitting beside me. I immediately jump up and start calling her name. No Leah. I start searching one way and Kenny takes the other. I run frantically calling her name and staring at each child I see hoping to catch a glimpse of her. I see Kenny and still no Leah and by this time several minutes have passed. My heart is pounding and tears fill my eyes as I envision someone snatching her. My heart breaks at the thought of never seeing her again and I am afraid. I catch sight of another mom I know and ask her has she seen Leah. We both start to look around and I see her! She is just walking around as if nothing has happened. I run to her, drop to my knees, bury my face in her shoulder and cry. She has no idea what she has done and is upset to see me cry. She tells me that she just went to put something in the trash and all I could think of is horror stories of children being murdered. I feel like such an idiot for even taking my eyes off her for a second and I realize the guilt a kidnapped child's parent must feel. Leah got past 4 adults before we even realized she was gone. Lesson learned, I will put her in a stroller or put her on a kiddie leash next week. She'll be stuck to me like glue til she's forty.

My Baby Hit a Homerun!

2006-04-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

Paul hit not 1 but 2 homeruns in tonights game. I nearly peed my pants screaming for him. They won their game 12-5, it was so awesome. Adam ran from third base straight to the dugout, he missed home base completely but it was so cute. The second time he batted, he started to run toward 3rd base instead of 1st but hey, this is only his first year to play and his team has not practiced a whole lot. He still has time to get better although I don't think Adam is as into the whole baseball thing like Paul is. Anyway, it was exciting and too funny.

Busy Busy Busy

2006-04-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

That is exactly how my life has been the last few weeks but honestly, I love it. I have been hauling kids to baseball practice,games, school programs and games. I went with Paul's kindergarten class to the zoo and we had a blast. I have a new appreciation for kindergarten teachers after the trip though. These kids have an endless abundance of energy and I can only wish I had 1/2 of it. Paul had a wonderful game last Friday. I have never been more proud of him although I am a bit predjudice. He hit the ball all 3 times he batted and helped his team win the game. I was hoarse the next day from all my cheering. He also had a school play last night and they were adorable. Paul had one of the major parts and he was so cute but then again I am predjudice. Adam has been doing so well in school. He is learning so much and is even writing a bit of the alphabet. He says the sweetest prayer when we eat, not the usual God is Great. He is doing extremely well in speech and I am amazed at how much better he speaks in just one year. He looks absolutely adorable in his teeball uniform. I have pictures to post but I just have to find the time. Leah will start preschool this August and I can't believe how much she has grown. It is hard to believe she will soon be 3 years old. She has really developed her own sense of style. I know I am gushing over my own kids but sometimes I think I dwell on the bad things and how busy or frustrated I can get. I really need to be more positive and dwell on their accomplishments and how proud I am to be their mom.

Nasty People

2006-04-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

I hate public restrooms but having 3 kids means I ALWAYS have to stop at one. Last night we went to the Cracker Barrel and of course the kids all have to go. Kenny takes the boys and I take Leah. Our restroom was relatively clean and in good condition. We get to the table and Kenny asks me if ours was clean or not. I said yeah and asked him why. He said somebody had crapped in the urinal in the men's bathroom. I giggled thinking that some poor little boy couldn't hold it until the stall was available and that it was an accident. Kenny then tells me that it could not have been a child and again, stupid me asks why. He then proceeds to tell my the diameter and length of the turd in question and I believed him when he said a child could not have done it. WHY people WHY in the world would you crap in a urinal in a nice place like the Cracker Barrel? Some people are just NASTY!

Siblings

2006-03-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

I have 2 younger brothers and of course the very heart of their existence when we were younger was to embarrass or torment me in some shape form or fashion. I rode the bus home every day after school and my brothers usually got there first because they were in elementary school. One day the bus was pulling up to my house when I heard everyone laughing. I look up to see what they were laughing about and to my horror, there on the front porch of our house were 2 naked butts shining in the wind. Yep, we got mooned by my 2 idiot brothers. Lets just say that this was not the last time I would ever see their naked behinds. I was driving home from school one day when I saw a car in front of me behaving erradically. I nearly ran off the road when I saw 3 butts sticking out the windows. It took me a minute to realize it was Brian and 2 of his football buddies giving me a peep show. The other buddy was driving and apparantly laughing so hard he could barely stay on the road. Now Matthew takes the cake on embarrassing moments. He always could pull some stunts. One day I was sitting with a date in our living room when Matt strolls in wearing nothing but his underwear. Okay, embarrassing but not a big deal until he turned around. He had his entire "weanie" and nuts poked out the front of his underwear!! I was totally mortified but he was laughing hysterically. Can't ya tell that brothers are so much fun? How about the time I thought I was home alone and I got in the shower. I was washing my hair and singing along with the radio when I thought I heard something. I peeked out of the shower curtain and was surprised by at least half my brothers football team standing in the doorway. Then there was the time that momma and I went to JcPenney's and took Matt with us. He disappeared and we were frantically searching the store when we saw a group of people standing around this big manequin display. I look up and see Matt standing there as still as the manequin but one difference. He has his hand up her shirt and resting on her breast. He did this without even cracking a smile. Another of Matt's favorite things to do was pass gas. He usually would do it when we were traveling down the road in the mini van. You couldn't get to a window quick enough and Lord help us if it was hot cause that made it stink even worse. Yep, having 2 brothers was an experience and now my daughter gets to have all the fun.

Friends

2006-03-23T18:28:00.000-08:00

I got to thinking about my best friend in elementary school the other day. Her name is Becky and we met each other I think in first grade. She lived the street over from me and had a huge 2 story house. I remember when it caught on fire and I could see the blaze from my house while my dad ran across to the other street to try and help. We were attached at the hip from about 2nd grade to junior high. In junior high, we kinda went our seperate ways but reconnected in high school. We are still friends to this day even though she lives miles away from me. We email and swap pictures of our kids. I kept up with her even when she and her husband lived abroad for 4 years. We have seen each other only once since high school and that was about 5 years ago. Anyway, we used to get into some stuff when we were little. I remember spending the night over at her house just about every other weekend. We always found something to do even if it was just to harass her 2 older sisters. One night I was taking a bath in her huge claw foot tub and being a kid, I was sliding back in forth in the tub. You know what I am talking about, everybody did it and made a great big mess on the floor with sloshing water. Well, I was sliding real good when Becky told me I'd better quit so I stood up and started to get out. I guess in all my sliding one of the claw feet had become loose and when I stood up, BANG! The tub hit the floor. Oh MY!! I was so horrified and afraid that her mom was going to call my mom and I would never get to come back. You ought to have heard her mom bounding up those stairs 2 at a time and hollering, "What the h*ll was that!". Well, I was invited back but I never slid in the tub again. HA HA
Becky's house not only had an attic but a basement too. A fact that never ceased to amaze me. Did I mention that it also had a laundry shoot from the 2nd floor to the basement? Great place for hiding or sliding puppies and kittens down. Yep, she always had a litter of either puppies or kittens and these became our unwilling participants in sliding down the laundry shoot. One of us would take a basketfull up to the shoot and the other would wait at the bottom with a basket. You should have heard the ruckus of squalling kittens or barking puppies all the way down the shoot. We weren't mean, just mischievious.
Oh, here is my favorite story. Becky is the youngest of 3 girls and her 2 older sisters were quiet a bit older than we were. Older sister #1 came home from a date late one night but we were waiting for her. Under the bed and stifling giggles, we waited until she had undressed,put pj's on and went to get in the bed. We reached out and grabbed her ankles. I don't know who was more surprised since we scared her but weren't ready for the beating she was about to give us. Quick as a wink she had snatched us both out from under the bed and given us a what for. Man I guess we really were a pair and I could go on and on with stories. Okay, I'll leave you with one more. One night she spent the night with me and we were giggling in bed and talking when we heard my little brother get up to use the bathroom. Matt always threw the toilet lid up and it stayed while he used the bathroom but this night he threw the lid up to hard and it came back down on his you know what. I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. We still tease Matt about that to this day. Okay, I just thought of one more story but it involves my parents and I gotta tell it or I will forget later. On Sunday morning I got up to use the bathroom(I'm full of bathroom stories,huh?) and in my sleepy state I almost missed what was in the toilet before I sat down. I looked in the pot and what did I see? A mouse, yep, you got it, a mouse, not dead but swimming round and round as fast as his little feet could paddle. I screamed, "MOMMA!!!" and she came running hollering ,"What! What!" She gets to the bathroom and I just point. "Ray,Ray!!! COME HERE!" By this time the whole family is gathered around the toilet just staring at the poor creature swimming in it. "Ray, what are we going to do?" Here is my dad's response and I still have to laugh, "Just flush him Nancy, he's about the size of a turd and they go down alright, I guess he will too." Flush and bye bye mouse. End of story. HA HA!!

Have I Got A Story For Ya'll

2006-03-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

I know everyone loves my "kiddie" posts but this one has got to top them all. I had to take grandma to my mothers house to meet my uncle who was going to take her home. Grandma wants to Kellwood(clothing outlet) before we leave so I take her down there. We get ready to leave and Leah has lost her dolly. Well, everyone gets searching for this doll and after about 15 minutes of no luck, I finally tell her that we will ask the store manager to keep a look out for the doll when they close up store. This does not set well with Leah who starts to cry. I have all the kids and Grandma loaded up in the van when here comes the store manager waving the doll at me. Great, crisis adverted for the time being. Think thats the end of the story? Think again, here goes some more. Grandma wants to stop and take us out for lunch when we hit Hazelhurst. Okay, no problem, Wendy's here we come. We were quite the entertainment for a couple of old ladies in the booth behind us. The kids turned into their charming selves for a few minutes to talk to the old ladies and flash them their winning smiles. The old ladies gush and coo over them and tell them how sweet and beautiful they are and thank us for the fun. They can be real charmers and angels when they want too. Then Adam as if on cue, spills and entire thing of chocolate milk in his lap. Grandma bursts out laughing and heck, I did too, you should have seen the look on his face. I had to go out to the van and get him another set of clothes and underwear cause first thing he said to me was, "Mommy, my panties are wet too!". I had to take him to the bathroom, strip him down and then help him redress. Have you ever tried to do this in those small stalls? Ha Ha! Think I am finished yet? Nope, I'm just getting started. The drive to my parents house is so boring. There is nothing but trees to look at and there certainly isn't a place to stop and potty. Well, about half way down this long road, Adam starts hollering that he needs to poo poo. Yep, poo poo , not just pull over and pee. I finally find a place to stop on this narrow and winding road. I am standing there with Adam bent over in front of me and then he steps in it. You heard me right, HE STEPPED IN IT. I had to pull his shoe off and try to clean it up. Did I mention that we just ate? I'm trying to clean poo off his shoe and I am puking standing on the side of the road. We finally get to my parents house and then we have to wait for my uncle. We expected him sooner but he had some problems of his own and did not get there for several hours. As soon as he walks in the door, Paul goes, "Well, its about time!". Leave it to Paul to be as rude as possible. The next day I get invited to lunch with one of my friends and her mother. We are all sitting there talking and Adam is being ugly so I ask him what did I tell him in the van before we came in. He looks up at me and says loudly, " I better behave or you are going to whip my butt." Now that is not what I told him in the van. What I told him was that if they did not behave, we were going to go home and not stay at Nana and PaPaw's house another night. Who knows what was going through his mind. When you go somewhere with us, be prepared. You never know what is going to happen. This was just a 3 day trip. Kenny's grandma and aunt want us to take them to Branson for a week. I bet I will come back with some stories for ya'll after that! HA HA!! In life you can either ride the roller coaster or merry go round and I much prefer the roller coaster.

Happy Birthday Kenny!

2006-03-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry I missed this post yesterday but Friday's are the worst at my house. I have errands to run, house to clean and kids to pick up but anyway.
My hubby turned 30 yesterday and now I am officially younger than he is for the next 7 days. Ha Ha!

MaMaw

2006-03-01T06:31:00.000-08:00

I thought since there wasn't a whole lot going on in the life and times of this Stay At Home Mom, that I would write about some of the people in my life. I want to start off with my MaMaw. For those of you that don't know what a MaMaw is, it's a Grandma southern style. Anyway, my MaMaw is almost 79 and a major part of my life. Her life hasn't always been easy. She married when she was 20 to a man over 10 years her senior and had 2 daughters. When she was just 33, he died and she never remarried. Wanna know a weird fact? My Grandfather died on March 11th and I was born lots of years later on that date. My mom said it was one of the first things that she realized after my birth. MaMaw has always been there for me. I remember her visiting when I was a little girl and my brothers and I piling on her bed to hear stories of when she was a little girl. We loved to get her to take out her teeth to show us and she still does that for my children. Going to college was a lot of fun for my cousin and I. MaMaw lived right across the street from the school so we never lacked for good home cooking and neither did any of the boys in the dorm. We always had lots of guy friends begging for a place at my grandmother's table and she always gave them the once over when they came in the door. Her biggest question posed to them was always, "Are you a Christian, Do you love the Lord?". MaMaw never hesitated to tell my cousin and I that she didn't approve of a boy and we usually took her advice. Her house was a haven for us. We cried on her shoulder and laughed with her playing cards. She hates to lose. My husband and I spent alot of time at her house when we were dating. When grandma approved of Kenny, I knew he was the one I would marry. I loved having her near me when I was pregnant with my first baby. She went with me to lots of my doctors appointments and after Paul was born, she became a constant fixture at my house. When I got off work, she would come and sit with Paul on her knee singing hymns to him. It never failed that MaMaw would get him to sleep. She also would come to my house while I was at work and clean up or wash clothes. It was such a relief to come home and have a clean basket of clothes or clean dishes. I never asked her to do anything but anyone who knows my MaMaw knows that she is never one to be idle. She likes to be busy and if she is finished at her house, then she may come to help you at yours. I miss having her near me because we moved over 6 years ago and she doesn't travel very much anymore. I love that all my children have gotten to know her. They love when MaMaw visits because they know she will let them in the kitchen to wash dishes with her or make them playdough out of flour and water. The same things she used to do with me as a little girl. She tells them stories of her life and they laugh when she takes out her teeth. Hopefully she will come to visit us in a few weeks. The kids will be out for Spring Break and she wants to see our new house. I hope the weather is nice or she won't come. She has a thing about bad or cold weather. I know she will only stay a day or two even though she says she may stay longer. Bring on the Playdough!

Getting a New Driveway

2006-02-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

Hubby has decided he is tired of the gravel and now we are going to have asphalt. Yay! I hate all the sand and rocks we track in all the time and now the kids will have a place to ride their bikes without getting in the street. We are moving on up in the world! First a double wide and now an asphalt driveway. I feel like the Queen of Egypt or maybe something like the Queen of my Double Wide. HA HA!!! Nothing much else going on.

2006-02-26T19:39:00.000-08:00

Poor thing passed out in her rocking chair! Just look at the mess in her room.

Am I Overreacting?

2006-02-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I pulled a note out of my son's backpack and found out that a second grader had brought a handgun to school and was showing it off to all his little buddies. I nearly had a stroke! I am so pissed! This happened Tuesday and it was 2 days before the school decided to let parents know what went on and they only did that because the local newspaper was running the story. The people at the school HAD to have known what kind of crap this would cause and tried to cover their behinds by sending home a note with what "really happened". Bull crap! We were told the gun was unloaded but my mother heard on the radio that is was indeed loaded and the little kid only got 5 days suspension. I'm sorry but he should have been expelled and the parents should have gotten some sort of punishment as well. The weapon was in the daddy's chest of drawers and not put up somewhere under lock and key. The boy also not only brought it to school Tuesday but Monday as well but he never showed it to anyone on Monday cause he was too scared. He obviously knew what he was doing was wrong. I shudder to think what could have happened. He could have shot up his class or worse opened fire on the playground where my baby was! I swear there is nothing you can do these days to protect your kids. What are we gonna do? We have freaking 2nd graders bringing loaded guns to school and all they get is 5 days suspension. What the crap is wrong with people? Are we going to have to install metal detectors for elementary schools? This is kindergarten through 2nd grade for goodness sake! My husband has guns but they are kept in a gun cabinet of which he has the only key. I am tempted to make him get a gun safe and probably will once the kids get a little older. All I can think of is Pearl, Columbine and the 2 little boys I kept during the summer as a teenager. I don't know all the details but I do know that the older brother accidentally shot his younger brother and killed him. Can you imagine what the surviving brother deals with in his life? He has to live with the fact that he shot and killed his little brother and just because it was an accident will not bring him back. Sorry for the tangent but I am very upset about the whole thing and I don't think I am overreacting at all.

Life and Times of a Mom and Babysitter

2006-02-23T15:21:00.000-08:00

Don't know if I mentioned it or not but since Christmas I have been babysitting another child in addition to my 3. Yep, as if my life was not already insane enough, I got talked into keeping a 7 month old. It's not really that bad, she is a pretty good baby but I get stares everywhere I go. Did I mention that she is black? Yep, I thought that would get ya. Yesterday the kids and I met Kenny at McDonalds for lunch and we had to just sit there and laugh at all the looks we got. Here is a very white family of 5 with a very dark baby girl sitting in the booth at McDonalds eating french fries. It was so freaking hilarious and ya gotta wonder what people are thinking to themselves. I must look like a very naughty wife and my hubby the saint for not leaving me. HA HA!!! I am learning alot too. The first day her momma brought her to me without her hair fixed, I freaked! I have long hair and my daughters hair is fairly easy to fix but this was something else! She has very curly and brittle hair and her momma puts it in about 8 little pony tails all over her head. Oh, did I mention the "lotion" I have to put in it first? It is pink and smells like baby lotion but is actually some sort of conditioner for the brittlness. It also is a pain in the rear to wash off your hands. I really did pretty good for my first try and now it is no big deal. I wonder sometimes what the baby thinks when she looks up at this big white woman who is changing her diaper or feeding her a bottle. Not to be funny but have you ever tried to make sure that a little black baby does not have a red bottom from diaper rash? Lets just say that these past few months have been interesting but aside from her obvious skin color, she is just a regular baby. Her mom is really cool and does not get offended at any questions I have. We just laugh alot and we always remember that no matter what our skin color, we are both just young moms trying to make it in this crazy world.

FLU

2006-02-22T14:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posting but my life is not really that interesting and it is sort of hard to type when you have your head in the toilet. Last Sunday Adam woke up with 102 fever and the kids and I were at my parents house. I load everyone up and we head home. Monday morning I make a doctor's appointment for Adam and of course they can't get him in until 2:00. By lunchtime, I can hardly see straight let alone take him to the doctor so Kenny takes off work to take him. Do any of you know how they diagnose the FLU? Well, let me tell you, they take this long cotton swab and darn near poke your brain with it. Besides having the FLU, Adam also has an ear infection that required antibiotics plus the doctor wanted to start the other 2 children on a medicine to keep them from having a bad case of the FLU. I nearly passed out when Kenny told me that the pharmacy bill was almost $200. Can you believe even with insurance that 4 medications would cost that much? Our insurance SUCKS big time. I swear that I have never felt so bad in my entire life but Adam seemed to have perked up the next day or so. By Wednesday, I was still running fever and sick as a dog but now added to everything else, I am coughing up green stuff. I know, gross but you didn't see the stuff, YUCK!!! I finally loaded up my butt and went to the doctor. I got the nose swab test and 2 xrays later the doctor tells me that yes I have the FLU and an upper respiratory infection as well. The pharmacy lightened my billfold by another $150 for antibiotics and some FLU medication. It has been over a week and I am just now feeling human again. Paul and Kenny ended up with it on Thursday but nobody has had it as bad as me. I am still coughing my head off but minus the green stuff. Next year we will be first in line to get FLU shots, I am NOT doing this again. I bet we spent $600 on medicine and doctors visits this past week plus the 2 days of work that Kenny missed. UGGG!! I hate being sick.

The Great "Smell" Search

2006-01-24T19:40:00.000-08:00

We moved a few weeks back but our old trailer is still sitting right next to us because we haven't finished going through junk and bringing it all over to the new place. All of my furniture and the big stuff is out but what is left is the "stuff" you really don't know what to do with. Everyone that has ever moved knows what I mean. Anyway, I went over there the other day and when I opened the door, BAM , this odor comes wafting my way. I immediately start searching for where this odor is coming from. I'm checking the old refrigerator, the trash, and making my way down the hall still sniffing. I check Leah's room, the kid's bathroom and then the boys bedroom. There it was, the smell was stronger now and even more putrid in here. I start picking up things and moving them around when I spotted something in the corner. No, it wasn't the week old sippy cup of milk I found under the bed but what I least expected to see, a big ole pile of crap. At first I didn't know what it was but as I got closer I realized it was a stinking, nasty pile of doo doo. Now I start racking my brain trying to figure out where in the world the crap came from when I heard a cat meowing. Bingo! We must have accidentally let a cat inside while we were moving the furniture and he got trapped inside. So I start looking for the culprit but no cat was to be found. Now I am really confused and wondering who took a dump in the corner of my kids bedroom. I finally realized that when we took up the washing machine and dryer, there was a hole in the floor for the dryer vent and the cats were getting in that way. The idiot cat got in,got confused and couldn't get out so he takes a crap in the bedroom. Did I mention I hate these cats? I swear they are idiots and all they do is eat the food I put out for them,crap in my yard and beg for more food. They are completely worthless and the whole crap in the corner incident just proved how stupid they are. Or, do ya think they did it for my benefit, sorta like a kitty recon to defoul the house one more time before it is hauled away? Either way, they got short rations for the next few days and I would have loved to pick up a 2 by 4 and play "whack the cat" with it for the mess they left me with. Know the easiest way to pick up cat poo? Let it dry out and then scoop it up. No sense in messing with the stuff while it is wet, it smears and makes a bigger mess.

Stuff You Do Not Want To Hear From Your Kids

2006-01-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

Let's see, we will begin with the age old "Whoops!" or "Uh Oh!" . Those little words normally mean that someone is big trouble in my house. Like tonight when Leah dropped her plate of lasagna and creamed corn on my carpet in my brand new house. Ever try picking up creamed corn out of carpet? Let me tell you that it ain't easy and momma was NOT happy. Oh, and here is another one of my favorites, "CRASH,BANG!!! MOMMAAAAAA !!!" Followed by crying of course. I heard that the other day when Adam decided to scale the bookshelf in Leah's room. He ended up knocking down 2 shelves,scattering movies everywhere and breaking a miniature tea set given to my daughter by and aunt that is now deceased. Oh, wait, but I'm not through yet. How about the famous, "Mommaaaaa! Something's wrong with the potty, there is water coming out of it." Oh yes, several years back Paul decided with the help of his younger brother, to flush an entire, yes, an entire roll of toilet paper down the commode. Kenny and I only realized this as we were standing ankle deep in water in the kid's bathroom and digging furiously down the toilet to find out what was stopping it up. We figured the kids must have flushed a toy but nooooo, we only find wads of toilet paper and the cardboard roll. I still have no idea what possessed them or how they actually did flush an entire roll of TP. Thank goodness none of mine have tried to swing from the ceiling fan or dry the kitty in the dryer although we have had our mishaps like Paul deciding he was Picasso and coloring all over my kitchen floor. It literally took me days to get that blue and yellow crayon up. I know I will probably long for the days of UhOh and Whoops when instead I am hearing "Mom, isn't this a great place for a tatoo or Mom, can I get my ear(eyebrow,nose,belly button,tongue) pierced? Do I really gotta go past the Whoops stage?

I'm A Sap

2006-01-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

Yep, thats me. I hate watching sad things on TV or in the movies because I always cry in the sad parts. I remember sitting in the movie theater watching "Steel Magnolias" with tears pouring down my cheeks when Julia Robert's character dies. Oh man did I ever squall during the cemetary scene and then at the end when the crazy hair dresser lady had her baby. I hate movies like Armageden and Somersby where the main character dies and I absolutely refuse to watch it more than once. I
like to watch the show Ghost Whisperer and last night it was about a 6 year old boy. I cried like a big ole baby at the end of that one. It just broke my heart and I guess it hit close to home because I have a 6 year old little boy. I really prefer to LMAO at a comedy than sitting there bawling my eyes out to a "chick flick". Of course my hubby loves this because then he doesn't have to watch them. Ha Ha I love a good horror, science fiction or suspense movie. We just watched The Skeleton Key and man did it creep me out, it was great. I don't like movies that mess with your head like The Ring,Grudge or Candyman. I had nightmares for weeks after I watched The Grudge. That movie was really messed up. Ever wonder what goes through the person's mind who wrote the screenplay?

I'm a Big Dork

2006-01-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

Yep, thats me. I collect Cabbage Patch kids, all types, Mass Market and the original softies from Babyland General Hospital. This morning, the new 2006 edition of the softies were available for adoption and as usual, a specific kid called my name. I missed out on her by just minutes but thankfully I had a back up girl that I loved just as much. I know to a non collector, I may sound cooky but in the cabbie community, yep, you heard me, there is a cabbie community, I was one of many braving the phone lines this morning for the chance to adopt my dream kid. It is crazy the amount of money that was flung around this morning. But hey, I don't buy fancy clothes,shoes,purses or jewelry like most women. Everyone has their vices and well, doll collecting is mine. My mom thinks I am nuts but then again she is one of those women who likes to shop for clothes and things for the house. I don't get a softie very often due to their price tag. Hubby is really quite okay with it and the kids have gotten used to going to the toy section everytime we go to Walmart. Paul will even pick them up and say this one is cute mommy. Adam really could care less and well, I have to share some of my babies with Leah. Not the expensive softie ones but the mass market kind like Play Along. She also shares my love for Strawberry Shortcake, another one of my collecting hobbies. Yes, I'm a nut and part of my room looks like a little girls but I do share my passion with tons of other people including some guys in my huge cabbie community so to all the non collectors that do not understand, well, blah on you! My mom did go to several Walmarts searching for a Pink Cabbage Patch puppy that just came out and she found me one, yay!

2006-01-16T15:22:00.000-08:00

Front of our new home

Over 1700 square feet of Mobile Home

2006-01-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

Yep, I posted that right, over 1700 square feet of living area. Believe me, after 6 years in a single wide with 3 kids, I am in hog heaven. Some people turn up their noses at mobile homes but I call them home. I got a brand new refrigerator,stove and dishwasher with my home and we didn't spend a fortune for it. I'm not in debt up to my eyeballs and we make out pretty good with my husband having the only paycheck coming home. The other neat thing is that if we decide to leave, we can take it with us! HA HA!! Well, it seems that I am being paged to the kitchen to cook supper and I have nothing else of importance to report. Well, maybe a few more things, Paul has lost 2 teeth and only one has grown back even though it has been several months. Leah reports now that she will never play with a can again and her finger still looks awful, it is very sensitive to heat and cold. Adam still can't wipe his own butt without assistance unless I buy him butt types(butt wipes) from the little kid section. It was like a freakin rodeo last week when we loaded up 3 cats and 2 dogs for a visit to the vet. Ever catch a cat and have him express his anal glands? Not a pretty thing. My old dog Morgan who is 8 detests riding anywhere and she lets her displeasure known by passing gas the whole way. We rode with the windows down for 20 minutes gagging. Morgan lays there with her paws over her face looking very embarrassed. Did ya ever think a dog could look embarrassed?

Head Lice

2006-01-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

Adam got a letter home from school today. No, he does not have lice but several of the kids at his school do. They are actually closing school for tommorrow because of it! 3 words, OMG!!!!! How bad does it have to be to close down the school for a day? Lord have mercy! How many kids have it? My head has been itching since I read the letter and I have since washed my hair. I have never had head lice but I do know what kind of an outcast you were in school if it was found in your hair. I remember the school nurse checking our heads and then rubbing her hands with green alcohol. I remember praying that I would not have it. I knew the teasing and taunting that would happen if the nurse told you to go wait outside the classroom. My best friend in the 6th grade was told to go wait outside the classroom. I was mortified because I thought she could have given it to me. After several minutes in the office, she returned. We were all speechless because never had a kid returned from the office after being thought to have head lice. Later at recess she confided in me that it was determined to be just a bad case of dandruff. I remember 2 girls a grade or 2 behind me that rode my bus in the afternoon. They both had long blonde hair, were overweight, dirty,poor and ALWAYS had head lice. Although I kept my distance, I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Now that I am older, I am ashamed of the way they were treated and I can't imagine what their home life was like. What a thing to remember!

When Did I Become Betty Crocker?

2005-12-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

I have been up to my eyeballs in fudge,cookies and sausage balls for the past few days. I stupidly began making chocolate and peanut butter fudge a few years ago and now it is sort of expected. This year I made some cookies thanks to the Food Network channel and Paula Deene. I saw the recipes on her show and just had to try them. Then Kenny volunteered me to make BBQ meatballs for his office party and of course we had to go all out and make sausage balls too. On top of all this cooking and baking, I have had all 3 kids home plus my babysitting charge. Thank goodness I have done all my shopping and only had a few more gifts to wrap. I have to pack our things for our trip to my inlaws on Friday and I am also trying to pack for the move on Tuesday. I am really just exhausted and hope to enjoy myself this weekend. I need a break. The past few weekends we have been cleaning up our Katrina mess. My dad helped a little but really Kenny and I did it all by ourselves. It was a huge undertaking but somehow we managed to pull if off with very little injury to ourselves. I say little cause I managed to step on a nail and Kenny got hit in the head by something that knocked a small hole in his scalp. We both had to get tetanus shots and now mine is itching and has a small bump where I got the shot. Leah got the stitches out of her finger and it still looks terrible just minus the stitches. We seem to be some accident prone folks this month. I will just be glad when the house is here and moving is over. Nothing like starting the new year with a bang.

2005-12-15T17:32:00.001-08:00

Picture of Adam on his birthday

2005-12-15T17:32:00.000-08:00

Leah begged me to do her hair like the little baby we have been keeping

2005-12-15T17:30:00.000-08:00

Picture of my tree

2005-12-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

Photo of finger tonight - Day 4 Still can't get a good shot of it, I guess I need a new digital camera or either some photography lessons!

2005-12-15T17:28:00.000-08:00

Here is the photo of her finger last night - Day 3 Still looks terrible to me

2005-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

Day 2 photo - Changing her bandage is a real chore. We have to do it 3 times a day and Leah screams the whole time.

2005-12-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

My poor baby!!!! This is a photo I took of it tonight as I changed her bandage - What an ordeal! Sorry if I gross anyone out.

ER Visit

2005-12-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

After church today my daughter decided to just about slice her finger off. We had just gotten in from church and I was in the kitchen cooking lunch. She grabbed the can of pinto beans off the counter and stuck her finger in it. By the time I turned around she was screaming and I tried to get her finger out. Evidently I wasn't doing it quick enough because she snatched it out herself and yep, sliced it good. I totally freaked out and snatched her up to wash it off and look at the damage. I nearly passed out when I saw that her finger tip was just hanging on. I screamed for Kenny and we all jumped in the van. Took an hour and a half and 9 stitches to close it up. They strapped my baby into a papoose board,washed her little finger with betadine(of which I am allergic to)and then administered a nerve block. She screamed and screamed when they stuck her with that needle and I cried and cried. I swear we will never buy another can of vegetables, it is all frozen from now on. My poor baby! She has slept most of the afternoon and been doped up on Tylenol and Motrin. I couldn't even give her a bath tonight because she can't get her finger wet for 24 hours. She has a huge bandage on her hand and we can't take that off until tommorrow. I know that finger is going to be so sore in the morning and the only thing I can do for her is to give her tylenol or motrin. I feel like the worse mommy in the world!

Sorry to be MIA

2005-12-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

We have alot going on here. Yes, typical holiday busy but we might have bitten off more than we can chew. We have been looking for another home since Katrina decided to toss ours around when she hurtled through here at the end of August. Our insurance company finally decided to send us a check so we have been trying to figure out what to do. Our home now can be repaired but honestly it is way too small for all 5 of us and I am tired of tripping over one another. We had drawn up plans for a small 3 bedroom 2 bath home but it would be next summer before the house would even be started on plus we could afford it but just by the skin of our teeth. I hate to be in debt and I do not want to be in it up to my eyeballs. I prefer to live comfortably but not extravagantly. We drove to Vicksburg Saturday on a whim because of an add we had seen in a newspaper. Of course when we got there, the home we came to see had been sold. I was so disappointed but of course the salesman had another home to show us. I was immediately overwhelmed by the size of the 4 bedroom 2 bath 2007 square foot mobile home shown to us. Kenny and I both decided that the price was too high and the thing was just too big for us. I know, I know, weird people turning down space! Well,he had one more home to show us and when we walked in the door, I knew this was the home for us. It has 3 bedrooms,2 baths, a huge laundry room,dining room,kitchen and living area. Almost 1800 square feet of space and believe me, this is huge to us after living in a single wide for 5 years. The huge laundry room was the selling point for me. I have never had one and this one could be used as an extra room in the house, no lie. I can fit my washer,dryer, freezer and we are even talking of moving the computer in there for a small office. I refused to let myself get excited because I know things don't always work out and then I am just disappointed again. Things seem to be rolling well and we are hoping to sign papers this week and have our house here next week. What a whirlwind adventure! How in the world am I going to get this done before Christmas? We are going to spend the whole weekend cleaning up our yard from the storm damage. Yes, I know it has been several months but we couldn't clean up until the insurance paid in case there was a problem. Plus we are going to need help to clean up this mess. Kenny hired a guy today to help him out and my parents are coming. I can't believe I will have a new home next week!

Paul and the Sleep Over

2005-11-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

Yep, my baby is staying over at a friends house tonight. He was so excited and I have stayed up worrying about him. I thought for sure I would get a phone call for me to come and get him. His friend is moving away in a few days and they are both devastated. It is so hard for him to understand. It is killing me not to get in the car and go down the street to get him. He is just down the road but morning can not get here quickly enough for me.

Anniversary Trip

2005-11-20T21:48:00.000-08:00

My hubby planned and surprised me with a weekend trip for our 9th anniversary. He came in from hunting on Saturday morning and told me to pack an overnight bag. I was shocked! He had been planning this trip for 2 weeks and had reservations and baby sitters lined up. His grandmother arrived at our house and we left with me still not knowing where we were going. We started off by stopping in Jackson to see the new Harry Potter movie which was wonderful! Then he just started driving and still wouldn't tell me where we were headed. We ended up at the Pearl River Resort in Philadelphia and stayed at the Golden Moon Casino. It is a beautiful hotel and we had dinner reservations at a really fancy restaurant. We walked all over the motel and casino and even played some slot machines but mostly we enjoyed being together and alone. Anyone with kids knows what I mean about alone time. We have 3 and sometimes you don't even get alone time to go to the bathroom. I constantly have 3 pair of eyes watching me wherever I go. We didn't waste too much time in the casino cause I am not a gambler or drinker and the smoke was killing me. I was just fascinated to watch people put quarter after quarter in those machines. I swear some people never moved from one spot, they looked like robots methodically putting in quarter after quarter. I'm cheap, I played the 5 cent machines and immediately won $50. Don't ask me how, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to these games but I did know that I was going to cash out and get my money, not put it back into that stupid machine! I went running to Kenny waving my little redemption ticket, very pleased with myself. Today we got up, took our time and stopped wherever we wanted to on the way home. I think we hit several Walmarts and a Petsmart on the way home. Yeah, I know, real exciting but hey, we are just simple,plain people, and I like it that way.

2005-11-17T21:23:00.001-08:00

Indian Wigwam

2005-11-17T21:23:00.000-08:00

Indian Mound

Field Trip Report

2005-11-17T21:04:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm posting tonight so that is a good sign. Actually the trip went great. I never knew how good 50 kindergarten kids could act on a bus! I was so surprised that they actually listened and were quiet, I mean, my kid never shuts up but when his teacher speaks, he listens and she doesn't have to yell at him! The Indian Village was really interesting and the kids got to go into a Wigwam and stand on an Indian Mound. Their tour guide told them alot about the native americans daily lives and she had lots of neat stuff to show them like headresses,long bows,deer skin and a papoose board. She had games for them to play and they ran up and down the Indian Mound until they almost passed out. Lets just say that the 1 and 1/2 hour trip home was quiet, they all fell asleep! I got home, had to fix supper,bathe 3 kids,get them dressed for bed and then make cupcakes for a party tommorrow at school. I am drop dead tired once again and I have another list of things to do! Good news for the diet though, it appears that I have lost about 30lbs and I am pleased but the pounds just do not come off quick enough for me. I weigh so much that 30 lbs is just a drop in the bucket to what I need to lose. I really need to get outside and exercise but there just never seems to be enough time in the day for it plus it was friggin cold today! The wind cut like a knife and even Paul's face is windburned. As for the field trip, I say we did great, the kids behaved, we didn't loose anyone and the teachers and parents survived. I count that as a great success. Wanna know what the teacher mentioned to me? They will be taking a trip to the Zoo in the spring and of course parent chaperones are encouraged. Guess a trip to the zoo is in my future!

Another Short Ramble From A Very Busy Mom

2005-11-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again...... NOT! UGGGG! I have been soooo busy lately and just can't seem to find the time to sit down and rest. I spent all afternoon Sunday Christmas shopping and while it was divine to be alone for the afternoon, I was beat when I got home. Monday I ran TONS of errands and then got Adam from school and we went to eat lunch with Kenny. After lunch it was no use to go home cause I had to get Paul in about an hour. I got caught in the downpour Monday night because I had forgotten to get juice for the nursery at my bible study and I had to run to Walmart to get some. I was drenched by the time I got home and it is a wonder I have not gotten sick. Yesterday was my bible study and then I had to rush home to fix lunch before Kenny and Adam got home. Today I had to pick up Adam from school and take him to his speech class then we went and ate lunch and I picked up Paul from school early. I wanted to get the oil in my van changed but our Walmart was out of the oil I needed so stupid me drives to the next Walmart and guess what? They are out too!!! I have no idea what Havoline's problem is but they really need to get some oil to these Walmarts!!!! Kids are cranky,its colder than a well diggers butt and my feet are killing me. Guess what I do? Drive to the next town's Walmart but then remember half way there that they do not have an oil change department. Oh well, I keep going cause Kenny's grandma and aunt want something that I have not found at either of the other 2 Walmarts and this one is no different. Yes, I have lost my mind and I feel like Goldie Hawn in the movie Overboard where she sits there and goes Bbbbbbbbbbbb until Kurt Russell throws her in the rain barrel. Anyway, I got to get some rest because I am going with Paul's kindergarten class to chaperone tommorrow on a trip out of town. Yep, on a bus with a bunch of kindergarten kids, Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb.

2005-11-16T19:38:00.000-08:00

What Big Blue Peepers You Have!

2005-11-16T19:37:00.000-08:00

Recent Picture of Leah

2005-11-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2005- Lady Bug Leah, Turtle Adam,Power Ranger Paul and ugly bugger in the back Kenny

Long Time, No Blog

2005-11-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

We have been rather busy around here the past few weeks. Whoever coined the phrase "Stay At Home Mom" didn't know anything about us! I have been staying in the road doing various thing the past few weeks. We had Fall Fests at the church and school and of course all the school parties of which need cupcakes,goody bags, ext. You guys get the drift. I also have a bible study group on Tuesday mornings and then all the housework and meals that have to be prepared. I think I am busier now than I was when I was working full time. Then again I didn't have 3 kids, just one.
We still have not gotten a settlement from our Insurance company for our damage during Katrina. Though they keep telling us it is in the mail. Yeah right, I'll believe it when I have the darn thing in my hand. Kenny and I have GOT to figure out what we are going to do concerning this house. I really want to build but I don't want to go so far into debt. It bugs me to owe money! Having to get a new vehicle really stunk because we were not expecting that expense. Even though I love my van.
I have been on a diet for about 3 1/2 weeks and if I can ever get my scale to work right, I think I have lost about 15 lbs. Not great but hey, I'll take it. I have gained way too much weight in the last 2 years and I look like the Good Year Blimp. I hope to take off at least 75lbs if not more. I would love to wear clothes that didn't end with a W. I can deal with double digit clothes but the Wide Load emblem has got to go. I am tired of being the fat mommy and long to stop shopping in the fat lady section. My weight has always been a problem but now it has gotten out of hand. I not only have 2 double chins but 2 rolls of belly and a butt you could make a shelf out of. Only bad thing is that Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up and if Halloween was bad, I KNOW these holidays will be. My downfall is sweets but at least I have found some that go along with my diet. It hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be, I just wish I had lost more weight.
Thanks for all your comments, I enjoy reading them and it looks like several other people have found my blog. We have had no other Poo Poo incidents since my last post but Leah constantly waits till the last minute to say she needs to pee and she ends up peeing before she gets to the potty. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated cause I'm about ready to wring her little neck! Also, does anyone know how to keep the spammers off my site? I'm tired of deleting comments!

Leah Goes Potty In the Bathtub

2005-10-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Yep, you read that right. During lunch the other day, I heard quite a commotion in the kids bathroom. Evidently Leah and Adam were having a fight over the toilet. Adam pushed Leah off thus Adam wins. I sent Kenny back there to find out what was going on. I hear him yell something and exchange swats on little behinds then crying. Curious, I start down the hall and immediately was met by a foul odor. Kenny met me in the hall and I asked him what was up because I smelled poo. His answer was to check the tub and clean Leah up. Yeah, leave all the good messes for me! I look in the tub and see not one turd but a pile of them! I was SO grossed out! She had also smeared it down the side of the tub and onto her panties. I got the joyous task of cleaning up her and my tub. She must have hung herself over the side of the tub and just pooed since Adam pushed her off the potty. I guess she said to herself, I'll fix him! Bad thing about this whole incident is that WE HAVE ANOTHER BATHROOM!! Go figure with a 3 and 2 year old. Ahhhh! The joys of motherhood!

Tooth Fairy

2005-10-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Guess I get to play Tooth Fairy tonight since Paul lost his first tooth. Thank goodness my mother in law found this adorable little pillow to hang on his bedpost to put his tooth in instead of me having to reach under his pillow for it. I have no idea how tooth fairies before me did not wake their little ones searching for a baby tooth,under a pillow, in the dark! Now comes the question, how much does the tooth fairy leave for these precious baby teeth now a day? My husband said he got one of those giant tootsie rolls with quarters taped all up the back of it and I think the most I ever got was $1.00 or some change. What is appropriate and what is outrageous? Also, what do you do with the tooth? I think the tooth fairy before me saved all my teeth but to me, that is disgusting but it also seems wrong to just throw them away. I guess I should have asked all these questions prior to the big night. It just never seemed like that big deal, until now when the eve of this tooth fairies maiden journey is to be begin. It just seems like yesterday when he got that first baby tooth!!! Now it is gone and a "big boy" tooth is already visible and ready to take the place of the baby one. My baby is growing up!

2005-10-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

Paul's First Lost Tooth

2005-10-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

Birthday Boy after a long day at school-again, excuse the mess in the background

2005-10-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Birthday Boy- Excuse the mess in the background

Happy Birthday Paul!!

2005-10-03T20:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast the years are flying by. My baby turned 6 today. Can it be that already 6 years have past since my firstborn was placed in my arms? 6 years and yet I can remember just about every detail. Sunday, October 3rd,1999, 2:20 a.m., 7lbs 2 oz, 20 inches long,strawberry blonde hair,and blue eyes. Paul's birth was not an easy one. It was a long labor, 2 weeks early and I had the beginnings of pre eclampsia. Being a first time mom, I was not really aware of how dangerous this all was. I only knew that I was scared,in pain and ready for it all to be over. My blood pressure skyrocketed and I was placed on a medication that made me feel extremely drugged so parts of the day I don't remember at all. I do remember it taking forever for me to push him out and neither I nor the doctor realized why until his little head made its appearance. I heard something about a double cord and that on the next push, I had to get him out. The umbilical cord was wrapped tightly twice around his little neck and no wonder he wouldn't come out. When I think what could have happened, I feel sick to my stomach. I almost lost my own life as well. An artery was nicked somehow when Paul was born and I was bleeding profusely. It took the doctor more than an hour to piece me back together. Of course at the time, I didn't realize the seriousness of either situation but I understand fully now what I could have lost then. Paul is very bright,sensitive and more than I could have ever imagined when I looked down at the tiny newborn in my arms 6 years ago. How could the time pass by so quickly?

Proud New Owner of A....

2005-09-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Mini van, yep, I said it, a mini van. I have been dreading this day forever. Bound and determined not to EVER own a mini van. Well, 3 kids later, I needed more room and my Ford Taurus burn out on me. I have loved my Taurus since I got it 6 years ago as a 2 year old used vehicle but my husband claims it has been a pain in his a#@ from day one. I think he was really glad I finally wore it out and had to get something else. I ended up getting a 2002 Dodge Caravan. Its silver and really doesn't look a whole lot like the mini van my parents had when I was growing up. I hated our Plymoth Voyager. It had plastic seats and had the get up and go of an 80 year old woman. Forget ever passing anyone or pulling out of an intersection quickly. The new van has been a pleasure to drive. It has a powerful engine and I actually like the way it looks on the outside too. An SUV just wasn't in our budget and plus, they guzzle gas and cost a fortune with insurance so a mini van route we went. Another Mini Van Mom joins the ranks!

Matt-Prisoner of the State

2005-09-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we found out where Matt will be serving his sentence. He has been transferred to Greene County which I think is near Laurel but not sure. I think Kenny told me it is called Southeast MS Correctional Institute. Thank God it was not Parchmen. Kenny talked to him Saturday when he called collect. He only remembers my phone number and my moms and they have moved to Vicksburg. He has to wait 6 months to change the phone numbers so I guess we will be the ones he calls until then. He gets visitation this weekend but I don't know if we are going or not. Brian got a letter from him and if I remember, I will get him to let me photograph the envelope to post here. It had a very nice pencil drawing of a boy behind bars with a tear in his eye that Matt got someone to draw for him. Brian let me read the letter and I am apalled that Matt still doesn't think he did anything wrong. His opinion is the judge was too hard on him and he doesn't deserve to be behind bars. What a load of crap! Matt has gotten away with far too much and it is time the piper was paid. I just hope the next 6 years will instill in him the fact that he did wrong and it was right for the state to punish him. I pray that he will develope the conscience he desperately needs. He needs to accept that it was he and he alone that made the decisions that lead him to his incarceration and not anyone else. I wish he would quit blaming the world and start blaming himself for his mistakes.

2005-09-13T15:00:00.001-07:00

Front Of Trailer

2005-09-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Side View of House

2005-09-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Rear View of Our Trailer

My Katrina Story

2005-09-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yep, I bet you all have heard enough stories but here is one more. After the lights went out Monday morning, the kids and Kenny and I weathered out the storm at my mom's house. We both knew our trailer was not safe for us to be in with the wind everyone was predicting. About 1:00, our neighbors called us and said they had just watched our roof blow away. We continued to watch the wind blow my parents trees from one side to another and one by one about 6 trees snapped right in the middle. We waited until it stopped raining and then decided to get out and check on our home. The sights we saw were unbelievable. Trees were uprooted,huge limbs hung on broken power lines, signs were down, the town was an absolute mess. It took us forever to find a road we could go down to even get to our house. When we finally pulled up to the trailer, I couldn't believe my eyes. I'll just let some pictures tell the words I can't seem to write. Kenny and I knew we could not stay with no power,water,or telephones with 3 kids so we hauled ourselves to Greenville to stay with my Grandma. Kenny had to go back to work the next day and he was relocated to Grenada for the time being. They had to set up an office there to handle their business since McComb was basically shut down. We finally got home Saturday night after almost 2 weeks in the Delta. I spent all day Sunday washing clothes,unpacking and basically trying to get things livable until we can figure out what to do. Insurance adjusters still have not showed up and the only thing we can do is put a tarp over the roof and pray to God that it does not rain. I know my story is one of countless others but it deserves to be heard as well. I haven't lost everything and I feel for those that have. I have never seen such destruction in my 29 years and I hope to God that I never do again.

Leah Meets Super Girl

2005-08-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to a Kid's Day. It was soooo not worth the effort it took to get us there but at least it was free to get in. It was loud and jam packed with kids and parents and I will not dare go back again. There were supposed to be Super Heroes there signing autographs for the kids but we only caught a glimpse of Wonder Woman and Spiderman disappearing into what looked like a breakroom and Super Girl, who Leah got her picture taken with. The boys were a little afraid of her but Leah went right up to her and took the photo. There was a petting zoo outside in the 100 degree heat and we didn't stay long. I had sweat rolling in places I dare not mention and I,quite frankly,smelled like the petting zoo by the time we got through. Adam picked up a baby chick and just about squeezed all the poo out of the little fella before he was rescued. Paul was fascinated by the 3-4 ft long ball python wrapped around its handlers arms and I was a little more than creeped out. Reptiles are not on my list of favorite animals. I prefer the cute and cuddly ones thank you very much. A goat tried to eat Leah's dress and then it licked the food pellets off her hand. Note to self, Bring hand sanitizer the next time a farm animal wants to eat out of my daughters hand. YUCK!!!!! Well, if that little tour wasn't enough, we ended up at Chuck E Cheese with about 100 other folks looking for some entertainment in the air conditioning! I never want to see another token again in my life! There are only so many games of Skeeball you can play in a day! Note to self, buy less tokens next time and then hide half of those from kids. No more tokens? Awww we gotta go home now! HA HA HA!!!!!

2005-08-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Leah and Super Girl

2005-08-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

Paul First Day of Kindergarten

2005-08-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Adam First Day of Preschool

My Kid's a Genius

2005-08-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

Today was kindergarten orientation and testing day for Paul. They do some sort of test to see what each child's weaknesses and strengths are so no child is left behind. Duh, when I was in school they labeled us and called it the high and low class but nevermind that now. Anyway, we walk into this classroom and a lady asked Paul when his birthday was. He immediately responded with the correct answer and then she asked him where he went to preschool. Paul looked her square in the eye and said, "Mississippi". Everyone busted out laughing and found him quite adorable. Ha Ha! A nice lady marched my 5 year old off to play some games while I filled out dozens of pages of information on my child. All the time sitting in a chair so low to the ground I thought I would have to have a crane to lift my fat a** out of it. The kindergarten chairs were NOT meant to hold women of my girth and I could just see the metal frame work bend with the effort of holding up my beefy self. After standing in a dozen lines, filling out mountains of paper work, and listening to a 45 minute slide presentation, Paul is now enrolled in kindergarten. They will start Tuesday and boy is he excited. He asks me every day how many more days are left until he gets to go to school. He is quite agitated with me that he will not be riding the bus. He actually wants to ride the bus but when I was his age, I begged my parents to take me to school so I could avoid the hour long bus ride. I however stand firm that he will NOT be riding the big yellow school bus. Down here there are too many drivers that should never have a license much less drive a bus.

Amy

Nancy Drew Rides Again

2005-08-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

As a little girl, I loved the Nancy Drew Mysteries. I remember going to the library, filling my back pack with the books and spending hours reading them. I recently came across a few of them at my local bookstore on the clearance rack and I just had to buy them. I have since bought a few off ebay and more from the clearance rack, they were buy 2 and get 1 free. I can read one in a night and some of them are cheesy but I love them. I just read my favorite one, The Clue In the Dancing Puppet, today and it still was just as exciting as all those years ago.
I also loved Little House on the Prairie,Ramona and Dear God Its Me Margaret. I think I might have even read some of the Hardy Boys but Nancy Drew was my favorite. She is a little juvenile for me at my age but I can't help but get excited when the mystery is finally solved. Guess I will always be a true nerd at heart.

2005-08-02T20:12:00.001-07:00

Leah

2005-08-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

Paul

2005-08-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

Adam

2005-08-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

Little Angels Ready For Church

My baby is Potty Trained!!!!

2005-07-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Yep, no more diaper duty for me! Yay! After 5 and 1/2 years of diapers, I am finally free! I feel like singing the Hallelujah chorus! Leah has been wearing her "big girl" panties all week with no accidents even at naptime. She hasn't mastered the art of wiping her butt but heck, neither has Adam and he will be 4 in December! If I don't watch her, she will use an entire roll of toilet paper to wipe her "cootie" and clog up the toilet. Friday I took her to Walmart to pick out a pack of underwear all by herself. I had bought the other ones and I thought as a treat for being trained, she should get to pick out her own. I held up Care Bears,Strawberry Shortcake, Dora the Explorer and Disney Princesses. It took my little Princess only seconds to decide that Sleeping Beauty,Cinderella and Snow White would grace her bottom. Nothing could change her mind so Disney Princesses were what we came home with plus a purple haired fairy barbie from the Dollar Tree. As much as I am glad to see the diapers go, it is also a little sad that she is growing up so fast and no more babies for me!!!
Paul will start kindergarten in another week and will be gone all day! Adam starts preschool and will be gone half a day! All I will have is Leah and in another year she will start preschool! I guess I am gonna go cry now. No wait, I have to do that the first day of school. WAHHHH!!!!!

Sentence Is Handed Down

2005-07-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

Matt got 20 years. 14 years suspended with probation. So he will serve 6 years, maybe 4 and 1/2 for good behavior. Not as bad as it could have been but not great considering he was only the driver of the car and did not participate in the actual robbery. I have told my children that they will be a whole lot older when they see their Uncle Matt again. Paul is the only one who seems to have a clue what is going on. I just hope to never have to deal with this with one of them. I know my mother asks herself everyday where she went wrong. Why did Matt turn out this way and how could she have prevented it. I keep telling her that she taught all of us right from wrong and that is all she could have done. We are the ones who make the choices and what paths our lives take. It also has alot to do with the friends you hang out with. Matt has always drifted toward the druggies, alcholics and darker side of society. Matt will be almost 30 before he gets out of jail if he serves his entire sentence. Half of his life will be gone and he will have to start all over again at 30 with a jail record. That is if he survives life on the inside at whatever correctional facility he goes to. He has already been beaten up here and I fear his mouth will get him beaten up some more if not get him killed. We are praying he will not serve his time at Parchman. It is all in the hands of the Department of Corrections now. They will place him wherever a bed is available. Now I have the joy of seeing my little brothers name in the paper and a 20 year sentence behind his name.

Stamp Big Fat L On My Forehead?

2005-07-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the things people say make me believe its true. I am 29 and a stay at home mom of 3 kids, that is my one and only job title. I did not finish a bachelors,masters or PhD, the only thing I finished was an Associates Degree and even that does not have a title behind it. I consider myself smart and always had excellent grades. I had 2 ambitions growing up,1st and foremost I wanted to be a mother and 2nd a nurse. I was accepted into nursing school and was doing very well when I found out I was expecting. I immediately dropped out of school and resumed a full time job. People always ask me why and I tell them I really didn't like nursing school. That is a lie. I loved nursing school but I loved the child I was carrying more and so I dropped out. I was terrified of "catching" something while I worked in the hospital and afraid of the stress that would be on me. The full time job I resumed was a receptionist in an Animal Hospital. Not a glamorous job but one that paid the bills and one I knew that would be flexible with me and the baby. So why do I feel like a loser sometimes? Because people are always asking why I don't go back to school and finish my nursing training. They don't understand that I am exactly where I want to be. Why do people always think you should have this big paying job and career? I consider myself lucky to be able to stay at home with my kids. I really wanted to stay home with my first but that wasn't possible. After our second child, it was just cheaper for me to stay at home than to pay daycare. We aren't rich but we aren't poor either. I like being at home with my children and I think they appreciate it too. Their mom is able to pick them up at school,take them places and play with them any time she wants to. My husband loves to come home at lunch for a meal and he likes me being at home to care for our children. No, I'm not living in the dark ages and I am not lazy or a loser. I am content with myself and my "job" and I don't feel the need to climb the corporate ladder. I have a 365 day, 24 hour, 7 day a week job with no breaks,vacations,raises or paycheck . My job title is "Mom" and that suites me just fine.

Matt is about to hit the big house

2005-07-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Friday is sentencing, 10 years is the minimum and the life is the maximum. Where he serves his sentence will depend on the Dept. of Corrections. I believe his options are: State Pen, Woodville,Yazoo City or there may be one is Issaquena County. I went with my parents to visit him on Sunday. It was horrible and he looks horrible. He is sleeping on the floor with about 15 others because the jail is too full and they don't have enough beds. He looks as if he hasn't slept in weeks or been fed either. They aren't giving him bandages to change on his foot and his surgery to close the wound has been cancelled. Matt needs to be punished for his stupidity but this is insane. My mother is a nervous wreck and all I can think about is how much of his life he has wasted.

Leah's Party

2005-07-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

It was alot of work but worth it because we all had so much fun. We had a great visit with my grandma,Sara and Dakota. The cousins played and played. It was HOT and then it started to pour right when everyone was heading home. Glad it waited to rain until party was over cause all those folks would NOT have fit in my house! Leah got lots of stuff and was thoroughly spoiled.
I always wanted Leah's hair to be long and straight but after Sara straightened it with her iron, I think not. Leah's hair is curly for a reason, she is pretty darn cute with it! Her PaPaw saw her right after Sara did it and his response was," What the h*ll did you do to her hair?" Kenny and the rest of the family have forbidden me to go anywhere near her head again with a straightening iron. It may not be good for her hair but it makes mine look pretty good. Except for the part about taking FOREVER to do! My hair is long and thick and it takes soooo long to do but looks a whole lot better than the bushy mess that it normally is.
The jewelry Leah got in the picture was from her daddy. He came up with the idea and picked it out himself. He bought her a gold chain and had 2 pearls put on it and he will buy her a new pearl every year until she turns 25 or gets married. Isn't that sweet? She will always have something just from her daddy and a nice set of pearls one day. Makes me all teary to think about.

2005-07-11T22:10:00.001-07:00

Leah's Cake

2005-07-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Jewelry!

2005-07-11T22:09:00.001-07:00

MONEY!!!!

2005-07-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

Opening presents-Oh Boy! Pants! Love my hat!

2005-07-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

Leah with straight hair

2005-07-11T22:07:00.001-07:00

Playing In the Sprinkler

2005-07-11T22:07:00.000-07:00

Cousins

2005-06-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Leah!

Guess What I Was Doing 2 Years Ago Today?

2005-06-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to deliver my baby girl! About this time last year, I was having my last Doctors appointment. Since my last baby had been so big(9lbs 2 oz), the doctor wanted to induce me. My sonogram at 36 weeks showed her already to be over 8lbs so he told me at 39weeks he would induce. June 30th was 39weeks so he kept his word and admitted me to the hospital. At around 12:00 I was in my hospital room being hooked up to monitors and an IV drip in preparation for the dreaded Pitocin. My doctor came in, lowered the baby in my pelvis(don't ask! It was horrible!) and broke my water. Kenny and I settled ourselves in for a long haul because induced babies normally take a while. I got a shot of Staydol when I reached 5 cm at around 3:00 p.m. That worked for about an hour but I had to wait another hour to get another shot. I got another shot of Staydol at 5:00 p.m. but it just was not doing the trick like the first time! Around 5:30 she checked me and I was at 7cm. Around 5:45 I thought I needed to go to the bathroom and the nurse was just putting a bedpan under me when I changed my mind and told her she needed to check me again. She did and immediately started calling the doctor! It took him forever to get over to the hospital and just when the nurse thought she was going to have to deliver the baby, he walked in. Leah Marie made her grand entrance into this world at 6:36 p.m. weighing only 7lbs 9oz and was 2o inches long. Her weight was a big surprise to us because we had been told to expect a much bigger baby. After having Adam weigh 9lbs 2oz, she was so tiny! I finally had the little girl I had longed for after having 2 handsome boys. I was no longer the only female in the house. It seems like only yesterday that I had my newborn daughter in my arms but today marks her 2nd birthday and my baby is no longer a baby. Sometimes I want to return to the newborn days but then I keep reminding myself that one day she will become the beautiful young lady I picture in my mind. So time presses on and the precious baby girl has turned into an adorable toddler. She is loving,smart, and always smiling. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAH MARIE!!!!

Mutt Brigade Turns 2 Weeks

2005-06-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Yep, 7 mutt puppies turned 2 weeks old today. I haven't taken anymore pictures but will try to soon. We have one that is twice the size of the others and eats anywhere from 4-6 ounces at a feeding. He is HUGE! We call him Big Boy. Fat Head, the puppy that was stuck in the birth canal holding up everyone else, is almost as big as Big Boy. Everyone has their eyes open and their ears will start to open next week sometime. We do have a runt in the bunch and right now we just call her The Baby. My mothers laundry room looks like a mini nursery. All the puppies are seperated into their own small box. We had to do this because they were sucking on each other and making sores. My mother and I are extremely tired of taking care of puppies but hopefully only one more week of bottles and then we start them on softened puppy chow. Mom has had them at her house since Wednesday afternoon and I am planning on keeping them there. I will go over and feed them while she is at work but I just can't keep them in my bathroom anymore. They stink and the poo smell is driving me nuts! If I could figure out how to rig diapers on them, I would. At least we have had some help the last few days. My cousin came to visit and she has been helping out but she leaves tommorrow. We seem to be doing pretty well. No more casualties since last week when pup #8 died. Even the runt seems to be doing okay. Now what are we going to do with 7 mutts? I told my mom we could load them up in my dad's truck and sit out in the parking lot of Walmart. She thought that was quite funny.

Down by One

2005-06-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yep, the little fella didn't make it. I found him this morning when I woke up. The rest seem healthy but then again, they always do, until the last minute. I guess we will bury him by his mother. Now to explain to the kids why there are only 7 puppies left since Paul can count and he does know we started with 8.

I think I am fighting a losing battle

2005-06-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

With one of the mutt brigade. He has been pitiful for 2 days now. My parents and I have babied him the whole weekend and he is still not any better. Sometimes these things happen but dangit I hate to admit defeat. It is in my very nature and every fiber in my being to fight for his life although he is just a mutt puppy who wouldn't have made it this far without my help. Even his very mother, had she lived, would have pushed him aside at the first sign of weakness. Only the strong survive in nature and we all know that. So, why is it so hard to push him aside and help the others grow stronger instead of putting all my efforts into this sick puppy? Well, for one thing I am not an animal, I am a human and I am a mother. I am also very tenderhearted and I can't bear to see anyone suffer, whether they be 2 legged or 4 legged with fur. We will see how the night goes but I honestly don't think this little one will survive another day. I hope his mother is waiting for him.

Surrogate Mommy Gets The Night Off

2005-06-10T23:34:00.000-07:00

My mother volunteered to take the puppies for the weekend. Gasp! This a major thing for her because my mother just doesn't have clue what is involved. The kids and I went with Kenny this morning out of town. He was going to Jackson to fix a computer and we tagged along. I feed the puppies before we left and my mom was going to go to my house and get them when she got off work. She called me about 3 times asking questions about these dogs. I just had to laugh at her. 1st phone call," Amy, are they supposed to smell like this? I mean, is it the formula they are eating or what? I had to ride home with the window down and I was gagging! Is this normal?" Yes, mother, they are puppies, they pee and poop all over one another, the mother dog would normally lick this up, would you like to volunteer? 2nd Phone call, "Amy, is their poop supposed to be sort of runny and yellow? How much do I feed them? When do I feed them? How much powder do I mix with the water for their milk? Why do they smell so bad?" UGGGGG!!! 3rd phone call, "Amy, is it okay to bathe them? They smelled so bad that your dad washed them off and we are drying them outside under the dryer vent. How much do I feed them again? This milk stinks, maybe that is why they stink? Why does this milk smell so bad? When are ya'll coming home? Are you going to stop by here?" Anyway, you get the picture. I did stop by there on my way home. Puppies are still alive and full of milk, pee and poop. I made some more of the puppy formula and headed my happy butt to the house puppy free, for at least the weekend. Okay, here is the last question I got, " Amy, I noticed that the puppies have very red belly's and this one(male) looks kinda weird. Do they have some sort of rash?" No mother, their belly's are red and his weiner looks weird cause the puppies suck on one another for comfort. They suck on belly buttons,ears, weiners and cooties, whatever sticks out. That is why it is red. Any ideas on getting them to stop it? I don't know mother, maybe a little chili pepper? HA HA!!!!!!

The Mutt Brigade Turns A Week Old

2005-06-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

Yep, tommorrow at around 10:30 p.m. they will turn a week old. I finally checked yesterday to see how many boys and girls I have. Funny how I haven't checked before but I guess it had something to do with feeding them so often and changing towels. There are 5 girls and 3 boys. I started them on a new formula tonight. It sounds pretty gross but they seem to like it. Check this out: 120z goat milk,1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon mayo, and 1 cup plain yogurt. It sure is thicker than the stuff from the vet and I hope it stays in their tummies longer and doesn't give them the runs. They are eating about 2 ounces a piece now. I can't wait until their eyes open. I'll try and post more pics later.

Did I Ever Tell You That.......

2005-06-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

SUMMER SUCKS!!!!!!!!????? I am in such a pissy mood today. Maybe it is because I went to bed late(due to the puppies), got woke up early(by the appraiser), and just cleaned up my kitchen floor for the 50th time this week(due to Leah Marie spilling almost and entire jug of Koolaid on my floor!!!!!!!)!!!!!!!!! I have since put Leah in her high chair so she can't get into anything else. I don't know what I am going to do with her. She is getting into my child proof cabinets, my refrigerator and on top of Paul's bunk bed where I am afraid she is going to fall off and break her neck. The puppies are stinking up my bathroom. I swear I am going to give them a bath today before the appraiser comes. I don't want him opening up the bathroom door and going "Oh My God, what is that smell?". Yes, they stink, they pee and poop all over one another no matter how many times I clean it up. I am washing just their stuff 2 times a day. Gosh, I am in a complaining mood today. Bottle feeding 8 puppies was not what I wanted to do with my summer. Now I can't go anywhere for at least 3 weeks and I was planning on visiting Grandma soon. This sucks.

2005-06-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Mutt Brigade

2005-06-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

Paul getting his T-Ball Trophy