I hate kids

More specifically, I hate boys.

Right now there are six boys between the ages of 7 and 12 playing/fighting/kicking each other in the "bad spot" in my front yard. [By the way, I really dislike THAT terminology... I'd almost rather hear them say "you kicked me in the nuts!" Because Lord knows boys are obsessed with kicking each other there and then announcing it. But for some reason, these kids think "the bad spot" is the nice way to say it. I really hate boys.]

I don't know where these children come from. Truly, I don't. But they seem to be multiplying... and somehow, they always find their way to MY yard.

This also leads me to wonder if I'm the only parent in a 5-mile radius who doesn't let her young son run wild on the streets. I find that hard to believe (I don't think I'll ever be in the running for Mother of the Year)... but seriously, these kids come from all over, and I doubt their parents have a CLUE where they are... I don't have a clue who THEY are or where they come from. If Damon so much as steps out of our yard without telling me, we have a serious problem (which is probably why all of the kids come here, right? because I'm the psychotic, protective mommy who won't let her baby out of her sight).

I think I'm ready to move back to the country now. I miss the peace and quiet of the cornfield!

Fridays with Avery

When Avery first started preschool this year, I thought that we would really enjoy our Fridays together (the one day each week that she doesn't have school and her evil brother DOES).

Today, halfway through our Mommy/Avery Friday, I'm starting to think twice about that... the child is making me CRAZY!!!!

I guess I've gotten used to the peace and quiet that I experience every Monday through Thursday from 9am 'til 2pm. And, apparently, now that she's in school and is entertained all day by their activities, etc., Avery has now forgotten HOW to entertain herself. That sucks.

In a perfect world, I wouldn't have to work on Fridays, and Avery and I could go out and do fun things together. But the world isn't perfect... and I DO have work to do today, much to Avery's chagrin.

Is it Monday yet?!?!?

This time it's Nick's fault

Usually I blame our sicknesses on the kids and the nasty germs they bring home from school.

But this time, it's Nick's fault. I don't know where he got the icky germs from, but he brought them home and shared them with me (so sweet!). Nick has been sick for going on a week now. What started as a cold (a bad cold) has lingered, and we're now thinking it might be more than a cold (like a lovely sinus infection).

So, I've been feeling pretty rotten for the past few days. And this morning I'm feeling soooo rotten that I'm now cursing my husband for bringing home this germ.

I'm beginning to think we should all live in bubbles this time of year...

Three years of blogging!

I just happened to glance back through my Archives because I knew that I started blogging in the month of September... and, oddly enough, it was September 20, 2005 when I made my very first post on here!

In honor of my third blogiversary, I went through the Archives and picked several of my favorite posts to share with you.

Avery's 2nd birthday letter (because everyone loves a sappy birthday letter, right?)

Proof that I am, in fact, married to a redneck (self-explanatory)

Fuzzies up the nose (because it's a Classic Avery story)

Damon's 6th birthday letter (more momma sap!)

Year in Review: 2006 (because it took me forever and a day to make all of those darn things!)

Poor Comet... beach pics! (because I need a beach fix right about now!)

On friends (because they really are the best group of women I know, and I miss them just as much as I knew I would)

Last day of 1st grade (because it's kinda like the sappy birthday letters, and I miss my baby boy!)

On being drugged (because writing this was therapeutic... and because one of my favorite bloggers, who doesn't know me from Adam, took the time to comment)

Seven years (because it pretty much says it all)

Sleepover Friday

Damon and his friend Jason live for the weekends... because they're 7-year-old boys. And we almost always let Jason spend the night once each weekend, usually on Friday because the boys are too impatient to wait one more night.

So, tonight is Sleepover Friday. The boys watched Sharkboy and Lava Girl on Disney. The boys snacked on chips and apple juice. The boys played video games galore. The boys sang along to The Bartender Song (the semi-clean version) on cmt.com... about 23 times; they'll be singing that one in their sleep tonight (it IS a catchy little tune, although probably not age-appropriate for 7-year-old boys, lol). And I finally just got them tucked into bed.

Sleepover Fridays are exhausting for Mom, lemme tell ya! Avery and I worked hard tonight, cleaning the kitchen and mopping the floors (Golden Retrievers are nasty, hairy creatures, by the way!), while the boys played.

The boys are still giggling in Damon's room (and pillow fighting by the sounds of things) as I type this, and I'm ready to pass out! I wish I knew where they got their energy.

This mom is really glad that Sleepover Friday is almost over... and that she has another week to prepare for the next one!

What's new?

I feel like I've not been blogging much lately... and I'm not sure why. I guess there's nothing terribly exciting going on around here, which is not necessarily a bad thing!

The kids are getting settled in their school routines. And I'm getting used to my new role as the Mom Taxi! Seriously, I feel like I'm in that car and driving back and forth across town from one school to the next ALL DAY every day. Friday is my little reprieve because Avery doesn't have school on Fridays... so there's only one school stop, and it's right down the street from our house.

I had envisioned hours and hours of productivity now that both kids are in school 4 days a week. But, well, that's not really happening! By the time I get home from delivering everyone to school and walk Comet and check e-mails, it's just about time for lunch... and I've been meeting Nick for lunch almost every day. Then, after lunch, it's nearly time to start the school run again. And if I have errands to run (like the grocery store yesterday), I really have no time to work!!

It's amazing how quickly the day goes by when there are no little ones here with me... but it's always fun to see their smiling faces when I pick them up in the afternoon. Well, it's fun for about five seconds, and then they start fighting with each other... and then I'm counting the hours until bedtime and the start of another school day (i.e., peace and quiet for Mommy!).

Oh, here's one bit of "news," I guess... Nick took Damon to his first Cub Scouts meeting last night! Poor Damon... he stresses out about everything. He agonized over whether he wanted to play flag football or indoor soccer or go to Cub Scouts. Nick and I both thought Scouts sounded like the way to go for Damon. Not only is it year-round (instead of 6 weeks of a sport), but they do lots of different things that might interest Damon.

So, the boys went to their first meeting last night, and Damon seemed to think he would like it. He's looking forward to actually "doing something," instead of just sitting in a troop/pack/whatever meeting for an hour... but we keep assuring him that there will be plenty of fun things to come. (He's NOT a very patient child!)

Luckily Nick has a little bit of scouting history, so he has half a clue what's going on... because I'm totally lost. I read through the paperwork they brought home from last night's meeting and felt like I had just happened upon a whole new culture of some kind. Tiger cubs, Wolves, Webelos, Arrow of Light?? It's all Greek to me, but I guess I'll learn along with Damon!

I'm so glad that Nick is back home with us, so that he can do things like that with Damon now. Almost every day I think of another reason why I'm soooo grateful to have him off the road and home again! I think that experience has made us all appreciate more what we have when we're all together.

So, now that I've been ALL OVER the place with this very random blog post, I guess I should try to get some work done before Nick calls asking me to meet him for lunch! (Yes, it's Friday... Avery's home, and catching up with her friend Dora. She misses her all week!)

A little disturbing

My husband came home for lunch today (that's not the disturbing part)... and he asked if I would mind if he goes off duck/goose/some kinda bird hunting this evening after work.

I said go, have fun, commune with nature... or whatever it is you crazy men do out there with your guns and duck calls and "scents" (yuck).

So he runs around the house gathering all of his gear for the big hunt. Then before he walks out the door, he kisses me and says, "So, just in case something happens out there and I don't come home..."

Uhhh, excuse me?

"Just in case I don't make it home, remember this road and this road, and my truck will be parked here on the side of this road..."

He finally notices me looking at him like he has ten heads. Seriously, I quit paying attention at the "in case I don't come home" part.

Then he calmly informs me that I have to know the general area where he'll be hunting... because if he doesn't make it home I'll have to send someone (who? Damon???) out to the woods to look for him (or his remains, I'm guessing).

Of course, I gave him "the look" and said, "How about if you just make sure your ass makes it home, k?!?!"

Geez. Now I'm going to be a nervous wreck until he makes it home tonight. I think Nick needs a hunting buddy... and I need a valium.

A Day with Sarah

Sunday I left my kids in their dad's capable hands and took off to spend the day with my good friend Sarah. Sarah and I met years ago because of our mutual love of scrapbooking, and over the years we've become great friends! Just one reason I was happy to move back to the hills was because I'd be closer to Sarah again.

Sarah lives out in the country... wayyyy out in the country. And it's so gorgeous and peaceful there. At one point Sunday, I stepped outside and was inspired by these hay bales:

I told Sarah that we had to go out before it got dark and have a little photo shoot by the hay. So we did.

We felt really foolish modeling for each other at first... but ended up having fun with it!

I had such a wonderful time and can't wait to go back to the country for another day with Sarah!

Strange fashion choices

Over a year ago, I made a post about Avery squeezing herself into a shirt that was given to her newborn self at the hospital where she was born...

Today, well over a year later (and close to 5 years after she was born), she's STILL wearing that darn shirt around!

I really don't know about this child sometimes...

And, nahhh, she's not a diva or anything!

She can't hang

This is what 6 hours of school does to poor Avery:


She actually fell asleep in my lap yesterday afternoon. I was trying my damnedest to keep her awake, really. I put her on my lap and we were watching and singing along to music videos on cmt.com. Then suddenly, she just couldn't take it... she leaned her head over on my chest and started drooling.

I did NOT want the child sleeping, because napping makes bedtime a nightmare. So after a few minutes, I picked her up and forced her to stand on her own two feet. She squealed and ran about five steps away from me before crumpling into a heap on the floor (pictured above). And that's how she stayed until we shook her awake for dinner an hour later.

And, yes, bedtime was a nightmare. I give up.

My big girl!

As predicted, Avery didn't so much as give me a backward glance when I dropped her off at school this morning. She was a very excited little girl!

Here are a few pics of her this morning (sportin' the nametag and all!).

I don't know how well you can see it, but in her right hand she's holding a little button bracelet thing... she took that off of one of her dollies this morning and took it in as a gift for her teacher. Awwww, isn't she a sweetheart? Ms. Christina was very gracious and exclaimed, "Oh wow! And it even matches my outfit!" God love preschool teachers! lol

Also as predicted, I have thoroughly enjoyed my kid-free day! I'm a little sad that it's almost over already... time for the Mom Taxi to get back to work, retrieving those rugrats.

I'm already looking forward to tomorrow morning!

What was that?!?!

What? You want to see more of my spectacular layouts?

Well, okay... since you asked nicely!

Here are a few more that I've worked on this weekend. I'm still scrapping and still having a blast. Although I really should put my trimmer away and start working... nahhhhh!

(Remember, you can click on each picture to see it in more detail... and to read the journaling, Dad!)

I AM still a scrapbooker!!

I was really beginning to wonder whether my scrapbooking days were officially a thing of the past. It's been a really long time since I've scrapped... and even longer time since I've scrapped and actually enjoyed it!

But, today I rediscovered my inner scrapper!

My favorite little scrapping group on the Web is having a cybercrop this weekend... and they've inspired me (because they're a great group of talented, fun women). Here are some mediocre pictures of the stunning (ha!) layouts that I completed today (click on any pic to see it in more detail... because you know you want to):




(FYI, I don't generally torture you guys with every layout that I create... I used to post them quite often and then realized that no one really cares... but today was a special scrapping day for me, so suck it up!)

A shower, marriage, and preschool

I've spent the past 6+ months living in a house with no shower. We have one bathroom, and it has a beautiful blue bathtub, but no shower to go along with it. And I'm not a bath-kinda girl, generally.

So, last week, my husband installed a shower in our bathroom... and I am beyond thrilled with it!

It's not the prettiest thing. And anyone taller than me (at 5-ft nothing!) would have trouble fitting underneath the spray of water... but, for me, it's positively perfect!! I have been thoroughly enjoying showers again!

Oh, and whaddya know? I AM married!! My marriage license arrived in the mail yesterday, and it states that Nickolas and I ARE really husband and wife (the lady at the DMV was starting to make me doubt it).

I'm thrilled to know that I am actually married... not so thrilled that I have to spend another day at the DMV now that I can prove it.

And, finally, tonight is "Open House" at Avery's school. She's very excited and has already asked me 23 times this morning if it's time to go to her school yet. Clearly, Avery is ready for preschool... I hope preschool is ready for Avery!