Wasn't it just December?

I mean seriously, I say this every year and every year I am amazed just the same. It was JUST December like last week and now it's the middle of December AGAIN. I am never ready for Christmas anymore. Because it gets here too fast. I would like to bake, but I haven't had a chance to think about it. I have presents to put under the tree but they aren't wrapped yet. I guess I could do that now. But I am blogging instead.
In December comes the illness, Kelsea's hacking cough coming and going and then coming again. Poor kid, every year she's coughing during her orchestra concerts. I guess it's a good thing she doesn't sing or play a wind instrument. Tonight I am hoping Hannah doesn't miss her concert tomorrow. I didn't see the dress rehearsal today and she is feeling sick tonight that might wind up landing her at home tomorrow. A few years ago she had chicken pox during the time she was to dance in a little recital. But I recall last Christmas I had a nasty cold. I had a horrible cough and completely lost my voice. This year so far I am just dealing with waves of pain and fatigue that comes and goes. I am learning to just let things happen.
Every year now, the tree becomes a thing. I am ready for an artificial tree because of the headache. Lee Joe has the right attitude that it does make for some memories. This years was almost out of "Christmas vacation." We about had a Griswold tree. Lee Joe has a friend that got a bunch of trees to sell here. But he was selling them in Emmett. Lee Joe is out of town all the time right now. I didn't want to, or I didn't even have the time to drive to Emmett to get a tree. So he asked the friend to bring us a tree. He did. I was happy. But it had to sit for a few days before we put it up. Hannah said it was too small. It was laying on it's side in front and I said we had to wait until we saw it standing up to decide. Lee Joe put the tree up while we were gone and he said it was too small. We came home and looked at it and thought-yep, kind of small for all the ornaments we have to put on the tree. So he talked to his friend, he decided to help him deliver trees as well. So when he met up with his friend, he put the biggest tree he could find in the truck. He brought it home. It was too tall and beastly heavy. I said it was too big. All the girls said it was too big. He said he would make it work. He trimmed up the bottom, and it just fit in the house once in it's stand but it looked like someone hacked off the top of the tree or that it was in the ceiling. Our angel wouldn't fit on the top of the tree at all. So Lee Joe went out and found a star. I actually like it a lot. He trimmed up the top and the long branches that looked like the tree had been topped and it looks quite nice. But man, the arguing about tree size and then where to put the beastly thing. My goodness. It was so late getting it up. I guess it wasn't that late. It was last weekend, but it didn't feel like Christmas yet without the tree. I still don't know where the roof of my stable is for my nativity. That is this Christmas memory I guess. I will post pictures of the tree here next time. These are the memories from 2010 so far.

Snow, Snow and more snow.

I loved snow as a kid. There is nothing better than a that perfect temperature where you can build things and play in all day, as long as it is fun to build things.
But as an adult I have a different perspective. I like it when I am in the house, with my favorite things in the kitchen. And having the perfect snow day so I am not required to drive in it at all. Wednesday was that day. We got a snow day. I got to stay home from home work because it was a snow day and hang out inside while the kids played and played in the snow in the yard all day long. Then we walked to Jack in the Box because of my lack of soda and it was a fun sort of walk we don't get very often because we never get anywhere like the 8-10 inches we got overnight. Boise does not know how to plow snow. They know how to throw de-icer out on busy streets and that's it. But the kids built a snow cave and a little sled hill in the front yard. Our gazebo collapsed from the weight of the snow. I heard of about 2 or 3 more friends had the same thing happen. I remember one winter in Kansas growing up where we had several snow days from a blizzard we had. There were 10 foot drifts in places. One was in our backyard and we did nothing for days but dig snow caves. That was the most memorable winter ever. I loved it when you are a kid and you get a little cold but it's too much fun. Then the winters in Alaska where we would ice skate or sled for hours after school.
So going back to work/school on Thursday was not fun. When the temperature got warm enough to rain on all that beautiful snow. The kids were able to make snow men all day as it sprinkled on us all. It was like walking on a snow cone how the snow was melting. And then, I am all for not throwing snowballs at school but you can't keep a kid from picking snow up from the ground. I mean really. They were able to make giant snowballs and snowmen but they had to leave the snow on the ground and then not climb on any snow thing they had made. Fine, just keep the kids inside- what's the point.
Then having 8 inches of snow try to melt in the course of a day. Oh man, what a mess. Try to walk on it for several hours telling kids to leave the snow alone. Then try to navigate kids across a busy street with enormous puddles and piles of slush. I think a rain downpour is easier to deal with.
I liked Wednesday..... Very Very much. I do appreciate that we really don't get weather like this here all winter long. Just enough for you to say "Ok I am done." and then it is done. I wish I still had that attitude of the happy fun that snow use to bring.

November already?

I can't believe it is November already. We are in the week of Thanksgiving. I don't mind the money I lost this year for the 3 extra days off this week. I really don't mind since the weather is awful and super freezing cold.

Just so you know, I haven't posted any of this on Facebook. I haven't posted very much on Facebook anyway, I haven't been feeling the greatest. It started with a sore elbow from push-ups in the spring that got a little better then got super bad. Along with that I felt like I had the flu all the time with muscle aches all over. Some super crazy tired where I am in a store and I don't feel I have the energy to get out of the store and take myself home. So I did go to the doctor. He did blood work and wanted me to come back for more blood work. So far it has possibly come back positive for Lupus. So those of you that know my family-my mom has had it for long time. For those of you that don't know what it is-it is an autoimmune disease. I have had a good attitude about it some days and other days it is frustrating to do next to nothing and feel like you ran a marathon. What is really frustrating is the next step is to see a rhuematologist and they are taking their time looking at my referral and then they are making appointments for March right now. Hmm... But I know if I take really good care of myself I can get better. But trying to figure out how to that with the 5 girls in the house still and a husband that is always out of town working (yes that is still a blessing) and my working full time with a job that could be making my symptoms worse ( sun can cause a person with Lupus feel worse) but I need the job for the insurance. Loads of fun. I will try not to complain. I will just state that I do have some challenges ahead of me.

The three ring circus

Just so you know, it's a 3 ring circus here right now. I think it was a zoo over the weekend but this week is definately a circus. Tally on drs appts--5 for 3 people this week. 2 down-3 more to go. I took today off and am really suppose to be getting a bunch of financial crap togother but it's SCARY!! but I will do it and I have an hour left. I shouldn't be here.
Autumn has 3 tennis matches and tournament this week. I might make one. I missed watching her yesterday. I have a husband driving from Montana all week and I just laugh because that is typical of weeks like these. It is out of our hands and the way it is that I get to become a super woman but really by the end of the week I am a frazzled SUPER big mess. But to everyone else I guess I look fine. Concert tonight for Kelsea -missed Kylee's last volleyball game. Amber might be down for the week after today. The cyst she had last fall/winter came back and I have to tell you it is one of the worst things I have ever witnessed someone suffering through and she gets to do it again. Poor kid and not great timing with marching band. By the way I so enjoy watching the BSU marching band! Yep, just love it.
We now know Kelsea is allergic to all trees, grass and weeds, some mold and dustmites. Somewhat allergic to dogs. But she is NOT allergic to cats. I loved how the doctor put it. "You got an A on your allergy test today." I took pictures of her back on my phone. I can't really put it on here but she was red and irritated all across her back. Just imagine that.
Somehow I am working full-time (fine, not today) with a spouse who's away, managing my house of 5 hormonal girls and I guess I am still alive, you will have to ask me 20 questions yourself to find out how 'all there' I am. Because I don't think I will even know. Back at it... where are all those darn papers????

Still here

I wish everyone would blog more. I would probably blog more if everyone else would. I think people must be rediscovering their lives more anyways because they don't seem to be on Facebook much either. Or they are doing what I am doing, watching everyone else but pretty much speechless on the status updates because everything else you could say seem so much less important than it once seemed.

Life is nuts like it always is this time of year. Kids are in school sports-8th grade volleyball and 7th grade tennis. Kylee made Jazz band. I am excited over that for her but they are a very small group this year. Kelsea quit color guard. I was kind of disappointed over that. But it's not about me. Amber is in full swing with band at BSU. Kelsea is still in Chamber orchestra, Kylee plays trombone and Autumn is playing flute. Hannah is Hannah at the moment. Her teacher is keeping her plenty busy with homework. We will see what she may do this year. But I am really hitting burnout with sports. I enjoy the music so much more. It is so much more enjoyable and relaxing watching a performance rather than the stress of competition. I am way too anxiety prone.
We had some birthdays. Kylee turned 14. She wanted a phone really bad and since most people don't have house phones anymore, and she needs one while babysitting, it was the thing to do. She got a phone. It is handy.
I had my birthday and got a Kodak mini camcorder. I am still trying to get it figured out. Right now I am waiting for a video I made today to download on Facebook. It has taken an hour already for a 10 minute video. I am still figuring it out.
Kelsea went to homecoming with a good friend of hers. She went with a big group with kids she is comfortable with and she had a really good time. I was happy for her that this one went well. We have had a rough time with her too. She can't text on her phone right now.
I thought I had something more to go on about. Besides the fact that we had big bunch of Kylee's rowdy friends over for a party. They had a good time. I guess I am getting more experienced with this teenage party thing. I gave them food and went away downstairs while they did party things. Much less structure than the young kid parties.
If it wasn't taking so long for Facebook to get a video, I would post one here but it will have to wait I guess. Watching Amber this year in band is a total blast. They are loud, and fun and really good. She is thinking about trying out for drum major next year. She is taking crazy hard classes, working at the jr high tutoring. She is busy all the time. There are some internships and scholarships she is looking at. Lee Joe and I keep telling her to try for the ones at NASA and she is thinking about it. Wouldn't that be cool?
I saw Autumn do the coolest thing the other day. I knew she was fascinated with sign language a few years ago and she got a bunch of sign language books for Christmas. I wasn't sure how much she really used them. A friend of mine was signing to her daughter the other day. She was signing to her to tease her I think and her daughter just looked at her like she was nuts because she doesn't know sign language. Autumn started translating everything my friend was saying. I looked at her in shock. My 12 year old can translate sign language. I love that I can discover something new about her like that. WOW!
I guess since my stuff is still slllooooooowly downloading, I will have to post pictures of all these events later. Because it's late.

Favorite memory

I have a favorite memory when it comes to my job. It's something that happened last year and it literally gave me chills. I probably shared it when it happened but I need to share again.

There is a family that has adopted all their kids from Korea and Vietnam. I guess I assumed that when you are adopted from there you are an American. One day this mom came and brought a little American flag for us to take to her son in class. I was curious as to why it was so important for him to have this flag. When I gave it to his teacher, the other teacher that taught his grade was there too. I lingered as they asked why he would be given an American flag by his mother, What did it mean? Kids are so funny. For a minute he said he didn't know and then it occurred to him. He said that he was adopted but he still wasn't a US citizen yet. The flag his mom sent him meant now he was. He was smiling ear to ear as he explained this to us. And we were all so touched. He is the best young man. He just left to attend another school. I will miss him. But that memory will last with me forever.

senior picture

Kelseas first senior picture! Isn't it great?!

BSU!! & Life

So I am learning new skills. Like how to post youtube videos to my blog. There you have it, some fun BSU band stuff. Amber's first performance day at BSU. You can see her in the one on the bottom as they are marching to where they did the flash mob. I find it exciting and fun and especially after BSU football's first game of the season. It looks like another exciting year. If BSU gets to go to a bowl game, Amber will so get to to go. Lee Joe is just dying to go to the BSU vs Oregon State game. That will be Amber's first football game performance.

She has started her sophomore year. She is looking into internships in the summer for the next two summers. She has been contemplating Colorado for some reason. I am not to sure the nature of what those are. She is thinking about the INL here in Eastern Idaho. Because Barbara Morgan being an Idaho teacher. They offer some internships at NASA. That would be exciting if she could do that. She just found out about this crazy great scholarship opportunity with them so it would be so exciting to see what happens if she tries for that.

We are down one person in the house. We had gained one in May and Justice Emilee went to BYU-Idaho this past weekend. It made for an interesting summer with the female hormone factor upped up another notch. Drama-but not the worst. Her last week before she left was bumpy with a fresh root canal as the last preparations for going were taking place. She got her driving part of her license done and now she needs to get the written part out of the way. We tried to get there before she went but she was so sick and miserable and then the envelope was lost when she was ready to try and go. It wasn't found until after 6 on Friday. We shopped, she packed and we loaded up the van minus one seat and a couple of girls and took the 3 youngest and her to Rexburg. We stopped at Craters of the Moon on the way. It was CRAZY windy but not hot. We climbed through a cave and some of us had issues with the part where you could hear bats. But we climbed through to the end. Then we had to climb up and through the lava rock to get back to the trail on the way back. We got to Rexburg and got her moved in early Monday. She is so social so she is in social paradise there right now. Pretty funny.

I am back at work. Exhausted like always. Lee Joe is gone just as much as he was with his other job. The pay is better. But life here is still like I am a single parent and so tired I am quite detatched from the kids and now I feel like my kids are falling apart. Kelsea is a serious challenge at the moment. Then last night Kylee was at football game, then she was home for few minutes before she went to babysit for awhile. When she got home I was so exhausted that I went to bed before I really talked to her. I find out on Facebook today because of her status that some mom of a boyfriend she had kept calling her terrible names and were telling the kids that she knew horrible things about Kylee that were unbelievable coming from a mom. I had to ask her several times "The mom said that? She said that?" and then flipped my daughter off as she drove away. Oh my goodness!! I am a terrible awful mother!! No I'm not, that woman is. But that is how I feel. Just awful. How come I wasn't better about talking to her. Kylee is quiet about things like that. It's heartbreaking. I would have been contacting everyone at the school I could think of had I known about it last night. But this is a mom of a kid that now attends another school. I will be knocking down doors tomorrow for sure. I think she will be getting a cell phone a little sooner rather than later.
That is where it hits me. My kids are not being cared for up to the standards that I have set for them. Yes, life happens. But I really need to be there for them the way I really like and want to be there for them. And working doesn't do that for them even though I am there for other people's kids all day long. Hopefully soon I will be in a position to make some decisions and make some choices that I want to make not the ones that I have to just to get by.

Boise State University Flash Mob - Spirit Day 2010

Boise State Rally for game against Virginia Tech

Pictures

Kylee and Autumn had a church activity where they got pictures taken in our favorite picture taking park. Anna had a friend come and take these pictures. Anna took some too but I haven't seen all of hers yet but theones I have seen were really good too.

Kelsea is getting her senior pictures done on September 11th. We will see if that changes. We are going to get hers done downtown and we will see what else happens with those.

I am back to work tomorrow. Not excited at all. I am having memory issues remembering kids names I have usually known well. And the busy is starting to happen already. I still can't get Kylee and Autumn home long enough to get them ready for school. Oh well. So Maybe I will keep up with my blog, maybe not. I will try.

Summer's end

All good things come to an end. Our leisurely summer is rapidly wrapping up. I am glad that we had no activities or obligations to meet. That is surely picking up already and school hasn't officially started yet. The past two weeks have been getting kids "registered" they are already in classes. You just get to pay lots of fees. $76 total for the jr high girls and a whopping $107 for Kelsea and we still have to sign her up for an online class for $50 dollars. YUCK!!
So here are this years stats-Amber is a sophomore at BSU. She is in the Blue Thunder Marching Band. They have had band camp all week. She is excited. BSU was ranked #3 in Sports Illustrated for top football teams so it is a really cool year for Amber to get to be a part of that. Maybe we will actually go watch a BSU football game in person!
Kelsea is a senior. We are trying to get senior pictures lined out and her schedule is killer. We can't even get seminary in her schedule even with her zero hour class and online Econ. She wants to go to BSU. She might be doing color guard but at the moment she is sitting on the fence. She is captain this year and that will look really good going into college but like I said her class load is huge and even more so for her. Tough mom moment in what to do. I still don't know the best advice. She is working at the mall to make it even more of a challenge and determined to keep the job.
Kylee is in 8th grade. That means volleyball started this week. She was disappointed she made jv but then both her sisters did too in 8th grade. It has made this last week that was suppose to full of last hurrahs fall totally flat. You can't do much when practice is running from 1-3 everyday. She will be in band and hopes to do jazz band this year.
Autumn is in what will be the glorious 7th grade. She is excited and not at all nervous. Kylee is worried Autumn will embarrass her. Those two actually get along the best out of the girls so it's weird to see the beginning of strife. But we went through the same thing with Amber and Kelsea but Amber had good reason to be worried. Autumn will be able to play tennis in late September and she is going to be in band also playing flute. Autumn's schedule is just like Kylee's was last year with the same teachers. Autumn has been babysitting with Kylee this week and that has furthered my dliemma of a last week of fun. Getting their school stuff for them has been difficult as well. Geez, this kids with jobs and lives of their own!! :)
Hannah will be in the third grade this year. There has been a reall sassiness I noticed here lately that I usually don't see until a few years later on. I am not really sure what this year will bring with her. She is not offered anything extra-curricular at school yet which is helpful. This is the first time I will only have one kid in elementary school since Amber's first two years at school. That was a long time ago.
Lee Joe started his new job. The first week had us a little nervous. He went up to Montana and back and then they didn't have work for him the rest of Weds and Thurs when at first he was suppose to go back from the orgional plan. They gave him work on Friday and then the beginning of this week everything that was suppose to line up and keep everyone busy all hit at the same time so he is going to be working hard through Saturday this week with the Montana trips and then the job he was hired for starts Monday and we will see what kind of busy that brings. He will only have one day off a week. The job he has had with Simplot has had him gone just as much.
I didn't get as motivated as I hoped. I notice that I accomplish more when I am secure in how "life" is going. This summer has been better than the last but still challenging. When things look up I get motivated and either super clean things or finish unfinished things. I have almost finished the bathroom completely. All that is left is to put something in the border I put on the wall but it will be fine if I don't do it either so I pretty proud of that. It has taken years to finish it to where I had to completely repaint the upper half of the walls. But it's trimmed out and the trim is painted and above to shower has new beadboard that is also painted. I replaced the shower curtain so it's updated. I just need to get to the kitchen that might be working on 3 years unfinished and I have decided to paint the walls in there yellow now instead of the blue they have been.
It's late, I am rambling. I finally know where my husband is at midnight. Still about an hour away from coming home from work. He is such a hard worker and I love him for that. Thank goodness he has a job.

I wish I had something more to say, I think it's too late for me to find my sense of humor. I will find it again. I am sure once I start back at work and have some crazy drama I will find it again to share. Oh, my next blog will be the story of the mystery plant.

Crazy sleeper

This is a random post but it needs to be noted that.....Hannah is crazy and terrible sleeper. When she is sleeping with her mother who happens to be a very light and sensitive sleeper it makes for a really super bad night's sleep.
Hannah slept with me two nights ago. Lee Joe has been gone most of the week with work while Kylee Autumn and Kelsea are gone on a church trip. She moves all night long. She pulls the covers, almost scratches up my legs with her long toenails, and she sits up and looks at you like she's drunk and gives the goofiest smile you have ever seen in your life before she laid back down to sleep some more. Rough night. She seemed rested though.
Night two-last night. I tell Hannah she can't sleep in the bed with me. But she can bring in her princess air mattress thingy she has. That is the most noisey air mattress EVER!!! Every time she moved it squeaked and scrunched. THEN she was talking a lot in her sleep. There were only 3 of us at home last night. That meant Spot slept with me too. She was piece of cake compared to Hannah.
Thank goodness everyone is home tonight. I would rather fuss at Lee Joe to roll over because he is snoring than put up with another 2 nights like that.
I feel bad because I do just love that little girl so much. I have never really minded sleeping with my kids but this is kid is restless.

Lee Joe starts his new job- for real-- On Tuesday. YAY!!

This Summer so far....

Last summer was a really rough one. I can truthfully say we went nowhere. We stayed close to home. We lived off my paycheck which was sad and the kids went to the pool only a handful of times if that. The recession hit this house hard and it took a long time to get better. I can tell you I was seriously ready for this one. Even just going to the pool is good news. This summer is quite an adjustment with kids growing up. Everyone is coming a going at all hours of the day. We have one more member in our household-Justice Emilee. A lot going on always. While we work around Amber's summer school schedule and her college friends, Kelsea and Justice bonding and sometimes not and both girls are working at the mall, Kylee has a consistent babysitting job, Autumn is just getting started in babysitting, and Lee Joe's wacky schedule with his job-yes we are happy with the paycheck even if it comes with cow poop covered clothes and we never know what his schedule is until the day before-I am not farmer material by the way... This is what we have done-
*Went to Nevada for a several reunions at once
*Cut 10 inches off Autumn's hair and hi-lighted it. Now she looks like Melissa!

*Let Kylee hi-light her hair for the first time.

*visited 3 pools in Boise
*Gone to Roaring Springs with the 3 youngest.
*3 oldest went to Roaring Springs later
*tie dyed shirts
*Went to Cascade Lake on a day trip
*Went to Shaffers Butte for a shorter day trip
*Been to some cheap movies on Tuesdays
*Hannah and Autumn did the reading thing at the library and got a bunch of free stuff
*Amber, Justice, Kelsea and I all won gift certificates to sunglass hut. That is MY favorite hi-light of summer.
*Sewed and prepped 3 girls to go to Wyoming for their Faith Quest Trek. 3 days in pioneer clothes pulling handcarts and walking for miles. Remembering those who risked and lost their lives.
*Went on the paddle boats at Julia Davis park. I have wanted to do that for years and now it's out of my system.
*Took the 2 youngest to the zoo.
*Picture taking just for fun.
*Almost finished the bathroom. Not quite there yet.
*Learning or teaching self sufficientcy (made up word or just misspelled?) Mother fixed van-last blog and took apart and fixed the dishwasher.
*Teaching the girls how to love unconditionally. They do it easily. I am very proud of them all.

Especially when we tie-dyed. There was no fighting.

.
This is what I still want to do but now time is getting short-
#catch up on photo albums that are more than 8 years behind now.
#Finish unfinished house projects. I am almost there!! I just need to finish it already.
#Use the free vouchers for Discovery center, ice skating, free meals out
#Spend some time at the mall because I like that place even if I don't buy anything.
#Clean the garage.
#have a yard sale.
#Go to Lagoon. Or just visit Utah again. But I don't know if this is happening this summer.
#Get all the kids pictures taken at JCPenney's
#Get haircuts. This one is the most ridiculous for me. It's not that hard to schedule a hair appointment is it? That's why my hair is always so long.

There is probably more. We have been waiting all summer for Lee Joe's new job to start. It's a better job with no cow poop involved, just moving hazardous material. More like contaminated dirt and they get to wear something over their clothes when they are near it. It was suppose to start June 1, then the end of June, then the beginning of July, then middle July, Now it's next week. But last notice he gave we found out on Friday that Monday was a no go. Contract work and hazardous material moving-lot of hang-ups. But Simplot still has kept him going they like him so if this doesn't work out they know he's good. Hoping for good news to pull through.

Car Fixing Superwoman!

You would think that I would blog more with more time at home. I don't think there is much to comment on I guess. Then there is an occasional day like this. When I have something to say, well it can be a lot more than you bargained for.

I should explain this latest quote from me "If people would tell me the stuff they don't remember, my day would have been a whole lot easier." I had one of those days the other day. I haven't had one in awhile. I can say I didn't really miss having one of those days. I thought all was fine. I was playing zoo tycoon with Hannah that morning a little bit. I guess I took over because she told me "It's not as much fun watching you play it for so long." I took a hint. But she went to a friends house and I played it a little more. Then I was about to take Autumn to the doctor for the umpteenth time for her toe. But this doctor was giving us an option over loosing her whole toenail so we were following up before the big Wyoming camp and walk trek she is going on next week. That would be bad to deal with the infected toenail during that. So we get in the car to go. I go down my street to go the no stoplight way to the doctor's office. I just past the church and I turn. There is water in the gutter and now as soon as I turn the power steering is gone. FLASHBACK!! Two summers ago, Lee Joe was in southern california, I loose my power steering and here a clunk on the busiest road in town. I lost my tensioner pulley. This time, I am familiar with the loss of power steering CRAP!! I pull into the parking lot and lift the hood to see and the belt is there but not moving. That means I need to get the car home before it overheats (know this from past experience) I get the car home and have to take the little car, the Neon. I have driven it twice maybe 3 times. It has no AC and it's a stick. I can do this, it's gonna be a hundred degrees by the way. But we have to get to the doctor. I get there just barely late. But I can't get the keys out of the ignition. I call Amber "I guess my key works the best." There is a blanket in the back and I cover the steering wheel. It looks like I don't want a hot steering wheel but I really just don't want someone driving off with a hot car. I mean like stolen. Doctor tortures Autumn with stuffing a cotton ball under her toenail but it is helping. I tell Lee Joe about the van. He remembers that he took the splash guard off the van to fix the water pump a few weeks ago. The water I went through probably made the belt slip off. He is not going to be home until the next day. I tell him I can't get the keys out of the car. Hmm, that's weird he says. I wonder why. Then I have another appointment right after that. Chiropractor. Glad to be there after the past 2 hours. I got there on time. Phew. But my shoulders are up to my ears by now.
3 stops later and still can't get the keys out of the flippin car. I finally get home, I go in the house and I tell Kelsea that I can't get the keys out of the car. She says there is a button you have to push to get them out. YOU ARE KIDDING ME!! I talked to Amber and Lee Joe and they don't tell me this????
I have helped Lee Joe get the belt on the van a few times before. I know how to do it. I really want my van back. I look online for how to get the belt on. There are like 7 different wheels it goes around. And then you have to move the tensioner pulley to get it back on. I know this but I don't know how it goes around each of the wheels. On the internet it says to look on the fan cover in the van. I am pretty sure that in vans that haven't been repaired in the past that it is there. But no picture on my van. Guess what? I have manual sitting 3 feet away from me. So I find my picture. I hunt for a 15 mm wrench. I will not be using proper tool names here. I just know how to use them. I find some rubber gloves. I hate grease under my nails. So I get the belt put where it needs to go except for the last pulley. The wrench isn't quite long enough to get the leverage I need and to get the blasted belt on. SO I try the jack handle. Not enough. I use another wrench in end of the wrench and see if I can get it to stay so I can move it. I am scared to death of it moving or slipping off and loosing a finger. I freak out about stuff like that. I try and I try and I try to get that belt on that pulley. It's not working. Hannah is dropped off at home and I go talk to the mom. I have grease literally up both arms past my elbows. Amber comes home with dinner. I am fixing a car and not cooking people!! It is about a hundred degrees now. I am shaking from heat and so I eat and wait about an hour. Everyone leaves the house except Hannah. So I recall something I read in the manual and I think I will try putting the belt on a different pulley. So I set it up, I move the tensioner and I slip the belt on like it was nothing. Not even 3 minutes and I had the freaking thing on! YEAH!! What the crap?!!! I could have had this done hours ago if I KNEW that!! There is nobody home to pat me on the back. I call Lee Joe to let him know I fixed the car and wondered if he knew how easy it was to put it on the other pulley. He knows, he learned later that it was easier to do it that way. And oh yeah! you have to push that button in to get the keys out of the other car. GRRRRR.. But you know what? I fixed my car myself and I didn't need any help. You really need some muscle to move that tensioner pulley. Good thing I have that. But I don't want to be responsible for car repairs in the future. So this is a one time celebration.

What's up?

I guess there is something to blog about finally. I will just start with, I don't think I have ever really won anything really great before. Nothing all that significant really. Maybe a candle holder once, I don't know. But Amber became a "fan" of the Boise factory outlets and she told me about a little contest thingy where if you comment on a status you might win a gift certificate to Sunglass hut. Amber, another Kim and I all commented and we all 3 won $100 gift certificate! I have spent less than $15 on most of my pairs of sunglasses. I wear sunglasses whenever I go outside so I really use them. I have never cared about brand of glasses. Just so I don't look like a total dork. I would never consider spending even $50 on sunglasses. But it was fun to go and shop for brand name sunglasses just because you could. In the end I found a pair of Ray Bans that I REALLY liked and they were $99. Most everything else was around 119 or 150. I got them and then they were 6 dollars over my gift card. I can handle that. So now I feel super silly wanting to find some silly excuse to wear them. Amber got herself a pair of really cute Vogue sunglasses and hers happened to be on sale so she go back and spend $15 more. I like them and can't wait to enter another contest. Amber also won a pedicure. We will have to pay attention and there will be more fun for us.

We went to Nevada to catch up with Lee Joe's long lost relatives. We spent time at Lake Lahontan on the first full day we were there and then we managed to get to Tahoe and spent some time there and had pictures at Molly's new house that was just a wonderful house that she has worked so hard for. I got to catch up a little with a high school friend I had not seen in 20 years. That was great. My 20 year high school reunion will be in August so I might be able to catch up with more people then.

I left late that night. It is about 7 hours of driving to get home. I had the other licensed teens with me. Amber drove some and then I did. FYI-the rabbits are breeding like... rabbits out there. I had seen 3 going to Nevada-hit one bunny :( I had a close encounter with an antelope. On the way back there were 7 we didn't hit any. Getting back to this really cool experience, I like to listen to my ipod while traveling and when everyone is asleep I put on my big headphones as I drive. We love movie soundtracks. We have all 3 Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks on my ipod. We just got the soundtrack to "How to train your dragon" (I LOVED that movie by the way) So anywho.. I was listening to that as I drove in the rolling mountains around Jordan Valley. They roll up and down and around. Nothing way to curvy or any real treacherous drops on the side. But the road isn't that smooth so it kind of feels bouncy at times. But when you are listening to music that goes to the part in the movie where the boy is flying with his dragon, it's pretty cool. What was absolutely breathtaking was rolling down and up and around and coming around a corner and you are listening to the flying music and then all of a sudden you see the valley covered in lights and the sun is starting to glow over the top of the distant mountain range on the other side of the valley. With the music and how beautiful it was, it did take my breath away. It was real life with a soundtrack. You couldn't even take a picture or recapture the moment. Everyone was asleep so it was only my moment. But it was so cool.

The rest of my life-Recovering from not working by getting next to nothing done. Took kids to the dentist two days in a row. Used the kids free roaring springs tickets so I took the 3 youngest. Starting our public pool visits. Favorite part of summer! Kelsea has a job at Justice. We have another teenage girl in the house! 6 girls. Kylee is babysitting a lot. Kids are finding ways to earn money and it's actually difficult to plan things with all the girls because someone is always coming or going.

By the way, I appreciate the comments left on my blogs. I haven't been that good at responding, but happy summer! And the dog is still with us. He has his good days and bad days. We will see how he handles the 4th. He doesn't handle the fireworks well at all but I think his hearing is going because he hasn't reacted to the fireworks much today as he has in the past.

Dogs

Some people are animal lovers. And some just aren't. I was raised with animals and can't imagine them not being a part of my life. One animal doesn't ever seem to be enough for us. We have always tried to keep animals as long as we can. We have had to loose a few cats though that had some issues. But my mom has a dog that came from my grandparents dogs. They gave Melissa the dog and mom inherited the dog down the road. She had a poodle and then her dogs gave us Spot. Her dog has been around a long time. She had to put him down here recently. Man he lived a very long doggy life. I think he had to be about 15 or 16 maybe. He was a pretty and good little dog. Our Spot is getting up there. She is 11 now but still quite frisky. But our other dog Buddy who is possibly Great Dane and lab or golden retriever is probably about 12 or 13. That is very old for the size dog that he is. We have had him 11 years. He is quite elderly now. I have had a few times where I stop and watch his breathing to see if he is still with us. We are watching him decline rapidly now. He has been struggling with his back hips off and on for years. Not a terrible struggle, just work for him. His hips have never been super strong. But now he has had some days with great weakness in his legs and he has had a few potty issues which he never has. So this could be his last summer with us. He has lost weight and his back legs don't look good. That is pretty sad for me even though I have never been a big (I mean by large) dog lover. He is a very good dog we rescued from the pound in Nampa. He has had a long and happy life with us. He has played with puppies and put up with kittens he would have rather have nowhere near him, but he was kind. Kids could crawl all over him and he would just lay there and let them. He barely chased after tennis balls but he chased the neighbors cat until the fence was bent in and could care less about the cat anymore. If you have seen Morley( Marley?) and Me. Well that movie got me because the end of movie is where we are. And coping with the kids when he goes will be the hardest part of all. But that's a part of life's lessons isn't it? Then you realize then how much of a gift that pet was in your life. The kids still mourn the cat that had to be put to sleep years ago. So Buddy is still here right now and hopefully he will die peacefully here. I don't know. He is about 70 -100 pounds. Maybe I won't think about those details quite yet. We will remind the kids to appreciate every time they let him out and in from now on. Because it might not be for much longer.

The best news!

I guess the very best part of my job is the 3 month vacation that starts in 3 days. YAY! I am worse than the kids counting down.

We just redid our bathroom and it looks much nicer and like a real bathroom with real baseboards and EVERYTHING! If you have been to my house-the lower half of the walls did not change. The upper half got a fresh coat of shade of green I love and the border is purple. We put beadboard above the shower and put in a new shower curtain and I had to get a new toilet seat mainly because I broke the other one while painting.

Things are winding down a little. Thank goodness. I keep saying that and the wind down is slow. We went to the movies 2 nights in a row. We saw Diary of a Wimpy Kid last night and we saw Percy Jackson and the lightning Thief tonight. Kylee and Kelsea saw The Last Song. Hannah studied Greece and mythology quite thouroughly so I thought she would really like it. We were late and it scared her badly at first. She started crying and we had to step out. Then she stepped out when she thought it was too intense but she knew all the gods and the creatures in the movie she was interested and she knew the part that has to do with the Lotus flower. It was still interesting to her but still too intense. I don't even know what she knows about it all.

Kelsea has had a lot of nasty girl drama with a TP job gone mad with food smeared all over the car she drives. It was saran wrapped too. We know who did it, she denied it of course. I called the police and they said I had to go throught the SRO at the school. They listened to the kids and in the end said "We just made sure they know how the school stands on these things and they aren't going to have contact with each other anymore." I am seriously peeved. It is a long story I won't go into here. I tell you, Texting and Facebook ups the whole scenario into another level of craziness.

Autumn has a toe that is crazy infected that we have been to the doctor for at least a half dozen times. It gets better and then gets worse. Poor kid.

We have another teenager in our house for the summer. Kelsea is sharing her room with her and it's like one big slumber party.

Lee Joe has a new job. He was suppose to start today but there was a delay so he may not start until the end of June. It should be better and we will know his schedule daily instead of him having to call daily to find his next days schedule. But a job is a wonderful thing.

I haven't blogged in so long and it's like I have lost interest or there isn't anything new fantastic or profound to really blog about or it's stuff that really shouldn't be put out on the web for all to read.

Anyways-3 more mornings of early rising for me! I wish it was warm enough to feel like summer is really here.

Great quote

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain."

I just saw this quote and came after the most stormy weekend you could imagine. I have to work on the dancing. I haven't quite mastered it yet. I am still falling in the puddles.

I guess a good indication of a bumpy weekend is when your oldest daughter on Friday has her starter go out. Mindful of the blessings here-She was in walking distance to the school, even closer than if she was at home. Requirement for the use of my car was lunch brought to the school for me. Wonderful daughter did that. When trying to pick her sisters and me up after school, she left her jacket behind in class and was uncomfortable going to get in while other students were testing-Mindful blessing-very attentive friend noticed right away, jacket rescued. Then Amber further helps out by taking Autumn to get a gift for a friend at the dollar store, somewhere along the way, finds a nail and it likes my tire. Amber is at home when she discovers the flat. We have a flat and there is this usually huge-but somewhat scaled down concert that Autumn and Kylee need to be at in like 15 minutes of getting this flat tire. Mindful blessing- People we know drive by the house and turn around and offer to help. They are going to the same place and I can bring dad once tire is changed. I get help, we are perfectly on time. Dad is not as on time-mindful blessing-Cell phone! I call him when girls perform so he can sort of hear it but doesn't miss it completely. Next!
Saturday we know have two cars to fix and a few places to be. Mindful blessing-Hubby is so resourceful. He manages to get tire replaced for free-I guess Amber drove a little with the super flat tire and they won't just fix it. Then he gets starter from junkyard so instead of 120 dollars it is $20 and he fixed it! But one more car starts to act up but he is milking it along for now. Kelsea's door got caught in the wind last week and dented another girl's car. They decide to file a claim and I am surprised by the insurance company telling us about the claim. I find out I need to resubmit EVERYTHING we sent in for a home loan modification thing we started in November. DO you think I have any clue where any of that is? Two kids are sick all weekend. And a grandma is very unhappy with Kelsea over the outcome with prom. Oh dear. hmm... There are some mindful blessings... I took Monday off to find my paperwork and also found the top of my desk and calmed down a bunch. I was super stressed all weekend. Hannah had to stay home on Monday-another good reason to be off. We have never filed a claim in 5 years of having our insurance so our insurance won't go up when they pay out the $200 to two dents and we were only responsible for one. All is well. The Grandma thing.. No sharing details there, just hoping prom will soon become a distant memory for all involved. But Kelsea got the sportsmanship award at the tournament she was invoved in on Saturday. She was voted on by coaches so that is quite an honor for her. Loan thing-haven't figured that one out yet. But Lee Joe has a great lead on a great job and he interviews for it tomorrow.

As for kiddos-Amber is going to be a member of the Blue Thunder Marching band at BSU next year. We are so excited for that! She is taking summer school classes and is doing great.
Kelsea is having her struggles this year. Some with friends, some with dates, some with classes and she is learning some difficult yet character building lessons with life. She is playing Tennis and winning some and losing some and is nursing an injured a sore shoulder as we speak. It's a little more than sore. Maybe it's related to too much texting? That's what I think I will tell her.
Kylee is thriving in 7th grade. Tremendously social and testing some boundaries. She has been busy with Honor Band, piano, dance, and now is playing Volleyball and made varsity. She is proud of herself. That just started.
Autumn is in a whirlwind of craziness that is calming down. She did track for the first time, has loved it. She took someone's place on a relay team and they went all the way to the city track meet and took 6th. She has discovered she enjoys running a lot and helps her feel good and cope well-even when her toenails are very infected. The poor kid had one more side of her toenail removed again. It's been an interesting time for her. A lot of growing up going on. I am watching her finish up elementary school and I can tell she is getting ready for jr high.
Hannah started piano this month. She really likes it. She is doing dance as well. She told her dad to stop gaping again tonight. We start laughing and she says "what?" She really has no clue. She is very interesting.

As for me-I have lost a few inches and few pounds with exercise only. Some people are starting to notice. I can't wait for school to get out and I really hope we can do something this summer. But I still don't like all these teenage hormones in my house.

That is more than anyone ever wanted to know I am sure. The puddles are big and I am getting wet but am trying to learn to get through the storm with grace....and sanity...all in one piece because sometimes it feels like I am loosing my mind....

But not today.

Spring madness

I will admit I am a little strung out. I will also admit that at times, it takes next to nothing to make me that way. I did find it humorous earlier this week that I said "oh, tonight is not too bad. We just have track, piano and tennis." How is having 3 things after work not too bad? I suppose it is because all those things got done by 5:30 and I had an evening to myself, but not really. I went to the fabric store to buy fabric so I could modify Kelsea's dress for prom.

So I dread spring now. It is busier no matter how you try to manage it, than December. Everything always looks manageable until everything decides it is time to wind it with huge production numbers. That is how you know the end it near because of the flurry, the tornado, the fireworks of the finale to finally send it off and put it to rest until next year. And everyone wants to do it all at the same time. The District track meet will happen on the same day as the elementary honor band tour that requires a chold to be dropped off and picked up during the parents work day. OK.

It is hard to say no to the things the kids do when they get done with that track meet and you were so reluctant to add another thing and your daughter says "that was so much fun! I just loved that!" even though she came in 3rd in the shotput and there were only 3 girls and she didn't place at all in the 60. And she is running with the most persistent infected toenail and then continues to run when they cut part of it off. All right fine, join track.

I asked Kelsea over and over about Prom. It wasn't her fault no one from her school asked her. And then the kid who did found a way to ask her even though he didn't go to her school. Then he asks her on the Sunday before prom. On top of the already busy week we get him permission to attend. I have to alter a dress she already has but am too exhausted all week to work on it. Then there is the flower she needs for him. She is too busy to do that. Miracles did happen this week. She had dress she felt more modest in. Friends did her hair. I was parting with my car because the dress was so big and he doesn't have his license yet. I tried to get all my shopping done during the day-I usually wait until late Saturday to that. In the middle of my grocery shopping I get a call from Kylee saying that the guy was waiting for me to pick up the flower I ordered for her the night before. I forgot to tell Kelsea to pick it up and it left my mind completely. They closed at 1-it was 1:30. I try to figure out what to do. Amber is volunteering at the Jazz festival downtown, Kelsea is on her day date at Wahooz in Meridian and Lee Joe is working. It's me. I am it. I have a cart with lots of groceries. What do i do? I left it. I told the checker I would be back. Drive the way with the shortest stoplights, right past my house, to the florist. I feel so bad and liek such an idiot. He says "usually it's the dad's that do that." I am just the most frazzled mom at the moment. I don't ever forget things like that. I drop the flower off at home and go back to my cart. I get done shopping, I don't even want to put gas in the car and I need to be home and get things put up and my house clean. Kelsea texts me in the middle of her getting her hair done. "did you get me a bra?" CRAP!!! Nope, nope.. another thing forgotten. It is close to when she needs to get dressed. I go to Burlington coat factory and hope that this is the day that store will have what I need when I need it. You never know there. They do! Fastest shopping trip EVER! good. It getting later. kelsea isn't back. Her date shows up. We are waiting. She has a tremendous amount of hair. It's not just long but very thick. 3 hours later-and it's beautiful- she comes home and we throw her clothes on. We get her to the park on time for pictues. Everyone is already there but just got there.
We got great pictures this time. And then the date became a disaster.

Lee Joe is right about something with me. I am way to empathetic to point that I think I can be pathetic. When my kids struggle I feel everything right with them. They are upset-I feel the same pain. I feel the pain of the other kid involved as well. Then my other daughter is in another kind of heartbreak pain. I am feeling the pain of two kids at once and have to work really hard to separate myself from them. ugh. It was a rough night after all that work to try and make it special. The pictures make it look good though. We will imagine it that way.

I have quote of the week. Little girls comes up to me. This is the one that almost named me Mrs. Dorito. She was sad. "the kids don't believe me." She shakes her head. "don't believe what?" "well Lilly does but the rest don't" "What is it?" "they don't believe me that I am a werewolf. My sister saw me when I was sleeping that I am werewolf. They won't believe it." "I see" I say. "Well I think that is something you should be kind of quiet about and just tell your really good friends, cause that is kind of a scary thing to be don't you think." "Yeah. You want to hear me howl?" What a quirky girl.